Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 270

Where His Bootheels Have Wandered

For Dylan's 72nd birthday a map of every place in the world he has ever sung about, from Brownsville, Texas to Mozambique.   And in honor, one of the strangest, greatest, Dylan TV appearances--love those sets and actors--way back in 1964, in Canada. 

Bridge Collapse in Washington State

Interstate 5, Skagit River--some cars and people in the water.   Live coverage of rescue attempts by local TV.   Collapsed at 7 pm ET.   Casualties unknown. Hovercraft above.  Officials trying to control water flow with dams. Bridge cited for problems years ago.   Photo of one guy on car:

"NYT' Goes Outside for Review of WikiLeaks Fllm

The Times posted its Friday review of Alex Gibney's We Steal Secrets tonight, and it offers a mixed view of the film, praising it for certain things but finding it less than shapely and probably too long.  So far not a big shocker.  But then I noticed the byline--not one of the paper's usual three or four critics but an outsider:  Nicolas Rapold, the senior editor of Film Comment magazine.   This is a common move in the Books department when they want to review a new volume by someone who works, or has worked, or is somehow related to the Times--see Brian Stelter's recent book, for example--but I can't recall a similar step for a film, or at least one that was not written or endorsed or stars a Times person.

Apparently the paper feels that its savage critiques of Julian Assange--principally by former editor Bill Keller and top UK and Iraq correspondent John F. Burns--put too much of a taint on how such a review might be viewed.  And the paper, of course, was a player in the WikiLeaks media rollout.   Hence: Rapold.  (My interview with Gibney here.)

Boy Scouts Vote to Admit Openly Gay Kids

NYT reports just now:

The decision, which followed years of resistance and wrenching internal debate, was widely seen as a milestone for the Boy Scouts, a symbol of traditional America. More than 1,400 volunteer leaders from across the country voted, with 61 percent approving a measure that said no youth may be denied membership “on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.”

The top national leaders of the Boy Scouts had urged the change in the face of vehement opposition from conservative parents and volunteers, some of whom said they would quit the organization.

But still now move on gay adults. 

'NYT' Backs Obama Speech

Not everyone this enthusiastic, but NYT editorial board rushed up a comment on the president's big (overdue) speech this afternoon.  Opens:  "President Obama’s speech today was the most important statement on counterterrorism policy since the 2001 attacks, a momentous turning point in post-9/11 America. For the first time, a president stated clearly and unequivocally that the state of perpetual warfare that began nearly 12 years ago is unsustainable for a democracy and must come to an end in the not-too-distant future."

After taking up the drones, Gitmo and civil liberties at some length, they conclude:  "There have been times when we wished we could hear the right words from Mr. Obama on issues like these, and times we heard the words but wondered about his commitment. Today was not either of those moments."

Greg Sargent of Wash Post has his own appraisal.

Jeremy Scahill was not impressed:

Joni Mitchell's Valentine for Beethoven

Perhaps her greatest love song? Certainly, at that moment, and perhaps others, her immortal beloved.  Note:  New, expanded, edition of my Beethoven book out this week. 

Doctoring the Beatles

If, like me, you consider Dr. Strangelove your favorite film--or even if you don't--this might be one of the greatest things ever.    Peter Sellers became fast friends with the Beatles via George Martin in the mid-1960s and recorded a version of "She Loves You" using the voice of...Dr. Strangelove (or was that Henry Kissinger?).  The results below.  Thanks to Jake McIntyre for comment: "Mein Fuhrer, I can rock!"

Take Me Out to the...Met?

As I've mentioned in the past, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, oddly, has the most famous baseball card collection in the world, assembled by the man, Jefferson Burdick,  who gave the little cardboard slabs, going back to the 1880s, their classification system, and then donated 30,000 of them to the NYC museum.  As this new ESPN article and video show, you can see exhibits there and make appointments to leaf through the scrapbooks, if you're lucky.  And here's my separate blog on my own card collection and examples and some history (one of them at left).  Actually, they are little pieces of art--at least the old lithographic ones, so the Met is apt home, when you think about it.

Soldier Hacked to Death in London: Terror Attack

By now you have probably heard about Brtit soldier attacked in London and hacked to death while alleged killers stood by and awaited--now deemed by some in high office as terror attack by Muslims.  Photo below, from an ITV clip,  of one of alleged attackers with knife and cleaver--and victim behind him.   Two attackers shot and in hospitals.   Go here for video of the man explaining why he did it--because his people abroad witness this every day.  Video then shows aftermath, as he and colleague lay shot.  Some Brits calling for expulsion of all Muslim and/or killing Muslim babies.

'War on Whistleblowers' Now 'War on the Press'

My new piece at The Nation on how the media finally realize it's Mainly About Them.