tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8328334130324260732011-06-08T20:00:36.918-04:00The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.comBlogger1301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-26031884221076855202009-04-22T19:55:00.000-04:002009-04-22T19:57:18.979-04:00

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-51978191218374591412009-04-18T11:07:00.003-04:002009-04-18T20:40:54.558-04:00

Garage rock band? Country rock? If they ever were, they're not anymore. The Heartless Bastards, led by guitarist/singer Erika Wennerstrom, recently underwent a huge lineup change and relocated from Ohio to Texas. The result is a heavy record.Did I say it was heavy yet?The Mountain has a couple bright moments, mostly due to Wennerstrom's voice and her big chunks of guitar. The little touches, like

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-48529820356293421142009-04-16T21:38:00.003-04:002009-04-17T20:15:55.571-04:00

Saturday is Independent Record Store Day, and I'm psyched. To get you in the mood, here's Todd Snider singing Vinyl Records.

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-57353399276727929462009-04-16T21:18:00.001-04:002009-04-17T20:10:22.871-04:00

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-44762037491548432522009-04-15T20:26:00.002-04:002009-04-17T20:11:02.290-04:00

It's great to see the Ohio band Southeast Engine getting some critical attention. I stumbled upon (and blogged about) their 2007 album Wheel Within a Wheel last year. Their latest From the Forest to the Sea is a logical successor. Like Wheel, it runs through all styles of rock-- country, garage and Southern -- with lyrics full of Biblical references. From the Forest is a concept album about a man

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-80984055807547925372009-04-13T22:31:00.011-04:002009-04-17T20:11:43.438-04:00

It wasn't until I heard about Harry Kalas' passing this afternoon that I fully realized how much he was a part of my life. I didn't know him personally and I certainly wasn't part of a fan club. If anything, I think I took Harry the K and his silky baritone for granted.When I lived in Philadelphia, he was always there. One of my fondest memories with my dad is when we used to listen to Phillies'

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-79991732938600302892009-04-13T22:23:00.002-04:002009-04-17T20:12:11.612-04:00

I'm a huge fan of TC Boyle. Two of his books -- The Inner Circle and Tortilla Curtain -- are among my five favorites. And I've liked just about everything he's written. Until his latest, The Women. I don't think it's a bad book. Boyle's writing is solid, as usual and it certainly has some of Boyle's screwball moments. The Women is a fictional re-telling of Frank Lloyd Wright's love life through

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-84892437501575573212009-04-12T11:00:00.002-04:002009-04-17T20:12:39.685-04:00

A couple weeks ago, my favorite radio show This American Life had as its theme -- The Wrong Side of History.And that's where Edwin Chadwick finds himself in Steven Johnson's The Ghost Map, a fascinating nonfiction account of London's 1854 cholera outbreak. Chadwick was a miasmist. He believed that cholera and other diseases were transmitted through the air. The public health official saw the

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-55457218936211361682009-04-10T08:00:00.005-04:002009-04-17T20:13:07.074-04:00

Listening to a Wilco side projectsusually requires a bit of patience. Whether its Nels Cline shredding, or Glenn Kotche going off on the skins, or even the progressive rock of Loose Fur, the players are expanding their field and experimenting. And it's good music. I love both Loose Fur albums. But it takes some patience.So what a treat to hear the fresh blast of 70s pop-rock on Pronto's debut All

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-91385812180851228792009-04-09T10:02:00.002-04:002009-04-17T20:13:29.495-04:00

Late last week, I finished reading the Hugo Award-winning Man in the High Castle. It was my introduction to sci-fi legend Philip Dick, and I was immediately pulled into his terrifying alternative history. Following FDR's assassination, the U.S. was weakened and eventually lost World War II. Now the West Coast is Japanese territory and the East Coast belongs to the Germans. Dick makes this

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-59354842764649036962009-04-08T01:00:00.001-04:002009-04-17T20:13:50.877-04:00

Distractions' favorites Flaming Lips join Stardeath and Dwarfs for a spacy yet rocking version of Madonna's Borderline. Click here.

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-82002001040931706382009-04-07T17:37:00.003-04:002009-04-07T19:01:20.065-04:00

Kudos to Rod MacDonald for another folk classic -- the 16-song set After the War, a stirring collection of both new and old material. The disc, which was produced by JP Bowersock, guitarist for Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, runs the folk gamut.It includes the classic White Buffalo. But the highlight is actually Stop the War (also originally on White Buffalo), which sounds as relevant now as when

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-6084192226796187652009-04-05T13:02:00.002-04:002009-04-05T20:49:23.967-04:00

I've already praised the cultural benefits -- and overall fun -- of the LP Cover Lover Web site. Well, you better sit down for this one. Men, you can stand. But don't miss yesterday's cover of The Bathrooms Are Coming, a 1969 classic "created, performed and released as a 'souvenir' to employees and customers by the American Standard bathroom fixtures company."Go to Cover Lover and give this baby

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-66605334139935532862009-04-05T10:25:00.002-04:002009-04-07T18:57:09.862-04:00

Sunday morning.Overcast skiesSleeping in, then reading the Sunday paper in bed.I've found Robert Wyatt's 2007 release Comicopera to be the perfect soundtrack for this type of morning. Wyatt's sad, sad voice and his mix of jazz, chamber-pop and avant garde are geared to those slow moments, where you can take time to let the music and words wash over you.Comicopera is a 16-song set, broken up into

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-46563881603366579912009-04-03T14:52:00.001-04:002009-04-07T18:58:12.886-04:00

I picked up Steven Johnson's latest book not because of science, or even history, the author's areas of expertise.It was religion.The Invention of Air is Johnson's biography of Joseph Priestly, the founder and first minister of the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. (It's aptly named, as the church is the first in the country to call itself "Unitarian.") The 14th minister of the First

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-8554676041906437962009-03-31T10:52:00.001-04:002009-03-31T10:55:15.242-04:00

This is Star Wars reimagined with the Dallas opening. If you're into Star Wars, check out The Official Star Wars Blog.

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-35641947068130793612009-03-25T19:55:00.001-04:002009-03-25T19:55:00.656-04:00

What first turned me on to The Bad Plus, was the jazz trio's covers of rock songs. Blondie. Tears for Fears. Queen.Rush. Now, the Midwest-based band has added singer Wendy Lewis to the group. And on their latest For All I Care, the covers get even more interesting -- Nirvana's Lithium, Wilco's Radio Cure and Heart's Barracuda.If you can get over the feeling that these covers are just a gimmick,

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-31898379152778427802009-03-24T08:45:00.001-04:002009-03-24T19:19:56.157-04:00

I highly recommended the well-written and funny Harry, Revised, the debut novel by Mark Sarvas. Harry Rent is a doctor with a Bel Air mansion and a convertible. But he's really a loser. When his wife dies, he seeks to reinvent himself and land a young, sexy waitress at the local greasy spoon. Although, I had a serious dislike of Rent at first, he, and the book, grew on me ...Harry, Revised was

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-18829955234795910622009-03-22T20:12:00.003-04:002009-03-22T20:24:07.785-04:00

Anybody else notice that Gatorade has been replaced on the sidelines at the NCAA Tournament by Vitamin Water? How did that happen and when? I was always skeptical of the Vitamin Water brand, now even more so since it has flexed its Coca-Cola muscles. If you're a Vitamin Water fan and you think it's a smart drink, look at the label. It ain't water. And it ain't juice. And it's loaded with tons of

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-61458169829407693062009-03-22T08:37:00.001-04:002009-03-22T19:41:32.751-04:00

The wife and I finally saw Slumdog Millionaire the other night. It was more violent than I thought, but definitely an uplifting film -- and one of the most unique and captivating films I've seen over the last few years. Danny Boyle is a great story-teller. But like other quirky movies (Juno, Little Miss Sunshine) that surprisingly hit it big, Slumdog has run into some critical backlash. This type

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-71944810537456377242009-03-21T08:34:00.004-04:002009-03-21T19:47:40.996-04:00

"Man wearing an "I (Heart) My Marriage" t-shirt arrested after trying to strangle his wife.

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-54425969912274923762009-02-12T18:07:00.000-05:002009-02-19T18:08:10.037-05:00

Distractions is currently on hiatus.

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-60862699677337868522009-02-11T03:00:00.000-05:002009-02-11T03:00:00.797-05:00

Someone Else's Deja Vu. Son, Ambulance.Buy on Insound.Buy on eMusic.Joe Knapp, the force behind Son, Ambulance, is often overshadowed by fellow Saddle Creek bands Bright Eyes and Cursive.Despite the horrible cover, Son, Ambulance's latest CD is an ambitious and satisfying full-length that should win over fans of those labelmates. Knapp kicks off with the tropicala-lite Girl from Ipanema, er, New

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-42542737177683683322009-02-10T01:13:00.001-05:002009-02-10T01:13:01.135-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)The term supergroup has lost some of its lustre in recent years. It was once only used for bands with iconic rock god status -- such as Eric Clapton. No longer. The word gets tossed around like adoption papers in the Jolie household.But the Yayhoos are a "supergroup

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-10116028245771244122009-02-08T07:00:00.001-05:002009-02-08T07:00:00.254-05:00

Garage Hangover Web siteOh, The Scholars, where are you? You released the wonderful single I Need Your Lovin when I was less than a year old. You put the single out on the Ruby Ray label, which based out of Cornwell Heights/Bensalem, an area just north of my boyhood home in Northeast Philadelphia.It's a great piece of long-forgotten garage rock.And it's not the only one. Punk rock lays claim to

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-84048479017372429812009-02-07T11:11:00.001-05:002009-02-07T11:11:00.699-05:00

In one of the crafty types of moves that would help earn him the nickname "Tricky Dick" a few years later, Richard M. Nixon pulled a fast one on the California voters, and a Democratic activist named Stephen Zetterberg.Nixon, a Republican, entered himself in the California Democratic primary to compete against Zetterberg. This process of "cross-filing" was allowed by California law back then.

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-92203475447501611712009-02-06T13:00:00.000-05:002009-02-06T13:00:02.979-05:00

Bring Me your Love. City and Colour.Buy on Amazon.Buy on eMusic.You'd never know it from listening to this gorgeous, mostly acoustic solo effort that Dallas Good, the man behind City and Colour, is the lead singer of the well-known Canadian hardcore metal band Alexisonfire.But you'll get no metal here. City and Colour (Dallas Green, get it?) is more Iron and Wine than Agnostic Front. Green's

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-83400037566518671762009-02-05T01:12:00.003-05:002009-02-05T01:12:00.670-05:00

Oxford American Southern Issue #10.Order, contribute and read sample articles at Oxford American.comIt's taken me a while since first opening up this magazine to actually writing about it. The reason why? Each year, I slowly take my time to devour this issue -- reading the great articles and discovering all the great music. I don't like to just fly through it.This year, Oxford American

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-42343859575886062152009-02-04T01:11:00.003-05:002009-02-04T21:24:30.165-05:00

Firmin: Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife. Sam Savage.Buy it on Amazon. Buy it from Coffee House Press.Contribute to Coffee House Press.I was utterly surprised by how quickly I was taken in by this small book. Savage's tale of a rat who learns how to read, falls in love with late-night nudie movies, and seeks to communicate with humans is a touching story. Funny. Sad. Thoughtful.And don't be

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-8588437794122276622009-02-03T01:00:00.002-05:002009-02-03T01:00:00.548-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)Well, another Super Bowl has come and gone without an Eagles' parade down Broad Street. For the last few weeks, I've been nursing my annual January/February dismay, disappointment and depression. And no song captures depression as well as Steve Earle's My Old Friend

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-46614981666682146402009-02-01T08:12:00.003-05:002009-02-02T21:30:14.243-05:00

Get Guilty. A.C. NewmanBuy on Amazon.Buy on eMusic.There are few guarantees in life. One of them is that any record with A.C. Newman on it is going to be filled with great guitar-heavy pop hooks and memorable, if not well understood, lyrics.On his last two albums, however, the New Pornographers' Challengers and his newly released solo album Get Guilty, Newman has toned down the frenetic pace.The

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-65828982737544073662009-01-31T05:00:00.000-05:002009-01-31T05:00:01.061-05:00

Rod Blagojevich. Ted Stevens. William "Dollar Bill" Jefferson.We've seen our share of corrupt politicians over the last year. But this is nothing new. Where ever there is a seat on a committee, there's the opportunity to line your pockets.One of the most unique was former New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker. During his term in the '30s, Walker's administration had a habit of sending innocent people

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-75150451176982115612009-01-30T02:30:00.004-05:002009-01-30T14:03:46.255-05:00

The Broken Shore. Peter Temple.Buy on Amazon.Buy at Powell's Books.Temple is well-revered as a crime novelist in Australia, picking up numerous awards for his eight novels. His latest, released last year in the US, will appeal not only to those who love the genre, but to all those who just plain love to read.Written in simple, yet captivating prose, Temple draws you into the life of Joe Cashin, a

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-50032897410106755352009-01-29T01:11:00.002-05:002009-01-29T19:04:13.021-05:00

It's hard to believe anything more ridiculous happening in the past week than Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich taking his bad haircut onto The View and later comparing himself to Ghandi and Martin Luther King. However, there was one other news item this past week that just had me scratching my head.Last week, George Eisenhart went onto a Wisconsin television station to tout the safety of Monster

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-36741693819689370252009-01-28T02:02:00.003-05:002009-01-28T02:02:00.992-05:00

Say goodbye to the Weekly playlist. Starting this week, I'll blog on a more regular basis, focusing on whatever book (read), music (heard), movie/TV (seen), etc. that I've finished, rather than wait until the end of the week for a full list. I hope that makes this an easier blog for you to follow. And I don't mean the collective "you." I mean you -- the one person out there reading this blog.

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-65017712671748493632009-01-27T01:00:00.001-05:002009-01-27T18:58:00.491-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)Have y'all recovered from last week's dip into Eugene Chadbourne's catalog? This week's song is not anywhere near as bizarre. It comes from 1958. Upon hearing it, though, you might expect it to be a mid-60s garage rock classic. Listen to guitarist Lowman "Pete"

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-33364711408713414112009-01-20T01:01:00.000-05:002009-01-20T01:01:01.140-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)Yes, today is an historic day. A great day in our nation's history. It's a day that calls out for a song about hope. A song about optimism. A song worth remembering.But I just couldn't help sharing this song -- one more final dig at the Bush presidency. Actually,

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-40892494875015027562009-01-16T18:28:00.015-05:002009-01-19T22:15:13.267-05:00

This past week, I've really been digging a pair of EPs from a couple young Philly bands. Give 'em a listen on the Music Playlist below. But let's start with a book I highly recommend ...The Dart League King. Keith Lee MorrisThursday night is dart night in Garnet Lake, Idaho. It's Russell Harmon's night. We know that from the start. And over the next over the next 200 of so pages the night unfolds

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-28919614155450996842009-01-09T04:13:00.005-05:002009-01-09T20:27:58.712-05:00

Perhaps the most consistent distraction I've had over the last two years has been Scrabble. The wife and I started keeping track of our games in late 2006. This past week, we played our 101st game.The series now stands at 50-50-1. And in the one tie game we played, I had three tiles on the board when my wife went out. Those three tiles?T-I-E.I wonder if I can get a line on our next game ...

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-75328488497633769992009-01-08T01:33:00.001-05:002009-01-08T19:42:49.219-05:00

It's hard to put a happy face on the George W. Bush presidency, what with the costly war, economic failure, attack on science, stupid decision after stupid decision and plain incompetence.But George W. Bush is at least making an effort. His approval ratings may be hovering lower than Britney Spears IQ, but Bush, it appears, is doing all he can to ensure a smooth change of power. He and his staff

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-21173042480963130182009-01-06T04:00:00.001-05:002009-01-06T04:00:01.082-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)From the Future Soundtrack for America, OK GO (yes, the treadmill band) takes a pretty faithful stab at the Zombies' This Will Be Our Year -- last week's Tuesday Treasure.Tuesday Treasure 1/6

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-44793661803007385352009-01-01T21:02:00.002-05:002009-01-03T10:00:59.842-05:00

My eight favorite books of 2008, in no particular order ...The White Tiger. Aravind Adiga. Adiga's book unfolds as a letter from Balram to the Premier of China. Balram recounts his life from the days in the hopelessly poor Darkness of India to his job as a driver/servant. And he explains how he became a murderer, or as he calls himself -- a social entreprenuer. Adiga's debut novel is a witty and

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-62633202063111181112008-12-30T08:00:00.000-05:002008-12-30T08:00:00.509-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)2008 has been one of the most up-and-down years I've ever been through. I worked through several personal struggles and attended way too many funerals. And all this happened amid a media barrage of war, recession, layoffs, scandals, etc.But this was also the year my

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-38575573795184700952008-12-26T09:00:00.006-05:002008-12-26T11:12:21.081-05:00

I missed the first night of Hannukah and Christmas, but this week's playlist makes it in time for Kwaanza ...Serena. Ron Rash.This gritty and violent novel is set in Depression-era North Carolina. It's a tale of greed, as the lumber baron Pembertons battle the government-led conservationists trying to create the Great Smokies National Park. Rash's attention to details and knowledge of the rural

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-4564356260436492552008-12-23T22:33:00.005-05:002008-12-23T22:48:18.317-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)Tuesday Treasure 12/23

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-11891411367380490832008-12-18T20:24:00.002-05:002008-12-18T22:42:23.719-05:00

Holy F--kF--k the WriterF--k ButtonsNo, my blog doesn't have Tourrete Syndrome. And it hasn't been taken over by Sarah Silverman. (I wish!)These are actual names of bands. Bands who are currently trying to sustain a music career. And their names don't have little asterisks, dollar signs or dashes in them.I dont' get. Why give your band such an alienating name? You think it's cool? Well, you and

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-71421622448672608362008-12-16T11:01:00.002-05:002008-12-16T11:05:04.603-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)The Austin-based Reivers came on the jangle pop scene in the early 80s. Breathing Easy comes from their final album Pop Beloved, released in 1991.Breathin Easy - The Reivers

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-82702359616468736652008-12-14T04:00:00.004-05:002008-12-14T08:25:51.642-05:00

What a weird year in rock. Guns N Roses, or I should say Axel Rose, finally releases Chinese Democracy and nobody really cares. And those aging weirdos in AC/DC (come on Angus, it's time to lose that school boy uniform, it's getting pretty creepy) release an album that's only available in Wal-Mart.But beneath the surface, there was a lot of good music being created. I spent the last few weeks

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-79777538030580066562008-12-11T08:43:00.000-05:002008-12-11T08:43:00.147-05:00

Yes, it's that time of the year where newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc. do their end-of-year book lists. You can expect to see a book list from just about everyone.But Joe the Plumber?Yep. And the list by Joe, aka Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, wasn't in Pump and Plungers Monthly, it was in The Economist. Not surprising, Joe's reading list leans toward the loo. His top three are Temples of

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-57476371744092205582008-12-09T03:01:00.002-05:002008-12-16T19:34:16.449-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)The Decemberists are back. Their Always a Bridesmaid EP collects a group of singles they released on vinyl earlier this year. And their next full-length due out next year, according to lead singer Colin Meloy, will be a rock opera about a shape-shifting animal.Or a

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-74173730986303058682008-12-05T23:00:00.001-05:002008-12-05T23:12:16.565-05:00

I Can Has Cheezburger is a group that puts together several Web sites. My favorite is the FAIL Blog, a site that illustrates failure and human stupidity through pictures and videos. Check it out. It's laugh-out loud funny. And read more about the Burger empire in this cnet news feature.Here's the rest of this week's creepy playlist:Cold Fact. Rodriguez.This lost psychedelic/folk-rock classic was

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-55999415925879933232008-12-02T04:00:00.004-05:002008-12-03T19:31:22.237-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)Well, the horror called the Bush Administration is coming to a close. And with the end of any administration, the president has already started receiving requests for pardons. The current president has given out fewer pardons than the previous two-termers Clinton

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-33474496266543424382008-11-30T01:00:00.001-05:002008-11-30T09:00:51.597-05:00

This week's Playlist ...Furr. Blitzen Trapper. If there is anyone who has both James Taylor and Ween on his IPod (besides me, that is), it's probably Eric Early, leader of this Oregon-based indie band. With Furr, Blitzen Trapper made an album that's more diverse, yet more consistent that last year's surprising Wild Mountain Nation. There are tons of late 60s/early 70s grooves over the whole album

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-45145237136153545052008-11-27T01:00:00.001-05:002008-11-27T17:52:50.217-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone!I hope your day is filled with fun, food and family. And now that I got that crap out of the way, I have to get something off my chest. And I'm going to say it politely. Please, please,PLEASE don't anyone else ask me ever again if I'm eating Tofurkey today.I think I understand what it would be like to be the lone Jewish kid on the block at Christmas. I would love

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-66222078010331104232008-11-25T05:00:00.005-05:002008-11-25T05:00:00.965-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)Do you remember the good ol' days a few months back? The economy wasn't looking so hot, but we didn't have the massive bank and credit failures yet? And there weren't all those lost jobs and the threats of many more? Remember, back when the price of gas was what we

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-28477292770412119682008-11-23T14:09:00.000-05:002008-11-22T14:17:14.243-05:00

I grew up on Brady Bunch reruns. And I secretly wished I could be a real part of that fun faux family, tossing the football with Greg, riding my bike with Peter and Jan.Oh, and I'd want to just hang out with Marcia.Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.(I'd ignore Bobby and Cindy. They were annoying.)And I wasn't alone. Millions of kids longed to be a Brady.That includes the actress who played Marcia -- Maureen

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-26683648443457443672008-11-18T19:00:00.000-05:002008-11-18T19:00:00.593-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)As I look out here on the bright lights of Sin City, I think about Gram Parson's ode Ooh Las Vegas, one of several great songs on his second, and last, solo album -- Grievous Angel. Sadly, Parsons' life of excess, which is what Vegas is really all about, led to his

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-22894692595345882402008-11-13T08:01:00.000-05:002008-11-13T20:00:06.019-05:00

If you ever come down to Palm Beach County, I have several great restaurants I can recommend.And one I suggest you not go to.That would be 264 The Grill.While the rest of the nation was celebrating Barack Obama's historic election and basking in the glow of new politics, Patricia Gatti, the owner of this casual dining spot was practicing some old racism.She told her mostly minority employees that

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-29212627289409160812008-11-11T05:00:00.000-05:002008-11-11T05:00:00.903-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)Back in 1990, Yo La Tengo recorded Speeding Motorcycle, a song by the innocent, child-like Daniel Johnston for their cover-filled album Fakebook. Early that year, the band was making an appearance on New Jersey radio station WFMU. Daniel Johnston called into the

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-91153354873218119502008-11-07T05:00:00.000-05:002008-11-08T08:27:21.198-05:00

What an incredible seven-day stretch. It was bookended by the Phillies World Series championship and Barak Obama's historic election. I also had a vacation from work for most of the days. The wife and I took a long walk on the beach (sorry to sound like a bad personal ad) from Carlin Park to Jupiter Inlet/Dubois Park, helped driver voters (OK, voter) to the polls. And we ended the great week with

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-91213886548076649012008-11-05T20:56:00.007-05:002008-11-06T21:37:35.089-05:00

I'm a big fan of MSNBC's evening lineup, especially Rachel Maddow. But I decided to do a bit of switching around Wednesday night, moving from network to network to track the election results.I think most of the high-tech gadgetry CNN is using was pretty cool and useful, particularly the screens that were able to break down the voting by various subsections and John the Map King's pieces were

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-16256504132889874422008-11-04T05:00:00.002-05:002008-11-04T08:20:26.513-05:00

(Tuesday Treasure is a weekly song that is unheralded, long-lost, or buried somewhere deep on an album, yet deserves another listen.)Our inaugural Tuesday Treasure is in honor of Tina Turner's recent visit to the West Palm Beach area. Here's a little dose of Tina and Ike doing their funky version of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love. Check it out -- the first song on the Hear This! over to the

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-65133358286511162912008-11-01T13:55:00.005-04:002008-11-01T14:25:50.053-04:00

No Playlist this week as I've been totally immersed in the World Series. In the meantime, thanks to Jacqui and those who e-mailed me wake-up responses for my son. It's not too late to give me your suggestion. See here. I'll wrap up the contest and share all the responses next weekend.Yes, it's been a great week, but my wife had a great day on Wednesday. See here. As for the Phillies, this post on

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-51914929081825716032008-10-24T20:13:00.018-04:002008-10-25T13:14:08.761-04:00

My son, like most teenagers, isn't that good at getting up in the morning. He once slept through a Cat 1 hurricane.A couple years ago, we had to give up on the alarm clock. He slept through the blaring buzz that woke up our hard-of-hearing neighbor next door.So I started waking him up. Being the good parent, I always shook him softly and said something like: "Come on buddy, time to get up." Or,

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-22715958170205337952008-10-20T20:19:00.008-04:002008-10-22T18:31:38.463-04:00

I watched intently when former Secretary of State and retired General Colin Powell announced on Meet the Press that he was endorsing Barak Obama. What I found intriguing was the thought process that Gen. Powell went through. He's obviously good friends with Sen. McCain, and the decision did not come easy for the longtime Republican.You may disagree with his decision, but I think we can all agree

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-80097212696389247362008-10-12T13:00:00.003-04:002008-10-12T14:06:08.866-04:00

Last week, I talked about the dread, the fear that filled me with both the Eagles and Phillies playing at the same time. Years of tough losses and disappointments at big times have left me unable to get hopeful.But I'm trying.The election is just a few weeks away and my candidates are up in the polls. The Phillies are in the playoffs -- two wins away from a World Series visit, the first since my

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-59016242041653485922008-10-11T19:36:00.010-04:002008-10-12T14:30:41.030-04:00

Matthew Quick has excellent taste in movies, music and books as you'll see below. But he also has great taste in sports. Like me, he's a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan. His quirky, quite funny and poignant debut novel The Silver Linings Playbook takes place during the course of Eagles' 2006 season, when Donovan McNabb went down, but the Eagles rallied around Jeff Garcia. That was also the

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-44219128393498743192008-10-05T07:57:00.013-04:002008-10-11T20:59:05.738-04:00

Some of you who know my devotion to Philly sports might think I'm hyped today. Phillies playing Game 4 of the NLDS. And the Eagles taking on the Washington Redskins at the same time. But hyped isn't quite the word.It's more like dread.It's quite possible that the Phillies, whose offense has gone missing again, could lose in Milwaukee (setting up a terrifying Game 5) right around the same time

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-9751428166939484142008-09-29T07:25:00.021-04:002008-09-29T11:06:42.380-04:00

As the wife and I drove down 192 on our way to the Osceola Library System's Fall Into Reading Book Festival early Saturday morning, we passed a familiar sounding road. My wife pointed out that it's the road that leads to Paul Newman's "Hole in the Wall Camp." We did our usual back-and-forth about how cool the guy is.A few hours later as we sat eating lunch, we heard that Paul Newman had

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-3478556696906211632008-09-20T09:20:00.014-04:002008-09-21T09:16:19.041-04:00

Please somebody help me.There are still six weeks left until Election Day, but I can't help checking the polls and the latest news several times each day. I go to Politico, Talking Points Memo and Daily Kos. I keep an eye on the electoral college at FiveThirtyEight and NPR.Then throw in the fact that the Phillies are fighting for the NL East title, or at least a playoff spot, with just over a

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-7376350188651375202008-09-14T17:15:00.019-04:002008-09-14T19:27:56.690-04:00

This was one of the most disturbing weeks so far in this presidential race. The Sarah Palin celebrity machine. The unchecked lies (what happened to our media?). And the vicious, stupid campaign ads. Lipsticks and pigs -- not health care and the economy.So you'd think the last thing I'd want to pick up would be a book about politics. But Playlist 41 starts off with a comedic political

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-40585916895324341112008-09-05T21:00:00.001-04:002008-09-05T21:06:55.487-04:00

Our Playlist hits the magical 40 this week, but little time to celebrate what with party-crasher Ike hanging out there near the Leeward Islands. When I heard that the tropical depression had turned into Ike, I just knew it was going to be a bad one.Here's this week's playlist... The Night of the Gun. David CarrCarr, a media reporter with the New York Times, once covered the controversy over James

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-64065024250540418372008-09-01T13:22:00.007-04:002008-09-01T14:07:53.324-04:00

All right, I'll give you this. John McCain's selection of mother-of-five Sarah Palin was surprising. I didn't see it coming, and neither did the media. (FYI -- hateful blubbermouth Rush Limbaugh doesn't count as legitimate media). And going with the Alaskan governor is a pretty strategic move, too.But bold?You gotta be kidding me.More than 80 years since the Scopes trial and almost 150 years

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-45710950178934240342008-08-28T20:10:00.018-04:002008-08-31T15:16:09.861-04:00

I've spent the past week switching between the Democratic National Convention and reading about our nation's biggest fiascoes (see Oops below). I couldn't help thinking about all the oops moments our current president has had over his very damaging eight years in office.With Gustav barreling down in the Gulf, let's hope that the president, the rest of the federal government -- as well as all

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-51939487690861439992008-08-24T08:53:00.014-04:002008-08-28T20:09:27.566-04:00

I have a short (for me) Playlist this week. But I'm very excited about these distractions and recommend each highly.Bold Spirit: Helga Etsby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America. Linda Lawrence Hunt.With her family in danger of losing its Washington state farm, Helga Etsby came across an interesting wager from a mysterious sponsor on the East Coast. The sponsor would pay $10,000 to a woman

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-60393879590080000962008-08-16T13:25:00.004-04:002008-08-24T12:00:26.596-04:00

OK, so the choices were a literary legend who is quite possibly the most influential writer of the 20th century.Instead you chose an actress who played second fiddle to Suzanne Somers in the double entendre-filled Three's Company.You could have chosen a psychologist who became one of America's most beloved advice columnists.But instead, the majority of you went with the actress whose main film

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-11353839488008437362008-08-16T12:35:00.004-04:002008-08-16T19:44:31.797-04:00

Want to know a stupid excuse that works?It's my heritage.It's what I'm sure I'd hear if I approached any of the redneck yahoos down here in South Florida who proudly display the Confederate flag on their trucks. I won't even get started on those hateful bastards flying it from their house.It's my heritage.Sure, it's easy for me to use, too, particularly if I've had a few too many beers and did

