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Home » Open thread 11/27/21

Open thread 11/27/21

The New Neo Posted on by

Choruses often are loud and memorable. But this pop song from my youth is effective by getting quiet in the chorus. There are even crickets to add to the effect of something clandestine going on at night:

Comments

Open thread 11/27/21 — 34 Comments

  1. Tommy James is 74, a year younger than me. They did several very good songs including :Hanky Panky”

  2. When I first saw this post I thought to myself, “I saw them back then” then realized my memory was flawed, I saw “The Standells” not “Shondells” back in ’66.

    Thanks for triggering memories of both groups.

  6. Heh.
    Twist the knife. Not that the hypocrites will feel anything.

    Stephen L. Miller @redsteeze
    Is this who we are, Jim? What about the Statue of Liberty?

    Jim Acosta @Acosta
    Biden to restrict travel from South Africa and seven other countries starting Monday

  8. I simply can not recall his recording of Crimson and Clover. In my mind it immediately morphs into Joan Jett’s.

  9. Dwaz,

    As I mentioned above ‘Crimson and Clover’ was #1 the week I was born but like you I think of the Joan Jett version first and I also think of Tiffany first for ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ and Billy Idol for ‘Mony Mony’.

    It speaks to the quality of those songs that they were all covered 10-20 years later and were big (often even bigger than original) hits.

  10. I still think of Tommy James and the Shondell’s version of Crimson and Clover when I see the song title. I am two years older, so maybe had more time to be familiar with the original version before Joan Jett did it. As for Mony, Mony, I only really think of Billy Idol’s version.

  14. I had never even heard of Tiffany until a couple of days ago…I must have been deep into parenting/homeschooling when she was popular with I Think We’re Alone Now. I always (and forever) will associate that song with Tommy James and the Shondells.

    It was popular when I was in 5th grade and I, along with a classmate named Candy and another one formed a little group called Candy & The Cookie Crumbs and we sang that in our class during talent time. One of my favorite all-time songs!

    And, even though I love Joan Jett, I never knew she did Crimson & Clover!

  16. In other news, looks like Australia is passing a law against ‘anonymous online trolls’ (i.e. Leviathan strikes again). Looks like I won’t be residing there anytime soon.

    Interesting comparison between the Chinese and Western ways. In the Chinese world if you piss off the government they just go straight to the tech giants and grab the info and you’re off to donate your kidneys or to make a groveling apology on the nine-o-clock news. Not just the PRC. Singapore runs on these lines, too.

    In the West it is pretended that you are free. But instead you will be libel-suited to bankruptcy by NGO-funded activists and put out of a job and find your bank accounts closed. But… Muh Private Companies… Muh Free Market…
    Muh all done with Due Process.

    So they need this anti-trollers law so that the arms-length only laughably plausibly deniable agents of Leviathan can get at your identity without breaching the sacred principles of Muh Western Civilization and Lib-dem Constitutional Niceties.

    It’s a repressive law enacted with all due process and majority public approval in a ‘Liberal Democracy’. A repressive law disguised as a public good. I prefer my repressive laws to come with Repressive Law written on the box. But I’m kind of autistic.

  17. Zaphod:

    Democracies can vote themselves right out of existence, and sometimes do. That’s one of the reasons the Founders here made the US a republic instead. Of course, that doesn’t protect completely either, because a republic is only as good as the educational system and the morals of the people in it. The Founders also knew that after a while, even republics can degenerate into tyrannies.

    I prefer to have a chance of undoing a tyranny, as a republic offers.

  18. Tommy James and the Shondells will be performing in a nearby town and I am considering going. He has had an interesting career. At one point the mobbed-up record label he was signed to was involved in a bloody gang war, and he moved from New York to Nashville to avoid possibly becoming a casualty.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_James#Music_and_the_mob

    In February 2010, an autobiography Me, The Mob, and The Music was published. James announced that deals were in hand to turn the story into both a film and a Broadway play.[3] Barbara De Fina is producing the film.

    It was evident when James first met Morris Levy, the head of Roulette Records, that Levy was willing to strongarm others when necessary. Those signed to Roulette were there to produce money for the company, having their needs met only when it pleased Levy. Asking to be paid meant intimidation; to survive, those under contract to Roulette needed to find a means of generating income that did not involve the record company, such as personally booked tours.[5] While a Roulette artist had great creative control when recording for the company, the lack of payment for those efforts was difficult to take.[4][5][11]

    James estimates the company owed him $30–40 million in royalties he never received.[5][12] Roulette was used as a front for organized crime, also functioning as a money laundering operation, as Levy was closely allied with the Genovese crime family. In the early 1970s, the Genovese outfit found itself in a bloody gang war with the Gambino family, which saw victims not only among mobsters (such as Levy’s close friend and business partner Thomas Eboli), but increasingly among non-mob figures on the periphery of the organizations. Levy had taken a somewhat fatherly shine to James, and worried that he might be a target for those who wanted to get at the Genovese family through Levy, so he warned Tommy to flee New York for an extended period, until the war was over. James settled in Nashville, Tennessee, where the Mafia had little presence or influence. While there he began jamming with local country music session players, and was inspired to record a country-rock record in 1971. He did not feel comfortable writing his book until all those deeply involved with the record company had died.[5] It was only after Roulette Records and Levy’s Big Seven Music publishing company were sold (the record company to an EMI and Rhino Records partnership, the music publishing company to Windswept Pacific Music which was later sold to EMI) that James began to receive large royalty checks from sales of his records.[13]

  19. @Neo:

    I think you guys *do* have a chance. But it’s because you’re armed to the teeth and some of you are rather ornery… maybe enough of you to stampede the sheep… and the quite unique Second Amendment — not because you’re a Republic. OK… I’ll grant that you’re armed to the teeth as a peculiar artifact of once upon a time having been a particularly exceptional and blessed in certain aspects of founding and geography and native stock Republic. So two cheers for that.

    And if you do pull it off, it’ll be a first. I cannot think of a pile of historical examples of Republican Virtue turning back the tide of tyranny.

    In fact, seems to me.. that the best way to get yourself a Shiny Fresh Republic is to succumb to tyranny and then have yourself a nice cleansing bloodbath whilst overthrowing said tyranny. Of course you’ll be wagering that history hasn’t sped up thanks to certain aspects of modernity and that you will have the pretty standard 200 or so years in which to enjoy it before Rinse/Repeat. All this in the presence of nukes, bio-weapons, fragile logistics chains, corrupt fragile financial system… I could go on.

    Short of a mass culling of humanity and pre-1850 levels of tech, this kind of cycling (and make no mistake that it’s a feature of liberal democracy, republics, call them what you will, not a bug) is not something anyone can afford.

  20. Ah, this came out in my early adolescence. One of my favorites at the time, and I’m still fond of it.

    And there is something about the line, “we tumble to the ground”. That word “tumble” is perfect, evoking the breathless passion of the moment.

  21. The so-called Omicron Covid-19 virus presents us with changes like 5he one out of India. But instead of taking months, it maybe mere weeks.

    The early picture is sanguine. Despite rapid spread in South Africa, there are no hospitalization spikes yet observed (and SA does have a strong monitoring system in place, unlike before), which otherwise would inflame alarm. And this data from SA is more reliable — not comparable to the UKs, but the best in Africa and better than nearly every similar developing [or de-developing] country).

    Second, SA Dr Angelique Coetzee observed a change in her patient’s symptomatic presentation: no loss of taste or smell like with Delta, but bad fatigue and high pulse rates. Otherwise, it’s a milder infection than previously seen. But only quantitative data will soon give these anecdotal accounts scientific respect, and policy weight, we hope.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10251019/South-African-doctor-says-Omicron-symptoms-unusual-patients-NOT-lose-sense-smell.html

    Finally, an early (and quite likely premature) model gives us a usable frame if expectations: US will have Omicron at around 1% Covid-19 infections by the New Year. Then doubling weekly thereafter.

    The adoption of widespread use of Ivermectin and other therapeutics could slow this change over. But who are we kidding: the Left will triple down on vaxx and humiliating masking, right? Then shame every nonconformist as degenerate “killers!”

  22. Dr Angelique Coetzee, the doctor mentioned above, was interviewed on South African TV and down plays any hysteria.

    PULL QUOTES:
    She calls it “a storm in a teacup” and asks “Why everyone up in arms?”

    “So far, what we have seen is very mild cases.”

    After 17 to 18 November, she noticed a change in clinical picture, after 10 weeks of low numbers. “For now, its extremely mild cases that we are seeing.”

