I know this isn’t exactly news, but I never got around to writing about it last year. Anyway, here’s what makes me ask:
1) The Amgen Tour of California. Who the Hell decided it was a good idea to have a stage race sponsored by, and named for, a pharmaceutical company? And this is not just any pharmaceutical company, this is the company that makes Aranesp (Darbepoetin alfa) and EPOGEN (Epoetin alfa). Anemia-fighting wonderdrugs, Godsend to those suffering the effects of kidney disease or chemotherapy; but also two of the tools of choice for win-at-all-costs blood-boosting cheaters?
2) Having Arnold Schwarzenegger, who admits to using steroids during his career as a body-builder, present the leaders jersey during the aforementioned “Tour of California.” Sure he’s the Governor, but PR-wise, distancing itself from admitted dopers couldn’t possibly be a bad thing for the race or for the sport as a whole.
Honestly! Who else do they have lined up for post-race festivities? Squeaky clean San Francisco Giants left fielder, Barry Bonds?
The good news is this: The racer receiving the jersey from the Governator was Levi Leipheimer, thus giving me an excuse to amuse myself by saying “John Jacob Levi Leipheimer Schmidt” as often as possible.
Posted by Greg Evans in racing Comments: Comments Off
This may not be quite up to the level of the items on David Letterman’s recurring bit by the same name, but I just came across this in the online version of my local paper:
Friday, Feb. 9
6:13 p.m. - United Dairy Farmers, 340 W. Second St., criminal mischief. Business stated that suspect used a pizza to improperly tamper with the men’s bathroom urinal, sink and mirror.
If you’re going to use pizza to tamper with a urinal, sink and mirror, for God’s sake, at least do it properly.
Posted by Greg Evans in humor, weird Comments: Comments Off
As you may be aware, I rarely mention work here, for a variety of reasons. Anyway, by way of set up, for those who don’t know, I work in a group home with four adults who have mental retardation/developmental disabilities. I’ve been there for (exactly!) seven years, during which time the folks I work with have become, quite literally, like family to me.
Yesterday, after spending an hour and a half shoveling ice and snow just to get my car dug out, I had pretty much decided that I was going to have to call and excuse myself from Thursday’s staff meeting. Later, after another 2 or 3 hours with the shovel, getting the sidewalk cleared and getting my neighbor’s car dug out, I was greeted when I came in by my answering machine flashing that I had a message. Hopeful, I played the message; sure enough, it was my boss; due to the weather, Thursday’s meeting was canceled. Hooray!
Then, a few hours later I get a call from my boss’s boss. Instinctively, I know this can’t be good. Her voice choked with emotion, she tells me that one of my people from work passed away at home tonight.
Like anyone in healthcare or social work, I was aware of the inevitability of this day, but I don’t think you can ever truly be prepared, especially when it’s totally unexpected like this.
Right now I feel like I’m still in shock, one thing’s for sure, it’s going to be a long and sad weekend at work this week.
Do yourself a favor, buy or downloadRodrigo y Gabriela’s eponymous CD. When I saw them on “The Late Show with David Letterman” back in December, I immediately went to eMusic to see if it was available there. It was, I downloaded it, burned a disc, and it’s been in heavy rotation in the car CD player since. If you don’t like this CD there’s something wrong with you!
Just to tie things together, here’s a (tenuous) Tom Morello connection. On April 29th they’re playing the Coachella Festival; also playing Coachella this year? The reunited Rage Against the Machine!
Here’s the aforementioned Letterman appearance. The song they’re playing is “Diablo Rojo”; enjoy.
The article I referenced before mentioned a few of the songs to be on the upcoming CD, but they didn’t mention “Home of the Brave”, which is a particular favorite of mine. I dare say that I was far from the only person at ‘The Vogue‘ in Indianapolis who had goose-bumps throughout his performance, but this song in particular really spoke to me.
