Sunday Funny: Man Also Named Jello Biafra Sick and Tired of Being Asked If He’s Dead Kennedys Frontman

My guess is that not everybody will find this funny. It's been my experience that not everybody even knows who Jello Biafra is.

"Who?" is the most common reply, on the few occasions when I either bring him up, or outright ask somebody if they have heard of him. I used to do that a lot more when younger, but have pretty much stopped over the years.

Still, this was pretty funny, especially if you are familiar with Biafra, best known as the frontman for the legendary punk band, the Dead Kennedys (DK). It's pretty absurd to think that anyone else could possibly have a name like Jello Biafra, which of course is the stage name that Eric Boucher created for himself when he became the vocalist for the DK. 

This spoof articles feels like it is in the tradition of the Onion. It seemed worth sharing here as a Sunday funny. 

Enjoy.

Man Also Named Jello Biafra Sick and Tired of Being Asked If He’s Dead Kennedys Frontman by Dan Kozuh, January 16, 2019:

https://thehardtimes.net/music/man-also-named-jello-biafra-sick-and-tired-of-being-asked-if-hes-dead-kennedys-frontman/

Rivalry Between Indiana Pacers & New York Knicks Often Produces Playoff Magic

    

NBA Playoff History

Growing up, I used to be a fan of the New York Knicks. I remember that back in the 1980's, they were terrible. One of the worst teams in the league, actually. But I cheered up once they began to get good. Each season seemed to bring them a step closer to greatness, to possible championships. They overcame an 0-2 series deficit to beat the Boston Celtics, 3 games to 2, in the 1990 playoffs. Then the next season, legendary head coach Pat Riley came to New York. Having enjoyed phenomenal with the Los Angeles Lakers, I expected him to bring similar championship success to the New York Knicks.

The team didn't just take small steps to greatness, but improved by leaps and bounds. They forced the mighty Chicago Bulls to a decisive Game 7 in 1992. And in 1993, they were the top team in the Eastern Conference, earning home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Everybody expected the Knicks and Bulls to meet in the Eastern Conference Finals, and that is exactly what happened. When the Knicks took a 2-0 series lead, I rejoiced, and was sure that the Knicks were on the verge of the NBA Finals, which I assumed they would win. 

Yet that was where it ended. Once the series shifted to Chicago, the Knicks seemed to lose their composure and confidence. One thing that had bothered me about the Knicks all season was that they talked, and talked, and talked. Listening to them, you would think that they had already won the NBA Championship. This really bothered me, probably more than it should have. So after such a great and promising start to that series, when they lost all of their composure and effectively got swept by the Bulls for the rest of the series, I began to resent the Knicks. 

That led to the 1993-94 season. Michael Jordan retired for the first time, and the Knicks suddenly emerged as the favorites to come out of the East. This felt like the Knicks were going to the NBA Finals almost by luck, since they had never beaten the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan in the playoffs. Yet the Knicks were still talking. By this point, I was growing tired of the talking, and wanted to see somebody knock them out. 

Still, there was no doubt that the Knicks were a solid team. They were the second seed in the Eastern Conference, behind the Atlanta Hawks. But the Hawks felt like a flukey kind of a team. Sure enough, they got knocked out by the Indiana Pacers, who punched their ticket into the Eastern Conference Finals. Meanwhile, the Knicks barely outlasted a Chicago Bulls team without Michael Jordan in Game 7. I hoped that Indiana would win, but wasn't exactly counting on it. 

The stage was set for the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks, and what would prove to be the first really great series between these two franchises. This would become one of the most iconic playoff rivalries of the nineties, and for good reason. 

New York was heavily favored, and after solid wins in the first two home games in New York, everything seemed to be following the script.

However, the Pacers won Game 3, holding Knicks star center Patrick Ewing to 1 point. That was kind of an embarrassing loss for the Knicks, and it seemed to kill the early momentum that they had built early in the series. The Pacers kept the pressure on by pulling out Game 4 to even the series, which shifted back to Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks wanted to make a statement for Game 5, as the series shifted back to Madison Square Garden. Sure enough, they came out on fire and were absolutely having their way with the Pacers, and building a 17-2 lead early on. It looked like it was going to be a blowout. The Pacers tried to battle back, but the Knicks seemed to have all the answers, and appeared well on their way to a comfortable win.

That was when a strange thing happened. One man got hot and turned the game around. Reggie Miller, perhaps the greatest three-point artist and clutch shot maker in history, had the famous (or infamous, if you're a Knicks fan) quarter, where he hit shots at all different angles, including five three pointers. Slowly but surely, the Pacers cut into New York's lead, then took over the game. You could watch and actually see the Knicks losing confidence, while Indiana gained in confidence themselves. It didn't help New York any that Spike Lee, one of their famous fans, kept taunting Reggie Miller, helping him fuel the fire. In the process, Miller helped push the Indiana Pacers past the Knicks, turning what had seemed an inevitable New York win into a shocking win for Indiana, and a 3-2 series lead, as the series shifted back to Market Square Arena in Indianapolis.

It was one of the most amazing single game turnarounds I have ever seen, and in just about any sport. Maybe it does not rank as one of the greatest comebacks in sports, or even in NBA, history, but it feels like it should. The game really felt like it belonged to New York, and then, just like that, Miller's hot streak accelerated the unraveling process for the Knicks. Indiana's defense also stepped up in a big way, helping to make Miller's incredible performance stand up. Incredibly, the Pacers now led the series 3 games to 2, and had a chance to win the series outright as it shifted back to Indiana. 

To their credit, the Knicks responded. They dictated most of Game 6 (I thought they were going to get blown away, after the devastating home loss in Game 5). Still, once again in the fourth quarter, the Knicks began to lose their composure and even collapse, and Indiana overcame another large deficit to tie it up. It suddenly looked like the series belonged to the Pacers, that they were headed to the NBA Finals. But then the Knicks showed their stuff, finally answering, tightening up on defense, and holding the Pacers off (just barely), to force the decisive Game 7.

