The new Enterprise: it's starting to grow on me...
Bogus got Advance Screening tickets to the Star Trek movie! How cool is that! I tried to raise him right – on the Force and the Great Bird of the Galaxy – and it took! He had to submit the reasons he should go, and the reasons he gave were about thanking me…I can’t go into it here…but suffice it to say he is a great son and he just proved it AGAIN!
Wow! Thanks, Bogus!
It’s a pretty good location. It’s supposed to seat 2500. It was part of the renovation of the casino a year or so ago, and it’s very comfortable, and seems to have a good sound system. We were in the second row of tables, close to the front, and from there you tend to here more of the stage monitor mix than the main house feed, so I can’t vouch for the sound farther back.
Sightlines look good, and the mezzanine level might be the real place to sit. It’s not too far away – and there are two large video screens flanking the stage, so you can still see the action. If the mix is good back there, just back of of the board, it should be pretty nice.
The band played well, and a bunch of Larry’s friends and family from Chicago must have come down for the concert. He was pretty much mobbed at that time. I was able to squeeze in and get him to sign my set list. (They were selling autographed copies of the set list for $ 20 each, only 20 copies. Larry and Rocco were the only ones who had not signed them. Now mine just needs Rocco’s signature!)
Anyway, a good concert, the band played “You Met Your Match” from the new album, “Great American Soulbook,” apparently for the first time live. Sounded great to me, although Bogus says Larry invented a few lyrics. I think Stevie Wonder probably did that from time to time as well…anyway, he sounded great. It was a delightful evening all the way around and Bogus says he read that the guy who runs The Venue is a big Tower fan, so maybe they will have a good location to play in the Chicago area every time the come through on tour!
Last week the Governor of Texas got all kinds of crap from the Drive-By Media for bringing up the possibility of secession from the Union. An unusually large number of Texans seem to think of their state as a separate country already, compared to, say, Ohioans. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Remember, we have a Federal Government, with specific rights and duties according to the Constitution, and beyond that all rights are reserved to the States and to the People.
Anyway, so the poor guy gets jabbed for only saying what a lot of folks are probably thinking: we only are a part of the Union as long as y’all treat us OK, and if you don’t, we’re perfectly happy to go our own way, thankyouverymuch.
Apparently either (a) the Obama Administration, or (b) the Clinton State Department – they may not be the same thing, you know – already figure Texas is a separate country:
'Tis a pity the guy who "gets it" is President of France...
From Silver Scorpio:
“Paris – While US President Barack Obama is very intelligent and charismatic, he is ‘not always at his best when it comes to decisions and efficiency’, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was quoted Thursday as saying.
‘He has only been elected for two months and has never managed a ministry in his life,’ Sarkozy was quoted as saying by Liberation newspaper. There were things on which Obama had no opinion, he added.
Sarkozy was quoted as saying that during the recent summit meetings in Europe he had told Obama, in reference to the European Union’s climate agreement, that ‘I don’t think you have quite understood what we (the EU) have done on the subject of CO2.'”
He called it back in October 2008:
“French President Nicolas Sarkozy is very critical of U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama’s positions on Iran, according to reports that have reached Israel’s government.
Sarkozy has made his criticisms only in closed forums in France. But according to a senior Israeli government source, the reports reaching Israel indicate that Sarkozy views the Democratic candidate’s stance on Iran as ‘utterly immature’ and comprised of ‘formulations empty of all content’.”
– from Haaretz.com
Chuck’s dad was recently revealed to be Scott Bakkula, who was the captain of the Enterprise on “Enterprise.” Capt. Awesome’s dad is Bruce Boxleitner, who was captain on ‘Babylon 5.” And Sarah’s dad was Gary Cole, who was captain on the Babylong 5 spinoff, “Crusade.”
Why is everybody’s dad a starship captain? Once we find out about Morgan’s dad, if every, who will he be? Did we have any Hispanic starship captains?
A Man, A Legend, A Way of Life...oh wait, that's Rush...this is Chuck Norris!
I’m sure a lot of folks are not aware of Chuck Norris’ political or religions views. Chuck talks about his beliefs, and about the US as a Christian nation, at Human Events. He apparently became a Christian at a Billy Graham rally 20 years ago. Good for him! Read what he says – once again we are reminded of the way this country was founded and the principles that have made it so great for so long.
Then, in case you think you disagree with Chuck Norris, read the Chuck Norris Facts page to learn why we should all follow what Chuck tells us…or else!
