Favorite Song of the Week: The Gossip - Sweet Baby

I've been a bit busy dealing with a little personal drama lately, so I apologize to my two semi-regular blog readers for my lack of posts. I'll do my best to damn The Man and stay focused on what really counts.

Now, let's get to the new song...



The Gossip plays riot grrl, queerquore, blues-infused garage rock with a decidedly punk twist.

In other words: simply amazing music.

It's lead singer Beth Ditto's voice that will make you fall in love with this band. Dirty, sexy, and raw her pipes conjures up thoughts of Janis Joplin or Etta James.

I think "Sweet Baby" is the perfect vehicle to hear Ditto's gritty, feline vocals.

Listen: The Gossip: Sweet Baby mp3

The anger, heartbrake and desperation in the lyrics are a perfect match for her voice. One listen is not enough.

Buy an album or two here and don't forget to be their friend.


*** Favorite Song Last Week: Mighty Sparrow - Mango Vert ***

Non Sequitur: Even The Dictonary Hates Wal-mart

Believe it or not, it's true.

skeevy
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: disgusting or distasteful; nasty, sleazy
Example: Wal-mart is a skeevy operation.

Keep Your Rosaries Off My Ovaries

In case you missed this little news item today, let me recap it for you.

Susan Cox - a nurse practitioner in West Peoria, IL - has filed a complaint against a Walgreens pharmacist for violating a state rule requiring pharmacies to fill prescriptions for emergency contraception.

[Stephanie] Cox says in the complaint that the pharmacist told her the store did not carry Plan B and did not refer her to another pharmacy. Cox later called the pharmacies manager and was told the store did have Plan B in stock at the time it was requested, Cox says.

A spokeswoman at Walgreen's Deerfield headquarters said the company is looking into the matter.

This seems to be a recurring scenario at Walgreens in IL - 5 pharmacists from other IL stores have been suspended indefinitely for refusing to dispense the drugs on religious or moral grounds. This most recent occurrence goes farther than refusing to fill prescriptions, he lied to his customer. Lied.

Who do these pharmacists think they are? I thought only doctors were supposed to have God complexes. And why is this only happening to women? You think anyone ever said to a 70 year old man "Hey gramps, I think you're a little too old to be having sex. As a matter of fact, the whole idea of your wrinkly ass bouncing around while you're going at it with that 27 year old gold digger there on your arm makes me sick. And hey, guess what, y'all aren't married. I don't believe in sex before marriage so I refuse to fill your prescription for Viagra."

Hell no. That would never happen. Nah. But what happens when that 27 year old gold digger shows up the next day with a prescription in hand to get the morning after pill after a night of Viagra-infused passion?

Let's put this another way.

You're hungry and you're hungry for a big, juicy steak. You're whole body is craving it. Nothing can satisfy that craving but gorging yourself on a 20 oz porterhouse steak. Off to your favorite steakhouse for dinner!

You're seated at a nice corner table and the server comes up to take your order. You ask for your slab of beef and instead of asking you how you'd like it cooked, he says "I'm sorry, but I can't fill that order."

Thinking he didn't hear you, you repeat your request. "I understand, but I just can't fill that order. We're out of porterhouse. As a matter of fact, we're out of all of our steaks. Can I interest you in a nice veggie burger?"

Little do you know your server is a vegetarian. Not only is he a vegetarian, he's also the president of his local PETA chapter. Obviously, he find eating animals incredibly offensive; it goes against everything he believes in and stands for. It's an issue of morals for him.

Now, imagine that restaurant had your steak - it's fridges were FULL of steaks. Your server? He's the only guy in the place. Just imagine there's a rule in place that requires your server to refer to another establishment where your order can be filled. But he didn't do that. Not only did he refuse to serve to you and lie to you, he's not following the state rule.

How would that make you feel? Pissed? Offended? Definitely not shame - after all, who was he to judge you? Probably not hurt - who cares what kind of person he may think you are? He's just a crackpot server. You were just hungry. It's not like you have been grappling emotionally or physically with any sort of action that made you show up in the steakhouse in the first place. And hey, it's not like you have this tiny window of time to get yourself a steak dinner and if you were to miss that window, you could suffer huge repercussions that would change your life forever.

There is such a thing as a pharmacist Oath and Code of Ethics. Let me point out some highlights.

a pharmacist is dedicated to protecting the dignity of the patient

in all cases, a pharmacist respects personal and cultural differences among patients

a pharmacist has a duty to tell the truth

a pharmacist avoids discriminatory practices, behavior or work conditions that impair professional judgment, and actions that compromise the dedication to the best interests of the patients

No where in the code of ethics does it say the pharmacist measures the dignity of their patients. No where does it say the pharmacist decides what level of respect a patient deserves. No where does it say the pharmacist knows the best interest of the patient.

Goddess help the pharmacist that would ever refuse to fill my prescription.

Favorite Song of the Week: Mighty Sparrow - Mango Vert

Today was a gorgeous spring day. Yes, it's the middle of January. Yes, it's Wisconsin. Yes, I said spring.

We haven't had any sunshine in this neck of the woods for at least 2 weeks. Today it was sunny ALL day. The temps went as high as the mid 50's. It was so beautiful, I had to take a walk at lunch and soak up some of the sun.

To hang onto that sunshiney feeling for the rest of the day, I listened to Mighty Sparrow - the Calypso King Of The World. The beat made my afternoon fly and captured my mood perfectly. It trumps everything else I've been listening to this week.

Check it out for yourself:

Listen: Mighty Sparrow - Mango Vert mp3

If the tropical feel and horns don't get you, the lyrics will:

she said if you eat it right the hair won't stick in your teeth
and your bound to say how it tasted sweet, sweet, sweet
but if you eat it wrong don't walk in the street
everybody gonna know when they see the hair in your teeth

If you like the song, you'll love First Flight: Early Calypso from the Emory Cook Collection. If you already belong to eMusic, get it here. It's perfect for a summer BBQ.

*** Favorite Song Last Week: Joaquina - Child Star ***

Girls Kick Ass!

Yes, we do. Really. Honestly. I don't lie.

Don't believe me? Fine. See for yourself.

See? Told ya.

Favorite Song of the Week: Joaquina - Child Star

I dont' know much about California; I know even less about the San Joaquin valley (home of the band Joaquina). But growing up in Wisconsin I know about farms, lazy summer evenings, underage drinking, strip malls and dreams of getting out of a small town.

That's what Joaquina is for me. They sing songs that have a definite "when we were kids" sort of feeling. When I listen to The Foam And The Mesh I remember bribing older kids to buy me beer, smoking my first cigarette, driving around with my friends on hot summer nights just to burn time, crappy jobs I had in highschool and teenage heartache. Underneath the y'allternative twang, you can hear the dream of something better; pining for a bigger life. That's why I love Joaquina.

Imagine yourself barefoot, sitting on a porch on a hot and dry summer night drinking a cold beer. Once you have that, listen to my favorite song of the week.

Listen: Joaquina - Child Star mp3

If I did my little research correctly, I believe the bass player of Joaquina runs Future Farmer Records - Joaquina's label. Unfortunately it seems they only had one release back in '98. The whole thing is great. Buy it here, or find it here.

*** Favorite Song Last Week: Machine Go Boom - Hot Potato ***