Video of the Day

"A-Punk" by Vampire Weekend


Here's another of my favorite songs from this decade.

Bernanke: Leave the Fed Alone

In an effort to protect his own, Federal Reserve Chainman Ben Bernanke says that Congress should leave the Fed alone.

From the story –

In an op-ed piece to be published in Sunday's Washington Post, Bernanke criticizes two moves aimed at limiting the Fed -- a proposal in the Senate to strip the central bank of its bank regulatory powers and a House Financial Services Committee vote to audit monetary policy deliberations and actions.

"These measures are very much out of step with the global consensus on the appropriate role of central banks, and they would seriously impair the prospects for economic and financial stability in the United States," Bernanke wrote.

[...]

"The government's actions to avoid financial collapse last fall -- as distasteful and unfair as some undoubtedly were -- were unfortunately necessary to prevent a global economic catastrophe that could have rivaled the Great Depression in length and severity, with profound consequences for our economy and society," he wrote.

But the Fed chairman says that, while reforms are needed, "we should be seeking to preserve, not degrade, the institution's ability to foster financial stability and to promote economic recovery without inflation."

[...]

The last sentence of his commentary is likely to be the theme he and his supporters will stress during the hearing.

"Now more than ever, America needs a strong, nonpolitical and independent central bank with the tools to promote financial stability and to help steer our economy to recovery without inflation," Bernanke wrote.

Does it bother anyone else that while the Federal Reserve is supposed to function as part of the government, yet it is actually a completely autonomous and independent entity? Color me crazy, but I think that the Fed does need some kind of oversight. I’m not sure what to be honest, but someone should be watching the watchers.

Currently Listening

Here are some more of my favorite songs of the decade (one from each year).

1. “Carry You” by ALL (from Problematic)
2. “A Praise Chorus” by Jimmy Eat World (from Bleed American)
3. “Fall Into Line” by Roustabouts (from The Only One)
4. “Abducted by Nazis in Hollywood” by The Staggers (from One Heartbeat Away from Hell)
5. “I.F.H.A. (One Love)” by One Man Army (from BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)
6. “C’mon” by Go Betty Go (from Worst Enemy [EP])
7. “A Pillar of Salt” by The Thermals (from The Body, the Blood, the Machine)
8. “Pull Shapes” by The Pipettes (from We Are The Pipettes)
9. “Arrhythmic Palpitations” by Dead To Me (from Little Brother)
10. “Argos” by Bob Mould (from Life and Times)

Video of the Day: Homemade

"Only Time" by The Kings of Nuthin'


This is another one of my favorite songs of the decade.

Video of the Day: Live II

"Portions for Foxes" by Rilo Kiley


This could quite possibly be my favorite song of the decade.

Video of the Day: Live

"Rooftops" by Chuck Ragan & Matt Skiba

Jello on the Issues

Jello Biafra did a short interview with Spinner.com on 5 of the top issues of the day. While I don’t agree with a lot of what he has to say, I can’t help but respect the heck out of the guy for continuing to speak his mind.

Thanks to PunkNews.org for the find.

Climategate

I haven’t written anything about the current Climategate controversy because I haven’t been following the story all that much, but then I saw this post and thought I should say something about it.

So it seems that there were a group of scientists who wanted to suppress some data that does not support the case for global warming because that data didn’t fit into their agenda. That is about the crux of the situation, right? (I ask because I haven’t read anything about the situation and am going off what little bits that I have heard on the radio.) So we basically have a cover-up to promote an agenda. Well this is certainly a new phenomenon (read sarcasm). Just about every group that has ever promoted an agenda has tried to cover up information that does not support their ideas/beliefs. Does that excuse the behavior? Heck no. There is no reason to suppress information.

As I have said for years (just do a search of my blog for global warming), the truth of the global warming situation is somewhere in-between the extremes of Al Gore and Jim Inhofe. The fact is that mankind has done and is doing this planet great harm with our consumption but there is not near enough information available about the long-term climate patterns of the Earth to lay all of the blame of the changing weather on human activity.

Unfortunately what is going to happen is that this controversy will be used against most, if not all, environmental movements and programs. People may start to think that we don’t need to control the amount of pollutants that are belched into the air or that we shouldn’t bother recycling because the global warming was a hoax, so all of the other stuff must be a hoax too. This is where the environmental community failed the environment by putting so much stock into global warming. They couldn’t just stick with pushing conservation, recycling, and pollution reduction. No they had to go after the sexier issue of supposed world destruction. Now thanks to the shortsightedness of those environmental leaders, it is very possible that environmental policy, research, and initiatives will be pushed back 50 years.

Hopefully people will see through this controversy and still realize how important protecting the environment really is. We only have one planet and we are filling it up every day with more and more garbage, cutting down its life giving trees, and polluting its oceans. This is bad stuff that must be stopped and if this global warming hoohaa causes people to no longer care then the environmental community has done an excellent job of turning the public against the environment.

Currently Listening

Today we’re doing songs from this decade. It’s part of my attempt at picking out my favorites from the 2000s.

1. “My Glass House” by Swingin’ Utters (from Swingin’ Utters)
2. “Drivin’ Thru My Heart” by The Donnas (from Turn 21)
3. “S.O.S.” by One Man Army (from Rumors and Headlines)
4. “Homesick” by The Riverdales (from Phase Three)
5. “The Long Road” by The Ducky Boys (from Three Chords and the Truth)
6. “Synthesized” by The Epoxies (from Stop the Future)
7. “Only Time” by The Kings of Nuthin’ (from Over the Counter Culture)
8. “15” by Rilo Kiley (from Under the Blacklight)
9. “Thick Skin of Defiance” by Dropkick Murphys (from The Meanest of Times [CD/DVD] Disc 1)
10. “I Called Out Your Name” by The Thermals (from Now We Can See)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful day.

O’Reilly is Taken to the Street

In a move that I think is pretty darned brilliant, the folks at Sesame Street have added a new Muppet to the show – Spill O’Reilly.

Bill has never looked so good.

Best Songs of the Decade?

Spinner.com has put together their Best Songs of the 2000s list and admittedly most of the 50 songs I’ve never heard. The ones that I do know on the list (“A-Punk” by Vampire Weekend, “Hurt” by Johnny Cash, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, “Beautiful Day” by U2, “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, and “American Idiot” by Green Day) are all pretty good. I’m just surprised that “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World didn’t make the list.

It would take me a long time to make a list of my favorite songs of the decade, but maybe I’ll take that one after the semester is over.

Currently Listening

Here are more songs that I’d like to hear on The Spy.

1. “Sometimes Always” by The Jesus & Mary Chain (from 21 Singles 1984-1998)
2. “Ready Steady Go” by Generation X (from Anthology Disc 1)
3. “My Umbrella” by Tripping Daisy (from Bill)
4. “Under Your Influence” by Dag Nasty (from Can I Say [Bonus Tracks])
5. “What’s Left of the Flag” by Flogging Molly (from Drunken Lullabies)
6. “Come on Strong” by The Heartdrops (from East Side Drive)
7. “Silly Girl” by Descendents (from I Don’t Want to Grow Up)
8. “Metropolitan World” by The Teenage Frames (from The Kingsize Sessions)
9. “Left of the Dial” by The Replacements (from Tim [Expanded Edition])
10. “Getting Older/Losing Touch” by The Methadones (from This Won’t Hurt)

A Side-Blog Project

The final assignment in Folklore is a class presentation. One of the potential ideas in the assignment was to create a MySpace of Facebook page for some fairy tale character. I took that idea and decided to make Prince Charming’s blog. I haven’t gotten to far in the project yet but I’ll be working on it a lot over the holiday in the weekend. If you want to check it out, go here.

Please Remember to be NICE

In two days, people will be bum rushing stores to get those Black Friday deals. Like NewOK.com’s Jane Glen Cannon, I implore you to be nice to the folks working behind the counter, at the register, and on the sales floor. Black Friday is one of the hardest days of the year for those who work in retail and a little bit of kindness will go a long way in helping them get through the chaos.

Currently Listening

Here we have some more songs that I think The Spy should play. (Note – If you haven’t started listening to 105.3 The Spy yet, you really need to. It hit the airwaves yesterday and so far I am extremely pleased and impressed.)

