International
Song of the Day 9/27: The Beatles, “Back in the USSR”
One one level it’s just a parody of American exceptionalism as espoused by Chuck Berry and the Beach Boys. But it doesn’t seem so funny when Russia flexes its military muscle. At least that’s how some people felt when this appeared as the first track on the double-LP White Album, released in November 1968 — […]
Song of the Day 9/23: Modern English, “I Melt With You”
Vladimir Putin is threatening to use nuclear weapons to bail himself out of the war he needlessly started. That strikes me as similar to a man who’s freezing to death deciding to set himself on fire, but it has frightened a lot people. We’ll have to see if the sentiment adds to the stockpile of […]
Song of the Day 9/19: Elton John, “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding”
Though Queen Elizabeth remains dead, Britain’s almost endless period of mourning — even our British friends said yesterday that enough was enough — will come to a close today with another day-long ceremony culminating in her burial. The music will be somber — sorry, I meant sombre — but it won’t include this Elton John […]
DL Open Thread Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022
Wilmington is going to get an economic boost next month when media floods the city for the Elon Musk-Twitter showdown in Chancery Court. Background coverage has already begun, such as this profile of Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick. The bus-the-immigrants stunt has succeeded in bringing national attention to a problem that affects mainly border cities in border […]
DL Open Thread Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022
Turns out that business of moving migrants from border states to northern cities might not be as cute as Trump and his orc-governors thought. Turns out it might be illegal. Turns out the stunt isn’t even original. The racist White Citizens Council first pulled the stunt in 1962 as a “Reverse Freedom Ride.” The whole […]
DL Open Thread Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022
Media scolds yesterday chided Joe Biden for flying Air Force One to Delaware to — sit down now — vote in Tuesday’s primaries. “But, but, but he could have voted absentee!” Well, yes, but remember, he’s accustomed to Delaware election rules, and until Covid Delaware had the tightest restrictions in the country on who could […]
Song of the Day 9/10: The Three Degrees, “Givin’ Up, Givin’ In”
King Charles might be new to the throne, but he’s been living under Fleet Street’s microscope for a long time, and seldom given much respect. At best he’s treated as an eccentric, the kind of guy who embraced crackpot causes like sustainable farming, global warming and classical architecture back when doing so made one a […]
Song of the Day 9/9: Chumbawamba, “Her Majesty”
The death of Queen Elizabeth II is guaranteed to reignite debates about the future of the British monarchy. Not right away, of course. Lots of people who hate the institution loved, or at least respected, a sovereign who earned her popularity by taking her ceremonial job seriously, so critics will hold their fire for 10 […]
Song of the Day 9/7: Maxwell, “Radiation Funk”
The invasion of Ukraine has mostly faded from the news, but one aspect threatens to put it back at the top of the broadcasts. Russia, demonstrating the ineptitude that has distinguished its war effort thus far, again shelled the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest in Europe, putting if off the power grid and bringing it […]
Song of the Day 8/24: The Gap Band, “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”
I’ve been trying to work up some concern that the Moscow car-bombing of Darya Dugina, daughter of “Putin’s Rasputin” Alexander Dugin, will lead to something worse than what’s already happening in Ukraine. Sorry, just can’t see it. Conventional wisdom claims that Putin will react by cracking down harder. Uh, no. You might as well take […]
Song of the Day 8/13: Nena, “99 Luftballons”
Guest post by Nathan Arizona A lot of sabers are rattling these days, except nobody uses sabers anymore. The threat from Russia in the Ukraine and maybe China in the Pacific is all about the nukes. It’s a familiar situation, and bands in the ‘80s were really feeling it. Detente with the Soviet Union was […]
Song of the Day 8/7: Nini Music, “LongMa”
I bet when Nancy Pelosi was digging to China as a little girl, she didn’t think she’d find Taiwanese folk metal when she got there. I assume this showed up in my feed because I was reading stories about Taiwan; until a couple of days ago I never even considered that such a genre might […]
Song of the Day 7/23: Queen, “Bicycle Race”
This year’s Tour de France isn’t over, but the winner was determined this morning when teammates Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard finished 1-2 in Stage 20, a 40-km individual time trial. Vingegaard, who’s more than 3 minutes up on pre-race favorite Tadej Pogacar, will wear the yellow jersey when the Tour finishes with its […]
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