He was publisher when Times senior reporter Judith Miller
propagandized the lies about “weapons of mass destruction” and
fabricated ties between Baghdad and Al Qaeda that were use to foist the
2003 war against Iraq onto the American people. Under his stewardship, a
stable of editorial commentators, among them the ineffable Thomas
Friedman, were employed to cloak every US war of aggression under the
false mantles of “human rights,” “democracy” and the “war on terror.”
The cost of these wars is numbered in the millions of dead and
wounded, the tens of millions turned into homeless refugees and entire
regions of the globe reduced to chaos and destruction. The Times,
in its role as the leading purveyor of war propaganda and the
trendsetter for the national media, and Sulzberger personally as its
publisher, have blood on their hands.
-- Bill Van Auken, "Sulzbergers pass gilded baton at the New York Times" (WSWS).
Sunday, January 07, 2018
Truest statement of the week II
I began writing for Black Agenda Report over four years ago. As a
"non-Black" identified person of color, Black Agenda Report's commitment
to the Black Radical Tradition was an inspiration in a period marked by
deep political reaction. Black Agenda Report did not betray its
political principles in the face of the first Black President at a time
when there was immense pressure to do so. Black Agenda Report not only
provided a forum for Black left political thought and action, but also
advanced necessary debates in service of movements for social
transformation in the Black American community and oppressed communities
worldwide. The conversation that has emerged from Cornel West’s
critique of Coates is one that BAR has amplified since its inception and
should not be left in the polluting grips of the Black political class
and their white liberal allies.
Cornel West essentially outlined the political program of the Black Radical Tradition by exposing the political emptiness of Ta-Nehisi Coates. Coates has made exorbitant profit from book sales and articles for publications such as The Atlantic. His recent text, Eight Years in Power capitalized on the rise of Donald Trump in the aftermath of the Obama era. Coates has benefitted from the neo-liberal brand of Black leadership that grew in strength during the era of Obama. His work on reparations, white supremacy, and the Obama-Trump phenomenon has given him a bright national spotlight. However, with one article, Cornel West illuminated how Coates has done little more than build a comfortable career in place of genuine service to the masses of poor and oppressed people in the Black community and beyond.
-- Danny Haiphong, "Cornel West Vs. Coates: A Necessary Debate That Black Agenda Report Has Amplified Since Its Inception" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).
Cornel West essentially outlined the political program of the Black Radical Tradition by exposing the political emptiness of Ta-Nehisi Coates. Coates has made exorbitant profit from book sales and articles for publications such as The Atlantic. His recent text, Eight Years in Power capitalized on the rise of Donald Trump in the aftermath of the Obama era. Coates has benefitted from the neo-liberal brand of Black leadership that grew in strength during the era of Obama. His work on reparations, white supremacy, and the Obama-Trump phenomenon has given him a bright national spotlight. However, with one article, Cornel West illuminated how Coates has done little more than build a comfortable career in place of genuine service to the masses of poor and oppressed people in the Black community and beyond.
-- Danny Haiphong, "Cornel West Vs. Coates: A Necessary Debate That Black Agenda Report Has Amplified Since Its Inception" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).
A note to our readers
Hey --
A Sunday!!!
We pulled out all stops to finish by Sunday night.
Let's again note so 2017 review coverage in the community:
2017: The Year of Chicken Little
Kat's Korner: 2017 in Music
2016 in Books (Martha & Shirley)
2017 in film (Ann and Stan)
2017 in film (Ann and Stan)
10 sexiest men of 2017
Let's also thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:
And what did we come up with?
Bill Van Auken gets another truest.
We believe this is Danny's first truest but we might be wrong.
C.I. was at the Golden Globes and you can tell by this editorial. She had suggested a topic about violence in Iraq. I'd forgotten the exact details so when it was time to write, we didn't have that as a possible topic.
Ava and C.I. completed this early Sunday.
Trying to finish in one session and struggling for pieces, I (Jim) was thrilled when Stan mentioned that he, Betty, Ava and C.I. had worked on a piece last week but hadn't had time to finish it. There were 7 actors for this ten list when I opened it. We finished out the ten.
We also wrote this one without Ava and C.I. and I think it's a strong piece.
There were several possibilities and we went with this.
Dona and Ty came up with this one.
What we listened to while writing.
And this is from the Green Party.
See you next week.
Peace,
-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.
A Sunday!!!
We pulled out all stops to finish by Sunday night.
Let's again note so 2017 review coverage in the community:
Let's also thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:
The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen,
Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen,
Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.
And what did we come up with?
Bill Van Auken gets another truest.
We believe this is Danny's first truest but we might be wrong.
C.I. was at the Golden Globes and you can tell by this editorial. She had suggested a topic about violence in Iraq. I'd forgotten the exact details so when it was time to write, we didn't have that as a possible topic.
Ava and C.I. completed this early Sunday.
Trying to finish in one session and struggling for pieces, I (Jim) was thrilled when Stan mentioned that he, Betty, Ava and C.I. had worked on a piece last week but hadn't had time to finish it. There were 7 actors for this ten list when I opened it. We finished out the ten.
We also wrote this one without Ava and C.I. and I think it's a strong piece.
