Muse – Knights of Cydonia

I have to say I feel obligated to tell you when I see a great music video, since I’m pretty sure it’s nearly impossible to see any videos these days. Anyways, Muse’s, Knights of Cydonia, has everything you need to make a great video. Guitars, a hot blonde chick, Robots, a guy that looks like Clint Eastwood, guns that fire lasers, Cowboys, a guy that looks like Freddy Mercury, Motorcycles and a Unicorn.

Enjoy…

Wendy’s back and so are you…

I don’t know about you, but my ears and liver are still recovering from Mos Generator and the DT’s last Friday. Wonder Woman is on her way to Colorado to fight injustice but before she left, WW gave all her records (around 200) to Cherrybomb. It’s like heavy metal Christmas in Cherrybomb’s house right now. My turntable is hot and I got the Aqua Net pink can out. Spandex might also be involved but you’ll never know. Anyways, one of the best things to happen to Seattle in a while, the King Cobra has got some of the best bills in the city this weekend and into March. Now get ready to flash your devil signs and Get The Fuck Out…

Thursday, February 28th:

Book of Black Earth – The Feast 2007

Book of Black Earth
Plaster
King Cobra

Friday, February 29th:

The Hands – The Hands (self-titled 2008) out NOW!

The Hands (cd release)
The Earaches
The Whore Moans
Neumo’s

I love The Hands. Every time I hear something off this new record I get sticky fingers. I mean, listen to Sticky Fingers. Wow, that was an awkward silence. And while I know I’m not the first person to make this comparison, but it’s inescapable. Anyways, Cherrybomb wouldn’t miss this show for anything. Which means you shouldn’t either. Got it?

Saturday, March 1st:

Neon Nights
King Cobra

Looking Ahead…:

The best of Thin Lizzy at King Cobra – March 20th

March 7th, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club will be at The Showbox In The Lounge. SCAC new record Cipher comes out on Alternative Tentacles, March 25th. On Saturday, March 8th, The Detroit Cobras and The Blakes will be at The High Dive. If I have to tell you this is one sweet bill, you know nothing about music. And since I started this post telling you King Cobra it taking over Seattle, here is more proof. KC will hold the first installment of monthly benefit shows for Music Cares on March 20th with The Cops, North Twin and Sunday Night Blackout. The Cobra twist on this one is all the bands are covering Thin Lizzy. For the love of Gary Moore the King Cobra is throwing down the gauntlet of boozy, musical excellence. Other clubs might take a hint…

Metal Goddess Doro Pesch and Warlock. Triumph and Agony – pure 1987…

Doro Pesch will be at Studio 7 on April 4th. Doro is a living legend like Lemmy only way better looking in leather. Doro used to front the band Warlock. And if you just yelled “WARLOCK!” then you already have tickets for this show…

The Sword – Gods of the Earth out April 8th

The Sword will be at Neumo’s on Tuesday, April 22nd. Gods of the Earth is due out in early April but you can get the import now here. On Thursday, April 24th, Simian Mobile Disco will bring a truck load of turntables and some heavy beats to Neumo’s

Mick Jones of The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite and Carbon/Silicon

Carbon/Silicon (Mick Jones of The Clash and Tony James of Generation X) touring the US this summer with stops in Boston and LA. C/S will hit Seattle and Neumo’s on March 23rd. Devotchka will also tour the US after their gypsy train rolls through Europe and the UK this Spring. The 16 date US tour will stop in Boston and Chicago as well as the Coachella Festival in April. Devotchka does The Showbox (SoDo) on May 3rd.

48 hours and counting till Friday. Unless of course you start right now…

Yesterday, Comcast confirmed that it hired and paid people to fill seats at an FCC hearing in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The hearing was held to address Comcast’s practice of preventing customers from file sharing. While the practice of seat warming is not uncommon (or illegal), Comcast said they were merely acting preemptively. Media watchdogs from Free Press, publicly critical of Comcast’s recent practices, had been encouraging their members and supporters to attend the hearing. More than 100 people were turned away from the hearing, ironically held at Harvard Law School.

Thanks to the Free Press and AP for the story…

Editor’s postscript: Thanks to the Red Davy Kidd for this image (below) of some of the “seat warmers” Comcast bussed in to the hearing. Unbelievable…

Al Gore has “that dream” again…

So by now you might have heard that Ralph Nader will enter the 2008 Presidential election as either an Independent, Third Party candidate or a Green Party candidate. While Nader is exercising his right to run under an alternative Party affiliation, and is well within the August 1st deadline to do so, he may have to pay for it. You might remember Nader decided to sue the DNC for attempting to keep him off the ballot in 18 different states during the 2004 Election. Now, Democrats in Pennsylvania and Lawyers in Pittsburgh have won the support of a judge in Washington to freeze $61,000 of Nader’s assets. And while all that might make you think of Warren Zevon, the amount is what Nader supposedly owes in a lawsuit that was filed by the law firm of Reed Smith on behalf of a group of Penn. State Democrats. The suit claimed that the majority of signatures gathered by Nader to get him on the ballot in Pennsylvania were fraudulent. The suit was upheld by the state supreme court who determined that only 37% of the 51,000 signatures were valid. Nader’s 2004 running mate, Peter Camejo has already settled his part of the suit to the tune of $20,000.

All Cherrybomb can say is John McCain and Mike Huckabee are both pretty happy about Nader’s decision to enter the race. That is reason alone not to be.

Speaking of Mike Huckabee, it’s been a while since I spoke about Mike Huckabee. So let’s talk about Mike Huckabee. On a campaign stop in Colorado Springs on Friday, Huckabee endorsed the Colorado Human Life Amendment. The initiative was introduced by a right-wing group innocently called “Colorado for Equal Rights“. If passed, the amendment would legally define human life as a fertilized egg. In January, Huckabee made more comments about eggs. This time he compared the physical non-existence of WOMD’s in Iraq to eggs. Easter eggs…:

Now everybody can look back and say, ‘Oh, well, we didn’t find the weapons.’ Doesn’t mean they weren’t there. Just because you didn’t find every Easter egg didn’t mean that it wasn’t planted.

Koo-Koo-Ka-Joo indeed, Mike Huckabee. Read the rest of this entry →

Stone and her “lucky” rabbit’s foot at a post-Oscar party

…dead ones. It seems every time I have the misfortune of seeing a photo of Sharon Stone she is draped in some dead animal skin. This week however, Sharon decided to play it safe and showed up at a post-Oscar party wearing a white suit with a white rabbit paw pinned to the lapel. Sharon Stone is a classy lady. I think the only animal Sharon has yet to adorn is a fucking Yeti and that’s because Yeti is in hiding. From Sharon Stone that is…

Sharon Stone in a Fendi fur carpet…

I’m really confused. Isn’t LA warm? Maybe Sharon thinks this monstrosity helps bring out the color in her dead eyes. I mean, everyone knows that the “light” from dead animal souls is really flattering.

Sharon Stone in the blue wrap of death…

Okay, so this (above) has to be fake because I know of no animals with blue fur. On this planet anyway. Perhaps Sharon had the Cookie Monster aced so she could stay warm. Anyways, Cherrybomb thinks wearing any fur is gross but wearing blue fur totally makes you look old. And fat.

Sharon Stone says there is no such thing as too much fur…

Hello! I’m Sharon Stone, actress and former Burger King spokesperson. Here is a photo of me out in LA. As you can see, LA is very cold this time of year. Because the weather in Los Angeles can be so harsh, I have created a checklist for myself so I can be adequately prepared in the event of a winter apocolypse:

Fur coat? Check.

Fur hat? Check.

Fur Scarf? Check.

Fur trimmed handbag? Check.

Security guard posing as “random smiling guy” to protect me from PETA? Check.

Dignity? Chec…wait a minute! That’s a trick question. I’m Sharon Stone. I have no dignity!

Thanks to Dlisted and Go Fug Yourself for the furry linkage.

Hey London, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds will be performing live at HMV, 150 Oxford Street, on Monday 3rd March at 6.00pm. The band will then stick around to sign copies of DIG!!!. Access to the signing will be limited to 300 people and you’re gonna need a wristband for it. You can get a wristband starting at 9:00 am on March 3rd.

And as of today (according to the official Nick Cave site), you can listen to all of DIG!!! on the Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Myspace page. It doesn’t appear to be up yet but keep checking back.

Zdsislaw Beksinski - Dali if he could have lived forever.

Cherrybomb likes art. Salvador Dali has always been a favorite. How the beautiful and disturbing world of Zdsislaw Beksinski was unknown to me before now is beyond me. Beksinski’s would have turned 79 last week if his life had not been cut short by a teenage friend of his caretaker. The teen is currently serving 25 years in a Warsaw prison. And while that sounds pretty bad, most prison sentences in Poland are not carried out due to severe overcrowding.

Some of Beksinski’s original, signed works are available here. Beksinski never gave names to his works, many of which can be found in the book, The Fantastic Art of Zdsislaw Beksinski.

Thanks to Coilhouse for the link.

Urge Overkill – Sister Havana
Nash Kato the vox behind of one of Cherrybomb’s very favorite bands, Urge Overkill will play a one-off solo show in NYC on Friday, February 22nd at the Mercury Lounge.

Check the vid (above) for UO’s Sister Havana, and get a taste of how good tomorrow night will be if you’re in NY and smart enough to get to the Mercury Lounge.

Wonder Woman temporarily replaces Wendy O. Evildoers beware!

Dang. It feels like it was just a weekend, and now it’s practically the weekend again. Just the way I likes it. This weekend, Team Cherrybomb will be out in force on Friday. It’s a special and sad night for us as one of our own is moving to Colorado. Which, by all accounts, is a very nice place to be going off to. I mean, there’s the mountains, the clean air, the running into Robert Redford at Starbucks. I mean, it’s practically Seattle. Except in Seattle you run into Mark Arm at an out-of-the-way coffee shop that isn’t Starbucks. I’m gonna miss you, Wonder Woman. I can’t wait to kick Seattle’s ass with you one more time.

Now, where should you be this weekend, and beyond? Let me check your crystal balls and see…

Editor’s Note: Cherrybomb has no balls of her own. But if she did, they would be made of diamonds, not some cheap-ass Mikasa crystal. Also, I am repeating some stuff from last week because it bears repeating. Not ’cause I forgot…Also, I am repeating some stuff from last week because it bears repeating. Take that, brain cell.

Wednesday, February 20th:
Rock ‘n’ Roll Soldiers just got their hair did. Don’t mess with it…

Rock ‘n’ Roll Soldiers
@Sonic Ballroom
Oberhauen, Germany

Don’t I wish I was telling you RnR Soldiers were right here in Seattle tonight. However, we must be happy for our Oregon friends, as this is the second night of their ‘08 European tour. The band has already hit Spain and Paris, and by all reports, both locations are still mostly standing. The excellent So Many Musicians to Kill would improve even the most worthy record collection. Favorite RNRS verse? You say you love me, but I’ll make you hate me. You say you love me, but I don’t give a fuck about you. Straight and to the point. Just how I likes it…

Friday, February 22nd:

The DT’s
Mos Generator
@The Funhouse

If you miss this show, get to Bellingham on Saturday, March 29th, and catch The DT’s with Black Eyes and Neckties and Skullbot at the Rogue Hero. Cherrybomb wouldn’t miss this show, though. Especially since the clown on the flier for this show told me not too miss it. And I always do everything the clowns tell me to do.

Monotonix plays with me and fire…

Monotonix
The Valley
Black Eyes and Neckties
@The Comet Tavern

Monotonix is like Gogol Bordello doing 110 down the highway with a tail light out, and a trunk full of nitrus. Black Eyes (or BENt) played live on KEXP last week, and the on-air performance broke my radio and my eardrums. Monotonix will invade Denver, CO on March 10th at Rhinoceropolis.

The Cops
The Lowe Beats (Nick Lowe all-star trib with members of REM and The Young Fresh Fellows)
@The Tractor Tavern

Dennis Hopper Pop Art by Ed Ruscha

The Cool School
Northwest Film Forum
The Cool School is a trip back to the 1950’s art beat scene in LA. It includes interviews with Dennis Hopper and Frank Gehry, and focuses on the Ferus Gallery in LA, which held the very first Andy Warhol show. I think NWFF sums it up best here:

The Cool School is a vivid picture of the inspiring scene and shares the untold story of a group of scrappy artists that shook up the dull tastemakers, got arrested for obscenity, and ultimately established the importance of West Coast art.

