Another list I didn't make. I did actually see three of those guys live on stage back in the late Jurassic- Hendrix twice, Beck once, and Winter several times in Austin before he got big.

First?
(To post, I mean, not 'on the list.)
Now we're going to spend all day arguing over guitarists. Cool.

First? :-)

I'm shocked, shocked I say, that Alex Lifeson's not on the list.

Robert Johnson, the grandfather of Rock and Roll.

I'm shocked that the second and third posters have the audacity to claim 'First'.

I remember seeing Clapton in '89 (I think). His rhythm guitarist on that tour was Mark Knopfler.

There's an old compilation record around somewhere - maybe called Jeff Beck's All-Stars or something like that - that has Beck, Page and Clapton, playing (mostly individually) with the what is basically the Yardbirds. One has all three of them playing together. Sorry I can't be more vague.

That Townshend guy was good, too. As was Gilmour, Howe, Lifeson, Richards, and the guy from Glass Tiger (*cough*).

omni, I didn't claim, I asked. Where I come from, we always ask if someone else would like to be first, and if no-one does, *then* we ask if they would mind if we did it.

That was what I was doing.

byoolin, I did not know Gordie Howe played the guitar!

Yes, I am clueless about what makes a guitarist great, limited appreciation for true rock music probably doesn't help. I do like Clapton and Beck though, and was very impressed with John Mayer when I saw him - that boy can play.

I am Canadian - Lifeson is a given.

Mudge I assume you will be an inductee in this Hall of Fame (600 years in the business surely makes you qualified).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/10/AR2007121001877.html

For the women (top three): Joan Jett and Joni Mitchell and Nancy Wilson.

I claim confusion as always, omni...

And I still have a VHS copy of the "ARMS Concert," where Clapton, Beck and Page all steamroll through "Tulsa Time" and "Layla." Amazing.

Can't argue with Townsend, Knopfler, Glimore, Howe... or most anybody, really, since I can't play a lick.

:-)

Joel, part of a series of a stories?

Sorry byoolin and Scottynuke, the question marks didn't register. I'm such a maroon. At least I didn't make any mistakes in my 9:10 post though. I mean I didn't, did I? I should go for a walk. My self confidence is shattered.

Joel, very well done on the Thompson piece, and kudos for keeping the hyperlink monster at bay, relatively speaking.

:-)

I saw Heart in concert in 1981. In the middle of a guitar solo, someone hit Nancy Wilson right in the bazoombas with a frisbee. She didn't miss a lick. Now THAT is guitar greatness.

And have I ever mentioned that I saw Van Halen on the rise rather than in decline?

http://livebythefoma.blogspot.com/2005/08/rock-is-dead-what-else-is-new.html

I knew I had.

repost :

CP, hope you get well soon. BPH at Niagara Falls... that would be fun.
Any of you had turducken before? Sounds interesting. Wonder how the individual birds would taste.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article3244710.ece

omni, you are forgiven.

Your mention of Joni reminded me that I once read an interview with her in which she said that when she first got a guitar she had no idea how to tune it, so she just tightened the strings until it sounded good to her.

She still does it that way, apparently - some kind of accidental open tuning that seems to have worked out for her.

I find the name 'turducken' unappetizing, mostly because when I read it the first syllable has four letters, not three. From there, it's a short hop to arriving at the conclusion that 'ucken' is a German adjective that restates and reinforces the first syllable.

Also, Frank Zappa.

I would respectfully submit BB King.

Robert Johnson is a given, but this is not the list he is on.

Robert Johnson is the list the masters look up to.

Yeah, dr: Robert Johnson is the Zeroth of guitarists. The OverGod of all other Rock and Roll guitarists.

And a 'your welcome' to mostlylurking on the knit stamps link. I hope everyone who receives a letter from you gets a warm feeling all over when they see the stamps.

I think the two best big venue rock shows I've ever seen were Heart and Kansas. There were other great shows where I had a really really great time, but those two top all others for the sheer greatness of the performances.

And for the new generation of guitar gods, gg-wannabe Monte Montgomery, named by Guitar Player magazine one of the "Top 50 Guitar Players of All Time."

He's also a Personal Friend of Dave Barry (I guess that counts for something, at least in this neighborhood...)

http://www.montemontgomery.com/

Monte really does have a way with a guitar--plays it sometimes as a percussion instrument, uses a lot of harmonics, and so on. Also writes decent songs and has a kind of Kris Kristofferson vibe, like when he says he's seen hard times, you can believe him.

Personally, I've always been more about listening to guitars for enjoyment than for technical virtuosity.

I like all the guys Kevin lists, absolutely.

Some folks go for that Yngwie Malmsteen cram-as-many-notes-as-you-can neo-classical metal style, some for the similar speed/thrash-metal stylings of the late Dimebag Darrell Abbott, Dave Mustaine and Kirk Hammett (those two will be joined a the hip forever, unfortunately), and some for the some for the jazzy/blusey-flavored instrumental rock styles of Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, (lord have mercy, remember the G3 tours?) and I'll even toss in the late, great Danny Gatton in there, some go for the flamboyant classic/blues-influenced rock style for accompanying vocals -- of Eddie Van Halen, Brian May, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Knopfler, the late Randy Rhodes, or the subtler Tony Iommi, Angus Young, etc.

Then there are the classic blues masters starting with Robert Johnson all the way through Lightin' Hopkins, T-bone Walker, Buddy Guy, BB King, Taj Mahal, and Keb 'mo.

Jazz guitarists like Django Reinhardt, -dang, I could go on forever.

Classical; Segovia, Sala, etc.

I like 'em all, and more.
I guess I just like music, period.

bc

One more additional for bc's classical guitarist - Liona Boyd.

I think the Fred Thompson piece is a sad story--an out-of-wedlock pregnancy forcing teens into a wed-too-early marriage. She's the academic go-getter and he dumps her with three kids in Nashville, while he gets ambition and heads out of state? (Also, can you be good looking with a bulldog mouth? See below...)

What's with the thought balloons on Thompson over at The Trail? Between Givhans' coverage of the sartorial splendor or lack of--or haircuts, I'd say *some* of the Washington Post's political coverage is bordering on the ridiculous.

Is this true?--Maureen Dowd strongly suggests that it is in her column today:

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/wolfowitz-may-return-as-arms-control-advisor/?hp

If you've never heard of the State Department's International Security Advisory Board, it may be because the name recently changed. And if its former moniker -- the Arms Control and Nonproliferation Advisory Board -- still doesn't ring a bell, you may recognize some of the current members, including former chiefs of the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency.

Still at a loss? Don't be disappointed in yourself -- the board has been almost famous for years, toiling away on vital arms control issues without much notoriety. But that may be about to change if Newsweek's report is confirmed:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has offered [Paul D.] Wolfowitz ... a position as chairman of the International Security Advisory Board, a prestigious State Department panel, according to two department sources who declined to be identified discussing personnel matters. ...

When it comes to arms control experience, Mr. Wolfowitz is hard to beat, especially compared with the man he would succeed, the Republican presidential candidate and former Senator Fred D. Thompson. ...

Another official called the reported appointment "amazing." That comment alluded to Mr. Wolfowitz's staunch support for the Iraq War when he was deputy secretary of defense under President George W. Bush. He hasn't won much good will since then, either during a relatively quick rise and fall as World Bank president, or in his current post at a conservative think tank in Washington.

Wail, Hail's Bails! If I'd a known Joel went and wrote up that thar piece on Freddy "I-knocked-up-my-girlfriend-when-I-was-16" Thompson, I wouldn't have snarked it. Jeez, give a guy a clue, willya, WaPo page designers. Sheesh, This isn't the first time I've had to speak to you people like this. Shape up, dammit.

Good piece, Joel. I especially liked the way it almost completely avoided discussing politics and issues and the campaign, and concentrated on the man his own self. I'd probably hired Thompson if I needed a lawyer--but I'd still never vote for him. But I remember him *very* clearly from all the Watergate hearings (I was a Watergate hearings junkie at the time, watched them 24-7), and generally though he was one of the bad guys, especially when contrasted with Sam Dash, a fellow Fluffydelphian and a hero of mine. (Also, at the time I was speechwriter and advance guy for a guy running for Congress in Pa., and was up to my eyebrows in campaigns and politics myself. We had the misfortunate of running against just about the only "liberal" Republican, a squareshooter who was on the Watergate committee and who actually voted to impeach. So we couldn't attack the SOB; we could only praise and agree with him. We lost. He got re-elected.)

No, Scotty, the butt connectors were red. But yes, don't think I didn't look hard for blue ones. Unfortunately, they are color-coded to wire gauge, so I was stuck with red.

dmd, I've been following the National Sailors Hall of Fame thing for a while. I've got a list of 30 or 40 namwes I could submit, but you've never heard of any of them. (No, I doubt I'd make the cut. My invention of the naval signal flag system would probably wind up being disputed by some codes/ciphers weenie. Going the wrong way at Mobile Bay also isn't going to win me much admiration. Oh, sure I invented the inflatable barf bag with the self-actuating EPIRB unit on it, but that won't endear me to the hearts of the judges, either. And the one production boat I designed was a powerboat, not a sailboat, alas, contrary to my own heart and soul.

Mudge you just made me spit out my coffee with the combo EPIRB-floating barf bag :-)

Is Joshua Slocum on your list, Mudge? One of my boyhood heroes.

To connect more dots. The son he had with his child bride was born in 1960. His current wife was born in 1966 and his kids with her were born in 2003 and 2006. Here's a man with a 46-year-wide fertility span. I don't know whether I'm terrified or impressed.

Didn't mean to mislead--the grafs I posted several minutes ago about Wolfie are from a NYT blog, date of Dec. 3. These are MoDo's concluding grafs today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/opinion/12dowd.html?em&ex=1197608400&en=42cd863e24602947&ei=5087

It defies reason, but there are still some who think the chuckleheads who orchestrated the Iraq misadventure have wisdom to impart.

The Pentagon neocons dumped Condi Rice out of the loop. Yet, according to Newsweek's Mike Isikoff, Condi has now offered Wolfie a job. It wasn't enough that he trashed Iraq and the World Bank. (He's still larking around town with Shaha, the sweetheart he gave the sweetheart deal to.)

Condi wants Wolfie to advise her on nuclear proliferation and W.M.D. as part of a State Department panel that has access to highly classified intelligence.

Once you've helped distort W.M.D. intelligence to trick the country into war, shouldn't you be banned for life from ever having another top-level government post concerning W.M.D.?

Slocum isn't just "on" the list, K-guy, he has to be everyone's consensus No. 1. I can't even think of who'd compete for the no. 1 spot. I suppose some yuppie a$$hat might suggest Dennis Connor, "Mr. America's Cup," (who surely belongs on the list, but not at No. 1).

Other than me, of course.

yello, speaking of your 10:48 about being impressed or terrified, have you watched the Barney and Miss Beazley video about how they have become junior park rangers?

I am terrified that the Middle East peace process isn't going well so that Tony Blair, formerly President Bush's poodle, now has enough time on his hands to promote Scottish terriers? Rather like the Wolfie story--he blows foreign affairs, so he's given a job in what?--foreign affairs.

How much did this drivel video cost taxpayers? Interesting bit of PR work, if I do say so myself.

Page is a musical genius, but he didn't have the technical skills of the others. You put Clapton's hands with Page's brain and he would sitting in the big chair in Guitar Olympus.

I thought it was just me (or the rest of you, possibly), but now scientists say it's really our solar system that is warped:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071211.wsolarsyst1211/BNStory/Science/home

"New observations from NASA's long-running Voyager 2 spacecraft show the solar system is asymmetrical, most likely from disturbances in the interstellar magnetic field, scientists reported Monday....

"Researchers have long suspected that the solar system was bent, but never had direct evidence until now, said Voyager mission scientist Edward Stone of the California Institute of Technology."

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Michael Gerson's op-ed piece on "The Original Evangelicals" is so full of s--t on so many levels I can't see straight. He's rapidly replacing Novak and Krauthammer on my list of most contemptible head-up-his-butt pundits. And that's saying something. I understand the need for a little diversity in the op-ed section, but keeeerist, how many of these [sphincters] do we need to acheive "balance"? Jeez.

*still muttering and looking for a dog to kick*

Gerson really is a schmuck. If anything, I think the Op-Ed page tends to lean right. Meyerson is always entertaining, but who else is really a consistent voice from the left?

Barney and Beazley seem quite unaffected and natural, but none of the Bushes could act themselves out of a soggy barf bag. GWB makes Fred Dalton Thompson look like Olivier.

Great piece on Thompson. The whole story seems so... American. So... scripted. But this part made me think...

"Thompson started the first Young Republicans chapter in Lawrence County just as the South was switching from Democratic to Republican. He rode the wave."

Wasn't the South's switch from Dem to Republican a response to Civil Rights? I mean a guy from small-town Tennessee certainly didn't join the Republican party because of its position on taxes or free trade.

I'm just sayin'.

That's the thing about Thompson: he looks old enough to be Olivier, or at least Olivier's reanimated corpse, well fed on the flesh of the living.

That Dowd column also notes that three of the biggest neo-cons were all in the same room. I called them the Fiasco Troika in my blog today.

http://dowdreport.blogspot.com/2007/12/all-kings-horses.html

Perhaps Wolfie, Perle and Feith can get together on a reunion tour like Led Zeppelin and play some of their greatest hits like "Rock and Roll and Shock and Awe" and "Eve of Weapons Of Mass Destruction."

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/2007_holiday_cheer_brought_to_you

Happy Holidays and buy a Prius!

Is this what we should be getting the Achenbro for Christmas this year?

http://www.bustedtees.com/shirt/guitarhero/male

And people say God doesn't have a wicked sense of humor:

The New York Times
December 12, 2007
DNA Pioneer's Genome Blurs Race Lines
By JOHN SCHWARTZ

Now, this is awkward.

James D. Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and winner of the Nobel prize, raised a storm recently when a British newspaper quoted him saying that black Africans are not as intelligent as whites. But his own brilliant DNA seems to blur the lines.

A new analysis of Dr. Watson's genome shows that he has 16 times the number of genes considered to be of African origin than the average white European does -- about the same amount of African DNA that would show up if one great-grandparent were African, said Kari Stefansson, the chief executive of deCODE Genetics of Iceland, which did the analysis.

"This came up as a bit of a surprise," Dr. Stefansson said in an interview, "especially as a sequel to his utterly inappropriate comments about Africans."

After the news of Dr. Watson's genetic ancestry was published in The Times of London on Sunday, much of the British media played the news for a lark, with headlines like "Revealed: Scientist Who Sparked Racism Row Has Black Genes" and "DNA Pioneer James Watson Is Blacker Than He Thought."

That's the way I recall it. All the conservative southern Democrats became conservative southern Republicans in response to the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, aided by Nixon's Southern Strategy.

After Mudge's little rant I went and read Gerson's column. I fail to see the similarities between Burke/Wilberforce and current proponents of socalled modern conservatism.

I pulled a couple of Burke quotes that do seem to have some relevance to current times.

The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.

Speech at a County Meeting of Buckinghamshire (1784)

Whenever a separation is made between liberty and justice, neither, in my opinion, is safe.

Letter to M. de Menonville (October 1789)

I predict Dr. Watson will use that bit of DNA info to support his claim: "I said they weren't as smart, and it sounds very stupid. Therefore, I am at least a little bit stupid, and since it turns out I am at least partly 'like them', and so on, and so forth, and Q.E.D. and all that."

Here's a semi on-topic gift idea:
http://www.christkindl-markt.com/bunny-guitar-musician-figurine-p-1719.html?osCsid=d094418d4b7969a3919adf78a40eaa31

While looking for that one, I also found this:
http://www.timelesstrinkets.com/Smurfs/CollectorPages/images/20497.jpg

Is there room in the bunker for these?

Rabbit Musician doillies - dr you could wallpaper the bunker with them.

I started reading that Gerson piece but stopped after two and half paragraphs. He's nothing but a tool and a hack. The only op-ed worth reading today was Ruth Marcus.

Friends, I'm doing a live chat right now on the Thompson story. Jump in if you can. Need more questions. Kinda quiet out there right now...

I'll be over there in 5 sec.
I made the mistake of reading one of Ayatollah Gerson's column once, I won't be repeating that mistake anytime soon. My co-workers get worried when I start screaming inarticulate gibberish at my monitor.

I love aurora borealis. This is a great perk us Northern people get for living in a cold and dark (in winter) spot. Some colleagues of ScienceTim are investigating the phenomena from space with the help some Canuckstanis from Calgary. The ground stations are located in Canada, of course. The spacecrafts (5 lauched from the same rocket head) have been up only since last February but they have made pretty cool discoveries already. I love the idea of being connected to the sun by long magnetic strands.
Tim, please distribute BZ and attaboys all-around on my behalf.

The official NASA thing
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/themis/main/index.html
The Calgary branch
http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/sciences/themis.asp
And the Berkeley Site
http://themis.ssl.berkeley.edu/index.shtml

TBG may also rightfully note with pride that the Principal Investigator is one Vassilis Angelopoulos, a graduate of the Uni. Of Thessalonica.
V-P Cheney should also note that the Systems Engineering team, as well as their leader, looks quite feminine to me.

Reposted link below. I just think it's nice that Clint Eastwood, I mean Eddie Van Halen, could get together with the old band.

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/09/28/gods-of-rock-roll-deliver-van-halen-kick-off-reunion-tour-in-north-carolina/

Tried not to rant. It was bc's tip this morning bringing me to "Bigger Than Life'. And I skipped the on line discussion 'on Fred Thompson' because there in no advance notice, shape or form, that Joel is the author of the article and he is hosting the online discussion. Should know better.

Mudge, you need to come up with questions on Thompson for Joel. He used mine, so he's at the bottom of the barrel.

A "Best Guitarist" list is a virtual can of worms that just cant be civilly resolved. The list of 5 that you have is as good as any. However, Duane Allman, Eric Johnson, Steve Howe, or Robert Frip would have been acceptable answers also.

I'll just skip the "Jazz and Country Guys".

Oh yes. And republicans position on the Iraq war sucks.

Dang, must have been too flip with my ? over at the Thompson discussion...

And that's SO unlike me...

:-)

A "Best Guitarist" list is a virtual can of worms that just cant be civilly resolved. The list of 5 that you have is as good as any. However, Duane Allman, Eric Johnson, Steve Howe, or Robert Frip would have been acceptable answers also.

I'll just skip the "Jazz and Country Guys".

Oh yes. And republicans position on the Iraq war sucks.

I should have read Mudge's rant and taken note and ignored the column but I couldn't and now I am having trouble letting it go.

Only vaguely remembering Wilberforce I wanted to see why he was a model for modern conservatisim. Was this was Gerson had in mind?

From Wiki,

Moral reform
Although most remembered for his work towards the abolition of slavery, Wilberforce was also concerned with other matters of social reform. He wrote in his personal journal, "God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of Manners"[81][82] ('manners' meaning 'morality' in the English of the eighteenth century). It was at the suggestion of Wilberforce, together with Bishop Porteus[83] and other churchmen, that the Archbishop of Canterbury requested King George III to issue his Proclamation for the Discouragement of Vice in 1787,[84] which he saw as a remedy for what he saw as the rising tide of immorality and vice. This became the Society for Suppression of Vice in 1802,[85] which led to the fining and imprisonment of many people, including free speech campaigners like Richard Carlile, for distributing the works of Thomas Paine and other secular reformers.

COSTCO is selling the knit holiday stamps at a discount at checkout.

BTW, pased the big Seven O yesterday and still able to read and almost type this morning.

Well, reading about FDT did raise (slightly) my opinion of
Howard Baker. Speaks well for his self confidence that he was willing to stand in the same room with a man a full foot taller than himself, much less hire him for a staff position. So many Washington politicos suffer from "little man syndrome."

Slyness, he took a question from me, so he was REALLY scraping the barrel's bottom.

Seeing a (short and small, alas) aurora borealis this morning triggered my earlier pro-aurora rant.
As I have said before they should be called aurora polaris, as they also show at the South pole, but Galileo could hardly know that. And the polar bear should really be the boreal or Northern bear, of course.

Shriek;

Isn't that why the term aurora australis came to be?

:-)

The Gerson piece: Wow. Just wow.

We have conservatives to thank for civil rights and child labor laws. Anyone tell then that?

Also, what have you done for us lately?

The Thompson discussion got me thinking about him compared to Clinton:

Thompson is supposed to bring back the Reagan administration. Clinton is supposed to bring back the first Clinton administration. But Clinton will bring along the actual ex-President with her. What a scene it would be if Thompson brought Reagan back with him!

I read the Givhan piece, and she makes him sound bland, not stylish. That fact would win my vote anyday. It probably is a good thing you don't have to worry about my vote, considering I have no idea about US domestic policies, and only an outsider view on foreign policy, but I find something really appealing about somebody who places an honest amount of effort into what he wears but doesn't dress for show.

In a room of bland politicos and showy dictators, Fred Thompson would still stand head and shoulders above the crowd. (Its the voice, can't get past that voice)

Chet Atkins
Les Paul
A couple of Roys; Clark and Buchanan
Chuck Berry anyone?
Fellow Canucks would lobby for Gordie Johnson(Big Sugar).
It seemed as though I should at least give life to these names in this thread.
For dedication, who could best Les Paul when he had his broken elbow set at the perfect angle for strumming/picking?
If anyone can access the "Boston Pops with Arthur Fiedler" series and watch the episode where Roy Clark was the guest, be prepared to pick your jaw back up off the floor.

