The legendary Ravi Shankar has passed away at 92. Here is with his most famous fan, George Harrison. Still amazing that he is Norah Jones' father. Below that: Shankar interviewed in 1960s by members of the Yardbirds--including Jeff Beck.
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Shooting at Mall in Oregon
Old Bald Drummer Dies
Well, that's what he was known as for some of us of a certain age, without knowing his name. He was Ed Cassidy, who has died at age 89, and he propelled the group Spirit which had a nice run in the late 1960s and best known for a single great song, "Got a Line on You." NYT w/ full obit including his varied career before going rock--even played with Chet Baker. And Jimi Hendrix gave Randy California his name.
The Return of Upton Sinclair!
Jonathan Chait just now at New York magazine suggests that a Politico piece, accidentally, reads like something my hero Uppie might have written if he hadn't died decades ago.
Politico editors Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen today have published what may be the most revealing piece I have ever read about the Washington power elite. The value of the piece is almost entirely anthropological. That is to say, read at face value, it tells the reader almost nothing new. But examined as a cultural specimen, it offers profound insight. The piece reads as if it were written by Upton Sinclair, if he were taken prisoner and trying to smuggle messages out to the world past a particularly literal-minded group of censors.Of course, I must point to my own Upton Sinclair book here.
'Zero Dark' Dirty?
UPDATE #3 Now security analyst Peter Bergen, writing at CNN site, joins those questioning movie on torture. "The compelling story told in the film captures a lot that is true about the search for al Qaeda's leader but also distorts the story in ways that could give its likely audience of millions of Americans the misleading picture that coercive interrogation techniques used by the CIA on al Qaeda detainees -- such as waterboarding, physical abuse and sleep deprivation -- were essential to finding bin Laden." (h/t @bbedway)But now: American Prospect writer defends movie.
UPDATE #2 Spencer Ackerman at Wired disagrees strongly with Greenwald and Bruni and others, says torture scenes are best parts of movie and show that torture horrible and useless. "Zero Dark Thirty does not present torture as a silver bullet that led to bin Laden; it presents torture as the ignorant alternative to that silver bullet."
UPDATE Glenn Greenwald in new Guardian column also hits the movie on its pro-torture message. He hasn't seen it but dissects reviews and coverage and quotes from its creators, which suggests to him that they rely on "CIA lies" about the role torture played in getting bin Laden.
Sunday: I've read about, tweeted, and post early and late trailers for Zero Dark Thirty for months, including the controversy over whether it would help Obama before election (and hence the postponement of its release until after it). Now it's been picking up many year-end awards--and I'll finally watch a preview screening this Tuesday.
But Frank Bruni has a tough column today at NYT--see the Ben Wiseman illustration with it at left--suggesting that it's a movie Dick Cheney would love (Zero Darth Vader?), that it backs torture policy that Obama quit, and more. "It’s about finding a needle in a uniquely messy and menacing haystack. 'Enhanced interrogation techniques' like waterboarding are presented as crucial to that search, and it’s hard not to focus on them, because the first extended sequence in the movie shows a detainee being strung up by his wrists, sexually humiliated, deprived of sleep, made to feel as if he’s drowning and shoved into a box smaller than a coffin."
Monday, 10 December 2012
Jesus: Putting the 'Mass' in Christmas
Let's think of him like this, this time around. U2 does Woody Guthrie's "Jesus Christ."
Holiday Cheer and Love Notes
Hi everyone,
Hope the week has gotten off to a good start for all.
Wonder if anyone else was crazy enough to go to a Toys R Us on a Saturday afternoon. Oh my... what was I thinking?! I just kept picturing a little 2 year old bpy who had asked for Legos and a Tonka truck on his McDonalds' tree ornament and somehow I managed to stay in the Christmas spirit the entire time. :)
Now for the card-making part of this post.
Both of the following cards have 2 things in common. Each was inspired by this week's OWH Sketch and each was made from goodies in that fabulous Black Friday bargain bag from Scrapbook Art.
For Hearts and Flowers, I was pretty true to the sketch -- aside from the change to the small rectangle next to the right the oval. I've since added small strips of the brown paper at the top and bottom of the red rectangle and like the definition it gives, as well as the way the strips bring focus to the oval.
For this week's Any Hero card, I was a little looser in my interpretation -- rotating the sketch, replacing the oval with the chipboard outline of America, and foregoing the 4.25" by 4.5" inch rectangle in lieu of the pattern in the 4.25" by 5.5" background paper.
