Screaming Orphans at Woodhaven House, Queens, NY

Everything happens by chance and chance met our party of three with the Screaming Orphans at a Queens dive last night. Whether it was ten beers I had already downed before I reached the bar, the dimly lit interior or noticeable absence of any real good options, but this band of sisters caught my eye as we walked into the bar. Their cover tunes were decent and besides walking by the band stand as we staked claim to a non-threatening corner of the bar next to two mildly attractive girls dancing with one of those non-attractive ones (description not necessary), I didn't really pay them mind outside their immediate good looks. I like live music probably more than the next guy does, but I don't care for exposed poppers whose coolgirl fashion imitates what's trendy today. That's what they appeared to be, and their song was a cover on something classic rock. I thought to myself, atleast with the unfavorable ratio and talent, I would have some something to keep myslef entertained outside my two buds.
Then the lead singer spoke. Her delicated brogue immediately peaked my interest. She seemed a little tentative, shy and maybe even lacking in self-assurance, which for a pretty blonde was strangely attractive. And then my peaked interest was rewarded with a few consecutive Irish songs that were played expertly, atleast to my novice ear(of Irish descent). While their American renditions were good but not great, their Irish inspired songs were excellent. The three of us left the bar soon after they finished their set, impressed with the band but more importantly, the pleasure of listening to good and live traditional Irish music. I became a fan of the Screaming Orphans.

"Where the cop is the purp, and the purp is the victim!"

(Copland)

It's not so much that these lines have been blurred beyond doubt but there is some validity to this quote as presented specifically in television in Cop-Thug shows that started with the Shield and continued with what I consider the best television series out there...The WIRE. There is no clear good guys and bad guys and the show demonstrates what's really out there...just people. Some are working behind the guise of the law and others on the corners. But in some twisted way, and certainly by direction of the writers, what side one is on, does not designate them automatically as a protagonist or antagonist...they're still just people. Sure there are the cops you like, but there is also criminals you find yourself siding...errr... empathizing with. And these criminals make you almost believe that selling crack, robbery and murder are... normal. And there lies the beauty of the show. That some things that appeared so foreign at first become commonplace later. After all, the Black ghetto is like a foreign country that happens to be in our cities.

I am a pretty friendly guy. Not a whole lot of things bother me but there are a few things that get to my last calm nerve. This is not a rant because at the point that that last nerve is reached, I usually can rein in that last nerve tight enough that I don’t explode off into a cannon made of fury. There are those rare times when the cords that hold my aggression firmly down get tasseled and I loose my cool. I will not go too far into things that may do the latter, but I am all for exposing for my awaiting audience with examples of the former.

For some reason, reckless SUV drivers don’t bother me as much as a reckless, SUV-driving women, wearing sunglasses too big for her face and actively chatting on a cell phone. The SUV itself is a net negative and the aggressive driving makes me uncomfortable, but I only lose it if it’s a woman driver (sad sexist confession, I know, I know) and there is animated cell phone chatter. It probably has something to do with the probability that she is driving her daddy’s big car and has no idea what the implications of a big bad accident would be like for someone else being hit by her car.

Another thing that just gets me, absolutely gets me, is when you meet people who are obviously trying to show themselves up in front of you and they never realize that the constant barrage of self-compliments never seem to add up with you. You try to goad them along with depreciatory questions and there is never any negative. This happened frequently at college during the early years when you meet somebody new and they would think they needed to provide a verbal resume of their spectacular life’s achievements, usually with getting chicks and kicking ass in high school sports. What usually occurs is later he was really talking about his sister’s friends and his year of JV mytho-reality. It is clearly unacceptable in the limited social contact found in the work setting. No, I don't care or believe your astonishing feats of bravery or urban ferocity. Didn't we used to brag about those things in high school?

People who don’t do what they said they would do. This is the worst of the bunch because these people are usually your friends, colleagues or people that you normally would, or want to trust. “I’ll give you a call back,” is usually the most frequent assertion and it’s not so much that you want to get that call back because 4 in 5 surveyed said that it’s just the idea that they had no intention of calling back that makes them annoyed. If these people had some integrity, instead of misleading (lying to) their “friends”, just be more accurate…”I’ll talk to you later.” Simple and no one feels annoyed/mislead.

