End Times

Mr. Kunstler is baying at the moon again this New Year's Eve and it's worth the ride so saddle up and give him 10 minutes of your time. He may seem like he's completely whacked out of his skull but the crazy MF sure can string together a sentence.

Brother Dave went to see him lecture in Appleton this Fall and said that he was a stone cold a-hole in person which I don't doubt.

However, regardless of his recurring Chicken Little themes, I dig the way he writes and having been a closet anarchist most of my sentient life, I kind of want to watch the meltdown of this American society from a front row seat. Even if he's a just a little bit correct on a few of his prognostications, we're all in it up to our pie-holes.

And so gentle readers, enjoy yourself...it's later than you think. Now, I wouldn't encourage a full on GG Allin routine just yet, but go out tonite and have cocktail or eight and a nice dinner.

You may not pass this way again anytime soon.

A Happy New Year's greeting from two of the friendliest dogs you're ever likely to meet...

Pinter of my discontent

Man, sometimes I wish I still lived in the city. Even though my personal jury is still out on Ian McShane's acting...I'd love to go see this bad boy.

Tom Waits

Sweeney Todd

Okay, so I'll admit to being both a big Tim Burton fan as well as a ardent Sondheim devotee. I've loved Sweeney Todd since I first heard the original cast album and saw Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Lovett on my first ever trip to NYC.

However, as much as I really wanted to dig the new film version, nothing prepared me for how marvelous it is. Depp is great, Helena Bonham Carter is brilliant as Mrs. Lovett and the overall Burtonesque feel of the film is spot on.

My Christmas morning recommendation to all you LM Soupers out there is to run, not walk, to the nearest cinema show and GO SEE THIS MOVIE. If you're not familiar with this musical event, be prepared for the fact that there is very little dialogue; that it's nearly an opera and, in the grand guignol tradition of graphic violence, it's terribly bloody.

It's the first time in a long while that both myself and the missus walked out of a film proclaiming sheer joy at the thing that we had just seen and vowed that when it's released on DVD, we're procuring a copy for ourselves...

Friday random Ten

Today is the last day on the job. Almost nine years on this gig. A strange mix of fear and elation is the prevailing mood du jour.

Regardless, let's rock, eh?...

Doesn't Remind Me--Audioslave
Don't Make Me A Target--Spoon
Balaclava--Arctic Monkeys
Mr. Jelly Roll Baker--Leon Redbone
For Your Pleasure--Roxy Music
Did Ye Get Healed?--Van Morrison
The Way You Move--Outkast
Motorcycle--Iggy Pop
Things That Scare Me--Neko Case
On The Bus Mall--The Decemberists

Well, golleeee...

Man, that DarkBlack is a wild ride.

Zappadan

Remember, tomorrow is the last day of Zappadan. Go home tonight and crank up Zombie Woof.

I mean it.

They put the "fun" in Fundie

I don't often link to David Neiwert over at Orcinus 'cause the posts over there can be reeeallll loooong. This one by the ever brilliant Sara Robinson is right on the money and can be digested quickly.

Go forth and read the truth about the dark side of the 'Murkan psyche...

And a Chimpy New Year

Steve Bell has been hanging around the White House.

Bill Hicks

If you're seeking an excellent profile on the man, look no further than here...written by the son of Bert Lahr, no less.

Like the corners of my mind...

There are memories, and then there are memories. I found this piece out on the innertubes today.

Wow. Sam and I were at this show that night and it was an amazing event. Cooper might have been there too, I forget now. Tickets were $4.50.

I, of course, remember it being a much better performance than the guy who wrote the article but that's a Melody Maker columnist for ya. Instead of the Lester Bangs model, they always seemed like a bunch of panty-waist twats to me.

Anyhow, a pretty cool walk into my increasingly distant past.

Friday Random Ten

The Government Darling--Spoon
Fear Of Sleep--The Strokes
The Good Time Are Killing Me--Modest Mouse
The Mariner's Revenge Song--The Decemberists
Sweet Hitch-Hiker--Creedence Clearwater Revival
My Back Pages--The Hollies
All On A Misty Morning--Paul Weller
Runnin' Out Of Fools--Neko Case
Bottom Of The World--Tom Waits
Tennessee Blues--Steve Earle

Bonus Track:

Slippin' And Slidin'--Little Richard (woooo!)

I don't make monkeys...I train 'em!

Here's some good news on a cold and rainy day.

Meka-leka-hi-meka-hiney-ho, y'all.

FZ Daze

Oh, and don't forget everyone, we're nearly at the apogee of Zappadan. Do it like a poodle for Frank.

How 'bout you, Fauna...you wanna?

Dear God

Ever wondered how I feel in general about religion?...

As the redneck said to his drunk friends, watch this.

Norah Jones - My Dear Country

Best Band in the Land

I just heard on WCLV this morning that today is the anniversary of the first ever concert of the Cleveland Orchestra.

What a treat it is to live here and know that these wonderful musicians are our own local treasure.

Ooooooooohhhhhmmmmmmmm

This has got me feeling pretty Zen, er, I mean ZENN.

Watch the vid with Rick Mercer of "This Hour has 22 Minutes" fame. He's pretty funny. Kind of a Canadian mashup of Conan and Bill Maher

Really cool stuff, eh? And they even have a dealership here in Ohio.

Aha!

I knew that they were smart all along . I always wondered how come we pick up their poop for them.

I mean, c'mon, that's just diabolically clever doncha think?

Yeah, but, what about the Dow Jones?...

Oh, not to worry, it's back up again this month. But under any circumstances, remember, pay no attention to the gun nutz.

And as always, "Guns don't kill people...people with guns kill people"...

More Music

Here's the first of the ubiquitous "Best of 2007" lists of the season. Pretty darn good selections, too.

I'll have to doctor up a list of my own, but I'm pretty sure I will stick by my choice from March for Numero Uno regardless.

Grains of goodness

Brother Dave sent me this link the other day. It's fun to play and helps to battle world hunger. Of course that's only for those of you who still believe that the U.N isn't a dinosaur...

Friday Random Ten

Howdy all 4 of you Loud Mouth Soupers out there!

Sorry that I've so negligent in posting of late but between a nasty head cold over the Thanksgiving holiday and an extraordinary volume of stuff to do at work as the impending closing of my office looms at the end of December, I've been overwhelmed with other concerns.

So, now we've dispatched with the obligatory pleasantries, here's the fuckin' ten...

No Shit--Iggy Pop
Julia--The Beatles
See No Evil--Television
Just One Victory--Todd Rundgren
Quincy Punk Episode--Spoon
My Style--Black Eyed Peas
Untouchable--Glenn Tilbrook
Walking Spanish--Tom Waits
Dead And Lovely--Tom Waits
Fire Island--Fountains Of Wayne

Beantown paradox

And in the "careful what you wish for" department, I present this little nugget from Salon. Would it were that we in Cleveburg could suffer from such a wealth of riches.

And yeah, in case you're wondering, I'm getting a lot of stuff done at work today...right.

News Flash

Ummm, may I be the first to say, no shit, Sherlock?

Oh, and although this is a diatribe railing against the methodologies employed by Big Brother in the U.K., the echoes ring quite loudly here in the Colonies as well.

That said, if you're traveling this week for the Holidays, have ever so much fun.

Good news

We're cautiously optimistic here in the Cleve this morning. Let's hope this isn't another in a long line of community disappointments.

Seriously, I'm still patiently waiting for the Dutch Ferry service to Ontario...oh well, let's keep our confidence high. This company moving here would be a really good thing.

Who would Jesus bang?

I figure I could pretty much spend the rest of my waking days reading about hypocritical wads of fuck that fleece the sheep with their self righteous sinnin' and reporting it back to you guys who read this dreck, but I got stuff to do too.

That said, this lot seem to have been on the downward slide for some time now, but isn't it the same story over and over and over? My goodness, why would anyone trust anybody these days who was preaching religion even a single day longer?

I mean really, if you get kicked enough in the grapes, when exactly do you shout, "Ow, my Balls", and decide that you've had enough.

The oft misquoted Karl Marx saying goes:

Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

...sounds about right to me.

Friday Random Ten

Lady Day--Lou Reed
Towers Of London--XTC
Lost Ones--Lauryn Hill
Dance Hall--Modest Mouse
Glory Of War--The Redwalls
Love Is Innocent--Colin Hay
What You Are--Dave Matthews Band
Two Shoes--Cat Empire
Something To Look Forward To--Spoon
Super Goo--The Cramps

Pro and Con

Here's some clever new ads from John Podesta's Think Progress site which help to define what a "Progressive" is. Go watch 'em.

Sounds about right to me.

A Festivus for...

...those of us who revere Frank.

My pals over at The Aristocrats have created a whole new seasonal festival that really speaks to me.

It's called Zappadan and I for one, will be celebrating the entire fortnight with daily listenings of FZ's muzak. While I await a potential sighting of some zircon encrusted tweezers I welcome anyone who is so inclined to come over and join me in the library/man cave in Fairview Park to celebrate BummerNacht.

And remember, as always, Knirps for moisture.

It's not easy being green

Here's a great post from my pals over at WhiskeyFire. Nick, you oughta like this one...

Mon Dieu!

Steve Bell weighs in on the new French President's visit last week with the Chimperor. Ouch.

The companion piece in the Guardian is also spot on...do go give it the once over.

Ho, Ho, NO!!!!

I was just barking to anyone within earshot the other night about how every year we're steeped in the Holiday craze earlier and earlier. Gentle reader, Tim sent me a link to the new Morgan Spurlock film set for release on the 16th of this month.

If you're not familiar with the work of Reverend Billy go here.

If you'd like to see a trailer of the upcoming film, go here.

Friday Random Ten

There's a new sensation
A fabulous creation
A danceable solution
To teenage revolution

I Wish You Could Have Seen Her Dance--T Bone Burnett
I'll Be Back--The Beatles
The Fever--The Von Bondies
Hello There--Cheap Trick
The Call Of The Wreckin' Ball--X
Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart--Nick Lowe
My Goodness--The John Doe Thing
Heigh Ho--Tom Waits
Joe Rey--Fountains Of Wayne
Tango Till They're Sore--Tom Waits

Bonus cut:

Do The Strand--Roxy Music

MTSS

Check out this link. These kids are durn funny.

Dennis!

You know how they always joke about how great actors, Richard Burton perhaps, could enthrall an audience by just reading the phone book?

That's exactly how much I love listening to my Congressional Representative, the Hon. Dennis Kucinich, read his article of impeachment against the current Vice President.

Fuckin' A.

Friday Random Ten

Why Don't You Come Over--Garbage
Flame On--The Iguanas
Laser Show--Fountains of Wayne
The Tourist--Ray Davies
Learn To Fly--Foo Fighters
Freaky Black Greetings--Mos Def
Sea Of Love--Tom Waits
Lost Ones--Lauryn Hill
The Dark Of the Matinee--Franz Ferdinand
A Lonely Man--T Bone Burnett

Mad to the Max

Max Blumenthal is one brave hombre. Would it were that we all had his courage.

Beware, at about the 5:55 mark in the clip there's a

Phyllis Schlafly siting. I'd advise you to look away before she comes on the screen in order to prevent yourself from turning into a pillar of salt, a gingerbread man or some kind of a wart covered toad.

I'm not kidding either, she's entirely capable of such tricks with her Xtian "dark arts".

Ooooohhhh...scary

Tom Tomorrow takes the cake.

Green, Green Grass of Home

Porter Wagoner dead at 80. I wonder what the radioactive shelf life of those suits is believed to be?...

Balloon Juice

That's right, John. Not, Juan Cole.

Mad about Mahmoud

Morning everyone.

Oh, and my favorite quote from the piece?...

President Vladimir Putin last week compared Bush's behaviour towards Iran with that of a madman "running about with a razor blade in his hand".

Ring Toss

Get a ringer, win a giant purple monkey.

Funny...as the right side of the page fills up, the disconnect between named candidate and Bob grows substantially. Huh. Whouda thunk it? And even stranger, the only person I'm in agreement with on Iraq is Sam Brownback. WTF?

My results are as follows...

Dennis Kucinich Score: 45	Agree Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage Death Penalty	Disagree Iraq Abortion
Chris Dodd Score: 40 Video	Agree Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage Death Penalty	Disagree Iraq Immigration Abortion
John Edwards Score: 37 Video	Agree Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Energy Marriage	Disagree Iraq Abortion Line-Item Veto Death Penalty
Barack Obama Score: 35 Video	Agree Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage	Disagree Iraq Immigration Abortion Death Penalty
Hillary Clinton Score: 35	Agree Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage	Disagree Iraq Immigration Abortion Death Penalty
Mike Gravel Score: 34	Agree Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Marriage Death Penalty	Disagree Iraq Immigration Abortion Line-Item Veto Energy
Bill Richardson Score: 34 Video	Agree Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Marriage	Disagree Iraq Abortion Line-Item Veto Energy Death Penalty
Joe Biden Score: 25	Agree Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Energy Marriage	Disagree Iraq Immigration Abortion Social Security Line-Item Veto Death Penalty
Ron Paul Score: 21	Agree Abortion Social Security Line-Item Veto Marriage Death Penalty	Disagree Iraq Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Energy
Rudy Giuliani Score: 19	Agree Immigration Stem-Cell Research Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage	Disagree Iraq Taxes Health Care Abortion Social Security Death Penalty
Sam Brownback Score: 18	Agree Iraq Abortion Energy Death Penalty	Disagree Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Marriage
Mitt Romney Score: 8	Agree Stem-Cell Research Energy	Disagree Iraq Immigration Taxes Health Care Abortion Social Security Line-Item Veto Marriage Death Penalty
Mike Huckabee Score: 8 Video	Agree Immigration Abortion	Disagree Iraq Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage Death Penalty
John McCain Score: 6	Agree Abortion Marriage	Disagree Iraq Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Death Penalty
Duncan Hunter Score: 6	Agree Abortion Energy	Disagree Iraq Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Marriage Death Penalty
Jim Gilmore Score: 3	Agree Energy	Disagree Iraq Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Abortion Social Security Line-Item Veto Marriage Death Penalty
Tom Tancredo Score: 3	Agree Abortion	Disagree Iraq Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage Death Penalty
Fred Thompson Score: 3	Agree Abortion	Disagree Iraq Immigration Taxes Stem-Cell Research Health Care Social Security Line-Item Veto Energy Marriage Death Penalty

Go Green

Harnessing alternate sources of energy isn't just the right thing to do, it turns out it's also a very humanitarian act as well...

Go here for proof.

The truth hurts

Especially when it's coming from the brain of this guy.

Ladies and Germs, I give you Paul Craig Roberts.

We should all print this and hand it out to the sleepy strangers that inhabit our nation. Now if I can only figure out a way to tear them away from their CinnaBons and cell phones.

Friday Random Ten

No man born with a living soul
Can be working for the clampdown
Kick over the wall 'cause government's to fall
How can you refuse it?
Let fury have the hour, anger can be power
D'you know that you can use it?

Wake Up Dead Man--U2
Intimate Secretary--The Raconteurs
Time Is On My Side--Rolling Stones
Staring At The Board--Spoon
Audio Delite At Low Fidelity--Black Eyed Peas
Let's Get Out OF This Country--Camera Obscura
The False Contender--Camera Obscura
Hey Baby--No Doubt
The Soldiering Life--The Decemberists
Gideon--My Morning Jacket

Uno mas:

Clampdown--The Clash

TED

Ted Rall continues to tilt at windmills.

Return of BB

Just a short note to announce that Baghdad Burning is back on line.

She's such a brave girl and a fine writer to boot. Go back and read some of her accounts over the past few years and help to hope for her and of those innocents that their lives may now be measurably more tolerable now that they've fled from the sovereign nation we so blindly invaded.

How's that for a run on sentence?...

Just one more

Sorry. I couldn't resist this story. I'm done. I promise. No more Tribe stuff.

Last Tribe reference for the year

Now that the Indians are done for the season, I can go back to my former most active pastime of hating on the Cheney Administration.

Armageddon is all the rage this season.

Scott Ritter has all the reasons why Bush is the "new black" this Fall.

Oh, and by the way...

...Go Red Sox!

But Bob, why should I cheer for the Red Sox when they just gutted your homeboys? Here's why. The Colorado Rockies believe themselves to be touched by G-D hisself.

Christ on toast, what a world.

Crestfallen

Hey, wasn't "Crestfallen" one of those night time soap operas with Blake Carrington or something?

Never mind.

No, I'm talking about the Tribe here. Words fail me. So did C.C. and Carmona. And so with pain comes wisdom and insight. They're a really good team that defied gravity most of the year. They unfortunately collapsed under the strain I think. They'll examine what they did and improve on it. Tribe will be back and stronger for it.

Think about it Cleveland, we've got two outstanding contenders for the next few years in both basketball and baseball. Something has got to give right? Right?

Hooray for Sports.

Thanks for the fun season. Go Tribe. Sniff.

Wolcott

Nice link from Big Jim on the memorial service last week for Hilly Kristal. The author of the piece is Mary Harron who has made three films.

Personally, I think Christian Bales' performance in American Psycho should be awarded every accolade imaginable. Go rent that movie.

Friday Random Ten

Long as I Can See The Light--Creedence Clearwater
Slow Hands--Interpol
In This House That I Call Home--X
On Top--The Killers
The Deepest Blues Are Black--Foo Fighters
Everything Is Everything--Lauryn Hill
Steam Engenius--Modest Mouse
Roads--Portishead
Taking Up Space--Cave Dogs
Why Don't You Love Me--Hank Williams

A'hm too sexy for my...

...rubberized wet suits?

Yeah, that's right, wet suits. Y'all may or may not have heard about this one already.
Check out yet another fethishized overly righteous Repugnican. Words fail me. Then again, all you have to do is check out the web site and it becomes terribly apparent what makes these Alabammy X-tians swoon.

Surprise Random Guest Appearance Tuesday Ten

Some samplin' from cuz'n Jeff in North Ridgeville...

Erin McKeown--To The Stars

Gomez--Up On Cripple Creek

Al Kooper--My Hands Are Tied

Ben Harper--Blessed To Be A Witness

Diana Krall--I’m An Errand Girl For Rhythm

Sloan--Who Taught You To Live Like That?

Kirsty MacColl--Titanic Days

Nick Lowe--Hope For Us All

Matthew Sweet--The Ocean In Between

NRBQ--Things We Like To Do

Friday Random Ten

Ashes of American Flags--Wilco
Final Grade--Bon Savants
Gentle Hum--The Finn Brothers
Ruby Tuesday--Rolling Stones
Wondering--Dirty Pretty Things
P Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)--Parliament
Beat Surrender--The Jam
Give 'Em Hell Kid--My Chemical Romance
Yellow--Petra Hayden
EMI--Sex Pistols

They Say it's Your Birthday

John would be 67 today.

Say what you will about Yoko, she loved him very much. How else to explain her push to complete this very cool project.

Dennis Kucinich is even on the Peace Tower website.

Yoko still looks damn good by the way.

She's 74 herself.

The Other, Other White Meat

This wouldn't be quite so alarming if it weren't posted on his own website. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I give you....

America's Favorite Junkie