# john adams (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 4 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover john adams. Page: Feed: --- ## [Think Twice Before Saying “Silly Goose!”](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/think-twice-before-saying-silly-goose.html) _2026-08-20 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ https://abc7.com/videoClip/19708804/ ## [Opera Parallèle Announces 2026–27 Season](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/opera-parallele-announces-202627-season.html) _2026-08-20 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Some readers may recall that, earlier this month , this site announced the participation of Opera Parallèle (OP) in the fifth annual Expansive showcase. Around that same time, OP finalized its own coming season of three operas, all of which will be premiere productions, all sung in English. The first of these will be a world premiere, and the remaining two will be West Coast premieres. Specifics… ## [E4TT Announces 2026/27 Season Plans](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/e4tt-announces-202627-season-plans.html) _2026-08-19 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ I see that it was almost exactly one year ago when I wrote about Ensemble for These Times’ (E4TT) plans for the 2025/26 season. Yesterday’s electronic mail brought me the announcement of the 2026/27 season . This will be the nineteenth Home Season, and it will launch a two-year initiative entitled The HOME Project , which will explore (in E4TT’s own words) “the meaning of home.” The E4TT home page… ## [Once Again, Hate Makes the World Go ’Round!](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/once-again-hate-makes-world-go-round.html) _2026-08-19 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Dearborn police try to control protest against “Christian Crusaders” (photograph from Al Jazeera video clip) The latest protest against Muslims in the United States was reported by Al Jazeera this morning. It took place in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb northeast of Detroit. The organizers described the event as a “Christian Crusader march.” This is the latest disturbing reminder that many of those… ## [Frank Martin to Bring His Own Trio to Hanny](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/frank-martin-to-bring-his-own-trio-to.html) _2026-08-18 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ 2015 photograph of Frank Martin at a piano keyboard (from his Musicians Union Web page ) Some readers may recall that, this past May , pianist Frank Martin contributed to a trio performance led by Jeff Denson on bass. At the end of this month, Martin will bring his own trio to Chez Hanny. Gary Brown will be his bassist with drums performed by Deszon X. Claiborne . Both of them have previously… ## [Theodore Who?](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/theodore-who.html) _2026-08-18 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Theodore Roosevelt (courtesy of Underwood Archives) I have no idea how American history is being taught these days. However, my own high school teacher seems to have had a soft spot for President Theodore Roosevelt. These days, that president is best know for saying “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” It goes without saying that no one would accuse President Donald Trump from speaking softly!… ## [Al Jazeera: The American News Source?](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/al-jazeera-american-news-source.html) _2026-08-18 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Unless I am mistaken, I became interested in watching Al Jazeera on television when I was directed to the EATV channel, which was the abbreviation for “East Africa Television,” which is based in Dar es Salaam, described on its Wikipedia page as “the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania.” While access to this network is very limited through my xfinity service, YouTube has created an Al… ## [Falla Piano Music Arranged for Guitars](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/falla-piano-music-arranged-for-guitars.html) _2026-08-17 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ This afternoon I viewed the last of the four new videos released by Omni on-Location at the middle of last week. The performance consisted of three of the four movements in Manuel de Falla’s 4 Piezas españolas (four Spanish pieces). Falla’s piano music can often be elaborate, so one can appreciate that this performance was arranged for four guitars performed by the members of the Andalusian Guitar… ## [Can We Get A Number? – A Look at Wildly Varying Estimates of Austin’s Homeless Population](https://theaustinindependent.org/can-we-get-a-number-a-look-at-wildly-varying-estimates-of-austins-homeless-population/) _2026-08-17 · Daryl Slusher · The Austin Independent_ There are a lot of different opinions and philosophies on how to approach Austin’s homelessness problem. One thing it seems we should be able to agree on though is the need for a solid estimate of how many people are homeless in Austin and Travis County, or experiencing homelessness in Austin and Travis County. But, \[…\] ## [The Bleeding Edge: 