Danny's Dozens

	*MONK RULES* *WELCOME to the Thelonious Sphere Monk* Memorial WebLog** Wanna listen to Just A Gigolo by Monk. Or Play "Some Other Toonz" by Monk My page on Saatchi Gallery Go HERE for my page on Facebook.
	*February Y2K9*
	2/28/09 Go HERE for the latest totals. More Americans now dead in Iraq & Afghanistan than killed on 9-11. Plus more than a million Iraqis dead. New Show Important Things with Demetri Martin; the funniest new comic since Steve. Quote Of The Day "The dirty little secret ... is that every Republican in this country wants Obama to fail, but none of them have the guts to say so; I am willing to say it." - Rush Limbaugh MacDries says, "Wow! Such integrity. Why isn't Rush Prez?" Artist Of The Day A virtual tour of Ray Smith's Brooklyn studio. Go HERE. Loading Up With The Blues I've got a ton of blues that I seldom play cuz I didn't have enough room. Now that I do I'm adding some Elmore James, Lightning Hopkins, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Rev. Gary Davis, Charlie Patton, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Albert King and more. Shot To Hell Another month. The good news is: We're heading Springward. SCRIE RomDog just informed me that I have been exempt from rent increases for at least the last couple of years. One of the few benefits of geezerdom. However, now I have to file an application, make copies of all sorts of docs, etc. And supposedly I will get a refund from my landlord for the last two years. Go HERE if you're over 62 and living in a Rent Controlled or Rent Stabilized apartment in New York.
	2/27/09 Steve Jobs 3 stories. This is why I love Apple. Go HERE. Teddy Thompson Today's listening: Richard's & Linda's boy. Go HERE. Rethink Aghanistan Obama's big muddy. Coming next. Doesn't anyone remember the Soviet Union's 10 year war. Go HERE. Stop Saying That 1. "Tire-swinging". 2. "Talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk." 3. "Fisk". 4. "Blank is the new blank." 5. "My bad." 6. "You da man." 7. "On the same page." 8. "Outside the box." Jindal Bobby's telling stories. Go HERE. MacDries says, "Even though I'm avoiding following the news very closely, I do occasionally enjoy watching the Republicans spitting and sputtering and self-destructing. The Dems used to have a lock on that sort of thing." Final Exit 4 arrested for assisted suicide. Go HERE. Maira Kalman In love with Lincoln. Go HERE. Stevie Wonderful Mary Mary, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, India Arie, some Opera singer, Paul Simon; just straight forward music with no hoopla. And of course Stevie. I'v got it on TiVo.
	2/26/09 Greatest Music Video Stan, the long version. Go HERE. Great Song (repeat) Covered by The Corrs, Mary Black... YouTube it. No Frontiers If life is a river and your heart is a boat And just like a water baby, baby born to float And if life is a wild wind that blows way on high Then your heart is Amelia dying to fly Heaven knows no frontiers And I've seen heaven in your eyes And if life is a bar room in which we must wait 'Round the man with his fingers on the ivory gates Where we sing until dawn of our fears and our fates And we stack all the deadmen in self addressed crates In your eyes faint as the singing of a lark That somehow this black night Feels warmer for the spark Warmer for the spark To hold us 'til the day When fear will lose its grip And heaven has its way Heaven knows no frontiers And I've seen heaven in your eyes If your life is a rough bed of brambles and nails And your spirit's a slave to man's whips and man's jails Where you thirst and you hunger for justice and right Then your heart is a pure flame of man's constant night In your eyes faint as the singing of a lark That somehow this black night Feels warmer for the spark Warmer for the spark To hold us 'til the day when fear will lose its grip And heaven has its way And heaven has its way When all will harmonise And know what's in our hearts The dream will realise Heaven knows no frontiers And I've seen heaven in your eyes Heaven knows no frontiers And I've seen heaven in your eyes -- Jimmy McCarthy Most Covered Song Of All Time Who Knows Where The Time Goes from Sandy Denny. Go HERE for Cat Power. Go HERE for Eva Cassidy. Go HERE for Mary Black. My