If there is anything at all to love about England, this song captures it: http://ping.fm/wELj6

Just back from trumpet recital. Last solo ended, they blew sigh of relief; thought of Katagiri "practice--make effort".

Watchin' FZ w/ 88 band, thinking of Muddy, Monroe, Miles, Messengers, Ellington bands, wishing C Ives had one too.

AZ joins the Third Reich

Presumably yellow (or maybe "brown") stars are not far behind:

Dear Governor Brewer:

I am shocked and appalled that you should have signed into law SB1070. The potential for egregious, arbitrary, inconsistent halt-and-questioning of people on the street violates the spirit of the protection against unjustifiable search and seizure. More to the point, the law itself, its intentions, its likely execution, and your own official ratification of it, are deeply, deeply un-American. I will never spend another dime on or in Arizona, I will urge all friends, relations, colleagues, and business associates to likewise boycott the state, and I will actively seek to bring about your defeat in the next election, unless and until this law if repealed.

You should be ashamed of this action. Please act to rescind.

Sincerely,

Dr Coyote

Growin' 'em meself

Boomer-aged Bay Area English Country Dance teacher, to Dr Coyote, after I walked into the Dallas traditional dance group's Country Dance weekend with 14 young'uns in tow, all of whom could sing, dance, play, and focus like demons:

Where on earth did you get these great kids, you wonderful man?!?

Dr Coyote:

Aw, hell...I just grow 'em in cold frames.

Damned proud of my guys.

If you lie down in a dunghill...

...you're going to smell like crap:

I am shocked and appalled that ZeroWater would advertise on the Fox News program of Glenn Beck. Mr Beck, a cynical opportunist, preaches hatred, practices misinformation, and works actively to erode democracy and free speech. Any association with Mr Beck tars ZeroWater with these same crimes. Please remove any advertising or other sponsorship between ZeroWater and Mr Beck at your earliest convenience.

Until such time as you do, I will actively advise friends, relations, and colleagues to avoid any ZeroWater products.

Sincerely,

Dr Coyote

Death, taxes, greed, suffering, and legislative stupidity: samsara will always be with us.

Instead of blogging...

...I'm doing shit like this.

Never fails: paper due-date of Mon, Wed, Fri--and undergrads will STILL stay up all night and come into class late on the deadline day.

Weeping. Last concert with this (wonderful) band. I love my guys, and I am beyond-proud of them. Gassho.

From "Towncraft": "fuck it. We could build our own thing *here*."

Azerrad's book "Our Band Could Be Your Life" (http://ping.fm/Mgzip) and the documentary "Towncraft," on Little Rock's self-made punk scene (Hulu), give the lie to anybody who says "it'll never happen here."

You'd think I'd know this, after 10 years: Big Lebowski wallpaper over PPT projector instantly destroys undergrad concentration.

Most profoundly valuable teaching from the Dharma: that even temporary alleviation of suffering matters.

Most profoundly difficult teaching from the Dharma: that suffering cannot be permanently eradicated.

LBK "Tea Party" (trans: frightened white people who'd rather yell than learn) rained out: way to stick w/ your revolution, folks: http://ping.fm/Mv60h

The greatest television ever made

All praise to The Sopranos, Northern Exposure, Homicide: Life on the Streets, The Corner, Six Feet Under, etc, etc,

but this is what demonstrates what that incredible idiom can accomplish:

Featurin' The Wire on NPR--which HBO TV show has told more truth and conveyed more real news than NPR themselves have in recent years.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe: "Oh didn't it RAIN, rain, rain, children, didn't it RAIN."

Working with stone professionals (http://our1home.com) is a pure joy. Thanks Kate & Jason! http://ping.fm/92KJm

Watchin' Patty & the Boss school U2 in "Because the Night" at RHOF 25th & remembering PSG at CBGB, that cold winter of '77. STILL STANDING!

Hey, whyn'cha check out THIS link? http://ping.fm/qgbeQ

Trying to control my nausea as I pitch for public radio (a "good thing") while Glenn Beck (a "bad thing") plays on muted TV in background.

Re/ students: am reminded that they're ALL "good kids". Not "good" vs "bad"--rather "happy" vs unhappy".

Don't bother me with facts, my mind's made up!

As someone who grew up in a place where Dr Franklin's sectioned-snake flag is actually history rather than cheap political bullshit-where people died to try to create independence from what they perceived to be tyranny--I am profoundly offended by the gutless, ignorant drones, many of them on one form or other of government paycheck, whose selfishness and cowardice leads them to scream bloody murder only when they think that "someone else" (typically someone who works harder, owns less, came from elsewhere, and has six times as much guts and work-ethic as they) is getting something that they're not.

This cartoon captures it.

Just rescued a moth the size & beauty of Gandalf's rescuer (http://ping.fm/XJwLb) from inside J&B windows. Better mean good karma!

Another "terrorist fist-jab"

On Jun 8 2008, in the wake of Michelle & Barack Obama's celebration of his nomination as Democratic candidate for the Presidency, the vapid Fox "News" talking-head bimbo E. D. Hill notoriously referred to that celebration as a "terrorist fist jab". The hysterical absurdity of the accusation--and the lily-white racist subtones which underlay it--reveals the hysterical terror which Fox seeks to inculcate in its low-information, mostly elderly, mostly ignorant listeners.

Well, guess what, E. D. Hill?

He's the President now. And the people in the US armed forces, the people who actually put their bodies in harm's way, for your safety, you gutless talking-head bimbo, those people know he is their President.

You Tea-bagging imbeciles? Get used to it. It's a new age.

And about damned time.

I find meself disinclined to accede to your request.

Means "No."

'Tis the season

...when the panic is upon us and the academic dishonesty spikes. Comment on student paper:

Extensive paraphrase from Wikipedia. You were informed in class that Wikipedia is not a permissible source. Moreover, with this extensive paraphrase, and some literal and uncredited block-and-paste, you are dangerously close to plagiarism. Re-write COMPLETELY and resubmit for consideration of passing grade.

Dr Coyote

Sigh.

Not here. Not now. Never again.

Billings, Montana stands up. "Not in our town."



You hear that, Randy Neugebauer, you cowardly incompetent mob-mentality sheep-brained phony? As the General put it: "only a coward and bully yells anonymous insults from the midst of a mob of his friends."

Try it again, Randy. Try it in person. Say it to our faces, and see how far it gets you.

Not here. Not now. Not any more. Never again.

And even more importantly, VH at RC? *I* know who you are--and how unprofessional is your conduct.

Outrageous: letter of rejection sent to one of my PhD's applying for job: "Thank you for your application... By this time you certainly realize that it was not successful.”. Naming no names, but, VH at RC? You know who you are. You should be ashamed of yourself.

re/ iPad: If I'm blowing $500-600 on technology, it better be a tool.

Changing the channel on Sarah Palin

Palin's Fox Channel program tanks, even on a network only preferred by terrified, delusional, ignorant fools who want to be lied to.

The money quote?

At least 1 out of every 5 viewers who started out watching the show changed the channel or turned off the set.

Kinda explains the 2008 Palin/McCain campaign in a nutshell. Americans actually don't like greedy, lying, bigoted, murderous, phony yahoos.

"To conquer them with love, stand up now, stand up now..."

Gunn High School (Bay Area) gets word of the arrival of the Westboro Baptist Church (psychotic Baptist anti-gay hate group) cowboys up, sets up a Facebook group, surrounds them with love, and forces them to surrender.



You noble Diggers all, stand up now, stand up now.