Song Lyric Brain Blast #3

Yeah, it's been longer than I planned to get back to the SLBB, but here's your lyric for today. Don't forget to put on your sunscreen.

I’m so sick and tired of sitting talking to you

Yeah that’s right

You never tell me anything

that I wanna know ’bout your life.

The answer for SLBB #2 is All the Young Dudes, recorded by Mott the Hoople.

Song Lyric Brain Blast #2

While you're waiting for your latte, put you thinking caps on and fetch the song title to this lyric. (Do you really want that apple fritter? Really?)

And my brothers back at home with his Beatles and his Stones
We never got it off on that revolution stuff

Yesterdays answer: Smoke on the Water, recorded by Deep Purple.

Song Lyric Brain Blast #1

How's your brain today? How's your "music lyric/trivia/shouldn't you be working instead of wasting time at this lame website" mojo working?

This is how this works. I put a lyric fragment, you guess the song and the band. You get extra credit if you know who wrote it.

There's no prizes - hey, I'm no radio station!

They burned down the gambling house

It died with an awful sound

Funky Claude was running in and out

If you know the lyric, show off and post the answer!

It's has been a very long time...

I do have a nice newly overhauled shoulder to show for it all. I'll scribble much more tomorrow. A little each day and I should be back to "normal" soon. And I use that term very loosely."

It's an outrage! Dark Side of the Moon did not make Time Magazine's 100 Top Albums!

OK, I'm a bit over the top on that outrage thing, but it is a huge oversight! (I'm still screaming inside though - I don't want to scare the neighbors.) But Time really made a glaring mistake here.


So why am I so outraged? Aside from the fact it's one of my favorites, I'm not going to get personal, I'm just gonna give you so hard facts. So here goes:

The album cover to the left is an icon in itself. Who doesn't know that is the cover to Dark Side of the Moon? It's on t-shirts, posters, patches and probably a lot of things I can't think of at the moment!

As a concept album it is absolutely brilliant. It deals with so much within the realm of our existance, both good and bad. The songs have become classics, especially Money, Us and Them and Time! My personal favorite is The Great Gig in the Sky. It also solidifies electronic music as a permanent fixture of much rock music.

Plus, there is that really cool sychronicity between Dark Side of the Moon and the Wizard of Oz. I have tried that, and believe it or not it does work, especially at the beginning of the movie. Hint: play it three times, back to back for the full effect and pay attention to the Wicked Witch of the West and Glenda, the Good Witch are confronting each other...you'll enjoy it! You'll have some leftover Pink Floyd at the end, but that's definitely not a bad thing.

I'm no musical scholar, but I do know what I like, and I know DSOTM should have been included in Time's Top 100 Album list

If you'd like to vote on which albums should have been included, here is the link. The other excluded albums that you can vote for are:

• The Band, Music From Big Pink


• Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt


• The Doors, The Doors


• Superfly, Curtis Mayfield


• This Year's Model, Elvis Costello


• Dusty in Memphis, Dust Springfield


• Appetite for Destruction, Guns N'Roses

Our troops: good and bad

The Bad:

I hope their commanding officers see this and discipline these miscreants appropriately...like having them run behind a truck for their water ration.



I looked for something that would our men and women in Iraq doing things that were noble, but all over the web I could find nothing. If you have a video of Americans helping the Iraqi people, please post it to YouTube and let know about. I am keeping a spot open for you!

The Good!

What parent with a sick child won't understand this?



I'm sure there are videos of our troops helping Iraqis, but where are they? It seems all that gets posted is the negative stuff.

I am definitely against the war, but I know somewhere in Iraq, we must be part of something good. Please, if you are a troop serving in Iraq and have a positive video, please post it online to YouTube or another site so I can embed it here. And be sure to let me know!

Peter Gabriel Given "Man of Peace" Award

Peter Gabriel was given the Man Of Peace Award on November 17th in a ceremony in Rome. Peter has been active in promoting world peace and human rights for years. The ceremony was part of the Seventh World Summit Of Nobel Peace Laureates, which is a pretty awesome group, you have to admit. Past recipients include Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), Boomtown Rats leader, Band Aid and Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof and Italian actor Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful - one of the best movies EVER!).

The Gorbachev Foundation,lead by former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. and the city of Rome sponsor the annual event.

So that's what Gorby's been up to! I have to admit, I'm surprised.

Magic and Hope

Sometimes I come across something on YouTube that is absolutely magical. This is an ad for the Peruvian Cancer Foundation. It is a wonderous ad.




When you buy your gifts this season, please remember to send some love and money to those organizations who help find cures for illnesses that our loved ones, or even complete strangers, are affected by.

We're back to rock and roll, babies!

For a long time my mojo was impaired, but it's on the way back. I personally credit The Who for that. Endless Wire helped lure out from under the safety of the little blue blankie I've been hiding under. Bipolar disorders sucks. Medication helps, but sometimes I go full-out Linus and crawl under the little blue blankie (which is soft and heated, and all so tempting).

Anyway, let's get on to the subject of Endless Wire. It is The Who's strongest album in a couple decades. When Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey get together, the earth moves, mostly because of effect of all the dials being turned up to 11. Their collaboration is always exquisitely good.

Not all the songs rate high on my scale, except for Pick up the Peace. It's like someone started to write a good sond, then got distracted by the pizza delivery. That's a shame because I think that if this song had been fleshed out it would be very, very good.

In Fragments, musical shades of Baba O'Reilly and Won't Get Fooled Again sets the stage in the beginning that brings a nostalgic touch before leading into a new classic.

There are some really brilliant songs here, though: Man in a Purple Dress is simple in its orchestration, but Daltrey's singing is sublime and the lyrics are have a restrained but rightous anger to them. His voice just gets better as he gets older.

Mike Post Theme has a grittyness to that is intriguing.

In the Ether is a "cold, rainy day walk in the park after your partner broke up with you and you don't want to let go" song.

Black Widow's Eyes Great vocals, and lyrics that get kind of scary. It was inspired by the Beslan school massacre, and does a good job of bring back the bad memories, if your remember Beslan.

Two Thousand Years has a theological theme, believe it or not. And it's very good.

God Speaks of Marty Robbins is a classic. "Wake up and hear the music. Wake up and hear the music play. Wake up and hear what the people say." Of course I'm very biased, being a huge Marty Robbins fan.

It's Not Enough Love is so problematic at times, especially when whatever you do is never enough. I think we've all been there, so I won't say any more.

You Stand By Me Sometimes love stays strong and keeps you whole. Beautiful song. Short and sweet, but not syrupy.

Sound Round Well if this isn't classic Who I don't know what is. And I like the little surprise at the end! (Well, if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now, would it? And listen hard, it really is a quick surprize.)

Unholy Trinity, a song about three neighborhood kids, leaves the listener unsatisfied. It sounds as if more needed to be said, then the damn pizza got delivered.

Trilby's Piano is one of the standout songs. It's song of unfullfilled love. Sad, but beautiful song.

On my scale to 1 to 10 (1 being "You have got to be kidding, I'm not buying that crap" to 10 being "Buy it, buy it, you gotta have it NOW!" I'd rate Endless Wire a solid 8. For a Who fan, this is a great addition to your collection, but The Kids are Alright and Quadrophenia will probably get more play.

It's Social Studies Time!

OK, my babies, it's time to do some serious politicking. These are all races in which the candidates below have done a bad, bad thing: Check them out, and if one of them is in your district, and find out what their opponent stands for. And for crying out loud:

VOTE ON NOVEMBER 7TH! IT'S YOUR RIGHT!

--AZ-Sen: Jon Kyl

--AZ-01: Rick Renzi

--AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth

--CA-04: John Doolittle

--CA-11: Richard Pombo

--CA-50: Brian Bilbray

--CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave

--CO-05: Doug Lamborn

--CO-07: Rick O'Donnell

--CT-04: Christopher Shays

--FL-13: Vernon Buchanan

--FL-16: Joe Negron

--FL-22: Clay Shaw

--ID-01: Bill Sali

--IL-06: Peter Roskam

--IL-10: Mark Kirk

--IL-14: Dennis Hastert

--IN-02: Chris Chocola

--IN-08: John Hostettler

--IA-01: Mike Whalen

--KS-02: Jim Ryun

--KY-03: Anne Northup

--KY-04: Geoff Davis

--MD-Sen: Michael Steele

--MN-01: Gil Gutknecht

--MN-06: Michele Bachmann

--MO-Sen: Jim Talent

--MT-Sen: Conrad Burns

--NV-03: Jon Porter

--NH-02: Charlie Bass

--NJ-07: Mike Ferguson

--NM-01: Heather Wilson

--NY-03: Peter King

--NY-20: John Sweeney

--NY-26: Tom Reynolds

--NY-29: Randy Kuhl

--NC-08: Robin Hayes

--NC-11: Charles Taylor

--OH-01: Steve Chabot

--OH-02: Jean Schmidt

--OH-15: Deborah Pryce

--OH-18: Joy Padgett

--PA-04: Melissa Hart

--PA-07: Curt Weldon

--PA-08: Mike Fitzpatrick

--PA-10: Don Sherwood

--RI-Sen: Lincoln Chafee

--TN-Sen: Bob Corker

--VA-Sen: George Allen

--VA-10: Frank Wolf

--WA-Sen: Mike McGavick

--WA-08: Dave Reichert

And yes, I am a Democrat, and proud of it. I am particularly offended by the treatment Harold Ford, Jr is being treated by the Corker campaign. If you live in Tennessee, get the facts before you cast your vote!

Time to Use the E-word: Evil

This is from the site Street Prophets, another site that I subscribe (and occasionally contribute to under the name BohemianDiamond). Regardless of your faith, or lack thereof, evil exist. It exists because humans tend to be a cruel bunch. And now, here comes our duly "elected" government wanting to quantify what evil they may use upon another human being. Torture doesn't work. Period. There's plenty of scientific evidence and broken bodies and minds to prove that. Keeping that in mind please read this.

What is happening on Capitol Hill today is plainly evil. As defined by Walt Lowe in the Dictionary of Pastoral Care and Counseling, evil is

that which causes harm, depriving a being of some good which is proper to that being. Moral evil (in religious terms, sin) is the result of a deliberate choice.

Sen. McCain tells us "there are no losers in this deal," which is patently false. The losers are those who suffer from coercive techniques - whose definition is still left up to a cold and reckless White House - those who are charged with carrying out the policy, despite their objections, and anyone who gives a damn about life, liberty, and the rule of law. The administration has chosen its path, and the Republican Congress has wickedly chosen to follow its lead.

The new interrogation policy, if ratified, will cause harm. Obviously, it will harm prisoners lost in some black hole in the second or third world, subject to tactics that haven't quite been made public for what should again be obvious reasons. It will deprive them of goods which are proper to them, namely liberty, dignity, due process, and the fundamental right not to have to have the shit kicked out of them on the authority of an unaccountable regime.

Peace, love and torture? Sorry folks, let's get off our duffs and write to our elected officials. Torture is not an American value, man! It's not even a human one! It's time to tell the critters we elected that we want responsible behavior from them; we don't expect them to act like punks. Stand up and let your voice be heard!

Veterans Against Torture

Trib Talk Forum: Republican Veterans Agains Torture

Common Dreams article: GI's Agaist Torture

More on this later, along with some reviews of a couple new CDs of mine.

Modern Times, Bob Dylan

Oh, yeah, it's good. It's real good. Blues, roots, and rockabilly get masterfully used to create one heck of a CD. It's five-stars, all the way! Thunder on the Mountain, and The Levee's Gonna Break are my favorites.

Definitely a must have!

Do not torture in our names, Mr. Bush

It is hard to believe that in the 21st century, America is debating torture. Currently the administration is trying to weasel their way out of being held responsible for violating Article 3 of the Geneva Convention so our "professionals" can use "techniques" on prisoners to extract confessions.

