I am not a real doctor, but I have been known to bring a pair of blue jeans back to life.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
The Clinton Compound
Remember when I said there was a rumor that Bill and Hillary Clinton were planning to buy Chelsea and her family a house in Chappaqua, NY, where they also live? Well, apparently it was more than a rumor and the sale went through in September.
They bought a three-bedroom house with a pool and a newly renovated kitchen with luxury appliances, right next door to their house. The two properties adjoin each other.
Hillary said it will be perfect as a "guest" house, for when Chelsea decides to spend the night. It has been on the market for a while, and the price was reduced; so, at $1.16 million, it is a bargain. The Secret Service has already cordoned off the cul-de-sac and restricted traffic. The press used to be able to set up camp across the street, but not anymore.
This partial interview was taken from The American Mirror,
August 12, 2016:
Hillary Clinton doesn’t miss an opportunity to ridicule Donald Trump’s illegal immigration solution of a wall on the southern border — but that’s exactly what she’s deployed to keep undesirables away from her.
“First of all, as I understand him, he’s talking about a very tall wall, a beautiful tall wall, the most beautiful tall wall, better than the Great Wall of China, that would run the entire border,” Clinton riffed in March.
“He would somehow magically get the Mexican government to pay for it. It’s just fantasy.”
A series of photos reveal a massive barrier running the entire border of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s estate in Chappaqua, New York — undoubtedly intended to keep the unwashed masses away from the political elites. But only an eye-level view can show you the real size.
These security gates are approximately 10 feet tall.
Since the Clinton Foundation is running low on money, they need to spend it while they still have it.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Friday, December 23, 2016
Thursday, December 22, 2016
▶️Click on the red arrow at top left of page, to hear the music.
City sidewalk, busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style.
In the air there's
A feeling of Christmas.
Children laughing, people passing,
Meeting smile after smile,
And on every street corner you'll hear:
Silver bells, silver bells,
It's Christmas time in the city.
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring,
Soon it will be Christmas day.
City street lights,
Even stop lights,
Blink a bright red and green,
As the shoppers rush home
With their treasures.
Hear the snow crunch,
See the kids bunch,
This is Santa's big scene,
And above all this bustle you'll hear:
Silver bells, silver bells,
It's Christmas time in the city.
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring,
Soon it will be Christmas day.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Rocky Balboa is Back in the Ring
The Daily Mail has learned that President-elect Donald Trump is set to select actor Sylvester Stallone for Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The NEA was formed in 1965, as an independent federal agency that funds, promotes, and supports everything from museums and opera to folk music, dance and design. Its current head, the artist and philanthropist Jane Chu, heads a 14-member board with an annual budget of approximately $146,200,000. Stallone, age 70 is best known for his roles as John Rambo and Rocky Balboa. His last major contribution to the arts was the 2015 Rocky spin-off, Creed that grossed $174 million at the box office.
The actor backed John McCain’s presidential run in 2008, but he is not a registered Republican. He did, however, describe Trump as “bigger than life” in a recent interview, but stopped short of endorsing his presidency. “I love Donald Trump,” he told Variety Magazine. “He’s a great Dickensian character. You know what I mean? There are certain people like Arnold [Schwarzenegger] and Babe Ruth, that are bigger than life. But I don’t know how that translates to running the world.” Stallone and Trump have a friendship that goes back more than 30 years.
Stallone also hinted at a career in politics in the same interview, saying he was interested in following in the footsteps of Hollywood star-turned politician, Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I said to my wife, ‘What do you think?’ Stallone recalled. “She said, ‘Are you crazy?'"
While Trump has not formally offered Stallone the job, the iconic actor is reportedly “positively disposed to the idea,” according to the Daily Mail.
It has been widely assumed that a Trump presidency would be hostile to the arts. But Mr. Trump feels this sort of A-list appointment is precisely what the industry needs. The president-elect sees Hollywood icon Stallone as the perfect choice to make art great again.
If Stallone is formally offered the job, his appointment will have to be approved by Congress.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Her Royal Highness, Omarosa
Omarosa Manigault (pronounced: Oh-Ma-Row-Sah), was a contestant on Season One of The Apprentice; and as of Thursday, has officially joined the Trump transition team.
Manigault will be working on the transition executive committee, with Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Peter Thiel (who has become Mr. Trump's go-to man when it comes to technology) and several other loyalists.
During the presidential campaign, Omarosa, who is usually introduced by her first name, held the position of Director of African-American Outreach; and for the past six months, has served as a board member on the National Diversity Coalition for Team Trump.
Her responsibilities in her new position have not yet been announced, but she posed in the Trump Tower lobby with NFL greats Jim Brown and Ray Lewis after their meeting with Trump on Tuesday, regarding urban development and job creation issues.
After The Apprentice, Omarosa worked for the Clinton administration, and was eventually fired from four different positions. Much like the personification she displayed on the reality show, she couldn’t get along with anyone.
She may think she is getting another chance to take advantage of a cushy situation, but Ivanka Trump is no fool or pushover. If Omarosa thinks she can out smart Ivanka, she will have a rude awakening. I can hardly wait to see how this turns out.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Wacky Jill Stein's Next to the Last Steps
We haven't heard the last of her yet.
PENNSYLVANIA
Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein appealed a decision by the Philadelphia City Commissioners on Dec. 1, denying her request for an audit. She has continued to push the recount effort, largely because she can raise millions of dollars for the Green Party and herself.