8/17/2026](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-bleeding-edge-8172026.html) _2026-08-17 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ This will be another busy week, with most of the events taking place in the second half. The one continuing event will be the performances by Hidden Currents , which will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 20 , Friday, August 21 , and Saturday, August 22 . As some readers probably know by now, the venue is Audium, which is located at 1616 Bush Street. For the most part, the remaining… ## [Transcript-Driven Stock Discovery (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/TdaXWYUTudWl) _2026-08-17 · **Sponsored**_ Ranked, evidence-backed watchlists from indexed executive transcripts for 1–2 quarter horizons ## [Can Donald Trump Even Spell “Diplomacy?”](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/can-donald-trump-even-spell-diplomacy.html) _2026-08-17 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Palestinians experiencing the aftermath of “bully diplomacy” in Gaza City ( photograph by Mahmoud Issa, courtesy of Reuters) As President, Theodore Roosevelt was known for his “bully pulpit;” and, when it came to foreign relations, that extended to “bully diplomacy.” We now have a President that seems to thrive on that latter concept to an extreme that might even had made Roosevelt blink, if not… ## [Debussy Piano Music Arranged for Guitar](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/debussy-piano-music-arranged-for-guitar.html) _2026-08-16 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ I have now advanced to the third of the four new videos released by Omni on-Location at the middle of last week. This one is even shorter than the duo performance I wrote about this past Thursday . Guitarist Jack Hancher performs his own arrangement of “La fille aux cheveux de lin” (the girl with the flaxen hair). This is the eighth of the twelve pieces (all but one less than five minutes in… ## [The Last of the Eight New Goldberg Albums](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-last-of-eight-new-goldberg-albums.html) _2026-08-16 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Cover of the album being discussed (from its Bandcamp Web page ) Readers may recall that yesterday’s account of the seventh album in clarinetist Ben Goldberg’s 8 Albums on August 8 releases consisted of quartet performances. This morning began with listening to the last of those eight albums, entitled Rock Band . This is another tongue-in-cheek title introducing a quintet led by Goldberg. He is… ## [SFCMP Announces Plans for 56th Season](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/sfcmp-announces-plans-for-56th-season.html) _2026-08-15 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Yesterday, the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players (SFCMP) announced plans for its 2026–27 Concert Season . The title of the season will be Luminous Refractions . Each of the four programs to be presented during this 56th concert season will have a title of its own take on “luminous.” Once again, the schedule will be a “movable feast” involving the alternation between the two venues for the… ## [The Seventh of the Eight New Goldberg Albums](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-seventh-of-eight-new-goldberg-albums.html) _2026-08-15 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Cover of the album being discussed (from its Bandcamp Web page ) The title of the seventh album in clarinetist Ben Goldberg’s 8 Albums on August 8 releases departs from single words and brief phrases: Just What You Thought You Wanted . This is a quartet album with Goldberg accompanied by a rhythm trio consisting of Matt Hollenberg on electric guitar, bassist John Hébert, and Hamir Atwal on drums.… ## ["Toto, Do We Want to Live in Kansas Any More?"](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/toto-do-we-want-to-live-in-kansas-any.html) _2026-08-15 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/opinion/kansas-anti-trans-laws-drivers-license.html ## [Eliot Fisk Transcribes Luciano Berio for Guitar](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/eliot-fisk-transcribes-luciano-berio.html) _2026-08-14 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Eliot Fisk playing Luciano Berio’s music on the altar of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (screenshot from the YouTube video of the performance) As Fridays go, this morning was a relatively quiet one. As a result, I had ample time this morning to continue my traversal of the four new videos released by the Omni Foundation for the Performing Arts. Some readers may recall that yesterday’s video , the… ## [The Sixth of the Eight New Goldberg Albums](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-sixth-of-eight-new-goldberg-albums.html) _2026-08-14 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Cover of the album being discussed (from its Bandcamp Web page ) The title of the sixth album in clarinetist Ben Goldberg’s 8 Albums on August 8 releases is Optical . I am not sure what he had in mind in assigning this title. My current conjecture is that it involves a visual account of the track listing: Material Materialize Dematerialize Rematerialize Materialization Dematerialization… ## [Remember the Ladies (Abigail Adams / 31 March 1776)](https://marekbennett.substack.com/p/remember-the-ladies-abigail-adams) _2026-08-14 · Marek Bennett · COMICS WORKSHOP!_ "Hey, about that revolution-government-thing you & the boys are cooking up..." ## [Another Omni “On Location” Duo Performance](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/another-omni-on-location-duo-performance.html) _2026-08-13 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Yesterday evening Omni on-Location released four new videos. These involved engagingly varied pieces of music, and the videos were recorded at different venues. However, because of the diversity of the music itself, I felt it preferable to deal with these videos one at a time. My only guide for ordering was the dates on which the performances were recorded. Screen shot of Mark Leighton and Johanna… ## [Non-custodial Crypto Payments & Escrow (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/X229bphQDv0I) _2026-08-13 · **Sponsored**_ Accept multi-chain crypto with trustless escrow, instant confirmations, and no KYC ## [SFS Opening Gala to Feature Hilary Hahn](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/sfs-opening-gala-to-feature-hilary-hahn.html) _2026-08-13 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Violinist Hilary Hahn (from the SFS Web page for this event) Having accounted for the two “pre-Gala” concerts taking place in Davies Symphony Hall (the first Orchestral Series performance with Garrick Ohlsson playing Johannes Brahms’ Opus 15, his first piano concerto, and the first Chamber Series program), this site can now turn to the specifics for the music to be performed at the Gala itself.… ## [Legislative Branch Challenges Executive](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/legislative-branch-challenges-executive.html) _2026-08-13 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Those that follow the news from the District of Columbia have probably begun to realize that the current Executive Branch neither knows nor cares very much about the Constitution of the United States. While the Legislative Branch usually involves arguments between Democrats and Republicans, every now and then these would-be opponents will acknowledge that they are on the same side. That was the… ## [This is not What I Learned in High School!](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/this-is-not-what-i-learned-in-high.html) _2026-08-13 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Donald Trump, apparently enjoying the “good life” of the Presidency (photograph by Eric Lee, courtesy of Getty Images, from an article posed to The Guardian this morning) What has happened to “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” these days? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/13/trump-presidency-revenue-wealth ## [Supporting the Southern Poverty Law Center](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/supporting-southern-poverty-law-center.html) _2026-08-13 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Heidi Beirich, the latest target of our government’s Executive Branch My wife and I have been making moderately significant donations to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for many years (probably as long as we were aware of them). As a result, the following headline on an Al Jazeera Web page drew my attention almost immediately: Trump administration arrests Southern Poverty Law Center expert… ## [Harper Madison Envisions A Racist Future For Her Northeast Austin Council District](https://theaustinindependent.org/harper-madison-envisions-a-racist-future-for-her-northeast-austin-council-district/) _2026-08-13 · Daryl Slusher · The Austin Independent_ Council Member Natasha Harper Madison is very concerned about the future direction of voters in District 1, the Council District which she currently represents. Here’s what she said at a Council meeting on July 30: “As the lone Black Council Member on the Council, living in a country with the type of federal administration we \[…\] ## [The Fifth of the Eight New Goldberg Albums](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-fifth-of-eight-new-goldberg-albums.html) _2026-08-13 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Cover of the album being discussed (from its Bandcamp Web page ) The fifth album in clarinetist Ben Goldberg’s 8 Albums on August 8 releases is a duo performance with percussionist William Winant. The title of the album is Dreaming Upon Waking , and four of the eleven tracks are identified with three-digit numbers between 699 and 747. That last of those pieces did not invoke any thoughts about jet… ## [SFS Chamber Music Will Also Precede Gala](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/sfs-chamber-music-will-also-precede-gala.html) _2026-08-12 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Some readers may recall that yesterday I wrote that the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) would precede the Opening Gala for about a week. Instead, the season would begin with the first Orchestral Series program, whose guest artist will be pianist Garrick Ohlsson performing Johannes Brahms’ Opus 15, his first piano concerto, composed in the key of D minor. That program will be given two evening… ## [Ah-Choo!](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/ah-choo.html) _2026-08-12 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Recently, I have discovered that it is more difficult to extract a single tissue from its packaging. This is particularly frustrating for those of us with sneezing fits due to allergies or other sources. The problem seems to be particularly evident it what might be called “bargain brands,” which tend to have unfamiliar names. Given what our economy is like, I suspect that there are many customers… ## [The Fourth of the Eight New Goldberg Albums](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-fourth-of-eight-new-goldberg-albums.html) _2026-08-12 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Cover of the album being discussed (from its Bandcamp Web page ) Once again, I began my morning by listening to the fourth album in clarinetist Ben Goldberg’s 8 Albums on August 8 releases. The title of the album is Trouble Trouble , and it consists of twelve tracks. The last of these is “Troubles,” composed by Steve Lacy; and it basically serves as a postscript for the entire album. All of the… ## [SFS to Give First Concert Before Gala (again)](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/sfs-to-give-first-concert-before-gala.html) _2026-08-11 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Garrick Ohlsson at the keyboard (from the SFS Web page for his performance) As was the case in 2024, the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) will give its first Orchestral Series performance about a week prior to the so-called “Season-Opening Festivities,” which begin with the Opening Gala. The title of this first program will be Garrick Ohlsson Plays Brahms ; but, to be fair, that will account only for… ## [Know before it drops (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/b0kjUEgHV5ec) _2026-08-11 · **Sponsored**_ Follow a show, artist, genre or rocket and get notified before release ## [Al Jazeera: An Antidote for “Trump Logic”?](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/al-jazeera-antidote-for-trump-logic.html) _2026-08-11 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Reporter Hoda Sherif (from her Al Jazeera Web page ) For several decades Al Jazeera has been one of my most informative and trusted news sources. It has a very well-managed Web site ; and, while it has not (yet?) found a home on my xfinity television channel, I can still view the programs through a YouTube app which can easily be directed to the Al Jazeera English | Live Web page . That said, the… ## [Is Artificial Intelligence an “Industry?”](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/is-artificial-intelligence-industry.html) _2026-08-11 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ This morning I found myself reading an article in the DealBook Newsletter of The New York Times . This was one of those times when the “sub-headline” was more important to me than the headline. There were only two sentences; but it was the first that drew my attention: “Investors including BlackRock have committed an eye-popping amount to lend to the artificial intelligence industry.” This… ## [Make America Sick Again?](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/make-america-sick-again.html) _2026-08-11 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/8/11/aje-onl-nf\_trump-orders-fewer-child-vaccines-and-splitting-mmr-100826 ## [Safety in the District: a “Modest Proposal”](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/safety-in-district-of-columbia-modest.html) _2026-08-11 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Would you go for a walk in the park patrolled by the National Guard? (photograph by Holden Lombardo, from an Al Jazeera Web page ) Apparently, United States President Donald Trump thinks that it is not safe to live in Washington, DC. This morning the Al Jazeera Web site included an article by Holden Lombardo, stating that Trump had deployed the National Guard “to address crime concerns.” Now, to… ## [The Third of the Eight New Goldberg Albums](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-third-of-eight-new-goldberg-albums.html) _2026-08-11 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ This morning began with my listening to the third album in clarinetist Ben Goldberg’s 8 Albums on August 8 releases. The title of the album is Dog Hypnotic , and Goldberg plays a diversity of different instruments in the clarinet family. Kenny Wollesen accompanies on percussion, including pitched instruments such as bass marimba and vibraphone. My last encounter with him goes all the way back to… ## [Anti-Semitic?](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/anti-semitic.html) _2026-08-11 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Hunter Biden explaining his defense of Tucker Carlson (from an Al Jazeera NewsFeed Web page ) This morning I encountered the following single-sentence “NewsFeed” on an Al Jazeera Web page : Hunter Biden has defended US journalist Tucker Carlson against anti-Semitism allegations, arguing that if calling Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “evil incarnate” is considered anti-Semitic, then he… ## ["When a People so Divide" 🐍 (FEDERALIST 4, Part 2)](https://marekbennett.substack.com/p/when-a-people-so-divide-federalist) _2026-08-11 · Marek Bennett · COMICS WORKSHOP!