I discovered today that my claim yesterday was false. The record I bought which I felt had no possible connection to Steve Albini or William Oldham did in fact, have a connection. I am starting to think that one could play Six Degrees of Steve Albini with little to no problem. So what is this connection I discovered today? The album has artwork from an artist who also provided artwork for the Magnolia Electric Co. album which Steve Albini produced. I am amazed by and interested in this and that is all that matters.
Of course this is far less amazing when you consider the tiny specialised genre that my record collection focuses on, but, as we all know, facts only get in the way of a good story.
I am reading The Commanders by Bob Woodward at the moment. I picked it up for $2.50 at a second shop in a small town when I went to look for records over Christmas. It is the first book by Bob Woodward I have read and hopefully will not be the last . The book recounts the events and decisions made by the Pentagon and Whitehouse leading up to the first Iraq war. It, if accurate, is quite interesting. I say “if accurate” because I consider Dick Cheney to be Satan himself and we know that the devil is the master of lies. Both Cheney and Colin Powell come out of the book looking very good, as reasonable, intelligent and considerate men.
I am not sure why I am surprised, they after all human. They want what we want for their selves and loved ones to be safe, secure and prosperous. Where the differences between themselves and others come from it would seem is how far they extend this desire. Does it stop outside of their family? Their friends? Their state and country? Their race? Globally? For me it ends at my country's borders. This does not mean I am unaffected by the suffering of those outside of my country, it just means I find it easier not to think about.
That is all.
