An evening of Live Music and Art

Last night, my wife and I went to Jefferson College, in Hillsboro Missouri to attend a free Jazz concert and live art presentation.

The first hour of the presentation was a contemporary Jazz group called Koplantno, depending on the day of the week, and which concert you attend, the name will mean a variety of things from the Hawaiian word for sugar that is an homage to their Polynesian drummer to it being Kono's Plant, not Dano's or ChinHo's or Steve O's, but Kono's.

The jazz is a mix of styles of Jazz greats such as Buddy Collette and his swinging shepherds, Buddy Rich, Dave Brubeck, Chuck Mangonie and Nelson Rangel.

The Jazz can be very laid back, or very aggressive and contemporary.  The Quartet features Brian Lewis Smith on Trumpet, Keys and Laptop, Drew Morton on Bases and Synthis, Rob Barner on Drums, Samples and Vibraphone, and Joel Vanderheyden on Saxophone.

The second half of the presentation featured a live digital movie created on the spot, featuring an animated character named Stubby McGee a stick figure who walks through a world that constantly changes, yet Stubby manages to move forward, never stopped by what changes.

The presentation is amazing.

Here is a sample of KoplantNo live from the performance at Jefferson College, last night.

Mixed Good and Fair Photos of my Academy B-24J Liberator in 1/72nd Scale

These photos represent a combination of a current kit, by Academy model co, of the Consolidated B-24J Liberator in 1/72nd scale, with Decals scavenged and re made from the old MPC Profile Series of the B-24J Liberator from the the 1960's.  The stripes on the wings were hand painted using acrylic paints.  The main body of the B-24 was painted using oil based and acrylic paints, and the model took 3 years to build and 30 years to complete this particular version.

I said 30 years because I have tried twice before to build this exact version, and have failed, of course back in the day, the kit was $3.25, paints were .50 a bottle, glue was .75 a tube and MPC, Revelle, Matchbox and Aurora were the main manufacturers of scale model kits.  A lot has changed, and not for the better.  MPC went out of production in the early 2000's the last of the star wars kits, bought out by Revelle, and the only place you can find the old Profile Series kits is on Ebay and no guarantee of being able to purchase or condition.

I will post more and better photos, when I have the chance.

Some photos

What follows is a mix of some recent photos

One of the local gas stations getting into the Halloween mood.

My most recent model, the Academy B-24 Liberator with markings from the old MPC Profile series kit, and hand painted wing stripes.

Two final photos of the forest at Convergys Parking Lot, beautiful.

Two photos of the flowers blooming at Convergys.

Two photos of me, by my wife.  I shaved my hair in support of my Nephew Lane, who is receiving therapy for Leukemia and was afraid of losing his hair.  In the second photo I am wearing my new glasses, I look like Drew Carrey.

Four photos taken at a special retreat here in Missouri.  It is beautiful and unspoiled and a place you really can get away from the maddening crowd.

My mother in Law in a prayerful moment.

Detailed shot of the Full moon, a few nights back.

Last two shots, of the cutest little kid on the planet, my step grand daughter Izabella the amazing.  Please note, in the second photo she is wearing one of my old work shirts from when I worked at the Auraria campus Bookstore.  The shirt was about five times too large for her.

The great cat, penguin war

Once upon a time, a long time ago... the cats ruled the earth.

Now the cats were gentle rules, all they asked for was fresh bowls of water, some petting 100 times a day, and to be fed.  They treated the humans well, until one day... The day the Penguins invaded.

The Penguins were from another planet, well they had to be, for you see they were these strange swimming birds that lived in the coldest regions of the planet earth, they were deceitful creatures who named one of the most barren and coldest places Greenland, and the warmest and nicest places Iceland.

All was fine until she came to a small burg called Podunk.  Podunk is a small city in the middle of nowhere, okay it is in  Missouri.  But all had been quiet in Podunk, then the Queen Penguin, disguised as a mellow quiet woman priest arrived.

When the queen arrived, her Penguin army followed, they came as gifts and in peace... Haa!

