Happy Friday

Have a nice weekend, y'all.

Health Care Clarity from Krugman

Paul Krugman has a nice piece in today's NY Times that upends the hysteria over government's role in a reformed health care system.

It’s not just that many Americans don’t understand what President Obama is proposing; many people don’t understand the way American health care works right now. They don’t understand, in particular, that getting the government involved in health care wouldn’t be a radical step: the government is already deeply involved, even in private insurance.

And that government involvement is the only reason our system works at all.

Imagine if every US citizen had the equivalent of Medicare. Why is that such a radical notion? And Obama's not even going that far. This debate is being fought, as it so often is these days, in a thick haze of misinformation. We need to clear the air and get this done.

Now It Begins

Mikel Astarloza, the Basque climber and workhorse from the Euskaltel team who won a really exciting stage 16 in this year's Tour, has tested positive for EPO, as reported in VeloNews. This is the first hint of doping out of this year's Tour, and it makes me wonder if it will be the last.

I just can't help but ask, as I always do, how could you take EPO and then win a stage, knowing that all stage winners are tested? Does that not just seem like the height of idiocy?

And to think I cheered for this douchenozzle as he took the stage that day.

Robbie McEwen, not my favorite racer but always one to be counted on for speaking his mind, put it best in his Tweet of this morning:

"mcewenrobbie Astarloza, you're a wanker. While I'm at it, Ricco - stay gone, we don't want you back amongst us. Go ride with Kohl"

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Black & Martsch

Amazingly, Frank Black and Doug Martsch will be doing solo sets this Saturday at the Neurolux in Boise.

Shockingly, confoundingly, there are still tickets available. I can't believe I'll be out of town and miss this, but you should not.

Tickets here.

Shatner does Palin

I'm a little late to this party, but you have to watch this.

Shatner doing Palin's speech:

Why?'s Blackest Purse

Go and grab ya the lead track off the forthcoming Why? record. It's pretty flippin good. At Pitchfork:

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11393-this-blackest-purse/

Cubs In 1st

Rich Harden pitched a great game last night to move the Cubs into 1st in the NL Central by a half game. Their 5-2 win over the Reds was the last in a series sweep. They've also won 10 of their last 13.

So things are looking good right when they need to.

Now we've got Houston in town for a few. Zambrano starts tonight. Keep it up!

Sonic Youth

Imagine seeing Sonic Youth headline at the Knitting Factory... in Boise, ID. Weird, yes, but it happened last night, and it was awesome.

The hit the new record, The Eternal, hard, bringing new tracks like "No Way" and "Leaky Lifeboat" into line with older and classic stuff. They came out for repeated encores, Lee Ranaldo even taking a bow to his guitar to kick off the last song of the night.

One of the coolest things about the show is that Mark Ibold, formerly of Pavement, is playing bass with Sonic Youth on this album and tour. Good to see him out and about again, hopefully honing his chops for that Pavement reunion...

They're in Spokane tonight. Not that Range Life has a big Spokane readership, I just like the poster.

Alice

Sorry for the ad, but check this out.

Oh, Danilo

Looks like some of DiLuca's superhuman efforts in the Giro were just that. He's ben prvisionally suspended for a positive test for EPO of the fancy new CERA variety.

VeloNews has it.

At some point, if we are to continue to enjoy pro cycling, we may have to come to grips with this being part of the sport. What other option is there?

MCA Announcement

The Beastie Boys are postponing shows and their new record so Adam Yauch can get treatment for cancer of the carotid gland. Scary stuff, but a good prognosis, as he explains in this video.

Fever Ray

I'm digging the Fever Ray record. It's made me finally go and buy The Knife's Silent Shout.

Here's a video for the excellent "When I Grow Up."

When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

And here's one for the next single, "Triangle Walks."

Triangle Walks from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

Speak It

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

This clip is worth it just to see Obama address the NAACP at the beginning.

Later, some interesting stuff from the Sotomayor hearings and Republican comments on it.

Later still, Pat Buchanan is an insane idiot. Worth sticking around for.

Foothills Sunrise

Wilco/Feist

This is really cool. The new Wilco's growing on me like kudzu. And I heart Feist.

Early Ride

No, I don't do this every time I'm on my bike before 10am. But this morning's ride was so nice, and my new bike so beautiful in the morning sun, that I couldn't resist.

Nice to be back rockin the big wheels. 10 minutes on this bike reminded me why I love the 29ers.

Cheney's Closet

So Dick Cheney had a secret counterterrorism program running through the CIA that had no recourse to Congress or to anyone but Dick Cheney, says the NY Times.

The program has been halted and is being looked into. Not that we'll ever know anything about it.

Really, though, wouldn't we be disappointed if Cheney didn't have secret programs running through the CIA? That involve vampires and the undead?

Palin

Sarah Palin's resignation as governor of Alaska came while I was in Montana, fishing, away from phones or TVs or the interwebs or newspapers. When I heard about it I just laughed. I thought surely it's a stunt, some calculation or gambit on running for a much higher office. Though why so soon?

But I must admit I find the people who support her far more fascinating then I do Palin herself. I mean, how could you, right? If W was a big idiotic joke gone too far, Palin was that and so much worse. And people love her. So who are these people? Frank Rich, though a bit snobby, has it right, I think: "She stands for a genuine movement: a dwindling white nonurban America that is aflame with grievances and awash in self-pity as the country hurtles into the 21st century and leaves it behind."

But it can't be that simple. As he says, a recent poll has 71% of Republicans saying they'd vote for her for president. That's just too stupid to be true.

Then there's this article, detailing all the troubles she's had back in Alaska since the presidential election ended. Ethic complaints, family strife, local and state politicians turning against her, shorter work days, etc. It's almost enough to make you feel sorry for her. Almost, but not quite.

I'm of mixed feelings, myself. If they put her up in 2o12, I don't see that she could actually win, so that's good for the Democrats. But to live through a full campaign with her, to think that so many of my countrymen would accept and confirm her as the leader of this country, is just to depressing to consider.

San Juan Hill

In Non-Palin News:

On this day in 1898, Theodore Roosevelt led his Rough Riders in the storming of San Juan Hill, a turning point in chasing Spanish troops out of Cuba and ending the Spanish-American War.

Read up at Finding Dulcinea, a really cool site.

Montana Fourth

We're headed to Montana for a long weekend to visit friends Kimberly and John in their beautiful cabin in the mountains. That's a picture from their front porch, above. Below is a picture of the West Fork Boulder, just below them, where we'll fish.


Flyfishing, eating, drinking, and more flyfishing. That's the plan. And I can't wait. Happy weekend, y'all.

New on the Range

Oh man. There's so much great new music this week.

Wilco. Tortoise. Dinosaur Jr. Spoon.

There's more, but need I say more? I don't think so. Tune in 5 to 7 mountain time on Wednesday and 1 to 3 on Friday, www.radioboise.org.