Last Friday night, at the urging of our plumber, who is a well-connected musician in the area, I went to the local watering hole in Burk’s Falls to attend a monthly music showcase. For the past several months I have been entertaining the thought of hosting my own local open mic, but the general consensus is that there is not enough demand up here. Also, I am not crazy about the idea of lending my guitar out to those participants who do not bring their own instrument. Some people do not understand guitar etiquette and can be pretty rough on a host’s instrument. I did enjoy the showcase, and saw at least two acts I’d like to see again. I also met a songwriter who lives in nearby Kearney and we have exchanged phone numbers. Hopefully we will arrange to meet again and jam. I am finding that there is a remarkable wealth of talent up here and I hope to tap into it and network.
In the news, last Monday marked the 2nd anniversary of the earthquake that struck near Northern Japan, the one which sparked the destructive tsunami and caused the environmental disaster at the Fukishima Nuclear Power Plant. Nearly 19,000 victims died in that tsunami and approximately 300,000 are still living in temporary housing. NYC Mayor Bloomberg continues his fight to outlaw 16 oz. sugary drinks in Manhattan fast food restaurants. I’m not sure how successful he will be, because there is some question about his authority to do so. Do you think government has the right to legislate this kind of thing? It does seem rather silly because it is a random prohibition, and one can still buy huge containers of pop at any supermarket. While I understand the motivation for the controversial legislation, and while I wish there was some incentive for obese North Americans to pay closer attention to their health, I’m not sure government should be involved. The issue seems to be that junk food puts a huge strain on our health care system, and fast food indirectly costs the taxpayer money in higher health care costs. I don’t know what the answer is, or how to encourage fast food restaurants to serve healthier choices. The trick is to create the demand, and I doubt the average overweight North American will opt for a tofu burger over the Big Mac.
Pop star Justin Bieber is growing up. He’s nineteen now, and perhaps the pressures of his charmed celebrity life are catching up with him. Last week he had a bit of a melt down in London. He showed up late for a concert, angering his fans and prompting some bad press. Once again, another young celebrity learns that cute only works for so long before the predatory media feasts on his not so secret private life. Justin, of course people will be gunning for you now. You’re rich and famous (some would say young and undeserving); deal with it like a pro, or, like so many flash-in-the-pan celebrities do, OD on a speedball in some fleabag Hollywood hotel and leave a handsome corpse. A propos to nothing, who dresses that guy? Where do I buy those silly pants he wears, the ones that look like they were designed by a drunken tailor and which hang down below his butt cheeks? Who decided that was a good look? Talk about the emperor's new clothes! Last year, I watched Beiber interviewed on Letterman, and I was not all that impressed. Letterman asked him a question about Italy and made reference to the Sistine Chapel. In Beiber’s response he referred to the landmark as the Sixteen Chapel. He might want to Google Mike Angelo and learn a thing or two about a true artist. As I have said so many times before, being rich and famous ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. For damage control, I’m sure Justin’s publicist will have him on film feeding the poor in some soup kitchen, or visiting sick kids in a hospital, but the magic is gone. He's been branded as just another spoiled celebrity acting badly. And he was so cute!
As everyone prepares to go to work tomorrow hung over, I say what I say every St. Patrick’s Day .... “Erin go bra-less.”
The Irish will get it.
- Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2013 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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