Hipcat Yo Boy

Movies

2007-07-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Albums of the Year

2007-07-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

From Haymarket to Buffalo

2007-07-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

Bloggers in Jail

2007-02-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

NPR reports that an Egyptian blogger has been sentenced to four years in prison for criticizing Islam and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Compare this story with the story of Josh Wolf, an American blogger who served time in jail because he refused to hand over video footage that he shot of a San Francisco riot.

More Hip Hop Education

2007-02-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

Pitchfork reports that North Carolina Central University has added two new "professors" to its staff. DJ 9th Wonder and Play (from the rap group Kid 'N Play) will teach a course called "Hip Hop in Context." It is part of NCCU's Hip Hop Initiative, a program intended to academically analyze hip hop as a social phenomenon.

Chancellor James H. Ammons says, “The position of Hip-Hop in academia has grown in recent years. Undeniably, hip-hop is one of the strongest tools by which we can reach a segment of our youth and demonstrate the ideals stated in our mission. The mission of North Carolina Central University is to prepare students academically and professionally to become leaders prepared to advance the consciousness of social responsibility in a diverse, global society.”

Ian McKaye Addresses DC Council About All-Ages Shows

2007-02-12T19:52:00.000-08:00

Corey Harris at Blues Alley

2007-02-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

A while back, I saw Corey Harris play Blues Alley in Georgetown. One of the best ever. Seriously.

Other shows on the horizon:

The Good, The Bad, and The Queen - 930 Club
Bright Eyes - 930 Club
The Thermals - Black Cat
The Books - 930 Club
Peter, Bjorn and John - 930 Club

From Haymarket to Buffalo

2007-02-12T17:52:00.000-08:00

Was it a revolution?

The Movement began when a bomb killed eight Chicago policemen. It ended with the assassination of the President of the United States.

The nation’s first terrorist attack occurred on May 4th, 1886, at Haymarket Square in Chicago. Hundreds of protestors had gathered in solidarity for the strikers at the nearby McCormick Harvesting Machine Company plant. For three days, union laborers had carried out a strike, demanding an eight-hour workday. As many as 80,000 Chicagoans had joined the demonstration. As the strike went on, it grabbed national attention. Throughout the country, 350,000 laborers staged similar strikes at 1,200 different factories. Since the 1870s, more and more laborers had begun to organize, strike, and demand better working conditions. Clearly, a movement was in the making – but was it a revolution?

The gathering at Haymarket Square started off peacefully, as protestors assembled in the early evening. While various anarchists, socialists, activists, and laborers addressed the crowd, a drizzle cooled the air and police officers stood in the margins.

Suddenly, from nowhere, an unidentified person lobbed a homemade pipe bomb into the crowd. It exploded on impact, killing one police officer immediately and wounding several others. The police opened fire, killing five protestors. Seven more police officers would eventually die from wounds suffered at Haymarket. The final body count reached thirteen.

Instinctively, the city of Chicago pursued and arrested the organizers of the Haymarket rally. Most of suspects were either anarchists or socialists. All of them were recent immigrants. In all, eight suspects were arrested and put on trial. After a speedy and dubious trial, all eight were convicted and sentenced to death or life in prison. Four were evenutally executed. Years later, the governor of Illinois reopened the case and pardoned all eight suspects, citing a lack of proper evidence. No one ever identified who threw the bomb.

***

Most Americans reacted to the Haymarket Affair with indifference or disdain for radicalism. Lots of people came to associate the burgeoning labor movement with violence and chaos. Others came to associate it with the decidedly un-American beliefs in anarchism and socialism. Indeed, Haymarket was a black eye for the labor movement.

Yet, it was a galvanizing force in the growing anti-capitalist revolutionary movement. Most anarchists and socialists in this country viewed the Chicago Eight as casualties in the increasingly violent class warfare. Great injustice had been done. Redemption must be sought. The Haymarket Martyrs became the rallying cry for the revolutionary movement.

The most famous of these people were Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman. The two met in the anarchist circles of New York City. They would eventually become lovers and leaders of a small crusade against capitalism. To the martyrs’ cause the lovers would devote their lives. For the working-man, captive in an unjust society, they would fight.

For the next six years, Berkman and Goldman spread their anarchist and activist messages in Chicago, New York, Cleveland, and other industrial cities. They pamphleteered, organized workers, delivered speeches, wrote essays, and formed activist groups. They agitated for labor unions, encouraged strikes, challenged convention, and questioned authority. Accordingly, they alienated themselves from mainstream society. They wanted nothing to do with the American Dream, and the Dream wanted nothing to do with them.

In the Summer of 1892, opportunity knocked for the couple. A major strike in Pittsburgh had gone awry, and Berkman and Goldman were called to action.

***

At the Homestead Steel Plant in Pittsburgh, workers had been carrying out a strike that had lasted nearly five months. Although Andrew Carnegie owned the plant, he had placed Henry Clay Frick in charge of it while Carnegie vacationed in Europe. Frick – the ruthless industrialist and alleged gangster - had had enough of the strike and decided to lock out all of the strikers. Naturally, the strikers were upset and began to agitate even more. Frick decided to put an end to it. He hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency to restore order. The Pinkertons were a private security force, notorious for their brutality, yet revered for their effectiveness in ending strikes. When the strikers learned of the hire, they fortified their positions, armed themselves, and waited. Pittsburgh was flirting with war.

It is unclear who fired first, but as the boat of Pinkertons lumbered up the Monongahala River towards the Homestead steel plant, shots rang out. Pinkertons fired from their raised positions on the boat. Strikers fired from the ground. The Pennsylvania State Militia had to come in and restore order. When the dust cleared, three Pinkertons and seven strikers were dead. Henry Clay Frick hired new workers, and business continued to boom.

Back in New York, Alexander Berkman was enraged. The Haymarket Martyrs had given him a cause to which he would devote his life. But the Homestead Strike gave him a cause for which he was willing to die. Berkman decided to assassinate Frick. He blamed Frick for everything – for exploiting the workers, for refusing their demands, for calling the Pinkertons and starting the violence. The fact that Frick had emerged from the incident unscathed was anathema for Berkman. He vowed revenge - as if it was he himself that had been shot at Homestead.

Emma Goldman, infatuated with her lover and the Cause, was eager to help. Together, they hatched a plan that would send Berkman to Pittsburgh and leave Goldman in New York. According to her lover, whom she endearingly called “Sasha,” she would need to stay behind to write about, celebrate, and propagandize his exploits. She was also the one charged with financing the ordeal and supplying the weapon.

After two failed attempts to make a bomb, Berkman asked Goldman to procure him a gun. She did so with relative ease, and, after buying a new suit of clothes, Berkman made his way to Pittsburgh. On the evening of Saturday, July 23rd, 1892, Berkman went into Frick’s office and shot him three times. To Sasha’s surprise, several workingmen came to Frick’s aid. They tackled Berkman and beat him. With his last bit of energy, Berkman crawled towards Frick and stabbed him in the leg with a poisoned dagger. The workingmen then knocked Berkman unconscious. Ironically, the assassin was felled by the very people whose cause Berkman purported to represent.

The assassination attempt failed. Frick survived. Berkman served twenty-two years in prison. Goldman was left to carry the torch.

***

The labor movement continued to develop, and despite the growing popular resentment of radicalism, American anarchists and socialists continued to spread their message and fight for their cause. However, the revolution suffered a knockout punch in the early Fall of 1901.

Leon Csoglosz was a young, disillusioned American, born into a Polish immigrant family. He quickly lost faith in the American system, turning first to socialism, and then to anarchism. He read many of Emma Goldman’s writings, and after hearing her give a speech in Cleveland, he decided to approach her. Their meeting was brief and innoquous, but it would produce dire consequences for Goldman and for the entire United States of America.

On September 5, 1901, President’s Day, US President William McKinley paid a visit to the World’s Fair in Buffalo, New York. Called “The Pan-American Exposition,” it aimed to promote US progress and benevolence in the Western Hemisphere following the US victory in the Spanish-American War three years earlier. On display were the latest advances in technology: electricity, the X-Ray machine, the infant incubator. In the Temple of Music, John Philips Sousa’s band and others played five to seven shows a day. Indeed, it was a spectacle.

After giving a rousing speech on American progress on the 5th, McKinley went to the Temple of Music on the 6th to shake hands with his constituents. It was a hot day, and as the well wishers waited in line to greet the President, many removed their handkerchiefs to wipe away the sweat. Leon Czoglosz waited in line, too. And just like the others, he removed his handkerchief as well. However, his was a bit different. His concealed a small handgun. After waiting patiently, the time came for him to shake McKinley’s hand. As the President reached out his hand, Czoglosz fired two shots into the President’s torso. The President collapsed. Czoglosz was tackled, disarmed, and rushed away. During his interrogation, he indicated that Emma Goldman had been his inspiration.

A nationwide manhunt launched to find Goldman. Law enforcers arrested and harassed anarchists all around the country, but Goldman managed to keep the police at bay. In Chicago, she finally turned herself in to the authorities. After a month in prison, she was released. No investigator could find enough evidence to tie her to the crime.

Leon Czoglosz was convicted and sentenced to death on September 23rd, 1901. He sat in the electric chair on October 19th, 1901. Forth-three days passed between the time he fired the shots and breathed his last breath.

Before he sat down, he said, “I killed the President because he was the enemy of the good people—the good working people. I am not sorry for my crime."

As they were burying Czoglosz, authorities coated his body with sulfuric acid to speed up the decompisition process. They also burned all of his clothes and letters.

With him died the Revolution that anarchists and radicals had worked so hard to build.

Essay Question:
Choose 1 of the following 2 options for your response:

Agree or disagree with my conclusion. Did the Revolution die with Czolgosz?
Was there a revolution in the first place? If not, why not?

Path Between the Seas

2007-02-12T17:27:00.001-08:00

by David MacCullough

David MacCullough's story of the Panama Canal is rich and colorful. The author's fascination with Theodore Roosevelt resonates on every page of the book, and the intrigues of capitalism and global trade made people drool every every time a cashbox rang.

The Panama Railroad predates the Panama Canal. From 1848 to 1853, thousands of laborers from around the world risked death to build the world's first connection of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. According to MacCullough, in 5 years, between 6,000 and 12,000 people died working on the railroad. In 1853, of the 1,590 men on the payroll, 1,200 of them were black.

The Clayton-Bulwer Treaty of 1850 had given the United States and Britain joint control of Nicaragua or, "by implication, any canal anywhere in Central America." French industrialists had begun the canal, but several snafus scuttled the project. American opportunists and Foreign Interests jumped at the opportunity to finish the disastrous project. Before the Canal's completion, the United States would go on to foment a Revolution in Panama following TR's advice to "walk softly but carry a big stick."

[EDITOR'S NOTE: I need someone to tell me more about the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. Also, what year did James Monroe declare his "Monroe Doctrine." For reference, what year did the US establish Monrovia, Liberia?]

Once the railroad was completed and men stopped dying on the tracks, construction of the canal began and many other workers died. Of the high deathtoll, McCullough writes, "The cost paid in human lives for the miniscule bit of track was of the kind people associated with dark, barbaric times, before the age of steam and iron and the upward march of Progress."

[EDITOR'S NOTE: I need somone to compare the Panama Railroad deaths with the number of deaths per year in: coal mines, other railroads, meat processing plants, garment factories, and steel plants.]

McCullough also writes, "Private Property and nationalism were to be things of the past. The leadership of mankind was to be entrusted to an elite class of artists, scientists, and industrialists."

Hepcat Saints

2007-02-07T05:25:00.001-08:00

To my peoples,

I started up a new blog - http://hepcatsaints.blogspot.com.

Check it.

JANK!

2007-01-29T14:52:00.000-08:00

The Tar Heels smoked the Arizona Wildcats 92-64 on Saturday.

I don't care if Arizona is overrated, and I don't care if they're struggling - Saturday's win was huge. Two of the Heels' best players did not play, yet we still won by 28 points. On the road, against a ranked team, in a hostile environment. The only thing better than a statement win is a win against Duke. As luck would have it, we play the Blue Devils next week...get ready.

Next up: Miami, 7 PM Wednesday

Um, Ever Heard of Bad Brains?

2007-01-29T14:34:00.000-08:00

The New York Times features an interesting article about black fans of indie rock. Although it oversimplifies a lot of ideas, it covers an interesting subject. Here is a good excerpt:

"But 40 years after black musicians laid down the foundations of rock, then largely left the genre to white artists and fans, some blacks are again looking to reconnect with the rock music scene.
The Internet has made it easier for black fans to find one another, some are adopting rock clothing styles, and a handful of bands with black members have growing followings in colleges and on the alternative or indie radio station circuit. It is not the first time there has been a black presence in modern rock. But some fans and musicians say they feel that a multiethnic rock scene is gathering momentum.“Hip-hop has lost a lot of its originality,” said Mr. Brown of Everything Must Go, the East Harlem skateboard shop. “This is the new thing.”

The article also discusses "blipsters." Black hipsters. Seriously.

For more black and white indie nonsense, check out the comments section on this Prefix link. It spins into all-out e-argument as indie fans argue with one another over the alleged racist undertones of this comment: "Too bad Band of Horses or Mew don’t have a couple African Americans who can contribute some cool beats…"

In the Rotation

2007-01-26T11:13:00.000-08:00

Gram Parsons - GP and Grievous Angel
The indie record store guy recommended this one. He said that Gram Parsons was the major influence on alt-country. I can't hear Uncle Tupelo in this record, but I sure as hell can hear Ryan Adams.

The Thermals - The Body The Blood The Machine

This record is everything I wanted it to be: Green Day meets the Strokes meets "Monster"-era R.E.M meets angry political lyrics. Hutch Harris's voice is excellent, too.

Nas - Hip Hop is Dead

There's too much name-dropping on this record. But that's what hip hop's all about, I guess. Despite its pretentiousness, I love the album. Nas is as good as hip hop gets.

Tropicalia - A Brazilian Revolution in Sound

This record catalogues the hits from the late 1960s/early 1970s funky psych-folk scene in Brazil. Tom Ze's song "Jimmy Renda-Se" is invigorating.

Ali Farka Toure - Savane

Malian roots music meets Bob Dylan's blues. I wish I could understand the lyrics - I guess it's time to learn another language.

I Heart Self-Parody

2007-01-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

In his review of the Shins' new album, Village Voice writer Nate Cavalieri says this about the band: "After enough time, every other haircut band on the MFA candidate's iPod—from Destroyer to the Decemberists—sounded like thesaurus-driven poseurs by comparison."

Heels Win Twice Against the Golds and Blacks

2007-01-25T19:03:00.000-08:00

The Tar Heels beat Wake Forest 88-60 last night.

They beat Georgia Tech 77-61 Saturday night.

Both were standard Heels wins. We get off to slow (ugly, even?) starts in the first half, then we blow it wide open in the second half. Moving right along.......

Next up: Arizona, 1:00 Saturday

(By the way, how about that Dookie miracle win against Clemons tonight? Pretty standard, really. Man, I hhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate those guys.)

Those Tweenies Grows Up So Fast These Days

2007-01-25T18:41:00.000-08:00

Abigail Breslin is 10 years old. She is in the news these days because she was nominated for an Academy Award.

Dakota Fanning is 12 years old. She is in the news these days because her new movie features a scene of her being sexually abused and/or raped.

Ummmmmm.......

To all 10 of my readers........

2007-01-25T04:57:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in about a week, and the posts will probably be fairly irregular for a little bit. I just started my new old job teaching high school. Since I no longer work for the federal government, I no longer have the copious amounts of free time I once enjoyed. I am no longer bored. I am no longer under-utilized. Alas, I actually have work to do, expectations to meet, problems to solve....you get the picture.

I plan to keep posting, so I urge you to keep checking in. Just be aware that this transition might spell the end of the daily synopses of the Washington Post and the BBC highlight reels.

Camera Ubiquity

2007-01-19T13:55:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting passage from the Slate article "How the Camera Phone Changed the World":

"We e-mail [photos] to our friends, who testify to the enormity of the event, and then we all await the next sensation. This impulse can be positive, but it also fuels the increasingly destructive American habit of oversharing. The snapshot speaks with a small voice: I'm alive and I saw this. The cell phone camera picture or video is a shout from the rooftop: Check out this crazy thing that happened to me...[This new development] testifies to the power of first-person witnessing, and how a digital copy of that witnessing can upend neat narratives and certainties. We'll see the best of things, we'll see the worst of things, we'll see everything."

Is This How the World Sees Us?

2007-01-19T10:10:00.000-08:00

The BBC features an interesting article about African-Americans abandoning the United States and moving to Africa to start new businesses and lives. Renee Neblett started her own business in Ghana. "We had such a miserable time in America. Nobody can imagine what it was like to be black in America," she said.

This kind of article and interview have become fairly common in our self-condemning culture of "white guilt." However, I'm struck by the fact that this piece was published by a British source.

2007-01-19T09:35:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. President.

First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Elvis Presley and admire you and have great respect for your office. I talked to Vice President Agnew in Palm Springs 3 weeks ago and expressed my concern for our country. The drug culture, the hippie elements, the SDS, Black Panthers, etc. do NOT consider me as their enemy or as they call it The Establishment. I call it America and I love it. Sir, I can and will be of any service that I can to help The Country out. I have no concern or Motives other than helping the country out. . . .

I can and will do more good if I were made a Federal Agent at Large. . . . Sir, I am staying at the Washington Hotel, Room 505-506-507. . . . I am registered under the name of Jon Burrows. I will be here for as long as it takes to get the credentials of a Federal Agent. I have done an in-depth study of drug abuse and Communist brainwashing techniques and I am right in the middle of the whole thing where I can and will do the most good. . . .
I am sending you the short autobiography about myself so you can better understand this approach. I would love to meet you just to say hello if you're not too busy.

Respectfully,

Elvis Presley

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Read about this surreal moment in American pop culture here or visit the US Archives' official exhibit, entitled "When Nixon Met Elvis."

The Evolution of the Journalism Industry

2007-01-19T08:49:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post continues its coverage:

Time Magazine will cut almost 300 jobs. According to company officials: "The layoffs are about the restructuring of our editorial staffs as we move quickly into a future of flexible, multiplatform content creation...we need to continue to evolve to meet the cost pressures and challenges presented by our rapidly shifting industry."
Private equity firms have taken an interest in purchasing struggling news companies: "That unsettles some, who fear that private equity's focus on short-term gain will lead to more cuts and quality reductions in an already shaky industry. But Freedom president Scott N. Flanders said private-equity ownership of newspapers is actually the best idea for this turbulent era. "Media companies in transition should be private," Flanders said. "When you're privately backed, you have the flexibility to be nimble."

The Workingman's Millionaire

2007-01-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

I'm intrigued by John Edwards and his populist approach to winning the presidential election in 2008. His campaign slogan of valuing "Work over Wealth" has a nice ring to it, his goal of universal health care contains the right ideological framework, and his honesty about raising taxes is refreshing even if it's not appealing.

However, Edwards' romanticization of the proletariat is a bit of a sham. The Washington Post reports on his participation in a controversial real estate deal in which he sold his Georgetown mansion for $5.2 million. He had bought the place for $3.2 million during his tenure as a North Carolina senator.

Another detail that dulls Edwards' workingman's shine is the entreprenuerial spirit of his Princeton-educated daughter. Before moving on to Harvard Law School, Cate Edwards created Urbanista, a shopping blog for young college graduates to consult when they move to New York and need trusted advise on such conundrums as where to get their "Marc Jacobs shoes re-heeled." (Gawker features an interesting blurb about Cate's blog.)

That's More Like It

2007-01-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

The Tar Heels got back to their winning ways and dominated the Clemons Tigers last night, beating them 77-55. Sloppy offense was a cause for concern - especially Ty Lawson's 7 turnovers. However, our swarming defense more than made up for the mental errors. Wayne Ellington ended his two-game slump, Danny Green logged quality minutes, and Deon Thompson played his best game of the season.

Next up: Georgia Tech comes to Chapel Hill, 9:00 Saturday

Go Dawgs!

2007-01-18T07:04:00.000-08:00

How fratty is this? The Wonkette reports that Georgia Representative and UGA Bulldog fan Jack Kingston was the only Congressman to vote against a House Resolution to recognize the University of Florida Gators for their 2007 Football National Championship. Check out the 414-to-1 final vote here.

The Washington Post to Distribute "The Onion" in DC

2007-01-18T06:49:00.000-08:00

The future of journalism is now. The Washington Post has announced that it will distribute a print edition of "The Onion."

The Week Ahead

2007-01-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night, the Heels go down to Clemons for a second consecutive ACC road game. Unlike in years past, this road trip to South Carolina is a cause for concern. Clemons is ranked 19th in the nation with a 17-1 record. However, the Tigers could easily still be undefeated - according to InsideCarolina.com, Clemons only lost by five points to a Maryland team that recorded a ridiculous 63% field goal percentage.

The most frightening aspect of the upcoming Clemons game is that, like the VA Tech Hokies, the Tigers feature a talented and experienced backcourt. For the second straight game, the Tar Heel guards will have their work cut for them against good shooters with chips on their shoulders.

On Saturday night, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets come to Chapel Hill for a 9:00 prime time game on ESPN. It will feature a hype-o-licious build-up as ESPN's College Gameday broadcasts from the Smith Center all day. Georgia Tech shouldn't offer too much of a challenge, especially since this is a home game. However, let's not forget that the Yellow Jackets did beat Duke last week.

Will Borat Win This Man an Oscar?

2007-01-16T06:18:00.000-08:00

Sasha Baron Cohen, also known as Borat, won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy last night. Totallyjewish.com covers the story and suggests that this award increases the chances that Cohen will be nominated for an Oscar. Can you imagine Borat joining the ranks of Don Corleone and Forest Gump?

Martin Luther King Day

2007-01-15T07:04:00.000-08:00

"A Letter from a Birmingham Jail" is my favorite of Martin Luther King's writings. It is a call to action, a sermon, a manifesto, and an inspiration that connects modernity to the classical age. If you're looking for a good way to honor MLK on his holiday, I recommend reading the letter in its entirety. Most of the people who read this blog will probably still feel challenged by this passage:

"I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advices the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from the people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection....We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of bad people, but for the appalling silence of good people. We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of men willing to be coworkers with God, and without this hard work time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy, and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity."

More Hip Hop Education

2007-01-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

A while back, I posted an article about the use of hip hop in the classroom. Today's Washington Post features another such story. It's titled "Where Hope Meets Hip-Hop:
D.C. Artists Will Use Reality-Based Rhymes To Reinforce Martin Luther King Jr.'s Message."

Ethnocentrism and Blithe Indifference

2007-01-14T10:06:00.001-08:00

In the Washington Post editorial "Trapped by Hubris, Again," Robert Kaiser writes,

"In Vietnam, as in Iraq, U.S. military power alone proved unable to achieve the desired political objectives. How did this happen again? After all, we're Americans - practical, common-sense people who know how to get things done. Or so we'd like to think. In truth, we are ethnocentric to a fault, certain of own superiority, convinced that others see us as we do, blithely indifferent to cultural, religious, political, and historical realities far different from our own. These failings - more than any tactical or strategic errors - help explain the U.S. catastrophes in Vietnam and Iraq."

Hokies School the Heels

2007-01-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

To be ranked #1 in the nation is to place a huge target on your back. Yesterday, the Virginia Tech Hokies hit the bullseye, defeating the #1 Tar Heels 94-88.

For the most of the game, the Heels played weak, uninspired basketball. While VA Tech was busy overcoming an early 8-point deficit and building a 10-point lead, the Tar Heels exposed their great weakness - no leadership. The vaccum continued for the first 15 minutes of the second half, allowing the Hokies to build a 23 point lead.

Fortunately, the Heels tried to redeem themselves during the final 5 minutes of the game. However, at the 3:36 mark, VA Tech still led by 19 points. In a furious comeback effort, the Heels were able to cut the lead down to 3 points. They never got over the hump, but the frenetic final effort made the loss a lot more palatable.

You see, we Tar Heel fans have the remarkable ability to rationalize a defeat and call it a "good loss." The Number One ranking this early in the season is a curse, so it's good to shed that burden. Furthermore, yesterday's game was the first road game in over a month, and the Hokie squad was much more talented than most of the cupcakes the Heels had previously played. If we had lost by 23, this rationale would not apply. However, we cut 20 points off a lead in 3 minutes, and we did it on the road against a considerable opponent. My optimism is no longer blind - but it is still pretty damn strong. This team is solid, for sure.

Our perimeter offense is still weak, and Brandan Wright missed 7 of his 8 free throws. However, the only thing I'm really worried about is the lack of leadership. Who is our leader? Wes Miller is not a crucial enough player to fill the role. Reyshawn Terry lacks consistency and urgency. Tyler Hansbrough is a good role model, but he's neither vocal nor emotional. If the Heels want to live up to their hype as a National Championship contender, someone on the team needs to channel their inner-David Noel or watch some old Raymond Felton highlights. This team needs a commander-in-chief.

Next up: at Clemons, 9:00 on Wenesday.

Vacation Plans? How About the Mall?

2007-01-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

Who needs mountains and beaches when you've got good malls?

The Charlotte Observer reports that Concord Mills Mall is the #1 Tourist Attraction in the state.

February 18th, 2007: Another Day that Will Live in Infamy

2007-01-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

On that fateful day, Nascar veteran Dale Jarrett will drive a Toyota at the Daytona 500.

I'm sure the New Nativists will have a field day with this foreign invastion of an American institution, but Jarrett addresses their concerns in this Nascar.com article:

"As far as Toyota, sure, the parent company is foreign...We could get into the argument about where the Ford Fusion is built; every one of them are built in Mexico. The Monte Carlos are built in Canada." He then goes on to say that Toyota is a great company that employs a large number of American workers. He concludes, "[We] have to be accepting of change. If we don't, then you would still be watching 12-inch TV screens, and that's not a lot of fun whenever you've got everything else that's out there."

Jingoism is So Rad

2007-01-12T06:19:00.000-08:00

Bing West's article in this week's National Review is titled "Do or Die in Iraq." There's no link to it on NR's web page, but after reading the introductory blurb in the print edition's table of contents, I don't think I need to read any further. Check out this jingoism....it's vainglooooooooooorious:

"The streets outside the Green Zone are controlled by killers whose souls have been corroded, and who will continue to murder, because that's what they do. They're not going to be won over by jobs cleaning streets or promises of oil-revenue sharing. Like the mafia, they have tasted power and they're not giving it back. They have to be put down, in jail or in the earth." WHOA!

[EDITOR'S NOTE: My idea of a good time is searching thesaurus.com for good adjectives. For this post, I chose "vainglorious," but there were so many other tasty options. Check them out for yourself.]

A Dose of Reality

2007-01-11T08:07:00.000-08:00

The steamroller was bound to run out of gas eventually. After winning 11 blowouts in a row, the Tar Heels stuggled to beat the pesky Virginia Cavaliers last night. In the end, the good guys prevailed, 79-69 - but it wasn't pretty.

Most of the frustration came from the fact that the Tar Heels missed a lot of easy shots. Despite grabbing a season-high 21 offensive rebounds - a full 13 more than the Cavs - the Heels were unable to convert those boards into second-chance points. Brandan Wright missed 11 of his 16 shots. Tyler Hansbrough missed over half of his. The team only made 37.9% of its shots overall.

The good news is that they never lost control of the game. They never caused me to panic, and I was always sure that the worst case scenario would be a close and ugly victory. Our defense looked great, Quentin Thomas continued his solid play, and Marcus Ginyard submitted more proof that he is the second-coming of the heroic George Lynch.

Next up: VA Tech, 3:30 on Saturday

YouTube-Ops

2007-01-11T06:49:00.000-08:00

If you don't read anything else this week, read this Newsweek article: "We're Losing the Infowar." It's disturbing and fascinating.

The article analyzes the way Iraqi insurgents use basic net-roots media technology to spread their propaganda. With cell phone cameras, laptop computer editing programs, and the internet, these guerilla fighters are much more efficient at crafting and speading their message than the United States is. Perhaps the most interesting point the article makes is that insurgents sometimes attack US forces for the sole purpose of filming it. Then, they use that footage to recruit new forces and suggest that the US is losing and retreating. The most disturbing point the article makes is that the US is not only powerless in stopping insurgent propaganda; it is also unable to spread an effective message of its own.

Propaganda and media manipulation have always been key elements to any war effort. As a main component of the military's Psychological Operations (PsyOps), the strategy seeks to win the "hearts-and-minds" of various constituencies.

For years, the United States excelled at this part of warfare. From James K. Polk's declaration of "American blood on American soil" to the Committee on Public Information during World War I, and the Office of War Information during World War II, US commanders controlled most of the information about the wars in which it was engaged. They were masters at using it to drive victorious war efforts.

With the "democratization" of media, information is no longer controlled by a limited number of groups. The proliferation of cell phones, digital cameras, editing software, and internet applications has allowed anyone to manipulate information to fit an agenda.

Last night, President Bush used the traditional media to deliver his new message. This Newsweek article argues that the US is losing on that front, too:

"But at least as critical to success may be whether Bush is convincing. A draft report recently produced by the Baghdad embassy's director of strategic communications Ginger Cruz and obtained by NEWSWEEK makes the stakes clear: "Without popular support from US population, there is the risk that troops will be pulled back ... Thus there is a vital need to save popular support via message."

Today, another traditional media outlet seems to confirm Ginger Cruz's worries: two Washington Post headlines proclaim "Most Americans Opposed to Bush's Iraq Plan" and "Democrats Aim to Block Funds for Plan."

If that's the message we're hearing over here, imagine how the folks in Baghdad are spinning it.

The End of the Norman Rockwell Cop?

2007-01-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

Reading? Check.

Writing? Check.

Arithmetic? Check.

Police brutality? Coming right up.

The Village Voice runs an interesting article about teaching elementary schoolers about their legal rights. It is a follow-up to the newspaper's coverage of the Sean Bell killing, the unarmed man shot to death by zealous New York police officers. Naturally, many young students struggled to make sense of the episode:

"The conversation was unfortunately devolving into an impassioned 'I hate cops' discussion instead of something more constructive," [South Bronx 6th grade teacher Molly Henderson] recalls. "I tried to point out that not all the officers who fired at Sean Bell and his friends were white. But many of these kids have strong feelings about police officers, and one of them, even at age 12, was very vocal about white cops. I knew we had to talk about it, because there's nothing about police brutality or knowing your rights in the curriculum."

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Even if you don't read the article, link to it and check out the photo of Molly Henderson. Where do you think she lives: Williamsburg or the East Village? Hipster teachers are so cool.]

"Surge" = Newspeak

2007-01-10T07:05:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post features an intriguing look at the derivation of the word "surge." Along with "the way forward," it is the newest catchphrase in the contemporary political lexicon.

According the article, "Surge" falls into "the Orwellian zone between language and politics," says Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, which studies and evaluates the media. "The president and his advisers would be remiss if they didn't come up with a term suited to their new policy. But journalists would be equally remiss if they just thoughtlessly repeated the term without pondering the policy and its implications."

The President and His War

2007-01-10T06:26:00.000-08:00

When President Bush addresses the nation tonight, he's going to require an additional 20,000 (or more troops) to be sent to Iraq. In calling for this "surge," he will essentially ignore the recommendations of most of his generals, disregard the advice from the Iraq Study Group, and refute the idea that the 2006 election results were a mandate for withdrawal from Iraq. (Read the details in this excellent Washington Post analysis.)

Full disclosure: I haven't paid a lot of attention to the details of the war because it pisses me off so much. And I confess to being a military neophyte with absolutely no real knowledge of good policy. However, this "surge" rankles me.

The most irksome aspect of it is that the White House will disregard the advice of the generals who are actually in Iraq. Yes, Dick Cheney and George Bush, both of whom have zero years of military experience, will act against the advice of the highest military leaders in the land. Instead, the President and Vice President will follow the advice of Frederick Kagan and Jack Keane. Kagan is a fellow at a think tank (American Enterprise Institute) and Keane is a retired general. It's hard not to think that this war is being driven by academics and think tank minions.

The other bothersome point has to do with the abstract idealism of neoconservatism. As Bill Kristol wrote this week, we do not want to lose this war. We do not want to abandon Iraq. We do want to project an image of weakness. Thus, we must fight to the end. We must stick around, put our idealism to work, and win.

This position bothers me because I agree with it - in theory. I think most people agree with it - in theory. That's why it's called idealism. Indeed, the neoconservative viewpoint carries so much weight because it sounds great in a perfect world. The pinch, however, is that the world is not perfect. Idealism only goes so far. In the past, pragmatism has trumped idealism. In this case, the most pragmatic of them all - the generals and the Iraq Study Group - are being ignored.

More Chinese Punks

2007-01-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

I posted about Chinese Punk Rock a while ago. Continuing the theme, here's a link to an NPR report on the Beijing Scene, "home to rock 'n' roll rebels, subversive artists and a livelier alternative cultural scene than in any other Chinese city." Government censorship limits what punks and artists can say, but according to NPR, Beijing is the Seattle of China. As for the censors, the article reports, "The government allows these artists to create as long as their influence is limited to the periphery of the cultural world" - whatever that means.

Queen City Represents, University of Florida Makes History

2007-01-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

Charlotte-native and former Independence High School star Chris Leak led the Florida Gators to a National Champsionship last night, dogging the Ohio State Buckeyes 41-14.

My interest in NCAA Football this year has been beyond pathetic. I didn't watch a single game in its entirety, and I spent most Saturdays doing something other than sitting on the couch watching sports. My brother is ashamed of me, for sure.

Nevertheless, I'm happy to see a hometown boy do so well. In another article, ESPN says, "Chris Leak's time finally came Monday night, but he and his Florida teammates didn't just finish it off with a championship. They finished it off with something approaching the perfect game."

Of course, now the University of Florida is the first team ever to hold the Football and Basketball National Championship trophies simultaneously. Man, where's the Heels' football program when you need it?

Latin American Economies: What Do You Think?

2007-01-09T11:44:00.000-08:00

Newsweek International reveals that of the 603 prominent Latin American politicians, government officials, academics, and journalists that participated in a Zogby survey, "81 percent expect their national economies to improve over the next two years." The article then investigates the sources of such optimism as well as the arguments against it.

The BBC reports that Hugo Chavez has announced plans to nationalize certain energy and telecommunications companies. You'll remember that he essentially nationalized the media last week. These socialist overtures are hurting Venezuela, however. The BBC also reports that his most recent announcement spurred a significant drop in Venezuelan financial markets.

Those Pesky Neocons

2007-01-09T06:26:00.000-08:00

William Kristol, editor of the neoconservative bullhorn otherwise known as The Weekly Standard, writes an intriguing article about the hanging of Saddam Hussein. While most other pundits (including fellow neocon Charles Krauthammer) have condemned the execution, Kristol argues that a mass-murderer's death sentence, handed down from a court consisting of his own countrymen, is a good progress-marker for the future of Iraq. Kristol then laments that the "foreign policy cognoscenti and the political elites were happy to dismiss" this achievement:

"Why? Because to dwell on the life and death of this mass murderer might remind Americans of the fundamental justice of the war. It might cause the American people to wonder why, having accomplished this, they should be so quick to give up on accomplishing more. It might cause them to hesitate before succumbing to despair when confronted by the challenges of continued violence and terrorism. It might cause them to wonder whether tyranny might not still be successfully replaced by liberty."

The "fundamental justice of war?" "Tyranny replacing liberty?" Discuss.

Or, if you think Bill Kristol is full of shit - and you're not alone - read this Washington Post article that absolutely rules him.

Auld Links Syne

2007-01-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

The Charlotte Observer reports that the BMW plant in Spartanburg, SC, has been named a "Top Plant" for "starting a system that uses methane gas from a local landfill to provide more than half the plant's energy."
BEWARE! This editorial is as New York Times Left as the New York Times gets. However, it's a fairly reasonable assertion that the Bush Administration has created the "Imperial Presidency 2.0."
In an interesting analysis of William Rehnquist's drug addiction, Slate says "The Rehnquist story deserves a third airing today if only to illustrate the ugly double standards that excuse extreme drug use by the powerful, especially if their connection is a prescribing doctor, and condemns to draconian prison terms the guy who purchases his drugs on the street. Reviewing Rehnquist's tale one more time also demonstrates the reluctance of the Senate—and some members of the press—to grade the mental competency of judges and judicial nominees."
Country music is so hot right now. Pitchfork and The Economist both write insightful articles about the intricacies and idiosyncricies of the heartland's soundtrack.
Time runs an excellent anaylsis of racism in France. The magazine has also redone its web site, and after a casual perusal, I must conclude that it's an excellent overhaul.

Shows on the Horizon

2007-01-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

Jeff Tweedy - January 31 - Paramount Theatre (Charlottesville, VA)
Corey Harris - February 2 - Blues Alley
Midlake - February 7 - Rock and Roll Hotel (SIKE! UNC plays Duke that night)
The Thermals - March 2 - Black Cat
Bright Eyes - March 5 - 930 Club
The Books - April 17 - 930 Club
John Vanderslice - April 25 - Rock and Roll Hotel

Hip Hop Milestone

2007-01-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

Not that the Hall of Fame means much, but hip hop just kicked the door down.

Pitchfork reports that Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. According to my basic search on Wikipedia, the group is the first hip hop act ever to receive such an honor.

Venezuela to Macedonia - WTF?

2007-01-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

The BBC reports that Macedonian police confiscated 400 kg of Venezuelan cocaine from a truck headed to Greece. It was the largest drug bust in Macedonian history, and the contraband was estimated to have a $50 million street value.

I wonder....

is Venezuela a player in the War on Drugs? I wonder how much Hugo Chavez knows.
how on Earth does 400 kg of anything - especially illegal cargo - get from Venezuela to Macedonia?

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2007-01-08T06:43:00.000-08:00

Forget Christmas - ACC basketball season is the best time of the year.

Last night was more of the same. Domination, yet again. The Heels rolled over the Florida State Seminoles en route to a 84-58 victory.

I've listed the best excerpts from Inside Carolina's wrap-up:

"Carolina’s post-tandem of Tyler Hansbrough (8-12 FG, 9-10 FT, 25 pts.) and Brandan Wright (9-13 FG, 2-2 FT, 20 pts.) dominated down low, as the Tar Heels converted over twice as many field goals in the paint as FSU (28-12)."

"UNC has eclipsed 50 percent field goal shooting in the second half of 11 games this year including the last 6 in a row."

"Quentin Thomas has seven assists without a turnover since returning from injury two games ago."

Next up: UVA comes to Chapel Hill, 9 PM Wednesday night.

Two Big Losses

2007-01-08T06:34:00.000-08:00

Duke lost to Virginia Tech in Overtime, 69-67. A Duke loss makes me feel like everything's gonna be all right. We're still at war, and it's getting worse - but at least Carolina is better than Duke this year.

UCLA lost to Oregon, 68-66. That means the Tar Heels will probably be ranked #1 this week. Huzzah Huzzah Huzzah!

Clemons

2007-01-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

I think it's time to admit that Clemson is for real this year. Saturday's last second win against Georgia Tech preserved the Tigers' unbeaten streak. They're the only undefeated team in the country. True, their schedule has been weak, but no team puts together 16 straight wins based on luck alone.

A Belated, Begrudging Congratulations

2007-01-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

Most of us knew that this would happen sooner or later...

Most Wins in a Coaching Career:

#1: Bob Knight

#2: Dean Smith

Congrats, Bobby - you dog.

ESPN runs the story of Bob Knight's 880th win, a 70-68 sqeaker over New Mexico.

This Guy is Everywhere

2007-01-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

The label of "Sell Out" is overused, usually by people who have no idea what they're talking about. I'm sure Jay-Z would call those people "haters."

Thus, I won't say that Jay-Z has "sold out." But I will say that he's doin' somethin'. In the past 6 months, Young Hova has interviewed with Barbara Walters, met with Kofi Annan, headlined a UN-endorsed world tour, and appeared in a Budweiser commercial that featured one of his songs. Now, he's working with General Motors to customize a Yukon. The JZSUV will be painted "Jay-Z Blue" - read about it here.

What exactly was the Phoenix Foundation?

2007-01-07T18:09:00.000-08:00

MacGyver's boss Pete Thornton (left) worked for the Phoenix Foundation. What exactly was the the purpose of that organization? Was it an arm of the US Executive branch? A rogue intelligence group? A non-profit world-saver? While you ponder that, check out the MacGyver post on Wikipedia....it's a classic.

What's Henry Gonna Do?

2007-01-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

Nancy Pelosi will probably get the most media attention in the 110th Congress, but the Congressman I'll be most interested in is Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Government Reform Committee. He'll be in charge of "investigating" the Bush Administration and Congressional corruption. What does that mean, really? I don't know - but I can't wait to find out.

Waxman made an interesting comment as a guest today on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopolous." Stephanopolous asked him whom he would subpoena about the Iraq War and other matters. Waxman said that he had no agenda (yeah right!), but that he would not repeat the "disgraceful" performance that Republicans demonstrated during the Clinton Impeachment debacle. A lot of people have argued that the Republican-led witch hunt during the Clinton/Lewinsky affair was a reaction to the Democrat-led witch hunt during Watergate. I'm interested to see if the cycle continues.

I Drank the Kool-Aid

2007-01-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

It's no big surprise that I've become a rabid fan of HBO's The Wire. I'm a sucker for hype, and I love not-so-subtle creative statements on how effed-up our country is.

Sinister Joe and I watched the entire first season in a weekend, and we're already 2 episodes into Season 2. I've also loaded up my Netflix queue with Wire discs all the way through the final episode of Season 3. That's close to 30 hours of television - and I bet we'll knock it out before February. Seriously, I haven't been this into a show since my dad, brother, and I watched MacGuyver every week.

I'm Excited About This Band and I Haven't Even Heard Them Yet!

2007-01-05T18:29:00.000-08:00

Y'all like irony? My devout Presbyterian grandma gave me a Borders gift card for Christmas, and I used it to purchase The Thermals' The Body The Blood The Machine, an anti-religion punk rock album.

I'm also planning to see these guys when they come to the Black Cat in March. Finally, Pitchfork reported in March that The Thermals turned down a $50,000 offer from Hummer to use one of their songs in an SUV commercial. Sticking it to the man is a bit unwise and a lot hypocritical - but, damn, is it not fun to read about?

HCYB Featured Album - Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band

2007-01-05T17:48:00.000-08:00

Sinister Joe gave me this one for Christmas. A little birdie told her that these guys are some of Jeff Tweedy's favorites. In fact, Wilco covers Wright's peace/love/happiness ditty called "Comment." I'd say Tweedy chose a blueblood. Wright was born at the Crossroads itself - Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1941.

This whole record is solid, and it lives up to its billing as "the link between Otis Redding and James Brown." The best song is the classic "Express Yourself." Listen to it at Charles Wright's grafitti-strewn website. Although I'm still not quite sure what these lyrics mean, I love them just the same:

"It’s not what you look like, when you’re doin´ what you’re doin´. It’s what you’re doin´ when you’re doin´ what you look like you’re doin´! Express Yourself!"

Whole-y Rip Off

2007-01-05T06:54:00.000-08:00

I bought a cup of split pea soup, a small serving of chicken mushroom pasta, and a neo-hippie globo-zine at Whole Foods last night for the same price as a month's subscription to Netflix: $13.42.

Slate features an interesting article on why Whole Foods' stock price is falling. It features another article about the misleading nature of Whole Foods' eco-friendly/socially conscious sales pitch. The article is titled "The Dark Secrets of the Organic Food Movement."

Does this really surprise any of you?

2007-01-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

A Tribe Called Quest once said, "Industry rule No # 4080, record company people are shady."

Acknowledging the cheese of this joke, I'd like add Rule # 4081 - U.S. government people are shadier.

The Washington Post reports that Chief Justice William Rehnquist was hooked on sleeping pills and became delusional as he went through withdrawal from the drugs. He also allegedly intimidated black voters in the 1960s. Finally, the Department of Justice allegedly told the FBI to investigate how witnesses would testify against Rehnquist during his confirmation hearing. All of this - and more! - was revealed this week as the FBI released its Rehnquist file under the Freedom of Information Act.

Here is what we learn from this episode:

1. Vaunted leaders can be hooked on drugs and we'll never know about it until they're dead.

2. The FBI keeps files on lots of people - maybe even YOU.

3. The FBI works for political purposes, allegedly.

4. Conspiracy theorists may have a nugget or two of truth buried deep beneath their bullshit.

Bring on the ACC

2007-01-04T06:56:00.000-08:00

A pattern has developed: first half slop, second half blow out. The Heels did it again last night, drowning the Quakers 102-64. It was another highlight reel kind of game. Reyshawn Terry scored 16 of his 19 points in the 2nd Half, Wayne Ellington continued to define "smoothe," and Bobby Frasor and Quentin Thomas returned from injuries to log quality minutes.

Carolina has won 10 games in a row. ACC play begins Sunday. This year's team is already being compared to the 2005 National Championship squad, and the freshmen get a little better each game.

Get ready for the major hype, y'all - this is what we've been waiting for.

Next up: Florida State comes to Chapel Hill Sunday evening.

Another Reason to Boycott Citgo

2006-12-29T07:48:00.000-08:00

(Before reading this post, remember that the Venezuelan government fully owns Citgo Oil.)

The BBC reports that Hugo Chavez plans go all Putin on us and shut down the television station that has been most critical of him. The BBC also reports that the US is one of the strongest trade partners with Chavez's Venezuela, especially when it comes to oil. Despite the political antipathy expressed in media soundbytes, trade between the two countries has risen from $20 billion to $47 billion over the last four years. "At the end of the day, the US still is and has been our main commercial partner," Jorge Valero, Venezuela's deputy foreign minister for North American affairs, told the BBC. "Aside from some of our political differences, we can always count on our American partners to do business with us."

"We was raised right...But it was our generation that lost the kids."

2006-12-29T07:29:00.000-08:00

For the past several months, The Washington Post has been running a weekly series called "Being a Black Man." Today's insightful selection, titled "The Old Kinship," features interviews with several retired black men in a bowling league. It offers a fascinating peek into the ideological gap between the Civil Rights generation and its children. Here's an excerpt:

"Our generation, we don't stand up for nothing! We know they're locking black people up in droves. Why aren't we outraged and forcing some kind of change?"

"If it don't touch us, we're not outraged," said Mitchell, palms up, fingers spread.

"That's our problem; we don't come together," said Garrison, twisting his lips.

"We need a leader. An MLK or Malcolm X," Thompson interjected.

"We've got so-called leaders, but I'm talking about action," said Hodges, agitated.

"Back then, our goals were more defined," Thompson said. "We were demonstrating for a reason. Now, everything is so cloudy and unclear."

Tar Heels' 2nd Half Surge Knocks Off Scarlet Knights

2006-12-29T06:44:00.000-08:00

After a slow start in the first half, the Tar Heels caught fire in the second half en route to another blowout, beating Rutgers 87-48.

The win featured yet another tri-fecta freshman explosion. Brendan Wright dropped 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting. Wayne Ellington scored 17, hitting 5 of 6 3-point shots. And Ty Lawson continued his solid play at the point, dishing out 9 assists with no turnovers.

This freshman trio has a higher scoring average than the Sean May/Raymond Felton/Rashad McCants trio did when they were freshmen in 2003. Wright, Lawson, and Ellington are so good that the commentators are forgetting that Tyler Hansbrough, Marcus Ginyard, Danny Green, Alex Stepheson, and Deon Thompson are even on our team.

With Ol' Roy on the bench.....holy crap. This season is a legend in the making.

Next up: Dayton on Sunday.

Gerald Ford - 38th U.S. President: 1913 - 2006

2006-12-28T08:40:00.000-08:00

Naturally, the Washington Post is all over the Gerald Ford Story.

The most interesting article features a lengthy 2004 interview with President Ford. Ford disagreed with the decision to invade Iraq and agreed with Colin Powell's assertion that Dick Cheney (Ford's former Chief of Staff) had developed a "fever" about terrorism and Iraq.

Next, George Will writes that Ford did a fine job, first replacing "disgraced Vice President Spiro Agnew," and then helping to healthe wounds of Watergate and Vietnam. (It makes me wonder if future generations will refer to any of the Bush Administration as "disgraced.")

David Broder discusses Ford's legacy of level-headedness, recounting Ford's visit to The Washington Post after the Watergate Scandal. Addressing the reporters and editors, the President said, "I want you to know I am someone who enjoys having adversaries who are not enemies."

Finally, Slate analyzes "the cult of Gerald Ford." While Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy have cultish devotees nationwide, Ford maintains a loyal following only in DC. His fans highly value his bipartisanship. Author Timothy Noah writes, "Comity and bipartisanship are easy to overrate, and Permanent Washington can always be counted on to overrate them. At the moment, though, it does seem we could use a bit more."

3 More Wins and Some Good Mojo

2006-12-27T13:17:00.000-08:00

The Heels owned their holiday cupcake schedule, marching on to 3 easy wins. They beat UNC Asheville 93-62, Florida Atlantic 105-52, and St. Louis 69-48.

Things are looking pretty good as the Heels approach ACC Regular Season play. Scout.com reports "they are shooting better than 50 percent percent from the field, out-rebounding opponents by nearly a dozen a game, and forcing foes into nearly 17 turnovers a game."

Furthermore, the Heels are ranked #2 in both major polls, all five starters maintain double-digit scoring averages, most everyone's putting up great numbers, and Tyler Hansbrough is positioning himself to be considered for NCAA Player of the Year.

It's still early - I know. But it's hard not to be excited right now.

Bobby Frasor's probably feeling pretty anxious right now. His foot injury gave Tywon Lawson a a starting spot, and Ty has not disappointed. It's going to take a helluvan effort on Bobby's part to earn back his place in the top 5.

Next up: Rutgers, tomorrow night.

Panthers Still Alive! Fair Weathered Fans Rejoice!

2006-12-27T12:51:00.000-08:00

In a court of law, I think I could prove that I am not a fair-weathered fan....but it would be tough.

Nevertheless, the Panthers still have a chance to make the playoffs. After a loss to Pittsburgh so bad it didn't even warrant a blog post, the Cats saved their season Sunday by defeating the Falcons in what was surely the most boring game of the year.

As we move into the final weekend of regular season play, our playoff hopes look grim. We have to beat New Orleans on the road, New York has to lose at Washington, and Green Bay has to lose at Chicago. Interestingly enough, the most far-fetched of these three scenarios is a Panthers' win. Washington and Chicago are tough places for mediocre teams to play, so a lot of people are expecting New York and Green Bay to lose.

Another interesting twist is that New York plays on Saturday. If they pull out a win, our Sunday game doesn't really matter.

I join the chorus of those predicting that New York and Green Bay will lose. I do this not because I'm a football expert, but because I believe it just has to happen this way. In keeping with the theme of this season, the Panthers must have the chance to blow it. Faced with the opportunity to redeem themselves and make the playoffs, they'll lose on some once-a-year play like a blocked extra point to end the game.

A Joyful Gathering

2006-12-27T12:46:00.000-08:00

My mother submitted a reflection to be published in the Charlotte Observer. It was posted online on Christmas Day. Link to it here and scroll down to the 3rd piece, entitled "A Joyful Gathering."

Congrats Mom. In the article, you write that we're "all striving to make a little bit of difference." Your words are a perfect example of that.

The Best Top Ten of 2006

2006-12-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

Freewilliamsburg.com features the best List of Top Ten Albums I've come across yet. I say this not because of the selections but because of the delivery: short and to-the-point, yet funny and insightful. Including bonus categories such as "Most Annoying Album of the Year," "Nothing But Hype," "Jazz Album Everyone Should Rush Out and Buy," and "Complete Duds from Artists We Normally Love," Freewilliamsburg's list beats Prefix, Stereogum, NPR, Slate, and (sigh) Pitchfork for List of the Year.

2006-12-27T06:52:00.000-08:00

The Hardest Working Man in Show Business is dead. Slate features a great eulogy for him here.

James Brown was the missing link between Rhythm and Blues and Hip Hop. He also wrote the greatest rock and roll line of all time (From The Payback: "I don't know karate, but I know crazy" (pronounced kuh-ray-zee).

My favorite story about James, though, comes from the recording of Say it Loud: I'm Black and I'm Proud. For the song, he enlisted the help of a mostly-white children's group to sing the "I'm black and I'm proud" part.

R.I.P. James.

Capitalism in a Nutshell

2006-12-27T06:29:00.000-08:00

Worker 1: Hey man, if this fence were here when we came, we wouldn't be here now.
Worker 2: Yeah, but the contract demanded a quick, cheap construction project. Who else were they going to hire?

You couldn't make up a more ironic story than this: NPR reports that a border fence company has been charged with employing illegal immigrants.

"Un-American, anti-capitalist, eco-freak poseurs"

2006-12-27T06:12:00.000-08:00

A group of San Francisco neo-hippies is about to complete its quest to buy nothing new for an entire year. They call themselves the "Compactors," and with the exception of the "bare essentials," they have not bought anything new for the past 360 days. The Washington Post reports that, "Some [opponents] have called the Compactors un-American, anti-capitalist, eco-freak poseurs whose defiant act of not-consuming, if it caught on, would destroy the economy and our way of life."

Eco-freak poseurs - sounds kind of like Built to Spill. I admire the Compactors for the principle they're upholding, and I think it's absolutely HILARIOUS that detractors would call them "un-American."

To be American is to consume, I suppose.

Despite my admiration for their principles, I think the Compactors take it too far. What about new toys for the kids? The Post says, "Toys? The easiest. [John] Perry and his partner, Rob Picciotto, a high school language teacher, have two adopted children. 'I take Ben to Target sometimes and we'll play with the toys and then leave,' Picciotto says."

In some states, this qualifies as child cruelty. "Oh, you like that new racecar, Tommy? Well, don't you go falling in love with it. It's staying here when we leave. You can play with your glued together used popsicle sticks when we get home."

Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal

2006-12-15T13:36:00.000-08:00

Subjective History

2006-12-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post discusses the way George W. Bush's presidency resembles Harry Truman's. Many people have speculated that Bush hopes his legacy will mirror Truman's: wildly unpopular during his 2nd term, yet vindicated by history in the long run. Winston Churchill, another figure Bush tries to emulate, left a similar legacy.

Another interesting part of this story is the fact that David McCullough, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Truman, will be one of ten people to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the government's highest civilian honor. Although I love McCullough and think he is a worthy recipient, the cynic in me smells the odor of political spin.

The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

2006-12-14T14:25:00.000-08:00

Three Links A'Linkin'

2006-12-14T08:12:00.000-08:00

"World's Tallest Man Saves China Dolphins." The Associated Press says, "The long arms of the world's tallest man reached in and saved two dolphins by pulling out plastic from their stomachs."
Slate wonders why there have not been more protests of the Iraq War. Some reasons the article suggests: there is no draft to create a sense of urgency, there is a lack of detailed media coverage (especially photographs), there is no sympathy for the enemies or their causes (unlike during Vietnam), and the American Left has refused to vilify the US Armed Forces. However, the most interesting reason the article suggests is that "opposition to Iraq doesn't fit into any powerful political vision or paradigm coming from the left. In the 1960s, a number of transformative ideologies came together in opposition to Vietnam—the civil-rights movement, feminism, Christian pacifism, democratic socialism, sexual liberation, and so on. On campuses today, there is plenty of altruistic sentiment but little in the way of revolutionary consciousness. Greens and anti-globalizers are the exception, but Iraq isn't central to their concerns, since its environmental catastrophe must get in line behind all the others, and Baghdad has no Starbucks windows to smash. Moreover, hippie styling and methods seem painfully outdated. Moveon.org is no more likely to take its cues from SDS than SDS was to look to the 1930s-era League for Industrial Democracy for inspiration."
The Washington Post reports on Hasidic Jews that attended the Holocaust Denial Summit in Iran last week. This is so interesting.

New Kids On the Block: "Funky Christmas"

2006-12-13T13:32:00.000-08:00

The New Kids on the Block rap about Christmas on the Arsenio Hall Show, and Arsenio himself joins them to spit his own funky verse. I don't know what y'all are asking for for Christmas, but I've already received my present.

Pretty Girls and Right-Wing T-Shirts: The Perfect Mix

2006-12-13T12:55:00.000-08:00

Looking for some last minute Christmas gift ideas? Check out Thoseshirts.com for more t-shirts like these.

This Christmas, I'm Thankful for Prefix

2006-12-13T09:02:00.000-08:00

The Album of the Day on Prefixmag.com is Alison Krauss's "I’ve Got That Old Feeling." Read about it here.

Prefix is an excellent music website. First, I think an "album of the day" is a great idea. Second, I love how balanced Prefix is with their selections. One day, they choose a hip hop album. The next day, the choose bluegrass. Y'all, I'm serious...eclectic taste rocks.

The site has also posted its Top Albums of 2006. Read the list here.

Up On the Rooftop, Links, Links, Links

2006-12-13T07:04:00.000-08:00

Read this great BBC article about Barack Hussein Obama's chances of becoming the 44th United States President. There's nothing in it that you haven't heard before, but it's well-written, and the European perspective is nice.
Slate posts a fascinating discussion of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's and Iran's continued denial of the Holocaust. In addition to analyzing the denial, the article also discusses the general influence of "revisionist history." A good quote: "The American dictatorship, clothed in human rights spouting falsified history: It's the kind of argument you can hear quite often nowadays, in Iran as well as Russia and Venezuela, not to mention the United States."
In this Washington Post op-ed, Jaime Daremblum analyzes the importance of 21st Century Latin American democracy. Although leftist candidates have been elected in many countries, Daremblum argues that we're not experiencing the return of Castro-esque Cold War leaders, nor are we seeing the perpetuation Hugo Chavez's "anti-imperialist revolution." Instead, we're witnessing legitimate democracy at work, especially considering the increased representation of the Latin American poor. Daremblum also says that although we might hear a bit of Chavez-esque rhetoric, we'll see a good deal of free market reform and economic development.

Michael Jackson's Christmas Message

2006-12-12T13:59:00.000-08:00

The King of Pop aired this timeless message in 2002.

This Christmas, I'm Thankful for McSweeney's

2006-12-12T13:39:00.000-08:00

McSweeney's features "Bean and Nothingness," a great satire of indie coffee shops and their regular clientele.

My favorite excerpts: "Today's flavors are Milagro Sweat and Artic Seal Tears...Our coconut chai will align your chakras. And our wheatgrass cider will cure bad karma...Oh, by the way, if you get tired of our Epiphany Chairs, you can always move over to our Inspiration Bar to work on your screenplay, write your great American novel, or found your Internet-based startup."

Pitchfork's "Year in News"

2006-12-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

Pitchfork begins its year-end retrospection with a two-part series entitled "The Year in News 2006."

The most interesting news stories from Part 1 were about the death of Desmond Dekker, the U.S. Library of Congress's selection of a Sonic Youth album to join its permanent collection, and the Daft Punk performance at Coachella.

The most interesting stories from Part 2 were the account of Jeff Tweedy punching a rowdy fan and the curious headline "Ex-Lifetime Bassist Arrested for Hoarding Body Parts."

We Wish You a Merry Link-fest

2006-12-12T09:59:00.000-08:00

NPR discusses growing concerns about the rising influence of Evangelical Christianity on prominent officers in the Pentagon. According to NPR, "the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, is preparing a possible class-action lawsuit against the Pentagon for what lawyer Michael Weinstein calls "the creation of a theocracy, of a particular fundamentalist perspective within our own military branches"....The foundation says a core of evangelicals are gaining influence at the Pentagon, and violating military policies. It cites Wednesday-morning prayer sessions in the Pentagon's executive dining room, which features speakers from the Christian Embassy."
Tom Sorenson laments that the Carolina Panthers were over-hyped at the beginning of the season, that they were never as good as the media said they were, and that the entire season has been a struggle to deal with the disappointment of failing to match such artificially-high expectations.
E.J Dionne writes in the Washington Post that Hilary Clinton should welcome the Barack Obama challenge because it will force her to cut through the bullshit.
Dick Morris of The Hill compares Hilary Clinton to Nixon, LBJ, and George W. Bush, says she could win the 2008 Election but shouldn't, and claims that Hilary "devotedly and deeply believes in a European-style socialism in which government takes much more of our national income and offers a far wider array of services and benefits."
Slate discusses the recent allegations that the CIA was spying on Princess Diana while Bill Clinton was in office. Conspiracy theorist Peter Bis "reported" several months ago that Tony Blair was behind the "assassination" of Princess Di. Furthermore, Bis has alleged that the the Gambino crime family is a strong backer of the Clintons. Thus, the writing on the wall is fairly clear. The nefarious Gambino-Clinton-Blair-CIA cabal brought down Diana. Now, if we could just figure out why. [EDITOR'S NOTE: It should be noted that Peter Bis currently resides in the park between Union Station and the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Judging from his shopping cart full of stuff and the dirt beneath his fingernails, it seems that Mr. Bis calls the park "home."]

Squirrel Contraception

2006-12-12T09:15:00.000-08:00

Scottish officials may inject contraception into squirrels to stop the out-of-control growth of grey squirrel populations. According to Scotsman.com, "Immuno-contraception has been successful in other countries, but only in larger animals like feral pigs."

Sunni? Shia? Whatever.

2006-12-12T06:58:00.000-08:00

The incoming Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee is off to a bad start.

In an interview, Silvester Reyes was asked whether Al Qaeda was a Sunni or Shia institution. 50-50 shot, right. Sil said Shia. Wrong. He was then asked whether Hezbollah was Sunni or Shia. Reyes chose not to answer. The BBC reports that Mr. Reyes' office spun the incident by saying that their boss is "acutely aware of al-Qaeda's desire to harm Americans."

Man, it don't matter whether they's a Sunni or a Shia....all I know is that they's all tryin' to kill us.

Us versus Them....that's all you need to know.

You can be sure that the BBC had a field day with this one. Read the snooty, we're-smarter-than-those-stupid-Americans report here.

Kofi Annan Bids Farewell, Wags Finger One Last Time

2006-12-12T06:40:00.000-08:00

Read Kofi Annan's farewell address in the Washington Post. It's full of fantasies like global cooperation, solidarity, and other idealistic principles we should follow. I think it's hard to be a balanced reader when someone frequently uses the word "should." Nevertheless, Annan's essay is intriguing, especially the following excerpt:

"First, in today's world we are all responsible for each other's security. Against such threats as nuclear proliferation, climate change, global pandemics or terrorists operating from safe havens in failed states, no nation can make itself secure by seeking supremacy over all others...Only by working to make each other secure can we hope to achieve lasting security for ourselves...But large and powerful states, whose actions have the greatest impact on others, can be constrained only by their own people."

Long live idealism....we're sunk without it.

Ali Rap

2006-12-10T21:24:00.000-08:00

ESPN is running "Ali Rap," a great show about Muhammad Ali and his influence on rap music.

Chuck D narrates, and Doug E. Fresh, Rakim, Fab 5 Freddy, Jermaine Dupri, Ludacris, and MC Lyte all offer their soundbytes.

Rakim, Chuck D, and Fab 5 Freddy....awesome.

The Shareef Don't Like It

2006-12-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

"Rock the Casbah" by The Clash

Now the king told the boogie men
You have to let that raga drop
The oil down the desert way
Has been shakin to the top
The sheik he drove his cadillac
He went a cruisnin down the ville
The muezzin was a standing
On the radiator grille

Chorus

The shareef dont like it
Rockin the casbah
Rock the casbah
The shareef dont like it
Rockin the casbah
Rock the casbah

By order of the prophet
We ban that boogie sound
Degenerate the faithful
With that crazy casbah sound
But the bedouin they brought out
The electric camel drum
The local guitar picker
Got his guitar picking thumb
As soon as the shareefHad cleared the square
They began to wail

Chorus

Now over at the temple
Oh! they really pack em in
The in crowd say its cool
To dig this chanting thing
But as the wind changed direction
The temple band took five
The crowd caught a wiff
Of that crazy casbah jive

Chorus

The king called up his jet fighters
He said you better earn your pay
Drop your bombs between the minarets
Down the casbah way
As soon as the shareef was
Chauffeured outta there
The jet pilots tuned toThe cockpit radio blare
As soon as the shareef was
Outta their hair
The jet pilots wailed

Chorus

He thinks its not kosher
Fundamentally he cant take it.
You know he really hates it.

Roy Gets 500, Heels Roll

2006-12-10T19:03:00.000-08:00

Roy Williams won his 500th game as UNC beat High Point tonight, 94-69. Roy's on the sideline, restoring order and exceeding expectations.

The Pedigree: James Naismith --> Phog Allen -->Dean Smith --> Roy Williams.

Milquetoast!!

2006-12-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

The New York Giants defeated the Carolina Panthers today, 27-13.

It was a lukewarm effort in front of a tepid crowd. The whole day reminded me of Charlotte during the Seifort era. It was horrendous.

Is the season over? What other teams must lose and what kind of ridiculous things have to happen in sync for us to make the playoffs?

Johnny Cash Sings "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

2006-12-08T12:30:00.000-08:00

Bob Dylan Video

2006-12-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

Slate broadcasts Bob Dylan's new video for "Thunder on the Mountain." I highly recommend watching it, especially because it includes footage from throughout his career. Man, he's had a lot of looks - I've posted the photos of my favorites.

Top Ten of 2007, Anyone?

2006-12-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

The Year 2007 will see new releases from the following bands. Yesssssssssssssssssssss!

Wilco
Arcade Fire
Modest Mouse
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Andrew Bird

Somebody wants to wish you a Merry Christmas........

2006-12-08T07:34:00.000-08:00

2006-12-08T06:51:00.000-08:00

I watched Life and Debt last night. It's pretty interesting, but like all documentaries of its ilk, it's fairly one-sided. I know it will never happen, but I'd love to see an activist film that is balanced. That's pretty much an oxymoron, though. The status quo defends itself and has no need to make a movie.

Life and Debt is an indictment of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, but the economics of these programs is so damned complicated that I had a hard time understanding all of the points this movie made. It was especially difficult because most of the people interviewed spoke with thick Jamaican accents.

If any of y'all can explain currency devaluation to me, I'd appreciate it.

Ugandan Hip Hop - The Bataka Revolution

2006-12-08T06:49:00.000-08:00

This documentary trailer was a featured link on YouTube. I've never heard of these guys or this film, but it all looks really interesting - especially the guest appearance with Spearhead and the concert in Brooklyn.

The slogan: "From Uganda to California - a mission to empower the people, using hip hop."

First Black President, First Woman President, or Another Democratic Runner-Up?

2006-12-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post features an insightful look at the friendly rivalry that is developing between Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton as they both position themselves for the 2008 Democratic Presidential Nomination.

Can a black man become President of the United States? Can a woman?

Even more importantly, can anyone beat John McCain?

Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra Sing "White Christmas"

2006-12-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

Bing Crosby sure can sing a Christmas duet. This one might be better than his duet with David Bowie. No, wait a minute. Nothing could be better than that. Still, this one's a classic. Enjoy.

HCYB Top Ten Albums of 2006

2006-12-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

Do I really care that 2005 was a better music year than 2006? Hell no. The state of rock and roll has not been this good in a long time.

Honorable Mentions:
The Whigs - Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip
These Georgia Bulldogs blew the roof off the Black Cat this fall. Their album is rock solid too.

Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
I do not want to like this album, but I can't help it. Benhamin Bridwell's voice is an ear massage.

Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
An Argentinian Swede that writes songs in English and plays guitar like Nick Drake? I'll take it any day.

Golden Smog - Another Fine Day
Jeff Tweedy puts the "super" in this supergroup, but it's the Jayhawks' Gary Lourdis that brings the heat. If the Eagles didn't suck, they'd sound like this.

Widespread Panic - Earth to America
Although this album is mostly milquetoast, "From the Cradle" and "Ribs and Whiskey" are fantastic. Really, I'm just glad my favorite band of all time is still playing.

And now, The List:
10. Ray LaMontagne - Till the Sun Turns Black
Ray is a hermit from Maine with the beard of a Mastadon and a voice that drips with soul. The title of this album is an apt summary of his gloomy worldview, but songs about inner demons and social ills don't muddy this crystal music. Best Song: "Empty"

9. The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon

"I'm here to laugh, love, fuck, and drink liquor and help the revolution come a little quicker." At least this militant hip hop group serves humor with its hypocrisy. Best Songs: "My Favorite Mutiny" and "Sho Yo Ass"

8. Yo La Tengo - I'm Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass

These indie rock veterans drop a discordant album where jangly pop, ambient fuzz, and post-alt.indie coalesce like plaid on stripes. You say inconsistent, I say eclectic. Whatever - this album beats your ass. Best Song: "Mr. Tough"

7. Cold War Kids - Robbers and Cowards

Lead singer Nathan Whillet is a former English teacher who invents song characters as if he were a novelist. Sounds a little like Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, right? I guess, except Whillet doesn't lead a band of yanni face geek boys. Combine that non-lameness with hipster blues and LA swagger, and you get a band that's wicked deck. Best Songs: "St.John" and "Hospital Beds"

6. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

This chanteuse - yeah, I said it - has one of the best voices of the past 10 years. There's not a bad song on this album. Neko joins Jim James at the top of my list of singers I want to hear in a 70,000 person arena. Best Song: "John Saw That Number"

5. Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat

As is the case with Neko, Gillian Welch, and (blush) Norah Jones, I have a crush on Jenny Lewis' voice. Jenny's personal lyrics about God and post-adolescent angst reek of Conor Oberst, but that's what makes her so damn endearing. Best Song: "The Charging Sky"

4. Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

This Shaolin Master of the Wu Tang proves that 30 year olds can still rock the party. The beats are incredible - even for a hip hop neophyte like myself - and Ghostface's lyrics are as incendiary as they are hilarious. In the same stanza of "Be Easy," he spits "Y'all be nice to tha crackheads" and "I just shot one of my bitches." Some MCs just won't grow up. Best Song: "Be Easy"

3. The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

Lead singer Craig Finn's melodic spoken-word vocals are truly unique. The band plays straight up rawk songs and wears its Bruce Springsteen idolatry as a badge of honor. Believe the hype y'all - this band is the truth.

2. Built to Spill - You in Reverse

This album continues to blow me away. The opening track lights my fire, even after the thousandth listen. In blending righteous guitar solos, melodic vocals, and introspective lyrics, this album bridges the gap between pretentious indie rockers and undisciplined jam bands. There is more Grateful Dead influence on this album than all of Built to Spill's New Wave/Punk forebears combined. In an indie-rock world dominated by hipsters, that's impressive. Best Song and Song of the Year: "Goin' Against Your Mind."

1. Bob Dylan - Modern Times

Despite my obsession with You in Reverse, I cringe at the insinuation that Bob Dylan is anything less than Number One. When I look back at this list 50 years from now (come on, you know I will), I don't want to feel the shame of having placed a group of mountain hippie grommet fucks ahead of the single greatest songwriter in American history. Plus, Modern Times is an incredible album. With haunting vocals and the straight up blues, Dylan covers Muddy Waters, ruminates on the spiritual, laments the struggles of the proletariat, and rhymes "sons of bitches" with "orphanages." Best Songs: "Thunder on the Mountain" and "Ain't Talkin'". Thanks, Bob. Can't wait for the next one.

O'Tenenbaum O'Links

2006-12-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

The BBC reports that a woman farted on an airplane and tried to hide the smell by striking a match. The flight attendents smelled burning sulfur and informed the pilot who then immediately scheduled an emergency landing near Nashville, Tennessee.

NPR argues that certain children's music embodies punk rock ideals.

The headline for this Al Jazeera article looks like something off the The Onion : "US to build base on Moon."

The Charlotte Observer reports that Charlotte is one of the country's most attractive cities for young professionals looking for a new home.