Vets and Suicide: Even Worse Than We Thought

Over ten years ago, I started writing regular pieces at Editor & Publisher and elsewhere (and then in my book So Wrong for So Long) on the then-hidden but surging problem of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and vets of those wars, attempting suicide.  One of my first, then regular, sources was Paul Reickhoff, director of leading vet group IAVA.    Today his group came out with a survey that goes beyond the continuing rise in suicides.

Nearly one in three post-9/11 veterans – 30 percent – has considered suicide. Forty-five percent of those who served Iraq and Afghanistan know a veteran who has thought about taking his or her own life. And 37 percent know a veteran who has committed suicide.

Those grim statistics are among the results of a new survey released Wednesday conducted by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA.) The study, which IAVA does annually, also found deep unhappiness at how lawmakers in Washington treats those who put their lives on the line in combat.

Go to the Mattress

Amazing Craig's List ad by San Fran woman selling mattress, with bad vibes embedded.  "It's three years old, and feels like you're sleeping on a fucking cloud - even when you're unknowingly sleeping next to a lying cheater. In a bad relationship and have to lie next to the constant reminder that you didn't go to grad school so that you could move and get engaged? Then this is the bed for you, it will get you to fucking REM and for 6-8 hours every night you'll forget that you're sleeping next to a sociopath."

Zimmerman, Gunning for Trouble

George Zimmerman pulled over for speeding in Texas, and gun in glove compartment.  Tells officer going nowhere in particular.  And there's a dashboard cam of it.

The Day After

My piece at The Nation on reaction of Manning verdict and start of sentencing drama today.

The Animated Manning Verdict

Yes, those wacky Taiwanese have struck again.

Countdown to Hiroshima for July 31, 1945: Top Truman Aide Opposes Use of Bomb

Each summer I count down the days to the atomic bombing of Japan (August 6 and August 9, 1945),  marking events from the same day in 1945.  I've written  three books on the subject:  Hiroshima in America (with Robert Jay Lifton),  Atomic Cover-Up (on the decades-long suppression of shocking film shot in the atomic cities by the U.S. military),  and Hollywood Bomb  (the wild story of how an MGM 1947 drama was censored by the military and Truman himself).


July 31, 1945: The assembly of Little Boy is completed. It is ready for use the next day.  But a  typhoon approaching Japan will likely prevent launching an attack. Several days might be  required for weather to clear.

--In Germany, Admiral William D. Leahy, chief of staff to Truman--and the highest-ranking U.S. military officer during the war--continues to privately express doubts about the bomb, that it may not work and is not needed,  in any case.  He would later  write in his memoirs: 

"It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. The Japanese were already defeated and ready to surrender because of the effective sea blockade and the successful bombing with conventional weapons.

"The lethal possibilities of atomic warfare in the future are frightening. My own feeling was that in being the first to use it, we had adopted an ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages. I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and wars cannot be won by destroying women and children."

--Secretary of War Stimson sends semi-final draft of statement for Truman to read when first bomb used and he has to explain its use, and the entire bomb project, to the U.S. and the world, with this cover note: "Attached are two copies of the revised statement which has been prepared for release by you as soon as the new weapon is used. This is the statement about which I cabled you last night.  The reason for the haste is that I was informed only yesterday that, weather permitting, it is likely that the weapon will be used as early as August 1st, Pacific Ocean Time, which as you know is a good many hours ahead of Washington time."

It is an atomic bomb. It is a harnessing of the basic power of the universe. The force from which the sun draws its power has been loosed against those who brought war to the Far East.

July 30, 1945:  Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, commander of U.S. troops in Europe, has visited President Truman in Germany, and would recall what happened in his memoir (Mandate for Change):   "Secretary of War Stimson, visiting my headquarters in Germany, informed me that our government was preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. I was one of those who felt that there were a number of cogent reasons to question the wisdom of such an act...

"During his recitation of the relevant facts, I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. It was my belief that Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of 'face'. The Secretary was deeply perturbed by my attitude..."

In a Newsweek interview, Ike would add:  "...the Japanese were ready to surrender and it wasn't necessary to hit them with that awful thing."

-- Stimson, now back at the Pentagon, cabled  Truman, that he had drafted a statement for the president that would follow the first use of the new weapon—and Truman must urgently review it because the bomb could be used as early as August 1. Stimson sent one of his aides to Germany with two copies of the statement. The Top Secret, six-page typed statement opened: “__ hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on ____ and destroyed its usefulness to the enemy. That bomb has more power than 20,000 tons of TNT…. It is an atomic bomb. It is a harnessing of the basic power of the universe.”

In his diary, Stimson noted that at the end he had put more “pep” into the document to make it more
“dramatic.” Later, as we will see, the claim that Hiroshima was merely “a military base” was added to the draft.

—After scientists sifted more data from the July 16 Trinity test of the first weapon, Gen. Leslie R. Groves, military head of the Manhattan Project provided Gen. George Marshall, our top commander, with more detail on the destructive power of atomic weapons. Amazingly, despite the new evidence, Groves recommended that troops could move into the “immediate explosion area” within a half hour" (and, indeed, in future bomb tests soldiers would march under the mushroom clouds and receive harmful doses of radiation).  Groves also provided the schedule for the delivery of the weapons: By the end of November more than ten weapons would be available, in the event the war had continued.

 —Groves faced a new problem, however. Gen. “Tooey” Spaatz on Guam urgently cabled that sources suggested that there was an Allied prisoner of war camp in Nagasaki just a mile north of the center of the city. Should it remain on the target list?” Groves, who had already dropped Kyoto from the list after Stimson had protested, refused to shift. In another cable Spaatz revealed that there were no POW camps in Hiroshima, or so they believed. This firmed up Groves’s position that Hiroshima should “be given top priority,” weather permitting. As it turned out, POWs died in both cities from the bombing.

 —Truman’s diary today had no mention of the bomb but he did write: “If Stalin should suddenly cash in it would end the original Big Three. First Roosevelt by death, then Churchill by political failure and then Stalin. I am wondering what would happen to Russia and central Europe if Joe suddenly passed out. If some demagogue on horse back gained control of the efficient Russian military machine he could play havoc with European peace for a while.”

New Scoop from Greenwald/Snowden on NSA Online Snooping

UPDATE  Charlie Savage at NYT just out with major report, which also cites the new Greenwald:  "The Obama administration on Wednesday released formerly classified documents outlining a once-secret program of the National Security Agency that is collecting records of all domestic phone calls in the United States, as top officials testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee."

Earlier:

Just out at The Guardian, a big one.   And see key doc here.  

A top secret National Security Agency program allows analysts to search with no prior authorization through vast databases containing emails, online chats and the browsing histories of millions of individuals, according to documents provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The NSA boasts in training materials that the program, called XKeyscore, is its "widest reaching" system for developing intelligence from the internet.

The latest revelations will add to the intense public and congressional debate around the extent of NSA surveillance programs. They come as senior intelligence officials testify to the Senate judiciary committee on Wednesday, releasing classified documents in response to the Guardian's earlier stories on bulk collection of phone records and Fisa surveillance court oversight.

Greenwald vs. Toobin on CNN Re: Manning

UPDATE:  Now there's video.

Earlier:  Anderson Cooper's show had major segment just now with hot debate, Glenn Greeenwald vs. Jeffrey Toobin,  on who has sharply criticized Bradley Manning throughout.  Tonight Toobin says what Manning did was "appalling" and "disgraced others in military" and others.  Greenwald disagrees, points out bad people in government get away with crimes all the time and media often say little.   Journos like Bob Woodward has written "book after book" revealing bigger secrets--and Toobin, he says,  would never talk about him that way.   "People leaking all the time."