They began to take over, not just in Podunk, but Denver, and shudder Hollywood.  Movies were made about the gentle loving Penguins, new merchandise was released featuring the Penguins... Soon the loving wonderful cats began to be forgotten, they were abandoned outside churches, no surprise these churches were run by the queen Penguin.

Soon the cats had enough, they had tried to coexist with these swimming birds, but could not,  Their homes had been taken from them, where they had lived in warm wonderful homes, now they were having to be... well cats, and chase mice.

One night it began, the Cat leader, a black and white cat, named Moondancer announced his plan to take back the earth,

"Meow, mew, merow, meeeow, meeew meeeoooowww."  Translated, he said "Cats, give me your whiskers,  It made no sense, but Moondancer had been on the street a little too long.  He then said to his cat minions, that it was time to take back the earth, that all cats would unite and send the dread Penguins back to their frigid places.

Just then one of the other cats, a  tabby, named Merlin Mewed,  "Only problem Moondancer, we gave you our whiskers, we can't even tell where you are, much less the dread enemy Penguins."

Moondancer looked out upon the cats, and it was true they had given him their whiskers.  He was the last cat who could see.  Suddenly it came to him like a bolt of lightning.

"My fellow cats, stay here.  I shall return."

Before any of the other cats could protest, he slipped away.  He managed to get to KATT Radio and took over the broadcast.

"This next tune goes out to all the swimming birds, out there.  We cats, want to be cool with you.  Come to the party at  West City Park.  We will be laying down some cool tunes and have some fish to share."

Moondancer departed and went back to where the cats were , they were all mewing up a storm.  He meowed loudly, and silence descended.

"Okay cats, the Penguins are on their way.  We will rip them to pieces, when they arrive."

"Meeeeowwww"  It was Taunia the Cat, she was pure black, unlike Moondancer, she crept forward and stopped inches from him.  She sniffed him and then spoke.

"You took my brothers and sisters whiskers from them, you made them blind, now you expect them to be minions and destroy the Penguins for you?  Meeeeoooowww not happening.  Some of us arrived after you left, we have no ill will with the Penguins, yes they took some of our places, but we became demanding of the humans, 100 times a day to be petted, that was too much to expect, and fancy smancy feast all the time  Some of us ended up so fat we couldn't move.  You did this to us."

Moondancer froze, he realized that he was not going to win.

He fled into the night, just as the Penguins arrived. 

"So wheres the fish and tunes cat?"

Taunia stared in disbelief, she saw the queen Penguin, towering over her. 

"Mew, mew did this?  Why Meow?"

"I am queen of all the Penguins, and it is my duty to rule this world.  Your friend was right, too bad, you turned your fellow cats against him.  Now where are the fish and tunes... cat?"

"Call me Taunia, you non flying bird.  I am the true leader of the cats, now apologize or prepare to fight.  Meow!"

"If a fight is what you want, so be it.  Penguins attack!"

Mews and Squawks filled the night, claws ripped and fur flew as the Penguins and cats fought.  The battle was raging and suddenly a light descended from the heavens.  Was it aliens from another world... Worse it was Dogs.

"Hey, we heard their was to be a party, count us in."

Taunia and the lead Penguin looked at each other.

"Squawk, squaccck Squuuuaaaacccck?"   "Mew Merow, Meow Meooow"

Suddenly the Penguins and cats united to take on the dogs,  did they win???

To BE CONTINUED IN Dogs Day, Cats and Penguins Night... The Epic continues.

Das Afrika Korps... a review

Das Afrika Korps by Franz Kurowski

This is a fascinating book that looks at perhaps one of the most interesting personalities of World War, that of Erwin Rommel, aka the Desert Fox.  Rommel made a name for himself as the most successful generals in the German Army, for nearly three years .

Rommel was one of the few German commanders' that everyone from the Prime Minister Winston Churchill to General George Patton knew, respected and hated.

