A song

The link, below, is to a recording from January of 1950, by the Kay Kyser Orchestra. 

The song, released on Columbia Records, is "Open Door, Open Arms."  Its vocals are by Michael Douglas (known years later, when he hosted a television talk show, as Mike Douglas), and my mother, Sue Bennett. 

When "Open Door, Open Arms" was recorded, Mr. Douglas was twenty-nine years old.  My mother was twenty-one.  At the time, they were both singing on Kay Kyser's weekly television show, on NBC. 

Mr. Douglas sings for a little more than half of the recording; my mother then sings for the remainder of the song.

https://archive.org/details/78_open-door-open-arms_kay-kyser-and-his-orchestra-michael-douglas-and-sue-bennett-b_gbia0405499b

As I have noted previously, in this space, it was not uncommon, during this era, for popular songs to be recorded by multiple performers.  Other versions of "Open Door, Open Arms" were, for example, released by The Andrews Sisters, with the Lee Gordon Singers (recorded in November 1949); by Jo Stafford and The Starlighters (recorded in December 1949); and by the country singer Cowboy Copas (recorded, as was the Kay Kyser version, in January of 1950).

Here is the Cowboy Copas recording of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSM5P_XSCWQ

In the above video, there are rotating (and repeating) still images; one of the images, of a newspaper's front page, concerns the death of Copas, in the crash of a small plane.  The crash occurred in 1963, in a wooded area in Tennessee.  All of those on the plane--Copas, singer Patsy Cline, singer Hawkshaw Hawkins, and pilot Randy Hughes--were killed.  Randy Hughes was Patsy Cline's manager, and was Cowboy Copas's son-in-law.

Hamas, on Osama bin Laden

Over the past days, contemplating Hamas's murderous, sadistic, gruesome attacks in Israel, I have thought of the group's reaction, in May of 2011, to the death of the mass murderer Osama bin Laden.

News reports at the time cited Ismail Haniyeh, who today is head of the Hamas Political Bureau; he has held this position since 2017.

One 2011 report said this: 

Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, told reporters that the group regards bin Laden's death "as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood."

Though he noted doctrinal differences between bin Laden's al Qaeda and Hamas, Haniyeh said: "We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs." 

https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4063407,00.html

Solidarity with Israel

I've long been weary of hearing those who are imbued with a deep (and often obsessive) animus toward Israel--the hatred, for example, from conspiratorial sectors on the right (including neo-Nazis, and their like), and hatred from certain sectors on the left (often today, notably, coming from repugnant anti-Israel student groups on college campuses).  I've been hearing versions of these anti-Israel voices, with profound dismay, for decades.

And so, one must make note of one's support--one's wholehearted support--for the people of Israel, during this terrible and perilous time.

On Saturday, one also must note, President Biden spoke (importantly, forcefully) in support of Israel's right of self-defense--following the thousands of rocket attacks, that day, from Hamas (and, evidently, from Islamic Jihad as well), and following the hundreds of murders (and the kidnappings) committed by Hamas gunmen during the group's invasion.

Mr. Biden said, in part:

Hamas terrorists crossing into Israel killing not only Israeli soldiers, but Israeli civilians in the street, in their homes. Innocent people murdered, wounded, entire families taken hostage by Hamas just days after Israel marked the holiest of days on the Jewish calendar. It’s unconscionable.

You know, when I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu this morning, I told him the United States stands with the people of Israel in the face of these terrorist assaults. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people. Full stop.

There is never justification for terrorist attacks.

And my administration’s support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering.

The Nobel Prize

I am hopeful that the supremely talented (and extremely courageous) writer Salman Rushdie might be given this year's Nobel Prize in Literature.

The prize will be awarded on Thursday.