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? What differentiates him from a sensible man and what what makes him an exotic species?  Is it great deeds and illuminated decorations that weigh down upon his chest? Or is it the fancy cars and the opulence of his living? Is it majestic orations or his conduct that is watched upon with much awe? What makes him an honorable man? What makes him a gentleman?

For starters, one thing we could say with much certainty is that neither fame or money nor power plays any significant role in making a man honorable. Though I admit there are a few powerful, rich gentlemen out there who are so famous, they alone doesn't make a man honorable. Honor comes not form the chastised vaults of great treasure or by flimsy pathways of glitter and glamour and the eternal stutter of the snapping shutters. To stand testimonial to this claim of mine I have an innumerable array of people who has disappointed utterly and disgraced themselves publicly. A list that ranges from drunken celebrities to brainless bureaucrats who has been caught with their pants down or their hands down the cookie jar. So if it is not money, fame or power that brings honor then what does? 

Many may argue that its education that would bring honor to men. But I cant but help disagree. though I would not completely nullify its contributions in making a man a  honorable one I cant tell that education alone will make one honorable. had that been the case the earth must be by now over flowing with honorable men. We don't see that right? What we see is great and educated men making a big ass of themselves in public and private. They get inflicted by the devils gene no matter how many degrees and scholarships they hold. Even those that appear to be honorable in their collared lives flutter when the corporate facets come off. So what is that, that beyond education that is required to instill honor in a human being. 

May be its wisdom, but what is wisdom? is wisdom a form of realization or is it the cumulative experience of years and years of  the perils of human life. Wisdom is not a quantifiable quality of human nature, but its a n abstract word that represents a greater level of learning. A level of learning that cant be understood by none other than the wise and that can only be admired and observed in awe. 

The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. 

I believe what makes a man honorable has much to do with wisdom and realization but not completely. There is something more that is necessary to make him the complete man. That something is love, compassion and an array of such subtle but vehement feelings. To be a honorable man takes more that just a long beard and a pair of round glasses, it takes a feeling of universal belonging and consideration for others. It takes the ability to make the right decision and to adherence to the truth and righteousness. It take sense  and sensitivity to another man's feelings and the coherent ability to understand others pain and suffering  this together makes a man honorable and this is why the remain and forever will remain an exotic species and among men they will always walk tall and elusively. 

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 excited when I saw this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge to create a clean and simple gift tag. I have been working on tags for gift bags, aka {gift} Bag Toppers, aka BOPPERS for Wednesday's Craft Fair!

Craft Fair  BOPPERS

Paper: 3 Bugs in a Rug Deck the Halls collection, miscellaneous cardstock
Sentiment: computer-generated
Technique: OWH's Tuesday Tutorial on Tree Folding

Paper: Miscellaneous cardstock
Stamp: Hero Arts Stunning Snowflakes
Tools: snowflake punches
Embellishments: Best Creation stickers, gems

Paper: Authentique, AC cardstock
Embellishments: stash 3-D stickers

Not only do I want to give credit to OWH's tree folding tutorial, I also need to give credit to Crafting at the Spotted Canary . While I've coined the term "BOPPER", this wonderful idea itself aired on the Spotted Canary TV show.

The first BOPPER I made was a birthday bopper for hubby. And, I love that a BOPPER is a card, {reusable} bag, and gift wrap all-in-one. Let's hope my friends and colleagues love them as much as I do!

Parting Thoughts

Not sure how much card-making will happen this weekend. We are working at the local food pantry tomorrow morning, a friend and I are going to a Christmas concert tomorrow night, and I have work-work to do sometime this weekend. Oh well... The food pantry will be quite rewarding and the concert will be both inspirational and heartwarming.

Have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for visiting and happy scrappin'!

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 Hollywood--you know, they fall apart at the end or you are just happy they weren't worse.  But here's the best film--if you go by Rotten Tomatoes averaging.  Several films got 100% "fresh" reviews but this had the highest number of reviews in that average.  Naturally, it's from abroad:

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 backs The Decemberists.  Here's my selection (she was no Carrie Mathison):

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 Playbook.

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 looks wonderful.  You only need a few supplies and in no time you will have Christmas wreath to be proud of.

