Phil's Seminal Jazz Rock and Politics Videoblog

ITEM: You know, there just has to be a primary challenge for Arlen. By the way, Arlen's track record so far: He won't switch on his vote on EFCA, he voted against the president's budget, he's helping block Dawn Johnson--one of the few progressives that Obama has even nominated--and today we find out that Arlen is still rooting for his good pal Norm Coleman of Minnesota. It would be one thing to do that before the race. It's quite another now that we now that Norm has lost and that the only way he could win would be yet another Supreme Court appointment/coup. Of course, why should some privileged senator actually have to deal with the bother of an election of and by the rabble anyway. It fits Arlen's privileged "Shouldn't I always be a senator?" viewpoint.

I guess the question is who could make the best run against Arlen. Joe Sestak seems to have gotten the most heat and the most mention, perhaps even not so subtle endorsements from the Daily Kos frontpage and even Atrios. Bad news about Sestak: he's against the public option on healthcare reform. Here's the short version of what that means: there is no real healthcare reform without the public option. Nothing changes.

There is another challenger, again out of the Philly area, and his name is Joe Torsella. He doesn't have a website and we don't know a lot about him. We think he was Rendell's boy which means he's center/right, or at least a guy who doesn't mind selling off public highways to rich people just like the governor. He has managed to raise a half million dollars. That makes him serious. Related: Early polling not looking good for Sestak vs. Specter, according to Open Left. Bowers does point out that its early. Observation: This is the kind of race where a well funded independent or Hollywood "Al Franken" liberal with significant resources should consider getting in. More Related: Funny line from my close and personal friend Markos:

I think Markos has learned a very important lesson: just having a big "D" doesn't make you a decent democrat. We really have to take a close look at the people running for office.

The artists here include: George Bensen, Bjork, Boards of Canada, Brazilian Girls, Broadcast, Cat Power, Chomsky, Cinematic Orchestra, Larry Coryell, Dining Rooms, Sam Harris, Jaga Jazzist, Mahavishnu Orchestra, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Flora Purim, Gil Scott Heron, Steely Dan, Stereolab, Sugarcubes, Sun Ra, Return to Forever, Weather Report, Frank Zappa. And many other artists.

Labels: acid jazz, acid jazz channel, Broadcast, chillout, dreampop, Frank Zappa, nu jazz, trish keenan

Labels: able mable, the future

I've been using this new video search engine called Truveo. With it, I found these very rare Mahavishnu Orchestra tunes posted by a girl from Belgium. What kind of woman is into the Mahavishnu Orchestra? The woman I would like to marry that's who.



And:

Labels: birds of fire, female mahavishnu orchestra fan

I actually kind of don't have a bank account right now. Of course, the reason I don't have a bank account right now is that my cousin's stupid ass half brother wrote me a 300 dollar check that bounced all the way to high heaven.

But if had an account, or as I dream in my sleep, then I would want photo checks that I could put my favorite photos on. These would be the kinds of checks that would have my personal artwork on them or Ansel Adams or the Jim Starlin Warlock era kind of pics on them. Have I mentioned that my dreams are vast and will fill up the night sky? Or I would prefer personal checks that came customized with really cool designs on them Perhaps, say, crayons or a picture of a violin. That would show those fancy people at the fancy Target store that I had some class. Tell me when my dream has become all too surreal and Salvador Dali for you. Tell me when you would be forced to spurt out: "Phil, that's just crazy talk. Cut it out before your mad dreams compromise our very reality itself...!" But I wouldn't stop. I would continue my mad and dangerous Lathe of Heaven like dreaming. I would add a couple of cats, a loving perky gymnast wife and a job I liked that paid decently. Go ahead. Call me mad.

Oh, and I would to make sure I could find such a site that made such checks online. That's my quixotic dream of the day.

Labels: quixotic dream no. 235

It's about time. Good job Brad Mehldau.

Labels: black hole sun, brad mehldau

Labels: coryell, guitar