Last night..PBS...celebrated and presented the GERSHWIN lifetime achievement award in song writing.....to .. Sir Paul McCartney,...in the East wing of the White house, before the President and many honored guests...
Back in April I had the opportunity to see Paul Live in concert in Miami....and I wrote a piece about it...and I figure the timing is right to put it up on the Blog...so here it is..... rayray
That verse was taken from the Beatles tune. “Back in the USSR”.
I recently attended the Paul McCartney concert in Miami, part of a 5 stop “America’s” tour which includ Phoenix, LA, Miami, Puerto Rico, and Mexico City.
A new friend of mine and her young daughter, went together to see the show. While on the way I mentioned to JB, the young lady, that the Beatles music took the world by storm in the early 1960’s, when I was about her age, and that their first live performance ever, in the United States, just also happened to be in Miami Beach, live on Television on The ED SULLIVAN show... in 1964 nearly 46 years ago.
Back then, television was in its infancy, to a large degree, and was broadcasted live. Ed Sullivan’s variety show was wildly popular across America. In fact, this was a major way that many American families first began to experience cultural events featuring world famous acts and actors...yet experienced them from the comfort of their own living room. If you had a television, and Ed Sullivan came on, the entire family would gather around it every week. It was a family event each week.
But that night, was very significant, for any Baby Boomer. We remember it, as if it were yesterday. It was as significant an event for us, from an indelible memory standpoint... as much as the horror of the attack on Pearl Harbor for our parents, or the Kennedy Assassination, or September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, which will forever be etched in our children’s memory.
This event, of course, was peaceful, not violent or shocking.. But... joyous and so memorable for Parent and child...It was unifying...
We wanted to show off the Beatles to our parents, like a child wants to show off a new holiday toy. We embraced the Beatles as ours. And as a statement to our parents of what we wanted as kids...love and peace and music.
We wondered whether our parents could relate to the Beatles and embrace them as we did...especially with their long hair, pointed boots and dressed in all black...The Beatles spoke to us and we listened...just as we wanted our parents to listen to us....I think they did...of course they did...
My mom, I’m sure could sing or hum the tune to “Michelle” or “Eleanor Rigby”...in the snap of a finger.
I thought it was notable, and to my pleasant surprise, while on Stage... Paul, made mention of the Ed Sullivan show and coming home to Miami Beach, in recognition of its significance to them and to America and to every person in that audience that saw it live back then in 1964......we were unified in that moment...their success and our lives were forever intertwined... and I really appreciated that he took a moment before the performance got too far underway, in a sense, to sanctify that moment. It certainly didn’t go unnoticed by this writer.
In those 46 years in between visits to Miami, we have all been through a lot...Cold wars, hot wars, good times, bad times...and through it all... there was the Beatles... of course we lost...John Lennon, to an assassin and George Harrison, to illness.... and Ed Sullivan...the father of the Variety show... and the P. T. Barnum of his time. Paul took time from the show to mention those 3 during the course of the evening. It was a magical evening.
We left that stadium humming “Hey Jude” and I was so grateful to witness his return to Miami Beach, sort of where it all began for all of us........
Attached is a list of songs that I put into my phone that evening. I think I missed a few..
Paul McCartney concert April 3rd, 2010
Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club band
Helter Skelter
Yesterday
Get Back
Lady Madonna
Day Tripper
Hey Jude
Live and let Die
Let it be
Give Peace a Chance
A day in the life
Paperback Writer
Sing the changes
Back in the USSR
Ob-la- di Ob- la- da
Band on the Run
You
Feel the Thunder
Where my love goes
Eleanor Rigby
What the use of worrying
Ho Hey Ho....Ho hey ho...Mrs Vandebuilt
Everybody gonna dance
Here today
Blackbird
Two of us
I’m looking through you
My love does it good
Let Em in
Jimi Hendrix tune
For us to remember.........Ray, Nancy, Jenna-Brooke, Judiann
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
If I were Blind...
How about a little change of pace?...here's a poem I wrote... as the backdrop for my book by the same name....rayray
If I were blind
And couldn’t see
I wonder how the world
Would be
We’d have to lend
A special ear
To every sound
Loud and clear
Every touch
Magnified
Every smell
Categorized
The color green
What does it mean?
