Excoriated

In my previous entry, I wrote about why I support President Obama. In this entry, I’m going to write about why I do not support Mitt Romney.

I could go into detail about the many of his policies with which I disagree, or about how I disagree on a very basic level with his vision of our country, especially concerning those who are less fortunate; I could also talk about his embrace of trickle-down economics, even though that cute little experiment has failed miserably for going on four decades now. Honestly, what does it take to get people to understand that lower tax rates don’t create jobs and drive the economy? It’s all about demand for goods and services. So there are deep philosophical differences I have with Governor Romney.

But as I was thinking about all of this, I realized that I could distill my dislike for Romney into one simple phrase: he lacks a core.

He may have that when it comes to his faith, and he probably has it when it comes to his family. When it comes to policies, however, he has no core. We’ve seen his frequent changes over the years in almost everything he’s dealt with. NBC published a fairly lengthy article on Romney’s changes on foreign policy over the years. And that is just foreign policy! It doesn’t include his many changing stances on marriage equality, abortion, and as far as I can tell, virtually every other issue he has encountered in his entire political life. As the saying goes, you’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.

This goes beyond simple evolution of stances on issues; I think we all grow and learn and change as we get more experience. For example, I’ve written before about my change from supporting civil unions only to full-on support for marriage equality. However, you won’t see me changing my stance on that again...ever. That was the culmination of years of thought, the exchange of ideas, and simply knowing and loving several gay people over the course of years. No...Romney’s changes happen frequently, and oddly enough, seem to coincide with his political campaigns. As candidate for Governor and Senator of the decidedly liberal Massachusetts, he took a moderate, even left-of-center stance; in the presidential primaries, he moved far to the right according to the dictates of the far-right factions of today’s Republican party; as the Republican nominee, he is distancing himself from those remarks—some made just weeks ago!—in order to court the moderates and independents. His head is spinning faster than Linda Blair’s in “The Exorcist.”

I can appreciate the changes that people experience in their lives and that cause their stances on issues to evolve. What I can’t appreciate, and actually abhor, is anyone who engages in crass attempts to change the core of their convictions based on popular opinion, or based on what particular bloc of voters they happen to be courting that day. I find this sort of blatant ass-kissing deplorable. It speaks very strongly to me of the character of a person, and makes me question their ability to make proper decisions. I’ve always hated a bullshit artist, and I can spot them a mile away. Mitt Romney reminds me of drunken frat boys trying to get into my pants in college, saying whatever they thought would appeal to me in order to get there.

America, Mitt Romney wants to get into your pants. Show some respect for yourself and walk away. You really don’t want to take that Walk of Shame on November 7th.

Why I support President Obama

I really need to stop apologizing at the start of every entry for not updating sooner. It’s the new normal. I’ve been pretty absorbed with polls and articles about the election, but I’m also on the verge of burnout, so I’ve been trying to balance it with some general reading, quiet time, and fun things like Notre Dame games. I find myself growing increasingly disillusioned with news channels and journalists (other than my real-life journalist friends, who seem to have their shit together more than many of the national journalists!), and I find myself withdrawing from much of it other than the political blogs that I read. But we’re getting close to the dénouement, aren’t we? And I am delighted to get to use the word ‘dénouement.’

Anyway, I thought that as part of my advocacy, I’d lay out exactly why I supported Obama in ‘08 and why I am still supporting him in this election. In no particular order....

• I am a woman. I truly believe that Obama accepts women as equals and supports our right to equal pay for equal work. The very first piece of legislation he signed into law was the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which promised exactly that. He also supports our right to choose, our right to affordable health care (more about that in a moment), and our right to control when or if we become a parent.
• I am a scientist. President Obama has launched a campaign to promote STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) for America’s youth, encouraging kids to get into these fields in order that we can continue to compete globally. He is probably the most science-friendly President we’ve had in a while, and I believe that these areas are where our future lies. I also love and support arts and music education, but I think an extra emphasis on science education is sorely needed.
• I am a former health care worker. President Obama was able to do what has been needed for some time: pass comprehensive health care reform. Millions more Americans will now be able to get health insurance, and preventive care will be a part of that. Electronic medical records will result in less duplication of tests, and outcome-based payments will start to move us towards a focus on wellness and outcomes rather than inefficient fee-for-service payments. Is it perfect? No. (Personally, I’d like to see single payer insurance, such as Medicare for all.) But it is a very good start, and we can continue to build on it. Joe Biden was right. This was a big fucking deal.
• I care about the less fortunate. Unlike President Obama’s opponent, I don’t feel that the 47% of Americans who pay no income tax are lazy moochers who feel entitled to government handouts. I believe the majority of them are hard workers who are doing their best to provide for themselves and their families, but need some help from the rest of us. The sad truth is that it is almost impossible to support a family of...say four...on minimum wage. I do not begrudge them the help from our government, or paying taxes for that purpose; that is part of its mission, to promote the common good. This is probably the greatest difference between the two candidates and the two major parties: a “we’re in this together” attitude vs. a “you’re on your own” attitude. I want to see ALL Americans succeed and grow prosperous, and I believe that President Obama shares that wish. I do not sense that from his opponent.
• I want to stop waging war. I know it is sometimes necessary. But I want a President who pursues diplomacy first and considers military involvement a last resort. I want a President who considers all the options (such as monetary sanctions), and doesn’t have a knee-jerk reaction to conflicts around the world, one who understands that war is not to be worshipped or glorified; it has real costs, both human and financial. A President who, in his or her youth, didn’t protest in favor of a war, even as they were avoiding it themselves. President Obama has increased benefits to veterans and their families, including increased money for college tuition, an increase for the VA budget, and tax breaks for firms that hire veterans.
• I want to see an increase in jobs. President Obama has a plan to invest in infrastructure, education, and clean energy. All these things will create jobs. The most important driver of job creation is demand; consumer confidence is up, housing starts are up, and continuing the middle class tax cuts (as the President wants to do) will allow the biggest group of consumers to continue to drive that demand.
• I believe in equal rights for all Americans. I was heartened when President Obama came out (so to speak) in support of marriage equality. Sure, ol’ smilin’ Joe might have forced his hand a little sooner than Obama was prepared for...but that was a good thing. The Democratic Party then added marriage equality to its platform, so it was a win-win situation. It’s high time we stopped treating a portion of our citizens as less than other citizens. It’s not right, and the Obama administration is on the right side of history on this one.

I originally became a supporter of Barack Obama when I read his book The Audacity of Hope. I felt that he had a reasonable and cogent vision of how best to guide our country. I still feel that way. I believe he will continue to govern for every American, not just the rich ones, and not just his own supporters. I see nothing wrong with asking the wealthiest Americans to pay a few percentage points more in income taxes and lose a few loopholes that allow them to game the tax system. I see everything wrong with giving the wealthiest Americans more tax breaks and asking the middle class to take on more of the tax burden. Prosperity for all doesn’t come from letting rich people keep more of their money. They are not the job creators. The middle class, which purchases the vast majority of goods in this country and creates the demand for those goods, are the real job creators. I feel that President Obama understands this.

You might have noticed that I didn’t delve into personal traits. I could have...I like our President’s rational, cool demeanor. It’s obvious that he loves his wife and daughters very much, and that’s great. I love it that he loves basketball. But I don’t base my voting decisions on such things. I base them on policy, and I mostly agree with Obama’s policies. It always made me laugh when I’d get emails from online friends saying, “Did you read this about Obama?? Do you agree with this?!?”, knowing that it was something that I wouldn’t agree with. Since when does any politician embody everything we want? There will always be things I don’t agree with, but I am supportive of the majority of his policies and the decisions he has made in his first term.

You might also notice that I did not rail against the President’s opponent. I’ll save that for upcoming entries. I want to make it clear that I am not voting against the opposition; I am voting for President Obama. We are going in the right direction, on the right path to recovery, and America needs four more years.

Oh yeah...and THIS:

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!

Today on Facebook and elsewhere, I noticed some of my liberal friends having a bit of a freak-out over Wednesday night’s debate. The pundits immediately declared it a crushing Romney victory...which was odd, because Ken and I didn’t see it that way at all. Immediately afterwards, I said that I’d give a slight win to Romney, both because of the low expectations for him and because of President Obama’s lackluster performance. Ken felt the same way.

Of course, the following day, teeth were gnashing and voices were wailing. I wish I could have passed some smelling salts out to folks. I stepped back for a moment, read several stories about it, and really thought about my perception of the debate. One thing became clear very quickly: Romney may have seemed forceful and sharp, but he was not very truthful. I’m being nice. He LIED. A LOT. I’m not going to list them all here. Do you know why? Because there are so freakin’ many of them! Besides, others have done a fine job with checking up on what he said. You can read about it here (Mittens is bad at math edition), here (Bullshit Contest edition), and a comprehensive list here (Lie, lie, and lie again edition). My initial hopes that people would start doing some fact checking and calling Mittens to the shed for his lies turned out to be true. The teabagger base types might have loved his chest-thumping, testosterone-laden silverback impression, but I’m guessing independents and undecideds were not quite as enamored of the display...especially when he blatantly lied about numerous things.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of one exchange in particular, in which Mittens disputed the $5 trillion tax cut claim made by Obama. Never mind the fact that the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center has estimated that the tax cuts that Romney champions would amount to that over the next decade. The exchange went something like this:

Obama: blah blah blah your $5 trillion in tax cuts...
Romney: I don’t have a $5 trillion tax cut.
Obama: Yes, you do.
Romney: No, I don’t.
Obama: Yes, you do!
Romney: No, I don’t!

Argument Clinic, anyone? Good grief.

Anyway, I came to the conclusion that the reason I saw the debate so differently is because I was expecting facts, and I got them from Obama. I know enough about some of the topics that I knew that Romney was lying about several things. So I was rating the winner on substance. I should have known better, because people often determine a winner based on style rather than substance. (I believe that it was also in the media’s best interest to make this a closer race than it is at the moment, but that’s a topic for another day.) Romney came across as forceful and combative, and Obama seemed listless and disengaged. I do understand part of the reasoning there...sitting Presidents should behave in a presidential manner, and all that...but he was a little too cool and detached for many people. (Although I appreciate that in him, I know that not everyone does.)

So some folks were a little wigged out. Obama has lost the election. Obama blew it. Romney’s going to win. Dogs and cats living together. A new Nickelback album. I finally sent an email to some friends saying that everyone needs to take a deep breath. This was ONE DEBATE in an entire campaign. Romney lied, the fact checkers are on it, and he provided all kinds of fodder for Obama ads. (Sure enough, one was released in seven swing states the very next day.) Obama is known for his competitiveness, and you can bet that he will not be that passive in the final two debates. One is a town hall format—and we know that Obama does well connecting with people in town hall formats—about domestic and foreign policy, and the final debate is about foreign policy. I wonder if Osama bin Laden will be watching that one? Oh, wait! He can’t, ‘cause he’s DEAD!

I think it’s also important to keep in mind that debates usually don’t matter. Almost everyone has already made up their minds who they are going to vote for by this time, and that seems more true than ever in this highly polarized atmosphere. There is a very small percentage of undecided voters (many of them could also be considered uninformed voters who have not been paying much attention and aren’t into politics at all), and an even smaller percentage of those are in swing states. An undecided voter in Texas who votes for Obama isn’t going to matter fuck-all to the electoral college vote, just as an undecided voter in Illinois who ends up voting for Romney isn’t going to matter. So the target audience is not a huge number of people. As for those who have already made up their minds, do you really think that debate is going to swing someone like me? Do you really think I sat there and watched that and said, “Hey...I think I’m going to rethink this Romney guy”? Not on your life. Will Romney get a bump in the polls? Undoubtedly. Will it be enough to change the trajectory of the race? History says not.