Home of the Brave
Tom Morello
Fred Hampton went to heaven
On a mattress soaked in blood
At twenty-one his every word
Set fire to the neighborhood
On the bed he held her tightly
His bullet riddled wife
One hundred deadly bullets
In theory took his life
This house is haunted
With righteous souls
I saw them standing blindfolded
Against a brick wall in a row
Don’t ask me for nothing
I already gave
In the land of the free
And the home of the brave
Bobby Hutton went to heaven
Without his shirt on
He was scared and he was fearless
His eyes open on that morn
At seventeen his courage
Made those who saw think twice
One hundred deadly bullets
In theory took his life
This house is haunted
With righteous souls
I saw them standing blindfolded
Against a brick wall in a row
Don’t ask me for nothing
I already gave
In the land of the free
And the home of the brave
Huey Newton went to heaven
On a street corner in the rain
The general, the poet
The hero washed away
But his will shook the heavens
And put the ghetto’s soul on ice
One hundred deadly bullets
In theory took his life
This house is haunted
With righteous souls
I saw them standing blindfolded
Against a brick wall in a row
Don’t ask me for nothing
I already gave
In the land of the free
And the home of the brave
Here he is, via YouTube, performing it live.
I’d buy the album for this song alone, I hope it’s included. Even if it isn’t, the songs that were mentioned; “Union Song”, “Let Freedom Ring” and “Maximum Firepower” are well worth the price of admission.
Postscript:
Sadly, it looks like “Home of the Brave” won’t be on the album. Here’s the track listing from his website:
1. California’s Dark
2. One Man Revolution
3. Let Freedom Ring
4. The Road I Must Travel
5. The Garden of Gethsemane
6. House Gone Up In Flames
7. Flesh Shapes The Day
8. Battle Hymns
9. Maximum Firepower
10. Union Song
11. No One Left
12. The Dark Clouds
13. Until The End
Not a bad song in the bunch, I can’t wait for April 24th!
Anyway, that concert was amazing and I’ve been watching and hoping for him to release a ‘Nightwatchman’ CD since. So, I was most pleased to see this news story which says, in part:
As the lead guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, Tom Morello played loud arena rock — and loved it. Once back home, going through his record collection, he realized there was more to music than volume.
“In more recent years, I’ve discovered that music doesn’t need to be loud to be heavy,” Morello says by phone from his California home. “Some of the darkest and heaviest albums I have are Bruce Springsteen’s `Nebraska,’ Bob Dylan’s `The Times They Are A-Changin’,” Johnny Cash.
“I found some inspiration in that.”
The newly inspired Morello created a new persona: The Nightwatchman, a solo acoustic singer-songwriter in the tradition of those Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. “I’ve found my voice,” he says with a laugh, “as a black Woody Guthrie.”
Morello, under the nom de tune The Nighwatchman, is releasing his first solo album, “One Man Revolution,” on April 24. The album is Morello, his acoustic guitar and his harmonica; for the first time, Morello will handle the vocals, too.
I don’t often get terribly worked-up about new music releases, but I am really excited about this one; I’ll be buying it just as soon as it comes out.
If you like good acoustic music with a (left-leaning) political conscience, check it out.
So, today was the day. I gleefully gathered my various components and headed to the bike shop to have Roger order and build up my long-awaited Bianchi Pista Concept frameset. I’ve been eagerly anticipating this day for nearly a year; “Ordering a New Bike Day” is second only to “New Bike Day“. My warm happy glow was quickly quenched, though. For what ever reason, Bianchi has decided to unceremoniously drop I-Pro as a dealer.
I looked through some brochures for his other track-offerings, but my heart wasn’t in it. I really wanted that Pista Concept.
I’m really conflicted; I suppose I could buy the frameset elsewhere and have Roger assemble it, at least that way he’d get paid for the labor, and I’d know it was done right, but damnit; I really wanted to buy my new bike at the shop where I’m greeted by name when I walk in the door, not at some anonymous place 30 miles away.
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