Month: August 2006

So, it turns out that my thigh-high bootswere not able to be re-soled….or rather, the damage to the soles and the leather was so extensive (I’d had them for about 6 years) that the quote we were getting was pretty much exactly what it costs to get a new pair….so I did. Winging their way to me by FedEx Overnight, are a pair of these:

Dumbass moment:

Just to make sure, we had measure my feet (width, length, etc)…..and, given the instructions on the site, ordered a size-step up from the measurement results (for the difference between these boots and street shoes).

Turns out, I should be wearing a size 15 boot.

I’ve been wearing a 13.

Gosh….might have something to do with my foot pain when on my feet for extended periods, now wouldn’t it? Hell, even taking out the step-up for the boots, measurement indicates I should be wearing a 14 in street shoes, and not the 13 that I’m currently wearing.

I R TEH SMARTT.

In an article in the New Yorker, Symour Hersh reveals the fact that the Bush Administration had been urging Israel to attack Hezbollah in Lebanon even before the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers that ostensibly was the reason for the invasion. The attack, they argued, could ease Israel’s security concerns and also serve as a prelude to a potential American preëmptive attack to destroy Iran’s nuclear installations.

Even more frightening that that, though, is the fact that one of the architects of this plan is Elliot Abrams, who is Deputy National Security Advisor.

You might not have heard of him…the Deputy National Security advisor never gets much press, after all….but he does have access to the President, and influence in policy-making. For some of you, though, the name might be familiar.

You see, Elliot Abrams, our current Deputy National Security Advisor, was part of the Iran-Contra scandal during the Reagan administration, and was facing jail time for lying to Congress….before being pardoned by George the First.

Pay attention, people. When I say that the current adminstration are a bunch of criminals, I’m not just engaging in “liberal moonbat” hyperbole.

Earlier this week, I caught Everybody Stares: The Police Inside Out, Stewart Copeland’s 2006 Sundance documentary about the band, made from his 8mm home movie recordings from the late 70s and early 80s. Very cool — I recommend it to anybody who was a fan of the band, of Sting, or just of the New Wave period.

Lots of behind-the-scenes film, including concert footage (Copeland would set up the camera on a tripod behind his drums, and film during shows) and studio work (lots of shots of them working out arrangements of songs). My favorite part was their return to England after touring the US in late 1978, to discover that they had become famous while they were gone….Copeland catches it all on film, as they are mobbed leaving the airport. The first time they’ve ever had to deal with fan frenzy…filmed POV with a hand-held camera, simultaneously thrilling, funny and a little bit disturbing.

It reminded me how huge a fan of The Police I was at the time….and still am. It reminded me that I hadn’t listened to my Police collection because I hadn’t converted it to MP3. I remedied that situation. I now have it all on my hard drive.

Here’s a special “Tuesday Music” bonus: My favorite track by the Police–my true favorite, which, sadly, I had totally forgotten about when I answered that music meme a bit ago. This track was based on an extended instrumental break which the band would insert into concert performances of “Can’t Stand Losing You” — and won them a Grammy in 1979 for Best Rock Instrumental. The title track from their second album: The Police: “Reggatta de Blanc.”