Why the name Ranch Chimp? it was in humour because, science says that humans have similar DNA to a chimpanzee,so I felt some way related biologically to a chimpanzee. 2nd, everytime I was out of Texas on a vacation or for whatever reason I’m always asked things like, do I live on a ranch?,or have cattle? so I commonly call Dallas the Ranch. "Politically Depressed" was also humour inspired by the 1993- 2002 Bill Maher TV/ tele show "Politically Incorrect".
This posting for this journal's music/ arts honour roll society is another past due that I been wanting in here for awhile of Zepparella to sample a couple pieces of their worx. If you're a fan of classic Led Zeppelin music, this crew is a must listen, they strictly are a Led Zeppelin tribute band with some great fresh sounding cover work. From what I read, this crew is out of San Francisco and Portland, but supposedly based in the southwest currently (?), got their first gig in San Francisco, they been through a member change- up as far as vocalist's and bass player. The core foundation of the crew first started as a practice project in 2004 and still remain, with the outstanding drummer Clementine and guitarist Gretchen Menn, Clementine played with a variety of bands, and Gretchen was classically schooled in guitar and influenced by many of the classic great's later of rock guitar, for awhile though after college, Gretchen from what I read was a jet airline pilot for a couple years, Gretchen also has a solo album and working on a second as another project. The new bass player they have Angeline Saris has quite a music background as far as a variety of genres, and they have a new singer as well (both featured below) Noelle Doughty out of Poughkeepsie, NY, and for a short time even had another singer, Miaya Shambry (not featured here) out of Portland ... but more about this crew in the above links. The first piece is a full length "Dazed and Confused" cover and Gretchen even using the cello bow like Jimmy Page, just a really great piece. The 2nd is "When The Levee Breaks" ... which I love the blues harp work of first vocalist Anna Kristina opening ... and I myself had a blues harp cover of that I loved playing. I updated this posting later and added the "Immigrant Song", again, excellent work, and because it's another favourite of mine. Anna left and working in San Francisco on another project, and original bass player Nila Minnerok left to pursue other goals as well. Anywayz ... that's it from me ... this crew is a must listen though, and wishing them all the best ... Enjoy!
This posting to serve as Part 10 of the "Black History Month" series of this journal/ blog, and to highlight what Malcolm X had to say a half century ago and how it applies to the current condition now. This series is also dedicated to Harmon Loft is why his name is in, and will continue to be in the posting title and series ... Harmon is who inspired this series without me or him even realizing it over 4 decades ago, and he died over 3 decades ago. "Black History Month" or "African American History Month" is not until next week/ February, but I was going to post this early. The reason I chose the "Ballot or the Bullet" speech of Malcolm X which he gave in the 1964 election year, is because right now during this 2016 election year ... we will be getting fed more bullshit and fear talk to intoxicate our brains than you can consume in a lifetime, because of all the political corruption to campaign financing to the airwaves of corporate controlled media and the rest, Malcolm X get's straight to the point without the politically correct garbage, and as Malcolm sayz ... "leave your religion at home in the closet" when listening to this, because these institutionalized religions and politics, can keep us at each others throat's. It should be of question and surprise to not only Black American's, but any American, why ... we are still struggling and having to fight for basic rights a half century after the Civil Rights Movement? These struggles and fight's that I even point out all throughout this journal and related series, alwayz pop up every few decades or so, this is why you can never stop being on the defense ... whether it was during the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement era, or now with the newest wave of what Malcolm X call's "the man" ... in todayz form of corporate communism and the current oppression, and can be found since the start of this country's history and even human history.
