SONDHEIM LYRICAL TECHNIQUIES IN LITERARY NARRATIVES

SONDHEIM LYRICAL TECHNIQUES IN LITERARY NARRATIVES
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I JUST FINISHED listening to Stephen Sondheim give a young Jaye Griffiths instruction on how to execute the song, "Send In The Clowns."

Great stuff.

Sondheim focuses on the role of each word in the lyric. Each word having the function of revealing the emotional state of the character, as well as serving to evoke emotion from the listener. One word in the line serves multi faceted functions. One word provides information about the interaction between the environment, the character and the listener.

I recognize Sonheim's purpose here, because it is similar to how I craft narratives. In a narrative, I may have a choice of stating, "It brings a tear to my eye." The fear is that this colloquial expression, may have lost its evocative power by being reduced to a sterile cliché.

The alternative expression would be, "I was nearly brought to tears..." In crafting the narrative sentence, of course, it is not intended to portray the narrator as crying. The act of crying would literally reach a resolve. Crying is resigning to a conclusion. It is the final episode of an emotional wellspring, boiling in an event that the narrator seeks to avoid. The continued boiling of emotions, the description of being on the edge of resolve, evokes a more powerful response from the reader, than it would be to conclude the episode with the act of crying.

Sondheim and I have the same eye in our understanding of the critical function of each word in a narrative or in lyrics to a musical.

Now do not jump all over me, accusing me of being presumptuous by equaling myself to Stephen Sondheim. The fact is that I am a demonstrated genius, who speaks on topics in which genius is based.

In other words, patronize me here, if you feel more comfortable.

In the video clip, Sondheim focuses on Jayes' interpretation of the word, "WELL...maybe next year." Sondheim explains that in song, the word 'Well" should be an "angry separation." Exclaiming in song,
"WELL..." and then coloring the expression, "maybe next year."

These are very subtle literary and lyrical skills to acquire. They require keen insight into language, linguistics and concepts in linguistics.

But, ultimately these are skills which distinguish great work from the very good work of others.
(c)oliver2017
Ray Oliver
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Sondheim teaches Send In The Clowns

Stephen Sondheim teaches a student from the Guildhall School of Music, London a fragment of 'Send in the Clowns'

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NEW JERSEY CONGRESSMAN DEMANDS COPIES OF TRUMP IRS RETURNS

NEW JERSEY CONGRESSMAN DEMANDS COPIES OF TRUMP IRS RETURNS
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(Paterson, NJ,  Feb. 12, 2017)
REPRESENTATIVE BILL PASCRELL, a former Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, former state legislator and current resident of Paterson and member of Congress' powerful House Ways and Means Committee, has requested the committee chair, Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, to request the US Treasury Department to provide copies of Donald Trump's IRS Tax Returns.

Bill Pascrell is relying on a 1924 provision in the federal statutes that allows congressional committees the power to examine tax returns, if those committees set tax policy.

In explaining his determination to obtain copies of Donald Trump's tax returns, reported by USA Today, Pascrell stated,

“If I get a ‘no’ answer on this, I’ll be very honest with you: If these guys think I’m walking away from this, they’re absolutely nuts," Pascrell commented. "The calls we’re getting, the calls other congressmen are getting, it’s unbelievable, we never expected this.”

Bill Pascrell is a resident of the City of Paterson's 6th Ward, which has a significant, vocal middle eastern constituency.

The 6th Ward has the largest population of Middle Eastern ethnic residents in Paterson. The 6th Ward, commonly referred to as "South Paterson," is also the location of numerous, long ago established, middle eastern businesses along Main Street. South Paterson is similar to the middle eastern business district of Atlantic Street in Brooklyn.

Pascrell was also a leading proponent for the early release of Israeli Mossad agent, Jonathan Pollard.
Pollard had been convicted of espionage and treason against the United States, in what was described by the federal sentencing judge, as "Causing the greatest damage to US National Security in history." Pollard's sentence was commuted by President Obama. After completion of assignment to a half way house, Pollard received a hero's welcome in Israel.

