Our Tax System Explained: Bar Stool Economics

The following is attributed to David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D., Professor of Economics, University of Georgia. I received it by e-mail and have forwarded it several
times, but I still believe it is relevant and because of it's simplicity is the best arguement for tax reform I have seen.

Our Tax System Explained: Bar Stool Economics

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve.

"Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20." Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:

The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28% savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20 declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, "but he got $10!"

"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!"

"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"

"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

More on Perception vs. Reality

Coincidentally, I was listening to Mark Levin's radio show earlier and Sean Hannity called in. During the course of their conversation they both asserted that they do not question Barak Obama's citizenship and have both said as much on their shows, which further validates the point I am trying to make - the only people who think this is an issue to Reagan Conservatives are those who get their information about Conservatives from ultra-left-wing sources.

Perception vs. Reality

I have received several e-mails and other communications that indicate that an alarming amount of people formulate their opinions about Conservatives and what we are about by how we are portrayed by extreme liberal outlets such as MSNBC, the Daily Kos, the Huffington Post, and the fraudulent posturer Michael Moore.

A perfect example of this is the constant harping on the Birther topic, which attackers of the Conservative movement seem to think is sacred to our doctrine when in fact we all know that this is a total non-issue for mainstream Conservatives. The attacks that I have seen on people like Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal are completely baseless, and the constant attacks on Conservative commentators like Rush Limbaugh generally involve taking short sound bites completely out of context.

Another great example is the vociferous excoriation of Bill O'Reilly, who probably has more journalistic integrity than anyone out there. I have said this before - I have seen e-mails to Bill that blasted him for being too far to the left and too far to the right on the SAME STORY. I think that if some of the O'Reilly haters actually read his books and watched his show they might find out that they have a lot more in common with him than they ever would have thought.

When the State controls the media they can force-feed the population whatever they wish to propagate. The sycophantic liberal media in this country sucks up to to those who give them access and support their worldviews. Those who reject Fox News and conservative talk radio out of hand need to re-evalaute their stance; most mainstream media outlets these days are parroting liberal talking points. The Wall Street Journal is a bastion of journalistic integrity that is ignored by the legions who get their worldview from the New York Times and/or Washington Post, among others.

Crosby and Nash

Two great YouTube videos of David Crosby and Graham Nash, circa 1970. (These links will redirect you to YouTube, you will need to use your browser's Back button to return to this blog)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdNO9Qa5rzI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPvOTVVbMko&feature=related

To quote a friend, YouTube is like crack for music junkies!!

Saints!!

Yes, we lost to the hated Cowgirls, but we will be OK. We have had more than our share of injuries but we should have some guys back for the playoffs. Going 16-0 is not important - just ask the '07 Patriots. This season has been a blessing for New Orleans and we are a team of destiny.

The Death of Common Sense, Part 1

Three Navy SEALS - who, for those who don't know, are among the very best of the very best in the American military and are more highly trained than almost anyone on earth - are about to go on trial for the supposed abuse of the prisoner Ahmed Hashim Abed, who masterminded the killing and mutilation of American contractors in Iraq.

This is wrong on so many levels I don't even know where to start, but I will open with the tidbits that 1) This guy was not in American custody for the entirety of his capture, which would violate the chain of custody rules in any (liberal) American courtroom; and 2) The Al-Quaida training manual specifies that anyone captured by Americans needs to scream that he was tortured, beaten, and otherwise mistreated by our troops, as they know that the politically correct dimwits that have been making the rules in this country would rather prosecute our own troops than see a terrorist scumbag get a bloody lip (see this case as an object example).

There are people in this country who view the unfortunate actions by a misguided few at Abu Gharave as torture. This stuff makes me sick; I will say for the first time (on this blog) but certainly not the last that political correctness will be the death of this country.

I'm back

Obviously I have been remiss and neglectful in maintaining this blog. I hate to say it, but the events that are taking place in this country have overwhelmed me to the point where I have not known where to start. But I think that it is important to get some messages out, so here I go again...

Remembrance

Today is, of course, the 8th anniversary of the attacks on America by Islamist fundamentalist radicals. It was disturbing to me to learn that flags were flown at half mast for the death of Senator Kennedy (which I do not in any way mean to disparage) but were flown at full mast today. I can't believe that the collective memory of this country is so short. I am disheartened and really do not know what to add to that.

Eutopia

In tonight's speech our Beloved Leader promised us Eutopia if we follow his lead on Health Care. I sincerely hope that everyone who agrees with and supports our Beloved Leader's message is still happy when the velvet gloved but iron fist of government crushes our liberty and freedom.

Friedman on Capitalism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZStCMC5bCCg

The above link is a classis clip of the late great economist Milton Friedman schooling Phil Donahue on the virtues of Capitalism. This is precisely the the kind of common sense thinking that has been missing in our society lately. I also believe this to be a good example of how two people with diametrically opposed belief systems can have a civilized conversation.

Weighing in on Health Care Reform

Once again, the President has managed to raise my blood pressure to unsafe levels. This time it was with his speech on Friday, in which he accused the detractors of his Health Care reform as being without ideas of their own - as if his plan is the only thing that anyone has come up with. The substance of Obama's message is irritating enough; his arrogant, lecturing tone in delivering it makes it insufferable.

Regarding the "lack of ideas" from Conservatives, I would be happy to throw out just a few of the more popular ones for consideration:

- Tort reform. The single biggest problem with health care in this country is the profligation of medical malpractice suits and the shameless precedents set by judges who are evidently more interested in the enrichment of their colleagues than they are in imparting justice. It is because of the fear of lawsuits that insurance companies require and doctors are compelled to order so many tests and procedures, and why the path to get to the right specialist is such a convoluted one. Malpractice insurance for some specialists, such as brain surgeons, can run into as much as a half-million dollars per year. Combine this weight with the student loan payments that many doctors have and the tax bracket they are in, and you have doctors that must gross nearly a million dollars per year before they see a profit. These costs trickle down into every aspect of health care.

- Allow insurance companies to sell across state lines. Obviously, anything that fosters competition will lower costs and increase quality.

- Allow small businesses to join together and form insurance buying cooperatives, so that they can use the strength of their combined numbers to lower their costs.

- Allow pre-tax employer contributions to personal health care accounts in lieu of employer provided healthcare, with supplemental insurance for catastrophic event care. My company probably pays about $15,000 per year for my health insurance, and I pay about another $4,200. This would add up quickly if the bulk of it was going into a personal health care account and accruing interest. It would also make people think twice about running to the doctor over every little ache and pain if they were using their own money to pay the bill.

