On this day in history...

Happy Repeal of Prohibition Day!!!

(photo via Retrogasm)

Playlist for Halloween!

I love Halloween.

About one year ago, I came up with this playlist for my good friend Reggie, who was out in the hinterlands working and didn't have an opportunity to enjoy one of the greatest holidays around.

It seems appropriate that I should start the blog back up with this playlist.

This is the first one I came up with and started inquiries from many of my friends regarding the music I listen to.

I hope you all have a great Halloween and enjoy the playlist.

A note on the return of Rufus T. Shaft

Well, after a self-imposed sabbatical from the blog, I'm returning, but some explanation is in order.

I'm not exactly sure what the "schedule" for posting is going to be.

The strict and regimented schedule I had before (where a playlist was needed once a week) isn't going to work.

I want this to be fun and not like a job (which is what it seemed to be turning into).

More than likely, I'll just post a playlist when I feel like it.

This is just a long explanation about my general laziness and lack of discipline.

Clear as mud?  Good.

Happy Labor Day!!!!

Labor Day, brought to you by our friends in organized labor!

THE BLOG IS ON HIATUS

I'm taking a break.

I don't know how long I'll be gone.

Check back in later.

RTS

Playlist for the first weekend of August

Ringo, Paul, George and (that troublemaker) John

45 years ago this week, an English gentleman by the name of John Lennon was said to have mentioned that the Beatles are bigger than Jesus.  (notice the lack of quotation marks)

It has been shown that he was, if not misquoted, at least taken out of context.

Who knows what he really said.

Buddy Christ likes this playlist

Anyway, lots of overly-sensitive folks were (and still might be) in an uproar over the perceived slight, so, in honor of that, here is an hour of a band that is above religion.  (wait...what I meant was...ah, nevermind)



Enjoy!

Playlist for the fifth weekend of July

The Rolling Stones on stage, 1972

This is a playlist a long time coming.

This past month marks a couple of milestones in the life of the "greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world", the Rolling Stones.

First, Mick Jagger turned 68 this past week.

Also, (and more importantly) on July 12th, 1962 the band played their first gig billed as "The Rollin' Stones" at the Marquee Club, located at 165 Oxford Street, London, England.  The line-up was Mick Jagger on vocals, Keith Richards and Brian Jones on guitars, Ian Stewart on piano, Dick Taylor on bass and Tony Chapman on drums.

Later on, they would add Bill Wyman on bass and Charlie Watts on drums.

They would also drop Brian Jones due to legal and health issues.

The Glimmer Twins

This is where our playlist begins.

When Jones left, the Stones' musical output came back to the heavy blues/country/rock influence, leaving behind the psychedelia that Jones loved.

Following the departure and death of Jones, Jagger and Richards became the heart and soul (or as Richards later described, "Mick is the 'rock' and I'm the 'roll'") of the band and of the late '60's/early '70's rock scene.

What follows are 4 songs each from my 4 favorite Stones albums (Beggar's Banquet, Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St.)



Enjoy!

Playlist for the fourth weekend of July 2011

Holy blazes, it's hot out here.


The sun, in all it's glory has beating down on the inhabitants of the prairie all week.


Temperatures flirting with the triple digits and heat indexes well above that, sometimes 110 degrees or higher.


In honor and awe of the heat that has set in, here's a playlist with songs about the sun, heat and the sweltering days of summer.



Enjoy!

Playlist for the third weekend in July 2011

from Georges Méliès 1902 film
Le Voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon)

As a kid, outer space always fascinated me.

Even today, it does, but to a lesser degree.

I remember watching the rocket launches from the late '60's/early '70's on history programs & watching the space shuttles launch on TV in awe of the hard work and smarts that it took to achieve what I saw happening.

One of the things it taught me was that science is wonderful.

This coming week marks the end of the space shuttle program.

from one of the '30's Flash Gordon serials

After more than 100 successful missions, the part of the space program that I grew up with will end.

So, to mark the end of one mission and (hopefully) the beginning of another, this week's playlist is full of tunes about space, the moon, rocket ships and a flying saucer here or there.



Enjoy!

Playlist for the second weekend of July 2011

At some point in time, over the last couple of weeks, I've fully caught fishing fever.

It happens at least once a year, when I come across all my fishing gear and start getting the itch to get out on the lake.

I believe it was Izaak Walton who stated that fishing (or as he called it 'angling') is the "contemplative man's sport".

I can believe that, for a couple of reasons.

First, when I get the fever, I sit and plot out my plan of attack.  This includes making sure I have all my gear prepared, my bait procured, the fishing forecast checked and my spot pinpointed.

Secondly, there is something about sitting out there on shore, early in the morning or late at night, with next to no one around and little more than your gear, your thoughts and nature.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've renewed my state fishing license, bought way more crap than I need and am plotting an extended fishing/camping trip (when the heat lets up a little, though) for the future.

So, this week, our playlist is heavy on songs about fishing.



Enjoy!!!

(all pictures from the blog moldychum.com)

A Night on the Town - DOUBLE FEATURE! - The Detroit Cobras/Chuck Mead

Here in the prairie capital, one of the local food/music festivals is happening downtown.

Food from many of the local, independent restaurants (along with some corporate shills thrown in) are featured in booths surrounding the Old State Capitol, along with adult beverages, including Rolling Meadows Brewery (which has a great wheat beer).

Rachel Nagy (left) and Mary Ramirez (right) from
the Detroit Cobras

Also, great music is featured, including last nights show, the Detroit Cobras.

My good friend, Quietly Disgruntled, turned me on to this great band and it was great to see them live.

Unfortunately, it appeared that there were sound problems from the beginning that hampered the vibe dramatically.  Monitor issues continued throughout the show and it showed on the face of Rachel Nagy (lead vocals), who was muttering curse words and nursing a beer throughout the show.

However, a mediocre Detroit Cobras show is better than none at all, especially since they played my favorite, "Shout, Bamalama!"

Chuck Mead

Moving on after this show, we went down to Bar None (where we've seen other great acts, such as the Waco Brothers & Alejandro Escovedo) to see Chuck Mead (from BR5-49).

Chuck Mead was on target, playing originals, a load of classics from Buck Owens, Webb Pierce and Charlie Daniels, along with favorites from the BR5-49 days, including "Me & Opie" and "Betty, Betty".

The festival continues for another day, with more music and food, including a show from one of the Lady of the Manor's favorites, the great Elizabeth Cook, so, if you are near the prairie capital, stop on in, have a lot of good food and check out some great music!

Playlist for the first weekend of July 2011

Sorry for the delay this week, but it's my birthday weekend & I'm doing a little celebratin' & relaxin' along with some reflection on the blog.

I think from now on, I'm gonna post playlists for the weekend in general instead of doing a Friday playlist post.

It takes some pressure off (& that's always good.)

Anyway, this weekend marks 40 years since the death of Jim Morrison, lead singer and songwriter for the great '60's band, the Doors.

Morrison was born in Melbourne, Florida to Navy parents in 1943.

Supposedly, at age 4, he witnessed a car accident in the desert involving the death of a Native American, which, for the rest of his life, Morrison said had a great impact on him.

After drifting around the nation, both due to his military family and his higher education, he eventually came to Los Angeles, California, where he met up with Ray Manzerak, John Densmore and Robby Krieger.

The Doors were formed in 1965, with Morrison as frontman.

After 6 great and debauched years with the band, Morrison died in a bathtub in Paris, France.

For more on Jim Morrison and the Doors, please read Danny Sugarman's great book, No One Here Gets Out Alive.

Morrison helped put the theatrical into rock music, blending the Blues, Blake, Baudelaire and the Beats into a hell-broth, ghost dance, & wearin' leather pants show that pre-dated greats such as Iggy Pop, Jeffrey Lee Pierce and host of '90's era grungers.

