Friday, June 5, 2026
Randle's Rides
My friend Paul Randle, reformed democrat and octagenarian hotrodder, is having a pretty good run. He won the best of show last Sunday at the Pauma 5150 Car Show for his super buff silver Chevrolet truck, now known as the Silver Dollar.
Note the friendly wave of appreciation from his good friend Jay, himself once a competition drag racer.
You're number one, Paul.
Great car, let me know if you want to buy it.
Friday rant and non sequitur
Well, where do I start? Housekeeping I guess. We have now hit fourteen million views as of last night. I get no great thrill from this at this point, honestly have no idea how many of these hits are search engines or AI straining the blog's innards for material to pulverize and steal and contort and how many are real live human beings?
After 14k plus posts, I have put a lot of material out there and I do see people hitting on old stuff every day, then reading the posts to and fro, so I know some actual humans do visit on occasion. Perhaps I have reached some critical mass tipping point?
In any case, on the apex of my twentieth year scribing said website, I am proud of my consistent production, while also conscious of how much more reader involvement I had way back once upon a time. Oh well.
And this last two million hits came awful fast, whether machine intelligence, monkey or homo sapien I am glad somebody is still checking in. Greetings, future robot masters, I swear I was only half kidding when I wrote that stuff.
I was thinking about some of the things I hate in this life, list really isn't that long. But I despise plastic fencing, at least until it melts anyway. Then it looks like something Dali did. Or Christo.
What else? I hate the smell of liver. Don't like the taste of Dr. Pepper. I hate looking at the names of dead people in my contacts list but somehow can't summon the strength to erase them. I hate looking at a sideview of my stomach in the mirror or the ever increasing difficulty I have in cutting my toenails. I hate waking up every morning with new pains in my legs, hips and feet. I hate opening bottles and potato chips and pretty much everything else that requires manual dexterity. If the generations are truly greying, why not give the arthritis ridden old folks like me a little break? Not content to have long white rope like hairs coming out of my nostrils, they are sprouting on my arm. And I am getting so many spots and tags on my chest and neck I now look like a dalmatian. And don't even get me going on the prostate thing.
I hate that people are buying their clothes at Walmart and Amazon and anything hand crafted, expressive and colorful is now out so that we can all look the same and our homes can have the same boring furniture and decorative objects. I rue the death of brick and mortar. When will the mass produced mid century drek follow the K-mart brand mission furniture and all the other co-opted design fails right down the toilet hole? Heard the young are starting to look at Old Masters. Well, hallelujah for that. Unfortunately nearly all of the antique experts are expired now and their institutional knowledge lost to time and the wind, but I am sure that we can rely on these lovely young decorators and influencers who have never opened a book to adequately guide us through the upcoming design wilderness. Or better yet, let AI do it. It's always, sometimes, occasionally right.
I hate that my framer has abandoned me.
I hate not being able to speak to my late brother Buzz. Or Garry Cohen. Miss them deeply. Bob Teague too.
Miss the crunch of Peruvian flake but it's been 43 years, guess I should get over it. But if those Korean missiles were in the air...
What else do I hate? On account of my and my wife's health we don't travel and haven't together for a long while. I miss Kauai, want to hit the marble caves of Chile while I am alive and can still walk, probably won't ever happen.
Which brings me back to a much longer list, things that I love and things I have been able to see and do in my lifetime.
When I flip the last pages of life’s great book
Can I forget to mention the strange gerunuk?
A gigantic neck
With legs splayed akimbo
Part deer part giraffe, it’s taxonomy in limbo.
In far off Samburu I encountered the lair
Browsing the trees
Its branches laid bare.
One of the oddities I will never forget
It joins a camp memory
A pennsylvania red eft.
I swam with a ray
In Xelha near Tulum
Whose leopard spot body
Nearly caused me to swoon.
The fer de lance tree snake
Caused us both such a fright
You have twenty minutes to live
When you first feel its bite.
I’m sure there are others
Whose weirdness compares,
The gila monster maybe
or Malaysian sun bear
A crested eagle in Nairobi
It sat on a post
Of all of life’s birds
Its beauty hit most
I should not forget
The two headed snake
I once saw at the zoo
Going or coming
it gave me a shake.
So many creatures, so much sheer luck
But I will always remember that first gerunuk.
Wish I had a picture, I think my ex wife got that photo album. Glad I was able to see Africa, even with my companion at the time, it was an early bucket list item. Took a hot air balloon over the Serengeti, landed in a field of zebra and wildebeest for a catered lunch once the support team tracked us down. Treetops was epic. Ditto Masai Mara. The year before the latter a lion had crashed through a plate glass door and atee a zebra on the bed while his house guest cowered in the bathroom. Now that is action, folks.