Sparkler Emma was here for dinner last night and it still makes me smile. She had her usual great smile on and I said, "What are you so happy about." "Nothing special," she replied. That's good enough for me. I love it when my children are enjoying their lives. All my children now have their own very active lives and I try not to be one of those needy, lonely parents begging them to visit more often. Stevie Wonder Winner of this year's Gershwin Award on PBS tonight, 8pm ET. I'm TiVoing it. Check local times. Another Recent Painting More On Clean Coal From the Coen Bros. Go HERE. Linda Thompson Having a retrospective today. When I first bought One Clear Moment, her first solo album after splitting from Richard, I played it daily for about a year. One of the most perfect folk-pop albums of all time. Richard, Linda, and now Teddy; what a family. Latest Painting
	2/25/09 Addiction h/t Gretchen St. Petersberg Then and now. Go HERE. Reality Check Clean Coal? No such thing. Go HERE. Today's Free Tune Natalie Merchant. My Beloved Wife Just Play or Click On Down Arrow and select "Save As Source". Natalie Merchant Ophelia & Tigerlily. She came up on Shuffle and I just had to switch to a full dose. Gaza Use of white phosphorus (considered a war crime when used against civilian populations) was denied by the Israelis. Doctors treating wounded civilians blamed the shells for horrific burns. Go HERE. CleeseBlog John Cleese, that is. Go HERE. POTUS The Prez told it like it is last night and it was sort of thrilling. Poster Boy Art vandal strikes again. Go HERE. h/t Kate The Great
	2/24/09 Relative Good News Bro Gary is home from hospital but using a walker which makes life so much fun. I live next to a high-rise full of geezers and another old folks home and see many trucking to the neighborhood pricey "convenience" store for their daily provisions and exercise. Not a pretty site cuz I see myself only a couple years away from the same sort of life. My kids don't like to hear that kind of talk, so I apologize. My latest visit to the doc turns out to be just very dry skin rather than some other odious disease. Cooking With Clara Depression recipes from one who was there. Go HERE. Quote Of The Day "The public wants bipartisanship. We just have to try. We don't have to succeed." -- Rahm Emanuel MacDries says, "Where is it written that we want bipartisanship? The Dems didn't squeak in." The National Debt Republicans: STFU about tax and spend. Benefit Concert The Connie Crothers Quartet Connie Crothers, piano Richard Tabnik, alto saxophone Roger Mancuso, drums Ken Filiano, bass Benefit to support: The Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust Friday, March 20th, 8 p. m. $10 suggested donation, more if you wish. All proceeds go the Infant Trust. Light refreshments Connie's Loft 475 Kent Avenue, #410 Brooklyn, NY 11211 Top Chef The finale is coming up. Carl is betting on Stephan, Sparkler doesn't like Josea and Carla seems too goofy. I won't bet against Stephan but I sure hope not. I think Favio got screwed and don't understand why Jeff and Leah got a second chance except they were pretty. Leah had little talent and seemed a bit spoiled and Jeff did have nice hair. I think Carla may pull an upset. Oscar It just occured to me that I didn't see one shot of Jack Nicolson and not a single joke about him. Perhaps we've entered a new era.
	2/23/09 This Has Not Been A Good Day Don't ask. Need me some Ray on the jukebox. Sweet & Sour Tears. Just cuz I love the picture and I'm a momma's boy. Feeling Catatonic Tried to take a nap but couldn't sleep. Made an appointment with my Dermatologist for this damned itchy back. Now I should go out and buy some feed for my Sparkler. Oscar So I got one wrong. And how about those boobs on old horseface Sarah J. Parker.
	2/22/09 Eva Cassidy She's the one for today. Go HERE. Understanding The Credit Crisis The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo. Data Moshing Interesting visual effect that will soon grow old. Go HERE. Harvey Milk The earlier documentary. Go HERE. Google Earth Just downloaded the latest Google Earth which has a lot of new features, including searching the ocean. They seem also to have found Atlantis It's a slow grey old day but Sparkler is here for dinner tonight.
	2/21/09 Artist Of The Day Andy Goldsworthy. Google him. Oscar This is one of the first years where I have seen most of the pictures; not all of them. So I'll predict: Micky Rourke, Kate Winslet, Heath Ledger (though it should be Michael Shannon), Penelope Cruz (though it should be Viola Davis) Slumdog Millionaire. Cinematography has to go to Slumdog as well. Gus Van Zant may squeak into the Director's award. Wall-E will win animated, doh. Bruce will win song from The Wrestler. No one cares about any of the other categories. However, I just saw a trailer for Frozen River which could be a dark horse. Bed Bugs As I think I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been fighting an itchy back for days and days and no one is here to apply lotion. I think I caught some bed cooties at that horrible motel down in Tejas. Luckily Sparkler gets home soon. For now I just slather lotion onto a t-shirt and squirm around until my back is covered. To little avail. I'm looking for sympathy here. Can't stand the thought of going to yet another doctor. OMG! Anna Wintour's thumb (a slideshow). Go HERE. Surprise! It seems that every day I get less and less interested in "politics", "the news", and all the assorted "bloviating pundits". I'm even getting a little tired of my fave Rachel's "humorous" take on "the news". And forget about our side's Hannity, Keith Olbermann; can't watch. I even wrote Rachel an email about how unfunny is the nightly segment with "my friend Kent". A good comic knows not to be too enthralled with how funny he is. Google Richard Prior. The truth is what is funny. A Simply Red Sort Of Day Greatest Hits. I've always loved this White Boy Brit Soul Group but I've also always been suspicious of them. Don't know why. Brother Gary Last I heard, Gary is still in the hospital. He had a small stroke and now can't walk. Doctors say it's not because of the stroke. That's odd. He's had problems with his legs for a few years. We used to be so many and now we are down to six; five really since Sybella has Alzheimer's. Grupp Remembers Mexico Go HERE. Today Can't get started. Luckily my Sparkler gets back tonight.
	2/20/09 Yahoo! Now that's equality. Drag Queen will wear the crown on homecoming. Go HERE. Horace Silver Been a long time, but today is a Silver Day. Our old pal Herb Hicks first turned me on to him and he still holds up. Herb played rather like a cross between Silver & Bud Powell. Dylan Thomas Thninking about mortality these days. Do Not Go Gentle Just Play or Click On Down Arrow and select "Save As Source". Today's Free Tune Bill Evans. All About Rosie Just Play or Click On Down Arrow and select "Save As Source". This one of the best piano solos I've ever heard and the one where people first saw the huge talent of Bill Evans. More Susan Tedeschi Sings John Prine Angel From Montgomery. Go HERE. And Go HERE. Penis/Peanuts You say tomato... Go HERE. Fainting Goats Go HERE. Bad News Bibi Netanyahu is back. Go HERE.
	2/19/09 Susan Tedeschi Austin City Limits. The girl can play guitar too. Go HERE. And Go HERE for her with her hubby Derek Trucks and follow your ears. Delbert McClinton Austin City Limits. Go HERE. Neko Case A friend just turned me on to her. Go HERE. Pam Shows Her Butt With a face like that you need a nice butt. Go HERE. Parmesan Chicken From my fave Chef, Jamie Oliver. He has his own cooking shows, website and a new magazine as well. Go HERE. Break Dancing Them damn Commies invented it. Go HERE. Brad Mehldau It's that sort of day. Loading up 3-4 more CDs. I can't decide if Mehldau or Jacky Terrasson is the better younger pianist. They are both better than me. 3-D Printer Jay Leno's other life. Go HERE. h/t WlfSng
	2/18/09 Cortez The Killer One of my fave songs. Grace Potter & Joe Satriani Live. Go HERE. And Warren Haynes w/ Dave Matthews Band. Go HERE. Sunday @ The Village Vanguard Orin Keepnews recalls producing the best piano trio album of all time. Go HERE. Lee Konitz It's that sort day today. Motion, Konitz & Warne Marsh, Alone Together featuring Charlie Haden & Brad Meldau. Taxes Done It was a struggle but I did it. Evolution
	2/17/09 Clapton/Cale Straight on blues. Go HERE. Neil Young On faith, etc. Go HERE and Go HERE. Bill Evans It's that sort of day. The Solo Sessions, Sunday @ The Village Vanguard. It's all good but I have more than I could ever listen to. Some Art Taxes Finally added up all my figures and now all I have to do is fill out the forms for my accountant. But tomorrow is another day. Today I got nuthin'. Nap time.
	2/16/09 The Horse's Mouth A great book by Joyce Cary and probably the best movie (written and acted by Alec Guiness) ever made about an artist. Runner up would be Vincent & Theo by Robert Altman. Next would be Rembrandt with Charles Laughton. Followed by John Huston's Moulin Rouge about Toulouse Lautrec. Forget that other Vincent movie and the one about Michaelangelo. I just caught it on TiVo and advise you to do the same. Big Bang Theory Probably the best sitcome since Friends or Seinfeld. I'd go there if I was you. I usually watch each episode 2-3 times before deleting. Some Art Six years ago today. Miles Davis It's that sort of day. Cookin', Workin', Relaxin', Bag's Groove. The good stuff. The Shrub Gets Some Slack Some historians say he's only the 36th worst of 42 Prez in history. Man, harding must have been a real douche-bag. Go HERE. Obama Set To Blunder Big Time This guy Bredesen, Gov of Tennesee, is a serious contender for HHS. Go HERE. Don't do it Barack. Word! "Under the right circumstances, any word is proper. But when any sort of word, especially a word hitherto taboo and therefore noticeable, is scattered across a page like chocolate chips through a tollhouse cookie, a real impropriety occurs. The sin is not the use of an "obscene" word; it is the use of a loaded word in the wrong place or in the wrong quantity. It is the sin of false emphasis, which is not a moral but a literary lapse, related to sentimentality. It is the sin of advertisers who so plaster a highway with neon signs that you can't find the bar or liquor store you're looking for. Like any excess, it quickly becomes comic." -- Wallace Stegner MacDries says, "Listen up Scorsese and all you teenagers." I Just Don't Feel Like It! Doing my taxes, that is. Quote Of The Day "I thank God, I shall never again visit a slave country. To this day, if I hear a distant scream, it recalls with painful vividness my feelings, when passing a house near Pernambuco, Brazil, I heard the most pitiful screams, and could not suspect that some poor slave was being tortured ... Near Rio de Janeiro I lived opposite to an old lady, who kept screws to crush the fingers of her female slaves. I have stayed in a house where a young household mulatto, daily and hourly, was reviled, beaten and persecuted enough to break the spirit of the lowest animal...I have seen a boy, six or seven years old, struck thrice with a horse whip (before I could interfere) on his naked head, for having handed me a glass of water not quite clean. It makes one�s blood boil, yet heart tremble, to think that we Englishmen and our American descendants, with their boastful cry of liberty, have been and are so guilty." -- Charles Darwin And The Oscars Go To... Nate Silver predicts, so I guess it's all over. Go HERE. 13 Year Old Father And already a cuckold. Go HERE. Obama/Lincoln Portraits in cupcakes. Sweet. Go HERE. Flight Of The Conchords Go HERE.
	2/15/09 Quote Of The Day "Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired." -- Chris Brown, who beat the crap out of his girlfriend Rianna. MacDries says, "I love it when someone cannot admit what he did. I didn't do it. It transpired. Shit happens." Taxes Just took an hour to make a running stab at doing my taxes. Receipts organized. Another day I'll tally them all up; mostly bills for co-pays and prescriptions etc. Too boring. Elvis Back in the day when he was still a musician. Go HERE. Ryan Adams On AOL Sessions. 4 new tracks. Go HERE. Lots more stuff too. John Legend. Country. Sonic Sculpture Go HERE. Mt. Rainier Lenticular cloud show. Go HERE.
	2/14/09 Casablanca Caught this classic on TV the other night, about 15 minutes in and just keep watching as one is wont to do. If it's not the best movie ever it's certainly a contender. Black & White, like an Edward Weston photograph, so beautiful you wouldn't want color. What Is Obscenity? Arizona border fence. It's not by Christo. Today's Free Tune James McMurtry. Ruby & Carlos Just Play or Click On Down Arrow and select "Save As Source". Just Us Kids Quote Of The Day "No, Glenn, look, I'm not going to soft-pedal this with you, I'm not going to try to blow smoke either. The reality of it is you are absolutely right. You have absolutely no reason -- none -- to trust our word or our actions at this point. " -- Michael Steel, RNC Chairman On Drinking "I sit on the terrace reading about the torments of Scott Fitzgerald. I am, he was, one of those men who read the grievous accounts of hard-drinking self-destructive authors, holding a glass of whiskey in our hands, the tears pouring down our cheeks. Thunder at three. The old dog trembles, and is so frightened that she vomits. The wind slams some doors within the house, and then I smell the rain, minutes before it begins to fall on my land. What I smell is the damp country churches, the back hallways of houses where I was contented and happy, privies, wet bathing suits - an odor, it seems of joy. When Fitzgerald drops dead, I burst into tears, as I wept over the account of Dylan Thomas's death. This morning I cannot remember anything that occurred after dinner." --John Cheever 2 Johns Cavett interviews Updike & Cheever. Go HERE. Maybe It's Just Me The internets are still jerky as hell. St. Valentine's Day Who and why? Go HERE.
