Confucian Technology

Our next rulers. How the fuck do they create this technology before we do.

Thank Confucius I've mastered chop-sticks.

China's Great (Quantum) Leap Forward - Yahoo! News:

"While China has been showing off its new hardware, a potentially more important military advancement has gone largely unnoticed: In May, Chinese scientists announced a demonstration of 'quantum teleportation' over 16 kilometers (10 miles), creating what Matthew Luce, a researcher at the Defense Group Inc.'s Center for Intelligence Research and Analysis, calls 'secure communications guaranteed by the laws of physics.' China is now at the cutting-edge of military communications, transforming the field of cryptography and spotlighting a growing communications arms race."

_______

Needs to be done. Will never be done.

The Case for a New Top Income Tax Bracket � The Washington Independent:

"Democrats could, for instance, offer to create a new tax bracket for the top one percent of earners (those making more than about $410,000) or for any earners making more than $1 million."

_______

A-to-the-men.

Teh Stupid owns our world.

Daily Kos: An army of stupid:

"'Barack Obama is racist'. 'Barter chickens for healthcare'. 'I read all of the newspapers that are put in front of me.' 'I can see Russia from my house' (ok, fine that one wasn't her exact quote, but still). 'Terrorist anchor babies'. Birthers. Railing against high taxes when 95% of Americans received a tax cut - the biggest middle class tax cut in history. 'Barack the magic...' well, never mend. An American where 'freedom' means that you love the country so much that your spouse can join a separatist political party as you talk about how great this country is. Conspiracy theories about ACORN, about unions, about 'big government', except when it was a few years ago and it was in the name of 'freedom'. And of course, 'death panels'.

I really could go on and on and on.

How the fuck did this become mainstream and acceptable enough that Sharon Angle and Rand Paul are where they are, and how Glenn Beck isn't mocked in every (other) corner of reality and society - is beyond me. How empty and hypocritically ironic slogans, sheer ignorance and stupidy - willfull, proud stupidity and ignorance - has become a bigger force in politics and American discourse than ever before is just baffling."

_______

Don't piss off the old boys from Alabama...

Police: 81-year-old set off device that killed him:

"Police say an 81-year old man died in an explosion he set off intentionally in his third-floor room at an Alabama home for senior citizens."

_______

Soothing, in a way.

LiveLeak.com - Pacific Sun Cruise liner in very heavy seas. Internal CCTV footage.

_______

Boston Dawna, the Batman of Venice Beach, retires - Yahoo! News

_______
_____
___

Long Time Coming - Roll Tide Roll

Whew. Been waiting for this for a damn long time.

37-21

The Alabama Crimson Tide, National Champions for the 13th time!

Roll Tide Roll!!!!

BCS Championship Game: Alabama Crimson Tide's thunderous hits struck the Texas Longhorns - ESPN:

"PASADENA, Calif. -- Nick Saban's rise to the top of the college football world has been built one thunderous tackle at a time. The wins have kept coming because the hits have kept coming, whether Saban was coaching in Baton Rouge or Tuscaloosa.

His defenses don't just shut offenses down. They beat offenses up."

_______

Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy reveals he suffered two cracked ribs against Florida - ESPN:

"PASADENA, Calif. -- Greg McElroy never had to leave the game. The Alabama junior never had to leave his team in the hands of an untested backup. But it turns out that Texas' Colt McCoy wasn't the only injured quarterback at the Rose Bowl on Thursday night.

'I cracked my ribs in the third quarter against Florida,' McElroy said outside the locker room. 'Two of them -- the ninth and the 10th. Left side. It's bad. I got it numbed up before the game and it was killing me at halftime.'"

_______

Moore ready to erect Saban’s statue | TideSports.com | The Tuscaloosa News | Tuscaloosa, AL

Beside the Walk of Champions outside Bryant-Denny Stadium, in the north end zone plaza, the Crimson Tide’s national championship coaches are honored with a bronze statue. But beside the statue of 1992 national title coach Gene Stallings, there is an empty place for UA’s next national championship coach.

Director of Athletics Mal Moore was asked if he would want Saban’s statue erected immediately.

“It was put there for this, and I will recommend to the president that we go forth,” Moore said. “Well, we’ll talk about (doing it immediately), but yeah. Hell yeah.”

_______


_______

Best. Football Game. Ever!

_______
_____
___

Rip Torn on the High Seas

One more day to donate to Nuci's Space.

Even if you won't be at the shows, dig deep and donate at least $10 to this very important organization.

_______

"Don't piss off the Boys from Alabama
You know they won't let it slide"

Decatur, Ala., organized crime unit chief missing:

"Authorities searched Monday for the head of a northern Alabama city's organized crime unit, who was last seen working late Friday and then vanished, leaving signs of a struggle in his office."

_______

Well, of course he's facing charges. His name is 'Rip Torn' for Buddha's sake!

Rip Torn faces drunken driving charges in Conn.

_______

Not sure how much of this applies to a city like San Francisco. Plenty of green space, and amazing views around every corner.

Still, an interesting read.

How the city hurts your brain - Boston.com:

"One of the main forces at work is a stark lack of nature, which is surprisingly beneficial for the brain. Studies have demonstrated, for instance, that hospital patients recover more quickly when they can see trees from their windows, and that women living in public housing are better able to focus when their apartment overlooks a grassy courtyard. Even these fleeting glimpses of nature improve brain performance, it seems, because they provide a mental break from the urban roil."

_______

Another interesting read.

Diaries of swashbuckling hero who rescued Robinson Crusoe unearthed - Telegraph:

"A 300-year-old journal of a British explorer who saved the real-life Robinson Crusoe and defeated pirates of the Caribbean has been discovered."

_______

Ah, funny beer commercials, oh how I adore thee.

_______
_____
___

DBT Week in Review - 10/03/08

Damn, I so want to write about dipshit Palin in the 'debate' last night. Alas, I'll resist until Monday, but if you run into anyone this weekend who was taken in by her incoherent babbling, please slap them really hard and right into their face yell "Stop swallowing Horse Shit"!

_______

DBT!

Patterson's GOAV Jambase article:

Rocktober: Get Out And Vote! on JamBase:

"What is the relationship between music and politics - and how, if at all, has this relationship affected your music?

P: I think all aspects of life are affected by politics so therefore everything is somewhat political. To pretend otherwise is a dangerous slope and a big reason why we as a nation got into as much trouble as we have. I really try not to ever stand up there and preach my political beliefs to the audience, as that's not what they've come to the show for, but it does affect the writing and it's no secret how I (or the rest of the band) feel about things. I tend to write about more personal aspects of character's lives, but often the two are intermingled."

_______

I've been grooving on Zebulon for the past week. Great record.

Aquarium Drunkard: MP3 Blog, Music Blog � Long Shots :: Don Chambers & Patterson Hood:

"(Long Shots, a new feature on Aquarium Drunkard, asks some of our favorite artists to interview one another. Think of it as listening in on a good conversation.)

Presently on the road touring with the Drive-By truckers, Don Chambers & Goat, released their latest LP, Zebulon, September 9th via Athens, GA’s Warm Recordings label. Chamber’s pal, Patterson Hood, produced and played on the album. Below, the two talk shop for a bit before getting into the nitty-gritty in regards to favorites in film and music. Great stuff."

_______

Scott showed me pictures of Cooley's guitar on his cell phone at the Outside Lands. What a beautiful piece of artwork!

Myspace.com Blogs - The New Cooley Custom is finished - Scott Baxendale MySpace Blog:

"Check out the photos I just posted of the new Scott Baxendale/Wes Freed collaboration, which is Mike Cooleys new Custom guitar. He recieved it today in Austin just in time for the Austin City Limits taping. This guitar is also the ssubject of the Perfect Timing video to be out soon. Look in my pics section to see pictures of the finished guitar. Let me know what you think.

This is the most elaborate guitar I have made since the Warner Brothers guitar that I made in 1988. This one was featured in the Travis Tritt video for 'Country Club'."

Check out all of the pictures especially the neck:

MySpace.com Photos - Scott Baxendale - The New Cooley Custom

_______

I said on 5/16/07....

Alabama Ass Whuppin': DBT TDU - Great American Music Hall - SF - Night 2:

"How ready is this band for an Austin City Limits gig? It's been long over due in my opinion but with this showcase of songs sitting down and tales facing up the folks who book that show just ain't being christian by not having DBT on pronto."

I'm glad they've remedied that.

_______

I thought I blogged this in last week's WIR, but apparently I didn't.

Now, THESE are the guys I want to hang out with Pre-DBT show.

_______

Marina captured a great performance of You and Your Crystal Meth for our enjoyment:

Drive By Truckers~Crystal Meth

_______

Jason Isbell

Isbell and Browan will be heading out to Cali for some November accoustic shows:

Myspace.com Blogs - California in November - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit MySpace Blog:

"California in November

Notice the three new shows that just went up in California. Browan and I will be doing the acoustic duo on these, and we're really excited about it. The acoustic shows in the past have gone exceptionally well. Expect some surprises."

_______

Dexateens

Check out the video to the 'teens awesome song 'Kid'.

_______

Film/Literature/Muscle Shoals Sound

I believe a couple of Hoods are in this doc. I'm very anxious to see it because the TVA's existence caused my existence. Tied right down to my soul with the damns, lakes and rivers created by the TVA. Both my Grandpas worked for the TVA.

_______

One of my favorite authors visited my hometown University recently:

Bragg a little | TimesDaily.com | The Times Daily | Florence, AL:

"Rick Bragg knows how to tell a good story."

"Growing up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain in eastern Alabama, place and family have become recurring themes in his work, including the best-sellers 'All Over but the Shoutin' ' and 'Ava's Man.'

In his most recent book, 'The Prince of Frogtown,' Bragg digs a little deeper into the character of his father, a shadowy and wayward character whose life and absence from the life of the author has largely influenced his career."

_______

Chris Lilly is from Florence, AL. I believe I've blogged about him before. He kept showing up on my TV on ESPN all last week especially during the Alabama - Georgia 'blackout'.

Meals Together - Chris Lilly's Bio

_______

Music

Via Tac.

What do y'all think about these folks:

________
_____
___

Devil Went Down to Georgia....

... and he was lookin' for a game to steal.....

A True Alabama Ass Whuppin.

Alabama 41, Georgia 30 - The Bama Beat - al.com

"Hey 'Dogs! (with sincerest apologies to all my Georgia people) Hey 'Dogs! (Really, I'm so sorry for the humiliation put upon you by the Crimson Tide). We just beat the Hell out of you!"



"Rammer Jammer, Yellow Hammer, Give 'em Hell Alabama..... Indeed"!

"They got a name for the winners in the world...."

Tide climbs to No. 2 in AP poll - Tide Corner - al.com

_______

Yes! Back in the game!!

Natalie Portman is single

But then.... FUCKETH!

Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds Wed in Canada

Reynolds, you're fucking up my plan to convert to Mormonism, then take Natalie, Scarlett and a yet to be named free agent.... maybe Tina Dico.... as my wives.

I'm coming after you, Ryan!

_______

I remember this... twas a really weird day in the city:

_______

And in related news:

Space exploration key to mankind's survival: NASA chief:

"Mankind's very survival depends on the future exploration of space, said NASA chiMichael Griffin in an interview with AFP marking the 50th anniversary of the US space agency.

This journey, said the veteran physicist and aerospace engineer, is full of unknowns and has only just begun.

'Does the survival of human kind depend upon it? I think so,' he said."

_______
_____
___

People Who Die

Sad, sad, sad. JMS was a pure heart.

Roll Tide, John Mark, Roll Tide

A true inspiration- al.com:

"John Mark Stallings loved Point Clear.

Maybe not as much as he loved Alabama football, but there were always his family's traditional trips to the bay when his dad coached the Crimson Tide in the 1990s. John Mark would dip his toes in the water and light up with that grin, the one that inspired anyone fortunate enough to make his acquaintance.

He won't soon be forgotten, as evidenced by the response that met John Mark's death Saturday morning in Paris, Texas. It seemed everyone — from dozens of former players to Alabama Gov. Bob Riley to Terry Saban, wife of current Tide coach Nick Saban — expressed condolences."

Here's a YouTube of a John Mark piece done for half-time of the 92 or 93 Alabama-Auburn game.

YouTube - John Mark Stallings

_______

Again, damn! Skip's voice filled every summer and fall I can remember.

Longtime Braves broadcaster Skip Caray dies at 68:

"Skip Caray, a voice of the Atlanta Braves for 33 years and part of a family line of baseball broadcasters that included Hall of Famer Harry Caray, died in his sleep at home on Sunday, the team said. He was 68."

_______

People who didn't die.....

NY girl falls 14 stories, saved by sooty landing:

"A 12-year-old girl fell into a chimney on the roof of her apartment building, plummeted 14 stories down the flue and landed almost unscathed in a pile of furnace soot.

Grace Bergere, a young rock drummer, remained hospitalized Saturday for treatment of an injured hip."

Best part:

"While her father screamed her name, firefighters opened a metal door at the bottom of the chimney, ready for the worst.

But then Grace's small hand poked out of the soot."

Alabama Ass Whuppin has obtained the exclusive picture of this young rock drummers hand coming out of the furnace:

_______

Those crazy Alabama evangelicals and their freezer games.

Police: Body found in Ala. freezer was mother of 8:

"Police believe a body found in a small-time evangelist's home freezer is his wife and a mother of eight, and arrested him on a murder charge as he preached at a south Alabama church. Anthony Hopkins, 37, was being held in the Mobile County jail Wednesday awaiting a bond hearing and appointment of an attorney."

_______

How's that for a morbid Monday?

_______
_____
___

Walk this Way

You know you wanna.

Send Karl Rove to Jail!

_______

Very cool.

Alabama man turns 112, still spends days drawing:

"TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Bent over or sitting at a table, gripping a ballpoint pen, marker or crayon, Frank Calloway spends his days turning visions from his youth into lively murals — and at 112 years old, the images of his childhood are a window to another time.

Drawn on sheets of butcher paper and sometimes stretching to more than 30 feet long, the works mostly show rural agricultural scenes, with buildings, trains and vehicles straight out of the early 20th century. And his colorful creations are gaining more attention in the art world.

_______

Number one, baby.

America's Most Walkable Neighborhoods - Walkability Rankings of the Largest 40 U.S. Cities

_______

Texas is a head of the curve. Yes, Texas.

Texas Approves Big Plan To Transmit Wind Power

_______

Dude, where's my car?! Dude, you're driving it.

RI cops arrest man with .491 blood alcohol level:

"State Police arrested a man early Tuesday whose blood alcohol level allegedly was .491, more than six times the legal limit, which they believe is the highest ever recorded in Rhode Island for someone who wasn't dead.

The man, 34, was arrested after he drove into a highway message board on Interstate 95 in Providence, Maj. Steven O'Donnell said."

_______
_____
___

Trojan Horse

Well, well, well. Seems like Alabama's anti-gay, anti-sex, anti-sex toy, false-imprisoning Attorney General has been caught with his pants down... and I mean WAY down.

First, a little back ground on Trojan King:

The Players - US Attorney:

"Troy King was a Republican Politician who helped indict Don Siegelman. Working closely with US Attorney, Alice Martin, King appeared at the press conference announcing Siegelman’s indictment because, “the investigation was a joint federal-state project conducted by Martin and state Attorney General Troy King's staff.”"

So, what, pray-tell, did Trojan get caught doing?

Wonkette: � Anti-Gay Alabama A.G. Caught Being Gay:

"This may come as a shock, but a prominent anti-homosexual Republican attorney general has apparently been caught having homosexual sex intercourse with his homosexual gay male assistant. Bonus: The dude’s wife caught him, in their bed. This is the rumor that the AG’s office has officially denied, so now of course everybody is spilling the sordid details.

AG in question is Troy King, who, of course, is only interested in outlawing homosexuality and sex toys. His gay lover is either a college “buddy,” or a very young youngster and “Homecoming King” from Troy University. What are the odds of a dude named Troy King getting caught in bed with a Homecoming King from Troy University? This seems like a wacky sitcom plot, on a gay porn channel. (Is this what that Will & Grace was about?)"

Not that there's anything wrong with that.... except he's married.... to a women... and he's made a career out of bashing gays.... and he was a major player in the false imprisonment of Siegelman.... and he's an all around douche-baggette.... and he was probably in line to be the next governor of Alabama.

You may say, 'Why, JPW, this is all heresay'!

Might be, might be.

But McSame 86'd him from his campaign website.... cause McCain is all about the 'straight-talk'.

Alabama Attorney General Caught in Gay Sex Scandal Removed from McCain Website:

"Now to add fuel to the fire, King, the chairman of John McCain’s Alabama Leadership Team, has been removed from the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's website."

hmmmmmmm

More on Trojan.

Troy King’s Greatest Hits | Daily Dixie

Left In Alabama:: Alabama Attorney General Troy King -- Heckuva Job!

________

Trojan would think this is icky.

I think it is beautiful.

What the world needs now... Is protesting-strippers, sweet protesting-strippers. La-da-da-da-da, dum-dah-dum. daaaaah dum-dum.

Stripper arrested for subway pole dances:

"SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A stripper who danced on the poles of Santiago subway trains to challenge the prudishness of Chilean society was arrested on Thursday during one of her lightning performances.

Monserrat Morilles, 26, surprised subway riders all week stripping to skimpy underwear, but she refused tips."

_______
_____
___

Murder They Wrote

Folks in 'Bama go to great lengths (or barrier reefs) to creatively murder their spouses.

American scuba diver charged with killing wife:

"SYDNEY, Australia - Eleven days after getting married in 2003, an Alabama woman put on diving gear and slipped into the water off Australia's coast for what was supposed to be a romantic exploration of a shipwreck with her new husband."

_______

Job security.

BBC NEWS | Europe | Journalist 'reported own murders':

"Police in Macedonia have arrested a journalist on suspicion that he is behind three murders he reported on."

_______

No sense in being in just a little bit of trouble. Check out how the cop got him to stop.

Drunk driver takes traffic cop for a ride:

"VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) - A Russian drunk driver knocked over a traffic policeman then drove for about 1 km (0.6 miles) with the officer clinging to the roof of his car, local police said on Friday."

_______

Just because I couldn't wait until Friday:

_______
_____
___

DBT Week in Review - 5/9/08

AAW Fund Raiser.

Read all about it here.

_______

DBT

DBT is back on the road spreading rocky goodness across the U.S. of A.

Check out DBT's Website for tour dates and updates.

DBT's MySpace for fan love from the current shows.

And, of course, Nine Bullets for show reviews and views from the front lines.

_______

Shonna Tucker of the Drive By Truckers: Interview:

"What are you listening to right now?

There are so many things, but I really stick to the classics. I’m listening to lots of Eddie Hinton right now, and the Band is a constant. I also loved the new Levon Helm album. As far as newer things go, the Dexateens have put out a new record, and they’re always great. We recently played a concert with the Felice Brothers in New York, and I’m a big fan of theirs now. They sound a little bit like the Band, but with the Pogues thrown in."

_______

Interview with new poppa EZB.

Drive By Truckers play two in Greenville

"MS: Several DBT songs have a political meaning. New songs like “The Home Front” and “That Man I Shot” can be taken that way. What do you feel about the current relationship between music and politics?

BM: Most people are politically minded and that’s always come out in our stuff. Patterson definitely has a message with his songs sometimes, but in general we meet a lot of fans that are in the military that are affected by war. We’ve met people at our shows who are about to go to Iraq and they want to see us play before they leave. We’ve met people whose husbands and brothers are huge fans who are turning people on to our music in Iraq. That’s great, but then we have one guy who was supposed to come back from Iraq for one week to see a show and he ended up getting killed. His family came to the show and we talked to them for a while. It’s heartbreaking to see families like that while we’re playing music for a living. I don’t feel that we’re compelled to be political, but war and politics are so central on people’s minds that it’s hard not to filter it into songs."

_______

Video: Patterson Hood - Biff! Bam! Pow! - al.com:

"Patterson Hood ended his short solo run in between legs of the Drive-By Truckers' spring tour on Sunday at the Workplay theatre, treating a seated crowd to an acoustic set that showcased material from his albums Killers and Stars and Murdering Oscar (unreleased as of today)."

_______

Drive By Truckers Dirt Underneath Photoshoot Daddy's Cup

_______

DBT and Anime?

_______

Jason Isbell

Isbell and the 400 recently returned from their European tour and Jason blogged all the tasty details on his MySpace page.

Myspace.com Blogs - Back from Europe!! - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit MySpace Blog:

"Hello there, ladies and gentlemen. Hello there ladies and gentlemen. We are finally home, after one of the most grueling workdays of my career, and perhaps the most fun I've ever had on one continent. We played our last Euro show in Bergen, Norway at 1 a.m. on Wednesday night. The show was over around three, and we had to be on a plane at seven, so we played through like grown-ass men. Loaded our gear, headed to the hotel (the Radisson where Amy Winehouse got busted, or I should say, ONE of the Radissons where Amy got busted) showered up, put on our cleanest dirty shirts, and headed out. The flight to Frankfurt was about 3 hours, then there was a 2 hour lay-over and a 9 hour trek to Atlanta. We were picked up in Atlanta and rode the 5 hours home. That's travelin' folks."

_______

Music

sweeeeeet � Pointy Pointy:

"Got a message from my friend Shawn Kyle this morning, and it looks like his excellent band The Beauvilles have a new teaser for their upcoming video for their song “Snow”. And what a teaser it is:"

MySpace.com - the Beauvilles are rock and roll - FL-NY-MA, Florida

_______

April in Alabama

"Nothing could be more beautiful than April in Alabama and, in my case, nothing could be more exciting. I recently returned from the Alabama Studio Weekend in the Quad Cities—just forty-forty five minutes from my home on Elk River—and I feel as if I have spent two days in a kinder, gentler (and definately greener) New York City."

_______

Guest Blog by Dick Cooper: Delbert Needed a Drummer

"I was wired. Vickie and I were in the front bucket seats, Delbert and his wife were in the next seat and Billy was all alone in the back. Before we cleared the County Line Billy found an acoustic guitar case stashed under the seat, pulled out the guitar and handed it to Delbert.

Next thing I know Delbert is playing and singing. Billy is harmonizing, and I’m keeping it between the ditches. Pretty soon, there’s flashing lights in the rear view mirror.

The Rogersville Police pulled us over for running 74 in a 55 MPH speed zone. I got out and walked back to the cops before they reached the van, and Delbert never stopped singing."

_______

What do you think?

What do you think about this band from SC? One song posted on their MySpace and it is a goody.

MySpace.com - Sweet Six Bullets - BELTON, South Carolina - Southern Rock / Americana / Rock - www.myspace.com/sweetsixbullets

_______

Rockumentary

Watched a great rockumentary on Roky Erickson recently. If you rent it be sure to watch the follow up in the special features.

You're gonna miss me

_______
_____
___

Damn Right We're Bitter

Florence AL native Stewart Cink finished 3rd at the Master's yesterday. Congrats, Stewart!

Cink records best Masters finish | TimesDaily.com | Times Daily | Florence, AL:

"Instead, Cink was pleased with his best Masters showing in 11 visits to Augusta National. Cink shot 72 in the final round and finished in a tie for third place with Brant Snedeker. Cink was one of only eight players to shoot par or better on a windy Sunday afternoon. His finished at 4-under 284, easily his best four days ever at the Masters."

_______

If they can't even coordinate their lies, how in the world will they be able to run the country? Sheesh. Like an inept version of the Bush Administration:

_______

Obama responds to 'BitterGate'. Sigh. McCain and Clinton are grasping at anything. Not to mention the traditional media's erection at being able to flog a non story for a couple of weeks... weak.

_______

Good stuff!

Ouch! The Daily Show's Eviscerating "Documentary" About Fox News

_______

Hehe. Couldn't happen to nicer people:

_______
_____
___

DBT Week in Review - 4/11/08

Some of the great pics from kick-ass photographers documenting the first leg of The Home Front tour.

Dave Parker, found and publisher of Prefix Magazine sent these to me. Chris Owyoung is the photog.

Prefix is a great rag (can we still call them rags if they're online?) and Chris Owyoung has a great eye, doesn't he.

Drive-By Truckers, The Whigs: Drive-By Truckers, The Whigs @ Terminal 5 (NYC)

_______

But wait! There's more than one Owyoung. Check out Todd's excellent work:

Drive-By Truckers @ the Pageant — 2008.02.29 | ishootshows.com: Concert Photography

_______

Via Roger Johnson. Photog - Chris la Putt

brooklynvegan: Drive by Truckers @ Terminal 5, NYC - pics

_______

Via the Nine Bullets Board:

Zenfolio | tinnitus photography | Drive-by Truckers

_______

Because Flickr sucks ass big time I wasn't able to capture an example pic of the very fine work done by Katrina Krauss in Philly.

Definitely work a look!

DBT @ The Fillmore in Philadelphia, PA - a set on Flickr

_______

dbts : Message: Patterson Hood Guest DJs on E Street Radio (Sirius):

"Patterson Hood Guest DJs on E Street Radio (Sirius)

Fri 4/11 4:00 pm ET

Patterson Hood of the Drive By Truckers gets to share his love of all things Springsteen with an hour as guest DJ. You'll hear how he tricked his parents and snuck out to see his first Bruce show – a small act of teenage defiance that changed his entire life.

Rebroadcast: Sat., Apr. 12th @ 12 am & 8 am ET."

_______

dbts : Message: DBT on Sirius:

"April 16(17,18,20) – Drive By Truckers (3 pm ET) OUTLAW COUNTRY / 63 Jeremy Tepper

Get in gear with this very special episode of HammerDown Radio, as DJ RigRocker welcomes the Drive-By Truckers to the SIRIUS Studios. It's a solid hour of live music, including acoustic performances of tracks from Brighter Than Creation's Dark and unreleased material, as well as selections from extended family members Betty Lavette and Spooner Oldham.

Rebroadcast Thurs., Apr. 17th @ 12 am ET; Fri., Apr. 18th @ 10 am ET; Sun., Apr. 20th @ 8 am ET."

_______

Myspace.com Blogs - Opening Acts - Patterson’s April Solo Shows - Patterson Hood MySpace Blog:

"Opening Acts - Patterson’s April Solo Shows

Supporting acts for this month’s solo shows are:

April 17 – 5 Spot – Don Chambers
April 19 – Proud Larry’s – Audra Brown
April 20 – Birmingham – Elliott McPherson (of the Dexateens)"

_______

"Trailer for 'I Need That Record: The Death (or Possible Survival) of The Independent Record Store.'

Starring: Thurston Moore, Mike Watt, Ian Mackaye, Noam Chomsky, Legs McNeil, Glenn Branca, Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group), Chris Frantz (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club), Pat Carney (Black Keys), BP Helium (Of Montreal), and Patterson Hood (Drive-By Truckers)!

Coming soon..."

_______

Here's some old, old Muscle Shoals Sound from a band called Stained Mecca. Stained Mecca rocked the Shoals from the late 80's to the early 90's. Chris 'Monster' Quillen is the lead guitar player. This brings back some serious flashbacks for yours truly.

Stained Mecca - Religious Plunder Promo

_______

Sons of Roswell

Myspace.com Blogs - Bonnaroo contest and stuff.... - Sons of Roswell MySpace Blog:

"We just want to say thank you to everyone who voted for us in the online Bonnaroo contest. We ended up in 5th place out of about 260 bands. That’s pretty dang good. While we didn’t win the contest and are not playing Bonnaroo this year, we feel very fortunate to have such supportive friends, and we want to let all of you know that we appreciate all that you do.

In other news, we are still getting our new album ready. We’re working on artwork, mixing, mastering, finances, copyright stuff, etc, etc. We should have it ready to go in a couple of months and, we are really looking forward to releasing it. We think you guys will like it. In the meantime, we have a bunch of shows booked around the southeast the next few months, so check the calendar and if we are anywhere near you, you should come and hang out with us. We promise you will have fun."

_______

Music News

I thought the precedent had already been established with the Metallica case back in the 90's.

50 Cent and Universal sued for pushing "gangsta" life:

"NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hip hop mogul 50 Cent, Universal Music Group and several of its record labels were sued on Wednesday for promoting a 'gangsta lifestyle' by a 14-year-old boy who says friends of the rapper assaulted him."

_______

Dylan, Tracy Letts win Pulitzers

_______

Lastly.... I had this in que to be blogged about 3 weeks ago. Never got around to posting it but it sure has gone viral in the last 3 weeks.

Leningrad Cowboys and the Red Army Choir perform Sweet Home Alabama.

_______
_____
___

Keep the Junk in the Truck

Some Thursday music news.

Help out some great guys and a most excellent band get on stage at Bonnaroo.

Sons of Roswell:

We hav​e pos​ted​ som​e of the​ new​ tun​es wit​h new​ mix​es up on a new​ sit​e (www​. our​sta​ge.​ com​). "Ge​tti​ng Old​" off​ of the​ new​ alb​um is ent​ere​d in a con​tes​t cal​led​ "Ba​ttl​e for​ the​ Roo​".


Go che​ck out​ the​ www​. our​sta​ge.​ com​ sit​e and​ sig​n up.​.. yep​, it'​s fre​e. Aft​er you​ hav​e you​r pro​fil​e set​ up,​ go to jud​ge.​ In the​ cha​nne​ls,​ sel​ect​ "Ba​ttl​e for​ the​ Roo​". You​'ll​ pro​bab​ly hav​e to lis​ten​ to a few​ tra​cks​ to get​ to us,​ but​ you​ onl​y hav​e to lis​ten​ to at lea​st 15 sec​ond​s of eac​h tra​ck.​

The​n VOT​E!

Ple ​ase​, spr​ead​ the​ wor​d! For​ce you​r fri​end​s to reg​ist​er on the​ sit​e and​ vot​e for​ us.​ Beg​ you​r fam​ily​ to sig​n up and​ vot​e.

Thi​s cou​ld gai​n us a spo​t on the​ Son​ic Sta​ge at Bon​nar​oo 200​8!

Aft​er you​ do all​ tha​t wor​k, you​ can​ go to our​ sit​e at www​. our​sta​ge.​ com​/pr​ofi​le/​son​sof​ros​wel​l and​ lis​ten​ to two​ oth​er tun​es of the​ alb​um.​ Thi​s is the​ fir​st mix​ of all​ 3 new​ tra​cks​.

So it still may sound a little different on the record.

_______

Dress Blues:

ESPN.com - E-ticket: Bedtime Stories for Catherine

GREENHILL, Ala. -- Every night, Nicole Conley tells her daughter a bedtime story about Matthew. Catherine's 2 years old now, and she gets scared before she goes to sleep.

Not long ago, after Nicole had told that night's story, Catherine started to cry.

Nicole asked what was the matter.

"I want Daddy!"

"Sweetie, it's time to go to sleep."

"No, Mommy, no! I want more Daddy!"

Now Nicole was crying, too.

_______

If your 'job' entails pissing me off every time I open my mail box and wasting a crap load of paper in the process then tough titty.

Efforts to Block Junk Mail Slowed:

"Chris Pearson, a state legislator in Vermont, had a sense that the people were with him when he proposed a bill last November to allow residents to block junk mail.

He got media attention, radio interview requests and e-mails from constituents eager to stop the credit card offers, furniture catalogues and store fliers that increasingly clog their mailboxes.

Then came the pushback from the postmasters, who told Pearson and other lawmakers that 'standard' mail, the post office's name for junk mail, has become the lifeblood of the U.S. Postal Service and that jobs depend on it."

_______

Me and Obama think alike... almost. I picked UCLA.

Play of the Day: Obama and hoops:

"CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Could Barack Obama's NCAA championship pick have something to do with an upcoming primary?

No, he was leaning toward North Carolina because of its 6-foot-9 star.

The Democratic presidential candidate and avid basketball player selected North Carolina, Kansas, Pittsburgh and UCLA in his Final Four bracket, and is counting on North Carolina to beat UCLA in the championship game."

_______

_____

___

Black is the New President, Bitch

More news from the Siegelman front:

New Evidence In Siegelman Case Points To Republican Cabal:

"A new review of evidence suggests that an aligned group of Republican interests were pressing for -- and seeking to profit financially from -- the trial of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman on charges of bribery."

Daily Kos: “All Roads Lead to Rove.” - Siegelman

Enter: FREE Governor Don Siegleman : Learn, Give, Act

_______

Tracy Morgan rebuts Tina Fey and her hackish Clinton worship. SNL still sucks but this was a great response. Watch it here:

Tracy Morgan: 'Black is the new President, Bitch!'

