Eternal Instigator

Still can't believe I screwed up and missed this...hanging out with the family in Chicago all weekend waiting for tonight's show...

Hope Minneapolis treated you well, Bböp! Bummed I didn't get to see you there like last summer

So who's all going to the Chicago show on Sunday? Hoping to see some familiar faces! I'll be down in the pit with my 13yo and my husband and our youngest are back in 202. Solid Sound or Red Rocks friends? bböp?

We're actually on our way right now. Planned a family mini-vacation around the show and told the kids like 2 days before they announced the rest of the Midwest dates. I'm missing my first MN show in a decade (I don't count Morehead - my brain automatically screams "Too close to Fargo!") and of course it's one they're going to stream. Frak!!! There've been a few days where the urge to pull the rug out from under my boys and follow the band for a week was almost too strong to fight. Luckily Mr. Instigator kept me in check. That and the guilt I'd eventually feel lol. Ugh - the sacrifices parents have to sometimes make.

Anyway, hit me here or message me on Facebook if anyone wants to meet up for a beer or something before the show! We're staying just a couple blocks away from Millenium Park and will be hitting the planetarium, Field Museum and Navy Pier for sure. No actual schedule, just some chillin' in Chicago!

Be quiet! I'm enjoying eavesdropping!

Negligent discharges are always going to happen, even when you're dealing with highly trained police officers and soldiers. I remember reading an article that said that armed cops in the UK negligently discharged their weapons more frequently than they were intentionally discharged.

 

I guess my point is that the more people are carrying guns in public places, regardless if they have a permit, the more often negligent discharge is going to happen. Innocents will injured or killed because they happened to be standing next to an incompetent idiot who is either so arrogant or so afraid of his own shadow, he'll bring a gun into a busy store where the chances of him needing it are next to nothing...and this type of gun-carrying "good guy" will not be the hero who thinks on his toes, keeps his cool and saves us all from a "bad guy". The NRA would have us all believe that CCW permit holders are trained to handle them safely but that's hardly the case, especially considering that training requirements vary from state to state with some requiring very little in the way of safely carrying a loaded weapon. They, and you apparently, would also like us to believe that getting accidentally shot by a "law-abiding" CCW holder is no different than the risk taken when we get behind the wheel of a car...except we're all well aware of the risk on the roads and have the ability to minimize that risk by being driving safely ourselves, buckling up and being aware of other drivers. Not sure what kind of world we live in where we should accept that standing in line at a crowded store has an inherent risk of being accidentally shot by someone they didn't even know was carelessly - and needlessly - carrying a weapon.

I think it's disingenuous to post any statistics on gun violence for numerous reasons - here's just a couple. First of all, the NRA effectively shut down the ability of the CDC to do any research in exchange for keeping their funding so the one centralized organization best suited to compile statistics can hardly touch them much less make them available to the public. Also, there is no consistency of how states report "accidental gun deaths" - one might call it homicide and another would call it accidental death. Pretty much every non-CDC organization that attempts to gather statistics admits that their figures are likely low.

In regards to your Texas statistics, I'm not sure how you can reasonably suggest the murder rate of CCW holders is a comparable demographic that could be used to estimate the murder rate of all NRA members. One would hope that someone with a CCW permit would be on the more responsible and trained end of the spectrum as opposed to the NRA rank and file, including rgiaw members who signed up just so they could put that sticker on the back of their truck because, dammit, they're a God-fearing 'Murican with rights and the NRA is the only group that understands and protects them (you know, the ones who are most likely to act violently out of anger...and who feel like their guns and that sticker made their manhood grow a couple inches). 

You and your graphs.  What is not shown in that graph (or not directly pointed out) is 25% of respondance had no opinion or did not know.  Which is a huge number.  That should not be disregarded and if you look at the poll as I first did you see one bar is bigger than the other and that is it.      

Thank you for jumping on this one and providing the full results of the poll.

The right wing's go-to strategy is to provide incomplete and/or misleading "facts" to their low-information base, knowing full well that few will actually dig deeper on their own. Unfortunately for Hixter, this forum tends to be a little more savvy. 

They lobby against gun control which would disarm law-abiding citizens and/or turn them into felons at the stroke of a pen. 

http://www.startribune.com/man-sought-after-gun-discharges-at-fridley-supertarget/361752711/

Whoops. Can't wait to find out if this is a law-abiding citizen or not. Even if the idiot doesn't have a CCW permit, there have been plenty of other examples of people who do have permits but still put the rest of us in danger due to carelessness. 

I like this from Buzzfeed:

“It is, for instance, entirely fair to call him a mendacious racist, as the politics team and others here have reported clearly and aggressively,” wrote Smith. “He’s out there saying things that are false and running an overtly anti-Muslim campaign. BuzzFeed News’s reporting is rooted in facts, not opinion; these are facts.”

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/dec/09/buzzfeed-editor-in-chief-donald-trump

Countless pages of reasonable discussion and you've come away with the impression that backers of the second amendment are scared, paranoid soulless gun worshipers? I think it says a lot more about your beliefs than those who support gun ownership.

That's laughable. The loudest voices on the gun nut side can't see beyond their full and unadulterated worship of all things that go bang when you pull the trigger.

• They scream about needing to be armed against a tyrannical government, never mind that they'll never see the whites of their enemies' eyes as they launch rockets at that pesky militia from miles and miles away. 
• They freak out when there's talk about limiting magazine size because, apparently, their right to be too lazy to reload trumps everyone else's right to not have a gun with 20-30 rounds pointed at them by a lunatic. And hey, we all need armor-piercing bullets to play with, right?
• They freak out about gun-free zones and limits to where they can carry their firearms because they're all "responsible gun owners" who are going to save us from a mass shooting. Never mind that no CCW as ever stopped a mass shooting even though they were present. Never mind that law enforcement highly discourages someone playing the hero because they are more likely to cause more casualties amidst the chaos, just like the guy who nearly killed an innocent during the Gabby Giffords shooting. Imagine how many more people would have died in the Paris theater had there been crossfire - probably wouldn't have included the terrorists who were wearing body armor (which is hot couture for mass shooters these days).
• They say stupid things like, "California has the strictest gun laws in the country but that didn't stop the terrorists!" Maybe if the laws were enacted on the Federal level, they wouldn't have found it so easy to get their hands on those rifles. Or should California build a wall and make Nevada or Idaho pay for it?
• They blame gun violence on our country's lack of sufficient mental health care as though every potential killer will exhibit symptoms of mental illness prior to killing. They feel a registry of people with mental illness will solve all the problems but heaven forbid we register the guns themselves! I guess it's OK to prohibit someone with a mild case of depression from gun ownership - even thought they are no more likely to point a gun at someone than if they didn't have depression - but we need to let all those people on the no-fly list have guns just in case someone made a typo at the no-fly list office.
• As soon as someone tries to open the dialog about how to reduce gun violence, the gun nuts immediately jump to assuming it will be total and complete confiscation which is not the case. Maybe if the NRA hadn't lobbied to prevent the CDC from studying gun violence over a decade ago, we'd have a better idea of what solutions would work.
• They fight against Child Access Laws because having to lock up their guns means they aren't accessible when needed for protection. Too bad for all the children who've been accidentally shot or have accidentally shot others.
• They fight against any limits on the number of guns they can purchase at once or over a period of time, even though that might help curb the problem of straw buyers unloading their inventory on the black market.

In other words, the nuts who aren't even willing to acknowledge that the vast numbers of guns are part of the problem much less have reasonable debates about how best to solve it are scared, paranoid, soulless gun worshipers like she said. There are solutions that will not amount to a full "gun-grab" - it's not all or nothing. The problem is, as Wayne LaPierre said himself, "The guys with the guns make the rules." So here we sit with a bunch of loonies who believe that their weapons cache gives them power and they won't give an inch and give any of that up, even if it prevented another twenty 5 and 6 year old kids from dying in their classroom. 

Before you suggest I'm anti-gun, I'm not. We have guns in our home, all locked up nice and tight. I married into a hunting family and I've hunted myself. I'd post a photo to prove it but neither my husband nor I get off by taking pictures of ourselves with our guns or dead animals. We prefer to say thank you to the animal for filling our freezer and leave it at that. None of the hunters I know have their underwear in a bunch about their shotguns or deer rifles being confiscated. And I know quite a few. I'm just fucking sick and tired of hearing about how being able to own as many of whatever types of guns you want is an unalienable right. All rights have limits. Especially those that take away someone else's right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And I'm fucking sick and tired of the idiots and the NRA suggesting they're the voice for all of us who own guns. The most certainly DO NOT.

YES! I was so hoping I'd see something like this as I got caught up on this thread!

Unless they run out of ammo or are rushed by a group of civilians, armed security and police are really the only way to bring an attack to and end. Once an attack begins it's not a matter of saving every life, but rather saving as many lives as possible. It's difficult to watch live video from the scene that shows armed police milling around outside while hearing gunshots continue to ring out in the building.

I'm sure the police who were on orders to stand down were feeling pretty helpless and frustrated, too. I don't know how you can watch those videos...

One of the best Bond films i have seen in some time! I know 007 could kick the shit out of some terrorist. Bond's been doing it since i was a kid! 

I thought the two before this one were a little better, but I've embraced Daniel Craig as my Bond - the only one that I've accepted besides Sean Connery and Roger Moore!

Don't let fear take over you life.  Go to Spain, visit your daughter.  You will have an amazing time.  I am sure your daughter and you will appreciate the time spent with family.  Which if the events of Friday have taught us anything is family, friends, and community are the most important things in life.  Don't waste an amazing opportunity because of this tragedy.      

So well said, Kevin!!!

Terrorists looking to maximize body counts will always be able to find a soft target. The list is long: churches, schools, airports (pre-security checkpoint), public transit, etc. Metal detectors wouldn't stop an attack like we saw in Paris; the only thing that would be of any use would be large numbers of heavily armed police officers and that's too expensive for most venues. 

Thank you for not going the "if everyone in the theater had been armed..." route like I've seen elsewhere. I don't know about anyone else, but when I picture that added to the chaos of terrorists squeezing off rounds from their automatic rifles, I see far more people wounded or killed in the crossfire.

I wonder what the impact will be on shopping malls over the holiday season? They honestly couldn't have timed this better to not only spread fear but to potentially impact the economy - so many retailers rely on December sales to keep them in the black. Regardless of what one thinks of America's affinity for overindulgence, especially this time of year, the retail industry supports a ton of jobs and a fear of crowds could really damage those smaller businesses that don't have an online presence. 

Sorry to take up space, i just figured a more detailed subject line was due for this topic in case others had the same concern. 

No - don't apologize! It's scary as hell and it sucks that something like this will be in the back of everyone's minds when they go to a show instead of simply on the music where it should be. My husband and I went to "Spectre" this weekend and I found myself thinking about the Colorado movie theater shooting when we sat down. It usually only happens when I see an action flick now, but it's still there.

As a Minnesotan, I always feel like I need to point out that we don't actually talk like that...well, most of us don't. Unless, of course, one's having a boring day at their job that requires them to be on the phone with people from other states. In that case, a working knowledge of the "hotdish and lemon bars in the Lutheran church basement" language can be highly entertaining! 

Not that it will ever keep me from going to gigs but this attack really hit home for me.

There's a "Paris" thread that's talking about this same theme. What's sad is that, at a time when the people of Paris could use something like live music to take their minds off the tragedy for just a few hours, bands are cancelling their shows over there left and right. 

I'm scheduled to travel to Spain next week to visit my daughter who is studying there this semester..  Part of me wants to cancel (for safety reasons).  Am I crazy to go?

I had to fly 2 1/2 weeks after the 9/11 attacks and I almost cancelled but everyone kept pointing out how security was going to be overwhelming and that I'd be OK. I have a feeling security in Europe is beyond crazy right now but I totally get the trepidation and I don't know what I would do. If you let them come between you and your daughter, the terrorists win but is a visit worth the risk? Ugh!

There's a guy here in Minneapolis named Park Evans who became my local guitar hero the first time I saw him play. I'd never seen or heard anyone at a local level who could come that close to Nels Cline. When my local music cosmos aligned a couple years ago, I became friends with his girlfriend and got to know him - turns out he's a highly trained jazz guitarist with a love for effect pedals which explained why I was drawn to his sound. I started taking lessons from Park a few months ago and every now and then he'll play something that screams "NELS!" and I'll make him repeat it and show me what he did because it's like figuring out a magician's trick. Not that I can replicate it LOL!

I just saw an article about some comments Bono made about the attack:

"This is the first direct hit on music that we’ve had in this so-called war on terror or whatever it’s called. It’s very upsetting. These are our people. This could be me at a show. You at a show, in that venue," he said Saturday. "It’s a very recognizable situation for you and for me, and the coldblooded aspect of this slaughter is deeply disturbing and that’s what I can’t get out of my head."

I was a little disheartened to read the comments because they focused on Bono turning the tragedy into being about him which means they totally missed the point. My immediate thoughts went to all the things Jeff has said on the spirituality of attending a concert. Le Bataclan, like any music venue, was filled with people from all walks of life who left their differences at the door in order to find common ground in music. It wasn't about politics, religion, nationality, race, sex, orientation, team rivalries or whatever significant or mundane issues that tend to divide people. A concert is a unique opportunity for a large number of people to live in the moment as one and to experience togetherness despite their differences and that's a rare and magical thing these days. As band after band cancels their upcoming shows, Paris is now losing something it could really use it while it heals. 

I'm not suggesting that the attacks on the other sites on Friday, or any terrorist attacks, were any less significant than the one at the concert hall. Like Donna and others have said above, this just strikes close to home because it happened in the type of place that I not only frequent but consider sacred. My thoughts and heart are with the hundreds of families mourning in Paris and around the world.

On a related note, I hope they begin to move away from playing the whole record start to finish.  I'd like to hear these songs mixed in with their show - the drowning guitars of Satellite fading into Kidsmoke or some of the noisier bits dissolving into Poor Places, for example.

It won't last long but it's cool that they can pull it off without having to dedicate an entire show to just that record (since it's so short). Unfortunately, I don't have any shows coming up so I'm guessing I won't get to experience it live. Thank the maker for tapers! You guys rock! 

Yes, Instigator fits you perfectly, Candi!

 

You inspired me to make a long-overdue change myself. I am now Magnetized. Considering this Wilco obsession seems to be permanent, it seems like a fitting name for me.

Instigator would have fit you too, Diane LOL! It's definitely a permanent obsession  

Speaking of permanent, it's bonus time at work which means it's time to start going through posters for another tattoo! Taking suggestions...

I can't get The Joke Explained or Random Name Generator out of my head. They've been there solid for a good 2 weeks now and I know I've had a couple dreams where I was singing them, too. Don't get me wrong...I'm not complaining! 

I've decided to just give in and change my VC name from Folkgirl to Eternal Instigator. Get it? Ince-tigator? (For those who don't know me, my last name is Ince and I like to rile things up a bit  ) Dave the Husband thinks it's quite possibly the most fitting name I could ever have LOL! I only wish I would have had it when I played roller derby...  

Despite starting 10 minutes late, Wilco actually played a bit beyond its 90-minute slot headlining the main (Sun Country) stage and closing out this year's Basilica Block Party. And thankfully the band did because those extra minutes helped provide one highlight of the set when Jason Isbell — who had immediately preceded Wilco on the stage — came out with his gold Gibson Les Paul to take a solo on California Stars.

Nice seeing you at the show! You can tell a lot about a person from how they high five and that was a solid high five, my friend! Man, I love a good high five!

You left out how distracting it was with Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern watching the show from the side of the stage LOL! Someone else said they were at the Rock the Garden festival a few weeks earlier so yeah, they definitely must be shooting a film in the Twin Cities. But holy crap, when Isbell came out to play, I thought my husband was going to die and go to heaven! He's had a major man-crush on him for years and seeing Jason share the stage with Wilco was pretty much his dream come true! We saw him right after his first solo record came out at the now closed 400 Bar in Minneapolis - the single best super small venue rock show I've ever seen. He borrowed my lighter that night 

My one complaint was that the lighting seemed pretty bad which surprised me considering they've been doing this festival for 20 years - Tweedy was in shadows most of the time which wasn't a big deal for those of us down in front but I felt bad for anyone further back. 

Thanks for the setlist and review - well done as always! Hope to run into you again soon!

Bbop... apparently I was right next to you at the show. And what a show it was! Took me back to the 1st Ave days. Thought I loved these guys until I met the woman in front of me with the tattoo. Still... after 20 years... they still bring it. Thanks guys for bringing some joy into my life tonight!

Next time I see you at a show, I should have at least one more Wilco tattoo on my other forearm! I fully own and embrace my fandom 

It was nice to talk to you guys and to be surrounded by Wilco fans at a festival gig! I always get nervous at festivals because you run the risk of standing near folks who were there for some other band and wind up talking through the band you're there to see. Not sure which one of you this is, but you NEVER have to apologize for singing along, even if you think you're the worst singer in the world! Tweedy and the guys like it and besides, singing along live with a favorite band is one of the things that makes a concert experience something special - you guys rocked it!

 

Handshake Drugs - I find this song addictive (no pun intended), especially live

Coolest part about Handshake Drugs? The tempo is perfect for walking with purpose, like, I suppose, when meeting someone to buy some drugs downtown. Not that I've done that recently...now days, it just puts a spring in my step early in the morning when walking from the bus stop to the office! It's a nice moderate pace that gets you where you need to go without looking hurried or suspicious  . I like to think they did that on purpose because nerdy song composition makes me happy.