As Goes Dolly Parton...

As I write these words, a rare heat wave has settled in along the coast of California. It's 99 degrees here. Inland, it's even worse -- way over 100 degrees. There is no discernible breeze.

The news cycle churns political rhetoric and oppressively bad news about the pandemic. Overall, it feels as if there is no relief from any of this.

But way down in my news summary cue today is a quote from the wonderful Dolly Parton. She's not only a brilliant songwriter and performer but a person who comes out with homespun pearls of wisdom known as Dollyisms, such as this classic:

"I'm not offended by all the dumb blond jokes because I know I'm not dumb, and I also know I am not blond."

We need people like her in public service. These humorless, ambitious narcissists who seem to predominate our politics leave all of us without laughter, only depressed silence.

After all, there must be something funny about all of this, though I admit to having trouble locating it.

Maybe our news summaries will bring some comic relief:

* More than 80 million people are under excessive heat alerts this weekend with record temperatures possible in over 10 states.Excessive heat warnings are in effect for California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Texas. Heat advisories are in place for some surrounding states, including Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. (New York Times)

* The U.S. recorded 64,201 new coronavirus cases and 1,336 related deaths on Friday (CNN)

*Postal Service tells 46 states that mail-in ballots may not arrive in time to be counted -- The warnings point to a grim possibility: Even if people voting by mail follow all the election rules, the pace of delivery may disqualify their votes.  (Washington Post)

* Clinical Trials of Coronavirus Drugs Are Taking Longer Than Expected -- Antibody trials sponsored by Regeneron and Eli Lilly are off to a slow start because of a dearth of tests, overwhelmed hospitals and reluctant patients. (New York Times)

* Recession ends for the rich while enduring for everyone else -- Jobs are fully back for the highest wage earners, but fewer than half the jobs lost this spring have returned for those making less than $20 an hour, according to a new labor data analysis. (Washington Post)

* Widespread community transmission in hot spots sends virus surging into nursing homes -- With staff — and in some cases patients and visitors — entering and leaving facilities, community-acquired infections almost inevitably find their way inside. (Washington Post) [I've said it before; if you don't want to lose your loved ones, get them out of nursing homes! -- DW]

* TRUMP HAD NO RESPONSE WHEN ASKED IF HE REGRETS ALL HIS LIES HuffPost senior White House correspondent S.V. Dáte asked the president a question Thursday that he's long wanted to raise: “Do you regret at all the lying you’ve done to the American people? All the dishonesties?” “That who has done?” Trump replied. “You have done,” said Dáte. Trump paused, then moved on to the next question. According to a running fact-check database by The Washington Post, Trump has made more than 20,000 false or misleading claims since taking office. [HuffPost]

* A new survey from Wakefield Research (a market research company) on behalf of Maven (a virtual women’s health clinic), reports that more than 60 percent of 1,000 parents surveyed said they do not have a clear plan of how they’re handing child care this fall.

* BIDEN CALLS FOR NATIONWIDE MASK MANDATE Joe Biden called for a nationwide mask mandate and urged all Americans to wear masks for at least the next three months as the coronavirus pandemic continues to take lives. “Every single American should be wearing a mask when they’re outside for the next three months, at a minimum,” the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee told reporters in Wilmington, Delaware. “This is not about Democrats, Republicans or independents. It’s about saving Americans’ lives,” he said. “Let’s institute a mask mandate, nationwide, starting immediately, and we will save lives.” [HuffPost]

* State and Local Budget Pain Looms Over Economy’s Future  -- Providing more aid to struggling governments has become one of the biggest issues tangling up the debate over another pandemic rescue package. (New York Times)

* In an interview with Billboard, Dolly Parton has voiced her indisputable support for Black Lives Matter as well as the importance of changing with the times.“I understand people having to make themselves known and felt and seen,” the 74-year-old Parton said, referring to the latest wave of racial justice protests sweeping the United States. “And of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!” 

‌* Uber and Lyft are threatening to temporarily close down in California. Here’s why, and what it says about fierce fights over the gig economy. [CalMatters]

***

Well, so much for the idea of possible frivolity. Nothing remotely funny in there.

The only sparkle is the Dolly Parton piece. It always amuses me when uninformed friends dismiss country music as unsophisticated "hillbilly" music.

In fact, there is a highly progressive streak of country music that embraces all people and celebrates the human spirit. Its practitioners have long been long-haired "hippies" and who employ irony and self-deprecating humor ("I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee.") 

There are plenty of lyrical stories of love, loss,, drinking, redemption and plenty of strong women standing up for what they believe in.

 Nobody does heart-breaking songs better, not even the Blues. And when there's nothing to laugh about, it feels good to cry.

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