Album Review of the Year (so far)

Tuesday, January 31 2012 @ 12:11 PM EST

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 702

If you're not aware of the drunken-punchup equivalent that is the story of Lana Del Rey, Spin.com will bring you up to speed. The review is hilarious.

"Bob Dylan" is not his real name. The "Ramones" were not related. "Sun Ra" was from Alabama, not Saturn. The Strokes' dads are not plumbers. "Rick Ross"… look, we don't have time for this. Yes, Internet, and God bless you for devoting most of the past half-year exclusively to pointing this out, Lana Del Rey is a pose, a persona, a version 2.0, at least, the contrivance of a messy, wayward, unformed, aspiring pop star rummaging through closets and clutching at borrowed pearls. Desperate to be what she thinks you want her to be. Calculated, malleable, untrustworthy, fumbling indelicately for "her" voice or a voice that's "real." As the Bard wrote: "I can change / I can change / I can change / I can change / If it makes you fall in love."

Eat it, Lizzy Grant. We got you. We cracked the code. Consider youself chastised. Feel free now, Internet, to go back to what you were doing before, i.e. subjecting to withering skepticism and operatic disdain the alleged authenticity of every scrap of music ever created by every human being seeking a modicum of public approval, ever, with the possible exception of Fugazi.

Calm down.

And if you're not familiar with the Continuing Saga of Lana Del Rey, here's some background material. Go read up.

'The End Of Truth'

Thursday, January 12 2012 @ 07:06 PM EST

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 796

Two Pierce links in two days - so sue me.

This is probably the most accurate assessment of the state of print media I think I've ever read. A sample:

Newspapers today are run by terrified beancounters. The industry is dying. They know it. They are casting about for any strategy to delay the inevitable and, personally, they are casting about for any parachute they can find. The beancounters owe their primary allegiance to "the company," and not to the reporter in the field. The beancounter editors and sub-editors at many — if not most — major newspapers and broadcast outlets would sell their grandmothers to the Somali pirates for a bigger office and two steps further up the masthead, which will get them closer to where the parachutes are kept. Most newspapers — most especially, the New York Times — have forced upon their reporters what are called "ethics codes," but which, in reality, are speech codes written to prevent the beancounters and careerists from having to answer angry phone calls from wingnuts. I am not kidding — under some of these abominations, a reporter literally could be disciplined for spouting off about, say, Willard Romney in a bar, if someone heard the reporter, and called the beancounter to complain. The campaign buses are filled now with young reporters who know full well that, given sufficient pressure from either inside or outside "the company," their bosses do not have their backs.

Yeah, you want to go read it all.

If you don't read Charles Pierce...

Wednesday, January 11 2012 @ 12:23 PM EST

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 825

you should. Here's a sample of the brilliance.

It is an altogether appalling spiel. The old, iron millionnaires knew how to talk to the proles. They built libraries while they busted the unions. They planted trees and developed parkland while they bought the legislatures and sublet the courts. And out of all of that we got cars and planes and television sets and an ambitious middle class that demanded political power and succeeded in wresting it away. Now, we have a class of plutocrats who create nothing, but who move wealth around, and they are demanding a return to the days of unaccountable corporate royalism. Willard's entire campaign is based on the notion that we are all in that effort together, even the people who are most likely to get ground up in it. A wink and a nod, and most of us become beggars to our own demise. It used to be that the corporate powers behind modern conservatism had to use misdirection to fool people into voting against their own economic interests. Willard doesn't want to work that hard. Instead, he's going to assert repeatedly that his interests and ours are the very same — that we're all in this great American adventure together. Some of us just have to make the trip in steerage, that's all. Sorry, sport.

I've been on a long search for the heir to Hunter S. Thompson. Pierce may very well be it, minus the firearms and indiscriminate drug use.

Randall Terry is one creepy, greusome motherfucker. Just sayin'.

Wednesday, January 11 2012 @ 11:45 AM EST

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 769

Yeah, Super Bowl fans will really enjoy this while enjoying their large bowls of pico de gallo and chips.

Who do you think is going to win the Super Bowl this year? The Green Bay Packers? The Patriots? Tim Tebow cloned a bunch of times playing against an entire other team of Tim Tebows? Wrong, wrong and wrong. The winner of the Super Bowl this year is Randall Terry. The pro-life zealot has won the right to air graphic anti-abortion ads featuring images of fetal remains during this year's Big Game, and there's nothing you or I can do about it.

New required equipment for this year's Super Bowl - barf bags for everybody, just in case.

'Soul Of A People:' The More Things Change...

Tuesday, January 03 2012 @ 01:47 PM EST

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 842

Kelly and I watched 'Soul Of A People: Writing America's Story on the Smithsonian Channel the other night, and I heartily recommend it. It tells about the WPA Writers' Project - a very controversial project at the time, which employed writers who became some of America's greatest writers.

The really interesting part was the sub-plot involving the House Un-American Activities Committee headed by a Texas House Member named Martin Dies, Jr. Along with HUAC's attempts to de-fund the project, the media of the day also did their part, and we were struck by how similar the coverage was to Fox News' coverage of stories they don't like nowadays. The take-away for me is that the media has been running the same goddamn game since the Forties.

If you have a chance, be sure and watch this show. Highly recommended by yours truly.

The Blogosphere gets weird.

Tuesday, January 03 2012 @ 10:29 AM EST

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 883

I'll be the first to admit that I haven't been paying much attention to anybody else's blog, not to mention my own. You've already seen the list of reasons for that, but that's not why I'm posting today.

I'm watching the equivalent of a drunken barroom brawl between Angry Black Lady and Glenn Greenwald (background here and here). While it holds a certain amount of trainwreck-type appeal, it illustrates perfectly the problems that the Democratic party faces going into the 2012 elections - and the central argument of whether Barack Obama is the perfect liberal that people wanted or expected him to be.

Short answer - he's not. And anyone who expected him to be a perfect liberal were expecting way too much, given the toxic atmosphere of politics in the early 21st century.

There's a certain advantage in watching these things from a safe distance, but it's still sort of depressing to watch them when placed in the context of the problems that Obama already faces going into re-election mode.

Anyway. First post of the new year, yada yada. Happy New Year to the 3 or 4 people who might actually read this. Who ya got in the Iowa Klown Kar Death Match?

Sure, NOW you tell us.

Wednesday, October 05 2011 @ 04:46 PM EDT

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 1,361

Top McCain aide: 'Sure, she showed signs of being completely nuts, but she drove our poll numbers up.'

Said Wallace: "The idea of a mentally ill vice president who suffers in complete isolation was obviously sparked by the behaviors I witnessed by Sarah Palin. What if somebody who was ill-equipped for the office were to ascend to the presidency or vice presidency? What would they do? How long would it take for people to figure it out? I became consumed by this question."

"Palin vacillated between extraordinary highs on the campaign stage -- she ignited more enthusiasm than our side had seen at any other point -- to debilitating lows. She was often withdrawn, uncommunicative and incapable of performing even the most basic tasks required of her job as McCain's running mate... There certainly were discussions -- not for long because of the arc the campaign took -- but certainly there were discussions about whether, if they were to win, it would be appropriate for her to be sworn in."

There's your modern GOP in a nutshell - willing to subject the country to either a bugfuck-insane VP or a nasty Constitutional issue, all in the name of winning an election.

How the fuck does Nicolle Wallace - or John McCain, for that matter - sleep at night?

Who has made me your enemy?

Tuesday, September 27 2011 @ 11:17 AM EDT

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 1,391

This post comes about as a result of an email, a Facebook post, and the reaction of a family member.

I got the email early yesterday afternoon - one of those 'FW;FW;FW:' jobs entitled 'The Grey-Haired Brigade.' The jist of the email was that Old People, back in the day, saved the American Way Of Life, saluted the flag and know the words to the Pledge of Allegiance, and those young ingrate Obama voters have gone and pissed it all away. I usually just delete crap like that, but for some reason I peeked at this one, and it set me off. The part that got me pissed went something like this (emphasis added for the parts that really ticked me):

We have loved this country, fought for it, and died for it, and now we are going to save it. It is our country and nobody is going to take it away from us! We took oaths to defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that is an oath we plan to keep. There are those who want to destroy this land we love but, like our founders, there is no way we are going to remain silent.

It was the young people of this nation who elected Obama and the Democratic Congress. You fell for the "Hope and Change" which in reality was nothing but "Hype and Lies." You have tasted socialism and seen evil face to face, and have found you don't like it after all. You make a lot of noise, but most are all too interested in their careers or "Climbing the Social Ladder" to be involved in such mundane things as patriotism and voting. Many of those who fell for the "Great Lie" in 2008 are now having buyer's remorse. With all the education we gave you, you didn't have sense enough to see through the lies and instead drank the 'Cool-Aid.' Now you're paying the price and complaining about it. No jobs, lost mortgages, higher taxes, and less freedom. This is what you voted for and this is what you got. We entrusted you with the Torch of Liberty and you traded it for a paycheck and a fancy house.

And it only got worse from there - this part in particular:

Well, don't worry youngsters, the Grey Haired Brigade is here, and in 2012 we are going to take back our nation! We may drive a little slower than you would like but we get where we're going, and in 2012 we're going to the polls by the millions. This land does not belong to the man in the White House nor to the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. It belongs to "We the People" and "We the People" plan to reclaim our land and our freedom.

I felt my blood pressure going up as I read this, as I realized that the sender of the letter considered me - a part of her own family, no less - as part of a group who 'drank the cool-aid' and put a big house over knowing the words to the Pledge of Alliegance, or something (for the record, I do know those words, but that's apparently not enough to keep me out of that group who the Geezers are going to have to save, riding to the rescue on their (Medicare-financed) Hoverounds).

Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that I have more than my share of grey hairs. The difference between myself and whoever wrote this email is that I don't see myself as a self-appointed savior of the American Way Of Life. I'm just an old dude who plays guitar and believes what I believe, and I've got no problem with 'live and let live,' either. I'm just an old liberal who is proud of being an old liberal.

Then a few minutes later, I get another email - this one from another family member, who felt the need to yell at my dirty kind like this:

I agree with you, yes we may be a slower and not able as well, but we can make it to the poles (sic) in 2012, so come on ll you who helped make this Country what it was before the BIG CHANGE lead us down the wrong road to socialism. Get with it gang.....DO YOU LOVE THIS COUNTRY.....

I looked at the email in disbelief, as it dawned on me that at least two of my own family members consider me - their little brother, for cryin' out loud - as part of that dirty crowd who voted for Socialism and forgetting the words to the Pledge of Alliegance. Or something.

Well, that tore it. I hit 'reply all' and sent back this to everyone in the address bar:

Do NOT send me this stuff any more.

I disagree profoundly with many of you about a lot of what’s in this email. I am a proud Democrat and will go to my grave a proud Democrat.

SCREW this ‘Socialism and evil’ garbage. It is wrong, and you are wrong for referring to a duly elected government of the United States in such a manner.

I want no part of these emails. Take me off your forward lists, because these types of emails are so wrong it’s an embarrassment.

And save your Tea Party rhetoric. They are the problem, whether you see it or not.

So I went on Facebook and posted pretty much the same message there. That set off yet another wave of invective from the 'DO YOU LOVE AMERICA' family member. That little exchange culminated in this little gem being posted...

Your (sic) that one that is taking AMERICA AWAY FROM ME>>>>>>>>>

Now without going into too much detail, let's say I've helped this family member out financially a number of times and have never asked for anything in return - not even asking for repayment of the money. I just consider it the good liberal thing to do - take care of family members who need it. The godly, Christian thing to do, if you will.

And here I am, being scolded by this family member who I've never hesitated to extend a hand to if it was needed, and being told that I'm 'taking America away from her.

Good. Fucking. Grief.

So I responded, keeping it general, reminding this family member that this house has never shied from the good works of charity. And I asked a question that I do not expect an answer to, but I had to ask in hopes it will make my family think a little bit about what they're accusing me of. The question was this:

Who has made me your enemy?

I plan on using that question quite a bit in the future, because I have the feeling that my days of being accused of Stealing Freedom from Those Who Are More American Than Me are nowhere near over. Feel free to use it yourselves if you want. It's a good question, and maybe it'll make people think of what the fuck they're saying.

Strange bedfellows.

Wednesday, September 14 2011 @ 01:27 PM EDT

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 1,431

I'm wondering how this story will sit with the Palin-bots...

The National Enquirer is reporting that former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, a former high school basketball standout herself, hooked up with former NBA star Glen Rice in 1987.

The dalliance occurred when he was in Anchorage, Alaska, for a basketball tournament with the Michigan Wolverines.

Publishing sources familiar with the contents of author Joe McGinniss’ book “The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin” have revealed shocking secrets about Palin including the report of her short relationship with Rice.

At the time, Sarah Heath was just out of college and was a budding sports reporter for Anchorage television station KTUU.

In the book, Rice confirmed to McGinniss it was a one-night stand.

It'll be interesting to see how the First Dude will react as well.

My back is strong, but it's a-hurtin'

Wednesday, September 14 2011 @ 11:01 AM EDT

Contributed by: Stranger

Views: 1,520

Texas Monthly's Paul Burka noticed something about Rick Perry at the Big Debate the other night.

Perry was clearly off his game during the tea party debate. He looked uncomfortable, his face was strained, his combativeness was muted. He looked to me like a man with back pain. I wondered if he were wearing a brace. I’ve had back surgery, and it hurt to watch him.

[...]

He just wasn’t presidential. He was low-energy and the feistiness wasn’t there. That’s why I’m wondering whether the back operation didn’t go well, or whether he got irked because Bachmann got to his right on the HPV issue. Another explanation could be that Perry has been around so long and has been so successful in politics that our expectations are high, and they are hard to meet. He just didn’t seem presidential, and I think the reason was that he was hurting.

[...]

The big question mark for me is Perry’s health. Tonight was one of those rare moments when the camera didn’t love him. He has plenty of time to get back on his game, assuming that his physical condition holds up. But I am beginning to wonder whether he will have the stamina to hold up to the demands of a grueling campaign if his back is injured. For now, that’s just as big a threat as Romney is.

An interesting angle. As someone who was treated for a bad back a few years ago, I know that a constant, low-level pain can rob you of your ability to concentrate and your ability to engage in activities as simple as walking from one spot to another.

Will Perry be able to withstand the rigors of a long campaign? Good question.

(Note: Since I saw this story over at Balloon Juice, I figured I'd indulge in their custom of naming the post with song lyrics.)