In "Fair Disclosure" under Journalistic Standards, it is noted that this writer served as 6th Ward Leader of Paterson, during his role as Chief Campaign Counsel for the city mayor at the time, Martin "Marty" Barnes in two successful mayoral elections. Marty Barnes was the first African American Mayor of Paterson.
(c)oliver2017
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Ray Oliver
can be reached at: 973.856.8000 or cell phone: 862.276.1505

THE HILLARY STANDARD: Republicans out of control

 

 THE HILLARY STANDARD: Republicans out of control

 

 

HILLARY CLINTON is scheduled to be "raked over the coals" by an out of control Republican partisan congress this week.

I understand that Hillary misjudged the Benghazi attack on our Embassy, thinking that it was a political demonstration. However, no other Secretary of State was held responsible for an unanticipated sudden attack against our Embassies or staff around the world. Secretary of  State Clinton was placed in a position of having to make a remote assessment of a fluid, fast paced situation.  The quality of her assessment was equal to the quality of the information given to her.  The Benghazi attack was a surprise, without any advance notice. 

I KNOW PERSONALLY that we had advance notice of the potential attack on our Embassy in Tehran in 1979.... Yet no one was held responsible and "raked over the coals" like Hillary is having done to her.    

On January 5, 1979 at O'Hare Airport, I was standing earshot to the family and friends of one of our Embassy staffers who had just arrived from our Embassy in Tehran. She exclaimed, "...God. I'm so happy to be home. You can't believe how happy I am to be home. I can literally kiss the ground. ... That place is ready to explode. They are on the rooftops calling to each other every night. Everyone is so scared..."

In November of 1979, the Khomeini Revolutionary Guard commandos took our Embassy staffers hostage. We had advance notice of an impending disruption. We did nothing to protect our staffers. No one was held responsible for the misfeasance. Hillary should not be subject to a standard that has never been applied before

UNDERSTANDING TRIALS & TRYING Dominque Strauss Kahn

UNDERSTANDING TRIALS & Trying Dominique Strauss Kahn


THE MEDIA FRENZY arising from the arrest of international French public figure and politician Dominique Strauss Kahn on May 14, 2011 quickly goaded the public into believing that Kahn was as guilty as the clamoring newsmen charged.

All media portrayed the director of the International Monetary Fund as a psychopathic stalker of women and the aggressor in a sexual assault upon a hotel maid while staying at the Sofitel Hotel in New York.

However, from the outset I posted a comment on May 20, 2011 that Kahn had defenses available, despite the media and prosecution's leaked death knell portrayal of the case.
My comments were posted on an ABC news correspondent's facebook page, in response to a courtroom drawing that the correspondent had posted.

Although the ABC newsman posted the courtroom drawing asking his fb friends to "find him in the drawing," it was obviously more important to study the drawing for the positions and mannerisms of the key players present in the courtroom- Kahn, defense attorneys Brafman & Taylor, the prosecutor and the judge.

Here is what I posted on May 20th, when Kahn was arraigned six days after his arrest.
           ....................
Ray Oliver 

Interesting that defense counsel Taylor has his hands in his pockets. Strauss-Kahn is not without a defense, as the prosecution's leaks and media are portraying. Investigators have said that the room door was left open by the employee, proving that she entered to work and not for sex. BUT an open room door easily allows a purported victim to scream and / or escape from the room. Also, the location of the alleged crime is not one that allows escape from detection. How likely is it that someone would commit a sexual assault, when the victim can simply walk through an "open door" back to work and back to supervisors. How likely, where a perpetrator has a high profile and detailed hotel record for identification? Also, a hotel patron in an expensive suite at $2000.00 per night makes an easy target for entrapment/extortion through fabricated complaints after a consensual encounter. Lastly, prior bad acts as an exception to the hearsay rule which excludes evidence, is admissible under limited circumstances. S-K's alleged prior bad acts will not be easily admissible with Taylor - Brafman opposition. Brafman and Ivan Fisher were co-counsel with me in the US' largest drug trafficking trial in history, in the 80's. S-K is in good hands.

May 20 at 4:10pm · 

          ........................
       
The defense attorneys' release for publication, a letter which they received from NY District Attorney Cyrus Vance, (copy below) now has the news groups clamoring like Keystone Kops in a different direction. Reporters are now "hot on the trail" of the alleged victim claiming that DSK will be exonerated from the charges before trial, because the assaulted maid is a proven liar.

So, job well done defense lawyers?
Not so fast.


The chorus of criticism portraying Cy Vance as incompetent and a repeated loser of high profile cases, is resounding throughout the greater New York metropolitan area.

