Saturday, March 24, 2018

THE SAME RIVER TWICE (Alice Walker)

We're trying to up book coverage community wide.  So I'm covering a book this week.  I'm going with Alice Walker (we'll be covering a number of Alice Walker books this year).  THE SAME RIVER TWICE: HONORING THE DIFFICULT.

Alice Walker's most acclaimed novel is THE COLOR PURPLE.  In THE SAME RIVER TWICE, she's chronicling how the film is turned into a bad movie.  It's a bad movie.  It is thrilling to some people because it airs constantly on BET.  But if you read the book, you realize Spielberg destroyed the book.  I don't mean the normal way an adaptation destroys.  THE COLOR PURPLE was about spirituality, not religion.  But Spielberg is not an adult -- not a functioning one.  So he has to bring in this whole church plot that goes against everything the novel stood for.

He destroyed the book.  There should be punishment for that but maybe being Steven Spielberg is punishment alone?

She is not as harsh on the film as I am but you can tell she's not pleased.

From her journal entry on June 17, 1985:

As I was coming down the hill from the studio just now it occurred to me that Sofia in the movie will work in Harpo's, not in Celie's, store.  Also Harpo has been made into a "man" in the heavy-duty sense of owning something and lording over it.  I don't mind this: it's just that Celie's industry is not made anything of.  I think as the script stands now there's one scene of her and some women sewing on the porch.  This change is obviously because men are in charge and they cannot apparently break the stereotype that the man provides and the woman is subsidiary.  This is very different from the first version of the script, which followed the book more closely.  The emphasis on the jookjoin reflects another way the music has been expanded.


Spielberg also reduced the women. 

It's a travesty.

Hopefully, anyone who enjoys the movie will seek out the book which is art. 

If I wrote a novel, I don't think I'd let anyone adapt it into a film.  Not without written clauses about what could not be changed.  They even screwed her on the money. 

And worst of all, there was a great script for the film.  Alice Walker wrote it.  It's published in this book.  It would have been an outstanding film -- and much more visual that Spielberg's conventional and dull visuals.

This book is a great one and you can read it for the script, for how a novel gets screwed over in filming, you name it.



Here's C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"


Friday, March 23, 2018.

Let's start with another whore in David Brock's bordello.

Just so we're all clear: Trump's new national security adviser John Bolton didn't just lie about WMD's to promote the Iraq war. He stated, in 2015, that the Iraq war — which cost thousands of lives, wasted trillions of dollars, and ultimately spawned ISIS — was "worth it."





Sit your tired ass down.  Just stop.  The anniversary of the Iraq War was this week and you didn't Tweet about that, did you, whore?  No, you are one of those wack jobs with conspiracy theories about Russia.  You are so embarrassing.  You're worse than the flat earthers.  But that's fine, crazy, just don't try to grand stand on Iraq.

David Brock's whores always think they can pretend to care about Iraq and that the world won't notice they only mention Iraq when they can trash Republicans -- and only Republicans, they never use it to trust Democrats but, hey, what cunning whore goes out of their way to trash one of the johns?

Bolton thinks it's "worth it."  Like Mad Maddie Albright thought killing half a million Iraqi kids was "worth it"?

Clearly, Caroline O, you think it was "worth it" too because you've can't say a damn word about an ongoing war that's still resulting in the deaths of Iraqis and the deaths of US service members (7 last week alone -- 59 since August of 2014).  How are you any different from John Bolton?  Because I'm not seeing a bit of difference between you and Bolton.  Both of you, through your actions and deeds, normalize and condone an illegal war.  Why don't you go to David and say, "Hey, be a good pimp and don't send me out in the rain tonight?"  Then you can use that time to contemplate how whorish someone has to be to only bring up an ongoing war when it's too her political advantage?

Scurry off now, no one wants to contract a social disease from you. No one needs to hear from you.  As Jhene Aiko sings, "Yes, your mama did, she raised a fool wow" ("Never Call Me," from her album TRIP).




Or maybe Caroline O can scurry off to John Bolton?

As Isaiah noted May 12, 2005, he is "The Swingin' John Bolton."






Yes, Bolton was a menace and remains one.  But we'll cite those who speak out against war, war, war and not silly tricks like Caroline O.


I can’t think of anyone more dangerous than John Bolton to be the National Security Adviser. Pompeo and Bolton are standard bearers for the interventionist neocon foreign policy establishment, addicted to regime change wars, without any thought of the deathly cost or consequence




  • McMaster is out. Trump’s choice of John Bolton to replace him, following his pick of Pompeo, continues the extreme warhawk neocon takeover of the White House. Bolton helped build the case of WMD lies that was used to invade Iraq. Bolton still champions that war today.




    Eric London (WSWS) observes:

    Bolton’s reemergence within the inner circle of American imperialist decision-making exposes the role played by the Democratic Party since the run-up to the Iraq War, launched 15 years ago this week. At each stage in the preparation, launching, and expansion of the war, the Democratic Party sought to divert mass opposition to war behind its own electoral campaigns, including that of John Kerry in 2004, the 2006 midterm elections, the Barack Obama campaign in 2008, and those of Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries and general election of 2016.
    Despite the fact that the Democratic Party controlled the presidency from 2009 to 2017, not a single leading figure responsible for war crimes, including the CIA officials responsible for torture, have been punished or even fired.
    Instead, Obama escalated imperialist war around the world. Just this week, the Democratic Party voted for a $1.3 trillion federal budget which includes massive increases in military spending. As a result of the imperialist character of both parties, a detestable figure like John Bolton is able to return to the Oval Office.


    The budget?

    Early this morning, the US Senate followed the House's lead and passed the $1.3 trillion spending bill that now awaits the signature of the President.  Senator Rand Paul's raised some serious questions about the bill (we posted those here) but for the snapshot we'll note this one.


    Page 357. Sec. 8116 no funds can be used in Iraq in contravention of the War Powers Act sounds good but . . . haven’t we been back in Iraq at war against new foes without any new congressional authorization?





    There hasn't been a congressional authorization.  Yet the war continues, day after day, and apparently just so it can be a political prop for posers like Caroline O.



    May 12th, Iraq is set to hold parliamentary elections and no one's been bothered by the fact that Ramadan takes place from May 15th to June 14th.   Past elections in Iraq have required many deyas -- in the case of the 2010 parliamentary elections, many months -- to settle.

    Hayder al-Abadi staked his future on the premature claim that he vanquished ISIS in Iraq.  That, of course, hasn't proven to be the case.   He hasn't been very effective eliminating corruption either. MEM reports, "Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi yesterday ordered an immediate investigation into allegations that fake jobs in the public sector were being offered to citizens by political parties in order to win votes in the country’s upcoming general elections."

    Christopher M. Blanchard (CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE) notes:

    Prime Minister Abadi has announced his plan to lead a coalition of mostly Shia parties and independent Sunni figures under the framework of his Victory (Nasr) Alliance. In launching his own coalition, Abadi is competing with Vice President and former prime minister Nouri al Maliki, who, like Abadi, is a leading member of the Dawa Party. Maliki’s State of Law alliance has been critical of Abadi’s leadership, and some State of Law members are vocal opponents of Iraq’s security partnership with the United States. Several former leaders of the Popular Mobilization Force (PMF) militias organized to help fight the Islamic State are participating in the elections as candidates under the rubric of the Fatah Alliance (see textbox below).
    Other prominent Iraqi figures have organized coalitions and lists to contest the election, including a largely Sunni list led by Vice President Osama al Nujayfi and the National Alliance jointly led by Vice President Iyad Allawi, COR Speaker Salim al Juburi, and former deputy Prime Minister Salih al Mutlaq. Among Shia leaders, Ammar al Hakim’s Wisdom (Hikma) movement has formally withdrawn from the Prime Minister’s coalition, but Hakim reportedly intends to coordinate with Abadi during government formation negotiations after the election. Shia cleric Muqtada al Sadr is directing his followers to support the multiparty, anti-corruption oriented Sa’irun coalition. Sadr has criticized the participation of PMF leaders in the election and is campaigning on a populist reform and anti-corruption platform.


    Barack Obama ousted Nouri al-Maliki in the fall of 2014 to make Hayder prime minister.  Former prime minister and forever thug Nouri wants to be prime minister again despite his flunkies repeatedly insisting that is not the case.  ALSUMARIA reported yesterday that Nouri has insisted Iraq is passing through a serious, make-it-or-break-it period.  Naturally, Nouri believes he's the one who can save the country -- despite nearly destroying it in 2014..  Today, ALSUMARIA notes that he's saying Iraq needs someone who can lead the country in construction and progress.  Others who would like to become prime minister include Shi'ite cleric and movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr who has teamed up with five other groups -- including the Iraqi Communist Party -- for this election cycle.  Two others who'd like to become prime minister, Ammar al-Hakim and Ayad Allawi, have done joint photo-ops.  Ayad Allawi should have been prime minister per the 2010 elections.  But Nouri refused to step down for eight months and brought the country to a stalemate.  Barack Obama, then president, refused to back the winner of the election and instead brokered The Erbil Agreement which, in November of 2010, gave Nouri a second term as prime minister -- in effect, nullifying the election results and overturning the will of the Iraqi people.


    March 7, 2010, Iraq concluded Parliamentary elections. The Guardian's editorial board noted in August 2010, "These elections were hailed prematurely by Mr Obama as a success, but everything that has happened since has surely doused that optimism in a cold shower of reality." 

    November 10, 2010, The Erbil Agreement is signed.  November 11, 2010, the Iraqi Parliament has their first real session in over eight months and finally declares a president, a Speaker of Parliament and Nouri as prime minister-designate -- all the things that were supposed to happen in April of 2010 but didn't.


    If the post-election process goes even 1/4 as poorly as it did in 2010, Ramadan will only compound that.  Holding the election three days before Ramadan was very poor planning.

    All want to reform, but few are sinceres. The reformation in Iraq must be started right now via a set of Procedures are: Cancel privileges and pensions retailed; work on rehabilitating infrastructure and balanced external relations;




    The following community sites updated:




  • Read on ...

    Friday, March 9, 2018

    Trashing Gary Webb Was So Much Easier For David Corn


     Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Trashing Gary Webb Was So Much Easier For David Corn"





    From February 23, 2015, that's "Trashing Gary Webb Was So Much Easier For David Corn."  C.I. noted:

     A grinning Bill O'Reilly stands behind David Corn who asks, "How stupid am I?  I called Bill O'Reilly a liar and couldn't make it stick."  Valerie Jarrett exclaims, "So damn stupid!"  Isaiah archives his comics at The World Today Just Nuts.

    David Corn is stupid.

    He's also one of the worst voices the center-a-smidge-left has.

    I'm thinking of doing a series of comics on his hideous outlet (MOTHER JONES).

    Here's "Iraq snapshot:"


    Friday, March 9, 2018.  The occupation of Iraqcontinues as so many in the western press attempt to confuse and distract.


    Starting in California where our primary will take place in June.  In the race for the US Senate, the top two vote getters in the primary -- regardless of party i.d. -- will face off in the November general election.

    Kevin de Leon is who I'm supporting.


  • I'm running for the U.S. Senate because you deserve a seat at the table. Please join my campaign:
    1:23
    34.9K views


    In CA we knew from day one that Trump would work overtime to scapegoat honest immigrant communities. That's why I authored to ensure Californians never spend a single cent to help this admin carry out its racist schemes. Join our fight:


    .: "California no se dejará intimidar por la demanda de Jeff Sessions"


    But we have more work to do. Women are still drastically underrepresented in positions of power across every industry and woefully underpaid. That’s why this is a critical to ensure a better future for women across the globe.


  • I’m proud to say that my campaign team are majority , including senior positions. As Senate leader, I made sure to prioritize: ✅ Equal pay for women ✅ Preventing sexual assault on campuses ✅ Promoting upward mobility for


  • Happy ! I was raised by a single mother and older sisters and was lucky enough to raise a daughter of my own. I learned early on to value and promote qualified women — that also means .


  • In a press conference with , and , spoke on the phone about lawsuit: "[Federal government] cannot insist that the State of California use its money and its resources to help in [its immigration policies]."




    Kevin is a fighter and he can lead the state into the future, the incumbent Dianne Feinstein is trapped in the 20th century and unable to progress.

    Turning to Iraq . . .

    Why does Laura Rozen write?  Or even bother?  It's not just that she has turned out to be so dishonest (her 'reports' are shaped by politics), it's also that she never has a clue.

    George Nader is a Trump and Clinton associate.  She writes about him (at AL-MONITOR) for what reason?  Apparently, she's off on the lunacy and hysteria trend that is destroying so many.  And she's galloping off on her high horse so quickly that she can't be bothered by facts.

    Nader was involved in the 2012 deal Iraq made with Russia.

    That's a corrupt deal.

    And Laura tiptoes around that reality with this nonsense:

    The Iraqi-Russian arms deal was controversial in Iraq and long suspected to have involved corruption. In November 2012, just a month after it was signed, Iraq’s then-acting Defense Minister Dulaimi announced that the deal was canceled, “citing possible corruption in the contract,” Reuters reported.
    But Maliki’s then-media adviser Ali al-Moussawi was cited by Reuters as saying that the deals would be renegotiated and any suspension of the contract was “a precautionary measure because of suspected corruption."


