Can Obama Escape the Taint of Blagojevich? - TIME

The Taint... The Taint

Eyes hollow and face gaunt, having barely survived a brush with the filthy Bag of Blagojevich, and nearly losing an arm in a battle with the baleful Brown Eye of Blagojevich, our hero Obama Sunshine is reduced to skulking along the back alleys and gutters of Chicago in a hopeless bid to escape... THE TAINT OF BLAGOJEVICH!!!

the taint... it lingers

How Much For Your Wings?

Good news you'll never hear(Hattip to Jonah @ The Corner):

The Iraqi Airforce graduates its first post-Saddam pilots.

Argghhh!: has the details of the happy event.

"One of the kids nudged me when a DV started getting passionate in his address, and was interrupted by a standing ovation:“He is saying that for the first time in our history, we are not doing things for one man, but we are doing it for all the people of Iraq. He is saying the US has showed us how, and we must not forget when we thank God every day, we must also ask him to bless the US.”"

Godspeed the day when the Iraqis can see their jets flying over head and feel the same sense of pride and security that I do when I see our boys.

Winter Rules!

On a dark and rainy evening, a lone guitarslinger calmly walked in...

...Sat down and killed.

Johnny tore it up and left a wet and satisfied crowd. Not for the first time, I'll bet.

Edgar graced us with his silver sax on Mary Ann. A historic show. May they rock on forever.

Holding Fire

Hotly the dragon weeps for lost opportunities.

McCain has turned in another maddening performance. With conservatives still wishing he had held his stand against the pork-and-crap-filled croissant that was and is the Bailout Bill, he ups the ante by making a Gov't buyout of failing mortgages the centerpiece of his economic policy. Somewhere Marx(not Groucho!) is smiling.

If that weren't enough, he has once again declined to nail Obama to his very recently past associates: Ayers, Rezko, Wright, not to mention Dodd, Frank, Pelosi, Reid, et al. The only possible reason I can see for McCain's forbearance is that he and his handlers believe that these charges will have a very short lifespan once leveled, and must be held back in the face of the public's rapidly shrinking attention span.

Caution, Senator: Keeping your powder dry will avail you nothing when all of your soldiers have abandoned you in despair.

Boo!

Found this ghostly nightmare in the backyard. He told me it was about time I started blogging again. And then he ate my brains.

Review: Warpaint by The Black Crowes

Warpaint, released March 4, 2008, is The Black Crowes’ 7th studio album and their first in seven years. In that time, they’ve seen the breakup of the band, solo projects, reconciliation, reunion, and the subsequent loss and replacement of their well-loved veteran keyboard player and lead guitarist. In the wake of all that drama, it wouldn’t be surprising if their comeback album showed signs of identity crisis, desperation, over reach, or simply fatigue. Fortunately, Warpaint is a solid Black Crowes album and one would be forgiven for thinking the band had been chugging along all this time with nary a pause.

The Black Crowes play in the sonic tradition of Rod Stewart/Ronnie Wood and The Band. Their formula is simple: a wooly, saturated rhythm guitar alternately sparring with and supporting the wailing lead singer and the wailing lead guitar (often slide guitar) over a rock solid blues bass guitar and drums rhythm section, with an organ and/or piano filling in all the cracks. It’s an organic, honest sound in evidence more on the Crowes’ first three studio albums than on their last three. In this, Warpaint is a welcome return to form.

Chris Robinson is in fine voice, continuing his stint as the High Hippie Brother Love, Preacher, Seeker and Prophet. He sounds relaxed, and seldom lapses into the shouting which has marred some previous efforts. Mr. Robinson’s lyrics retain his usual impressionistic flourishes, but for the most part are compelling and clear enough to follow without a lyric sheet.

The addition of Luther Dickinson (of The North Mississippi Allstars) nudges the Delta Blues back into the mix. To my ear Mr. Dickinson’s warbling slide work is a little less focused and a bit more tentative than the past lead guitarists, but is nonetheless excellent and overall quite at home on the album.

Warpaint is produced by Paul Stacey, who previously worked with Chris Robinson in New Earth Mud, and a couple tunes open sounding more like Mr. Robinson’s solo project than the Crowes proper. However, as I said before, Warpaint is a solid Black Crowes album, and compares favorably to the band’s best work. Any fan of Amorica or The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion will be very happy with this album.

Hillary X

Faced with sagging poll numbers and the sick feeling that all of their machinations have been in vain, the Clinton campaign has announced an image makeover for their candidate. Details are sketchy, but the campaign insists that Hillary will lock in Texas voters and NRA members, recapture the African-American vote and blow Obama away. Stay tuned.

Unlikely Headlines

Adult Stem Cell Breakthrough

NYT Reports Positive Iraq Story

Today’s big news has me feeling all optimistic and tingly inside. Dreamer that I am tho- I can’t help but wonder what giddy revelations tomorrow’s paper may bring. Just imagine:

Al Gore: Thanks for the Validation, Admits it was All Hooey

Oil Discovered to be Cheap, Plentiful
Answer to World’s Energy Needs

Early Firearms Training Key to Well-Regulated Society

Fetuses Actually Form of Pre-Children!

Employment Increases Self-Worth, Actual Worth

New England Republicans in Name Only

Lower Taxes Increase Revenues, Stimulate Economy

Polls Not Really News say 82%

Send Them Home!

The young men and women of the Armed forces in Iraq?

...No, the Iraqi legislators.

I’m irritated (as I was last year) by all of the conservative solons(Mr O’Reilly et al) who believe it’s in the poorest taste for the Iraqi congress to close up shop and head home for a month while America and others continue to expend blood and treasure on their behalf.

Creating a full-time professional class of legislators is the last thing Iraq needs right now. Instead, keeping the bond between representatives and their constituencies strong should be a priority. Frequent extended trips back to the old neighborhood will help to keep both sides grounded in reality.

Furthermore, as our increasingly out of control federal govenment demonstrates: more law does not equal better law. I believe the US should instead follow the Iraqi model and return to part-time citizen led government. More time in session may make the lives of those in newsrooms easier, but it doesn’t make for better govenment.

Pinin' for the Fjords

The Brazilian Blue shows the Norweigan Blue how it's done.