Bob Dylan - The Times They Are a-Changin' chords

One of the most mis-tabbed songs on the internet. I've never seen the correct TAB for this song online. I've even submitted my correct TAB to sites that have the wrong tab and it's been rejected.

One of the biggest errors is putting in too many Am's. There's just one in each stanza, but most like to put in three or four Am's, including at the end of each stanza.

Another error is the sequence before Dylan sings "the times are a changing".  People like to put in all sorts of C and Am chords there, which sounds alright, but it's not what Dylan plays. He plays a D chord, lifts two fingers up and puts one down on A3, then sequence down to A2 then A0. It's unorthodox, but easy and sounds good.

Chords are below, I'll make a video on it to describe it better at some point. (see video link at bottom which is better than what I could do.)

Online tablature is notoriously inaccurate. Please enjoy what I think is the correct TAB for: Bob Dylan - The Times They Are a-Changin':

1.       G             Em         C        G

Come gather 'round people wherever you roam

      G            Em       C             D

And admit that the waters around you have grown

      G            Em            

And accept it that soon you'll be 

  C               G

drenched to the bone

       G        Am           D

If your time to you is worth saving

         D            Cadd9              G6 

  Then you better start swimming or you'll sink 

      D/A

like a stone,

        G                     D   G     Em  

For the times, they are a’ changing  

C   G 

2.  Come writers and critics who prophesies with your pen

And keep your eyes wide the chance won't come again

And don't speak too soon for the wheel's still in spin

And there's no telling who that it's naming

‘Cause loser now will be later to win

For the times they are a’changing

3.  Come senators, congressmen please heed the call

Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall

For he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled

There's a battle outside and it's raging

It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls

For the times they are a’changing

4.  Come mothers and fathers throughout the land

And don't criticise what you can’t understand

Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command

Your old road is rapidly aging

Please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand

For the times they are a’changing

    

5.  The line it is drawn the curse it is cast

The slow one now will later be fast

As the present now will later be past

The order is rapidly fading

And the first one now will later be last

For the times they are a’changing

Chords:

Am      x02210

C       x32010

Cadd9   x30030

D       xx0232

D/A     x00232

Em      022000

G       320033

G6      x20030

Update: I found a video tutorial which I think is the way it should be played. Plus, I had only really tabbed the first stanza and there's a mix up of the chords I didn't realise in the part where Dylan plays harmonica. Probably because I don't play the harmonica and just ignored that part. In the end it's too much to remember. Plus there are lots of lyrics in Dylan's songs to remember too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R7k7TC4be4

High noon on the East China Sea

Some say it's "about time" the world had another world war. Let's hope not.

The Japanese media are in a frenzy, anticipating war by next month over the Senkaku Island/ADIZ dispute. China's provocative act of establishing a new air defense zone will only serve to undermine its foreign policy interests.

Sample article: Impending Japan-China war has the makings of a Clancy classic

article link

Ultimately Beijing may not want war, it probably views the ADIZ move as a bargaining tool against the Japanese over the Senkakus.

But in a worrying sign, China is showing it's willingness to risk conflict.  Someone said "war is politics by other means".

I only hope Barack Obama is up to the challenge, rather than him being distracted by his health care shambles.

Which one is the faker? (Watch funny video on fake sign language guy.)

China has in recent decades enjoyed "most favored nation" trading status with the US, which I guess is a euphemism for "friend we trade with but overlook the human rights abuses of". Well, with actions like this, China shouldn't be regarded as a "trusted friend" of the West anymore.

China wouldn't have made this move unless it thought it could deal militarily with any contingency that arose, particularly with regard to Japan.  China has been building its military for decades, ostensibly for defensive purposes. But it's using its new military powers for aggressive purposes, as it addresses grievances it perceives. 

When South Korea objected to the zone, China said it wasn't directed at them but at Japan. (As though that somehow makes it better for the Koreans, who are allied with Japan?!) The Koreans have now expanded their own zone tit-for-tat style.

