Is Nico Good Or Bad?

 

What's your take on Nico, punters, Andy Warhol's Velvet Underground songstress? Described as "half goddess, half icicle" Nico sang with the Underground, obvs, was pals with Jim Morrison, went solo and died in the '80s in Ibiza, from a brain haemorrhage. On a bicycle ride, curiously.

dear readers, note skag skin

My take. This inconsequential mind-blog scorns heroin and all of that, but I feel her voice was haunting. Perhaps this is a sign of weakness in me; feel free to disagree. In the meanwhile, here's a tangential tribute:

Stay Healthy,

LSP

Vegas!

 

I've never been to Vegas, the City of Lights, but Ma LSP, BW and Bo have. In fact they're there right now along with a couple of friends. Bo, my middle sister and a Byzantine classicist(?) by education was struck by the imperial grandeur of it all and sent in this photo essay. Here it is, Las Vegas June 2021:

Look, Imperial Rome, at 11 a.m.

Varus, where are my Eagles?

And what fresh hell is this? Ostia?

But note the Eagle and Orb of Imperium, held aloft in a darkening, cerulean sky.

And a homely Tuscan villa.

And Ma LSP enjoying St. Mark's Square. 

Feminae, beware the monstrous bird! Good thing it's not angry. Readers, do you see it, lurking?

But upwards, ascendite! to what? The domus aurea of the desert and the casinos of the Gods. Yes, enter at your peril.

Quod scis et divum Augustum et Tiberium Caesarem ad deos isse.

Quite a thing, eh? Imagine, if you can, looking out on the Eternal City from the Palatine Hill and the wreckage of the palace of the Caesars in, say, the 7th Century AD. 

You'd see a sea of ruins, a city that's declined from over a million people to around 20,000, stricken by plague and war but nonetheless home to the great, holy, Patriarch of the West, Gregory, gens Anicii.

There's a parable here, if you care to draw it,

LSP

Melania Mondays! Columbus Day Special

It's Columbus Day and you're either "taking the knee" like a traitorous millionaire socialist coward, defacing statues or eating spaghetti and celebrating the day. 

Here at the Compound we chose the latter option, which is why we're bringing you another uplifting episode of Melania Mondays!

MAGA

Melania's taking a well-deserved rest in Palm Beach today after visiting Las Vegas in the wake of the recent, apparently motiveless, Mandalay Massacre. But the office of America's attractive and glamorous First Lady never sleeps, especially when under attack.

Mourning

Yes, there are people who unwisely choose to attack the former Yugoslavian supermodel, such as Ivana Trump, who told ABC's Good Morning America, that she, not Melania, was "First Lady."

Don't Mess With This Woman

"I have the direct number to White House but I don't really want to call him there because Melania is there," said Ivana, while attempting to promote her new book. "I don't really want to cause any kind of jealousy or something like that because I'm basically first Trump wife [sic], OK? I'm first lady, OK?"

 Ivana (left)

Jealously? Really, Ivana? The real First Lady's office is well-known for being able to turn on a dime and issued the following statement.

"Mrs. Trump has made the White House a home for Barron and the President. She loves living in Washington, DC and is honored by her role as First Lady of the United States. She plans to use her title and role to help children, not sell books. There is clearly no substance to this statement from an ex, this is unfortunately only attention-seeking and self-serving noise."

 MAGA

Here at the Compound we think that speaks for itself and well done Melania, for doing your part to make America great again.

Happy Columbus Day!

LSP