https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/15/jd-vance-lies-haitian-immigrants
What JD Vance meant: “If I have to amplify racist hoaxes from Neo-Nazis so that the American media remains fully focused on the imaginary grievances of white people then that's what I'm going to do”
When Democratic candidates lose debates, like Obama lost his first debate with Romney in 2012 or Biden lost to Trump in June, they acknowledge it and take the steps necessary to rectify the situation. By not acknowledging the plain reality that we can all see, Trump maintains his grip over the cult that accepts his word as gospel. But he also fails to reach out to potential voters outside his cult, which he needs to do in order to win.
Issue 1 of Utriculi, a new journal of experimental literature and boundary-pushing art, is now available for viewing and download at https://www.sandy-press.com/ My thanks to editor Harry K. Stammer for including five of my poems in part one: "Anacrusis" from my music-themed collaboration with Chris Stroffolino; two pieces based on writing prompts given to me by my teenager; and standalone poems "Genocide" and "Too Late the Parasite". #poetry
My best of 2024 (so far) playlist is updated regularly and can be found here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJeO4dNUaIn2mN9hFpBK1szGAA07d8pq&si=ZVqklnxTIwkgAQKq
#music
https://youtu.be/EBsIag0TJKk
3. Jungle – "Let's Go Back". West London's Jungle are back with a groovy club concoction anchored in retro soul that, like "The Last Time" by Brooke Combe, feels utterly current. The choreography in the video is great, too. #music
https://youtu.be/gFxVi_JkJN8
2. Brooke Combe – "The Last Time". Northern Soul rave-up from the Edinburgh-born singer which, like Jungle's "Let's Go Back", manages to sound both classic and contemporary. #music
My Top 3 Songs of the Week (2024 Week 36):
https://youtu.be/806NwmR6VR4
1. Dummy – "Soonish…" This track from Los Angeles band Dummy starts out evoking the spae-age bachelor pad grooves of Stereolab and then adds a few blasts of My Bloody Valentine (i.e. loud & distorted, but still melodic) guitar shredding. #music
If Trump wins and Republicans capture both houses of Congress, they will absolutely make abortion illegal in all 50 states, no matter how hard they try to obscure their intentions now when they still need votes. The good news: a Democratic trifecta is possible, with Kamala Harris in the Oval Office to sign a bill restoring full reproductive rights and humane healthcare to women all over the country.
The poem itself can be read in the Spring 2024 issue of BlazeVOX here: https://www.blazevox.org/blazevox-journal/blazevox24-spring-2024
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJeO4dNUaIk88Sovihutc2-JjePgexog Here for your enjoyment is a YouTube playlist of all the music Chris Stroffolino and I reference in our collaborative poem "Cafe Pick Me Up".
Reminder that Trump's cognitive capacity is rapidly disintegrating, exposing his core mental features: toxic narcissism and megalomania. The election is in 57 days and the race is effectively tied in the swing states that will decide the outcome (Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina). Senate and House races all over the country will also determine whether we'll continue to be a democracy or fall to this authoritarian cult with its demented figurehead.
My best of 2024 (so far) playlist is updated regularly and can be found here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJeO4dNUaIn2mN9hFpBK1szGAA07d8pq&si=ZVqklnxTIwkgAQKq
#music
https://youtu.be/n6zF4Xl5vDU
5. Gardens – "Flaws". Moody, psychedelic/garage inflected indie rock from Vienna, Austria's Gardens. #music
https://youtu.be/nIjQr6J8qLw
4. Oceanator – "First Time". With its introductory power chord riffing, you half expect Brooklyn's Oceanator to start singing about the boys being back in town or some such. But once the harmony vocals kick in, what emerges is a pretty good modern power pop tune. #music
https://youtu.be/zIYfSXPk2Eg
3. Tasha – "Love's Changing". Chicago singer-songwriter Tasha with a beautifully sung jazz-folk meditation rooted in a shuffle beat, strummed acoustic guitar and piano fills that wouldn't be out of place on a Nick Drake record. #music
Poet, music geek, politics junkie, baseball fan (no particular team), dad-joke composer, anti-fascist, kitty 'n' doggy petter. https://spoutible.com/Steve_Carll