More For Kevin

The headline out of Australia is "Islamic Hate Film Gets PG Rating."

You have to read this to believe it. A movie that urges children to blow themselves up and vilifies Jews as "pigs" has been approved for general viewing by the Oz bureaucrats.

Ask Kevin Potvin to read this and ask him if he understands what happened on September 11th?

Nowhere to Run, Kevin

O.K. Now I've read Kevin Potvin's original editorial about 9/11. And you can read it too.

Sometimes people go out of their way to be fresh, original, daring. Remember Don Imus?

Potvin's newspaper, "The Republic," is a valuable addition to the local scene. It truly is different. And with the "convergence" of print, broadcast and cyberspace under the (mis)management of one or two families or corporations, we urgently need other voices. Including Potvin's.

But the now famous editorial in which Potvin rejoiced at the sight of the twin towers collapsing in on themselves is unforgettably awful. Cheering on Osama and declaring the 9/11 insanity an attack on "corporatism and militarism," is so dead wrong that one wonders how Mr. Potvin can recover.

Certainly, if I were the leader of a national political party, I would not have Potvin run for election on my banner. Let's hope Elizabeth May, Green Party leader, is a clear thinker.

The River of De-Nial

It is sad - and instructional - to witness the public whimperings of PoCo Mayor Scott Young.

This is a case study in addiction denial.

"This is not the person I am known to be and that is certainly out of character."

Would somebody please expunge for all time the deceptive phrase "out of character?" Anything we do is in character. If we did it, it is us.

It may not be all of us all the time for all time, just as swimming (something I do occasionally) is not All David All the Time for All Time, but, as I do splash about in waters once or twice a year, apparently I am a swimmer.

And, yes, I OWN that ominous responsibility.

Which young Scott does not. He drinks, he breaks down doors, he hits people, but none of that is his "character."

Question. Whose character is it? Was someone wearing his clothes at the time?

Now, look at the first part of Young's sentence. "That is not the person I am known to be."

In other words, it is the narrative of my life, the fictive arc that really counts, not what I actually do or say. Life is all presentation. Really?

"Young denies allowing his addiction to affect his work as mayor," says The Sun report. Really? What does he call his present circumstance? Smooth sailing? Business as usual?

Denial in full flight. This is a text book entry on the subject.

"At the end of the day all our family are there for one another," says the Mayor. This is just after he explains how many members of his family are alcoholics.

News flash, Scott: Drunks are not there for anyone. In fact, one of the single best definitions of an addict is that he is never there for anyone, self included.

Please get this guy into A.A. asap.

There's nothing scarier that real self knowledge. And nothing more curative.

End of The Bush Trail/Trial

The last 2 days I've brought your attention to the Paul Wolfowitz scandal at the World Bank.

Over breakfast yesterday morning, my son and I were agreeing that it is truly a wondrous thing to see each of the president's men - Rumsfeld, Rove, The Wolf Man, AG Gonzales, hell, maybe even Cheney -falling by the weary wayside.

This morning, the New York Times in their wisdom has agreed with us. Check out their analysis of the bubbling background plots...here.

Streisand/Mathis - I Have A Love/One Hand, One Heart

Try singing along with this...
From Barbra's "Back to Boradway" album, she and Johnny Mathis blend 2 of Bernstein's great songs from "West Side Story." The result is electric. The video quality is not good, but just listen...

Johnny Mathis - Misty (1959)(full length)

An extraordinary classic. Saw him once at the QET and couldn't believe how finely tuned,how thoughtful, how accurate and inspired a singer he was.It's all about the words and the notes...imagine that for a concept!