There were several possibilities and we went with this.
Dona and Ty came up with this one.
What we listened to while writing.
And this is from the Green Party.
See you next week.
Peace,
-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.
Editorial: Iraq
What we're allowed to discuss and what we aren't.
Penises -- a-okay to expose.
War Crimes? Not so much.
And you wonder why, with all this censorship, so many don't know that the war continues?
Penises -- a-okay to expose.
War Crimes? Not so much.
And you wonder why, with all this censorship, so many don't know that the war continues?
TV: 9-1-1, please hold
Operator: 9-1-1, what's the nature of your emergency?
Caller: Yeah, I can't find anything to watch. I work nights and THE CHEW, THE VIEW, 12 hours of TODAY, it's all chatter, chatter, chatter. All my shows have been taken off the air: AS THE WORLD TURNS, ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ALL MY CHILDREN, GUIDING LIGHT, PASSIONS --
Operator: Sir - sir -- I need to interrupt you. This line is for emergencies and the absence of soap operas is not an emergency --
Caller: I work a 12 hour night shift, you don't understand --
Operator: Sir -- sir -- I'm trying to explain to you that soap operas are still on the air. As Ava and C.I. explained at THE THIRD ESTATE SUNDAY REVIEW for years now -- in 2010 and 2015, for example -- MTM's HILL STREET BLUES turned night dramas into soap operas by introducing the soap opera element of continuing stories. THE ROOKIES? Self-contained episodes. Sometimes a later episode would directly contradict an earlier one -- a character having a sister, for example in one episode and then forgotten the next. CRAPAPEDIA has, of course, stolen from Ava and C.I. without attribution so here's a little element Ava and C.I. haven't tossed out yet -- MTM is directly responsible for soap operas in prime time. Not only did HILL STREET BLUES turn cop dramas into soap operas, but MTM's CHEERS did the same with sitcoms. Will Diane and Sam or won't they? Suddenly, continuing storylines on sitcoms! MTM's ST. ELSEWHERE? Bye-bye MARCUS WELBY and laid the groundwork for ER and GREY'S ANATOMY. MTM's REMINGTON STEELE . . . Go down the list. MTM revolutionized prime time TV by introducing the continuing storyline to every genre.
Caller: That I did not know.
Operator: And you can Tivo or stream prime time programs during the day before you go to sleep or after you wake up. Everyone of them is a soap opera -- all those NBC Chicago shows? Soaps. THE BLACKLIST, THE BLIND SPOT, MARVEL AGENTS OF SHIELD, 10 DAYS IN THE VALLEY, THE DETOUR, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, THE MINDY PROJECT, SCORPIONS, THE BIG BANG THEORY, CLAWS, GOOD BEHAVIOR, ANIMAL KINGDOM -- Even the streaming services like HULU and NETFLIX have programs like SHUT EYE, FUTURE MAN, THE PATH, CHANCE, HEMLOCK GROVE, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, HOUSE OF CARDS, SENSE8, THE OA, STRANGER THINGS, OZARK, JESSICA JONES, IRON FIST, LUKE CAGE, DAREDEVIL, ONE DAY AT A TIME --
Caller: Wow.
Operator: Yeah and don't forget THE X-FILES that FOX just brought back for another mini-season or their new high profile series called, wait for it, 9-1-1.
9-1-1 debuted last week -- and to good ratings.
So good for Angela Bassett, Connie Britton, Peter Kraus and Kenneth Choi.
But good for viewers?
That's largely going to depend on the writing.
Ryan Murphy's created another program. It's his first attempt at some sort of a police-rescue procedural after success with AMERICAN HORROR STORY, GLEE, NIP/TUCK, AMERICAN CRIME STORY and FEUD.
Connie Britton's starred in two of Murphy's previous programs and the thing to note here is that she's no Ellen Pompeo.
Pompeo is one of the highest paid actors in TV -- or the most overpaid one.
For fourteen seasons, the actress has played Meredith Grey on GREY'S ANATOMY. The actress, who turns 49 this year, has never been nominated for an Emmy for her one-note 'performance' which consists mainly of snarling. You never believe a word out of her mouth.
Connie's the anti-Ellen Pompeo.
She was nominated twice for FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, once for AMERICAN HORROR STORY and once for NASHVILLE.
If that confuses you, watch 9-1-1 and notice that her 911 operator Abby is yet another new creation from Connie. She doesn't play the same role over and over with a different character name. She creates a different character for each project. It's why she continues working while Ellen Pompeo has announced she plans to leave acting when GREY'S is over -- prompting wags to shoot back, "Leave it? When did she ever try it?"
Connie stands out and that would be the case even without her backstory -- which includes Mariette Hartley as Connie's mother.
Being the 911 operator isn't a glamor job or an easy one. The other actors get to do the rescues and attempted rescues, she's got to be seated and on the phone. Take away the emergencies and Abby's basically a tele-marketer.
It's a role that requires a real actress and Connie demonstrates how talent can pull you in -- even on stationary, talking head scenes.