    Was Ali al-Moussawi quoted saying that, Laura?  When?  Was it before or after he left Iraq?  That's a key part of the story, Laura.  You do know that, right?  You're not really that stupid, are you?


    Dropping back to November 30, 2012:

    As Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe explained in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, "When love goes wrong, nothing goes right."  It appears the lesson is learned yet again in Iraq as former 'blood brothers' -- a prime minister and a spokesperson -- turn on one another publicly.

    As is often the case, money appears to be the root of the conflict.

    Ali al-Dabbagh used to be so close to Nouri that the two were practically bath buddies.  Today All Iraq News reports that he's accusing Nouri's Media Affairs Office Ali al-Moussawi of a media lynching as Nouri attempts to weasel out of the corruption charges regarding the $4.2 billion weapons deal with Russia [by pinning it]  on al-Dabbagh.  In a written statement to the news outlet, al-Dabbagh alludes to information about Nouri's inner circle that he could reveal.  al-Dabbagh has twice publicly denied any involvement in the arms deal.  Al Mada notes that in his written statement, he cited his six years of being a spokesperson for the Iraqi government as proof of his (no laughter, please) integrity.  Kitabat quotes it in full and that includes insisting that his image is being distorted and that his reputation is unfairly maligned.  As a result, he insists, he can no longer do his job.  That might have carried more weight had he issued it when he was still in Iraq and before he reportedly fled the country.


    October 9th, with much fanfare, Nouri signed a $4.2 billion dollar weapons deal with Russia.  After taking his bows on the world stage and with Parliament and others raising objections, Nouri quickly announced the deal was off.  The scandal, however, refuses to go away. The Iraq Times states Nouri's offering up Ali al-Dabbagh and others to protect the truly corrupt.  Meanwhile, All Iraq News notes National Alliance member and one-time MP Wael Abdul Latif is calling for Nouri to quickly bring charges against those involved in the corruption.  (The arms deal is now treated by the Iraqi press as corrupt and not allegedly corrupt, FYI.)   Latif remains a major player in the National Alliance and the National Alliance has backed Nouri during his second term.  With his current hold on power reportedly tenous and having already lost the support of Moqtada al-Sadr, Nouri really can't afford to tick off the National Alliance as well.  Kitabat reports MP Maha al-Douri, of Moqtada's bloc in Parliament, is saying Nouri's on a list of officials bribed by Russia for the deal.  The outlet also notes rumors that al-Dabbagh is leaving the UAE for Bulgaria. 



    Laura quotes Ali al-Dabbagh without noting that whatever comments he made publicly to REUTERS at one point were null and void as a result of him and Nouri turning on one another and Ali fleeing the country amidst charges and counter-charges of corruption.

    Kind of a huge part of the story.

    She also floats Nader being close to Nouri's son Ahmed al-Maliki.  But Laura refuses to note that the Parliament publicly decried Ahmed's involvement in the deal from the start and then made public statements declaring he had profited from the deal himself.

    For example, in November of 2012, Ahmed Hussein (IRAQI NEWS) reported:

    MP, Mohamed Ridha al-Khafaji, of Ahrar bloc revealed “Among the figures behind the corruption in the armament contracts concluded with Russia is Ahmed al-Maliki, son of the Premier, Nouri al-Maliki.”
    He stated to Iraqi News (IraqiNews.com) “The suspicions over corruption in this contract involved Ahmed al-Maliki and the spokesman of the Government, Ali al-Dabbagh, as well as MP, Izzat al-Shahbander, the leader within the State of Law Coalition.”
    Laura somehow misses -- refuses -- to address that.

    She refuses to do so much that her name shouldn't be Laura Rozen, it's should be Laura Refusen.  A reader of her tale comes away with nothing of value despite the fact that the piece is way too long and way too dull.

    Reality, the corruption was known within the US government -- up to the White House -- and no one gave a damn.  We look back, today, and wonder how the US government could have, for example, gone after the Native Americans, how they could have been so willing to kill.  Don't wonder?  There's been no change in the US government.  It's as deadly as it ever was.  It's motto has always been the same, "F**k you, we do what we want."  While the Iraqi people suffered, Nouri and his family stole from the country's wealth and the US government didn't give a damn, stayed in business with him, couldn't care less.  The soap boxes so many in the government have stood on, should collapse under the weight of their lies.

