Anti records has an E-card for his new CD Real Gone with a special treat in it. . . a download of “How’s It Gonna End". The song is pretty good and sounds like it could have come from the Mule Variations disc but the recording is cleaner.

Not that cleaner is better, but there is a focus on this track of Waits’ vocals. They too are cleaner and what sounds like a slight phase added to them for depth and mid-range highlight which kind of gives it that slight metal plate sound.

The music keeps pace with the story with a loose upright bass, banjo plucks, strummed acoustic guitar, a couple spots with back up singers that sound like a theremin and Waits keeping up his end smooth and gruff.

Without knowing what the rest of the album is like it is hard imagine that some of the lyrics are out of place, but they seem to be in some places, forced. But as usual, I am sure that commingled with the other tunes of the set it all comes together.

The short of it is that this is a good solid Tom Waits track. I wanted to hold back on doing this but will since every time I read a review of an artist like Waits every writer wants to mimic the feel of the tracks. . . How’s It Gonna End is rich like a rusting church bus in tall grass.

I can never listen to this show. My guess is that is an acquired taste and that when I am of the proper age I will suddenly get it and my palate will be one the better.

But with that said, Mr. Garrison Keillor has compiled in one letter the feelings of many Americans as we watch the election grow closer and wish that the best hope for beating Bush stumbles searching to say things as eloquently as Keillor.

It shouldn’t take an NPR nerd to say these things it should be the man with the Purple Hearts.

We’re Not in Lake Wobegon Anymore

Seems that some level headed people are stepping in like, the Florida Supreme Court to make clear that the justice system has two sides and that Republicans can’t always just have it their way.

The earlier injunction to block Florida from putting Ralph nader on the state’s absentee and regular ballots. The attempt to add him is without the required 93,000 signatures (Seattle Times) that are needed to get a person on the ballot. But sans the signatures, Jeb Bush and Glenda Hood, the head of the Election Commission, want to put Nader’s name on the ballot to “avoid the confusion that has now occurred.”

If your drivers license is revoked and it is on appeal you still can’t drive. If you are under house arrest and want to go to the Quickie Mart because your punishment is on appeal you can’t. Evidently when you are an elected official looking out for the public’s best interest and you have an injuction filed against your desires, it is prudent to ignore that court order and continue to whatever you feel is necessary to make and Floridian quicksand pit big enough to have the elections results in November return to another court room to decide the winner.

The Seattle Times

Judge rules nader can’t be on ballot and places an injunction to stop Florida Elections Commision from placing him on the ballot because Reform Party isn’t recognized as a legitamate third party in the state of Florida. Ok it’s legal right?

Nope. Florida’s Department of State (government fucking body, well appointed cronies, or voted in cronies) files an appeal and therfore the injuntion is lifted until there can be a permanent one ruled for after another hearing scheduled for tomorrow.

Florida, Gov. Bush and election officials say it is necessary because of the looming threat of hurricane Ivan, which may post-pone the court preceding tomorrow and the ballots need to be printed now to be mailed by the legal deadline of this Saturday.

This is so wrong that I can’t even believe that these people would pull some shit like this. Seriously, how fucking messed up is this? Republicans are the only people campaigning to get Nader on the ballot. The Green Party who dumped him isn’t and the Reform Party just doesn’t have the pull to get him on the ballot either.

Republicans are the driving force here and it makes me sick that they will even buffet the law when it comes to getting their nominated official re-elected. When the system works for them, i.e. getting W. in the big seat, they are all for it, but the second they don’t get what they want they bring up hurricanes and shit. Look! It’s a hurricane. Run boys. Don’t forget the ballots and stamps.

The fact is that this is all out in the open. It isn’t like this some hidden information they are keeping on the down-low. This is front and center for the whole world to see. The major news outlets should be all over this thing. This Saturday absentee ballots will be printed and mailed with Nader’s name on them tainting an election that may just not have his name on the real ballot in November.

Florida should not be responsible for electing the president of this country.

Nader’s to blame also. Ego? Yup. Republicans are to blame. Ego? Yup. Hurricane Ivan is to blame. Ego? No. Are you fucking serious? A hurricane? Here’s an idea, move the court preceding to another part of the state that isn’t in the way of the hurricane.

We need to revisit this whole electoral college thing, because if we did and moved on with a popular vote I wouldn’t have to spend any of my time giving a fuck about Floridian’s propensities for running a crooked ship.

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