Ghost of a chance

This is a pretty incisive quote from Roy

Now is a good to remind ourselves that things can go horribly wrong. I've seen good times, I've seen bad, and the latter tend to be more prevalent and more lasting. So I suggest we savor every drop of the Arlen Specter thing. It's true, as The Poor Man and Glenn Greenwald have pointed out, that Specter isn't much of a get, and will likely take a 2010 nomination that should go to a more progressive candidate.

Well, Obama isn't much of a progressive, either. I don't care. In these few years I have left, I just want to capture some enjoyable memories of wingnut anguish that may bring some comfort to my charity hospital bed.

Specter undoubtedly made the right choice, self-preservation-wise. The Republican base would smell blood as soon as they realized Specter's primary opponent was a Christian and hated taxes. No, there wouldn't be a lot of hand-wringing over what "Christian" really meant. No, the fact that Specter carries a higher tax penalty than just about any Allegheny tea partier wouldn't help him. It's not pretty.

Lascaux for alcohol

Then he realized that his cave was really a folded sheet of cardboard. This made him less sad and more philosophical.

Cave painting leads into something I've been meaning to talk about here. Soon, I'm hoping.

Cleveland rocks some more

I'd just like to take a few moments and devote them to my trusty and patient blog here. And to recommend the movie American Splendor. It came out in 2003, but I had never gotten around to seeing it until this past weekend. It's an odd mix that works: partly a biopic about autobiographical comics writer Harvey Pekar, and partly a documentary based on interviews with Pekar and his wife Joyce Brabner. Pekar narrates his life as acted out by Paul Giamatti, and provides answers in on-set interviews. His voice is so high-pitched and scratchy that listening to him made me want a lozenge, but he is necessary to the story, provides the soul for it.

Performances are outstanding throughout. Giamatti as well as Hope Davis--an actress whom I don't know that well--as comics dealer turned wife and collaborator Brabner. (It's a good thing these two found each other, and that's all I'm gonna say.) In the supporting role of coworker Toby Radloff, Judah Friedlander has the mannerisms of a high-functioning autistic down. And James Urbaniak--who I mostly knew as the voice of Thaddeus Venture--is one sexy Robert Crumb. Weird as that may sound, especially with his reluctance to make eye contact, but there it is.

Doubly recommended if you like fifties jazz.

Capping off a lame blogging week with the Friday Random Ten

Ah well, sometimes you have slow weeks. This time out I wasn't able to get my thoughts in order in a readable way, at least not for the blog. Ah well, at least you don't have to subscribe.

1. Tom Waits--Ain't Goin' Down to the Well
2. Harry Nilsson--Miss Butler's Lament
3. Nellie McKay--Zombie
4. Heidi Brühl--Was der Wind Erzahlt*
5. Louis Armstrong--Save It, Pretty Mama
6. The Sonics--The Witch
7. Broadcast--Goodbye Girls
8. John Buzon Trio--Mr. Ghost Goes to Town
9. Nat King Cole--Almost Like Being in Love
10. Yo La Tengo--Gentle Hours

* Basically Brenda Lee's "All Alone Am I" in German.

Fidget, fidget, can't keep still

I love this.

Capped by the turning out of the light.

Just think of Bob and Judy, they're happy as can be, Inventing situations, putting them on TV.

Ah, I have some things I've been thinking about, but are too convoluted to go into just now. So I'm procrastinating with a glimpse of the golden age of live TV. They're a good comic pairing. Maybe you don't have to be... that special sort of man to appreciate Judy.

Friday Random Ten neat

There are people who know everything, and others who know they know nothing. Tonight I lean more to the latter. Which is cool.

1. The Sonics--Boss Hoss
2. The New Pornographers--Hey, Snow White
3. Beck--Rental Car
4. Bonzo Dog Band--Bad Blood
5. Harry Nilsson--Think About Your Troubles
6. David Bowie--It's No Game (Part 1)
7. Nancy Wilson--But Beautiful
8. Luscious Jackson--Faith
9. Brian Eno--The Fat Lady of Limbourg
10. Lambert, Hendricks & Ross--Cloudburst