Sensory divestment.

This is a post from my prison pen pal friend Shannon, in Tucson, AZ. Shannon's life story is rife with tales of mental illness, abuse, incarceration, abandonment and disease. As is so sadly and inexcusable in the world's richest country (getting to be poorer for sure), instead of treatment and assistance, Shannon gets locked up. I have been pleased to watch his progress as a writer and a blogger, a link to his blog is in my links section to the right. This passage was especially moving and telling.

Sensory divestment.

Pixie's comment to my August 16, 2008 entry, about guys inside not having smelled a grill in over 20 years, reminds me of the secondary punishment that incarceration leads to.

Auditory. The sounds of birds chirping, water moving over rocks in a stream, soft relaxed voices, conversations without expletives, the crackling of burning wood, and most of all...Silence. Even in the middle of the night you won't find silence. Guys snoring, guards keys jingling, doors clanking, walkie-talkies squawking, etc.

Olfactory. BBQ grills, food cooking, perfumes, clean hair and skin of the opposite sex, campfires, flowers, and so many other scents many in society take for granted. *A little known fact I've noticed: Most guys locked up will smell their mail from female loved ones. I have with many letters from Pixie and Katrina. Often it's just an unconscious thing. The indescribable smells inside prisons and jails aren't found anywhere else together like this. It is like nothing I've experienced elsewhere.

Visual. The sight of wilderness, wildlife, human beings in casual clothes, genuine smiles, little kids playing, pets, and even automobiles driving down a highway. Mainly, prisoners see brown (guards), orange (prisoners), white (kitchen/medical staff) and grey (maintenance workers). Walls, buildings, etc., are grey or off-white. In ADOC, prisoners rarely see trees, plants, etc., and when we do, it is sparse and short-lived.

Taste. The sweetness of a fresh strawberry, the sourness of a fresh lemon, the flavor of a steak, or even that subtle taste of a lover's skin. In prison, the food has 3 levels: palatable, bad, and inedible. Taste has been repetitively assaulted for so long that most of us refer to flavors as colors now. Red (Fruit Punch), Pink (Lemonade), Brown (Tea), Red Death (okay, I'm not sure what that is). We don't even get gum or breath mints. I'd kill for some cinnamon breath strips.

Touch. Not only of a sexual nature, but in addition to...the feel of softness, warmth, coolness of linen and blankets. A soft shirt. The feel of a soft hand in your own. A hug. A kiss. Something so simple as a hand on your arm. Physical contact. I truly believe that many guys locked up roughhouse, shake hands, pat backs, etc., in camaraderie, subconsciously do so more than normal for intimate contact with another human. It's a guy thing. One that I've never gotten used to or appreciated. I am not a touchy person with guys or many women. I have personal space issues.

Yes, sensory divestment is an unavoidable punishment that goes with incarceration. Unintended for the most part, but no less a punishment.

What I am Listening to Today

Albany Records has recently released an important recording, documenting the often uneven but always fascinating Symphonies of Roy Harris.

Harris has to me always been an "also ran" among American Composers. Never quite reaching the level of competency and popularity of Copland or even Diamond, Schuman, Rochberg or Persichetti. Yet, perhaps out of curiosity and frequently enjoying the restless energy of his works, I always welcome a new recording of his Symphonies.

The Albany, under the direction of Ian Hobson and his Polish group Sinfonia Varsovia, features works by Douglas Moore, (Symphony # 2), Cecil Effinger (Symphony # 1) Morton Gould (Cowboy Rhapsody) and the Roy Harris Symphony # 11.

Harris' 11th was a New York Philharmonic Centennial commission and was first performed in February 1968 by the NYP, conducted by the composer. Like so much of his work, it is intense, brassy, dense, rugged and craggy. Unlike his best work, the Symphony # 3 for example, it is also a bit repetitious, awfully strident, lacking in organic development and meanders for its 20 minute duration. The opening, featuring an amplified piano is striking, but the repetitious use of the figure soon wears upon the listener.

I have not listened to the other works yet, with the exception of the amusing Gould Rhapsody that opens the recording.

I was taken by surprise by this release and wonder if it is a harbinger of more Harris by this group. Marin Alsop and Bournemouth is slowly recording a Harris cycle for Naxos as well. Will be interesting to finally hear the Symphonies # 10, 12 and 13 which were critically panned and have likely not played again. And, it is about time for a new Symphony # 1 (Symphony 1933) recording!

Albany Troy 1042 Released September 2008. I think most of these are first recordings. HB has it as does CDUniverse

Say What Presidente?

Oh give me a break! Demonstrations and signs declaring "No Dictatorship" are part of the landscape of much of Nicaragua. The Venezuela oil deal was supposed to give poor Nicaraguans access to less expensive fuel... not happened. Ortega is more hated, per capita than Bush. Even his own friends and colleagues desert him. Yet the now state controlled or at least state intimidated media announce this package of lies and distortions:

After Transparency International ranked Nicaragua as the fifth most corrupt country in Latin America, Nicaragua's Comptroller General Luis Angel Montenegro announced that not one public official has been punished for corruption during the first 18 months of President Daniel Ortega's term.

Montenegro said the lack of sanctions against public officials for corruption reflects an improvement in the way Sandinista government employees conduct themselves compared with past governments. In the first year of ex-President Arnoldo Aleman's government, the comptroller sanctioned more than 150 public officials, Montenegro pointed out.

“This is a government without corruption,” he told state-run TV channel Multinoticias.

Transparency International's 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index, released Sept. 23, paints a different picture. The survey, which indicates the degree of public sector corruption as perceived by business people and country analysts on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 10 (highly clean), gave Nicaragua a score of 2.5 – the worst corruption ranking in Central America. Nicaragua placed 134 out of 180 countries, tied with Pakistan and Ukraine. In Latin America, only Haiti, Venezuela, Ecuador and Paraguay outranked Nicaragua for perceived corruption.

The Ortega administration has been under fire from opposition at home and observers abroad for opaque management of some $520 million in Venezuelan aid.

So, I guess this can be a lesson for the mayor and police of Kansas City.. don't arrest anyone and claim crime is non existent.

Bailing

I am not surprised, John McCain blamed the Democrats and of course Obama for Congress' failure on Monday to pass the quintillion dollar bailout for the rich and irresponsible.

?

I suppose that Mc Cain supported the bill I am never quite sure since one wonders sometimes where his mind is at. Assuming you do, Senator Spaz, take a look at this: 140 votes for the bailout came from Democrats... only 65 Republicans supported it, out of 202.

And remember, McCain, up until about two weeks ago, called the economy fundamentally strong. Now it is on the verge of collapse, he can do nothing else but focus on it and of course, he blames everything on Obama. oh no, not Bush, who sits on his throne like the failed jackass he is.

Oh please, my fellow citizens, elect some smart, sincere leadership in November. We are bailing as fast as we can... and still sinking.

Kansas City Symphony: Joyce DiDonato and More

My classical music mentor, Herb Glass, loved Chausson's "Poème de l'amour et de la mer", believing it was the epitome of French vocal music. Thus in one of our Sunday afternoon listen and learn sessions, the piece was the focus of my private musical education.

Myself being all of 20 and Herb being around 60, I hung on every word that this man spoke, regaling me with stories of hearing Rachmaninoff play, Toscanini conduct and Kreisler fiddle. As the LP spun Chausson's most popular work I began to wonder if Herb had not failed me. I simply was not "into", using the vernacular of the time, this piece at all. I began to mimic the now forgotten soprano's singing...Laaaaa LAAAAA la LAAAAAAA YAAAAAAAAA le AAAAAAAH!, dramatically clutching my hands to my heart, looking sadly skyward and declaring the piece boring as hell. The sound of a needle being ripped from an LP still reverberates nearly 30 years later as I was summarily dismissed and declared a fool. Herb did not speak to me for several weeks.

