Sunday, October 31, 2004

Green Bay 28, Washington 14

Pack wins, so will Kerry.

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Bush Talks About Going To War, States Why He Doesn't Deserve Re-Election

"A political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your commander in chief."

(I'm sure someone else has had this observation and it's on a blog or in my email inbox. Apologies to whoever I stole it from.)


Sunday, October 24, 2004

Tough Guy Town

The Gophers disassembled my beloved Sioux last night 6-0. Ouch. But I did get one tasty highlight. My favorite Sioux, Rory McMahon, dropped the gloves against Mike Vannelli and the two engaged in the type of bare-knuckled fisticuffs you rarely see in college hockey. McMahon won the fight convincingly. I will now refer to Mikey V. as "Milli Vannelli."

This brawl allowed me to incessantly paraphrase Vikings coach Mike Tice, saying that: "Grand Forks is a tough guy town. When the Sioux and the Gophers play, it's a street fight. If you're gonna be in a street fight, you better start getting ready now."

Oh, but I'm opposed to fighting in hockey. Really. I think ... then again, prior to the fight I stated that the Sioux should start a fight to "send a message."

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Should Have Looked For A Rod Hockey Game

Went out on a bender with some associates yesterday afternoon to commiserate on a friend's last day of work.

I had a scotch egg at Brit's. A scotch egg is a hard-boiled egg wrapped in banger sausage and then covered in bread crumbs and deep fried. It comes along with some wonderful dipping sauce. This is probably the greatest Homer Simpson food I've ever had.

(While walking to Brit's, my pal Def Jeff pointed at the Scientology headquarters and said: "They've been there fifteen years and they still haven't sprung for a permanent sign yet!" It's true - they still just have a large Church of Scientology banner.)

We headed over to Gameworks at Block E. I had never been there before - it's one huge room filled with all kinds of video games. It was a surreal experience to be sitting in the middle of the place at the bar drinking pitchers of Bass Ale - with a shot of Patron thrown in there at some point - while children run around playing video games. And because when one is drinking his voice becomes louder than he realizes, do you think the phrase "there's a hot mom!" was overheard by the general crowd once or twice?

Anyway, I did okay at air hockey and pretty crappy at some water-skiing video game. That last one threw me off though - it was two-ski sissy skiing and not slaloming. Reid Graf would not approve.

Then it was home to drink coffee (java tastes awesome after an afternoon of Harp and Bass) and watch the Sioux play tough-guy hockey, score four unanswered goals, and knock off the hated Gophers 4-2. Can't wait for the rematch tonight.

Thursday, October 21, 2004

Straight Talk From The Heartland

My main man Eddie Schultz is now on 950 AM in the Twin Cities, weekdays 2-5. No more scratchy signals from the hinterlands. Alright!

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

It's Either This Or Post About My Cat

I finally found a hobby that isn't destructive (beer) or contingent on cheering for pimply-faced college boys (Sioux hockey.)

Bird watching. A couple of months ago I bought a window bird feeder from BestNest.com. I put it up on my second-floor apartment window and now all these weeks later it's a seedfest daily here at WymanWorld.

So far I've spotted these birds:

Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
Black-Capped Chickadee
White-Breasted Nuthatch
House Finch
Common Grackle

Plus a bunch of sparrows and nocturnal visits by a Flying Squirrel.

Sunday, October 17, 2004

From Wednesday's Strib Opinion Page: The Republicans Get Theirs

Former Republican governor of Minnesota Elmer Andersen on the Bush administration:

Elmer L. Andersen: Why this Republican ex-governor will be voting for Kerry

Throughout my tenure and beyond as the 30th governor of this state, I have been steadfastly aligned -- and until recently, proudly so -- with the Minnesota Republican Party.

It dismays me, therefore, to have to publicly disagree with the national Republican agenda and the national Republican candidate but, this year, I must.

The two "Say No to Bush" signs in my yard say it all.

The present Republican president has led us into an unjustified war -- based on misguided and blatantly false misrepresentations of the threat of weapons of mass destruction. The terror seat was Afghanistan. Iraq had no connection to these acts of terror and was not a serious threat to the United States, as this president claimed, and there was no relation, it's now obvious, to any serious weaponry. Although Saddam Hussein is a frightful tyrant, he posed no threat to the United States when we entered the war. George W. Bush's arrogant actions to jump into Iraq when he had no plan how to get out have alienated the United States from our most trusted allies and weakened us immeasurably around the world.

Also, if there as well had been proper and careful coordination of services and intelligence on Sept. 11, 2001, that horrific disaster might also have been averted. But it was a separate event from this brutal mess of a war, and the disingenuous linking of the wholly unrelated situation in Iraq to 9/11 by this administration is not supported by the facts.

Sen. John Kerry was correct when he said that seemingly it is only Bush and Dick Cheney who still believe their own spin. Both men spew outright untruths with evangelistic fervor. For Bush -- a man who chose to have his father help him duck service in the military during the Vietnam War -- to disparage and cast doubt on the medals Kerry won bravely and legitimately in the conflict of battle is a travesty.

For Cheney to tell the hand-picked, like-minded Republican crowds in Des Moines last month that to vote for John Kerry could mean another attack like that of 9/11 is reprehensible. Moreover, such false statements encourage more terrorist attacks rather than prevent them.

A far smaller transgression, but one typical of his stop-at-nothing tactics, was Cheney's assertion in last Wednesday's vice-presidential debate that he'd never met Sen. John Edwards until that night. The next day -- and the media must stay ever-vigilant at fact-checking the lies of this ticket -- news reports, to the contrary, showed four video clips of Edwards and Cheney sitting next to each other during the past five years.

In both presidential debates, Kerry has shown himself to be of far superior intellect and character than Bush. He speaks honestly to the American people, his ethics are unimpeachable and, clearly, with 20 respected years in the Senate, he has far better credentials to lead the country than did Bush when he was elected four years ago. And a far greater depth of understanding of domestic and foreign affairs to do it now.

Not that the sitting president has ever really been at the helm.

I am more fearful for the state of this nation than I have ever been -- because this country is in the hands of an evil man: Dick Cheney. It is eminently clear that it is he who is running the country, not George W. Bush.

Bush's phony posturing as cocksure leader of the free world -- symbolized by his victory symbol on the aircraft carrier and "mission accomplished" statement -- leave me speechless. The mission had barely been started, let alone finished, and 18 months later it still rages on. His ongoing "no-regrets," no-mistakes stance and untruths on the war -- as well as on the floundering economy and Bush administration joblessness -- also disappoint and worry me.

Liberal Republicans of my era and mind-set used to have a humane and reasonable platform. We advocated the importance of higher education, health care for all, programs for children at risk, energy conservation and environmental protection. Today, Bush and Cheney give us clever public relations names for programs -- need I say "No Child Left Behind? -- but a lack of funding to support them. Early childhood education programs and overall health care are woefully underfunded. We have not only the largest number ever of medically uninsured in this nation, our infant mortality rates, once among the lowest in the world, have worsened to 27th.

As taxes for the wealthy are being cut, jobs are being outsourced if not lost and children are homeless and uninsured, this administration is running up the biggest deficit in U.S. history -- bound to be a terrible burden for future generations.

This imperialistic, stubborn adherence to wrongful policies and known untruths by the Cheney-Bush administration -- and that's the accurate order -- has simply become more than I can stand.

Although I am a longtime Republican, it is time to make a statement, and it is this: Vote for Kerry-Edwards, I implore you, on Nov. 2.

(Elmer L. Andersen was Minnesota's governor from 1961 to 1963.)
"Stop Hurting America": The Crossfire Guys Get Theirs.

Jon Stewart on Crossfire. He calls Tucker Carlson a dick.

Thanks to Chuck T. for passing this one on.

Sunday, October 10, 2004

Bring Back The Powder Blues Permanently

I just flipped over to CBS and the San Diego Chargers are wearing the most beautiful uniforms in pro footbal history.

Saturday, October 09, 2004

All Those Hours At The YMCA Will Now Pay Off

The only reason to leave the futon today is to get more coffee, beer, or snacks.

11:00 college football: flip channels between Oklahoma vs. Texas and Minnesota vs. Michigan (yep, not only am I watching Big Ten football, I'm watching Gopher football!)
3:00 major league baseball: Minnesota vs. New York
7:00 college hockey: Minnesota vs. Denver
Bush vs. Kerry Two

John Kerry cleaned George Bush's clock again.

And I'm wondering when the President will fill us in on how to get those multiple "Internets" that he referred to in tonight's debate.

Friday, October 08, 2004

CJ: Local Zinester Is Dive Bar Fave With The Ladies

Some cute punk-rock chick tried to make out with me at the Country Bar last night when I was getting money from the ATM. We need to make E legal, ASAP.

Thursday, October 07, 2004

So Should I Buy A Ticket For The Drive-By Truckers Show On 10/27 Or Not?

For Immediate Release

First Avenue Nightclub Expecting Changes:

Minneapolis - First Avenue the venue that really started it all in the Minneapolis music scene by hosting local talent into the national spotlight such as the Replacements, Soul Asylum, the Jayhawks, Semisonic and Prince to name a few, has been served with an eviction summons. Owner Allan Fingerhut has been in serious default on the club’s lease obligations, and by refusing to meet a deadline of last Friday imposed by the landlord to commit to correcting the defaults, his club stands to be evicted in the next few weeks.

Ironically, the management team that Fingerhut let go this past summer, Steve McClellan and Jack Meyers, are set to join longtime ally LeeAnn Weimar in starting a new music venue at 701 First Avenue North. Steve McClellan, will oversee the non-profit sector of the business developing talent as he has for the past 30 years, while Jack Meyers takes on the title of General Manager and LeeAnn Weimar has been named Marketing Manager of the yet to be named business to operate the new music venue.

Re-establishing 701 1st Avenue North as the number one music venue is the main goal. With many structural improvements on the horizon and an era of experience between them, this management team looks to create excitement in developing new talent as it always has, along with showcasing the top touring bands of the day and bringing the cultural diversity of our marketplace into the spotlight.
A Devastating Cartoon

The case against the Bush administration.

Wednesday, October 06, 2004

This Just In From Down Under

PRESS RELEASE

In March 2004, John and Rick Brewster, Chris Bailey and Buzz Bidstrup, 4 of the 5 members of ‘The Angels’ who recorded the band’s first 4 albums ‘Face To Face’, ‘No Exit’, ‘Darkroom’ and the debut album ‘The Angels’ are presenting 2 shows in April after rocking jubilant audiences in Sydney during March.

Part acoustic, part electric, ‘The Angels Band’ will recreate the awesome
power that drove ‘Angels’ fans to madness in the late 70’s and early 80’s.
The show features many ‘Angels’ classics including ‘Take a Long Line’, ‘Shadowboxer’, ‘Marseilles’, ‘Comin Down On Me’, ‘After the Rain’,
‘Devil’s Gate’,‘Be With You’, ‘Mr Damage’, ‘No Secrets’ and ‘Marseilles’.
… with some new food for thought too ...

Following the band's recent shows at Rooty Hill and Selinas last December, Drum Media's Murray Engleheart said "The Angels Band and Rose Tattoo show at Rooty Hill RSL was a real acid test. Not for the Tatts who put in a typically storming set less their signatory 'Nice Boys'. No, the pressure was on The Angels Band, the original and best lineup without Doc Neeson. And you know what? They were great! With THAT guitar sound, John Brewster comfortably in the vocal spot and an utterly seamless and seemingly endless set list of classics it was more about the music than the rock theatre of old. The masses, even old school fans, loved it. As they should have".

See The Angels Band perform live

Friday 28th May Star City Casino

For more information and interviews please contact

Darrel Baird
Blue Tongue Records (Australasia) PTY. LTD.
Blue Tongue Management (MMF)
0422 973 185
02 9252 6602
www.theangelsband.net

Saturday, October 02, 2004

Long Live Rock

Two phrases to describe the awesome PJ Harvey show at First Avenue last night: "Tribal" and "Holy Zep, Batman!"

Her band was: a bass player, a guitarist who doubled on drums, and a drummer who doubled on keyboards and also did Polly-like backing vocals so eery that I thought it was a sampler at first. The sound was pounding and magnificent - two drummers at the same time sometimes - and Polly was on top of her game with her vocals and axe skills. (Note to guitar geeks: most songs played with a Fender Mustang played upside down - Holy Jimi Batman! - and "50 Ft. Queenie" done with a Nuge-like Gibson.)

She busted out three songs from Dry: "Dress", "Victory", and "Happy and Bleeding." She did "Queenie", and did solid stuff off of her last three albums. Throw in "Taut" off of Dance Hall at Louse Point and encores that included "Meet Ze Monsta" and "Shake Your Hips" and you've got proof of one of our very finest live rockers around. (Note to hipster dorks behind me who talked all pre-show about whiny girl problems like Not Having The Kind Of Girlfriend You Could Take To A PJ Harvey Show: "Shake Your Hips" isn't ZZ Top, nor is it truly the Stones either.)

So may the Lord be with you, Polly Jean Harvey, you in your blue pumps and tiny red tube dress with white birds on it and your haircut with bangs that came down to your eyes so that I could swear that you looked at me three times and no one would know the better. You are so goddamned cool that you could pass as an American.

Friday, October 01, 2004

Oh, Trust Me, Bill Tuomala Wrote The Greatest Book Ever. Than He Threw It Away.

Damn, I missed the Brian Wilson Smile concert last night! Nothing I look forward more to than shows by mentally-damaged obese old guys who no longer bother to make new music. (This includes Ozzy too, but at least everyone will admit Ozzy is a headwreck plus I'll take the power and glory of Sabbath over the cute dainty pop of Wilson any hour, any day.) In the Strib, Jon Bream referred to Wilson as "the greatest composer of the rock era", then piled on by saying that the Smile album was/is a "masterwork." Uh, Jon, how can something be considered a masterwork if NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD IT?

And I wonder what Pete Townshend is thinking about this Smile thing. He coasted off Tommy for a while, then dusted off Quadrophenia for a tour. This woke up Wilson, who responded with a Pet Sounds tour. But Pete, still being intelligent and thin, dove back into his unreleased tour de force, Lifehouse, a few years back and made a freakin' SIX-DISC BOX SET out of it. I mean, you know what they say about the size of a man's unreleased masterwork ...