The B.S.O.T.D.

Few things. Those of you who still watch and enjoy Saturday Night Live know that Amy Pohler is gone. What will Lorne Michaels do? He will replace her with two females. Check this out. I have a feeling I'm really gonna dig Abby Elliott. Be sure to watch her You Tube video to the end. She knocks the Drew Barrymore impersonation out of the park.
The next new episode of SNL is this weekend.

Now, Blind Melon. As you'll see here, in the threads titled "The Future" and "Heartbreak Hotel Room 667", Travis Warren, the new singer is out of the band. No one is coming clean with the sordid details as to exactly what happened there. I have my suspicions. So, they say they are having auditions for a new singer and will be back on the road for their currently cancelled U.S. tour by New Years. So far, there are many folks cheering for Chris Shinn to be the new singer. Chris was the singer for the now defunct band Unified Theory which included Christopher Thorn and Brad Smith from Blind Melon back at the turn of the century. Chris is a real good singer. And songwriter. I think he'd fit very well with the band. We'll see what happens. I'm just glad that the band is intent on carrying on.

That is all.
For now.

Jeff Martin, formerly of The Tea Party, way back before the recent November 2008 election, says something very cool about that election. And, by the way, we listened apparently.

Dig this: (yeah, it's a weird show but...)

Sounds like the changes on the morning show on WJJO are all made and settling in. Greg Bair is back with Johnny. Snuff is still on sports. Dee, The Biatch, is locked in on news.

And, I like it. It's a great combo of people. I always liked Johnny & Greg together. Good move on Hawke's part. Although, I will miss 93.1 The Lake.

Obviously, Tara Arnold is gone for good. Don't know if she's still at the station in any capacity. I highly doubt it. I'm guessing she's in California now doing TV or radio. Madison was too 'small town' for her. Nothing personal against her, but, she, to me, never quite fit well with Johnny. She was just too nice. And, she wouldn't allow herself to utter the word, Fart. That's just not right. I do wish her well in her next adventure. Surely, it's been one for her putting in almost 2 years with Johnny. Johnny needs a real strong female foil. Dee, without a doubt, is just that.

As for Dee, she's awesome. She is quickly becoming my all time favorite female radio person. She's quick, crude, bright and hilarious. Plus, I really dig what she's done with the news. I like the little music and other odds and ends drop-ins she uses. Very cool stuff.

So, welcome back Greg. Welcome aboard Biatch. I hope you stick around. Or, management lets you. It's a real good thing going there now.

What happened to 93.1 The Lake? If you don't like hip hop, don't even bother tuning in. It's painful.

Back at it after a mellow, enjoyable weekend. Just never want the weekends to end. But, they always do and must.
Yesterday, late morning into early afternoon I put together a new Jazz show. It's up. And, a very enjoyable one. Well, I sure enjoyed doing it. Hopefully you enjoy listening.
Did some writing over the weekend, too. But, that's not stuff for public display. Although there is a new poem up on the Poe Tree.
As usual, I open up this writing program thinking I'll have all kinds of stuff to write about but then find that there wasn't much to begin with and I cut it short. Monday. Yep.

This is from McClatchy. I have restored the (blank) words because I am not afraid of words like those.

Supreme Court debates 'F-word' without using it

By Michael Doyle | McClatchy Newspapers


WASHINGTON - A clearly divided Supreme Court on Tuesday debated indecent language for an hour without anyone using the words in question.

Circumlocutions like "the F-word" and "the S-word" sufficed as the court considered the year's highest-profile free-speech controversy. All signs now point to a tight decision over whether broadcasters can be fined for allowing use of so-called "fleeting expletives," which are swear words used in passing.

The court's conservative justices showed sympathy for the Federal Communications Commission members who want to punish broadcasters. Associate Justice Antonin Scalia denounced the "coarsening" effect of swearing, while Chief Justice John Roberts warned about "impressionable children" being harmed by inherently dirty words.

"Why do you think the F-word has shocking value?" Robert asked rhetorically. "It's because it's associated with sexual or excretory activity; that's what gives it its force."

Added Scalia, "that's what gives it its' zing."

But other justices sounded more willing to tolerate the occasional swear word, with Associate Justice John Paul Stevens, a Navy veteran, noting that sometimes "you can't help but laugh" at how a swear word is deployed. More pointedly, some justices suggested the FCC's stern new swear words policy came about arbitrarily.

"There seems to be no rhyme or reason with some of the changes the commission has made," Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said.

The dispute in the case called FCC v. Fox Television Stations centers on two questions. The broader one is whether regulators violate First Amendment free speech rights by fining broadcasters for an occasional swear word. The other question is narrower, and it might be the only one the court actually decides: whether the FCC acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" in changing its policy about indecent language in 2004.

"It was, at a minimum, a rational policy choice," Solicitor General Gregory Garre insisted.

Loosening indecency standards, Garre warned ominously, could lead to "Big Bird dropping the F-bomb on Sesame Street."

Attorney Carter Phillips, representing Fox Television Stations, retorted that "there was no explanation" for the FCC's policy change.

The policy change in question arose following a live 2003 broadcast of the "Golden Globe Awards," when the lead singer Bono from the Irish rock ban U-2 declared his award was "really, really, fucking brilliant." During the 2003 Billboard Music Award, quasi-celebrity Nicole Richie declared "it's not so fucking simple" to remove "cow shit out of a Prada purse."

And during the 2002 Billboard Music Awards, Cher celebrated by denouncing her myriad doubters.

"I've also had critics for the last 40 years saying that I was on my way out every year. Right." the Fresno High School dropout originally known as Cherilyn Sarkisian said. "So fuck 'em. I still have a job and they don't."

FCC career staffers initially considered such language the kind of passing expletive, drained of sexual content, that's been grudgingly accepted for the past three decades. This reasoning dates back to a mid-1970s Supreme Court decision, involving comedian George Carlin, in which the court determined that "isolated use of a potentially offensive word" differs from the "verbal shock treatment" of profane repetition

The politically appointed FCC, then reversed the staff decision and declared that even a fleeting reference to what the commission called "the F-word" could be deemed unacceptable. The fines for broadcasters could potentially reach as high as $325,000.

"It's one of the most vulgar, graphic and explicit words for sexual activity," Garre told the Court.

Countered Stevens, "that's a word that is often used with no reference to sexual connotations."

A court decision is expected by next June.

Big Bird, dropping the f-bomb on Sesame Street? Come on. Seems to me, the folks that find the word fuck to be 'dirty' are those that also find the act of 'fucking' something to be ashamed of. At least in pubic. Um, 'scuse me, public. There's not much beyond here that George Carlin hasn't already covered. You should review all of his HBO specials.

Still, what a divided Supreme Court we have. You have the right saying stuff like:

"Why do you think the F-word has shocking value?" Robert asked rhetorically. "It's because it's associated with sexual or excretory activity; that's what gives it its force." Added Scalia, "that's what gives it its' zing."

Only in a country where way too many people are scared to death of their own assholes.

Then you have the more sensible ones:

But other justices sounded more willing to tolerate the occasional swear word, with Associate Justice John Paul Stevens, a Navy veteran, noting that sometimes "you can't help but laugh" at how a swear word is deployed.

Proof? George Carlin made a career deploying 'swear' words.

Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think young children should be intentionally exposed to Richard Pryor videos. Still, I think the major networks do a fine job censoring themselves. Shows that deploy heavy use of innuendo and euphemism usually have some sort of a warning regarding it before and during the show at the breaks. i.e. Family Guy. But, this fining companies $325,000 per 'dirty' word uttered is over the top and completely arbitrary.

It's no wonder America is so chock full of twisted sexual perverts, pedophiles and priests. Repression breeds neurosis.

What should networks be fined heavily for upon each display?

Violence.

Sex is a natural and normal thing in a civilized society. Violence is not. Or should not be. You got it all backwards U.S.A.

What the fuck?

And by the way, did YOU know Cher's real name was, Cherilyn Sarkisian?

Wanna read another real good article on this subject? Check this one out.

It's 10:07pm.

I see that Obama has 284 Electoral votes. That means, he is our next president.

I sigh a HUGE breath of relief. Damn.

Finally, America comes to it's senses and says, FUCK YOU to the neocons. We WILL NOT be a corporate fascist state. We will NOT be the next third reich.

Congrats to President Obama. Finally. I can say, I am proud of my President. Finally.

For the first time in my life, I can say, I am proud to be an American.

Now, let's start rounding these shithead neocons up in the Hague. And on top of that, run them through the American court system for treason. etc. etc. etc....

It's a great day world. And, finally, you are welcome. We gave it our best.

Can you even imagine this woman being 2nd in line to the presidency of the United States.
Setting aside the fact that this is funny as hell, it's also scary as hell.

This is real:



Keep this in mind when you're in that voting booth tomorrow.

Here's a transcription (from Daily Kos):

Sarah Palin Prank Call TRANSCRIPT UPDATE
by CatM
Sat Nov 01, 2008 at 01:44:05 PM PDT

Sorry don't mean to make a duplicate diary, but I listened to the call and transcribed it for those who don't feel like downloading and listening to it or who are hard of hearing.

For the Frank Sarkozy part, imagine a very thick, fake French accent only slightly better than the ones used in Monty Python's Holy Grail.

SP Assist = Sarah Palin's Assistant
MA = Masked Avengers
SP = Sarah Palin
FNS = Fake Nicolas Sarkozy

Things I couldn't make out, I put in brackets.

Note: Typical Palin. She giggles continuously like a school girl and sounds completely unpresidential for someone who thinks she is talking to the leader of a foreign country. It really illustrates how unprepared and underqualified she is to be president or even vice president.

(Thanks montsegur1234 for filling in the French parts)

CatM's diary :: ::
*

UPDATE: Palin's campaign responds:

Gov. Palin received a phone call on Saturday from a French Canadian talk show host claiming to be French President Nicholas Sarkozy," emailed spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt. "Gov. Palin was mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy, and other celebrities in being targeted by these pranksters. C'est la vie."

Ring

SP Assist: This is Lexi.
MA: Hello, Lexi. This is Frank l’ouvrier (Frank the worker], I’m with President Sarkozy, on the line for Governor Palin.

SP Assist: One second please, can you hold on one second please?
MA: No problem.

SP Assist: Hi, I’m going to hand the phone over to her.
MA: Okay thank you very much I’m going to put the president on the line.
SP Assist: Ok he’s coming to the line.

SP: This is Sarah.
MA: Okay, Governor Palin?

SP: Hellloooo...(long drawn out, like Well, hellooooo)
MA: Just hold on for President Sarkozy, one moment.
SP [To someone in the room]: Oh, it’s not him yet, I always do that. I’ll just have people hand it to me right when it’s them.

FNS: Yes, hello, Governor Palin? Yes, hello, Mrs. Governor?
SP: Hello this is Sarah., how are you?

FNS: Fine, and you, this is Nicolas Sarkozy speaking, how are you?
SP: Oh...so good, it’s so good to hear you. Thank you for calling us.

FNS: Oh, it’s a pleasure.
SP: Thank you sir, we have such great respect for you, John McCain and I, we love you and thank you for spending a few minutes to talk to me.

FNS: I follow your campaigns closely with my special American Advisor Johnny Hallyday, you know?
SP: Yes! Good!

FNS: Excellent! Are you confident?
SP: Very confident and we’re thankful that the polls are showing that the race is tightening and--

FNS: Well I know very well that the campaign can be exhausting. How do you feel right now my dear?
SP: Ah, I feel so good. I feel like we’re in a marathon and at the very end of the marathon, you get your second wind and you plow to the finish—

FNS: You see, I got elected in France because I’m real and you seem to be someone who’s real as well.
SP: Yes, yeah, Nicolas, we so appreciate this opportunity.

FNS: You know, I see you as a president, one day, you too.
SP: [Muahaaa...weird laugh], maybe in 8 years. Haha

FNS: Well, ah, I hope for you. You know we have a lot in common because personally one of my favorite activities is to hunt too.
SP: [Giggle]o h very good, we should go hunting together.

FNS: Exactly! We could go try hunting by helicopter, like you did, I never did that.
SP: [Giggle]

FNS: Like we say in France, "on pourrait tuer des bébés phoques aussi" [Translation: We could also kill some baby seals.]
SP: [Giggle] Well I think we could have a lot of fun together as we’re getting work done, we can kill two birds with one stone that way.

FNS: I just love killing those animals. Mm, mm. Take away a life, that is so fun!
SP: [Hahahaha]

FNS: I’d really love to go as long as we don’t bring your Vice president Cheney, hahaha.
SP: No, I’ll be a careful shot, yes.

FNS: You know we have a lot in common also except that from my house I can see Belgium. That’s kind of less interesting than you.
SP: Well, see, we’re right next door to other countries that we all need to be working with, yes.

FNS: Some people said in the last days, and I thought that was mean, that you weren’t experienced enough in foreign relations, and you know, that’s completely false, that’s the thing I said to my great friend, the Prime Minister of Canada, Stef Carse [Stephen Harper is the PM].
SP: Well, he’s doing fine, too, and yeah when you come into a position underestimated, it gives you the opportunity to prove the pundits and the critics wrong. You work that much harder-

FNS: I, I was wondering because you are also next to him, one of my good friends, also, the prime minister of Quebec, Mr. Richard Z. Sirois [a famous Quebec radio host], have you met him recently? Did he come to one of your rallies?
SP: Uh, haven’t seen him at one of the rallies, but it’s been great working with the Canadian officials in my role as governor; we have a great cooperative effort there as we work on all of our resource development projects. You know I look forward to working with you and getting to meet you personally and your beautiful wife, oh my goodness, you’ve added a lot of energy to your country, even, with that beautiful family of yours.

FNS: Thank you very much. You know my wife, Carla, would love to meet you. You know even though she was a bit jealous that I was supposed to speak to you today. [Hahahaha]
SP: [Hahahha] Well give her a big hug from me.

FNS: You know my wife is a popular singer and a former top model and she’s so hot in bed. She even wrote a song for you.
SP: Oh my goodness! I didn’t know that.

FNS: Yes, in French, it’s called Du rouge à lèvres sur une cochonne [Translate: Lipstick on a smutty girl (note: I've seen other sites that say this translates to lipstick on a sow)] or if you prefer in English Joe the Plumber, [sings] It’s his life, Joe the Plumber..."
SP: Maybe she understands some of the unfair criticism but I bet you she is such a hard worker, too, and she realizes you just plow through that criticism like

FNS: I just want to be sure, I don’t’ quite understand the phenomenon "Joe the Plumber," that’s not your husband, right?
SP: Mmhmm, that’s into my husband but he’s a normal American who just works hard and doesn’t want government to take his money.

FNS: Yes, yes, I understand, we have the equivalent of Joe the Plumber in France, it’s called, "Marcel, the guy with bread under his armpit, oui."
SP: Right. That’s what it’s all about, is the middle class, and government needing to work for them. You’re a very good example for us here.

FNS: I seen a bit about NBC even Fox News wasn’t an ally, an ally, sorry, about as much as usual.
SP: Yeah that’s what we’re up against.

FNS: I must say, Governor Palin, I love the documentary they made on your life, you know, Hustler’s "Nailin Palin."
SP: Oh, good, thank you. Yes.

FNS: That was really edgy.
SP: [Laughs] Well good.

FNS: I really love you. And I must say something, so, Governor, you’ve been pranked.
By the Master Avengers. We’re two comedians from Montreal
SP: Oohhh have we been pranked? And what radio station is this? [tries to force herself to sound nice but you can tell she’s pissed]

FNS: This is for CKOI in Montreal.
SP: In Montreal? Tell me the radio station call letters
[SP leaves phone, continuous griping in background, sounds like, "For chrissakes...that was ??? Just a radio station prank...chrissakes..."]

MA: Hello? If one voice can change the world for Obama, one Viagra can change the world for McCain.
[Man’s voice in background: hang up, hang up.]
SP Assist: Hi, I’m sorry, I have to let you go. Um, thank you.

Shirts! We have Shirts!

Beetle was kind enough to take the time to set up a marketplace for BZT shirts & things. Real cool thing. Thanks man. He was also kind enough to not mark them way up like cafe press. I think he only tacked a few cents on each so he can eventually buy one for himself.

So, if you've wanted to slap a shirt on your back to spread the word about your favorite internet show, head on over here right away.

Thanks again Beetle!

Sadly, I'm not able to hear what's being said on this video. But, the comments say it all. This is truly the main contention of division in America. Those with common sense who think, and those who have zero common sense and carry on the bullshit and fear their fed by those who want to take their freedoms away without realizing it.

I've not even watched these yet, but will tonight. Gotta say, I remember WAY WAY back in 2004 when Air America first came into existence, our friend Dolf made a comment which, at the time, went right past me. But for some reason, I remembered it succinctly. He had been listening to Air America, apparently streaming, and said, and I paraphrase, "I really like Rachael Maddow a lot." At that point, she was on before the morning morning show started, which was like, 5am here in the US. I had never heard her. And, look at her now. The most popular show on Air America and a skyrocketing TV show on MSNBC. You nailed that one Dolf.

So, here is the two parts of her interview with Barack Obama:

It was neat on Wednesday - I think - to hear her interviewed on the phone by Ron Reagan who was filling in for her being she couldn't return to the studio to do the show in time. She was speaking about what it was like to sit knee to knee with him and had very kind things to say.


~ Ok, new show is up. And we were possessed on this one. hehheh. Happy Halloween. Have a groovy weekend.

Just in case you missed it:

This one isn't funny at all. There have been a few of those lately and I'll go look for them after this. But, this referal made me think:

Search Engine - google.ca
Search Words - "3 performances" coldplay snl

Good question. What the hell was that? I know I've seen bands, very popular bands at the time come back at the very end of the show and play the show out, but, never, to my memory of Saturday Night Live do I recall a band playing three full songs, then on top of that play the outro. That's four. Count 'em. Does Coldplay really deserve that kind of clout? Or, were the writers on last weekends SNL just short on material? Questions questions, the pondering mind wants to know...

Regarding their performances, Chris Martin bugged the shit out of me. He was WAY to spastic. Now, don't get me wrong, I like Coldplay. Especially their first 2 albums. Their 4th was interesting. But, Mr. Martin strutted around the stage like he was Mick Jagger at 25 on crack. Dude, mellow out. Have a drink. Relax a bit.

Beyond that, their performance was pretty good. Setting aside the pumped in backing tracks for the first song. Sounded to be a sequencer, most likely on stage, putting all the mellotron and creepy backing vocals into the mix. I can forgive that. The other three songs were as live as you get.

I fully expect to see Barack Obama on this upcoming weekend's show somewhere. And in conclusion, is anyone else baffled by the guests on SNL in the past 3 or 4 years? Meaning, are any of you oblivious to who these people ARE? We're not proud of being out of touch with modern day society. We just are.

Ok, in the past 100 referrals, this is the best we get:


Search Engine - google.com
Search Words - can you remove sharpie from a record cover?

-Um, can you remove Sharpie from ANYTHING until the wash machine fades it into oblivion?

**

Search Engine - google.co.il
Search Words - system of crushing of cans of drink

- From Israel: I should've had this one pointed to a referal from the previous day. The keywords were, Boot Crush.

**

Search Engine - google.com
Search Words - illegal aliens to access our social security

- This one is at the #2 spot of frequency. Have you ever read what people stumble onto when they find my site using those keywords? Here's a refresher.

**

Search Engine - google.co.uk
Search Words - naked buzzcat

- No, they weren't looking for pics of me. But instead a raver in her early 20s from the UK. I've emailed with her once to comment on the fact that we use the same screen name. Although she was using English - more or less - I couldn't understand what the shit she was saying to me. Imagine though, if I DID post pictures of myself in such a state and they came searching for her. Hehheh. Yeah, I'm not that cruel.

**

Search Engine - google.com
Search Words - record cleaning solution homemade

- It's very apparent that vinyl is making a huge comeback, and that premade record cleaning solutions are WAY to expensive. This one is by far #1 on my referal list. It gets multiple hits every single day. And, although I ramble on a bit, it is very helpful. And I'm sure Gordon at Post Apple Scientific appreciates all the business I send his way. It also makes me wonder what kind of bonehead is in charge at Allsop? What were they thinking taking the Orbitrac II out of production? Here is the essay if you've never read it or are interested.

