Fool 'em!

"You can fool all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

Yeah, right.

What's passing for intelligent administration of government seems to be showing that you can fool enough of the people enough of the time. 

Serve and Protect? To whom do you refer?

Miami Police Tase Teenage Graffiti Artist To Death - spray painting is evidently a capital offense. I'm just waiting for the militarized police to start using flame throwers instead of fire hoses.

"Serve and Protect" applies to an ever shrinking portion of our society. The rest of us are enemies.

Studs Terkel, the Succinct

A great man has the ability to reduce a twisted philosophy to its elemental fallacy.

Studs Terkel spoke at Northern Illinois University about 12 years ago, and during the Q & A session, a local Libertarian spouted "objectivist" Ayn Rand talking points without asking a real question. Terkel, who was hard of hearing, turned to the moderator to get a quick summation, and then gave a dismissive wave of his hand, turned his back, and said, "yeah, you and General Motors have the same power at the bargaining table."

Liars, Damned Liars, and Those who use Statistics

Stuart Varney, bloviating on Fox Noise, whips out the statistics that fit his bias. He says that there are 100 million people on food stamps, but only 97 million who work full time. This is a complete abuse of statistics - 45% of people on food stamps are children, along with 10% elderly and a certain percent disabled. 97 million FULL TIME workers eliminates the need to include part time workers, some of whom work three jobs. Also left out is the fact that a lot of people who are on food stamps are working, some full time. 

When an idiot like Varney tries to paint every picture as black and white, he's trying to convince the audience that they should attack the working poor; the "takers."

Lying sack ... Maybe we should put those kids to work in steel mills, factories, and coal mines (again).

Odd Man Out, by Martin Gladu: Calvin Lampley - a biographical essay

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=13eceffe1f895495&mt=application/pdf&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui%3D2%26ik%3D56e2f82e7a%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13eceffe1f895495%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&sig=AHIEtbTCYAxq-_XzjbQP-aTT1Q4cOnPixg

Remembering Calvin Lampley, a wonderful person

Dear Sir,

I just stumbled upon your blog post in which you mention Calvin Lampley.

In case you are interested, I published a biographical essay on Mr. Lampley last year. Considering you seem to have known him intimately, I would have loved to interview you, but unfortunately I have just became aware of your relationship :-(

I can send you a .pdf copy if you like.

Best,

Martin Gladu

=====================================================

He was "Uncle Calvin" when I was growing up in New York City. He lived with us on Morningside Drive in Manhattan, and I loved him, and missed him when we had to leave.I loved to hear him play piano, and Dad allowed him to use the Steinway, which was an honor given by Dad. Dad was reluctant to let anyone touch it, and putting a drink on it was a serious crime. The piano was a Model B built in 1890, and wherever the Steinway was was Dad's home. Mom did the art work for Calvin's performance in Carnegie Hall, and it was a fantastic graphic of his face and hands.

I learned trust from him when we were going to the river across Henry Hudson Parkway when he told me to run, and I just put my head down and ran. I was six years old, and I learned.

I'd love to read what you have on Calvin. I do know that he took over from George Avakian the task of producing "Kind Of Blue" with Miles Davis. I met George at The Jazz Museum of Harlem a couple of years ago while presenting "The Savory Collection," Dad's unique recordings from the mid 1930s.

I was so sad to find that Calvin died from MS before I could reconnect with him. I last talked to him in 1985 in Georgetown, DC, and told him how much I loved him.

Practicing Medicine Without a License

A friend was in constant pain, but his doctor wouldn't prescribe anything useful. He was recovering from major cervical spine surgery, and the medicine was on par with what you'd get for a toothache. His comment as he fired his doctor, "are you a doctor or a priest"?

I talked with a pharmacist about the Drug Enforcement Agency - I wanted to know how often they ran fishing expeditions on the store's books. He only said, "you wouldn't believe!" Yes I would.

I can walk into a store and buy bullets after showing my ID. I can't walk into a pharmacy and buy pseudoephedrine without showing my driver's license and waiting five minutes while the pharmacist writes down the details of the transaction that associate my name with the quantity and type of formerly over the counter decongestant. I asked the pharmacist, "how do you like working for the State Police"?

Doctors are afraid to prescribe useful types and quantities of medications because of the police looking over their shoulders. The result is that people are under-medicated, especially for pain. Pain is diagnostic, and beyond that only serves to hinder the healing process if it is not controlled.

Abuse of drugs is a medical problem, and it is not widespread.

I don't care what John Calvin said. Suffering is NOT good for the soul.