It’s time to put away the smelling salts and get a grip. Team Obama and the DNC raised over $150 million in September. Today’s job report was, overall, good news, with the unemployment rate down to 7.8%. Jobs are expected to be added for the holiday season, optimism is rising, and a majority of people feel that the economy is improving (that’s because it is). The stock market closed today at 13,600+, up almost 25% from a year ago. The facts are on our side. We’ve still got work to do, and we’ve got about a month to do it. Anyone who thinks that debate completely changed the game needs to do a little more reading, because there are more forces and influences at work here than that.

This video seems like a good way to end things today. Buck up, liberal citizens. It’s not over till I say it’s over! Well, technically, it’s Congress who validates the electoral college vote, but...oh, never mind, just watch this!

And ROCK THE VOTE! 

Your hair is beautiful

I mentioned that for me, the highlight of the Blondie set was probably the song “Atomic.” It’s just a great song. There is a line that goes, “Oh, your hair is beautiful, oh tonight...atomic.” In the not-so-distant past, Shane and I have been known to change words in songs to silly stuff (Remember the Crouton!), and Shane informed me via email that him and Matt have been doing that with “Atomic.” Their ideas cracked me up:

Oh,  your square is beautiful, oh tonight, geometric.
Oh,  your friend is beautiful, oh tonight, platonic.
Oh,  your strength is beautiful, oh tonight, bionic.
Oh,  your jew is beautiful, oh tonight, hasidic.
Oh,  your dome is beautiful, oh tonight, geodesic.
Oh,  your pain is beautiful, oh tonight, analgesic.
Oh, your knowledge is beautiful, oh tonight, pedantic.

So I came up with some, too:

Oh, your cross is beautiful, oh tonight, iconic.
Oh, your satire is beautiful, oh tonight, ironic.
Oh, your jet is beautiful, oh tonight, supersonic.
Oh, your diphthongs are beautiful, oh tonight, hookedonphonics.
Oh, your devil is beautiful, oh tonight, demonic.
Oh, your memory is beautiful, oh tonight, mnemonic.
Oh, your yogurt is beautiful, oh tonight, probiotic.
Oh, your cell is beautiful, oh tonight, mitotic.
Oh, your plague is beautiful, oh tonight, bubonic.

As I said, this is just super silly stuff, but if you love wordplay, you’ll understand. Maybe you’ll even want to play along! If you can think of some, please leave them in the comments so Shane and Matt and I can get some more laughs.

Oo, I just thought of another one:

Oh, your moron is beautiful, oh tonight, idiotic.

Haha! No comments about how that is apropos for this post, okay? 

Beth’s Music Moment: Devo and Blondie Whip It To Shreds tour

On Tuesday afternoon, it was time to head south to Carmel, Indiana (just north of Indianapolis) for our third and final September concert. It was a little bit overcast, but the temperature was nice enough that we didn’t need jackets. As you can see, Spudboy Shane was ready for the show, sporting his spiffy energy dome. We had an uneventful and pleasant trip—no flat tires for Joan Jetta this time, YAY!—and we listened to Devo and Blondie CDs as we motored along.

Our first stop was for a bite to eat at a Mexican place, Cancun, which was close to the venue. Decent food, very fast service, and mighty tasty margatitas! (Typo intentional...I’m not sure why Matt and I started calling them that. It’s like me and my martoonis.)

