Walk Like an Egyptian -- to the 60s

Here, thanks to tech-savvy Ken Silber, is audio from our debate about Zionism two nights ago.  (Ken notes that the audience vote, which went against Zionism, might have been ever so slightly skewed by a crucial misquoted stat about land ownership in Israel.)

This week has been a big one for Middle East news (and this month is scheduled to see U.S. troops withdraw from Iraqi cities). We have seen President Obama talk like an Egyptian — and if you were around in the summer of 1986, odds are you were trying to “Walk Like an Egyptian,” since the Bangles released that perfect pop song then.

Odder, did you know Matthew Sweet and Bangles lead singer Susanna Hoffs (seen above back in the day doing a sidelong glance and today, looking perfect at fifty) did an album together of 60s covers, including a Fairport Convention song (Fairport Convention being the epic folk-rockers who likely greatly influenced the new Decemberists album), inspired by the Hoffs/Sweet collaboration in an Austin Powers movie? And so mod rears its head on this blog once more this week.