Ooh, Baby, That's What I Like

I did a little thought experiment a while ago.  They say you should write what you know, which I try to do.  But I also figure: write about what you like.  So I sat down and made a list of the things I really like.

--Food- especially barbecue but also sushi, Thai, Korean, well, pretty much any Asian cuisine.

--Music- all kinds except opera and just a little country.  Covers, in any style.

--Aviation.  The technology, the history, the people, the romance.

--Books-  I read a lot, and though my reading has changed (the web, ebooks, Facebook, news aggregators) I still read voraciously.  Miss Mox and I have a library in the house.  

--History- it's what the world is based on. What is happening this second will be history in a minute.  It guides us, influences us, helps us learn what to do and avoid.  There are so many aspects of it that I can never get bored.  

--Family- they too influence us, and make us what we are.  I love my family, and Miss Mox's, and miss those who are gone, and look forward to seeing the ones we can.  Oh, and to the meals...

--Miss Mox- yeah, I might have a crush on her.

I've written some, or a lot, about most of these.  I'm sure there will be more.  I'll try to delve deeper into areas I haven't covered as much.  And there will always be new areas to explore.

Holiday Happenings

Ah, the holiday season.  A time for relaxation, spending with family, and eating all kinds of goodies.  Well, I relaxed all right- got sick Christmas Eve, was quarantined Christmas Day, and am finally recovering.  I got to hang out and not do much of anything, which is good (though less fun if it's not really by choice...)  One bad part of being sick is not being able to get things done.  I had the time, but not the energy.  Even getting on the computer was hard; I just couldn't focus my mind enough to write or do anything involved.

Before that, though, Miss Mox and I had a cool anniversary.  Low key, like us: visits to the places we got engaged and married, a fancy meal, and plenty of alone time.  We saw family a bit before Christmas- my mom came to town and we had a nice day together, and at least Miss Mox spent some time with her family while I was in my sickbed.  And we ate well- dinners out, homecooked meals, and lots of Christmas cookies!

Today there will be some time out on the town, and more relaxing before going back to work.  Then a few more days off, which I hope to use to get some things done.  So much to write, read, and just generally sort through for the end of one year and the beginning of another.  I hope you had a great time during whatever holidays have just passed, and enjoy New Year's Eve.  Look back at what has happened this year, good and bad.  Remember, but don't obsess.  Learn, and move forward.  There's always something interesting ahead.

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

One year ago today, I married an amazing woman.  She is beautiful, fun to be with no matter what we're doing, smart, and a smartass.  She makes life even better than it already is.  The past year has gone by quickly.  The previous year was a busy one, with lots going on in our lives.  This year has been slightly more calm, but not boring.  We've taken plenty of roadtrips, done interesting things, met new people and seen old friends. Laughed and lazed around and looked to the future.  With healthcare getting better we're hoping for 75 or more years together.  They'll be fun.  I love you, Miss Mox.  YATBTTEHTM

Arguing With Idiots

I like having constructive conversations with people, even people I disagree with. Sometimes especially then- I get new perspectives, learn new things. But the conversations, and opinions, need to be based on facts, on different interpretations of reality. Not complete ignorance of facts, and disconnect from reality. Is something based on fantasy really an opinion? Or just more fantasy? Paging Fox News!

Anyway. I'm torn between trying to debate with stupid people and ignoring them. On the one hand I'm not going to change their mind, and they're probably not going to understand what I'm saying, and they'll misinterpret what I say. On the other hand I can't just let stupid statements go. Because if you let it go unchallenged, people go "well, it must be okay." So I want to let them know it is stupid, but I know I probably can't change the way they think.

A couple of weeks ago Miss Mox and I posted things about events in Ferguson, about race relations, about how all that is affecting our family now and might in the future. And immediately some (now former) "friends" on Facebook got offended. Plus, I saw and participated in similar discussions elsewhere, online and in person. The amount of ignorance was astounding. The persistence in sticking to that ignorance, and in doubling down on it, was beyond belief. 

And many of them tried to bring in history, in one way or another. Now, we each have history degrees; Miss Mox has several. We read history. We talk about it. Museums and libraries are our idea of fun date spots. Some tips for blithering idiots: Don't try to educate a history major about basic history. Don't try to tell a history major that history doesn't matter. Don't use bits of the past out of context to try to back up your nasty comments. If you're going to try to educate me about something, you'd better know a lot about it yourself.

One of these guys said, essentially, that history doesn't matter. That blacks should stop using history to try to explain current events, that the Irish had it just as bad, yadda yadda... Where did you go to school, and did you even stay awake in history class? Or are you regurgitating something you heard Rush say, or heard on a skinhead shortwave radio channel? I'm curious; maybe I missed something in class myself- were Irish-Americans kept from voting up into the 1960s? Were they kept from going to school with other ethnicities? Or marrying someone from another race? Because that was illegal in many places, less than 50 years ago. History matters. And discrimination is not just a historical fact, it's still going on.

Speaking of 50 years, one jackass in another thread posted a rambling history of the Republican party, trying to show how they were the real supporters of racial equality. We all know Lincoln was a Republican. How convenient, though, that these morons leave out the last 50-75 years of the Republican story. You know, the part many alive have gone through and know all about. Why? Maybe because they can't come up with any positive examples in the last half century? I am reminded of Rand Paul being befuddled when he pointed the Lincoln connection out at Howard University and didn't get sudden, massive support. "I'll just sort this out and be on my way. Wait, why aren't they cheering?"

A lot of these people were also free with the n-word and racial stereotypes, while claiming not to be racist. "Everyone else is racist. Blacks are more racist than whites. The Democrats are the real racists." And they spout all the usual conservative talking points, but then say "I don't watch Fox” as if that gives them more authority.  Maybe you just listen to Limbaugh then? So much ignorance. Some said since the president is black therefore there is no racism. "And the CEO of my company is black, so therefore there is no racism." 

Anyway. People seemed offended when racism was pointed out to them. Then there's the guy who said "racism doesn't exist until you talk about it." Yeah. I'm guessing he's older than 5; not sure though.  The idea of protesting offends them as well. "This isn't the way to handle this. Deal with it as a community. Don't block my commute." It's interesting that the people who are saying "well, this is something the black community needs to fix on their own" and "why aren't they cleaning things up themselves?" are the same people who cracked on Obama for being a community organizer. They're saying that's what is needed, but they disparaged it. Hypocrites.

And the commenters were upset by their privilege being pointed out. "I made myself who I am! No one helped me!" Sounding a lot like the "I built this" people who purposely ignore what Obama actually said, about businesses being great, and productive, but having help from the government with infrastructure, the internet, etc. The subtext of these commenters' points, of course, is that black people are lazy and violent and deserve everything they get. And should be quiet. The ignorance is truly breathtaking. I'm white, and male, and I know damn well that what I perceive as normal is not everybody's normal. I don't get followed in stores. I don't get pulled over for no reason. And I've seen how Miss Mox and her siblings get treated, and heard about things that have happened to her. Telling people their problems don't exist when they lay them out right in front of you is worse than ignorant. It's stupid. And vile.

