Ignoreland

As the Republican world view percolates throughout the society, it is gratifying to know that actual science and knowledge are, in fact, impediments to being successful, or even considered to be an expert at something.

I'm so glad that I can forget all that stuff about structural integrity and building safety I learned. That Stuff Is Hard!

Anyway, The inimitable August has penned a cartoon celebrating diversity in intellectual capacities!

I especially like the panel showing a cute lil Michael Chrichton playing with toy dinosaurs. Rowr! Grr!

I used to do a cartoon. I'm so jealous.

Who You Fighting For?

William Buckley:

One can't doubt that the American objective in Iraq has failed. . . .

Our mission has failed because Iraqi animosities have proved uncontainable by an invading army of 130,000 Americans. . . . .

[Bush] will certainly face the current development as military leaders are expected to do: They are called upon to acknowledge a tactical setback, but to insist on the survival of strategic policies. Yes, but within their own counsels, different plans have to be made. And the kernel here is the acknowledgment of defeat. . . .

Howard Dean:

Saying the “idea that we're going to win the war in Iraq is an idea which is just plain wrong,” Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean predicted today that the Democratic Party will come together on a proposal to withdraw National Guard and Reserve troops immediately, and all US forces within two years. . . .

“I've seen this before in my life. This is the same situation we had in Vietnam. Everybody then kept saying, 'just another year, just stay the course, we'll have a victory.' Well, we didn't have a victory, and this policy cost the lives of an additional 25,000 troops because we were too stubborn to recognize what was happening.”

What's the difference?

One is a rightwinger. One is a Democrat.

One was flamed, vilified, and threatened with hanging for sedition. (Sedition? How about prosecuting him for licentiousness while we're working those eighteenth century standards). The Other? We'll see, I guess; Buckley's statement was from this past weekend.

Based on recent history, I expect Rush and the LittleGreenClones to whip on ol Bill for all they're worth, exhuming any and all minor statements and expressions of empathy as evidence of his secret Left Wing Status, and then to excoriate him and label him a closet liberal and Osama Lover.

Hey, Join the Friggin Club, Bill.

Skin on Skin

Congrats to a couple of Micks:

Bob Geldof and Bono are both nominated for 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

They probably won't win, as one guy said it's kind of the celebrity nomination that you see, but it's still very cool from my point of view.

Both men act from their beliefs, putting their money and efforts where their mouth is when they wouldn't need to. Bob Geldof frickin INVENTED the rock benefit show with Live Aid.

Interestingly enough, both bands, the Boomtown Rats and U2, were gigging around Dublin at the same time; The Rats hit faster, but burned out on the shores of America, U2, who always took themselves seriously, took longer to get big, but maybe did it more carefully.

Geldof's autobiography, he tells of Bono swaggering over, trying to impress a girl Geldof was with; she shut him down. eventually became Geldof's wife and a large part of the beginnings of Live Aid. And in truly ironic fashion, she left him for Michael Hutchence of INXS.

Very cool, and more people should emulate this pair of lousy rockers.

This Woman's Work

Friday Random Something. Dedicated to the loss of liberty every woman in this country is staring at, in light of Alito's nomination as autocrat du juris, and South Dakota's immediate creation of a ban on all forms of abortion. Intended, of course, as a challenge to the medical and personal rights guaranteed by Row v Wade. Just As us civil libertarians have been saying for years.

That's right, originalists. Roe did not create any rights; it merely guaranteed a right to privacy, and a right to make personal medical decisions, to the person it directly affects, a woman; it did this using the logic developed in decades of prior case law. Nothing was fabricated out of whole cloth; existing and original concepts of freedom and personal liberties were interpreted in view of the specific conditions of the case. It is the part of the lawmaking process that requires, yo know , judgement, so maybe judges are a good place to vest this power rather than the clenched bungholes who tend to push for this kind of legislation.

Like this assmaster:



And this douchebag:



Pandagon and Feministe have had some very interesting discussions and rants about this of late (of course ranting; I can't imagine what it must feel like as a woman watching the grandstanding of politicians and moral scolds as they circumscribe my freedoms and tell me it's for my own good, because, they, naturally and as designated by the Bible, are better suited to make decisions regarding my own life and health) In one, it is talked about at length how much of the framing of the debate is intended to magnify the impact of a man's contribution to the propagation of life, and minimize the effort involved by the woman. Because if it is ever acknowledged that a man could be replaced by a turkey baster, and the real effort in creating a child is on the part of the woman, then the logic would rest the decision on the person more totally affected.

And, of course, the tactics of the argument are couched so that part of the logic, although never openly acknowledged, is that Woman Must Be Punished. For having Teh Sexx (like the sluts they are!) but also because this big old book says that every bad thing that happened to humanity throughout time is their fault.

It is also pointed out that many of the More Moral Than You Crew have a tendency for blatant and ironic hypocrisy. While crying about the Sanctity of All Life, hye are all too happy to support the war in Iraq (killing), the Death Penalty (more killing), and in-vitro fertilization (wholesale discard of blastocysts, which they claim are fully vested humans).

Ultimately, it seems to me, that people like Beavis and Butthead up there are more concerned with making sure nobody is ever having or enjoying sex, ever again.

Although Planned Parenthood and NARAL apparently have their collective heads up their asses and are still thanking That Asshole Lieberman, At least it seems that NOW-CT understands this quite well. That's it: no more $$$ for PP or NARAL, it all goes to NOW. Guys, for the sake of those women you love, or hope to love, and for your right to make love, this is vital. Don't believe for a second that if Roe is overturned that they're not coming for contraception next.


So. Well, it's been that kind of a week. At least it seems that King George and his minions are having it worse. So, I've loaded some new stuff on the LuxoMac, but it's all pretty embarrassing, so let's see how vindictive this software can get:

1 Everything Is Not Enough from the album “Mirror Mirror” by 10cc Alright, let's just start with a guilty pleasure. At least it's obscure stuff, it's not like I've got a secret stash of Bryan Adams or anything.

2. You Don't Get Much from the album “Homebrewed: Live from the Pabst” by BoDeans They recorded this album one of the few times we didn't see them. One of my roomates was the first huge fan of this band, and I mean the first: when he dragged me to see them the first time, it was at the Landing on the corner of Humbolt and Kane (now the Tasting Room) and they still didn't have a bass player. They were 'Da Bodeans' and played for about twenty people. We would have bought them beers, but we were as poor as they were.

3. Only Happy When It Rains from the album “Garbage” by Garbage Ah, Garbage. Masterminded by Madison's wunderkind, Butch Vig.

4. Taking Off from the album “The Cure” by The Cure Latter Day Cure. Good Music for A Gloomy Day.

5. Yahweh from the album “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb” by U2 'Stone Him! Stone Him!'

6. Like It Or Not from the album “Abacab” by Genesis As if we weren't just talking about it.

7. Driveby from the album “Sleeps With Angels” by Neil Young Great under appreciated Neil Young Album. Understated work with Crazy Horse, so there's all kinds of power underlying the relatively muted songs. Written in response to Kurt Cobain's suicide.

8. Blood Makes Noise from the album “99.9 F˚” by Suzanne Vega Erstwhile folkie gets techno and semi-industrial.

9. Stop - Get A Ticket from the album “Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era, Vol. 4” by Clefs Of Lavender Hill

10. Meanest Man from the album “Mermaid Avenue Volume 2” by Billy Bragg & Wilco

Bonus 11. Friday I'm In Love from the album “Show” by The Cure More cure.



well, another week with no mortifying tracks showing up. Pretty fair set, all told.

Now get back to work, Dick.

I KNow What I Like

Started responding to several comments in a previous post, and it got kind of long, so here's a whole separate post! You'll take it and like it!

Zelmo chimed in on the Genesis discussion, trying to distract Nick and my disagreement on the value of latter day Genesis:

And I now have a better appreciation for Ray Wilson. I actually liked Congo and Shipwrecked.

Cool. Another convert to 5th generation Genesis. Now, Zelmo, ya gotta help me get Nick's head 'right' about abacab. the poor fellow just has a bias against it, and we need to help him see the light. Forget all that political bs, this is important!

Although I do have to admit, Nick, that as an album, it lacks coherence. Abacab and dodo signify a new direction for the band, a new vitality that's really based on nothing more than... Genesis. There's not much else like it, although I will say that there were some bits in Jean Luc Ponty's show at the Oriental back in 84...

But I digress. Then there are bits like Whodunnit, which sounds a bit from left field, but really kind of harkens back to 'Wot Gorilla?' off W&W. and mixed in with that are these unabashed pop songs (one of which should have the blatting horns removed with extreme prejudice). Good pop songs, to be sure, but kind of out of place amongst the more developed textural pieces. [Another Record is my personal favorite among the poppy songs]

I think this lack of coherence, maybe focus, took them a while to get back. Genesis was a bit better in this sense, although I don't think Invisible Touch really got them anyplace (except video play because of the 'cute' puppet show); We Can't Dance was a better step in the right direction, that album reminds me of “...and then there were three” in a lot of ways...

And I really think that coherence was back in full force on “Calling All Stations” although I have been particularly harsh on the relatively safe selection as a new vocalist. I really wish they had gone further afield - I always though Aimee Mann would have been an inspired choice (and she may have a bit of prog leaning, she did guest vox on that Rush song) or someone like Barbara Manning - I think a female would have been a brilliant move! How great an opportunity to re-imagine all of the old catalog, just think! But I guess in the end, just a little too much of the English Boy's School to overcome. And of course it was just an idiot's move to NOT fully incorporate Stuermer and Thompson into the band as full time members.

Bunch of Old Farts.

So anyways, yeah, I admit that Abacab has some flaws, it's not perfect by any means, but as an exploration, a way station, a place to jump off from, It is remarkable. It's a headphone album.

Just picked up Genesis - The Video Show. Wow, A Trick of the Tale, Ripples, Mama, Turn It On Again, and even Carpet Crawlers in glorious 5.1 surround sound!

I am just waiting for the happy little guy to deliver that also. We just upgraded to a 5.1 system (waiting on the HDTV) and to my dismay, I discovered that my Wembley disc is the wrong farging region! So I had to order one, and of course, there were some nice suggestions from my best friends at Amazon, so the video disc is coming too... But WHERE are the 5.1 remixes?!?! It's gotta be Rumsfeld. Or maybe Cheney.

Nick:

Just re-listened to Duke straight through for the first time in a long time. I tend to shuffle play most times, so I had forgotten how good the songs sound together. Great album.

Agreed. The album is made for listening in one sitting, again, preferably on headphones. Often, when something from Duke comes up on the iPod in random play, I have to stop and set it to play the whole album, cuz that's just right. At the same time, it's a testament to the songwriting that so many of those pieces stand up so well on their own as straightforward pop songs. Regrettably enough, the album was written just after Collin's marriage broke up, so much of it was likely the pretty direct result of personal trauma.

