what’s on my mind grapes?

For numerous reasons, this post almost didn’t happen. The post-Super Bowl letdown actually wasn’t as large a factor as pre-Super Tuesday apprehension. I also became sidetracked when taking the initial steps towards constructing a list of my favorite Counting Crows songs, following the band’s free concert in Tempe on Saturday night. Yet I promised a post, and a post I shall make – even if it IS just a brief look at a few of the many strange roads people take to this blog. I’ve also added a page for anonymous e-mails if someone has information that my cursory research did not yield (or just doesn’t want to comment but has something to say).

This Week Recent Weeks In Blog Traffic: Pre-Super Tuesday Edition

Don’t I Wish It Was True

John Edwards Kenneth 30 rock” and “Mandy Moore” “John Edwards”: It is mildly surprising how many of my celebrity-plus-political-figure hits have involved the former North Carolina Senator. I suppose that he’s the least-blogged about of the top three Democrats this year, but even so, it’s interesting to see the sort of celebrities people want to back him.
steve earle, mandy moore: This wasn’t just an isolated event, but a search that appeared several times (in varying syntactical constructions). I’m hoping that its frequency makes it true, because were it to happen, it would be pretty effing awesome. Earle could stand to do more duets (”Poison Lovers” and “Promise You Anything” are among my favorite of his songs, and — …damn it, now I have another list to do), and Moore’s serious music career would probably gain a few more fans (and also get the all-important seal of hearty approval from this blog).

amber tamblyn democratic 2008: With all of the hits I get, some of the ones about actresses’ political affiliations end up being real. According to the USA Today, Ron Howard, Quincy Jones, Ted Danson and wife Mary Steenburgen, America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and sport legends Magic Johnson and Billie Jean King have stumped for Hillary Clinton. (And beyond a simple Jack Nicholson-y “Clinton is good” speech, Ferrera and Tamblyn are actively involved in the campaign’s youth outreach, something that seems desperately needed against Hulk Hogan-powered Obama.) I commend these individuals for defying the hip trend of Obamamania, again retract any negativity I’ve had about the media’s fondness for Ferrera, and thank Tamblyn for beginning the actualization of my ‘08 attractive endorser dream team (your move, Senator Boxer!).
30 rock quotes mitt romney:

Jack: Those jokes you wrote for my Mitt Romney fundraiser, they were top-notch.
Liz: Those weren’t jokes. That was an appeal for a return to common sense and decency.
Jack: Well, it got big laughs.

Thanks for reminding me of this, searcher!
the nightwatchman cover midnight oil and tom morello midnight oil cover: After a quick bit of searching, I’ve found that Morello covered “Beds Are Burning” at a recent concert in Australia. It’s worth noting that Midnight Oil’s Peter Garrett is now part of the Australian government’s push against Japanese whaling, which helps make up for the band being defunct. Midnight Oil covers – even of the band’s big U.S. hit – are far too rare, and I would love to see Morello get this on an album (or at least an iTunes release).
don imus insults of hillaryclinton: While I disagreed with the controversy specific to “nappy-headed ho’s,” Imus was a rather vile misogynist long before Al Sharpton took offense and pushed for race-based censorship.
studio 60 on the sunset strip songs: Last week, I finally got my DVD set of the greatest television drama ever produced. I am still stunned at its failure, and was spoiled by its greatness; every drama I watch fails to live up to “Studio 60″’s lofty standards, and I remain bitter at the medium for its targeting of the lowest common denominator. I am glad that even gone, it is not entirely forgotten.

…And What Should Never Be

john fogerty barack obama and seth Macfarlane ron paul: Neither of these searches seem to reflect an actual endorsement, though Macfarlane has given to Obama.
hayden panettiere springsteen and hayden panettiere + barbara boxer: I’m all about basing conclusions on evidence, rather than seeking evidence to justify my existing beliefs. I try to determine my feelings about celebrities based on their actions, rather than hope their actions match my existing feelings (and as noted in my last post, I don’t make arbitrary choices too often). Yet it seems that whenever I see Panettiere, she’s either displaying how little dignity she has in her pursuit of fame, or she’s demonstrating how little acting ability she has (on “Heroes”).
While a Boxer endorsement, on paper, would make me like any celebrity, this one would be too at odds with other evidence and create too much cognitive dissonance. I fear that such an event would end up threatening my own fondness for California’s Junior Senator, or force me to become a fan of publicity whorishness. It is incredibly unlikely that I would instead accept that the human condition allows both good and bad traits to co-exist within the same person, and that no one is perfect nor is anyone without any redeeming qualities. That’s just crazy talk.