Thursday, June 17, 2021

Diana Ross






I remember how happy I was when C.I. noted Diana Ross was recording an album of new songs. Now, months later, it's about to be released. BBC NEWS reports:


Thank You is the follow-up to Ross's 2006 album I Love You, and was recorded entirely in her home studio during the pandemic.
"This collection of songs is my gift to you with appreciation and love," said the former Supremes singer in a statement.
"I am eternally grateful that I had the opportunity to record this glorious music at this time".
The title track, released at midnight on Thursday, is a shimmering gospel-pop song that recalls the star's Motown years - with a noticeable hat tip to Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's You're All I Need To Get By.



I wonder if the writer is aware that Diana recorded "You're All I Need To Get By" on her first solo album, 1970's DIANA ROSS, and that Ashford & Simpson produced the recording (they also wrote the song)? Of if he's aware that Diana's 1970 version and Aretha Franklin's 1971 version are considered the definitive versions

BBC also notes:

Now aged 77, Ross started her career at Motown in the 1960s, achieving stardom with The Supremes, on hits like Baby Love, Stop! In The Name Of Love and You Keep Me Hanging On.
She split from the group in 1970 and went on to score more than 50 UK chart hits, including Upside Down, Endless Love and Chain Reaction.
Her last hit single in the UK was the Westlife duet When You Tell Me That You Love Me, which reached number two in 2005.
She returned to the US charts last year, when a remix of her 1976 classic Love Hangover topped the dance charts.

What BBC misses THE DETROIT FREE PESS doesn't:

Diana Ross is in a grateful mood.
The new single “Thank You,” released early Thursday, is three-plus minutes of musical and lyrical uplift from the Detroit-born star, who announced she’s got an album of the same name coming this fall.
Due on Decca Records, it will be Ross’ first album of new material since “I Love You” in 2006. The 13-track set was recorded with a host of in-demand songwriters and producers, including Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey), Spike Stent (Ed Sheeran), Jimmy Napes (Sam Smith) and Freddy Wexler (Ariana Grande).
The bright, brass-speckled new song has a vibe that harks back to her '70s and '80s work — including verses modeled on “You’re All I Need to Get By,” the Motown chestnut covered by Ross on her 1970 debut album.

ROLLING STONE notes:

Diana Ross’ music has taken in many stages: the Supremes, early solo hits, Lady Sings the Blues. But her late-Seventies dance hits remain some of her most beloved work. And apparently, Ross herself seems to agree — at least judging by “Thank You,” the first single from her upcoming comeback album of the same name.
From its springy groove to its air of positivity, “Thank You” conjures Ross’ “Upside Down” and “I’m Coming Out” era. The modern twist comes from its producer and co-writer, Troy Miller, who made a name for himself as Amy Winehouse’s drummer but has gone on to produce tracks with Calvin Harris and Emeli Sandé. Miller also played the bulk of instruments on the track, including guitar, keyboards, and the rhythm section. The track also features contributors from songwriters Amy Wadge (who co-wrote “Thinking Out Loud” with Ed Sheeran), Nathaniel Ledwidge, and Alabama-born pop singer Christian Paul Wossilek as well as Ross.
The unconventional video for “Thank You” blends footage of Ross from throughout her post-Supremes career, sample lyrics from the song (“You are my healing”), and even positivity-minded snippets from vintage interviews (“I love a person because of their goodness and who they are”).

And from BILLBOARD:



“Thank You” Tracklisting: 
1. Thank You
2. If the World Just Danced
3. All Is Well
4. In Your Heart
5. Just In Case
6. The Answers Always Love
7. Let’s Do It
8. I Still Believe
9. Count On Me
10. Tomorrow
11. Beautiful Love
12. Time To Call
13. Come Together


I'm really excited. Huge Diana Ross fan. September can't get here fast enough.

 


"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Thursday, June 17, 2021.  The WSWS continues its war against the Kurds and more.


Let's start with garbage.  Specifically Ulaş Ateşçi piece of garbage for WSWS.  Am I counting this correctly?  An article about Turkey with 1,259 words and only once doe sthe word "Iraq" pop up?  What a load of garbage.


If you missed it, Jon Stewart appeared Tuesday night on CBS' late night program (we don't promote that idiot) and made jokes about the COVID-19 virus.  Since then, a huge number of idiots have popped up to condemn Jon.  Including a man who apparently wants us to discuss him -- I'm not referring to anyone with a TV job -- but I'm surprised he wants us to discuss him because the woman who rightly accused him of harassment and assault had to sign an NDA.  


Do you really want us to discuss you?


Back to Jon.  Jon's a comedian.  Jon has many pluses and many negatives.  I like and know Jon.  I've called him out for nonsense here from time to time over the years. But he has every right to make them and they are exactly the sort of j If he did something wrong, I'd call him out.