Fittingly, the series went to Madison Square Garden for the decisive Game 7. It was very tight, and went to the final shot in the waning seconds. Patrick Ewing was able to  get a finger roll that went in, securing their first NBA Finals appearance in almost two decades. They had managed to survive a very tough and physical series, and moved past Indiana to make their first NBA Finals in over 20 years. However, they would go on to lose in seven in another very tough series, this time against the Houston Rockets. It remains the only NBA Finals series in history that went to seven games, and where every single game was decided by less than 10 points. Still, the Knicks lost, and there was a sense of having missed another opportunity.

That was the first, but arguably the most magical and memorable, series between the Knicks and Pacers. They would meet numerous other times in the playoffs in the future, and each time, you just knew it was going to be intense, physical, and unpredictable. Both teams were solid, and matched up well with one another. These contests became more like chess matches, although Reggie Miller's hot hand would always be the wild card. 

That was again certainly the case in Game 1 in 1995, when the Pacers and Knicks met once again, this time in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Knicks once again seemed assured of a win. They had not dominated, but they were winning, and doing so fairly comfortably, with the clock seemingly running out on the Pacers. But that was when another crazy sequence once again unraveled the Knicks. Reggie Miller famously scored eight points in less than ten seconds, turning what had seemed solidly to be a Knicks win in Game 1 into another Indiana shocker. Reggie Miller was incredible, and his greatest highlights always seemed to come against the Knicks, and particularly at Madison Square Garden, where he tormented both the Knicks and their fans.

The Pacers would look strong early on in that 1995 series, racing to a 3-1 series lead. It looked like they were capable of making short work of the Knicks at that point. Yet to their credit, New York battled back, once again showed their character and resilience, winning two consecutive games, first at Madison Square Garden in Game 5 simply to stay alive, then incredibly, handing the Pacers another home defeat in Game 6 to force a Game 7, which once again would be played at Madison Square Garden. 

Once again, the game was tight and hard fought by both sides. Once again, it came down to the final seconds, with Indiana leading it late. Also once again, Patrick Ewing got the chance to win it for the Knicks with another finger roll. However, almost shockingly, the ball that seemed to be destined to go through the hoop instead somehow bounced out, and Pacers defenders quickly grabbed the rebound as time expired. This time, the Pacers had managed to hang on in a close one to advance. However, they would lose a tough Eastern Conference Finals series to the then red hot Orlando Magic in another Game 7. 

These two teams met again in 1998, 1999, and 2000. None of those series were quite as memorable as the prior two series in 1994 and 1995 were, although they were characteristically tough and dictated by defense. There was another Miller moment in the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals, with him sinking a three with little time remaining, in yet another game that the Knicks had seemed to have clinched, only to watch Miller burst their bubble right at the clutch time at the end of the game and derail them. The Pacers carried that momentum and would win that series surprisingly easily, eliminated the Knicks in five. It turns out that Reggie Miller had some more magic in him against the Bulls, sinking a clutch three-point play, beating Michael Jordan in the process, with almost no time left on the clock. Still, the Bulls would hang on to win that Eastern Conference Finals in Game 7. It was only the second time that Chicago had been forced to a Game 7 during their dynasty days with Michael Jordan, with the Knicks series in 1992 being the only other time. That also was the last year of the Bulls championship dynasty.

But the two teams would meet again the next two postseasons, both times in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks would get the better of the Pacers once again in 1999, during their amazing Cinderella run. First, they joined the 1994 Denver Nuggets as the only two eight seeds (at the time) to have beaten the number one seed (the Knicks knocked off the Miami Heat), and then ran all the way to the Eastern Conference Championship, beating the Pacers for those honors, for the second time in six seasons. The memorable moment this time was not by Reggie Miller, and did not go in Indiana's favor. Rather, it was a controversial foul on Larry Johnson's successful three-point play in Game 3 which helped decide it, as he converted the free throw for a very rare four point play, which effectively buried the Pacers. Once again, the Knicks went to the NBA Finals, and also once again, they faced a Texas team with a star center. This time, it was the San Antonio Spurs, with David Robinson at center, and a rookie Tim Duncan, who had emerged as an absolute superstar in the league. The Spurs dominated, as they would win it in five for their first NBA title. 

In 2000, however, it was a different story. Once again the Pacers and Knicks met in another Eastern Conference Finals. This time, it was Indiana who upended New York, securing the win at Game 6 in Madison Square Garden as an extra insult to the injury. It seems that almost all of the most memorable moments - Miller's magic in Game 5 in '94, Game 1 in '95, and Game 1 in 1998, and then that four-point play by Larry Johnson in 1999 - happened at Madison Square Garden. This time, the Pacers reached the NBA Finals, where they lost to the emerging dynasty in Los Angeles in six games.

Such evenly matched teams, and they defined playoff intensity, even if neither team actually would hoist an NBA championship trophy or earn their championship rings during those eras. They truly brought out the best in one another.

The two franchises met in the playoffs once again in 2013. The Pacers won that series, 4 games to 2. But it felt very different, and not nearly as intense, or frankly as much fun, as those series back in the nineties and early 2000's had been. 

Now, the two teams have met again. It's 2024, which means that these two franchises have met in at least one playoff series in four consecutive decades. 

The New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. 

This time, the series has not been dictated by tough defense, as much as by explosive offenses on both sides. Not nearly as physical or grueling,. Also, neither team has managed to produce a win on the road, at least not yet. If New York wins, then the road team would have been denied in every single game of this series. If Indiana wins, then they will produce the only road win in the series, and right at the end. Also, let's face it: there has not really been any magical moments on the level of Reggie Miller or Larry Johnson, at least thus far. 

Yet, there is always Game 7, which has yet to be played. And Game 7's can produce some huge and immortal moments. Especially between these two franchises.

