CBGB founder Hilly Kristal has passed away after a long battle with lung cancer. He gave an interesting and heartfelt interview recently, in which he is obviously aware that the final curtain is upon this part of his journey. Farewell.
The closing of CB’s was a sore spot for me for a lot of reasons- it’s an example of how NYC is dying to a cultural and artistic way of life chief among them- but, mostly because it was a great place to be. There is no place like it around today. It was an original.
Here’s a little sample of the energy that CB’s could generate. It’s terrible video, and not great sound, but the room was packed like this all the time. Straight Ahead (who some consider to be one of the greats from NYHC) performs “Knockdown” in 1986.
Anyone who can name the big bruiser in the background on the stage with the band (wearing a football jersey) gets special bonus points.
Stereophonics…Traffic from Live from Dakota. Shades of Neil Finn to be sure…
We all face the same way, still it takes all day, I take a look to my left, pick out the worst and the best, She paints her lip, greasy and thick, another mirror stare And she’s going where?
Another office affair? to kill an unborn scare? You talk dirty to a priest? it makes them human at least, But is she running away? to start a brand new day? Or she going home? why’s she driving alone?
Is anyone going anywhere? Everyone gotta be somewhere
She got a body in the boot? or just bags full of food? Those are models legs but are they women’s are they men’s? She shouts down the phone, missed a payment on the loan, She gotta be above the rest, keeping up with the best
Is anyone going anywhere? Everyone gotta be somewhere
Waits tables for a crook? you wrote a hard back book? D’you teach kid’s how to read? or sell your body on the street? A nurse without a job? another up-town snob? But have I got you all wrong? one look and you were gone
Is anyone going anywhere? Is anyone going anywhere? Is anyone going anywhere? Every one gotta be somewhere
Acoustic version of the Beatles White Album classic. Just George Harrison and guitar.
A measure of just how much the world has changed. The first time I heard this version was from a bootleg LP that I bought down on 8th Street here in Manhattan about 22 years ago. It wasn’t easy to find actually. And, it cost me about $40 as I recall. Now, it’s on YouTube. For those who haven’t heard it, it’s something of a revelation. Enjoy.
Whenever I want to find out what the current lies on a given topic might be, I head on over to the house that inbreeding built. And, it would seem, so do others. Just like McDonald’s, ‘ol Bob Owens can be counted upon to provide a consistent product. And, for those of us who crave it, Supersize just won’t do.
And, here’s some extra credit for those in need of the backstory on one of Gomer Owens favorite topics.
A few weeks ago, the right wing world was hyperventilating over the arrest of two middle eastern college students in North Carolina. Apparently the men had “pipe bombs” or “fireworks” or “explosives” (depending upon who was telling the story) in the trunk of the car they were driving near a US naval base. Open and shut case in the eyes of most of the freedom loving right wing, right? Middle Eastern men, explosives, car, Naval Base. Lock ‘em up. Throw away the key. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to Gitmo.
The last bits of information to see daylight in regard to this event are rather telling. The first was that tests were to be conducted on the remains of the “explosives” (they were detonated in a controlled manner) to determine what type of device it was. What were the results of this test? No word as of yet. Nothing. This is more than likely related to the second bit of information. Apparently, the FBI isn’t convinced:
For days after the arrest of two University of South Florida students accused of having pipe bombs, the FBI remained silent.
On Wednesday, the agency released a statement telling the public it’s possible there’s no merit to the accusations against Youssef Megahed, 21, and Ahmed A. Mohamed, 26. Both were arrested Aug. 4 inGoose Creek, S.C., on charges of possession of explosives.
“The FBI would like to remind everyone that this is an ongoing investigation and there is the possibility that the publicly reported allegations involving the students may be proven to be false,” it read.
An FBI spokesman said the agency is still investigating, that it released the statement only because there’s so much interest in the case, and it wants to be fair.
“We’re just making a request for everybody to be very objective at this time, very neutral,” said Special Agent Dave Couvertier.
But local legal experts say there’s likely more to it.
“That is a highly unusual statement from the FBI,” said Tampa lawyer John Fitzgibbons, a former federal prosecutor.
Other legal experts agreed, but no one knew what to make of it.
“Well, who knows what that means?” said Ed Page, a lawyer who has experience in Tampa and Washington, D.C. “Perhaps the initial assessment that the trunk contained pipe bombs was inaccurate. That’s a weird statement, I’ve got to tell you, to be coming out of the FBI.”
Fitzgibbons saw two scenarios. First, the FBI may not have a strong case against the students. Second, the Department of Justice may require a statement of that sort in its communication with the media.
Page agreed, adding that he’d never seen such a statement from the FBI. Neither had lawyer Stephen Crawford.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen an FBI statement that reminds us of our civil liberties,” Crawford said. “I think it shows that it’s probably going to turn out that the chemicals in those kids’ trunks were more fireworks than it was bomb.”
Bob Ulmer, a former FBI agent in Tampa, agreed the statement was unusual, but he said it sounded more like a policy decision or a deliberate attempt to be objective than the end of an investigation.
“I would say they’re just being cautious,” Ulmer said. “I’ve never heard it worded quite that way.”
The FBI declined to elaborate, saying only that the investigation continues.
Given the historical lack of such a statement, and the general attitude of the current administration, it looks to be pretty obvious to this observer that the test results likely showed that the “explosives” were fireworks, or homemade rockets, or something of that nature. PVC pipe is often used in “potato guns” and rockets. As are certain types of incendiary substances such as gunpowder. My guess is that the two men will be released, with time served. Much lesser charge.
The right wing will erupt of course. Having already tried and convicted.
The great legacy of the Bush presidency will be how they fought so hard for a war and then had no clue how to fight the war. New from the past few days…
U.S. tax dollars used to finance killing of U.S. soldiers. Think about that for a few seconds… Feel that lump of bile in your throat? Give it a name, it’s going to be around for awhile.
Going for the throat… He who controls the electricity controls power in Iraq.
The right wing supports Maliki in words, but deeds are another thing entirely.
The great measure of a truly strong nation is its economic power. A strong military is valuable, but severely limited as we are seeing unfold in Iraq. The base failures of the campaign in Iraq are economic and social. Put simply: there are no jobs, there is no infrastructure and thus no real process of controlling and quelling civil unrest. And, given the social structure of the Iraqi populace (three opposed factions of Islam and tribal divisions on top of that) it’s not difficult to see why blunt force is limited in its ability, unless one is willing to institute programs that would duplicate those that were in place during the regime of Saddam Hussein. Not an option.
The problem is: Force is often met with force. The expectation is often that it will be met with passivity. Not entirely realistic to be sure. Overwhelming force is the only cure to such social, economic, religious and political chaos. But, again, not an option. The alteration of the ground campaign towards a more community based one (as in Anbar) is a step in the right direction. But, without basic economic stability in Iraq, it will be a drop in the bucket.
I’m old enough to remember the era of South American countries swelled with debt that they were unable to pay. In 1991 I made a trip to Ecuador (when the currency there was still nationalized and not the US dollar) and it was a sobering experience. Exchanging a mere $500 was nearly impossible. A group of us went to a bank in an affluent area and wanted to exchange a total of about $2000. We had to wait. We weren’t sure why. Then after about 30 minutes an armored car arrived with guards in black swat outfits, flak jackets and Uzi’s. They had our money. It was shocking and a bit embarrassing as we realized we had held up bank business. Thus, it’s of interest to note that the United States isn’t doing to well in the economic debt area either.
Now think about the fact that the US was 3 trillion dollars in the black prior to the Bush Administration.
If you are one of those people who voted for Bush because you wanted that tax refund, the bill is coming due. It was a genius way to win an election but screw the US economy. Not exactly a long term plan.
Are you ready to fork over what you owe? Didn’t think so.
…behind the scenes, however, the president’s top aides have been engaged in an intensive internal debate over how to respond to iran’s support for shiite muslim groups in iraq and its nuclear program. vice president dick cheney several weeks ago proposed launching airstrikes at suspected training camps in iraq run by the quds force, a special unit of the iranian revolutionary guard corps, according to two u.s. officials who are involved in iran policy.
the debate has been accompanied by a growing drumbeat of allegations about iranian meddling in iraq from u.s. military officers, administration officials and administration allies outside government and in the news media. it isn’t clear whether the media campaign is intended to build support for limited military action against iran, to pressure the iranians to curb their support for shiite groups in iraq or both. […..]
cheney, who’s long been skeptical of diplomacy with iran, argued for military action if hard new evidence emerges of iran’s complicity in supporting anti-american forces in iraq; for example, catching a truckload of fighters or weapons crossing into iraq from iran, one official said.
Meanwhile, from Reuter’s… a picture speaks a thousand words.
Makes me wonder what the wingut faithful think about the antichrist holding hands with the Prime Minister of Iraq. Can’t you just feel the love?