It's interesting- one thing I didn't see in all these folks' comments was one hint of sympathy, or empathy, for their fellow human beings. Such shining examples of human decency. Ironic that most of this was the week before Thanksgiving, when most pause and reflect on their blessings, not just the things they have done themselves. Instead, these guys were self-centered, beating their chests about how they were responsible for everything they ever got. I get it- a lot of us started off with very little, and have made a lot of our lives. But most of us have the dignity and grace to be aware that we got some help, be aware of the lucky breaks we got. At least acknowledge that, and be thankful. You have no privileges that you know of? You did everything yourself, with no help? Nobody should talk about discrimination or injustice because it's just not real? I get it. Thanks for showing me who you are.

And, what, we're all responsible for anything that happens to us, for own death? Say, if you have asthma like Eric Garner? I have it, and could tell exactly what he was going through. People said "he said he can't breathe, so he can obviously breathe." Assholes. Trayvon Martin was responsible for George Zimmerman stalking him, while he carried snacks? How about if cops take responsibility for their own actions? Look- most cops are good. But there are bad ones, and when there are issues they should be dealt with- openly. Not brushed under the rug, not dealt with by the local prosecutor who is someone's buddy. We have a warped justice system, with unequal application of the law. Young black men are far, far more likely to be killed by police than young white men- 20 times more likely, far out of proportion to population or any explaining away about crime rates.

As a society we're apparently easily scared of black people. Due to, guess what?  History. Years of discrimination, ignorance, and hatred. And since we're easily scared, we justify anything done in response to that fear. It's pretty pathetic that places like Florida can say if you're afraid, you can kill someone. So the biggest wimp can kill whoever he wants. That's exactly what happened with Zimmerman, with the girl in Detroit, with several kids trick or treating, etc.

But some people insist on keeping their ignorance intact. You don't hear about it, so you don't have to think about it, so it's not a problem for you, so it's not a problem at all. And you don't want anyone else to talk about it. Keeping problems in the dark makes them worse. The idea that people should keep things quiet, not protest, is counterproductive. And disappointing. Protest is what started this country, and is sometimes needed. Overblown images of looting, when most protests were peaceful, don't help.

This is probably my longest post ever, and I barely scratched the surface on so many aspects of this. You know, it's not my job to educate people. Several commenters said, essentially, "Prove to me that the gibberish I just spouted is wrong." Hey, it's up to you to do the work to educate yourself. You can sit in your hole and get pissed about things you don't understand, or you can learn a bit about history, and other people. Remember people? There are people besides you out there. People different than you. Try to be a decent human being and think of them sometimes, not just yourself. And hey, just try to think. And learn. It's good for you. And the country.

All You Need Is Cash

Ah, the holidays.  So fun, but so busy.  This weekend we're relaxing a bit, and then getting out the Xmas decs and taking the wagon on a tree-hunting trek.  I hope to have time to write more after things calm down; for now, here's another music post.

I know I've done a post on Johnny Cash before, and put up a few of his videos other places. "Walk The Line" and "Ring Of Fire" for my sweetie, maybe "Jackson" for my nephew.  But he has so many good songs, and they are part of the soundtrack of my mind, and my life.  Miss Mox met him once; I wish I'd gotten to see him play.  When I was a kid we watched his TV show.

What made me pull this together is finding out "Long Black Veil" wasn't an original Cash song.  It was written by someone else, and first made popular by Lefty Frizzell.  But Johnny made it his own, as with so many songs.  That's one thing I like about him- he seems to get inside the characters in the songs, even if they are clearly different from him.  He makes them come alive.


Long Black Veil- This one is classic Cash- dark, lonely, with a twist.




Flesh And Blood- From the show.  Listen close, Miss Mox- there are buckeyes for you in here...




Guess Things Happen That Way




I Still Miss Someone

 

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

How was your Thanksgiving?  Mine was great.  I was reminded of how much I have to be thankful for.  I appreciate everyone and everything in my life, and am humbled by how lucky I am. A lot has changed in my life in the last few years.  I've lost some people, and had upheavals in other areas of my life.  I've learned to appreciate everyone dear to me, and I try to show them every day.  And I've learned not to tolerate bad behavior.  Now if I could just convince the animals not to behave badly...

We spent Thanksgiving day with both our families, laughing and eating well.  Very well.  The rest of the weekend we spent in Amish country, not too far from here.  We ate more good stuff, stayed at a cool inn made from an Amish barn, drove around avoiding buggies, and generally relaxed.  Drank a ton of root beer, woohoo!  And played Trivial Pursuit while watching Jeopardy.  We might be nerds.

Speaking of which, I am now an official blogger.  When we got home, my Xmas present had arrived- Miss Mox had a bag like hers made for me.  We exchanged gifts early, partly because my travel bag came apart as we carried things in and she figured I needed a new one.  Plus, I think she couldn't wait to show it to me... She's the best.

Hey, it was the '80s...

From politipunk to pop, the '80s were an innovative decade musically, and my tastes were all over the place. Duran Duran were huge, and their videos were all over MTV, also huge at the time.  One of my friends loved them and got tickets; several of us went, chaperoned by his mom.

The concert was near Cleveland, possibly at Richfield Coliseum.  I think it was 1981 or 1982, and it was my first rock concert (my first concert of any kind was the Irish Rovers.)  It seemed like we were the only boys there- surrounded by thousands of squealing teen and pre-teen girls.  Not that we minded.  I vaguely remember the concert itself, but the rest of the night stands out.  We tried to go home (a two-hour drive) but were trapped by a snowstorm and stayed at a hotel, along with many other concertgoers- and Duran Duran.  They had their own wing.  We went to the hotel's arcade room later in the evening, and Simon LeBon was playing Defender.  We asked if we could play him, and he declined.  Oh, well.

I don't think about them much anymore, but they are still together.  Once in awhile I'll hear them on the radio and reminisce.  I already posted their video for Hungry Like The Wolf, accompanied by Reel Big Fish's cover of it.  Here are a few more.



Girls On Film
Hey, I was a teenage boy.  Anything with scantily-clad women got my attention.



Rio
More of the same...



A View To A Kill
From the Bond movie soundtrack.  Interesting opening sequence.

People Are People. Maybe Someday Everyone Will Believe That.

I'm white.  My wife is black. Any kids we have would be black. Not half white/half black. Black. That is how they will be seen, and treated. And I have seen a bit of how Miss Mox is treated, and she has told me of her experiences. And I have seen how her brothers are treated. If you think racism is dead, you're wrong. If you don't think race is an issue in the Brown/Wilson case, and wasn't in the Martin/Zimmerman case, you're wrong. You are ignorant.

I've been using that word a lot lately, because sadly, it describes so many of us. And worse is willful ignorance, which again describes too many. In this case, mostly conservatives, mostly apologists for racism. You've heard most of the facts, and plenty of conjecture and hyperbole, particularly if you have been exposed to the virus that is Fox News.  I won't go over them more.  There won't be a trial.  Why not?  A grand jury is supposed to decide whether there is sufficient evidence for a trial, which there most certainly is in this case.  It is not supposed to decide on guilt or innocence, but it has.  Ask yourself why there wouldn't be a trial.  And ask yourself why people are so upset.

I've tried to be fair, going through scenarios in my mind, playing the devil's advocate.  The best case I can hypothetically construct for Wilson is that he overreacted.  He got into a scuffle with Brown, while he was in the car.  And shot him.  Maybe he feared for his life, and I can almost stay with him that far (though he surely lost his cool and overreacted.)  But then- he gets out of car, and far from there he shoots several more times. How can anyone justify that? It was an assassination in street. Most police officers are decent people.  Well, most try to be.  I've lived long enough to have seen plenty of "respect my authority" cops and cadets too.  At the very least this guy was not a professional cop- he lost his cool and mishandled the situation.