I think it helps to consider Genesis more of a family than a band, they have grown and changed together, people coming and going, as lives and interests have changed. That first album came out in 1968! The things they did as kids are different from what they did as they got older, and the need to keep challenging, exploring, ends up with different results. I guess it's not surprising that some parts of their career appeal more than others; but personally, I find a lot that I like, in very different ways, about almost all of the work.

Don't Let Us Get Sick.

Somedays, you just take a big sloppy bag of shit right in the face just for lookin the wrong direction. As The Man IN Black said, I Guess Things Happen That Way.

Just kind of windin down the work day, feelin like I got somewhere for a change, lookin forward to getting home and doing a little taekwondo practice, so I go checkin out some music listings to see if there are any good bands coming round...

And this is what we get.


I mean, dammit. It's not as if the American health care system already doesn't suck so bad it's the AMC Pacer of the world - You'd never think there was so much of the Third World right here at home- but it is especially decrepit and punitive for those who've dedicated their lives to making the rest of ours a bit more bearable through music. In 2004, Alejandro Escovedo (uncle of Sheila E, so it's not as if he's part of a destitute family) developed Hep C and was only able to survive because his brothers and sister in other music groups performed a slew of benefits to help pay his bills.

Record companies don't provide health bennies to most of their 'stable'. Yes, they refer to the artists as if they were livestock. Do we really need more reasons to despise Music Industry Weasels?

It's become a standing joke, albeit a dark and disturbing one, among musicians that eventually they will need to have other musicians play a benefit to help them pay medical bills.

So anyway, one of the guys from Split Lip Rayfield - one of the best speed-bluegrass-punk artists with a single-string-gas-tank-bass ever to play Summerfest - has got himself some esophageal cancer. Guess they're not playing SFest this year.

Well, they've got a place for donations at Their web site, so go and give, or buy some music, or damn, just jump down the throat of some fuckhead legislator who's got HIS damn medical bills covered by us, the American People, tell them to fuckin cover us already. It's embarrassing.

Second time I've used that post title, from Warren Zevon.

Wrong Man

Large guy, intense stare, tattoos on the neck...

But he just says hi and goes back to readin his book. Thick book, not a paperback, nor Tom Clancy here, what is it? It's got the word 'Jihad' on the cover? Oh Noes!!!

Sittin next to him on a plane is pretty intense, isn't it? So, dammit, report him to the terrorism cops, cuz of course all the terrorist plane bombers read books like 'How to Destroy The Western World and George Bush is a Pansy“ while they are on Flights O Death.


Well, really, some jumpy right wing corpo-bot just got irate that he had to sit next to Henry Rollins and reported him to the Australian National Security Hotline because Hank was reading a book called ”Jihad: The Rise Of Militant Islam In Central Asia“.

Of course, from all I've ever heard Henry is a great guy, nice and soft-spoken, as well as fearfully intelligent. All his rage and anger comes out on stage, he's probably one of the most well adjusted guys in the Western World.

I particularly liked this part of Rollins answer:

Please tell your government and everyone in your office to go fuck themselves. Tell them twice. If your boss is looking for something to do, you can tell him I suggest he go fuck himself. Baghdad's safer than my hometown and your PM is a sissy. You have a nice night.”

And his take on the whole episode:

I really don’t take kindly to that kind of shit. I like it though. Love it. Confrontation. Tension. Adversarial relationships. More please. It’s the only time it gets real.

Vainglorious

I tell you, if it weren't so sickening it'd be funny:


Aptly for a President's Day, TBogg notes a minor discrepancy in the book shown in a photo of Karen Hughes.


The book as shown on Amazon, shows 4 presidents on the cover: Washington, Lincoln, Kennedy and Clinton.

Of course, President Bubble Boy's tender ego, which can't take any disagreements at all, would never survive this, so for the copies that Hughes has with her on her tour of photo ops, they replace Clinton's piccy with the Chimperor.

Sad. I fear that GWB suspects that if he isn't always at the center of attention, that he will actually disappear. Of course, the fact that Clinton still garners more attention, even from his own father, has got to be a hairball that he can't cough up. I wouldn't be surprised to see him challenge Clinton to go mano a mano.

If there was EVER a lumpy aggregation of neuroses who is eminently DISqualified to even run a kiddy ride in a mall, let alone a country, it is this Son of Privilege. I don't think the annual stipend we allocate for our past presidents will cover the treatments necessary to repair this boy. President's Analyst, anyone?

Bad Karma

A BAd Sign:


Summerfest announces the first act at Summerfest 2006!!!


Kill me now.


Maybe this will be a good year to 'grow out' of Summerfest, hey?

Copying Is A Criminal Act

I'm such a follower. I wish I could hang with the kewl kids.

It's the iTunes survey!!. borrowed from Ann at Practically Harmless

How many songs: 15,372

Sort by song
First song: “ - ” The Figgs (it's only 35 seconds. The second song is “?” by Low)
Last song: “Zurich is Stained,” Pavement

Sort by artist
First artist: 'Til Tuesday (note the apostrophe, there)
Last artist: ZZ Top

Sort by time
Shortest song: “button,” MST3K, 1 second. “Push the button, Frank.”
Longest song: “Live 1975 at Wembley” Genesis concert, 1:00:15; the longest track that's an actual song is “Everything Picture,” Ultrasound, 39:13 (Surprise for the Genesis fans: on my list, “Supper's Ready” is only the seventh longest song)

Sort by album
First album: “...and How It Got There” the Soft Boys
Last Album: “Zooropa,” U2. I'm so ashamed.


Top Three Most Played Songs
1. “Hairless Heart” Genesis, The Lamb Lies down on Broadway. In fact, the top 4 most played songs are all genesis, so I'm listing them all here: 2. Lilywhite Lilith, 3. The waiting Room, 4. Cinema Show. (13 times each)
2. “High Time,” Paul Westerberg (13)
3. “Wichita Lineman ,” REM (13) (wtf!??!!?)

Song That First Comes Up On Shuffle
“Drive All Night,” Springsteen

Search . . .
by “sex,” how many songs come up? 55
by “death,” how many songs come up? 74
by “love,” how many songs come up? 546
by “you,” how many songs come up? 1517


That was weird. MAybe it gives a better idea of the range of noises I've got stored on my computer than the FRT though.

Political Nightmare and Friday Random Ten and a half

So, the President is now a King. Or at least he is based on the approval of Congressional Republicans. When he knowingly and egregiously breaks the law, Congress will go back and 'fix' the law so it's retroactively OK. Culture of Responsibility? Fuck me. How bout if I just take your house and car, then have the laws changed so that my taking your house and car was specifically authorized?

I guess it's not just driftglass' rhetoric: In George Bush's world, You can be a Good American, or you can be a Good Republican, but you can't be both.

So, what is beyond the Boy King's powers? Ordering the execution of an American Citizen? Well, we can detain them indefinitely with no charges and no representation, and he can order the death penalty for them, so that one's pretty easy.

He's already demonstrated that no one will question his ability to wage war against anyone he chooses, even though that power is specifically reserved for Congress. Now since the Republicans have also eliminated Congressional oversight, it's good to know that they are useless; we'll be able to save all that salary and expense, just send all the whiny fuckers home.

The new Patriot Act includes the creation of a new kindler, gentler Gestapo; a special paramilitary police force to operate within America, under the direct control of the Executive branch, and like the interments at the concentration camp Guantanamo, and answerable to no one else. Now THERE'S an entity that won't be subject to overreach and abuse.


Anyways, another Friday Random Ten, for nobody but me, and this one comes directly offa my iPod, rather than the desktop.

Oh, and Pat Roberts is a hypocritical, self righteous, preening corporate shill who wants to dictate what you read, and see, and who you fuck, but is willing to let George W. Bush break the law and lie without any repercussions. As Glenn Greenwald has brilliantly laid out in this post, the Republican Party has turned into a cult of personality, no longer conservative in any way, but simply devoted to blind faith in George W Bush under any circumstances. No matter how many kittens he kills with a hammer.


1. This is the World Calling - Bob Geldof. first solo album.

2. If You Were A Priest - Robyn Hitchcock

3. X, Y & Zee - Pop Will Eat Itself

4. The Lonely 1 - Wilco

5. Sleeping Knights of Jesus - Robyn Hitchcock. More from Robyn. Brilliant! this doesn't bother me at all.

6. Lightnin' - Sonic Youth. Pleasing noise.

7. Solitaire Song- Jon Langford. the Mekons Connection.

8. Trying Not To Think About Time - The Futureheads. A great XTC song, written by somebody else.

9. Eclipse - Pink Floyd. There's the maguffin

10. 4 Seasons - Violent Femmes. Latter day femmes. Still like it, even though it's not a s popular.

11. The Only Lesson Learned - Game Theory. Brilliant power pop by Scott Miller, back from my college days. To my constant amazement, his stuff has never broken into the big time. Not commoditized easily enough, I guess. More Hootie!

12. what If We Give It Away - REM.

13 of The Girl - Pearl Jam. Another one from that Benaroya Hall live set. Includes tuning.

13.5. Television INtermission - Afroskull: Monster for the Masses

14. In The Rain - Midnight Oil.

15. I Can't Own Her - XTC. Demo from the actual XTC.


Final Note:

The Greenland Ice Sheet is melting twice as fast as previously supposed. All those government/ oil industry shills who poo-poo the idea of global warming? Fuck 'em. Fuck 'em all right in the ass with a gas pump. Fill 'em up with hydrocarbons till it comes out their ears, then bury 'em in the ground. so in a billion years or so we can burn them in lawn mowers. Fuck.

Shotgun Jimmy

Okay, I can't resist.

Here's a roundup of the late night smart-asses:

“Good news, ladies and gentlemen, we have finally located weapons of mass destruction: It's Dick Cheney.” - David Letterman

“You can understand why this lawyer fellow let his guard down, because if you're out hunting with a politician, you think, 'If I'm going to get it, it's going to be in the back.'” - Craig Ferguson

“We can't get bin Laden, but we nailed a 78-year-old attorney.” - David Letterman

“I think Cheney is starting to lose it. After he shot the guy he screamed, 'Anyone else want to call domestic wiretapping illegal?'” - Jay Leno

“But all kidding aside, and in fairness to Dick Cheney, every five years he has to shed innocent blood or he violates his deal with the devil.” - Jimmy Kimmel

“Apparently the reason they didn't release the information right away is they said we had to get the facts right. That's never stopped them in the past.” - Craig Ferguson

“You know what they say, if Dick Cheney comes out of his hole and shoots an old man in the face, six more weeks of winter.” - Jimmy Kimmel

“This is a great story. You've got the Vice President, a shotgun, a bunch of rich guys hunting tiny little birds. The only thing that could possibly make this story better is if he shot Michael Jackson.” - Jimmy Kimmel

“The man who was shot is named Harry Whittington. He's a high powered Republican lawyer, he was very lucky. They say the only reason that he wasn't killed is he was wearing the body armor that never got shipped to our troops.” - Jimmy Kimmel

“So in summary, the Vice President of the United States shot a 78-year-old man in the face. Congratulations Mister Vice President, you are now a Crip.” - Jimmy Kimmel

“The Vice President is standing by his decision to shoot Harry Whittington. Now, according to the best intelligence available, there were quail hidden in the brush. Everyone believed at the time there were quail in the brush. And while the quail turned out to be a 78- year-old man, even knowing that today, Mr. Cheney insists he still would have shot Mr. Whittington in the face.” - “Daily Show” correspondent Rob Corddry

Letterman's Top Ten Dick Cheney Excuses
10. Heart palpitation caused trigger finger to spasm
9. Wanted to get the Iraq mess of the front page
8. Not enough Jim Beam
7. Trying to stop the spread of bird flu
6. I love to shoot people
5. Guy was making cracks about my lesbian daughter
4. I thought the guy was trying to go 'gay cowboy' on me
3. Excuse? I hit him didn't I?
2. Until Democrats approve Medicare reform, we have to make some tough choices for the elderly
1. Made bet with Gretzky's wife

Shot By Both Sides

Okay one more. But it's from Molly Ivins, so it's good:

Dick-Cheney-shooting-Harry-Whittington is fraught, as they say, with irony. It's not as though the ground in Texas is littered with liberal Republicans. I think the vice president winged the only one we've got.

Other people are covering this in much more depth and intelligence than can be found round here, especially the fine folks at firedoglake.

But I want to reiterate something I posted yesterday.

Apparently, Cheney is in the habit of going to pen farms for hunting. According to Nedra Pickler, this qualifies as an experienced hunter. As I said, to me it's just killing things for blood sport. It reminds me of the Monty Python Upper Class Twit contest, where at one point these overbred morons have to shoot a rabbit with a shotgun. A Dead Rabbit. That's tied down. at 3 feet. And at least one twit is killed by friendly fire.

Apparently a couple of years ago, Deadeye Dick (and don't you think that one's going to stick?) participated in a “hunt” at a game farm where 500 quail were released, and the party killed about 450 of them.

That's not hunting, that's a slaughter. I can't imagine a real hunter thinking it's anything but; that's a game for guys who like to run over cats.


Oh, and it appears that in what has now became a Tradition, if not a Bush Hallmark: the administration is handling this issue in just EXACTLY the wrong way, exacerbating the long run that the media stalwarts appear poised for.

Hey Man Nice Shot

Okay, how many blogs are using that as a title today?

At first, I wasn't going to take the easy way out, wasn't going to unload the snark like The Dick unloaded the shot, but then I got to thinking:

about all the cheap-ass cigar jokes;
about all the Whitewater snark;
about the 'Hillary is a Lesbian' shtick;
about the Clinton Drug Murders videotape;
about the 'Chelsea as White House Dog' slime;

So obviously this is fair game.

So:

So is this a result of the tough time the misadminstration is having, a sign of the pressure Fitzgerald is putting on Libby? Or just Darth blowing off a little steam?

Do ya think Cheney gave him a five second head start?

Or is this maybe a message to the Republican rank and file to get in line. I can see that. “ Come on, buddy, I gotta show those fuckin legislators who holds the whip hand. Come on, Whittington, take one for the team. It won't hurt much, ya pussy.”

“Not in the face! Not in the Face!” BLAM!! “...you bastard...”

UPDATED (As August said, FIELD DAY!):

The Rude Pundit contemplates Cheney contemplating his soul contemplating the injured man.

Skippy goes for the difficulty factor, skipping the easy jokes.

Driftglass gets his hand on the transcript...

Shakespeare's sister channels the Aerosmith song...

Daily Pepper (whose site name certainly takes on a new facet of meaning) links headlines...

And Wolcott nails the headline, effortlessly: Vice President Elmer Fudd. Snerk!


UPDATE to the UPDATE:

Some good commentary over at firedoglake.

They reiterate a couple of points I'd like to emphasize:

FIRST: in the case of a hunting accident, THE SHOOTER IS AT FAULT. safely operating your weapon, especially in a hunting party, is paramount and to be expected. This is the rhetoric we've been hearing all these years from the NRA, that trained hunters are safe hunters, and I think they're basically right. The story that has been floated is ridiculous and even to a non-hunter like me, seems to be the height of a bad idea. Wheeling around with a cocked weapon at head height to track a (very) low flying bird? The height of scandalous lack of concern for your fellow hunters, not to mention the hunting dogs.

SECOND: They are trying, perhaps not surprisingly, to cover up and minimize the incident. The experienced hunters in the comments point out that the type and severity of the wounds are inconsistent with the story; that the reporting of the story and, in fact, the injury was delayed for quite some time; and that the victim was to blame.

THIRD: Cheney, being the warm lovable human being we've come to know and loathe, has a thing for shooting guns and killing things. Not get all Freudian on his ass, but hey, projection much?

FOURTH: Shooting pen-raised birds in the manner described isn't hunting, it's killing. Cheney is a sick, twisted mutherfucker who needs a long period of intensive treatment, not a roomful of weapons or, more importantly, to run the country. Given this, I'd say the rush to war in Iraq was more a function of his bloodlust than any political or security needs. He cowardly refused to actually fight in a war, but likes killing stuff. Tell me I'm wrong.

