So, music. Kevin Reed (WSWS) notes:
The Collected Works of Jim Morrison: Poetry, Journals, Transcripts, and Lyrics, a 600-page coffee-table book published by HarperCollins on June 8, gathers together most of the previously published writings of the songwriter, poet and vocalist for the 1960s’ band The Doors, along with poems, lyrics and other writings culled from 28 recently discovered notebooks.
The new volume—published in advance of the 50th anniversary of Morrison’s death on July 3—presents for the most part the artist in his own words. Along with rare family photos from his youth and later years, the book contains scans of original pages from Morrison’s legal pads, stenographic notebooks and journals in which he wrote down poems, notes and other fragments.
The material previously published includes The Doors’ song lyrics from 1967–71, several self-published collections of poems entitled The New Creatures and The Lords/Notes on Vision and the posthumously published poem An American Prayer.
Among the newly published items are a poem Morrison wrote at age 10, numerous never before seen song lyrics, notes from his September 1970 obscenity trial in Miami, a movie script for his unreleased film, HWY, a full reproduction of his “Paris Journal”—believed to have been written during the final months of his life—and an outline for a new book.
The new anthology was supported by Morrison’s estate and contains a prologue by his sister, Ann Morrison Chewning. This element provides a glimpse into the artist as seen by those who were close to him before and during the years of his rise to popularity.
One of the aims of both publisher and family is to detach Morrison from his rock-star persona, present him as a serious poet and introduce a wider audience to his poetry and other works outside of his music.
For example, Morrison’s sister Ann Chewning writes in the prologue, “After The Doors’ first album came out, I followed Jim’s career, loved the music, and, when I returned to California [from London], visited Jim and Pam Courson in LA. Seldom without a notebook and pen, he self-published his poems and published others with Simon & Schuster and in literary magazines. He wrote a movie script and filmed it with friends. Some of his poetry and his film were personal works, exclusive to him, and some of his writings became an integral part of The Doors’ lyrics.”
Does Kevin Reed know anything about Jim Morrison? He wasn't close to his family. They have no insights to offer. I felt that way about Kevin Reed as well. Didn't read the piece thinking I'd end up slamming it. Thought it would make an interesting read and allow me to use it as a jumping off point to ask the needed question: When will Marianne Faithful be held accountable for her actions with regards to Jim's death? Anytime I went on the road with any band -- as a photographer, not a groupie -- sooner or later Marianne's name would come up with the issue of Jim's death.
In 2014, this issue got brief attention. From THE GUARDIAN (no byline to piece):
Marianne Faithfull has said her then boyfriend was responsible for the death of Jim Morrison in July 1971. In an interview with Mojo she claimed Jean de Breteuil, a heroin dealer, gave the Doors singer drugs that killed him.
“He went to see Jim Morrison and killed him,” Faithfull told Mojo. “I mean I’m sure it was an accident. Poor bastard. The smack was too strong? Yeah. And he died. And I didn’t know anything about this. Anyway, everybody connected to the death of this poor guy is dead now. Except me.”
Faithfull could have joined De Breteuil on his visit to Morrison, but chose not to. “I could intuitively feel trouble,” she said. “I thought, I’ll take a few Tuinal [barbiturates] and I won’t be there.”
From Kory Grow (ROLLING STONE):
Marianne Faithfull said in a recent interview that her boyfriend at the time, a heroin dealer named Jean de Breteuil, was responsible for Doors frontman Jim Morrison‘s death in the summer of 1971. The singer recalled a sense of foreboding when Breteuil told her he intended to visit the Doors frontman so she decided to stay at their hotel and take barbiturates. “He went to see Jim Morrison and killed him,” Faithfull told Mojo. “I mean, I’m sure it was an accident. Poor bastard. The smack was too strong? Yeah. And he died. And I didn’t know anything about this. Anyway, everybody connected to the death of this poor guy is dead now. Except me.”
It was everywhere -- USA TODAY, WASHINGTON POST, etc.
But it's not accurate. She lied for years and she gets 'honest' and still lies. Long before she gave her limited hang out confession or 'confession,' it was already widely spoken of and she was there.
From time to time, people will e-mail and say something like, "You're a woman and you don't support Marianne Faithfull. You never write about her." I don't. And Elaine and C.I. have heard the same stories as I have. They never note her either. And that's why we all avoid her.
And that is all I planned to write when I saw the story at WSWS. I was excited and thought it would be a good article.
Instead, it reads like a prude wrote i and an extremely judgmental prude at that. I've rarely seen WSWS heap so much scorn on anyone not named Trump.
Be sure you read all of last night's theme posts:
Closing with C.I.'s "Iraq snapshot:"
Thursday, July 1, 2021. Hell's a little richer today, but the world has lost a War Criminal.
That's Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Requiem for a War Hawk" which ran November 19, 2006 -- Bully Boy Bush, Dick Cheney and Condi Rice gather due to the departing Donald Rumsfeld -- who was Rumsfled at that point. He argued 'stay the course' in Iraq but, of course, he fled his own duty, leaving his post as Secretary of Defense while the illegal war he helped start continued to drag on (and still does continue).
Rumsfled has fled again. He's passed away.
Below, the cast of THE WIZ reacts to the news of Donald's passing.
At the age of 88, the War Criminal passed away. Bully Boy Bush issued a statement apparently crafted by someone else in which he hailed Rumsfled as "intelligent" to which a disbelieving world yells back, "Spell it!"
We all know he's too stupid to spell the word.
Dick and his equally homophobic wife* Lynne Cheney issued a statement about the "huge change he made in our lives" -- I guess it's not surprising to learn that he waterboarded Dick and Lynne -- Lynne did write that trashy sex novel so their kinkiness really isn't all that surprising. (Dick and Lynne now embrace their lesbian daughter. In 2004, when the issue of gay rights was raised in a vice presidential debate between John Edwards and Dick Cheney, Edwards spoke about the importance of equality and hoped that Dick would agree since Mary was a lesbian. The response was to try to shame Edwards, the Democratic Party and the whole wide world because a lesbian had been acknowledged.)
Donald lived to be 88. Most of his victims were not so fortunate.
Iraqis responded on Thursday (Jul 1) with a mixture of bitterness and indifference to the death of Donald Rumsfeld, former United States defence secretary and architect of the 2003 invasion of their country.
"I'm not saddened by the death of an occupier," said Saad Jabbar, a transport ministry employee, a day after Rumsfeld's family announced his death at the age of 88.
The US "left us nothing but memories of occupation and destruction".
In charge of the US military for most of George W Bush's presidency, Rumsfeld led the charge into devastating wars in Iraq and Afghanistan following the Sep 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the Pentagon.
The Iraq invasion, based on false claims that Baghdad had weapons of mass destruction, removed dictator Saddam Hussein, and Washington promised it would bring democracy and freedom to the region.
In reality it sparked years of sectarian violence and led to the emergence of the jihadist Islamic State group.
"I don't think history will look kindly at (Rumsfeld and Bush) because of the catastrophes they caused, including to the Iraqi people," said a tribal leader from Iraq's Anbar province who asked not to be named.
Glenn Greenwald Tweets:
There's nothing that Donald Trump managed to do that got close to the worst and most destructive acts of Donald Rumsfeld and his comrades. greenwald.substack.com/p/no-matter-th
Abby Martin's EMPIRE FILES Tweeted:
Katie Halper Tweets:
Sad but true. Ugly men -- on the inside and on the outside -- like Donald and Bully Boy Bush were openly gushed over by the press. Their masochistic tendencies were on full display daily.
From April 23, 2006, that's "Ego Mania vs. the United States."
George Zornick Tweets:
Margaret Kimberley Tweets:
Sarah Abdallah Tweets:
Fiorella Isabel Tweets:
Kevin Gosztola offers this Twitter thread:
Richard Medhurst Tweets:
Member of the European Union MEP Radek Sikorski Tweets:
Akilah Hughes Tweets:
Julian Borger (GUARDIAN) observes:
Donald Rumsfeld’s name will forever be associated with the biggest military fiasco in US history, the 2003 invasion of Iraq in pursuit of non-existent weapons of mass destruction, alongside the widespread use of torture that has dogged America’s reputation ever since.
It is not just the poor decisions he made as defence secretary for which Rumsfeld will be remembered, but also his efforts to cover up inconvenient facts that did not align with his version of reality.
Documents surfaced after the invasion that showed that Rumsfeld was quite aware of the gaping holes in the intelligence about Iraqi WMD, but he consistently presented the claims to the public as if they were cast-iron certainties.
He also played down the growing insurgency against the US-led occupation after Saddam Hussein’s fall, dismissing the collapse of law and order in Baghdad with the insouciant phrase “stuff happens”, which would go on to haunt him for the rest of his life.
It is not just the poor decisions he made as defence secretary for which Rumsfeld will be remembered, but also his efforts to cover up inconvenient facts that did not align with his version of reality.
Documents surfaced after the invasion that showed that Rumsfeld was quite aware of the gaping holes in the intelligence about Iraqi WMD, but he consistently presented the claims to the public as if they were cast-iron certainties.
He also played down the growing insurgency against the US-led occupation after Saddam Hussein’s fall, dismissing the collapse of law and order in Baghdad with the insouciant phrase “stuff happens”, which would go on to haunt him for the rest of his life.
His reluctance to heed warnings that did not fit in with his world view alienated the generals and the military rank and file. His insistence there was no serious threat in Iraq contributed to the fact that the US military was driving around in lightly armoured Humvees a year after the invasion.
In November 2006, the Army Times took the unusual step of calling for his resignation.
“Rumsfeld has lost credibility with the uniformed leadership, with the troops, with Congress and with the public at large,” an editorial said. “His strategy has failed, and his ability to lead is compromised. And although the blame for our failures in Iraq rests with the secretary, it will be the troops who bear its brunt.”
Iraq, the land of orphans and widows, remains a disaster thanks to Donald Rumsfeld and his ilk. As they struggle with one day after another over 100 degrees F and with little to no electricity, the protests resume. Zhyan English notes:
And they continue to protest in Basra.
Protests continue, as MIDDLE EAST EYE notes, in spite of the attacks on the protesters.
The following sites updated:
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The Convo Couch11 hours ago
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BEYOND THE TRAILER11 hours ago
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THE JIMMY DORE SHOW11 hours ago
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NASA11 hours ago
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THE KATIE HALPER SHOW11 hours ago
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SHADOW PROOF11 hours ago
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NATELAND11 hours ago
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Howie Hawkins11 hours ago
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The Karen Hunter Show11 hours ago
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