Journalistic scavenger work attracts lowest sort:

Manufacturers of news who feed on every morsel of carcass 

“The Famous Ferguson Case”: a film imitates life.

Contemporary life imitates 90-year-old art.

Leading into the film are these notes (minor edit): “A Standard dictionary defines news as: ‘Fresh information concerning something that has taken place.’”

“But quite frequently events occur that by their nature are so sensational—from the angle of sex, violence, the standing of the parties involved, or what not—that they are reported in some newspapers long after there is any ‘fresh information’; and when nothing at all ‘has recently taken place.’”

“Legitimate newspapers recognize this fact: they report real developments and stop there. But others, pandering to the lowest tastes of the public, prolong such cases to the last degree.

“When news fails, they try to make news. As long as a shred of carcass remains, they feast upon it.”

… Such “journalistic scavenger work attracts only the lowest type of newspaper man [or woman]—tipsters, stool pigeons, the base and the irresponsible.

“‘The Famous Ferguson Case’ is built upon the contrast between legitimate journalism and unprincipled scandalmongering.”

Film notes

“The Famous Ferguson Case” was a 1932 film in which yellow journalism, scandalmongering descends on a town in Upstate New York after a prominent resident (a wealthy financier) is killed.

The film’s director is Lloyd Bacon; writers Courtney Terrett (story) (adaptation & dialogue), Harvey F. Thew (adaptation & dialogue), and Granville Moore (adaptation & dialogue). Among the lead actors are Joan Blondell, Grant Mitchell, Vivienne Osborne, Tom Brown, Leon Ames, Antoinette ‘Toni’ Martin https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022876/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl

In contemporary times, this film, released more than ninety years ago, has a familiar ring.

Happy Birthday, Diana Ross!

American Treasure Rises Rough, Reaches the Stars

Artist’s Artistic Origins and Songs Sung

Once upon a time there was an American female singing group born in the city of motors.

Once born they had a long run originating in Detroit, Michigan, as the “Primettes” (lead artists Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, Betty McGlown), and becoming the world renowned Supremes with twelve #1 singles on the “Billboard Hot 100.” Billboard ranked them “the 16th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time.”

The female ensemble known as the Supremes (and Diana Ross and the Supremes) was the “most commercially successful of Motown’s acts and the most successful American vocal band.” In its heyday, during the 1960s, “the Supremes achieved mainstream success with Diana Ross as lead singer and Holland–Dozier–Holland as the songwriting and production team.”

A Very Small Number of Singles titles

The Supremes

• 1964

Baby Love

Where Did Our Love Go

Come See about Me1965

Stop! In The Name Of Love

I Hear a Symphony

• 1966

You Can’t Hurry Love

You Keep Me Hangin’ On

My World Is Empty without You

• 1968

Love Child

• 1969

Someday We’ll Be Together (and Diana Ross)

I’m Gonna Make You Love Me (and Diana Ross)

Diana Ross

• 1970

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)

• 1970-1972

Remember Me

• 1976

Do You Know Where You’re Going To (Theme From ‘Mahogany’)

Lyrics I Particularly Like
Performed by Diana Ross and The Supremes

“I hear a Symphony”

Whenever you are near, I hear a symphony… Each time you speak to me, I hear a tender rhapsody … a symphony play sweet and tenderly… Whenever you are near …, a thousand violins fill the air … Whenever you are near, I hear a symphony playing sweet and tenderly (excerpt)

“Remember Me” 

Remember me as a sunny day… Remember me as a funny clown that made you laugh when you were down… Remember me as a big balloon… as a breath of spring… … as a sound of laughter … Remember me when you drink the wine of sweet success, and I gave you my best. Remember me in every song you sing. Remember me as a good thing (excerpt, minor edit).

 “Reach Out” 

Reach out and touch Somebody’s hand / Make this world a better place if you can … A little kindness … comes naturally… Encourage someone who’s lost the way… Share a problem that’s not your own … Change starts with giving… Reach out and touch Somebody’s hand / Make the world a better place if you can (excerpt, minor edit)

