Obey!

I find the film itself quite compelling. It owes a lot in its format to the films Woodstock (split screen) and Koyaanisqatsi (split screen, minimalist-esque score, slowed motion and hypnotic images). I don’t agree with some of the inferences the director takes from Hayes’ writing, but the film is well worth viewing, in spite or its pessimism. After all, I’m far more pessimistic myself.

JFK's American University "Peace Speech" - June 10th, 1963

Elegy for JFK

The Anchorage Civic Orchestra will be giving our 2013 Fall Concert on November 22nd.  Back in late August, when we began our once-per-week rehearsals, a member observed that our concert will occur on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

The theme of our concert is Four Centuries of American Music, with works written in the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries being programmed.  After mulling over the idea for four days, I wrote this simple, direct elegy over Labor Day weekend.

The music doesn’t take a point of view in a sense of reflecting my opinions on why or how President Kennedy was killed.  It is merely a civic tribute to the man, and what he gave that day.  The sound track of the Youtube is a MIDI version, created with Finale notation software and Garritan orchestral sound samples.


I will conduct its premiere on Friday, November 22nd, in Anchorage.

Robert Reich to Address Bartlett Club Thursday

I would be there if I could.  Glad to see this event happening.

Anchorage Civic Orchestra on November 22 - Four Centuries of American Music

'Fukushima beyond tragic, it's a crime'

Paul Jay's Real World News Interviews with Max Blumenthal

Saturday I hosted a two-hour on-line firedoglake Book Salon with Max Blumenthal, author of Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel.  I've known Max since 2008, when he came to Alaska to perform research on Sarah Palin's religious background, and religious followers.

The Real World News' Paul Jay interviewed Max recently, in five parts.  Here they are:

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

Part Four:

Part Five:

I Will Be Hosting Max Blumenthal This Saturday, at Firedoglake's Book Salon

Bestselling author Max Blumenthal's new book, Goliath: Life and Loathing in Greater Israel, came out on October 1st.  Reception to the book has been mixed, as it is a scathing look at the growing racism, jingoism and authoritarianism inside Israeli society.

I will be hosting Max at the two-hour on-line forum, held between 1:00 and 3:00 pm Alaska time.

Come join us.  Ask Max anything that comes to mind.

Here is the latest video interview with Max on his new book:

Vince Beltrami to Address Bartlett Club This Thursday

Should be good. Vince is an excellent, knowledgeable speaker on labor issues - as one would expect.

My teaching schedule this semester keeps me from being able to attend the Bartlett Club.  Finally, beginning in January, for the first time since Spring, 2011, I'll be able to once again attend this important weekly forum.

As U.S. Seacoast Shows Signs of Fukushima Cesium Contamination, Radiation Levels Spike at the Meltdown Site

This is only the beginning:

New testing done by Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering found Fukushima cesium in US Pacific sea weed.  

The samples were standardized against a known amount of cesium 137 and cobalt 60. The finding of cesium 134 would indicate this is at least partially from the Fukushima nuclear disaster.   

“Washington State Pacific coast eel weed sample contained 0.22 pCi/g of Cs134 and 0.24 pCi/g of Cs137.

It also contained 0.1 pCi/g of Co60” These values converted to the more common bq/kg are:  

Cesium 134: 8.14 Bq/Kg
Cesium 137: 8.88 Bq/Kg
Cobalt 60: 3.7 Bq/Kg

Meanwhile, in the wake of last week's typhoon, radiation levels in water at the site have jumped significantly: