These Comics Would Be Funnier...

... if it weren't true.

via Red Planet Cartoons

Barrel House Annie

Barrel House Annie was an obscure female pioneer of blatantly sexual metaphors within pre-war Chicago blues music.
Her best known songs are “If It Don’t Fit (Don’t Force It)”, “Ain’t Gonna Give It Away”, “Must Get Mine In Front” and “Love Operation”, all recorded in March of 1937.

(each player below contains one track, in the order they are listed above, enjoy)

Paul Newman (1925 - 2008)

Movie icon Paul Newman has passed at the age of 83.

via Rotten Tomatoes




Newman was more than a star, more than good actor, more than an accomplished director, more than a great looking embodiment of all-American optimism. He was the quintessential Hollywood artist. He personified all that the American movie industry strives so hard to achieve and rarely succeeds.


Please enjoy the trailers from two of my favorite Paul Newman flicks.
(click Photos)

"It’s a three-pronged attack: you feel good because stress is released, self-image is elevated, and your inhibitions get the old heave-ho."

via modern drunkard magazine

Say, don't you remember? I was your pal

They used to tell me I was building a dream
And so I followed the mob
When there was earth to plow or guns to bear
I was always there, right there on the job

They used to tell me I was building a dream
With peace and glory ahead
Why should I be standing in line
Just waiting for bread

Once I built a railroad, I made it run
I made it run against time
Once I built a railroad and now it's done
Buddy can you spare a dime?

Once I built a tower way up to the sun
With bricks and mortar and lime
Once I built a railroad and now it's done
Brother can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell
Full of that Yankee Doodley Dum
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
I was the kid with the drum

Oh say, don't you remember?
You called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say, don't you remember? I was your pal
Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Say, don't you remember?
You called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say, don' you remember? I was your pal
Buddy, can you spare a dime?
Buddy, can you spare a dime?
~E.Y. "Yip" Harburg

"... Inflation,Recession Hits The Land Of The Free..."

"in a sluggish economy
inflation,recession
hits the land of the free
standing in unemployment lines
blame the government for hard time

we just get by
however we can
we all gotta duck
when the shit hits the fan

10 kids in a Cadillac
stand in lines for welfare checks
let's all leach off the state
gee!the money's really great!

soup lines
free loaves of bread
5lb blocks of cheese
bags of groceries
social security
has run out on you and me
we do whatever we can
gotta duck when the shit hits the fan"

~Keith Morris

Che Stadium 1965

This one is for Jimmy and Alfred.

The Rutles perform "It's Looking Good" (from the album Rutle Soul)

Murdering Communist Bastard

Al's Palace links to a great Che Guevara site.

Alfred has done some interesting posts, although his style is somewhat abrasive.

The Wilkow guide to media perception

See how the same people are portrayed differently by media spin, based on their political stance.

via conservative punk.


Selection Day is but six weeks away.
The author of this blog would like to remind everyone to get out and vote.
I intend to vote present.

Trane

John Coltrane, born on this date in 1926, reshaped modern jazz and influenced generations of other musicians.
A legend amongst legends, John William Coltrane, also known as Trane, used love, faith, spirituality and his prodigious understanding of music to revolutionize the the Jazz saxophone and Jazz composition in almost mythical proportions.

"John was like a visitor to this planet. He came in peace and he left in peace; but during his time here, he kept trying to reach new levels of awareness, of peace, of spirituality. That's why I regard the music he played as spiritual music -- John's way of getting closer and closer to the Creator."~Albert Ayler

John Coltrane will forever be considered one of the most important individuals in music history. His influences are virtually infinite yet it is nearly impossible to find a musician who was able to successfully recreate his sound.

CREAM

Cream - Live at the Grande Ballroom
Detroit, Michigan on October 15, 1967

(click photo - you should always click my photos)

This is some of the most incredible live Cream, that I've heard.

