Paris

February 26, 2009 | Filed Under Main | 1 Comment

Though I love seeing other parts of the world, Paris is still amazing. History is everywhere. Art is everywhere. Good food and wine are everywhere. Even in damp, grey February. At least the grey signifies moisture in the air – not dirt as in Kuwait.

Been back to Sacre Coeur and the Dali Museum. Did the Musee d’Orsay today and visited Bon Marche and our favorite tea shop – Mariage Freres. Passed numerous other places we must go back to and plan to spend some time tomorrow on separate explorations. The only downside eating so far was last night when we wearily stopped at a bistro called “Tribeca”. Blech! The food was only okay but the killer was these little air freshener units posted on different walls that shot some godwaful Febreeze into the eating area. Quickest way to kill the taste of food I have ever seen. Can’t believe the French have not burnt the place to the ground yet.

Added to iPod

February 21, 2009 | Filed Under Main, Music | 2 Comments

Happy birthday to me.

National Day is coming up next week, which means a four day weekend. So I’m celebrating the holiday and my birthday in Paris with Kerry. Winter rates are EXCELLENT in this economy. I must say, it will be nice to eat cooked Food again. I am living like a bachelor, after all.

Jeff Beck – “Performing The Week – Live at Ronnie Scott’s” This is a recent concert at the famed jazz club in London. He sounds pretty good for an old man and the backing band is great.
The Charlatans – “Melting Pot” A greatest hits collection that shows more sides than just the single (The Only One) and more chops than Oasis had on their best day.
Gun Club – “Miami” and “Death Party” One of my fave 80s bands. Voodoo punk blues.
Sigur Rós – “ ( ) “ That’s the title of the album. The tracks have no names – just numbers. But it’s beautiful music. Ambient folk techno prog – Isn’t the whole point of Sigur Rós to always be different? One reviewer I read claimed to wish that they would stop trying to reinvent the wheel with every record. I don’t listen to them a lot, but this record is worth the cash.
Scott Walker – “Tilt” Speaking of different… I decided to go into the only used CD store I can find in Kuwait. It’s been more than a few months, but you need to give them this time in the hopes that something new will show up. I think I freak them out a bit with my bin to bin searches – but I’m a professional. This is a mission I do not take lightly. For the most part, there was nothing really new (though I did snag the Charlatans CD and something by Duke Robillard). Then this showed up. I didn’t know anything about Scott Walker except the name and that he had been around since the 60s. This disc is from 1995 – it turns out one of three he has recorded in the past 25 years. Noel Scott Engel was born in Ohio, started a band in Los Angeles and it hit big in the UK. The Walker Brothers (none brothers, none named Walker) scored with The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore and a number of other pop hits. Then Scott set out on his own with four critically acclaimed solo records. Most of the songs were covers – focusing on Jacques Brel tunes – but there were a number of self penned songs as well. Drugs and fame caused him to disappear a few times over the years – and he’s not doing pop tunes anymore.

“Tilt” is unique. Almost an operetta. Very serious stuff. The lyrics are fractured poems. The instrumentation diverse. And his voice is an amazing instrument. Warm and eerie at the same time. This isn’t a Tom Waits voice nor a Nick Cave voice. This is an epic voice – full and frightening. That may not be the right word, but I would imagine the voice of the angel Gabriel might be like this. The album is dark, but also beautiful. Songs like Farmer In The City and Rosary are the most accessible. The lyrics are wild with images. The song Bolivia 95 has a chorus that goes “Lemon Bloody Cola/Gonna sponge you down”. It’s not an easy listen because it demands your attention. I truly like the record, but if it came up randomly on the shuffle, I would have to skip it. You can’t do a quick swim in the deep end. Someone wrote that Walker’s music sounds like a Francis Bacon painting. A weird find in a strange place…

Teknickle Difikultees

February 18, 2009 | Filed Under Main | No Comments

I haz dem.

Spam has hit this website more often than I have.

Don’t bother adjusting your set. I just need to hit the computer with a bigger bat…

I Shot A Gun Today

February 15, 2009 | Filed Under Main | 10 Comments

About fifteen minutes ago. The first time ever. I can still feel the vibrations in my hand. My “trigger finger”. Since I came out here, the shooting range has been listed as one of the things to do in Kuwait. I heard people talk about going. And frankly, I needed something. Something besides the gym and work and the couch and movies. I needed to wake myself up somehow. Anyway, as I approach 49 years of age, I don’t want to be one of the handful of Americans on my block who has never even held a gun. Of course, there was some fear – both of the weapon itself and inadequacy. I wanted to get rid of them. Heck, Chris was a crack shot with a rifle and a shotgun when he was eleven!

I don’t know – it seemed necessary.

The place is right near where I live – right off the highway. I scoped it out yesterday (turns out they don’t open until 5pm). So I went after work tonight. The range is inside a pretty standard but nice building, part of the Hunting and Equestrian complex. When I went by yesterday, a young couple had also come up and were turned away. Tonight, I walked in behind two young ladies. They were there with boyfriends meeting another two couples downstairs. But during the time I was there, no women were shooting. At least not in the handgun range.

It cost about $20 for 20 bullets. I could choose either rifles or handguns. There were four choices of rifle and I think six handguns: a small 28, 9 millimeter, a .45, a .44 and two others I can’t remember. I chose the nine millimeter. I was pointed over to Bay 1 with my receipt in hand. There was a waiting area before the actual range area separated by sound proof glass. As I looked around trying to see where to go next (there was no line, just some guys looking at their used targets), a guard waved at me through the nearby door and pointed back to the way I had just come. At first I thought I missed a step, but I looked up and saw what he was after. Above the outside glass was a line of sound mufflers. Then someone opened the door to the range at the same time a shot went off. Let me tell you – firing a gun indoors is LOUD!!! I put those mufflers on fast and he waved me through the door.

I handed my slip to the Filipino gentleman inside and he brought it to the counter where they counted out my bullets and took out my gun. There were only about three other people there shooting, but I can imagine it gets crowded. He took me over to my spot and gave me rudimentary gun instructions. I was worried that the mufflers and the noise would wreak havoc on my trying to understand his broken English, but the instructions for shooting a gun are pretty basic. Point the gun straight at all times – especially when loaded. Keep your finger off the trigger unless you are ready to shoot. Hold the gun tightly with both hands. He showed me how to load the magazine with bullets (sliding them in one at a time) and where the safety was and how to release the clip to refill it. He showed me how to aim. He said you don’t pull the trigger – you squeeze it slowly.

I got into the stance, turned off the safety and fired. Let me tell you, that thing jumps. At least it doesn’t end up where you started. You have to re-aim each time. But that helps you keep from thinking you’re on some silly cop show where they just fire at will 20 or thirty times. The magazine holds ten bullets , so after one round with the target fairly close, the second was pushed farther back. But I did alright. Only two went straight in the center. But most of the rest were clustered pretty close to the center.

My 20 shots done, I shook hands with my instructor, took my shot-up target and came home. The whole thing took about twenty minutes. It was worth it. It was fun, actually. Some things you just have to know…

Mid-Week Stretch

February 11, 2009 | Filed Under Main | 2 Comments

This morning’s gray sky has turned yellow and is heading to orange. Not because of the sun, but because of the dust. Last night a king-hell wind started blowing out here and, though it has quieted some, it is whipping up dust from all across the desert and covering every animate and inanimate thing in the city. So – the air quality today is in the negative numbers. I woke up in the middle of the night – what with the wind making such a racket – and I could smell the dust seeping into the apartment.

Speaking of my apartment, there’s some renovations going on. My apartment is on the roof of this building in Salwa. There are two one bedrooms up here. And the roof deck was nice and spacious where the tenants could gather, cook out on the grill or just sit and look out over the water (or sun yourself and talk with errant birds). Well, that’s gone now. The landlord has decided to build apartments in that space. They are actually putting an apartment outside my apartment (both apartments). I now climb over a construction site just to get in and out of my place. The crazy part is that each of the new apartments are as big as my bedroom! Tops 20 x 13 feet wall to wall. You either have a bed or a couch, but not both. Not sure the space set aside is big enough for a toilet and a shower. But – knowing how housing is for the servant class out here – I’m guessing he can probably fit an entire family into this space. Greed knows no bounds…

On the other side of the spectrum, one of the big mega-malls in town has added a Dean & DeLuca and Kiehls to their constantly growing stable of stores. Ah, a little slice of New York! Pay no attention to the downward spiral of your finances! Buy $20 cheeses. And yet each day local Kuwaitis look to the government to pay all their losses from the Market. Funny story – I heard the government was close to cancelling all private debt a few months ago. Before the vote was taken, word was spread through the diwaniyas (coffee klatches, late night men talking) and all the Kuwaitis went out and maxed-out all their credit cards. When the government found out, they promptly ditched that plan. It is always spoiled at the top.

Watched a bootleg (good quality) of the movie “W.” last night. A very odd film to watch. Well made, well acted, but… uninteresting. The whole movie was anti-climactic. It was neither dramatic nor funny nor revelatory. It just sort of sat there and happened. It may have a lot to do with the lead character being a naïve dullard. Frankly, the road from privileged, half-wit party boy to privileged, half-wit Christian is a short one.

Added to iPod

February 7, 2009 | Filed Under Music | 2 Comments

Just for the record, Michael Phelps will be fine. Because the next time the US needs to win a medal in swimming, you can bet your ass folks will be knocking down his door to praise his talents again. Take another bong hit, Mike. Take two. You won a billion gold medals so no one really cares. As a nation, we are more concerned with Jessica Simpson’s weight.

