Happy Mother's Day!

I think it is a good idea to appreciate those who gave us life and nurtured us in our youth, at least I hope your Mom nurtured you. Today I want to look at the birth of new ideas from new tools of control to new economic alliances to active and brewing conflicts. It has been another busy news cycle this week, so lets get to the stories...

Afternoon folks!

This week there's a compilation album of Chuck Willis' r&b hits and a live recording of John Mayall in the blues category. There's some rockabilly with the Stray Cats, some blues rock with Steppenwolf and Little Feat. There's also a countryish, bluesy Rita Coolidge album. We finish up with Don "Sugar Cane" Harris (formerly of Don & Dewey) playing some proggy bluesy music wherein you might hear an echo or two of his friendship with Frank Zappa. I'm not sure if that last one will play well, because youtube has decided to censor it as adult material because (gasp) the cover art of the album has a naked nipple displayed on it. I guess youtube is taking no chances in this world where Michaelangelo's David is labelled pornography. Yeesh!

Enjoy!

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

Happy Friday everyone. I hope everybody is doing well. Post any photos, memes, or music you like.

I finally got out with the camera this week. Yesterday I went to the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum in Vista, Ca. To call it a museum is generous. Most of the vehicles and industrial engines are sitting in fields outside unprotected from the elements. The few buildings that are there looked as antique as the equipment that they housed. There was a lot of farm and construction equipment from the 20's thru the 50's and industrial engines from the late 1800's to the mid 1900's. It was fun wandering around looking at all the old equipment. The only negative was a lack of information about the vehicles and engines. Other than that, it was worth the price of admission(free) to get a glimpse of our past.

I am not a fan of horse racing, especially the stupid way we do it in this country. We race them way too early, we breed them to have muscle weight, not skeletal weight. Tiny leg bones are great for speed, not endurance.

Despite our breeding flaws and foolish racing practices, some horses not only survive it, but excel, exceeding all expectations.

The Kentucky Derby is in the news, which always brings up the most extraordinary race horse in US history: Secretariat. That rare horse that exceeded all expectations.

Corruption is a cancer. A cancer that eats away at a citizen's faith in democracy.

Diminishes the instinct for innovation and creativity. Already tight national budgets crowding out important national investments.

It wastes the talent of entire generations, scares away investment and jobs.

But most importantly, it denies the people their dignity. It saps the collective strength and resolve of a nation.

Corruption is just another form of tyranny.