I couldn't even read this obit. I started to, but when I saw the first signs of Erik Loomis's trademark snotty superiority, I thought, Fuck it, I don't need this tonight. Or ever.
Still haven't reached the OT -- on a business trip, with meetings all day and social events in the evening -- but I wanted to point out that the article about the Battle of Blair Mountain omitted something important: the origin of the phrase "redneck".
One of the things that's almost universally true about people who start out in dirt eating, grinding poverty is if they do get famous or come into money they tend to either overspend, give it away, or get conned out of it and wind up back in poverty again.
Dolly didn't. She had some good mentors combined with her own savvy, and held on to what was hers, but not to horde. She gave back. A lot. To children. To her community. To her people. To the world on occasion. She did what she could, far more than is usually expected, jusr because it was the right thing to do.
A lot of it was anonymous as well. She would hear about people or a group struggling who needed a guardian angel, and would quietly donate the funds, no name or strings attached. Every once in a while they will be stories where people she helped find out years later Dolly was their mystery benefactor and are just gobsmacked at the news.
It wouldn’t be a Loomis post without a dig at person X’s insufficient devotion to the struggle. So here goes, from noted enemy of the people Charlie Pierce.
And this is my favorite bit of Partonalia: For 31 years, she had run what she called the Imagination Library, a service that delivers free books to children. There are outlets all over the United States and in four other countries. The project has dispersed over three hundred million books over those three decades. Back in March, because the president is a slug that attracts other slugs, Republican governors and state legislatures went to war with the Imagination Library. From USA Today [columnist Joseph Gerth]:
For the younger kids, it’s largely very simple books about counting and animal noises and colors and simple words. For older kids, the books have themes like friendship and self-reliance and nice little stories I would have loved to have read to my daughter when she was younger—like the one about someone trying to hire a rooster to wake everyone. Most of the books feature animals as their main characters. I didn’t look at all 75 or so books on the list, but among those I reviewed, I didn’t see a single one that dealt with sex—either gay or straight—or genders or anything that seemed likely to offend. Some of them deal with kindness. If that’s too woke for you, I’m not certain you can be helped. A few are bilingual, which I guess could send the Hispanic haters into a tizzy.
So, to cure your sour mood, when it posts, watch Chris Hayes' interview with a Canadian journalist expressing bemused wonderment at America's grand strategy of punching itself in the face until Canada gives up.
Most long lasting bands and solo artists change with the times. Or they end up on the county fair and small casino circuit playing the 30 year old hits.
Honestly, it pretty much what I expected. Not a fan. Not since Professor Loomis excoriated a bunch of likely 12 year olds for writing shitty, juvenile fanatic to prove the entire genre sucks. Picking on the worst writing by children because you don't like the genre is pretty shitty. Could have offered some writing tips. Or jusr encouraged practice in a creative art. But punching down for the humor, seemed to be more important.
I usualy skip his byline here. I don't care if it's a persona, or a bit, it's a shitty persona or bit.
This is going to be another lost weekend of medical stuff (more annoying tests for things that wont kill me just annoy me greatly)so I will need the distraction and am finally going to start my Big Finish journey.
You can't talk about Dolly without talking about the Imagination Library and other charitable causes. She may have been a capitalist, but she was never a cheapskate like Bezos or Musk.
I'm fierce about Dolly, and I certainly don't want to overshadow the orange dude, but if he tries to take away her glory in some fucking tweet and make it about him, I will instigate madness. Come get me Secret Service.
I couldn't even read this obit. I started to, but when I saw the first signs of Erik Loomis's trademark snotty superiority, I thought, Fuck it, I don't need this tonight. Or ever.
The “Jolene” duet was fucking awesome.
No, I’m NOT crying! Why would you even ask that?
The White Stripes version of Jolene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xSEStRIs88
This was my first exposure to the band and was intrigued he chose this song to cover.
This:
https://bsky.app/profile/thegodshow.com/post/3mtwitadqik2i
As long as you're sorry, God.
We're not angry, just disappointed.