Angela Bassett has plenty of talent as well -- she's an Academy Award nominated actress and has six Emmy nominations. On 9-1-1, she's police Sgt. Athena Grant. She's explosive at work and at home with a strong sense of right and wrong -- both qualities may result from her husband Michael's recent revelation that he's gay. Michael (Rockmond Dunbar) argues that she should have known he was gay even though he didn't tell her. Athena's not having it. She's also not having a divorce and tells her two kids that they are staying together.
Feeling wronged, Athena's not going to be wronged again and she damn sure isn't going to be quiet when someone else is in the wrong -- like Buck (Oliver Stark) who goes all judgmental on a teen mother whom Athena yells is "a child" herself.
Kenneth Choi plays firefighter Chimney and this is his best role so far. He appears to know it and stretches out in in it, luxuriates in it, in ways he wasn't able to on SONS OF ANARCHY or AMERICAN CRIME. Thus far, his character has no drama on the backburner which makes him a lot more interesting than the others and also allows him to reflect on what's going on around him -- such as with a rescue he witnesses more than participates in yet plans to use the story of the rescue -- and put himself front and center of the story -- to score dates.
Firefighter Bobby is played by fourth series lead Peter Krause. Krause has been nominated three times for an Emmy. The good news here though has little to do with acting and more to do with the fact that he's not physically revolting the way he was on THE CATCH. Krause looked bad and had no chemistry with his co-star on that show -- a major problem for the series since it was supposed to be a romantic caper show.
Shorter hair, not greased back, and a less heavy foundation make for more a more attractive Peter.
The role's not much. He's basically Nurse in ROMEO AND JULIET. In recent decades, the Nurse showed up in multiple films starring Tom Cruise. Robert Duvall (DAYS OF THUNDER), Paul Newman (THE COLOR OF MONEY), Bryan Brown (COCKTAIL), etc all had to wet nurse and burp Tom as they eased him into manhood.
The self-described "punk" latching onto Krause's nipples in 9-1-1 is Buck played by Oliver Stark. He's a youngster 'hot shot' American played by a Brit who turns 27 later this year apparently revealing Ryan Murphy's decision to take up the Aaron Spelling 90210 casting method.
Oliver Stark may be an actor, he may not be. No one can tell in this ridiculous stereotype that has to be the most insulting millennial caricature thus far this season. (And, yes, we're not overlooking Ben Platt's performance as Blake on WILL & GRACE -- but that was meant to be comedic -- and was.) He's sex-focused (using the handle "Fire hose" for his hook ups), ignorant of the world around him including pop culture -- references to films with Rambo and Conan both leave him stumped and -- shades of Mike Seaver in GROWING PAINS, he thinks the world revolves around him.
In the infamous GROWING PAINS episode, Mike skips school and is shocked to discover the world goes on whether he's present or not. In 9-1-1, Buck says that the world began the day he was born -- which doesn't really explain his ignorance of 2011's CONAN THE BARBARIAN.
Buck is one of the lead roles and it's an embarrassment. The best that could be done with Buck is to have everyone mock him. Like with Conan, they could reply back, "You never heard of Sherlock Holmes? Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?"
Buck's a joke and the audience gets that, the only ones who don't get it are the characters who interact with him. Well, they don't get it and neither did Ryan Murphy. Buck's supposed to be hot and he's not. It has nothing to do with the birthmarks on his face by his eye. Though it does have to do with some weird thing going on with the lower half of his face on both the right and the left side (whenever possible, the crew 'shadows' the left side of his lower face, so they're aware of the problem). It absolutely has to do with his chest.
The 'hot shot,' self-described "Fire hose" has a shaved chest?
Maybe.
It could go to vanity.
But vanity would dictate that if Buck shaves his chest, he keeps it smooth.
Instead, we're forced to witness Buck's nasty, red bumped chest, with ingrown hairs and razor burn as well as tiny whiskers popping out.
If you're going to shave or wax your chest, do it. But don't shave your chest a week or two before and then show up for a shirtless scene having not done any maintenance. Can you imagine the flack Kerry Washington would get for showing up on TV with bristles growing out on her legs?
Everything about the 'hot shot' disappoints and maybe the real answer is not to try to create a character for Buck but just killing him off.
That would certainly allow more to be done with the woefully (and criminally) under-utilized Aisha Hinds? As firefighter Hen, she enriches every scene she's in but gets so little to do.
And are we the only ones bothered by the fact that she's the one who has to help 'hot shot' Buck save his job?
He's not even acknowledged her the entire episode -- while she's getting mac and cheese, he sticks in his hand in the bowl -- but it's up to the underwritten African-American character to save his ass?
Buck needs to go.
The show walks a tight rope already with the storylines -- a baby -- newborn -- is in the wall having gone down the toilet into a pipe, a woman's being strangled by her own python, etc. Ryan Murphy has insisted the show isn't "outlandish" but some of the storylines beg to differ. Strong acting can navigate this hazard but that's made more difficult with nonsense like Oliver Stark's Buck.
Caller: Yeah, I can't find anything to watch. I work nights and THE CHEW, THE VIEW, 12 hours of TODAY, it's all chatter, chatter, chatter. All my shows have been taken off the air: AS THE WORLD TURNS, ONE LIFE TO LIVE, ALL MY CHILDREN, GUIDING LIGHT, PASSIONS --
Operator: Sir - sir -- I need to interrupt you. This line is for emergencies and the absence of soap operas is not an emergency --
Caller: I work a 12 hour night shift, you don't understand --
Operator: Sir -- sir -- I'm trying to explain to you that soap operas are still on the air. As Ava and C.I. explained at THE THIRD ESTATE SUNDAY REVIEW for years now -- in 2010 and 2015, for example -- MTM's HILL STREET BLUES turned night dramas into soap operas by introducing the soap opera element of continuing stories. THE ROOKIES? Self-contained episodes. Sometimes a later episode would directly contradict an earlier one -- a character having a sister, for example in one episode and then forgotten the next. CRAPAPEDIA has, of course, stolen from Ava and C.I. without attribution so here's a little element Ava and C.I. haven't tossed out yet -- MTM is directly responsible for soap operas in prime time. Not only did HILL STREET BLUES turn cop dramas into soap operas, but MTM's CHEERS did the same with sitcoms. Will Diane and Sam or won't they? Suddenly, continuing storylines on sitcoms! MTM's ST. ELSEWHERE? Bye-bye MARCUS WELBY and laid the groundwork for ER and GREY'S ANATOMY. MTM's REMINGTON STEELE . . . Go down the list. MTM revolutionized prime time TV by introducing the continuing storyline to every genre.
Caller: That I did not know.
Operator: And you can Tivo or stream prime time programs during the day before you go to sleep or after you wake up. Everyone of them is a soap opera -- all those NBC Chicago shows? Soaps. THE BLACKLIST, THE BLIND SPOT, MARVEL AGENTS OF SHIELD, 10 DAYS IN THE VALLEY, THE DETOUR, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, THE MINDY PROJECT, SCORPIONS, THE BIG BANG THEORY, CLAWS, GOOD BEHAVIOR, ANIMAL KINGDOM -- Even the streaming services like HULU and NETFLIX have programs like SHUT EYE, FUTURE MAN, THE PATH, CHANCE, HEMLOCK GROVE, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, HOUSE OF CARDS, SENSE8, THE OA, STRANGER THINGS, OZARK, JESSICA JONES, IRON FIST, LUKE CAGE, DAREDEVIL, ONE DAY AT A TIME --
Caller: Wow.
Operator: Yeah and don't forget THE X-FILES that FOX just brought back for another mini-season or their new high profile series called, wait for it, 9-1-1.
9-1-1 debuted last week -- and to good ratings.
So good for Angela Bassett, Connie Britton, Peter Kraus and Kenneth Choi.
But good for viewers?
That's largely going to depend on the writing.
Ryan Murphy's created another program. It's his first attempt at some sort of a police-rescue procedural after success with AMERICAN HORROR STORY, GLEE, NIP/TUCK, AMERICAN CRIME STORY and FEUD.
Connie Britton's starred in two of Murphy's previous programs and the thing to note here is that she's no Ellen Pompeo.
Pompeo is one of the highest paid actors in TV -- or the most overpaid one.
For fourteen seasons, the actress has played Meredith Grey on GREY'S ANATOMY. The actress, who turns 49 this year, has never been nominated for an Emmy for her one-note 'performance' which consists mainly of snarling. You never believe a word out of her mouth.
Connie's the anti-Ellen Pompeo.
She was nominated twice for FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, once for AMERICAN HORROR STORY and once for NASHVILLE.
If that confuses you, watch 9-1-1 and notice that her 911 operator Abby is yet another new creation from Connie. She doesn't play the same role over and over with a different character name. She creates a different character for each project. It's why she continues working while Ellen Pompeo has announced she plans to leave acting when GREY'S is over -- prompting wags to shoot back, "Leave it? When did she ever try it?"
Connie stands out and that would be the case even without her backstory -- which includes Mariette Hartley as Connie's mother.
Being the 911 operator isn't a glamor job or an easy one. The other actors get to do the rescues and attempted rescues, she's got to be seated and on the phone. Take away the emergencies and Abby's basically a tele-marketer.
It's a role that requires a real actress and Connie demonstrates how talent can pull you in -- even on stationary, talking head scenes.
Angela Bassett has plenty of talent as well -- she's an Academy Award nominated actress and has six Emmy nominations. On 9-1-1, she's police Sgt. Athena Grant. She's explosive at work and at home with a strong sense of right and wrong -- both qualities may result from her husband Michael's recent revelation that he's gay. Michael (Rockmond Dunbar) argues that she should have known he was gay even though he didn't tell her. Athena's not having it. She's also not having a divorce and tells her two kids that they are staying together.
Feeling wronged, Athena's not going to be wronged again and she damn sure isn't going to be quiet when someone else is in the wrong -- like Buck (Oliver Stark) who goes all judgmental on a teen mother whom Athena yells is "a child" herself.
Kenneth Choi plays firefighter Chimney and this is his best role so far. He appears to know it and stretches out in in it, luxuriates in it, in ways he wasn't able to on SONS OF ANARCHY or AMERICAN CRIME. Thus far, his character has no drama on the backburner which makes him a lot more interesting than the others and also allows him to reflect on what's going on around him -- such as with a rescue he witnesses more than participates in yet plans to use the story of the rescue -- and put himself front and center of the story -- to score dates.
