2014

The upcoming year will be what we make it.
Life as we know it, can be over in a flash. My brother woke up with chest pains on an August Saturday. Less than 24 hours later, emergency surgery to repair a ruptured aorta failed and he was gone.
Earlier in the summer, two college friends passed away; one after a long illness and the other of complications related to Diabetes. People who are a part of my life but whom I do not know personally, also left us in 2013- authors, politicians, sports figures, entertainers. Winnowing out the herd, huh?
So how I will make 2014 better is to laugh out loud a lot more, to seek new friendships, listen to new music, cook better food, I finally succumbed to being on Twitter and Facebook and it's really not what I thought it was. Although a large number of people do photograph and post the food they just made. But that means I think socially participating is good and I'll probably continue to poke my head out of my cave.
I won't use the word meme or meh. I will continue to boycott any products Charles and David Koch's companies make. But that doesn't mean you should. You will pick your own stuff to concentrate on and I hope that is a good thing for you.
I'm going to use my Netflix account or cancel it.
I'm going to hope that the people we elect, will stop making decisions based upon money and snarkiness. And the incessant need to keep score.
I'm going to try to be at Djangofest, on Whidbey Island in September. I'm going to plan on turning 65 quietly and without much fanfare in late October. I'm going to hope the Cubs get better so that they can win a world series before I die.
I'm going to continue to eat better and lose weight because that's never a bad thing for me or any of us.
I'm going to still have opinions on these pages that will infuriate you, I think. But I hope some of the words make you feel happy and inspired to be a happier you. I have read many posts in the past few days about the enormity of 2013; some even saying they saw it as a passing black cloud. There was a lot of death this past year and I don't think that will change.
I hope people can get health coverage if possible, no matter how it happens, because most of us are one catastrophic illness away from severe trouble.

So, today's humstles are James Taylor's Riding on a Railroad and The Blind Boys of Alabama's version of Walkin' down Freedom Road.

Have a safe NYE. Have much fun and I'll see you soon.

Some ignorance---No bliss.

Yesterday, I preambled a view of the underground American economy. During this I pointed out the ways that some people are trying to survive chronic under or unemployment and some of their methods. I pointed this out because it was in the context of the 'makers vs takers' nonsense and my general unhappiness with income disparity and social inequality.  

It all sounded pretty high and mighty. However, I highlighted the "illegal aspects" of the survival side and that was one sided and ignorant. When I become aware of having said something dumb, it keeps me up at night. Changing history is like looking up a dead elephant's ass. Can't be done.  

So for all the folks who are in the same pickle of inequality, but are working for barter, cash or other survival tools--- and doing it legally--- and to all my readers, I apologize and regret the flyover. When you make a mistake, it's wise to point it out, try what you can to redress it and strive not to repeat it. 

I'm not looking for a mulligan. I'll play it where it lies.  

I love doing this. So I will skulk a little today and look in the mirror during the quality control meeting.  And I will get better it. 

4 more days

Note to Anderson Cooper: If I was doing the NYE show with Kathy Griffin, instead of you, I think she'd try to goose me too. The old school definition of this is to have ass pinched. Newer definition moves the pinching about 180 degrees.

Today's listen in is Miles Davis- Shhhh Peaceful.  It's nearly 17 minutes, but it's worth it. That period of Miles' evolution was pretty kick ass.

Jay Cutler? I think the Titans have your table ready. I haven't seen your table in Chicago recently. Speaking of football, can you name an NFL owner who;
1. Doesn't know Mitt Romney?
2. Isn't an asshole?

I really like Gala apples. I am trying to eat one each day because of their obvious benefits. Most of my fruit servings come from Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Did you know that Jim Beam had grandsons named Booker and Baker? Both believed in making Bourbons with a very high alcohol content.

Upon crafting a budget deal that nobody seemed to care for, the "mulligan" theory is alive and well. Apparently, lawmakers are getting hosed back home for approving a bill that is not kind to veterans. So, when they get back, looks like they will tear this one up and amend it right that wrong. ANd that is a wrong. Will the same folks also right the wrong of not extending unemployment benefits to the other group of deserving Americans- those who cannot find work? Of course, when your approval rating according to your consituents is below 13%, you can probably get hosed for breathing.125 million

So, the other day during the "American Dream" post, one of the current conditions described was that perhaps 25 million people are un or under employed or are so frustrated in a vain search for a good job, they've given up looking. Do we know the full impact and breadth of the unofficial American economy? It's simply inconceivable that people would give up when employment of some kind will give them the financial flexibility they currently lack access to. Even if it's moving illegal drugs, guns, furniture that fell off the back of the truck, the sex industry (in all its forms), fencing stolen goods, gambling, local consulting,  pursuant to any of the aforementioned or many other areas. There are hundreds of ways to "skin the cat" and we should never underestimate the entrepreneurial spirit of people in need. Does it occur to 53% ( or the makers or job creators, as they like to call themselves) who complain about the 47% (takers) those who  they feel are lazy and permanently live from government subsistence programs are augmenting that assistance with activities that are not quite on the up and up? When they talk about "personal responsibility" do they ever mention the underground economy? They talk about the people who are permanently unemployed as potentially 20% of the work ready population in this country. Well, say that that figure is 20% of 125 million people. Bingo, there's the 25 million. The question is, when are our business, civic, education and government leaders going to convene and figure out where the jobs are, what it takes to train someone to have one and what impact that has upon our country. Don't look now--- it's THAT important. I am trying to factor in every possible manner in which people can find jobs. Not from the bullshit platitude angle that we've grown accustomed to, but from the real angle. We keep throwing money at problems and therefore, when the money doesn't buy the solution, we have a "spending" problem. There's a way to boil this down so that we can propose solutions that can be explained in less than 1,364 pages.

Maybe that just doesn't exist. I would love to offer some thoughts. Even in the most complex of conditions, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

President Obama threw "Bubba" Clinton a huge sobriquet last year by pronouncing him the Chief Officer for Explaining Things. I think that's what people are crying out for- a simple explanation of a problem and an equally simple remedy. People want to cut through the bullshit.

This is just a segment of my drivel. I still want to talk about music, sports, policy, entertainment, food and social justice. But elections are coming and they really have consequences. We all need to be better educated about the process. Because at the end of any day you want to point to, we're the ones who have to live with the result of what we're not involved in. And that ain't right. However, you can just say, 'my life is too full to listen to this jerk pontificate' and you won't read anything I say. I'm hoping andbetting you won't do that.

Best thing I've said all day------

My karma ran over my dogma.

And floating into my consciousness, of all people. today's humstle:

Grace Jones- Nightclubbing.

I hope everybody's Christmas was enjoyable. Since our dogs did a number on all post meal turkey on Thanksgiving, we decided to reprise it yesterday. First a brine of vegetable stock, garlic, shallot, peppercorns, allspice berries and candied ginger. Cooked up moist and tender and since all the butcher had left was a 21 pounder, plenty of leftovers.

I was thinking about the 10 things we need to talk about, but clearly don't want to and maybe I'll tackle some of them in the New Year. I won't tell you when so there will be no opportunity to boycott this blog that day. Until you start reading, that is.

Three people in my small family circle are either un or under employed. Further they do not have health insurance. One of these folks is not a fan of our current President or his signature legislation. Therefore, when it was time to look into that, he saw the name in front of the -----care and wasn't going to do anything that had "his" name on it. He now will have a serious hernia condition surgically repaired this week and the cost of such a procedure in the state he lives in will probably be about $10,000.00. Pearls before Swine? Pride before a fall?

How many stories in your family or circle of important people??

Have a wonderful day. They go by fast you know.

Happy, Happy

All the best to everyone. Back at it in a couple of days. Be safe and loved wherever you are.

The American Dream

Some facts:
1. 37% of American homes own televsions.
2. 14% of Americans live in poverty.
3. An additional 20% earn less than $35,000.00 per year.
4. 600,000 Americans are homeless at any given time.
5. The earned or more likely, the inherited wealth of the heirs of
 a certain American Corporation is greater than the bottom 40% of all Americans.
6. Unemployed people, or those who have given up looking for work is probably greater than 25 million people.
7. About 120 million people own a car.
8. Though the number has been decreasing, about 45% of Americans own guns.
9. 7,000,000 Americans are presently incarcerated.
10. There are about 314,000,000 Americans according to the latest census.

1.I list the televsions because those who have TV's watch them. What are they seeing on a daily basis? What is the POV that advertisers seek to message to them? Forget about the content of televsion shows, just focus on what people are trying to get you to buy.

2. What is the definition of poverty? It is the measured privation and the possession or lack thereof of material goods. The U.S. Government and many other groups are the definers of how this equates to the realities of peoples needs.

3. $35,000.00 equates to about $700.00 per week. Whether one is an individual living on this amount or a family of 2,3 or more, that number is proportionate to what goods are available to people.

4. It may be fair to say that if one is a member of this group, they are at or near the poverty level.

5. There is an ongoing discussion of inequality in this country; how it has evolved and how it is or isn't relevant to #'s  1-4- and 6-10 for that matter.

6. Economists say that "full employment" is when everybody who is able or wants to work at a job that his/her skill set has prepared them, CAN.

7. Part of # 6 is answered by mobility, the ability to physically get to and from a job; even though owning a car is so much more.

8. This is one of the most contentious issues in our national "conversation". It is a right that was set forth by the founding fathers of this country and became the 2nd amendment to the U.S. Constituion.

9. In relation to  many of the above points, this is also a very troubling statistic; one that makes the U.S. the most incarcerated populace on the planet.

10. And that's the number of people who are directly or certainly indirectly impacted by 1-10.

And the American Dream? It is the supposition that anybody who is born or emigrates to this nation is in the mix to enjoy, by the fruits of their own labor, luck or good fortune, the equality, material comfort and blessings that we say typify the ideals upon which this nation was founded.

How are we doing? How are you doing? What's the prognosis? Are we on the right or wrong track to achieve this dream?

I usually don't post on Sundays. It is a day of rest and reflection. I reflected and I hope you will too.
Every day that I do write, I try to include some reference to music that might be relevant. Today's humstle is Terrapin Station.*   " The storyteller makes no choice. Soon you will not hear his voice. His job is to shed light- but not to master."

*Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia


 

No Dog in the fights

Each day I try to give what I call a humstle, a song that gets in your head for no apparent reason and you find your self humming or whistling it. It is contagious. Music is great contagion. One of its gifts, is it reminds us to listen.

Here's a mix I made  for someone yesterday. Would you play this in your car? If you have a car, that is- I shouldn't assume.

1. Tom Waits- Walking Spanish
2. Les McCann and Eddie Harris- Compared to What?
3. David Grisman- O'Banion's Wake
4. NRBQ- Boozoo and Leona
5. Bonnie Raitt- Everybody's Cryin' Mercy
6. Bruce Springsteen (The Dublin Sessions) Further On (Up The Road)
7. Rusted Root- Send Me On My Way
8. Counting Crows- Rain King
9. Danny O'Keefe- Portrait in Black Velvet
10. El Rayo-X- Tiki Torches at Twilight
11. Donald Fagen- Ruby Baby
12. Randy Newman (From "The Natural") The Majors: The Mind is a Strange Thing
13. Traveling Wilburys- Last Night
14. Gene Pitney- 24 Hours From Tulsa
15. John Prine- Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaiian
16. NRBQ- I Like That Girl
17. John B. Sebastian- Rainbows All Over Your Blues
18. Dave Grusin and GRP All Stars- Sing Sing Sing

Any memories? Smiles? Hope so.

 No Phil Robertson today. No ACA, No Starlin Castro Trade (dammit!), but speaking of baseball, I was watching MLB last night and was reminded of two incidents that made me smile; a favorite player of mine who (in my opinion) didn't juice in his career and ended up with 500 home runs and 3000 hits*. And the two players whose 3000th hit was a home run**

I am noticing the manic gear of people who haven't had the holiday spirit yet, dialing it up. These are
the late shoppers. It's a good time to stay out of their way.

Happy Friday every one. Tell someone you love them. It's more appreciated than you know. And even if your dog is a cock blocker when he/she gets on your bed and won't leave, they are one of the epitomes of unconditional love. If you turn on the news, you don't see a whole lot of love out there. So enjoy it if you got it.

*Eddie Murray
** Wade Boggs and Derek Jeter

See you.

Chillin'

I don't care what Phil Robertson said. I'm about the same age as he is and there is an amendment to the Constitution that allows him to say what he wants. I admit to being a recent viewer (not follower) of Duck Dynasty. I get why it has appeal. Robertson's employers didn't like what he said and they suspended him from the show. They've probably stopped taping episodes for awhile- that's why he's giving interviews to GC. I have a recurring theory. Once somebody becomes famous- or famous as we think of the term, it is only a matter of time until they say something in an unguarded moment that gets them in trouble.

I'm texting with my son who plays the doppleganger game with me on occasion. His for the day: Omer Asik (Houston Rockets, center), and Judge Reinhold. Well, that just started backs and forths from Fast Times At Ridgemont High.  If Ray Walston comes up for discussion, just remember, before he was Mr. Hand, he was Uncle Martin in My Favorite Martian.

I am a businessman and in this season of giving, I can only buy so many bottles of Grey Goose to give to customers as a thank you for their business. So, I make CD mixes for a few of them; actually more than a few. It's not that any have given up drinking, but they prefer the mixes and have actually called to ask if I remembered them this year (of course). With apologies to Harry and David, music plays all year. Their partially enjoyed fruit is in the compost bin 3 days later. Ah, Ah- love Harry and David. Love them. A Pear a day, keeps the NSA away.

Yesterday one mix had the following artists:
Bessie Smith
Tom Waits
Susan Tedeschi/Derek Trucks
Maria Muldaur/Blue Belle Barker
Shel Silverstein
Blind Lemon Jefferson*
Government Mule
Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings
The Blasters
Patsy Cline
Dee Clark
Infamous Stringdusters
Dave Van Ronk
Squirrel Nut Zippers
John Prine
Les McCann and Eddie Harris

 *Black Snake Moan  takes a little courage to listen to.

There is a rumor that the Georgia Public Schools are woefully short on Janitorial workers. Newt Gingrich and Jack Kingston are doing the hiring. Hit em' on their cells.

Todays's humstle:
Asleep at the Wheel w'friends- Faded Love

Be well my fiends and as always, thanks for checking on me. Mom and Dad appreciate it when they're out of town. 

The Hubris battle

In simple terms, the word "hubris" is defined as arrogance or haughtiness. Now I'm going to write about Republicans and Democrats, right? No? Right and Left Wingers? Hamilton vs Burr? The list  goes on, but for the sake of simplicity, let's pick a subject that has wider appeal. Garvin vs Huber- Bengals/Steelers, AFC North clash of the titans. Prestige, money and playoff implications on the line. 

You get it. 

It was a prime moment of hubris from the hit itself to the pantheon of social media, the print and sports network journalists. Went "viral". It wasn't as hot as a wardrobe malfunction. There was no bar fight or subsequent shootings (yet). But many people are talking about it, offering their opinions. Somebody will end up being blamed for hubris. And across political, social and entertainment lines those interested will have an opinion.

So I really got to thinking that just about everything we get exposed to in a typical (is there such a thing?) day, that word comes up. It's a real test, this hubris thing. If your kid comes home in tears and says he was bullied at school, as a parent, what's your reaction? If your government spies on you in the name if some greater good,, what do you think? If your President takes our country to war over a claim of WMD, you think, is that the ultimate example of the hubris thing?The list goes on and on. There are too many examples, and my posts get a bit wordy. So, think about any subject and inject your side and the other side. And think about that. You don't have to be Voltaire, or Emmett Kelly or Bill O'Reilly. 

No pontificating here. We're at the top of the food chain because we're equipped with the capacity to slow things down and think them through. Believe what you believe. T's a crazy looking word.  But it packs a wallop.

Mullies and Gimmees

Today, I posted a title but didn't write anything that pertained to it. I'm old and us "olds" can walk from one room to another and completely forget why we're there. Maybe, not that bad.

Anyway a Mullie or a Mully is short for Mulligan. It's a golf metaphor, and it pertains to a do over or a second chance. I think of the scene in Goodfellas after Henry and Tommy have torched the joint because they've milked it for everything it had and now they had to burn it for the insurance money.
So the erstwhile Henry Hill is explaining why it probably wasn't such a good idea to have let "Paulie" in on the restaurant, because no matter what else happened, the boss got his "tribute". He had to get paid for anything the bar generated. You probably remember the scene.

So while the bar burns, Henry is explaining the reality---such as "Oh you had a Fire?? F**k you pay me!"
So I got to wondering in this joyous time of year whether a mulligan is a metaphor for being "born again."? We hear about redemption and second chances and I think of politicians whose names were found in the pages of a "madame's" clientele list. Or the guy who tweets his junk to strangers. Or the people who pass budget deals and leave out the welfare of very important people- real people. Will their time come when they ask for a mully? Don't they deserve it?

Oh, you hit a shitty drive and you want a mully, go ahead. It's OK.
Oh you have a 6 foot putt? You can have a Gimmee. Just remember I gave you one. I may need you to give me one someday.
Oh, you embezzled from the office petty cash, used the dough to buy crack and made a shambles of your life? Just ask God for forgiveness and you will become whole again. But go to rehab and write a book.

Do the families of the kids and teachers gunned down in Newtown get a mully? Or the families of all gunshot victims for that matter??

So the humstle that seems appropriate is John Wesley Work's and the Fisk Jubilee Singers  Wade in the Water. We all need to be forgiven for our actions-- by others but mostly, by ourselves. I just struggle with the whole thing from time to time. It's such a good time of the year. But it's also a time for contemplation and figuring out being kind and forgiving as well.

I usually post once a day, but whenever I know I got something either wrong or incomplete, I like to go back and finish if I can. OFYAH: Scorpio. It's in my nature

No writer will always write everything you like. You wouldn't want me to, would you? That'd be boring. I think of the question that was once asked of a person: Are you Ambivalent or Stupid? Answer: I don't know and I don't care. But I think we all do care.
 But I'm still not going to sit on Santa's lap. Uh unnnh.

"Mullies"

In your life, into how many public bathrooms have you left a deposit?**

Are dogs that can't stay off your bed **ck blockers?

Did the Cubs trade Starlin Castro yet?

It has been reported that the State  of Colorado has discovered almost "double" the amount of Endocrine Disrupting Checmicals (EDC's) at fracking sites. They just don't get it. In Pennsylvania, officials usually ignore these results and explain any potentially harmful site discovered chemicals are the result of "faulty testing."

A moment, please: Glands that secrete life sustaining fluids to the bloodstream that directly affect nearly every function of the human body. But as our good friend Frank Drebin said, " but that's not important right now.."

Why are we naming winter storms?

The Transparency Train: Darrell Issa, member of Congress from California's 49th district is conducting nationwide hearings, whereby he is humbly asking for anyone who wants to come in and report their experiences with the ACA. (I won't call it Obamacare). There's just one problem. In reviewing the transcripts of these "hearings" I do not see people giving testimony that they have signed up and are happy with the fact that they are covered for the first time in their lives. Uh Oh.!! The dog ate my homework- when he wasn't on the bed being a **ck blocker."

Speaking of the Affordable Care Act, a sizable amount of legislators from a certain political party have launched a nationwide campaign to remind folks that after their party wins a majority in the Senate in the 2014 midterm elections, it is full speed ahead for defunding and repeal of the ACA.

In other ACA news, former Pennsylvania Senator, Rick Santorum said this: " If we have a system where the government is going to be the principle provider of healthcare for the country then we're done. Because then you're dependent on the government for your life and your health.

A moment please: Where does it state in this law that the government accrues any financial benefit from this law's implementation? Doesn't the law provide that the potential beneficiaries are the private healthcare providers? Is the Government collecting the premiums for whomever signs up?
Just saying.

Please call me when Dez Bryant stops crying. 'Mamas, don't let your Cowboys grow up to be babies.'

Today's humstle:
Nick Lowe- I knew the Bride When She Used to Rock and Roll.

Still knocked out remembering John Scofield's Uber Jam this past weekend. I used to listen to him in the 80's and 90's. It's great when music slaps you in the head and says, "How about that??"

Until tomorrow, do me two favors, don't name any winter storms and call me if the Cubs trade Starlin Castro. You can reverse the charges.

** possibly tens of thousands. Kid you not.

Well, well , well

Remind me the next time I go on vacation, not to eat the Pizza they bring into the VIP lounge at 3:15 AM. Or was it hot dog that preceded it?

We return home from Warren Haynes' 25th annual Christmas Jam in Asheville, NC. We visited our farm, saw our grandbaby (cute as hell!). Some of us took a ride on a John Deere B-350 dozer backwards across our creek ( no bridge yet) (boots too short for a splash). Driving from Chicago to Asheville and back is a wonderfully cathartic experience. I love my adopted home town and the music was just amazing. I am going to list all the people I can remember and thank them for giving up their time to play for a charitable event that benefits the Western Carolina Habitat for Humanity. Those three words are really telling. Habitat for Humanity have built 23 homes for people over the years- people who really had nothing and now they walk through a door and into a Habitat- a home. Money goes for assistance and food drives and clothing for those who are less fortunate than many others. Warren Haynes is a wonderful man. God bless the whole damn event and the people who give to help others. And they don't vote to cut off Food Stamps or Unemployment benefits. They play good music and inspire everybody to be be better people. That is a gift that money cannot buy. So--
 I give thanks!!
And sincere apologies to anyone I missed. I will mention in future posts if I did.

WARREN HAYNES AND GOVT. MULE   Warren, and Steph, don't know what to say but thanks. I'm not alone.
KEB MO
GREG ALLMAN*
PHIL LESH* QUINTET
JOHN SCOFIELD UBER JAM
AQUARIUM RESCUE UNIT
WIDESPREAD PANIC
GRACE POTTER AND THE NOCTURNALS
MICHAEL FRANTI
O.A.R. 
JIMMY HERRING
AUDLEY FREED
JEFF SIPE
COUNT M'BUTU
CRAIG SORRELLS
BILL EVANS
RON HOLLOWAY
DR. DAN MATRAZZO
IKE STUBBLEFIELD
JAY BOWMAN
KEVIN KINNEY
RON JOHNSON
OTEIL BURBRIDGE
RANDALL BRAMBLETT
MARC QUINONES
MIKE BARNES
ROOSEVELT COLLIER
DOORS
EMPIRE STRIKES BRASS
THE BROADCAST
TROUBLE
The volunteers and CID Entertainment.

*Two organ transplant guys, still bringing the happy to many people. They were down and out but they got the gift of life. Please consider signing up. You'll smile down from heaven.

This post is about the music of the weekend in North Carolina. On the same night 400 miles away, in Pittsburgh, my dear friends, THE CAUSE were playing a second night of commemoration of the the Grateful Dead's 1980 acoustic/electric sets they recorded at NYC's Radio City Music Hall and San Francisco's Warfield Theatre. The Cause is a hard working band and my dear friends and so while music is the message they deserve a special mention too.
ERIC "PAPPY" WEINGRAD
DAVID " PROFESSOR" TAUBERG
MIKE SOUTH
MIKE "TOUR PRO" TONY 

Lots of other stuff going on and it will get mentioned. But a fond farewell to Peter O'Toole, Tom "Billy Jack" Laughlin and Joan Fontaine.

See you tomorrow. 

12-12-13

Ah, North Carolina. I am walking on our property of 27 acres in McDowell County. We're here to attend Warren Haynes' yearly event, Christmas Jam. Warren is the founder of many bands, not the least of which is Government Mule. He's been the driving force behind this event and this is the 25th anniversary  He knows some musicians who come and play for the good that this event does; all the proceeds go to the Western Carolina Habitat For Humanity. The vibe and all that goes with it is amazing and it's among many reasons that I love this diverse state and hope to live down here permanently some day. That day is still a ways off but if you don't make a plan, the dream has no chance of coming true. The shows are in Asheville, which is sometimes affectionately called the Paris Of The South. It's one of my favorite places- funky, freaky and wonderful. North Carolina has been undergoing a little political upheaval since 2010. We bought the property about then but had no idea what might transpire politically. It matters but at the same time it is tempered by my love of this area. 

You might notice I have opinions in my posts. Why would you bother to follow my blogs if I didn't? I've been coming to NC for nearly 40 years and always knew, somehow I might end up here. So even though local people have taken the state in a very different socio-political direction, I am a visitor here and I may comment from time to time on what I think about that. Many aspects that upset people are that folks they consider outsiders come in and try to make policy. I will be civil, but I too will live here some day, pay taxes here and will care about what goes on here. There is a reasonable way to do that. I will figure out a way to do so in a positive manner. 

For now I am still a tourist guide, extolling the many virtues of this state. I am happy to be here this weekend to participate in a charitable event that does much good for the less fortunate. I'll be writing about the lineup of players next week. Last night was pre-jam event at a local club and if that was any indication of what's to come, I'll hope to have great stories to tell.

For now, I will take leave because I'm on a little vacation but the writing goes on. Again , I thank you for looking in on this thing and if you like what you read, tell your friends. I hope to have many followers. 

Peace and have a happy, safe weekend. 

Snatch defeat from the Jaws of VIctory

River Rescue, Part 1. I watched Paul Ryan and Patty Murray standing up  and announcing compromise yesterday. He's 6' 1", so that makes Senator Murray 3' 9"*. Poor Paul Ryan! He may be headed for another embarrassment most of the damage inflicted by his own party. The budget deal still tilts away from added revenues which may be crucial to a sustained recovery. On the other side, entitlements were left alone so until this deal is read and disseminated, it's hard to see who compromised on what. Both principles represent the well thought of legislative branch of government. You know the one I mean; the one with the approval rating between 9 and 13%. The only clear things to come out of this is to avoid another government shutdown. This is being touted by the punditocracy as being accomplished. So amidst all this happiness and relief, there will come a vote before Congress adjourns for the year. Stay tuned. A successful thumbs up on the deal is currently in doubt, with Presidential hopefuls basically against it. But they voiced their disapproval early in the week and by the time everyone is enjoying holidays, people will have forgotten what it is they said. One of the things that was left out of the bill was an extension of unemployment. It is said that 1.3 million people will be adversely affected by this omission and those who are responsible for that don't want you to remember that either. No immigration reform, no farm bill, little retirement of the effects of the sequester. But we have started to see the dark money warriors beginning another round of "defund and repeal Obamacare ads. Just remember- there's always room for Jell-O.

So as a salute to the people who really run this country, today's humstles are:
Pete Seeger- Little Boxes
Creedence Clearwater Revival- Fortunate One.
Long John Baldry- Everything Stops For Tea.

*Patty, I know you're not 3' 9".

Steve Stockman, R- Texas wants to ask you a question at this festivus time of the year: 'Who, in your foxhole, is bayoneting you in the back?' Did you ever notice that people who blithely use military type terms, have never served? Have you also noticed that Stockman's hero, whom he called a true patriot never served either. You know who I mean- the bowhunting, guitar playing guy who was jailed and executed by his communist government after Barack Obama's re-election? I forget his name, "so I got that going for me. And that's a good thing"

Today is the second day of my "Trade Starlin Castro to any team that needs a shortstop" campaign. It is easy to maintain composure and actually learn to enjoy baseball purgatory, when your team hasn't won a World Series in 105 years. I just don't think I care any more. Especially when my favorite team is owned by Joe Ricketts. Dooooooonnnnnnnn't get me started!!!!

Major props to Warren Haynes, whose annual Christmas Jam is happening this weekend in Asheville, N.C. All performers play pro bono and ALL proceeds go to the Western Carolina Habitat For Humanity. That is one of the greatest works of faith, hope and charity there is; one whose aims were forever advanced by the "worst President in the history of the U.S." Attribution is difficult here because so many have said it in so many different ugly ways. Just a hint: It's a little wild animal with a 3 lettered name.

I no longer flip the bird to people. I have managed a takeoff on Rocky IV, where he can't see and tells Duke Evers and Paulie that he sees 3 Dragos out there. So Pauly says "hit the one in the middle"And Duke, says "yeah, hit the one in the middle. So if someone is giving you a hard time, hold up your ring, bird and index finger and tell whoever's bugging you to.... well, you know. Happy Wednesday. Be well and thanks for readin

Out of my cave

What a couple of days. I have reconnected with people I've had no contact with for nearly 50 years. I had resisted social media for a long time and my recent involvement doing this and sorta getting social with old and new friends has been really great.

So today's humstles are:
Cat Stevens- Wild World and Paul Simon's Myth of Fingerprints

I still love this new forum for writing, and connecting.  Real life has also tapped on the window and said, "hey remember me?" So, maybe some posts will be shorter but I hope to clear those things and stretch things out again soon.

Baseball's winter meetings have begun- a rite of winter to remind me that my Cubs still suck. But for a week I can play pretend General Manager and make lots of trades. Of course, that's like whistling in the wilderness because like the tree in the forest, if I make noise, nobody's going to hear me. And to paraphrase Yogi, 'if people don't want to listen to me, well, nobody's going to stop them.'

There is a major musical event coming up and I will try to report about it in real time or after it's over.

Paul Ryan and Patty Murray are close to a budget deal- or so the story goes. Who's going to **ck this one up? 4 more days of the unremarkable 113th Congress. Do NOT get me started. But we're all grateful for Rand Paul going to Detroit and telling them what to do to bring about the 3rd great renaissance for the motor city after it emerges from bankruptcy. Special interest have such a death grip on elected officials, that gridlock is really not much of a mystery. More about that in the next few days as we give some sort of requiem for a body that accomplished so little. Let's hope they understand that cutting people's unemployment is not something voters will forget.

RIP JIM HALL. There is news of his passing this day and I want to pay tribute to a great guitarist. He played with many and really made a mark on me. So many people still alive and kicking with their music at advanced ages. Always sad when one of them leaves the scene.

I know most everybody is getting ready for serious holidaying, so I'll keep this short. There aren't enough hours in the day to do all that we think we can accomplish.

Thanks for visiting. As ever, I am most appreciative.

Off campus post

Well, it's time to see if I can do this remotely. I like just sitting at my desk and posting. But I travel at times and since this is getting to be a 6 or 7 day thing there will be times I need to get out of my zone to write. 

So, here is a remote post. Testing!

Mandela

Our leaders are mostly ordinary. Most are well below ordinary. Some however, rise well above that status. In my mind, Nelson Mandela was one of those in the latter category. He will be missed. There will be much said about him today.

The White House tweets that if Congress doesn't act by the end of the year, 1.3 million Americans will lose their unemployment benefits. As the 9 percenters only work 6 or 7 more days, that likelihood seems real. And once again, the majority of the house whose daily talking points complain that their adversaries are not listening to the American people are complicit in continuing to shrink the government to a size that they can "drown in a bathtub."

Today's humstle is Ai Du.  One of its versions  comes from a collaboration between the late Ali Farka Toure and Ry Cooder when they made a record called  Talking Timbuktu. Cooder is pretty amazing in that his career has taken some very interesting turns in the past 10 to fifteen years. You may remember the bathtub scene, in Adrian Lyne's Unfaithful.  This song was playing. To me, it's beautifully done. And an RIP goes out to Toure who passed in 2007.

Jacoby Ellsbury?  I guess your Yankee table is ready.

I miss The Rockford Files. do you?

Sen. Kay Hagen of North Carolina is pretty aghast at Citizens United vs Board of Elections. She's circulating a petition. It's the 10th or so, that I've seen. I don't sign them anymore. I hate to paraphrase or quote Donald Rumsfeld but in essence he said you have to fight with the army you have, not the one you'd like to have. Citizen United is a pretty awful thing. But that doesn't seem to stop people from raising vast sums of dark money to fund their political agendas. In Senator Hagen's state, there is a businessman named Art Pope. I won't get into a windy diatribe about this person, but if you're interested in what has happened in North Carolina in the past few years (and how a legislature that had been Democratic since the 1870's flipped and is now Republican dominated) take some time and read about him.* But back to Kay Hagen--
Senator, you can hate the players and/or you can hate the game. But this is the game you've got, not the one you'd like to have. So, while we go on signing petitions, dark money continues to do its dark work. Find the billionaires who can start the PACS that provide the money and resources to combat what you don't like. The way to get rid of Citizens United is to be better at it than your opponents. Once they have lost elections, they will demand that such a travesty be repealed. 

Antonin Scalia made a prescient observation on Constitutional flexibility. I'm going to paraphrase: Persuade people to enact that which you believe to be important. That's flexibility.


*Start with the great work of some of my favorite people, Rachel Maddow and her staff. Like her, hate her, she does good reporting. She checks her facts. She informs. She strives to get facts correct. Anne Royall would be proud of her. Yup, Casey Stengal said it, "you could look it up."- Anne Royall, that is.

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe weekend. This blooger has gotten nearly 1000 visits in the short time I've been doing this. I deeply appreciate that you look in from time to time. Thank you.

Dumber than a sack of smashed assholes

December 31st, 1969. The coldest night I had ever experienced and the night I could have died.

When I was much younger, I worked as a deliveryman for several pizza joints. I could blast the radio, keep to myself and bring hungry people hot food. I got a quarter per delivery and whatever tips I got as my pay. No hourly wage. Just that and all you could eat. Made pretty good money and it was a contest to see how many lights I could avoid and alleys I could use to cut down the delivery time. In those days (This was 1969), we'd stuff the food into aluminum "hotboxes." in the rear of this box was a little drawer into which a propane heater would sit. You had to light it and it really kept stuff hot. When you were done for the night, you'd extinguish it, bring it inside and go on your way. All day, I was really preoccupied because the temperature was -19. The overnight temps were supposed to drop to  nearly -30. That kind of weather can preoccupy anybody.