**

Search Engine - google.com
Search Words - shikered

- Oh yeah. Never a shortage of folks looking for synonyms of 'drunk'. Of course this one took them to Jay and my Drunk List. They indeed found Shikered along with such other classics as: shillelaghed shipped-second-class shipped-to-the-Canary-Islands shipwrecked shish-ka-bobbed shit-eyed shitfaced shitted shitted-out... (I'm glad we can be of service)

**

Search Engine - google.com
Search Words - vinyl record cleaner do it yourself

- See?

**

Search Engine - google.com
Search Words - dot vivalavinyl

- dot? wtf?


Well, that's that. Never a dull moment. And now it's time for a non-sequitor moment: I don't know where I just read it this morning, but, I really like the phrase, "He was throwing money around like a three armed man."

One thing I've not heard a single person in any form of media mention yet is when Sarah Palin graduated high school. She's 44 now and was born in February of '64. Which means, she graduated high school in either '82 or '83.

I have a sister who graduated in '83. And, (of course I'd never say anything bad about my sister as there's nothing to say being she's cool) I was around plenty of my sister's friends. Also, those that were only acquaintences. Mostly, they were a bunch of airheads. Especially, the popular ones. Cheerleading, beauty pageants, prom queens. Mentally, not much there. This is the same American stock that Palin comes from.

Remember leg warmers? Flashdance? Valley Girl? Big hair and sweaters over the shoulders? Yeah.

Where are they all now? Well, I can't think of one of them that amounted to much of anything beyond being baby machines. Op, wait, how many kids does Palin have?

Just a passing thought, that. And now, it's passed.

Oh no, wait, here comes the caboose... Do you really want the character Molly Ringwald played in The Breakfast Club to be President?

Somehow today, I came across Zack de la Rocha interviewing Noam Chomsky. I sent the You Tube links home to myself where I watched them.

After watching those (below) I went to look for some Rage Against The Machine live. I always dug the hell out of Rage.

Watching the Letterman performance made me think. What the fuck, Rage? All of your anger, recorded anger, was unleashed in it's awesome way before the shit REALLY hit the fan with bushco. It made me say to myself, what a fucking shame that Zack split from the band in October of 2000. Imagine if you will, what Rage could have made in the past 8 years. Yes, NAFTA has fucked over millions, but shit man, in the big picture, the last 8 years have been a worldwide occupation and stick-em-up holocost. What an opportunity missed, Rage.

Hate to say it, but damn, the years in which we big mouths for civil rights and decency REALLY needed Rage Against The Machine has just about past and Rage was missing throughout all of it.

I sure as shit hope it's all about to pass...

Good thing they reformed last year and toured. Now, Zack, Tom, Brad & Tim, it's time. It's time for you to make a new album. Do it for your country.

Remember always: "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me. . . MOTHER FUCKER!!!"

Rage, it's time. Even if the neocons DO NOT steal this upcoming election, us conscientious folks out here have 8 long miserable, pent up chock fucking full of rage years to blow steam off from. I can't think of much better to do that with than a new studio album from Rage Against The Machine.

So, who's with me?

Now, watch this:







We gotta take the power back. No more lies.

Peace babies... Get out and vote.

Imagine if this story, from The Washington Post were reversed. Fox "News" would be yammering about this non-stop:

On Al-Qaeda Web Sites, Joy Over U.S. Crisis, Support for McCain

By Joby Warrick and Karen DeYoung
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Page A13

Al-Qaeda is watching the U.S. stock market's downward slide with something akin to jubilation, with its leaders hailing the financial crisis as a vindication of its strategy of crippling America's economy through endless, costly foreign wars against Islamist insurgents.

And at least some of its supporters think Sen. John McCain is the presidential candidate best suited to continue that trend.

"Al-Qaeda will have to support McCain in the coming election," said a commentary posted Monday on the extremist Web site al-Hesbah, which is closely linked to the terrorist group. It said the Arizona Republican would continue the "failing march of his predecessor," President Bush.

The Web commentary was one of several posted by Taliban or al-Qaeda-allied groups in recent days that trumpeted the global financial crisis and predicted further decline for the United States and other Western powers. In language that was by turns mocking and ominous, the newest posting credited al-Qaeda with having lured Washington into a trap that had "exhausted its resources and bankrupted its economy." It further suggested that a terrorist strike might swing the election to McCain and guarantee an expansion of U.S. military commitments in the Islamic world.

"It will push the Americans deliberately to vote for McCain so that he takes revenge for them against al-Qaeda," said the posting, attributed to Muhammad Haafid, a longtime contributor to the password-protected site. "Al-Qaeda then will succeed in exhausting America."

It was unclear how closely the commentary reflected the views of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who has not issued a public statement since the spring. Some terrorism experts said the support for McCain could be mere bluster by a group that may have more to fear from a McCain presidency. In any event, the comments summarized what has emerged as a consensus view on extremist sites, said Adam Raisman, a senior analyst for the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors Islamist Web pages. Site provided translations of the comments to The Washington Post.

"The idea in the jihadist forums is that McCain would be a faithful 'son of Bush' -- someone they see as a jingoist and a war hawk," Raisman said. "They think that, to succeed in a war of attrition, they need a leader in Washington like McCain."

Islamist militants have generally had less to say about Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. Leaders of the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah expressed a favorable view of Obama during the primary campaign but later rejected the Democrat after he delivered speeches expressing support for Israel.

In an e-mail response, senior McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann noted that al-Qaeda leaders have repeatedly said that America "did not have the stomach to fight them over the long haul," which the Arizona senator has pledged to do. "Whatever musings and bravado on radical websites the Washington Post chooses to quote, the fact remains that only John McCain has the experience, judgment and fortitude to lead a country at war," he said. The Obama campaign declined to comment on the Web postings.

Both the Bush administration and the two major presidential campaigns have rejected any suggestion that the economic downturn will undermine the country's fight against al-Qaeda. Obama and McCain have stepped gingerly around the issue of how they would adjust their priorities in a recession and have spoken of the importance of maintaining a strong defense. Both have advocated expanding the size of the U.S. military overall, but neither has explained in detail how to pay for it.

From shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacks to last year, U.S. defense spending rose from 3 to 4 percent of gross domestic product, but it remains far below the 45-year average of 5.5 percent. The Pentagon's budget for fiscal 2009 is $527 billion, a figure that does not include Iraq and Afghanistan war costs, which have totaled more than $800 billion since 2001.

"History shows us that nations that are strong militarily over time have to have a strong economy," McCain said this month. He has said the United States must send more troops to Afghanistan while avoiding a withdrawal timetable from Iraq.

Al-Qaeda is watching the U.S. stock market's downward slide with something akin to jubilation, with its leaders hailing the financial crisis as a vindication of its strategy of crippling America's economy through endless, costly foreign wars against Islamist insurgents.

And at least some of its supporters think Sen. John McCain is the presidential candidate best suited to continue that trend.

"Al-Qaeda will have to support McCain in the coming election," said a commentary posted Monday on the extremist Web site al-Hesbah, which is closely linked to the terrorist group. It said the Arizona Republican would continue the "failing march of his predecessor," President Bush.

The Web commentary was one of several posted by Taliban or al-Qaeda-allied groups in recent days that trumpeted the global financial crisis and predicted further decline for the United States and other Western powers. In language that was by turns mocking and ominous, the newest posting credited al-Qaeda with having lured Washington into a trap that had "exhausted its resources and bankrupted its economy." It further suggested that a terrorist strike might swing the election to McCain and guarantee an expansion of U.S. military commitments in the Islamic world.

"It will push the Americans deliberately to vote for McCain so that he takes revenge for them against al-Qaeda," said the posting, attributed to Muhammad Haafid, a longtime contributor to the password-protected site. "Al-Qaeda then will succeed in exhausting America."

It was unclear how closely the commentary reflected the views of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who has not issued a public statement since the spring. Some terrorism experts said the support for McCain could be mere bluster by a group that may have more to fear from a McCain presidency. In any event, the comments summarized what has emerged as a consensus view on extremist sites, said Adam Raisman, a senior analyst for the Site Intelligence Group, which monitors Islamist Web pages. Site provided translations of the comments to The Washington Post.

"The idea in the jihadist forums is that McCain would be a faithful 'son of Bush' -- someone they see as a jingoist and a war hawk," Raisman said. "They think that, to succeed in a war of attrition, they need a leader in Washington like McCain."

Islamist militants have generally had less to say about Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. Leaders of the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah expressed a favorable view of Obama during the primary campaign but later rejected the Democrat after he delivered speeches expressing support for Israel.

In an e-mail response, senior McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann noted that al-Qaeda leaders have repeatedly said that America "did not have the stomach to fight them over the long haul," which the Arizona senator has pledged to do. "Whatever musings and bravado on radical websites the Washington Post chooses to quote, the fact remains that only John McCain has the experience, judgment and fortitude to lead a country at war," he said. The Obama campaign declined to comment on the Web postings.

Both the Bush administration and the two major presidential campaigns have rejected any suggestion that the economic downturn will undermine the country's fight against al-Qaeda. Obama and McCain have stepped gingerly around the issue of how they would adjust their priorities in a recession and have spoken of the importance of maintaining a strong defense. Both have advocated expanding the size of the U.S. military overall, but neither has explained in detail how to pay for it.

From shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacks to last year, U.S. defense spending rose from 3 to 4 percent of gross domestic product, but it remains far below the 45-year average of 5.5 percent. The Pentagon's budget for fiscal 2009 is $527 billion, a figure that does not include Iraq and Afghanistan war costs, which have totaled more than $800 billion since 2001.

"History shows us that nations that are strong militarily over time have to have a strong economy," McCain said this month. He has said the United States must send more troops to Afghanistan while avoiding a withdrawal timetable from Iraq.

How about that? al-Qaeda supports John McCain? Come on Fox "News". When are you going to pick this story up?


~~~~ Ok, can't leave you with such a bummer. Here is a real positive story that makes me think, maybe, someday, the humans of the world won't have the biggest self-induced choke-hold on itself anymore.

Dave has his new site and show up and running. Heavy Water. It's real groovy. We listened to HW #04 last night and the music he's playing knocks me out. You should find the time to check it out when you can. Tis goot methinks.

Nothin' much else to report. HP days.

I talked about putting this video up somewhere or sometime and finally remembered to do it.
If you have the time, dig it. And yeah, I was laying on my stomach, hanging over the front edge of the boat.

I'm gone for so long and all I can come up with is this shit?

Well, yeah. It's interesting.

We watched last Saturday's SNL last night. Overall, the writers were on their game on this one. Most of the sketches got a few laughs out of us. And I was relatively sober.
What I don't understand is this: This was the third time The Killers (the band) have been on the show. This must be a record. I cannot ever remember a band getting 3 visits. What's odd about The Killers is that they change their personna every visit. The first time they were on, they were in their slicked back, Reservoir Dogs suited get ups. The second time, they all looked like 'Hee Haw goes to Seattle'. And this time, well, I can't figure out what the shit they were going for. What the hell was on Brandon Flowers' shoulders? Dead hawks? Stolen Donald Trump hairpieces?



I'm not sure who at SNL thinks this band is worthy of 3 performances. Personally, I don't find the band to be anything special. They play pop/rock songs. And ones that don't really go anywhere. But, at least this time out, Brandon sang in tune mostly. The last time they were on was cringeworthy.

~~~

I can't remember if I've mentioned this yet. Sorry for the redundancy if I have. The poems that have been accumulating in the Poe Tree section are gone. I have built an online chapbook (fancy but nonsense name) with them. I kept the title Under The Poe Tree, and decided that I wanted to keep going with this experiment and have cleared the deck back in the Poe Tree section and started Poe Tree Volume II. I've yet to come up with a title for this collection, but, surely will as it grows.

