Merry Christmas

Christmastide
by H. P. Lovecraft

The cottage hearth beams warm and bright,
The candles gaily glow;
The stars emit a kinder light
Above the drifted snow.

Down from the sky a magic steals
To glad the passing year,
And belfries sing with joyous peals,
For Christmastide is here!

C99% readers, I don't know if you caught Dylan Riley and Robert Brenner's piece "Seven Theses on American Politics" over at NLR. But it's important. It's important because Riley and Brenner are willing to admit what others don't, which ends up with a revelation of how pathetic the current situation is.

Afternoon folks! I hope that you're all having a great xmas eve!

Well, I've got another pile of great stuff for you this week. There's a live recording of a bunch of great blues guys, Joe Turner, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, Leon Thomas and T-Bone Walker to start off with. Otis Redding and Carla Thomas did an album together and most of it is next. After that we've got some great Chicago blues from Son Seals. After that there's an early John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (Mick Taylor period) album, a Michael Bloomfield album and a Doctor Feelgood album. In the diversity department, we've got Renaissance - after the Yardbirds broke up Keith Relf and Jim McCarty formed Renaissance, which is a completely different animal from the Yardbirds. There's a Richard and Linda Thompson album and finishing up there's an assortment of r&b vocal groups singles.

Enjoy!

Happy Friday everyone. Post any photos, memes, or music you like.

“Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2023, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.”

To paraphrase, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone.

Xmas at the zoo

Was it your day you got word the draft ended? Your child was born? Your cancer was in remission?
How about, the book you finished reading that changed your life forever? Or, that song you heard on the radio that got you hooked on the blues?
Mine was around my 30th birthday when my Dr. told me I had achieved 100% liver function, and had no further need for treatment.