Weinerville: Why DC Colleagues Want Anthony to Hit the Road

Interesting article by Steve Kornacki in Salon.com on why Congressional Dems are not supporting Congressman Weiner when his misstep -- while personally humiliating -- is arguably less malfeasant than those ethical and other lapses committed by colleagues in his own party. Hint: Get thee to a bookstore, Congressman, and get a copy of "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Hot-dogging (ahem), alone, just won't do it.

Full story here

Film Culture: Adolfas Mekas 1925-2011

Excerpt from Hallelujah The Hills byAdolfas Mekas


Adolfas Mekas, Hallelujah the Hills, 1963 (excerpt) from RE:VOIR on Vimeo.


Adolfas Mekas (September 30, 1925 – May 31, 2011) was a Lithuanian-born film director, and brother of Jonas Mekas. He is principally known for his work in the United States.

Prior to World War II, Adolfas and Jonas Mekas had set up a theatre. Later, in a camp for displaced persons, they studied with a teacher of the Stanislavsky System.The brothers emigrated to the United States in 1949. They studied with Hans Richter before establishing Film Culture magazine in 1955.

Selections from Film Culutre  magazine (1955-1996) here

Excerpt from Film Culture: Article by Richard Leacock on "For an Uncontrolled Cinema": "Ever since the invention of the 'talking-picture' it has been blithely assumed that films are an extension of the theatre, a marvelous gadget that allows you to change scenes in an instant, yet retains the fundamental aspect of theatre in that you cause a story to be acted out before an audience (the camera) under controlled conditions. Control is of the essence.... As far back as 1906 Leo Tolstoy noted: "... It is necessary that the cinema should represent Russian reality in its most varied manifestations. For this purpose Russian life ought to be reproduced as it is by the cinema; it is not necessary to go running after invented subjects ..." Here is a proposal that has nothing to do with theatre. Tolstoy envisioned the film-maker as an observer and perhaps as a participant capturing the essence of what takes place around him, selecting, arranging but never controlling the event. Here it would be possible for the significance of what is taking place to transcend the conceptions of the film-maker because essentially he is observing that ultimate mystery, the reality. Today, fifty years after Tolstoy's death, we have reached a point in the development of cinema where this proposal is beginning to be realized."


Adolfas Mekas directed a number of films including Hallelujah the Hills (see excerpt above) and Going Home, both of which are considered landmarks of the New American Cinema movement. In 1971 he joined the newly formed film department at Bard College. He continued to teach at Bard until retiring in May 2004.

Mekas died on May 31, 2011.

Adolfas Mekas filmography:

• Hallelujah the Hills (1963)
• The Brig (1964) (with Jonas Mekas)
• Skyscraper (1965)
• The Double-Barreled Detective Story (1965)
• Windflowers (1968)
• Campeneras and Campaneros (1970)
• Going Home (1971)

Did You See the Google Home Page?

A bit hectic at the office, so I didn't get a look at this until now. In honor of Les Paul who would have been 96 today, Google offers a playable electric guitar. To play (for as long as it lasts) go here.  No wonder Google is Google. Playing your gee-tar, record it if you want. Pure Google. Pure creativity.

Bay Ridge Comes Out in Support of Marriage Equality

Photo by Henry Stewart LMagazine

Nice coverage in The L magazine of Monday's rally outside the office of NY State Senator Marty Golden, who does not support marriage equality, and who was quoted as saying that his constituents "don't give a rat's ass about social issues." A sizeable crowd of vocal South Brooklyn residents begged to differ.

And Now, a Word About America's Real Crisis: It's Still the Economy, Stupid

Obviously, the issue with NY Congressman Anthony Weiner is a political and ethical issue, but once again, it serves as a distraction from the crucial issues facing this country:

CBS News - Chronic unemployment worse than the Great Depression; link here

John Crudele in the NY Post:
"President Obama won't fully understand the mess he's in until he realizes how squishy these job figures are. And Labor is doing nothing to correct these false assumptions. Despite the fact that the economy is clearly slowing, the department this year added 206,000 phony jobs to May; last year's guess was "just" 192,000. And those 192,000 jobs had to eventually be taken out of the annual calculation. So, bottom line: The economy is in bad shape even before talk of possible budget cuts and debt ceilings disrupt it even more.

"Congress and the president long ago abdicated their role in helping the economy." Crudele also offers an interesting solution to the real estate market woes that sounds like it could have potential. More here 

I guess if you can say anything good, don't say anything at all: The Hill reports that daily economic briefings have disappeared from the White House schedule here

James Carville on the political economy in the Daily Caller: "Who ever thought the saying, “It’s the economy stupid,” from James Carville in 1992 would become a staple in presidential elections 20 years later?

"That expression made its way into the campaign in 2008, and according to Carville, it could be the theme of the 2012 campaign as well as President Barack Obama seeks reelection. In an appearance on Monday’s “Imus in the Morning” on the Fox Business Network, the former Clinton adviser said that, based on the May jobs number, if the unemployment picture doesn’t improve, 2012 could be rough for the president."

Referencing "This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly", a 2009 book by Carmen M. Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff, Carville notes that the current economic situation, as with similar crises of this magnitude, will take time to work itself out and there may be little Obama can do.

“It is going to be very difficult,” Carville said. “But the country, if that is what we are doing, this is gruesome on people. This unemployment rate for this long is a humanitarian crisis of the first magnitude. This financial crisis, people have studied this by the way, they know that the things take this long to work their way through. The aftermath of these things — kind of an academic book that is dry entitled ‘This Time is Different.’ What it concluded is that it is not different this time. They studied it, the aftermath of the financial crisis. What we are going through is imminently predictable. But this is a terrible thing that has happened to people’s lives. I think the president at one level understands that, you know. But he is limited in what he can do. So we’ll just have to see. But it’s going to be hard. If 54,000 jobs is the new norm — this is going to be very, very tough.

You know, look — this is a humanitarian — you know, you’re smart enough to see this,” Carville said. “People, you know, if it continues, we’re going to start to see civil unrest in this country. I hate to say that, but I think it’s imminently possible.”   More here

US Representative Anthony Weiner Schedules Press Conference for 4 PM

US Representative Anthony Weiner has scheduled a Press Conference for 4 pm following the website http://www.biggovernment.com/ 's posting of photos that appear to unmistakably show the Congressman sitting shirtless in front of a webcam; photos which evidently were sent to a young woman. This follows a week of denial and obfuscation. What this has to do with governance is anyone's guess, but in the context of the current continuing culture wars and gotcha politics, it appears fair is fair, and the American Way of Desire will have likely have claimed another political career.
-Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn

NY1 reporting that Congressman Weiner WILL NOT RESIGN. More to come.

GET HAPPY! Make NYC Your Gym: The BeFitNYC Initiative

After a summer road trip to Pittsburgh of all places, we found a new path and began going to the gym regularly for intensive and relaxing cardio workouts. That coupled with getting control of my all American eating habits have made me a more happy fella. I know, it is a bit like finding religion, but as the saying goes, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The NYC Department of Health is making that first step a little easier by offering a chance to get out for some easy exercise all NYC . Beginning Monday, June 6, with a flash mob Zumba workout in Madison Square Park at  at 111:30 AM, there will be a variety of activities, culminating in a fitness festival in Washington Square Park on Sunday, June 12. These opportunities, coupled with the myriad of fitness opportunities available throughout NYC provide a great chance for you and your family to get on the road to better health. All it takes is a single step to start. 

Bob Dylan Fist Bumps-- Who Knew?

Funny little video vignette of Chumlee from the show Pawn Star wandering around Vegas trying to get Bob Dylan's autograph -- and succeeding. Really?



Links here and here

CODA: Yo, Whose Got the Best Pizza in Bay Ridge? The Bay Ridge Democrats' Dough Raiser Gives the Answer

Madonn' ! Talk about the slice heard 'round the world ...(or at least in Brooklyn south)...

Bay Ridge Pizza (7704 5th Avenue), a last minute entry to the Bay Ridge Democrats' "Dough-Raiser" on Thursday evening, proved you have to be in it to win it when they threw the Bay Ridge pizza world into turmoil with their runaway victory in all 3 categories!!

Best Slice Overall: Bay Ridge Pizza / Peppino's (Runner-up)
Best Sauce: Bay Ridge Pizza / Nino's (Runner-up)
Best Crust: Bay Ridge Pizza / Mancini's (Runner-up)

The Bay Ridge Democrats who hosted the event thanked all the participants: Bay Ridge Pizza, Eleganté, Gino's, Mancini's, Nino's, Peppino's, Pizza Wagon and a homemade entry from Bay Ridge resident Tom Quigley

Justin Brannan, President of BRD, also offered a "Big thanks to The Pour House, Councilman Vincent Gentile, Assemblyman Brook-Krasny, BBP Chief of Staff Carlo Scissura and Public Advocate Bill deBlasio, as well as to everyone who attended to support Democracy in Bay Ridge!"

Yo, Whose Got the Best Pizza in Bay Ridge? Find Out at the Bay Ridge Democrats' Dough Raiser Tonight!

TO JOIN ME
ANDTHE BAY RIDGE
DEMOCRATS TO CHOOSE THE BEST PIZZA
IN BAY RIDGE!

 




   

The best pizza in Bay Ridge?

The Bay Ridge Democrats Want YOU to decide!

Come sample slices from Bay Ridge’s best pizzerias as they go to crust-to-crust and compete for YOUR vote!

$35 contribution includes free pizza and one drink courtesy of the Pour House:

The Pour House

7901 Third Avenue (between 79th & 80th Streets on Third Ave in Bay Ridge)

Brooklyn, New York

RSVP to BayRidgeDems@aol.com (or just come by)

Hosted by the Bay Ridge Democrats, putting the fun back in progressive politics in Brooklyn.



Invited speakers include:

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer

Congressman Jerrold Nadler

Congressman Anthony Weiner

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman

Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny

New York City Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio

New York City Comptroller John Liu

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn

New York City Councilman Vincent Gentile

Be there or be square.....

......unless you prefer round, of course.

The Weather Channel Tornado Index: Low Chance for NYC (but be safe out there)

Although since heavy rain and strong wind possible, caution is always the wise course of action, at 2:15 PM, The Weather Channel TOR:CON Tornado Watch Index gives a 3-4 for south and eastern NY State and NJ. which is:

TOR:CON Value Descriptions

•8: High probability of a tornado
•6: Moderate possibility of a tornado
•4: Low chance of a tornado nearby, but hail and/or strong wind gusts possible
•2: Very low chance of a tornado, but hail and/or strong wind gusts possible
•0: Near-zero chance of a tornado or a severe thunderstorm

More on Dr. Greg Forbes' exclusive TOR:CON index and updates here

"Too Big To Fail":"First as Tragedy, Next as Farce"

Having just slogged through Andrew Sorkin's "Too Big To Fail" and caught the HBO docu drama, both the door-stopping book and director Curtis Hanson's very watchable but Olympian film (as in the Mountain, not the athletes) left me a bit cold. Sure, as Alexander Hamilton foretold, large debt and big business were the keys to American greatness. But, of course, the pursuit of happiness doesn't mean everyone will achieve it. So the book's interplay of the mini-biographies of the Wall Street players who featured so largely in the 2008 Financial Crisis, with a single photo of one of those titan's being confronted on the bailout by Main Streeters, coupled with the briefly titled epilogue regarding Wall Street bonuses and the corporation's failure to use the money to loan out, only marginally addresses how the popular wisdom that "the economy needed to be saved and only Wall Street with the cooperation of the American government could do it" by-passes the required analysis that this problematic and, for many (in the short term and for most in the long term), disastrous situation deserves.

As the NY Observer noted today, is Andrew Sorkin "too cozy with Wall Street"?

As philosopher/cultural theorist Slavoj Zizek noted in his book "First as Tragedy; Next as Farce" (Verso books) -- billions of dollars have been hastily poured into the global banking system in a frantic attempt at financial stabilization. So why has it not been possible to bring the same forces to bear in addressing world poverty and environmental crisis?


An interesting analysis of the book and some of Zizek's analysis may be viewed in RSA Animate based on Slavoj Zizek's book, "First as Tragedy; Next as Farce." If you sat through Too Big To Fail, this might also be more than worthy of a look. He may not have all the answers, but Zizek certainly raises many challenging questions.



And, if challenging analysis isn't your thing, and you need to have your illusions reinforced, here is a trailer from HBO's "TBTF":

Trailer

 

Egyptian Post-Mubarak Military Council vs. Egyptian Women Who Protest: Beatings, Torture, "Virginity Tests"

The Associated Press in a Washington Post article reports that activists and bloggers are pressing Egypt’s military rulers to investigate accusations of serious abuses against protesters, including claims that soldiers subjected female detainees to so-called “virginity tests.” (DITHOB notes that while the focus in the mainstream media has been on the "virginity tests" which thenmselves are a primitive, loathsome action, these also have been followed by beatings, torture/electric shocks and "suspended" prison sentences by the Egyptian military of the women who were detailed/arrested.)


AP reports that bloggers say they will hold a day of online protest Wednesday to voice their outrage, adding to criticism of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which took control of the country from ousted President Hosni Mubarak in February."

In the face of the criticism, four journalists along with a prominent blogger were summoned for questioning by the military prosecutor, according to a rights group. They were released without charges."


Hossam al-Hamalawy, the blogger, tweeted: “The visit to the military prosecutor became a chat, where they wanted clarifications for my accusations.”

The virginity test allegations first surfaced after a March 9 rally in Cairo’s Tahrir Square that turned violent when men in plainclothes attacked protesters and the army intervened forcefully to clear the square."

One woman who was arrested spoke out about her treatment, and Amnesty International further documented the abuse allegations in a report that found 18 female detainees were threatened with prostitution charges and forced to undergo virginity tests. They were also beaten up and given electric shocks, the report said."

Egypt’s military rulers have come under heavy criticism from the youth protest movement, which is upset at the pace of reforms that they hope will lead Egypt to democracy.Since Mubarak’s fall on Feb. 11, the military has led crackdowns on peaceful protests, and critics accuse it of failing to restore security in the streets or launch serious national dialogue on a clear path forward for Egypt.

The military council denied soldiers attacked protesters at the March 9 rally. But one general used a news conference to make negative remarks about women who mingle with men during the sit-ins and suggested lewd acts were taking place in protest camps.

“There were girls with young men in one tent. Is this rational? There were drugs; pay attention!” Gen. Ismail Etman, the council spokesman, said at the end of March.

"One of the women arrested, Salwa al-Husseini, gave a detailed account at a news conference in March of her treatment and said she was made to undergo a virginity test.She said she was slapped in the face and subjected to electric shocks in her legs before being taken to a military prison.

“When we went to the military prison, me and the girls, we were placed in a room with two doors and a window. The two doors were wide open,” she said. “The girl takes off all her clothes to be searched while there were cameras outside filming to fabricate prostitution charges against us later on,” she added.

“The girl who says she is single, she undergoes a test by someone; we don’t know if he is a soldier or some kid on their behalf,” she said.

Amnesty said in its report that one of the women told her jailers she was a virgin but was beaten and given electric shocks when the test supposedly proved otherwise."
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, in a statement Tuesday, said that the questioning of journalists or bloggers was an attempt to silence critics and create “an atmosphere of fear.” It warned: “The military council is committing a grave mistake if it continues to shut the mouths of those criticizing it. The council is not made up of angels.”

Full article here

Dance Africa Festival at BAM

Photos by Anthony Napoli 2011

Wonderful singing and dancing, music and riddims on Lafayette Place. Outdoor market bazaar. Every artform explored through the lens of the African (and African American) experience. It can only mean the 2011  Dance Africa Festival is underway at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Through May 30. More info here

East 17th Street in Flatbush Becomes "Saul Bruckner Way"

Edward R. Murrow High School, home to more than 3,000 students, stretches along East 17th Street, between Ave. M and Ave. L in Brooklyn. Starting Thursday, however, that block will be called Saul Bruckner Way, to honor the school’s founder and long-time principal, who passed away last year.

In time for the street renaming, current Murrow senior Man La

drew an oil portrait of Bruckner standing with arms crossed — his signature pose —

against a backdrop of a blue-tiled school hallway.

Full article from the WSJ Here