There are so many apologists for this, trying to divert attention from the core of the matter.  Yes, yes, blacks shoot whites too- and they go directly to jail. When whites shoot blacks- not so much. And especially not when police do it. Then there's "Race is only an issue because you're making it one." Yes!  Because otherwise it would be ignored.  Anybody not like you, you'll ignore.  You won't even make an effort to begin to understand their situation, their problems.  This is about unequal justice- that is exactly what this is about. So yes, it's about race. And yes, it deserves protest. Our country is a bit more equal than it was fifty years ago, but it is still far from equal. And that progress has come from laws, sometimes enacted against "the will of the people.And from protest. Sitting quietly does not change things. Peaceful protest is best, and it's a problem when some get violent.  But they will be caught and punished.  Some people even say not to protest peacefully; "what is the big deal?"  And they help me lose faith in humanity.

Look.  You don't know what you don't know. I'm no expert but at least I admit that there is plenty I don't understand, and that my experience is limited. If you have only whites as friends (coworkers don't count), if your main news source is Fox, then you have a wildly distorted view of America, of reality.  Try opening your eyes and being a decent human being.

What A Fox

Not too long ago I got rid of a car.  To many people that doesn't seem like a big deal, but this was a car that
was important to me.  Actually, it was one in a whole line that has been important.  It had the plates from my
first new car, a VW Fox.  And it was a Fox.  And I still have another Fox, and Miss Mox insists that I keep that.

The '90 2-door Fox I scrapped had been a great car.  Fun to drive, fuel-efficient, reliable.  The body was in great shape because it came from Missouri and hadn't seen salt till it got to Ohio.  It was just the right size for me, and took us on quite a few dates.  Sadly, the body started to go when it got hit with the winters here, and with a deer last year.   Then it had some mechanical issues.  I tried to keep it going, but it was harder and harder, and I had to focus on the wagon since it was in better shape and is more useful (I treat the wagon as a large hatchback, and can haul a fair amount in it- and even get in the back at the drive-in.)  Also, the wagon is more rare, and has an aftermarket turbocharger that makes it more fun to drive.  It has had its issues, which led to me getting a more efficient and reliable replacement (my first American car, ever.)  But it's still a good car.

The 2-door sat at the Mox estate for almost a year; I went over to start it up from time to time, but lost hope in getting it back on the road.  We pulled some parts from it for the wagon, and set a date with the crusher.

It had expired plates and insurance, no instrument cluster, no turn signals.  Miss Mox followed me on that short trip (that it barely made.)  We had to jump it, and it overheated as we pulled in.  The workers there were sympathetic, and offered to give me a moment to say goodbye to it...  Miss Mox understood too, and was very patient and supportive.

I felt bad for not keeping it going, partly because there is a small community of Foxers and we are very supportive of each other.  But it just wasn't worth throwing more time and money into.  Now I can keep the wagon up, and be gentle on it since it isn't my daily driver.

The brakes and other parts from the 2-door will keep going, and help keep the wagon alive.  And I saved the key, as I did from my first Fox.  This makes, hm, 21 years of driving Foxes.  I hope there are many more.

It's baaack...

I had hoped the "war on Xmas" would fade away this year.  But, it's that time of year, and it's popping up again.  Someone at work was ranting about it, and how "you can't say 'Merry Christmas.'"  I told him I thought that was a crock; he said "yeah, they keep taking away our freedoms."  I explained that I meant his line of thought was a crock, that there wasn't a war on Xmas, that he can say whatever he wants.  He mentioned that "Maryland is getting rid of religious holidays.  You can't celebrate Christmas or Easter."  I was skeptical, and asked if he heard that on Fox, but then I researched it because hey, I don't know everything.  And it turns it was true, but sort of the reverse of what he was saying: one school district in Maryland did indeed change their holiday schedule.  But it's not the filthy liberals being all PC and keeping us from celebrating; it's fuddy-duddy conservative school board members.  They didn't want to allow a Muslim holiday on the calendar, so they got rid of all religious holidays.  To me that sounds like little kids saying "we don't want to play with those people, so we're taking all the toys and going home."

Actually, I can see how a school not having any religious holidays is a reasonable option, but I'd rather have all of them.  Well, the big ones, anyway- if we celebrate every one, there'd be no school or work.  And I know that would be welcomed, but still... I'd rather celebrate the diversity of our country.  I don't want to bland things down. I'm not sure why we can't be reasonable and inclusive.  Hanukkah has become more mainstream since the '70s; why not add Eid, since Muslims are becoming more influential?

Anyway, as usual, please celebrate whatever holiday you enjoy, in whatever way you see fit.  Stay warm, with family and friends, as the snow falls.

On The Road Again

Miss Mox and I were tripping again last weekend. No, no psychedelics were involved, though we were often gazing wide-eyed at the wonders along the way. And no “tripping” like acting crazy, though there was some of that, and there were certainly bizarre sights and adventures. We laughed and enjoyed the whole thing.

This time we went to Atlanta, to see her old friend play a show. We were only in town about 18 hours, some of them sleeping; we definitely need to go back again. Atlanta seems like an interesting city, and we also passed a lot of stuff along the route that we wanted to check out. Museums, restaurants, parks... Plus, we got to see the leaves change again since we were headed south. It was pretty, especially in the mountains. And the weather was perfect- almost 70 in Atlanta, and clear the whole time. Our rented Camry was a good cruiser, too, even though it felt like a boat to me- I'm used to small cars, and Camrys were small a long time ago but not anymore.

The concert was fun, and I got to meet her friend and hear more stories of the old days. We hung out with him and other friends before and after the show, but not nearly long enough.

On the way down we stayed in Berea, Kentucky. That too is worth a return visit, mainly because of Berea College. It's a pretty school, small, in a small town, with rolling hills, so it's nice anyway. But their mission is to provide an education for those who can't afford it. Plus, they're very open-minded, the campus is very green, etc. We were both astounded.

She and I do roadtrips together very well, and have since the beginning. I find roadtrips good tests of relationships, of any sort- family, friends, lovers. Family vacations crammed in the backseat with siblings, college type trips, vacations as a couple- put any people in a small space for a long time, and see what happens. From our first trip together, we have been good partners, road warriors. Copilots in the best sense of working together. Laughing at signs. Discussions deep and shallow. Car concerts, solo and duet. Stopping to explore. Relaxing. I can't wait to get on the road again with her. Wherever we go, wherever we are, she's my favorite person.

You Say It's Your Birthday? We're Gonna Have A Good Time!

I didn't get Miss Mox anything for her birthday. She was happy anyway- we took a trip to her alma mater for a football game, and had a nice long weekend away.  Plus the weather I asked for arrived, so we had perfect fall days...

Friday we checked into our hotel, actually a small inn in IN.  Brookville, Indiana, to be exact, which turned out to be a quaint small town.  One weird thing about it, as we discovered later, was the newpaper.  The Brookville Democrat was on the rack; right below it was the Brookville American, with the same font, same pictures, same stories.  I guess some people don't want to hold a Democrat in their hands, or maybe don't consider Democrats Americans?

Regardless, the inn was just right, a beautifully remodeled old house.  Not quite a B&B, but it had a full communal kitchen.  Who wants to get up early for breakfast, anyway?  It was a great place to relax, almost like being at home.  We poked around town some but spent more time in Oxford, where Miss Mox went to college.  We revisited favorite haunts, and went to a few new places like an old covered bridge.  She introduced me to toasted rolls, which are a thing at Miami.  I'd heard about them, and assumed they were just nice dinner rolls.  No- take a really big, good roll or bun, split it in half, butter and toast it on a griddle, then spread frosting on each half and add cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar.  Supergood sugarcoma.

Dessert?  Breakfast?  Entree?  You make the call.

The next day, her birthday, we slept in, then went to the game.  Miami won- guess they got my request too.  We picked up a flyer for a haunted forest-night zipline place, and since we'd been thinking about ziplining, we thought "why not?"  Pretty soon she was thinking "why?" The haunted forest was goofy and fun.  The ziplining was pretty cool, at least for me.  However, Miss Mox thought we were done after the first zipline.   She had been nervous but eager; now she was ready to go.   Unfortunately we were twenty feet up on a platform, with one way down. I think they'll remember her a long time...

This is just the training line, so we really went on three...

On the way home we went back through Oxford, stopping at the school's airport on the way for me to geek out a bit.  It was a perfect weekend, and a great trip, with the best companion I could wish for.

This is the end.

Now Listen Here!

More songs that have been in my head.  There are lots of thoughts in there too, I just need to get them down on "paper."  For now, have a listen, and prepare to be offended and amused.



Broken Hearts Are For Assholes- Frank Zappa

This is a bizarre song.  I just keep hearing the refrain ("You're an asshole") in my head while driving.  Does it refer to me?  Other drivers?  Everybody?  You decide.  Just don't listen to this at work- it might upset you and everyone around you...





Some Like It Hot- The Power Station

Is it about the weather, or sex?  Is it an ode to capsaicin, or matrimony and parenthood?  So many layers... It came on the radio the other day and I heard new things in it.  Researching this one, I was reminded of how many hits Robert Palmer had, and how many were covers.





Whatever It Is, I'm Against It- The Marx Brothers

One of the planks of the Republican Party platform, and appropriate for today.   Go vote tomorrow!

 

What If You Weren't You?

One of my Facebook friends posted something recently wondering what life might be like if you were raised in a different place, or by different people.  I thought about that for a while, and it gradually meandered through my mind and connected with some other things I had been thinking about.  (I have a lot of time to think at work.  Now if I only had time to write at work...)

There are a lot of ways to approach the concept, of course.  What if you were born in another time, another place?  How would you be different?  How would you look at things?  It's hard to tell with hypothetical situations; we are so wrapped up in our own reality that it can be hard to imagine feeling differently.  I try to put myself in other peoples' shoes, both in my personal relationships and when wondering about history, but can we really know how we would react in different circumstances, in completely unfamiliar situations?  I use my imagination, and have read plenty of alternative history and science fiction.  But it's hard to know how I would deal with stuff I have never encountered.

We are products of our environment to some extent, and of how we are raised.  But that is not our total being.  I have a feeling we would be similar to our current selves in terms of personality, but might be limited by the possibilities in a different environment.  Or, who knows, freed by them.

Since I've been doing some genealogy lately I've imagined what life might have been like for some of my ancestors.  How they would have dealt with the weather, with politics, with moving across the country knowing you would never go home, with losing children and spouses to sickness.

Of course there's always the question, "what era would you like to live in?"  I'd want to live in an interesting one, and, though I'm something of a loner, in or near a city.  I can't imagine being completely alone, with nothing to do except try to survive. Miss Mox says I should have been at Kittyhawk for the Wrights' first flight, and that would be cool.  Pretty brisk at the beach in December, though, even in North Carolina...

This time of year, I think about people missing from my life.  How would I be different if they were still here? I lost my grandparents within a few years a while back; they each left a big hole in my life.  The most recent one was my granddad, and then my dad died a couple of years later, and then my brother.  I miss them- I wish they were here to talk to, to tell about all the stuff that has happened lately.  I'm thankful that my brother got to meet Miss Mox and that they hit it off.  I think my dad and grandparents would like her.  But there's just no way to really describe to her what they were like.  I don't dwell on their losses; sometimes I do get wistful about what things were like with them around.

I'm not sure I would be much different if they were here.  They had already had big impacts on me; and my personality, though still changing, is pretty set.  I don't think they would have pushed me in different directions in life at this point, but it sure would be nice to have their advice, and just use them as sounding boards.

I'm pretty happy where I am in life.  I have plenty of good memories, and lots of things I want to do.  I'm not content, not sitting still, but I'm happy.  I appreciate what I have.  I only have a few regrets- some things I've screwed up, some people I wish I'd been nicer to.  A few I wish I'd let go sooner.  Live and learn.  Try to appreciate who and what you have.  Wonder what life could have been like if things were different, and go out and find out what things can be like in the future.  Remake yourself, if you want.  You can't change the past, though you can learn from it.  But you can change your future.

Love Is A Family Value

Gay marriage has been in the news again, with the Supreme Court refusing to hear cases about it.  Even they see that states' bans on it are unconstitutional.  The defenses of those laws were ridiculous, and boil down to "I don't like it so it shouldn't be legal."  Arguments based on religion, and on "moral" objections, like the idea that marriage should only be for procreation, just fall apart when subjected to reason.  I am still flabbergasted by people who supposedly support "family values" objecting to the creation (or rather, endorsement) of loving families.  Why aren't they arguing for more people to get married?

Off on a slight tangent: I think conservatives missed a chance.  They should have opposed gay marriage on economic grounds.  It's the only argument that would resonate with more people- "we can't afford to do this right now."  Even if it's not true, it would be "fiscally conservative" and play out in an interesting way.  "Socially conservative" objections let them whip up their base, or at least part of the virulently anti-gay social conservative base.  But a few years ago, they could have said "in the midst of a recession, we can't afford to spend so much more on benefits for more people."  It could have bought them time.  But no, they needed to be bigots about it.  Either way, they're on the wrong side of history.  And now they whine about that- "people say we're on the wrong side of history. That's mean.  They're bullies."  Well, you are. You're being jerks.  I understand that those are your beliefs, but they are brutish beliefs.

Oh, they're wrapped in religion, but they are not really supported by it, or by general human decency, at all.  Jesus said nothing about homosexuality or gay marriage.  Given his support for marriage in general, I figure he would have been okay with it.  And he was a man ahead of his time, in terms of acceptance and decency.  He was most definitely not weighed down by tradition.  Look who he hung out with.  If he were alive today, he would not be hanging out with Rick Santorum or Mike Huckabee, I can guarantee that.  There are plenty of liberal Christians who get this.  Conservative ones seem, to me, to have no clue what Jesus taught.  As a non-Christian, but one who supports his philosophy, it is sad to see.

Lately I've heard some saying "we don't hate gays, we just love them so much we need to correct their sins."  Yeah, so it's really tough love; I don't know how I missed that...  Hey- when you start acting this way about all the other sins your religion points out, then I'll start believing you.  When I see you acting like your religion says you're supposed to act, whatever religion it is, then I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.  And I do know a few individuals who try to follow their own beliefs.  But far, far too many just want to make others believe like they do.  Hm... I guess that means they want to convert people into hypocrites like themselves...

