the Witch is the embodiment
Here We Go Again: the JFK Assassination
Next month will mark the 60th anniversary of that fateful November 22nd in Dallas. Which explains why a new book on the assassination is being published this month leading up. With of course, a new twist. Gotta' keep stoking the coals of the conspiracy engine burning.
In a review piece in the September issue of Vanity Fair by James David Robenalt, an attorney and Washington Post contributor, we “learn” that...
“After much prodding and reflection, Paul Landis, a former Secret Service agent, now 88...saw something and did something that he has kept secret for six decades....He claims he spotted a bullet resting on the top of the back of the seat (in the Kennedy car)...picked it up, put it in his pocket, and brought it into the hospital....He placed the bullet on a white cotton blanket on the president’s stretcher."
As one does.
“The sad fact is that Landis—though required to provide his version of events to the Secret Service—...never sat for an interview before the FBI and never testified before the (Warren) commission itself. He left the Secret Service months after the assassination and before the panel had finished its work and issued its report.”
I can hear it now: Aha! That “magic bullet” again! Proof that Oswald never acted alone and that there was a conspiracy. And of course, they will troop out all the old tropes.
Was the Warren Commission without flaws? Of course not. Do aspects of this cataclysmic event remain unclear? Of course. But once and for all, let me set the record straight about the JFK assassination and the aftermath. Here’s how it really all went down. In two parts.
I. Lee Harvey Oswald did not assassinate JFK. His Russian-born wife Marina did!
Don’t think this didn’t cause friction and an eventual breakup of the marriage. Lee was jealous that the CIA, in concert with the Soviet Union, Castro and The Mob, in a dinner at Umberto’s in Little Italy, decided Marina (the more stable one and a better shot) should do it. Lee was to play a minor role behind a grassy knoll, firing distracting shots while Marina fired from the Book Depository. She was there on the false premise that she was bringing a brown-bag lunch to Lee who had forgotten to take it with him leaving the house that morning. And as for that long box she was carrying? “Curtain rods which needed to be returned,” as they didn’t fit her windows. (The so called “Odd-Shaped Window” ploy).
Lee then met her afterwards to get his rifle back. The CIA didn’t want to give Marina a rifle that could be traced back to them. “Use your husband’s that he keeps in the garage.” (A hidden transcript of that conversation has “mysteriously” disappeared). Unfortunately, Lee was caught, literally with a smoking gun soon after Marina handed it off to him. He was arrested. Marina got away.
Now 82 years old, she still lives with her husband Kenneth Porter in Rockwell, Texas. It is curious that the FBI has never attempted to follow up and bring her to justice. It’s not as if she’s been in hiding all these years. She can be seen frequently shopping at Costco’s.
II. Jack Ruby did not kill Lee Harvey Oswald. Ruby was firing blanks!
The CIA, with the help of Castro worked up an ingenious plot to free Oswald from the Dallas police. A CIA operative disguised as a cop, slipped Oswald those phony blood capsules they use in the movies. When Ruby fired, Lee broke the capsules, cried out in pain, and fell to the ground apparently unconscious. Naturally, an ambulance was immediately called for. The one that arrived was driven and attended to by CIA operatives.
It was assumed they would go to Parkland Hospital (where JFK had been pronounced dead) but instead sped off to Love Field Airport which was only seven miles and fifteen minutes away. There he was put on an awaiting private plane and flown to Cuba.
He would live there for almost 60 years unrecognizable, until his death at 81 almost four years ago of Alzheimer’s. Fidel’s brother Raúl attended Oswald’s funeral and the honorable military burial that followed.
Okay, so I made it all up. With the exception that Marina (Oswald) Porter really does live in Rockwell, Texas. I am decidedly NOT a conspiracy theorist. Rather, a conspiracy satirist. Or "sarcasticist." Enough already.
Not credibly disputed now, is that Lee Harvey Oswald did fire shots from the Book Depository. Yet, as recent as six years ago, a solid majority of Americans still believed he did not act alone. Not based on facts, but on faulty correlations. Oswald's presumed strong "ties" to the Soviet Union or Cuba, for example. And when you get right down to it, there is the flat-out unwillingness to accept that such a loner and loser, could have singularly brought down someone so powerful and guarded as the President of the United States. Oft referred to as "leader of the free world."