I am happy for some of life' lucky chances. I visited Chichen Itza on the day of the Festival of the Serpent and celebrated with about 25 thousand Mayans. Epic. Woke up on the beach in Eilat, city of thieves, with my money artfully slit from the bottom of my sleeping bag and my throat not cut. Had a mom smart enough to lock up the television and make us read from a ten thousand book library. Skied expert runs my first day on the mountain. Had several multiple goal soccer games. Caught the Stones on Mick's birthday in 72. Saw Bowie on Broadway in Elephant Man. Caught Lightning Hopkins, Big Mama Thornton at the Academy. Mose Allison too.
Saw a double rainbow in Banff that is a picture that will remain in my mind til I die. Ditto the hike down Haleakala, Nueba on the Red Sea, Chief Joseph Scenic Highway, too many incredible places to list.
I am happy that I got to meet and befriend so many heroes, writers and artists. Zelazny, Sturgeon, Harlan Ellison, Griffin, Maloof, Allan Adler, Jack Kirby, S. Clay Wilson, Stan Sakai, Kalu Rinpoche, Yenur, Leary, Owsley, Arthur Lee, Jerry, way too many to list.
Happy that I got to eat a papaya king hot dog when they were great, truly the filet mignon of franks. Long time ago.
Happy for my old friends. The ones that stuck with me from New York, very few of those extant. Doug and Abby. The seventies crew, Dave, Jeff, Melissa, Ricardo, Kevin, Shawn, Lena, Ron, Pat, Jerry, Tom, Big Mike. Brett. The newer ones, Barry, Bill, Cam, Chip, Retha, Doug, Renee, Steve, Jim, Debbie, Michael, Steve. Kip, Peter, Mick, RoxAnn, Ken, Kent, Lois, Richard, Bob, Jeff, Phil, Paul, Dixon, who else?
Plenty more.
The peeps that are there with you every day. My wife, most of all. Send love her way.
Love to all my friends, family and readers. Keep living your life your way in spite of current trend and convention.
Peace.
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Pro Life?
Hard to believe, let alone stomach, but a proposed new bill that would permit vigilante killings of abortion providers.
Another anti-abortion abolitionist proposal has been in the news. This time, conservative lawmakers in North Carolina have asked voters to approve a state constitutional amendment recognizing the personhood of embryos and establishing that anyone who ends an embryonic life is guilty of first-degree murder. Those penalties might also apply to people pursuing in vitro fertilization or using some contraceptives, given that abortion foes sometimes view either as requiring the taking of unborn life. And that’s the most ordinary part of the proposal: The bill also provides that private individuals have a right to use deadly force to prevent “the willful destruction of life.” House Bill 1232 isn’t clear about exactly who could exercise this constitutional right to vigilante violence. Would it just be available to those seeking to kill abortion providers and patients? Or might it apply even more broadly to those seen to aid them?
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
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Monday, June 1, 2026
6/1/2026
The son of a sabra, I am hesitant to condemn Israel. My father was born there, my grandfather's bones are buried there. They live amongst many enemies that have sworn to destroy them. It is hard for me to tell them how they should react to what they regard as an existential threat to their existence, living so many thousands of miles away.
Having said that, I honestly hate their leader, both for his affinity for an American President that I despise and for his policies towards Palestinians. I hate how they have given impetus to an Israeli right wing and dare I say evangelical settler's movement that treats the people on the West Bank and Gaza like animals, harasses children and uproots olive trees. I have lived through a couple wars there and it has definitely changed in time and become an apartheid state.
The response to the horrific October seventh attacks was so disproportionate that it was unrecognizable to me that my people could indiscriminately kill their neighbors like they were, in their own words, "mowing the grass."
I love most jews but I don't have a lot of love for Israelis at the moment, especially when I hear them utter things like, destroy ten buildings in Beirut for every Israeli child hurt or fifty to one, I have heard both from them.
I hate that Israel seems to have joined the Trump, Putin, North Korea wing and only paid lip service to Ukraine. It reinforces my belief that I may stand with Jewry but I don't stand in lockstep with Netanyahu and his supporters and I never will.
Two weeks ago Israeli Ambassador Leiter said this in condemning J- Street, the Jewish Pro - Peace organization;
“But when you come and say in such a two-faced manner, ‘We’re pro-Israel, we’re pro democracy,’ there’s a democratically elected government in Israel,” Leiter continued. “You don’t like Netanyahu, make aliyah, vote in the next election and express yourself. Don’t say you’re ‘pro-democracy’ and decry and defy the position of the democratic government of Israel.”
Leiter is saying something very interesting here. If you are a jew, you can't criticize Israel. Your only option is to become an Israeli and vote if you don't like us but keep your mouth shut.
To this, I say, go fuck yourself. Israel is not my kingdom, Netanyahu is not my king. I find the concept of a Jewish state as unlivable and torturous as a Christian state or muslim state. Israel's orthodox rabbis have recently derided reform jews as monkeys, they can kiss my ass too.
I believe in humanity and people in general, I don't have an overriding tribal fealty although I do have a love for them as I try to love the entire world. But they get no special dispensation. That is what it means for me to be a jew.
And if Israel is committing unspeakable acts it is my duty to condemn them as I condemn Hamas, Hezbollah, Putin and the Iranians.
Israel, try to be better than that.
Last week...
Well, where do I start? It has been a long tiring week.
Ran down Main Ave, more cars than ever.
I am glad I am no longer judging the Fallbrook Vintage Car Show, this one would have wiped me out.
I saw a lot of friends in both the Shafters and the 5150 Ratrod Clubs.
Wink is the guy with the long beard, a fascinating character and holder of over 60 Bonneville land speed records that still exist today.
Spent a long time in the hospital after a crackup.
More about Wink here.
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I got a great call Monday morning that allowed me to buy a really good painting at a really good price.
I made up my mind that no matter what happened the rest of the week I would be happy and feel blessed.
Of course, those promises to yourself are tough to keep, especially when you are sitting on your hands at the show and the people around you are raking in money.
Later Monday Leslie and I went to a great Memorial Day barbecue at Dr. Neon's. Saw a lot of old friends and mishpucha.
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As I mentioned in the last post, Palos Verdes started off with a whimper and then was fairly dead the rest of the way until an old client came by to rescue me from the doldrums.
I did buy a nice early painting of Diamond Head by the National Academy painter Carl Brandien (1886-1965.)
Here are some shots of my booth.
We all went out to dinner at one of our favorite Chinese seafood joints, Seashore.
It is nice to break bread with your comrades once in a while, lots of good vibes flowed at this meal.
Saturday was a brutal three hour packout and drive home.
Parking at the church is scarce and I was totally whipped.
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Yesterday I had to get up first thing and judge another car show at Pauma Casino.
My sciatica and leg pain was firing at every tendon and joint and I had to sit down a couple times.
Luckily my two judge comrades carried my sorry ass when I petered out.
The show was cool, first car show I ever judged with shade, the cars fitting nicely under the solar panels. Again a lot of cars. I must be slowing down because it killed me.
Paul Randle, Bill, Truman, Wagman, Jeff Waldron, lot of good folks showed up.
Loved this hood mount on a rat rod.
It was a good show but I was too tired and busy judging to take pictures and I went home and slept as soon as I could.
Supposedly I will have this month off but I may need to drive to Oregon to pick up a couple paintings, we will see...
Sunday, May 31, 2026
Palos Verdes
The joys of being a show dealer. Opening night preview party, well dressed man walks up, says he is buying three paintings, one quite expensive. Brings two groups of friends over to check out his intended purchases, basks in their approval. Never returns the next four days. No sale. Luckily a repeat customer made a significant purchase and saved my show but I wish people would be more forthright and not engage in this sort of behavior.
But it reminds me of an old joke. An elderly gent hooks up with a very pretty young girl on a dating service, invites her to dinner one Friday. After dinner they walk by a jewelry store and he tells he to pick something out. She picks out a small bracelet and he says no way, get something big. She goes for the expensive necklace and earring combo. He gives the shop owner his check and they proceed to spend the weekend in bed at a nice hotel. Monday morning, the shop owner contacts the man and tells him that his check had bounced. He said, grinning, "I know, but let me tell you about my weekend."
People get a certain amount of energy and validation at shows and auctions for spending or appearing to spend large sums in a public forum. My prospective client received a lot of ego stroking at no cost.
I receive bupkis.
Friday, May 29, 2026
Sunday, May 24, 2026
Fine mess you've gotten us into
He needs to get oil prices down before the midterms as his own base is getting pummeled by runaway prices.
Food, gas and inflation are nearing epic levels.
Farmers can't buy diesel or fertilizer and bankruptcies are skyrocketing.
His MAGA stalwarts are starting to turn on each other like something from Lord of the Flies. Is it possible that they have been lied to by the Supreme Leader this whole time? That it was all a big carney act?
So what does he do? He announces a deal even though Iran says not so fast, we didn't agree to any of that.
On Saturday, President Trump said that a deal with Iran was “largely negotiated” and would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of a phone call with Arab allies in the region.
“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.”
So Donald. So full of shit. He says they can take care of the fine points and details later. Classic. More on the subject here, Iran says Trump remarks are inconsistent with reality.
Interesting that he is finally getting pushback from hawkish GOP asslickers like Cruz and Graham.
My guess is that he goes back to threatening total annihilation in less than ten days. Deal or no deal? I bet on the latter.
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Shawn sent this over.
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Ukraine is handing Russia its lunch. The Russians are trapped in Crimea. Now that the tide is turning we surrender like pussies. Americans are now out of the deal. This changes everything. Trump was betting on a Russian win for his pal and a big land grab. He always had his ugly orange thumb on the scale. Couldn't upset Putin and get those pee tapes distributed, could we? Interesting video here.
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Trump suspends weapons sales to Taiwan.
Following a pattern that he has established in his behaviour following meetings with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, he appears to have taken the side of a rival power that is also an enemy of the US’s longstanding allies.
Speaking to Fox News after his two-day visit to Beijing, Trump suggested that enabling the defence of Taiwan and defending its democracy was no longer a priority.
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Trump's Justice Department scrubs its website of news releases about Jan. 6 defendants.
Robsongs
I liked to goof on songs when I was a kid, still do I guess. Somewhere along the line I started coming up with a hybrid of Simon and Garfunkel's Dangling Conversation and the theme from Gilligan's Island.
Honest to god, I can't hear the original now without singing the minnow would be lost...
Here's something close:
It was a three hour tour
On a now late afternoon
With Ginger, Skip and Maryanne
The Howells and Professor too
And I wonder at all the luggage
For a little trip around the bay, Gilligan you can’t fly
You can hear the Skipper roar
In the dangling conversation
dreams of lovey's thighs
Across night time's ocean skies
And you read your Emily Dickinson
And I my Robert Frost
And to this deserted island
The Minnow would be lost…
Catchy, huh?
I won't belabor it right now but I did a similar thing with the Flintstones and When I paint my Masterpiece and the sitcom Alice with the Jam's Town called malice. A show called Alice...Too much time on my brain I guess, or too much television.
In the town of Bedrock lives Barney Rubble...
I took a tramadol last night, see what happens?
Saturday, May 23, 2026
Scarborough Faire
I posted this a long while back. In my 19th year, there will be some repeats. I asked for voices of the angels the other day and got interesting responses. Rox Ann included Ronstadt and although powerful, her voice is not as evocative for me as the others I picked.
Pat in England said Joni and I would include her except she seems like a pissy person. My blog, my rules. He also said Annie Lennox and she can certainly nail it. He rounded it out with Aldous Harding who I don't know and Gillian Welch. I don't think Gillian has an angelic voice but I like her stuff. I thought about K.D. Laing and she is certainly up there.
But you will notice I never said just women and if any man has a heavenly voice it is Art Garfunkel. And he may not be hip but listen to this and you can see that Andy Williams could hang with anybody in this department too.
Rib shot
I went out to my freezer, which is located in my utility room the night before last. Going to get an ice cream bar. Tripped on the last concrete step, wrenched my knee and hit the ground flush on the upper right side of my body.
I felt stupid but pretty good, considering.
All day yesterday I still felt pretty good. And then last night my right side started aching fiercely. Was it my only remaining kidney? That would be no good. This morning the pain became excruciating. I think I either fractured a rib or tore connective tissue. Hurts like hell.
I took ibuprofen and felt better this afternoon but now it is back. Took two more ibuprofen and cracked open the tramadol, which I have had on reserve but have never used.
Hopefully whatever I have screwed up will heal soon because I feel miserable.
This is the way?
We had followed the television series and thought, might as well. It was a fairly entertaining diversion, not great in any way and probably a slight step back for the whole enterprise.
Of course, Andor set the bar so high for writing and character development that anything this fluffy was destined to fail.
We had three choices of viewing, standard, 3d and something I had never heard of before called 4xd.
We went with the last one at Cinepolis in Vista.
4xd, also known as 4DX, accentuates every violent movement in your seat, you get wind, you get rain, you get smell.
Totally immersive.
And several times we both thought we would get thrown out of our seat.
A real roller coaster.
After a while that stops being fun.
But do it one time in your life. I had no idea this type of thing even existed.
Friday, May 22, 2026
Save the Country
You want to respect the government. But they just don't let you.
Here's today's story, workers in Yellowstone getting lead poisoning for following their bosses dictates and the Feds wash their hands of it.
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From parks to oil fields: Plan to open California lands to drilling sparks backlash
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California oil fight tests state's right to push back against Washington during war
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Trump Eases Restrictions on Climate ‘Super Pollutants’
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Kentucky has numerous coal ash sites. The U.S. EPA is weakening pollution protections for them.
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AOC Confronts Trump Official With Effects Of Data Centers On Local Water Supplies
