It is impossible to overstate the degree of innumeracy hidden right under the surface of our society. Once understood, it explains so much.

"Go ahead. Laugh. But the fact is ... I'm here. Tomorrow you'll know I wasn't kidding and you'll think I was crazy. But I figured it this way: better to be king for a night than schmuck for a lifetime!" - Rupert Pupkin I basically do not watch entertainment television. I now not only know who Jussie Smollett is, I know his family history and the neighborhood he lives in, even though neither really matter to me. He's a handsome young man with a long life ahead of him, and millions will go to their graves believing his story. Let's see what happens.

If you can dance, get on the floor. If you can't dance, get in the band. The beauty of playing a bass instrument is that it makes you part of the rhythm section. You not only drive the time where you want it to go, but you determine where the pitch is, no matter what anybody else does. The harmonic series makes it land where you put it. You keep that pitch down where it belongs, you get asked back. You get too high, you get that stinkeye. Bass players work. You got to have it for everything. You don't have to have Marcus Miller chops to play with me, but you better show me where you want one to go.

Noted. For so many the aesthetic is dictated by their philosophy of life. I can see his point. Then I go listen to Weather Bird and that just disappears, but it's about the virtuosity and the originality at the time he played it. The guy was a marvelous trumpet soloist, despite the smile and everything that went with it. And Earl Hines. That said, the thought of standing as part of the 'Chocolate Dandies' is pretty cringe-inducing in today's world, even to my pale brain. We have a similar ear, though - his faves are included in mine. Got to dig out the Koln Concert. Been awhile - Keith Jarrett trance mode.

As a musician (not a jazz musician, really) I'm interested in what turned your pops off to Louis and Wynton. Wynton has always seemed a bit stiff in his historicism, while a scrupulous musician in a technical sense. Armstrong was a force of nature with his approach to melody and song, and his dynamic virtuosity in his prime was a beacon for players everywhere. I imagine Wynton sees himself as following in the footsteps of all the prior New Orleans musicians in his way, as he was brought up by his father. Is it the touch of minstrel in the smile, or the way you can hear the smile in his way Armstrong played that is so offputting? I can't visualize Louis without the smile. I bring my classically trained southern cracker raised ears, and know I don't hear what he hears. The nexus between music and emotion is a thing that can barely be expressed in words, hence the old "writing about music is like dancing about architecture" trope. In my own listening I am more drawn to Miles and Trane, but my shrine sits at the feet of Julian Adderley.

Thank your heavenly God you do not play a musical instrument. I can count 40 horns in this room alone. It's a sickness. Imagine if you had a vintage watch thing going and you were good at fixing them. I get these things for next to nothing. People die, houses get cleaned out to get sold and these things show up at the Goodwill. Signed, Seeking an Intervention

Sounds like you're having fun, and thinking outside some new boxes. Funny how that works. I haven't written a line of code since I retired. Except - I've been arranging and writing music for all sorts of things. Same difference. I'm tracking down and restoring vintage 20th century clarinets to like-new and selling them on (well, some of them). And playing a lot more, orchestra to sax/clarinet in a big band (first time in thirty plus years...) and lots of polkas in October. It's a nice hobby business, and I've been in a blissful place. All the best to you and yours, and as always I hope you find what you're looking for. The journey is the destination.

Yet, life is a wonderful thing. Yes, life is a wonderful thing. Find the energy, and you'll find the way to live through the pain and fear and cherish the world you have built. That too is a wonderful thing. It is what it is. In the sweet by and by, we will meet on that beautiful shore.

My wife and I are "Middleburg Managers" who are approaching the end of two solid white collar careers and are looking forward to comfortable retirements. We play in the local community band and I find and restore old clarinets. My house was built in 1922. We live on the affluent edge of a zip code that has a lower middle class base. Bang on. 27 Middleburg Managers Upper Mid Older w/o Kids Middleburg Managers arose when empty nesters settled in satellite communities, which offered a lower cost of living and more relaxed pace. Today, segment residents tend to be middle class with solid white-collar jobs or comfortable retirements. In their older homes, they enjoy reading, playing musical instruments, indoor gardening, and refinishing furniture.

As are we all... The cats always win, unless they go to sleep behind your back tire. Then you get to feel guilty about it. Even though it was just another yard cat. No, you can't help it. Stupid [redacted] cat. (bends over, pets a different cat...) Our illusion of control is nothing more than an illusion.

A Buddhist anarchist would propose that, for now at least, the Federal Reserve should "expand the floor of the cage" by mandating a zero unemployment policy. The Fed already controls unemployment, they should do so in a way that guarantees full employment for anyone who wants it. No autonomy being violated there. A world in which this is possible cannot be empirically different from a fascist world. We are humans here, and human nature will resist this degree of top-down control. What you describe is as possible as the spontaneous withering away of the state. Alternately, you could be defining "employment" in a way I do not recognize. In addition, you seem to be under the illusion that what the Fed is doing is controlling unemployment. I know that's what they say they are doing, but pay attention to what they do, not what they say.

There are a heck of a lot more conservatives that have read Adorno and Marcuse (especially Marcuse) than Liberals that have read Hayek or especially Kirk. The folks you reference never even heard of Kirk. Also, many older folks who are "conservative" (I call into question the whole con/lib etymological equation anyway...) were once young, dumb, and well-read and liberal. They read it then, and life teaches them what a crock it is, unless you happen to be logically inadept and easily led or just determined to live in a fantasy world. The party question re: conservatism and the republicans is a whole other question. We are in deep silly season in re: politics right now.

Somewhat OT, but here's more on Paul Gonsalves and his memorable night in 1956. His birthday was this past Sunday. https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/happy-jazz-birthday.77302/page-3#post-3687188

I've just discovered another in the Mae family beside Freddie and Fannie. BTW... Freddie is a Mac - Ginnie and Sallie would be the rest of the Maes. The Macs and the Maes don't play well together. If you confuse them, there will be h-e-double-hockey-sticks to pay. Different rules. I have a full list of "interesting" interpretations of the acronym 'GSE'.

Many happy returns, mate. Those banking systems will keep you occupied for awhile. Wheels within wheels. A few years of bulldogging that stuff will make you look forward to working with your hands on something less complicated, like the guts of a honest-to-God for real Rolex. When you've had enough, you'll know it. (Goes back to tearing down prewar Kohlert clarinet for restoration...) Just saying. Not that I would know anything about that. You sound good...

You can do dressing, man. Dressing is half the fun. Get a big metal bowl. Make the dressing you want. No more than you need. You'll always have some good olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, fresh ground black pepper and garlic around - I know you will. Just add what you want to that, and you're home. Make the dressing first, then add the greens, then add the meat. Toss. Serve. Tip - get some Colman's mustard if you don't have any around. Capers are boss. Magical with all sorts of dressings. A hidden shot of wasabi sauce - my secret ingredient. You won't find that in a prepared bottle. Before we married, I made my wife my linguine in clam sauce. She took one bite, looked at me, and asked "you can do this any time you want?" At that moment, I knew the pursuit (o, what a pursuit) was over. Put your salad bowls into the freezer first, and the salad will be 50% better instantly. Texas is full of great stories. Here's one from Spur, Texas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzabmVIU6EQ

I've been a fatass since childhood, until I got hip to the whole Taubes way of thinking about food. I don't work out nearly enough, but I don't miss the extra forty pounds I was hauling around. For me carbs = death. YMMV. The modern food industry is a wonder of the world, especially compared to the way people used to genuinely starve if the weather was bad a couple years in a row. That said, like all large industrial activity, there are scads of unintended consequences. Humans create unintended consequences like my Granny created biscuits. I wouldn't give up her biscuits to avoid the unintended consequences, so as I mentioned above I've been a fatass since childhood. Sure do miss those biscuits though. I could put one of those on top of your head and your tongue would slap your brains clean out.

Am I surprised that dumb, young racist a-holes identify themselves on a frat bus? No. Am I surprised they were expelled from the university under today's zero tolerance consensus? No. Will I be surprised if they win their future lawsuit against the university and the state govt. of Oklahoma on first amendment grounds? No. Will I be surprised if any white person ever speaks honestly about race in front of a camera again? Yes.

Thanks for that. Much to chew on. My questions tend to clear a lot of brush aside. God (the Universe) exists therefore mankind must be thankful for his(its) grace in organizing the world to provide our very existence. Defining this force in a anthropomorphic way is very human. I do my level best, I thank God for his grace (it is simply most comfortable for me to express myself that way), I atone for my shortcomings, and I count my blessings to remind me how very lucky I am. We live in a world of wonders. I cannot have any faith at all that this is some random event. We humans are so young, and have so far to go.

Must follow... Listening to personal list of percussive monsters got me to DC pretty quickly. Have some Niacin - it'll do you good. Dennis is like one of the wonders of the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK-rfYFJTyo

Consummate professional, genius player. I remember walking into the Atlanta Fox to see Weather Report a lot of years ago, and being gutted that Peter Erskine and Jaco had been replaced by Omar and Victor Bailey, two youths at the time. Then they started to play. All good.

Here are my four questions on faith. They help me, your mileage may vary. 1. Did God create man, or did Man create God? 2. Does it matter? 3. What makes you think you can put God in your box so you can understand what he is up to? 4. What difference will that make to God?

I before E except after C. You sound good. Thanks for sharing. Hope you and all yours are well this Christmas. Best wishes from the First Coast, and a happy and prosperous New Year. I like this a lot.

Shoot. I thought I was on Althouse. Sorry, man. She's the next tab over, honest. BTW, how do those idiot Nazis think anybody will want to stand with them? Just look at the pathetic gits. Hope you and yours are good. Quite a photo.

Crack will soon explain how the Bradley effect shows that a disturbing number of white folks are secretly Nazis. 10, 9, 8...