New Year
Now Playing: Cecilia Bartoli - Opera Proibita
Topic: Mysteries of Life
Happy early new years, the year of the Dog begins on January 29, 2006. I'd mention the Aztec day but there are x's in it and it's in three parts and just confusing. As I see another New Year's celebration go off without a hitch it seems to me that the islamists who had declared war on the US and western culture in general haven't made a peep in quite some time. A perfect time to try to strike fear in the hearts and minds of a civilian population to further their twisted evil plans of an islamic future dictatoriship world would be New Year's eve. All those parties, all those soft targets. It really would only take a suicide bomber in Australia at some public celebration and another one in another western nation to send the parties around the world ducking for cover. The fact that Osama and his ilk haven't done so would mean that they are pretty darn weak and unable to. Good news and a good sign that the capacity for evil by such cowards isn't as great as we have feared. So a good start to the new year.


Been happily listening to Cecilia Bartoli - Opera Proibita. A beautiful woman and a beautiful voice and highly recommended. Also listening to another find, Madredeus- a Portuguese chamber-pop/fado group with Teresa Salgueiro as the singer. Amazingly beautiful. Sings in portuguese and I don't understand a word. But like the Italian of Cecilia Bartoli, it's not necessary to understand the words to enjoy the incredible and beautiful voices.

To be or not to be - googled
Topic: Mysteries of Life
Me and Santa. I always like to meet up with the big guy every once in a while. A meeting with an icon of the season, a chance to touch base with the inner child inside of me. That inner child that somehow still remembers a body image of a small, young young me. One less hairy and less grumpy. A nice moment there. The fella in the Clause suit asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I don't know how many grown men come up to get their picture taken with Santa so I doubt either of us knew what the proper conversation would be. But you know, being nice is always a good first choice and so it was nice being nice. Good times.

Well, every once in a while I take a peek into the logs of my site. With thousands of people every day visiting it there is no real way to know everything about every click coming through my site but I can get a snapshot look at what's happening. The search terms, who is linking me from their sites, a general geographical idea of where some folks are coming from - that sort of thing. Every once in a while I look there and see my own name being searched. No big deal, I've seen my name googled many a time. There are tons of 'Gilbert Davis's out there. There is even one in Arizona who has gilbertdavis.com which I hope every day he forgets to renew. No big deal but always a bit startling. Sometimes someone will even send me a email saying hi there or screw you or whatever. It's always better to get if off your chest. Feel free to send hate mail or whatever just don't use any terms that my filter filters out. :-) And Merry Christmas to you.

Celebrity Multiple Murderer -
Topic: Law

I feel a bit conflicted about this particular death sentence and possible upcoming execution in the State of California. I do not believe in the death penalty or in executions for all the usual reasons. It's not moral to kill, it's not moral for the state to kill, it's not fairly or objectively administered, it does not deter and it is costly. Detailed arguments Here here.

Having said that I look at the circus atmosphere surrounding the upcoming scheduled execution for Stanley 'Tookie' Williams with mixed emotions. While I am against the death penalty I do not have a great deal of sympathy for the usually rightly convicted men and women facing their executions. I won't argue that little Ken or Stan was neglected as a child or was high on drugs or emotionally distraught or make any excuses for someone who murders other people. I look at the case against Tookie here and I see a cold blooded murderer who deserves to be in prison. I think that having murdered four human beings in the course of a robbery excludes you from being nominated for a 'Peace' prize. I think that murdering four people should exclude you from being feted by liberal intellectuals who seem to fall over each other to defend this guy and plea for his life.

As a founding member of the Crips street gang Mr. Williams is directly responsible for a great deal of death and misery in the inner cities and throughout the country. As a multiple murderer he is directly responsible for ending the lives of four human beings. He killed the attendent Albert Lewis Owens in a robbery for $120 at a 7-Eleven on February 28, 1979. He took Mr. Owens to the back of the store and put two shotgun blasts into him. On March 11, 1979 at about 5:30 a.m. Stanley Tookie Williams in the company of another man broke down the door and entered Brookhaven Motel in Los Angeles and shot to death 67 year old Thsai Shai Young, his 63 year old wife Yen-I Yang and their 43 year old daughter Ye Chen Lin. In that murder and robbery they got $50. Victims rights? Here I'm sorry, you won't hear a thing about that in this next two weeks. You won't hear about the four people he killed and you can bet that his celebrity fans don't even know the names of the victims.

Politically speaking Governor Schwarzenegger's decision will be an interesting one. Based on the circumstances of the crime and the avowed Republican sensibilities he has there is no good reason for him to grant clemency. If he does cave in to the pressure from the left it will be a repudiation of his own values. Any which way he spins it he'll have lost the Republican support in favor of the Democratic support that he won't get no matter what he does. An interesting dilemma.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Brault, during the Davis administration was the prosecution's lawyer in an appeal to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, said Williams was a poor candidate for leniency.

"Having spoken at length with all of the victims' family members, I think that Mr. Williams is just another murderer that deserves to be executed," she said. "There's been so many deaths at his hands or the hands of his followers that I don't think writing a few children's books erases that."

Tookie Williams web site is here.

Found a Song that's been itching me
Now Playing: Boz Scaggs - Hard Times (repeatedly)
Topic: Mysteries of Life
It's one of those things, a song you remember and go looking for. You know who sang it but somehow you just find the bleeding thing. I wasn't even looking for it and there it was.

I am down in the sea of confusion
With the waves of no recovery

Swept away by a distant voice calling
Ain't no use in tryin' to rescue me

I am falling back into your spell
Back into your cell of no return
No way to rescue me

A song from way back in the day. Gone but found again. A little joy of discovery. Rediscovery that is.

Eleven Nights of Fire
Topic: Politics
Intifada Spreads to Brussels and Berlin
As many have predicted, the fires and rioting in France have begun to spread. It's ironic on many levels. France, which has frequently lectured the United States on it's many problems and which has gloated about the many problems the United States has had with it's 'underclass' is itself burning in a way that has not happened elsewhere.

Elsewhere unless you think of the Intifada in the middle east. In that case it was not a short duration event but rather one that lasted for years. I don't know that the structure for such a long lasting uprising is in place in France at this time but this french intifada has the potential to last for a long time. For the price of a bottle and some gas or kerosene, for the price of a bic lighter, this can last for some time. As the level of violence increases to the point of killing people- as witnessed riots claim first victim the stakes are raised. As the rioting youths get more organized and more emboldened the danger increases of it becoming much more severe. France is trying to keep the lid on by not reacting. They think that by not reacting more strongly they are keeping it from escalating, this explains the inexplicably weak response by the french.

I think they realize how close it is to being a full blown insurrection. The french know how easy it is to go from torching empty cars and empty buildings to attacking people more violently. But by not reacting they are allowing the violence to escalate, they are allowing the rioters to find a 'higher' purpose in their violence, one that lets them continue violence but as righteous warriors in the service of Islam. Everyone can find fuel for their own delusional belief in their everyday life. A hard life, a life without as many opportunities as they think they deserve is reason enough for some. Thinking that the western culture has unjustly hurt Islam/the middle east/ supported Israel is more than enough for the excuse to violence. They call our thugs thugs, 'how unacceptable!' - you deserve the violence that befalls you is the answer. There is no reasoning with this mindset. There is no reasoning with violence. But still the French will do so, it's what they've always done. And so the problems will not be solved.

Downtied - Denver Rock

Downtied. Downtied A Denver based live rock group. My cousin's son. And I remember him as a quiet little guy. Who'd have thought it. But, as I was discussing with my cousin, this music thing runs in the family. Everyone plays some instrument or the other and newly including me and my Blueridge. All it can play right now is Johnny Cash tunes but I'll be teaching that guitar some new tunes as we go along.

Muertos Art
Topic: Art and Poetry

My brother is the subject of an article in the Denver Post. Vigil Art He's a famous Hispanic/Chicano artist in Denver who specializes in muertos art. Muertos Art

Muertos art, like some Buddhist art which depicts skulls and skeletons in various forms and engaged in various activities is often times mistaken as a attempt at horror as seen in American culture. As the article states, the use of skeletons and death imagery is "a way of lessening the power that death holds over people in the Mexican culture." In Buddhism the use of skeletons and death imagery is used to illustrate the Buddhist teaching that life is transitory and that everything is impermanent.

A Day after 30 October
Now Playing: Bob Dylan, Blonde On Blonde -1966 #3
Topic: Mysteries of Life

A flower. A day late. As always.

Best Buy : - Great and Sucks
Now Playing: Stevie Ray Vaughan
You know I love Best Buy. I love to wander the store and look at new electronics and see what new movies, games and computer programs are out. Sometimes I stop and chat a minute with the security guy at the front. Nice guy. A few things are completely annoying though. As you walk through the various sections of the store you run into various blue shirt employees. I'm usually pretty good about it though, they ask how you are and they ask if they help you find anything, or if you have any questions. I'm okay with that. I'm okay about the first times I hear it. After the tenth time I hear it I'm a bit on edge. By then I'm shouting, "Isn't there a sticker or something you can put on my head to signify that I've been asked if I needed help or wanted help and have politely declined? Eh?!" I tell you. It's just loads of fun. As I mentioned I'm generally in a good humor.
The first guy who asks me if I need any help I politely and cheerfully say "no thank you, I'm quite all right and don't need any help." Next aisle over another guy, young guy asks me if he can help me find something. Now I'm a cheerful and happy guy who doesn't always want to respond the same way to the same questions. So I vary my answers as any reasonable person would do. I nod, smile a bit and say, "No thanks, I'm just moseying around." He looks at me blankly. He says "I'm sorry?"
"Moseying, mo-saying arid" says I.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand." says the blank faced blue shirt.
"Humm, okay. Moseying means browsing, looking, wandering about. That's what I'm doing. I'm browsing." I said not even a hint of arrogance or a lecturing tone.
"Oh, okay.Well if you need any help please just let us know. We're happy to answer any questions you might have." he said going back to the rote training programmed responses.
I said, "Great. Thanks."
I get about ten steps this time and at my shoulder is another blue shirted employee, this time a young woman with long brown hair. "Hello sir, is there anything I can help you with today?"
By now you know I'm not actually able to browse and look arid and thoughtfully think of the items I'm looking at. I'm like the queen on a greeting line saying hello and chatting up all sorts of people I don't even know. I said, "Oh I don't know, I was what, maybe ten steps over thataway," I pointed over her shoulder, "and another employee asked me the same question. He did not know the meaning of the word 'moseying', do you know the meaning of the word 'moseying' as in 'I'm just moseying arid?"
Her bright enthusiastic eyes lit up. She said, "You know, we don't' work on commission here. I know the meaning of the word moseying." And with that she hitched her thumbs up in her pants and began a exaggerated bit of moseying I can only assume she learned from her High School production of Oklahoma.
"Umm yah, something like that, a bit more toned down. A bit more Gary Cooperish" I said. "That's exactly it, that exactly what I'm doing. I'm moseying arid, looking arid and if by chance I need any little bit of help I actually do know how to ask for help and I will do so."

The next guy who asks me has begun to annoy me. I loudly ask for the sticker that I can attach to myself that will let the blue shirt employees know that I don't wish to be helped. Go through the cashier line and when they ask me for my phone number on a ten dollar cash purchase I loudly tell them my number is 1-800-Bite Me. I also always plop down whatever I'm buying and look at the cashier in the eye and say NO, NO , NO, NO and NO! Now, don't ask me any questions about warranties and or subscriptions or just call for the manager. Most annoying. I love Best Buy but I hate Best Buy.

Nod and Thirty Miles

A lovely day, biked for 30 miles, rubbery legs are my reward. Guitar practice going nicely. The beginning of 'Hurt' coming along and even sounds like it should. Chords, finger exercises, strumming. Legs numb, fingers numb. All is good.

Supreme Court Nominations
Now Playing: Heather Nova - Redbird
Topic: Politics
Well, the Supreme Court nominee Kabuki theater play has ended it's first act of this season's performance. Inane posturings and wooden facile non responsive answers went back and forth for the week of the Roberts confirmation hearings. No apparent purpose was served and all of the mild rantings were guaranteed to not change or disturb the outcome in any way. Indeed in the absurd dance of politics the democrats played their own imaginary game over in the corner and making a show of their twenty two to twenty two for and against 'vote' at the confirmation hearing. A calculated vote to appear 'moderate' so that when the next nominee comes down the pike they can go full tilt at him or her. Their effort will be to peel off six republican votes to defeat who they will assume to be a raving republican nominee.

The reason the fight will be so big is because the theory is that the next nominee will replace someone they perceive to be a moderate. If that replacement is a hard line conservative then those 5 to 4 vote they have been winning will be 5 to 4 the other way. Therefore the big fight on the next nominee. This assumes that a nominee will do something that nominees rarely do and that is to be either conservative or liberal as projected. It hardly has seemed to work that way. And there is the added theater of potential presidential hopefuls decided their votes in terms of how those votes will play with their bases. Swirling motives, fights for power and posturing all make for an interesting time of it.

Bush has the votes. Fifty five republican senators. Can he keep them all in line for a staunch conservative? Can the democrats Bork the next nominee? Will the teams of democratic 'opposition research' vultures who are sitting next to their phones and computers waiting to begin looking for dirt be able to find any? Any Anita Hills out there? It should be interesting. Of course, I said that about the Roberts nomination and that one turned into a boring affair.

Nothing in particular
Topic: Art and Poetry
Gilmore Girls and House, my favorite shows on Thursday. More or less a throwback to the 40's with the both of them. GG is a screwball comedy in the vein of His Girl Friday and House is Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone. Good stuff and I hope the writing lasts for the both of them. Ah yes, in the Gilmore Girls they have a "Gilbert" character - the rocker Sebastian Bach who was with Skid Row. Cool beans. Gilbert online Fingers numb from the Blueridge, hopefully they'll get thinner here after a bit.

Numb fingers
Now Playing: Roger Miller - Little Green Apples - Hits of 68
Topic: Art and Poetry

Doing a bit of channel surfing, a bit of the Big Fat Greek Wedding before turning over to watch Beck on Austin City Limits. The Greek Wedding woman was beautiful and Beck was good. Funny thing about listening to Beck now. I've begun a finger numbing journey with the guitar and so I watch guitar playing singers with different eyes. New respect. Swimming in deep deep water now but then what else is new. All that is needed is time and effort and desire. Some things in life don't respond to that combination of things unfortunately. My guitar pictured. No miles on the bike, chest cold.

Bronco's Win, House wins an Emmy, rambles
Now Playing: Patricia Kaas - Piano Bar

Flipping the channels between the football game and the Emmy awards. Sorta watching on the Emmy thing to see how various shows I like are doing. I love watching House and it did win an award but Hugh Laurie lost the best actor award to James Spader. Ah well, I like Spader too. 24 lost to Lost. Never watched Lost, never watched 24 until this last season. Show was actually really good, either that or my tolerance level on stuff that is unbelievable is going down. The ending where the missile did not hit anyone was so very lame and unworthy of all of that build up and tension. As I think about it again, Gilmore Girls did not receive any nominations which makes the quality control over there very suspect. But likes and dislikes are very subjective so who knows. I know anytime someone puts a top ten or top hundred best 'this or that' up I try not to look or think about it since I always find those to be incomplete, ignorant, political and unworthy of notice. Bah. And annoying. But then I'll go and peak at the list. Like the most beautiful people list. I don't even know who they put on their lists but if I go to the front of such a list and it claims to be the all time beautiful women and if Sophia Loren isn't there then it's obviously a defective list created by idiot brain donors from the planet dumbshit. You know, we all have our own lists.

Anyways, it's always good to see Shatner win an award and he did win another Emmy. Good for him. It was sad to see the listing of all the entertainment people who have died in the last year. From James Doohan to Frank Gorshan to Bob Denver and the guy the was Ernest T. Bass from the Andy Griffith Show. One of those things I avoid at the end of the year when they do the big list of people who had died in the last year. Always very depressing. And all through the Emmy stuff I was flipping over to the football game. Raiders and Chiefs, playing close and beating the heck out of each other. Always the best idea when you are a Bronco fan. What with Chiefs and Raiders being division rivals and all. And speaking of the Bronco's - the did come back for the win against the Chargers this afternoon. Very good stuff. Very nerve wracking to listen to on a sometimes spotty Internet connection to KOA radio. And thank goodness the KOA feed is still working through the games so far. Can't help it. A Bronco fan forever apparently. Got my John Elway figurine, my icon of good character and determination. It's just there waiting for the Lance Armstrong character figurine/statute to come out.

Thinking about trying to learn to play the Guitar. Wonder if my fingers can learn new things or not. Me, no musical training whatsoever. Ah but you know, anything can be done if even time and effort is put into it. Perhaps. Still thinking. Course, the guitar would have to be black. Everything has to be black. One thing I've noticed as I've thought about it and looked around the internet, there is quite a bit of instruction to be found on the internet. So, it would be hard to get stuck and without guidance. Something to continue to think about.

Chest Colds, House, Gilmore Girls
Now Playing: Gilmore Girls

Nothing like the grip of a chest cold across your chest to remind you of your mortality. The picture by the way is of Vultures. Big giant Vultures. It's especially good to have one creep on you when ABC has one of it's big scary specials where they show how completely unprepared we are for a pandemic of the flu or the nuclear explosion which will happen eventually. A trip down historical lane to visit the great Spanish Flu of 1818 which killed some 25 to 50 million people. That was my favorite part of the show. We're due for another one any day now. Fortunately most people don't know any history and are not bothered by thoughts of killer flu or pandemics which happened when the world was in black and white. Kind of like all that annoying business about someday New Orleans going underwater when some mythical category 5 storm could someday possibly hit. Ha, ridiculous thinking. Nothing to worry about. Oh, and that pesky stuff about terrorists using 1940's technology to commit terrorism. Oh goodness, who would really think that such a thing could happen. Flu or nukes, probably both. Everyone will be surprised. Mark my word.

The premiere of House and Gilmore Girls came and went. Both shows started off nicely. The Gilmore cliff hanger - would Luke accept the marriage proposal? Would Rory still stay want to take a year off from Yale? Such excitement. Hope it doesn't get uncomfortable like figure skating. You know, I can't watch that figure skating stuff since I can't stand the idea that someone working so hard, and so thinly dressed could fall while doing a triple sowcow thingee - and in front of a audience to boot. Too much anxiety to watch. Too painful. Hopefully this Rory falling and failing doesn't go on too long. Hopefully Lorelai will not go nuts. Hopefully there won't be any of those unwatchable episodes like when the dark haired surly bad seed boy became the boyfriend of Rory. Unwatchable stuff. Ahhhh.

Now House was itself. A smart, nasty tempered fellow in his own world, figuring out various puzzles of life and death all the while examining the mysteries of life and death. Good stuff, good episode.