Tell me what'd I say?

Retro Causality


But, then, you knew I'd say that.

Life

"Destroying human life in the hope of saving human life is not ethical."

George Bush as he vetoed the stem cell research bill.



The total number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq is now at 3,545.

According to wire service reports, a minimum of 64,698 Iraqis have been killed (a report on CNN last year put it at 655.000).

Woody Woodpecker

After years of always missing seeing this bird, I finally came across it today in Secret Woods while looking for butterflies. This is, of course, the bird that Walter Lantz based Woody Woodpecker on. It is a very impressive sight given its size.

Venus

I just finished watching that wonderful movie, Venus, with Peter O'Toole. He was incredible. In some ways, it seemed like a retrospective of his career. In that sense, it's not unlike The Shootist, John Wayne's last movie. It was an homage to what he was and what he still was, even at the end of his career. I recently watched Lawrence of Arabia after not having seen it for decades. O'Toole dazzled me all over again in that movie. e e cummings came to mind as I watched the film: "Jesus/he was a handsome man."

It makes me wonder if all old men have one last foolishness over some young girl that they need to go through before their lives are over. God, I hope so.

One also thinks of Yeats: "Ah that I were young again/And held her in my arms."

Serious Radio

Though I grew up watching television, my fondest earliest memories are of listening to the radio and the shows that would eventually make it to television. My favorites were The Lone Ranger, The Adventures of Superman, Science Fiction Theater, Gangbusters, and The Shadow. There were others. I would listen on my crystal radio while in bed. When the shows ended or moved, I still listened to music and sports. During baseball season, I listened to Bill Mazur do the Buffalo Bison games. For a kid that couldn't afford to go to games and had no father to take him, anyway, listening to Bill was as good as being at the game. I didn't know until years later that he did the away games in Buffalo from a ticker tape. As time went on and I got older, like every other teen in Buffalo, I listened to WKBW, the 50,000 watt giant that played all the rock and roll songs that we loved. This was before they were golden oldies. Of course, from 1956 on, the one singer I always waited to hear was Elvis. Even then, I would sing along with him. Later, when I took my first girlfriend, Jeanne, to the movies, I sang along with Elvis in every one of his movies. Someone I went out with once last year told me her boyfriend used to do the same thing. Maybe we all did it. The old cliche may not have been a cliche: All women wanted him, and all men wanted to be him. Two weeks ago, my son and I went to the Tampa Elvis Tribute Artist finals at Stumps in Tampa. It was the end of Elvis Week there. We weren't there for the two days prior when they did the preliminary contests. A couple dozen tribute artists performed. On that Sunday, the final eight were named. This contest is one of many across the world that are being conducted with the regional winners going to Graceland on August 17 for the finals. The winner there will be crowned the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist. I plan to be there. Imagine, thousands of men have been competing for this title, all over the world. My son and I didn't agree with who was chosen as the Tampa winner. Our favorite was a Kurt Russell as Elvis look-a-like who brought the house down with "If I Can Dream" and "Amazing Grace." In his American eagle jumpsuit, he looked like the King. Amazingly, he got 6th place. We booed. A guy was sitting at our table who has been an Elvis Tribute Artist for 39 years (Yes, I said 39!). He said the judges never get it right. What's amazing further is that many of these people make a living at what they do; many don't. Our favorite has a landscaping company. What they all have in common, as did all the people who were there to watch, is an abiding and enduring love of Elvis. If I have to explain that, you wouldn't understand. But it's the reason I, and thousands of others, will be in Graceland on August 16 for the 30th annniversary of Elvis' death. I will also be at the concert.

Anyway, this started out about radio. Trying not to indugle myself too much in my declining years, I did make one impusle purchase. I had Sirius Satellite Radio installed in my car. It also entitles me to listen to it on my computer. I'm doing that right now as I type this. Guess what? They have a 24 hour Elvis radio station. It broadcasts live from Graceland. Besides songs that we all know, they go into the "Vault" at Graceland and pull out takes and live versions of songs that no one has heard. There are also shows with various DJs like Elvis' friend, George Klein. He does interviews with people who knew Elvis and were touched by him. They talk to people at Graceland everyday who are there to visit. Many have been there multiple times. Priscilla has been interviewed on there. Red West was on the other day. What else could an Elvis fan want?

They also do have the old radio shows I used to listen to as a kid and even before I came along. I might get to them one of these days. Just not right now.