Skippy's Led Zeppelin reunion post. Recommended if you love or especially if you hate Led Zeppelin, there's something for everybody. Choice cuts include:

Plant invented one of the most annoying phenomenons in modern music: screaming the word "baby" seven or eight times in high C and letting people think that it's the blues. It isn't the fucking blues, it's being a dick. Listen to history's great blues singers. You almost never want to punch them in the face.

. . .

When you get to be Jimmy Page's age, almost all girls are inappropriately young. If, at the age of 59, Robert Plant asks anyone to squeeze his lemon 'til the juice runs down his leg" he should be laughed at by the audience and immediately taken into police custody.

. . .

Zeppelin was first and foremost a "rock" band, and that doesn't age very gracefully. The Stones on the other hand were always far more about the roll than they were the rock. You can be a really old guy and play, say, "Tumblin' Dice" without looking stupid. The same probably can't be said about "The Immigrant Song."

I barely remember watching Led Zeppelin when they reunited for the Live Aid show back in 1985. I wasn't all that impressed, but hey, I was eight and I wanted to see Duran Duran. Years later, I dated a drummer who educated me about the mythic status of the late John Bonham and the overwhelming awesomeness of "Achilles Last Stand."

As I say, I was educated, and I became a fan. But I can't see spending money on a reunion show today when they're so over the hill and their best guy is dead. I'd never go see the Rolling Stones or The Who these days either. Of course, if it were 1975, I'd be all over it!

Skippy really needs to read Lord of the Rings, though. I can't believe he hasn't read that yet.

Posted by: annika at 04:32 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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1 You're back! I trust the bar went well? And who knew you were so friggin' young? Damn, I was an elderly fifteen in 1985 and spent most of Live Aid day camping with my girlfriend. I did however get to see Mick Jagger tear off Tina Turner's skirt. That was pretty cool. Knowing what I do now about the late-lamented Young Offenders Act, I actually should've finished "Lord of the Rings." Hitting someone in the face always looked like fun in Road Runner cartoons. Alas, it would be unseemly for a gentleman of my advanced years. Oh, and I re-wrote hunks of that post. It might actually be funny now. Welcome back!

Posted by: skippystalin at November 30, 2007 08:55 PM (TUjSW)

2 Mebbe he's never read it because it's total garbage? I've tried, several times, and I can never make it past page 150.

Posted by: Victor at December 01, 2007 05:51 AM (kLJvP)

3 I can't believe it! Skippy wasn't kidding! SHE IS BACK!

Posted by: reagan80 at December 01, 2007 01:18 PM (o4G66)

4 I'd never go see the Rolling Stones or The Who these days either. Saw the Stones for the first time two years ago. Eh. But I still might see Led Zep...

Posted by: Nigel at December 01, 2007 08:26 PM (wearR)

5 Annie, I came by just to leave a comment in your "farewell post" about how much we miss you especially now that Bronco Bomber has taken the lead in the Iowa polling and holy shit on a shingle there's a whole page of posts here! I saw that you said "I'm not back, by the way", so I hope you're inspired to be "not back by the way" for a long time to come. Welcome not back, by the way.

Posted by: Tuning Spork at December 02, 2007 04:15 PM (fLFSv)

6 Oh, what the hell is this!?!? I quit coming by because I thought you were throwing in the towel and in the process of cleaning up my favorites folder I find that you completely head faked me....that's just mean. I MOURNED you dammit!!!

Posted by: TBinSTL at December 02, 2007 10:01 PM (soc2D)

7 Forgot to mention I saw The Who earlier this year. Daltrey's voice is as strong as ever, and better than damn near everyone elses out there, and the supporting band (which includes Pete's bro on rythym guitar and Zack Starkey, Ringo's son, on drums) is one of the tightest around. Obviously, Townshend has forgotten (or ignored) his wish to die before he got old; OTOH, he ain't pretending to be a youngster. Props to him for acting his age...almost.

Posted by: Victor at December 03, 2007 05:08 AM (1oGDT)

8 I rescind my previous congratulations on being back, as you most definitely are NOT back. And I hope that you continue to not be back.