This next case is a product of our technological advances. When someone texts you and you call them back, they don’t answer. If you just texted me, and you’re inquisitive about something that I can answer, then why not pick up the f'n phone? Obviously there are sometimes when you are indisposed to answer calls, but we’re not talking meetings here folks, these aren’t daytime calls.

Surprisingly, what do not peeve me are calls to my cell phone during work. I recognize that I am quite busy at work, as are most people working for a salary, but I enjoy a chance of a breather, albeit quick, from the monotony of the daily tasks. I see a call as a welcome reprieve as long as I am not directly busy! So that I am not annoyed by.

There's quite more upsetting things that I have left out. Don't worry, I will include these in a blog article at a later date.

Unread Books

Being invited to Goodreads.com and since, spreading the wealth to my book-reading friends forced me more acutely aware of the daunting amount of books that I have not read and conversely, so few I have. Whether it's science or fiction (or science-fiction) there is clearly too many good books to read. This website (and visual realization) arrives on the heels of a newstory last week about how 40% of Americans have not read a book since grade school and an incredible number of us who don't read ONE book in a year. I celebrate those who use their imagination by reading.

Blog Riotus has already mentioned the problem of obesity amongst urban, young Americans and what impediments are blocking the way to healthy food habits. Clearly, in the case of reading, which can be grouped together with healthy eating and exercise not by similarity, but by mental and physical health indicators, there are far fewer roadblocks. There is not the case of being able to procure healthy food options or lack of a playground/sports field/court. There is only being able to get a book. I think it safe to assume libraries exist in every school in America; now let's get our kids some motivation to pick our a book and start reading them.

Best Picture of a Sunset ever Taken Tribute

Driving through northeastern Connecticut on monday night, I experienced a setting sun so large it looked as if I would run into it if I kept driving. Over each hill and around each bend, I experienced some spectacular vistas fit only for a Canon SLR Digital Rebel, but unfortunately I only could shake out my Canon Powershot 230. It's 3.0 Megapixels, while barely adequate for stationary photos, would now have to stand in to capture grandeur. The sun's fading rays cast burnt orange across the pine swept hills and lit up the melting snow like a candle over a white table linen. Absolutely grand. As I braced for each shutter, my car swerved in and out of lanes, my mind solely occupied with finding each successive shot. As I climbed a hill that seemed to end in the outstretched rays of the sun, I held the camera firm. I aimed the camera to take the best sunset photo in the world. As soon as I tried to press the button to snap the picture, the lens went dark and I lost the shot. This article is a tribute to almost taking the best shot of a sunset in the world.

Take a ride on the MBTA

Charlie Cards, Green Line renovation and today's article in the globe still highlights a general dissatisfaction with our city's rapid transit. Complaints ranged from crowded, constant delays, and slow speed, to crabby staff and insensitive passengers, but the jury is out: The Boston "T" needs a little bump to liven its appearance to its passengers. Globe internet posts frequently cited all lines as being difficult for either one of the above reasons or another, with the Green line pulling in behind as the worst rated rapid transit line. This article underscores a bigger point, however, that with one of the oldest transit systems in use in the world, infrastructure renovations and improvements have not kept pace with the modern world and other cities, especially world cities, have left our meagre transit in the dust, literally. It is time to add, extend and augment the Boston subway system. This whole discussion started on the news that the MBTA is adding new Blue Line subway cars.

Read the responses at Boston.com here

Valentine's Day Quotes - A Few I Like

Loving is not just looking at each other, it's looking in the same direction. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939

I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon. ~Unknown

Trip over love, you can get up. Fall in love and you fall forever. ~Unknown

We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love. ~Unknown


Love is a game that two can play and both win. ~Eva Gabor

Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly. ~Rose Franken

Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. ~Robert Frost

Come live in my heart and pay no rent. ~Samuel Lover

Love is what you've been through with somebody. ~James Thurber, quoted in Life magazine, 1960

Love is the greatest refreshment in life. ~Pablo Picasso

The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them. ~Stephen King

If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden. ~Attributed to Claudia Ghandi

How I feel about the election season

After getting into a heated debate/argument about the political future of the USA at a local bar last night with two friends...Nicco being one, I think it will be helpful to sort out my own thoughts on the current Election season.

