Saturday, September 28, 2019

Saturday, September 28, 2019

 I want to get this down before I forget it.

 I dreamt I was back in school & had four different thesis papers due... & I had nothing. Dreams don't stick with me so much, but I think the best I had was rough ideas. All around me, people - the usual mix of childhood & adulthood friends & acquaintances, all mixed together & all at the ages I best remember them, natch - were preparing for all the term papers & theses with food for students, places to work & new printer ribbons at the ready, & I was just sort of moseying along in an increasing panic but not really doing anything about it.

 And then I woke up. Now, I'm sure this is just another of my recurring dreams (fears of going back to school & being a bust), & why it chose to manifest itself as term papers is, well, understandable. I used to be really, really good at writing term papers. In fact, I think two of my best overall best pieces of writing were term papers/theses: one on the history & impact of Hank Williams, & one on how sexism shaped the development of American pop music.

 I actually wish I could go back & revisit that last one, because a whole lot has changed - both in the pop music industry & America's relationship with sexism - in the past 20 years. I don't know if either still exist, though. I've long since abandoned cataloging everything I've written. Maybe they're stored somewhere, I don't know.

 Anyhow, there's that dream. I'm just glad it's not another where I have some sort of romantic life partner thing going. Those are a bit depressing.

A COUPLE HOURS LATER


 That's what Momma is currently listening to Alabama whip up on Ole Miss. Her Aunt Marie had one of them, she said, & she always wanted one, so she bought this one from a place in Fulton owned by someone I went to school with, apparently. It was made in 1945, or so the paperwork says. For the longest time she thought it didn't work. It'd power up but you couldn't do anything about getting a signal.

 Her sister & sister's granddaughter were visiting, & the granddaughter didn't know what it was. Seriously. She's smart as a whip but she has a way making me feel old, being completely oblivious & unconcerned with anything that happened before she was born. For her, radio's are in cars & occasionally something that might way less than five pounds. Anyhow, the whole concept of vacuum tubes might as well been coming from Venusians, & she noticed something was just slightly off its track, & thus, made it work.

 Like I said, she's smart as a whip. We have an unusual but warm relationship. I didn't see her so much growing - or much more than normal as far as the family visits go - but she's got the same sort of sensitive quirks & fascinations I have. She has a much sharper brain than me & just about anyone I've known since I was in college. Nothing but love for everyone I've met since college, but it's definitely been a different atmosphere.

 Her mom & I were close as kids, but adulthood has taken us on different pasts. She has the family's allegiance to the Missionary Baptist take & her own part of it's... let's just say it could be much worse & just move along. She's one of the three people in my family that I've told I was an atheist & the only one that was an absolute mistake. Even Momma told her to leave me alone.

 Plus, she doesn't really want me to spread tales from my rough & rowdy days & give her kids ideas. I don't mind & try to follow her wishes. Her youngest is about to leave the nest, her husband is about to retire, & she'll have fulfilled her obligation to the State of Tennessee. So she's got enough problems without one of her kids dropping acid 'cause of me.

 But the daughter & I can slip her mom (my cousin), we always have a good time. She's a big fantasy reader, leaning into the "Urban Fantasy" genre. I couldn't tell you who, all people I've never heard where Harry Potter's just the first taste. So she appreciates my esoteric, random interests.She knows her mom, so it keeps us both out of trouble. She also suffers from depression & anxiety. So we got that in common, too.

 Since moving home, my overall family's been much more understanding of what I'm dealing with & more sensitive to what I'm going through, much more so than they would've 20 years ago. It has been a rough two decades have been rough enough, on me & them. But they've learned & grew, she's benefited from that growth as much as I have.

 Okay, enough of that. I just thought y'all would like that picture. It's got a good sound; I can hear the football game pretty good if I was inclined to do so but I'm not. This has been a weird day. I've been out-of-sorts all day, not irritated so much as melancholy. I've been actually listening a lot of music lately & that's always a sign of the blues. Still haven't played any games nor have I found a story worth reading.

 Nothing heavy, man, I'm just tired & I don't know why. There's really nothing worth attention in the news. Impeachment's still trickling out, Hong Kong is still howling "no", & all the normal weirdness & insanity of Living In The Future is what it inevitably is.

 It's Saturday evening just before the Sun sets. In New Orleans, this is the perfect time of day. Honestly, Northeast Mississippi is not a'tall bad. It's a bit too hot, but not too, too hot. Enjoy the afternoon & pass it to the left.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Friday, September 27, 2019

 Slow day & too damn hot. I'm wired &... irritated, so let's do what we can before supper comes.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Woody Guthrie~ "All You Fascists Bound To Lose"

Thursday, September 26, 2019

 The last couple of days have been hectic, & honestly, friends & neighbors? I'm tired. So we're just going to Fill Up Space here to keep the chops up & call it a night. I am wired & inspired, so let's go.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

"The Boss was a certified monster who deserved to be impeached & banished. He was a truthless creature - a foul human monument to corruption & depravity on a scale that dwarfs any other public official in American history."
 - Hunter S. Thompson, Kingdom Of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Star-Crossed Child in the Final Days of the American Century.
 Well, well. Well, well, well. What an afternoon. I left the house this afternoon to see the Therapist & while all that was going on, all hell broke loose.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Sunday, September 22, 2019

 As the weekend draws to a close, I must say that's been a fairly pleasant one. The weather's been very comfortable, no major family issues popped up, & the president managed to get through the weekend neither saying nor doing some rock stupid.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Saturday, September 21, 2019

 Third day of the Sleep whipping me pretty bad. I can live with it, though, as I got nothing better to do.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Friday, September 20, 2019

  The arrogance of people online just blows my mind. You have a podcast, a vlog, or a YouTube channel.  So does everyone else. Seriously, it's ridiculous how much clout folks think these things - which is available to everyone who has internet access - will give them. Especially on Twitter, which is available to everyone with a smart phone & time to kill. We forget that everyone having a megaphone means you're probably not adding anything to the cacophony.

Well, it has been a couple weeks.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Stonewall Jackson - "Help Stamp Out Loneliness"





Stonewall Jackson - “Help Stamp Out Loneliness”
 Jackson wound up suing the Opry for around $20 million in lost wages & damages in 2006, saying that officials told him he was “too old & too country”. The suit was settled out of court, & he’s still a member though I don’t think he preforms anymore.

Stonewall Jackson - "A Wound Time Can't Erase"





 Interesting tidbit: Stonewall Jackson - & that was his name, not a nickname - was the first singer signed to the Grand Ole Opry before he got a recording contract.

Robert Duvall-It Hurts To Face Reality





"It Hurts To Face Reality”
 This is from the 1983 film Tender Mercies, one of if not the best movies about country music. It knocks Nashville’s dick in the dirt, anyway. While it would’ve been nice to hear the song performed by its composer Lefty Frizzell - or even Merle Haggard - Robert Duvall does an excellent job as the blasted out honky-tonk survivor Mac Sledge.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

 You know, getting these things started may be the most head-cracking thing about this. Particularly when you're life is as dull as mine & that's consider a positive. In any event, let's jump into it.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Navy Confirms UFO Videos Posted by Blink 182 Rocker Are Real and Should Not Have Been Released

 Nope. Don't believe anyone had this in the pool.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

 Well, I might as well get this started. I am wired but unfortunately not inspired. More like indebted. Uninterested. Like driving to work. I'm choosing to see this as a positive but hang tight, buckaroos, it could get goofy.

What really is the Great Attractor?





 It never ceases to completely blow my mind when I try to wrap it around on how just enormous it is & how we're just a tiny little speck. And that's just what we can observe, there might be whole other cosmos out there forever beyond our ability to see them. Good way to start the morning.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

 Not really sure where to start today. It's still hotter than blazes outside & the world keeps turning. So let's go. I will say I'm going to be mocking people who think "it's just jokes" is a reasonable defense for anything, so if that upsets you, you might want to move along.

Hank Williams - "Mind Your Own Business"





One of my proudest moments as a scholar was talking a teacher into letting me write a term paper on Hank Williams. I still think it's one of the best things I ever wrote.

"Move it on Over" - Hank Williams





 This was Hank's first real big hit, reaching #4 in 1947. It's also the cover that turned me into a Hank Jr. fan.

Hank Williams - "Rockin' Chair Money"





This is another one that was fattened up & released after his death. However, since the original was a better quality recording, it doesn’t sound quite so weird.

Hank Williams - "Low Down Blues"





 This was later released in 1952 with extra musical accompaniment added to it, but it sounds awful weird.

Hank Williams - “I Don’t Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes)”

Hank Williams - Honky Tonk Blues





 Remember what I was saying yesterday about steel guitars? Well, this but even more so.

Hank Williams Sr... I Saw The Light - 1948





 Maybe Hank Williams died for our sins. You ever think of that?

Hank Williams - "My Sweet Love Ain't Around"





 It's Hank Williams' 96th birthday. This may be my favorite song of his that isn't "I Saw The Light".

Monday, September 16, 2019

Monday, September 16, 2019

 You know, I would be listening to the Monday Night Football game if the greedheads who run ESPN were just satisfied with chunking ads at me every 10 minutes. Instead, in honor of steel guitar great Ralph Mooney (who would've been 63 today), I'm listening to Waylon Live, which is an excellent album to listen to for whatever reason.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Sunday, September 15, 2019

 I signed out yesterday with the argument that it was a slow news day, relatively speaking. No Friday dump, & I figured we'd coast into Monday with little more than new hurricane news (dick move, y'all).

 Whew buddy, was I wrong about that.

Alice: Season 5 - Clip "Jerry Reed Guests"







 I’m sorry. I just know what it’s like to find someone else who’s country - no matter if it’s not your perception of “country” but it’s country nevertheless - in a place with no country folks. Like a light in the darkness.

The Mavericks - "Dance The Night Away"

The Mavericks featuring Flaco Jimenez - "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down"

The Mavericks - "Dance The Night Away" (Official Video)

Ted Hawkins - "Sorry You're Sick"





 This is my brother's favorite song from this guy.

"Bring It Home Daddy" - Ted Hawkins

"Happy Hour" - Ted Hawkins





 I played in a country band for a while & brought this song into the covers collection. Always went over well. Nothing like a good heartbroken waltz.

Ernest Tubb - "Drivin' Nails in my Coffin"





 Ernest Tubb was great, man, even if he sort of favors my 6th grade math teacher.

"Tomorrow Never Comes" - Ernest Tubb





 Aww, Billy Byrd...

Ernest Tubb - "Thanks a Lot", 1966





 Aww, Leon...

Friday, September 13, 2019

Machines probably aren’t interested in global takeover. Here’s why.





 Yeah, calm down, y'all.

Friday, September 13, 2019

 It's Friday the 13th & there's a Harvest Moon. Everyone knows what that means. That's right, absolutely nothing, it's just a coincidence &, in any event, none of those superstitions have any basis in truth. What'd you expect me to say? I'm a hardcore cynic & materialist, kids, you need to know.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Life in Northeast Mississippi

 Have to admit, this place is never boring.

A State Park Road man said he was on his way to work around 6 a.m. when he saw a white female sitting in the middle of County Road 1282 near the landfill drawing pentagrams in the middle of the roadway. He thought it was suspicious and wanted authorities to be aware of it.

Yes, yes. Fake news...

An interesting piece from Poynter Institute. Do check it out.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

 The Sleep came a-knockin' today & I let it happen. I have to do that about once a week. I don't really get anything out of it, it's just something that needs to be done.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Radio bubbles? That's just weird, man.

GARGANTUAN, NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN RADIO BUBBLES DISCOVERED NEAR MILKY WAY'S SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE

Via Newsweek. Very cool little read.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

 The following is a rumination on 9/11. All sorts of trigger warnings & suggestions to move on if you wish.

Robert Hanssen: The FBI Mole who Spied for the KGB





 This is an interesting channel. Do check it out.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Why Do People In Old Movies Talk Weird?





 Huh. Well, how about that.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

 I'm wired & inspired, so we might as well jump into this before it slips away. I'll probably take another nap before this day's over with.

