1.28.2006
Dead For The Day
The Grateful Dead Hour to Celebrate Twenty-One Years On Air With KPFA Benefit Fund-Raiser Marathon
January 26, 2006 -- The Grateful Dead Hour radio program will celebrate its twenty-first anniversary of weekly, nationwide broadcasting on Saturday, January 28, 2006 with a radio marathon from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. PST consisting of sixteen hours of Grateful Dead and Dead-related music to raise money for the nation's first community radio station, the Bay Area's KPFA.
Hosted by David Gans, the show will be broadcast live on KPFA 94.1 FM in the Bay Area and KFCF 88.1 FM in Fresno, CA. Additionally, the broadcast may be heard around the world via a webcast to any internet connection with an audio streaming program via nugs.net, kpfa.org and kfcf.org.
1.24.2006
the roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
How about a disintegrating trash dumpster with 20-foot raging flames shooting from it, a large wooden deck inches above and a basement inches next to it both completely engulfed with flames ?
All of this happened within in feet of my co-workers and me this afternoon. The entire backside of our office building caught fire. The origin was the dumpster, the culprit is suspected to be a discarded cigarette still lit combined with high winds. It was so surreal and very disheartening to watch your office burn to the ground, it reminded me of this.
One of the most amazing aspects of the whole tragedy was the firefighters . . . hysterical ! ! !
Not only did the entire KCFD show up (seriously, 4 trucks and 16 fighters for an office dumpster/deck fire). Anyway, these guys obviously hadn't been called on in a while and had some serious pent up aggression and boredom. These dudes went total commando, axing up and demolishing everything in sight. Just knocking out and soaking everything, they were like kids let out for recess after being chained down at their desks all day. They did more damage than the fire did ! ! !
We’re in for an expensive and lengthy reconstruction process, not exactly what we needed. If you ever considered helping out our organization, there is not a better time to do so than now.
1.22.2006
Iron City Delight
Congratulations to the city of Pittsburgh and the Steelers organization for their historical performance in the AFC Playoffs. They are the first team in NFL history to have a 6th seed in playoffs to go to the Super Bowl and only the second team in NFL history to win 3 straight road games to go to the Super Bowl.
But I mostly want to congratulate three of my best friends; David, Mike, and Sam. You see, these three guys are truly life-long diehard Steelers fans. They ride an emotional roller coaster on every play of every game of every season with the Steelers. We have been running smack and placing bets with each other regarding the Chiefs and Steelers for nearly 12 years now ! ! !
David, who is from and still lives in Pittsburgh, has flown to Kansas City every time over the past 10 years the Steelers have played the Chiefs here. Mike and Sam, though lifelong locals, have been Steelers fans since their "Steel Curtain" glory day's back in the 70's. But claim their
fondness of the Black and Gold intensified out of distain for being subjected to my "obnoxious" cheering for the Chiefs. You should see the three of them screaming and waving their ridiculous bright yellow 'Terrible Towels' in an awesome red sea of 80,000 Chiefs fans. That takes a combination of some serious balls and/or serious intoxication. However, for the first time in many years, the Chiefs will play the Steelers in Pittsburgh this fall. The three of us will fly to David's "backyard" this time and I will be the one guy wearing red in a yellow sea of 80,000 Steelers fans. Have mercy on me.
Since the Chiefs can't seem to make it to the Super Bowl in my lifetime, I couldn't think of a better team and a better bunch of fans to root for. Congrats fellas, but don't expect for the honeymoon to last for very long ! ! !
*The Steelers even have their own Super Bowl song (though slightly outdated), but it is not near as cool as the infamous '85 Chicago Bears Super Bowl Shuffle video.
1.16.2006
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal
28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.Cfull length video - full length audio
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."
But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.
We cannot walk alone.
And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.
We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."
This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.
With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:
My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,
From every mountainside, let freedom ring!
And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.
And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.
But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.
From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:
Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!
1.14.2006
Family Reunion
1.10.2006
New Era of an Old Tradition
I know what the National Football League is about it’s about commitment. It’s the best game in the world and it’s played by the best players in the world. Talent alone does not win games. Talent alone does not win games, teams win games, teams with commitment. For one thing I do know and I promise you this the players that play for this football team and Coach Vermeil has instilled it already, they will play for the name on the side of the helmet and not for the name on the back of the jersey. That is very important and that is called team. I grew up with people that made me understand what team is about and it is a family.
This family is set. I am just a new addition to it, but I have been an addition to it a long time ago and I finally found my way back. It is a great opportunity for my wife, my son, my daughter and myself to come back home. I never planned on something like this but it happened.
As I always said I put faith in God’s hands. But if you believe in faith, one thing about faith you can’t see it you just got to trust it and I trust in faith and faith has brought me here back. It is a unique situation for me and my family and I am going to take an opportunity obviously to do the best thing I can do and follow Vermeil’s footsteps and win football games because that is what it is about. It’s about winning and winning championships. That is what it’s all about at the end of the day. You have to win games and the players understand that and the coaches understand that it’s about winning and that is what this team is going to do.
I promise you this, I will give all my heart and my energy to this organization any way I can. That is how I am built. I believe that and that is what I am going to do. I am excited about this football team and this organization and I am excited about being back in Kansas City.
1.09.2006
lalalalala . . . I Can't Hear You . . . lalalalala
1.08.2006
Back For More
This is actually pretty darn amazing, considering I resorted to many unconscionable acts just to get my GPA high enough to even graduate from college, desperate times called for desperate measures folks.
The weirdest part for me about going back to graduate school aren't the three-hour classes, or the 100 page papers, or even the boring lectures; it's being registered as a often-mocked "non-traditional student". I guess anyone either seeking a postgraduate degree and/or is over the age of 30 is automtically registered as a "non-
traditional student". But you know what, I will wear this label with pride out of honor and respect for the person that paved the way for equality and respect for all "non-traditional students", Mr. Frank 'The Tank' Ricard. I'm more than ready and rather excited to begin this journey. Let's see if I'm still saying that next year . . . next month . . . or even next week. Wish me luck and I'll see you all when I re-emerge again sometime in 2008.
1.07.2006
Missouri Lawmaker Seeks to Ban Cold Beer Sales
A state senator wants to force Missouri stores to sell warm beer. Under a bill by Sen. Bill Alter, grocery and convenience stores would risk losing their liquor licenses if they sold beer colder than 60 degrees. The intent is to cut down on drunken driving by making it less tempting to pop open a beer after leaving the store."The only reason why beer would need to be cold is so that it can be consumed right away," Alter, who has been a police offer for more than 20 years, said Thursday.
He said the idea came from a fifth-grade student in Jefferson County who was participating in a program to teach elementary students about state government. He sought their suggestions for new laws and chose the cold beer ban from a list of the top three ideas.
1.06.2006
Larry Johnson Wins 2005 OJ Award
According to Simpson, the founder of the award:
“Larry Johnson showed tremendous promise this year: he ran for 1,750 yards and 20 touchdowns while starting less than a full season. He was also cited for domestic abuse assault after an incident with his girlfriend in a Kansas City bar. This, combined with a previous arrest in December 2003 in which he was charged with aggravated assault—a felony—and misdemeanor domestic battery for allegedly brandishing a gun during an argument with an ex-girlfriend at his home. Johnson also continued to have troubles with Chiefs management, prompting Coach Dick Vermeil to openly criticize LJ in the media, telling him to quote ‘take the diapers off.”
Past Golden Stiletto winners have included Ravens RB Jamal Lewis, former 49ers RB Lawrence Phillips, and Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, a special non-RB exempted winner in 2000 for behavior cited as “completely batshit crazy."
1.05.2006
You're My Boy, Blue !
Close my eyes, only for a moment, and the moment's gone
All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity
Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind.
Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea
All we do, crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see
Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind
Don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
It slips away, and all your money won't another minute buy.
Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind
Dust in the wind, everything is dust in the wind.
1.04.2006
Meet Superman
1.01.2006
The Gospel According to St. Sufjan
If someone asked, I would say that I was born again. I would look you right in the eye and say it.
I don't know anything about CCM. I'm not an evangelist. I'm a songwriter and a storyteller. If that story happens to be about Christ, then perhaps, in some odd semantic way, the song could be termed 'evangelical'. I gladly accept that. I also sing about divorce. And murder. And adultery. I sing about chickens and war and bathrooms. In my mind, the gospel is not something to pander and pawn off like a diet soda drink. There is no product. There is no selling point.
This is what it means to be born again: to fully and completely disengage with the preconceptions and preoccupations of the adult world and its religions, to dismantle all laws - of physics and society - and yield yourself to the birth canal, and what comes after, in which everything begins to shake and tremble with all senses fully turned to the center of the universe, the creator, God the Father, in whose cultivation we begin to know and understand our true selves, our real selves, as a reflection of God's image, his creation, like newborn babies,full, fresh, suckling, elated and laughing at everything. But honestly, I have no idea how this relates to my music. I hate talking about this stuff.
I'd like to spend less time talking about God and more time being in God's presence. I think that would put an end to this conversation, once and for all.
Plan B Magazine Oct/Nov 2005
About Me
- Name: doug
- Location: KC:MO:USA:EARTH
father. son. brother. husband. friend. boss. subordinate. teacher. student. wise. foolish. empathic. self-absorbed. protester. supporter. idealist. realist. unconscious. alive.
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