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Music, Music, Music

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I can remember the old song by the above title as well as “Put Another Nickle In.” My guess is that few will remember listening to those songs by Teresa Brewer shortly after their release as I did. On the other hand, my wife and I were walking into a McDonald’s three or four years ago and kid in the back was singing Rocking Robin, and doing pretty good. (originally released 1958) I yelled back to him, “Hay! You’re not old enough to know that song!

He had a hard laugh and said his mother played it a lot.

In answer to the question asked, I enjoy a lot of music prior to 1970 and a little post 1970. As far as I’m concerned, if after 1980, it doesn’t exist. I like everything done in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas (around 1900) I have listened to the music over and over. The lyric are humorous and the tunes are catchy. There aren’t may who can keep up with “Modern Major General” from the Pirates of Penzance.

I have often said, my favorite song is Whispering Hope sung by Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae (1949). When I feel bad, I have been known to play it repeatedly for 19 or 20 times. I don’t know. Maybe more. It sort of took a personal turn as I walked guard duty in Vietnam in the morning as the rain beat down me in December of 1969. Then of course, as the song says, the sun came up. The world seemed so much better as I remembered the words.

Stafford and MacRae recorded I guess a dozen or so Christian songs about the same time and they are all really good. I remembered listening to them when I was 4 and 5. The rest, I don’t remember all that much, but I always keep Whispering Hope handy.

I am a big fan of the show tunes of the 40’s, 50’s and a few of the 60’s. I have copies of many of them. If I were to lose them, I would replace them. This is especially true of Fiddler on the Roof. I have no idea how many times I’ve watched it or listened to the songs. It’s just one of those things that touched my mind and also touched my heart. It is also one of the main reasons that I have become so pro-Israel. I do not understand how a person can see the show and pay close attention to it without also being in favor of the Israeli people.

It is something of a oddity, I guess, that I also like most the ABBA songs. I also enjoy listening to the instrumentals whenever I hear them. None the less, my favorite of these is Chiquitita. Strangely, I have not met many who don’t like the song. Or, maybe it’s not so strange.

When I was seven, I remember listening to a song, “Donkey Serenade,” in which the character in the movie is singing to mules drawing a stage. Okay. That one sounds strange I admit it. But it’s no less strange than the beautiful song from “Paint Your Wagons,) I Talk to the Trees. By the way, those are also the first words in the lyrics. However, to be truthful, I’d love to be able to sing well enough to do both songs justice.

Speaking of strange songs, consider the song, “Does Eat Oats (and little lambs eat ivy)

I guess the way to sum it up. I like what I like and I don’t like what I don’t like. If you disagree with it, it is entirely up to you. It is also a shame you will never get to listen to that man serenading the mules.

Speaking of mules, how many out there have heard “On the Trail,” by Ferde Grafe. It was so good it was used for advertising way back when.

Daily writing prompt
What is your favorite genre of music?
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Gratitude

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This is one of my favorite subjects. I have already written on it twice and I would write on it far more if I didn’t think people would get tired of reading about it.

Maybe I should start with what started me down this track. It is a Bible story I read many times before it really hit home what it was about. Jesus healed ten lepers but only one returned to him and thanked him. Jesus asked something like, Were there not ten? Where are the other nine? I would guess that Jesus was likely well pleased with the one and disappointed with the nine.

If you look, really look at the story, you will realize that Jesus had three messages here. First, be grateful when someone does something for you. Don’t take it for granted. It is a good lesson regardless what your religious beliefs might be, even for the atheist.

Secondly, a word of appreciation goes a long way. Don’t you think that it made Jesus feel good just to hear those two words of gratitude. Every day, God does things for us. Every day, we take it for granted. That includes me, though I really do try to say thank you for it all. It is simply impossible to be fully aware, let alone to say thank you for it all. Instead, most of us are as the Hebrews as they complained about only having manna to eat. I really hate to admit it, but I would have likely been one of the chief complainers if I were there. Even today, I know I am poor example. God provides things and I complain.

Finally, we should be thankful for what others do for us, even if we are paying for it. It is so easy to neglect being thankful to those we pay for work. You should see the surprised expression on the faces of people I say thank you to in, say in restaurants. Sometimes, it outright confuses them. It’s okay. I like to see that kind of confusion. It makes me feel better to see that I have improved their moment in time for that day.

Sometimes, I really confuse them. I tell them that they have my permission to have a good afternoon. I know they enjoy it. I can see it in their faces. Oddly, some find it funny. The fact is, I really mean it. Okay, it does not lie within my power. However, if I did have the power, I would do as I can to improve their time as they put in a hard day’s work.

And, if there are any atheist reading this, you need to pay particular attention to this. For when we say something to improve the lives of others we will also improve life for ourselves. If you don’t believe me, just try it. I submit that it is impossible to have a bad attitude while you thank someone for what they do for you.

And you know what, It doesn’t cost a thing.

Daily writing prompt
How do you express your gratitude?
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The Two Things They All Have In Common

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During my 76 years, I have seen my share of alcoholics. They all very in many ways. Some get angry or even violent when drunk. Some get happy. On the other hand, some just simply sit there and let the world go by. A few know better than to try to drive . Others, well you might need to hide their keys. A few have a reasonable memory of what happened while inebriated. Others, when they sober up will say they must have had a good time. Their wallet’s empty. It does make a person wonder what the started with.

None the less, all alcoholics do have a few things that are absolutely common. They want others to drink. It helps their guilty conscience. When they start on one of their binges, they are usually specific about what kind of alcohol they drink. Once partially under, they just might drink antifreeze if you put it in front of them.

Invariably, while their mental abilities are reduced, they will say that they are fully able to function as well as when sober. In some cases, this distortion will be maintained even when they can’t stand.

Frequently, people under the influence will try to do things they would never try sober. Ironically, they are less likely to be successful while impaired.

To be sure, I really wished I hadn’t seen any of it. To be sure, those around the alcoholic generally suffer more than the alcoholic. In some cases, those that suffer the most don’t even know the one under the influence.

However, what ever the common facts of the alcoholics, two things are always, and I mean always common. They all took their first drink and they never know when they will take their last one. Then too, most of them have one more thing in common. Most wish or will wish they never took the first drink. However, as they say, that is just one of those things that can’t be undone.

Then too, this is all shared by most of those with chemical dependencies. It is only logical. Alcoholism is a chemical dependency. The only big difference is that alcohol is legal. Well, there is one other difference. It causes more problems than all the other drugs combined.

Culpable

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We now know many who are not only lacking credibility, but they are culpable. Being culpable, they have disqualified themselves as proper possibilities as candidates for president. That is to say, they acted in concert to fool and deceive. It is easy to know who they are. We know Kamala is definitely culpable because she is in frequent proximity to Joe. She sees him on a regular basis. This is particularly important because, guess what? She is next in line. If Joe should bail out for any reason, she will assume the reins. She will take up residence in The White House and she will sit behind the desk in The Oval Office.

Now isn’t that reassuring that we have a woman standing in the wings that is qualified by two things. She is a woman and she is Black, by Joe’s own words. On the other hand, we also know that honesty is the furthest thing from her mind. Deceit was her main job for over three years, and, by the way, she seems to have done it well. Never once did she admit that Joe should be removed.

Moreover, she just might be one of those the dems are thinking about to run against Trump. Now let’s see. Do we really want someone for President that that has specialized in deceit. Do we want someone who was given the task of dealing with the problems on the Mexican border and failed miserably.

Oh, by the way, her methods to gain the office of district attorney was that she had a law degree and slept with the right men. Sorry, I am among those in this country, rare though we be, that would call such a thing a disqualification.

On the other hand the dems might run the current gov of California. Let’s see. He is neither Black nor a woman. That seems to disqualify him out of the starting gates, don’t you know? Besides, he needs to defend himself too. Don’t you think he was in with those who knew about the great deceit. That also makes him a liar. He did say that Old Joe was highly qualified. Saying that, he would either have to admit to massive dishonesty or massive stupidity. As I think that over, maybe he’d be completely honest in pleading both. I mean, he did provide a demonstration on how to drive one of the largest state’s economy from a small positive to a huge negative. Do we really want that man signing the checks for the US?

Then there’s Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama. I don’t think I want anyone connected to Obama in The Oval Office. She didn’t like the country, by her own words. Regardless, she says she doesn’t want the job. Even if they talk her into running, do we really want her as president. Well, she is a woman. She is Black. She does have the major qualifications these days. However, do we really want a person as pres. who openly hates the country. Besides, her first act would be to lie as she takes her oath to defend the the nation and the constitution. She will do neither and she knows it. And by the way, we are well aware of it too.

It does leave the dems in a quandary. It would seem the best candidate they can field really is Old Joe.

So. Do the dems just give up now seeing the situation? Nope. Of course not. The dems never give up. They just cheat… every which way they can.

I Think the Word Is Credibility

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It is now clear that Old Joe has a credibility problem. He knows he has problems and he really thinks he can deceive us. That is no longer probable. Indeed, I consider it impossible. In the vernacular, the feline is out of highly flexible container. Everyone knows, whether they choose to believe it or not.

However, it is far more than that. The dems, in general and as individuals, have a credibility problem. I have heard many individuals, such as Rep. Pelosi swear that Old Joe is truly fit for service. I think now we know she was lying. They, the dems have said of a man that claims that they “Beat Medicare,” that he was the best man for the job. They certainly know better now and they knew better then. They all had firsthand knowledge of Old Joe’s problems and they have permitted him to cause national and international problems.

They individually, as well as collectively lied to the people about the condition of Old Joe. Truth is, Old Joe should have been replaced years ago. The fact is that he should have never been permitted to take the helm at all. …and for years the dems, in lock step, said he was the best man for the job.

That is what I call a real credibility problem.

The thing is, they keep talking about the damage to the “democracy.” Truly for a democracy, or a republic to work properly, the people must have accurate information about the people they are voting for. By hiding Old Joe’s problem, they are destroying any hope of the people making an informed vote, which obliterates any form of representative government.

The question that comes to mind, are they going to have to pay for their lies and deceit or are the dems going to just give them all another pass. I suspect they will all be given a pass. It is all about the power, you know. It matters not to any of them, right/wrong, good/bad, or truth/lie. They must do what increases the power of the party, you know. Nothing else matters.

Old Joe will turn into just another hiccup in that endeavor. The deceit must continue for the effort in the struggle for power.

Prep, Prep and More Preparation

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We’ve been told that that is what Old Joe’s been doing for what? 10 days or 2 weeks?

The question it brought mind is, in the vernacular, who’s been minding the store?

I have scarry thoughts. Maybe the V.P. is been doing it. Maybe Kamala is getting some O.J.T. That is a thought I hate to think. I mean she has not run anything bigger than a D. A.’s office. …and she didn’t have a clue as to how to do that.

Keep ’em Guessing

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Many years ago, I looked forward to the broadcast of Paul Harvey and his “The Rest of the Story.” I think I can safely say that he had a way of delivering the news and his own little 5 minute stories he presented every week day. I miss him a lot and I know many others do too.

I have no idea how many of the “Rest of the Stories,” there were, but if I had to guess, probably around 500. Thinking back over it, I wish I had recorded them all. I never heard one I didn’t like.

There was one in particular that makes me think to this day. He told of an old junk yard with a sign prominently displayed, “These premises guarded by an old man with an old twelve gauge shot gun two days a week. You can guess which two.”

I have retold the story many times, and every time I received a thoughtful laugh. Of course, the implication is that if you are going sneak in and rob the place, you are in danger of being shot by a shotgun, if you chose the wrong day.

I now have a gun, a 9 mm. I’ve been practicing and I can now put 8 holes in a bullseye very consistently. I really don’t like the idea of shooting anyone with it but, if I or my wife are threatened, I will use it. As I thought about the above story, I considered posting my address to discourage people from breaking in.

Then I thought better of it. As in the story, why take all doubt out of it. There are a bunch of us now that have a means of self defense. Some count on a 9 mm as me. On the other hand, some have 12 gauges. Let’s all make sure we tell the world what we have. On the other hand, let’s not tell them where we live. Let’s keep ’em guessing. Let’s make them have to ask the question of themselves, “Is this a house with a man willing and able to defend himself or not?” That way, that weapon we have not only protects us, but also our neighbors, thousands of them.

Sounds like a good idea to me. I suspect it will really decrease the break ins around here. I can’t remember, but it seems to me that Paul Harvey said there were no records of anyone breaking into the junk yard. Maybe we too could decrease the number of break ins around here. Better for us. Better for the thieves. We don’t have anyone breaking in and the thieves get to live.

Say Good bye to The Bill of Rights

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The Dems just successfully dispatched the first amendment. It would seem the federal government can now legally tell the social media what to allow and what to disallow. It is a small step from there to telling the press what they can and cannot print. It is a small step from there to tell the churches what can be said and what cannot be said at the pulpit.

In a short time, there will be no first amendment. The rest of the amendments will fall like dominoes quickly. Old Joe keeps warning that democracy will fall if Trump is elected. All the while, Old Joe is busy tearing at the seems of the republic and The Constitution he and his cohorts hate so much.

Making Things Better?

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Besides changing computers, I have changed phones. I have decided to give up T-Mobil. When I first signed up with them, I could just go down to the nearest T-Mobil store and get most anything resolved. Then they merged with someone else. Now they are more expensive and I have to get everything “resolved” over the phone… including disconnecting lines. About all the local stores do is sell phones and there is quite a line for that. It’s now all new and improved, you know.

I am still under contract but once I am able to break free, I will go from about $170 a month to about $35. I think that is the kind of improvement I can live with. Moreover, there will be no contract. I wonder if they will ask me why I changed.

So, the other day, I decided to copy about 500 photos from my old phone to my new computer. It used to be easy. I plugged the phone into my computer and did a copy, as if copying from one disk to another. A word to the wise. It doesn’t work that way anymore. MS has decided on a “New and Improved” method, you know.

Isn’t that neat? And they didn’t even ask me. I’ve spent hours trying to use the old method and the new one. So far, I have not transferred so much as one photo.

Well, I am not totally foolish. I have a micro memory card in the phone. Now it is simply a small matter of making sure all the photos are on the micro card and then remove the micro card. Then it is a simple matter of installing it in the new computer with the help of an adapter, maybe.

Of course nothing is certain. They just might have figured a way to stop that too. I don’t know. These engineers are real geniuses these days, you know. Turn the world over to them and it just might come to a complete grinding halt. They might even find a way to stop its spinning.

On the “Outlook.com” matter, in about two or three weeks, it will be completely removed from the new computer. I already have another mailbox set up and ready to go. It is just a matter of going through the past messages and copying the ones I need.

Tonight, while I was trying to deal with the photos, MS tried to pitch their new Office suite again. It just sort of popped up out of nowhere. They keep asking why I don’t like it. I don’t guess they read my replies because they keep trying to push it. If it were half as good as the old version I have, I would be willing to pay for it. However, like everything else, it’s the new improved version. Slower, more bells and whistles I don’t need and more difficult to use.

They are always making everything better you know, like Windows ME. Then, they can’t understand why I don’t want it.

The Laws of the Road

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I’m headed down the road and out of the corner of my eye, I see a police car. Instantly, my eye goes to the speedometer. We all do it, or at least most of us. None of us wants a speeding ticket. Not only is it a heavy fine, but my insurance would go up too. Perhaps, maybe I would lose my insurance altogether. For that matter, if I get too many speeding tickets, I could lose my operators license and have to walk a while, or maybe I could get a bicycle.

Yet the law does have a purpose, a reason to exist. Take for instance the car I saw coming up quickly behind me as I was going over the I-55 bridge on Goodman. I was going west at slightly below the speed limit as I was approaching a car in front of me going slower.

At this particular time, the traffic was not that bad and if the man wanted to get in the right lane and take the southbound lane for 55 he could have moved over and would have been completely unobstructed. However, instead of getting in the right lane, he quickly dodged in front of me without warning from the right and then into the left lane.

It somewhat confused me because there was noting at all keeping him from moving into the left lane before he reached me. Then, of all things, he made another lane change to get in front of the car in front of me. While I was still shaking my head about that maneuver, he moved over to the right lane and took the cloverleaf down to southbound I-55.

The wife and I had to just laugh at it, dangerous as it was. We couldn’t make up our minds whether he was a driver who was having a hard time making up his mind or if he was just a very reckless driver. Law or not, if his insurance agent had seen that little stunt, he would have probably had a very difficult time ever getting insurance again. Certainly, if I were his agent, I would have pulled his policy in a heartbeat.

I don’t know why people pull stunts like that. It absolute served no purpose and it did put others in danger. Regardless, most of us try to follow the rules of the road. It is a benefit to others when they know what we are going to do and it is even a benefit to ourselves. As my brother used to say, on our birthday, we all like surprises. While driving, not so much. It is far better that others know what I am going to do and it is better that I know what all the other drivers are going to do.

The rules of the road, the laws help us do that. Without the laws and conventions, driving would be far more difficult and very dangerous. Driving at whatever speed we want to go, might get us to our destination faster. On the other hand, we might not get there at all.

I have often said, I do respect the policeman, but maybe just a little less when he pulls me over. I mean there are many others out there that disobey laws much worse than me. Moreover, I do have places to go and people to meet. Besides, I was only going 5 miles an hour over the speed limit.

Indeed, in some such situations, it is most difficult to remember that that law enforcement officer is literally risking his life in order to keep me and my fellow motorists a little safer, in spite of my wanting to go just a little faster.

When you come right down to it, the motor vehicle codes of the various states are relatively new laws. They came onto the scene only sometime after 1900 when cars became commonplace, especially in the cities. In addition, the roads and highways have been built. In the days of the old west, it would be very difficult to find a street with a painted double yellow line, or for that matter, a left turn lane. It is fortunate that Edison invented his light when he did. It would be difficult to see where we are going and of course, there are the signal lights that started popping up all over the place.

Laws in general, however, are not new. Moreover, they are a vary important part of life. They are extremely necessary for civilization. Today, we have a political party that it would seem would like to do away with the laws and the law enforcement. I guess. I am a little guilty. However, it is the lawyers I’d like to reduce.

I have no idea when the first laws were made. I am sure there are some that would have some accurate estimates. Nonetheless, I suspect, the first time more than 50 or so people started to live in one village, some laws of some type started being made, even if they were not written. As I said, they are a requirement for people to live in proximity to each other. If not, the people will be at each other’s throats. In some regards, thy are anyway.

It is both Biblical and historical that when the Hebrews left Egypt, they were twelve tribes, not a nation. As near as I can tell, there were no laws, no rules. The only law they lived under were the laws and edicts of Egypt and the Pharaoh. It only made sense that one of the first things God did when He brought them out of bondage, that he gave them laws to live by.

However, these were not just any laws. They were the laws as made by God and they were presented to the Hebrew people as a gift. If they lived by them, the new nation would thrive and become rich and powerful. On the other hand, if they did not live by the law, then the nation would suffer. Indeed, Moses told them if they did not live by the law and refused to repent, that they would be sent into slavery.

It was not only a warning but a prophecy. Israel was first taken and then about a hundred years later, Judah became slaves. Both nations were warned & warned again and finally, as forewarned, the punishment was announced and carried through.

Before we go too far with this, let’s take another closer look at the law, first the Ten Commandments then many more. The combination was later referred to as simply the law. Let’s get one thing straight. The law was not given to all of mankind, but only to Israel, at least as near as I can tell. I have read the Bible many times and I have yet to find anything that says that the law was given to anyone outside of God’s chosen people.

God connected a blessing to the law, that if they obeyed the law, the nation of Israel would be great. We, as non-Jews are not given such a promise. However, there is a certain logic that tells us it is to our advantage to follow the laws. Would anyone suggest that lying would be a good thing for a nations citizenry? Is theft something that that would benefit any country? Certainly, if we could do away with murder in this nation, it would be far better for the US or any nation, for Mississippi or for any state and certainly for any city, great or small.

Yet as with the traffic officer, we have become defiant. There are those who want to defy the laws, whether from God or man, and we live and die recklessly as the man who gig-zagged past me and the car in front of me. He defied the law and he got away with it. No officer was there to see him so he did not get pulled over.

Yet, we all know that we are better off with the law and it would be better if the man had been caught in the act, so to speak.

Is it so horrible that we post the Ten Commandments in public places. On the other hand, is it better that we not remind the lawless to live by the law, regardless of where that law comes from.

Let’s face it. There are those in all societies that don’t like the law and they don’t like seeing it posted in front of them. They would prefer to ignore it. When they drive recklessly and are involved in an accident, it is someone else’s fault, not theirs. I mean, the streets, the cities, the world does belong to them, right.