But of course, this story is only partially about my job and the cold weather. It's really about the events that happened on the day of one of my most memorable shows. I had flunked out of school and had to return home to try and stay in school, and this was the end of a semester I hadn't finished. One of my good buddies was getting a ride up to Chicago and we were going to go to a show that night. It was at an old skating rink that was redone as a psychedelic venue similar to the some of the legendary venues in San Francisco and New York. The Electric Theatre.  What a place this was!! Classic, with light shows bouncing multi color protoplasm off the walls, "privacy booths" in the shape of mushrooms, cages for "go-go dancers";  the whole shebang! Earlier in 1968, One of the first shows I'd seen there had been Country Joe & The Airplane (among MANY others) and even though it changed names over the next few years, it was always a hoot to go to. I really saw some great shows there and to be honest, some real stinkers. This night, however, was Muddy Waters, The Byrds and Fleetwood Mac. The Byrds were playing their first show where allegedly, Jim McGuinn had changed his first name to Roger. I was also really looking forward to the Macs because it was the uh era where you could really enjoy Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer.  Loved the two lead guitar thing. The Byrds started, and were trying to grow into their Sweetheart of the Rodeo mojo. On this night, rumor had it that they were going to be joined by Sneaky Pete Kleinow on pedal steel guitar; at least for this show Muddy was next and the Macs would bring in the New Year. Across the country, The Band Of Gypsies was doing the same thing at the Fillmore East. Now NYE shows are pretty standard. I couldn't wait to get there.

So, I'm delivering in the cold, the box is red hot and I'm rushing to finish. I had asked my boss for an early launch and he was OK with it. Pulled the box out of the car, count my dough, check out and I'm on my way home to meet my friend who sported a great Afro. Of course as I get in the door, all "pleasantries" are exchanged and I excuse myself to wash up and change my clothes. My mother is in tow (out of earshot) haranguing me about the Afro and) "can't he get a fuckin' haircut??) I'm sure this hardly ever happened to any of you who either were or had "flamboyant" friends in the late 60's.

After a little "sumpin sumpin" we're ready get on our way. We were starting to feel very agreeable and despite most denials over the years by people who knew the truth, those sorts of things (who me??) do dull your senses a little. It is freaking cold as hell and as we approach my car, we see nothing but a bright white hue coming from inside the car. I turn to my friend and ask, WTF is that? Long story short, the heating element had dislodged at some point and burned through the seat and if we didn't get to a firehouse pretty fucking quick, the show was not going to happen that night-- and that was not an option. As you'll later read, we might not have been much of an option either. We pulled up to a firehouse in a very residential neighborhood and after some laughter subsided, the seriousness of the situation kind of trumped the sight of two hippie idiots in their midst. They screamed at us to get out of the way and they hit that car with lots of cold water; inside and out. They're pretty good at that kind of stuff so the fire was extinguished and I was told that the fire had been directly over where the gas tank was. I was a kinetic car bomb and didn't know it. We thanked the firemen and offered them what we had. They weren't the "first responder heroes" in those days as they are now, so we were told that we were "dumber than a sack of smashed assholes" and we should get a haircut, a job and a bar of soap and get the hell out of there. It was a wet and freezing car. Because we could have blown up the whole block, everyone was relieved when they gave us the all clear. I think I could tell by the non-stop laughter and maybe a side of derision? They did tell us it was a miracle we didn't blow the fuck up and die that night. You can be good, but it never hurts to be lucky as well.

Never missed a note. The Byrds were a little too impaired and didn't quite jell with their set. But they were still legends and we really enjoyed it anyway. It began a real affinity I had with the pedal steel guitar- and still do. Muddy was particularly good, but the Macs came on at 11:00 and blew the fucking roof off the building. They played until dawn and like many shows, we walked out feeling as if we were only 5'5'. I swear we were 6'0" when we walked in. You may know the feeling.

The car was encased with ice inside and out and wouldn't start. We didn't feel so bad because on the buses (three) we took back to my house, we heard stories from others who were on the bus now, but who had driven somewhere earlier in the evening. It got down to -27 and nobody's car started. Had to get the SOB thawed out though. I was working New Year's Night. Nothing like Pizza and Football. Ohio State beat USC 27-16 to win the game and the national championship. Rex Kern got MVP, edging out a guy named Orenthal James Simpson, who had a pretty good day himself. One day, he wouldn't have such a good day-- or so the story goes.

Of course, Jimi, Buddy Miles and Billy Cox got a record out of their show and I still have it on vinyl. With all of the technologies that emerged from that point on, I wish somebody had made of recording of this show.

Dumber than a sack of smashed assholes?? Everybody can sign their name on that wall at some time or another This day was all mine. Thought you'd enjoy the story. Stay tuned for my Bill Evans Trio story; coming to a blog near you, in the future.

I am starting a different I was thinking about section. It contains fictional characters or people who changed their names. In the future, they'll all get mixed in together.

Carl Spackler
Vance Arnold
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Steve McGarrett
Clarence Rutherford
Jerry Lundegaard
Betty Persky
McKinley Morganfield

A good story about one of your dumber days beats thinking about The Affordable Care Act, Rush Limbaugh calling the Pope a Marxist and Dennis Kozlowski getting out of jail--- don't you think??

P.S Hope my proofreading was successful.

Will it be a December to remember?

Lots of headlines about car crashes, train crashes, untimely deaths, website improvement, poor coaching decisions- lots of those- but I have a couple of good stories that will never make headlines.

On Sunday, my wife and I cleaned,  rearranged and restored feng shui* and order to our laundry room. It had become close to intolerable. Most of us get very busy with life and just don't notice clutter and disorder. That is stage one. Denial is stage two. A sense that it will never get done (mild despair) is #3. The will to clean it is stage 4 and the result?? I have to walk through the room to get to the garage ( I could count on one hand, the number of times I ever parked IN a garage until I was 57 years old. I had a garage before that, but it looked like my laundry room- so maybe 5 times. That speaks volumes about global warming and the lack of killer snowfalls, when you want a functional garage). {But I digress}.
So what was I asking?/ The result was that as I walked through this morning, I felt a lightness, a smile appeared on my face. And I felt a great sense of accomplishment. Little things. They matter.

Then I encountered a gentleman wearing a very clean and it appeared, rarely worn New York Knights jacket. I was getting out of my car and he was returning to his. I'm a pretty big fan of The Natural and so I decided to work him. My favorite character was Pop Fischer. He was played (superbly) by Wilford Brimley. Anyway, the guy is getting in his car, he sees me and he senses something is coming. So I say, "all these years and you never played organized ball?" And he answers, "well I sorta got sidetracked." I was going to ask him about "Wonderboy" but I thought it had been a successful moment and I decided to know when to fold em. So, I said in closing, "if the bat comes up to specs, we'll let you use it." Two smiles before 10:00 o'clock. I'll take that any day.

So, I had some words of encouragement to people who think I might be a tree hugger, that I shared with everyone in Saturday's post. At first I felt badly about it, but then I remembered that some people are all ugly all the time and rarely have anything nice to say to anyone. Pretty soon, if I can figure out how, I'm going to ask for people to send me feedback. I am told that over 800 visits in a month (all organic) is pretty good. But it's for certain that not all people who read my stuff are big fans and I have to start encouraging them to comment. Some of it may be ugly, but if you're going to write and comment  and whatever else this entails, you have to expect that. So if *Feng Shui falls into your category of being negative, the Saturday message remains the same.

I am told we're not shopping enough. I am also told that the very things that created the housing bubble in the middle of the last decade are still alive and trying to be well. You can tell something is up, because interest rates are still very low, but a better barometer is that HGTV (A Scripps Network Interactive Company) has more house flipping shows on that channel. Buyers and Sellers beware. As for people spending less, may I "quote" (and recommend) an article from Mother Jones? It's The Austerity Stupid. Well written and very topical, Kevin Drum!

Todays Humstle is:
Yes- Roundabout

I used to drive from the midwest to the east coast during holidays and maybe I heard that song at least 10 times a night between the hours of midnight and dawn. We didn't sleep then. How did we do that? Oh, I remember. Another of that era that played all night was:
Maria Muldaur- Midnight at the Oasis. If you remember her, she and her  husband, Geoff were part of the folk, jugband, sort of quirky music in the early 70's. Becuase it's easy to do and you don't necessarily have to buy it, give a listen to Waitress in a Donut Shop. She's a hoot. Anybody who played with John Sebastian is OK in my book. One of these days, I'll enter the 80's and 90's as far as music goes.

Last season of Treme  on HBO. It's worth it to watch. And remember that 'Brownie was doing a heckuva job.'

Anyway, this day has started well. I hope yours has too and continues that way.

Very Greasy

The title is a reference to David Lindley and his one time band, El Rayo X. They were fun. Lindley's played with thousands of people over the years- perhaps best known was his stint with Jackson Browne. His songs make me smile.

So for today's hum/whistle (should I change it to whum or humstle?) please give a listen to Tiki Torches At Twilight, or Quarter Of A Man. And think of David Lindley.

