Various bits

OK, then…

1.
Pretty awake right now. I like that. It’s different.

2.
News reports about the latest photos from Abu Ghraib are starting to leak out, and they are pretty disturbing … including a whole raft of talk about multiple sex acts being performed before the prisoners; Lynndie England’s frequent presence in these is being cited often.

Let’s step beyond the whole Islamic culture-fucking in the name of interrogation that seems to be the raison d’etre beyond this stuff.

Does anyone see any twisted stuff going on here regarding the way Lynndie England is being portrayed in the media?

And if she was working under orders…jeez louise — what does that say about the stuff that went on there?

Does anybody still believe that there WASN’T a plan built by Psy-ops types at work here?

3.
About a year ago, I started receiving e-mails from a guy named Marlow Peese Weaver, asking me to submit poems for his anthology series on the work of younger poets, born between 1960-1982. (Barely make it into this category, by the way.)

I ignored him at first, but got several more — and they weren’t form letters, the dude actually knew my stuff, much to my surprise. He’d actually heard someone cover “Tomatoes” at a reading — which shocked me. No one except folks around here knows that poem; I’ve never published it anywhere. (Who the hell covered it in North Carolina? I still don’t know.)

I did some checking around and found that a handful of folks I knew were in some of the earlier volumes, including Marty McConnell and Ragan Fox. I also found copies of some of the anthologies in a local bookstore, and they were ok.

I think this is a labor of love for this guy. The contract specifies some remuneration, but of course, so many poets are in a volume that that’s not much. But it seems at least marginally better than Poetry.com, in that no money’s demanded of you, the book’s reasonably well put together, and you can actually buy it on the Web and in brick and mortar stores

So I finally said, oh, what the hell. And sent off a handful of poems, including, of course, “Tomatoes”.

Yesterday, I got a copy of the book — “In Our Own Words: a Generation Defining Itself” and there, indeed, one of mine was in there — but wouldn’t you know it? He didn’t pick “Tomatoes”, after all that! (“Political Art,” for those of you keeping score.)

I still can’t figure this out. I’m very leery of scams, and if this is one, he sure as hell can’t be making any money from it.

The only other name I recognized in the book this time around was Danika Dinsmore. There are lots of international authors as well.

I’ll keep you posted as I find out more.

About Tony Brown

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A poet with a history in slam, lots of publications; my personal poetry and a little bit of daily life and opinions. Read the page called "About..." for the details. View all posts by Tony Brown

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Various bits

OK, then…

1.
Pretty awake right now. I like that. It’s different.

2.
News reports about the latest photos from Abu Ghraib are starting to leak out, and they are pretty disturbing … including a whole raft of talk about multiple sex acts being performed before the prisoners; Lynndie England’s frequent presence in these is being cited often.

Let’s step beyond the whole Islamic culture-fucking in the name of interrogation that seems to be the raison d’etre beyond this stuff.

Does anyone see any twisted stuff going on here regarding the way Lynndie England is being portrayed in the media?

And if she was working under orders…jeez louise — what does that say about the stuff that went on there?

Does anybody still believe that there WASN’T a plan built by Psy-ops types at work here?

3.
About a year ago, I started receiving e-mails from a guy named Marlow Peese Weaver, asking me to submit poems for his anthology series on the work of younger poets, born between 1960-1982. (Barely make it into this category, by the way.)

I ignored him at first, but got several more — and they weren’t form letters, the dude actually knew my stuff, much to my surprise. He’d actually heard someone cover “Tomatoes” at a reading — which shocked me. No one except folks around here knows that poem; I’ve never published it anywhere. (Who the hell covered it in North Carolina? I still don’t know.)

I did some checking around and found that a handful of folks I knew were in some of the earlier volumes, including Marty McConnell and Ragan Fox. I also found copies of some of the anthologies in a local bookstore, and they were ok.

I think this is a labor of love for this guy. The contract specifies some remuneration, but of course, so many poets are in a volume that that’s not much. But it seems at least marginally better than Poetry.com, in that no money’s demanded of you, the book’s reasonably well put together, and you can actually buy it on the Web and in brick and mortar stores

So I finally said, oh, what the hell. And sent off a handful of poems, including, of course, “Tomatoes”.

Yesterday, I got a copy of the book — “In Our Own Words: a Generation Defining Itself” and there, indeed, one of mine was in there — but wouldn’t you know it? He didn’t pick “Tomatoes”, after all that! (“Political Art,” for those of you keeping score.)

I still can’t figure this out. I’m very leery of scams, and if this is one, he sure as hell can’t be making any money from it.

The only other name I recognized in the book this time around was Danika Dinsmore. There are lots of international authors as well.

I’ll keep you posted as I find out more.

About Tony Brown

Unknown's avatar
A poet with a history in slam, lots of publications; my personal poetry and a little bit of daily life and opinions. Read the page called "About..." for the details. View all posts by Tony Brown

27 responses to “Various bits

  • peragrin_fogin

    You May Like Countdown/Keith Olbermann

    Countdown seems to go down very well emotionally. There’s a good mix of hard-news and funny, odd stuff. The guy is good.
    8:00 and midnight MSNBC.

    For the web try: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/

  • peragrin_fogin

    You May Like Countdown/Keith Olbermann

    Countdown seems to go down very well emotionally. There’s a good mix of hard-news and funny, odd stuff. The guy is good.
    8:00 and midnight MSNBC.

    For the web try: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/

  • peragrin_fogin

    You May Like Countdown/Keith Olbermann

    Countdown seems to go down very well emotionally. There’s a good mix of hard-news and funny, odd stuff. The guy is good.
    8:00 and midnight MSNBC.

    For the web try: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/

  • seracy

    Good to hear you a bit more chipper ^_^

    As of what’s going on with the abuse, there has to be some propaganda in there. And of course, shit they won’t tell us.

    But abuse happens in war. Not saying that it’s right, humane or any of that, but it happens.

    War makes some people snap, especially those who fight in it.

    IMO- It’s freaking insane. It’s wrong.

    But then again, I’m not really up on the news. Don’t watch TV… stopped going to CNN.com

    I’ll have to catch up tonight

  • seracy

    Good to hear you a bit more chipper ^_^

    As of what’s going on with the abuse, there has to be some propaganda in there. And of course, shit they won’t tell us.

    But abuse happens in war. Not saying that it’s right, humane or any of that, but it happens.

    War makes some people snap, especially those who fight in it.

    IMO- It’s freaking insane. It’s wrong.

    But then again, I’m not really up on the news. Don’t watch TV… stopped going to CNN.com

    I’ll have to catch up tonight

  • seracy

    Good to hear you a bit more chipper ^_^

    As of what’s going on with the abuse, there has to be some propaganda in there. And of course, shit they won’t tell us.

    But abuse happens in war. Not saying that it’s right, humane or any of that, but it happens.

    War makes some people snap, especially those who fight in it.

    IMO- It’s freaking insane. It’s wrong.

    But then again, I’m not really up on the news. Don’t watch TV… stopped going to CNN.com

    I’ll have to catch up tonight

  • radioactiveart

    You just said the key piece, for me…that you’d like to know who the director was.

    I wonder if the Psyops guys picked her deliberately for a starring role for some reason.

  • radioactiveart

    You just said the key piece, for me…that you’d like to know who the director was.

    I wonder if the Psyops guys picked her deliberately for a starring role for some reason.

  • radioactiveart

    You just said the key piece, for me…that you’d like to know who the director was.

    I wonder if the Psyops guys picked her deliberately for a starring role for some reason.

  • lowhumcrush

    yes, but once again, i’m sure she’s the sweet and smiley little pixie that stands out like a blood-drenched prom queen.

    i feel like she was treating this like she was the lead in a school play. now i just want to know, exactly, who the director(s) was.

    i mean, i’m sure it was a hardcore stress reliever – to fuck around on the job, making “the boys” laugh, feeling like she was finally “in.” and i know it’s fucking gnarly for women in the military. but the fact that she’s impregnated by the alleged ringleader, well…i have to think that she was somewhat level when committing these crimes. you know? kinda like how bonnie was with clyde.

  • lowhumcrush

    yes, but once again, i’m sure she’s the sweet and smiley little pixie that stands out like a blood-drenched prom queen.

    i feel like she was treating this like she was the lead in a school play. now i just want to know, exactly, who the director(s) was.

    i mean, i’m sure it was a hardcore stress reliever – to fuck around on the job, making “the boys” laugh, feeling like she was finally “in.” and i know it’s fucking gnarly for women in the military. but the fact that she’s impregnated by the alleged ringleader, well…i have to think that she was somewhat level when committing these crimes. you know? kinda like how bonnie was with clyde.

  • lowhumcrush

    yes, but once again, i’m sure she’s the sweet and smiley little pixie that stands out like a blood-drenched prom queen.

    i feel like she was treating this like she was the lead in a school play. now i just want to know, exactly, who the director(s) was.

    i mean, i’m sure it was a hardcore stress reliever – to fuck around on the job, making “the boys” laugh, feeling like she was finally “in.” and i know it’s fucking gnarly for women in the military. but the fact that she’s impregnated by the alleged ringleader, well…i have to think that she was somewhat level when committing these crimes. you know? kinda like how bonnie was with clyde.

  • radioactiveart

    Re: regarding point # 2

    Ok…but the reports of the new pictures do seem to have a heavy emphasis on her and on sexual content.

    Maybe I’m just getting paranoid in my old age.

  • radioactiveart

    Re: regarding point # 2

    Ok…but the reports of the new pictures do seem to have a heavy emphasis on her and on sexual content.

    Maybe I’m just getting paranoid in my old age.

  • radioactiveart

    Re: regarding point # 2

    Ok…but the reports of the new pictures do seem to have a heavy emphasis on her and on sexual content.

    Maybe I’m just getting paranoid in my old age.

  • lowhumcrush

    regarding point # 2

    Does anyone see any twisted stuff going on here regarding the way Lynndie England is being portrayed in the media?

    to be honest, tb, i don’t think she’s being singled out for being female. she just happens to be the most predominant of the americans, what with the pointing and smiling, etc. she just STANDS OUT even though there are two other women charged.

  • lowhumcrush

    regarding point # 2

    Does anyone see any twisted stuff going on here regarding the way Lynndie England is being portrayed in the media?

    to be honest, tb, i don’t think she’s being singled out for being female. she just happens to be the most predominant of the americans, what with the pointing and smiling, etc. she just STANDS OUT even though there are two other women charged.

  • lowhumcrush

    regarding point # 2

    Does anyone see any twisted stuff going on here regarding the way Lynndie England is being portrayed in the media?

    to be honest, tb, i don’t think she’s being singled out for being female. she just happens to be the most predominant of the americans, what with the pointing and smiling, etc. she just STANDS OUT even though there are two other women charged.

  • peragrin_fogin

    New BCN ‘Commercial

    Tony, I really liked the new BCN ‘mercial.
    Bhagdad One Hour Photo.
    Heavy duty music for heavy times.

  • peragrin_fogin

    New BCN ‘Commercial

    Tony, I really liked the new BCN ‘mercial.
    Bhagdad One Hour Photo.
    Heavy duty music for heavy times.

  • peragrin_fogin

    New BCN ‘Commercial

    Tony, I really liked the new BCN ‘mercial.
    Bhagdad One Hour Photo.
    Heavy duty music for heavy times.

  • radioactiveart

    I have it here…no, but…

    He might be in another volume. This is Vol. 5.

    I just spotted Walidah Imarisha in here too, formerly of Good Sista/Bad Sista with Turiya Autry.

  • radioactiveart

    I have it here…no, but…

    He might be in another volume. This is Vol. 5.

    I just spotted Walidah Imarisha in here too, formerly of Good Sista/Bad Sista with Turiya Autry.

  • radioactiveart

    I have it here…no, but…

    He might be in another volume. This is Vol. 5.

    I just spotted Walidah Imarisha in here too, formerly of Good Sista/Bad Sista with Turiya Autry.

  • mstegosaurus

    “In Our Own Words”

    I could be wrong– I haven’t actually seen it myself– but isn’t Ryk in that, too?

  • mstegosaurus

    “In Our Own Words”

    I could be wrong– I haven’t actually seen it myself– but isn’t Ryk in that, too?

  • mstegosaurus

    “In Our Own Words”

    I could be wrong– I haven’t actually seen it myself– but isn’t Ryk in that, too?

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