The Traits of a Honorable Man

What makes a honorable man? What makes him a Gentleman? Is it what he wears and how he treads ? or is it how he behaves or how he acts upon?...

The BOPPERS are coming! The BOPPERS are coming!

Hi everyone, Hope it's been a good week. I actually have a craft fair project to share, rather than a card. And, I have to say I was so ...

Marianne Meets Leonard in the Tower of Song

Watched fine Marianne Faithfull doc on Netflix, what a life.  Here's a match made in heaven, with Leonard Cohen:

Best Film of 2012 Is "Not a Film"?

Soon we will be deluged by mainstream critics' "Best Films" lists sure to be populated mainly by the half-good products of Hol...

Friday Night Music Pick

Well, we've already posted The Decemberists below on the blog, but here's Collective Soul with "December."

Paul's Pick

We always look forward to Paul Krugman's Friday night music pick and usually endorse it, and then choose a different cut.  This week he ...

Tough Week for Stevie Wonder

Cancels concert after protests about siding with Israel--and then this song is sort of the "bad guy" in hit Silver Linings Playboo...

Easy 30-minute rectangular Christmas wreath

Sometimes it’s good to be square…or even rectangular.   Different is good and easy is even better.   This wreath whips up in minutes and lo...

Oliver's Army

My new piece at The Nation on the Oliver Stone-Peter Ruznick book, based on their Showtime series, making the NYT bestseller list, and cr...

Israel Punishes Palestinians With New Settlements

Breaking from NYT is report on Israel , following last night's UN vote on Palestinian state, approving controversial settlement that wi...

'NYT' Demands Obama Reveal 'Kill' Rules

Editorial today states their glad the White House may be "codifying" its rules on killing folks abroad via drones and whatnot but ...

When John Lennon and Chuck Berry Came Together

Hey, never too old to teach old dog new licks.  Didn't know until today that John Lennon's "Come Together" was inspired by...

Manning Testifies At Last

UPDATE Friday   Co-author of my book on Manning, Kevin Gosztola, covering this and here's his full report on Thursday .  He's at co...

Gunning, for a New Record

Guess who else was buying like crazy, and I do mean crazy, on Black Friday? Gun nuts, Charles M. Blow details in new column .  In fact, they...

The Twinkies Defense

After its embarrassing showing in its polls for this year's presidential race and many Senate contests, it's good to see Rasmussen r...

Karthika Villaku : What I missed this time.

Every year around this time, in the shade of the full moon we keralites ( not all, some) celebrate the festival of  Karthika. I cant tell yo...

Assange Speaks

Here's the full Democracy Now! segment this morning featuring an interview with Julian Assange from his safe house at Ecuador's emba...

But Boehner Claims a Mandate

Or maybe he meant a man date?  In any case, I've been charting the vote counting in the still undecided House races and now we are done ...

Neil Young Segment: Long May it Run

Here's the unaired "extended" part of last night's Jon Stewart interview with Neil Young.   Adding cowbell?  UPDATE    He...

Ives, Emerson and Beethoven

As you may know (or be sick of hearing), I am a Beethoven man, but here's my favorite piece of autumnal music, from Charles Ives via Jer...

Getting the Kinks Out (Again)

The first big-name rock star I ever interviewed, in my early days at Crawdaddy in early 1971, was one of my musical heroes, Ray Davies of t...

Stay Out of That Cadillac, Kids

UPDATE:  NYT reports tonight that this fellow now has warrant out on him for 11 felony cases of abuse. Earlier:  It's been a cultural...

Typical NYC Day

Okay, so Annie Leibovitz was in the middle of a photo shoot starring another "girl," Lena Dunham, when nearby a guy starts dangli...

Best American Movie of the Year (So Far)?

UPDATE   NYT with big piece just posted online, and probably in print tomorrow, on guy who creatred the "beast," with much detail...

'NYT' Reporter Rudoren Under Microscope

NYT public editor Margaret Sullivan, whose blog post yesterday responded to my charges about the paper's front-page caption on photo o...

Lindsey Graham: Just Like a Woman?

John Heilemann, very early on Morning Joe today, in a discussion about opposition to Susan Rice, suggested that Sen. Lindsey Graham is, ess...

John Glenn Meets Beethoven

Another birthday boy, Ed Harris, joining Jon Stewart (see below) and Randy Newman and, to put things in perspective, William Blake.  And, ye...

Jon Stewart Turns 50

Yes, the former MTV host not so long ago has a big birthday today.  So, in tribute, two of his greatest "Daily Show" moments:  his...

Ocean Level Rising 60% Faster Than Projected

Meaning, for the U.S. coasts, and many key cities around the world, as Woody Guthrie might have sung, "So Long, It's Been Good to K...

Jimi Turns 70

Two rarities from Mr. James Hendrix (and Mr. Robert Zimmerman) for Jimi's 70th birthday.   First, amazingly, rehearsing "All Along ...