Sitting, having coffee this morning and I was reminded of Billy Joel's mortal fear- that he would be remembered as having made some great elevator music.The month of December is rife with songs that we hear in stores and coffee shops and then immediately tune out. One of my favorite things is making endless musical mixes and sharing them with people. Most of them look at me like I'm DIY's Josh Temple. He hosts a show called House Crash and he runs around home improvement stores looking for people that will take him home and let him renovate a room in their house. But a lot of people want no part of this. I like Josh. He is a little amped, but that's his character ( A Little Amped????) I may approach you and ask you if you want some music. I haven't resorted to tossing them into unlocked cars, but as William Shakespeare said in Twelfth Night, "If music be the food of Life, play on." I will.

Thank you. I'm glad you asked. My eyesight is back to normal today after watching a little of the battle of Oregon last night; Ducks and Beavers. Chartreuse vs Major Honker Orange. If only they could have played at Boise State's Smurfstadium. I'd still be blind.

I'm a big hockey fan. But I really don't care for shootouts. Last night was different, though. Chicago and Dallas went 11 deep before the Hawks, Ben Smith went high glove on +Kari Lehtonen. +Corey Crawford kicked out 10 and the Hawks prevailed.

Profound sympathies to those who lost their lives in Glasgow last night. There are things that happen that cannot be explained.

New poll out. AP-GFK reports that there is a continuing and alarming lack of personal trust in one's fellow people. Trust in institutions, government, church etc. has been abysmal but those leaders have developed thick skin that tends to preclude them from giving a shit what we think. That's awful and that shows. But this 'personal' side of trust drain involves thinking a clerk might memorize your credit card and ruin you- or someone you meet while traveling isn't wishing you well. I work hard to be as good a cook as I can be. With the number of shows on TV that depict a depiction of reality in restaurants, I really don't want to go out as much as I used to.

Having said that, this is the third day in a row that I am posting the praises of +Pope Francis . He is critical of among other things, trickle down economics. Life has changed, inexorably and sadly. I feel it and I suspect you do too. I know some blithe souls who always seem happy and positive. But there is a palpable inequality between people and it really puts a strain on trust and well being. It's world wide. This is my country and this is where I live and see things. But through social media, its possible to see this trend in macro and it's distressing- and world wide. Not everyone wants to just 'hug one out.' So, I'm lamenting trickle down mistrust. Thanks to +Connie Cass for writing about the poll and to +Jennifer Agiesta and +Dennis Junius for disseminating things we already can feel and sense as we go about our lives.

+Arlo Guthrie and +Pete Seeger, two of America's great surviving and traveling troubadors are together for a show in New York City tonight. Wish I could be there.

What I try to do each day is to scat about things that alter the thought process. Whether it be a song that flies in your head and won't leave, or a jab at a entertainment or sports personality who thinks they are the center of the universe, I'm not trying to be ugly or too controversial. I do notice on days when I write about politics and policy, visits to my blog triple. How did you know what I was was going to say? I didn't. I'm going to keep talking about some of these things because the mistrust, with all its manifestations is like congestive heart failure. The bile just builds up and people are real and unintended consequences. Like you're walking down the street and as part of a ritual, somebody comes up beside or behind you and knocks you out with one punch. I won't get into the social or racial aspects of this "game??" I will say it's fucking stupid. And I wish that people wouldn't play it. People have died. For what? This?

Asking people to love each other is nice, but it's also pointless, to a degree. What's going on in your life that makes you feel the way you do? Good and Bad. Just think about it and try to be nice to someone today. Then start a streak. Outdo +Cal Ripken. I sometimes say this on conservative blogging sites and I am usually told to kiss a unicorn or hug a tree. And Waaaaay worse. I don't retort, but I'm thinking, fuck you asshole.

 Small business Saturday. Do your best. That's one of the ways we can encourage owners to do the ultimate act of kindness- increase their bottom line so they can give their employees health insurance coverage. Poll after poll states clearly that worrying about one's health is the number one concern of Americans.

See you soon.

Black Friday (The Steely Dan Version)

I live 8 miles from a mall, so as I went out this morning, it was very quiet. There was a creepy moment in my local Starbucks where as I read the morning papers. yep, I still do that, I was being stared at by a  man I didn't recognize. The cool, detached way he was masticating his danish only heightened the drama. But I finished the Op Ed pages and shot him a glance as I left. The next stop was at the post office to get my mail and there was a guy sitting in his Mercedes 600, staring at me. I figured home would be a good destination so now my monitor will write that I'm staring at it. All's fair.

I think creating a news event whereby thousands of people sleep outside a store, waiting for it to open-- and then when it does, recreating the running of the bulls in Pamplona, is really lame. I understand that "the business of business is business," but seriously, do you want to get stabbed in the parking lot of a Wal Mart because somebody wants that fucking toaster worse than you? I must be missing something. When it snows, the Weather Channel sends Jim Cantore or Mike Seidel to stand in the street talking to you as it snows. ANd today CNBC and your local news channels have dispatched reporters to malls all across the country to ask people what they're going to buy.

 Pope Francis- it's two days since your exhortation about economic inequality and you're still my hero. When will we get it?

So here starts the month that will point out the selfless nature of ordinary citizens and the acts of kindness they routinely do for a majority of the other 330 days of the year. And it will seem like we really don't hear that much of it for the other eleven months. Some people are dicks. But the vast majority are wonderful. I still read newspapers because they have this curious little thing called a journalistic ethic that requires the reporter to fact check what he's about to write.

We brined the turkey yesterday and it really made a difference. Apparently the dogs thought so as well, because although we put the bird way back on the counter against a wall, they got it. I could only think about the dog scene in A Christmas Story.

Whenever it's on, I watch Mississippi Burning. Just thought I'd mention that.

Ronan Farrow? Just go on TV and say something that riles up all the people who frequent Tucker Carlson's mosh pit. I won't mention the name, because I'd be helping him make more money. Even though the internet is a wonderful thing, and everybody's entitled to their opinion-------------- anyway. Nice going. I know you graduated college at 15, but your intelligence doesn't preclude you from Comiendo Los Zapatos de chocolate.

Another STFU award. Numerous utterances the past two weeks have you moving up the charts with a bullet-- Charles Krauthammer. Please get back on your meds.

RIP- Arik Einstein

Congrats to the Saskatchewan Roughriders- winning the 101st Grey Cup.

Can Aaron Rodgers be that good?

With an average of 320 million hits per day, did it not occur to HHS to get some Google guys to help build the website for the Affordable Care Act?

124 days til "Opening Day".

Woody Johnson? According to the Atlantic's Allen Barra, your table is NOT ready. Interesting read on why the Jets have stunk for so long. Don't worry, Woody, Willard Romney will call you and you two can commiserate.

 I don't think the State Department lists Lyon or Marseille as places not to visit because of criminal behavior. I could be wrong.

Enjoy your day. Please think about rewarding your local merchants tomorrow as Small Business Saturday will be in effect.

Whistle and Hum for today:
Jackson Browne- Before the Deluge

Amidst it all- GIVE THANKS

On the Day Before Thanksgiving:

Turn inward and breathe. Understand and embrace what you can control and what you cannot. After all, there's an awful lot that we cannot. Not easy.

There is the intersection of Chanukah and Thanksgiving. First night is tomorrow. Weird. How did central casting get those two together?

Congratulations to the most sober city in the U.S.  Salt Lake City
And the winner of the drunkest city in the U.S. Bakersfield

Useless information is my life.

Without any IAEA inspectors allowed in Iran, how do we know how many centrifuges they have?

I am still amazed at Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation that was released yesterday. I usually give popes a lot of room to operate, but the document which was 223 pages was pure balls. Love ya Paco.
We will discuss this in more detail after the holidays.

Have you noticed that despite reports of significant absence of traffic in the past few months, yesterday was a day when your trip took twice as long as it usually does?

So today's hum and whistle is the Perry Como version of It's The Most Wonderful Time Of the Year.

I didn't post yesterday. First time in three weeks. Apparently nobody missed me.

125 days until Opening Day. Remember what Yogi said: If people don't want to come out and watch baseball, nobody's gonna stop em'.

Remember, your crazy uncle who lives in the basement and wants to marry Gretchen Carlson from Fox News? Invite him upstairs tomorrow and tell him you love him.

Seriously?? Pray for Peace and Civility.

See you soon.

Hey Iran! Come to Philadelphia

Don't worry, I'm not making Terducken this week.

Remember This?  Let me give props to a website called America 1979. I remember an awful lot of these bumper stickers

OK, so maybe the world is not telling America its table is ready. Maybe they're asking if we still want a table. Do we?

I'm thinking Philadelphia is a metaphor for policy acceptance.

I forget who it was, but they once referred to Philadelphia sports fans thus. "They'd boo a cure for cancer." So, 85% of Americans approve of the initial U.S./Iranian agreement over the weekend. But once the dumbpundits (If Merriman Webster can add new words every year, maybe they'll like this one) got their hands on the story, one would think the number was the opposite.

