'Prime Minister' leads nominees for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary at the News & Doc Emmy Awards

Happy Throwback Thursday! As I wrote yesterday, I'm resuming my series on the News & Doc Emmy Awards. Today's topic is Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. One nominee stands out, Prime Minister with two nominations as the preview image shows, Best Documentary and Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. The rest of the field has only the one nomination for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. On that basis, I'm declaring Prime Minister the favorite. Watch Prime Minister | Official Trailer | HBO.

“World leaders have rarely been captured with as much intimacy” - @variety

A rare and unfiltered portrait, #PrimeMinisterHBO chronicles the unexpected journey of Dame Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s 40th Prime Minister. Premieres September 30 on @hbomax.

I found Jacinda Ardern inspirational while she was Prime Minister during the pandemic, and I felt that way again watching this trailer.

Now for the nominees with just one nomination in roughly alphabetical order, beginning with Bodyguard of Lies | Official Trailer | Paramount+.

Bodyguard of Lies is the first unvarnished documentary on the Afghanistan War, exposing the falsehoods told to Americans and the secrets kept. The film reveals the staggering cost of deception: thousands of lives lost, trillions spent, and a truth buried for decades.

Watching that reminded me of what I wrote in Colbert and Meyers take closer looks at the Taliban taking over Afghanistan.

I expressed what a waste of time, money, and lives the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan was ten years ago in We could have had the Moon, instead we get Afghanistan. Seeing this collapse a decade later demonstrates that I wasn't disgusted enough at the squandering of blood and treasure in "the Graveyard of Empires" at the time.

It was even worse than I thought and the people in charge knew it.

Speaking of Afghanistan and "worse than I thought," I'm moving HOLLYWOODGATE - Official Trailer (2024) up to examine the aftermath.

Unprecedented and audacious, HOLLYWOODGATE is the riveting result of the year director Ibrahim Nash'at spent with the Taliban in the wake of the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Risking his life in the war-torn nation, Nash'at is on the ground with the Taliban when they enter an American base loaded with a portion of the roughly $7 billion worth of U.S. armaments left behind. Driving towards an astonishing and chilling end, Nash'at tracks Taliban leaders as they attempt to transform from a fundamentalist militia into a modern military regime, employing Hollywood-style propaganda to achieve their goals.

That's depressing.

I moved The Dark Money Game | Official Trailer | HBO to get the two Afghanistan nominees together.

Money Changes Everything.

#TheDarkMoneyGame: Ohio Confidential & Wealth of the Wicked by Academy Award Winner Alex Gibney premieres Tuesday, April 15 and Wednesday, April 16 at 9pm on @hbomax.

That's two nominated documentaries from Alex Gibney. The man is a powerhouse.

I close with The Making of a Japanese - Trailer (2023).

Which are the distinct attributes sculpting the Japanese identity? What makes you Japanese? In order to figure out the answers, the British Japanese filmmaker closely follows 1st and 6th graders for one year at a public elementary school in Tokyo, as well as their teachers, unveiling how teachers and students interact and shape one another. The outbreak of the pandemic and its restrictions constitute just another controlling measure. The kids in Japan are after all forged by their homeland's culture through a strictly defined education process which is in pursuit, with unwavering focus, of the appropriate equilibrium between individual progress and harmony of the society as a whole. Offering a unique hybrid perspective, the filmmaker critically examines a culture that is equally familiar to her as it is foreign, while she peruses the school environment in terms of an industrial production plant, in which the raw materials for processing are the students.

One of the points I make when I cover shows about government is that public education is government, too. I'm glad to see the News & Doc Emmy selection committee recognize this.

Now for Prime Minister's second category.


2000 Meters to Andriivka leads with six nominations, Turning Point: The Vietnam War follows with five nominations, Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time, Life After, and Love + War tie at four nominations, and Black Snow and Union tie at this one nomination. I had 2000 Meters to Andriivka penciled in to win this category because of its awards history, especially its wins at the DGA and WGA Awards, but seeing it lead this category, if not all nominees, in nominations inks that prediction in.

I'll probably examine Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time tomorrow. In the meantime, follow over the jump as I continue my retrospective of top posts about the Emmy Awards during the 15th year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

CNBC reports 'Japan bets on nuclear energy 15 years after Fukushima disaster'

I closed Marsh Family sings 'Grief and Destruction' with the choices for today's entry.

Tomorrow is the sixth anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic and the fifteenth anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster. Stay tuned to see which one I write about.

For the first time since Invasive species riding plastic debris from Fukushima 11 years later, I'm examining the Fukushima triple disaster. I begin with CNBC International Live reporting Japan bets on nuclear energy 15 years after Fukushima disaster.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to discuss further investment and energy cooperation when she meets with U.S. President Trump this month — with nuclear power and related technology likely to remain a key theme. On the 15th anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, CNBC's Kaori Enjoji examines how this deepening economic and energy engagement could draw Japan further into a geopolitical tug-of-war and weigh on its companies.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is a lot like Donald "Hoover Harding Cleveland" Trump in choosing an old technology over a newer one. In her case, it's nuclear energy over renewables. In his case, it's coal and other fossil fuels. I think she's maker the smarter choice. I really don't like coal and would pick nuclear energy over it, although I really prefer renewables.