Some of you may remember Frosty's L'il Friend from last fall's OWH VCMP. Well, this week's challenge is to showcase something "knotty". So, I'm thinking this little guy just might make an appearance.
Hoping to get a flower card made for this month's ODBD challenge. And, then I really need to get my box of stamped-and-tucked love cards in the mail to Kris.
Have a great week! Happy scrappin'!
Hope the week has gotten off to a good start for all.
Wonder if anyone else was crazy enough to go to a Toys R Us on a Saturday afternoon. Oh my... what was I thinking?! I just kept picturing a little 2 year old bpy who had asked for Legos and a Tonka truck on his McDonalds' tree ornament and somehow I managed to stay in the Christmas spirit the entire time. :)
Now for the card-making part of this post.
OWH Sketch #150
Both of the following cards have 2 things in common. Each was inspired by this week's OWH Sketch and each was made from goodies in that fabulous Black Friday bargain bag from Scrapbook Art.
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| Paper, chipboard, and stickers: Bo Bunny Crazy Love |
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| Paper, layered chipboard, stickers: Bo Bunny Liberty; cardstock: Bazzill Admiral |
For Hearts and Flowers, I was pretty true to the sketch -- aside from the change to the small rectangle next to the right the oval. I've since added small strips of the brown paper at the top and bottom of the red rectangle and like the definition it gives, as well as the way the strips bring focus to the oval.
For this week's Any Hero card, I was a little looser in my interpretation -- rotating the sketch, replacing the oval with the chipboard outline of America, and foregoing the 4.25" by 4.5" inch rectangle in lieu of the pattern in the 4.25" by 5.5" background paper.
Craft Show Follow-Up
This year's craft show was lots of fun. It's always great to see the many talents of friends and colleagues. And, a little extra money for OWH supplies and donations is always a good thing. :)
Parting Thoughts
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| SEI paper, Martha Stewart branch punch miscellaneous embellishments |
Hoping to get a flower card made for this month's ODBD challenge. And, then I really need to get my box of stamped-and-tucked love cards in the mail to Kris.
Have a great week! Happy scrappin'!
When Many Heard the News That Day, Oh Boy
Another night of Monday night football reminds me that 32 years ago, back when these TV games had a huge audience, many in the U.S. heard the news of John Lennon's murder from none other than Howard Cosell. Howard sounded truly bummed but for Frank Gifford it was very, "oh well, back to the game."
Krugman: Mary's Quite Contrary
You may have read about, or perhaps even viewed, Mary Matalin hitting Paul Krugman as a mere "polemicist" on a Sunday yack show yesterday. Now Paul has replied online, pointing out that what caused her ire (poor Carville) was Krugman challenging one of her "facts." Her $1.7 trillion in purported savings from GOP-demanded caps on deductions has two major problems and to fix them (which clearly be needed) the actual savings would be down to $450 billion, the White House says.
New Poll: Grin and Colbert It in South Carolina
Colbert then demanded that Haley come on his show and explain why she may not pick him. Meanwhile, he asked fans to tweet her #SpottedSalamander (see below).
Earlier: Maybe it's not such a joke after all? Or maybe the joke is just on the GOP and S. Carolina voters? A new PPP poll finds favorite native son Stephen Colbert getting 20% of the vote to be picked by Gov. Nikki Haley to fill the less-than-gaping opening in the U.S. Senate caused by Jim DeMint's none-too-soon departure. The alleged frontrunner, Tea Party fave Rep. Tim Scott only drew 15%. And Mark "Off the Trail" Sanford checks in with 8%. Haley has pooh-poohed Colbert's chances, saying that when she appeared on his show in April he failed to ID the state drink which is milk. But Haley in the same show could not name the state amphibian: the spotted salamander.
'Polymath' Rosen Passes Away
The great pianist and author (best known for "The Classical Style") Charles Rosen has passed away at age 85. His writings and lectures on Beethoven's piano sonatas influenced my own appreciation. Here's a Rosen clip:
Biggest Story of 2012 Campaign?
Over the weekend, at The Nation, I reviewed Dan Froomkin's extensive and valuable interviews with the conservative/liberal pair Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann, who slam the media for missing the "biggest story" of the 2012 compaign: The repeated outright lies from the GOP. Now NYT public editor Margaret Sullivan in a blog post has also praised their assertions--with a couple of caveats involving fact-checking and some signs of progress.
Oh My, Bradley
My new piece at The Nation on NYT public editor again hitting paper for weak coverage of Bradley Manning hearing.
