One crazy week.
Ostensibly exploring the practice of law before the internet. Heck, before good highways for that matter.
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Monday, April 28, 2025
More proof I'm culturally clueless.
Me: "Why is her album called Cowboy Carter?"
Long Suffering Spouse: "Because her last name is Carter.".
Me: "I had no idea".
Also, she's not country, and I don't even like country.
Monday, September 30, 2024
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Omissions.
Apparently, the Bibles that Trump has been selling omit the deuterocanonical books. No surprise, as Trump claims to be a Protestant and his religion's backing is primarily from Evangelicals, who follow Luther's dislike of them, Luther's reasons for having omitted them now proven to be based on a misunderstanding though they may be.
However, the omission of all the amendments to the US Constitution following the Bill of Rights, which is included in the Bibles he's selling, is a bit harder to grasp.
Of course, why the US Constitution would be included with the Bible, along with The Pledge of Allegiance and the lyrics of God Bless The USA, is also hard to understand.
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Thursday, May 4, 1944. Smoke on the Water.
From "Uncle Mike":
May 4, 1944: The St. Louis Browns Desegregate Sportsman's Park
Today in World War II History—May 4, 1944: In Exercise Fabius, a full-scale rehearsal for D-day, Allied troops who will land on Sword, Juno, Gold, and Omaha Beaches make landings on English beaches.
Friday, April 19, 2024
Holy Saturday, April 19, 1924.
The Saturday Evening Post went to press observing Easter with a Leyendecker illustration.
National Barn Dance, a direct precursor to the Grand Old Opry, premiered on Chicago's WLS, running a whopping four hours every Saturday night. It would run until 1968.
The Washington Post depicted Coolidge holding fast in a political cartoon.
Thursday, April 17, 1924. Japanese reaction.
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Wednesday, January 2, 1974. 55 MPH.
The National Maximum Speed Law reduced the speed limit on the nation's highways to 55 mph.
While ultimately hated, the law had an immediate impact in reducing highway deaths, which of course was not its actual intent. Reducing the consumption of petroleum was.
The first Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks were mailed in a program designed to address those disabled but unable to qualify for Social Security. The law allowing for this to occur had come into effect the prior day.
The People's Republic of China announced that eight senior military figures were being reassigned in an apparent attempt to disrupt their ability to form a base of power.
Early country music pioneer and actor Tex Ritter died at age 68 of what was believed to be a heart attack. His son, John Ritter, would die in 2003 at age 54 of aortic dissection and its likely that this was actually the cause of his father's death.
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Thursday, October 18, 1923. Country music
The Saxon government rejected the Müller ultimatum.
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Monday, September 17, 1923. The Berkeley Conflaguration.
A fire in Wildcat Canyon spread to the town of Berkeley and destroyed much of the northern area of the town. No lives were lost, however.
When the area was built, masonry structures replaced the former wooden ones.
Hiram "Hank" Williams was born in Butler County, Alabma.
Friday, August 25, 2023
And the artist retorts.
Rich Men North of Richmond, Part I. Resisting the "signs and wonders" and completely missing what's gong on.
I've been sellin' my soul, workin' all dayOvertime hours for bullshit paySo I can sit out here and waste my life awayDrag back home and drown my troubles awayIt's a damn shame what the world's gotten toFor people like me and people like youWish I could just wake up and it not be trueBut it is, oh, it isLivin' in the new worldWith an old soulThese rich men north of RichmondLord knows they all just wanna have total controlWanna know what you think, wanna know what you doAnd they don't think you know, but I know that you do'Cause your dollar ain't shit and it's taxed to no end'Cause of rich men north of RichmondI wish politicians would look out for minersAnd not just minors on an island somewhereLord, we got folks in the street, ain't got nothin' to eatAnd the obese milkin' welfareWell, God, if you're 5-foot-3 and you're 300 poundsTaxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge roundsYoung men are puttin' themselves six feet in the ground'Cause all this damn country does is keep on kickin' them downLord, it's a damn shame what the world's gotten toFor people like me and people like youWish I could just wake up and it not be trueBut it is, oh, it isLivin' in the new worldWith an old soulThese rich men north of RichmondLord knows they all just wanna have total controlWanna know what you think, wanna know what you doAnd they don't think you know, but I know that you do'Cause your dollar ain't shit and it's taxed to no end'Cause of rich men north of RichmondI've been sellin' my soul, workin' all dayOvertime hours for bullshit pay
Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalkCarjack an old lady at a red lightPull a gun on the owner of a liquor storeYa think it's cool, well, act a fool if ya likeCuss out a cop, spit in his faceStomp on the flag and light it upYeah, ya think you're toughWell, try that in a small townSee how far ya make it down the roadAround here, we take care of our ownYou cross that line, it won't take longFor you to find out, I recommend you don'tTry that in a small townGot a gun that my granddad gave meThey say one day they're gonna round upWell, that shit might fly in the city, good luckTry that in a small town
See how far ya make it down the roadAround here, we take care of our ownYou cross that line, it won't take longFor you to find out, I recommend you don'tTry that in a small townFull of good ol' boys, raised up rightIf you're looking for a fightTry that in a small townTry that in a small townTry that in a small townSee how far ya make it down the roadAround here, we take care of our ownYou cross that line, it won't take longFor you to find out, I recommend you don'tTry that in a small townTry that in a small townOoh-oohTry that in a small town
Rich Men North of Richmond
Republicans court cultural populism, while Democrats eschew economic populism. But economic populism is the key.