This speech that Malcolm gave directed to Black American's, can these dayz apply to every American. No matter what race, religion, political party, gender, poor to middle class, labourer, professional, small to medium size business person you are ... your rights and level of freedom in this so called democracy are NOT going forward, but backwards, our economy which is also importante to the black community and every other community is being ripped to shreds by the same bunch that has taken too much control over our politics once again. Listen closely to Malcolm here, and if you're not African American, whatever background you are, you can apply these words to what should be one of our priority goal's in these times, to take control of our communities and country. One of the goal's we need to consider, is to put ourselves first and be self sufficient without the master of corporate communism that dictates our economies and lives today ... and create our own sort of nationalism for our country as a whole, at least trying to improve ourselves and putting people to lead in place that have OUR best interest's in heart, instead of a large portion of the lame ass types we currently have ... who only jump to Wall Street without consideration for our own domestic needs. What Malcolm X points out of most importance is to question and strengthen yourself and to take charge of our lives and communities, instead of expecting some of the wealth that has robbed us to do anything for us.
"You are born with rights by nature", what I mean by this, is not the natural order of the universe or some supernatural law granting us "rights" ... but that we naturally have the ability to pick, choose, reason, find and shape our individual abilities, and utilize our natural will to raise ourselves mentally out of whatever culture, religion, or political state we get drawn into ... then you utilize leadership and teamwork to combat those who are against our goals, interests, and obstruct our progress. As far as legal man made rights, in America there is a Constitution/ Bill of Rights that should apply to everyone, most rights that we ask for shouldnt even be an issue ... our problemo is "asking" ... you demand your rights and use whatever force and means necessary to accomplish that and sustain and expand what liberties we have. Malcolm X had an unconventional childhood and knew the streets too, which had some influence on his methods too ... just as any street kid knows you dont give your lunch money to a school bully, or if you're in jail, you dont give your dessert away at the request of a bully, you will lose everything you have including your dignity ... and you cant expect respect, fairness, equality or a damn thing from these parasites and some of their cowardly political puppetry, when you constantly kiss the asses of those who oppress and rob you, period. But enough from me and on to Malcolm's speech ... and Thank You Sir for inspiring and enlightening so many young minds of the 20th century and continue to in this 21st century.
This posting will be for 2 series of this journal/ blog ... the "Global War'n'ing" and "Thinking of the Kid's" series both. I been reading up on this Flint, Michigan disaster ... and there has been so much on this, and it's a must to record in this journal, another disastrous situation that is in Flint, but can apply to what we will see more of to come all over our country the way we are doing things right now. We also have some serious infrastructure issues that need more atencion and tax money to fix in especially these older northern cities ... instead of much else our Congress decides to waste our money on. Again ... this is a result of political blame games and saving a few million bucks, with the usual of no one paid or elected to be responsible for their job ... neglecting to take responsibility and letting it ride out so long, that it has caused damage already to many people and children for years to come. Before I add my thoughts on this, I wanted to open this posting with a comment/ video from Trial Lawyer magazine executive editor Farron Cousins ... then some news links and video below, after I will add my part ... on why this should be dealt with not just in civil law ... but criminal.
Republican Governor Knowingly Poisoned City Of Flint Michigan ... Thanx to THE RING OF FIRE
(Bear with Me) Thomas Hudson Pickering (aka "Ranch Chimp" & "Commie Tommie") with daughter "Bear"
As some politicians line up in recent dayz to make their apologies and showcase themselves for the 2016 elections on media sources across the country, many Flint residents are getting past due water bills and penalty notices, to pay up for the poisoned water they get ... after all this and previous water bill increases ... water that even General Motors Corporation said causes damage to their car parts, you can imagine what it does in human consumption. The Michigan House Committee in Lansing just yesterday approved a $28 million bill to go to help the folks in Flint (Detroit News) ... makes alot of sense eh? ... I have to wonder, what in Hell are ya'll even getting a paycheck for? You spend a couple years sweeping this to the side and in political bitch fights playing a blame game ... you save a few million bucks, and now have to rush through a bill for more than 5x times what you thought you were saving ... and in the process now ... you have loads of children who will need medical atencion for years to come, some folks may even die as a result of your actions, you have a fucked up water system, you are facing a long list of lawsuits, your political hang- ups and incompetence is being exposed like a broken record 24/ 7 across America and other countries, and now you look more incompetent trying to explain how sorry you are and what happened, making up excuses and such. Some of these folks that so called serve the public/ community interests, just go into politics to make a bundle of money and benefits without doing much of nothing, the same as many who just become corporate/ banking lobbyist's after their political job. The positive to this is to alert people to see just how worthless some of these folks are who make these decisions and run things for us, and what needs to be done ... many of which couldnt even change the oil on your car without fucking that up.
