Cruel Spring

On this Wednesday morning, it is raining and somewhat chilly. The rain is welcome for the grass and trees and to wash winter's dirt away, but the chill has not been met with the same enthusiasm.

It has been an ugly spring. The cold snap, albeit not uncommon, came at a most inopportune time. A couple of weeks of 70 and even 80 degree temperatures brought out the tulips and daffodils plus all the flowering trees. Then as if to say "gotcha"!, temps nosedived into the upper teens and struggled to get above 30.

Beds of tulips lay crumpled and forlorn where they fell as if they fought a valiant battle and lost. Trees are strangely bare, blossoms rare as hen's teeth. Just a few scout leaves peer out from the canopy of gray-brown branches, braving what the elements may yet bring and reporting back to HQ. Only the hardy grass is a brilliant green, enjoying the abundant rainfall.

Last Sunday, Easter morning, dawned with temperatures in the teens. Sunrise services canceled or went indoors. Easter Popsicles were as likely to be found as Easter eggs. Mrs. Ford went to church in her fur coat and hat, looking all fluffy and fuzzy. The brilliant sunshine warmed things up a bit, but step out of the sun and the bitter north wind reminded you it still held sway.

We expect 40s and even 30s as high temperatures for a few days. We may see some snow yet. Mr Groundhog, did you do this?? Global Warming?? Hilary Clinton, are you to blame??

I went shopping last night. The 75% off sweaters were popular at Macy's. Some life in them yet this season.

Bartók's Last: The Concerto For Viola

Hungarian composer Bela Bartók did not live to finish his Viola Concerto. He wrote this last work (along with the 3rd Piano Concerto)in the summer of 1945 while suffering from the terminal stages of leukemia. The concerto was a commission by William Primrose, who did so much to lift the viola from an "also ran" status. Around that time, Bartók wrote to Primrose that his concerto was "ready in draft, so that only the score has to be written." Just three weeks later the composer was dead of leukemia, September 26, 1945 age 64.

The unfinished concerto, was completed by violist, conductor, composer and Bartok pupil Tibor Serly. This is version most often performed and thus most familiar to listeners. Despite its familiarity, Serly's version is criticized for adding too much of his own style and embellishments to the score. Peter Bartók (Bela's son) and Paul Neubauer published a new completion of the concerto in 1995 that is a bit less of a stretch. Even though Bartók said the work was complete, it was in a very early stage of composition and would likely have been revised extensively. There is written evidence that the work would have had a 4th movement, a scherzo seems to be missing, and the finale "beginning Allegretto and developing the tempo to Allegro Molto" does not seem to have transpired completely. Some scholars, however, feel that the 3 movement scheme was deliberately planned by Bartók.

In any case, the piece is fascinating but frustrating in that one longs for what Bartók would have accomplished if it was completed. Unlike a number of Bartók's compositions, this is a gentle, almost romantic piece. Never allowing the viola to wallow, it brings out the clarinet-like quality of the instrument and shows that it can be as expressive through its range as a violin. Indeed the work has a valedictory feel about it, Bartók undoubtedly knew this was his last utterance.

The Kansas City Symphony and Violist Roberto Diaz performed the piece a few weeks ago, but unfortunately I missed it, being in Nicaragua and all. I was told by our mailman, who is an avid listener and talented musician, that it was wonderful. Diaz and the orchestra provided a convincing performance, full of virtuosity and lyricism and boldly showing that this intriguing, flawed work deserves its place in the repertoire.

Naxos has a great recording of the two versions(P.Bartók/Neubauer and Serly) in the same recording for comparison. Worth the small price.

Persevering Prison Pages

I am being lazy, so here is another entry with a link to something interesting. This time it is my friend Shannon's blog. Shannon is an inmate at an Arizona Prison and was inspired by a fellow inmate to write a blog. I have enjoyed watching Shannon grow as a writer and finally realize he has something to offer to the world.

I won't go into it here, but Shannon has had a hell of a life, never had a break and has been mistreated by the injustice and health non-care system of this, the world's richest but most cruel country.

Give his blog a spin, he does not update frequently, but when he does, it is a fascinating glimpse inside the monster that is the Arizona Prison System.

Persevering Prison Pages

Rusty's Story

Some clever chap has taken just about every gay man's childhood and turned it into a vintage schoolbook story a la Dick and Jane.

Rusty is a Homosexual

This is for all the Rustys who didn't have any support and blew their brains out or drank themselves to death. Sadly, there are still many out there. Finally, and too late for many, on this date in 1974, The American Psychiatric Association removed its "sickness" definition of homosexuality.

To you!, my friends and brothers and sisters, I hope you have found rest.

Look What I Found

We are doing some spring cleaning here at the Towers. Tons of junk is being tossed or distributed around town. As soon as a bundle of junk goes to the curb, the scavengers descend, soon to be picked clean of anything usable. Wall paper, nuts and bolts, fabric samples, lampshades, carpeting, tile, flower pots by the dozens (a local amateur botanist got those), wood scraps and more, all a testimony to one man's junk is another's gold.

But one thing caught my eye and I quickly glommed on to it. An antique fire extinguisher. Pyrene (love the name, sounds like an insult..."you pyrene, you..")1 1/2 quart brass Heavy Duty Type fire extinguisher. Supposedly They were used on many of the larger military vehicles in World War II. It is about 17" tall and is mounted on a bracket. Seems to be in good shape, never used and still full of some kind of liquid. The design was patented in 1928, but a similar extinguisher had been around for sometime before that. The Pyrene Company still sells equipment, mostly in Canada it appears.

This did not go to the curb, it was dusted and wiped off. I think I'll sell it on Ebay and see if I can get something for it, or at least get it to someone who is interested in this type of thing. One never knows what someone will pay for something collectible.

China Blues

The Chinese have given the world many gifts, spaghetti, silk, kites, fireworks, compass, abacus, the boat rudder and of course General Tso's Chicken. An inventive, industrious people for sure, the Chinese continue to produce goods for the whole world, an economic powerhouse that has yet to see full potential.

So why produce all the damn junk? I think they could do better. It bodes poor for the world if everything is going to be made in China. Not a damn thing will work.

Now, don't get me wrong. I like the Chinese for the most part. Their culture is fascinating and with so damn many of them, it is wise to be friends. But I have a problem with Chinese goods. The ones I have used are junk.

Don't even ask me my opinion about the dog food scare; due of course to tainted wheat gluten from you-know-where.

A while back, my Lincoln (aka the Queen Mary) had a gas tank issue. Years of Illinois salt had rusted the gas tank, resulting in a slow leak. So obviously a new one was in order. I ordered an after-market one and it duly arrived. When it came time to install, it would not fit. Everything was 1/100 off spec. Holes were off, a place to put a bracket was not there, the welded seam was crooked and close to the edge. Upon getting it on with some rigging, the fuel pump seal refused to seal tight: in short, it leaked worse than the old one.

Made in China.

I got a new fuel pump that sounds like it is pumping water from Hoover Dam.

Made in China.

When my Dr. diagnosed me as diabetic, he gave me a blood glucometer and test strips to get started. When I ran out of test strips, I went to my nearby CVS Pharmacy to get some more.

"We have never heard of this brand", said the clerk. The RPh told me it was not even in their catalogs.

So upon returning home, I looked at the unit and noted a website. www.bionime.com. The damn page was in Chinese.

I can't win.

Protect Your Right to Make Pie Crust!

In the continuing tradition of silly ass legislation, a St. Louis legislator wants you to show ID and have retailers log sales of baking soda — because it's used to make crack cocaine. Can you imagine grandma having to whip out her license in order to make pie crust?

Currently, we have to make a special trip to the pharmacy counter to buy certain cold medicines. Any sneezing and sniffling cold sufferer needing medications containing pseudoephedrine, such as Sudafed, must show a photo ID when they buy the medicine. Pharmacists must log the names and addresses of buyers, including how much they buy. Don't send 16yr old Suzie to get you some, you must be over 18.

The sponsor of the baking soda bill said the same approach would work in reducing crack cocaine because it is often produced by dissolving powdered cocaine in a mixture of water and baking soda.

Why not go after water? Or mixing bowls? Or better yet, cocaine?

Drug enforcement officials laughed at it basically. Too many people use baking soda on a regular basis, as opposed to occasional use of Sudafed. Why even I have baking soda in my fridge, just like Arm and Hammer ask me to do. Others said that the crack makers would just turn to other substances, some of them dangerous like ammonia and batteries, even coffee filters.

Please do not regulate coffee filters.

Luckily, the bill has little chance of passage.

Nicaragua Trip, a Summary

We had a successful trip to Nicaragua with the 2007 UMKC Dental Delegation. As usual, Dan and Cesar have documented it well. Check out the UMKC Dental Delegation link on their website.

Lots of patients seen, some pain relieved, contacts made, and more important, the Generation Y students saw how most of the world lives. No iPods, no internet, no fancy new cars, no Big Macs and no health care. The Generation of privilege and me first came face to face with reality. It did them good.

Thus exposed to the world, some came home appreciating the things they have. Some came home wanting more. But most came home to Gringolandia, where the dogma of "Me First" and "Success at Any Cost" enslaves us to lousy jobs and companies that treat humans as disposable liabilities, with their eyes opened and hearts melted. I think of this group, some will come back. Despite the beans and rice, the bugs, the dirt, the heat, the hard work. There are still teeth to fix, frisbees to be thrown, Victoria will brew some more beer to drink (they drank most of it), and kids to delight with our antics.

Next year looks good.

Simple Gifts

Santa Rita, Nicaragua March 22

I have never considered myself exceptionally generous. The concept of "giving is better than receiving" rang hollow to my ears. Easy for YOU to say, but I like getting. Getting it takes care of that urgent need of wanting it.

Actually, I have given people gifts, nice ones, but hardly extravagant ones. So I am not a total ass. But it took a small gift that went a long way to remind me that truly giving is a pleasure and does not need to be something huge and expensivve.

2 plastic frisbees and 2 simple plastic jump ropes. That was it. But to the kids of the school here in Santa Rita, you would have thought I gave them the ownership of Microsoft. Their faces lit with joy, jumping and screaming all at once as school kids are want to do. PLATIO! PLATIO!! the boys screamed as the teacher flung the frisbee into the yard they shared with pigs, horses, sick dogs and our clinic. The girls gathered around the ropes and jumped giggled and tripped with joy over the pink and yellow plastic rope. The air throbbed with the sounds of children and was thick with wild flung platios. When we were done, the guys in the group joined in, contributing some baseballs and a couple of more platios. For about 20 minutes, poverty, sickness, language and culture barriers broke under the weight of the joyous games.

What a gift I had given.

Lonely

Not to sound all pathetic and such... but it is lonely here. I hate this time, it happens once a year, maybe twice and it just rips me to shreds.

I am leaving for Nicaragua Monday AM early,way before the chickens get up. Unfortunately, that meant that Her Glorious Majesty Puggles, QOP, SRA, ETC., had to leave for the Eastern Palace on Saturday. Also known as Jackson County Animal Hospital, they have been her vet and boarder forever. Not the most luxurious of accommodations, but clean, inexpensive and secure. Besides, she is loved there and she seems happy. She'll get her shots and check up while there, get a manicure and a bath. Sort of a Pug-med vacation.

But the hours spent here with no Pug to follow me around, to bark at me when I eat, wanting to go out and snuggling next to me at night are hellish. I go in to the living room, expecting her on her throne and it is empty. The throne got a good cleaning and vacuuming and her walruses stand ready to greet her upon return.

Amazing how dogs get in to your soul, become so indispensable to the fabric of our lives. Puggles took over my life for sure, made it her own. Dogs are just so much more comforting and loyal than humans. Sure they may shed and pee on your rug, but they never stab you in the back. That means a lot.

See you in a couple weeks sweetie. Have fun!

Off To Nica

I am off to Nicaragua again for two weeks, leave Monday AM. I so enjoy this trip. I feel alive, like I am doing something for humanity and showing the world that the USA is not all George Bush and Republican me-first-ism. I personally do not save lives as I have no medical skills. But as the dentists and the dental students work, I make sure their instruments are sterile, thus making sure they do not hurt any one. Maybe in a small way, I do save a life.

Spending a week in Mulukuku is like going back in time. They have electricity now, and communication is easier. It used to be that a week in Mulukuku was total isolation, no news, no papers, if the world ended, we'd be among the last to know. Now that the road is better paved cars and trucks bring papers and news, on the same day! Last year, Enitel had even installed a pay phone. It was not connected, but held promise.

Electricity brought the world to Mulukuku; an enterprising soul set up a dish and created his own cable network. TVs sprouted up, those affording one shared it on the front porch with everyone else. As a devoted non TV watcher (despite owning one and all the 200 channels of cable), it was wonderful not seeing the damn "big glass tit", as my friend Shaun calls it, blaring from the houses.

We take the students down to San Juan del Sur for some sun and fun. I am apprehensive about going there as events of late have soured me on the place. It is lovely, and a great place to rest. I miss the SJdS of the past.

Change does not come easy for me, as you can see. Mostly since most change in my life has usually been for the worse. But it is inevitable, and so is my bitching about it.

This is my last post for a bit, I'll try to get in a post or two from SJdS from the new laptop I am taking down for them. We are frequently mules to carry things from here to there, and this trip is no exception.

At least this time I am not carrying 20 pairs of ladies' shoes and hundreds of loose condoms.

Give It A Rest

For the second time, a jury in Johnson County Kansas has failed to convict David Stagg for a murder he did not commit. Yet the prosecutor and rabid DA Phill Kline,hell bent on protecting everyone from things they need not fear, continue to want to keep on with their made up, circumstantial case. SHAME!

Stagg's romantic partner William Jennings was found murdered in April 2004. It seems Stagg and Jennings had quarreled before and Jennings had attempted suicide six months earlier. The story the prosecution made up is that Stagg killed him and made up a suicide note on a laptop.

However the prosecution wants everyone to forget DNA found under Jennings’ fingernails and on a blood stain on the computer desk ruled out Stagg as a suspect. In addition, police were unable to find any physical evidence against Stagg, even though they searched his vehicle and the condo he co-owned on the Country Club Plaza.

So, where is the evidence? Is this what justice in the US is all about now, made up stories to convict someone, anyone, to look good politically?

Jennings family seems convinced that Stagg did it. They continue to hound the issue. I am sorry for their loss, but it seems they just want revenge, not the truth. Hang anyone so we can sleep at night.

Scares the fuck out of me.

KC Star 3/15

"I'm Free!!" John Inman 1935-2007

The last sale has been rung, and Mr Humphries is no longer free. John Inman, the brilliant British comedian who was immortalized in the long running series "Are You Being Served?" died in London Thursday March 8. He was 71, losing a battle to Hepatitis A he contracted a few years ago.

Anyone who ever caught the show remembers his catch phrase "I'm free!!" as he minced and pranced his way around the Gentlemen's Department at the fictitious Grace Brothers' Department Store. His sexuality was always ambiguous and was frequently used to set up a comic situation or a racy quip. His high pitched voice immediately deepened to manly "Mennnswear," when required to answer the phone. He was for certain a certified mama's boy and sometimes sported the latest in flashy, often tasteless fashions.

Are You Being Served? ran on British TV until 1985. It is still a staple of US Public Television. Inman's portrayal of Mr Humphries won him the BBC TV Personality of the Year in 1976 and he was voted the funniest man on television in the UK. He was also a famed "Pantomime Dame" playing campy female roles in drag in many theatre productions in the UK.

So Mr. Humphries, here is to you! I hope your Y fronts ride up with age gracefully. He is survived by his partner Ron Lynch.

Going to the Dogs

The American Heartland Theatre, a textbook "community theatre" that usually features upbeat comedy and musical reviews has went over the edge. Its current production is a poignant, accidental and almost passionate love story between two males. Shades of "Brokeback Mountain"; one of the characters is even named Jack. And like Jack and Ennis, they can't quit each other, even when they try.

This show is a more simple, yet just as elemental a story and one that has played out in many lives. Joel is a young, self-centered and ambitious man whose life is fundamentally changed when he allows a rescued dog to take over his life. Sound familiar? Like so many have discovered, he realizes that the love he shares with his dog Jack is special and thus deeper than any of his human relationships.

There is a subtle message to those who think dogs are presents or throw aways like an ugly necktie or a juicer. Joel gets a pound pup for a girl he is trying to impress who quickly dismisses both Joel and the dog. Joel tries to take Jack back, but of course, Jack has worked his magic already. Jack is one of the lucky ones, and never lets us forget that.

The acting was wonderful with the 3 of the 4 actors portraying dogs. Shouldn't work, but it did, brilliantly. John-Michael Zuerlein plays Jack with panache and just the right touch of comedy and cuteness. Jessalyn Kincaid, who was brilliantly nuts in "Leaving Iowa" is just as spectacular as Little Dog, a high-strung, whirling dervish terrier. Nicholas Ward is wonderful as Big Dog, a big lug of a junkyard dog with a big heart and a desire for the perfect nap. Ward is a big hulk of an African American and for some reason I think there is a lot of "Big Dog" in his personality. These two were Jack's shelter mates and provide a subtle commentary on diversity, survival and mellowing with age that is almost more interesting than the story of Jack and Joel.

Joel, portrayed by Kurt Robbins, is basically a jerk, but a sympathetic one. It is wonderful to watch him mellow as he comes under Jack's spell. All the actors are great singers and were in good voice, something not always true in the AHT productions.

"A Dog's Life", a new musical from the team of writer Sean Grennan and composer Leah Okimoto (Married Alive) is a damn good production (going on through April 15), a must see and likely the best production I have ever seen at the American Heartland Theatre.

Pato Has Learned A Lesson

When things get really tough and all hope is fading, when you feel like everything has gone wrong... that is when you find out who truly cares, who truly loves you and who are your true friends.

Taking a Break

Pato is tired. Pato is also stressed to the max. Therefore, I am taking some time off from the blog. Not permanent, hopefully, but for at least the next few weeks.

Who knows, like TV networks, I may post some reruns.

A Forgotten Genius: Tom Lehrer

"Take your cigarette from its holder,
And burn your initials in my shoulder.
Fracture my spine,
And swear that you're mine,
As we dance to the Masochism Tango."

