Charles T. Downey
@ionarts.bsky.social
Associate Editor and Lead Critic, Washington Classical Review; Founder of Ionarts; Ph.D. in Historical Musicology; Classical Music Fiend; Opera Addict; Baroqueux agréable and Public Musicologist (all views expressed are my own, not those of my employers)
Pinned
As a follow-up to the latest bad news, a reminder from Oreo to nap for 16 hours of every day
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
In a course for which I was a teaching assistant last summer, at least a fifth of my undergraduates’ papers had hallucinated citations (verified by my going manually to the cited issue of the journal and looking for the nonexistent article). It was such an academic integrity disaster.
December 10, 2025 at 5:35 AM
In a course for which I was a teaching assistant last summer, at least a fifth of my undergraduates’ papers had hallucinated citations (verified by my going manually to the cited issue of the journal and looking for the nonexistent article). It was such an academic integrity disaster.
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
After MTG lied about me for weeks, she said that she felt bad for my unborn child because he'd have me as a mother. Her rhetoric led to threats against my family.
No one, even her, should receive threats like those, but I'd like to see her own up to the role she played in creating them for others.
No one, even her, should receive threats like those, but I'd like to see her own up to the role she played in creating them for others.
Marjorie Taylor Greene: "I sent those deaths threats directly to him in a text message & informed him of what his name calling & words were doing - it was a direct assassination threat on my son. And he was extremely - I won't repeat what he said - but it was extremely unkind. No sympathy. No care"
December 9, 2025 at 9:40 PM
After MTG lied about me for weeks, she said that she felt bad for my unborn child because he'd have me as a mother. Her rhetoric led to threats against my family.
No one, even her, should receive threats like those, but I'd like to see her own up to the role she played in creating them for others.
No one, even her, should receive threats like those, but I'd like to see her own up to the role she played in creating them for others.
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
“I brought this horrid creature into the world, and now I must take him out!” Winfrey said
Oprah Pursues Dr. Phil On Ship Through Arctic
THE ARCTIC CIRCLE—With a vow to destroy the abomination she had created if it was the last thing she ever did, television host Oprah Winfrey has spent weeks on a ship pursuing Dr. Phil through the Arc...
theonion.com
December 9, 2025 at 12:30 AM
“I brought this horrid creature into the world, and now I must take him out!” Winfrey said
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
I am brimming with holiday spirit
December 8, 2025 at 12:47 PM
I am brimming with holiday spirit
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” - Upton Sinclair
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
How Chiropractors Became the Backbone of MAHA
Why they love Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — and he loves them.
www.politico.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:15 PM
“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” - Upton Sinclair
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
About Last Night: Benjamin Grosvenor scales the heights with a trio of blockbusters for Chamber Music Maryland (Photo: Marco Borggreve) washingtonclassicalreview.com/2025/12/08/g...
December 8, 2025 at 6:21 PM
About Last Night: Benjamin Grosvenor scales the heights with a trio of blockbusters for Chamber Music Maryland (Photo: Marco Borggreve) washingtonclassicalreview.com/2025/12/08/g...
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
December 8, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Patronal feast day of the United States and of the Diocese of Lansing
Patronal feast day of the United States and of the Diocese of Lansing
December 8, 2025 at 1:00 PM
December 8, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Patronal feast day of the United States and of the Diocese of Lansing
Patronal feast day of the United States and of the Diocese of Lansing
For best results, you should sing in Latin, preferably Gregorian chant or Renaissance polyphony www.ncronline.org/opinion/gues...
Pope Leo sings. So should we. Science says it's good for us.
Humans are, in effect, hardwired to sing and dance, and we likely evolved to do so. In every known culture, evidence exists of music, singing or chanting.
www.ncronline.org
December 8, 2025 at 3:21 AM
For best results, you should sing in Latin, preferably Gregorian chant or Renaissance polyphony www.ncronline.org/opinion/gues...
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
“Yes, I agree. JD must get nothing for Christmas.”
Pope Leo XIV had an important meeting this morning.
December 7, 2025 at 7:28 PM
“Yes, I agree. JD must get nothing for Christmas.”
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
A male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
December 6, 2025 at 1:46 PM
A male rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Ptarmigan is from Gaelic 'tarmachan' meaning "croaker". The p- was added when people mistakenly assumed it was a Greek word.
A bird forever warning people: "A werewolf!" (just in case of werewolves).
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
This is the saddest Kennedy Center "Honors" ever apnews.com/article/trum...
December 7, 2025 at 2:37 AM
This is the saddest Kennedy Center "Honors" ever apnews.com/article/trum...