Next it was a matter of finding the venue, which we were able to do without too much trouble. This is a new complex called the Center for Performing Arts, and one of the buildings is called The Palladium. That’s where the concert was. Holy cow, what a gorgeous venue! The floors looked like hardwood (although they may have been something easier to take care of...I don’t know), the hall was mainly white with touches of blue, and the box seats rose in three levels on both sides. None of us had been to this venue before, and we were duly impressed. I had gotten us pretty good seats, maybe eight rows back, and even little me was able to see well (although I had to look around the tall guy in front of me). We agreed that we would go back there in a heartbeat. Carmel is a pretty well-to-do city, and it shows in their new arts complex. Very nice!

Whip It To Shreds '12 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

The show started right on time, and Devo was first. The set was similar to when we saw them in 2010: a few songs from their latest album, and most of the classics. I was super happy when they did one of my all-time favorite Devo songs, one that they didn’t do at the 2010 show: “Going Under.” I don’t know what it is about that song, but I just love it. They also did “Satisfaction,” which they didn’t do in ‘10. So I was pleased to get to hear them do those two songs. The highlights for me were probably “Going Under,” “Uncontrollable Urge,” and “Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA.” UU has the cool moment when they all come to the front of the stage and bounce to the beat. The latter song is nothing less than brilliant, with the first part a bit of a sing-along (“‘Fraid nobody around here comprehends my potato...guess I’m just a spudboy looking for that real tomato”), and then kicking into the second part, with the audience shouting “We shove the poles in hole!” and with spastic keyboards and rockin’ guitar. It’s wild, and it’s always a rave-up.

Let me just say here that people can make fun of the aging band members all they want, but let me tell you something: these guys can kick it. Shane and I have loved them since the ‘70s, when we first saw them on SNL, but we never got to see them live until 2010. We discussed how much they surprised us with their rockitudiness. I was expecting a keyboard-heavy band, and of course, you get a lot of that. They’re Devo, after all. But the drums are heavy and fast (Josh Freese, formerly of Nine Inch Nails and Guns ‘n Roses, does a fantastic job), and so are the guitars. No lie...these guys ROCK HARD.

Devo '12 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

And let me say again that they always have been subversive. Devo was born out of the Kent State shooting, which was witnessed by founding member Jerry Casale. His and Mark Mothersbaugh’s concept of de-evolution made for some pretty biting satire and social commentary. It’s hard not to look around at what is going on lately, especially in politics, and think, “They were right about it. We ARE devolving.” They were way ahead of their time. They have not stopped the satire, and their latest song is titled “Don’t Roof Rack Me, Bro! (Remember Seamus),” about poor Seamus Romney strapped to roof of the family car. Unfortunately, they didn’t do that song. Maybe next time! I will definitely try to see them whenever they play nearby. This is a band I will never tire of seeing. One of the unsung hero bands of rock and roll, in my opinion. Those of us who have loved them all along have definitely cemented their cult status, but they’re not exactly a household name!

After a brief intermission, Blondie was up next. Debbie came out in a gold lamé trench coat, and still looks fabulous! She sounds great, too. In fact, I’d say that her voice sounded every bit as good as, if not better than, when I saw them twice previously. I haven’t listened to their latest album, “Panic of Girls,” as much as I have their older stuff, so I wasn’t as familiar with those songs. I need to remedy that, because they’re good. They played a nice mix of their hits and their newer stuff, and both were well-received. I would have to say that the highlight for me was “Atomic,” which is odd, because I recall not liking that as much as other songs when it first came out. It’s one of the few songs that has really grown on me over the years, and they do it incredibly well live. There is Clem Burke’s manic drumming (he’s one of the best drummers ever, in my opinion), and then there is the way Debbie’s vocals soar to the line where the audience shouts along with her, “Ohhh your hair is beautiful!” It’s a pretty awesome moment, and I’m smiling as I think about it!

The band sounded fantastic, and an excellent addition is guitarist Tommy Kessler. Very, very good. But as always, Debbie Harry is the focal point. I told Shane that she cracks me up, and it is just so cool, the way she makes these faces...hard to explain, but she was always such an incredibly beautiful woman, but she still has this New York punk attitude. When singing “Rip Her To Shreds,” she can sneer like nobody’s business. Haha! She IS a rock goddess.