	2/13/09 25 Guilty Ones Time Mag ticks 'em off, in case you didn't know. Go HERE. Two New Ones Paint on poster. Paint on paper. Done some time ago but just found frames for them. Hunting Frogs Just discovered this short story written by Bro Gary. Go HERE. I recall whacking frogs as well but damned if I remember ever being served them for supper at Ma's table. FTR Gary and I have been estranged for some years but I just heard he's having some age issues and I wish him well. Today Achtung! Friday the 13th and the internets are jerky.
	2/12/09 Quote Of The Day "Please do not call it a bonus. It is not a bonus. It is an award. And it recognizes the importance of keeping our team in place as we go through this integration." -- James Gorman, co-president of Morgan Stanley, during an internal conference call Steve Pevnick Graphical waterfalls. I posted a link to this a while back but didn't recognize at the time that it was made by an old friend from Washington U. Go HERE. Go HERE for a pdf. Simply Red Holding Back The Years. Go HERE. Diana Krall New CD & a new look. I forget sometimes how good she is. Quiet Nights I'm having a Krall day. Potato-Leek Soup Revised my usual recipe last night. I replaced the usual can of condensed milk with a can of coconut milk. Also only blended the potatoes with the immersion blender and left the sauteed leeks,red peppers & shallots in small bits. Yummie!. Benjamin Button I read the story years ago and recently tried unsucessfully to re-read it. An odd story and an odd movie and a bit long. But what's the point? When You Lose Your Mind Joaquin Pheonix on Letterman. It ain't pretty. Go HERE. Chicken Shit Congress Pay caps for executives dumped from stimulus package. Don't make the fat cats pay. They might get mad.
	2/11/09 New York Times The Old Grey Lady is going broke. In desperation the website is now back on subscription. Click on a link to an article and you will be needing to sign on. Don't think it's worth it even if it's free, for now. Official Dubya Portrait You get to choose. Go HERE. The Power Of Women Bros before Hos, A musical. Go HERE. I Love Food But I could not imagine even taking a bit of any of these dishes. Food Porn. Go HERE. Quote Of The Day "When I was in high school, my desire was to be a sportscaster. ESPN was just kicking off, just getting off the ground, and I thought that's what I was going to do in life, is be one of the first woman sportscasters. Until I learned that you'd have to move to Bristol, Connecticut. It was far away. So instead, I had a daughter and named her Bristol." -- Gov. Sarah Palin Who's Got The Billions? No one seems to know. Go HERE. Barney Frank One of the best... Go HERE. Aand Go HERE. Israel Fights Itself Can't seem to even find peace within. If that old terrorist Begin can find peace with Egypt, can Netanyahu be far behind? Go HERE. Today Sunny & 57 degrees. Time for my daily outing.
	2/10/09 Muppets Secrets More than most of us need to know. Go HERE. Teddy's Not Looking Too Strong ABC has video. Go HERE. I'm Getting Sick Of This Ad In fact I've always hated it. The New Art Blakey Pathetic The latest Republican talking point is that Roosevelt didn't really conquer the Great Depression. And as corollary: Only Reaganonics can solve the current one which is actually a result of 20 years of trickle down. Some people will actually repeat such rubbish. It's called denial. Today's Free Tune Bob. Tombstone Blues Just Play or Click On Down Arrow and select "Save As Source". This is from MTV Unplugged. But I've been listening all day to a bootleg called Almost Went To See Elvis and can't recall where I got it. Probably from Grupp's massive collection. Today Another one of those days...
