Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

Just enjoyed a wonderful potluck dinner at JRC with the Khatiwodas - a refugee family from Bhutan who recently resettled in Chicago. (There they are in the pic above with congregation members Edie Canter and Elaine Waxman). JRC is sponsoring the Khatiwodas through the Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Ministries, an NGO that partners with congregations and organizations and in Illinois to provide direct services to refugees and immigrants and encourages active involvement in refugee and immigration issues.

Needless to say, the refugee crisis in Bhutan/Nepal has not received a lion’s share of media attention. The basics: in the early 1990s, the Bhutanese government began expelling ethnic Nepalese, regarding them as a demographic and cultural threat. As of early this year, roughly 108,000 stateless Bhutanese were living in seven refugee camps in Nepal and the Bhutanese government still has not allowed any to return. As far back as 2006, the US government, offered to resettle 60,000 Bhutanese refugees, but they have only recently begun to arrive in the US.

By year’s end, over 10,000 refugees are expected to leave Nepal in what is being described as one of the world’s largest resettlement operations.  Meanwhile, the situation in the Nepal refugee camps remain dire. This past spring a fire raged through the Goldhap camp in eastern Nepal, leaving nearly 8,000 Bhutanese refugees homeless - including the Khatiwoda family. (As if all of these ordeals weren’t enough, the Khatiwodas were dealt even more heartache when the family’s grandmother took seriously ill after they arrived at their stopover in NYC. She has now remained behind for treatment, accompanied by her son).

In anticipation of the Khatiwoda’s arrival, JRC donated furnishings and household items for their new apartment in Rogers Park and members of our Refugee Task Force spent the better part of two weeks cleaning the place up and getting it ready. The family finally arrived in Chicago last week - and fortunately, their readjustment has been aided by the presence here of extended family who arrived in town ahead of them. Many JRC members have also begun to help them negotiate through the challenges of the initial settlement into their new home.

We had a lovely time at our dinner tonight as members of our Task Force had the opportunity to formally meet the Khatiwodas. They are beginning a new and hopeful chapter in a long journey and we’re truly honored to be sharing it with them…

Get ready for an unbelievable din when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad comes to town next week.

For its part, the Jewish community is contributing its share to the political noise making with all the brouhaha over Sarah Palin’s invitation (and subsequent disinvitation) from a Jewish community protest against Iran on Monday.  Tellingly, through all of the Jewish coverage of that incident, there has been precious little focus on the stance of the rally itself. For my part at least, I’m more than a little troubled that the extent of the Jewish community’s response to the Iran crisis continues to be “Ahmadinejad is a Nazi.”

We seem chronically unable to treat this issue with even a modicum of sanity. Somehow lost in the clamor are the disturbing signs that our nation’s current policy toward that country (i.e. zero tolerance of uranium enrichment, regime change and increased diplomatic isolation) has been a total non-starter. Not to mention that our overt saber rattling (the US now wants to sell 1,000 bunker buster bombs to Israel) is deepening an already unbearably poisonous diplomatic atmosphere.

While I have no illusions about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the odious nature of Ahmadinejad’s rhetoric, count me as one American Jew that believes that simply spewing rhetoric right back is getting us nowhere -  and that the prospect of a military attack on Iran is a disaster we must not even begin to contemplate. Would that Ahmadinejad’s visit to the US would give us that opportunity to engage his regime in a more meaningful conversation and not simply amplify an ever-escalating war of words.

For those of you looking for an preemptive antidote to what is surely to be a week of painful political posturing and diplomatic regression, I urge you to read this important piece by the Iranian-American political scientist Trita Parsi. Though it was written a year ago, I’m sorry to say it’s more relevant now than ever.

Big, big kudos to Chicago-area rabbis Steve Bob and Sam Gordon for organizing Rabbis for Obama! As of this writing over 400 rabbis (and counting) have signed up to show their support. And this just in: yesterday 900 rabbis joined Obama for a conference call in which he answered questions and spoke eloquently about a number of critical issues facing American Jews (and all Americans for that matter). He also offered this trenchant Rosh Hashanah message:

And I know that the Shofar is going to be blown in your synagogues over Rosh Hashanah and there are many interpretations of its significance. One that I have heard that resonates with me is rousing us from our slumber so that we recognize our responsibilities and repent for our misdeeds and set out on a better path. The people in every community across this land join our campaign and I like to think that they are sounding that Shofar and to rouse this nation out of its slumber and to compel us to confront our challenges and ensure a better path. It’s a call to action. So as this New Year dawns, I am optimistic about our ability to overcome the challenges we face and the opportunity that we can bring the change we need not only to our nation but also to the world

I’m proud to be on record as a Rabbi for Obama. Here’s hoping that Americans heed the call of the Shofar and awaken from their eight-year slumber this New Year…

The first exhibit of Arab-Israeli art to appear in Israel has just opened at the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem. Entitled “Correspondence,” it features the art of 13 Arab-Israeli artists who explore the cultural tensions inherent experienced by Palestinian citizens of Israel.

According to the Mayer’s description of the exhibit:

“Correspondence” attempts to reveal the dialogue between its own culture and the culture of the other, whether in politics, social affairs, fear and doubt or curiosity and the desire for knowledge. Some of these elements can provoke controversy while others may give rise to civilized, humane dialogue and correspondence. The exhibition expropriates some of the artists’ cultural assets, since he or she is here observed as being preoccupied with, angry at and influenced by the culture of an other in an age of Modernism, globalization and Zionism.

In a recent Forward article, the museum’s artistic director explained it in less academic terms:

“I thought the Israeli public should be aware of the problems and the subjects and try to understand what is bothering them and what they are dealing with,” said the artistic director of the Mayer Museum, Rachel Hasson. “Israeli Arabs are part of us, they are living among us, and not to exhibit their work is a way to ignore it. Some can write songs and poems, and a painter can put on a painting what he feels, and we should all know and acknowledge it.”

“Correspondence” certainly appears to be a powerful and provocative exhibit - kudos to the Mayer for taking it on. It runs through January 2009 - anyone who visits is encouraged to weigh in with reviews and reactions…

Last night I was honored to participate in my first Iftaar. (Am somewhat ashamed it has taken me this long…)

It took place at the home of Dr. Shakeela Hassan, one of my fellow board members on Hands of Peace (a wonderful local coexistence organization about which I’ve written before). After our meeting we were invited by Shakeela and her husband Zia to stay for the traditional Ramadan break-fast. Many of us on the HOP board (which is made of Jews, Christians and Muslims) fasted during the course of the day in anticipation of the evening meal. At sundown we shared some dates and fruit juice, participated in evening prayers (led by Shaykh Abdool Rahman of the Islamic Foundation of Villa Park) and enjoyed a delicious Iftaar meal.

A memorable and moving experience for us all. I’m hoping for another Iftaar invitation soon…

From this week’s Torah portion, Ki Tetzei:

You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow countryman or a stranger in one of the communities of your land. You must pay him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets, for he is needy and urgently depends on it, else he will cry to the Lord against you and you will incur guilt.  (Deuteromony 24:14-15)

In what can only described as irony of Biblical proportions, we read these verses on the same week that the Iowa attorney general brought a myriad of criminal charges against the owners and managers of the Agriprocessors kosher meat packing plant (where almost 400 undocumented workers were arrested in an ICE raid last May):

The complaint charges that the plant employed workers under the legal age of 18, including seven who were under 16, from Sept. 9, 2007, to May 12. Some workers, including some younger than 16, worked on machinery prohibited for employees under 18, including “conveyor belts, meat grinders, circular saws, power washers and power shears,” said an affidavit filed with the complaint.

…The complaint also charges that under-age workers were not paid for all the overtime they worked and were forced to work before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m., a violation of child labor laws. Agriprocessors managers “participated in efforts to conceal children when federal and state labor department officials inspected the plant,” the complaint says.

The silver lining? There is growing evidence that the Jewish world - across denominational lines - is ready to respond to the shandeh that is Agriprocessors. On Wednesday, the Orthodox Union threatened to withdraw kosher certification from the company unless Agriprocessors replaced its management and CEO. For their part, the good folks at Hekhsher Tzedek added their “Amen”:

The pressure from the Orthodox Union added to criticism of Agriprocessors from a movement led by Conservative Jews that is seeking to create an additional seal for kosher food to show it was produced according to ethical standards for wages and worker safety. The movement, Hekhsher Tzedek, praised the Orthodox Union’s “no-nonsense action,” saying it showed that the concept of ethical standards in kosher food “transcends denominational boundaries.”

A few weeks ago, I was asked by a congregant how traditional Jews could justify being so scrupulous about their production of kosher meat while being so unscrupulous in their flauting of the Torah’s clear laws against worker abuse. I’m not sure I had such a good answer, but it is gratifying that Jewish leaders are now publicly asking the same questions and demanding a response.

A hopeful gesture in response to tragedy: the family of an Arab man killed in a terror attack has made a contribution toward the Arabic translation of Amos Oz’s memoir, “A Tale of Love and Darkness” to further the cause of coexistence.

In 2004 George Khoury (right), an Israeli Arab student, was shot while running in the French Hill neighborhood of Jerusalem by a gunman from the Fatah Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade who mistook him for a Jew. Khoury’s family decided to make the donation in an effort to help create greater cultural understanding between Arabs and Jews. The translation is expected to be distributed in the Israeli Arab sector and eventually in other Arab countries.

Khoury came from a prominent Jerusalem family known for their efforts at promoting Jewish-Arab coexistence.  Khoury’s father, Elias, is a famous East Jerusalem lawyer who has represented Palestinian political figures and Israeli Arabs in court. George, the middle son in the Khoury family, had participated in interfaith dialogues in Germany and England. He had been studying economics and international relations at the Hebrew University and planned to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a lawyer before he was killed.

The translator of “Tale,” an Israeli Arab scholar named Jamal Gnaim, said he loved the book and spoke of his “sacred” efforts to stay true to Oz’s vision:

(The book represents) Oz from the point of view of his language and associations, and Hebrew literature and Zionist thought, and it’s important that others get to know this milieu.

A recent Ha’aretz article has the full story…

In a previous blog post I discussed the Congress Hotel strike in Chicago, America’s longest running labor strike at five years and counting.  The saga unfolds: it turns out that none other that “America’s Next Top Model” was prepared to cross the picket line when they announced they would be holding auditions at the Congress this Sunday.

In response, UNITE HERE, along with the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs and other community groups organized a massive call-in campaign to Cover Girl (a major sponsor of ANTM).  And guess what?

The waters parted! Today we learned that ANTM was pulling out of the Congress. Apparently Cover Girl Marketing Director Vince Hudson’s voice mail and e-mail inboxes were filled within minutes. Auditions will now be held at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, a union hotel.

I guess sometimes the good guys really do win. Kudos to ANTM for doing the right thing. And let’s hear it for the power of organizing…

From this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Shoftim:

A person shall be put to death only on the testimony of two or more witnesses; no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness.

(Deuteronomy 16:6)

Taking its cue from Torah verses such as this, Jewish law places a powerfully high value on the importance of witnesses. For instance, not only is a minimum of two witnesses is necessary to convict, but both must have directly witnessed the crime. Heresay is inadmissible as is coerced witness testimony. Indeed, bearing witness is a profoundly sacred act in Jewish tradition, as the ninth commandment (not to meantion pages and pages of Talmudic debate) make clear.

As a Jew, I am particularly mindful of these values in the case of Georgia death row inmate Troy Anthony Davis (above), who was sentenced to death for the murder of a Savannah policeman in 1991. Davis’ conviction was made solely on the basis of witness testimony - almost all of which has proven to be inconsistent and dubious.  All but two of the witnesses in Davis’ case have since recanted, many alleging they were pressured or coerced by police. (There was no physical eveidence implicating Davis and the murder weapon was never found).

Many of these witnesses in Davis’ case have stated in sworn affidavits that they were pressured or coerced by police into testifying or signing statements against him. (One of the two witnesses who has not recanted his testimony is the principle alternative suspect, according to the defense. There is new evidence implicating this individual as the gunman and nine individuals have since signed affidavits implicating him).

At the very least, questions about the veracity of witness testimony would seem to warrant a new trial for Davis, but the Georgia Supreme Court denied this to Davis last March. This stunning decision means that the state of Georgia might soon execute a man who may well be innocent. (His execution date now stand at September 23).

In the spirit of Torah’s exhoration this week, tzedek, tzedek tirdof (”Justice, justice shall you pursue”), I encourage you to learn more about the Troy Davis case. This Amnesty International update contains more information, as well as resources for advocacy on Davis’ behalf.  You can also learn more from  Troy Davis’ website.