1. “Independence Day” by Down By Law (from All Scratched Up)
2. “What You Do to Me” by Teenage Fanclub (from Bandwagonesque)
3. “I Am a Scientist” by Guided By Voices (from The Best of Guided By Voices: Human Amusements at Hourly Rates)
4. “Been There All the Time” by Dinosaur Jr. (from Beyond)
5. “Drivin’ Thru My Heart” by The Donnas (from Turn 21)
6. “Sound System” by Operation Ivy (from Energy)
7. “Can’t Get There from Here” by R.E.M. (from Fables of the Reconstruction)
8. “Kid Candy” by Seaweed (from Four)
9. “Grey Cell Green” by Ned’s Atomic Dustbin (from God Fodder)
10. “Little Bit of You in Everything” by The Rentals (from The Last Little Life EP)

Blast From the Past: Sixer ‘Busted Knuckles and Heartbreak’

Band: Sixer
CD: Busted Knuckles and Heartbreak [EP]
Label: TKO Records

In the late 1990’s there was an upsurge of “street punk” bands that brought about a combination of gritty and raw oi influenced punk rock with hooks and choruses that would put some pop punk bands to shame. Much of that scene centered around TKO Records, which released records by One Man Army (their debut 7 inch), The Forgotten, Reducers S.F., The Bodies, and The Working Stiffs. As the 90’s turned into the 2000’s much of the momentum behind this scene was losing steam (just as a lot of these bands were getting around releasing their first CDs). Sixer was one of those bands.

Started by former members of Ann Beretta (a VA pop punk band that released a few albums on Lookout Records), Sixer basically took Ann Beretta and added some grit and a dash of country and rolled it all up in their debut EP Busted Knuckles and Heartbreak. This five-song CD is full of catchy hooks, raw vocals, and one of the best closing songs ever in the bluegrass-fueled “Sugar Water.” The band went on to release a one full length album for TKO before leaving for BYO Records (which interestingly quite a few of the early TKO bands jumped ship for BYO).

Busted Knuckles… is the only CD by Sixer that I have ever owned, but it is a great one and one that I highly suggest checking out.

By the way…I totally stole this idea from Pop Tarts Suck Toasted.

Currently Listening

1. “Fatal Wound” by Uncle Tupelo (from 89/93: An Anthology)
2. “Sugar Water” by Sixer (from Busted Knuckles and Heartbreak [EP])
3. “White Guilt” by The Bronx (from The Bronx)
4. “We’ll Say Anything We Want” by Hot Water Music (from Caution)
5. “Hope I Never Lose My Wallet” by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (from Devils Night Out)
6. “Fruit” by Hagfish (from Hagfish)
7. “Wrong” by Archers of Loaf (from Icky Mettle)
8. “S.R.O.” by Avail (from Over the James)
9. “From Within” by The Staggers (from One Heartbeat Away from Hell)
10. “Rosie” by The Smugglers (from The Smugglers)

Oklahoma Blogger’s Work Included in a Book of Poetry

Local blogger extraordinaire Jimmie Martin has five poems included in the book Poetry is for Everyone, which is available on Amazon.com.

Congratulations Jimmie!!!

The Bottom of the Sea Holds Untold Strange Creatures

According to this story, scientists continue to discover bizarre and untold creates from the oceans’ depths.

Money Quote –

"Typically the deep sea is viewed as something beyond concern, a pit, a desert, a wasteland, but what we have found in our work is that there is an incredible diversity of species there, often with striking adaptations that we as yet don't understand yet," researcher Robert Carney of Louisiana State University, co-leader of the Continental Margin Ecosystems on a Worldwide Scale project, told LiveScience.

There is so much that we just don’t know about our planet that discoveries like these don’t really surprise me any more. It’s still amazing, don’t get me wrong, but it’s another reminder that we are but one part of a greater entity that is our planet Earth.

Currently Listening

Here are more songs that I want to hear on The Spy.

1. “International Pop Overthrow” by Material Issue (from 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: Best of Material Issue)
2. “Houston” by R.E.M. (from Accelerate)
3. “Middle Management” by Bishop Allen (from Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist)
4. “Everyday is Like Sunday” by Morrissey (from Never Mind the Main Stream: The Best of MTV’s 120 Minutes, Vol. 2)
5. “Rise Up with Fists!!!” by Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins (from Rabbit Fur Coat)
6. “Country Girl” by Primal Scream (from Riot City Blues)
7. “You Won’t Live to See Tomorrow” by The Staggers (from The Sights, The Sounds, The Fears, and The Pain)
8. “Wild Eyes” by Vivian Girls (from Vivian Girls)
9. “You’re Kisses are Wasted on Me” by The Pipettes (from We Are The Pipettes)
10. “Left of the Dial” by The Replacements (from Tim [Expanded Edition])

The First 5 Songs That The Spy Should Play at Midnight

If it was up to me, these are the songs that The Spy would use to ring-in its return to OKC airwaves.

1. “Kick Out the Jams” by The MC5
2. “Turn It On” by The Flaming Lips
3. “Going Underground” by The Jam
4. “Begin the Begin” by R.E.M.
5. “My Brain Hurts” by Screeching Weasel

After that I want to hear songs by The Thermals, Superchunk, The Smiths, Stiff Little Fingers, Bishop Allen, Chainsaw Kittens, and so on. I also hope that they play a good amount of local music. It would be amazing if they added bands like Red City Radio, the Roustabouts, and El Paso Hot Button to regular rotation.

Where Does Religion Come From?

MOTW has a post today quoting a Doug Giles piece in reference to the complete and total foul ups that lead to the Fort Hood massacre entitled Doug Giles Has a Gift. Later in the post MOTW goes on to say the following –

Look, I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but the truth of the matter is that all religions are not merely different paths to the same place. They do not all teach the same things. The very idea is, after even a moment's consideration, historically and logically ludicrous. Some religions taught/teach human sacrifice. Worship of Molech, for instance, required the sacrifice of young children by means of placing them into the outstretched arms of a superheated metal idol. The Aztecs, as is well-known, routinely ripped out the still-beating hearts of sacrificial victims.

Some religions teach/taught that god--or the gods--is/are a person/persons, but not infinite, not all-powerful. The Greeks and the Romans had gods that were basically humanity writ large. Some religions have no "god" at all, unless you want to think of some sort of universal consciousness (or even unconsciousness!) which we have all somehow forgotten we are part of, as "god."

MOTW goes on to talk at a slight length about Islam and its bloody history. Islam has a very bloody history, but it is not alone in that respect. Much of the history of the Middle East is bloody. It was bloodied by the hands of the Babylonians, Assyrians, Hebrews, Romans, Arabs, and Muslims. In that part of the world, no ones hands are clean.

In order to understand any religion, one must not only study the scripture of said religion but the history of the people that created it. If you look at only one or the other, you are missing the full picture and thus not truly understanding the religion. In the case of Islam, it was born out of an extremely violent and chaotic world, hence its violent and authoritarian leanings in the scriptures.

This begs the bigger question though. Where does religion come from? Does it come from God or does it come from man? It is my opinion that all religion comes from man as an attempt to understand the divine (i.e. God). Religion if a function of society; it helps promote the morals, mores, values, and provides a people with examples of what is considered good/appropriate behavior. Religion’s other big function is control. In many cases, it is designed to help control the masses of a society. Often this isn’t something that was done consciously but it is the cause nonetheless. In other words, religion has more to do with the functions of society than it does with spirituality.

Religion can be a wonderful thing, but people need to understand what it really is and what it really does. This is the case for ALL religions. While all religions may come from the same place, humanities desire to understand the un-understandable, people must understand the dynamics of religion, especially organized religion, and what their functions and goals of truly are. As I stated before, one must look at the religion and the history of those who created it, in order to understand it. One must also study those who promote the religion today and what goals they are trying to attain through the religion.

The problem that we often run into in modern society is that people are holding on to the literal interpretation of faiths that were created by and for people of well over 1,000-2,000 years ago. As Joseph Campbell once said, each generation needs its own myth and that is something that unfortunately hasn’t happened for a long, long time.

Quote of the Day

To whittle liberty down, the politicians must target some group that the majority of people are loath to defend. Once the new legislation is in place, the net it casts grows wider and wider with each passing day. By the time the law is a threat to the majority of people, it is firmly in place and there is usually an organized special interest group that benefits from it, which will lobby strenuously to keep it, if not to expand it even further.

-- CLS from the post Scoundrel defenders line up here. Please!

Currently Listening

Today we’re doing more song that I want to hear on The Spy.

1. “Baby I’m a King” by The Devil Dogs (from 30 Sizzling Slabs)
2. “Evil” by Interpol (from Antics)
3. “Bloody Night, Bloody Knife” by The Independents (from Back from the Grave)
4. “Kung Fu Girls” by Blondie (from Blondie [Bonus Tracks])
5. “Salad Days” by Minor Threat (from Complete Discography)
6. “Don’t Let’s Start” by They Might Be Giants (from Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants Disc 1)
7. “Get the Message” by Electronic (from Electronic)
8. “Sunday Suit” by Hot Water Music (from A Flight and a Crash)
9. “Don’t Wanna” by Dead To Me (from Little Brother)
10. “Portions for Foxes” by Rilo Kiley (from More Adventurous)

Video of the Day

"Here Comes Your Man" by Pixies

Are Twilight and Harry Potter the Cause of Bad Writing and the Butchering of the English Language?

My favorite blog that deals with the world of science fiction and fantasy literature (and one of my favorite blogs overall), The World in a Satin Bag, has an interesting, albeit slightly misguided IMHO, post entitled The End of Good Writing: The Damage of Twilight, Harry Potter, and Their Friends.

From the post –

There has been a resurgence of crap in the last few years. I don't mean published crap, but crap in relation to writing in general. And I'm blaming Twilight, Harry Potter, and every other significant, top-selling literary franchise currently flooding the shelves. As the co-owner of an online writing workshop for young writers, I have seen first hand what the surge of sales and admiration of these books has done. The quality of written English, in general, has drastically de-evolved. That's not to say that there aren't good writers, just that the profusion of online writing forums (of all stripes) and the injection of relatively sub par storytelling into the mainstream landscape has created a new environment indubitably friendly to the prospect of universal value. It's a nice thought, but a faulty one.

It is faulty because there is no such thing as universal value that actually places real value on something. The only universal value in writing is the one given to anyone who tries, but that ends, for anyone with the heart to tell someone about reality, where accomplishing the task turns into trying to do something more. The conditions have, I think, been set for this sort of presumed universal value, and for the infusion of poor knockoffs, poor storytelling (plotting, etc.), and other problematic relationships to the very idea of writing.

[...]

Where am I going with this? All of these problems have been rising dramatically in the last year, due almost entirely to the influx of popular titles into the public of would-be writers. More and more wannabe writers (young and old) are flooding my forum with the expectation that they will be the next Meyer or Rowling, but then they disappear moments later when they realize that a) you can't be on a writing site and not conform to standard written English; and b) sometimes when you suck, you actually suck. A lot of them come in expecting to write in a way that not even an elementary school teacher would accept (not in fiction, but in communicating with others), and then are shocked to find that a site for writers might actually have standards. These folks want to be the next Meyer, and they'll do everything they can to be it short of actually working on their craft; to tell them that they have a lot of work to do is to tell them that they will fail, always (some of them undoubtedly will, even if they try to work on their craft). But, they don't disappear forever; they go to other places where they are not subject to such rules, where they can put out incomprehensible drivel and receive glowing comments instead of anything resembling a critique (there is, after all, absolutely nothing helpful about such things as "OMGZ dis r awzum!!!1!").

And this worries me because it feels like the end of good writing. I get the impression that standards are being relaxed, not in publishing, but in the wider web, and the way the community functions is to provide places for people to get false hope, to dream of things that aren't possible, and to continue to fulfill their fantasies without a dose of reality. Not everyone is cut out to be a writer, of any kind. Some people simply are better suited to other duties, but everyone can try. But the most basic thing we all need as potential writers is a modest ability to use the language we intend to write in and a healthy dose of the reality we all live in. We can't pretend to be writers and conform to a non-standard method of communication that involves complete disregard for even the most basic of English rules--capitalizing letters is not that difficult.

Even worse is the fact that I don't know how to to figure in the influence of popular titles like Twilight or Harry Potter. There is a correlation, but what kind? How do they mix? And do we just let this flooding of sub par occur? Do we address it? How? Is it bad or good? A logical consequence?

S.M.D. lists off a series of specific problems in the post that include text-speak, disregard for Standard English, incoherence, and flagrant disregard of reality. While I agree that these are all HUGE problems, I think that laying the blame on the feet of Twilight and Harry Potter is wrong. There are many, many other factors that have helped in the degradation of the English language and it is impossible for the blame to rest completely on two book series and those that have tried to ride on the coattails of their success.

Below is the comment that I left on the post. It’s pretty long but I thought it was worth reprinting here. Also I would encourage everyone who has a soft sport for the fantasy and sci-fi genres to check out The World in a Satin Bag blog.

While I 100% agree that the written form of our language is being butchered on a daily basis, I think that trying to lay the blame on series like Twilight and Harry Potter is a stretch (if not flat out inaccurate). Are those series to blame for would-be writers writing stories that are complete rip-offs? Absolutely but that is another matter entirely.

The biggest cause to the current deterioration of the English language in written form is the internet and text messages. About ten years ago I worked in the technical support department at AOL. While at work, we spent a pretty good amount of time in various chat rooms. It was then that I first started to see chat-lingo (a.k.a. lol, roflmao, brb, etc.) and since then things have only gotten worse. Now I’m not completely against chat-lingo, heck I use it when it is appropriate, but I know that there is a time and a place for that and for using proper English. Fast-forward to 2009. I work for another company (still in a call center doing tech support…sadly) that uses chat rooms as a major tool for communication. It is in those chat rooms that I see our language raped on a daily basis. Not only do people not know how to spell (something that I admittedly have problems with) but they are unable to use proper capitalization or punctuation to save their lives. Granted the point of the chat rooms is as a quick communication tool to get questions answered in order to help customers, so I don’t begrudge all of the shortcuts used (I use quite a few myself) but there are times that I literally have to ask someone what he/she just said because what was typed was completely incomprehensible.

I mention all of this because I know that MANY of the people guilty of these crimes against the written language have never read Twilight or Harry Potter, let alone any book. For the most part these are people who are obsessed with other things (like sports, cars, and some even computers). So based on my experiences, the works of Meyer and Rowling have little to nothing to do with the abuse of written English.

On the matter of regurgitated plots, etc., I had a writing teacher once that said not to worry about it. He said that even if you were borrowing heavily from another source, your own point of view, personality, and experiences would make your story unique (or at least not exactly like what has influenced you). One thing to understand though, he was not at all a “literary” professor. He was a guy who had been a cop and now writes action/adventure novels and teaches on the side. He brought to the classes his experience in the publishing world and dismissed a lot of the snobbery of the “literary” world. He tried to focus on the skills that would actually help students get published. I thoroughly enjoyed the classes and learned a lot.

I have to admit that in my own writing, I have drawn heavily from the things that I enjoy reading and watching. Because of that I know that my vampire manuscript (which you can read the first four chapters of here) has a Buffy the Vampire Slayer feel to it and that the epic fantasy that I’ve been working on has a Shannara with Jedi feel to it. Is this a bad thing? I don’t think so, as long as I write a story that is well thought out, put together, and executed, then who cares if it has similarities to other works of fiction. Heck, most, if not all, hero tales share the same set of characteristics. So does that mean that Harry Potter is a rip-off of Superman, Heracles, or Jesus just because their stories share many of the same plot elements and characteristics? No. These elements are part of our collective subconscious and find their way into our myths, folktales, scriptures, and literature. (Note – If you can’t already tell, I’m a big fan of the work of Joseph Campbell.)

More than anything else though, the Twilight and Harry Potter series have gotten kids into reading and that is a great thing. I spend a lot of time at our local library and there are always kids there checking out and reading books. My kids have read more in their eight and nine years respectfully than I did in my first 25 years. When I was young we didn’t have things like Harry Potter or Twilight to draw us into the glories of reading. We had cartoons, TV shows, and movies and books just never seemed to rank in comparison. One thing that I thoroughly regret is the fact that it wasn’t until I was in my mid-20s when I started to read for fun. Since then I nearly always have at least one book going and my performance in school had greatly increased (not that I am any closer to a BA but that is anther matter). I love to read and make sure that my kids see me reading and encourage them to read as well (also the schools are doing a MUCH better job in the reading department than mine did when I was young). This is why I think for all of the bad, imitations that they are bound to spawn, series like Twilight and Harry Potter are great things and do far more good than harm.

Currently Listening

Today we’re doing some (of the hundreds if not thousands) of the songs that I want to hear played when 105.3 The Spy returns to the air.

1. “Rock & Roll” by The Velvet Underground (from Loaded)
2. “Public Image” by Public Image Limited (from Public Image)
3. “She’s My Ex” by ALL (from Allroy’s Revenge)
4. “The Only One I Know” by The Charlatans UK (from Some Friendly)
5. “Unity” by Operation Ivy (from Energy)
6. “Where Are They Now” by Cock Sparrer (from Shock Troops / Runnin’ Riot in ’84)
7. “City Lights” by The GC5 (from Kisses from Hanoi / Horseshoes & Handgrenades)
8. “Kill By Kill” by The Staggers (from One Heartbeat Away from Hell)
9. “Everything Looks Beautiful on Video” by The Epoxies (from Stop the Future)
10. “Now We Can See” by The Thermals (from Now We Can See)

Top 10 Mainstream Alternative Rock Bands

In the 1990's the underground music scene was thrust into the mainstream making the term "alternative" the catch phrase of the decade. While for the most part I prefer bands that fly under the radar, there are some bands that have attained mainstream success that I truly enjoy and will always stop and listen to on the radio.

Now just for sake of clarification, when I say "mainstream" I'm referring to bands that have had multiple hits on multiple releases. Bands that have momentarily flown into the radar for one song or album but then dip back into the underbelly of the music industry have been excluded from this list (those bands would be one hit wonders, like Counting Crows, or cult heroes, like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Dinosaur Jr., and The Cure). Also I have not included R.E.M. or U2 because they are in my top 5 bands and because they are two of the biggest bands of the past 30 years.

For the videos, I have picked songs by the bands that I really like, which may or may not get any actual radio air play. I’ve tried to use the actual videos whenever possible, but in a few cases the embedding feature is disabled on the official videos.


10. The Smashing Pumpkins
I have to admit that I only really like their first two records.




9. Nine Incha Nails
Kind of like with the Smashing Pumpkins, I only really like NIN's first album.




8. Live
I might be a stretch to call Live "mainstream" by my aforementioned standards, but oh well.




7. Nirvana




6. Weezer




5. Gin Blossoms




4. Pearl Jam




3. The Goo Goo Dolls




2. Foo Fighters




1. Green Day

Video of the Day: Homemade

"Believe in Something" by Youth Brigade


I hadn't heard this song in years until tonight and I had to go and find the lyrics, which I decided were too good not to share.

I went out walking just had to think
all day spent talking really need a drink
we have the luxury of fighting in our seats
a price for any justice the whole notion stinks

What the hell are we doing with our lives
screaming for freedom
while fighting with all sides

Say there's a reason justify the lies
but I think we're empty inside
I know a girl a girl so smart
she can talk endlessly of why we're so apart
I know a boy a boy so tough
stand up to anything but he'll never say enough

What the hell are we doing with our lives
screaming for freedom
while fighting with all sides
say there's a reason justify the lies
but I think we're empty inside...

I believe in you believe in me believe in god, country and the family
believe in greed the corporate state
believe that power and money means strength
believe in love and the birds and the bees
believe in peace honour and harmony
believe that we should live and let live
it's up to you just believe in something.

I want to think you believe in you
I believe in me will it set you free
someone's always telling you what to believe in
and I don't think you should have to fear pay any money or sacrifice years
to find some peace of mind to find a way to believe in something

Video of the Day II

"Simple Song" by Avail

The Spy RETURNS!!!!!

OklahomaRock.com is reporting that 105.3 FM The Spy will be returning to OKC airwaves next week!!! I couldn’t be more stoked!

Big thanks also to The Lost Ogle for the find.

Video of the Day

"Never Said" by Liz Phair

Video of the Day: Live

"No Division" by Hot Water Music

Who Pays the Most in Taxes?

According to this report, in at least 10 states it’s the poor.

Money Quote –

The tax code is unfair and it's the poor and the middle class who are getting the raw end of the deal.

Those are some of the conclusions of a new study released by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonpartisan research group. The report found that after itemized deductions, the richest 1 percent of Americans pay taxes at an average rate of 5.2 percent of their income. Middle-class residents, on average, pay taxes at a rate of 9.4 percent, and the poorest 20 percent pay at a rate of 10.9 percent.

"In effect, what we have is an upside-down system in which the more you earn, the less you pay in taxes," said Matthew Gardner, executive director of ITEP and the principal author of the study. "I don't think anyone would intentionally set out to design a tax code that way."

According to Gardner's findings, the 10 states where "regressive" taxation most significantly tilts in favor of the rich are Washington, Florida, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Illinois, Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Alabama.

Our tax code is just far too cumbersome and convoluted, has way too many loopholes, and desperately needs to be reformed.

Boston’s Fox Affiliate Tackles Straight Edge

My Fox Boston put together a segment on straight edge music that was actually pretty good.

Money Quote –

If you walked into a club and heard the music, you might turn right around. But you’d let one of these kids babysit your children and you’d probably be psyched if your daughter brought one home.

When the segment discussed the local connection with straight edge, they completely overlooked some of the bands that helped forge the philosophy (for lack of a better term) back in the 1980s that were from Boston – SSD and DYS. To me that’s kind of like doing a piece on straight edge without mentioning Minor Threat…oh wait, they did that too.

All criticism aside, the piece wasn’t bad at all, even if it was way too short and lacking in detail (but sadly that is the kind of reporting that we have come to expect from the media nowadays).

Thanks to PunkNews.org for the find.

Ben Weasel on the KSM Trial

Ben Weasel takes on the Khalid Sheikh Mohammed trial in the post Obama on KSM as a Criminal Defendant.

Money Quote –

The President apparently believes that objections to criminal trials for terrorists can be chalked up to simple bloodlust; he evidently either doesn't realize or can't believe that there are serious, legitimate concerns about the intelligence and security implications of this decision.

Apparently there was a time that Mr. Weasel did quite a bit of posts on politics on his blog, but he stopped because of complaints from fans. That’s a shame because this is a fairly thoughtful and non-typical post. I’d like to see more of them.

Currently Listening

We’re doing more stuff from the 90s today.

1. “Happiness” by Hagfish (from Rocks Your Lame Ass)
2. “When It Began” by The Replacements (from All Shook Down)
3. “Candy” by Iggy Pop & Kate Pierson (from Brick by Brick)
4. “Sad Tomorrow” by The Muffs (from Blonder and Blonder)
5. “Misconstrued” by Wakeland (from To See the Sun)
6. “Build Me Up Buttercup” by The Goops (from Mallrats)
7. “The World Has Turned and Left Me Here” by Weezer (from Weezer)
8. “Driveway to Driveway” by Superchunk (from Foolish)
9. “Intact” by Ned’s Atomic Dustbin (from Are You Normal?)
10. “Too Fast for Love” by The Donnas (from Get Skintight)

PiL Tour Brought to You by Country Life Butter

PunkNews.org is reporting that John Lydon’s (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten) band Public Image Limited upcoming tour will be funded by commercials from Country Life Butter.

In an interview the former Sex Pistols lead singer stated –

Why are they questioning me? What manual am I supposed to adopt? I'm promoting a British product which I'm very proud of. Anything I can do to help British industry is fine by me and in return you've got PiL. The money I got from that advert is the advance on the PiL tour. We live on a lucky end of a shoestring here until the first gig money comes in.

First of all, Lydon is an arrogant, arrogant, arrogant man who seems to think that everything in the world of punk rock revolves around him. He has made an entire career out of an image of tearing down the system, so it is not at all surprising that people see a story like this and immediately think hypocrite.

Second, I don’t blame him at all for working with the butter company. I’m sure that to take PiL back out on the road would cost a lot of money up front and striking a deal with an advertiser (especially with a company that he seems to respect) is a much better idea than getting a loan.

TPM Asks the Question…

“Why was the Stimulus Bill called the 'stimulus bill' and not a 'jobs bill'?”

I think the better question would be: Why was the Stimulus Bill called the ‘stimulus bill’ and not the ‘jobs created in places that don’t actually exist bill’?

Currently Listening

We’re doing another edition of my version of the 90’s at Noon today.