	2/9/09 Every Swear Word Uttered On The Sopranos In chronological order. Betcha can't watch the whole thing. Go HERE. Timothy Geitner Don't know why I just don't trust this guy; unless it's the fact that I've never seen a picture of him smiling. Go HERE. I'd much rather have seen him bite the dust than Daschle. Working On A Dream Working on Bruce's new CD. Brother Dennis gave up on it and I'm hoping it's not another Magic. But then I was disappointed the first couple times I listened to The Rising. Gotta say the DVD of the sessions seems a bit narcissistic. About 95% of it is Bruce footage, unlike The Seeger Sessions. In this regard I have also loaded Devils & Dust & Magic to give them another chance. Report to come. I Go Pogo The Possum has his own web site now. Go HERE. ht Dee Grupp Seeing Color In Sound It's called Synesthesia. Rare but real. Go HERE. h/t Grupp Grammys Mostly hip-hop dreck with a couple exceptions. Highlights: Plant & Krauss. Tribute to Bo Diddly with BB King, Buddy Guy, John Mayer & Kieth Urban. Tribute to the 4 Tops with black haired, facelift Smokey Robinson, Jamie Foxx, Ne-Yo? and the last remaining original. Kate's also happy that John Mayer won another one. And don't forget The Rev. Al Green with an assist from Justin Timberlake. Finally, if there is a bigger poseur than Kanye West, you gotta show me. All the hip-hopper sounded like Eminem.
	2/8/09 Anthony Bourdain Rationalizes his pigishness re: fois gras. Go HERE. Off To A Shaky Start Even those of us who wish Obama well have reservations about his economic team. Frank Rich, as usual, has a few. Go HERE. This Is Not A Good Thing WiFi in the air is here. Go HERE. Today's Free Tune Traveling Wilburys. I'm Gone Just Play or Click On Down Arrow and select "Save As Source". Traveling Wilburys It's been that sort of day. Adding lots of music to iTunes. Go HERE. Dries Van Noten Google me and you mostly find some young hockey player and this guy who I don't know either. Meep-Meep My fave cartoons, ever. Go HERE. Just Trash Or is it? Go HERE.
	2/7/09 Bob Chats In A Car Park Go HERE. Neil Young on Bob. Go HERE. Go HERE for Bob singing Sam Cooke. Things Have Changed A worried man with a worried mind No one in front of me and nothing behind There's a woman on my lap and she's drinking champagne Got white skin, got assassin's eyes I'm looking up into the sapphire tinted skies I'm well dressed, waiting on the last train Standing on the gallows with my head in a noose Any minute now I'm expecting all hell to break loose People are crazy and times are strange I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range I used to care, but things have changed This place ain't doing me any good I'm in the wrong town, I should be in Hollywood Just for a second there I thought I saw something move Gonna take dancing lessons do the jitterbug rag Ain't no shortcuts, gonna dress in drag Only a fool in here would think he's got anything to prove Lot of water under the bridge, Lot of other stuff too Don't get up gentlemen, I'm only passing through People are crazy and times are strange I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range I used to care, but things have changed I've been walking forty miles of bad road If the bible is right, the world will explode I've been trying to get as far away from myself as I can Some things are too hot to touch The human mind can only stand so much You can't win with a losing hand Feel like falling in love with the first woman I meet Putting her in a wheel barrow and wheeling her down the street People are crazy and times are strange I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range I used to care, but things have changed I hurt easy, I just don't show it You can hurt someone and not even know it The next sixty seconds could be like an eternity Gonna get low down, gonna fly high All the truth in the world adds up to one big lie I'm in love with a woman who don't even appeal to me Mr. Jinx and Miss Lucy, they jumped in the lake I'm not that eager to make a mistake People are crazy and times are strange I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range I used to care, but things have changed What They Cut Go HERE. So Much Music, So Little Time Just getting back into Bob's latest bootleg series Tell Tale Signs. Awesome. He still cooks. Kate Winslett I'd forgotten why it is that I love Kate Winslett so much. Iris, Titanic, Quills, The Reader, Revolutionary Road. I haven't yet seen Hideous Kinky or Little Children or Heavenly Creatures but I will at first opportunity. Go HERE. 3 New Paintings One more coming. I seem to be back into painting. My most recent workbench is now turning into another large 2-sided painting/screen with hinges - 8' by 22". Slumdog Millionaire Pretty good on 2nd view. If it wins anything it surely should be for cinematography. I must have dozed off in the theater first time cuz I had missed huge chunks of it.
	2/6/09 How Refreshing! A smart Prez. Go HERE. Notice the millions of photos being cliked off when Obama signs the Executive Order; like locusts eating a field of wheat. Tejas When I was young the stereotypical Texan was a braggart and a bull-shitter. Nothing could be farther from the truth. (The exception being George W. Bush.) Texas today is more like Ann Richards; smart, funny and friendly. If you pass a Texan on the street, he/she will like as not, look you in the eye, smile and say, "Hey, how'y'all." They are not necessarily out for something though a woman may well be flirting with you. They like their beer and like to dance. I stopped in Luckenbach (pop. 3) Sunday before last where there is a dancehall, a beer joint with souvenirs, and a hat & boot store next to a Menz & Goils booth and an eatery. What more do you need? A young up and coming woman was singing for no cover and a few were doing the 2-step. I wandered into the boot shop where a few were warming themselves around a pot-belly stove. The owner said to an attractive 40ish dark-haired woman, "How'ya doin' today?" "I'm good," she said, then added, "I bet he is too." Indicating me. I said, "Sure am. Nice sunny day, music. What more could you want." I walked on. A few minutes later the same woman passed me again and laughed as she did. I said, "What's so funny?" She said, "Oh, you know." The story ends there, or it could go on... but you get the point. Head on down. Austin especially. I've been there 3-4 times and have always had a good time. And it was warm. Willie Nelson Been listening to a lot of Willie today. Go HERE for Willie & Merle singing Townes VanZandt. Not a bad video as they go. Painting The hardest part of making a painting is to begin. The easiest and most fun part is when it starts to come together. In between it can be rather confusing, like writing a good sentence that makes sense and contributes a coherent idea. When it is finished the fun begins as you look it over day after day and it still seems finished. Sometimes months, even years later one has to revisit it and set it right. I often start more than one painting at the same time and often they come together about the same time. Such is the case today. I'll have three to display as soon as I can take a photo of them. A couple larger pieces are still in process. The Biggest Bong Hit In History Has more ever been made of anything less? Bad Design Laying awake last night with a back itch I couldn't scratch, it occured to me that god was not a very intelligent designer as all the wingnuts would have us belive. If he were, she would have added another wrist or elbow on our arms such that we could reach every part of our bodies. As it is the itch always situates itself in the very place one cannot reach. When afflicted with such, I have to go for a certain plastic cooking spoon to get relief. And even that does not always work. Nothing Worse A guy (or gal) who thinks he/she is funny is aggravating and seldom makes me laugh. Case in point, David Pogue who does videos about tech issues and gadgets for the NYTimes. His point is always about how funny he is. He tries to be and never is. I won't link to him in hopes he just goes away. Barack Fires Back "That'sa my Obama. Go HERE. Go HERE for video. Stop Saying That! "You rock my world."
	2/5/09 Benny Goodman @ Carnegie Hall - 1938 Bro Dennis just called to ask if I had that concert on CD. As it happens, we've always had a copy. Bro Derb had the original boxed LPs which he passed onto me years ago. I copied them onto tape and back to him years later. Then I next found a digital version, bought it and copied it and sent it on back to Derb. Thus, I copied it again and sent it on to Dennis and began to listen to it for the first time in years. It's well worth it to always keep a copy, put it on and let it ride. 60 years ago on a cold January night... Carnegie Hall. Why Does Anyone Take Carlie Seriously? A failed CEO @ HP, Carly sucked at the tit of government for years and landed with a huge golden parachute. Plus she was McCain's financial adviser. Go HERE. President Obama It's always pleasant when it crosses my mind that Bush/Cheney are gone and Obama is really running the show. SCOTUS Ginsburg In hospital with pancreatic cancer. Go HERE. And start thinking of strong women to replace her. Steven Wright Dry, dry. Go HERE. Demetri Martin Don't miss this new show. Go HERE. And Go HERE. Bill Gates & Bugs TED is kicking into 1st gear. Go HERE.