We would learn a life
Never seen
Only felt
Only smelt
Only heard
Every word
But the truth, in fact
of being blind
Has little to do
With seeing fine
It’s all about beliefs
You see
That clouds our vision
Dramatically
We have our role
And keep it tight
Never open
No insight
That’s the blindness
Of which I speak
It’s reciprocal
Is what I seek
Clear in purpose
Opened wide
Be forgiving
From inside
Accept that life
Is just about
Breathing in
And breathing out
Enjoy each moment
While it lasts
Because before you know it
It’s in the past.
If I were blind
And couldn’t see
I wonder how the world
Would be
We’d have to lend
A special ear
To every sound
Loud and clear
Every touch
Magnified
Every smell
Categorized
The color green
What does it mean?
We would learn a life
Never seen
Only felt
Only smelt
Only heard
Every word
But the truth, in fact
of being blind
Has little to do
With seeing fine
It’s all about beliefs
You see
That clouds our vision
Dramatically
We have our role
And keep it tight
Never open
No insight
That’s the blindness
Of which I speak
It’s reciprocal
Is what I seek
Clear in purpose
Opened wide
Be forgiving
From inside
Accept that life
Is just about
Breathing in
And breathing out
Enjoy each moment
While it lasts
Because before you know it
It’s in the past.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The unemployment Stimulus package
In the aftermath of the Senate vote...60/40 for the unemployment extension.. I would like to say....Bravo.... to the supporters who withstood...the strong filibuster...no doubt.....that this democratic option was certainly exercised to its fullest extent ....however.... the underlying philosophy... by the opposition still remains troubling to me....
Because it has become a philosophy of confusion...and the solution is found in separating issues... so people can clearly understand...better perhaps....or for worse...but either way...as long as the core facts are made apparent to most Americans....
There is so much confusion....that I thought I would just capture a few thoughts...that came to me yesterday....in an emotional way...and ...I needed to calm down a little....to write effectively...although sometimes just getting the thought out is all that is needed...even.. when things seem so obvious....but I think some of these thoughts are worth mentioning again...
1.Unemployment is a benefit that these workers qualified for. It is not a hand out... nor charity. It is the equivalent of less than minimum wage...
2.Unless you earned it you don’t get it...those collecting the benefit were all good wage earners that lost their jobs.
3.Employers pay Payroll tax...to the State... for this possibility/potentiality... and...That is why it’s there... like insurance for losing a job.. it is not a freebee...it is the cost of having a business in America and hiring employees to help a business grow.. which adds to the good and services that comprise our national economy....this extends to workers compensation costs for when employees are injured on a job. Should we castigate a disabled employee..for collecting on workers comp?
4. Here’s some food for thought.......When you give an hungry person or a family... $300 dollars...what do you think he/she will do with the money?.... if you answered ..eat....then you are right...so the money is not going to buy crack cocaine or speed or alcohol...it is going to go to the essentials that a family needs to survive...
5.So when we re-circulate this $12,000,000,000 (that’s 12 Billion dollars) of funds back to the workers who earned the right to that money...what happens to that money?...if you answered... its spent....you are right again!!!...the money is put back into the economy in the form or all kinds of consumer purchasing....
6. In fact.. if they stopped paying these qualified benefits to those 30,000,000 (thirty million) or so unemployed Americans...the economy would continue to tank even further..
7.This is the perfect example of biting ones own nose to spite one’s face...
8.the Hard-line approach taken by the filibustering Senators...was not only morally misguided...but proved that they did not see the connection at all... to the increase in spending activity...which will stimulate the economy...estimated to be $1.60 of economic growth for every $1.00 dollar of unemployment.....so....on the 12 billion spent.... it adds nearly 20,000,000,000..(nearly 20 billion real spending activity and economic growth into the economy....rayray
Because it has become a philosophy of confusion...and the solution is found in separating issues... so people can clearly understand...better perhaps....or for worse...but either way...as long as the core facts are made apparent to most Americans....
There is so much confusion....that I thought I would just capture a few thoughts...that came to me yesterday....in an emotional way...and ...I needed to calm down a little....to write effectively...although sometimes just getting the thought out is all that is needed...even.. when things seem so obvious....but I think some of these thoughts are worth mentioning again...
1.Unemployment is a benefit that these workers qualified for. It is not a hand out... nor charity. It is the equivalent of less than minimum wage...
2.Unless you earned it you don’t get it...those collecting the benefit were all good wage earners that lost their jobs.
3.Employers pay Payroll tax...to the State... for this possibility/potentiality... and...That is why it’s there... like insurance for losing a job.. it is not a freebee...it is the cost of having a business in America and hiring employees to help a business grow.. which adds to the good and services that comprise our national economy....this extends to workers compensation costs for when employees are injured on a job. Should we castigate a disabled employee..for collecting on workers comp?
4. Here’s some food for thought.......When you give an hungry person or a family... $300 dollars...what do you think he/she will do with the money?.... if you answered ..eat....then you are right...so the money is not going to buy crack cocaine or speed or alcohol...it is going to go to the essentials that a family needs to survive...
5.So when we re-circulate this $12,000,000,000 (that’s 12 Billion dollars) of funds back to the workers who earned the right to that money...what happens to that money?...if you answered... its spent....you are right again!!!...the money is put back into the economy in the form or all kinds of consumer purchasing....
6. In fact.. if they stopped paying these qualified benefits to those 30,000,000 (thirty million) or so unemployed Americans...the economy would continue to tank even further..
7.This is the perfect example of biting ones own nose to spite one’s face...
8.the Hard-line approach taken by the filibustering Senators...was not only morally misguided...but proved that they did not see the connection at all... to the increase in spending activity...which will stimulate the economy...estimated to be $1.60 of economic growth for every $1.00 dollar of unemployment.....so....on the 12 billion spent.... it adds nearly 20,000,000,000..(nearly 20 billion real spending activity and economic growth into the economy....rayray
Monday, July 19, 2010
Election day...... in July?..
You might find it rather odd that I would say that it’s Election Day in July... tomorrow.........
We normally think of that occurring in November... on the 2nd Tuesday. But this year its different...This year Election Day is tomorrow...7/20/10.
This is the day that the Senate is supposed to vote on the Unemployment extension bill...
There will be more eyes focused on the Senate in Our nation’s Capital... in Washington DC...than anywhere else in the country...Tomorrow the Senate is under the looking glass... exposed and vulnerable.
Tomorrow the Senators, who oppose this bill, might as well pack their bags and hit the road.... if this doesn’t pass, maybe not tomorrow, but as soon as their incumbent seat becomes available.
They will be gone...for their failure to have the guts... to face the fact... that they failed the American Worker....and callously...and stubbornly and ..with malice....blamed the American worker for its failure to prioritize the issues that have crippled our country and blamed it on lazy American workers..who are unemployed and desperately need these funds to survive and feed their family...it borders on treason.. in the name of fiscal accounting.....and... its entirely possible that the damage has already been done...
The Republican senators.. who acted as a bloc...to filibuster all attempts to come to a decent solution...mocked the American worker by their inaction....and yet they want to retake their powerful seats and drive this country forward...Are they kidding?
Tomorrow is truth or consequences.....
Truth...because they must recognize that people, the American people come first, not political party...and consequences... are that they will be removed from their esteemed place in the Senate...one by one.
They never conceived that they were playing with fire. That’s how arrogant they have become.....and now on the fortnight of history...they could salvage their situation...or they will get burnt beyond recognition...
I have hope that they have the clarity... to come to their collective senses and for once ...do the right thing and extend the benefits.... and possibly... finally...feel connected to the collective sigh of relief that will emanate from every town... in every city.... by every family... and by every person... who has been under the extreme pressures that comes from a lack of money in this crazy world we live in.....rayray
We normally think of that occurring in November... on the 2nd Tuesday. But this year its different...This year Election Day is tomorrow...7/20/10.
This is the day that the Senate is supposed to vote on the Unemployment extension bill...
There will be more eyes focused on the Senate in Our nation’s Capital... in Washington DC...than anywhere else in the country...Tomorrow the Senate is under the looking glass... exposed and vulnerable.
Tomorrow the Senators, who oppose this bill, might as well pack their bags and hit the road.... if this doesn’t pass, maybe not tomorrow, but as soon as their incumbent seat becomes available.
They will be gone...for their failure to have the guts... to face the fact... that they failed the American Worker....and callously...and stubbornly and ..with malice....blamed the American worker for its failure to prioritize the issues that have crippled our country and blamed it on lazy American workers..who are unemployed and desperately need these funds to survive and feed their family...it borders on treason.. in the name of fiscal accounting.....and... its entirely possible that the damage has already been done...
The Republican senators.. who acted as a bloc...to filibuster all attempts to come to a decent solution...mocked the American worker by their inaction....and yet they want to retake their powerful seats and drive this country forward...Are they kidding?
Tomorrow is truth or consequences.....
Truth...because they must recognize that people, the American people come first, not political party...and consequences... are that they will be removed from their esteemed place in the Senate...one by one.
They never conceived that they were playing with fire. That’s how arrogant they have become.....and now on the fortnight of history...they could salvage their situation...or they will get burnt beyond recognition...
I have hope that they have the clarity... to come to their collective senses and for once ...do the right thing and extend the benefits.... and possibly... finally...feel connected to the collective sigh of relief that will emanate from every town... in every city.... by every family... and by every person... who has been under the extreme pressures that comes from a lack of money in this crazy world we live in.....rayray
Thursday, July 15, 2010
"Can you visualize the problem?
Sometimes numbers can be very deceiving....and particularly hard to understand.... Here’s an example that really hits HOME.
It is estimated that 1,000,000 homes will be foreclosed upon this year...and the scope of that problem is very difficult to understand...so I thought I would put this into a different perspective in order to more clearly visualize what this means...
If the average lot size of a foreclosed home... is 100 ft wide... that equals 100,000,000 feet... (one hundred million feet)
1 mile = 5,280 feet...therefore....if these foreclosed houses were lined up side to side...the length would be approximately 19,000 miles.......
That’s the same as... New York to San Francisco...back and forth
7 times........rayray
It is estimated that 1,000,000 homes will be foreclosed upon this year...and the scope of that problem is very difficult to understand...so I thought I would put this into a different perspective in order to more clearly visualize what this means...
If the average lot size of a foreclosed home... is 100 ft wide... that equals 100,000,000 feet... (one hundred million feet)
1 mile = 5,280 feet...therefore....if these foreclosed houses were lined up side to side...the length would be approximately 19,000 miles.......
That’s the same as... New York to San Francisco...back and forth
7 times........rayray
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
"You're Fired".. George started it...
I just got the news over the internet.....that George Steinbrenner died today...If you’re a Yankee fan...whether you liked him or not, you’ll pay your respects...Probably... Yankee hats will be worn all over the City this week...kind of like... a Jewish shiva....tear the black rim a little......
However, if you’re not a Yankee fan...like from Boston...or...anywhere else...the tenor may not be as respectful...
Most people will remember him as a tyrannical owner...who spent wildly in an effort to win at all salary cost...and then... when he did...he would stick it back in your face...and shuffle the deck before the new season...like clockwork...
So many marquis players and managers have come through his corporate suite...and some... went out ...with the original words uttered.......long before “The Donald” popularized the expression...YOU’RE FIRED!!.....
He was the Original Sports Mafia Boss, who ruled with an iron fist...but always attracted and kept the great players around, and paid them well... of course.....and.... deep down.... he knew how good they were...but would never outwardly let on to that... or that he cared.
That seemed like his M.O. ...so...the great players would want to always prove to the boss.... how good they were....and that’s how he always got the most out of them...and the championships speak for themselves.
Interestingly.... he always wanted the Late Billy Martin around...and with all of Billy's repeated firings.....he seemed to give Billy numerous chances to redeem himself and repent....George was one of Billy’s 12 steps...lol...ultimately Billy died, and in a strange sort of way...he probably missed him...as..we will miss George.
Undoubtedly...we are bound to see another monument in Center field...and....in spite of it all...and any ill feelings we may have.... about his style of management.......he deserves to be there...forever enshrined at Yankee Stadium....rayray
However, if you’re not a Yankee fan...like from Boston...or...anywhere else...the tenor may not be as respectful...
Most people will remember him as a tyrannical owner...who spent wildly in an effort to win at all salary cost...and then... when he did...he would stick it back in your face...and shuffle the deck before the new season...like clockwork...
So many marquis players and managers have come through his corporate suite...and some... went out ...with the original words uttered.......long before “The Donald” popularized the expression...YOU’RE FIRED!!.....
He was the Original Sports Mafia Boss, who ruled with an iron fist...but always attracted and kept the great players around, and paid them well... of course.....and.... deep down.... he knew how good they were...but would never outwardly let on to that... or that he cared.
That seemed like his M.O. ...so...the great players would want to always prove to the boss.... how good they were....and that’s how he always got the most out of them...and the championships speak for themselves.
Interestingly.... he always wanted the Late Billy Martin around...and with all of Billy's repeated firings.....he seemed to give Billy numerous chances to redeem himself and repent....George was one of Billy’s 12 steps...lol...ultimately Billy died, and in a strange sort of way...he probably missed him...as..we will miss George.
Undoubtedly...we are bound to see another monument in Center field...and....in spite of it all...and any ill feelings we may have.... about his style of management.......he deserves to be there...forever enshrined at Yankee Stadium....rayray
Friday, July 9, 2010
Labron decides on Miami..... "Sobe" it......
I do feel a little sense of sympathy for Cleveland this morning...now that Lebron’s die is cast........He was their favorite son....he grew up there....they had him for 7 years professionally...He put the Cavs...on the NBA map... they loved him, enjoyed him, it gave Cleveland and its fan base... something to be real proud of...as the economy of that region has been driving young people out of the Midwest...the hallowed Midwest...Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit etc....these are hard working cities...whose people embody the American spirit...and who helped build the heart of this country...Pity... that they just don’t seem to get the respect nor recognition they deserve... Labron represented that respect they so desperately desire.
So...This was a big blow to them last nite...when he uttered the words...South Beach....we call it Sobe.
The glitter and glitz it represents, runs against the Midwesterners grain..which is why so many Midwestern retirees..opt for the west coast of Florida..in places like Ft. Myers,Sarasota, Tampa, and St Pete... rather than the East coast of Florida... and...this aspect will sting for a long time.
But their upsetness is not because of his decision to make changes...that any 25 year old would make when he decides that its time to leave home...and forge a new life...none of us could blame a young , single, successful, wealthy professional to move on and experience all that life has to offer...
The real hurt is more out of selfishness and loss of hope than anything else...they wished he would cling onto them as they had to him... It was a typical dependency reaction...and now they will have to go through a withdrawal of sorts...just like an addict must experience.. in order to break free of an addiction. perhaps even, the grief steps....
He is only one man in the world, who ultimately, like anyone else, stands alone and makes choices in his own best interest, for the betterment of himself and his family...
The people in Miami are very fickle sports fans and don’t need a hero.
We just love the excitement and having fun.... we already have Shula, and Marino, Wade and the Hurricanes (in the good yrs)...and Miami Beach....
Labron will add a lot of spice to this town...but not define it......and I promise you...that his bachelor’s pad will be second to none...and let’s face it....playing 81 games at home in the Winter wont hurt too much either... btw.....better get your tickets now...they wont last long......rayray
So...This was a big blow to them last nite...when he uttered the words...South Beach....we call it Sobe.
The glitter and glitz it represents, runs against the Midwesterners grain..which is why so many Midwestern retirees..opt for the west coast of Florida..in places like Ft. Myers,Sarasota, Tampa, and St Pete... rather than the East coast of Florida... and...this aspect will sting for a long time.
But their upsetness is not because of his decision to make changes...that any 25 year old would make when he decides that its time to leave home...and forge a new life...none of us could blame a young , single, successful, wealthy professional to move on and experience all that life has to offer...
The real hurt is more out of selfishness and loss of hope than anything else...they wished he would cling onto them as they had to him... It was a typical dependency reaction...and now they will have to go through a withdrawal of sorts...just like an addict must experience.. in order to break free of an addiction. perhaps even, the grief steps....
He is only one man in the world, who ultimately, like anyone else, stands alone and makes choices in his own best interest, for the betterment of himself and his family...
The people in Miami are very fickle sports fans and don’t need a hero.
We just love the excitement and having fun.... we already have Shula, and Marino, Wade and the Hurricanes (in the good yrs)...and Miami Beach....
Labron will add a lot of spice to this town...but not define it......and I promise you...that his bachelor’s pad will be second to none...and let’s face it....playing 81 games at home in the Winter wont hurt too much either... btw.....better get your tickets now...they wont last long......rayray
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