rike52

burn on II

Today, March 10th, marks the second anniversary of the report of the first 2 COVID cases in Michigan (1). In response, our Gov. Bimbo – a.k.a. “That Woman from Michigan” (2), Gretchen (half) Whitmer of the plastic face and the 40Cs – declared a State of Emergency. Within a week, she urged social distancing andContinue reading “burn on II”

Chimney!

This is about a family event that happened 2 and a half weeks ago. Since the event was a Christmas celebration occurring 8 weeks after Christmas, what’s a little further delay? Dateline Onstead, MI (pop’n 1,132): Cowboy Creek Lodge 40 or so of the spawn of my late bio–Dad Dick Spei plus their spouses haveContinue reading “Chimney!”

Hail Sousa! Hail Elbel?

John Phillip Sousa – the March King – died 90 years ago Sunday March 6th in Reading Pennsylvania. He was 77. His prodigious output – 134 marches, 690 total recordings in an era spanning a time when placing a needle on a wax cylinder was considered an advance (1) – included some songs about Michigan.Continue reading “Hail Sousa! Hail Elbel?”

paste for 12

flowers

the Alcindor rules

In 1967, I was a gangly 6’5” 15 year old riding the pine for Mike Blough’s JV Bulldogs. That same year, the NCAA announced it would be illegal to toss the basketball in through the imaginary cylinder extending up from the rim. In the organization’s words, the dunk “was not a skillful shot,” and theContinue reading “the Alcindor rules”

WaPo

Is that horse dead yet? (1) Reference Flam F. Mask mandates didn’t make much difference, anyway. Washington Post February 11, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/mask-mandates-didnt-make-much-of-a-difference-anyway/2022/02/11/57760db6-8b3b-11ec-838f-0cfdf69cce3c_story.html P.S. My sweetheart sent this pic to remind me there are indeed effective anti-viral masks

Blue LLama!

Ann Arbor has had a couple of great jazz clubs over the past 30-40 years. Ron Brooks’ Bird of Paradise on Main Street gave a venue for many local jazz artists to perform, giving birth to the Bird of Paradise Orchestra – basically Paul Keller’s big band – which has lived on as the PaulContinue reading “Blue LLama!”

hell no

When Kathy and I joined the U of M Club of Ann Arbor a few years ago, we lowered the average age by a few points. The main attraction of joining is entrance to the Coaches’ Luncheons, which feature a fine hot lunch from Weber’s shared by like-minded rabid Wolverine fans, all gathered to hearContinue reading “hell no”

‘burg report

I went to basketball homecoming Friday night so you didn’t have to. Let me say, the ‘burg has changed, but maybe only a little. The game was an excuse for one of those AA-KZO Amtrak trips Kathy and I like so much, staying at an AirBnB right downtown overlooking Bronson Park and the lights ofContinue reading “‘burg report”