When Will Democrats Learn??

You've heard me say this numerous times on this site, but it bears repeating. I have the utmost respect for the Republican Party when it comes to their precise timing and alignment of party, during elections. Granted, their alignment over the last few years has been around the WRONG candidate, you have to commend their strategy and overall execution. Republicans know how to get in line. I don't know if there is some secret head person that convenes a secret session and hands out the orders, but they do it flawlessly. For the life of me I can't understand why Democrats lack this skill, and have chosen to ignore this one very important play from the "Republican Play Book on Politics." I guess the Democrats aren't scared of losing a race -- the race for Mayor of New York City.



The City of New York is preparing to crown a new mayor. After twelve-years, Lord Bloomberg (that's for you Shady) must abdicate the thrown, and "we the people" must now elect some fresh blood. People are quite divided on Bloomberg's performance over the last twelve years, so the race could go to either party. For Democrats, this should be a no-brainer, a walk in the damn park. At least I thought so, when Speaker of the New York City Council Christine Quinn finally ended speculation, and threw her Manolo's into the race. NOOOOO! In typical Democratic fashion of chaos, division, and lack of unity, they are headed down the path of over complicating the race, and they just could lose this thing. 

This morning as I watched the news in captions during my workout, I saw a headline that stopped me in tracks -- "Anthony Weiner Considering Run for Mayor of New York City." 

Are you F*%KING kidding me??? Has Anthony lost his god forsaken mind??

In a New York Time Magazine Interview, Weiner says he does not know when he will decide about entering the race: 
“the fact that I don’t know tells me I shouldn't run. Or I should not run now.” 

On the current Democratic contenders, Weiner said: 
“I know them all. I like them all.” 

On Christine Quinn's candidacy: 
“The term-limits thing, as an issue, was a deal breaker for me. But, I think the polls are right: Chris Quinn is leading, and then someone will get into a runoff with her. I don’t like runoffs, and I don’t think we should have them so you don’t have these divisive primaries anymore.”

Here is my issue with all of this.... Anthony Weiner shouldn't be saying anything right now. He shouldn't be doing a single interview, and if he does, he should keep his mouth shut on the mayoral race. Let me remind everyone, this is the same crap that happened in 2001 that allowed Bloomberg to cruise in. So if Democrats want to see a repeat, they should certainly continue down this path. Weiner himself, admits  that he wouldn't want to see a runoff debacle occur, yet he is proposing his own candidacy, which would certainly split the vote and force us to runoff territory. This is where the Democrats fail, when it comes to election strategy. You  don't put two high profile candidates up against each other. This is common sense. 

Listen, I'm all for second chances and restarts. However, part of second chances and restarts is demonstrating growth, and in demonstrating that growth I need to see a common sense signal that tells me you are smart enough to know when to embark on all of this. Weiner clearly has not gotten to this stage. It's only been two-years since Weinergate. This timing also shows me that he is still the self absorbed bastard that he was, when he felt comfortable sending inappropriate pics of himself through Facebook to women. He has not learned a damn thing. He is just regaining some semblance of balance and trust, with his wife and 13-month old son. Why in the hell would he even think about dragging them through the mud pit again? Come on!! This reminds me of that over zealous nut job Governor (whom shall remain nameless here), who choose her own self-glorification and political ambition over the needs and sensitivity, of her own daughter. Maybe five-years from now Weiner can make some sort of triumphant comeback to politics. Now is not the time for that comeback, or for Weiner to even play with the thoughts. When will Democrats learn this?

What do you think??

1) Should Anthony Weiner make a return to politics? if yes, then when?
2) Should Anthony Weiner run for Mayor of New York City? If not, why?
3) How would a Democratic Primary look between Quinn, Weiner and Liu?
4) What are your thoughts on Speaker Quinn's decision to vote yes on Bloomberg's term limit extension?

BREAKING NEWS: Terrorist Attack at the Boston Marathon (VIDEO)

UPDATE: President Obama addressed the nation at 6:10pm: "Make no mistake, we will get to the bottom of  this!"

From ABC NEWS:  

Two bombs exploded in the packed streets near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing two people and injuring more than 70 others in a terrifying scene of shattered glass, billowing smoke, bloodstained pavement and severed limbs, authorities said.
  
A senior U.S. intelligence official said two other explosive devices were found near the end of the 26.2-mile course.

"They just started bringing people in with no limbs," said runner Tim Davey, of Richmond, Va. He said he and his wife, Lisa, tried to keep their children's eyes shielded from the gruesome scene inside a medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners, but "they saw a lot."

"They just kept filling up with more and more casualties," Lisa Davey said. "Most everybody was conscious. They were very dazed."

There was no word on the motive or who may have launched the attack, and police said no suspect was in custody. Authorities in Washington said there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The twin blasts at the race took place almost simultaneously and about 100 yards apart, tearing limbs off numerous people, knocking spectators and at least one runner off their feet, shattering windows and sending smoke rising over the street.