I looked at the column too. I was struck by this:
"A later conservative, Lord Shaftesbury, fought against conditions that amounted to slavery in British factories, rescued child laborers from chimneys and mines, and worked for improved sanitary conditions in British slums."

Which leads to the question: When will a reformer arise who will save our children from the slavery of television?

Scotty, why 2 names?
A. australis and a. borealis are the same flipping thing. The Australis show is mostly for the benefit of the penguins but still.
BTW the isotope story is heating up to the political level here. One has to think things through before swinging the regulatory sledgehammer.

I wonder why the blog pulldown menu has disappeared from the front page.

What got me thinking...

When is Reese Witherspoon going to go out and stump for Fred Thompson. Latest "news" is that she's canoodling with Jake Gyllenhaal, so I guess Miley Cyrus will have to be the stand in.

When will Marie Osmond start to campaign for Willard Mitt Romney? Too busy with eight kids? Then I guess Julianne Hough will have to do.

Bill Richardson wanted Jennifer Lopez to make a speech on his behalf? But she's preggers. Guess Cheetah Girl Reba Sabrina Hinojosa will fill in.

Some of the political shenanigans about the reactor's closure.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071212.wisotope1212/BNStory/National/home?cid=al_gam_mostview

I saw the PM's comment yesterday Shriek - typical.

Yes, aka21, I was wondering that, too. The post.com people keep messin' with my routine!

bh - Happy belated birthday. I am rapidly approaching a big one as well, and I simply cannot believe it can be happening.

Gerson....ggggrrrrr.

I liked Joel's piece on Thompson. I love his folksy speech, even if I disapprove of his politics.

You all have a great holiday BPH tonight.

Will bland have anything to do with our investment in the Balkans or our relationship with the Brits?

Does dumpy gain points with Darfur or Deutshland?

Does stylish make points with Sudan or Switzerland?

Does luscious win over Liechtenstein or citizens of Lahore?

Does frumpy win hearts and minds in France or in Freetown?

Dang.

Just got out of a lunch meeting, missed Joel's live discussion (sorry dude, need more of a heads-up).

Off to run some errands, then to the BPH.

bc

Slyness, had I but known Joel was live-chatting, I'd have asked something. But I was working on some stuff and hadn't checked the Boodle, and when I finally did it was 1:10 p.m. and way too late. I'd rant and grumble about advance notice, etc., as several of you have done. I've now gone back and read it.

In a way, that was a hard piece and a hard topic to ask about, given that Joel's piece was almost purely biographical, rather than political. But I suppose if I *had* been lurking here in "real time" and had an opportunity, I'd have asked some semi-prurient questions about Thompson knocking up his high school girlfriend. This happened waaaay "back in the day" when such a thing was a major scandal even in my neck of the woods (Philly suburbia) and I imagine it would have shocked a small southern town to its roots. These were the days when "Uh, I'm late" struck mortal fear into the hearts of teenagers. It was not uncommon back then for the poor "sullied" girl to leave town in the dark of night to go live with Aunt Sally or some such nonsense. That actually happened in our small town in 11th or 12th grade-- we had a set of twin girls who were cheerleaders, and one of them got knocked up, and left town, etc., etc.-- the whole sad story. To this day she's still embarrassed about it [needlessly, in my view] to the point that she declined to come to our 40th high school reunion a few years ago. We are talking major trauma and major scandal here. And of course there's always the mythology about the girl's father chasing after the boy with a shotgun, etc. (hence the term "shotgun wedding").

I saw Chuck Berry only once, but it was one of the most memorable concerts of my life. He was opening for the Stones and they were late, so he just played and played and played. Green jacket, yellow pants, red guitar, and about a quart and a half of Valvoline on the pompadour. Chuck was in his forties by this time, but he completely connected with the crowd, duck walking across the stage playing "Johnny Be Goode" and "Maybellene". To say that the Stones were booed when they took the stage would be false, but this was 1969, the Rolling Stones were as big as you could get (sort of like the Beatles but with a little of the old ultra-violence, as Malcolm McDowell would say), and they got nowhere near the ovation that Chuck got.

I hereby demand that someone take and subsequently post photographs from said BPH. If you fail to do so, I will hold my breath until I turn blue. Or, I will introduce an insipid and annoying tune cootie. Don't let me down.

My guitar-playing brother was a Robin Trower fan.

Thank you Joel, for providing the list of Greatest Rock Guitarists of All Time. I used to listen to them all (how this for a tune cootie: Beck's Bolero). Now I know I am very old.

However, I would have added Mark Knofler and Jerry Garcia to the list. But that's just me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0d1HilfLxA

Robin Trower

Good afternoon. Still here, still have power and I even made it to work today. The Boy's school is still closed and we don't yet know about tomorrow.

I must share this headline from NYT: Why Pregnant Women Don't Tip Over. I like the headline so much I may not read the article.

Among the great guitarists are my friend Charlie, who got his doctorate in history, worked for the Smithsonian, then became a university professor. In addition to his intelligence Charlie has formidable musical skills. The man can arrange and play anything on a guitar and really expanded my horizons. I only wish y'all could hear him. In fact I wish I could hear him -- it's been a long time.

A multipart comment...

CowTown... I'm doing some investigating tonight to find out if there's any wifi Internet service at M&S. If there is, we could do a live broadcast from the next BPH!

Kim.. rapidly approaching a big one? Try a little over a week! Yikes. I've like being able to tease my husband that I'm two decades younger than he. Not for long.

And Dr said... "It probably is a good thing you don't have to worry about my vote, considering I have no idea about US domestic policies, and only an outsider view on foreign policy..."

Unfortunately, that describes about 98% of the American voters. They go by dress, hair and perceived friendliness... why not let the Canadians into the mix?

We've had major ice here as well. I actually didn't get my local paper delivered this morning. Talk about disruption...

I don't how many of us here venture over to the celebrity blog, but I never thought I would be defending Paris Hilton's fame. Total smack down of an anonymous poster's ignorance. I don't know what it is, but I'm sometimes not a very nice person when I post over there.

Hypocrite:

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/3396

Fred Thompson, former Tennessee senator, backs abstinence education.

Views on Sex-Ed Divide Democratic, GOP Candidates
Run Date: 11/26/07
By Alison Bowen
WeNews correspondent

The U.S. has spent about $1 billion on abstinence-only education in the last decade and the White House seeks $28 million more. Here's how presidential candidates line up on the issue. [all the major "front runners" are listed, with each's view.]

TBG, we were talking with friends the other day who are approaching very soon the same milestone and my comment was, is - "you know it seems much younger to me now".

bc, thanks for adding Danny Gatton to the list. I just couldn't come up with the name this morning. Got to see him only once, at the briefly flaming, and fondly remembered Tornado Alley. Surprised no one has mentioned Leo Kotke. Anyone who ever listened to "Vaseline Machine Gun" won't forget it. There is a slim chance I might make it to BPH tonight. Let's hope.

here ya go ebtnut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tew_fIhz3eY

In one of Al Franken's books, he goes around trying to get testimonials from conservatives about how they practiced abstinence as youths and got no replies. He took some flak for using letterhead he wasn't entitled to in order to seem more legit. Definitely a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do issue. Possibly known as hypocrisy.

Perhaps every supporter of abstinence-only education should reveal when and how they lost their virginity with much teeth gnashing and garment rending if it wasn't on their wedding night.

Kim and TBG, I feel your pain. I've been preparing for over a year for the big half-century mark, planning to meet it head on with mucho bravado. Still have a few months to go and I'm hoping to be able to sustain the attitude. Here's wishing you both grace in the moment.

Shriek;

Mmmmph. Mmm mmph.

:-)

CowTown, gotcha covered on the pix.

:-))

Perhaps every supporter of abstinence-only education should try it.

As that famous philosopher and raconteur Earl Butz once famously said of the pope, "He no playa the game, he no maka the rules."

Dang you, omni. Now I know that Jessica Alba has become "with child" without any input on my part.

If anyone has some spare cash and the holiday spirit to help your fellow man, here's one:

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/12/drew-peterson-s.html

PayPal charges a transaction fee, don't they? I'm tempted to make several $.01 donations.

10-4 S'nuke.

That twit Gerson was lamenting the other day that a strict religious education with only the abstinence creed as sex ed wasn't buying the parents any time on first sexual activity nor any difference in sexual activity frequency for their kids. He pulled an explanation for that out of his nether regions and he missed the point: abstinence only sex ed does not work. It is a waste of money.

Ah, yes, Earl Butz, the gift that keeps on giving.

In 1976 Butz, secretary of agriculture under Nixon and then Ford, resigned after it was widely publicized that he had made a racist remark. Butz's statement had been: "I'll tell you what the
coloreds want. It's three things: first, a tight p***y; second, loose shoes; and third, a warm place to s**t."

The AP sent out the uncensored quotation but only two newspapers printed it: Wisconsin's _Madison Capital Times_ and Ohio's _Toledo Blade_. Every other paper censored the remarks. Two newspapers provided ways for readers to see what Butz actually said. The _Lubbock Avalanche-Journal_ announced that the original statement was available in the newspaper office, and more than two hundred people came to read it. The _San Diego Evening Tribune_ offered to mail a copy to anyone who requested it, and more than three thousand people did so.

Butz was convicted of income tax evasion in the early 80's and is still alive, the oldest living cabinet secretary.

Earl Butz was also known around these parts as the uncle of Dave Butz.

re: BPH - The Farragut West station is on the blue line, right?

Happy birthday bh, and prospective happy days to TBG and Kim.

I don't usually defend candidates, but isn't it possible that Thompson and others with his history who advocate abstinence are not hypocrites, but have learned from experience? Granted, I think they didn't learn much, as abstinence only is pretty short-sighted and doesn't appear to work.

Yes indeed, Bob S.; Farragut West on the Blue/Orange and Farragut North on the Red are the closest Metro stops to the BPH.

Sorry yello.

It just amazes me the things people can say and expect to be believed. I mean there was enormous buzz about Paris all over the place about her being famous for being famous in 2001 and 2002. The sex tape scandal broke in 2003 a week before the premiere of her Fox reality series 'The Simple Life'. This is all 4 to 6 years ago and me with my bad memory can remember it like it was yesterday, unfortunately.

I shrink from disagreeing with dmd, but NOT Liona Boyd. If she hadn't been blonde no-one would have given her the time of day. Segovia, now there was a classical guitarist.

Did I ever tell you that I dated a classical guitarist through most University. I guess I have a thing for musical men (see prior references to Himself cf. piano), because on mature reflection, there wasn't much else in that guitar fellow to recommend him.

I daresay Fred Thompson didn't learn as much from the experience as Sarah Lindsay did. Perhaps if more men were single parents, the laws and customs would be different. Nah, I take that back. There's no "perhaps" about it.

Fred Thompson: Is it true he's on the list of the greatest air guitar never played? That he's a sure candidate for the sailor's hall of famine? Was he awake at 16? Has there been any genetic tests of his apparently more recent fatherhood? Has Perry verified that he's not a Muslim?

Somebody call Achenbach.

But who among us does not change our views as time goes on? Should we believe everything we believed when we were 17?

Heck I don't even remember everything I believed when I was 17, much less think that it is valuable. When we are 17, what we believe is not necessarily what we do. (That whole being 17 things rears it head.)

I take a wee bit of comfort that at 17, I had beliefs in something outside of my small world. Who I was then is still in there somewhere, only a lot older and grayer and on really rare occasions, mildy wiser. I hope my beliefs and actions are reasoned just a tad more and that I have asked a whole lot more questions rather than taking what is put before me at face value.

In this instance hypocrite could only be said of Thompson if the question was adult education. He seems pretty open about being a ladies man.

Please help me. There is a nameless teacher in my head pontificating 'i before e except after c and in words like neighbour and weigh'. Could someone send me a tune cootie.

If a song's gonna be stuck in your head for a while, "Classical Gas" isn't too bad!

Thank you Bob. Classical Gas I can live with.

I've tried to get Son1, who ranks No.1 guitarist in my house (he is very, very good so I have heard from people who know stuff like that) to learn this, and he does know it, he just refuses to play in front of people like his dad and I.

Great kit. Achenbro has excellent taste.
I'm a sort of pinky, fishbelly white person. Except for the bruises and the rash, of course.

I saw Segovia perform at the U of Mich, 1979 or 80. I got to stand in the back of the auditorium. Stickler for silence.

He always was; I saw him at Royal Festival Hall in London in the late sixties. You can kind of understand it; you can't hear the guitar if there is another instrument in the same room, much less being played.

I just had a vision of his reaction if he'd been alive to play during the cell phone age. Hah!

I have a question, I see that the GOP have had an afternoon debate in Iowa. Who exactly would be the audience on a Wednesday afternoon?

I was wondering the same thing, dmd.

Well.. I'm out the door and on my way to the BPH. Hope to see you there!

Tune Cootie Suggestion: "Proud Mary" in honor of Ike Turner, dead yesterday at age 76. And I still say Fishburne and Bassett were robbed at the "93 Oscars.

*heading-for-the-BPH Grover waves*

:-)

I saw Segovia in the Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center about a year before he died. I have never heard that big room that quiet for that long. No amplification, he made about a zillion mistakes, and started at least three pieces over again after losing his place, but nobody cared.

Two other fine classical guitarists, both still with us, are John Williams (not the soundtrack composer -- this one is from Australia) and Sharon Isbin.

Omni: Thanks for posting the Kotke YouTube. Since my turntable is in storage along with my vinyl, I haven't heard that played in a long time. Saw Kotke at the Birchmere quite a few years ago. Haven't seen much of him lately. dr, you might have No. 1 son take a listen. That slide thingy Leo uses on his pinkie finger gives a new dimension to guitar sound.

We're awaiting the slushy weather promised at our undisclosed location near Shepherdstown, W.Va. Otherwise having fun with fish and such.

Old tune cootie, "Don't Fence Me In"...

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA121207.01A.Border-fence.29d5b38.html

McALLEN -- With a blast of mariachi music and the roll of a high school drum line, hundreds of people Tuesday launched a protest against the Homeland Security border fence that could start slicing across the southern edge of Texas next year.

At the other end of McAllen's cavernous new convention center, officials with the Department of Homeland Security displayed maps, answered questions, and took comments from residents -- the next step for the fence, which will start going up after final documents are issued in March.

It was the first of three "open house" forums set for this week. Greg Gephart, deputy program manager of tactical infrastructure for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said the meetings give the agency a chance to lend an ear to residents as plans are finalized. ...

Many residents, business owners and public officials are opposed to the fence, saying it will cut farmers from water, destroy habitat for endangered species and send a hostile message to Mexicans who currently generate about a third of some cities' retail sales.

"Our government wants us to believe that they can solve our problems by building 700 miles of noncontiguous physical fence," said McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez. "They also want us to forgo our civil liberties and trust them. We believe building a fence is waste of taxpayer money." ...

Steve Ahlenius of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce, which organized the protest, said the federal government had let the community down again with the open forums.

While there were tables with forms for written comments and stenographers available for one-on-one oral comment, there was no format allowing public speeches. [Crimeny!]

Gephart read an introductory statement once an hour during the 21/2-hour forum, even as protesters breached the CBP event with shouting and signs.

The protests started with a Starr County man who yelled, "You should wall the White House and protect the South from that man in Washington." The crowd soon erupted into raucus slogans against the wall.

i before e except after c
or when ending in a as neighbor or weigh

Everybody else is at the BPH, dr, you had to hear it from me!

Thank you for a good read, Joel.

When evaluating guitarists we must be objective. I respect the nominees from the curiously anonymous 1:27, because Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Roy Clark and Roy Buchanan belong high on any serious list.

Long, long day of meetings.

Nice Bio of Thompson, Joel. I wish I could have been at the keyboard today to send you some nice questions for the chat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKxhsd4x5u0&feature=related

thank you dbg. Its probably a Canuckistani difference.

Linda, everytime I hear stuff about the wall, I just keep giggling. And its not even remotely funny.

ebtnut, thankyou. I'll forward that to him. He was listening to a new cd the other night (or mp3 or ipod stuff - what do I know of technology), some tunes by Django Reinhard. Very nice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEzsPGHsi90

I love how we get to hear stuff so easily now, that hasn't been around in decades. These young people listen to a broader range of musical types than I ever did.

I swear to god I am not making this up.

Gonzales Named Lawyer of the Year
By LARA JAKES JORDAN

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Negative news coverage may have cost former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales his job, but it won him a dubious honor Wednesday from a magazine published by the American Bar Association: Lawyer of the Year.

Tonight we are attending the exciting winter band concert. It is called the winter band concert because that's how they do things here. And I am certainly sensitive to offending anyone. I just hate the fact that so many beautiful Christmas songs are ignored because they have religious themes. So instead of "Oh Holy Night" we get "Frosty the Snowman."

I've seen C-beams glitter in the darkness off Tanhauser Gate...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUHI1JVR_cM

And speaking of Guitar Gods, I went downstairs yesterday to find my son playing a video game called "Guitar Hero." (Evidently it is all the rage with them young folks.)

Anyway, the game featured this song he had never heard before. He asked if I might be familiar with it. It was this little ditty called "Freebird."

Do they teach children nothing in school?

I agree RD, twice in the last couple of days I have heard "Unto us a child is given", from the Messiah, extremely religious but what I hear is the music and the voices - simply beautiful.

mudge,
That breaking news forced me to update my blog.
http://livebythefoma.blogspot.com/2007/12/quick-hits.html
I'm wondering what celebrity nominations are next? Paris Hilton as Drinker of the Year?

We are getting some substantial snow here tomorrow, six to nine inches. If true, it will be more than double what we got here all last winter. Of course we did not buy a snowblower (yet) so will be outside tomorrow night shoveling. The driveway isn't long so I'm sort of looking forward to the exercise and maybe a quick snowball fight. We might get a real big snow storm this weekend, or, more likely here on the coast, it will rain instead.

I had a good time at my granddaughter's school today showing them all how to sew on a button. Even the boys were into it and some of them were quite good at it. Lots of questions and lots of rethreading needles. It was fun to meet the teacher and see the classroom. I always like to have a picture of places and people in my mind. Hope everyone is having fun at the BPL. We are hoping to visit D.C. next summer, maybe we'll be able to attend one then.

"S" is putting together the cemetary boxes and listening to Christmas carols, I am heading to the kitchen to make cookies.

Ads from Google ---

Armless Rockers In Stock
Great for guitarists. Ready to ship anywhere.
www.rocking-chairs.com
----------------
But if they are armless --- how can they play guitar?

Hi!
This drive-by-boodling is terrible!!

However, I have a situation and I trust the opinion of the Boodle.

As we were pulling into the driveway today, my daughter said, "Mom, did you know Jesus is the true son of God?" I responded the way I always do and reminded her that we are all God's children. I asked where she heard it this time. She said the school librarian read it in a book today. Then she says, "And she said the Jews put Jesus on a cross until he died. And I'm so upset that we would do something so mean!"

At this point I jumped out of the car and saying that I needed to go to the bathroom. I slammed the door and said every curse word I could think of, in every language I could muster, and then walked out calmly and asked my daughter to repeat the story. She did, no variation in content.

I don't even know how to begin addressing this with the school. I'm so mad I can't even figure out how to type a polite letter to the principal. My husband is in quite a state, too. So much so, I asked him to refrain from making any phone calls or firing off any emails.

I should not have to figure out how to explain to my daughter she should be proud of being Jewish.

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions as to how to take care of this without being branded the pain in the neck parent who ruined Christmas for the school, I'd appreciate it.

Just tell her Jesus was asking for it.

a bea c, I would tell her that yes Christians believe what she heard, but that there are many religions each with their own beliefs. Just because someone holds a different belief does not make yours any less important.

Suggest that important stories of other religions be read to the children? I would also suggest secular options but I am not thinking that would go over well.

Oh my A Bea C!

I am so sad for you but mostly that your darling daughter was dunked so soon into the frigid bath of intolerance and the banality of evil.

Can you draft a letter with a trusted friend and let the letter speak first, before you go to a meeting? That way the letter tells the account, which frees you up to request a meeting about what must happen now by way of

written apology

corrective action in terms of diversity training for the librarian

and perhaps broader diversity training in school.

a bea c, I am so sorry to hear this and I certainly understand why you are upset. This is a public school, right? The librarian is totally out of line for proselytizing inappropriately. A phone call to set up an appointment and a visit to the principal is in order. A written letter to the district superintendent would be appropriate also. Good luck!

Gordie Johnson is/was a bit more obscure, but it was supposed to be a Rock list and I took some liberties with the other names re: style.
That said, Richard Thompson(Fairport Convention, etc.) is a true virtuoso.
In a short stretch of time in the late 70's I saw B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Canada's answer to Hendrix cloning, (as per England's Robin Trower), Frank Marino with Mahogany Rush, all at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Great venue, superb acoustics, marvelous performances, valued memories.

Yes, this is a public school.

Now that the kids are off to bed, my husband and I have sent an email to the principal, requesting a meeting. We said we needed to discuss something that happened at school today, but didn't go into details.

We want to see the book that was read. If the book does have the comment about Jews killing Jesus, we want it out of the library. If the librarian ad-libbed that little gem, we want a written apology to my daughter in a language she can understand. We want this documented in her file and we want the superintendent informed. And I want a copy of whatever policy the County has regarding religion in schools. If there isn't one, I'll contact my school board representative and suggest he starts working to get one in place.

I will not let anyone use my tax dollars to blatantly go against the Constitution, and most importantly, to hurt my child.

Good luck a bea c, I missed the part in your post about the comment about the Jews killing Jesus - I am so sorry.

a bea c,

What happened is just wrong on so many levels. But you are taking a good approach. Good luck with the principal and let us know what happens! Wow!