If you see this, quote with your model of masculinity
December 7, 2025 at 12:55 AM
If you see this, quote with your model of masculinity
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
DC Public Library with a friendly reminder 📚
December 6, 2025 at 12:13 PM
DC Public Library with a friendly reminder 📚
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
How to Insult Like a Medieval Monk www.medievalists.net/2025/12/insu...
How to Insult Like a Medieval Monk - Medievalists.net
Learn how medieval monks at Cluny waged battles with words, using biting poetry, classical references, and cutting invective to uphold their spiritual legacy.
www.medievalists.net
December 6, 2025 at 4:37 PM
How to Insult Like a Medieval Monk www.medievalists.net/2025/12/insu...
And carried out in a place not created to have anything to do with sports
Corrupt leader of corrupt organization that has nothing to do with peace makes up fake prize to suck up to corrupt narcissist and fascist after he unsuccessfully and ridiculously tried to coerce the real peace prize people to give him the real prize he could never, ever win.
Pathetic all around.
Pathetic all around.
this shit is just beyond parody, man
December 6, 2025 at 5:31 PM
And carried out in a place not created to have anything to do with sports
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
Perfect photo in every way.
Yo, I can't stop laughing at this
He "medaled" himself🤣🤣🤣
He "medaled" himself🤣🤣🤣
December 6, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Perfect photo in every way.
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
As a parent of a now middle-schooler, I'm really hoping and expecting that by the time she hits 8th grade she's reading novels in school. But that's not happening everywhere in D.C., as I learned from this informative op-ed in @51st.news: 51st.news/opinion-dcps...
Opinion: DCPS middle-schoolers should be reading novels
Many parents like myself were shocked by a recent change to the English curriculum at Alice Deal Middle School.
51st.news
December 5, 2025 at 2:41 PM
As a parent of a now middle-schooler, I'm really hoping and expecting that by the time she hits 8th grade she's reading novels in school. But that's not happening everywhere in D.C., as I learned from this informative op-ed in @51st.news: 51st.news/opinion-dcps...
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
⚫ Figure de l’architecture, Frank Gehry est décédé dans sa maison de Santa Monica, en Californie, ce vendredi 5 décembre. Il avait 96 ans.
➡️ bit.ly/48S9IOy
➡️ bit.ly/48S9IOy
December 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM
⚫ Figure de l’architecture, Frank Gehry est décédé dans sa maison de Santa Monica, en Californie, ce vendredi 5 décembre. Il avait 96 ans.
➡️ bit.ly/48S9IOy
➡️ bit.ly/48S9IOy
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
“To deliberately kill ‘survivors on a vessel who pose no immediate lethal threat to our armed forces,’ Broglio said, is ‘illegal and immoral.’ He explained that ‘the moral principle forbidding the intentional killing of noncombatants is inviolable.’” www.ncronline.org/news/catholi...
Catholic military archbishop calls 'intentional killing of noncombatants' illegal and immoral
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who heads the Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, said in a statement Wednesday (Dec. 3) that an order to kill survivors of an attack by U.S. forces on a b...
www.ncronline.org
December 4, 2025 at 5:32 PM
“To deliberately kill ‘survivors on a vessel who pose no immediate lethal threat to our armed forces,’ Broglio said, is ‘illegal and immoral.’ He explained that ‘the moral principle forbidding the intentional killing of noncombatants is inviolable.’” www.ncronline.org/news/catholi...
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
Reposted by Charles T. Downey
Benjamin Britten, d. December 4, 1976
Britten - A Ceremony of Carols | The Choristers of Wells Cathedral
YouTube video by Wells Cathedral
youtu.be
December 4, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Benjamin Britten, d. December 4, 1976
Endorsed
#morninglistening to @yulianna.avdeeva, who impressed me in her Musikverein-recital recently, n her @pentatonemusic release of the sublime #Shostakovich PreludesAndFugues op.87. Sofia Sacco's is next.
Which is your favorite and why is it KeithJarrett?
Amzn: amzn.to/449w2AG
Which is your favorite and why is it KeithJarrett?
Amzn: amzn.to/449w2AG
December 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Endorsed
About Last Night: Shaham helps Wolf Trap celebrate a barn tricentenary with well-balanced program (Photo: Chris Lee) washingtonclassicalreview.com/2025/12/03/s...
December 4, 2025 at 2:05 AM
About Last Night: Shaham helps Wolf Trap celebrate a barn tricentenary with well-balanced program (Photo: Chris Lee) washingtonclassicalreview.com/2025/12/03/s...