Sunday, May 31, 2009

Long Time Ago


Spain (actually just me) performing their song "Long Time Ago" live at Aula Magna, Lisbon, Portugal, 10 May 1996.

Download the entire show for free from the Spain Live Music Archive page.

Josh Haden - bass, vocals
Ken Boudakian - guitar
Merlo Podlewski - guitar
David Harte - drums

Friday, May 29, 2009

"Stuff the Bankers, Starve the Kids"

Robert Scheer wrote a great article regarding the fallout from the failure of the Schwarzenegger-backed ballot initiatives (which I wrote about in this post). 

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Credit Cards And...Guns?

Will somebody please explain to me what being able to carry handguns in national parks and federal wildlife areas has to do with national credit card reform?

As the L.A. Times reports, Democrats and Republicans were able to come together on reforming questionable credit card practices such as unfair interest rate hikes (and other things too). But tacked on to the very end of the article was this paragraph (italics mine):

"As part of a compromise, the Senate legislation includes an amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) that would allow visitors to national parks and federal wildlife areas to carry handguns if permitted by state law."

What does this mean? That Republicans won't support credit card reform unless there is some gun reform thrown in there too?

How legitimate then is Republican support for credit card reform in the first place?

Why is it that Republicans won't support a bill in Congress unless as part of that bill someone is getting hurt in some way, getting their job taken away, getting their access to healthcare taken away, getting access to a decent education taken away, or is getting shot by a .45 in a national park while birdwatching?




Monday, May 18, 2009

Josh Haden's Guide To The California Statewide Special and Consolidated Elections, May 19, 2009

Note to Gov. Schwarzenegger:

You can't go around blaming the people for problems you helped create and not expect the people to get angry.

If the measures you support (1A - 1F) don't pass, don't blame the voters for an even more "dire" state of the state.

The voters don't trust you!!

California is at least as bad off now if not worse than when you replaced Gray Davis. All of the problems we are experiencing now happened under your watch.

You need to take responsibility and step down!

What is this b.s. about 1F?

There needs to be a measure on this ballot saying that, as a step towards balancing the budget, and as a way of admitting responsibility for the current crisis, and as a gesture towards showing the people they honestly want to change things, all California lawmakers must cut their salaries down to $1 a year for the next four years. I'm sure that would save California a lot of money.

Thus, for the State Measures, my strong recommendations are:

1A: No
1B: No
1C: No
1D: No
1E: No
1F: No

I know, for once I agree with the California Republican Party, but I don't think for the same reasons. The California Democratic Party support 1B, 1C, and 1F (on the rest they officially have "no position". Hmmm... Weren't these measures written by Schwarzenegger and the Democratic Party in the first place?)

For Los Angeles City Attorney, I endorse Carmen "Nuch" Trutanich. Not that I think he's any better than Jack Weiss, I just think Weiss is a little too friendly with Villaraigosa for my taste. 

For the Los Angeles Community College District I endorse incumbents Angela J. Reddock and Nancy Pearlman. They seem OK to me.

My recommendations hold true for my district only. Other districts will have other and additional measures/candidates to vote for.

LAist has posted a guide to the myriad of endorsements for this election, including L.A. Times, Young Progressive Majority, and others. Kudos as always to Zach Behrens and LAist.


Monday, May 11, 2009

We All Come From God

From my poetry blog.

We All Come From God

We all come from God
That's what they say

Others say
Only one comes from God
He's supposed to show us the way

Others say
None comes from God
There is no God
Its obvious they say

Still others say
There are many Gods
Each God a symbol
Of another origin from which we came

I say
In a newborn child
Is the symbol
For the beginnings of all life

From the seedling
To the star
From an idea
To its fruition

All that lives
Must be born

Their beginnings surround us

We all come from God

© 2009 Josh Haden