The Buckeye State

This item is all over the innertubes this morning.

That's right folks, it's hillbilly heaven here in Ohio with ingenious folks such as this guy.

Something like a phenomenon

It's freakin' snugtastic...

Iz ken spelle

Via Crooks and Liars, here's a snapshot of one of those clever little "tea parties" the wingntz have been throwing of late these days. I guess this photo will supplant that "moran" guy for a while as evidence that the evolutionary gene is dormant in those that lean to the right.

Friday Random Ten

Precious -- Annie Lennox
On The Run -- Pink Floyd
Really -- Nellie McKay
Laughing -- Pere Ubu
Rebel Music -- Wyclef Jean
Old Enough -- Nellie McKay
Easy Goin' Sunday -- The Knitters
Let Me In -- Hot Hot Heat
Falling Down -- Oasis
Buzz Buzz -- The Brian Setzer Orchestra

Bonus head bangin':

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8....

Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue -- The Ramones

Get your war on...

David Rees explains why he's a soft target yet not afraid of death threats...brilliant.

Steve Bell

I'm fairly confident that this cartoon would not have made its way into the editorial pages of any 'Murkan daily this week. I'm also not entirely sure that I get its meaning save the fact that Obama has a bigger and more state of the art dildo than Gordo Brown. Heh, no surprise there...

And speaking of "not getting it", I would like to go on the record as saying that I think this is just a horrible idea for a movie for everyone involved, including the intended audience.

Jill Soble

How cool is Jill Sobule?

What a smart idea she's created here. This may change the current and archaic model for the recording industry right on its pointy head. Bravo!

Freedom From Choice

I understand from my older male sibling via the Billboard web site that the boys hit it hard this weekend at SXSW. Woof.

The forthcoming album is supposed to rawk mightily so I would surmise that this is a fall tour stop (even if it's at an outside venue) not to be missed fer me and the wife.

Parade of phools

Gosh, this was disappointing to read; Mary Tyler Moore quoted in yesterday's Sunday paper insert, Parade Magazine:

"But when one looks at what’s happened to television, there are so few shows that interest me. I do watch a lot of Fox News. I like Charles Krauthammer and Bill O’Reilly....

... Is Mary Tyler Moore a right-winger? “Maybe more of a libertarian centrist. If McCain had asked me to campaign for him, I would have.”

This is the kind of talk that would cause Lou Grant to reach for his bottle stashed in the drawer.

Friday Random Ten (Vernal Equinox Edition)

The Vernal Equinox occurred about 45 minutes ago so I got that going for me.

Other than that, I got nuthin'...'cept the Ten, of course.

Proud Mary -- Creedence Clearwater Revival
Army Ants -- Tom Waits
Non Alignment Pact -- Pere Ubu
Some Dreams -- Steve Earle
Sweet Little Lisa -- Dave Edmunds
Talent Is An Asset -- Sparks
Long Tall Sally -- Little Richard
The Wild Truth -- T Bone Burnett
Just Like Starting Over -- The Flaming Lips
Terry -- Tracy Ullman

Bonus First Day of Spring cut:

Phoenix City -- Roland Alphonso

Anniversary

I forgot to remember, but Matt Yglesias didn't.

Relocation

Jim Anchower is shopping around for some new digs.

Late Night

As my wife can attest, I am notoriously inclined to stay up late and fall asleep in front of the television. No doubt I am genetically predisposed to this but that's another story entirely.

Anyhow, I was intending to stay up and watch Modest Mouse on Letterman last night, but fell victim once again to the charms of Morpheus. Fortunately, I awoke to the opening of Craig Ferguson's show that featured the clip I've embedded here.

It's an odd feeling to wake up and within seconds be laughing as hard as I was. Go ahead and watch this and try not to laugh. I wager it can't be done.

SXSW

This is a live broadcast tonight from Austin. We're very much looking forward to the new album which in now available for download at iTunes.

Peak Wingnut

Watertiger is brave enough to listen to Michael Steele so the rest of us can point and laugh without straining to read the fine print.

One of the commenters, a GregB, killed me with his remarks:

"The GOP-ers minds have melded in collective idiocy....Peak wingnut is upon us."

Glenn Beck

The quivering mass of man lump that is Glenn Beck has taken his shtick to a new level in the past couple of weeks. His fear campaign is in full tilt and this bizzaro mix of faux populism and Father Coughlinesque race and liberal bashing is a sight to behold.

Here's the intro to Glenn's hour long special last week on Fox News. It's completely surreal.

Chin up, buckaroos

Brother Dave sent me a missive this morning with a link to Robert Reich's take on Obamanomics. It's a keeper.

Heyday is gone

The Onion documents the descent of youth for an area man.

The Round Mound of Rebound

Charles Barkley gets out of his weekend at Camp Sheriff Joe's Place and immediately wants to get in a dust up with El Rushbo.

Get in line, Chas, I saw him first...

Spring

The end of winter is but a week away. Here's a picture I took yesterday of an amaryllis that we received as a holiday gift. It was one of those no-brainer kits with a bulb and a pot with some soil. I planted it in January and it just bloomed the other day.

Tomgram

Um, yes, yes and yes...

Republicans are pussies

I've long been mystified by the way the Right talks out of both sides of the ol' piehole when it comes to the Free Market. This piece by David Sirota questions this premise as it relates to Health Care.

I've always been fascinated by this paradox when it comes to automobiles. The Right will squawk and preen about competition and free market Friedman principles, and then in the same breath scream that if'n you're a loyal flag waver, you need to "buy 'Murkan" or else.

If the theory holds that the the free market provides the best car for the best price, it shouldn't matter a whit to me, the consumer, who made the vehicle or what country the corporation is based, right?

Oh well, just another right wing oxymoron, n'est-ce pas?

TV Moses

There are several places to go watch last night's TDS interview with Jim Cramer so I won't provide a link. But please, go do so, it's brilliant.

Better served though is a thoughtful examination of the story behind the story which is one of truth. Our Fourth Estate continues to fail us and it appears that our only hope for change in this realm is Jon Stewart.

James Moore lays it down quite nicely for us.

Friday Random Ten

Let Us Rock.

Exodus -- Bob Marley & The Wailers
Fly Trapped In A Jar -- Modest Mouse
Day After Tomorrow -- Tom Waits
Lazy Eye -- Silversun Pickups
My Goodness -- The John Doe Thing
Stranded In The Jungle -- New York Dolls
Better To Have Lost In Love -- The Eurythmics
The Mix Show -- Wyclef Jean
Giddy Up! -- The Hives
Henrietta -- The Fratellis

Bonus Beantown cut...
91 -- Bon Savants

Big Shoe

Um...Yeah...this seems fair.

Of course, if you fuck up the whole planet, then you get away with a either a steady diet of appearances on Fox News shows, a palatial estate, or a cottage in Dallas.

Wiggily World

Looks like the Boys might just crank something out again after a respite of nearly two decades. We must repeat.

(hat tip to Heavy D)

Nation Ruiners and America Haters

I was just mentioning to the Blonde his weekend how peeved and genuinely surprised I am that the wingnuts have set upon Obama so quickly and so ferociously.

Of course, it's admittedly terribly naive of me to presume otherwise and I knew that they would be gunning for him as soon as the Inaugural was over, but I can't help it. Ultimately, I'm a romantic and an optimist somewhere under my consistently crusty veneer and I hate these sons of bitches with the white heat of a thousand suns for doing what they're doing.

In any case, Tim turned me on to this article from The Huffington Post that took my breath away as it captured perfectly my sentiments of the hour. A must read. It's kinda like a really good Rude Pundit piece without all the cursing.

Fuckers.

Import/Export

Isn't it just super that we spread US style events around the globe?

Makes me so proud to be 'Murkan. It's also compelling that yet again after more gun violence in this country this weekend, we NEVER have an intelligent national dialogue about gun control and the repeal of our gun ownership laws.

Mannion

Lance has the answer to the question of why we are so filled with self loathing as Americans. More like Americants.

Keeping things in perspective

While albeit a thin reed to cling to, this piece offered some soothing balm to the daily screed of bad news.

Hopping Mad

For those of you, including myself, that haven't a clue as to how the current high finance swindle got as far as it did in such a seemingly short time, go here to see Mark Fiore's cartoon.*

He explains it brilliantly.

*(for some reason, his site won't allow me to embed the video)

David Sirota

The apocalypse...it's not just for end timers anymore.

Steve Earle

Steve's new album is almost released which is devoted entirely to covering the the rich songwriting skills of Townes Van Zandt.

I'll admit that I was late to the cult of Townes. I found him about 6 or 7 years ago and it was only then that I discovered that he had been Steve's mentor and guide when Steve wuz just a pup.

Anyhoo, Here's an article about upcoming record on the Pitchfork site and a cut from the CD to listen to as well...

Friday Random Ten

Peace and Love -- Fountains Of Wayne*
Rich Girl -- Gwen Stefani
True Love -- X
Rebel Rock Me -- The Pretenders
California Sex Lawyer -- Fountains Of Wayne*
Fire Island -- Fountains Of Wayne*
Sex Machine -- Sly & The Family Stone
What A Wonderful Man -- My Morning Jacket
Ize Of The World -- The Strokes
Beautiful Homes -- Chris Isaak

Bonus "almost feels like it's Spring outside" cut...

Silence -- Gomez

(whaddup with all of the FOW?)

WTF

Whilst a most excellent cartoon today from Mr. Luckovich, we remain spellbound by the histrionic burps of El Rushbo the thievery continues in the halls of high finance. Bob Scheer asks why exactly Limbaugh is the main story again?...

The Casino is closed

Poor Katie, she has been a target of El Rushbo for years, yet she still wants an "exclusive" interview with him. Idiots.

Reverend Billy

For Mayor!

Juan Cole

Ahhhh... now here's something a bit more relevant and substantive than the Rush rage at CPAC.

Lance Mannion

Lance laying it down freestyle.

I reluctantly link to this because it gives the beast more fuel and it's also very odd to me that we remain so fixated on the Far Right of this country. We've only just the first 90 days in to an historic presidency that is trying hard to right the ship and these assclowns are still climbing up the pant leg of the nation like a recalcitrant cat that bites. We should be shunning these "conservatives" and giving none of their nonsense any reasonable coverage. Starve it out. Blerg.

That said, go read Lance. He can effin' write.