Toobin admits leaking done but "Manning released 700,000 or more cables."  Says "wrong" to say that's okay.  "Woodward a separate story," has noting to do with this.

Greenwald says government has "limited rights to secrecy" but that has been "abused."  The government "reflexively marks everything secret."  Says "baffling" that journos criticize Manning when what he did was what journalists are supposed to do.  Toobin: "It's not up to Bradley Manning to disclose."  Says "Don't know about you, Glenn,  but I admire the foreign service."

Greenwald says back in '70s they said Ellsberg was a traitor.  Then re cites litany of journalists in recent years, such as Dana Priest, who have been attacked fofr disclosing torture and black sites and the rest.    Greenwald: "If you're saying that is criminal" what kind of journalist are you?"  Toobin rejects that, says "thanks for the journalism education," and claims Priest and Woodward much different.  And Ellsberg just released papers he helped write himself.

AC points out that government has now said Manning leaks caused little danger.  Toobin still tries to claim threats and dangers for the future.  He adds will have big effect on Snowden--now likely to stay away from USA for sure.  Toobin also harsh critic of Snowden.

Greenwald: "So many people start sentence with 'I wish more transparency' then attack whistleblowers." 

Assange on Manning Verdict

Julian Assange just released full statement on verdict:

Today Bradley Manning, a whistleblower, was convicted by a military court at Fort Meade of 19 offences for supplying the press with information, including five counts of ’espionage’. He now faces a maximum sentence of 136 years.

The ’aiding the enemy’ charge has fallen away. It was only included, it seems, to make calling journalism ’espionage’ seem reasonable. It is not.
Bradley Manning’s alleged disclosures have exposed war crimes, sparked revolutions, and induced democratic reform. He is the quintessential whistleblower.

This is the first ever espionage conviction against a whistleblower. It is a dangerous precedent and an example of national security extremism. It is a short sighted judgment that can not be tolerated and must be reversed. It can never be that conveying true information to the public is ’espionage’.

President Obama has initiated more espionage proceedings against whistleblowers and publishers than all previous presidents combined.

In 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama ran on a platform that praised whistleblowing as an act of courage and patriotism. That platform has been comprehensively betrayed. His campaign document described whistleblowers as watchdogs when government abuses its authority. It was removed from the internet last week.

Throughout the proceedings there has been a conspicuous absence: the absence of any victim. The prosecution did not present evidence that - or even claim that - a single person came to harm as a result of Bradley Manning’s disclosures. The government never claimed Mr. Manning was working for a foreign power.

The only ’victim’ was the US government’s wounded pride, but the abuse of this fine young man was never the way to restore it. Rather, the abuse of Bradley Manning has left the world with a sense of disgust at how low the Obama administration has fallen. It is not a sign of strength, but of weakness.

The judge has allowed the prosecution to substantially alter the charges after both the defense and the prosecution had rested their cases, permitted the prosecution 141 witnesses and extensive secret testimony. The government kept Bradley Manning in a cage, stripped him naked and isolated him in order to crack him, an act formally condemned by the United Nations Special Rapporteur for torture. This was never a fair trial.

The Obama administration has been chipping away democratic freedoms in the United States. With today’s verdict, Obama has hacked off much more. The administration is intent on deterring and silencing whistleblowers, intent on weakening freedom of the press.

The US first amendment states that "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press". What part of ’no’ does Barack Obama fail to comprehend?

'NYT': Give Manning Only 'Moderate' Sentence

The NYT is just out with an editorial on the Manning verdict, expressing some sympathy for him and raising red flags about Obama crackdown on whistleblowers, abuse of secrecy, and more.  Concludes, happily, with this: 

Mr. Manning still faces the equivalent of several life sentences on the espionage counts regarding disclosure of classified information. The government should satisfy itself with a more moderate sentence and then do something about its addiction to secrecy.

Scahill and Yours Truly on Manning Verdict

Jeremy joined me with Amy Goodman just after verdict, and he hit media coverage hard.

Manning 'Not Guilty' of Aiding Enemy But Guilty of 19 Others

See my piece at The Nation.  I was on Democracy Now! with Jeremy Scahill in the aftermath.  Just-released transcript of judge's full rulings--again,  hat-tip to Press Freedom foundation.   My book on case with Kevin Gosztola, one of very few to cover hearings and trial for over a year, now updated.   NYT collects reactions.    UPDATE:  Gosztola just said on Democracy Now that sentencing arguments may take two to three weeks.  Will be very "contentious" with no "stipulation" of testimony.  As I've noted, more than a dozen witnessed lined up by both sides.   Defense calling more witnesses than in trial. 

Here's statement from Manning family, from an aunt, sent to The Guardian:

While we are obviously disappointed in today’s verdicts, we are happy that Judge Lind agreed with us that Brad never intended to help America’s enemies in any way. Brad loves his country and was proud to wear its uniform.

We want to express our deep thanks to David Coombs, who has dedicated three years of his life to serving as lead counsel in Brad’s case. We also want to thank Brad’s Army defense team, Major Thomas Hurley and Captain Joshua Tooman, for their tireless efforts on Brad’s behalf, and Brad’s first defense counsel, Captain Paul Bouchard, who was so helpful to all of us in those early confusing days and first suggested David Coombs as Brad’s counsel.

Most of all, we would like to thank the thousands of people who rallied to Brad’s cause, providing financial and emotional support throughout this long and difficult time, especially Jeff Paterson and Courage to Resist and the Bradley Manning Support Network. Their support has allowed a young Army private to defend himself against the full might of not only the US Army but also the US Government.

ACLU statement:

A military court-martial today found Pfc. Bradley Manning guilty of multiple charges under the Espionage Act for giving classified material to WikiLeaks, but not guilty of aiding the enemy.

"While we're relieved that Mr. Manning was acquitted of the most dangerous charge, the ACLU has long held the view that leaks to the press in the public interest should not be prosecuted under the Espionage Act," said Ben Wizner, director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy and Technology Project. "Since Manning already pleaded guilty to charges of leaking information – which carry significant punishment – it seems clear that the government was seeking to intimidate anyone who might consider revealing valuable information in the future."

Amnesty International’s Senior Director of International Law and Policy Widney Brown said:

“The government’s priorities are upside down. The US government has refused to investigate credible allegations of torture and other crimes under international law despite overwhelming evidence.

“Yet they decided to prosecute Manning who it seems was trying to do the right thing - reveal credible evidence of unlawful behaviour by the government. You investigate and prosecute those who destroy the credibility of the government by engaging in acts such as torture which are prohibited under the US Constitution and in international law.

“The government’s pursuit of the ‘aiding the enemy’ charge was a serious overreach of the law, not least because there was no credible evidence of Manning’s intent to harm the USA by releasing classified information to WikiLeaks.

“Since the attacks of September 11, we have seen the US government use the issue of national security to defend a whole range of actions that are unlawful under international and domestic law.

“It’s hard not to draw the conclusion that Manning's trial was about sending a message: the US government will come after you, no holds barred, if you're thinking of revealing evidence of its unlawful behaviour.”

Hypocrisy, Thy Name is Fox

UPDATE:  A host of religion writers and directors of news services on religion have now blasted Green and Fox for this.   See lengthy Media Matters collection of comments. 