- Make health care costs 100% tax deductible, to ease the financial burden on folks with major health issues.

I am sick and tired of hearing the insurance companies demonized; my insurance isn't perfect and is expensive, but it has seen me through my children's childhood misfortunes, my wife's bout with breast cancer, and my own back surgery and sleep apnea, among other things. We have always received stellar care by excellent health care professionals.

It is true that our health care system could be reformed for the better, but the ideas of Obama and the liberals in Congress are the worst possible solutions. To hear Obama accuse Conservatives of not having ideas or solutions is both laughable and infuriating.

Road tripping

I just got home from Denver last night; as has been my M.O. of late, I drove out. There are a lot of people who tell me I'm crazy for driving instead of flying, but there are a lot of reasons why I prefer to drive these days. Not the least of these is that driving can be a rewarding, educational, and eye-opening experience. In driving to Denver from southeast Louisiana, one encounters the massive sprawl of Dallas - Fort Worth; the beautiful vistas of the Texas panhandle; the prairies of eastern Colorado; and the majesty of the Front Range of the Rockies fading into view (although for the first couple days of this trip that sight was obscured by smoke from the California wildfires). You see the wealth of massive ranches and farms and the crushing poverty of some of the most rural areas in the country. You can experience great regional cuisine and see historic landmarks. I have been fortunate enough to travel much of this country, and I always enjoy the opportunity to see anything new.

More brilliant insights from a California politician

I have been hearing sound bites today from a rant by the ultra-liberal racist Rep. Diane Watson. Once she finished deriding Conservatives she went on to extoll the virtues of Fidel Castro and the paradise that he has presided over, with his brother Raul, for the last 46 years or so. She also made the insightful comment that Che' Guavera, the hero of the revolution who is so widely admired by the Left, threw out the government and ejected the rich, before turning power over to the "brilliant mind" of Fidel the peaceful lawyer.

Am I the only one who is sickened by these uninformed and downright stupid comments by a member of the U.S. House of Representatives? I would invite the Congresswoman to go make these same pro-Castro remarks in Miami's Little Havana; I don't think they would go over as well as they do in Washington or California. And she may want to look into the death of Che' Guavera, it might teach her a little something about the beneficience of the brilliant Fidel.

Who elects these idiots??? Come on, California, Barbara Boxer, Diane Watson? You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Hope and Change

The coverage of the life and career of Sen. Edward Kennedy have given me reason to ponder some of the changes that we should not only hope for but push for at a grassroots level (I don't think too many of the following were what the Obama Campaign had in mind whilst running on that slogan). Among them:

- Term limits. It all starts here; Sen. Kennedy served 47 years in the Senate, longer than I have been alive. We need to eliminate career politicians and get back to people serving for the right reasons.

- Drastic reduction in the compensation and benefits of elected officials. Once again, we want people who choose to serve for the right reasons, not so that they can enrich and empower themselves at the public trough.

- Campaign reform and the repeal of McCain - Feingold. This legislation is unconstitutional and Bush's failure to veto it is, in my opinion, one of the major stains on his legacy. Right now the rules are rigged to favor the two-party system and the encumbents, who are typically much better funded than their challengers (the average, based on numbers I have seen, seems to be 300% - 400% better).

- Eliminate the gerrymandering of Congressional districts. Lines should be drawn in a manner that make sense geographically while at the same time providing for equal representation of all members of the population. I have seen some crazy districts in, specifically, the Chicago area (what a shock!!) and Nevada; I'm sure that the redrawing of districts to protect - or even damage - the encumbent is probably a problem to some extent almost everywhere.

These reforms would help to ensure the fairness of elections; empower independents and third-party candidates; force candidates to gain support of a broader constituency; and help to elect more responsible representation by people who want to serve and help better their country.

This Week's Sign Of The Apocolypse*

*To borrow a phrase from Sports Illustrated - and it won't surprise me if this shows up in those pages under the same heading. The kicker for the New Orleans Saints, Garrett Hartley, has been suspended by the NFL for four games for violation of the league substance abuse policy; specifically, he tested positive for the stimulant Adderall. Give me a break - the KICKER??? We already had our two best defensive linemen serving suspensions the first four games for testing positive for a diuretic that evidently is used to mask steroid use. But the kicker? What next - the punter? Maybe the ball boy? Evidently the Saints need to do a better job of educating their team on what is and isn't acceptable.

Enough Already!

I have wanted to publish a post about Guantanamo and the "torturing" of detainees for some time; I had backed off because the issue seemed to have (finally) gone away. But the latest announcement that Eric Holder intends to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate and potentially prosecute CIA interrogators has finally generated the steam to blow my lid off.

Where to start? With the numerous Marines that I have heard interviewed who said that the detainees lived better than their guards and that interrogations would be halted to allow them to say their 5-times daily prayers? How about the fact that former CIA director George Tenet said that enhanced interrogation techniques produced more useful intelligence than all other sources combined? Does it even matter that some of those who were interrogated were the masterminds of an attack on America that killed over 3,000 innocent people?

What is "torture"? If we perform the same techniques on our own people at SERE school is it really torture? If there are a doctor and a psychologist present at all times to protect the well-being of the detainee is it really torture? I suspect that the victims of the Japanese before and during WWII, the Nazis, and Saddam Hussien and his brutal sons, among others, would skoff at the notion that anything we did to any of these detainees amounted to more than a minor inconvenience. You were probably fortunate if any of the above killed you outright if you got on their bad side. Assuming you can find anyone alive who survived capture by the Nazis aiding the French Resistance; or the Bataan Death March; or one of Hussien's torture rooms, ask them their opinion of the "torture" at Guantanamo.

If you want a glimps of REAL torture, watch a movie like Body Of Lies or Taken, or read an account of the treatment of the Iraqi National Soccer Team under Saddam's regime. Or, if you can stomach it, find an internet video of the terrorists beheading a terrified Westerner.

Why are there people in this country who's main purpose seems to be to villify their country and it's security agencies? To "take down" the CIA? I know that paranoia and conspiracy theories abound (The U.S. Govenment blew up the World Trade Center!!), but are the lunatics really running the asylum?

