"The Times of the Sixties" - Edited by John Rockwell (2014)

There is nothing pretentious, or confusing, about this title. Plainly put, this is a book of some of the most emblematic stories which appeared in the New York Times during the 1960’s. I don’t say the most important; although there are a number of those; I say emblematic because that what this book is. It is a wonderful representation of the things which made the 1960’s the memorable decade which it was, and still remains.

Organized into 8 sections covering 317 pages the book begins with the top stories in National news beginning with the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit- ins; which would come to characterize the Civil Rights Movement for much of the decade. That was on February 15, 1960. By November of that year JFK was President and Eisenhower bid us a farewell, warning us against the “military-industrial complex” which he had helped to create. The March on Washington, the Civil Rights demonstrations; and riots; are all covered. This section of the book speaks loudly to the little news junkie I was back then; with my 6 transistor radio always glued to my ear, or under my pillow at night.

In addition to the Civil Rights Movement, the National section also recalls the death of General MacArthur, JFK’s assassination, and just about every other important news item which would have an impact on the rest of the decade. The last article in this section is from August 1969, and is about Charles Manson.

The International section begins with a typo in the article about Francis Gary Powers being shot down over the Soviet Union in a U-2. The heading reads May 9, 1965. It should be 1960. The accompanying photo is dated correctly. From Eichmann’s kidnapping in South America to Krushchev pounding his shoe at the UN, this section is very colorful. The world still had some pretty colorful political leaders left; political correctness had not yet begun in earnest, making it possible for Politicians to still act somewhat candidly. 

The beginnings of our real serious involvement in Vietnam is chronicled; as well as the Communist expansion in just about every corner of the world; including Cuba. The rise of the Berlin Wall, the death of Pope John XXIII, Diem’s assassination only weeks before JFK’s killing, Israel fighting with Palestine, it’s all here. Mandela convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life in South Africa, while our own streets burned with the desire for freedom recall my struggle to make sense of why Apartheid was wrong in South America while it was still being practiced here in the United States. Communist China getting her own bomb, and Ho Chi Minh’s death, close out the International scene.

The Business Section begins with a raise in the minimum wage in the United States. JFK pushed through a bill making the new wage $1.15 per hour. The steel crisis; when Kennedy faced off with the steel producers over a price increase which would have triggered mass inflation; DOW breaking 1,000 points for the first time;  the Bank of America rolling out credit cards; and oil leases in Alaska all show a vibrant and growing economy.

There is a section devoted solely to New York City; which is appropriate, given that this book is about the New York Times coverage of the 1960’s. First up is Casey Stengel being let go by the Yankees for the crime of being 70 years old. The next big story is the collision of 2 airliners in the fog over New York, one landing in Park Slope section of Brooklyn; and then the fire on the aircraft carrier Constellation at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which killed 46 and injured hundreds. Both of these horrific events happened one week before Christmas in 1960 and so always stand out in my memory.TV news broke both of these stories to me. I was just 6 years old. 

The Twist, the folk music scene and a young Bob Dylan at Gerde’s Folk City; the World’s Fair; Shea Stadium; the Verrazano- Narrows Bridge; the theft of the Star of India from the Museum of Natural History; the Blackout of 1965; all of these stories took me back to my days delivering the New York Post by bicycle; reading the headlines as I loaded up for work each day.

Science, Technology and Health is subdivided into 3 shorter categories. Science dwells on the Space Race; which we were losing at first. The Soviets put a man in space before us; orbited the earth before us; even space walked before we did. But we cheered our astronauts on to victory with the first manned landing on the Moon. If you were alive then you will remember that day and how it felt.

Technology concerns itself with portable electric typewriters and battery powered tooth brushes, the advent of the cassette as the wave of the future in music; and the first “jumbo” jet, a Boeing 747. The only thing still relevant is the battery powered toothbrush. All of the other achievements have been surpassed. But my toothbrush is still about the same; only cheaper.

Health covers the first Pacemakers, plastic contact lenses, open heart surgery, Medicare, cigarettes causing cancer; birth control and lung transplants.

Life and Style is one of the more interesting sections as it directly affects us all. From Barbie dolls to Mustangs, skateboarding and marijuana, this section is fairly representative of the way we were back then.

Fashion covers Jackie Kennedy, miniskirts, Audrey Hepburn, big glasses and Twiggy in a highly entertaining way. The articles fairly sing the praises of the subjects they explore.

Food and Drink is another section which is fairly interesting. It’s easy to forget that a microwave once coat about $1,200 in 1955. By 1962 this had dropped to $795, still out of reach of almost all Americans at the time.  The rise of fast food and artificial sweeteners also dominated the news at the time.

Sports is a vivid recollection of the Lakers, Wilt Chamberlain, the Mets, Roger Maris, the first Superbowl, the consolidation of the NFL and the AFL, Cassius Clay becoming Muhammad Ali, and the triumph of the Mets over Baltimore in 1969.

Arts and Entertainment starts off with the architectural achievements in New York at the time. From the new airline terminal at Idewild; with its observation deck; to the opening of the Pan Am Building, and the Whitney in Manhattan, the changing skyline of Manhattan reflected the rapidly changing world.

When the book gets to Music and Art it really showcases the color and dynamics of the 1960’s. From the Beatles to James Baldwin and everything in between, this is one of the most entertaining sections. Andy Warhol and his Chelsea Girls film had me running to the computer and You Tube to see what I missed as a kid. Ava Gardner reading “The Feminine Mystique”, Monty Python, A Clockwork Orange, Tom Wolfe, James Earl Jones, Andy Griffith, Hair and Woodstock are all represented as examples of the culture of the times. The last entry, closing out the section and the book, is the Altamont Concert in California.

It’s always interesting to look back and see how far we have come in certain areas; and how little progress we have made in others. In 1961 the Senate was struggling with the issues of healthcare and equal pay for women; both of which are still unsettled today. It's possible that we have not advanced socially as far as we would sometimes like to believe. Maybe we haven't come "such a long way baby". Inadvertently, perhaps that is the message of this wonderful book.

"My Father, My Lord" with Assi Dayan (2007)

Rabbi Eidelman (Assi Dayan) is a strict biblical scholar. He believes; much like the Bible thumping Baptist Preachers of yore; that everything in the Bible is there for a purpose, and therefor to stray from its teachings is to invite ruination.

His wife, the aptly named Esther, played by Sharon Bar, is more open to ideas outside of her husband’s strict fundamentalist religious interpretations of life. She believes in other things as well. This puts her at odds with her husband, but at the same time forges a bond between herself and her soon, Menahem, played by Illan Grof, who is about 8 years old.

Menahem cannot do anything to please his father. Full of natural curiosity for a boy his age, everything he does invites new criticism from the Rabbi. When the family takes a vacation as a way to escape the rut they have fallen into, the boy’s natural inquisitiveness at the seashore serves to renew the animosity between the father and son, drawing his mother into the fray as well.

What happens after that serves as a testament to the words in Proverbs 11:29 which says, “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.”

This is a very poignant film with an important message for everyone about tolerance and the philosophy of live and let live. And, in these troubled  times it is a message well received.

Saudi Arabia to Cool Relations with U.S.

The following is the text from a news article which appeared on the internet today. The illustration is from my collection of political cartoons, and this one dates back to about 1974. How many more decades will we allow ourselves to be ridiculed by the same miscreants who funded the events of September 11^th?

DOHA (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief has said the kingdom will make a "major shift" in relations with the United States in protest at its perceived inaction over the Syria war and its overtures to Iran, a source close to Saudi policy said on Tuesday.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan told European diplomats that Washington had failed to act effectively on the Syria crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was growing closer to Tehran, and had failed to back Saudi support for Bahrain when it crushed an anti-government revolt in 2011, the source said.