Earlier: To no one's surprise, it turns out that religion host Lauren Green, now infamous for that interview with Reza Aslan last Friday in which she demanded to know how he got the nerve, as a Muslim, to write a bestselling book on Christianity--surely, he is biased!--failed to ask the same sort of questions a Southern Baptist author who wrote a book about Islam.   Watch it here.  BTW, reports today that Green was actually Roger Ailes' first hire at Fox... Meanwhile, Aslan's book is #1 on Amazon and #2 at the NYT.

conservatives and other Fox defenders now going after Aslan for allegedly misrepresenting his expert credentials.  See here, one of the more restrained critiques, and check out comments there. 

Hansard, Following Slowly With Bruce

One of my faves, Glen Hansard, got to play with Springsteen in his native Ireland this weekend.  Glen still playing the guitar with the big hole in it.

Countdown to Hiroshima for July 28-29,1945: American POWs in Target Cities?

Each summer I count down the days to the atomic bombing of Japan (August 6 and August 9, 1945),  marking events from the same day in 1945.  See my daily reports for the previous two weeks here.  And for past two days here.  I've written  three books on the subject:  Hiroshima in America (with Robert Jay Lifton),  Atomic Cover-Up (on the decades-long suppression of shocking film shot in the atomic cities by the U.S. military),  and Hollywood Bomb  (the wild story of how an MGM 1947 drama was censored by the military and Truman himself).

July 29, 1945:  Assembling of the first atomic bomb continued at Tinian. It would likely be ready on August 1 and the first use would be dictated by the weather.

--The second bomb—the plutonium device—was still back in the States. The target list, with Hiroshima as #1, remained in place, although it was being studied for the presence of POW camps holding Americans in the target sites (indeed, several American POWs would be slain by the bomb in Hiroshima).

—Japanese sub sinks the U.S.S. Indianapolis, killing over 800 American seamen. If it had happened three days earlier, the atomic bomb the ship was carrying to Tinian would have never made it.

--A Newsweek story observes: “As Allied air and sea attacks hammered the stricken homeland, Japan’s leaders assessed the war situation and found it bordering on the disastrous…. As usual, the nation’s propaganda media spewed out brave double-talk of hope and defiance.” But it adds: “Behind the curtain, Japan had put forward at least one definite offer. Fearing the results of Russian participation in the war, Tokyo transmitted to Generaliissimo Stalin the broad terms on which it professed willingness to settle all scores.

--Secretary of War Stimson began work on the statement on the first use of the bomb that President Truman would record or release in a few days, assuming the bomb worked.  It would portray Hiroshima as simply a "military base," not even a city.

--Truman wrote letter to wife Bess from Potsdam on deals there (but does not mention A-bomb discussions with Soviets): “I like Stalin. He is straightforward, knows what he wants and will compromise when he can’t get it. His Foreign Minister isn’t so forthright."  He had also written kind words about Stalin in his diary in the past ten days.

-- Joseph Davies, the influential former ambassador to the Soviet Union,  in his diary recounts warning Secretary of State Jimmy Byrnes today that the new bomb has severe "psychological effects" beyond the physical--particularly on the Russians, and not in the positive ways Byrnes was counting on.    Presciently he writes that using and further developing the bomb with no cooperation with our allies, the Russians, will create "hostility" leading to a "race" in the laboratories threatening "annihiliation" of both countries.

July 28, 1945: Two days after receiving it, the Japanese leadership  rejected the Potsdam declaration calling for their "unconditional" surrender, or seemed to. The official word was that it would ignore the demand mokusatsu, or "with silence." Another translation, however, is "to withhold comment." This not-quite-rejection has led some historians to suggest that the U.S. should have pursued the confusing Japanese peace feelers already circulating, especially with suggestions that unconditional terms were the main, or perhaps only, obstacles.

--Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal had breakfast with Truman at Potsdam.  He had flown there at least partly to press the president to pursue Japanese peace feelers--especially concerning letting them keep their emperor-- before using the bomb and killing countless civilians.

 --Returning to Washington from Potsdam, Secretary of War Henry Stimson consulted with the top people at Los Alamos about the bomb (or "S-1" as it was then known) and wrote in his diary. "Everything seems to be going well."

 --U.S. Ambassador to Moscow Joseph Davies wrote in his diary that Secretary of State James Byrnes was overly excited by the success of the bomb test vis-a-vis future relations with our allies, the Soviets: "Byrnes' attitude that the atomic bomb assured ultimate success in negotiations disturbed me more than his description of its success amazed me. I told him the threat wouldn't work, and might do irreparable harm." Four days earlier, Byrnes aide Walter Brown had written in his diary that Byrnes' view was that "after atomic bomb Japan will surrender and Russia will not get in so much on the kill." The Soviets were scheduled to enter the war on August 7 (which might have prompted a Japanese surrender, even without use of the Bomb), so there was some urgency.

--A U.S. bombing raid on the small Japanese city of Aomori -- which had little military significance beyond being a transportation hub -- dropped 83,000 incendiaries and destroyed almost the entire city, killing at least 2,000 civilians.

Screening and Talking Tonight

I'll be interviewing the director of "Orchestra of Exiles" tonight at Rivertown Film in Nyack after a screening. The doc probes famed violinist who founded Israel Philharmonic in 1930s and got dozens of musicians out of Germany and Austria and Poland in the 1930s.

UPDATE:  Video of our Q & A afterwards. 

Occupy Wall St. vs. Sorkin

Occupy was featured again tonight on Newsroom, with one of the Newsroomers--the blog guy, naturally--even getting busted at an early  protest (but getting the key footage out) and then being sprung by Jeff Daniels.    Here's how some OWS folks responded to how Aaron Sorkin handled them in the first episode last week, plus a clip of scene coming up in early August below.  Actress Aya Cobbwho plays an OWS "leader" or non-leader, at left.   UPDATE:  More mockery of Occupy in July 28 episode, coming from exec producer gal on show.   But she agrees to give OWS "spokeswoman" five minutes with Jeff Daniels.

Dylan Raises Electric Flag

48 years ago, at Newport.

Totally Gaye

Amazing acapella Marvin Gaye version of his "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."   No auto-tuning, young 'uns.  Though most say it's just the track from the record, isolated with video matched perfectly. Still.  BTW, if you're a fan of music of that period, you might enjoy this.


Marvin Gaye - I Heard Throught the Grapevine... by Vilosophe

Real-Life 'Fruitvale'

If you have somehow missed real-life incident that inspired Fruitvale Station (which I'll see today).

Today's Tale from Gun Nutty USA

Gunman shoots and kills six neighbors in Hialeah, Fla., including girl, 17, then dies himself, and it hardly causes a ripple.  Had plenty more ammo and could have killed dozens.   Just another mass murder in USA, 2013. 

Countdown to Hiroshima, For July 27, 1945

Each summer I count down the days to the atomic bombing of Japan (August 6 and August 9, 1945),  marking events from the same day in 1945.  See my daily reports for the previous two weeks here and yesterday here.  I've written  three books on the subject:  Hiroshima in America (with Robert Jay Lifton),  Atomic Cover-Up (on the decades-long suppression of shocking film shot in the atomic cities by the U.S. military),  and Hollywood Bomb  (the wild story of how an MGM 1947 drama was censored by the military and Truman himself).

July 27, 1945:  Truman continued to meet with Allied leaders in Germany, the Soviets got ready to declare war on Japan (“fini Japs” when that happened, even without the bomb, Truman had written in his diary), and preparations to get the first A-bomb ready for use were finalized. The Japanese government released an edited version of the “unconditonal surrender” Potsdam declaration to their press and citizens, but had not yet rejected it. The Domei news agency had already predicted that the surrender demand “would be ignored.”  The U.S., after use of bomb, would accept conditional surrender--with Japan allowed to keep its emperor.

Eleven days after the first, and quite secret, atomic test at Trinity, which spread wide clouds of radioactive fallout over residents downwind—livestock had been sickened or killed—radiation experts  had become concerned about the exposure for one family, the shape of things to come.

“A Petition to the President of the United States” organized by famed nuclear scientist Leo Szilard, and signed by sixty-eight of his Los Alamos colleagues, urgently urging delay or extreme caution on the use of the new weapon against Japan, continued to be held in  limbo and kept from the President while Truman remained abroad.

July 26, 1945:  Early this day, Chief of Staff Gen.George Marshall cabled to Gen. Leslie Groves, military chief of the Manhattan Project back in Washington, DC, his approval of a directive sent by Groves the night before. It read: “1. The 509th Composite Group, Twentieth Air Force, will deliver its first special bomb as soon as weather will permit visual bombing after about 3 August 1945 on one of the targets: Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata and Nagasaki…. 2. Additional bombs will be delivered on the above tagets as soon as made ready by the project staff…..”

This assembly-line approach would have tragic consequences for the city of Nagasaki.  In a 1946 letter to Stimson, Truman reminded him that he had ordered the bombs used against cities engaged “exclusively” in war work. Truman would later write in his memoirs, “With this order the the wheels were set in motion for the first use of an atomic weapon against a military target.” As noted yesterday, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were far from being merely "military" targets.

The other major event from this day was equally significant. The Potsdam Declaration was issued in Germany by the United States, Britain and China. (The Soviet Union was still ostensibly not at war with Japan but agreed to enter the conflict around August 7. This has led some to suggest that we used the bombs quickly to try to end the war before the Russians could claim much new territory.)  The declaration ordered Japan to surrender immediately and unconditionally or face a reign of ruin—“prompt and utter destruction”—although the new weapon was not mentioned (such a warning had been considered by Truman but rejected).

Much was made of the importance of the “unconditional” aspect but three weeks later, after the use of the new bombs, we accepted a major condition, allowing the Japanese to keep their emperor, and still called the surrender “unconditonal.” Some historians believe that if we had agreed to that condition earlier Japan might have started the surrender process before the use of the atomic bombs. Others believe an explicit warning to the Japanese, or a demonstration of the new weapon offshore in Japan, would have speeded the surrender process. But the Potsdam Declaration set US policy in stone.

J.J. Cale Dead at 74

UPDATE:   Very early rockabilly cut from the late J.J. Cale recording as "Johnny Cale."  And here's his 1966  demo of "After Midnight" that Eric Clapton came upon four years later and made his career.  Also, here's his "Louisiana Women" done by the great Waylon Jennings, breaking the ultra-cool meter.  And here he's does Cale's "Clyde."
Earlier: When I was at Crawdaddy for nearly all of the 1970s, where we favored little-known rootsy writers and musicians, usually to our commercial detriment (and ultimately, doom) he was kind of our ideal.  J.J. Cale's 1972 debut album Naturally was virtually our album of that year, every relaxed but biting cut, with his guitar,  a near-classic, and not just  "Call Me the Breeze" and "After Midnight," a hit for Eric Clapton (see them play live at bottom).  He went to record other great music for decades, but now has died of a heart attack in L.A.  at age 74.  More here.

Eric Clapton is one of many musicians who have noted J.J’s influence on their music. They include Mark Knopfler, Neil Young, Bryan Ferry, and “jam bands” like Widespread Panic. Clapton, when asked by Vanity Fair several years ago "What living person do you most admire?" replied simply "JJ Cale." Neil Young has said, "Of all the players I ever heard, it's gotta be Hendrix and JJ Cale who are the best electric guitar players."

A 'Wooden' Version of Beethoven's Ninth

NPR music linked to this today, even though uploaded two years ago, so I will do the same.  As we explore in our Journeys with Beethoven book, the Japanese are uniquely obsessed with his 9th symphony and every December thousands gather to play and sing the "Ode to Joy" all over the country.  But here's something unique:  making 167 theramins inside those Russian wooden dolls "sing" it.  Has to be seen and heard to be believed:

Talking World War II Blues

Here's a podcast for the near-hour I spent this week on Jack Rice's radio show in Minnesota re: the use of the atomic bomb today and the fallout, in every sense, since.   Nuclear threat, and "first-use," then and now, how Americans view it--versus the rest of the world.

It Was Penis That Killed the Beast

Next week's New Yorker cover by John Cuneo:  Anthony Weiner as modern day King Kong, snapping picture of really big and hard, well, you know.

Oak Ridge Antinuclear 'Terror'

The Oak Ridge 3 facing lengthy sentences for last year's invasion of "secure" nuke super site.  My new piece at The Nation, featuring full analysis by author William O'Rourke.

Now She Tells Us

One of the six female jurors in the Zimmerman trial, and the line minority (she is of Puerto Rican descent) now says in an interview with Robin Roberts set to air tonight that the defendant "got away with murder."  She also discloses that she expected to hold out and cause a "hung jury" but eventually caved after arguing "to the end."   But her explanation is not nuts.  She says, yes, he murdered Trayvon but given the Florida laws, he probably deserved to walk away from that courtroom.  Adding that he big questions from God to answer.

She also revealed her first name, Maddy, and showed her face.  A preview:

US News | Royal Baby | More ABC News Videos

Using Polanski Against Himself

The very young girl who was drugged and raped by Roman Polanski 35 years ago (in Jack Nicholson's house) is finally telling her story in full in a book coming out in September.  Interesting story here about the book's cover at left--which features photo of her taken just three weeks before the rape--and was taken by Polanski himself.  It reveals how young she really was (i.e. 13) which may have been ignored by many since no photos of her were widely distributed for so long (she avoided publicity). 

The roll of film was believed lost or hidden for years.  How did they get rights to use it now on cover (beyond moral claims)?   Polanski had turned over other photos at trial and gave up all rights, so that applied to this as well. 

Countdown to Hiroshima, July 25, 1945: Truman Tells Stalin About the Bomb

Each summer I count down the days to the atomic bombing of Japan (August 6 and August 9, 1945),  marking events from the same day in 1945.  I've written  three books on the subject:  Hiroshima in America (with Robert Jay Lifton),  Atomic Cover-Up (on the decades-long suppression of shocking film shot in the atomic cities by the U.S. military) and Hollywood Bomb  (the wild story of how an MGM 1947 drama was censored by the military and Truman himself).

July 25:  Still at Potsdam, Truman wrote in his diary this day the following.  Did he know that the vast majority of citizens then living in the target cities were women and children--or was he lying to himself and history?   "We have discovered the most terrible bomb in the history of the world. It may be the fire destruction prophesied in the Euphrates Valley Era, after Noah and his fabulous Ark.  Anyway we ‘think’ we have found the way to cause a disintegration of the atom. An experiment in the New Mexico desert was startling - to put it mildly. ...The explosion was visible for more than 200 miles and audible for 40 miles and more.

"This weapon is to be used against Japan between now and August 10th. I have told the Sec. of War, Mr. Stimson, to use it so that military objectives and soldiers and sailors are the target and not women and children. Even if the Japs are savages, ruthless, merciless and fanatic, we as the leader of the world for the common welfare cannot drop that terrible bomb on the old capital or the new.

"He and I are in accord. The target will be a purely military one and we will issue a warning statement asking the Japs to surrender and save lives. I’m sure they will not do that, but we will have given them the chance. It is certainly a good thing for the world that Hitler’s crowd or Stalin’s did not discover this atomic bomb. It seems to be the most terrible thing ever discovered, but it can be made the most useful."   Note:  "Military" made up only about 10% of the casualties in Hiroshima, and 1% at most in Nagasaki (including American POWs.).