To me, these two teams meeting in the playoffs felt like a good spring tradition, one that I thoroughly enjoyed and looked forward to. 

That was playoff basketball to me. So glad they are meeting in this postseason, as well. And I'm particularly happy that this series is going the distance, with yet another Game 7 to be played at Madison Square Garden. Somehow, that just feels right to me, like one of the best spring traditions.

No longer do I really hate the Knicks. In fact, I'd rather see them enjoy success than quite a number of teams, especially the hated Los Angeles Lakers, who I could happily go the rest of my life not seeing in the NBA Finals again, let alone winning another championship. Now, I am happy that these two teams have produced an exciting and memorable playoff series, and legitimately want them to produce a memorable Game 7, as well.

2024 NBA Playoff Update For May 17th

    

2024 NBA Playoff Update

2024 NBA Playoff Update

First of all, all due credit to the Boston Celtics, who swept the Cleveland Cavaliers aside, 4 games to 1. They moved onto the Eastern Conference Finals. Since the Celtics were my pick to represent the East in the NBA Finals - are, in fact, my pick to win it all this year - this was hardly surprising. Looked like they were struggling a bit more than expected early in the playoffs. But they should be well rested for the next round, when they take on the winner of the Kicks-Pacers series.

Which of course brings me to the Pacers and the Knicks. As I write this, on Friday evening, May 17th, the Pacers and Knicks are playing Game 6, in Indiana. As of right now, it is late in the third quarter, and the Pacers are leading the game, 81-66. They are trying to earn this win to force a Game 7, which would be played in New York's Madison Square Garden. Feels like this is how a series between the Pacers and Knicks should go.

One series that feels like it has been strange has been the Nuggets and T-Wolves. Through the first two games, Minnesota looked unstoppable, and the Nuggets looked like an old and beaten former champion. Then the Nuggets got red hot, and crushed the Wolves in Minnesota in both games, then beat them soundly in Denver to take a 3-2 series lead. But yesterday, the Timberwolves embarrassed Denver, beating them in humiliating fashion. That forces a deciding Game 7, which will be played in Denver, which will be played on Sunday. Denver were my original pick to repeat as Western Conference Champions, and to get back to the NBA Finals. Yet, I have to admit that I am not sure what will happen in Game 7. Either team could get hot and blow out the other team, or it could be close. Frankly, it would not surprise me no matter who comes out of this series, and what a series this has been!

Finally, Dallas owns a 3-2 series lead over Oklahoma City right now. The Mavericks will host Game 6 tomorrow, with a chance to take OKC out and win the series, if they can manage to close them out. Should be interesting. I am going to predict that Dallas indeed comes out of this series and advances to the Western Conference Finals. 

Anniversary of the Death of Chris Cornell

Hard to believe that it could have been seven years already since Chris Cornell left us.

Still have a hard time really thinking about this without growing extremely sad. Such a great musician and person. Such a terrible way for his life to end. Also, I heard someone suggest that Cornell's death by suicide kind of served as bookends the grimmer side of the Seattle music explosion of the nineties, which started to show a sour side with Kurt Cobain's death.

For me and my son, this was especially sad. I have loved Cornell's music since the nineties, but I got a renewed appreciation for his work several times, including in the early 2000's, with Audioslave, and then with his solo works, which I got into somewhere around the same time period. But m son and I bonded especially with two more recent albums. The first was the reunited Soundgarden's "King Animal." The second was Cornell's most recent (sorry, I guess I mean his last) solo album, "Higher Truth." We listened to these two albums a lot when we went on our western trips in the summers of 2015 and 2016, so much so that the music on those two albums still reminds us both of those trips. 

In the fall of 2016, I took my son to see Temple of the Dog at Madison Square Garden. Something told me to take him, and boy am I glad that I did! That marks the one and only time that he would see Cornell in person, in concert. Very thankful to have gotten the opportunity to share that experience with him.

Hard to believe that it has been this long already! Chris Cornell is still remembered and missed. RIP.

Here is the original RIP blog entry that I wrote six years ago now on this day, when the shock was obviously still with me, and I struggled to actually come to terms with it.

What the hell? This is such a huge loss! I loved almost every work that this man was part of! He was not even really old, or anything. Working on a new Soundgarden album, with other musical projects going on, possibly even something new with Temple of the Dog. He always seemed very healthy, at least to me. Such incredible musical talent. He was incredible with Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, Audioslave, his solo career, and some of the other stuff that he did, to boot! So how the hell did this happen, and with no warning whatsoever? Oh, my God! What a loss! 

Okay, let me try and gather my thoughts a little. Sorry, but it's just that he was really one of my favorite musicians, and there was nothing - absolutely nothing! - to suggest that this guy was about to die.

This one was even more painful and shocking to me then some of the big musical losses last year, such as Prince and David Bowie. David Bowie was a lot older, and Prince was not much older, but he also was not quite as big in my life as Cornell was. I loved Prince's music, but mostly, admittedly, I knew his stuff from the 1980's, when he was at his biggest, and when he dominated the airwaves.

Cornell was part of that whole Seattle alternative music explosion of the early 1990's, which I was a very big fan of. I loved Soundgarden and Temple of the Dog. Later, I got into both Audioslave and Cornell's solo stuff. He also worked with other musicians on individual projects, such as the Zac Brown Band. Hell, he just had that song that he did for the movie, "The Promise," which I watched a couple of weeks ago with my girlfriend. It was a somber song, but fitting, and typically for Cornell's work, it was a great song!

Plus, Soundgarden was on tour, and if I am not mistaken, Cornell was going to go on a solo tour after that! 

Then, all of a sudden, he dies, just like that!

Yes, this one hit me harder than the other big musicians and artists who died recently, because my son and I shared a mutual love of Cornell's music. This was especially true during our trips out west the last two summers, in 2015 and 2016. We especially listened a lot to Soundgarden's last (I was going to say most recent, until I caught myself) album, "King Animal." We loved that album tremendously, and it seemed to fit perfectly with the rugged western landscape.