After The Last Waltz
Rick Danko of The Band passed away 13 years ago up the river a bit near Woodstock. Never met Rick first saw him play in 1965--in backing Dylan. And I've visited his old home, a little place called Big Pink. Here's his most famous vocal "It Makes No Difference," which most know from The Last Waltz, which is edited, so here's full version a few years later.
Correction of the Day
'NYT' Puts in an Appearance at Manning Hearing
UPDATE #2 Saturday night. Now public editor Margaret Sullivan posts her Sunday column, which updates and expands her blog post (see below). "As a matter of news judgment, giving so little coverage to the hearing is simply weird. This is a compelling story, and an important one....I hope that something significant is in the works. It might begin to make more sense of a decision that is otherwise hard to understand."
UPDATE Saturday As if in response to the scolding below (and from many other sources), the Times finally sent someone to cover the Manning hearing--for a few hours and a week late. It was one of its top writers Scott Shane, and he produced this story today, along with Charley Savage back in the office. Kevin Gosztola, co-author of my book on the Manning case, dissects it here.
Earlier: The Times' public editor, Margaret Sullivan, who has been away for a bit, returns with a post that hits the paper for failing to send a reporter to the past week or so of hearings in the Bradley Manning case--where the Army private has finally testified after all of these years. The paper's D.C. chief replies: "We’ve covered him and will continue to do so. But as with any other legal case, we won’t cover every single proceeding. In this case, doing so would have involved multiple days of a reporter’s time, for a relatively straightforward story. The A.P. article recounting the main points of Mr. Manning’s testimony about his conditions of confinement that ran on page A3 of The Times conveyed fundamentally the same material as a staff story would have."
But Sullivan quotes a new New Republic piece and a Times reader both bashing the paper. Sullivan concludes:
One doesn’t have to agree with either of those viewpoints or interpretations of events to see the news value of the Manning testimony at Fort Meade. The testimony is dramatic and the overarching issues are important. The Times should be there.
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."
Sunday, 9 December 2012
Portrait of Dylan As Young Man
I've seen parts of this before but didn't know about full show: a half-hour special on Canadian TV in 1964 that's all Dylan, live, at times in weirdo studio settings. He's playing mainly early classics, from "Hattie Carroll" to "Times They Are A-Changin," but ends with the much lesser known "Restless Farewell," which really pointed to his future writings--and was most memorably sung to and for "Mr. Frank" Sinatra in a much later TV tribute (you can find it on YouTube). Not long after this TV show, he went on his trip to London captured in Don't Look Back.
Another Major Lift for 'Hallelujah'
Another page in Leonard Cohen's remarkable comeback--he's playing two packed arenas in NYC this month, e.g.--is the arrival of a pair of books. I've already posted extensively on the I'm Your Man full bio that I've read, but now we have a new one from Alan Light strictly about his great-if-now-overdone song "Hallelujah," and its link to the late Jeff Buckley. The book was described in a major AP story last week and now, just posted at NYT, is the Monday Janet Maslin review of the book.
Some good nuggets in the bookhere: Cohen meant the song to be joyous but it is usually used in films and TV to connote sadness. Dylan was actually the first to play the song in concert, in the mid-1980s (I've heard it and weak but moving). And Bono apologizes for the U2 version. Here's the classic Jeff Buckley version:
Some good nuggets in the bookhere: Cohen meant the song to be joyous but it is usually used in films and TV to connote sadness. Dylan was actually the first to play the song in concert, in the mid-1980s (I've heard it and weak but moving). And Bono apologizes for the U2 version. Here's the classic Jeff Buckley version:
'Beasts' Burdened--With New Awards
L.A. Film Critics giving out its award, one by one today, and already has made two great picks: Dwight Henry, a non-professional in Beasts of the Southern Wild, for best supporting actor--and the score for that film as the best in that category. (Last summer I named the film my favorite American movie of the year to that point.) Listen and find out why the score won, with 13-minute excerpt, and then a shorter one:
Sunday Morning in the Church of Beethoven
My weekly feature, this time with the great Paul Lewis and the slow movement of piano concerto no. 3. And my Beethoven book, with Kerry Candaele.
Saturday, 8 December 2012
Just Gimme Some Truth
For our usual Saturday night music pick we'll be posting some not-obvious John Lennon offerings, marking the 32nd anniversary of his tragic murder. (And see my reflections on my personal back-and-forth with John long ago.) First, live at Shea Stadium, one of his oft-overlooked classics. Then solo era, "Gimme Some Truth," George on guitar, sentiment still holds. Then "Mother," live in New York. And "In My Life," an early edit. Then an alternate version of "God."
End of the GOP?
Maureen Dowd in her Sunday column predicts it (not many days after her withering attacks on Obama, so go figure) although it's at least partly tongue-in-cheek. Althoiugh perhaps true that Eva Longoria is a bigger power player today than Karl Rove.
Still, nice image in final graf: "Gun sales have burgeoned since the president’s re-election, with Black Friday weapons purchases setting records as the dead-enders rush to arm themselves. But history will no doubt record that withering Republicans were finally wiped from the earth in 2016 when the relentless (and rested) Conquistadora Hillary marched in, General Bill on a horse behind her, and finished them off."
Still, nice image in final graf: "Gun sales have burgeoned since the president’s re-election, with Black Friday weapons purchases setting records as the dead-enders rush to arm themselves. But history will no doubt record that withering Republicans were finally wiped from the earth in 2016 when the relentless (and rested) Conquistadora Hillary marched in, General Bill on a horse behind her, and finished them off."
Another NFL (Criminal?) Death
Well, one thing we know for sure: The team's game tomorrow in Cincy will go on as scheduled.
Chase, Miami Steve, Return to Jersey
NYT has just posted a piece coming tomorrow in print on the front page of the Arts section, on the upcoming David Chase flick Not Fade Away (which I have featured before), about young rock band. My son happens to have worked on it for a few days. Carr also interviews Steve Van Zandt, one of Chase's Sopranos henchmen and something of a Jersey legend himself. James Gandolfini, who is also in the movie, says of Jersey, “A large number of actors and musicians are from there. We are overrepresented in the culture. You have a blue-collar, middle-class sensibility right next to one of the greatest cities in the world, which can make for some interesting creative impulses.” Trailer:
John Lennon: 32 Years On
When I was at Crawdaddy for most of the 1970s, we were, at times, close to John, who was not very accessible for most of the decade (when he was mainly being bad or being a dad). We did publish his self-review of "Imagine," interviewed Yoko at length, and obtained an exclusive interview with John during his season in hell in L.A. When I asked him to contribute to a special issue revolving around Springsteen's "Growin' Up," he sent me a nice note, which I still have, and then out of the blue this photo--presumably that's him that at the urinal, with his caption--signed on the back in classic Lennonese: "Just pissing about."
Friday, 7 December 2012
Krugman Goes Off the Cliff
The NYT columnist just now with urgent blog post raising alarms by rumored Obama deal on fiscal cliff (as reported by Ezra Klein). He can't believe Obama would agree to raise Medicare eligibility especially with the state of the ADA in the states right now (BTW, Jonathan Chait backs the rise). And more.
So this looks crazy to me; it looks like a deal that makes no sense either substantively or in terms of the actual bargaining strength of the parties. And if it does happen, the disillusionment on the Democratic side would be huge. All that effort to reelect Obama, and the first thing he does is give away two years of Medicare? How’s that going to play in future attempts to get out the vote?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."
Photo of the Day for Friday
Continuing my Photo of the Day selections from my portfolio...see more here.
"St. Francis Church, Taos, New Mexico" (made famous by Georgia O'Keeffe, Paul Strand, Ansel Adams)
"St. Francis Church, Taos, New Mexico" (made famous by Georgia O'Keeffe, Paul Strand, Ansel Adams)
Outrage Over 'Bonnie & Clyde' Shootings in Cleveland
My new piece at The Nation on police firing 137 shots at unarmed couple.
Quick and easy gift card holder ornament
The best value for gift-giving these days seems to be a simple gift card. It allows the recipient to go to a store they like and choose an item they actually want and can use. As an added bonus most of the times after the holidays are over, many of the same items purchased a week previously are marked down. The main drawback is the impersonal nature of the gift card itself. This easy to make gift card holder is also an ornament. This project is easy so why not make few with your children? You can even put a small Holiday wish note in the pocket instead of a gift card if desired. And it's a super teacher's gift too!
You will need:
Felt in desired color, embossed felt is a nice touch.
Card stock, in white or a coordinated color
9 inches of thin gold cord
Tacky glue ( I recommend tacky glue since it has a thicker consistency and does not bleed through the felt)
Scissors
Ruler
Small jingle bell or button for closure
Decorative buttons, felt or foam shapes or miniature trinkets (This is the area to personalize for the recipient.)
1. Cut the card stock into a 6-inch by 8-inch rectangle.
2. Fold the cardstock in half meeting end to end.
3. Rotate and fold in half again. (See photo)
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Fold |
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Turn and fold again |
4. Open the folded piece of cardstock. Fold up the lower right hand corner using the fold line as a guide. (See photo) Refold the card. You have formed a little pocket. Put a dab of glue at the lower corner to secure the pocket.
5. Cut a piece of felt for the cover 6-inches by 4-inches.
6. Cut two pieces of gold cord, 5 inch for the hanging cord and 4 inch for the closure.
7. Turn the folded cardstock over and put a dab of glue on the back center fold. Make sure the pocket opening is facing up on the left side. Make a loop with the 5-inch gold cord and glue to the top.
8. Continuing on the back of the card, measure two inches down from the left side, make a loop with the 4-inch gold cord and attach. This will be the closure loop. Check to make sure the pocket is positioned correctly.
9. Spread a generous amount of tacky glue onto the entire back and attach the felt. Let dry.
10. Glue a button or small jingle bell onto the front of the card holder to correspond with the gold closure cord and let dry.
11. Decorate the front of the holder. Using the tacky glue, attach buttons, felt or foam shapes or any miniature trinkets as desired.
When I Met Springsteen at Sing Sing
Forty years ago this week I got a phone call at my office at the legendary Crawdaddy, where I served as #2 editor, that would change my life, for several years, anyway. It was from a fast-talking dude named Mike Appel, inviting me to catch his top (and only) act in a press event/concert upstate the following day, December 7, 1972, in...Sing Sing Prison. The act was a total unknown whose debut album had not yet been released, by the name of Bruce Springsteen. Forty years later, the kid's latest album was just named by our then-competitor, Rolling Stone, as album of the year.
Anyway, with editor Peter Knobler, I helped create the very first magazine piece about Brucie (and 8,000 words, at that) for Crawdaddy, where I worked for most of the 1970s. Many other pieces--and dozens of attending club dates--would follow and Bruce would become a good friend for a number of years. Here's a brief summary and (below) a little video about the day I met Bruce in December 1972--in Sing Sing--which also includes excerpts from his very early live performances, including the acoustic "Growin' Up" that helped get him his Columbia contract via John Hammond.
Anyway, with editor Peter Knobler, I helped create the very first magazine piece about Brucie (and 8,000 words, at that) for Crawdaddy, where I worked for most of the 1970s. Many other pieces--and dozens of attending club dates--would follow and Bruce would become a good friend for a number of years. Here's a brief summary and (below) a little video about the day I met Bruce in December 1972--in Sing Sing--which also includes excerpts from his very early live performances, including the acoustic "Growin' Up" that helped get him his Columbia contract via John Hammond.
Thursday, 6 December 2012
Colbert for Senate?
Earlier: Now's his chance and he doesn't even have to for the seat back in his native S. Carolina. With Jim "Thin" DeMint stepping down, Gov. Nikki Haley gets to appoint a successor, with the frontrunner being black Tea Party fave Rep. Tim Scott.
But a Twitter feed @ColbertforSC pushing this very alt-idea has already sprung up and has 1600 followers already. USA Today and the NY Post have already covered. A Colbert publicist says he's "honored" by the idea and awaiting a call. Remember, he nearly ran in the S. Carolina primary for president back in 2007. From the Twitter feed: "Waiting on your call,
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."
Bobby or Booby?
UPDATE Krugman in his Friday column elaborates on the below but also focuses on the U.S. facing not a fiscal cliff but a jobs cliff. "The forgotten millions."
Earlier: Paul Krugman in a new blog post calls reputedly intelligent Louisana Gov. Bobby Jindal a "fiscal ignoramus," based on the headline. The subject, of course, is the fiscal cliff and Jindal's call for solutions such as a laughable balanced budget amendment. But there's a wider problem:
Earlier: Paul Krugman in a new blog post calls reputedly intelligent Louisana Gov. Bobby Jindal a "fiscal ignoramus," based on the headline. The subject, of course, is the fiscal cliff and Jindal's call for solutions such as a laughable balanced budget amendment. But there's a wider problem:
I think it comes back to the epistemic closure issue. Even supposedly well-informed people on the right get their “facts” from the likes of the Heritage Foundation. Probably Jindal never talks to anyone who will quietly explain that the fiscal cliff is a problem because, well, Keynesian economics is basically right, and you really don’t want austerity in a depressed economy. So he has some vague notion that it’s about the wages of fiscal irresponsibility, which it isn’t, and apparently believes that he knows enough to pontificate.The inimitable Charles P. Pierce mocked Jindal as well today on the same issue.
Unusual Suspect
The D.A.: “The defendant’s repetitive failure to file returns and pay taxes over a period of several years contributes to the sweeping cutbacks and closures in local government and in our schools.”
Baldwin last caused a stir in these parts--heaven knows, not for good film role--for picketing a location selected for a possible sex video shop. It never opened.
The Little Dickens
Janet Maslin reviews the new Robert Gottlieb book about my man, Charles Dickens, and his many children. Okay, not the greatest of Dads--they lived in an often bleak house--though his fictional kids were the greatest such characters ever. Review concludes:
Mr. Gottlieb also finds nothing but “slim pickings” when he tries to link the indelible children in Dickens’s novels to the more forgotten figures who really bore the Dickens name. Charley Dickens said it better. “The children of his brain,” Charley said of Pip, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and the rest, “were much more real to him at times than we were.”
From 'Say Hey!' to 'Say What?'
Then it came to me, re: another player. That's Angel Pagan, a career .280 hitter with career 41 home runs (a HR total that Willie used to hit in a single season). Pagan re-signed with Willie's old team, the Giants, this week and like Mays is also a centerfielder. Pagan is getting $10 million a year now, going forward.
So again: What was Mays' worth? The only answer: Mays should be the one paying Pagan's salary--as he would be, in a fair world, the OWNER of the Giants today.
'Psycho' Attack?
Costas Redux
I have a new piece at The Nation on the NBC sports host's debate on guns with the likes of Bill O'Reilly and Charles Barkley, plus link to new Dave Zirin interview him and Piers Morgan segment.
Author! Author!
At long last, I have a separate section at this blog collecting all of my books in one place, with links to details and videos and ordering info. Did I mention it is Christmas gift-buying time?
Android Me
Of course this ain't no tech blog, though I am a geek, I dint bring my work home with me. but the blog is about android...
Hmm... not exactly...
Its about my new phone, Yes you heard it right, I went android too. Smart Huh?
So it happened thus...
My mother who obviously has a lot of money in her hand now, I guess all these talks about global slow down , recessions and a lot of wild bears roaming in the market means very little to a government employee like her.
For those who are unaware of government jobs in India, its like a good damn insurance policy where all you have to do is sit in the office and you are bound to get your salary irrespective of whether you work or not. Its actually good to be a government employee in India. you wont get rich if you are neat and clean but you will never know what poverty is and neither will you know what hard work is.
So back to the story of my phone ....
My mother who obviously has a lot of money in her hand now decided that my phone is from another era and I am lagging behind in society.
Thank god for that, I wonder what took her so long to notice. anyway better late than never.
So in her bid to increase my social stature in a rather highly utilitarian society, she bought me a new android phone.
Before I tell you more about the phone just let me tell you this. Indian mothers don't buy their children anything unless they do something remarkable or if they give them a very hard time and are being impossible to shut up.
So my mother wanted an excuse so badly, that she decided to give the phone as a gift for procuring a new job in a Multi-National Company around half an year back.
Old news right, but not to her. she revived the news made it the talk of the town.
By town we mean a rather small group of her closest friends, whose idea of leisure time is to make tea and chat away the evening on phone discussing everything under the sun from the "impact of FDI relaxations in retail industry" to "Whether Aishwarya and Abhishek are doing it right with their daughter".
By the way my mother is a big fan of FDI, she just cant wait for the first Walmart store to open. Looks like shopping is hidden some where in the female gene. But Abhishek and Aishwarya are not so lucky, They usually get to face the wrath of the mother in her.
Geez... I haven't told you about the phone right...
Its alright i will write another post some other time ... Just kidding ...
So where we were?
Oh! yes.
My mother who obviously has a lot of money in her hand now decided that my phone is from another era and I am lagging behind in society. She contact her friend, who in turn contacted her friends and he in turn contacted a mobile phone dealer he knew and thus poor bastard who happened not to have the particular model procured the phone from a friend of his and handed back to the my mother friend's friend. he gave it to my mother's friend who gave to my mom.
So much ordeal to but phone? I guess she has her own wicked ways of doing things. Whom am I to complain I am the one who got the phone.
So in case you are still wondering what phone I bought and what it has to do with anything I am telling you.
If you really must know its a Samsung Galaxy S Duos. It still smells new ( may not be for long, but still...).
