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The SEC lays claim to three national spotlights as THE FLORIDA, the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa and LSU all sit in almost every version of the Top 10. The rest of the conference enters the month of November battling for degrees of bowl-worthiness.
However, those battles aren’t particularly compelling viewing this weekend considering the slate of non-conference opponents (I do include Auburn’s PPV scrimmage against the Furman Paladins in that dismissal). Check out some of the other reviews across the Auburn blog empire: Acid adds in the homecoming twist to the weekend action and updates the net yard per pass chart over at Track ‘em Tigers; Auburn regains their swagger at WRAS; flags are gonna be flying and “why didn’t I think of that?” in TWER’s weekly update; and Fields of Donahue has apparel envy.
The games of the week in order of expected importance IMHO are: LSU at UAT and South Carolina at Arkansas. Outside of those two? Well, you’re watching games because you have an emotional attachment.
LSU vs. UAT. This one will either be a scrap to the death or UAT blows out the Bayou Bengals. UAT’s struggles on offense have been magnified somewhat disproportionately when you consider how much press Mark Ingram is getting in the Heisman hunt. True, Greg McElroy has cooled considerably since his first four games, but Alabama has the support on the outside, backfield and up-front to more than play cover-up. LSU’s front four has been underwhelming this year and may not stop Ingram and pressure McElroy enough to matter. One of two things takes place here, LSU has found themselves after blowing out Auburn and Tulane and gives the $aban bowl new meaning – in which case, they could very well pull off the upset, OR UAT’s weekend off was just what the doctor ordered to get McElroy back on track and the Alabama offense adds triple digits to the Bryant-Denny scoreboard. I’m going with the latter……
LSU 13, Alabama 31
South Carolina vs. Arkansas. USC sorely disappointed me (and the Palmetto state) last weekend in Knoxville. Then again, USC has shown the remarkable trend of folding like a cheap tablecloth in November over the past what, 10 years? Arkansas is in must-win territory at home while USC is already bowl eligible and probably stung mightily after getting embarrassed on Rocky Top. The key for Spurrier’s squad is going to be making Mallett move. They don’t have to sack him every down, but they do need to prevent him from settling into a comfortable pocket and blasting the ball downfield like a howitzer at D-Day. USC’s run defense is good enough to make the Razorbacks one-dimensional, but they aren’t good enough to stop the onslaught of downfield passing. I look for this one to be a great game, with plenty of back-and-forth momentum swings. In the end, the Razorbacks prevail.
USC 24, Arkansas 27
Tennessee Tech at Georgia. TTU’s only real chance against a struggling UGA team is if they pull a uniform gimmick trick in Athens and make Georgia think they are facing either the Vols or Gators.
Tennessee Tech 17, Georgia 35
Eastern Kentucky vs. Kentucky. No one outside of the banjo basketball bluegrass state will care about this one.
EKU 21, UK 31
Vanderbilt at Florida. This one is mildly entertaining only because, (1) it is a conference game, (2) Spikes has now administered his own punishment, (3) Tim Tebow is more photogenic than Paris AND Nicky Hilton combined, and (4) people will want to see what Urban Meyer complains about this week.
Vandy 14, THE FLORIDA 42
Memphis vs. Tennessee. This won’t be another 1996 game no matter how much I will it. Oh well, I’m glad we aren’t playing UT late in the season now that Crompton and Kiffin are on the same page.
Memphis 9, UT 42
Northern Arizona vs. Ole Miss. The Lumberjacks of Flagstaff?! Okay, so Ole Miss does get the creative mascot nod for this scheduling bonanza. Let’s hope the Rebels don’t overlook a team that has been surprisingly good at staying with the big boys of the college football world.
NAU Lumberjacks 17, Ole Miss 27
Furman and Auburn – I wouldn’t put Auburn in the name and not give them their own posting, so stay tuned. 
Hot New York restaurateur pours Lambrusco on national television!
Joe Campanale selected Lini’s Lambrusco as one of his favorite wines for summer on NBC’s Today show this morning. In a live segment, the co-owner of Dell’Anima and L’Artusi poured Lini’s Labrusca Bianco and Rosso as part of a selection of his picks for Memorial Day weekend.
In case you missed it, click here to watch the full clip!
One of New York’s youngest restaurateurs, the 25-year old Campanale’s star has risen spectacularly since he opened Dell’Anima in 2007 with Chef Gabe Thompson (below with Campanale outside Dell’Anima). The rapid success of the small West Village hotspot spurred the duo to expand to L’Artusi just one year later. Now, both restaurants are favorite neighborhood destinations for anyone seeking delicious and inventive Italian fare and an excellent selection of wine.
The growing popularity of Lini in New York in many ways mirrors Campanale’s recent success. Since Domenico Valentino’s introduction of Labrusca in 2007, Lini’s range of sparkling, classic Lambrusco has proven a universal hit throughout the city’s restaurant and wine industry, giving rebirth to a unique variety. Now, with an exciting line of refreshing and affordable wines, the Lini brand continues to gather momentum across the United States.
Campanale, whose wine experience extends to sommelier and retailer in some of New York’s most respected establishments, personally oversees the wine programs at Dell’Anima and L’Artusi. A huge fan of Lini and Lambrusco, he didn’t hesitate in adding Labrusca Bianco to both restaurants’ wine lists. Now Joe has helped introduce Lini’s Lambrusco to over two million Today viewers nationwide!
click photo to watch
From milkshakes to beer, huckleberries add a unique Northwest flavor, but they sure are hard to find.
Walk into almost souvenir shop in Idaho, and you’ll find a row of huckleberry products – huckleberry jam, huckleberry syrup, huckleberry lotion, huckleberry soap. During the summer months, restaurants advertise huckleberry milkshakes, and bags of huckleberries start showing up at local farmers markets for $10 a pound.
Huckleberries are Idaho’s state fruit and a special plant because they cannot be domesticated and they only grow at high elevations. Huckleberries tastes as unique as their growing habits. They are highly sought after because they taste good in a variety of different food products. People who know the location of huckleberry plants usually do not disclose such information, because huckleberries are a hot commodity.
Amy and I like to drink huckleberries in beer and eat huckleberries in vanilla milkshakes. Despite living in Idaho for thirty years, we had never picked huckleberries and wouldn’t know the first place to look for a huckleberry bush. Summer 2006 we set out looking to pick some huckleberries growing in the wild. We didn’t have any luck finding the elusive berry until meeting a friendly man who lives in the small town of Avery, Idaho. It is our love for huckleberries and a chance encounter with Wade Bilbrey that made the film possible.
We met Wade through a couple who invited us to go with them to Avery, Idaho for the weekend. The couple ended up getting into a lover’s quarrel that quickly shortened their weekend vacation to half a night stay. Despite the awkwardness of not knowing if we should cut our own weekend travels short, we decided to stay because Wade, like us, had a fondness for goats and huckleberries.
In the morning, we went on a hike to film mountain goats. Filming mountain goats is a challenge because we were a ridge away from where they usually graze. Plus, mountain goats move, making viewing them through our digital camera tough or next to impossible. We decided it would be easier to film huckleberries because they don’t move unless there’s a breeze, and if so, they won’t move very far. Plus, unlike mountain goats, we can legally eat huckleberries.
Avery, Idaho is surrounded by the St. Joe National Forest and is prime huckleberry habitat. Wade Bilbrey is postmaster in Avery, Idaho and has lived in the area for over twenty years. He believes that there are enough huckleberries for everyone, and he was happy to show us his favorite huckleberry-picking patch as well as his homemade container for picking berries with both hands. He also tells some good goat stories.
10:56 pm: We invite all our readers in the greater-DC area to NIAC’s policy conference Wednesday morning on Capitol Hill. “The US and Iran: Between Elections and Enrichment” will take place in the Capitol Visitors’ Center from 8am-12, where we will welcome members of Congress and some of the best Iran experts in the world. Obviously, there will be lots to discuss. Find all the details and the list of speakers here. Tuesday is the last day to RSVP!
Our boss, Dr. Trita Parsi, has been everywhere lately, including, on occasion, in the NIAC office. You can find his analysis on the situation on Democracy Now, Diane Rehm, and if the past few days are any guide, he’s probably on CNN right now.
10:00 pm: We translated this earlier, but it got lost in the mix. (We do more than just blog!) Ayatollah Sanei responded to Mousavi’s letter by saying the following:
“I was hoping that your election, with your experience and devotion to and blessings of Imam [Khomeini] and his loyal friends, would please the people of Iran. Regretfully, this did not happen. Be certain that administration of justice and respect for people’s rights and votes, which are evident in your letter, are only possible through informing all the people.”
Sanei further explained “I am obligated to pray for you and all the men and women of this country and for the continuation of the holy objectives of Imam Khomeini’s Islamic Republic.” Sanei concluded by wishing Mousavi success with the support of the people, universities, and esteemed clergies, as well as in protecting the people’s rights.
9:07: Dennis Ross, the Obama administration’s special adviser on Iran, has been reassigned to the National Security Council “with an expanded portfolio,” according to Time. While we don’t know what those duties will entail, my initial reaction is that this makes sense. Ross has much more experience with the Israel-Palestine issue than with U.S.-Iran.
8:43: The Washington Post reported that the crowds stretched five miles yesterday. One of our sources who lives nearby pulled out a map and did his own calculation: 15 km (9.3 miles)!
7:28 pm: President Obama just made a very important statement about the situation in Iran. (Video and rush transcript below the fold):
Rush Transcript Follows [7:56 pm update]
Obviously, all of us have been watching the news from Iran. And I want to start by being very clear that it is up to Iranians to make decisions about who Iran’s leaders will be, that we respect Iranian sovereignty and want to avoid the United States being the issue inside of Iran, which sometimes — the United States can be a handy political football, or discussions with the United States [can be]. Having said all that, I am deeply troubled by the violence I have been seeing on television. I think that the democratic process, free speech, the ability of people to peacefully dissent, all those are universal values, and need to be respected. And whenever I see violence perpetrated on people who are peacefully dissenting, and whenever the American people see that, I think they are rightfully troubled.
My understanding is that the Iranian government says they are going to look into irregularities that have taken place. We weren’t on the ground, we did not have observers there, we did not have international observers on hand, so I can’t state definitively one way or another what happened with respect to the election. But what I can say is that there appears to be a sense on the part of people who were so hopeful and so engaged and so committed to democracy who now feel betrayed. And I think it’s important moving forward whatever investigations take place are done in a way that is not resulting in bloodshed and is not resulting in people being stifled in expressing their views.
Now with respect to the United States and our interactions with Iran: I have always believed that as odious as I consider some of the statement of Ahmadinejad, as deep as some of the differences that exist between the United States and Iran on a range of core issues, that the use of tough, hard-headed diplomacy, diplomacy with no illusions, about Iran and the nature of the differences between our two countries is critical when it comes to pursuing a core set of our national security interests, specifically making sure that we are not seeing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East triggered by Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, making sure that Iran’s not exporting terrorist activity. Those are core interests not just to the United States but to a peaceful world in general. We will continue to pursue a tough, direct dialogue between our two countries, and we’ll see where it takes us.
But even as we do so, I think it would be wrong for me to stay silent about what we’ve seen on the television over the last few days. And what I would say to the people who put so much hope and energy and optimism into the political process, I would say to them that the world is watching and is inspired by their participation, regardless of what the ultimate outcome of the election was. And they should know the world is watching, and particularly to the youth of Iran, I want them to know that we in the United States do not want to make any decisions for the Iranians, but we do believe that the Iranian people and their voices should be heard and respected.
5:57 pm: More irresponsible saber-rattling from members of Congress…
California Republican Dana Rohrabacher says on his twitter feed:
The fraudulent Iranian election has mobilized opposition to the Mullah regime; the U.S. should back them, now’s the time for a regime change
Rohrabacher has the honor and distinction of representing one of the highest concentrations of NIAC members in any district in the country, yet his comments are absolutely contrary to the overwhelming opinion that we have been hearing from Iranian Americans.
Which reminds me: have you contacted your lawmakers yet? They need to hear from you to know what they should be doing with all this.
5:26 pm: Video of Basij firing into the crowds, which led to the attack on the Basij base mentioned below. [Warning: This video contains graphic images.]
5:13 pm: A source from the Washington Times is reporting that foreign press has been “kindly asked” to leave Iran. No word yet on what will happen if they (politely) refuse.
5:12 pm: From a relative in Iran:
1- Basij opened fire to the crowd. First blood is shed. Things are going to be more violent from tomorrow.
2- Jenati, head of Guardian Council appeared on IRIB channel 2 tonight 10.30 pm local time, and announced that he received a letter from supreme leader to investigate the election process … HE ADDED ALTHOUGH HE DOESN’T SEE A MAJOR FRAUD in the reports… he will obey the leader and will send HIM (not media) a full report within next 10 days!!!
In my opinion , this is only a game to buy 10 more days to suppress the riots. I think, if the politicians knew that Jenati is one of the main supporters of A.N and supposed to be a member of central team of the coup, then nobody hopes that this player will judge fair.
In addition, the Guardian Council’s spokesperson said on a news show tonight that Mousavi’s letter of protest is too general, and if the Guardian Council does not find fraud in the election process, then based on section 3, article 80 of the election law, Mousavi could be sentenced to 3 years in jail for “Efteraa” (libel).
Amazing. Even before the investigation begins, the threats are already starting.
5:02 pm: There have been shootings in the street. There are photos here, which I am not going to post here because they are very graphic.
4:58 pm: Larijani sets up a committee to investigate violence in parts of the country
According to Hamshahri and other news sources, Ali Larijani, the speaker of the Majlis (parliament) of Iran, has assigned a committee to investigate the recent violent events around the country including last night’s events at the University of Tehran dorms. The committee will work under the supervision of Hojatoleslam Seyyed Mohammad Hasan Abutorabi. Larijani said:
“after unprecedented participation of the Iranian nation in the 22 Khordad elections, now that that our great people are celebrating, news of unfortunate events in some areas including the University dorms are arriving and there are those who intend to create propaganda news for foreign media.”
Larijani asked the committee to give him a non-biased report as soon as possible. “Our most important responsibility today is to create peace and avoid conflict.”
4:53 pm: Obama to speak about the situation in Iran in 7 minutes.
3:57 pm: The estimate we had of 100,000-200,000 seems like it was too small…
Also, here is a photo showing what we said earlier about the police standing by during the massive rally:
3:31 pm: A new source for all-Iran news, Kodoom.
A new website launched today–http://www.kodoom.com, the first sorting service for all Iran-related news. According to the press release:
The service uses advanced robots and algorithms to constantly monitor hundreds of major news agencies in Persian (Farsi) and English, to sort and list Hot news by category. The service is similar to what Yahoo and Google offer mostly for American and European news.
3:14 pm: More information on the demonstration scheduled for this evening, via email:
RALLY TODAY, Monday, 15-Jun, AT 6PM IN WASHINGTON D.C. TO BE HELD BY LOCAL IRANIAN AMERICANS Demand of a new election – massive fraud reported in the elections in the past 24 hours.
CONTACT:
Sara Sarkhili 617.901.9445
Babak Talebi 202.340.0408
DC-area Iranian Americans will be rallying on Monday, June 15 at 6:00pm in front of the Iranian Interest Section at 2209 Wisconsin Ave NW in protest of the recent outcome of the Iranian elections claiming an Ahmadinejad victory. This event follows two previous rallys and a march that took place over the weekend attracting 600+ people.
The expected crowd of several hundred will be standing in solidarity with Iranians around the world in demand for the real vote of the people be counted. Iranian Americans reject the ‘official’ count being reported by the Iranian interior ministry and demand a full investigation of the election fraud as well as demanding a new election be held.
We ask that mainstream U.S. news outlets refrain from recognizing the ‘official’ results and stand with the Iranian people in demanding accurate results. Iranians have been protesting the results with massive demonstrations throughout the country which have been cracked down violently by the riot police. Various forms of communication are being restricted including mobile phones, internet, websites, social groups like facebook, and youtube which have been an important means of communication in the current situation. We ask that the voice of Iranians living here in the US be heard and reflected by the mainstream US media.
In addition, the US cities of Houston, Tulsa, Minneapolis, Champaign, Illinois, Amherst, Costa Mesa, and Raleigh have also scheduled rallies over the next few days against the Iranian elections. A former NIAC intern also informed us of a rally in Chicago Tuesday June 16th at 4:30 in the Daley Center. World-wide protests will be held in Melbourne, Berlin, Auckland, Edinburgh, and Geneva.
3:04 pm: A news flash from Reuters has just come over the wire (h/t Guardian):
IRAN’S MOUSAVI SAYS NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC ON ELECTION APPEAL
2:45 pm: Basij base attacked
“Reliable news from Iran has arrived that after the death of one person by Basij, the Basij base in Azadi Sq. has been burned down and the commander in that base has been killed.” [The fire is being confirmed by an eye-witness.]
2:42 pm: Lots of photos from this weekend’s events could be called iconic, with many poignant depictions like this one of Iranian society as it wrestles with the possibility of radical change. Some have been particularly moving because of the compassion that normal Iranians have shown each other, including protesters helping police and vice versa, all the while surrounded by chaos.
Many bloggers have criticized the mainstream media’s coverage of this weekend’s events, and I have been no exception. But in all sincerity, our hats are off to the brave journalists, photographers, and others on the ground in Iran helping to get information out to the rest of the world. Thank you.
1:56 pm: New statement issued by Mousavi, translated from http://mowj.ir/ShowNews.php?7230:
“I have submitted my request for canceling the elections to the Guardian Council.”
“I am certain recent reactions are not for me, but it is out of concern for the new political order that is being imposed on our country.”
He added that people are extremely worried because they believe the achievements of the revolution are in danger. Mousavi plans to continue his political activities within the framework of the law. Addressing the people, Mousavi said “today I requested the cancelation of the election results to the Guardian Council and I believe this is the only way we can recapture public’s confidence and their support of the government.”
1:37 pm: A Iranian American in Portland sent the following to an Iran-focused listserv:
The person who is updating the Mousavi’s Facebook has this to say about the slogans that they are promoting for night rooftop protests:
1- “allah-o-akbar” God is Great
2- “la-allah-a-ela-allah” There is no God but God
Mousavi asks that only these two slogans be used; The first slogan is to signify that God is the ultimate authority, and NO one is at its level. The second slogan signifies that there is only ONE God and no one else is God. Both slogans at this situation challenge the self claimed authority of Khamenei as the leader of the Islamic Republic. He goes on to say that a coup is in process that wants to define the parameters of the conflict and escalate the confrontation. It is our duty to limit the confrontation so that we do not give them the excuse; these slogans are not questionable by any measure.
1:34 pm: From Mousavi’s Facebook page:
Following Mousavi’s meeting with the Supreme Leader this morning, this poster appeared on Mousavi’s official facebook page. On it is written: “peace be upon the 3 sacred and spiritual seyeds: Khomaini, Khamenei and Mousavi”
The page also mentions the meeting that Mousavi and the supreme leader had. It states that, the supreme leader will look into the election, however he would like Mousavi to remind his supporters to return back to their residences and not to undermine the state security.
1:06 pm: Election protests spread to cities around the globe
The recent fiery demonstrations regarding the disputed Iranian elections have spread to cities all over the world. Iranians have taken a stand, and posed the question, “Where is my vote?”
Yesterday, rallies were held across the country, in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Boston, and DC. In addition, rallies were held in countries throughout the globe in England, Sweden, Canada, and France.
Although Iranians have come together to protest the Iranian elections, their opinions are far from unified. While some people support Mir Houssein Moussavi, others clearly desire a complete regime change in Iran. The most important thing for Iranians to agree on now is the safety of the people in Iran, and the urgent need for their human rights and right to peacefully voice their concerns.
More information on demonstrations in your city can be found on facebook for upcoming events, like for those in Sweden, Montreal, and Washington DC.
Also, more info available at www.whereismyvote.org
1:01 pm: Ultra-conservative websites Kayhan and Rajanews have been taken down by attacks. Kayhan is a newspaper very closely affiliated with the Supreme Leader. The two sites had previously been the main supporters of Ahmadinejad. The online warfare (which we have *luckily* been spared up to this point) is a very interesting aspect of the ongoing conflict.
12:48 pm: More on today’s rally from eyewitnesses we trust:
The rally was scheduled to be from 4-6 pm, going from Englab Sq. to Azadi Sq. The Ministry of Interior did not provide a permit for the rally according to our source, and the first 3,000-4,000 people were met by armed forces in full riot gear and a number of Basij officials in street attire. By 4 pm, there were 100,000-200,000 people ready to attend the rally, and Mousavi, Karroubi, Khatami, Khatami’s brother, and Karbassji (former mayor of Tehran and affiliate of Rafsanjani) all showed up.
The armed forces did not engage the crowd and the crowd started to chant “arm forces, support support” i.e “nuroyeh entzammy: hemayat hemayat”. According to the source, there will be a rally tomorrow for Mousvi tomorrow at 5 pm in Vali Asr Sq. and there will be a national strike by all of Mousavi’s supporters.
He says Mousavi’s supporters are outraged by Ahmadinejad’s rhetoric towards them, calling them a “bunch of yahoos and no-gooders, whose aims is to disrupt the nation and its security”
12:38 pm: Translations from: http://twitter.com/sasan_j
“Dr. Jebhe Dar Maralani, the president of Tehran University’s College of Electronics resigned in protest to last night’s killing of five students.” [Unconfirmed]
“From Ahvaz: Around Ahavaz bridge the sounds of gunshots can be heard. People have gathered in Naderi street. Cell phones have been disconnected in this city.”
12:34 pm: Reports from the rally in Tehran:
Reports on the turnout in Tehran have varied widely on the turnout. We just got an estimate of 100,000-200,000 from someone on the scene. They report the IRGC backed off for the rally.
The crowd chanted “Mousavi get our vote back!” and “Armed forces, support, support (us)!”
A source tells us that least one state run media channel has shown pictures of the protests and announced that Mousavi would be at the rally, which indicates that some in the media are refusing marching orders.
That source believes the mentality changing — that people aren’t rallying because they are angry anymore, but because they believe they can have an impact.
12:10 pm: Upcoming Rallies by the Iranian Diaspora:
Washington D.C.-
Monday, June 156pm at the Iran Interest Section on Wisconsin Ave.
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, DC 20007
London –
Monday, June 15
2pm to 10pm, Iranian Embassy
Oklahoma City-
Tuesday, June 16
6 pm at the State Capitol
12:04 pm: This is a bulletin board at the Science and Polytechnic University where pictures of professors and science faculty are posted. Students pulled down the picture of Ahmadinejad.
The note says: “Notice – the picture of coup d’état president was posted in this place. Death to dictator whether it is Shah or the Doctor.”
11:23 am: Mousavi appears
11:12 am: A few more translations from: http://twitter.com/iranbaan
“Roaring wave of people, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, we are all together.”
“Members of the Nehzat Azadi (The Freedom Movement of Iran) have been arrested in Tabriz.”
“These people haven’t been brought here with buses, haven’t been given travel checks or potatoes either. They have come to protest the coup d’état.”
11:05 am: Just now, Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA reported that university exams are to follow as usual. The schedule will be the same and students are required to participate in a peaceful manner.
The University of Tehran web site sent out a bulletin indicating that the destruction caused on campus was by a group of individuals whose intentions are to disrupt Iran’s security and peace. The dean of the university has expressed his appreciation for the cooperation of the students and indicated that the security officials on campus are there only for the protection of the students.
Meanwhile IRINN (Islamic Republic of Iran News) stated that the leaders of the Friday prayers from every province have expressed their appreciation from the Iranian public for a historic election while most of them have condoned the protests as unIslamic and threatening to the fabric of the society.
10:59 am: More Farsi Tweets:
Translations from: http://twitter.com/iranbaan
“People were holding signs saying: We are not sheep.”
“Hundreds of thousands of people are demonstrating from Engelab to Azadi. The number of people is constantly increasing as more people join to protest against the coup d’état.”
“Mir Hossein and Khatami gave a speech among people.”
“The Ministry of Science announced the exams have not been cancelled but Sharif and Esfehan Polytechnic Universities have officially announced that the exams have been postponed.”
“The Guardian Council has asked in a statement asking the candidates to formally submit their complains as soon as possible.”
Translations from: https://twitter.com/gkarbaschi
“Today accompany Mr. Mousavi and Karroubi in peaceful and nonviolent demonstration at 4pm.”
Translations from: http://twitter.com/parastoo
“Zealous Iranian, support, support – People are chanting this in our street. I’m going to the balcony to chant.”
Translations from: http://twitter.com/alirezasha
“I just talked to my cousin in Azadi Sq., there are more than three million people there.”
10:52 am: Video: Iranians defy protest ban
more about “BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iranians def…“, posted with vodpod
Dr. Kristiaan Versluys, a professor of English at the University of Ghent, takes a close look at a handful of 9/11-themed works of fiction in his new book, Out of the Blue: September 11 and the Novel. Perhaps the best thing I can say about it is that it prompted me to rethink my reactions to the novels he discusses—I may never be a great admirer of Don DeLillo’s Falling Man, but the book reveals how carefully DeLillo worked to mimic the ways that traumatic events unsettle our ability to tell stories. Dr. Versluys does much the same for the other books he covers in-depth, including Art Spiegelman’s graphic memoir In the Shadow of No Towers, Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and Frédéric Beigbeder’s Windows on the World. Out of the Blue is an academic book, but it’s low on jargon, and provides some useful context for the debates about 9/11 fiction that are bound to emerge in the future.
Dr. Versluys answered questions about Out of the Blue via e-mail.
Much of Out of the Blue discusses 9/11 fiction in relation to trauma studies. Did you have an interest in the relationship between trauma and literature before writing the essays in this book? What led you to look at trauma as one of the main prisms you use to study this literature—as opposed to, say, through the prism of politics?
When I spent a sabbatical year at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Studies in 2004-5, the idea was to write a book on recent New York fiction. I have taught many courses on that topic both at Ghent University, my home university in Belgium, and as a guest professor in the Columbia summer school program. The way I had planned it, the last chapter would be devoted to 9/11 fiction. For reasons too intricate to explain I started with the last chapter, only to realize that in the short time since the terrorist attacks had taken place, a body of work had come out that was substantial enough to be the subject of a separate book.
The first text I studied in depth was Art Spiegelman’s In the Shadow of No Towers. Spiegelman looks upon the events of September 11 through the conceptual screen of the Holocaust. That led me to take a closer look at trauma studies in general and Holocaust-studies in particular. I have always treated post-structuralist approaches to literature with a great deal of skepticism. But especially the writings of Dominick LaCapra (rather than the canonical Cathy Caruth) made me aware of the fact that in trauma studies post-structuralism – so often abstract and theoretical in its orientation – touches ground and provides a tool to talk with respect and deference about things that remain essentially unsayable. Nonetheless, I feel that, at bottom, I remain an old-fashioned humanist. I prefer to read novels in the grain, rather than against the grain. And while I am indebted to post-structuralism for its attention to language and though I take into account that language introduces fissures and ruptures, I also perceive it to be an instrument of healing and restoration.
You write that the 9/11-themed works you discuss “testify to the shattering of certainties and the laborious recovery of balance.” I imagine that novelists writing on subjects such as war, or totalitarianism, or even domestic abuse, might feel they’re doing the same kind of testifying. What, if anything, distinguishes 9/11 novels from fiction about those other kinds of traumatic experiences?
As a traumatic event, September 11 is comparable to other traumatic events. Paradoxically, though, one of the characteristics it shares with similar events, is that it is singular and irreducible. In the first place this is the case, of course, for the victims, their families and friends. No analogy is capable of capturing what it means to be trapped in a burning tower or to lose one’s parent, spouse or close friend.
In addition, 9/11 is arguably the first instance of what one could call global trauma. It was witnessed not only by the people in the direct vicinity of the WTC-towers on that bright Tuesday morning. It was also witnessed by millions and presumably hundreds of millions on TV, either live or in the many repetitions of the iconic images that everybody remembers. It is possible that in order to talk about this new kind of trauma, we will need a new vocabulary, a new or at least a modified conceptual framework. We know a lot already about indirect witnessing and secondary trauma, esp. with regard to second- and third-generation Holocaust survivors. We also know that a whole culture can undergo a sense of shock so severe that its collective assumptions are profoundly disrupted and that a catastophe can “create ‘problems of identity’ for individuals and communities well beyond its circumference of material destruction” (Gray and Oliver). So there is a lot of theory to go on already. Yet it seems to me we are dealing here with something that is different from what preceded. Notions such as those of authenticy or inauthenticity, the traumatic sublime, postmemory, trauma transference, empty empathy etc. – all notions that are current in trauma theory – may have to be adapted or revised to fit the new category of global trauma. Televised indirect experience raises new questions as to what is genuine and what is hype and it establishes new conditions for making memorializing into an act of approximation and not an act of appropriation.
You note that there are about 30 literary novels available currently about 9/11. Were there other 9/11 books that you considered writing about at length? I suspect you’ve already heard from people wondering why the book doesn’t mention, say, Joseph O’Neill’s Netherland or Ken Kalfus’ A Disorder Peculiar to the Country.
In order to keep the study manageable, I made the decision early on to deal only with novels in which 9/11 is not just a background event, but in which it plays an essential role in the plot development. Apart from the two novels you mention, there are more novels of merit in which 9/11 is part of the background: Claire Messud’s The Emperor’s Children and Jay McInerney’s The Good Life, to mention only a few. I deal with two such novels (Anita Shreve’s A Wedding in December and Ian McEwan’s Saturday) in the epilogue to indicate that, as time goes by and the first shock wears off, 9/11 is bound to become “spectralized.” Its presence will become less and less visible, but for that reason all the more haunting. The direct treatment of the events on September 11 is bound to be replaced in the collective imagination by the indirect treatment. To study that phenomenon requires another book.
Your chapter on Falling Man ends with a provocative statement: Because the novel “allows for no proper mourning or working through,” you write, there’s a danger that “it can serve as a prelude to, or be used as an excuse for, wholesale, reactionary and even totalitarian movements of redress and moral restoration.” Can you elaborate on how these movements might manifest themselves?
I borrow this idea from Dominick LaCapra. The point he makes is that a condition of collective grief that is considered irredeemable might be the breeding ground for a revanchist logic. If the nation does not learn to deal with loss, it might be tempted to restore normalcy “through the elimination or victimization of those to whom blame is imputed” (LaCapra, Writing History, Writing Trauma, 65). This line of reasoning is related to the distinction between true and false witnessing, made by the psycho-analysist R.J. Lifton. False witnessing, according to Lifton, occurs when death anxiety is converted directly into killing. The example he cites is the massacre at My Lai. But it could easily be applied to the way the Bush administration reacted to September 11 and in fact to the ultra-conservative backlash that lasted till the election of President Obama. The novels I discuss argue for an ethics of responsibility, in which the complexity of the situation is fully presented and the simple binary logic of “us versus them” – so cleverly exploited by the Bush administration – is avoided.
Critics have been largely (though not uniformly) unkind to the books you discuss, and you elaborate on some of the reasons why. Writing about Falling Man, you note that “the characters are so thin that their whole existence boils down to mere nomenclature” and that “no narrative momentum is allowed to develop.” You note the “flatness” of Grandpa’s character in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and the “soppy happy ending” of Terrorist. But you also point out many rewarding characteristics of these novels that you believe critics missed. Do you feel the negative critical reaction to these books is related more to their unconventional structures and approaches, or more to the way they are, as you write, “subversive of nationalistic imperatives”?
Let’s be clear about one point: the great September 11 novel has not been written yet and maybe it never will. To a point, the negative critical reactions are justified and understandable. No writer has yet been able to capture the magnitude of the event or the shock it produced. The unsayable remains unsaid. The negative critical reactions might, therefore, be understood as the result of disappointment. Here is an event that cries out for a definitive reading and it is not forthcoming. Nonetheless, there is much more to these books than some reviewers have spotted. My study is a tribute to the few writers who have been courageous enough to tackle an impossible topic. Even though they succeeded only partially, there is much insight to be gained from their efforts.
You note that nearly all the books under discussion have been written by white American men, and write that it’s an open question whether future 9/11 fiction will be “marked by more gender and ethic diversity or acquire a more outspoken international dimension.” What do think has made 9/11 the province of such a singular kind of writer thus far?
The answer to this question can only be pure guess work. Minority writers might have no need to deal with 9/11, as long as they are dealing with the traumas in their collective pasts. As to women, Anita Shreve and Claire Messud have been prominent in recording the dispersion of 9/11 in the culture at large as a spectral presence, a vestige, palpable but invisible.
Fine Work from;
The Proceedings of the Friesian School, Fourth Series
Kelley R Ross. Ph, D
We hold these truths to be self-evident: That a whole lot of people were confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim that they require a Bill of Non Rights.
- ARTICLE I — You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV or any form of wealth.
More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.
- ARTICLE II — You do not have the right to never be offended.
This country is based on freedom, and that means the freedom for everyone, not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc., but the world is full of idiots and probably always will be.
- ARTICLE III — You do not have the right to be free from harm.
If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful. Do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.
- ARTICLE IV — You do not have the right to free food and housing.
Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generations of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.
- ARTICLE V — You do not have the right to free health care.
That would be nice but, from the looks of public housing, we’re just not interested in government run health care.
- ARTICLE VI — You do not have the right to physically harm other people.
If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim or kill someone, don’t be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.
- ARTICLE VII — You do not have the right to the possessions of others.
If you rob, cheat or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don’t be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won’t have the right to a big screen TV or a life of leisure.
- ARTICLE VIII — You don’t have the right to demand that our children risk their lives in foreign wars to soothe your aching conscience.
We hate oppressive governments and won’t lift a finger to stop you from going to fight, if you’d like. However, we do not enjoy parenting the entire world and do not want to spend so much of our time battling each and every little tyrant with a military uniform and a funny hat.
- ARTICLE IX — You don’t have the right to a job.
All of us sure want all of you to have one, and will gladly help you in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.
- ARTICLE X — You do not have the right to happiness.
Being an American means that you have the right to pursue happiness — which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.
If you agree that a understanding of no rights is necessary to “Secure the Blessings of Liberty,” I strongly urge you to refer this to as many people as you can, or link it from your own webpages. No, you don’t HAVE to …. Nothing tragic will befall you should you NOT refer it. I just think it’s about time common sense is allowed to re-emerge in our society and flourish again. Thank you!!!
Throughout the recent and historic presidential campaign, scholars, academicians and theologians alike contended that the ascension of Barack Obama towards the presidency would have a lasting ripple effect. One that would be specifically and especially important to African-American men.
I’m still waiting…
Don’t get me wrong, I’m patient; but we’re not off to a good start. No really, I am very patient…but I notice when things are not moving in the proper direction.
It was reasonable enough to believe that when a young Black man (young in a political sense) rose to the highest office in the free world, Black men’s pants all over the land would at least rise above their collective asses.
If the phrase “President Obama” wasn’t enough, there’s also “Chairman Steele”…as in Republican National Committee chairman, Michael Steele. And let’s not forget Coach Tomlin…a.k.a. “Youngest Super Bowl Champion Coach Ever” Mike Tomlin.
Meaning…
Within the space of a fortnight, not only have we as African-American males gained the most coveted “role models” in all the world, but single-handedly destroyed an abundance of stereotypes in the process.
To which, Jay-Z and Young Jeezy celebrated and saluted the office of the presidency with their wholly derogatory N-Word fest during their inaugural celebrations. Also, Rick Ross and 50 Cent have publicly declared war on one-another in both rhyme and reality. If that weren’t enough, Eddie Murphy is back in the “news” for his supposed refusal to acknowledge or visit his 22-month-old daughter by Mel B.
On one hand, for those of you who thought the world was magically going to change the moment President Obama finished his oath of office (either time), welcome back to reality. And on the other hand, those of you out there “celebrating” the shared Blackness you have with President Obama, but not sharing in his humanity, you missed the point.
“My president is black, my Lambo’s blue
And I’ll be goddamned if my rims ain’t too
My momma ain’t at home, and daddy’s still in jail.”
Young Jeezy – My President Is Black
Young Jeezy…if the only thing you wish to appropriate from President Obama is his color, you missed the point. You may not appreciate criticism from the likes of a Bill O’Reilly and question why he doesn’t speak out on “other” more important issues to African-Americans, but his point is still valid.
Bill O’Reilly is an unmitigated ass, but his point is still valid nonetheless. Jeezy’s public behavior was unconscionable.
The responsibility of having a “Black” president requires more than only forming a “color kinship.” It means internalizing his humanity. It means acknowledging the same respect for Black women and fatherhood that our “Black” president does.
It includes exalting the institution of marriage in the same manner that our “Black” president does. Ultimately more is required of Black men post-January 20 than simply reveling in Obama’s “Blackness.” It means reversing direction and realigning our collective trajectory. To meaningfully and sincerely “celebrate” the accomplishments of Black men like President Obama, Chairman Steele and Coach Tomlin, it requires removing “Nigga” from one’s vocabulary.
It’s a requirement, not a suggestion.
It demands sense enough to not declare war on another Black man, especially for the sake of album sales or to be “king” of the hip-hop misogynists.
Young Jeezy didn’t seem to understand, such is the cost of having a “Black” president. Jay-Z, for all his financial success still doesn’t seem to understand that 40+ year-old MEN don’t strive to mimic behavior of teenagers in thought, word or deed. Grown men SET the example, not kowtow to pubescent whimsicality. Do you hear me Shawn Carter? 50 Cent can’t publicly “endorse” Barack Obama in 2008 and publicly declare war on Rick Ross in 2009. Endorsing Barack Obama means endorsing what he stands for and advocates.
An African-American man is leader of the free world…act like it my brothers. President Obama’s legacy is not best served by linking it to rims and “lambos” in lyrics. President Obama said it was time to put away childish things…maybe hip-hop collectively missed that part of the inauguration while sipping on Cristal. Nevertheless, it’s always available in 1st Corinthians whenever you guys have time.
Michael Steele, a political moderate by most accounts will now be charged with the immediate future of the Republican Party. Steele is not a self-loathing clone of Clarence Thomas, Larry Elder or Alan Keyes. Steele is a man who loves his heritage and is keenly committed and connected to our African-American community. Philosophically and politically he may be in disagreement with the multitude of African-Americans but nowhere should it be said he’s not madly in love with our people.
The election of Barack Obama was supposed to indicate the coming of age of the African-American electorate…act like it my people.
An African-American man who sincerely loves Black people now runs the minority party of the U.S. government…act like it my brothers.
An African-American man has coached the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super Bowl title in only his second year to become the youngest coach EVER to WIN an NFL championship. And he did it while 43 million people watched…just for good measure.
Young African-American men have three distinct, public examples in which to emulate and pattern their lives. We as African-Americans must do more to CORRECTLY highlight and celebrate these types of accomplishments as well as their humanity in our community. We must no longer allow for stupidity personified to serve as the archetype for the African-American male.
We know the consequences of “rap beefs.” History is clear; they lead to stabbings at award shows. History is unambiguous, they lead to drive-by shootings at after-parties of the aforementioned award shows. And most importantly, they further ingrain the mentality that Black manhood is nothing more than a self-fulfilling prophecy of ignorance, hatred and untimely death.
And Eddie Murphy…feel free to acknowledge and involve yourself with your 22-month-old child any day now. No rush. You have plenty time before she reaches high school.
If the recent and rounding successes of President Barack Obama, Chairman Michael Steele and Coach Mike Tomlin don’t force you as an African-American man to reassess the depth of your love and quality of service to African-Americans, then shame on you.
Shame on you.
The Mo’Kelly Report is an entertainment journal with a political slant; published weekly at www.eurweb.com. It is meant to inform, infuse and incite meaningful discourse…as well as entertain. The Mo’Kelly Report is syndicated by Newstex and Blogburst. For more Mo’Kelly, http://mokellyreport.wordpress.com. Mo’Kelly can be reached at mrmokelly@gmail.com and he welcomes all commentary.
For the first time in my entire life, I care about running. Not only do I want to become a runner, I want to watch other (real) runners in action – especially now that a very small (super small) part of me can relate to them.
The ING New York City Marathon is next Sunday, November 1st. Weather permitting, I would love to go and watch the runners. The more I read the race website – especially the Course Strategy – the more excited I become – not only for the thousands of runners participating, but also for my own race (Yes, the one I haven’t yet signed up for in March 2010. I promise I’ll sign up before December 31st).
Anyway, how intense is 26.2 miles? My brain absolutely cannot wrap itself around the idea of running that far. ALL FIVE BOROUGHS. If I could high five every single runner, I totally would (except for the fact that I could get H1N1 or some other weird virus/disease). They deserve crazy mad props for not only signing up for the race, but going through it.
I can’t wait until I have the guts to run 26.2 miles. So. Freaking. Amazing.
First, I’ll tackle the 13.1. Then I’ll probably tackle another 13.1. Then maybe I’ll try the 26.2-er.
