Song of the Day - "Complicated Fun" by the Suicide Commandos

See you at the Fair on Sunday? Remember it's not only gonna be awesome, it's gonna be free! (Minus your Fair entry, of course.)

"Complicated Fun" by the Suicide Commandos (Rhapsody free play link)

Jim Walsh interviews Steve Almass
Pat O'Brien promises he won't show up at your door to threaten you into going (but he'd like to.)

June 21st, 1977

June 21st, 1977

Elvis stopped, twice; grinning sidelong
That toothy, twinkling, contagious smile,
Then continued on. “Unchained Melody.”

That night he held the world in his arms and squeezed.
“I need your love, I need your love.”
Six Tuesdays later he was still squeezing,

But on Wednesday I got up, and Elvis did not.
It’s 30 years later. We should remember
Our mothers. We should sing for them

While we can.

by David de Young, 8/20/07

Related link:

Youtube Video of "Unchained Melody" from a Rapid City, South Dakota performance taped for the CBS-TV special: Elvis In Concert, June 21st, 1977.

Kari Tauring Book Release Party continues despite bridge collapse

Kari Tauring signs a copy of The Runes: A Human Journey for Maren Amdal

(Minneapolis, Minnesota - August 1st, 2007)

The book release for Kari Tauring's The Runes: A Human Journey took place tonight at Ingebretsen's Scandinavian Gifts on Lake Street in Minneapolis. At about 6:30 p.m. I got into my car and onto 35W heading north. I wondered what was up with the Minneapolis skyline. It was hazy, almost smoky looking, and I thought to myself that the air quality must be particularly bad this evening. Upon arriving at Ingebretsen's I soon found out there was an entirely different cause, that the haze was the result of vehicles burning on the collapsed 35W bridge over the Mississippi River. (It's interesting to note on that Wikipedia link that the entry is being updated minute by minute at this point as the death toll continues to rise.)

Ingebretsen's was abuzz with the news, but all we had at the store was an internet connection and a radio. No TV. I also immediately noticed I had no cell phone service due to the carriers being jammed with people calling their loved ones to see if they were okay. No doubt, you are familiar with the rest of this story from the news as it became the lead story internationally, front page on websites from cnn.com to bbc.co.uk.

This was the backdrop for our celebratory event, a party to mark the release of Kari Tauring's first major book release.

Kari's group Huldre, assisted by dancer Tamara Rogers, performed first outside on Lake Street and then inside Ingebretsen's. Nearly everyone in attendance bought a copy of the new book, and Tauring signed many for attendees.

Below are a few photos from the event. Click here for the full set.