Hammer Mill Days

Barack Obama is a decidedly small-bore president. This is by no means a revelation to anyone. I voted for the guy in 2008 because the notion of a McCain presidency (and a Palin vice-presidency) scared the bejesus out of me, and rightfully so. (I remain convinced that denying him the presidency saved us about 14 wars.) I voted for him again in 2012 to deny the Republicans the joy of having all three branches of government. But that's about all I've gotten out of it. He's a very cautious man, a very conventional man, and not at all inclined to take bold steps. Sure, he's Simon the Likeable. I think of it as the liberal equivalent of conservatives seeing W. Bush as someone they would like to have a beer with. Obama has an appealing persona to people like me, mostly because he's the first president in my lifetime that shares our experience. Of course, those considerations are an empty category, politically speaking. It doesn't matter at all whether or not I "...

Holy mother of pearl. My throat is in shreds. Just got done with a 23-page script for the next episode of Ned Trek, a now-regular feature on our podcast, THIS IS BIG GREEN . Spoiler alert: I do the voice of Reagan. Well.... All that yakking can make a man sore tired. And tomorrow I play the 47th in a 194-part series known as the reunion gigs of Puttin' on the Ritz, a band of many, many strange people (and I am one). But that is not what you're here for, to be sure. No, no, I'm sure you're anxious for me to conclude my three-part explanation of the 21 songs contained on Big Green's new album, Cowboy Scat: Songs in the Key of Rick . It's like waiting for the next episode of Downton Abbey or Breaking Bad ... except that those things are, well, good-ish. Anywho, here's the splainin' ... and then, to bed, damnit. Santorum From Behind - Sounds obscene, I know, but it's necessary, believe me. Now that he's out of the race, Rick is just trying ...