* Getting warmer around here; we actually made it up to 67 today. I’m starting to think about hauling the trailer back up here from the storage location, 60 miles south. The snow was mostly gone, except where the snowplows had piled up along the sides of parking lots and things like that; what was white, and really rather pretty, is now a dirty gray reminder of those nasty storms we had less than a month ago. Less than a month… hard to believe. OK, given we’ve got lots of sunshine today …
* The Music: George Howard’s “Dancing in the Sun” [1]
About the time this broke, (1985) I was doing morning radio radio at a jazz outlet. The LP was rather dramatically different at the time. Not only was he good at what he was doing mechanically speaking, but he actually sounded like he was having fun with it. The effect on the listener, was enough that it made number one on the contemporary jazz charts at the time. This was his last album for Palo Alto records (On the TBA label) both of which at the time belonged to Grusin/Rosen. (GRP) after few records with MCA, Dave Grusin signed him back to GRP, He released “Love and Understanding: later that same year.
His last recording was in January of 1998; he died from colin cancer two months later.
To give you a rough idea of the musical heritage involved, the first toured with Grover Washington Junior. To give you an idea of how much respect he had in the business, Grover invited him.
When I was doing weddings, I would use the title track quite a bit when the situation seemed to call for a little latin funk.
* McQ speculates… [2] before the news conference this afternoon, wondering if Edwards is out. Frankly, I don’t think he has a chance in hell of winning the nomination, anyway. Democrats have a habit of shunning their losers. Witness, for example, what happened to Joe Lieberman.
So, let’s examine the timing of this;
Cathy Siepp died yesterday, of cancer. The outpouring the outpouring that came from that, was justifiably large. in the event essentially dominated the ‘sphere for many days, and particularly the last 48 hours or so.
So now, suddenly, we have Edwards making references to health problems with his wife, and billing the announcement for a good 24 to 48 hours while the remainder of the world speculates as to what the problem might be. A predictable response. Then we find out that she has cancer, but they’re going to continue the campaign anyway.
This announcement comes up almost in conjunction with the release of the Breck girl primping Hirself. (no, that’s not a mis-spelling) and much in the way of speculation from many corners, that his campaign is in serious trouble.
So, now, comes the logical question; is this a sympathy ploy on the part of Mr. Edwards and his people, in an attempt to get a spike going in Edward’s polling numbers? Thank, now, about what happened to the aforementioned Mr. Lieberman; he started making noise that he was going to drop out, that he was making enough headway, that he was having trouble raising money, etc.. Suddenly, out of the blue, (pun intended ) money started showing up, and his numbers went up. One cannot help but wonder if Mr. Edwards and his people haven’t learned from that particular experience.
One can always assume, that if the response to this announcement was positive, and Edwards numbers started coming up, (and the money started coming in) that he’d stay in the fight. If other hand that doesn’t happen, he can always back out of the race, citing serious health problems with his wife. Given her health history, who would dare question such a claim, other than people like me?
.
You see, I’ve been watching this game long enough. I’m now cynical enough to see the possibilities. No, I would not put it past him. Matter of fact, I’m rather hoping that’s the case; that this is being faked… because the kind of problems that are being claimed, are not ones I’d wish on my worst enemy.
I guess the difference between myself and those who would be attracted by such a sympathy ploy, is that I wouldn’t vote for him, over it.
* It appears that there’s some added discussion [3] as regards to the 1984 and, that I spoke of last evening:
Those who have been around the Buckeye ‘sphere for a while know Mr. De Vellis well. One of the most unscrupulous Democratic staffers to come to Ohio in quite a while, creative and talented Phil is not. Pull up a chair and hear the story of the supposed creator of “Big Sister” [4] – the most viral internet ad of recent memory – and why I ain’t buyin’ that Phil made it.
Oh, this gets good. Go and read. I knew this was both more and less than it seemed. I’m not convinced that this wasn’t a feeble attempt at reverse psychology.