THE SONY & EPIC CHART TOPPERS WEREN'T REALLY . . .

FROM THE TALMUD __

"If I am not for myself, who will be? If I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?"

Chris Matthews:

"If the war in Iraq were going better, we wouldn't still be asking how we got into it. But it isn't -- so we are." [WT]

Writer's Almanac

It's the birthday of the writer Aldous Huxley, born in Surrey, England (1894), best known as the author of the novel Brave New World, about a future in which genetically engineered people take drugs to keep them happy, have sex all the time, and never fall in love.

WHAT WE NEED  Writer's Almanac

by David Budbill, from While We've Still Got Feet.

© Copper Canyon Press.

The Emperor,
his bullies
and henchmen
terrorize the world
every day,

which is why
every day

we need

a little poem
of kindness,

a small song
of peace

a brief moment
of joy.

Cataloging the wretched reporting of Judith Miller
By Jack Shafer - July 25, 2003  Slate

If reporters who live by their sources were obliged to die by their sources, New York Times reporter Judith Miller would be stinking up her family tomb right now. In the 18-month run-up to the war on Iraq, Miller grew incredibly close to numerous Iraqi sources, both named and anonymous, who gave her detailed interviews about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Yet 100 days after the fall of Baghdad, none of the sensational allegations about chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons given to Miller have panned out, despite the furious crisscrossing of Iraq by U.S. weapons hunters.

If reporters who live by their sources were obliged to die by their sources, New York Times reporter Judith Miller would be stinking up her family tomb right now. In the 18-month run-up to the war on Iraq, Miller grew incredibly close to numerous Iraqi sources, both named and anonymous, who gave her detailed interviews about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Yet 100 days after the fall of Baghdad, none of the sensational allegations about chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons given to Miller have panned out, despite the furious crisscrossing of Iraq by U.S. weapons hunters.

... Miller was a true believer who grew fat on WMD tips from her sources inside Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress organization.

New York Times Peggy Dowd, the mother of New York Times writer Maureen Dowd, was the daughter of a manager of an Irish bar named Meenehan's (in Washington, D.C., with a side entrance marked Ladies' Only. Peggy died last Sunday at 6:30 a.m. (1908-2005). She was a writer, including a stint as columnist for the National Hibernian in the '60s. She would always write to correct a politician or reporter who called Edmund Burke an "English Statesman" rather than an "Irish Statesman". Her daughter writes: (In 1963) After Bloody Sunday, when British soldiers fired on a Catholic demonstration in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, killing 13 people, Mom went to the Kennedy Center in Washington to picket the British ambassador, who was going to a performance of the Royal Scots Guards. She proudly wore her green Irish tweed cape and waved a placard reading, "Stop killing innocent civilians." ... "The triumph of the evening," she wrote in her column, "was when the British ambassador had to be taken in through a basement door." BACK TO THE FUTURE - again . . . Slate NASA (launched) its first shuttle since the Columbia disaster, Discovery, delayed since June 13 because a hydrogen fuel sensor malfunctioned, at 10:39 a.m. Tuesday. Ironically, the mission is partly intended to test safety upgrades since Columbia disintegrated Feb. 1, 2003, during re-entry. Techdirt, the blog of a corporate intelligence consulting firm, notes that "(i)n the wake of the latest delays, however, the folks at NASA have been working hard to drive home just how old the space shuttle is." The blog references comments by NASA administrator Michael Griffin after the July 13 postponement, when he wondered "whether I could find a single electronics box in my house that's 25 years old and still works, and I don't think I can." Says Techdirt: "Is that supposed to be encouraging?" I can't help but wonder how the astronauts have withstood the cancellations due to safety snafus and still seem positive about their big adventure. That's special courage . . . SEEN TODAY ON THE SIZZLIN' STREETS OF LONDON 'DON'T SHOOT - I'm not Brazilian' She's a TEACHER now! IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL . . . Little Johnny asked, "Miss Bush - can I smell your pussy? The startled teacher replied, "OH! MY GOODNESS, OF COURSE NOT!! Little Johnny didn't miss a beat. He said, "Then it must be your feet!" DOES JUDGE ROBERTS HAVE ALZHEIMER'S?! By now you know that John Roberts "has no memory" of being a member of the right-wing Federalist Society. Other things John Roberts "has no memory of": • Joining the Columbia House record club • Where he parked • Buying a red pleather miniskirt • 1982 • Second verse of "Star-Spangled Banner" • That time he killed a man. Judge Roberts probably doesn't remember THIS school photo, either! FOX News reports: Sony Music is stuck with a $10 million settlement, thanks to New York state attorney general, Eliot Spitzer's investigation into financial practices at the label. Spitzer's probe uncovered internal memos that prove both Sony and Epic Records routinely paid off radio stations to promote their artists. 250 spins of Good Charlotte net FM stations 17 grand, but the bounty was not limited to cash - picky programmers could also choose from "plasma TVs, laptop computers, PlayStation game consoles, and limousines." Beneficiaries of the bribery included Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, and Franz Ferdinand. Fox News reports, "according to the memos, the [J- Lo] hits 'I'm Glad' and 'I'm Real' [were all 'bought sensations.'] All were obtained by Sony laying out dough and incentives. It's no surprise. There isn't a person alive who could hum any of those 'songs' now. Not even J-Lo herself." Deja Vu boogaloo. In the early '60s, several of the seminal early icons of rock 'n' roll had been killed or marginalized. Chuck Berry was in prison. Little Richard had become a Pentecostal preacher. Two male members of The Platters were stung by underage groupies compliments of the Cincinnati Police. Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13-year-old cousin and became an overnight has-been. Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, along with The Big Bopper had died in a plane crash. Chuck Willis O.D.'d on booze and pills while sleeping in the back seat of his car, a la Hank Williams. The young, exciting careers and lives of Eddie Cochran and Johnny Burnette ended in car wrecks. Gene Vincent was crippled in a car wreck, which effectively launched him on a downward spiral of booze and dope. And Elvis got drafted. I was one of many first generation rock fans who seriously wondered if there was a larger conspiracy to kill the music. GENE VINCENT I said Deja Vu. Enter Cameo Records, Dick Clark and other producers and hucksters, to pour homogenized pap into the gap. I remember wondering how mediocre talents, teeny-boppers such as Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Freddie Cannon, Bobby Rydell, Annette Funicello, and Chubby Checker managed to not only secure recording contracts - but to go on to top the radio playlists. DICK CLARK FRANKIE AVALON Yup, as with the SONY revelations today, back in the day, it was "pay-to-play". Fortunately, rock 'n' roll would be revived by the Motown hit machine and the Brit Invasion. Visit Slickville He's "The Dutchman" - and he's SLICK!   "COOL!" COMMENT!