July 24:   Truman at Potsdam discloses the existence of the atomic bomb to Stalin (who had possibly already been informed about it by his spies).  In his memoirs, a decade later, Truman would describe it briefly this way:  "On July 24 I casually mentioned to Stalin that we had a new weapon of unusual destructive force. The Russian Premier showed no special interest. All he said was he was glad to hear it and hoped we would make 'good use of it against the Japanese.'" American officials present would assert that Stalin failed to grasp the import of the new weapon in future world affairs.  But a Soviet official with the Stalin party later claimed that Stalin immediately ordered his scientists to speed up work on their own weapon.  See views of Churchill and others who witnessed the telling.

Gen. Groves drafts the directive authorizing the use of the atomic bombs as soon as bomb availability and weather permit. It lists the following targets in order of priority: Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata, and Nagasaki. This directive constitutes final authorization for atomic attack--no further orders are issued.  Indeed, there would never be a separate order, even by Truman, to use the second bomb against Japan--it just rolled off, as if from atomic assembly line. 

July 23, 1945:  More decoded cables and reports suggest Japanese might very well surrender soon if "unconditional surrender" amended to allow them to retain their Emperor as symbolic leader.  U.S. will rule that out in its upcoming Potsdam Declaration, but then allow it, after using the bomb.

Truman had come to Potsdam mainly to get the Russians to keep their promise of entering war against Japan in early August--and Truman believed that would mean "fini Japs."  But, after Trinity, Stimson writes in diary today, that he and Gen. George Marshall beleive "now with our new weapon we would not need the assistance of the Russians to conquer Japan."  So he again presses for info on earliest possible date for use of bomb. 

Out in the Pacific, the first bomb unit, without explosives, dropped in a test at Tinian.  Meanwhile, 600 bombers get ready to bomb the hell out of Osaka and Nagoya without conventional weapons.

July 22, 1945:  Still at Potsdam, Stimson meets with Churchill, who says that he was baffled by Truman's sudden change in getting tough (see below), almost bullying, with Stalin but after he learned of successful first A-bomb test he understood and endorsed it.   Everyone also cheered by "accelerated" timetable for use of bomb against cities--with first weapon ready about August 6, and the second by August 24th.  Stimson in diaries notes that two top figures endorse his striking of Kyoto off target list.

The U.S. learns through its "Magic" intercepts that Japan is sending a special emissary to the Soviet Union to try to get them to broker a peace with the U.S. as soon as possible (they don't know the Russians are getting ready to declare war on them in two weeks).  

July 21,  1945:  Stimson in his diary recounts visit with Truman at Potsdam after they've both read Gen. Groves account of the successful Trinity test.  He finds Truman tremendously "pepped up" by it with "new confidence."  As I voted below, this "Trinity power surge" helped push Truman to use the new weapon as soon as possible without further reflection,  with the Russians due to enter the war around August 7.  Truman has not yet told Stalin about existence of the bomb.

Note: Groves' lengthy memo generally pooh-poohed radiation effects on nearby populations but did include this:  "Radioactive material in small quantities was located as much as 120 miles away. The measurements are being continued in order to have adequate data with which to protect the Government's interests in case of future claims. For a few hours I was none too comfortable with the situation."

July 20, 1945:  On this date (might have been one day later), Secretary of War Stimson met several top U.S. generals in Germany.   Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower would years later in Newsweek write:   "Secretary of War Stimson, visiting my headquarters in Germany, informed me that our government was preparing to drop an atomic bomb on Japan. I was one of those who felt that there were a number of cogent reasons to question the wisdom of such an act. …the Secretary, upon giving me the news of the successful bomb test in New Mexico, and of the plan for using it, asked for my reaction, apparently expecting a vigorous assent.   During his recitation of the relevant facts, I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to him my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives. It was my belief that Japan was, at that very moment, seeking some way to surrender with a minimum loss of ‘face’. The Secretary was deeply perturbed by my attitude."

Bombing crews start practicing flights over targets in Japan.

July 19, 1945:  Gen. Leslie Groves' dramatic report on the Trinity test lands on Secretary of War Henry Stimson's desk.  Residents of New Mexico and Las Vegas, who witnessed a flash in the desert (some received radiation doses) still in the dark.

The Interim Committee has settled on a target list (in order):  Hiroshima, Kokura, Nagasaki.  Top priority was they must be among the few large Japanese cities not already devastated by bombardments--so the true effects of the new bomb can be observed.   That's also why the bomb will be dropped over the very center of the cities, which will also maximize civilian casualties.  Hiroshima has the added "benefit" or being surrounding by hills on three sides, providing a "focusing effect" which will bounce the blast back on the city, killing even more.  Kyoto, on the original target list, was dropped after an appeal by Stimson, who loved the historic and beautiful city. 

July 18, 1945:   Truman has met with Stalin at Potsdam and mentions Stalin has some "dynamite" but Truman also has "dynamite" which he's not revealing yet--i.e., the A-bomb. See below for how the Trinity test gave Truman a "power surge."

But in his diary he also scribbled one of his most revealing, and most-discussed, pre-bombing comments.  After noting that Stalin has affirmed that he would be declaring war on Japan in early August, as planned, Truman writes: "Fini Japs when that comes about."  This suggests that Truman knew that the much-dreaded, by Japan, Soviet entry into the war would soon provoke a Japanese surrender--with no need for the atomic bomb.  So some historians have charged that this only heightened Truman's determination to use the bomb, and as soon as possible, to keep the Soviets from gaining much territory--and also to show that he huge amount of money spent on the new weapon had been necessary.

In a later diary entry that day, Truman declares that he now believed that Japan "will fold" even before Russia declares war.  Stalin had showed him a telegram from Japan's foreign secretary "asking for peace."  He then states that he was "sure" Japan would surrender after use of the bomb--if they haven't already. 

Earlier, Truman had toured Berlin and in his diary remarks on the utter destruction, effect on civilians, although this doesn't make him pause to consider what would soon happen to two large Japanese cities.  

See my new piece at The Nation on my part in 1995 protest of exhibit featuring the Enola Gay at the Smithsonian.

July 17, 1945:  Secretary of War Stimson writes in his diary that he has carried the secret message of the successful test to President Truman, at Potsdam, who is "delighted" with it.  Now Truman will feel he can really be tough with Stalin--what Robert Lifton and I in our book call "the Trinity power surge"--and no longer desires Russia's entry into the war against Japan, set for early August.  Eyewitness accounts of the test by top scientists  here.

Anyone who thinks the U.S. would be surprised by the force of the coming blast over Hiroshima--a city of 300,000 overhwelmingly populated by women and children--and its radiation dangers, might consider this immediate official assessment, including this:  "Partially eviscerated dead wild jack rabbits were found more than 800 yards from zero, presumably killed by the blast. A farm house 3 miles away had doors torn loose and suffered other extensive damage."

July 16, 1945:  The Nuclear Age began this morning, with the Trinity test of the first weapons in the New Mexico desert--and already amid secrecy, cover-ups and radiation dangers (including a drifting radioactive cloud).  Oppenheimer speaks his famous words, "I am become death/Destroyer of Worlds."   See my full piece at The Nation. 