South China Morning Post examined Japan's changing attitude toward nuclear energy in Why a Fukushima survivor is choosing a nuclear future.

Takuma Hashimoto was just three when the 2011 tsunami triggered a nuclear meltdown near his home in Japan’s Fukushima prefecture. Now, the 18-year-old student is training to become a nuclear engineer. His journey mirrors a national shift; 15 years after the Fukushima disaster, Japan is choosing energy security over its nuclear trauma. As the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East squeeze global supplies, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is leading a pivot back to nuclear power. With public support at record highs, Japan is waking up to a stark reality: for the most resource-poor G7 nation, nuclear energy is no longer a risk, but a lifeline.

It's not just Prime Minister Takaichi who is choosing to return to nuclear energy, but a majority of her country. However, not all agree. Notice the protestors in Al Jazeera English reporting Japan nuclear power: Largest plant reopens years after Fukushima disaster.

The world's biggest nuclear power plant is back on line in Japan. Engineers flipped the switch to power up the plant 15 years after the Fukushima disaster, which killed an estimated 20,000 people. Tokyo Electric Power Company is responsible for Fukushima, and is also in charge of this plant. That fact alone has residents near the facility opposed to the plan.

Al Jazeera’s Patrick Fok reports from Kashiwazaki in western Japan.

Two things. First, the tsunami killed the overwhelming majority of victims, not the meltdown. Second, the Fukushima plant performed as designed; it was the failure of the backup generators, which the tsunami drowned, that led to the meltdowns. The higher seawalls help protect against both of those reoccurring, so I'm relieved to see them.

That's a wrap for today's anniversary. Stay tuned to see if I cover COVID-19 tomorrow.

Welcome to 2026 with popular bands at the Rose Parade!

Happy New Year! I'm sharing my favorite bands in the Rose Parade for New Year's Day, courtesy of Music Amenities and Music213. I begin with Music Amenities wishing Happy New Year! | 2026 PCC Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets.

For old times, good times, and everything yet to come.

Welcoming the new year with "Auld Lang Syne", performed by the 2026 Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets.

That was worth it for the preview image alone. Now the full performance from Music Amenities, 2026 PCC Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets & Honor Band + FLYOVER! | 2026 Bandfest 3 - FULL SHOW.

The Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets and Honor Band perform at the 45th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest Show 3, held on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.

Luis at Music213 did his usual great work recording the band in 2026 PCC Tournament of Roses Honor Band & Herald Trumpets (Show 3) - 2026 Pasadena Bandfest, but he missed the flyover. Darn.

Next, a band I feature every Veterans Day, but never before on New Years Day, USMC West Coast Composite Band - 2026 Pasadena Bandfest from Music213.

The United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band performing at the 45th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Tuesday, December 30, 2025. Their last performance at Bandfest was in 2014 with the 3D Marine Aircraft Wing Band and 2013 with the full composite band. What a treat to see the composite band back at Bandfest!

I agree, Luis!

Follow over the jump for the rest of the most popular bands at Music213 I'm watching before the Rose Parade proper begins.

Storied asks 'Why Does A Ghost Whale Terrorize The Japanese Coast?' An Earth Month ghost story

Happy Earth Week! I'm kicking off my observance with an unconventional choice, Monstrum on PBS Digital's Storied asking Why Does A Ghost Whale Terrorize The Japanese Coast?

Lore of the ghostly whale skeleton, Bake-kujira, brings an ominous twist to stories of the revered marine giants in Japan. The entity is an omen of misfortune that emerged during the rise of industrial whaling in the 20th century. Is it a simple ghost story, or a warning of ecological collapse? And is Bake-kujira’s legend as relevant now as ever?

Watching this video reminded me of the retirement plans I shared in Marche du Nain Rouge, history and revelry.

One of the projects I'm considering pursuing in my retirement is a horror mystery series set in Oakland County. I thought I would ignore the Nain Rouge because it was concerned with Detroit proper, not the suburbs. Hearing that the Nain Rouge protects the suburbs as well as the city means that I might have to incorporate the imp in my stories. Hmm. Maybe in the sequel. I have another supernatural entity planned to bedevil my protagonists in the first collection of tales.

A vengeful whale spirit is exactly the kind of antagonist I'm looking for, except that my readers would think it's out of place in Michigan. Not completely, as three Quaternary, likely Pleistocene, whale fossils have been found in the Great Lakes State.

In 1927 excavations for a new schoolhouse in Oscoda turned up a Late Pleistocene fossil rib that may have belonged to a bowhead whale of the genus Balaena. The specimen is now catalogued as UMMP 11008.[15] 1930 saw Hussey publish the first scientific paper on the Michiganian whale fossils curated by the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology.
...
The 1950s saw paleontological attention return to Michigan's whale fossils. In 1953, Handley tentatively referred the rib discovered in Oscoda during the 1927 schoolhouse excavation to the genus Balaena.[15] He also reported the discovery of an Arkonan-aged[clarification needed (possibly referring to Thedford-Arkona region)] rorqual rib of the genus Balaenoptera. The fossil had been discovered upright in the sand during the excavation of a cellar in Genesee County.[18] Handley also reported the discovery of another walrus fossil, a skull catalogued as UMMP 32453 found in a Mackinac Island gravel deposit.[13] Handley also reported the discovery of sperm whale ribs and a vertebra from Lenawee County.

While I've read at least one author explain these findings as the result of early Native Americans transporting them from the coast, I think it's just as likely, if not more so, that the whales swam up the early Mississippi or St. Laurence into the forerunners of the Great Lakes. Whales swim into rivers from time to time, and it usually ends poorly for them.

ETA: It turns out that these whale specimens are too recent to for that to have happened.

Last week the results of study found the township bones were baleen whale vertebrae and radiocarbon dated the age at 220 +/- 30 BP (Before Present), as such, it is similar to a previous date of 190 years old for a sperm whale bone found in Michigan. The baleen whales have baleen instead of teeth which they use to collect shrimp-like krill, plankton and small fish from the sea. The report also included that all the dated whale bones found to date from Michigan are far too young for whales to have entered the Great Lakes. Bones of a sperm whale, finback whale, and a right whale where reported found in Michigan were dated between 190 and 810 years old, John Zawiskie, the Curator of Earth and Life Sciences at Cranbrook Institute of Science commented on the results of the whale bone discovery.
“Whales could only have entered the Great Lakes when the sea level was higher during glacial and post-glacial times more than 10,000 years ago,” said Zawiskie. “The whales are all too young – the oldest are only 800 years old.”
Why the bones were found in the township is uncertain, however one suggestion is that the bones may have been brought to Michigan by Hopewell culture people from the Atlantic coast, or maybe even a long running elaborate hoax, where someone else placed the whale bones on the landscape.
“The Hopewell people lived on the Atlantic Coast and they may have brought the whale bones to Michigan as they brought many shells and other marine items with them,” added Zawiskie. “It is unlikely that the Hopewell people scattered whale bones across Michigan and of course the recent find is only 220 years old – the other whale ages range from 190 to 800 years old.”

Darn. On the other hand, these findings make it more likely for whale spirits to haunt Michigan, not less, as they've been moved relatively recently. Just the same, I think I might refer to the legend of Bake-kujira, but choose another angry animal apparition for my antagonist, like a mammoth or mastodon. Time to look for African and south Asian stories of ghost elephants as inspiration.

Enough weirdness. I already have more conventional videos for tomorrow's celebration of Earth Day. Stay tuned.

PBS Storied tells 'The Untold Secrets of Pokémon’s Monster Mythology' for Pokémon Day

I'm in an "I can't be all DOOM all the time mood," so I'm wishing my readers a happy Pokémon Day!

February 27 is officially Pokémon Day on the National Day Calendar. We are taking you on a journey through the world of Pokémon to learn why the Pokémon brand has reached the hearts of millions of kids, adults and fans across the globe.
...
Pokémon Day commemorates the launch of the first Pokémon video games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, in Japan on February 27, 1996, kicking off a global phenomenon that catapulted Pokémon into one of the most popular and successful entertainment properties in the world. Since then, the community of global Pokémon fans — known as Trainers — come together to celebrate their love for the brand on Pokémon Day.

One of those fans is Dr. Emily Zarka, who expressed her love in The Untold Secrets of Pokémon’s Monster Mythology | Monstrum.

Pokémon are inspired by flora and fauna, science, religion, yokai and other supernatural beings. But the series is teeming with not just Japanese folklore, but versions of monsters from across the globe made cute with softened features.

I'm glad I re-watched this episode, as I'd forgotten about the environmental message of the franchise. That alone makes it worth sharing, despite some of the minor errors, which the viewers pointed out in comments. When one makes a video about a property with millions of fans, there are bound to be some who know more than you do!

I close with a dance video the Official Pokémon YouTube channel released last year on Pokémon Day 2024: Time to POKÉDANCE!

To commemorate Pokémon Day today, past generation partner Pokémon have come together to dance! We hope you're dancing too!

That was made to go viral as a dance trend on TikTok. Maybe next year I'll share the YouTube shorts versions of some of those videos.

So concludes today's holiday celebration. Stay tuned for a topical post tomorrow as the month ends. Reality returns!

PBS Terra explains 'How Scientists Solved the Mystery of a 300-Year-Old Megaquake'

I closed PBS Terra explains 'The AMOC Might Be WAY More Unstable Than We Thought...Here's Why' with a preview of coming attractions.

I'm not the only one recycling a subject; PBS Terra's previous video is the latest in a series that began with PBS examines the risks from a major earthquake in the Pacific Northwest and continued with PBS Terra explains 'Here's EXACTLY What to Do When the Next Megaquake Hits: Cascadia Subduction Zone' and PBS Terra asks 'What's the ONE THING You Can Do To Survive a Tsunami?' I will almost certainly cover that in a future entry...Stay tuned.

Without any further ado, here is that video from PBS Terra explaining How Scientists Solved the Mystery of a 300-Year-Old Megaquake.

The 1700 Cascadia earthquake and tsunami was a massive natural disaster that reshaped the Pacific Northwest. Through tree rings, soil layers, and international collaboration, scientists have pieced together the exact timing of the event. As the region braces for another quake, can we prepare in time? Find out how new models and tsunami evacuation towers are helping coastal communities face the threat.

