Category Archives: history

Kissinger, Zsa Zsa and ‘all them dead peeps’

Posted on December 4, 2023 by oddmanout215

I was on the porch of my swamp shack, reading the online Washington Post. Swamp Rabbit dropped by to hit me up for beer money. He was two dollars short of a six-pack. “Check this out,” I said, pointing to … Continue reading →

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‘Bibi’ remains bad news for Mideast peace seekers

Posted on October 14, 2023 by oddmanout215

From an op-ed in Washington Post, a few days after Hamas fighters massacred more than 1,300 people in a surprise attack on Israel by land, sea and air: For many years, Israel has been governed by a populist strongman, Benjamin Netanyahu, … Continue reading →

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Jann Wenner’s R&R ‘masters’ are all rich white guys

Posted on September 20, 2023 by oddmanout215

Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner’s book of interviews he conducted with famous rock ‘n’ roll artists will be published next week. It’s called The Masters, and its subjects are Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Jerry Garcia, Pete Townshend, Bono … Continue reading →

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Robbie Robertson (1943-2023) and the rock of ages

Posted on August 16, 2023 by oddmanout215

Swamp Rabbit and I were talking about the death at age 80 of Robbie Robertson, lead guitarist and main songwriter in the Band, one of the most artful and influential acts in rock ‘n’ roll history. I’m tempted to use … Continue reading →

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DeSantis: Let’s look on the bright side of slavery

Posted on August 2, 2023 by oddmanout215

I showed Swamp Rabbit recent articles about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who backs the state requirement that middle-schoolers in Texas be taught that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” The requirement, part … Continue reading →

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High Court sides with usurers, not students. Shocking.

Posted on July 8, 2023 by oddmanout215

Last week, to no one’s surprise, the reactionaries on the U.S. Supreme Court blocked Joe Biden’s $400 billion program to reduce student loan debt anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 per student. Equally unsurprising was Bernie Sanders’ response to their ruling: … Continue reading →

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Now showing: TCM vs. corporate philistines

Posted on July 1, 2023 by oddmanout215

“Zaslav is at it again.” I was telling my neighbor Swamp Rabbit that the same high-level hatchet man behind the mission to make CNN more rightwing recently took action to dumb down, or perhaps destroy, the only TV outlet that … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court sullies Clean Water Act

Posted on June 2, 2023 by oddmanout215

I was lecturing Prayers, my favorite feral cat. The news is hardly ever new, I told him. At best, it’s a reminder that the people who run this country now might be even less enlightened than the idiots who, generations … Continue reading →

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20 years since Shock and Awe? ‘Good God, y’all!’

Posted on March 26, 2023 by oddmanout215

Swamp Rabbit examined the playlist of protest songs I compiled to acknowledge the 20th anniversary of the Second Persian Gulf War. He played “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and started laughing. “That song came out in 1971, during the Vietnam War,” … Continue reading →

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Fifteen spirituals to help you get through 2022

Posted on January 12, 2022 by oddmanout215

“They ain’t spirituals,” Swamp Rabbit said. “Elvis was a rocker. Blind Faith don’t belong on no list with James Cleveland. Matthew Sweet got ain’t got nothin’ to do with Mahalia Jackson. You got gospel mixed up with rock ‘n’ roll.” … Continue reading →

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