Battle of the Bands Update

Rolling Stones

In this week's Battle of the Band matchups on Dr. John's Record Shelf, we had four groups in the Teddy Boy Bracket squaring off. Not too surprisingly, the Rolling Stones (seeded no. 1) easily dispatched Humble Pie (16) by an 8 to 1 score; while Mott the Hoople (8) eked out a close victory over Fleetwood Mac (9) by a 5 to 4 margin.

Mott the Hoople

"Jumping Jack Flash" was the Stones song, matched against "Natural Born Bugie" by Humble Pie. Mott's "All the Way from Memphis" rated just a bit better than "Man of the World" by Fleetwood Mac (by the way, since our time frame is 1960 to 1974, the Mac represented here was the pre-Buckingham/Nicks edition, so nothing from Rumours was eligible). So it will be the Stones against Mott in Round 2 (which ought to come up after Christmas, as we work through the big first round pool of groups this Fall). If you'd like to cast a vote for upcoming pairings, you can find the brackets here, here, here, and here (just leave a comment here with your selections-- you can vote for some or all of the pairs). Next week we'll have two more Teddy Boy pairings.

Historical Comment

There's a good column by Paul Krugman in the New York Times today, in which he describes the crybaby fat cats whose incredible selfishness defines so much of the debate about taxes in this country. It reminds me of the situation that existed in the South in the decades before the Civil War, when the large plantation owners used their considerable clout to define slavery in such a way that the majority of poor whites bought into the lie that their destiny was somehow dependent on preserving a system that really only benefited the few who were fortunate to own more than twenty slaves. Keep in mind that less than a third of white southerners owned any slaves at all, and less than one percent owned enough to be considered among the elite planter class. But it was that relative handful of people who exercised their political and media clout to shape the attitudes of a whole region (and arguable the country), to preserve a system that was not only brutal to African-Americans, but also incredibly and cynically hypocritical with respect to such core American values as freedom and democracy. The rich today, who've seen their tax rates shrink regularly going back over thirty years, while those less fortunate mostly get hammered-- if not by taxes per se, then by the loss of services and protections that once gave them a modicum of security in the face of hard times-- now complain that class war is being waged against them (Eric Cantor raised that hoary charge just yesterday), just as the slave-owners once swore out warrants against abolitionists for daring to challenge the former's "right" to own another human being. The worst part of this is that too many of our elected representatives feel obligated to back the wealthy, which was also true among far too many (both North and South) for too long a time in the antebellum period. Back then, when war eventually came, let's recall that it was the southern master class that fired the first shots, both figuratively (in pushing for secession) and literally at Fort Sumter. The tragedy then (as it appears now) was that a lot of poor saps bought into the self-serving rhetoric of the rich, and in the end lost a lot more than those who defined the terms of debate to serve their own selfish interests.

Monday's Quotation

I like this line from the Roman Lucius Annaeus Seneca (5 BC-65 AD), one of the greatest statesman of his time (or maybe any time):

"Anger: an acid that can do more harm
to the vessel in which it is stored than
to anything on which it is poured."

My New Favorite Band

I really liked the last album by Darker My Love, just called 2 (for which they recorded the following song). But their newest Alive As You Are, which I picked up earlier this week, is even better to my ears. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a video from the new disc, but this is hardly settling, as it is one of my favorites from the previous lp. Check'em out:

Soup Diary 100919

I'm not a huge fan of Chinese food, but every now and then I get a craving for an egg roll or some Kung Pao Chicken. Such was the case yesterday, so I went down to the local buffet for lunch. I haven't been there in quite awhile, maybe a year, mainly because the last couple of visits were very disappointing, with the food tasting really salty and fatty. It was not reassuring when I entered and realized I was the only customer at 11:45 on a Saturday, but as it happened it was a much better experience than the past few times. One thing I can generally count on enjoying is the Egg Drop Soup, with which I always start my meal. I'm not sure why I like it so much, as it isn't anything more than egg whites and celery in chicken broth, but for some reason, it hits the spot. I sprinkle a few crispy fried noodles on top, add a side of eggrolls, and it's a nice appetizer. The Kung Pao was pretty good too, but the real surprise was the barbecued chicken, which tasted really good with a little fried rice. There are so few options for eating out in Dillon, that I'm especially glad that the Chinese buffet seems to have righted itself (and, by the way, several other patrons entered before I finished my lunch)-- so it likely won't be so long before my next visit. Maybe I'll even try the Won Ton Soup then.

Sunday Funnies

Here's the first Sunday Doonebury strip from way back in 1971. I thought it was striking because, if you think about it, Garry Trudeau was commenting on a phenomenon that we are seeing repeated today with the rise of the Tea Party. I wouldn't go quite so far as to say that it's an example of history repeating itself forty years later, but it suggests that many issues have gone unresolved in the meantime, not the least the disaffection felt by many citizens that they have much less control over the forces that effect their lives than they once believed.

A Sunday Quote

Here's one of those lines that is as relevant today as it was a century and a half ago when the British politician Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) first said it:

"We live in an age when to be young
and to be indifferent can be no longer
synonymous. We must prepare for
the coming hour. The claims of the
Future are represented by suffering
millions; and the Youth of a Nation
are the trustees of Posterity."

A Favorite Song

Los Lobos have been making fine records for almost thirty years (their most recent just came out a few weeks ago). This song goes all the way back to their first full album, and kind of set the stage for their career making intelligent, adult rock and roll:

Remembering Berlin

Here are some pictures I took in Berlin last Spring, then edited copiously once I got back. First is a group of runners in the Berlin marathon.

Next is a night scene outside a shopping center across the street from the Alexanderplatz.

This is the group we were traveling with, or anyway, several of them, also near Alexanderplatz from our first night in town. Maybe Ben will have some comments to add on these scenes (especially the marathon, eh Ben?)

Saturday Morning Cartoon

Since I was in the vicinity of Yellowstone Park last week, it kind of put me in mind of the great Yogi Bear. Of course, he actually lived in Jellystone Park, but one shoulod be excused for mixing the two up. Anyway, here's a classic episode from the Yogi Bear Show, circa 1961:

A Thought for Saturday

Plutarch (46-120) was one of classical Greece's great thinkers. Here is a small sample of his wisdom:

"To make no mistakes is not in the
power of man; but from their errors
and mistakes the wise and good learn
wisdom for the future."

Classic Television

These days David Letterman is something of a late-night institution, but way back in 1980 he hosted a daily morning show that was must-see TV for me that summer and Fall (the show didn't last even a year as I recall). I also seem to recall that my sister Liz, going to Mercyhurst College, would watch before class (instead of class? do I remember that right Lizzie?). Regulars included Rich Hall, Wil Shriner, Gary Muledeer, and of course Edie McClurg as Mrs. Marv Mendenhall. This was very funny stuff, and clearly the bulk of the AM audience had no idea what to make of it. My favorite bit (sadly, not included in this clip): Coffee Cup Theater. I wonder if anyone would ever put this out on DVD? Anyway, here's about eight minutes of one show's opening-- see if it doesn't make you laugh at least once or twice:

Friday Family Blogging Quiz

I've fuzzed out the background a little bit to make this a little tougher. The question is, where was this picture of Marenka taken? Be as specific as possible and put your guesses in the comments section.

Last week, I asked you who the blurred figures were in another altered photo, and it didn't take long for Lil Sis to name Gerik and Joseph as the subjects in question. And to Mom, who wondered what Joseph was holding, it was a plastic sword. Let's see if we can get more participants this week.

Three Pictures

I spent much of this afternoon at Headwaters State Park, which is located where the Madison, Jefferson, and Gallatin Rivers converge to form the Missouri River. It was kind of cold and overcast, so the photo ops were not optimal, but I got a few good shots. Above is a view of the Madison looking south from the ridge overlooking where it connects with the other rivers.

I caught this guy checking me out from the top of that same ridge. I took this picture then wondered if he'd stay still long enough for me to switch to a telephoto lens. Alas, he did not, bounding down and across a parking lot as I scrambled to attach the lens. Now I know why the pros always have at least two cameras ready to go.

Since I got some nice comments the last time I posted a picture of some sunflowers, here's another. This is a spot right near the confluence of the three rivers (though I guess that's relatively true of all three pictures).

More Friday Family Blogging

I like this picture of Nik calmly enjoying his lunch, while there was no doubt plenty of action going on around his at the Broad Street Playground.

Friday Family Blogging

There aren't many who can pull off wearing a cape as flamboyantly as Raechelle does here. She looks ready to take off.

Friday Philosphy

The following comes from the French philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650), and is part of his essay "Meditations on First Philosophy:"

"If I hear sound, or see the sun, or feel heat, I judge that these sensations come from things outside of me. Just now, for instance, whether I will it or not, I feel heat, and it seems obvious that this feeling is produced by something different from me, ie. the fire. But I must doubt that it is nature which impels me to believe in material things, for, given a choice between virtue and vice, nature has often led me to the worse part. But I do not find it any more convincing that ideas proceed from objects outside me, for there is often a great difference between knowledge and appearance. The sun, for instance, seems very small, yet we know from astronomical calculation that it is very great. It seems that blind impulse, not judgement, has given me my knowledge of the world."

I Like These Guys

I've been enjoying the new album by Jenny and Johnny (called I'm Having Fun Now), and thought you might like them too, so here's a video of them performing one of the cuts off their lp. By the way, Jenny is Jenny Lewis out of Rilo Kiley, and Johnny is Johnathan Rice who doesn't appear to be out of a band. I'm hoping this collaboration does not signal the end of Rilo Kiley, though another album from this pair would be okay too.

Soup Diary 100916

Consider this a firm public pledge: I will no longer buy canned soup. Yesterday I discovered a can of Chicken Gumbo on the shelf hiding behind some canned yams and baked beans. It hasn't been there that long-- I think I purchased it last winter when I had a cold and just craved something hot and liquidy. I can't deny the convenience of canned soup, which is why I cracked this open for supper last night when I got home from work a bit later than usual and wasn't in the mood to actually cook something. But it was so salty and even so still basically flavorless, I couldn't even finish it. There are too many better options for me to bother being disappointed again. So, like the frozen dinners and Chef Boy-Ar-Dee products that I stopped buying a couple years ago, I will no longer purchase any canned soup for my pantry. I won't go so far as to say I won't ever eat it again, but there's no reason I can foresee that would compel me to make it for myself.

The Beach

I'm not really much of a beach person, but I think these two pictures turned out pretty good, especially after playing around with them a bit in Photoshop. My goal was to make them look like old-fashioned postcards, and I think I got pretty close.

The top picture is one of my favorite subjects, the Santa Monica Pier. The photo of the volleyball game was taken on Lake Ontario in Rochester. Now that I look at it, I should have tried to get the water a little more blue; oh well, back to the software!