Quickly

The Cheney story continues to have legs--mostly (imo) because the VP has not been candid and allowed questions to persist. One web site is reporting that the ranch owner originally admitted that there had been a few beers at the lunch, but that part of the story was scrubbed. Doesn't really mean anything--in and of itself. But the Veep has allowed this to take on a life of its own.

Meanwhile, as Anglican emailed me, there are serious discussions among hunters regarding the incident. Most of the NRA members (rank and file) take hunting serious and also with that hunter safety. I have always admired that part of the NRA even as the political leaders have gone off on the deep end defending plastic guns and fighting any reasonable registration or gun control. But that said, as Slate reports, most hunter experts agree that the shooter is always to blame. Period.

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Now, as Monty Python said, for something completely different. Classes are taking their toll on me this semester. I guest lectured for a colleague last week and found myself really hating the class. Rude, disinterested, and passive--and those were the good students! Well, to be fair, I was lecturing on urban environmental problems and then Gilded Age politics--topics that can make the seasoned history nerd fold.

So, once again, I turn to music for my sanity. Some that are keeping me from yelling at strangers:

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Shaking the Sheets (hat tip to ubub for this one too). Especially like the title track.

Nickel Creek, Why should the fire die? This very young bluegrass (kind of) trio really impressed me with their first album, but then the second one was not very interesting. I bought this third one with a certain amount of trepidation and it is really, really good. Great cover of Dylan's "Tomorrow is a long time."

Whiskeytown, Stranger's Almanac Not a new album by any definition, but since my latest rebuild had not listened very much. Some of the very best early Ryan Adams.

Josh Rouse. assorted. I bought two at the same time, so often confuse the albums. But Dressed up Like Nebraska and Nashville are both great. "Sad Eyes" is one of my favorites right now.

Enough stalling. off to face the students.

peace