Let us start with the music programs I do on WFDU---SUNDAY SIMCHA & TRADITIONS. If you are a member of that exclusive club known as Facebook please feel free to go there and "Like" us on that page. I promise to consider you an acquaintance and not a
friend". Amazing how definitions get re-invented.
I do hope that you will be joining me on Nov. 10 on TRADITIONS as we commemorate Veterans Day in the 4 PM hour---call it Armistice Day if you want---we cover it all in 30 minutes ( with some great artists and music) when we go to one of our regular features. In addition, the program starts with some brilliant new material that has, happily, dropped over our ever open transom. Gathering Time, Kimmie Rhodes, and more will grab your attention. As will some of the material on SUNDAY SIMCHA, which seems to garner much interest on the playlists.
Now a few misc. brain droppings on some of the current items before us these very strange days---seems like a person of my age grew up in a bubble of good fortune---Health insurance was affordable. Medicare came along and, being of a certain age, I am in Medicare. A grateful nod now to LBJ for that. He was more than Viet Nam. Social Security---FDR. Oh, how certain politicos fought that. Now the politicos, who do very little while accepting some great medical insurance benefits, are fighting the Affordable Care Act (let us not call it the negative "Obamacare") which, in the end, will be a benefit to the nation and be admired as Medicare and Social Security are now. I said I lived in a bubble. Today's health insurance is, basically, unaffordable given the premiums and the deductibles. Would that this all could be organized and legislated as Medicare is under Social Security as a single payer program this nation would be the leader amongst the industrialized nations in a true definition of "Capitalism" and "Democracy" that works for the people and for society.
I am having trouble caring about the NYC elections since I do not vote there but do admit that those debates on TV were fascinating. I tuned in to my local (Cablevision) channel and heard for a few moments (accidental surfing) my local candidates. Truly boring and not a debate---each made their statements and the local moderator knew nothing, it seems, about follow up questions. The good thing was that I did decide how to vote---one seemed like a true nit-wit and the other had some pertinent facts to relate---all in about 45 seconds since I could not take more of this nonsense.
It always amazes me how this wonderful new technology (that seems like a magic lantern to me) affects all our lives. Be it the things we can do with it, the Facebook experience, the Google experience (or is it Bing) and how, through some research for free or for a cost people can find people they have lost contact with over the years. Good and bad. I speak from personal experience here---how many times have you finally avoided someone and then the person finds you on the internet---how do you, politely, tell that person to F##k off? I did ===politely. Hope it works.
Finally, a book recommendation----"Still Fooling Them"---Billy Crystal. Truly funny and then as it moves on some great anecdotal material. Amazingly talented and clever person. One question though---he says that as you get older you forget things---I agree. So, how does he do live shows and remember all those lines?