Philadelphia's Common Pleas Court, Judge Abbe Fletman, in a written opinion issued Wednesday, said Stein “is mistaken” in her claim that the state Election Code gives her a right to the audit she requested.
The difference in voting totals is still less than Pennsylvania’s 0.5 percent to trigger for an automatic statewide recount. On Monday, the judge denied Stein’s second request for a forensic audit of voting machines used in the city.
In Philadelphia, a central computer system is used to program cartridges, which are inserted into the voting machines before the election. After the election, those cartridges, are plugged back into the central system to tally the votes. The so-called “closed system,” from the programming of the cartridges, to the machines, to the tabulation of votes, is not connected to the internet or other computers. Deputy City Solicitor Benjamin Field argued Tuesday, “There is no evidence to suggest that Philadelphia’s elections were anything but secure.
MICHIGAN
Michigan’s recount was halted on Wednesday, after the Michigan Court of Appeals agreed that Stein is not an “aggrieved candidate” and therefore the count must stop. Stein received fewer than 1% of the vote, which made her “statically irrelevant.”
U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith set aside his original ruling that the recount could begin. He stated that, even though Stein raised serious issues about the integrity of Michigan’s electoral system, she offered only “speculative claims” and nothing indicating “actual injury.”
John Bursch, attorney for Michigan’s Republican Attorney General, Bill Schuette, who had challenged Stein’s case for a recount, praised Goldsmith’s decision. “This ruling is a huge victory for Michigan taxpayers and the rule of law,” Bursch reportedly said in a statement.
The recount has been costing the state $12 million, despite any evidence of technical errors or fraud. “This is a victory for the taxpayers and voters of Michigan,” said Ronna Romney McDaniel, chairman of the state Republican Party.
Ms. McDaniel, who is Mitt Romney's niece; has just been named the next RNC chair to fill the position vacated by Reince Priebus who has been named Trump’s Chief of Staff.
After the Michigan Court’s ruling against continuing the recount, Stein declared: “We are not backing down from this fight ― a fight to protect the hard-fought, hard-won civil and voting rights of all Americans. Our campaign will seek immediate relief in Michigan’s Supreme Court to ensure the recount that is already underway in all Michigan counties continues,” Hayley Horowitz and Jessica Clarke, the Stein campaign’s lead lawyers in Michigan, said in a statement. “With so many irregularities in Michigan ― there is a real possibility the rights of voters in Michigan may have been suppressed during this election.”
Today, December 14, presidential vote recount in Michigan may have turned up massive voter inaccuracies. Now it’s Republican leaders who are demanding an investigation to determine why a third of the city’s voting machines registered more ballots than actual voters, the Detroit News reported. Ruth Johnson, the Republican Secretary of State, is launching an audit.
Republican state Sen. Patrick Colbeck called the probe a good start regarding the suspicious results turned up in Detroit, where Hillary Clinton won with 95 percent of the vote. The Detroit News found voting scanning machines at 248 of the city’s 662 precincts — 37 percent — tabulated more ballots than the number of actual voters counted in the poll books.
Wisconsin
WISCONSIN
The Wisconsin recount ended a day before the Dec. 13 deadline. Stein told newspaper The Detroit Free Press that, so far, the recount appeared to be exposing problems with Michigan's election process, particularly in low income, minority communities.
However, the Wisconsin Elections Commission Chair officially declared Republican President-elect Donald Trump the winner in the state. In fact, his margin over former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton increased by 162 votes. So, thank you, Jill Stein.
Stein’s two and a half-week fundraising drive drew in approximately $7.33 million from 161,300 donors. The campaign claims this is the largest-ever people-powered effort to verify the results of a presidential election in United States’ history.
“It was an amazing affirmation of the power of the American people to have a voice in their voting system and demand elections with integrity,” Stein said in a press release. However, the effort failed to bring “election integrity” back to the system. In fact, her initiative, for the most part, has been a colossal failure.
The campaign calculated the total cost of the recount efforts to be over $7.4 million, approximately $3.5 million of which was paid for by Wisconsin state filing fees. “The total was raised to $9.5 million only after the Wisconsin Elections Commission suddenly and unexpectedly increased the fee for the recount by $2.4 million on November 28,” according to the statement.
The campaign expects some costs to be overestimated and to receive funds back from the uncompleted Michigan recount. Any refunded state filing fees will be donated, according to the release.
David Cobb, Stein’s campaign manager, said in the release the campaign has been “fully transparent” about its recount intentions. “It’s regrettable that states, especially Wisconsin, dramatically increased the costs of what should have been a routine democratic process,” Cobb said. “But the people of this country were not deterred. And just as we have for decades, the Green Party will continue to be a voice for all Americans – whether on the streets, in the courthouse or at the ballot box.”
Ilann Maazel, an attorney for Stein’s campaign repeated vague claims made about voting machines being “extremely vulnerable” to hacking and that they could have been manipulated; but nothing could be substantiated. Closing remarks were: “The Court’s decision will deny voters the chance to know the truth about this election.”
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Trump Tales
It has become a tradition, going back 95 years, for the POTUS to have a dog while in the White House. So, word is, Trump is considering a Labradoodle. I saw the story on one of the Sunday morning shows. They had three different dogs in the studio while they were discussing the breed; and they were adorable. 
They look a little like a Wheaton Terrier; but since they are a hybrid of a Labrador and a Standard Poodle, there is no predicting how big they will get. They are very friendly and intelligent; and, they don’t shed! The Trumps will be getting a puppy and they already have one picked out.
In other news, Donald Trump said that his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner are considering a move to Washington, D.C. "They’re both very talented people,” he said. “I would love to be able to have them involved,” Trump said. He commented that whatever Ivanka is involved in—no one can do it better. He also gave very high praise to Jerod, saying “He is a very talented guy.” I’m getting the impression he doesn’t want to do this without them (primarily Ivanka). He said they are considering all of the legal aspects, if there are any. In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Trump said they were “working that out.”
On Monday, Kanye West was invited to Trump Tower and had some one-on-one time with Donald Trump. After their meeting, Trump escorted West to the lobby where they posed for photos and Trump explained that they have been good friends for a long time. He implied that their meeting wasn’t anything more than that.
Friday, December 9, 2016
Man's Best Friend
Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s
best friend.
Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Jill Stein's 15 Minutes of Fame
BREAKING NEWS: Jill Stein and Hillary Clinton’s recount effort was ordered to stop in Michigan, and Pennsylvania’s recount will likely not proceed due to a Monday Federal deadline. According to the Court, their distracting and disruptive recount efforts are a fraud, and are wasting millions in taxpayer dollars.
The recount in Wisconsin is more than 70 percent complete, and Clinton has gained just 82 votes on Trump, who won the state by more than 22,000 votes. The Wisconsin Elections Commission reported Wednesday that 34 of 72 counties had completed their work and that the others are on track to finish by next week’s deadline. More than 2.1 million votes out of the nearly 3 million cast have been recounted.
Michigan’s recount was halted on Wednesday, after the Michigan Court of Appeals agreed that Stein is not an “aggrieved candidate” and therefore the count must stop. Stein received fewer than 1% of the vote, which made her statically irrelevant.
After the Court of Appeals decision, U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith set aside his original ruling that the recount could begin. He stated that even though Stein raised serious issues about the integrity of Michigan’s electoral system, she offered only “speculative claims” and nothing indicating “actual injury.”
In the meantime, the recount has been costing the state $12 million, despite any evidence of technical errors or fraud. “This is a victory for the taxpayers and voters of Michigan,” said Ronna Romney McDaniel, chairman of the state Republican Party.
Michigan’s Attorney General Tweeted:
In addition, the recount effort in Pennsylvania is likely to end after a scheduled hearing on Friday. For Clinton and Stein voters, this is the worst possible news:
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond scheduled a Friday hearing in Philadelphia, based on the request for a recount. The Republican Party and Trump warned that the case threatens Pennsylvania’s ability to certify its election before the Dec. 13 Federal deadline. Stein’s team has not produced any evidence of hacking, but calls Pennsylvania’s election system “a national disgrace.”
Also Tuesday, Pennsylvania election officials updated the state’s vote count to show that Trump’s lead over Clinton had shrunk to about 44,000 out of more than 6 million votes cast. That is still shy of Pennsylvania’s 0.5 percent trigger for an automatic statewide recount.
The votes in the Electoral College simply weren’t close enough to justify this mass recount.
But Stein has continued to push the effort, largely because she can raise millions of dollars for the Green Party and herself. Stein, who once campaigned against Hillary Clinton, is now becoming a co-conspirator with Clinton, attempting to undermine President-elect Trump before he takes office.
There has been no announcement of any further “next steps.”
Monday, December 5, 2016
Hillary Clinton — Sore Loser
If you didn’t read yesterday’s post, you probably should; because today's post is part-two of the same story.
The Green Party's presidential candidate, Jill Stein has launched a vote recount effort in the swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where Donald Trump had a very slim margin. Last week, a lawyer for the Clinton campaign, said they would be joining the recount effort. They are recruiting volunteers to help with recounts in two states. New signup forms are on the HillaryClinton.com website, asking for volunteers in Michigan and Wisconsin. It reads: “Help with the Michigan recount. Let us know if you want to get involved.” The website doesn’t offer any information about what volunteers would do.
85% of Americans believe this country is more divided than in past years, according to a recent CNN/ORC poll. This is the ultimate sign of a sore loser—and supporting Jill Stein only perpetuates the divide in our country. As usual, this activity does not benefit anyone except the politicians who need attention at any cost.
And, let us not forget about the hypocrisy.
Mr. Trump was asked in an interview before the elections, whether or not he would accept the election results. He jokingly replied, “I will totally accept” the election results “if I win.”
Mrs. Clinton immediately used the tongue-in-cheek statement as an opportunity to attack Trump. At a rally in North Carolina, she said: “To say you won’t respect the results of the election is a direct threat to our democracy. The peaceful transfer of power is one of the things that makes America, America. It is not a joke, and some people are sore losers, and we’ve just got to keep going.”
Mrs. Clinton called the idea of contesting the results, “horrifying.” “That’s not the way our democracy works. We’ve been around 240 years. We’ve had free and fair elections, and we’ve accepted the outcomes when we may not have liked them and that is what must be expected of anyone standing on a debate stage during a general election.”
She added, “And let’s be clear about what he’s saying and what he means. He’s denigrating—he’s talking down our democracy. I, for one, am appalled that somebody who is the nominee of one of our major two parties would take that kind of position.” Easy for her to say that then, because she was completely convinced that she was going to win. Now we see what she actually says and does when she doesn’t win.
As I previously reported, she cried uncontrollably until her doctor finally sedated her. It was three days before she could speak in public. I wonder what Bill was doing for those three days!
But, back to Jill Stein.
According to the fundraising page set up by Stein, the filing fee in Wisconsin was originally estimated at $1.1 million; but when the filing deadline approached, the state claimed they had underestimated the fee and it shot up to $3.5 million. Michigan’s fee is $600,000 and Pennsylvania’s $500,000. Attorney fees are expected to be in the multi-millions. The money raised will also pay for the recruitment of recount observers.
The first estimate of what would be needed to finance the recount was approximately $2.5 million. Within no time, donations totaled $4.5 million. It appears the outpouring of financial support was beyond their wildest dreams, and obviously, Wisconsin agreed. When they significantly increased their fee estimate by more than 300%, Stein immediately announced that the recount was now going to cost $7.5 million. According to her recount website, the current estimate has now increased to $9.5 million. Surprise!
Trump is calling the recount a “sad” waste of time and money. And we all know how much Trump hates to waste time.
I have serious doubts regarding Stein’s reasons for pushing the recount; and apparently I am not the only one who thinks the fund-raising estimates are beyond belief. I ran across an article entitled: The Mysterious Case of Jill Stein's Surging Recount Costs, by Tyler Durden. He said the same things I’ve been saying.
According to Stein’s fundraising page, more than $7 million has been raised for legal and recount costs. Jill Stein has actually raised more money for her recount effort than she did during her failed election attempt.
During an interview on ABC’s The View, Stein made it clear that any money raised will only be used for the recounts. If there are any excess funds, Stein’s press team said that the campaign will consult with the Federal Election Commission guidelines on how best to proceed.
I tried to read the FEC “guidelines,” but there were 24 pages of small print, and my eyes started to glaze over. My instincts tell me, however, that somewhere in all that verbiage there is probably a convenient loophole that could, under certain circumstances, allow them to do whatever they want with the money.
Stein claims that the voting process was hampered by “cyber hacking,” although she has not provided any evidence to back up her claims. A recount would be unlikely to benefit Stein—who did not win a single state in the election. So what is her motivation? She’s getting attention and name recognition. Her efforts could help her build a larger donor list that she could use if she ever decided to run a campaign again. And, no matter how many times they recount the votes, any discrepancies would not give Hillary Clinton enough votes to emerge as the winner.
Two pro-Trump groups went to federal court late Thursday to try and stop the recount. On Friday, U.S. District Judge James Peterson rejected their request for a temporary restraining order to immediately halt the recount, saying there was no harm in allowing it to continue while the Court considers their lawsuit. A hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for Dec. 9.
It still remains to be seen, how this will all shake out.
As was announced over the weekend, Jill Stein planned a protest/press conference for Monday morning, in front of Trump Tower, to report the progress of the recount.
Stein addressed a small, assembled crowd defending the recount as a “democratic measure” claiming that not all votes may have been counted. She declared, “This is not simply an abstract concern. This is a very real concern, that these votes from the communities of color be respected, and that we affirm that they are not once again being tossed into the dustpan here and disrespected.” (Huh? She is obviously not much of a public speaker.) She slammed Trump and his supporters for trying to interfere with her efforts. When you run out of things to say, try to make Trump look like a racist! We are REALLY tired of that ridiculous rhetoric.
In regard to her fundraising success, she said, “If we raise more than what’s needed, the surplus will also go toward election integrity efforts and to promote system reform.” Hmmm. If she makes that her new campaign platform, it would seem to me the “excess” could then go directly into her next campaign fund with her platform being “election integrity.” How convenient. The more I hear from Jill Stein, the more it appears that she is slightly "off."
But wait—there’s more. Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water, a new rabble-rouser has emerged:
U.S. Representative, Democrat from Illinois, Luis Gutierrez, has announced he will protest at Trump’s inauguration. Haven’t heard about it yet? Well, there is still plenty of time to get the protesters hired and organized, so you will.
I’ll be reporting any updates to this story as I get them.
So, stay tuned…
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Post-Election Insanity
I don’t understand all the hysteria. Why are people sobbing and falling on the ground because Hillary Clinton lost the election?
Someone said, “Hysteria requires an audience.” Is that why they are doing it—for attention? I wouldn’t have mentioned any of this, because it really is old news, but it isn’t going away. People are still upset. They are desperate for answers as to what they should do next.
And why do those ignorant women on The View think they actually have anything to say? Honestly, it’s embarrassing. The only thing that I hear coming out of their mouths is “I hate men.” They don’t actually say that, but that’s all I hear. Don’t misunderstand me—I don’t watch the show, but I run into small snippets of it on YouTube and I’m always curious. I love it when they interview someone smart, that I respect, because they usually get their butts kicked. Ha-ha.
Sadly, most of the people “talking” don’t know what they are talking about. They have been brain washed by the media into believing a lot of exaggerated untruths. Then to cope with their insecurities about what they know, they have to raise their voice and argue with those people who really do know. From what I can tell, their only goal is to try to intimidate others into believing their point of view instead of persuading their audience with actual, convincing facts.
Here is a perfect example:
Do you recognize this 58-year-old woman? We used to think she was great, but lately, not so much.
During a fund-raising concert on Friday, she acted out her frustration over Trump’s win. She said, “It just really makes me feel ashamed, ashamed to be an American, ashamed to be a human being, really.” During a previous concert, she offered sexual favors to anyone who would vote for Hillary. Well, Ms. Madonna—now we’re ashamed of you!
