Hold, please...

This is the one where Krugman tries to cheer me up and tell us that it's not as bad as it seems.

Envy

While never the most popular of the mortal sins, I've got a serious dose.

I'd love to go to Ted Active this week. Not only just to warm my bones in the California desert, but rubbing elbows with hundreds of the smartest folks going sounds about right to me.

Plus, Jill Sobule says on the Facebook that she has put together a band consisting of her, Don Was, John Doe, Sarah Watkins, Tom Morello and other music stand-outs that are playing a gig on Tuesday night. There's reason enough to go right there.

So, anybody got airfare and $4k for the week long ticket? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Kunstler

Yikes, Stripes! Jim's on fire this morning.

Super Sunday

I'm cheering for the Saints and this video* explains why. Geaux Saints!

*(hat tip to Watertiger)

Idiots

Yeah, um, these are the humans who report the "news" in America. It's as if we've become a nation of Ralph Wiggumses.

Friday Random Ten

I Gotta Move -- The Kinks
Seatbacks And Traytables -- Fountains Of Wayne
Can't Lose -- We Are Scientists
Over My Head -- Ray Davies
Failed Christian -- Nick Lowe
Red Hot -- Robert Gordon
One By One All Day -- The Shins
Travels in Nihilon -- XTC
Gut Feeling/Slap Your Mammy -- DEVO
David Watts -- The Jam

Nathaniel Ayres

I really disliked the film of this man's story with Jaime Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. Way too sacharine IMO.

Fortunately the original reporter has maintained his relationship with Ayres and the story continues to evolve.

Pee Wee

Pee-wee Gets An iPad! from Pee-wee Herman

Looks like PW is more a Pee-Cee dude rather than a Machead. Great little skit. Too bad several of the voices aren't the same as the originals. Several good laughs tho'.

Weezer

Here's a nice little ditty by Rivers and the boys from the Green album. A good time was had by all.

Boys and their toys

More pleas to bring rational thinking to the Pentagon.

Deficits

Until the US Govmint ceases its war mongering posture of the last 50 years, no one in D.C. has any right to be discussing budget deficits.

Prescient Ike was correct. That is all.

Phil speaks

I lurve it that the Beeb carries the adventures of PP so cavalierly on their website. Ha.

And speaking of the best team in the NBA, the game with the Grizzlies starts at 7:00

Pop Combo

It appears that ol' wacky Dave Thomas is finally loosening up his strangle hold on Pere Ubu videos going out on the inner tubes. Here's a cut from that always impressive David Sanborn show, "Night Music".

Nearly Ubu's most commercial "hit", here's their 1989 release, "Breath".

My favorite all-time quote, for which I don't have a reference is..."Pere Ubu will be looked back on as the most important group to have come out of America in the last decade and a half. Either that or they will be entirely forgotten".

Gil Scott-Heron

Let me be among the first to wish both of my readers a happy and healthy Groundhog Day. I'm also very excited about the first GSH album to appear in a long time that will undoubtedly help to get me through the next six weeks of winter.

The video ain't exactly a Chamber of Commerce welcome to NYC...

If it's Tuesday...

It must be Big Fat Whale.

Friday Random Ten

Novocaine For The Soul -- Eels
Red Tide -- Foxboro Hot Tubs
Last To Die -- Bruce Springsteen
Would I Lie To You -- Eurythmics
Woe -- Tom Waits
Family Snapshot -- Peter Gabriel
Caring Is Creepy -- The Shins
King & Queen -- Wyclef Jean and Shakira
I'm A Mess -- Nick Lowe
Dirty Love -- Frank Zappa

Bonus (it's fucking freezing cold, 10 ° this morning) cuts:

Missing -- Beck
Daughter -- Pearl Jam

J.D. Salinger

The ever reclusive Salinger has passed. Being the hermit that he was, I wonder how it was actually discovered that he had died. I mean, if J.D. Salinger dies in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does he make a sound?

Anyhoo, here's the longest obituary known to Western man.

Zelda Rubinstein

Go into the light...all are welcome.

