Friday Nite Retro

Good evening and welcome to this week's edition of Friday Nite Retro. Tonight I'm featuring some lovely ladies from Los Angeles - Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, Vicki Peterson,Annette Zilinskas, and Michael Steele. Better known as: The Supersonic Bangs The Bangs The Bangles! Seems that the ladies had some legal troubles with their original name. . .namely from a Jersey band with the same original name.

The Bangles' full-length debut album on Columbia, All Over the Place (1984), captured their power-pop roots, featuring the singles "Hero Takes a Fall" and the Kimberley Rew-penned "Going Down To Liverpool" (originally recorded by Rew's band Katrina and the Waves). The record attracted good critical notices, and the video for "Liverpool" featured Leonard Nimoy, which helped to generate further publicity.

Hero Takes a Fall


Going Down to Liverpool


All this went some way to attracting the attention of Prince, who later wrote "Manic Monday" for the group."Manic Monday" went on to become a #2 hit in the US, the UK and Germany, outsold at the time only by another Prince composition, his own "Kiss". The accompanying album Different Light (1986) was more polished than its predecessor and, with the help of the worldwide #1 hit "Walk Like an Egyptian", saw the band firmly in the mainstream as radio and MTV stalwarts.

Manic Monday


Walk Like an Egyptian


There was friction among band members after the media began singling out Hoffs as the lead singer of the group, due to Columbia Records practice of releasing only singles on which Hoffs sang lead vocal. In fact, the group's albums were fairly evenly divided among all of the band's members, all of whom wrote or co-wrote their songs. In 1987, Hoffs starred in a film, The Allnighter, which was directed by her mother, Tamar Simon-Hoffs, and was critically panned. That, and the firing of their manager Miles Copeland, further exacerbated the dissent among the band members. But they soon had another US #2 hit with a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Hazy Shade Of Winter" from the soundtrack of the film Less Than Zero, whereas on the other side of the Atlantic the melancholic "If She Knew What She Wants" reached the German Top 20.

Walking Down Your Street


Hazy Shade of Winter


If She Knew What She Wants


In Your Room


1988's Everything was another multi-platinum smash and included their biggest selling single in the soft ballad "Eternal Flame" which was inspired by Elvis Presley's eternal flames and one at a local synagogue in Palm Springs which co-writer Billy Steinberg attended. The single became another worldwide No.1 hit.

Eternal Flame


The working relationships within the band had broken down, however, and they split shortly after, with Hoffs embarking on a solo career.Hoffs solo album, When You're a Boy, spawned a minor hit "My Side of the Bed",and a Cyndi Lauper penned "Unconditional Love", but it stalled, and Hoffs was dropped from Columbia during the recording of her second solo album.

My Side of the Bed


Unconditional Love


In 2000, the Bangles re-formed to tour. The group was also inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2001–2002 they recorded a new album, Doll Revolution. A cover version of "Eternal Flame" was a 2001 UK #1 for Atomic Kitten. Doll Revolution, featuring such songs as "Stealing Rosemary", "Ride the Ride", "Nickel Romeo", and the single "Something That You Said", was released in early 2003. The title track was written by Elvis Costello, who initially recorded it for his 2002 album When I Was Cruel. Doll Revolution was a solid comeback success in Germany after the Bangles had performed in Germany's biggest TV show Wetten dass, but failed to make any impact in other important markets such as the UK, the U.S. and Australia.

Tear Off Your Own Head (Doll Revolution)


Something That You Said


In 2005, the Bangles announced the departure of Michael Steele. Steele was replaced by Abby Travis for live appearances. On December 31, 2005, they reunited to perform "Hazy Shade of Winter" in front of Times Square and later performed "Eternal Flame" as part of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2006. Their third holiday single, "Light My Way", is available as a download via iTunes. August 2007 saw the release of their first official live DVD, Return to Bangleonia - Live in Concert.

Like many other modern music groups, the Bangles have contributed to many other artists' works and to compilations. They provided the song "I Got Nothing" for the soundtrack album for the 1985 film The Goonies, and made a cameo appearance in Cyndi Lauper's music video for "Goonies 'R' Good Enough". Lauper later enlisted them for backup vocals in her 1986 song "Change of Heart". In February 2001, the first-season Gilmore Girls episode "Concert Interruptus" involved a trip to see a Bangles concert, and featured cameos and music by the band. They also covered the Beatles hit "Good Day Sunshine" for the 2006 album All Together Now: Beatles Stuff for Kids of All Ages.

Several artists have honored the Bangles, more or less, in their own songs. The Saw Doctors include an irreverant tribute to them, "I'd Love to Kiss the Bangles", on their 2003 album Play It Again Sham!. Alternative-country artist Robbie Fulks sings a wistful ode to "That Bangle Girl", a song identified as one of his "personal favorites", on his 2000 Very Best album.

Wanna learn more about the lovely lasses? Visit their official website!

Goodnight, and have an excellent weekend!!

Biden - Impeachment on the Table

Joe Biden stated unequivocally yesterday that he will move to impeach President Bush if he bombs Iran without first gaining congressional approval.

Biden, speaking at a candidate forum held Thursday in Portsmouth, said he does not typically engage in threats, but had no qualms about issuing a direct warning to the Oval Office. The forum focused on the Iraq war and foreign policy.

