Cubs Get Bounced and Trump Gets Covid
The Magic of Vinyl
I love that the vinyl record has made a comeback. For me it’s mostly a nostalgic thing since I know that digitally recorded music is a more accurate presentation of sound, but with vinyl it’s all about the experience.
Growing up in the 60’s & 70’s playing records was kind of a big deal. When you broke out the albums and started playing them back to back that was an event. Usually there would be friends over or it would be the weekend. Otherwise you’d just turn on the radio. There was no streaming or mp3 players.
Just watching the record spin on the turntable is kind of hypnotic. Not to mention all the extras, lyrics and artwork that come inside the album jacket.
We are blessed with one of the coolest record stores on the planet here in Olympia, Rainy Day Records. I have spent hours on my hands and knees going through their 98 cent records. New vinyl is more pricey than I remember. A single album today can run as much as $30 so it’s worth it to look through the bargain bins.
Along with used stereo equipment, used & new cds and dvds, there’s a wall of rare records displayed as a comic shop would show their prize silver and bronze age books. They even have 45s!
Rainy Day is going to get a lot of my business in the months to come as I replace my record collection that was mostly given away before our move. Any records new or old I’ll get buy from them because places like this are a treasure and should be around forever.
He Who Must Not Be Named
WARNING! What follows is a blog about politics! Normally I stay away from the “P” word in this space but this time it can’t be helped. If your eyes glaze over at the mention of all things political then now is the time to bail.
Now that those folks are gone, let’s begin.
I don’t know if y’all have noticed (and I don’t see how you could not have) but there’s some crazy shit going on in American politics. Mark my words, these are historic times we are living in right now. No matter what happens, in a few years we’ll look back on this year as the year _____ happened.
No matter what you think of Hillary Clinton, for her to be elected the first woman president would be a BFD especially given how deep misogyny runs not just in this country but worldwide. Bernie Sanders my be a punchline to some, but I’ve been listening to this guy every Friday for the last 5 years on the Thom Hartman show and I think he’s the real deal. We’ve been brainwashed by almost 40 years of Reganomics so of course most people think the things he says he could do are unrealistic because the greedy billionaires have convinced us they are.
Now the fun part. The republicans. Their side is a just a clown show led by the biggest clown, a former reality show star/businessman whose name we must never speak again. He is doing so well that he doesn’t even spend money on ads because the corporate media is doing that for him. In fact, the only ads you see with him in them are negative ads sponsored by the mainstream republican party! Throw in Ted Cruz, (a cross between Dracula and Pee Wee Herman) the most hated man in the senate and it’s self destruct time for the GOP. Personally I couldn’t be happier.
All BS aside, let’s not sit on the sidelines for this one. As much fun as it is watching the party of Reagan implode, we need to unite behind the last man or woman standing on the democratic side come November. The Supreme Court is at stake. Reagan stacked the court with hardcore neocons that have helped to make life difficult for everyone who’s not a millionaire. Now that Scalia has checked out, the next appointment will swing the court to one side or the other. Plus Thomas, Kennedy & Ginsberg ain’t getting any younger. This election is too important to fight among ourselves and stay home.
55?
Why does everybody speed to wherever they’re going? I’m sure many of these people are heading to jobs that they hate or family they can’t stand but boy are they in a hurry to get there!
The other day I was driving south on I-57. I’m not a leadfoot anymore so I try to stay in the middle lane and go a few miles over the limit but not so fast that I can’t adjust down if a state trooper is spotted. This particular day was a Saturday afternoon and traffic seemed a bit more aggressive than usual so I moved to the right lane so all the NASCAR wannabees could get past me. This woman got right in my ass. Keep in mind that I’m going 70 mph in a 55 zone in the right lane. It was clear she was giving me the kind of tailgate that’s meant to intimidate me into driving faster. Sorry missy, if 70 in the slow lane ain’t fast enough for ya then take your ass around. Which she did and while doing so shot me the nastiest glare one human being could give another. Like I’m the asshole!
Am I?