Mark Carlson

Who knew that Berlioz wrote fantasies in words, too?!

“My drawing represents the land that binds us and unites us. Humans are woven together. If someone gives up, others fall. We are all connected to our planet and to each other, but unfortunately we are little aware of it. We are woven together. Other people weave alongside me my own story; and I weave theirs," said the young designer.

In 2023, 13-year-old Anja Rozen of Slovenia was chosen from 600,000 children around the world to create a piece of art showing what peace looks like. She was the winner of the International Plakat Miru competition.

Artist statement in the alt text 👇

Video: Opinion | If Democrats Have a Better Plan, I’d Like to Hear It In a few weeks the government’s funding will run out. If Democrats vote for a new spending bill, they will be funding Trump’s autocratic takeover — and I don’t see how they can.

Please watch this. It is really important.

If Democrats Have a Better Plan, I’d Like to Hear It www.nytimes.com/video/opinio...

America's disrespect for Black women encapsulated in one photo: Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee stands under a canopy to deliver a speech while four young Black girls are left standing in the rain.

America's disrespect for Black women encapsulated in one photo: Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee stands under a canopy to deliver a speech while four young Black girls are left standing in the rain.

Awesome music!

Sen. Angela Paxton files for divorce from Attorney General Ken Paxton In a statement, Angela Paxton said she moved to end her 38-year marriage “on biblical grounds,” citing “recent discoveries.”

www.texastribune.org/2025/07/10/a...

Why do we need more information to know the obvious: that it was Trump's retribution for Bolton speaking out against him?

This 115º weather today ain't nothin' compared to what James Hobson must be experiencing today!

I was an adjunct at UCLA for 28 years and didn't attend the first 13 of those graduations. Then I started going and was glad I did. I also couldn't afford to buy the regalia and just wore the stuff they provided. And now that I am retired, I'm happy not to have that stuff hanging in my closet.

I never walked in any of my graduations past high school, including for my PhD; I never get the regalia. (I couldn't have afforded it then, anyway). But when I became a prof, it meant so much to my students for me to attend their ceremonies, that I regretted never having the official stuff to wear.

I love this! Beautiful! Thanks for posting it.

YouTube video by Garth Newel Music Center In Memoriam - livestream concert

Here's a beautiful performance by Isaac Melamed and Jeannette Fang of my piece "Abschied" (1993).

In case it doesn't cue up properly, it starts at 4:50.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ru7...

What a disgusting, horrible person

Hegseth Orders Navy to Review Ship Name Honoring Gay Icon Harvey Milk

Hegseth Orders Navy to Review Ship Name Honoring Gay Icon Harvey Milk www.nytimes.com/2025/06/03/u...

I was 15 when that song was popular, and I confess that I never paid attention—or maybe didn't even understand—the words until watching this! Thanks for sharing this! 😜

Is there another way? I am a boomer, and I copy and paste URLs all the time.

I am so glad that somehow I never heard that soloist and orchestra quarrel and contend! That seems like malarkey to me.

Thank you, Ed!

I betcha anything that the MAGA people were every bit as upset that Trump wore a blue suit & tie to the Pope's funeral—when specifically asked to wear black—as they were when Obama wore a tan suit. Yep, I betcha anything! 🤣

A whistleblower's disclosure details how DOGE may have taken sensitive labor data A whistleblower tells Congress and NPR that DOGE may have taken sensitive labor data and hid its tracks. "None of that ... information should ever leave the agency," said a former NLRB official.

www.npr.org/2025/04/15/n...

What an idiot.

Brown, gray and black fabric with patterns of dragons, rockets people and plants

1930s Indonesian batik fabric with design inspired by Flash Gordon 🚀

Another word for "regulation" is...

"consumer protection"
"environmental protection"

"Regulation" means your milk is safe. "Regulation" means toys that harm your babies are removed from the shelves. "Regulation" means chemical companies can't dump waste in your river.

Lion, resting
Rembrandt, 1645/50 (Musée du Louvre)

Trump Media, the parent company of Donald Trump's Truth Social platform, says it lost more than $400.9 million last year and its annual revenue declined 12%.

But sure, let's let Donald run the United States like a business.

🤦‍♀️

YouTube video by Mark Carlson "Welcome Winter!"

Holiday Cheer!

A piece Bruce Olstad (lyricist) and I (composer) wrote in 2002 for the Boston Gay Men's Chorus. This is a performance from 2022 by the Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuHh...

Wait! How is a piece for string quartet not 'a string quartet'?