Last evening, Kansas City native and now world renowned soprano Joyce DiDonato and the Kansas City Symphony, Michael Stern conducting, gave me the opportunity to encounter the work again. Luckily my maturity kept me from howling. Beautifully played, well paced and sung with great passion and incredible diction, the piece still sinks into an accent grave world. Even as lush and powerful voice as DiDonato's still had problems emerging from the dense orchestration and turgid phrasing of the work. Little else to fault in the performance of this flawed work.

DiDonato returned in the second half to perform an unprogrammed encore, a charming, witty and well neigh perfect "Uno voce poco fa" from the Barber of Seville. In a jaunty red dress and clearly enjoying singing for her hometown crowd, DiDonato brought the concert to a halt, receiving a prolonged and sincere ovation.

Continuing the theme of love, Stern turned to a piece inspired by the greatest of all love stories, Romeo and Juliet. Not the familiar Tchaikovsky or even the Prokofiev, but the incidental music for the play written by American David Diamond in 1947. A dramatic overture in the spiky American mode was followed by a somewhat limp and passionless "Balcony Scene". The patronly relationship between "Romeo and Friar Lawrence" was represented perfectly by the Symphony's masculinely tenor violas. "Juliet and Her Nurse" was all breezy and chatty. The "Death of Romeo and Juliet" was deeply moving and tragic, never maudlin. A well done performance of a neglected score.

The concert was opened and closed by two Spanish tinged masterpieces. Ravel's "Alborada del Gracioso" and Rimsky-Korsakov's "Capriccio Espagnole". The fine Ravel featured a suitably languid bassoon solo in the middle section, that lacked a bit of hazy atmosphere from the strings. The closing Rimsky-Korsakov was brilliantly played, showing the talent of the new principal clarinet and the always wonderful winds and percussion of the orchestra.

A fine start to the new season of the Kansas City Symphony.

Political Cartoons

Coupl'a Things VIII

1) The US is becoming the stupid giant of planet Earth: richer than Midas, mightier than the assembled gods, dumber than shit. Which makes the US a danger to the planet -- and to ourselves. This country cannot continue to prosper and to embrace stupidity. The two are fundamentally incompatible.

2) Cole County Persecutor (sic) Mark Richardson is in deep doo doo over guess what?? Child support. Same thing he tried to persecute me over. Hypocritical asshole... hope he rots and loses his job.

3) The new Kansas City Symphony season begins this weekend. Joyce Di Donato performs Chausson's "Poeme D'amour et de la mer". I find the piece rather dense and it and most if not all of Chausson's works are far from my favorites, but Maestro Stern is raving about Joyce so it should be special. Music of Ravel, Diamond and Rimsky-Korsakov are also on the program.

4) Fabulous weather for September. Humidity low, temps in the low 80s, not a cloud in the sky, dewey sweet mornings.... can it last?? I have seen 2 big fat wooly wooly worms... a sign of a hard winter I am told.

Our Next VP??

Has it come down to this?????

What I am Listening to Today

Another in the long line of obscure composers my long lost friend Jim would laugh about and shake his head:

Rued Langgaard:

Music of the Spheres

Music of the Spheres is actually one of Langgaard's more well known and recorded works. It is a symphonic work of great complexity, calling for a large orchestra, organ and choir, a supporting (distant) orchestra including a soprano voice. Movement titles are some of the most descriptive and unusual in all of orchestral music:

"Like sunbeams on a coffin decorated with sweet smelling flowers"

"Like the twinkling of a pearl of dew in the sun on a beautiful summer's morning"

"Soul of the world - Abyss - All Soul's day"

"I wish …! "

"The end: Antichrist - Christ"

Music of the Spheres lay in obscurity for nearly 50 years before being rediscovered in the late 60's. Two recordings are available, one with Gennadi Rozhdestvensky and the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir is on Chandos 9517 coupled with 4 Tone Pictures. A second recording is with the same forces conducted by John Frandsen coupled in a 2 disc set with a selection of the remarkable symphonies, including the wonderful # 6 "The Heaven Storming", featuring one of most marvelous extended dramatic endings in all symphonic literature.

Available from the usual places, CD Universe, Archiv, or HB Direct.

Kansas City Lyric Opera: La Boheme

Opera in Kansas City certainly was not new, but it took a great leap forward on September 29th, 1958 when the Lyric Opera of Kansas City mounted its very first production, Puccini's "La Boheme". 50 years almost to the day, the Lyric began its 50th season and anniversary celebration with the same beloved opera. Ward Holmquist, Music Director conducted.

Thankfully eschewing the Lyric's recent trend to mount controversial (read Euro-inspired, such as the hideous "Aida" and the strange Thomas "Hamlet" of the past couple of seasons), Boheme received a charming, lively, passionate, well acted and attractive production.

Director Ellen Douglas Schlaefer felt that "Boheme" was a young person's story, thus the major characters were all sung by performers in their 20s (or so). Mimi, Rodolfo, Marcello et. al, she argued, were not midlife crisis cases but young people finding their way in a hostile environment, ruled not by logic but by passion, love and a live-for-today spirit. Indeed the spirit of Jonathon Larson's Broadway hit "Rent", based on the story of Boheme, permeated the production. Luckily this "Boheme" was not a "Rent" with the original music, but a faithful production, certainly demonstrating why "Boheme" is for many the ne plus ultra of opera.

The young cast was in good voice and all were superb actors. Especially noteworthy was the Rodolfo Michael Fabiano. His lyrical tenor voice, rich and expressive, and excellent stage presence makes this 24 yr old a talent to watch. Alyson Cambridge was an expressive, vivacious yet ultimately tragic Mimi. Lighter voiced Katrina Thurman was a hoot as the flirtatious Musetta, making the most of some of the opera's lighter moments. The remaining cast were also well sung and particularly well acted. Sets were thankfully period and a delight to the eye. Thankfully this was not a "Boheme" set in a bar in Borneo or on a spaceship to Mars, as is so much the trend these days.

"La Boheme" was fitting production to start an anniversary season. Opera lovers in KC are looking forward to the season's future productions of Handel's "Julius Cesar", "La Traviata" and "Pirates of Penzance"; a series of favorites from the last 50 years of Opera in the City of Fountains.

Sweet Little Sarah Palin, Fascist

"Fascist writer Westbrook Pegler, an avowed racist who Sarah Palin approvingly quoted in her acceptance speech for the moral superiority of small town values, expressed his fervent hope about my father, Robert F. Kennedy, as he contemplated his own run for the presidency in 1965, that 'some white patriot of the Southern tier will spatter his spoonful of brains in public premises before the snow flies.' It might be worth asking Governor Palin for a tally of the other favorites from her reading list." - Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Thanks to Christine B for this!

Wedding Bells VI: Epilogue

I finally could not stand it. The Flightaware program showed that Delta flight 370 from Managua to Atlanta had arrived. Ok... time to get out of the plane, through customs and luggage and all the nightmare that is Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Did they make the flight, did they get to Managua on time for an 8am departure? That means getting up in the middle of the night. I could not stand it, so I called. Daniel answered. YAY! They were "home" or at least most of the way there. They were on the train that connects the terminals so they must have had an easier time than Bruce and I did in March.

Yep, I worry a lot. It is a family tradition, my mom never told her mom what was going on and I never told my mom a lot, as she constantly worked herself into a tizzy over what might happen.

Daniel called me back when he could hear me better. Sounds like they had a great time, no disasters, no major hassles. Saw most of San Juan del Sur, met Marie, drank and ate to their hearts' content. A respite from the reality.

I can breathe now, they are back, the Delta MD90 got them from Atlanta to St Louis as it should.

Reality beckons them as it is does us on this finally sunny Monday AM. Work, bills, dealing with people, problems to solve, minefields to negotiate.