Firefighter Bobby is played by fourth series lead Peter Krause. Krause has been nominated three times for an Emmy. The good news here though has little to do with acting and more to do with the fact that he's not physically revolting the way he was on THE CATCH. Krause looked bad and had no chemistry with his co-star on that show -- a major problem for the series since it was supposed to be a romantic caper show.
Shorter hair, not greased back, and a less heavy foundation make for more a more attractive Peter.
The role's not much. He's basically Nurse in ROMEO AND JULIET. In recent decades, the Nurse showed up in multiple films starring Tom Cruise. Robert Duvall (DAYS OF THUNDER), Paul Newman (THE COLOR OF MONEY), Bryan Brown (COCKTAIL), etc all had to wet nurse and burp Tom as they eased him into manhood.
The self-described "punk" latching onto Krause's nipples in 9-1-1 is Buck played by Oliver Stark. He's a youngster 'hot shot' American played by a Brit who turns 27 later this year apparently revealing Ryan Murphy's decision to take up the Aaron Spelling 90210 casting method.
Oliver Stark may be an actor, he may not be. No one can tell in this ridiculous stereotype that has to be the most insulting millennial caricature thus far this season. (And, yes, we're not overlooking Ben Platt's performance as Blake on WILL & GRACE -- but that was meant to be comedic -- and was.) He's sex-focused (using the handle "Fire hose" for his hook ups), ignorant of the world around him including pop culture -- references to films with Rambo and Conan both leave him stumped and -- shades of Mike Seaver in GROWING PAINS, he thinks the world revolves around him.
In the infamous GROWING PAINS episode, Mike skips school and is shocked to discover the world goes on whether he's present or not. In 9-1-1, Buck says that the world began the day he was born -- which doesn't really explain his ignorance of 2011's CONAN THE BARBARIAN.
Buck is one of the lead roles and it's an embarrassment. The best that could be done with Buck is to have everyone mock him. Like with Conan, they could reply back, "You never heard of Sherlock Holmes? Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?"
Buck's a joke and the audience gets that, the only ones who don't get it are the characters who interact with him. Well, they don't get it and neither did Ryan Murphy. Buck's supposed to be hot and he's not. It has nothing to do with the birthmarks on his face by his eye. Though it does have to do with some weird thing going on with the lower half of his face on both the right and the left side (whenever possible, the crew 'shadows' the left side of his lower face, so they're aware of the problem). It absolutely has to do with his chest.
The 'hot shot,' self-described "Fire hose" has a shaved chest?
Maybe.
It could go to vanity.
But vanity would dictate that if Buck shaves his chest, he keeps it smooth.
Instead, we're forced to witness Buck's nasty, red bumped chest, with ingrown hairs and razor burn as well as tiny whiskers popping out.
If you're going to shave or wax your chest, do it. But don't shave your chest a week or two before and then show up for a shirtless scene having not done any maintenance. Can you imagine the flack Kerry Washington would get for showing up on TV with bristles growing out on her legs?
Everything about the 'hot shot' disappoints and maybe the real answer is not to try to create a character for Buck but just killing him off.
That would certainly allow more to be done with the woefully (and criminally) under-utilized Aisha Hinds? As firefighter Hen, she enriches every scene she's in but gets so little to do.
And are we the only ones bothered by the fact that she's the one who has to help 'hot shot' Buck save his job?
He's not even acknowledged her the entire episode -- while she's getting mac and cheese, he sticks in his hand in the bowl -- but it's up to the underwritten African-American character to save his ass?
Buck needs to go.
The show walks a tight rope already with the storylines -- a baby -- newborn -- is in the wall having gone down the toilet into a pipe, a woman's being strangled by her own python, etc. Ryan Murphy has insisted the show isn't "outlandish" but some of the storylines beg to differ. Strong acting can navigate this hazard but that's made more difficult with nonsense like Oliver Stark's Buck.
10 actors who need to consider retirement -- at least semi-retirement
1) Matt Damon. He's bored us forever and had more bombs in 2017 than anyone else. Take a hint, Matt, go fishing for a year or two.
2) And maybe take George Clooney with you? Everyone's grown tired of him as well. It's not like he ever delivered at the box office but it's only getting worse. As he stares down 57, he makes clear that his biggest moment on screen will always be the box office bomb BATMAN & ROBIN.
3) Meryl Streep? You've shown us everything you can do -- and it wasn't all that much. From 1977 to today, she's only had two years where she's not appeared in a film -- 1980 and 1997 and in 1980, she was onstage performing ALICE IN CONCERT while, in 1997, she was in the TV movie . . . FIRST DO NO HARM. Most years, she's appeared in several film. It's all too much and all too exhausting. Oh, and during that same time? She's gotten married and had four children. Oh, and the freak won't put out during filming. We don't mean with others, we mean with her husband. Meryl's celibate when filming a movie. That certainly explains why she comes across so cold and non-sensual in one role after another. COLD FISH: THE MERYL STREEP STORY, soon to be coming to LIFETIME.