Diana Ross, Supremes discographies

The Supremes discography

Meet The Supremes (1962)	Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
A Bit of Liverpool (1964)	The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop (1965)
We Remember Sam Cooke (1965)	More Hits by The Supremes (1965)
Merry Christmas (1965)	I Hear a Symphony (1966)
The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966)	The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland (1967)
The Supremes Sing Rodgers & Hart (1967)	Reflections (1968)
Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny Girl" (1968)	Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations (1968)
Love Child (1968)	Let the Sunshine In (1969)
Together (1969)	Cream of the Crop (1969)
Right On (1970)	The Magnificent 7 (1970)
New Ways but Love Stays (1970)	The Return of the Magnificent Seven (1971)
Touch (1971)	Dynamite (1971)
Floy Joy (1972)	The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb (1972)
The Supremes (1975)	High Energy (1976)
Mary, Scherrie & Susaye (1976)

Diana Ross Discography

Diana Ross (1970)	Everything Is Everything (1970)
Surrender (1971)	Touch Me in the Morning (1973)
Diana & Marvin (with Marvin Gaye) (1973)	Last Time I Saw Him (1973)
Diana Ross (1976)	Baby It's Me (1977)
Ross (1978)	The Boss (1979)
Diana (1980)	Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1981)
Silk Electric (1982)	Ross (1983)
Swept Away (1984)	Eaten Alive (1985)
Red Hot Rhythm & Blues (1987)	Workin' Overtime (1989)
The Force Behind the Power (1991)	A Very Special Season (1994)
Take Me Higher (1995)	Every Day Is a New Day (1999)
Blue (2006)	I Love You (2006)
Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz (2015)	Thank You (2021)

No one Rises without Help

Promoter with Deep South Roots
Founder of Motown Records Barry Gordy

Barry Gordy was a son of Deep South southerners, a soldier of the Korean War era, a songwriter, investor, and maker of stars. He is credited with having a “gift for identifying and bringing together musical talent;” carefully managing “his artists’ public image;” and making Motown “a major national and then international success.”

Through his Motown Label (Corporation), Barry signed the Supremes and many other artists including “Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin, the Contours, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Commodores, the Velvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder and the Jackson Five.”

From its incorporation as Motown Record Corporation (April 14, 1960, formerly Tamla Records June 7, 1958) originating in Detroit, Michigan, the Motown Label had a 20-year heyday before major artists started changing to other labels in the 1980s and bigger corporations started taking ownership of Barry Gordy’s corporation. In Detroit’s deep decline, Motown has gone. Under another label, what is left of Motown is located in Los Angeles.

“Singing is my beautiful, delicious obsession” —Diana Ross—

Diana Ross began her journey in Detroit. Now approaching eight decades of life (more than six decades performing), she is one is a world-acclaimed artist: actor and singer on stage and in film. 

We take pride in our true champions.

Wherever you are—Happy Birthday, Diana Ross!

Sources

Diana Ross
Website dianaross.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Ross
https://www.dianaross.com/dianaross-story

Playback “Top Diana Ross Songs,” https://playback.fm/artist/diana-ross-top-songs
Playback “Top Supremes Songs” https://playback.fm/artist/the-supremes-top-songs

Wikipedia, The Supremes, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes
Reach out and Touch written by: Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3180323/Diana+Ross+%26+the+Supremes/Reach+Out+and+Touch+%28Somebody%27s+Hand%29

Lyrics, Love Child https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2091505/Love+Child

“I Hear Symphony” Motown label Songwriter(s) Holland–Dozier–Holland; Producer(s) Brian Holland Lamont Dozier, released October 6, 1965, recorded September 22, 28–30, 1965, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Hear_a_Symphony

Barry Gordy Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry_Gordy
Motown
Official website www.motownrecords.com
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motown
https://classic.motown.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Motown_artists

Composition and Commentary excluding quoted material and individual images

Copyright © Carolyn LaDelle Bennett

Author’s links: www.BennettsAmericanEpitaph.com

https://www.facebook.com/carolynladelle.bennett

https://insightbeyondtodaysnews.blogspot.com/

https://www.xlibris.com/en/search?query=Carolyn+LaDelle+Bennett

https://www.xlibris.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/828689-epitaph

Hypocrisy Breaches Essential Boundaries, Sadists Celebrate Death, Destruction

Reprehensible Offenses of the Self-righteousness

 

Designer of Death

 a “Repulsive” 

Client of Madam 

Lauded by Insiders

The Washington Revolving door swings easily for an overt sadist (of questionable origins and personal proclivities) who justifies unspeakable barbarity; is lauded and constantly sought for his advice and opinion by influential organizations, government and media particularly in the United States of America. Though his birthplace seems unknowable, his infamous mark is indelible: the architect of the devastation of Iraq that still hurts Iraq and the entire region.