_ OR, The Whole World Is Watching ## [The Bleeding Edge: 8/10/2026](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-bleeding-edge-8102026.html) _2026-08-10 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ This week will be decidedly busier than last week. For the most part, this will be due to events with multiple performances. However, there will also be a fair share of “one time only” presentations. Specifics are as follows: Amy X Neuberg with her electronic gear (photograph by Joker Nies, from the BayImproviser Web page for tomorrow’s performance) Tuesday, August 11, 5:30 p.m., San Francisco… ## [Balanced News](https://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2026/08/balanced-news.html) _2026-08-10 · Stephen Smoliar · The Rehearsal Studio_ Some readers may recall that yesterday I wrote about an SFGATE article entitled “'Epidemic levels': California's e-bike war explodes in Orange County.” Today saw a “response” to this “call” in an article by Luke Spray, identified as a freelance contributor. This time the headline was “ The e-bike is quietly reshaping life in SF .” Spray never makes any mention of yesterday’s article, but it is… ## [Civil War Riot (4 July 1861)](https://marekbennett.substack.com/p/civil-war-riot-4-july-1861) _2026-08-07 · Marek Bennett · COMICS WORKSHOP!_ Divisions deepen as the war widens... ## [Can James Talarico Lead Texas Dems Out of the Wilderness – Fox Poll Says Maybe – Hinojosa Gaining Ground Too](https://theaustinindependent.org/can-james-talarico-lead-texas-dems-out-of-the-wilderness-fox-poll-says-maybe-hinojosa-gaining-ground-too/) _2026-08-03 · Daryl Slusher · The Austin Independent_ Here’s a mind-bender question for hard core Democrats, especially, let’s say, Democrats who watch a lot of MS NOW, formerly MSNBC. Would you believe a poll from Fox News if it showed your Senate candidate ahead with a chance to be the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Texas since 1988? Well that’s exactly \[…\] ## ["Monarchs will often make war..." 👑💣 (FEDERALIST 4, Part 1)](https://marekbennett.substack.com/p/federalist-41-monarchs-will-often) _2026-07-31 · Marek Bennett · COMICS WORKSHOP!_ Hey 2026 — John Jay would like a word. ## [LET'S DRAW ZUCCHINI ...](https://marekbennett.substack.com/p/lets-draw-zucchini) _2026-07-27 · Marek Bennett · COMICS WORKSHOP!_ ...THE ZUCCHINI WAY! 🌱✏️ \[Work In Progress\] ## [Parties & Gloom (1776)](https://marekbennett.substack.com/p/parties-and-gloom-1776) _2026-07-24 · Marek Bennett · COMICS WORKSHOP!_ How (& Why) We Celebrate the 2nd OF JULY!(?)✨ ## [City Audit on “Nonprofit Contract Performance Management” – Sounds Boring But. . .](https://theaustinindependent.org/city-audit-on-nonprofit-contract-performance-management-sounds-boring-but/) _2026-07-23 · Daryl Slusher · The Austin Independent_ (This article was originally posted at the end of the adjacent article about the Senate race. But, per reader request we are posting it as a seperate article.) Let’s take a quick look at the goings on at City Hall. I realize we are only capturing a small portion of the activities, but a recent \[…\] ## [A Look at Media Coverage of Talarico and Black Voters Plus City Auditors Point Out Poor Performance by City Funded Nonprofits](https://theaustinindependent.org/a-look-at-media-coverage-of-talarico-and-black-voters-plus-city-auditors-point-out-poor-performance-by-city-funded-nonprofits/) _2026-07-23 · Daryl Slusher · The Austin Independent_ Let’s look in on the US Senate race here in Texas. That’s the one pitting Democrat State Representative James Talarico against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton defeated incumbent John Cornyn in the May Republican primary runoff while Talarico defeated Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett — without a runoff — in the March Democratic primary. A frequent \[…\] ## ["The Greatest Question Ever!!!!"](https://marekbennett.substack.com/p/the-greatest-question-ever) _2026-07-21 · Marek Bennett · COMICS WORKSHOP!_ Or, "What I Did Over My Summer Vacation" (by John Adams, 1776) ## [1776 Chestnut 🐦‍⬛🌳 Portsmouth, NH](https://marekbennett.substack.com/p/1776-chestnut-portsmouth-nh) _2026-07-17 · Marek Bennett · COMICS WORKSHOP!_ Planted by a signer of the Declaration of Independence... AND/OR the man he enslaved. ## [Trying to Keep Up With Crime At Iconic Austin Locations – Plus Emerging Local Information Sources](https://theaustinindependent.org/trying-to-keep-up-with-crime-at-iconic-austin-locations-plus-emerging-local-information-sources/) _2026-07-17 · Daryl Slusher · The Austin Independent_ Sometimes I have difficulty wrestling stories to the ground. Often it is just because I take some time off from writing to enjoy retirement. Other times there are external factors. For instance back in early September 2025 I was working on a story built around crime at iconic Austin locations; places that reflect the spirit, \[…\] ## [Congress Declares (1776)](https://marekbennett.substack.com/p/congress-declares-1776) _2026-07-13 · Marek Bennett · COMICS WORKSHOP!_ & John Adams savors him some political Sour Grapes. 🍇