I’ll tell you how long. It’s been a long damned time since hearing a song for the first time stood the hair up on the back of my neck. This one did it for me.

There is so much great stuff going on in this song, it makes my brains fall out. For those peeps who appreciate the way a fine song is built, I recommend you just LISTEN to it a few times before you risk being distracted by the video.

Damn, that’s a good one.

I have often said that I refuse to own a chainsaw, because I prefer not to known as “Stumpy.” I do, however, harbor a certain fascination with bigass machines. I would actually like to play with this one, but all animal life would be well advised to give me lots of room.

Oh, and I doubt that my buddy GuyK could pick one of these units up at a local garage sale.

Thanks to Brian, the Air Force Vet.

Dear Senator Clinton:

I am really bummed. You were in New Jersey yesterday, and you didn’t stop by the House by the Parkway? It’s not like Jersey is a big state or anything. You know, like Texas? Was it something I said?

In anticipation of your visit to the Garden State, I had stocked up on Taylor Ham and chocolate vodka. I figure we could have sipped a couple chocolate vodkas (right from the freezer) and dined on Taylor Ham and Cheese sandwiches on hard rolls.

For after dinner, I had some Dylan and Joan Baez LPs ready for the turntable. I even would have let you sit in Mr. Recliner. After that, I could have played some guitar. I know all three chords to Kumbaya. I would have sung the harmony part while you sang the melody. It would have been, like, a mystic crystal revelation.

I’m so disappointed. Was it that I couldn’t offer you any weed?

Your pal,
Jimbo

I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to the next Democrat Party debate. I figure here’s how it might shake out:

Wolf: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the 97th Democratic Party Primary Candidates’ Debates, hosted this evening by CNN. I’m Wolf Blitzer, and with us this evening are Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama …

Edwards: Hey, Wolf! What about me?

Wolf: Oh, … right. Sorry. Former Senator John Edwards is also here. Let’s get right to it, shall we? Senator Obama, it has been observed that the fool who currently occupies the White House has damaged the image of the American Presidency, both at home and abroad. Do you feel that you are the best candidate to restore that tarnished image?

Obama: Well, I damned sure would do a better job at it than Fat Ass over there would.

Wolf: Senator Obama, ….. I don’t think ……

Hillary: Oh, you’re talking real tough tonight, asshole. Snort a couple extra lines before the debate, did you?

Wolf: Senators, please!

Obama: Lines? You wanna talk lines? How ‘bout that shit on yo’ face, bitch?

Edwards: Hey, I’m in this debate too.

Wolf: Senators! Maybe we should hear from John Edwards.

Obama: Nobody gives a shit what he has to say.

Hillary: Edwards? He can kiss my ass.

Obama: Nobody wanna kiss THAT ass. You and your punk-ass husband, common criminals, both of you. Your asses should be in stir. And you’re out there talking booshit about me? I oughta smack the shit outtta boaf o’ you!

Hillary: F****** N*****!

Obama: F****** C***!

The candidates had to be separated by Secret Service personnel. The debate was terminated when Mr. Blitzer fainted. Spokespersons for the candidates have refused comment on the likelihood of a 98th debate.

I’ve got nothing tonight other than a fulminating case of the ass.

Everygoddamnedthing is getting on my nerves.

That is all.

This is downright comical.

Governor Corzine won’t just be attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland next week. He’s a featured guest:

[Corzine] … is expected to give opening remarks and participate in sessions on urban mobility and global warming at the international event in Davos. He will participate in the forum through Thursday, and also plans to tout New Jersey during his trip.
…
The governor’s office said New Jersey ranks sixth in foreign investment, with more than $42.6 billion invested in the state by 1,400 foreign firms from 40 different countries.

I cannot help but wonder if he will be telling the assemblage what an economic catastrophe New Jersey is and how he acts more like the president of the state workers’ union, rather than the state’s chief executive.

I cannot help but wonder if he will be telling the assemblage how he plans to tax the state into prosperity.

Finally, I cannot help but wonder if he will be telling the assemblage how many of the foreign companies that in the past have invested in New Jersey have chosen to move their manufacturing operations to other states or offshore, because New Jersey has taxed and regulated them to death.

Yeah, foreign businesses should come to New Jersey. We have a corrupt state government, a murderous tax system, and dozens of regulatory agencies just waiting to say hello.

We all know the positions of the top three democrat presidential candidates (assuming John Edwards is not toast) on Iraq. They have made themselves very clear in their speeches, during debates and on their respective websites. Their position is surrender. It’s just a question of how fast.

Oddly enough, while they hate the war in Iraq they all claim support for the war in Afghanistan. Indeed, to one extent or another, they all have advocated increasing troop strength in Afghanistan.

In a speech before the Veterans of Foreign Wars last August, Senator Clinton said:

I have been one of those who from the beginning have said we never put enough troops into Afghanistan, and we should’ve stayed focused on wiping out the Taliban, and finding, killing, capturing Bin Laden and his chief lieutenants. Now we’re playing some catch up. But Afghanistan is critical, because it is in an arena where the Afghan people are real allies, their government is working hard, they are trying to build an independent, strong military, and we cannot let them fail.

See also here.

Senator Obama, in distinguishing his position on Iraq from his position on Afghanistan, has stated, “I thought our priority had to be finishing the fight in Afghanistan.” See also here.

John Edwards has urged sending additional Special Forces Units into Afghanistan.

Their position is consistent with that taken by Senator Kerry (i.e. more troops in Afghanistan) and Nancy Pelosi, who has called for “redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq so that we can focus more fully on the real War on Terror, which is in Afghanistan.”

Pardon my confusion here.

How does supporting the sending of more troops to Afghanistan square with the argument from those who oppose the war in Iraq that sending American troops into places like Iraq simply spawns new and nastier terrorists? Why wouldn’t sending more troops into Afghanistan have the same effect?

If routing out terrorists and killing them is a good thing in Afghanistan, why is it a bad thing in Iraq?

If the war in Afghanistan is the real war on terrorism, what is Iraq? A cocktail party?

Is there any doubt that if, heaven forbid, there is an increase in the number of American casualties in Afghanistan, these sunshine patriots will wave the white flag there as well? To ask the question is to answer it.

The thought that one of these people may become the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and the Leader of the Free World is downright frightening.

In 4m 20s

Click here to Play

I feel like doing a bit of reading today. Maybe I’ll feel like writing later.

I thought you might have a bit of Saturday fun with this.

It would have been one minute quicker, if I didn’t wind up spending that long staring at No. 50 to figure out what it was. Sorry, Iowa. The quiz is also not kind to typos. Yeah, I know. Excuses, excuses.

via Curmudgeonisms

The other day, I overheard the following exchange between two teenaged-looking girls while waiting on line at a local convenience store.

Girl No. 1: My mom was, like ”What-EVER,” and I was, like, “Oh my God! That is just so totally bogus,” and she was, like …, you know … ?

Girl No. 2. Totally.

Girl No. 1: Oh my God, I couldn’t believe it!

Girl No. 2. That’s awesome.

Girl No. 1: Totally.

I can only assume that information crossed a divide to which I was not linguistically privy, but I’m not sure. Totally.

Shamelessly stolen from Doug Ross.