Today was Rosh Hodesh (the beginning of the month) of Elul: the month of soul introspection that precedes the Jewish New Year. Apropos of the season, I thought I’d share this remarkable new year’s greeting: a clip of the Palestinian partners of the Geneva Initiative wishing their Jewish friends a Shanah Tovah. Though the clip seems to have been prepared last year before the Annapolis summit (and even though the promise of those days have been largely squandered) I still receive it in a spirit of hope.  For me, at least, this greeting offers the perfect New Year’s message for our dark and disillusioned times.

PS: Listening to Palestinians offer Jewish New Year greetings in Hebrew reminded me once more of the irony that a significantly larger proportion of Palestinians speak the Jewish native language than Jewish Israelis speak Arabic (or than the world’s Jews speak Hebrew itself, for that matter…)

You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow countryman or a stranger in one of the communities of your land.

(Deuteronomy 24:14)

Want to do something meaningful this Labor Day? Consider supporting the The Employee Free Choice Act: bipartisan legislation that promotes the right to join a union as a fundamental freedom, protecting employees’ rights to form unions without interference from management.

Specifically, the legislation seeks to:

- Establish of stronger penalties for violation of employee rights when workers seek to form a union and during first-contract negotiations;

- Provide mediation and arbitration for first-contract disputes.

- Allow employees to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation.

The EFCA came close to passing last year, but in the end it was kiboshed by procedural stonewalling in the Senate. With a new Senate coming in next year, however, there is renewed hope for our country’s working people. This article from Business Week explains; learn more about the legislation from the Change to Win website; voice your support by signing on to a petition sponsored by the Jewish Labor Committee.

Abie Nathan has died and the Jewish world has lost a truly original voice for peace.  He was and will remain one of my big, big heroes. Boy do we need him more than ever.

How do I even begin? Born in Persia; grew up in India; volunteers as a fighter pilot during Israel’s 1948 War of Independence; becomes a prominent Israeli peace activist in the 1960s, flys to Egypt in his plane (the “Shalom 1″) and asks to meet with Egyptian President Nasser (is arrested, deported to Israel, where he is arrested again…); begins a hunger strike in 1978 to protest Israeli settlements; meets with PLO officials long before it was fashionable; flies around the world spearheading relief efforts in Cambodia, Biafra, Bangladesh, Ethiopia etc…

Most of us, of course, know Abie as the founder of the great pirate radio station “Voice of Peace.” The VOP originated from his “Peace Ship” - reportedly bought with the help of John Lennon - broadcasting 24 hours a day from outside Israeli territorial waters. VOP sent out great music along with Nathan’s own unique commentary and reports of his peace activist exploits. For many Americans bumming about Israel in the 1970s and 1980s, Kol Shalom was the go-to radio station. Who among us will forget its famous opening tag-line: “From somewhere in the Mediterranean…” (I’m sure I still have my VOP T-shirt around somewhere…)

Did I mention we need Abie now more than ever? Read about him in this lovely Gideon Levy tribute from Ha’aretz. Zecher Tzadik Livracha…

At a Jerusalem press conference in with Condoleeza Rice and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni yesterday, the very first questioner cut right to the chase:

The organization Peace Now reported today that Israeli settlement activity has nearly doubled in the past year, Foreign Minister Livni, how do you reconcile that with your stated goal of trying to reach a peace agreement?  And, Secretary Rice, how - what affect does this have? Does this harm or undermine the process?

I won’t bother to reprint Livni and Rice’s answers - feel free to read the transcript yourself. Suffice to say the question seemed to catch Livni flatfooted and Rice offered a tepid reiteration of the US opposition to Israel’s increased settlement activity.

What is there really to say except thank goodness for Peace Now, who has been indefatigably and faithfully documenting the growth of the settlements throughout East Jerusalem and the West Bank?  I encourage you to read the new Peace Now report carefully - it paints a profoundly troubling portrait of a dramatic settlement increase since the Annapolis peace process began.  Among its main findings:

- Over 1000 new buildings are being constructed in the settlements, in which approximately 2,600 housing units. Approximately 55% of the new structures are located to the east of the constructed Separation Barrier.

- According to figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics, construction in the settlements has increased by a factor of 1.8 by comparison to the same period last year. The Housing Ministry initiated 433 new housing units during the period of January – May 2008, compared to just 240 housing units during the period January – May 2007.

