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Miss Otis Regrets composed by the incomparable Cole Porter, vocalized by illustrious Alberta Hunter, and melodized by the dulcet sounds of Jack Jackson and His Orchestra.

BD, Are you really an outcast in Iowa? Or are you a . . .

The last company that I worked for employed many immigrants, mostly from Asia (China, India, Japan) but also from Europe (England, France, Germany, Scandinavia). During T-R-U-M-P 1.0 when DJT imposed his first travel ban (against primarily majority-Muslim countries), there was widespread consternation among coworkers in the USA on an H-1B visa -- even though most of them were not from travel-banned countries. During a business meeting, I felt compelled to apologize to my immigrant colleagues. I genuinely felt embarrassed by and ashamed of the lunatic president. One coworker, from China, expressed that he migrated to America because it was "The Land of Opportunity." He had particularly been impressed with and inspired by Barack Obama's "We are the change we seek" speech (Remember those good ol' days? Remember that dignity . . . that sanity?). After living in America, he was shocked and surprised by the degree of hostility and anger in America -- that many Americans were so unhappy and "so mad."

I am not a lover of County & Western music, but there are C&W songs that I love. Like for instance . . . Trail of Broken Hearts by K. D. Lang Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass? * by Buck Owens Angel from Montgomery by Bonnie Raitt East Bound and Down by Jerry Reed* A double entendre if I ever heard one!

BD, All I know about Art Garfunkel's association with Jimmy Webb is -- coincidentally -- his recording of Webb's song, All I Know, which appears on Garfunkel's first solo album Angel Clare. I had that album and also Garfunkel's second solo effort Breakaway. The cover on that album was a photo of Garfunkel sandwiched between actresses Helena Kallianiotes and Laurie Bird. Kallianiotes was also a belly dancer; she is immortalized in the famous diner scene in Five Easy Pieces. Bird was romantically involved with Garfunkel. In 1979 she committed suicide in his apartment. My favorite track on Angel Clare is Traveling Boy, penned by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols who also composed my favorite Three Dog Night song, Out in the Country. I don't know what Garfunkel's voice sounds like these days. I'll take your word for it that it has deteriorated. As did Marianne Faithfull's. One recording artist who probably doesn't suffer that problem is Tom Waits.

During the late 1960s songs by award-winning hit maker Jimmy Webb enriched radio airwaves and topped music charts. My selective collection features Webb songs immortalized by the mellifluous harmonies of The 5th Dimension; rich, heartfelt articulation of Glen Campbell; and haunted, tremulous vocals of Richard Harris. Up, Up, and Away by The 5th Dimension Galveston by Glen Campbell Wichita Lineman by Glen Campbell MacArthur Park by Richard Harris

This coming Friday, January 30, will be the first remembrance day of the death of Marianne Faithfull. Media outlets accompanied reports of her demise by playing As Tears Go By. But my favorite song by Faithfull was Summer Nights.

Sorry, Cap'n, but semantics are important - to me, anyway and obviously. Don't look now, but . . . It's vs ItsIt's is a contraction of it is, e.g., it's [it is] merely semantics. Its is a possessive adjective and means belonging to or relating to something that has already been mentioned, e.g., Its [the brain's] battery needs to be plugged into source. Meanwhlie Back at Die FrontRe veering off topic, henceforth I shall try to refrain from the committing the offense . . . or, at least, more delicately weave my tangential outbursts into the topic proper. Speakin' o' which . . . I understand the point that you're trying to make with the image of armed MAGA protesters. But my reaction to your point differs from your P.O.V. (and, I suspect, the P.O.V. of many nBP citizens). Because I am a gun-phobe and don't have a hard-on for the 2nd Amendment, concealed carry weapon (CCW) laws are repellent to me. IMO, they make communities less safe and more dangerous. So I actually agree with your photo caption. If you're going to put yourself in a volatile, potentially violent melee attended by an armed Gestapo, maybe in that case . . . Don't carry a gun.

BD, I totally agree with you about Bernie Sanders. He lacked the courage of his convictions to quit the Democratic Party and run as an independent, third-party candidate. "He doesn’t like to be pushed into more progressive action than he is willing to adhere to." -- Ralph Nader Speaking of Nader (whom I voted for in 2000), earlier this month on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour, the subject of third parties was discussed . . . and dismissed by guest Sam Rosenthal, political director of Roots Action. "I personally would love to see the rise of more parties,' Rosenthal said, "But as it currently stands in this country, I don't think that this is likely to happen over the next 10 years, maybe longer than that." Ralph (too) good-naturedly responded, "I've heard this Now is Not the Time argument for 50 years, Sam. You're a proud recipient of that legacy. Now is not the time in 1972. Now is not the time in 1978. Now is not the time in 2004." Like Ralph, I am tired of hearing "Now is not the time" and "The stakes are too high" (to support a third party). Unless and until the Democratic party becomes more Progressive (more Left, more Liberal), its candidates will never get my vote. If a future ballot choice for President was between a corporate, centrist Democrat and The Devil himself -- and the final, deciding vote was mine (a wet dream that makes me giddy and tingle all over) . . . Break open a bag of Kraft Jet-Puffeds, grab the roasting sticks, and gather 'round the campfire -- because we all gon' be toastin' marshmallows in Hell with Ol' Nick, y'all.

BD, except that not all of "we Americans" are responsible for the sorry-ass mess that the U.S.A. is in. Not all of "we Americans" have blood on our hands because of the recent tragedies in Minnesota. I consider my American citizenship an accident of birth (and for quite a while now not a happy accident). I feel zero kinship with or allegiance to most Americans.

What is the "We" and "Us" jazz, Cap'n? If you feel "complicit in the rise of an American fuhrer," speak for yourself! My conscience is clear. I didn't vote for T-R-U-M-P. I didn't vote for Harris. I voted third-party (Green), i.e., I voted my principles and values. Last October you wrote "I like Green credentials, but I'd never consider a Green Party candidate in the current 2-Party System." So I get why you might feel "complicit" and responsible for the current American nightmare. BobDylan nailed it (as usual) last December when he expressed, "Why keep voting for the lesser evil, esp., in primary elections, instead of voting our hopes and true choices, so at least we are voting for something or someone we believe in or truly want? I have little respect for . . . voters who keep voting for lesser evil candidates and then turn around and gripe about how they don't get the . . . leaders they want." So when you rail against "We" and "Us" in your diatribes, Cap'n . . . In the words of Sam Goldwyn, "Include me out!"

This is the kind of nonviolent protest that I think is effective and that I can totally get behind. Minnesotans strike to protest ICE surge in state: ‘No work, no school, no shopping

In 1977 Disco was a cultural phenomenon, nationally and globally. To those of us veterans who'd been long-stricken with dance fever, its universal appeal was bittersweet. In America, Disco was enthusiastically embraced by mainstream society. But the exuberant, exhilarating terpsichorean thrills in the underground gay discotheque scene -- which offered auditorium-sized dance floors -- underwent hetero-genization when Disco got co-opted by the comparatively conservative breeder crowd. Hetero discotheques were meet/meat markets typified by smaller (sometimes very small) dance floors and bigger bar tabs. Dancing was not the main focus of straight club owners and patrons. By 1980 Disco was "dead", blown up by (mostly) club-footed, constipated, and f*ckstrated Angry White Male punks (who, to the astute eye, were the fascistic progenitors of the Alt-Right and MAGA in America and Patriotic Alternative in Britain). That's what the haters would have you believe. In fact, Disco did not die. The infectious rhythms and immortal beats of Disco music are alive and well in 21st century Pop Music. As long as people succumb to "boogie fever" -- to paraphrase Disco chanteuse Gloria Gaynor, it will survive! Night Fever by The Bee Gees Knock on Wood by Amii Stewart Born to Be Alive by Patrick Hernandez You Make Me Feel Mighty Real by Sylvester

My problem with nonviolent protest is that it seems, to me, to be masochistic and self-sacrificing. Mario Savio metaphorically urged his audience to "put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus." Me, I would have incited listeners to "stop the machine by putting the bodies of the machine owners upon the gears, levers, and all the apparatus." I don't get protesters who try to fight the system or change the status quo by going on hunger strikes or immolating themselves. WT . . .?! How is killing yourself going to persuade The Powers That Be to See the Light, change their ways, and do The Right Thing? If I'm fighting a Kamikaze pilot or an Islamic martyr willing to give his life because his reward for doing so will be 72 virgins, I'd be inclined to say, "Thank you for helping!" and wonder "Which side are you on, Skippy?" I'm with "Old Blood and Guts" (George S. Patton): make the other b-a-s-t-a-r-d (y'know, the enemy) die!

Food for Thought" ’Liberal’ is a dirty word here [University of California, Berkeley]. Liberalism is a trap. It’s the impotence of having principles that make you opposed to something and other principles that keep you from doing anything about it." -- Activist Jack Weinberg * Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee