Vote for Hope

Props to Mrs. Joe for pointing me to this:

The Inter-Webs: Not Just For Political Blogging and Porn!

So, via a site that I don't visit nearly often enough (unspeak.net), I found a link to another website called wordle.net where I was able to generate this totally awesome thing called a "Wordle" from the text of my blog:



But you can do it with any text you like. For instance, here's the text of Obama's wonderful speech on race from a few months ago:



And this is from "Hamlet," 'O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!' (Act 2, scene 2, 555-612):



And this is Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address:



And those are just the one's I made myself, here's a link to their gallery. I found these gems, like "Santeria" by Sublime:



And "Sweet Child O' Mine" by G-n-R:



And the entire text of "The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy"



And "The Raven":



And, in honor of Billy Joel's performance tonight at Shea (the final music performance ever at Shea - apart from the national anthem at Mets games), and to highlight my friend Broadway Carl having attended the second-to-last show night before last, I give you "We Didn't Start The Fire":



Seriously, go check it out. It's a lot of fun, actually.

.

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

This one is for reader R.L.



UPDATE:
ok, so the streaming link I had here before, once I listened to it in a quiet place, I realized that I had been had. I don't know who that was, but it wasn't Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. (BTW - it was IMEEM.com - don't go there because they spelled the name Israel Kamakawiwo Ole to appear almost correct but different enough in a legally deniable way. Assholes.). His soft & husky voice cannot be faked, and whoever was singing that song had a wa-a-a-a-a-ay too clear voice and articulation. The song was lovely, sure, but it wasn't intergalactic like the real thing.

So here is the corrected link (from youtube this time), with apologies to all who clicked and were underwhelmed:

It's The End of the World As We Know it (and I Feel Fine)

by R.E.M.

That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, and aeroplanes -
Lenny Bruce is not afraid.
Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn -
world serves its own needs, regardless of your own needs.
Speed it up a notch: speak, grunt. No strength.
The ladder starts a clatter into fear.
Five down. Hike!
Wire in a fire, represent the seven games and a government-for-hire in a combat site.
Left her, wasn't coming in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck.
Team by team reporters baffled, trumped, tethered, cropped.
Look at that low plane!
Fine. Then.
Uh oh, overflowing population, common group. It'll do.
Set yourself, suit yourself.
World serves its own needs, listen to your heart beat.
Tell me with the rapture and the reverent in the right - right.
You vitriolic, patriotic, slam, fight, bright.
I'm feeling pretty psyched.

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it
and I feel fine.

Six o'clock - TV hour. Don't get caught in foreign tower.
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn.
Lock him in uniform and book burning, blood-letting.
Every motive escalate. Automotive incinerate.
Light a candle, light a votive.
Step down, step down.
Watch his heel crush, crush.
Uh oh, this means no beer - Cavalier.
Renegade and steer clear!
A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies.
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline.

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it
and I feel fine.

The other night I tripped a nice continental drift divide.
Mount St. Edelite.

Leonard Bernstein.

Leonid Breshnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs.
Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, boom!
You symbiotic, patriotic, slam, but neck, right?
Right.

It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it.
It's the end of the world as we know it
and I feel fine
...fine...

(It's time I had some time alone)