Afternoon folks!

This week we've got two eras of Chicago blues represented - an album from Muddy Waters starts us off, followed by Washboard Sam with Big Bill Broonzy and Memphis Slim. After that there's Don and Dewey with a compilation of some serious r&b. After that there's Bonnie Raitt's debut album which features Junior Wells on harmonica on about 4 tunes, then it's off to blues rock with Steppenwolf's live album. Finishing up is an album by Weather Report.

Enjoy!

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

I have re-wrote the opening of today's diaries many times mentally and on the keyboard. Normal frustration of trying to sort and organize an uncomfortable subject. It is similar to the one many families face with an older generation - are they still competent to drive on public roads or take care of their own finances. Is it time for an intervention or at least a discussion?

The next shoe to drop hangs by a shoestring over our heads like the Sword of Damocles. And the shoestring is fraying.

Dear citizen, it matters not that you live your life trying to do what's right. You go to work, pay your taxes, obey the laws, save your money only to have it stolen in the form of inflation. The banks don't play by those rules. They have different rules, as do the very wealthy. If you get in financial trouble that's on you. If the banks get in financial trouble that's on you as well.

The recent Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) failure is a perfect example of balance of justice weighed in favor of the wealthy. You did everything by the rules, they play fast and loose with the rules. They broke the rules, you didn't, who pays?

(Miss) McKenzi and her daughter, Florence:

I've not been able to pay much attention to current news this week (hoping that changes with the comments in this Open Thread and reading the short backlog I've got here), so I'm gonna talk about McKenzi, one of the first five goats we raised, and her daughter, Florence.

Miss Mack when she was about 6 months old

So three banks have failed over the weekend and 28 more have suspended trading indefinitely. Charles Schwab took a 20% hit today and the DOW dropped to 31,800.
But O'Joe assures us all is under control and taxpayer monies are not going to be used to bail out Silicone Valley Bank.