So now Eric Holder, who recommended the pardon of the truly evil Marc Rich, wants to prosecute CIA personnel and members of the Bush Administration? The Democrats should beware - prosecuting members of the previous administration over political disagreement is a slippery slope. The fact that this is a diversionary tactic intended to appease the radical Left and shift attention away from National Health Care makes it all the more despicable.

R.I.P.

The great Les Paul died today at the age of 94. Les' contributions to modern music are many; rock and roll as we know it would not exist without him. Aside from the considerable accomplishment of inventing his eponymous electric guitar, Les also pioneered the use of tape delay and other production techniques that were huge influences on Jimmy Page, among others. Les was also an absolutely incredible player; unfortunately his heyday was the 40's and 50's and there is not a ton of footage available of him in his prime, but there are some enticing tidbits available on YouTube, including his classic '90's beer commercial.

For my part, my home photo here shows me playing a Gibson Les Paul Custom - here is another shot of it.

Les Paul - gone but certainly not forgotten. R.I.P., my friend.

Talk radio

I heard today that the new policy at CNN is to no longer have talk radio personalities on their programs. This doesn't surprise me, for a number of reasons; ultimately it is just one more attempt to silence the Conservative voices.

One of the biggest ironies right now is that the people who vilify and rail against Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Bill O'Reilly, etc., are people who never have (and never will) actually listened to their shows. I have heard the most hateful things said about Bill O. by people who have never heard him, have never picked up one of his books, and don't have the first idea of what he stands for. Bill frequently reads (often hilariously) letters and e-mails from people calling him a huge liberal and a right-wing nut job who are talking about the SAME STORY!! I've seen it over and over and it never fails to crack me up.

This morning I heard Glenn Beck quoting an article in which he was taken completely out of context and misrepresented - it has become commonplace for Rush to replay segments of his show from which he has been misquoted and/or misrepresented. Which brings us to the "I hope Obama fails" brouhaha. I got an e-mail from someone who wrote an indignant letter to Michael Steele about this and the divisiveness of the far right. I have great respect for this individual, but it is obvious from his writings that he heard the left-wing media's version of what Rush said, not the actual statements in context. What Rush actually said was that he hoped Obama's policies failed; or that he hoped Obama failed in implementing his policies. This might seem like semantics, but Rush, like many of us, realized early on that Obama's policies were going (and have proven) to be disastrous for this country.

I have my own feelings about Rush, Sean, Mark Levin, Bill O., and others, some of which would undoubtedly surprise those who think that we conservatives are all automatons that are spoon-fed our opinions and information by these folks. Anyone who has followed my responses to feel-good e-mails over the years (I have been accused of curmudgeon-like behavior) knows that I don't take much at face value and research the things that I question. It is not hard to spot the hypocrisy of the Left or the Chicago strong-arm tactics of the current administration if you simply open your eyes and ears.

Duplicity Part II

President Obama, in his New Hampshire speech this morning, talked about how a single-payer system is impractical and is not the goal of the health care bill. This position directly contradicts statements he made to the SEIU in 2007 (where he identified single-payer as a long term rather than short term goal) and the AFL/CIO in 2003 (where he identified single-payer healthcare as a specific agenda item). I don't pull this stuff out of thin air; I have heard the sound bites and they are not out of context.

What the people of this country need to realize is that the far left is not looking for an immediate legislative grand slam - they are trying to pass legislation that will give them the foot in the door to leverage these policies into bigger and bigger Federal programs while eliminating private sector competition. What it all boils down to is Federal power and control over our lives and how we live them, and it is downright scary.

More golf...

The world may be spinning off it's axis; Tiger Woods is actually playing three weeks in a row. (One for one so far... this week at Firestone, where he has dominated; next week at the PGA at Hazletine, where he has won in the past.) I can't help it, I love seeing this guy dominate, even if he has struggled in the majors this year. Of course, top tens at Augusta and Bethpage would be good for most tour players, but Tiger guages his success by his performance at the majors, so his wins at the AT&T, Memorial, Buick, and Arnold's Bay Hill are probably a little more hollow than one would expect. Wins this week and especially next week would fulfill his season, although he might be Player of the Year and FedEx points leader without either of them.

Duplicity

By the way - President Obama has been good about telling the American people what they want to hear while allowing Pelosi, Ried, et al to do his dirty work. If you doubt this, read the House version of the Health Care bill and then listen to what Obama has said in his speeches.

This man is a professional politician who was schooled by Saul Aulinski, Jerehmia Wright, Bill Ayers, Bernadette Dohrn, and others of their ilk. While it was OK for 8 years for the left to say the most vile things about George Bush, it is unacceptable to question or criticise this leftist radical who wants to "transform America" - and transform it into something that our Founders and indeed my parents would not recognize or condone.

Current Events

There are a lot of things that I want to vent about right now - the health care bill that most congressmen have not read (and Obama admitted during questioning that he did not know what it contained) that will destroy health care in America; the White House web site where we can report in an Orwellian manner those who oppose the socialism of our country; the many similarities between Obama and the Left's policies and programs and those of Hitler and the Nazis (and no, I am not a nut job; the comparisons are real and valid); the insanity of Cap and Trade and our current energy policy; the inevitable tax increases that are coming to support the lunatic spending; etc. My lack of postings has more to do with my frustration and the overwhelming nature of the challenges we face than inattention on my part - I do intend to try to address some of these issues. However, I would like to see folks do their own research and see what is really going on - I don't expect people to change their minds based on anything I say, but I would at least like to see some who disagree with me expand their horizons beyond the State controlled mainstream media, leftist web sites like the Huffington Post, and liberal publications like Rolling Stone (who, to their credit, recently ran an article about how Wall Street will benefit from the Cap & Trade legislation).

The next 10

OK - the first ten essential Classic Rock albums were arbitrary, and there was room for debate. But it did represent a solid foundation for anyone interested in delving into what I consider to be the best contemporary music available. Here are the next 10 - many of which could easily have made the top 10 - by 10 different bands. If you get these 10 along with the Top 10, and then explore different albums by the bands you like, you will have a great collection.

The next 10:

Humble Pie – Smokin
Grand Funk Railroad – Closer to Home
Traffic – The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys
Rush – 2112
Jethro Tull – Aqualung
The Who – Who’s Next
Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced?
Cream – Disraeli Gears
The Allman Brothers – Beginnings
The Doors

Honorable Mention: Montrose; Van Morrison’s Moondance

I'm back...