This video shows that it took the efforts of people in multiple disciplines, geology, biology, and history, to decipher the evidence and connect it all together into a coherent reconstruction of the event in 1700. It also shows, like the previous episodes, how people are preparing for the next event. One of those preparations are escape towers. As I wrote last year, "my first instinct if I can't get away from the shore would be to climb up, so I'm relieved to see people building vertical escape structures. Now to build more than three in the U.S." If they're all as well-stocked as the Shoalwater Tribe's, then the people should be in good shape to survive the tsunami.

Follow over the jump for the comments from last year's post.

Some of my favorite bands at the 2025 Rose Parade for New Year's Day

Happy New Year! I'm sharing my favorite bands in the Rose Parade for New Year's Day, courtesy of Luis at Music213. I begin, like last year, with the official band of the Rose Parade, 2025 PCC Tournament of Roses Honor Band & Herald Trumpets (Day 1) - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest.

The 2025 Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band & Herald Trumpets performing their musical selections at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Sunday, December 29, 2024.

That was worth it just to hear the percussion play Espresso, which will probably be the Record of the Year at the GRAMMYs.

Next, a band I may end up recycling for the 2028 version of Marching music for the Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, and Ohio Presidential Primaries on the Vernal Equinox, Lincoln-Way High School Marching Band - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Frankfort, Illinois Lincoln-Way High School Marching Band performing their field show at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Monday, December 30, 2024.

I couldn't resist leaving this comment on the video.

Here is the music for the field show:
0:32 Music from "El Cid"
2:20 "The Death Hunt" from the movie "On Dangerous Ground"
4:00 "The Magnificent Seven"
6:00 "Gone with the Wind"
8:45 Reprise of "El Cid"
8:56 "Hurray for Hollywood"

The song for the pass in review at 13:12 is "Land of Make Believe."

Anyone who has been reading this blog for any time knows that I love movie music, so of course I'd know. Also, drum corps have played every single song in this repertoire, just to reinforce my familiarity with them.

Now, my favorite marching band from Japan, Kyoto Tachibana High School Green Band - 2025 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Kyoto, Japan, the Kyoto Tachibana Senior High School Green Band performing at the 44th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Monday, December 30, 2024. This exceptional group will also be performing in the 136th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on Wednesday, January 1, 2024.

As in 2011 and 2018, they were the ONLY band to receive a full standing ovation during the two-day festival. Their performance was truly spectacular! A huge THANK YOU to Kyoto Tachibana!

Field Show:
00:07 - Introduction
04:04 - Johnny B. Goode
05:16 - We Are Your Dream Girls
07:50 - Happy Birthday (Tournament President Ed Morales Birthday)
08:55 - Memory (from Cats)
11:58 - Sing Sing Sing
18:00 - Photos

Pass in Review:
18:41 - Fantasmic!
20:16 - High School Musical (High School Musical 3)

Wow! In case they look familiar, I featured them in Two Rose Parade marching bands playing 'Thriller' for Halloween and Two drum corps and some of my favorite bands marching in the New Year for 2018. Welcome back!

Follow over the jump for more of my favorite bands.

'House of the Dragon' and 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters' lead fantasy and adventure TV nominees at the Saturn Awards

I told my readers to "Stay tuned for the final installment of this series tomorrow as I cover the Fantasy and Adventure TV series nominees for the Sunday entertainment feature" to close 'From' and 'The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon' lead horror series nominations at the Saturn Awards. Without any further ado, here are the nominees in those categories.

Best Fantasy Television Series:
Avatar: The Last Airbender
For All Mankind
House of the Dragon
Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The Spiderwick Chronicles

House of the Dragon leads Best Fantasy Television Series nominees with three nominations while the rest of the nominees have only this one nomination. It's also an Emmy winner and current Golden Globe nominee, so in the absence of a Wednesday to vote for, I'm voting for it. Unless there is a surge for another nominee, so will a plurality of the rest of the electorate. Sigh.

Follow over the jump for a category that includes a nominee that examines kaiju, the same subject as nominees for fantasy and international films.

'Godzilla Minus One' wins two Critics Choice Super Awards plus an entertainment retrospective

I foreshadowed today's topic at the end of Troopers, drum corps for the Wyoming Democratic Primary.

Normally, I'd tell my readers to stay tuned for highlights of tonight's Saturday Night Live except that I reached my page view goals for the month already, so I'm going to post something else for the Sunday entertainment feature. An retrospective of the top entertainment posts of the 13th year of this blog? That's certainly a possibility!

The only question is what new material I would use to lead into the look back. Since all the posts I'm featuring below the jump are about awards shows, I'm revisiting the most recent awards show I covered the Critics Choice Super Awards. I already expressed my annoyance at no Star Trek show winning an award in 'Star Trek: Discovery' trailers for First Contact Day, so I want to use today's post to brag, sort of. Fortunately, I found an opportunity to do so that connects to a current movie.


I wrote "I'd get a kick out of MEGAN or Godzilla winning this award. Oh, no, there goes Tokyo. Go, go, Godzilla!" As the graphic above shows, I got my wish. On the other hand, I completely blew my pick for Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie, as I thought "it's between The Boy and the Heron and Poor Things with the latter favored." Nope, the third Oscar winner Godzilla Minus One won. Here are the paragraph announcing the movie winners from the press release.