	2/4/09 Bush's Legacy Notice anything? Go HERE. Quote Of The Day "And we rounded the corner -- I'll never forget it -- and I saw one of the ugliest and angriest women I have ever seen in my entire life. Boy, she was really bad. And she charged my car with a sign [which read] 'Stay out of my womb!' No problem, lady." -- Ex-President George H. W. Bush Equal Rights To divorce. Go HERE. Eminem Returns Word is he has a new release coming called Relapse. Go HERE.
	2/3/09 David Brooks If you had any doubt Brooks is the dumbest man on earth... Go HERE. Then Go HERE. Nora Jones Sings Cash The Home Of The Blues. Go HERE. The Mavericks Blue Moon. Go HERE. Hey Good Lookin'. Go HERE. Go HERE for Matchbox with Carl Perkins. What's The Point? It's been snowing all day but the temp is 32 so it's just wet. It might as well be rain. Hank Crawford, 74, RIP Another Ray Charles sax player is gone. Go HERE. Internet Video Clicking on a link to a video entails watching a commercial, followed by a newsreader telling you what the headline has already told you. Thus, I have stopped the practice. Since my Texas vacation I have also stopped visiting about half of my usual surfing spots. The Republican are just too boring to follow on a daily basis. When Giraffes Get Angry Go HERE. Brutal. Daschle Redux Irony? Don't think Tom's gonna make it. Howard Dean is waiting in the wings and he's been vetted for years. Update: That was quick. Go HERE. Sioux Falls If you're in the vicinity.
	2/2/09 Headline Of The Day Wall Streeters Can't Live on $150-180K. Go HERE. MacDries says, "Tough Titty!" Poem Of The Day It came to me the other day: Were I to die, no one would say, "Oh, what a shame! So young, so full Of promise - depths unplumbable!" Instead, a shrug and tearless eyes Will greet my overdue demise; The wide response will be, I know, "I thought he died a while ago." For life's a shabby subterfuge, And death is real, and dark, and huge. The shock of it will register Nowhere but where it will occur. -- John Updike MacDries says, "I'll second that. I've read lots of Updike but his Rabbit books are still his best. If I have time, one day I'll re-read them all in sequence. I subscribe to the idea that he is the WASP Phillip Roth. Or vice-versa." Quote Of The Day "The Republican Party leadership in its latest act of self-immolation appointed, Michael Steele, a radical Black racist as the leader of the Party." -- David Duke Re: Michael Phelps Eddis Izzard and The Stoned Olympics. Go HERE. Go HERE for more from Eddie. I'm still pissed that they cancelled The Riches. Ditto for Slap Maxwell. Dale Watson Cheatin' Heart Attack. Go HERE. 50 Years Ago The day the music died in Clear Lake, IA. Go HERE. Go HERE for Don McLean's recollection.
	2/1/09 Johnny Rodriquez Pass Me By. Go HERE. Gene Watson The Man & Me & You. Go HERE. Vern Gosdin That Just About Does It. Go HERE. Faron Young Hello Walls. Go HERE. Gimme A Break Michael Phelps wins 8 Gold Medals and apologizes for hitting the bong. Pot is not a steroid. It's a f**** herb. Go HERE. Quote Of The Day "I didn't like the line in the [inaugural] speech about how we didn't have to compromise our values to protect ourselves. Sometimes we do." -- Bill O'Reilly The Boss Bruce has a new one out. Also on Super Bowl show tonight for 12 minutes. Go HERE. Get it here. Working on a Dream (Deluxe Version) Luchenbach, TX The terlit @ Luchenbach. New Old Music Brother Derb has some old music that I grew up hearing but never collected. In addition to more Dale Watson, I scored some Faron Young, Vern Gosdin, Gene Watson, more Waylon (can't have too much), Johnny Rodriquez and The Mavericks. They All Do It! One of my fave politicians, Tom Daschle, gets caught cheating on income taxes too. Go HERE. Top 400 Rich Guys Their income doubled during Bush Era. I think we knew that. Go HERE. Damn These Internets I TiVoed the final of the Australian Open but I just spotted an item that tells me Nadal already won in another long match. Not much fun to watch when you know who's gonna win. I'm pissed. Today** Gonna get above freezing today. Lucky me cuz I gotta get some food in the house. Emma's coming for dinner and we have 2 episodes of Top Chef to watch.
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