The Posies Rock Bumbershoot

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The Posies played Sunday night at Seattle's arts festival, Bumbershoot. It was a great show!

The audience was huge (it seemed like more people than came to the Trey Anastasio show in the much-higher capacity stadium). The crowd was totally riveted. And unlike most Bumbershows, the crowd did not come and go. We were close to the stage--just a few feet back from the rail--and no one left (much different than the Son Volt, John Butler, Trey, and Mavis Staples shows I saw).

This was probably one of my favorite Posies shows ever (next to when they played at my birthday party)--the songs from the new album sounded great, and the band seemed glad to be in town. The madness on stage was spot on, flailing, tossing & trading off instruments, Ken had some great spoken moments, and on and on right up to Ken taking his clothes off and playing in his gossamer briefs the two last songs (which the gals in the audience greatly enjoyed, if my wife is any indication). Jon tossed his guitar off the stage and someone in the audience played for a minute. A great set, even if they didn't play Blind Eyes Open, which the knucklehead behind me must have shouted for ten times...

Go see them! They might be coming to your town:

09.04.05 Seattle WA Bumbershoot Festival Hothouse Flowers Sound Transit Backyard Stage
09.04.05 Seattle WA Easy Street Records N/A Queen Anne store @ 10pm
09.07.05 San Francisco CA Slim's Oranger, The Deathray Davies All-ages
09.08.05 Hollywood CA The Knitting Factory Oranger, The Deathray Davies
09.09.05 San Diego CA The Casbah Oranger, The Deathray Davies
09.10.05 Tempe AZ Last Exit The Deathray Davies
09.11.05 Tucson AZ Plush The Deathray Davies
09.12.05 Albuquerque NM Launchpad The Deathray Davies, The Mindy Set 17+
09.14.05 Dallas TX Trees The Deathray Davies 17+
09.15.05 Austin TX Parish The Deathray Davies All-ages
09.17.05 Baton Rouge LA Spanish Moon The Deathray Davies
09.19.05 Tallahassee FL Club Downunder The Deathray Davies
09.21.05 Birmingham AL The Nick The Deathray Davies
09.22.05 Atlanta GA The Earl The Deathray Davies, Richard Swift
09.23.05 Nashville TN Exit In The Deathray Davies 18+
09.24.05 Athens GA Tasty World Oranger, The Deathray Davies 18+
09.25.05 Chapel Hill NC Local 506 Oranger, The Deathray Davies 18+; membership required
09.26.05 Washington DC Black Cat Oranger, The Deathray Davies
09.27.05 Philadelphia PA Khyber Oranger, The Deathray Davies
09.28.05 Hoboken NJ Maxwell's Oranger, The Deathray Davies
09.29.05 New York City NY Bowery Ballroom Oranger, The Deathray Davies 18+
09.30.05 Northhampton MA Iron Horse Oranger, The Deathray Davies
10.01.05 Cambridge MA Middle East Oranger, The Deathray Davies Downstairs; 18+
10.02.05 Montreal, Canada La Sala Rossa Oranger, The Deathray Davies
10.03.05 Toronto, Canada Lee's Palace Lou Barlow
10.04.05 Detroit MI Magic Stick Oranger, The Deathray Davies All-ages
10.05.05 Columbus OH Little Brother's Oranger, The Deathray Davies +$2 if under 21
10.06.05 Cleveland OH The Grog Shop Oranger, The Deathray Davies +$2 if under 21
10.07.05 Chicago IL Double Door Oranger, The Deathray Davies
10.08.05 Minneapolis MN 400 Bar Oranger
10.09.05 Milkwaukee WI Shank Hall Oranger
10.10.05 Madison WI High Noon Saloon Oranger
10.11.05 Iowa City IA Gabe's Oasis Oranger
10.13.05 Denver CO Larimer Lounge Oranger
10.14.05 Salt Lake City UT Velvet Room Oranger
10.15.05 Boise ID Bourbon Street Oranger
10.19.05 Portland OR Douglas Fir Lounge Oranger
10.20.05 Seattle WA Neumo's Oranger
10.21.05 Bellingham WA Wild Buffalo
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Painting: Bipolar

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Supreme Court Chief Justice Rehnquist 1924-2005

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died Saturday evening of cancer, ending a long, 33-year tenure on the Supreme Court and leaving a concurrent second vacancy on the Court.

The only chief justice older than Rehnquist was Roger Taney, who presided over the court in the mid-1800s until his death at 87. Only four other justices served on the court 34 years or longer. Rehnquist was appointed to the Court by President Richard Nixon, and elevated to Chief Justice by President Reagan.

I violently disagree(d) with his politics, and particularly the court's shameful handling of the 2000 election. But liked him. He was extremely smart, and I dug the crazy gold stripes he adopted for the Chief Justice's robe. Even justices on the left admitted they liked him.

We all knew this would happen sooner or later. Some of us hoped that "later" would, in this case, mean "during the next president's term."

Painting: Visitors 7

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Painting: President Bush & Some Budget Facts

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Hurricane Katrina Donations

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Mayor Send Out An S.O.S. To The United States; The President Asks People To Go Easy On The Gasoline

Associated Press 9-1-2005: "Storm victims were raped and beaten, fights and fires broke out, corpses lay out in the open, and rescue helicopters and law enforcement officers were shot at as flooded-out New Orleans descended into anarchy Thursday. "This is a desperate SOS," the mayor of New Orelans said. " Click here to read the AP article detailing the worsening conditions.

President Bush asked looters to quit looting and urged Americans not to buy gasoline if they do not need it because of looming shortages. "It's going to be hard to get gasoline to some markets."

Hmm.
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Painting: Shark Rampage

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Painting: The UFOs Approach Warp Speed

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President Fiddling While Rome Burns?

The President Hams It Up

Tuesday, August 30, 2005


Two excerpts from today's New York Times editorial page:

"George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end. "

". . . .nothing about the president's demeanor yesterday - which seemed casual to the point of carelessness - suggested that he understood the depth of the current crisis."

Sixty-six Years Ago Today, Hitler Invaded Poland

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On September 1, 1939, at 4:45 a.m. in the morning, 1.5 million German troops invaded Poland along its1,750-mile border with German-controlled territory. The German Luftwaffe bombed Polish airfields, and German warships and U-boats attacked the Polish navy in the Baltic. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler claimed the massive invasion was a defensive action. Thus began World War II. The U.S. would keep its head buried in the sand for several years until the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. . .

Just about every country that fought in World War I also fought in World War II[1]. This was a World War, ranging from Europe/Russia to Tunisia in North Africa, China, South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. Some say the war started with Hitler's march on Prague in March, 1939, or the Japanese invasion of China in 1937, or even the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. Maybe it was when Adolf pulled the wool over Josef 's eyes and they agreed to the secret Hitler-Stalin Pact. Wasn't that what emboldened Hitler to make a move in the first place. Eventually, of course, Hitler made war on Stalin too. . .

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[1] The cause of the war is often thought to be the Treaty of Versailles, the Great Depression, and most of all, nationalism. In the end, every cause of the war can be classed as ambition or madness.

Update On The Murder Of Emmett Till

Further to All This Is That for August 28, 2005, I found a newspaper article, and the photograph of Emmett Till in his coffin. His mother ordered an open casket so the world could see what had been done.

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