Is Cy Vance incompetent, because of the revelations that the maid is an historical liar?

Is Cy Vance responsible for the release of DSK on his own recognizance, because of the woman's prior fabrications which she made to other governmental agencies?

Hardly.

To be knowledgeable on this topic of a prosecutor's duty is to know that the shining star in this parade of limitless news reporter confusion is NY District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr.

Simply, some paralegal in the criminal defense attorneys' office sent out their standard discovery request form, which requested that the prosecutor disclose all evidence which the state intends to use in prosecuting the defendant.

No big deal.  A standard printed form which is captioned " Discovery Demand for Production of Tangible Items" under the criminal rules of procedure.

Most prosecutors give little importance to the defense's demand for production.  Prosecutors routinely send out the complaint, police and detective reports and other documents which are found in the "official" police department file.

Prosecutors do not spend time searching out for evidence beyond the "official" police file in the case.

Prosecutorial ineptitude rests with the prosecutor who fails to locate items which are relevant to the case and which are under control of other agencies and parties.

And this is where Cy Vance, Jr. shines as an exemplary prosecutor.

In the United States Supreme Court case of  Brady v. Maryland, our Su-preme court held that the state in a criminal action is obligated by law to provide all materials that are relevant to the defense, including ALL materials which may exculpate the defendant from the charges against him.

These "Brady materials" are evidence which may tend to prove a defendant's innocence from the charges.

Cy Vance followed the spirit and letter of the Brady holding by giving the defendant's attorneys information about the victim's statements made to Immigration officials which tended to help the defendant, because the prior statements of the victim were apparent lies.

The woman who has claimed sexual assault had previously lied to government officials.
This is the Brady material that the US Supreme court held must be supplied to defendants' attorneys in criminal cases.

So Cy Vance went beyond the routine ineptitude of prosecutors around the country and supplied the defendant's attorneys with Brady materials which help the defense's case.

Cy Vance gave the defendant's attorneys evidence of prior lies and bad acts of the complaining victim. This was evidence obtained from INS and other governmental agencies. DA Vance did not limit his search for Brady materials and relevant evidence to one police department's file.



The change in the tone and temperament of the case from being damaging to Kahn to a case damaging to the DA's office was the result of DA Vance's diligence in protecting the rights of the defendant, pursuant to the US Supreme Court's holding in Brady v. Maryland.


Furthermore, the roles of the prosecutor and defense counsel are entirely different. A prosecutor's duty is at odds with a lawyer's responsibility to clients.

For a defense attorney, the Rules of  Professional Conduct require that the attorney act "zealously" on behalf of his client.

In contrast, the prosecutor's duty is not for him to seek convictions, as most journalists believe when misinforming the public.  Rather, the prosecutor's duty by law is to "seek justice."
The commendable duty to seek justice means that a prosecutor must make decisions based on fairness to the defendants.

"Seeking justice" for a prosecutor means that, like Cy Vance, they must exercise due diligence in locating all relevant evidence in a case, including all Brady materials which can lead to charges being dismissed against a person like DSK.

And the release of Brady materials is done "in the interest of justice."

That is exactly what District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. did.  He did it for DSK.  He did it in the interest of justice.
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Note: Ray Oliver served as defense co counsel in the largest drug trafficking trial in US history at the time. He also served as co counsel in the Lot Air disaster case and has represented high profile public officials in criminal investigations and trials. He served as Chair of the International Litigation Cmmtt, New Jersey State Bar Association & Chair of the Administrative Law Section, NJSBA. He began his career prosecuting cases for the Illinois Attorney General, General Law Section-Chicago. Oliver also represented parties in criminal cases through a major record label company. He is a past elected Governor of the NY tv academy Emmy awards, Board of Governors and is a past Chair of the Membership committee of the NY tv academy Emmy awards.
  
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REPLY TO MATHABA NEWS NETWORK: Haiti disaster, natural or man made

REPLY TO MATHABA NEWS NETWORK:  Haiti disaster, natural or man made


THE JANUARY 28th ONLINE article posted by Lendman of Mathaba News Network , surprisingly takes the first step toward responsible journalism by Mathaba.   Mathaba News Network is one of the largest digital multi-platform news distribution services in the world.

In addition to being one of the largest information transmittal companies, Mathaba has achieved the distinction of disseminating stories that typically contain bizarre accusations which are written without credible sources.  Mathaba is a purported news distribution service, which is in fact an "off the wall" propaganda branch of a government that apparently presents itself through its articles, as being hostile to the US.


The recent article "Haiti`s Earthquake: Natural or Engineered?" which was written by one of MNN's creative writing staff, outlines the theoretical causes of manmade environmental disasters, like earthquakes.

The distinction this time, was that its author Lendman, did not make unsourced or bizarre accusations in the article.

There are no bizzare accusations that the US caused the earthquake.  Lendman implies however, that a SOUTHCOM officer was in Haiti and that this presence may evidence that the US was preparing for a potential environmental disaster from planned testing.

Unfortunately, the author in the typical Mathaba vein, fails to identify his source for saying that a SOUTHCOM official was present in Haiti or even proving the existence of that official.

Responsible journalism requires that Lendman publish the source of his infomation to prove, that SOUTHCOM PK Keen, was in Haiti for disaster simulation one day before the quake.  Minimally, Lendman should assert that reliable sources provided the information, but that those sources would remain confidential. 

Responsible journalism never happens with Mathaba.

Responsible reporting in this article is coincidently achieved by the writer's decision not to make an insane accusation, in the absence of any facts to support the accusation. 

Personally, I believe that Mr. Lendman's hypothesis of US advance knowledge of potential environmental disaster from ordnance experiments is shaky. 

The article demonstrates specious reasoning.

It is more logical, that if the US planned tectonic experimentation, then SOUTHCOM Keen and others would have been in Haiti a lot earlier than merely one day ahead of the hypothesised environmental disaster.

Also, sources need to be cited for the various US military experimental programs that Mr. Lendman describes.

If they are not attributed to a source, they lack credibility.

Like other responsible news services, MATHABA needs to file a FOI request with the US Navy to determine if any experimental testing was performed in proximity of Haiti on or around date of the tragic and catastrophic earthquake.

At this point, Mr. Lendman's article is merely an interesting outline of causes which theoretically may contribute to environmental disruption.

But, then again, even these theories are not attributed to any source.   Therefore, the theories  present themselves as some "pie in the sky" fantasy of Mathaba News Network's staff of creative writers.

It becomes exasperating at some point.

Would you waste your nickel if Mathaba were being hawked by some corner newspaper carrier kid? 

My nickel is better spent.

RAY OLIVER, ESQ.
(c)copyright 2010

HAITI DEMOGRAPHICS: Despair & Promise

HAITI DEMOGRAPHICS:  Despair & Promise

THE NATURAL DISASTER suffered by Haitians in the catastrophic earthquake on January 12, 2010 signals the future of Haiti as a developing country, now poised to emerge from poverty into a tourist and banking world player.

There is no doubt that the tragedy of a massive natural disaster has a socio-political, economic and religious impact on its impoverished victims.

However, along with the despair of death and her coat tails of casualties, comes a promise of institutional change through structural reorganization and the redistribution of wealth.

The CIA World Factbook http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ha.html presents a profile of despair in this Western Hemisphere's poorest country.  More than two percent of the adult Haitian population were infected with HIV-AIDS as of 2007.  Literacy rates were approximately 53 percent of the population for Haitians fifteen years and older.    Other statistics which profile Haiti's population are equally dismal.

But, natural disasters are causal factors for social change.

The hundreds of millions of dollars being spent by leading world countries in the short term rescue-stabilization campaign puts a new face on Haiti.

"Over the horizon" of the quake's debris field, lies a foreign investment wave which will wash in a new infrastructure for the country.

The opportunities for investment return are limitless.  New electrical grids along with sanitation systems and retail-office building construction projects is the promise of Haiti's future.

International banking is the necessary consequence of this financial wave.

And good infrastructure is the stimulus for world tourism.

The dynamics which will produce a new bright faced Haiti are not difficult to identify.  Simply, the future for Haitians in their country will bring them to a new level of opportunity and international respect for their recently acquired independence.

The single factor that presents difficulty in analyzing the future social composite of Haiti, will depend on her survivors.

Whether the surviving population will remain to enjoy their western tourism capital, will depend on whether those survivors represent the significantly high percentage which are afflicted with AIDS/HIV.


