Iron and Calexico

in the reinsin the reins

Scare Tactics

Despite recent conversations with local political consultant, I'm still not convinced that Question 1 is a good idea. In fact it is not much of an idea at all as much as it is a desperation move to get an stadium improvement deal passed in April, via 3/8 cent sales tax to raise $425 million, before locals see how nice a brand new stadium can be.

On the other side of the state New Busch Stadium will open this year. Of the total development cost, $346 million will build a new ballpark in downtown St. Louis to accommodate 49,000 fans.

Angrogeny and old friends

The songs on Antony and the Johnson's album are aptly described as “torch songs”, moving and hymnal. There are a number of guest vocal spots on this album-- Devendra Banhart (gypsy incantations in the beginning of "Spiralling"), Boy George ("You Are My Sister"), Rufus Wainwright ("What Can I Do?"). He openly plays with notions of gender and began his career in New York as a performance artist. This album is his second and first since 2000....this stuff will grow on you.

I Am A Bird Part 1
I Am A Bird Part 2


Sarah Woolever is the kid sister of a friend I grew up with and is playing music described as "deep and rich, as well as personal and authentic...Though some of the songs are edgy, the sensitivities are distinctly feminine" around Minneapolis. Listen if you like Regina Spektor, I do.

Warning

Taylor and Jesse

Here's my niece hanging on the red carpet with her boy toy.



Here's some Death Cab for Cutie, just for her....

Plans:
part1
part2

St. Louis

A trip to St. Louis to see a Blues game resulted in welcoming Cassidy Lynn Mumma and a free hat. Congratulations Jon and Carrie.

Halloween

Boy Scout and Girl Scout

Elliott Smith

There will be a benefit for Elliott Smith Memorial Fund, set up by his family members in the wake of his tragic death two years ago this week, tonight at the Brick. The fund is Free Arts for Abused Children and will feature Kansas City artist performing ES songs. Born Steven Paul Smith in Omaha, Nebraska, but mostly grew up in Texas. Smith learned to play both the piano and guitar as a child and wrote his first song when he was 13. At 14, Smith moved from Texas to Portland, Oregon, and graduated High School on June 3rd, 1987. He then changed his name to Elliott because he though Steve sounded too much like a jock.
As a member of the band Heatmiser, he debuted in 1993 with the LP Dead Air, issuing his first solo effort Roman Candle on the tiny Cavity Search label a year later. For his 1995 self-titled album, Smith signed with the noted Kill Rock Stars label; Either/Or followed in 1997, around the same time that filmmaker and longtime fan Gus Van Sant requested permission to use the singer's music in his upcoming Good Will Hunting. Smith also composed a handful of new songs for the soundtrack, among them "Miss Misery," and when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its Oscar nominations the following February, the track was a surprise entry in the Best Original Song category. Although he did not win, Smith performed the song live at the televised Oscar broadcast, appearing on-stage alongside superstars Trisha Yearwood and eventual award-winner Celine Dion in one of the most notably surreal musical moments in recent memory. Smith's DreamWorks label debut, XO, followed later in 1998. Two years later he delivered Figure 8, which indulged in lush arrangements and orchestrations more so than any of his previous solo efforts. For the next two years, Smith labored over what was to be his next album, From a Basement on a Hill, he would not live to see its completion. The record was released two days shy of the first anniversary of his death.
Smith battled depression, alcoholism, and drug addiction for many years, which is sometimes evident in his music; however, seemingly obvious songs such as "Needle in the Hay" were frequently misinterpreted to be about his own battles, when in reality his own problems with drugs did not develop until years later. He died in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California at age 34, from multiple stab wounds to the chest. While the death was originally reported as a suicide, the official autopsy report released in late December 2003 left the question open.
Anyway..listen for yourself to Heatmiser and the more pop friendly Figure 8, quite a transition.

Heatmiser
Yellow No. 5 EP
Figure 8
part1
part2

Jay Farrar

Got to see Jay Farrar perform outdoors last night, playing with Son Volt, who have released their first full length since 1998. Jay Farrar, Illinois native, is a pioneer of the "No Depression" sound of the nineties and beyond. This was a title of an old Carter Family song as well as the title to one of Jay's other bands records(Uncle Tupelo). The sound is best described as alt-country and typically encompasses bands like Wilco, Whiskeytown, Jayhawks, Old 97's, and Centro-Matic to name a few. Son Volt focused on new stuff through the night, but those who stuck it out in the cold got to hear two classics off of Trace and "Chickamauga" off Uncle Tupelo's Anodyne. I feel lucky to have been there.

Son Volt} Trace:
part 1
part 2

Uncle Tupelo} Anodyne:
part 1
part 2

Favorite Band this Weekend

Thanks again to regnyouth.com for finding me something to listen to this weekend. I'm enjoying this band right now.

ABerfeldy} Young Forever

They sound a lot like these guys and gals.

The Magic Numbers} Magic Numbers
part 1
part 2

Utensils

I don't know what SubPop has against PitchforkMedia, but PopDork is worth a chuckle. I have read some questionable reviews on that site, ie Get Up Kids, but can't deny the quality of the content. Wow, look at that...Big Star has a new release!

Need to find more time for Spoon

Series of Sneaks
Gimme Fiction part 1
Gimme Fiction part 2

Beck

Beck...Guero part 1
Beck...Guero part 2

One Month Later

Alright, one month later and dad is home. A little culture shock, but with a week off to decompress, things will be normal again. Come celebrate his return Saturday October 1st at Figlio's, 5pm.

Welcome to Cohen Reed Thatcher.







Happy Birthday to Taylor Smidge, check out them boots!




have a listen to this.. Sufjan Stevens

LushLife

DJ Lushlife's fusion of Kanye West raps and Beach Boy's Pet Sounds. Interesting enough to catch subtle BB lyrics and riffs underneath more focused West songs. Great alternative to West's album minus ramblings between tracks.

Lushlife West Sounds
try this...Arcade Fire: Morning Becomes Eclectic 1/17/2005

Article of Recent Conviction

Human traffickers in Kosovo convicted with UN help

21 July 2005 – In the severest ever human trafficking sentence in Kosovo, three Albanian citizens have been jailed for up to 12 years for luring young women to the United Nations-administered province with false promises of legitimate work, only to try to force them into prostitution.

Investigation into the case involved the joint efforts of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Kosovo Police officers, the Department of Justice, the Prizren District Public Prosecutor's office and military police from KFOR, the multinational security force.

A court panel, composed of two international and one Kosovan judge, sentenced Vladimir Ukaj and Robert Sylaj to 12 years each in prison and Sabri Islami to 10 years after they were found guilty of 11 of the 12 charges filed against them, including trafficking in human beings, rape, facilitation of prostitution and falsification of documents.

During the investigation two Albanian female victims, one of them 16 years old, were identified and rescued by the police. Both had been lured to Kosovo with false promises of legitimate work, only to find that their supposed employers were in fact intending to force them into prostitution, UNMIK said.

Update

Its been awhile,
This week brought to a close the trafficking and rape case. We had
closing arguments on Monday. They lasted until about 6 p.m. On Tuesday
the three judges deliberated from 9-1:30 and reached our verdict. We found
the defendants guilty on all but one count of rape. One defendant was
found guilty of two counts of trafficking in persons, one of two counts of
rape, facilitating prostituition and two counts of trafficking and the
third the same with two counts of falsifying documents. In a nut shell,
they lured two teenage girls here from Albania with promises of either love
or a job, raped them and forced them into prostitution. Each of the
defendants denied any responsibility. One of the girls gave three
statements to the police and prosecutor before trial and then retracted
them all at trial, insisting she is engaged to one of the defendants. The
local judge on the panel was most helpful in sorting out some ot the issues
regarding local customs.
On Wednesday I read out the verdict and sentence in open court. We
gave two of the defendants 12 years in prisona and one 10. The procedure
is for the court and everyone in the courtroom to stand during the reading
of the verdict and then for the presiding judge to explain the verdict.
Attached is my explanation.
I'm down to two months to go and I know it will go fast. Next week
and for a couple weeks after I'm on a panel in a murder case. I'm not the
presiding judge so it will be much less stressful.
Last weekend I drove to Thessaloniki, Greece with three other people.
I stayed in a Hyatt Regency. It was deluxe. We went down on Friday night
and back on Sunday. Going through two borders, Greece and Macedonia takes
time so it took about 5 hours to get there. The city is on the coast and
has a beautiful harbor. Saturday I walked and looked at ancient ruins,
churches, markets, and museums. In the afternoon I laid by the pool and in
the evening we found a Cuban restaurant. On Sunday I did nothing and we
left to return at 3:30. I really missed all of you.
Today I have to finish writing a verdict in this rape and trafficking
case. Procedure here requires a long detailed examination of each
witnesses testimony and why we believed or didn't believe him or her. So I
retract the first sentence of this email, it ain't over yet.
I sent Cindy flowers for our anniversary, but forgot she would be in
Baltimore. I hope there not just stems when she sees them.

Love Dad, Opa, Larry

BelleandSebationXMas

On December 18, 2002, Belle & Sebastian joined up with John Peel, legendary BBC broadcaster whom passed away last October, to record a special Christmas session. The setlist included some classic B&S tracks (Step Into My Office, Baby, Jonathan David, Photo Jenny, If You Find Yourself Caught In Love, The Boy With The Arab Strap, Get Me Away From Here, & I'm Dying) and several Christmas selections: Oh Come All Ye Faithful, Christmas Time Is Here, Santa Claus (The Sonics), Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto (James Brown), Silent Night, O Little Town Of Bethlehem, Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me (Elvis Presley), O Come O Come Emmanuel, I Took Some Time For Christmas, & The Twelve Days of Christmas. The password to the rar files is rya.


part 1
part 2
part 3

Missing Summerfest

Its seems the weekend in Ankeny was the all time best attended. With family and friends of every generation. Plus from as far away as Georgia, Kansas and Tennessee. Cindy has kept me well informed. I thank each of you for pitching in to do all the jobs I'm neglecting while I'm on my adventure. Jolene send me the name of your relatives and where they reside. Kosovo is a never ending amazement. One day this week I drove to Pristina and back for a hearing. The roads are full of tractors, horses and combines as the wheat harvest is going on. The fields are also full of men, women and children cutting and raking hay with a scythe and hand rakes. Loads of hay on any kind of cart you can imagine are on the roads. The weather has been mild with warm days and cool nights here in Prizren. It has rained every few days to keep the heat down.

The emails I receive from everyone along with the internet keep me in touch with whats important to me.

Larry

Enverated Site

Moving operations to this blog site. For those looking for updates on the Judges adventures in Eastern Europe, I will attempt to play catchup to all my recent slacking!

Here is recent post:

June 28th

Back at my desk about 3:30 today after interrogating another
witnesses in Pristina.

In my email was the following:
"Please come to our office to sign your request for extension.
Thanks a lot"

What do I have to do to convice the UN I won't be here after the end
of September?
I met with the presiding judge in the big war crimes case and he told
me to not bother to attend the pretrial conference and go to Bondsteel(US Army Base)
He's been to Bondsteel for the 4th party and says don't miss it. He's from
Muaritaus. They have an election on Sunday. If it goes his way he expects
to be named the UN ambassador.
I'll go to the ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on the 4th
I talked to Anu again today. Sharon has announced a September 30th
departure date. I better drop her a note. They have interviewed and are
deciding on a replacement for Janet today. Geri is also leaving. Three
out of five will be gone when I return.
I just edited the minutes of the first day of our murder trial. June
21. They are really bad. I mean difficult to read and bear little
resemblence to the testimony that was given. Names are all wrong and place
names are all muddled. We have to do this after every court session. The
judge has to sign them. I have pretty good notes so I think they now
somewhat reflect what was said.
It was with great pride that I heard Sue is in graduate school and
Audrey is out. Kudos.