arteejee

A site of satirical musings, commentary and/or rhetorical criticism of the world at large.

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Location: Southeastern, Pennsylvania, United States

Sunday, February 24, 2019

Sunday Morning Post (V.1; #5): Peter Tork


The Baby Boomer Generation lost another celebrity from their youth this week with the passing of Monkee Peter Tork.  He was the group member content to play the part of the “dumb” blond haired member of the group.  Little did any of us know the truth about Peter.

He was only one of two true musicians of the group, and he was the only of those two who studied music.  The other, Michael Nesmith, was largely self-taught, judging from the comments in his memoir, Infinite Tuesday.  Their musicianship, including song writing skills, took a back seat to the more established artists as Neil Diamond, song writers Boyce and Hart, and producer Don Kirshner.  The group itself was the out-front, prime time faces of a Kirshner’s Top Forty hit-making machine.  The group rebelled after two albums and were finally able to gain more creative control of their artistry.

The subsequent releases may not have soared to the number one spot on the Billboard Top 100 charts, but they were the more authentic sound of the group put together for the television show.

In retrospect, we their audience should have no complaints.

The one Peter Tork performance which stood out to me was his vocal on “Shades of Grey”.  I have already featured a video of that song, but I still want to pay tribute with one song Tork co-wrote (For Pete’s Sake), and one video which actually shows him performing (Randy Scouse Git).

Please enjoy these selections.



(Thank you for reading.   Rest in Peace, Mr. Tork.)

Sunday, February 17, 2019

The Sunday Morning Post (V.1; #4) *: Bored with The Wall


I have engaged in a long correspondence with a dear friend who is retired and living across the Mersey from Liverpool.  We’ve kept each other updated on all of the political shenanigans on both sides of the pond.  She discusses Brexit and I tell her about everything else.  She asked this in her most recent letter:


“It’s all very worrying isn’t it?  That wall issue.  How does it work?  Can the President, any president for that matter, just make a decision like that and carry it through.  Doesn’t it have to go to a vote or something?  Or am I being ignorant here?” 
 

I am in the process of writing a response to her.  It briefly answers her question before I go into my slightly left-of-center rant.  Anyway, I though I would include it here for the blogosphere consideration.

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I wish I had better news as well about our government over here, but the President seems to hit a new low every day.  No, you are not ignorant of what he can and cannot do.  He needs to get Congressional approval for just about anything he wants to do.  On the other hand, the President seems to be the one who is the most ignorant about the nuances of the Constitution which he has sworn to uphold.


Since day one when he announced his campaign, the President has demonized Mexicans and others from Central and South America much like Hitler demonized and scapegoated the Jews in the 30s.  The people coming up to our southern border should be seen as refugees escaping hellish economic and human rights conditions.  Instead, the President and the fear mongers at Fox News has convinced his followers that these people want to do nothing more than deal drugs and cause mayhem and murder.


I can see why the President and his followers want a wall at the southern border.  I will violate my recent vow to not state his name in correspondence at this point, but to be fair, Trump made his living as a real estate developer building hotels and housing.  These are tangible, solid objects which any of us can point to as his accomplishments.   A wall would be just one more feat he can brag about.


So much of immigration policy is not visible to the public at large.  What could we see as a positive result of the traditional American immigration policy? A second-generation immigrant graduating with an advance degree?  A hard-working adult (male or female) trying to provide for his family, or sending their earnings back home?  These examples are nice, but they aren’t easily seen by many people. It usually takes years for any person to achieve these goals.  Yet any policy that helps people achieve these goals is the right thing to do.


That said, I am against the idea of a wall.  It runs counter against the ideals of the Statue of Liberty.  We’ve always been an open society, welcoming all to our shores.  I don’t think we can have the Statue of Liberty at one end saying “welcome” and a wall at the other end saying “you’re not welcome here.”  It would be like serving two masters, to use a biblical phrase which the evangelical Christians should understand but won’t.


A wall will also backfire on us if we believe it will keep terrorists out.  Groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS could use the wall as a recruitment tool to the disenfranchised young people all over the world.  They will point to the wall and say, “See!  America does not want you.   Join us to defeat the Great Satan.”  The wall could end up being very useful to those who hate America.

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So, those are my thoughts on The Wall.  I’m also telling my friend that this conflict is still in its early stages despite everyone being exhausted with what’s happened already.  So be it!  Doubtless we will be drawn into a new chapter of this saga as early as next week, or perhaps even tomorrow. 


(Thank you for reading.  Perhaps it’s time for a sound proof barrier around the White House.  There’s too much bad noise coming out of there.)

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Stealing Together


The President has launched a new slogan for his 2020 re-election campaign: Stronger Together. 

I hate to rain on his parade (when everyone else is pouring buckets on his little pointed head), and again I don’t know why I care, but I have to say that this is not terribly original.  

After all, it is based, no not based, what’s the French term for this…oh yes, directly ripped off from the Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign.

Why would you want to use this slogan?   Sure, Hillary garnered more popular votes than your Narcissistic Highness (sorry to burst your bubble), but I’m sure you noticed that it didn’t work for her!   She didn’t get the job! 

Seriously, you’re stealing an idea from someone you have condemned as a loser?

And when did we get stronger?  You try to grab credit for the strong economy, but seriously, couldn’t the economy still be feeling the effects of the Obama money policies?   And who are you trying to get together other than those Conrads* who show up at you gloat-fest rallies.  The rest of us who love American democracy?   Forget it!  We ain’t budging from our liberal ways.

It’s also vaguely plagiaristic.  Now I realize that this charge pales in comparison to some of the other Constitutional violations you’re being investigated, but what the hell!  Let’s throw another scandal log on the impeachment fire!

Perhaps you can avoid these tawdry accusations by adopting another inspirational, relevant and closer-to-the-truth slogan such as these suggestions:

CROOKS TOGETHER

INDICTED TOGETHER

JAILED TOGETHER

COLLUDING TOGETHER (sorry, I meant NOT COLLUDING TOGETHER)

STONEWALLING TOGETHER (ah, the kids won’t get this reference)

UNDERMINING AMERICAN DEMOCRACY TOGETHER

GOLDEN SHOWERS TOGETHER (the Moscow tape has to show up sooner or later)

KOWTOWING TO PUTIN TOGETHER

ONE TERM TOGETHER

Well, we liberals can dream, can’t we?

*An amalgamation of the term CONservative and RADical.  It also rhymes nicely with the term for those fellow travelers of the once and future Soviet Union: comrades. 

(Thank you for reading.  Shame on you, Mr. Plagiarist!)