Three of countless quotes about the role of music in our lives:
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”
― Bob Marley
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent”
― Victor Hugo
Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols
Happy birthday to The Kinks' Ray Davies (82), Springsteen's E Street Band's Nils Lofgren (75), and Lana Del Ray (41).
"... Nine years after leaving office, the couple each have favorability ratings well north of 50 percent. They are dignified but also real: President Obama loves playing basketball, submits brackets for the NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments every March, and freely laughs at himself; Michelle Obama has been open about the reality of being empty-nesters, seems freer to give her opinions via her 'IMO' podcast, and is affectionately called 'forever FLOTUS' by her fans. And in photos, the two look as in love as ever, aging like fine wine.
"As their thoughtful, inclusive museum on the South Side of Chicago welcomes the world, we should remember the couple as fondly for what they aren’t — grifting, scowling, petty, vulgar, disinterested in each other — as much as for what they are: public servants who still endure an avalanche of hatred from some while providing aspirational Black excellence for others.
"They are living their best lives, which is the minimum they are owed." -- Shalise Manza Young, writing at "The Contrarian" Substack, on "What If Obama Had...?" On the occasion of the opening of Barack Obama's Presidential Center, Young remembers how much the Obamas were held to a standard no other politicians in living memory have or are being held to -- because they're Black Americans. Well, they met and exceeded that standard of excellence in their eight years in office, and in their lives up to the present day. Young briefly contrasts that with what many Americans will tolerate and excuse in the world-historically corrupt, ignorant, incompetent, evil (but white!!) thing currently the object of their worship. It remains to be seen if the process of national suicide that we've been engaged in, led by the Malignant Fascist and his cultists, can be stemmed and reversed. But the Obamas will always be a reminder of what a bright future many Americans once saw ahead of them.
BONUS: Chaser --
A trail of destruction. Imagine their reaction if Obama had done even one of these things.
— The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) June 20, 2026 at 12:22 AM
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It's been said that "fathers are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, storytellers and singers of song." To all our fellow fathers (and fathers- to- be) out there, have a safe and wonderful Father's Day. Enjoy and appreciate your children and, if you're lucky enough to have your father there, give him a hug!
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(Jimmy Margulies, King Features)
(Bill Day, caglecartoons.com)
(Pat Bagley, The Salt Lake Tribune)
(Tom Janssen, caglecartoons.com, Netherlands)
(David Rowe, Financial Review, Australia)
(Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Canada)
(Dave Granlund, politicalcartoons.com)
(Jeff Koterba, caglecartoons.com)
(Bart van Leeuwen, Oedipoes.com, Netherlands)
(Rick McKee, caglecartoons.com)
(Adam Zyglis, The Buffalo News)
(David Sipress, @dsipress)
In his Substack, Nobel Prize laureate Paul Krugman discusses the mentally unstable Malignant Fascist's opposition to clean energy here in the U.S., while ironically his actions boost it abroad:
"Trump has so far committed $2.5 billion in taxpayer dollars to killing renewable energy projects. The administration has also tried to stop offshore wind farms already under development — moves that have been blocked by the courts — while the Pentagon has been refusing to grant routine permits for onshore wind projects.
Yes, $2.5 billion to destroy already-approved, cost-effective clean energy projects while Americans are suffering from soaring electricity prices thanks to data centers and high gasoline prices.
Yet here’s the irony: Donald Trump’s disastrous Iran war has delivered a huge boost for renewable energy around the world — except in the U.S.. Trump has so far done more to shift the global economy away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy than any other single individual in history.
Why do Trump and his gang hate green energy so much? The roots of their hatred range from the power of fossil fuel interests, to Trump’s petulant whine that wind turbines ruined the view from his Scottish golf course, to a general sense among right-wingers that clean energy threatens their masculinity." (our emphasis)
The ignorant MF, from withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords, to boosting oil and coal production and use, to killing renewable energy projects, has made the U.S. more polluted and has created the conditions for severe impacts on the global environment, which may be irreversible. Bastard.
Operation Epic Surrender: Netanyahu torpedoing Trump's Iran "deal", Strait closed --
The U.S. intelligence report concludes “that in the face of national elections this fall, Netanyahu’s political survival is linked to showing .. that he will not withdraw troops from Lebanon and that he is intent on escalating the fighting with Hezbollah ..” www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
— Carl Quintanilla (@carlquintanilla.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 2:40 PM
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Iranian officials said they have closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing what they said was the U.S. failure to stop fighting in Lebanon.
— The Wall Street Journal (@wsj.com) June 20, 2026 at 10:33 AM
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Operation Bribes Accepted: luxury jet edition, out of touch Malignant Fascist --
Great moments in brazen corruption. Trump celebrates his latest massive violation of one of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clauses.
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf.bsky.social) June 20, 2026 at 8:51 AM
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Yes, a normal president would try to avoid bribes.
— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 9:07 PM
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There he goes, relating to the common man again...
— Will Harris (@willharrisinva.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 8:28 PM
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About the $300 billion Iran redevelopment fund and Jared Kushner / Steve Witkoff --
How Much Will Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff Profit Off the $300B Iranian Redevelopment Fund? emptywheel.net/2026/06/19/h...
— emptywheel (@emptywheel.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 8:15 AM
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Mocking the lying Malignant Fascist's absurd claim about Italian PM Meloni --
— George Conway ⚖️πΊπΈ (@gtconway.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Stop the costly Arc de Bone Spurs from defiling Arlington National Cemetery --
π¨ π Trump wants to spend over $100 million of taxpayer money on a giant monument to himself. They can always find money for vanity projects, but somehow there’s never enough for the things regular people need. Tell Congress to kill this right now:
— The Watchdog Coalition (@thewatchdogco.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 10:51 PM
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JD Vance's waste, fraud and abuse task force will get right on it --
NYT Exclusive: ICE spent $700 million on 7 warehouses. Now it wants to get rid of them.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 6:30 PM
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Incredible things that go "boom" in Russia: Ukraine showing its cards. Slava Ukraini! --
Moscow, update π₯☺️
— MAKS 26 ππΊπ¦ (@maks23.bsky.social) June 18, 2026 at 9:47 AM
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Reflections in the Reflecting Pool --
After years of reflecting Lincoln, the Reflecting Pool finally reflects our current leadership.
— ππ¦ππππ πΎπ¦π£π (@sundaedivine.lol) June 20, 2026 at 6:51 AM
A walking tour of New York City's famed Times Square by architect Michael Wyetzner for Architectural Digest explains how the locale has changed over its history from a gritty red-light district into one of the most iconic public spaces in the world, along with the surprising zoning laws and design decisions that made it what it is today.
Grammy Award-winning singer / songwriter Sara Bareilles has a new album, "Good Grief," coming out later this year. Our weekend song is a track from that album, "Home." Enjoy the weekend.
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(Jeff Stahler, Andrews-McMeek Syndication)
(Bill Bramhall, NY Daily News)
(Nick Anderson, Tribune Content Agency)
(Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press)
(Michael deAdder, Caglecartoons.com)
(Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Yesterday, President Obama's Presidential Library opened in Chicago, with a star-packed group of performers and attendees on hand. Music was provided by such stars as Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Bono and U2, Stevie Wonder, Marc Anthony and more. The audience included Tom Hanks, Stephen Colbert, David Letterman, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Oprah Winfrey, and all three living predecessors to Obama, excluding the insecure and vindictive Malignant Fascist who was not invited. It's a group that the MF knows he could never assemble to his undying resentment, nor will he ever be as broadly popular. Much has been written about the MF's deep envy and resentment of President Obama, his achievements and his popularity. The always sharp Amanda Marcotte provides her insight into the MF's Obama Derangement Syndrome:
"Years before he ran, the throughline that would define Donald Trump’s presidency was set: his racist, unhinged obsession with Barack Obama. Trump could have gone down in history with a minor but positive reputation, remembered vaguely but fondly by most Americans as the goofy New York character who hosted “The Apprentice.” Instead, he fell into a spiral of outrage that a Black man who was smarter, more handsome and more beloved than he could ever be had been elected president.
Trump famously spent much of 2011 pushing the racist conspiracy theory that Obama could not be a native-born citizen. This resulted in Obama mocking him while Trump seethed at the White House Correspondents Dinner, a narcissistic injury that clearly stings Trump to this day. Trump spent the next decade-plus trying to destroy Obama’s legacy, which he hasn’t been able to do, despite two presidential wins. If anything, Trump’s malevolence and clownishness have only served to heighten the nation’s nostalgia for the Obama years."
Please read her excellent article in its entirety.
In 2010, the year before he started his vile racist attack on Obama's citizenship, he was snubbed by the White House after suggesting that a grand ballroom be built on the White House grounds, apparently with a form letter. That snub led to his vicious attacks in all likelihood. Marcotte links the MF to the Iran War, given the MF's tearing up of the JCPOA which led to the current state of affairs, as well as to the MF's narcissistic urge to plaster his disgraced name on public buildings and memorials, and to erect monuments to himself. His approval ratings are in the toilet and more of his cult is falling away over the economy and his ill-considered war on Iran. He'll never measure up to President Obama -- or any of his predecessors for that matter -- no matter how many monuments to himself he builds.
Operation Epic Surrender: whose surrender?, Lebanon burning --
Trump still trying to sell his bad deal:
— Shipwreck (@shipwreck75.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 8:40 AM
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CAPUTO: At the beginning of the conflict, you talked about how you only wanted unconditional surrender. The MOU doesn't look like unconditional surrender. TRUMP: It really probably is unconditional surrender CAPUTO: It is?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) June 19, 2026 at 1:06 AM
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My God he is so close to getting it
— Seth Abramson (@sethabramson.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 5:02 AM
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Israel’s unhinged national security minister says “all of Lebanon must burn” and “you need to go berserk. To obliterate.” 4 IDF soldiers were just reportedly killed as Israel continues to attack Lebanon— clearly trying to make a peace deal with Iran impossible.
