A Musical Note

Who did the better version of "Bring it on Home to Me" --Sam Cooke or Eric Burdon & the Animals?

I also recommend David Lang's composition "The Little Matchstick Girl Passion" based on the sad Hans Christian Anderson story "The Little Matchstick Girl" and modeled on the format of JS Bach's "St. Matthews Passion."

A Musical Note

I never tire of Aleghiri's "Miserere Mei Deus."  Those high notes put me in mind of the teenage gal in the 1950's group, The Skyliners, and those soaring notes she hits at the end of  "Since I Don't Have You."  Great stuff, both compositions.

Tea Party and Debt Ceiling

So will the Tea Party-backed new Congressman toe the party line and take a serious shot at defeating  raising of the country's debt ceiling in a few weeks when the ceiling is approached?

Alma Maters

Save Little Used English Words

  Check out this website if you're interested in preserving obscure or little used words of the English language.
http://www.savethewords.org

Mountain High, Wrightwood, CA

My achilles tendon injury is in the final healing stage. My hope is to be back skiing at Mammoth by late Feb. or early March.

Tea Party 2011

The newly elected Congressional representatives beholden to the Tea Party will either change Washington or Washington will change them.  My bet is on the latter scenario.  Those grass-roots activists are going to be mighty disappointed.  Around April, there will be a vote on raising the debt ceiling.  Per Tea Party principles, the vote should be no.  However, the consequences would be devastating to national interests.

Like Ants Crawling Up A Wall

Point Dume, Malibu, California

Top-Roping at Pt. Dume, CA overlooking the ocean.  It's a drop-dead gorgeous spot.  To the right of the view you see is a wall that faces the water.

Rose Bowl Parade.  Living just a few miles from the parade route, we usually go to the end of the route around 9 a..m. and watch the whole thing.  There is always plenty of room to get a spot on the street right up close to the floats.  Beats trying to get a space towards the start where people either have to buy expensive tickets to sit on hard stadium seats or stake out a spot overnight on the sidewalk.

Achieving New Lows in TV

My hope for mankind took a big hit when I recently stumbled onto a "reality" show called "Jersey Shore."  This show aims for a level well below moronic.  I marvel that the show can have enough of a viewership to sustain it, but this is apparently the case. At least shows on serial killers have a point.