Yes, for anyone who checks this, I have been negligent in posting - we were once again on the road at Fort Benning and Fort Gordon - the graduation ceremony was no less amazing this time and the Infantry Museum was fully open. It is definitely worth seeing if you are ever in the area. A highlight for me was "firing" an M16 on the same trainer that the troops use for their practice. Of course, my son the soldier laughed at my effort - definitely need a little practice to reach their standards.

The Last Top 10 Essential Classic Album

Although I said that these were in no particular order, I did save the best for last. Here it is:

Led Zeppelin IV – Although not my personal favorite (to pop into the CD player), probably due to overexposure, this is without a doubt the greatest classic rock album ever made. As if Stairway To Heaven wasn’t enough, this album shows the full range of Zep’s songwriting and musical prowess. The band displayed their lighter side on the great ballad Going To California and the Mideastern-influenced folk song Battle Of Evermore (featuring Fairport Convention vocalist Sandy Denny); rocked out on the eponymous Rock And Roll (featuring longtime Rolling Stones keyboardist Ian Stewart on piano) as well as Black Dog, Four Sticks, and Misty Mountain Hop; and set a new standard for production with the thunderous drum sound on the great blues sendup and closing song When The Levee Breaks. Six of the eight songs on this album became staples of Zep’s live set over the ensuing years. This was the greatest rock band ever at the absolute height of their considerable musical powers.

Cheap Thrills

Anyone who rides a motorcycle knows that you are going to have the occaisional "Oh S***!" moment - it's how you react to them that defines whether or not you should consider parking it for good. Needless to say, panic and/or hesitation are not desireable reactions when you are in the moment.

Today I was coming into a small town, doing about 35 in 3rd gear in a 35 zone, and had a light go yellow on me at that exact distance where you just aren't sure whether to try to stop or to gun & run. Unfortunately, I chose to try to stop, which would have been the right thing to do on dry pavement. On wet pavement, however, I fishtailed; released the brakes, tried again, fishtailed again. Now I am at the big white stripe that delineates the intersection, still going 25 mph, and the light has by now changed from yellow to red. Drat. At that point, you hope that the folks in their cages are paying attention to the show, and run the red light. I'm sure that anyone who was watching probably thought that I was going too fast and/or was out of control; the fact is that wet pavement takes away one of your two huge defensive meneuvering advantages, the ability to stop quickly. Live and learn; luckily I lived to learn this time.

Experiences like this remind you of just how little control you have over things when they go awry on you.

Terrible Ted

No not Kennedy, although that would also be an appropriate title for a post commemorating the 40th anniversary of Ted's getting away with murder at Chappaquiddick.

No, in this instance it's Nugent, displaying his usual reticence in sharing his opinion about the Second Amendment. Here is the link:

http://biggeekdaddy.com/miscvideos/TedNugent.html

I had thought about putting up a post on the Second Amendment, but there is not much I could add to Ted's comments. Besides, the entire thing is one 27-word sentence - what is so hard to understand? Has the meaning of the words "The right of the people..... shall not be infringed" changed since the last time I consulted a dictionary?

Anyhow, the liberal conducting this PBS interview has a noticably distasteful reaction to Ted's answer, which I find amusing. Credit to the guy for hanging in there though.

Major Disappointment

I am, as I am sure many others are, disappointed that Tom Watson fell short in a playoff to Stewart Cink at the British Open. Actually not so much that he lost the playoff, which was somewhat of a forgone conclusion, but that he bogeyed 18 to set up the playoff in the first place. I wonder if Watson can find solace in making the playoff at a major at age 59 when he had a very real chance to win.

Golf is a fickle game; Cink, playing two groups ahead of Watson, made a great putt to birdie the difficult 18th to get to -2; shortly thereafter Watson missed a tentative 9-footer that would have won it outright. As with any such outcome, Watson can look back at missed opportunities; primarily his adrenaline-fueled approach at 18 that rolled through the green and set up his bogey.

This is not to take anything away from Cink - anyone who makes four birdies on the back 9 on Sunday at a major deserves to win, and he played the 4-hole playoff in 2 under, including another birdie at 18. Cink has always had the skill and talent to win a major and if anything it is surprising that it took this long - my hat goes off to him for a great round and a great win. Still, though, it would have been absolutely amazing to see Watson capture his 6th British Open and 9th Major at the site of 1977's Duel In The Sun, one of the greatest, if not the greatest, majors ever.

The Open Championship has not always produced the great theater and great champions in recent years that it is renowned for, but this one was truly one for the ages.

The next (to last) Top 10 Classic

OK. here we are at the top. Shouldn't have been too hard to figure these two out. Here is Number 2:

2) Pink Floyd, Dark Side Of The Moon – Not my personal favorite Pink Floyd release (or some members of the band’s, based on interviews) to listen to, definitely due in my case to overexposure. However, an unprecedented 736 weeks in the Billboard Top 100 is a confirmation from the fans of how staggeringly brilliant this album is. It produced two anthems (Time and Money); two of the most beautiful pieces of rock music ever recorded (Great Gig In The Sky and Us And Them); was daring and pioneering in it’s production and use of sound effects and synthesizers; and was the most successful “concept album” ever made. Roger Waters emerged as a great lyracist with his scathing social commentary. Even the album artwork was striking and memorable. The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios and was also a breakout for studio engineer Alan Parsons.

Barbara Boxer Part Dieux (as in Duh)

For those who don't listen to talk radio or watch Fox News (funny, this seems like Deja Vu), California Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer once again disgraced herself last week with her racist, elitist responses to Henry Alford, head of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, who was testifying about the economic disaster that the Cap and Trade (AKA Tax and Kill) legislation will be. I am not going to post a link because the exchange is 6 minutes long but I'm sure it is readily available for anyone who cares about the direction these liberal nitwits are taking us in. How much $$$ did it require to get a brainless elitist moron like Boxer into the Senate? Two words, America: TERM LIMITS!! Learn them and love them!!

Plumbing woes

I think that if I had it all to do over again, I would seriously consider becoming a Master Licensed Plumber - not that I posess the skill set or the aptitude for such a thing. I was awakened this morning to a severed water main and a well pump that was doing a fine job of watering one side of my yard. Once I figured our which breaker shut off the well pump (I'm not an electrician either) I set about trying to find a plumber who could come out on a Saturday. Ha!!

Now, I had looked at this thing, and determined that I could probably fix it myself, but I have a tendency to like things done on my house by someone who actually has a clue what they are doing. Since no one like that was available, I made the requisite 3 trips to the hardware store and 2 false starts before finally completing the task myself. I am still not sure if the 5 hours or so of my time, gallons of gas, and parts purchased for experimentation were a better value than a competent professional - the point is that you can no longer FIND a competent tradesperson, and not only a plumber - heating and A/C, auto mechanic, whatever. When my parents were young, young men apprenticed to a trade because it promised a good living and a future. Now, young people either go to college or become unskilled labor - we see it in the Land Surveying community, there are no good, smart kids coming in at entry level. If this trend continues, good luck getting anything done right in another 20 years or so - unless, of course, you or someone you know can do it yourself.

I think that there will be a shortage of skilled tradesmen in this country and that at some point these individuals will be able to write their own tickets. And that includes motorcycle mechanics!!!

The Next Top 10 Classic

A while back I set out to describe what I consider to be the Top 10 Must-Have classic rock albums, with the stipulation that all 10 are from different artists. Now I am down to the last three - here is the first of those heavyweights:

3) The Yes Album – I am not sure that this is the best lineup that Yes fielded - some would prefer Rick Wakeman on keyboards over Tony Kaye, who plays on this album. Personally, I like the keys on this album; they have not yet gotten into the synthesizers that made much of their later stuff torturous to listen to. Maybe because of that I find this to be by far the most solid and listenable album that they made. Side 1 is as good as it gets – Yours Is No Disgrace, The Clap, Starship Trooper. The Clap is a solo accoustic piece that demonstrates Steve Howe’s virtuosity on guitar, sandwiched between two anthems that showcase the musicianship of the band while remaining highly listenable. Your Move/All Good People is a radio staple that was one of the band’s great commercial successes. On any other album the last two songs, A Venture and Perpetual Change, would stand out, but here it is hard for them to live up to the standard that has been set. This album is flawed, but is the best product of the "art rock" genre of the '70's and is definitely a must-have.

Thoughts from the Road

As I mentioned, I was travelling all week; here are a few of the things that I pondered during that time...

Joe Biden - ya gotta love Joe, he's a walking malaprop - said that during the campaign "we misjudged the economy". Really? That would be the same economy that Barack (inaccurately) portrayed as the worst since the Great Depression? How can you misjudge it if it is the worst since the Depression? (It wasn't, but they are working on it)...

Speaking of stupid Democrats, I heard Nancy Pelosi bloviating about "protecting God's beautiful creation". Unfortunately, she was bucking up the Cap and Trade bill, not commenting on the millions of unnecessary abortions that are performed in her state...

Speaking of Cap and Trade, India and China once again made it clear at the G8 that they have no intention of adhering to whatever insane policies the U.S. adopts; this means that the unintended consequence of Cap and Trade will be to INCREASE polution when industrial, manufacturing, and energy jobs flee this country en mass...

Michigan unemployment is up to 16%... hey Governor, maybe another tax increase will do the trick!!...

Since I was in hotel rooms all week, most of which had a very limited selection of TV channels, I got blasted with the "All Michael Jackson, All The Time" networks - which was pretty much all of them. Thankfully, I am back home to my DirecTV and its 800 channels, so I can find some relief on the Martian Polar Ice Cap Network (turns out it is receding - we need to talk to those irresponsible Martians about their carbon emissions!)...

Yes, I had way too many mindless hours behind the wheel!

Sarah Palin

Someone recently asked me via e-mail what I thought about the soon-to-be-ex-governor; I decided to share my reply here.

I think Sarah Palin IS exactly what this country needs; she was a real breath of fresh air in the campaign and probably swung a lot of conservative votes to McCain. She seems to want what is best for the country and to be willing to take on both parties as well as big business. Despite the constant blathering by the left, she is very smart and a very astute, able politician. I believe that the amount of hate that the left and the mainstream media direct at someone is in direct proportion to how much that person scares them, and therefore that Sarah is the left's worst nightmare. As far as her vacating the governor's seat, I believe she had valid reasons:

- she would have been a lame duck as she had no intention of running again; this gives her lieutenant gov. a chance to step in and prove himself before he runs for re-election;

- she was under constant attack, mainly from the left. She has had to defend herself - successfully - against something like 15 or 16 corruption charges;

- defending herself has not only cost her personally some $500,000 but has probably cost the state millions, not to mention all of the time that it has wasted;

- she has endured personal attacks and attacks against her family that would be enough to make anyone nuts.

It cracks me up to no end that people said she was underqualified to be the veep but those same people seem to think that the community organizer and professional campaigner we have in the White House is eminently qualified to be there. The double standard will never cease to amaze me. I heard some elitist bimbo yapping that she was "uneducated" because she went to a state school whereas Barack is "educated" because he was brainwashed... I mean indoctrinated.... I mean "educated" at Harvard. Barack the "brilliant Constitutional lawyer" who, as far as I can tell, either never actually read it or else dismisses it as passe.

I don't know what she plans to do next - neither a book nor a lucrative speaking tour would surprise me a bit, and she deserves to make some $$$ - I have my doubts about whether she plans to run in 2012 though; if anything I would expect here to run for the Senate. Hopefully she will continue to be a force for positive change, we definitely need people like her.

Top 10 Classics

I will start with the next Top 10 Classic - since I am a week behind I will also post one tomorrow. This one is the album that made me start pondering this topic in the first place; I was listening to it one day and thought to myself, What a great album - this should be essential to any good Classic Rock collection.

4) Bruce Springsteen, Born To Run – Bruce had had limited commercial success to this point, and needed to produce a big seller. In his words, he “set out to make the greatest rock and roll record ever”. Well, he set the bar high, and he produced a phenomenal album that changed the musical landscape. The opening song, Thunder Road, is a masterpiece, and the album never lets up. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out is one of my personal favorites (and features David Sanborn on saxophone); the title track is one of Bruce’s best. Bruce had more time (due to a protracted contractural dispute) to work on the subsequent Darkness On The Edge Of Town lp, and it is also a great album, but Born To Run was the breakout album and is Bruce at his best.

Back at home - for now

OK, I know I have been negligent in keeping this current; I was on the road on a fairly arduous business trip from Sunday evening until Friday afternoon, but I am back and have some things to vent about.