I am disgusted with the Bush administration because of their action. I am disgusted as well with every single person that even thinks torture is OK. Kudos to Colin Powell for speaking up. I'd say the U.S.'s "moral superiorty" is dead at this point.

I'm not going to write much about this, just say that you need to check out the news yourself, especially the posturing by certain republicans "versus" the president. Posturing is what it is, because "torture lite" is still torture, and removing the writ of habeus corporus returns us our a medieval time when we can be arrested and accused, but don't have the right to know the charges and evidence against us. Specter's bill at least protects that much.

Got you curious? I will write more tomorrow, but in the meantime do some Googling and learn some stuff.

Arrrgh, mateys, I have returned

It be Talk Like a Pirate Day, so don't just sit there like a sea urchin, don ye pirate garb, talk like the pirate ye be, and drink hoist yer rum in celebration!

Whilst doin' that, give an ear to some great music. These be some of my favorites:

No Quarter Given
Stumpy & Scurvy's Pirate Shop
Dead Men Tell No Tales
Captain Bogg & Salty
The Blaggards (sweet Celtic tunes as well)
123 Pirates

And don't ye forgit our anthem, found here.

Still a novice, are ye? Git your learnin' to talk like a pirate here!

Regular programming resails tomorrow -

See you on the high seas!

Ow...why I haven't been posting

To sum it up: severe degenerative disk disease and osteoarthritis. But I have some neato braces, a Tens unit and decent pain meds. I just could'nt get my heart into my music.

But all that's changing.

Have I said how much I love the new Stone's album A Bigger Bang? MY SWEET NEOCON rocks. And so do the rest of the songs.

I have no new music today, but tonight I may pull out an oldie but goodie and do some commentary on that. Hmm, or maybe I do Ruben Gonzalez....

An Inconvenient Truth

If you have not seen, you must. Period.

It is one of the most important films of out times, and if you are the least bit skeptical about global warning, you won't be after seeing this.

Gore says he will not run for president, that there is more he can do as a private citizen. If this is an example, than we can expect even greater things.

(Of course, he'd still make a good president.)

Hi Guys!

I'll be posting again next week and the timing is going to be some sporadic. My husband is getting laid off at the end of the month. That's the bad news. We will probably move because the tech job situation here is horrid. He's already been talking to companies in Reno, Las Vegas and Phillie, so hopefully he can pick up another job right away. And I finally have doc's permission to go back to work, as long as it's a desk job. Woo-hoo! Now all I need is a job.

The good news is I've listed to some great new CD's (giftcards are so nice!) and I'll be putting up the three reviews. Two of the CDs are really great, one in so-so. Should be up by Wednesday.

"Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!"

King Cake photo from Gumbo Pages. Now that's my idea of a King Cake!

It's here! It's Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday! I can remember one song, an oldie, called Go to the Mardi Gras. Professor Longhair did it. If you've been to Mardi Gras, you've heard this song. Trust me, have it's the one with all the whistling. I though we'd take a look and see if any of our classic rock friends have done Mardi Gras songs and this is what I found.

The first that came to mind was actually a CD by Creedence Clearwater Revival, appropriately named "Mardi Gras", released in 2004. I love CCR. Some of my best teen memories have CCR doing the soundtrack. Rolling Stone called this album "Fogarties Revenge." If you remember there was a time when John Fogarty was accused of trying to hog the whole shebang himself and that the others were mere back ups. Listen to this album, and you'll hear some great stuff and some really horrid stuff. Turns out Fogarty really is the main talent. Uh, it's not really a great album, but it doesn't totally suck either. (Although I dare you not to laugh during "Hello Mary Lou". )

Actually, aside from the title, it has nothing to do with Mardi Gras. And in searching around, Jon Landau (Rolling Stone music critic) says "It's the worst album I have ever heard from a major rock band. " I hate to admit, but he's right.

Ok, let's see if I can find some real music for you...um...you know there's not a lot of classic rock bands that have ever done Mardi Gras songs. Their loss! So here's some Mardi Gras treats from different genres for you to find and check out. (And if you know of any classic rock bands who have done Mardi Gras, songs, please! Let me know!) Mardi Gras music is in a class of it's own, and it's one you can have a lot of fun getting to know.

Of course, practically any Neville Brothers CD or album is a good starting place!

Fats Domino, who's a longtime favorite of mine, is another artist to check out. Remember Walking to New Orleans?

Now here's one of my favorite female blues singers, Marva Wright, there is Marva Right, Blues Queen. Don't think you are going to sit down and listen to this. No way Jose! I guarantee you are going to get up and dance. Her voice reaches down to your gut and just pulls you out of your seat. It may be physically impossible to just sit still during this CD. I've tried, and failed. You can get her CD at the Mardi Gras Outlet. They also have so much more there, from costumes to throws, and they have some St. Patrick's Day stuff as well. And if you like throw beads, they have some really cool ones here. (And no, they didn't pay me for the ad -- I'm a frequent visitor to there site for my music needs.)

Keep an eye out for The Wild Magnolias. Their 1970 song New Suit is a Mardi Gras classic. It's also opened a whole new genre to folk music: Mardi Gras/New Orleans. If you want to hear "New Suit" go here.

The String Cheese Incident (a jam movement bands) did two day concert at Boise Idaho's Rose Tree Ballroom in 2004 with some great Mardi Gras type songs in the second half (Right Place, Wrong Time and Shakin' the Trees). Here's one link where you can download it - the Live Music Archives. (Which is site worth checking out. There are some gems there, and not just music ones.)

Also, Joan Baez recorded Manha de Carnaval on her CD Joan Baez in Concert. It is a must listen! OK, I'm terribly biased here, Baez could sing Itsy Bitsy Spider and I'd love it. But seriously, Manha de Carnaval is worth adding to your Marde Gras playlist.

Another of my musical passions is the group Beausoleil. La Chanson de Mardi , which can be found on Live from the Left Coast, is tres jolie, ma bebe! My favorite summer Sunday mornings are spent going to church at 8:00, coming home to my husband's garbage scramble (eggs, hash browns, peppers, onions, and whatever leftover vegies or meat we have all dumped in the wok and scrambled and served with copious amounts of the hot sauce du jour, and served with a tall glass of sweet Long Island ice tea) and listing to Beasoleil and Frank Sinatra. Not for everybody, but it's my idea of heaven.

Joe Turner also has song on his Tell Me Pretty Baby CD called Mardi Gras. It'll make you a Joe Turner convert!

So much for the music. It's time to talk about Mardi Gras food. There's so much, but I'm going to concentrate the one food that you can't have a Mardi Gras without: the King Cake, which is really more of a frosted brioche. You can find many recipes out on the web, but I thought I'd share my grandmother's recipe. She didn't make it very often, but when she was the chef at a south Florida hotel she made it every year. Oh, it's so yummy! It's also not quite traditional.

I've added additional instructions in because all have is the ingredient list. It worked the one time I made it, and I hope if you try it it'll work for you!

Esther's King Cake:

1/2 cup lukewarm water, 110 to 115 degrees
2 packages dry yeast
Proof the yeast in a bowl. (pour the yeast over the warm water with a pinch of sugar. Yeast who are ready to party. Actually you should check the manufactures directions since some don't use sugar.)


4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (I like fresh grated, but she used commercial)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teason grated lime rind
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
3 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened, no margarine, creamed
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
1 bean or small plastic baby doll.

Put the yeast in the warm water and let it develop.

Sift flour, sugar, nutmeg and salt in mixing bowl. Stir in lemon and lime peel.

Punch a hole down in the center and then pour in the yeast mixture and milk.

All all your eggs and slowly, stirring with a large wooden spoon until the ingredients are mixed together well. Then add the butter put everything in a heavy duty KitchenAid mixer, or similar. By this point the mix is too difficult to mix by hand and you really need help. Trust me.

