Matt Yglesias

Jul 2nd, 2009 at 6:14 pm

Endgame

Thursday is the new Friday:

— New strategy for Afghanistan involves eating lots of goat; sounds delicious.

Bad Paintings of Barack Obama (via).

— Has Jenny Lewis gone too far?

— The labor market is incredibly horrible.

— IMF launches SDR-denominated bonds, don’t tell Michele Bachman.

I revisited The Get Up Kids’ last night, and they wrote a lot of bad songs! But “Don’t Hate Me” is good and I love “Mass Pike” though your mileage may vary according to whether or not you used to drive on the Mass Pike a lot with your first serious girlfriend.






34 Responses to “Endgame”

  1. Brad Says:

    Hey are we not going to have any wistful takes on how much better it would be if we were still a British colony this year?

  2. AssForAHeadDotCom Says:

    Because MattY is a hack, his claims to be celebrating American Independence Day are just a Soros-funded Terkelesque shock-collar attempt to disguise his desire to bow down to his Mexican precious-bodily-fluid-diluting overlords. Like this one.

    Dave Weigel never answers my calls. Is he cheating on me?

  3. James Gary Says:

    Those “bad” paintings are actually pretty great!

    In view of Obama’s moves so far on civil liberties, I really love the one where the artist put Giuliani’s features on the “Hope” poster. Although I’m not sure it was done deliberately.

  4. Ricky B. Says:

    Agreed- despite being a fan when I was a teenager, the Get Up Kids ouevre doesn’t really hold up well. Although I still have a soft spot for a few songs, like the ones mentioned by Matt, plus “Ten Minutes” (the original, not the Eudora version)- they can barely carry a tune, but that’s a rockin’ song. Plus I quite enjoyed their show at the 9:30 club on the farewell tour, despite (or because of?) half the band seeming too drunk to stand.

  5. james Says:

    agreed on the get up kids. the whole EP with “mass pike” is good, with “anne arbour” and 3 other songs i don’t remember at the moment. and a couple each from four minute mile and something to write home about. but it’s pretty much impossible to listen to those anymore.

  6. fostert Says:

    The big change everyone missed: India’s Supreme Court rules for homosexuals:

    http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/02/indias-highest-court-rules-gay-sex-legal/

    It’s the world’s largest democracy, and they are catching up to the times. Good for them.

  7. Davis X. Machina Says:

    After Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers’ Roadrunner, I don’t know why anyone ever did another Mass Pike song again.

    One-two-three-four-five-six…

  8. 24AheadDotCom Says:

    - Interesting to see obsessed libertarians coming by MattY’s blog trying to make liberals look bad by showing that, instead of attempting to engage me in debate, all they can do is act like 5-year-olds. But, then again, what did anyone expect from libertarians?

    - Meanwhile, from this:

    As for the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress, it has an added incentive to welcome Wal-Mart into polite company. While the left has shunned the corporate behemoth for years, according to its Web site Wal-Mart gives the think tank between $500,000 and $999,999. Perhaps CAP will get more than just brownie points from the Obama administration for brokering this deal.

    See also washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/What–49538182.html

  9. AssForAHeadDotCom Says:

    Interesting to see the Weigel-obsessed Birther is just a copy-and paste merchant. All he can do is follow his orders from the MeXicAnGOvernMent to act like a 5-year-old. But, then again, what did anyone expect from a complete no-hoper?

  10. JP Says:

    Whoever the judge is for “Bad Paintings of Obama” is way too critical. A couple of those could find space in the East Building of the National Gallery of Art. Collectively the virtual “exhibit” is an outstanding historical record.

    The range of styles and various “Obamas” give a sense about the broad appeal that Obama’s candidacy generated.

  11. Petey Says:

    “After Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers’ Roadrunner, I don’t know why anyone ever did another Mass Pike song again.”

    As someone who spent some time on the Mass Pike with my first serious girlfriend, I concur.

    Radio On!

  12. leo Says:

    Goat?

    One thing you have to hand to Matt, at least he’s a friggin’ meat-eater. Can’t say the same about Ezra.

  13. pickandroll Says:

    i saw my better half
    the better half of a decade
    slip through my hands inside her hands inside my pockets
    when she reached for her advatages i should have done something
    i saw my baby boy digging his own hole
    keeping alive family traditions
    when he lied about intentions i should have done something
    well
    i blame myself for everything
    it keeps my conscience clean
    i’ve got bandages to prove it

  14. soullite Says:

    Yes, the greatest threat to the women’s movement is a singer allowing a song to be played on a fast food commercial.

    Upper class feminism has always been, and will probaqbly always continue to be, a fucking joke.

  15. Tyro Says:

    The bad Obama paintings are actually a good sign. It’s rare to have a president that appeals to a slice of the electorate looking for an intellectual sensibility and policy-wonkery while also capturing the imagination of Americans who have terribly tacky taste. That’s quite an accomplishment and good news for his reelection chances.

  16. joe from Lowell Says:

    Goat’s good.

    Like beef, but milder, and less stringy.

