Shame of the Union

Be Proud, America

On the same day President Obama was scheduled to give his final (thank God!) State of the Union address, the Iranian government decided to demonstrate to their people and to the world just how much they respect Obama and the United States.



Images and video of the seizure of 10 United States Navy personnel were all over the internet within minutes, and such images have been running nonstop on Iranian TV,
in violation of the Geneva Convention.

In response to the provocation, our lily-livered Secretary of State thanked the regime this morning when the prisoners were returned, saying "I want to express my gratitude to Iranian authorities for their cooperation ‎in swiftly resolving this matter." I don't know if he was on his knees when he issued that statement, but he might as well have been.

Meanwhile, the President of the United States made no mention of the incident in his speech, instead preening about the deal he reached with the regime holding our sailors which will guarantee Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.

"Are you fucking SHITTING ME, Obama?"

Simply incredible.

And nearly as incredible is the eagerness with which the mainstream media went to work trying to spin this as an Obama triumph.

I need a drink...

"Settle down! You're over-reacting again."

I disagree...

Conflicted

As someone who adopted Kansas City as my hometown at a young age (14), I have always had a certain enmity for St. Louis, sitting over there on the other side of Missouri all smug and condescending.

11-0, motherfuckers. 11-0.

That enmity is part of what made the Royals victory in the 1985 World Series so very rewarding. Does it get any better than beating the Cardinals for the title? In a blowout?





Anyway, the NFL announced yesterday that St. Louis is losing the Rams, who are moving back to Los Angeles. This is the second time an NFL franchise has abandoned the city.

Maybe it's not them, St. Louis. Maybe it's you...

"I'm confused. What is it exactly that you're 'conflicted' about?"

I don't know whether to laugh at St. Louis or feel truly sorry for Los Angeles (since the Rams suck)...

The Empty Seat

From the pen of Lisa Benson, whose editorial cartoons you should read often, as I do.

P.S. She's right on the money. TV ratings for last night's SOTU speech were abysmal...

Until Next Time...

On January 13, 1973 famed guitarist Eric Clapton showed up to play a concert for the first time in more than two years. For fans of blues and blues-rock music, this was a Big Deal. For a variety of reasons, most of them related to substance abuse, Clapton had withdrawn from the music business, and gone into seclusion in 1970.

Original 1973 album cover

Clapton's good friend Pete Townshend, guitarist for The Who, put together an all-star lineup of musicians who all agreed to play with Eric at a concert held at London's Rainbow Theater.

It is not an exaggeration to suggest that this concert, which restored Clapton's confidence in his own abilities, may well have saved his life. Clapton himself has said as much in interviews.



A recording featuring six songs from the so-called Rainbow Concert was released in late 1973, followed by a remastered and expanded set of songs in 1995.

Today's send-off is the performance of the blues standard "Key to the Highway" from the 1995 remastered set. Enjoy...