Once the mixture forms a ball, put it on a floured board and knead it like you are making bread. You might have to add a bit more flour, but only do it a little bit at a time.

When the ball becomes smooth and elastic, put it in a large buttered bowl. Roll the ball around so it gets entirely covered with butter. Cover bowl and set aside until it is doubled in bulk. (It takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours more or less depending on the humidity and temperature.

When it has risen, put some flour down on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter and punch it down again. Knead and roll out into a log about 14 inches long. Place it on a greased backing sheet and form a ring. Take the bean or the doll and press it into the dough from underneath so they are well hidden. I prefer the doll because there is less chance someone will swallow it.

Bake in middle of preheated oven at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer cake to wire rack to completely cool.

The icing (my favorite part)

Make sure you have the colored sugars - green, purple and yellow. If you have a cup of each you can't go wrong. It stores well if you don't use it all.

For the icing, mix the confectioners sugar, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of water in a deep bowl and stir until all the ingredients are smooth. It may get stiff, but you can add in 1 teaspoon of water (sometimes my grandmother used mint or peach schnapps or for this) at a time, until desired you have a consistency that will spread well and just drip down the sides.

With a French spatula, spread the icing over the top of the cake. Let it run down the sides; if it doesn't your icing is still too thick. Then, sprinkle the sugars on in rows, alternating purple-yellow-green. If make each row about two inches wide you should end up with a continuous circle of colors.

Now this is where my grandmother's recipe differs. Most call for two candied cherries at either end, pressed into the dough. She hated candied cherries, so she would put chocolate covered cherries or cordials on the green sugared areas.

When you serve the cake, whoever gets the doll gets to make the King Cake next year. I think this was rigged around our house. Nany always got doll. Which considering the cooking skills of some of her friends was a good thing!

Pam's Sweet Long Island Iced Tea

Ingredients:
1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Tequila
1/2 oz Spiced rum
1/2 oz Gin
1 dash simple syrup
1 dash your favorite Cola
Twist of lime

Mixing instructions:
Mix all contents in a highball glass and stir gently. Add dash of cola to
color it and garnish with lemon or lime twist. Some like lemon, I like lime.


How to make simple syrup. This is easy to do, and it keeps for a very long time.
Mix two parts water to one part sugar and boil until the sugar dissolves. You don't need to do any stirring. This is great for bevvies. And you can add extracts to flavor or use juices to make a flavored simple syrup. Have fun experimenting.

"Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!"

You can't keep a good city down: Mardi Gras Festivities

There's still time to go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras on February 28th. The economy there can sure use the infusion of tourist money considering the devastion. If you go, have fun and consider taking one of the devastation tours, taking tons of pix and be a pest reminding people that the area is still decimated and thousands and thousands are homeless and jobless. Katrina charities still need your help.

Here's some links you might find useful if you are considering going:

Nola.com Mardi Gras parade schedule (lot of other info too)
Mardi Gras Links, with stuff for kids
Mardi Gras Krewe links
New Orleans Travel and Convention Bureau
Cafe Dumond, the historic place for beignets and coffee with chicory. The Decatur Street shop is open.
Cafe Beignet, from what I'm told is the best place for beignets and coffee and chicory, daquiris and fried catfish po'boys. They also have vegetarian offerings and music.

Maude Maggart - Cabaret Singer

Yes, you read right...cabaret singer. I love classic rock and blues and folk, but I also love Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, and God, how I love, Cole Porter! Anyway, on NPR's Morning Edition this very minute, they are doing a spot on Maude Maggart, who I have not heard of until today. She has found her voice, and it lives in the past. She looks for lyrics the original songsters had maybe not included, songs that they had never published. Click here to learn more about her, as well as listen to a duet with her sister, Fiona Apple. Maude is currently appearing at the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room.

Listening to Maude is like stepping into the past. Her voice is just heavenly!

It's things like this that are the reason I support (and, yes, join!) my local public radio stations.