- 125 new structures have been added to the outposts, including 30 permanent houses. The number of tenders for construction in the settlements has increased by 550%. 417 housing units, compared to just 65 in 2007. The number of tenders in East Jerusalem has increased by a factor of 38 (1,761 housing units compared to 46 in 2007).

Most alarming, the report concludes:

In recent years the trend has accelerated to eliminate the Green Line through intensive construction intended to create a territorial connection between the blocks of settlements and isolated settlements in the heart of the West Bank.

Anyone who seeks a true and lasting peace between Israel and Palestine should be deeply alarmed by findings such as these. Whether Israel’s leaders are unwilling or simply unable to stem the settlements is moot at this point. The bottom line: the door is closing fast on a two-state solution.  (Indeed, when a Palestinian moderate such as Sari Nusseibeh publically inclines toward a one-state solution, I’d say the peace process is approaching a point of reckoning.)

One more piece of assigned reading then I’ll sign off. Brit Tzedek v’Shalom is circulating a Rabbinic High Holiday letter to Obama and McCain, urging the next President to make resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict a top priority of the incoming administration. It’s already been signed by over 150 rabbis, cantors and rabbinical students - encourage yours to sign on…

Just read in Israelity Blog that the Jerusalem Beer Festival will be opening up the taps on August 27. Now this sounds like a little taste of paradise:

The Jerusalem Beer Festival will this year host premium producers, boutique producers and homemade beers in uncommon tastes of honey, coffee, herbs, and more. The festival caters to the beer connoisseur and the average Joe alike, as visitors will have the opportunity to taste the world’s traditional beers - though it seems like local American-style microbrew Dancing Camel - who make arguably the most interesting beer in Israel - is sadly not participating this year.

If you’re in J’lem at the moment, I’m thinking you should head over and hoist a few…

It’s been quite a while since I posted a pic of JRC’s new building. We’ve been settling in for about half a year now and are thoroughly enjoying our new home. Here’s a shot of the exterior with our new front garden, filled with local, drought-resistant species planted by our devoted Garden Havurah.

Our house is quickly becoming a spiritual home: it’s witnessed many, many celebrations, classes, meetings, etc. Also B’nai Mitzvah, two weddings, and sadly, too many funerals. It’s breathtaking how quickly you create memories…

We should be getting official word on our LEED rating from the US Green Building Council very, very soon. We are still hoping for Platinum - stay tuned!

The JTA reported today that for the second year in a row, PETA is calling for an investigation into the pre-Yom Kippur ritual of kapparot - the, shall we say, “quaint” rite in which the sins of a person are symbolically transferred to a chicken or rooster that is held over one’s head and swung in a circle three times before its throat is cut.

This isn’t the first time this practice has run afoul (sorry) of animal rights activists. Failed Messiah reported back in 2005 that the ASPCA seized more than 200 chickens from a Brooklyn kapparot lot:

The chickens were crammed into crates, stacked on top of one another and left out in the rain for days. These birds were encrusted with dried feces, urine and blood. Many suffered from severed toes, plucked out eyes and severe dehydration. ASPCA agents, sifted through the pile of discarded chickens and rescued the remaining live ones. An investigation into their death is underway.

In the more recent protest, PETA alleged in a letter to the New York State Agriculture Department that a lot in Brooklyn threw away thousands of dead chickens last year after they were slaughtered:

The letter singles out the kapporos center run in Crown Heights by Rabbi Shea Hecht, and asks the state to investigate whether consumer fraud occurred. Jews who bought chickens for the ritual expected the birds “to be processed for meat that would be distributed as tzedakah,” or charity, the letter states.

Beyond the animal cruelty politics of this issue, it should be noted that this practice has been criticized by important Jewish sages (e.g. the Rashba , Nachmanidies, and Rabbi Joseph Caro) for centuries. Many rabbinical authorities have long sanctioned giving the monetary value of the fowl as a proxy for kapparot, and yet somehow, the inexplicable attraction of this ritual endures. If someone can explain its appeal to me, I’m all ears. (It would seem to me that the sacred Jewish value of tza’ar ba’alei chayim - preventing cruelty to animals - would trump chicken fetishism by any reasonable standard).

