We Are All Equal at the World Cup

Wow… What a poor showing by Uncle Sam’s soccer team yesterday. I was able to catch the second half of the game as I secreted myself to one of the TVs at my workplace during my lunch time. I was sitting in a crowd of eight or ten other people, a few of whom I knew, a few of whom I didn’t. Being the casual atmosphere of lunchtime and perhaps the fact that the U.S. was already trailing 2-0, a virtually insurmountable mountain in international soccer, people around me chatted and seemed to be relaxing as much as watching the U.S. get drubbed by the Czech Republic…

All except for the women sitting to my left who on 3 separate occasions got up to turn up the volume on the community television that was showing the game while glaring at all of the yappers around her. I assumed that she was just a big soccer fan (not that uncommon for a University campus) and more than a little sick of the incessant chatter that was around her. But as Tomas Rosicky chipped his second (the Czech’s 3^rd) goal over the shoulder of Kasey Keller it was clear that her intensity came from something else. As the ball rippled the twine to Keller’s rear she jumped to her feat raised her arms and began to cheer aloud… Her eyes brimmed with pride. She was relishing this opportunity to stand and cheer for her country amongst a bunch of Americans who are usually the ones cheering so loudly.

Growing up on the boarder of Viking and Packer country I am more than familiar with the uncomfortable feeling of my team losing in the presence of Packer fans who are as exited about having the opportunity to stick my nose in the Viking loss than they are for the Packer victory. But this was different. This women’s excitement seemed deeper than that. For her the Czech Republic not only defeating but annihilating the Yanks was vindication, justice being served on a country that speaks loudly and carries a ridiculously huge stick. Perhaps John McCain’s call to ban Iran for International Soccer due to their nuclear plans came to mind as an example (as it should have being that it is rediculously offensive). Read McCains account of this stupidity

This (presumably) Czech women was not rude to us American’s watching the game (or no ruder than we would have surely been in cheering for the Americans had the cleats been on the other foot) but her heart was overflowing with pride. Thus is the joy of international competition and particularly the world cup: it is an international stage in which anyone can win. It is a stage without superpowers, without nuclear weapons and without hegemony. For just 90 minutes yesterday we lived in that world and it was glorious. Sure the United States fell and may not make it out of the first round as a result, but we can rest assured that there will be another chance in four years and we will again have a chance for the Americans to cheer the way the Czech woman was. And remember, defeat makes victory all the more sweet. Remember Salt Lake City?

Disney Pushing Christian Jihad on our Youth

Yesterday Pat Robertson struck again. Our favorite televangelist stated that Ariel Sharon’s stroke and likely impending death is punishment by god for “dividing god’s land.” He also made clear that he felt Yitzhack Rabin’s 1994 assassination was due to god’s punishment. Although basking in the death of someone who is attempting make peace in the most volatile part of the world is bad enough, the most appalling part of Robertson’s non-sense was his threat to future leaders:

“He was dividing God's land, and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the EU, the United Nations or United States of America. God said, ‘This land belongs to me, you better leave it alone.’”

http://mediamatters.org/items/200601050004

Its funny, change the words God to Allah and you would think that this quote came straight from some Islamic Jihadist group. That being said, I support freedom of speech and understand that he has the right to say this, the same as a Jihadist group should (although I question whether or not Robertson and other right wing wackos would support such a right).

What I do not support, however, is this Jihadist message being broadcast on a network for kids. Just think of it, one minute the kids are sitting around watching “Annie” the next minute Ossama’s new video. Yet tonight’s ABC family lineup reads as follows “6:00-7:00pm Smallville, 7:00-10:00pm Annie and 10:00-11:00pm the 700 Club.” This is not the local schedule but the nation wide schedule. That means coast to coast ABC family will be showing radical Christen propaganda back to back with their prime time family programming 5 nights a week. Nothing like a little bit of hatred and warnings of slow and painful deaths to non-followers to close a night of Family programming.

Letterman Skewers OReiley

Wow, posts on back to back day. This is a fun little video of Letterman bitch-slapping Bill O'Reilly (courtesy of "crooksandliars.com"). I only post this because I truly hate that man.


http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/01/04.html#a6571

Sad News Breaks

This is a really interesting video. This seems to be the first anyone had heard about the fallacies regarding the Virginia mine deaths. It really shows the human side of what happened. Anderson Cooper seems devastated by what he is hearing.

I don't know how long this link will stay active so sorry if it no longer works.

Music of 2005 in Review

1) Bright Eyes- I’m wide awake its morning

It’s hard to say if the band/musicianship or the immaculate lyrics on this record are more important. The way Connor Oberst intertwines love, sex, humanity and war throughout the album while still seeming succinct is simply amazing. In fact, he often does it within the same song,

“We made love on the living room floor,

with the noise in the background of a televised war,

and in the deafening silence I thought I heard someone say,

‘if we’ll walk away, they’ll walk away.”

Do yourself a favor and buy this record!!!

2) Bruce Springsteen- Devils and Dust

Springsteen proves that he is/always has been the best postdylanbeinggood songwriter out there. “Devils and Dust,” “The Hitter” and “Long time Comin’” are all incredible songs. (Also, don’t forget to buy the remastered Born to Run)

3) Ryan Adams-Cold Roses

Adams goes back to a more country sound with better songs that he has written since Demolition. Surprisingly, the best song on the record is called “Life is Beautiful” and he isn’t even being sarcastic.