So after a couple of hours of great music, dancing, and singing, the show was over. We were hoping that the two bands might join each other onstage, but that was not in the cards. No matter—it was just a great show and so much fun to see two of my all-time favorite bands in one beautiful venue! They were playing one more show in Chicago the following night, and Shane and I both considered heading up for it! But everyone had to work on Thursday, and I think we all needed a bit of a break. But we agreed that we’ll try to see Devo whenever they come around our way. Definitely a fun band to see live.

On the way home, we stopped and got beverages. Coffee for the guys, and a Starbucks energy drink for me. That was a bit of a mistake. It was fun on the way home, because although Ken dozed off, Shane and Matt and I had fun playing air keyboards and singing along to Devo songs. I was more than a little wired, and ended up staying up until after 4 am. Ugh. At least now I know that a Starbucks energy drink will give me a major boost of wide awake energy if I ever need it!
Carry on, Spuds!

Beth’s Music Moment: The Smithereens LIVE!

[Note: Click on any picture to embiggenate.]

Last night was the second of our September concerts, the Smithereens. Shane and Matt picked us up at 5 pm (None of our cars—Ken’s or mine—are comfortable for four people...thanks for driving, Shane!), and we headed west to Valparaiso. We ran into a little rain on the way, but it began to clear as we got further west.

However, we were soon to encounter an incident that would test our strength and will...a trial by fire that would push us to our limits and threaten to plummet us into deep, dark despair....

Okay, it was a flat tire. Shane was recently told that Joan Jetta has some slightly bent rims, so apparently she is very sensitive to large bumps, and we came upon road construction suddenly and without warning (thanks for the SIGNS, INDoT!). One of those deals where the pavement had been stripped down, leaving manhole covers a couple of inches higher than the roadway. One hit on those and poor Joan sprained her ankle. Shane was able to pull off into a parking lot, got all the needed materials out of the trunk, and Ken proceeded to change the tire. Matt and I milled around and I tried to offer moral support and lend a hand where I could (grabbing the flat tire and rolling it back to the trunk, for example), and it really didn’t take too long to get it taken care of and get back on the road. I think everyone was on the verge of being upset, but we still had plenty of time to get there, and we were glad it didn’t happen when it was dark, and that it wasn’t super cold. However, we couldn’t help but shake our heads over the déjà vu. The same thing happened when we went to see the Godfathers in Chicago! The four of us, concert, Joan Jetta, flat tire. This incident went a little smoother, and we were all determined to not let it spoil our outing. For better or worse, we tend to be optimists!

We made it to Valparaiso without further incident, and found the restaurant we were going to. Shane and Matt took a drive recently, and while going through Valparaiso, Matt spotted a place called Industrial Revolution. We all agreed that it sounded like a neat place, so that’s where we went. Really neat atmosphere, sort of a focus on the “working man,” with statues of steel workers, industrial decor (we agreed that the steel girders overhead made it seem like we were standing under the El in Chicago), and sayings about the strong work ethic of workers written on the walls. They even had a small working train that circled on an overhead track. Neat place! The food was fantastic, too. Ken had some sort of bacon burger, I had a burger stuffed with olives, Matt had a Waldorf burger, and Shane had...perch. Haha! He was in a fish and chips kinda mood, so he decided to be a rebel. We tried a bite or two of each other’s meals, and everything was tasty. Next time, I’d probably have my burger medium well rather than the default medium, but it was still delicious.

Then it was time to make our way downtown to the Memorial Opera House. I had looked it up online, and it was built in 1893 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The facade is beautiful, but they really need to do some work on the interior! That is taking place, but in a small town, I’m sure funds for such things are limited, so they can only do so much so fast. I hope they can continue to preserve the place, because it’s a nice, small theater. Definitely an “intimate” venue, with fewer than 300 seats!