So goes the wonderfully bizarre lyrics of the comic genius Tom Lehrer.
A Harvard educated mathematician and scientist, Lehrer is most famous for his series of hilarious satirical songs made in the early 60s. It is legend that Lehrer died an alcoholic but in fact he simply lost the zeal to perform and went back to teaching math and theatre. Coaxed out of retirement a couple times, most notably in 1965 for the TV comedy review "That Was the Week That Was", Lehrer again tired of his songs being edited, censored or poorly performed and retired again. He writes songs occasionally and still walks among us.

Many of the songs are dated for younger audiences, filled with references to nuclear war drills (like getting under our desks and covering our eyes was going to really help), Werner Von Braun and Alma Mahler, mysteries to many these days. But "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park", "The Elements" (the periodic table of the elements set to the "Major General's Song" by Gilbert and Sullivan (you all know it), and the "Vatican Rag"...

"So get down upon your knees,
Fiddle with your rosaries,
Bow your head with great respect,
And genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!"

...are timeless classics.

His humor is intelligent, satirical and always fun. Lehrer made only a few recordings and luckily still available. Check them out, you will not be disappointed.

TOM LEHRER RECORDINGS

A Pit Bull Barks Hate: Ann Coulter and the "F" Word

Right wing nut case and rabid pit bull Ann Coulter made an anti-gay crack at a Conservative conference last Friday. No one heard about it for a while although it was witnessed by hundreds of journalists and captured by television cameras. At the end of her speech Coulter said: "I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, but it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word faggot , so I'm kind of at an impasse."

It took some Democratic lawmakers and liberal bloggers and even a few Republicans to make it a news story. But where is the clamor?? Where is the indignation. Oh, how silly of me, it was directed against Gay men, so therefore it is not that big of deal, it is still legal to do that. Now if she offended Blacks with a word?? Katie bar the door.

It shows there is a double standard still in the land of the free, home of the brave and all created equal. If you believe that fairy (no pun intended) tale, I have some others for you. Edwards distanced himself from two gay left-wing bloggers who drew fire and brimstone from the right wing by their criticism of their past anti-Catholic writings. It is ok to pillory gays and lesbians and our supporters.

Coulter is the darling of the right, and as the right wing is prone to do, attacks personally and cruelly as she has no facts to back up her beliefs. This is the same non-human that called a politically active group of 9/11 widows "witches," saying: "I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much. . . . And by the way, how do we know their husbands weren't planning to divorce these harpies?" WTF?? She got applause by the way from many in the audience when she called Edwards "faggot" and the above comments help sell her books.

Some dismiss her as a loudmouth who will say anything to sell a book or get attention. But when she is featured speaker at a GOP fund raiser, and GOP leaders are silent about her insults, then they are Nazis by association, just like the citizens of Germany who stood idly by in tacet support of Hitler.

SHAME!!!

Damn Eclipse...

Astrologer Chin Jip Seng from Malaysia said that Saturday's lunar eclipse was not a good sign because the Earth was covering most of the Sun, the source of light.

"It will be very bad for the first half of the year. There will be bad times ahead. We have to hope and pray."

Well, he is right. Let's just say yesterday was horrible for me. Rotten to the core. I won't elaborate, this is not a pity party blog. First of all, if anyone gives a fat rat's ass, I am ok, a little bruised more mentally and emotionally than physically, but ok. Just a lot of bad decisions and inactions blew up in my face yesterday. It will take some time and more money than I have to correct. But I hope it will be soon. But I have so little faith in people and in systems that I am sure I will be screwed.

Not as screwed as the injustice that goes on for Eric Volz in Nicaragua, read this article here and be sure to visit the site his family set up and send a message. Or think of others who are facing injustice and brutality by authority here in the US, like David Stagg or my friends M, K and S who should probably remain anon.

My issues are minor compared to them, a mere inconvenience and headache and sleepless night. But still real to me and still a part of the fact that the world here is nasty, friends are few (thankfully I had one that has been a great help so far) and injustice and meanness prevail.

Damn eclipse...

Kansas City Symphony: The New Recording is Available

The long awaited new CD from the Kansas City Symphony is here. I have had the chance to listen to it over the last several days and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

At first I was highly disappointed in the constricted sound. But playing the disc on my computer with the JBL Creature speakers and then on my iPod with the Klipsch IGroove showed that is was my now 3rd rate CD player that is the problem. These better systems revealed good clean sound that shows the colorful orchestration in the Double Concerto to advantage, especially the water fountain and torn paper in the evocative second movement "A Flowering Sacrifice". The orchestra sounded 1st rate, and much better than in the horrid sonics of the Lyric Theatre. The works were recorded over at Yardley Hall in Overland Park, KS. Hardly world class but better than the Lyric.

Just an aside, the Lyric is a beautiful, grand old building saddled with horrible sound. The Orchestra level is worthless, especially under the balcony. The balcony is better, but the seats are so small and crowded. Which is better, sardine packaging with ok sound, or room with lousy sound and poor visuals of the orchestra. Please hurry with the new Concert Hall!!

I remain slightly mixed about the Double Concerto as I did when I first heard it live. Evocative, interesting but a bit long. The recording misses (of course) the interesting visual drama between the soloists and the effective "torn colored paper, scattered like falling petals". As I have heard it at least 5-6 times now, it has not outstayed its welcome. Well worth exploring. "Formosa Seasons" is shorter, more concentrated and less ambitious. Relying less on color (scored for Violin and strings) the Seasons lets you enjoy Chin's lyrical, communicative style.

All in all, an impressive debut on disc for Stern and the KCS.

Chin Double Concerto and Fomosa Seasons

The above has online purchase options. I recommend ArchivMusic for great prices and fantastic service.

Sticker Shock

More elemental than the need to eat, more consuming than a first flame of passion.... my need to have something.

I exaggerate a bit; I have relatively few possessions compared to many of my friends. Mostly due to the fact that I have less space to put stuff, and with my semi-vagabond lifestyle in the last decade, less of a desire to lug it around. But a stray catalog or two or a new CD release (I have been buying more iTunes items that are a lot easier to carry) will unleash my impulse to order and thus wait impatiently for my desires to be filled.

An orphaned catalog came by this AM, a relic from a past occupier of one of the apartments here in the Towers. I am not a big outdoorsman at all, but neither is this brand of clothes. As others have done, they went upscale to attract the man who wants to look like he hunts, fishes and hikes but seldom leaves the urban jungle. He also probably drives a Land Rover or a Jeep that has never been in 4 wheel drive. I have a jacket from them that was given to me that is so delicate to wash it demands to be dry cleaned. Hardly something you want to wear while gutting trout in a campsite.

As I casually flipped the pages, a shirt jumped out at me. A "tea stained" tan patchwork shirt, loose, light, stylish and, surprise, sort of outdoorsy. I thought it would be wonderful to wear on my upcoming trip to Nicaragua. Of course for sunset cocktail hours and strolls along the beach, not while sterilizing dental instruments in the jungle. $59 was not a bad price, wish it was less, but it appeared to be good quality and thus maybe worth it.

So I got online and went through the order process. Final total, $70.82!!! WTF??! Yes $8.95 for shipping and $2.87 tax. I never pay tax here in MO for online items, and $8.95 to mail. They don't charge by weight, they charge by price. Many places do that, it is crock. If I got loony and bought a $59 lace thong ( not happening, used only for demonstration purposes) that weighs an ounce, I'd still pay 9 bucks for it to appear in my mail box. Unfortunately, there is no retail store here so I can't go and get it that way.

I declined to order, feeling the shipping is just robbery. You know, I might have felt better that you told me the shirt was $69 and the shipping $3.00. At least I would have felt I was not just getting screwed.

I still long for this item, it would look good on me. But sometimes, someone has to just say no to the ridiculous practice of gouging on shipping.

Damn it, why me??

Stealing America

I saw this film last night and it more than confirmed my suspicion about electronic voting and the possibility of tremendous fraud. The director and some sponsors will be here at the Towers this evening for a VIP reception. Puggles and I both are invited.

Check out their website and catch a screening near you

Stealing America, Vote by Vote

Mattie's Latest

It is time to rag on Boy-Gov Matt Blunt, surely Missouri's Katrina. Just after his first year in office, he was quoted in an interview as not having made any mistakes in his first year. Arrogant little brat.

Well, how's this for a mistake?

Steelman Looks at Governor's Payoff

Since daddy called off the dogs on the Fee Office Scandal by having GW fire the attorney, when will the big boys rub out Sarah Steelman, a fellow Republican for god sake!

Looks to be a good one!

"The Greatest Living Pianist That Almost No One Has Ever Heard Of." : The Hatto Affair

I remember reading the obituary online last summer at www.Playbillarts.com. A British pianist, Joyce Hatto had passed at age 77 after a long bout with cancer that had curtailed, actually more accurately destroyed, her career.

Hatto studied piano with Serge Krish, a former student of Busoni and Alfred Cortot, plus studied composition with Paul Hindemith and Nadia Boulanger. Impeccable credentials. Hatto played frequently in Europe, with somewhat unusual and difficult programs. Hatto quit the concert world in1976 due to the cancer. It is said that she was once told it is ''impolite to look ill."

She continued to record however, amazing repertoire for a sick lady going into her 50s and 60s. Liszt, Messiaen, Rachmaninoff concertos, complete cycles of Beethoven, Mozart and Prokofiev sonatas, Tchaikovsky and Brahms concertos and the complete works of Chopin, 119 recordings in all. An article in 2005 gave her the title quoted in the title of this entry.

