This may interest you, Lola: Send a Piana to Havana. I think I've mentioned in the past, but I still think it's cool as can be and I have the opportunity I will mention it again. It's an organization that sends pianos and replacement parts to Cuba, and makes a yearly trip to repair and tune pianos. (The organization's founder is a piano tuner by trade.) See this for the group's ongoing scuffles with Washington. The harassment goes back to the Clinton years, but has increased under Bush. Inspirational Government Warning (emphasis added):

What began as a plan to confound the embargo by sending pianos to Cuba in spite of the blockade, became a tax-deductible project when the Department of Commerce unexpectedly licensed the shipments in 1995. The Office of Missile and Nuclear Technology gave final approval, under the sole condition that the pianos not be used for "torture or human rights abuse."

...sole condition that the pianos not be used for "torture or human rights abuse."

It's not like they were fixing accordians, for dog's sake.

Soon Miami had the largest CIA substation in its history, generously contributing to the employment and prosperity of Miami. Its staff feverishly threw themselves into plotting all manner of inventive, often hilarious, schemes to remove Fidel Castro. There would be exploding cigars, beard defoliants intended to emasculate the Cuban leader and a succession of Mata Hari sirens trained to transmit the kiss of death.

Huh.

I'm surprised - nay, shocked! - by the lack of reaction to that David Bowie video I posted here the other day. The man rocks harder than mere mortals wearing a dress with Klaus Nomi & another guy doing androgynous robot moves behind him. And that's before the appearance of the creepy puppet suit!

I live to shock, Corwood. I still don't have much reaction to offer, but you may enjoy this.

ETA: I know you'll like this one.

the lack of reaction to that David Bowie video

Just watched. The stuffed pink poodle freaked me out more than the weird puppet suit.

Some friends of mine did a Nomi-themed club night some time ago, so I shared the link with them. Thanks!

I have the new Tool album. Haven't listened to it yet, for a couple of reasons, but I plan on giving it a good listen this afternoon. Added bonus, the version I received actually folds out into a stereoscope, and there's a small booklet of 3-D images, with creepy pictures of the band, and artwork by Alex Grey.

Desmond Dekker dead at 64.

I am not a fan of Tool, but that stereoscope package (we got it at the radio station) is pretty cool.