In honor of that, here's a playlist of good Doors tunes.



Enjoy!!!

Playlist for June 24th, 2011

This past week, the awesome Gigglechirp, became a mother for the fourth time.

She, along with Quietly Disgruntled are the proud parents of a new daughter, to add to their family of two sons and another daughter.

Everyone at Tall Grass & Tasty Trash send our best to the growing family and look forward to seeing them all together soon.

In honor of this great occasion, our playlist this week consists of tunes with the word "baby" in the title.

Rockin' babies, crazy babies, boppin' babies and cryin' babies are here for your listening pleasure.



Enjoy!!!

Playlist for June 17th, 2011

The Summer Solstice is right around the corner and you can feel it here on the prairie.

from "Hawaii, Then & Now", October 1938
photographer, Richard H. Stewart
(c) 2001 National Geographic Society

We've had some pretty high temperatures lately and the humidity is setting in, as it does every summer out here.

All this heat makes me want to go to the beach to cool off.

Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of beach options out here amongst the corn and soybeans, so it's either a pool or I'm getting the hose out.

Now, I've never had the opportunity to surf, but I dig the music.  This week's playlist is full of songs about surfing, beaches and bikinis.



Enjoy!

A Night on the Town - Southern Culture on the Skids

I admitted to the Lady of the Manor....
I got a thing for Mary Huff....
She understands...

Wow...what a time!

Rick Miller, Mary Huff and Dave Hartman can put on a great show.  

Throwing in old favorites, such as "Nitty Gritty", "Camel Walk" and (one of the most exciting parts of the concert) "Eight Piece Box", SCOTS can bring the groove, get the boogie and officiate over a good time.

The Lady of the Manor and myself had a great time and thank SCOTS for the show.

Playlist for June 10th, 2011

Rick Miller, Dave Hartman and Mary Huff are
Southern Culture on the Skids

This weekend, one of my favorite bands is coming to the prairie.

Southern Culture on the Skids (a.k.a SCOTS) are a band from the musically fertile Chapel Hill, North Carolina region.

Consisting of Rick Miller (guitar, vocals), Mary Huff (bass, vocals) and Dave Hartman (drums), SCOTS plays an excellent mix of rockabilly, surf, country and R&B with a little of everything in between thrown in and a great sense of humor.

I've had the pleasure of seeing this band a couple of times, including once before here in the prairie capital, and the shows are not only a musical experience, but a "cultural" experience as well.

So, if you're anywhere near the prairie capital on Saturday, head to the Hoogeland, throw your hard earned money down and get ready to boogie.

This week's playlist consists of some of my favorite SCOTS tunes.



Enjoy!

Playlist for June 3rd, 2011

So, the crazy times at work are on hiatus until the late fall.

To celebrate, I'm mowing the grass for the first time in about five weeks, I'm cleaning the house, doing laundry and weeding the garden.

But before all that, I'm going out to dinner with the Lady of the Manor, Quietly Disgruntled, Gigglechirp and a couple of other friends.

In honor of that, here is a playlist with songs about dinner.

Chicken, steak, pork chops, seafood, beans, potatoes, bread and don't forget dessert!



Enjoy!

Playlist for May 27th, 2011

This past week, one of the great American songwriters celebrated his 70th birthday.

Robert Zimmerman was born on May 24th, 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota.

After enrolling at the University of Minnesota, Zimmerman began playing at local folk music clubs and eventually took up the moniker of 'Bob Dylan', partly due to his admiration of the poet Dylan Thomas.  About two decades later, Dylan explained the name switch by saying....

"You call yourself what you want to call yourself. This is the land of the free."

Dylan became an icon in the early 1960's folk movement, but became disillusioned soon thereafter.

At the 1965 Newport Folk Festival on Sunday, July 25th, Dylan, along with a band that included members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, took the stage with electric instruments, forever changing Dylan's role in modern popular music (this despite the fact that Dylan had been recording electric since the beginning of his career.  For example, listen to the song Mixed Up Confusion, featured on the compilation Biograph).

