I HAD TOO MUCH TO DREAM LAST NIGHT: HARRY POTTER AND THE FIBERGLASS SHARK

I am at a swimming pool on top of a hill overlooking a marina. There is a speedboat in the pool being eaten by a shark that eats fiberglass. It’s a fiberglass shark. A man is watching the marina – he plans to release the fiberglass shark in the marina for some plan – possibly to assassinate someone on a boat, or something.

Further up the same hill, there is a big house. Several teen boys are there. One lives there, another is his visiting older brother and one is Harry Potter. I’m there with them. They’re horsing around with a high-pressure hose – the stream hits me and they don't realize this at first so it keeps hitting me.

Harry sees two glowing eyes in a nearby bush, but it’s just a cat. The older brother goes down the hill to investigate, comes back and says. “There’s a hillfire – we need to go.”

I run to go and look, even though I’m barefoot. I see flames behind the trees, but upon closer inspection they’re not there. I realize it’s an illusion – there is a small branch on fire just above me, and when I stand in front of it, it looks like the hill is on fire. So why did the brother say it was a hillfire, and why didn’t he put out the flames, seeing as how we have a hose?

I woke up before I could find out.

Put out the fire,

This is dF

LISTEN TO IT #48: DO YOU CARE IF I DIE?

It’s kind of amazing to think that The Raveonettes have not only been around for over ten years, but have essentially made a career out mining the same vein of 60s girl-pop by way of a Jesus & Mary Chain distortion wall.

They have a new EP out, and they haven’t really messed with the formula. Which means that, like most Raveonettes releases, it all comes down to the quality and catchiness of the songs themselves. Last year’s Raven From The Grave was somewhat disappointing in that respect – a few good songs but it paled in comparison to In And Out Control, possibly their best record ever.

Anyway, they seem to be back on track with the new EP. Which is to say, I’m digging it.

Listen.

Honestly, does anyone else make soul-crushing heartbreak sound this delightful?

Take me make me break me,

This is dF

ISLAM COUNTS AS A RELIGION IN AMERICA? WHO KNEW?

ITEM: Louisiana Republican state representative Valarie Hodges withdraws support for Gov Bobby Jindal’s new program to allow taxpayer-funded vouchers for religious schools after she discovers that Islam counts as a religion.

“I actually support funding for teaching the fundamentals of America’s Founding Fathers’ religion, which is Christianity, in public schools or private schools,” the District 64 Representative said Monday. […]

“Unfortunately it will not be limited to the Founders’ religion,” Hodges said. “We need to insure that it does not open the door to fund radical Islam schools. There are a thousand Muslim schools that have sprung up recently. I do not support using public funds for teaching Islam anywhere here in Louisiana.”

This is a good illustration not only of how insanely afeared Republicans are of the Islams, but also how myopic they tend to be whenever they try to pass legislation that intentionally blurs the lines between church and state in the unspoken (and unwarranted) assumption that Christianity is the only religion that can legally benefit from such laws.

Naturally, I find grimly hilarious when the penny drops like this. On the other hand, I doubt this will make Republicans think twice about faith-based funding. It’ll probably just make them look for ways to ban Muslims from qualifying.

Back to school,

This is dF