After the presidential election of Donald Trump, some college campuses have flown their flags at half-staff. Some, like New Hampshire College, have just elected to take the flag down completely. Others have held counseling sessions for students, and have allowed them to skip tests and deadlines in order to heal. Are these people adults?
In the weeks following the election, there were riots in Portland, demonstrators taking to the streets of Cleveland, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City, and blocking streets in Washington, D.C., where a 15-year-old boy was beaten for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat.
Protesters marched, carried signs and blocked the street in front of Trump Tower; while continually chanting “Not my president.” It took three days before they finally got tired, dispersed and went home.
But every day it seems, someone comes up with a new scheme/scam to feed the frustration of the malcontents. The latest instigator has her own cause du jour.
The Green Party’s presidential candidate, Jill Stein has demanded a recount of votes in three swing states, “to ensure that voting machines weren’t hacked” even though there is no evidence that they were. Critics say Stein is simply trying to raise money and her political profile, while building a donor database. In other words, trying to increase her street cred.
You can read the full story in tomorrow’s blog post.
To be continued...
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Yet Another Commemoration—April 20-23, 2017
CELEBRATION 2017 will honor and celebrate the life and legacy of Prince Rogers Nelson; as the world marks the first anniversary of his passing.
The four-day festival, April 20 through April 23, will be held at his Paisley Park Museum in Chanhassen, MN. Featured events: live music, presentations and panel discussions focused on Prince’s tremendous talent, influence and importance as a composer, musician, producer, live performer and filmmaker.
It will also bring together musicians, creative personnel, special guests and friends who worked closest with Prince and knew him best.
Artists who will be performing include Prince’s former backup band the Revolution, Morris Day and the Time and members of other Prince bands — the New Power Generation and 3RDEYEGIRL.
Organizers said the event will “reflect the spirit” of the singer’s inaugural “Prince: A Celebration” June 2000 concert, which featured performances and events over four days.
Four-day VIP passes at $999, and general admission passes at $499 are now available. Individual day passes will not be sold. VIP tickets include priority concert seating, on-site parking, photo and autograph sessions, exclusive merchandise and a meal pass.
Sheila E is speaking publicly about the in-fighting among Prince’s family and the trust managers.
Her representatives have confirmed her frustrations about the situation, telling People magazine: ‘Sheila is concerned that [Prince’s death] will result in exploitation for profit by people who may have been seeking personal financial gain from him while living and may now see the opportunity to do so in his untimely death.
Sheila has concern for the protection of Prince’s music – both released and unreleased – and has promoted that the family or Paisley Park representatives have the final decision in regards to the usage of his name and likeness.’
Sheila and Prince met in 1978 at one of his concerts in Oakland, California, and went on to work together on a string of hits, including her biggest, “The Glamorous Life” and “A Love Bizarre.” She also sang on a number of his tracks, providing backup vocals on “Erotic City” and “Let’s Go Crazy,” as well as playing percussion.
She remained close with Prince in his final years but has previously stated she was unaware of any serious illness from which he may have been suffering. Prince died on April 21, 2016 from an accidental overdose of the powerful and addictive painkiller, fentanyl.
For ticket information, click this link: Celebration 2017
Friday, November 25, 2016
Prince 4Ever
Last month it was announced that Prince fans would soon have the opportunity to hear previously unreleased music on a new greatest hits album entitled Prince 4Ever. The album, which was released on November 22, features 39 tracks considered to be “the best of” Prince. Only one track, “Moonbeam Levels” is “new;” but only new to some of us, as there has been a bootleg version of the track circulating for many years.
The majority of the featured tracks are being called “fan favorites,” although I have seen several fan comments that have been critical of the choice of tracks. Some of the truly favorites have not been included. The selections have NOT been remastered, merely “cleaned up;” but even the whiners said, they would still buy the album.
On the morning of November 22, ABC-TV had the honor of premiering “Moonbeam Levels” to their audience and a small group of Prince fans who were hearing the track for the very first time. The previously unreleased single was recorded in 1982 while Prince was working on his fifth studio album, 1999. The track was part of another album that was shelved when Prince began work on the Batman sound track. Prince performed the track in concert, but it was never officially released.
I have listened to the new “Moonbeam Levels” and it is excellent. It would definitely have been an instant hit had it been released when it was first recorded.
The good news is: Warner Bros./NPG has announced an “early 2017” release date for a remastered, repackaged edition of “Purple Rain” — Prince’s most beloved album. The LP is being released in accordance with arrangements agreed to by Prince before he passed. The package will also contain a second album of previously unreleased material.
According to those in the know: There is enough new material in the vaults in Paisley Park, to be able to release a new album every year for the next 100 years. Prince’s music really will be 4Ever.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Thank Goodness
Here’s a question. Why are we co-mingling, every year, on the fourth Thursday of November, with people that we only see once a year? Could it be, that is the main reason we moved away from “home” in the first place; because we don’t want to see them any more often than that?
There is always someone who can hardly wait to stir up trouble over dinner, by bringing up the topic of politics or religion; or, when all else fails, the topic of money! How can you possibly be thankful to have these people as family members? How can they even be our family members?
As far back as I can remember, Thanksgiving was always a source of drudgery, because it was a lot of work and the bulk of the responsibility usually landed on one or two people. It’s one of those holidays that begs for the proclamation—It’s Thanksgiving today, and we are going to enjoy this day, whether we want to or not!
Even after I was old enough to move away, I still came home for Thanksgiving. And every year I would ask myself “why” am I doing this, and I would vow not to subject myself to the torture ever again. But, you know how it is.
When we were very young, our family would usually get together with my mother’s college girlfriend and her family, thus trading off the burden every other year. That was fun. But eventually as we got older and added boyfriends, college roommates and other people to the family circle, the ritual changed.
Now, I’m old, and it’s hard for me to travel. My dad is gone and I miss him. There aren’t any children/grandchildren in our immediate family, so nothing is really new. It’s just the same core group, doing the same things they’ve always done and just getting older, one year at a time. None-the-less, I still like being part of the group.
As you get older, you start to realize that life really is short. So, my advice is: if you do get the chance to spend time with your family and enjoy a delicious meal, just do it! And if the actual holiday doesn’t fit into everyone’s schedule, then schedule it for another day when everyone can be available. For years, we have had our Thanksgiving dinner on Friday instead of Thursday. That way, it gives those of us who have jobs, time to do our cooking on Thursday rather than staying up all night trying to get everything done for the next morning. It works.
So, eat, drink and be merry; and thanks for reading this.
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
The Constant Symbol of Good Living
I used to cook professionally and still enjoy cooking for friends. Last weekend I learned something very exciting. On Sunday, I tuned into a cooking show on PBS, that I haven’t seen in a while—Cook’s Country. They regularly have a segment where they do a blind taste test of commonly used products.
This week it turned out to be butter—one of my favorite “food” items.
The host of Cook’s Country, Christopher Kimball, does the final tasting in addition to a small audience who also tastes each of the unidentified items. Kimball gives a descriptive opinion for each one, he votes on his favorite and least favorite, and then the brands are revealed. Ta da
In this particular taste test, the winner was LURPAK, made in Denmark. I made a point of seeking it out when I shopped at Fairway on Monday, and they had it. It is pricey in comparison to other similar butters including organic which I usually buy; BUT, I bought it anyway, and I have to say, it is really yummy.
I’m a devoted believer in Martha Stewart's philosophy when it comes to butter—you can never have too much butter. Ha-ha. It’s always a treat when you discover something that wonderful, but on the down side, you never want to go back to what you used to buy. Oh well...
Here are a few of the other favored choices from the taste test:
But, there's more to the story of butter.
Controversies surrounding butter.
In the second half of the twentieth century, butter got a bad rap and was linked to a host of health problems. We now know that butter’s negative reputation was undeserved, and instead that butter substitutes and manmade trans fats are the real threats to our health.
Recent studies show just how important butter is to a healthy diet. It supplies our bodies with vitamins and minerals; boosts our immune system; helps hormone production; and supports our bones, organs, and most importantly, our brain. Good natural butter is satisfying and can even help with maintaining a healthy weight.
Fat doesn’t make us fat.
Good animal fats, like butter, are very satisfying and make us less likely to overeat or snack between meals.
A low fat diet is not necessarily good for us.
It turns out that diets low in fat leave us hungry, depressed, and prone to illness. Over time, as we replaced animal fats with trans fats, sugars, and other refined carbohydrates, we didn’t lose weight—we gained it. We forgot that fat and protein were satisfying, while starches and sugar led to cravings and weight gain.
Fat is an important part of a healthy diet.
Fat supports the essential building blocks for our body—our cells.
Polyunsaturated fats are not better for us.
All fats are not equal. Highly polyunsaturated fats are very unstable and oxidize easily, especially when heated, which makes them unsuitable for cooking. Oxidized fat makes us sick and damages our cells’ DNA. If these fats are hydrogenated to make them stable at higher temperatures, they are full of trans fats. In addition, polyunsaturated fats can suppress our immune system, and our increased consumption of them has adversely affected the balance of the essential fatty acids in our bodies.
Most of us are getting too much omega-6 fat because we consume large amounts polyunsaturated fats. Too much omega-6 restricts our intake of omega-3 and is linked to cancer, heart disease, liver damage, learning disorders, weight gain, and malfunction of the immune, digestive, and reproductive systems. We all need more omega-3 in our diet and that omega-3 is found in butter and the fat from grass-fed animals.
Monday, November 21, 2016
The Clintons — Plan B
Hillary insiders are starting to talk. She has been telling her friends that she is considering a run for mayor of NYC. But given her present state of mind, anything she says shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
After her loss to Trump, she had a complete emotional break down and couldn’t stop crying. She was barely able to speak for two days. She cried until her doctor finally decided to sedate her. Is that someone you want as leader of the most powerful country in the world?
Yesterday she spoke at a previously scheduled charity event, and presented herself without any makeup. Her hair looked like she had just rolled out of bed. She and her la-la friends did not even consider the possibility that she was not going to be the next president; and now she can’t cope. There was no Plan B.
The Clintons are temporarily short on fund raising ideas, and the Foundation is virtually worthless without a pay-for-play incentive linked to it. So now, they are trying to persuade Chelsea to consider running for a political office. There is a NY state legislator position that will soon be available; but Chelsea feels that the state legislature is “beneath her.” She has zero charisma and is the most disliked member of the Clinton family; but, if Chelsea was active in the political scene, there is a chance the Foundation could be revived.
