flying under the radar

Of The Day [2.27.07]

2007-02-27T17:15:33Z

Quote:

Epitaph of Leonard P. Matlovich, decorated American soldier and a crusader for gay rights.

"When I was in the military they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one."

Mr. Matlovich was awarded a Purple Heart and A Bronze Star for service during the Viet Nam War. He died in 1988, after a long battle with AIDS.

Of The Day [2.20.07]

2007-02-21T03:56:18Z

Living the Post-War Dream

Can't stop,
lose job,
mind gone,
silacon,
what bomb?
get away,
pay day,
make hay,
eat fish,
break down,
need fix,
big six,
kick kick.
Oh, No!
Bingo.
brain dead,
lose head,
tv,
freebee,
nice ride,
suicide,
fall back,
no slack,
lost friend,
meet end.

When you're one of the few to land on your feet,
What do you do to make ends meet?
Make 'em laugh.
Make 'em cry.
Make 'em dance in the aisles.
Make 'em pay.
Make 'em stay.
Make'em feel ok.

Make 'em mad.
Make 'em sad.
Make 'em add two and two.
Make 'em me.
Make them you.
Make them do what you want them to.
Make them laugh.
Make them cry.
Make them lie down and die.

bluebirdinabox @ 2007-02-10T18:54:00

2007-02-11T02:53:18Z

I have been to Paris. I have been to Rome. I have gone to London, and I am all alone.
I have been to Paris. I have been to Rome. I went to New York City, and I am on my own.

bluebirdinabox @ 2007-02-07T20:45:00

2007-02-08T04:43:01Z

Take me now, a shelter be, before there's nothing left of me.

bluebirdinabox @ 2007-01-26T14:16:00

2007-01-26T22:14:31Z

Sometimes it's hard to tell the wishing from the well, where you threw the pennie from where it fell.

Of The Day [1.22.07]

2007-01-22T19:25:11Z

Balladen om herr Fredrik Åkare och den söta fröken Cecilia Lind

Från Öckerö loge hörs dragspel och bas och

fullmånen lyser som var den av glas.

Där dansar Fredrik Åkare kind emot kind

med den lilla fröken Cecilia Lind.

Hon dansar och blundar så nära intill,

hon följer i dansen precis vart han vill.

Han för och hon följer så lätt som en vind.

Men säg varför rodnar Cecilia Lind?

Säg var det för det Fredrik Åkare sa:

Du doftar så gott och du dansar så bra.

Din midja är smal och barmen är trind.

Vad du är vacker, Cecilia Lind.

Men dansen tog slut och vart skulle dom gå?

Dom bodde så nära varandra ändå.

Till slut kom dom fram till Cecilias grind.

Nu vill jag bli kysst, sa Cecilia Lind.

Vet hut, Fredrik Åkare, skäms gammla karln!

Cecilia Lind är ju bara ett barn.

Ren som en blomma, skygg som en hind.

Jag fyller snart sjutton, sa Cecilia Lind.

Och stjärnorna vandra och timmarna fly

och Fredrik är gammal och månen är ny.

Ja, Fredrik är gammal men kärlek är blind.

Åh, kyss mig igen, sa Cecilia Lind.

of The Day [1.20.07]

2007-01-20T22:21:56Z

Of the Day,

The National O style single cone guitar, made by National Steel

Only the most beautiful guitar in the invention of man. National has many beautiful steel guitars, but this one really is the tops.

Of The Day [1.19.07]

2007-01-19T08:13:07Z

Down There By The Train- Tom Waits

There's a place I know where the train goes slow
Where the sinner can be washed in the blood of the lamb
There's a river by the trestle down by sinner's grove
Down where the willow and the dogwood grow

You can hear the whistle, you can hear the bell
From the halls of heaven to the gates of hell
And there's room for the forsaken if you're there on time
You'll be washed of all your sins and all of your crimes
If you're down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there where the train goes slow

There's a golden moon that shines up through the mist
And I know that your name can be on that list
There's no eye for an eye, there's no tooth for a tooth
I saw Judas Iscariot carrying John Wilkes Booth
He was down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
He was down there where the train goes slow

So if you live in darkness and if you live in shame
All of the passengers will be treated the same
And old Humpty Jackson and Gyp the Blood will sing
And Charlie Witman is holding on to Dillinger’s wings
They’re both down there by the train

Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there where the train goes slow

If you've lost all your hope, if you've lost all your faith
I know you can be cared for and I know you can be safe
And all the shamefuls and all of the whores
And even the soldier who pierced the side of the Lord
Is down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there where the train goes slow

Well, I've never asked forgiveness and I've never said a prayer
Never given of myself, never truly cared
I've left the ones who loved me and I'm still raising Cain
I've taken the low road and if you've done the same
Meet me down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there where the train goes slow

Meet me down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there by the train
Down there where the train goes slow

Raoul Wallenberg

2007-01-19T08:06:43Z

I would Like to include a post about Raoul Wallenberg.
Actually I think this comes at a fitting time, i only discovered him today, and yesterday (ironically) was Canada's "Raoul Wallenberg Day".
They are right to have such a day. I feel that Wallenberg is not really recognized in the U.S. Schindler has been immortalized here in film, and rightly so, he was a great man. And his story is intriguing for other reasons. He (Schindler) was not a charitable man, and he found humanity by doing good when it presented itself to him and made a great success, saved lives and was recognized for it. And there is a kind of glow of success or confidence about his story.
The Wallenberg story is a different one and touches a different note. He was not an ingenious man, not a successful or confidant man. And he has an aura of desperation and near failure. He very much represents the direness of the situation in a way which Schindler seems only to represent the hopeful. And yet...
There is something so very much more real to me about Wallenberg. His was a very real hardship in a way Schindler's was not. His was a very real danger and real effort, a real humanitarian effort, and a real sacrifice. He was Swedish, and he left Sweden, he was wealthy and he left behind wealth and protection. He went into the most hellish of places when no one had asked it of him, when he gained nothing, when everyone told him to leave, when he had every opportunity of leaving, and he said- I will die before I stop doing every single thing that I can possibly think of to put myself between the murderer and his victim.

I would rather like to write a book about this man. I want it to be as successful and as read as Keneally's tribute to Oscar Schindler. I want the name Wallenberg to be on the tongues of Americans.

Raoul Wallenberg

Of The Day [1.18.07]

2007-01-18T20:04:14Z

The Thylacine

The Thylacine was the worlds only preadatorial marsupial. It is now largely accepted as extinct. Although I suppose with the rediscovery of the Ivory Billed woodpecker after its supposed extinction anything is possible. However such subterefuge survival is more unlikely with an animal of the Thylacine's size and hunting habits. Also known as the "tasmanian Tiger" it was hunted by bounty hunters on the island of Tasmania for bounties posted by local sheep farmers, though recent studies show that the farmer's fear of the thylacine as a sheep killing predator was probably misfounded and that feral dogs possed the real local threat. This all happened around the turn of the century. A well researched and hightly insightful chapter about the thylacine can be found in David Quamen's Song of the Dodo.

Of The Day [1.17.07]

2007-01-17T23:10:16Z

The "Of the Day"

Art Greenspons "Primavera Vietnam"

This is a classic of Vietnam era journalism.
I also highly suspect it is the inspiration behind the cover of Oliver Stone's "Platoon"

Of The Day [1.16.07]

2007-01-17T05:20:53Z

My "Of the day"

Afghan coal miner by Steve McCurry.

Should think about buying his beautiful book "Looking East" even though it doesn't have all of the amazing pictures that appeart on his website, www.stevemccurry.com.