Big thanks to Pichon64 for diggin' on it. Nice to know that at least one person enjoys what I'm doing there.

~~~

Before watching SNL and some of the prez debate last night, I played the new Al Stewart album Sparks Of Ancient Light for Jenny. Judging by her reaction to it, I believe she really enjoyed it. It is a great album. Of course, Al never has put out a bad album. Well, Last Days Of The Century is a bit rough to listen to with it's over the top 80s production, but, I digress... Al's last album, A Beach Full Of Shells was good, but, not great. On Sparks Of Ancient Light he really mixed it up rhythmically from song to song. His lyric content? He knocked it flat out of the park again. Many of the songs fall into the category that he's best at and actually, as far as I'm concerned, created; Historical Folk Rock.
I hate to make sports references, but, there are a few curve balls on this album. Football Hero for instance. And he has some real cool lines, like the opening lines from the song, The Ear Of The Night:

"You put your tongue in the ear of the night
Expecting rejection but finding instead
A sudden connection that left you surprised
And it gave you electrical thoughts in your head."

Cool stuff.
Overall, is it an album that exceeds my favorite of his, Past, Present & Future? No. But, at 63, I'm just glad Al Stewart is still making music that matters.

By the way, if you don't own Past, Present & Future, go to that link there and buy it. No music collection should be without it.

Actual quotes from a Palin gathering:

"Now it turns out, one of his earliest supporters is a man named Bill Ayers...And, according to the New York Times, he was a domestic terrorist and part of a group that, quote, 'launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and our U.S. Capitol,'" she continued.

"Boooo!" the crowd repeated.

"Kill him!" proposed one man in the audience.

Kill him? Are you fucking serious?! And that right wing racist piece of shit wasn't yanked out of the crowd and locked up? What the hell?

Yeah, what this is is the religious right's true colors. No pun intended. Bigoted, hateful racists. It makes me want to puke. It's astounding that this stuff is happening in America 2008. But, it is. Palin & McCain should just do what comes natural to them; bring the white hoods out from under their beds and just be themselves.

And people wonder why I despise so much of humanity. It's the fucking klan mentality.

Two things:

If you'd be so kind, go to this website and help Beetle's sister raise funds for the Melanoma Walk. We've done this in the past and I know some of you, our dear listeners and friends, did chip in. We all really appreciate that.

And, we got a contact today from Robert Nix. He inquired about us playing his music on the show. After going to his myspace site and listening to the 3 songs he had to offer, I emailed him back and said, Gladly.
This cat is very interesting. My first impression was: The Smiths meets The Moody Blues. Huh? Yeah, go listen for yourself. So, I asked him to send us a promo CD and he said he would. You'll be hearing him on the show as soon as I have the CD in hand.

That is all.

For those of you who got a mystery email last night and found what I pointed you to non-existent, there is a reason for that. Mostly, I don't really know what it was. I was in a less than logical mindbent and changed my mind about leaving it on the server this morning after I was thinking a bit straighter. Good judgement: it's a terrible thing to waste.

Anyway...

New show on the way tonight. Have a supercool weekend.

So, I've gone and made something out of something I've already made. But this version is MUCH cooler methinks.

I put together an online chapbook of the poems that have been accumulating in Poe Tree.

Of course, it's titled, Under The Poe Tree and I happen to think it's kinda cool. But, I am a bit biased.

I will be starting another one in the place where Poe Tree is now. I am keeping the Poe Tree header because this is just the first of what I hope to be numerous small collections under that title.

So, I'm reading an article this morning about how a huge Everglades restoration project is pretty much tits up because of cut federal funds and general governmental bullshit red tape. Nothing surprising there.
That article got me back to thinking about what Beetle wrote just before this entry here. Especially the line, "...we all just want to get through life with as little difficulty as possible, and have a good time doing it."
That is a true statement. Mostly. Spot on from a point of view of what I call Cosmic Consciousness. But of course, there are those that don't feel that way. They're a different breed of human. I'll call them the Greed Breed. These are the folks that want everything for themselves and don't care who they have to hurt or kill or steal from to get it. These are the ones that make life on this planet a miserable thing mostly.
Of course, I'm not naive enough to think that the disease of which these people are could ever change. I realize the futility of what's left of existence on this planet. The greed breed will kill us all to live the way they want to live. What I can't figure out is why. I'm one of the ones who want to live the way Beetle said above.
And this leads me to the thought of this big bailout of Wall Street. Surely, this is going to effect my little Roth IRA. But ya know, I just don't care all that much. I say let the fuckers fail. Don't reward them for their failure. The confusing part about this whole thing is, well, the whole damn thing. It's HUGE. I don't understand what's happening in the House of Reps. I had thought that the Dems would be the ones big against a bailout and the Repubs would be pushing real hard because well, scoundrels usually protect their own. But, as of yesterday, it seemed to be the opposite of that. I'm baffled.
And, I'm scared. It seems this is one big Catch-22. Damned if ya do, damned if ya don't. I for one am all for punishing these greed breeders by letting them go tits up. But, exactly how will that effect everyone who had a loan or mortgage through them? I just don't know that answer. I myself have only one loan out and that's for my used car. I do not have a credit card. Well, that's not true. I do have a gas card from my local convenience store. Which I was able to pay off every month to keep from having interest tacked on. I guess it's now a credit card being I was unable to pay it off last month. Thanks to the greeders, along with their military industrial complex and the thieves in and around the white house, my finances are going tits up. And that pisses me off.
Sure I could go get a part-time job. Or could I? Even if I tried. And if I did, what would be left of my life? Absolutely nothing. I would have zero time to actually LIVE. As it stands, I'm lucky to get 4 hours of actual LIVING out of life a day. I think that sucks.
Now, I'm certainly not looking for a handout from the government. I want some of my time back. That's what I want. But again, it won't happen because the greeders actions: starting the occupation of a country that posed no threat to ours, the manipulation of the entire financial spectrum to benefit only themselves has more or less wrecked some of my enjoyment in life. The shit never trickles down. They don't let it. And that's their goal surely.
It all makes me want to puke.
Shit, that all didn't make much sense now did it? This is your brain. This is your brain on Prednisone.

Beetle is here this weekend. When he first arrived, he asked if I had read his latest posting on Aberrant American Entropy. I had not. Then I read it.

Of course, I was not surprised at all that he nailed it. In a big way. Therefore, I present to you his post...

Why the Leaders of the World Suck


I've met people from all walks of life, from nearly every country in the world, and guess what, we get along. Amazing isn't it? I have had great conversations with people that are our "enemies" or so our governments would have us believe. I have had great experiences with these people, and many things in common, but wait...we aren't supposed to have anything in common.

Our leaders spend too much time worrying about how to screw some other country, before they screw us, and they all do it, in nearly every country.

Yeah, so we may not agree on many things; is that any reason to put the blame on an entire country? Hell no. It's time that leaders of the world stop looking on each other as a different species. We all have the same goals, though they may differ in the details, we all just want to get through life with as little difficulty as possible, and have a good time doing it.

Hasn't war become an outdated concept? Or am I too naive in thinking that people around the world are, at the core, the same? We need to accept others, as they are, this is especially true for Americans. We were founded by people from many cultures, and we destroyed a civilization to do it. Did we learn anything from that? Not really. One would hope that our own president could understand this, but currently, I'm not sure if he knows how to tie his own shoes.

I run across enough assholes in my own little part of the planet, I get that idiots are everywhere, but should I lump everyone into that same group? If I have had a bad experience with an Iranian, should I hate all Iranians? Should they hate me just because some of our beliefs are not the same? Those in power would have us believe that it is the people of the country that hate us, and pose a threat, when in reality it's a biggest dick contest among the differing leaders, and it is the people that pay the price.

Why is there still an embargo against Cuba? It certainly isn't the people, we welcome them with open arms if they can make it to the beach in our country. No, it's simply because our government hates theirs. It's as petty as that, and that one small example illustrates my entire point.

Life is hard enough without hating those that you don't know. Imagine what the world could accomplish if we worked together, as one global voice. Put away the hate, shelve the indifference, the time has come to question authority.

There are so many words and ideas about this swirling around in my head right now, that I can't seem to express it the way that I would like. I hope at least that what I have written makes some sense.

Pretty cool, eh?