SOTU Review

Being a pinko-leftist-socialist, I have access to only liberal screeds so both of my links today are to that scaborous rag, Salon, which, as we all know, is the modern day electronic version of the Daily Worker.

Anyway, Glenn Greenwald nails Sam Alito to the wall because the tool was acting out like a Jerry Springer audience member during the most visible moment in the speech for the Supremes.

And on a more decorous note, Joan Walsh mirrors my reaction to the SOTU.

Obama, albeit briefly, reminded my of why I voted for him in the first place. The last five minutes really were quite gripping. I'm sure that there's video of it out there somewhere...the most excellent closing stuff begins at about the 1:06 minute mark.

UPDATE: Brother Dave reminded me that The Rude Pundit has a nice slant on last night's oration as well. Tip o' the lid to the Rooster.

Tibor Sarossy

Life has weird twists and turns in it.

I met Tibor Sarossy a few years back when I started contracting with the Board of Elections. I encountered him again last year in one of the training classes I was teaching. He was a complete trip. Fairly unreasonable, stubborn and argumentative would be three adjectives I would use to describe him. A great volunteer who actually added more conflict than help to the overall mix.

Regardless, he was a devoted citizen and participant who worked hard to promote democracy and the rights of others. And no one deserves to be run down in the street.

And yes, he told everyone he met that he was on the Tonight Show way back when for having driven a motorcycle cross country in some 40 hours without stopping because it was true.

Mr. Sarrossy owns the world record for traveling from New York to Los Angeles by motorcycle! He accomplished this in 45 hours, 41 minutes in 1968. Riding a BMW model R69S, Sarossy made four fuel stops, never slept, fainted twice and averaged 58.7 miles per hour all the way across.

Like I said, he was a trip.

Fox News

Umm, yeah, I'm just speechless. We've really got to get out of this silly country...

That's Pearlstein with an "a"

The speech Obama should give.

Scary crystal ball

Careful. Don't look too deep into the orb...the truthiness can be blinding.

Double bill of goody goodness

Thankfully Rush has come to his senses and I've got a green light to go ahead and end his suffering.

Today is starting off just swell.

Lasik-faire

Ever since I saw the Simpsons episode where Bart is transported to the future to find Ned Flanders blinded from having Lasik surgery back in the '90's, I've been suspect of the entire procedure.

Perhaps I was on to something...

My Congressional Representative

Ladies and Germs, the Hon. Dennis J. Kucinich.

Assume the position

Digby says it's time to submit your mind to the truth that is the Military Industrial Complex. I've been of this worldview for some time now and as she states, this may be the best rationale yet at to why Obama is failing our best hopes and intentions on nearly every level.

In any case, go read the super duper review of Gary Wills new tome...new and improved with more Perlstein...

Wyclef

We missed the broadcast last night, but I found this clip of Wyclef closing out the show with my all time fave Jamaican Rocksteady dub songs by The Melodians.

Here's the original...

Doomier and Gloomier

After going to see the terrific Up In The Air last night and reading Bob Herbert's column from yesterday, I'm less than enthused about my personal future.

And, after closing the door on Unemployment benefits this year, I'm filing a tax return where I made less than I did in 1986.

Anybody out there got a job for me?...

Turn out the lights

Today seems as good a day to bid farewell to America as any I suppose. Here's why.

Friday Random Ten

Breathless -- Jerry Lee Lewis
Blue Spark -- X
The Gift -- Annie Lennox
Gonna Get Me Someone -- The Greenhornes
Glad All Over -- Carl Perkins
Greystone Chapel -- Johnny Cash
New -- No Doubt
Food -- Nellie McKay
Hungry For Love -- Todd Rundgren
Kinder Murder -- Elvis Costello

Bonus musica...

Lazy River -- Leon Redbone

Oh, and here's one more with a taste of Wyclef with Prodigy of Mobb Deep. Wyclef is doing his big t.v special tonight for Haiti relief. Peace.

Eels

Mr. Low-Fi himself, Mark Everett, sings us a sad, sad song about breaking up from his new release, the cheery End Times.

More Boston stuff

Since I am on a hot streak about my prognostications about the futures of flashy pols, re: Sarah Palin joing Faux News; I hereby predict that "Downtown" Scotty Brown will be heavily embroiled in a weird ass sex scandal before year's end. Trust me, this guy is a flake.

That is all.

Pudge Speaks

I always loved the manner in which Carlton Fisk played the game. He was one tough hombre. Suck on it, McGuire.

Stock news

Gosh, Jim Cramer is dumb.

New Math

The First 364 Days 23 Hours

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

And remember...Negros aren't magic.

Beginning of the end

While there will be tons of Weds. morning quarterbacking on yesterday's outcome in MA, Bob Scheer, as usual, comes up with two of the primary reasons this election went down in flames.

The irony of Health Care Reform being upended by some dumb glamour boy who has wrested Teddy's Senate chair is overwhelming enough, but there is one more factor that changed the field in this prescient event that Mr. Scheer has missed.

Fox News.

The chronic battering of Obama by Roger Ailes' crew has now officially got some traction. The noise machine is bearing fruit and will be greatly emboldened by this win by Scott Brown.

My prediction?...we'll be watching the inaugural of President Palin and her veep, Glenn Beck three years from now.

You probably think I'm kidding, right? I'm not.

Tuesday is Spoon Day

The new album hits the shelves today and then the boys are on what's left of Conan's show. Do tune in...

Oh, Canada

You had me at hello, eh? The Blonde and I really need to get out of the US.

From Housing aid to Electrical Grid upgrade to Education and The Arts, Canada has radically better solutions and superior reporting of how things are preceeding than we do.

Folks, this is what your world might be like if every 48 cents of every dollar weren't spent on making perpetual war.

K.O. Punch

Olbermann sure lets 'em have it.

Pat Robertson

Help for Haiti. Give 'til it hurts...a lot.

El Rushbo edition here.

Hannibal Beckter

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Crazy Like a Contributor
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

In case you missed this one, it's must see teevee...

Craig Ferguson

An affable Scotsman trying to class up America. Fuck Rush Limbaugh.

Friday Random Ten

Redemption Song -- Bob Marley
Go, Hippie -- Fountains Of Wayne
Front Page -- The Redwalls
Satellite -- Elvis Costello
Zimzallabim -- Mos Def
I Don't Want To Tie You Down -- Todd Rundgren
Things Ain't Like They Used To Be -- The Black Keys
Long Way Home -- Tom Waits
Dancin' Fool -- Frank Zappa
Me And The Eagle -- Steve Earle

Bonus MLK Day cut:

Army Girls Gone Wild -- Jihad Jerry and The Evildoers

Haiti

Arcade Fire's Haiti tells the long and sad story of this island nation. May they one day recover from the pain the world has set on them.

Haïti, mon pays,
wounded mother I'll never see.
Ma famille set me free.
Throw my ashes into the sea.

Mes cousins jamais nés
hantent les nuits de Duvalier.
Rien n'arrete nos esprits.
Guns can't kill what soldiers can't see.

In the forest we lie hiding,
unmarked graves where flowers grow.
Hear the soldiers angry yelling,
in the river we will go.

Tous les morts-nés forment une armée,
soon we will reclaim the earth.
All the tears and all the bodies
bring about our second birth.

Haïti, never free,
n'aie pas peur de sonner l'alarme.
Tes enfants sont partis,
In those days their blood was still warm

UPDATE: Terrifying pictures from the Boston Globe. Wow. Not for the feint of heart.

Vampire Weekend

Those clever lads from the Upper West Side drop their second album this week. Here's a sample...

Ice Cream Lover

If Tim were a cat...he'd perhaps look sumpthin like this.

Steve Bell

The United States of Awesome.

Why newspapers are dying

These read like they're something right out of The Onion. They're not.

Crazy Heart

This film is coming to Cleveland at the end of the month. Must go see it.

And for those of you who may be unaware, Mr. Ebert is and has been a very ill man for sometime now. He's still my favorite movie reviewer of all time and now a blogger extraordinaire. He's really a great writer and answers more reader comments that any blogger I've ever followed.

...including me.

