A Little Joy, Lost

Where such a happy scene as expressed below has not disappeared altogether, it has been dwindling bit by bit, year after year.

If the joyous sound of which this tune sings, and the happy seasonal scenes and feelings that the lyrics depict, have been removed from the streets of your local city, here is a nostalgic reminder.



I was five years old when this tune was published.  Its lyrics are quite accurate.

If you don't recall such an occasion, I am sad for you.
If you've never experienced the scene at all, I'm angry with those of my generation who stole it from you.

Here's hoping the Orwellian schooled joy-killers don't convince Youtube et alii to eradicate all traces of this original 1950 recording of Silver Bells, and the memories it stirs with it.

A Broken Clock On Thanksgiving

This inspiring video was posted by Darin at Crusader Rabbit. I wished to share it, but with advice against thinking too highly of its author .


It's an "a broken clock is right twice a day" situation. I've long lamented that it's too bad the “former” radical Medved has to be such a consistent buttlicker of the likes of McCain. His stances are consistent to the point that he gives the appearance he aims to keep the "Progressive" Incrementalist inroads gained through the pressure provided by his old radical comrades, but does so by hiding out on our side. So he serves as a reminder that it is far better to be thought of as a decent sort of fellow rather than a very smart one.

He’s the sort that drove this site to hold a cash contest to replace RINO with an intentionally more uncomplimentary and fitting acronym. SKUNC was the result. The first letter stands for either Statist or Stooge, depending.

If only once a year we gather together to be thankful for whatever joy, large or small, we may have been granted, it is actually a major thing for which to be grateful.

So today I’ll grant Medved the label of Statist alone, grateful for his contribution to restoring, from the onslaughts of the Social Justice Cretins, the prestige that Thanksgiving deserves.

Rejoice

My wisteria bloomed in full this week. While I cannot provide you with its wonderful fragrance that is driving my bees into ecstasy, I encourage you to use your imagination.

click to see original size

Our imagination is important, especially to aid our optimism when all else seems discouraging. Please let this photo serve as a reminder that even in seasonless Southern California,  Spring announces her return with vibrancy and vitality nevertheless.

Perhaps this helps explain why it is said "hope Springs eternal."

For those of you have still to dig out of the depths of a real winter, and especially for all who recognize that this is time of descending darkness in the political realm, this is a gift to you from him who, too often, sounds like Jeremiah.

Expressing Joy for Life Itself

This is one of those tunes and arrangements from the swing era that carried the West through WW II. It stands homage to that one song that lights you up. After you hear it once or twice, you can understand why some tyrannies cannot tolerate music at all.

I've Heard That Song Before                                   

Statist Tools: Snares and Intimidation #2

Early in December, I ended part 1 with this about the injustice dealt to gun-owner Brian Aitken by the state of New Jersey:

Hey you liberals: I think that your beliefs that judges always act mercifully are in need of serious review.

I personally think that this judge has displayed a lower sense of mercy than that of a common criminal. The common criminal doesn't pretend that he's punishing you for the sake of respect for the law.

I surely hope New Jersey allows its chief executive to commute sentences, and that Governor Christie overrides this injustice very soon.

Well yesterday, that happened. (h/t Ace) That's great news. Way to go Governor Christie!

Sadly, intimidation for owning guns continues. But, perhaps in response to prayers, one individual will not have to suffer any more on the Statist altar.

His prosecution was persecution.
His persecution served the purpose of intimidating YOU.

Whatever happens in future to Governor Christie, good or bad, learn from his example today. Become the sort of leader he is today.

***Update***
Hold on. There's a good caveat regarding Christie. It comes to mind when considering the question proffered by Allahpundit at the hotair link.

"Exit question: Why commute his sentence instead of pardoning him outright?" 

Yeah, the man remains a felon under the conviction, and the conviction was used by his ex-wife to deny Brian parental custody of his son. His son was the reason he moved back to New Jersey in the first place so that he became ensnared in this nightmare.

See? Those in power continue intimidating us. They simply cannot help themselves. 

Come. Let us help them reform.

***Update 2***
The answer to the question in update #1 is: By only commuting the sentence and not pardoning the conviction, governor Christie left Mr. Aitken and supporters standing to overturn, through the appeal process, the conviction  and the practice of legal persecution that led to that conviction.

If Mr. Aitken and defense team do fight further for his rights -- and our rights by extension -- then the commute rather than the pardon is indeed an effort to "Let us help them reform." That would be an excellent course of action, and I support the thinking.

Now pray for the follow through and for success.

Variety of Beauty

The complex and the simple.

Demonstrating ingenuity and determination.

The results of effort and care.

Pursuit of Excellence

When I posted Obama Set to Music the other day, in addition to the primary feature of Andrew Klaven's video, I provided a link to Tchaikovsky's last symphony.

That symphony, with its build up of grand expectations that ultimately dissolves into downbeat failure, was too much of a downer. Tchaikovsky himself -- perhaps too caught up by the despair in his own composition -- soon called down the final curtain on his own life.

While too many of our anti-human propagandizing wannabe rulers may wish us to steep in such feelings of despair, I do not. So I am here to offer you all a great chaser of the blues.

Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, to my tastes at least, may well have been his finest opus. In our age, with its overbearing obstacles placed upon the best among us (due to mediocrity resulting from affirmative action trumping our earlier culture's inclination to being more meritocracy friendly), you will rarely hear musical compositions this ebullient.

Additionally, the soloist -- Sarah Chang when she was 11 years old -- gives a very fine performance. It is clear from the youngster's expression at several points that she is not perfect. But as any good engineer will tell you, insisting on perfection (like insisting on universal equality of outcomes rather than insisting on freedom to seek your own best outcome) often costs too much and doesn't get you anywhere near perfection anyway. Miss Chang may not be perfect, but she sure as heck is excellent. Her performance, and this great music, both, come through even with my crumby speakers.

The following link is most of the third and last movement. I particularly love the finale where the soloist plays off the orchestra: first it, then her, then it. back and forth, to crescendo. The fact that a violin is so close to the human voice is put to very good use here where you can hear, among other things, the violin whistling and trilling with laughter.


When you feel like the government and its Sinister Wingers have stolen every good thing from public life, you may wish to return to this video. I have long found this work to be personally restorative.