It's almost like Healthcare, Immigration, Economic Equality. We try to do things with the best of intentions, rarely succeeding to nearly anyone's satisfaction. So, as we examine the verities (or otherwise) of the weekend's events, let's try to focus on a really important question.

What happened to defense in the NFL?

We saw Bombino, the band founded by Omara Moctar on Saturday night. He is a guitarist, born in Niger who fled during the uprisings in 1990. His music reflects the travails of the Toureg culture and people. His family fled to Algeria and he was a devotee of Jimi Hendrix among others. The band plays acoustic and electric. My initial reaction was that it was powerful. I liked the acoustic very much. When he picked up the electric guitar, it was different. The vocals, in the Taureg language are difficult to discern and get a little drowned out by the rise in decibels Their current record, Nomad  is worth a listen. The band like many once obscure acts came to the attention of American musicians with some juice and influence; in this case Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.

Hums and Whistles:
Jethro Tull- The Whistler
Cat Stevens- Peace Train
Big Joe Turner- Big Legs
Alvin Lee- Let's Boogie

RIP: BRIAN
The Griffins, as well as all devotees of Family Guy mourn the loss of Brian. Wouldn't it be great that anybody who is dying could have that moment with their family to thank them and to tell they love them.

Margot Bingham AKA "Daughter Maitland" in Boardwalk Empire? You sing very sweetly. Your table is ready. Your song ending season 4 at the juke was something else. Not a bad Ship of Zion either.

On that beautiful note, I take my leave for today. But I'll be back.

It's Friday! Remembering Kennedy and trying for some perspective

RIP, JFK

I'm thinking of the tributes and stories today as we mark the 50th anniversary of John Kennedy's assassination. I'm also thinking of the vast differences in the way the world was then.

Kennedy's approval rating averaged 62% during his all to brief administration. It was not without some absolute policy disasters, The Bay of Pigs, the contentious relationship with the Steel Industry, trying to navigate the proper course in Southeast Asia, the beginnings of a sea change brought on by the Civil Rights movement. At the same time, it was not without triumphs; The Berlin Speech, Cuban missile crisis, the breakthrough of being a President who came to office as being the "first (Roman Catholic), the spectre of being "Camelot." Marilyn Monroe?? Just sayin'.

Inflation was troubling, unemployment was in mid ranges but what John Kennedy brought was youthful optimism. He proposed lofty policy initiatives (The Peace Corps) the NASA space program. I remember reading Theodore White's chronicle* of the 3 1/2 years and what was striking was Kennedy's comment to House Speaker John McCormack, whereby Kennedy supposedly said. 'what a lousy, fucked up job this turned out to be." On top of the world? He apparently didn't think so.

So think back my friends to landslides which turned good fortune into a shit show. Every President has basked in the moment and had it wrenched away by many different circumstances. So on the 50th anniversary of a pretty sad day, let's try to remember that no one is immune from an even handed fate- even when the hand is not evenly dealt.

What I do know is that today is a vastly different climate in terms of the flow of information, the 24/7 news cycle what is news and what is not, what is truth and what is not and what our personal circumstances are within the age we live in. I sat in my 9th grade math class as the Principal of my school announced that the 35th President of the United had been shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. What we went through trying to wrap our heads around that.

So have a great weekend. Short work week, next week and Thanksgiving to boot. It'll all be OK. I think.

*The Making Of The President, 1964.

Special Edition Post. Twofer Thursday

In the ENTIRE history of the United States, there have been 168 Filibusters of Presidential Judicial nominees. 82 during the administration of Barack Obama.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/Harry-Reid-nuclear-option-100199.html?hp=t1

It's a risk. But it is worth doing in order to stop the obstructionism that has been the habit of the opposition since the election of Barack Obama. To put it in layman's terms, think of the movie Hoosiers. The new coach, Norman Dale is not popular in the town of Hickory and this catches the attention of Opal Fleener, the mother of Myra, who is Dale's colleague. Opal tells Dale, (as somebody must have told Barack Obama at some point) "the sun don't shine on a dog's ass every day. But Mister, you ain't seen a ray of light since you got here." This vote is a giant laxative for a very constipated group of people, preening about in a prearranged strategy of opposition to a twice elected President. Democracy at it's finest? We'll see.

 The Italians say it very nicely. BASTA.

So in tribute to the fictitious Opal, my whistlehum for the day comes from my guy, Taj Mahal who sang it- You ain't no street walker, mama, but I love the way you strut your stuff.

Hey, We're BUSY

Another day, another Midwestern Governor is in the process of attaining the beltway status of flavor du jour. He took on the unions. He railed against the pensions that he said were endangering the fiscal rectitude of his state. He claims his family was threatened as he stood for what was right. With a little help ( and a lot of money) from his "friends" he survived a recall election. He wrote a book. He will now sell that book on America's choice for fair and balanced news. And now, the fickle finger of fate is whispering in his ear.**

After Watergate, a bipartisan bill was passed to give citizens the option of donating $3.00 to a system that would publicly fund elections. Recently, a bill sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma sought to do away with this system because in his words, it was another wasteful unnecessary government expenditure. With 10 Democrats joining the "just say no" gang, the bill was passed to do away with the feature of donating $3.00 and the notion of publicly funded elections probably forever. The vote was 235-190. 10 lawmakers had no opinion or chose to abstain. This bill, as with most other bills passed by this group with a 9% approval rating is "dead on arrival" in the Senate. The "pissing match" between our two parties continues and this is a perfect example of that.

It occurs to me that something is really wrong with the way we elect people-- and that includes the run up as well as the dreary process which yields us peers that earn $174,000.00 per year, will work 226 days this year, will have passed the fewest legislative initiatives in 60 years. And unlike the working stiffs who our aforementioned hero took on because their previously negotiated pensions were deemed a drag on the local economy, our current legislators can participate in two different pension programs by which they are fully vested after 5 year participation. The new war being waged by Governors is to challenge and negate the benefits people were promised. They are now called the 47% or the "takers".

In addition, try this on for size. In 1974, 3% of "near retirement" legislators became lobbyists. Today, that number has swelled to 50% (Senators) and 43% (Congresspeeps). If you don't turn your political cloth inside out to lobby the very group that you once belonged to, you become a member of a "think tank", you write books, you get a job as a "pundit" on either the cable or traditional news networks. This might morph into a "talk radio" show and if you reach the "right" audience (Good one, eh?), you can urge millions of devoted listeners to march to things that outrage you. And you can make a ton of money doing it. And to make that money, a large percentage of what you say to earn (?) may be too fuzzy to be fact checked, or in the opinion of some, it may be a gross prevarication. But even when you're fact checked, you can ignore it because in the politics game, what is the truth anyway? I think somebody wrote a book about the inconvenience of truths and you see what happened to him. Does this sound right to you

The subject line says "hey, we're busy." We're all busy working- those of us who have jobs. We don't have a deal like our Senators so our future income depends on what we do every day to make a living. Most of our kids are grown, but economic conditions and the job market leave many of them in a non viable circumstance and many end up boomeranging back home to us, possibly needing some sort of subsidization. We all try to set aside what we used to call "rainy day funds" so God forbid if something terrible were to happen; job loss, catastrophic illness, we have a safety net.

Learning and staying up to date on politics and policy is boring (because laws are written by lawyers and we like our lawyers as much as we like having our teeth cleaned) {and Congress is heavily made up of lawyers}  but we're busy. We're bowling, cooking, watching our sports teams, drinking too much, trying to learn the violin, staying up to date on Dancing with The Stars, sailing, saving money for a rainy day, tweeting (while driving) trying to get laid, coaching soccer, you get what I mean. And while we work, someone is whistling straight to the bank. And even though we're busy, it's partially our fault because our busy lives don't allow us the time to be as informed as we need to be. And we need to be informed. We cannot be low information people and get our truths from Huntley and Brinkley-- because they're dead. POTUS 44 said, "Don't Boo--VOTE!

Whatever your views, you are entitled to them. But we need to wake up and be as informed as time will allow us to be. Don't put your eggs in your elected official's basket. Those eggs don't have a chance of staying unbroken.

Special hums and whistles that segues with today's rant:
"Who'll make the promise that you don't have to keep? Don't look now, It ain't you or me."

"It ain't me, it ain't me. I ain't no Senator's Son."- Creedence Clearwater Revival.

John Fogerty, No one will ever take your table away.

**Scott Walker, you're table ain't ready.

Another saying comes to mind.
"If you do what you always did, you'll get what you always got."

See you tomorrow. Tell somebody you love them.

