I have an Impromptus today, headed “Politics as curse, &c.” You know how politics can obsess and warp and ruin someone? That’s what I mean. Among my topics today are U.S. border towns, “Big Pharma,” and the World Cup.
I also have a Christmas podcast — a podcast of Christmas music, here. It is like a gift to my readers and listeners (and a gift to myself, for I love this music so). The selections are from various periods and of various styles. Performers include Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Kay Starr, Heidi Grant Murphy, George Shearing, Eugene Ormandy, and Odetta.
Here is a fund appeal (thank you) — in which I do some reminiscing about Bill Buckley, as I am prone to do.
The picture above my Corner post here is of the giant menorah erected in Kyiv. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky — who is Jewish, a not-unremarkable fact — made a statement. Referring to the origins of Hanukkah, he said, “Those who were fewer defeated those who were more. Light defeated darkness. It will be the same this time.”
Yesterday, I snapped the below photo. It is of a menorah in Richard Tucker Square, near Lincoln Center, in New York City. Tucker was a great American tenor (1913–75). He was born “Rivn Ticker.” When he was starting out, he worked as a cantor.
I wrote a piece called “‘The People,’ They Say.” It was published on our homepage yesterday, here. The piece is about the use and abuse of political terms: “the people,” “elites,” “workers,” etc. A reader writes,
I hate clichés, especially political clichés. About the only thing I hate more is a symbolic gesture substituting for action — yellow ribbons never freed anyone. . . .
. . . a “people’s democracy” promises the reverse. Likewise, a “people’s republic.” Closer to home, any city with an area named “People’s Park” is telling you to tread carefully there in the daytime and avoid it like the plague after dark.
I remember something from Cold War days. “‘German Democratic Republic’ is three lies in one,” some people said. “The country is not democratic. It’s not a republic. And, given rule from Moscow, it’s not even especially German.”
Thank you, as always, to all readers and correspondents (and listeners!). If I don’t see you, merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy holidays.