When an audience member expressed fear of a war with Iran, Biden replied “The president has no authority to unilaterally attack Iran, and if he does, as Foreign Relations Committee chairman, I will move to impeach,” said Biden, whose words were followed by a raucous applause from the local audience.

Biden said he is in the process of meeting with constitutional law experts to prepare a legal memorandum saying as much and intends to send it to the president. He added that the best deterrent to prevent pre-emptive military action in Iran is to make it clear, even if it is at the end of his final term, action will be taken against Bush to ensure “his legacy will be marred for all time.”

Republican Love Never Felt So Right

A fantastic first attempt from Gotta Laugh of BNF and Cliff Schecter.com fame:

The Plot to Rig 2008

In California right now, there is a naked, out-in-the-open ploy to rig the 2008 presidential election – and it may succeed.

To understand how this works, we must venture back to the 18th century, and learn about the odd anachronistic leftover that Republicans are now trying to use in an attempt to thwart democracy. Back then, our founding fathers decided against the introduction of a system where US presidents would be directly elected, with the votes totted up in Washington, DC, and the winner being the man with the most. Instead, they chose a complex system called the electoral college. This stipulates that American citizens do not vote directly for a president. Instead, they technically vote for 539 state-wide "electors", who then gather six weeks after the election to pick the President.

The founders designed it this way for a number of reasons. They wanted the smaller states to have a say, so they gave them a disproportionate number of electoral college votes. They also believed that, in a country which,at the time, was largely isolated and illiterate, voters wouldn't know much about out-of-state figures, and would be better off picking intermediaries who could exercise discretion on their behalf.

It's the worst part of the Constitution, producing perverse results again and again. On four occasions there have been such big gaps between the national popular vote and the state-by-state electoral college votes that the candidate with fewer real supporters in the country got to be President. It happened in 1824, 1876, 1888 and – most tragically for the world – in 2000.

Today, the Republicans are trying to exploit discontent with the electoral college among Americans in a way that would rig the system in their favor. Currently every state except Maine and Nebraska hand out their electoral votes according to a winner-takes-all system. This means that if 51% of people in California vote Democrat, the Democrats get 100% of California's electoral votes; if 51% of people in Texas vote Republican, the Republicans get 100% of Texas' electoral votes.

The Republicans want to change this – but only in California. California has gone Democratic in presidential elections since 1988, and winning the Golden State is essential if the Democrats are going to retake the White House. So the Republicans have now begun a plan to break up California's electoral college votes – and award a huge chunk of them to their side.

They have launched a campaign called California Counts, and they are trying to secure a state-wide referendum in June to implement their plan. They want California's electoral votes to be divvied up not on a big state-wide basis, but according to the much smaller congressional districts. The practical result? Instead of all the state's 54 electoral college votes going to the Democratic candidate, around 20 would go to the Republicans.

If this was being done in every state, everywhere, it would be a big improvement. California's forgotten Republicans would be represented in the electoral college, and so would Texas's forgotten Democrats. But by doing it in California alone, they are simply giving the Republicans a massive electoral gift. Suddenly it would be extremely hard for a Democrat ever to win the White House; they would need a landslide victory everywhere else to counter this vast structural imbalance against them on the West Coast.

The Democrats in response shouldn't be trapped in the conservative position of defending the indefensible electoral college. There is an alternative way to reform it – one that would be fair to all parties. It used to be thought it was all but impossible to ditch the system because it would require a constitutional amendment, which needs the approval of two-thirds of both houses of Congress, plus three-quarters of state legislatures.

But then constitutional scholars realized there was another way. The Constitution only requires that each state must "appoint" its presidential electors "in such manner as the legislature thereof may direct". That leaves a glimmer of hope. The Campaign for a National Popular Vote is campaigning for every state simply to commit its delegates to the electoral college to vote 100 per cent for the candidate who wins the popular vote. This would render the electoral college a forgotten technicality.

It's very revealing that when the California state senate voted to introduce this genuinely democratic system last year, the Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it, with the support of his party. Indeed, this bias is so blatant that the state Republican Party itself has now chipped in $80,000 to the campaign. One can only hope that the California Democratic Party is working as hard against this maneuver. . .

Rudy Procured on the Public's Dime

According to previously undisclosed government records, Rudy Giuliani billed obscure city agencies for tens of thousands of dollars in security expenses amassed during the time when he was beginning an extramarital relationship with future wife Judith Nathan in the Hamptons.

The billing practices drew formal attention on Jan. 24, 2002, when the city comptroller wrote the newly elected mayor, Michael Bloomberg, a confidential letter.

One of his auditors, he wrote, had stumbled upon the unexplained travel expenses during a routine audit of the Loft Board, a tiny branch of city government that regulates certain apartments.

Broadening the inquiry, the comptroller wrote, auditors found similar expenses at a range of other unlikely agencies: $10,054 billed to the Office for People With Disabilities and $29,757 to the Procurement Policy Board.

The next year, yet another obscure department, the Assigned Counsel Administrative Office, was billed around $400,000 for travel.

It's not yet clear what disabilities Rudy was suffering from, or whether they were related to what he was traveling to the Hamptons to procure for himself. . .

Where to Retire

Where to live in retirement?

You can live in Phoenix, Arizona where. . .

You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade.
You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town.
You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.
You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door.
The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!


You can Live in California where. . .

You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house.
The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.
You know how to eat an artichoke.
You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.
When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.
The 4 seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought.


You can Live in New York City where. . .

You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.
You think Central Park is "nature ".
You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual.
You've worn out a car horn.
You think eye contact is an act of aggression.


You can Live in Maine where. . .

You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco.
Halloween costumes fit over parkas.
You have more than one recipe for moose.
Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.
The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.


You can Live in the Deep South where. . .

You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.
"y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
"He needed killin' " is a valid defense.
Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty, Jean, Mary Beth, etc.


You can live in Colorado where. . .

You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.
You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and he stops at the day care center.
A pass does not involve a football or dating.
The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.


You can live in the Midwest where. . .

You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.
Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.
You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.
You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"
When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!"


AND You can live in Florida where. . .

You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.
All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.
Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist.
Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.
Cars in front of you are often driven by headless people.

Wherever you go, there's no place like home.

Birds of a Feather, err, FAILURE

If you were a fan of W's reading skills (let alone his management skills, quick adaptation to changing situations, and performance under pressure), then be thankful you don't have to wait any longer for more of the same. Those shoes are being filled as we speak!


I'm sensing some sort of connection here, but I can't quite seem to put my finger on it. . .

Lessee. . .nope, different books.

Hmmm. . .nope, different classrooms.

Maybe. . .no. . .two entirely different blank stares.

Darn. Maybe some music will help me collect my train of thought. . .



THAT'S IT!!! Two men who both failed on that fateful September Morn! Thank you, Neil Diamond, for jogging my memory. . .you'll get no Caroline queries from me, sir.

Vote Obama - He Can Dance

Amber Lee may have gotten over her crush on Obama, but she still believes he's the best choice for America today:

The boys are Back in Town

Remember Jackie and Dunlap from Murfreesboro, Tennessee? You know, the Red State Udpate Boys? One of their You-Tube videos was used during the Democratic debate. But while they may have taken humorous punches at a Democratic candidate or two then, they saved up their real wrath for the "Wax museum of failure" they see among the Republican candidates.



As well as seeking some assistance from Mike Huckabee for help getting rid of some extra pounds.



And even the candidate's wives:

Rove Attempts to Re-write History

Arianna Huffington appeared on Countdown last night to discuss Karl Rove's efforts to rewrite history on the war in Iraq, George Orwell's 1984 and why Rove is a "shameless, remorseless and perhaps soulless political animal, who cannot help himself, even when he's out of the White House":

The Violent Radicalization & Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act

An Act passed by The House in late October and currently before the Senate Homeland Security Committee is as bad as or WORSE than the McCarthy Era when people were labeled and jailed for anything HE deemed UNAMERICAN ACTIVITIES.

Language inserted in the act does partially define "homegrown terrorism" as "planning" or "threatening" to use force to promote a political objective, meaning that just thinking about doing something could be enough to merit the terrorist label.

The act also describes "violent radicalization" as the promotion of an "extremist belief system" without attempting to define "extremist."

Here is the FULL TEXT OF THE BILL:
Note Section 899A Homegrown Terrorism where it becomes a crime "to intimidate or coerce the US government, the civilian population or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objective". And Section 899B Paragraph 3 – The internet is a tool of terror.

Votes on the Violence, Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorist Act.

Bringing the War on Terrorism Home: Congress Considers How to 'Disrupt' Radical Movements in the United States.

Philip Giraldi from the Huffington Post wrote more about the Act.

The Haliburton Presidency

Just in from the DCCC - Be sure to watch the video:


Dear John,

Been to the gas station lately? Gas prices have more than doubled since George Bush took office -- it's an outrage.

Thanks to the Republican road blocks in Congress, gas prices continued to skyrocket just in time for the holiday travel rush -- ensuring that millions of dollars flowed into the pockets of their Big Oil friends and out of the pockets of America's hardworking families.

Remember the Bush Administration's secret meetings with their Big Oil friends to develop our nation's energy policy? We need to make sure the Halliburton presidency is in the past -- but with more than 60 Democrats sitting in seats that Bush carried in 2004, this November, Republicans will try to turn back the clock.

But, we aren't going to let them. With less than a year out, help us send a message to the Republican road blocks in Congress and in the White House that you won't stand for their $50 or more for a tank of gas. We want to raise $120,000 by November 30th to target the DOZEN worst Republican offenders and keep our campaign to strengthen our Majority moving forward.

Send Obstructionist Republicans a Message: Contribute today and be sure to add an extra $3.07 for the current average gallon of gas.

Since January, Democrats have been fighting to undo the 12-year era of Republicans who let Big Oil to write America's energy laws.

This year, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have led the fight by passing bills to end tax breaks for Big Oil, outlaw price-gouging at the pump, and stop foreign oil cartels from dictating how much Americans pay to fuel our cars and heat our homes. But with House Republicans continuing to block this progress on behalf of their Big Oil friends, we need your help to hold them accountable today.

Contribute today to ensure we never turn back the clock and that we keep America moving forward. Be sure to add an extra $3.07 for the current average gallon of gas.

There are only 3 days left before November 30th and we need to raise $120,000 for our campaign to succeed.

Together we can ensure that House Republicans who help Big Oil at the expense of America's middle class families pay an even higher price at the polls next year than we paid at the pump last week.

Sincerely,

Brian Wolff
Executive Director

Some People are Stupid!

A classic from George Carlin - As an added bonus, he nails the Quayles at the end of the bit!

