johnedwinmason

I have no thoughts on "Substack vs. Whatever-Other-Platform" debate.

I'm here to say that the independent journalism/writer/public intellectual phenomenon has underlined for me the absolute necessity of skilled and experienced editors.

I love authors. But they are nothing without good editors.

The Cav Daily, doing its thing. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

EDITORIAL: A university president guarded from his constituents cannot lead them Mahoney’s position throughout his term has been one of deference — a deference that, amidst community protests, denigrates the role of a University president as authentically representing their commun...

Excellent editorial by the student paper: “Perhaps the most obvious epitomization of Mahoney’s desire to be protected from, rather than to protect, the University community, was his decision to be accompanied by a police guard as he entered the Faculty Senate.” www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...

I agree. I shop at the Food Lion often. I particularly like its large (but inconsistently stocked) Latino food aisle.

That's exactly right. We're all sensitive to these codes.

💯 I was just telling Steven that I won't shop at Kroger because of their machines & their anti-labor policies.

The Kroger machines are especially annoying. They're one of the reasons I never shop there. The big reason is how they treat their workers.

It varies with the items. My sense is that people think Wegman's is more expensive because of its pricey prepared food & because it sells expensive cuts of meat, craft cheeses, & high-end wines. If you stick with the basics, Wegma's is often cheaper than Food Lion.

Maybe the Wegman's machine has learned how I check out. I've often got multiple items in my hand as I scan the one at a time. No problems.

Little things that are there to remind poor people of how our society sees them.

...for putting things in my bag that I didn't pay for. A manager had to review the video on the machine to confirm that I'd scanned & paid. This has never happened to me at Wegman's.
The Food Lion machine also requires customers to confirm — twice! — the number of 5-cent store bags they've used.

Things you notice. The Food Lion on 5th St. Exd. treats its mostly low-income customers shoppers like suspects. The Wegman's across the road, which serves mainly middle- to high-income customers, dos not.
Several times now the self-serve checkout machine at Food Lion has tagged me...

The 14th Amendment is as clearly and unambiguously written as any law on the books. Politically it was intended to suppress former Confederates and prevent the conditions that led to the Civil War. To attack it is to give comfort to their heirs and cut into the seams of our society.

Make no mistake, if the 14th Amendment should fall - I am not saying it will, there are plenty of obstacles, I am speaking hypothetically - but if it should fall, no one is safe. It is challenging for most families to prove legal citizenship beyond a generation or two.

This has to have hit you hard. I'm sorry.

I play it cool
And dig all jive
That's the reason
I stay alive.

My motto
As I live and learn is
Dig
And be dug in return.
—Langston

The vandals are going after science & statistics now, as well as other programs.

I can certainly understand why. Among other things, your senses of humor lean to the wacky side. 😄

Sad news to begin the day. Martin Parr has died. He was a true original. Early in his career, he showed us a new way of seeing everyday life. Later he became a significant historian of photography. He'll be missed.

Photo editing fail. Big time.

Evil dogs us.
—James Bertolino

The truth must dazzle gradually or every man be blind.

I had to ask mainly because I also love the Serenade for Strings.

The wind serenade? I've only played it once, & that was many years ago. But at least I got to play it. That was the same year I played the Gran Partita, which I've also played only once. I'd love to do both again.

It's probably my favorite of the four symphonies. Brahms & Dvorak are my sweet spot.

I hear you. Being a mostly fourth horn player, the opening bars are my second favorite part.

I swear to God. When a good trombone section hits that chord — with a golden sound, perfectly in tune, & playing damn near as loud as they can — it makes me want to jump out of my skin. Bravo!

It's one of my favorite symphonies. As it would be. I'm a horn player after all. 😄 📯

Oops. Forgot to mention the olive oil. It's a key ingredient!

Braised green beans, with tomatoes, onion, garlic, coriander, & salt. Finished with a little of my citrusy, homemade hot sauce & a couple dollops of labneh. Nice.