1. 39 years old. Spent 12 1/2 years as a plumber until the small company I worked for went under as the pandemic began. Working for a big chain home store for the last 3 years getting beaten into the ground, treated like a disposable asset, and watching my earnings equal less and less as the prices of basic necessities goes up. Ive fought addiction and won. Ive found love and lost it. This song resonates on a level that I havent felt in a long time. Thank you and god bless. 🙏2. As a disabled Marine, struggling to even be in public, struggling with all the bullshit in this world, struggling with thoughts of suicide, struggling to find pride in my Country, struggling to find the strength to get up every day to do the same damn thing to barely make ends me… as an American STRUGGLING with LIFE… thank you for bringing a little hope to my small part of the world… thank you for letting me know I am not alone with my thoughts and feelings… THANK YOU and God bless you Oliver Anthony3. I’m a 42 year old ex addict living in a camper trailer pay cheque to pay cheque with my kids part time while working to help the homeless and addicted community. I won’t stop working like the rest of you because we know at some point that one day will come that we may get that one break that shows us it was all worth it.Amazing song Oliver, thank you for sharing it4. As a hard working black American man, this song is 🔥 📛 the first country song on my Playlist and I hope for more. In an Era where soul is gone from music THIS IS A BREATH OF MUCH NEEDED AIR. even put a tear in my eye 🔥5. And just like that you became the voice of 40 or 50 million working men. Amazing work, sir.
And there are a lot more.
Let's break down the lyrics again, emphasizing the ones that are telling.
I've been sellin' my soul, workin' all dayOvertime hours for bullshit paySo I can sit out here and waste my life awayDrag back home and drown my troubles awayIt's a damn shame what the world's gotten toFor people like me and people like youWish I could just wake up and it not be trueBut it is, oh, it isLivin' in the new worldWith an old soulThese rich men north of RichmondLord knows they all just wanna have total controlWanna know what you think, wanna know what you doAnd they don't think you know, but I know that you do'Cause your dollar ain't shit and it's taxed to no end'Cause of rich men north of RichmondI wish politicians would look out for minersAnd not just minors on an island somewhereLord, we got folks in the street, ain't got nothin' to eatAnd the obese milkin' welfareWell, God, if you're 5-foot-3 and you're 300 poundsTaxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge roundsYoung men are puttin' themselves six feet in the ground'Cause all this damn country does is keep on kickin' them downLord, it's a damn shame what the world's gotten toFor people like me and people like youWish I could just wake up and it not be trueBut it is, oh, it isLivin' in the new worldWith an old soulThese rich men north of RichmondLord knows they all just wanna have total controlWanna know what you think, wanna know what you doAnd they don't think you know, but I know that you do'Cause your dollar ain't shit and it's taxed to no end'Cause of rich men north of RichmondI've been sellin' my soul, workin' all dayOvertime hours for bullshit pay
Okay, some of that, like Mr. Reich notes, is economic, but a lot of it isn't. The protagonist notes:
1. He has "an old soul".
2. The rich men he complains about want total control, even over what he thinks.
3. He complains about the Jeffrey Epstein saga, but more in an allegorical way than a specific way, suggesting that politicians are more concerned with their immoral pursuits than the lives of average working people.
4. He takes a shot at the welfare poor, and unusually, notes fat ones (hardly anyone does that in contemporary America).
1. 39 years old. Spent 12 1/2 years as a plumber until the small company I worked for went under as the pandemic began. Working for a big chain home store for the last 3 years getting beaten into the ground, treated like a disposable asset, and watching my earnings equal less and less as the prices of basic necessities goes up. Ive fought addiction and won. Ive found love and lost it. This song resonates on a level that I havent felt in a long time. Thank you and god bless. 🙏2. As a disabled Marine, struggling to even be in public, struggling with all the bullshit in this world, struggling with thoughts of suicide, struggling to find pride in my Country, struggling to find the strength to get up every day to do the same damn thing to barely make ends me… as an American STRUGGLING with LIFE… thank you for bringing a little hope to my small part of the world… thank you for letting me know I am not alone with my thoughts and feelings… THANK YOU and God bless you Oliver Anthony3. I’m a 42 year old ex addict living in a camper trailer pay cheque to pay cheque with my kids part time while working to help the homeless and addicted community. I won’t stop working like the rest of you because we know at some point that one day will come that we may get that one break that shows us it was all worth it.Amazing song Oliver, thank you for sharing it4. As a hard working black American man, this song is 🔥 📛 the first country song on my Playlist and I hope for more. In an Era where soul is gone from music THIS IS A BREATH OF MUCH NEEDED AIR. even put a tear in my eye 🔥5. And just like that you became the voice of 40 or 50 million working men. Amazing work, sir.
