So, it has been a little while

I don’t have an adequate explanation for letting about 10 days transpire without a new post; but, I am working on one.

There has been quite a bit of news and shenanigans worthy of comment; but the Captain and I are seeing things differently.  Of course, the President is laughable and provides daily fodder for exploitation. However, he and his administration are a joke, with serious implications for the rest of us.

The dichotomy of the issues has the Captain and I in an almost schizophrenic argument regarding President Obama’s either/or, naïveté/ brilliant debate.  One could readily agree with me, that the failed policies that the President pursued, with the full support of both houses of the legislature under Democratic control, were naïve. Before the media effectively dismisses this fact, please remember, that a republican majority in the House of Representatives was the result of the first two year’s foolishness not the cause! They were naïve because, in every previous historical attempt, these same policies failed to produce the promised results. Only in academia, Mr. Obama’s hometown, were they still theoretically possible. Evidently, the old adage still applies: “Those who can; do. Those who can’t; teach.”  The Captain has a meritorious argument for Obama’s brilliance: He has accomplished more with absolutely less experience than most executives. He and his family will be wealthy for generations, he has achieved historical immortality as our first ‘Black President’, and if all goes well; he will be set for life and retired at 51 in 2012. According to Captain Obvious, that is brilliant! One slight problem worthy of note: he accomplished this at America’s expense!

I understand that media investigating reporters are searching Rick Perry’s academic grades. That should not be very troublesome; after all, they are not sealed like the current President’s.

The Captain and I have several different pursuits under way. Hopefully, over the next few weeks I will wrap up 2 articles I’ve been working on:

“Jesus wasn’t a hippie” and “Christianity: Is being normal required?”.

Meanwhile, just outside of reality, Captain Obvious is expanding his role as a Vocabulary Consultant:

            Fornication: n, ‘Old School’ practicing marriage without a license

                                  ‘Contemporary’ friends with benefits

            Californication: n, sexual relations with anything followed by protests and demands for a ballot referendum to recognize as acceptable and legalize, endorsed, of course, by any of the unbiased alphabetical orgs.

            Bipartisan: n, per President Obama: a two way street both leading to “my way”

Please check out the new music links:
You can do WHAT? With just a flat pick & six strings?
 

http://youtu.be/cUibjcu2L_s

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/rodrigo-y-gabriela-p650428

http://youtu.be/XdUrg2Cqxdw

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/doc-watson-p1860

Prose I Suppose

14^th Avenue

Screaming with life for a quiet neighborhood, contrasting differences created a common good

Unique individuals made up this class of ‘blue collar’, friendships by values not by the dollar

Not knowing then what I knew, it has carried me a lifetime from 14^th Avenue

As children, we could play outside at night, walking alone or riding that well used bike

Often hurt; scrapes from the bushes, skinned knees and falling from trees

Getting back up without much alarm, it was commonly known; the absence of intentional harm

To help each other was an unneeded rule; not to, would have been uncommon on 14th Avenue

 Pondering life and its starkness, walking the 3 blocks from my friend’s house in darkness,

A short span past winners and losers, do-gooders and users; some seen others heard

Listening through the sounds to distinguish each word, quite a view all there on 14^th Avenue

Rarely alone; always in groups of at least two, we chided and challenged, together we grew

Changing the scene like a storm tide, carrying us on an individual ride – puberty swept through

Morphing into strange shapes and sizes; some devastating, some fascinating, all full of surprises

As each changed per their gene, bewilderment was an apt description of the altered scene

There was commonness to what each of us knew: It was now very different on

14^th Avenue

In the overnight process, ‘cooties’ became ‘cuties’, hearts twittering; either swelling or sinking

Creatures fulfilling each of our concepts of beauties; dominating now, all of our thinking

Conversation and behavior changed in the presence of a girl, drawing us into a brand new world

Stumbling, bumbling, mostly clueless; timid or brave, at a personal pace, we entered the newness

Clumsily with a brashness often askew, there was much excitement on 14^th Avenue

To be continued…(but don’t hold your breath)

Another speech? I can hardly wait!