Tom T. Hall - "That's How I Got To Memphis"





 This is one of my all-time favorite songs & I don't think anyone's done a better cover. I don't know if I'd be willing to fight about that but it'd a rough road convincing me otherwise.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Monday, September 9, 2019

 Late start to the day & a late nap has thrown me off schedule, so let's knock this out. I guess it's payback for being done by noon yesterday.

Otis Redding Performs "Respect" on December 9, 1967





 This was recorded in Cleveland a day before the plane crash that took Otis' life, along with members of his band The Bar-Kays. The surviving members of the band went on to have a fairly respectable recording career with the '70s version of Stax Records. Note, he borrows from Aretha Franklin's definitive cover. "That little girl just stole my song," said Otis the first time he heard Aretha sing it. The man knew.

OTIS REDDING - I Can't Turn You Loose







 Pure Otis Redding. Another he’d intended to finish but the road kept him busy, so it’s just two minutes of Otis going nuts. Awesome groove, but anyone who tries to cover it sounds a fool.

"Nobody's Fault but Mine" by Otis Redding







 This album, The Immortal Otis Redding, released in 1968 after his death might be my favorite standalone album of his. It was mostly finished when he had his crashed - Otis had recorded tons before his death, the road kept him so busy - & Steve Cropper finished it up. Lots of fun & a great coda.

Otis Redding - "Don't Mess With Cupid" - Live in Olympia Paris - 1966





 Big country rascal.

Otis Redding "Shake" and "I've Been Loving you too Long"





Otis Redding - “Shake” and “I've Been Loving you too Long”
 From the Monterrey Pop Festival, where Otis blew everyone off the stage (except maybe Jimi Hendrix).

"FA-FA-FA-FA-FA (Sad Song)" by Otis Redding LIVE 1967





 This is from the Live In Europe album, & features both Booker T. & The MGs & the Mar-Keys.

"The Happy Song (Dum-Dum)" - Otis Redding

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Signatures May Get Medical Pot on Mississippi 2020 Ballot

via Signatures May Get Medical Pot on Mississippi 2020 Ballot | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

 This is encouraging, but it would do well to not get one's hopes up. In short, Mississippians For Compassion Care gathered over 100,000 to get medical marijuana on the ballot. From what I can tell, it'd be like in Arizona, where you must have medical permission, rather than it just being for sale. It's at the Secretary of State's office & has to clear that first.

 Apparently, marijuana extract is no longer on the state's banned substance list. Gov. Phil Brown's not down with the idea, but his time in office is almost up. Of his two possible successors, I think Jim Hood might could be persuaded. I don't know about Tate Reeves. He strikes me as the type that'd say no just because it'd make some people happy.

Given what we've learned about the increase in suicide rates in rural areas, it might not be a bad idea. Furthermore, this state's eat up with meth & the pillheads are driving the opioid crisis to frightening places.

Just some free advice, fellas. Shit's going to snap here soon; would you rather have a soma or actually do something to fix this state?

Sunday, September 8, 2019

 I got a little weird & wrote about Motorhead below, so go there unless you want some just random thoughts.

"Born To Raise Hell" - Motorhead



 Going to tell a story below, so feel free to either click on or just enjoy the video. Up to you.

Motörhead - "Overnight Sensation" (Live)





 From the live DVD Boneshaker: 25 & Alive. This version's a wee bit sloppy but it'd take a sorry dog to hold that against Motorhead.

The Ramones - "I Don't Want To Grow Up"





 This was written by Tom Waits & probably sold me on the Ramones. Their last album, go figure.

Jimmie Rodgers - "T For Texas (Blue Yodel #1)"

Blue Yodel No. 9 by Jimmie Rodgers (1930)





 Told you, Jimmie was bad like Jesse James.

 Interesting tidbit about Jimmie Rodgers. He died in 1933, at the height of the Depression. At the time of his death, he accounted for fully 10% of RCA Victor's sales. Remember, this was when record companies & consumer cash was thin on the ground. That ain't bad a'tall.

"In the Jailhouse Now #2" by Jimmie Rodgers





 This was my grandfather's favorite song, I'm told. It fits because he was a bit of a rascal.

"Gambling Bar Room Blues (1932)"





Jimmie Rodgers, the Original Gangster.

Waiting for a Train by Jimmie Rodgers (1928)





This may be my favorite Jimmie Rodgers tune.

"California Blues" by Jimmie Rodgers (1928)





 Today is Jimmie Rodgers' birthday. He was born in Meridian in 1897. A professor of my brother's tried to prove he was born in Alabama, but fuck that guy.

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Saturday, September 7, 2019

 Finally got around to writing that review for Rebel Galaxy Outlaw. Click here if you're interested. If you're not, well, I don't blame you.

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw review

 The following is a review for Rebel Galaxy Outlaw, a new game from Double Damage Games. Skip if you wish.

Wyatt Earp: The Great American... Villain?





Wyatt Earp: American Bastard. I do like the thought of Wyatt filling a young John Wayne's head full of bullshit about the Wild West. That seems apropos.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Friday, September 6, 2019

 I'm in a foul mood today & not really in the right frame of mind to do this. If I could let myself  take a break from... whatever this is, today would be a day I would take it.

NEWS: The Mystery of 42 is Solved - Numberphile





Makes sense to me, which of course means it doesn't. I just want that shirt, is all.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Thursday, September 5, 2019

 I can hear the start of the 2019-2020 football season in the living room. The Bears up against the Packers, classic football match up with a hot crowd promised a good game I've searched around the net but I can't find any place running. Amazon Prime showed it via Twitch, but I guess they're not doing that this year. Ah, well.

The Pacifist Democracy That's Survived for Nearly Two Thousand Years





 On my trip to Europe several years ago, I never got close to San Marino but I appreciated the vibe. Northern Italy struck me as calm if not overly patient. The area reminded me at once New Orleans while at the same time Panhandle Florida, but I acknowledge my perception might be insufficient to deal with the reality. I could've spent a month or more in Venice.



 The weather's even pleasant, or at least not alarming all of the time. San Marino, that is. It's like it came from Douglas Adams' discarded joke file. Well, let's be serious, Douglas Adams used every joke he to keep from having to write new ones.



 Anyhow, seems a very relaxing, bucolic locale & I'd like to go there if someone wants to send me. I'll write about it & it'll be entertaining.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

 Before I get down to the evening's entertainment, I want to share this. It's a link to where folks can help with the aftermath of Dorian in Bermuda. These are just the off-the-wall ones, as there is no shortage of mainstream ones. Give if you can, & this will be updated.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

 I always used to hate coming up with headlines when I was in the newspaper business. With this, since I don't bother with headlines (just the date), the onus is on the opening paragraph to grab reader's interest. Honestly, though, I'm tired & my head's not firing tonight. Make your own damn introductory paragraph.

American Media is Bad and Here's Why - SOME MORE NEWS





Among other points concerning the problems in the mainstream media, he makes a really good point about the death of local journalism. One company owns every newspaper in Northeast Mississippi. I’m not sure about radio - though I do know there’s more stations that are pre-recorded & not local - but a couple three companies own all the television stations.



 Just something to think about.

Biggus Dickus - Monty Python, Life of Brian.





 From what all I've heard, the Pythons didn't tell the extras playing the centurions about Palins' affected lisp or the whole "Biggus Dickus" bit. They just told them not to laugh. The look of fear on the guy on the right when Palin mentions his wife is the funniest part of this.

Big Bang May Have Created a Mirror Universe Where Time Runs Backwards

 Dude.

 An early morning total destruction to one's mind is always refreshing.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Monday, September 2, 2019

 A new week & a new month starts. Luckily for me, I don't have to do anything but this until next week.

The Poincaré Conjecture: What is the shape of our universe?

This takes a little effort, but it's a pretty interesting read.

U.S. Evangelical Leader Claims Teaching Kids Basic Science Causes Mass Shootings

 This asshole here.

Louisiana congressman’s pharmacies sold 1.5 million opioids to towns with population of 6,000 people

 A Louisiana Republican owns a company that sells over one million opioid doses to two towns of less than 1,000 total in his district. Because of course he did.

"The Neuroscience of Reality"

 An interesting read from the latest Scientific American concerning perception & reality, & how it's all in the mind. Dig on it.