The New Earth: Let the carbonizing begin

It has the same climate as Earth, plus water and gravity. A newly discovered planet is the most compelling evidence (so far) that life might be out there (that is if you don't believe in our Grey visitors). A huge red sun rises in the sky. . .ten times the size of our Sun as seen from Earth. Small waves lap at a sandy shore and there may be things crawling, walking, and wiggling around.

This may be the scene on what is possibly the first truly Earth-like planet to have been found outside our Solar System. The discovery was announced today by a team of European astronomers, using a telescope in La Silla in the Chilean Andes. It is the first exoplanet (a planet orbiting a star other than our own Sun) that is anything like our Earth.

Read more in the complete Daily Mail story here.
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Video And Lyrics: Dave Clark Five Having A Wild Weekend

I remember serious debates, probably in 1964 or 1965, about just who were destined to become the Kings of Rock and Roll. At a certain point in rock history, there was debate over who would triumph: the DC5 or the Beatles? And there was also the Rolling Stones vs Beatles angle too.

The DC5 are probably now held in less esteem than even minor groups like Herman and the Hermits or Gerry and the Pacemakers, not to mention that middle tier of bands like The (always underrated) Kinks, Animals, and others. The Dave Clark Five have not aged well at all. I have a two disk "History of Dave Clark Five" set that includes about eight great tunes, some middling work, and virtually an entire disk's worth of drek.

This tune, Having A Wild Weekend, is the title song from a movie ala A Hard Days' Night. HAWW was released in Britain as Catch Us If You can...





HAVING A WILD WEEKEND
(Dave Clark / Mike Smith)

Saturday night, everybody havin' fun
You don't know it but I'm havin' me some
You left me at home, thought I would die
Down and lonely, thought I would cry

Oh, we're havin' a wild weekend
We're havin' a wild weekend
Reelin' and a-rockin'
Rockin' and a-rollin'

I met me a girl, she thought I was fine
Oh-oh, chick come with me we'll have a good time
She got all dressed up when I took her out
Well she's not that cute but she treats me right

Oh, we're havin' a wild weekend
We're havin' a wild weekend
Reelin' and a-rockin'
Rockin' and a-rollin'

Oww!

------ saxophone solo ------

Reelin' and a-rockin'
Rockin' and a-rollin', wooo!
Reelin' and a-rockin'
Rockin' and a-rollin', rockin' and rollin'
Reelin' and a-rockin'
Rockin' and a-rollin', ohh!

Reelin' and a-rockin'
Rockin' and a-rollin', wooo!
Reelin' and a-rockin'
Rockin' and a-rollin'
I said, Reelin' and a-rockin'
Rockin' and a-rollin'

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Giuliani warns of a "new 9/11' if Democrats take the White House

Republican presidential wannabe, the Mayor of 9/11, Rudy Giuliani responded yesterday to a question at a campaign stop in Henniker, New Hampshire, saying that if a Democrat is elected president in 2008, America will be at risk for a terrorist attack on the scale of Sept. 11, 2001.

If a Republican is elected, however, especially if it is him, terrorist attacks can be anticipated and stopped.

“If any Republican is elected president—and I think obviously I would be the best at this—we will remain on offense and will anticipate what [the terrorists] will do and try to stop them before they do it,” Giuliani said.

Yet. . .yet. . .who WAS in charge on 9/11? As we've asked before, how does being the mayor of a city that was attacked give you credentials for preventing anything at all? I think what we did see is that Giuliani is capable of multiple photo-ops and press conferences, none of which—as far as I know—actually prevents anything.

Recent articles on Rudolph Giuliani in All This Is That:

Running on empty—Send in the clowns—Announced, probable, and possible candidates for President of the United States
Giuliani: The Candidate For 9/11—See The Onion
Republicans tied to the whipping post
Giuliani son: "I have problems with my father, but it doesn't mean he won't make a great President."
Rudy Backs Off
Photomontage: Presidential Contenders And Wild Cards
Front-runners Clinton and McCain losing ground fast/All This Is That's dark horses are mired in the back of the pack
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Painting: A Dall's Porpoise in Puget Sound

click painting to enlarge

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Video: South Park & The Hippies

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Painting: In the Bunker, Hitler contemplates the fall of Berlin

Poem: Changes 63/After Completion

1

The transition from confusion to order is completed
And everything is in its proper place.
Even in particulars

—When perfect equilibrium has been reached—
Any movement may cause order.

In transition from the old to the new time,

Indifference is the root of all evil.
Take thought of misfortune
And arm yourself against it in advance.

2
The finest clothes turn to rags.
Be careful all day long.
While man sees what is before his eyes, God looks into the heart.

3
After crossing a stream
Your head can get into the water
Only if you are so imprudent as to turn back

As long as you move forward
And do not look back,
You escape the danger.

With each glance
You're tempted to sneak
You remember the woman with no name—

Lot's Wife—
Standing in the hail
Of fire and brimstone.

She glanced back
At Gomorrah and turned
Into a pillar of salt.

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Happy Birthday Willie Shakespeare!

Happy birthday to Willie the Shake. . .maybe! Tradition says the great poet William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-on-Avon, England, on April 23, 1564. Church records show that he was baptized on April 26. Three days was the normal amount of time to wait before baptizing newborns.
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Hillary puts on her cracker accent for an African American audience in NYC

I knew she did this when she was in the hustings, way down south, but now she's using the southern twang in New York City. . .to a black audience. Here's the video:

Sheryl Crow's Solution For Saving The Planet

"I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting."

It's these kinds of statements that are not winning the hearts and minds of the people you actually need to convince Sheryl.

Ms. Crow said on April 19, in Springfield, Tennessee (Gore Country): "I have spent the better part of this tour trying to come up with easy ways for us all to become a part of the solution to global warming. Although my ideas are in the earliest stages of development, they are, in my mind, worth investigating. One of my favorites is in the area of forest conservation which we heavily rely on for oxygen. I propose a limitation be put on how many squares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting. Now, I don't want to rob any law-abiding American of his or her God-given rights, but I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required."

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Poem: Changes 62/Preponderance of the Small

Small things may be done
Great things should not be done
The flying bird brings the message

It is well to remain below
Great good fortune
A bird should not try to surpass itself

And fly into the sun
It should descend home
To the earth and its nest

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A coincidence? Rapist Sought.

Obviously someone got the irony here...

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