Why can't we all have a perpetual honeymoon??

Wedding Bells V: Reflections

As is usual, I sort of did this whole wedding series backwards, starting with pictures of the reception and then my reactions and observation of the wedding. But it also allows me to go full circle and end, for now, with some general reflections and anecdotes, mostly fragmentary but straight from the heart.

What I thought would be one of the more difficult aspects of the whole weekend, being near my ex and trying to ignore her, was actually a non event. We both broke the glacier early and managed not to snipe at each other, at least not publicly. As I reported in a previous post, I even reflected that we had managed to rear a great young man, respectful, intelligent, hard working, devoted and loving. The kid never, ends a conversation with me without saying that he loves me. I never told my dad that, nor he to me.

My favorite person at the reception was the waitress with the sushi platter. I sought her out all evening as the hors d'oeuvres were being passed. When it came time to have some cake, I passed as it looked way sweet and loaded with chocolate. "I'd rather have sushi", I mentioned to my sister. The Sushi Lady heard me and I got a nice assortment of rolls for dessert. Daniel, a sushi-aphile like me, was pleased.

It is most difficult for me to come to the realization that Daniel is now a responsible man in a responsible married relationship. I can't help seeing the somewhat manic, live wire, squealing (tease him and he could squeal a high C that would shatter steel let alone glass) little rat is actually a mature man. Daniel will do well in life, he has the right spirit. I just hope the evil forces that prey on the good will pass him by.

And it was not just all about Daniel. Seeing my Princess Maria, now almost 21, grown up too, was quite sobering. Here she is.. making her own decisions, going to college, doing "adult" things (that is what scares me!) and forming her own view of the world. I can only remember her wanting to play and watch TV... and loving her huge stuffed dog Patrick. I felt ancient.

Driving home on Sunday, I felt relieved that all went well, no major drama, and that a new family was beginning. My little rental machine full of goodies, me full of hope and good food and plenty of Martinis. Sadly missing was Her Majesty, she was still enjoying her stay at the spa, her nails manicured and receiving unbridled attention.

The most nerve wracking day for me was Monday when they left for Nicaragua. Would they make it to the airport on time, would they make their connection? Would they get to Managua ok? Would someone be there to pick them up? A weather delay in Atlanta had Daniel a bit nervous but soon the Delta flight was off, just a bit behind. I emailed, pestered more like it, everyone I knew in Nicaragua to make sure they would get picked up for the 2 hour ride to San Juan del Sur. Thanks to Cesar, I knew they were safe and on their way. A picture at DanCesar.com assured me they were in one piece. Since then I have not heard from them. I can only assume they are enjoying themselves in a well deserved vacation.

The following Tuesday, a friend and I had a wonderful evening, the details of which remain with me. Relaxed, fulfilled, and relishing the attention, I realized that at least for a while, life can be worth all the tears.

Wedding Bells IV: The Big Day

The Jewel Box, located in St Louis' Forest Park has been a tourist and city landmark since it opened in November 1936. The soaring glass floral conservatory was designed and built by the St Louis Parks Department. Surrounded by seasonal gardens, lily ponds and sculpture, the Jewel Box's 50 foot high glass and metal walls enclose an array of tropical trees and flowers.

After a $3.5 million renovation in 2002, the Jewel Box was transformed into not only a conservatory but a center for weddings and receptions. With the well maintained tropical foliage and flowers and tranquil fountains, it is a perfect backdrop for a ceremony.

Daniel and Stephanie's wedding ceremony was simple, yet casual/elegant. Their vows exchanged before a stunning tropical backdrop. The men were handsome, the groom suitably nervous, the bride beautiful. A string quartet played before and after the ceremony, peforming "Spring" from the Four Seasons as a wedding march. It all went as planned. Unfortunately, in my haste to get over with my sister and Daniel's aunt and grandfather, I did not have my camera. I'll have to wait for the official pics to arrive.

I was thrilled that Daniel was getting married. Stephanie is a wonderful young lady, it is obvious he adores her. They are somewhat opposite in temperament, but maybe his brashness and her quiet reserve will compliment each other. Having a married son makes me feel old, but also fills me with a sense of accomplishment, the job over. He is a man now, on his own, a family, responsibilities. He will hopefully still need me, and I him as well.

"Despite all the bullshit over the years, we did good" I told my ex as we watched them dance the evening away at the reception. Maybe their lives starting together will heal some of the past. One can hope.

Wedding Bells III: A Diversion

One must take advantage of situations as they arise in these tough economic times. Thus, the trip to the wedding combined with an opportunity to begin the clean out process of my St Louis storage unit.

I left St Louis in April 2004 with the old brown Mercury filled with my computer, the pug and clothes. Everything else had been sold, given away or tossed. Things that I thought I would need again someday were ensconced in a Public Storage complex under the highway in a ratty part of town. I figured it was safe, no one would ever venture there on purpose.

A couple of years ago, I went there and got some things out such as my dining room table, some books, lamps, etc., since I actually had some space and need here at the palace. For some reason I could not get the lock off, so I happened upon a man who let me borrow some bolt cutters. Turns out I needed him again.

I had forgotten my unit # so I went in the office, paid the now much higher rental fee, and got my #. The lock was rusted shut. No amount of jiggling or Liquid Wrench could get it open. Thus, Home Depot was relieved of inventorying one less bolt cutter.

The unit was dusty and there was evidence that Mickey Mouse and friends had partied during the cold months. Indiscriminately I tossed boxes and things into every crevice of the little Korean Ice Blue Machine. All to be taken home to be kept here or tossed. Left behind were the more difficult items; some more chairs, a huge old love seat and large boxes of papers.

Since I have returned, it has been almost like Christmas in September. Things long unseen now revealed, wondering why they were kept or bringing back the fond memories that inspired me to preserve them. Old cast iron skillets from my Grandmother, my Grandfather Clark's old railroad watch, my dress me, I-forget-his-name refrigerator magnet set, my 1990's diaries, an old silvered glass mirror, my Cruella DeVille figurine, a paper surfer from a party in the 90's and things yet unidentified. Much went into the trash as well, why it was kept was beyond me.

I think I have relatively few possession, but seeing a crammed storage unit and knowing I have another one in KC leads me to believe I need another upheaval to rid myself of junk. Lord knows what people have who do not move. My sister for example, I think Amelia Earhart is in her house....somewhere.

So packed with goodies, dirty but satisfied, I motored back to the hotel, cleaned up nice to await my boy's big day. The sun was shining, the air cool but pleasant, all boded well.

Wedding Bells II

As soon as I entered the cavernous underground space serving as the parking lot of the Westin Crown Center Hotel, I knew which one was mine. Hertz Rent-A-Car had just handed me the keys to my weekend transportation. The good old Queen Mary is in need of some brakes and tires so I was not keen on making her get up and go to St Louis, thus I had rented a car. Keeping the tradition alive, Hertz just assigned me the ugliest, brightest colored Korean built car they had. It started with the Glowing Salmon Hyundai Santa Fe I got a couple years ago. Next was the Electric Periwinkle Kia Rio, a little box of a car that could only be seen under a bright light. So now it was a Glare Ice Blue Kia Spectra, a name fitting for a car that seems to reflect the colors of the spectrum. It was ok, it ran, it had brakes and it had gas. A Spectra is a small car, but one that had all the fancy gadgets that were only found on luxo boats in the Queen Mary’s era. The Kia can't hold a candle to the Queen for sheer presence of course.

I had not been on a road trip in a while, but found little had changed from my road warrior days. Like the yummy pictures on the labels of prepared food, the speed limit is only a suggestion. Just like the beef stew, it rarely is the same as pictured. Set your cruise on 70mph and little old ladies in Ramblers will pass you like you are going backwards. Trucks run you over as if you were not there. WTF, I thought, the cops can’t get us all, so up to 80 and off I went. Only an occasional Rambler passed me then.

The road signs all indicated I had reached St Louis, but I did not believe them. West Washington St., that was once a dreary, dark street either by day or by night, had become a bustling Mecca for the urban set. Lofts, condos, shops, bars, restaurants, galleries and the 20 story Renaissance Grand Hotel, my destination, now graced the bright, clean tree shaded street. The Skyline forever changed by the towering Lumiere Place hotel and casino. Once empty storefronts now offered wares or food. A new ball park replaced the original and not that old Bush Stadium. Only the omnipresent Arch seemed to offer continuity.

The rehearsal for Daniel’s wedding was in Tower Grove Park and thus I would be back in my old neighborhood. There some things had changed, but much was familiar and comfortable. I miss it.

Kansas City, by contrast is more of a country village than a big city; just a small town with big city problems. St Louis looks east to New York or Chicago. Kansas City looks west but not as far west as the coast. The dusty, wheat field plains are its source of strength.

But all that talk vanished as I parked the rented ice machine and walked up to the pavilion, full of strangers and family. My son was getting married, a new family was beginning and there were lots of things to do to make it a day they will remember.

Wedding Bells I: Daniel and Stephanie

Daniel and Stephanie 9/6/08

More to come. I am a lousy photographer and have a lousy camera so just a few pics from me. I forgot the camera at the actual wedding ceremony. It was a wonderful wedding, everything went well. Daniel and Stephanie are off to San Juan del Sur Nicaragua for their honeymoon.

Reception at Windows Off Washington:



















Reception at Windows Off Washington:















Daniel and Stephanie Boulware Clark:

















Cutting the Cake:




















Stephanie:




















Daniel's lifelong friend Derek Carson, his best man and best friend:




















My Princess and Wild and Crazy Girl Maria:




















Daniel doing what he loves to do:



Apologies with the above pic, a misplaced red eye correction makes Daniel look like he has a black eye.

Break Time

Nothing much going on at the Duck Pond, or the Palace for that matter. I am sick of Sara Palin already, dazzle my ass.... she is a moron. Reading prepared remarks and then parroting the tired old right wing babble. YUK.

Raining like hell here in KC, MO. We get the remnants of hurricane Gustav... no wind, just the rain.

I am off to St Louis this weekend for Daniel's wedding, so no posts until at least Tuesday. I should have pics if I remember to take my camera.

Until then.... Pato

Coupl'a Things VII

1) Sara Palin, McCain's bizarre choice for VP admits her daughter, 17 is pregnant. But that is ok for Republo-Hypocrites. She won't get an abortion and is not a lesbian and thus all is well.

2) If you are going to advertise services, respond to your inquiries! Last week I left 3 messages with people offering services I or the building needed. More accurately, I left 2 actually, one never answered the phone and the mail box was full. One has never responded and the other has finally called me 3 times today, on a holiday, and a full 4 days after I first called.

And if you give out your phone number, answer professionally with your name and company, not just "Hullo???"

I guess the economy is not tanked after all, since they are not in hurry to take my $.

3) The Repubs and Bush himself took Hurricane Gustav seriously this time, not wanting another Katrina, the worst disaster in the US since 9/11. Gustav was no Katrina and thus the damage and fatalities are light so far. Bush will take credit for doing a better job. As well he should, he could not have done much worse.

4) Speaking of hurricanes, we have Gustav still making noise, Hanna wondering around in the Bahamas and now Ike is out there too with a nice wave off Africa looking mean as well. Getting to be an active season.

5) Two more visits and I will have a counted 10,000 visitors. I likely have more through those who read through Technorati, RSS, etc.

And no, the 10,000th visitor will not get a prize, but may get mentioned. Whooop de Do.

Veep-Stakes II

So Mc Clain chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his VP. Everyone in the right wing controlled media (the liberal media is a made up myth, trust me.....) thinks that is brilliant, gutsy, bold.

HUH?

She is nothing but Cheney without the Dick part.

You're From Where?...Part II

So have you been to Twatt, Orkney Islands, UK?:












Should we stop here??? (I have seen this sign actually):
















I'll pass on visiting lovely Muff, Ireland:












When motoring through lovely Yorkshire, England, enjoy the pudding in Wetwang, just down the road from Tibthorpe:















Dildo, Newfoundland, Eh?:












And finally, damn, now I have to be nice to my ex wife:

You're From Where?

Anus, France?:















did you say Fucking, Austria?:




















Herpes, France Maybe??:












That goes along with French Lick, IN, Knob Lick, MO and Intercourse, PA.

I'll stay here, thanks.

What I am Listening to Today

Two Violin Concerti by the Hungarian composer Ernst(Erno) von Dohnányi, one an early work from 1915 the other from his autumn years, 1949. Both tuneful, well written, compelling in their virtuosity and completely accessible. Violinist Michael Ludwig presents these wonderful works with sympathetic performances. JoAnn Falletta and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra provide a satisfying and elegant accompaniment, with a recording full of presence and excellent sound. These are wonderful, and fulfilling works that should be in the repertory. Cheap as hell on Naxos and available from the usual subjects: CD Universe (with the worst search feature of the three), HB Direct (better) and ArkivMusic (Best search feature by far).

Stupid Government Tricks

Drown, Get Rescued, Get Arrested

Veep-Stakes

“I think he can be ready, but right now, I don’t believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.” Joe Biden in 2007.

Biden talking McCain on “The Daily Show” in 2005: “I would be honored to run with or against John McCain, because I think the country would be better off.”

With friends like that.....

Maybe the first statement is right. In a world where campaigns are won or lost not on issues but stupid ass sound bites, Obama has given the Repubs some great cannon fodder.

Should be interesting. I was hoping for Bayh or Kaine.

Political Musings

Sadly, I think the 2008 presidential election is heading down the same sick path as the last two. A ratings and sensation hungry media, a fickle and ignorant public, emboldened, well funded evangelicals and cynical gays and lesbians combine to elect the lesser of two evils as they say. Although I see a ton of Obama signs and bumper stickers around, the polls suggest a tight race. The media pounces on every tiny misstep of Obama's making him look inexperienced. For some inexplicable reason, his rapturous reception in Europe was blasted as a "miscalculation" and defined him as "unpatriotic". The Evangelicals hate him as he is multicultural and worldly. The VFW and evangelicals love Mc Cain because he is not black and got shot down. I agree with General Wesley Clark, being a pilot and a POW does not in and of itself make you worthy of being President.

After the debate with the evangelical leader Rick Warren, Obama was blasted as being "professorial". When it was suggested that Mc Cain had heard the questions Obama was asked and thus had time to prepare a response, his campaign and supporters on FUX News said "the insinuation from the Obama campaign that John McCain, a former prisoner of war, cheated is outrageous." Let Obama make reference to his race and the FUX people would go gaga.

If McCain is inaugurated, the world will further look at the US as irrelevant and leaderless. Bluster talk, threats and "support the troops" blather will continue. Emboldened by the blather, the evil in the world will continue to thrive.

Greg and I were talking last night that our beloved little Nicaragua is sliding into a festering nightmare. Like the US they have idiots in power doing what they can to isolate and destroy the truly intelligent and capable. We don't really want to live there as we once dreamed.

But is this place any better?

Packards Invade Richmond, MO

When I first met Levan Thurman, my friend Bruce's dad, I knew I had met a kindred spirit. I spied his car books on the shelf and soon heard that one of his favorite marques was Packard. "Thurman Funeral Home (his 3 generation family business) always used Packard service cars, limos, ambulances and coaches". He had pictures of a lot of them, remembered them all and even remembered going to Freeport, Il to pick up a new coach from the body maker Henney. I contacted my friend Steve who is president of the MidAmerica Packard club and said basically "you have to meet his fellow".

So about a year or so later...we did. The MidAmerica Packard Club's recent drive meet went to Richmond, MO to meet Levan and see his collection of Packard service car memorabilia. We spent the greater part of the day at Jeffrey Kyles' restaurant in Richmond, enjoying a big buffet lunch (a reasonable $7.50) and listening to Levan speak about his life of work with Packard autos. After the presentation, the Packards headed off to the Ray County museum for a tour and refreshments. Bruce and I headed home, content in the knowledge that we made Levan's day, entertained a great group of people and deserved a big ass cocktail when we got home.

Some Pics of "The Packards Invade Richmond"













Bob Aller's 1954 Long wheelbase Ambulance












Dr Tom Thomas' 1953 Mayfair and Jeff and Tina Pachl's 1955 Clipper Custom Constellation














Jack and Denise's 1940 Super 8 Seven Passenger Sedan















Levan in action














Photo of 1939, 1940 and 1941 Coaches owned by Thurman Funeral Home












Levan with a brand new 1948 Packard 8 Limo

Thanks to Levan, Jeffrey Kyle's Restaurant, Ray County Museum, Mid America Packards and to Bruce for a fun and educational Saturday.

Her Majesty on YouTube

Her Majesty Puggles, QOP, SRA is on YOUTUBE!

Her Majesty Meets the Dog Cancer Ride People


More info or to follow the the Dog Cancer Ride, click here.

Dog Cancer Ride

Support A Worthy Cause: National Women's History Museum

I received this email in response to yesterday's post on Julia Child. A worthy cause and a simple way to make a difference. ~ Pato

I noticed your post on Wednesday about Julia Child’s work with the Office of Strategic Services and took great interest in your quote from Linda McCarthy. The National Women’s History Museum is one of my clients and we’re working with them right now on a campaign to secure a home for the museum, which has been an online-only museum for more than a decade now.

I thought you might be interested in learning more about it. This has been an historic year for women - from Hillary Clinton’s run for the Presidency to Dara Torres’ improbable 5th Olympic bid. Right now, Congress has the opportunity to celebrate this remarkable year by providing a permanent home for the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) adjacent to the National Mall.

The NWHM’s members have been working for 11 years to secure a permanent site for the museum, which will be the first comprehensive repository for women's history.

NWHM has indentified a vacant lot adjacent to the National Mall and now needs Congress to authorize their purchase of this federal property at fair-market value. Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) introduced House Resolution 6548 on July 17, 2008 to approve the purchase of land. Now, your local Representative needs to hear from you so that this legislation will pass before Congress adjourns for the year.

Would you be interested in joining us in being a part of the Right Here, Right Now campaign to tell Congress to recognize this historic year by passing HR 6548? Click here to send a letter or email to your Representative and check out our attached Right Here, Right Now badges at http://www.nwhm.org/rightnow/righthererightnow.html to show support for the campaign.

Please let me know if you have any questions and/or would like more information about H.R. 6548 or the NWHM. Hope we get a chance to work together on this initiative.
Best,

Erin

Erin Skinner

Juila Child... Spy

Somehow I suspected this....

Way before becoming famous as the French Chef, Julia Child worked for the Office of Strategic Services which was the predecessor to the CIA. She and some colleagues were assigned to solve a problem that was plaguing the U.S. Navy during World War II. Sharks would hit the underwater mines thus setting them off and warning the approaching German U-boats of the deadly trap.

"So", said Linda McCarthy Curator of the National Women's History Museum exhibit, "Clandestine Women: The Untold Stories of Women in Espionage", "Julia Child and a few of her male compatriots got together and literally cooked up a shark repellent," that was used to coat the explosives.

I bet she even told them "bon appétit"!

Food Pictures

The garden is going great guns. Corn, okra, peppers, squash, zucchini, and tomatoes out the ass. Speaking of which....



















I love Butt Cheek tomatoes, look odd but damn are they the best!

And this, my fellow fatties is half, yes HALF! of a fresh made pork tenderloin sandwich from Jerry's Woodsweather Cafe here in KCMO.




















This, a plate of home made fries and a coke are a grand total of $7.50. Jerry's is the epitome of greasy spoon, located beside the railroad tracks in the most industrial, warehouse district of town. Place is packed, place is wonderful and the food is glorious and 45,000% unhealthful. The tenderloin is so damn big, that the fries come on a separate plate, no room for them. Greg went with me and he was salivating over the 4 inch high piece of pineapple upside down cake...home made... $1.75.

Glad I go there only occasionally, it is bad for my diet!

Jerry's Woodsweather Cafe 1414 West Ninth St KCMO.

Try an omlet for breakfast, if Jerry is in a good mood, there will be at least 5 eggs in the dang thing.. maybe more. I will always be fat with this bounty around!

Mamma Mia!

Once upon a time, I was a movie hound. My now lost friend Jim and I used to catch every new release and some of the more interesting "art films" that showed up a our local cineplexes. For some reason, I have shied away from the cinema lately. Not much has grabbed me and made me part with my money to spend a couple hours in a dark room with other popcorn munching fans. From the looks of the upcoming attractions previewed at my cinematic soiree last night, I will not be back in the theatre for a while.

They are making a movie about the man who invented the intermittent windshield wiper and was screwed over by the Big Three automakers. He battled in court for years, losing most of the money he won on legal fees but proving a point. I would have taken the money and ran.. but then there would be no fodder for a movie. And that could be a good thing. There is another flick about a minority kid who overcomes southern racism to win big on the football field..Yawwwwwwwwnnnnn... not again. Star Wars XCIX (that is 99 for the Roman Numeral challenged)is upon us and Batman is back...again.

But, being in a bit of a funk, and deciding the world is crap, I did what millions have done when times are tough and went to see a silly, bright, cheery, happy ending musical "Momma Mia". The fact that Bruce wanted to go was the deciding factor...he'd buy the popcorn!

The plot is simple. 20 year old Sophie lives a challenging but happy life with her single mother, Donna, running a rustic hotel on a breathtaking Greek island. She is preparing to marry her Scottish boyfriend Sky who has captivated her and is willing to stay on the island and make the hotel a success. One thing is missing from her idyllic life, she wants to find her father before her wedding. Finding her mother's diary from when she was born, she secretly invites three of her mom's old flings to the wedding. She is sure she will instantly know her father when he sees him and will have her dream fulfilled to have him give her away.

You know the rest....

Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth and a whole slew of Greeks, the lighthearted story is told using hit songs from ABBA including "Dancing Queen", "Money Money Money", "Mamma Mia", "Winner Takes it All", "SOS" and others.

What can I say??, good clean fun, not long, fabulous scenery, happy ending... worth a shot. Streep was good, Brosnan and the other men not as good. Julie Waters as Donna's friend Rosie was a hoot.

Worth a trip to the theatre for sure. Not sure why so many critics have panned the movie; yes it is not a ground breaker and is not controversial,yet "Mamma Mia" is certainly better than that flimsy contrived "Rent" ever was.

Besides, a little ABBA never hurt anyone.

Always..Patsy Cline

Again, my favorite theatre venue, the American Heartland Theatre, has mounted a winner. As a “community theatre”, AHT is far from cutting edge, no controversial plays, few deep moral issues and usually a happy ending is required. At the same time it is consistently professional, entertaining and certainly far above the level of a high school play, drawing a large, diverse and loyal audience.

The current winning production, “Always…Patsy Cline”, is not new to the stage or to the AHT. One of the most successful of its type in the country, “Always..Patsy Cline” has played to sold out audiences around the country since its premiere in Houston in 1988. Of course, who doesn’t love the subject? Patsy Cline is a legend, her songs and story are as fresh and fascinating today as they were in the late 50’s. Cline’s natural talent, emotions, ability to communicate and her “realness” made her a star then and a legend today. Imagine a music star today, even a country music star, taking a commercial air flight, hailing a cab and showing up at the venue, alone trailing her luggage and the music for the band. That was Cline, always down to earth, even while fame and fortune were at her feet, ready to sit down with the band or the crowd, drink a beer and tell and laugh at the latest jokes. Instead of running from her simple, hard luck background, she thrived on what it taught her.

“Always..Patsy Cline” is more than just a musical review of Cline’s short lived career (she died at age 30 in a plane crash in 1963) but is a reflection on the lady herself, her charm and ability to mesmerize an audience. The show is based on a true story about Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger, who befriended the star in a Houston night club in l961, and continued a correspondence with Cline until her death. The show’s title was inspired by Cline's letters to Louise, always signed "Love ALWAYS... Patsy Cline.”

The main stage is the concert hall and thus the show is set around the 1961 concert in Houston. At both sides, a 1960’s kitchen and sitting area provide the setting for Louise to reminisce about her friendship with Patsy, how they met, her impressions of Patsy and her constant hounding of a local DJ to play her songs. Becky Barta has made a specialty of playing Patsy Cline and does a remarkable job of portraying her gutsiness and vulnerabilities. She can belt the songs out with the same musicality and gusto as Miss Cline.

Cathy Barnett literally steals the show as Louise Seger. Barnett is a former stand-up comic who makes excellent use of her improvisational skills and knows how to work a crowd. Some of her ad libs seem planned, but others do not. Either way, the audience last Thursday loved her sassy, flirtatious way of interacting with the crowd. Since Greg and I have front row seats and the stage is not separated from the audience, we get to interact a lot. Louise told me I have nice legs!

“Always..Patsy Cline” has been extended until the 17th. The AHT goes from strength to strength, but it will take a lot to top this one.

Back

Well, it has been a week since I had an entry so I guess it is time to come back. So here is what you missed:

The Palace still stands, and is still filled with insanity.

The garden grows, we have corn and okra, tomatoes are in abundance, but my squash is dead. I think I took too good of care of it and the stems got rotten and killed the plant. Oh well.

We had a primary election and no one cared.

My Dr said I will live, much to many people's regret.

And best of all, Zane sent me this which sums up my feelings 15,000%

Outrage Fatigue

Summer Break

Even ducks take a summer vacation. Although this duck has already taken his vacation, I am going to shut down the blog for a bit and not worry about it. It is the dog days of summer you know.















See you soon! D and P

What I am Listening to Today

The second new recording by the Kansas City Symphony is garnering some great reviews. I can not add much more to the positive review of the disc on ClassicsToday. Surprisingly great sound considering it was recorded in the cavernous Community Of Christ Auditorium (formerly the RLDS Auditorium) in Independence. I was worried about the sound being scattered and "boomy" from the large space, but the Reference Recording engineers know their stuff and turned out a well recorded disc.

The order of the two Sibelius suites was reversed, intelligently, to make a more satisfying whole from the short interludes and atmosphere pieces that comprise the incidental music to "The Tempest". The Sullivan is a fine example the composer's craft and one of his earliest works. He gained immortality, for those not familiar with the music, as the musical half of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Available at the usual suspects, ArchivMusic, HB Direct , or CD Universe.












Music for Shakespeare's "Tempest"
Sir Arthur Sullivan
Jean Sibelius
Michael Stern, Kansas City Symphony
Reference Recordings RR115

Photographic Evidence of Water on Mars

Yes, there is photographic evidence of water on Mars:

HM Writes a Letter to Murphy

Here in is presented a letter to HM's dear friend Murphy the Pug, You can check out Murphy here: Murphy the Pug

Royal Personal Correspondence
HM, The Queen
Puggingham Palace

July 23, 2008


Dear Murphy,

Here is somes of the news at the Palace.

There was DRAMA at the garden last week. We has a community gardens where my servants grows some foods, but nothings I likes, there is no Purina or cheese growing there… or liver. I ordered the Royal Limo to takes me there so I could sees the squish (ed. Note: HM means Squash). When we arrived in splendor, I seeds Mr. Andrew and Miss Sally who grows foods there too. They had a d-o-g Zaydee with them.

Murphy… Zaydee is a strange looking d-o-g. She’s a wiener d-o-g but has somethings else too. I think she has some terrier-ist in her. I calls them that because they are terrors. I likes her, and we sats in the shade and watched the peoples pull some weeds and gets some peppers and squishes.

Then, Murphy, it was a disaster! Alongs comes Wilbur! Wilbur is a 14,567lb 80 foot high Great Dane. You could put 83 Zaydees on top of each others and there would still be room for my Glorious Presence.

Zaydee did not likes Wilbur. She went coo-coo. She attackeded Wilburs and barked and snapped and chased and bit at the big locomotive d-o-g. Wilbur is a bit of a puss and went running. It was hilarious, Murphy, the little wiener d-o-g chasing and scaring off the big Great Dane. I snorted my Royal Approval and Amusement.

Wilbur gots in trouble as he smashed some plants and ran all over the place. Zaydee went to Miss Sally and stayed away from Wilbur. Wilbur went home, I banished him from my Royal Sight. Zaydee and I dranks some waters and then we went back to the Palace as it was too hots. Also Wilbur drank a whole bucket of waters, he is a pig.

A couple evenings ago, I hads an impromptu garden party with my new Subject and Royal Friend Olive. She is a little 1 year old black PUG! I likes Olive. She is a black olive, but she has a green collar with a reds stripes so it looks like a green olives. I tolds her she needs a brother names Martini. I likes having a PUG neighbor. My other neighbor d-o-g is a mop named Gracie. We also has a neighbor Willie, but he is as big a galoot as Wilbur. I thinks Olive is the bests.

Thats all the newses from the Palace. Our best wishes to you, dear Murphy.

Puggles, QOP, SRA

Picture This...

Picture this...NBC TV...1990...

Blanche: "My life is an open book..."
Sophia: "Your life's an open blouse."

Sadly, Sophia is not around to shoot zingers back at the easy target that was Blanche. Estelle Getty, the diminutive actress who spent most of her career languishing in small roles before landing (on her 3rd try) a supporting role that later turned into a starring one in 1985 as the sarcastic 80 something Sophia Petrillo on TV's "The Golden Girls," died today at 84.

Getty worked her way through stand up, vaudeville, stage and small movie and TV roles before gaining screen immortality as Sophia. The Golden Girls was one of the jewels of TV comedy, winning multiple awards. All the show's stars won at least one Emmy, a feat equaled only by the stars of "All In The Family" and "Will and Grace".

RIP Sophia.... now no one will ever know what happened to Jimmy Hoffa.

(If you were a Golden Girls fan, you would remember that Sophia let it slip she knew the fate of Hoffa)

Solid Craftsmanship

I have remarked before about things not being built as they used to be built. The 1949-51 era Crosley Shelvador refrigerator in my sister's basement that has in been in service continually since at least 1950. The vintage 1950's (est. 1956) Filter Queen vacuum that still runs, the 21 year old Lincoln (my dear Queen Mary) that starts day after day and has rescued more than one person driving a much newer auto. I think in the quality minded and not "stakeholder" minded days, people who built things still had pride in their work. They had loyalty to their company and actually were rewarded for doing a good job, not just cutting costs to the bone to make some investor rich.

I was reminded of this today when the elevator service people visited the Towers. This was this company's first work with us, replacing the corporate assholes with a local owned company with some class. Anyway, the tech was in the elevator shaft and was inspecting the bottom of the cab.

"Come look at this!", he exclaimed. I bent down to his level; he was in the pit and the stopped elevator cab was a couple feet above him.

What he noticed even amazed me. The bottom of the cab, something no one ever sees unless you are in the hoistway pit, was covered in a panel of beautifully varnished walnut wood. It looked like the same gorgeous walnut that covers the interior of the cab. Where the walnut met the cast iron frame, the seams were covered by walnut trim, matching the trim in the cab. Since the cab is original, built in 1914, this wood has to be original too. Now, today, who would cover the unseen bottom of an object with fine wood and trim it as well?? You'd be lucky to find a sheet of cardboard.

Our front door is original 1914 too. When I had a locksmith out to fix the lock, he had me notice that the original hole for the lock had been hand chiseled out of the 6in solid oak door, (the door weighs an estimated 350 lbs). "Someone", he said, "had to have taken and hammer and chisel and perfectly cut this round hole to fit a solid brass lock and key".

Today, it would have been plastic and lasted a week.

David Sedaris: “When you are Engulfed in Flames”

I have been a fan of David Sedaris ever since I by chance heard him read his essay “I Like Guys” from his book “Naked” on the radio, gosh what would that be?? Ten years ago? At least that. “Naked”, from 1997, is a collection of essays chronicling his life, from his unusual upbringing in the suburbs of Raleigh, North Carolina, through his booze-and-drug-infested college years, and on to his aimless wandering as a young adult. Full of sardonic wit and dark humor, “Naked” included the classic “Dinah the Christmas Whore” a hilarious story of Sedaris' job at a cafeteria during his Christmas break as a teenager and his and sister Lisa’s mission to extract her coworker (a recently paroled former prostitute) from a domestic disturbance. I mean, doesn’t every middle class family have a prostitute in for Christmas Eve?

After Naked came “Me Talk Pretty One Day” (2000) and then “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim” in 2004; both, are in my mind, classics of American humor.

Now after 4 years and several name changes comes his new book of essays “When you are Engulfed in Flames”. As in his previous oeuvre there are some hilarious, laugh out loud moments, such as “Solution to Saturday's Puzzle” when his throat lozenge falls on to a bitchy airplane seatmate and “That's Amore” a bittersweet study of his rude, yet somehow lovable neighbor Helen, whom Sedaris makes you loathe and pity at the same time. However funny at times, I detected a bit of ennui in “Engulfed”, a bit of weariness and forced hilarity, instead of the easily flowing sarcasm and rapier wit of the previous books. Maybe because that is his life now, jetting comfortably first-class from Paris to London, the US, summers in the house in Normandy, spending $20,000 to jet off to Tokyo in an effort to quit smoking. The Sedaris of his youth, his family, his drug and booze filled wanderings were so much more interesting. Instead of funny and endearing, I find him annoying.

The bulk of the book is an expanded memoir of his attempt (I assume successful) to quit smoking. “The Smoking Section” starts out brisk and humorous but soon bogs down in a vain attempt to find life in Japan amusing. His struggle to learn Japanese at a language school is more pathetic and annoying than funny.

That words pathetic and annoying keep returning as I review my just finished reading of this book. Pathetic, forced, annoying. A now rich person trying to act insane while jetting the globe at will. I have read and re-read “Naked”, “Me Talk Pretty” and “Corduroy” several times. Somehow, I just do not see that I will return to “Engulfed” time after time.

I was lucky that I got to meet him at a book signing after “Naked” was published and told him I fell in love with his work upon hearing that on the radio. “I remember that.. I had to take a huge dump the whole time I was reading that…painful”. (Thank you sir… moving away quickly…) Thus, one of my prized possessions is a personalized and signed copy of “Naked”:

“To Don with Love, David Sedaris”.

The “W” on his written "with" is in the shape of a pair of butt cheeks, complete with a few hairs and pimples.

I, for one, wish he’d never grown up. And I still love you David, but we have to realize something, friend... you are getting old now, like me… and life is less interesting… like mine.

Monkey Business

From the "Truth is Stranger Than Fiction" world comes this story:

Springfield woman’s lawsuit alleges discrimination against her monkey

SPRINGFIELD | A southwest Missouri woman has sued Wal-Mart, local health officials and Cox Health Systems, claiming they discriminated against her and her monkey named Richard.Debby Rose of Springfield said in the lawsuit that the 10-year-old bonnet macaque helps curb a social anxiety disorder that can cause her to have panic attacks in public.

The suit contends the Springfield-Greene County Health Department lacked the authority to decide that Richard is not a service animal under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Health officials in 2006 sent letters to restaurants and grocery stores, advising them not to let Rose in with the monkey. Rose also alleges she was denied access to Cox Health Systems facilities.

No wonder no one respects lawyers, the legal system and our litigious society.

Hell in a Handbasket

To my eyes, the world, and the USA in particular, is in the fast lane to hell, securely trapped in that proverbial handbasket.

Really, just look at the news. Everything is negative. Layoffs and buyouts abound, sending employees and communities to uncertain futures while a few “stakeholders” get rich. Mrs McCain just made millions off the Busch-InBev deal that will soon devastate St Louis. All the money Busch put into the city as far as charitable contributions… likely gone. The new owner, who jets around the world, obviously doesn’t care.. besides more money for his beloved stakeholders to hoard.

No one is out and about. Who can afford it?? Gas is at an all time high, foreclosures wrack the housing market (though strangely not here as much as in some of the hot spots, where people went looking for sun and fun and found prices high as a kite), jobs going poof! all over the place, airlines tanking, autos dying, inflation at its highest levels in years. Read the paper with a bottle of pills and scotch to wash it down, that is what it will take!

Our justice and courts system is so corrupt and out of control that it honestly makes me puke to even think about it. People with cash and connections get by, the poor get slammed. So, how is that so different when we had dictators and kings running the show? Have we not progressed as a society in 250 years?

Try to have a serious political discourse and you get slapped, insulted and sidetracked with silly shit like Obama’s a muslim terrorist, someone “flip-flopped” about something, or wants to take your guns and kids away. Meanwhile an economy withers, a war rages, depression soars, and unemployment is the norm. But damn it, we can't have abortions, gun restrictions or homosexuals getting married.

Jeeez what a fucking mess.

I have the scotch.. all I need now are some good pills to finish it off.

Quatorze Julliet 2008

Joyeux Quatorze Julliet!

Aujourd'hui est La Fête Nationale ou Quatorze Juillet en La Republique Francaise. (Better known as Bastille Day in English.)

En l'honneur du jour, voici est L'Hymmne National Francais:

La Marseillaise:

Allons! Enfants de la Patrie!
Le jour de gloire est arrivé!
Contre nous de la tyrannie,
L'étendard sanglant est levé!
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras

Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes.
Aux armes, citoyens!
Aux armes, citoyens
Formez vos bataillons!
Marchons, marchons!
Qu'un sang impur...
Abreuve nos sillons!

Avez un jour joyeux, mes amis Francais!

(...and forgive my rusty French)

What I am Listening to Today

Mahler Symphony # 8

Barbara Kubiak, Izabela Klosinska, Marta Boberska (soprano); Jadwiga Rappé, Ewa Marciniec (alto); Timonthy Bentch (tenor); Wojtek Drabowicz (baritone); Piotr Nowacki (bass)

Warsaw National Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra; Polish Radio Choir (Kraków); Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University Choir; Warsaw Boy's Choir

Antoni Wit Naxos- 8.550533-34

What can one say about the so called "Symphony of a Thousand"? Huge forces, with choruses, orchestra and soloists, easily add up to the magic 1,000 mark. Mahler attempted something truly novel in the 8th, a melding of sacred and profane, a huge symphonic/choral canvas in two huge movements, hardly related to each other. The first is a massive setting of the hymn in Latin "Veni Creator Spiritus", complex sounding but really almost a textbook sonata form. The second is an almost hour long setting of the final scene of Goethe's Faust. A tribute to the eternal feminine, inspired by his devotion to his beloved and complex wife Alma. Here the textures thin out, even with vast forces, they are rarely used all at once, but more of a huge palate of textures and colors to paint his vision of the "ever-womanly".

Although costly and complex the work is no stranger to performance and recording. This one, on the budget Naxos label is a pure joy. Fine voices, excellent choral work, good pacing, excellent sonics giving the massive forces the clarity needed and a certain spritual furvor that is often lacking.

This, along with the wonderful Colorado MahlerFest version from 1995 conducted by Robert Olson (Available on line) remain my standards for this compelling and unique symphony.

Meet Isabelle

A quick trip to the garden today led to an unexpected pleasure. As I was watering the squash plants I noticed a nice big, ripe yellow fruit peaking out from the imposing leaves of the plant.

My first squash. This is as important as my first date or my first time driving a car, but slightly behind my first blow-job. All the expense and time buying the plants, planting, watering, weeding, fertilizing and driving back and forth to the garden has begun to pay off.

I was going to leave it but thought it looked big enough and ready so I plucked it from the stem. I was going to fix it tonight, but I had other plans so it looks like tomorrow I'll slice it and grill it lightly on the Jenn-Air. A little butter and it will be ready. YUM!

From the looks of things, in a couple of weeks, I'll be sick of the damn things.

I named her Isabelle:

Joe Republican

I have recently had some right wingers go totally off when GWB is criticized. As a rule, they tend to lose all sense of reality and start their rant painting all liberals as hypocritical and GWB as a great hero, that we will someday all lift to sainthood.

Well, here is a little blip that puts the ball back in their court.

A Day in the Life of Joe Average Republican

Farmer Brown

With some good rains and reasonable weather (but not today) the garden is growing well. I have it on good authority that some tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash have been harvested. Today I also saw some peppers and jalapenos ready for plucking. I go over about everyday and splash the vegetables with their daily ration of water, taken bucket by bucket from the barrels that collect the rain water run off from the apartment building next door. We are nothing but clever are we not?

I took the trusty old Easy Share over today to memorialize the progress. And so, here are some pics from the garden:

My peppers and David's tomatoes:



For some reason no peppers are ripe yet, but some are coming!

General view of the garden. Note the corn. My grandmother always said corn needed to be knee high by the 4th of July to be a good crop. Of course today's hybrid super-corn is knee high two days after it is planted. But since this is just plain ol' corn, it has managed, as did corn of yesteryear, to be knee high just in time. We got a late start since Greg did not take possession early enough to plant the early spring vegetables, thus there is a lot of empty space. Next year I think it will be full:



My squash is enormous:



And productive!:



Tonight I sauteed some string beans in a bit of olive oil and fresh basil, Thai basil and thyme from my herb garden.

I kind of like this grow your own thing!

Jesse Helms: Gone for Good

"Jesse Helms was a kind, decent and humble man and a passionate defender of what he called 'the Miracle of America.' So it is fitting that this great patriot left us on the Fourth of July," ~ GWB

My reaction....BARF!!!

But as Bette Davis was supposed to have said about Joan Crawford: "Mother always told me to speak good of the dead. Jesse Helms is dead... GOOD!"

Jesse Helms on "Negroes":

"White people, wake up before it is too late. Do you want Negroes working beside you, your wife and your daughters, in your mills and factories? Frank Graham(A 1950's North Carolina candidate) favors mingling of the races." Another ad featured photographs Helms himself had doctored to illustrate the allegation that Graham's wife had danced with a black man.

He called the University of North Carolina "the University of Negroes and Communists." Black civil rights activists were "Communists and sex perverts."

Of civil rights protests Helms wrote, "The Negro cannot count forever on the kind of restraint that's thus far left him free to clog the streets, disrupt traffic, and interfere with other men's rights." He also wrote, "Crime rates and irresponsibility among Negroes are a fact of life which must be faced."

Helms on homosexuals:

Over the years Helms has declared homosexuality "degenerate," and homosexuals "weak, morally sick wretches." Helms opposed the Kennedy-Hatch AIDS bill in 1988 by stating "There is not one single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy." Despite his opposition AIDS money did come from the Government but he railed on that less money should be spent on people with AIDS because they got sick as a result of "deliberate, disgusting, revolting conduct." He added, "we've got to have some common sense about a disease transmitted by people deliberately engaging in unnatural acts."

Jesse Helms being a racist:

And the man ABC News now describes as a "conservative icon" (8/22/01) in 1993 sang "Dixie" in an elevator to Carol Moseley-Braun, the first African-American woman elected to the Senate, bragging, "I'm going to make her cry. I'm going to sing Dixie until she cries."

Helms filibustered making Martin Luther King day a national holiday and was the sole senator in opposition to it.

And before anyone says that Helms came around on AIDS in his later years. No he didn't. He came around on AIDS in Africa. Still didn't want to help Americans with AIDS because, you know, they were "homersexuals".

We'll Have A Homosexual Ol' Time!

The rabidly anti gay "American Family Association" (the same group that made "Family Values" synonymous with bigotry, hate and intolerance) uses an auto correction filter when it publishes stories on its website. Thus the word "gay" is automatically corrected to homosexual. But that backfires sometimes.

They ran a story about runner Tyson Gay (you know what is coming) that turned out thus:

"Tyson Homosexual was a blur in blue, sprinting 100 meters faster than anyone ever has. His time of 9.68 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials Sunday doesn't count as a world record, because it was run with the help of a too-strong tailwind.

Here's what does matter: Homosexual qualified for his first Summer Games team and served notice he's certainly someone to watch in Beijing.

'It means a lot to me," the 25-year-old Homosexual said. "I'm glad my body could do it, because now I know I have it in me.' "

So to this wacko group, is the bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima the "Enola Homosexual"?

Did Fred Astaire star in the movie "The Homosexual Divorcee"?? Must have been filmed in the heathen liberal hell hole of Canada, or Massachusetts.

Was the last line in "The Flintstones" really "We'll have a homosexual ol' time...WILMA!!!!" Betty and Wilma as Lesbians? Barney must have been a perfect bottom!

God, these religious nuts are insane.

Coupl'a Things VI

1) It was inevitable, gas is $4.00 a gallon here now. Missouri and specifically Kansas City had some of the cheapest gas in the country. Odd that we feel gas below $4 is cheap.

2) So McCain is a flip flop and so is Obama. I'd rather have someone realize they made a mistake than have a "leader" like Bush and Boy-Gov who are so damn arrogant they can't admit they are wrong even when it means people die. Hard headedness and arrogance are bigger "sins" than flip-flop, although FOX would not agree.

3)Quite a storm last night. While finishing my drinking and dining at 303, it began to pour. Then the hail came, then lightning, wind, rain and all sorts of fun. Steve reported water covering a lot of the roads as he drove home.

Power was out at the Towers, though not all over. I had ceiling lights in the living room and bedroom but not in the kitchen and bath. In the kitchen the appliances were on. I had some outlets working, some not. An extension cord powered the computer and table lamp.. but with no internet and cable, I was not sure what was going on. The building gets power from several sources, what power is on depends on which grid is out. We had some lights in the hall, the light was on in the elevator, but the elevator was off. All was back about 8;30AM. The skinflints here were thrilled, we saved a few $ having the power off.

Oy...

No More Nice Guy

Fuck you.

There, I am tired of being nice so I am joining the rest of the world in being a shithead. I am going to cut in front of you, ignore you, take more than my share and dare you to say something, when you ask me to do something I am going to be sure you know you are majorly inconveniencing me,I am just going stare at you and like you are the dumbass when you call me out, lie, cheat and steal, disrespect you, just catch me, just make me... in general be an asshole.

Yes, I'll save you the details, but I have had noting but run ins with nasty, difficult and downright mean people today.

It is the world these days. If you can't beat them, join them.

Asshole.