You Tell Me

Whatever's biting you this morning, brush it aside and defiantly state "LEAVE ME ALONE! *I* have to make my own caption"! Have at it, ladies and gents:

Mile Marker

Sometime today, Left in Aboite will surpass 50,000 unique visitors. WHO will be #50,000? ? ?


UPDATE

We have a winner:

Domain Name cox.net ? (Network)
IP Address 70.169.68.2 ? (Cox Communications)
ISP Cox Communications
Location
Continent : North America
Country : United States (Facts)
State : Louisiana
City : Baton Rouge
Lat/Long : 30.4499, -91.0978 (Map)
Language English (U.S.)
en-us
Operating System Microsoft Win2000
Browser Internet Explorer 6.0
Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Javascript version 1.3
Monitor
Resolution : 1024 x 768
Color Depth : 32 bits
Time of Visit Nov 26 2007 5:32:54 pm
Last Page View Nov 26 2007 5:32:54 pm
Visit Length 0 seconds
Page Views 1
Referring URL http://www.google.co...e modern day version
Search Engine google.com
Search Words declaration of independence modern day version
Visit Entry Page http://leftinaboite....of-independence.html
Visit Exit Page http://leftinaboite....of-independence.html
Out Click
Time Zone UTC-6:00
Visitor's Time Nov 26 2007 4:32:54 pm
Visit Number 50,000
[<<] [>>]
Visitor Path Duration (s)
Referral declaration of independence modern day version
http://www.google.com/search?sou... Independence modern day version 0
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What's a Tree Hugger to Do?

As a progressive tree-hugging liberal filled with eco-system protectionist tendencies, it is expected that I must do my part to save our green spaces and protect our trees from harm at all costs. And, indeed, I have followed the classic model all of my life. In the neighborhood I grew up in, I watched as my neighbors, one by one, cut down the solitary trees planted in their front yards by the cookie-cutter developers who had plugged these trees into the very center of every single front yard of every single parcel that they had improved. I, on the other hand, planted more trees everywhere that I could squeeze one in on my small 1/3 acre lot.

Now, let me state right up front here, I don't believe that my former friends and neighbors had some "arbor-trary" hatred of trees. Lebrato Brothers, in their infinite wisdom heartless rush to fill their developed lots with mature trees as quickly as possible, planted sugar maples smack dab in the middle of each one. These trees DO grow rather quickly compared to many other varieties, and they are absolutely beautiful when the fall season comes around.

However they also have one tiny little drawback. One either missed by or discarded by the builder of my old neighborhood. . .they are aggressive in their search for water. To place this in the proper perspective for you, these aggressive seekers of water were planted in the very middle of residential lots where the sewer lines for these homes generally run. Can you guess what eventually happens? These sugar maples, in their quest to quench their thirst, wrap their roots around and into the sewer lines of the homes they are placed in front of.

This often leads to repeated calls for rooting out the sewer and eventual replacement of the sewer lines due to their destruction by the aggressive tree roots. The average cost for rooting out one's sewer lines to clear tree roots can range from $65 to nearly $200 depending on the severity of the problem. Sewer tile replacement incurs a much higher cost. So it's not surprising that many people opt for tree removal instead. The cost per incident are similar, yet non-reoccurring, as the source of the problem has been eliminated. Despite that, I kept my front maple tree. But, for my new additions, I stuck to ash and birch trees. . .about 12 trees in all.

Then. . .we moved to our new digs here in Aboite. And, let me tell you, it was a tree lover's paradise! We have over 120 trees on our lot - lots of hickory and old oak trees. They're beautiful and they keep the house well-shaded even during the hottest weather. Unfortunately though, they also keep my thus far feeble attempts at a nice lawn well shaded as well. And dry. I miss having a nice lawn! I've seeded the front lawn here three years in a row, and. . .it looks great for a month or two and then dies. Every single time. And I didn't even mention the ground dwelling bees that like to nest in the ground where grass is thin and sparse. . .and sting my ass every time I attempt to mow what little grass has actually survived against the lack of sunlight and rain water. But, heh. . .summer comes to an end eventually, and worries about the lawn disappear.

Because they are quickly replaced by two other concerns: leaves and nuts! I've never seen so many damned leaves in my life as what we have here! The first year we were able to burn them as we weren't yet in the city. But that still meant raking them onto tarps and dragging them to the very back of the yard for burning. The next year we could no longer burn, but I DID buy a lawn tractor and an 18-bushel lawn sweeper. This made life much easier, but I still found myself sweeping the entire property at least once per week during October and November. Every time I wound up with a pile of leaves 10' deep along the entire street-side portion of the front yard.

And you HAVE to clean up the nuts and leaves from the yard every fall, or the grass wont grow the next. . .oh yeah; that's where we started! So, what's one to do - continue on as a a caretaker to my own personal forest, or "thin the herd" as it were and lay in a long lasting supply of fireplace fodder? Stay tuned for a possible sequel to this post: The Aboite Chainsaw Massacre!

What Would Jesus Buy?

Coming soon from the creative genius of Morgan Spurlock. . .



The Shopocalypse is nigh! Who will be $aved? ? ?

Food for Thought

Amount of space required to transport the same number of passengers by car, bus or bicycle.

Klum Loves Her Bazooms

Of course, what's not to love?

America is holding it's breath and turning blue

Versus



I can see several states that are obviously flipping more to the left: ND, SD, MN, WI, MI, IN, OH, WV, VA, ME, TN, AK, OK, CO, NM, MO, NC, SC. . .

If you STILL believe George W. Bush is an awesome CIC, you'd best be moving yer ass off to Kansas. It appears to be the safest abode for those of your ilk these days!

Friday Nite Retro

Welcome once again to your weekly fix of recondite and obtuse musical selections blended with a melange of obscure trivia and bios. . .Friday Nite Retro!

Tonight we're featuring yet another great talent who has departed to that great stage in the sky; a man born in Yorkshire, England in 1949. A lad who joined his first band at the age of 15. A musician who was a member of Bown, Dada, and Vinegar Joe. A blue-eyed soul singer who liked to rock it out as well, he was influenced by Little Feat as well as Caribbean-influenced rock. You know him as: Robert Palmer.

In 1978,Palmer released Double Fun, which reached the Top 50 on the US Billboard charts and scored a Top 20 single with the Andy Fraser-penned "Every Kinda People". With its blend of Caribbean steel pan, violins and moving lyrics, "Every Kinda People" became one of Palmer's best-loved songs, covered multiple times by other artists and cited by music fans and spiritual groups for its positive message.

Every Kinda People


Palmer's next album, 1979's Secrets, was an artistic departure, concentrating on a rockier direction. It produced his second Top 20 single with Moon Martin's "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)", which, like "Every Kinda People", became one of his signature tunes.

Bad Case of Loving You


The 1980s saw Palmer find an increasing amount of commercial success. The album Clues, produced by Palmer and featuring Chris Frantz and Gary Numan, generated hits on both sides of the Atlantic, first with the radio-friendly single "Johnny and Mary" and then "Looking for Clues". Catchy music videos matching the synth pop stylings of New Wave gave him much needed exposure to a younger audience.

Johnny and Mary


Looking For Clues


The success was repeated with the 1982 EP release of Some Guys Have All the Luck, which Rod Stewart successfully covered two years later.

Some Guys Have All the Luck


1983 saw Palmer blend techno beats, early sampling and more of the island music of his adopted Bahamas (including steel pan) into the adventurous album Pride. Though the album wasn't the smash that Clues was, it did feature standout tracks in the title song and Palmer's cover of The System's "You Are In My System", with The System's David Frank contributing keyboard tracks to the latter song.

Interview and Pride


"You Are In My System" was an example of Palmer's passion for R&B covers. He jammed the song onto the Pride album after the other tracks were finished. Hearing the track in a Paris club, Palmer rushed back to his Bahamas hometown, where the reconvened band (co-composer Frank included) put together the number. Esquire magazine recounted the tale of the last-minute addition later that year. Palmer did the same in liner notes for his 1992 Addictions Volume 2 CD, which included his re-voiced version of "You Are In My System."

You Are in My System


1985 was a milestone year for Palmer. After Duran Duran went on hiatus, their guitarist Andy Taylor and bassist John Taylor joined renowned session drummer and former Chic member Tony Thompson and Palmer to form the band Power Station. Their eponymous album, recorded mostly at the New York studio for which the band was named, reached the Top 20 in the UK and the US and spawned two hit singles with "Some Like It Hot" and a cover of the T. Rex song "Get It On". Palmer performed live with the band only once that year, on Saturday Night Live. The band toured, and even played Live Aid, with singer Michael Des Barres after Palmer bowed out at the last moment to go back into the studio to further his newly revitalized solo career. It proved to be a good choice for Palmer.

Some Like it Hot


Get it On


Palmer recorded the album Riptide in 1985, recruiting Thompson and Andy Taylor to play on some tracks and Power Station producer Bernard Edwards, who worked with Thompson in the group Chic, to helm the production. Riptide featured the #1 single "Addicted to Love". The song was originally cut with Chaka Khan sharing lead vocals but, due to contractual problems, Chaka was removed for the final mix. The single was accompanied by a memorable and much parodied music video, directed by Terence Donovan, in which Palmer is surrounded by a bevy of near-identically clad, heavily made-up female "musicians". His cover of Cherrelle's "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" also performed well and, in 1987, he won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for his song "Addicted to Love".

Addicted to Love


I Didn't Mean to Turn You On


In 1987, Palmer moved to Lugano, Switzerland and set up his own recording studio. Producing Heavy Nova in 1988, Palmer again returned to experimenting, this time with bossa nova rhythms, heavy rock, and white soul balladeering. He repeated his previous success with "Addicted to Love" with the video of "Simply Irresistible", again Palmer with a troupe of female "musicians". In 1989, he won a second Grammy for "Simply Irresistible", which would later be featured in the Tony Award-winning musical Contact. Rolling Stone magazine voted Palmer the best-dressed rock star for 1990.

Simply Irresistable


Palmer stretched his wings even further for his next album, the eclectic Don't Explain. Released in 1990, it covered diverse musical styles including rock, R&B, jazz and Bahamian influences. It, also, featured the Bob Dylan-penned Top 10 single "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight", in a collaboration with UB40, and the Top 20 Marvin Gaye cover "Mercy Mercy Me".

Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You


In 1994, Palmer released the tropical album Honey to mixed reviews and commercial success. While the album failed to spawn any hit singles in the United States, he did find success in Britain with the release of three hit singles "Girl U Want", "Know By Now" and "You Blow Me Away".

