One year ago today: May 24, 2018, a replica.
Five years ago today: May 24, 2014, ostentation?
Nine years ago today: May 24, 2010, just not on my bicycle.
Random years ago today: May 24, 2007, leaning on my Cadillac.
What do we know about Arkansas? Houses are cheap and it’s not too far from Texas. It’s only talk, but the option to not spend summers in Florida cannot be missed in any form. Except for two transits down I-10, once in 1984 and once in 2003, I don’t think I’ve ever driven a car in Arkansas. But numerous motorcycle trips gave me a good impression in the spring and fall. According to the Reb, it’s a six hour drive from here if I want to take a tour in June. My instinct says go, how many times do I get a free trip to Arkansas? And yeah, I’d go there if you paid me.
The siesta movie today was “Argo”, based on the hostages rescued from Iran by posing as a movie crew. It was quite well done considering most of the actors were unknown. As for the hostages, I’m still of mixed opinion on that. These were embassy staff and nobody born since 1950 could possibly not know that is a CIA operation. The banner in the background stating Iran differentiates between the American people and it’s evil corrupt government says a lot. Why, if the embassy was doing its job, were they in a panic to burn and shred so many files? Doesn’t sound like diplomatic business to me.
Generally accurate, the movie does a good job of portraying the tensions. Under the Shah, the local word for “King”, almost everything was free. But as the super-welfare state of America proves, free is not good enough for some people. They also want equality with those who work and produce. Then again, the Shah was ignoring a lot of strife, but the kingdom was awash in money from the recent oil price hikes. And he did clearly see that if the nation was not westernized, it would become the hub of modern discontent with the west.
He took off with $100 million. The official Iranian version says that was just the cash part. In total, they claim he got away with $70 billion. With a B. As for my ruling on hostages that were taken after they were warned to leave, I say the same as back at the time. Rescue them, then send them the bill. Americans have no business gathering “intelligence” about other countries. Am I the only one who notices our worst enemies are the ones that got that way by spying on them? I must have missed all the news stations that pointed this out. Maybe I should watch more TV?
Irish farmland.
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Another walk to the lake, this time the skeeters were taking revenge. We were covered with that lemongrass repellent, and what do you know, a natural product that actually works. I received e-mails from the manager of that downtown band, and took a few hours to research what they are all about. It’s a top-notch backup group, but able to play it’s own gigs any time. Such groups go through a lot of members. I asked about that and it has been 50 to 60 since inception, and that has included some of the top musicians in Nashville.
I repeat it is much to early to say, but this new band is different in a few ways. One is having top-tier management, which would not sit well with Florida-style “guitar player as dictator” hooligans. I have not met the new people yet, I’m still pirating, er I mean, evaluating their music. But I have picked up that the manager wants other music, tipping me off to a whole series of indicators, of which I am all too familiar with--put succinctly, he is having trouble with guitar players but does not know it. He still considers it normal to put up with guitarists the same as you would, well, I won't say it.
Their song list contained a number of unfamiliar abbreviations, which would dismay a guitarist. It had the opposite effect this time, which is good. I didn’t know SRV and Bruge and OBS were. HT woman is Honky Tonk Woman, the others are Stevie Ray Vaughn, Baton Rouge, and (this one I should not be forgiven for, but I’ve never had a fiddle player in my band) OBS you can figure out on your own.
However, this conveyed that I was not a guitar-head and within the half-hour we were talking about what I could bring into the band. Right here and now, a lot of “chick music”. This sexist term describes much more than form and lyrics. It is an indicator that I meld on stage with the women in the band, an edge that is usually either too much or too little on stage. You know what I’m talking about. I suggested a few tunes representative of what I would do, given the opportunity. They were, most uncharacteristically, accepted immediately. The manager is plainly not a guitar player.
Last for now, the list reveals he is dealing with guitar nazis. Who else plays “Crossroads”, “Watchtowner” and “Crossfire” in a Nashville bar except guitar crybabies who insist on it. Hmmmm, just maybe it is me who found the band. Let me get to work on it.