Posted by: physics geek at December 03, 2007 07:22 AM (MT22W)

9 I dunno...you seem back.

Posted by: dawn summers at December 03, 2007 02:41 PM (SOf9N)

10 Damn, Skippy's rant was one of the best I've read in a while.

Posted by: ElMondoHummus at December 04, 2007 05:44 AM (xHyDY)

11 A welcome-back present for you.

Posted by: Victor at December 05, 2007 05:34 AM (1oGDT)

12 hey those would be so much better without the bows!

Posted by: annika at December 05, 2007 06:48 PM (mzyb2)

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All the buzz this morning on talk radio and the blogs is about the planted questioners from last night's debate. I'm not as outraged at the individual questions — a question is a question — as I am at the fact that they were all designed to perpetuate a Democratic stereotype of Republicans and conservatives. And not only that, since the planted questioners all came from the activist left, yet were only identified by CNN as ordinary citizens, they gave the false impression that ordinary Americans are united against conservative principles. That's simply not true; eight years of Republican presidency prove that it is not.

Questions designed to place the candidates on the defensive have their place, but such questions are fundamentally unfair when the background of the questioner is hidden, and especially when the same tactic is not used against the Democrats in their own debates. Bryan at Hot Air said it:

Last time, the debate was for Democrats and the plants were all Democrats. This time, the debate was for RepublicansÂ…but the plants were still all Democrats.

Posted by: annika at 07:53 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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First off, I pray that the candidates of both parties have the guts never to allow this format ever again. But I know they won't. The format is worse than a joke, it's destructive. Just look at the type of people asking the questions and ask yourself how many people you know in your everyday life who are that weird.

Somebody at CNN chose these questions and that person was not a friend of the Republican party or conservatives in general. It seemed many of the questons were specifically chosen to portray conservatives in a bad light. I certainly saw nothing like that during the Democratic YouTube debate. But not only that, there were too many irrelevant and undignified moments. There is no excuse for Yankees/Red Sox questions or confederate flag questions or questions about biblical inerrancy in a presidential debate during wartime. That said, I do have some impressions of how the candidates did.

I've been a Romney skeptic since I first began hearing about him. It's not that I'm dead set against him, I just want the guy to prove himself to me. I've listened closely to him and he fails to sell himself every time. Up until now I've had trouble putting my finger on why. But tonight I realized that the man just doesn't come across genuine. Every time he gets a hard question he dodges it by saying he'll consult the appropriate people when he's president. I know that's what presidents do, they consult advisers, but when I hear a candidate say it I have to wonder if he has any core beliefs that he can draw upon.

The most famous example of this Romney dodge was when he said he'd consult "the lawyers" before deciding if he would get congressional approval before responding militarily. Just about the worst thing he could have said. Tonight Romney did it twice. On the torture question he said he'd consult McCain, but McCain would have none of it. And looking at Romney's face, I could tell he was embarrassed. I disagree with McCain on the torture issue, but I loved the way he called Romney out on his Hillaryesque refusal to commit to anything. The third time Romney played the "I'll consult" card was on the "don't ask don't tell" question, and it drew boos.

I'm still willing to be persuaded by Romney, because I'm afraid he might be the only winning option against Hillary. But he's not convincing me to feel good about that. The one thing I like about Giuliani the most is that when he says something I can feel his conviction. And that's exactly what Romney is lacking. To my ears, Romney seems passionless and convictionless, even while he's saying the right things. I know it's a perception problem, and maybe I should listen more to what he says rather than how he says it. But a perception problem is an electability problem too. So there's your reason Romney's way behind in the national polls. I'm not the only one who has trouble believing in him.

Regarding the other candidates, I thought Thompson did really well. And I'm the biggest Thompson basher out there. I wish Anderson Cooper had granted him the amount of time his second place position deserved. I'm willing to be convinced by Thompson too, though running him against Hillary would be 1996 all over again.