With this move China is saying "we are ready" and "we are willing to take on all comers".

Of course China is nothing like on a par militarily with America. But with a huge standing army it would be impossible to defeat on home territory.

Any escalation to conflict risks not only the obvious negative consequences of any military conflict but, due to the World-China and US-China economic relationship, a total global depression perhaps greater than the 1930's one.

The air defense zones of other countries were set up under peaceful circumstances for rather more pragmatic purposes. There's no controversy over the North American zones, for example, because there are no other rival countries nearby.

And, the air defense zones of other nations, such as Japan and the US, are only for aircraft landing in those countries. More importantly, they do not overlap. For example, America has no extended air defense zone over Cuba.

Regarding ownership of the Senkakus: it's arguable as to who owns it, China or Japan. Even Taiwan's in on the mix. You can argue that China really owns them, but then you could also argue Manchuria should still be part of the Japanese Empire. Where you draw the line is subjective.

At present the arbiter of such disputes is called "the status quo". By defying the status quo, China is defying the entire US-led post-WW2 world order.   

By the way, where is the UN in this dispute?! What a useless bunch of do nothing pen-pushing parasites they prove to be time and time again.

*****************

The international order is more fragile than it seems. We have been lucky to experience such stability in the post-WW2 period. But a broader view of history shows that borders are temporary, stability illusory. 

In history might makes right. Empires rise and fall; borders are redrawn. After all, being fair is for chumps when you can just steal land.

This can only serve to have a destabilizing effect on China's relation with the Western allies, and could see the US becoming more prominent in the dispute, rather than less prominent, as apparently anticipated by Beijing. 

Beijing had hoped the move would drive a wedge between Japan and the US. It had hoped that the US would be preoccupied elsewhere in the world such as the Middle East. 

And perhaps China believed the hype that the US's superpower status is waning. Instead it has had the opposite effect -- of renewing and revitalizing the alliance between South Korea, Japan and the United States.

Since WW2 America has had a binding defense pact with Japan, where Japan would take on a pacifist constitution and, in theory, have a passive defense force. Another requirement was that Japan would not develop nuclear weapons, and in exchange the US would provide the nuclear umbrella needed for Japan's defense.

China's move tests this pact. In my opinion, this is no time for the US-led West to back down, even if means total thermonuclear conflict. If it means war, then so be it. Perhaps the only peaceful way out is for true political reform in China.

But how likely is such reform in the near term given the brutality of the oppressive Chinese regime, as exemplified in things like the Tiananmen Massacre?

 Axl Rose had the right idea about China

If Japan cannot call on the US for the favour it's been saving up for 65 years since the second world war, it may have to reconsider its pacifist constitution, expand its military and develop nuclear weapons of its own.

My guess is Japan has enough weapons grade plutonium to make a number of working A-bombs in a few months or even weeks. Either way, whether Japan develops nuclear weapons or not, the prospect of conflict, including nuclear conflict, between China and the West, looms.

======================

Update: Article says US should be deploying for war and mobilizing now. This could be thermonuclear Armageddon -- WW3. I hope Obama is not asleep at the wheel.

http://www.darkpolitricks.com/2013/12/defense-analysts-u-s-should-plan-for-war-with-china/

Hopes for Ange Postecoglou

New Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou said he was surprised to hear from Mark Schwarzer by phone recently that he had retired. There was speculation from a Fox Sports commentator that Ange had a word to Schwarzer and Lucas Neill and said: you may not be at the World Cup 2014. But Ange dispelled these rumours, saying that he had had no such discussion with Schwarzer. He said it was a surprise, and that Schwarzer must have been thinking about it for some time.

It's good to hear such a straight talking style from a head coach. I'm optimistic about Ange's start as Australia national team coach.

I was slightly disappointed that Neill was included in the squad as I believe it's time for him to retire too. But Neill seems determined to play on. And I suppose Australia will have to make do with him as there's not a lot else to chose from at the moment. But overall I think this squad from Ange is a good start.

Wilkshire gone, Neill still here

Socceroos Squad for Costa Rica International Friendly – 19 November 2013:

Player, Club, Caps (goals)

Oliver BOZANIC	FC Luzern, SWITZERLAND	1 (0)
Mark BRESCIANO	Al Gharafa, QATAR	72 (13)
Tim CAHILL	New York Red Bulls, USA	65 (28)
Jason DAVIDSON	SC Heracles Almelo,  NETHERLANDS	3 (0)
Ivan FRANJIC	Brisbane Roar, AUSTRALIA	5 (0)
James HOLLAND	FK Austria Vienna, AUSTRIA	12 (0)
Mile JEDINAK	Crystal Palace FC, ENGLAND	41 (3)
Josh KENNEDY	Nagoya Grampus, JAPAN	34 (17)
Robbie KRUSE	TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, GERMANY	28 (3)
Mitchell LANGERAK (gk)	B.V. Borussia 09 Dortmund, GERMANY	2 (0)
Matthew LECKIE	FSV Frankfurt 1899, GERMANY	4 (1)
Ryan McGOWAN	Shandong Luneng Taishan FC, CHINA PR	7 (0)
Matthew McKAY	Brisbane Roar, AUSTRALIA	44 (1)
Mark MILLIGAN	Melbourne Victory, AUSTRALIA	25 (2)
Lucas NEILL	Omiya Ardija, JAPAN	95 (1)
Tommy OAR	FC Utrecht, NETHERLANDS	11 (1)
Tom ROGIC	Celtic FC, SCOTLAND	7 (0)
Mat  RYAN (gk)	Club Brugge KV, BELGIUM	3 (0)
Dario VIDOSIC	FC Sion, SWITZERLAND	18 (1)
Rhys WILLIAMS	Middlesbrough FC, ENGLAND	13 (0)
Alex WILKINSON	Jeonbuk Hyundai FC, KOREA REPUBLIC	-
Michael ZULLO	Adelaide United, AUSTRALIA	10 (0)

Postecoglou is not a top choice coach by any means -- he sure is no Guus Hiddink. But Australia's choices are limited right now, this close to a World Cup, and he is a good fit. 

If there was more time perhaps Football Federation Australia could find a better pedigree coach internationally, and give that coach time to analyse the players and make an informed decision on the squad to pick. But given the circumstances, probably the best the FFA could do, without spending crazy exorbitant money for an overseas coach, was to pick a local.

At least as a fan of the Socceroos, Ange would have been familiar with the team -- he would have a less steep learning curve than a foreign coach brought in cold. And Ange is much more than a mere Socceroos fan, being an A-league coach and some-time Fox Sports pundit as well. So he probably already had somewhat of a plan in mind even before he was confirmed for the job.

I don't agree with this business of a home grown coach feeling it more -- that you need a home grown coach to feel the passion. These days football is a business, and while the TV frames are filled with coaches punching the air emphatically after their team scores, passion really has little to do with it. Football is a business and the manager is the CEO. If Holger didn't have the "passion" for the Australian team it's not because was foreign.

So I don't really care if Ange is "home grown" or not, but I do think he is the right guy for the job at this time. 

I am a bit dubious on this five year contract though: five years is a long time in football. Certainly Ange should see out at least the World Cup 2014 and the Asian Cup just seven months after that in 2015. But five years? It's a long time.

So long Schwarzer

Australian football keeper Mark Schwarzer has announced his international retirement. And what a glittering career it was. But I was hoping he would retire after he became the second choice keeper at Chelsea.

I was puzzled by Schwarzer's move to Chelsea in light of his ambition to represent Australia at the World Cup in Brazil 2014. You should aim to be first choice keeper if you're going to continue to be a national goal keeper. For example there was an opening for first choice at another close by London club, Crystal Palace, at the time when he chose to go to Chelsea.

Not that Australia's new first choice keeper Mitch Langerak is the first choice keeper in his club either. But he is at the opposite end to his career to Schwarzer and will surely be a first keeper at some team in the near future.

The other keeper selected in new coach Ange Postecoglou's recent squad, Mat Ryan, is the first keeper right now for Belgian club Brugge, so maybe he should be Australia's new first choice keeper. Although of the two, I think Langerak probably edges out Ryan.

While Schwarzer's decision to join Chelsea was not good from the point of view of his involvement in the national team, it was a brilliant for him personally. 

Chelsea is only a short drive down the road from his residence and previous club Fulham. Schwarzer's family is English-raised and wants to stay. So it's great for him to be involved in a club like Chelsea at the latter stage of his career because it could lead to him becoming a goal keeping coach there. In any case it's good to be involved with a top club.

Schwarzer still saving goals in a recent game against Japan.

But for someone who want to be his nation's first choice keeper the Chelsea move was wrong. That's why I think it was the right decision for him to retire now. And what a record he leaves! A top and consistent performer for club and country over 20 years. He holds the record for most EPL games of any foreign born (non-British Isles) player. And he will be remembered as a legend.

Schwarzer's famous heroics that took Australia to the 2006 World Cup.

Schwarzer was also a hero off the field with his charity work, including authoring children's books such as the Vootball Kids.

So long Schwarzy, and may the Schwarz be with you!

Joe Hart please come back soon

Boy, that sure was quick.  It took me fully six days to do a complete reversal on Joe Hart. Actually it was one game in particular that did it, the recent 7 - 0 whitewash against Norwich in the English Premier League. More specifically it was seeing Pantilimon, City's second choice keeper, that did it.

City's second choice keeper Costel Pantilimon (age 26).

Not that Pantilimon is a bad keeper, but he is a second choice keeper for a reason. He did well in that game and kept a clean sheet, but he wasn't perfect and he wasn't that well assured in my opinion. Although with time he may gain the much-touted "match fitness" and that allure of confidence.

For example, there was one corner where he should have come out and punched it away. Negredo tried to head it, but made a mess of it, and it went out for another corner against City.

Pantilimon is a good keeper...but maybe not great. Which is why Joe Hart must get back into form quickly. He is still one of the best keepers in the world when he is in good form, and he is still a valuable member of the City squad.

Actually Hart is probably not that far off the pace -- now that really is a complete reversal of my view on Hart from a few days ago.

Yes, I'm over my hissy fit now, where I said Joe Hart should never play for Man City again because of his recent poor form and mistakes. I admit it: I overreacted.

Joe Hart benched for the Premier League game against Norwich, 2 Nov 2013.

And yet lingering doubts over Hart still remain. Everyone makes mistakes, it's true. But goalkeepers must be judged over time and Hart has made mistakes consistently over the past couple of years or so. 

Some say Hart is too big for his boots. Maybe he is, and maybe he needs time to find his form by getting back to basics. And maybe that should involve him going to a lower league for a time.

Or, on the other hand, maybe Pellegrini will select him as keeper in a matter of weeks. Surely, though, it wouldn't be a matter of days. Pantilimon deserves at least another couple of EPL games before a change back to Hart is considered.

And then again, perhaps my initial instinct was right: Hart stinks and should never come back for City unless Pantilimon is injured. That can't be right though, as Hart was excellent for at least some of his career; he was chosen as England keeper after all -- not everyone can do that.

So, while I do want Joe Hart to regain form soon, as Manchester City need him, it also occurs to me that Manchester City should be looking for a new keeper at the end of the season, if not earlier, at this coming summer transfer window.

Manchester City is a big club these days and deserves the best players in every position. A manager shouldn't have to be in doubt about whether to field someone for a given position, particularly not in a team like Manchester City.