Joe Biden

Why not, just for laughs, listen to what the actual current V.P. of the United States has to say for a change instead of chronically heeding the ghoul who previously held that office?

Gee, I dunno, maybe because he makes too much sense?...

Spoon

The album drops on the 19th. Best. American. Band. Ever.

Friday Random Ten

Many Shades Of Black -- The Raconteurs
Busted -- Johnny Cash
Has She Got A Friend? -- Nick Lowe
Luxurious -- Gwen Stefani
Rudy, A Message To You -- Dandy Livingstone
Long & Lazy River -- Nellie McKay
Missing -- Beck
Siren Song -- The Fags
So Many Ways -- Mates Of State
The Will And The Lighthouse -- Arcade Fire

Dead Elvis Week bonus cut...

Black Lagoon -- Dave Edmunds

Mann Coulter

While I usually do my level best to avoid posting anything that may further the career of Ann Coulter, it struck me as odd that she would be so adamantly opposed to these full body scan machines that are all the rage since last month's underpants conflagration.

Then, it came to me...it's got nothing to do with civil rights, she just doesn't want anyone to see that wee dick planted between her hermaphroditic crotch.

Case closed...next?

The Former Washington Bullets

Here's a timely top ten from Dave. Arenas and the Wizards are in Cleveland tonight. It's a slam dunk.

Repo Men

Ummmmm, this doesn't exactly appear to be a remake of the 1984 Emilio Estevez film.

Craig Ferguson

Nellie McKay is on the Late Late Show this evening.

Mr. Fish

Go War!

Terror redux

As I said earlier, the terrorists are winning. Just ask Andy.

Pistols

Here's a mid morning break with the boys from 1976's long lost telly show So It Goes which hosted many, if not all, of the influential bands of that era. While Sid "fabulous disaster" Vicious was certainly a better source of visual stimuli, Glenn Matlock was obviously the superior musician.

Steve Jones wasn't a bad guitar player either.

Pretty hilarious too that this sort of rot would NEVER get on television these days.

Here's more news

Shorter Bob Herbert...we're so deeply hosed as a Nation.

Underpants

Ummmm...the terrorists have officially won.

Tonight Show

Conan has Patton Oswalt on his television program this evening. Patton Oswalt is one funny mutherfucker, man.

Here's his now infamous, "Sky Cake" routine.

Thinking ahead

It's stuff like this that makes me want to flee the US and head for "greener" pastures. Besides short sighted stupidity and wing-nut resistance, can anybody explain to me why on earth we can't come up with a plan like this?

I mean, it's not like we need an entirely new electrical grid in these parts, right?...

Welcome to 2010

Here are the next ten days in NE Ohio.

Sigh.

Big Pharma bonkers over Birthers

I barely made a peep about El Rushbo going to the emergency room this week just becasue it was just too soft a target. Sadly, the reports are that he's walking and talking again. Swell.

I feel compelled however to post this ditty from Think Progess that yet again, redefines "irony". Of course, when Rush was born, it wasn't so much of a "birthing" as it was a "whaling".

Gosh, I hate Rush Limbaugh.

Swell decade

Here's a big crap sandwich courtesy of the WaPo for your lunchtime repast.

Ted Rall

You are not free to move about the country.

Ian Dury

Sam and I were particularly keen on the insanity that was Ian Dury. We even saw him at the Agora one evening if I recall correctly.

Anyway, It would appear that they've made a bio-pic about the man starring Andy Serkis, who it would appear, is a bit of a headcase himself.

Change is good

Andrew Leonard frames some reasons it's okay to feel okay about the future on this first day of the New Year.

Friday Random Ten (New Year edition)

California Blue -- Roy Orbison
Can't Do A Thing -- Chris Isaak
Put Your Cat Clothes On -- Carl Perkins
Big Moon -- John Doe
Ole Black N' Blue Eyes -- The Fratellis
The Gentry Cove -- Pretty Dirty Things
Long Live Rock -- The Who
You're a Hum-Dinger -- BR5-49
Come On Let's Go -- Paul Weller
Calliope -- Tom Waits

Bonus 2010 cut:

Lipstick -- Buzzcocks