Random ramblings from an amateur rock-n-roll historian and critic,self-professed bourbon aficionado, blackberry growin', jam makin', sometime tie-die shirt makin', ex hippie wannabe, turned punk rock lovein', blues festival going, middle aged pudgy bald white guy who loves to wear Hawaiian shirts in the summertime and happens to be more Stax than Motown, more Alman Brothers than Skynard, more Stones than Beatles, more NASCAR than Baseball, more freeware than license keys...
and not have the advanced weaponry that your rivals do?
Revelation 7:1
"And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree."
"Natural experiments (involving Finns expelled from the USSR in 1945, Cubans flocking to Miami in 1980 and Jews settling in Israel in the 90s) prove that migrants do not steal natives’ jobs; they just help expose the holes in public services and social housing left by austerity. As for trade liberalisation, which economists treat as super-important, Banerjee and Duflo suggest it brings relatively small benefits while doing a lot of damage to the poor in countries such as the US and India. The resulting discontent turbo-charges racism: the moment white blue-collar men lose hope and apply for disability welfare benefits, it is no longer enough for them to denigrate black people and Latinos as “welfare queens”. They must now be depicted as gang members or rapists."
Donald Trump has opened the floodgates to lies about immigration. Here are the myths, and the facts
MYTH: Immigrants take away American jobs.
Wrong. Immigrants add to economic demand, and thereby push firms to create more jobs.
MYTH: We don’t need any more immigrants.
Baloney. The U.S. population is aging. Twenty-five years ago, each retiree in America was matched by 5 workers. Now for each retiree there are only 3 workers. Without more immigration, in 15 years the ratio will fall to 2 workers for every retiree, not nearly enough to sustain our retiree population.
MYTH: Immigrants are a drain on public budgets.
Bull. Immigrants pay taxes! The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy released a report this year showing undocumented immigrants paid $11.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2012 and their combined nationwide state and local tax contributions would increase by $2.2 billion under comprehensive immigration reform.
MYTH: Legal and illegal immigration is increasing.
Wrong again. The net rate of illegal immigration into the U.S. is less than zero. The number of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. has declined from 12.2 million in 2007 to 11.3 million now, according to Pew Research Center.
Don’t listen to the demagogues who want to blame the economic problems of the middle class and poor on new immigrants, whether here legally or illegally. The real problem is the economic game is rigged in favor of a handful at the top, who are doing the rigging.
We need to pass comprehensive immigration reform, giving those who are undocumented a path to citizenship.
Scapegoating them and other immigrants is shameful.
Russia invades Eastern Europe, reconstituting the Iron Curtain.
China invades Hong Kong and sets up a tariff system for passage through the South China Sea
and?
Turkey leaves NATO (and takes with it 40 US nuclear warheads) and aligns with Iran and Russia?
Lets just say it all happens at relatively the same time.
Matthew 24:22
“If those days had not been cut short,
no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect
those days will be shortened.
Revelation 7:13-14
Then one of the elders asked me,
“These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
I answered, “Sir, you know.”
And he said,
“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation;
they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Anybody, can have faith during good times.
Better be ready spiritually.
"Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive my sins and save me from eternal separation from God. By faith, I accept Your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank You for providing the way for me to know You and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father. Through faith in You, I have eternal life. Thank You also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen."
Just say it and mean it.
Go talk to somebody to help fill in the blanks and question marks.
More of a seed planter than someone that wins conversions honey.
“There’s lots of areas where the narrative isn’t exactly right,” Porter said. “For example, we have a lot of people employed, but there’s a lot of data that shows that the people employed are often not getting a living wage, or they’re not being paid for their qualifications. A lot of college graduates in jobs that don’t really compensate them for what they know.”
Porter said the real unemployment rate is closer to 10%.
“On the state of the economy, I think there’s a certain tendency now to tell a good story,” he said. “But if you look underneath the hood at some of the things that really matter to our society, we’re not doing as well as is sometimes alleged.”
that he says can’t be helped by an accommodative monetary policy,
including
unsupportable pensions, mounting consumer debt, a health-care system that’s bankrupting the country, outrageous student loan debt, funding unwinnable wars, etc.
The “loose money” approach is actually “metastasizing” a new set of problems
that will ultimately “bring this sucker down.”
All that free-flowing Fed cash is nothing more than
“socially useless financial activity”
that, he says, enriches a few at the top and leaves the rest of the country behind."
The great recession?
Will seem like nothing when it goes down this time.
"According to ABC/Washington Post polling out this week, 71% of Americans want Trump’s top aides to testify in the Senate trial, including 2 in 3 Republicans. Additionally, more than 60% of voters of every political persuasion expect to see a “fair trial” in Senate, including 64% of independents. McConnell has already made a public promise to deny Americans both witnesses and impartiality, and Pelosi was making sure they knew it."
“Is the president’s case so weak that none of the president’s men can defend him under oath?
If the House case is so weak, why is Leader McConnell so afraid of witnesses and documents?”
"...the longer she waits to transmit those articles, the worse it gets for McConnell. Trump will get absolutely rabid in his desire for acquittal, making vulnerable GOP senators even more anxious. And the more time that passes, the greater the likelihood of good court rulings that put more documents and witnesses in the offing. Refusing to take them up will only make McConnell look more partisan, more unfair, and more unfaithful to democracy. So Pelosi might take a bit to transmit those articles to the Senate.
It's a remarkable power play.
And it's exactly the right one for two reasons,
because:
there's absolutely nothing in the constitution
about when the articles of impeachment have to be transmitted to the senate
and because it caught Senate republicans completely off guard.
It's like going for it on forth and one with two tight ends and a full back in the formation.
Everybody just thinks your gonna hand it to the running back or run a quarterback sneak.
Instead?
Democrats are opting to throw it to a wide receiver on the outside for a touchdown.
Well played.
These are not conventional times.
Throw conventional wisdom out the door.
Oh,
and goodbye
you're about to become irrelevant for decades.
I always wondered how the "Reagan revolution" would fizzle out
and conservatism would die away in this country.
Now I've got my answer.
I just always thought it would be at the ballot box.
"Going to wherever the fuck I want and getting whatever I choose list"
at this point
:-).
115 Proof?
Oh hell yeah.
To be "Bottled in Bond"
a bourbon must be crafted:
by one distiller
at a single distillery
and crafted over one single distillation season.
If it's from KY?
And it's Bottled in Bond?
You won't be disappointed.
Barrel proof?
And it's a "wheater?"
Oh hell yeah..
Always heard good things.
See the note about Bottled in Bond" earlier.
And again one more time for good measure.
"To be labeled as bottled-in-bond or bonded,
the liquor must be:
the product of one distillation season
(January–June or July–December)
by one distiller
at one distillery.
It must have been aged in a federally bonded warehouse
under U.S. government supervision
for at least four years
(Most are 6-8 seems like)
and bottled at 100 (U.S.) proof
(50% alcohol by volume).
The bottled product's label must identify
the distillery where it was distilled
and, if different,
where it was bottled.
Only spirits produced in the United States may be designated as bonded.
Some consumers consider the term to be an endorsement of quality,
(Yep)
while many producers consider it archaic and do not use it.
However, because bottled-in-bond whiskey must be the product of one distillation season,
one distillery, and one distiller – whereas ordinary straight whiskey may be a product of the mingling of straight whiskeys (of the same grain type) with differing ages and producers within a single state – it may be regarded as a better indication of the distiller's skill,
making it similar in concept to a single malt whisky,
(The only kind I ever liked)
small batch whiskey,
(Yep)
or single barrel whiskey.
(Works as well)
Bonded whiskeys are also valued for their higher-than-usual alcohol content (100 proof rather than the more typical 80–90 proof),
(Nah...Really? Who knew?)
as this means the product contains a less diluted spirit,
"Economists have long wondered: if unemployment is so low,
why aren’t we seeing more rapid wage increases?"
Cause greedy bastards are running the show.
Duh.
The progressive wing of the democratic party is right.
The system is rigged.
Why Is Participation In The Workforce So Low?
"Another perennial debate among economists is: why is participation in the workforce so low? Tens of millions of working-aged Americans are still not formally employed and have no apparent interest in sending out a resume."
"Workers don’t re-enter the workforce because many of the the jobs themselves are rotten."
Count me among them.
I'm gonna work your shity job with some jerk as a manager and still fall behind?
Fuck your system.
I'll figure out something else.
I hear that Waffle House ion Fla is still hiring Lucy.
:-).
Weren’t Manufacturing Jobs Replaced By Other Jobs?
“Lost manufacturing jobs were chiefly replaced by lower-wage/lower-hours service jobs.”
Duh.
Where the fuck these people been?
Why Didn’t High Tech Save the U.S. Economy?
"With other countries targeting what they see as high-value industries, the U.S. is not just in danger of, but actually has been, forced into greater reliance on low-value, low-growth industries, offering lower-wage, lower-hours jobs.”
What Do The New Jobs Actually Look Like?
“When all that a country has left is the domestic manufacture of processed foodstuffs,” concludes the JQI White Paper, “you end up with a lot of unhealthy and unwealthy workers who are in dire shortage of security, much less dignity. A republic that offers no better than this cannot long endure.”
You gotta be a rocket scientist to figure this shit out?
WTF?
I said this three years ago:
"How bout this?
These jobs aren't worth it.
They don't pay enough.
Why work for peanuts and barely get by and not have a life and basically be an indentured servant when you can do largely the same working lil odd jobs or hardly working at all?
You can work your whole life with these shitty ass jobs with nitwit ass kissin managers and you're never gonna have enough to retire on or put your kids through school.
"not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house."
Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
Numbers 12:1-9
The patience of Moses was tried in his own family,
as well as by the people.
The pretence was, that he had married a foreign wife;
but probably their pride was hurt,
and their envy stirred up, by his superior authority.
Opposition from our near relations, and from religious friends, is most painful.
But this is to be looked for,
and it will be well if in such circumstances we can preserve the gentleness and meekness of Moses.
Moses was thus fitted to the work he was called to.
God not only cleared Moses, but praised him.
Moses had the spirit of prophecy in a way which set him far above all other prophets; yet he that is least in the kingdom of heaven, is greater than he; and our Lord Jesus infinitely excels him, Heb 3:1.
Let Miriam and Aaron consider whom it was they insulted.
We have reason to be afraid of saying or doing any thing against the servants of God.
And those are presumptuous indeed who are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, 2Pe 2:10.
The removal of God's presence is the surest and saddest token of God's displeasure.
Woe to us, if he depart! he never departs, till by sin and folly we drive him from us.
Hebrews 3:1
Jesus Greater Than Moses
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.
2 Peter 2:10
This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh[a] and despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;
"Experts said the depiction of sources and vetting in the report
could pose problems for the U.S.’ information sharing relationships,
and undermine the FBI’s recruitment efforts."
'Questions about the Trump administration’s
willingness to declassify typically sensitive material
predated Barr and the IG report.
In February 2018, Trump cleared the release of the so-called “Nunes memo”
over the objections of his deputy attorney general at the time, Rod Rosenstein,
and FBI Director Chris Wray,
who argued that certain information in it should have been redacted."
"Suffering is a part of our lives. Most people at one time or another experience physical illness. Hunger is frequently endured by a large percent of the world’s population. Poverty is widespread. Still others suffer at the hands of people, either in difficult marriages, or with abusive parents, or oppressive masters. As a result of greed and corruption, the political climate in some countries produces much bloodshed and war. Those with deep spiritual convictions have to suffer persecution because of their obedience to their beliefs. Millions of people around the world suffer daily. Why? What is the reason?
Suffering came into this world in the beginning because of sin. It is a continual reminder of man’s sinful condition (Genesis 3:16-19; Romans 5:12). Pain, trouble, and sorrow became an everyday part of man’s existence, because of his disobedience. Since sin is in this world, suffering is a part of life. We cannot, in this earthly life, expect to see the complete eradication of disease or the end of suffering. We are all subject to it regardless of status or nationality.
Many people suffer unnecessarily because they abuse their bodies, or do not take proper care of them. If we indulge in smoking, drinking, taking drugs, and intemperate living, we are making excessive demands on our bodies. Consequently, our bodies, and even our minds, may break down under these stresses. It is sin to abuse our bodies (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:18-20).
There is much suffering, however, that comes upon the human race over which we have no control, and it comes unbidden to the rich and poor alike. No one, no matter how good a person he is, can be assured that he will be exempted. Job, the great example of suffering, was commended of God as a perfect and upright man. Consider the misery he suffered, losing his health, wealth, and family, and even his wife turned against him! God was glorified through his suffering, and He would like to be through yours. Read Job, chapter 1.
A person is not necessarily sick, blind, maimed, deaf, deformed, barren, etc., because he or his parents have sinned. At one time the disciples asked Jesus after meeting a blind man: “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? (John 9:2). Jesus replied, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (v.3). Later, Jesus healed the man. In some cases the barren woman suffers unjustly. She is despised and rejected because of superstitions and cultural stigma. Her condition does not indicate a curse from God, and she need not despair. In this case, as well as in all requests to God, let us always remember that He knows what is best for us.
God does not intend to punish, but would rather like to refine us through this type of suffering. Actually, we can gain spiritual enrichment through such experiences. Suffering brings out the “real” or inner man and reveals our makeup. Many have found that by accepting difficulties and troubles their hearts have become softened. The humility this brings opens our mind to our dependency on God and His purpose for us. Then we can understand that, through suffering and difficulties, He intends to draw us closer to Him. Joseph was sold as a slave by his own brothers. Rather than being bitter about this, he let God work in him. He filled a great place in God’s plan. Later he told his repentant brothers, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Genesis 50:20). He was blessed in his submission.
The suffering we experience tends to make us think about ourselves. We may feel alone in our problems and think no one understands. The burdens we have may seem greater than what others have to bear. It is easy to indulge in self-pity and become bitter, but the example of Joseph shows us how God can bless us as we submit to Him.
Rather than despairing, we can allow our suffering to be turned to the glory of God. Once we are resigned to our lot and can humbly say, “Lord, Thy will be done,” God can speak to us. There are many instances where people have thanked God for taking them through the valley of suffering because it has caused them to stop and think. They then realize there is more to life than to fulfill their own desires, pleasures, and pursuits. Many testify that they have found the Lord through suffering. Then, when they must face death, they can joyfully say with Paul, “Death is swallowed up in victory. The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54, 56-57).
Suffering will be the eternal lot of all those who reject Jesus (John 12:48). However, those who are willing to suffer for Jesus in this life will enjoy the rewards of eternity with no suffering at all (Revelation 21:4). By humbling ourselves to accept God’s way for us and repenting of our sins, our robes can be washed white in the blood of the Lamb. Those who are redeemed in this way can obtain the heavenly reward (Revelation 7:13-14).
Suffering would teach us to be more sympathetic to others. We may make little effort to visit or pray for the afflicted, until we have experienced suffering ourselves. “That we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:4).
Jesus, who once lived on this earth in a body like ours, understands us and our sufferings well. He can sympathize with us beyond the capacity of any human being. He knows our pain and our troubled heart. When Jesus witnessed the grief of His friends at the death of Lazarus, He was so touched in His heart that He groaned within Himself and wept (John 11:33-35). He gave Himself to suffering for the eternal salvation of humanity. If He, being the perfect Son of God, accepted this, then we should be willing to also endure affliction. True followers of God willingly accept adversitysince they are servants of Him, who is their example. A vision of Jesus, His love, and His sacrifice, causes them to consider, “Why should we be spared suffering?”
Even though we may have to suffer extensively, we can find a rest in accepting what God has allowed to us. God is the Master Planner-with every trial He has promised to provide for our keeping. When the apostle Paul was able to accept his difficulty or handicap, he was able to be a happy and useful person. He prayed three times, asking God to remove the thorn from his flesh, but God answered, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Similarly, as we completely surrender to God and accept our suffering, God’s strength sustains us. When we accept God’s plan for us in suffering, it brings forth an expression of thankfulness that blesses our hearts and witnesses to those around us."
"Never trust a cheeseburger you can't take the bun off of."
"Never trust a rock-n-roll band that can't play at least five Chuck Berry songs."
"Satisfying more desperate housewives than the spin cycle."
"she's not drunk, she's just mean!"
"swampadelic!!!"
"We self medicate the depression that is a direct result of the obsessive compulsiveness"
"what's crackalackin?"
"Your curse is my blessing"
Quotes from the 09 WC Handy Blues Fest
"We're an army and we're growing"
"Thats award winnin strutin' right there"
"That's shakin' it like the pros do"
"It's just Jimi passin' by"
"I walked in the door and saw hubert and my old lady doing the funky chicken right down in the middle of the floor"
"I spent $500 to save you $300, thats almost half off"
"I hate loud music, blues music and Heat"
"I don't know, that might be Jimi and Stevie"
"I don't buy enough shit to try and talk people down to start with"
"as long as you don't have that 38 it's all cool!"
People Of The WC Handy Blues fest
Ol' Dancin' Couple
Freaky Lookin' Dude
Mother and Daughter
Purple Hat Lady
Old Soldier
Got Grey Hair Now Duse
Subnet.com People
T- Shirt Guy
Quotes from "Porch Night Out"
"...are there any ding dongs left?..."
"...are those the Cheetos?...
"...can a brother get a lil ananimity?..."
"What was I supposed to be writing?..."
"YEAH!!......I'm sorry what?..."
"...there aint no dope on Bowling Green..."
"...somebodys got to drive my fat ass to Philpot..."
"...snapper shit..."
"...18 to 80, blind, crippled, or crazy..."
"...higher than a hippie on a helicopter ride..."
"...Whiskey Dicked..."
Quotes from Bowling Green Trip
Andrew, "Look a trailer with Christmas lights on it". "Thats not a trailer, thats a school bus!, and it doesn't have Christmas lights on it", Dave
Andrew, "Is the computer on?". "No you have to turn it on for it to be on", NA
"Well, it is getting toward wintertime", NA on Big breasted women.
"She wont get horny, she'll just get pissed off", BC
"Now do you want to smoke paper or do you want to smoke...", NA
"I'm squinting, everything s blurry..."Andrew
"I might just gateway across the spectrum", Dave
Overheard in Hancocok County
Criminal Girl, "oh shit, that wasn't the ash can!, that was my purse!!, Preacher Man, "If you go messing around with a skunk, you ought naught be surprised when you end up a little smelly.""If your clean, you aint eating it right", guy eating barbq.Country Boy, "I think those jerks on first shift were trying to poison us."Country Boys' Date, "Well, you didn't have to eat it now did you?"Country Boy, "But it was pizza". Big Guy to Clerk: "look at me, does it look like I want cheese sauce?"Overheard from phone: "Why the hell are you watching that?" Reply "Because it's on." Country Boy, "She got fired for doing some guy in the parking lot. Typical Tell City Chick..." Country Boy, "It done dried!"
Overheard at Work
"Has anybody seen the hemostats?"
"How are you?" "I'm doing well. It's early."
"I aint in any hurry."
"I am the queen of 8:15"
"I don't care if she takes over a Russian satalite with it..."
"I don't know anything, I'm just a suit"
"I plan on being reasonably functional for most of the day"
"I tried to reformat it, but it takes a frigin' act of congress or somethin'..."
"I'm like a brownie at a weight watchers meeting, I'm gone..."
"I'm not their boss, and I'm not their moma..."
"It would help to have your mouse over the link, yes..."
"It's a vortex of evil down there"
"It's not that I'm not listening to you, it's that I am having trouble comprehending you"
"Just click it with your mouth."
"Man, it's fried", "Like chicken..."
"The only thing I'm handy with is a doughnut"
"Why don't you go troubleshoot a Network Printer or something?"
"You are starting to scare me with your new found caffinefreeness..."
"You might not want to mess with me, I have a bladder infection"
Great Music Quotes
"If they wanted to name rock-n-roll something else, they could have called it Chuck Berry", John Lennon."Tune low and play hard", Stevie Ray Vaughn "What do I want a pick for, I got five of them on my hand." Gatemouth Brown "The Grateful Dead should be sponsored by the government -- a public service." Jerry Garcia "Rhythm is something you either have or you don't have, but when you have it, you have it all over." Elvis Presley "Free your mind and your ass will follow." George Clinton
Great Guitarists
Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Tab Benoit, SRV, Pete Townshend, Eddie Van Halen, Pete Anderson, Steve Cropper, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, James Burton, Ron Wood, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Freddie King, Albert King, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray, Prince, The Edge, Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Slash, Joe Walsh, Joe Lewis Walker, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Kim Thayil, Albert Collins, Lonnie Mack, Buddy Guy, Bonnie Rait, "Gatemouth" Brown, Johnny Winter, Tinsley Ellis, Lightnin Hopkins, Jimmy Reed, Robert Johnson, T-Bone Walker, Tommy Castro, Hubert Sumlin, Tom Morello, Elmore James, Brian Jones, Jeff Beck, Mike Campbell, Steve Via...
Great Keyboardists
Jerry Lee Lewis,
Little Richard,
Johnie Johnson,
Booker T. Jones,
Ray charles,
Billy Preston,
Fats Domino,
Roy Bittan,
Pinetop Perkins,
Bernie Worrell,
Benmont Tench,
Sly Stone
Great Bass Players
Duck Dunn, Jaco Pastorius, John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Bill Wyman, Jack Bruce, Robbie Shakespear,
Bootsy Collins, Tony Levine, Willie Dixon, Les Claypool, Noel Redding, Flea, Adam Clayton
2 Turtles, (1 released, I think it was a she and she was preggers) 4 Frogs (1 of them a Tree Frog, 1 of them about as big as thr tip of my index finger), 2 salamanders, countless worms and lightning bugs, 1 big ugly lookin' thing with wings on it...
