BeyondGeography
BeyondGeography's JournalBehind the Counter, a New Political Force Takes On The New York Post and Trump
Yemeni-American bodega owners in New York City organized a boycott of the newspaper over what they see as anti-Muslim bias.“It was disgusting. It was racist. I couldn’t believe this racist thing was sitting at my store,” said Mr. Almuntaser, 29, who owns four bodegas in the city. “The very next day, I told everyone who works at my stores not to accept the paper.”
He was not alone, and a boycott of The Post began.
...In 2017, Yemeni-American bodega owners closed their shops for a day and rallied in Downtown Brooklyn against Mr. Trump’s Muslim travel ban, which separated some Yemeni husbands in New York from wives and children abroad.
After The Post cover was published on April 11, the community’s two-year-old trade association, the Yemeni American Merchant Association (YAMA), again called for action.
The association asked Yemeni-American bodega owners in the city to stop selling The Post until it issues an apology to Ms. Omar and Muslim-Americans in New York. Of the roughly 10,000 bodegas in the city, YAMA estimated that between 4,000 and 6,000 are owned by Yemeni-Americans.
“We have the power and tools to do something about this. We have thousands of stores which, from an economic perspective, can make an impact,” said Rabyaah Althaibani, a Yemeni-American organizer and member of YAMA.
More at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/29/nyregion/yemeni-bodegas-ny-post-boycott.html
Woodstock 50 Canceled By Its Investors
Source: NPR
Woodstock 50, a wide-ranging festival that had hoped to bring the spirit of 1969 to a new generation this August, has been canceled. Tim O'Hearn, the administrator for Schuyler County, New York, where the event was to take place, confirmed the cancellation to NPR; he said he had been contacted by Dentsu Aegis Network, which had been bankrolling the planned festival.
The festival, which was supposed to run Aug. 16-18 in Watkins Glen, N.Y. — a different location than its namesake event — boasted an impressive lineup that was meant to bridge multiple generations and musical genres, from Santana, David Crosby and John Fogerty to Jay-Z, Chance The Rapper and Miley Cyrus. One of the primary organizers of Woodstock 50, promoter Michael Lang, was also a co-founder of the original Woodstock event in 1969.
On Monday morning, Billboard published a statement from Amplifi Live, a Dentsu Aegis division, that read in part: "Despite our tremendous investment of time, effort and commitment, we don't believe the production of the festival can be executed as an event worthy of the Woodstock Brand name while also ensuring the health and safety of the artists, partners and attendees. As a result and after careful consideration, Dentsu Aegis Network's Amplifi Live, a partner of Woodstock 50, has decided to cancel the festival. As difficult as it is, we believe this is the most prudent decision for all parties involved."
Since the 50th anniversary event was announced in January, there have been multiple signs that the festival's organizers did not have matters in order. Originally, organizers announced that tickets would initially go on sale in late January, and that the artist roster would be released in February. The festival missed both of those dates, as well as a plan to release tickets for sale on April 22. Tickets were still not on sale as of Monday afternoon.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2019/04/29/718321891/woodstock-50-canceled-by-its-investors
Bruch's Violin Concerto no. 1
Joachim’s placing of the Bruch in this highest tier of concertos is praise indeed, and certainly justified. The Bruch packs an amazing emotional punch, and its slow movement in particular is one of the most glorious pieces ever written for the violin...
https://www.thestrad.com/masterclass/masterclass-joshua-bell-on-bruchs-violin-concerto-no1-third-movement/7853.article
That’s from Joshua Bell, but one of my favorite interpreters of this piece is Kyung Wha Chung, whose recordings with Kempe and Tennstedt are among the best out there. Check out her performance at the 2002 BBC Proms conducted by her brother, Myung-Whun, a great artist in his own right:
Senator Elizabeth Warren On Why You Should Vote For Who You Believe In
For anyone who doesn’t think Warren is inspiring.
North Korea issued $2 million bill for comatose Otto Warmbier's care
Source: Washington Post
BEIJING — North Korea issued a $2 million bill for the hospital care of comatose American Otto Warmbier, insisting that a U.S. official sign a pledge to pay it before being allowed to fly the University of Virginia student from Pyongyang in 2017.