Hitler made Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" once. In that case, it had nothing to do with approval of his deeds, but a recognition of how great an impact he had on world events that year.

Maybe the ABA means "Lawyer of the Year" as in that sense, especially when it comes to constitutional rights. Probably not, but I'll like to think so until proven otherwise.

a bea c, I am so sorry that happened to your daughter. You'd think we'd be well beyond this sort of thing, but sadly, we aren't. Good luck with your meeting and yes, please let us know what happens.

Well, there you go!

The principal called about ten minutes after we emailed. She was LIVID when my husband told her what had happened. She said we will have an apology from the librarian, no matter what.

This is not the regular librarian, but one that is at the school once a week. So the principal will investigate when she gets to school tomorrow, and call us during the day to let us know what else is being done.

I feel so much better knowing she's as outraged as I am. I could hear her comments to my husband when they were on the phone. She was YELLING. Wow!

Thanks all for your support.

Gosh, a bea c, that is just awful. I'm shocked, and I don't know why since that sort of thing happens here too. If they offer the "it is just doctrine" excuse don't accept it. In any case it just has no place in a public school. Gar. Good luck with your meeting.

RD, "freebird" and "frosty" are about on the same plane. The other day I (without choice or comment) listened to an afternoon of commercial radio playing popular music versions of both secular and religious "Christmas" music. It was a long afternoon.

Catching up, behind as usual. The principal's reaction was great, congratulations. I meant, of course, that the librarian's comments were awful. I'm so glad to hear the principal has some principles (sorry, couldn't help myself, too much ice). This may turn out to be a really good lesson for your daughter, rather than one of humiliation and pain. There's a holiday gift for you.

I'm not generally for censorship of books, a bea c. That is a slippery slope from where there is no return.

However, I do question the librarian's taste in reading the tale to the children, especially in the way your child described it, as perpetuating anti-semitic stereotypes.

To counter this, you should explain that Jesus was a Jew too, and his disciples were Jews too.
At that time the Jews were suffering under Roman rule. The Romans would not hestiate to punish an entire people if they thought there was any rebellion.

When Pontius Pilate spoke to the Jews and asked them if they wanted to commute Jesus's sentence, to ask for mercy for Jesus, who was politically dangerous, could have been seen as implict support of his teachings and general rebellious actions, and that could have led to great penalties.

The Jewish leaders at that time did not want to have great trouble from the Romans at Passover. They chose not to speak in his behalf, but rather to ask for the death penalty.

In the bible, Jesus himself knows this will happen and forgives even his best friend for being too afraid to know him (thou wilst deny me thrice before the cock crows).
People can be weak when they are extremely afraid for their lives. It's sad, but very human.

Of course this may be a bit advanced for your daughter, but explaining the context a little more may help her understand that it is not Jews vs Jesus, but it was always Jesus vs Romans and the Jewish leaders caught in the middle.

Again... it is just a very disgraceful cliche that has been used to justify far too much hatred.
I feel for you, but I wouldn't ask the book be removed, but the librarian should have had more sense.

Even among Christians, Jesus's death is not a christmastime story; it's traditionally read at or near Passover / Easter, because the parallels are always drawn to the sacrifice of Isaac and the passover lambs.

You CAN protest this without ruining Christmas at school.

All you have to focus is on the problem concept. I wish you luck. I'm very sorry your daughter had to learn this stereotype so young.

Just back from the BDP in record time, 40 minutes door to door. Though we missed CP,Omni, Mo, and Mudge, a good time was had by all. Scotty will post the pictures soon. And I met the bride of Scotty, and she's lovely!

BC and Scotty, and Tina and Raysmom, and Bob S and Lostinthought kept us entertained.

Bad Sneakers, we'll reconvene in your honor when you visit.

And Joel, thanks for the book!

It seems to me that this should be a matter for appropriate discipline, as well as an apology. The district's human relations folks should be made aware.

SCC: What on earth is a DBP?

After a lifetime of bad movies, "Bride of Scotty" conjures up unfortunate images which I'm sure are inappropriate for NukeSpouse.

By the way, my family tells me that if you watched the ABC national news report on our ice storm (I was cooking & didn't) you had the chance to see two of my friends. Jim Tolbert and his son Miles own the Full Circle Bookstore, one of the few remaining old-fashioned full service independent bookstores (with a cafe, please imagine the accent) in the area. It had power after the storm and apparently a lot of people came over for warmth, wifi, food etc., and they were asked to talk about it. In addition to being book lovers, Jim is a community leader who acts as a role model to a lot of us, and Miles is currently Secretary of the Environment for Oklahoma. Renaissance types. Under the circumstances I'll attribute that to a love of reading and good bookstores. Anyway, find Full Circle on the Web or, better yet, go pay your local independent bookstore a call, and have a chat with the owners. You'll be glad you did.

[Chicken breasts sauteed in white wine, olive oil & chicken stock with garlic cloves, cream gravy from the cooking liquid, biscuits and (gulp) Rice-a-Roni (hey, the San Fransisco Treat).]

Maggie I trust you had a wonderful time at that BPH :-)

Ivansmom, just had a wonderful imagine of sitting in an old book store, with a fresh coffee, riding out the ice storm, although it does have a fireplace and big comfy chairs. So delightful.

Saw LZ in '78 in Market Square supporting Presence (no . . . no . . . no . . . nobody's fault but mine).

I have always been slightly troubled by the way that some of their tunes are carefully reworked and massively-amplified old blues songs (like Nobody's Fault but Mine) with no attribution to the original blues dude.

For example, many years ago my wife gave me an import boxed set of the complete Muddy Waters recordings with Chess records. There is a song on Disc 6 called "You Need Love." I was not previously familiar with it. If you listen to the first fifteen seconds, you no longer need to know where the inspiration for "Whole Lotta Love" came from.

I loved LZ, they had a pulse that came from listening to James Brown's band and did a whole lot of neat things but that part has always bothered me.

Ivansmom, So glad you made it through the ice storm with minimal damage. My parents are still without electricity and their phone is out, too. I called the neighbors today to be sure everything is okay there. They have gas heat but it doesn't work without electricity -- I did not know that before. But they are all right. The neighbors said everybody was eating stew yesterday; that will keep them thawed out.

In related Okie news, I have just finished shelling a whole load of pecans that were shipped from there as a holiday present (thanks, Mom & Dad!) and spent the last three hours making the pecans into holiday treats for my co-workers. This is a fun recipe that will be in the Kitchen Kaboodle cookbook if (I mean, when) it gets published.

Spiced Pecans

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt

2 cups pecans

Mix together all ingredients except pecans in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until the temperature reaches 236 degrees F. Pour the syrup over the pecans and stir until the sugar starts to crystallize. Then spread the pecans out on wax paper or aluminum foil and let them cool.

This is a good recipe to do with kids because you can talk about solutions and crystals, and because it seems really magical when the syrup cools and turns back into sugar. There's always a moment that tests your faith, when you pour the syrup over the nuts and you just have a gloopy mess. But you just have to believe, and stir, and wait, and in a few minutes, voila, sugar-covered pecans.

I forgot to mention that, on the home from the BPL, the BDP, or the BPD, or the BPH, I was behind a car that I thought was sporting a fish symbol, but when I looked closer, it looked like a crab outline with sqiggles coming out of it all around. Inside the crab, were the letters 'FSM', and I had an epiphany: the Flying Spaghetti Monster! What a coincidence!