This difficult dynamic is also a cause of social change.  It is a fact which will determine whether Haiti recovers medically or will be burdened by a smaller population who are afflicted and are contributing to an ever increasing AIDS pandemic.

For Haiti, that future natural disaster is a different type.
 
(c)copyright r.oliver 2010

CERN LHC PUBLISHES FIRST PAPER: Competitive Physics

CERN LHC PUBLISHES FIRST PAPER: Competitive Physics


My recent comment in QUANTUM DIARIES addressed the issue of "competitive physics."

It was a commentary which discussed world leading physicist Frank Simon of Germany and his unexpected scooping of world leading physicist Zoe Matthews of Geneva. My commentary asserted that Frank Simon should NOT have rushed to announce publicly, the first published paper from CERN.

CERN physicist Zoe Matthews was the major contributor to the published paper and had worked on ALICE group, which conducted these initial tests.Zoe had to wait for security clearances, before she could announce her team's achievement. While Zoe was being delayed by clearance for public announcement, Frank Simon "scooped" her and made the announcement himself.

My commentary was that, despite the immense competitive pressure placed on physicists, Frank Simon should have exercised professional courtesy to Zoe and allowed her to make her own announcement.

Of course, Zoe expressed her surprise at Frank Simon's announcement, but graciously said at least the "can of worms has been opened" and her ALICE team can "shout from the rooftops" their joy in their recent accomplishment.

How gracious is that...Zoe Matthews.

OSWALD-RUBY CONSPIRACY THEORIES

A REVIEW OF citations of my online username, rayoliveresq, revealed that a publisher's site has quoted me on the topic of Jack Ruby.

The publisher's site is devoted to a discussion of the evidence which supposedly continues to support the idea, that Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby were part of a larger conspiracy to assassinate President Jack Kennedy.

Let me put the suspicion of Jack Ruby's role in "knocking off" Lee Oswald to rest.

I will resolve the issue of whether Jack Ruby shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald, as part of a larger conspiracy to eliminate Oswald's disclosure of participants in a suspected conspiracy.

And what I tell you here, should be taken as "Gospel."

My constitutional law seminar professor, was Chicago famed attorney, ELMER GERTZ.
Professor Gertz achieved distinction as a trial attorney in Chicago and nationally, by representing clients in high profile cases.

Some of Professor Gertz's clients included author Henry Miller. Gertz defended Henry Miller in numerous obscenity criminal cases against Miller throughout the country. Author Miller was charged with violation of criminal obscenity statutes for his book "Tropic of Cancer."

Further, Professor Gertz represented Nathan Leopold in an appeal, after Clarence Darrow lost his defense of Leopold in the notorious Chicago murder trial against U of Chicago student, Nathan Leopold.

Gertz is also distinguished by his US Supreme Ct case of Gertz v. Welch. In Gertz v. Welch, the United States Supreme Court defined a "public figure" for purposes of liability in defamation lawsuits. The landmark US Supreme Ct case of New York Times v. Sullivan, later extended the law created in the the Gertz case.

And...Professor Gertz represented JACK RUBY.

In 1978 Professor Gertz discussed his role in representing Jack Ruby. Gertz told our small seminar class that he could disclose his client's communications to him, because Ruby had died.

Professor Gertz REVEALED that in the numerous attorney-client conferences he had with Jack Ruby, his client had maintained the position that he shot Oswald because he was "angered" by Oswald's shooting of the president.

We were told by Professor Gertz that "no evidence" existed to indicate that Ruby was lying to his attorney.

Gertz was convinced, without a doubt, that Jack Ruby acted alone and in a vindictive rage against Oswald for killing Ruby's favored president.

No conspiracy existed.

I later discussed Jack Ruby with Professor Gertz, while I had conferences with him on my legal paper, which analyzed the US Supreme Ct "liberty & entitlement" teacher tenure cases, of Perry v. Sinderman and Bd of Regents v. Roth.

Professor Gertz was unwaivering in his position that "no conspiracy existed" in the assassination of President Kennedy, based on his confidentiality with Jack Ruby.

He was straightforward in his affirmation that "Jack Ruby acted alone."

Therefore, those who proclaim loudly that a conspiracy existed, should listen closely for their "hollow echo."

By hearing their echo, they might learn the importance of an attorney's trained ear.