buzz twang

Via WFMU’s Beware of the Blog… The Museum of Bad Album Covers. Hit the Top Ten, then… well… don’t say I didn’t warn ya. Bad means… bad. Some may not be entirely work safe.

Vis Dave Johnson at Seeing the Forest, Skippy spells it all out in a wonderful post entitled: wherein we prove that the “wartime president” defense is inconsequential – no – make that outright “lame”. Essential reading.

JD Hendersen at Intel Dump:

I think the evidence is strong that the Iranian government is making these IEDs, and the Iranian government is sending them across the border and they are killing U.S. troops once they get there,” says Richard Clarke, former White House counterterrorism chief and an ABC News consultant. “I think it’s very hard to escape the conclusion that, in all probability, the Iranian government is knowingly killing U.S. troops.”

Read the entire report.

This scares the hell out of me. It should scare the hell out of you, too.

I said in a pre-invasion editorial in November 2002:

Success against the Iraqi military is a certainty, and thus the President’s call for “regime change” is bound to happen if we invade. We need to be certain, however, that such a change would result in a safer world. That is the test for success, not removing Saddam. Ralph Waldo Emerson noted that men don’t ride events, events ride the man. The war could (and probably would) have consequences beyond what most of us can predict now. The eminent military philosopher Carl von Clausewitz cautioned that when preparing for war political leaders should never take the first step until they know their last. If war with Iraq is worth U.S. blood and treasure it is worth establishing and articulating a desired political end and a plan for the political consolidation of our military success. We must not take the first step until we have thought our strategy through to the last step, until we understand all the risks and rewards. This has not been done.

Anybody feel safer as a result of our invasion of Iraq? And no, running like scared rabbits and leaving Iraq to fall into chaos will not make us safer either – the “pull out now” crowd has also not thought their strategy through to the last step, and obviously they do not understand all the risks and rewards.

And, incredibly, Bush was re-elected based on the impression that he was better at national security. War with Iran is now increasingly likely, and war with Iran risks the very survival of our republic. All because 19 guys with box-cutters flew some planes into some buildings, and people who have never known fear got scared.

Well now they have something to be scared about. And Osama must praise Allah that Bush was our president on 9/11.

Agreed. Well said.

The Global War on Terror
Global Struggle Against Violent Extremsim
The Global War on Terror
The Long War

Adjust your calendars accordingly.

As said, for a guy not running, he sure is doing a great impression of a guy running… via Avedon at Sideshow.

Via Sideshow, from Adam Kotsko. Classic. And, horrifyingly too true.

The brain trust over at LGF supports the killing of Americans in Iraq. See for yourself.

At this juncture, that is how the GOP Presidential ticket appeares to be shaping up. Read this over at Digby, and this over at Crooks and Liars.

The GOP spin machine loves Condi in 2008, but I think that is simply too far out for the party faithful, and Karl Rove knows it. Pie in the sky at this point in our history IMO. The good ole boys won’t have it.

D.O.A. – Think they’ll get into the rock and roll hall of fame? I certainly hope not!

(Keighley, C. Keighley. 1:51)
Apartment walls, halls are small
Government building site much too small
These tiny boxes won’t let me out
These tiny boxes are too remote
It’s a screaming mess
Television city dream
Your robot’s eyes gleam
In my future dream
Yeah hey!
It’s not fate or chance
It’s the money in the bank
Burn their timber and gather their bricks
Drive’em into the fire, the bloody dicks
It’s a screaming mess
And I am the prisoner
The prisoner, the prisoner
Go!
It’s not fate or chance
Kick somebody in the face
Burn their timber and gather their bricks
Drive’em into the fire, the bloody dicks
It’s a screaming mess
Television city dream
Your robot’s eyes gleam
In my future dream
And I am the prisoner
The prisoner, the prisoner
Well I am the prisoner
The prisoner, the prisoner
The prisoner!

Via Altercation, an interesting article, John Coltrane’s Finest Hour. And, a bit of video.

… that when it rains and shines, it’s just a state of mind…”

“Rain” by the Fabs has always been one of my favorites. It was one of those songs that I’d never really listened to or heard much growing up. I really discovered it much later in college, when I was playing guitar more and more. And, it’s rather extraordinary for a number of reasons, not all of which are commonly known.

The most obvious- the use of backward vocal tracking- is mentined in the clip bolow. (Taken from Anthology)

The overall guitar work by Harrison and Lennon is just amazing. Harrison was exploring his new Gibson SG and Lennon his hollow body Epi Casino. (Which was a standard sunburst body, which he later had stripped to it’s bare wood to broaden the tone for that rawness you hear on the White Album.) The melodic interplay of these two guitarists is amazing. It always was, and it shines on this song. Then toss in McCartney’s amazing bass runs and Starr’s drumming… just stellar. And, this aspect of the song – for me – is what sets it apart. The bass and drums just make it fly.

In The Big Beat, Ringo Starr is asked what he feels is his best drumming, and he says: “Rain. I know my drumming. And then there is “Rain”.” And, he is right. It’s just some of the most sychopated and perfect drumming ever. And, McCartney plays just the most amazing doubling of Starr’s drumming. Just listen to how they duplicate the same lines, and at other times the interplay is downright melodic. Brilliant.

…back up again. Everyone around me the past few weeks has been sick. And, I resisted it for awhile, but after last weeks gig was just too tired to hold it off any longer. Wednesday night went down and am just getting better. Had a 101 degree temp on Thursday. Ugh. My better half has been home sick as well. So, we were a bundle of sicky goodness. Thank goodness for delivery and Vietnemse soup to go. So, will be back soon.