Giuliani was Giuliani. I know his story, I like him, I don't think he hurt himself tonight. In contrast to Romney citing Bill Cosby, Giuliani's answer to the black on black violence question was spot on. Giuliani reduced black on black violence by reducing violent crime, drastically. Even Romney had to admit that Rudy got results.

Paul has no business being in these debates. He's not a Republican and he's only a distraction who wastes minutes that should go to the real candidates. Everybody knows that, but the media hates Republicans so much I wouldn't be surprised if they invited Paul to participate in the general election debates.

Huckabee's answer on the Bible question was excellent, but he is a preacher.* I'm still leaning Huckabee, but the guy who really rose in my opinion was Duncan Hunter. He's good on all my issues as far as I could tell. No chance to win, but he may be the most solid conservative on the stage. McCain, as always, was great on Iraq and the War on Terror. I'm glad he reminded people that he was the only one who was right on Rumsfeld and the new Petraeus strategy. Tancredo was bumbling and innefectual, as always.

Did anybody miss Brownback, Gilmore or Tommy Thompson? I didn't.

Update: Iowa and Florida Polling shows Huckabee the clear winner.

Also, some good stuff at The Scratching Post, including shoes!
_______________

* Giuliani's rambling answer came close to an approximation of liberal Catholic doctrine as I was taught by Jesuits. The actual Catholic doctrine is codified in the Catechism as follows:

The inspired books teach the truth. "Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures."

Still, the Christian faith is not a "religion of the book." Christianity is the religion of the "Word" of God, a word which is "not a written and mute word, but the Word which is incarnate and living". If the Scriptures are not to remain a dead letter, Christ, the eternal Word of the living God, must, through the Holy Spirit, "open [our] minds to understand the Scriptures."
[emphasis added]

Posted by: annika at 07:17 PM | Comments (10) | Add Comment
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1 It is so awesome to have you back! I totally agree with you on the bible comment. Wishy washy folks can go f#ck themselves I know what I believe and nothing will convince me otherwise.

Posted by: Andy at November 28, 2007 09:31 PM (P8ZAx)

2 Well, it certainly seems like you are back...

Posted by: Nigel at November 28, 2007 09:33 PM (wearR)

3 Haul out the holly We're getting home so we can start to celebrate Fill up the stockings We may be rushing things but we can hardly wait now For we need a little Annika, right this very minute Candles in the window, carols at the spinet Yes we need a little Annika, right this very minute It hasn't snowed a single flurry Annie, we're all in a hurry Haul out the holly Turn on the brightest string of lights we've ever seen Slice up the fruitcake It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough For we need a little music, need a little laughter Need a little singing ringing through the rafter Yes we need a little snappy happy ever after We need a little Annika now! Welcome home. By the way, did you pass the bar?

Posted by: Kosher Hedgehog at November 28, 2007 11:07 PM (4Bv8X)

4 that should be a hannika song lol!

Posted by: annika at November 29, 2007 03:45 AM (7jE/A)

5 Hannika?? Oh, boo! Boooooooo!

Posted by: ElMondoHummus at November 29, 2007 06:30 AM (xHyDY)

6 Thanks for the link! I missed the question about the Confederate flag. I sure do wish I'd seen that. As a Republican, that question has been bothering me for a long time. I've been on the fence between Fred Thompson and Rudy waiting to hear what they had to say about the Confederate flag.

Posted by: K T Cat at November 30, 2007 10:59 AM (/3yde)

7 You guys know I'm kidding about the Confederate flag, right?

Posted by: K T Cat at November 30, 2007 11:00 AM (/3yde)

8 Okay, there's a lot there to respond to. First, I hope to Christ that the GOP cuts out this whiny "the media and Democrats are mean to us" bullshit soon. Politics is ugly and Republicans haven't exactly won the White House 9 of the last 14 times by sending flowers, chocolates and feelings of love. If having some homo general sprung on you during a primary debate that no one but sexless geeks like us are paying attention to gets you all weepy, God help you in the general. In case anyone missed the history, the Clintons play to win! Romney is nothing but a haircut. Anybody can beat that manicured ghoul. Christ, Romney's dad ran for president on the platform that he was brainwashed by the American military. Anything you need to know about Mitt can be learned from George. Big John McCain made Romney look like what he is, a blowdried idiot. However, Giuliani just looks desperate and sad when he goes after Mitt if only because the two of them believed exactly the same things until about 10 months ago. Which brings me to my next point: Romney and Giuliani are both whores. It's very hard to paint a Clinton as being fast and loose with their fundamental beliefs when you're even more so. Huckabee is interesting in that he embraces all of the things that make both Republicans AND Democrats unelectable. While I find the combination of Marxism and evengelical Christianity interesting, if he were nominated it would be much more like 1936 than '96. If nothing else, Dole won more than three states and I doubt that Huckabee could be Alf Landon. As to the format, YouTube isn't going anywhere. It's going to the same as those stupid fucking Town Hall debates, where the stupid rule the day. Having said that, look at the last election before the town hall format: 1988. The big issues then? The death penalty and the pledge of Alligeience. Two things that the Office of the President has nothing at all to do with. Read the Bush/Dukakis debate transcripts. That's pretty much all you got. And that was when trivial shit like the collapse of the Soviet Union was underway. Dumb topics like the Confederate flag and what color the candidates Glock is are important because idiot voters make them important. And television ratings are determined almost exclusively by retards. The first televised debate was in 1960. That election was determined almost entirely by Nixon's sweaty upper lip. So you got the Bay of Pigs and a near-miss on a nuclear war. Feel better? TV debates should be destroyed in their entirety. Fuck! I just realized that I should've saved this for my own stupid blog. I'm such an asshole.

Posted by: skippystalin at November 30, 2007 09:58 PM (TUjSW)

9 Speaking of Hannika, here's a treat for all of you. One of my all time favorites, Tom Lehrer (R.I.P.) singing "Hannukah in Santa Monica"... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZUgr1zh878

Posted by: Shelly at December 12, 2007 05:04 AM (wearR)

10 BTW: Skippy, yes you are. Immigration and Terror will carry this next election. Bet on it.

Posted by: shelly at December 12, 2007 05:05 AM (wearR)

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A Republican YouTube debate? Whose brain farted and came up with that idea. Oh well, welcome to politics, 21st Century style.

Answer: Yes, and yes. Hey, I didn't make the rules.

Answer: I think, or rather, I feel that earmarks should be limited to one per ear, and only in the earlobe. I agree with the questioner that many young people today abuse earmarks excessively. For instance, this latest trend of punching a huge hole in your ear and sticking a pvc tube or a toilet paper roll inside has got to stop.

Answer: You are an idiot. Here's why. 1. Iraq was a debacle, but things are slowly improving. Despite almost four years of incompetence, Bush may just pull a rabbit out of a hat there. 2. Gonzalez didn't fire as many U.S. Attorneys as Clinton. Would you have supported Clinton's impeachment for firing all 93 U.S. Attorneys? I didn't think so. 3. Katrina was a hurricane. Or do you believe that George Bush controls the weather? 4. Abu Ghraib? The only problem I have with what went on at Abu Ghraib, which was not torture by the way, is that some idiot went and took pictures of it. 5. Walter Reed was a bad scandal, but it's being corrected, and nobody seriously thinks the neglect that went on there was official policy. As for Bush being the worst president in U.S. history, the jury is out on that one. I'm still hopeful that historians will rank him somewhere above Carter, but I'm not putting money down on it yet.

Answer: No. That's why I spent 23 years in school, so I don't have to anymore. And I can drive this.

Answer: You are one scary looking dude. It's ironic that you ask about school shootings, because if I ever found myself in a class with you, I'd drop that class so fast it'd make your strange and oddly proportioned head spin. Tell your parents they are idiots.

Answer: What? I didn't catch the last part of your question. I think it was about video game violence. Personally I love violent video games. Especially those war shoot-em-ups like Medal Of Honor and SOCOM, or jet fighter games like Ace Combat. I kick ass at them too. I wish I could make out the last part of your question, sorry.

Answer: I'm sorry. You used the phrase "cruel and dangerous abortions." I think its ironic, because you're so obviously scared that a change in abortion law might cause you to have to be more careful when you're slutting around Huntington Beach. But when I think of cruel and dangerous abortions, I think not of ignorant girls like you, but of the millions of victims of abortion who never had the chance to protest the cruel and dangerous way their lives were snuffed out.

Answer: You're absolutely right Carmen. I would give you the option to take a portion of the money that would normally go into Al Gore's "lock box" and invest it yourself, so nobody can take it away from you and you'd get a much better rate of return than you would if you relied on government to take care of you. I don't believe anyone should ever rely on government to take care of them. The Democrats want you to rely on government because it perpetuates their power over you. But remember, government is usually the problem, and never the solution.

Answer: I love that thing you did with the lid! That was classic! What are you cooking there? I bet it's good. Judging by your waistline you are probably a pretty good cook. Anyways, to answer your question, we got to have an embassy, come on. We can't build an embassy? Where do you want the ambassador and his people to stay, in a hotel? Be realistic, now.

Answer: First of all, thank you Dr. Hawking for that question. I'm a big fan of yours, and like many Americans I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first chapter of A Brief History Of Time. To answer your question, I agree we could all be nicer to our political opponents. Paying them compliments is a good start. I'll pick Senator Dodd, if you don't mind. Senator Dodd, you have a spectacularly thick and full head of hair. It's so much nicer than Senator Biden's failed implant job.

That felt good. I can do more. I'm not back, by the way.

Posted by: annika at 07:42 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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1 I'm feeling such a mix of emotions after this post, I have to go eat an entire box of croutons. Are you sure you're not back?

Posted by: Preston Taylor Holmes at November 28, 2007 03:54 AM (b6+qN)

2 You need to throw your hat in the ring, girl.

Posted by: Gordon at November 28, 2007 05:49 AM (NIvR3)

3 "A Republican YouTube debate? Whose brain farted and came up with that idea." It's an attempt to be "hip" and "with it", dreamed up by some political hack with no clue about being either, who dreams up silly attempts to mimic that behavior but is blind to the irony that active attempts at such result in nothing more than stultified parodies of what he's/she's aspiring to be. And when the Democratic version of this comes around, just add some 4 letter language, be more hyperbolic, and remind folks why the current incarnation of modern political liberalism as practiced by sheltered, shallow, collegiate-thinking but real-world clueless hacks lends itself more to bumper-sticker philosophy and facile sloganeering than it does substantive thought or pragmatic solution-finding, in stark contradiction to the older style, more intellectual Patrick Moynahan sort of liberalism that even I as a conservative could respect. Otherwise, same answer. You know, opening questions up to You Tube is worse than a stage actor soliciting the Peanut Gallery. It's an act begging for response from the superficial, unthinking, knee-jerk portion of the population. No matter how many rational, thinking people rush to use You Tube for the first time, they'll find that space already occupied by the same geniuses who post bathroom humor, idiotic screeds, or dumbass conspiracy theories. If they're looking for substantive questions with real thought, and not just the postcards and sound-bite talking points version of true political thought, they've gone to the wrong place. On the other hand, those sheltered, shallow, collegiate-thinking but real-world clueless Democratic hacks surrounding the candidates should feel right at home there. "But remember, government is usually the problem, and never the solution." With that one line, Anni's shown more substance and belief in reality than even most current Republican office holders, let alone Obama, Clinton, or any of the other cardboard cutout, cliché-ridden Democrat candidates display. The principle of government as a blunt tool, not a surgical knife, seems to have been forgotten by too many today.

Posted by: ElMondoHummus at November 28, 2007 06:28 AM (xHyDY)

4 Hehheh... You see, with Cas not being around, someone's gotta pick up the bile quotient. Anyone wanna lend a hand? Yes, I know my syllable-to-word ratio is higher than his ever was, but I'm only trying to replicate the level, not the form. Damn, I miss him. Where the hell is he?

Posted by: ElMondoHummus at November 28, 2007 06:30 AM (xHyDY)

5 nice Mondo! hey don't you know I stole that line from Reagan!

Posted by: annika at November 28, 2007 07:26 AM (i+Wwa)

6 No, I didn't recognize it. But it sounds like something he'd say. It's good advice to take; too many people don't stop and think about that, and only see government as something to enable their wishes (well intentioned or no). Anyway, my "blunt tool" statement was stolen from George Will (although I think his line was actually "blunt instrument"), so we're both sorta in the thieving mood today.

Posted by: ElMondoHummus at November 28, 2007 09:22 PM (UNQLe)

7 But remember, government is usually the problem, and never the solution. Anarchist.

Posted by: Ramsay Glaser at November 29, 2007 01:51 AM (U13vA)

8 These things are not only a prime example of why the average citizen shouldn't participate in debates, they are perfect in explaining why they shouldn't be allowed to fucking vote in the first place.

Posted by: skippystalin at November 30, 2007 10:12 PM (TUjSW)

9 So I wonder if the dude wearing a Chicago t-shirt is from U of C.... It would explain so much.

Posted by: The Law Fairy at December 05, 2007 11:40 PM (njcvI)

10 Flock! The flocking law fairy got here before me? I'm ashamed.

Posted by: Casca at December 11, 2007 12:48 PM (xGZ+b)

11 Iraq a debacle? My dear, war is a messy business, and like the rest of life, imperfect. Gallipoli was a debacle. Iraq's perceived jumble was the price of doing business. We couldn't have got them where they are today without going through the messy part.

Posted by: Casca at December 11, 2007 12:50 PM (xGZ+b)

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The new bumper sticker for people who can't go five friggin' minutes without pimpin' their third place guy.

Posted by: annika at 07:57 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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1 If you're back, I'll celebrate!

Posted by: ElMondoHummus at November 27, 2007 12:11 PM (xHyDY)

2 Are you back?

Posted by: Andy at November 27, 2007 06:01 PM (P8ZAx)

3 Someone go kick Casca and Shelly awake. Me, I'll admit to being here because I was too damn lazy to delete this entry from my RSS reader. What's your excuse?

Posted by: elmondohummus at November 27, 2007 08:07 PM (UNQLe)

4 I still don't know what an RSS reader is...

Posted by: annika at November 27, 2007 08:11 PM (mzyb2)

5 Puhleeze tell us you are back! Screw it...I'm blog rolling you anyway. Don't let us down!

Posted by: Nigel at November 27, 2007 10:14 PM (wearR)

6 RSS reader aka "aggregator" aka "feed aggregator" aka "news reader" or a whole lotta other crap: "... is client software or a Web application which aggregates syndicated web content such as news headlines, blogs, podcasts, and vlogs in a single location for easy viewing." (Source: Wikipedia article) Or in other words, it's a program where you can centralize a lot of blogs and other sites that can be accessed through RSS, ATOM, or similar protocols. I personally like Sharpreader myself. Anyway, that "what's your excuse" line was a fun poke at Andy. I don't care what Anni's excuse is, just as long as she's back for even a little while.

Posted by: ElMondoHummus at November 28, 2007 05:33 AM (xHyDY)

7 I have been checking once every few days hoping you would come back and it's very cool that you have!

Posted by: Andy at November 28, 2007 09:26 PM (P8ZAx)

8 I'd been checking every few days and took off about a week. It's good to see you back.

Posted by: physics geek at December 03, 2007 07:17 AM (MT22W)

9 I have a life. I only check once a month.

Posted by: Casca at December 11, 2007 12:52 PM (xGZ+b)

10 I have a life, too. But Casca has invaded it by letting on that you are back. How could you do this without lettig us know? I have to re-order my world again.

Posted by: shelly at December 11, 2007 04:53 PM (wearR)

11 Casca let me know, otherwise I'd still be mooning away waiting for you. How could you start up again and not tell your pals??? Is that any way to run a blog?

Posted by: Shelly at December 11, 2007 04:54 PM (wearR)

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