  17. S.P. Gass Says:

    Yes, I agree the labor market is bad. Administration predictions are not turning out so good with regard to the unemployment rate after the stimulus plan.

    I like goat’s milk.

    Patriotic weekend movie recommendation: The Crossing

  18. 24AheadDotCom Says:

    Here’s a scary thought: could one of Instapundit’s students be trying to frame him? It is, after all, one of the possibilities. Right?

    Also, any time anyone wants to have an honest debate with me about issues, I’m not far away. Unfortunately, those Neuticles don’t seem to be working for them, thus the spittle-flecked comments like the two above.

  19. Hector Says:

    I don’t know much about Jenny Lewis / Rilo Kiley, but I’m kind of interested in a girl who likes them, so I guess I should learn more. What are they all about and what type of music are they? I do like the one song ive heard.

  20. DTM Says:

    I just want to make it clear that I am also willing to have an honest debate with anyone. All you have to do is send me $100, and I will then debate you online at a time and place of my choosing, on whatever topic I specify, for up to several minutes.

    Of course if you refuse to send me my $100 first, that just proves you are a coward.

  21. brendan Says:

    don’t never say nothin bad about jenny lewis.
    ever.

  22. monad Says:

    Also, any time anyone wants to have an honest debate with me about issues, I’m not far away

    Pleeze? Someone? Anyone?

    Dude, you should read a story called The Country of the Kind, by Damon Knight. You remind me of the guy in the story.

  23. Anthony Says:

    AssForAHead,

    Can you explain why you think we liberals are really libertarians pretending to be liberals?

    Of all the BatShitCrazy stuff you think, an explanation of that one would really be interesting.

  24. Dr Zen Says:

    Shock, horror. Band on major label has song used in burger commercial. I’m betting that the band didn’t know a thing about it, let alone approve it.

  25. AssForAHeadDotCom Says:

    Dave Weigel and dog’s testicles: three things that, when combined in a sexual fantasy, keep 24Ahead, the MeXiKKKanGovErnMenT’s stealth agent, from blowing out his brains.

  26. scythia Says:

    Hector:

    I don’t know much about Jenny Lewis / Rilo Kiley, but I’m kind of interested in a girl who likes them, so I guess I should learn more. What are they all about and what type of music are they? I do like the one song ive heard.

    LOL.

    If one had to sum them up in one phrase, what would it be? Personally, I would say hipster rock.

  27. Hector Says:

    Re: If one had to sum them up in one phrase, what would it be? Personally, I would say hipster rock.

    Sweet J*sus.

  28. rea Says:

    Eat goat?

    Mickey Kaus will never forgive the administration . . .

  29. Rich in PA Says:

    As a couple of people have noted, some of those portraits aren’t half bad. And as for goats and Afghanistan, we should send some Jamaicans and we’ll have the place won, hearts, minds, and bellies.

  30. joe from Lowell Says:

    Please, for God’s sake, somebody PayAttention to me.

  31. linus Says:

    Did you know that the UK’s Criminal Justice Act of 2003 repeals the 800 year old legal principle of double jeopardy (in England and Wales) for some crimes including some drug crimes?

    If it was not too liberal for the England of the Plantagenets (where you’ll note the better part of the population lived in something like a state of bondage, servitude, and deprivation and could probably be put to death for simply looking at some sadistic, deranged noble fellow the wrong way) you wonder why it’s too liberal for Blair and Brown’s England.

    Downhill, friends.

    For all her ugly acts as Prime Minister I don’t know that Mrs. Thatcher ever repealed any centuries-old principles of basic law.

  32. linus Says:

    You can almost imagine the current crop of Democrats in Washington – reveling in their self-glorification – putting on a new constitutional convention (after the Supreme Court strikes down Roe V Wade?) to pass some kind of privacy amendment (that would have a lot more teeth as a simple federal law as an amendment is likely to be clear, concise, and therefore open to being utterly watered down in interpretation by the Supreme Court) and defacing other parts of the document (including the double jeopardy provision) in the process.

    I can think of no one in Washington today that should have any place in altering that document.

  33. Senescent Says:

    Moneymaker was an awful song before the ad, remix bait at best; that might be its best and highest use.

  34. linus Says:

    You wonder if those crappy gifts Gordy Brown got were by accident. I’ll bet Davie Cameron gets at least a 15 dollar gift certificate to the Virgin Megastore when he goes to Berry’s sleepover party.


Jump to Top

About Wonk Room | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy (off-site) | RSS | Donate
© 2005-2008 Center for American Progress Action Fund
imageRegisterimageimageRSSimageimageimage image
image
Advertisement

Visit Our Affiliated Sites

image image
image 

Books By Matthew Yglesias
Book Cover

Heads in the Sand

Buy the book


imageTopic Cloud


Featured

image
Subscribe to the Progress Report




Contact Matthew Yglesias
Use this form to contact blog author Matthew Yglesias.

Name:
Email:
Tip:
(required)


imageArchives


imageBlog Roll


imageAbout Matt YglesiasimageimageContact MeimageimageDonateimage