Top 10 Classics

Since I am on the topic of music tonight, here is the next on the Top 10 list:

5) The Beatles, Abbey Road – A tough choice but gets the nod over Sgt. Pepper because of the songwriting – particularly George Harrison’s contributions, Something and Here Comes The Sun – as well as the phenominal production and the band’s devotion to crafting a great album despite the fact that they were obviously going in opposite directions. This ability to create despite (or because of?) extreme personal and musical differences illustrates what consummate professionals the Beatles were. (And no I didn’t forget the White album, which I find flawed).

Black Sabbath redux

I listened to this last night for the first time in a while and with fresh ears - it certainly reaffirmed my endorsement. Ozzie's vocals are downright malevolent; every metal singer since has tried to duplicate the intensity. I don't know if the lyrics of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" were copied in N.I.B. on purpose or by accident, but either way it is brilliant. I think that future Valimar reunions might need to revisit this album.

Tax and Kill

Today the House voted to approve the National Energy Tax (laughably known as "Cap and Trade", which sounds a lot more harmless). Did you know that:

- YOUR electric and gas bills can be expected to go up by at least $100 per month;

- We will lose, by most estimates, over 2,000,000 jobs over the next 10 years. The bill itself has over 50 pages detailing how to deal with these job losses;

- This is the largest tax bill in American history, yet a 300 page amendment was inserted last night, less than 24 hours before the vote, adding complexity to an already 1.200 page bill that few if any of these representatives had actually read;

- It will create another massive Federal bureaucracy;

- Energy companies are already saying that they will not be able to continue to produce energy domestically and we will need to rely more than ever on foreign energy sources, which is an economic and National Security disaster;

- Energy and manufacturing companies will move their operations to countries like Brazil, India, and China, who have no interest or intention whatsoever in complying with this legislation;

- Electrical power generation creates four times as much pollution in Brazil as it does in the U.S.;

- Many of the Democrats who voted against this bill waited until the issue was decided, purely so they could go to their constituents and plead that they opposed it - many of their votes would have been different if the outcome was uncertain.

This legislation is an unmitigated disaster; I sincerely wish that those who support it would get beyond the blather of the mainstream media and actually do some homework. This will result in higher energy costs, higher unemployment, and another migration of manufacturing jobs to a friendlier country.

Sanford's folly

Since I am always happy to excoriate idiots on the left like Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi, I welcome this opportunity to project a "fair and balanced" outlook by calling out SC Gov. Mark Sanford - head of the Republican Governor's Association, no less. To call this guy a moron would be to insult morons everywhere; I think that it is safe to say that his Presidential aspirations are toast and his political future is in dire straights. These sanctimonious hypocrites who campaign on morals and family values and the Bible piss me off just as bad - probably worse, in fact - as they do those who oppose them - and no, I have not forgotten about the actions of Louisiana Senator David Vitter, who we campaigned for in 2004. If you're gonna talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk. IDIOTS!!

The next Top 10 Classic

OK, now that I've vented, here is my next Top 10 Essential Classic Album:

6) Black Sabbath – I really love the first four albums by these guys, but the self-titled debut is the one you need to have if you want to get to the essence of the music. This album is also important because it basically launched a new genre – this is truly the birth of heavy metal. The material presented had been performed live and the band was tight going into the studio, and it shows. Ozzie’s (billed as Ossie at the time) vocals are raw and powerful; the lyrical content is dark; the bass and drums of Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – who I always thought were underrated as a rhythm section – are powerful, and Tony Iommi displays the beginning of his mastery of the hard rock riff. N.I.B. and The Wizard are standards; the entire album is strong and will leave you catching your breath and wanting more. Also the cover art is very cool.

Unreal

For those who don't watch Fox News or listen to talk radio, and therefore have probably not heard about Barbara Boxer's disgusting patronization of a Brigadier General, here is a link to the clip on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeY2fI8Z6Pc&feature=related

The malignant narcicism and blatant disrespect and disdain for our military this woman exhibits are astounding. I guess it never occured to her that General is also a title deserving of respect and that this man had to work a lot harder and suffer a lot more than she can comprehend in what passes for a brain to earn it. The General was showing military courtesy, and this... - I won't use the term here - verbally slapped him down. Again, the incredible arrogance, narcicism, and disdain for our military epitomize what is wrong with our Congress. How did this idiot ever get elected dog catcher, let alone Senator? Oh yeah, she's from California... 'nuff said.

The Telecaster that put the Tele in Tele_Man

It was brought to my attention that it was ironic for the Tele_Man to be pictured in his profile holding a Les Paul, so here is a pic of the Tele getting a workout at Oscar & The Blues Cat's Open Mike Blues Jam last October.

The First Amendment

Perhaps the most misunderstood and misconstrued language in the Constitution is the first right enumerated in the First Amendment, dealing with the place of religion in the government. It would come as a surprise to many that the term "Separation of church and state" does not appear here. In fact, the first time this phrase appears in the public lexicon is in a 1947 Supreme Court decision, when Justice Hugo Black, an admirer of Thomas Jefferson, took a phrase from a letter that Jefferson wrote to the Baptist community of Danbury, CT completely out of context and in so doing set the stage for all of the insanity that has transpired since. Jefferson wrote the letter as a response to their congratulating him on his election to the Presidency, and used the opportunity to explain why he did not call for official days of thanksgiving or fast; he used the metaphor "Wall of separation between church and state" to explain his view that a person's faith was a personal relationship between that person and God and that it was inappropriate for the Government to mandate official religious displays.

Here is what the First Amendment does say: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". According to Webster, the meaning of Establish as it applies here is "to set up; to found; to enact or decree by authority". In other words, the first part of the First Amendment prohibits a state religion. The Founding Fathers had good reason to fear such a thing; many of them or their ancestors had fled Europe precisely because the governments were religiously intolerant; the Anglican Church was the State religion of England. Note that the next phrase "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" expressly states that Americans have the right to worship in the time, place, and manner that they choose.

Not only did the Founders not believe in "a wall of separation", they fervently believed that religion and morality were essential to the success of the Republic, and this theme is repeated over and over in their writings. A few examples:

"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams

"To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or hapiness without any virtue in the people is a chimerical idea." - James Madison (chimera - a creature of the imagination - Webster)

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." - Benjamin Franklin

There are many more; indeed, the Declaration of Independence refers to "The Laws of Nature and of Nature's God", states that men are "endowed by their Creator" with unalienable rights, and concludes that "With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." Incidentally, many of the signers lost their lives and/or fortunes over the ensuing years. These were brave men who were standing up for what they believed in; without men such as these this country could not exist.