The Cool School runs through Thursday, February 28th. And since I’m on the topic of Art, I was horribly remiss in not mentioning the opening of “A Cabinet Of Natural Curiosities” at the Roq La Rue on February 8th. While the gallery at The Roc will feature animals and other interpretations of living creatures, I love this piece by one of the shows featured artists, Lisa Petrucci (below)

The wood art of Lisa Petrucci is sweet. And let’s face it. You haven’t really lived unless you have seen a painting of a naked woman on a piece of wood. The show also includes the macabre and prolific works of LA’s Liz McGrath. To further stick it to you that girls can do it all, McGrath’s band, Miss Derringer, just finished up a ten-stop tour of the West Coast.

Saturday, February 23rd:

Dita Vox of Thee Emergency at The Funhouse. Photo by Cherrybomb.

Thee Emergency
A Gun That Shoots Knives
@The Comet Tavern

Holy Hellgate. This show is right on, so Dig It. This show is so good, it’s gonna bring Cherrybomb to The Comet two nights in a row. Take that, liver. And in keeping with the Colorado theme for this post, Thee Emergency will be at The Rocket Room in CO on March 21st.

Looking Ahead:

The Supersuckers got stars and guitars…

The Supersuckers will play five shows around Colorado starting on March 1st. What a way to welcome a girl to town. The Supersuckers have got to be one of the hardest working bands in the world. Ed Spaghetti and crew played 139 shows last year.

Gary Louris will be at the Showbox on March 16th. Louris is the vocalist for one of the best bands you maybe never heard of, The Jayhawks (listen to Rainy Day Music. It’s excellent even if you don’t live in Seattle). Although I’m not sure what kind of hellish afterlife you live in that doesn’t involve The Jayhawks, I’m sure it’s horribly bland and flavorless.

Pete Way back in the day…

UFO will be at El Corazon on May 7th. This is one of the many shows re-scheduled from The Croc. It features the original lineup, which includes Pete Way – the Bass Master of UFO, Waysted (who are touring now) and Fastway – clearly one of the greatest metal bands ever. At least that last point is verra clear to Cherrybomb. Not to digress, but check this vid from Waysted, “Heaven Tonight“. That spider-web never had a chance.

I would like to end on a Cheap Trick note. Because who doesn’t like a happy ending? I adore Cheap Trick. Every time I see them, I feel like those girls who used to faint in the front row of a Beatles show. Anyways, designer John Varvatos used CT for his latest ad campaign. And it’s awesome. But seriously, is it me, or does Robin Zander just not age like the rest of us? Anyways, Cheap Trick will be live at Budokan again on April 24th.

See you then. Now, Get The Fuck Out.

Rotten to Cop (played by Joe Strummer): I’ve never seen that computer before…

And the answer might not be the US. The UK is currently reviewing legislation that would impose a “three strikes and you’re out” rule when it comes to prosecuting users who illegally download copyrighted material from the Internet. If agreed upon, the third strike would result in termination of the users contract with their Broadband provider (or ISP). The Government is still deciding if the ISP can then share the personal data of illegal downloaders with other ISP’s. The goal of sharing the data with other providers is to prevent those third strike users from gaining access to the Internet again. The legislation will even hold the ISP accountable if they don’t enforce the new three strikes rule. Providers that do not comply with the new law will be prosecuted and forced to turn over customer data to the government.

Seriously…get the fuck off Al’s Internets already…

On the US front, the bi-partisan Internet Preservation Act of 2008 (or HR 5353) was just introduced last week. And while HR 5353 really doesn’t do much, there are components of the bill, once passed, that will prevent Broadband providers from interfering with their customers service and how they choose to use it. The bill would also require that the FCC hold eight broadband hearings a year and report the findings back to Congress. HR 5353 might not have a lot of teeth, but it’s better than gumming the FCC and Broadband providers like Comcast into submission.

Electric RIAA Eye in the sky is watching you. Yeah YOU…

And while this is good news, there is still plenty to worry about. Last week, Oklahoma State University turned over the names of 11 students who have illegally downloaded copyrighted material to the RIAA. I think the RIAA is busier sending out subpoenas than doing anything that has to do with music. Maybe RIAA really stands for Recording Industry Attorney Association. Wow…that one was way too easy. At any rate, sure, downloading copyrighted files is illegal. But all these subpoenas and lawsuits are not an attempt by the RIAA to recoup losses for themselves or the artists they represent. These are simply the actions of a big company trying to make an example out of anyone. And that is so they can continue making money off the the artists they “represent“. This is especially true when you consider that the subjects in this case, poor college students, are exactly that, poor.

