Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 195

Krugman on Lyin' Ryan, a Year Later

Just over a year since Paul Ryan fully revealed himself as 1) callow and 2) hollow in the vice-presidential debate, Paul Krugman at his blog reviews Lyin' Ryan's "compromise" proposal to end the shutdown and debt ceiling crisis this week. 

What Ryan offered was billed as a compromise; I do not think that word means what they think it means. It involved reducing the harshness of the sequester — which Republicans and Democrats both want — in return for Medicare and/or Social Security cuts, which only Republicans want. Oh, and it only postponed the debt ceiling crisis, setting the stage for further extortion attempts.

So: you give me something, I give you nothing, and I don’t threaten your wife and kids until next week. Compromise!

UPDATE   Paul also took on Peggy Noonan on TV today when she argued that the GOP shutdown was more or less "business as usual." Excerpt:

“That never happened,” Krugman shot back. “Nothing like this has ever happened before. All of the the alleged former examples, if you actually look at them, they turn out to be either — there was a budget deal that included a debt ceiling raise but the debt ceiling was not a hostage. Or once — once — [former Speaker] Tip O’Neill held up the debt ceiling for one day more as symbolism.”

A Film 'Miracle'

Just back from seeing movie you might have heard about, Wadjda, the first by a female director in Saudi Arabia and it's great.  You may have seen the director on The Daily Show last month, talking about needing to shoot some of the street scenes with her giving directions--from a van, as she would not  have been allowed doing that in the open.  The film itself is a humanist, feminist, gem about a little girl's attempt to buy and ride a bike (very frowned on) and also her mom losing her husband to a second wife.  And a  final miracle--the Saudis have picked it as their entry for the Foreign Language Academy Award.  It surely deserves a nomination.  Trailer:

Two of the Most Talented (and Prettiest)

I've written in the past about the strong friendship between Muhammad Ali and Sam Cooke.  Now here's a photo I've never seen from the pair in March 1964, just before Ali knocked out Liston in Miami (and met the Beatles).  Sam singing in a Miami club that week was immortalized in the opening of the Will Smith Ali film--and in one of the greatest live albums ever, Live at the Harlem Square Club.   Sam died a few months later.   The photo is part of a gallery of guy who shot many of the greats of the era.

Just Another Day in Gun Nutty USA

Saturday Update:   No shock, police reveal shooter was gun nut with "anti-government bias."  Note: They're everywhere.

Earlier: And few places are nuttier than "almost a haven, West Virginia."  Guy with AK-47 and Glock shot up federal building today, making mistake of starting from the parking lot (genius).  Police arrived and shot him dead after he fired off a couple dozen rounds but didn't hit anyone.  Just now IDed as a former police officer who exited in 2000 and lived in local trailer court. Update: Witness says he also fired at YMCA.  No motive revealed as yet.

Friday Cat Blogging

A blogging tradition, with a different twist. Zoe in hiding. (photo by B. Bedway)

AP: Too Much Hemp

Must be one of the great AP corrections today:

In an Oct. 10 story about protesters dumping bags of cash in a Senate office building, The Associated Press misidentified in the headlines the people who were protesting and arrested. The protesters were critics of seed giant Monsanto and its role in genetically modified food production. They were not hemp activists.

When Cheney Tried to Run 'Scooter' Over Bush

Peter Baker has a book coming up on the Bush-Cheney team and NYT has a lengthy excerpt this Sunday in its magazine on the veep's push for a full pardon for Scooter Libby over his conviction in the Plame case. You know, leaking name of CIA operative and lying about it.  No biggie.  They've just posted it online.  One bit:

Burck figured that Libby assumed his account would never be contradicted, because prosecutors could not force reporters to violate vows of confidentiality to their sources. “I think also that Libby was concerned,” Burck said. “Because he took to heart what you said back then: that you would fire anybody that you knew was involved in this. I just think he didn’t think it was worth falling on the sword.”

Bush did not seem convinced. “I think he still thinks he was protecting Cheney,” the president said. If that was the case, then Cheney was seeking forgiveness for the man who had sacrificed himself on his behalf.

So Bush had to do what he dreaded--after a final talk with Dick and tell him, no. Then he still fretted about until he left office.  By the way, in the excerpt you'll see Libby claiming over and over that he is innocent so you'll have to refresh your memory about how guilty he really was.  Also: he never served  a day in prison--for Bush had commuted his sentence.

Favorite Piece for Fall

My favorite piece of American classical music is Ives' "Alcotts" movement from his Concord Sonata, which revolves around opening notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.  Here it's played live recently by new MacArthur genius winner Jeremy Denk.  Jeremy's also written another piece for The New Yorker this week.  And I interviewed him for my Beethoven book.

Will Obama Threaten to Bomb Rebels

Human Rights Watch, which probes and condemns atrocities on all sides, with report today on recent one by our Syrian rebel allies, a "crime against humanity."   Among the dead:  many  women and kids.

In a coordinated attack, numerous rebel groups fought off a small garrison of government troops and swept into the villages, killing 190 people, according to a Human Rights Watch report to be released on Friday. At least 67 of the dead appeared to have been shot or stabbed while unarmed or fleeing, including 48 women and 11 children, the report said. More than 200 civilians are still being held hostage.

Maybe He Let Everyone See the Big Board

Bulletin from AP just now:  "WASHINGTON — Air Force general in charge of nuclear missiles to be fired Friday over ‘loss of trust’."  A little more now here.

Just a month ago a top Navy admiral in the nuclear program was suspended after gambling probe.