Syria and the 'Red Line' Nonsense

Peter Hart Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
Most pundits are careful about not advocating for direct U.S. military intervention in Syria (that is left to the Republican politicians who appear on the Sunday shows). But their message boils down to a concern over the credibility of the president's threats of violence more important than the credibility of his evidence. The White House has been saying their reticence is informed by the Iraq debacle; many pundits don't seem to have learned a similar lesson.

Eduardo Galeano: Not So Elementary, My Dear Watson

Eduardo Galeano tomdispatch.com
The Life and Death of Words, People, and Even Nature: From Walking Libraries and a God Named “Word” to What Sherlock Holmes Never Said. Passages excerpted from Eduardo Galeano’s new book, Children of the Days: A Calendar of Human History (Nation Books).

The Ad for the Gun a 5-Year-Old Used to Shoot His 2-Year-Old Sister (Video)

Justin Peters Slate
There is a long tradition in this country of children—primarily in rural areas—learning to shoot at a young age. But there is a point where all reasonable people need to admit that a kid is too young to own and/or shoot a real rifle that shoots real bullets. Four years old—the age the Kentucky boy who shot his 2-year-old sister apparently was when he received a Crickett rifle as a gift—is way, way too young.

'Love Has No Color': Georgia High School Students Set to Hold First Integrated Prom

A group of Georgia high school students are making history by challenging the segregation of their high school prom. Thanks to their efforts and the support of groups like the NAACP, Wilcox County High is holding its first-ever integrated prom nearly 60 years after Brown v. Board of Education desegregated the nation’s school system.

Ry Cooder -- Jesus on the Mainline

From "Ry Cooder & The Moula Banda Rhythm Aces: Let's Have A Ball", a film by Les Blank taped at The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA on March 25, 1987. Awesome solos by George Bohannon and Ry using slide on mandoguitar!

Movie: The Trials of Muhammed Ali

A new documentary examines the struggle Muhammad Ali faced in his conversion to Islam, his refusal to fight in Vietnam, and the years of exile that followed before his eventual return to the ring. "The Trials of Muhammad Ali" premieres in New York City at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Friday Nite Videos -- May 3, 2013

Portside
Flash mobs strive to overcome the chasm between the two opposite meanings of 'actor' -- one who acts, or one who performs while others watch. In a flash mob, ordinary people act, momentarily seizing and transforming a public space with their actions. As they catch the spirit of the moment, the audience become actors too. Also, Muhammed Ali, Plan B, Ry Cooder, and a Black/white prom in Wilcox Co, Georgia.