_______

The manner in which Clinton/Republicans spread fecal matter:

Smearing Obama:

"He's a Muslim. He was sworn into office on the Koran. He doesn't say the Pledge of Allegiance. His pastor is an anti-Semite. He's a tool of Louis Farrakhan. He's anti-Israel. His advisers are anti-Israel. He's friends with terrorists. The terrorists want him to win. He's the Antichrist.

By now you've probably seen at least some of these e-mails and articles about Barack Obama bouncing around the Internet. They distort Obama's religious faith, question his support for Israel, warp the identity and positions of his campaign advisers and defame his friends and allies from Chicago. The purpose of the smear is to paint him as an Arab-loving, Israel-hating, terrorist-coddling, radical black nationalist. That picture couldn't be further from the truth, but you'd be surprised how many people have fallen for it.

Obama is attacking these smears head on:

Obama answers Rezko questions in "uncommon detail." Waiting for full disclosure from Hillary Clinton. Can she meet Obama's "standard for candor"?

"Anyone who reads reports of the Clinton campaign's endless stream of conference calls knows that one of their favorite topics is the relationship between Barack Obama and Tony Rezko. The media types (like purveyor of the conventional wisdom, Mark Halperin) who listen get on those calls dutifully and breathlessly report every question and allegation raised primarily by Mark Penn. It's hard to fathom how hypocritical it is for anyone associated with Hillary Clinton to demand more disclosure from another campaign. But, Obama set a very high bar for Clinton this week.

Yesterday, Obama sat down with the Chicago Tribune to discuss all the details of his relationship with Rezko. The Trib is the hometown paper of Obama and Rezko. The reporters and editors in that room actually know the Rezko story inside and out. So, Obama went into the lion's den -- and based on the report in the Tribune, it worked out well:"

The conservative Chicago Tribune on Obama and Rezko:

"The Chicago Tribune has never endorsed a Democrat for president in its history. Its editorial board had every partisan reason to try and further damage Obama on the issue. Instead, it has essentially exonerated him. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Sun-Times follow suit in the next couple of days, but that would be expected. The Chicago Tribune doing so is startling."

Will Hillary follow suit?

What is Clinton hiding? -- chicagotribune.com:

"Hillary Clinton, by contrast, often seems to operate by the maxim that silence is golden. When asked whether she would release a list of her earmarks, her spokesman dodged the question, while declaring that she is 'proud of the investments in New York that she has secured.' But for now, at least, not proud enough to let voters know what they are.

This exercise in secrecy is part of a Clinton pattern that grows more worrisome all the time. The former first lady often says that she, unlike Obama, has been thoroughly vetted, rendering her impervious to Republican attacks. In fact, there are some important things unknown about her -- and her conduct suggests she wants to keep it that way. Which raises a question for voters: What is she hiding, and why?"

_______

AAW must have been 51:

The world's 50 most powerful blogs | Technology | The Observer

_______
_____
___

Housework Gets a Chub

Recently discovered that a fella I went to high school with has created the fastest growing micro brew company in the U.S.

Dale Katechis, visionary:

Check out a great video on his website describing the beers and process.

Another Shoals Area, AL success story.

Oskar Blues: Our Beer (Restaurant & Brewery - Lyons, Colorado)

Style Weekly : Richmond's alternative for news, arts, culture and opinion:

"When it comes to beer, the can has never known the glory of the bottle — it has always gotten a bum rap. Dale Katechis and his Colorado-based Oskar Blues Brewery have organized their own personal blitz to overhaul the image of the lowly can, provided their product is in it. Oskar Blues is the nation’s first craft brewer to can its own beer. And outside the Centennial State, the only place you can get the stuff is in Virginia. Like most funky ideas, canning high-end beer started as a lark. Katechis and brewer Brian Lutz “kind of laughed about the idea of putting big, heavy beer in a can,” Katechis says. “One day we stopped laughing and just tried it.”"

_______

10 to 1 a chick wrote this article.

Housework Gets You Laid:

"The average dad has gradually been getting better about picking himself up off the sofa and pitching in, according to a new report in which a psychologist suggests the payoff for doing more chores could be more sex."

_______

Obsolete Skills: Skills/Skills

_______

My friend ABAT sent me this link of tales and pictures from an Americana festival in NZ. My plan is to be at the one next year.

Hey, it seems at least one other country doesn't hate the U.S. at the moment. Give us time, ABAT, give us time.

PHOTOS: Americarna in NEW ZEALAND.....What an EXPERIENCE!!! - THE H.A.M.B.:

"I've been back for a little over a week now, but WOW what a trip!

OK, a little fine print here. This post does contain some off topic (for the HAMB) photos. This post is meant to do more than just show old cars. It's also meant to feature an amazing country and its even more amazing people. That's why there are so many people shots - they really had an impact on me. This may be my longest post ever. I had to try and edit down from nearly 2800 photos.

In August, at the Goodguys West Coast Nationals, I was approached by the promoter of a car show in New Zealand to come check it out. All the details were worked out and I waited for February to come. Goodguys was going to be my link to another cool event.

The flight out was great because I was surprised at the check-in counter with an upgrade to first class. Waited on hand and foot, a full-on flat bed and your own cubicle is definitely the way to travel!

I arrived in New Plymouth after about 16 hours of travel in pretty good spirits. Hell, I had a killer week ahead of me in a beautiful country looking at old cars, who wouldn't be stoked?"

_______
_____
___

All But The Kitchen Cink

Man, I love dissent. The only way this video could be any cooler is if at the end the guy slaps handcuffs on Rove and then tosses him into a black van headed to the federal pen.

_______

Let's stick with the Alabama theme, shall we. Here's one of the more colorful members of Bama speaking much truth on 'fake christians'.

Charles Barkley: Conservatives are 'fake Christians':

"Barkley said he didn't want to see the Republicans win because they were 'fake Christians.'

The comment came after Barkley was asked his reasons for supporting presidential candidate Barack Obama, rather than Hillary Clinton or any of the Republican candidates.

'I've got great respect for Sen. McCain, great respect, but I don't like the way Republicans have taken this country,' said Barkley. 'Every time I hear the word 'conservative,' it makes me sick to my stomach, because they're really just fake Christians, as I call them. That's all they are.'"

_______

I grew up learning and playing golf with Stewart Cink at Florence Golf and Country Club. Stewart's mom Ann would drive us around the region so we could play in Dixie Junior tournaments. Some of the best times of my life. Not a care in the world.

While me and some of the other country club hoodlums were hitting on girls at the pool, or sneaking cigarettes by down by the cart chargers, or trying to steal liquor from one of the ROBs (Retired Old Boys) Stewart was always on the course playing or on the putting green practicing.