Obama’s Thesaurus

Typically, the use of a valued resource book, such as Roget’s Thesaurus, is to enhance one’s writing or speech. Through the use of synonyms; a completely different word is found to convey the same or very similar meaning.  An Obama thesaurus, if printed, would be nearly impossible to use; the words he chooses do not have a relationship to the definition he attempts to covey. I would enjoy his speeches, far more, if he would just stipulate this point and let Norm Crosby write his speeches.

His misguided understanding of the American electorate as fools and ‘right-wing’ idiots may win praise from Ed Shultz, who actually, is an idiot. However, he keeps running into the same wall of reality; his poll numbers are falling faster than Jimmy Carter’s.

               

“If a genius walks into a wall, it may be a mistake in judgment. If he backs up and walks into the wall again; then his status, as a genius, is a mistake in judgment.”

                             Captain O.B. Obvious-Life Consultant

The Americans I know, have learned that ‘man-caused catastrophe’ does not diminish terrorists. Nor does ‘kinetic military action’ lessen our involvement in Libya. We are also hip to: ‘investment = spending’, ‘raising revenue = taxes’, ‘fair = taxes’, ‘sharing the sacrifice=taxes’, ‘redistribution= taxes’, ‘shovel-ready = you’re idiots’, ‘republican=wrong and at fault’, ‘tea-party=doubly wrong and will be at fault’! As a matter of fact we pretty much grasp all the brilliance of the President’s platitudes.  It would be fine with me if he did not give another speech at all! What else does he have to say?

President Obama does not understand history or economics. However, history and economics understand him; the economy was better before him and will be better after him. Our status as an exceptional nation existed before him and will be renewed after him.

He can retire in grandeur; become the president of Harvard, Yale, Columbia or the University of Chicago where he can continue the decades long teaching of idiocy (Marxism, Keynesian Economics, and Big Government) that does not work in the real world.  He can always explain: “It would have worked if it wasn’t for _______________, _____________________, ______________, and of course, the yet to be named hurricane!"

                “He who is good at making excuses is seldom good at anything else.”

                                                                                                                Benjamin Franklin

Music

I have decided to add a music link feature to my home page. At the bottom of the home page you will find a section titled "Music: Journeys & Destinations". Below will be hyperlinks to hear & see video of featured artists from my music collection, I will also provide a link for biographies and more info.

MUSIC

Introduction to my favorite music:

Several years ago I learned that, for me, listening to ‘talking heads’ was creating an agitation that had a negative effect on my health and mind. It seemed that it was hard to laugh and even harder to relax.  Things began to change in 2004 when I became an over- the-road trucker. I had music to listen to before, of course, and I have always had an interest in books. However, as I began travelling the great expanses of our country and taking note of the variety of peoples and locales, while absorbing the serenity of the spectacular visual beauty, a calming began to influence my mind. 

For my friends who have read my posts, I know you are saying, “Damn, if this is calm, I’m glad I wasn’t around for the agitation!”  All I can say is that I share your gladness. It is one of the reasons I am hopeful that the current administration just goes away.

I have a natural interest in history. It is manifest in everything I love, from our country to my musical tastes. I am enthralled by talent from statesman to guitarists, from artists to writers. I become confused and therefore agitated when Kurt Cobain out sells Elvis or when President Obama is called ‘brilliant.’ I guess, if you believe there can be classical grunge or classical rap, then it’s not much of a stretch to add brilliant before Obama’s name.

My music collection (approaching 5000 songs) is somewhat eclectic. Please understand, because I am in my truck 24 hours a day for months on end, variety is important.  I am particularly fascinated by singer/songwriters and absolutely amazed that a six string instrument has an endless possibility of styles and sounds.  My favorite genres are Blues and spiritual songs; often overlapped. Many of the artists I am attracted to fall short of mainstream though, not necessarily.  My goal here is to perhaps, introduce some lesser known talent or share my mutual appreciation for musicians you also like. So let’s get started.

Today’s featured artists: Gary Moore & Mary Gauthier

                                                         

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1kHdIU8Uek&feature=fvsr

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gary-moore-p4950

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5MG1ZfFiZ8

http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mary-gauthier-p366516