Malaka Of The Week: David Cameron
In which Adrastos makes fun of the British Prime Minister and his porcine past. Continue reading Malaka Of The Week: David Cameron
Category: British Politics
Odds & Sods: I Don’t Like Mondays
You’re probably wondering why I posted the Pedro-Juan picture from yesterday’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony. I decided to throw y’all a curveball and take this feature back to its roots and post one on a non-Saturday. In short, I’m messing with my readers. That’s why I thought I’d post a picture of the best pitcher in San Francisco Giants history with his fellow Dominican Hall of Famer. Of course, both Pedro and Juan had eleventy million pitches that they threw from a variety of angles. The first time I saw Pedro pitch for the dread Dodgers, I called him Juanito. Enough besibol nostagia…
The *other* reason I’m writing an omnibus post of a Monday is that I have a couple of subjects I want to write about in one fell swoop. I really ought to get on with it.
I chose I Don’t Like Mondays as the post title/theme song because Bob Geldof wrote it about a 1979 shooting spree that killed 2 and wounded 9:
Fear and Loathing in Lafayette: Governor PBJ has called this a senseless shooting and urged us all to pray. As you saw earlier, some of the Freepers consider this leadership. It is, of course, the abdication of leadership. It makes me wanna strip PBJ of his bigass belt buckle and cowboy boots:
The Lafayette Police persist in calling this a senseless crime when, as my friend Dakinikat pointed out at Sky Dancing, it is a particularly brutal outbreak of misogyny:
So, I’m not letting this mass shooting in Lafayette go for awhile. Several things stand out to me. First, the killer was a rabid misogynist who went on Talk Radio shows screaming about the Biblical roles of women. It shouldn’t be lost on any one that he chose an Amy Schumer movie which was going to have a larger than normal number of women in attendance and that a solid majority of his victims–including the dead ones—were women.
Since Houser had an anti-semitic streak as wide as David Duke, plus the fact that Ms. Schumer is half-Jewish and related to Senate Democratic Whip Chuck Schumer, that’s apt to be another part of this toxic brew of madness and hatred. Hence the Hunter Thompson inspired sub-header.
It’s easier for a small city police force to slot Houser into the deranged loner category and move on. I hope they don’t and do their best to get to the bottom of this appalling crime. Another reason I’m hoping for some answers is that I have several mutual friends with Jillian Johnson who was one of the two women murdered by Houser. Here’s a clip of her band the Figs performing a spirited version of Psycho Killer:
Ironic doesn’t even begin to cover it. R.I.P.
More Monday musings after the break.
Sunday Morning Video: Edward VIII The Traitor King
Since King Edward VIII was notoriously pro-Nazi, I wasn’t exactly shocked when I saw this video of the British royals: Having said that, the current Queen and her kid sister, Margaret, were just imitating their elders so I can’t blame them. I went looking for a documentary about their twitty wingnut Uncle and learned that he was even worse than I previously thought and I had a mighty low opinion of the late Duke of Windsor. The documentary aired on the BBC’s Channel Four in 1995: Continue reading Sunday Morning Video: Edward VIII The Traitor King
The OXI Vote
I spent more time than usual on the Tweeter Tube this weekend because of the Dead’s Fare The Well shows; more about that later. I was asked several times what I thought of the Greek referendum and, more importantly, what it means. My answer was concise and unsatisfactory: Beats the hell outta me. The OXI (NO) camp won a resounding victory with over 60% of the vote but the turnout was fairly modest. Anyone who says they know with certainty what will happen next should be asked to take a breathalyzer or polygraph. On balance, I think the OXI vote is … Continue reading The OXI Vote
Saturday Odds & Sods: Reelin’ In The Years
Summer has arrived with a vengeance here in the Gentrified Kingdom and it’s a cruel mistress indeed. You never quite get used to a New Orleans summer but the first month is the hardest; eventually you adapt or become completely languid. That’s Oscar and Della’s response: they are liquid kitties right now and spend as much time on the relatively cool wood floors as possible. Hmm, Liquid Kitties sounds like a band name.
It’s been a pretty good week for us Lefties and a bad one for homophobic, anti-Obamacare, Confederate flag wavers. They tend to be one and the same in my experience. I had an amusing exchange with my blogger comrade in arms and fellow Deadhead Monkeyfister on Twitter yesterday:
@Monkeyfister1 You are correct, sir, and for 2 days in a row. I thought it was coming down on the last day of the term.
— Shecky (@Adrastosno) June 26, 2015
@Monkeyfister1 Careful not to drown.
— Shecky (@Adrastosno) June 26, 2015
On to this week’s theme song. I recall the first time I heard Reelin’ In The Years and being blown away by Skunk Baxter’s lead guitar. Trivia time: Jeff Skunk Baxter is now a defense consultant and a zealous right winger. It’s a far cry from his time as a long haired guitarslinger for Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers. Speaking of creeps, the first of two live versions is introduced by Bill Cosby. This clip makes it crystal clear that Steely Dan’s success had nothing to do with their looks. The second rendition is a radically re-worked arrangement from their return to the stage in the 1990’s.
More stowin’ away the time after the break. I’ll try not to drop any more gs than necessary.
Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: Reelin’ In The Years”
Trump-Winfrey Won’t Be Rockin’ In The Free World
As Athenae pointed out yesterday, the entire Trump “campaign” is an epic troll. It makes the freak show that is the GOP nomination process even more farcical. Call me sick but I love it, especially the thought of Trump in a debate going all Noo Yawk on Jeb, Rubio, and whoever else he feels like pounding on. I may even watch myself in the way that some rubberneck at car wrecks. The 2016 Republican race is God’s gift to satire. It almost gives me religion.. The announcement wasn’t Trump’s only act of blatant trollery, he also stated who he wants as his … Continue reading Trump-Winfrey Won’t Be Rockin’ In The Free World
Saturday Odds & Sods: One More Saturday Night
I’m taking this feature back to its roots with the whole Who in football helmets and Saturday song thing. The theme song throwback is down to my featuring a story about the Grateful Dead at 50 and the final shows of the surviving core members. More about that in a moment.
It’s been a news of the weird week here in New Orleans: body parts on the interstate, trucks falling out of the sky ,and endless construction projects. The big Napoleon Avenue drainage project near my house has provoked a lawsuit because of the damage it has done to people’s houses. We’re too far away to have cracked plaster but the construction dust is wreaking havoc with my allergies. I have a tell-tale red allergy spot under my right eye that’s usually only seen during oak pollen season but it’s helping me write this post. Not really, but it’s a colorful image innit?
On to today’s theme song, One More Saturday Night. This rave up Bob Weir rocker first appeared on his kinda sorta first solo album, Ace. I say kinda sorta because his backing band was the Dead. It’s something he has in common with Tom Petty who records solo albums with the Heartbreakers but I digress, which is something I do in every post. But y’all knew that already…
Back to One More Saturday Night. Over the years it has evolved into a set closer or encore. It’s a good thing because Bobby screams like a banshee near the end of the song. I have two versions for your enjoyment. First, one from German teevee in 1972 featuring the honky tonk/Jerry Lee Lewis style piano pounding of the late Keith Godchaux. Second, a 1990 version, which has crappy video but great sound. It features the Hammond B-3 artistry of the late Brent Mydland. Detect a pattern? There’s also Pigpen and my boy Vince Welnick. Grateful Dead keyboard players are to them what drummers are to Spinal Tap. Discuss amongst yourselves…
More Saturday stuff after the break.
Continue reading “Saturday Odds & Sods: One More Saturday Night”
Charles Kennedy, R.I.P.
Charles Kennedy, the leader of the British Liberal Democrats from 1999-2007, died today at the age of 55. He was far from perfect: he recently lost his parliamentary seat in the SNP tsunami and lost his leadership post because of a serious drinking problem. But Kennedy stood tall when it most mattered in his political career and opposed the UK’s entry into the Iraq War: Doubtless it will be his decision to oppose the war in Iraq for which he will be defined as a politician. He described it as the biggest British foreign policy mistake since Suez, and told parliament … Continue reading Charles Kennedy, R.I.P.
Happy National Pothole Day
You may have heard that potholes are a longstanding problem here in New Orleans. I suspect the rest of you lot have your share as well. A New Orleans group called Fix My Streets has declared today National Pothole Day. There’s already such a day in the United Kingdom, which is celebrated on January, 16. It’s bound to be a perennial holiday there after the re-election of the Tory austerity government. Repeat after me: Posh Boys = Potholes. I know what you’re thinking: another man/woman made holiday. All holidays are created by someone and this beats the hell out of the … Continue reading Happy National Pothole Day
Balls Bounced
I was one of those who didn’t believe the exit polling in the British election. I remembered the leaked exit polls in 2004 and thinking that President Kerry would be inaugurated the next January. I didn’t go as far as former Lib Dem leader and campaign honcho Lord Ashdown who said he’d eat his hat if the exit poll was right. His party *underperformed* the exit poll and ended up with a paltry 8 seats. The Tories overperformed and wound up with a majority. Holy cats, nobody saw that coming.
As to Labour, they were kilt in Scotland losing seats in Glasgow that they’d held since the 1920’s when Scotsman Ramsey MacDonald was their leader. The two Ed-headed Labour leadership had different but equally dismal fates: Ed Balls lost his race in Leeds and Ed Miliband resigned as leader this morning.
More bad news after the break.
Election Day
It’s election day in the United Kingdom and the right wing press has been going batshit crazy during the campaign. The invisible man of the Labour campaign, David Axelrod, popped his head above the parapet and spoke to Politico Europe:
POLITICO: But what about the press? You say it has disproportionate power here. Do you think Britain’s conservative print media is more powerful than Fox News?
DA: Yeah, I do. I do think the parties approach media as partisan players. So you see parties disseminating messages through the print media in a way that is unusual.
<snip>
Fox is certainly very conservative, skews to the Republican side, but there isn’t a kind of lockstep between them and the Republicans. Fox tries to drive the Republican agenda more than reflecting it.
Here there are relationships between the parties and media outlets that are deeper so you see a lot of themes being previewed in the media in a way that you don’t see in the states.
This election cycle, the pro-Tory press has worked itself into a frenzy. I thought I’d give you a sample of some of the wildest front pages. First, the Murdoch Sun, which has been beside itself for months. The first front page is from yesterday and features a year old picture of Labour leader Ed Miliband eating a sammich:
FYI, porkie is a Britism for a lie. More stupid Tory press tricks after the break.
Tweets Of The Day: Cool Ed Miliband Edition
British Labour Party leader Ed Miliband has a well-deserved reputation as a dweeby nebbish. Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell always depicts him as the human half of Wallace and Gromit. Miliband seems to finally be shaking that reputation after some spunky debate and teevee performances. Hell yes, seems to be his new mantra. I’m not sure if it will help him win the election but he’s been winning on Twitter in the last few days. Someone has started a photoshop crazy Twitter feed called @cooledmiliband. The thing has really taken off, which has led to various Twitteratti throwing images their way. Here are a … Continue reading Tweets Of The Day: Cool Ed Miliband Edition
Odds & Sods: Saturday Night Fish Fry
I’m back for another bite at the Saturday apple, hope y’all have a Gala time. This week I have a compendium of reading suggestions and the odd musical selection. Speaking of odd, that brings us to this week’s theme song courtesy of one of the forgotten founders of rock and roll, Mr. Louis Jordan:
I’ve long thought that Jordan is underrated because he was funny. Funny people are usually underrated, especially in the realm of popular music where the solemn often win the day. Just a crackpot theory, more oddity and soddity after the break. Continue reading “Odds & Sods: Saturday Night Fish Fry”
Post Of The Day: British Election Edition
It would be more accurate to call Marina Hyde’s brilliant piece in the Guardian about the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto launch a column, but what’s a little inaccuracy among friends? I’m a pundit, not an investigative reporter, fer chrissake.
I haven’t written that much about the May 7th UK election but it’s time to get all changey-n-hopey. I used that phrase because David Axelrod is advising the Labour Party this year. I hope he’s worth the 300K quid they’re paying him.
Back to Ms. Hyde’s awesome piece Nick Clegg isn’t in Kansas any more. He’s in Battersea. She described the hapless Lib Dem leader’s use of a Wizard of Oz analogy and spun it against him. The first and last graphs are the stuff that dreams are made of. Oops, that’s The Maltese Falcon, wrong movie classic:
Let Nick Clegg be clear: “The Liberal Democrats will add a heart to a Conservative government, and a brain to a Labour one!” Unfortunately, courage for the cowardly lion will be a casualty of any coalition agreement. It’s like Dorothy says: “If you were really great and powerful, you’d keep your promises!”
<snip>
Still, for those who like both the words “stronger economy” and “fairer society”, there is incredibly reassuring news in Clegg’s rousing conclusion. “This manifesto proves you don’t have to choose between them,” he declared. “If you choose the Liberal Democrats, you can have both.” So there you have it. You can have your cake and eat it and make a sort of word trifle out of it too. Just pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
The 5 years since so-called Cleggmania have not been kind to the Deputy Prime Minister and his party. In a coalition government, the junior partner usually takes it on the chin. Clegg’s party is on 7 to 9% in most polls after getting 23% in 2010 and looks poised to lose half of its 57 seats. No wonder Marina compares him to the Wizard. There’s no there there.
I also dig the crazy photoshopped picture of Cameron the Tin Man, Clegg as a po-faced Dorothy, and Miliband as the Scarecrow that’s at the top of the piece:
We’ll resume following the yellow brick road after the break.
Continue reading “Post Of The Day: British Election Edition”
Tweet Of The Day: Senator Aqua Buddha Edition
There was a lot of chatter yesterday about a Paul family member’s quadrennial Presidential announcement. I was more focused on David Cameron eating a hot dog with cutlery but John Fugelsang was on the job: Now we get to watch Rand Paul try to convince GOP primary voters he was never really antiwar, he was just antiwar-curious. — John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) April 7, 2015 I considered stealing this joke but there’s honor among smart asses so I did not, even though I hate him because he has awesome hair. Hair envy is an ugly thing, y’all. The reporting of Aqua Buddha’s … Continue reading Tweet Of The Day: Senator Aqua Buddha Edition
Odds & Sods: Bubbling Up Edition
I’m back to that whole in the Carnival bubble thing, which I actually like. It means that one doesn’t have to spend too much time thinking about the outside world, but there are a few things on my mind and as J Danforth Quayle once said, “a mind is a terrible thing to lose.”
But before I natter on after the break, here’s a musical interlude from Paul Simon:
Odd & Sods: Joe Friday Edition
Twas the Friday before Christmas and there was a wee brawl between Oscar and Della Street that woke me up way too early. I think he dissed Perry Mason or something. No spiked eggnog for them. I may make them eat fruitcake. That was an idle threat because we don’t have one, and I would never purchase one except to use as a doorstop or paper weight. Okay, on with the post where, unlike Joe Friday, I offer opinions, m’am, just opinions. If there *are* any facts, they can be found after the break.
Malaprop Of The Week: David Cameron Edition
I love malaprops, which are defined as follows: an example of malapropism <was famed for malaprops: he always said “polo bears” and “Remember Pearl Island” and “neon stockings” — Time> The proper usage of malaprops is one of the reasons I’m so fond of All In The Family and The Sopranos. It’s a pity that fictional Archie never met fictional Little Carmine to trade malaprops. There was even a comedian named Norm Crosby who made a living off his malapropisms. That brings me to the point of this post, such as it is. A malaprop is *even* funnier when it’s … Continue reading Malaprop Of The Week: David Cameron Edition
White Van Man
Political class warfare is as British as fish and chips. It seemed to be diminishing during the Thatcher/Major/Blair era, but the election of the Etonian Posh Boy David Cameron has seen its revival. It has taken a new form, which should be very familiar to Americans: resentment towards the Oxbridge educated political class of all three big parties. It is being stoked by the surging UKIP party and its leader Nigel Farage. Like past master thespians such as Thatcher and Blair, Farage is a superb actor: he’s a wealthy former financial services type who comes off as the bloke you’d like to have a … Continue reading White Van Man
Salmond Smoked: Watching The Noslide
Front page collage/montage via NBC News on Twitter.
I love watching election results. Following British politics is one of my nerdier hobbies. I love it when the two collide as they did last night during the Scottish Independence referendum or #indyref as the kooky kids on Twitter hashtagged it.
I had a grand old time last watching the BBC on CSPAN whilst tweeting up a storm. During past UK general elections, CSPAN has dicked us around a bit by offering tardy or incomplete coverage, which didn’t happen last night. That was obviously more irksome in the pre-internet days but I’d still rather sit on the sofa with Oscar nearby than watch a wobbly stream on the computer screen. Della is apolitical unless it involves the vital issue of feeding Della Street. Dr. A tends to boycott election coverage, especially when it’s all talking heads as it was during the early hours last evening. She’s much wiser than me. I’m just a wisecracker who lives on a wiseacre…
A few words about the post title. I made that Alex Salmond joke so often on Twitter that people threatened to lox me up and schmear me with cream cheese if I didn’t relent. The term noslide came from my friend Jeffrey. I’m not sure if he birthed it, but I thought I’d give him credit. I’d rather steal jokes from friends than strangers. More pandering to the pun community after the break.
The Scottish Independence Referendum Blues
Not all national stereotypes are invidious. The flip side of the Scots reputation for extreme frugality is a reputation for practicality and good common sense. That is why I think there will be a NO vote in the independence referendum on September, 18th. This momentous vote has received very little attention here in the United States of Amnesia. We’ve been too busy wetting our pants over ISIS/ISIL, immigrant children, and Jennifer Lawrence’s admittedly fabulous tatas. Most Americans have no idea that Scotland was granted its own parliament during the last Labour government or that it has a large measure of autonomy right now. The … Continue reading The Scottish Independence Referendum Blues
Headline Of The Day: British Politics Edition
London Mayor Boris Johnson looks and acts like a toon but he’s a master politician. Bozza, as he’s known, is skilled at appearing culturally cool whilst pandering expertly to the Euro-sceptic Tory right. The right wing media love him, other politicians not so much. Boris and Prime Minister Cameron are longtime frenemies. Bozza’s announcement that he plans to return to the House of Commons is a shot across the Cameroonian bow. The Posh Boy is pretending to be pleased by this Johnsonian u-turn. But Johnson is setting himself up to run for the Tory party leadership if they lose the next election. … Continue reading Headline Of The Day: British Politics Edition
What’s The Conspiracy Theory, Morning Glory?
This just in from My Bloody Valentine leader, Kevin Shields: Kevin Shields has raised the notion that Britpop was part of a government conspiracy. Speaking to the Guardian in an exclusive interview, to be published online later today and in the G2 Film&Music section tomorrow, theMy Bloody Valentine leader reacted angrily to a mention of the Cool Britannia phenomenon. “Britpop was massively pushed by the government,” he said. “Someday it would be interesting to read all the MI5 files on Britpop. The wool was pulled right over everyone’s eyes there.” In the early years of Tony Blair’s premiership, Britpop luminaries … Continue reading What’s The Conspiracy Theory, Morning Glory?
Thatcher
David Cameron was elected party leader to be the Tory’s pre-Iraq War Tony Blair: non-ideological, pleasant and moderate. As his government went south and seemed increasingly headed to the electoral rocks, they have become more belligerent and Thatcherite by the day.Their muse, Margaret Thatcher, has died at the age of 87. Mrs. Thatcher was a querulous and cranky right winger who was exquisitely packaged by her handlers as detailed by Germaine Greer in this 4 year old piece. When success went to her head, she became increasingly strident and nasty to her own colleagues as well and was ousted by … Continue reading Thatcher
Quote Of The Day: Tory Party Edition
As you may have noticed, I love British politics; especially when one of the major parties is committing seppuku.The quote comes from an unnamed close associate of David Cameron’sand it is aimed at local constituency branches of the Tory Party: “The MPs just have to do it because the associations tell them to and the associations are all mad, swivel-eyed loons.” Sounds like the Tea Party, doesn’t it? Continue reading Quote Of The Day: Tory Party Edition
Quote of the day
It comes from actor Daniel Craig who clearly spent some time around Tony Blair: “Politicians are shitheads. That’s how they become politicians, even the good ones. We’re actors, we’re artists, we’re very nice to each other. They’ll turn around and stab you in the fucking back.” Continue reading Quote of the day
Gordon Laughs
Watching the notoriously humor impaired former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on The Daily Show was an out of body experience for me. He’s on a book tour plugging his tomeBeyond The Crash and had a moderately interesting chat with Jon Stewart. But when Stewart asked if “we’re all Socialists now,” Gordon dropped the ball and didn’t say “I was a Labour PM and what’s wrong with a bit of socialism?” The Labour Party *used* to be a Social Democratic party until Blair and Brown fell in the love with “the markets.” That dalliance led to an economic boom from … Continue reading Gordon Laughs
Political headline of the day
It comes from the Guardian’s internets feed and it involves new Labour Party leader Ed Miliband offering a vanguished rival for the leadership a *different* senior shadow cabinet post than expected. Get ready: Miliband keeps Balls from Labour’s economic heart The story itself has slightly different headline but this version is a thing of beauty or something like that. Anyway, it gave me a good chuckle… Continue reading Political headline of the day
Playing in the Miliband
I’ve been derelict in my “duty” as First Draft’s amateur British politics pundit. (Jeez, I always seem to be a member of the amateur left instead of a professional. Bummer, man.) There’s actually been a lot of political news out of the UK. The Tory/Lib Dem coalition government is hacking and hewing at the budget, which has led to much uhappiness among left wing Lib Dems. Hmm, sounds vaguely familiar. The beneficiary of Deputy PM Nick Clegg’s summer of discontent has been the Labour Party. Labour just concluded a fascinating leadership contest. It was between brothers David and Ed Miliband … Continue reading Playing in the Miliband