Welcome! "The Evening Blues" is a casual community diary (published Monday - Friday, 7:00 PM Eastern) where we hang out, share and talk about news, music, photography and other things of interest to the community.
Just about anything goes, but attacks and pie fights are not welcome here. This is a community diary and a friendly, peaceful, supportive place for people to interact.
Everyone who wants to join in peaceful interaction is very welcome here.
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Hey! Good Evening!
Today's music was inspired by a request some time ago for some Cousin Joe music. I've paired Cousin Joe with a couple of other New Orleans musicians. Enjoy!
Cousin Joe Pleasant - Chicken a la Blues, Granada Blues Train
“America’s been ruined by one word: Bankers. No, two words: Bankers and lawyers. Make that three words. Add politicians to that list. Oh, and don’t forget the lobbyists.”
― Jarod Kintz
Photos From Joe on the Road
No notes or photos from joe last night so he must be in a place where there is no connectivity. Be prepared for a bigger batch of photos when he gets connected.
[ Editor's Note: joanneleon and KBO will be holding down the Evening Blues fort while joe shikspack is on his roadtrip vacation. When we can, we'll post photos and messages that he sends in and put them in this section of the diary. He'll be checking in regularly when he has connectivity, so feel free to leave him some greetings in the comments. Also, we would love to have your help with ideas for Evening Blues topics while he is gone, so feel free to lend your Blues and Roots music expertise and ideas in the comments! ]
News
Occupy Wall Street Returns to Zuccotti Park
Today, the Occupy Wall Street movement returned to Zuccotti Park.
“Occupy Guitarmy” protesters celebrated the 100th birthday of the late songwriter Woody Guthrie with a 6-day march beginning in Philadelphia, going through New Jersey, and ending in Manhattan. Today, protesters rallied throughout lower Manhattan, guiding the march to the movement’s original headquarters, Zuccotti Park.
There was an estimated 200 demonstrators in the park this afternoon.
Bloomberg, Kelly Say NYPD Foiled 14 Terror Plots; Not So, Article Counters
For years, Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Ray Kelly have claimed that the NYPD has thwarted 14 terror attacks since 2001. And many people actually believed them.
The problem is it's not really true. In fact, as the internet news site Propublica notes, "the figure overstates the number of serious, developed terrorist plots against New York and exaggerates the NYPD's role in stopping attacks."
[ ... ]
"Of the 11 other cases, there are three in which government informants played a significant or dominant role, four cases whose credibility or seriousness has been questioned by law enforcement officials, including episodes in which skeptical federal officials declined to bring charges; and another four cases in which an idea for a plot was abandoned or not pursued beyond discussion," Elliott writes.
Oops? DNA From 2004 Murder & 2012 OWS Incident Might Be Lab Tech's
Yesterday, law enforcement officials told media outlets that DNA found at the 2004 murder scene of a Julliard student was linked to a 2012 Occupy Wall Street subway protest. Today, sources are saying the DNA might actually belong to a lab tech and the link was a lab error.
[ ... ]
Anyway, onto bigger questions, like, why are police collecting DNA from OWS crime scenes? Is it because the FBI is involved? And are they trying to match protesters to the poop?
Another First Nations community says no to pipeline
A B.C.-based First Nations community has added its name to the list of opponents of the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline.
[ ... ]
The Declaration also bans tar sands oil tankers in the ocean migration routes of Fraser River salmon on the north and south coasts of B.C. To date, the Declaration has been signed by more than 100 First Nations.
"Tsleil-Waututh stands together with First Nations and all British Columbians who do not support pipeline expansion and increased tanker traffic," Chief Justin George said in a statement. "As People of the Inlet, it is our birthright and obligation to care for the lands and waters of our territory. Pipeline expansion is a risk too great to accept."
Time for 'Banksters' to Be Prosecuted
Editor’s Note: Each week we cross-post an excerpt from Katrina vanden Heuvel’s column at the WashingtonPost.com. Read the full text of Katrina’s column here.
“Banksters,” the cover of The Economist magazine charges, depicting a gaggle of bankers dressed as extras off the “Goodfellas” lot. The editors were reacting to Libor-gate, the collusion among traders of major banks to fix the London interbank offered lending rate, the most recent, most obscure and the most explosive revelation from what seems a bottomless pit of corruption in global banks.
Once more the big banks are exposed in systematic fraudulent activity. When Barclays agreed to a $450 million fine for trying to rig the Libor, its CEO offered the classic excuse: Everyone does it. Once more the question remains: Will CEOs and CFOs, as well as traders, be prosecuted? Or will they depart with their multimillion-dollar rewards intact, leaving shareholders to pay the tab for the hundreds of millions in fines?
Congress considers prosecutions of reporters over leaked information
WASHINGTON — In response to New York Times stories that relied on leaks of sensitive national-security information, a House of Representatives panel on Wednesday discussed legislation that could allow journalists to be prosecuted for disclosing such information.
Army Col. Ken Allard testified to a House Judiciary subcommittee that the extent of national security leaks is “unprecedented” in American history. Recent examples include the Times’ investigations of President Barack Obama’s terrorist “kill list” and American cyberattacks on Iran.
According to Allard, such investigations threaten national security and serve only to promote the news media’s self-interest. He charged that such investigations were carefully planned to help Obama’s re-election chances and to advance the media’s own agenda. An example, he said, was New York Times reporter David Sanger’s new book, “Confront and Conceal,” which details American cyberattacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Oh, scary!! The Senate Banking Committee! They really grilled Jamie Dimon! Oh wait...
Barclays chief Bob Diamond could be brought before Congress, sources say
Washington politicians considering asking former Barclays chief executive to testify as Libor-fixing controversy crosses to US
US politicians are considering summoning Barclays' former boss Bob Diamond to Washington to answer questions about the Libor-fixing scandal, in a sign that the controversy is becoming an ever hotter issue in the US.
Two high powered committees, the Senate banking committee and the House financial services committee, are both believed to be considering calling Diamond to testify. Sources close to both committees said they were in the early stages of gathering information and were almost certain to call the former Barclays chief executive after the summer recess.
The Rolling Stones at 50 – interactive
The Rolling Stones are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first-ever live performance, which took place at the Marquee Club in London on 12 July 1962. To mark the occasion, here are 50 images of the band with links to videos and stories in the Guardian and Observer – showing you how we've covered their tumultuous history
Go look at the picture.
G4S faces financial penalties over Olympic security failures
Military forced to provide troops for London 2012 after private security firm admits inability to supply all 13,700 guards
G4S will face financial penalties after the military was forced to provide up to 3,500 troops following the private security firm's failure to deliver the promised number of staff for the London Olympic Games, the government has warned.
Ministers were forced into the last-ditch move only a fortnight before the Games are due to begin because they were concerned G4S could not guarantee it would be able to supply the 13,700 guards it was contracted to deliver.
Blog Posts of Interest
What's Happenin'? 7.12.12
Did NYPD Manufacture a Murder Tie to Occupy Wall Street because Its Terror Myth Is Dying? by emptywheel
Rehman: Drones in Pakistan “Radicalize Footsoldiers, Tribes and Entire Villages” by Jim White at emptywheel.net
Cuts to the Public Workforce Disproportionately Hit African-Americans by David Dayen on FDL News
Adventures in Corporate PR: JPMorgan Chase About To Pull Off Fail Whale Bait and Switch by David Dayen on FDL News
A Little Night Music
Cousin Joe - Life is a One Way Ticket
Cousin Joe' Pleasant - You Ain't So Such A Much
Cousin Joe Pleasant - Beggin Woman & I Got Problems
Cousin Joe - That's Enough
Danny Barker - My Indian Red
Danny Barker - Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
Dr.John - Tipitina
Dr. John - Swanee River Boogie
Dr. John - Goin' Back to New Orleans
Dr John & Jools Holland - Piano Duet
For further listening:
Cousin Joe - Misery
Cousin Joe - Saw Mill Man Blues
Cousin Joe - That's Enough
Coming soon... a new cooperative site with content and discussion that focuses on the real issues of the day.
More signal, less noise.
"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."
~ Winston Churchill
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