Expressing an opinion in a free society is not a crime.  I hav e no dog in the fight.  I don't honestly care where the virus started (how it started, I might care about, but I have too much on my plate to pursue that).  WSWS and others are slamming him and saying his opinion is wrong.


And by wrong, they don't just mean that they disagree with it, they are insisting that Jon's claims in his jokes have been deubnked.


No.


That's the problem with today's 'fact checkers.'  They're weighing in on fluid events.  Information changes daily.  The issues around the virus have not been pinned down.


Why does it matter  Jon telling a joke shouldn't matater.  And if these were pieces calling out the sitting president of the United States, they might be better.  but let's pretend that Joe Biden hasn't promoted the very thing that Jon was telling jokes about -- is that what we've decided to do?


Connecting China to the virus could be part of a larger effort at war with China.  I agree that's a possibility.  But I'm not remembering this heated outrage over any efforts of Joe to connect the two.  


So spare me your garbage about Jon Stewart.  If you didn't like his jokes, you didn't like them.   They are exactly the type of observational humor he did throughout hosting THE DAILY SHOW.  And you loved that humor once.  Now?  You've apparently become addicted to Trevor Noah's prissing and preening in the place of actual humor, his mugging at the camera to let you know what he said is supposed to be seen as funny.


So WSWS ca step into the sewer to slime Jon.  But they can't cover what's happening to the Kurds.


We've called them out for their xenophobia on this for some time.  But I want it to be very clear to future generations that, in 2021, the bias against the Kurds that the WSWS had was noted.  As Kurds were killed by Turkey, some of us did call out and a publication that pretends to be about the masses, WSWS, spent year after year looking the other way and year after year covering for Turkey's actions


What promted the coverage of Recep Erdogen by the WSWS?  This:


"I'm Joey from Scranton, an old pervert fool, but i bring you pallets of cash........so please pretend you like me" "Oh, hunter will be in touch on how we get our share" The big guy


Joe Biden making nice with the despot, grinning and joking.  


Kurds in Iraq need to be worried.  Joe betrayed them repeatedly as Vice President.  He'll betray them again.  (We were going to note a webinar in depth but I don't have time to describe nonsense and, sadly, a friend I know was pimping nonsense in the stream about how Joe is such a great friend to Iraq -- No, Peter, the actual record does not support that assertion.)  


Recep is a thug who is terrorizing the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. 


As Karwan Faidhi Dri (RUDAW) notes, Turkey continues its assault on Turkey with what many observers have dubbed its ecocide of the KRG:

The Turkish army bombarded the vicinity of five populated villages in Duhok province on Tuesday, causing a great fire which has led to the scorching of thousands of dunams of land, a local official told Rudaw English on Wednesday.

Sarbast Sabri, mayor of Kani Masi subdistrict, told Rudaw English that the vicinity of Dergelka, Ribarke, Qumri, Dashish, and Baqulke villages in the subdistrict were bombarded by Turkish forces Tuesday afternoon. 

Most of the fire has burned out so far but small flames remain, he said, adding that so far an estimated 3,000 dunams of land has been burned. “It was done by Turkey. I saw it because I was near there.”

“When the villagers put out one part of the fire, another bomb would land and spark even more fires,” said the mayor. Turkey has burned 13,000 dunams of land in Kani Masi since it launched two military operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Duhok on April 23, according to Sabri. 

Captain Fuad Ahmed, head of media for the Duhok’s Forest Police and Environment Directorate, told Rudaw English in May that Turkey had burned 4,181 dunams of land in the province in the first five months of 2021. He added Ankara has also burned 56,731 dunams of land in Duhok in ten years.  

 

I think we all know by now that Status Quo Joe doesn't give a damn about the climate emergency but, the next time you read another piece of sop passed off as a report on Turkey at WSWS, remember that they don't care about the climate crisis either -- or, at least, they care more about hating Kurdish people than they do about the climate crisis.


Yousif Musa (RUDAW) reports:          


Yazidis displaced from Shingal in 2014 have now been forced to flee IDP camps in Zakho due to nearby Turkish bombardments. 

More than 3,000 people have had to leave Bersive 1, Bersive 2 and Derkar camps due to Turkish operations in the area, according to Khalat Osman, the municipal manager of Zakho's camps.

"War happens every day, with constant airstrikes. We're very scared. Each of us has struggled with mental health issues at some point," said Amira Ilyas, who lives in Bersive 1 camp.                                                                    

On the ecocide, AL-MONITOR TWEETS:


Local Kurdish officials are accusing Turkey of causing massive environmental damage with its logging and deforestation around Turkish outposts in northern Iraq. al-monitor.com/originals/2021
by
@fehimtastekin



NRT observes:


A group of activists seeking an end to the Turkish military presence in the Kurdistan Region held a press conference in Sulaimani city on Wednesday (June 16), urging the international community and local political actors to do more to stand up against aggression from Ankara.