From all outward appearances, it seems Chelsea has a “loser” for a husband. Marc Mezvinsky is an investment banker and co-founder of the hedge fund Eaglevale Partners. He used the Clinton Foundation to raise money for his hedge fund; but since he is not very well liked, Chelsea was the one who had to make most of the phone calls on his behalf. She is Vice-Chairman of the Foundation that bears her name, so they easily raised over a billion $$. But easy-come, easy-go; and in no time at all, he managed to lose every penny of the investors' money!
The hedgefund was dissolved in 2015; so now, Chelsea has to figure out how to support herself, the husband and the two kids in the manner to which she has become accustomed. Everyone describes her as a “spoiled brat.”
The Mezvinskys are currently living in a $12 million town house in Manhattan that was purchased with Clinton Foundation money. The latest emails that Wikileaks hacked from Podesta’s emails have revealed that Chelsea also paid for her lavish wedding with Foundation money. Mommy and Daddy Clinton have recently purchased another house in Chappaqua, NY and Chelsea, et al. are planning to move in there.
The Clintons are like cockroaches—you just can’t get rid of them.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Weekend Highlights—SNL and 60 Minutes
I always watch SNL every week. Some weeks it is great—some weeks horrible. This week the opening skit was Kate McKinnon doing her “Hillary” character and singing Hallelujah. It was partly a tribute to Leonard Cohen, who died this week, and partly as a funeral for the election. It was a bit of a tear jerker. At the end she said “I’m not giving up and neither should you, and live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” I believe it. The Clintons are like cockroaches! [I have already heard that Hillary is considering a run for mayor of NYC. I don’t know if there is any actual truth to that or if it is just gossip. We'll see...]
This week’s Host was Dave Chappelle. He is one of my favorite comedians. He is really smart and tells the most interesting stories, but he has a very bizarre sense of humor. This morning, Len and Todd on WOR radio were talking about SNL. They are upset because Chappelle used the “n word” a couple of times in his opening monologue; but, that is a big part of his stand-up act. A little-known fact about Dave Chappelle is that he and his family live on a 65-acre farm outside of Yellow Springs, OH that is in southern Ohio and between Springfield and Xenia, OH—just five miles from where I grew up. Yellow Springs is the home of Antioch College where Chappell’s dad was a professor in the 1970s. Antioch is a private, very affluent college that has always had a reputation of being highly intellectual. Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone is an Alumnus.
This is a snippet of Chappelle’s opening monologue:
[Talking about Trump’s victory] “I haven’t seen white people this mad since the O.J. verdict… I’m not saying I’m enjoying it. I’m just saying I’ve never seen this before. I watched a white riot in Portland, Oregon, on television the other night. The news said they did $1 million worth of damage. Every black person was watching it like — Amateurs.”
Chris Rock regularly uses the “n word” in his stage performances and HBO specials, etc. Interesting that Chris Rock made a surprise appearance in one of the skits. He recently got a divorce, got a new haircut, and now he looks a lot different than he did. He has been quoted as saying he now has the freedom to work as much as he wants, so I guess we may be seeing more of him.
I thought the 60 Minutes interview of Donald Trump and family was very unimaginative—same old boring questions and Leslie Stahl’s lipstick was distracting. I think it was below her lip and on her face at one point. I realize it is her distinguishing characteristic; but tonight, it seemed like too much.
The only thing new we learned is that the Trump Power Kids are planning to stay in NYC and run the Empire. Melania will be a more than qualified confident/counselor. Go Trumps.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Prince’s Paisley Park Adds New Guest Activities
Not only will Prince fans soon be able to dance to his hits every weekend at Paisley Park, they can also try to hit his falsetto notes in a recording studio. Two weeks after the Chanhassen City Council approved the rezoning of Prince’s home and studios as a public museum, Paisley Park officials introduced several new guest activities.
Among the new options for visitors will be "Paisley Park After Dark" every Friday and Saturday evenings, beginning December 2-3 and a “Sunday Brunch Experience” starting December 4, that is packaged with the $100 VIP tour. A menu of Prince’s favorite foods has been created with pricing; but there has not been an official announcement as to whether these items will be the offerings for the Sunday Brunch.
On Thursdays, Recording Studio B will be open for guests to record their own vocals to a Prince song and save it onto a USB flash drive. This will be an option included in the $100 VIP tour, but only on Thursdays.
The weekend parties will be the biggest change in the museum’s operations. A $60 ticket, good for both nights, will include a dance party with a DJ in the NPG Music Club room on Fridays beginning at 6 p.m., and a “movie night” on Saturdays with screenings of his films and concert footage. It has not yet been established how late the parties will go.
Chanhassen mayor, Denny Laufenburger, said all of these new activities fall within the ordinance approved by the city council and will hopefully generate and sustain interest in Paisley Park, while staying true to the vision Prince saw for his home and studios.
Mayor Laufenburger thinks that, so far, these new changes fall in line with that. Prince often hosted late-night parties in the practice studio, going back as far as New Year’s Eve, 1987. He even held a dance party there the weekend before his April 21 death.
Paisley Park is now operated by Graceland Holdings—which also runs Elvis Presley’s home museum in Memphis. Additional information about tickets and events can be found at the web site: OfficialPaisleyPark.com.
Friday, November 11, 2016
Trump Wins
During the presidential campaign, I tried my best not to share my personal views about the candidates, but as the lies started getting uglier and crazier and the dirt was being served up by the shovelfuls, I couldn’t hold back any longer and I did make a few comments about “Crooked Hillary.”
