Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 172

'Bound' for Glory?

Seth Rogen and James Franco re-create the infamous Kanye/Kim vid.   Shot for shot.

More Charged in Steubenville

In a surprise, a grand jury has indicted four more surrounding the infamous teen rape case. They are:  the school superintendent, two other educators and an assistant football coach (his home was where drunken party held).

Superintendent Michael McVey was the only one of the four to be charged Monday with felonies: a count of tampering with evidence and two counts of obstructing justice. He also is charged with two misdemeanors: making a false statement and obstructing official business.

A school teacher and an elementary school principal were charged with failure to report child abuse or neglect. A volunteer assistant Steubenville football coach, Matt Belardine, was charged with four misdemeanors: allowing underage drinking; obstructing official business; making a false statement; and contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child.

More here on the cover-up.  And more details.

U.S. Media Back, and Attack, Iran Nuclear Deal

My new piece at The Nation: In editorials , NYT strongly backs Iran deal--WSJ (inevitably) attacks it. And John Judis reminds us that the rigthwingers ripped Reagan for his 1987 nuclear pact with  the Soviets--which helped end the Cold War.  And more.

Tom Friedman at NYT really rips Israel, Israel lobby and U.S. congress members in thrall to it.   (See this on one of the perpetually worse U.S. Senators on this, Chuck Schumer, from last night.) This graf so strong Peter Beinart asks if Friedman will be condemned as anti-Semitic:

"Never have I seen Israel and America’s core Arab allies working more in concert to stymie a major foreign policy initiative of a sitting U.S. president, and never have I seen more lawmakers — Democrats and Republicans — more willing to take Israel’s side against their own president’s. I’m certain this comes less from any careful consideration of the facts and more from a growing tendency by many American lawmakers to do whatever the Israel lobby asks them to do in order to garner Jewish votes and campaign donations."  

Headline of the Day has to be from Reuters however on this story:  "Special Report: 'Great Satan' meets 'Axis of Evil' and strikes a deal." It also includes this:

A black tie charity ball was finishing up and singers with an after party band at a bar above the lobby were crooning out the words to a Johnny Cash song - "I fell into a burning ring of fire" - while weary diplomats in nearby conference rooms were trying to polish off the last touches of an accord. Negotiators emerged complaining that the hotel lobby smelled like beer.

Return to Love Canal

It was (headline above) a Bill Murray punchline in Tootsie but now the New York Times has literally done it with a video report on what happened more than three decades ago at the most famous U.S. toxic dump disaster ever and updated to recent years.   This literally hits me close to home.  I hail from Niagara Falls, wrote one of the first major magazine pieces on the subject in early 1979, and then featured it in my 1981 book on whistleblowers, Truth and Consequences.  Lois Gibbs, featured in the video, was one of the stars of that book, along with Hugh Kaufman--who is STILL around the causing trouble at EPA.   Also see a current, somewhat similar case in...Malibu (and more here, with Hugh Kaufman).

"No Animals Harmed"--Or Not

Surprising Hollywood Reporter probe of group that monitors treatment of animals on the sets of TV shows and movies and delivers the "No Animals Were Harmed" okay. "The full scope of animal injuries and deaths in entertainment productions cannot be known. But in multiple cases examined by THR, the AHA has not lived up to its professed role as stalwart defenders of animals — who, unlike their human counterparts, didn’t themselves sign up for such work. While the four horse deaths on HBO’s Luck made headlines last year, there are many extraordinary incidents that never bubble up to make news."   Dead include dogs, chipmunks, sharks....

What Chelsea Manning Gives Thanks For

Time asked some well-known folks what they are thankful for this Thanksgiving, and Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning replied with a surprisingly detailed account.   She started with expressing mixed feelings, due to how the Native Americans have been treated, but then added that she's especially "grateful for having social and human justice pioneers who lead through action, and by example, as opposed to directing or commanding other people to take action. Often, the achievements of such people transcend political, cultural, and generational boundaries. Unfortunately, such remarkable people often risk their reputations, their livelihood, and, all too often, even their lives."   She cites by name Malcolm X, MLK Jr., Harvey Milk. 

Peralta Proves: Cheat at Baseball, Make $50 Million

Even other MLB players are outraged.  Jhonny Peralta, who admitted to PED use--he was having a fine year, and no wonder--and was suspended 50 games this past season has just signed a four-year $50 million contract with the Cardinals.   Now, ethics aside, I have to wonder about the wisdom of the deal for the normally savvy Cards.  Peralta has had up and down career, possibly linked to PED use, and if he stays clean, what will his numbers look like?  But even so: Clearly he got whopping contract based on last year's numbers, proving that cheating pays (he had mediocre year in 2012). 

And, contrary to what many writers who soft-pedal PED use, even players are upset and want stronger penalties, as expressed by Brad Ziegler, the Diamondbacks' union rep:  “It pays to cheat. Thanks, owners, for encouraging PED use.”

New Boss Not Same as the Old Boss?

Just out video of new Springsteen single, "High Hopes," with CD coming in January.  And go here for track list and Bruce's notes.  Tom Morello all over it (including below),  plus on my fave live cut, "Ghost of Tom Joad."

As JFK Was Buried...

50 years ago tomorrow The Beatles appeared on British TV as Beatlemania spread--three months before hitting our shores...

Cat Can Do

Just another Buzzfeed photo collection, this time 30 people, from very young to very old or ill, aided by cats, who (you know) allegedly are only takers not givers.  My example from home base here: