More to consider ...

Here's some reading for those who might wonder what's going on ...

Societal Trend?

I think I detect a large phalanx of police state sympathizers oozing up from the slime of 9/11. We are really no safer now than we were on 9/10, but the bully boys are back to brutalize those who won't be adequately obeisant to the thugs in OUR governments who claim to be protecting us from THEM.

Oh well, ... nothing to worry about ... .... really ... ... or is there ... ?

Tremblantbleu

There's a place in the mountains of Quebec that used to reverberate to the sounds of Can-Am and Trans-Am V8s roaring through the hills. Now, a different sound shakes you and forces your feet to move. Click to play the little movie ...



Yep, there's a Blues Festival in the new Mont Tremblant! And it's free!! And you can stumble around with your beverage from stage to stage without being hassled!!! And the bands are great, with half of them Americans touring to or from the Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto etc., etc., festivals and the others being the best of the regional blues guys!!!! Like here's Rick L. Blues on stage for the final day!!!!!! These guys are so great I even bought the CD!!!!!!
(If you know me, you will understand the significance of that act of commerce.)

Look again ...

I've always found that this photo induces a conceptual cramp for some reason. Take a close look.

The musician's nightmare ...

Check out this youTube video detailing why you should never trust your instrument to any airline's baggage handlers

Thanks to Jonathan Turley for covering this sad saga in the Sons of Maxwell's life on the road.

UPDATE

The Sons of Maxwell are from the Maritimes!! Good on them!.

Apparently there has actually been some response involving a charity from United, so the video and YouTube seem to have achieved some result.

Some interesting thoughts from Joe Conason re priorities ....

"Yes, a trillion dollars is a significant amount of money, even on a scale as large as the American economy. Had we avoided the stupid waste of $2 trillion or $3 trillion on the war, we could have paid for a long list of social goods that would have improved the lives of the American people, enhanced their productivity and secured their future. To name only a few of many better choices, we could have moved rapidly toward alternative energy sources and reduced our dependence on foreign sources of oil for about $500 billion, achieved universal literacy in the United States for about $5 billion, rebuilt the Gulf Coast damaged by Hurricane Katrina for about $200 billion, ended hunger and all the diseases caused by poverty for another $200 billion—and still have a substantial sum remaining to build new schools, roads, bridges, railways and other badly needed infrastructure.

The senators who now claim that we cannot afford to spend a trillion dollars to make long overdue changes in health care know exactly what that amount can buy. They know because they have spent it, year after year, on military misadventures and subsidies to big banks and corporations, without stinting or whining. Why can we always afford those trillion-dollar boondoggles, but never decent health care for all Americans?"

Joe Conason writes for The New York Observer.

The sad fact is that the same sort of BS permeates Canadian political activity, with similar non-results and missed opportunities.

Catalpa knowledge

Previously, I pointed out the remarkable summer flowering of the Catalpa tree. Did I mention that even this marvel ends up really messy?


However, take a close peek at the amazing little flowers, and once again, all is forgiven.

For those with bumper stickers ...

Here's a good article on why i don't do bumper stickers:

http://mises.org/story/3509

Again, those disturbed by the non-status quo should probably not read this sort of thing.

Now what?!!! ...

Paikwa and Keegan don't seem to appreciate my disturbing their solarium time by asking them to pose. Ooops!

They said it couldn't be done ...

Lynn & Bill Richards discovered the wonders of Jenga during their recent visit. What started out competitive became cooperative when we started to get close to the maximum possible number of levels. Check out Anna's blog to see who ran up against the inevitable laws of physics and gravity in this particular game.

Darcy's B'day, June 25

Look at the wild celebration that ensued when Darcy was told it was his 1st birthday!

Wowzee, wowzee!! Hold him back, folks, the place'll be wrecked!

One Week Wonder ...

Catalpa trees are late to wake up in the spring and drop huges leaves and seed pods in the fall which are truly messy to clean up, but for the one week in early summer when they suddenly break out in their flowers, they are amazing! Catalpas almost look like popcorn trees at this time, but up close the little flowers resemble small tropical orchids and give off a great odour for all to enjoy. Anna heard a little boy exclaim excitedly to his parents as they walked by, "Look! Look! Look at the beeeaaauuutiful tree!". Indeed!

Hot Club Of New Orleans

We discovered The Hot Club for the first time during this trip to the French Quarter, very impressive!
The band includes the guitar player and leader of the Jazz Vipers , and stresses the use of acoustic instruments rather than electronic effects.

French Quarter Festival 2009

We're back from New Orleans and will be sharing some pix and vids of the proceedings for the next little while. So let's start with the beginning; our home away from home, the Villa Convento, where we managed to get a room after much whining and begging


At Fritzel's on Bourbon St., we ran across Toronto's Happy Pals blowing up a storm for the masses. Do you suppose they wipe down the tables after a cornet player stomps across your dining area?


And here's a short clip of how they sounded as they passed the Tip Jar;




After that it's time to totally totalize the total tips.

Then the real musicians' magic happens as the filthy lucre is transformed miraculously into liquor, or donated to worthy charities, whichever seems most appropriate at the time.

Mick Collins 1938-2009

Here's a link to the Hot Five Jazzmakers' tribute to our friend Mick Collins:

http://hotfivejazz.tripod.com/mickcollins/

Mick also shared these pix with us of his younger days. He was blessed with many interests and a wicked sense of humour.


We will all miss this man.

The nature of governments ...

I just thought I'd save the link to this rather persuasive article on the nature of those who would govern us peasants. Don't bother reading this, the knowledge accrued might be upsetting.

http://c4ss.org/content/329

... and furthermore, here's a look at the nature of banks that explains a lot of the recent tremors in our financial landscape:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/04/13

Anticipation ...

Where else can you get all this for FREE!!!!

http://www.fqfi.org/frenchquarterfest/itinerary/

From our last visit in 2005, Leroy Jones and Craig Klein on Bourbon St., playing for the fun-seekers.

The state of our universe, 21st century update

WARNING!! Thinkiness again.

Those who find such activity painful & difficult should not click on this link:

http://original.antiwar.com/giraldi/2009/04/06/goodbye-bill-of-rights/

For those of you basking in Obama's magnificence, you can see that he has a few trivial items to work on in his spare time.

And here's the latest trick for your enslavement:

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/136610

Here'a an answer to the previous post: ... BECAUSE (!!?)

At least the American gov't is discussing the dope issue. See http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/03/because-americas-new-justification-for-prohibition/

And distinguished pseudo-curmudgeon Jack Cafferty has some thoughts on it as well. Check out http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/31/cafferty.legal.drugs/index.html

Another analysis for your consideration: http://original.antiwar.com/henderson/2009/03/30/reduce-violence-end-the-drug-war/

I guess I should stop trying to impose thoughtiness on you Dear Readers, so I'll shut up about real stuff for a while.

Something serious to think about

Maybe I'm shouting in the dark, but I think that the recent shootings in BC indicate it's time to seriously consider a solution like that found in Portugal, as outlined here:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/14/portugal/index.html

The new King of St. Patrick's Day - D'Arcy!

Waiting patiently for the partying to start.