Blame it on Reagan...

Not to get Political or anything, but some recent comments by some guy named Beck (no, not either of the talented ones we often refer to fondly as "Beck") contain a serious error so huge as to be impossible for most humans to miss: the assumption that we all believed this song to be some sort of "Patriotic Anthem." The first fool to believe that was a campaign advisor to a former President, (another apt song quoted out of context here would be "What a Fool Believes" - a song so horrible that I feel bad bringing it up, but it does fit) the second fool being Ronald Reagan, who apparently took the first fool at his word and never bothered to read the lyrics. Reagan decided the song was perfect for stirring emotions and proceeded to have the chorus blasted at campaign stops (personally, I think "Like a Virgin" would've been less vague and just as effective). So, it seems that loyal followers of the President and his rocking party adopted the song, sight unseen, and continued to blast it amongst themselves for decades without ever getting to the annoying verses. How this could happen is beyond me, but I'm sure it's not unlike saying things like "Just Say NO!" and "Drill Baby, Drill" (insert "Like a Virgin" here...).
So, fast forward the 80's cassette to 2010. Now this Beck guy has figured it out - 26 years later. He says it's NOT A PATRIOTIC ANTHEM! Yes, well that's good news, because I still have a copy on vinyl. Here's the shocking truth: http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201003110027

Check it twice baby!

Santa don't blog, apparently. Poor connectivity at the N. Pole I guess... how the hell does he get discount merch form Overstock.com? Anyway, I've got an internet connection and am not afraid to use it. Perhaps Santa will park his big ass down at the Public Library somewhere in the northern hemisphere and accidently find this post between Google searches for ELF PORN (and maybe elves will appear with a nice roast beef). All through childhood, when Christmas was magical (even after Linus revealed it was actually run by an "east coast syndicate") I carefully composed detailed want lists, only to end up with whatever the hell the adults felt like wrapping. Now people pay attention damnit!! SOCKS, WHISKEY & VINYL. Just to clarify, that's SOCKS (comfy, non-embarrassing), WHISKEY (Bourbon) and VINYL (round, non-embarrassing).

Calling All Wombats!

Just to get your attention. I know nothing about the Wombat, apologies to any Wombats looking to hook up - it's not going to happen. Anyway, it's FALL and the time is right for falling in the gutter (if you're a leaf). In all honesty, I've been a bit lazy. However, summer ended and I feel like a different Wombat. I did manage to build a brick patio with built-in tiled fire-pit; plant a bunch of roses; acquire rather too many records, and sample the newfound riches of good beer in a can.
I did make some progress with the guitar. I finally realized that great music is all pretty basic - you just have to play it right! When you grow up pre-internet like I did, thinking there was some magic key known only to guitar Gods, it's a revelation to realize that it's just three chords with a little something... kinda like soup. SALT! PEPPER! WHO KNEW? Everything is simple as one-two-three, even four-five and six! This was news to me, and quite welcome.
Well, on other notes - life is entering yet another winter. I finally found the elusive Furnace Filter (highly recommended to know about) and am very much enjoying sleeping with the window down and the covers up.
I was wondering the other day if anyone noticed we are at the end of an ice age. It's not that hard to visualize once you realize the North and South poles are not generally frozen throughout the roughly four-billion year weather report of our planet. Sure, they have been that way as long as we can remember (big whoop) but are really just the end stages of the most recent ice age. We humans race along like careening fruit-flies, while the Earth is going the speed limit . We move much too fast to see any of these changes, nonetheless change continues apace. Bugs know about it, probably Wombats too. Stay warm, and enjoy the rapidity that is life. Or, if you're not into the whole optimism thing, get your kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames.

Safety Last!