"The BangBang Club" with Ryan Phillippe and Malin Akerman (2011)

When you open your morning paper; or turn on your TV for news; you are confronted by images that, while they may be unpleasant, represent the reality of the world in which we live. This film tells the story of the men; and women; who take those photos; and the people who buy them. The subject is deftly handled by director Steven Silver, who explores the difference between journalism and opportunism, in war torn South Africa in the early 1990’s, as Apartheid was dying.

As the vacuum of leadership under the Mandela rule, the new country was plagued with tribal warfare, largely in the area of Soweto, where some of this story takes place. The ANC, the African Army, took sides in the tribal warfare that erupted between the newly freed South Africans, and their Hutu rivals, who had come to South Africa for jobs. This warfare required the newly formed government to take sides, aiding the native Zulus against the immigrant workers, resulting in massacres.

Into the middle of all of this comes fresh faced photographer Greg Marinovich , played by Ryan Phillippe, who fearlessly goes where no one else has dared to go before; inside the Zulu camps to hear their side of the story.  He is then befriended by the local photographers who freelance for the leading publications of our time and call themselves the “BangBang Club.” When Greg witnesses a man being burned alive; and wins the Pulitzer Prize for it; he begins to question his own motives; as well as his colleagues; in their pursuit of the news.

A very realistic look at the side of the news we do not ordinarily see, this film is contemporary and speaks to the inhumanity of man against man, as well as what drives those of us who stand on the side and watch, or the ones who take the photos.

Blogging Without a Plan

You’d think it would be easy to do a short blog like this on a daily basis, but it’s not. Sometimes I stay about 3 or 4 days ahead of schedule, which is why I am often several days behind the news, but somehow I always end up back at a point where I am out of something to say. But, being a verbose person by nature, I feel compelled to post something daily. It wasn’t always that way.

When I began this blog, over 3 years ago, I posted once a week, usually a book review; indeed, that is what this site purports itself to be. But, somehow over the 3 years I have been doing this, I caught the bug, and as a result post each day. Some of the material I post is so bad that this looks easier than it really is.

Oh, I get lucky now and again, with a good story like “The Old Black Man”, or  the one I wrote a few months ago about the Police Gazette, but mostly I just post whatever happens to attract my attention that day. Take today as an example. It’s 7 Pm here in North Carolina, and I had planned on having a book review done for tomorrow, and have actually begun working on it, but, with the grandkids coming on Tuesday night there were things to be done. (Mostly that involved watching Sue get things ready for their visit.)

So, I’m taking it easy on myself today, as usual, and posting this, for what it’s worth. The illustration at the top of the page is actually from the family album. It was done by my Dad, who was a draftsman, which is ironic considering he refused to serve in Korea when called up, but a draftsman he was. He was pretty good at it, too. He drew this the day after I was born. I still remember marveling at it as a kid. It still gives me pleasure to look at.

So, that’s all I got for today. No plan of my own, except to finish the book review for tomorrow. After that it will be a couple of days of winging it while my granddaughters Aliyah and Trinity are here to visit. We’ll be sharing our adventures here a bit. With this blog reaching something like 80 countries, I’m sure that other grandparents will find something of interest in what we do. I’m sure as heck curious myself! Remember, unlike my dad, I’m not working from a plan.

"Telephone Road" by Rodney Crowell (2001)

This video is from Rodney Crowell's 2001 release of the "Houston Kid" album, which would turn out to be the beginning of a trilogy for Mr. Crowell. "Houston Kid" was followed with "Fate's Right Hand" in 2003, and then with the sensational album "The Outsiders", in 2005. This video starts off with a very young Dan Rather doing the weather report out of Houston during a hurricane in the late 50's, or early 60's.

The whole video is a veritable snapshot of life from when Mr. Crowell was a kid. Interspersed, as it is, with footage of his band recording, and performing, lends an urgency to the song, almost as if the artist wants you to step inside his head and share with you all of the things he has seen while growing up.

All three of the aforementioned albums were eventually distilled into Rodney Crowell's landmark autobiography, "Chinaberry Sidewalks", which was released in 2010. If you haven't read it, you are missing out on a real treat. And, if you have never been to one of Mr. Crowell's concerts, you are doubly deprived.

Pendulums / It's That Time Again

It’s that time, once again, for a short talk about Pendulums and how they work. A pendulum is attached to a fixed point, which, for the purpose of this discussion, we shall label the 12 o’clock, or, “noon” position. The pendulum, when left alone, hangs straight down, in what we shall refer to as the 6 o’clock position. That is the center of its gravity. It is also the beginning point for any deviation which might occur, causing the pendulum to swing to either the left, or right. This is healthy, as that is what pendulums do. They swing, in a predictable arc. But what happens when it swings too far, either to the right, or to the left?

In politics, we have the Pendulum of Democracy, which works best when swinging back and forth, over a period of time, while never exceeding a point further than half way up either side. Think of it as a clock face. When the hour hand goes too far right, passing the 3 o’clock position; or too far left, passing the 9 o’clock position; we are in trouble.
Examine the role of the Pendulum in history. When the Pendulum is straight down, at 6 o’clock, things are going well, though a bit stagnant. Kind of like the 1950’s. When the Pendulum swings to the left there is usually some kind of social change driving that motion. And, when that Pendulum starts to swing too far to the left, the gravity inherent to that situation is usually enough to bring it back to the six o’clock position. The same is true of the Pendulum when it swings too far to the right.

Two great examples of the Pendulum swinging out of control occurred in the 20^th century, and as such, should still be fresh in most people’s minds, if not their memories. The first example is the Russian Revolution, which put the Communists in power for 70 long years, plunging that country into a darkness which overtook all thought and reason. That out of control swing was to the left, and gave us leaders like Joseph Stalin and the millions of deaths at his hands.

The second occurrence was the rise of the Nazi’s to power in Germany. That event also sucked all thought and freedom from the population. It also gave us Adolph Hitler, who; with his out of control swing rightward; also piled up millions of deaths.

So, the question is this; which is best; a swing too far to the right or a swing too far to the left?

The answer, of course, is that neither extreme is healthy.  What is the difference between Stalin and Hitler? A few million bodies is all that separates them.

Are these extreme examples? Not really. Just look back through history and you will see that the Pendulum has been an indicator of freedom for thousands of years. And how does this apply to us, here and now?

This election year will take its usual course, with folks on both sides urging you to support a swing to either the far left, or the far right. They will disguise their intentions; clothed as they are; behind the flag, or the Bible. You will be bombarded with vitriol concerning Gay Marriage Amendments, Abortion, and all manner of other social issues, designed to take your eyes “off the ball”, so to speak. Don’t be fooled.

The issues which concern us most, as a nation, go far beyond those “window dressing” topics. The economy, the wars, the health care debate; these are the real issues. And, as you ponder your beliefs, be sure to think about that Pendulum of Democracy. And remember this; when the Pendulum has swung too far in either direction, you may not be allowed to think at all.

"My Lament" - With Apologies to Edvard Munch

Edvard Munch's painting "The Scream" is one of the world's most recognizable works of art. It depicts a man trying to silence the voices in his head. He is, of course, going about it in the wrong way, merely locking those voices inside. I have used this iconic painting here to illustrate my own feeble attempts to block out all of the voices of the "talking heads" on TV and radio. I actually wrote it after reading the morning paper. This painting is very special to many people, and as such, I hope that I have not upset anyone with my use of it here.

The places I’ve known, and people I’ve seen,
Have cast all that I’ve learned in a terrible sheen.
Disruption, corruption, it’s all a bad scene,
Promulgated by the Bad Dream Machine.
Bipartisan politics, with no in between,
Can make even the healthiest of people turn green.

They call some states red, color other ones blue,
But I like mine neutral, so what should I do?
When they cast all our futures in a horrible hue,
The resulting malaise sticks just like glue.
As you forge on ahead to determine what’s true,
They turn it around and blame it on you!

So, call me a cynic, or call me a liar,
But they’ve set it all up for a big funeral pyre.
And while we’re not looking and they start the fire
The flames will go licking, higher and higher.
With smoke that obscures the thugs- all for hire,
There is no escaping an ending so dire!