4) Spoon- Gimme Fiction

This album didn’t click with me at first. When it came out midsummer I bought it, gave it a couple of spins and came to the conclusion that it was typical Pitchfork “this album is so indy its tuneless and therefore awesome” drivel. Then I caught onto “Sister Jack” because of the line:

“I was on the outside always looking in

I was in this dropped D metal band

We called Requiem.”

Dylan lyrics they aren’t but for some reason they resonated within my soul. “Sister Jack” led me to “the Beast and Dragon Adored” which led me to my dirty love affair with spoon. Very similar in sound to post Summerteeth Wilco.

5) Ryan Adams-Jacksonville City Nights

More country than Roses but the songs are perhaps even better (albeit sadder). The country grit of “My Heart is Broken” and “Pa” is hard not to love. The album screams Gram Parsons and the Byrds but like many of their albums, this album lacks urgency and consequently these songs that are almost all great individually seem to lack importance when crammed onto this record. Remember kids if it can’t fit onto one Vinyl record (48 minutes) either make it a true double disk or cut some shit off it.

6) Bloc Party-Silent Alarm

Hear those drums? The storm is coming… “Its so cold in this… house!”

When Block Party was cool I pigeonholed them as just another garage-dance-rock band. Then I actually listened to the record. The drumming is better than the drums on anything that came out this year and the production is subtle layer upon subtle layer upon subtle layer. Its curious that they released a remixed version of this record when the original production already sounds like it has been tinkered as far as it can be tinkered without molesting the integrity of the song. But I guess that’s what all the cool bands are doing these days.

7) Bright Eyes- Digital Ash in a Digital Urn

It takes some serious effort to listen to this record and not think of a coked out Connor Oberst playing these songs with 13 out of rhythm musicians backing him. That being said, “Easy/Lucky/Free” is the best song of the year. Nuclear holocaust never sounded so pretty. From there the album is 50% good songs and 50% eh but the good ones are so good that they carry you through the clunkers. Its just such a shame that Oberst couldn’t find a less pompous way of recreating this record on stage.

8) Decemberists- Picaresque

If you can get past Colin Melloy’s Renaissance Festival delivery it is hard not to get trapped inside his stories. The sympathetic lyrics in “the Bagman’s Gambit” are every bit as compelling as the lyrics in the Ghost of Tom Joad but the delivery feels quirky, hurting its credibility. “The Sporting Life” is as clever as any song you will hear and “Mariners Revenge Song” is “A Quick One” or “Jungleland” only with pirates ‘n’ whales ‘n’ muskets ‘n’ stuuufff.

9) New Pornographers-Twin Cinema

Pure pop goodness. I don’t know if there is a song on this record that doesn’t “Uptown Girl” harmonies in it. When Spanish techno breaks into its orgasm of “hey la’s” you feel kind of dirty for liking it but you can’t help it. Its like eating pure sugar.

10) Ben Folds- Songs for Silverman

To quote Pharrell, “People need to give Ben Folds some more fucking respect.” Songs for Silverman is a good number 10 on any list. It is not for everyone but is certainly good enough to warrant some recognition. On this records Folds clearly is more influenced by politics than he is by where Summer is or his black T-shirt. Sometimes this is a good thing (see “Old Bastard”) and sometimes not (see: “Jesusland”). To his credit Folds has abandoned trying to make lavish one man band studio projects in favor of a line up that finds him accompanied only by a bass player and drummer. The Vinyl version ends with a reminder of where folds has made Folds with a cover of Dr. Dre’s “Bitches ain’t shit” and what he is capable of in the future with the ultra-serious “Prison Food.”

And if 10 records aren’t enough for you, here are a few other good’ens.

Death Cab For Cutie- Plans

Coldplay X&Y

MMJ-Z

Mike Doughty-Haughty Melodic

Hot Hot Heat-Elevator

Watergate

The American public is greatly ignorant and unconcerned with current events. It’s a statement of fact, not of opinion. The vast majority of Americans don’t know who their senators are let alone info on local issues. Watching the local news during the November sweeps month, its easy to understand why no one watches the news. The longest and most in depth story is always “(fill in the blank) team of investigates…” while real news is given its 10 to 20 seconds and dispensed with. It is now a nightly occurrence to break the next Watergate.

The whole phenomena drew a lot of attention in early November when FOX9, a Minneapolis station, began running promos for a full week saying “you won’t believe what are hidden cameras found. University of Minnesota Hockey players were seen breaking team rules and even the law,” while blurry pics were flashed across the screen. When the story aired FOX9 described following the players for 6 weeks and finding them drinking under age. That’s right, college kids drink underage. (gasp) These players were not drunk, nor rude or obnoxious but having a beer.

Since the FOX 9 “investigation” I have been particularly sensitive to this horrible reporting. I noticed that this trash has been on the air on nearly a nightly basis. On Wednesday night a different local station had another shocking revelation. With the never ending Iraq war in full swing the United States Army is trying to recruit Arabic speaking people as translators. As it turns out, some of the people who were getting these letters don’t speak Arabic at all. You know what that means, the Army’s recruitment bulk mailing system occasionally sends miss mails things. No shit!!!! Since I was 18 I have been receiving duplicate mailings of everything the army sent out, one as me and one as a non-existent Matt Broten. (as a side note: I have often feared that if a draft came I may be drafted twice making my planned escape to Canada that much more difficult) This isn’t news. Why is it worth knowing. Everyone gets tons of mislabeled mail every year. But in the quest for the next Watergate this is news.

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