Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Eileen Nearne...Hero.




Fuggedabout those Covet Affair and la Femme Nikita babes for just a NewYawk minute. Yesterday in the seaside city of Torquay, Eileen Nearne, a spy and WWII hero who died penniless was given a hero's funeral. In attendance were hundreds of mourners, and members of British Legion clubs, representatives of armed forces, military attache from the French embassy in London, and a military bugler and piper. Designated for a pauper's burial, after her body was found, the police discovered the French Croix de Guerre among Eileen Nearne's belongings illuminating the recluse's intensely private life which she lived for decades. During WWII, as a member of Churchill's Special Ops forces conducting espionage and sabotage behind enemy lines, Eileen Nearne was one of 39 British women who were parachuted into France as secret agents. In Paris, Nearne operated a radio which was used to organize weapon drops to the French resistance and to shuttle messages back and forth between London and the resistance preparing the French for the 1944 D day landings. She eluded capture several times, but was finally caught and sent to a camp for women outside of Berlin where thousands died. Repeatedly tortured by the gestapo for her real identity, names of people working in the resistance and her assignments, Nearne never cracked. Even when she blacked out from lack of oxygen while being held under ice cold water, she later said she believed in will and destiny. Shuttled back and forth from Nazi death camp to death camp, head shaved, she was 23 years old. While working 12 hour shifts on a forced road repair in a camp outside of Leipzig, she and 2 other women escaped and linked up with American soldiers who immediately identified her as a Nazi collaborator and held her in a detention center with other captured SS until Britain verified her as a Special Ops agent. After wartime, Eileen Nearne never quite adjusted to civilian life. She missed the life in the shadows, having flourished in it's independence and secrecy. Living alone she shunned all publicity. On a red cushion on top of her casket were displayed the Croix de Guerre, and the MBE (Order of the British Empire)...medals which are given for distinguished acts of heroism and bravery. Had they ever met, Agatha Christie who also lived in Tourqay might have found the makings of a masterpiece in Eileen Nearne's life. Nearne was 89 when she died.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Pictures at 11.


1. Already banned by the Brits, an ad depicting a pregnant nun holding a spoon and a tub of gelato with the caption: "Immaculately Conceived-ice cream is our religion," is rippling shock waves through Europe. The gelato maker, Antonio Federei, said their ice cream ad gently satirized religion. The stylish Italians always one step ahead excel at marketing strategy. Brilliant and ballsy in presentation, somewhere Don Draper is enviously smiling.

2. Meg Whitman. 119 million and not done yet with six weeks to go. Can she buy this election? All polls show that the race is even. On a talk show this morning, Whitman said that the reason she is spending so much is because Jerry Brown has the backing of all the public employees unions. Uh, yeah, Meg. Keep chugging out the spin. Last time I checked a lot of the unions were financially struggling.

3. Reggie Bush. He gave back the Heisman and spoke behind closed doors with the committee. That was a smart move. The committee announced that the 2005 winner's name would be struck from the plaque and vacated. Talking heads on several several sports networks implied that USC had turned their back on Reggie. For the record these are USC's sanctions from the Bush actions: 4 year probation, 2 year ban from all bowl games, loss of 30 football scholarships over a 3 year period, and a stripping by the NCAA of the 14 victories won while Bush was on the team. The sorry truth is that Reggie placed himself ahead of team and school, and in his wake crippled one of the most prestigious programs in the country.

4. Whoa. Terry Bradshaw the hall of fame QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers on the air addressing the Ben Rothlisberger suspension, for violating the personal conduct policy set by the NFL, stemming from an alleged assault of a woman in the off season..."They (the Rooney family, owners of the Steelers, were said to have been outraged) should have dumped you. What you did in my eyes was a lot worse." You go, Terry.