He is credited with being an old soldier deeply swamped in formulating U.S strategies of aggression during and after the Cold War; and being the “principal author” of a USA published “shock and awe” doctrine. His gigs include acting in advisory capacities to public officials in the U.S. branches of government, European and Indo-Pacific governments, and to top echelon of the U.S. tool known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He is also profiled as founder or otherwise board member attached to investment, media, security and technological entities such as “Killowen Group” (online redirects to the Sinclair media conglomerate) and “CNIguard,” a high technology merchant in war-sounding investigative and security services, energy, and data monetization.

Harlan Kenneth Ullman is also credited with being among the clientele of “D.C. Madam” Pamela Martin & Associates.”

2003 “Shock and Awe” Days 

“The highest intensity of civilian killings (daily basis) over a sustained period occurred during the first three ‘Shock and Awe’ weeks of the 2003 invasion.” 

Civilian deaths during this period “averaged 320 per day and totaled more than 6,735 by April 9, 2003—nearly all attributable to US-led coalition-forces.

By the time of U.S. President George W. Bush made his May 1, 2003. “Mission Accomplished” speech, casualties among Iraqis had reached 7,446.

Callously Slaughtered

More than half of the civilian deaths caused by US-led coalition forces “occurred during the 2003 invasion, and the 2004 sieges of Fallujah.”

2003 -2023

A Call to Mourn

The invasion of Iraq by the United States (this instance of crime originating with what U.S. officials broadcast as “Shock and Awe”), extending from 2003 through 2023, left millions of people dead, displaced, wounded (even the those unborn or being carried in the womb) and widowed, jobless, homeless, and stateless. The numbers vary and are uncertain because invaders (sadists) pride themselves in killing, causing to be killed, ordering and legislating slaughter; and failing to keep count.

“No one has revealed more about the Iraq War’s deadly impact than Julian Assange. And no one is paying a higher price for doing so” writes Josh Dougherty, Senior Iraq Body Count researcher and analyst, in “Punishing the publisher” (December 2020).

The research, recordkeeping and analysis site Iraq Body Count shows 2003-2023 documented civilian deaths from violence ranging from 186,736 to 210,090.

The total violent deaths including combatants estimated at 300,000. The site notes that “further analysis of the WikiLeaks’ Iraq War Logs may add 10,000 civilian deaths.”

Brown University Costs of War Project notes that no one knows with certainty how many people have been killed and wounded in Iraq since the 2003 United States invasion. What is known is that from 2003 through October 2019 “between 275,000 and 306,000 civilians have died from direct war-related violence” caused by the United States of America, U.S. “allies,” Iraqi military and police, and opposition forces.

In addition to direct causes and consequences of the 2003 U.S. invasion are indirect causes and consequences such as the brain drain and rape and rupture of relations internal and regional and equally relentless, the unrepaired

• Damage to systems that provide food, health care and clean drinking water” and
• Conditions such as illnesses, infectious diseases, and malnutrition that could otherwise have been avoided or treated.

United States policy actions toward Iraq extended to the 1960s furthered in brutal economic sanctions of the 1990s; and were grossly compounded by the devastatingly barbaric 2003 invasion and its aftermath and occupation. The brain drain (loss of educators, scientists, creators) and the human and regional divisiveness and animosity (where there was none) continue to devastate the country. To the present day, many areas of Iraq still lack even the basics of “access to clean drinking water and housing.”

1993-2008

Deadly Departed D.C. Madam Martin Et.al

Servicer of Washington Inmates Betrayed

Deborah Jeane Palfrey media labeled “the D.C. Madam” was founding director and CEO of “Pamela Martin and Associates, an escort agency situated in the District of Columbia.

According to Vanity Fair (2008), the company’s clients included “men ranging from C.E.O.’s to store clerks….” Among them were “former Deputy Secretary of State (also responsible for the Bush administration’s foreign aid programs) Randall Tobias (age 66); Pentagon adviser and author Harlan K. Ullman (age 67); and U.S. Senator (from Louisiana) David Vitter (age 47). Tobias, “whose mandate included withholding grants from countries with legalized prostitution,” resigned.

Women employed by the company (“virtually all” of them) “were in it for … the money: ‘They needed to pay off college loans, or put themselves through college or their children, or pay for that condo their day jobs couldn’t get for them,’ Palfrey said. …; and, in general, Palfrey felt a little sorry for the men who called. “…  [I]t takes a certain amount of loneliness for anyone to call the number advertised,’ she said.” In one instance, “a former lobbyist (had written) to her …(saying): ‘I am not ashamed I used Pamela Martin & Associates.’”

“On March 1, 2007, Deborah Jeane Palfrey was indicted for running a prostitution enterprise” (a charge she had disputed, repeatedly, and turned down a “plea deal”). She then “threatened to sell the agency’s phone records to the highest bidder” (and) “gave four years’ worth …to ABC News.”

At trial, thirteen former escorts and three former clients testified. To a reporter who asked, two women who worked for the agency said the company was known for being “the highest-quality operation of its kind in Washington, D.C., thanks to Palfrey’s professionalism.” A life-ending chronology went like this. 

• May 2007, an ABC news team “reported on their efforts to determine the identities of Palfrey’s clients from her phone records.
• May 4, 2007, Palfrey appeared on ABC’s 20/20 as part of an investigative report.
• July 9, 2007, Senator David Vitter acknowledged his patronage of Pamela Martin & Associates escort service.
• April 15, 2008, a jury found Palfrey guilty of money laundering, using the mail for illegal purposes, and racketeering.
• May 1, 2007, Mrs. Blanche Palfrey, at her home in Tampa, Florida, found the body of her daughter, Deborah Jeane Palfrey, “hanging from a metal bar in a shed.”

In the posthumous article, Vanity Fair reporter Vicky Ward wrote that D.C. Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey “played a risky game in catering to Washington’s power brokers with her upscale escort service;’ and that Palfrey’s “suicide … marked a tragic—and not unexpected—end for a complicated woman who believed she was unfairly victimized.”

The deceased was a native of Charleroi, Pennsylvania (pop. 5,000). She was a baccalaureate graduate in criminal justice; had studied law and had completed a paralegal course.

At one point in the prosecutorial process, the deceased had sought testimony from one senator, Senator Patrick Leahy, because of “his knowledge of the ‘corruption’ of the (U.S.) justice system by political influence.” Deborah Jeane Palfrey seemed to have believed that the U.S. justice system failed her.

Deborah Jeane Palfrey March 18, 1956 – May 1, 2008

 

Many years ago, I remember thinking…

We Americans should get down on our knees and ask forgiveness for the unconscionable things we have done to peoples, countries, nations, and lands around the world. Make a solemn promise to do better and mean it.  

Then I remembered… 

Sadists never say sorry. Never work, earnestly, to correct their path or mend their ways or end the harm they inflict.

Consider their film images and their awards for those horrid images, their broadcasting and videos and podcasting; their offhanded violence and vulgarity of language.

Sadists relish the letting of blood (other people's blood), and the forced cry of Uncle. 

The sadists (and wannabes) commit death and destruction; and celebrate death and destruction.

Sources 

Peg: On March 20, 2023, Harlan Ullman was the guest on RT’s “Going Underground” with interviewer Afshin Rattansi the edition headlined “Iraq War 20th anniversary: ‘Shock & Awe’ architect says invasion was Desert Storm on steroids” https://www.rt.com/shows/going-underground/573218-harlan-ullman-iraq-war-anniversary/

Sources
Harlan K. Ullman
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/12/01/2137289/0/en/Senet-Collaborates-with-CNIguard-and-Semtech-to-Deliver-LoRaWAN-Natural-Gas-Leak-Detection-and-Utility-Infrastructure-Monitoring-Solutions.html
https://thealphengroup.com/harlan-ullman/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlan_K._Ullman

Iraq Body Count
https://www.iraqbodycount.org/database/
https://www.iraqbodycount.org/
https://www.iraqbodycount.org/analysis/beyond/punishing-the-publisher/

Costs of War: Iraq https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/costs/human/civilians/iraqi

Vanity Fair Magazine “The Oldest Profession” May 6, 2008, Issue “No Way to Treat a Lady,” https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/05/madam200805

Deborah Jeane Palfrey Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deborah_Jeane_Palfrey

Composition and Commentary excluding quoted material and individual images

Copyright © Carolyn LaDelle Bennett

Author’s links: www.BennettsAmericanEpitaph.com

https://www.facebook.com/carolynladelle.bennett

https://insightbeyondtodaysnews.blogspot.com/

https://www.xlibris.com/en/search?query=Carolyn+LaDelle+Bennett

https://www.xlibris.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/828689-epitaph