    “Looking at the mildness of these symptoms, I think it’s been missed in other countries…”

    “Severely mild, headache. What is different is the extreme tiredness. Body aches
    Mostly men under 40s….”

    “I really think the vaccine plays a role here, breakthrough infections, but very very mild” symptoms.

    “You can call all of the hospitals in Pretoria you will see there is not a huge influx of patients with this omicron [variant].”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr-v-bT8X38&t=0s

    Compared to variant reports over the past year, this seems positively cheerful by comparison.

    However, Dr John Campbell who reports almost daily on Covid19 cites a hospital ER doctor in Soweto. And what he’s seeing is more concerning: The unvaccinated and under 40s are showing up needing more aggressive hospital care.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdkCVeWc1pQ

    Thus, rather than an almost sunny day, the current picture looks more like a tale of two cities.

    Reports to come will either sustain this portrait or else fill it out in other ways, naturally. But this completes an extremely early glimpse.

  23. Could be.. could be…

    Mind you Dr Angelique Coetzee is probably desperately backpedaling in the face of flight bans and related economic impacts and local media scapegoating in order to dodge experiencing up close and personal that fine South African Bantu Tradition of necklacing just right now.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necklacing

  25. @ TJ > “Second, SA Dr Angelique Coetzee observed a change in her patient’s symptomatic presentation: no loss of taste or smell like with Delta, but bad fatigue and high pulse rates. Otherwise, it’s a milder infection than previously seen. But only quantitative data will soon give these anecdotal accounts scientific respect, and policy weight, we hope.”

    Per his Daily Mail link:

    Scientists have said they are concerned about the B.1.1.529 variant, named by the World Health Organisation as Omicron, as it has around 30 different mutations – double the amount present in the Delta variant. The mutations contain features seen in all of the other variants but also traits that have not been seen before.

    UK scientists first became aware of the new strain on November 23 after samples were uploaded on to a coronavirus variant tracking website from South Africa, Hong Kong and then Botswana.

    AesopSpouse and I likely just finished a run of the O-Covid, judging by the symptoms we had, although with no fever & we didn’t check pulse rates.

    But how could that be, since we were exposed here in the US (along with most of our local church members) on November 6?

    Well, that’s because B.1.1.529 was discovered in July, and the WHO have been dithering around over whether it was Nu (or Xi) or Omicron, and conveniently memory-holing the earlier date while they were at it.

    Per Stacy Rudin on Twitter:

    WHO, November 2021: “The first known confirmed B.1.1.529 infection was from a specimen collected on 9 November 2021.”

    WEF, July 2021: “Scientists in South Africa have discovered a small number of cases of a new COVID variant…named B.1.1.529.”

    And her link for that earlier date:
    https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/07/how-scientists-detect-new-covid-19-variants/

    12 Jul 2021
    Douglas Broom Senior Writer, Formative Content

    This article was last updated on 26 November 2021.

    South African scientists have discovered a new COVID-19 variant.
    Around the world, it’s a constant battle to keep up with new mutations.
    Here’s how they detect new strains in a bid to keep ahead of the virus.
    Scientists in South Africa have discovered a small number of cases of a new COVID variant. They’re working to understand its potential implications but told a news conference that it had a ‘very unusual constellation’ of mutations.

    They’re concerned that they could help it evade the body’s immune response and make the variant – named B.1.1.529 – more transmissible.

    No variant name is given in that story.
    Fortunately, they kept the original date-line; I’ve made screencaps.

    The first link in that story goes here, and is the “updated” part, because Reuters never mentions the July finding, nor gives it a name:
    https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/south-africa-detects-new-covid-19-variant-small-numbers-2021-11-25/

    JOHANNESBURG, Nov 25 (Reuters) – South African scientists have detected a new* COVID-19 variant in small numbers and are working to understand its potential implications, they said on Thursday.

    The variant – called B.1.1.529 – has a “very unusual constellation” of mutations, which are concerning because they could help it evade the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible, scientists told reporters at a news conference.

    Kind of cute that the last line of the story is this boilerplate link:
    “Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.”

    *Or maybe Nu?
    https://www.nysun.com/editorials/nu/91771/

    Here’s an article that didn’t get the naming memo in time, but still dates the variant to November, not July.
    https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/health/coronavirus/highly-mutated-nu-covid-strain-found-in-south-africa-heres-what-you-need-to-know-3472311

    By Heather Carrick
    Friday, 26th November 2021, 8:25 am
    Updated Friday, 26th November 2021, 8:26 am
    …
    The B.1.1.529 variant was first found in the country and, although it has not yet been found in Britain, there are warnings that the new variant may be more transmissible than the Delta strain and current vaccines may be less effective against it.
    …

  26. [Tommy James & the Shondells] did several very good songs including :Hanky Panky”

    SHIREHOME:

    One of my favorite rock quotes by someone I hadn’t heard of, but won my heart immediately:
    ______________________________

    When I read critical reviews of the latest Radiohead release, I start thinking that maybe Rock-N-Roll has strayed a bit too far from “My Baby Does The Hanky Panky” for my taste.

    –Todd Snider
    ______________________________

    Amen, Brothers and Sisters!

  27. Re: “I Think We’re Alone Now”

    My favorite quirky New Wave act from the 80s was Lene Lovich. Long braided hair, a uniform from a future in which Romania became a world power, a warbling sci-fi voice (she actually did gigs dubbing horror movie screams) with a bald sci-fi guitar player.

    Great debut album with her cover of “Alone Now”, which takes Tommy James to a whole ‘nother place without losing the adolescent charm:

    –Lene Lovich, “I Think We’re Alone Now”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJRGdQSvwjU

  30. @Barry Meislin:

    That is just evil and belongs in the innermost circle of Cyclists Hell — along with the drivers in these videos.

    https://upride.cc/

    The Laufmaschine / Draisine / Balance Bike invented in 1817 ought really to have been invented either in the classical world or China 2000 years ago. But it wasn’t because it was so obvious that you couldn’t balance on two wheels that nobody ever bothered to build one and try it out.

  31. Actually, I thought it was quite amusing…
    Can evil ALSO be amusing?
    Hmmm… Discuss!
    (But maybe we should first consult with Lance Armstrong…)

    Anyway, I liked the Bike-Accident porn—jackrabbits!!
    OTOH, based on the wipe-outs I’ve had, it’s more like, “We have met the enemy and he is US”…. Fortunately, I was wearing a helmet…(Got it as a gift five weeks prior and figured I might as well wear it; before that I was an inveterate Who-needs-a-helmet?? type of guy…

    And so, “Make Cycling Great Again!”(?)

  32. Bike helmets always a good idea.

    I’ve got Cycliq (the Upride guys) front and rear combo lights/cameras on my bikes — If I meet my demise at the hands of a bus driver at least he’s going to be tied up in paperwork for the rest of his sorry existence.

    There is something very cathartic about having a good curse at dangerous drivers while out riding. I find my posting here mellows out for at least a day after a particularly egregious close scrape.

  33. }}} Not being suckered into that earworm thank you very much.

    Not an earworm. It’s a decent song. Catchy? Yes, but that’s not the only quality of an earworm. An earworm is also a pedestrian piece of garbage that does nothing whatsoever as a song. ITWAN is actually a decent song, and kind of fun.

    That last part, if nothing else, defends it from earworm status, as is true of the Archies “Sugar Sugar” as well as pretty much anything by Hall & Oates from 15y later.

    Is it deep and meaningful? No. But that’s true of a lot of songs.
    😉

    }}} But “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,”a weem a woch a weem a woch

    Now THAT is an earworm… along with “Come on, Eileen”.

    Just for that, you deserve this:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB7ACr7pUuE

  34. }}} I had never even heard of Tiffany until a couple of days ago…I must have been deep into parenting/homeschooling when she was popular with I Think We’re Alone Now.

    No surprise. Tiffany was one of those “15m of fame” types who was cute and found someone to promote her for about … 14 minutes. She disappeared almost as fast as she arose.

    Talent? Uh… she appeared in Playboy about 10-15y later. One of the many of her ilk.

    }}} And, even though I love Joan Jett, I never knew she did Crimson & Clover!

    It’s an ok version. TJ&S did a much better one.

    }}} I prefer to have a chance of undoing a tyranny, as a republic offers.

    Well said. Our biggest travail at this point is to have our SCotUS actually start acting like it should be. How the hell are the 1621 people still in jail defines the actual nature of the real concern. They should be stomping all over that.

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