    REUTERS reports, "Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi issued a decree on Thursday formalizing the inclusion of Shi’ite paramilitary groups in the country’s security forces."  The militias did not liberate any city, they terrorized citizens.  This has been documented at length by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.  These crimes did not lead to any punishment.  Pressed, Hayder would insist that there would be an investigation and then, when the media light moved elsewhere, the matter was dropped.  A woman whose 'crime' was being (or being accused of being) the sister of a member of ISIS has been sentenced to death.  But the Shi'ite militia groups who destroyed homes and terrorized people?  They aren't convicted of anything (nor are their sisters, brothers, etc).


    Let that soak in for just a minute.

    You are a Shi'ite militia groups -- or even a Shi'ite member of the real Iraqi military -- and you kill civilians -- especially Sunnis and Kurds -- and you torch their homes and that's not going to get you dragged before a judge.  You will not be punished.  This has repeatedly been made clear.

    Now let's note this from RUDAW:

    Abadi, however, was less optimistic about the ability of his, or any, government to solve the “age-old” divisions between communities.

    “The role of the government is not to solve religious or sectarian or ethnic problems. These are age-old. I don’t think any government of the day can solve all differences,” he said. 

    Kurdish, Shiite, and Sunni differences were brought under the spotlight once again during months’ long efforts to pass the government’s 2018 budget bill. The bill was finally passed last week despite a boycott by Kurdish MPs who maintain their constitutional rights were ignored in the bill in the wake of Kurdistan’s vote for independence from Iraq last fall and Baghdad’s subsequent efforts to exert federal control over the autonomous region and the disputed areas.

    Iraq will hold parliamentary elections on May 12 and provincial elections on December 22.




    The government, Hayder insists, cannot solve differences.

    Even though, please note, it's Hayder's government that promotes the differences -- differences in justice, differences in rights, differences in safety.

    Hayder is a failure and a War Criminal but the US government will continue to back the puppet.  The US government will keep the US military in Iraq to prop up Hayder.  (And Germany's adding more troops to Iraq, according to Chancellor Angela Merkal.)

    He's a failure and those under him know they can get away with anything -- including murder.

    KURDISTAN 24 reports:


    A tribal group in Nineveh Province on Friday issued a statement on the suspicious death of a policeman from an Arab tribe while in an Iraqi army detention center in Mosul.
    “Khalid Ahmed Mohammed al-Juhaishi, from the village of al-Barghaliya in the al-Ayadiyah district of Tal Afar district, died under severe torture at the hands of intelligence officer of the 15th Brigade, Captain Ihab, from Nasiriyah,” Muzahim al-Hewitt, a spokesperson for the Nineveh Arab Tribes, said in a statement.
    He said that al-Juhaishi was arrested a few days ago by the 73rd Brigade, the 15th Division of the Iraqi Army, along with two other residents.
    He added that the victim was a policeman stationed in the area of Rabia. 


    Hayder is a fraud.  Check out the reality of 'reconstruction' in Anbar Province.  Or note this laughable Tweet.


    The Women Empowerment Unit's seeks to support all Iraqi women in transforming their lives and building a peaceful and prosperous future for Iraq
    0:37
    302 views




    Hayder, if you're really supporting women -- end the practice of males voting for women.


    At this late date, it's tough to tell who's more full of **** -- the US government of the US press.  The latter works so hard to tell so little.

    It's time to make yourself heard.  Later this year, for example, there will be an action that Cindy Sheehan's organizing:


     WOMEN'S MARCH ON PENTAGON ORGANIZING CONFERENCE CALL MARCH 14TH, 2018


    WOMEN'S MARCH ON THE PENTAGON
    Organizing Conference Call

    When: Weds, March 14th

    Time: 4:30pm pacific
    5:30 mountain
    6:30 central
    7:30 eastern

    Who is Invited?
    Anyone who is interesting in helping organize the
    Women's March on the Pentagon

    Or, anyone who wants more information.

    TENTATIVE AGENDA:

    :3O to :35
    Waiting for Everyone to Call

    :35
    Call Closed

    :35 to :40
    Welcome by Cindy Sheehan

    :40 to :50
    Status of Organizing

    :50 to :00
     Volunteer Opportunities.

    :00 to :10
    Stack for Comments/Questions

    :10 to :20
    How to Organize Buses to March

    :20 to :30
    Final Comments/Question

    :30
    Closing Remarks

    If you'd like to join the call, please email
    Cindy Sheehan for call-in number and code

    CindySheehan@MarchonPentagon.com 
     



    The following community sites -- plus Cindy Sheehan, THE DIANE REHM SHOW, GORILLA RADIO, PACIFICA EVENING NEWS -- updated:





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