Get Tha Fuck Off Tha Commode!

At work, I spend about eight solid hours sitting under a foot away from a small television tuned to one of any number of 24-hour news channels (although never FOX News, obviously, which isn't so much 'news' as.... I don't know... irritainment). After a full day of pundit blather, partisan poop-talk (much of which I enjoy) and political strategist doublespeak, I'm just about fed to the gills and ready to scream. On my way out of the office today, I ran right into a raggle-taggle mob of Ralph Nader supporters, carrying placards and chanting to the media to let Ralph into the presidential debates (yeah, like that'll help matters). With a head full of fatigue and disgust, I dialed up some vintage Rage Against the Machine on my iPod. Sure, a cliched choice, but if the shoe fits .... kick someone with it.

Nothing quickens one's step like a bracing airing of "Killing in the Name Of," and boy is it ever tough not to bark along with its zealous refrain of  -- all together now -- Fuck You, I Won't Do What Ya Tell Me!  But when "Bulls On Parade " -- the band's first single from their 1996 album, Evil Empire -- came on, I was struck at how relevant and timely their purple-faced agitprop remains in the shadow of the McCain-Palin "Country First" ticket. Crank it way up.