Oh, man, this one really actually broke my heart quite a bit! I dread having to tell my son later today that Cornell died. I told him several times that the next time Cornell came around on one of his solo tours, that I would love to take him to a show. His solo shows were always great, and I was privileged enough to have gone to one, and reviewed it here on "The Charbor Chronicles" about three and a half years ago.

Frankly, I still viewed Cornell as young. He looked younger than perhaps he was, because he kept himself in good shape. I was looking forward to a lot of great music still to come, including a new Soundgarden album, as well as surely other great solo albums and other musical projects that surely were to come.

Now, all of that is cut short, tragically.

This is still new, so the details about his death have yet to be discovered probably, let alone released.

All I know is that I am very glad that I took my son to see Temple of the Dog at Madison Square Garden last November.  

Cornell created and played music the way it's supposed to be played. He moved people, and I will forever remember his music helping to bring my son and I closer, helping to create and even greater bond between us. Now, for me, music involving Cornell actually reminds me of the times that my son and I enjoyed his music together. 

Another great musical talent, another brilliant artist, is taken away from us much too early!

Rest in peace, Chris Cornell. You are missed.

Former Nirvana Bassist Krist Novoselic Turns 59 Today

Today is the 59th birthday of former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic.  

Novoselic is best remembered for his days with Nirvana, the band which he co-founded with legendary frontman Kurt Cobain back in 1987. The band skyrocketed to the top of the rock world in the early nineties, largely off the power of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." That particular song not only launched Nirvana into previously unknown heights, making their second album, "Nevermind," a huge seller and one of the defining albums of the nineties, but it also helped to change the popular musical landscape completely, sweeping aside the previous dominance of pop music and hair bands.

Since the end of Nirvana in 1994, Novoselic has become a political activist.

Hard to believe he's about to turn 60. Almost as hard to believe as that it has now been over 30 years since the shocking end of Nirvana, when Cobain put an end to his life, and of course his band in the process.

Still, the music lives on. It is still there for all to appreciate and enjoy. 

Giants Upcoming Season Will Be the 100th in Franchise History, and It Should Prove Interesting

 

New York Giants

This will be an interesting, and even a historic, year for Big Blue. This will be the 100th season for the New York Football Giants franchise, so already, it is historical. To honor this, they are introducing a special throwback uniform that includes helmets somewhat reminiscent of the Michigan Wolverines college team, as well as red jerseys with blue and white stripes running across the middle, which is vaguely reminiscent of the Canadiens de Montréal, or Montreal Canadiens.

Apparently, not everyone is a fan. I have seen articles with titles suggesting that these new alternative uniforms are ugly. Also, apparently, the fans do not like them.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about it. The helmets actually look kind of cool, if you ask me. And the jerseys, while a bit unorthodox for the modern NFL, still has it's appeal. The beige pants, on the other hand, kind of looks a bit bizarre, and does not really go with the rest of the uniforms.

Oh, well. They'll only wear those uniforms twice this season, anyway. 

The season schedule was just released for all teams yesterday, and the New York Giants will be playing a good number of nationally televised games. This includes a game in Germany against the Carolina Panthers, as well as a Thanksgiving Day game at Dallas. That one will be tough, but at least the G-Men don't have to open the season by playing the damn Cowboys, as it seems they always do. I say that because, as a Giants fan, I cannot specifically remember the last time that the Giants actually beat the Cowboys in a game. It's been a while, that much I can tell you. What is it, 10 straight losses or so by now?

So yeah. Kind of happy that the G-Men won't have to deal with Dallas right off the bat in the season opener again.

Indeed, the G-Men should have an interesting season. Remember that despite how bad last season was, they were a playoff team in 2022, and won a road playoff game. 

Still, their offensive line continues to be a problem. It very well may be the worst offensive line in the league right now. Not sure how this continues to be an issue year after year for Big Blue. 

Yet, that seems to be the reality. Again.

Despite that weakness, legendary Giants quarterback Phil Simms, who was the starting quarterback for the first Super Bowl championship in franchise history for the New York Giants, believes that the Giants should be serious contenders this coming season. I already published something about that a few months ago, back in February, but it seemed worth repeating.

Let's hope he's right. It sure would be nice for Big Blue to be a factor again in the NFC East, and indeed, in the NFL more generally.

Below are a couple of links to articles about the upcoming season, including some of the intrigue building up to it, and how the franchise will be celebrating this historical 100th season in franchise history. Enjoy:

Giants announce 100th-season celebration by Dan Benton  May 13, 2024:

https://giantswire.usatoday.com/2024/05/13/new-york-giants-announce-100th-season-celebration/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0LooXgrPBPAmIiiu6PEG-aYTp4jPxpcbXltls2pGE6PNApiSJXXUmMjmE_aem_AeFTO7Bxs8xMdKJYQ2jrzRHro5sMUHjP-8lhNnkpQ9wHHstb8mTuSp45786_jBOEjA4s33cl9AU9N5Rf-yXovOAE

The Intrigue Behind the New York Giants 2024 Schedule We know the opponents, but on Wednesday, we'll find out the dates of the Giants' 2024 schedule, which is filled with intrigue. Patricia Traina | May 15, 2024

https://www.si.com/nfl/giants/big-blue-plus/the-intrigue-behind-the-new-york-giants-2024-schedule-01hxhay15psv?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3jD8JOu9AeDBzKz5gJ8P7maKuhHLb5nP-8pvUqr_-ogmqvPlH-UJEBMkU_aem_AZMUlbpK4yQ3WABD8m5rmdm8FvjrNGUcPPZ1eMT659V435LXkTwvIgQjLyQwb32_s_qVEjwr16C2_Km7YGC_Rj3T

Just How Impactful Were The Beatles?

“When The Beatles arrived, from then on, a thousand different things arose.” 

