No Bias Here. Move Along.

From the Yahoo main page, under “In The News”:

Bush Attempts Hard Sell on Iraq Progress
AP – Wed Nov 30, 1:57 PM ET
WASHINGTON – President Bush’s depiction of Iraqi security forces as “helping to turn the tide” is difficult to square with persistent setbacks in handing control of the country back to its own people. His suggestion that Americans are solidly behind the mission also understates opposition at home, and his hard sell on the rising quality of Iraqi forces overlooks complexities on the ground.

Nope, no editorializing here. Just the news.

Old TV Themes

Check out Annika’s list of Greatest Old TV Themes.

Breaking News Update

The new Llamabutcher merchandise is is not doing so well across the pond:

On the other hand, this picture speaks for itself:

Breaking News Update

The new Llamabutcher merchandise is is not doing so well across the pond:

On the other hand, this picture speaks for itself:

Carnival of Music Submissions Needed

The 23rd Carnival of Music has a host! Starling Hunter at The Business of America is Business will be hosting our next edition of the Carnival, next Monday (December 5).
Please submit posts here.
Also, we REALLY need some more hosts for future editions of the Carnival. This is more than a link-whoring traffic-generator for the participants involved. It has so far been a remarkably diverse celebration of all kinds of music, from the highbrow to the low, the player’s perspective to the listerner’s, the composer’s to the critic’s. Please help make this Carnival a lasting success and volunteer here.
Spread the word!
Thanks!

I’m Alive

Sorry for the sparse posting schedule of late. Here’s what I’ve been doing in lieu of blogging:

• Dug up several well-established (but ugly) bushes and replaced them with smaller, more attractive shrubs. Also put in some pansies and rosemary (the Texas growing season is nice and long).
• Enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving feast at my parents’ house, except for the part where the Dallas Cowboys lost in OT.
• Put up the Christmas lights outdoors while listening to my UT Longhorns [barely] beating the Aggies.
• Purchased the new R30 DVD set. Viewed it multiple times.
• Entertained some close family friends in town from Iowa.
• Read a fair amount of Neal Stephenson’s The Confusion.
• Got some sleep.

I’m hoping to get some more stuff up soon. I will be updating the Carnival of Music page to reflect our latest volunteer to host the next edition.
Check back soon, and thanks for your patience through this latest round of writers’ block/burnout.

Carnival of Music #22

Sorry for the belated posting. Please check out Brian Sacawa’s Thanksgiving edition of the Carnival, posted two days ago at Brian’s Sounds Like Now.
We’ll be on temporary hiatus next Monday, but I hope to have a host lined up by the first Monday in December.
As always, go to the Carnival’s home page to peruse earlier editions and for more information about hosting or submitting posts for the Carnival.
Thanks, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

Just One More Turn…

I am reveling in the glorious addiction that is Civilization, namely Civ IV.
So far I’ve won pretty decisively via the Space Race (with the Americans) and diplomatically (as the English) on the second-easiest difficulty, but am having trouble with more advanced difficulty settings.
I was quite unimpressed with Civ III, especially in contrast to Civ II, which I had played on and off for several years. The addictive nature of these games (apart from getting to play god on an epic scale) derives from their turn-based nature. Each turn usually lasts about 1-3 minutes. Not much time, eh?
But for some reason you find yourself staring at the screen at 1:30 in the morning thinking: “Just one more turn? Sure.” And you abandon other non-mandatory pursuits (such as music, blogging, reading, etc.)
I’m hoping to post some more pieces this week, as I’m taking the week of Thanksgiving off from work. No promises, but please check back.

Music Carnival Number 21

The Music Carnival turned 21 yesterday at Owlish’s place. I like how he visited the blogs of past hosts to find some additional linkable material. Check it out.
The 22nd Carnival will be held at Brian Sacawa: Sounds Like Now next Monday.
Please volunteer to host future carnivals and submit your posts for next week’s carnival here.

Required Reading

I’ve been in a bit of a dry spell. I have writer’s block, extending even to contracts, which have been painfully difficult for me to draft recently.
So, I’ll just point you to some good reading elsewhere:
First, as an antidote to recently-dyspeptic Peggy Noonan, I heartily recommend some optimistic Frank Martin. (Reminds me a bit of the upbeat 1993 report out of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, entitled These Are the Good Old Days).
Second, check out Stephen Green’s musings on the current state of the war on fundamentalist Islamic fascism.
Finally, until I can get a new SF Babe poll up, check out what had to be last week’s most-linked site featuring many pics of the ultra-hot French news anchor Melissa Theuriau (videos here).