Friday Random Ten (waiting on the van edition)

Everything's packed. The instruments were sent FedEx yesterday. I'm waiting for SuperShuttle to take my mostly luggageless ass to Sky Harbor. I promise to behave, don't want to end up shackled and strangled by TSA. I will watch my mouth. I'm not even carrying my copy of the "Sutras of Abu Grhaib" because I don't want the attention. Instead my airport defense book is a paperback edition of "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" (which was one of those rare instances of a book being as good as the buzz)

iPod is loaded and running on random. Without explanation or apology here are the last ten.

Before the Deluge - - - Jackson Browne
Here We Are In The Years - - - Neil Young
The Croppy Boy - - - The Clancy Brothers
One Too Many Mornings - - - Bob Dylan (live at the Cellar)
Louisana Man - - - Johnny Cash
My Bonny Boy - - - Liam Clancy
Voodoo Chile (slight return) - - - Jimi
21st Century Schizoid Man - - - King Crimson
Jerk Off - - - Tool
Natty Dread - - - Bob Marley


Bonus

The Riddle Song - - - Doc Watson

Christmas In Washington

By Steve Earle is a very good song. Add in Joan Baez and it gets even better.

Enjoy.

It's Christmastime in Washington
The Democrats rehearsed
Gettin' into gear for four more years
Things not gettin' worse
The Republicans drink whiskey neat
And thanked their lucky stars
They said, 'He cannot seek another term
They'll be no more FDRs'
I sat home in Tennessee
Staring at the screen
With an uneasy feeling in my chest
And I'm wonderin' what it means

Chorus:
So come back Woody Guthrie
Come back to us now
Tear your eyes from paradise
And rise again somehow
If you run into Jesus
Maybe he can help you out
Come back Woody Guthrie to us now

I followed in your footsteps once
Back in my travelin' days
Somewhere I failed to find your trail
Now I'm stumblin' through the haze
But there's killers on the highway now
And a man can't get around
So I sold my soul for wheels that roll
Now I'm stuck here in this town

Chorus

There's foxes in the hen house
Cows out in the corn
The unions have been busted
Their proud red banners torn
To listen to the radio
You'd think that all was well
But you and me and Cisco know
It's going straight to hell

So come back, Emma Goldman
Rise up, old Joe Hill
The barracades are goin' up
They cannot break our will
Come back to us, Malcolm X
And Martin Luther King
We're marching into Selma
As the bells of freedom ring
So come back Woody Guthrie
Come back to us now
Tear your eyes from paradise
And rise again somehow
If you run into Jesus
Maybe he can help you out
Come back Woody Guthrie to us now

3B's

And The Winner of the Book Giveaway

KONAGOD!

He answered first, and answered best. Only missed one, and he figured that shit out too.

Congrats Kona, you'll dig this book.

3B's

Here's Something You Can Do

This comes from Tata over at Poor Impulse Control.


A few weeks ago I was challenging people to find ways to make this war personal. Here's a way to do just that.

Mr. Sasha, my son-in-law, is stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Miss Sasha points out Vandenberg's got a care package project going.* I hope you'll be inspired to either help out or call up a base near you and find a project you can get involved in.

The following items are of great use to the deployers:

Black/brown t-shirts and black socks
crystal light packets
individual size beef jerky
nuts
energy bars
lip balm
sun screen
foot powder
baby wipes
hand/antibacterial soap
toothbrushes
floss
individually wrapped hard candy
phone cards
blank greeting cards/letter writing materials
sunflower seeds
assorted snack items

You can send some items, all these items, a case of any one kind of item. They will be grateful for what you send, regardless. Also: they especially want hand sanitizer and baby wipes.

Not on the list: I have heard that eye drops are also prized. Books are also great.

My contact with the program, who shall remain charmingly anonymous and not a person I made myself, says also:

We also have a program for our families called Operation Sweet Dreams. In this program the family member sends us a digital photo, we transfer to a pillowcase and the family gives to the deployed member to take with them or is sent to the deployed location. With that we would need plain white pillow cases.

Donations can be dropped off or mailed to:
Airman & Family Readiness Center
706 Washington Ave
Bldg 10122
Vandenberg AFB, CA 93437


*The short version: I'm 100% opposed to the war and have been since 9/12; even so, our military comes down to individual persons who in my opinion should never get the idea that individual civilians don't give a shit what happens. This is not a contradiction. It is the simple notion that every person - every single person - matters just as much as I do in the world. And they might need socks.

3B's