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-71429440039168418602008-08-09T10:10:00.010-04:002008-08-09T10:30:22.094-04:00

Well, the Phillies haven't scored in 23 innings and look prepared to disappoint us all again. At least the football season started last night with the Eagles losing 16-10, but mostly playing well. Donovan McNabb looked sharp and Brian Westbrook got his new contract. I'm ready for the season. Can we fast-forward to September?For you non-Eagle fans (or non-football fans), there is another reason to

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-11761886902285610772008-07-31T23:30:00.001-04:002008-08-01T07:30:49.885-04:00

If the saying "All politics are local" is right, I'm sure glad I don't live in Oklahoma County. That's where Brent Rinehart serves as a county commissioner and part-time comic book writer.I'm a big fan of the Miami Herald's Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Leonard Pitts. His recent column tipped me off to Rinehart's campaign literature. Actually literature is too strong a word. Crap, excuse the

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-6742472897117639752008-07-30T17:27:00.005-04:002008-07-31T21:30:03.561-04:00

During this election season, Distractions will be holding regular polls. Our first Dumb Poll -- Select an Elvis -- has finished and Distractions is projecting Presley as the winner. Presley gathered 57 percent of the vote. Costello had 35 percent of the vote. And Grbac, the former NFL quarterback, finished a very distant third with just 7 percent.This raises a couple questions. Would the results

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-79967064346020831062008-07-26T08:05:00.010-04:002008-07-26T11:07:14.728-04:00

As a writer, it's embarrassing when you make a mistake that gets into print. Almost as bad is when your mistake doesn't get into print, but earns you the laughs of your editor.I was only a few weeks into my first post-college professional job when this happened to me. I had just sent my story, coverage of an afternoon high school baseball game, to my editor and breathed a sigh of relief.He opened

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-44052356830708072742008-07-18T20:44:00.008-04:002008-07-26T09:28:28.498-04:00

Yo La Tengo is not just a band. It's a great baseball story, one I didn't know until recently. From Wikipedia ... During the 1962 season, New York Mets center fielder Richie Ashburn and Venezuelan shortstop Elio Chacón found themselves colliding in the outfield. When Ashburn went for a catch, he would scream, "I got it! I got it!" only to run into the 160-pound Chacón, who spoke only Spanish.

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-7039665418184622502008-07-12T09:11:00.014-04:002008-07-26T15:43:45.636-04:00

I first became a fan of the Old 97's music after listening to Fight Songs, an album that showcased their wry songwriting, alt-country swing and pop sensibilities.But I had a major problem with the band.I didn't like their punctuation.Really.They should have been the Old 97s (sans the apostrophe). Unless there was a word missing from their title that I was unaware of -- The Old 97's Engine or

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-81206006432902452812008-06-28T11:12:00.024-04:002008-07-05T07:32:33.039-04:00

I started my professional career in the early 90s at a small suburban newspaper in the Gannett chain, first as a reporter, then as an editor. The rules for us in the USA Today farmlands were simple -- keep it short.At most, only one story could jump from the home page. A 10-inch story? Did it really need to be that long? Opponents thought we provided less depth. That was wrong. Cut out the crap.

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-9113750066089921052008-06-28T09:44:00.011-04:002008-06-28T12:22:03.303-04:00

I can watch Steve Carell in almost anything. He adds tremendous nuance to the characters he plays, a rarity today in the Will Farrell comedy world, where big screen acting is just "goofing off."And Carell did a great job in Get Smart. But the movie just didn't do it for me. It seems a lot of the summer movies are turning into disappointments. I liked The Happening, but just about everyone else

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-52279200366849308362008-06-19T20:09:00.006-04:002008-06-28T08:43:00.359-04:00

I was on vacation. But the Playlist never really takes a vacation. Vacations just provide more time to delve into new books, discover new music or finally get out to the movies. Vacation took us to Philadelphia, New York and Princeton (with a short business trip to DC). Weirdly, those were the three locations hit by a certain happening in M. Night Shyamalan's latest thriller (see last item on the

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-28564684539461989032008-06-02T20:07:00.009-04:002008-06-12T08:41:05.544-04:00

Welcome to summer with overwhelming humidity in Florida and temperatures set to cross the 100-degree mark up north. So stay inside. Turn up the air conditioner. And treat yourself to a good book or some good music. Here's what I've been enjoying this past week ...Getting to the Point is Beside It. I Love Math.This isn't calculus or trig. Nothing fancy. Just basic math. This Texas indie supergroup

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-13561467248981012792008-05-29T18:05:00.009-04:002008-06-01T08:26:00.063-04:00

A former colleague of mine decided to go back to grad school. One school essay asked him to name the three people, currently living, whom he would take with him on a cross-country trip. I've often thought of that question myself.Most of the names change, except for one -- Jimmy Carter.Friends and my mostly conservative family know of my admiration for the 39th president. My son's middle name is

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-3880159152600232582008-05-27T17:18:00.006-04:002008-05-27T18:00:20.002-04:00