1. “Move Any Mountain” by The Shamen (from En-Tact)
2. “Head On” by Pixies (from Trompe Le Monde)
3. “Dot” by ALL (from Percolater)
4. “Sexual Healing” by Soul Asylum (from No Alternative)
5. “Believe What You’re Saying” by Sugar (from File Under Easy Listening)
6. “Honey White” by Morphine (from Yes)
7. “Radio Ragga” by Down By Law (from All Scratched Up)
8. “Rollercoaster” by The Amazing Royal Crowns (from The Amazing Royal Crowns)
9. “Ask” by Avail (from Over the James)
10. “4, 1, 4, 1…Done” by 7 Seconds (from Good To Go)

The 90’s at Noon

About the only thing that I listen to on a somewhat regular basis on our local, formerly “alternative” (now standard KATT rip-off) rock station is the 90’s at Noon. It’s the only time that they play, fairly consistently, good music. Maybe I enjoy the show because of nostalgia, but whatever the case, it is the only thing worth spit on that radio station.

The good things about the show is that they play songs by bands like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Belly, L7, and other 90’s alternative classics. They even play “Waiting Room” by Fugazi. The first time I heard the song on the Buzz I was in complete shock. Wow, I thought, they are actually playing a great song that was never a big hit. Then I thought, wait a second…this song was released in 1988. You see “waiting Room” was originally released on Fugazi’s self-titled debut EP in 1988 (on 7 inch and cassette). The CD that it appears on, 13 Songs which is a collection of those first two EP’s, was released in 1990. The station is essentially trying to be cool and kiss up to the more underground types that don’t listen very often (like me). While I’m happy that they play this song, it’s also frustrating that it is the only Fugazi song that they play. What about something that was actually released in the 90’s like “Merchandise” from Repeater (released in 1990) or “Bed for the Scraping” from Red Medicine (released in 1995)? But then again getting them to play anything by Weezer that’s not off of the Blue Album is like pulling teeth, so why should I expect them to play anything else by Fugazi.

If I had my druthers, the station would abandon its delusions of KATT grandeur and become an actually good, alternative music station. Sure it wouldn’t make as much money as playing sports talk or syndicated Spanish stations, but it would make money and there is an audience for a station that would play that kind of music. In other words, drop the Metallica and Disturbed crap and embrace the music that you play on the 90’s at Noon and run with that (and newer stuff of that caliber/variety). Do that and you will win my loyalty.

Currently Listening

Today we’re doing songs that I would play if I was in charge of the 90’s at Noon on 94.7 The Buzz.

1. “Two Worlds Collide” by Inspiral Carpets (from Revenge of the Goldfish)
2. “Everyday Sunshine” by Fishbone (from The Reality of My Surroundings)
3. “Stuart and the Ave.” by Green Day (from Insomniac)
4. “Hyper Enough” by Superchunk (from Here’s Where the Strings Come In)
5. “El Scorcho” by Weezer (from Pinkerton)
6. “Mandy” by Me First & the Gimme Gimmes (from Have a Ball)
7. “Awful” by Hole (from Celebrity Skin)
8. “Going Strong” by Dropkick Murphys (from The Gang’s All Here)
9. “That’s a Promise” by The Tight Bros. From Way Back When (from Runnin’ Thru My Bones)
10. “Kid Candy” by Seaweed (from Four)

Science Fiction vs. the Literary World

SFFMedia has a great post by John Howell called Why science fiction authors just can’t win. The post deals with the seemingly never-ending battle for science fiction and fantasy authors to get respect from the literary world.

Money Quote –

On her website, science fiction and fantasy author Ursula Le Guin, responding to Robert Weil’s quote in the New York Times, beautifully sums up the science fiction/literary dilemma:

“It is shocking to find that an editor at the publishing house that had the wits to publish J.G. Ballard (as well as the Norton Book of Science Fiction) can be so ignorant of what Ballard wrote, or so uninformed about the nature and history of the science-fiction genre, or so unaware of the nature of literature since the 1980s, that he believes — now, in 2009! — that to say a writer wrote science fiction is to malign or degrade his work."

She continued by homing in on the hypocrisy of the literary world’s view:

“To define science fiction as a purely commercial category of fiction, inherently trashy, having nothing to do with literature, is a tall order. It involves both denying that any work of science fiction can have literary merit, and maintaining that any book of literary merit that uses the tropes of science fiction (such as Brave New World, or 1984, or A Handmaid’s Tale, or most of the works of J.G. Ballard) is not science fiction. This definition-by-negation leads to remarkable mental gymnastics. For instance, one must insist that certain works of dubious literary merit that use familiar science-fictional devices such as alternate history, or well-worn science-fiction plots such as Men-Crossing-the-Continent-After-the Holocaust, and are in every way definable as science fiction, are not science fiction — because their authors are known to be literary authors, and literary authors are incapable by definition of committing science fiction.”

Is He (or She) Crazy?

Liz Cheney apparently dropped her dad’s name into the hat as a possible 2012 GOP presidential candidate.

Is the woman crazy or just being facetious because there is no way in Hades that Dick Cheney could ever win? In fact, one of the few things that scares me more than what is being done in DC right now, is what would be done in DC in a Dick Cheney White House.

Why Can’t Some Articles Be Longer?

Do you ever read a story in the paper (or online) and just wish that they had taken more time to flesh it out? That is exactly what I thought after reading this piece.

ALL Doing Short East Coast Tour

PunkNews.org is reporting that my favorite band ALL will be doing a short tour of the east coast with Scott Reynolds on vocals. As much as I would love to see one of these gigs, apparently they are only doing material that they had performed when Scott was originally in the band. To me this is a shame because 1) I would love to hear Scott’s take on some of Chad Price’s songs, and 2) they really seem to be on the verge of becoming a nostalgia act. The band hasn’t released any new material in years (the last ALL record came out in 2000 and the last Descendents record in 2004) and they are going around playing shows that sound like shows that they would have played in 1992. I can’t speak for any other fans, but I am dying for some new material. I have been trying to find unreleased songs, b-sides, and compilation tracks that I don’t have jus so I can hear something different from this band. I know that they still have great music in them; I just wish that they would get into the studio, record it, and release it.

Ben Weasel Leaves Yet Another Record Label

PunkNews.org is reporting that Ben Weasel has parted ways with Asian Man Records (a great label IMHO), meaning that all of the Screeching Weasel, Riverdales, and Ben Weasel solo albums will be reprinted again. I’m not sure what the deal is but this seems to be a pattern with Mr. Weasel.

The Consequences of a Bad Decision

Earlier this year (probably around spring time or so), part of the fence in out back yard went down after a storm. This was part of the fence that had been repaired the previous fall (this will come into play in a moment). Our neighbors that share that fence have a fairly large (but extremely sweet) dog and contacted me about getting the fence replaced. They had gotten another part of their fence replaced with a super-nice, steel pole fence and wanted to do the same with this part. They called out a guy and the estimate came out to a bit over $1,300. I about choked. Our neighbor was like “that’s not bad, that’s only about $700 each.” I looked at him and said “I don’t make $700 a paycheck.” I told him flat out that we couldn’t afford it and would need to find another solution. He came back to me later and asked if we could afford giving him $100 a month. I told him that I would have to talk it over with my wife. We talked it over and it was decided that we would go along with the $100 a month thing (this was before they started cutting hours at work and before I signed my kinds up for tae kwon do).

Well, needless to say we haven’t paid him anything. We have planned on paying him off once we get our tax return (among many other things) but until then we don’t have the cash to spare (hell at the moment we don’t have enough money for gas and food for this week).

Then on Friday as we pulled into the driveway coming back from school our neighbor and his mom (yes he lives with his mom) were in their driveway. Unfortunately our garage door opener hasn’t worked in months, so we had to get out and walk to the front door. We waved while walking and then he bellowed “I’ve been very patient about my money.” I stopped and told him that once I had some money that I would pay him (hopefully sooner than tax time because I’m going to get some money from a settlement from my previous employer). He glared and we went into the house.

At this point I was furious. I was mad for multiple reasons. First I was mad at myself for making a deal that I knew that I would have massive problems honoring. Second I was mad that I was pressured into the decision by a neighbor who has no idea how hard things are for us financially and who looked down on me when I told him how little I make (you should have seen the look on his face when I told him that I don’t make $700). Third I was mad that I got yelled at in my own front yard. I HATE confrontations, they make my heart race and my brain freeze up and for days afterwards I replay the situation in my mind. I don’t blame the guy for wanting his money, but it angers me to no end that he pestered me into making a bad decision. Don’t get me wrong here, the only one to blame for this is me. I said I’d do something and I haven’t so I get to live with the consequences of that decision. But the situation surrounding the decision sucked.

Never again will I go into something like this with a neighbor. I have absolutely learned my lesson. The next time someone wants to do an upgrade to the fence that we can’t afford I’m going to tell them that if they want to do that they can, but we can’t help.

Thinking About Going with Paperless Billing?

Think again.

Personally, if I don’t get a bill in the mail, I don’t know that it is due. I can’t function with e-billing. But I do recycle ALL of my bills (after they have been shredded).

Thanks to Scott at One Hundred to One for the find.

The TV Family That I Most Identify With

This one.

In fact if I ever need to explain my marriage, I simply asked “Do you remember David and Darlene? Yeah that’s us.”

Currently Listening

Today we’re doing songs by Green Day.

1. “Going to Pasalaqua” (from 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours)
2. “The Judges Daughter” (from 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours)
3. “Last of the American Girls” (from 21st Century Breakdown)
4. “See the Light” (from 21st Century Breakdown)
5. “Jesus of Suburbia: Jesus of Suburbia/City of the Damned/I Don’t Care” (from American Idiot)
6. “St. Jimmy” (from American Idiot)
7. “Stuck with Me” (from Insomniac)
8. “Stuart and the Ave.” (from Insomniac)
9. “J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Revla)” (from International Superhits!)
10. “Poprocks & Coke” (from International Superhits!)
11. “2,000 Light Years Away” (from Kerplunk)
12. “Christy Road” (from Kerplunk)
13. “80” (from Kerplunk)
14. “Nice Guys Finish Last” (from Nimrod)
15. “All the Time” (from Nimrod)
16. “Sick of Me” (from Shenanigans)
17. “Don’t Wanna Fall in Love” (from Shenanigans)
18. “Warning” (from Warning)
19. “Minority” (from Warning)
20. “She” (from Dookie)

My Thoughts on Laura Ingraham

I listen to a lot of talk radio in the car. Much of the time it irritates me but sometimes it has me screaming at my radio. One host that seems to rile my furies more than some of the others is Laura Ingraham.

The other day she was “interviewing” someone from Salon.com and she was just as rude and condescending to this guy that it was unbelievable. She continuously talked over the name, threw insults, and in general just wouldn’t listen. At one point when he was trying to make a point and she was talking over him she had her producers put him on hold and he hung up. This just added fuel to her fire. It was listening to this expression of horrible behavior that I realized why I can’t stand this woman so much. She reminds me of your typical a-hole customer. She is rude and couldn’t care less about the feelings of others. And based on the way that I get treated by customers on a daily basis, I’m not surprised that she is as popular as she is.

Controversy on the Street

This week Sesame Street turned 40 and there was controversy abound in the celebration of its anniversary. On Thursday Talk of the Nation tackled the subject of the show’s long history of Sesame Street.

One morning this week, Laura Ingraham went on a tirade about the Pox News skit stating that it was the show’s way of attacking Fox News on behest of the White House. Unfortunately for Ingraham, that skit was produced over two years ago while the White House was controlled by Republicans. This was a classic example of why I don’t like her (more on that later).

The thing with Sesame Street is that it does connect with children and teaches extremely valuable lessons. People who think this show is subversive or promoting some liberal agenda, IMHO, just don’t get it. They don’t understand the show, what it means, or what it teaches and that is a sad, sad, shame.

Video of the Day

"Stuck with Me" by Green Day

10 Questions with Smarty Pants

Former Oklahoma scene mainstays Smarty Pants are playing a reunion gig this Saturday Nov. 14th at the Conservatory. In honor of the show I interviewed Chris Palmer via email.

For more information on the band, check them out on MySpace.

Dave: What prompted the reunion show? Is this a one time gig?
Chris Palmer: Chris and Jeff were looking for an excuse to come back to Oklahoma and visit friends and family. Chris lives in Portland and Jeff lives in Iowa. Ryan, Kyle and Kyle invited them back and even offered to chip in on airfare/gas money. We just wanted to have a big Smarty Pants Family Reunion. We thought we were broken up but I don’t see it that way now.

Dave: For those unfamiliar with the band, what’s the story behind Smarty Pants?
Chris: Music major dropout meets flakey artist. They get a drummer who then becomes a music major and becomes too busy. A bass player quits and then rejoins. A younger and jazzy drummer is hired. A young brother wants to be in the band. Mom and Dad say, “Let your younger brother join.” Then the music starts.

Dave: Why did the band break up?
Chris: I moved to Atlanta and then Portland to explore my career in tea. Jeff moved to Texas and then Iowa to teach.

Dave: How would describe your music for those who have never heard the band?
Chris: Quirky like They might be Giants lead by a jazzy Smashing Pumpkins, with dancing clowns.

Dave: Who have been your favorite bands to play with (local and national)?
Chris: LOCAL Vena Cava was one of our very favorite Oklahoma bands. (Great guys and great band.) Euclid Crash and Traindodge are great too. We played with then both a lot. I’d say we grew up with Traindodge because both our bands started around the same time. NATIONAL Armchair Martian, Drag the River (Jon was really nice to us) Wretch Like Me. (Great band!) It was legendary to get to open for the Frogs, Atom and his package and SNMNMNM (we clicked real well.)

Dave: Is there any show that sticks out in your mind as your favorite Smarty Pants gig? Or worst?
Chris: BEST GIG When we re-opened the 108 Club and had a show in downtown Edmond. We almost got shut down but it turned out great. WORST: When Jeff and Kyle had to drive back to Edmond from Norman to get a keyboard and we missed opening for Wesley Willis.

Dave: Do you have any expectations or fears about the reunion show?
Chris: Number 1 - I hope we all get to Oklahoma. I’m coming from Portland. Jeff is coming from Iowa. Ryan is in LA this week.
Number 2 - I hope we don’t suck (at least not anymore than normal)

Dave: What are your thoughts on the state of the underground music scene in Oklahoma? How do you think it has changed since the band broke up?
Chris: It’s been amazing to see the All American Rejects and Flaming Lips continue to rise and shine for Oklahoma. Honestly we haven’t kept up with the underground scene too much. I see our label Little Mafia continues to grow bands from Oklahoma and other places though.

Dave: This is a High Fidelity inspired question. What are your top 5all time bands, albums, movies, TV shows, book/authors?
Chris: RUSH SLAYER, DANNY ELFMAN, GARTH BROOKS, JOHN WILLIAMS
KARATE KID, STAR WARS, GOONIES, REVENGE OF THE NERDS, THE JERK
90210, FRIENDS, SIMPSONS, PERFECT STRANGERS, WHO’S THE BOSS
Who reads books these days?

Dave: Any final thoughts?
Chris: SMARTY PANTS DANCE PARTY!!!

Happy Birthday Sesame Street

Today Sesame Street turns 40. This story includes some great facts and trivia about the show.

I grew up on Sesame Street and think that it is a fantastic show for young children. Here’s to 40 more excellently educational years!

The Fall of the Wall 20 Years Later

I’ll never forget where I was when I heard that the Berlin was had gone down. I was 14-years-old and in the car with my mother. We were listening to the local top 40 radio station when the DJ came on and stated that the Berlin Wall had just gone down. Needless to say we were both shocked and delighted at the news. In celebration the DJ played “Crumbling Down” by John Cougar Mellencamp and since that day I have associated that song with this memory.

Today they are celebrating in Germany the fall of the Berlin Wall.

November 9, 1988 was a good day in the cause of freedom. May many more like it come to pass.

Indoctrination or a Joke?

Sesame Street is under attack from conservatives over a two-year-old skit that was a parody of the cable news network wars. In the skit, Oscar the Grouch is a reporter for the Grouchy News Network (GNN) who is booed by a female viewer who says “From now on, I'm watching Pox News. Now there's a trashy news show!”

From the story –

Big Hollywood, the celeb blog founded by conservative writer Andrew Breitbart, called out the old skit (re-run this week) as a jab at the mega popular news network. "The message is clear," a blogger named Stage Right noted, "I can't even sit my kids in front of 'Sesame Street' without having to worry about the Left attempting to undermine my authority."

Since then, the ombudsman for PBS has weighed in and agrees the parody "should have been resisted" by producers.

Here’s the deal, conservatives (for the most part and yes I am making a fairly big generalization here) despise PBS and everything associated with it. Thusly they see shows like Sesame Street as tools in said indoctrination. This is of course poppycock. PBS is one of the few networks that consistently produces quality programming at all levels.

As far as this skit is concerned, it seems to me to be more of a stab at the cable news wars than a slam at Fox News. And come on…all of the networks in the skit are “trashy”…Oscar lives in a trash can for Pete’s sake and he is playing the part of the CNN anchor. I think that it is pretty safe to say that the producers were being equally critical of the “news” on both CNN and Fox. But then again a lot of the people who are going to see this as another reason to hate Sesame Street and PBS are probably the ones who think that Bert and Ernie are some subtle way of getting kids to turn out gay.

Here is another story on this subject. You can also see some collections of other Sesame Street parodies here and here.

Currently Listening

Today we’re doing all Foo Fighters tunes.

1. “Monkey Wrench” (from The Colour and the Shape)
2. “Enough Space” (from The Colour and the Shape)
3. “Long Road to Ruin” (from Echoes, Silence, Patients & Grace)
4. “Cheer Up, Boys (Your Make Up is Running)” (from Echoes, Silence, Patients & Grace)
5. “This is a Call” (from Foo Fighters)
6. “I’ll Stick Around” (from Foo Fighters)
7. “Times Like These” (from One by One)
8. “All MY Life” (from One by One)
9. “Breakout” (from There is Nothing Left to Lose)
10. “Next Year” (from There is Nothing Left to Lose)

Leprechaun: A Fairy’s Godly Origins

The following is the documented essay (i.e. research paper) that I will be turning in this week for my Folklore class. Personally I don't think that it is my best writing. For some reason I had a bit of a hard time knocking this thing out.

___________________________________________________

Leprechaun: A Fairy’s Godly Origins

For many the word leprechaun conjures up images of cereal boxes or murderous little men (a.k.a. Warwick Davis in the Leprechaun films) but how many know of his true origins? How many realize that the shoe making little man with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was once seen as the Irish Zeus? (Berresford Ellis, 9) This is the story of how the once mighty Lugh Lamhfada becomes the curmudgeonly little Leprechaun.

Lugh Lamhfada is the “crowning glory of the Gaelic Pantheon.” He leads the Children of Danu to victory over the Fomorii during which he defeats his grandfather Balor. Yet today his glory is but a memory found in the myths and legends of the Irish and Celtic peoples. (“The Gods of the Gaels;” Berresford Ellis, 31-3)

Originally a god, in many of the later versions of his stories Lugh is transformed from a god to a hero. In one such story Lugh arrives at the court of The Dagdha, known as “The Good God,” and requests admittance to the company of the gods. The gatekeeper asks what skills he posses that would entitle him to be in company with the great gods. For every skill, talent, and ability that Lugh names the gatekeeper says they already have a master for each. Lugh then points out that he is a master of them all and thus, he is granted entrance to the court. (“Celtic Deities”) In different version of the story, Lugh, known as Lug, is a mighty warrior who wishes to be seated in King Nuada’s council of war for the upcoming battle with the Fomors, another name for the aforementioned Fomorii. This story includes an exchange with the gatekeeper and two other feats that he must complete before being granted entrance. Upon joining the council, Lug is placed at the king’s side in the seat of knowledge and in time King Nuada awards him the crown to lead the council. After the planning session the Tuatha De Danann engage in battle with the Fomors who are lead by Lug’s grandfather Balor. Ultimately, Lug faces Balor and kills him by using his slingshot to knock Balor’s evil eye from his head. This eye destroys whoever gazes upon it; from where it lands many of the Fomors are killed by its stare. Following the battle, Lug is declared king of the Tuatha De Danann. (“Lug—The Master of Masters”)

An earlier account of this story, called “The Ever-Living Ones,” finds the chosen people of the Mother Goddess Danu, known as the Children of Danu and/or the Tuatha De Danann, departing for the island of Inisfail to fulfill their destiny. Here they meet and enter into battle with the Children of Domnu, also known as the Fomorii. The Fomorii are the descendants of the Goddess Domnu, Danu’s sister and rival. It is during this battle that Lugh defeats his grandfather Balor and acquires the Island of Destiny for the Children of Danu. (Berresford Ellis, 25-34). Evident in the more recent adaptation cited above, the story is the same but all aspects of the characters’ divinity have vanished. Gods have become heroes. It is here that we see the beginnings of Lugh’s fate unfold.

While Lugh Lamhfada is not well known, his descendant the leprechaun is. Leprechaun appears as an aged diminutive man who is often unfriendly, intoxicated, and incredibly clever. (Krull, 145; “The Leprechaun”) Leprechauns are famous for beings cobblers and shoemakers to the elves and fairies. They are owners of a secret treasure, often a pot of gold, which may be procured by humans. The trick is the humans must be able to capture and keep their eye on Leprechaun – not an easy task. (“Leprechaun”) The story “Patrick O’Donnell and the Leprechaun” finds Mr. O’Donnell coming upon a leprechaun who has gotten himself caught on a long black thorn. Mr. O’Donnell agrees to help him get unstuck under the condition that the leprechaun shows him the location of his pot of gold. Leprechaun agrees but craftily tries to trick the man into looking elsewhere. In due course, the leprechaun leads Mr. O’Donnell deep into the swamp to one of hundreds of black thorn bushes, stating that the treasure is buried beneath it. The man has nothing with which to dig up the treasure and the leprechaun refuses to help him further. He has already done what the man requested. Mr. O’Donnell ponders his situation and finally decides to tie his red scarf to the bush so that he can find his way back with his shovel. Leprechaun laughs at Mr. O’Donnell asking, “That’s your solution?” Regrettably, Mr. O’Donnell thinks his solution is sound, lets the leprechaun go free, and begins the long journey back to his house. When he returns the next day, for that is how long it took him to walk home and back, he discovers that every thorn bush in the swamp has a red scarf, identical to his own, tied to it. (Krull, 147-151) This story highlights the innovative, clever, trickster-like nature of the leprechaun.

Some of the elements that tie the leprechaun to Lugh Lamhfada are their skills in making things: the leprechaun is a cobbler; Lugh is a smith, carpenter and master of all things. Both are clever as seen in the leprechaun’s trickster-like qualities, Lugh’s battle preparations and ability to outsmart the competition. Both are quick-witted but perhaps not quick enough.

It is the introduction of Christianity that in the end decides the fate of Lugh. Formerly a god, many of Lugh’s stories and those of other pre-Christian gods and goddesses morph into fairy tales or legends in which gods become mere heroes, goddesses transform into benign spirits, and pagan priests emerge as wizards and sorcerers. (Berresford Ellis, 6-7) In fact it is in the story of “The Ever-Living Ones” that this fate is best explained:

“Indeed, there came a time when the Children of Mil flooded into the Island of Destiny and when the Children of Danu were driven underground into the hills, which were called sidhe, which is pronounced shee, and in those mounds they dwelt, the once mighty gods and goddesses, deserted by the very people who they had sought to nourish. The descendants of Mil, who line in the Island of Destiny to this day, called the Children of Danu the aes sidhe, the people of the hills, and even when the religion of Mil was forgotten, when the religion of the Cross replaced that of the Circle, the people, simply called the aes sidhe by the name of fairies.

Of the greatest of the gods, the victor of the battle on the Plain of Towers, Lugh Lamhfada, god of all knowlesge, patron of all arts and crafts, his name is still known today. But as a memory of the mighty warrior, the invincible god, has faded, he is known only as Lugh-chromain, little stooping Lugh of the sidhe, relegated to the role of the fairy craftsman. And, as even the language in which he was venerated has disappeared, all that is left of the supreme god of the Children of Danu is the distorted form of that name Lugh chromain . . .leprechaun.” (Berresford Ellis, 34)

Despite the transition, the heritage of this god lives on in the hearts and minds of the people, in the stories and tales as the image of Ireland, the rainbow and its treasure. Yet, buried in the myths and tales of the Irish, the truth about the mighty Lugh Lamhfada shines once more, brighter than any gold, that is, if you are quick enough to catch a glimpse of him.


Works Cited

Berresford Ellis, Peter. Celtic Myths and Legends. Running Press Book Publishers, 2008. Print. 6-9, 25-34.

“Celtic Deities.” The Sacred Fire. 1999. 11/07/2009. Web. <http://www.sacredfire.net/gods.html>

“The Gods of the Gaels.” The Gaelic Gods and Theirs Stories. Sacred Texts. 11/07/2009. Web. <http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cml/cml09.htm>

Krull, Kathleen. A Pot O’ Gold: A Treasury of Irish Stories, Poetry, Folklore, and (of Course) Blarney. Hyperion Books for Children. 2004. Print. 145, 147-151.

“The Leprechaun.” Irish Fairies. 11/07/2009. Web. <http://www.irelandseye.com/animation/explorer/leprechaun.html>

“Leprechaun.” Lindemans, Micha F. Encyclopedia Mythica. 1999. 11/07/2009. Web. <http://www.pantheon.org/articles/l/leprechaun.html>

“Lug—The Master of Masters.” Argdagh, Philip. Celtic Myths and Legends. World Book, Inc., 2006. Print. 7-12.

Currently Listening

Today we’re doing all Dropkick Murphys tunes.

1. “This is Your Life” (from Blackout)
2. “Front Seat” from (Boys on the Docks)
3. “Fightstarter Karaoke” (from Do or Die)
4. “The Gang’s All Here” (from The Gang’s All Here)
5. “Tomorrow’s Industry” (from The Meanest of Times)
6. “Knock Me Down” (from Mod Mentality)
7. “A Few Good Men” (from Sing Loud, Sing Proud)
8. “John Law” (from The Singles Collection)
9. “We Got the Power” (from Singles Collection, Vol. 2)
10. “The Auld Triangle” (from The Warrior’s Code)

Drumming for Derek

Today in at 66 Bowl in OKC will be an event to help raise money for local drummer Derek Dugger who is battling cancer.

SHOW INFO:

• When: Saturday, November 7 (Noon - 1am)
• Where: 66 Bowl, 3810 NW 39th St., in OKC
• Bands: Mack Stevens, Brian Dunning and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio, The Hellbilly Saints, The Ike Lamb Band, The Muck Savages, The Reverb Brothers, Brian Parton, Ong, The R.I.P. Tides, Billy Joe Winghead, Bloody Ol’ Mule, The Starkweather Boys & Little Rachel.
• Admission: $5 (donations will be accepted)
• All Ages
• Silent auction will be held and several items will be raffled off.

To find out more about Derek and the show check out this excellent post on OklahomaRock.com.

I met Derek once at a Poison Okies show and emailed back and forth with him quite a bit a few years ago when I interviewed him for OklahomaPunkScene.com. Derek is a super nice guy and I wish him and his family the best of luck.

Video of the Day III

"Covered" by Public Image Limited

This Brought Back Some Memories

Video of the Day II

"The Life of Riley" by The Lightening Seeds

Video of the Day

"Planet Love" by The Dylans

Video of the Day: Homemade II

"I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend" by Lush

Video of the Day: Homemade

"Breather" by Chapterhouse

Video of the Day: Live

"Bed for the Scraping" by Fugazi

Currently Listening

Today we’re doing all Alkaline Trio tunes.

1. “Fine Without You” (from BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)
2. “Wait for the Blackout” (from BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)
3. “Rooftops” (from Alkaline Trio / Hot Water Music [Split CD])
4. “Bleeder” (from Alkaline Trio)
5. “For Your Lungs Only” (from Alkaline Trio)
6. “Armageddon” (from From Here to Infirmary)
7. “Trucks and Trains” (from From Here to Infirmary)
8. “This Could Be Love” (from Good Mourning)
9. “Fatally Yours” (from Good Mourning)
10. “Keep ‘Em Coming” (from Maybe I’ll Catch Fire)
11. “Radio” (from Maybe I’ll Catch Fire)

Making Progress at Work

The other day I was chosen to be part of a town hall meeting with our site director and local head of HR. Apparently I was selected because my boss and her boss thought that I would be opinioned and express myself in the meeting (my initial reaction was “man are they going to regret this”). For the beginning of the meeting I just sat there and bit my tongue, internally debating whether or not I wanted to open my mouth. Finally my mouth one and the flood-gates opened.

One issue that I brought up was the poor way that agents are treated by the support staff (managers, etc). I suggested that the support staff should have to sign a pledge to the agents (we actually had to sign one to the customers). Amazing the site director loved the idea and told me to write it up. So yesterday I did and it was emailed off to the boss. When I did talk to him about it, I suggested that the signing be a big deal and that the pledge be displayed with everyone’s signatures for the agents to see, because if no one knows about it then it is a meaningless gesture (which it still may be). He said that he loved the idea, but we’ll see if it actually comes to fruition. The site director seems like a nice guy but he also reminds me a lot of a politician. I guess only time will tell if something comes of me opening my big fat mouth.

Milo Interviewed on a Sports Talk Station

PunkNews.org is reporting that the Descendents’ Milo Aukerman was recently interviewed by Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub. The coolest part of the interview (which you can download and listen to in the original article) is that Milo apparently hints at the end that the Descendents may tour again (I say apparently because I haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet).

Lex and Terry on Religion

I am not a fan of morning drive talk shows. For the most part they come off as a bunch of buffoons laughing at anything and everything. Well on my way to school this morning I was flipping through the radio dial and stopped on the Lex and Terry Show on 94.7 the Buzz. Yesterday I had heard a pretty funny segment where they had people in the studio and they were playing name that tune. Well today when I flipped on the show they were discussing religion. To my amazement, both Lex and Terry had very similar views on religion to my own. Both professed that what truly mattered was how one treats people and lives his/her life versus what religion he/she follows. It was a breath of fresh air.

For Once I Agree with Randy

My State Representative Randy Terrill has ripped DHS (that’s Department of Human Services and not Homeland Security) a new one for nearly $200,000 in pay raises given in the past years before the agency cut benefits to seniors.

From the story –

Terrill said records show, “These raises were given at a time when the economic situation was bad and getting worse and a budget shortfall was clearly imminent. In light of the raises, I find it hard to believe DHS could not find any way to save money other than cutting nutritional programs for the elderly.”

[...]

“This unconscionable series of events calls into question the judgment of DHS’ senior management,” Terrill said. “With state workers facing furloughs or layoffs, the Legislature should scrub every agency budget to determine whether the DHS abuses are an isolated case or just the tip of the iceberg. Somehow, I suspect the latter.”

I don’t like Terrill’s policies and I don’t foresee voting for him in the future (not that he needs my vote mind you) but I’ve got to give credit where credit is due. Terrill is spot on with this and it is another shining example of how inefficient large bureaucracies are.

Quote of the Day

The ties between economic freedom and social freedom are intricate and complex. Economic freedom encourages social freedom and when you try to destroy social freedom the only way you may do so is to destroy economic freedom.

-- CLS from the post How conservatives undermine economic freedom

Huckabee on Talk of the Nation

Former AR Governor and GOP Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was on Talk of the Nation yesterday discussing the Obama victory one year later. During the discussion, Huckabee was asked about things that he thought needed to be done in politics. He rattled off a list that included term limits, government transparency (like posting proposed legislation on the internet for five days before it is voted on), and making it a requirement for anyone currently in office who is running for another office (i.e. someone in the House running for Senate or Governor or President) to resign from his/her current position (the reason being that they should get a paycheck from the tax payers while they are out running for a different office instead of doing the job that they were elected to do). When he was done I said to my wife “I pretty much agree with everything he just said.” While I may disagree with Huckabee on a host of social issues, on issues dealing with the economy and governmental power he is right on.

Quote of the Day

It really does make you wonder. Are people really that stupid nowadays? Have they actually lost the capacity to ratiocinate? Are they deaf?

Or is it that people have become so accustomed to substituting snark for substantive commentary that they no longer bother to listen to the argument actually being made, but instead listen only for something that they can seize on long enough to distort, lampoon, misrepresent, blow out of proportion, or otherwise abuse in a none-too-thinly-veiled attempt merely to make their opposition look ridiculous rather than engage and critique his ideas?

Pitifully, I'm afraid that too often that is it; people hardly ever engage in argument or discussion anymore. They are not interested in understanding what their opposition thinks, or in clearly articulating what they think themselves. They neither defend nor critique, not in a proper sense. They just mock and ridicule, just standing out in the street like a bunch of drunken chimps, throwing feces at the portraits of great men whose ideas they do not trouble themselves to study enough to understand.

-- Man of the West from the post Losing the Art of Listening