PJ Harvey--Down By The Water

Jenny Owen Youngs--Fuck Was I

This melancholy number was featured on the great Showtime series Weeds, which features exquisite music.

Jenny Owen Youngs--Porchrail

Protecting Pigs?

I gotta say, the Yahoo News headline "WHO to stop using term 'swine flu' to protect pigs" is absurd! Why don't they tell the truth, that WHO is trying to protect the livelihood of pig farmers! I understand that humans have needs so I am not disputing (at least, not here) those needs. But protecting pigs?

Here is the article.

In the past I have posted clips of animals being mistreated to try to convince people to stop eating them. But you will see nothing of the sort if you look at the clip posted here.

If I had a yard, I might have a pig for a friend.

John Lennon--Watching The Wheels

PETA Tells Octomom--No Pets!

Nadya Suleman

Sometimes I do agree with PETA, a group that offends my lacto-vegetarian sensibilities. They are right to insist that the Octomom treat animals with a bit of consideration...perhaps she should get a goldfish.

Read the article.

Pat Benatar--Love Is A Battlefield

Amelioooo--Bag of Hammers

Last month YouTuber amelioooo posted this sweet cover of Thao Nguyen's "Bag of Hammers". I love the way she edits in footage of her overdubs. Very entertaining and a worthy contender for our never ending talent show.

Frank Zappa--Stinkfoot

Now, no one beats Frank Zappa as a guitarist.

U2--Elevation

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers--Breakdown

It's alright.

Wallflowers--Sleepwalker

Bob Dylan--Tweeter And The Monkey Man

With the Traveling Wilburys.

Portugal's Legalization Of Drugs Successful

The letters are hard to read, but you can see that use of cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, amphetamines, LSD, mushrooms, heroin, ketamine, and methadone have all significantly declined in Portugal since that country legalized the possession of all of these substances. What is more, the second chart clearly shows that Portugal has the lowest rate of drug use of any Western European country.

Here are some facts to consider.

"Peter Reuter, a professor of criminology and public policy at the University of Maryland, like Kleiman, is skeptical. He conceded in a presentation at the Cato Institute that "it's fair to say that decriminalization in Portugal has met its central goal. Drug use did not rise." However, he notes that Portugal is a small country and that the cyclical nature of drug epidemics — which tends to occur no matter what policies are in place — may account for the declines in heroin use and deaths."

"The Cato report's author, Greenwald, hews to the first point: that the data shows that decriminalization does not result in increased drug use. Since that is what concerns the public and policymakers most about decriminalization, he says, "that is the central concession that will transform the debate."

So what will the hysterical anti-drug people in America say about the Cato Report? They will try to change the subject. What else can they do? And they will likely succeed, because it is the partnership of the cynical and the hysterical that drives drug policy in America, and that, my friends, is always a strong combination.

But inevitably, the stupid drug war will go the way of slavery. It is just a matter of time.

Read the article.

Get Back--Abbey Road, London, 1969

In his last public performance as a Beatle, John Lennon plays the lead guitar. I had not seen this version before, and maybe you haven't either so please check it out.

Paul McCartney--She's A Woman

Old Mac has still got it. This is from last October.

Paul McCartney--Sing The Changes

Sing His praises as you're sleeping.

Jenny Lewis--Rise Up With Fists

At Coachella, 2009. A mighty fine performance.

Kimya Dawson--Reminders of Then

When a fan suggested Kimya do an opera version of one of her songs, hilarity ensues.

Beatles LP Countdown--In My Life

In my opinion, "In My Life" is the high point of an album that was itself a high point in the history of music--Rubber Soul.

Joni Mitchell--A Case Of You