Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Hope you all have a very happy day today, eat lots of good stuff, spend time with family, or just get some much needed rest.

Wishing you all the very best during this holiday season. I still can't believe it's already near the end of November, with Christmas and the New Year just around the corner. Where'd the time fly off to? *LOL

Take good care, my friends, stay safe and have fun.

Missing Link

Good afternoon to all,
hope your day is going well,

Today we bid farewell to the man widely considered to be the inventor of the guitar "power chord", Link Wray, a rockabilly pioneer once banned from U.S. radio play due to "alien use of the guitar". That fact alone, in itself, makes him one of the coolest individuals to ever pick up a guitar, scaring the heck out of parents everywhere. Imagine a rock & roll world without the power chord! It might be safe to say that rock & roll wouldn't have survived without it's introduction, even if it did, it surely would have been something completely different from what we've come to know and expect.

I had a chance to see him perform in a small club, with only 100 people in attendance, or so. Mr. Wray went out on stage seemingly with the intent of giving those 100 people something to talk about for the rest of their lives, he gave the performance his all, interacting with the crowd, claiming that small stage as his own, giving a lesson to any of us guitar players who might be there, it was clear that we were in the presence of greatness. I didn't have a chance to meet him, as I have some of my other guitar heroes, but I did happen to get one of his used guitar picks, I treasure it to this day. I remember coming home from the show that night, picking up my guitar, wondering if I should use that guitar pick, I did, trying to play a Link Wray song, hoping that some of the magic might rub off. I still sounded the same, but that guitar pick seemed to somehow want to play that song, so in a way it was magic.

Today, when I heard of his passing, I once again picked up my guitar, grabbed that guitar pick, and immediately realized how long it had been since I had tried to play his music, though like before, that guitar pick sure seemed to want to play that song, the magic hadn't diminished with time, just like the legend of Link Wray.

Once again, I can imagine that the great band in the sky, realized they needed a great guitarist, and Link went home to join. Rest well Link, I never met you, but somehow felt I knew you, each time I tried to play your songs. You will be missed.

The Father of Rock & Roll

Good evening to all,
hope your day was a good one.

Cast your view upon the man pictured on the left, "The True Father of Rock & Roll", Mr. Johnnie Johnson. Many might be wondering "who the heck is that guy?" Well, lemme tell ya, the man was truly one of the greatest pianists of all time, Mr. Johnson's stamp is all over early and classic rock & roll as well as blues music, I can guarantee the rock and roll sound would have evolved very much differently had it not been for his wonderful influence. A star on his own, by every right to the word, he made his musical living by performing with legends such as Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones, Albert King, and Eric Clapton, amongst others. From the early days of Chuck Berry shaping the sound of early rock & roll, driving young kids crazy with his "get out of your seat" new sound, and the seldom mentioned fact that many of Chuck's signature guitar riffs are written in keys favorable for the piano, show the true influence Mr. Johnson had. To see Johnnie Johnson in action, please seek out a movie called "Hail, Hail, Rock & Roll", a documentary about Chuck Berry, starring many music greats speaking about Chuck and performing with him. Also take a look at the Father of Rock & Roll website, the webmaster actually knew Mr. Johnson, and did a great job in honoring him and his achievements, the story had to be told.

I must admit, I am a bit ashamed to say as a music lover, I missed hearing word about Mr. Johnson's passing away earlier just this year! I was watching the "Hail, Hail, Rock & Roll" movie on television tonight, and saw Johnnie sitting behind that piano of his, fingers dancing lightly over those keys, or banging with such ferocity that you have to take notice, all the while using his piano to hold the sound together. Truly amazing to see and hear for any fan of early rock & roll. While watching the movie, I decided to take a search on Google to, as it almost seemed to me, check in on an old friend, and see how he's doing. Though I never had the opportunity to hear him play live, nor did I have a chance to ever meet him, I was saddened to hear of his passing, and couldn't let it go without mention.

We've all heard the song "Johnnie B. Goode", by Chuck Berry, Mr. Johnson was THE Johnnie mentioned in the song, and he was always good. I can imagine he's up there with the greats of music, and has joined the band. I'm certain they'll sound much better with him. Rest well Johnnie, and thanks.

(1924 - April 13th 2005)
A great life lived.

Veteran's Day

Good morning to all,
hope your day is going well.

The sound of F-16 jets flying overhead this morning, (I went outside to look, those things sure are loud and fast) reminded me that today is Veteran's Day! A day set aside for us to honor those who have served in our country's military service with honor.

I made sure to take a moment to think about and pray for the soldiers who have served, and those currently serving, reflecting upon their sacrifices, both in the name of our country and in their personal lives. Though I must say, the soldiers we have out there are never too far from my thoughts, as I have family members and friends I grew up with, currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. May God speed them all home, safely and soon....your family members and mine.

Have a safe and fun long weekend everybody!
All the best to you always, my friends.

Ethics Class?

Good evening to all,
hope your weekend is going well!

In yet another unprecedented move, after Scooter Libby was indicted, our nation's president has decided to send his White House staff to attend a refresher class in ethics. All I can think to say is HA! Whatta joke! If those people haven't yet made up their minds to abide by ethical rule, in these later years of their lives, then there is no class that will either inject it back into them, or introduce it to them for the first time. I believe it is an insult to all of us for there to be a White House staff in need of a refresher course in ethics of all things? Don't we all deserve the very best in there, especially in an administration who promised to restore honor and integrity?

Hmmm, I wonder, will the president also take the ethics course? And if he does, will he make a "C"?

Of Rats and Men

Good morning to all,
hope your day is a good one.

In keeping with the "rat" theme around here lately, the title of this latest blog entry was completely by accident (it's the name of this man's book). The man pictured at left is Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, a former lawyer who actually represented some mob figures, including Anthony "Tony The Ant" Spilotro of whom Joe Pesci's character in the movie Casino was based. As I don't wanna be "rubbed out" or "whacked", I must say that Mr. Goodman may very well be a good man, but you sure couldn't tell by some of his very public comments to the press or during speaking engagements.

Let's look back at March 2, 2005, where the Mayor endorsed gin to fourth graders. Yes folks, it's true, and unfortunately the man is a Democrat. During an appearance where the mayor was to read to an assembled group of fourth graders at a Las Vegas school, the students were encouraged to ask the mayor questions, one student asked "What one thing would you want to take with you if you were marooned on a desert island?" The Mayor answered "A bottle of gin". Hmmm.... that must be a bottle of Bombay Gin that the mayor was referring to, as he is a paid spokeman for the company who makes Bombay Gin. In another question, a student asked him, "What are your hobbies?", at which the mayor replied "Drinking". Wow, that man is one heck of a liquor spokesman (though some might say "alki"), no wonder they hired him, I'm suprised he didn't bring a prop.

The mayor's remarks were received with mixed emotion, as clear thinking individuals considered his comments to be a bit much for a bunch of kids who were just happy to meet the mayor of their city, others made excuses for Mayor Goodman, saying it's just his personality and the comments "most likely went over the heads of the kids, when they hear drinking they think juice". Yeah, maybe "Gin and Juice" from the Snoop Dog song. *LOL

Now, let's look at the comments from November 4th, 2005, where the Mayor proposed thumb amputation to curtail vandalism. YIKES! Yes folks, once again it's true, and once again it's unfortunate that the man is a Democrat. Perhaps it was a flippant comment made by Mayor Goodman, but the mayor says he is "dead serious about his crime fighting suggestions", I wonder if he means "politically dead", as in not being re-elected for being a kook, what country does he think he's in? When he's sober (he said his hobby was drinking, so don't sue me), and once again I say he might be a good man (so don't whack me), but sheeesh, maybe he can take a moment to look at the name of the political party he represents, Democrat is a shortened version of the word "Democratic". Anyhow, in a televised interview, it was "off with their thumbs" as the mayor suggested a way to reduce incidents of graffiti spraypainted on walls and highways, but the mayor didn't stop there, he also suggested canings and whippings as a way to discourage those who might deface city property. Could it get any worse? Oh yes it could... as the mayor also said the thumb chopping, the canings and whippings "should be televised". Maybe sensing he had once again gone too far, the mayor pulled back a bit by mentioning, "after a trial of course".

Where is the oversight by the political parties? Doesn't someone keep track of elected officials who take office through benefit of aligning themselves with one of the "big two" Republican and Democratic political parties? Such oversight would be useful in curtailing offensive or even downright illegal behavior by individuals in office, if they break the law or go too far against the edicts by which a party bases it's platform, they shouldn't be allowed to run for re-election under that party name. Let them try getting re-elected then, as it is very tough for political independants to get their messages out. I wonder if there are others out there who are tired of elected Democrats who don't act, vote, or represent like Democrats, or elected Republicans who don't act, vote, or represent like Republicans? Oversight on behalf of the political parties could clear that up. Someone needs to keep an eye on things to make sure these elected officials do their job as promised or as based on their declaration of political affiliation. If the Democrats truly seek to regain their share representation in the elected offices around our country, or if the Republicans truly seek to maintain theirs, those who engage in illegal activities or conduct their behavior in a manner that most of their political bases would find particularly distateful or offensive, the offenders should be sent home, never to darken the halls of our governmental offices again.

Whew, ok, I feel better now that I vented that pent up frustration. *LOL

Hood Rat

Good morning to all,
hope your day is going well.

Cast your attention to the man on the left,
well, he may not be as "left minded" as we might have thought, people are beginning to wonder if 50 Cent has gone Republican. Is it true? Has 50 Cent sold out to the man? Perhaps.

Dunno who 50 Cent is? Well, let me tell ya,
50 Cent is a rapper, former drug dealer and inmate, and former hospital patient due to "lead poisoning" (if you know what I mean?) That's probably why the man enjoys wearing a bullet proof vest most of the time, has a bomb proof car, and has that big handgun shown in the picture.

In what might be the strangest of the so-called rap feuds, one of the latest is between 50 Cent and Kanye West, over comments made by Kanye during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. "George Bush doesn't care about black people", Mr. West said during a hurricane relief telethon appearance, but 50 Cent won't have any of that. "I think people responded to it the best way they can", "What Kanye West was saying, I don't know where that came from", "The New Orleans disaster was meant to happen, it was an act of God.", said 50 Cent during a series of comments given in a magazine interview. So, let me get this straight, according to this gun toting multi-millionaire, don't blame Bush, he did his best, blame God instead because he had it in for New Orleans? Is that what he's really saying? Maybe, but if it is, wouldn't that be a bit insensitive to those who lost everything out there, while it has been shown that the governmental agencies were slow to act?

Has 50 Cent gone Republican?
Let's examine this question....
What might they have in common?:

1) He's rich!
He enjoys the tax break

2) Constitutional constructionist.
He sure likes that 2nd Amendment.
(see above picture)

3) He's hates WMD's.
(probably the reason for his bomb proof car)

4) He's a "hustla".
and will quickly go to war with anyone who opposes him.
(he said so in the song by the same name)

5) Likes the way Republicans are "keepin' it real".
Jail time doesn't bother them

6) Blames God for all sorts of things.

Yep, sounds like a Republican to me.

In an ironic twist, I wonder if Mr. 50 Cent realizes that it was most likely members of the moral majority right wing, who petitioned to have billboards for the movie of his "life story" taken down, as they showed him shirtless, tattooed, with a gun? Probably scared the heck out of those folks, but I'll bet it didn't scare their kids, which really made them want those billboards removed. I sit here simply shaking my head, saying to myself, "oh, 50... 50... 50"

Pack Rat

Good evening to all,
hope your day was a good one!

Something stinks in Wisconsin,
and it ain't the cheese!
The stinkiness in question appears to be the crummy play of late, by what was once one of the greatest football teams in the NFL, the Greenbay Packers. This season "The Pack", with a season record of 1 win and 6 losses, is tied with what has been called "the worst team in the NFL" the Houston Texans. You would think a coach would occupy his thoughts with strategies intent on improvement, but not Coach Mike Sherman, the ol' "Pack Rat" himself, he's worried about cell phones.

During a Wednesday press conference, Coach Sherman had a meltdown while the cameras rolled, when a cameraman's cell phone went off while he was speaking. Shermie ended the press conference on the spot, admonishing the cameraman and other members of the press for "lack of respect". Ahem, isn't the man just a football coach? Last time I checked, the only place a person really needs to worry is in court if their cell phone happens to ring. To worry about ticking off a losing football coach who will most likely be losing his job, well... that doesn't seem to be as high of a priority in the "better not make him mad" category.

When ya think of it, couldn't it be that the coach was hoping for something, anything at all, to get him out of yet another press conference (which have become increasingly more hostile)? Perhaps when the phone rang he went for the chance to weasel his way out, rather than continue to squirm under the pressure of questions from the sporting press. Someone please put this man out of his misery, and give him a good long rest in a nice quiet place, I believe he needs to be released, the sooner the better.

Consider the legacy of Brett Favre, who has performed admirably during his tenure with the NFL and the Packers, the man is a great quarterback. I don't believe Brett should have to enter into the twilight of his career while playing for a coach whose priorities are so far out of whack, where he should go out in a blaze of glory, the direction Coach Sherman has taken the team has reduced Brett to going out with a whimper.

I can't wait to see how the press deals with ol' Shermhead, it's one thing to have a bit of clout when your team is doing well, and having a winning season, exceptions are made, and respect comes easy. But, when the team's season is in the tank, and the coach lashes out at the press, retribution comes quickly. To the sportswriters of America, I say, "Tell us what you really think, show no mercy!"

Too often professional athletes or the coaches of the teams, take themselves way too seriously, all the while not taking the luck of their situation and circumstance into consideration. They play or work for the amusement and entertainment of the fans, nothing more. When the fans stop caring, or turn their attention toward someone who has forgotten the true nature of the games, the outcome usually isn't in favor of the player or coach "gone wild". Much can be said for the humblest of players and coaches, they may not make headlines as often, but they gain the admiration and respect of the fans. Someone needs to remind Coach Sherman that respect is earned, never demanded, perhaps if he learned that fact sooner his team wouldn't have such a dismal record.

In an odd sidenote, it so happens that Coach Sherman has an endorsement deal with Cellcom, they sponsor his weekly talk show. Hmmm... I wonder if the guys at Cellcom heard about this?