The Rascals – “Time Peace” One of the best greatest hits collections ever.
Charles Ives – “Ives: Sympohnies 1-4, Orchestral Sets 1-2” The works on Ives – one of our great American composers. With the Cleveland Orchestra, Zubin Mehta and the Academy of St. Martin’s in the Field (my favorite).
The Gutter Twins – “Saturnalia” The Gutter Twins are actually Mark Lanegan (The Screaming Trees) and Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs, et al). I have decided that ‘Greg Dulli music’ should be considered a genre. It should have its own section in a record store – with all the CDs under all the various names Greg likes to record as. ‘Greg Dulli music’ has its own style. It is smoky and dramatic. It slinks along and then it explodes. It embraces all the dark corners and reaches for redemption. And Greg Dulli can be very good or truly horrid at performing ‘Greg Dulli music’. This one works quite well, with Lanegan adding his deep timbre voice and scorching guitar riffs to the usual emotional chaos. Not as good as “Powder Burns”, but it is a suitable genre piece.
Neil Young – “Journey Through The Past” and “Time Fades Away”. Neither of these records have been released in a digital format and probably never will. Neil doesn’t like them – whether the recording or the sound or the material. But the Internet is a grand thing and you can always find it if you want it. “Journey” is the soundtrack to the never released documentary Neil made back in the early 70s. It is a very interesting listen that includes an early television appearance by the Buffalo Springfield, some live CSNY, a recording session of the song Alabama pulled apart and brought back together, some instrumentals, and a piece of Handel’s Messiah. It is exactly a movie soundtrack rather than an organized album. The only new song is Neil’s beautiful Soldier.
“Time Fades Away” is a live album and the beginning of the ‘Ditch Trilogy’. Neil had just had commercial success and since he couldn’t handle the middle of the road, he headed for the ‘ditch’. This tour also coincided with the OD deaths of Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten and one of the band’s roadies. [The trilogy starts with “Time”, then “Tonight’s The Night” and ends with “On The Beach”.] For a live album, this is very raw. But it’s still Neil and the songs are nothing to be ashamed of. Love In Mind, LA, The Bridge and Don’t Be Denied are pretty damn good songs and they only appear on this album. Frankly, we can all agree that Neil has recorded some crap in his oeuvre. But this record does not fall into that class. Find it on vinyl and give it a listen – it is a must for any true fan.

Stimulus Package

February 2, 2009 | Filed Under Politics | 4 Comments

I know – you’re sick of hearing about it and so am I. And I’m sick of hearing about it from both sides. Seriously, to have to watch John Kerry get his butt kicked again on Meet The Press (this time by Kay Bailey Hutchinson) is just unbearable. GET THAT MAN OFF THE TV!!!! He should never speak in public again.

And this bill is FULL of nonsense. Granted, I have not been able to find a website yet that listed everything that is in the bill. But some of what I have read reminds me why I hate Dems as well. $650 million for digital TV conversion? $75 million for smoking cessation programs? $400 million for HIV and chlamydia testing? Do we really need those things RIGHT NOW?! It’s a pork barrel fiesta! All those “feel good” programs they wanted all these years – finally home at last. It’s an absolute disgrace.

HOWEVER – I reckon that pork to only be about 30-40% of the total package. The rest is of the bill is useful. The rest of the bill is necessary. But more important – the rest of the bill will benefit me! I got nothing out of the last two bailouts – not a single check to not spend. The last 8 years only saw my taxes go up (thanks AMT!). The previous administration did squat for me except make all those wealthy people spend their extra money recklessly, invest in phony deals and collapse the entire system. They might as well have been snorting cocaine with all that trickle-down-private-investment capital the Reps moan about in their sleep every night. They don’t get that money again. Not now.

I say – let Reps bitch and moan. They’re not wrong. It’s just that their options are worse and they do not benefit me. And -right now? – that’s all there is.

Gray day in the Q

February 1, 2009 | Filed Under Main | 3 Comments

It’s been raining all morning. Gray and wet. It rained all day Friday as well. And knowing how bad the driving is and knowing that Kuwaitis are unused to rain, I stayed inside all day. Didn’t want to chance some highway disaster amongst the still speeding Range Rovers, Jaguars and Jeeps. However, as soon as I hit the road this morning, the rain began. Hard at times, but mostly just spitting. At least our flamingoes will be well watered. This is not the weather I encountered last year at all. I guess we have a normal Kuwait winter. And all this time, I thought they were just kidding me…

I mentioned earlier that I was a singles (as in 45 RPM) kind of guy. I was thinking about those days in the late 60s/early 70s when we would blow all our ill-gotten gain on candy, comic books and records (probably in that order). Back then there were no super-stores: no Best Buy or Virgin or even the Wiz. There were just department stores and – as far as I can remember – we bought all our 45s at Kings Department Store in our tiny hamlet of Milford. I know Mom worked at W. S. Grant’s, but I don’t think they had a record department (or at least not one worth a damn). We had Jack’s Music downtown, but that was for instruments and sheet music. And an actual record store (Merle’s Record Rack) did not appear until much later (plus, for all we knew, New Haven was a foreign country). So I’m thinking our collection – parts of which still stand today – came mostly from Kings. Of course, we stopped buying singles when they hit the outrageous price of $1.29. Even then, those industry bastards were greedy.

Have fun with the Super Bowl tonight. I believe it goes off around 2AM my time. But I don’t really have a horse in this race so I don’t think I’m missing much…. Except the commercials.