The recordings were praised to the skies by many critics. The recordings were released on the tiny Concert Artist label in the UK. Not available here, I checked them out and declined to purchase as they were quite expensive for a curiosity.

Turns out, I am glad I did not make the purchase.

It seems many, if not all of them are frauds. Undone by new technology, the ruse was exposed.

Anyone with iTunes or similar software can attest to the fact that when you put a commercially recorded CD in the system, encoded information will appear on your screen identifying the tracks and artists. Makes it easy to save and categorize. A critic for Gramophone magazine did just that, put the recording of the Liszt "Transcendental Etudes" in his iTunes software and it came up as a recording by one Laszlo Simon, who recorded the same music for Swedish label BIS. Some research, both scientific and subjective, basically proved that fact. Other recordings were shown to be fakes as well, including the Rachmaninoff Concertos which were those of Bronfman.

Her husband, William Barrington-Coupe, initially expressed surprise and dismay at the news that the recordings were suspect. Concert Artist was a small company, and maybe some mistake was made. Barrington-Coupe succumbed to the same fate as many a petty criminal. Emboldened by getting away with one, he tried for two, then 30 then 119. When he finally confessed yesterday, he said he did it to "hide technical imperfections and gasps of pain" as Hatto struggled to record. He supposedly slipped in a few seconds of another performance to cover the imperfections. Getting away with that, he went on to foisting off whole performances. People began to suspect another fraud; no one had ever heard of the conductor and the orchestra used to record the concert works. No one seems to have ever participated in a recording. It unraveled quickly.

It was all too good to be true. The performances were almost all stunningly well done. The repertoire demanding of a 20 year old let alone a 70 year old racked with cancer. Barrington-Coupe obviously loved his wife and admired her work. He did it to make her known, to establish her reputation. He basically ruined it in his greed.

Em Chamas

While driving around town one Friday AM, I caught a few minutes of the Walt Bodine Show, a long running radio program on our local NPR station. On some Fridays Walt has some local food critics in to review restaurant news and reviews. I caught a caller mentioning a new Brazilian churrascaria was recently open. Sensing a new dining experience, I talked Michael into taking me there for my birthday.

A Brazilian churrascaria is a steakhouse with an interesting concept. Waiters called Gauchos pass through the restaurant carrying the large cuts of meats and present them to the diners. One signals via a coin placed on the table. When it is on the yellow side, the meat machine is turned on and the gauchos descend. You choose how much you want from each wood grilled cut of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, sausage and turkey. It is a fixed price of $29 per person with drinks and desserts extra. A salad bar with salads and some hot dishes is included.

“It’s a lively atmosphere, like carnival all year round, " said the owners in an article.

Not quite. If anything is missing at Em Chamas (Portuguese for "In Flames") it is atmosphere. The place is new, opened only a couple of weeks and is in a newly built development that has more open spaces than filled. Unfortunately even the restaurant seems a bit unfinished. The overall tone is dark, but not paneled library dark. Stone, wood and brushed chrome, some hideous artwork and a large but not imposing fireplace are the main ingredients of the decor. The salad bar was oddly placed in a corner and looked almost as an afterthought. The big windows look out on the empty spaces of the development. The tables are plain but large and comfortable.

The service was great and for the most part the gauchos left you alone when the coin was turned off and appeared promptly when on. They were friendly and knowledgeable about their wares.

The buffet, besides being oddly placed was a bit of a disappointment. The salads were interesting but not spectacular. The hot items included a decent paella and rice and black beans that you have separate or mixed together as the Latin Americans are fond to do. Cold selections included an interesting corn, brussels sprouts and artichoke salad, some OK pasta salads, and a tasty seared tuna and spinach salad. A small dish of excellent mashed potatoes were brought to the table as was a caramelized banana to cleanse the palate.

The roasted meats were good but uneven. The sliced boneless rib was perfection, the medallions of beef and garlic were tasty but a bit fatty, the Brazilian sausage was wonderful and the smoked bacon wrapped turkey was excellent. The lamb, some of the beef cuts and pork ribs were not so good. The lamb tasted ok but was a bit dry and over cooked, the pork ribs way too fatty. A prime rib was nothing special as was a second helping of the boneless rib which was not as succulent as the first and somewhat over cooked. Some of the beef cuts were awfully salty. Despite being advertised, we saw no fish served table side. When asked, we were told the seafood was on the buffet. I guess that meant the aforementioned seared tuna on the spinach salad and the seafood paella. Only one chicken dish was offered, small smoked legs; I passed.

Michael is the wino among us so he selected a nice Argentinian Cabernet. It was excellent but M said the wine selection was ok and bit high priced. We also had a Caipirinha, a mojito like drink made from Brazilian Cachaca liqueur. Cachaca is more potent straight as I have had it served that way before. This drink was a bit sweet and fluffy for my taste.

Interesting concept and is much like the Fogo de Chao chain that is heavily advertised yet much more upscale (read expensive). I am left wondering if Em Chamas could not have went a bit more upscale and made for a more impressive experience.

Even for a Sunday, the place had a good business but once the newness wears off, I wonder how it will fare. I would go back, but to see if the place improves.

The best thing of the whole evening was a clothing store next door called "La-De-Da", I wish I had thought of that!

Em Chamas Brazilian Grill
6101 NW 63rd Terr (just off MO 45 NW 64the St aka Tom Watkins Parkway)
KCMO 64151
816-501-7100

Reflecting on 50

Monday February 25, 1957 was a pretty uneventful day with one notable exception. Yours truly came kicking and screaming out in the world at Decatur/Macon County Hospital at about 1AM, thus forever disappointing my parents.

I was supposed to be born on the 24th. My parents were married on 4/4/44, my sister born 11/4/45, my dad born 1/4/22. So you see the deal; four was the lucky number. Of course mom was born 6/1/23 so she was left out in the cold too. Maybe that is why we got along.

50 years. Many tell me I am still but a child. Some look at me and think I am younger. No one mistakes me for older. Yet.

50 years. A lot has changed. Born just before Sputnik, I remember the space race and like a lot of kids my age sat riveted to the TV watching John Glenn and ultimately seeing men on the moon. I came to visit this planet years before Cable TV (color was still amazing for a while), the internet (computers were still numbered in the hundreds and did not much more than a good calculator) and cell phones(a Princess phone was a treat). Cars had tail fins and Alaska was not even a state, nor was Hawaii. Jet airplanes were new and rare, most still powered by pistons.

I have seen some amazing things and been to some amazing places. Stood on the Mount of Olives and in Westminster Abbey. Climbed two volcanoes, walked the streets of Mozart, Henry VIII, Jesus, Mohammad, William Wallace and Napoleon. Seen a lot, met a lot of people. Laughed a lot, cried too much and made many great friends. I was blessed with 3 wonderful kids, one who sadly does not walk this world anymore, but two I know will do great things and make me proud, as I already am.

1/2 Century. A damn long time. For some reason, 50 is harder on me than 30 or 40. 30 found me unhappily married and in a horrible job, but I still felt I had my whole future. 40 found me in a great job, lots of great friends and co workers and the peak of my career. 50 finds me floating, drifting would more accurately it. I never figured I'd be where I am now, out of the real world of work, in a simple job with more hassles than benefits. A lot of friends have drifted away as it becomes more necessary for people to move to stay ahead of the game. We plan on keeping touch, but that soon passes. Soon it is just too much water under the bridge.

50, I'll survive it. Eating my way through it more like it. Now 60, that is unfathomable. We ain't even talking about that.

Weather Forecast

The wags here in Missouri are fond of saying "if you don't like the weather now, stick around a day or two, it'll change." It is true.

On February 12 and 13 we had a few inches of snow and some freezing rain. Same thing the following weekend 16-17. Before that we had several days of temps in the single digits. Sunday the 18th the low was 11 and the high reached 51. The 19-23 saw highs of 58, 56, 64, 54 and 62 yesterday Friday Feb 23rd. At 2;30 this AM we were treated to booming thunder and flashing lightning. Our first thunderstorm of the year. Supposed to be rainy (so far true) and 56 degrees this PM. Tomorrow is a chance of snow and 36 as a high. But 60 will be back soon, likely Wednesday.

The heavy snow we received in Jan and February made our snow removal man rich and gave the Towers management a headache, but it has alleviated the drought that had plagued the area for a while. So farmers, foresters, hydrologists and water skiers join our snow removal people in the happy parade.

The thunderstorm this AM was great. I woke up and watched the show, logged on the net and followed it on radar and generally had as good a time as possible at 3AM, alone that is. It has washed the dirty snow and gunk away from the streets and walks. Everything is fresher now, washed and wet...like a newly bathed baby. But like the baby, we'll need a bath soon after our forcast snowy day. The rains will be back Wednesday, stick around.

Absurdities

1) A former Baptist church leader who had supported a Southern Baptist resolution calling on gays and lesbians to reject their "sinful, destructive lifestyle" now claims a constitutional right to solicit sex. His defense argues that since the Supreme Court struck down

The Rev. Lonnie W. Latham was arrested Jan. 3, 2006, and charged with soliciting an undercover policeman to come to his hotel for oral sex. Now that Rev Latham has come out and seen the light, he wants all the protections he fought to deny his gay brothers. I think our archaic and intrusive sex laws need to go, but in this case to show Lonnie-boy how hypocrisy hurts; I'll support giving him some jail time.