Garnering two wins each, “Godzilla Minus One,” “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning,” “Poor Things,” and “Talk to Me” lead the film winners. “Godzilla Minus One” triumphed as the Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie and Godzilla was named the overall Best Villain in a Movie. Tom Cruise received Best Actor in an Action Movie for “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning,” while Rebecca Ferguson took home Best Actress in an Action Movie. For their roles in “Poor Things,” Mark Ruffalo was awarded Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie and Emma Stone won Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie. “Talk to Me” won Best Horror Movie and Sophie Wilde earned the award for Best Actress in a Horror Movie.

While I whiffed on Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie, I did call Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, and Talk To Me to win their awards. My wife and I finally watched Talk To Me last night and we saw why it won Best Horror Movie/Film here and at the Saturn Awards. It was smart and scary!

As for Godzilla Minus One, I'm looking forward to seeing it on my Saturn Awards ballot later this year, where I have it penciled in as my vote for Best International Film, along with Poor Things and The Boy and the Heron, which are my current choices for Best Fantasy Film and Best Animated Film, respectively. That written, I already think Poor Things will lose to the kaiju movie currently in theaters, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire for Best Fantasy Film. In addition Godzilla will face friendly fire, as I would not be surprised if both Godzilla Minus One and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire both earn nominations for Best Fantasy Film. Only if the kaiju fans split their votes in this category does Poor Things stand a chance of winning at the Saturn Awards, given that "the Saturn Awards are about entertainment not art, they don't care for subtle, and they love to stick it to the experts."

I could end here, but that would leave this post without a preview image on mobile view, so I'm embedding Godzilla and Mothra: King and Queen of the Kaiju | Monstrum to elevate the entry with educational content.

Godzilla is one of the most recognizable monsters in film, and he should be. After all, he is part of the longest running film franchise in the world, but you might be surprised to learn that his history in literature is just as prolific. Without his giant footsteps paving the way, we wouldn’t have the female kaiju Mothra, who is perhaps even more beloved.

In this episode, Dr. Zarka shows how kaiju are deeply rooted in past events in Japan including the deployment of nuclear weapons there during World War II. She explains how both Godzilla and Mothra serve as metaphors and looks at how these monsters continue to shed light on social history.

Dr. Z is in the middle of a series about Kong and has a review of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire up, which I'm saving until she finishes her series. I'm an environmentalist. I don't just recycle, I conserve my resources! Until then, I'm ending this section the way I opened it, with a quote from Blue Öyster Cult's "Godzilla."

History shows again and again
How nature points up the folly of man
Godzilla!

Follow over the jump for last year's top posts about entertainment in general and awards shows other than the Saturn Awards in particular.

Marching music for primaries in Georgia, Mississippi, and Washington plus Democrats Abroad

I closed Four years of the COVID-19 pandemic by telling my readers "Stay tuned for this year's edition of Marching music for the Washington, Mississippi, Democrats Abroad, and Georgia primaries." I'm going in alphabetical order by state, which happens to be by poll closing time east to west, followed by a non-North American drum corps and Rose Parade band to represent Democrats Abroad. I kick off the music to watch and listen while waiting for results with with Spirit of Atlanta | #DCI2021 | "Bottle Tree" from Drum Corps International (DCI).

Spirit of Atlanta of Atlanta, Georgia, performs a segment from the corps' #DCI2021 production, "Bottle Tree," during the DCI Celebration events hosted August 12-14 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

DCI hasn't uploaded any more recent shows, so I'm following up with Spirit of Atlanta – "Up Down and All Around" | DCI Finals 2023 from Pageantry Innovations, which at least isn't a bootleg of the FloMarching video, so it will stay up.

Enjoy Spirit of Atlanta's 2023 production, “Up Down and All Around” from the perspective of their synthesizer performer & audio engineer.

Much like Vic Firth Marching, a drum stick maker whose videos I've embedded as part of this series, Pageantry Innovations is an instrument and equipment maker, in this case the carts for the synthesizers and soundboard. That makes this advertising, but I'm O.K. with that.

Georgia also has an all-age corps, Atlanta CV. Watch Atlanta CV Drum & Bugle Corps 2018 Show Clip By Box5TV, an official clip from Drum Corps Associates.

Provided by Box5TV, enjoy this show clip of the 2018 AtlantaCV from DCA World Championships!

Follow over the jump for the rest of the drum corps and marching bands representing Georgia, Mississippi, Washington, and Democrats Abroad.

CNBC explains 'Why The World Is Rushing Back To The Moon'

I wrote "I might post another entry today" at the end of The 2023-2024 Environmental Media Association Awards nominees. As my readers can see, I was able to compose one, a follow up to 'NASA 2024: Onward and Upward' and 'ESA’s future of space travel' early this month. I return to the topic of the future of space travel with CNBC explaining Why The World Is Rushing Back To The Moon.

During the Cold War, competition between the the United States and the former USSR was fierce, as the two countries rallied for the chance to make history by getting to the moon first. In 1959, the Soviet Union beat the U.S. to become the first nation to reach the surface of the moon with its Luna 2 spacecraft. But, the United States was the first country to put man on the moon in 1969, and to this day is still the only nation to have landed people on the moon. To date, only five nations, the U.S., Russia, China, Japan and India, have completed a successful soft landing on the moon. But bolstered by evidence of the presence of water and other natural resources, many more nations and private companies are now seeking to get to the moon. And whoever is able to establish a significant lunar presence first could have big implications on Earth as well as the cosmos.