FIFTH: (quoting one of the comments directly) And finally, only a drunk, an asshole or a drunk asshole would ever shoot their partner or their dog.

Living Through Another Cuba

Wolcott unloads on Imus today.

I've only listened to Imus in passing, never seen the attraction. People on the Right accuse us lefties of being bitter and angry, but as a description it comes closer to Imus than anything. Frankly, I don't understand the need his listeners apparently have to reinforce their bigotries and hatreds.

My favorite depiction of Imus was in Howard Stern's movie Private Parts. When Stern was just joining NBC, Imus was the talk star, and was apparently pretty full of himself then. Stern was brought by for introductions, which Imus refused quite insultingly, leaving Stern standing there a bit taken aback. Astonished, really, at the rudeness of this fellow. Of course, Stern just went on his merry way, soon eclipsing Imus, and I would think, not really looking back. Best revenge indeed.

Of course, our pal at LL, Nick, is fond of calling Wolcott a turd. He's entitled to that opinion, but I find Wolcott's writing to be effective and lean; especially when he finds a target. In this column, he neatly eviscerates Imus in a couple of sentences, as if in passing.

And in fact, it is in passing, because toward the end he gets to the real meat of the post. He talks about Maureen Dowd's obsequious appearance on the Imus show, and then the all too common Democratic trait of not having the courage of their convictions; not having the balls to stand up and say something straight, without apologizing.

Not a problem I have.

But it's certainly a Democratic (AND democratic) problem when the members of the majority party don't have this namby-pamby trait. Shit, Trent Lott has never really apologized for any of his racist comments, let alone mere strongly held opinions.

years ago, Dukakis ran for President. No Really! A nice guy, fine legislator and all that, but not... inspiring, I guess. But during that campaign, the Bush team unloaded every bit of dirt they could. Sliming Dukakis' family and wife, impugning his patriotism (of course), misrepresenting his career, all the wonderful tactics we are so used to (Rove was a campaign team member for a while, unsurprisingly, until he did something so repulsive even Bush I couldn't tolerate it. Of course, Bush 2 has no such convictions). Dukakis team aimed for the high ground (that Civil Discourse the Republicans look for? This is what happens when you play by those rules), based on Americans' disgust with campaign tactics in general.

I grew very frustrated though; they missed the point. While it is very true that Americans were thoroughly fed up with the slime and degradation of presidential campaigns, underlying that is the American regard for someone who won't, or can't defend himself. Especially when the Bush team went after Dukakis wife. That doesn't play well in Ammurrica. late in the game, they started to respond, and the polls started to move up; but it was too late.

It's part of that weird, inexplicable Bush appeal, especially to his base that doesn't think too deeply, or read a whole lot; the bluster and tough talk.

well, back to the Democrats. So, absent kicking each and every one of them in the balls, sequentially, starting with That Fucker Lieberman (and I want two swings at Herb Kohl) , we have to let them know that there is nothing wrong with believing in your views and stating them forcefully. Paul Hackett is demonstrating that beautifully; Jack Murtha is, bless the man, not backing down (and who would expect that from a former DI?).

Feingold is doing a fine job; let's let him know. Letters and money, two great political motivators, my friends. Also, Kos and Atrios keep up with the current crop of challengers and upstarts who need and deserve support. Worthwhile to see who you like over there.

Maybe, with a little bit of work, we can build ourselves an Opposition Party that, you know, Opposes; that provides a real alternative.

Oh, and stay away from that slimy squeezebag Rahm Emmanuel and the DCCC, as well as anybody Bob Shrum is advising. Losers who always advocate becoming baby Republicans, a sure-fire losing strategy. Try the DNC.



Rant Over: Now the FRT!

1. Dead Man from the album “Live at Benaroya Hall - Oct. 22, 2003” by Pearl Jam Never a huge Pearl Jam fan. But this is an interesting- semi acoustic live set that gets pretty good.

2. The Black Crow Knows from the album “Element Of Light” by Robyn Hitchcock

3. Breakfast With My Shadow from the album “Aurora Borealis” by Cloud Cult Cloud Cult! One of my new favorite bands. what a show.

4. Last Dance from the album “Original Sin” by Mekons aaaaahhhhhhhhhh.

5. Creatures Of Habit from the album “Candy From A Stranger” by Soul Asylum


6. Keep It Tight from the album “Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 9” by Single Bullet Theory

7. Pocket of Tears from the album “Collideoscope” by Living Colour

8. I'm Looking At You But Talking To Myself from the album “Utopia (Re-release Of Original From 1982)” by Utopia Todd and buddies go power pop.

9. Wearin' That Lived In Look from the album “Live At The Abbey Pub” by Sadies

10. Love Will Tear Us Apart from the album “Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits Of The '80s Vol. 2” by Joy Division


Norbizness did fifteen, so I'm gonna too:

11. Death Drugs from the album “Rock!!!!!” by Violent Femmes

12. Gullible's Travels from the album “And The Horse They Rode In On” by Soul Asylum Another Soul Asylum. No fair. Clean up your act, iTunes, or I'm going to load some Hootie onto you. And none of us want that.

13. My Life from the album “Boingo Alive (Disc 1)” by Oingo Boingo

14. Puck's 6th Birthday from the album “Who Killed Puck?” by Cloud Cult Oh, so that's how you're going to play, huh? Well, I LIKE Cloud Cult, so This is just fine. Step out of line one more time, though, and you're getting 'My Humps'.

15. Drove Up From Pedro from the album “Ball-Hog or Tugboat?” by Mike Watt watt. Much better. Apology accepted.








I wish I'd said that, part several million:

Norbizness describes the Preznit:

If this country was like an 18-round hole of golf, he would have shot a 231, impaled three caddies with golf clubs thrown out of frustration, accidentally blown up the clubhouse, drained the water hazard to build a TGIFriday's, and severely injured his own testicles in the ball-washer.

Go read the rest of his Incompetence, Corruption, and Greed Round-up.

Gangsterville

Washington under Republicans.

Tom Delay.

Extortionist. Indicted Money Launderer. Illegal Gerrymander-er (coming!) Swindler and general Money/Power whore.

Bug exterminator.

Kicked out of the House Leadership position because of his... (ahem)... legal difficulties. Yeah, facing several consecutive jail terms is a bit of a difficulty.

But not for Republicans. It's apparently a badge of honor, a sigil of respectability and mark of Righteous Responsibility.

Get this. The R's have, in their 'wisdom' and greed, appointed this savage fuckwit to
significant positions in several important committees.



come on, you moderate Republican voters, this appointment is nothing but a big FUCK YOU to the nation at large. If ethical behavior is truly a concern, Tom Delay wouldn't be allowed within 10 yards of an ATM, let alone having a seat on the Appropriations committee.

I've said it before, and I'm gonna keep on saying it: Republicans. legalizing organized crime and money laundering for nearly thirty years.

How about this: Republicans. We prosecuted the Gambinos because we can't tolerate competition.


ALMOST IMMEDIATE UPDATE: Delay has also been placed on the subcommittee overseeing the Abramoff INvestigation

...which, of course, is tied to - DELAY!!!!

Fucking A. Shameless? Hypocrites? Power Whores? I can't even come up with the defamatory terms. It's like they intend to overwhelm any potential disagreements by making any opponents heads explode in ghastly disbelief.

Someone help me out here. Give me some insulting names for Tommy and his gang.

My Weapon

It's funny cuz it's true.

If you didn't laugh, you've got a dick and no sense of self image

The Song Remains The Same

The newest shiny Republican House leader, John Boner, wastes no time in working to exceed his predecessors's record of cronyism, larceny, extortion, and outright mercenary governmental retailing,

His first - FIRST! - action is to kill the Republican ethics bill which was working its way through Congress.

The bill, which was a totally toothless, useless gesture which put no real constraints on lobbyists or corporations seeking quid pro quo legislation, was intended as a face saving gesture so Republican legislators could claim to have done their art for reform, while pointing to Democrats who would have opposed this waste of time as obstructionist.

Thankfully, Johnny B pulled the legislation, saying it was a false start. Because we know that he and the R's will immediately work on a real reform package that has an effect. Right.

Because they have spent ten years as exemplars of ethical behavior. Of course, all the indictments and lawsuits are just anomalies, even though they apply to the highest levels of the Republican Party.

Republicans. Lying to your face on a TV near you.

Crypto-Sicko

results of a totally non-scientific, biased poll over at The Kos.


But really, would anybody who's been subjected to Modern Health Care recently say anything different?

I gave it a D- because in a small business, I've been able to see the costs of providing Health Coverage, and the annual 20% increases are unbearable. It has come close to destroying my business, and this is supposed to be a business friendly administration? Tell that to my employees and their families when I have to cut health coverage, yet again. Or worse, just lay them off.

Oh yeah, this administration is only friendly to the massive mega-businesses that have given them hundreds of thousands of dollars. My fault for not being born in a rich family.

Do I sound bitter? because I'm not.

I am ANGRY.


As Warren Zevon said, Let's Not Get Sick.

Liar

No comment necessary.

“Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires---a wiretap requires a court order.
Nothing has changed, by the way.

When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so.

It's important for our fellow citizens to understand, when you think Patriot Act, constitutional guarantees are in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our homeland, because we value the Constitution.”

---President George W. Bush
April 20, 2004

Remember when the Republicans though lying about ANYTHING was grounds for removing a President, and possibly going to destroy the Republic, or at least WHAT WILL WE TELL THE CHILDREN?

Now, apparently, lying is one of the Duties of the President.

Hypocrites, power mongers, and just basically evil.

Songs of False Hope and High Values

Dang!

Almost forgot to do the Friday Random Ten!

Incidentally, that title was the working title for the SOTU address.

And since my 3 1/3 readers know that the best schedule for my blog is to check in on the following schedule:
Monday: late morning. The Friday News dump has usually been simmering in my head.
Tuesday. Skip it. If there's a post, it's usually kind of a link dump.
Wednesday. Afternoon. Some new travesty by the administration has surfaced. Like the election of Boehner as House GOP leader. Have you seen this guy? He's never seen an exclusionary religious mandate he doesn't fully support. Welcome to Gilead, people! Hey, moderate conservatives, even if you're not going to do anything about our country's veer into right wing religious authoritarianism, let's at least document the atrocities.
Thursday. Meatspace requirements loom. No time. Skip it
Friday. Friday Random Ten Musical Festival and Related Ranting about Vaguely Associated Trivia. Which is where we are today. So Let's Go, Cowpokes!

Desktop iTunes, 60.82 gigs - 41.5 days of music, 15,249 songs

1. Driving Sideways from the album “Bachelor No. 2” by Aimee Mann Did I mention that we went to see her and her husband, Michael Penn, on NYE? Wonderful. Although, I would remark to the World Cafe fans, Penn was the more dynamic of the two performers. One of the musicians made a smart ass crack about the atmosphere at their house. One drunk in the audience was wounded by a slight dig at President Bush. Man, the Right are thin-skinned, aren't they? One remark, one t-shirt, and they have to call in the National Guard and lawyer up. I'm giving this one a 10.

2. Sink to the Bottom from the album “Fountains of Wayne” by Fountains of Wayne. Didja know that Adam Schlessinger, the songwriter for this band wrote “That Thing You Do” for the Tom Hanks movie of the same name? There's a brain bending hook. Try getting that out of your head today.

3.That's When I Reach For My Revolver from the album “Animal Rights” by Moby Remake of an old Mission of Burma punk song. Moby does a nice punky version of it. Saw him last year at SFest. He was very good, and had a local girl singing backup with him. I'd like to meet him sometime- I get the impression that he'd be fun to talk to. we could have a burger together. Definitely a ten.

4. Backslide from the album “Life Won't Wait” by Rancid Rancid gets a lot of shit for being derivative of The Clash. well, where's the problem with that? The Clash were one of the best rock bands, and if you're going to emulate someone (or steal from them) why not pick the best? Would it be better if they were derivative of Corey Hart? Anyways, on this album, they stretched, adding multiple layers of instruments and vocals. Even horns on this song. I still give it a ten.

5. I Got Laid On James Joyce's Grave from the album “On Fire [Live]” by Black 47 One of my favorite bands, period. The live shows are amazing, cathartic, and usually feature the Trinity Irish dancers when they're here n Milwaukee. Unashamedly political band, who also like to sing about drinking and sex. Did I mention that the leader, Larry Kirwan, is Irish? Definitely a ten.

6. Never Talking To You Again from the album “Zen Arcade” by Hüsker Dü Recently read the Wikipedia entry for Umlauts (otherwise known as 'Rock Dots'. I love that. Rock Dots. RockDots. RokDotz). Found that Husker Du was a non-gratuitous use of the umlaut. What a relief. They get a ten for non-gratuitous umlaut usage.

Also from Wikipedia: Einsturzende Neubaten means collapsing new buildings in German. That's great.

7.. Meltdown from the album “Everything You Thought Was Right Was Wrong Today” by Slobberbone See last week's entry. I'd give em a nine, because they broke up. But they get a one point bonus for the album title. 10.

8. Away from the album “Up On The Sun (Reissue)” by Meat Puppets Also see last week's comments on the Pups. I heard them say Meat Puppet on Mythbusters this week, but they were referring to the pig skull they were using to try and catch a bullet. Here's what Wiki has to say:

Unsatisfied with the result, the band spent plenty of time in the studio before the release of 1983's Meat Puppets II. The band's exciting experimentation with psychedelia, acid rock, and quieter tunes on top of a core western-style thrash sound, gave them their one acknowledged classic, and propelled the record to legendary status.

The Meat Puppets burgeoning musicality led to more intricate and melodic efforts on 1985's Up On the Sun, which was a cohesive collage of songs that further demonstrated their abilities to capture a sound that had all of the wonder of the desert. The album granted them their first major mainstream exposure, and many fans still consider it to be their masterpiece.

I'd call it a ten, wouldn't you?

9. Rent Day Blues from the album “Dance The Devil...” by The Frames This song includes a background vocal line from 'Celebrate' You know, the part that goes “Celebrate good times. Come On!” You know it if you've been to a wedding in the last thirty years. The song itself though, is a somber piece, with a bit of banjo giving it a bittersweet texture. The Celebrate part is kind of a jarring bit of counterpoint. Brilliant, really. 10.

10. The Lost Soul from the album “For A Decade Of Sin: 11 Years Of Bloodshot Records” by The Handsome Family wow. this is a heavy ender. The Handsome Family normally sing about inbred mutants, death, crime and general misanthropy. So this fits right in! Quite the picker upper. Someone kill me now. 10.


Bonus 2.5:

11. Just Like Anyone from the album “Let Your Dim Light Shine” by Soul Asylum Contemporaries of The Replacements and Husker Du in Minneapolis. Must have been an exciting time to be a frozen punk. I didn't know Karl Mueller had died. That's really depressing. Although it sounds like there's a new album, recorded before his death, in the offing. A ten for Karl. His harmony vocals made Dave Pirner sound like an angel on a bender.

12. Thought I Knew You from the album “Girlfriend” by Matthew Sweet See last week's comments, yet again. Although this time, the track is actually FROM Girlfriend. It's a ten, of course.

12.5 It's A Night For Beautiful Girls from the album “Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits Of The '80s, Vol. 3” by Fools The Fools also did a parody of 'Psycho Killer' Called 'Psycho Chicken'. This song was the single off the album, and Psycho Chicken was included as a yellow plastic 45. Does anybody remember any of this stuff? Anyways, my copy got all melty and wavy. Call this one a 9.995.



so, that's it for this week. Looks like we made a... let's see, carry the 2...well, we'll just round that up.... Hey, it's another 10.


Leave something in the comments

Space Pirates

Someone got their hands on the Preznit's speech written in the original Pirate.

After all, the looting of America, he and his minions have got to have a bit of pirate blood in 'em.

The part about scary monsters created b mad scientists is the best. I still can't figure out how the plot from an MST3K ep got into the SOTU.