The Beat(les) goes on

I took my kids to the University Library at Northwestern today, where they had a small exhibit of Lennon/McCartney manuscripts on display. Among the items were the original jottings of "Eleanor Rigby", "Yellow Submarine", and "Good Day, Sunshine".

I imagine that I got a bigger thrill than my kids. But I told them that someday they could tell their friends that they saw these wonderful artifacts of creativity. As we looked at each one, I tried my best to sing them snippets of each song. I even sang the cello parts in "Rigby" My god, George Martin could arrange some strings!

Just as Freud believed that everyone goes through phases (oral, phallic, anal, etc), I believe everyone goes through a Beatles phase. Some pass through without any mark, others get stuck in it. I recall a kid in high school who always wore a John Lennon "Mao" hat all the time. A Lennon/Mao hat? You gotta love it.

Anyway, I went through the Beatles phase while in college in the early 80's. I was always a John Lennon guy (as opposed to a Paul person, or a George person, or that other one person). Although at age 45, I've grown more fond of George. Shy yet brilliant.

It's not that I dislike Paul. He's just too schlocky for my tastes. Always the wink and the nod, having one over on you and all that.

(Interruption: Raise your hand if you knew 5 years ago that Heather Mills was a gold-digger? I see lots of armpits out there, Sir Paul)

Paul is sort of having the last laugh being the last Beatle. No, I'm not picking on Ringo. Ringo tours because he likes to get paid. Paul has nothing to prove, and doesn't need to prove it.


This is my daughter, standing over "Eleanor Rigby". Someday, her heart will ache when she realizes what that song really means.

Miss Spoke

When I call my daughter by our dog's name (they both start with 'L') that is mis-speaking.

Hillary's recollection of sniper fire in Bosnia is something else entirely.

To say she misspoke is to not understand the difference.

Please notice that unlike Matt Drudge, I post a flattering photo of Hillary, just because despite my dislike of her politics, I still admire something about her.

March Madness

Sure, I have lots to say about Obama's inconsistancy about his pastor's anti-white, anti-semitic hate speech versus his desire to have Don Imus fired over a really terrible attempt at humor that was racially insensitive and very stupid; but I just have to complain about the 4 inches of snow that was just shat upon us on March 21. That would be the second day of Spring to most of you. For me, it's just a cruel exclamation point on a terrible Winter.

And it made me miss our Good Friday service at church.

Blogs of Note

Congrats to Heather Armstrong of dooce.com for winning four major blogging awards at SXSW.

James and Kathy, if you don't already visit dooce.com several days a week, start doing it NOW!!

That goes to the rest of you, too!

(Note to Heather's husband: at least I fixed her red-eye before posting her photo!)

Antoher Guilty Pleasure

I never wanted to watch Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel because I'm not what you call dirty fingernail kind of guy.

Host Mike Rowe, however, is a much better looking, deeper-voiced version of me. His constant stream of smart-ass remarks and skepticism is very much me. As I watch, the wisecracks that I think of seem to eminate from his mouth.

Very cool, very funny.

Rare book review

Although I'm a voracious reader, I am not much of a book reviewer.

I just finished Playing for Pizza by John Grisham. This is his third or fourth non-legal suspence thriller, and I really enjoyed it.

Long story short without giving away anything: A journeyman NFL QB finds himself in an Italian semi-pro football league. Great descriptions of the sites, and even better descriptions of the food.

I want to learn Italian and buy 10 pounds of parmasean reggiano.

Read the book!

NIU Heartbreak

We live about 14 miles from NIU, and my wife got her degree there in 1989. I attended graduate school there for a year. There are a lot of competing emotions about what happened there yesterday...frustration, sadness, confusion, anger.

The frustration is with the media, who, in their usual attempt to explain exactly what is happening within moments of it happening, get much of the story wrong. This is a sad and bewildering time for everyone, especially those directly affected. It is not the time to finger point and infer institutional blame.

I think we'll find out that the university did everything it could, and that the hospital did everything it could, etc.

How can we live in our country if every door is locked, every doorway has a metal detector, every person in need of medication is locked up? It wouldn't be American then, would it?

I don't have any answers. Let's think good thoughts for the survivors, and think even greater thoughts for the victims.

This just in....