And it has absolutely nothing to do with the article or anything I wrote..
So what its my blog I do as I please... :P
So till I find a new and crazy topic to talk about.... So long
Oh by the way I have a new Signature.... what do you think guys ?
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
Santorum Lives
Gail Collins in her Thursday column mocks and bashes the return of Rick Santorum--as a bad guy in torpedoing that Senate vote on the disability rights treaty.
In the Capitol this week, disabled Americans lobbied for ratification, arguing, among other things, that it could make life easier for them when they travel. Since more than 125 countries have already signed onto the treaty, there will certainly be pressure to improve accessibility to buses, restrooms and public buildings around the globe. It would be nice if the United States was at the table, trying to make sure the international standards were compatible with the ones our disabled citizens learn to handle here at home.
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."But, no, the senators were worried about the home-school movement. Or a boilerplate mention in the treaty of economic, social and cultural rights that Senator Mike Lee of Utah claimed was “part of a march toward socialism.”
Costas, O'Reilly and Barkley
O'Reilly hits Costas for statement that gun nuts wish folks were armed in that Aurora theater to open fire like crazy. Costas, of course, defends his view. Then hits the "gun culture" again and again cites Tony Dungy claim that 65 of 80 players he coached one year said they had a gun. "Far more often bad things, unintentional, happen," when you have a gun. Costas says that since he spoke out he has heard from many players and others in game saying far too many have guns. O'Reilly is fairly polite and adds, "So long as you call a Christmas tree a Christmas tree here, you'll be fine."
Earlier: Bob Costas keep pushing on the guns issue despite harsh criticism after his commentary last Sunday. Tonight he goes into the lion's den with Bill O'Reilly at Fox. Plus he has taped a segment for his own NBC sports show with Charles Barkley and John McEnroe.
Mr. Barkley said that owning and carrying guns were part of what he termed “black culture,” announcing on the show, “I carry a gun” — specifically, one in his car for last 20 years. Having that access to a gun, he said, makes him feel safer because “we jocks get robbed all the time.” He said, “I feel a sense of peace when I have it with me, but it would take extreme circumstances for me to even touch it.”McEnroe, however, backs Costas's alarm about such a defense. Sir Charles says it's a black "crime culture" not a "gun culture" and he has to deal with being black "all the time." Guns give him "a sense of peace." Says players get robbed all the time (I would like to see documentation on this). McEnroe: "I feel safer without it...Too many scenarios" for things to go wrong. Costas reports Jarvan Belcher, the man behind the murder-suicide that sparked all this talk, claimed to have eight guns.
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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."
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."
Still 'The Boss'
Springsteen's Wrecking Ball is the best album of the year--in Rolling Stone's annual picking. Dylan #4. Others near the top: Frank Ocean, Fiona Apple, Green Day, Jack White, Neil Young. Plus: See my piece and video on meeting Bruce 40 years ago in...Sing Sing Prison. Here's live Bruce:
Brubeck Taken
Jazz great Dave Brubeck has died at age 91. The pianist and composer had an incredible career and was active until very recently. If you were a kid in the late-'50s and early '60s--as I was--"jazz" probably meant Brubeck due to his many TV appearances and the ubiquity of his classic, "Take Five," as per, Paul Desmond on sax:
Simpson-Gangham
This ought to kill this fad in a hurry: former Sen. Alan Simpson goes "Gangham Style" in pushing deficit reducing.
137 Shots in Cleveland
Jayson Blair, Redux
It's not the high-profile NYT, nor high-profile stories, such as Jessica Lynch, but the problem appears to be the same: a longtime reporter for the leading Cape Cod daily newspapers has been charged, by her editor and publisher, with making up dozens of sources in dozens of local stories. See their letter to readers. Most of the stories were merely human interest stories--but such stories do rely on real...humans.
What's Up, Docs?
We always look forward to the release of the list of 15 finalists for the five finalists for the Oscar for best documentary film, since they started releasing such list a few years back. For one thing, I've worked on a couple of award winners (other prizes) in the past. Plus, it's always controversial--not so much what's named (they are almost always excellent) but what's left out, and the voting rules.
Those rules were revamped again this year, under the new chief of the Academy's division, Mr. Michael Moore. Here's this year's list, just out. Again, some notable omissions, such as Ken Burns' Central Park Five and Queen of Versailles and West of Memphis, but overall a great list (but really, HBO's Ethel?). Here's one of my picks, Searching for Sugarman.
Those rules were revamped again this year, under the new chief of the Academy's division, Mr. Michael Moore. Here's this year's list, just out. Again, some notable omissions, such as Ken Burns' Central Park Five and Queen of Versailles and West of Memphis, but overall a great list (but really, HBO's Ethel?). Here's one of my picks, Searching for Sugarman.
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
Woman Profiled By Newspaper Commits Suicide
UPDATE: The newspaper's managing editor has now written a letter to staffers hailing them for their work on the story about the woman. While I hate to make too much of cause-and-effect, the argument that she had attempted suicide three times earlier, while significant, doesn't explain fact that this time she went through with it--and it was the day after the story appeared. Coincidence only?
Earlier: Questions being asked tonight after news emerges that a woman with a rare disorder was featured in the major Tampa Bay Times (formerly the St. Petersburg Times) killed herself last weekend a day after the piece appeared. Some say they only profiled her because of the nature of her malady: "genital arousal disorder." Romenesko covers here. The paper claims she "welcomed" the coverage, and she had attempted suicide three times in the past year. But:
Blogger and frequent Tampa Bay Times critic Peter Schorsch contends “the Times is partially responsible for what has happened.” He writes: “The moment I read this story I questioned why it was being published by the Times, other than the story’s obvious ability to drive readership and online traffic...
“No matter how good the writing, no matter how interesting the subject matter, a story about a woman ‘who must masturbate for hours for just a few minutes of relief’ did not belong in a mainstream newspaper.”
Costas on MSNBC
Costas says some misunderstood that he was strictly blaming guns, to exclusion of domestic violence "aspect," football violence, mental issues, alcohol or drugs, but he simplydidn't have time to mention other things. He said he was talking about "gun culture," not repealing 2nd Amendment, but does favor stricter gun control. But he's mainly concerned with "gun culture," such as people who say that if all were armed it would have prevented the Aurora disaster.
Now "young athletes are disproportionally armed." Recalls Tony Dungy saying that at one of his NFL training camps 65 of 80 players said they owned a gun.
Costas again asked for the name of a single pro athlete who has benefited from having gun, but he could name dozens who have been harmed. Concludes: "The ready, easy, availability of guns makes mayhem easier...it's far more likely to occur."
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."
Tuesday Night Music Pick
Graham Parker, who I knew a bit back in the mid-'70s--after Crawdaddy wrote first big review and piece about him--is happily about to enjoy a nice comeback, thanks to role in new Judd Apatow flick (playing a old rocker trying to make comeback). He's now reunited his great band The Rumour. Graham was the angry young pub-rocker before Elvis Costello and gang. He presently lives not far from me in the Hudson Valley, USA.
Razed on Robbery
She apparently robbed bank in Waco, Neb. last week and posted video on YouTube, bragging about it, with Green Day soundtrack. She wrote: "I just stole a car and robbed a bank. Now I'm rich, I can pay off my college financial aid and tomorrow i'm going for a shopping spree. Bite me. I love GREENDAY!" Now she's been busted, first IDed by ex-hubby. Got to feel bad...for Green Day.
GOPers Blame ACORN--And Want to Secede
It's always fun with pollsters actually do their job and let us in on what rank-and-file Republicans REALLY think when you drill down--not what talking heads and pundits claim they believe in soft-soaping their views (as they did on Birtherism, Saddam causing 9/11 and so on). So PPP has conducted their first post-election poll and found:
49% of GOP voters nationally say they think that ACORN stole the election for President Obama. We found that 52% of Republicans thought that ACORN stole the 2008 election for Obama, so this is a modest decline, but perhaps smaller than might have been expected given that ACORN doesn't exist anymore.
Some GOP voters are so unhappy with the outcome that they no longer care to be a part of the United States. 25% of Republicans say they would like their state to secede from the union compared to 56% who want to stay and 19% who aren't sure.
More Cold Blood in Cold Case?
Snap Decision
UPDATE #2 Suspect in pushing just taken into custody.
UPDATE: NYT now covering this and asking for Comments. Eleven so far.
Earlier: It's not quite the Kitty Genovese case, but there's likely to be much debate about all this for some time. So weigh in yourself here or over at Twitter. In a nutshell: crazy guy gets in argument with NYC man, pushes him on subway tracks. Photog on scene (he freelances for NY Post) snaps snots of man about to get run over by train. Claims he could not help--or rather, flashed his camera (whatever that means) to alert train. Hard to say if could have done more--not being able to judge distances and time that well. But at 12:30 pm so likely many others nearby. What did they do? Your thoughts?