Fuck Dylan
Although my friend Cap'n-make-a-move would disagree, vehemently, I think Bob Dylan is about as over-rated as an artist can get. He's the American Clapton. Both of them have legions of followers who worship them, true, but both haven't done an interesting note in 30 years. At least. Now Dylan is appearing in a Victoria's Secret commercial. Maybe they were wrong when they heckled Dylan for spurning folk in favor of electric rock, but they aren't wrong now. That's sell out. If anyone does not need the money, it's Dylan. I have 7 Dylan records and it was an impressive string of songs he made. "Blood On The Tracks" is his last decent album and that was 1974. It's one thing if you're The Beatles and you broke up 30 years ago, but it's another when you continue making records up until the present day. And even The Beatles spawned several fantastic albums via their solo efforts. I'm gonna take it a step further and call bullshit on Dylan's lyrics. I don't mind if people take cosmic significance out of nonsensical wordplay, the kind Dylan made his legend on, but quit citing Dylan as this great spokesman for his generation. He speaks for no one. Dylan built a reputation on Dr. Seuss wordplay in his songs, which "evokes" certain feelings without articulating them. You can read all you want into his lyrics, like looking at a modern artwork of lines and squiggles. Is it art? Or bullshit? In Rolling Stone's recent "50 Greatest Artists" story, Dylan appeared at #2. Granted, Rolling Stone is too busy sucking the dongs of mediocre shitbirds like Jet and The Darkness to know what real music is, but #2? Come on. Dylan captured the moment folk went rock, and beyond that he's almost irrelevant. Here's a list of 10 bands that made better, more salient, and more important music than Dylan: The Clash, The Jam, Elvis Costello, Nirvana, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Tom Waits, David Bowie, The Who, The Beach Boys, The Doors, Velvet Underground, Elton John, and so on. That's 13. I can't count, but you get the idea. Can we get back to reality? Dylan had his heyday 30 years ago and deserves a spot in the pantheon of rock heroes, but enough of this "defining a generation" and being a "lyrical genius." He's the DeNiro of music. When was the last good DeNiro movie? People seem to discount the 20 years of crappy tunes Dylan has churned out when they put him up on his pedestal.
Friday, April 09, 2004
Fastest Mini In The Universe!
Belgian police clocked one of the new Minis racing along at Mach 3! Read it here, from BBC News.
Belgian police clocked one of the new Minis racing along at Mach 3! Read it here, from BBC News.
Scoring Rice's Lies
From Common Dreams News Center and the Center For American Progress comes this handy deciphering of the evasions and lies spewed by Condi Rice before the 9/11 commission. Read it here. Here's my favorite tidbit:
CLAIM: "The Vice President was, a little later in, I think, in May, tasked by the President to put together a group to look at all of the recommendations that had been made about domestic preparedness and all of the questions associated with that." [responding to Fielding]
FACT: The Vice President's task force never once convened a meeting. In the same time period, the Vice President convened at least 10 meetings of his energy task force, and six meetings with Enron executives. [Source: Washington Post, 1/20/02; GAO Report, 8/03]
From Common Dreams News Center and the Center For American Progress comes this handy deciphering of the evasions and lies spewed by Condi Rice before the 9/11 commission. Read it here. Here's my favorite tidbit:
CLAIM: "The Vice President was, a little later in, I think, in May, tasked by the President to put together a group to look at all of the recommendations that had been made about domestic preparedness and all of the questions associated with that." [responding to Fielding]
FACT: The Vice President's task force never once convened a meeting. In the same time period, the Vice President convened at least 10 meetings of his energy task force, and six meetings with Enron executives. [Source: Washington Post, 1/20/02; GAO Report, 8/03]
Thursday, April 08, 2004
Baghdad Is Hopping!
So how is Iraq these days? How are the troops dealing with all those Iraqis welcoming us as liberators and stuffing flowers in our rifle barrels? Some parts of Iraq haven't gotten the news that we are their liberating saviors as evidenced by this article, here, from New York Times, saying US forces "vow" to retake two towns held by militants. What? We have to "vow" something? And why are two towns now in the hands of radical fundamentalists who want to kill all Americans and even Jews? Can you say, "Bush fucked this one up real bad."
So how is Iraq these days? How are the troops dealing with all those Iraqis welcoming us as liberators and stuffing flowers in our rifle barrels? Some parts of Iraq haven't gotten the news that we are their liberating saviors as evidenced by this article, here, from New York Times, saying US forces "vow" to retake two towns held by militants. What? We have to "vow" something? And why are two towns now in the hands of radical fundamentalists who want to kill all Americans and even Jews? Can you say, "Bush fucked this one up real bad."
Nice Job In Afghanistan, Bush!
Meanwhile, Iraq is becoming a blossoming flower of democracy, a light in the Middle East, an angel with a flaming sword showing those fools the errors of their ways and pointedly urging them on to an American sponsored serfdom. What about Afghanistan? Remember that country, the one that actually harbored the terrorist shits who attacked us on 9/11? Yeah, that country, the one that got 2 billion of the 87 billion dollars Congress approved for Bush to blow on his campaign donors, I mean, Halliburton and Co. Now Afghanistan is back to the feudal warzone dominated by warlords that it used to be. Congratulations, Mr. Bush. Article here, BBC News.
Meanwhile, Iraq is becoming a blossoming flower of democracy, a light in the Middle East, an angel with a flaming sword showing those fools the errors of their ways and pointedly urging them on to an American sponsored serfdom. What about Afghanistan? Remember that country, the one that actually harbored the terrorist shits who attacked us on 9/11? Yeah, that country, the one that got 2 billion of the 87 billion dollars Congress approved for Bush to blow on his campaign donors, I mean, Halliburton and Co. Now Afghanistan is back to the feudal warzone dominated by warlords that it used to be. Congratulations, Mr. Bush. Article here, BBC News.
Asteroid Nearly Demolishes Earth
You didn't know that, did you? In February, the citizens of Earth were almost put on "Impact Alert" because a giant asteroid was speeding straight at us. Somehow it missed us and we're all still alive today to listen to Condi Rice lie her fucking ass off. Two former astronauts, Schweickart and Lu, have urged that NASA develop a space-based way of diverting asteroids before they wipe us all out. Article here, BBC News. Somehow I missed this news item on the Nightly News. Didn't even have time to pray away all my sins. Damn lucky, I guess.
You didn't know that, did you? In February, the citizens of Earth were almost put on "Impact Alert" because a giant asteroid was speeding straight at us. Somehow it missed us and we're all still alive today to listen to Condi Rice lie her fucking ass off. Two former astronauts, Schweickart and Lu, have urged that NASA develop a space-based way of diverting asteroids before they wipe us all out. Article here, BBC News. Somehow I missed this news item on the Nightly News. Didn't even have time to pray away all my sins. Damn lucky, I guess.
Liar Lie Lie Lie, You Liar Lie Lie Lie
Johnny Rotten summed it up oh so many years ago. Condi Rice testified today and attempted to portray her president as a staunch foe of terrorism and a stalwart defender of America. Article here, from BBC News, and a more detailed analysis of her speech here, from The New York Times. Her testimony contradicts the testimony of Clarke, so who's lying? Well, Rice is going to spend Easter weekend at Bush's ranch in Texas while Clarke has no further political aspirations. You tell me who sold her soul?
Johnny Rotten summed it up oh so many years ago. Condi Rice testified today and attempted to portray her president as a staunch foe of terrorism and a stalwart defender of America. Article here, from BBC News, and a more detailed analysis of her speech here, from The New York Times. Her testimony contradicts the testimony of Clarke, so who's lying? Well, Rice is going to spend Easter weekend at Bush's ranch in Texas while Clarke has no further political aspirations. You tell me who sold her soul?
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
Acrylamide In French Fries
This article from the LA Times details how the carcinogen acrylamide has been found in french fries, breads, cereals, and coffee. Because of Prop 65 which demands that when the state finds out something has carcinogenic properties the public must be informed, french fries are now the locus of a huge court battle just gearing up. What if french fries really do cause cancer? Would you rather know about it or just blindly develop cancer?
This article from the LA Times details how the carcinogen acrylamide has been found in french fries, breads, cereals, and coffee. Because of Prop 65 which demands that when the state finds out something has carcinogenic properties the public must be informed, french fries are now the locus of a huge court battle just gearing up. What if french fries really do cause cancer? Would you rather know about it or just blindly develop cancer?
Paul Krugman Bitchslaps Bush
The New York Times columnist and famed economist Paul Krugman highlights exactly why the Bush decision to allow mercury pollution to continue is symptomatic of their total failure in every sphere. Read it here. Mercury causes damage to nervous systems, particularly vulnerable are fetuses and infants, but Bush doesn't give a shit because fetuses and infants don't fork over campaign cash. Bush and his ilk only care about fetuses when they can use it as a pulpit to ram their fascistic fundamental brand of Christianity down someone's throat.
The New York Times columnist and famed economist Paul Krugman highlights exactly why the Bush decision to allow mercury pollution to continue is symptomatic of their total failure in every sphere. Read it here. Mercury causes damage to nervous systems, particularly vulnerable are fetuses and infants, but Bush doesn't give a shit because fetuses and infants don't fork over campaign cash. Bush and his ilk only care about fetuses when they can use it as a pulpit to ram their fascistic fundamental brand of Christianity down someone's throat.
Monday, April 05, 2004
Peter The Penguin Safe 'n' Sound
Peter, an African penguin who became famous after being rescued by environmentalists from an early oil-slick induced death, has been found alive and well, after going missing for four years. Read about it here, from BBC News. Peter thanks all you environmentalists out there, and also wishes all Hummer drivers a lengthy swim in an oil slick, gasping for air and shivering with cold.
Peter, an African penguin who became famous after being rescued by environmentalists from an early oil-slick induced death, has been found alive and well, after going missing for four years. Read about it here, from BBC News. Peter thanks all you environmentalists out there, and also wishes all Hummer drivers a lengthy swim in an oil slick, gasping for air and shivering with cold.