Barack & Bob

Tell me this isn’t just about the coolest thing you’ve ever seen.

* Dylan receives Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian award.

Krugman wisdom

This latest from Paul Krugman is so right on!  … as usual.   I’m  often tempted to say that he is a “voice in the wilderness,” but then I remember that he is writing for the New York Times and not some local left wing rag.  So, I guess I’ll amend my thought to a “voice from the wrong side of the tracks.”  It’s almost comical to observe how the right wing noise machine (headed of course by Fox “News?”) demonizes Krugman, making sure that the low information voter indeed does view him as someone from the wrong side of the tracks.  Me? I’m right there with him, sporting a ducktail hairdo and wearing my leather jacket with the collar turned up.

A Wall of Music

Well now, this thing is a whole lot of fun.  Hint:  after playing a track, or to abort a track, don’t use your browser’s backspace function.  Instead, just click on the “X” at the bottom right of the track’s window, which will take you right back to the wall.  Dig it.  Play a little “Where’s Waldo” and find Nat Cole and then let the first track play:  Nature Boy (with a great guitarist backing Nat up).   Sweet!

Donna Summer on Fresh Air

Of course I have been reading tributes and blog posts concerning the passing of Donna Summer.  These tributes and posts were all in accord in noting what a great talent she was, and how, at her zenith, she influenced pop music and culture .  A lot of the personal posts went further, noting that as one put it, “She was the soundtrack of a good part of the '70s for me, and a lot of people.”
I felt the same way upon first hearing of her death.  But it wasn’t until today when I listened to the Fresh Air podcast tribute that it really came home to me.  The podcast re-airs Terry Gross interviewing Donna in the early 2000’s, and it is a killer.  I just fell in love with Donna, listening to her talk and digging her grace, charm, and humor.  That made me all the more sad each time Terry would play an excerpt from one of Donna’s hits –dam, she’s gone forever.  If you were a fan even in the slightest you really should hear this interview.  Check it out here.
~ Tom

Voter suppression–My advice is heeded

You may recall that I am very worried about pro-Obama voters being denied their right to vote by means of draconian laws passed by Republican state legislatures.  In my latest rant on the subject I proposed a course of action that I feel is essential to combatting the effect of these laws.  Imagine my surprise, followed by a bit of smug back-patting, when I came across this article in WAPO.  I say to those involved, “keep up the good and righteous work.”

You still don’t get it!

This montage is truly amazing.  I could not believe how many times the hook line has been used.  It’s fun to try to guess where each clip came from.  I dunno, but after you watch it you just might get it.

Yosemite web cams

I’ve been to Yosemite quite a few times in my life.  Even with all the crowds it is still one of the most awesome places you will ever see.  And, if you just put on some decent hiking boots and take one of the hundreds of trails, you lose the crowds almost immediately. 

I just learned that the Yosemite Conservancy has set up 4 webcams that update every 30 seconds.  (Just use the refresh or reload button on your browser.)  Check out all four of them here.

Outstanding, but not surprising, news…

Check this out.  Things are definitely moving in the right direction.

I’m happy, but continually worried about voter suppression and voting machine hacking.  I see those evils as the only way Republicans can win the presidency and hold on to their majority in the House.

~ Tom

Wise words…

“If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love.  Don’t be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning ‘Good morning’ at total strangers."
~ Maya Angelou

The answer is, “Keep on Truckin"

An interesting chart…

I heard these statistics earlier today, but this chart sums it all up quite nicely.  As stated in the text accompanying the chart:

The public sector continues to shed jobs, and as a result, the overall jobs picture in the US remains weak. If you want to understand why conservative efforts to slash funding for teachers, firefighters, cops is bad for the economy, look no further than this graph.