I'll take a space race between the U.S. and China if it motivates the U.S. to return to the Moon and spurs us to go on to Mars. I'm also glad that CNBC mentioned that Artemis was one program the Biden Administration retained from the Trump Administration. I being a good environmentalist by recycling what I wrote in NASA and '60 Minutes' on women in NASA for International Women's Day and reused in The Artemis program and NASA's proposed 2022 budget for Yuri's Night 2021.

I'm glad that Joe Biden's Administration publicly supports the continuation of the Trump Administration's plans for space exploration. As I wrote five years ago and repeated the next year, "space policy is the one area where Trump might actually be good for the country" and "Trump's plan is actually not a bad idea." I was worried that the Biden Administration would dump the one Trump policy I supported along with all the ones I couldn't stand. I'm relieved that they didn't.

File this under "even a stuck clock is right twice a day" and Donald Trump is definitely a stuck clock.

That was earlier this week. CNN examined the subject earlier today when it asked Could space be the next platform for war? Hear what NASA official thinks.

CNN's Christiane Amanpour speaks with NASA deputy administrator Pamela Melroy about the potential that space could be the next platform for war between nations.

Fortunately, Pamela Melroy thinks the answer is no. However, I wonder if she would get the same answer from a high-ranking officer of Space Force. Now I'm tempted to leave that as a suggestion in a comment to the video.

That's it for today's space update. Stay tuned for the highlights of tonight's Saturday Night Live tomorrow.

Marching bands from around the world in the 2023 Rose Parade for New Year's Day

Happy New Year! For 2023, I'm presenting this year's version of My favorite bands in the 2022 Rose Parade for New Year's Day, courtesy of Luis at Music213. Today's theme is "marching bands from around the world," so I'm embedding videos of the international units at Bandfest starting with Buhos Marching Band - 2023 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico The Buhos Marching Band performing their musical selections at the 42nd Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Friday, December 30, 2022.

The announcer mentioned that he enjoyed the Mexican bands at the Rose Parade because they are so colorful. They are that. Notice that the plumes are the colors of the Mexican flag and the band uses them to form a Mexican flag on the field for the finale. I'll return to that theme at the end of the entry. In the meantime, follow over the jump for the rest of the international units.

Invasive species riding plastic debris from Fukushima 11 years later

Today marks the 11th anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster, an earthquake followed by a tsunami and nuclear meltdown. Instead of concentrating on the effects of the nuclear plant disaster in Japan, I'm examining the aftereffects of the the tsunami in the United States and Canada by sharing the VICE News report Invasive Species Are Riding Plastics Across Oceans.

When debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan started washing up in North America, scientists knew they had a mystery—and a potential environmental disaster—on their hands.
In this episode of Weathered, we explore a “mass rafting event” that carried colonies of invasive species across the Pacific, revealing ominous new changes in how our oceans function.

On of my students gave a presentation on this subject years ago and showed photos of the fishing dock, motorcycle, and other debris to the class. I thought this story served as a good example of "Everything is connected to everything else," one of Commoner's Laws, as well as an unexpected consequence of the triple disaster. Radiation isn't the only threat traveling across the Pacific because of what happened 11 years ago.

That's it for this year's observance of the anniversary. Stay tuned as Daylight Saving Time begins tomorrow, a practice Colbert says "is not helpful and has no upside."

Remembering the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor

Today is the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.* NBC's Today Show uploaded two videos about the event yesterday. I begin with Remembering Pearl Harbor On 80th Anniversary Of Attack.

Tuesday marks the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the moment that thrust a reluctant United States into World War II. Harry Smith, just back from Hawaii, looks back at the momentous event.

I agree with Dr. Satino; the U.S. would have stayed out of the war so long as none of the Axis powers attacked us. If not the Japanese, then the Germans attacking American ships supplying the U.K. through Lend-Lease might have done the trick, which would have echoed what brought the U.S. into World War I. Seen that way, Pearl Harbor was a tactical victory for Japan, but a strategic blunder. So were Germany and Italy declaring war on the U.S. It's possible that America might have only fought Japan if they hadn't done so. I'll let alternative history authors speculate on that. We'll never know.

Today returned with a more personal remembrance in Pearl Harbor Survivors Gather For 80th Anniversary Of Attack.

Of the millions of Americans who fought in World War II, fewer than 2 percent are still alive. Some of them have made the trip to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii this week for solemn remembrance on the 80th anniversary of the attack. NBC’s Kerry Sanders reports from there for TODAY.

I'm glad Jack H. didn't transfer his anger at Japan to fellow veteran Ralph Matsumoto. All things considered, I feel he gave the right answer. May we all learn a lesson from that.

WXMI reported on a Michigan angle to the observance in this morning's Local singing group performs in Hawaii to mark 80 years since Pearl Harbor.


May the Grand Rapids Sweet Adelines represent the Great Lakes State well today.


*Oddly enough, I've never observed to anniversary here before. I was more interested in the end of the war than the American entry into it.