Okay, now for the show. I’ll get the bad stuff out of the way first so I can focus on the good stuff. First of all, this was an old crowd. I’m not even going to say “older,” because they just seemed OLD to me. I suspect that they sell season tickets to events at the Theater, and many of these folks were more of the “musical comedy” set, and just happened to find themselves at a rock concert. I know, I know...I’m 50, so I suppose technically, I’m old, too! But I don’t FEEL that way, and I was ready to rock to one of my all-time favorite bands! I was standing and kind of dancing at one point, and Ken said to me, “You’re the only one standing.” I said, “I don’t care!” Haha! I hope I didn’t embarrass him too much!

Second, this was billed as the Smithereens playing some Beatles songs and their own hits. They released an album that was a song-for-song remake of “Meet the Beatles” called “Meet the Smithereens,” and I really enjoyed it. I figured they’d play a handful of Beatles tunes interspersed with their own songs. It was kind of the opposite. They’d play about three Beatles songs and then a Smithereens song. Boooo! I was sitting during the Beatles songs. I mean, they’re great songs, and they play them very, very well, but I didn’t come to hear a Beatles cover band. I came to hear the Smithereens. How many times have I heard those Beatles songs? I won’t say “too many,” because they’re wonderful, timeless songs, but definitely “plenty.” I wanted to hear the Smithereens, dammit!

Now for the good stuff. This is a group of excellent musicians. It was such a small venue that the sound was incredible—completely undistorted, crisp, and clear. The vocals were understandable and not muffled at all. Each member played and sang great, and I would say that they are definitely superb craftsmen in their profession. The guitarist, drummer, and bass player were just fantastic, and Pat, the lead singer, still has a great voice. For a band of four, they make a great “wall of sound” with just lead, rhythm, and bass guitars, and drums.

As I said, their Beatles covers were very well done, but when they sang their own songs, that is when they really shined. These are just fantastic songs that still hold up well. They rock hard, but they are melodic. They did “Blood and Roses,” “Behind the Wall of Sleep,” “Only a Memory,” “A Girl Like You,” “Sorry,” “Top of the Pops,” “House We Used to Live In,” and one of my favorites, “Blues Before And After.” They also did a cover of a Who song from “Tommy,” and although I can’t recall the name of that one, they ROCKED it! Many of these came at the end of the set, when they asked people to come up to the stage and rock out. That is when they really kicked it in, and little me was able to sneak my way right up to the stage, where I danced and sang and had fun. Other fun extras were a snippet of “Get Together” by the Youngbloods and...I kid you not...the Batman theme! That is surf music at its heart, so I was having fun dancing to that. I was right in front of the guitarist, Jim Babjak, and he was tearing it up! He gave me one of his guitar picks, and when they finished up, I shook his hand, and then he took my hand and kissed it. Aww!

They were available a little later in the lobby, and I had come prepared with my CD insert for “Especially For You,” probably my favorite album of theirs. They all signed it, and Jim, the guitarist, took it and said, “Oh wow...I was a kid then!” I said, “So was I!” (It was released in ‘86.) I told him that they really tore it up with their own songs, and they should play more of them. Jim said, “I think so, too!” Maybe he wants to rock out a little more? It sure sounded like it! So here is my advice to you guys: you have an incredible catalogue of music, with some of the best pop songs from the past few decades. You saw the reaction to your own music...people were dancing and yelling and absolutely loving it, while everyone was sort of “meh” with the Beatles stuff. Not because you don’t do it well, but because we’ve heard it so many times before. Your main strengths are your great musicianship and your truly excellent songs...some of them really rock, some are a little slower, but they’re all very good. As the Kinks said, give the people what they want. We don’t want another Beatles cover band...we want the Smithereens!

