Loud Mouth Soup

Friday Random Ten

2011-11-04T08:12:00.002-04:00

Use It -- The New Pornographers
Your Smoke Screen -- k.d. lang
Sailing To Nowhere -- Broken Bells
Don't Get So Down On Yourself -- Chris Isaak
Solitude -- Django Reinhardt
Cab Driver -- The Mills Brothers
Your Body Is A Wonderland -- John Mayer
1020 AM -- Spoon
Got Some -- Pearl Jam
Let's Forget About It -- Lisa Loeb

Coming Soon

2011-11-03T15:56:00.002-04:00

Just looked at the calendar and noticed that we're a day and a month away from the start of Zappadan.

I'll go get the ornament polish.

Boo Who

2011-11-01T15:10:00.002-04:00

Mr Fish lays it down with a heavy beat this Halloween. Scary stuff indeed.

Friday Random Ten

2011-10-28T07:42:00.002-04:00

Welcome To Paradise -- Green Day
Bess, You Is My Woman Now -- Miles Davis
Beautiful -- Carole King
This Fffire -- Franz Ferdinand
Woolie Bullie -- Pere Ubu
The New Call Of The Wreckin' Ball -- The Knitters
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 1 -- The Flaming Lips
Hey Little World -- The Hives
Big Moon -- John Doe
Love Is The Answer -- Weezer

Bonus cut of the Highest order...

Drive My Car -- The Beatles

Friday Random Ten

2011-10-14T13:21:00.002-04:00

It's Your Amazing Grace -- Glen Campbell
Kid -- The Pretenders
Wild Child -- Enya
Post Punk Progression -- Snow Patrol
Punky Reggae Party -- Bob Marley
For Your Pleasure -- Roxy Music
Play With Fire -- Rolling Stones
Drive In Drive Out -- Dave Matthews Band
Rollin' On -- Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris
I Shot My Manager -- Gruppo Sportivo

Bonus (it's officially Autumn) cut:

Two Rocks -- Geraint Watkins

Friday Random Ten

2011-10-07T08:25:00.002-04:00

Wind Up -- Foo Fighters
Goodbye -- Eddie Vedder
2000 Miles -- The Pretenders
Misty Valleys -- JP, Chrissie and Fairground Boys
Bad Girl -- New York Dolls
Orchestral Suite #1 in C -- J.S. Bach
Playboy To A Man -- Elvis Costello
Zeke The Freak -- Isaac Hayes
Return To Me -- Chris Isaak
Cleanup Time -- John Lennon (it's John's 71st Birthday on Sunday)

Juan Cole

2011-10-06T10:51:00.003-04:00

Once again, Juan Cole pulls the room together like no one else as it relates to the passing of Steve Jobs. I'm genuinely overwhelmed with the depth of coverage on his death considering how very sick he has been these past few years.

That said, he's an American icon and a supreme driver of this modern zeitgeist of ours.

RIP, Steve Jobs.

Oh, and I almost forgot; I fucking HATE pancreatic cancer...

Ted Rall

2011-10-05T16:20:00.002-04:00

Big Brother up in Wisconsin gave me an electronic kick in the pants today that LMS has been dormant for far too long. In my defense, I've been terribly busy and relatively disinterested in the bloggity-blog goodness of the innertubes of late, but to placate both of my readers, here's a post.

Nothing like Ted Rall to cure what ails ya...I just knew that there was a rationale behind the eunuchfication of Barack Obama.

Clickin' it makes it bigger.

Friday Random Ten

2011-09-16T10:04:00.002-04:00

Laughing Out Loud -- The Wallflowers
Please Wake Me Up -- Tom Waits
Black Like Me -- Spoon
Tired Of Waiting -- Green Day (cover)
Radio Bar -- Fountains Of Wayne
Words Of Love -- The Mamas & The Papas
Lost Cause -- Beck
Moth -- Audioslave
Crash The Party -- O.K. Go
And Then So Clear -- Brian Eno

Bonus Opening Night Cut:

Girl Of My Dreams -- Charles Mingus

Friday Random Ten

2011-09-09T08:28:00.002-04:00

Have Your Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadows? -- The Rolling Stones
Diamond Road -- Sheryl Crow
Tiger Rag -- Django Reinhardt
You Got It All Wrong -- The Hives
She's Not Mine Anymore -- Robert Gordon
Cold -- Annie Lennox
Dancing For Money -- Graham Parker
Happy Jack -- The Who
Stay Away -- Nirvana
God Don't Make Lonely Girls -- The Wallflowers

Bonus (Cuz'n Mike's Birthday) cut:

15 Minutes -- The Strokes

Friday Random Ten (Labor Day Edition)

2011-09-02T07:31:00.003-04:00

Angola -- Ray Davies
Eyeball Kid -- Tom Waits
Eight Days A Week -- The Beatles
Next Year, Baby -- Jamie Cullum
Harmony In My Head -- The Buzzcocks
Lorca's Novena -- The Pogues
Definite Door -- The Posies
Jumpers -- Sleater-Kinney
Urban Lifestyle -- Pere Ubu
One More Robot -- The Flaming Lips

Bonus long weekend cut:

One (Blake's Got A New Face) -- Vampire Weekend

Friday Random Ten

2011-08-26T09:37:00.002-04:00

The Other End Of The Telescope -- Elvis Costello
Rave On -- Buddy Holly
It's Over -- Roy Orbison
Besame Mucho -- Bob Conti
Prelude To A Kiss -- Duke Ellington
The Down Low -- Nellie McKay
Here Comes President Kill Again -- XTC
Pretty Girls -- Neko Case
I Walk The Line -- Johnny Cash
One And The Same -- Audioslave

Bonus (the only thing this blog is good for anymore is for posting Friday Random Ten lists) cut:

Watch Her Disappear -- Tom Waits

Friday Random Ten

2011-08-19T07:50:00.002-04:00

Nothingman -- Pearl Jam
Perfidio -- Duke Ellington
Our Generation (The Hope Of The World) John Legend & The Roots
Come Together -- The Beatles
Really -- Nellie McKay
Under The Bridge -- Jill Sobule & John Doe
Bob-Kick -- Nat King Cole
Layfette Don't Fail Me Now -- Spoon
Love Me Or Leave Me -- Nina Simone
Andromeda -- Paul Weller

It's The Jobs Stupid

2011-08-17T15:34:00.003-04:00

I keep wondering why everyone is all up in arms about Obama not creating jobs. Businesses (large and small), and Commerce create jobs, not necessarily governments. Sure, government can help, as is the case of Germany mentioned in this terrific piece in today's NYT, but they're not the entire answer.

I lost my job under Bush. I didn't blame him. I still haven't had a full time job under the Obama Administration and still; no blame affixed.

Courage is required here. Businesses need to open their wallets and stop clinging to shareholder's cash. What's the worth of high yields and dividends when you can't find a job?

Friday Random Ten

2011-08-12T09:22:00.002-04:00

Bring Your Lovin' Back Here -- Gomez
Project X: First Section -- Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention
I Will -- The Beatles
Rub Me Raw -- Warren Zevon
Burn Away -- Foo Fighters
Ize Of The World -- The Strokes
Smiling Faces -- Joan Osborne
Smoke Dreams -- Jill Sobule
Trippin' On Your Love -- Bananarama
Cradle Of Love -- Billy Idol ( Yikes. I cannot believe that this song is on my iPod Face palm!)

Bonus (get the taste of Billy Idol out of my mouth) cut:

Generals And Majors -- XTC (there, that's better)

Mr. Fish

2011-08-09T07:56:00.002-04:00

It's never not a good time for Mr. Fish.

Wasted lives

2011-08-06T08:54:00.004-04:00

Maybe this will get the Debt Ceiling stuff off of the front page for a moment and lead us back to an actual debate about ending these fucking wars. Probably not, though.

Friday Random Ten

2011-08-05T07:27:00.003-04:00

Something -- The Beatles
Handel: Gavotte -- Andres Segovia
All These Things That I've Done -- The Killers
The Way That We Get By -- Spoon
Switchboard Susan -- Nick Lowe
War Pigs -- CAKE
Hold On -- Tom Waits
Shut Your Eyes -- Snow Patrol
I Get Kick Out Of You -- Frank Sinatra
Five On The Five -- The Raconteurs

Bonus beautiful day cut...

Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel -- Todd Rundgren

Friday Random Ten

2011-07-29T19:16:00.002-04:00

Scarecrow -- Beck
Just About Glad -- Elvis Costello
C'mere -- Interpol
You Still Touch Me -- Sting
City With No Children-- Arcade Fire
Whatsername -- Green Day
Workin' On Leavin' The Livin' -- Modest Mouse
I Felt The Luxury -- Iggy Pop
Let Freedom Ring -- Chuck Prophet
Last Chance -- JET

Bonus (High School Gym Teacher edition)

Away From The Numbers -- The Jam

Here's more news...

2011-07-27T09:24:00.002-04:00

And all of it bad. Worse than Hoover? Yes, indeedy.

4th Down and 20

2011-07-26T23:33:00.006-04:00

Here's yet another stellar piece on the end of our era.

I couldn't echo its sentiment any stronger. I found out that my permanent job was going away right before Labor Day Weekend 2007. That's now fast approaching 4 years. Since then I've scrambled and scraped, applied and submitted and generally wore a path in the rug trying to return to the former glory that was once my job and sense of self worth.

All of that effort has proven fruitless and I now am utterly convinced that not only will I never attain the status and esteem which I once held, and frankly, sadly, treasured; but that I also now realize that I never should've tried to get back to there in the first place.

The deck is stacked, the game is rigged and the house will always win. No more Jello for me, mom.

Listen, I've said it before and I'll say it now. If you're fortunate enough to have dodged this now increasingly historic bullet, I salute and congratulate you on that success. I'm not being maudlin or scolding. It's just the facts of the matter.

However, until you've walked in my shoes and felt my pain, shame and embarrassment, you'll never know the view from this side of the fence. Not to cheapen the experience, but emotionally, I can liken my perspective to that of being a cancer survivor. My carefully chosen daily mood transcends my reality and thankfully, my inner doctor says that I'm currently in remission.

Whew.

I keep finding bizarre, little tiny jobs and ways to make a buck. I'll never earn anything close to what I used to but I don't care about that any longer. It's Okay.

Regardless, it's a goll-damned waste of a perfectly good white boy.

And so, I move on.

I've always said that the Arts are the only thing that matters anyway. History, Wars, Religion, Money...they've all had their hand as world shakers and failed. The painters, poets, actors, authors and singers will always live on.

And so it goes.

Oslo

2011-07-26T09:29:00.004-04:00

I've been reasonably mute about the shootings in Norway last Friday.

Yes, it's a very terrible thing, but, aren't we Americans, (the most socially hostile mass of people on the planet IMHO), sadly too numb to really feel anything about this tragedy?

There were over 20 people killed this weekend all over the US in similar fashion and that barely made the papers. (And this link is from the friggin' Mail Online UK!).

Anyhoo, as I am frequently want to do, I'll leave the driving to someone else as it relates to an "official position" on these horrific Norwegians murders.

Handy Andy Sullivan has an excellent comprehensive and focused piece on his site that I would recommend to any sentient person who may be interested in the roots and whys of Breivik's motivation.

I figure I've got about 30 or more years left on this planet to read about these bi-monthly kinds of events. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Chivalry

2011-07-24T12:31:00.002-04:00

Dennis Perrin, a find via Mr. James Wolcott, opines about the increasing lack of courtesy and politeness in our modern society especially in the airport hubs.

I dig his prose but question his use of the word "perhaps" when discussing the veracity of DEVO's freethinking vision of our times. We're a long way beyond "perhaps", Dennis...we're fully engaged there, buddy.

Friday Random Ten

2011-07-22T08:00:00.003-04:00

Real Love -- Regina Spektor
Monkey Wrench -- Foo Fighters
Courageous Cat Theme -- New York Dolls
3:00 AM Blues -- Dick Hyman Group
I Only Have Eyes For You -- Harry Connick Jr.
Back On The Chain Gang -- The Pretenders
St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast -- Frank Zappa
Divertimento in D: Allegro -- Mozart
Frescobaldi: Passacagalia -- Andres Segovia
To Hell With Poverty -- Gang Of Four

Bonus heat wave cut:

For Once In My Life -- Stevie Wonder

Friday Random Ten

2011-07-15T07:47:00.003-04:00

Stop The World And Let Me Off -- Patsy Cline
Carnival Of The Animals-Finale -- Saint-Saens
Promises, Promises -- George Shearing
Post Rock Defends The Nation -- Bon Savants
The Littlest Birds -- The Be Good Tanyas
Goodnight Irene -- Tom Waits
Nutted By Reality -- Nick Lowe
Pure And Easy -- The Who
Suspicious Minds -- Dwight Yoakam
Blink And You'll Miss It -- Paul Weller

Bonus GG on vacation all week starting tomorrow cut:

Speaking in Tongues -- Eagles Of Death Metal

Harvey Pekar

2011-07-12T07:43:00.002-04:00

Today is the first anniversary of the death of Harvey Pekar. He was the embodiment of a very specific zeitgeist here in Cleveland and he is sorely missed in these days of madness and confusion.

If you're looking for everything Harvey, steer your clickin' mouse in this direction and you'll find a treasure trove of data, memorabilia and like minded folks celebrating the life and times of the man.

Viva le Harvey!

Frank Rich

2011-07-09T14:58:00.003-04:00

It's been a long dry spell at the NYTs since Frank Rich left the fold and migrated over to New York Magazine.

Making a triumphant return, Mr. Rich shreds the Obama Administration to bits on their utter inability or desire to address the unemployment issues here in the United States and instead continue to reward the people who are responsible for this mess.

It's a long and complex read and I've linked directly to the "printable" version of the article so as to make it more readable on your computer screen.

Read it a couple of times. This country, this president and it's ruling class have ruined this nation.

And President Barack Obama is an abject failure.

Friday Random Ten

2011-07-08T07:45:00.002-04:00

Lover Man -- Sarah Vaughn
Cruel To Be Kind -- Nick Lowe
Old Old Woodstock -- Van Morrison
Violin Sonata In C, K303, Adagio -- Mozart
Folsom Prison Blues -- Johnny Cash
I'm Losing You -- John Lennon
The High Road -- Broken Bells
Rebel Rebel -- David Bowie
But For Now -- Jaime Cullum
Make Believe Mambo -- David Byrne

Bonus Bounce:

Ooby Dooby -- Roy Orbison

El Norte

2011-07-06T12:04:00.003-04:00

Turns out things have improved for native Mexicans that the shiny streets of Phoenix and L.A. aren't all that and a bag of nachos these days.

Heavens to Betsy, what ever will the Right wing pants wetters on the border do now with all that spare time?...

Hypocrisy...

2011-07-05T11:47:00.002-04:00

...Thy name is Mecklenborg.

My pal, Erin O'Brien, says it far better than I could possibly illustrate so I'll let her do the driving. Do be sure to watch the entire video. It's classic shape shifting Republican values at work. The cop does an outstanding job.

Roger Ebert

2011-07-01T09:40:00.002-04:00

I Roger Ebert.

Friday Random Ten

2011-07-01T06:51:00.002-04:00

Dashboard -- Modest Mouse
Lucid Dreams -- Franz Ferdinand
I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive -- Steve Earle
Are You Lookin' At Me? -- Colin Hay
Thou Swell -- Nat King Cole
Barbara H. -- Fountains Of Wayne
The Human Touch -- Joe Jackson
Narrow Daylight -- Diana Krall
Like U Crazy -- Mates Of State
Lie To Me -- The Pretenders

Independence Day Bonus Cut:

Nothing Left To Say But Goodbye -- Audioslave

Same As it Ever Was

2011-06-30T08:26:00.002-04:00

Ted Rall gives us his review of a cheery new book out concerning the current affairs of our police state. Now keep moving and get back to your programmed activities.

Train In Vain

2011-06-28T10:15:00.002-04:00

Andrew Bacevich finds some light at the end of the tunnel.

Would it were that I was as optimistic...

Middle Of The Road

2011-06-27T21:51:00.002-04:00

Obama continues to placate the middle to no avail. Even E.J. thinks so...

Friday Random Ten

2011-06-24T09:23:00.003-04:00

Heavy Metal -- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Crawling From The Wreckage -- Dave Edmunds
Violin Concerto In F Minor (The Four Seasons) -- Vivaldi
Glory -- Liz Phair
Debra -- Beck
She Said She Said -- The Beatles
Doginabag -- The Fratellis
Love Is Expensive And Free -- Fastball
We're All Mad Here -- Tom Waits
Put It On -- Bob Marley

Bonus cut for no good goddamn reason...

Teenage Pregnancy -- Cake

Matt Taibbi

2011-06-23T10:25:00.002-04:00

Okay, I admit, I've been all wrong about Sarah Palin. Matt's spot on in his new piece about Michelle Bachmann. She's the real threat.

Take a few minutes and read his article.

It's funnier than shit and scarier by more than half.

The money quote for me was..."Bachmann's anti-gay rhetoric at times features a campy, over-the-top quality that makes it hard to tell her apart from a tranny cabaret act.

Brilliant.

I think I'll take the rest of the Summer off...

2011-06-22T23:04:00.002-04:00

It would appear that Snowbilly Grifter is taking her talents back to Alaska for the duration of the solstice. She comes from a long line of Quitters.

The Prisoner

2011-06-22T14:57:00.001-04:00

Nah, Universal Coverage is socialism, right? Let them eat cake...with a file in it.

News I Can't Use

2011-06-21T14:10:00.005-04:00

I was driving around this morning and heard a piece on the WCLV noon news that Monster.com has released its top Metropolitan Statistical Areas for jobs and growth and Cleveland came in fifth. What the what?!

I'm fast approaching my 4th anniversary of non permanent employment. I've got a B.A., a Masters in Management, a killer resume with some big name corporations and tons of tangible real world experience. Plus, I'm charming as all fuck. Yet...nothing.

I got home and found the story that I had heard on the news. Here it is.

While I was looking about for this news release on the inner Tubes, I came across Prof. Krugman's recent post which has a vastly different take on things that seems to align far more closely to my reality. Sigh.

All I want is a job to go to everyday where someone will pay me a living wage to be the best and most enthusiastic employee in their office. Evidently that's just far too much to ask in today's free fall Depression 2.0.

Juan Cole

2011-06-17T14:07:00.004-04:00

I don't know if anyone saw this elsewhere, but it turns out Juan Cole was a person of interest for Cheney's goons a few years back.

Here's the good doctor's terse response to the potential spying on his private life.

Criminal stuff, indeed.

However, as Paul Newman was famously quoted after discovering that he was on one of Nixon's Enemies Lists, "Being on President Nixon's enemies list was the highest single honor I've ever received. Who knows who's listening to me now and what government list I'm on?

In that light, I congratulate Dr. Cole for being a burr under the saddle of the Cheneyites. Regardless, I'm still calling Sherrod Brown's office and voicing my complaints about the Patriot Act.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

2011-06-17T13:08:00.002-04:00

This is pretty friggin' stupid.

Listen, I was never as much a fan of Obama as I was a fan of whomever won the presidency of NOT being George W. Bush. For that, I am grateful that Obama got elected.

Had Hillary Clinton not been married to the Clenis, I was vastly more fond of her moxie and political savvy than Obama, but I'm still certain that Hannity, Rushbo and their ilk would've made more hay with her persona than they've done to Obama.

Either way, hes' gonna get my vote in 2012. And besides, WTF did I know, look who I initially supported way back when...

Friday Random Ten (Birthday Weekend Edition)

2011-06-17T08:04:00.003-04:00

No Future Shock -- TV On The Radio (best album of the year)
Cracking Up -- Rockpile
No One Listens -- Ray Davies
Red Rain -- Peter Gabriel
King Penguin -- Home & Garden
Beautiful Dreamer -- Mates Of State
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto #2 In C Minor -- San Francisco Symphony
The Beast In Me -- Nick Lowe
Smoke Along The Track -- Dwight Yoakum
Theme To Wendell Stivers -- Spoon

Bonus Nearly Summer Solstice Cut:

I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement -- The Ramones

Gene, Gene, the prognosticating machine

2011-06-14T09:44:00.002-04:00

Eugene Robinson declares The Mittster DOA. I needn't have to tell you who is always just a few polling points behind Romney.

Friday Random Ten

2011-06-10T09:20:00.002-04:00

Feel Again -- Nick Lowe
Conditioned Soul -- Eurythmics
Whatever It Takes -- Fleshtones
Floaty -- Foo Fighters
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa -- Vampire Weekend
Scumbag Blues -- Them Crooked Vultures
Paint It Black -- Rolling Stones
No Language In Our Lungs -- XTC
Post Rock Defends The Nation -- Bon Savants
Bob -- Drive By Truckers

No bonus cut. Just because.

Mr. Fish

2011-06-03T08:36:00.001-04:00

Your American tax dollars at work. (clickin' it makes it bigger.)

Friday Random Ten

2011-06-03T07:48:00.002-04:00

Hang On In There -- John Legend & The Roots
L'Espirit D'Escalier -- JET
Where's My Everything? -- Nick Lowe
Black -- Pearl Jam
I Dig You -- The Iguanas
She Really Wants You -- Aimee Mann
Pop Song 2006 -- Razorlight
Shake That Devil -- Joan Osborne
Stop The World And Let Me Off -- John Doe and The Sadies
I Need To Know -- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Bonus 70 and Sunny cut:

Guns Of Navarone -- The Skatalites

Same As it Ever Was

2011-06-02T07:53:00.002-04:00

The insights of several former World leaders and American statesmen obviously doesn't mean diddley to the "head in the sand" US policy makers.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

No Take Backs

2011-05-31T16:43:00.003-04:00

According to our friend young Matt Yglesias over at Think Progress, many of the voters from a scant 7 months ago want a "do-over" on their vote for Governor and such.

Gosh, if only these folks would consult with me in advance of pulling that lever, we wouldn't have these funky mix-ups. Call me, people!

Juan Cole

2011-05-27T10:48:00.003-04:00

Dr. Cole provides his take on Muqtada al-Sadr's hootenanny he threw yesterday with a few hundred thousand of his close personal frineds. As I've been saying for years, this dude holds an enormous sway over a lot of Shiites in Iraq and Iran.

Muqtada could make whatever exit strategy the US is planning from Iraq a very different and very ugly situation with a quick directive to his personal Army.

Obama should heed my words and get the fuck outta there tout suite. al-Sadr is not a person to be toyed with, and seriously, if someone else's Army invaded your neighborhood and pushed your entire region around for nearly 10 years, wouldn't you take up arms and want to kill every last one of them?

Yes, you would.

Friday Random Ten (Noah's Ark edition)

2011-05-27T09:11:00.002-04:00

It's been raining for 40 days and nights. Let's see if the Pod offers any respite...

Everybody's Happy Nowadays -- The Buzzcocks
Uncle Remus -- Frank Zappa
Oh, George -- Foo Fighters
Bag It Up -- Oasis
Testify -- Nellie McKay
One Chance -- Modest Mouse
Shopping For Blood -- Franz Ferdinand
Whole Wide World -- The Proclaimers
Honey Hush -- Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Women vs. Men -- David Byrne

Bonus Memorial Weekend cut:

Roadrunner -- Backbeat Band

There, that's better, huh?

Foul Ball

2011-05-25T08:38:00.000-04:00

VIDEO: Foul ball lands near President Bush: MyFoxORLANDO.com

Chimpy almost gets beaned. Missed him by that much.

David Brooks

2011-05-24T11:00:00.002-04:00

It would appear that Needle-Dick, The Bug Fucker has crafted another book to bore the life out of us. Again.

David Brooks is representative of the worst characteristics of modern American life. He's consistently wrong about nearly everything and I dislike him intensely. I did, however, really enjoy the review in The Nation of his "book".

Charlie says...

2011-05-24T09:08:00.002-04:00

love my Good and Pawlenty...

I guess I have no choice but to opine about these pinheads queuing up to lose to Obama in 2012. Pawlenty seems particularly dull to me. He's like some kind of Regional Sales Manager type who swings through the office once a quarter to cut some heads and high five the sorry saps still working there, who, not so secretly, loathe his pasty ass.

Tim Pawlently. The most boring guy ever to run for President. And that's the Truth.

Bernie

2011-05-22T16:16:00.002-04:00

Mr. Reed, Mr. Penick and I went out and played golf this morning to enjoy the chronically wet Spring weather and to also honor the memory of our pal, Bernie Zofcin.

It's three years today since he left our foursome. I shot an 83 and I wish he would've been there to better that number. He is sorely missed.

R.I.P. Bern.

Friday Random Ten (End of the world Rapture edition)

2011-05-20T07:30:00.002-04:00

Story Song -- JJ Magazine
Edible Flowers -- The Finn Brothers
Ouo -- Andrew Bird
River Of Love -- T Bone Burnett
No Language In Our Lungs -- XTC
Bennie And The Jets -- Elton John
Nobody Gets Me But You -- Spoon
The Gulf Of Mexico -- Steve Earle
All We Have Is Now -- The Flaming Lips
The Lover's Face -- The Proclaimers

It all ends Saturday bonus cut:

Elevation -- Television

Monsieur Poisson

2011-05-18T11:24:00.002-04:00

Love these cartoons...

Civil Rights and Wrongs

2011-05-17T08:36:00.002-04:00

Looks like we'll all have to go back to putting a towel under the door.

Friday Random Ten

2011-05-13T15:36:00.002-04:00

Just Because -- Jane's Addiction
Speed Racer -- DEVO
Safety -- The John Doe Thing
Ghetto Racine -- Wyclef Jean
Close Your Eyes -- Nellie McKay
She's A Saint Not A Celebrity -- Foxboro Hot Tubs
Cattle And Cane -- The Go-Betweens
Rewind -- Sterophonics
Days -- Elvis Costello
Lost In The Harbour -- Tom Waits

Blogger was done all morning extra cut:

Stick It Out -- Frank Zappa

Oweeee!

2011-05-12T12:33:00.000-04:00

You know, I used to limp to get out of gym class when we had to do stuff (wrestling, rope climbing) that I hated. Looks like some things never fall out of fashion.

And given a couple of practice rounds, I could likely shoot a 42 on the front nine on a TPC course. Just sayin'.

It is to chortle.

Revisionisming

2011-05-12T09:03:00.000-04:00

Looks like Mike Huckleberry Hound has found a way to travel back in time and tell the real truth about what happened thirty years. Whew, that's a relief.

Seriously though...it's an actual website.

Birthday Girl

2011-05-09T10:07:00.005-04:00

D'oh! I missed Jack the Dog's birthday last week. He woulda been 18 this year!

It was also Bailey's 13 birthday this past weekend so I thought I'd post a picture of her (on top for you neophytes) as well for the auspicious occasion!

Torture

2011-05-09T08:20:00.003-04:00

I'm no big fan of The Ed Show. It's the other side of Faux News' filthy lucre as far as I can tell. However, Ed Schultz does occasionally bring some great guests on the show and Larry Wilkerson is no exception.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Rumsfeld is a War Criminal and should be prosecuted accordingly. Col. Wilkerson is entirely correct that waterboarding is torture and that Rummy, Doug Feith, David Addington, Wolfowitz, Cheney, John Yoo and the rest, including Chimpy, should be indicted, prosecuted and jailed.

Seve

2011-05-07T07:46:00.003-04:00

I saw that Seve Ballesteros died today. What a shame. For those of us of a certain age that love the game, he was a major force of our era.

His spirit will be greatly missed.

Recycling

2011-05-06T13:01:00.003-04:00

The Daily Show - To Kill a Mockingturd - Pakistani Intelligence
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

A friend emailed me a dead bin Laden joke yesterday...

A guy walks into a bar and says to the barkeep, "Hey buddy, gimme a bin Laden", The bartender replies, "I don't know that one, how's it made?". The guy replies, "It's two shots and a splash and it tastes like victory".

Now, those of you old newshounds, and yes, I'm looking right at you Brother Dave, might remember that this is nearly the same joke (save the victory part) that they used several years ago when Palestinian terrorists stormed the Achille Lauro, shot and killed an old man named Leon Klinghofer and then threw his body overboard.

In light of that recycled chesnut, I give you some of my favorite bon mots from the past several evenings of late night talk show humor once again proving that Jon Stewart and David Letterman have the more of the funnier writers in the bidness. I've obviously included the clip from TDS.

From Dave's monologue:

"It seems that there was a big mix-up on the 72 virgins things...turns out, it was 72 vegans".

And from the "Osama bin Laden's last words" Top Ten list of the same Late Night broadcast:

"I need a house full of Navy SEALs like I need a hole in the head."

And finally, a paraphrase from Mark Twain (he doesn't have a talk show):

"I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."

Friday Random Ten

2011-05-06T08:50:00.002-04:00

Baby Plays Around -- Elvis Costello
Pretty Girls -- Neko Case
Throughout -- Bill Frisell & Petra Hayden
Jackson -- Johnny Cash & June Carter
Colorado Girl -- Steve Earle
I'm A Mess -- Nick Lowe
Guiding Light -- Television
Temptation Waits -- Garbage
Don't Feel Right -- The Roots
Give Me Flowers When I'm Dead -- The Knitters

Bonus Dead bin Laden cut:

Humdrum -- Peter Gabriel

Playhouse Square

2011-05-05T09:45:00.002-04:00

Another fine reason to flee to the Cleve.

Tribe Time

2011-05-04T10:58:00.003-04:00

Let's see now...

Best record in baseball

Great stats in team hitting and pitching.

26th in Payroll.

I've always maintained (via a very funny George Carlin bit) that every time a batter comes to the plate, the PA announcer should inform the assembled faithful of each of the player's salaries versus their batting averages. Sure would make for a different dynamic at the ol' ballyard, eh?

Oh, and yeah, suck on that, Boston.

The Royals

2011-05-04T08:24:00.002-04:00

The Daily Show - Exclusive - The Wedding Banners Uncensored
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

I've been out of commission for the past coupla days sitting at the Bd. Of Elections answering phone calls from single helixed idiots.

Anyway, I missed TDS' coverage of the Royal wedding. Ahhh, sweet, sweet release...

Bin Laden

2011-05-02T07:47:00.003-04:00

Okay, so we got him. Now what?

The very first person I turned when I heard the news about Bin Laden this morning was Dr. Juan Cole and he, as usual, has proffered some vey wise words indeed.

Take the next 15 minutes to read his column of this morning. It is well worth your time.

Not only does Juan Cole provide an excellent historical perspective from which to view this monumental event, he really brings it home as to what the current U.S. president should immediately do to propel an already epic democratic shift in that part of the world into a collective global future. It's your move, Mr. Obama.

Trump

2011-04-30T08:07:00.003-04:00

So here's the deal with the Donald.

He knows exactly what he is doing and the G.O.P. and the ambulance chasers in the news outlets are falling for it like they often do.

Trump is a sham and a ruse. He doesn't believe one word of the Birther stuff he's been shouting about. Mark my words, once his television program has sailed off for the remainder of the season, you'll hear very little else from Trump. But what he has done in the meantime is hobble many, if not all, of the Republican candidates for the 2012 nomination.

We on the Left should be applauding him instead of taking the bait and playing the morally outraged voter. He's a scam machine and everyone who falls for his schtick is a patsy.

Take the video above as proof. If he really thought he could be a legitimate option for voters in the 2012 presidential race, there's NO WAY he'd be saying these things in a public forum.

Barnum meet Bailey.

Friday Random Ten

2011-04-29T22:40:00.003-04:00

We've had no electricity since Weds. morning hence the tardiness of the FRT. It just came back on this afternoon around 5:30.

I'll post some pictures of the GIANT tree that fell in the neighbor's yard that was the cause of the interuption in service. So, without further adieu, here's the ten just under the wire of Friday...

Message Of Love -- The Pretenders
Television Light -- Marshall Crenshaw
Staring At The Board -- Spoon
Karpet King -- Fountains Of Wayne
Noise Annoys -- The Buzzcocks
Low Down -- Tom Waits
King Penguin -- Home & Garden
Revolution Rock -- The Clash
Rex Kramer -- Gomez
Chump -- Green Day

Bonus Tribe Winning Streak Cut:

That's Amore -- Dean Martin

Bizzaro World

2011-04-27T07:52:00.003-04:00

Oh, sweet fancy Moses, you've GOT to be kidding me.

According to TBogg, it's for real...sigh.

Max Keiser

2011-04-26T18:12:00.001-04:00

Yes, he's entirely nutzoid, but I do love me some Max Keiser.

In this week's episode, Max and Stacy explain to us rubes how exatcly we're getting screwed by Goldman Sachs and little Timmy Geitner...again. Matt Taibbi stops by for some chat in the second half of this always lively 25 minutes. Try and watch it all. It's way over my head too, but Max is always worth the price of admission.

Poly Styrene

2011-04-26T13:00:00.004-04:00

X Ray Spex was one of those seminal English punk bands straight from the pages of NME that Sam and I loved back in late 1977. Poly Styrene was a true original and while this stuff may sound like senseless caterwauling to some of you, Oh Bondage! Up Yours! was a classic of the genre to many of us at the time.

Poly died yesterday at the ripe young age of 53.

And if you're keen on it, give a listen to the tune and tell me if you don't rightly agree that X Ray Spex was a direct link from the rather slick and cool glam rock of Roxy Music to the hardcore smash punk that followed in their wake. That's what I thought at the time anyway.

R.I.P. Poly Styrene.

Mr. Fish

2011-04-25T22:19:00.003-04:00

The one where the Easter Bunny finally gives up.

Friday Random Ten (Good Friday Edition)

2011-04-22T08:24:00.002-04:00

Home In My Hand -- Dave Edmunds
Just Another Perfect Day -- X
Tin Tin Por Tin Tin -- Joao Gilberto
Always Late With Your Kisses -- Dwight Yoakum
Help Me To Help Myself -- John Lennon
Underneath It All -- No Doubt
This Time's The Dream's On Me -- Charlie Parker
Diplomat's Son -- Vampire Weekend
Moment's Notice -- John Coltrane
Doorman -- Stereophonics

Bonus (nailed to the cross) cut:

Lady Day -- Lou Reed

Happy Anniversary

2011-04-21T15:29:00.003-04:00

I'm pleased and proud to announce that as of today, our marriage is of legal drinking age. We are celebrating our 21st wedding anniversary this evening, by, you guessed it, going out for cocktails.

Shocking, eh?

Here's a picture of the happy couple all duded up for your perusal and mirth making. And yes, I know...I'm one lucky fella.

Yee-haw

2011-04-21T14:54:00.003-04:00

Umm, yeah, this sure sounds like a great idea. Maybe Ohio can get that rocking Glock-35 before fuckin' Michigan steals the naming rights.

Gee, I sure am glad the pols in 'Merka have the citizens best interests at heart like creating jobs and such instead of wasting their time frivolously on dumb and dangerous symbolism...

Green Day

2011-04-20T08:28:00.002-04:00

Happy 4/20 everyone!

Here's some encouraging polling by which to enjoy that fine doobage.

Ted Rall

2011-04-19T14:49:00.002-04:00

Ted Rall, yet again, chronicling the cheap-ass, knock-off nightmare that today's America represents. Sigh...

Roger Ailes

2011-04-19T14:09:00.003-04:00

What a sad, sick fuck Roger Ailes is. Mr. Potter ain't got nothing on ol' Rog.

Mike Luckovich

2011-04-15T11:25:00.002-04:00

When the chips are down, ummmm, the chips are down.

Dennis!

2011-04-15T09:45:00.002-04:00

**
My favorite U.S. Rep. rips Darrel Issa and Gov. Walker (Dirtbag, WI) a new one over the legislation that breaks the backs of Union members.

Love that Kucinich!

**and yes, that IS a picture of Jello Biafra's t-shirt.

Friday Random Ten (Tax Day Edition)

2011-04-15T09:19:00.003-04:00

I hope my pony knows the way back home...

Don't Be Afraid -- Colin Hay
In Dreams -- Roy Orbison
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived -- Weezer
Pony -- Tom Waits
Under The Bridge -- Jill Sobule and John Doe
27th Ave Shuffle -- Foxboro Hot Tubs
Nina's Dance -- Tony Scott
Rich Man's War -- Steve Earle
I Should Of -- The Pretenders
Unholy Trinity -- The Who

Bonus 1040 Form cut:

Daddy's a Postman -- Graham Parker

Britt Daniel

2011-04-14T07:24:00.002-04:00

A quick musical timeout to wish my favorite songwriter of the current century a very happy and healthy 40th birthday.

Tiger Beat

2011-04-13T07:45:00.002-04:00

Another great from the world of fine literature has left our midst.

Round Numbers

2011-04-12T15:21:00.004-04:00

It's funny.

My car's odometer hit 104,000 miles this morning, and then, I just noticed a minute ago that the previous Juan Cole LMS entry was my 2,000 post to this austere window to the world. Round numbers.

So, here's to you, both of my loyal readers for sticking with me as I celebrate this anniversary of opining at the fantastic and moronic world around me.

I am the enemy of your happiness.

Juan Cole

2011-04-12T13:34:00.002-04:00

Juan Cole sums up things nicely as they relate to the draconian budget slashing going on in many of our States, most prominent in view in Wisconsin and Ohio.

Government is not bad. It builds your roads, funds your hospitals, pays your social security (the elderly were the poorest group in American in the 1920s, now they generally not so badly off, because of a government program), and could help solve global warming by building high speed rail and promoting green energy.

Corporations don’t do anything of that sort for you. Some of them are well-run and make things that improve lives. But many of them (as with industrial fishing) are destroying the species-wealth of the planet, or strip-mining it, or pumping enormous amounts of poisonous carbon into its atmosphere. Or they are ponzi schemes or modern-day slavers who get people deeply in debt and charge them usurious interest rates, turning them into serfs-for-the-lender.

If someone is charging you 22% interest, he should be in jail, not the recipient of the bulk of your paycheck. Government student loans allow young people potentially to avoid this sort of situation, which is one reason financiers want to destroy government and the whole idea of regulation. Ayn Rand is a recipe for turning the United States into one big Company Town, in which we are born indebted to the corporations and pass the debt on to our children. In contrast, government debt can goose the economy during downturns, is mostly owed to ourselves, and becomes smaller over time because of inflation; and if it weakens our currency slightly it would help exports.

Feel free to read the rest of his essay here.

The Buckeye State

2011-04-12T07:46:00.002-04:00

According to the Huffington Post It's a double word score today in Ohio...

We got this guy

And then we got this guy.

These flyover States are starting to get crabby. It's been a really long winter, folks.

Renaissance Men

2011-04-11T14:57:00.004-04:00

Ever since the Oscar telecast in February, so as to avoid any bad press to rub off on me, I've been keeping my middle aged man-crush for James Franco on the "down-low". Ahem.

Anyway, The Franco was given his due by Mr. Colbert this past week on The Report.

Here's the most excellent video of the first part of the episode in which JF is nearly the entire program.

James Franco was actually on hand to peddle his latest release, Your Highness, which, unlike these clips, is supposed to be really, really terrible.

Mr. Fish

2011-04-11T11:11:00.004-04:00

More contemporary art from Mr. Fish...

Matt Taibbi

2011-04-09T10:19:00.002-04:00

Brother Dave hipped me to this Matt Taibbi piece on right wing poster boy Paul Ryan.

Friday Random Ten

2011-04-08T07:16:00.002-04:00

New Fang -- Them Crooked Vultures
Everyday People -- Sly & The Family Stone
Not For You -- Pearl Jam
Venus -- Bananarama
Take The "A" Train -- Duke Ellington
Saint Simon -- The Shins
Substitute -- The Who
Concerto In E Flat For 2 Pianos, K365 - W.A. Mozart
Blue Room -- Chet Baker
(Just Like) Starting Over -- John Lennon

Bonusey-bonus:

Is Love Forever -- Spoon

Mrs. James

2011-04-07T20:49:00.004-04:00

...is taking her talents to the drunk tank.

Evidently, LeMom seems to have a bit of a problem in the booze department. Oh, the things we do at 5:00 a.m.

Too bad too. It would have been a triple word score in Bob-town today if LeBron's mom was blind dunk and slapping the valet help; the Tribe swept the most hated team in baseball and, lastly, well, (this one didn't quite pan out), Tiger shot a high score in the first round of the Masters.

Oh well, Schadenfreude rules anyway.

Glenn Beck

2011-04-07T09:55:00.005-04:00

The Daily Show
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Well, faithful readers of this screed had to know that I would commemorate the announcement of Glenn's departure from Faux News with a video, picto-graph or pithy bon mot.

I've searched long and hard and have decided to leave my homage up to the effervescent Lewis Black from a year or so ago and one of his funniest rants ever.

Ladies and Gents, I give you Nazi Tourettes...

Animal House Redux

2011-04-07T08:02:00.004-04:00

To the chagrin of my big brother, I will now invoke the nom de tool, T-Paw.

T-paw can't be too happy about his staffers scaring the voters in Iowa. Try some flyers and doughnuts next time, sonny.

(Wow, that's two Kent Dorfman references in nearly as many days! I'm on fire, bitches)

Two of my fave dudes

2011-04-06T09:38:00.003-04:00

Both brilliant and equally filled with truthiness, my friends Lance Mannion and the ever insightful darkblack have weighed in this morning on the latest saviour of Red State 'Merka, Rep. Paul Ryan.

Lance gives it to you straight, no chaser and darkblack, well, his entry, as evidenced above, is more of a graphical interpretive dance number. Either way, it's another day of busy chronicling the ever quickening decline of a place we once referred to as the United States of Awesome.

BTW, what the fuck is with Wisconsin that they churning out these right wing tools? Dave?...little help here.

Faraway Eyes

2011-04-05T12:03:00.001-04:00

Great video from when The Stones still mattered.

(tip of the stetson to my pal, Sandy Underpants, over at The Aristocrats)

TBogg

2011-04-05T08:14:00.002-04:00

The master of the innertubes snark does it again.

It's a legacy pledge thang.