And there are a lot more.
Let's break down the lyrics again, emphasizing the ones that are telling.
I've been sellin' my soul, workin' all dayOvertime hours for bullshit paySo I can sit out here and waste my life awayDrag back home and drown my troubles awayIt's a damn shame what the world's gotten toFor people like me and people like youWish I could just wake up and it not be trueBut it is, oh, it isLivin' in the new worldWith an old soulThese rich men north of RichmondLord knows they all just wanna have total controlWanna know what you think, wanna know what you doAnd they don't think you know, but I know that you do'Cause your dollar ain't shit and it's taxed to no end'Cause of rich men north of RichmondI wish politicians would look out for minersAnd not just minors on an island somewhereLord, we got folks in the street, ain't got nothin' to eatAnd the obese milkin' welfareWell, God, if you're 5-foot-3 and you're 300 poundsTaxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge roundsYoung men are puttin' themselves six feet in the ground'Cause all this damn country does is keep on kickin' them downLord, it's a damn shame what the world's gotten toFor people like me and people like youWish I could just wake up and it not be trueBut it is, oh, it isLivin' in the new worldWith an old soulThese rich men north of RichmondLord knows they all just wanna have total controlWanna know what you think, wanna know what you doAnd they don't think you know, but I know that you do'Cause your dollar ain't shit and it's taxed to no end'Cause of rich men north of RichmondI've been sellin' my soul, workin' all dayOvertime hours for bullshit pay
Okay, some of that, like Mr. Reich notes, is economic, but a lot of it isn't. The protagonist notes:
1. He has "an old soul".
2. The rich men he complains about want total control, even over what he thinks.
3. He complains about the Jeffrey Epstein saga, but more in an allegorical way than a specific way, suggesting that politicians are more concerned with their immoral pursuits than the lives of average working people.
4. He takes a shot at the welfare poor, and unusually, notes fat ones (hardly anyone does that in contemporary America).
El Paso Sheriff : What's it mean? What's it leadin' to? You know, if you'd have told me 20 years ago, that I'd see children walking the streets of our Texas towns with green hair and bones in their noses, I just flat-out wouldn't have believed you.Ed Tom Bell : Signs and wonders. But I think once you quit hearing "sir" and "ma'am," the rest is soon to foller.El Paso Sheriff : Oh, it's the tide. It's the dismal tide.
No Country For Old Men.
And that's why their message is failing.
And for traditional conservatives, as, well as liberals, there may now be, by this time, something even scarier at work. . . .
Monday, June 19, 2023
Tuesday, June 19, 1923. the Little Old Log Cabin.
John Carson
"Fiddlin" John Carson recorded "The Little Old Log Cabin" in the Lane in what is now inaccurately regarded as the first "country" music recording. The flipside was "The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Going To Crow."It was "country", but not in the country pop or modern C&W understanding, but rather in the "Hill Billy" music understanding of the word. That type of music, often highly evolved, is still within the "country" genre, but much, indeed most, of modern C&W music is as much related to pop music than anything else.
Carson would record off and on until 1935. He died in 1949 at age 81, spending his final years as an elevator operator.
The US and the UK came to an agreement on the UK's war debt.
Friday, January 20, 2023
Saturday, January 20, 1923. Children singing, railroad mergers, German mines, and when masks didn't cause political posturing.
As it was Saturday, the Saturday Evening Post hit the stands. On this occasion it had an illustration of children playing music, probably loudly but badly, by Alan Foster.
For some reason, uploaded versions of period illustrations from the Saturday newsstands are a lot harder to find after late 1922 for a while. Probably the drama of the war and the comparative lack of drama of the early 20s was the reason. The Country Gentleman hit the stands with an excellent illustration of Independence Hall. Judge had a fascinating, nearly photo realistic painting of flappers in a club.
The Canadian Northern Railway and the Canadian Government Railways merged into the Canadian National Railway. The merger of the CNR and the CGR was forced by the government due to the financial failure of the CNR, although at one time the railroad had steamships as well as trains.
The CNN is one of the world's great railways, spanning all of Canada and the Eastern United States.
You'll note that the creation of this system is either an application of the American System of economics, albeit in Canada, or of Socialism. At one time the nationalization of railroads was not the controvery it would be now.
The French arrested twenty-one German mine operators for failure to cooperate in the occupation, and Essen's banks all voluntarily closed.
The London Daily Mirror ran this cartoon: