Found Myself In The Mood For Some Jugband

The Perch Creek Family Jugband - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2012









2009

You never know what you're going to find

I told you folks before I have a wide range of interests.

Like it says above, A Blog About Anything & Everything

A Hodgepodge Of This And That (03/04/2020)

One of the thoughts I have on my mind over the last few days was about people commenting. All too often it comes from a place of unknowingness. I find it increasingly hard to fathom why this is.

In my younger days I had only a few places to go to get the information I seek. It was either go to the library or if lucky enough to look for whatever I was seeking up in the encyclopedias we had at home. Or if really lazy just call the reference desk at the library and wait for an answer. With today's smartphones, personal computers or with these "virtual assistants" (SIRI) there is no excuse for some of these folks being so ridiculously misinformed as some of these comments indicate.

I realize I should be more patient but it makes me wonder if society is becoming intellectually lazy or just those who are prone to leave comments.


In response to the feared coronavirus handshake AOC came up with this...

One practice I’ve used in no-hand shake situations is to put my hand over my heart and smile/nod at whomever I am greeting. (Shout out to our local NY14 faith communities for teaching me this!)

What’s your favorite handshake greeting alternative? https://t.co/xY1rXBjFZ0

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 3, 2020

It seems conservatives everywhere (including Trump's tweets) are concerned Bernie Sanders is getting a raw deal by the democratic party. Could it be they are trying to sow chaos within their opposing party? Why? Are that troubled by having to run against Joe Biden?

Will former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh be headed to 'Camp Cupcake' or 'Club Fed'? Here's a run down on what prison will likely look like for the city's former top exec https://t.co/TaE2ZnD7B0

— Emily Opilo (@emilyopilo) February 27, 2020

Looks like Emily left Allentown's story of corruption behind only to find another where she went. Call it job security if you will. :-)


The other day in one of my comments I used the expression, "the whole 9 yards". This caused me to wonder where the expression came from. Well here it is...

Consider this my gift to the world:

Here are the daily/Sunday circulations of the largest newspapers in the United States — information that is surprisingly difficult to find online!

These are all the papers with daily circulation of at least 75,000: pic.twitter.com/G0WbQiIYTP

— Joshua Benton (@jbenton) March 3, 2020

I notice if you add them all up there are more newspaper subscribers then viewers of the three major cable news channels combined.

‘If you want to surround yourself with people that only think like you do, we are in deep trouble’ — Country singer Garth Brooks called for civility amid political division during this talk pic.twitter.com/WTWWMNfGyu

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 4, 2020

Undocumented Immigrants Legal Options

In light of the recent arrest of an undocumented immigrant in the Northampton County courthouse I want to post the following information. I'm doing so because I've never seen so many misinformed ignorant comments. It as if no one has access to 'Google' before opening their trap. I find it disappointing there are so many intellectually lazy people Rather then endlessly fact checking each of them, the following video answers almost half the questions people raised.


Immigration Enforcement At Courthouses
A resource for attorneys

No ICE Arrests In Courthouses Without Judicial Warrants, N.Y. Court Directive Says
The directive requires ICE agents to show a federal judicial warrant or order to a New York judge or court attorney before the arrest.

Does ICE Have Unlimited Authority To Make Courthouse Arrests?

The Chilling Effect of ICE Courthouse Arrests


Where I Stand
Some argue states and local governments should respect federal laws without question. Would these same people support the federal government enforcing it's marijuana laws by raiding and shutting down every dispensary various states now approve of? If the DEA can take a reasonable approach why can't ICE at least attempt to be more cooperative?

Then there's those hard asses who stubbornly argue, WELL, IT'S THE LAW. Anyone familiar with the storyline in Les Misérables? In it Jean Valjean is relentless pursued throughout his entire life for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his hungry family. No matter how well a father, businessman or citizen he became there was no forgiveness to be found. in the eyes of THE LAW he was a criminal period! Had Valijean been imprisoned no one he came in contact with would ever benefited by it. Nor any safer because of it. Laws need to be tempered against the harshness they may impose not only on the person themself but on others who are intertwined with their lives.

I've argued throughout my life we can't have people pouring across the border endlessly. Especially if they are coming here looking for a free ride. If everybody did our boat would sink. BUT still there are those others. People who've managed to make something of themselves and kept their nose clean (like Jean Valjean). The DREAM ACT was one such program which took into consideration such things. I've seen various stories and videos where rather being a burden were just the opposite. Let us consider each person's story carefully before we throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Under Obama's DACA Program

Catholic Agency Objects To Gay Foster Care

Sentinel Source
Supreme Court agrees to hear case of religion vs. gay rights over foster care"he Supreme Court said Monday it would decide another clash between religion and gay rights, this time involving Philadelphia's termination of a contract with Catholic Social Services over the group's refusal to place foster children with same-sex couples.

The court agreed to hear an appeal arguing that excluding the Catholic agency from the city's program violated the First Amendment and its protection for the "free exercise" of religion."

My husband & I have been raising kids for 27 years. Our eldest came to us when he was almost 3. His mom OD’d & his dad went to jail. There was no one to take care of this little boy, so we did. When you discriminate against LGBTQ couples, you deprive kids like mine of good homes. pic.twitter.com/n7d8VRAwnB

— Sean Patrick Maloney (@RepSeanMaloney) February 27, 2020

It appears to me the catholic church, in more ways then one, has a gay problem.

In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance.

The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, penned by a US resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:

___________________________________________________________________

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination ... End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations.

A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15: 19-24.

The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.

4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord - Lev.1:9.

The problem is my neighbours. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

5. I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death.

Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your adoring fan.

James M. Kauffman, Ed.D. Professor Emeritus, Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education University of Virginia

(It would be a damn shame if we couldn't own a Canadian)

Lehigh Valley Live Discontinued Comments On Their Website BUT...

LEHIGH VALLEY LIVE ON FACEBOOK is more robust then they ever were. Not only a greater number but the quality of comments has improved. It looks like they made the right choice.

Politics Till You Puke

Friday I finally had it up to my ears with politics. I called my cable company to reduce my TV account to 'economy basic'. Since I can't resist clicking more then a few times to cable news this eliminates those channels. Alas my desire to eliminate politics has still gone unfilled. I had no idea how much politics has taken over the airwaves. It permeates local channels and evening news as well. Now I find out Bloomberg bought a 3 minute spot on prime time in the middle of the program we watch entitled 'God Friended Me'. Are you freakin' kidding me.. GO AWAY!

Is it any wonder why Americans have become addicted into interpreting everything that happens has something to do with politics. We're being indoctrinated and becoming infused to the point where it's almost become an inescapable mental disease. I, for one, will try very hard to escape what's become a fixation in this country. Starting here and now this blog will no longer promote such, It's not healthy. I now realize how much politics had occupied my mind. I urge my readers to self reflect as well. This needs to change. That is why my last post focused on Freddie Mercury and Queen as this post will now do as well. Free yourself for the next hour and a half and see if you feel better after it's done then you would fixated on the Coronavirus or all the other bullshit relentlessly coming across on the airwaves every damn minute of the day.

Queen Live at Milton Keynes, June of 1982

The Late Great Freddie Mercury

I was always a fan of his... now even more so.





Live at Ku Club Ibiza, 1987









The only other singer that can even come close...



Ye gads will there ever be another group coming up this great?