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.