Check out Save the Internet or Reclaim the Media (an excellent non-profit based in Seattle) for more information. Both are dedicated to the protection and expansion of communication rights.

Prince. The OG Village Person…

But sadly Prince and the VP are not collaborating in a musical way that might also involve assless pants. No. That perfect world still eludes us all. Well, everyone but Prince but still, my previous statement applies. Anyways, Prince and The Village People have joined in a lawsuit against the bit-torrent site The Pirate Bay. While specifics about the lawsuit are still a bit unclear, what is clear is that someone is going to pay for the 40 Prince records the suit claims were illegally distributed via TPB. Assless pants are expensive yo.

Soul Train + James Brown – Don Cornelius = Future Shock

Good God y’all. I feel so funky after watching Future Shock, I jumped back and kissed myself. And not for anything, it was great. Thanks for wondering about that. Then I gave thanks to the greatness that is KFMU (91.1 in New York) for hipping me to James Brown’s short lived television show, Future Shock. Or Soul Train on Crack Cocaine as KFMU’s excellent blog calls it. This footage is unreal. I saw at least ten Pam Griers and one Bootsy. Brown’s sweet cop ’stache is awesome. How this show didn’t last is beyond me. Wait…no it isn’t. Anyways, get down with the man who taught them everything they know, but not everything he knew.

Take it away, Godfather. And keep it funky…

A statue of Mike Huckabee (also known as Christ the Redeemer) was struck by a lighting bolt yesterday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Henry Rollins

Okay. I would never pit Henry Rollins (who somehow turned 47 today) against Peter Gabriel (who turns 58) but they both share a birthday so there you go. Letting them go at it for real would be like sending Henry after your college music professor because he said you were flat in class the other day. But I will put them up against each other in other matters that really matter. Because isn’t that what really matters. Let’s go…:

Movies:

Rollins: The Chase
Gabriel: Uh…nope

Advantage: Gabriel

Peter Gabriel

Music:

Gabriel: Was in Genesis. Rather amazing solo career. Combined record sales of Gabriel’s days with Genesis and his post-Duke days are probably in the neighborhood of 200,000,000.

Rollins: Was in Black Flag. Fronts the Rollins Band.

Advantage: Rollins (editors note: If Phil Collins is involved, his participation cancels out anything else. Even the awesome Gabriel/Genesis factor. And Henry was in Black Flag, for chrissake. BLACK FLAG)

Politics:

Gabriel: Wrote the infamous “Biko” as a tribute to activist Stephen Biko. Gabriel has been a tireless champion for Human Rights for much of his life.

Rollins: Sets the road to Freedom of Speech on fire every time he opens his mouth.

Advantage: Tie (I’m so not getting in the middle of that).

So no winner in this epic battle. But wait till next time. The next Birthday Royale is gonna be a bloodbath.

Wendy proves all Rock really needs is tape, a guitar and a microphone…

Screw working for the weekend. And Loverboy for that matter. And Valentine’s Day. And Mike Reno. As a matter of fact, fuck Mike Reno and his headband. If I had a dollar for every time I heard “Hot Girls in Love” on the Himalaya at the traveling summertime carnie I would be like, 17. I mean rich. Now on to getting out…

Valentines Day, Thursday, February 14th:

The Cops
The Femurs
Ms. Led
C’mon C’mon
This bill if full of niceness. If you believe me, at least check out this podcast from The Cops and turn up the speakers. Then you will believe me and that’s what counts. That you are wrong and I am right. Every time.

Steve T. McQueen is Bullitt. The T is for Tuff…

Bullitt
Cool Hand Luke
Northwest Film Forum
35mm showings of two amazing movies staring two of the coolest men to ever grace the screen. Who would win in a Newman vs. McQueen throw down? Cherrybomb says it’s all about McQueen. In fact, every movie should star Steve McQueen and have at least one 11 minute car chase involving at least one hot, ‘68 Mustang. The End.

Friday, February 15h:

The Ruby Doe
Sunday Night Blackout
Nectar

From the North

From the North
Grayskul
High Dive – FREE
There is no excuse to miss this show. Shawn Smith released like 100 records already in 2008. And it’s only February mind you. Okay, Shawn only released three records so far in 2008 but that’s like more than most bands release in a year so take that Nickleback. Add Grayskul and you got a free throw down worth way more than the asking price.

The Bug Nasties
The Blue Moon

Saturday, February 16th:

Zombie Jihad
Millhous

The Electric Kisses at The Funhouse – photo by August Henrich

The Electric Kisses
Slabtown (Portland)
Slabtown is a favorite of BarFly magazine. The Electric Kisses know all the best places to rock and drink.

The Foxgloves

The Earaches
The Foxgloves
The Paper Dolls

The Comet
Hot damn this is one sweet bill. A very handsome and rocksure friend of Cherrybomb’s said The Foxgloves had the same consistency of Super Sugar Smacks. And I’m thinking that’s crunchy and sweet but won’t rot your teeth. Anyways, if you can’t make this show you can catch The Whore Moans, The Earaches and The Hands at The Hands record release on Friday, February 29th at Neumo’s. Getting drunk somewhere else that night? Okay, The Hands will play live at noon (PST) on KEXP on Tuesday, February 19th. Stream that baby. Going to Canada to house hunting because you plan to relocate there sometime at the end of the year? The Paper Dolls will be at Pub 340 in Vancouver, BC on March 14. Phew…

Looking Ahead:

The DT’s will blow your face off…

The DT’s

The Funhouse
The DT’s will be at The Funhouse on Friday, February 22nd. The DT’s don’t get to Seattle enough for me and that’s mostly because they love to rock the shit out of their hometown Bellingham, Washington. And when the DT’s aren’t in Bellingham, they are probably being adored by their fans in Spain. Get out and seem ‘em while you can. Your face will thank you later. Mos Generator is also on the bill.

Plaster has lots of guitars…

Plaster
Book of Black Earth
I know I say “no way are you missing this show” a lot, but MAN, no way are you missing this show. Anyways, the King Cobra has been open for a few weeks and I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t hit it yet. Thankfully, the power of Plaster and BOFE compel my evil ways to the King Cobra on February 28th.

Orange Sunshine from somewhere in the Hague

On Saturday, March 8th Lesbian, Mos Generator and Orange Sunshine (from the Netherlands) will be at The Comet. Whoa. Orange Sunshine is playing Seattle. April 5th will bring Seattle Metal Fest and Studio 7 together for lots of loud, sweaty, godless, loudness. Sweet, sweet sweaty loudness.

Beth Ditto of The Gossip

The Gossip will be in London on March 21st, wrapping up a six stop tour that included dates around France. A live DVD/Record two-fer called “Live in Liverpool” will be out soon on.

Southern Culture on the Skids…looks pretty good to me.

And finally, it must be that time of year again ’cause the SCOTS are back in Seattle on April 18th and 19th at The Tractor. Not that the SCOTS play Seattle every April but it seems that when the SCOTS blow into town, the sun comes out and the air is filled with the sound of Telecasters.

Gotta go…it’s noon somewhere…

Ash – Clones from 2004

I have Sleazegrinder to thank for so many things and getting hip to Ash is one of them. Anyways, the great and powerful Ash (watch the vid for “Clones”, above with the speakers all the way up) just announced they will play a gig at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on Monday, March, 17th. Another name for March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day. Which officially makes Brooklyn, NY the best place to spend this coming St. Patrick’s Day. Damn you New York! Why are you so far away from Seattle. Ash and Nick Cave (who performs at the Plug Awards on March 6th) all in one month? No fair.

…if you declare yourself as an Independent voter that is. And that’s because someone neglected to tell the pollsters counting the ballots about an important election requirement regarding the ballots of Independent voters and how to count them correctly. Imagine that…:

Voting rights group the Courage Campaign has started a petition urging LA County registrar Dean Logan to initiate a hand-count of ballots. But elections officials say that may be impossible because the same optical-scan ballot was used for Democratic and American Independent primaries. As the Times explained:

In the American Independent contest, there were three candidates running, while the Democratic Party had eight. The bubbles for the first three candidates in each party were in the same position on the ballot, making it impossible to tell after the fact if a voter was voting Democratic or American Independent — unless that person also filled in the bubble indicating party preference.