4) Amy Schumer. Did anyone think a cousin of Chuck Schumer's could become a movie star? She can't. Especially not when she's a cousin who makes the senator look like the best looking member of the family. We'll never forgive her for taking away our NETFLIX ratings. Remember that? Her awful comedy special got negative user reviews. She insisted it was some right-wing conspiracy and NETFLIX caves and takes away our five stars giving us instead the option of thumbs up or thumbs down? For that alone, we say f**k you, Amy Schumer.
5) Ellen Pompeo. 14 seasons as the star of a drama and never a single Emmy nomination? Pack it in already. No one's buying you as an actress.
6) Seth Rogan. We're tired of your yelling in your voice that frequently cracks. You're apparently not naturally funny and you either need to retire or else take greater care when selecting your next project.
7) Patton Oswalt. You've never been funny. But you were the least irritating as Spence on KING OF QUEENS. Now you seem to be everywhere and you add nothing to anything, not to MARVEL AGENTS OF SHIELD, not to KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES, not to THE CIRCLE, not to DRUNK HISTORY, not to VEEP, not to MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000, not to HAPPY!, not to DIMENSION 404. You're overexposed and undertalented. Were you a woman of your size, you'd be unemployable. Were you a woman with such so-so looks, you'd be unemployable. But as a fat, short, ugly man you keep getting work despite never having demonstrated you can act. Repeatedly.
8) Louie Anderson. You're not funny. You're playing a woman by playing her exactly like your other characters, but in a dress, isn't funny. You're a piece of s**t that needs to scraped off our feet.
9) Tom Hanks. Like Seth Rogan, you need to grasp yelling is not acting. Having demonstrated how tiny your range is and having become yesterday's news, maybe it's time to take the tired act to audio books?
10) Matthew Perry -- with a qualifier. If you want to do a sitcom, we want to watch -- provided it's a multi-cam sitcom. Even the tired premise of THE ODD COUPLE provided laughs as a result of being a multi-cam. Without playing to a studio audience, you can't hit your rhythms. That's why you were not funny in film and it's why you failed in MR. SUNSHINE, GO ON and STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP.
2) And maybe take George Clooney with you? Everyone's grown tired of him as well. It's not like he ever delivered at the box office but it's only getting worse. As he stares down 57, he makes clear that his biggest moment on screen will always be the box office bomb BATMAN & ROBIN.
3) Meryl Streep? You've shown us everything you can do -- and it wasn't all that much. From 1977 to today, she's only had two years where she's not appeared in a film -- 1980 and 1997 and in 1980, she was onstage performing ALICE IN CONCERT while, in 1997, she was in the TV movie . . . FIRST DO NO HARM. Most years, she's appeared in several film. It's all too much and all too exhausting. Oh, and during that same time? She's gotten married and had four children. Oh, and the freak won't put out during filming. We don't mean with others, we mean with her husband. Meryl's celibate when filming a movie. That certainly explains why she comes across so cold and non-sensual in one role after another. COLD FISH: THE MERYL STREEP STORY, soon to be coming to LIFETIME.
4) Amy Schumer. Did anyone think a cousin of Chuck Schumer's could become a movie star? She can't. Especially not when she's a cousin who makes the senator look like the best looking member of the family. We'll never forgive her for taking away our NETFLIX ratings. Remember that? Her awful comedy special got negative user reviews. She insisted it was some right-wing conspiracy and NETFLIX caves and takes away our five stars giving us instead the option of thumbs up or thumbs down? For that alone, we say f**k you, Amy Schumer.
5) Ellen Pompeo. 14 seasons as the star of a drama and never a single Emmy nomination? Pack it in already. No one's buying you as an actress.
6) Seth Rogan. We're tired of your yelling in your voice that frequently cracks. You're apparently not naturally funny and you either need to retire or else take greater care when selecting your next project.
7) Patton Oswalt. You've never been funny. But you were the least irritating as Spence on KING OF QUEENS. Now you seem to be everywhere and you add nothing to anything, not to MARVEL AGENTS OF SHIELD, not to KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES, not to THE CIRCLE, not to DRUNK HISTORY, not to VEEP, not to MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000, not to HAPPY!, not to DIMENSION 404. You're overexposed and undertalented. Were you a woman of your size, you'd be unemployable. Were you a woman with such so-so looks, you'd be unemployable. But as a fat, short, ugly man you keep getting work despite never having demonstrated you can act. Repeatedly.
8) Louie Anderson. You're not funny. You're playing a woman by playing her exactly like your other characters, but in a dress, isn't funny. You're a piece of s**t that needs to scraped off our feet.
9) Tom Hanks. Like Seth Rogan, you need to grasp yelling is not acting. Having demonstrated how tiny your range is and having become yesterday's news, maybe it's time to take the tired act to audio books?
10) Matthew Perry -- with a qualifier. If you want to do a sitcom, we want to watch -- provided it's a multi-cam sitcom. Even the tired premise of THE ODD COUPLE provided laughs as a result of being a multi-cam. Without playing to a studio audience, you can't hit your rhythms. That's why you were not funny in film and it's why you failed in MR. SUNSHINE, GO ON and STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP.