It's strictly business (AS USUAL)

 Lindsey Graham? I have questions
 "Senator, can you name the only nuclear power in the world who has actually used 'weapons of mass destruction?'
 "Senator, You are strangely silent on the issue of Mutually Assured Destruction.
Does it occur to you that this single tenet has made the world's good and bad actors (possessing nuclear weapons) think many times before using them? You seem unperturbed about Pakistan and North Korea having nukes. Iran is the one country that must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. Can you explain? If the aforementioned two have them, is your train still in the station?

"Senator? Who are Lee Bright and Nancy Mace?"

With "dark money" on display in staggering ways, wouldn't it be prudent to fund a PAC that will finance a movement to enable everybody who votes to have a valid ID Card. Hire precinct workers, drive them to the appropriate state office to apply, buy and get photographed. I hate the ugly uses of dark money. I don't hate the countervailing uses of dark money. Sometimes you have to stand up to the bully. The Supremes started this with Citizens United. This is the game.

With this in mind, and with the help and research of my pal Rachel Maddow and David Benen (Please check this out on Maddowblog) ugly dark money, purportedly provided, in part by Charles And David Koch has financed a 50 state apparatus of organizations to exact pledges from citizen not to sign up for the Affordable Care Act. Further, their paid minions are active in all 50 states, lobbying legislators to vote against Medicaid Expansion or the formation of Insurance Exchanges. These groups are under the name(s) of Foundation For Government Accountability. That morphs into the policy arm of this network. That is called the State Policy Network. They are organized and they are dangerous.\---calling themselves "state government think tanks."

These have been very tough times for the President. Many things he now suffers from are self inflicted, specifically, the ACA. And he deserves some of the shit he's getting. But if you check out the above story, it is really the result of a disciplined and determined effort by beyond mainstream opposition (with a little recent help from the SCOTUS) that was envisioned by the Richard Vigueries and the Paul Weyrichs of the world 30 years ago. On his first inauguration eve, the opposition met in secret and laid out a plan to delay, obstruct and defeat any measure Barack Obama wanted to pass as legislation. They declared war on his agenda. And this is one turf war that ain't going away. SO----
Two quotes come to mind:
"Ain't sayin- just sayin"
"Don't hate the player, hate the game."

I think I needed to get that off my chest.

But even though I'm presently a little pissed at the President, he has a great quote of his own:
"Don't boo, VOTE"

I was thinking about:
Charles Laughton
Elmore Leonard
Reni Santoni
Mordecai Brown
Andrew Jackson
Dick Gregory
Voltaire
John Lewis
Tom Waits
Were you?

Whistle and Hum:
Rolling Stones- Play with Fire
Ry Cooder- Down In Hollywood
Platters- Twilight Time
Toots and The Maytals- Rasta Man
Nat King Cole- Stardust
Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway- Where is the Love
Bryan Sutton- Swannanoa Tunnel

Be well. Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

Twerks, hums and RITA!!

Have you ever heard of Conrad Edward Mauge Jr. His song, Zombie Jamboree** makes today's Hum list. More to follow.

I love You Tube. I go looking for the Harry Belafonte version of the above and it has a trailer for Rita Hayworth Jumps in the Line. I have access to every or any video I want and I think that although it's amazing that Katy Perry gets over 200 million hits for Roar, it just doesn't compare to Hayworth's vignette. Just remember that the full title of Shawshank Redemption began with "Rita Hayworth and the....."

Wal Mart made the news. They are asking for food donations for their neediest employees. That sparked a real shitshow yesterday.

Anat Cohen is in Chicago this week for a concert. She brings the goods on the Clarinet.

Exxon Mobil, having been fined 2.2 million dollars for a 220,000 barrel oil spill in Arkansas earlier this year, acknowledged that they made some "fundamental errors in the initial response to the spill." The pipeline is known as The Pegasus System and stretches from Illinois to Texas. Once it crosses the Texas border, Exxon is more immune to criticism because regulation in RickPerryLand is frowned upon. It does not, however stop Governor OOPs from traveling to blue
states to hose them for not being as "miraculous" as Texas.

In a recent poll, voters prefer Chris Christie to Andrew Cuomo for President in New York. As one ages, time really flies but it just can't fly enough until the next presidential election cycle.

How unbelievably great was the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show?

Jimmy Soul: "yeah she's ugly but she sure can cook."

Saudi Arabia has banned pets and Valentines Day. The latter taboo only made me think of the terrible show of the same name with Tony Franciosa. People e mail me and ask, "where do you get this shit? But, don't stop."

Martin Bashir should have apologized. It was an awful thing to say. But he was saying what a lot of people think. But that was totally unnecessary. I don't want want to give the recipient of his comments any sympathy at all.

I miss Mr. Ed.

I was thinking about:
Yvonne DeCarlo
Frank Vincent
Pud Galvin
Abby Dalton
Peter Coyote
Everett Dirksen
William O. Douglas
Ed Sanders
Cary Middlecoff
Were you?

** I think the Belafonte version is an early example of Twerking.

1. Governor Bob McDonnell-  R- Va, after a storm of protest, changed his orginal  request for a bill requiring a woman in Virginia to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound; and replaced it with a bill that required a mandatory ultrasound, were the women seeking a legal termination of her pregnancy. ( I have others).

Whistle or hum:
Desert Rose Band- "You're Running Wild."
Asleep at The Wheel- Am I Right or Amarillo?"

Have a great day folks. Be well. See you tomorrow.

Tornadoes, Cheneys and Music- Oh My!

We were in the great Steel City this weekend, paying tribute to our dear friends' band, THE CAUSE-  who celebrated their 10th year anniversary with maybe over 300 of their closest and dearest friends at a local Pittsburgh bar. And even the Steelers won yesterday so it was kind of like the daily double of happy. Us driving home, however, was not quite so much. We dodged numerous tornadoes along the I-80 corridor from Ohio to Illinois. The skies were unbelievable in the radical changes it underwent, minute by minute. Our prayers go out to those who lost their lives and homes. Great music, great times and great friends.

I read the comments of the former CEO of Blackwater Security, Erik Prince. He is a little unhappy with the "cold and timid souls" who merrily live their lives and don't understand the need for vigilance in a nasty world. So, Erik, I guess when Blackwater faced unwanted scrutiny and indictments for your vigilance, it became Xe Corporation. And when trouble and continued allegations of an unsavory scope, followed Xe, it ceased to be a U.S. corporation, reforming under the name Academi. It's corporate Charter is allegedly in the United Arab Emirates. I'm sure it was "cold and timid souls" who made your life miserable. You can change your name, but trouble will follow you anyway. Even over to that bastion of democracy, the UAE. I'll bet your tax situation is better.

Scott Walker of Wisconsin thinks the next GOP nominee must be a governor. I am compiling a little list of gubernatorial "achievements" by these potential nominees. Stay tuned.

I am starting a fund. It's the "make the Cheneys go away." Got a dollar? I'll bet we could start a PAC that just might have a few bucks in it.

Rob Ford wants to be Prime Minister of Canada someday. I want to be Roy "Tincup" McAvoy. See the similarities?

Speaking of PACS, check out Puppet PAC.

By 2050, there will be more people over 65, than UNDER 14. I think I'll be dead, but maybe some of you won't.

I thought about:
Joyce Randolph
Edward Bear
Nap Lajoie
John Nance Garner
Lenny Bruce
Loretta Young
Miley Cyrus (No, I didn't) (OK, yes I did)
Sir Alexander Fleming
Fred Rogers
"Jungle" Jim Rivera
Did you?

RIP- Doris Lessing - You were huge!

Please hum or whistle along:

Bruce- Brilliant Disguise  (It must be great to only have to be referred to by one name) {Shut up Donovan and Adele}
Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz- Desifinado
Lonnie Donegan- Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor On the Bedpost Overnight
NRBQ- RC Cola and a Moon Pie
Yellowjackets- Out of Town.

I have long been interested in the whole Doppleganger thing. I may drop a few in from time to time. If you're interested, it may require you to compare photos of the two people mentioned. That is, if you really give a shit.
The tease- Actor Jeremy Renner/Pitcher Jake Peavy.

Live with love and purpose. And try not to be a dick today.











                                          

You get confused.... listen to the music play

No news for the weekend.

How bout some HJ's?

Dave Van Ronk- The Whinin' Boy
John Prine- Yes I guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You
Leo Kottke- Machine Gun
Harry Nilsson- You're breakin' my Heart
Bob Dylan- I'll be your Baby tonight
Wynton Kelly and Wes Montgomery- Unit 7
Easybeats- Friday on My Mind
Bob Marley/Wailers- Them Belly Full- We still Hungry
Bill Evans Trio- Waltz for Debby
Claude Bolling and Jean Pierre Rampal- Fugace

Hum! Listen. Relax. Breathe.
See you Monday.