You'll need Windows Media Player.
Scroll down and click on Windows Media Audio(34mb).

Click here for recording info and printable cd artwork.

"Breeze blows leaves of a musty-coloured yellow..."

The Summer has faded and Winter's chill is on the horizon.
It is now officially Autumn.

Autumn is my favorite of the seasons, I love the colours, the crispness in the air, and the harvest.

I'm sure that as the days wear on, I will post more musings on the Fall.It is, to me, a magical time of both hope and melancholia.

Make what you will of this thought

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do.”
Dale Carnegie

Comedian Harmonists

The story of The Comedian Harmonists is more than a story of their music. It is a classic tale of the mercurial rise and tragic fall of exceptionally talented performers.
There has never been another male-voice quintet quite like the Comedy Harmonists. Their exquisitely conceived performances, rendered with immaculate musicianship, have never been surpassed. The group's originality lay in the imitation of musical instruments, the way their five voices could sound like a small orchestra.

"la pastora" / "the shepherdess"

Popularity of a Hallucinogen May Thwart Its Medical Uses

via NewYorkTimes.



Salvia divinorum, a member of the mint family, contains a powerful psychoactive chemical known as Salvinorin. S. divinorum and has been used traditionally in Mexico for healing and divination.
Depending on the dosage, the Salvia experience can vary from subtle to full-blown psychedelic.

At higher doses users report dramatic time distortion and vivid imagery.

JB and I have conducted some experimentation with the substance. As always, we were at the forefront of research.
I found the experience to be quite enjoyable.It was very intense albeit short-lived


So what's it like?
Trying to answer that would be like describing colour to the blind.

This video may shed some light...



... but probably not.

OKTOBERFEST

The 175th Oktoberfest takes place this year, September 20th - October 5th.

Oktoberfest started as a wedding celebration party. Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, who was later crowned King Ludwig I, wanted the people of Munich to share in the celebration of his marriage to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. He organized a horse race, offered copious amounts of beer and food, and invited all the people of Munich.Over time, the length of the festival was increased and the date moved backward because of the great weather at the end of September in Bavaria.

Six Munich breweries, Löwenbräu, Spaten, Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr, brew a special beer just for the Oktoberfest. The beer, Wiesnbier is slightly darker and stronger than a normal Pils. It is served in a one-liter-tankard, ein Mass.
30% of the year's production of beer by Munich breweries will be consumed in the two weeks of Oktoberfest.

This Wiesn-Dictionary should be a great help to those that attend.

"Wash the fence, dig the dead, live in shame, die in vain"

This whole "Deadheads for Obama" thing does nothing but cheapen the Grateful Dead name and drain it of any remaining credibility.
I find this sad, on so many levels.
I know I'm not the only one that feels this way.

Did you know Ann Coulter was a Deadhead?

Grievous Angel

I'd Like to make a brief mention here about the passing of Gram Parsons on this date in 1973.

Way too cool to be in the 27 club, he died at age 26.

Gram was a member of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, and a pioneer in the blending of rock and country music.

I'll pay greater tribute when I post of his birthday in November.

Shiver Me Timbers!

Arrr, raise a tankard of grog and drink up, me hearties!

September 19th is International Talk like a Pirate Day.

You can learn how to talk the talk with this English-to-Pirate translator... or just sing the songs.

Here's a pirate song from George Harrison.

1-2-3-4!!!

"Death, death, death it's the price I pay
It's a sick world, what can I say?
No such thing as an even break
It's stealing and cheating, take, take, take"
~Dee Dee Ramone

Dee Dee Ramone was born Douglas Glenn Colvin on this date in 1951.
He is best remembered as the original bassist, and a founding member of punk rock group The Ramones.
Dee Dee, known for his distinctive count-in style used to start off many Ramones songs, was the group's primary lyricist and songwriter.
Dee Dee left the group in 1989, but continued to write songs for the Ramones until 1996, when they disbanded.
After leaving the Ramones, Colvin started a brief career as a rapper calling himself "Dee Dee King".
Dee Dee struggled with drug addiction and in June 2002 he was found dead from a heroin overdose.

"Technically, I am not a guitar player, all I play is truth and emotion." - James Marshall Hendrix

Guitar master Jimi Hendrix died 38 years ago today at the age of 27. He choked to death on his own vomit after overdosing on barbiturates.

Jimi is widely recognized as one of the most creative and influential musicians of the 20th century.
Hendrix pioneered the explosive possibilities of the electric guitar.
His innovative style of combining fuzz, feedback and controlled distortion created a new musical form.This new musical form was like nothing heard before, but has been often imitated as a part of his legacy.

"I've been imitated so well I've heard people copy my mistakes."~Jimi Hendrix

Hiram King Williams

... aka Luke the Drifter was born on this date in 1923.

He was a superstar by the age of 25; he was dead at the age of 29.

'nuff said."I'm gonna find me a river, one that's cold as ice.
And when I find me that river, lord I'm gonna pay the price, oh lord!
I'm goin' down in it three times, but lord I'm only comin' up twice.
Shes long gone, and now I'm lonesome blue."

Don't forget The Opry Has Sinned!

I hope you enjoyed the videos.

"Just One More Thing..."

Today is Peter Falk's 81st birthday.
Falk is most famous for his role as t.v.'s Columbo.
Lt. Columbo possessed a keen mind and would solve his cases by paying close attention to tiny inconsistencies in the suspects' stories and hounding them until they confessed.
The detective put on a good show of being dim-witted so that the criminals would be more at ease around him.
Peter also starred alongside the Rat pack, as Guy Gisborne, in 1964's Robin and the 7 Hoods.The film took the legend of Robin Hood and transplanted it to 1930's Chicago.It's one of my all time favorite movies--but that's a whole other post.

Gov't Mule Welcomes New Bassist Carlsson

Jorgen Carlsson has replaced Andy Hess as Gov't Mule's new permanent Bass player.
Andy had privately announced his resignation earlier this year, and Gov’t Mule has spent the past six months quietly rehearsing, jamming and hanging with Carlsson.
Hess officially joined Gov’t Mule in 2003, three years after the death of founding bassist Allen Woody.

Richard Wright Plays "The Great Gig In The Sky"

Pink Floyd keyboardist, and founding member, Richard Wright has lost his battle with cancer.He was 65 years old.
Wright’s richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound.

Maybe it's Just Cryptomnesia

At what point do we say that the left has officially crossed the line from somewhat sad hero worship, into full blown, offensive Christo-cultishness?

"Jesus died for his beliefs. The worst that will happen to Obama is that he’ll lose the election, return to his job in the Senate, and make millions on the lecture circuit. Wow…what a martyr."

via Conservative Punk.

Sunday Morning '78's and Such: Cecil Brower and his Kilocycle Cowboys

This Sunday's segment features Cecil Brower and his Kilocycle Cowboys, from a 1948 radio broadcast, playing some mighty fine western swing.



This older post feature some colorful background and a history of the genre.

Bill Monroe

William Smith Monroe, better known as Bill, perhaps best known as "The Father of Bluegrass Music", was born on this date in 1911.
Bill Monroe, is one of the only people to have bestowed upon America an entire musical genre.
Monroe began his professional career in music in the early 1930s, and as a member of the Grand Ole Opry for more than half a century he has nurtured the music that took its name from that of his band.
Bill passed away after suffering a stroke in 1996.

NOBODY FOR PRESIDENT!

The Birthday Party's Nobody for President Campaign is a humorous approach to elections designed to encourage people to register and vote. Nobody is NOT an endorsement of mass apathy.

Apathy Sucks, Nobody for President!

Nobody is another way of saying "None of the Above" and should be included on voter ballots.


The Nobody for President site seems to give Wavy sole credit for the concept, but Betty Boop ran against a Mr. Nobody in 1932 with a very similar platform.

