Reader Tips

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In 1982 a group of entertaining senior citizens living at The Walter Salvo House in Northampton, Massachusetts pooled their talents and put on shows under the name Young@Heart. The first performances involved singing, comedy routines, and impersonations, but over the years settled into a (mostly) choral format wherein various members of the group take the lead in singing songs, many of them – notably – contemporary songs by the likes of James Brown, Sonic Youth, and The Ramones. As the years went by, various members died and were replaced, but the show went on; in 1996, following some fruitful collaborations with outside, non-senior performers, including punk rockers and a gay men’s chorus, a fellow named Roy Faudree, who had staged their first full-blown theatre show, organized a trip to Rotterdam’s R Festival, where they unexpectedly met with such success that they ended up doing 12 – count ’em, 12 – tours of Europe, Australia, and Canada.
In 2008, British documentarian Stephen Walker released Young@Heart, which chronicled the group as they prepared for, and then staged, a concert in Massachusetts. Tonight’s clip from the film shows a member of the group giving a solo performance of what was to have been a duet with his friend, until his friend passed away shortly before the show. Backed by the Young@Heart chorus, here’s the late Fred Knittle, a former WWII machine-gunner, singing a song by British group Coldplay called I Will Try To Fix You.
The comments are open – they always are – for your Reader Tips.

48 Replies to “Reader Tips”

  1. “WhatEVer…”
    The Flea quotes Dorothy Sayers:
    “In this world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called indifference, the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.”

  2. Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, It Pays to Riot in Europe:
    “Dublin has played by the book. It has taken pre-emptive steps to please the markets and the EU. It has done an IMF job without the IMF. Indeed, is has gone further than the IMF would have dared to go.
    “It has imposed draconian austerity measures. The solidarity of the country has been remarkable. There have no riots, and no terrorist threats. Yet as of today it is paying 5.48pc to borrow for ten years, or near 8pc in real terms once deflation is factored in. This is crippling and puts the country on an unsustainable debt trajectory if it lasts for long.”
    “Yet Greece is able to borrow from the EU at 5pc and from the IMF at a staggered rate far below that (still too high for the policy to work, but that is another matter). These were the terms of the €110bn joint bail-out.
    “To add insult to injury Ireland is having SUBSIDIZE Greece to meet its share of the rescue fund.”
    (…)
    “Yes, I know that the Irish and Greek maturities are different but the fact is that Greece has extracted better terms by letting matters get further out of hand.”

  7. Beagle…
    Funny how the CBC will give plenty of coverage to the police when it suits their purposes to do so — protecting what the CBC feels is a crown jewel of Liberal legislation — but on building new prisons and tougher sentences, which police also support, they aren’t feautured in their reporting as much, are they? No. On those occasions, we mustn’t listen to the police, right?
    Also, how often is the term “cost” used by CBC reporters in a way that slams the Liberals on the regisrty? ZERO! Oh, at times criticism of the cost does come up but is never raised as a concern by the reporters themselves. Instead, that’s left to gov’t MPs and is often dismissed by the report as “Tory talking points”. But on stories about more prisons, G20 spending and and on the recent fighter jet procurement contract, COST, COST, COST is the main thrust of the reports — not just by oppositon MPs as expected, but by the reporters themselves, most times bringing it up before the oppostion is even featured in the report.
    CBC reporters become bean counters all of a sudden, pretending to care about taxpayers’ dollars. Cosincidentally, on Tory gov’t policy.
    Thanks for your posting, beagle. What you did for all of us is to further reinforce the CBC’s left-lib bias though your endorsement of it as a credible news source and, ironically (not helping the CBC) identifying yourself through your comments as being on the left yourself.

  8. My apologies to Kate and EBD for the length of this comment.
    Well well, another Obama connection and another example of the media’s attempt to manipulate the masses.
    This time the connection involves a lawyer/business executive/cameo actor who appeared on the Good Wife – this TV drama aired a Muhammad cartoon and inside job bomb themed plot that aired just day’s after the South Park episode.
    The connection was mentioned, in passing, via an article about Obama’s latest vacation via Drudge –link below—just to let you know, a couple of paragraphs in the article don’t make sense – poorly written.
    The Episode of the Good Wife, titled Boom, which aired back in April 2010, was taped months earlier, yet aired just days after the South Park – Comedy Central reveal Muhammad fiasco that resulted in the Everybody Draw Muhammad Day contest.
    The series of “coincidental” programming and other events caused my radar to go off at the time. It seemed like a deliberately orchestrated provocation in my mind that was was having the desired and expected results.
    I commented then that I thought the Draw Everybody Draw Muhammad Day Cartoon contest was not a good idea because of my Christian faith, and because I could see no good resulting from the contest and felt it would just make the American public, conservatives and the tea party in particular, look like bigots and racists which could be used against them any number of reasons; including a stronger argument for hate speech laws to be introduced in the US; blaming a rise in Islamophobia, and possibly resulting in a stronger argument for the necessity of the CHRC and our hate speech laws here in Canada. How could anyone have possibly known then that the NY GZ Cordoba Mosque plans were in the making?
    If you recall, this cluster of events was punctuated with the “failed” Times Square Bomb attempt that, according to both Bloomberg and spokeman, was probably the work of a 40 year old white guy. Both Bloomberg and Kelly dismissed the Taliban’s claim of responsibility.
    After the airing of that particular Islam themed Good Wife episode, Obama’s influence with the Entertainment Industry Foundation was the first thing that came to mind. Some of you may recall that some odd 60 television programs, at the behest of the White House, included a service and/or volunteer theme in their plot to help promote these ideals that I am guessing was for the sole purpose of assisting Obama garner public support for his plan of turning 911 Memorial Day into a National Service Day which he was successful in doing – signed into law in 2009. It appears that either Obama or Jordan has influence with the Good Wife’s producers or writers.
    Excerpt from the Article:
    “Last night President Obama and First Lady Obama dined at State Road Restaurant in West Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard.
    Their dinner companions were family friends Dr. Eric and Cheryl Whitaker, senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, and lawyer and business executive Vernon Jordan and wife Ann Dibble Jordan…
    Minutes after leaving the restaurant, Vernon Jordan appeared on a rerun of CBS’ The Good Wife , trying to purchase the fictitious Chicago law firm Stern, Lockhart & Gardner. (The episode originally aired in May.)…
    Also of note: Ann Jordan and Valerie Jarrett are cousins. Ann Jordan’s mother and Jarrett’s mother’s father were siblings….”
    Also, gotta love this line from said article: “The restaurant opened June 2009, but Kenworth and her husband were the original owners of The Sweet Life Café – where the president dined on Monday night and where Kenworth first met the Jordans.
    As an aside, some interesting notes on Jordan: On May 29, 1980, he was shot and seriously wounded outside the Marriott Inn in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was a civil right’s lawyer, and In 2006, Jordan served as a member of the Iraq Study Group, which was formed to make recommendations on the U.S. policy in Iraq. Jordan helped Monica Lewinsky after she left the White House. “On October 1, 2003, a United States court of appeals rejected Jordan’s claim for reimbursement for legal services regarding Clinton’s involvement with Lewinsky and Paula Jones. Jordan asked the government to pay him $302,719, but was paid only $1,215.” He was also part of Clinton’s transition team – no wonder his helping Lewinsky was controversial. He is the cousin of James Shaw, who performs professionally billed as “The Mighty Hannibal.” His daughter works in media relations for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
    http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/08/breaking-news-president-obama-says-im-having-a-great-time-on-vacation.html
    http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/the-good-wife-also-addresses-muhammad-cartoon-controversy/
    http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/White+male+sought+Times+Square+bomb+scare/2981098/story.html
    http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2009/10/15/leaked-memo-reveals-the-white-house-has-control-of-your-television-set/
    http://spectator.org/archives/2009/08/24/obamas-plan-to-desecrate-911
    http://onthehillblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/service-law-turns-911-anniversary-into.html
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_Jordan

  12. EBD – this is one of the best performances from the Young@Heart group – one can purchase the whole groups performance on DVD. Bittersweet story behind this group. I think he did a phenomenal rendition.

  13. If the gun registry is running so efficiently and with such little cost, it is then the first gov’t department to ever achieve that feat. That report alone should reveal how much bovine scatology is involved.
    mike

  14. Erik Larsen at 10:37 PM, I read another account of that arrest earlier today and the article quoted a neighbour who said the woman was always veiled in public. I see there was no mention of that in the article you provided. Hmmmmm.

  15. *
    hey, beagle-boy… police chiefs are politicians… how about asking a frontline copper…
    “Randy Kuntz, an Edmonton police officer for 22 years, surveyed 2,600 officers
    on the issue, and found about 2,400 want to scrap the registry.”
    *

  17. Louise – my bad – I made a humerous comment directed at Buddists – I should have shot at the Shintos
    🙁

  19. EBD – Thanks for the Dorothy Sayers quote. It is said, and I believe, that tolerance is the virtue of people who don’t believe in anything! There can only be complete tolerance when there is indifference,

  20. Like larben says, thanks, EBD, for the Dorothy Sayers’ quote.
    Why should I be tolerant of evil, unkindness, or stupidity?
    Being “tolerant” comes under the heading of accepting the BIG LIE, that we all should be “tolerant” of everything, of every belief, of every person, of every action.
    That’s a recipe for disaster and gives no value to humans’ gift of discernment and discrimination — discernment of and discrimination between what is evil or holy, bad or good. Without this gift, we are blown about in the wind, tossed about on the waves.
    That’s no way to live.

  21. As far as putting the Liberal lie to bed that the registry costs $4 million yearly to run ( notwithstanding the fact that the whole PROGRAM was to cost $ 2 million total..) consider the fact that with the program being run by 250 civil servants earning a minimum $40k/year would mean it eats $11.25 million dollars a year in salary alone before one paperclip is bought, or one firearm ‘registered’..
    In fact, it may be closer to $14 million/yr. as many of the civil servants earn more than $40k /yr.

  22. + benefits, + pension, and every dollar wasted on the gun registry, could be re-allocated to something useful, or even MORE useful outside of government, like the taxpayers that paid for this. The police chiefs have bought into the gun registry as being a good program, their willful blindness shouldn’t be excused as worthy of support simply because they are police officers.
    and, evilness or willful stupidity should never be tolerated..

  24. This is enlightening, if it turns out to be true regarding the guy who attacked the taxi driver in NY allegedly after he asked him if he was Muslim. I think Islam expects Americans to act the same way they do to insults and are surprised that they haven’t been hunting down Muslims. It will probably be used as an example of Islamophobia despite what is found out about the guy.
    http://bigpeace.com/stzu/2010/08/25/alleged-anti-muslim-attacker-works-for-pro-cordoba-initiative-company/

  25. Stop pleasuring yourself beagle – why would anyone support “police chiefs” unless you are into supporting titles. I, however, would support an “expert” police chief … because, like, it sounds better.
    http://tinyurl.com/2d38rpo

  26. “A full electric vehicle like the Nissan Leaf is worth considering however.”
    Thanks Tony!!!! Where can I buy one of these glorious vehicles? Do they come with a trailer hitch?

  27. I thought you might enjoy these little gems on the Origins of Political Correctness.
    It helps to have the history to understand the various threads of political correctness and so called “Critical Theory” a la the cultural Marxism of the Frankfurt School.
    ENJOY:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkvnDeXiAm4
    Bill Lind on political correctness 1 of 2
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbvxoMJ_F4o
    Bill Lind on Political correctness 2 of 2
    Cheers
    Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
    1st Saint Nicolaas Army
    Army Group “True North”

  30. Hannity (Fox) is doing a special report on the AGW Climategate E-Mails on Friday the 27th…
    Gore will be in Jonestown mixing Coolaid for Mann & company

  32. Blacks get no respect from O.
    “He has got to respect us.””
    “*This is his sole legacy: a massive post-traumatic stress disorder.”
    …-
    “African-American leaders and intellectuals express dissatisfaction with President Obama
    With President Barack Obama’s approval ratings dipping below 50%, members of his strongest voting bloc have also started to voice displeasure with the way he has chosen to govern.
    Since Obama has taken office African Americans have faced a number of disproportionate “highs,” few of them good, such as an exceptionally high unemployment rate, a high foreclosure rate, and a high number of African-American political figures deprived of the president’s support or dismissed from his administration (such as former White House social secretary Desiree Rogers, former Department of Agriculture official Shirley Sherrod, South Carolina Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alvin Greene, former green energy czar Van Jones, Democratic Illinois Sen. Roland Burris, Democratic New York Gov. David Patterson, would-be Democratic New York Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr., and Democratic Reps. Charlie Rangel of New York, Maxine Waters of California and Kendrick Meek of Florida).
    Dr. Cornel West, professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, is one African-American leader who has been far from pleased with Obama’s neglect of African-American issues. West told The Daily Caller that he has been extremely frustrated with the president’s relative disinterest in civil rights issues.
    “He can take the black base for granted because he assumes we have nowhere else to go,” West said. “But we just won’t put up with it. He has got to respect us.””
    http://dailycaller.com/2010/08/24/african-american-leaders-and-intellectuals-express-dissatisfaction-with-president-obama/
    …-
    “*Barack Obama – Narcissist or Merely Narcissistic?”
    “*This is his sole legacy: a massive post-traumatic stress disorder.”
    http://www.globalpolitician.com/25109-barack-obama-elections

  36. Beagle/uli, whoever you are playing today.
    I hope the post above Today’s Readers Tips answers your question.

  37. Islam: AlMoh’s Islam.
    …-
    “Third terror suspect linked to ‘Idol’
    Two men linked to an alleged Ottawa al-Qaida terror cell are to appear in court this morning amid reports that a third man has also been detained.”
    …-
    “Saudi couple hammer nails into maid
    A Saudi couple tortured their Sri Lankan maid after she complained of a too heavy workload by hammering 24 nails into her hands, legs and forehead, officials said on Thursday.”
    …-
    http://cnews.canoe.ca/

  38. Kate thank you so very much for posting that. it was the most beautiful clip I’ve seen online in a long time. It warmed my heart and brought a tear to my eye. I don’t comment often but I read you every day. All the best Kate.

  39. Muslims and Liberals: PET Cemetery Report.
    We Liberals, are not now; nor, have we Liberals ever been members of AlMoh’s Muslim Party.
    …-
    “Harper government a triumph of ignorance over knowledge: Liberals”
    …-
    “Terrorism suspect faces explosives charge
    National Post – Dave Clendining – ‎29 minutes ago‎
    Two men, Hiva Alizadeh (left) and Misbahuddin Ahmed, were charged with terrorism offences in an Ottawa court on Thursday.”
    (googlenews)

  41. The liberals are putting a private members bill through this fall to re-instate the mandatory long form census, but make it voluntary. WTF kind of game is this?? Of course all the comments on the CBC are totally in favour of this and say it shows “leadership”
    “The bill will call for 20 per cent of households to receive the mandatory long form — the same percentage as in previous census years. It would also remove the threat of jail time for those who refuse to fill out the form, McCallum said.”
    Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/08/26/census-changes-liberals-bill.html#ixzz0xjVvl4PD

  43. maritime jim/whoever:
    yes the question was answered. can you guess what the answer is? LOL !!!

  44. O’s Stab In The Back.
    What’s new? Socialist Adolf Germany stabbed his socialist brother Joe Soviet Union in the back*.
    Leftists/socialists fight each other to the death.
    Enjoy.
    ““We feel stabbed in the back,” Pawa said. “This was really a dastardly move by an administration that said it was a friend of the environment. With friends like this, who needs enemies?””
    “**This is his sole legacy: a massive post-traumatic stress disorder.”
    …-
    “Obama SG urges tossing CO2 ruling, greens howl
    The New York Times
    Obama Admin Urges Supreme Court to Vacate Greenhouse Gas ‘Nuisance’ Ruling
    By GABRIEL NELSON of Greenwire
    The Obama administration has urged the Supreme Court to toss out an appeals court decision that would allow lawsuits against major emitters for their contributions to global warming, stunning environmentalists who see the case as a powerful prod on climate change.”
    http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/08/26/obama-sg-urges-tossing-co2-ruling-greens-howl/#more-23957
    “*Germany Attacks Russia
    With all the unpredictable choices Hitler made, this one was by far … On Sunday, June 22, 1941, Hitler’s Nazi forces stormed across the Russian border where …”
    library.thinkquest.org/26742/russia.html
    “**Barack Obama – Narcissist or Merely Narcissistic?”
    “*This is his sole legacy: a massive post-traumatic stress disorder.”
    (global politician.

  45. I had to open the youtube video to realize that I watched the Young@Heart documentary last summer! It was great.
    My motto is “grow old or die” and in that context, growing old — sure, sure, you can be young at heart if you like — is just the best!

  47. Ottawa Muslims worry of suspicion after charges
    http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100826/OTT_terror_reaction_100826/20100826/?hub=OttawaHome
    What the hell kind of headline is this? What does it mean? Whoever wrote it shouldn’t be working for a news agency because they don’t know the English language and can’t write it.
    “The president of the Ottawa Muslim Association says the accused are misguided and that they give all Muslims a bad name.
    “‘Once something like this happens, the entire community is under attack,’ says Nazira Tareen.”
    Well, maybe, though I wouldn’t use the expression “under attack.” It’s overly dramatic. But what’s surprising about the fact that the Muslim community has drawn attention to itself? If someone in my family was accused of terrorist activity, I’m sure my family members and I would be under scrutiny.
    Why do these guys think they should be immune from suspicion? Freedom of religion doesn’t exempt one’s faith community from justified curiosity and, perhaps, some opprobrium, if members of the community have been caught in illegal activities — especially when it involves terrorism.
    What’s Mr. Tareen’s problem understanding this?
     

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