2) Fake bull testicles and other anatomically explicit vehicle decorations would be banned from Maryland roads in a bill introduced by LeRoy Myers Jr., R-Washingon. He wants to protect children from exposure to giant plastic gonads dangling from pickup truck trailer hitches. The bill also would ban depictions of naked human breasts, buttocks or genitals, with offenses punishable by fines of up to $500.

By pressing for this law, I assume everything else is perfect in Maryland, no poverty, kids who can't read, no potholes in roads and so on. And why to all these silly ass bills have a sponsor identified as "R-"? Never mind, I do not expect an answer.

3) James Pacenza, who was fired by IBM for visiting an adult chat room at work is suing the company for $5 million, claiming he is an Internet addict who deserves treatment and accommodation rather than termination. Mr Pacenza claims he visits chat rooms to treat Vietnam War related traumatic stress. In the claim, Pacenza said the stress caused him to become "a sex addict, and with the development of the Internet, an Internet addict." He is claiming protection under the American with Disabilities Act.

Leaving Iowa

KC's American Heartland Theatre's offerings can be best described as uneven. I have seen some unmitigated stinkeroos (like "Every Christmas Story Ever Told") to whole hearted fantastic. The current production "Leaving Iowa" falls in the latter category.

Leaving Iowa is an old fashioned travel comedy with a simple yet ultimately engaging plot. Craig Benson plays Don, a journalist from Boston who returns to Iowa to visit his mother and sister who stayed in Iowa. During the visit, he decides it is time to find a final resting place for his father’s ashes. His father wanted then to be scattered at his homestead, which unfortunately has been turned into a grocery store. That and a couple other mishaps send Don on a journey of self discovery and of reconciliation.

In flashback scenes, Don recalls the family vacations organized by his nerdish, High School history teacher dad, who loved to stop at the site of the first concrete highway in Iowa and other dubious historic sites. Anyone with kids or who was a kid themselves, will recognize the back seat fighting and teasing between brother and sister, stopping at tourist traps, getting lost and endless hours stuck behind slow moving trucks; dad wanting to pass and mom whining not to.

Jessalyn Kincaid as "sister" steals the show. She is wonderful at evoking the ups and downs of childish behavior. At times I thought she was my own, now grown, daughter, with the familiar "daaaaaaa-yd!" response to everything said. Jim Korinke was a wonderful homespun, Andy Griffith dad without being a caricature. Deb Bluford, as Mom was a perfect foil to Dad, always supportive yet often the one in control.

AHT regular Ken Remmert played the supporting roles including car mechanic, short order cook, grocery store clerk, park ranger and farmer, with his usual relish.

With the wonderful, intimate theatre setting, appreciative audiences and great acting, "Leaving Iowa" is worth the trip.

Fat Tuesday

It is Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras, whichever you prefer! The king cakes and gumbo are about gone, the beads are in full bloom and it is the day to forget about diets.

Tonight at midnight it all goes dark...until January 6th 2008 and Mardi Gras begins AGAIN!

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!!!

Kansas City Symphony: Banging and Clanging!

Kansas City Symphony music director Michael Stern and Nexus virtually own the Ellen Taafe Zwillich Rituals For Percussion and Orchestra, having commissioned and premiered the work with the IRIS Chamber Orchestra in 2003. A recording on Naxos followed and was received with great enthusiasm. The piece is (paraphrasing the composer) an exploration and celebration of the use of percussion in various musical traditions. The tolling of bells, the sounding of gongs, the dance of congas,the beat of marching drums and the primitive rattles and gourds all find their place in the tapestry of sound. The work is a visceral delight, and is even more "fun" live than it is on recording.

The opening movement "Invocations" explores the world of gamelan and the pageantry of bells, gongs, and cymbals. From tolling opening chords of gongs and orchestra the movement works slowly to a great wall of sound from the combined forces. The second movement "Ambulation" celebrates the world of dancing drums, combined with some "walking" figures from the bass and some Ives like marching tunes here and there. The quiet (er) "Remembrances" exploits the more lyrical power of percussion. The final movement, "Contests" is exactly that, a furious, thrilling battle between the 5 percussionists. The orchestra plays the role of the audience, commenting on the combat with shouts both thrilling and alarming, bringing the work to a satisfyingly clangorous close.

Rituals is one of the most successful integrations of percussion solo(s) and orchestra I have encountered. The other being Panufnik's Concertino for Timpani, Percussion and Strings. The KC performance was authoritative and exciting visually and aurally. The intermission reaction from the patrons was one of "wow".

I made up for one of my life deficiencies by finally hearing the Stravinsky "Rite of Spring" live. That is what happens when you live in the sticks for so long. I must own about 5-6 recordings of the damn thing, probably had more than that in long gone LPs and tapes, and heard many more once or twice, so I am hardly unfamiliar with the piece. But again, like the Zwillich, it is a visual thrill to see all the brass and winds filling the stage.

The performance was excellent. The brass, sometimes a weak point of the orchestra, was commanding and virtually flawless, the winds (especially the opening bassoon) excellent as usual. The timpani and percussion was gloriously ominous and driving when called upon. The strings were a bit outnumbered by the winds but executed their often more softer and mysterious role quite well. A published review of the Friday performance was quite negative, so either they heard an other orchestra or things improved rapidly by Sunday. I know the work forward and backwards (and yes I have studied classical music history and theory, listened to it since I was a kid so I do know a bit of what I am talking about) and found this a most satisfying performance.

The opening work was a graceful and exciting performance of Haydn's Symphony no 103 in Eb "Drumroll" thus setting the stage for the percussive festival to follow. This continued the successful series of Haydn symphonies of late, including Raymond Leppard's guest performance of the Oxford #93 last season and the recent Cello Concerto in C with Yo-Yo Ma last month. Graceful, never too heavy and with a wonderful solo from Concertmistress Kanako Ito in the Andante, the performance was a delight.

Eric Volz and sham Justice in Nicaragua

I rarely post twice in one day but this is special, and devastatingly sad.

I once loved a country, a poor one in Central America. I went there for the first time in 1999 and just realized I was somewhere special, somewhere I belonged. I would have had even stronger ties there, but a series of events ended that dream. I may be thankful now.

Those of you who know me know I am referring to Nicaragua. But a tragic event has put a chill in the relationship. The love affair has ended, it seems to be mutual. I could see it coming, yet I hoped for the best.

Read this Friends of Eric Volz

And this Guilty Verdict

Sadly, Nicaragua has become a politicized, dangerous place. She is now governed by Daniel Ortega, the hypocrite who manipulated the election and entered into a pact with the imprisoned (sort of) former leader, Arnoldo Aleman, to gain his power again after being in the wilderness of the opposition for years. He longs to rule along side his buddy Hugo Chavez of Venezuela as a "people's leader", throwing a a few crumbs at them while gaining power and establishing a dictatorship. He has politicized the country.

God forbid something like what happened to Eric occurred in the US. The poor Nicaraguan would be a victim of discrimination and would be set free. If a sham trial for a Hispanic would happen here, the hue and cry would be deafening. But for a gringo in Nicaragua it is different. Eric was not exploiting people, he was publishing a magazine. He happened to date this Nicaraguan lady, who was sadly and brutally murdered. He is a victim, a political prisoner. Reports from the trial indicate that the evidence was not even considered.

I was there on November 21, 2006 when the murder occurred. Eric was not in town I was told. He has evidence he was in Managua. Ortega and his cronies are stirring resentment among the people to bolster their power. They want blood. They are not getting mine.

I am leaving for Nicaragua in almost exactly a month. It is very likely my last time. I do not want to go to lovely San Juan del Sur where I have friends, both Nica and Gringo. It is a scary place. I do not believe in staying where I am not welcome. I am afraid, and maybe to blame, as I am one of the gringos who invaded.

Check out Eric's website, write your congressman, write the Nicaraguan embassy.

Pray for justice.

King Cake

I left Kansas City in 2001, off to a couple of years wandering in the wilderness. Upon my return, I was thrilled to find my church had started a Mardi Gras affair. We always had a chili and soup cook off and variety show just before Lent but to breathe new life in the affair, Mardi Gras was selected as a theme. As it turns out, my time in St Louis had introduced me to the fun of Mardi Gras.

Me: Who is bringing the King Cake?
Them: What is a King Cake?
Me: OMG! We need help.

A king cake traditionally was served on "Little Christmas" or "Kings' Day" other names for the Feast of the Epiphany, celebrated Jan. 6. S Traditionally the cake was baked on Epiphany Eve and served the following afternoon to family and friends. Today, the cake is served throughout the "Epiphany season," or until Mardi Gras.

It is said that the person who receives the piece of cake containing a "baby"(or sometimes a bean or nut, but most times a plastic baby) must provide the king cake next year. Not doing that is considered bad manners. King Cakes are not made before Epiphany or after Mrdi Gras. Traditional king cake is similar to brioche, a sweetened yeast bread, its only adornment a sprinkling of colored sugar. Today king cakes also come with a vast array of fillings and flavorings. The plain old sugared ones are the best.

King Cakes were rare as hen's teeth here in KC. But recently, I have seen more and more of them available. Our local Price Chopper stores carry them.

We have 5 medium size ones for the party tonight. With Gumbo, and King Cakes, we are almost there.

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER !!

Gumbo on My Mind

It is NOT Mardi Gras without a bowl of steaming, spicy, sultry gumbo; the hearty stew popular around New Orleans and surrounding area. Gumbo is wonderful year round, but is usually found up here in the North around Mardi Gras.

Gumbo, in my humble opinion must contain seafood, usually shrimp, crab, oysters or crawfish. Chicken is essential, as is Cajun andouille smoked sausage. Another essential ingredient of the dish is okra, as the word gumbo comes from a West African word for okra. Almost above all is the Holy Trinity: celery, onion and bell pepper.

When it comes to the base stock there are 3 rules:

1. Always use homemade stock.
2. Always use homemade stock.
3. Always use homemade stock.

A good, hearty and flavorful stock is always the foundation of a perfect gumbo. Seasoned perfectly, not too salty, strained smooth with a wonderful aroma.

Then you make a roux. A roux thickens the gumbo. Some use file (feel-lay) powder which is ground sassafras. It can be used in smaller amounts as a flavoring. The lady who taught me how to make gumbo told me, "don't feel bad your first roux is always a mess, I still have trouble with it."

Here is my first roux, pronounced "absolutely perfect" by my teacher:















A perfect roux is the color of a Lincoln penny, slightly circulated. A roux (in this case flower and oil) has to be stirred constantly over high heat to get the right toasted flavor. Too little is pasty, too much is burnt.

A good gumbo sits for awhile and lets the flavor blend. This is gumbo almost ready:

















Always serve over plain white rice.

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER!!

Wearing the Green, Purple and Gold!

Mardi Gras is actually French for "Fat Tuesday", with celebrations culminating on that most special day. At Midnight all reveling ceases and we enter into Lent. Quite a contrast really; the whole idea of the Mardi Gras celebrations is to gorge yourself on food and festival before fasting and doing penance.

The date for Mardi Gras can fall between February 3 and March 9 depending on the Lunar calendar used to determine the date of Easter each year. It is a mortal sin to celebrate Mardi Gras after Ash Wednesday and before Epiphany. We almost had to move our church Mardi Gras event due to a schedule conflict. Doing it after this weekend was proposed and I almost fainted at the thought. Last year, I chastised a local grocery store for doing a Mardi Gras themed sales event in June. They are based in Iowa so they were forgiven as being ignorant of the rules, but just this once.

Mardi Gras is always 47 days before Easter Sunday, no sooner, no later. Not even Hurricane Katrina stopped it.

The official colors for Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold. A bit clashing, but striking none the less. These colors were chosen in 1872 by the King of Carnival, Rex. He chose these colors to stand for the following:

• Purple representing justice
• green for faith
• gold for power

When you are Rex, one choses as one wishes!

Laissez les bon temps rouler !!

Mardi Gras

Screw Valentine's day. I am waiting for Mardi Gras. Of course for me, I am fat every Tuesday. I have Fat Thursdays and Fridays as well.

I love Mardi Gras, the beads, the colors purple, gold and green, the flamboyant costumes, the fascinating mix of voodoo, Christian symbolism and wild street party, parades, gumbo and king cakes. Halloween, too dark, gloomy and patently silly, pales in comparison to the fun of Mardi Gras. Besides, I do not care for pumpkin or chocolate but adore a good king cake, and my gumbo is renowned all through Kansas City. I kid you not, 3 years in a row "Best Gumbo" in the gumbo contest. No I do not give out my recipe.

Over the next few days, I am going to blog about Mardi Gras, its customs and traditions and my own experiences.

So, wherever you are, Laissez les bon temps rouler!!!

(Let the good times roll)!

Winter Wonderland

"Good morning, sunshine!" beamed our resident Maestro as he greeted me in the hall of the Towers. Noticing my rather subdued smile he remarked. "You don't like the snow, do you?"

"Not anymore..., I am just waiting for someone to bitch about why our parking lot is not clear, dry and warm as one in Florida might be."

He is right, I do not like the snow. Oh How I used to love it as a kid. I could watch it fall for hours, covering the stark and dirty landscape with fluffy powder. To see it pristine and pure was a pleasure. I could not wait to get in it, get the sled out and sled down the hill between Midden's and Tapp's, our path leading us in between the snow crested trees. Crunching through the icy snow pack in the fields looking for deer and birds and the occasional fox and gleaning the field for a scrap of corn for the squirrels. What fun.

But with age comes responsibility. Now, instead of watching it with pleasure, I realize I have to scrape it, shovel it, remove it, get with the snow removal people to be sure they get everything right to please the nuts in the Towers (they never do), ice melt it and make sure the garage door closes properly.

THEN: make sure they have shoveled the drive wide enough for Mr F to get his precious car out and make sure the same referenced car does not touch snow as he pays too much to live here to have to shovel snow away from his car. PLUS make sure Mrs F doesn't think everyone else's car was cleaned off and not hers because she is black. Shovel the back walk off as some think they are back door people rather than front door and insist on using the back entrance to the lot (saves snow on the carpet I guess).

They will expect their newspaper to be brought in too.

Sorry, I can not do anything about the temperature outside. Have a nice day...keep in touch.

Worry Over Nothing

I never cease to be amazed at the silliness of the "American Public". It seems more people are more concerned with a love sick astronaut, Brittney Spears' latest fashion disaster or that crazy drug addict Anna Nicole Smith than what is happening in the halls of power. Smith's death was tragic yes, but continuous coverage on all the news stations?? Not worth it.

No wonder the average citizen believed Iraq was somehow connected to 9/11 or that global warming is something that activist judges or gay perverts are selling them to destroy their families. At the same time, while crying over Anna, they overlook the scandalous information coming out of the Liddy trial. The newspaper columnist Robert Novak testified today that two high officials in the Bush administration told him the identity of the CIA agent, which I thought was a pretty serous crime.

Novak testified former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armatage and the White House political bulldog Karl Rove (ie Bush's brain) told him the identity of the agent. Novak testified that he ".. got no help or no confirmation from Mr. Libby on that issue.” So Liddy is a scapegoat for treason by two high officials??

Wake up people, this county's reputation and its future is being ruined by criminals while you worry over idiots and if queers are going to get married.

Kansas City Symphony: Brahms and Gershwin

Quite a contrast, the breezy, jazz shaded Gershwin Concerto for Piano in F and the heavy, formal Brahms Symphony # 4. Weber's Overture to "Euryanthe" was the opener. Guest conductor Jun Markl conducted with Van Cliburn Competition medalist Joyce Yang featured in the Gershwin.

I think the Gershwin is one of the jewels of the piano repertoire with its perfect melding of jazz and classical elements. Due to Gershwin's inexperience in the forms, his "classical" works (American in Paris, Porgy and Bess, Second Rhapsody, and the Concerto for example) tend to be a bit clumsy in form and execution, veering towards the episodic rather than organic. Yet the perfectly memorable melodies and infectious rhythms win out, making these pieces some of the best ever conceived in America.

This performance, while good, just never ignited. A bit stiff and deliberate in the first movement and marred by a tentative and struggling trumpet solo that opened the second movement. Yang had the shading and the rhythm down well, but had more than a couple audible clinkers. A spirited and jazzy finale somewhat made up for the less flexible. It was good to hear this piece live again after many years. I am so imprinted on the Wild/Fiedler version (the first CD I ever bought to go with my brand new CD player many moons ago) that others pale in comparison.

Sometimes grandma needs to be prodded out of her easy chair and taken for a romp in the park. Same applies to Brahms. Markl was fully at home with Brahms and showed his prowess by taking the Symphony # 4 on a swift and dramatic ride. Not slap-dash and rushed but containing briskly appropriate tempi, full attention to every orchestral detail, a great sense of the organic flow of the themes and episodes (especially the passacaglia) and still accentuating the sense of deep contemplation. Never a work that will inspire foot tapping and finger snapping, the symphony works well when it does not over stay its welcome. Enjoyable, technically excellent and inspiring, something I do not always feel when I hear Brahms.

Jun Markl, a native of Munich, is Principal Conductor and Music director of the Leipzig Radio Orchestra and Orchestra National de Lyon in France and has appeared with orchestras in Helsinki, Birmingham (UK), Vienna, Berlin, Chicago, Dallas, Metropolitan Opera (Il Trovatore). He studied with Celibidache and Ozawa; impressive credentials indeed.

Bull Headed: The Taurus Returns

Ford Motor Company is in dire straits. Losing more money per day than many of us make in a lifetime. Like many companies that find themselves in this situation, they got complacent. Old product that did not keep up with the changing market. Too much reliance on big cars, trucks, SUVs etc, that became a liability when gas prices soar. Now I drive a gas guzzler deluxe, but she is paid for. Some of these folks decided to abandon their $3-400/mo car payments and $300/mo gasoline bills. I can run the Queen Mary on a tank of gas for 3-4 weeks if I do not go out of town. It was the people above who led the way to more fuel efficient cars.

Ford didn't have what they wanted.

Europe got a new small Focus, US kept the old one, a good enough car but falling behind Toyota and such. Resurgent Cadillac knocked Lincoln to taxi service. The Lincoln LS, once called America's best sedan, was ran over by the phenomenal Chrysler 300. Relying on trucks, Ford is seeing the Japanese charging through the full size truck market.

