As Amir Taheri points out in a contrarian op-ed piece in today's NY Post, Iraq is a four letter word to most Americans. Here are highlights, edited and pared by yours truly: "What if Iraq today is neither the total disaster that Obama claims nor the beacon of Arab democracy that George W. Bush promised? Life goes on in — not as peaceful and prosperous as one would hope, but better than it was during Saddam Hussein’s reign. As far as violence is concerned, Iraq is not doing any worse, and may be is doing slightly better, than most of the 22 Arab League members. Its annual growth rate of 4.5% is double that of the average for the Arab League. It is the only Arab nation so far to have changed government five times through elections and not through military coups, civil wars or assassinations. My guess is that Iraq will succeed in overcoming its miseries but at a higher cost than it would have had to pay had Obama not left them in a lurch. History may yet show that getting rid of Saddam Hussein was a blessing and that the US is owed a debt of gratitude for that." Its main problems are ISIS, of course, sectarianism and corruption. Taheri has always been an optimist. No one would be surprised to see Iraq collapse into total chaos, but it's good to get an alternative view.
In the entertainment section, Larry Getlen profiles a rock n roll stalwart, Lemmy, 69, frontman for heavy metal band Motorhead. He used to drink a bottle of Jack Daniels a day, washing it down with Coca Cola. Diabetes had him switch to vodka. He has cut down from two packs of cigarettes a day to one pack per week. He believes one of the reasons he's still alive, besides amazing genes, is that he stayed away from heroin. The band's 22nd album is coming out this week. Asked if he has any advice for young rockers, he said: "Nothing. I tell 'em nothing. It's all luck. I'm not dead and (other rockers) are. It's a weird thing." In the early days of Jay Leno's stint as host of The Tonight Show, Motorhead had finished its song and, before heading to the guest couch, Lemmy detoured and handed the show's bandleader, Branford Marsalis, what looked like a two-dollar tip, cracking up both Marsalis, Leno and yours truly.
Not much action today in in front of John High School in Park Slope. My thanks to the two ladies who bought hardcover books. The highlight of the session was a visit from George, 84, who not only graduated from Jay and played on its championship football team in the late 40's -- he taught phys. ed. there for 30 years! His dad owned a restaurant directly across the street. Carmine Persico, future head of the Colombo crime family, was one of George's classmates, "a bad kid." Persico has been serving a jail sentence of 139 years since 1987. George said that Persico hit a teacher, Mr. Munisteri. "I always wondered what happened to him." I was happy to inform him that Pepe Munisteri taught Italian at Lafayette H. S. for many years. I had him junior year. He was a sweet man, lenient grader.
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Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
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Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
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