The presentation of the invoice — not previously disclosed by U.S. or North Korean officials — was extraordinarily brazen even for a regime known for its aggressive tactics.
But the main U.S. envoy sent to retrieve Warmbier signed an agreement to pay the medical bill on instructions passed down from President Trump, according to two people familiar with the situation. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The bill went to the Treasury Department, where it remained — unpaid — throughout 2017, the people said. However, it is unclear whether the Trump administration later paid the bill, or whether it came up during preparations for Trump’s two summits with Kim Jong Un.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/north-korea-issued-2-million-bill-for-comatose-otto-warmbiers-care/2019/04/25/0e8022a0-66ad-11e9-a698-2a8f808c9cfb_story.html?utm_term=.c14df8d97693
Art of the deal baby.
Trump: I can't be impeached, Democrats are the criminals
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1120323291443539969Charles Blow on impeachment: I'm tired of all the fear and trepidation
First, Clinton’s approval was subject to change in a way Trump’s is not. Clinton experienced a 40-point swing in his approval over his presidency, according to Gallup. Trump’s seems almost impervious to change, no matter the news.
People either love Trump or hate him. Impeachment will most likely not change that any more than Trump seeing fine people among Nazis or locking children in cages.
Furthermore, Clinton jumped 10 points, from 63 percent 73 percent, just after the House voted to impeach him. But, five month later, those gains had vanished and then some. His approval rating sank to 53 percent.
I’m tired of all the fear and trepidation.
...House Democrats, at least the leadership, are afraid of looking like they have a blood lust and inadvertently increasing Trump’s chances of re-election.
Folks, this is not the 1990s. Until 1996, CNN was the only cable news network. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram didn’t exist. Google wasn’t founded until 1998. Cellphones were in their infancy, and few people had them.
Furthermore, the massive — and growing — amount of campaign spending will drown out anything that happened months prior.
In 1996, Clinton raised $42 million for his re-election bid; in 2012, Obama raised a billion for his.
And finally, there was no President Trump in the 1990s producing a head-scratching number of headlines each day. Trump can’t ride a victory nor will he be crestfallen in defeat. There would likely be untold new outrages even after an impeachment.
As for me, I’m afraid of lawlessness and the horrible precedent it would set if Congress does nothing.
More at https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/21/opinion/impeach-donald-trump.html
Warren: A constitutional duty to start impeachment proceedings
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2019/apr/19/mueller-report-donald-trump-latest-news-live-updates-subpoena?CMP=Share_iOSApp_OtherMueller put the next step in the hands of Congress: “Congress has authority to prohibit a President’s corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice.” The correct process for exercising that authority is impeachment.
To ignore a President’s repeated efforts to obstruct an investigation into his own disloyal behavior would inflict great and lasting damage on this country, and it would suggest that both the current and future Presidents would be free to abuse their power in similar ways.
The severity of this misconduct demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty. That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States.”
However you feel about Charlie Sykes
He’s making a whole lot of sense on Tweety tonight.
Strong advocate for the initiation of impeachment proceedings.
The criminal justice system can not hold a President accountable. That’s Congress’ job.
At least 29 killed on tourist bus in Madeira
Source: The Guardian
At least twenty-nine people, mostly German tourists, have died and a further 28 have been injured after a tourist bus overturned on the Portuguese island of Madeira, local media have reported.
A battered white bus on its side surrounded by firefighters could be seen in photos published by Portuguese media, while SIC Television said there were 19 ambulances at the scene following the accident, which occurred around 5.30pm GMT.
Filipe Sousa, the mayor of Caniço – a coastal town in the south of the island, which lies about 600 miles south-west of mainland Portugal – told SIC: “I have no words to describe what happened. I cannot face the suffering of these people.” Sousa added that the victims included 17 women and 11 men.
The coach was reportedly carrying 55 passengers when it veered off a road on a bend east of the capital, Funchal, before rolling down a steep hillside, Sousa said. The Portuguese guide and driver reportedly survived the accident, and they along with the other wounded people were taken to hospital in Funchal.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/17/portugal-madeira-bus-crash
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