What I have never seen addressed in any conspiracy theory, is an outline of the logistics, on just how such a conspiracy came to fruition. Most particularly, on that day.
The route of JFK’s motorcade wasn’t decided and made public until November 19th; three days prior. Oswald had gotten the job at the Book Depository, by chance, on October 16th. In advance of it being confirmed that Kennedy was coming to Dallas, let alone what route his motorcade would take. So quick action had to be taken either by (the not too stable) Oswald, or his co-conspirators. How would that have gone down?
One scenario would have Oswald making the phone call. “Hey, JFK is coming past my window in three days. I’ll take some shots at him, but send over some backup behind that grassy knoll up ahead, in case I miss.” Another scenario would have the co-conspirators first contacting Oswald. It would strike them that... “Hey wait. That motorcade is passing by Lee’s place. Give him a call, tell him to assassinate Kennedy. Ask him if there’s an area close by, a grassy knoll or something, from where we could fire shots in case he misses.”
A lot of factions, for various reasons, might have wanted Kennedy dead. And were glad when Oswald did the deed. But, of schadenfreude is not a conspiracy made. If that were so, we'd all be conspirators in one way or another at one time or another.
Why does any of this still matter? Because that day seems to have midwifed the birth of conspiracy theories and extreme distrust in government. With the assassination coming in that new "modern age" of television, we became unhinged. And it has grown worse over time. Exponentially now, what with the proliferation of interactive media. To a level whereby, sanity is losing out to lunacy. Big time.
A book like “The Final Witness,” that seeks to rewrite a narrative sixty years after the fact, reminds me of the sad state—not the alleged deep state—that we're in. I don't buy Mr. Landis's reasons for writing the book, nor will I buy the book itself. Though I won't conspire with others to do likewise.
finito
A relic out of time on an avenue of myth
steel and stone soon to be rubble
the final days alive in the bubble
flesh and bone, sheltered within
decomposing in the memory of it all
of open windows before the fall
the concocted confetti that one day was thrown
on impulse, at random, in unification
bending the iron rules of foundation
out those very windows now boarded up
blunt intent posted on the wall—
the coming of the wrecking ball
with promise of new life to rise from the ashes
minimalism in a glass façade
a past ascendancy run roughshod.
The Coming of
the Wrecking Ball
Quote of the Month
design by Ron Vazzano
“The witch is the ultimate embodiment of the divine feminine—and the demon feminine. She has as many faces as the Moon, so regardless of your background, there is an iteration for you.”
The Movie, the Doll, the Cultural Phenomenon
In the 11th weekend since its release, and now with a boost from IMAX screens with additional footage, Barbie is poised to spike its way into the top 10 all-time domestic box office list. In so doing, it would step on the beast that was once Jurassic World, at $654 million. And if we think the movie "has legs," Barbie the doll, has been walking on her tiptoes across the cultural landscape for almost 65 years.
No one saw this coming. The thought of making a movie of this icon, suggested something on the order of an infomercial designed to sell more Barbie dolls and accessories. But co-writer and Director Greta Gerwig, had something else in mind. And it was far beyond what anyone could have imagined. Certainly not I, who has been fascinated by the Barbie phenomenon since my daughter was little and have written rather extensively about it on this site. Especially at the time of the highly promoted Barbie “Evolution” almost eight years ago. An excerpt from the March MuseLetter of that 2016 follows.
The Barbie® Evolution!
It was pretty big news when Barbie, having long since achieved a cultural icon status, had now also reached a golden age as well (Barbie: The Big Five-O!; March, 2009 MuseLetter). But the announcement this past January 28th was even more newsworthy. Seemingly all the major media outlets covered it. And it certainly captured the attention in particular, of those of us who are or were parents of an adolescent girl.
Beginning on that date and now running throughout the year, Mattel brings us what they call an “Evolution”; a Barbie that comes in “7 skin tones, 22 eye colors, 24 hairstyles,” and most importantly (drum roll), 3 new body types—“Curvy, Tall and Petite.” Though be assured, that that original blond haired, blue-eyed and excessively lean version of her, will remain.
