It’s been eight hours since your last one, so someone is falling down on their duties.
To make recompense, I give you this interview with Tom Waits. This did the rounds a few weeks ago with the suggestion that it was the inspiration for Heath Ledger’s Joker.
I think that’s unlikely, but the interview is a hoot. It’s conducted by Don Lane, a US expat talk show host in Australia in the 60s, 70s and 80s who was a big star down here and, notably, a great friend of Sammy Davis Jr.
Mr Lane is obviously fond of the chain-smoking weirdo who has wandered onto his set, and Waits seems to be enjoying himself too. Stick around for the second part when Waits sits himself down at the piano and it becomes clear exactly why Lane thinks so highly of him.
eric
HUntsman Sr. asks mitt if he would like more knife with that back….
Violet
I’ll repost, since this is more appropriate here:
Huntsman, Sr. says he’s not the source of Reid’s info, but:
Interesting.
Violet
Also, too, want to feel old? xkcd‘s illustrates the year the majority of Americans won’t remember things.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Violet: You beat me to it. What caused this intramural Mormon fight? Did Willard do his carpet-bombing thing on Huntsman Jr? What made him think he had to? I wonder if Huntsman Jr regrets resigning from China and not waiting till 2016.
Ben Franklin
He and Letterman cracked me up last night. He had some antique rat-trap . He and Letterman squeezed the concrete contraption for every possible laugh using pregnant pauses. Then he performed with his eclectic garage band. Outstanding.
I’m feeling quite nostalgic after scoring tickets to Dylan Concert at Hollywood Bowl.
MikeJ
I like Blur. They were a truly great band, unique in an era with a lot of knockoffs. That said, can we please pass a law making it illegal to play “Song 2” in any commercial or at any sporting event? And why do organizers feel that watching the best athletes in the world compete in the Olympics would be enhanced by a 10 second out of context clip that makes fun of the stadium rock experience?
Short Bus Bully
Waits was captivating in the true sense of the word. Never seen that performance before, thanks so much for posting. Brilliant.
Ben Franklin
@MikeJ:
Watching synchronized swimming this morning. What the fuck? Is this a sport? They have this shit and don’t have Rugby?
Sawgrass Stan
You should go find Tom W’s recent video for “Hell Broke Luce.” I saw it via LGF, but there’s always YouTube.
Perfect, except he should have worn a helmet instead of The Hat.
Eric
@Ben Franklin: they dont have baseball or softball but have bmx bikes
burnspbesq
@Ben Franklin:
Any fool can learn the basics of rugby in a day. Try synchro, or rhythmic gymnastics, and tell us how easy it is.
Cassidy
@MikeJ: Because it’s a catchy opening riff.
Ben Franklin
@Eric:
Must be due to their penchance for profitology. Cost per unit and gross margin percentages.
Cassidy
@Ben Franklin: HOw long can you hold your breath underwater? Do it floating upside down and moving your leg in rhthym with other people.
David in NY
I’ve been wondering whether Mitt’s refusal to release his tax records might be because he takes the same attitude to tithing to his church that he takes to paying other taxes. He came up short of the required 10% on the only actual year in which he’s revealed his return (2010). Moreover, his people gave conflicting explanations for why this was OK. First they said a foundation of his contributed the missing amount, but when it was pointed out that if that was true, he should have been paying 10% of the foundation’s income, which was very substantial, they shifted gears. Then it was suddenly just an error in underestimating his income.
It would be irresponsible not to speculate.
Violet
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I can’t imagine what’s going on. I know there’s been public speculation that it’s Huntsman, Sr who gave Reid the info, so maybe Huntsman wanted to clear his name publicly so as to avoid any Mormon church problems or something.
I love the “I feel very badly that Mitt won’t release his taxes” statement. Talk about sticking the knife in. I suspect Huntsman, Sr. was much fonder of Mitt’s dad than he is of Mittens.
Ben Franklin
@burnspbesq:
Oh yes the importance of difficulty. Let me see how difficult it is to swallow a bag of nickels and then pull them out my ass, one at a time. Practice is key.
American Idol awaits.
Cassidy
Scarlett Johansson has an album with most of the songs written by Waits. I had no idea.
Hawes
Why was Sydney Pollack interviewing Tom Waits in Australia?
MikeBoyScout
Slick Willard’s tax returns …
Maybe Rmoney won’t release tax returns because he did not even file tax returns?
Violet
@David in NY: I think his under-tithing to the Mormon church is the biggest issue with the returns. If he loses the election, the church is the only thing he’s got left. If it turns out he’s been cheating the church out of millions he was supposed to give them, they’ll be livid. His status in the church will be threatened and his status in the eyes of every day Mormons will be threatened as well. He’ll be the Stake President who had no Magic Underwear.
His position of respect and power within the church is his ultimate fallback position. Without that, he’ll have no position of power and authority I don’t think he’d know how to handle that.
Steve V
Oh man, Don Lane, what a blast from the past.
mechwarrior online
@Violet:
I used the term “loved” and referred to the father by his first name… the son was just Mr. Romney, I’d say it’s fairly obvious the Huntsman clan has no love for Mitt and his ilk.
It also helps show the contrast between Mitt and his farther (and the Huntsmans’ for that matter) couldn’t be more stark. While the Huntsmans are plutocrats their donations to cancer and the elders “we need to help poor people, I just didn’t realize it till I was old” shtick makes Mitt look even worse.
It could be Junior, I’d laugh my ass off if he’s one of the Republicans that speaks at the DNC.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Violet: Huntsman’s daughter Abby has taken a couple of stabs at trying to the next Meghan McCain (AH seems like a much nicer person, but if possible actually more boring than MM), and seems, in her very polite young lady way, to have it in for Romney. My recollection is John Jr wasn’t in the race long enough for things to turn so ugly.
gbear
In about 4 hours, my 11 year old tort is going to be checking out a new 6 year old orange tabby from the opposite side of the door to my den. Hoping that neither cat freaks out. Also hoping to be able to open the door by sunday morning (or saturday night if things are going well).
muddy
@Violet:
Well, who isn’t?
Sawgrass Stan
@burnspbesq:
burn & Ben, I think you should just stop arguing over what’s better or more difficult in sports events. I’m annoyed that fencing lost a couple of events, but that’s past, and I know they had to cut something to keep Dressage in the mix.
I think we ought to all compromise and work for a Synchronized Fencing Rugby event. Just visualize that one if you will– television gold!
muddy
@gbear: I hope it goes well. I recently went through 8 months of sheer hell fostering a torti who was not willing to accept the presence of other animals, even though they were there first. Torti = funny one. Good luck!
David in NY
You know, I once worked for George’s former (Democratic) Lieutenant Governor. Bet he knew stuff. Wish it had seemed worthwhile at the time to ask him about the Romney’s, but it was well after George’s day, and long before Mitt’s.
danah gaz (fka gaz)
Charles Pierce is on fire today. =)
Ben Franklin
@Sawgrass Stan:
I could GAF about the Convention of Commercial Enterprises. I happened to be a captive audience in the Waiting Room and the wretched pseudo ‘sport’ was channel locked.
Punchy
Be careful. Peter Griffin did this once and went blind.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Violet: I doubt it’s a tithing issue. It looks like whatever their other faults, Mitt and Mrs Mitt are fairly generous above and beyond the tithing, though I question some of their choices (a hundred grand to the GWBush library? Really? From a charitable foundation?). I think the tax shyness is more about perfectly legal, very aggressive exploitation of every loophole in the books. Also, the linked article states something I’ve been curious about: Mitt’s quarter billion estimated worth does not include the Mittlets’ hundred million dollar trust fund, which in itself I don’t think will play well with white working class voters.
ETA ALSO TOO: While looking for this info, I found a DKos diary that discusses the family foundation having sizable holdings in Stericycle. I’m guessing the tax returns show the same thing in their personal return, perhaps donations to Planned Parenthood.
Maude
@gbear:
I worked at a place that had a cat and they got a kitten. It was a hectic six weeks. Lots of hissing and such. They were fine after that.
They will work it out.
Hopefully it won’t be warfare.
I’m glad you go the new one.
raven
I like Waits in movies, music, not so much.
funny, we are a month apart. I was born on the Marine Corps birthday and he was born on Pearl Harbor Day 1949.
Culture of Truth
You know what’s really difficult? Giving a cat a pill. I’d like to see Usain Bolt try that!
Spaghetti Lee
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
I tried to get my right-wing uncle to bite on the Stericycle thing. His response was “Hell, I probably have investments in my 401K that I don’t really support.” Try that argument, Mitt. It’ll be a winner.
raven
Whoa, Honey Badger got the boot!
gbear
@muddy: The 11 year old tort had a buddy (also a tort) that died from old age about 1.5 years ago. She hasn’t really enjoyed being an only cat so I think that this may go well.
Last sunday I brought home a rag that smelled like the new cat and put it on the floor. My tort has been lying on the rag and purring almost constantly since.
mai naem
@Violet: I don’t think it’s Huntsman Sr. I think it’s Huntsman Jr. Jr. was governor of Utah part of the time when Romney was governor of Mass. He would have relatively easy access to Romney’s earlier tax returns. Also he was CEO of the family co. so would have at least known of the Bain deal and dealt with Romney. Also too, Huntsman Jr. supported McCain in 08 not Romney. There’s some bad blood between the two. Furthermore, Huntsman is the grandson of bigtime Mormon aristocracy(bigger than Mitt) on both sides so he’s got nothing to be scared of in the church.
David in NY
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: “perhaps donations to Planned Parenthood”
Ooooh! Now ya got some first-class specurlatin’ there.
Bnut
Honey Badger got kicked off of LSU today. Roll Tide!
R-Jud
@Ben Franklin: I don’t even know. I appreciate that it’s tough– our swim coach used to make us do synchro workouts as punishment, and they were atrociously hard.
But it doesn’t fit. It’s sexist, for one (there are no synchro swimming events for men), and second, the outfits, music, choreography are bananas. They used to have rope climbing as part of the Olympics, though, along with tug of war, so hopefully this will be gone at some point, too.
raven
@R-Jud: Bananas might make it more interesting, know what I’m sayin?
dance around in your bones
@raven:
I’m pretty much with ya there – like I said last night, I saw him from backstage when some friends were playing, and he basically leaned against a (prop) lamp post, growled some kind of lyrics and smoked a lot.
But these two videos made me like him a lot more….plus, wasn’t he hanging out with Rickie Lee Jones for a while? I think that’s pretty cool.
Sorry, Tom. I will always value Rickie Lee first.
raven
@dance around in your bones: It’s the Last Chance. . .
muddy
@gbear: Sounds like a much better situation than here, that’s for sure. The one I fostered had come from a home with 3 others, but she was there first and barely tolerated them. A whole new set of animals? Not so much. I am happy to say that she is now in a home being the only, and is very happy.
My guys are getting back to normal, actually they have really been extra cuddly. Not sure whether they are just glad she’s gone, or whether they fear being the next one to disappear and are trying to kiss my ass.
A series of pics of your process would be great!
R-Jud
@R-Jud: Bah. Should have had a link to this picture.
@raven: Mmm. I *think* I do.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Whiny, wimpy Willard whines wimpily, again:
So, his entire platform is that he was a businessman, but we can’t talk about his business record. His entire program if elected, is to cut taxes in order to unleash job creators like himself from the crippling shackles of taxes and regulation, but he won’t show us his taxes because he doesn’t want the proles to see that he and his kind wrote the regulations, and benefit outrageously. And that last bit, family? Is that “talking about taxes hurts the feelings of my very popular wife, Ann Romney, who has MS. Did you know I am married to Ann Romney? She’s sick, and that scary black man made her cry.” A threat to go harder on birtherism? Both?
dance around in your bones
@raven: Yeah, If I had to choose (and I have, many times) Rickie Lee would be my first choice.
Last Chance Texaco!
raven
A long stretch of headlights bends into I-9
They tiptoe into truck stops
And sleepy diesel eyes
danah gaz (fka gaz)
Kevin Drum can officially kiss my pretty white ass.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/18/mitt-romney-tax-returns_n_1682539.html
raven
@dance around in your bones: Just another Illinois talent
Zevon
Spanky
Tweedy I guess
you know
dance around in your bones
@raven:
Volcanoes rumble in the taxi
An’ glow in the dark
Camels in the driver’s seat
A slow easy mark
But you ran out of gas
Down the road a piece
Then the battery went dead
And now the cable won’t reach
(Ain’t life a bitch??)
Her voice is just sooooooo….excellente.
raven
@dance around in your bones: Not many can cover Steely!
Geoduck
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Yeah, that was.. wow. Begging for a truce? That’ll sure project strength and resolve to the base.
FlipYrWhig
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Does Mitt Romney really think he’s going to fare well in a campaign based on the proposition of talking about issues? He refuses to do it. Can’t talk about policy, can’t talk about biography, can’t talk about the record… Maybe both candidates should just stand silently. Of course, even then Romney would be obviously squirmy and odious, and he’d lose.
dance around in your bones
@raven:
Ok, you made me have to resort to the googly. I was never a huge Steely Dan fan, but now I have now heard Rickie Lee singing ‘Show Biz Kids’ and…it’s not half bad!
I just like RLJ SO much, and have por muchos años.
FlipYrWhig
@R-Jud: My pet peeve is that no sport should mandate that its competitors smile while competing. It kills both ice skating and gymnastics to demand all this strutting and emoting. Just drop it already. Women athletes don’t need to demonstrate “elegance,” they can just kick ass. It’s the 21st century.
raven
@dance around in your bones: Watch the dvd on the making of Aja, it may give you an appreciation for who and what they are.
http://www.veoh.com/watch/v242044pCWxESzH?h1=Classic+Albums+-+Steely+Dan+-+Aja
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Interesting tidbit from an upcoming book that I’m looking forward to, Michael Grunwald, Time’s Anti-Joe Klein, The New New Deal:
N
I think the untold story of those early days is Judd Gregg’s agreeing to and then backing out of the Commerce Secretary gig. I can’t figure out what horse’s head McConnell left in his bed, access to the grassiest pastures, Occam’s razor suggests. The underplayed, under-understood story is Evan Bayh trying to form an official Senate Blue Dog caucus
as a fifth column in the partyto reassure Wall St. A couple of things for our side to keep in mind since “What about hope and change?” seems to be a new Romney talking point.Punchy
Dont you dare go to Philly armed with a handful of chalk
Sweet fucking Jeebuz, even the Onion couldn’t dream this shit up.
raven
AJA
danah gaz (fka gaz)
Mere words cannot express how awesome this is:
http://occupyamerica.crooksandliars.com/diane-sweet/unwanted-company-alongside-romneys-bus
Kevin Drum is going to have an aneurysm.
MOAR “incivility” please.
srv
Afghans seems to be focusing higher up the chain – Command Sgt. Major. Crap, that has to hurt.
http://news.yahoo.com/senior-u-soldier-killed-suicide-bomber-afghanistan-121800898–abc-news-topstories.html
dance around in your bones
@raven: Ok, here I go – I SAW Steely Dan various times but…..well, let me watch the video and give a more informed opinion.
PZ
More evidence for my theory that Republicans are the schoolyard bullies who kick you in the balls when you’re not looking but when you bloody their nose as a response, they go crying to the principal-
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/romney-to-obama-please-stop-attacking-my-business-taxes.php?ref=fpa
dance around in your bones
@raven: Ok, watched it – I just think of them as pleasant sounding not heart pounding music.
They just don’t make my heart go thumpa-thumpa like some bands…..but, nice and pleasant!
raven
@dance around in your bones: Wow, you watched an hour vid in 7 minutes! I got ya, if you don’t dig it you don’t dig it.
you got to shake it
you got to shake it
you got to shake it
babbbbbyyyy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiy09DIsZFU
raven
Maybe Pretzel logic with Mike McDonald?
R-Jud
@FlipYrWhig:
Agreed 100%. I would love to see the women’s floor exercise in gymnastics become more like the men’s– no music and horrible “dancing”, because none of them saving a few Russians can dance. Just lots of amazing tumble passes and some strength moves. I’d also like to see them get one more apparatus to play with, at least.
dance around in your bones
@raven: I’m sorry – the video you linked was 5 minutes long….perhaps I got the wrong one?
Ok. I just saw that this is a 5 minute preview of an hour-long video.
My bad! I DO try to do my homework !!
P.S. Like the Babylon Sister vid a bit better. They ARE good musicians. Just don’t make my heart go pitty-pat. Maybe I associate the marching powder with them…heh.
raven
@R-Jud: Sort of like assassins.
raven
@dance around in your bones: I got ya and, yea, I see now that it’s a preview. I was not into them at all when they were “popular” but I have really grown to love their stuff. It certainly can sound like smooth jazz but a closer listen sold me.
dance around in your bones
@raven:
Well, I listened to them a lot when they were popular and really wasn’t a huge fan even then. To me it just sounds like background music – but highly accomplished!
I guess we all have our tastes, likes and dislikes.
I don’t DISlike them – I just am not a huge fan.
I appreciate you taking the time to try to convert me ;)
raven
@dance around in your bones: gotcha but but the lryics
Now your patrons have all left you in the red
Your low rent friends are dead
This life can be very strange
All those dayglow freaks who used to paint the face
They’ve joined the human race
Some things will never change
Son you were mistaken
You are obsolete
Look at all the white men on the street
that is all!
redshirt
The Tom Waits album “Rain Dogs” should be in any discussion of best albums in the last 40 years. It’s simply incredible.
Smiling Mortician
@raven: In college, I listened to this album pretty much every day. Well, I’d alternate it with The Royal Scam, of course . . .
@redshirt: Agreed, but also Nighthawks.
JC
How do you guys STAND that horrible effing voice of Waits?
It’s just shit – just total shit. Yes, well-written, great thought, and great songs – let someone else sing them!
That voice is just crap, and I have to turn it off when I hear it. It’s like listening to a modern day version of atonal classical music. It’s also well proven that people who study Schoenberg, get fucking depressed after a few months. The body doesn’t like horrible sounding music!
Again, the songs are great – the voice is shit.
redshirt
@JC: One of those things I suppose either you like or don’t. I’m a huge Camper Van Beethoven/Cracker fan, and much the same could be said of David Lowry’s voice.
Lots of Tom Waits covers out there – was Rod Stewart’s biggest hit a cover of Waits’ “Downtown Train”?
LT
Gah, yknow – fuck. It’s such a fucking fake fucking wannabe schtick. I can’t fucking stand that crap. I love Tom Waits. Swordfishtrombones is (was) lifechanging – but fuck, from the first second of him walking out too cool for the world I wanted to kick him straight in the balls. Three times. Fuck that fake fucking fuckery. Shut up and play.
Amir Khalid
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Shorter Mitt: “Uncle.”
LT
@JC:
Shit like this reminds of horrible moments when you’re a kid and you look around and go ‘Fuck, I’m in the wrong world.” Taste in music is subjective, of course, but it’s hard not to feel a very fundamental “wrong” in what you’re doing here – what most people do. If BEAUTY is so narrow for you, so restricted – fuck. You remind me of people who don’t like foods they’ve never eaten. It makes my brain go gray and cold.