Captain Richard Phillips was rescued after Navy SEALs took out the last three pirates. That’s what we needed to hear!
On the other hand, here’s how 5th Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral William Gortney, closed his announcement: “Admiral Gortney left with a warning that today’s outcome could lead to more violence in future hijackings, perhaps in the form of retaliation of losing their own.” (From here on Fox News.)
No, Admiral. Today’s outcome could lead to fewer future hijackings, because the pirates are only bold when they think there will be no retaliation. Sheesh. He’s a Vice Admiral and doesn’t get that? Whattthehellis he doing running 5th Fleet with an attitude like that?
Gulfstream G650 - fastest corporate jet!
Both of you who are devoted readers of my little blog know that some days I am truly inspired, but most days my writing is merely pedestrian at best. Here’s a quote from a Letter to the Editor that appeared in the March 30, 2009 edition of Aviation Week and Space Technology. The letter was written by Captain Brian T. Wilson of Atlanta:
“As a shareholder in a number of Fortune 500 companies I know that if they post $ 1 billion in revenue, then hire a management team that doubles that figure without losing profit margin, that means my income from those shares increases…I have no problem with some companies owning corporate jets. A responsibly used corporate jet becomes, to use a military term, a ‘force multiplier’ in that it makes the management team far more productive. Much of the anger about ‘fat cat executives and their toys’ comes from ignorance and wealth envy.”
I agree. It’s not unusual for lawyers, accountants, and other professionals to bill at $ 500 or more per hour…how much is the time of a CEO or other top executive worth? Should they really be standing around at a security line, or waiting for delayed commercial flights?
Of course, it’s also a colossal waste of their time to have the US Congress force them to come to “hearings” just so they can be beaten up on TV by congresscritters who want to score points of their own. The whole thing about the US automaker CEOs using corporate jets to get to Washington being a “poor PR decision” is a bunch of crap…and that idea was promoted by Washington folks and media people who want to capitalize on ignorance and wealth envy.
Anyone over the age of 30 with a bit of sense knows that the most valuable thing we possess is time. We can’t make it, and we need to make the most of every minute we have. I don’t like wasting time in airports, but I have no choice…I guess I could drive, instead, and waste more time. Maybe we all should travel by horseback, since our time is not important. Why are their commercial aircraft? Because people will pay for the ability to not waste time traveling.
Air Force One
How many media people traveled to Europe with the President last week? Did they all go by ship, or by commercial aircraft at least? Of course not. According to this blog by a Reuters photographer, 13 members of the press travel on Air Force One. Why? Is there any reason why any reporters should travel on the President’s plane? And yet, to accommodate their time needs and that of the President, they travel with him.
So some folks are, by virtue of their jobs, “more equal than others.” So a Reuters reporter should travel with the President – on our dime – but the CEO of General Motors can’t use his own company’s jet? Last I looked the US Government is in significantly more debt than General Motors.
Oh, I forgot – they print the money! And Obama says it will be OK! Sorry! (/irony mode off, for the time being)
I sometimes seriously believe the human race is going mad.
Tower did something new, after 40 years of playing and recording mainly original material – a covers album! With guests Tom Jones, Huey Lewis, Sam Moore, and Joss Stone, this one is on their own TOP Records label. Go to Tower of Power’s website to order it.
I’m listening to it now, so I can’t really react to it very much yet, but I will say this…Joss Stone is for real. Damn, that l’il white girl can sing! She’s barely old enough to drink, and she sound like she’s been singing on the road for twenty years…think Aretha in her prime! She’s getting there, this one is…watch out for her. And she fits with Larry and the band better than I ever expected.
Three tracks were produced by George Duke, and the band has a different sound that is still Tower-like. Bruce Conte plays on most of the tracks, since they were recorded when he was still with the band. I’m glad to hear him on the record.
One thing I’m noticing is that because the songs weren’t conceived with the Tower horns in mind, the integration of the two is not always as organic as TOP’s original material. The horns were almost a second voice to the lead vocalist in many of their tunes…some of these tunes have more “background horn” tracks…Dave Eskridge did a great job on the horn arrangements (Adolfo and Mike did some of the writing as well) but it’s just…different.
I see the band operating in three modes over the past 40 years…putting together the characteristic TOP sound in the early years, experimentation – especially with synths – in the 80s, and getting back to the roots in the 90s to today. This is another step for the band, and I applaud them for moving out of the comfort zone that’s worked so well for them for so long!
The Old Gray Cat 