No sooner does the world learn about the Jewish shame that is Agriprocessors, wouldn’t you know it there’s another shonde fur de goyim. I’d say that its time the Jewish community cried foul (sorry again) on this repulsive ritual once and for all…

Last week I noted that we are currently in the midst of reading the seven Haftarot of Consolation that follow the Jewish communal mourning of the Tisha B’Av festival. Our prophetic portion this week comes from Isaiah 49:14-51:3 - a prophetic address that begins with these powerful words of comfort:

Can a mother forget her babe, or stop loving the child of her womb?
Even these could forget, but I could not forget you!
Indeed, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your safety is continually in My thoughts.

It is not difficult at all to understand why these words were chosen to be among those that offer the Jewish people consolation in this seven week season. By specifically invoking the divine attribute of rachamim (”motherlove”), this week’s portion suggests that we never truly lose our childhood need for emotional attachment and safety. It also underscores the truth that children are among the most vulnerable members of society and it is thus our sacred duty to ensure their safety - particularly during times of conflict.

As last week, I’d like to take the lead from this season of our consolation and highlight the sacred work being done around the world to provide comfort and healing in the wake of trauma. Taking my cue from the opening words of this week’s portion, I want to introduce you to the good works of a joint Israeli-Palestinian effort called Project CHERISH (Child Rehabilitation Initiative for Safety and Hope.)

Project CHERISH is a multidisciplinary project that focuses on psychological and social rehabilitation created to address the trauma of Israeli and Palestinian children by helping them regain their confidence, their ability to function in daily life, and their hope for the future. (Project CHERISH is particularly notable for its unlikely project partners: the Israel Center for Treatment of Psychotrauma of Herzog Hospital, the Center for Development in Primary Health Care at Al Quds University and the Joint Distribution Committee.)

Wishing you Shabbat blessings of safety and hope…

Not sure which blessing to say over what foods? No need to live with the shame any more. Just download the new iBlessing application onto your iPhone and with the touch of a finger you’ll know exactly which bracha to utter over fish, meat, bread, fruit, etc. While you’re at it you might as well download the nifty Parve-O-Meter: a timer app that calculates exactly how long you need to wait to eat dairy after you’ve eaten meat (or vice versa).

What’s next, the iSefirah app for those who lose track of the Omer? (I shouldn’t laugh - I’m sure the Apple folks are working on it as we speak…)

If you’ve got iTunes, you can find the iBlessing and Parve-O-Meter here. If you’re blessing-challenged and don’t own an iPhone, don’t fear: check out the Say-a-Blessing Keychain (now offered with the handy LED flashlight feature!)

More great coexistence news from the sports world: according to a report in Ha’aretz, a “Peace Team ” made up of Israelis and Palestinians are slated to play in the upcoming Australian Football League International Cup. The effort was organized and funded by the Peres Center for Peace and the East Jerusalem-based Al-Quds Association for Democracy and Dialogue. By all reports they have been practicing diligently in Tel Aviv (above) thanks to special travel permits facilitated by the Peres Center that have allowed team members from the West Bank to cross the Green Line.

The Peace Team has been coached by Australian football legend, Ron Barassi, who pointed out that this particular sport provides a unique opportunity to bring diverse peoples together:

It doesn’t matter where they come from, what their background is, it’s a level playing field… It’s the only game in the world (that) when the ball’s on the ground I can put my body over my teammate’s so he can get a kick, and hopefully he does that for me (too).

The uninitiated should know that this tournament is no small deal. Australian Football is played by over 30,000 participants in over 30 countries around the world. (Apparently it more closely resembles rugby or American football than soccer). This year the cup is hosting more countries than ever as Australia celebrates the 150th birthday of its indigenous game. The tournament will be played between August 27 and September 6 in Melbourne and the country town of Warrnambool.

Go Peace Team!

Run, don’t walk to grab Randy Newman new collection of tunes “Harps and Angels” - a snarky bunch of songs about the state of the post-9/11 union. If RN was crotchety as a young man, boy, just check out the middle-aged version. These are nasty songs designed to keep you sane.

One quibble: the album version of his version of the brilliant “A Few Words in Defense of Our Country” is inexplicably set to a goofy country-music orchestration that lightens it up way to much. I much prefer the simple, lacerating version he released on iTunes last year. (Check out his performance above).

The end of an empire is messy at best
This empire is ending, like all the rest
Like the Spanish Armada drifting on the sea
We’re drifting in the land of the brave and the home of the free
Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye…