9th & Hennepin

Sotomayor

2009-05-26T11:06:00.003-05:00

Undoubtedly, this will be an interesting confirmation process. Let's just say for now, I am a big, big fan of this selection. I'll have more to say on this a little later, but for now, to help you wade through the shrill media I give you this.

http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/judge-sotomayors-appellate-opinions-in-civil-cases/

It's spring time, so naturally a man's thoughts turn to...

2009-05-20T16:23:00.003-05:00

Emile Hirsch.

What?

Yes, that's right, I have been thinking about Emile Hirsch. Actually, to be more accurate I have been thinking about "Into the Wild" and Emile Hirsch.

I just watched the movie again on DVD the other night, I had seen it in the theater, and I really, really liked it even more on the second viewing.

I read the book a number of years ago and just bought a copy to read again because my I either gave my first copy away, it got destroyed, or I lost it at any one of a thousand strip joints or burger places I have visited in the last 10 years.

In watching the film again I was struck by the fact that Emile Hirsch, occupying the screen by himself for a fair portion of the movie, not only didn't bother me but actually did an admirable job in a very challenging role. Pretty impressive for the guy that heretofore was only known to me as the kid in "The Girl Next Door."

So the question, or questions, to which I do not think there are answers are as follows:

Was "Into the Wild" an excellent film because of Emile Hirsch or in spite of him? Is it great because Sean Penn is a great director, or just because the source material for the film is so fascinating? Or, is it simply cool to watch because of the breathtaking landscapes?

These are the questions keeping me up at night.

It is my opinion that this actually doesn't mean much, but anyway.....

2009-05-17T16:43:00.003-05:00

Father Hennepin, JD

Just Because.....

2009-05-07T20:58:00.003-05:00

I was in the bookstore this evening browsing through the newsstand and amongst all the tripe (I mean c'mon, it's 2009, why are there six magazines that have something freaking "Star Wars" related on the cover? How many magazines dedicated to knitting outfits for teddy bears does the world need?) I saw that Neko Case was on the cover of "Acousic Guitar" magazine. I tried to find the image online but was unable to find that particular picture. You should be able to see it if you click on the link.

She was also on the cover of "Paste" a month or so ago.

It's no secret, except to maybe Neko herself, that I am truly, madly, deeply, hopelessly, and irrevocably madly in love with Neko Case. I saw her twice in the last six months. Once at First Ave. back in the fall and just recently at the State Theater. The former show was better than the latter but I was in Neko bliss on both occassions nonetheless.

"It was so clear to me
that it was almost invisible.
I lie across the path waiting,
just for a chance to be a spiderweb
trapped in your lashes.
For that, I would trade you my empire for ashes.
But I choke it back,
how much I need love..."

Breaking News

2009-05-07T11:29:00.003-05:00

I can't say I am shocked, or even surprised, just maybe a little disappointed. Manny Ramirez has tested positive for PEDs and will be suspended for 50 games.

Please let Albert be, and remain, clean. I would like to retain a little bit of a spirit of innocence.

The NBA playoffs

2009-05-07T00:41:00.004-05:00

Hopefully once it gets to conference finals time I'll be able to watch a fair amount of the games and do some in depth basketblogging. For now, my take on the playoffs thus far and what they mean to be can be best summarized by the advertising department at Nike.

WE ARE ALL WITNESSES.

Follow up

2009-05-06T22:18:00.001-05:00

Slate ran a companion piece to that FP article of best films dealing with international relations that I referenced earlier.

Awesome Linkage: The Album Cover Edition

2009-05-05T18:15:00.010-05:00

About 10 years ago I discovered jazz. I guess it's better to show up late to a party than not to make it at all.

Like any jazz listener, Blue Note Records plays a huge role in my fandom. Aside from the music, what makes recording released by Blue Note great is the awesome pictures and designs on their albums. These very album covers played no small part in my decision to start collecting vinyl last year. They look and sound superb. I give you some examples:

Dexter Gordon.

Art Blakey and one of my 5 desert island albums.

Larry Young. (I think this was also made into a t-shirt that Blue Note sells. My birthday is in September, reader.)

And finally, a couple from my man Lee.

So anyway, if you weren't already familiar, you get a sense of the style of Blue Note album cover art. Well, today on the internet I found, via SFJ, a graphic designer who designed album covers for Wu-Tang clan if they were released by Blue Note.

My contribution to a list in which I was not asked to submit a contribution.

2009-05-02T15:02:00.004-05:00

Stephen Walt at Foreign Policy submitted a list of the best films dealing with issues of foreign policy. It's a decent list with some excellent choices (Syriana) and some less than excellent choices (Independence Day?).

I offer a few additions to the list.

1) The Battle of Algiers Occupation....it doesn't work

2) Breaker Morant Colonialism....it doesn't work.

3) The Original Star Wars trilogy. Oversight of an Empire is extremely difficult, made more so if it spans multiple galaxies. How hard do you think it was for the imperial powers that be to secure the border of Alderaan or collect taxes on Tatooine?

4) Path to War. An incredibly well made for television movie on President Johnson's decision to withdraw or escalate in Vietman. What is it they say about the what the road to hell is paved with?

5) No Man's Land: UN folly.

6) Thirteen Days: If you can overcome the Costnerness, it's quite well done.

(Note: After writing this, I noticed that most, if not all of these, were mentioned in the comments section of the article. I have never been accused of being an original thinker)

Let's not be prisoners of the present

2009-05-02T14:45:00.003-05:00

There is a great deal to admire about the Kansas City Royals in general, and the story of Zach Greinke specifically.

But, Sports Illustrated, c'mon. Really? Best pitcher in baseball?

Without even trying:
Santana, Peavy, Halladay, Lincecum, Haren, Webb, Lester, Hernandez, Hamels, Oswalt.......

The Scarlet Letter

2009-04-30T11:42:00.005-05:00

To celebrate Earth Day last week Popeye's Fried Chicken had a one day special on chicken, which was something like 8 pieces for $4.99. (How exactly a special on chicken is related with the ethos of Earth Day is a connection I am unable to make.)

Anyway, here in the great state of Minnesota we have only one Popeye's Fried Chicken location which is located on Lake Street. Apparently this sole Popeye's chose to celebrate Earth Day in another fashion and decided not to offer the "Popeye's Fried Chicken Earth Day Super Special Deal On Chicken Extravaganza," a deal that was advertised on national television.

Chaos ensued.

(Please watch the accompanying video, it is so worth it)

Ever since this story broke and we all felt its horrifying aftermath I have been pondering something. No, I have not been considering the implications of corporate-franchisee relationships or the legality of claims of false advertising or the ramifications of celebrating Earth Day via chicken.

I have been thinking over the past week about how I could really go for some fried chicken.

Though I am not nearly as bad as I was, say 10 years ago, I am still a fast food afficiando. I have an intimate knowledge of the fast food locations in the Twin Cities. I know which locations to seek out (Wendy's on Xerxes in Edina) and which locations to avoid at all costs (Subway, downtown St. Paul.) My brain is like Mapquest for fast food. I can tell you what is where and how to get there with Rainman like recall.

I was driving to work this afternoon, thinking that before I went through my daily routine of checking my soul, dreams, hopes, and aspirations at the door of my place of employment, I would grab some lunch. I was had it in my mind that I was going to stop at a place that shall remain nameless, but let's just say they serve "Noodles."

As I drove I saw a place that I have driven past 1000 times in my life, which never evoked any reaction in me at all. I passed a KFC.

Mmmmmm. Chicken. Fried Chicken.

I looked a little closer and saw that this particular KFC offered a lunch buffet. All-you-can-eat.

Double Mmmmm.

Before I knew it my reflexed took over and, using "Bandit" like manuevers, I whipped a u-turn and pulled into the parking lot. My day went been downhill from there.

I gladly paid my 8 bucks for my plate and before I was able to proceed to the Kentucky Fried offerings, I was informed that I needed to get "stamped."

"I need to stamp your hand" the guy behind the counter said in cool, businesslike, professional manner.

I meekly offered the back of my hand and with a little more ceremony than I thought necessary, the counter guy raised the "stamper" up behind his ear and stamped my hand, in bold, black, capital letters: BUFFET.

I felt like I had been branded with a scarlet letter, or in this case, a scarlet word. Although also in this case, not scarlet but black. Anyway, you get the metaphor. I never have actually read Hawthorne. Gimme a break.

For the rest of the day, and part of the next I was branded. Getting a stamp from the buffet at KFC puts a label on you. It may as well have said:

"Unhealthy"

"Lacks any sense of taste"

"Completely, Totally, and Hopelessly Unsophisticated"

"Inevitable Coronary"

I was going to go into detail about how awful the food was-- the layer of "skin" on the baked beans, the crusty mashed potatoes, the item in the buffet I literally could not identify, the fried chicken that seemed to be missing the part that was supposed to be chicken....

But I'll spare you those details.

Let's just say I had a bad day and it was in no small part due to my ill-advised foray to the land of KFC. I also had the scarlet letter as a reminder of my shame.

This just in from the "Same as it ever was" desk

2009-04-29T19:14:00.001-05:00

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=290429121

Michele Bachmann Links Swine Flu To Democrats, Gets History Wrong (VIDEO)

2009-04-29T11:13:00.001-05:00

Michele Bachmann Links Swine Flu To Democrats, Gets History Wrong (VIDEO)

Posted using ShareThis

Hello

2009-04-22T19:52:00.002-05:00

Testing 1-2-3. Hello? Can anyone hear me? Hello?

The blog is alive. As am I...mostly. Content to follow.

Hey, it's only been a month

2008-09-26T11:25:00.003-05:00

Lot's going on: debate tonight, I am afflicted with Twins fever, Palin, bailouts, our new bridge in Minneapolis is open (and so far has not fallen into the river), I am swamped with school, and today at work I had to actually write the word "pooping" into a legal memorandum.

In addition to this seldom used, and even less seldom read, blog, I now have a presence on two other website, Library Thing (which I love) and Facebook (which I hate).

If you look over there--------------------------------------------------------->
you can see a random sample from my Library Thing, but I prefer to call it "Library Thang."

New Year, New Me

2008-08-21T19:47:00.003-05:00

And yes, I know I stated previously that I would be posting more, and I will...I promise. It's just that in the last week I started a new job and classes started today.

Today I began more third and final year of law school (19th grade) and I am glad it has begun, only because that means that it will eventually end.

When my summer clerkship ended I was able to secure an internship for the school year at a big company in a ridiculously big building. The work itself is ok, thus far the biggest challenge has been finding my desk. That isn't a joke. I can't find my desk. The other interns I work with have expressed the same concern.

I know what floor I work on and I know sort of what wing my area is, but when you enter the building with the maze of cubicles and halls and virtually no signs telling you where you are, it is easy to get turned around. I go back tomorrow after being away for two days so buckle up, it could be a bumpy ride.

Who is it gonna be?

2008-08-21T19:23:00.003-05:00

My top two choices would be Seblieus and Richardson, but everything seems to be pointing to Bayh or Biden. I think it will be Bayh. I actually like Biden a lot more than most people seem to. His foreign policy experience and judgment are quite sound and I think his straightforward, no b.s. persona will register well with blue color voters. Plus, it's important to get Delaware's three electoral votes locked up.

I am one of those people who will be getting a text message from the Obama campaign announcing the selection. As soon as we know, I will post and have some sort of ill-thought out, poorly worded, and vapid commentary. The problem is that I often don't know where my phone is or the ringer is on silent. So the chances that the rest of the world learns of the selection before I do are quite high.

Sunday Links

2008-08-10T12:57:00.002-05:00

Here are a few noteworthy thing I have come across in the last few days, ranked in order of importance.

1) Natalia Antonova on Russia and Georgia. Under the best of circumstances (i.e. no artillery shelling between countries) eastern European politics are a vast mystery to me. I have been trying to read up on this South Ossetia situation. Ms. Antonova has an interesting commentary. (h/t: Sarah)

2) Prophet Muhammed Novel Scrapped. Regardless of its quality (or lack thereof) or its possibilty to offend (and it seems that this book would be offensive) it is a terribly sad and frightening day when art of any kind is stifled, or in this case, halted, on dual grounds that someone might find it offensive or there may be violent repercussions should that art be exhibited. For society to not only progress, but to even survive, there must be the free flow of the exchange of ideas, and that includes ideas that can make us uncomfortable.

3) Sherman Alexie, for reasons I still don't quite understand, gave testimony in support of keeping the Sonics in Seattle. He wrote about it and gives us the quote for today:

" If a country were governed like the National Basketball Association, we'd be sending in UN peacekeeping forces."

In case you were wondering

2008-08-05T22:07:00.003-05:00

Most of the people who read this blog know me, as in like know me in real life. But there maybe some of you reading this that may not know me and may wonder what I look like. Well, I found a recent picture taken of me and my significant other at a sporting event. Wonder no more.

Interestingly, I am not even that big of a fan of #3 per se, that numeral is just the way my back hair naturally grows.

I'm not dead, I just live in the midwest

2008-08-05T19:09:00.002-05:00

To much fanfare, I return. I have neglected this blog and I apologize, I undoubtedly lost the two or three readers I had due to my hiatus, but we return anew.

I have little to say other than that I will try to post more often. I did have a number of posts that I had started to write over these last few months but never could find the time or motivation to complete them. In fairness I have been crazy busy this summer. I took a class, have been working full time, and I have been drinking.

Some of the topics covered in these incomplete postings were:

1) Why I think Kathleen Sebelius is the right VP choice
2) My review of "The Dark Knight"
3) My late night trip to the porn shop.
4) "What's wrong with the Cleveland Indians?"
5) An Open Love Letter to the tattoed girl who works at this little bookstore I recently discovered.
6) "The Starbucks Closings: A Good Start"

Sadly none of these posts came to fruition, but as I said, we start anew. Check back again, won't ya?

What I saw in the parking lot

2008-06-19T20:24:00.003-05:00

Generally speaking I am not a fan of political bumper stickers, even the ones whose message I happen to agree with. By their very nature they don't add anything to the discourse, they are often mean spirited or simple minded or both. They just kind of feed into the current atmosphere of the political landscape that I loathe and do not wish to contribute to.

That said, on my way to bomb my quiz in Income Tax this evening I saw a bumper sticker in the parking lot of my school that I liked for its message and for its cleverness factor:

1-20-09: The End of an Error

I think I'll stay in the closet a little longer

2008-06-19T17:15:00.003-05:00

Four years ago I took a trip to Seattle for a wedding. It was my first visit and I fell in love with the city. I went to a Mariners game and fell in love with Safeco field. Ever since then I have considered myself something of a closet Mariners fan. I follow them online, read a few great M's related blogs, and put their games in heavy rotation as I flip through games on the MLB package I have on satellite.

All I can say, is what a disaster. They have the worst record in baseball, they had the worst GM in sports until they fired him, and now they let go of Jim McClaren. The firing of McClaren was probably a step in the right direction but they have MILES to go. King Felix is going to look good in pinstripes in a few years, they are quite slimming.

I think I'll stay in the closet a little while longer.

From the Bottom of our Hearts

2008-06-17T23:06:00.001-05:00

Congratulations, KG.

Crazy Train Pulling into the Station

2008-06-11T20:50:00.001-05:00

Oil: An amateur analysis

2008-06-09T09:57:00.003-05:00

With gas hitting $4 a gallon I thought I would break this blog's recent silence and tackle this complicated subject.

Here is what I know about why gas prices are so high, it has something to do with foreign demand, tumult in the Middle East, inefficient refining, oil company greed, political ineptitude, ethanol, electric cars, hummers (with those cool spinning rims), global warming, polar bears having a place to hang out, and ethanol (which as I understand it is making fuel out of green beans).

The fuel crisis is far too complex for my little pea brain to understand or discuss even quasi-intelligently. However, I was talking with someone about gas prices and he was giving me the "more drilling, less regulation" line of argument.

I responded with this analogy, and I think it works:

"You know, the often used metaphor of America's addiction to oil I think is perhaps a little tired, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. So based on your argument, if you knew someone who was addicted to crack, who had spent all their money on crack, gotten into mounds of debt, been in jail, risked their health, lost their house, and lost their family, your solution would be something like 'but his problems would be solved if we could just find a way to get him more crack.'"

Barack Obama Nomination Victory Speech in St. Paul 6/03/08

2008-06-05T22:52:00.001-05:00

And I was there.

Latinos and Obama

2008-05-25T00:36:00.001-05:00

Great video...

(h/t: Sarah)

I wish the NBA would get their balls off my chin

2008-05-20T21:58:00.007-05:00

I am cursed with a fate I would not wish upon my worst enemy. I am a fan of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Since the Timberwolves have never had any on-court success, or really anything resembling on-court competence, there are really only one day that a T-Wolves fan can look forward to, NBA Draft lottery day.

It is true that throughout their history the T-Wolves have been their own worst enemy. Inexplicable signings, questionable trades, and downright horrific draft picks (Paul Grant, anyone?) We let Chauncey Billups go and aquired Marko Jaric. We drafted William Avery and Ndudi Ebi. I could go on but decorum prohibits me from doing so.

However, in addition to gross incompetence the Timberwolves have not had any luck. We are cursed by the ping pong ball. Not one time in their history have the Timberwolves had any fortune in the draft lottery. If there were 4 consensus quality players in the draft, the Timberwolves would get the 5th pick. If there were 3 top players, rest assured, your Minnesota Timberwolves would have the 4th slot.

It was because of the ping pong ball that the Timberwolves drafted Christian Laettner instead of Shaquille O'Neal. I need not say more.

This year is no different. With two clear cut top choices in the draft in Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley, and one of those being a near perfect fit for our perpetual rebuilding project (Rose), the scene was set for fate to come in and kick us in the nads once again. She did not disappoint. The kick was swift and hard. The Timberwolves are picking third in this year's draft.

I was hoping that there would be some 'buzz' generated by getting one of the top two picks and all summer long throughout the Twin Cities we would hear the common refrain, "Who's it gonna be, Rose or Beasley?"

We will not be having those conversations, or likely any conversations for that matter regarding the draft. When the question arises as to who one thinks the Timberwolves should draft, rather than a spirited Beasley-Rose debate, we will be forced to utter things like, "I don't know, that one Italian guy, I guess."

This is hardly the recipe for revitalizing interest in a languishing franchise. Thanks a lot ping pong balls.

That One Italian Guy

So, it's either the Italian Guy, some big guy from Stanford, OJ Mayo, or any number of other players not named Rose or Beasley.

Chris Matthews owns Kevin James on Hardball

2008-05-17T10:05:00.001-05:00

Sometimes all you need to do with those who you disagree with politically is give them a microphone and let them do the rest.

Where I have been

2008-05-15T08:01:00.003-05:00

I am quite sure that I don't have anything that resembles a 'readership' so the recent lack of posting on the 'ol blog has probably been noticed by few and lamented by less.

Still I just wanted to say that I am still here and alive but I have been too busy and too distracted to post for a couple of reasons.

First, I have been through a very grueling finals period. My last one is today and then I can put this hellish year behind me.

Second, and much more importantly, my dog was diagnosed with cancer two weeks ago. Last night, just after midnight, she passed away. She was scheduled to be put to sleep on Friday but her health declined very rapidly and last night she breathed her last.

I could write a long post about Bailey and how much she meant to me, how much I loved her. I could write of her kind soul and her sweet disposition. She wasn't the brightest dog, but she was mine.

I could write of these things but I won't. I'll keep them for me.

Back when I can, folks.

Peace.

Two Questions

2008-04-28T14:12:00.002-05:00

I have two questions, and I am quite sure neither of them have an answer.

1) Why does this website exist?

2) Why did I spend approximately 6 minutes of my day looking through its archives?

Prince at Coachella

2008-04-28T12:37:00.004-05:00

He killed it. And he played Radiohead's "Creep."

My reaction: ohmygodhowfuckingcoolisthatprinceplayedatcoachellaandhecoveredfreakingradioheadohmygoditotallywishiwastherei'mgoingnextyeari'mtellingyourightnowidon'ticareiamfuckinggoing!"

I had a friend who went to Coachella last year and had a blast. If I wasn't a student, or so poor, or so old, I would love to go.

Photo Courtesy of Pitchfork (Please, don't sue me)

Paul Krugman

2008-04-28T11:48:00.002-05:00

His recent column really bugged me, let's break it down:

Mr. Obama was supposed to be a transformational figure, with an almost magical ability to transcend partisan differences and unify the nation. Once voters got to know him — and once he had eliminated Hillary Clinton’s initial financial and organizational advantage — he was supposed to sweep easily to the nomination, then march on to a huge victory in November.

I am so tired of this rhetoric portraying those support Barack Obama not as "supporters", but as "followers." The only way the Clinton camp can explain the enthusiasm that Obama has generated is by either implying, or explicitly saying, that we have all been duped by a charming and charismatic snake-oil salesman who is devoid of experience or solid policies. Bullshit. Just because the other candidate can't generate any enthusiasm doesn't mean there rest of us have joined a cult. There is nothing "magical" about him. Unless you count a candidate of intelligence, integrity, and optimism as "magical."

I am also quite sure that nobody suggested that Obama would "sweep easily" to anything or have a "huge victory." It's a long battle and every swing state is essential. This is WHY WE ARE SUPPORTING BARACK OBAMA.

Well, now he has an overwhelming money advantage and the support of much of the Democratic establishment — yet he still can’t seem to win over large blocs of Democratic voters, especially among the white working class.

A) I am not sure this is true. B) It's difficult to get your message out to the white working class when their attention is diverted to such important issues as Reverand Wright and comments about "bitterness"

As a result, he keeps losing big states. And general election polls suggest that he might well lose to John McCain.

I know, this is a big concern for the general election. Should he get the nomination, Obama is going to have a tough time winning big states like California and New York.

According to many Obama supporters, it’s all Hillary’s fault. If she hadn’t launched all those vile, negative attacks on their hero — if she had just gone away — his aura would be intact, and his mission of unifying America still on track.
But how negative has the Clinton campaign been, really? Yes, it ran an ad that included Osama bin Laden in a montage of crisis images that also included the Great Depression and Hurricane Katrina. To listen to some pundits, you’d think that ad was practically the same as the famous G.O.P. ad accusing Max Cleland of being weak on national security

Even if you buy into the sweeping generalization that Obama supporters lie any blame as "all Hillary's fault" I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that when Clinton says that she and John McCain "would be ready on day one" that that is hurting the democratic party.

And yes, there is a reason why many of us want Hillary to go away. It has to do with delegates toward the nomination and determining the nominee. I believe it's called "math."

As far as Krugman's comments on negative ads, I don't buy the "well yes Clinton has been negative but she isn't as negative as the Republicans have been" argument. You see, Mr. Krugman, this is precisely why Barack Obama has such an appeal. He represents a conscious decision to turn away from politics as usual. It's called "change." I think you called it "magic."

From the beginning, I wondered what Mr. Obama’s soaring rhetoric, his talk of a new politics and declarations that “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for” (waiting for to do what, exactly?)

Waiting for an opportunity to get people who think like you out of the way of American politics.

Mrs. Clinton has been able to stay in the race, against heavy odds, largely because her no-nonsense style, her obvious interest in the wonkish details of policy, resonate with many voters in a way that Mr. Obama’s eloquence does not.

She has also been able to stay in the race because of her extreme hubris and her inability to understand what happened along the way to her preordination as the monarch of the country.

Yes, I know that there are lots of policy proposals on the Obama campaign’s Web site. But addressing the real concerns of working Americans isn’t the campaign’s central theme.

Bullshit.

Tellingly, the Obama campaign has put far more energy into attacking Mrs. Clinton’s health care proposals than it has into promoting the idea of universal coverage.

More bullshit.

No wonder, then, that older Democrats continue to favor Mrs. Clinton.

Yep, like this guy.

Democrats can justly portray themselves as the party of economic security, the party that created Social Security and Medicare and defended those programs against Republican attacks — and the party that can bring assured health coverage to all Americans.
They can also portray themselves as the party of prosperity: the contrast between the Clinton economy and the Bush economy is the best free advertisement that Democrats have had since Herbert Hoover.

And Democrats can also portray themselves as being against the disastrous foray into Iraq and against the suppression of civil liberties at home with the Patriot Act. Oh...wait a minute.

But the message that Democrats are ready to continue and build on a grand tradition doesn’t mesh well with claims to be bringing a “new politics” and rhetoric that places blame for our current state equally on both parties.

Mr. Krugman, if this is all that you have taken to be as the message of Barack Obama, you just haven't been paying attention.

Music Blogging

2008-04-27T19:16:00.001-05:00

Excuse me, I just felt a twinge in my ovaries.

Herodotus

2008-04-25T10:44:00.003-05:00

I think if you look over there ------------------------------------>

you will see in my "Amazon Wish List" a listing for "The Landmark Herodotus."

So I am linking to Jessa Crispin who is linking to Daniel Mendelsohn's review in The New Yorker.

"Herodotus, by contrast, always seemed a bit of a sucker. Whatever his desire, stated in his Preface, to pinpoint the “root cause” of the Persian Wars (the rather abstract word he uses, aitiē, savors of contemporary science and philosophy), what you take away from an initial encounter with the Histories is not, to put it mildly, a strong sense of methodical rigor. With his garrulous first-person intrusions (“I have now reached a point at which I am compelled to declare an opinion that will cause offense to many people”), his notorious tendency to digress for the sake of the most abstruse detail (“And so the Athenians were the first of the Hellenes to make statues of Hermes with an erect phallus”), his apparently infinite susceptibility to the imaginative flights of tour guides in locales as distant as Egypt (“Women urinate standing up, men sitting down”), reading him was like—well, like having an embarrassing parent along on a family vacation. All you wanted to do was put some distance between yourself and him, loaded down as he was with his guidebooks, the old Brownie camera, the gimcrack souvenirs—and, of course, that flowered polyester shirt."

Radiohead - House of Cards (Conan O'Brien 4/23/08)

2008-04-24T23:22:00.001-05:00

Music Blogging. Enjoy.

Picture of the Day

2008-04-24T14:15:00.002-05:00

In my view, this picture is exactly what progressive politics is not supposed to look like.

Pennsylvania

2008-04-22T09:30:00.004-05:00

Here we go. I have been looking at various polls, for whatever those are worth. A victory would be ideal, a 5 point or less margain of defeat would be great, less than 10 would be acceptable.

Let's win this thing. Thanks to those in the trenches who have been working very hard.

FYI: The state bird of Pennsylvania is the Ruffed Grouse. Its state flower is the Mountain Laurel and the state motto is: "Virtue, Liberty, and Independence."

Though today, I think the motto should be: "Let's go out and vote for Barack Obama and then afterwards we in the Philly area can go to Pat's for some cheesesteaks and then we can go look for some ruffed grouse."

Perhaps that's a bit long to put on a license plate.

More You Tube Fun

2008-04-21T21:56:00.001-05:00

My own soccer career peaked when I was about the age of 9 when I played on the Country Cousin Kickers (sponsored by Country Cousin Realty).

I was a defenseman. I think.

All I recall is that I touched the ball about three times all season and my style of play was mostly of the "stay out of the way" philosophy.

Anyway, I thought I would post this video as I feel it is a fairly accurate representation of a typical Country Cousin Kickers practice session.

Enjoy.

The Worst Rap Battle Ever

2008-04-21T20:56:00.001-05:00

I don't know why I am posting this, Sasha Frere-Jones posted this on his blog, and I felt like doing the same.

I feel confident in saying that you could wake me up at 4:00 am, out of a dead sleep, and say that I had to rap on a very narrow subject of your choosing, (say the current market price of kosher pickles) and I could rap better than Eli.

"Yo, we be talkin' about the price of pickles

This ain't Russia, I ain't talkin' no hammer and sickle

I'm talkin' Kosher,

Fo sure

I flow and joke like my man Don Rickles.

When I drop rhymes about these Kosher pickles"

You get the idea.

You get the idea.

Basketblogging

2008-04-20T18:17:00.003-05:00

I suppose somewhere along the line I should do some blogging on the NBA playoffs, but I am pretty swamped. So my playoff analysis will have to be limited to the following querie:

Is Pau Gasol the only person in the world who can get away with the "neck beard" look?

ABC: The Suckage

2008-04-18T12:47:00.002-05:00

Yglesias had this on his blog, it's an open letter from The Nation regarding ABC's handling of the debate.

Fuck All

2008-04-16T21:13:00.002-05:00

I am not a veternarian, but I do have 2/3 of a law degree and access to wikipedia.

I think my dog might have congenital heart disease. Appointment tomorrow, updates to follow.

Golf, race, and other musings

2008-04-14T17:06:00.007-05:00

This past weekend was The Masters, along with the The British Open, the most prestigious golf tournament in the world, as well as perhaps the most prestigious sporting event in the world (though an argument can be made for the PBA's Lumber Liquidators Championship).

Given the nature of this year's presidential race we, as a nation, are having a dialogue about race in this country. Much of these issues came into the public discourse during the Reverend Wright "controversy" and Barack Obama's eloquent remarks following it.

This national dialogue on race is taking place as much internally as it is externally. Many of us, or at least the one's who take the time to ponder such things, are examining our thoughts on race, any prejudicies we may have, where we have been as a nation, and perhaps where we are set to go.

I am not sure who first raised this subject, though I think it was local radio host Henry Lake who brought it up on his radio show and got me to thinking, and hence writing, about this issue. It has to do with golf, race, and John Daly.

John Daly is probably the second most popular golfer in the world. (For the most popular, look under: Woods, Tiger). I am not now, nor have I ever been a fan of John Daly. Though his story is interesting and he seems to be an affable enough guy, he has just always rubbed me the wrong way. He is on a path of self-destruction, and people are cheering him on every step of the way. It's just not a party I am interested in attending.

Since bursting on the scene by winning the PGA Championship in 1991, John Daly became one of the most popular golfers on tour. His style, or lack thereof, his demeanor, his ability to hit the ball really, really far, and his reputation as a guy who likes to drink endeared him to the fans. Sadly, Daly's life has since spiraled out of control for all of us to see. He unsuccessfully tried to give up drinking, he appears to have a full blown gambling addiction, he has had numerous legal and personal problems, and his golf game has been atrocious. He now largely plays tournaments only because he is allowed to enter on a sponsor's exemeption. He gets these exemptions for no other reason than that the fans love him. He attracts large galleries and has a rabid following.

Which brings me to the point of my post, and the point that Lake mentioned on his show:

What if John Daly were African-American?

Everything else about him is the same, the style of play, the personality, the trials, the early success. The only thing that is changed is the color of his skin.

Would he still be beloved? Would he gather a following? Would he even be allowed to play? I think not. Nay, I know not.

Instead of singing his praises, golf fans would deride the African-American version of John Daly as "wasted talent." The would bemoan his lack of work ethic, his lack of respect, and he would be labled as just another "problem athlete."

The double standard in sports in regards to race is quite real. We still have a lot of work to do.

Addendum: New favorite website Fire Joe Morgan, has a post that tangentially touches on the topic of race and sports as well.

Discussion Topic

2008-04-11T09:37:00.002-05:00

From ESPN: "Former Blue Jay Ed Sprague says he used andro, amphetamines."

This begs the question, what will this do to his Hall of Fame chances? Of course we all remember his magical 1996 season. But we also can't forget his run with that great Pirates team of 1999, where Sprague was an All-Star and hit .267 with 22 homers and drove in 81 runs.

"Say it ain't so, Ed Sprague."

"Where is My Mind" by The Pixies

2008-04-11T06:31:00.001-05:00

Friday Music blogging--I had forgotten that this song was used in "Fight Club."

Enjoy

Did you see this?

2008-04-09T23:09:00.002-05:00

Pitchfork launched a new website, pitchfork.tv. It is quite possible this has been up and running for months but it is new to me, so I thought I would bring it to your attention. (Tomorrow: we'll have commentary on that big news story, the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby)

Anyway, there is some pretty cool stuff up there. Yesterday I watched "loudQuietloud: A Film About the Pixies" in it's entirety. It played here in town maybe a year or two ago and I missed it then. I put it in my Netflix queue but it was sitting at about 200 on the priority list. It was a treat to be able to watch it from the comfort of my own computer and without pants on.

Dylan (Bob) wins Pulitzer.

2008-04-08T13:29:00.002-05:00

In my view, Pulitzer Prizes are decided kind of like the way NASA selects its astronauts. I don't know who makes the decisions and I am not sure what the criteria are, but it's cool for the people who get selected.

It was recently announced that one of our favorites, Robert Zimmerman, has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize For Something Or Other.

Our sincerest congratulations to him.

Stomach Growling

2008-04-08T13:09:00.004-05:00

Ok, it's not just because it is just after 1:00 P.M local time and I am starving and I am sending out frantic e-mails and text messages to people trying to find somebody (anybody!) to go down the street to the nearest bar and grill to go grab lunch. Ok, maybe it is because of that....but I really just wanted to say that I love lunch, not only as a meal, but as a concept. That is why I found this blog so entertaining. (H/T: Sullivan)

I like taking time in the middle of the day for a respite. I like sitting down either by myself, or with friends to enjoy some food around the noon hour. I like that "lunch" can be an opportunity to reconnect with people. The phrase "hey, let's get together for lunch sometime" is music to my unsatiated ears. I like that "lunch" can be both refreshing and productive, i.e. the "working lunch." I like that "lunch" can be an opportunity to network.

I like sandwiches.

I like burgers. I like chips. I like fries. I even like salads and soup if I am doing the "light lunch."

Today, lunch, or perhaps more accurately my friends, has foresaken me. I am frickin' starving over here.

"Rather a lot of Admirals"

2008-04-05T16:48:00.001-05:00

Funny stuff.

(H/T: LGM)
http://lefarkins.blogspot.com/

John Coltrane "Alabama"

2008-04-04T21:10:00.001-05:00

Here is a Friday music clip in honor of Dr. King. John Coltrane playing one of the most haunting and beautiful of his compositions. It was inspired by the 1963 church bombing in Birmingham that took the lives of 4 girls and by Dr. King's eulogy.

"Good night, sweet princesses."

Warning: Time Suck Ahead

2008-04-04T10:37:00.003-05:00

I am a geek for museums. Even if I don't have the requisite knowledge to fully appreciate them to the highest level that I could otherwise, I still love going to them nonetheless.

Well, I was forwarded this website: The Museum of Online Museums. It's great. Smithsonian, Musee d'Orsay, MoMA, The Gallery of Sexy Pez Advertising....

Enjoy.

Today....

2008-04-04T08:59:00.003-05:00

Forty years ago today, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. I encourage you all to think, memoralize, remember, ponder, mourn, celebrate, and act as you see fit to mark this day in American history.

Also...it's the birthday of one McKinley Morganfield, a.k.a, Muddy Waters.

Have a great weekend.

Because you care....

2008-04-02T14:15:00.004-05:00

Here is what I have been up to lately when I am not studying, sleeping, in-class, or masturbating...

Reading: I finally got around to reading Jonathan Franzen's "The Corrections" which had been sitting in the "To Be Read" stack for the better part of 4 years. One word: Merciless. Another: Brilliant. A third: Funny. You get the idea, I loved the book and I am glad that the Oprah controversy, dare I say the Oprah kerfuffle, surrounding the book has sufficiently passed. Next up: "This Republic of Suffering" by Drew Gilpin Faust. On Deck: "A Well Paid Slave" by Brad Snyder.

Watching: Season Four of Penn & Teller's Bullshit, MLB on the Satellite (I got to watch Dave Niehaus throw out the ceremonial first pitch in Seattle the other night), "A Man for All Seasons" (RIP Paul Scofield), Rock of Love II, Baseball Tonight (For the love of God, ESPN, please fire Eric Young), The First 48 (I actually got hooked on this show because we watched a few episodes in my Criminal Procedure class. See, school can be educational!)

Listening: Lately Nina Nastasia, Quest's "Low End Theory," and "In Rainbows" have been in heavy rotation in the car. I have been having Ipod troubles (as well as computer troubles which we won't get into) so I am relegated from mostly listening to music (my jams) in the car. And heads up people, the new Tapes 'n Tapes album, "Walk It Off" hits stores next week.

Internetting: Two blogs I have been reading religiously of late. Let me plug Sarah Jaffe's "Season of the Bitch" first because she has stopped by this very humble blog on a couple of occassions. I don't recall exactly how I found her blog but I think it was through Lawyers, Guns, and Money. Anyway, Sex. Politics. Rock & Roll. Film. Lipgloss. Yep, that's it. Except Sarah writes on these things and so much more with a tremendous amount of intelligence, wit, and heart. Recently she had some very personal and touching posts about the loss of a friend. Great stuff.

The other blog that has me in stiches, in a good way, is Christina at Blah Blah Blahler. Never has living in Duluth seemed so packed with adventure, comedy, and romance.

Eating: Jimmy Johns. Like everyday. Jesus Christ. Somehow they managed to place their franchise locations strategically so that I can easily access one of their Sandwiches of Mediocrity conveniently no matter where I am and what time I am there. (This includes my way home after the bar closes.....mmmmmm)

I also have been introduced to a sushi place downtown that a few of my friends frequent. And I mean they frequent this place. The entire staff knows them, including the guys in the kitchen, and they have recently told them that if they can come up with a new roll, they would try to make it and if it turned out alright, they would put it on the menu and name it after them. These are good friends to have.

Drinking: Actually not too much. But I think I am going out on Saturday. Buckle up.

Wondering: What I would do if I was at the zoo and a tiger escaped. Run? Stay still? Push other people out of the way? Push other people in the way?

Dreaming about: The other night I dreamed I put on a pair of pants and it was filled with snakes. They were all over, coming out my pant leg. Fucking freaked me out.

Working out: Nope

The Predictions

2008-04-02T10:08:00.004-05:00

As promised, or threatened, here is my quick run down on how the 2008 MLB season will unfold. I am just a guy with a computer and some extra time on my hands, please do not jeopardize your family's financial future based on these predictions. Here we go:

AL East: (The Same as it ever was division)
1. Boston
2. New York (Wild Card)
3. Toronto
4. Tampa Bay
5. Baltimore

I was thinking earlier in the spring that the Yankees weren't even going to make the playoffs. I have softened on that some. Boston's pitching is deep even with injuries to Beckett and Schilling. I think Dice-K will have a monster year and Paplebon should get Cy Young consideration. Toronto is a nice club, Alexis Rios should establish himself as an elite player. Tampa is clearly going in the right direction and the Orioles are an embarassment to a fine baseball city like Baltimore.

AL Central: (The Four good teams and the Royals Division)
1. Detroit
2. Cleveland
3. Minnesota
4. Chicago
5. Kansas City

I have my local team too high, but I am excited about the young nucleus. It's a two horse race and Detroit Rock City is just too loaded. Cleveland and the Yankees fight for the wild card and they both better look to get to about 95 wins, that's what it might take. The White Sox are getting some notice as a team to be on the lookout for, but I just see them as older, fatter, and balder than they have been. Kansas City has Alex Gordon and some really great barbecue, so there is reason for optimism.

AL West: (The These games are on too late to really know what's going on division)

1. Seattle
2. Anaheim
3. Texas
4. Oakland

I am not calling them the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. You are lucky I'm not calling them the California Angels. Seattle is a trendy pick and I am a trendy guy. Their lack of power worries me a little and it all depends if King Felix can stay healthy. The Angels are that team I forget about every year. I still respect their lineup, but they have been too decimated in the pitching department. Texas and Oakland...I have no idea which of these teams will be better or worse, depending on how you phrase it. Let's face it, it doesn't really matter, it's a coinflip. Texas got heads.

NL East: (The 'Now with Santana!' Division)
1. New York
2. Philadelphia
3. Atlanta
4. Washington
5. Florida

I write this after the injury to Pedro which emphasizes the Mets biggest weakness, that is, they are too fucking old. Still, Santana wins the Cy Young, David Wright the MVP. How can they not win? The Phillies are good. So is Atlanta. The Nationals are bad. So are the Marlins.

NL Central: (The Milwaukee is beautiful in October and are there really six teams in this division?)
1. Milwaukee
2. Chicago (Wild Card)
3. Houston
4. Cincinnati
5. St. Louis
6. Pittsburgh

I might be a year early, but I am going with the Brewers. I don't trust the Cubs and this is a pretty mediocre division. I don't know much about the Reds and I think the Cardinals can consider it a successful season if they can make it all the way through without someone dying. I guess about all I can say about this division is that on a personal level, I think my favorite uniforms in baseball are those alternative red ones that the Astros wear. Those are cool. And speaking of uniforms and teams, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the Pirates. I even own a Pirates hat. I may be the only person in the Twin Cities who has one. They have great uniforms, a great ballpark, a rich tradition, and a terrible baseball team.

NL West (The I love Vin Scully and I will be more sad when he dies than I was when either of my grandfathers died division)
1. Arizona
2. Los Angeles
3. San Diego
4. Colorado
5. San Francisco

Jesus, the Diamondbacks are good. Was it really last year the Rockies were in the World Series? That's about all I have to say. I'm tired of typing.

NLCS: Mets over Diamondbacks
ALCS: Boston over Detroit
World Series: Mets over Boston

NL MVP: David Wright (Runner Up: Ryan Howard)
AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez (Runner Up: Miguel Cabrera)
NL Cy Young: Johan Santana (Runner Up: Jake Peavy)
AL CY Young: Justin Verlander (Runner Up: Jonathan Paplebon)

Pat Neshek

2008-04-01T19:03:00.001-05:00

"That would be hot!"

Small Market Defined

2008-04-01T08:50:00.002-05:00

I am going to do a full blown predictions post sometime this week and then I am going to get away from baseball blogging for a little while. I just wanted to make a few comments about last nights 3-2 opening night win.

Ok, great. Go-Go Gomez is exciting. Livan got the job done. Morneau looked terrible. We still have the best closer in baseball until we trade him this year and I like the fact that the Twins are 1-0 as opposed to 0-1.

But what I really wanted to make note of was this bit of information that was passed along in Reusse's column regarding Twins set-up man Pat Neshek.

As we blogged about yesterday, we got snow and we got plenty of it. Pat Neshek is a local kid (who is also featured in a pretty funny Twins commercial I will post later) and had a pretty good year last year.

Well, apparently Neshek drives some old Ford with rear wheel drive. He was concerned about the snow so yesterday so he had his mom drive him to the game, because she apparently has a Jeep Liberty.

Good lord. One wonders if Mrs. Neshek didn't coordinate with some of the other mothers and they can get a car pool going, with a stop at Dairy Queen on the way home if they win.

That sound you hear is many Minnesotans putting a shotgun in their mouths

2008-03-31T10:45:00.004-05:00

It is opening day of baseball season. Yesterday it was 55 degrees. I woke up this morning to see a god damn blizzard.

Why do I live here? It's like living on Hoth.

Update: Because of the snow, my satellite dish is covered. When I turn on my TV I get the all too familiar "Searching for Satellite Signal" message that I get on any day when the weather is not 81 Degrees, mostly sunny skys, with a 7 m.p.h. wind coming out of the southeast. So now I can't stay in and build a fire and watch the Twins opener. I can still build the fire, but only for survival purposes, not for adding to the atmosphere of watching television indoors.

An Announcement

2008-03-30T20:40:00.001-05:00

I wasn't sure if this was the appropriate forum to let this be known, but I decided to post this anyway. I decided to post it because, darn it, I am feeling something I have never felt, and when you feel something like this you just want to run to the highest of mountain tops and scream to the world.

I have met someone new, someone pretty special. We have been talking about marriage, kids, a honeymoon in Sturgis, the whole nine yards. I don't mind telling you I am feeling downright GIDDY!

I want you all to meet her and I figured the best way to do that would be to show you this video I took of her when we went to a concert recently.

I don't recall which concert it was exactly, it may have been a production of Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde" or it may have been the orchestra doing Mahler's fifth symphony. Or come to think of it, it may have been Dokken.

Fantasy Baseball 2008: The Quest for Mediocrity

2008-03-29T12:29:00.004-05:00

Slate had a great article on Fantasy Baseball and I recently had the draft for my league. In year two of the Dome Dawgz Fantasy Baseball League, The St. Paul Surly Drunks are moving into their new $500 million dollar stadium on the riverfront (paid for entirely through a unanimously approved state-wide sales tax on non-alcoholic beer, marshmellow peeps, and Hannah Montana tickets). The team has also unveiled a new mascot for the 2008 season:

Meet "Shaky" Jake O'Donovan, former longshoreman, Korean war vet, frequent plasma donor, father of five or six, and mascot for YOUR St. Paul Surly Drunks. Shaky Jake resides at The Last Chance Saloon, located right around the corner from Surly Stadium. After extended negotiations he has reached an accord with management that he can stay at the bar as long as he "keeps quiet and quits bothering people." Please forward any correspondence (as well as any unwanted sandwiches and things of that nature) to him at that address.

We also have a new corporate sponsor.

This year the Surly drunks are a unique blend of inexperienced players and veterans well past their prime, guys that are injury prone, and guys that only get hurt some of the time, players who are underachievers and players who underachieve slightly less drastically.

This year the Surly Drunks roster looks something like this:

Extremely talented guys who signed big contracts and whose weight problems are likely going to go from "moderate" to "severe" (Miguel Cabrera)

Guys who theoretically have enough talent to carry a Fantasy Baseball team but because they are on my roster likely will not do so (Alexis Rios)

Guys coming off bad years: (Vernon Wells)

Still more fucking Blue Jays for some reason: (Roy Halladay)

The second best pitcher in baseball (Jake Peavy)

Guys that we will be able to trade to contending teams once our team is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs on May 15th (Jonathan Papelbon)

Guys that we targeted because there is every indication that they are headed for a breakout season and will put up BIG numbers.....or not. (Jeff Francoeur)

Guys we picked because all of the sudden we realized that we didn't have someone at that position and there was nobody else worthy of choosing (Kenji Johjima)

Young guys that are hurt (Scott Kazmir)

Old guys that are hurt (Carlos Delgado)

Guys that we are only vaguely familiar with who they are (Ian Kinsler)

So another season is upon us. The Surly Drunks, who have their spring training facility not in Florida or Arizona, but in Halifax, Nova Scotia (thus making it difficult to find opponents for exhibition games), break camp with the commonalities that all baseball teams have at this time of year: a profound sense of optimism and an alarming number of paternity suits levied against them.

Play ball!

Excuse me while I get the 400 lb. gorilla off of my back

2008-03-26T20:50:00.003-05:00

My list of things that are giving me ulcers has decreased from 1,000,000 to 999,999.

I have found summer employment!

I found a clerkship at a small firm that practices in several areas in which I have an interest.

Now if I can just get the rest of my life in order.....

The Things She Carried

2008-03-26T12:58:00.006-05:00

I hate to pile on. Oh, who am I kidding? I love pile on.

The story of HRC misspeaking (lying) about coming under sniper fire on arrival in Bosnia during a trip she took when she was First Lady. (It was a trip she took with singer Sheryl Crow and Comedian Sinbad.....Sinbad)

LGM has an excerpt (culled from the comments of Yglesias' blog) of the war diaries of Hilary Rodham Clinton.

Brilliant.

"As bullets clawed the air around us and screams echoed down the rubble-strewn tarmac, I felt almost peaceful.

It was a simple mission, they had told me – get in, shake a few hands and mouth a few platitudes, get out. Simple. Yeah.

Things had started going wrong while we were still in the air and only gotten worse from there. So here we were, pinned down, choking on the acrid tang of cordite and the heady scent of human blood. The mission was even simpler now: survive.

Whatever the cost, survive. There was a grunt and a clatter of equipment as Sinbad threw himself down at my side. Sweat glistened on his bare arms, and I could see tendons contracting and relaxing as he squeezed off bursts from his M14. The motion was hypnotic, like a snake about to strike. Perhaps, when all this was over-

No. Concentrate. Focus on the mission. Survive.

A shout from my left drew my head around. Sheryl Crow, guitar still strapped to her back, had taken cover behind a haphazard pile of decaying corpses. Her hair, once lustrous, now lank and greasy, was held back from her eyes by a dirty red headband. Her slim nostrils flared in the dirt-smeared oval of her face, seeking air free of the funeral taint shrouding the airfield. Still, I saw a fierce exultation in her expression that I knew mirrored my own.

Her lithe, nimble fingers stroked the top of an M67 frag grenade, strumming a chord of impending doom. With one quick, economical movement, she plucked the pin free and sent the deadly payload sailing toward the ridge concealing our enemies. My eyes traced the arc, willing it to fly true, to rain death on-

“There!” Sinbad shouted. “The convoy!”"

Numbers

2008-03-25T19:45:00.003-05:00

The Baseball Analysts have the Vegas over/under line for team wins for each major league team with a commentary on each.

The Twins over/under is 74, which seems about right to me. My amateur analysis (guess) puts them at 76.

David Brooks

2008-03-25T13:10:00.001-05:00

Though I don't think Brooks is the best person to play the role of democratic party strategist, his piece today is spot on.

High Fidelity

2008-03-24T11:54:00.003-05:00

MinnPost has an interesting article (with accompanying video) on the resurgance of vinyl records among the "mp3 generation." (God, I hate that term)

I have just taken the jump into building a vinyl collection myself. I purchased an inexpensive turntable for my inexpensive stereo system awhile ago and since then I have been hitting the streets in earnest, hunting through the local record shops that remain in town. It's been fun.

My funds, shelf space, and musical tastes are quite limited. I don't have a strategy as far as what I am going to collect, though I am more interested in the music itself than whatever value the records do or do not have as collectibles.

Thus far I have picked up almost exclusively jazz records and I have limited those to "essential" recordings, Coltrane's "Blue Train" and "A Love Supreme," Sonny Rollins' "Saxophone Collosus," Cannonball Adderly's "Somethin Else," Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder." Things like that.

I already have all of these on CD, now I have them on vinyl as well. Any recommendations on resources for the neophyte collector would be greatly appreciated.

What I have been thinking about lately

2008-03-19T17:07:00.002-05:00

So lately I have been finding myself thinking alot about Laura Linney. Or, more to the point, I have been thinking about how much in love I am with Ms. Linney. It's not because she is beautiful. Though she is. It's not because she is immensily talented. Though she is.

There is just something about her personality, or to be fair since I have never met her it would be her persona, that is just completely beautiful and alluring.

Seeing her recently in "The Savages" and at the Oscars started this late Linney fascination for me and the flame has continued to burn as Ms. Linney has been playing Abigail Adams in the HBO miniseries John Adams. I haven't been able to see much of the show, but what I have seen has been very good. Paul Giamatti gives a great performance and the production values are top notch.

In a little bit that I saw, Ms. Linney's Abigail is on screen and she appears to have some sort of boils or something on her face. This makes sense, because 18th century medical care was slightly less refined as we are used to today. So it would make sense that all sorts of ailments would befall just about everybody. So we have Laura Linney with boils on her face. I get it. Bravo for having the courage to portray history with a sense of how things really were. A history with warts (or boils) and all.

But I am forced to confront my emotions honestly and I have come to the following statement of truth for me.

"Yeah, Abigail Adams, with the boils on her face, makes me hot."

It's my blog, I'll post what I want

2008-03-18T18:15:00.001-05:00

Just because.

"With a perty girl dancin' to jugband music..."

Bracketology

2008-03-17T13:02:00.002-05:00

Here are my Final Four

East: Tennessee
Midwest: Kansas
South: Texas
West: UCLA

Semis: UCLA over Texas
Kansas over Tennessee

Finals: UCLA over Kansas

What to watch for: (a) Michigan State upends a Memphis team that I just don't trust
(b) St. Joe's over Oklahoma
(c) I love The Drake
(d) Fear the Cheese: Wisconsin as a three seed is very dangerous as is WA State coached by former Badger Dick Bennett.
(e) The only thing interesting about a USC-Kansas State matchup will be to count the guys with clipboards and NBA team logos on their polo shirts as they watch Mayo and Beasley
(f)Purdue gets bounced first round
(g) Note to self: find out where in the hell Coppin State is located
(h) Somebody needs to tell Cal State Fullerton this is the basketball tournament, not the College World Series

Programming Note

2008-03-14T11:23:00.002-05:00

The Bad Plus is performing on Conan tonight.

Have a good weekend!

Clinton Campaign

2008-03-13T12:31:00.001-05:00

New Pornographers and University of Phoenix

2008-03-12T18:21:00.001-05:00

I have never been one to get my undies in a bunch over the commercialization of music and I have never once used the term "sell out." But still, this is disappointing. One of my favorite bands is using one of their songs for an ad from the on-line degree mill the University of Phoenix.

That being said, the bit they used, the crescendo from "Bleeding Heart Show" is quite catchy and works will in the spot. At least enjoy the song.

HEY LA, HEY LA, HEY LA, HEY LAAAAAAAA

Quick Link

2008-03-12T11:41:00.003-05:00

Gleeman has the roundup of the Twins top 40 prospects. With the exception of Deolis Guerra, who is still a long way off, I can't find one name on the list that gets me too excited. But
then again, this is an organization that has Delmon Young at the Major League level, so there is reason to like the Twins' future.

"...the life of kings"

2008-03-10T19:59:00.003-05:00

It ended. The series finale of the greatest show in the history of television, "The Wire," aired last night.

I will need to wait for it to come out on DVD and I can do a couple of viewings before I can offer any astute commentary. By that time this will be ancient history and none of you will care what I have to say about the show.

"But Father Hennepin, we already don't care what you have to say."

Silence!

Let me throw you some links on some of the reactions. Peruse them as you wish.

Yglesias.

Slate.

Salon. (w/ and interview with David Simon)

Lawyer, Guns, and Money.

And for a humorous slant on what I may be doing, McSweeney's

Rule of Thumb

2008-03-10T15:14:00.004-05:00

Here is a good rule of thumb we can pull from today's news.

If you are going to have your name associated with a prositution ring, it's good to have the words "high-priced" come before the words "prostitution ring." You want to appear to have refined taste.

At least you have that going for you, Eliot.

She may not be a "monster" but that doesn't mean she isn't really, really, scary

2008-03-07T11:55:00.002-06:00

I admire the hell out of Samantha Power. Her book "A Problem from Hell" is required reading. I was extremely pleased that she had taken an advisory role in the Obama campaign.

Well, she is in some hot water over some comments she made about HRC. I don't have a comment, I'll leave it to the reader to determine the seriousness of the infraction.

Between The Bars (Elliott Smith cover) acoustic

2008-03-05T18:05:00.001-06:00

Music break. One of my favorites, Emily Haines, covering another one of my favorite, the late Elliott Smith

This is good news

2008-03-05T10:02:00.002-06:00

According to Pitchfork, Tom Waits, the namesake of this blog, is planning on a summer tour.

"No dates yet, but to be on the safe side, you probably want to start lining up outside your local ticket vendor now."

Done and done.

Book Blogging (Again)

2008-03-04T10:47:00.002-06:00

So many people have recommended Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" to me over the years. The most recent endorsement came from someone whose opinion I highly regard and who called it "life changing" a description oft repeated from those who enjoyed the book.

It's the simple story, more of a fable really, of a young Andalusian shepherd who goes off to Africa in search of a treasure. The conceit is that it is a story about following your dreams in spite of whatever obstacles that life throws in your way.

Blah. Blah. Blah. Whatever.

Maybe it is better when read in its original Portugese, or maybe one needs to be younger, or older, or less cynical, or a shepherd, or any number of things that I so clearly am not for this story to resonate.

This book did not change my life. Quite the opposite. Perhaps I need to be a touch more proactive but I could not help but notice that upon finishing this book my life was not changed in the least.

I still sit in my underwear, listening to old Lee Morgan records and yelling at the idiots on CNN.

Book Blogging

2008-03-01T09:08:00.002-06:00

A friend of mine gave me a copy of David Rakoff's "Fraud" as kind of a thank you gift. It's a collection of disparate personal essays ranging from Rakoff's experience in places like a new age seminar lead by Steven Seagal, a trip to Tokyo, and taking a week long class on animal tracking and wilderness survival.

It was a great gift. Thanks, KJ.

A little too close to home

2008-02-29T08:58:00.001-06:00

McSweeney's.

I'm sure they'll be saying that after they win the World Series

2008-02-29T07:47:00.003-06:00

It is known that Johan Santana is Father Hennepin's favorite active baseball player is Johan Santana. So you can take this prediction with a grain of salt:

Your 2008 World Series Champions will be the New York Metropolitans.

Slate has an article arguing why the Red Sox and Yankees were fortunate not to get Santana. I have read similar articles that basically say that yes Santana is one of the best pitchers in baseball but the money and the amount of years in his contract, not to mention the personnel that were required to acquire Santana are too steep a price.

First of all, Santana is not "one of the best pitchers in baseball." He is THE BEST PITCHER in baseball.

Second, in acquiring Santana, the Mets did not give up one major league ready player and also retained their top prospect. They have not one, but two, MVP candidates in Wright and Reyes and a scary good lineup.

Third, the Mets (and the Yankees and Red Sox for that matter) can afford Santana's contract and the accompanying risk of a long term deal with.

I point this criticisim more at the Yankees than the Sawx. Hughes/Chamberlain/Kennedy are not Johan Santana. They are Kris Benson. They are Gil Meche. Enjoy missing the playoffs.

William F. Buckley

2008-02-28T10:04:00.002-06:00

William F. Buckley died yesterday. This is a blow to conservatisism. I neither dismiss nor do I embrace conservatism as a political ideology. From my observation, however, conservatisim has undergone a rift between the small government, libertarian, individualism expressed by intellectuals like Buckley and the wrap yourself in the flag, evolution is a scam, school prayer, kick out the foreigners brand of 21st century conservatism.

Perhaps someone fill the intellectual leadership void left by Buckley. It would do well for our nation's discourse.

Breaking News: Requiem for a Decent Burger Place

2008-02-20T14:10:00.002-06:00

Maxwell's in downtown Minneapolis caught on fire today.

I was sitting in class when I got an Instant Message from a friend who lives and works downtown:

Her: Maxwell's is on fire!

Me: What did you do?

Her: It wasn't me, but it's in flames.

Me: Holy Shit

Her: I know, no more Burgers

Me: Unless you like them really, really, well done

RIP Maxwell's

And the train kept a rollin'

2008-02-20T10:23:00.003-06:00

10 in a row. My biggest fear is that as the Clinton camp grows more desperate the threat of Rove-like tactics increases. She needs to win Ohio and Texas decisively. It appears that it least in Texas a win may possible, but a decisive win isn't going to happen. Obama appears to be making serious inroads in Ohio as well

Here is a take on Hilary's chances and options:

http://pmcarpenter.blogs.com/p_m_carpenters_commentary/2008/02/were-now-down-t.html

Money Quote:

"There is nothing left but strained, over-the-top shenanigans in the service of pulling off a mathematically impossible fantasy.
That, or a polite, reasoned withdrawal in the interest of faits accomplis and party unity, leaving her, in eight years, still nearly four years younger than the current Republican nominee.[...]
She can now stay mired in the silliness and do the party a whole lot of damage, or she can crawl out of it and do the party and herself a whole lot of good.
She can, that is, simply withdraw now. The test of Wisconsin was whether Obama would continue taking occupation of virtually every demographic territory once so confidently held by Mrs. Clinton. He did, and he did it decisively."

(H/T: Sullivan)

Experience

2008-02-19T15:56:00.001-06:00

Bill Clinton, 1991, talking about the role of experience.

Dwight Howard Superman Dunk

2008-02-18T21:47:00.001-06:00

I can understand that not everybody like sports. I can understand that not everybody likes basketball. I can understand that not everybody likes the slam dunk contest.

But...

This should be appreciated by EVERYONE for what it is. Beauty.

Dwight Howard's display of athleticism on Saturday night was a thing of beauty.

Enjoy.

My Theory

2008-02-18T17:19:00.004-06:00

I have been keeping an eye on this story, the United States is planning on shooting a spy satellite down as it falls to earth.

As I understand it the reasons for intercepting the satellite rather than letting it fall to earth are twofold.

1) It contains sensitive spy information that the United States does not want to see fall into the wrong hands. Presumably they mean the Chinese, the Russians, or the Trinidadians and Tobagonians.

2) The satellite debris could potentially be harmful. This has something to do with toxic gas or alien jism or something.

I would think that there is a third reason for this course of action, though I have not seen this as an official reason in the reports or the literature.

3) It could hit somebody in the head.

However, I suspect there is yet another compelling reason why the United States government has chosen this particular course of action, though they won't admit it:

4) It's gonna be super cool to watch us shoot that som' bitch down.

Worstest Holiday Forever

2008-02-15T15:47:00.004-06:00

Last night. Valentine's Day. Friend's Birthday.

A large group of people were meeting at Sweeney's in St. Paul. I didn't want to go, but I kind of did. I wound up going, promising myself it would be an early night. I was just not in the mood.

Just. Not. In. The. Mood.

