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What Am I Listening to Now?

Over the last several days Silver has played the following:

• Dr. John: Gumbo
  This is the definitive Mac Rebennack album.  Great New Orleans gumbo music.  This is what got me loving the good doctor oh so many years ago.

  The obligatory Iko Iko, Big Chief, and Tipitina grace this masterpiece.  Not to be overlooked, however, are Blow Wind Blow, Mess Around, and Stack-A-Lee. THere is so much good noodling here.  Man, I am so in the mood for some crayfish right now!

• Bob Dylan: At Budokan
  Over the years I have pulled this out just to listen to Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right and Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.  Both of these tunes from the 1978 Japan tour are played raggae-style and Bob nails them both.  Awesome stuff!

  This two-disc set is a tour-de-force of classic Dylan.  While I may construct a different set list for my dream Dylan show, one would be quite pleased with the 22 songs played here.  Dylan and his band were definitely in uptempo mode in ‘78.  This is something that unfortunately is missing from current Dylan shows.  The Budokan was rockin’!

• Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding
  The much-awaited album that followed Dylan’s motorcycle crash, this saw a return to acoustic music after having gone electric in 1965.  I love this album!

  There are religious tones to this that Bob would re-visit in the 1980s.  I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine and the Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest highlight this wonderful album.  Dylan recorded this in three sessions totally a mere 12 hours of studio time.  A month later it was on the shelves for consumers.  I like the nakedness of the recording.  More music should be this raw.

  Of course, most point to the powerhouse All Along the Watchtower, which is included here.  Even Dylan admits that this pales in comparison to Hendrix’s cover.  And of course it’s Jimi’s version that everyone from the Dead to Neil have covered over the years.  Even Dylan jacks it up later in his career ala Hendrix.

  Garcia fans will like Wicked Messenger, which Jerry covered in 1975 with Legion of Mary.  Again, Dylan’s original sets the tone for a scorching cover version.  His music matters that much.  I love the album closer I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight, one of my favorite Dylan songs.

Tags: Dylan, iPod, music

Citizenship Test

This past week my students and I read the book A Very Important Day that chronicles many New York City families’ trip downtown in a snow storm for their citizenship ceremony. We learned that to become a citizen of the United States that petitioners need to have lived here for five years (legally), speak English (so they don’t run us over on the road), take a test, and pledge an oath of loyalty.

We also spoke how most of us are what a supplemental book we read called Auto-Americans because we were born here or born to American citizens. As such, we do not need to jump through the hoops of learning about the United States. It is assumed we know these things. Perhaps that is an assumption we should not make.

For instance, if one wants to be President of the United States, shouldn’t he be able to pass the test that naturalized citizens are expected to pass? I think that is fair for a basic level litmus test. If the president cannot answer these questions, I think it is fair to say he is deficient in the requisite knowledge to lead the country.

Check out question #97. It states:

Why does the flag have 50 stars?

The answer is, of course, any of the following:

• because there is one star for each state
• because each star represents a state
• because there are 50 states

Contrast those acceptable answers with the answer the presumptive Democrat candidate gave yesterday:

Tags: 2008-Election, books, citizenship, Education, Obama, Politics, video

Swallow Hard, New Jersey

It really seems that New Jersey lawmakers go out of their way to show disdain for the taxpayers of this state. How else can one reconcile the latest scheme brewing in the state Assembly?

On Monday, the Assembly Environment Committee is scheduled to discuss a 10-cent deposit for bottles and cans less than 24 ounces and 20 cents for larger ones up to 3 liters. The bill would apply to juice, sport drinks, water, soda, wine and beer containers.

Is this what taxpayers in New Jersey need right now? Despite us not being in a recession as some Garden State lawmakers have asserted, the economy is not going well. A $.10 deposit per bottle/can adds to the cash leaving citizens’ pockets. Sure, they can get the money back by burning fuel and having soda residue drip all over their trunks, but why make us go through that dance?

It’s not about the environment either.

Nope, this adds money to the state coffers that can then be raided like every other fund of cash is. Remember the huge tobacco settlements? Yeah, you don’t hear about that anymore, do you? That is because it is now a liability for New Jersey. Instead of having money coming in from the lawsuits, we are paying interest on the money that was leveraged off the sale of the settlement. And that is exactly what will happen to the tin can money this silly legislation will produce.

New Jersey will be no greener, but we will be poorer and jumping through the hoops to get our cash back.

Right now I have no need to rinse an empty bottle of soda. When it is done, I toss it into the recycling can. On Friday, I carry the can to the curb. The recyclers come by empty the can and I start all over.

Under this legislation I will pay a tax fee for the bottle.  I consume it and then have to wash it out.  Why?  Because if I don’t, the last drop or two will end up emptying into my trunk (or all over me when I transport it).  The empty bottle will then be placed in a plastic bag.  To hell with using the recycling can.  It is too big to lug around to wherever I am going to redeem the bottle.  Furthermore, it has drainage holes at the bottom.  That will allow all the excess to spill in my car.  The plastic bag will be discarded as it will be too sticky to reuse.  The recycling can will be discarded as it now has no use.

How is this saving the environment?

This is another slush fund your elected officials are proposing.

Tags: environment, New Jersey, Politics, recycle

What Am I Listening to Now?

It’s been a hectic week and I am not as on top of things as I would like to be. Some of the music making its way through Silver has been:

• Jefferson Airplane: 2400 Fulton Street (disc one)
  The early stuff. Ah, good stuff. Over the years I have found different facets of the Airplane to love. It began with White Rabbit, then the hits, the Dead influences, the Crosby influences, and am now a Jorma fan. As such, Embryonic Journey stands out. What a great tune.
• Grateful Dead: Hundred Year Hall
  Europe ‘72. Deadheads recognize this tour as one of the monumental times of the band’s history. This release highlights the band at full speed, but only partially. One thing GDP has been irritatingly maddening with is releasing partial shows. This 26 April 1972 show is missing 14 songs from the night. Furthermore, the songs presented are not in chronological order. Argghh!

  Yet, there’s the 19-minute-plus Lovelight and a 39-minute Other One! Yes, the band was on fire.

• Grateful Dead: Dick’s Picks Volume 11; 27 September 1972 Stanley Theater, Jersey City, NJ
  After the Europe run, the band continued rocking back in the States. The complete show is captured on this release.

  The thing that stands out for me is Brokedown Palace. It seems so fragile here. To think it was written in the same afternoon as Ripple and To Lay Me Down. That is some trio. Of course, the highlight of this show is the 30-minute Dark Star. Truly mesmerizing.

• Bob Marley and The Wailers: Live!
  I have been a Marley fan from since I was a boy. I never got a chance to see him live, so this album has always gotten heavy play from me. Now that I do not have all my boots that I used to (I am convinced I once had every Marley show that circulated), this is all I have. The No Woman, No Cry is superb here!
• Dude of Life: Crimes of the Mind
  I just read on Wikipedia that The Dude is now an elementary school teacher in NYC. That astounds me!

  I recall this album’s release. I was very excited as it was at the height of my liking of Phish. THe Dude of Life was a close friend to the band having written several of their early songs, including my favorite Fluffhead. Crimes is a Phish album with The Dude singing his songs. Awesome! I was blessed at having seen a show on the brief tour that followed.

  This album is not as weird as I sometimes think The Dude is. I really enjoyed listening to it this evening. Self is the highlight for me.

• Rhythm Devils: The Apocalypse Now Sessions
  The epic movie with a legendary cast has a wonderful soundtrack. That music was played by none other than the Grateful Dead’s rhythm section: Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann. Great stuff here with the boys and their friends imitating the sounds of the jungle. The ambient sounds make for a pleasant listen. The river music is among the most harmonic of the releases I have of Mickey’s. I really like this.
  
  

Tags: Grateful-Dead, iPod, Marley, music, Phish

Bury the Survivor

An old riddle goes as follows:

A plane crashes on the border of North and South Carolina. Where do you bury the survivors?

I am not watching much network television these days. Gert and I did take to Survivor this season. The premise was fans v. favorites. That’s all done now. They were down to the final five tonight: four women and one man boy. The last several weeks have seen one blindside after another. It’s been very exciting. It has been clear the women have worked to get rid of the guys. They have been successful. The only way for Erik to survive into the final four was to win immunity tonight.

Apparently, I was very wrong.  Erik did win immunity.  Erik is not in the final four.

In the greatest act of stupidity ever, he gave up his immunity and was promptly voted off.  You do not deserve a penny let alone the $1 million, Erik.

How stupid!

Even when Cerie first pitched the idea, Natalie indicated this was a stupid idea.  Yet, Erik bought it hook, line, and sinker.  Unbelievable!

I’ll hand it to the girls; they have played this game very well.  Erik, son you need to look back upon how you were played and learn from it.  Wow!

Tags: Survivor, television