Ralph and Matt, Ready to Run

Nader/Gonzalez '08

Stairway To Heaven?

MC posts today of an unusual staircase.
His post reminded me of another unusual staircase, so unique that some call it miraculous.
The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe,NM is home to this mysterious feat of carpentry, built by an unknown craftsman.
Is it a true miracle?-Not according to Snopes.
Once again, the aimless blade of science has slashed the pearly gates.

The Torture Never Stops

Didja ever notice? The guys with the loudest stereos have the worst taste in music.
It pains me to listen to some of that shit.
Water boarding would be more pleasurable.
Music can be torturous.

Via Common Dreams.

Gore=Idiot

“…it’s a choice between someone who shot rockets at our enemies in battle and someone who shot staples into a telephone pole.”

A Savage monologue:

"Over the weekend, Barack Hussein Obama went on the television show of former Clinton press secretary George Stephanopoulos. And in doing so, he revealed himself in a way that the liberal media has refused to do since he started running for president. In a supposed “slip of the tongue,” Obama referred to his “Muslim faith,” once and for all exposing the truth about his Muslim past. A truth that all the party apparatchiks and all the liberal talking heads in all America haven’t been able to cover up. Some say it was a Freudian Slip. I say it was a Mohammadan Slip.

Perhaps the most disgusting part of this entire incident is the fact that as soon as Obama had said the words “Muslim faith,” the Democrat lackey George Stephanopoulos stepped in to help him. The words “Muslim faith” came so naturally to him that Obama didn’t bother to correct himself. Stephanopoulos immediately jumped in and said, “Christian faith.” The left protects its own.

The question is this: How did he get this far? How did a Muslim stealth candidate manage to become the anointed candidate of one of the two major parties in the United States of America? The answer is the collusion of the Communist media. The media covered up this inconvenient truth about Barack Hussein Obama because it did not fit into their storyline of the heroic black presidential candidate who would save America from its evil racist past. The media used his race as an excuse to support him and refused to look any deeper than that.

Even today, when this is the only story worth talking about, the media refuse to give it any attention. CNN talks about the weather. FOX talks about O.J. And MSNBC talks about itself. But I will talk about this story. I will play the clip of this Mohammadan Slip again and again and again until America realizes that it is too dangerous to vote for Barack Hussein Obama. I will play this clip until America realizes that it’s a choice between an ex-Navy pilot and a community activist. I will play this clip until America realizes it’s a choice between someone who shot rockets at our enemies in battle and someone who shot staples into a telephone pole. America has a choice, and it must not choose Barack Hussein Obama."

The Gator

Today is September 9th.
It's Gator's birthday!

'Revelations from the Great American Beer Festival'

An Editorial piece on the Great American Beer Festival (2007) from Modern Drunkard Magazine.
Here are the 2008 G.A.B.F. details for anyone considering the jaunt.

Also at Modern Drunkard, this beer review with a selection that's quite different from what Jimmy's been sampling of late.And speaking of samples...

In other beverage news, MC posts about a unique vodka.It's probably not kosher, but this brew is.

Pigpen

Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, was born on September 8th, 1945.
McKernan was the high-energy bluesman of the band, and he could rant improvised lyrics incessantly.
While his fellow band members experimented with psychedelics, Pigpen stuck to the booze (mainly Thunderbird, and Southern Comfort).
In 1970, McKernan began experiencing liver problems, likely exacerbated by his years of excessive drinking.
He continued to tour with the band until June of 1972.
On March 8th, 1973 Pigpen would die at the age of 27.

Complete guide to things banned in Saudi Arabia

It’s true that several of these bans are regional, and some have expired (like the web site notice on Jews) but they still can get you in trouble. The Barbie doll ban has been widely reported on (and sourced) as well as the rest of the top 10 items. Much of the enforcement on these bans is doled out by people who aren’t police officers and as that couple in the UAE found out you are subject to jail time for violating these customs.

via retardzone.

Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn?

"I'm In The Mood" by Vera Lynn with the Casini Club Orchestra was recorded in October, 1935. This was Vera Lynn's first commercial recording. Lynn was loved by the British because of her selfless efforts entertaining the troops during WWII. She was so popular that a comedian once cracked that the war was was started by her agent.
Today, she is best known for her stirring performance of "We'll Meet Again" during the final scene of Dr. Strangelove; after Colonel Kong rodeos the Bomb from a B-52 over the old 'U of SSR', a series of spectacular nuclear explosions appear on the screen against a soundtrack featuring Lynn's beautiful voice.

R.S.U. Takes a Closer Look at Sarah Palin

"We ain't had a politician that relatable since Billy Carter!"


Sarah Palin's Big Speech

Here's Another Rant...

... from NoiseCollector, cut and pasted in its entirety (no editing):

'an inconvenient ommission of the context, as usual in the USofKKKA'

"I believe in evolution, but after seeing how many people flock around an empty suit in the name of some bullshit promise of change that won't come, I start to think we are de-evolving.

Animals in the wild kill or chase off their weaker and defective members because it damages the gene pool of the species. We give ours TV shows and viagra and false hope that all are deserving of rewars, regardless of how hard they work for it.

As for the troop pull out, are you reading the entire article?

THE GENERAL IS REQUESTING THE WITHDRAWL, ya know the guy who knows what's going on and does what is in the best interest of our troops? Not some liberal politician with racist and anarchist friends. Come on, I know you can do this. The human brain is an amazing thing, use it.

And lastly, the religious people on this planet have screwed things up pretty bad but I find it ironic once again that some citizens who claim to be more tolerant and progressive than us patriotic warmongering neocons (funny) attack someone's beliefs but won't say a damn thing about any other countries what would take their personal opinion and legislate it to opress millions around the world.

Why are none of these "inactivists" protesting outside the chinese embassy or the saudi embassy? Why are there no demonstrations on the streets of satan francisco about russia being imperislists or colonialist? Why don't these people, instead of dressing up like creature cantina patrons and throwing shit at cops start their own party? Vote? Run for office themselves with viable solutions to what the big parties have failed to do for so long?

The answer is quite simple. They are full of shit and have no viable solution, they have no answers themselves and just want to be little revolutionaries without a revolution.

The racists, warmongering neocons who started this country were not perfect and neither are any of us so let's keep that in perspective. What they did do, was build in safeguards against tyranny and leave a service panel on the mechanism of government so that when the time for change comes, it can. The constitution is a fluid and flexible document that can evolve along with society. The folks who started this country were coming from countries where the governemt was some dude in a powdered wig with spandex on (are we heading towards full circle?). They left us a government we can fix and improve and we did.

Woman's right to vote was an amendment, what use doe we have for feminism now that a woman is running for VP and one almost ran for president, had she not aligned herself with disloyal and unapreciative empty shells, she would be running now. The glass ceiling is about to be history, I heard that from two women lately from opposing sides of the political spectrum but I am sure some will not agree.

Civil rights movement, starting with emacipation and ending with ending jim crow laws and culminating in an african american becoming a nominee (ignore the fact that he is half white as another inconvenience). Hmmm looks liek jesse jackson can retire now, maybe he can preach at trintiy once in a while to stay active. Let's ignore the progress there and move on to another one.

Labor laws were added that prevent child labor, abusive work environments, discrimination, etc. It's all freely available for public consumption. Makes you wonder how the unions stay in business. I sure wish the teamsters would start mexican, chinese and indian chapters so we can have those jobs back...

Obama actually admitted the surge worked, finally. I hope it thanks john mccain soon, it was him and his pal leiberman that made it happen against the populist flow of ideas in washington.

Let's look at obama's main objectives:

Withdraw from iraq- darn, not much of an issue anymore.

Attack terrorist in pakistan- oops just did that, sorry.

Sit down and shoot the shit with iran- will libya work? Oh wait, they turned over their nuke program after we invaded iraq and are making ammeneds for past behavior... let's ignore this one and move on.

Lower gas prices- by taxing the oil companies? I am not a market analyst but if I was selling lemonade on the sreet for a quarter and had to pay a nickel to uncle sam and then suddenly I have to pay a dime, the friggin lemonade ain't gonna be a quarter anymore bitches, my shit is 30 cent nah. Go figure.

There are others but does anyone honestly think any of that shit is true? Come on people now, smile on your brother. "

A Heartbeat Away...

... from relevance

Just my two cents, but what difference does it really make?
Many people know that Joe Biden is a jack-ass, and some people might think that Sarah Palin is a piece of ass.
In the end, it really makes little difference.After all, the most vital job of the vice president is already done by the time they take office.That task being "balancing the ticket".Congratulations, your party's nominee considered you disparate from themselves.All that's left now is to sit around and wait.
As for the argument over experience in this particular case, it seems moot.Palin may have"too little experience" to be second chair, but she is no less experienced than the other teams starting pitcher.
Whichever candidate wins this presidential election, they will be in a position of great power, however there is one power that they will lack. They cannot make laws. Only the legislative branch can make law. The legislative branch, you know?, like that Democratic congress with the lowest approval rating ever.


That's just my two cents.What do I know? I'm no more than an idiot and I'm sure my "claim is totally irrelevant".

D.A.C.

David Allan Coe,
Born Sept. 6, 1939, in Akron, Ohio, David Allan Coe was in and out of reform schools, correction centers and prisons since the age of 9.Upon release, he moved to the parking lot of the Ryman Theatre (home of the Grande Ole Opry) in a hearse.
Struggle often caught up with him. IRS repossessions, living in a cave (seriously), divorce, and accusations of alcoholism and prejudice all came a-calling on Coe.
One of the most fascinating -- and, some would say, dangerous -- figures in the entire history of country music.
David Allen Coe resents formality, sobriety, and his lack of recognition.


Here's a bonus, HankIII covering DAC.

This Is Only A Test

Take this test from The Political Compass and see where you stand.

1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die

I know these lists are subjective and most of you will find some glaring omissions, but it's a great time killer. I had a hard time drawing myself away to post this. Incidentally, only 1 live album from this previous post made it.

Jackie and Dunlap Weigh In...

... on McCain's running mate.

School Daze

Dream Job

How the Hell did I let this opportunity pass me by?
Just like in that movie, it would have been a great gig .

It is truly amazing, the stuff you can find on The Best Of Craigslist.

Burning Man

Burning Man festival is drawing to a close.


"There's a place.
A wonderous place.
Where Like minded individuals gather out on the playa.
They subscribe to a whole new set of ideas.
They represent a new found society Where creativity flows
And parameters are as wide as the open terrain.
That place. That wonderous place is called.....
Buuurningman!
Hey are you going to burning man bury your toes in the desert sand.
Aint no man forth gonna tell you how to be..
Come on down with me to burning man. I got a recipe for cosmic flan.
Strip off your clothes and set your aura free.
There's a place I know called Black Rock City where we're about to get down
to the nitty gritty. We're all children of the stars above searching for answers and feasting on... Love!
Hey are ya going to burning man? I got a big ol slab of veggie ham.
Come to camp Disorient and bring some soy cheese.
Free thinking people at burning man, Amazing Larry's got the master plan.
It's all about just letting myself be me. There's a gal I know called Moon Stone Annie she blows flames right out her fanny. You ought'a see her walking on the tight wire, juggling bananas while her hair is on fire.
Come on down with me to burning man.
It's a fabulous place.
A Fabulous Land.
oooh yeah
Art love love and art art for love.
It's all about just letting myself be me." ~Les Claypool