www.markholder.org

Nothing in this world is certain except death, taxes, and America betraying the Kurds. The U.S. has now betrayed the Kurds a minimum of eight times over the past 100 years. The reasons for this are straightforward. The Kurds are an ethnic group of about 40 million people centered at the intersection of Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Iraq. Many naturally want their own state. The four countries in which they live naturally do not want that to happen.   —  The Intercept

Growing up in the 70s and 80s, radio was a constant companion in the Holder home. Even when it wasn't convenient - there was an AM station on the next street, and its signal was picked up by the family phone, so we often had to talk over the sound of the program. Sure, we watched too much TV back then, but radio was king. Rocky Face, GA is located between two large FM radio markets, so growing up I had a choice between Chattanooga and Atlanta stations. The Chattanooga stations came in more clearly, but Atlanta had more variety. Top 40 stations were most prevalent, but for me, there was only one kind of station: Album Oriented Radio. While Top 40 stations played just that, the most popular current singles, Album Oriented Radio (AOR) stations dug deeper, playing "deep cuts" from albums old and new. Atlanta's most popular AOR station was 96 Rock, where you could hear everything from the Eagles to Iron Maiden (often in the same hour). 96 Rock was THE station of the 80...

Fly fishing was a sport invented by mosquitoes  with humans as the bait. - P.J. O’Rourke

The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him. - Leo Tolstoy

It's been a while since I did an album review (or any review, to be honest) so the time has come. The album will be Terence Trent D'Arby 's 1989 sophomore effort,  Neither Fish Nor Flesh, a Soundtrack of Love, Faith, Hope & Destruction . I know what you're thinking: why is Mark reviewing a thirty year old album that was considered a failure, even by D'Arby himself? The answer is simple: I enjoy listening to it. I'll go so far as to say I love the album in all its sprawling glory. In 1987, D'Arby made his infamous debut with "Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby," with the claim that "my album is better than Sgt. Pepper." This, in the twentieth anniversary of said Beatles album, caused a huge controversy, as one might imagine. And he was right; I enjoy Introducing The Hardline... more than Sgt. Pepper while remaining a fan of both bands. All this attention caused great expectations for a follow up, but...

Ten thousand times has the labor movement stumbled and fallen and bruised itself, and risen again; been seized by the throat and choked and clubbed into insensibility; enjoined by courts, assaulted by thugs, charged by the militia, shot down by regulars, traduced by the press, frowned upon by public opinion, deceived by politicians, threatened by priests, repudiated by renegades, preyed upon by grafters, infested by spies, deserted by cowards, betrayed by traitors, bled by leeches, and sold out by leaders, but notwithstanding all this, and all these, it is today the most vital and potential power this planet has ever known, and its historic mission of emancipating the workers of the world from the thraldom of the ages is as certain of ultimate realization as is the setting of the sun. - Eugene Debs, borrowed from the infinitely informative  The Chequer-Board Of Nights And Days  blog. Happy Labor Day, ye laborers. 

Serial child rapist and all around weird guy  has died while in custody. Alleged cause of death is suicide by hanging, but needless to say, not everyone is buying it. And by "not everyone," I mean a great many people, some famous and well-respected in their fields, who preface their opinions with "I'm not a conspiracy theorist but...". Go to Twitter in you need further evidence. The question of how did a man on suicide watch (with one failed attempt under his belt) successfully commit suicide in one of the most secure holding units in America? As has happened so many times throughout history, the parties responsible for protecting were off duty or stood down. I call this the Praetorian Pattern. The Praetorian Guard was a unit responsible for guarding the Roman emperor. Formed by Augustus to act as personal protection, the unit lasted for three centuries, during which time it developed a pattern of intrigue and interference with Roman politics, capable ...