Reason #7 Why I Live in Misery: Morans

Morans:

Reason #6 Why I Live in Misery: Cynthia Davis

Here in Misery, we only care about unborn children. Once you’re birthed - preferably through a scheduled C-section - you’re on your own. Nowhere is that more apparent than in our state legislature where Cynthia Davis is chairperson for the House Special Committee on Children and Families. She thinks the summer program that gives out breakfast to poor children is a waste of taxpayer money and that “[H]unger can be a positive motivator.” Nice. I hate this place.

Here’s a Kansas City take on the whole thing. Plus, check out some videos below. You have to watch the Olberman clip all the way through to hear him bash Davis, but it’s worth it. Oh, and feel free to sign a petition to remove her from her chairmanship, because you never know when she might make that run for federal office.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Tip/Wag - Cynthia Davis & Fox News
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Jeff Goldblum

Mid-Year Top 10

I did this last year and the trolls showed up in full force. Hopefully this year's list won't be so controversial. It's already late, so that takes away some of the impact. Also, this list could change drastically over the next six months or so, but I will garuntee that all of this top ten will be around when '09 is over.

10. Outer South - Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band
Honestly, I wasn't even going to include this on the list until I started giving the record another listen or two in preparation for this past Monday's show at the Note. The performance did the final convincing.

9. The Crying Light - Antony and the Johnsons
This is an absolutely beautiful record that is sequenced masterfully. This is why albums are always better than singles.

8. Grand - Matt & Kim
They're my default ringtone right now. This record is so poppy and upbeat that I had to include it on the list. It may rise by year's end, depending on my mood.

7. Hold Time - M Ward
Ward follows up his great work on She and Him with this gem.

6. Enemy Mine - Swan Lake
Big, weird, Vancouver, super-group, etc.

5. It's Frightening - White Rabbits
This is a great follow up for the one-time COMO-ians. While Britt Daniel's fingerprints are all over it, the album is certainly proof of this band's worth. I look forward to #3.

4. Face Control - Handsome Furs
Here's another great duo who are also a couple on the side. (Matt & Kim being the other.) Few bands have been able to combine synth beats and rock guitar so effectively...at least with only two members.

3. Dark Was the Night - Various
This sprawling collection of songs from the Red Hot Organization is one of the best compilations I've heard. Many of the tracks are among the best for each artist. The biggest and most pleasant surprise was José González's Nick Drake cover. Why don't more people cover Nick Drake?

2. Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective
This is on everyone's short list. It will be near the top at the end of the year as well. It's so nice to hear a record that lives up to its hype. This is the next Radiohead/Wilco/TV on the Radio.

1. Post-Nothing - Japandroids
I am a sucker for minimalist anthems. Guided By Voices did it better than anyone, but this band does it with less and rocks more.

Just missed the cut: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Wavvves, Beirut, Iron and Wine, Sunset Rubdown

Need more listens: Clem Snide, Cursive, Sonic Youth, The Thermals, Bill Callahan, Camera Obscura

Still on my list to get: The Eels, Dinosaur Jr, Stuart Murdoch

Things I may have missed: Andrew Bird, Robert Pollard (in my neighborhood, we call him Bob), Ben Kweller, The Decemberists...Let me know if there are more in the comments.

Also, what else is still yet to be released? Leave me some insight in the comments.

Want to see for yourself? Go to Insound and buy some records.

Reason #5 Why I Live in Misery: Red lights have no meaning.

I used to get annoyed when cars in COMO would sit at a green light before finally inching forward. I can't tell you the number of times I've missed a light due to the driver in front of me taking his sweet time.

It happened again today at Stadium and Providence. We were maybe the third or fourth car back and could have easily made the light. However, it changed and the cars in front failed to move. I looked up to see three cars cross in front of us, obviously running the red light.

I knew this was a problem. I mean, besides seeing cars run numerous red lights before, the city put up those cameras all over town to deter red light runners. It hasn't worked.

Red lights mean nothing in this town. It's as if they see pink and that doesn't mean stop. I often heard the term "fresh red" when the light has just turned red, meaning there's still time to cross.

No, there isn't. If it's red, you stop. If it's yellow, you better be practically through the intersection or you should stop.

The odd thing about this trend is that it isn't that dangerous because no one goes when the light is green. It changes, they look both ways as two more cars enter and exit the intersection. Then they move. They go so late in the light that the car two spots behind has to decide whether to go on "orange" or stop for red. I'm sure you can guess which choice they make.

All I ask is that you all stop on red, go on green, and at least err on the side of caution when it's yellow. I want to see my daughter grow up.

Connor Oberst at the Note

Is there an iPhone app for zooming in?

I caught the Connor Oberst show last night to mark one of the very few times I've been able to get to a rock show. (And this marks one of the very few times I've actually posted on this blog lately.) R and I were supposed to go together, but the challenges of parenthood left me to fend for myself. That's fine. R doesn't really care for Bright Eyes much.

We did, however, sneak out for a little drink as R sipped on a Manhattan and I had a New Belgian Dandelion Ale.

Once I finally made it to the Note, I found a warmed up crowd not unlike that at a Wilco concert. Several beards, pseudo-hipsters, and plenty o' bros were on had for Oberst and his post-Bright Eyes project. Actually, the kids in the crowd didn't surprise me so much. What surprised me were the elderly in the audience (of which I am not yet a member). Oberst's come a long ways since 15-year-old girls sneaked into clubs to catch a glimpse of the boy wonder jumping from drum kits and metaphorically slitting his wrists on stage.

Anyway, you can say what you want about Connor Oberst or his Bright Eyes material, but you can't bag his ability to put together a great band. I've been going to Bright Eyes shows for years and his bands were always of a higher-than-usual caliber. Last night's group topped them all. They were tight, loose, professional, jubilant, precise, etc.

Last night's show made me really appreciate the material Oberst has put out on Merge. It was such an impressive show that I think it may help sneak his album onto my mid-year list. (Yes, I realize this year's list is late. Give me a break. I have a baby and am taking three classes this summer.)

Blogging's Hard

It's been hard to get a post published here. I've been busy and next week I'll be on vacation. Sorry if you keep checking in to see if I've reviewed that Sonic Youth album I've yet to finish listening. There just hasn't been the time or motivation to blog lately.

I've updated my professional development blog Mr. E., but most of you don't care about that. I've also been somewhat regular with my new beer blog Bottles & Cans. So, keep coming back or check in with those other blogs. I promise that I'll blog here again.

Besides, I hear blogging is dead.

The Gay of COMO

Let me get this out of the way...I am pro-gay, an ally, a rainbow warrior, whatever you want to call it. I support the right for gays to live life like the rest of us. I support gay adoption and, most importantly, I support gay marriage. To me, this is the next great step in civil rights history (that and the rights of the poor and working poor). So, there it is.

Oh, and I really do wish Kenny Chesney were gay.

This is Pride weekend in COMO. As usual, I'm missing it. I'm not proud of this, but it is what it is. Either way, I would like to extend lim's full support for this weekend's festivities. Additionally, I'll give a shout-out to the Center Project and Prism (of which I was a two-year member of the board).

My real reason for mentioning all this is that for the first time ever, I really wanted to dress my dog up in a ridiculous costume. It seems there will be a Gayest Dog Contest on Saturday from 3 to 4. Sadly, I will be on the road, returning from my class in STL. (Right now, Bodhi is jumping for joy. Well, sort of.)

Even if you don't have a gay dog, it would be a good idea to show some support for COMO's gay community by swinging by Stephens Lake Park for the PrideFest activities. Or you could at least wear a pink triangle or fly your rainbow flag.

It's hard to believe that R and I moved here nearly four years ago. One of the things we felt was absent was the gay scene. There was (and still is) no gay bar downtown. No stores flew rainbow flags. We couldn't find the gay community anywhere. The place from which we came - Columbus, OH - is a gay mecca of sorts. So, this was a bit of culture shock for us.

Then, R walked into Main Squeeze and things began to become clearer. I joined the Prism board. New friends came out to us and invited us to SoCo. The world regained its balance.

There is a strong gay community in this town. Support it. If we allow the government to dictate what they do in their bedrooms or whom they can marry, what's in store for the rest of us? Enjoy PrideFest, COMO!