Grateful Dead

I don't think we'll see Shutdown, Pt. 2 come January. The men and women who shut down the federal government in order to defund the Affordable Care Act (I refuse to call it Obama Care) did the exact opposite of what they were planning: they made it more appealing to the public. They've backed down, and now the Republican party needs to curl up in a hole and lick its wounds. There's a good chance that the 16 days our gov't was closed for business cost them yet another presidency, but I think we'll all have to sit back and wait to see how long it takes them to spin all this in their favor. And, y'know, for the American people to forget it ever happened in the first place....

'Russia's official policy and attitude towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people has fallen down a slippery slope. This is a compilation by 24 left-field techno producers to raise money, awareness and show our support to the Russian LGBT people.' http://lgbtrightsforrussianow.bandcamp.com/ My gratitude to own personal favourites - Perc, Scanner, Truss and Leyland James Kirby. LGBT Rights for Russia Now! by LGBT Rights for Russia Now! A compassionate display of sincerity, understanding and love for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people can be viewed here - Only ignorance and fear among the uneducated leads to intolerance, hatred, torture and violence.

I don't remember much about that fabled year of 1967. I was only 9 years old. What I do remember was the hippies my mother and father hated and the protests against the Vietnam War (which they also hated). What I remembered most of all was the world series that year: Boston Red Sox vs. the St. Louis Cardinals. I lived in Boston and was a Cards fan. Still am. 46 years later the same match-up.

Marye has said elsewhere she doesn't know anything about it (but she'll update us) but I hope you're right. I love Dead acoustic from that era.

Rhino to release "lost show" from the Family Dog at the Great Highway on November 29.Vinyl lovers will enjoy a double LP of an acoustic set from 4/18/70. Dead.net will release a cd version on the same day. This show was apparently billed as "Mickey Hart and the Heartbeats and Bobby Ace and His Cards from the Bottom of the Deck" Track listing as follows... I Know You Rider Don't Ease Me In Silver Threads and Golden Needles Friend of the Devil Deep Elem Blues Wake Up Little Suzie Candyman Cumberland Blues New Speedway Boogie Me and My Uncle Mama Tried Katie Mae The Rub Roberta Bring Me My Shotgun Mighty Flood Black Snake I didn't know where to post. This thread seemed as good as any.

In the local news, a Milwaukee man, who owned 3 McDonald's restaurants, was arrested and indicted for drug trafficking and using his businesses to launder the "proceeds". The "drug trafficking" was nothing more than pot shipments from Cali. (Thanks, Cali.:) While I may be in the minority of only seeing this as nothing more than good 'ol innovative, entrepreneurial spirit,(and the money stayed in the US as well) let's face some facts, the real crime here was the proliferation of fast-food by owning 3 McDonalds!

After 16 days of furlough, my wife drove off to work this morning at 6:30 am. She won't stay long, as she has vacation planned! Already wondering what the end of this continuing resolution will bring come mid-January?

Ho Hum. It's like watching a pack of wolverines rip themselves apart. It cost the US Government approximately 20 Billion Dollars to fight the partisan fight over ObamaCare and the National Debt/Government Shutdown. The Chinese saw for themselves how bad we govern ourselves. Fitch had to threaten to downgrade our Triple A Credit rating (might still do it). And we get to do this all over again next January.... GTed, I hope your wife retires soon so you can go on all the camping trips you want, worry-free.

Meanwhile, on the "Art" scene. Banksy, the subversive British street artist, is two weeks into his month-long residency in New York. Every day this month, he has unveiled a new work around the city — a series of murals, videos, and two roaming trucks. Each new piece has attracted hordes of tourists and news crews. On his website on Sunday, the artist announced that he had set up a stall along Central Park on Saturday — selling “100% authentic original signed Banksy canvases. For $60 each.” That’s right: Banksy, whose works sell for millions at auction, sold canvases for $60 on the streets of New York. And the most unbelievable part? Almost no one bought them. It also calls into question the extent to which the art market has come to commodify the artist's work. More power to Banksy. May he continue to reveal the snobbatorium that is the NYC art scene.

'twisted screed'? oh dear....