April 28, 2010

Active natures are rarely melancholy. Activity and melancholy are incompatible.--BOVEE.


"The first thing is that them bastards over us aren't as daft as they most of the time look, and for another thing I'm not so daft as I would look if I tried to make a break for it on my long-distance running, because to abscond and then get caught is nothing but a mug's game, and I'm not falling for it. Cunning is what counts in this life; I'm telling you straight: they're cunning, and I'm cunning. If only 'them' and 'us' had the same ideas we'd get on like a house on fire, but they don't see eye to eye with us and we don't see eye to eye with them, so that's how it stands and how it will always stand. "

R.I.P. Alan Sillitoe.



I will not serve that in which I no longer believe whether it call itself home, my fatherland or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defence the only arms I allow myself to use, silence, exile, and cunning.
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James Joyce

April 25, 2010

Film Noir weekend includes this one. Raymond Burr plays a heavy. Fred MacMurray is OK. Claire Trevor excels. Of course, I also watched Double Indemnity.



Walter Neff: Dear Keyes, I suppose you'll call this a confession when you hear it... Well, I don't like the word confession, I just want to set you right about something you couldn't see because it was smack up against your nose. You think you're such a hot potato as a claims manager; such a wolf on a phony claim... Maybe y'are. But let's take a look at that Dietrichson claim... accident and double indemnity. You were pretty good in there for awhile Keyes... you said it wasn't an accident, check. You said it wasn't suicide, check. You said it was murder... check.



Beer for the weekend provided by Puffy's.


Joe Bataan the King of Latin Soul. Back on tour.



Gotta love it.

April 24, 2010

Lash Canino: What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a gun before? What do you want me to do, count three like they do in the movies?

The Big Sleep is always worth watching. Screenplay by William Faulkner & Leigh Brackett & Jules Furthman. Directed by Howard Hawks.

Above is Bob Steele and Elisha Cook Jr.

April 18, 2010

Know Your Meme details some of the insanity passing through the Internet: Joseph Ducreux / Archaic Rap. Make your own Poster. Here are 25 with reference to the original Raps.



An explanation.



Picked up a lot of new vocabulary, mostly military terms, from Lee's Lieutenants:

redoubt  -
n.
A small, often temporary defensive fortification.
A reinforcing earthwork or breastwork within a permanent rampart.
A protected place of refuge or defense.
[French redoute, from Italian ridotto, from Medieval Latin reductus, concealed place, from Latin, past participle of reducere, to withdraw, lead back. See reduce.]




Abatis - An abatis is an arrangement of felled trees, with the branches facing outward from the defending position to impede the charging enemy. Sharp pointed sticks were also used.

Overslaugh
PRONUNCIATION: (O-vuhr-slaw) 
MEANING: verb tr.:
1. To pass over someone in favor of another, as in a promotion.
2. To bar or to hinder.

ETYMOLOGY: From Dutch overslaan (to pass over, omit), from over + slaan (to strike).
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April 17, 2010

Latest reads include this Jimi Hendrix Biography.



One of my favorites from Dylan's John Wesley Harding album, that Jimi took to another level.



This is an abridged volume of a classic three volume study.



Sierra Nevada has an anniversary Pioneer Stout(Fritz and Ken's Ale Stout) that is just wonderful. Tasty, clean pour and flavorful to the extreme. I bought a "Growler" and it was fresh from the tap. It also packs a wallop, 9.5% ABV. One of the best Stouts I have ever consumed.



Tonight on the local PBS, Channel 13, A Night at the Opera.

April 11, 2010

Went to visit a SUNY my youngest boy was accepted to. Long drive, place reminded me a factory, a degree factory. After two hours, my son told me:"This place sucks, let's leave." He didn't even want to see the Dorms. I was glad he made several SUNYs, they are fantastic values for a great education. The competition for SUNYs and CUNYs this year was stiff because of the economy. He will go local-private, but was able to get a nice grant to make ends meet.

Listened to some good music on the road, an old CD had lots of Laura Nyro. Man, she was great. Should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.



Poverty Train - Laura Nyro.

Last call for the poverty train
Last call for the poverty train

It looks good and dirty
On shiny light strip
And if you don't get beat
You got yourself a trip

You can see the walls roar
See your brains on the floor
Become God
Become cripple
Become funky and split
Why was I born?

Oh baby, I just saw the devil
And he's smiling at me
I heard my bones cry
Devil, why's it got to be?

Devil played with my brother
Devil drove my mother
Now, the tears in the gutter
Are flooding the sea
Why was I born?

Oh baby, it looks good and dirty
Them shiny lights glow
A million night tramps
Tricks and tracks
Will come and go
You're starvin' today
But who cares anyway?

Baby, it feels like I'm dying
Now, I swear there's something better than
Gettin' off on sweet cocaine
It feels so good
It feels so good
Getting off the poverty train

Morning...

April 4, 2010

On the side of St. Peter's church.



St. Peter's Church.



Ground Zero Pit from the 39th Floor.



Still lots to be done.



Don't think they'll be done by 09/11/2011.



Brunch was at Maracas, 33 Greenwich Avenue in the Village. It was packed and the frozen Margaritas were delicious. The food was decent and got to see plenty of Easter Paraders walking by. The Margaritas are unlimited for 90 minutes and they keep them coming. The brunch order was $9.99 and the drink option was another $5. A real bargain.

April 3, 2010

Greenmarket was crowded but lacked some of my favorites. Perhaps they stayed home for Easter. P.E. and D.D. Seafood was there and Squid and Scallops will be for lunch.



"Fidelio, op 72 - Beethoven. Mir ist so wunderbar"



Came across this Flowering Pear in the sun on First Avenue and 10th street. I was listening to Mir ist so wunderbar at the time.



This Flowering doesn't last long. Just beautiful.



Finally got around to watching this one on DVD. My kids liked it and told me I would like it too. It was interesting. Young Spock was well-played by Zachary Quinto and I appreciate the Re-Boot aspect. Events were changed by a time-traveler and now this is the alternate reality. The plot device also uses "Red Matter" which I had to look up to fully understand.



Beer for weekend is Captain Lawrence Brewing Company Liquid Gold. They are located in Pleasantville, NY. The beer has a nice flavor and goes down smoothly.