The Ramones – Bonzo Goes To Bitburg

I have a strong recollection of Ronald Reagan’s visit to the Kolmeshöhe German military cemetery in Bitburg. The presence of 49 Waffen-SS graves near where the wreath-laying ceremony was to take place was not seen as sufficient reason to cancel the ceremony or ask that it be moved to another site. From Wikipedia:

This planned visit caused a great deal of anger outside of Germany. Many prominent government officials, U.S. Army officers, and celebrities, protested the planned visit. Concentration camp survivor and author Elie Wiesel spoke out on the topic at an unrelated White House ceremony, saying, “I… implore you to do something else, to find another way, another site. That place, Mr. President, is not your place.” 53 senators (including 11 Republicans), signed a letter asking the president to cancel, and 257 representatives (including 84 Republicans) signed a letter urging Chancellor Kohl to withdraw the invitation. Former Army S/Sgt. Jim Hively mailed his World War II decorations, including a Silver Star and a Bronze Star Medal, to Reagan in protest.

May 5 1985 :: Pres. Reagan lays a wreath at Kolmeshöhe Cemetery at Bitburg; resting place of 49 Waffen-SS soldiers

At the sight of an American president laying a wreath at a cemetery in honor of enemy dead –especially those enemy dead– it was as if you could hear the reality of half the country snap. Neck-deep in the punk rock scene I was no stranger to topical music, but it came out of left field that The Ramones –a notably apolitical punk act– would be the band to step up and scream “NO!”

The song begins with the sound of a train –the Third Reich’s iconic mode of transport to the camps– itself a scathing indictment; a finger of shame. The song drives as Ramones songs do (Tommy Ramone as usual a f••king champ on the skins), but the lyrics are a crystalline representation of that collective mental snap.

Bonzo goes to Bitburg then goes out for a cup of tea
as I watched it on TV somehow it really bothered me
drank in all the bars in town for an extended foreign policy

pick up the pieces

 

Rufus

Rufus

 

Locals insist yellow bird is reincarnation of beloved Thai monk

A story from Prae Province, Thailand:

…religious rites were being carried out for the funeral of this senior monk when a bird whose coloring is “remarkably similar” to monk robes – with a yellow torso, ombred into yellowish red towards the bottom, black and white wings, and yellow and black tail – flew into the temple and rested on the chairs in the funeral service.

After the service, Mr. Anusorn said, the bird flew into the chapel and flew around in circles 2-3 times, then rested on the wall and the top tiers of the Buddha statue, scanning the attendees of the funeral service with its black eyes.

During that time, the religious rites were taking place and many important officials of the village was among the attendees. One of the attendees suggested the bird might want to drink coffee. So, coffee was given to the bird. After the service, many people came over to look at and touch the bird. The bird then flew to the flower arrangements near the portrait of the deceased monk.

Attendees gathered to ask the bird whether it was, indeed, Phrakru Boonchuay.

Mr. Jon Kaewsook, headman of Nai Fai and a friend of Phrakru Boonchuay, challenged the bird, saying “If this bird is really Phrakru Boonchuay, then pirch on my arm.” Then, the bird jumped onto his arm immediately.

 

 

Gary Snyder – Three Deer One Coyote Running In The Snow

                  First three deer bounding
and then coyote streaks right after
tail         flat out

I stand dumb a while          two seconds
blankly black-and-white of trees and snow

Coyote’s back!
good coat, fluffy tail,
sees me:              quickly gone.

Later:
I walk through where they ran

to study how that news all got put down.

Originally uploaded by flickr user Jethro Taylor. All rights revert to originator.

 

Deadspin: Is your state’s highest-paid employee a coach?

Nine states of fifty pay someone other than a coach their top salary. All the rest are college administrators. America is a strange place.

 

New app helps consumers avoid Monsanto & Koch Brothers-owned products

If you’re a stickler for not supporting people and organizations whose policies you find onerous, amoral, selfish, or hurtful you’ll love the new app Buycott. From Forbes:

Once you’ve scanned an item, Buycott will show you its corporate family tree on your phone screen. Scan a box of Splenda sweetener, for instance, and you’ll see its parent, McNeil Nutritionals, is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

Even more impressively, you can join user-created campaigns to boycott business practices that violate your principles rather than single companies. One of these campaigns, Demand GMO Labeling, will scan your box of cereal and tell you if it was made by one of the 36 corporations that donated more than $150,000 to oppose the mandatory labeling of genetically modified food.

This strikes me as a more social-activism focused version of longtime favorite app (iOS and Android). The app is available for iPhone and Android.

 

Bropunzel

Almost four months without a trim:

Bropunzel