Harleys, Cars, Girls & Guitars

Subscribing to Adobe’s Creative Cloud

Creative Cloud is a bundle of multimedia software programs produced by Adobe, the leading company in the field. Photoshop, the picture editer, is probably the best known program in the bundle. Used to be that Adobe upgraded the entire bundle periodically, and it cost the user $1,500 for each hit. Adobe now offers the bundle as a subscription, which is, I think, probably for the best.

My iMac has shown signs recently of its age. I’ve owned it for about four years. So, I’m a little fearful that I’m nearing a system failure that will result in the loss of all my data files. I’ve been avoiding taking on the Creative Cloud subscription because I’m not working. So, why take on the cost?

Creative Cloud includes 20 Gb of storage space out there in… where else?... the cloud. My license for Creative Suite 4 allows me to upgrade to the subscription for $30 a month. So, for $360 a year, I get the entire new Creative Cloud software suite plus the 20 Gb of storage. And, the Creative Suite software bundle is continually upgraded to its latest version.

So, now, I’ve also got a place to save my important data files. All I have to worry about when my iMac crashes is coming up with $2,000 to buy a new one.

Haven’t looked through the software bundle in much depth yet. A new audio editor, Audition, takes the place of SoundBooth. The new tools are skewed a bit more toward mobile and tablet development. Unless you're a developer, why would you buy a PC when you can buy a great tablet for $500?

I’m planning on building a much enhanced multimedia campaign for my work as a solo musician, and as a member of the Old Dawgz. Most of that work will be done within Creative Cloud.

I like the new look and feel of Photoshop CS6, shown in the pic above. I’m sure the color scheme of the interface can be customized.

Of course, as the video above shows, not everybody is happy about Creative Cloud!

Watseka Theatre Goes Outlaw for Summer!

Chuck Gomez continues to produce great shows at my hometown Watseka Theatre. The summer schedule is heavy on Southern Rock and Outlaws. Wish I could go to every show. Somehow, got to get the Old Dawgz booked in the Theatre!

Ray Manzarek Rides Out of the Storm

I’ve played all the great Doors’ songs hundreds of times. At one time, I could even reproduce somewhat faithfully the entire two minute piano solo from Riders on the Storm. Ray Manzarek was a virtuouso keyboard player.

Manzarek's ability to cover left hand bass while he laid out those beautiful comps and melodies with his right hand was amazing. Try it. I dare you. It’s damned difficult to play either line solo. The guy played both lines in unison in live performance!

The Doors started life as a blues band. They covered quite a few Chicago blues standards, including Back Door Man. Ah, for the days when blues based rock and roll ruled the world!

Manzarek died at the age of 74. Just about in the age range in which you expect men to die. Most men are gone by the time they hit their early 80s. So, expect a deluge of departures by the 60s rock heroes over the next few years. That era is about to become a distant memory.

Without really meaning to do so, I’ve been studying Manzarek’s work for decades. All those bands that I played in had to have one or two Door’s songs in their repertoire. For good reason! (The Pup and I have been trying to convince the Old Dawgz to cover Riders on the Storm, but Big Joe has an inexplicable aversion to the song.)

RIP, Ray Manzarek.

Pot Vacations in Colorado and Washington State?

New York State continues to stall on legalizing marijuana. A State Senator from Midtown Manhattan has announced she will be introducing a legalization bill into the State Assembly. 

“It is my intention as a New York State senator to soon introduce a law that would actually decriminalize, regulate and tax marijuana in New York,” says Senator Liz Krueger.

Now that Colorado and Washington state have legalized the sale and distribution of pot, the remaining 48 states face a dilemma. Will they pass on the tax revenue pot would create? If they do, then smokers will simply fly to Colorado and Washington to buy their weed. I’m already considering a trip out to Denver for next year’s 4/20 celebration.

Weed will still be illegal under Federal law. And, President Obama’s DEA continues to bust medical marijuana dispensaries and growers in California.

The price for pot in Washington and Colorado is expected to be about $200 an ounce. This is dramatically cheaper than illegal pot in New York State, which costs about $60 an eighth of an ounce.

Below, an interesting YouTube video about pot production in Colorado:

Is pot prohibition about to end? Hard to see how the other states can continue with enforcement. I suspect a lot of the weed legally sold in Colorado and Washington will make its way out of those states into the black market. The states that continue prohibition will have to sit by idly and watch CO and WA rake in all that tax revenue.

Seems to me just a matter of time until the other states line up for their share of the take, as they almost all have done in respect to casino gambling.

Where's the 3D iMax Porn, Boys?

Since I’ve been talking 3D iMax, the inevitable question arises in my gloriously dirty mind. Where’s the 3D iMax porn? Why not big old (but natural) boobies spilling out of schoolgirl blouses right over the heads of the theater’s audience?

All questions can be answered on the internet. The internet is like God with the most comprehensive, cleverly nuanced search engine collective memory can devise.

Yes, all questions can be answered! Hallelujah! Stephen Shiu, a Hong Kong film maker will be filming 3-D Sex & Zen! Connecting the porn to Zen means, of course, that the porn is super hip.

O Lord, we impatiently await the introduction of the Holodeck onto the market. The Holodeck must be manifested. Think of the great advance this will be for humans. Full immersion 3D porn! The International Whorehouse will consume the globe.

I can’t wait!

OK, I don’t  have to wait. Above, a pic from a site called 3D Porn Tube! All needs are anticipated on the internet. The internet seems to be God. 

Do Something About It!

I see a bad moon on the rise! In fact, I watched a John Fogerty concert on TV last week and that guy is a genius.

The political landscape is heating up and that, of course, leads to those inevitable calls to Do Something About It.

Somebody else is going to have to do the something, because it ain’t gonna be me. I have become incredibly lazy in my opinions. I’m trying not to have any political opinions for a while. Keeping them up was like a job.

Now, I’m just a homebody. I only go out to play with the Old Dawgz or to play for church. A movie now and then. The movies are always action flicks. Me and the Karaoke Queen like the iMax, you know, with those things flying out at you from the screen. Gotta be iMax 3D!

Speaking of John Fogerty, here's a song I'd like to hear from the Dawgz. Hell, I think of 70 songs a day that I'd like to hear the Old Dawgz cover! Nobody is a bigger Old Dawgz fan than me! Did I ever tell you that I love to sing harmony with the Pup? Big Joe can do those Fogerty licks. That Bulldawg kicked us in the ass a little. I'm trying to get on top of the rhythm wave.

About the only thing I’ll truly try to do something about is my big fat ass. Calorie counting and bicycle riding… it’s working!

Even thinking about doing something about something makes me a little sleepy.

Bulldawg Brian O’Kie is a Dawg!

We’ve brought a new dawg into the pack! Brian O’Kie has joined the Old Dawgz. It’s a jolt of energy at the drums from a young Dawg.

Brian joined us for our recent gig at the Harmony Café in Woodstock. He lit the place up. I’m serious. From left to right in the pic above, Bulldawg Brian O'Kie, Howlin' Steve Thomas, Puppy John Filipponi and Big Joe Vaccarino.

We’ve got some gigs coming up and we’re about to get serious about booking. In fact, we'll be back at Harmony in July.

The new pic is just a placeholder. Haven’t really had a chance to take some pics with Brian in an interesting setting. That opportunity will be coming up soon.

Time to get the pack out there in the open for a run.

Garden Almost Planted! Bear Cub Visit!

I’ve been spending much of the day outdoors for the past week. 10 miles on the bicycle in the morning, and then 10 miles again in the evening. In between, planting the garden. I’m about two-thirds of the way through the process.

Lettuce doesn’t mind the cool evenings up here on the mountaintop in Woodstock. I planted a deep red lettuce and a butter leaf lettuce. Within four to six weeks, I’ll be taking a few leaves from each of the plants to make a salad.

Tomatoes are all in. The Karaoke Queen suggested that I plant the sets deeper this year. Doesn’t think I’ve been planting them deep enough, and that that is making for weak stems and branches. I’m willing to try everything and anything when it comes to tomatoes. If you know of any YouTube videos on the organic care and feeding of tomatoes, let me know.

Here's one I found:

Still to plant… habaneros, jalapenos, red spear peppers, cucumbers and zucchini. At the Karaoke Queen’s suggestion, I’m planting some red and white swiss chard from seed.

While I was out gardening, a black bear cub took a stroll through my front yard. As soon as it spotted me, it shied away out into the forest. By the time I grabbed my iPhone for a picture, the cub was headed deep into the forest.

Worries me a little that we have a cub. That means we’ve got a very protective mama bear around, too. Black bears usually are no problem. They’re terrified of people and they run as soon as they see a human. But, they will attack to defend their cub against any kind of perceived threat.

Better be careful and make some noise when I’m out in the back yard.

Sunday Hymn… Let There Be Peace on Earth

This is one of the hymns I sang at Mass this morning. I did it a little more in the sotto voce style at church. The recorded version is a little more like an anthem. This is a more recent hymn than I thought. Written in 1955. 

Mass was very serene this morning. But, I confess, I forgot to prepare something on the Mother’s Day theme! And, somebody asked me to sing Ave Maria and I wasn’t prepared. I’ll know better next year. I did call my mother and I wished her a “Happy Mother’s Day.”

The story of the Gospel today concerns my namesake saint. The entire passage is quoted below:

Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God
and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened
and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
But they cried out in a loud voice,
covered their ears, and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out,
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them;”
and when he said this, he fell asleep.

I have worked pretty hard all my life at avoiding repeating the martyrdom of St. Stephen. So far, so good.

Highest Paid Public Employees

Below, one of those info-graphics that are so popular out here in the internet. Note that the highest paid public employee in almost every state is a college football or basketball coach. Good or bad?

The football coach at my alma mater, the University of Illinois, makes a cool $1.6 million. So does the basketball coach. That’s .8 mill per football win, based on last year’s 2-10 performance. Tim Beckman, our football coach, said the Illini coaching job was a “gold mine,” and, at least for him, it is.

John Groce, our basketball coach, is earning his keep. He coaxed a previously underperforming group to a first round victory in the NCAA tournament.

Who should be paid more? Politicians? Teachers? Well, I guess you could make the argument that football and basketball coaches are paid way too much.

If you are an Ohio State grad, you might be looking at this in a different way, which is to say from a vantage point of success. The Buckeyes always win big in football and basketball.

Silly old goats like me can be counted on to tune in when the alma mater plays a game on TV. Which sells advertising. So that those coaches can get the big bucks.

CEOs are doing pretty good, too!

Stop the Killing. End Marijuana Prohibition!

I watched the documentary The Union: The Business Behind Getting High last night on Netflix. It’s a propaganda film, for sure, but it’s still mostly on target. Marijuana prohibition is and always has been a disaster. Prohibition has created a monster crime syndicate, incited the drug wars in Mexico, and driven thousands of people into prison.

This documentary examines the pot growing and distribution business in British Columbia, Canada. Some of the best scenes in the movie are visits to small and huge scale grow operations. The entire movie is available on YouTube:

My only problem with the propaganda was the movie’s insistence on marijuana’s health benefits. I’m skeptical that smoking of any kind is good for the human body, but I might be wrong.

One of the more surprising stats from the movie is the assertion that 4/5 of the anti-drug law enforcement budget goes toward pot prohibition. What a waste of money! Even as we edge toward decriminalization, we continue to prohibit the growing and distribution of pot. Our prisons are full of people who did nothing more than buy, sell or possess pot. Silly.

The Mexican drug wars probably won’t stop entirely if marijuana prohibition ends, but the number of bodies might decline. Alcohol prohibition lead to the development of massive organized crime gangs in the U.S., and pot prohibition has produced the same outcome in Mexico. The only way to bring the slaughter to an end is to legalize pot.

One of the most interesting scenes in the movie was the interview with Tommy Chong, who was busted and sent to prison for… well, for no reason at all. You’ve got to hear this story to believe it. The paramilitary tactics employed against Chong and other pot users are just plain nuts.

Pot prohibition must end. The killing has to stop. We just can’t continue to be this stupid. (Well… against stupidity we are helpless.)

Although the ire of The Union is primarily focused on Republicans in the U.S., Democrats have proven to be every bit as stupid about pot prohibition. President Obama continues to try to suppress pot dispensaries in California. Pot prohibition has been a bi-partisan botch from its inception. If you don't think so, try watching the Weed Country series on Discovery.

Journey to the Center of Uranus!

Tomorrow, I’m off to the gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. My pooper seems to be working pretty good, but it’s time for the periodic checkup. So, today, I have to prep. This means going hungry, taking laxatives and sitting on the toilet all day.

I stole the above pic from an advertisement for a show by the Cockettes, a drag queen theatrical group popular in San Francisco in the 60s. 

The Old Dawgz sounded great last night at the Harmony Café in Woodstock. Bulldawg Brian Okie debuted as our drummer. He’s a huge shot of energy. What a Dawg! Joe Vaccarino, Jr., manned the sound board. That guy is an artist. So, I had a good time last night. Now, the piper must be paid.

The worst part of the colonoscopy routine is the prep. One full day of starving and emptying your bowels. The procedure is a piece of cake. Demerol is a great drug. Last time, the medical crew drugged me just short of unconsciousness so that I could watch the show on a TV screen. Quite entertaining!

I’ll lose a couple of pounds extra this week, as a result of the purge. That’s a bonus!

The downside is that I’m stuck in the house all day so that I can run to the toilet on demand.

Oh, well! Maybe the doc will give me some pictures. If so, I’ll be sure to share them with you, dear readers.

Dawgz at Harmony Cafe in Woodstock Tonight!

Come on out and listen and dance to the Old Dawgz! Have some fun!

El Infierno… The Mexican Drug War

I follow the news of the Mexican drug war closely. Hell, it’s the Wild Wild West! So, how did I miss this movie for so long? El Infierno debuted in 2010. I watched it last night on Netflix. While El Infierno is not a great movie, it sure was action packed and lurid.

Here’s the IMDb plot synopsis:

Benjamin Garcia, Benny, is deported from the United States. Back home and against a bleak picture, Benny gets involved in the narco business, in which has for the first time in his life, an spectacular rise surrounded by money, women, violence and fun. But very soon he'll discovers that criminal life does not always keeps his promises. Epic black comedy about the world of Mafia and organized crime, HELL helps us to understand what everybody is asking: What is happening in Mexico today?

Some very fine music in El Infierno, particularly by Los Lobos. Here’s a beautiful waltz titled Prenda del Alma.

I'm a fan of Tex-Mex and narcocorrida. One of the frustrations an English speaking fan faces in this genre is that the artists don't seem to bother publishing English translations of their lyrics. My Spanish is rudimentary, and the translation sites on the web are pretty clunky when it comes to translating the nuances of lyrics.

The violence and gore of the Mexican drug war boggle the mind. The old Chicago Mafia wars seem small tame in comparison. Creative torture, killing and body disposal seems to be a big time industry in Sinaloa and Tijuana.

Old Dawg that I am, I haven’t got a clue how such a catastrophic war could be ended. Lots of people think that marijuana legalization would help, and I think they're probably right. But, what then do you do about the cocaine trade? Legalizing coke seems like a stretch. What would all those Mexicans currently employed in drug trafficking do for a living if the drug trade was successfully shut down?

I haven’t got any answers. So, I looked around for people who think they’ve got ‘em. Stop the Drug War is a pretty good site. I’m in favor of pot legalization, entirely from a standpoint of self-interest. I’d like to be able to go to the dispensary and buy some primo from a shelf full of choices without the hassle of finding an illicit dealer.

New York State is currently considering medical marijuana legislation. I have no intention of becoming any kind of political activist. I did plenty of that shit when I was a kid, and what did it get me? Absolutely nothing. So, I’ll just sit it out and see what happens. I am in the process of writing a country and western song titled Keep Your Hands Offa My Weed. I’ll all for making money. Let’s hope that the song becomes the anthem of the legalization movement. I need the dough.