Since I’m not even sure that I understand what that means, here is the straight dope. 100,000 votes in the California primary didn’t get counted. And probably won’t get counted. California has 440 delegates. If you’re paying attention to this race, the addition of most of those delegates to either candidate would swing a bit of momentum their way.

And somewhere in California, a Governor laughs right into his bong…and he never passes. Fucking Fascist bogart…

This Mashup is so good I had to post it. I think DJ Zebra did this one of NIN’s “Closer” and The Beatles “Come Together“. Cherrybomb compels you to check it…

In other news, I’m thinking we should all try considering Monday atonement for what we did over the weekend. I’m only trying to take the obvious sting of Monday away for you as I’m sure it hurts. Me? I sleep in Monday through Friday so my pleas are based on popular opinion. Okay…I sleep in Monday through Sunday but dang…it isn’t my fault you have a job to go to tomorrow. But still, don’t be sad, uh…I mean…okay. You have every right to be sad, but trust me. It’s gonna be Friday again real soon. And I base that statement on my own personal experience with Friday. And that’s what counts. Friday makes life worth living. I’m totally sure. Thank you Friday. Sweet, sweet Friday. I love you more each time we meet.

Countdown till then starts now.

Precinct 2285 Seattle. Other precinct experiences here.

In Cherrybomb’s district it was all about Obama (who took every state in today’s election activity). Obama won 2.6 of the four delegates in my precinct and Clinton received 1.4 (percentages are rounded up or down). Confused on how that works yet? Yup, me too. And I wasn’t alone. The volunteers in my caucus location admitted they were “completely unprepared” to deal with the huge turnout. The caucus was poorly organized – there was a lot of shouting, and the level of frustration among attendees and volunteers was thick. At one point, someone shouted at a volunteer who was attempting to explain the complicated caucus process, yelling “You’re confusing us” at a wildly inappropriate moment. Granted, she was easily 98 years old, and when you’re 98, you pretty much have the right to be as wildly inappropriate whenever you please. At any time you want. And I guess you get to shout. A lot. Still, your sweet old Granny was the one who had the balls to say what we were all thinking.

I guess I was surprised to observe how archaic the actual caucus process was. Vote totals were compiled by hand-notching-the-barrel-of-your-shotgun style, but with pencil and paper. The one guy who defied everyone in the room by staying with Richardson asked the crowd if they thought Obama would veep for Clinton. That statement got him laughed at by a few Clinton supporters. Classy. If that wasn’t enough, an Obama supporter added some spit with a friendly , “what makes you think Clinton wants him in the first place,” quite forgetting that all the Richardson guy wanted was an answer. Not to be heckled. Then, there was a bunch of good old fashioned “lobbying” by the respective Clinton/Obama camps. All the undecided caucus people drank either Clinton-aid or Obama juice and became un-undecided.

In the end, when it was time to choose the delegates (the actual people to delegate for the candidates in April) and their alternates, nobody knew what to do, or why we needed to do it. But since we were all full of Kool-Aid and stuff, we all wrote six names down on a scrap of paper – because 2.6 rounds up to 3…plus an alternate for each…OK? Which made me remember why I hated math in the first place, but I guess a situation like this reminds you that math is really kind of important. We then gave these pieces of paper to someone who hopefully knew what to do with them.

Caucus is defined by it’s grass-roots, get-to-know-your-neighbors kind of shin dig, but Cherrybomb’s just didn’t have that spirit. The initial excitement derived from the buzz of what democracy in action might be like wore off quick, and ended up leaving me with the kind headache you only get from drinking the bottom shelf stuff. Not that I drink that swill. And, while I’m not sorry I went, the overall experience was a bit of a buzz kill. Because somewhere along the way, the Democratic party seems completely bent on dividing itself again. And we can’t do that this time.

And I hate buzz kills. Don’t you?

Unless this is what you want to see in November, get out and caucus… 

In a nutshell, the Washington State Primary means nothing if you swing to the left. Democratic delegates will be selected by caucus and state conventions this year. Find out where your caucus location is and go. By the way, caucus is tomorrow, Saturday, February 9th. Come hell or hangover, Cherrybomb is there with an open a (mostly) undecided mind.

I don’t need to tell you how important this election is. If you’re not registered to vote, you can register at your caucus location. If you don’t do anything this country is going to go to shit by way of Iran. I know I’ve had enough.

Have you?