Archive for February, 2008

Thom Yorke

Friday, February 29th, 2008

I’m listening to a PodCast of NPR’s All Songs Considered, with guest DJ Thom Yorke. He’s the frontman of the band Radiohead. Many of you know that I am very much anti-Radiohead. I can’t understand them, and their music, or why they are popular (though, of course, they aren’t really popular in […]

Missing Emails at White House

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

Hey, I know, I know. You, Congress, are all like mad at me. And sure, sure, I was supposed to hang on to those emails for public record and whatnot. But I’m a busy guy, being president and all. Do you think I have time to print out all the emailies […]

Healthcare Spending Headed Up, Up, Up

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

As the American population ages, a new governmental report says we could see health care costs double and soar to 19.5% of the GDP. And that’s in just 10 years. Healthcare spending is evidently at 16% right now, so still high, but when we’re talking $4.3 trillion, it sounds like real money. […]

War Will End Soon?

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

That’s what John McCain has said. The same man who suggested he would keep US troops in harms way, no matter what, for as long as it takes, now claims that the war will be over soon, according to this CNN report.
Wow! Who knew that John McCain was such a soothsayer? […]

Many Oscars for Old Coens

Monday, February 25th, 2008

Okay, they’re not old, but they are great! Joel and Ethan Coen swept the 80th Annual Academy Awards last night, winning three statues each for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director(s), and Best Picture, all for their amazing movie, ‘No Country For Old Men’. This was my absolute favorite movie I saw all year, […]

The Study of Dance

Saturday, February 23rd, 2008

Last night Lauren and I attended an undergraduate dance show, put on by the UW-Dance Department. We actually attend a fair number of dance events, including, most recently, Romeo and Juliet, as performed by the St. Petersburg ballet. Unfortunately, this latest show wasn’t quite up to snuff with others we’ve seen. It […]

New Lyrics

Wednesday, February 20th, 2008

As some of you may know, I’ve been working on my second album as my Hip-Hop moniker CellBlock. I first wrote about the album here; it’s titled ‘Life on the Outside’. The basic conceit is a comparison between leaving prison and beginning “life on the outside’ and leaving college and beginning life in […]

Many Happy Returns

Wednesday, February 20th, 2008

Barack Obama won in Wisconsin last night. I didn’t put out any endorsements prior to the primary, as I felt that either candidate would make a fine, fine nominee. And I considered at length which candidate to vote for. In the end, it came down to the wire. I realized that […]

Beef Recall, Let’s Get Real

Monday, February 18th, 2008

This weekend, the USDA recalled 143 million pounds of beef. The basic issue: the slaughterhouse where the cows were being killed was found to contain multiple violations regarding the treatment of the animals and in sanitation. While I was disturbed to hear the sounds of the slaughterhouse in question, as played on […]

Outdoors/Indoors

Sunday, February 17th, 2008

Yesterday, I went skiing for the first time this winter! Why not before? We certainly had plenty of snow, but Lauren and I had focused our attention to snowshoeing, rather than skiing (which is good, as Lauren does not own skis). So despite having worked out at the gym that morning, I […]

Fences Make Good Places to String Up Wire

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

CNN is reporting that border agents working along the US/Mexico border found some wire strung between two fences. They describe the wire as at the right height to decapitate an agent riding on an ATV. Looks like that fence is a pretty good way to strike back at those who built it.
I don’t […]

On the Stump for Mom

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008

Chelsea Clinton came to Wisconsin yesterday to campaign for her mother, Hillary Clinton. I have fond memories of Chelsea Clinton. When Bill Clinton was elected, Chelsea was 12 years old. I was a little younger (9). It was exciting to have a young president in the office, even more so because […]

What I’m Reading

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Winter is a wonderful time to engage a wide variety of reading material. And I’ve had the chance to read some great stuff this winter. Here are the highlights of those books that have gotten me thru the coldest and longest nights (or at least lulled me to sleep), as well as a […]

In Defense of Hillary Clinton

Friday, February 8th, 2008

Yesterday, my sister expressed concern about Hillary Clinton, implying that she did not know if she could vote for her should she win the Democratic nomination. This was, quite naturally, concerning to me. After all, I think that even if you don’t believe that you would personally like Ms. Clinton, or if you […]

Funerals. Also, Mitt Romney

Friday, February 8th, 2008

I do believe that my great aunt’s funeral, which I attended yesterday, is the first real funeral I’ve been to. When my great grandfather passed away (I think I was around 16), I went to memorial services, but he had been cremated. And I’ve been to visitations, but then not the funeral that […]