Our playlist this week is filled with tunes from (what I consider) one of the greatest periods of Dylan's career, from the beginning of the electric period, 1965 to the end of 1969.  It was during this period that Dylan recorded with music greats such as Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels and, more famously, the Band.



Enjoy!!!

BONUS Playlist for May 21st, 2011

'Rapture'...heh, heh, heh...

The 'Huh"pocalypse.......

I haven't been on this little marble in the sky for very long (in relative terms), but I've heard of more than one idea, over time, that the world was coming to an end.

Maybe it's because I grew up in a part of the world that has a particularly harsh brand of religiosity, but....I digress.

From what I can tell, this iteration of the "apocalypse" stems from someone with lots of money, an FCC license and a penchant for proclaiming the end.

I really shouldn't get started on professional preachers, the way they prey on people and the real problems that are obfuscated by illogical mystical beliefs.

...anyway...

Some tunes about the end of it all...whatever that may be.

By special request...



Enjoy!!!

Playlist for May 20th, 2011

Not a whole lot to say for this week.

Here on the prairie, at my place of employment, there are a lot of folks dealing with numbers (both fiscally and geographically).

I tip my hat to all my fellow co-workers who are working hard to make it to the end of the month with their sanity intact.

This week, our playlist is full of songs with numbers in the title.  'nuff said.

Enjoy!!!

Movie Night - The Thomas Crown Affair

Thomas Crown (Steve McQueen) is a 36 year old self-made millionaire who gets bored with the "establishment".  Crown masterminds a bank robbery, hiring five men, who never meet until at the job, to steal $2.6 million from a bank in Boston.

Thomas Crown (Steve McQueen)
during the pickup.

Vicki Anderson (Faye Dunaway) begins
working on her suspect.

With no leads, the police and the bank's insurance company begin working with Vicki Anderson (Faye Dunaway), a slightly amoral insurance investigator who will stop at nothing to get her man.

As Crown and Anderson begin to come closer together, they begin playing a cat and mouse game with each other.  Crown has begun planning and implementing another heist, with Anderson striving to catch Crown red-handed.

Thomas Crown comtemplates his next move against
Vicki Anderson while playing chess.

As the relationship grows, questions of loyalty, love and crime come to the forefront, blurring the lines between careers, truth and consequences.

Vicki Anderson already knows her next move against
Thomas Crown while playing chess.

Stylishly shot and containing a steamy chess scene (bet you never thought you'd ever hear those words together), the original Thomas Crown Affair is a film you should check out!  (WP)(AMG)(IMDB)(RT)

TV Night - Fishing with John

Film director Jim Jarmusch (holding cheese slice) tries to
coax a shark to the surface for actor & musician
John Lurie (holding gun) to shoot.  This is not a
recommended way of catching fish, but it will work.

John Lurie is a musician (founding a band called the Lounge Lizards), an actor (starring in Stranger than Paradise by Jim Jarmusch for example) and an artist (whose work has been shown in New York, Amsterdam and Moscow, where his work Bear Surprise became a sensation), who has some interesting friends.

In 1991, Lurie decided to combine his eccentric friends, including Jim Jarmusch, Tom Waits, Matt Dillon, Willem Defoe and Dennis Hopper, with his total blissful ignorance of fishing to bring this six episode television show from the Independent Film Channel.

With episodes that include hunting shark off Montauk, New York & meeting up with a mystical jungle fisherman in the wilds of Costa Rica who shows the sportsmen an ancient fishing dance, Fishing with John is not a show if you are looking for tips on how to catch fish.

However, if you are into the absurd and enjoy the interaction between extremely creative people, then Fishing with John is a show for you.

Check it out!!! (WP)(AMG)(IMDB)(RT)

Playlist for May 13th, 2011

At my place of work, we are in (to steal a term from NASCAR) the "silly season".

That means long days, long nights, working seven days a week and lots of cranky people.

A vast majority of us go into this time of the year with the best of all possible attitudes (to paraphrase Kris Kristofferson), only to have them worn down slowly, in a grinding kind of way until the finale.

In order to help us through this crazy time at work, I'm throwing out this playlist dedicated to the weekend, a time that many of us haven't seen in a while and that all of us will see again (soon).



Enjoy!

Playlist for May 6th, 2011

Cairo from the air, looking north with the Ohio (right)
and the Mississippi (left) on either side.

I currently live out on the vast expanses of the prairie, but I was born and raised in the deep southern region of the prairie state.

Right now, the folks down south of the prairie are experiencing some record flooding, with little relief in sight.

There was a chance that the historic town of Cairo, Illinois could have been inundated by both the Mississippi River and the Ohio River.

Cairo from the air, looking south with the Ohio (left)
and the Mississippi (right) on either side.

Cairo lies at the confluence of these mighty waterways and this flood could have washed it all away, but they are holding fast.

Here at Tall Grass & Tasty Trash, we are sending out as many good vibes as possible and wish only the best to Cairo, all the residents of the southern section of the prairie state and points further south.

When the waters recede, try to make it a point to visit Cairo.

Cairo from the air, looking north with the Ohio (right)
and the Mississippi (left) on either side.

While there, get you some barbecue at Shemwell's, spend some time at Fort Defiance State Park and watch the (hopefully receded) rivers roll on by.

In the meantime, enjoy this playlist with tunes about rising water, neverending storms, the river and levees.




Enjoy, but (once again) don't forget Cairo!

BONUS Playlist for May 5th, 2011

Many people think that Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May) is the same as Mexican Independence Day.

This is not true.

Mexican Independence Day is September 16th, the day that, in 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Roman Catholic priest, gathered his congregation in the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato, and called for a revolt against the Spanish.

Cinco de Mayo actually commemorates the victory of Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín and 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeated 8,000 better armed troops of the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, during the French invasion of Mexico.

The French takeover of Mexico eventually was completed a year later with the help of an additional 30,000 troops, resulting in the Second Mexican Empire of Maximillian, which itself lasted only lasted three years.

The holiday is celebrated only regionally in Mexico, in and around Puebla.

Here in America, we love bastardized holidays that lead to parties, (see Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day) so, we celebrate Cinco de Mayo north of the Rio Grande.

Here is a bonus playlist full of rock y roll en espanol.



Enjoy!

BONUS Playlist for May 1st, 2011

My political views are drastically left of center.

I think it comes from being born into poverty and seeing how moneyed interests rule the nation and the world, with little regard or concern for those without.

But, anyway, it's May Day around the world, a day set aside to celebrate all things leftist.

In honor of that, I present a playlist full of good old union songs, leftist anthems and some spoken word by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Utah Phillips and Huey Long.

Enjoy!

Movie Night - ROLLER DERBY NIGHT DOUBLE FEATURE! Blood on the Flat Track & Hell on Wheels

Roller Derby fight from the 1950's
Photo from "The Selvedge Yard" blog

Tonight, the Soy City Rollers take on the Illinois Valley Vixens at the Decatur Civic Center.

In honor of that, I present two (count 'em two!) documentaries from 2007 dealing with the resurgence of this sport, made famous from the '50's to the '70's.

First up, Blood on the Flat Track: The Rise of the Rat City Rollergirls tells the story of a team from Seattle, Washington through their first two seasons and their fight to win the championship.

Next, Hell on Wheels details the rise of the team from Austin, Texas who almost single-handedly brought roller derby out of the dustbin and gave it a 21st century twist, despite the trials and tribulations of bringing back a sport from the brink of death.

I'll be at the Decatur Civic Center tonight, along with the Lady of the Manor and our friends Quietly Disgruntled and Rayne of Terror, so come on out and have some fun at the roller derby!  The doors open at 5PM with bouts at 6PM and 7:30PM.

Check 'em out!

Blood on the Flat Track (WP)(AMG)(IMDB)
Hell on Wheels (WP)(AMG)(IMDB)

Playlist for April 29th, 2011

If April showers bring May flowers, we (along with a huge chunk of the lower 48) will have flowers coming out our ears during the upcoming month.

In all seriousness, the massive rains we have been getting here on the prairie and elsewhere are causing all kinds of trouble along the rivers and streams and the towns that dot their shores. (Don't Forget Cairo!!!)

With spring "springing" all around, it seemed like a good time to pull out some tunes with flowers in the title.

Tulips, Hyacinths, Poppies, Begonias, Orchids, Hibiscus, Lillies, Daisies and a little less than a dozen Roses.



Enjoy!

April 28th is Worker's Memorial Day

Worker's Memorial Day poster
produced by the US Dept. of Labor
in 2010.

Today is Worker's Memorial Day.

Take the time to remember the battles men and women have fought for things such as....

...the eight hour workday...

...weekends...

...child labor laws...

...safety and health regulations...

It is because we didn't have these (and many other) laws in the past, that workers died in the course of their labor.

And remember to fight to keep worker safety and health (and other worker's rights) laws on the books against an onslaught by reactionary right wingers who would dismantle the safety net in order to benefit those in power.

That is the end of my soapboxing for the day.

Movie Night - Two Lane Blacktop

Made the same year as one of our previous films, Vanishing Point, this movie is a nice companion piece to that film in many ways.

Like Vanishing Point, the cinematography is stark and the script is minimal, with an undertone of existential angst.

Two Lane Blacktop deals with four people, the Driver (James Taylor), the Mechanic (Dennis Wilson), the Girl (Laurie Bird) and G. T. O. (Warren Oates) as they race cross-country, from Needles, California to Washington, D. C.

The Driver & the Mechanic are owners of a 1955 Chevy 150, souped up and primered.  

They make their living going from town to town in the U. S. desert Southwest, challenging locals to races they know they will win.

Along the way, the Girl joins them after getting bored with her surroundings.

As they race down old Route 66, they meet up with G. T. O., a mysterious character who tells multiple stories of how he got where he is today.

After seeing each other many times on the road, they meet up at a rural gas station and challenge each other to a race to Washington, D. C. "for pinks", or ownership of the others vehicle.

During the race, the group come together in many ways and unravel in many others.

A classic amongst lovers of old Route 66 and gearheads in general, this is a movie you should check out!  (WP)(AMG)(IMDB)

(another link regarding the cars and the making of the film can be found at the great blog "The Selvedge Yard")

Playlist for April 22nd, 2011

Today is Earth Day, a day set aside to remind us that, despite our efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle, there is always more we can do to help preserve and save our planet.

I don't wanna be preachy, but, seriously, this story and this story should make us take note of what is happening to all of our surroundings, many times without our knowledge or permission.

And these are just two recent stories...there are thousands more.

Take the initiative and do something to help your world and your environment.

Our playlist this week takes us through forests, over hills, alongside rivers and seaside.

There are even a couple of tunes that deal with the weather.

Do something meaningful this Earth Day!



Enjoy!

BONUS Playlist for April 20th, 2011

No commentary from me necessary on this one....

Playlist below this rundown of some facts from drugwarfacts.org-


• In 2009, approximately 17 million people or 7% of the population were considered current users by consuming marijuana least once per month.
⁃ (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2010)

• An estimated 758,593 people were arrested for marijuana possession (not trafficking or sales) in 2009. Arrests for marijuana possession have risen from about a third to about a half of all drug abuse violation arrests over the fifteen year 1995-2009 period.
⁃ (FBI Uniform Crime Reports 1970-2009)

• Findings do not support claims that criminalization reduces cannabis use and that decriminalization increases cannabis use.
⁃ (American Journal of Public Health, 2004)

• Despite a federal ban and criminal penalties that vary among the 50 states, 104 million Americans are estimated to have tried marijuana at least once according to 2009 data.
⁃ (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2010)

• Approximately $8.7 billion of savings would result from legalization of marijuana. Also, approximately $8.7 billion in revenue would result from legalization of marijuana.
⁃ (Cato Institute, 2010)

• Direct alcohol-related health care costs ($3,306.2 million in Canada) are over 45 times higher than the direct health care costs of cannabis ($73 million).
⁃ (Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, 2007)

• More than half (58 percent) of primary marijuana admissions were referred to treatment through the criminal justice system.
⁃ (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2005)

• There are no confirmed cases of human deaths from cannabis poisoning in the world medical literature.
⁃ (World Health Organization, 1998)

• In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. … it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man.
⁃ (Administrative Law Judge Francis J. Young, In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition, 1988)

• [O]ur meta-analysis of [marijuana] studies that have attempted to address the question of longer term neurocognitive disturbance in moderate and heavy cannabis users has failed to demonstrate a substantial, systematic, and detrimental effect of cannabis use on neuropsychological performance.
⁃ (Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 2003)

• We conclude that marijuana does not have a long-term negative impact on global intelligence.
⁃ (Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2002)

• This study does not therefore support the specific causal link between cannabis use and the incidence of psychotic disorders.  This concurs with other reports indicating that increases in population cannabis use have not been followed by increases in psychotic incidence.
⁃ (Schizophrenia Research, 2009)

• We found only limited evidence to support the claim that cannabis use increases accident risk. Participants who had driven under the influence of cannabis in the previous year appeared to be no more likely than drug-free drivers to report that they had had an accident in the previous 12 months.
⁃ (Crime and Justice Bulletin, 2005)

• Both Australian studies suggest cannabis may actually reduce the responsibility rate and lower crash risk. Put another way, cannabis consumption either increases driving ability or, more likely, drivers who use cannabis make adjustments in driving style to compensate for any loss of skill.
⁃ (Journal of Drug Issues, 2004)

• We found no positive associations between marijuana use and lung or UAT cancers.  Despite several lines of evidence suggesting the biological plausibility of marijuana use being carcinogenic, it is possible that marijuana use does not increase cancer risk
⁃ (Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2006)

• We found that moderate marijuana use was significantly associated with reduced risk of HNSCC [head and neck squamous cell carcinoma].  Further, we observed that marijuana use modified the interaction between alcohol and cigarette smoking, resulting in a decreased HNSCC risk among moderate smokers and light drinkers, and attenuated risk among the heaviest smokers and drinkers.
⁃ (Cancer Research Prevention, 2009)

• Evidence supporting causal linkages between stages, as specified by the gateway hypothesis, was not obtained. Nor were specific risk factors identified that were related to consumption of each drug.
⁃ (American Journal of Psychiatry, 2006)

• Data suggest(s) that rather than acting as a gateway to other drugs, …cannabis has been exerting a beneficial influence on most.
⁃ (Harm Reduction Journal, 2007)

Great Find - Record Store Day

So, since it's Record Store Day, the Lady of the Manor and I sauntered on down to the ol' Recycled Records to peruse the various music on vinyl, tape and CD.

Three hours and $50 later, I'm happy to report success.

First up, two discs of Professor Longhair.  "Mardi Gras in New Orleans" and "Blues Originals, Vol. 2 - Professor Longhair: New Orleans Piano" compile many of the piano greats recordings from the 40's and 50's, with little overlap on the discs.


"Blues Originals, Vol. 3 - Texas Guitar from Dallas to L.A." contains sides by T-Bone Walker, Guitar Slim and Al King.

Next, a 2-disc set of interviews conducted by the late, great Studs Terkel for the book "Hard Times"






Lastly, another 2-disc set, this time of Alan Lomax's Louisiana Recordings from 1934.






Remember, you can make every day a Record Store Day.  Patronize your local record store (if you still have one in your town, city or municipality) where you'll get to hang around other music weirdos and maybe discover new tunes.