Little Dylan Farrow and her hypocritical supporters
Woody Allen.
Dylan Farrow says she was molested by him at the age of seven.
He says no.
The press treats this as a he-said/she-said but it's not.
The court ordered an investigation into the charges. The Yale-New Haven team found no molestation had taken place.
These are called facts. Dylan may not like them but they are facts.
She has whined for years -- and, yes, it is whining at this point.
It became that the minute she started attacking people for working with Woody.
What about what happened to her!!!!
What did happen to her?
Per the investigation conducted by medical professionals, nothing happened to her.
Per her brother Moses, nothing happened to her.
So she attacks Moses.
We're supposed to take Dylan's word but, per Dylan, we're not supposed to believe Moses?
Not about what happened or didn't happen between her and Woody?
And certainly not about Mia Farrow being physically abusive -- even though Moses and Soon-Yi can both testify to that fact.
Dylan whines that every time a Woody Allen film opens or plays on TV her angel wings are ripped off.
Grow the hell up.
You're not anyone.
You've done nothing with your life.
32-years-old and nothing with your life.
But you seem to think you have a fan base?
You think because your parents -- Woody Allen and Mia Farrow -- are famous, that the world owes it to you to follow your drama.
We don't.
You've done nothing with your life.
You're another child-of who thinks the world owes you something.
Grow the hell up.
And as for Dylan's supporters . . .
Two words: Paula Poundstone.
She's on NPR -- even has her own NPR show.
You say you care about what happens but you don't insist NPR fire Paula Poundstone, do you?
But Paula did abuse children in her care. She can never be a foster parent again because of what the police discovered. She pled out and accepted a lesser charge. But she molested a child -- that's what "inappropriate touching" was.
So when the Dylan Farrow crowd wants to get upset that Paula's on NPR or that she got off with six months (and can never be a foster parent again) while pretending the whole thing was a 'drinking issue'? When they want to get real we may take them seriously.
Until then, Dylan had her day and her hypocritical supporters are trashing Woody because they don't like his comedy or they don't like who he married or they feel sorry for Mia -- but not because Dylan claims he did something to her.
Dylan's had her day.
And then some.
Click here for the report from The Child Sexual Abuse Clinic of Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Dylan Farrow says she was molested by him at the age of seven.
He says no.
The press treats this as a he-said/she-said but it's not.
The court ordered an investigation into the charges. The Yale-New Haven team found no molestation had taken place.
These are called facts. Dylan may not like them but they are facts.
She has whined for years -- and, yes, it is whining at this point.
It became that the minute she started attacking people for working with Woody.
What about what happened to her!!!!
What did happen to her?
Per the investigation conducted by medical professionals, nothing happened to her.
Per her brother Moses, nothing happened to her.
So she attacks Moses.
We're supposed to take Dylan's word but, per Dylan, we're not supposed to believe Moses?
Not about what happened or didn't happen between her and Woody?
And certainly not about Mia Farrow being physically abusive -- even though Moses and Soon-Yi can both testify to that fact.
Dylan whines that every time a Woody Allen film opens or plays on TV her angel wings are ripped off.
Grow the hell up.
You're not anyone.
You've done nothing with your life.
32-years-old and nothing with your life.
But you seem to think you have a fan base?
You think because your parents -- Woody Allen and Mia Farrow -- are famous, that the world owes it to you to follow your drama.
We don't.
You've done nothing with your life.
You're another child-of who thinks the world owes you something.
Grow the hell up.
And as for Dylan's supporters . . .
Two words: Paula Poundstone.
She's on NPR -- even has her own NPR show.
You say you care about what happens but you don't insist NPR fire Paula Poundstone, do you?
But Paula did abuse children in her care. She can never be a foster parent again because of what the police discovered. She pled out and accepted a lesser charge. But she molested a child -- that's what "inappropriate touching" was.
So when the Dylan Farrow crowd wants to get upset that Paula's on NPR or that she got off with six months (and can never be a foster parent again) while pretending the whole thing was a 'drinking issue'? When they want to get real we may take them seriously.
Until then, Dylan had her day and her hypocritical supporters are trashing Woody because they don't like his comedy or they don't like who he married or they feel sorry for Mia -- but not because Dylan claims he did something to her.
Dylan's had her day.
And then some.
Click here for the report from The Child Sexual Abuse Clinic of Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Seth Meyers hosted?
A new dawn, droned Oprah at tonight's Golden Globes.
No.
Reality: Seth Meyers hosted.
The only recent award show hosted by a woman?
The American Music Awards hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross.
If this is breakthrough time, why is it always men at the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Grammys?
Or it's the token of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler?
Are they the only women who can host in the entire entertainment world?
Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Seth MacFarlane, Stephen Colbert . . .
The world is full of women but apparently none are qualified to host an awards show.
No.
Reality: Seth Meyers hosted.
The only recent award show hosted by a woman?
The American Music Awards hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross.
If this is breakthrough time, why is it always men at the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Grammys?
Or it's the token of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler?
Are they the only women who can host in the entire entertainment world?
Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, Seth MacFarlane, Stephen Colbert . . .
