i love searching winamp media library for songs relating to a word, and then listening to the mix. The other day i found 68 songs relating to the word black.

Nick Cave Black Betty .. such a good cover. Kicking Against the Pricks is always my favourite album from the Caulfield genius boy. Listen to that song over and over. The Spiderbait version was fun in its own way, but doesn’t really compare. .. and then i listen to Tom Jones version, and it’s shit. In a good way. But compared to the Cave? Shite.

Tom Waits has the record for a single artist in my collection .. 7 songs with “black” in the title.

Radiohead Black Star, of course. OMG what exquisite pain and pleasure in their music. Just recently Radiohead became my most-listened artist of all. i have been catching up .. to the rest of the world.

Nikka Costa Black Seed, Goldfrapp Black Cherry .. Nina Simone Black Is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair. i admire the brilliance and passion behind all these songs.

Public Enemy Fear of a Black Planet, Queen Latifah Black Hand Side, and *The

Spent a Saturday last week indulging whims.

Started off watching films at the HRAAF festival (Human Rights) ..about disappearing islands in the Pacific (eg the Carteret Islands off Bougainville). One of Georgie’s films was featured.. her NGO Pacific Black Box got young people to make films about the local effects of climate change. (Mentioned this on my work blog.)

The session was called: “Reel Change”

Really good films that could have an impact. There was a woman from Tuvalu and a man from the MakePovertyHistory campaign. They held a forum and spoke after the film.

Anyway i felt i needed to make a change, and stimulate the economy ..
ok i just went therapy shopping. And came back with the latest in

• Buffy season 8: “Time of your life pt3“.
• Plus a book length comic about Fray, the Slayer from the future.

Must Read Now.

Not only that but when i arrive home, i remember that there are many new CD’s in my bag from recent CD launches. eg

• “a young man’s death” from The New Black,
• “Dictation” by Pikelet, and
• Applecore 08.

gray taylor was magnificent at the Qua / Mountains in Sky album launch, supported by the Stars of the Night Pikelet. i would have bought the Qua CD too but they’d run out.

i go now .. i Prepare 2Listen.

ooo.

Lovely wonderful friends who bring food. That’s my idea of heavenly bliss.

Hula hooping in the back yard, whipping up multiple salads with lovely Jude and Jody. Tim was master of the BBQ. People fully dressed up and were gorgeous.

Yes there are pictures of people hula hooping. Tony – the genius maker of said hula hoops – was sick in bed all day with a fever, so we really should have been a bit quieter. Whoops.

Now where did i put those photos .. ?

Ok i’ll make do with this magnificent shot from Chicago instead.

photo credit: rebecca anne

Much joy on Cup Day, our official gambling holiday. For the first time ever i did not watch the race, i have no idea who won (oh wait a minute, yes Bart “don’t have a horse” Cummings won again).

i spent my time picnicking with Zeena in the Edinburgh Gardens, and then stumbled upon the annual billy cart race in Eastment St Northcote (thanks to the wonderful Cos for texting me). This was super fun, and very civilised.

The only photos i remembered to take were during the fashion parade. An hilarious romp, with boys in a Zoolander-style walk-off. The winner was very clear from the deep growl of crowd approval. Not so much a louder cheer, but definitely a different quality.

And Barak Obama bin Hussein won the Grand Presidential Lottery over in the land of Hollywood. Yay Barak! Finally a communist in the white house. (Ha, ha.)

Two Canadian comedians make fun of Sarah Palin, with her full co-operation. Tim turned up at my house this morning and told me about it, so i had to listen.

Sarah doesn’t notice when he gives the wrong name for the Canadian Prime Minister, she doesn’t seem to shudder when he says he loves killing baby seals ..

Even dumber than Dan Quayle, it seems.

But ouch .. the Hustler joke was going too far, wasn’t it?

Did she not notice the French “Prime Minister” telling her he loved watching a porn-u-mentary about her, or did she diplomatically let it slide? You wouldn’t expect sexual harrassment from one head of state to another (potentially on the same level) .. but i’m sure it happens.

Link: Trail Blazer Blog | The Dallas Morning News.
Link: BBC also.

On the positive side, listen to this guy on the BBC .. ‘Redneck votes for Obama’. Good man.