PBS examines the risks from a major earthquake in the Pacific Northwest

I foreshadowed today's topic in the footnote to Drought, fire, and mudslides in California, a story I tell my students.

All that is before I lecture about earthquakes, which really freak my students out. I have a video from PBS NOVA to share about that risk, too. Stay tuned.

Without any further ado, I present that video, The Pacific Northwest is due for a Major Earthquake.

An 8.0-magnitude-plus earthquake hasn't rumbled beneath the Pacific Northwest since the 1700s. Now, the region is due for the next "big one" and a subsequent tsunami. Coastal Indigenous communities could be severely affected. (Already, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe is constructing a tsunami tower to give their residents a better shot at survival in the face of this kind of natural disaster.)

Clues from the past—paired with modern-day science—can help us better understand why this area is at risk and how to best mitigate an earthquake and tsunami's effects.

Note the use of "contiguous United States." That excludes Alaska's Good Friday Earthquake of 1964, which had a magnitude of 9.2. That will probably remain the most powerful earthquake to stike the United States as a whole for the foreseeable future. Also, strictly speaking, the area affected by the 1700 earthquake wasn't part of the United States yet or territories of any colonial power, which is why I mention both the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812 and the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 to my students as the largest temblors to strike the Lower 48. Still, I might add this quake to my lecture. If I did, I would more likely show PBS Terra asking Will the Cascadia Earthquake be the Worst Disaster North America’s Ever Seen?

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a sleeping monster lurking just off the Northwest coast of the United States. It extends 600 miles between Northern California and Vancouver B.C. and experiences a massive megathrust earthquake every 250 years on average. The last one happened 321 years ago and scientists say there is a 30% chance we’ll see another in the next 50 years. It’s expected to rival the 9.0 quake that shook Japan for 6 minutes, which was the most destructive natural disaster in human history. It unleashed a tsunami that reached 100 feet in some areas, caused an estimated $360 billion in damages and claimed some 16,000 lives.

If this sounds ominous, that’s because it is. As catastrophic as the Tohoku quake was, Japan is light years ahead of the United States when it comes to earthquake preparedness. This grim reality has many experts very worried. And in this episode of Weathered we spoke with some of them about what we can expect when the “Big One” does hit, the kinds of work that need to be done to make our communities more resilient, and what you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

In addition to showing the destruction from the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami for comparison, PBS Terra's video depicts the kind of damage the projected quake would inflict on the Pacific Northwest, which will impress my students. It also explains what can be done to prepare for the quake. Maybe that will scare my students less. Just the same, the prospect of this quake has dissuaded my wife and me from moving to the Pacific Northwest when I retire. So has the area no longer being immune to extreme heat.

I'm not done with natural disasters this week. NOAA predicted another active Atlantic hurricane season with "13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 5 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher)." So far, that's coming true with the fifth named storm and first hurricane, Elsa, which Accuweather forecasts will make landfall north of Tampa, Florida tomorrow morning before moving up the Atlantic coast of the U.S. and Canada the rest of the week. That will cause a lot of damage and news coverage, which I plan on reporting here. Stay tuned.

BBC World Service on the tenth anniversary of Fukushima triple disaster

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster, an earthquake followed by a tsunami and nuclear meltdown. The BBC World Service has the story in What happened at Fukushima 10 years ago?

On 11 March 2011, Japan's most powerful earthquake on record triggered a tsunami, which then caused a meltdown at a nuclear power plant. It wiped entire towns off the map and forced Fukushima’s residents from their homes as radiation leaked from the plant.
...
The government estimates the disaster could cost nearly $200bn, and the clean-up may take until 2051. Today the prefecture of Fukushima is still dealing with the aftermath of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

What happened that day, and what was it like for the people who lived through it? The BBC’s Tui McLean explains how the triple disaster unfolded.

That's a very comprehensive summary of the past decade, so I don't have to embed any more videos. As for "the clean-up may take until 2051," that reminds me of what I wrote on last year's anniversary, "I'm sure I'll be writing about the recovery from the triple disaster, particularly the nuclear plant meltdown, for years to come, especially next year, the 10th anniversary." Thanks to the BBC, who also calls it a triple disaster, I don't have to write any more today.

Fukushima nine years later

Today marks the ninth anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster.  I thought I might be done writing about it here after I wrote Seeker/DNews tells its viewers to chill about Fukushima two years ago, which is why I ignored last year, posting Charlotte Russe liquidating, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse on this date instead.  I was wrong, as there are still stories to tell about Fukushima.

National Geographic told one of them in Returning to Fukushima | Explorer, which I could have used last year if I hadn't been concentrating on the Retail Apocalypse instead.

The Dai-ichi Nuclear Plant in Fukushima suffered a meltdown in 2011. Now, Japan has a plan for residents to return to the area.
...
The Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant spewed radiation across dozens of towns, triggering a 12-mile evacuation zone. What are your thoughts on Japan encouraging people to move back?

That story, as grim as it is, offers some hope for the situation.  It also mentioned other topics more recent videos explored.  One is that tourists visit the evacuation zone, a subject The Telegraph examined in A holiday in Fukushima? "Dark tourism" in the nuclear disaster zone | Japan welcomes the world.

On 11 March 2011 a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the east coast of Japan, prompting the second biggest nuclear meltdown of all time at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant.

