Yes we can!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father's died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!"

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi - from every mountainside.

Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring - when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics - will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

-MLK

Thank you America. And thank you New Hampshire!

This is genius...

The Rockies Playoff Run...

...Super Mario Style:

I love Jerry Remy

This video is why I never turn off the TV during a Red Sox game, even if it is a blowout. Because you never know when the Rem Dawg is going to go off on one of his crazy tangents:



While we are on the topic of baseball, this Sportscenter video cracked me up.

[One of these days I'll have to post something that isn't about baseball.]

Red Sox

Even though it looks like a Winter wonderland here in Lebanon, I am officially psyched for the real baseball season (as opposed to my fantasy one). If Matsuzaka is a good as they say, because if so, I think the Sox will win the division. If not, well, what's $100,000,000 among friends?

Check out this new Japanese Nike ad featuring Dice-K. I think it's pretty damn good.

Ouch.

This looks like it hurt.

Keith Olbermann Goes Off

Wow...here's a great video of Keith Olbermann going off on President Bush for his misguided comparisons between Iraq and Vietnam.

Box Elder

For Malkmus lovers only:



There is a great video for "Baby C'mon" on YouTube as well, and of course check out the video for "Mama" (Real format) from the Matador web site, which Ann loves.

Albums of the year...so far...

Here are my picks for albums of the year, so far, from someone who hasn't heard that much new music this year:

• Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass: by far the best album title of the year, and damn good music as well. You know a band is pretty confident when the first song on their album ("Pass the hatchet, I think I'm goodkind" - another great title) is a 10 minute long jam with minimal lyrics. You can download the whole song here, if you like.
  
• The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America: not quite as strong as their previous effort, Separation Sunday, but still a great album. Bonus points for the Kerouac inspired title. Check out a live version of Stuck Between Stations, the first song on the album.
  
• Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit: the first half of this album is really great, it sags a bit in the middle, but thats a minor quibble. Here is a great video for "White Collar Boy."
  
• Honorable Mentions: The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics; Pavement - Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition (reissue, so it kinda doesn't count); Bruce Springsteen We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions; Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
  

I'm actually kind of disappointed in myself for not checking out more music this year. There are a lot of albums that have come out that I've been meaning to get (Sonic Youth, The Decemberists, Willie Nelson w/ Ryan Adams, others), but I just haven't had a lot of time to wander around the record store. If any of you have any suggestions, let me know.