You will need:

An 11 x 14 inch wooden frame without the glass (this is your wreath base)

Two six-foot non-wired garlands (there are a wide assortment of garlands available at craft stores and most are 50% off!)

20-gauge wire

Wire cutters

Wired ribbon or ready-made bow

1.     Starting at the upper left hand corner, attach one end of one of the garlands to the frame with an 8-inch piece of 20-gauge wire.  Twist to secure.  Begin to tightly wrap the garland around the frame stopping at the next corner.  Use another piece of wire to secure the garland to that corner twisting to the back.

2.     Continue wrapping till you reach the next corner and with another piece of wire secure to the frame tightly twisting the wire to the back.  (Half the wreath is covered)

3.     Attach the second garland with another piece of wire where you ended the first garland.  Wrap the garland as before, stopping at the next corner to secure with another piece of wire.

4.     Continue wrapping the garland until you reach the starting point and attach with a piece of wire twisting to the back.  (You should have the entire wreath covered)   Add a loop of twisted wire to the center back for hanging.

5.     Make a bow with some 2 inch wide wired ribbon (Instructions for making bows are upcoming in subsequent posts but there are very good instructions for making bows on the website Bowdabra or you can purchase a ready made bow and attach it with some wire to the side of your wreath.

Note:  You can change the size and even the shapes of the frames.  A good place to get inexpensive frames is at a thrift store.

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 critical reaction to it.

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 will likely wreck any chance for a "two-state solution."  Classic Israeli action.   Of course, Susan Rice and Obama team will firwt say, "we warned you," and blame the Palestinians.  Even though the U.S. has long opposed this settlement.  Watch for U.S. bluster now and then doing nothing about it, as per usual.   Here's key Haaretz article.   NYT below:

The prime minister’s office refused to comment on whether the settlement expansion — first reported on Twitter by a reporter for the Israeli daily Haaretz — was punishment for the Palestinians’ success in obtaining nonmember observer state status at the United Nations, but it was widely seen as such. The United States, one of only eight countries that stood with Israel in voting against the Palestinians’ upgrade, has for two decades vigorously opposed construction in E1, a 3,000-acre expanse of hilly parkland where a police station was opened in 2008.

'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 they need to release them when completed.

Mr. Obama has acknowledged the need for a “legal architecture” to be put in place “to make sure that not only am I reined in but any president’s reined in.” Yet his administration has resisted legal efforts by The Times and the American Civil Liberties Union to make public its secret legal opinions on these killings. Once the rules are completed, they should be shown to a world skeptical of countries that use deadly force without explanation.

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 this not-so-famous vintage Chuck Berry tune, right down to the "flaptop" reference.  Lennon, who had added a big bass to the tune to make it more distinctive, was sued by Chuck's manager and settled out of court.

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 court today for Friday's cross-examination. 

Thursday:  Bradley finally got part of a day in court.  Here's a full Salon report.    My co-author on Manning book, Kevin Gosztola, of course there, and tweeting @Kgosztola.

Reporting via Twitter, the Guardian’s Ed Pilkington noted that Manning’s lawyer drew a life-sized Quantico cell on the floor and had the soldier stand in it to convey his cramped conditions. For nine months, the 24-year-old was confined to a 6-by-8-foot cell with no window for more than 23 hours each day. “If you put your head on cell door [and] looked through crack you could see reflection of t[he] window,” Manning told the hearing Thursday, according to Pilkington’s reports.

Manning also told the court that he was pleased when returned to American soil in 2010, having felt like he was in an “animal cage” while detained by the U.S. military in Kuwait.

Updates via Pilkington: Manning says,  "I was authorized to have 20 minutes sunshine call" – i.e. 20 mins outside his cell - in chains - every 24 hour  Also: "The most entertaining thing in my cell was the mirror. You can interact with yourself. I spent a lot of time with it." 

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 set some kind of record, and the FBI computer was swamped.   The reason, of course, was Obama winning re-election and NRA claims that NOW he will take away gun or tax them so high you won't be able to keep all 40 of  them an have to settled for a dozen of so.   Of course, Obama has done nothing on guns, ever.

And it’s not like we need more guns, anyway. The United States has more guns per capita than any country on the planet.

All the while, stocks of gun makers are going through the roof. Smith & Wesson’s stock is up 280 percent since last year. Sturm, Ruger and Company’s stock is up 96 percent from last year.

Welcome to the Great American Arming.

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 returning to the fray with a very serious poll about...Twinkies.  Yes, it has asked what folks think about them and, no surprise, 57% voted thumbs up.  The junkier the junk food the better, apparently, as other polls from the firm find big majorities rejecting the idea of new taxes on junk food and new restrictions on giant soft drinks (despite the obesity and diabetes epidemics that ruin lives and super-size taxes and insurance premiums we all pay).

And, naturally--this being Rasmussen--a poll finds that most people blame the union for Twinkies temporary demise due to Hostess closing. 

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 you why we celebrate this particular festival because I do not know why. But every year we embellish our houses with a million a lighted lamps and let it simmer the golden glow of the burning oil flame.  I do remember the times mother, me and my brother lighted the whole house up in such fiery splendor. That was only last year by the way. When it was in my ancestral house it was something even more spectacular. The entire family would rush to the top of the house at sun down and start lighting up the lamps one by one till every possible place in the house is basking in its glow. 

But this year, it was different. I did not even know that the festival was over until a day past. My mother used to remember it always and I used to be at home always when it happened. But this time she is not here neither am I. I suppose then the family thought nay this time around. There happened the first time that our dear house stood in solemn silence and darkness when the whole neighborhood erupted in the golden glow. 

I guess next time its different, may be one more time i would get to enjoy these simple pleasures again. 

Assange Speaks

Here's the full Democracy Now! segment this morning featuring an interview with Julian Assange from his safe house at Ecuador's embassy in London--on his new punk, WikiLeaks' future, Bradley Manning (whose hearing continues today), and more:

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, with the Dems winning each one (including the latest in North Carolina) and ending up with a net gain of 8 seats--despite the gross GOP gerrymandering that cost them at least another eight wins, by most counts, maybe more.  "The 113th Congress will be represented by 201 Democrats and 234 Republicans. Democrats entered the 2012 elections holding 190 House seats -- but due to vacancies in three Democrat-held seats, they gained eight seats overall."

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books (see right rail of this blog).  His latest, on the Obama-Romney battle, is "Tricks, Lies, and Videotape." 

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   Here's NYT piece on Neil announcing Hurricane Sandy relief benefit--in Atlantic City.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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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 Jeremy Denk (who is featured in my Beethoven book).  Ives, of course, bases the "Alcotts" piece around the opening of LvB's "Fifth Symphony."

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 the Kinks.   They were in the midst of their "Lola" comeback period but Ray still told me,  "I think I am totally mad." He had recently stabbed his brother Dave with a fork when Dave reached for his chips.  Nice guy, though.  That night, at Philharmonic Hall in NYC,  Ray was so drunk he stumbled backyards toward an elevated amp.  Brother Dave casually stepped out of the way and let Ray fall into it--and it nearly toppled on top of him.  Ray, flat on his back, kept sing, "I'm an Ape man, I'm an Ape-Ape man."  Then he got up and balanced a beer can on his head.  Finally he insisted the audience sing along with what he called "the greatest fucking song ever written," namely, "You Are My Sunshine."

  

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 icon for more than thirty years, a wacky Amarillo tourist attraction, even the title of a Springsteen song.  That could only be the Cadillac Ranch.  Now its "founder--Stanley March 3--has been named by several John Does as the man who sexually abused them when they were teens.  “I think most people in Amarillo appreciate it as a work of art, and really don’t think of it in the context of its donor any more than people concentrate on whatever Van Gogh’s psychological problems were in appreciation of his art,” said State Senator Kel Seliger, a Panhandle Republican and the city’s former four-term mayor. “One should always take allegations of indecency with a child seriously. But at this point they are just that, they’re allegations.” (NYT photo above.)

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 dangling off the Brooklyn Bridge.  Forty minutes later he falls or jumps to his death.  He lands right in the middle of the famed River Cafe.   So much for the photo shoot.  It will, at least, live to see another day.

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 on the how.  And BTW, it's still near top of my "Best of" list.

Earlier:  "A million years from now, when kids go to school, they gonna know: Once there was a Hushpuppy, and she lived with her Daddy in The Bathtub."  Saw sleeper indie Beasts of the Southern Wild tonight and it's tremendous, both ultra-funky (set in swamp land south of New Orleans) and magical (are those aurochs from before the Ice Age?).  Warning about climate change subtle.  Plus the music is great (imagine the group Beirut doing much of the horn-driven soundtrack) and even some Cajun fiddling  here --  and the little girl may get an Oscar nod.  You can have your Dark Blight Rises.

Trailer:

'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 of Gaza school kids, returns today with a look at the uproar over the paper's Jersualem chief and her "problematic" tweets and Facebook posts as she covered the recent war from Gaza.

More recently, during the Gaza conflict, she wrote one Facebook post in which she described Palestinians as “ho-hum” about the death of loved ones, wrote of their “limited lives” and, in another, said she shed her first tears in Gaza over a letter from an Israeli family. The comments came off as insensitive and the reaction was sharp, not only from media pundits, but also from dismayed readers.

Philip Weiss, the anti-Zionist Jewish-American journalist who writes about the Middle East for Mondoweiss, his Web site, wrote “she seems culturally bound inside the Israeli experience.”  Ms. Rudoren regrets some of the language she used, particularly the expression “ho-hum.”

Rudoren had also claimed that in the recent air war "it seems like Israelis are almost more traumatized" than the Gazans. 

The Times is so concerned about all this they have assigned an editor to oversee her use of social networking.  However, is that the end of the story?  Much of the criticism of Rudoren was based on whether she was, in fact, too biased to report on Palestinian-Israeli issues during and after the recent conflict.   Sullivan gives her a pass on this--for now--noting she has done some fine reporting in dangerous conditions.   I have a feeling this will not convince the critics. (Philip Weiss responds here.   And Ali Abunimah of The Electronic Intifada strongly objects here. )   Imagine if the Times' Jersualem chief was Palestinian and wrote that "ho-hum" and "limited lives" and only-shed-a-tear Facebook post.

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books (see right rail of this blog).  His latest, on the Obama-Romney battle, is "Tricks, Lies, and Videotape." 

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, essentially, a "woman."  This was in the context of Sen. Kelly Ayotte replacing outgoing Joe Lieberman in the "three amigos" grouping (McCain, Graham, Lieberman).  Heilemann said that now two of the three are actually "women."  Well,  Joe Scarb had a good laugh about it right on camera and then they moved on.  And, as Mediaite just noted, that bit was pulled when the segment was re-aired after 8 a.m.  Here's the original:

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, yes, Ed did play my man Beethoven not too far back--helping to spark my own LvB obsession.  Here he does The Ninth.

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 first Glenn Beck impersonation--and the day he trashed "Crossfire" on CNN as "partisan hackery."  Jon to Tucker:  "You're 35 and you still wear a bowtie?"

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 Know Ya"?  Here's a new report that suggests that while troubling temp gains are pretty much in line with projections, the waters are rising faster than imagined.

Jimi Turns 70

Two rarities from Mr. James Hendrix (and Mr. Robert Zimmerman) for Jimi's 70th birthday.   First, amazingly, rehearsing "All Along the Watchtower" on acoustic guitar in the studio--allegedly racing there after first hearing the song on John Wesley Harding.   Then, his take on Dylan's obscure single (which bombed, although I still own the Bob 45 that I bought back in '66), "Please Crawl Out Your Window," live on BBC. 

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 backing drone warfare, as a "just war," on MSNBC's Martin Bashir's program.  It might just be about the best thing on the whole issue that I've read at 500 words or less.  Too much to quotes so just go read the whole damn thing.

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 which he sings Woody's classic "I Ain't Go No Home" in a moving new version.  But here it stands on its own, in a recent concert performance:

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 related issues.  "After police showed up and repeatedly threatened to arrest the protesters for indecent exposure, they eventually put on their clothes and walked out of the Speaker’s office. The three female protesters stuck around in the hallway to speak to reporters and were arrested anyway; the four male protesters appeared to get away, the organizers said."  Photo above and below and full NSFW video below that.

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 others.  News to me:  Woody's father backed the Ku Klux Klan, may have been a member, or possibly taken part in a lynching. Also, author of book on Woody, sings a song that Woody wrote but did not record:  a different lynching in his hometown.

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 matter of a slide show about an official with a sex tape.

Earlier: Fun story for today:  Online news outlet for Communist Party in China runs with piece in The Onion hailing North Korea's leader as its "Sexiest Man Alive."  Quoting the Onion, the Chinese newspaper wrote, ''With his devastatingly handsome, round face, his boyish charm, and his strong, sturdy frame, this Pyongyang-bred heartthrob is every woman's dream come true."

"Blessed with an air of power that masks an unmistakable cute, cuddly side, Kim made this newspaper's editorial board swoon with his impeccable fashion sense, chic short hairstyle, and, of course, that famous smile," the People's Daily cited The Onion as saying.

The photos the People's Daily selected include Kim on horseback squinting into the light and Kim waving toward a military parade. In other photos, he is wearing sunglasses and smiling, or touring a facility with his wife.

School Daze: Updated

UPDATE Tuesday:  Margaret Sullivan, the fine NYT public editor, has now weighed in.  (Please jump to my original post below.)  She quotes from my piece, finds fault with some aspects of the caption but after a few phone calls rejects my claim that it is "disgraceful" and maybe Orwellian--and points to criticism of the photo from another angle, as being an example of "anti-Israel bias" (which she rightly rejects).

I'll offer a full response in stages, and there are already some good comments up at her blog.  For now:  1)  Hicks reports that the school was not, as I suggested, destroyed by a missile but only damaged enough to keep it from re-opening.  I get the difference but the reason I had written that it was destroyed were photos such as this, also from Hicks (go to #19 in the slide show), and especially these (#1, #3 and #4 in gallery),  again from Hicks.  These photos apparently were viewed by Times editors, and now Sullivan.  Note the captions in these (online) cases clearly label the school closed due to damage. 

2)  Sullivan reports:  "Douglas Schorzman, an assistant foreign editor, told me that it wasn’t clear to editors in New York how damaged the building was. 'If it was leveled, we just should have said so,' he said. But 'on deadline and in the moment, we may not have known that.' And in fact, it wasn’t leveled, so it made sense to be cautious."  This, of course, is absurd.  The caption did not even mention that the school was damaged in any way, before jumping to its Hamas focus.

3) "In addition," Sullivan writes, "the brief caption was serving a second purpose – as a way to direct readers to an inside page where several articles were displayed, including one about the prospects for peace talks and the role of Hamas." So the fact that it served this "second purpose" meant the caption could not be accurate and complete?  (Earlier she had cited "the caption’s multiple purpose").  And the articles inside did not cover school closings or damage.

4) Someone at the Times, I hope not Sullivan, has picked as her post's only highlighted Comment so far  one from a reader who hints that the entire photo was a "set up," that the building may not have even been a school, and maybe the girls sent there merely for a photo op.  Now that's disgraceful.

5) Please note my "Orwellian" was preceded by "maybe."

Original post on Sunday:  This image (above) was the top front-page photo, by the great Tyler Hicks, in the NYT print edition today:  kids returning to their school in Gaza and finding it shut down, for some reason.  Disgraceful, some might say Orwellian, Times caption:  "Girls at a Gaza school were stunned to find it closed.  An emboldened Hamas may lead Israel to harden its stance."  Why closed? You had to go to other photos way over at  the NYT site to find out that the school was completely destroyed by an Israeli air strike.  The caption might even suggest to some that Hamas had shut down a lightly damaged school. While prominent placement of the photo might draw criticism from Israelis, the caption seemed aimed at softening that.

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books (see right rail of this blog).  His latest, on the Obama-Romney battle, is "Tricks, Lies, and Videotape." 

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, Truth and Consequences, Kevin Gosztola, right here. 

