http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/ en-us 2007-10-23T15:07:10-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/10/000854.html The wealth of material available on YouTube is just amazing, all of your favorite songs anytime you want. Have to post more of them. Here's Tom Waits, doing his classic Downtown Train.... Music mike 2007-10-23T15:07:10-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/10/000853.html Chris Floyd has an excellent and hard-hitting column on the rapidly increasing air war the US is carrying out in Iraq, which is mostly being directed at civilian populations. The number of air strikes is up 4 times since the beginning of the year. Several cases have been reported in recent weeks about civilian casulties, including many young children, but there have been many, many more that haven't been reported. Check out the complete article over at Glenn Greenwald's Salon blog, or more articles over at Chris' own site, Empire Burlesque. Monday, the Pentagon acknowledged a long-unspoken truth: that the... American imperialism mike 2007-10-23T14:51:28-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/10/000850.html On this recent tour The Dylan has passed the 2000th show mark of the Endless Tour, at least the part that began in 1987. Of course there were at least a thousand or two before that. Here via the expecting.rain community is a list of the fans' most highly rated shows. Most of these are available for download somewhere on the web, many at expectingrain. Also try bobboots.com for info on bootlegs. The Final List: The Top 75 Dylan Concerts November 4, 1961 – Carnegie Chapter Hall, New York, NY July 2, 1962 – Finjan Club, Montreal, Quebec October, 1962... Bob Dylan mike 2007-10-20T10:10:34-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/07/000849.html Stephen Lendman has written a comprehensive article on the coming summit meeting between the leaders of the US, Mexico and Canada, to ratify the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) between their countries. This will effectively create a North American state and eliminate the sovereignty of the separate countries. That may seem like an outrageous claim, but that's what they're working for. This is all being done with virtually any public input or even public knowledge. A long article, but very important stuff. Lendman has his own blog, but this links to the article at Information Clearing House, which I prefer... American history mike 2007-07-21T12:14:45-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/07/000848.html Interesting article in the Washington Post recently by a young African who's kind of tired of well-meaning people trying to 'save' Africa. Says they don't really need it, and that these efforts perpetuate the stereotype of a poor, uncivilized Africa that is unable to do anything for itself, which is simply not true. There is no African, myself included, who does not appreciate the help of the wider world, but we do question whether aid is genuine or given in the spirit of affirming one's cultural superiority. My mood is dampened every time I attend a benefit whose host runs... Africa mike 2007-07-19T17:21:19-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/07/000847.html Watching America is a really great site that translates articles about the US written in other countries. I find it to be incredibly useful. They're having a fund-raiser right now and could use some help. In any case, go check out the site to see what kinds of things people around the world are saying about Americans these days. It ain't pretty.... Media and journalism mike 2007-07-19T16:30:09-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/07/000846.html LA Times article. A US Marine testified that Marines were directly ordered to beat Iraqis, and were criticized by higher-ups for not being violent enough. A Marine corporal, testifying Saturday at the murder trial of a buddy, said that Marines in his unit began routinely beating Iraqis after being ordered by officers to "crank up the violence level." Cpl. Saul H. Lopezromo said Marines in his platoon, including the defendant, Cpl. Trent D. Thomas, were angry when officers criticized them as not being as tough as other Marine platoons. [...] "We were told to crank up the violence level," said... Iraq mike 2007-07-19T16:23:15-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/07/000845.html The Guardian reports that the major Sunni insurgent groups finding the occupation in Iraq have formed a coalition and are ready to negotiate an American withdrawal. An interesting story that doesn't seem to be being picked up by the American media, or even most of the blogs. I guess they just don't want to think of the Iraqis as people ready to negotiate. It's a very major development though. Seven of the most important Sunni-led insurgent organisations fighting the US occupation in Iraq have agreed to form a public political alliance with the aim of preparing for negotiations in advance... Iraq mike 2007-07-19T16:11:19-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/07/000844.html Haven't blogged for awhile, but wanted to link to these articles on American abuses in Iraq. One here, one here, and one here. A joint investigation by Truthdig and the Nation interviewed 50 Iraq vets at length on their experiences, and report on the horrendous things they saw and did. They report that American violence towards civilians is widespread, and worsening. Lots of examples of specific incidents. A pattern of violence clearly sanctioned and encouraged by the majority of soldiers (openly so), and at the highest levels. The stories are just sickening, like it's Abu Ghraib everywhere, all the time.... Iraq mike 2007-07-15T22:43:02-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/05/000843.html Straight ahead blues and jazz from 1963.... Music mike 2007-05-11T12:08:05-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/05/000842.html Came across this outrageous clip of three musical legends all playing piano together. And serious, rock'n'roll piano too. My goodness. Apparently from a Fats Domino DVD. Ronnie Wood, Paul Schaeffer and his band too.... Music mike 2007-05-11T11:26:47-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/02/000841.html Over at AlterNet there's a lengthy selection from Chalmers Johnson's new book "Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic", which outlines in detail the extent of the U.S.'s enormous overseas military. Not only does it provide updated details on the bases that we know about, it discusses the "hidden" ones as well, the ones that the US and other governments like to keep under cover. There are quite a few of those, but no one ever talks about them. The total of America's military bases in other people's countries in 2005, according to official sources, was 737. Reflecting massive... American imperialism mike 2007-02-20T16:05:49-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/02/000840.html The complete text of Putin's recent remarkable speech in Munich is up at the Kremlin's site, kremlin.ru, including all of the answers to the many questions he was asked after the speech. I posted on it before, and I still think it was quite an extraordinary and important speech. The discussion after it is noteworthy as well. First time I ever stumbled on the Kremlin's site, very interesting. More like a presidential site, but that's about the same as the White House site in the US. Here or there, it's always about the politicians, and the cult of personality. There's... Russia and Eurasia mike 2007-02-20T15:39:23-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/02/000839.html Found this great new food site, Serious Eats. Lots of different things, articles, links to noteworthy food-related posts on the webs, and a Serious Eaters forum with recipes, advice and such. The newest frontier in recipes is videos demonstrating how to do it, and they have lots of them here. Very nice site, well done. Found this nice video all about choosing cheeses, thought I'd note it for future reference, I can never remember these things. Interesting details on the differences between goat, sheep and cow cheeses. TIPS FROM STEVEN JENKINS Stop at four cheeses: "To serve more than three... Food and cooking mike 2007-02-20T15:17:41-08:00 http://www.galileolibrary.com/mikes/2007/02/000838.html Found this great new video by Randy Newman. Some pointed political comments by someone with a style all his own. This made me think of another old Randy Newman song, "Let's Drop the Big One." Found it on YouTube where someone had made an anti-American video of it. Don't miss the snippet at the end.... American culture mike 2007-02-20T11:58:22-08:00