Eight years ago, we had a man who invented the Internet running for president.The current Democratic president is finding himself a victim of hoaxes perpetuated by that same wacky World Wide Web.Take a look at Snopes.com's list of the hottest e-mail urban legends. It's a list that Obama has been a mainstay on. (Cue Casey Kasem's voice: And holding strong for the 30th straight week at No. 2 is

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-27578530250525453952008-05-24T07:56:00.013-04:002008-05-24T09:44:21.350-04:00

Hope everyone is enjoying their three-day holiday weekend. If you Tivo'd The Office or Desperate Housewives and haven't watched the season finales yet, you should skip the bottom part of this week's playlist, which begins right now ...Fanon. John Edgar Wideman.At the end of Part II, main character Thomas writes to Frantz Fanon. The letter clearly explains my struggle with the book.Dear Frantz

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-3411500312683486962008-05-18T10:21:00.011-04:002008-05-19T21:38:35.893-04:00

All over the Internet this month, people are talking about their stimulus packages. Heck, there is even a Web site called How I Spent My Stimulus where people are submitting photos of how they spent their $600, $1200 or $1800 from the government. Arjewtino blogged this past week that the stimulus is making everyone stupid.He's right.You know why?The stimulus package is just politics. You may have

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-65267478180296245602008-05-17T08:41:00.012-04:002008-05-18T08:12:17.782-04:00

What a great week. How could it not be a tremendous, joyous, wonderful week when it included the great Free Iced Coffee Day? And the news gets better, Dunkin Donuts has extended this promotion to run on Thursdays through June 12. So pick a flava and make your order. My favorite -- hazlenut, one sugar, one cream.Now onto Playlist 25 ...Boing Boing Web site.Back in Playlist 20, we discussed Cory

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-29489453489963554942008-05-10T15:10:00.008-04:002008-05-11T07:24:50.643-04:00

When I moved from Philadelphia to Florida so many years ago, I decided it was time to trade in my LP collection, which reached a few hundred at its height. I had already started buying CDs. And figured it was time for a fresh start.But it wasn't easy. At the last minute, I pulled out of the sale pile several slabs of vinyl that still meant something to me -- my Tom Petty and Led Zeppelin bootlegs

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-52465871418712159462008-05-05T17:35:00.009-04:002008-05-05T18:05:55.973-04:00

On the eve of another primary that may once and for all settle up the Democratic nomination, but most likely won't, I return with another I Don't Get It.1. CNN poll. Each day, I'm inundated on CNN and its Web site with the latest figures of the "national poll" between Hillary Clinton and Barack OBama. I can understand a national poll of how each candidate would do against John McCain. But why

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-36235684466096188812008-05-03T08:06:00.012-04:002008-05-05T18:04:43.925-04:00

What a wonderful way to start the weekend -- blogging and playing ball. As soon as I finish this blog, I'm going to head out and play some basketball with my son. But what makes this a great weekend was the Channel 25 weekend news show I watched when I first woke up this morning. The show included two interviews with "esteemed" (their words, not mine) local author Donna Gephart, author of As If

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-11544736080438168272008-04-26T11:06:00.016-04:002008-04-26T13:16:23.472-04:00

I was sick this past week, which meant nothing got done around the house. I was working, transporting the kids where they had to go, and, otherwise, in bed. It did allow me plenty of time to read. And I finished these two very different books that I highly recommend.The Learners. Chip Kidd.I don't know what small advertising offices in the early 1960s were like, but I sure hope they were as Kidd

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-17553398825296802512008-04-20T05:59:00.010-04:002008-04-20T09:54:44.868-04:00

My headline for this playlist was going to be Canadian Bacon -- seeing as I review the pig pun-filled Beet and two Canadian trios (don't worry, neither is Rush).I also thought of calling the post Give Peace a Chance. Not only is Peace the lead character in Beet, but the peace symbol is celebrating a monumentous birthday this month. Gerald Holtom's design, one of the most commonly used and

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-18509801810040815792008-04-12T08:10:00.018-04:002008-04-17T22:00:14.949-04:00

The Playlist inches toward drinking age. On the flip side, have you noticed that those old geezers The Rolling Stones are everywhere these days?Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. Cory Doctorow.Doctorow’s sci-fi comedy takes place in the not too distant future when death has been cured. You simply take the last reboot of your system and add it to a clone. And thanks to the work of the Bitchun

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-77897848270681666722008-04-06T12:32:00.006-04:002008-04-09T19:26:56.148-04:00

I'm writing this from my usual locale -- the wonderful state of Florida where we always vote, but the votes don't always count. It's also the state where our Legislature takes more seriously a bill allowing you to take your gun to work, than it does a bill to make sex acts with animals illegal.So I'm thinking of my home state lately, as a lot of people are. The Pennsylvania primary is just a

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-832833413032426073.post-89684309633092207852008-04-05T09:54:00.009-04:002008-04-05T11:18:49.117-04:00

I love "man on the lam" stories. I wish Nick at Nite or another one of the hundred or so cable channels I get would find a spot for the old David Janssen Fugitive series. And while they're at, why not add some Get Smart and the It's the Garry Shandling Show, too?Now, this week's playlist.Rogue Male. Geoffrey Household.Geoffrey Household's 1939 classic is a man on the lam story. The language is a

The Supreme Court of Awesomenoreply@blogger.com0