It's 9:27 CST and I'm projecting that Hillary Clinton is toast.

We'll miss her.

E Lection coverage

We were hit with a lot of snow Tuesday/Wednesday, so I couldn't be johnny on the spot with my Super Tuesday Erection coverage. Sorry, I meant 'election'.

Fox News had lots of problems with their graphics. The vote totals for a candidate would carry over from state to state. John McCain's 12 votes in the West Virginia convention would carry over to Alabama, where in reality the race came down to the wire. Other issues too numerous to mention. Don't producers pay attention to these little details? Brit Hume seemed to be unable to complete a sentence without mumbling at the end. I know there's a lot of voices in his head (I'm referring to line producers), but you still need to reach the finish your thought before moving on.

MSNBC's Chris Matthews continues to annoy. Does the man have no brain? Early in the coverage, he was grilling a Republican 'expert' about why any Republican candidate would bother to campaign in a dark blue state such as New Jersey. Chris, they campaign there because there's lots of delegates, and the goal is to WIN THE NOMINATION. They won't waste a lot of time and money there for the general erection. I mean election. How about more Keith Olbermann? I may be the only person on earth to write that. I can't help it, I enjoy witting and urbane, even from a liberal. Hell, only liberals can be witty and urbane.

CNN has a huge bright set. That was more than enough to keep me away.

With Romney only winning a few states that night, I was the only pundit to say that he was toast. And I was right. You can't finish 2nd or 3rd 80% of the time and expect me to support your candidacy. Just ask John "I'm good for the bronze" Edwards.

While I'm typing about it, John Edwards was using matching funds (none of his own sizable wad of cash), so half of every dollar he spent after New Hampshire was a wasted taxpayer dollar. This is why I stopped checking the $3 box on my tax return.

I will say this, I think nothing but good thoughts about Elizabeth Edwards, and you all should do the same. She has four times the moxie her husband has. I hope she gets to spend some quality time with her family before the going gets tough for her.

Groundhog Day Eve

Our area was hit with about 7 inches of snow last night. There was no school today, and so my workday was truncated. Yet, I think I'm more productive NOT being in the office.

The first big snowfall of the winter is always a magical time. The third big snowfall of the winter is an inconvenient annoyance. Thankfully, it was warm enough for the roads to get plowed decently, although the usual blowing and drifting created some problems out in the country.

As of 3:45pm, the kids are playing in the snow, and I'm cathcing up on emails and voice mails. Not terribly busy at work today.

Pitchers and catchers report in about 2 weeks, and the Super Bowl is this weekend. January flew by.

Suzanne Pleshette

We here in flyover are saddened by the passing of Suzanne Pleshette, who pioneered the role of "hot wife of homely stand-up comic" in the Bob Newhart Show during the 1970's.

For young boys of my age (I as 10 years old when the show began and 16 when it ended), Suzanne fulfilled some sort of Mrs. Robinson role as she was the same age as our moms, but much hotter and cooler. Watching her on the Tonight Show (with Johnny Carson, of course), we discovered that she was really cool and capable of keeping up with Johnny wise-crack for wise-crack.

She was also popular in those James Garner-type comedies, playing the wise brunette pal of the ditsy blond. Another reason to prefer MaryAnn, I guess...but you just knew that Suzanne's characters did it, and enjoyed it.

Experience?

I was listening to NPR tonight and heard a report from New Hampshire, where the last-minute undecideds are now deciding. One woman, who claimed to have made a spreadsheet comparing all the candidates, said that while she was leaning toward Obama, she has decided to support Clinton because we need a candidate with more experience.....

I heard Mrs. Clinton say yesterday that she has 35 years of experience in changing government. Let's recall her elective office experience: 2000, elected Senator from New York. 2006 Re-elected Senator of New York.

Where's the beef?

Where is all this experience she's talking about? I've been wanting change in government for 35 years, also.

Not to be a Hillary-basher here, but being married to the guy who occupies the offices DOES NOT COUNT toward political experience.

It's one thing to stand in the wings and soak up the applause, ma'am, and it's another to jump into the bathtub and pull the hair from the drain.

And, by the way, I voted for YOUR HUSBAND in 1992.

Hillary, I really want to like you, but you must stop with this 'experience' thing. Joe Biden has it. You don't. I'm not saying Obama has it, but what he has is comparable to yours.

By the way, liked the tears today. You don't want the guys bashing because you are a woman, and then you get all emotional on us.

Here's the message you need to send: I'M SMARTER THAN THE OTHER GUYS!!!

And you are. You are so intelligent that may heart pounds when I think of you.

Another day off

I'm crossing my fingers that the murder of Bhutto does not lead to WWIII.

Just finished Michael Palin's Diaries 1969-1979, a great book. As a teen, I would spend my late Saturday nights watching Saturday Night Live from 10pm to midnight and then catch Monty Python on PBS from midnight to whenever the showings ended. I loved Python, although I never became one of those annoying kids trying to mimic the accents or re-enact the bits over and over again. Of all the Pythons, I enjoyed the smarminess of Eric Idle and the everyman frustration of Palin the most.

I think Diaries 1969-1979 capture Palin's work ethic, his love of family, and his own amazement at times that he was actually earning a living by putting pen to paper. An entry late in the book, as Life of Brian was printing cash for the group, George Harrison pulls Palin aside to say that now Palin could own a mansion like George's. Palin's inner voice says, "but I like where I am now", a home in a somewhat conventional London suburb. You have to admire someone who is that famous staying so very rooted in the 'real' world.

Now, on to the Warren Zevon biography, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.

William James, In the Maelstrom of American Modernism, will be attended to shortly. Damn heaving reading, that book.

Peoria's Own

A feeling of sadness and loss accompany the news that Flyover favorite Dan Fogelberg passed away on Sunday.

My multi-part tribute and critique of his albums (starting 2 years ago) never got off the ground. I will say that I was not pleased with a Chicago radio show's description of Dan's career as a "punch line".

Now that I've reached 45, I've come to the conclusion that, as Warhol said, everyone gets 15 minutes. Dan Fogelberg's window was open from 1972 to 1985, and I daresay he made the most of it. While his artistic focus changed from the commercially viable after 1985, it would be wrong to say that he became a joke. Sure, the records didn't sell. But I think he was satisfied with his career and saw no reason to extend it. His money was made and he (I hope) was enjoying his life.

How many artists really have the emotional strength to continue to break new ground all the time? Springsteen, perhaps. Bono, we'll see. As much as the Stones continue to be commercially viable, don't kid yourself -- The Stones stopped breaking new ground in 1980.

Sure, Fogelberg's wistfully romantic songs were fluffy. But we liked them. How many times has "Longer" been played at weddings? A couple of million? Heck, one of my first paying gigs was playing "Longer" at a wedding with two flutists. Twenty bucks was twenty bucks back in 1981. He crossed over from Country-Rock to Rock to Pop to Jazz to Bluegrass to Rhythm & Blues. He could do it all. I guess he could have been HUGE at Branson, but he preferred Colorado and Maine.

Living in the shadows
Of the things that might have been
Torn between the blessing and the curse
You may stop the hunger but you'll never slake the thirst
For the nectar you remember
But you'll never taste again.
The Lion's Share 1981

"Snow" Day

No school today. Although we were not hit with the massive ice storm overnight as predicted, the roads are slick and there's no sense in having anyone injured in a school bus accident.

I brought a lot of work home, so I'm with the kids.

"Everyone, CLEAN YOUR ROOMS!"

Punks in any age

I read today that Lori Drew, the Dardenne Prairie, MO woman who drove teenager Megan Meier to suicide by posting terrible lies and rumors on a MySpace page, will not be facing any criminal charges because (simply put) there doesn't seem to be a law that was broken in the case.

I was going to go ahead and post her photo, address, phone number, etc here today as a kind of vigilante justice, but in researching the story, I have learned that it has already been done.

When Lori, her husband, or daughter beg for mercy, please remember the mercy they showed to a 13 year old girl.

Everyone ought to pay for their mistakes, and I think the Drew's have quite a large balance outstanding. They are lucky I don't live in their town. There isn't enough dog shit in the world to throw at them.

Back in my day...

I was working with my son, a new Cub Scout, on his Bobcat badge tonight. He has learned the proper salute, handshake, creed, motto, etc, just like I had to when I was in Cub Scouts over 35 years ago.

One thing we need to do now to earn the badge, that I didn't back then, is go over the rules and policies concerning child abuse. Specifically, about adult and peer sexual abuse. While I'm certainly mature enough to have this conversation, and I believe my son is almost as mature as I am, I felt bad that we had to talk about some of the things that bad people are capable of.

He understands that if he is ever threatened or abused, he needs to tell me about it. I assured him that although I may get upset, I would never blame him or be mad at him if he were taken advantage of. I told him that it is a parent's job to get upset whenever something bad happens to their child, and no matter what happens, I need to be told about it.

I explained that I might want to hurt whoever harms him, but I'm sure that Mom would calm me down, and I would let the police handle it. What he doesn't know is that I've already been told by the local Chief of Police that my chance of arrest would be small if I were to crush the knees of a sexual predator with a baseball bat.

One of the charms of living in a small town, I guess.

Heady times, these

So much to comment on, so little time.

Barry Bonds: can't wait for the trial. Remember, Jason Giambi admitted ingesting a whole host of things during the same grand jury. He didn't lie. This isn't a witch hunt for steroid users, and it's not about race. It's about lying to a grand jury.

Catholic Bishops Conference: Let me get this straight...if I vote for a candidate who doesn't have a strong anti-abortion position, I'm going to hell? You know, this isn't my fight. I've never knocked up a girlfriend and had to consider an abortion. I don't abuse my daughter, and I don't rape. I don't advocate abortion, and I'm hoping that my daughter never has to consider having one. I really think I've got a personal handle on abortion. But, guys, I've got a hundred other concerns right now that I need the next President to work on, and abortion is really low on that list.

To me, the abortion issue is a local one: I can't stop other people from having abortions, I'm 1) not personally putting anyone in a position to have one, and 2) trying to educate my kids so they are not a party to one. There may be an acceptable reason for getting an abortion, and as long as it isn't a frivolous convenience, I'm not sticking my nose in it. If everyone, man and woman, respected themselves and each other, this isn't a big issue.

OJ Simpson: Do I really care?

Drew Peterson: Come on, man, 'fess up already! Why are scumbags like him such chick-magnets?

Green Day

My good friends over at Univeral/NBC are jumping on the Green Bandwagon, which means that for awhile (until folks stop tuning in) they will provide programming on their three-hundred and fifty networks that tell us about how environmentally friendly they are, and how we are complete scum because we watch other channels.

Last night's kick off (no pun intended) was during Sunday Night Football, and the big gimmick was shutting off the studio lighting for the half-time show. Yawn.

Their half-time shown generally consists of scores, highlights, and Keith Olberman's clever essay. I'm not being snarky; I like Keith. He's down the hall politically from me, but I know entertainment when I see it, and he's smart and funny. He's not Owen Wilson, but his hair is better. I'm also a kindred spirit in that no matter how great the job I have, I want it to be better and on my terms.

Anyway, I'm sure turning off the studio lights and asking the nation to join them in conserving electricity will make the suits at NBC happy. Until folks stop tuning in because they are just tired of the message. Yes, we know we need to conserve, but as long as the power flows when I flip the switch, I'm going to suck electricity from the grid.

Anarchy begins 30 seconds after the switch doesn't work anymore.

In Praise of Owen Wilson

I watched The Wedding Crashers last night. This pretty much explains the timing of my life. I'm 2 1/2 years behind the times. And that's optimistic.

My first memorable exposure to Owen was in Shanghai Noon with Jackie Chan. Since then he's been in tons of movies, and I really liked him as the voice of Lightning McQueen in Cars. Of course Bonnie Hunt was better, but she's the world's most perfect women (sorry, Jill). He's funny, smart and easy on my wife's eyes.

I don't read the tabloids much, it's really not any of my business what celebrities do in their spare time. I guess he's hit a rocky patch, but I'm sure he'll recover and get it together.

As much as I like Owen, I hated his hair in The Wedding Crashers. The mess, the bangs, the poochie thing on the top of his head...it just bugged me. It seemed to have so much product in it, I thought it was a hairpiece. Thankfully, the sloop scene proved it was all his own hair.

I'm not trying to be a hater, I'd would just like to issue a challenge to the great hair and make-up folks in Hollywood: Make his hair look better next time.

Now, don't let me get started on Vince Vaughn. I still annoyed that Jennifer Aniston let him get within five feet of her.