I guess that's why he's playing against Tiger Woods on Sundays and I'm.... watching him on the TV playing against Tiger Woods on Sundays.

Even though Tiger kicked his ass, Stewart still made out with a nice chunk of change.

PGATOUR.COM - Cink can only express awe as Woods dominates again:

"MARANA, Ariz. -- Over the past decade, a lot of people have tried in vain to explain the phenomenon that is Tiger Woods.

Stewart Cink could have a way to get to the bottom of it, once and for all."

"I think maybe we ought to slice him open to see what's inside there," Cink said, grinning. "Maybe nuts and bolts."

.............
Cink earned $800,000 and will look back on a week in which he beat British Open champion Padraig Harrington and U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera before running out of magic against the reigning PGA champion.

_______

I did not know that Rick Steves was down with the cheeba.

ACLU, Rick Steves launch marijuana campaign :

"Travel writer Rick Steves and the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington have formed a partnership to tackle a topic they call the equivalent of the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s: the criminalization of marijuana.

Steves, the Edmonds-based travel guru who five years ago openly acknowledged that he uses marijuana while visiting Europe, says he's not 'pro-marijuana,' but in favor of discussing the laws that affect the 830,000 Americans who are arrested annually under existing marijuana laws. About 90 percent of the arrests are for possession."

________
_____
___

I double dog dare you.

Wanna know why I don't watch any news networks whether they be local or national (with the caveat that I'll watch BBC news only occassionally)? Jon Stewart explains why

Video: Stewart slams media for provoking campaign drama

_______

People are going to rip this, but I think it is a very grand idea.

Clinton: Let's Put Bloggers Inside Government Agencies

_______

Hilarious.

Biblical events as retold by Google Earth - Boing Boing

_______

These aren't the first two boys to try this. Its a wonder there hasn't been a push by a bunch of nanny trolls to ban 'A Christmas Story' due to the multitude of damaged little boy tongues.

Boys Stick Tongues on Frozen Flagpole:

"Two fourth-grade boys mimicking a scene from the movie 'A Christmas Story' wound up with their tongues stuck to a frozen flagpole.
....

'I decided to try it because I thought all of the TV shows were lies, but turns out I was wrong,' Gavin said.
......

'The nurse asked them, 'OK, who double-dog dared who?'' Billie Dempsey said, a reference to a phrase that a character in the movie used to dare another child to stick his tongue to the pole."

_______

I still remember the day he died very vividly. I most definitely cried for a good long while.

25 years after Bear Bryant's death, fans' devotion to UA coaching legend hasn't diminished

Like thousands of other Alabamians, Wakefield's devotion to Bryant has not diminished since the day Bryant died on Jan. 26, 1983, exactly 25 years ago.

"Winning is Fun and Makes you Strong"

They'll say anything....

Bizarro world.

_______

Honestly, I'd rather have Rove where I can see him.

Some interesting conjecture on Rove and what made him leave.

"Don't piss off the boys from Alabama, you know we won't let it slide...."

Daily Kos: Rove Done in by 'Bama Case:

So, just like Al Capone, Rove has been felled by the smallest of his peccadillos.

It's a story of intrigue, injustice and backroom influence peddling: The case has now attracted attention across the United States and around the world. Forty-four former attorneys general from across the nation—Democrats and Republicans—have petitioned Congress asking that a special investigation be undertaken to examine the now obvious gross irregularities associated with the case. Here is the case in a nutshell:"

_______

More Bama malfeasance. It may be legal due to a loop hole but it ain't ethical.

I make myself laugh sometimes... like these people know what the word 'ethical' means. They know the 'profit', though:

Katrina Aid Goes Toward Football Condos:

"TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — With large swaths of the Gulf Coast still in ruins from Hurricane Katrina, rich federal tax breaks designed to spur rebuilding are flowing hundreds of miles inland to investors who are buying up luxury condos near the University of Alabama's football stadium.

_______

Hey Democrats! What Atrios says:

Eschaton:

"Winning is Fun and Makes You Strong One of the things Rove always understand is that. The most fun the Democrats had in this entire decade is when they stood firm on Social Security, not only refusing to support some version of the non-existent Bush plan, but also refusing to put up an 'alternative' so that some middle ground compromise could be found which was 90% what the president wanted. They defied the pundits, they stood together, they beat Bush and the Republicans. As Josh Green explains in his Atlantic Monthly article about Rove (no link sorry), out now at a timely moment, killing Social Security wasn't just a plan to kill Social Security, it was a key part of the plan to destroy Democrats. Miraculously, they didn't let themselves be destroyed. Sadly, they seem to have forgotten how fun that was. -Atrios 10:36"

_____

The difference....

The Plank:

"Anyway, I thought the most interesting anecdote in the article reflected on President Bush, not Rove: Dick Armey, the House Republican majority leader when Bush took office (and no more a shrinking violet than DeLay), told me a story that captures the exquisite pettiness of most members of Congress and the arrogance that made Bush and Rove so inept at handling them. 'For all the years he was president,' Armey told me, 'Bill Clinton and I had a little thing we'd do where every time I went to the White House, I would take the little name tag they give you and pass it to the president, who, without saying a word, would sign and date it. Bill Clinton and I didn't like each other. He said I was his least-favorite member of Congress. But he knew that when I left his office, the first schoolkid I came across would be given that card, and some kid who had come to Washington with his mama would go home with the president's autograph. I think Clinton thought it was a nice thing to do for some kid, and he was happy to do it.' Armey said that when he went to his first meeting in the White House with President Bush, he explained the tradition with Clinton and asked the president if he would care to continue it. 'Bush refused to sign the card. Rove, who was sitting across the table, said, 'It would probably wind up on eBay,'' Armey continued."

_______

Hey Wal-Mart executives....

China Toy Boss Kills Self After Recall:

The head of a Chinese toy manufacturing company at the center of a huge U.S. recall has committed suicide, a state-run newspaper said Monday."

_______

Cool.

Researchers develop bendable battery:

"WASHINGTON - It's a battery that looks like a piece of paper and can be bent or twisted, trimmed with scissors or molded into any shape needed. While the battery is only a prototype a few inches square right now, the researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute who developed it have high hopes for it in electronics and other fields that need smaller, lighter power sources. 'We would like to scale this up to the point where you can imagine printing batteries like a newspaper. That would be the ultimate,' Robert Linhardt a professor at the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at RPI said in a telephone interview."

_______

Extra botox, please.

