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Ask And You Shall RecieveNews & news 008
Liz Phair, Ant In Alaska
Reposting My Reagan Legacy Debunk-a-thon
This was originally posted on Ice Station Tango on Sunday, May 06, 2007. It's more true now than ever.ll the Reagan-licking going on at the Republican debate last week has stirred up quite a backlash. The Gipper qualifies as someone I would rather have as President than, say, the current Commander Guy, but the inflation of the Reagan myth has got to stop.
We can start with the admission he made about Iran-Contra. While it's nice to see someone admit they did something wrong, this is pretty pathetic.
Rachel Maddow asks if the Republicans have "a Reagan problem":
Was Reagan as great as conservatives have made him out to be? Hardly. The campaign to get him on the dime or Mount Rushmore have a mountain of real history to overcome.
In 1998, after Washington National Airport was renamed Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, David Corn of The Nation wrote an article called "66 Things to Think About When Flying Into Reagan National Airport".
An excerpt:
The firing of the air traffic controllers, winnable nuclear war, recallable nuclear missiles, trees that cause pollution, Elliott Abrams lying to Congress, ketchup as a vegetable, colluding with Guatemalan thugs, pardons for F.B.I. lawbreakers, voodoo economics, budget deficits, toasts to Ferdinand Marcos, public housing cutbacks, redbaiting the nuclear freeze movement, James Watt.
Getting cozy with Argentine fascist generals, tax credits for segregated schools, disinformation campaigns, "homeless by choice," Manuel Noriega, falling wages, the HUD scandal, air raids on Libya, "constructive engagement" with apartheid South Africa, United States Information Agency blacklists of liberal speakers, attacks on OSHA and workplace safety, the invasion of Grenada, assassination manuals, Nancy's astrologer.
Drug tests, lie detector tests, Fawn Hall, female appointees (8 percent), mining harbors, the S&L scandal, 239 dead U.S. troops in Beirut, Al Haig "in control," silence on AIDS, food-stamp reductions, Debategate, White House shredding, Jonas Savimbi, tax cuts for the rich, "mistakes were made."
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Gilliard wrote:
We need to ask what hath Reagan wrought. His economic policies crippled this country, preventing the kind of long term structural changes which are still needed. How long will American businesses have to foot the bill for health insurance? How long will unequal funding for schools exist? How long will the right of women to control their bodies be subject to restrictions? This is the real, domestic legacy of Ronald Reagan. His breaking of the PATCO strike began the road to anti-Union policies across business. Once, businesses wanted labor peace, after Reagan, strike breaking was permitted, hell encouraged.
Reagan began the road of crippling America's ability to care for Americans. Now we have this failed trickle down economic policy pushed by yet another President. One that leaves Americans in record debt and record bankruptcies. Instead of tax rates which fairly distribute the burden of funding America, the rich have been encouraged to avoid their fair share. Ronald Reagan began the bankrupting of America and the creation of a super wealthy CEO class, one where their great grandchildren will never have to work, an aristocracy of trustifarians. Under Reagan hypocracy and selfishness became the rule of the road. Not just in public life, where his staff routinely lied, eventually leading to Iran-Contra.
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- Last year Larry Beinhart received an email promoting the legacy of Ronald Reagan. He deconstructs the great Reagan's empty quotes one by one.
- In 2003, Richard Blow wrote, "Reagan Revised" about the uproar that greeted CBS's planned miniseries on the Reagans.
- After Reagan's death in 2004, Trevor Royal wrote, "Reagan was the Original Forrest Gump Who Struck Lucky"
- Peter Preston, "Ronald Reagan: Towering he wasn't"
- Randolph T. Holhut, "Ronald Reagan's squalid legacy"
- Robert Parry, "Rating Reagan: A Bogus Legacy"
- John Nichols, "Reagan's Politics of Passion"
- Tom Carson, "Death of a Salesman - Ronald Reagan, 1911-2004"
- Paul Krugman, "The Great Taxer"
- Robert Scheer, "A nice guy's nasty policies"
- Danny Schechter, "Making the myth, forgetting the man"
- Colin Shea, "He was a madman"
Beatles LP Countdown, Eight Days A Week
John Lennon did not have a high opinion of "Eight Days A Week". When I was a kid I really loved it, but now I see his point. This was the kind of song he was referring to when he said he and Paul would sit down in an afternoon and write themselves another swimming pool.
If I've had enough caffeine, you could find me tapping my foot to "Eight Day's A Week". Like right now.
The Kind Of Person He Is
OK folks, just indulge me for one more post about Tim Tebow. I promise, this one's the last (for now).
"While Tebow realizes the Heisman can change a person's image forever, he confessed prior to the ceremony on Saturday night [after he won the award last year] that he wants to be known 20 or 30 years from now more for the kind of person he is."
A sportscaster from one of the big networks last night said something I wish I had said, but all I can do is report it. He said that Tebow was part gridiron guru, part Gandhi.
A Story Of Biblical Proportions, University Of Florida Gators
Moses, Urban Meyer
John the Baptist, Chris Leak
The Messiah, Tim Tebow
I Read the News Today
about a football team that made the grade...
Gator Jaws Straighten Out The Paperclips
The Sooner's mascot--just look at their helmet--is a paper clip.
Florida Gators 24, Oklahoma Sooners 14.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Howard Dean Did It All for the Love
I like the way Howard Dean almost says that he's going to make some money now at the end of this clip. You go get yours, Howie. Just don't get indicted, it would be a crushing blow to my fragile psyche.
Here's a little A Tribe Called Quest for Dr. Dean.
Rocket 88--The First Rock And Roll Song?
"'Rocket 88' is a rhythm and blues song that was first recorded at Sam Phillips' recording studio in Memphis, Tennessee, on 3 March or 5 March 1951 (accounts differ). It is claimed by some, including Phillips — later to become owner of Sun Records, and pioneer rock and roll record producer — to be the 'first rock and roll song'. The original version of the 12-bar blues song was credited to 'Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats', but that band did not actually exist. The song was put together by Ike Turner and his band in rehearsals at the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and recorded by Turner's Kings of Rhythm. Jackie Brenston (1930-1979), who was a saxophonist with Turner, also sang the vocal on "Rocket 88", a hymn of praise to the joys of the Oldsmobile 'Rocket 88', which had recently been introduced. Although Brenston was given writing credit rather than Turner, it is now agreed Brenston's contribution was overstated for financial reasons."
Football Quote Of The Day
"The selection of girls is probably a little bit better out there in Gainesville."
--Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Keenan Clayton
News & news 007
Tori Amos, Abbey Road
Time To Assess The Outgoing President
Polythene Pam has called for greater civility in the political rhetoric of The Walrus Speaks. Taking her concern to heart, we have decided to assess the Presidency of George W. Bush quite civilly, keeping to the more professional tones used by historians. So we will refrain from calling the man a bastard, evil, stupid, a sack of shit, etc.
Instead, we will note that 61% of historians rate his Presidency the worst, and 98% rate it a failure. We consistently hear the phrase "shredding the Constitution."
One historian indicated that his reason for rating Bush as worst is that the current president combines traits of some of his failed predecessors: “the paranoia of Nixon, the ethics of Harding and the good sense of Herbert Hoover. . . . . God willing, this will go down as the nadir of American politics.” Another classified Bush as “an ideologue who got the nation into a totally unnecessary war, and has broken the Constitution more often than even Nixon. He is not a conservative, nor a Christian, just an immoral man . . . .” Still another remarked that Bush’s “denial of any personal responsibility can only be described as silly.”
What is more, Bush can be called the Beatles of failed Presidents. How is this possible? Well, the Beatles are the greatest band ever because of excelling in more categories of comparison than any other band. On the category thing, Bush nailed it.
Like a majority of other historians who participated in this poll, my conclusion is that the preponderance of the evidence now indicates that, while this nation has had at least its share of failed presidencies, no previous presidency was as large a failure in so many areas as the current one.
In so many areas. Is that OK, Polythene Pam?
The Blow - Parentheses
Speaking of bands overdue for a return, The Blow is it. Come back to us, Khaela.
I am not the only person dying to get their hands on a new album from The Elected.
From a forum dweller on RKNet named RyanDunch:
I was at a new years party this year at a friend's house. Me and my roommates hit the basement for a cigarette- and there was this bearded dude with an acoustic guitar who just starts jamming:
"Well she gets real mean when she's drunk..."
and he played a slew of Elected and old RK songs. A great new years for sure. Made me really anxious for some new Elected, though. What the hell? Just release some myspace bootlegs, Blake!
It was really nice to ring in the new year with a sing-a-long of With Arms Outstretched, though.
Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times
The Station Agent's post of Pink Floyd's "Not Now John" reminded me of Chaplin's film Modern Times. Why is modern industrialized society organized the way it is?
Mainly so that the rich can get richer. No?
American Artist Eva Cassidy, 1963--1996
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UK actress Nicole Faraday as Eva
The late Eva Cassidy had a voice like silk and honey.
Pink Floyd - Not Now John
This song seems relatively disliked by Floyd fans. I think it's one of the greatest songs ever written. Furthermore, the album it appears on, The Final Cut, lacks any radio-friendly songs, but it is one of the most stark political statements I have ever heard. It was Waters' last turn with Floyd, and he dominated the creation and recording so much that many see this as only nominally a Pink Floyd record. They say that like it's a bad thing.
This video is an unfortunate distortion of the song because the refrain "fuck all that" is dubbed over with the words "stuff all that".
Etta James, At Last
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Battle Hymn Of The Republic
Beatles LP Countdown, Every Little Thing
"Every Little Thing" is the fourth track on the second side of the Beatles fourth UK album, Beatles For Sale.
Creedence, Down On The Corner
John Lennon, Woman
The Cheney Gang's Weak Link
In many great heist movies there's clearly one character, one weak link, that everyone in the audience knows from the beginning is going crack under pressure and inadvertently give up the rest of the crew. In the perfect crime that was the bankrupting of America, the weak link that's going to blow the gang's cover is President Bush.
Creedence, Travelin' Band
Just good old rock and roll.
Jefferson Airplane, Lather
Gracie knocks it out of the park with this one.
George Harrison, Behind That Locked Door
Moody Blues, In Your Wildest Dreams
Radiohead, Meeting In The Aisle
News & news 006
Healing The Soul Through Rock And Roll
TWS visitor Laura S. Faeth has authored I Found All The Parts: Healing The Soul Through Rock And Roll. Haven't you ever heard God speaking to you through your speakers or headphones? It happens to me almost every day.
I haven't read Faeth's book yet, but I will publish a review for any visitor who has. Meanwhile, there's this.“Have Faeth in the process! The Magical Mystery Tour of life is real and is brought to the surface in this fascinating glimpse into one person's determination to put the pieces together from the universal river of flow.”—M. Joyce McMenamin, author, The Integrity Channel and editor of NoNiche and Network Abundance magazines
Paul McCartney's new album Electronic Arguments has some really good stuff on it. For people who have given up on Paul because his work in recent years has not impressed them, they owe it to themselves to hear Electronic Arguments. Really!
Check it out.
For some strange reason, Paul is now calling himself The Fireman.
Woody Guthrie, Tom Joad Part II
Henry Fonda as Tom Joad
Tom Joad, of course, is the main character in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. Certainly one of the greatest films ever made.
I had this wacky idea the other day and I can't get it out of my head...what if President Barack Obama was the reincarnation of President Abraham Lincoln? Call me crazy and I will admit to that, but it is an intriguing idea.
Check out some Lincoln and Obama facts on Blue Oregon.
Rodgers' "railroad bum" songs inspired the great Woody Guthrie and his songs of social conscience during the Great Depression.
Heat Star Alonzo Morning Retires From Basketball
My favorite basketball player, Alonzo Morning, retired today from the Miami Heat. Beyond being one of the finest defensive centers ever to play the game, Morning is also one of the nation's most generous professional athletes.
After playing at an All-Star level for many years in search of an elusive NBA title, frustration had clearly set in for Morning and his seemingly cursed teammates. Then Morning was diagnosed with a life-threatening kidney ailment that knocked him out of the game twice. After a kidney transplant, Mourning eventually returned to the Heat where he played an integral part in the team's 2006 NBA championship. His offensive skills were diminished, but he was still the greatest shot blocker of his generation, despite being an inch or two shorter than most elite centers.
In the middle of the 2007-2008 season, Mourning sustained a devastating knee injury and has been in rehab until today when he announced he would not return to the league. The sport will miss him, but Miami will not, because there is no doubt that Morning will continue to play a big part in the life of the city to which he has given so much. Congrats, Zo. If there's any justice, we'll see you in the Hall of Fame.
Johnny Cash, God's Gonna Cut You Down
The Man in Black was The Man.
Nine Inch Nails, Something I Can Never Have
Bob Dylan, Man Of Constant Sorrow
Very early Dylan.
Radiohead, Go To Sleep
Smashing Pumpkins, Set The Ray To Jerry