Right now all we hear about is the emergency efforts, the costs that will come, how many children and adults are contaminated and the illness to come, who is to blame, etc. For me in these cases, whether it's this one or a number of others across the country, these class action lawsuits are NOT good enough, or paying out more money, which is mainly from our taxes to repair all the damage that these folks do to everything from the economy, our properties and businesses, to the environment, to the lives of people. Obviously all we been doing ... from these BP oil spill settlements to fines/ fees/ penalties on alike ingrates of the same mentality ... dont seem to work, as a matter of fact it is getting worse than ever in our history. It's time to start to bring criminal indictments against these folks ... I mean ... they're obviously not going to do the acceptable thing and step down/ resign, they're not going to give up their paychecks and long list of benefits, they're going to continue to get political support from both these 2 political establishment parties and big money, and all going to get a good nights sleep in their protected environments, etc. Right now as we have it, there is no incentive for them to run a tighter ship and do a more efficient job, like Wall Street, they will continue on until we take a different approach to dealing with them.
There are hundreds of legal wayz to define what criminal negligence is and reckless behaviour that leads to permanent disabilities, to the death of folks even. When these people played these political blame games and neglected to do what needs to be done and their jobs that they are paid to do ... they have knowingly and intentionally put these folks of Flint in harms way, they knew what was happening, and even there is email confirmation of it, and I'm sure you could round up dozens of individual depositions and testimony, not just to get a criminal indictment ... but a criminal conviction, I would bet my Dallas Cowboys shorts that you could find enough law to make a solid case. But this is what we need to start to do since all else is failing and we have the tools and laws necessary to do it. Until we start to take real action against these folks, it will continue to get worse ... yes ... that means trying even politicians and those who are in with them on these types of incidents. That's not to say that we shouldnt get monetary compensation ... we should get both, including their personal assets and wealth should be on the table. But making some of these people serve prison time is a plus ... I guarantee you that incarceration will get their atencion in a different way. Anyone else besides a politician or a CEO in this country would have to pay more than just a fine for this, which is a criminal offense, and would have to do some time, and NOT in some playground type federal facility ... I would have them do the time that everyone else has to do, in state facilities, and not private cells or special accommodations ... and given the usual restrictions, chores and labour duties as any other inmate.
Part 30 of the "From The FOXHOLE with Bernie" series of this journal/ blog will focus on paid leave in America, how to be more independent, stronger, and basically pulling ourselves up out of the rut were in by our bootstraps ... to strengthen our country, families/ people, morale, independence and economy ... and to go forward with the changing times, because forward is progress and anything less that would stagnate our moving forward should be unacceptable. This is more about doing for ourselves and making our own golden parachute a reality ... instead of telling us we have to subsidize with our taxes the top 500 corporate and banking CEO's golden parachutes, we do have The Family and Medical Leave Act which is a decent start, but we have improvements to make and the need to expand that further. So I wanted to highlight 2 speeches, first from Presidential candidate and Senator Bernie Sanders, who of course I'm a strong supporter of ... and the second with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, both who have brought this issue into the spotlight and something that we need to take a look at, and both have very motivational messages to strengthen ourselves. When President JFK said "ask what we can do for our country instead of what our country can do for us" ... that is the key to our success. But first the videos below, and a newsread linked from NPR/ KERA ... then I will add my part after on the reality we have ... and the one we can make/ create, simply by utilizing our nature given will, the tools we have and taking charge of our own environment and country, to create a reality of ours ... after all, the corporate communism and oligarchy that designs what we have, do it for themselves, not for us, we need to create an environment/ nation that is in our best interest!
Bernie Sanders on PAID MEDICAL AND FAMILY LEAVE ... Thanx to Bernie2016tv OLD2
Thomas Hudson Pickering aka "Ranch Chimp", "Commie Tommie" & "Skool" (short for old school) to kid's locally
Most American's these dayz would agree that we are on the wrong path politically and economically in this country ... and they are right, they dont need a poll to tell them ... they know by natural instinct that we are on the decline. We simply dont look out for ourselves is also part of the problemo, depending on those who create monopolies in our economy to buy/ lease our government and tell us what to do, our minds are filled with garbage that is fed to us, and making ourselves believe that it's acceptable ... if it is NOT our will ... it is NOT acceptable, period. We have moved forward such as in technologies, medicine, and having 1001 new devices, programmes and drugs to relax us, to make us lazy physically and mentally, and to make us more dependent on others that simply want more control over us ... otherwise in other areas ... we are on the decline. We are told of our American exceptionalism, our independence, our great work ethics, our individualism, our family values, our resilience to come back and ability to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, etc ... yet many of those telling us this are trying to do everything they can to weaken us ... not strengthen us. So this is about strengthening us and all of the above, and creating a better reality than the current reality that has been created for us and cheaply peddled off on us ... it's our job, not Wall Street's job, eh?
So what has any of this have to do with paid leave? ... it's because most people in our country want paid leave, but are told to believe that we dont need it or want it. Or we are alwayz given some cheap sales pitch by Wall Street bought and paid for politicians saying that we will try to work on a plan, or to let us see what worx on a state to state or city/ town basis, spend another decade or two analyzing it, etc. One of the most frequently used excuses is ... "who's going to pay for it?" ... the answer to all this is simple ... we will pay for it. How many working American's would not go along with paying less than a couple dollars a week out of their paycheck to get the security of paid leave? It would drive small companies into bankruptcy or lay off's? ... absolutely not ... as a matter of fact we should propose to even have all companies that do business large or small, to match that small employee amount their employees put in. What you dont want is for some smooth talking politician to tell you they have a plan ... and it will be handled by some large insurance firm and the financial end will be managed by some mega investment bank, in fact, this is one that the banks and corporations can stay out of, it will have nothing to do with them, only matching what their employees demand and pay for themselves, besides, they would write it all off on taxes anywayz ... we will take care of our own and ourselves, just as they take care only of their own and selves, eh?
We have managed through our people's government to establish and make work a Social Security and Medicare system, which is of small cost, and we can make this work as well, with the oversight taken care of by a people's governing body as with those others. Let some multi national investment bank and corporation handle our business, they will charge us over- inflated amounts while gambling all the money and loaning it out to foreign investors who dont even do any business with our local domestic businesses, and have 10,000 pages of fine print, complex arbitration clauses, with part's a, b, c, d, and f's, co- pays and other scam treat's to milk us out of more money. YES ... they would actually figure out wayz and schemes to maximize their profit margin off of our money and leave time, and of course of no benefit to us, understand that these people do nothing but sit around and figure out wayz to fuck someone else out of money ... that's all they do for a living, they dont even contribute a damn thing to any society. So you can say we need to be more conservative on our spending priorities and take care of our country and people more than feeding hand- outs to Wall Street or others, being "fiscally conservative" ... isnt that what we hear out of them on our out of whack spending and debt? ... a result of "them" spending our money through politicians at that! ... telling us we need to cut back, cut back and cut back over and over ... Well ... that is what we would be doing, but to OUR BENEFIT for a change. Too much we are fed now of the billions more we need to spend in Middle Eastern and Saudi interests and conflicts ... like Wall Street in wealth, they have plenty of money and loads of defense to take care of their regional conflict's more efficiently than what they are, so that doesnt need to be our primary concern. Our primary concern should be to try to better ourselves, and then we can let the fruit's of our accomplishments trickle down to others who want to be team players with us diplomatically or financially around the globe ... we cant take care of others if we dont take care of ourselves, and we cant feed or finance others if we cant even do the same for ourselves, reconstruction starts at home.
Part 38 of the "Global War'n'ing" series is about the suburban LA community of Porter Ranch and the gas leak accident. I wanted to record it in this journal and series because of how critical it is, I been following this for awhile and curious how they would go about fixing this screw up, and how long it may take. I wanted to open the posting with a video from Democracy Now with Erin Brockovich and Porter Ranch resident David Balen, this is only a week ago, before Gov. Brown of California even declared the recent "state of emergency" ... and frankly if it werent for folks like Erin Brockovich and others climbing all over this in what little media coverage they got, there may not even have been a state of emergency declared yet. Part of the posting's title was inspired by the heavy mainstream media coverage of the recapture of "El Chapo", because I watch mainstream primetime news on the tele, and they have gave more coverage to El Chapo and these yap- yap sex- bitch fights between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and their run for President, than this critical incident in the LA area. But some video and news links below, I also added an interview with Attorney and Environmental Activist Bobby Kennedy, Jr. ... then I will add my part to it after.
Erin Brockovich: California Methane Gas Leak is Worst U.S. Environmental Disaster Since BP Oil Spill ... Thanx to DEMOCRACY NOW
Thomas Hudson Pickering (aka "Ranch Chimp" & "Commie Tommie") with other half (wife) Rosalie Recto Vinas (Pickering)
Once again this whole thing is a result of taking a chance on not replacing some type of safety valve or whatever, this show's the extent of those who are so much caught up into saving that extra buck ... it's about basically being cheap. Only a couple dayz have passed since Gov. Brown declared the state of emergency ... which was necessary ... but as alwayz, took too long to do. Erin and David in the video that opened talk of the runaround the folks get ... and you have to expect that, for those who just say that these companies are not being transparent ... that's an understatement, many of these folks are just reckless and avoid every damn thing they can and manipulate the politics to the media. This is not just Porter Ranch, it's all over the country and globe right now, Porter Ranch is a good example of what is happening all over. These accidents should and will show everyone in time "why" we need strict oversight and regulations, and government agencies getting strict, because it's getting worse and worse. Can you imagine what some of these folks would do if they got their fantasy of no government, no EPA, no outside oversight, no regulations, etc, etc ... like any addict they would self destruct and take down everything around them in time. This extreme greed and penny pinching we see today is a chronic disease, that need's to be treated or eliminated. And this is over and over, as I mentioned in previous posting's in this series ... with all this new drilling for oil/ gas and mega investing into such ... is it really the wisest investment? ... look where the oil prices went now and how many are pulling back from producing more, or ya'll's Saudi friends who refuse to reduce their production in this time of a saturated market. Right before the barrel cost dropped, I was questioning in this series ... what would happen if it did and how much was wasted in over- confidence in the market/ investments, and over- spending in the industry ... when they go back up, they will go hog wild again, whatever makes the quickest buck is all that matters now to them too financially intoxicated to be able to distinguish a bad bet from a good one. They say they are only supplying the demand, there are more wayz to supply and change demand needs.
Right now we have folks drooling over the idea of the Artic region melting, just to tap into all they will find and extract under that frozen solid region that they have not been able to get to. That is why folks dont want to recognize global warming or would even spend millions to debate it over decades, it's only about making all the money you can and getting more investors to gamble into it. The thing that many are not looking at in their illness ... is the amounts of money they are having to shell out to fix what they break or fuck up, the lobbying expense and time to manipulate legislation to try to get someone else to pay for their fuck- up's ... while they are nickel and diming everything and being cheapskates pinching every damn penny, they look at that as smart economics. If folks in some poverty stricken area get hit or with low real estate values, that encourages more of the same because it's easy to buy your way out, what happens though when you start going further and screwing up the better neighbourhood's where we depend on that middle to upper middle income class to spend, invest, and are able to buy/ sell real estate for prime dollar? what about the banks and lenders? Look at this sector of the LA metro area, these are folks that pump the economy, what is going to happen to their home/ property values?, how about the local businesses/ companies?, what about the huge agriculture industry not far away? ... you can call it "trickle down economics", cause it's a sure downslope recipe for disaster. Even without calling for a halt to this drilling and related ... it would be smarter and wiser to spend a fraction of what you waste on the above and regulate yourselves more and spend what you can on making sure you have a cleaner and more efficient way to do things, instead of this cheap bargain basement mentality ... and you'll profit more and save headache after headache, lawsuit after lawsuit, unnecessary hearing's trying to explain yourselves in public to a Senate Committee, and having to explain to shareholders why they should have confidence in you and their investments.
We also need to have people voice more about criminal prosecution in these matter's, simply fining these folks and telling them to spend more to fix things dont cut it ... if we put some fire to their ass that they can feel for a change, that makes them think. We need to have more talk in these so called Presidential debates and a demand from the American public and environmental advocacy groups that they have to, many of these self- proclaimed grand figures that are running to be leader of our country, need to address what we can do more of to improve our energy needs and avoid some of this reckless behaviour ... I mean ... fuck the endless talk about Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq for a moment, and focus on our economy and energy needs, improvements and goals more ... do you think that they are concerned with our domestic issues when they campaign and have elections in those countries? ... of course not. When I talk about criminal prosecution, I really mean it ... for example, when people get catastrophically ill, you have deaths, severe damage to forest, agriculture, real estate, etc ... start indicting for criminal charges and trials more and carry out sentencing, just as you would on anyone who murders people or starts forest fires/ arson, destroying water reservoirs, etc ... there are plenty of prisons in the U.S. and many investors in the energy sector would know well, since many also invested in the privatized prisons. Everywhere in the country and globally you will see more and more of these accidents, neglect and reckless behaviour, until we crack down harder. And sooner or later people are going to demand more, because of the rate we are declining and the impact even on business ... so it wont just be poor people or tree- huggers ... in time, it will be a more economically diverse voice.
This posting is another local for here in Dallas concerning the condition of the Cowboys and Quarterback Tony Romo, whether Cowboys fan's realize it or not ... we have a problem here. Let's face it, Cowboys went into the shitter this year because of injuries and finished this season in last place in their NFC East division, last season they were first place and the NFC East Champions, this last season was the worst since like 1989. We also lost the best NFL rusher DeMarco Murray, and as I expected, he didnt do nothing this year hardly while trying to work into Philadelphia's system. For the last couple years I been talking with Cowboy fans locally about getting a new quarterback, when Johnny Manziel came up in the 2014 draft, I was a little excited and hoping that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would grab him if possible, even though Dallas was doing good then, I still wanted to scout a new quarterback and a "young" one in the hopes of grooming him into the team where he can spend a decade or more with us. Several folks come away thinking that I have something against Tony Romo alwayz talking about getting in someone new to groom to start. It is NOT that I dislike Tony, I actually love Romo as quarterback, even though he wasnt a top draft choice, and he was self bred more or less ... he has good stats, he communicates with the team well and has good leadership qualities, when Tony got the quarterback starting position with the Cowboys and was young, I was excited ... although, he hasnt proven yet to be able to win the "big one", but the 2014 season we got one or two playz from being in the NFC Championship game and possibly a SuperBowl, Green Bay knocked us out of that one though (when officials called back Dez Bryant's touchdown). My concerns about Tony came a couple years back (he's 35 yrs old now) when he had the shoulder injuries/ surgery, the season before last when having another surgery to the same shoulder, I was concerned, then again this year and all over again, especially at his age ... he needs to avoid these kind of hits, you cant continue to get hurt like that, and having repeated surgeries on the same part of you is not cool. Troy Aikman for example, despite how great he was, was told by the doctors ... he couldnt continue to get those concussions to the head ... it will hurt him permanently, Troy took the doctors advice and retired ... if you're a lucky, good and healthy/ non- injured quarterback in the NFL, the most you can go is to about roughly 40 years old on average I figure, and that's pushing it. I was concerned about Tony, NOT disliking Tony ... I told folks a couple years ago, if he gets hurt, especially on that same shoulder, it will be hard on him ... and here we go again.
News now is that "both" RG3 currently with the Washington Redskins ... as well as Johnny Manziel with the Cleveland Browns want to come to Dallas to quarterback ... and I'm excited frankly! I think they're seeing what I do as far as Tony's dayz being limited and want that chance to fill in and become a Cowboy. I mean ... how lucky can we get to have two great's that came out of college as the cream of the crop/ top of the line, both with multiple awards and winning the Heisman Trophy? ... wanting to both come to the Cowboys, eh? ... also let me add, that both are out of Texas originally, bred in High School and College football in Texas. Johnny is now 23 yrs old and RG3 is 25 Yrs old ... both at a prime age and well established already in the NFL as well for a couple years. I heard that Jerry Jones already eyed Johnny when he came up in the draft a couple years ago, but I also heard that Jerry's son may have talked him out of grabbing Johnny, but of course Cleveland got a better chance in draft pick's too, because of their lousy record ... as we also have a chance this year with our lousy record for some good draft picks ... the quarterback position is also very critical this year in my view. Even if Tony recovers well this coming season and has a good year, he need's some strong backup talent that we have to get ready for this season, let's face it, as Skip Bayless sayz below in the video ... do you think we would have lost so many games this year with a backup to fill in for Tony like Johnny Manziel? ... you can bet on it we would have pulled out a few more games that we barely lost, and probably have a wildcard spot this year at that in the Playoffs ... wide receiver Dez Bryant was also out much of this last season with injuries ... it was a bad luck season! What do we have now as backup's? ... Matt Cassel (33 yrs old) and Kellen Moore (26 years old)? ... and maybe I'm wrong, maybe Kellen is the answer ... maybe a new one I havent heard of straight out of college this year. But, unlike coming straight out of college, both Johnny and RG3 are sort of veterans, despite their young age, being that both had a chance to get "some" NFL experience already ... and Jerry does like to have someone that is broke in already to a degree as far as having that backup position. I frankly like to grab Johnny and get him in Dallas ... and I would even like RG3 as a 2nd choice ... although RG3 is bigger than Johnny, longer arm, and not in trouble as Johnny with that wild lifestyle. Either Johnny or RG3 we can bring in at a good price right now, being they would come in as a backup, then later after they prove themselves/ pay their dues ... we can renegotiate a contract to compensate them much better ... and Jerry is no cheapskate, you prove yourself, Jerry will pay well!
Both Johnny and RG3 are having problem's with their team's ... some folks think I'm crazy for wanting to grab Johnny especially, they look at him as trouble ... Cleveland is certainly fed up with him and his so called wild lifestyle off the field, partying and drinking etc, saying that he been sneaking now to Las Vegas on the weekend to party ... and Johnny is frankly fed up being in a place like Cleveland, playing games in an outdoor stadium right on the shoreline of Lake Erie in winter months! Some think that Johnny who hasnt kept up with his rehab for drinking or whatever, cant handle the temptations of coming to a town like Dallas with it's dazzle and nightlife it's known for, known for football stardom and the Cowboys flashy reputation, and that he would really fuck up if he had to come and be in this town's environment, etc. You know ... I like to give the kid a chance, he's still young and restless, at an age where some folks live a little ... let's say wild ... sure he screwed up and has a not so good reputation ... many of us have screwed up when we were in our early 20's, I'm not gonna lie, I sure as Hell did! Some say that Johnny is too small at 5'-11"/ 6'ft and around maybe 214 lbs ... I dont agree ... here is some of the greatest short quarterbacks in NFL history. Sure he may be a chance ... but I look at the potential he has ... I really feel that taking a chance on this kid is worth it, we have nothing to lose, I think he can be one of the all time NFL greats with the right mentoring and coaching, I see him as having real leadership qualities as well and a tough one to break, and one that can scramble and move well. Coming to Dallas as he matures in the league, may help him also wind down, and really focus on what he can be around the right people ... I could be wrong, but I like to take a chance on him. RG3 has had problems as well trying to fit in with the Redskins, not the same problem's as Johnny though as far as the partying lifestyle. RG3's team dont seem to get along with him ... he was called a "loner", "outsider" and not getting along with coaching staff, etc ... obviously as well he is about as fed up with the Redskins as they may be with him ... maybe he's just around a crew he cant get along with or whatever. RG3 is also a bundle of talent, he is also larger than Johnny with a powerful arm, who I also think has much potential ... however, he has had some past and current injuries and concussion too, that was concerning to me. But the Redskins have rumor of cutting RG3 and he wants to come to Dallas ... I think RG3 in the right environment can showcase his talent big time ... I think he is just right now in the wrong place at the wrong time. I really have Johnny though as my first choice regardless of his smaller size ... and hope that Jerry takes a chance at hiring him. But enough from me and on to some video and newsread below.
Johnny Manziel Heisman Highlight Video Part 1 HD ... Thanx to TAMUHIGHLIGHTS WHOOP ... I was telling a couple guyz I know, that I wanted to do a write- up on Manziel in particular to showcase him ... one guy who is a Cowboys fan and not very fond I guess of Johnny said ... "Why?, nobody wants him ... he's a fuck up" ... I told him ... "I do man!" I picked some highlights of him in his college dayz at Texas A&M ... watch the way this guy moves, and he is NOT a running back, wide receiver, or tight end ... he is a quarterback, THIS is why I want him!
Baylor Football: Robert Griffin III- The Career ... Thanx to BAYLOR ATHLETICS ... I also wanted to add some of RG3 highlights from his college dayz at Baylor ....
I wanted to start 2016 of this journal/ blog with music ... and an appropriate choice to do that was no doubt "Blue Oyster Cult", who go back with me to my teenage years and my first love and influences in music, so this posting is to honour and highlight some of the work of this great crew originally out of Long Island/ NYC.
This is a crew that started their roots a half century ago, even though the band had quite a member change- up over the decades of several outstanding musicians, they have managed to keep the original style of the group and it's tradition. Buck Dharma and Eric Bloom both go back to the formation and start, they used several names they went through as far as the band names, that originally started pretty solid for awhile as "Soft White Underbelly", then thought of being an American type answer to "Black Sabbath", they just played alot of small gig's in bar's like in Upstate New York and stayed doing live gigs in venues before being recognized. Back when I first started listening to this crew in the early 1970's, I could hardly find anyone that even knew who they were, they didnt really have the popularity in hard rock/ metal music as many that were getting air- play on then the new FM radio that was free of corporate maneuvering and manipulation of the industry ... with freedom for listeners to "choose" who makes it and who doesnt, a more natural business flow that gave birth to what we know today as the great classic rock groups. Yet, at the same time, early BOC was beginning to inspire and influence many of those musicians that were coming up ... they just really had some great composition at the time, as well as inspiring todayz generation of musicians, like with this really nice cover of "Don't Fear The Reaper" done by "Pierce The Veil".
I was more interested in doing "live" work in this posting because of how the instrumental work is highlighted well throughout their live performances, they worked very well as far as a full sound and made it so those individual musicians in the group got to showcase their individual work, just really a nice blend of keyboards, percussions and guitar with good harmonizing vocal- wise of the group. I went to a show of their's several years after I started listening to them, maybe 1980/ 1981 (?) at the old Dallas Convention Center, when they had a large Godzilla monster come out on stage complete with the sound of huge footsteps of the monster walking up and a story introduction to the song "Godzilla" ... and really was just a great live show and really good sound engineering. The song's below are more well known and song's that influenced other musicians, and I wanted to add a nice cover that BOC does of the classic 1968 Steppenwolf piece "Born To Be Wild". But anywayz, enough of me running my jaws here ... and on to some BOC below ... and Thanx to this crew for all the great music they gave us over the years ... Enjoy!
.JPG)