5. Saw a film, "Let the Right One In"(title comes from a song by Morrissey, 'Let the Right One Slip In') directed by Tomas Alfredson a couple of days ago. Released in 2008, a Swedish production, at first glance, that falls into the horror genre. But it is more than a vampire movie. This is the story of Oskar and Eli, both, lonely 12 year olds. What happens between them is the heart of the film. Shot during the winter, this is a powerful movie and makes you re-think certain moments long after the film is over. Rated 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie won hardware at Toronto, Boston and DC. But like so many other foreign films, Hollywood has already cannibalized the movie and spit out their dumbed down version. Why?

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Deep Pockets, Cheaters and 9/11


1. When I was involved as a booster for Cal Women's basketball program there were very specific rules that were laid out as to what the NCAA considered improprieties in dealing with college athletes. For example, picking up the check in a restaurant is a no-no. Providing the use of an automobile, verboten. Freebies to community events? Sorry. Invitations to frolic at your summer home? In your dreams. Discounted meals? Out. Lowered rent? Out. In other words, no discounts of any kind. No b'day gifts. No valentines. Etc. Etc. Carved in stone at the top of the NCAA list are these hallowed words: May not give them cash or loans of any kind. Reggie Bush violated the cardinal rule. Rule 1. He was the recipient of cash, cars, a spanking new house for his parents, loans blah blah blah. Talk trash all you want about the agent that led him down temptation road. The finger of blame points directly at Reggie, and his football coach. There was always something pompous and squirrely about Pete Carroll as he paced the sidelines in Berkeley's Memorial stadium. Bear fans were always gleeful at the thought of kicking USC's ass. Feeling the flames, Carroll ejected before the bonfire. No big surprise. Way to go man. Reggie Bush and his record breaking years have been wiped out by USC. Trophies and jersey removed from school display cases. Persona non grata. Shamefully disowned. Uh, give back the Heisman, Reggie. Before you're asked. Or don't you care about your college years now that you have a Superbowl ring?

2. The donks vs the elephants. It's a virtual tie in the polls. If this were a boxing match, Boxer and Brown would be behind in points. Whitman and Fiorina have surged in the polls. Call it apathy. Economic blow back. Whatever. There's something happening here in Cali. The donks need to lose the bullet proof mentality. Bill Clinton is campaigning vigorously in Arkansas for candidates. SOS to Pennsylvania Ave. Whither Barack? Enough of the 'rope-a-dope.' Time to get medieval.

3. On Saturday, 9/11, my niece, Iz, turns 13. Her birthday is a beautiful beacon on a reflective solemn date.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Honor Labor


Labor day is the beginning of the end: So long backyard ques and your tinkling ice cubed glasses. Aloha zillions of sunblock 30 tubes and expanding bathing suits (back to the food table). Good riddance swamp coolers and long sweaty nights. See ya next year nuclear families crisscrossing the continent. Aideu backyard tomatoes dying on the vine. Adios daylight savings and long evening walks. Catch you later alligators...kids filtering back (broomed out the door! ) to education and their own private shenanigans...a national holiday. Labor Day. Signaling the passage from summer to fall. Familiar and fuzzy tabloid? Not so fast. Knowledge is power, my friend. Put this in your pipe and smoke it: The first Monday in September. A celebration conceived by the Central Labor Union of New York (smarta new yawkers) in 1882 to recognize the contributions of the American workers. Ironically, the first Labor day was on a Tuesday. In 1887 Oregon, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York created a bill which officially sanctioned Labor Day as a holiday. And by 1894 Congress passed legislation declaring the first Monday in September a legal holiday. Traditionally a day laden with speeches and parades celebrating workers and their families. Today a more refined version circulates: officials and the usual talking heads quoted in the news media or you tubed. Sedate after maybe tossing back a couple and thinking about what to pack the kids for lunch tomorrow, or sitting barefoot in a lawn chair soaking up those last lingering summer rays while waiting for the leaves to turn and the NFL season to open, reflect upon the litany of jobs you've ever held, ranking them from worst to first through youth towards retirement. And honor your own labor. And those that came before you.