doss peace and justice center

Isaac Hayes & David Porter

Growing up in Memphis, I was lucky to work with some of the greats in the music business there. I once recorded for Estelle Axton, and at one time or another gigged with wonderfully talented sidemen who knew a thing or two about making great soul music.This NPR piece highlights two of my favorite writers from that era, David Porter and Isaac Hayes. This is fun stuff, folks.

Back to Top

Labels: Memphis Music, Music, Stax

Permalink | 0 comments

at Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The Noose Tightens

Thanks to Jonathan Tepperman for this Newsweek exclusive.

"Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights and author of "The Trial of Donald Rumsfeld," points out that over 20 countries now have universal jurisdiction laws that would allow them to indict U.S. officials for torture if America doesn't do it itself. A few such cases were attempted in recent years but were dropped, reportedly under U.S. pressure. Now the Obama administration may be less likely to stand in their way. This doesn't mean it will extradite Cheney and Co. to stand trial abroad. But at the very least, the threat of such suits could soon force Bush aides to think twice before buying plane tickets. "The world is getting smaller for these guys," says Ratner, "and they'll have to check with their lawyers very carefully before they travel." Jail time it isn't—but it may be some justice nonetheless."

Back to Top

Labels: Cheney, Rumsfeld, torture, war crimes

Permalink | 0 comments

at Saturday, December 20, 2008

More Media Scandal; Whitewater Redux

Thank you, Jamison Foser, for this piece in Media Matters.

"To anyone who lived through the media feeding frenzy of the 1990s, during which the nation's leading news organizations spent the better part of a decade destroying their own credibility by relentlessly hyping a series of non-scandals, the past few days, in which the media have tried to shoehorn Barack Obama into the Rod Blagojevich scandal, have been sickeningly familiar."

Back to Top

Labels: journalistic integrity

Permalink | 0 comments

at Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Traits of Extremists

A Code of Ethics

"Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice."

Archives

January 2001 March 2003 January 2004 May 2004 June 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 December 2004 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 May 2006 July 2006 September 2006 December 2006 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 August 2010 October 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012