July 15, 1945:  The first bomb is readied for the first top-secret test at Trinity--just a day off.   Few plans to warn nearby residents about drifting radioactive cloud. Truman, heading for Potsdam, awaits results, which will help dictate how tough he is vs. the Russians.  Meanwhile, Oak Ridge scientists sign Leo Szilard petition calling on Truman to re-consider any use of the bomb (see below).   They change the terms a bit, however, to:   "We respectfully petition that the use of atomic bombs, particularly against cities, be sanctioned by you as the Chief Executive only under the following conditions:  1. Opportunity has been given to the Japanese to surrender on terms ensuring them the possibility of peaceful development in their homeland.  2. Convincing warnings have been given that a refusal to surrender will be followed by the use of a new weapon.  3. Responsibility for use of atomic bombs is shared with our allies."

July 13, 1945:  "The Gadget" is carefully placed on top of the detonation tower at the Trinity and nearly ready to be set off in the first atomic test, but thunderstorms are in the forecast.

Washington intercepts and decodes a cable from Japanese Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo to his Ambassador in Moscow that states, "Unconditional surrender is the only obstacle to peace." Secretary of Navy  James Firrestal writes in his diary: "The first real evidence of a Japanese desire to get out of the war came today through intercepted messages from Togo, Foreign Minister, to Sato, Jap Ambassador in Moscow, instructing the latter to see Molotov if possible before his departure for the Big Three meeting and if not then immediately afterward to lay before him the Emperor’s strong desire to secure a a termination of the war."

July 12, 1945:  Headline in Wash Post:  "U.S. Brushes Jap Peace Feelers Aside."  Indeed, this was the case, awaiting (possibly) successful first test of the atomic bomb at Trinity.   The U.S. was demanding "unconditional surrender" while the Japanese were attaching one large condition:  that they be allowed to keep their Emperor, at least as a symbolic leader.  The U.S. would firmly reject that (a month later, after use of the two new weapons, they would accept it, for our own ends, and still call the surrender "uncondtional").

July 11, 1945:   Truman was heading to Potsdam to meet with Stalin and Churchill, where he would issue the final ultimatum for a Japanese surrender.   But he awaited word on whether the new weapon  would work in its first test, due in a few days, weather permitting, knowing that it might allow him to dictate terms to the Soviets in the postwar world.  The first two targets for use of the bomb had been picked--two large cities in Japan previously not bombed, which would allow experts to assess the full power of the new device.   The bombs would be dropped over the center of the cities,  now occupied mainly by women and children, for the same reason.

The assembly of the first atomic bomb, called by scientists "The Gadget," began at the Trinity test site in the desert near Alamagordo, N.M., starting with installation of the explosive lens, trhe urnaium reflector and the plutonium core.  Video below:

Attack of the Cannibal Lobsters

Global warming causing record temps in waters off Maine, leading to record lobster crop--leading to too many lobsters with too much time on their claws, so they are starting to eat each other!  Video captures it, mixed with sci-fi film footage...BTW the way, if prices plunging, why do lobster rolls still cost $20 or more?

'NYT' Scoop: Ifs, Ands, and Butts

Not enough interesting or important going on in the world today,  I guess, so NYT forced to cover burning issue of what men are doing to make themselves look better from behind.  From butt surgery to butt-enhancing clothing.  Leading from behind?  "As men age, they tend to lose fat from their buttocks, faces and hands, while gaining it in stomachs and chests, Dr. Mendieta said. Weight lifting yields only modest results for the posterior. 'The only way to pump up your derrière,' he said, 'is with your wallet.'” According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, men accounted for 6.2 percent of cosmetic buttock procedures in 2012, up from 2.2 percent in 1997."

More Weiner Fun

Slate has a cool name generator for everyone, if you admire the pluck of Anthony Weiner's "Carlos Danger."   My name is either "Jorge Hazard" (that's Greg Mitchell) or "Raul Threat" (using Gregory).  Barack Obama? "Armando Catastrophe." (Scandal:  same name generated for Geraldo Rivera.)   Bill Clinton?  "Mariano Risk." 

Weiner Exposed, Mocked, Stays in Race

UPDATE:  NYT editorial tonight calls on Weiner to droop, uh, drop, out of mayoral race.  "At some point, the full story of Anthony Weiner and his sexual relationships and texting habits will finally be told. In the meantime, the serially evasive Mr. Weiner should take his marital troubles and personal compulsions out of the public eye, away from cameras, off the Web and out of the race for mayor of New York City."

Earlier:  The former congressman, now frontrunner in NYC mayoral race, admits some of new revelations on sexting are true, in afternoon "limited hangout strategy" (see: Watergate) statement.   Note: There is a real "Carlos Danger," a board-certified shrink (what else?) in Miami.  His Linked In page.

The other Carlos Danger, i.e., Weiner.

I said that other texts and photos were likely to come out, and today they have. As I have said in the past, these things that I did were wrong and hurtful to my wife and caused us to go through challenges in our marriage that extended past my resignation from Congress. While some things that have been posted today are true and some are not, there is no question that what I did was wrong. This behavior is behind me. I've apologized to Huma and am grateful that she has worked through these issues with me and for her forgiveness. I want to again say that I am very sorry to anyone who was on the receiving end of these messages and the disruption that this has caused. As my wife and I have said, we are focused on moving forward.

UPDATE:  Weiner with another presser with wife at side.  It's "behind" him. Does not pull out of race.

Next: Play 'Tusk'

Pretty fun, as elephant joins in a piano "duet."  I love his head bobbing to the music at times--and the beast next to him shaking his booty.

Nate the Great Heads Back to Sports

Tuesday Update:   Ezra Klein at Wash Post on too much focus on Silver as stats-geek--actually a great overall journalist.  "Lots of people can run the numbers. But Silver can use those numbers to tell readers an engaging, fast-paced and constantly changing story about subjects they care about. That’s a rare talent."

Silver with much more in chat with Wash Post's Erik Wemple, including complaint about "stuffy" style at NYT, such as mandated use of  honorifics. "It's hard to be informal...It's hard to be cheek and sarcastic."  Also describes feel of new sites.


Monday Update:  Nate breaks silence to tweet that he'll still be doing a good deal of elections work at ESPN, just mixed in with much more sports, of course.  Also hiring a lot.  And tweets:  "There are lots of amazing people in the NYT newsroom. I will miss them. I greatly admire the job that Jill Abramson is doing."  Margaret Sullivan, the Times' excellent public editor, offers her own assessment of why Silver left.  Just didn't fit in there--lacked respect from some key folks. 

UPDATE #1:  Lengthy Mike Allen probe at Politico on why Silver left NYT.   Certainly not just for money.  Remember that Politico was one of many places Nate showed up in his accurate predictions on races, but still much insidery stuff here. Note:  Will get airtime at ABC as well, notably for the Oscars during next seven years...Wants to expand stats applied to such things as weather, etc....Times make great efforts to keep him.

Earlier:

Surprise news tonight that Nate Silver is exiting NYT for ESPN2, where among other things he will guest on Keith Olbemann's new latenight show.   Silver's career started in the baseball stat/analysis biz so not a total shock.  My post here from awhile back on baseball as his favorite subject.

Braun--No Brains--Finally Suspended

Tuesday Update:   Good piece here on Braun's even bigger sin--as serial liar, pointing finger at us, attacking "specimen collector" who rightly found him out earlier, and more.  My added point:  penalty far too weak.  He missed 65 games--but plagued by injury anyway.  Team is already way out of playoff hunt so they don't care--they might even get a higher pick in next year's draft.  And, yes, he forfeits $3.5 million--but has made millions and millions by cheating.  

I'm amused by those journos hitting players' union for collapsing and not defending him strongly.  Knee-jerk.  Players themselves, in quotes, seem overwhelmingly angry at him and some call for harsher penalty. 

Earlier: MLB finally does the right thing and suspends longtime cheater (who got away with it, once) Ryan Braun for the rest of the season, that is, 65 games.  A-Rod and many others next.  Braun, who denied problems earlier, now more or less confesses.

He admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs and violating the Joint Drug Agreement, though he did not give any specifics. The suspension is officially 65 games.
“As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect," said Braun in a statement. "I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions. This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it is has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization. I am very grateful for the support I have received from players, ownership and the fans in Milwaukee and around the country. Finally, I wish to apologize to anyone I may have disappointed – all of the baseball fans especially those in Milwaukee, the great Brewers organization, and my teammates. I am glad to have this matter behind me once and for all, and I cannot wait to get back to the game I love.”

Today's Tale from Gun Nutty USA: Woman Kills Man, Then Takes Picture of Body

Woman in camouflage shorts gets into argument with man she does not know outside a gas station/convenience store in Houston.  Surveillance camera catches what happens next.  He takes a swing at her.  Naturally, this being America, she happens to have a rifle in her car, she takes it out and shoots him dead, then drives away.  But first (this being 21st century) she takes a photo or video of his dead body with her cell phone.

Skydiver Breaks Up Double Play

Video of the day, maybe month: Skydiver part of pre-game show at minor league baseball game in Arizona this weekend lands on field near second base--and takes out shortstop, who was blasted to the ground.  At least the SS was joking about it later on Twitter.

A Dissent on Obama's Trayvon Talk

Tavis Smiley on Meet the Press today on that belated "weak as Kool-Aid" speech.  He's since been slammed via Twitter.

Sunday Morning in the Church of Beethoven

Today's selection: the most "Russian" of all the movements in the three LvB "Razumovsky" quartets.

Saturday Night Music Pick #2

Sam Cooke performance in Miami about 50 years ago--one of the greatest live vocal performances in history of rock and soul (re-enacted at the start of the Will Smith Ali film).  Listen for the..."listen to this" and "I want you to listen to this" and  "now listen, this part is important"--borrowed by Bill Clinton for his famous 2012 Dem Convention speech backing Obama?   (Note:  Sam here was still not as great as some of his Soul Stirrers gospel recordings, such as this epic live track.)

Saturday Night Music Pick

 George Harrison, live with Clapton, "Taxman."

Helen Thomas Dies at 92

The legendary White House correspondent was 92.  Was sad to see her final years mired in controversy after her ill-spoken comments critical of Israel.   Her views on brutal treatment of Palestinians not wrong, of course, if poorly stated.  Can not be overlooked that she was among the very few reporters to strongly question Bush's Iraq invasion--to the extent he refused to call on her at most press conferences.  She was also featured, you may recall, in the classic Colbert routine for White House Correspondents' dinner.  I met her once at the the 2004 GOP convention in NYC off the floor and we had a nice chat. 

 Challenging Bush on Iraq.  Other vids show her very early and strongly probing Bush-era illegal wiretapping, torture, and more.

 

Manning and the Enemy

My new piece at The Nation on judge refusing to throw out "aiding the enemy" charge against Bradley Manning.  A verdict might even come later today.

Dylan Under/Out Of Control

As I've noted before, most of the fabled "Basement Tapes" recorded by Dylan and The Band at Big Pink in 1967 remain unreleased (though long available on 5-disc bootlegs).  The dozens of unreleased cuts include some terrific and not-so-great covers plus many Dylan originals (completed or in-process).   Also, many alternate takes of the songs that have been released.  Here's the mis-named "Under Control," the rockingest one, and possibly the hardest he ever rocked, with Robbie snarling on guitar.   Note:  I've posted the first chapter of my just-completed comic novel, Too Much of Nothing--set in and around Big Pink today--here for a few days, please read and comment!

Glad Tidings? Van Knocks New 'Moondance'

Yeah, even longtime rabid Van Morrison (e.g. yours truly) grew sick of the song "Moondance" decades ago, but it's off a great album of that name from 1969.  Was fun to see/hear "Into the Mystic" show up in a key segment in this week's episode of HBO's The Newsroom.  Anyway:  Surprising word emerges today that Van is coming with a FIVE disc set featuring 50 new cuts or versions of songs from the album, including seven renditions of a song famously cut, "I Shall Sing."   Now if we can just get an expanded Veedon Fleece.

UPDATE:   At main site, Van posts this:

"Yesterday Warner Brothers stated that 'Van Morrison was reissuing Moondance.' It is important that people realise that this is factually incorrect. I did not endorse this, it is unauthorised and it has happened behind my back My management company at that time gave this music away 42 years ago and now I feel as though it"s being stolen from me again."

Gunman at White House Explains

Gunman seized just outside White House on Tuesday says, gee, I only wanted to fire off a couple shots, no biggie.  Shirtless, had an open container,  and from Texas--what else you need to know?  "The gun was loaded with 13 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, according to NBC. Officers found two more magaziness with 13 rounds, 171 more rounds of .45-caliber, hollow-point ammunition and two hunting knives with serrated edges on his property. They did not find a license to carry or any gun permit in his name."

Texas: Clinically Insane

Planned Parenthood already shutting down at least three clinics in wake of signing of new abortion law. 

“The combined impact of years of budget cuts to women’s health care services and the dismantling of the successful Women’s Health Program will take affordable, preventive health care options away from women in Bryan, Lufkin and Huntsville — just as these policies have taken health care away from an estimated 130,000 others — when Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast is forced to close these family planning health centers at the end of August," said Melaney A. Linton, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast.

Spending the Night With Leonard Cohen

Yes, a new first-person piece at NYT for its Boomer or Boom-Boom or Booming section.  The fantasy of millions of women  comes true, sort of.   h/t  @Bbedway

We accompanied him to a drab hotel room that was dominated by a mammoth bed, covered with the ugliest bedspread I had ever seen. By now it was after two. He turned on the TV and we stood around for a few moments chatting about how ugly the bedspread was. Then we took turns using the bathroom, stripped down to our undies, and the three of us dove into that great big bed and … went right to sleep.

That 'Enola Gay' Exhibit

Back in 1994-1995, I was one of a small group of historians and journalists who were at the center of what you might call a "counter-protest" at the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.  Some of you may recall the widely-publicized scenario:  The Museum had attempted to mount the first "balanced" and accurate historical reckoning of the atomic bombing of Japan, for the 50th anniversary, in an exhibit surrounding the first display of the partly-restored bomber that dropped the new weapon over Hiroshima, the Enola Gay.  When right-wing media and congress members and veterans groups were leaked an early script, they went ballistic (to so speak) and successfully brought pressure on the Smithsonian (and White House) to force a complete rewrite, so that the exhibit became a one-note, and historically inaccurate, glorification of the bombing with no shades of doubt.

I was intimately involved for months in the push-back, attended meetings in D.C. with the museum director, and more, to no avail (even witnessed civil disobedience at the museum on the day the exhibit opened).  Anyway:  Too much to recount, but here's a link to a letter that we wrote (signed by many historians) and sent to the Smithsonian director.  My book Atomic Cover-up on same general "denial." 

Trailer For Upcoming Assange Flick Released

I've written about this a few times, but now the movie is nearly here--yes, Benedict Cumberbatch IS Julian Assange.   First major drama.  From Dreamworks.  With Stanley Tucci and Laura Linney.  A lot of DDB in the trailer, no Bradley Manning on screen. Assange has already knocked.