“The invasion of the [Kurdistan Region by the] Turkish military is a blatant violation of international law and is without a doubt unacceptable,” said a representative of the group, which refers to itself as a “peace delegation.”

“We are sad to witness that the international community of states remains silent and inactive on this issue, taking no action to insist on Turkish compliance with international courts and human rights law,” she added.

The visiting delegation told reporters that they wanted to contribute to a dialogue between different Kurdish political actors and bear witness to the ongoing conflict.

In late April, Turkey renewed its military campaign in the Kurdistan Region, justifying its actions as necessary to combat the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Since then, at least four civilians have been killed in Turkish airstrikes and four others wounded.

Christian Peacemaker Teams recently reported that at least 1,500 villagers have been displaced in less than two months.


In Friday's snapshot, we attempted to cover some of the history of the Kurds in the KRG and Turkey.  Attempted because there's so much to cover.  Unless you are WSWS and, in that case, dismiss the whole issue with a single mention of Iraq.  


AHVAL notes:

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) wants a war between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to move outside its borders because the conflict threatens to weaken its authority.

“PKK’s presence in the region serves as an excuse for the Turkish military, and the main objective of it in our opinion is to weaken the Kurdistan Region as an entity," KRG spokesperson Jotiar Adil said, Rudaw reported on Wednesday.

“If the PKK leaves, there will be no excuse left for the Turkish military to come and set up bases here,” Adil said.

Turkey has more than 30 temporary military bases in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq and has advanced up to 40 kilometres into the territory, a senior Turkish official told Reuters last year. Turkey has conducted a latest series of cross-border incursions into Iraq since June 2020. Its military began operations into the Metina and Avashin areas near the region’s Dohuk governorate in May to target the PKK.



Turning to US politics, Iraq War vet Adam Kokesh hosts the program ADAM V. THE MAN.  He is a Libertarian and he notes of his upcoming broadcast:


For tomorrow's ADAM VS THE MAN debate on the issue of removing

@jbhenchman

as chair of

@LPNational

, we've got

@carynannharlos

, National Secretary, and

@angela4LNCChair

, Los Angeles LP Chair, taking the position in favor of removal (being the "highest ranking" ...


I'm hosting a debate on the petition to remove
@jbhenchman
as chair of
@LPNational
live on ADAM VS THE MAN tomorrow. I'll pick participants based on Libertarian Party activism credentials. Hoping to get at least one state chair & one LNC rep. DM to apply.


So that will be on today's ADAM V. THE MAN.


We need to quickly note three things.


First up, a new video from Chase Rice's THE ALBUM.



That's "If I Didn't Have You." 


Second, on the hideous Ana Kasparian, this is Jimmy Dore from his show last night.



As we noted yesterday, she is no feminist.  She's suddenly discovered she's a woman.  The way some accused Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods of suddenly discovering they were Black when they had legal issues and scandals emerge.  


So to try to cover for her toxic masculinity, she attacks Jimmy Dore and attempts to pretend it's for the sisterhood.  Ana's never done a damn thing for women.


Not a damn thing.  And her sexualizing the work environment with her conduct and dress made it much more difficult for other women who worked with her.  Don't fall for her nonsense.  She's a proponent of Ana-ism, not feminism.


And Holly Near, in a five minute song, covered more issues having to do with women than Ana's done in her entire time at TYT.

  




Just walking along, shopping for food
Stepping out of the line of fire when people are rude
Cheap stuff made in China, someone calls it a sale
Somebody's mama, somebody's daughter
Somebody's jail

Beat down in the market, stoned to death in the plaza
Raped on the hillside under the gun from LA to Gaza
A house made of cardboard living close to the rail
Somebody's mama, somebody's daughter
Somebody's jail


And I feel the witch in my veins
I feel the mother in my shoe
I feel the scream in my soul
The blood as I sing the ancient blue
They burned in the millions
I still smell the fire in my grandma's hair
The war against women rages on
Beware of the fairytale
Somebody's mama, somebody's daughter
Somebody's jail

The noise of elections, the promise of change
A grabbing of power at the top, a day at the rifle range
Somebody's in danger, somebody's for sale
Somebody's mama, somebody's daughter
Somebody's jail

-- "Somebody's Jail," written by Holly Near, first appears on her album SHOW UP.


Again, Holly says more in one song -- says more about women and the conditions we live under -- than Ana's done in all of her years at TYT.  I may respond to an e-mail in tomorrow's snapshot -- planned to today but there isn't time.


The following sites updated:


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