Nowhere in any of this do I find anything about removing "Under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, the Ten Commandments from a courthouse wall, or voluntary prayer from a schoolroom. The key word is Voluntary - until you force participation (or force Muslims, Hebrews, or Atheists to recite Christian prayers) you are not violating the First Amendment.

The advent of secular progressive thought and the decay of virtue and morality, combined with illiteracy and the failure to educate the populace, will be the death of this country. Those who think this is an extreme position need to study the Roman Empire. "Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it".

The Constitution, Part I

OK, now a topic that is near and dear to my heart, and has a great deal to do with why I started this blog. In recent years, the Constitution of the United States has been marginalized, discounted as "from a different era", misunderstood and misrepresented, and downright ignored. I believe that there are numerous reasons for this, foremost among them that American History and the founding documents are not properly taught in our schools - I could (and may) easily fill an entire posting on that subject alone. The reality is that our Constitution is one of the greatest works in the history of mankind and set the stage for all of the great things that have transpired in this country since it's adoption. The Constitution is the foundation of our system of government and the origin of all laws; it is the bedrock of what should be our guiding principles as a country and a people. Without it, we are adrift and subject to the political whims and theories of each passing political fad, and are in constant danger of the type of usurpment of power and abrogation of rights that it explicitly prohibits.

Although the Founding Fathers had fundamental disagreements on many subjects, just as folks do today, they all recognized the importance of the Constitution as the glue that bound the individual states into one strong nation and defined the rules, rights, and basis for law that enabled everything that followed. It was this recognition that enabled men with beliefs as diverse as those of John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison to come together and create The Federalist Papers in defence of it's ratification. The founders understood the need for a central Federal government; however, it was their experience with political and religious persecution that caused them also to have a great fear of it. This is the reason why the Constitution specifically limits the powers of the various branches, while just as specifically grants enumerated rights to the citizens, and reserves much of the function of government to the individual States. Unfortunately, I believe that the great men who founded this country would be absolutely appalled if they could see the state that it is in now, the way the Constitution has been distorted, and the unchecked, massive beaurocratic nightmare that our Federal Government has become.

In future postings I intend to explore this topic and it's many facets in much greater depth; I believe that right now we are at a very critical juncture in our country's history, and that the old saying is more true today than ever before - "Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it."

Another Top 10 Classic

I have been slacking on my postings, as anyone tracking me is well aware. I will endeavor to do better this week and weekend, starting with the next in my series of Top 10 Essential Classic Rock Albums:

7) Deep Purple, Machine Head – I really love this album. Any rock fan who has never put on stereo headphones and cranked up “Lazy” is definitely missing out on one of the greatest experiences hard rock has to offer. Obviously, Smoke On The Water is one of the biggest hard rock hits of all time and to me helped define the summer of ’72, when it was all over the radio; Highway Star and Space Truckin’ were also huge hits. But I really like the rest of the disc; songs like Pictures of Home and Maybe I’m a Leo are well crafted and highly listenable. The fact that this album was made in a short period of time and under pressure (Smoke On The Water is a recounting of the circumstances and was written on the spot) is amazing but undoubtedly contributed to the urgency of the music.

Witnessing Greatness

I watched in amazement as Tiger Woods shot a stellar 65 to win Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament today. For you non-golf fans, this is arguably the most important non-major tournament other than the TPC and is played on a course that is arguably the best venue the pros visit on a yearly basis. Although Tiger charged on Sunday to win at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill earlier this season, and has been a fixture in the Top 10 of the tournys he has entered, many questioned whether he was all the way back from his knee injury; whether his most recent swing changes made with coach Hank Haney had hurt his game; whether marriage and fatherhood had distracted him; or some combination of the above. Indeed, watching Tiger spray errant drives and fail to close rounds strongly at Augusta, the TPC, and Quail Hollow was enough to make one wonder. It was a testament to his brilliance that he overcame poor driving to finish as high as he did in those tournaments. This week's performance, however, should be enough to dispell any doubts in even the most skeptical minds. Tiger hit a stellar 49 of 56 fairways; if he drives the ball like that at the U.S. Open in two weeks he might win it by 10. After what could have been a disastrous bogie at 16, bringing him back into a short-lived 4-way tie at the top, he made textbook birdies at 17 and the difficult 18th, capping the tournament with a 6-iron from about 186 yards that resulted in an 14-inch tap-in and evoked memories of the incredible feats of Tiger circa 1997 - 2000 (anyone else remember the bunker shot, also a 6-iron, at the Canadian Open about 10 years back? Or the one-swing demolition of Tom Lehman in 1998?)

The point is that we are witnessing greatness and that Tiger is making history before our eyes. When asked today at what age he felt he peaked, Jack said "probably 32 to 35, or about the age Tiger is now" - he is 33. Barring a catastrophe, he will demolish every important record in the sport. I remember folks saying how much they hated Michael Jordan in his heyday, and as a Pistons fan I obviously had no love for the Bulls, but when he came back and won the last three of his six NBA titles you had to appreciate his greatness; that is how I feel watching Tiger now. Personally, I have always been a huge fan of his, and I don't mind watching him dominate precisely because he is so great; this kind of otherworldly greatness is a privilege to be witness to.

Another Top 10 Classic

And now, the third posting of my Top 10 Essential Classic Rock Albums - the foundation of any good collection.

8) Derek and the Dominos, Layla (and other assorted love songs) – This album represented a major turning point in the career of Eric Clapton. It is hard to ignore the influence of the drugs that were obviously fueling the musicians, but nonetheless this remains one of the greatest and most influential rock albums. The presence of Duane Allman inspired Clapton’s playing, and his as-yet unrequited love for Patti Boyd (Harrison) inspired his songwriting. Along with powerful covers of songs like Freddie King’s Have You Ever Loved A Woman and Hendrix’ Little Wing are superb Clapton efforts like the title song and the wonderful Bell Bottom Blues. When I saw Clapton perform some of this material live in ’07 it sounded as fresh as ever; the opening riff of Tell The Truth sent chills down my spine.

History revised

As seems to be his wont, the President twisted history to suit his worldview in this morning's speech. First of all, most of the advancements he credited to Muslims were discovered before the advent of Islam in the 7th century; secondly, his description of the United States as one of the most prominent Muslim countries is totally off base - depending on the numbers you use for the Muslim population of the US (1.6 - 6 million practitioners, most seem to settle at 1.8m - 3m) the US is actually somwhere between 34th and 48th in Muslim population. The reality is that 80 - 85% of Americans identify themselves as Christians (which will be the subject of a future posting).