In actuality, I’ve never heard of one instance in which a young girl, distraught over her body image vis-à-vis that of Barbie’s unattainable dimensions, had her entire life screwed up....Yet ever the concerned parent, whose child-rearing sensibilities I always felt were beyond reproach, I wondered if I might have been remiss in this matter after all? I had to call my daughter. I had to finally get her thoughts on Barbie. In summary, here is what she had to say.
“I loved them…dressing them up…made up stories…”
“I understand the implications but it’s overblown…I never really looked at the doll and felt bad about my own self-esteem, never correlated it to my body…if anything, I wanted to be tall.”
“It got me interested in fashion.”
“Never really looked at her eye color or hair…though I could understand that for a black girl that could be different…”
“It’s a doll. No one looks at G.I. Joe and thinks, oh we’re really perpetuating a macho image for boys…”
“Cool that they’ve given her a new body type…but I didn’t think, oh finally…”
A polling of one, in this year of polls. But conclusive as far as I’m concerned.
If we thought that was a second coming of sorts, on July 21, 2023, enter Barbie on the big screen. In the most imaginative way; far beyond anything one might have expected. With an homage to Kubrick. (Spoiler alert: Click).
The movie that ensued, in the main, was well received. But some found it surprisingly disturbing. As if it was in some way subversive. Which is exactly why Rolling Stone loved it (underline, mine).
I find it almost laughable that some men have become positively unglued by this movie. Bill Maher, passionate advocate for free speech at all times, called it preachy and man hating. Yes, a bit preachy Bill. Especially in that excessive monologue the movie didn’t need. But man hating? A tad hyperbolic don't you think? We've all seen hate, haven't we. And it doesn't look like Barbie putting Ken in his place.
Then there had been Conservative personalities, who called for a boycott of Barbie and tried to make a viral trend happen by setting dolls on fire. To all of which comedian Marc Maron responded: “I mean, so embarrassing for them....” “Any dude that can’t take those hits in that movie, they’ve really got to look in their pants and decide what they’re made of. I mean, Jesus Christ, what a bunch of f------ insecure babies.” With which I would hold, though not so crudely, and would say "themselves" instead of "pants."
There's a lot more to this movie than any of its messages which one might agree with or not. It is a stunning production. And while recognizing that Academy Award nominations are often nothing more than a pulse taker of the cultural zeitgeist—not a purveyor of excellence in achievement— I think this film is Oscar nominee-worthy in nine categories: Best Picture, Best Actress (Margot Robbie is Barbi!), Best Actor (Ryan Gosling. If he could get one for La La Land, he should get one here); Best Original Song (Billie Eilish, What Was I Made For?), Best Director (Greta Gerwig) Best Original Screenplay (Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach) Best Production Design, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design.
Following this sort of success, could spinoff merchandise be far behind? New dolls? Of course. And they have long since arrived.
"'Barbie’ May Be the Most Subversive Blockbuster of the 21st Century"
“...And the victory that is Gerwig, Robbie, and Gosling — along with a supporting cast and crew that revel in the idea of joining a benefic Barbie party — slipping in heady notions about sexualization, capitalism, social devolution, human rights and self-empowerment, under the guise of a lucrative, brand-extending trip down memory lane? That’s enough to make you giddy. We weren’t kidding about the “subversive” part above; ditto the “blockbuster.” A big movie can still have big ideas in 2023. Even a Barbie movie. Especially a Barbie movie.”
And with Halloween right around the corner? You guessed it.
Enjoy. Don't fret. Barbie is bigger than all of us.
MuseLetter \’myüz-‘le-tər noun
1: a personal message, inspired by a muse of one's own creation, addressed to a person or organization, in the course of which, the sender becomes absorbed in thought; especially turning something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively.
2: a letter from a poet, or one who envisions oneself as such, in which he or she “muses” on that which is perceived to be news, or newsworthy, usually in some ironic or absurd way.
pre 2019
site under reconstruction
No September issue
Anchor Runs Out of Steam
It was only around for 127 years and was the oldest craft brewery in the United States, having begun in 1895.. Based in San Francisco, the Anchor Brewery, with its signature brand Anchor Steam, became as much beloved to the to the locals , as the Golden Gate Bridge. Which wouldn't arrive until 1933---thirty-eight years after.
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The akrasia of New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle, can best
be summed up in his own words, in which he once said, that if he knew he was going to live so long, he would have taken better care of himself.
graphic design by Ron Vazzano
—Ron Vazzano