Some 23,000 runners took part in the race, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious marathons. One of Boston's biggest annual events, the race winds up near Copley Square, not far from the landmark Prudential Center and the Boston Public Library.

Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis asked people to stay indoors or go back to their hotel rooms and avoid crowds as bomb squads methodically checked parcels and bags left along the race route. He said investigators didn't know whether the bombs were planted in mailboxes or trash cans.

He said authorities had received "no specific intelligence that anything was going to happen" at the race.

The Federal Aviation Administration barred low-flying aircraft from within 3.5 miles of the site.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the explosions by Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco. Obama also told Mayor Tom Menino and Gov. Deval Patrick that his administration would provide whatever support was needed, the White House said. (Continue Reading)

HBO Game of Thrones Recap : Walk of Punishment

Last week we heard of Hoster Tully's death and Robb Stark's decision to attend his maternal grandfather's Riverrun funeral. We are introduced to the new Lord of Riverrun, Catelyn's younger brother Edmure Tully and her uncle Brynden "Blackfish" Tully, so called because of his fierce arguments and rivalries with his brother Hoster. In an opening scene that neatly encapsulates the defining characteristics of both men, after Edmure is thrice unable to light the floating funeral bier with burning arrow, the Blackfish steps in and makes the now much longer shot. He contemptuously returns the bow to his nephew. It's not just anger over the messed up funeral rite that animates Brynden however. In a somewhat clumsy information dump we discover that Tywin Lannister was able to return to King's Landing in time to defeat Stannis because Edmure Tully attacked Tywin and the Mountain too soon. Edmure disregarded Robb's orders and spoiled Robb's plan to draw the Lannisters into a trap. Robb shows some serious anger at his uncle here and is not mollified by the capture of a few distant Lannister relatives. Robb can't afford a drawn out war in which the Lannister numbers, augmented by Tyrells, will turn the tide. Robb's wife Talisa attends to the wounded Lannisters and plays with their fears of Robb's supernatural battle prowess. This ALL should have been in Season Two in my opinion. It's a bit rushed to put it all here. Robb's intense rage comes out of nowhere and we lack context for it.

At the Small Council meeting in King's Landing, Cersei makes a big deal about sitting at her father's right hand. Tyrion makes just as big a deal of sitting at the opposite head of the table. Tywin is upset that no one knows where Jaime is. He decides to send Littlefinger to the Vale to woo Lysa Arryn and hopefully get her support in the war against the North. Mostly just to mess with Littlefinger Tyrion claims that the Treasury is too important to be left with no one to run it. Just like with any other management meeting the person who draws attention to the problem is the person tasked to fix it. Tywin puts Tyrion in charge as Master of Coin. Has that ever happened to you? That's why I try to keep my mouth shut at status meetings. However it's possible this is what Tyrion wanted. We'll see.
Arya and Gendry depart with the Brotherhood without Banners but Hot Pie decides to stay behind and work at the inn. In a surprisingly touching scene he has baked Arya some bread in the shape of a wolf as a parting gift. I liked this scene.

Catelyn and her uncle reminisce about the good old days. Catelyn is emotionally worn out. Brynden tells her she must be strong for Robb no matter how guilty she feels about missing her father's death or the fate of her younger children.
Beyond the Wall Mance Rayder, Jon and the wildlings reach the remains of the battle between the White Walkers and the Night's Watch. They find only mutilated horses but no dead men. Showing he's Captain Obvious Mance tells everyone the missing men are now undead. He also thinks the time has come for the wildlings to make their move. Mance orders Tormund to climb the wall, take Jon Snow with him and wait for his signal to attack Castle Black, a Night's Watch stronghold.
Speaking of the Night's Watch they have straggled back to Craster's compound. He's not pleased to see them. Still they are many and he is one so he lets them in though he declines to share his best food, can't stop cracking jokes about their sorry state and doesn't like the way some of them are looking at his daughter/granddaughter wives. When Craster takes a shot at Sam's weight, Sam gets peeved and walks out. Gilly, the girl Sam earlier wanted to rescue, is (loudly) giving birth. Unfortunately it's a boy. Craster has no use for boys.

At Dragonstone, Melisandre is leaving. An unusually passionate Stannis is upset. Will I see you again? Will you call send ravens? Tell me something Sexy Red! He's suspicious of her intentions and more than a little horny. Showing that he's well aware that his creation with Melisandre killed his brother, Stannis wants to ride Melisandre's pony again, so that the result will kill Robb Stark and Joffrey Lannister. She sadly tells him he just doesn't have it like that any more. His pencil is out of lead and won't write any more. His mule's got no kick. His train can't leave the station. And since cialis or viagra have sadly not been invented yet the duo must use another method to produce the magic they made before. And it will involve royal sacrifices. Melisandre owns Stannis.

In Astapor, Danerys, Barristan Selmy and Jorah Mormont stroll along the Walk of Punishment, which is where slaves who have displeased, disobeyed or insulted their masters have been crucified. They seek the head slaver, Kraznys. Jorah and Barristan have different ideas about war. Barristan doesn't like the idea of using slave soldiers, mostly for moral reasons. Jorah is more cynical, saying that in war innocents are always hurt. He speaks of witnessing rapes. The trio reach Kraznys, who is his normal fount of sexist and ethnic insults, which his slave Missandei, softens in translation. Danerys decides to purchase all 8,000 Unsullied and Missandei as well. In return she will have to part with one dragon, the biggest. Barristan and Jorah both think this is a terrible idea and say so. Daenerys later tells both men she values their counsel but not to ever correct her in public again. It's quite Michael Corleone like.

Littlefinger turns over the financial books to Tyrion. Littlefinger claims to be curious as to how Cersei got the idea that Roz was Tyrion's special lady. Tyrion demurs. Littlefinger advises him that numbers can be made to say anything. Later Tyrion discovers that Littlefinger has had the crown not only borrowing money from Tywin Lannister, which is bad enough but also from the Bank of Braavos, which is notorious for never losing money no matter what they have to do to recover it. Tyrion paid for three prostitutes to take his squire Podrick's virginity. Tyrion and Bronn are a little put off and actually intrigued to discover Podrick got laid and didn't have to pay. Podrick evidently has hidden talents. Or perhaps Roz, Littlefinger or even Varys arranged it for some other reason?
Theon is released by the unknown young man and told to ride east to his sister. But after a few hours Theon is hunted down and captured by the men who tortured him. After a quick and brutal beating the men are preparing to take turns sodomizing him when suddenly the would be rapists are killed by the unknown young man who is evidently quite the shot with bow and arrow.

Brienne and Jaime have been captured by the bounty hunter Locke, a lowborn man who works for House Bolton. Jaime and Brienne are still arguing about who won their fight and who would have won if they could have finished and whether or not the fight was fair. Jaime has an apparent attack of conscience and warns Brienne she will be raped and it's best not to resist as then she would be killed. Brienne scoffs at this advice.

Later that night just as Jaime predicts, Locke and his men come to the bound prisoners. His men attack Brienne. She attempts to fight but they are many and she is one. She's beaten, overpowered and hauled off into the woods. Looking pensive, Jaime appeals to Locke's greed and explains that Brienne's father is rich and would pay quite handsomely for the return of an undamaged and unraped Brienne. Locke listens and then orders the attempted(?) rape to stop and for Brienne to be returned. Feeling a bit more confident Jaime continues to talk about his own father's wealth and how the North's cause is doomed. He says his father can make Locke a wealthy man.  He convinces Locke to unchain him and give him some food. Seeming a bit chagrined, Locke does just that. Things are looking up for Jaime. That is until Locke's men kick his feet out from under him and a furious Locke informs Jaime that he's tired of hearing about Lannister wealth. Locke threatens to take Jaime's eye. Instead just to remind Jaime that Daddy is not around to protect him he chops off Jaime's right hand. Just like that the greatest swordsman in Westeros is permanently crippled.

This episode really showed the casual brutality that is and always has been part of war. No matter the initial "good reasons" one side or another has for war, it always turns to brutality against the innocents and guilty alike. And in Westeros, rape is just another tool of war. Rape of women is most common, but as Theon's captors showed, rape of men or boys is quite possible. This episode moved the story forward in some quite useful ways. It also removed some characters' illusions. Brienne learned that skilled warrior or not she is still a woman in a sexist brutal world while Jaime found out that not everyone is motivated by money.

*This post is written for discussion of this episode and previous episodes. If you have book based knowledge of future events please be kind enough not to discuss that here. Most of my blog partners have not read the books and would take spoilers most unkindly. Heads, spikes, well you get the idea....

Music Reviews-WAR, The O'Jays

WAR

WAR is one of my favorite funk/rock/soul/R&B/blues groups. The band was one of the founding proponents of the seventies West Coast funk/Latin sound. They could and did play some traditional blues numbers from time to time but they generally made updated urban blues that stretched out into many different genres. WAR was an excellent example of how several musics across the African diaspora are related. They created music that was often Afro-Cuban based, combined it with other Latin elements, threw in some jazz and funk and soul and were off to the races. As a group they also had one of the coolest (and largest) group of Afros ever seen in the seventies and probably since then. They were a "world music" and "jam band" before those terms had entered the popular vernacular. If I could only use one word to describe WAR that word would be organic. WAR was similar to a lot of other self-contained funk groups around in the late sixties and early seventies. They stood apart because of fearsome musicianship and a sense of togetherness and brotherhood. Most of the songwriting was credited equally to all group members. Everyone had a chance to sing and shine instrumentally. Although I wouldn't say any of them were great singers individually, their whole was greater than the sum of their parts. They sounded great harmonizing. While a few of them might have been tenors most were definitely bass or baritone voices. This gave their sound a certain depth and for lack of a better word, testosterone. WAR was the last band Jimi Hendrix jammed with.

Over time WAR's guitarist , Howard Scott, who probably was in truth the primary songwriter, took slightly more lead vocals. But unlike most other guitarists working in popular music then he very very rarely took long loud solos in the studio, preferring instead a very rhythmic and almost orchestral sound. Sonically, he was usually in the background. Live, it was sometimes a different story but even there WAR's primary emphasis always remained groove. There is a lot of space and silence in their music. Scott never lets his guitar get in the way of the groove. There's times when you can hardly hear him but then you immediately notice when he drops out. He shied away from a lot of effects. With a few glorious exceptions his solos are short or even non-existent. 

The drummer Harold Brown combined New Orleans second line drumming with the power of Buddy Miles or John Bonham and the swing and shuffle of Bernard Purdie or Earl Palmer. On some of his work I thought there were two drummers. I love it when the bass drum is audible and/or is a separate event from the bass guitar. There's usually no missing where the "one" is in WAR's music but "Low Rider" might initially fool you as Brown plays on the upbeats instead of the downbeats. BB Dickerson, the bassist and Scott's nephew, must be mentioned as one of the better, or at least louder bassists. He's always audible and holding down the bottom register. Listen to him laying down a typically thick sound on "The World is a Ghetto". That song gives the lie to the notion that black performers and audiences had turned their back on the blues post sixties. The harmonica player, Lee Oskar, was from Denmark and showed you didn't need to be black or even speak English yet to be bluesy or funky. Check out his deep delta blues work on "Blisters". Aside from Stevie Wonder was there a more popular harmonica player in the seventies? Lonnie Jordan, the organist and pianist did many of the vocal leads which Scott didn't do. Charles Miller, the saxophonist and lead vocalist on "Low Rider" and clarinetist on the cabaret jazz style "Babyface" and Papa Dee Allen, the conga player and percussionist, rounded out the ensemble. Everyone doubled on percussion and backing vocals. Often you'll hear Miller and Oskar playing harmony lines so perfectly that you might not be able to tell the difference between their two instruments.

WAR came out of Compton, California. They were first discovered by Deacon Jones the football player. They were then calling themselves Night Shift. After a few lineup changes they came to the attention of producer Oscar Goldstein. Goldstein hooked them up with English ex-Animals singer Eric Burdon, who was looking for a new band, and Lee Oskar. With new members and new name they went on tour. During this time they weren't quite Burdon's backup band but they weren't what they became later either. I like many of the songs they did during this period ("Spill The Wine", "Beautiful New Born Child", "They Can't Take Our Music Away") but when Burdon had medical issues during a tour WAR decided to soldier on without him and they amicably parted ways soon afterwards. 

WAR's musical and financial success improved after Burdon's departure and they became the quintessential live funk band, touring with people like Isaac Hayes, Santana, The Wailers, Mandrill and other now classic bands. Bob Marley acknowledged WAR's "Slipping into Darkness" as a primary influence on his own "Get Up Stand Up". "So" is a generic R&B song that somehow becomes more while "All Day Music" is a soul tune greatly influenced by Pharaoh Sanders' "The Creator has a Master plan". Isaac Hayes once kicked them off a tour because he found it too hard to follow their opening act. I don't know if they ever toured with The Allman Brothers but they really should have because both groups were dedicated to long flowing jams that started in one spot and over a period of time wound up someplace else entirely. 

All good things must come to an end of course and though they had a game try at disco and simpler funk styles by the 80's the band had run its creative course. Miller and Allen had died.
The band reformed briefly in the nineties with additional band members but it wasn't the same. They also discovered that long time producer Goldstein had somehow obtained sole rights to the name WAR. The band split up again with Goldstein and Jordan continuing to book performances with various other musicians as "WAR" while the remaining original members, or who I think of as WAR are now forced to perform as The Low Rider Band. Again, it just shows you how important it is to keep an eye on your so-called friends. Because everyone who claims to have your best interest at heart might not actually be looking out for you. When it comes to wealth and control people do strange things. Folks get funny when it comes to money.

Low Rider  The World is a Ghetto  Ballero(Live) Hey Senorita  Spill The Wine
Slipping Into Darkness(Live)  Leroy's Latin Lament   Why Can't We Be Friends
The Vision of Rahsaan  So  Where was you at 
Seven Tin Soldiers  Heartbeat  Bareback Riding
Beautiful New Born Child  River Niger
They Can't Take Our Music Away  Get Down (Live -partial)  Four Cornered Room
Blisters  Me and Baby Brother (Live)  All Day Music 
Babyface Sun Oh Son (Live) Cisco Kid  Galaxy




The O'Jays

The O'Jays were not a self-contained band like WAR but rather a singing group. They were also a close runner up to WAR for best Afros of the seventies. But WAR couldn't touch the O'Jays when it came to harmonized singing. Few musical groups could. The O'Jays had much greater vocal range than WAR.  The O'Jays were originally from Ohio but of course reached their greatest fame and fortune working out of Philadelphia with legendary songwriters and producers Gamble and Huff. As part of the process of turning the up and coming group into superstars Gamble and Huff smoothed out the rough edges, gave the trio much better material to sing and improvise over and got them working with quite talented musicians, including but not limited to people like Anthony Jackson, bassist extraordinaire and inventor of the six string bass guitar. Jackson's playing can be heard on the song "For the Love of Money". Obviously the O'Jays also worked with the famous session band, and later stars in their own right, MFSB.

The O'Jays walked that fine line between glamour and grit and were able to satisfy people who liked both or either in their music.  During the classic period the group included Walter Williams, William Powell and of course Eddie Levert. All three men sang lead and backup. There was a nice tension between Levert's slightly rougher voice, particularly in some of the ballads, and Williams' smoother one. I would kill to have Levert's voice.  My favorite O'Jays song of all time is not "For The Love of Money" or "Don't Call Me Brother" but "You Got Your Hooks In Me". If you don't know any other O'Jays music you should know that one. It doubles as a slow jam to dance with your baby and as a fun sing-a-long when you're driving home.

The O'Jays recorded lots of love songs but also served as a vehicle for Gamble and Huff's social commentary with songs like "Ship Ahoy", "Don't Call Me Brother"  and obviously "For The Love of Money". All of their music had excellent production. It wasn't overly loud but had clarity without sterility. I don't know whether you'd call them a funky soul group or a soulful funk group but I love their music. A lot of it is heard in commercials these days but there are some gems, the aforementioned "You Got Your Hooks In Me" and "Ship Ahoy" an extended somber suite about slavery.

Don't Call Me Brother  For The Love of Money  Give the People What They Want 
You Got Your Hooks In Me  Love Train   Living for the Weekend (Soul Train Line) 
 Use Ta Be My Girl  992 Arguments  Back Stabbers (live on Soul Train)  
 Put Your Hands Together  Time to Get Down  Ship Ahoy

Melissa Harris-Perry: Kids Belong To Communities

If you ever watch MSNBC you may have noticed a series of LEAN FORWARD commercials featuring their on air opinion talent earnestly giving bromides about how we're all in this together and we need to work collectively for the common good. Usually these things are calculated to be just this side of irritating to more moderate or conservative viewers as the unsaid implication in the spots is often that conservatives are doing every thing wrong. In some respects the commercials are examples of liberals being sore winners. A recent spot featured Professor Melissa Harris-Perry. The terminology and phrases she used sent conservatives as well as a few libertarians over the deep end in rage. 

Of course I doubt this was by accident. On some other boards I frequent occasionally extremely conservative or extremely liberal people will post stories or make comments that are designed to do nothing other than get a rise out of the other side. Flame wars can easily get started that way. I won't claim I've never done that in my life (ha-ha) but it is a pretty cheap way of getting responses and in my opinion usually not as good or mature as actually creating and sharing a deeper analysis. The person who instigates this often pretends innocence and claims to be above the obviously irrational, emotional and gratuitously nasty responses the other side is showing. Sure I poked the caged tiger in the eye with a stick but that's no reason for it to get upset...

When I read the phrases the good professor used I have to believe that she or the commercial creator had to be trolling somewhat. It was reminiscent of the old Looney Tunes cartoons when Foghorn Leghorn would stroll over to the sleeping dog and kick it in the behind. Foghorn would then wait just outside the limit the chained dog could reach. When the dog choked on its collar, sputtering in rage, Foghorn would say "Aw shaddup!!" and hit the dog again. What could the Professor have said to make some people start barking and shaking their jowls in rage? Well let's see.


            

She starts out and ends with the usual progressive idea that we don't spend enough on public education and need to spend more, or as she would put it invest more. Conservatives generally disagree of course. There are good arguments on both sides here and there's room for legitimate debate. I would tend toward Professor Harris-Perry's side on this but I can see the other side. So if she had just stated that of course conservatives would have disagreed as they usually do. But what turned the intensity of disagreement up was her statement that "..We have to break through our kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents or that kids belong to their families and recognize that kids belong to whole communities."

Game recognizes game. This sent conservative trolls like Beck, Palin and Limbaugh into fits of fury. It also set off alarm bells of warning in more libertarian circles. Do you see why? 

It is a deliberate oversimplification for brevity but conservatives (with some hypocritical exceptions) broadly speaking generally want the federal and to the lesser extent the state governments to have less power regarding the individual and the family. Liberals tend to feel exactly the opposite way, feeling that the federal government ought to have more authority. Some look suspiciously at the family, often seeing it as a breeding ground for patriarchal and generally wrong-headed ideas.

So when you say that we need to get rid of the idea that kids belong to their parents or families, you probably shouldn't be surprised that that hits a nerve with conservatives and they respond. Of course in the strictest sense kids don't belong to anyone. Adults are stewards of the next generation, not owners. But that's just semantics.

Parents, not society, have the primary responsibility for children. Parents, not society, get to make virtually all of the critical decisions for children. If someone doesn't like the way someone else is raising their children, that's tough. It's the parent's job to make sure that their child has enough to eat, attends a good school, learns how to resolve conflicts, stays in good health, figures out the birds and the bees, and any number of other things. I do believe that society, or rather government has a role to play in ensuring there's a baseline to help parents do all those things but in my view that's where everyone else's role ceases.  And it must stop there. Why? Because to start with, we live in an increasingly diverse society and everyone has different ideas about how to raise children. The only way we can live together is for people to mind their own business and absent abuse let parents raise their kids as they see fit. There was another video of MSNBC personality Krystal Ball talking to her five year old daughter about gay marriage and coaching her to support it. Some conservative members of society were outraged and considered this abusive. Would Professor Harris-Perry think that since kids belong to entire communities the community would have a right to step in and teach the daughter differently? I doubt it. If you don't like how someone is raising his/her kids, either have some of your own and raise them differently or go sit down and be quiet. Those are really your only two choices unless you happen to be the child's other parent.

Secondly although it's somewhat harsh to say it, parents care more about their children than society does.That's their direct biological investment in the next generation. That's why parents have such an incentive to make sure their child does well. Law doesn't mess with that relationship lightly. Professor Harris-Perry had a follow up to her ad in which she argued that she was just deliberately misunderstood by right-wing cretins. Well maybe. But I doubt that anyone with the command of the language that the professor possesses didn't realize that confidently stating "we have to break through the private idea that kids belong to their parents" would invite attacks. And what she says in her post is different from the ad.

The elephant in the room around all of this is the fact that recently for the first time in American history there were more minority births than white ones. This raises legitimate questions and fears across the political spectrum about what will be the policy outcome of this change. Seniors or people without children already may have issues with taxes to support families. Will a more diverse workforce wish to fund retirement and medical coverage for a very white older generation? Will that white older generation feel it necessary to pay higher taxes to support schools full of children who do not look like their grandchildren? Time will tell. I think this is what the professor was really referencing.

Thoughts?

Do you agree with Professor Harris-Perry's ad?

Was she trolling?

Is this much ado about nothing?

Do you think kids belong to the community or to their parents?

North Korea: Crazy Like a Fox?

Have you ever used public transportation on a regular basis? I used to when I was younger. Fortunately I don't any longer. The problem with public transportation is the public. Most people are okay but there is often some joker at the back of the bus who stinks of excrement and body odor and spits when he talks. This person will often be carrying on a complex conversation with nobody in particular. Of course like most sane people you try to ignore this person but every now and then this person notices you. And they start a profane commentary about you, what you look like, who you're probably sleeping with (or not sleeping with), how much money you make or what a loser you are and how (occasionally depending on your gender) they would either sleep with you or knock you the f*** out. This last can escalate into threats and fights. Remember the epic bus man video or the woman who thought it was a good idea to hit the bus driver after a torrent of insults. But in most cases the person who's running his mouth all the time is generally harmless. His right hook is usually not as dangerous as his unwashed aroma. So you keep your eyes to yourself or laugh it off as the ravings of a lunatic and curse yourself for not getting a new BMW so you won't have to share rides with idiots like this. Often it's not worth getting into it physically with the crazy nut because the police might put both of you in jail or you might be late for work or the nut might have even crazier friends. Unless of course this person either assaults you or makes a credible threat to do so. Then, well you f*** with the bull, you get the horns.

In the world today that crazy bus vagrant with the killer bo would appear to be North Korea or more precisely its new leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korea has long had a reputation for unstable behavior that appears odd to those outside its borders. The new dictator, Kim Jong Un appears to want to keep up the family tradition.

He has been making threats against the US, Japan and South Korea and speaking of war as a distinct possibility. He's told foreigners that he can't guarantee their safety. He has taken more steps to put his country on high military alert. All in all he's been talking a LOT of smack, sounding similar to an East Asian Jim Jones. His neighbors Japan and South Korea are getting VERY nervous and starting to ramp up their own military readiness. Even the US is flexing muscles to show off its much greater capacity for organized violence. Everyone wants to be ready...just in case. As Sonny Corleone said in The Godfather "I don't want him [Michael] to come out of that bathroom with just his d*** in his hand!". If it's about to go down hard you probably want to get in the first shot. That's what I was always taught anyway. That's what Han Solo and Raylan Givens would do. And that's how nations tend to operate too if they can.

The problem however though is that North Korea has nuclear weapons although it may not have consistent delivery devices. So if anything like a nuclear exchange or conventional attacks did happen, it would likely be limited to the Korean peninsula and the surrounding area. As much of the surrounding area includes a little place called China, the Chinese government rather atypically released a statement that was interpreted by most observers to be a warning, or as I like to consider it, a collar pop, to North Korea.

The new Chinese President Xi Jinping, appeared to make an unusual veiled rebuke of North Korea on Sunday. "Countries, whether big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, should all contribute their share in maintaining and enhancing peace," Xi said at an international conference, the Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported. No one should be allowed to throw a region into chaos for selfish gains, he said, according to Xinhua.

The question then is why would North Korea act in a seemingly "crazy" way? Well there are a number of hypotheses, some of which overlap with each other.

• Kim Jong Un really is crazy. Full Stop. He is someone that should have been locked up and pumped full of thorazine and ritalin every 6 hours. 
• Kim Jong Un is young and unproven. He hasn't made his bones. As a result, similar to some Western politicians, he's searching for an easy "win", one that will prove to his domestic military establishment and any ambitious subordinates who may be considering a sudden and permanent change of leadership that Kim Jong Un is no punk. He's got guts and isn't going anywhere.
• Kim Jong Un is peeved about increased sanctions against North Korea and is throwing a temper tantrum to attempt to get these sanctions reduced or only enforced in theory.
• Kim Jong Un has been deliberately let off leash by the Chinese to show the Americans that there are costs to confronting the Chinese about their own massive hacking and spying operations, financial manipulations, economic protectionism, intellectual piracy and nationalist expansionism in the Pacific Ocean.

I tend to lean towards the last explanation though the second makes a lot of sense to me as well. I don't think that Kim Jong Un wants to be vaporized in a nuclear exchange or see his toilet bowl nation routinely bombed with impunity. But in diplomacy it can often be useful to give the impression that you're crazy just to get what you want. Over the next 6 months let's watch US and UN policy very closely towards China and North Korea to see if there are any alterations or tips toward those two countries. This all may be a big game. As anyone who's ever been in a serious verbal conflict knows sometimes a person says things that can't be unsaid or does things which require a physical response. And the next thing you know you're either on your way to jail for hurting someone or experiencing the wrong end of a brutal beatdown, simply because you couldn't let something go. I hope this doesn't turn out to be the case here. Let's hope that Kim Jong Un is just running his mouth. This is why I sometimes think we should have let General MacArthur finish the job all those years ago but that's life...

What are your thoughts?

HBO Game of Thrones Recap: Dark Wings, Dark Words

Wow. This episode was a little heavier on the action and jumped around more than last week's episode did. It made some additional changes from the book, some of which I can mention and others which I can't. I am growing increasingly peeved at the direction in which they're taking the Catelyn character. I wrote about this before. That aside, I liked this episode. This episode moved a lot of the story chess pieces around for events that may or may not take place later. Although I've read the books, the story is different enough now that I'm not sure what's going to happen next. And that I think is a very good thing.

The story opens up with Bran running in the woods, so obviously he's dreaming. He hears and sees his brothers Jon and Robb advising him how to shoot his bow and hears his father Ned chiding them for their laughter when he misses his target, a three eyed crow. A boy tells him that he can't kill the three eyed crow because that is him. He wakes from his dream and Osha, looking suitably disturbed, says they need to keep moving. By the way all the children are noticeably older so I hope we get new books and new HBO seasons out ASAP.
While Talisa is trying to get to know her new husband better, emotionally, not in THAT way, Roose Bolton enters and brings bad news (thus the title of the episode). Hoster Tully,  Robb's grandfather and Catelyn's father, is dead. Bran and Rickon are missing. Robb decides for both personal and political reasons to attend Hoster Tully's funeral, something that Lord Karstark is not very happy about. He's of the opinion that time is wasting.

Theon is alive! He's been captured by people who won't identify themselves or where he is. A man rips out one of Theon's fingernails. Jaime and Brienne are still heading south and trading insults. Jaime figures out that Brienne was pledged to Renly and likely sweet on him. So he points out in his charming manner that Renly was gay and probably would have preferred a throne made out of penis. The two run into a man who says he's headed for Riverrun but who notices Brienne's atypical attire and size for a woman. Jaime's suspicions are aroused and he advises Brienne to kill the man but she says unlike Jaime she doesn't roll like that. In King's Landing Cersei tries to warn Joffrey of Margaery's ambitions and to find out what he thinks of her but he shoots her down with his normal sexist (and Oedipal?) comments. This guy is a real piece of work, let me tell you. 

Sansa has told Shae of Littlefinger's plans to help her. Shae says that all men only want one thing. Sansa, showing how naive she still is, says that Littlefinger was a friend to her mother and anyway is far too old for her. In the night's best scene Sansa is invited to lunch with Margaery and Margaery's grandmother, Olenna Tyrell. This scene really brings out how people use the weapons that they have. Unlike Brienne, who is mocked and despised for her androgyny and strength, the Tyrell women are not physical threats and can not battle in that arena. But they move with ease in the feminine suites of behind the scenes influence and political manipulation. 
I like Olenna. Like a lot of older people she seems to feel free to say what's on her mind, convention be dammed.
Olenna is dismissive of the men in her life-her late husband and her son Mace, the Family titular head. She would have preferred to stay neutral in the current conflict. But since Margaery (cleavage alert!) is to marry Joffrey, Olenna wants to know from Sansa what Joffrey is like. 

At first Sansa gives her normal canned response about her family being traitors. Olenna sees right thru that and along with Margaery demands the truth. After all they're just women, what harm could there be. Sansa temporarily drops her survival mask and speaks honestly about Joffrey's brutality and murder of her father, calling Joffrey a monster. From the way Olenna and Margaery look at each other we get the very strong feeling that they already knew much of this and wanted confirmation. I imagine if nothing else it must have been something of a relief to Sansa to let her true feelings out, if only for a brief moment.

Talisa and Catelyn have a brief heart to heart the upshot of which is that Catelyn (wrongly) blames herself for the horrific events in her life. I really really really hated this scene but that's all I'm gonna say about that. North of the Wall, Mance Rayder still doesn't quite trust Jon Snow. The wildling Orell can warg (possess or see thru the eyes of) eagles and has seen the battle between the Night Watch and the White Walkers. Meanwhile Sam is depressed, tired and being insulted by his comrades. He blames them for leaving him and they point out that as he was fat and slow it made no sense for all of them to die. That makes sense to me. The Lord Commander Mormont tells Sam to quit acting like a little ***** . He tells Sam's friends that they are responsible for Sam.

Summer and Osha sense something. It turns out to be the somewhat androgynous boy Bran saw in his dreams, Jojen Reed. Osha doesn't trust him but Jojen's sister Meera gets the drop on Osha. Meera is the one with the weapons. She's apparently rather skilled. And it turns out that Summer trusts Jojen. After all of that is sorted out Jojen explains that Bran is a budding warg and also has or will have the ability to see things which happen far away as well as see things in the future or the past. Either ability is rare but to have both is unheard of. Jojen and Meera are Howland Reed's children. Reed is a Stark bannerman who once saved Ned's life. Osha grumbles that Jojen should be ashamed that Meera is a better fighter but evidently the Reed children are unfettered by patriarchal concerns. It's interesting how Ned Stark inspired such loyalty that even after his death his bannermen, friends and even former Stark enemies like Osha take risks to protect his children. There's a throwaway scene with Shae and Tyrion where we see (again) that Shae is good at her job but also somewhat jealous of Tyrion's previous sexual encounters and his offhand appreciation of Sansa's beauty.

Arya, Hotpie and Gendry run across Thoros and the Brotherhood Without Banners, a sort of Robin Hood type group. Thoros is curious as to how the three escaped Harrenhal and takes them with him. Arya and Gendry are able to mix up some truth and lies. After a meal and demonstration that Arya's sword skills are not as good as she thinks they are, the three are given leave to depart when the Hound, who's been captured by the Brotherhood, wants to know what the Brotherhood is doing with Arya Stark.
There's another good scene with Joffrey and Margaery where Joffrey shows he might have been listening to his mother's warnings about Margaery after all. He verbally attacks Margaery for being with the traitor Renly and questions her loyalty but she deflects by saying she's just a woman and Renly was gay anyway. Joffrey says he's considered outlawing sodomy. Margaery also notices that Joffrey is VERY interested in weapons and killing things. It's about the only thing that gets him sexually excited. She quickly uses that to her advantage. I like how her character is able to read people so well.

Theon is being tortured again. People want to know why he attacked Winterfell. No matter what answer he gives, they torture him. After the torturers leave a young man says he was sent by Theon's sister and will help him to escape.
Brienne and Jaime are still having their insult laden road trip when Brienne makes the mistake of letting Jaime get too close. He steals one of her swords. You can feel Jaime come alive again. A duel commences, one in which Jaime finds himself, if not quite outmatched, certainly getting more than he bargained for. In fact Brienne has him at a serious disadvantage when the fight is interrupted by people from House Bolton, a northern house. They were led to the duo by the man Brienne refused to kill earlier. Well this is Westeros. No good deed goes unpunished.


*This post is written for discussion of this episode and previous episodes. If you have book based knowledge of future events please be kind enough not to discuss that here. Most of my blog partners have not read the books and would take spoilers most unkindly. Heads, spikes, well you get the idea....