Then there was the Taurus.

Once the most popular make in the US, selling 1/2 million a year, and a breakthrough in automobile design the like of which had not be seen in years, the Taurus was left to flounder. Thus, as Packard did to Cadillac in the 50's, Ford handed the market over to the Camry on a gold platter. The Taurus became junk. It got long in the tooth, never changing, never improving, keeping the same old looks and technology. The rental car market and fleets loved it. By the late 90's if you had a Taurus it was a company car. Just like the Lincoln Town Car will be soon, you had to be fleet buyer to buy a Taurus in its last year of production.

Now Ford is hopefully not making another blunder by renaming its replacement, the slow selling 500, Taurus for 2008. Unfortunately, too many people think of this once dramatic, style setting nameplate as a rental car. The Mercury Montego will be renamed Sable, Mercury's long time Taurus companion.

US automakers are not building cars that are right for the market. And if they do they are compromised, they get close, but no cigar. In their defense, the market changes from hour to hour sometimes, but somehow Toyota and Honda and the like seem to be able to adjust.

I wish the best for Ford. I like their cars, especially the good ones they built in the 80's. I just don't think renaming a car with a tarnished nameplate is going to do the trick.

I'd have chosen the "Fairlane" or "Galaxie".

Put Out or Shut Up

I absolutely love it! In Washington State, an organization promoting same sex marriage wants to place a measure on the ballot that would require heterosexual couples to have a child within three years or have their marriages declared unrecognized and annulled thus not eligible for marriage benefits.

The measure would require couples to prove they can have children to get a marriage license. Couples who do not have children within three years face the annulment.

If heterosexual marriage is so goddam sacred and the reason same sex couples can not get married is because they can’t produce children, then the conservatives should embrace this with open arms, it makes sense. Of course, they are short on sense.

Hetero marriage is a sham, ask me; ask a lot of my friends. It is highly over rated. The divorce rate soars yet two men or women in a loving, committed relationship is a threat?? I don’t get it.

I know not a single divorced heterosexual who has ever told me that same sex marriage damaged their marriage. Maybe it did because one of them wanted to marry someone of the same sex, but that is a different animal all together.

The measure has little chance to pass, even the supporters acknowledge that. But the point is made. The right screams same sex marriage is wrong because it can't produce children (they of course deny ever saying that) yet won't acknowledge the sickness of the institution as a whole.

This will be interesting to follow.

Recording Debut

Looks like the first commercial recording in ages for the Kansas City Symphony is about here! It has appeared as a new release on the Naxos website but according to US distributors and my friends at MDT in the UK it is not available yet.

I heard both works live with the symphony and the soloists as recorded. I found The Double Concerto tonally interesting, evocative yet a bit long. The Formosa Seasons I found more entertaining and successful due to its more concentrated, less ambitious form.

It is testimony to the talent and commitment of the Symphony that the recording was released in the first place. Now for the future, lets hear some Ives, Haydn or, please Maestro, some Karl Amadeus Hartmann??

Puggles, Boggles and Bagels

Puggles, my 7 year old purebred pug becomes absolutely unglued when she hears people refer to a new breed of dog as a "Puggle", or the plural "Puggles". When she was named Puggles, the "Puggle" was unknown, a mixed breed, a mutt. Now they all the rage, commanding 4 figure price tags and getting lots of attention in the media. They were soon joined by Labradoodles, Bagels Cockapoos, Boggles and Pugshires, to name a few.

A fool and his money are soon parted, so the old saying goes, and in this case it is likely true. Why do these people pay thousands for a mutt when you can get one at the local shelter for a hundreds, maybe less in some cases?? People who buy into this shameful practice want an animal that has been de-animalized. He doesn't pee on your rug. She doesn’t shed. She doesn’t bark. He doesn’t do a damn thing. Might as well get one of the Jetson's robot dogs. As soon as the newness and the fad wears off, the dogs end up in pounds and then euthanized.

It is that simple however, and are these dogs specific breeds or not? To get a new puggle, you have to start from scratch, with a pug and a beagle. Two puggles will not breed a pup with the same traits as the parents. They are no different than a mix breed bred by accident.

On the other hand, many of our "purebreds" have been manipulated to produce dogs with certain qualities and characteristics. Thus the stringent "breed standards" used by breeders.

My biggest complaint on this subject is that the new designer dogs are being mass produced in puppymills for a hungry market. These dogs are being bred by the thousands in large animal factories, many of them with conditions that will sicken anyone with a heart. Some claim to be USDA approved, run by good Christian people (barf) and claim to be making sweet puppies for all the sweet families and lonely old people. But in reality, it is a factory, making things, and if the dogs do not produce they are discarded, usually shot or mass euthanized. I have seen the rejects from puppy mills, sick emaciated dogs, many not able to walk as they have never left a cage. Is this what we want in order to get a perfect dog that does not shed?

Whatever you do, DO NOT GET A DOG FROM A PET STORE. Check out your breeder, look at rescue options and take any pet purchase seriously. They are living creatures, and deserve our love and attention. They certainly give us enough.

Stop Puppy Mills

Pug Rescue

Walrus Invasion

Her Majesty, Puggles Queen of All Pugs, etc., etc., etc. has received another round of walrus gifts, this time from the UK.

Cecilia, the big brown walrus and her calf Pacifica have joined Nereus on the left at Puggingham Palace. See the story here about Nereus' arrival and how this walrus business got started.

They are adorable creatures for sure, thankfully not real as 3 walruses would be a handful.

It is rumored more are coming!

American Injustice

Mothers, go ahead and kill your kids, you get off easy: Murder in Clinton

She participated and may have even encouraged the deaths of 3 little kids and is not a threat to society.

Have sex as a teenager (come on, most of you reading this probably did, if I could do it, you could too), you fucking slime pervert, you need to rot in hell and be publicly hung: Genarlow Wilson

This kid is marked for life, will have to me monitored, feared, restricted in movement, banned from most jobs and ruined for a goddammed blowjob.

America is nuts.

"Fish Gotta Swim, Hearts Gotta Bleed": Molly Ivins 1944-2007

The world of journalism and political commentary has darkened. Breast cancer has silenced the voice Molly Ivins, the witty and fearless defender of all things liberal, at age 62. To Molly, being liberal was a way of life and was never insulted when called that. "Fish gotta swim and hearts gotta bleed," she wrote. In this world of mouthy, uneducated, rabble rousing "journalists", her folksy humor and spot on barbs stood out.

Ivins speared politicians on both sides of the aisle, but reserved her best for GW Bush, coining the name "Shrub", referring to Bush policies as "Bushwhacked" and imploring readers and audiences to stand up to the Administration and stop the insanity in Iraq. No one was spared her barbs, especially Texas politicians. She has said nothing is as funny as Texas politics and referred to Texas Governor Perry as Governor Goodhair.

Even as an other round of breast cancer wracked her body, she never lost her wit and zeal. "I'm sorry to say (cancer) can kill you, but it doesn't make you a better person," she was recenly quoted.

This quote was published frequently in the obituaries and stories that appeared announcing her death. I remember reading it, as I read everyone of her columns when they appeared. It is my favorite and sums up her philosophy nicely:

"The trouble with blaming powerless people is that although it's not nearly as scary as blaming the powerful, it does miss the point. Poor people do not shut down factories ... Poor people didn't decide to use 'contract employees' because they cost less and don't get any benefits."

And another about Texas that could apply almost anywhere:

"Naturally, when it comes to voting, we in Texas are accustomed to discerning that fine hair's-breadth worth of difference that makes one hopeless dipstick slightly less awful than the other. But it does raise the question: Why bother?"

The pages are dimmed now with Molly's columns to no longer grace them. The void will be hard to fill. She was a voice of charm, wit and humor in an age where journalism was all clangor, rage and invective.

Yankton's Population Grows by One

It is likely that Yankton, South Dakota is about to get a new temporary resident. Federal Prison Camp Yankton is unique among the US Prison Camps. Not a part of a larger prison, it is set right in the middle of this small city of 22,000 people. Once Yankton College, the camp still looks like an ivy covered college and not a prison. It is pretty cushy compared to a supermax or even a regular federal prison. It is one of the places to which the feds send the white collar convicts. Looks like Shawn Brown is going to join fellow greedy young Republican Adam Taff there soon. Maybe they can share their pain.

Brown, former mayor of St Peter’s, MO got an 18-month prison sentence and a severe tongue lashing from the judge. Judge Henry Autrey told Brown that through his actions, he abused his elected position and destroyed the public's faith in good government. Brown had plead guilty of felony bribery by soliciting and accepting a $2,750 bribe from Redflex Traffic Systems Inc, a company that is installing traffic cameras in St. Peters

Judge Autrey reamed the now contrite but once cocky mayor who ran a hard campaign to unseat a long serving mayor: "Part of your promise to the citizens of St. Peters was honest government. You flat-out lied. You didn't complete your campaign promise. You abused your position of trust … to steal, to fatten your own pocket," Autrey added. It appears Brown and his family are in deep financial trouble. Spending more than they had, the $2750 bribe probably would have kept the wolves away for a few minutes. News reports say their house, the restaurant they owned, his wife’s hair salon and the house are for sale. He also got fired from his full time job. A few months in Yankton may be the least of his worries.

His story is much like Taff’s. Both were up and coming politicians, caught with their hands in the money pot. Taff is serving a 15-month term at Yankton for misusing campaign money to fraudulently obtain a loan on a $1.2 million home. Although he lost the race he was running, he was certainly being groomed for future positions in Kansas politics.

Minor offences in the scheme of things, but both these men campaigned on morality, clean government and conservative family values, which include denying gay and lesbian family rights but seems to include fraud and greed.

I wish no further punishment for them, they have ruined their political careers, they will fade away. The big question is will others learn from them? Harsh punishment and execution has not stopped murder, long sentences and the Scarlet Letter for sex offenses has not stopped that crime. So a few months in the almost pleasant surroundings at Yankton won’t do much I am afraid.

Nereus Arrives

A while back, Puggles and I were actually watching TV. One of those rare lay back and channel surf moments that I have. We landed on Animal Planet and began watching the saga of Nereus the walrus. An orphaned baby walrus, Nereus finds a new home thousands of miles away from the Alaskan beach where he is found. Nereus now gets round the clock care from his human keepers at the Indianapolis Zoo. it was a cute story with a happy ending. The walrus was flopping around, snorting and bellowing and acting as walruses do.

Puggles was fascinated. Apparently walrus speech is similar to pug. Puggles seemed to understand everything he said. She now wanted a walrus.

I posted on PugVillage that HM demanded that I bring her Nereus and set him up in the pool. It was noted that it was not feasible to house a walrus in a condo pool. They are quite loud and have a tendency to poo in their water. I was not up for that.The denizens of the Village responded that the Queen could not be without walrus!

HM Puggles' disappointment was soothed yesterday when a box arrived with our name on it. Inside was her very own Nereus, albeit 1/43rd scale. As you can see Nereus has become a favorite member of the Royal Court.














Rumor has it that more walruses are on the way. I maybe keeper of the herd... contributions of fish can be sent to Pato at Puggingham Palace.

Yo-Yo II

Sunday we were treated to a special concert of the Kansas City Symphony, again featuring Yo-Yo Ma on the cello, Michael Stern conducting.

The program was not long in length but long on style and ravishing sound.

The opener was a taught and swift Barber Overture to "The School for Scandal". The performance was technically excellent with just a enough over the top energy to capture the comic nature of the piece. Barber's early work was fitting curtain raiser to the afternoon's program.

Following was the exquisite suite from Ravel's "Ma Mère L'oye" ("Mother Goose"). The suite consists of five movements from the whole work: "Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty", "Hop o' My Thumb", "Laideronnette, Empress of the Pagodas", "Conversations of Beauty and the Beast" and "The Fairy Garden". This atmospheric work is a jewel that is not often heard. The opening chords of The Pavane were evocatively misty, taking us to an enchanted world from the first notes. Excellent winds and percussion were showcased in the "Empress of the Pagodas", providing lush yet never overstated orientalisms. The closing "Fairy Garden" boasted a sweet violin solo and a well controlled climax, the orchestra providing a grand wash of sound. I wished only to hear the whole ballet and the marvelous music missing from the suite.

The second half of the program consisted of Strauss' tone poem "Don Quixote" which of course features a substantial concertante part for cello. Ma was a wonderfully communicative Don Quixote. Matthew Rombaum, principal violist, performed the important "role" of Sancho Panza to Ma’s Quixote. Rombaum was a perfect foil to the cello and gave nothing away to Ma in his phrasing and tone. The whole work, not my favorite Strauss piece, was well done and communicative, it was easy to follow the various moods and events of the tale.

Everyone noted Ma's ability to communicate and his commanding presence. He frequently watched the orchestra play, nodded in agreement when a passage was well turned, winked and gestured to the players, even as he effortlessly played. M, who came with me on Sunday wondered if Ma was making goo goo eyes at the Concertmistress Kanako Ito. It sure looked that way sometimes. It was refreshing to see the musicians have so much fun and still making suburb music.

The audience called ma back several times and he rewarded them with a movement from the 3rd Bach Cello Suite. With his instrument back stage, he commandeered the cello from the principal cello to use. I wonder if that cello will ever be washed again?!

Yo-Yo I

The biggest weekend this year for the Kansas City Symphony has arrived, 3 concerts with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Tickets were impossible to get, sold out months ago. Craigs' List had number of ads over the last month seeking tickets, most to no avail. I was lucky to get tickets for both Fri and Sunday; Sunday's performance being a different one from Friday and Saturday.

Ma is obviously a big draw. Even non classical music lovers know him. In 1998, Ma founded the Silk Road Project, an effort to illuminate the music, both old and new, of the cultures along the famous Silk Road that stretched from Rome through Asia to Japan, thus bringing him a whole new audience. The UN has named him as a Messenger of Peace along with Michael Douglas, Mohammed Ali, Jane Goodall, Luciano Pavarotti, Elie Wiesel, and Wynton Marsalis.

I have several favorite cello works, and for some reason Ma does not play a role in any of them. The Elgar Concerto was owned by Jacqueline du Pre, the Bach Cello Suites by Janos Starker, and the Dvorak by Piatigorsky. Thus I was pleased to hear Ma live in concert for the first time.

Ma was featured in the Haydn Cello Concerto in C and Night Music: Voices in the Leaves for Cello, Nine Instruments and Tape by Uzbeki Composer Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky, a Russian Jewish composer who has chosen to live in Uzbekistan from where he draws his musical inspiration. Thus his works combine music of east and west, Christian and Islam, and his native folk music. The opener was Stravinsky’s gem “Dumbarton Oaks” Concerto with the magnificent Shostakovich Symphony # 9 as finale.

The evening’s disappointment was the Dumbarton Oaks so let’s get it out of the way. The first movement was aimless, the intricate counterpoint seemed confused and almost aleatoric at times, despite the agile winds with their perfect, pungent Stravinskian tone. The second movement had similar issues since it is entirely composed of almost Webernian single notes or 3-4 note phrases. Demanding the utmost in control, the performance again went nowhere, despite the well chosen tempo and tonal excellence from the winds. Suddenly, everything jelled and the final "con moto" was excellent, with biting, controlled brass, sharp attacks from the winds and the brittle accented strings. Dumbarton Oaks is a difficult piece to bring off, and with a performance under their belt, I would assume future performances will correct the ensemble issues. The tone and technique are there in spades. (NOTE: I am told the Saturday performance was superb and this by a harsher critic than I)

The Haydn Cello Concerto in C is simply one of the jewels of the cello repertoire. Looking forward from the baroque to the classical period, this charming, always fresh concerto allows ample display for the soloist while mining the opportunities the modern sonata form brings to concerted works.

Ma obviously enjoyed the work, and could glade effortlessly from the gritty double stops of the opening, to the more soaring melodies of the Adagio. The first movement cadenza was well done, suitably flashy but never overdone. Well paced and glowing from start to finish, the Adagio benefited from the lightness of touch from the soloist and the orchestra. The finale was spirited, joyous and again effortlessly communicated the spirit and the freshness of the music. The Orchestra showed that it is well at home in Haydn, always brisk and crisp.

Ma introduced the Yanov-Yanovsky as a piece about memory; small fragments of past events, foggy recollections, incomplete memories, a tune half remembered. Only at the end does everything fit together and the memory take flight. Ma was part of the ensemble of flute, clarinet, percussion, harp, piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass. The cello was part of the ensemble but also had many important solo lines as well, sort of a “more equal than others” role.

The audience was gripped by this quiet, subtle, oriental tinged piece. Although no folk instruments were used, the western instruments were often called upon to mimic native Uzbek instruments. The harp muted and dry, the piano frequently called upon to play the strings inside a la Cowell. The short motives were easy to hear and effectively woven into the texture. It was easy to hear them combine in the climax as the memories of the past became clear. The taped voice singing an Uzbek lullaby joined shimmering strings and the cello’s soaring responses, the dialog between them was atmospheric and breathtaking. A surprisingly satisfying, approachable yet ear challenging work.

And thus to the Shostakovich; simply brilliant. The orchestra ignited and everything was in place. Tempi were spot on, the solo piccolo in the first movement was technically excellent, full of sardonic wit, swagger and bravado. The solo trombone was brilliantly aggressive without sounding merely out of place. The somber second movement waltz was similarly well communicated, never dragging yet contrasted with its faster neighbors. The same applied to the mercurial scherzo. The largo has always been the focal point of this piece (see my entry “The Anti-Ninth” for a background on the work) and in this case the solo bassoon was so effective in evoking the “pause to remember” feeling of the movement. I could literally feel the pain of and see the blank, destroyed faces of the dead, injured, displaced and defeated from the war. Simply brilliant.

The same solo bassoon moved effortlessly into the swirling dance of the short finale. I have always wondered about this movement and how it fits into the scheme of things. Are we to banish all thoughts of the dead and destroyed? Are we to just dance life away, is this Communism and The Motherland rejoicing? Giddy with power and victory? I still do not know, but suffice to say the Orchestra brought all the emotions to the fore. A thought provoking ending to a challenging, fine evening.

Sunday brings a chance to hear Ma again in the Strauss Don Quixote, with the Barber “School for Scandal” and Ravel’s “Ma Mere L’Oye” suite.