Pitchfork: Top 100 Albums of the 1980s

By popular demand, I'd like to put forth my own personal list of the top twenty albums of the eighties.

THE LIST

20. The Sugarcubes - Life's Too Good (1988)

19. U2 - Boy (1980)

18. The Cure - Staring at The Sea - The Singles (1986)

17. Galaxie 500 - On Fire (1989)

16. Echo and the Bunnymen - Porcupine (1983)

15. Joy Divison - Closer (1980)

14. Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes (1983)

13. Love Tractor - Themes From Venus (1989)

12. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (1986)

11. U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987)

10. Talking Heads - The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads (1982)

9. R.E.M. - Murmur (1983)

8. The Smiths - The Smiths (1984)

7. Pixies - Surfer Rosa (1988)

6. The Smiths - Louder Than Bombs (1987)

5. Pixies - Doolittle (1989)

4. Stewart Copeland - The Rhythmatist (1985)

3. The Gun Club - Fire of Love (1981)

2. The Police - Ghost in The Machine (1983)

1. Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues (1983)

Hey, it's officially our Anniversary!

That's right, eight years ago today my lovely wife and I were joined in matrimony in the "verdant bower" of our outdoor ceremony. Two daughters, a house, and several pets later I wouldn't change a thing. Thanks for saying "yes", sweetie, I can not imagine life without you.

Athens101.com - All your Athens are belong to us

If you live in or around Athens, Georgia, this site is of interest....a useful forum for news,views, and the occasional rant.

Senators propose taking apart CIA

Isn't this what JFK wanted to do? We all know how that turned out.

Population Boom Predicted In Poor Nations

Well, this bodes well for the future harmony of humanity here on Earth... c'mon, guys, get that Moonbase going already!

We'll need the room.

The Shining in 30 seconds with bunnies.

Yes, that's right. The Shining. In thirty seconds. With bunnies.

No Way Out - Is there any hope of avoiding catastrophe in Iraq? By Fred�Kaplan

This is an interesting article focusing on the "Vietnam quagmire" aspect of the Iraqi situation. Another suitable comparison could be the breakup of post-Cold War Yugoslavia; various ethic tribes coming into conflict after an autocratic regime has been swept away. America, caught in the middle, an irritant to all sides.

Perhaps (sooner than later) order can be reestablished and we can eventually make a graceful exit. I just wouldn't bet on it.

. . .






(Silent post in honour of my Grandfather, who died earlier today.)

Requiescat in pace.

"Bra-vo, Mr. Nothing!"
---My 5 year-old, Holly, commenting upon my failed attempt at hitting a tennis ball, 9 August 2004

There's nothing greater than being ridiculed by your own offspring. At least she still managed to make it sound cute.

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

The 9/11 Report is out, quite interesting reading. Will it happen again? Probably. It's all too easy to strike where no one's looking, and there is no shortage of zealots from one cause or another. Well, I know what I'll be doing when the next big one hits.

Back from vacation....

Rested, relaxed, slightly sunburned.