Know By Now


The next few years saw more touring and more compilations; the next release of new material, Rhythm and Blues (1999), contained a mixture of Little Feat influenced songs, rock, and pop. Palmer released "True Love", a single from the album Rhythm and Blues; the song was a minor hit in Britain.

True Love


His final release, Drive (2003), was critically hailed as the grittiest and most heartfelt album of his career. Inspired by a previous collaboration with Carl Carlton on a Robert Johnson tribute album, Drive featured covers of fifteen blues standards, plus the original track "Lucky". He also conducted smaller scale tours, mostly around the lucrative casino circuit.

Palmer, who made his home in Lugano, Switzerland for his last 15 years, died in Paris, France in 2003 of a heart attack at the age of 54. He is interred at the cemetery in Lugano. With Thompson's death later that year and Edwards' back in 1996, three members of the Power Station team that helped propel Palmer to his biggest success have met untimely ends.

And, on that somber note, ends this weeks edition of FNR - Have a great weekend!

WKRP Turkey Drop

Thanks to the loyal reader who reminded me that I forgot to include this classic piece in my Thanksgiving Day Laughs post:

Thanksgiving Laughs

butterball turkey


Christopher Titus: Mom's Thanksgiving


Thanksgiving Unstuffed


Paul Simon's Still Crazy


And, of course, Adam Sandler!


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Dick Cheney's Basement Declared C.I.A. Blacksite

Billy Jack is running for President

Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin) has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2008 Democratic Party nomination for President. Watch the video below to find out why:



And then check out his website to learn more about his intentions, concerns, and motivations for taking this long-shot step. I find myself in agreement with alot of what he has to say!

And, if you are really following along, here's the aforementioned Part Two:

America at it's Best

The Progressive Movement

Biden for President

Joe Biden is the best fighter, the most quick-witted.

By: John Nichols for The Nation:

I'm not in the habit of making campaign endorsements, and if I was, I'd probably urge a write-in vote for Russ Feingold, Joe Biden's colleague on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who combines Biden's political smarts with a record on military adventurism and civil liberties that's far more to my liking. But I do endorse realism, and as such I can't buy the argument that Biden is significantly less acceptable than the Democratic front-runners. Biden maintains 100 percent ratings from Planned Parenthood, the League of Conservation Voters, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Citizens for Tax Justice, the Children's Defense Fund and the NAACP; and 93 percent from the AFL-CIO--these numbers are every bit as liberal as his competitors'.

I don't forgive Biden's wrong vote to authorize George W. Bush's attack on Iraq, but neither do I forgive those of Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. Unlike either of them, Biden tried to constrain the Administration when he and Senator Richard Lugar fought in 2002 to require diplomatic efforts before military options could be considered. As Foreign Relations Committee chair, Biden remains far more engaged than his opponents in the debate about how to address the Iraq crisis. That does not mean his "solutions" are better, but it does mean he is more agile than most Democrats when it comes to debating policy.

It is, to be sure, a hard-won agility. Biden has more bruises than his fellow Democrats because he has gotten in the ring more often than most of them. His bruises are the marks of experience and determination, which ought not to be underestimated. At a time when too many Democrats are prone to pulling punches, he knows how to throw them. No Democrat with an eye on the 2008 prize failed to thrill when Biden used an otherwise forgettable October debate to kneecap the GOP front-runner. While the other Democrats poked one another to uninspired effect, Biden ridiculed Rudy Giuliani for waging a campaign based on "a noun, a verb and 9/11." This was Biden at his best: fast on his feet, muscularly partisan, devastatingly effective at tossing barbs. These strengths have kept the Delaware senator on the national scene for thirty-five years, and they make him the most quick-witted of this season's Democratic contenders.

Of course, Biden is not always at his best, as a failed 1988 presidential quest and several false starts since then can attest. He's a big talker, and he's made some big gaffes. But no Democratic contender has been so steadily "on" during this campaign. And even if Biden's poll numbers remain soft, that October debate confirmed his ability to stir things up.

In the blood-sport competition for the presidency, Biden's flair for finding the GOP jugular ought to count for something among Democrats who grumble about their last two nominees' failure to play offense. Of an old breed of Democrats who fought their way out of the back rooms of urban East Coast politics, Biden beat an entrenched Republican to enter the Senate, held his seat during GOP landslide years, used his Judiciary Committee chairmanship in the 1980s to block some of Ronald Reagan's Supreme Court nominees and corporate-sponsored tort "reform," and not only wrote the Violence Against Women Act but got it reauthorized by two Republican-led Congresses. Biden is best understood as a relatively rare political archetype: a Democrat who pays less attention to internal party politics than to winning elections and governing. This skill makes him the one Democrat Republicans feel compelled not merely to attack but to answer. That's because Biden has so far been the one Democrat who has consistently understood the importance of taking the fight to the other guys.

You Tell Me

You gotta love a week with two Fridays! Even if the second one could also technically be called a second Monday. . .Oh well, on THIS morning, jump on in the water's just fine for making your own caption:

Norris Moves From Weight Benches to Dumbells

Mike Huckabee appeared on Fox News Sunday today. Seeking to dispel any doubts about his viability as a candidate, Huckabee premiered his first television campaign ad which boasts a celebrity endorsement...from Chuck Norris. In fact, Chuck Norris not only endorses Huckabee, but co-stars in the advertisement, which echoes Norris' days as Walker, Texas Ranger.

View the video HERE.

What's That Smell? ?

From EyeWitness News - Huntington WV:

You've heard about mouse droppings in food bins, spoiled food on buffet tables and roach infestations in our Behind the Kitchen Door series. This time, Patrick Mcmurtry has a special report with what he calls the most disgusting thing he's seen since he's been doing these reports.

Inspectors found a nasty odor in the Aristocrat bar in Huntington. They went back and discovered the disgusting truth, the nasty odor was coming from fluids oozing from the bar owner's legs. Carl Scarberry is the owner of the Aristocrat. The bar remains open despite years of health reports showing the floors were soiled from blood and bodily fluids from leg ulcers.

More on this story, as well as the video, HERE.

Well met, and well missed. . .

One of the sadder occurrences in our greater blogosphere is when a blogging friend goes missing. Sometimes you click a link in your blogroll and get the dreaded "blog not found" message. Other times, the site still exists but has flat-lined for some reason and we usually never find out why. I just found out that one of my compatriots right here in the midwest, who hadn't posted since March 19th of this year, DIED on March 20th.

While I seldom speak softly, I DO carry a big blogroll. That being said, I never even realized that his site had gone dormant for so long. Rest in peace, our friend Jerry, and take comfort in the knowledge that you touched many of our lives with your thoughts and insight. Your blog lives on, in your memory, exactly as you left it after your last post with the exception of the usual lively comments followed by the more somber ones as we learned of your demise.

I learned of Jerry's passing via the comments section on another blog who's author has gone missing since August 18th of this year, Lew Scannon (My all-time favorite blogger name) of Unbrainwashed. We hope that "Lew" hasn't suffered a similar misfortune and will return to his crusade against the radical right in the near future. I had always believed that Lew and Ron Nasty were one and the same person - American Insurgency went blank on August 18th as well.

One of the most impassioned and knowledgeable voices in the progressive blogosphere, Jeremy of Rage Against the Right, disappeared on September 26, 2006. His final post was titled "I'll be back". And then he wasn't. His site lives on as well, and is an EXCELLENT reference for information on the right-wing sector of America.

My "You have a Friend in Pennsylvania" buddy, Human, gave us a scare by vanishing for several months this year, but has returned to his rightful place as the pragmatist of our group of rebels. I was greatly relieved to see his keyboard return to action recently, and thankful that the Last Chance Cafe wasn't merely a Carbon Paper copy of itself.

Our good friend Mary Knock, and her blog address, vanished without a trace earlier this year. I had the foresight to claim the Knock Knock blog address and set it up as a tribute to Mary, or as a warm seat if she ever returns to us. Kvatch was kind enough to join in that endeavour and returned the site to a damned fine copy of it's former self.

Kvatch also called it quits, although his site remains, and he has been guest-blogging at several sites including this one. He's been very quiet since November 7th though. . .Froggy? Are you out there? ? ? You have a lily pad here anytime you need it, my friend.

One of my other blogger buddies from "the city by the bay" signed off this summer as well, PT Cruiser. Rory was kind enough to leave a final post and explain his reasons (family). It's always nice to have some closure on these things, and, being a class act, he provided it. Have fun with the bongos and the little ones!

Closer to home, we suffered the loss of Marked Hoosier who also signed off in August. WHAT the HELL is up with August? ? ? Mark, I truly miss your sense of humor and your knack for finding extremely weird videos!

I know I'm probably missing some others who are worthy of mention, but these were the lost pals that came to mind when I read about Jerry's unfortunate demise earlier this year. And, may I add, if you're going to walk away from the keyboard, please let your friends know so that we don't worry about you or find out that you've expired long after the fact. Unless I've already joined Jerry in the great BlogSpot in the Sky, I promise to do the same. . .

My Cats Roasting by an Open Fire

Mary Ellen was discussing her "firewood troubles" today, which reminded me of these pictures. I believe that I showed great restraint in not adding "hot pussy" to the labels/tags!

Our oldest "kittens" have found a new favorite spot to hang out. Sassy and Hobbes were born in May of this year, so the fireplace is a brand new experience for them. When not hanging out on the hearth, Sassy can normally be found sleeping on the nearest floor register, while Hobbes maintains a close watch on the food bowl - as you can tell, he's simply wasting away! Can cats be morbidly obese? ?

Old Nation

One bus. Five old people. Five days in the middle of nowhere. Where adults have failed can older adults succeed?

Biden Closes In On Obama & Hillary in Iowa

Joe Biden has climbed up another rung in the race for Iowa's legislative endorsements with Friday's announcement that Iowa Rep. Mary Gaskill of Ottumwa has thrown support behind his presidential campaign. The endorsement brings Biden's total to 13, two behind Barack Obama's 15, and one behind Hillary's 16. Rounding out the pack are Edwards with 9, Dodd with 3, and Richardson, Kucinich, and Gravel with 0 endorsements to date. 27 Democratic members of the state legislature remain uncommitted.

Gaskill, a key endorsement in south-eastern Iowa, is serving her second term in the House for Iowa's 93rd District and serves on the Environmental Protection Committee, the State Government Committee, the Transportation Committee and as chairwoman of the Local Government Committee. Prior to being elected to the Iowa House, she served 16 years at the Wapello County Auditor. As a legislator she has remained an ally to voting integrity activists, having sponsored legislation that would require random audits of voting machines and paper trails.

"I believe that Sen. Joe Biden has the breadth of experience on foreign policy and record of bipartisan leadership on domestic issues our country so desperately needs," Gaskill said in a prepared statement. "From the Biden exit plan for Iraq to his landmark Violence Against Women Act, Sen. Biden has proven he can build bipartisan consensus on the most important challenges facing our country. He is sincere, authentic and I believe he is the best candidate the democrats have -- and that is why I am supporting him."

Other state legislators who have endorsed Biden for president are Sen. Joe Seng of Davenport, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines, Speaker Pro Tempore Polly Butka of Clinton, Rep. John Whitaker of Hillsboro, Rep. Doris Kelly of Waterloo, Rep. Lisa Heddens of Ames, Rep. Jim Lykam of Davenport, Rep. Mike Reasoner of Creston, Rep. Dick Taylor of Cedar Rapids, Rep. Roger Thomas of Elkader, Rep. McKinley Bailey of Webster City and Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach of Ames.

Randi Rhodes at Peace Action 50th Anniversary

Randi Rhodes addressed The 50th Anniversary party of PEACE ACTION of Mich. nov 11 2007. Her speech " WE ... all BELIEVE " was received with standing ovation after standing ovation and her thoughts are shared throughout the peace now & forever community. I am very proud & honored to share her thoughts & words with the " thinking & principled" of the world.

Joe is Right

For those of you who may have missed it last night, Joe Biden was in top form. He was concise, on point, and came across as the "adult" among his peers! His campaign has produced a brilliant little video which highlights his "support" among his rival candidates:



Hat Tip: Paddy

Progressive Vs Conservative

Friday Nite Retro

Welcome once more to that esoteric collection that I like to call Friday Nite Retro! Tonight we're going to glam-rock out to the musical stylings of Slade; I have to confess up front that I was only aware of the two hits spawned by their attempt to crack the American music scene in the early 1980's.

Turns out that these guys were hugely successful across the pond during the 1970's. They nearly broke the record set in the 1960's, by the Beatles, most top-ten singles in one decade. The Beatles record held at 22, but Slade was able to rack up 17 top-tens from 1971 through 1976.

Ironically, one of their early hits in Britain was covered here by Quiet Riot about the same time that Slade was finally hitting our charts. Here's their original of that song:

Cum On Feel the Noize


While Slade's attempts at cracking the United States market were largely unsuccessful, they left their mark on a several US bands who cite Slade as an influence. Kiss bassist Gene Simmons readily admits that his band's early songwriting ethos and stage performance style was influenced by Slade. In his book "Kiss and Make-Up," Simmons writes, "the one we kept returning to was Slade," and "we liked the way they connected with the crowd, and the way they wrote anthems... we wanted that same energy, that same irresistible simplicity. but we wanted it American-style." Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick has said that his band went to see Slade perform, and that they used "every cheap trick in the book", thus inadvertently coining his group's name.

Merry Christmas Everybody


In August 1980, Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard Of Ozz cancelled their set at the Reading Festival with very short notice. Slade, who had all but disbanded, were recommended to replace them. A demoralised Dave Hill had effectively left the band and initially refused to do the show when asked by the other band members, but manager Chas Chandler convinced Hill to play what could very well have been their last ever live show in front of a huge crowd rather than in a small club. To Hill's utter astonishment, the band were well-received at the festival, and quickly became darlings of the music press again — despite doing nothing different at Reading than they had done onstage in recent years.

A new run of chart success followed, though not on the large scale of their 1970s heights. Slade had another two UK top 10 hits in 1984, with the singles "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My" (#2 UK, #36 U.S.) "Run Runaway" reached #7, which would be their second top 40 hit in the U.S. — and their first since "Gudbuy T'Jane", which barely made the top 40 in 1972. Interestingly enough, these hits happened despite Slade not touring to support the releases.

My Oh My


Run Runaway


They later returned to the UK Singles Chart in 1991 with the song "Radio Wall of Sound":

Radio Wall of Sound


Not much to report on the boys after that effort. A few compilations were released here and there, that's about it. Stop by their official website to learn more about the band!

Food Stamp Operations Being Sold for Corporate Profit

Public Interest Groups Fight Back to Protect Children's Nutrition

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- A coalition of anti-poverty, anti-hunger, women's, children's, and labor groups created the Campaign to Protect Children's Nutrition and launched the new web site, www.needovergreed.org to inform people about the importance of keeping the Food Stamp program accountable and accessible to all Americans.

Corporate profiteers and their backers in Congress want to privatize Food Stamp eligibility determination. Food Stamp privatization results in multibillion dollar contracts for big corporations like IBM, MAXIMUS, Accenture and others.But for millions of needy children, elderly and disabled Americans, it means their next meal could depend on the whims profit-seeking CEOs, not professional, experienced
caseworkers whose only motivation is to help those in need.

Texas was the first state to try privatizing its program and it was a failure that cost the state hundreds of millions and pushed needy people away from the services for which they were they legally qualified. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is forcing his state down the same disastrous road.

In July 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a Farm Bill that reaffirms the existing prohibition on outsourcing the Food Stamp program to private companies. The Senate is now considering its Farm Bill.

At www.needovergreed.org, visitors can sign a petition in opposition to privatizing the Food Stamp program as part of the 2007 Farm Bill. The site will also provide news and information to expose the corporate efforts to profit on the backs of poor families.