Archive for May, 2014
A crack-down on party buses
The party bus industry received a stern reminder from police and the province last week to keep alcohol off their rolling discos as graduation season approaches.
After six years of tirelessly lobbying the province to regulate the burgeoning industry, Julie Raymond and her daughter Danielle believe they are finally being heard. They are set to meet with Transportation Minister Todd Stone on June 11.
“Danielle and I no longer feel that we are alone and that people are finally realizing that what we have been saying over the past six years is in fact the truth on how the majority of the industry operates,” said Raymond, whose daughter Shannon died on July 26, 2008 after taking two ecstasy pills and drinking alcohol during a birthday party for a friend on a party bus. She was 16.
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Shannon death’s resulted in the trial of Victoria Turley (at whose home Shannon perished) on the novel charge “Failure to provide the necessities of life.” Turley was acquitted.
Danielle Raymond, a former student of mine, has become a great friend. I met Julie Raymond and other members of their family during the trial. I feel lucky to know them: Such a strong family.
This Ain’t No Picnic
Another favourite brought to me by my buddy Richard Chon – mid-80s, Ann Arbor. Go over and listen to some of his fine music!
I talk too much
My garrulity and loudness have long been an embarrassment to me – as they also have been to many of my friends. The only thing that shuts me up – and down – is deep depression, which is obviously not a preferable state. I’ve been especially gabby lately, and have found people ending conversations abruptly. I was reminded of something I wrote many years ago in this space:
At the end of party I went to recently, a woman told me that I talk too much. I didn’t know how to respond, and left the party shortly afterwards, a bit confounded and mute, and afflicted with what the French call l’esprit d’escalier – “the wit of the staircase” – i.e., my mind began filling with all sorts of things I should or could have said.
So: a mind rewind. Here we go: “Bob, you talk too much.” (There might have been an exclamation point there.) “True, true, true, true.” “Not ‘too much,’ just ‘much.’” “If you subtract the number of times I repeat myself, then you know that at least I don’t say too much.” “I can tell you why: You’re not going anywhere, are you?” “I just keep going until I find a word that makes you friendly.” “Does that mean you don’t think I’m interesting?” “What would you suggest I not have said?” Or, finally: “Throw me away and call it a day.”
[A friend wrote me, charmingly: “You don’t talk too much. People talk too little.” — 16 Jan. 05]
Unit Structures: Cecil Taylor
This recent musical break is a salute to my friend Richard Chon, who brought much of this wonder to me back in the day.
I wanna destroy you
And when I have destroyed you
I’ll come picking at your bone
And you won’t have a single atom left
To call your own
I wanna destroy you
I wanna destroy you
Wanna destroy you
Wanna destroy you
Wanna destroy you
Sweet Is the Night
Well you did your thing and you lost your wings
And you hurt so bad you lost everything
And the tears that fall on the city wall
Will fade away with the rays of morning light that shines
Paints a smile across your pretty face
I know
Comments off
Crooked Fingers –> Twilight Creeps: “Dignity and Shame”
Hey, hey, there you go now, baby
Dancing all alone in your room
Trading gossip with the twilight creeps
Killing the flowers that were planted for you
—-
I had one more for dessert [as follows]
Shots from Europe
Amsterdam biker
London Lady: “Luckiest shot ever!”
The joys and opportunities of youth are not lost on my son, Miles. He made the most of his post-Med School / pre-Residency break by
– Visiting Vancouver and BC’s Sunshine Coast
– Driving from Buffalo to Los Angeles
– Attending his Med School’s Commencement and Awards ceremonies
– Finding an apartment in Boston
– Travelling through Europe for ten days
– Oh, and attending several dozen parties (it seemed).
Here are some photos from his Europe trip.
“There was a really neat church in the Czech Republic that needed to exhume thousands of bodies that had died during The Plague to make room in its cemetery. So they decorated a church with thousands and thousands of human bones!”
“An example of the bright, colorful artwork on the Berlin wall. One of my favorite parts of the trip.”
“This is the site of Hitler’s former underground bunker in which he killed himself. Today, it’s a parking lot for an apartment building with absolutely no plaque, commemoration, etc. There’s a small sign on the street indicating the site, but besides that, there is nothing. Very fitting.”
The Ukraine and Crimea
Clarissa’s Blog has been indispensable in providing context, updates, and analysis. Today she writes,
The Russian authorities have forbidden the entry of Ukrainian meat, milk, eggs, chicken, baby food, frozen foods, etc. into the Crimea. This is done in order to allow Russian companies to sell their products at exorbitant prices to the desperate Crimeans. This is the only way Putin has to repay his faithful “capitalists” for the loss of profits they have experienced as a result of American sanctions.
To silence the voices of the Crimeans who are unhappy about being used in this way, the Russian government has issued a statement that the Crimeans are all drug addicts, anyways. [Putin has banned methadone in the Crimea, claiming it ends up in the criminal market. – Ed] I guess the point is to persuade everybody that these empty shelves are a product of drug-induced hallucinations on the part of the people of the Crimea.
Tiny Desk Concerts
Courtesy of National Public Radio and via my son, Miles.
Below’s Patty Griffin singing from her new album:
Old personal notes
Coming back to Vancouver from New York City … waiting for Cathay Pacific to load …
Best Song Ever, the other one …
Things to remember, poignantly:
With no significant exceptions neither John Lennon nor Paul McCartney ever harmonized on a record again after the Beatles broke up. They gave up that art, when their mate left.
Ringo Starr is a powerfully intelligent and melodic drummer, holy moly.
Best Song Ever
Sadly, the above video was taken down. This other version of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” is in colour and isn’t as sweaty. It does have John Lennon introducing the band and song in sign language, though!
The Octopus Riddle
My genius brother-in-law, Brooklyn College professor Frank Grasso (shown above), knows himself some octopus! Listen to his interview on National Public Radio to find out why octopus arms don’t stick to each other.
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