Thanks to Ken, Shane, and Matt who were willing to stick around so I could stand in line and get my CD signed. I am proud and pleased to add it and the pick to my little collection of memorabilia (along with my signed Dennis “Machinegun” Thompson drumsticks, my CD insert signed by Fee Waybill of the Tubes, and my Devo smiley face super ball). Thanks to the Smithereens for rocking out most awesomely, and I hope I get another chance to see you, and that you play almost all of your own songs, because they really are fantastic! There is a reason I’ve loved you all these years. The fact that I was dripping with sweat after dancing up by the stage should tell you! (See picture for proof. I worked up a sweat!)

Our next and final September concert is coming up in two days! It’s the Whip It To Shreds tour with Blondie and Devo. It will be the third time I’ve seen Blondie and the second time I’ve seen Devo. We are once again going with Shane and Matt, so fingers crossed that we won’t have a déjà three when it comes to Joan Jetta’s tires!

Rock on, Citizens.

Lost in Bookland

Pardon my recent absence. Along with trying to enjoy the last gasp of summer, I’ve been trying to balance my political readings with a fantastic book, In the Garden of Beasts, that just completely grabbed me. I finished it today, and here is my Shelfari review. I gave it five stars and I “favorited” it, so that should tell you how much I liked it!

"What I did not realize as I ventured into those dark days of Hitler's rule was how much the darkness would infiltrate my own soul."

~~ Erik Larson

I've enjoyed Larson's books since I read The Devil in the White City several years ago (a book that prompted me to buy about five more on the 1893 Chicago World's Fair), and this book is no exception to his unique ability to tell a true story in a narrative style.

I don't need to buy a lot of books about Nazi Germany this time around. I read dozens of books about it in high school and college, and even studied it a bit from the unique perspective of a student of the German language. This book, however, provides the viewpoint of the American ambassador to Germany, William Dodd, during the early years of Hitler's rise to power, as well as that of his wife and two adult children, Bill and Martha.

It's hard to describe the personal touch and perspective that Larson is able to provide using diaries, letters, and official papers. He is able to bring the city of Berlin to life in a vibrant yet poignant way. Larson traces the pathway of the Dodd family from the college professor's surprising appointment as ambassador, to Martha's initial infatuation with the city and its beautiful and industrious blonde denizens, to the family's eventual dismay and disgust at the encroaching brutality in the city and country.

This book left me with profound sadness and a deep sense of unease. A country with a proud history and heritage was hijacked by madmen; the insidious loss of freedoms, rights, and basic human decency was frightening to encounter, even in the pages of a book. The clampdown was incremental yet progressive, and it seems that many people were able to tolerate such abuses of freedom in the hopes that they would eventually ease.

Others were not so tolerant, and sensing the violence that was brewing, fled the country. Scientists, artists, writers, dissidents...both Jewish and non-Jewish. Those who were left saw their words censored, or censored themselves in order to survive. People were unable to speak freely for the fear that a servant or neighbor would turn them in; paranoia was rampant, and the early optimism of Hitler's unification of Germany turned to fear and loathing.

Ambassador Dodd saw early on that Hitler was not what he seemed on the surface. He had no interest in peace, and was in fact ramping up the military at a rate obviously designed for warfare. Dodd tried to warn President Roosevelt and the State Department, and tried to break the U.S. out of its isolationist mindset. After four years as Ambassador, he was replaced, and spent several years traveling and giving lectures about the dangers of a militarized Germany with a madman at the helm. Of course, he was eventually proven right, although I'm sure it didn't give him much satisfaction to see Germany plunge Europe and eventually much of the rest of the world into war.

This was a disturbing book in many ways. To see the lives of ordinary people, whether citizens or diplomats, torn apart by ruthless leaders and bloodthirsty tyrants was almost unbearably sad for me. Larson was able to bring a personal aspect to a 70 year old story and to make these people live and breathe again. The almost too easy loss of freedoms still resonates today, and can and should be read as a cautionary tale.

Recommended very highly.