Trayvon and 'The Newsroom'

Fun piece at The Onion urges that HBO's The Newsroom get axed before it gets a chance to cover the coming (in its timeline) shooting of Trayvon Martin and uproar and trial that followed. “Honestly, I just don’t know if I can make it through Will McAvoy’s self-righteous monologue criticizing other news outlets for selectively editing Zimmerman’s 911 call, or listen to an articulate new black staff member’s passionate, perfectly rehearsed speech to the rest of the News Night team at ACN about what it feels like to be racially profiled, or see how a heated office debate over race in America will somehow affect Jim and Maggie’s relationship. I just won’t be able to handle that, okay? So please, please let the show be canceled by then.”

Idiot Marine Who Urinated on Corpse Wants to Do It Again

Remember that U.S. Marine who was demoted for urinating on dead Afghans in 2011, with other troops, captured in a video--which naturally inflamed both our allies and enemies over there, endangering U.S. lives? Now says he'd do it again, because Marines aren't "Boy Scouts." And he's planning a book to brag about it.   His penalty was merely demotion, not court-martial, and fined $500. 

Dylan: A New 'Self-Portrait'?

Columbia just announced volume ten in its valuable Bob Dylan Bootleg Series--and they are boldly going where some hoped they would never go--35 "rarities" and "outtakes," mainly from one of his most derided albums, Self-Portrait, from 1970.   Greil Marcus in Rolling Stones had famously asked, "What is this shit?" about this double-lp collection of covers, old folk songs, a few live cuts with The Band.  The new CDs also covers the album that followed,  New Morning, which started him on the road back.  One thing's for sure:  Dylan's painting ability, if not his singing,  has improved greatly.  Here's their promo trailer:

Zimmerman Juror Drops Book Deal

So it won't be "buy George" after all.  Campaign sparked via Twitter to protest to juror, her literary agent, and would-be publisher.  They pulled back and then she announced she was dropping project, after announcing it on CNN just a few hours earlier.   "Now that I am returned to my family and to society in general, I have realized that the best direction for me to go is away from writing any sort of book and return instead to my life as it was before I was called to sit on this jury.”

Harvey Keen

Thanks to my son, and longtime Mets fan, now out in L.A., send me this clip of Jimmy Fallon getting new Mets star Matt Harvey to ask the men-in-the-street what they think of ...Matt Harvey.  No one recognizes him.

Home Run 'Back in the Day' Derby

They're getting ready to go in NY tonight with the annual show but forgive me for returning to my youth--when the whole concept gained notice with this weekly TV series, around 1960, featuring all of the future HOF sluggers of the day.   Here's a few minutes of Mickey Mantle vs. Harmon Killebrew.

Athletes Respond to Verdict

Monday Update:   Victor Cruz apologizes.   "Conversation" not "confrontation" is the goal.  Claims he has never supported violence.

Earlier:  My colleague Dave Zirin at The Nation collects twitter responses from athletes to the Trayvon verdict.  Not typical, but  Victor Cruz of the football Giants tweeted then deleted:  "Zimmerman doesn't last a year til the hood catches up to him." Heartfelt responses but a few over the line: 

Some reacted with a rage many of us also feel in our hearts today, but will undoubtedly earn them calls from team management. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White wrote, "All them jurors should go home tonight and kill themselves for letting a grown man get away with killing a kid."

That Hastings Crash

Smart, detailed, piece at WhoWhatWhy on claims that Michael Hastings' car crash was not an accident but some kind of assassination plot.  Writer, a former crime reporter who came upon the scene just after the crash and viewed surveillance video just after with cops, starts out skeptical but finally seems convinced--"just" an accident, at speeds of 80 mph or greater.  Explosion pretty easy to explain--ruptured fuel line due to what car struck underneath. And more.  Writer still wants to know, of course, why Hastings was driving so fast. 

Bean Bags and Rubber Bullets in L.A.

Monday Update:  L.A. Times puts it this way: "nonlethal" rounds used.  Few arrests, little violence.   City-wide "tactical alert" called off today.

 
UPDATE #1:  CBS in L.A. says police confirm they used rubber bullets.  Live NBC view. Live KABC aerial view here.

Local TV reports that real trouble broke out at Trayvon protest when "mob" (their words) blocked a freeway this evening.   At a minimum cops fired bean bag projectiles--protestors claim also rubber bullets, but not confirmed. "Protesters marched onto the eastbound Interstate 10 near Arlington Avenue (map) on Sunday, shutting down the freeway for nearly an hour and leading to confrontations with police, authorities said. Los Angeles Police Department officers fired bean bags at protesters after some people threw bottles and other objects at officers, LAPD Commander Andrew Smith told NBC4."

Several people were struck by bean bags in a shopping center near 10th Avenue and Washington Boulevard in Mid-City, said Jasmyne Cannick, who tweeted photos of the protesters and said she and an attorney were observing the rally. "They're in pain and I don't know what's going to happen to them," Cannick said.

 A lot of action, as usual, in Oakland.  Livestream from NYC.

Trayvon Protest in NYC Tonight

Marches and skirmishes still going on, with reports of 20 arrests.  Tim Pool livestream and below that, photo at Times Square. 

Update: Sad Time Has Come Today

Disturbing news that Lester Chambers, 73, a founder of the classic '60s group The Chambers Brothers (the immortal psychedelic/soul "Time Has Come Today" and much more) was attacked on stage by a white woman at a blues festival this weekend and badly hurt--after he dedicated "People Get Ready" to Trayvon Martin.  Details murky and trying to confirm timing of attack but here's report so far (see update below). Lester seems to be feeling better now with bruised ribs and more.    His Facebook page here with condolences and photo of damage.   Picture of him back then and now at left.

Sadly he had just started a comeback (he's long claimed he was screwed over for royalties) aided by musician support groups and Kickstarter.   Lester goes all the way back to mid-'60s, when the group appeared with Joan Baez at Newport.  The 11-minute "Time Has Come Today" appeared in numerous movie soundtracks, most famously (in its entirety, or so it seemed) at climax of Coming Home.  Appeared with John Lennon when John co-hosted Mike Douglas Show during a famous week in the '70s.  And so on.

UPDATE:  First mainstream account here.  Woman, 43,  arrested and charged with battery.   Chambers' family firmly believes it was racial incident. Video has now surfaced of the actual attack, at very close of video:

Zimmerman Verdict

Quite a contrast--returned from great Emmylou Harris-Rodney Crowell concert across the river to find not guilty verdict (which I predicted --given the law, the botched prosecution effort, etc.).  No time for more for now, but only laughs supplied inadvertently by NYT as they collect quotes from  "key figures involved" in the Zimmerman case--including Lena Dunham! Cable news covers protests, in San Francisco, New York, D.C., elsewhere, but n violence yet.

Springsteen With Strings

In Rome this week, rarely played "New York City Serenade," with strings.  I was one of first to ever him perform this, December 1972.  I believe it was titled "Vibes Man" at that point.  (h/t @DennisLockard

Not Quite Emmy and Gram But Close Enough

Terrific Emmylou Harris and old bandmate Rodney Crowell concert at Caramoor in upstate New York last night.  Even though Rodney once threatened to beat me up over something I wrote re:  Emmy and Gram Parsons.  Also my best friend's son is marrying his daughter next year.  First saw Emmy and Gram in 1973, Emmy and Rodney about '76.  Yes, I'm that old.

They did four or five Gram songs and two from Townes and then much of their terrific recent album.  Good band.  Mary Karr, the poet the memoirist who has been writing songs with Rodney (they had an album last year) got a shout out in the crowd.