OK, I give up - NOT

I really tried to be open-minded about our President's speech this morning - after all, he said all the feel-good things about restoring relationships with the Muslim community, etc. The problem is, the Muslims, both the radicals like Al-Quaeda (excuse my spelling) and the relative moderates in the Muslim community, recognize when someone is speaking from a postion of weakness. Apologizing for the actions and attitudes of the country that has done more to protect and free the peoples of the world than any other is not exactly projecting strength. While we need to seek to find solutions that are mutually beneficial to the countries and peoples of the world, we must always negotiate from a position of strength and need to remember that America is still the shining beacon on the hill. It is insane for this country, that has done so much for the people of the world, to apologize for the perceived slights of others. The apologists here in America who seem to hate their country are beyond my comprehension; the United States of America is the best thing that ever happened in the world, and I don't understand the mindset of those who disparage her.

A Date to Remember

OK, I defended the President over his Memorial Day golf outing, now it is time for me to join in the criticism. This morning, after a de facto government takeover of General Motors, Mr. Obama gave a speech predicting higher unemployment, factory closings, and business failures; and furthermore declared that it is encumbent upon those who will suffer from these outcomes to sacrifice for the sake of our children and grandchildren - who's futures are being mortgaged on a daily basis. It seems, in light of this bleak outlook, rather inapropriate for the President to employ three jets and two helicopters to take his wife on a date in New York City. Excuse me, but are there not restaurants and theaters in Washington? Aside from the cost to the taxpayers (which the administration refuses to quantify), the blatant hypocrisy of a so-called "Global Warming" activist flying off on a whim with three Gulfstream G-5's and two helicopters is astounding. Not to mention the cost to the city and citizens of New York, as well as waste of fuel and pollution expended by the traffic tie-ups caused by the presidential motorcade, which also creates inefficiencies and loss of production to anyone attempting commerce amidst the disruption. Incredibly, the theater-goers who had to wait an hour for the play to start because the President, the most powerful man in the world, could not manage to get there on time, gave him a standing ovation. New York City is in serious financial trouble; the cost to the city alone is irresponsible. It is dismaying that the President is happy to live like a rock star while demanding sacrifice from the average American.

More Top 10 Classics

OK, time to post Number 9 on my list of Top 10 Essential Classic Rock Albums:

9) Ten Years After, A Space In Time – This is probably the one in my Top 10 Essentials that would have the most people scratching their heads, but as far as my personal collection is concerned this is, always was, and always will be a must-have. This is, in fact, one of the only albums that I have owned and/or listened to on LP, 8-track tape, cassete tape, and CD. This was one of the few albums released in Quadrophonic sound, and I will never forget hearing the music chase around the room. But the gimmickry isn’t what makes this a great album; I have a soft spot for a) accoustic guitar playing, which this album is full of, and b) blues covers and improvisations, which this is also full of. I love songs like Over The Hill and Let The Sky Fall. I’d Love To Change The World was the band’s biggest hit and still gets radio play; Baby Won’t You Let Me Rock & Roll You is a great old-school sendup. Alvin Lee isn’t as recognized as many of the British blues rockers but in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s he was well known and respected in rock music circles and his (and the band’s) performance of I’m Going Home at Woodstock is legendary.

Back Home

We just returned from Daniel's graduation from Army Basic Combat Training at Ft. Benning, GA. For those who have never witnessed or taken part in something like that, all I can say is, if you ever have the opportunity, sieze it. It will renew your sense of pariotism and pride in your country and the fine young people who volunteer to defend it. Graduation at Ft. Benning takes place on a parade ground behind the new Infantry Museum, which will officially open on June 19 (we were able to see some of it). The museum is a magnificent structure on a beautiful piece of ground, and is worth the trip if you are ever in the area. The graduation itself is nonstop pageantry and demonstration of military tradition and etiquette. The Army band is wonderful and inspiring, and the troops are simply amazing. An impressive display that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Give it a rest

I have to admit I was a little irritated at some members of the conservative media for their crticism of President Obama "sneaking off" to play golf on Memorial Day. The President presided over an appropriate ceremony in the morning, said all the right things, and then went and did what 10 million other people probably did on a beautiful spring holiday, including, I would guess, plenty of conservatives. I got sick to death of hearing President Bush criticized over this kind of petty bullcrap by the liberal media, and the conservative media is only destroying their own credibility when they behave in the same manner. Even the President deserves to be able to play a round of golf on a national holiday, be he Democrat or Republican.

I do hope and pray that, while enjoying the race and the barbeques and the golf and whatever else folks chose to do with their day, they took some time to reflect on the true meaning of the day and to give thanks to the heros who have made our freedoms possible.

Top 10 classics

Recently, I wrote an appreciation of what I consider to be the top 10 essential albums for any classic rock collection. The only real rule was that only one lp per band could be included, lest the entire Top 10 be Led Zeppelin albums. I herewith submit number 10; I will post more of these from time to time. If you like classic rock, take my advice and get these 10.

10) The Eagles, Hotel California – In a time when some of the greatest and best selling albums ever were being released – Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors, Peter Frampton’s Comes Alive, Jefferson Starship’s Red Octopus – the Eagles produced this gem. After the departure of longtime guitarist Bernie Leadon, the great Joe Walsh was brought in to help produce the guitars and to share the lead guitar duties with Don Felder, who (along with Lindsey Buckingham) is one of the most underrated guitarists out there. Although the guitar playing on this album is nothing short of brilliant, it is the songwriting that puts it over the top. Don Henley does the heavy lifting with killers like Wasted Time and The Last Resort, but Walsh, Randy Meisner, and cofounder Glen Frey all contribute strong efforts, and this album shines from the first chiming notes to the last fade-out.

Hail Leon!

Since I am creating this, I may as well post my first observation, and here it is:



My hat goes off to Leon Panetta, who I had previously dismissed as a lockstep left-wing flunkie. This man showed courage and integrity in standing up for his peeps and should be applauded for calling out the partisan politics surrounding the whole "torture" issue. Looks like the Wicked Witch of the West may finally have gone too far...

Hello cyberworld

Welcome to my blog; here you will find my thoughts on music, current events, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I welcome any comments and feedback.