Back to guitar gods for a moment.
I heard Leo Kottke in person twice circa 30 years ago--good stuff indeed. That kind of virtuosity on a 12-string... the guy must have been able to crush pebbles between his fingertips. There are so many fine guitarists in the last 40 years--we are very fortunate. I just wish they were all still around to hear. I also wish I were less ignorant about all kinds of music, but there's only so much time, isn't there?

a bea c, how awful! Glad the principal is on the right wavelength.

SCC: Actually I was on the WAY home....

Glad to hear the principal was upset, it's always a relief these days when people act the way they should, there's so little of that lately.

Finished two types of cookies tonight. Tomorrow night I'll make Swedish bread. Now have to go down cellar and find my boots, sounds like the snow will be fairly deep before I leave work tomorrow, so I'll need them. My review is scheduled for around 3 pm, assuming they haven't sent us home by then.

Off to bed but, Johnny Winter? Good god.

Stevie Ray Vaughn, I believe, was born on the day Hendrix died.

I'm not saying it's true, but it ought to be.

Missed the latest update from A bea C when I posted... oh yes, that is the reaction of a good principal. Glad to know that you won't have much of a problem getting something done. Apparently you may not have been the only parent to complain.

Thanks, kbertocci. When the ice finally melts (still very thick on the limbs here) and we can really see the damage, I'll be sad at the shattered trees. However, there's nothing to be done about it, and the only practical casualty so far is the driveway. At least we can get out. I literally can't count the trees damaged at this point and it won't get any better later. Ah well. New ones will grow.

Time for bed!

SCC: "Vaughan" not "Vaughn"

FYI:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937559/the_100_greatest_guitarists_of_all_time

In our "Winter" of discontent, Johnny is 74. Yikes.

Finally getting here - and I still am the first to say what an underrated guitarist George Harrison is - and also mention one of my favorites, Carlos Santana. But I thought of Boko as soon as I saw Johnny Winter - cool!

My kiddo and Mr Ml decided to surprise me with a new computer - one that my kid built, so it's super dooper snazzy everything. It's not on the network yet, and there are the details of transferring data...and I still have my lousy cable modem that keeps dying...but soon I'll be boodling at light speed, I hope!

Happy Birthday, bh! Hope you celebrate all year.

a bea c, hope your meeting goes well. Wow, what an awful thing to deal with.

*recovering-from-a-wonderful-holiday-BPH Grover waves*

Even with a few of our stalwarts missing, there was festive headgear, laughter and heartfelt companionship galore last night! Pictures will be forthcoming soon, I promise! Except for the one of the Xmas Achenfish, it didn't come out for some reason... :-)

A bea c, you did exactly the right thing. An "official" setting such as a school library is no place for that kind of language.

Good morning, friends. I know you folks are up and moving about. If not, what are you waiting for? In my case, I had to get up. Head hurting this morning, side effect probably from the medications. The leg does feel a little better at times, but still hurts something awful too. I did not realize that limbs can hurt like a toothache.

Morning, Mudge, Slyness, Martooni, Scotty, and all.*waving*

a bea c, sorry about your troubles, and I hope it works out well for your family, especially your daughter. My reading of Scripture in the King James version tells me we all had a hand in that event. I don't feel teachers should talk about religion as far as teaching doctrine. It's not their job. Religious training is done in church and by parents.

Slyness it is so warm here. We had both doors open last night. And it feels warm this morning. I know this weather isn't going to last, and when the cold reappears it's going to be a shock.

I think Hendrix and some of the blues singers(B.B. King, Muddy Waters, etc.) play a mean guitar. I did not like Hendrix when I first heard him. The song where he talks about kissing the sky, and I can never remember the title, changed my mind. I also like Joan Jett.

Fred Thompson, no way. Anyone that wants to be like Ronald Reagan does not make me feel warm and fuzzy. I don't care how down home he looks or talks.

And yes, TBG, those Southern Democrats fled the party during the Civil Rights years, and guess where they landed? The Republican Party. Yet when that history is brought up, every one is shocked. Not me, they cry.

I've written a series of letters to the local paper talking about race after a woman wrote a letter justifying slavery as a rationale for living in America. The last letter I wrote I extended the olive branch to try to put a stop to the hate that fuels these conversations sometime. I come in at night sometimes, and can't hear very well,can't run either, and I know this.

Have a great day, folks. Are you looking forward to the holidays?

God loves us so much more than we can imagine through Him that died for all, Jesus Christ.

'Morning, Boodle, Scotty, Cassandra. Glad to hear the BPH went well. I always wanted to be a "stalwart" -- surely one of the least flattering-sounding words in the English language.

Cassandra, I really hate to say it, but your "we all had a hand in it" line is going to raise a few hackles 'round the Boodle. It's the "we" part that is troublesome. I suppose I could have tolerated and remained silent with "they," referring generically to bunches of people 2,000 years ago (maybe, and even then with many caveats and reservations and assumptions-for-arguments-sake, etc.). But I'm not willing to be part of any such "we." If you want to say "we Christians," or something, that's your business, since I'm not part of that subset of humanity.

But be that as it may, this isn't the time of year to bring any of this up. Which is why I'd be perfectly happy if a bea c's school took that librarian and quietly had her lobotomized. Because that woman is as dangerous as any al Qaeda operative.

...and meant to add, I'm already sorry I even brought it up, and I think we should refrain from discussing any of it any further. Byegones, etc.

a bea c,
I think you and your husband (and the principal) are handling this perfectly. A lot of well-meaning but overly zealous people of faith do a lot of harm when they proselytize in inappropriate settings. Unfortunately this is an early lesson in the hate and prejudice your daughter will encounter all her live.

My wife was aghast when she ran across her first anti-Catholic Chick-tract in college. She had no idea people could be so hateful.

Stick to your guns.

I second Mudge. There is no "we". It was the actions of a few judges and politicans in a position to decide.

Good morning to you all.

a bea c, glad to hear the principal reacted as she did. . .now how to prepare your little girl to deal with an apology? (It never ends. Life is just so daily) :-)

Er, new Kit...?

bc

I moved to the States hoping my children would never deal with what I went through, having rocks thrown at me around Easter and stuff. I have put up with searches at customs, have been called a dirty Mexican, have been asked for drugs, whatever, just so my kids could practice our religion freely and with joy. Although I'm mad this happened, I'm really glad I have the right to make a fuss.

Today we will talk to both kids about what happened, explain why it is wrong, what should have happened, and tell them this one incident is over. We will make sure we answer all their questions and then we won't discuss it any more. But, we have to stress that telling me was the right thing to do. I know it will happen again. As the kids grow older, we need to teach them to speak up for themselves.

Cassandra, I'm glad to see you here. Last time I visited you were having a mysterious problem, and when I didn't see your name at all in any of yesterday's comments, I was worried.

Thanks to all of you for your input.

I posted a microkit and will add to it this afternoon.

The usual suspects are pretty well-known: Hendrix, Page, Clapton, Beck, Winter, etc. In the fabulous but definitely underrated category:

Roy Buchanan.
Richard Thompson.
Frank Zappa.
Danny Gatton.
Les Paul.
Chet Atkins.
Joe Beck.

And there are more I am sure I have missed.