Trying to Stop being Clever

https://secure.avaaz.org/fr/petition/Eliminons_la_mechancete_de_lunivers/?ddBjHeb So, evil is bad. A petition to get rid of evil. Well, here’s what I think about that: those Frenchies and their sense o’ humor… the problem with eliminating evil includes this: human nature and (sad to say) that which makes us strive for new and better things includes the inclination to take advantage of the honest and generous. There will always be opportunistic, amoral people who will take what they do not earn and do harm to those who don’t deserve it for personal gain. Remove the evil and you’re opening up the human race to criminals who don’t yet know that they are criminals. It will start off slow, but soon we’ll be right back where we were. Without the inclination for evil and negativity, people would become very critical of just how good others are not. The scale would become very judgmental of anyone doing anything less than the very best possible, and then what might seem like a good deed

I don't think I have ever been outraged at what I considered to be a racist comment by anyone on the internet. If I see a truly ignorant and shameful comment about a race or a group, I typically dismiss the commenter as just that: ignorant and shameful. I also find many of the people who cry "racist" to be ignorant or just caught up in their idea of what is right. In the exchange above I cried "racist!" only to get the ball rolling, I guess. I mean, based on what people consider to be racist these days, this definitely falls into that category. Not because it's insulting, but because it makes assumptions about a nationality (I've learned that the antiquated definition of the word "race" is now obsolete, and that racist doesn't have to deal with someone of one of the old-timey "races" of Caucasoid, Negroid and Mongoloid. People who post things like this know that someone is going to call it racist. As soon as they see it, they

For our "wooden anniversary" I bought a birdhouse and a set of paints and brushes that we could use together. She got me these great wood-handled steak knives. Just after our "copper anniversary" we finally got around to painting it. Afterward she realized that, if we're going to put it outside, we would need to finish it with a lacquer or shellac to protect the paint. So we stopped in at Lowe's today before our shopping trip at Sam's Club. We found a can of shellac and bought it. On our way out we were passing the entrance door on the outside when a young guy came barreling out pushing a shopping cart with two Dyson vacuum cleaners in it. He almost ran into me. I said, "woah, excuse me" and he just kept charging by. I said, "hey, small child here!" when I noticed Delilah was not stopping to let him go by. I heard him say "sorry" but he kept going. I heard someone else around us say something, either to him or to us, but I c

Some cover songs I've recorded in various states of cars and parking lots and bed. I do it for love. Click below for links to the YouTube videos. It's Time by Imagine Dragons Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men Little Black Submarines by The Black Keys Too Close by Alex Clare Ho Hey by The Lumineers I'll Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie She's Leaving Home by the Beatles Shadow of the Day by Linkin Park Madness by Muse (Rum&Coke version) Big Me by The Foo Fighters (cover by Orange Cones) Wait Wait Wait by Hanni El Khatib Lady Midnight by Leonard Cohen Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head by Burt Bacharach Unbelievers by Vampire Weekend Lovesong by The Cure Tired of Being Alone by Al Green You Are the Sunshine of my Life by Stevie Wonder Riptide by Vance Joy

Everything It's not so hard to say how I feel I make it too big of a deal If I could stand all night by your side Everything I dream about is everything you wake up as Everything I want is what you are If it's not too big of a deal I wonder what it's like Won't you take me there just for tonight? Everything I dream about is everything you wake up as Everything I want is what you are Guitar solo I guess it's not that big a deal to tell you what it's like So you're not everything just everything I like Everything I dream about is everything you wake up as Everything I want is what you are Audio on YouTube Copyright 2008 David DM Coutant

Sound If a tree falls in the woods and no one's around to hear it does it make a sound? Well, that depends on what you consider sound Sound is a vibration on the air that's picked up by the ear and perceived by the brain so if there's not an ear what does the vibration mean? If it's just a movement of the air until it hits an ear well, that's one way to look at it But if that's true then there is no sound on any other planets that we can see no matter what falls down cuz there's never anyone around It does all the things that make it sound except be perceived as sound but would it count if someone were to set up a tape recorder? If it's just a movement of the air until it hits an ear well, that's one way to look at it If I sang this song and no one was here would I make a sound? Well I guess I would cuz I'd be here, and I would hear / and I have ears If a tree falls in the woods and nobody's there it sti

I Imagine So Do fishermen have fish talk? Everybody's got their slang I imagine so I imagine so Do better men have wish talk? It's all a plan I imagine so I imagine so Do people have a breaking point? Well let's find out I imagine so I imagine so I imagine so I imagine so and I want you to know the time and know that I won't hurt you and know the time, and know that I won't hurt you I imagine so Do tears ever stop working? Well tell her that I imagine so I imagine so I imagine so I imagine so Audio on YouTube Orange Cones live on YouTube Corduroy Lifejacket live on YouTube Copyright 2008 David DM Coutant

Papaya (I'll Thank You) Papaya, frozen moments in the bathtub Underwater I like the way it sounds in here My body's warming over down the hatch, the war is over I'd feel good if I felt at all Look for my pills, I'll thank you any way you say Look for my friends, I beg you anyway, anyway One more and now I'm settled Just one blanket, just one candle Just one more day to call my own And when the night is over if I wake up, starting over I'll start again with one more try Look for my pills, I'll thank you any way you say Look for my friends, I beg you anyway, anyway Guitar solo Look for my pills, I'll thank you any way you say Look for my friends, I beg you anyway, anyway Audio on YouTube Corduroy Lifejacket live on YouTube Copyright 2008 David DM Coutant

Jenga (not a Milton Bradley game) I emptied out the box onto the floor and gathered all the blocks together I built a little wall out of the pieces cuz I don't know how to play the game Little blocks of wood with that same word burned into each and every one And down the four pills go Gotta get sedate right now And down the four drinks go Gotta get outside right now Don't keep anything dark and secret Don't keep anything closed I'm a boy, just a boy Please don't see me as anything else Little bits of words are somehow burned into each and every vein And down the four pills go Gotta get sedate right now And down the four drinks go Gotta get outside right now Audio on YouTube Lyrics, not title Copyright 2008 David DM Coutant

See? Kay Won! Take me for example Drive me downtown Buy me cK1 Buy me speed and brown What do I see in the Earth Sign? What do I see? What will I do with another Taurus? What will she do to me? Take me how you want me It's always gonna be Buy me tea and bread Bring it to my bed What do I see in the helpless? What do I need? What will I do with another memory? What will it do to me? Audio on YouTube Orange Cones video on YouTube Corduroy Lifejacket live on YouTube Copyright 2008 David DM Coutant

Allen H Don't make me drink that I don't think I'm going Don't make me Don't make me Drive to the corner I'll let myself out Just drop me off don't drop me Tomorrow I'll be there I think I'll be staying Just need a lift, just a nap Tomorrow I'll be here I'm half the way sleeping Don't wake me up 'til I'm up Don't be so bitter I'm not having fun I can't stand it You're boring Drive to the corner I'll throw myself down Just let me off don't let me go Tomorrow I'll be there I think I'll be staying Just need a lift, just a nap Tomorrow I'll be here I'm half the way sleeping Don't wake me up 'til I'm up Audio on YouTube Orange Cones live on YouTube Podcast performance on YouTube Copyright 2008 David DM Coutant

Superfluous It's like a day without air La da da There's no wind in your hair La da da Cuz you're not even there La da da And no one else can feel you when you come into this world of mine and no one else can tell you how to shine It's unnecessarily superfluous and redundant it's so repe-te-te-te-te-te-tetitive woah-oh There's never enough light La da da Cuz in the dark I might La da da not do things just right La da da And no one else can feel you when you come into this world of mine and no one else can tell you how to shine It's unnecessarily superfluous and redundant it's so repe-te-te-te-te-te-tetitive woah-oh Guitar solo And no one else can feel you when you come into this world of mine and no one else can tell you how to shine It's unnecessarily superfluous and redundant it's so repe-te-te-te-te-te-tetitive woah-oh oh-oh Audio on YouTube Orange Cones video on YouTube Corduroy Lifejacket live on Y

My submission to President Obama's "Organizing for Action" website I have not personally been affected by gun violence in my lifetime, and I support the freedom for citizens to own and use firearms, but I also feel there is no need to give access to weapons of war to the general public. I also don't believe the police should have them, because they're nothing but glorified security guards with self-esteem issues. Keep them in the hands of the military and special teams such as S.W.A.T. I believe that there is a broad line between controlling the weapons readily available to the public and a ban on guns. We can't ban guns altogether, and I don't believe anyone is trying to. Let's let the government step in and try to reign in some of this senseless killing made possible by paranoid hillbillies who don't dare take their fingers off their triggers. (Submitted 2/20/2013) In response to http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/02/20/1617651/colorado-

The Presidents Song (Is this a ribbon mic?) George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams (Son of the second president) Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison John Tyler, James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor (who died under mysterious circumstances) Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln Andrew Johnson, U.S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes (the only president wounded in the civil war) James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harisson Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt (the first president to ride in an automobile) William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (the only president elected to four terms) Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Rudolf Ford (the only president who was never elected to office) Jimmy Carter,

Capable There's this feeling I ca n't explain It seems it hit me like a train pulling from the inside to the out My feet don't push down quite as hard I feel like running in the yard I don't know exactly what has changed But I feel so much brighter now A light's come on inside me now I'm better and I'm stronger than before And I feel so much braver now I'll take on any danger now I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid I'll fall I feel so capable I'm making new friends, I'm learning how An old friend just came back to town My confidence is soaring thanks to them I'm getting on the grid at home Who would have known how much I'd grow knowing I am part of the world again? And I feel so much brighter now A light's come on inside me now I'm better and I'm stronger than before And I feel so much braver now I'll take on any danger now I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid I'll fall I feel s

Fairy Tale I asked for the hand of the sweetest in the land and she stared frozen at me When she got control of her tongue once more this is what she said to me "No one ever speaks to me" she said "No one dares get near to me "No one's ever asked me a question before to give me a chance to agree" To give me a chance to agree I asked her if she would come walk with me across the sand and the lawn She looked around and made not a sound and wondered what was going on "No one's ever invited me" she said "I've never walked but alone "How do we do it? Do I lead or do I follow? "And how do we know when we're done?" And how do we know when we're done? I took her to the shore and we talked some more She mostly listened and smiled With the sunrise I blinked my eyes and found I was alone all the while No one ever listens to me I guess No one was there at all Nobody walks with me, nobody cares

Minor Hero I can't do much, you know what they say about the mastery of a jack-of-all-trades I don't have the answers and I can't see all the shades A minor hero is still a hero A minor hero is still a hero Of what you have to choose from I may be nearly the best Of those that are close to you I'm closer than the rest It's not with flying colors even if I pass your test A minor hero is still a hero A minor hero is still a hero If you don't call around you won't find someone better If you don't compare I come off pretty good Don't expect much and I can do it all A minor hero is still a hero A minor hero is still a hero Video on YouTube Live at Fenix 5-4 on YouTube Copyright 2011 David DM Coutant Song available for purchase at CDBaby.com

A few days ago someone mentioned to me that I'm not what they would consider a "Nice Guy." At first I was taken aback (I can't believe "aback" is really a word). I thought I WAS a nice guy. This morning I had a breakthrough (eh) and I wrote a letter to this person. Here it is: I realized something a few minutes ago. I realized that I don't expect to be thought of as a Nice Guy. I don't think I am particularly. I'm quite smarmy and critical and I tease people and I'm definitely kind of a jerk. What I want to be is a Good Guy. As long as, when people talk about me, they can conclude that, overall, I'm a Good Guy (as in, I won't do you wrong or try to screw you over, etc, not as in Good Guy/Bad Guy movie matchup), I'm okay with that. I don't want to be thought of as gullible and an easy target, but I want people to know that my heart is in the right place and I care for animals and living things and all that. I think I

I took my grandmother to the bank to tend to some business. After waiting maybe 1/2 hour to see a banker we're told they can't do anything for us. On the way out she says she needs to use the restroom. The bank doesn't have one of course. So we walk to the the nearby Wal-Mart. Men's room is closed for cleaning (she's in a wheelchair and can't go in by herself). So we go nearby to the McDonald's. The stall in the men's room is locked. So we're waiting outside watching people come and go, but nobody comes out of the stall. After a while a young man, maybe about 10, comes out and motions to the ladies' room door. "Do you need someone to open that?" I explained that, no, I was waiting for the guy to come out of the stall. The young gentleman went back into the men's room, then came out and said "there's nobody in there" and held the door for us. I tried t he door again and it was still locked. He said, "

Last night I was sitting in the living room playing Angry Birds. Delilah kept coming up to me with toys, telling me a little something about each one. It was non-stop, one right after another. Finally I said, “and why are we doing an inventory of all your toys?” She looked down at the heart-shaped comb she was holding and said, “I just want your attention.” I was struck with the realization that I’m a bad daddy. I immediately turned off the game and engaged in conversation with her. I’m just glad she is clear-headed enough to tell me what was really going on. With that kind of honesty and insight I feel it’s unlikely she is going to act out in dangerous ways. I can pray, anyway. I love that kid so much.

We look at ourselves, and we see only the surface, we see only what we look like, particularly our flaws, the things we wish were different about ourselves. We often don’t think that, when others look at us, they see past our appearance alone and they see all the things that define us as who we are. All of our personality, our history, our mannerisms, they all add up to the person they’ve come to know. We look in the mirror and we see, for example, our hair. Then we see that it’s us with the horrible hair. Others see first that it’s us, then they may notice the hair. We take for granted that we are going to see ourselves in the mirror, while others don’t know if they will see us at all in any given day, so when they do, the first thing they think is that, oh, you’re here. With that comes many of the thoughts and feelings they have about you, what they might say to you, what they might ask you, what they want to show you. We skip all of that and go straight to judging ourselves based on