iPod Essentials #57: "Broken Wings"--Mr. Mister

This Canadian pop band recorded this inspiring song back in the mid 80's. Even though it deals with coping after a breakup, it applies to all areas of life, from coping with the economic crisis to those poor people who lost their homes in last weekend's series of wildfires in southern California.

The song's message: nurse your wounds, then "learn to fly again."

That's all you can do to survive.

iPod Essentials #56: "Stand or Fall"--The Fixx

I've never understood why The Fixx wasn't more popular than it was. Great songs, solid musicians, cutting vocals. I feel they were one of the best rock/New Wave bands of the 80's.

"Stand or Fall" was one of the best songs of the 80's. The message is dark, like another one of its hits: "Red Skies." Both songs deal with war, or imposing war. Yet "Stand" offers a glimmer of hope, as long as we make the right choice by standing up to government or bureaucracy, making our voices heard: "State your peace tonight."

There's never anything wrong with that, given the world in which we live.

January 20, 2009. 12:01 PM

Barack Obama did it...he became the first African-American president of the United States. Moreover, he became a symbol of hope for the serious troubles this nation is facing.

He admits that "it won't be easy," the path ahead of him, but he will do his best, unlike our current president (actually, our vice president, as I believe George Bush is too stupid to think for himself.). The current administration, so focused on national security and two pointless wars, has turned its back on the needs of its own country. With no regulation of Wall Street and giant corporations, it's no surprise that we are now in The Great Recession.

What about health care? Every year I pay more for my health-insurance policy and receive less benefits.

Education? No Child Left Behind does not work--every year the crop of college students I teach possess less curiosity and strong learning skills than the students from the previous term.

Barack Obama, as we all do in the U.S, has a long path to walk. But we have to walk it. There's no other choice.

iPod Essentials #55: "Nemisis"--Shriekback

In honor of Halloween (though belated), you can hear this classic New Wave song playing on radios in the US. It's a goofy tune, lightweight goth. I'm not even sure if I understand the words, though it's a cool tune, one created to celebrate the dead and all things creepy.

Boo.