First, a few words about the importance of this election.
It's really not all that important who wins. All three front runners [McCain, Obama, Clinton] are moderate candidates. All candidates boast significant experience and all have tasted the seat of federal government... they're all established in the U.S. Senate. While the economy beseeches the parties' primary campaigns, the focus should switch to foreign policy when we reach a nominee from both parties. This election is about fixing the poor policies of the former president. It's about finding a rational way to reach back out to foreign nations to get them on the band wagon again. It's about the best candidate to envoke a change in sentiment towards the U.S., from bully to peacemaker. There's no doubt that our reputation has suffered. From no weapons of mass destruction to Abu Ghraib et al., our image in the middle east is suffering and without a plan to improve anytime soon.

I do not consider myself a blanket Democrat although my politics lean to the liberal side. While I don't think the differences between each of these candidates is that wide, there are a few critical points that concern me.

Clinton: Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton? Are we becoming an empire. Let's give some fresh hearts and minds to lead America. Hillary Clinton is very intelligent. It is high time for a mindful politician to take the reigns of power after the last 8 years of cowboy diplomacy. I'd rather a shrewd leader than one pig-headed. Healthcare could be improved. It's about time for that. However, we are clinging to military campaigns by a thread now and a moment of weakness could cost us. This is not to say change is not essential in regard to foreign policy; our Iraq strategy has been a snafu since the first year's rapid victory. Clinton will remove the troops from Iraq and allow them to operate with more striking power in the region.

McCain: Initially, I really liked McCain. He seems to make his own decisions in his voting record and understands the political processes well enouth to reach across political lines. These lines have become entrenched to a depth that only a president with experience in reaching across the aisle can get bills passed and end the stalemate. But, the other two candidates from the democratic side also understand the chamber and have experience getting bills passed. McCain is a warrior who suffered for his country in a North Vietnam prison during the war. I have a lot of respect for his dedication to duty. His military service does not guarantee wise-decision making with regards to military diplomacy. He mentioned that he would stay a hundred years in Iraq if that's what it would take to secure victory. That is frightening. He admitted that he doesn't know much about how the economy functions. I don't want aides dictating economic policy behind the scenes for the world's leading economy.

Obama: He, so far, is the dark horse (no pun intended) of the election. He is great with speeches. He spews messages for Hope and Change. He intends to be a uniter in the mold of Kennedy or Reagan. I know because his campaign spin doctors have said both. What a boost America would see in the rest of the world electing a man of color to the presidency. Feelings of inferiority and despair well entrenched within the black community would be erased overnight with the election of a black man to the most powerful position in America. He has the makings of a great man, but there are a lot of questions left unanswered at the moment. I am sure that if he gets the nod from the Democratic committee, we will soon find out... at the hands of the republican political machine that will leave no stone in Obama's backyard untouched.

UMass-Boston changes name to JFK U

Wouldn't that be a good spin. I think the city of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts should rename the state university at Columbia Point to a more majestic, legendary and attractive name. UMass-Boston, the name itself, implies commuter school, second tier education, bland, and boring. A name like that suggests no frills, no excitement. Is there any rule why a state school cannot be renamed (after all, it wasn't much more than 50 years ago when UMass got its name!) with something a little more jazzy?

The city and state have a tremendous opportunity right now to take an existing institution which can boast an extraodinary campus and location with adequate but improveable facilities and turn it into one of the most prestigious state schools in the country.
Imagine: John Fitzgerald Kennedy University.
Overnight, the institution becomes attractive to students across the country as being an affordable state school with gorgeous location. All the pieces would fit together over the years and while the school could still be a prominent commuter campus for those working in and around Boston, the notoreity would attract a strong resident population.