them

An early 1960's musical group which featured Van Morrison as lead vocalist, and actually did quite well for themselves. Morrison also wrote most of the material, though he did leave the band in 1966, before the group officially disbanded. I'm not familiar with any of their material after that point, but I'd be willing to wager it isn't as impressive. They formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and disbanded there in 1971. They were considered part of the "British Invasion", though they weren't strictly British. They actually put out some amazing music, though I'm quite sure that most anything that has to do with Van Morrison has the potential to be brilliant.

They put out a self-titled album, as well as "Here Comes the Night", "Them Again", "Them in Reality", "Them Featuring Van Morrison", "Backtrackin'", "Belfast Gypsies", "Shut Your Mouth", "One More Time", and a re-release of sorts featuring Van Morrison.

One of their best songs is "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" (I think it's a cover of a Bob Dylan song, though.. or did he cover it? Either way, it's good.) "Gloria", among others, did very well on the charts. Morrison never liked how commercial the group tended to be, I suppose that's partly why he didn't stay with them for very long.

Book by English journalist Jon Ronson, being marketed at the moment as the handbook for the Channel 4 documentary The Secret Rulers of the World.

Ronson, himself Jewish, decided to examine the world of people who believe in a Global Jewish Conspiracy up close, and along the way also took in various other conspiracy theorists and fanatics. Interwined with these encounters is the search for evidence of the existence of the Bilderberg Group and the reported Satanic goings-on in Bohemian Grove, California - two names that roll off the tongue of any dedicated conspiracy theorist.

I myself, being Jewish, read the book very much from the point of view of racism and antisemitism - I'm ashamed to admit that the Ku Klux Klan and Aryan Nations interested me more than whether or not Henry Kissinger wears drag (you'll have to read the book). With every person Ronson interviewd, I read between the lines, trying to find tell-tale signs of antisemitism. But you don't have to be Jewish to find the book facinating - Ronson often leaves questions of race to one side and concentrates, with a large degree of success, on the people he's talking to and the things they are saying.

One of the best things about the book is that it's refreshingly non-judgemental. Ronsons has no agenda - he is neither a conspiracy theorist himself nor one who scoffs at them as loonies in general. He examines every argument put before him from every possible angle and arrives at conclusions which are solidly based in reality, although they are rarely as conformist as you'd imagine. He also deals with self-proclaimed antisemites calmly, without fear or resentment, and records their opinions for what they are - opinions. A ringing validation of his journalistic integrity is the fact that he never, either intentionally or not, made David Icke look ridiculous or crazy - just a guy with an idea, struggling to get it across.

The book is a gripping read. Even if conspiracy theories bore you to death, you will be cought in Ronson's hilarious and sometimes terrifying experiences (how the man manages to make being exposed as a Jew in the middle of a Jihad training camp funny, I'll never know) and his doggedly level headed approach to all the madness he surrounds himself with.

Them (?), pron. [AS. [eth]�xd6;m, dat. pl. of the article, but influenced by the Scand. use of the corresponding form �xed;eim as a personal pronoun. See They.]

The objective case of they. See They.

Go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. Matt. xxv. 9.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father. Matt. xxv. 34.

⇒ Them is poetically used for themselves, as him for himself, etc.

Little stars may hide them when they list. Shak.

 

© Webster 1913.