New 'anti-wrinkle' pizza causes a stir with pie purists in Italy:

"A so-called 'anti-wrinkle' pizza created by a nutritionist in southern Italy has caused a stir, with pizza purists protesting against the desecration of the national dish. The 'primula' pizza is made up of three times the amount of fibre found in a classic pizza and boasts that it contains more magnesium and iron, thanks to its ingredients, including wholemeal flour, La Stampa newspaper reported Monday."

_______

Tasmanian devil....

Teenage girl rushed to hospital after overdosing on coffee | the Daily Mail

_______
_____
___

Jaw Breaker

I want to say this is unbelievable... but I know that it is not.

Where there's smoke (coming from your house that was set a flame because you dare speak truth to Rove) there's fire.

Rovian Justice in the Banana Republic of Alabama:

"Wow. Go read this if you want to learn just how Rove wants to use the legal system to settle political scores. Of course, I’ve always felt that Alabama was really a third world banana republic run by the sort of folks who belong in John Grisham novels — but I digress.

And, apparently, it all would’ve worked perfectly but Dana Simpson, a Republican, had to open her mouth and blow the whistle. So now the Rovian mafioso-like intimidation begins:

The response to Simpson’s affidavit has been a series of brusque dismissive statements – all of them unsworn – from others who figured in the discussion and the federal prosecutor in the Siegelman case, who has now made a series of demonstrably false statements concerning the matter. She’s been smeared as “crazy” and as a “disgruntled contract bidder.” And something nastier: after her intention to speak became known, Simpson’s house was burned to the ground, and her car was driven off the road and totaled. Clearly, there are some very powerful people in Alabama who feel threatened. Her case starts to sound like a chapter out of John Grisham’s book The Pelican Brief.

Um, national media? National media where are you? This sounds like something you might want to look into — perhaps? Maybe?"

_______

People are pretty put off by Congress these days and for good reason. Democrats are working hard if not entirely smartly. Lord knows we still have to weed out a lot of fake Democrats and Liebercrats from our party to have a true progressive movement while at the same time battle the fucking evil that is the Republican party.

Remember when the Dems where in the minority and the Republicans kept threatening to use the 'nuclear option' which would have stripped the minority of most of their ability to participate in the government? Remember the constant threats that all bills and appointments deserved an up or down vote whenever the Dems considered a filibuster? Remember?

Well, these Republican fucks are using the filibuster daily now to prevent all kinds of progressive, smart, helpful bills from even coming to a vote.

These hypocritical bastards know how to do one thing and that's obstruct.

Screw the workers.

Senate Republicans block labor bil:

"WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a bill that would allow labor unions to organize workplaces without a secret ballot election.

Democrats were unable to get the 60 votes needed to force consideration of the Employee Free Choice Act, ending organized labor's chance to win its top legislative priority from Congress."

_______

And remember all the carrying on about 'liberal activists judges' (who exists only in the Republican mind along with a liberal media and unicorns). That was a smoke screen for the REAL Neocon, activist judges being shoved down our throats. And because the Dems were too cowered to filibusters a lot of these fucks, we are now reaping the demon seed that was sown.

Both of these decisions are so outrageous and contrary to the founding principles of this country that I just want to break shit.

Court bars suit against faith-based plan

Court: Protecting trade secrets takes priority over election transparency:

"A Florida appeals court has upheld a lower court decision that denies requests for an independent source code audit of voting machines used by Florida's 13th district, which suffered election irregularities in a highly controversial congressional race. The appeals court has chosen to support a lower court decision which asserts that forcing voting machine maker Election Systems and Software (ES&S) to provide source code access to independent security auditors would amount to 'gutting the protections afforded those who own trade secrets.'"

_______

It's nice how we get to find out how terrible our government really is only after 20-30 years have passed. Kinda puts us in a perpetual state of suckiness, doesn't it. Can't ever learn from the fuck ups because by the time we learn about them it is too late.

Though, some of these scandals seem quaint to what Cheney/Rove/Rumsfield have put on the table.

CIA releases papers that set off scandal:

"WASHINGTON - The CIA released hundreds of pages of internal reports Tuesday on assassination plots, secret drug testing and spying on Americans that triggered a scandal in the mid-1970s.

The documents detail assassination plots against foreign leaders like Fidel Castro, the testing of mind- and behavior-altering drugs like LSD on unwitting citizens, wiretapping of U.S. journalists, spying on civil rights and anti-Vietnam war protesters, opening mail between the United States and the Soviet Union and China, break-ins at the homes of ex-CIA employees and others."

_______

I'm taken by eating contest for some reason. I think, probably, because its something that I physically just can't do. As someone who has shitty pipes and who constantly battles indigestion and heart-burn, I'm enamored by these folks who can shove massive amounts of food down their throats in short periods of time.

The competitive eating world suffered a huge blow recently when champion Kobayashi blew out his jaw.... no shit.

Japan's all-star speed eater suffers professional injury:

"A Japanese man who set a world record by wolfing down dozens of hot dogs within minutes has suffered a severe jaw injury due to his rigorous training, making his next title uncertain.

Takeru 'Tsunami' Kobayashi said he can only open his mouth to make a gap the size of a fingertip after being diagnosed with jaw arthritis.

In an entry on his blog entitled 'Occupational hazard,' Kobayashi said: 'My jaw refused to fight any more.'

The injury occurred only a week after the slender 29-year-old started training to win his seventh straight title at the annual July 4 Nathan's Famous hot dog eating event on New York's Coney Island.

'I feel ashamed that I couldn't notice the alarm bells set off by my own body,' he said. 'But with the goal to win another title with a new record, I couldn't stop my training so close to the competition."

I was really looking forward to whatching Joey Chestnut and Kobayashi battle it out this forth of July at the Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest.

________

But, I do have a local kid whose not doing it for money or glory... he's doing it because he can.

Inhuman Eating Machine: IEM Session #2- Battered and Fried- A Fish & Chips O.D.: "

I approached Inhuman Eating Machine (IEM) session #2 as if I was about to jump out of the tenth story of a burning building into one of those net-things the fire department uses. Even though I knew I must proceed, the prospect terrified me nonetheless. I had chosen fish and chips this time and I knew this could possibly be the greatest struggle I would face in my IEM career.

I have a very strong stomach. I willingly partake in foods spicier than most mortals, I eat street food in undeveloped countries, and I eat too much of everything. But despite all of this, I rarely, if ever, experience heartburn or an upset stomach. And I can count on one hand how many times I have vomited post toddler-hood. However, fried chicken and fried fish are 2 items that I cannot ingest with impunity. If I eat larger-than-average portions of either of those items, I start to feel not-so-fresh. It’s as if those items drain me of my life-force. They quash my chi. They are my Kryptonite."

_______
_____
___