Women and Vodka--The Old Bait and Switch

How to sell classic Russian literature to American males during the Cold War:

It even has a selection from Crime and Punishment, featuring that swinging lady-killer Raskolnikov.

Friday at Lollapalooza

Irony does not seem to function in an outdoor concert setting. I'm pretty sure that when Kurt Cobain wrote Lithium, the opening lyrics of "I'm so happy…" is not to be taken at face value. But when the Polyphonic Spree gets the crowd in a huge sing-along, Lithium becomes a feel-good anthem. The camera focuses on Tim Delaughter moving among the audience and singing, "I'm so ugly, but that's okay, so are you," then zooms in on a guy getting a pat on the head while the lyrics are sung to him and it's a big crowd pleaser with this guy truly ecstatic that the joke was on him.

I noted this last year when Sleater/Kinney sang Modern Girl and everyone sang the "My whole life is a like a picture of a sunny day" line. So a song about limits of materialism becomes a festival feel-good song. Not that I minded it either time.

After a hot and muggy day, the sun slips behind the skyscrapers in the west just in time for the 7:30 show of LCD Soundsystem. The area around stage fills up quickly with people who just got off of work and are ready to dance off any traces of the workweek. James Murphy (who has serious bed hair) and the band play an intense set. In between songs, Murphy has droll monologues: “I never know what to say in between songs. What can I say? ‘Are You Ready?’ Never could understand why performers ask that. You are all obviously ready, waiting for the next song. What do you have to be ready for? It’s the band that needs to be ready. And we’re not, so I have to say stuff like this.”

The set reaches its peak during a red hot version of "All My Friends." The song's ending refrain of "Where are your friends tonight?" which has always seemed a twist of a knife now becomes a joyous shout. Our friends are here tonight and we're all dancing our asses off.

Magic Beans

Research shows that coffee can protect the liver against too much partying. It doesn't appear to be the caffeine in coffee, but some other ingredient in java.

This is nature in its truest most beneficial form. A big night out and you naturally need a little more coffee than usual and all that java is making everything all right. It's beautiful in a kind PBS nature special kind of way—except that since the ecological system portrayed is your inner organs, it's even more moving.

And proof positive that those folks juicing on diet Pepsi or Red Bull in the mornings aren't just corroding their taste buds, but are fucking with the natural order of things.

Man, Whatever Happened to "What happens in El Salvador, Stays in El Salvador"

From the Chicago Trib 3/13/2007

Israel has recalled its ambassador to El Salvador after he was found naked, bound and drunk, according to Israeli media reports confirmed Monday by a government spokeswoman.

Tsuriel Raphael has been removed from his post and the Foreign Ministry has begun searching for a replacement, ministry spokeswoman Zehavit Ben-Hillel said.

Two weeks ago, El Salvador police found Raphael in the yard of his residence, tied up, gagged with a ball and drunk, Israeli media reported. He was wearing bondage equipment, the media said. After he was untied, Raphael told police he was the ambassador of Israel, the reports said.

Ben-Hillel said the reports were accurate and that Raphael has been recalled, although he did not break any laws.

Republican Fiscal Responsibility

Remember when Republicans, although still not exactly progressive when it came to social issues, were fiscally responsible and generally tight with a buck.

Neither do I.

Still there must have been a time when this was true. All that stuff about tax-and spend Democrats and good steward Republicans.

But check out this table, run in the Chicago Tribune a while back.

The biggest increase occurs because of WW II debt, then a gradual pay down until Reagan takes office and the debt takes off like a shot. Clinton balances the books briefly, then comes Shrub. In all the Republican years of Reagan and the Bushes push the national debt $8,000 higher than it was after WWII.

Yesterday David Walker, the US comptroller general, was on 60 Minutes where he pointed out that this level of debt is unsustainable and added: "We are mortgaging the future of our children and grandchildren at record rates, and that is not only an issue of fiscal irresponsibility, it's an issue of immorality."

Maybe tax and spend is better than spend, cut taxes for the mega wealthy and spend.

Immortality

Substance in Red Wine Extends Life"... NY Times 11/1/2006

Man, I am fucking immortal!

Desperate Measures

As reported in Wall Street Journal 10/19/2006 in an article about low poll numbers for Republicans in the November election.

House Majority Whip Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican, yesterday sent an email to the media suggesting House Democrats would "plot to establish a Department of Peace, raise your taxes and minimize penalties for crack dealers.".

So now the Democratic Party is the party of big government, higher taxes and a thriving crack market.