There was a letter in the local paper recently, responding to an earlier letter.  It was from a Catholic lady who took issue with the previous writer's support for gay marriage.  Basically she said her religion was progressive, and supported "the right of children to have a mother and a father" by opposing gay marriage.  Essentially, "think of the children!"  Well, she doesn't really seem to be thinking about them.  Why are you wishing for that?  Why are gay parents bad for children?  They tend to be very motivated to have kids.  They're not having them by accident.  They plan, and try hard, to have kids.  They often adopt.  So, children of these families are likely to be wanted and loved, even more so than those of straight couples.  And less likely to be neglected or abused.  Why oppose building a loving family? To this lady a "loving home," by definition, doesn't mean a gay couple's home.  But that's a narrow definition.  Please truly think of the children.  Don't impose your religion on them.

In fact, that's at the heart of all this.  Don't believe in eating fish on Friday?  Fine.  Don't do it.  Don't wanna date someone different than yourself?  Fine.  Don't do it.  Don't like gay marriage?  Fine.  Don't do it.  But it's not your business if someone else does.  And if you're a real American, you will support others' rights and freedoms, not try to impose your narrow views on everyone.

Of course, religion shouldn't even be in this discussion at all.  Follow your religion.  Let others follow theirs.  And keep it all out of government, and my life.   If you think about it, there are three aspects to marriage: legal/contractual, religious, and   personal/love.  The legal one is what matters in the public sphere, for any marriage, and it applies to gay marriage as to all others.  The religious aspect may be important to you- cool!  Go to your church, have your ceremony... then make sure your marriage license is completed properly.  Your religion does not apply to others.  As for personal and love-related aspects of marriage: that's all up to you.  I think you shouldn't get married if you're not in love, if you don't respect each other, if you're not honest with each other, if you're not compatible in interests and lifestyle, etc.  I'm not going to tell you that (unless you ask for advice;) I'm certainly not going to say "you should legally not be permitted to get married if I don't think you're in love enough."  Come on.  Can we at least be reasonable adults when talking about what reasonable adults can do?  Do unto others- by letting them live their lives.  Go ahead and live yours, your way.

Clashing Again

Heard a Clash song the other day and was taken back to the '80s.  Yeah, I did a Clash post before, but there are loads of songs I left out.  Here are a few more.  Some more music posts rolling around in my head, and personal ones, and political ones of course.  The Clash were very political, and the music and attitude influenced me early on.  One of the guys went on to start Big Audio Dynamite, which had a couple of hits with much poppier stuff, but the Clash were it for me.  Yes, they "signalled the end of punk" like so many other bands, but they helped spread punk to the world, and pulled in some reggae that probably introduced me to it (well, after "I Shot The Sheriff," but I didn't know that was reggae at first- I was too young.)


Know Your Rights- yeah, just a touch of politics.



Police And Thieves- a cover of Junior Murvin's reggae song, now a combination of punk and reggae.



Train In Vain- a love song, or love lost song.

 

It's In My Head!

Here are a few songs that I've been hearing lately.  There are more, and more involved, music posts I want to do, and several topics I want to write about when I have time.  For now, have a listen:


99 Red Balloons/99 Luftballoons.  On red balloons.
This guy does an amusing cover of a song that will always be stuck in my head.  Miss Mox and I heard the original the other day, and laughed about recognizing it.



Cinnamon Girl- Neil Young
I heard this recently and had a very different interpretation than I have had on previous hearings...




Foxy Lady- Jimi Hendrix
Just... yeah...

Statue of Liberty?

Satanists and other groups have been taking advantage of cracks in the wall separating church and state to hold black masses in public, pass out coloring books, and erect statues in statehouses.  I find this absolutely hilarious.  Extra! Extra! Unintended consequences!  Getcher unintended consequences right here!

It's so fitting.  It exposes what right-wing Christian fundamentalists are trying to do to our schools and our country.  It's ironic that they have opened up this can of worms; I am sure they are aghast.  But you get what you wish for.  And now they have more religion...  Of course, I'd prefer to have no religious influence in schools or government at all.  Sigh.  I'll have to get to work on some big posts about my beliefs, and about religion in American politics, in my spare time.

Freedom of religion means- guess what?- Freedom.  Of religion (and from it.)  Because that's one of the things our country was founded on.  It is not a theocracy.  You are free to practice whatever religion you want.  You are NOT free to impose it on others in any way, or demand special treatment for yours.  Our Founders specifically said that we should not have it in our government.

We need to wake up, and push for the real America. Not Sarah Palin's "real America," because she does not know what she's talking about.  I mean the real America, what it was founded on, what its principles and ideals are.

Religion can be a wonderful thing.  It can be inspiring to individuals, and comforting.  And you can inspire others with it, but remember that it is still a very personal thing.  Do not assume that others believe like you, or believe at all.  Do not assume your faith is the only one that is right- it is, at most, only right for you.  Don't even assume others who say they practice the same faith as you agree about all the details of it.  Don't assume others are wrong, and definitely do not try to push your faith on others.  Welcome them to yours, talk to them about yours, listen to what they say about theirs.  Or keep it completely to yourself.  Use it as a force for good, not for evil.  Religious, spiritual, or none of the above, just be a good person.  Do what's best for you, and your country.  I have seen religion used for evil, and I have known people whose religious views are extremely self-centered and intolerant.  That's not what we need in the world, and particularly in America.

I Don't Have The Words

I learned a new term today: non-lexical vocables.  I was trying to look up some songs for this post.  Lately I've been thinking about songs with vocals but no lyrics.  On the radio the other day, I heard a song called Hocus Pocus (by Focus, of course...) that I hadn't heard for years.  It reminded me of one Bill Cosby did, and I was trying to think of others.  Of course there's scat, and there are often bits of songs with "la la la" and other "words" that don't really mean anything.  These just go a bit farther...



Hocus Pocus- Focus

One of those songs even "classic rock" stations don't play often, but which seem to be well-known anyway.




Hikky-Burr- Bill Cosby and Quincy Jones

As a kid I loved Bill Cosby's bit about winos becoming bus station announcers, with all sorts of made-up words: "Bus leaving for Reebazack, Habersobersack, and North Reebahaben."  Here he talks over jazz, and it somehow works.



Mairzy Doats-The Pied Pipers

This one's a bit different, in that the lyrics have meaning but are sung (and written) as if they don't.





Rubber Biscuit- Blues Brothers

An old blues song, of course, by the Chips.  This one has a few lyrics.  They're pretty goofy, and most of the song is nonsensical vocals.




Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict- Pink Floyd

This... wow.  Animal noises, sometimes with rhythm, and then an old Scot talking.  So, I guess maybe the words do have meaning, but I sure as hell don't know what he's saying...
 

Salutations

There was a flap recently about Obama saluting while holding a coffee cup. Of course, he usually salutes properly, and pictures quickly surfaced of Bush Jr. trying to salute while holding his dog, and in other not-up-to-snuff methods.  I'd give them both a pass. Presidents are pretty busy, see the military a lot, and aren't required to salute anyway. Reagan started it, but he was an actor and probably did it mostly for appearances. (He was in the military... as an actor.)

I have extreme respect for what those serving do and have done. My brother was in the Army. My dad was too, and later worked for DOD. His dad was a Marine in WW1. My uncle and grandfather on the other side were in the Navy. I work with a guy who was a KC-135 crew chief.  I've always been around people who were vets.

I only wish conservative politicians had the same respect. I watched troops go into Iraq with inappropriate camouflage, insufficient armor, and nonexistent training and planning for the occupation. Those omissions showed Bush's complete lack of regard for the troops.

The issue here isn't really respect for the military. Conservative outrage was based on a lack of common sense and historical perspective. As with many other issues, they pull something out of context and pretend it means more than it does. Mental gymnastics trying to prove the doggie salute is proper while the coffee salute is not (while plenty of pictures show both Obama and Bush saluting properly too) only reinforce the point that conservatives are hypocrites.

I don't mind conversations with people who have different political views.  In fact, I enjoy them when the other person is well-informed and thoughtful; it can be educational, and maybe even make me change my mind.  What bothers me is ignorance (particularly my pet peeve, willful ignorance.)

Know your history.  Know the facts, and background, of what you're talking about.  Don't twist things.  Don't come to conclusions based on inadequate evidence, then get all pissy when people call you out (and when they don't come to the same conclusions, since your conclusions are not based on facts.)  Don't tell me some regurgitated crap from Fox which is the basis of your position. Start from reality.   Let's talk about actual issues.  Let's have an adult conversation about real things.

With just a bit of humor

Watching the skies

One of my first memories is of my dad taking me to the local airport and getting me a ride on a plane, at age 4.  I have vivid, visual, emotional memories of that. Probably before that, and definitely ever since, I've been interested in aviation. I worked in the industry for awhile, mainly as an aircraft fueller. I have my license, though I haven't flown in years.  Life intervened, and flying got more expensive.  I am interested in the history, the technology, the people, you name it.  I read, I go to museums, I fly when I can.  We live under the pattern for a major airport, so I spend some time looking up whenever I'm in the yard.  I have banned myself from having a sunroof because in the car I would be looking up as much as ahead (and Miss Mox wants my eyes on the road.)

I know quite a bit about planes, and the aviation industry.  Can't really call myself an expert, but I am a fairly well-informed amateur.  (I can't call myself an expert for two reasons: because I know how much I don't know, and because some people think experts are automatically biased and untrustworthy; they think it's better to listen to uninformed idiots.  These anti-intellectuals are often known by the slang term “conservatives.”) I follow news when it relates to aviation.  And lately there have been several stories that have made me shake my head.  I understand some peoples' fear of flying, and of planes after 9/11.  But so many twist their misunderstandings into pure silliness.  Under-research and overreact.

A couple of weeks ago there were “eyewitness” reports that some planes at the Tripoli airport disappeared around the time militants took it over.  The first report I saw said they had "stolen" the planes. Not really accurate; captured might be right.  The reports also said "commercial planes," which to most people implies airliners.  But the pictures showed fighters on a business jet, and destroyed airliners, neither of which would be very useful for malevolent acts.  Turns out some of the other planes left before the attacks, which is documented.  Many of the details were wrong, or sketchy, and yet people jumped to the conclusion that we were about to be attacked with airliners again, as on 9/11.  And of course some leapt to blame Obama, because why not?  Let's make political hay out of something we don't understand.  Fret and fulminate over what turns out to be not much of anything.

"Stealing" 11 airliners, or even business jets, is a big deal, if it happened.  And it would be an incredibly complicated undertaking.  Even if they were spirited away, it would still be hard to use them for attacks, particularly across an ocean in the U.S. (in Europe, it would be a bit easier.)  Many of those planes can only be fueled single-point, which requires special equipment.  Long runways are also needed.  People would notice.  I'm not saying an attack couldn't happen.  Just that it's extremely unlikely, because it'd be hard to pull off.  Plus, we tend to look back (hey, it's cool, I'm a history buff after all) and to think that what happened before will happen again, to “fight the last war.”  We can learn lessons from the past, of course.  But too often while we're planning to deal with what happened before, something new happens.  We need to learn from the past, and think ahead.  And we're not always good at either of those things...

Then there was the flap over the FAA banning flights to Tel Aviv.  There had been fighting in the vicinity, and rockets very close by.  After the Malaysian airliner was shot down the week before over Ukraine, most people were focused on air safety in war zones.  So, the FAA banned U.S. airlines from flying to Tel Aviv.  (They, and other aviation authorities, should have been more proactive about bans in Ukraine and other places; if they had been, maybe MH17 wouldn't have been shot down.)  Immediately Ted Cruz, known doofus, said that the ban was an attempt to punish Israel.  Wait, what?  This idiot knows, and cares, nothing about aviation safety.  He was just trying to score points against the president.  Other conservatives leapt on the bandwagon, and I had conversations with people who agreed with them.  With no knowledge of aviation, with no concern for passengers, they made wild accusations and spouted conspiracy theories. “Obama hates Israel!”  Not true, but why let facts get in the way?  “He's trying to hurt Israel's tourism trade!” Um, few tourists were going there just then and most airlines were cancelling flights to Tel Aviv anyway because, duh, there was a war on.  And of course Israel wasn't singled out- there were bans on U.S. airline flights over Iraq and Syria, those eternal holiday destinations...  “Kerry flew in, which proves it was safe!”  Uh, no.  Diplomats fly into war zones all the time, to try to end the wars.  Foreign service is a dangerous job.

Their political pressure got the ban lifted within a few days (which they perversely took as a sign that they were right about the reason for the ban.)  They wore their ignorance of aviation, of diplomacy, of the world in general as a badge of pride.

Not everything is a conspiracy.  Most things are just real life- complicated, mundane, confusing, etc.  Strange lights in the sky don't equate to alien abductions.  Planes "disappearing," even if true, does not equate to "flying them into buildings."  Those are ridiculous leaps of logic.  In both cases, leaps made most often by conservatives, who tend to be fearful of things they don't understand.  Which means most things, since there is so much they don't understand...

Banking, or leaning, left...

Weekend Getaway

After two years of blogging, I went to my first blogging conference last weekend.  Even though Miss Mox has been doing this for far longer, it was her first too.  And it was great.  Educational, fun, relaxing... We didn't want to leave.

It was at Cedar Point, which I assume everyone has heard of- but it's a big amusement park, if you haven't.  When I was a kid we lived pretty close, so we went fairly often.  All kinds of rides, shows, little things to do.  Expensive, of course, because once you're on the midway and your kid wants something to eat, those french fries will cost you.  Sometimes we packed lunch (there was an area out front to leave your cooler at a picnic table.)  I'd been a few times as an adult when my employer would buy out the park for an employee day.  That was great, because it reduced the crowds.  Still some expense for food and parking, but not too bad.

This time, we got in free.  When I think about it, going for the conference was almost free, because for our registration we got not only a day and a half of seminars, and a goodie bag, but 3 days of free park tickets and parking, a hotel discount, gift cards for restaurants, and other freebies.  So, yeah, it was worth it in several ways.  Paying full price would not be worth it, because I don't ride the rides anymore.  I used to love rollercoasters; I'd get off and get right back in line.  Nowadays, getting thrown around like that makes my neck and back hurt for days.  But this way, for essentially the price of a hotel room, we got to enjoy the milder side of Cedar Point.  The museum (of course,) some entertainment (they were having Halloween events,) peoplewatching (wow,) and just hanging out with my sweetie.

The hotel we stayed in has been there for more than a hundred years.  It's due for an updating, which it is getting.  The only real negative was the wifi.  You would think it would be great at a blogging conference.  It wasn't.  The free version was so slow it was unusable, and the faster (one hopes) version was $10/day.  Nope.  No thanks.

Oh, the conference?  You mean, the reason we went?  It was great.  It was geared toward "mommy bloggers" which neither of us are, but there were lessons for anyone who wants to blog.  Photography, ads, legal issues, travel, etc.  All with good speakers, in a nice setting.  It wasn't huge- someone said a couple of hundred attendees- so I wasn't overwhelmed.  A nice intro to blogging conferences; I'm sure there will be more.

It was a great weekend.  Of course, what really made it was going with my roadtrip companion, my partner in crime, the love of my life.  The fun, the frustrations, the socializing- all of it was made better by Miss Mox.

Pictured with the man who stole her heart for the weekend

Disclaimer: Yes, I got free stuff for going.  No, it didn't influence what I said.  No, I'm not going to start reviewing stuff for money.  I do it for free other places.  I say what I think.

Looking back, looking forward

History is in my blood.  Literally.  And in the blood of everyone.  I'm interested in history in terms of world events, and in peoples' individual histories, and in mine.  Also, I've done a little research into my family history, building on what my grandfather did, and collecting stories from others.  I made up a family tree, not going too far back.  I have a pretty good idea where my ancestors came from.  But there are plenty of holes, and I'm curious.  Sometimes family recollections can be inaccurate, too.  There's a story that we have some Cherokee on my mom's side, but lots of families have those stories and I have found no evidence.

I've been told I look Puerto Rican, Italian, even Chinese and Black (those last two kinda threw me.  I mean, I squint when I smile, and I tan well, but still...)  I'm sure I'm half Slovak, on dad's side.  Mom's side is a mix of German and English.  I sometimes say I'm hillbilly on both sides- southern Ohio and eastern Europe.

I recently signed up on Ancestry.com.  I've learned a little bit.  Really haven't gotten any farther back on my dad's side than I already knew- my great-grandparents all came from Slovakia, and maybe I need to go there to do more research.  On mom's side quite a bit has come up.  I'm back to my great-great-great-great-great-grandparents along one line, and finding more and more relatives.  There were some big families back then, and repeated marriages, and slightly unusual names.

I'll keep poking around, and hopefully learning more.  I sent for a DNA test, which I'm assuming will tell me I'm mainly northern European.  But who knows, there could be some surprises.  Plus, they don't just claim to tell you what area your ancestors came from.  They have a big enough database now that they can suggest other people on Ancestry.com who you might be related to.  There is always a degree of error, but then, there are often guesses in family trees too- it's hard to be sure the record you're looking at is actually your ancestor, especially if they have a common name.

My emotions have been up and down during all this.  At first, I was a bit melancholy, thinking of all the people in my family who are gone.  Wondering what my brother would be doing right now.  Wishing Miss Mox could have met my dad and grandparents.  I miss them.  But then, finding out more about yourself (and history in general) is always fun for me.  Plus, Miss Mox and I are starting to combine our family trees, and I've learned a lot about her family.

History is not just dates.  It's stories, it's people, it's our collective and individual pasts.  It's in us, and around us.  

The oldest family picture I have, my maternal great-great-great-grandmother.  I remember this picture hanging in the hall at my grandparents' house.

Take A Cold Shower

People will find something to bitch about no matter what.  I've seen some negative comments about the ALS ice bucket challenge, and you know, I do think it's a little silly and a publicity stunt, of sorts.  So I can understand a little skepticism.  It's for a good cause, though, so Miss Mox and I did it, and we're donating money.  It raises money, and awareness, for a disease that's often forgotten about. I remember hearing about ALS as a kid (as Lou Gehrig's disease,) and I assumed it was under control by now, even curable.  I was surprised recently to see how little money they were getting.

There are two aspects of opposition that I've seen.  One is "oh, they don't spend much on research and helping people."  But they actually do.  Salaries are a very small percentage of their budget, and probably now are even less since donations have increased by such a huge amount.

The other thing is, "we're wasting so much water on this."  Um, okay.  Yes, a little.  I used about a gallon; others use more.  And we do need to be careful with it, and there are places in the world that are desperately short of water.  How is my using a gallon of tap water in Ohio hurting anyone anywhere else?  Can I ship it to California?  Someone said "jeez, people in Detroit have water issues and this is such a waste."  Well, of course that's a different issue entirely.  But I still can't send them my water.  Everyone has to make compromises in their life.  I felt a gallon for a little awareness was a good trade.  I conserve water in general around the house, and we have a rain barrel for the garden.  I drive a very fuel-efficient car, try not to waste electricity, etc.  I could always do more.  So could everyone else.  We use lots of ice in this country at summer cookouts, and we water the heck out of flower beds.  I suspect some of these people whining about people needing water (that my water will not help with anyway) take long showers and drive SUVs.  So, please, take a close look at yourself before scolding others, especially when they're doing something to help people.

I've donated money for clean water initiatives; I want to help people in dry regions. But when you try tell me to look at the big picture, open your eyes a bit wider.  Be aware and realistic.  Put things in perspective.  I challenge you to look at your own wastefulness, and at how much all charities spend on helping people. These are all good things to think and talk about.

Stop the presses!

We all know, and have for awhile, that print is dead.  Broadcast, and now cable, are on their way out too.  I know this isn't news to some of you.  And I don't mean to overstate things; they're not going away tomorrow.  But they need to change, rapidly, in order to survive.

Don't get me wrong, I love reading the paper.  Well, I love reading books; I like reading the paper.  Even books, I'm mainly reading online or as downloaded books.  I have a shelf full of paper books I need to read. I love them, but they're not as practical as, say, a tablet.

The press in general is going downhill, and doesn't have a sustainable business model.  Our local paper, the Disgrace, has never been great.  It fills a need, though- local news, plus some in-depth coverage of regional and national stuff.  It has destroyed or bought out the competition, though, including some really good publications.  It owns some local radio and TV outlets.  And it has stagnated.  It's center-right, which I can live with as long as it's fair.  (It still gets called a liberal rag by know-nothing conservatives.)  It's just not that great a paper.  I have subscribed off and on over the years, mainly for the coupons.  Their delivery is spotty, and customer service isn't always great.  They're currently on probation with us; Miss Mox and I have each, um, chatted with them and delivery has been steady for the past couple of weeks, but we'll see if that holds up.  We only get Sunday, for the ads.  They changed the paper format recently, making it a bit less enjoyable to read and a lot less useful as doggie-paper.

The price has gone up to the point where it's just not worth getting every day, and really not worth it even for Sunday.  I read it for free if someone leaves it at work, but anymore I don't even feel the urge to do that.  It's just not that great.  I get my news mainly online, and from the radio during my commute, from less-biased and more current sources.  

Broadcast TV is failing.  There are so many other options out there.  And cable?  It seems to be stagnating too.  There are some good shows, but not that many.  You can watch so much online.  And some papers, and TV channels, put up paywalls of various kinds.  Which leads me to the point of all this:  a paper, or channel, needs to find a business model that works.  And if your product is entertainment, or news content, you really do not want to cut people off from it.  Don't make it hard for people to see your content.  Because guess what?  They'll go somewhere else.  I can get the news other places, I can watch shows many places.  If you make it so I can't see your show, well, there are plenty of others out there.  I'm not that into TV anyway, so if it's a hassle to watch your show, I'm gone, and you're not making any money from me.  

Video, music, news, whatever- you need to have a product people want to see or hear, and make it so they can access it easily.  If you don't, you have doomed yourself.  I can't believe businesses don't see this.  I wish I could have hope for the future of newspapers, but I don't.  Even newsmagazines are folding, or will soon- I'm looking at you, Time.  Even if they migrate online, if they have crappy content or make it hard to see, people will go elsewhere.  Show ads, make your money that way, but don't keep people from seeing your stuff.  I can live with some ads. I don't like them, but I'll take them over paying more than something is worth.  And the Disgrace?  It's worth about a quarter, which is, I believe, a quarter of what they want on a weekday.  It'll be gone soon.  And if they don't get the Sunday one on our doorstep regularly, it'll be gone from our house permanently.

Speak to me!

Holy shit, my last post was more than 2 months ago?  Well, it's been a fun summer.  Miss Mox and I have made lots of road trips, hung out with family, and enjoyed the fruits of our labor in the garden.  I have a lot of ideas for posts here and have put up some little stuff on the FB page, but just haven't had the time or inclination to sit down and write a full post.  Even now there's a lot to do, at home, at work, and out on the town, but I'll try to get a few things written up this month.

The other day, on a road trip, somehow conversation turned to music as it sometimes does, and for some reason I was reminded of a J Geils song.  Well, Miss Mox hadn't heard of them, and didn't want to, but I had to hear the one with the long bizarre introduction.  So, it's down below, for your pleasure.  Later that day I got to thinking about other songs with interesting intros, or spoken sections in the song.  Here are a few I came up with.  Enjoy your summer!


J Geils Band- Must Have Got Lost
One of my favorite bands as a kid, but barely remembered now.  This song got lots of airplay, mainly for the intro.


Country Joe and the Fish- Vietnam (Fixin' To Die Rag)
From Woodstock, a time machine piece.


War- Spill the Wine
Another period piece.


War- Cisco Kid
Just cuz.  Another War song, reminiscent more of Lowrider.


Arlo Guthrie- Alice's Restaurant
A classic.  I think I posted it once before, but it's always fun to listen to.  He's a natural storyteller.  I was lucky enough to hear him live, doing this and a couple of other songs.

Dancin' In The Streets

We've had a very warm spring, and summer songs have been in my head for a week or so.  I may have posted some of them last year, but so what?  It's summertime, and the living is easy...

Mungo Jerry- In The Summertime
Such a laid-back song, just right for hot weather.


Grateful Dead- Dancin' In The Streets
A classic song, done by my favorite band, in the summer I was born. There's some amusing commentary partway through, since it's from a news show. .



Big Audio Dynamite- The Globe
Not sure why this has been in my head, but it has, and definitely says summer to me.  Maybe because it's hotter than a microwave?


The Hollies- Stop! Stop! Stop!
Another one that just popped in my head for about a week.  Maybe it's just the sound that says summer to me.

Dollars And Sense

So I was reading an airplane magazine the other day and came across something that gave me an insight into gay marriage issues.  Okay, bear with me...  See, I have friends who are gay, and I see no reason they shouldn't be able to get married (or to have the same rights as anyone else- which of course bugs the hell out of some people, for reasons I really don't comprehend.)  Also, I see direct, obvious parallels between gay marriage and interracial marriage. Thankfully, I live in a time when the latter is not a legal issue.  The courts are rapidly deciding that there shouldn't be impediments to gay marriage, and people, in general, are coming to that conclusion too.  And to those who say "courts are overriding the will of the people:" Yes.  They are.  Because people voted for something unconstitutional.  That's how our republican democracy works.  How about pulling out your little Constitution book, and reading that and some history, and trying to figure out how to actually be a good American rather than spouting bullshit and waving flags?

Still, I understand some people are put off by gay marriage.  Okay- so don't do it.  But they keep coming up with ways to stick their noses in other peoples' business, and show just how backward they are.  Recently there were controversies about laws that let businesses refuse to perform services for gay weddings.  I am floored by how ignorant people are, how blind they are about history, about decency, about common sense.  Do they not see the parallels with the civil rights era?  Do they really think that refusing to serve certain people is okay?

They say their religious beliefs require them not to participate (not that they're really participating anyway- who invited you?)  I think they're just bigoted.  And misreading their religious texts, on top of that: what did Jesus say about gay people?  He was a pretty cool guy- I bet he'd perform gay marriages.  Besides which, your religion has nothing to do with your business.  And it shouldn't.  Which brings me to the airplane connection.  The article had to do with aviation regulations, which are different for private flight and for business flights- even if it is the same small plane, and the same pilot, if you're making a flight where money changes hands you do things differently than when you take your friends up for fun.  This applies in other areas too: the author of that article mentioned driving a big RV on a vacation, versus driving a bus for profit.  When money changes hands, whatever the vehicle, whatever the location, the rules are different.  Your house is not very regulated; your bed and breakfast is.

There is a social contract for businesses (and there are actual laws,) that say you have to serve everyone.  You are free, in your private life, to not associate with certain people.  Once you open your doors to the public, well, you open your doors to the public.  You can't turn people away just because you don't like them.  Whatever their religion, or color, or sex, you are in the public arena now and there are rules, laws, standards of conduct.

What they do in their bedroom is none of your business.  What I do in my bedroom is none of your business.  What you do in your bedroom I sure as hell do not want to know about.  What you do in your business is your business, in a sense, but since you're doing business with the public, it is also everybody's business.  If you don't want to be bothered by people who want you to perform a service for them, don't go into business.  When they come into your store to spend money, you ought to- for legal reasons, but also for just plain capitalist reasons- sell them what they want.  Oh, and one more reason to do that: it's the right thing to do.

Whims and Promises

Some days are more planned than others around here.  This past Sunday was pretty set ahead of time- we had lots of errands to run, and squeezed in some bike riding (Miss Mox's first time on an actual bike in many years.)  It was fun, and it was a good day over all.

The previous Sunday, Mother's Day, was a bit more spontaneous.  I called my mom, of course. We couldn't go see her- she was at the beach.  So we stopped by Mama Mox's place and had a nice visit.  Thus ended the planned portion of the day.

We wanted brunch, an iffy prospect on any Sunday much less Mother's Day.  We ended up at a place near campus that neither of us had been to.  School was out so things weren't too busy in the area, and the food was great.  Sweetie picked up a flyer out front about an exhibit at the art museum, so on a whim we headed over there.  It was an exhibit of kettubahs, Jewish marriage contracts.  The artwork was impressive, but of course what drew us more was the history.  And the sentiments- there was some very cool stuff buried in those contracts.

There was a make-your-own table and we made one.  My sweetheart said she wasn't very artistic (and I know I'm not) but we ended up with a beautiful little card encapsulating our relationship- mostly drawn by her.  It touches on the foundations of our relationship.  She is artistic, and creative, in many ways.  And this is a whimsical, but important, expression of her creativity and our love.

We visited both places by chance.  We met by chance.  And yet, something drew us to those places, and drew us together.