We arrived. I was with two buddies, they got carded at the door. I was given the international "it's ok pal, I don't need to check your ID, you are obviously way north of the age of 21. Are these your sons?" wave of recognition.

I need to start hanging out with people my own age.

We ordered a pitcher. I went over to wish the birthday girl a happy birthday. I could have called it a night then and there. I should have called it a night then and there.

Scartlett Johannson was at this bar when she was in town a few weeks back. She wasn't there last night. I know because I looked for her.

Midnight came at went. I wanted to leave. I was "the ride." So, being "the ride," I couldn't. At least not in good conscience.

Closing time. Last call. Bright lights. Finally.

Closing time in a bar on Valentine's Day is as depressing as it gets. Nobody seemed to be feeling love, or even lust for that matter. No, check that. I know this gay guy who is part of a couple. He and his significant other seem to be in love. They are cuddling in a both across the room. Those happy fuckers. Maybe I should try being the gay.

"The Ride" put his foot down:

"Alright you assholes, anyone that is coming needs to get their ass in my car right now goddamit."

This firm and steady resolve didn't last very long, I was talked in to driving the group to Jimmy John's. I was assured that my kindness and patience would be rewarded.

"I am totally buying you a sandwich."

We went inside. Everyone was loud. Drunk.

"I hope they call the cops and we get arrested." I thought.

No such luck.

I ordered my sandwich. The girl who was totally going to buy it for me was in the bathroom. I paid for my own sandwich.

I got home and got a whole 3 and a half hours of sleep.

Happy Valentine's Day.

A Valentine's Day Song

2008-02-13T20:38:00.001-06:00

Here you go, a Valentine's Day song for you all.

Atmosphere "Fuck You Lucy"

"Fuck You Lucy"

Leave me never would you, if you should could I live [6x]

She said that she still wants a friendship
She cant live her life without me as a friend
I cant figure out why I'd give a damn to what she wants
I dont understand the now before the then

Most of this garbage I write
That these people seem to like
Is about you
And how I let you infect my life
And if they got to know you
I doubt that they would see it
They'd wonder what i showed you
How you could leave it
A friend in Chicago said that I should stay persistant
If I stay around, im bound to break resistance
Fuck you lucy for defining my existance
Fuck you and your differences

Ever since I was a young lad
With a part time dad
It was hard to find happiness inside of what I had
I studied my mother
I digested her pain
And vowed no woman on my path would have to walk the same
Travel like sound across the fate ladder
I travel with spoon to mix this cake batter
And i travel with feels so i can deal with touch
Its like that
Thank you very much
Fuck you very much

Yes
Yes it is

And everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love

Yes
Yes it is

And everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love

Fuck the what happend
I got stuck
They can peel pieces of me off the grill of her truck
Used to walk with luck
Used to hold her hand
Fell behind and played the role of a slower man
I wanna stand on top of this mountain and yell
I wanna wake up and break up this lake of hell
I feel like a bitch for letting the sheet twist me up
The last star fighter is wounded time to give it up
On a pick it up mission
Kept it bitter
Getting in a million memories just to forget her
The difficulty in keeping emotions controlled
Cookies for the road
Took me by the soul
Hunger for the drama
Hunger for the nurture
Gonna take it further
The hurt feels like murder
Interperate
The eyes
Read the lines on her face
The sunshine is fake
How much time did i waste?
Fuck you lucy for leaving me
Fuck you lucy for not needin me
I wanna say fuck you
Because i still love you
No, im not ok
And I dont know what to do

Yes
Yes it is

And everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love

Yes
Yes it is
And everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love

Do I sound mad?
Well I guess im a little pissed
Every action has a point
Five points make a fist
You close em
You swing em
It hurst when it hits
And the truth can be a bitch
But if the boot fits
I got an idea
You should get a tatoo that says warning
Thats all, just a warning
So the potential victim
Can take a left and safe breath
And avoid you
Sober and upset in the morning
I wanna scream Fuck you Lucy
But the problem is i love you Lucy
So instead
Ima finish my drink,and have another
While you think about how you used to be my lover
(Fuck you)

Yes
Yes it is

And everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love

Yes
Yes it is

And everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love
Everyone in his life would mistake it as love

Leave never would you, you show could I if.....

Potential for Awesomeness = Infinity

2008-02-13T16:49:00.003-06:00

Though I am waiting for a film adaptation of "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" an adaptation of another of Michael Chabon's novels is in the works. The Coens are adapting "The Yiddish Policeman's Union"

"No, We Can't"

2008-02-13T14:47:00.001-06:00

On the heels of the wins last night, our endorsement, and the "Yes We Can" video, here is the McCain response.

The actors looks of horror and confusion are priceless.

(H/T: LGM)

The Endorsement

2008-02-10T11:06:00.000-06:00

There is comfort and safety in being politically moderate and independent of party. We moderates are not wedded to candidates only because they share roughly the same ideology or because they were annointed by the leadership as the party's candidate.

Moderates can support someone like Chuck Hagel, while disavowing any and all affiliation with someone like Michelle Bachman. We can admire Al Gore and dispise Ted Kennedy. Some view this middle road position as a position of cowardice, of being that of a fence sitter.

I disagree. Independence is a position of strength.

I am pro-choice. I believe in a person's right to bear arms, though with reasonable restrictions. I am in favor of a strong protections of the environment. I support strong national defense. I am in favor of allowing persons of the same sex the right to marry. I am skeptical of the U.N. I think the healthcare system in the United States is in need of serious reform. I am truly undecided on the death penalty.

I have voted for both Republicans and Democrats. There have been instances when I was proud of my selection. However there were many more times when I regretted my selection.

All of this is a very roundabout way of saying that when I vote, it can have as much to do with the person than it does about their policies. I refuse to feel guilty about this.

Personality does matter. Especially in an executive position, personality does matter. Qualities of leadership, character, charisma, and the ability to, dare I say, inspire maybe difficult to quantify, they may be ethereal in their nature, but that does not mean they do not exist. And we face a time in our nation's history when character and integrity are more important know than ever. The last 8 years have seen this country lost from its moorings. Cynicism and doubt reign. Now, more than ever, we need to be inspired, we need to believe in what America is and what it can be in the future. This is why Father Hennepin is endorsing one candidate and one candidate only for President:

We call for all Americans, regardless of political stripe to embrace hope and to deny doubt. To vote for change over stasis and to stand for unity rather than divisivness.

Vote Barack Obama '08.

Much more will be said on this blog on the election and on the issues and on the candidates. But for today, right here and now, Father Hennepin is excited about his candidate. It's a feeling of hope and inspiration that has been all too foreign to him in regards to politics and politicians.

Random Thought of the Day

2008-02-10T11:02:00.000-06:00

I am going to punch the next person in the face who uses the phrase "party like a rockstar" in my presence.

Why am I just learning about this now?

2008-02-07T12:40:00.000-06:00

MNSPEAK has a thread on strategies for revitalizing downtown. The topic of street vendors came up which lead to the desire for Poutine.

"Poutine is a dish consisting of French Fries topped with fresh cheese curds and covered with gravy and sometimes other additional ingredients. The freshness of the curds is important as it makes them soft in the warm fries, without completely melting. It is a quintessential Canadian comfort foot, especially but not exclusively among Quebecois."

God I love you, Canada. This, in addition to Gretzky, more than makes up for bringing us Dan Ackroyd and Avril Lavigne.

Oh God, I hope they are talking about roosters

2008-02-07T12:29:00.000-06:00

"Video posted of Pedro, Juan Marichal at cockfight"

Wiener poopie

2008-02-07T10:19:00.001-06:00

Barack Obama - Yes We Can

2008-02-06T21:43:00.001-06:00

9th and Hennepin

2008-02-06T21:18:00.000-06:00

Well it's Ninth and Hennepin
All the doughnuts have names that sound like prostitutes
And the moon's teeth marks are on the sky
Like a tarp thrown all over this
And the broken umbrellas like dead birds
And the steam comes out of the grill
Like the whole goddamn town's ready to blow...
And the bricks are all scarred with jailhouse tattoos
And everyone is behaving like dogs
And the horses are coming down Violin Road
And Dutch is dead on his feet
And all the rooms they smell like diesel
And you take on the dreams of the ones who have slept here
And I'm lost in the window, and I hide in the stairway
And I hang in the curtain, and I sleep in your hat...
And no one brings anything small into a bar around here
They all started out with bad directions
And the girl behind the counter has a tattooed tear
One for every year he's away, she said
Such a crumbling beauty, ah
There's nothing wrong with her that a hundred dollars won't fix
She has that razor sadness that only gets worse
With the clang and the thunder of the Southern Pacific going by
And the clock ticks out like a dripping faucet
til you're full of rag water and bitters and blue ruin
And you spill out over the side to anyone who will listen...
And I've seen it all, I've seen it all
Through the yellow windows of the evening train...