Monday: After years of imprisonment and abuse, and sitting in silence through numerous pre-trial hearings, Bradley Manning is set to actually speak in a military courtroom today, probably only about his ill treatment back at the Quantico brig.  "At least two military psychiatrists are likely to testify Tuesday that they recommended on numerous occasions that Manning be taken off the prevention of injury order. Quantico commanders in charge of the brig during the nine months in which Manning was held there are also believed to be testifying today." Salon has a wrap-up here.   

My recent book and ebook with Kevin Gosztola, Truth and Consequences, covers Manning and the case from the first WikiLeaks leaks to his hearings a few months back.  Follow @kgosztola.  And his preview here.

'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:  "Ironic that you quote T. S. Eliot at the head of your blog. The Bar Mitzvah Boy's  name happens to be Eliot--named after his father, who's named after T. S. Eliot.

"It was great he was asked to play that song in the role--he's been playing it for years and it was the song he played when he first auditioned for Treme over 2 years ago." And here's more from the Dad and photo.

Earlier:  Amazing final episode of the season for often uneven Treme, lot of loose ends tied up well, but highlighted by Simon's use of what I have long promoted as our true "national anthem."  First we watch "Tipitina" performed at a bar mitzvah, with the bar mitzvah boy himself taking the keys.  Then the usual season-ending montage is accompanied by five minutes or more of the good professor, Longhair, singing his classic over and over.  Could have gone on forever for me.

But perhaps many of you have never actually seen Fess perform it, so here he is, with the Meters, no less.

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 are some doozies:   David Petraeus at Defense, Sheila Bair replacing Tim Geithner (ouch), and at State, not Susan Rice (she lacks breadth) but husband of current chief, one William Jefferson Clinton.  Plus Randi Weingarten.

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 to death after downing dozens of live roaches. Edward Archbold, 32, of West Palm Beach was unable to breathe because his airway was obstructed, according to the report from the Broward County medical examiner’s office. Mr. Archbold died after eating the bugs as well as worms in the Oct. 6 contest at Ben Siegel Reptile Store in Deerfield Beach. About 30 people ate the insects, but the authorities said none of the other contestants became ill. The grand prize was a python.

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 now on outs again.   I'd say: I get his point but most MSNBC hosts are still more fact- and reality-based than Fox hosts. 

UPDATE #2  A Fox spokesman tells The Hollywood Reporter that Ricks "apologized" after the show.  Ricks denies this.


UPDATE #1:  After the interview, Fox accused Ricks of being "rude."  Ricks responds that he was being "honest."

Earlier:  Fox News today made the mistake of inviting Tom Ricks on the air today to discuss the still "smoldering" GOP focus on Benghazi and Susan Rice and possible White House "coverup."  Almost from the word go, Ricks mocked the Fox "hype" over this issue and ended with claim that the network acts as a "wing of the Republican party."  Whoops.  Host instantly said goodbye, wrapping up one of the short interviews in TV history.  Via Media Matters:


 Note: My unique e-book on Obama-Romney race has just been published. "Tricks, Lies, and Videotape" covers the contest and aftermath right up to mid-November, and includes over 500 clickable links to the most important articles and videos. Just $2.99 for Kindle, iPad, phones, PCs.

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, amid some raves, they are now bracing for a likely hit from Sean Wilentz in The New York Review of Books. 

Earlier:  As promised, my Q & A with Oliver Stone on his new TV series and tonight's Hiroshima episode just posted at The Nation.  Now, the article, and the episode, may leave you wondering:  Why have certain "truths" about the use of the atomic bomb in 1945 been so well obscured or hidden for so many decades?  I've been tacking this subject for nearly thirty years, including in two books: one with Robert Jay Lifton, Hiroshima in America, and the more recent Atomic Cover-Up.   You can find them over on the right rail of this blog.

And see my brief video below about the suppression of film footage, the "greatest movie never made," and my book:

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 playing "out of town" but hopefully arriving in NYC soon. Satchmo, of course, is Louis "Pops" Armstrong--the most important American musical figure of the past century.  All he did was invent modern jazz playing, and singing.  And more.  I'm an enormous fan of his groundbreaking music of  the mid- to late-1920s, recorded with the Hot Five and Hot Seven.  Tight like that.

Anyway, I've been fascinated by the stories of the dozens of reel-to-reel tapes Louis left behind in his house in Queens when he died, which Teachout and others have now made use of.  The play is set backstage before the last gig of his life, at the Waldorf in NYC, and delves into his musical and political regrets, and includes a cameo by Miles Davis.  Pops was famously profane--and one of the biggest potheads around.   Here Teachout briefly sets the scene:

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, which starred pop idol David Essex who I interviewed back then in London about it all (long story).  Anyway, here's a fun little video on the night Keith Moon freaked out on speed and someone called Larry to save him.   Hagman should have just ordered, "Slap that drummer with a pie that smells."

When he got to his Malibu the house was a wreck--even Keith's dog was high on speed--but Keith was calming down.  But Keith did have one request: "Take me to rehab."

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 share today, which I will be posting for both OWH Sketch #148 and the Midweek Throwdown challenge to make a card using turquoise and silver.

Paper: My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose from several seasons ago
Sentiment: computer generated
Tool: EK Success triple  heart punch

Because of my crazy schedule at work and preparing for the upcoming Craft Show, I feel like I'm behind in OWH Valentine's Day cards. So, I decided to make a Valentine's Day card using a rather non-traditional Valentine's Day color palette. I originally created the sentiment card for a card for hubby last February. :)

As far as the sketch is concerned, I rotated the design and used 2 patterns instead of 3 for the background layer. As far as the color challenge, I'm not quite sure this is truly turquoise and silver -- but it was the closest match I could find in my stash. 

Craft Show Preview

The show is December 5. So, I'll share more details next week -- including a preview of an item that I am really excited to take to the show.

I spent the first part of the afternoon preparing signage, organizing items for transport, etc. My thinking is that I can always make a couple more cards next weekend if I have some time.  But, all the other details have to be done. 

The photo shows the designs I have for sale, most of which have made an appearance in earlier posts. Hope it's a good variety -- and that I have a lot of traffic at my table. :)

Parting Thoughts

I'm hoping to find a little time after dinner to make an Any Hero card made for this week's sketch.

Have a great week. As always, thanks for visiting and happy scrappin'!

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--maybe thousands--of Twitter posters who ran with a rumor about sexual abuse.  “Many people have had their reputations trashed on Twitter before, but nobody has decided to take action on this scale,” said Tim Lowles, a media lawyer in London.  If I understand this correct, those with less than 500 followers can fill out a form and apologize and maybe escape but others are not so lucky.  “This could have a chilling effect,” said Paul Bernal, a lecturer in media law at the University of East Anglia. “I know people who have said that they are not going to post as much because of this.”

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 back.  Now here's one of the other Band highlights, with Rick doing "It Makes No Difference."   Plus Joni doing "Coyote."  And then: When Van was the Man--but almost didn't get there.  Had to be talked out of San Fran hotel room to make it to the gig.  And Van was always quite the dresser.  Below that, rare acoustic demo of one of his greatest songs, "The Way Young Lovers Do."

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 Springsteen, also in Austin earlier this year, while recalling taking Bruce to see the movie back in '73.

America, 2032?

Catching up with Ken Burns' "The Dust Bowl," Part I tonight after watching Part II this past week.  Scale unimaginable, and I've done some reading on it in past.  And, of course, partly man-made, due to over-plowing and not heeding "science" on climate predictions.   Perhaps if more Americans saw images like the one below--kids going off to school in the Dust Bowl--we might get moving on combating climate change.   Many other kids died from the "dust pneumonia." And the image above just one of hundreds of storms.  One darkened skies in NYC, D.C. and Boston.

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" Bland.  And finally,  Ms. Irma Thomas.  Yes, we will spare you the Rihanna and Drake version.

'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-later drone strike policy before Election Day--so that Romney, if it came to that, would have a clear policy to "inherit" and continue (or, who knows, expand).  Figures updated list 300 strikes and 2500 dead, so far (many civilians). 

Mr. Obama and his advisers are still debating whether remote-control killing should be a measure of last resort against imminent threats to the United States, or a more flexible tool, available to help allied governments attack their enemies or to prevent militants from controlling territory.

Though publicly the administration presents a united front on the use of drones, behind the scenes there is longstanding tension. The Defense Department and the C.I.A. continue to press for greater latitude to carry out strikes; Justice Department and State Department officials, and the president’s counterterrorism adviser, John O. Brennan, have argued for restraint, officials involved in the discussions say.

Note:  My unique  e-book on Obama-Romney race has just been published.  "Tricks, Lies, and Videotape" covers the contest and aftermath right up to mid-November, and includes over 500 clickable links to the most important articles and videos.  Just $2.99 for Kindle, iPad, phones, PCs.

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 he sounded "cool."  Maureen Dowd is all over it in her Sunday column, along with also comparing Obama to the Paul Newman hero and recalling the eating of the 50 eggs.   (I guess because Obama sticks to rule of "no throwing up.")  But still, no one was cooler than Paul.

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's long-awaited "Untold History of the United States" series coming to Showtime starting in November, and one show offers a new view of one of my pet subjects,  our use of the Bomb against Japan (see one of my two books here).

They just sent me the companion book, it's by Oliver and historian Peter Kuznick, and it's mammoth, at over 700 pages in hardback.  Actually, it's just a history since World War I, but it goes right up to Obama.  Has blurbs from Gorbachev, Douglas Brinkley, Bill Maher and my pal Dan Ellsberg, who says it would make Howard Zinn proud.  The Hiroshima chapter makes strong case against the use of the bomb, though with no new evidence that I can see.  More on this later.

They also sent me the first three Showtime episodes which I will now screen:  On World War II, Hiroshima and the 1948 Henry Wallace race for president.  Here's trailer:

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 wild new doc opening in the city next week profiling former Cream drummer and legendary bad guy Ginger Baker--who, amazingly is still alive, once beating out Keith Richard in a vote of stars least likely to survive the 1970s.   It seems Ginger broke the director's nose during filming.  Yes, I still resent Ginger for being most responsible for the long ago cult of the lengthy rock "drum solo."  I did see him live once, playing with Blind Faith.  Well, like Keith Moon, it was hard to keep your eyes off him.  Anyway, the trailer, opening with Johnny Rotten:

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 project?  You have come to the right place.  This project is quick, easy, and cute, and best of all recycled.

You will need:

Two used K-cups, one black and one white. (Filters removed and washed.)

Black Felt

Black and orange dimensional fabric paint

12” of 1/8” ribbon

Tacky craft glue

Compass

Ruler

Nail or something to puncture a hole in the tops of the K-cups

Round paper punch

White colored pencil to mark on dark felt

Scissors

Large eye darning needle (optional)

Pony bead

1.     Insert the white pencil in the compass and make a 1 ½” diameter circle on the black felt.  In the same starting point make another circle inside the first one at a 1” diameter.  Cut out the first circle and then cut out the center circle. You will have a felt ring.  (See photo)

2.     Slide the felt ring on the black K-cup stopping at the rim.  Snowman’s hat made. Set aside.

3.     Turn the white K-cup upside down and make a hole in the center with the nail.  Repeat for the black K-Cup with the felt rim. 

4.     Place the top of the black K-cup down on the black felt and trace around with the white pencil.  Cut out.  Make a mark on the felt where the center hole is and make a hole with the paper punch.  Line up the felt with the hole on the top of the hat and glue down with some tacky glue.  Let dry.  Trim any excess felt with the scissors.

5.     Thread a pony bead on the ribbon, center so that it is in the middle with six inches on each end.  Insert both ends of the ribbon through the hole in the white K-Cup.  The pony bead will secure it to the inside. You may use a large eyed darning needle here to get  through the hole easier although I had no trouble doing it with just the ribbon.  Tie a knot in the ribbon one inch from the top of the white K-Cup, and then continue to thread it through the top of the black K-cup.  The knot separates both of the K-Cups so they hang independently. (See photos)

6.     Tie a knot in the top of the final end of the ribbon to hang the ornament. 

7.     Tilt the hat so you can use the black and orange dimensional fabric paints to make a face on the snowman.  (See photo) If you want, you may add some glitter glue on the top of the hat for extra pizzazz. Let the paint and glitter dry.  When hanging the hat will sit straight with the snowman dangling under.