Smiley's Piano Recital

I just returned from Smiley's piano recital at Hamilton High School. The asterisk next to his name denotes the fact he was promoted to a higher group over the course of the three month long, weekly Milwaukee Rec class. He did great, and showed extraordinary confidence!

I just finished reading the Book of Ruth, and am about to start The Historical Books. 1 Samuel here I come.

My Thoughts

's no secret I detest the media. If the story tells only who/what/where - say a shooting, a plane crash, an election result - all good. But the second they attempt to answer "why" it becomes nothing but a bully pulpit to expouse a worldview. That's true of the rare conservative report, and certainly true for the scads on the Left. It's not a free press anymore. It's not a Constitutional safeguard for our liberty. It's a propaganda tool that is suffocating truth, and no, I don't have a solution to offer you. Except, maybe, to encourage true free thinkers and patriots to go into the profession and minimize the damage others cause.

RIP Chris Cornell

Of the big names from the Grunge scene that I loved, and love still: Layne Staley and Andy Wood died of heroin (as did Scott Weiland), and Chris Cornell and Kurt Cobain by suicide. The last frontman standing, a mere quarter century in, is Eddie Vedder [knock on wood.] 

What a depressing day for my generation. 

RIP Chris.

A Quiz

People still ______ despite incessant warnings in the media urging them to stop: A) Smoke B) Drink C) Do Drugs D) Text and Drive E) Sleep Around F) All of the above #HumansBeHumansAndAintNuttinWrongWithThat

I've decided to read the Bible cover to cover this summer. In 2012 I devoted a good chunk of the summer months to a textual/ historical examination of the birth and passion narratives, but I think, given the amount of text here, that this read through will be more casual, but supplemented with exterior commentary when needed. I've just finished the Pentateuch, and Joshua, which means I've only got . . . a ton left to go.

Dangit. I'm on a walk and the hip is wonky. Had to pull up just now and rest on a park bench like an old man.

If being boring is a crime I'm proud to be law abiding - Me

The New Doctor Who episode

S10/E5 "Oxygen." If you ignore the sophomoric hate for capitalism, it was a very strong, very entertaining episode. By and large, this season has been impressive.

A Golden Anniversary

50 years ago today Yankees great Mickey Mantle hit the 500th homerun of his career.