5-4!

I sat in my chair last year with my busted leg and watched Neil Gorsuch, the fucking interloper sitting in Merrick Garland's Supreme Court seat, say ah shucks a lot and talk about walking the streets of Denver and golly gee he was going to the rodeo with his daughter and gosh darn it Senator I just dont really know about that hard issue you just asked me about. When finally a Democrat with a spine decided to actually ask him a question about why he decided in favor of a corporation firing a truck driver for leaving his truck in freezing weather rather than stay with it and die, Gorsuch aw shucksed his way out of it. Al Franken (Real Democrat-Mn) didnt give a shit and told Gorsuch yeah you're a fucking monster, which of course he is. The folksy motherfucker wanted a man to die rather than leave a corporate owned truck. It was at that point I knew that Neil Gorsuch was one nasty excuse for a human being. Worse than Scalia by far.

Today the United States Supreme Court upheld a Bigot in Chiefs ban on Muslims entering the country that sparked protests over a year ago by a 5-4 vote. That 5-4 vote will eventually take this nation into fascism legally. You see, by now going full Trump because what the fuck, the Court can uphold travel bans and religious bigotry and white supremacy and then claim in a folksy manner ohhhh no no no the President didnt mean a travel ban was against Muslims thats not what he meant so banning Muslims isnt really banning Muslims at all. You dont even need to tell the fucking truth at all any longer. Trumps Klan rallies prove that.

Also today the United States Supreme Court by a 5-4 vote upheld the right of lying Christians who set up phony "Emergency Pregnancy Clinics" to deny information to women seeking advice or care by talking about nothing but Jesus and bullshit information about cancer and how the 2 week old fetus can sing and dance. Oh no no no its not really about lying to women, its about free speech and even lying sacks of shit have that right. 5-4! Thats going to be it from now on. 5-4 black is white. 5-4 Up is down. 5-4 only whites can vote. 5 to fucking 4.

Earlier the United States Supreme Court upheld the right of Texas Republicans to suppress the votes of Texas minorities by drawing districts that weaken the influence of the votes of anybody in Texas except whites. Oh its not because the districts are discriminatory and favor white people oh no no no, its just not Texas Republicans intent and how dare you think otherwise.

This makes the 2018 midterms even more important. We need to steal these seats back that McConnell stole in 2016 from the black guy. The only way is to vote like mofos and take this Congress back so any bad things that happen like RBG going away will mean nothing.

Its now the folksy ways of Gorsuch, a truly rotten to the core human being, a nice face on authoritarianism. Oh no no no we arent out to harm you in any way, now how about a shower?

5-4 is as far as it should be allowed to go.

VOTE!

Imagine Dragons!

Is Imagine Dragons the biggest rock band in the world? Well, I doubt it frankly, but you'd get a huge argument from the sold out crowd in Omaha on Sunday night.

Frontman Dan Reynolds is certainly an argument for that. His boundless energy is undeniable. The guy ran out shirtless and ripped and began a 2 hour workout that would have exhausted anybody. Launching into Radioactive immediately, Reynolds pounded the floor, a drum and sang with a zeal for life. It was quite honestly, refreshing.

I understand that 30 year old rock stars are not yet cynical or tired but Im not sure Reynolds ever will be. His fun nature and seeming honesty is quite contagious. As the Imagine Dragons blasted through hit after energetic hit the crowd never let up its cheering. Now granted, a helluva lot of kids, many young enough to still want the accompanying parent to buy them a glow stick, were in attendance and lets face it, have more stamina than us old people, but even us old people got into it.

Imagine Dragons also has a sense of whats going on in an arena. After a good 75 minutes of hard pounding pop rock, the band took a stroll down the floor of the arena to the back where a small stage had been set up with a cello, a viola and a keyboard for a short acoustic set in which Reynolds endeared himself to me at least by stopping to shake a young boys hand. During I Bet My Life, Reynolds took the extraordinary step, lots of steps in fact as he climbed the arena steps, slapping hands and singing, walked through the concourse, singing, and back down some more steps, singing, back to the acoustic stage where when finished they strolled back to the mainstage to finish up with a string of power hits like Thunder, On Top Of The World complete with bouncing balloons and confetti and Believe, a closing number that sends you home happy you went.

Hell, maybe they ARE the biggest rock band in the world. They certainly are the biggest pop rock band on earth.

And oh yes, a 14 year old girl named Grace Vanderwall opened the show with an 10 song set of pop songs perfectly delivered. You may recall her as the ukelele playing 12 year old who won America's Got Talent two years back. I havent paid money to see a 14 year old do anything since Max was in theater in middle school, but this girl has talent. I look forward to what she does in the future.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Wont You Be My Neighbor, the documentary about Fred Rogers, Mister Rogers, has gone to full release and I cannot urge you more to go see it. There, the plug is over.

This movie, which you may think is a sugary tribute to Mister Rogers, is anything but. In fact, on one hand, it may be one of the more depressing movies in years yet it is also one of the most hopeful movies in years.

Made by Morgan Neville, the director of the marvelous 20 Feet From Stardom, a film about backup singers in which you constantly are saying oh yeah her, Neville has taken archival footage of Mr.Rogers Neighborhood, combined with interviews with his family, friends and co workers and put out a film that will make you laugh and cry and at times feel like you do anytime Trump opens his blowhole. Its amazing, and I believe a political statement when early in the film we see the PBS show's King Friday 13th attempt to build a wall around his castle to keep change out. In 1968 this was shown.

Can you imagine what the Fascist in Chief would have tweeted about that? "Moron Mister Rogers is using propaganda and taxpayer money to criticize me and the very important wall. #DefundPBS"

Of course most of the words would have been misspelled.

Wont You Be My Neighbor is a fascinating look at a man who according to all people involved was as nice and gentle off screen as on. Its hard to believe he's gone and has been gone for 15 years. In a way, he's lucky, because Fred Rogers was depressed at the end of his life. When asked to make PSA's trying to help children understand the lunacy of a 9/11 he said what good will it do? What good will it do? Oh my. When Mister Rogers sinks to my level, something is wrong with the world.

There are truly remarkable interviews with Fred's wife, his sons, his coworkers, his guests, all of whom still after all these years have a smile on their face talking about him.

The laughs? Oh theres plenty. The pranks on the set, the footage of him messing up lines, the joy of his optimism and the looks on children's faces as he speaks to them about serious subjects as if they are just miniature adults.

Will you cry? Yes. It may be at different moments than me. But you will find something in this documentary that will get to you. Foe me it was the assassination show on 6/7/68 just a couple of days after Bobby Kennedy was killed. An entire show on assassination. To kids. Who does that?
But the moment that happened to make involuntary tears come was the section of the documentary where the actor who played Officer Clemmons, Francois Clemmons, spoke about Fred Rogers telling he liked him just the way he was. For two years. You see, Francois Clemmons is gay, and was banned from going to gay bars in the 1970s by the show and Fred Rogers under threat of being fired. The scene where Francois realized Fred had evolved was telling HIM he liked him just the way he is. Francois choked up thinking about his "surrogate Dad" and so did I.

You dont even get to compose yourself because next scene is Fred talking to a young man in a wheelchair about things no person would bring up. Whats it like to be in a chair, do you get blue? Oh man.

Why is it depressing, Max's Dad? Well kids, its depressing because you realize as bad as society was in 1968, 1978, 1988 and 1998 in the last 15 years since Fred died, we have devolved into the same people Fred Rogers dealt with in 1968. Maybe worse. All that hard work with children to make them understand the shitty world didnt work. Since its much easier to be pissed off at progress and change, much like King Friday the 13th, its not so hard to stay calm and speak rationally, like Fred Rogers.

There are a couple of scenes of cynics going after Mister Rogers. One is of Tom Snyder asking him basically if he was a phony and Daniel the Tiger turning the chain smoking Snyder into a blubbering mess as he realized nope this guy is for real. The other is of Fox News, the state run propaganda network for dumb assholes, calling him "evil" and criticizing him for telling every child they were "special". What a crime according to the creeps on Fox News. Telling a child to be who they are. And of course at the end, at Fred's funeral, the Westboro Baptist Church degenerates and their signs. It sucks.

Go see this movie. Nobody is killed. No hero swoops in to save the day. Nothing blows up. But there is a superhero and his name is Fred Rogers.

Carpool Karaoke With Paul McCartney!

I'm not a big James Corden fan. I mean he seems a fine bloke and all. His Carpool Karaoke does nothing for me.

But this is Paul McCartney.

There was a time when I didnt care much for Paul McCartney. Lennon was dead. George was ignored. Ringo was irrelevant. But Paul was making shit with Michael Jackson that quite frankly was horrible and shitty. Paul was the sugary lame ass Beatle who was wasting his talent. I was wrong. As wrong as I've ever been.

This Carpool Karaoke is guaranteed to make you smile and cry.

When James Corden sings Let It Be with Paul and suddenly realizes what is happening he tears up about how much his grandfather would want to see this and says how much he wishes Gramps was there, Paul perfectly times a "he is" line. Its why he's a genius.

Paul McCartney walks through Liverpool shaking hands and seeing his old haunts. He turns old ladies young again. They become 16 year old teenage girls again. The citizens who now live in his old hood tell him how much he means to their lives and he listens to them.

James Corden is all of us. He is starstruck. Paul McCartney is rich beyond anyone's dreams yet he maintains a humility and a genuine interest in making people happy. He's a rare breed. He's more Ringo than John now. Most of us are. Thats a good thing.

When Paul takes the stage with his band at a pub the crowd reaction is stunning. WOW! The people are happy faced and goddamnit it makes you happy too.

Watch this. We need stuff like this.

I'm Sickened!

This is not a fake picture. This is not anything but a picture. Its a picture of a scared little girl driven from the only home she's ever known by gangs of drug runners intent on selling their shit to Americans. She's not MS13. She's not a rapist. She's not the killer of an American citizen. She's brown and frightened and this administration doesn't give a fuck.

The big news is that this picture is not of a little girl separated from her family. Therefore, of course, to the heartless right, its fake news. More liberal media propaganda released to make a lumbering Savior look bad. The little girl doesnt matter any longer. She's nothing but propaganda from the left who wants gangs of Latinos to come into the country willy nilly instead of gangs of white people from England or Germany to come in to keep America white great.

That picture should win the Pulitzer. It sums up America's paranoia and current lack of empathy. I take that back. That picture summoned such outrage and sympathy from MOST Americans that the Traitor in Chief changed the policy that days before never existed or was the result of some phantom law. The policy,separating children from their parents at the border, was implemented by this putrid administration and was not the result of any law or anything other than a gang of old white men going to the hostage card to get funding to build a giant wall. Thats all it was, an attempt by bigoted baboons to hold children hostage by kidnapping them from their mothers and fathers. Is it a new low from an administration that hits a new low on a weekly, if not daily basis? Well yes, because kidnapping is about as low as you can go to accomplish your goals. In fact there's a lot of people doing life for that very thing.

I'm sickened by it. I'm sickened by a minority of soulless white people who push the criminals get separated from their kids all the time line.

I'm sickened by nasty blonde white ladies who deny a policy exists that obviously exists because of reality.

I'm sickened by racist old elves who justify separating 2 year olds from parents because of the fucking Bible.

I'm sickened by photo ops from a First Lady visiting a sanitized concentration camp with a stupid jacket that distracts from that nonsensical trip.

I'm sickened by a President traveling to jack himself off by holding rallies in front of clueless racists who cheer his every word.

I'm sickened by unnecessary executive orders, more photo ops, changing a policy the nasty blonde lady standing behind him denied even existed two days before.

I'm sickened by family feuds on Facebook where you find out that some people you are related to either by blood or marriage are really not worthy of your time.

I'm sickened by an egomaniac in chief using relatives of murdered children as a prop to divert attention from his policy of kidnapping brown kids.

I'm sickened by Steve King (Racist-Ia) continuing to double down on his ignorance and appeal to dumb fucks who vote for him.

I'm just sickened. Period.

The Cowardice Of The Republican Party!

Ive lived in Nebraska all my life other than a year or two in other places close. I remember the Nebraska State GOP holding convention after convention full of old gray haired stick in the muds afraid of progress. I remember them sticking with Nixon right up to the bitter end. I remember one of our illustrious United States Senators being the last holdout to support Nixon. Its quite frankly embarrassing what comes out of this state's GOP as far as candidates go. In the 60's and 70's we had a US Senator proclaim OUT LOUD that an unqualified Supreme Court nominee should be approved because even mediocre citizens need representation. We have been so embarrassed by some of these simple minded Republican puppets we actually went through a period of electing Democrats to state and federal offices. But since the formation of the Tea Party and the choosing of sides that occurred in about 2008, hmmmmmm wonder what happened then that sparked this return to Republican dimwits?

So now, in 2018, we have a talking hard boiled egg as a Governor, a rancher welfare queen as a Senator and another US Senator so goofy he has a second job as an Uber driver. We have an Attorney General who thinks his only job is to kill people, keep casinos out of the state, keep legal pot out of the state, and defend corporations from pesky consumer lawsuits. We have two nobody Congressmen from dying farm town districts and one whose main qualifications are a stupid grin and a propensity to run from crowds of angry constituents.

This is what the State GOP gives us and of course, because its all about cult over country now, that R next to their name is all that matters.

But the cowardice of these candidates came to the forefront yesterday when at the annual gathering of snowbird Nebraska Republicans all the elected officials ran and hid when by a vote of 109-101, the state of Nebraska GOP voted to condemn Robert Mueller's investigation of their cult leader in chief, Donald F Trump. Calling Muellers investigation a "perversion of equal justice", this band of elderly cultists also condemned any Republican who aids in the investigation as “notorious and unfit for office”. This all comes when the inmates run the asylum. The allegedly "responsible" GOPers who sit on the Resolution committee unanimously voted to table this idiotic screed supporting a madman and his lawless activities. But the GOP hypnotized faithful refused to listen and by that narrow vote placed themselves directly into the cult. Say hello to Alex Jones y'all.

Once again, this was done after all the elected leaders of this death cult party left the venue as to avoid being tarred with this nonsense. I can hear the faux concern now as these spineless cowards deal with the cult of elderly bitters who make up most of this party. Its quite frankly sad yet terrifying that a gang of so called normal heartland values allegedly nice people have fallen into the death stare of an authoritarian nutjob traitor. Since when did "real America" become Russian stooges? Oh yeah, when the black man won.

The Nebraska GOP Convention. Just as dull as always yet taking an even duller turn. To dull fascism.

Go back to Arizona and stay there.

Fathers Day!

I cant believe its been almost 20 years since the toughest man Ive ever known passed away. Happy Fathers Day Dad!

I so wish I could just hear what he had to say about the current occupant of the White House. I get the feeling that as soon as he got off the golf course, he'd be at the Resist Rally because he'd be so pissed off he'd spent 4 years fighting the very people who have taken power.

Love you always Dad!

Tonys!

Sorry Michelle, when they go low we go high was the reason we're in this mess now. Ive been saying it for years. Theres no reasoning with these people. And its about time somebody said so. Michelle Obama had to say what she said, I mean who really wants the First Lady to launch into an obscene tirade about a political party nominating a goddamned treasonous degenerate. ME, thats who! We need more DeNiro, not less.

I watch the Tony Awards not because I know a damned thing about Broadway but because its a helluva ride. Years ago it was the occasional gay kisses that went out on national TV. Or as the gays call them, kisses. It was rare, sad that it was rare, but it was. Knowing that someplace, somewhere, a conservative bigot just had a gripping moment of eye opening reality made me very happy. Now of course it doesnt even register on the radar and thats a damn good thing.

I also watch the Tony Awards because i have an interest in theater. Being in the middle of the country, red state America, we dont have much of that sort of thing. Oh we have a season of traveling Broadway that fascinates many of us, but its usually older plays and musicals that have worn out their welcome on the The Great White Way and have taken to the road. The Tonys tell me whats coming here in about 5 years. It also makes me familiar with many folks who arent in movies or TV but stick to the stage.

Angels in America made a comeback on Broadway this past year. Ive only seen the HBO version, but if I ever get 3 or 4 days in New York in which I have nothing to do except sit in a theater, I'd love to witness all 24 hours of it, or however long it lasts. Like rock bands, old is better to me because Im old. Revivals of Carousel or The Iceman Cometh would be my cup of tea. But watching the Tonys made me familiar with Spongebob Squarepants, The Bands Visit and Mean Girls. It also made me happy when Laurie Metcalf won a Tony since she got screwed out of an Oscar.

The Tonys were enough of an inspiration when the drama department of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School appeared on stage to sing Seasons of Love from Rent. That was going high for the few sane Republicans out there. About as high as you can get while the lows made cracks about killing the wrong kids.

Waiting for Bruce Springsteen was excruciating. He always makes us wait. But I stuck with it because its always worth the wait.

Then came Robert DeNiro. DeNiro grabbed us all and took us where we need to go. Right into the piss filled gutter to fight it out with an enemy of democracy willing to do anything to keep power and privilege. I cheered because I certainly can read lips when someone says "Fuck Trump". The standing ovation was invigorating even if it is a choir being preached to. The leader has been found.

When they go low we go high? Fuck that.

Oh and Bruce was worth the wait. Loved the knowing grin at DeNiro.

SOS!

I am so mentally exhausted by this corrupt and downright evil administration sometimes I cant even read any longer. The behavior of a 71 year old man at the G7 summit made me ashamed, again, of being an American. Donald F Trump, a child in a lumbering monster body, behaved like a obstinate bully at a meeting of our worldly friends sitting in a chair , arms folded , smug and defiant, being lectured by adults. Trump is John Bender in the Breakfast Club. He's self destructive, incapable of admitting wrong, doubling down on being wrong, and will hurt everyone around him just to be that audacious and keep the image alive. Urged on by a weird cult who feels the same way, their approval is all Bender Trump wants. The adoring applause of a dwindling but loud clan of losers intent on toppling the status quo in some sort of bizarre quest to even the playing field. Rather, lower the playing field to the gutter they live in. Some men just want to watch the world burn. When is Batman going to save us?

This Republican Congress, one of the most vicious groups of powerful people in history, continues to enable this Toddler in Chief's destructive conduct in their quest to give all the money to the rich and powerful and take all the rights away from the women and the gays and the blacks and the browns ah hell, its a white male supremacist cult running out of time to establish a permanent dominance. The Congress, led by a rude Ayn Rand groupie and a corrupt Kentucky intolerant bigot, has ballooned the deficit by giving the store away to their billionaire handlers and at the same time attempting to cut the deficit by starving children medically. Ending the CHIP program and then bragging about it? Nice. Paul Ryan is a shit stain.

Trump Thug Peter Navarro has announced the existence of a special place in hell for Canadian PM Justin Trudeau for standing up to the Orange Pile of Shit In Chief Donald F Trump. Because Trudeau politely said in that oh so Canadian way that Canada is polite but refuses to be pushed around. Especially by a gangster like Trump, a man so vile there is no moral difference between he and any other Mob Boss. Some advice for Canada, along with advice for any other Allied country. Trump does not represent America. He represents a minority of bitter disgusting flunkees designed to be led by any cheap flimflam artist who tells them what they wish to hear. This con man will go away and his cult members will crawl back into the sewers they came from. It may take awhile, it may take Trumps Russian masters releasing information once he upsets them or loses his influence. Hold on World. We are.

Finally today to honor winning. Not Trump "winning", actual winning.

Justify won the Triple Crown yesterday. Thats horse races. Justify is a horse. And all he does is win. To watch this magnificent animal toy with his fellow horses and run faster than any of them is every bot as good as watching Usain Bolt do the same. It's thrilling.

Terence Bud Crawford is a fighter. A boxer. Terence Crawford defeated the welterweight champion of the world last night in Las Vegas. An Aussie named Horn had won the title from the legendary Manny Paquiao last year though after watching the fight I had no idea what the judges were watching. Crawford is an artist. If youve ever seen him fight you know what I mean. Terence Crawford waits and waits and when you fuck up, he pounces. Ive seen him fight many times and am enthralled by his patient style. The moment he knocked Julius Indongo down in Lincoln last August was the single loudest sound Ive ever heard in an arena. It was exciting as hell. Terence Crawford is a winner.

The Golden State Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers off the basketball floor like yesterdays dust this week. Despite having the greatest player in the game, perhaps of all time, LeBron James, The Cavs were no match for the Warriors, a team of incredible talent. Winners. Again, thrilling to watch.

So to distract from the phony "winning" that cult members think is happening due to the presence of a Maniac in Chief,, I will enjoy actual winning.

Justify, Crawford and the Dubs. Winners.

Trump and the cult. Traitorous losers.

Foster The People!

I really didnt know what to expect. A couple of goofballs with a keyboard and a drum playing a poppy little hit about school shootings?

Foster the People rolled thru the area last night at the local casino outdoor venue. Ok its called Stir Concert Cove and its in Iowa because we here in Nebraska have no casinos cuz we are more boring better than you. Foster the People is a band known for a couple of hits concerning school shootings and suicide. Right up my alley.

First things first. I , being elderly by rock standards or any other standards for that matter, am used to people my age and older strutting around on stage with a limited amount of energy (except for you, Bruce or Paul) performing 30-50 year old hits. Its fine. Its great. Its me.

So to see two young bands, ARJ, and Foster, with real energy was refreshing, invigorating in fact. Oh Im not about to rush into the pit full of teens dropped off my Mom and start throwing my arms around. Im perfectly content to sit in my lawn chair and tap my foot.

ARJ, of whom I am not at all familiar, a band of 3 literal brothers, hit the stage first. The lead singer brother, decked out on a 90 degree night in some sort of Russian floppy hat designed for Siberian living bounced around the stage like he actually wanted to be there. Props, buddy. Now if one brother was a lead singer only, what did the other two brothers do? One played a keyboard, and the other played a guitar, yet the "drummer" was banging away like crazy. Wait, there isnt any drummer yet I swear I hear drums. Now I have no idea if there was drummer someplace I couldnt see, or if there was drummer who was a machine. It bugged me. Why? Because I'm just that way. ARJ actually played one song I have actually heard and even did a cover of Lollipop Lollipop to fill out a half hour set. They were not terrible, in fact they were a solid opening act. The kids were going nuts

Foster the People intrigue me. Not really my bag, but with a couple of solid hits and a cheap ticket why not be the oldest person in the venue by 30 years? I love Helena Beat both lyrically and musically. The Lord of the Flies video I love. Its a solid tune.

What happened about halfway thru the hour long show made me sit up and take note. Foster The People rocked the fuck out of the place with a song called Lotus Eater and a cover of Blitzkrieg Bop (which every band should do). Cool.

The band, led by Mark Foster, is a band, if I was 15 again, would remember for a long time. But Im not 15, far from it, but still, it does my heart good to see a young band with a lot of things to say. And to see young people rocking out to someone they can claim as their own is encouraging. Rock is on life support, yes. But like Lazarus, it may rise again.

FTP may be one of the defibrillators it needs. I mean, just the sound of a catchy song about a real life horror like the weekly school shootings is enough to give me hope. Lyrics that mean something. Cool.

Bobby Kennedy!

50 years ago today, I was on summer vacation, I was asleep when my younger brother came into our bedroom, quietly said my name, and when I probably grumpily grunted what, he told me that Senator Kennedy had been shot. I will never forget the thought that came into my head, please dont be HIM. please please please God. I got up and if I remember right went into the basement where the TV was and watched the coverage of what another madman had done a mere two months after Martin Luther King had been gunned down. But Bobby Kennedy was still alive. I never prayed more in my life to a God who I actually sort of believed in to spare Bobby's life. I prayed all day as Kennedy hung on to life.

That evening I had baseball practice and while I sat in a car with two other teammates waiting for a field to clear, the kid I was sitting next to in the back seat cracked a bad joke about the shooting and the kid in the front seat, lets call him John, turned and sternly said at 9 years old to us "Its not funny!". He was right. It wasnt funny.

I remember my Dad and my coach saying aloud, "I dont think he's going to make it". That crushed me. Dad, please, dont say that. I continued to pray while I stood out at first base taking grounders. Please God, no. Dont take him.

Senator Robert F Kennedy died the next morning. My prayers were not answered. I lost my faith that day. I went into the back yard alone and cried. I threw the baseball against the house as I did everyday but I threw it extra hard that day.

Later on I watched the train carry his body to DC. The crowd lining the tracks was incredible. The nation was mourning. My Mom wept at Senator Ted Kennedy's eulogy. I didnt watch.

The night Senator Kennedy was shot was the day I lost a lot. My faith, my hope, my kid like view of the world. From that day on I became a cynic. Bobby Kennedy was going to make everything ok. He was going to end the war, he was going to heal racism, he was going to make everyone be nice to each other. Thats what I thought.

Sirhan Sirhan should never be allowed out of prison. The man changed the course of history for the worse and he took my hope away forever. We got Nixon, and Reagan and W and now Trump. Fuck off Sirhan. Rot in jail you devil bastard. The tape of the chaos in the kitchen is still something I cannot stand to hear. Senator Kennedy has been shot Oh my god get the gun get the gun break his thumb if you have to oh my god
. It is chilling to this day.

Years ago while visiting LA, we saw the Ambassador Hotel on the way back from the Tar Pits. It creeped me out much like the Texas School Book Depository does and the way the Lorraine Motel did this year. They tore the Ambassador Hotel down in 2005 or like in 2013 when we drove to Dallas and again in 2018 when we drove to Memphis, I would have been there in the 50th year since a great American was gunned down.

Perhaps I should try for better memories. 50 years ago this year, that baseball team I played for went undefeated and won the title. Nope didnt work. My memory is of the Kennedys and King.

Damn.

Stone Temple Pilots!

Scott Weiland is dead. Chester Bennington is dead. Jeff Gutt is alive. And so are the Stone Temple Pilots.

STP rolled thru Lincoln last night playing a former movie theater turned club in front of a packed house. Packed as in I clutched a railing left over from the movie theater (the theater I watched the Thrilla in Manila in 1975 on closed circuit TV so now you know how old I am) and held on for dear life constantly moving out of the way of people getting beer. Damn, it was as crowded as any place Ive ever been in yet somehow my claustrophobia did not kick in. Probably cuz I was watching STP with a new lead singer rock the shit out of the venue.

As Ive stated before Ive seen STP more than any other rock band and not by design. It just so happens they came around here in the 90s a lot and it just so happened I went. This is the 6th time Ive seen Stone Temple Pilots, the first time in 20 some years, and the first time since Scott Weiland inevitably self destructed in 2015.

Jeff Gutt, a former X Factor contestant, is the new front man and honestly, as great as Weiland was, this band really hasnt lost anything. Gutt is a strutting blonde Billy Idol looking sunglasses wearing stud who makes the experience of seeing these guys a damn good time.

With a setlist of classics like Wicked Garden, a slowed down Plush. Vasoline, Interstate Love Song, Sex and Violence, Dead and Bloated and Sex Type Thing mixed in with new stuff like the rocking Meadow, STP shows at 50 years old plus these guys are still getting it done. The DeLeo brothers, and Eric Kretz have lost nothing since last touring 5 years ago. I highly recommend going.

In 1990, I went to see Megadeth with a buddy and this obscure band called Stone Temple Pilots came out to open the show. The spiky haired front man pulled out a megaphone and launched into a song called Crackerman. Though booed by dimwitted metalheads intent on watching Spinal Tap Megadeth choreograph their way through a standard metal show. STP did their thing and made no apologies. I became a fan that night. Whatever happened to the young lady dancing next to us the Megadeth roadies came and took away is a horror I still cant unsee.

In 1993, STP came to a shithole called the Mancuso Center, a slab of concrete with a stage at the end. Not air conditioned, the venue was packed and there was no railing to grasp. A young man stood behind me and was frozen like a statue for the entire show. When STP launched into Sex Type Thing at the end of the show, this kid began to gyrate like someone dropped a ferret in his pants. The sweat flew off him onto me. Ydah it was disgusting.

In 1994, STP came back to this Mancuso sweat box and drew an even bigger crowd. Halfway thru the show, a sneaker flew out of the crowd and nailed Scott Weiland right in the face. Justifiably, Weiland went crazy cussing out the offender and insisting if the guy wasnt ejected the show was over. I am still surprised the crowd didnt tear the idiot apart. They did eject the shoe tosser and the show went on.

The last time I saw STP was in 1996. The exact same place, the sweaty venue, the crowd was not as huge. The show wasnt either. There was something wrong with Scott Weiland that night. He sang badly, he was incoherent, and the show ended without an encore. Sweating like Trump attempting to tell the truth wasnt worth it. I feared it was a sad end to a great band.

Last night showed comebacks are possible.

Friday Stuff!

I get it LeBron. You're the world and J R Smith is a Trumper. NO clue about anything.

1.

Look Im happy J R Smith is clueless about keeping track of the one thing he is paid to keep track of. The fucking score. Ive been a San Francisco Warriors fan since childhoood when they wore those groovy cable car jerseys with The City on the front and guys like Rick Barry and Nate Thurmond and Jeff Mullins and Al Attles played for the inevitable first round losing playoff team. Then when they won the title in 1975 I was the lonely Warriors fan celebrating in the Midwest by myself. Who knew I'd be miserable for 40 years until a guy named Curry came along. So thanks, J R. Go Dubs!

2.

Samantha Bee called Ivanka Trump a "feckless cunt" complete with the cunt word beeped out . Oh my stars the conservatives are all butthurt over the breathy first daughter/wife insult. Diverting attention from their racist heroes desperately flailing away looking for insults they can equate to calling a black woman an ape which they all think is so goddamned funny. Ivanka, the trademark queen of China profiting off her crooked father's Presidency. is a feckless cunt. Well lets see. Feckless means:

lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible.
synonyms: useless, worthless, incompetent, inept, good-for-nothing, ne'er-do-well

Ah there it is. The very definition of Ivanka Trump. Great adjective.

Now "cunt". A vulgar term for women's genitalia. Or if you are in Britain or Australia, an idiot. I prefer anything Euro over this mean spirited trailer park of a nation right now so as far as I'm concerned Samantha Bee called Ivanka Trump a irresponsible idiot. Yep, about right.

Same goes for Sarah Sanders, Donnie Junior, POTUS 45, Jared Kushner, Eric, John Bolton or anybody else playing the role of feckless cunt good for nothing idiot.

3.

Tariffs. Oh yes, a great 19th century solution to a 21st century problem. Typical Trump. Catering to an economically illiterate base who thinks he's protecting their 19th century jobs which are going away no matter what Coal Miner Joe thinks.

This kind of irresponsible dimwittery is the kind of thing every Republican President since Coolidge has done. Ruin the fucking economy put in place by Democrats. The blatant attempt at sucking up to a billionaire donor system while being supported by dumb struggling whites looking down instead of up. Hey, it works.

Buckle up America. 1928, 1987, 2008 is coming back. The part that scares me is this time the stupid electorate only waited 10 years to let them do it again. Once the 2018-19 collapse occurs when is the next one? 2021? God we are dumb.

4.

Wicked is a musical with a great premise. It gets to the heart of a hypothetical situation involving a fictional movie everyone knows by heart. So Im not sure why any of this matters but Im saying it anyway.

Wicked has been in town for 3 weeks now. The touring company is fantastic. The touring company is multi talented. What they do for a living must be so fulfilling you cant even imagine.

But Wicked is like that thing you want so bad to be good, yet it just doesnt live up to what you want. You know, like the Foo Fighters, or the Imagine Dragons. God, I want to love this so much, I should like this so much, but I cant. Its not you, Wicked, its me. Dont get me wrong, the experience of attending live theater is unparalleled in my life, and I liked Wicked. But like The Kinks, Im sorry, I dont love you.

Have a great weekend.