Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 158

Phil and John

I marked old pal Phil Ochs' birthday yesterday but here's more--audio of Phil and John in early 1970s talking around two guitars, as Phil gets ready to play with John his great "Chords of Fame" (which applied to both of them). And here's clip of Phil singing his "Here's to the State of Richard Nixon" when he played the "Free John Sinclair" rally in early 1970s where Lennon played starring role. 

Jack Bauer Grills Terrorist Santa: Naughty, Not Nice

From a few years back.  Need a Mandy Patinkin as Saul update.

Roy Orbison for the Homeless at Christmas

Yes, I bought "Pretty Paper" way back when. For my long history with Roy, meeting him and even writing liner notes for him, go here. Video below.

'Merry Christmas from the Family"

A little too much drinking, in the Robert Earl Keen classic.

When the Santas Go Marchin' In?

Louis Armstrong, "Christmas in New Orleans."

'Christmas Time in Washington'

Classic from Steve Earle, written as another Democrat, Bill Clinton, was facing 2nd term troubles.  "Four more years of things not getting worse."   So "come back Woody Guthrie."

Amnesty for Snowden

This once seemed far-fetched but after a NSA insider raised the possibility on "60 Minutes" it's now generating discussion--much of it aimed at shooting down the idea.  But leave it to the great Amy Davidson of The New Yorker to pen a deep piece showing why amnesty may be in everyone's interest and may yet happen.  One excerpt:

Snowden has done the country good; he has earned his freedom . That is a line of reason that some in the government will have a hard time accepting. But there are a dozen conversations that would not be taking place without his revelations—conversations with consequences, as illustrated by Judge Richard Leon’s finding, earlier this week, that the N.S.A.’s bulk collection of metadata is likely unconstitutional. Nor is it credible to say that Snowden could have done what he did without breaking the law, not when we have also learned that the normal instruments of oversight and judicial review were broken. When Clapper lied to Wyden, that sealed the case for amnesty. Isn’t that why there is such a thing as amnesty—to square circles like these?

Even Cats Are Tough in the Motor City

Fox TV channel in Detroit posted this a couple of days ago:  woman kicks snow on stray cat who finally has had enough--and violently attacks the perp, who escapes holding her head.   One commenter accurately notes: "And then the cat looks at the dog and says, you want some too, bitch!"   Here's the full story:  the woman had to go to the hospital and her face swelled.  It was a stray cat she had befriended but now it was put down, even though it tested negative for rabies.  She says she's still a cat lover.

Balcony or Roof Collapses in London's West End

Just happened a few minutes ago--at theater (where I attended show three years ago) during a performance and numerous casualties reported.  "Eyewitnesses said they saw people being escorted out of the building, covered in dust and debris."  Details as they emerge...See tweets from the scene.  And live TV coverage. Seems to be divergent reports that the collapse involved the balcony--or the roof.  One tweet from someone in audience seemed to suggest maybe could be worse--just front of balcony came down, not whole thing..."I think the front part of the balcony fell down. At first we thought it was part of the show. Then I got hit on the head."  Update:  Over 700 were in theater but none trapped now.  Estimates of injured range from 40 to 70, no confirmed deaths so far.

Disney's World of...Menstruation

Haven't seen this before:  classic 10-minute short, shown in schools and elsewhere to 105 million girls, years ago, after World War II, about menstruation, created by Disney with the help of, yes, Kotex.  The accompanying booklet includes ads for Kotex tampons, of course, and this was known as the first fully commercialized educational project.  No mention of sex act in the film, naturally.