–Peter Townshend, The Who        

Earlier today, I published a blog entry 

Well, I decided to explore a little more just how much of an impact the Beatles actually did have. And despite knowing that they indeed had made a great impact, it was amazing to see just how profound an impact the Fab Four actually had.

The band had already become quite huge before they came to America. Yet it was when they crossed the Atlantic and proved to be phenomenally popular on a level that could hardly be imagined then, and can hardly be expected to duplicated now, that they transcended to a whole new level of success and influence. Arguably, it began with their now legendary performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Here is what Ed Sullivan himself thought of it:

“The Beatles first appeared on our show on February 9, 1964, and I have never seen any scenes to compare with the bedlam that was occasioned by their debut. Broadway was jammed with people for almost eight blocks. They screamed, yelled, and stopped traffic. It was indescribable … There has never been anything like it in show business, and the New York City police were very happy it didn’t – and wouldn’t – happen again.” 

–Ed Sullivan, host of The Ed Sullivan Show

Rolling Stone magazine also helped to put the influence that the Beatles had into perspective:

“The impact of the Beatles – not only on rock & roll but on all of Western culture – is simply incalculable … [A]s personalities, they defined and incarnated ’60s style: smart, idealistic, playful, irreverent, eclectic…. [N]o group has so radically transformed the sound and significance of rock & roll. … [they] proved that rock & roll could embrace a limitless variety of harmonies, structures, and sounds; virtually every rock experiment has some precedent on Beatles record.”  

–Rolling Stone

A couple of authors, including one of my personal favorites, also discussed the impact of the Beatles:

“I say in speeches that a plausible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit. I am then asked if I know of any artists who pulled that off. I reply, ‘The Beatles did.'”  

–Kurt Vonnegut

“The Beatles were my favorite group. This is the nearest I will ever get to being a Beatle.”  

–J.K. Rowling, author

Okay, so the Beatles were wildly popular and had a big impact on some people. But just how big could their influence possibly be, really? Well, some people - and not just nutcases who have no idea what they are talking about, but prominent people who would understand precisely the kind of impact that the legendary band actually had - credit the Beatles, more than anything else, for helping bring about the fall of Communism in the Soviet Union. And these are people who probably know what they are talking about. Take a look at these three quotes:

 “More than any ideology, more than any religion, more than Vietnam or any war or nuclear bomb, the single most important reason for the diffusion of the Cold War was … the Beatles.”  

–Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union  

“The West spent millions on undermining communism but it had much less impact than The Beatles. The Beatles, Paul, John, George and Ringo have done more for the fall of Communism than any other western institution. They alienated a whole generation of young, well-educated, urban Soviet kids from their communist motherland.”  

–Artemy Troitsky, Russian journalist/music critic

“The Beatles had this tremendous impact on Soviet kids. The Soviet authorities thought of The Beatles as a secret Cold War weapon. The kids lost their interest in all Soviet unshakeable dogmas and ideals, and stopped thinking of an English-speaking person as an enemy. That’s when the Communists lost two generations of young people. That was an incredible impact.”  

–Dr Yury Pelyoshonok, Soviet Studies professor

Wow. 

Other legendary musicians also chimed in. This includes Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, both musicians who themselves enjoyed legendary careers. Yet, look at how glowing some of their thoughts on the Beatles proved to be:

“We were driving through Colorado, we had the radio on, and eight of the Top 10 songs were Beatles songs…’I Wanna Hold Your Hand,’ all those early ones. They were doing things nobody was doing. Their chords were outrageous, just outrageous, and their harmonies made it all valid… I knew they were pointing the direction of where music had to go.”  

–Bob Dylan  

“This was different, shifted the lay of the land. Four guys, playing and singing, writing their own material … Rock ‘n’ roll came to my house where there seemed to be no way out … and opened up a whole world of possibilities.”  

–Bruce Springsteen

Sometimes, certain bands are claimed to have been even greater than the Beatles, at least for a time. The most common ones which I have heard over the years are Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys. Yet, here are some quotes from members of those bands which help to put their own thoughts on The Beatles in perspective:

“If it hadn’t been for The Beatles, there wouldn’t be anyone like us around.”  

–Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin  

“There’s no outdoing The Beatles.”  

“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is probably the greatest single album I ever heard.”  

“the Beatles ultimately “eclipsed a lot [of what] we’d worked for … [they] eclipsed the whole music world.” 

 –Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys

“The Beatles were the first to actually find that middle path between the artistic and the intellectual, and at the same time still be on the street.”  

–Keith Richards, The Rolling Stones  

“The four-headed monster.”  

“They gave us our first big hit in England, which was a song they wrote “I Wanna Be Your Man.” And we were very grateful for that because it really broke us in England.”  

“Their success in America broke down a lot of doors that helped everyone else from England that followed, and I thank them very much for all those things.”  

–Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones

Both in the words of other legendary musicians, as well as figures who understood history and culture enough to feel, with legitimacy, that the Beatles had such an impact that they helped to bring down communism and had a not insignificant role in ultimately ending the Cold War, these quotes really help to put into perspective just how profound the impact and influence the Fab Four actually had. What a band!

More recent rockers - musicians and bands who came well after the Beatles broke up - also chimed in. Here are more thoughts on the enduring influence of the Fab Four, and why their music and legend continue right into the present:

“From one generation to the next, The Beatles will remain the most important rock band of all time.”  

“The Beatles are the foundation of everything we do.”  

“If it weren’t for The Beatles, I would not be a musician.”  

–Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters

“I think The Beatles are the reason I’m a musician.”  

–Sting, the Police  

“John Lennon has been my idol all my life.”  

–Kurt Cobain, Nirvana

“Michael Jackson can sell records until the end of time, but he’ll never matter to people as much as The Beatles did. Every record was a shock when it came out. Every single was an event.”  

–Elvis Costello, Elvis Costello & the Attractions

So it seems that the Beatles transcended even music. They influenced how the world itself changed. History might have been very different without them. That is pretty amazing. Growing up and listening to the Beatles, I had simply thought of them as a band that made really good music, and who were regarded as standing above their peers, if you will, in terms of popularity. They were my personal favorite band as a child, but even then, I did not fully grasp their power or influence.

Yet the older I get, the more it seems clear to me that, in fact, they were quite a bit more than that first impression I had of them was, even though it was favorable. The Beatles were not merely the biggest band of their time, but they have become one of the most iconic musicians, and probably even artists, in all of history. And that's no exaggeration.

There are two things that got me onto this topic. One was the quote from Pete Townsend, which I placed right at the beginning of this blog entry. Then there was this little Facebook post that I ran into recently, and which got me on this topic to begin with. This is Bono of U2 fame, and he knows a little something about achieving fame through music, and even transcending music. Here he is, explaining just how huge the Beatles were for him:

BONO EXPLAINS WHY THE BEATLES ARE "UNTOUCHABLE" 

As the lead vocalist of U2, Bono has enjoyed a hugely successful career, winning 22 Grammys and earning a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Irish rock band released their first album, Boy, in 1980, before finding their first UK number-one record with War three years later. After a few years of recording and touring, U2 were an internationally acclaimed act. Throughout his career, Bono has frequently discussed one of his biggest musical influences, The Beatles, who he once described as his “earliest memory of music”. Taking to U2’s website, Bono wrote a fan letter to the beloved Liverpudlian band, stressing the significance of the first time he heard ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ when he was three years old. He wrote: “I associate the song with the smell of freshly cut grass as I was lying on my back on the damp green patch after my Da had cut the lawn.” He added: “It was the spring of 1964… the song on the radio felt like life force… like I was for the first time conscious that I was alive and that being alive was a really, really great idea!” The musician also claimed, “In my head it felt like the universe was singing to me directly… and I still feel that now when listening to most of your songs.” Appearing on MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports, Bono declared his adoration for the Liverpool lads, referring to them as “untouchable”. Referring to his U2 bandmates, he explained: “We still look to [The Beatles] as models of what can be achieved when four people get into a room and start experimenting.” He continued: “It’s sad that two of them are gone now. […] It’s always worth reminding ourselves how lucky we are to be alive at a time when we grew up with the Beatles.” “When you’re in a band, it’s like you against the world. If you come from a neighbourhood in Dublin or Liverpool and you come to America, and you discover the roots of soul music and blues and stuff, that may or may not have influenced you but certainly has opened your ears and eyes up – they were the first to do that.” Bono’s love for The Beatles has never dulled over the years. In 2007, he appeared in the film Across the Universe, portraying Dr Robert in a rendition of ‘I Am The Walrus’ and ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’. He even claimed that watching the Fab Four making music in the documentary Get Back was like witnessing Jesus writing a sermon.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=421399737321890&set=a.127293623399171

Here is where I got the quotes used in the above blog entry. There are many more quotes from many other prominent people and sources which I did not use, in the interest of time and space. However, please feel free to check this link out and explore more of these quotes yourself, if you feel so inclined to do so:

Quotes About The Beatles by HyperScapes

https://hyperscapes.com/quotes-about-the-beatles/

Ringo Starr Credits Paul McCartney's Work Ethic As Reason For the Beatles Producing As Many Albums As They Released

  

   

This picture was taken, and recently cropped, by me. Taken from the Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band show in Worcester, Massachusetts, June 11, 2016

This picture was taken, and recently cropped, by me for the Ringo Starr In Conversation at Strands Bookstore - October 26, 2015

Ringo Starr recently had an interview with legendary journalist Dan Rather, who conducted the interview for AXS TV. During that interview, Starr credited his bandmate Paul McCartney, the only other surviving member of the Beatles, for much of the success that the band enjoyed, saying that he helped the other members focus and produce as many albums as they did. According to Starr, McCartney was a "workaholic," which helped the band tremendously.

The Beatles certainly had their problems. Many people know that the members often did not get along. However, Paul helped to get the band focused on the task at hand. Namely, producing the music which has far outlasted the band itself. 

Here are some snippets of what Ringo Starr said:

"No no, we didn’t get along. We were four guys, we had rows. It never got in the way of the music no matter how bad the row was. Once the count in, we all gave our best. And that was a little later, too, which I think it was a natural thing, you know,” said Starr of how things shifted as The Beatles' career progressed.  

He added: “Suddenly, we’ve got lives and I've got children and you know, the effort that we put in cause we worked really hard was starting to pale a little and we always thank Paul to this day."

“Because of Paul, who was the workaholic of our band, we made a lot more records than John and I would’ve made," the "Photograph" performer said. "We liked to sit around a little more and then Paul would call ‘Alright lads’, and we’d go in.”

Starr also feels that each member of the legendary band helped to keep their egos in check. Being members of such a hugely successful band, you would almost expect them to have gotten swollen heads. Yet they helped each other to remain relatively grounded. Again, a bit more from Ringo Starr himself:

“I think it's all part of where we came from. I always give credit that there was four of us all from the same city and we would look at each other, you know one of us would be freaking out or being a big shot and three other people would go ‘Excuse me’ and that kept us straight,” he said.  The rocker continued: 

“You know it’s interesting because the time we met Elvis, I really thought ‘How sad that he’s on his own’. He had all those people around but he was on his own. I had three great mates.” 

Below are two links to articles which got me on this topic in the first place:

Ringo Starr Says The Beatles Would Have Made Less Albums Had It Not Been for 'Workaholic' Paul McCartney The Beatles drummer opened up about his relationship with his bandmates in a new interview with AXS  By Ilana Kaplan  Published on May 14, 2024:     

https://people.com/ringo-starr-says-the-beatles-would-have-made-less-albums-had-it-not-been-for-paul-mccartney-8648528

Ringo Starr Admits Paul McCartney Is Why The Beatles Put Out So Many Albums by 60s90srocknrollparadise.com 15 May 2024

https://60s90srocknrollparadise.com/?p=425&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0b2P2xQobDqILB7tAH7nNlOqqiN7gHEbbIRTEDYBX18N4xjZZGL3pmuTo_aem_AQAunzJSt7ZrKHnXZwxSfnZ5x1Fmey9Sv33YQ-_0esGApDp_VLs48jyQ4Psud3CECpvbmDmezn1qhnOWIHjDtYWN

Jon Stewart Goes After Specific Examples of High Government Corruption

Recently, Jon Stewart focused in on the corruption case against New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, who has been deemed guilty of cartoonish examples of corruption. Of course, Menendez has denied the charges, but the evidence against him is quite overwhelming. It seems that Menendez always is at the center of serious breach of ethics charges. Like most people here in my home state of New Jersey, I am tired of Menendez, and wish that he would go away. Not as much as I would enjoy seeing Trump go away - throw him in a high security prison and throw the keys away - but still, it would be nice to see Menendez finally gone from the public eye. 

Yet, this was more than merely Stewart attacking one specific senator. In fact, Stewart focuses more on how Congress and the Supreme Court and the White House - literally representing all three branches of government - have become used to taking advantage of what amounts to legal corruption. Often, these are examples of corruption which are highly visible to the public. Both parties point out the abundant examples of the guys in the other party seemingly guilty of high levels of corruption, and then either ignore or brush aside examples of their own corruption. Look at the Trump family and their ridiculous, also cartoonish loyal supporters, and their attacks on Hunter Biden as proof of this. 

In fact, this all feels inevitable. When you empower high government to police themselves, of course you are going to get a lowering of the bar. This, in turn, lowers public faith in our government in Washington, and with very good reason. Regardless of our political leanings, we all tend to view Washington as a place of slimy politicians guilty of disgusting examples of corruption and greed.

Stewart argues that Menendez really must be quite dumb. After all, he tried, and apparently succeeded, in making himself filthy rich with these absurd levels of blatant corruption. Why go the blatantly illegal route, when as Stewart points out, there are now so many legal ways for Congressional politicians to benefit from de facto legal examples of corruption?

Watch the video below for some of these specific examples. It is actually a funny bit, but funny in a sad, depressing sort of way. After all, Stewart is shedding light on something which, it seems to me, most Americans want to largely ignore and dismiss. Feels to me that a people get the government which they deserve, and a country that focuses so much on slimy get rich quick schemes, and even elects a president who made a large part of his fortune on just such tactics, is getting exactly the government that it deserves, a reflection of the people and their values themselves. 

Jon Stewart Gives Sen. Robert Menendez a Corruption Lesson | The Daily Show

2024 NBA Playoff Update For May 14th

   

2024 NBA Playoff Update

2024 NBA Playoff Update

The playoff series that I am most taken with at the time is between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks. Mostly, this is because I loved those old series between these two teams dating back to the 1990's and going up to 2000. They met six times during that span, with each team winning three series each. They also met in the 2013 playoffs, with Indy getting the better of that series.

This series is both a bit reminiscent of those series, while also not feeling familiar at all, somehow. Obviously, these are not the same players, so the names and faces have changed. That's one thing. But the style of basketball has changed, and rather dramatically. Those teams back in the 1990's were both bruising teams, that relied heavily on physical defense. It feels like those days in the NBA generally are over now. So that makes this series feel foreign, where the only thing similar to those playoff series are the names of the teams, and to a lesser extent, the uniforms.

What is similar is that this has been, at least so far, a tight and tough series. The Knicks seemed to be on top of the world, winning both of the first two games, even though they were both close. But as the series shifted back to Indiana, the Pacers seem to have wrestled control away from the Knicks. Each game seems hard fought and relatively close (well, the Pacers won Game 4 quite convincingly, actually), so that feels a bit similar. Should be interesting to watch Game 5 later tonight.

Each of the other series also feels tight, save for Boston and Cleveland. As of right now, it feels like the Celtics are a bit too much for Cleveland. Since Boston was my pick to come out of the East, this really is not shocking. It feels like they are destined for another NBA Finals appearance. 

Denver were the defending champions. But you might never know that at around the time that I last gave an update on these playoffs. They had just gotten absolutely hammered in Game 2, and looked like they had no answers for the high-flying T-Wolves. As the series shifted to Minnesota, it was all too easy to picture the Timberwolves winning Game 3, and really placing the defending champs in a very bad situation, with their backs to the wall. Fast forward a few days, and the Nuggets have now handed the T-Wolves not one, but two convincing, and very humbling, home losses, and have tied that series up. Now, it shifts back to Game 5 in Denver. Yet, neither team has managed to achieve a home win. Very interesting to see how this series goes.

For my part, I will predict a win by Denver. They responded like champions, and showed the character that allowed them to rise to the top last year. I expect that happened for a reason, and we shall see the reason help them get past this obviously very dangerous Minnesota team. 

Finally, as for Dallas and Oklahoma City, that has been back and forth and tight as could be, almost from the beginning. Hard to tell which team will win the series, but I expect Dallas, ultimately, to emerge and reach the Western Conference Finals. 

Should be interesting to see what happens from here on out in the divisional round.

A Visit to New Hope, PA

Last week, my girlfriend and I took a day off together and went for a visit to New Hope. This is a charming town right across the river from Lambertville, New Jersey, which is quite charming in it's own right. Over the years, this has become one of our favorite to-do places.  

Always enjoyed the artistic feel and Old  World charm of New Hope, Pennsylvania.  

My girlfriend and I go there fairly regularly, usually about twice a year or so. 

In the past, I have taken some pictures of it. Not sure what I did with those, or if I ever actually got around to publishing them here. Honestly, I could not find many of them, particularly of the village itself, which is right along the river. So I am trying to fix that by putting these ones in here, which include pictures from the rather charming Peddler's Village, which feels like a combination museum village and shopping center. 

Enjoy.

Not long ago, my girlfriend and I celebrated our 10-year anniversary together as a couple.

First, we started off the morning in pleasant fashion. We used to have Saturdays off together, and made a tradition of beginning our mornings off with real coffee from a French Press, and some pancakes. She would make the pancakes, while I would prepare the coffee. Then, we would decide what we would do together for the day. As we enjoyed our breakfast on this sunny Friday morning, we talked about our options for this day, and how we might celebrate such a momentous anniversary marker.

Well, we decided to go to the same restaurant where we first met on that first date, all of those years ago. A decade ago now!

It was the Tiger's Tale, in Montgomery, New Jersey. It is very close with the border of Princeton, from which it gets the inspiration for the name. The tiger is, of course, the official mascot of the prestigious Princeton University. 

Back on that first date 10 years ago, we met there for the first time. She was standing outside waiting for me, but I could not be sure that it was her. I called out her name, asking basically if that was who she was. And she answered no.

That was surprising, and embarrassing. So after apologizing, I started heading into the restaurant to meet her. That was when she began laughing and called me back, saying that yes, it was her.

We had a good first date. We ate at this place, then decided to take in a movie. It was American Pie: Reunion, I believe. 

After that, we had a couple of drinks at Old Man Rafferty's, a bar in town, close to where she lived. 

Initially, my impression was that the date had not gone especially well. She did not respond to my humor, although that could have been because English was not her primary language. 

So when I took the nearly hour long drive back home, it was in disappointment. My guess at the time was that this had not gone very well, and that it would be a one-time date. Yes, I was discouraged, and wondering if I would meet somebody soon.

A few days later, she texted me, and I responded. We agreed to a second date. And this was almost like a replay of the first date. 

Once again, I took the long drive back feeling discouraged. Yet, she reached out to me a few days later once again, and we agreed to a third date.

It was on the third date that it became obvious that there might be something there, more substantial than merely a single date or two.

Before long, we were in a relationship, and then a committed relationship. Not too much later, we moved in together. We have been together ever since. 

Well, it has now been 10 years. A long time together. And we decided to celebrate when we had a rare mutual day off that we planned together. 

So we went back to the Tiger's Tale, which was not quite as good as the other times that we had gone there, admittedly. In fact, she was not in the mood for anything that was offered on the menu. And when she finally did order, it was mostly not to her liking. She ordered ribs, but did not like the fries (they were steak fries, and she had wanted the more common, thin fries) and she also did not like the baked beans. I had a Cajun Burger, but it was admittedly, surprisingly flat of real taste. Again, not sure if it happened to be just that day or what, but we just did not enjoy our experience there as much as either of us had hoped. 

After that, we went to Peddler's Village in New Hope, Pennsylvania, one of the spots that we seem to frequent at least a few times per year, usually. It is a kind of shopping mall, only it is more outdoors than indoors. It is a bunch of small shops, mostly mom and pop specialty stores. Also, it is done in an Old World style, and has beautiful gardens and grounds. 

Some of the grounds feel like a mixture of Europe and Colonial America. There were tulips standing proud and exploding with color in the surprisingly strong and bright spring sunshine. Lower down, there is a pond that actually reminds me of the grounds of Gasho of Japan in Goshen, New York, a once wonderful Japanese restaurant in a building that used to actually stand in the Land of the Rising Sun, and with formal Japanese gardens just outside of the restaurant itself. It felt like a bigger experience as a result, like you were actually getting a real taste of something authentically Japanese. Not just a meal for maybe an hour, but an experience for a part of the day. That place went belly up years ago now, but this pleasant little pond, complete with those big fish, enhances that experience. 

It is pleasant to go to even when you end up not actually buying much of anything. We got some candy from the German store, which has some cool European stuff not generally available in more typical American stores. And we also got a drink, and almost got some novelty, home-made, flavored popcorn, although she decided at the last minute that she did not actually want any.

Probably not the most exciting night out by most people's standards. But we are both quiet people. Most of our time out is done in some quiet way. On occasion, we may go to a concert or something a bit more flashy or loud. By and large, though, when we go out, we prefer quieter places, where we can hear each other and engage in conversations, like we did on this day.

It was amazing to both of us that it has actually been fully 10 years now. Again, that is a long time together, and it just does not quite feel like it could have been that long. But when you look at the calendar, there is no arguing it. 

We had our mostly quiet celebration, which was mostly a rare, mutual day off together. In the early evening, we went back home, both of us needing an early night, since we both had to be at work early the next morning.

However, here are some of the pictures taken from that day. It happened this past Friday, the 22nd. Earth Day. A great day to enjoy the pleasant (almost perfect) daytime temperatures of spring in the region. Warm days and pleasantly cool, even borderline cold, nights. Along with the autumn, when days are similarly warm to moderate, and nights are similarly cool to chilly (even cold sometimes), it is my favorite time of the year. A nice, quiet celebration of a decade together during the season of life. 

"The Tiger's Tale" in Montgomery, NJ

Peddler's Village in New Hope, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

My girlfriend and I started visiting New Hope many years ago.

It is a charming town, more a museum village/shopping mall than anything, although it is a town with legitimate history, and interesting buildings. Often, we do not even really shop there, so much as just walk around. I made ne purchase: a drink which she and I shared, because it was so incredibly hot and humid out there. She bought some rare jams mostly found in Europe, and not really in the United States, in the German store, which has become one of our favorite stops. They often sell food and candies and other things not typically found in the United States. 

Anyway, I always enjoy taking pictures. And yesterday, almost surprisingly, this place was far emptier than expected, which allowed me to take many pictures with as few people in them as possible. A rare opportunity.

Also, there was an exhibit of sand sculpture with a fairy tale theme to them. These were incredibly impressive! Still marvel about the patience and skill required to complete such works.

Below are the pictures. Enjoy!