I hate to gloat, BUT, I am SO happy right now! I started getting very nervous on election day and was starting to feed into the mass hysteria the mainstream media was dishing out, but then I got a grip on reality. I knew it couldn’t be possible for someone so horribly evil to win in the end. The good guys just didn’t deserve that. I had already seen the videos and read the books, so I was well aware of Hillary’s history of corruption, even before Arkansas and the Rose Law Firm.
Over the same period of time, I followed the shenanigans and questionable business dealings of Donald Trump. I was never a big fan, but like most people, I didn’t really know him. I have to admit, I did watch every single season of The Apprentice and even blogged about each episode every week. It made for some really good TV and Trump does seem to have a very magnetic charisma. Using his children as judges on The Apprentice gave us a glimpse into their personalities and the apples don’t fall far from the tree! I think everyone can agree, his kids are outstanding as business executives.
So, when Trump announced his candidacy I made it my goal to find out as much as I could about him. I wanted to be able to make an unbiased decision in the primary election. Hillary had basically little competition for her party’s nomination; and even though Bernie Sanders held his own, there were too many hints of rigged results. Poor Bernie—another victim.
What I soon realized is that Donald Trump is a lot smarter than I ever thought. He was starting to make a lot of sense. I was really going for his message. He’s been called a clown, and emotionally unfit to be president, but those big mouths are the same ignoramuses that aren’t smart enough to “get it.” And because so many wealthy donors had their hopes pinned on Hillary—she just had to win—no matter what. It got to the point where Hillary and her people would have said ANYTHING if it would get her elected.
The Hollywood celebrities who were willing to stand up and make themselves look like asses and/or idiots, now look like fools; and that is pay back enough for me. Let them cry their eyes out. Hopefully they will learn something from this experience. To the six expert astrologers “from around the world” who convened in Costa Mesa, CA and who were actually guest speakers at a seminar on predicting events by using birth charts and the positions of the Sun, Moon and planets and who predicted Hillary’s victory—Ha-ha. I have more-or-less believed in astrology my whole life and now, I am finally free of the delusions.
The big question is still: What should we do with Hillary? I think she should be convicted, but, excused from serving time—as long as they immediately release the poor sailor who is locked up for doing NOTHING and others who are serving time for doing much less than Hillary did. But in reality, I don’t care what they do with Hillary—I’m just glad she wasn’t elected president. I can’t say it enough—I am SO happy right now.
Trump’s visit with President Obama seemed cordial and professional. I honestly believe Obama secretly admires Trump for accomplishing this unbelievable victory in spite of everything he had to overcome—being an inexperienced political outsider. They are all buddy-buddy now, so it just goes to show how phony the whole political system is.
I truly believe Trump will make every attempt to keep every one of his campaign promises and I feel sure, he will accomplish most of the changes that need to be done as soon as possible. He has already started working on his biggest promise:
Good luck President-Elect Trump.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Prince's Legacy Lives On
I wasn’t planning to write about the five-hour tribute concert, because it didn’t interest me that much. Since I didn’t personally attend or see any video of it, it is impossible for me to give an opinion on how it was or how it went. I have watched other bands and performers “cover” his music, but for me, it was all about the performance of the real artist. No one else can take his place.
Although several super-star performers originally committed to their appearance at the tribute concert, several of them dropped out.
The major headliners were Chaka Kahn and Stevie Wonder. “It is an emotional night for me and I’m just trying to keep it together because I miss him.” Wonder told the crowd toward the end of his set. “We talked about so much… so many plans just to make the world a better place.”
Christina Aguilera cancelled her scheduled appearance as she was fighting a “vocal illness.” A representative for Aguilera said “she has been advised by her doctors not to perform due to a vocal illness she has been trying to shake all week.”
Pop star John Mayer bowed out of the concert, citing a “change of schedule.”
Singer Anita Baker cancelled her appearance just before the event, but a publicist for the show did not know the reason.
Sheila E. had a previous, conflicting commitment.
All the media reports indicated that the concert was excellent and went off without a hitch. “[They] paid their respect to the Purple One by performing upwards of 45 songs from the many fantastic albums Prince provided us over the years.”
But, there is much bigger news.
The vault is open and Prince will live 4Ever.
Prince's estate along with NPG Records and Warner Bros. Records have announced the first music to be released since the Purple One's death on April 21. The first album will be a 40-track greatest hits collection entitled Prince 4Ever that will drop on 11/22 in the U.S. and 11/25 around the world. A deluxe, re-issue of Purple Rain will be released in early 2017. The re-issue was initially announced in 2014 and tied to the 1984 film's 30th anniversary. As Billboard notes, plans for the Purple Rain reissue “were agreed with Prince before he passed away.” Both albums will include unreleased music from the Paisley Park Studios vault. The compilation will bring together a selection of Prince’s best-loved songs including “1999,” “When Doves Cry,” “Let's Go Crazy,” “Kiss,” “U Got the Look,” “Diamonds and Pearls,” “Nothing Compares 2 U,” “I Wanna Be Your Lover and more.
Plus, 4Ever will come complete with a 12-page booklet of never-before-seen photos by acclaimed photographer Herb Ritts.
The following is the track list for Prince 4Ever:
In early 2017, a re-mastered, deluxe version of Prince's iconic work Purple Rain will arrive, plans for which were agreed upon with the superstar before his untimely passing. The exclusive re-issue will be accompanied by a second album of unreleased material, but more details will be revealed closer to the release date.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)