Danny Doom’s Booze Cabinet

I happened to catch this last night on Craig Ferguson–a lot of times I may have the TV on mute or half-paying attention and then I see who’s playing at the end of the shows–and I missed it from the start but I kept watching. And I kept watching, thinking “what the hell?” And I kept waiting for something to change or happen, but it didn’t. And then I was listening to the words and I was all like “whoa.” And it just had me totally mesmerized. I don’t know, I’m sure most people will watch/listen to this and be like “why?” but I really thought it to be great. It helps if you’re not in a well-lit room or an office and it’s late and maybe you’re a little depressed.

A premature evaluation from Stereogum on Sonic Youth’s “The Eternal.” Luckily, a little bird has allowed me to make my own premature evaluation, and it is that Sonic Youth are still awesome. Great album. What a roll they’ve been on in their old age. Can’t wait to see ‘em again this summer.

Cliff May fantasizes about the interview he didn’t get from Jon Stewart. I would imagine it’s much easier when you can supply the questions and the answers, but in the real world, “it didn’t actually go quite this well,” as he concedes. Cliff May, you are a dwelshbag.

It’s weird that Cliff May thinks he “held his own” in this interview with Jon Stewart last night. Because he didn’t. At all. I don’t know if there is anything I would disagree with that Stewart said in this interview, it was well-argued.

There are three parts to this interview and the Daily Show site is a little odd, but if you follow it you can see the whole thing there, unedited, uncensored, the way I like my TV. I didn’t see it live but apparently they had to chop it down because it ran so long.

The Senate, delayed by Republican objections, is finally scheduled to debate the confirmation of Kathleen Sebelius on Tuesday to be secretary of health and human services.

- Editorial, NY Times

This is a fine example of the way that Obama’s first 100 days–a meaningless milestone if you ask me–have been completely blown by Republicans. Not that I’m complaining. But by going out of their way to obstruct and oppose everything and anything right from the get-go, the GOP has ensured their continued freefall. Save your wad, old white guys! You’re gonna need it. And not just for the pageboys and such.

If I were advising an out-of-touch party that is dying a slow death in embarrassing fashion, here’s what I would say, in the spirit of bipartisan outreach:

Dude. Dudes. Seriously. Take a breath. Obama has been president for three or four months. He won in fairly convincing fashion. He’s kinda popular. Hold the sour grapes and take it like the dirty old white men that you are. Oh, there’s a woman? And a black guy? Whatever, you get my point.

See, by opposing everything you lose your ability to be taken seriously. You have to save some of that for later, when it matters. Right now people actually want their president to Do Things. It’s part of the Change We Can Believe In thing. So he has to clean up all the shit you left behind when you Didn’t Oppose Anything. You can’t get all worked up about taxes and tea bag the hell out of each other when you stood silent for 8 years when the deficit grew and the spending ran wild. You just look kinda silly.

I can go on. Torture? Yeah, it’s bad. And so when the orders come from our president and others to torture, well, that makes us all look bad. It’s nothing like frat boy hi-jinks and no, Sean Hannity, you don’t have the balls to be waterboarded. But I’d love to see you try. And it’s so easy to pull quotes from when prominent Republican dudes came out against it (Reagan, Gingrich, a lying George Friggin W. Bush) that trying to defend it now, or dismiss it, is…man, you guys don’t get this one at all, do you?

Distance yourself from Cheney. Stay. The. Fuck. Away from him. People hate him and whatever he says, do the opposite. Not even 20% are left in that camp. And the more Limbaugh, Beck and Hannity talk, the longer the wilderness shall extend. Here’s a secret: they’re in it for the money! YOUR money.

Abortion–give it up. You lost. Gay marriage–enjoy it! The Religious Right? Send ‘em back to the hellhole they came from. Because there’s going to be no one left but you and some crazy preacher dudes who think the world is going to end any day. And not because of some war you wish you started.

That’s all I’ve got for now. Thank me later. And because I know you won’t, we’ll see you in 2012 and try not to giggle at your Sarah Palin-led ticket that will doom you all to oblivion. Cheers!

UPDATE:

There’s more. Always more. Arlen Specter has seen the obvious and has switched parties.

Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right…The American people do not care which Party solves the problems confronting our nation. And no Senator, no matter how loyal he is to his Party, should or would put party loyalty above his duty to the state and nation.

Yep, that’s what I’m talking about. And one other thing: getting worked up about the plane flyover in New York–bigger fish to fry, dummies. Really. This means you. And you. And especially you. Are you serious?

If President Bush is to blame for torture, the recession, and trumping up fake WMDs to start a preemptive war as the left has howled for years, then President Obama has earned the “right” to take the blame for this debacle and every other than can be tangentially be blamed on his watch.

Hopeless.

UPDATE II:

More on Specter:

I find it interesting that a stimulus spending package in the midst of the steepest recession in memory is the sticking point. For the GOP to have remained mute under the massive increases in spending and borrowing under Bush but to make resistance to the Obama stimulus package a litmus test for conservatism reveals that the deepest principle of the Republican base is partisanship.

As I was saying…

Watching the Hawks game, thinking about torture. Actually, it would make more sense to be watching the Cubs game, thinking about torture, but the 2nd period has begun so I flip back and forth, mostly staying on hockey. 2-0 Hawks.  Make that 3-0! (The Cubs, meanwhile, are losing 5-1).

OK, I started this and then lost focus, and now it’s 3-1 Hawks and…7-2, not the Cubs. Four minutes remaining for the Hawks and counting. Something tells me it’ll be over before I finish typing.

My point? Screw it, empty net and two minutes left! Wish I was at the Whirlaway on this rainy night but there’ll be more as the Hawks move on. One minute remaining in the game! Aaaaaaaaand…it’s all over! Woo hoo!

From a Cubs-Brewers game a few years back. The Cubs are kind of pissing me off lately. But it’s early. Can’t. Get. Worked. Up. Yet!

It’s a wonderful world. Right-wingers are out there defending torture as best they can, Sean Hannity is making an utter fool of himself, along with that Beck guy, Dick Cheney is out there as the main Republican talking head, saying Dick Cheney things that of course repel the entire rational world, and the angry right is now associated with…teabagging.

I don’t know how things are going to improve. Has Sarah Palin said anything lately?

Hey, have you heard this? Seriously, true story…Jay Leno…you know this guy? Have you heard this? Jay Leno, a comedian apparently, was hospitalized–true story–he was hospitalized and was–get this–”cracking jokes” with the staff. Have you heard this? No, this is true, true story!

If only you could hear me in my Jay Leno voice, it would be hilarious.

Sweet new Sonic Youth song over at Pitchfork. Another band that should be playing Lolla. Maybe they’ll come to Metro or something. Other bands I hoped for/expected: Trail of Dead, Arcade Fire, Metric…Modest Mouse…Beck…hell, what about someone big like The Cure or R.E.M. or Morrissey? I’d rather them oldies than the oldies they’ve got on there. Ah, I’ll have fun anyway, but sheeeeeeeesh!

The U.S. government used to take a negative view of waterboarding. But apparently we only object when we’re not the ones doing it…The Bush administration claimed that the waterboarding of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed helped foil a planned 2002 attack on Los Angeles — forgetting that he wasn’t captured until 2003.

The problem with using “it worked” as an argument is that it justifies too much. By that rationale, we can justify subjecting enemy captives to every form of torture ever devised. We can even justify torturing and killing their spouses, siblings, parents and children, right in front of them.

- Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune

It’s good to learn that Condi Rice signed off on this as National Security Adviser (along with Cheney of course). Will someone ask them why they hate America so much?

Meanwhile…Hannity. What a tool. Charles Grodin is taking him down? That’s weak. Weeeeeak. I hope someone takes him up on his offer and waterboards his ass.

Photo taken at the UC, a member of the Blackhawks “ice crew.”

I think it’s great that President Obama is open to prosecution of the Bush torture officials, but I would be amazed if it actually happens. I’m all for it, as long-time Booze Cabineteers would no doubt know, but the possibility of Dick Cheney actually going to jail seems to me to be a pipe dream. Any of them going to jail is a long shot. In fact, it’s not going to happen. But it is nice to dream.

I agree that charging CIA agents and interrogators who took part in waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics would be wrong, and Obama has said that he doesn’t support that. Start at the top. Cheney, down to Bush and so on. The men who gave the orders. Rumsfeld, that sonofabitch. It’s all quite appalling, what happened under our noses.

Bush sure does seem even more hapless in rearview than he did front and center. But he should, at the very least, be slapped around a little bit, according to official torture methods.

Lolla’s lineup kinda sucks if you ask me, and if you’re here reading this then yer asking. Huh? Consider me underwhelmed. Glad I got the cheapies. Of course there’s a possibility that there are a ton of bands that I will be turned on to, and I certainly hope so. But looking at the lineup from the bottom up I see…Deerhunter, The Decemberists, Lou Reed and Jane’s Addiction as the only bands that I know and kind of love.

I know and kind of like Depeche Mode, Beastie Boys, Tool, TV on the Radio, Kaiser Chiefs and…Andrew Bird? I guess. Then there’s the rest. I know of many bands, like Neko Case (curious to see), Of Montreal, Vampire Weekend, and of course Snoop Dogg. But I saw TVOTR, Andrew Bird and Kaiser Chiefs at Lolla before, and I don’t really care about Vampire Weekend. Snoop is a novelty. And that’s about it. Pretty laaaaaaaame. (Technically I saw Beastie Boys too, many moons ago).

And then there’s The Killers. I can’t stand this band. I am amazed at their popularity. They have the most annoying front man in the world. They are Vegas cheeseballs. And they have the most annoying front man in the world. What else? That they are listed as the third headliner bums me out. I hope that Tool is playing opposite them and blows their shit away.

Get some vinyl on Record Store Day! How about “Less Love More Acid”? Available at Reckless (downtown and Milwaukee Ave) or Permanent Records. Or you can buy some vinyl here! Still living in the future? Get digital downloads here! Or here! Or good old iTunes. But you should really get some vinyl.