Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 160
December 17, 2013
Booby (Prize) Zimmerman
Seems to be a goof, but on the other hand, this is America, and the L.A Times claims it's for real, so who knows: "original" patriotic painting by George Zimmerman up for auction at eBay, purportedly by the "real George." Usually such things get no bids, or they are "buy it now." This one started at $9.99 and after more than 100 bids is now over $100,000. One presumes it's all a joke and people just want to bid and retract but the L.A. Times claims some people are bidding as a way to donate to their hero...Meanwhile, Mediaite claims that whoever painted it, he or she copied it from an existing flag. Philip Kennicott "reviews" the art work at Wash Post.
Nativity Scene
Our kitty Zoe in her manger with pet reindeer.
Large Academic Group Calls for Boycott Of Israel
Tuesday update: The debate the 92nd Street Y was testy enough to start with, but right-wing John Podhoretz stormed off the stage after the talk turned to the boycott call (below). Wild scene, described at length.
Monday: It's the American Studies Association and it's 5000 strong--and Larry Summers, naturally, has slammed them and called for a "counter-boycott."
Monday: It's the American Studies Association and it's 5000 strong--and Larry Summers, naturally, has slammed them and called for a "counter-boycott."
The statement cited “Israel’s violations of international law and U.N. resolutions; the documented impact of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian scholars and students; the extent to which Israeli institutions of higher education are a party to state policies that violate human rights,” and other factors.
Boycott supporters concede that resolutions by professors’ groups are primarily symbolic, as long as no American college or university supports such an action. The boycott called on American schools and academic groups to ban collaboration with Israeli institutions, but individual Israeli scholars would still be able to attend conferences, lecture at American universities or do research with American colleagues, as long as they did not officially represent Israeli universities or the government.Summers hit "the idea that of all the countries in the world that might be thought to have human rights abuses, that might be thought to have inappropriate foreign policies, that might be thought to be doing things wrong, the idea that there’s only one that is worthy of boycott, and that is Israel.”
The Velvets' Revolution
My old Crawdaddy colleague Jon Pareles with a preview today at NYT of the new Velvet Underground expanded set re: their 1967 second album White Light/White Heat. I posted one cut recently but here's a real bonus: the little-remembered "Heard Her Call My Name," live from their re-union tour (and the wild original).
Cash on the Way
Esquire with exclusive cut from upcoming CD by pal Rosanne Cash. "Modern Blue." The River & The Thread features guests Rodney Crowell, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, and John Paul White from The Civil Wars, and will be out on January 14, 2014. Greenwald vs. Toobin Again
Update: CNN posted a story a few minutes ago about Edward Snowden's open letter to Brazilians and tweeted link with this message: "Edward Snowden offers to spy on the US & help Brazil investigate NSA surveillance." After criticism from others on Twitter--Glenn Greenwald wrote, "Dear CNN: even for you, this is so remarkably reckless and false that it's shocking"--it quickly deleted it and changed to: "
Earlier:
Glenn Greenwald and Jeffrey Toobin debate (again) on CNN last night over Edward Snowden and federal judge's ruling that NSA data collecting illegal. Toobin still thinks Snowden should have gone through channels. Tobbin still says this doesn't "vindicate" Snowden, since it's just one judge. And he "should have gone through" Congress or something. "Untenable" to leak to a Greenwald etc. "No way to run a government." Sen. Ron Wyden backs the judge here.
U.S. Still Wants to Link With Jihadists in Syria
Latest from John Hudson at Foreign Policy. If ya can't do bombing, join 'em.
As the moderate faction of the Syrian rebellion implodes under the strain of vicious infighting and diminished resources, the United States is increasingly looking to hardline Islamists in its efforts to gain leverage in Syria's civil war. The development has alarmed U.S. observers concerned that the radical Salafists do not share U.S. values and has dismayed supporters of the Free Syrian Army who believe the moderates were set up to fail. On Monday, the State Department confirmed its openness to engaging with the Islamic Front following the group's seizure of a Free Syrian Army headquarters last week containing U.S.-supplied small arms and food.
"We wouldn't rule out the possibility of meeting with the Islamic Front," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Monday. "We can engage with the Islamic Front, of course, because they're not designated terrorists ... We're always open to meeting with a wide range of opposition groups. Obviously, it may make sense to do so at some point soon, and if we have something to announce, we will." On Saturday Reuters reported that Syrian rebel commanders in the Islamic Front were due to meet U.S. officials in Turkey in the coming days to discuss U.S. support for the group.
Shia Full Load
Dipshit Shia LeBeouef apologized last night after getting caught red-handed ripping off (plagiarizing without credit) comic writer/artist Daniel "Ghost World" Clowes in his recent short film. The usual: "simply got lost" in the creative process. Right. Later he tweeted: "I fucked up." Too late, creep. See story and the film here. Clowes' original at left.
No Flag
That brutal hit on the Bengals' punter Kevin Huber on Sunday night did not lead to a penalty--but it did lead (it now appears) not only to a broken jaw but a broken neck. NFL probing ref's non-call and Steeler player's action.
December 16, 2013
Yes? No, for the Rock Hall of Fame
Well, that worldwide write-in campaign to get Yes into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame has (thankfully) failed. The new additions were announced late tonight: Nirvana, Kiss, Peter Gabriel, Hall and Oates, Cat Stevens and Linda Ronstadt. The E Street Band will get the Award for Musical Excellence and Beatles manager Brian Epstein and Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award for non-performers.
