Friday Flotsam

It has been a couple of weeks since my last post, as technology, templates and taxes have conspired to keep my focus elsewhere. My wireless router is acting up (I've had it with Netgear - going back to Linksys next week), and I still can't figure out what to do about the new blogger template, but at least I did finally get my taxes finished today.

A lot of flotsam and jetsam has washed ashore on the DWSUWF beach while I wasn't paying attention. Time to clean up the beach before the upcoming birthday celebration. DWSUWF will be one year old in just a few days. We'll be celebrating in fine style, with a Carnival of Divided Government - Special Anniversary Edition to be posted on the anniversary of our first post - April 23, 2007. Get your submissions in to be included in the carnival, but remember - if your post does not mention divided government, your post will not be mentioned in the carnival.

Between now and then, there is plenty to blog about. I need to wrap up coverage of the final rounds of the first President vs. Congress divided government slugfest. Chuck Hagel is back in Iraq and I'll be interested in hearing what he has to say. The horror in Iraq continues unabated while the administration flogs the notion of a military "victory", without specificying exactly what that "victory" is going to look like. I can help there. I think I know exactly what "victory in Iraq" looks like. Stay tuned.

Much of the blogging debris that has washed up does not seem interesting enough for a blog post. Sure, I did definitively learn last week that I am not DannyLynn's biological father. Admittedly, that was a disappointment, but not really worth a post. I also understand that Imus lost his job. I am trying to care, but I just don't. The Imus flap did spawn a curious sideshow of bloggers and pundits decrying the state of Hip Hop rap lyrics and maintaining there is some sort of moral equvalence between the two. This notion struck me as - what's the word? - stupid. But rather than leap to a hasty conclusion, I thought I should at least do a little research and take a closer look at this music eroding the culture. Hip Hop/rap is not my musical genre of choice, but with the help of the internets, I was able to find some of the offending lyrics. Frankly, they are pretty shocking. I am a free speech advocate, but the misogyny, the objectification of women, the graphic violence, and casual acceptance of intoxicants in these lyrics have to be heard to be believed. Some examples from just one "artist":

"My mind at times
May dwell on sex
If someone's rating dreams
Then most of mine I guess are double X

Like bait that wriggles
And it makes catfish bite
A lady jiggles
And my eyes gotta light
Upon so sweet a sight

And if I shake
Break out in spots
Don't fret, it's not swine fever dear
Your swine has merely got the hots"

"Oh, yeah, I'm drinkin' again, it's always the same
That same old story
After the kicks there's little old mixed-up me
Tryin' to lose a dream that used to be
Look at me, I'm drinkin' again, drinkin' all over town
Yeah, I'm drinkin' again"

"On the sidewalk, one sunday morning
Lies a body, oozin life
Someones sneaking round the corner
Could that someone be mack the knife"

"She loves the free, fresh wind in her hair
Life without care
Shes broke, but its ok
She hates california, its cold and its damp
Thats why the lady is a tramp

Doesnt like dice games, with sharpies and frauds
Wont go to harlem, in lincolns or fords
Wont dish the dirt, with the rest of those broads
Thats why the lady is a tramp"

This particular rapper goes by the handle "Chairman of the Board". He associated with "gangstas", abused and objectified women, was known to take drugs and alcohol, had several brushes with the law and often was involved in fights, usually associated with his gang "The Rat Pack". The title of the "songs" these sample lyrics are lifted from are "Mack the Knife", "Drinking Again", Lady is a Tramp", and "I love my wife". I cannot imagine the corrosive effect these lyrics will have on the generation growing up listening to them. It is enough to cause me to question my libertarian free speech convictions.

Finally, I found a few sparkly bits of carnival flotsam that washed out of the ocean of blog posts on to our beach.

• The Maiden rolls out the second edition of the "This is not my Country Carnival" hosted at Hells Handmaiden.
• Ken Goldstein, blogger and candidate for Vice President of the United States presents a wide ranging selection of posts at the "Carnival of the Decline of Democracy 2.7" hosted at Random Thoughts.
• Kehaar presents the Carnival of the Vanities #238: "Special Events Edition" hosted at Siiflay Hraka.
  
• Laura Young is looking for heroes in "The Carnival of Courage 13" hosted at the The Dragonslayer's guide to life.
  
• I'm not Emeril found some Virginia related posts of interest at "The Virginia Blog Carnival" hosted at I'm Not Emeril.
  

The beach is clear. One more reminder. Blog articles may be submitted for the next edition of the carnival of divided government using the carnival submission form. Submitted posts must use include the words and/or concept of "divided government" to be considered. Past posts can be found on the blog carnival index page.

Divided and Balanced.™ Now that is fair.

Technorati tags: divided government, Imus, blog carnival.