Category Archives: Uncategorized

50 songs for 50 states: Kentucky

Posted on November 22, 2015 by olneyce

You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive – Brad Paisley Kentucky is a difficult one. For one thing, it’s one of the few cases where the official state song is in serious contention. “My Old Kentucky Home” is a beautiful song, maybe the … Continue reading →

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Rubio is the frontrunner (ignore those polls)

Posted on November 16, 2015 by olneyce

Marco Rubio is the most likely current candidate to win the Republican nomination, and that’s true regardless of what the polls say. And it’s true regardless of what the polls say about Iowa and New Hampshire, too. That’s a bit of a … Continue reading →

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50 songs for 50 states: Kansas

Posted on November 12, 2015 by olneyce

Holy cow, does Kansas have some slim pickings. If not for this song, I honestly have no clue what I even would have picked. And this song isn’t even really about Kansas. Jimmy Webb’s inspiration for the song were the … Continue reading →

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The kids are alright – three cheers for the students

Posted on November 10, 2015 by olneyce

We hear a lot of stories about students these days. Complaints about a culture of protest and shelter. About students who demand safe spaces, who shy away from engaging anything difficult, who treat the academic space as a therapy session, … Continue reading →

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50 songs for 50 states: Iowa

Posted on October 30, 2015 by olneyce

Iowa (Traveling III) – Dar Williams Dar Williams can capture a specific feeling better than just about anyone, and this song is one of her finest examples. The feeling of repression that you learn to cultivate, the things that are … Continue reading →

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Let’s always be you and me

Posted on October 6, 2015 by olneyce

Always – Moving Panoramas Gentle guitar lines that wash over you in waves. Warm melodies wrapped lightly around beautiful voices. Deceptively simple chord progressions that feel immediately intimate and familiar, but still fresh and exciting. It’s timeless, speaking truths that last … Continue reading →

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50 songs for 50 states: Indiana

Posted on September 19, 2015 by olneyce

A musical celebration of the 50 states. One song each week over the course of the year. Not too many great songs about Indiana. There are lots of Mellencamp songs about Indiana, but like I said…not too many great songs … Continue reading →

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50 songs for 50 states: Illinois

Posted on September 16, 2015 by olneyce

Come On! Feel the Illinoise! (Part I: The World’s Columbian Exposition – Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream – Sufjan Stevens Plenty of great options for Illinois—including but not limited to: Wilco, Common, Sinatra, Sun Kil Moon, … Continue reading →

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A nation built on slavery

Posted on September 16, 2015 by olneyce

Today’s episode of ‘you can’t be serious’ is provided by Sean Wilentz in the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times. Willentz is arguing that Bernie Sanders is wrong to say that the United States was founded on racist principles. … Continue reading →

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A word on civil disobedience and Kim Davis

Posted on September 3, 2015 by olneyce

I want to talk a little bit about Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who has just been jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples. In particular, I want to talk about the way that a lot … Continue reading →

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