Fukushima joins Chernobyl and Australia's nuclear test site as destinations for dark nuclear tourism.

Finally, both the continued cleanup effort and the Olympic torch relay beginning in Fukushima appear in The Today Show's nside The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Site, 9 Years Later.

When Japan hosts the Olympics this year, the torch relay will begin at Fukushima, site of one of the world's worst nuclear disasters only nine years ago. TODAY senior international correspondent Keir Simmons got rare access to the nuclear plant, and found surprising conditions.

Now that I've watched these videos, I'm sure I'll be writing about the recovery from the triple disaster, particularly the nuclear plant meltdown, for years to come, especially next year, the 10th anniversary.  That is, if coronavirus doesn't get me first.  Given my age and diabetes, that's a small but real possibility, especially since the first cases in Michigan were announced yesterday.  One of them is in the county where I live.  Yikes!

Seeker/DNews tells its viewers to chill about Fukushima

Yesterday marked the seventh anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster.  When I looked for graphics and videos to observe the occasion, I ran into so many conspiracy theories that I decided to look for calmer sources.  I found one in Seeker/DNews, which has been telling its viewers not to panic for at least five years.  Here are the channel's videos on the topic, all with Trace Dominguez as the host.

I begin with 2013's Fukushima Radiation: What You've Heard are LIES!  Despite the sensational title, it's not denouncing what the professionals and authorities are saying, but what the sensationalist amateurs are shouting.

You may have seen that image purportedly showing the alarming spread of Fukushima radiation across the Pacific. But dig deeper, and you'll find that's not the case at all. And that's not the only piece of false information spreading about this scary nuclear disaster. Trace dispels the rumors and tells us what's really going on.

The next year, Trace and DNews told their viewers to Stop Worrying About Fukushima Radiation!

Since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, people have been quick to blame radiation levels across the Pacific on the deteriorating power plant. Is the radiation spreading that far, and is there any way to tell if it's actually from Japan? Trace explains why even with the best technology, we can't make Fukushima the culprit. So stop worrying!

Last year saw two videos, the first under the old DNews label, the second as Seeker.  Here's the earlier one, The Internet Is Overreacting About Fukushima's Radiation, Here's Why.

Over 6 years later, new readings from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant show that radiation levels are still very high, but should you be worried?

Yes, DNews is still telling its viewers to chill.

As Seeker, the channel became a little more concerned, but at least it had a scientific basis.  Watch A New Source of Fukushima Radiation Was Just Found, Now What?.

Researchers found radioactive particles from Fukushima on beaches miles away, but how did it get there? And should we be worried?

Make no mistake, things are bad, but there is no need to make them worse than they really are.  I'm glad DNews and now Seeker does not exaggerate for views and just tells the truth.  May I continue to follow its example.

Two drum corps and some of my favorite bands marching in the New Year for 2018

Happy New Year!  To welcome in 2018, I'm doing what I promised to do at the end of Farewell to 2017 from YouTube, Google, and Vox.

One last time, farewell to 2017!  Stay tuned for my favorite marching bands and one corps in the Rose Parade today 2018 edition, featuring Two Rose Parade marching bands playing 'Thriller' for Halloween and 'The Commandant's Own' for a drum corps Veterans Day 2017.

I begin with the drum corps, in this case, the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps known as "The Commandant's Own," which is marching down Colorado Boulevard for the first time and didn't participate in Bandfest, so I don't have any footage of them in previous parades or performing their field show before the parade.  Nor do I have a video of them at this year's Drum Corps International (DCI) Championship.  However, I do have a video of them performing three months later in the same stadium at the Bands of America (BOA) Grand Nationals.


Just for fun, here's the Marine Corps Drums at WGI 2017 putting on a winter drum line show.


Not only was that a great show, it looks like it was good for recruiting, too!

Vox on how biomimicry demonstrates that Nature knows best

Here's what I wrote in the comments to The world is poorly designed. But copying nature helps.

Barry Commoner's Third Law of Ecology states "Nature knows best."  One of the corollaries of Commoner's Second Law of Ecology is "There is no 'waste' in Nature."  This video demonstrates both of them.

It also touches on Commoner's First Law: Everything is connected to everything else.  Watch and see that I'm right about the use of Commoner's Laws in biomimicry.

Japan’s Shinkansen doesn’t look like your typical train. With its long and pointed nose, it can reach top speeds up to 150–200 miles per hour.

It didn’t always look like this. Earlier models were rounder and louder, often suffering from the phenomenon of "tunnel boom," where deafening compressed air would rush out of a tunnel after a train rushed in. But a moment of inspiration from engineer and birdwatcher Eiji Nakatsu led the system to be redesigned based on the aerodynamics of three species of birds.

Nakatsu’s case is a fascinating example of biomimicry, the design movement pioneered by biologist and writer Janine Benyus. She's a co-founder of the Biomimicry Institute, a non-profit encouraging creators to discover how big challenges in design, engineering, and sustainability have often already been solved through 3.8 billion years of evolution on earth. We just have to go out and find them.

Benyus also touches on Commoner's Fourth Law, there is no free lunch, in the following quote.


I think she is absolutely right.  So do a lot of viewers, as this video is currently #14 on YouTube's trending list.