Piercing the Drone War

Charles P. Pierce just now takes on Tweety Chris and Howard Fineman and then, most valuably, the immortal and immoral posturing of a panel ...

Something to Bragg About

Earlier today I posted recent Democracy Now! tribute to Woody Guthrie which includes, near its end, an interview with Billy Bragg, after whi...

Naked Truth for Boehner

Several protesters disrobed in a 20-minute action in House Speaker John Boehner's office today, protesting cuts to AIDS funding and re...

Woody Approve? For Sure

Somehow I missed this Democracy Now! tribute to Woody Guthrie a few days back marking his 100th birthday, with Billy Bragg, Pete Seeger and ...

Commie Paper Hails 'Sexiest Man' Piece at 'The Onion'

UPDATE   NYT not completely sure that the Chinese did not know this was all a spoof.  Seems like a stretch to me.  Then there's the ma...

School Daze: Updated

UPDATE Tuesday:   Margaret Sullivan, the fine NYT public editor, has now weighed in .  (Please jump to my original post below.)  She quote...

Bradley Speaks

UPDATE  Manning appeared in court on Monday but did not testify.  Likely to happen today, Tuesday.  Follow updates from co-author on my book...

'Treme' and 'Tipitina'

UPDATE   Just got amazing Comment from man claiming (and I believe him) to be the father of the kid playing "Tipitina."  He writes...

The Clintons: State and Their Union

Joe Nocera, the NYT columnist, just made his picks for Obama's new cabinet--a chance for "presidential do-overs"--and there ...

Roaches Checked In, He Checked Out

Most horrible story of the year?  (AP)  An autopsy released Monday showed that a man who died after winning an insect-eating contest choked...

Sonic Youth

My son out in Hollywood shot and edited this behind-the-scenes video--starring Danica Patrick--for new SEGA car racing game. 

Outfoxed on Benghazi

UPDATE #3  Now, asked to to on MSNBC, Ricks says that channel's just as bad as Fox .  So after brief flurry of love from the left, Ricks...

Stone Cold Truths About the Atomic Bomb

UPDATE I'm told that the Stone & Kuznick book will make a NYT bestseller list next week.  Also, after a pan at The Daily Beast, am...

Pops Culture Hero

I've been following the progress of a new play by drama critic and author TerryTeachout called Satchmo at the Waldorf .   It's still...

Larry Hagman and Keith Moon

Didn't expect to see those two in same sentence?  Actually they were friends, having met on the set of now-obscure Brit film Stardust , ...

God Backs Marriage Equality

Morgan Freeman narrates new marriage equality ad.

Greatest Couples throughout History

Hi, Hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with family, friends, and loved ones. Greatest Couples.... Just one card to s...

Watch What You Tweet

NYT reports just now that a high-profile libel case involving a Conservative politician that the BBC had to settle has now ensnared many--...

Take This 'Waltz'

Anniversary #36 of "The Last Waltz" concert today.  I posted the rare uncut version of "Don't Do It" a couple days b...

Sunday Morning in the Church of Beethoven

My long-running weekly feature, this time featuring the hallowed final movement of the sonata no. 31.

Cliff Dwelling

Watching the immortal Jimmy Cliff on Austin City Limits now, and noticing via YouTube he did "The Harder They Come" with Springste...

America, 2032?

Catching up with Ken Burns' "The Dust Bowl," Part I tonight after watching Part II this past week.  Scale unimaginable, and I...

Saturday Night Music Pick

Greatest (mature) pickup song ever?  Van Morrison's re-make of "I'll Take of You."  And below, originator Bobby "Blue...

'Tension' Over Drone Strikes

Big new piece just up at NYT by Scott Shane on untold story of how the Obama  team tried to "codify" its kill-now-ask-questions-la...

Whispering Pines

Art installation on my front lawn remains, more than three weeks after Sandy.  Below that: The Soul of a Tree.

Entering My Favorite Church

The Cathedral of Grand Central the Divine.

RGIII and Obama: Mo Dowd Eggs Them On

I guess I missed where someone compared the Redskins rookie QB to "Cool Hand Luke" and he didn't get the reference but allowed...

Oliver Leaving No Stone Unturned

UPDATE   Stone's segment on Hiroshima coming this Monday--along with my Q & A interview with him on same.  Earlier:  Oliver Stone...

Macho and Boom Boom

Death of Hector "Macho" Camacho gives me excuse to post Zevon doing "Boom Boom Mancini" (who killed a guy in the ring).

One Ginger the 'South Park' Crew Might Like

UPDATE:  A.O. Scott at NYT reviews the film today.    Ginger does not like Mick Jagger and more. Earlier: NYT with a piece just out on wil...

Recycled K-Cup Snowman ornament

Wondering what to do with all those used K-cups?   Do you have a scout troop or Sunday school group that needs an inexpensive recycling pro...