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Former British PM Tony Blair has left the Church of England to become a Roman Catholic. I’m surprised, but apparently those who know him (or who read the Guardian) are not. His public conversion would have been more provocative if it had occurred while he was still PM — I guess he wanted to avoid provocation. (Hat tip to Mirror of Justice.)
Some of my New Orleans blogging buddies have been having a contest to see who can post the most nauseous Christmas-related videos. I can’t compete. So instead, I’ll post this video of my second-favorite1 Christmas song: All I Want for Christmas, by Vince Vance and the Valiants. Although there are other on-line videos of this song, this is the only one I could find that captures the magic, the spendor, and the wonder of Vince Valiant’s hair.
At the end of the video, Vince begins another of his immortal holiday classics, I Want to Be a Christmas Tree. Unfortunately, the video ends before the song does. But at least you get to hear the first song from beginning to end. Enjoy.
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1 My first-favorite is Dr. John’s performance of Silent Night on Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack. If you haven’t heard it, oh you must.
Here are the Black Keys, two white guys from Akron, Ohio, who developed their musical sensibilities by becoming disciples of Junior Kimbrough. Here, they perform Just Got to Be, from their album Magic Potion, and prove that to make a rock-and-roll band, you only need two people.
Next week: John Lennon and some other guys you may recognize.
“Language is software for the mind.”
— David McNally. (Hat tip: Writing, Clear and Simple.)
Apparently the phishers’ estimate of my intelligence has hit a new low. Here’s the text of an e-mail received today, supposedly from PayPal:
As a precautionary measure we have temporarily suspended access to your account. To re-activate this account, please print and complete the form below and fax it to one of the toll free fax numbers below. Please also include a clear copy of: 1. your photo ID (e.g. Driver’s license, Passport, Government issued ID document) 2. Send us a copy of all Credit Cards, both front and back 3. a recent utility bill depicting your name and registered residential address (e.g. telephone, electricity, water etc.) As soon as this information is received and reviewed, we will re-activate your account. *********************************************************************** *********
First Name:____________________
Middle Name: _______________________
Last Name:_____________________
Email: _____________________________
Home address:___________________________________________________________ City: ____________________
State: ________________
Postal Code/Zip: _________
Home Phone:_____________________
Work Phone: _________________________I, the undersigned, declare and confirm that the above information is true and correct, and that the attached documents are true and correct copies of my valid identification. I duly authorize Paypal to use my details for further verification purposes. Signature:_________________________
Date: ___________________________ (MM/DD/YY)We look forward to your co-operation in helping us protect your account and your funds. Best wishes Our TOLL FREE FAX number is: [fax number removed] - (USA)
Last month, I wrote about an everyday miracle: how God turns kibble into a cat. Here’s something exponentially more amazing. (Hat tip to Mirror of Justice.)
You formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
Bob Dylan does his imitation of John Blancher,1 accompanied by Subterranean Homesick Blues.
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1New Orleanians with televisions will understand the reference.
Next week: the Black Keys.
So I’m in the checkout line at Whole Food where, instead of tabloids, they have a rack of CDs. Among them are two that I pick up: Mothership by Led Zeppelin and Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. I haven’t had a chance to listen to Raising Sand yet; I know the reviews have been tepid, but the idea of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss singing in harmony intrigues me. I have listened to about half of Mothership, and I’m glad I bought it. Here’s why.
First, it’s rock and roll true to its blues roots. If you like your rock and roll bluesy, then you like (or will like) Led Zeppelin.
Second, Robert Plant’s upper register is still the most preternatural voice I’ve ever heard — an instrument that belongs in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I know that LZ is an inductee; what I mean is that Robert’s voice is an instrument worthy of enshrinement as an exhibit, like one of SRV’s guitars.
Third, because I came of age in the 1970s, these songs hit a sweet spot somewhere deep inside my brain.
Fourth, most of these songs are to sex what the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper was to drugs. Unrepentant, unapologetic, unabashed testosterone.
Fifth, after something like 30 years, these songs sound better than they did when I first heard them.
My only complaint is a small one: there’s one song not on this album that should be: Living, Loving Maid (She’s Just a Woman). If you dug LZ in the 70s, there’s a risk that your own favorite song might not be on this album. But the songs that did make the cut will make you glad you bought it.
Somehow I think that the Robert Plant on Raising Sand will be quite different from the Robert Plant of LZ’s heyday. The comparison should be interesting.
1. Because by the time the Louisiana primary is held, the parties’ nominees will already be decided.
2. Because when the first Tuesday in November 2008 finally arrives, I will vote for the Democrat.
Given these two truths, I don’t care what Obama says about Clinton, or vice-versa.
Oh, let me add a third:
3. Because, as 2000 showed, it doesn’t matter who gets the most votes.
I don’t know how to explain these photos on Snopes.com, except to speculate that the moose may have had one too many shots of Canadian Club.
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