The world is full of women but apparently none are qualified to host an awards show.
This edition's playlist
1) Sam Smith's THE THRILL OF IT ALL.
2) Tori Amos' NATIVE INVADERS.
3) Diana Ross' DIAMOND DIANA: THE LEGACY COLLECTION.
4) Alicia Keys' HERE.
5) Janet Jackson's UNBREAKABLE.
6) Aretha Franklin's ARETHA SINGS THE GREAT DIVA CLASSICS.
7) Ben Harper's CALL IT WHAT IT IS.
8) Laura Nyro's NESTED.
9) The Beatles' THE WHITE ALBUM.
10) The Jefferson Airplane's CROWN OF CREATION.
Green Party National Women's Caucus demands passage of House bill upholding human rights for Palestinian minors and international law
From The Green Party:
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Women's Caucus of the Green Party calls on Congress to pass HR 4391, "Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act."
The bill, submitted by Congresswoman Betty McCollum (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party-Minn.), would prevent the use of U.S. tax dollars for the Israeli military's ongoing detention and mistreatment of Palestinian children.
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
@GreenPartyUS
For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Contact:
Joy Davis, National Women's Caucus co-chair, 713-909-4101, jharasemay@gmail.com
Holly Hart, National Women's Caucus co-chair, 319-331-9616, hhart11@gmail.com
Scott McLarty, Green Party Media Director, 202-904-7614, scott@gp.org
Women's Caucus condemns the brutal treatment of 16-year-old Ahed Tamimi by Israeli military
Recent news of Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian teenager who was interrogated and charged with assault by Israeli military forces for slapping an Israeli soldier in December and threatened with rape by an Israeli journalist, highlights the need to recognize that massive detentions and violent interrogations of minors are horrific violations of human rights and international law and need to end.
"I met Ahed's family when I was in Palestine in October. This family has been put through hell, their home has been raided over 200 times in the past six years," said Diane Moxley, a member of the National Women's Caucus.
"The recent incident with Ahed occurred shortly after her 14-year-old cousin was shot in the face with a rubber bullet and required surgery as the bullet lodged in his skull, and another raid of their home, which included tear gas canisters being thrown at windows. We heard stories of many injuries to protesters, at least two deaths, detentions and violent interrogations of minors, adults are held administratively sometimes for years with no hearings," said Ms. Moxley.
"When we hear stories about what is happening in Palestine, sometimes the children are forgotten in these stories," said Joy Davis, co-chair of the National Women's Caucus. "Numerous Palestinian children are being detained, tortured, and have been killed."
"Palestinian children have witnessed horrendous atrocities that have happened to their friends and family members. Their sense of normalcy has disappeared and this is their new normal. A life that includes the Israeli military invading their homes, separating them from their families, shooting at them, attacking them with grenades, and water cannons. At a time when children should be playing with their friends, Ahed Tamimi had just witnessed her cousin being shot by Israeli soldiers," said Ms. Davis.
"The Green Party stands unequivocally opposed to torture and rape and threatening women and girls with violence," said caucus member LuAnne Kozma. "Given the current publicity about sexual predation being raised by the #MeToo campaign, it is an outrage that any remotely professional journalist could write, referring to the detention of women and girls: 'In the case of the girls, we should exact a price at some other opportunity, in the dark, without witnesses and cameras.'"
The quote by Ben Caspit, a journalist for Maariv, an Israeli daily newspaper, was published in the Associated Press and CBS News.
Defense for Children International-Palestine, a local group, said 331 Palestinians under the age of 18 were held in military detention as of May, according to the most recent statistics released by Israeli authorities. In 2016, an average of 375 minors were in detention each month.
The Green Party of the United States has endorsed BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) and cutoff of U.S. military aid until Israel complies with U.N. directives including the right of return for refugees, ending the occupation of Palestinian territories, and guaranteeing full human rights and equality for Palestinians within the occupied territories and for all Palestinian-Israeli citizens who comprise more than 20% of the Israeli population.
The party has also condemned the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories.
The Green Party, for which nonviolence is a founding principle, opposes all violence directed at unarmed civilians, regardless of which side commits such violence in any conflict, and endorses a cutoff of U.S. aid for countries that violate human rights. The party condemns all acts motivated by antisemitism and Islamophobia.
U.S. Greens support the efforts of Palestinian, Israeli, and other organizations that are working to resolve the conflict, end the occupation, and ensure safety and equality under the law for Palestinians and Israelis through negotiation, observance of human rights, and application of international law.
See also:
Video: Resistance icon Ahed Tamimi in Israeli military court
The Electronic Intifada, December 24, 2017
Palestinian girl charged after slapping soldier on video
BBC News, January 1, 2018
How Ahed Tamimi was slapped first, and why no one is talking about it
By Jonathan Ofir, Mondoweiss, December 28, 2017
Green Party of the U.S. supports hunger strike by Palestinian prisoners
Press release: Green Party of the United States, May 16, 2017
Platform of the Green Party of the United States: Foreign Policy
Section 2. A Real Road to Peace in the Middle East
National Women's Caucus
https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyWomensCaucus/
MORE INFORMATION
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