Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 188

10,000 Maniacs

One of the four featured segments in our new film Following the Ninth follows the annual mass frenzy in Japan each December that finds hundreds of choirs around the country staging small or mass performances of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."   Here it reaches its peak with chorus of 10,000.   Our film opens in NYC next week and here are details.

Today's Tale from Gun Nutty USA

For a change, in this space, no one died, not even a kid or baby wounded.  Still, scary enough.  Man in California sits in his living room cleaning his prized new handgun when--and he accidentally  fires off a round.  It zooms through his front window--and through the back window of a passing car.  Gun confiscated.  Likely he can just go out and buy another.

Top Ten (Fine) New Orleans Eateries

Brett Anderson, the longtime without peer Times-Picayune restaurant critic, weighs in today with his annual Ten Best list for NOLA--while carefully noting that this is limited to "fine" eateries, not necessarily the real joys of the city (see po' boy joints).  Anyway, I've dined at a few of these, and it's nice to see Commander's still makes the list--it's too easy to dismiss it as too "touristy."   And this gives me excuse to show you my photo of the kitchen in action there.

'Daily Show' Viral Star Loses Job

That North Carolina Republican who unwisely went on "The Daily Show" and more or less copped to voter suppression and enjoying hateful anti-Obama stuff has left his post after national mockery.  Here's segment if you somehow missed:


The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook

Sleepless Nights

For those out there, at 3 a.m.   Gram and Emmylou, outtake from final album.

Another Poll Shows Most Back ACA--Or Want it Expanded

Last week a poll that showed--contrary to GOP, and many media, claims--most Americans actually support Obamacare or, if anything, feel it does not go far enough.  A minority, it turns (contra Fox and Tea Party)  feel it goes too far.  This was very upsetting to conservatives and questioned. 

Now another poll, just out from CBS, and based on polling just this week, confirms the earlier survey with virtually the exact same numbers:  29% feel the law is okay, 22% think it doesn't go far enough, and 43% say it goes too far.   And that's despite the fact that the same poll shows that most Americans are not convinced they will pay less under the new law nor get better care.

Packing a Lunch? No, Packing a Gun

Boy, 11, in state of Washington wanted to help out a friend being bullied so...he brought to school a gun and 400 rounds of ammo. Also a couple of knives from home.

The boy was also found to be carrying two loaded .22 caliber magazines, according to the probable cause document. Officers said that the boy had “claimed in the presence of school officials that a ‘voice in his head’ was telling him to kill” another student after he had called the boy’s friend “gay,” the document states.

In an interview with police, the boy “stated a voice told him killing [another student] was a good idea; however he planned to just shoot [the student] in the arm and then shoot himself in the head,” according to the probable cause document. “After making theses (sic) admissions he asked to speak to his mother and his request was granted.”

Fire Spreads

Arcade Fire just posted full new album and video--an hour and twenty-five minutes!  Set in Haiti one presumes.  With full lyrics. Apparently they heard the album had been leaked so they push this out early. 

Man in Black Comes Around Again

Robert Hilburn, famed L.A. Times music writer, has just finished a 700 (count 'em) page bio of Johnny Cash, and here's a Q & A that previews it, though hard to say what will be truly new.  Here's one of my favorite late Cash and one of greatest by anyone.  Also, covering Springsteen here (h/t @HarrySiegel).

 

Today's Tragedy from Gun Nutty USA

Once again brought to you by the great (nutty) state of Texas:  a young babysitter, age 19, for some reason packing heat, places semi-automatic on coffee table, where 5-year-old finds and shoots herself to death.  Well, at least the sitter is being charged and held on $250,000 bail--and the six-month-old nearby was not injured! This is just the latest in series of such tragedies.  And:

According to the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 703 children under the age of 15 died in accidental firearms deaths between 2001 and 2010, the latest year for which data are available.  During the same period, 7,766 children under the age of 14 suffered accidental firearm injuries -- about one injury for every million children.