Okay, we are a bit angry too.
https://youtu.be/NmrrAxS3z7I?si=T_GIW4cmEnrJ8F1g
The House of the Rising Sun
Still haven't reached the OT -- on a business trip, with meetings all day and social events in the evening -- but I wanted to point out that the article about the Battle of Blair Mountain omitted something important: the origin of the phrase "redneck".
Beau, from six years ago today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-qZVy0TblY
'Interesting side note: up on that mountain, the gun thugs wore white armbands, and the miners wore red scarfs: rednecks.'
Those rednecks would be disgusted by how modern rednecks have become anti-union and pro-management.
https://wildkinstudio.substack.com/
Here, go listen to the podcast of the lady I'm half heartedly attempting to court.
*silently wraps Dick van Dyke and Carol Burnett in moar bubble wrap*
Looks up from wrapping Mel Brooks, offers air high five.
Nice catch there
Make sure you leave breathing holes...
I remember Dolly saying her husband once told her "If you were a half inch bigger you'd be ugly."
If true Carl had a great sense of humor.
I cannot imagine Dolly would have stayed with him that long if he didn't have a good sense of humor- it's such a core part of who she was.
One of the things that's almost universally true about people who start out in dirt eating, grinding poverty is if they do get famous or come into money they tend to either overspend, give it away, or get conned out of it and wind up back in poverty again.
Dolly didn't. She had some good mentors combined with her own savvy, and held on to what was hers, but not to horde. She gave back. A lot. To children. To her community. To her people. To the world on occasion. She did what she could, far more than is usually expected, jusr because it was the right thing to do.
A lot of it was anonymous as well. She would hear about people or a group struggling who needed a guardian angel, and would quietly donate the funds, no name or strings attached. Every once in a while they will be stories where people she helped find out years later Dolly was their mystery benefactor and are just gobsmacked at the news.
Actions. Words. We all know which ones speak louder.
I figure she also understood that either her name being attached or just the self serving nature of performative public giving would detract from it.
It wouldn’t be a Loomis post without a dig at person X’s insufficient devotion to the struggle. So here goes, from noted enemy of the people Charlie Pierce.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a73525708/dolly-parton-was-always-force-for-good/
And this is my favorite bit of Partonalia: For 31 years, she had run what she called the Imagination Library, a service that delivers free books to children. There are outlets all over the United States and in four other countries. The project has dispersed over three hundred million books over those three decades. Back in March, because the president is a slug that attracts other slugs, Republican governors and state legislatures went to war with the Imagination Library. From USA Today [columnist Joseph Gerth]:
For the younger kids, it’s largely very simple books about counting and animal noises and colors and simple words. For older kids, the books have themes like friendship and self-reliance and nice little stories I would have loved to have read to my daughter when she was younger—like the one about someone trying to hire a rooster to wake everyone. Most of the books feature animals as their main characters. I didn’t look at all 75 or so books on the list, but among those I reviewed, I didn’t see a single one that dealt with sex—either gay or straight—or genders or anything that seemed likely to offend. Some of them deal with kindness. If that’s too woke for you, I’m not certain you can be helped. A few are bilingual, which I guess could send the Hispanic haters into a tizzy.
𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘟’𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦.
So true. Loomis and his self-righteousness can get very tedious.
So, to cure your sour mood, when it posts, watch Chris Hayes' interview with a Canadian journalist expressing bemused wonderment at America's grand strategy of punching itself in the face until Canada gives up.
I really appreciated that journalist
He had all the insights
I'm listening to Mark Carney tell us the Canadian tariffs will be going into effect September 8 so I'm glad I bought my French lipstick 💄 today
As we're watching Steel Magnolias Saturday, this is apt:
Daryl Hannah
@dhlovelife.bsky.social
· 3h
Dolly broke me in early to her raucous self deprecating sense of humor
when we began steel magnolias rehearsals 
i asked her - how long does it take to do a hair do like yours?
Dolly - no idea, i’m never there when they do it!
i started taking Dolly-isms notes on the back of my script after that
Thanks Stanta,
I will be looking for things like that to include in the movie post.
Here's a tribute attributed to Julia Roberts
https://bsky.app/profile/everyfilmnow.bsky.social/post/3mtxa2wmxr22v
and a story
https://bsky.app/profile/lalaisto.bsky.social/post/3mtxcswfjhk2g
Thank you, you guys know how I do things!
Man, everybody's in a foul mood.
What did we learn today, kids? Perhaps writing an obituary in the style of a dyspeptic music review ain't such a hot idea.
Check out Lawyers, Guns, and Money, where Loomis regularly yells at commenters.
Pass.
Lotsa No True Scotsmans whacking on each other with mashies.
Maybe don't rush a post out on such a sensitive subject?
That seems like a wise move. Could have had a much better post tomorrow for the OT.
It's not even a music review.
She was OK, I guess, but capitalism sucks seems to be the broader point.
there was also a subtext of someone leaving Country Music for broader audiences.
That was text, not subtext.
Most long lasting bands and solo artists change with the times. Or they end up on the county fair and small casino circuit playing the 30 year old hits.
And what's wrong with 30 year old hits? Morris Day's still touring and their stage act still kicks ass.
They really do
I saw the Time at Tramps on 21st Street, before they closed
Ridiculous
perhaps I should have qualified that with someone who felt she should have stayed Country, and never changed.
It was remarkably petty on most levels.
Not at all what I expected from Loomis.
Honestly, it pretty much what I expected. Not a fan. Not since Professor Loomis excoriated a bunch of likely 12 year olds for writing shitty, juvenile fanatic to prove the entire genre sucks. Picking on the worst writing by children because you don't like the genre is pretty shitty. Could have offered some writing tips. Or jusr encouraged practice in a creative art. But punching down for the humor, seemed to be more important.
I usualy skip his byline here. I don't care if it's a persona, or a bit, it's a shitty persona or bit.
But it was Dolly. So I did read it.
* Hugs box of Dolly Cake mix*
I’m going to go make cake
Because I don’t know what I just read up there.
I have her yellow cake mix ready to go.
It’s really unnerving reading an obituary that feels like it’s about to say “good riddance” at any moment.
On the other hand, it's not so unusual to read an obituary and shout at the Supernatural Big Guy "YOU MISSED! WRONG ONE!"
Somewhere in here Craig Nixon said Loomis is also a music writer of note. So I get having the music guy write this, but........
Tell me you were not fond of Dolly Parton without saying you were not fond of Dolly Parton.
honestly?
It had the feel of a sad Taylor Swift fan after she left country music.
Linus thinks you be wise.
https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Y4TX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d4a5a4f-f2ab-4811-8b9d-ce165da8aec5_2016x1512.jpeg
Linus is A Harrumph
*waves*
So, I listened to that new Fifth Doctor audio ("Singularity") today going to and from work. And surprise surprise, it was fantastic.
Oohh. I have Spare Parts cued up for tonight. And I looked up Singularity and saved it.
Ohhh, you're going to be so spooked by what Classic Who monster is the focus of Spare Parts...
Nice!!!!
This is going to be another lost weekend of medical stuff (more annoying tests for things that wont kill me just annoy me greatly)so I will need the distraction and am finally going to start my Big Finish journey.
dawwww...
have a handful of treats, Linus.
How are the kats?
sleeping.
Miss T is curled up by my right elbow, Elwood asleep by my legs, Oscar on his favorite spot at the far end of the couch, and Frank under the couch.
They are quiet.
.
.
.
.
too quiet.
She seemed like a nice lady but I can’t listen to that music.
You can't talk about Dolly without talking about the Imagination Library and other charitable causes. She may have been a capitalist, but she was never a cheapskate like Bezos or Musk.
Snot!
I'm fierce about Dolly, and I certainly don't want to overshadow the orange dude, but if he tries to take away her glory in some fucking tweet and make it about him, I will instigate madness. Come get me Secret Service.
I don't see how he could possibly resist trying to bend national attention, especially about a woman, towards himself.