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Sochi Preview: Assessing the Newspaper Culture in Russia

Have you ever wondered what the newspaper culture is like in Russia compared with western countries, such as in the U.S. and the U.K.?

With approximately 13,000 journalists approved with press credentials for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games beginning on Friday in Sochi, a city located on the shore of the Black Sea, at the foot of the Western Caucasus mountain region, the environment should be ripe for a blistering amount of newspapers, tabloids, and broadsheets being absorbed by tourists and local inhabitants at restaurants, cafes, and the lobby’s of plush hotel rooms.

But when discussing the newspaper culture in Russia, you need to keep two things in mind: The first is that the vast majority of Russians rely on state-controlled television rather than print newspapers for their information. The other is that we’re well into the 21st century and living in the age of the Internet, smartphones, and other mobile devices; so print news publications, much like the U.S. and U.K., are becoming less relevant.

If you were to pop your head into a café or bakery in any major city in Russia, you’ll likely find most customers not flipping through a newspaper, but more likely combing the Internet on their ipads , smartphones, or parked in front of an Internet bank.

According to the global market and research firm TNS; the number of Internet users in Russia has leaped to 70 million, representing 50 percent of the population. In April, 2012, Russia’s largest browser Yandex, moreover, reported 19 million visitors a day, more than the popular state-controlled Channel One with an audience of nearly 18 million.

This is not to suggest that Russia is without worthwhile print news publications.

William Pomeranz, Deputy Director of the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies of the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., tells me, ``at the very top, there are some very strong quality newspapers that have strong economics and foreign affairs sections and discuss Russian politics and foreign affairs without getting to close to specifically discussing [Russian president] Vladimir Putin. ‘’

And though many of these newspapers have limited circulation, Pomeranz admits, ``they allow the engaged middle class to follow these debates in an informed manner. The quality newspapers have a lot of good information.’’

The problem of plummeting circulation, prevalent with so many metro dailies in the United States, Pomeranz informs me, isn’t much different in Russia; only that it’s much worse in the Russian regions, where there is markedly less money to support newspapers.

And many newspapers, some might be surprised to learn; don’t shy away from some of the more contentious issues gripping the Russian Federation. When the feminist protest band, Pussy Riot, were locked up for staging a blasphemous performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior in February, 2012, a number of newspapers in Russia editorialized about the world wide outcry and were surprisingly highly critical of the jailing, not so much of the strong arm tactics of Putin specifically, but of the process and how the law was interpreted, according to Pomeranz. 

By and large, however, despite freedom of expression and of the press guaranteed in the Russian constitution, at least on paper, in practice, accessing information, whether through the judiciary or other government institutions is a mighty tall order, if not impossible, for a great many journalists. Russia's powerful and corrupt court system, many argue, are used to silence those journalists bold enough to report widespread governmental abuses.

More troublingly, according to Freedom House, an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom around the world, ``journalists in 2012 faced the threat of intimidation or physical attack when covering sensitive topics such as the situation in the restive North Caucasus, government corruption, organized crime, police torture, electoral violations, and opposition activities and protests.''

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), two journalists were killed in Russia in 2013, Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev, a deputy editor of the independent news outlet Novoye Delo who was gunned down outside his home; the other was Mikhail Beketov, former editor of the independent newspaper Khimkinskaya Pravda in the Moscow suburb of Khimki, who died in the hospital after a choking incident.

Buck Ryan, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Kentucky and director of the Citizen Kentucky Project of the Scripps Howard First Amendment Center, who in September 2013 spent 10 days in Moscow speaking with journalism faculty and students at Russia's premier journalism school at Lomonosov Moscow State University, says freedom of expression in Russia is a ``negotiated dance.’’

``I've done newspaper workshops on four continents’’, Ryan told me, `` but Russia was the only place where opening remarks were provided by the government official/news media handler for the district.’’

Despite the restrictive press freedom, Ryan emphasizes that the most open forms of expression in the country can be found online, most prominently through social media, either affiliated with the few independent newspapers or through the 42 million blogs, such as drugoi [photojournalistic online magazine]; or ibigdan [news aggregator].

Another way to better appreciate the dissemination of news in Russia is to understand that newspapers are not nearly as influential as The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal are in the United States. Rather, newspapers in Russia not only have much less circulation, but more importantly, they’re largely balkanized with different segments of the Russian population gravitating toward the publication consistent with their particular viewpoint. So, for example, Rossiskaya Gazeta, a Russian government daily newspaper of record, which publishes the official decrees, statements and documents of state bodies, is predominantly read by officials and bureaucrats and those wanting to understand the official viewpoint, while Kommersant a nationally distributed daily newspaper devoted to politics and business, is for the most part consumed by the business elite. 

Greg Simons, a senior researcher at the Department of Eurasian Studies at Uppsala University and a lecturer at the Department of Communication Science at Turiba University in Riga, Latvia, remarked that newspapers in Russia, periodically, are bought by business elites for a variety of reasons: to gain political capital by promoting the owner’s interest, damaging the reputation of a chief rival, or other times merely to advance their own agenda through unabashed self-promotion. Such scenarios, Simon says, ``was especially obvious during the so-called Information wars of the mid-1990s when there was an all out and very bitter and open struggle between rival businessmen.’’ ``Hard news’’ Simons argues, ``is becoming more problematic to work in due to it becoming very politicized.’’

An additional reason for the sinking newspaper circulation in Russia, Simons stresses, has to do with disposable income. The price for many news publications have increased (they were subsidized during the Soviet regime); and with money being so scare-most Russians opt for the free medium in acquiring news, which is television, even though most viewers know they may not be getting the full story of a particular issue, since the Kremlin, beginning in the 2000’s, secured control over the most popular channels.

So as we inch closer to the official start of the Winter Games in Sochi; let's hope the biggest stories splashed across a good number newspapers around the world involves the herculean efforts of the athletes from 88 countries valiantly competing for medals; and not about the repressive climate for information gatherers and that full media freedom will be extended to the estimated 13,000 journalists with press credentials.

-Bill Lucey
[email protected]
February 4, 2014

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Brief Historic Overview of Newspapers in Russia

• Vedomosti was the first printed newspaper in Russia, issued by the decree of Emperor Peter the Great on December 16, 1702.

• Russia's first privately daily newspaper was the Severnaya Pchela (Northern Bee) which started publishing daily in 1838, a publication chiefly charged with echoing the imperial prerogatives of Emperor Nicholas I.

• Nicholas I appointed a special committee to censor the press, forcing writers such as I.G. Golovin and Alexander Herzen to publish their journals and books in other major cities outside of Russia, such as Paris and London.

• In an effort to improve education and increase literacy, Russian Emperor Alexander II, beginning in 1855, encouraged the creation of privately owned newspapers through the relaxing of censorship restrictions, permitting street sales, and extending freedoms to commercial advertising.

• The first independent commercial newspaper was Golos (The Voice), a reformist daily founded by Andrei A. Kraevsky in Moscow in 1863.

• By 1870, there were 79 Russian-language newspapers in operation, nearly five times as many as a decade earlier.

• In 1881, Alexander II was assassinated by nihilists of "Will of the People" only to be succeeded by Alexander III, who enacted a series of anti-terrorism laws, restricting civil rights and freedom of the press.

• After the 1905 revolution, the press for a brief period, was freed from prepublication controls, resulting in increased newspaper circulation.

• Once Bolshevik publications such as Iskra and Pravda founded by V.I. Lenin in 1900 and 1910 respectively, increased their hostile attacks on the imperial regime, a fresh crackdown on independent newspapers ensued.

• When Lenin assumed power in 1917, he closed over 300 opposition papers and established a system of tight controls, including the banning of the conservative American press from Russia.

• During the Leninist period (1917-1925), an official newspaper for the Soviet state (Izvestia) was founded to go along with the Communist Party paper Pravda.

• A formal censorship office, referred to as Glavlit was established in 1922.

• A state information system run by the Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS) was created in 1925.

• 1990: 28th Party Congress; Supreme Soviet passes a law to lift censorship from the press.

• 2006: Two Russian newspapers closed after publishing the Danish cartoons of the prophet Muhammad that ignited worldwide demonstrations with one of the editors being charged with inciting hatred.

• Most recent figures suggest that there are 8,978 newspapers in Russia, with a total annual circulation of 8.2 billion copies.

Source: ``A Historical Dictionary of Journalism’’ By Ross Eaman; ``The Media In Russia’’ By Arutunyan, Anna

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About Sochi

• Sochi is a southern Russian city located in the Krasnodar Region, stretching approximately 90 miles along the eastern coast of the Black Sea.

• Founded in 1837 as a military fortification.

• In 1898, the Special State Commission designated the region as an ideal setting for a health resort.

• In 1909, the first real estate complex, Caucasian Riviera, consisting of four hotels, a restaurant, a theatre, a hydropathic and an electric power station was introduced.

• Helped by generous state subsidies, the region experienced rapid growth beginning in the 1930's, transforming the city into a flourishing health-resort, receiving 4,000,000 tourists annually, including 200,000 from abroad.

• During World War II, given its large supply of hotels and sanatoria, one of the largest military hospitals was established in Sochi.

• In the early 1960's, the coastal strip encompassing several towns, some tens of villages, including the city of Sochi were incorporated into a new administrative unit-of Greater Sochi.

• Greater Sochi is some 93 miles long, making it the world's second-largest metropolis after Los Angeles.

• Most of Sochi's territory consists of mountains and foothills of the Western Caucasus, covered with forests.

• Sochi is reportedly the warmest place in Russia. The climate is subtropical and the city records about 200 sunny days a year. Temperatures average 24 ˚ C (75 F) during the day in the summer and 5 ˚ C (41 F) in the winter. Tourists typically take to the sea for swimming from April until October with skiing taking place from October through May.

• Sochi has a population of more than 400,000, comprised of more than 90 nationalities, including Russian, Armenia, Ukrainian, Georgian, and Greek.

• Over two million tourists visit Sochi annually with its spa facilities numbering over 250.

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Key Facts about the Winter Games

• 88 countries will participate in the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

• 98 sets of medals will be awarded in 7 Olympic sports.

• 6,000 Olympic athletes and team members are expected in Sochi for the Olympic Winter Games.

• An estimated 3 billion television viewers throughout the world will be watching the Sochi 2014 Winter Games.

• There will be 17 days of competition.

• Seats at the opening ceremony on February 7 are priced at between $793 and $1,838.

• About 213,000 visitors are expected to come to Sochi, which borders Russia's tumultuous North Caucasus republics. Two suicide bombings killed 34 people in Volgograd on December 29, 2013, roughly 434 miles north of Sochi.

• The North Caucasus, approximately 62 miles east of Sochi, is considered the most dangerous place in Russia, ranking it among the top five most dangerous places in the world involving terrorism.

• The Washington Post recently reported that from January to September of 2013, 375 people were killed and 343 wounded in the North Caucasus region, including 68 civilians, 100 police officers and 200 terrorists. Between October and December, three suicide bombers-trained in Dagestan (300 miles east of Sochi)-killed more than 40 people.

• President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly indicated security will be guaranteed in Sochi, with about 40,000 personnel firmly entrenched in the area.

• According to The Wall Street Journal, the price tag of holding the Olympics in Sochi has reached $50 billion, making it the most expensive Olympic Games in history, more than the approximately $40 billion spent by China on the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, by contrast, cost more than $7 billion.

Source: The Embassy of the Russian Federation http://is.gd/6sqjOs ; Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee Press Service http://is.gd/IN1R3K

Israel Prepares for State Funeral

Israeli Knesset guards carry the coffin of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir as he lies-in-state in the Chagall Hall in the Knesset (Parliament) in Jerusalem, Israel, July 2, 2012. A state funeral was held at Mt. Herzl Cemetery.  Photo Credit: EPA/ABIR SULTAN

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As the condition of former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon grows graver by the day, preparations are being made for a state funeral.

Sharon, 85, Israel's 11th prime minister, suffered a brain hemorrhage on January 4, 2006, slipping into a coma from which he has never recovered.

Dr Zeev Rotstein, director of Tel Hashomer hospital in Tel Aviv, recently told members of the Israeli press that ``Sharon's health had deteriorated during the past two days and vital organs were suffering from a critical malfunction.''

The protocol for state funerals in Israel is called Havazelet (lily, the flower). In general, this protocol, according to Maoz Azaryahu, an associate professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Haifa, places the Ministry of Internal Security (police) in charge of public order, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is in charge of the ceremonial phases of the service. The general conduct of the funeral is ultimately decided by the family.

Mount Herzl ("Mount of Remembrance") has served as Israel’s national cemetery since ``The Greats of the Nations'' plot  was inaugurated in 1952 (when Eliezer Kaplan was buried there)  ; and it has been the burial place of four of Israel's prime ministers: Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Yitzhak Rabin, and Yitzhak Shamir, as well as Israeli presidents, generals, and other leaders, according to Neil W. Netanel, Interim Director at the Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies at UCLA.

Burial on Mount Herzl is considered the highest symbolic honor that the nation can show its leaders, since it is the burial site of Theodore Herzl, Austrian visionary and founder of modern Zionism, including the burial site of the many soldiers cut down in battle defending the state’s existence. Mount Herzl is located on the western side of Jerusalem.

Most close observers of Mr. Sharon, however, believe the former prime minister will break with tradition and opt not be buried on Mount Herzl at the ``Plot of the Greats of the Nation’’, but rather near his home, alongside his second wife, Lily (who died in 2000) at Havat Hashikmim (Sycamore Ranch) in the Negev. It is located in the northern Negev Desert, near Sderot.

If Mr. Sharon isn’t buried at Mount Herzl, he certainly wouldn’t be the first.

On December 3, 1973, David Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister of the State of Israel, was buried alongside his wife Paula on the cliff overlooking Wadi Zin in the educational and research center subsequently named after him, Midreshet Ben-Gurion (hereafter theMidrasha). Moshe Sharett (Israel’s second prime minister) was buried in the Trumpeldor cemetery in Tel Aviv; Menachem Begin chose the ``Mount of Olives'' (an old Jewish cemetery) as his burial place; and Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (Israel's second president) in a gesture of humility, chose a civilian cemetery in Jerusalem as his final resting place.

In Jewish tradition, funerals are held the following sunset or within 24 hours of death.

Mark Regev, spokesman for current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, was quoted in The Telegraph, saying the strict Jewish edict will probably be suspended in an effort to allow world leaders to pay their final respects to Mr. Sharon.

Specific details of the impending state funeral won’t be fully disclosed until the former prime minister dies.

According to David Tal, Yossi Harel Chair in Israel Studies in the Department of History at the University of Sussex, ``Sharon was a major General in the IDF, a member of the Knesset and a prime minister. As such he can be buried either in a military funeral, carried by six major generals, and buried in a military cemetery.’’ ``The other option’’ Tal says, `` is that he will be buried as a former prime minister, in a state funeral.’’

The decision as to what type of funeral Mr. Sharon will have (either military or state) resides with his family, namely, Sharon’s sons, Gilad and Omri, who are reportedly at their father's hospital bedside.

While specific elements of Mr. Sharon’s funeral may not have been disclosed yet, a look back at the funeral of Israel’s first prime minister, might offer a rough blue print of the main features of a state funeral in Israel.

Michael Feige and David Ohana in the ``Journal of Israel History: Politics, Society, Culture’’ [Vol. 31, No. 2, September 2012 http://is.gd/rKiJQc  ], chronicle the specific details of Ben-Gurion's funeral in 1973. Among its highlights:

• In the morning after his death, the casket was removed from Tel Hashomer hospital. The chief military cantor recited the “El male rahamim” prayer and Ben-Gurion’s son Amos recited the Kaddish.

• A helicopter carried the casket to the government offices; and from there it was carried on the shoulders of the Knesset guard into the Knesset building.

• As stipulated in his will, there were no public eulogies.

• The director of Israeli Radio, Moshe Hovav, read excerpts from the Declaration of Independence.

• Eight members of the Knesset guard carried the casket with two memorial torches being lit behind it, while four Knesset guard members stood on each side.

• Two military rabbis recited psalms.

• The president, prime minister, ministers, Knesset members, and other official delegations and public figures passed before the casket amid a siren of mourning.

• At approximately 10:00 a.m, the public was allowed in to pay their final respects, which was estimated at a quarter of a million people.

• The following morning, five helicopters carried the coffin and the VIPs to the funeral ceremony in Sde Boker, a kibbutz in the Negev desert of southern Israel.

• Six soldiers from the chief military rabbinate took up position on each side of the open grave.

• The coffin arrived in the fifth helicopter that landed at the Midrasha, accompanied by six IDF lieutenant-colonels and four police chief superintendents. After them, the family members descended.

• Among the first VIPs to arrive were the president, the prime minister, and speaker of the Knesset; followed by government ministers and the other dignitaries. Only 150 people were permitted to attend the funeral.

• A military command car carrying the coffin approached along with a guard of honor of IDF major-generals and representatives of the Israeli police. Those in attendance remained silent. The national flag was removed from the coffin and a representative of the military rabbinate folded the prayer shawl that was under it, and the coffin was then lowered into the grave.

• The chief military rabbi read a chapter of psalms and Ben-Gurion’s son, Amos, recited the Kaddish.

• Directly behind the grave, black rubber bags containing desert soil were distributed by soldiers from the military rabbinate and their contents were poured into the grave until the coffin was covered.

• The cantor recited a prayer, and wreaths were laid to conclude the 45 minute ceremony.

-Bill Lucey
[email protected]
January 9, 2014

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Biographical Sketch of Ariel Sharon

February 27, 1928: Born: Ariel Scheinerman to Shmuel and Vera Scheinerman.

1942: Age 14, joined Haganah, the underground defense force in Palestine, when it was under the administrative authority of the British government.

1948: Launched his military career as member of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).

1949: Commanded an intelligence unit of the Golani brigade.

1953; Headed a special anti-terror unit responsible for halting Palestinian incursions into Israeli territory.

October 14-15, 1953: In retaliation for the murder of a woman and her daughters, Sharon's unit stormed the village of Qibya, in West Jordan, where he ordered the dynamiting of forty-five houses, causing the death of sixty-nine persons. This provocative action was condemned by the UN Security Council.

1954-1955: Headed a battalion in a paratroop brigade.

1956: During the Suez-Sinai War, he ignored orders from superiors and occupied the Mitla Pass, which commanded the access to the Suez Canal. The confrontation with Egyptian troops resulted in the death of 36 men. Sharon was accused of insubordination; later tried and found responsible for the deaths of these men.

February, 1967: Promoted to general and commanded an armored division during the Six-Day War.

1969-1973: As chief of the southern command, he demolished thousands of homes in Gaza refugee camps to create roads for antiterror patrols.

1972: Unable to rise to the position of Army chief of staff, Sharon left the military to take up a career in politics, registering as a member of the Liberal Party. With Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Shamir, he participated in the creation of the right-wing parliamentary group Likud.

October, 1973: During the Yom Kippur War, he commanded an armored division on the southern front. Ignoring orders from superiors, he crossed the Suez Canal, cutting the Egyptian Third Army off from its rear, enabling the IDF to force the Egyptian army to surrender. Such heroic efforts catapulted Sharon, in the eyes of Israeli soldiers, to"Arik, King of Israel."

1973: Elected a Likud representative.

1975: Became security adviser for the Labor Party Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin.

1977: In disputes with party leaders, he formed his own party, Shlomzion, which won two seats in the Knesset in the May elections. Soon after, he joined Likud and was appointed minister of agriculture in the government of Menachem Begin.

June, 1981: Became Defense Minister.

1982: Became the principal architect of the invasion of Lebanon (Operation "Peace in Galilee"), during which several hundred Palestinians were murdered by the Lebanese Christian militia at the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila, while the IDF observed without raising any objections.

February 11, 1983, Sharon was judged responsible by a commission of inquiry headed by Israeli Supreme Court chief justice Yitzhak Kahan for not preventing the slaughter; a decision which forced him to resign as defense minister, but remaining minister without portfolio.

1996: Appointed national infrastructure minister by Benjamin Netanyahu.

1998: Became foreign minister.

May, 1999: Succeeds Netanyahu as Likud leader after Labor's Ehud Barak became prime minister.

September, 2000: Visits Temple Mount in Jerusalem, setting off Muslim riots and an eruption of anger from Palestinians, sparking a revival of the Intifada known as al-Aqsa Intifada.

February 6, 2001: Sharon was elected prime minister, with 62.5 percent of the votes.

March, 2002: Following a suicide bombing at a Netanya resort hotel, Sharon ordered the invasion and reoccupation of West Bank cities under Operation "Defensive Shield." Israeli forces destroyed buildings while capturing hundreds of Palestinians.

May, 2003: Under heavy pressure from the United States, Sharon's cabinet voted to approve the internationally backed "Road Map" for peace.

2004: Presented a plan to disengage from settlements in Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

October, 2004: The Knesset voted to back Sharon's plan in October 2004.

August, 2005: Sharon completes the withdrawal from Gaza of all Israeli settlers and the destruction of all Israeli settlements and completes the withdrawal of the Israeli military on September 11, 2005.

November 21, 2005: Resigned his Likud position, dissolved parliament; then forms a new center-right party known as Kadima (Forward), with new elections scheduled for March 2006.

December 18, 2005: Sharon was hospitalized for stroke like symptoms, later released after scheduling surgery to repair a newly discovered hole in the atrial septum of his heart.

January 4, 2006: Suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage at his Negev ranch (Havat Hashikmim).

April 11, 2006: The Israeli cabinet declared Sharon incapacitated and ended his prime ministership three days later, naming Ehud Olmert as interim prime minister.

-Bill Lucey
January 9, 2014

Source: Dictionary of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA; Edwards, Richard. "Sharon, Ariel." The Encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli Conflict: A Political, Social, and Military History. Ed. Spencer C. Tucker and Priscilla Roberts. Vol. 3. Santa Barbara, CA:

 

A Christmas Story: Recalling 30 Year-Old Movie Reviews

 

What do the Marx Bros’``Duck Soup’’ (1933`) `The Wizard of Oz’’ (1939), ``Citizen Kane’’ (1941), and ``It’s a Wonderful Life’’ (1946) have in common with ``A Christmas Story,’’ the 1983 American Christmas comedy film based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author Jean Shepherd?

Believe it or not, all these films were considered box office flops when they premiered, but years, sometimes decades later, they bounced back to life after finding a new audience with a fresh set of eyes-and today are considered motion picture classics.

``A Christmas Story’’ opened 30 years ago, November 18, 1983, drawing $7,291,703 in its first 10 days at 938 theaters in the United States and Canada; and after it closed five weeks later in most theaters, its final receipts totaled a disappointing $19 million. Studio execs considered it a flop. It was out of most theaters before Christmas.

Today, more than 100,000 DVD and Blu-ray copies of "A Christmas Story" are sold weekly during the holiday season; and thousands of passionate fans ( which have included in years past a flood of foreign tourists from Germany, England, China, Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, Netherlands, Ireland, Mexico and Thailand), have journeyed to the Christmas Story House and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, [See their website http://is.gd/g0JQd0  ] to view scenes shot near the house and examine original props, costumes and memorabilia from the film, as well as hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes photos. A ``Christmas Story" convention is additionally held there annually in November.

In December 2012, ``A Christmas Story’’ was one of 25 films selected to be included into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, for its enduring importance to American culture and as a reflection of who ``we are as a people and a nation," according to Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. Congress established the National Film Registry in 1989 to highlight the need for preserving U.S. film heritage.

So how did ``A Christmas Story’’ find its new audience?

Beginning in the 1990’s, the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) started scheduling marathon 24-hour slots for ``A Christmas Story’’; and with families constantly in hot pursuit for a decent movie to pop into their DVD players around the holidays-films which the whole family can enjoy-``A Christmas Story’’ fits the bill like a pair of winter gloves.

The movie is, after all, more than a Christmas comedy with a scary Santa Claus who spits out a scornful Ho!, Ho!, Ho! Rather, it’s a valentine to growing up in small town America during the 1940s with all its familiar trappings: a family picking out a Christmas tree together, a furnace that never works, fretting over a stern dad (with a heart of gold) coming home; and memories of the school-yard pranks and the terror that came during face-to-face combat with neighborhood bullies; memories, in other words, that no matter how old we get, still seems to cling to our receding, distant past.

Since this is the 30-year anniversary of the holiday classic, I thought it would be fun to look back at some of the original movie reviews from a number of U.S. dailies in 1983.

I found it fascinating that only one movie critic (at least from the list of reviews I found), Jay Carr of the Boston Globe, possessed the sharp eye and keen insight 30 years ago to describe ``A Christmas Story’’ as an ``instant classic, a film that will give pleasure to people not only this Christmas, but many Christmases to come.’’

And kudos too goes to Gene Siskel (bless his soul) of the Chicago Tribune, who wondered why on earth this delightful motion picture was released in the middle of November, practically guaranteeing doom at the box office.

What follows, then, are brief snippets from film reviews written 30 years ago, shortly after the premiere of ``A Christmas Story.’

Boston Globe
A Christmas Story: Film Review:
A CHRISTMAS STORY - DIRECTED BY BOB CLARK, SCREENPLAY BY CLARK, LEIGH; BROWN AND JEAN SHEPHERD, BASED ON SHEPHERD'S "IN GOD WE TRUST, ALL; OTHERS PAY CASH," STARRING MELINDA DILLON,; DARREN MCGAVIN, PETER BILLINGSLEY, AT THE BEACON HILL AND SUBURBS,; RATED PG.
By Jay Carr, Globe Staff
Nov 19, 1983

``This is the kind of movie that risks tripping over its own whimsy, but it stays on track disarmingly. We can believe that Ralphie, often given to daydreaming, is exactly the sort of fellow who'd show up on a voiceover 30 years later speaking of a bacchanalia of peace on earth or, referring to his mother's way of stuffing his little brother into a snowsuit, that "going to school was like preparing for extended deep sea diving." Clark and Billingsley have gambled on presenting the adult world as exaggerated creatures seen through Ralphie's eyes, and won.’’
``In short, "A Christmas Story" isn't just about Christmas; it's about childhood and it recaptures a time and place with love and wonder. It seems an instant classic, a film that will give pleasure to people not only this Christmas, but for many Christmases to come.’’

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MOVIE REPORT CARD
The Boston Herald, December 8, 1983
Movie Grade: C minus.

``A silly piece of tinseled fluffabout a nine-year-old boy's efforts to get a Red Ryder rifle for Christmas. Fine performances by Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillion, and child actor Peter Billingsley are wasted by lame direction and a corny script. At the Beacon Hill and suburban cinemas.''

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The New York Times
November 18, 1983, Friday, Late City Final Edition
FILM: 'CHRISTMAS STORY,' INDIANA TALE
By Vincent Canby

``There are a number of small, unexpectedly funny moments in ''A Christmas Story,'' but you have to possess the stamina of a pearl diver to find them.’’
``The movie's big comic pieces tend only to be exceedingly busy. Though Mr. Billingsley, Mr. Gavin, Miss Dillon and the actress who plays Ralphie's school teacher (Tedde Moore) are all very able, they are less funny than actors in a television situation comedy that one has chosen to watch with the sound turned off.’’

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San Francisco Chronicle
November 23, 1983
A '40s Christmas and Dreams of BB Gun Glory
By Peter Stack

``The movie softly lit and laid out with the wistful charm of an old easy chair, is certain too to remind us of an age of innocence: radio was king. Oldsmobiles were solid steel, dads were in the habit of reading the evening paper at the dinner table, and mothers stayed home the day long with their feather dusters and recipes that were endless variations on the theme of hash.’’
``This is a movie tailored for people who grew up in the `40's, who remember an America emerging from the dark cloud of a long, terrible war. Still, its funny moments transcend the period tone, and now and then ``A Christmas Story'' sheds affectionate light on the dreams and little disasters that still cling to the yuletide. Santa Claus, it seems to say, really can be a scary guy sometimes, and dad, who never seems to notice when you cry, can be rather heroic in his clumsy way.''

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The Los Angeles Times
A Trip Back to Christmas in `30s
November 18, 1983
By Kevin Thomas

``Don't expect much Christmas spirit to be oozing out of ``A Christmas Story (citywide). Reportedly, Bob Clark, director of ``Porky's'' has for a decade wanted to make a film of humorist Jean Shepherd's short story. ``The Red Ryder Nails the Cleveland Street Kid.''
``The result is a kind of grade-school ``Porky's'' minus the raunchiness. And even though Shepherd and his wife collaborated with the script with Clark, the film has little of the subversive humor that made Shepherd such a legend on records and on the radio in the `50s and `60s. Actually, it has little humor, period.''....``That the film isn't remotely as hilarious as it hopes to be only makes it an even greater problem for those of us who possess no-more-war toys sentiments going in.’’

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The Washington Post
'Christmas Story': Family Fare to Savor
November 18, 1983
BY RITA KEMPLEY

``If you're a Christmas holdout, a true believer who still hears reindeer on the roof, and even on an unseasonably warm Christmas Eve holds out hope of waking to a yard full of snow and branches coated like velvet antlers, then "A Christmas Story" is for you.’’
``It's a heart-warming pastiche of snowflakes, Christmas lights strung across city streets, children's noses pressed against toy- store windows and one little boy's quest for the present of his dreams, a Genuine Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle, with a Shock-Proof High-Adventure Combination Trail Compass and Sundial Set Right in the Stock.’’

***

The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio)
`Christmas Story' is full of charm for whole family.
November 19, 1983
By Roxanne T. Mueller

``Growing up is tough enough for a kid without having parents interfering. So fantasy is an appropriate retreat. The real world is an enigma too and that's the double charm of ``A Christmas Story,'' a movie with a kid's-eye view set in the relatively innocent era of America just before World War II’’.....``It's chock-full of understated wit but avoids the kind of Disneyesque sentimentality that grown-ups and sophisticated kids gag on.''

***

Chicago Tribune
'Christmas' arrives early, with nostalgic gifts for one and all
By Gene Siskel
November 21, 1983
Movie Grade: 3 1/2 stars

``A Christmas Story is a delightful motion picture that is doomed to box office failure. It would appear to be a children's film, but it really is a whimsical piece for adults about childhood. And whimsy is what also closes on Saturday night. Also, the subject of Christmas in the middle of November-well, we can wait, right? Whoever booked this film this early should be shot.''
``A Christmas Story is full of delightful characters and performances. Child model Peter Bilingsley is cute without being cloying as little Ralphie. He looks like a kid in a Norman Rockwell painting. Ralphie's father, a gruff but kindly man, is nicely played by Darren McGavin.''
``The Christmas Story is a movie with a golden glow. Here's hoping someone goes to the see it. As to the prediction made at the top of this review, I'd love to be proved wrong.''

***
Chicago Sun-Times
A Christmas Story-
December 15, 1983
Movie Grade: 3 stars
By Roger Ebert.

``Of course. That's what I kept saying during "A Christmas Story," every time the movie came up with another one of its memories about growing up in the 1940s.
The movie's high point comes at Christmastime, when Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) goes to visit Santa Claus. Visits to Santa Claus are more or less standard in works of this genre, but this movie has the best visit to Santa I've ever seen. Santa is a workaholic, processing kids relentlessly. He has one helper to spin the kid and deposit him on Santa's lap, and another one to grab the kid when the visit is over, and hurl him down a chute to his parents below. If the kid doesn't want to go, he gets Santa's boot in his face. Of course.''

***

The Denver Post
'TIS THE SEASON
HOLIDAY RELEASES CAST AS THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY
December 16, 1983
By Michael Healy
Denver Post Movie Critic

``Not so delightful, but innocuous enough, is "A Christmas Story" which features a lot of merry mugging and Xmas excess all in the cause of getting a laugh. It's the story of a little boy's pursuit of his Christmas wish: a gun. ...’’

 

The Evening Independent

A Christmas Story' a minor holiday trifle
By Jim Moorhead
November 25, 1983

``I went into this film hoping to like it. I even took my uncritical children along for support. But A Christmas Story is what it is-a shakily spun swatch of nostalgia that is neither lively enough for youngsters nor convincing enough for older viewers’’........``Clark [director Bob Clark] has failed to elicit proper execution, so that it ends up as a minor holiday trifle, and that's too bad. The world can always use another good Christmas story.''
NOTE: The Evening Independent was St. Petersburg, Florida's first daily newspaper, the sister evening newspaper of the St. Petersburg Times. It was purchased by St. Petersburg Times owner Nelson Poynter in 1962 and subsequently folded in 1986. It then merged into the Times in November 1986, initially as part of the Times's "City Times and Independent" section; the "Independent" name was later dropped altogether.

***

A Christmas Story: Footnotes

• Jack Nicholson was considered for the role of playing Ralphie's dad, before the directors settled on Darren McGavin.

• Peter Billingsley, who plays the nine year-old Ralphie in the film is now 42, and has become a producer and director (the films include: "Iron Man," "The Break-Up," "Couples Retreat" and the TV series "Sullivan & Son") with occasional minor acting roles.

• As many as 8,000 youngsters auditioned for the character of Ralphie.

• A Christmas Story" was made for less than $5 million.

• A Christmas Story grossed: $19,294,144.

• An estimated 40 million people watch at least parts of ``A Christmas Story’’ every year on TBS during its Christmas marathon.

• Billingsley reportedly is still in possession of the Red Ryder 200-shot Carbine Action Air Rifle, which served as his holy grail during the movie.

• Jean Shepherd’s book “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash”, in which the film is based on, is a smattering of semi-autobiographical short stories that he wrote for “Playboy” magazine during the 1960s. He died in 1999 reportedly of natural causes.

• Shepherd is not only the narrator of "A Christmas Story," he also has a cameo as the bearded gentlemen in the fur coat in Higbee's Department Store who tells Ralphie to get to the end of the line.

• Though the movie is set in Indiana, parts of the film were shot in Cleveland, Ohio (most prominently, the city’s downtown Public Square and the old Higbee’s department store), with a vast majority of the filming taking place in Ontario, Canada.

• The exterior of the house depicted in ``A Christmas Story’’ was a 19th-century Victorian home built in 1895, located at 3159 W 11th Street in Cleveland, Ohio, in the Tremont neighborhood, The house was scooped up by San Diego entrepreneur Brian Jones at an Ebay auction in 2004 for $150,000. He plunked down another $250,000 to spruce it up and opened it as a tourist attraction in 2006. Jones later bought two additional houses across the street, one that became a museum, and another, a gift shop, which swung open its doors just this year. Items inside the gift shop, include: Red Ryder guns, ornaments from the movie, a Pink Nightmare Bunny Suit, and, of course, a 50" Deluxe Full Size Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story,

• ``A Christmas Story" was directed by Bob Clark who shot to fame in 1980, when he directed a box office smash hit, "Porky's," an American sex comedy based on his escapades as a Florida teenager in the 1950s.

• A Christmas Story, The Musical, opened on Broadway (for a limited run) in November 2012, earning three 2013 Tony Award nominations: Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Joseph Robinette), and Best Original Score (Banj Pasek and Jusin Paul). The show stars John Bolton (gruff dad), Erin Dilly (doting mom), Jake Lucas (Ralphie) and Dan Lauria as the show's narrator, Jean Shepherd.

• Although ``A Christmas Story’’ didn't receive any Academy Awards, the Canadians recognized the film with two Genies (the equivalent of the Oscars) for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, which Shepherd and Clark shared.

• In 1994 there was a sequel to “A Christmas Story" an obscure, rarely seen film, originally called "My Summer Story" and now appears on video under the title "It Runs in the Family." Also written by Shepherd, the movie stars Macaulay Culkin's little brother Kieran as Ralphie and Charles Grodin as Old Man Parker.

• "A Christmas Story 2," was eventually made and released in 2012 direct to DVD, which met with a surge of unfavorable reviews. Even though all the original characters are in the movie, none of the original cast returned. The film takes place five years later and depicts Ralphie's efforts in trying to get his first car.

Bill Lucey
[email protected]
December 23, 2013

 

FACTS and STATS for Friday, October 11, 2013

FACTS and STATS for Friday, October 11, 2013

 

Via ESPN: ``Justin Verlander's last four starts: 27 innings, 15 hits, 0 runs, 6 walks, 43 strikeouts. ''

Justin Verlander hasn't allowed a run since September 18^th. 

 

STATS of the DAY

• How much has Congress been paid since the government shutdown?  $2,600,000

• Rookie MLB starters have lost all 6 of their winner-take-all postseason starts from 2011 to 2013

 

• 4  MLB starters have multiple wins in winner-take-all postseason games-- J.Verlander, B.Gibson, C.Carpenter & M.Cain

 

• Matt Ryan, Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger will combine to make $55.1 million this season. Their teams are a combined 1-14.

 

•   N.Y. Giants are 0-6 for the 1st time since 1976 (started 0-9).

 

• Asia-Pacific countries collectively represent more than half of the world's GDP, 44 percent of world trade and 40 percent of world population.

 

• There are 32 million Americans who at present have no medical insurance.

 

**

 

Public Opinion Polls over the government shutdown have been coming thick and fast:

 

• Gallup: Eighteen percent of Americans are satisfied with the way the nation is being governed, down 14 percentage points from the 32% recorded last month before the partial government shutdown began. This is the lowest government satisfaction rating in Gallup's history of asking the question dating back to 1971.

http://is.gd/CHvkE4

• WSJ/NBC poll: 53%  blame Republicans for the shutdown v 31% who blame Obama.

http://is.gd/fEL7ql

• If you could, would you vote to defeat, replace every member of Congress, including your rep? Yes 60%/ No 35% NBC/WSJ    http://is.gd/19bH44 

 

How the Government Shutdown is affecting every agency: Washington Post Graphic http://is.gd/mfFOT0

 

***

Snippets from International Headlines

 

Moscow has no illusions with regards to destruction of Syria's chemical weapons

 

• MOSCOW, October 10 (Itar-Tass)

Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday that Moscow did not have any illusions with regards to when chemical weapons in Syria could be destroyed because the process was unlikely to be smooth. "We do not have any illusions about the fulfillment of this complicated task, especially the deadlines which have been set,"

 

"It is clear that the destruction of chemical weapons will not go smoothly. Apart from the hard situation in Syria, some chemical weapons facilities may be located in areas of military hostilities," Lukashevich emphasized.

 

• According to a report this week by Credit Suisse, China now has 6% of the world’s total of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, or those with fortunes in excess of $50 million. That’s second only to the United States, which commands nearly half the world’s total.

Wall Street Journal: http://is.gd/1Pht27

 

• CHINESE researchers may have found the cure for a hangover before it takes hold - lemonade. The Independent reports research from Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou which explains why lemonade, such as Sprite or Schweppes, could be the trick.

http://is.gd/ShSXJQ

 

Today in History:

October 11, 1975: ``NBC's Saturday Night'' (later changed to `` Saturday Night Live'') premieres with Don Pardo introducing the cast on the first show as the "The not for ready, prime time players" instead of their actual name as "The Not Ready For Prime Time Players." The original cast, included: Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman, and Garrett Morris.

Comedian George Carlin was the first host with two musical guests: Billy Preston and Janis Ian.

 

Word Origin

``Pomp and circumstance’’, a phrase used by Sir Edward Elgar for his composition played at high school graduations was originally used in Shakespeare's Othello: ``Pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war..'' According to William Morris' ``Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins’’, ``Circumstance’’ comes from two Latin words, circum and stare and originally meant ``standing around.'' In the age of Shakespeare it meant any formal show or ceremony.

 

Looking For A Good Quote?

``The fact is, that the public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what is worth knowing.''

-Oscar Wilde

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

October 11, 2013

 

Merkel's Resounding Victory: How It's Playing in Berlin

Amid Hillary Clinton’s march to the White House, hoping to be the first female U.S. President, few have noticed German chancellor Angela Merkel, 59,  has already lapped her as the second most powerful politician in the world, according to Forbes Magazine , just a tick behind President Barack Obama and ahead of Russian president Vladimir Putin (no. 3) and departing Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke (no. 6).

Merkel or `Mutti’’ (mother of the nation) as she has been hailed for her cautious pragmatic tough-love approach to the eurozone crisis, struck big in the German national elections with her Christian Democratic Union, and their allies, the Christian Social Union in Bavaria capturing 41.5 percent of the popular vote on Sunday, their best showing in more than 20 years, winning 311 of the 630 seats in Parliament, just five votes short of a majority.  According to The New York Times, Konrad Adenauer was the last chancellor to receive an absolute majority in 1957.

Merkel tried in vain to tamp down the deafening cheers of ``Angie!, Angie!,’’ at CDU headquarters; but when the roars did die down, she told her euphoric supporters, "We can celebrate tonight because we have done something fantastic’’, while urging her party to  celebrate a ``super result’’ as she begins her third term.

The only downside to Merkel’s conservative party victory was that she must now find a new coalition party, since the Free Democratic Party failed to make it over the 5 percent threshold, meaning the CDU/CSU will more than likely enter into a coalition with either the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) or the Greens.

A noteworthy election casualty was the Alternative für Deutschland, the protest anti-euro party, fell just shy of the 5 percent threshold, which means only four parties, will be represented in the Bundestag.

As a further boon to Merkel’s leadership, voter turnout increased for the first time since 1998 from 70.8 percent to 72.5 percent, according to the Bild newspaper, a German tabloid.

What follows is a brief sampling of headlines in Germany, splashing news of Merkel’s remarkable election victory.

 

• ``CDU/ CSU Clear Winners in Fed Election’’: The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

 

• ``Merkel Triumphs, FDP Suffers Debacle’’: The Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ)

 

• ``Merkel’s Greatest Triumph’’ (Bild)

 

• ``Merkel’s Triumph’’ (Welt)

 

• ``Now Merkel Has To Choose’’ (Tagesspiegel)

 

• ``Chancellor Now looking For a Partner ‘’(B.Z),

 

• ``The Euro Chancellor’’ (Handelsblatt)

 

****

Preliminary Fed election results:

• CDU/ CSU 41.5 percent (+7.7 on 2009 result),
• SPD 25.7 percent (+2.7),
• FDP 4.8 percent (-9.8)
• Left Party 8.6 percent (-3.3),
• Greens 8.4 percent (-2.3)
• Pirates 2.2 percent (+0.2)
• Alternative für Deutschland 4.7 percent (+4.7)

 

***

New Composition of Bundestag

• CSU 311 seats (+72 compared to 2009
• SPD 192 (+46)
• Left Party 64 (-12)
• Greens 63 (-5)

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

September 23, 2013

Syria Crisis: Former U.S. Presidents Offer Sage Advice to Obama

As President Barack Obama, our 44^th U.S. president confronts severe challenges with Syria in ensuring chemical weapons are indeed destroyed, while remaining vigilant in monitoring the danger of radical elements taking root in this tumultuous Arab republic -I often wonder how many of the former U.S. presidents (if living today) would have handled the challenges the president is facing?

As luck would have it,  Chicago historian Pierce Word, has just come out with a timely new book: ``Wisdom From the Oval Office’’, a compilation of presidential quotes organized under a wide range of subjects from democracy, education, and happiness to life, liberty, trust, truth, and yes, even war.

Based on Word’s superb research in hunting down the origin of these timely quotes, let’s pretend, for a moment, that in light of the crisis in Syria, many of the former U.S. presidents (including one living president) gathered around a campfire in Washington, where they have agreed to field questions from the press corp.

Perhaps, such a press conference would have unfolded in the following manner:

Q. Was President Obama correct in asking for congressional approval before launching a strike against the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria?

A. ``The constitution vests the power of declaring war in Congress.’’

-George Washington, (letter to William Moultrie, August 28, 1793).

 

Q. If you were in President Obama’s shoes, how would you have handled the Syrian crisis?

A. ``Gallows ought to be the fate of all such ambitions men who would involve their country in civil wars.’’

-Andrew Jackson (letter to Rev. A.J. Crawford. May 1, 1883).

A. ``I have never advocated war except as a means of peace.’’

-Ulysses Grant (Speech in London, June 15, 1887).

A. ``War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed.’’

-William McKinley Jr., (Inaugural Address, March 4, 1897).

A. ``More than an end to war, we want an end to the beginning of all wars-yes, an end to this brutal, inhuman thoroughly impractical method of settling the differences between governments.’’

-Franklin Roosevelt (Undelivered Address, Prepared for Jefferson Day, April 13, 1945).

A. ``We cannot be both the world’s leading champion of peace and the world’s leading supplier of weapons of war.’’

-Jimmy Carter, Statement to Arms Control Association during the 1976 Presidential Campaign.

 

Q. Why do you think President Obama faced such passionate criticism at home over launching an attack against Syria, even if it were ``unbelievably small’’ to use Secretary of State John Kerry’s words? Most public opinion polls were overwhelming against the United States striking Syria.

A. ``There is a power in public opinion in this country-and I thank God for it.’’

-Martin Van Buren, (Speech at the U.S. Senate, December 5, 1837).

A. ``Public opinion in this country is all-powerful.’’

-James Buchanan (Speech to Congress; January 8, 1861).

A. ``I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis.’’

-Abraham Lincoln (speech to the House of Representative, January 12, 1848). 

A. ``The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressman and government officials, but the voters of this country.’’

-Franklin Roosevelt, Address at Marietta, Ohio, July 8, 1938

 

Q. Many are of the strong belief that if President Obama had not threatened to strike Syria and asked for a congressional authority for such an act, it would not have resulted in a non-aggression peace agreement like the one that was hammered out between  Russia, the United States and the Assad regime in Geneva. Do you agree with that argument?

A. ``It is an unfortunate fact that we can secure peace only by preparing for war.’’

-John F. Kennedy, (Speech Civic Auditorium, Seattle Washington, September 6, 1960).

 

Q.  With a military strike against Syria having been abated, at least for the time being, and the American public’s distaste for war having reached a fever pitch, are we entering a new phase of American diplomacy in which peaceful solutions, if given enough time to develop, will take center stage?

A. ``Time and the world do not stand still.’’

-John F. Kennedy (Speech in the Assembly Hall at Paulskirche in Frankfurt, Germany, June 25, 1963).

A. ``No one need think that the world can be ruled without blood. The civil sword must be red and bloody.’’

-Andrew Jackson, statement during tenure as Florida’s Military Governor, circa 1821.

A. ``We Americans have no commission from God to police the world.’’

-Benjamin Harrison, (Statement to Congress, 1888).

A. ``If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships-the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace.”

-Franklin Roosevelt, (Undelivered Jefferson Day Address, April 13, 1945).

 

Q. What would you say to those who argue the United States has overextended itself abroad (consider Iraq, Afghanistan, and now potentially Syria), and should therefore devote more of its attention and financial resources to domestic needs, such as education, unemployment, and taking a hard look at the plight of America’s inner cities? Our military engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan, after all, hasn’t exactly earned us many friends around the world.

A. ``Let every nation know whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty.’’

-John F. Kennedy, (Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961).

A. ``The right of a nation to kill a tyrant in case of necessity can no more be doubted than to hang a robber, or kill a flea.’’

-John Adams, (In his ``Defense of Constitutions of Government’’ (1787).

A. ``Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.’’

-Thomas Jefferson, (Letter to Isaac Tiffany, April 4, 1819).

A. ``The only sure way of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protects the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government.

-Franklin Roosevelt (Fireside Chat, April 14, 1938).

A. ``We have entered an age in which education is not just a luxury permitting some men an advantage over others.  It has become a necessity without which a person is defenseless in this complex, industrialized society.’’

-Lyndon Johnson (Remarks at the dedication at the Crossland Vocational Center in Camp Springs, Maryland, April 27, 1967).

 

Q. Why has President Obama received such heavy criticism, not only with in his initial threats of striking Syria, but even with his stewardship of the economy?

A. ``I report to you that our country is challenged at home and abroad.’’

-Lyndon Johnson, (State of the Union Address, January 17, 1968).

``He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.’’

-Abraham Lincoln (As quoted in Forbes Magazine, 1960).

 

Q. What type of counsel would you give President Obama on the agreement that was reached between Russia and the United States in which Syria will allow its stockpile of chemical weapons to be removed or destroyed by next year?

A. ``Trust, but verify.’’

-Ronald Reagan, (remark at the signing of the INF treaty, Washington D.C., December 8, 1987).

A. ``Actions, not words, are the true criterion.’’

-George Washington, (letter to Major-General Sullivan, December 15, 1779).

 

Q. Do you have any sage words of advice for President Obama as he confronts many domestic and foreign policy challenges in the coming months and years ahead?

A. ``Wisdom consists not so much in knowing what to do in the ultimate as knowing what to do next.’’

-Herbert Hoover (as quoted in Forbes Magazine, 1923).

A. ``Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.’’

-Theodore Roosevelt, (Speech delivered in Lincoln, Nebraska, June 14, 1917).

A. ``Man cannot live by bread alone; he must have peanut butter.’’

-James Garfield, (as quoted in The Lutheran Standard, 1969).

 

-Bill Lucey

[email protected]

September 17, 2013

  

By George! When Will We Know the Name of Will and Kate's New Baby Boy?

William and Kate deciding on what to name their new son.

In 1982, Diana and Charles show the world their new son, William

***

Pass the cigars and let’s uncork a little of the bubbly with the fabulous news we’ve all been waiting for: Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William are proud parents of a new healthy baby boy, who weighed in at 8 pounds, 6 ounces, at central London's St. Mary's Hospital, the same hospital where William and Harry were born.

Before the dawn of the 20^th and 21^st centuries, the birth of a royal baby was marked by a number of regal traditions, which sadly, except for a lingering few, have faded into the night air.  Two British historians (Robert Bucholz and Geoffrey Wandesforde-Smith) told me gone are the traditions of the bells ringing from church steeples across Britain to announce the birth of a new heir to the throne; gone too are the lit bonfires and the court distributing wine at the gates of the palace, especially common during the Tudor period. Patrick Allitt, professor of history at Emory University, moreover, said that before DNA tests became so common and so reliable, the Lord Chancellor was present at the birth to make sure the baby was genuine and that an impostor had not been sneaked into the room (a so-called "warming-pan baby").

Thankfully, a few royal traditions still remained on Monday, namely, the posting of a birth announcement on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace along with the traditional Town Crier outside St. Mary’s hospital to make known the news of the birth of the new prince.

With the traditional formalities in announcing the birth behind us, now all the proud parents have to do is to reveal to the world the name of their new son.

But don’t hold your breath; the announcement could take a while.  After all, William’s name wasn’t revealed until a week after his birth; and his father Charles-even longer-an entire month in 1948.

So all we can really do is speculate and place down our bets as to what the name of the new prince will be. All we know for sure is the new addition to the royal family will have an H.R.H before his name and be known as ``Prince….of Cambridge.’’

Possibly, much like Charles and Diana, there might be some sparring going on between Kate and William over the new name. It’s been well documented when Diana gave birth in 1982; she wanted a modern name for her son. Charles and the Queen, on the other hand, insisted on a traditional royal name, one well suited for a future king. A grand bargain was struck when they settled on William, perfect for a future king with echoes to William the Conqueror, the first Norman King of England, who reigned from 1066 until his death in 1087. Diana, still bent on modernizing the name of her new son, shortened it to ``Wills’’ or the more playful ``Wombat.’’

In 1894, Queen Victoria, known for flamboyant fits of anger got worked up over the Duke of York wanting to name her great-grandson Edward after the duke's elder brother (``Eddy’’) who died of pneumonia two years before. The child eventually ended with the name: Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, later The Duke of Windsor and eventually King Edward VIII before abdicating in 1936 after proposing to Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who was in the midst of divorcing her second husband.

Since my personal suggestions for the name of the baby (Jethro, Sparky, and Wolfgang) have apparently fallen on deaf ears at Buckingham Palace, I thought I would turn to some British specialists who are more equipped than I am in speculating what the name of the new prince will likely be.

Here, then, are some responses which came back.

• ``The names are usually carefully chosen: usually names of former monarchs with a good reputation (e.g. Elizabeth; William; Henry; Edward) or with dynastic associations (e.g. George). Some names seem to have become taboo because of bad associations (e.g. no John since 13th century; no Richard since Richard III; no James since James II). I wonder if Edward will be ruled out in future because of Edward VIII's abdication in 1936.  That said, I don't think most of the public have that much of a historical awareness of such significances - they just know that some names seem to be 'appropriate' for monarchs because they are frequently chosen. Personally I always thought Charles was an odd choice for the present Prince of Wales (Charles I was executed after a Civil War with his own Parliament and Charles II was both personally dissolute and politically suspect because of his liking for France, catholicism and absolutism). The present Charles hasn't exactly been universally respected, come to think of it - maybe it was a prophetic choice! ''

-Keith Wrightson, Randolph W. Townsend Jr. Professor of History at Yale University, specifically ‘early modern’ England (c.1450-1750), specializing in social, economic and cultural history.

 

• ``All names are significant, of course and royal names especially so because you want to avoid bad precedents:  no Richards, no Edwards and they don't seem to be ready yet for another Henry.  My bet's on George or something completely non-royal, like John, Paul or Ringo.’’

- Robert O. Bucholz, a leading authority on the history of the British court, the social history of early modern England, and the emergence of London as global cultural center during and after the sixteenth century is a professor of history at Loyola University Chicago, where he teaches courses on the history of early modern Great Britain, the city of London and Western Civilization.

 

• ``My money is on George, but we’ll have to see. The choice of George could be a way to re-habilitate the old Duke’s reputation, and to honor the present Queen’s father, who was George VI, and about as deeply devoted to public service to the country as the present Queen herself.

 

But a good second favorite might be James, which would be a way of reinforcing the royal family’s connections to Scotland and the importance for Britain of the Act of Union, on the eve of a Scottish referendum to declare independence.

Edward is probably still tainted by the abdication crisis.  Arthur has legendary connections but is tainted by tragedy.  So, the possibilities really are constrained by history and tradition.''

-Geoffrey Wandesforde-Smith, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Political Science at the University of California (Davis Campus).

 

• ``I'm voting for George as a nice way to balance something safe, traditional, and Hanoverian against recent changes in the succession, etc.  George reminds you there will always be an England.''

-John Watkins, Professor in the Department of English (with a specialty in sovereignty and queenship) at the University of Minnesota.

 

• ``Name will come off a short list. I expect, George, Henry, William, Albert, or Edward.''

-Tom Mockaitis, professor of history at DePaul University, where he teaches courses in British, Modern European, and Military History.

 

 - Bill Lucey

[email protected]

July 23, 2013

 

Snowden Storm: How Much Damage to International Relations?

As Edward Snowden, the former technical contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee awaits his fate in the transit lounge of Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport; the extent of damage this 30-year old has done to strain relations between the United States and Russia and China remains an open question.

Working through the Guardian newspaper in London, beginning in May, Snowden exposed a number of classified documents gathered by the NSA, including the interception of U.S. and European telephone records and Internet surveillance programs, which touched off a heated debate about American privacy and civil liberties being violated. Of more concern to the U.S government, however, isn’t about Americans privacy being invaded; rather, their concern is the breadth of classified information that may have been passed on to the Chinese and Russian governments.

The U.S. government has charged Snowden with stealing government property, transmitting national security information without approval and willfully communicating classified data to unauthorized individuals, serious charges which violate the U.S. Espionage Act, and could result in a lengthy prison term for the Wilmington, N.C. native.

Before dashing off to Moscow, Snowden stayed in Hong Kong until he was given clearance to leave by the Chinese government.

The former CIA employee is believed to have sought asylum in Ecuador.  Despite his passport having been revoked by the U.S., he still would be able to board a plane.  

Passengers lacking border regulations are subject only to a fine of 1,000 rubles ($30), according to the Russia’s Administrative Code. Besides, Vladimir Putin has already stated that Snowden is free to travel at will, since he had ``committed no crime on Russian soil.’’

Since there are no direct flights to Quito, the capital of Ecuador, Snowden would have to fly to Havana first. The next flight to Havana from Moscow isn’t until Thursday.

Ecuador's foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, however, told the Associated Press, an asylum request could take up to two months to process, approximately the same amount of time it took Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to take refuge at Ecuador’s embassy in London.

In the meantime, John McCain, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees in meeting with reporters recently lashed out at both Russia and China, strongly asserting that Mr. Obama needs a "re-evaluation" of Washington's relationship with both Moscow and Beijing.

Beijing and Moscow countered with their own lashings. An editorial published in Xinhua, the state-owned Chinese news agency, argued that "the United States, which has long been trying to play innocent as a victim of cyberattacks, has turned out to be the biggest villain in our age.''

And Igor Morozov, a Russian lawmaker, wrote that the case exposed an American "policy of double standards."

All this couldn’t have come at a worse time for the U.S., especially with the war in Syria still unresolved.

Equally troubling, in July, the United States-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue begins in Washington in which a number of Chinese leaders are expected to attend to discuss, among other topics, the behavior of computers and online, while in September, President Obama is scheduled to travel to St Petersburg and Moscow to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

So has the U.S. relationship with Moscow and Beijing taken a dramatic turn for the worse and could this hurricane potentially bring Russia and China closer together; or is this Snowden incident merely a mild thunderstorm, which will eventually blow over?

To answer these questions, I consulted with a number of Russian and Chinese scholars in order to get their assessment of the potential international repercussions.

Here, then, are some responses which came back:

• ``Neither Moscow nor Washington are ready for that Cold Shower having so many other problems.   But this case will deepen the mistrust between the two sides that exists already.''

-Lilia Shevtsova, Chairs the Russian Domestic Politics and Political Institutions Program at the Carnegie Moscow Center.

 

• ``For me, I wouldn’t think that this will strain US/China ties as the one country/two systems China/HK arrangement gives Beijing the ability to deny making the call on Snowden. I don’t have any idea if China’s agencies gathered whatever data Snowden may have. There’s little doubt that this incident has provided Americans, Chinese, and others with much more insight into NSA capabilities and practices. I do not know if Snowden has the ability to provide much more information or much more important information than he has already revealed.''

-Clayton Dube, Associate Director of the University of Southern California (USC) U.S.-China Institute.

 

• ``Relations between Russia and US have been "strained" and worse for quite some time - what with Magnitsky Act and Russia reciprocating with a ban on American adoption of Russian orphans; kicking out the USAID from Russia, strong disagreement over Syria - and  persistent anti-American rhetoric at home. The body language and facial expressions of both presidents at the G8 meeting in N Ireland gives one an idea of just how "strained" the relations have become.  I think possible cooperation between Russia and China on cyber issues should be disturbing to the US and - again, it can hardly do anything about it. ''

-Maria Lipman, Chair of the Carnegie Moscow Center’s Society and Regions Program and editor of the Pro et Contra journal published by the Carnegie Moscow Center.

 

• ``I would assume that Chinese and Russians copied all the materials Snowden has, so it is potentially a major intelligence leak for us depending on what he has.  I think the two sides will try to insulate the issues in the bilateral relationship from the Snowden case, although the Putin/Obama agreement last week to cooperate more on cybersecurity may take a hit.''

-Andrew C. Kuchins, senior fellow and director of the Center For Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) for its Russia and Eurasia Program.

 

• ``My sense is that there will be a brief flurry of bad feelings between Russia and the USA, and between China and the USA, but that the underlying importance of these relationships will force cooperation and a better tone in dialogue after a short while. Snowden may have helped the Chinese and Russians understand the extent of US surveillance operations, but the principal effect has been to inform the American public, which ironically doesn't seem to care that much.''

-Ronald Grigor Suny, Charles Tilly Collegiate Professor of Social and Political History at The University of Michigan.

 

• ``I think that this is a minor incident compared to all of the others that are worsening our relations with Russia (though it adds to the list of ways Russia enjoys feeling its sovereign difference). The more serious concerns is the crackdown on civil society and independent critical expression and conflicts over Syria.''

-Mark D. Steinberg, Professor in the Department of History at the University of Illinois and editor of the Slavic Review at UL.

                ***

 Bill Lucey
[email protected]
June 26, 2013

Murphy's Law: ``Change is a Great Catalyst for New Opportunities.’’

Caryle Murphy with her nephews at Yellowstone National Park

Murphy interviewing Islamic scholar Ahmed Bin Baz in Jeddah

***

Though no longer reporting for a major daily newspaper, Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Caryle Murphy [See her personal website ]is still plying her trade both in the U.S. and abroad.

Skeptical about the durability of the newspaper industry, Murphy accepted a company buyout from the Washington Post in 2006 to begin freelancing and pursue stories near and dear to her heart, especially in the Middle East, a troubled region raging with complexity and conflict, conditions, in other words, always appealing to an inquisitive journalist like herself.

Besides, as Murphy told me, ``I believe that change is a great catalyst for new opportunities.’’

So soon after taking her four nephews on the mother of all camping trips, which included a spectacular trip down the Green River in Utah and then to Yellowstone, she requested a visa from the Saudi government to work in the kingdom as a free-lance journalist.

She was pleasantly stunned to learn she had been approved by the government. But then again, timing is everything. ``Fortunately’’ Murphy said, ``I asked for a visa at a time when the Saudi government was trying to attract foreign correspondents to reside in the kingdom.''

Beginning in 2008, then, Murphy took up residence at a compound in Riyadh for foreign residents of the kingdom, where she remained for the next three years, mingling and blending with families from around the world, including ones from Egypt, Lebanon, South Africa, Spain, and India. Her yoga instructor was from Iran.

Murphy made it clear to me the foreign families weren’t forced to live in the compound; it was their choice largely because it provided more of a secular environment and came equipped with a number of amenities, including restaurants, a swimming pool and a gym without the strict gender segregation that is the custom in Saudi Arabia. And neither was Murphy required to wear a black robe over her clothes (like she did) when she left the compound during the day.

While in Riyadh, she reported for a number of news organizations, principally the Globalpost, the Christian Science Monitor and the National in Abu Dhabi.

Did she encounter any government-imposed restrictions interviewing local residents? `` For the most part, I was able to move around freely, meet Saudis with relative ease and report without interference’’ Murphy told me.  Approaching government officials, however, remains a huge problem for most foreign journalists. The Saudi government, Murphy said, remains excessively secretive, making interviews difficult to land.

Fortunately, she found an abundance of gripping and newsworthy stories to report on without having to rely on government officials. She did this mainly by keeping her ear to the ground, listening closely to the concerns and pent-up anxieties of the residents, especially as violent protests erupted in countries all around them.

Back on American soil in 2011, Murphy became a public scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington D.C.; a place that has long been considered a journalists best friend, especially for those who want to write books. It was at the Center where she researched and wrote her latest book, ``A Kingdom's Future: Saudi Arabia through the Eyes of its Twentysomethings.'' . Her residence at the Wilson Center ended in 2012.

Murphy tells me she’s not sure what’s she’ll do next, though it will almost certainly involve writing, hopefully in the journalism field, though she remains cynical about the industry’s future especially when she reads dim-witted headlines like  the one she noticed the other day on Yahoo News, speculating as to who the next Bachelorette will be. ``Part of me’’ Murphy says,`` thinks that our civilization is passing through a technological-robotic-digital transformation whose destination we don’t yet see and that will change us in fundamental ways.’’

Before reporting full-time for the Post, Murphy was a free-lancer in the West African country of Angola, where she worked for Newsweek, the Sunday Times of London, and the Washington Post. After being hired by the Post full-time, she served as foreign correspondent during the tumultuous 1970's amid the Soweto student uprising and police murder of black leader Steve Biko, an anti-apartheid activist in South Africa. During the 1990’s she had a tour of duty as the Post’s Cairo Bureau Chief, responsible for covering the Arab world.

And as a crowning achievement to her courageous reporting, she was awarded a Pulitzer-Prize in 1991 in the category of International Reporting for her dispatches from occupied Kuwait, some of which she filed while in hiding from Iraqi authorities. She was also a recipient of the George Polk Award for Foreign Reporting for her coverage of Iraqi-occupied Kuwait and subsequent 1990-91 Gulf War.

In addition to her book she wrote on Saudi Arabia during her residence at the Wilson Center, she also authored ``Passion for Islam’’  , which explores Islam's contemporary revival and the roots of religious extremism in the Middle East.

When not covering hot spot overseas, Murphy’s domestic assignments for the Post included U.S. immigration policy, U.S. federal court in Alexandria, Va. and religion. A year before accepting a company buyout (2006) she reported from Baghdad for three months. Outside of the newsroom, Murphy was the 1994-1995 Edward R. Murrow Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

Raised in Massachusetts, she is a graduate of Trinity University in Washington, D.C., and Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies.

Murphy is single and lives in Washington D.C.

-Bill Lucey
[email protected]
March 11, 2013