Two Women
They could not be more different. One is black, one is white. One is Gen X, the other, Y. One was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Florida. The other is Omaha Nebraska all the way. One...married with children. The other... single and childless. One has a job whose judgments can go to the heart of our democracy. Judgments that can change the course of history. That is to say, something serious. The other has a job that goes to the heart of our sociology. On the surface, something fun and literally games. Whose judgments can result in a pinch hitter or a stolen base ("Stop the steal!"). Meet...
Ketanji Brown Jackson and Rachael Balkovec.
Men at Picnic
We have stretched out our blankets as if to claim
a rightful patch of Mother Earth.
As if we were her only child. As if we were alone
with a grand idea for The Great Outdoors,
ignoring the mosquitoes, gnats and everything that crawls.
For this feast is a rite of summer
and a time to bask in the glow of Helios
riding his Harley across the sky.
Oblivious are we to the army that will arrive
as if in fulfillment of a cliché;
a long dark line of intent and intensity.
But our distractions have been bolstered by a keg of beer,
a game of Cornhole,
in which we call each other... “Asshole,”
till awareness that the raw red meat
has been left unattended; the burgers to be,
the beef ribs for gnawing—where were the women?
Let the blame game begin as we frantically swat
to rid ourselves of these impudent invaders
this history repeating as might a devoured hot dog—
though not without a glint of admiration
for their grindstone tenacity.
The art of teamwork is not easy to master.
And while boys will be boys,
ants will be ants.
Ron Vazzano
It might seem that they not be mentioned in the same breath. And maybe that's so. But what both do have in common is a "breakthrough" in some meaningful capacity within the socio-political landscape of America. And both are well qualified for their respective assignments. And it happened last month.
Some notes on their credentials and achievements, and put within a particular context.
Disorder in the Court
Ms. Jackson is the first black woman on the Supreme Court, thereby caging two birds without casting a stone: race and gender. Though many stones were cast at her. Despite a resume that includes... Judge of U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, Judge of the United States District of Columbia (2013-2021), Vice Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission, federal public defender and Harvard Board Overseer as an alumni having graduated from Harvard magna cum laude. And possessing an even temperament, that Brett Kavanaugh could only dream, about as shown during the confirmation hearings.
Some have argued that she could be the most experienced trial court judge to join the Supreme Court in almost a century. Less than a year ago, even Lindsey Graham voted to elevate her to the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This time around though, Graham was a cracker.
He and his side of the aisle were extraordinarily unimpressed with Judge Jackson. Believing—or making believe to be believing—that if Ketanji Brown Jackson is not out and out "pro-pedophile," she certainly is soft on child sex abusers. Though to be fair, Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina did go up to Ms. Jackson's parents at a break in the hearings, and told them that "they clearly raised her right. They should be very proud." Then he voted against her. All right-raising aside. Still, three Republicans (the usual suspects), Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney did vote aye, resulting in 53-47 victory for KBJ. Which highlights an issue that goes beyond her confirmation, historic as it is, and as qualified as she is. Call it, the festering sore of polarization. Once again oozing into the Supreme Court confirmation process, as it has in particular for the last six years.
Polarization is now a given in our country. Tack on toxic, even. The gap between the two parties is wider than it has ever has been. A rabbit hole down which there is now no separation between fact and opinion; truth and falsehood. This is not news. But I found it worth pausing for a moment, to see it through the lens of the Supreme Court confirmation trending.
You have to go back thirty years to the 97-3 vote in favor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg to come close to unanimity. It is inconceivable that any nominee can ever again "run the table." Especially if a Democratic president is doing, or trying to do, the nominating. The last time that happened was in 1962 when JFK's nominee Arthur Goldberg joined the Supreme Court by way of acclamation. Reagan nominees were voted in unanimously three times in the 80's: O'Conner (1981), Scalia (1986) and Kennedy (1987). Now each confirmation is a squeaker, regardless of gender. And will be for at least as long as the Senate remains relatively equal by party headcount.
It does suggest (as has often been suggested and ignored), that unlimited terms for Supreme Court justices is an anachronism. We live (and longer) in a world that no longer exists. One in which, not only does opinion trump fact, but civility has left the building. And this can be fatal if it were to remain this way in coming years. Life terms for any branch of government in a democratic society, makes as much sense as Jabborwocky. The wisdom of term limits would seem obvious. At least this fellow thought so.
“The Framers adopted life tenure at a time when people simply did not live as long as they do now. A judge insulated from the normal currents of life for twenty-five or thirty years was a rarity then, but is becoming commonplace today. Setting a term of, say, fifteen years would ensure that federal judges would not lose all touch with reality through decades of ivory tower existence. It would also provide a more regular and greater degree of turnover among the judges. Both developments would, in my view, be healthy ones.”
– Future Chief Justice John Roberts
(now entering his 18th year on the bench)
This would apply to Kantenji Brown Jackson, I'd say even retroactively, if it ever became a reality tomorrow. But that tomorrow will never come, given today.
KBJ will join the Supremes at the start of a new judicial term, the first Monday in October. Her every move, vote and opinion will be scrutinized. And openly criticized. By politicians and by those on (anti)social media. That's a given within this "new normal." Though Ms. Jackson has shown the poise to deal with outrage, be it real or faux. And her appointment is designed to cling to some semblance of balance. To make sure the thumb on the scale of justice is at least not joined by any more fingers. In that regard, KBJ seems the perfect choice. from a Democrat's perspective,
Leveling the Playing Field
Rachel Balkovec's challenge is not quite so daunting. She was hired to be a Low-A minor league manager within the New York Yankees organization. Making her the first woman to work in that capacity for a major league-affiliated team. And another gender barrier has been broken. In effect, a girl in a boys game. On the same field. On the same team. In fact, running the team. As Biden might have said on a hot mic about Balkovec's hiring, "This is a big f------ deal." And to think that women sports reporters up until 1972, were not allowed in a locker room to get interviews with the players before and after a game. Let alone anyone imagining the possibility of a woman manager one day.
Balkovec, age 34, will almost literarily be managing boys. Players in Class A baseball, are frequently in their late teens or just about breaking into their 20's. Yet some that will be managed by her, are potential stars for the Yankees parent club. As is Aaron Judge for example, who began his career on that team. (Though at the time, it was not called the Tampa Tarpons... large fish. A better name might have been chosen).
One of her players is Jasson Dominguez. He was the #1-ranked international prospect for 2019, and signed a contract for $5.1million, on the basis of "can't miss" future superstardom! (A topic for discussion on another day). So lest anyone think Balkovec's hire was "woke," or "window-dressing," the development and nurturing of Dominquez's talents is in her hands. The organization's five-million dollar investment, if you will.
So just how will she approach this groundbreaking gig? She sees it as two-fold; going beyond the field of play.
I've never known of a baseball manager who viewed the job in quite this way.
Despite her own youth, she has had some extensive baseball related experience under her belt over of the last ten years. Including strength and conditioning coach at Arizona State University, and for MLB organizations, such the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros. And as noted, she was once a hitting coach (2019) in the Yankees organization. She is also considered an expert in analytics and technology which have become such an integral part of how baseball is strategized and played these days.
Her actual playing experience came by way of fast-pitch women softball leagues. For the uninitiated, and before anyone scoffs, they throw at almost 70 MPH from only 43 feet away. Which is the equivalent of a 100 MPH pitch in a major league baseball baseball game. So yes, she knows the game from the perspective of participation. As to how well she'll do of course remains to be seen. Which doesn't always correspond with "wins-and-losses." As with any manager in any field, success often depends on what you've been given to work with.
A sense of history was about to be made on April 9, 2022, that was not lost on fans and non-fans of baseball alike. And her managerial career got off to a Hollywood-scripted start. Those in attendance got to see her guide her team to a 9-6 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers. She would donate the jersey she wore that day, to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. She does not shy away from her place in history.
“I'm definitely highly aware of it and it definitely drives my action, pretty much every day, honestly... I want to be a visible idea for young women. I want to be a visible idea for dads that have daughters. I want to be out there."
Be assured that many will be watching.
Quote of the Month
"I have said this many times, that there seems to be enough room in the world for mediocre men, but not for mediocre women, and we really have to work very, very hard."
Madeleine Albright
It’s a small piece of what might be called, for want of a better descriptive, “cultural enhancement programming.” This thing called The Writer’s Almanac, is merely a five-minute long scripted podcast produced and read by Garrison Keillor. It used to air on a local public radio station at the ungodly hour of 7:30AM, Monday through Friday. At least in Los Angeles, my adopted home for decades past.
The program began in 1993. And it might have slipped through the cushions of commitments that defined my days back then, had I not come across it one morning in the car. I was instantly hooked. Then on the mornings when I had not as yet reached the car, I’d tune in at home while getting ready for work. Where I might stop mid-shave to have a listen, or while guzzling a cup of coffee before heading out the door.
For those who might not be aware of The Writers Almanac or its format, each program is introduced with a bittersweet piano refrain of Ge Mig En Dag (Give Me a Day, a Scandinavian folk tune), and is comprised of vignettes about known authors (or those we should know?), and other noteworthy people whose birthdays coincide with the program's date. And maybe an historical event that took place on that given day. Some even going back to ancient times. Whereupon we might hear Garrison Keillor intone, in a voice that Slate has described as “a breathy baritone that seems precision-engineered to narrate a documentary about glaciers,” something like...
“Today is the Ides of March, the day Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by conspirators in 44 B.C.E.
The ambitious Julius had a tense relationship with a Roman Senate ... that felt he was a threat to the Republic, and that he had tyrannical leanings... several people warned Caesar not to attend the meeting of the Senate...but Brutus convinced him that it would be unmanly to listen to gossip and the pleadings of a mere woman Caesar’s wife, etc...”
Wow. I guess the husband is always the last to know. Or take the date of this MuseLetter posting, where Keillor might inform us that...
“Today is May Day, the first of May...
...the date when many countries celebrate Labor Day, a tradition with its roots in the 19th-century labor movement in the United States. In 1886 unions around the country went on strike in support of an eight-hour workday. Since many of the organizers of the strikes were communists, socialists, and anarchists, May Day has also come to be associated with communism,”
Sometimes it is not quite that historical, or as intense, and borders on the fascinatingly trivial.
"On this day in 1928 Buddy, the first Seeing Eye dog, (in the U. S.) was presented to Morris S. Frank.
Buddy was shipped over to the United States to become Frank’s companion....The dog became such a celebrity that an obituary appeared in the newspapers about his death in 1948."
And eventually, even a book, which was published fairly recently in 2016.
The program then concludes with a poem chosen by Keillor, of well-known poets (Frost, Dickenson) or those obscure. A lover of poetry, he has published a series of anthologies “as heard on The Writer’s Almanac.”
Fear not. They are usually quite accessible and relatively short. Often with a touch of whimsy. Keillor loves whimsy. Here’s a recent example of that.
Paint for the Baby’s Room
Margaret Hasse
Tumbleweed, Ostrich Egg,
Algonquin—who dreams up
these names for paint on color strips,
labels, and formulas for mixing?
Who thinks of Homeland,
Cedar Chest, Alameda Red?
Of Raleigh Green, good for exteriors,
and Lemongrass for trim?
Poets! To name products
paint companies must hire those
who know the connotations of color,
who know how to be brief and stunning.
Water Mirror is light gray
like May rain or pencil tips.
The beige of Oatmeal Bath
works well with Upbeat Blue.
In a room of Yellow Water Lily,
a little boy lies in a crib.
He is the hue of Warm Earthenware
with a mouth of Deep Mulberry.
It all ended abruptly. In November of 2017, following allegations of inappropriate behavior and sexual innuendo in the workplace, Minnesota Public Radio terminated its contracts with Keillor. Effectively ending distribution of The Writer’s Almanac, and his 40-year iconic program, A Prairie Home Companion. Which at its peak had 4.1 million listeners. And in the process, also prohibiting any rebroadcasts of these programs from the archives.
In April of 2018, and just as abruptly, “MPR paid Keillor $275,000 as a final settlement.” And further, released the archives—as you might hostages—of his popular shows, to be returned to their respective websites.
It’s all too vague as to what exactly Keillor was accused of. Seems his “guilt” was determined—without any hearing—on the basis of an accusation by one particular woman who had worked with him for 15 years. Though others too, had also allegedly come forward to complain about his behavior in the workplace. Which might have included some Cuomoesque hands-on presumptions? But nothing close to those who chose to expose themselves in public, and/or their fellow masturbators that we had come to know and love. (I still can’t go over Toobin's ludicrous indiscretion). In any case, I've taken this as an exoneration, of sorts. In God and in public radio, I trust.
A bit crestfallen at first, Keillor rallied and brought The Writer's Almanac back in the form of a daily podcast. Which could be accessed at any time throughout the day. And on any day thereafter, for that matter Who needs a radio? The last one I owned was inside the car I sold 11 years ago. Streaming! That’s the thing! And I've gone with the flow. Though I only became aware of this particular podcast within the last six months or so.
At age 79, Keillor is also back (following the lockdown brought on by the pandemic), to doing his homespun humor in live shows in various small market venues. Where the predominately grey-haired folk come and eat it up, as if porridge.
Not to disparage those who have joined the senior set, of which I am a member (though refusing to pay dues), but cornball is not my thing. I never cared for Prairie Home Companion, or the folksy tales from Keillor’s fictional Lake Wobegon. But The Writer’s Almanac was, and is, another story.
Now, as in that former life, it kickstarts my day. Especially given the flexibility of tuning in at a more reasonable morning hour. And really, where else can I be reminded, as I was this past April 23rd, that it's Shakespeare’s birthday? Born in 1564. And that ...
“...at 18 he married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway who was pregnant with their first child, Susanna”?
To which I couldn't help thinking, would have ended his career right then and there—no Hamlet, no Macbeth— if it had happened in the midst of a #MeTudor movement. On that dreadful stab at humor, I'll conclude with Keillor’s trademarked signoff...
Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.®
Word of the Month
octothorp noun
oc·to·thorpe | \ ˈäk-tə-ˌthȯrp , -tō- \
variants: or octothorp
: the symbol #
Most commonly used as a “number sign,” “pound sign” or ‘hashtag.” In music, to denote a “sharp.” There are at least 13 other uses in various fields and functions in which it commonly appears.
Origin
Most scholars believe the word was invented by workers at the Bell Telephone Laboratories by 1968, who needed a word for the symbol on the telephone keypad.
The first appearance of "octothorp" in a US patent is in a 1973 filing.
Used in a sentence
Because a tic tac toe layout doesn’t slant, it can’t be considered to be an octothorp.
# # #
finito
Featuring...
muse-letter \’myüz-‘le-tər noun
1: a personal message, inspired by a muse of one's own creation, addressed to a person or organization, in the course of which, the sender becomes absorbed in thought, especially turning something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively.
2: a letter from a poet, or one who envisions oneself as such, in which he or she “muses” on that which is perceived to be news, or newsworthy, usually in some ironic or absurd way.
pre November 2018
Parts of the site under reconstruction
muse-letter \’myüz-‘le-tər noun
1: a personal message, inspired by a muse of one's own creation, addressed to a person or organization, in the course of which, the sender becomes absorbed in thought, especially turning something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively.
2: a letter from a poet, or one who envisions oneself as such, in which he or she “muses” on that which is perceived to be news, or newsworthy, usually in some ironic or absurd way.
pre November 2018
Parts of the site under reconstruction
Capt. Nemo played by James Mason
in deep-doo doo in the deep blue sea.
Ron Vazzano
Ron Vazzano
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