Friday, July 29, 2011

Friday Random Ten


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

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

4th Down and 20


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


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.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Chivalry


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, July 22, 2011

Friday Random Ten


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, July 15, 2011

Friday Random Ten


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

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Harvey Pekar


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!

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Frank Rich


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, July 08, 2011

Friday Random Ten


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

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

El Norte


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?...

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Hypocrisy...


...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.

Friday, July 01, 2011

Roger Ebert


I Roger Ebert.

Friday Random Ten


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