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ghostsinthemachine

ghostsinthemachine's Journal
ghostsinthemachine's Journal
October 30, 2016

Tim Kaine: Really cool dude



If elected, Tim Kaine will be the most music-savvy VP in American history. He plays blues harmonica, and he's an obsessive listener who keeps up with new artists (current indie fave: Lucy Dacus). "When I first ran for governor of Virginia I started playing with bluegrass bands all over the state because we have so many festivals," he says on the phone from the campaign trail. "I have six in my briefcase at all times. Even though I'm not very good, bands just kept saying, 'Come on up.'" We asked him to list his five favorite artists, in no particular order. "Twenty would have been easier," he says. "But this is more fun than lots of other stuff I have to talk about."


http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/tim-kaines-music-top-5-replacements-cornershop-and-more-w445695

?
October 29, 2016

Interesting thoughts about Bundy acquittal

From singer songwriter, Jim Page's Facebook page...

, by an attorney friend of mine commenting on the Bundy acquittal.

"I believe that the reason for the refuge occupiers not guilty verdict is the behavior of Federal Law Enforcement. The five armed undercover FBI informants [I understand 10 others were undercover, but unarmed] were a substantial portion of the refuge occupiers. It was impossible for the jury to determine what behavior was done by the government infiltrators and that done by the occupiers. The Government failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the firearms charges and conspiracy action were committed by the defendants and not by the plethora of undercover informants."

October 27, 2016

Exactly who the f*ck is "THE MEDIA" anyway?

I see left, right, center, up down, profit, non profit media decry "the media". Print media, television, radio etc decry the media. People tell me "it's the media's fault" when talking about almost any subject, sports to politics". Only the most extreme use the pejorative "liberal" anymore. The right has especially made the media a dirty word, so much the I watched FOX for an hour decry the media. The media this, the media that. (Yet they say they are the most watched news outlet. That kind of makes them the media doesn't it?). My community radio station blamed the media (on a news program) for not doing enough to report on Trump's something or other.

Trump is all over the media bemoaning the media, on the media. The media created him and he uses it at his beck and call. Alternet.org covers him as does Breitbart.

So who is this boogieman, this "media" to you?

October 24, 2016

RIP Tom Hayden

(Reuters) - Veteran social activist and politician Tom Hayden, a stalwart of America’s New Left who served 18 years in California’s state legislature and gained a dash of Hollywood glamour by marrying actress Jane Fonda, has died aged 76, according to media reports.

Hayden died in Santa Monica, California, after a lengthy illness, The Los Angeles Times reported on its web site.

“A political giant and dear friend has passed,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti wrote on Twitter, adding “Tom Hayden fought harder for what he believed than just about anyone I have known.”

More here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tom-hayden-dead-anti-war-activist_us_580da8f7e4b0a03911ed72bc?section=

One of my early life heroes.

October 23, 2016

Al Howard (funny guy, musician, record store clerk) checks in (hilarious) on the election

I've been posting some of my friend Al Howard's musing over the years here on DU. He is a musician in a number of San Diego based bands, The Midnight Pine, The K3 Orchestra and others. He also is a record store clerk at a used record store on Ocean Beach (because he is an unknown musician). He is also a hysterical writer.
This is his latest.

It seems like unless we find out that Hillary Clinton murdered JonBenét Ramsey or she beheads Ellen on a live airing of her show while declaring her allegiance to Isis, she will become president of the United States of America. Shit, she might be able to do both of those things and still win, finally drawing to conclusion the most bizarre election until 2032’s Pauly Shore vs DMX in the famed Weasel vs Dog grudge match election, where campaign slogans like “Make America Black again”, “I was in Son in Law”, “Where my votes at nigga” and “Biodome 2? Lets!” are thrown around in the media. Sure Hillary Clinton is kinda like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wonder bread, without the peanut butter and absent of jelly, but Donald Trump is like a burrito, but instead of black beans, it’s dog doo, instead of cheese it’s Paris Hilton’s last call bile and instead of tortilla, it’s the skin of a child, and no one wants a child skin burrito, especially with no guacamole. I hope I haven’t jinxed this by making a somewhat declarative statement. I’m not thrilled with either candidate and I miss Bernie Sanders like I miss Deadwood, the 90s and Bill Hicks combined, but I’m pretty sure a Trump presidency would destroy the earth somehow and I’ve still never been to Yellowstone. But there was a point to this post I veered away from as I started contemplating DMX’s stance on immigration reform. Now that Trump has uncorked the hatred of a shaken up bottle of cheap Champagne, where does it all go. As much as I’ve managed to make light of his repulsive campaign, there’s a lot of stirred up venom and vitriol that’s been given new life. Because none of this ends election day. If anything, it begins. Beliefs don’t die easy, even when they are misaligned with the trajectory of our social evolution. But Donald Trump is a key step in our growth. Because he’s a conversation catalyst. We’re now talking about hard subjects that we reluctantly mention. I’ve had friends open up about abortions this week. We’re acknowledging our varying levels of islamophobia in a country built on immigration. Something as seemingly innocuous as the concept of “manterrupting” is on the table and it’s something I catch myself doing all the time that a woman once tried to make me aware of but I probably cut her off as she was telling me. We are the static and strife before a change. It was never supposed to be easy. So for now, I’ll enjoy the humor of hearing Donald trump say “nobody has more respect for women than I do.” I’ll laugh today, we’ll work tomorrow.
October 21, 2016

11 reasons why Hippies (not psychos) should rule the world!

Don’t be fooled. The status quo is delusional. When it comes to what really matters, what you feel in your marrow is usually right. And on this note, hippies aren’t really “hippies.” That’s just what we’ve been called to disenfranchise us from sanity and to promote the misdeeds of the fake world powers.

Everyone, really, is a hippie, just beneath whatever very recent modern disguises we’ve taken on. For each of us, by the mere fact of waking and walking, on some level loves trees for their oxygen they give, the sun and soil for our food, the rain and rivers for our water. It’s just that hippies are more conscious of these facts, more gracious and therefore (more) stewarding of all that makes us whole.

In truth, we are the true CEOs of our planet’s future, not the current psychos in charge. Because money is useless with nothing to buy, no plants or millions of other species left to love and fascinate, nurture and support us. The new currency is wholeheartedness, justice, courage, and respect — as it always has be

1) We sit under, lie under, wrap our arms around, and feel praise in the presence of trees and other non-humans, sharing our love with the most loving things on the planet.

2) We sit around more than others — helping slow down the mad rush to the end — and have the kinds of conversations that the stars, daffodils, and the moon enjoy.

3) We wear clothes with holes and stains and it’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay because it slows capitalism, the great Earth-crusher.

More here: http://www.theearthchild.co.za/11-reasons-why-hippies-not-psychos-should-rule-the-world/

October 19, 2016

Debate betting lines? Over/under on "disaster"?

I say 22 times T rump says it.

October 19, 2016

MTV Live, the coolest thing ever

Wow. Lots of live footage (really?) and documentaries ive never seen.

Tonight David Gilmour show, some archival Bowie and now a very interedting documentary on the Who's masterpiece Quadrophenia.

Lets hope they play some Dead, Phish, DMB, and bands that are the live music titans.

October 14, 2016

Question: Has Trump given a press conference? Hillary how many?

Un scripted? All members of the media, no pre approved questions. I know HRC has had one recently on the plane, have there been more?

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