Democracy Now! | Arundhati Roy on India, Iraq, U.S. Empire and Dissent

I hope that every progressive person has heard of Arundhati Roy, but whether you have or haven't, this is a great interview with her from Democracy Now back in May. She's informative and inspirational. She's honest, thoughtful, realistic and eloquent. I loved her after reading The God of Small Things, but I loved her more after hearing her speak on political issues like Globalization and Empire. Listening to this interview is a good use of an hour.

Jimmy Fallon & Parker Posey Pepsi Commercial

So, this isn't new, but I don't watch much live tv, so I'm going to pretend like it is. I've been dabbling in YouTube for awhile, but I've recently been on a kick. So have a lot of people I guess because I found a link to this on Pop Candy. Not that I wanna be hocking Pepsi (I don't drink soda), but it's pretty funny, and I do enjoy funny and creative commercials. There are also a lot of re-makes on YouTube, some are chuckle-worthy, while some are downright disturbing.

Splitsville for Sleater-Kinney

sleater-kinney
Originally uploaded by divinehamer.

I'm feeling suprisingly heavy-hearted after hearing that Sleater-Kinney is breaking up. It's making me feel...old. Like it's time to grow up, have kids and do something respectable.

Stabbies and honorary Stabbies

hanging in the shade
Originally uploaded by yellerbelly.

Another Live Oak down. This year I didn't take many pictures as it was so freakin' HOT. Stifling, sweltering heat is how I will remember Live Oak '06. I had brain melt, so I left a lot of the picture taking up to others. And I felt sorta disappointed by the music this year, but I did discover a cool new band, the Bills, hailing from Victoria, Canada.

But mostly I just enjoyed seeing all the folks that I don't get to see enough of.

Check It: Nellie McKay

nellie smiles
Originally uploaded by eatsdirt.

My favorite favorite security blanket these days is Nellie McKay. She makes me so happy. I love her.

The ubiquitous tag line is "a cross between Eminem and Doris Day". I don't know about that, but she does spit some rap and also has a very pure voice in the 1st Alto/2nd Soprano range. Although, admirably, she doesn't believe in such restrictions--especially interesting since she writes her own stuff and ostensibly could write songs for herself in her range, but whatever. I find her vocal reaching and stretching endearing. Her first album, Get Away From Me is pretty eclectic, but a bit more 1950's/ 60's pop vocals than the new one which seems a bit more...modern, and rock/ pop like. She hasn't lost her political bent though. Someone commented on how there weren't as many funny, sarcastic quips on the new one, and she said that she thought she'd become less funny. So there. But I still like it, but maybe not quite as much as the first...yet.

If you even sort of like her, buy her album when it comes out this summer. She was dropped by her label last winter right before her album was supposed to come out (because they're jerks) and I heard she's going to be releasing it herself this summer. The best website for news is NellieMcKay.org

one paragraph at a time

OK, so I haven't written anything in a million years, but I've been trying to think of something worthy to write about after such a long hiatus (really there are a lot of things) and this seemed like a great one. Check out Maya Stein's fabulous poetry on her blog one paragraph at a time and sign up to receive her gift of a poem in your inbox once a week. She is awesome!