LOVE Div ..........( Happy Anniversary Subsection )

Thirty-one years ago I said, "I Do," and became a wonderful lady's husband. Today, I'm not.

I was pretty lucky in her saying "yes" when I asked since (as I was later informed) the next morning she and a friend were going to sign the lease for a Hallmark Card store.

The choice of Halloween had nothing to do with the association of that particular holiday with either of our beliefs (though I'm sure she bewitched me in some way); it was simply the only day she could find open to rent an available banquet place to hold the event. Over the years, it's always led to questions and laughter on the part of anyone learning the date.

I guess this year, I won't be celebrating. Only a couple can celebrate their anniversary. I can remember the occasion, but its celebration isn't intended to be a solo flight - - it requires a co-pilot to help run the checklist. 

The counting of our completed years ended for us in September and today will be simply another Halloween.

I miss you Diana ..........................

Bear

Geography Div (Treasure Map subsection)

Flying back to DC tonite. No, for all the searching during my youth and a brief look on this trip, I didn't find it. ........ again.  Oh well .............................

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Still out here in the great Southwest, so thought I'd show that my music is still being played out here.
I haven't the faintest idea of who these folks are and couldn't find any info to help me out, but it's a fairly nice rendition of one of my favorites: Whiskey Before Breakfast.  Sorry there isn't a fiddle, but the  inclusion of a hammered dulcimer is a nice touch.




Contrary to popular belief, this tune is in no way "traditional" or "Irish."

WHISKEY BEFORE BREAKFAST. AKA and see "Spirits of the Morning." Canadian (originally), Old‑Time; Breakdown. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. A widely known tune, often mistaken for an old traditional old‑time tune (it was even listed on one album as "an Irish tune which has been popular in America for a number of years”). It has generally been credited to the mid‑twentieth century by Manitoba, Canada, fiddler and composer Andy de Jarlis (known for his fine waltzes) probably on the strength of his copyrighted arrangement (it is a common practice among music publishers to copyright arrangements of traditional tunes). " “Whiskey Before Breakfast” was included in de Jarlis’ book Canadian Fiddle Tunes from Red River Valley (1957), where he is credited for the arrangement only.  According to Paul Gifford, the tune’s popularity in the United States is fairly recent, probably stemming from its inclusion on a Voyager Records LP called “More Fiddle Favorites,” by Canadian fiddle champion Lloyd Sexsmith, who probably learned it from de Jarlis (sometimes DesJarlis). It is often used as musical accompaniment for the quadrille 'Reel of Eight' in Canada. Gibbons (1982) notes that “Whiskey” is a favorite of Metis (native American) dance troupes in Western Canada, and in this connection Gifford suggests that de Jarlis learned the tune from Metis fiddler Teddy Boy Houle’s father (de Jarlis himself had Metis blood). It seems that de Jarlis and the elder Houle were up playing till dawn with the aid of libation before finally passing out.  On finally awaking, de Jarlis remembered the last tune they played and perhaps gave it the “Whiskey” name. Perlman (1979) identifies it as coming from Canada's Maritime provinces where it is called "Spirits of the Morning." It has been pointed out by several sources that the ‘A’ section is similar to the older melodies “Liverpool Hornpipe,” “Great Eastern,” “Bennett’s Favorite” and the Irish reels “Silver Spire” and “Greenfields of America,” however, the original source for all these tunes may be “Speed the Plow.” Folksinger/multiinstrumentalist Mike Cross wrote words to the melody which have become popular in Bluegrass circles (Bryan Bowers also recorded his song). Sources for notated versions: Frank Lowery (Prince Georges, British Columbia) [Gibbon]; Clem Myers [Phillips]; Dick Barrett [Phillips]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 290. Frets Magazine, April 1989; pg. 64. Gibbons (As It Comes: Folk Fiddling From Prince George, British Columbia), 1982; No. 3, pgs. 14‑15 (includes variations). Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), Vol. 1, 1994; pgs. 254-255 (two versions). Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 168. Sing Out!, 198‑, pg. 75. Spandaro (10 Cents a Dance), 1980; pg. 20. American Heritage 19A, Loyd Wanzer‑ "Plain and Fancy Fiddlin.'" Bay 204, "The Arkansas Sheiks." Fretless 103, "Clem Myers: Northeast Regional Fiddle Champion 1967 & 1970." June Appal 003, John McCutcheon ‑ "How Can I Keep From Singing?" (1975. Learned from Ben Hensley, Speedwell, Tenn.). London EBX 4118, Andy DeJarlis ‑ "Backwoods Fiddle Tunes.' Marimac 9017, Vesta Johnson (Mo.) ‑ "Down Home Rag." Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers Association 002, Taylor McBaine (Mo.) ‑ "Boone County Fiddler." Revonah RE‑924, "The West Orrtanna String Band" (1977). Rounder 0063, Norman Blake‑ "Whiskey Before Breakfast." Voyager 304, Dick Barrett‑ "More Fiddle Jam Sessions."
                The Fiddler's Companion Andrew Kuntz

Geography Div

Some states are good at something, some are bad at something ...... but, everyone needs to earn a living, and when we pay taxes ....... well,  everyone knows just how hard 'Public Employees' work at keeping up the roads, putting out fires, educating children, stopping bad guys and speeders, cleaning the water and so on, eh ?

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

First heard this song on Lee Michael Dempsy's hosting of WAMU Bluegrass Country in .... hell, a few (at least 10 ) years ago. Don't know who performed it and can't find it in iTunes, oh well.
Here's a group from Arizona (guess where I am tonite ?) so I guess it's appropriate, eh ?
Sonoran Dogs performing Cole younger the Outlaw.



Best I can figure of the band: Peter McLaughlin - Guitar, Mark Miracle - Mandolin, Tyler Walls - Banjo, Brian Davies - Bass and Nick Coventry - Fiddle.

The inmates win ........ Div

No, this isn't about the insanity down there in the GWTP. I'll let Jon Talton over at Rogue Columnist do that.
This morning I roll out of the rack, hit start on the java machine, wind Mr. Stephens and open up the laptop sound system ...... sorry, no music. Huh ?? Try several times, nothing except "You are not connected to the internet." WTF, over ???
Try iPad ... nope. Go downstairs and try the machine connected by wire. Nope again. Reboot the server or whatever that box is called ...... (did you guess?) No again.
Finally call Verizon on the cell phone (the landline is tied to the fiber optic) and get a notification that there's an outage in my area. OK, I can live with that.

Go for a walk, run errands, get a haircut, come home and lo and behold, it's working !!!!
When I go down to check the e-mail, there's one from Verizon telling me there's been an outage that may affect my internet, e-mail and/or phone service. Huh ??? They also tell me that they will notify me of future outages by ...... wait for it ....... e-mail.

YGTBSM !!!! There's someone out there that's being seriously overpaid.

The other day, I had to change the cell service. The Goose Girl had been the primary so I had to restart the service. We were getting a discount because I was a veteran. When I switched the service, I asked if I still got it, showed my retired ID and the kid nodded his head.
Then I start getting e-mails and phone messages and texts that I need to revalidate my 'employment' for the discount. I finally get to some on-line chat where they ask if "retired military" means that I'm a veteran ??? Finally today, I get connected with a real person that gives me the info I need. Tells me that the people at the stores haven't been adequately trained (the only thing they can do is sell you a phone  - -  everything else earns an internet address or phone ## that directs you to a website !!! What insanity.

Enturprenturarial hint # 1: if starting a business, employ real people.
hint #2: train them.

Geography div (equal time subsection)

OK, OK ..... Here's the opposite of "bad" ..........

A Little Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div

Charlotte County Breakdown - - done by The Avery County Band (well, at least two of them).



Travers Chandler - Mandolin, Adam Poindexter - Banjo, Michael Cleveland - Fiddle,
Marshall Wilborn - Bass and Jay Armsworthy - Guitar

A Brief explanation of the Current Situation Div

This kinda sums up the current republican situation, eh ?
Eric Idle portrays John Boehner in a thrilling rendition of "Imagine the US is an airplane."

Geography Div

Well, everyone needs to be good (or bad ) at something, eh ? ....... no judgements, just sayin'......

Read 'em and Weep Div (book recommendation subsection)

This morning's WaPo had an excellent review of Andrew Bacevich's new book, Breach of Trust, written by Jonathan Yardley.

I've written about the fact that our military has become divorced from the people it serves, and vice versa. Many other military leaders have also commented and deplored the fact.
One thing Yardley doesn't include in his review's statement of Professor Bacevich's credentials is the fact that his son, 1st Lt. Andrew John Bacevich, was killed in Iraq in 2007.

Reading the review brought to mind a line from the lyrics from Eric Bogle's And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda:

"But the band played Waltzing Matilda, as they carried us down the gangway.
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared, then they turned all their faces away"
It's much too easy to cheer when the boys go off to fight or cheer when they come home; it's all too easy to ignore the danger faced or the price paid when it costs us nothing.
Those of us that have worn the uniform know. Those whose sons or daughters wear or have worn the uniform know. Those that haven't don't, and they never will.

It's time for a change.

A LIttle Saturday Nite Bluegrass Div (repeat - kinda - subsection

I've sort of shown these guys before jamming after hours with others at the River City (Portland) Bluegrass Festival.
Northern Departure, doing what's probably my favorite: Big Sciota . Performed at the Long Beach Bluegrass Festival in 2009.



Chris Luquette - Guitar, Derek Gray - Bass, Nick Dumas - Mandolin and Austin McGregor - Banjo.
Note: Chris has since moved on and joined Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen here in the DC area.

Bipartisanship This ..... Div

I hear the VOICE OF DOOM on the radio droning on about the Government shutdown. They keep interviewing the republican retartds that are responsible and we keep hearing them say "if only the President (caps mine out of respect) would just be reasonable and compromise."  WTF are these people saying ???  I thought the man has been more than reasonable over the past four -plus years. Isn't this the guy who's motto seems to have been, " .... here's my bottom line but I'm willing to settle for less" ?? Maybe he should try this approach ......

Just What the Fuck are you idiots in Congress talking about. You lost. Goddamit, get over it, take your medicine!! Being an asshole does have consequences. Losing elections has consequences. Why should you hold ME hostage ??? Don't I have the right to defend myself from people threatening me ???

Take this asshole ( I wish someone would): “We’re not going to be disrespected. We have to get something out of this. And I don’t know what that even is.” — Rep.MARLIN STUTZMAN 
( h/t TenGrain at Mock Paper Scissors).

Hey Martlin, You don't GET anything out of being a republican; or a democrat, or a congressman or a working puke or anything other citizen for that matter (and just who's this fucking "we" you're referencing?). What you get as an elected representative of the people, is the same obligation  I incurred  in wearing the uniform of this country for over twenty years. I pledged my life, my fortune and MY SACRED HONOR to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic (and right now Marlin, you are beginning to resemble one of those enemies).  I didn't agree to use that Constitution for my own purposes or get anything else than what I played
 " ....you bet your blood" to receive. You, Marlin,  may have a life (such as it is), a fortune (probably inherited), but you sir, certainly have no honor   - -  sacred or otherwise.
             
Someone once said that integrity is doing what's right even when no one else is looking. Well Marlin,  if integrity is a requirement for serving in this nation's Congress, you are supremely unqualified (and I shudder to think of the qualifications of those that voted for you).

Maybe what you deserve (since you haven't figured it out yet) is a 230 grain JHP .45ACP round forced through your fuckin' teeth into your pie-hole at 900FPS. But then again, I'm sure that you haven't considered that and I would never be the one to execute the act. ( I'm sure that NSA will be knockin' on the door within 20 minutes of me hitting send).

What is wrong with these people  - - - and that includes the press ???? When are we going to stand up and say BULLSHIT ????? The world ain't fuckin' flat !!! There becomes a point when "both sides" engulf everyone in total crap ........... and right now even those of us with a partially functioning brain know who's on first .........  and who's right.