I have a Siamese Fighting fish (betta splendens) named Jesús. He was purchased last December to replace Frankie II, who replaced Phrankie Fish. Both those prior fish lived with us less than a year. Here’s hoping Jesús lives into a second year chez nous, though he’s looking a bit sluggish these days so I’m taking no bets.

Back from Sacto and back to work. Should be getting stuck in to that but cannot be arsed. Could be because I am itching to check Facebook, to which I was introduced by my dear wife during our vacation last week. I’m going to assume it’s blocked from work and not even try accessing it; I know a time-sink when I see one.

Other useful advice: when walking one’s dogs on a dark foggy evening, make sure that the fence of the church parking lot they enjoy whizzing on is not stacked high with Christmas trees for sale. That is a poorly constructed sentence, but we’ll leave it as is because we’re so street.

“We have strong indicators that http://www.gryffyddempsey.com is written by a man (93%).”

Does anybody care about Collateralized Debt Obligations and the assorted financial instruments which are rocking our financial world? No? Too bad, because here is as cogent an explanation of the concepts behind them that I have yet read.

You would think that we could have maybe a day or two respite from politicking, but no. Earlier today, as I was walking to Border’s to buy the audio mash note from my gal-pal Lucinda Williams, I passed a street corner exhibit denouncing the Wall Street bailout. I had just glimpsed the name “LaRouche” on the placard when the young man at the exhibit offered me a leaflet and asked, “Have you heard about the coming crash?” I made sure he saw me roll my eyes but did not stop.

Congratulations to President-elect Obama. While his is an inspiring achievement for many, let us not forgot that for others his example is less salutary. I am not speaking here of his political rivals. Instead I think we should pity first-generation children of immigrants, to whom he now represents an almost insurmountable set of expectations.

Also, Obama has a particular example to set for the nation. He would do well to pick a shelter dog when fulfilling his promise to his daughters.

A couple of times I have mentioned Lucinda Williams on this hyeah web log (blog). I never expected to attract her attention thereby, but now comes news that on her new album she covers AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top”.

I think it’s pretty obvious Lucinda is sweet on me.

Earlier this month Mrs The Fyd and I witnessed Weezer bringing the rock music. I write now not to praise Weezer, although they were most definitely praiseworthy that evening. I write to mock the second opening band, Angels & Airwaves. We arrived after the first opening act was finished, so I cannot legitimately mock them, but I won’t believe they could have been as bad as A&A. Music like a bad Simple Minds tribute band, stage show like a third-rate Vegas spectacular, lead singer moving like a retarded mime. It’s unkind to criticise anyone daring to show their creative side in public, but they were that crappy. Mrs and I could not understand how they were teamed up with the Weez.

Speaking of crappy, I remember that after the previous time we saw Weezer, when they co-headlined with the Foo Fighters, the local paper’s next-day review was down on =w= and high on FF. De gustibus and all that; on that night of the tour Weezer played first and we left before FF started, them being a band I had no interest in and I wouldn’t carp on anyone for having reciprocal taste. In my case I doubt I would recognize any of their songs so I can’t judge them. The problem with that particular reviewer however was that it was exactly unfamiliarity with Weezer that seemed behind his dissing of their performance. In particular he singled out instances in each act’s set where the singer traded places with the drummer. In comparison he had Dave Grohl being far more impressive than Rivers Cuomo. Fair enough, but the point was not for Cuomo to show off this drum skillz; it was for Pat Wilson to show off his guitar playing. And he is an excellent guitar player.

Which brings us back to A&A. Mrs and I wondered who chose them for the tour. Were they pushed on the band by management or their label? Now I know who was behind that decision; I just discovered that the drummer for A&A is Atom Willard, who of course is pals with Pat Wilson and played in his band, the Special Goodness. Who I saw play at Dante’s back in the day, and about whom I would never have guessed that such a talented drummer would end up in such a crappy band. At least when he was with the Offspring he wasn’t embarrassing himself. Some of the time.

The Dreamstone, C.J. Cherryh

The Tree of Swords and Jewels, C.J. Cherryh

Darwin’s Radio, Greg Bear

Post-Mortem, Patricia D. Cornwell

Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig, Jonathan Eig

The Oxford Dictionary of Popes, J.N.D. Kelly

Old Man’s War, John Scalzi

The Damnation Game, Clive Barker

The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers Movement, Susan Ferris & Ricardo Sandoval

The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2006, ed. Ellen Datlow and Kelly Link & Gavin J. Grant

“What the fuck’s wrong with people?”

Drag dogs down sidewalk

They mourn dropped dirty diaper