— The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 7:16 AM
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Michelle Obama delivers a reminder to the needy Malignant Fascist about the Nobel Prize --
Michelle Obama: You were doing the people's work, rescuing our economy, expanding health care, ending a war, ordering the bin laden raid, saving an auto industry, winning a peace prize.
— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social) June 18, 2026 at 1:37 PM
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Regular reminder that South Afrikaner racist drug abuser Musk is a psychopath --
It would be impossible to be a trillionaire without also being a sociopath/psychopath
— Sean (@cackalackdev.bsky.social) June 18, 2026 at 5:19 PM
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No honor among thieves and toadies --
NEW: The brilliant @hugolowell.bsky.social got his hands on Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan's upcoming Trump book. It includes multiple anecdotes of tech execs, including Zuck and Bezos, seeking to ingratiate themselves with the president...and Trump brutally mocking them in return:
— Katie Drummond (@katie-drummond.bsky.social) June 18, 2026 at 3:02 PM
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The Malignant Fascist's $14 million Reflecting Pool screw up. Also, check out the contractor --
I was promised a Golden Age. All I got was peeling blue paint.
— Patrick Chovanec (@prchovanec.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 8:10 AM
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It gets better. His company’s name: Greenwater Services. Did he once pay a bribe to Jim Traficant: yes, of course
— Amanda Kolson Hurley (@amandakhurley.bsky.social) June 18, 2026 at 10:12 PM
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Lying Malignant Fascist causes problem with Italy. He can't help himself, especially with women --
Meloni response to Trump’s lie that she begged him for a photo: “Trump’s statements are completely fabricated. I am frankly astonished. I don’t know why the president behaves like this towards his allies. This is not the first time this has happened. Italy and I never beg.”
— Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) June 19, 2026 at 9:23 AM
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The MF's fading fast --
Imagine him trying to tie his shoes.
— The Volatile Mermaid (@ohnoshetwitnt.bsky.social) June 18, 2026 at 7:55 PM
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Yair Rosenberg, writing in The Atlantic, on the schism between Bibi "Bomb Bomb" Netanyahu and the corrupt Malignant Fascist. Here's a brief excerpt, but read his entire article:
"For years, Netanyahu has built his brand on two promises to the Israeli electorate: that he alone could withstand international pressure to compromise on Israeli security, and that he alone could handle Trump. Now the president is forcing Netanyahu to choose between the two. Either he defies Trump’s diktats about Lebanon and Iran to save his reputation as a stalwart security hawk, or he folds to preserve the perception of his alliance with the president. Whatever path Netanyahu picks, he will imperil Israel’s geopolitical standing and undermine his own case to Israeli voters. [snip]
As the president has demonstrated time and again, the only person whose interests matter to Trump is Trump. Those interests have often aligned with Netanyahu’s, but this was always a marriage of convenience."
(photo: Reuters)
A brief explanation of why we celebrate Juneteenth from the National Museum of African American History and Culture:
"On “Freedom’s Eve,” or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At the stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved people in Confederate States were declared legally free. Union soldiers, many of whom were black, marched onto plantations and across cities in the south reading small copies of the Emancipation Proclamation spreading the news of freedom in Confederate States. Only through the Thirteenth Amendment did emancipation end slavery throughout the United States.
But not everyone in Confederate territory would immediately be free. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was made effective in 1863, it could not be implemented in places still under Confederate control. As a result, in the westernmost Confederate state of Texas, enslaved people would not be free until much later. Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state, were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as "Juneteenth," by the newly freed people in Texas.
The post-emancipation period known as Reconstruction (1865-1877) marked an era of great hope, uncertainty, and struggle for the nation as a whole. Formerly enslaved people immediately sought to reunify families, establish schools, run for political office, push radical legislation and even sue slaveholders for compensation. Given the 200+ years of enslavement, such changes were nothing short of amazing. Not even a generation out of slavery, African Americans were inspired and empowered to transform their lives and their country.
Juneteenth marks our country’s second independence day. Although it has long celebrated in the African American community, this monumental event remains largely unknown to most Americans..."
Obviously, the white nationalist, racist regime of the disgraced Malignant Fascist will let this day go by without mention. Shame on them.
Enjoy Jimmy's last live show before going on his usual summer hiatus (with guest hosts like Tiffany Haddish, Rosie O'Donnell, Colman Domingo, and Jelly Roll among others scheduled). He takes on the Knicks victory parade, the dedication of the Obama library and the Malignant Fascist's Iran blunder.
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(Michael deAdder, Caglecartoons.com)
(Joe Heller, Creators Syndicate)