What was fascinating was that this book explored how Rommel failed to win, the enemy was the fact that he never had air superiority, never was he equipped with sufficient air craft to gain control of the air and even when Germany was in a position to occupy and control Malta, a British island that was a main air and naval base, there was no follow through.

The fact that the British controlled the air and sea, crippled Rommel, he was never able to get the necessary supplies to keep his forces mobile and engaged by the end, and he never had the support of Hitler, who felt that Russia was the main area where forces needed to be deployed,.

Das Afrika Korps explores the politics, the battles and the human cost of a campaign that has to some degree been not explored or investigated as deeply as other campaigns,such as D-Day and Midway.

The book is written first hand, for Kurowsky had been a journalist during the war and interviewed several of survivors after the war and gained their insight and even some moments of humor.

The end is brief and abrupt and happens with less detail and depth than the build up, yet with Rommel removed it becomes a rapid descent into defeat and perhaps that is the irony of the book, for with Rommel in command the worst still seemed to be possible victories, and in many cases were,

Overall Das Afrika Korps is a well written and fascinating book, if you have ever wondered what Rommel was like as a commanding officer, or how he managed to defeat some of Brittani's Generals, this will will tell you that and more.

 

 

A tale of....

I am so glad you arrived my old friend, I have a story that, well I pray you will understand, I mean Morgan, you are one of the few people I still trust.  You see my old friend, well.  You see.

Hmmm, okay, from the beginning then.

There once was a group of.... hmmm how should these non existent creatures be described... I mean to call them creatures is an insult to creatures like Vampires and Werewolves, which everyone know really exist.  This part of the problem of describing, these... well things for lack of a better word.

What?  Oh you wonder what these things are called?  Well, I find it hard to tell you.  For every time I thought I have gotten free from these things, they have found my refuge.   Well alright I  will  tell you, but you must come close, so no one else will hear what I tell you.  No, closer please, very well they are....What you could not understand what I whispered to you?

Very well, I will say it a bit louder, but you must not say the name out loud.  Ready?  Very well.  Penguins.   Yes, I said Penguins, I know, you think I am nuts?

Well let me tell you how this began, and then I will tell you the story of what happened one day.

I visited my mother in law, now she is a wonderful woman, she can make you smile or drive you nuts, depending on if you are family or family in law.

Anyhow she has this collection of yes, Penguins, over 500 at last count, all over her house, even coffee mugs with the birds on them.  This didn't disturb me too terribly, at first.  Until a strange pattern began to take place.  For when I would return to my home the next week I would be at a thrift store or a hobby shop, and what would I see?

You guessed it a penguin.  Soon it became a pattern, even people on the street started wearing Penguin items, hats, tee shirts and even bags.

They were suddenly every where I went, worse still people I knew began to look like these Penguins.  I realized it was a conspiracy by my mother in law to take over the world, she was in reality the queen of all the Penguins.

So one day my wife, who just happens to be the daughter of the queen of Penguins, posted a page that had these creatures on it.  They of course appeared on the queens' page where she was talking of her plan to take over all the earth....

"Hey bud, yeah you... Look this is our story.."

Oh no... Now they are talking.  Excuse me while I go to the bed room and rest.

"So anyhow, now that he's gone, the story.  See one day Fred and I were on this blog page, it was a cool page in a violet color, a real cool place, if you will pardon the pun.  Who am I,?  I am the Penguin, no not that Penguin, the Penguin.  Anyhow, so here's the story."


So Fred and Deb and I were waddling around, when Fred started waddling toward an area we had never been before.


"Hey you got to see what's over here!"


So Deb and I began to waddle over to where Fred was standing.


"Why it can't be, can it"  Exclaimed Deb.


"We have to be seeing things."  I replied.,


"Only one way to find out" said Fred.


Fred waddled off the page, and we followed, we fell into nothingness.  There was just this void of total.  Well I can't say it, it's too scary.  Then as suddenly as we had vanished into this place, we were back on the purple page.  We don't know how it happened, but we will never waddle again where we never waddled before.


"Shhhh....  Don't tell what's his name, you sure... okay, don't tell Tamirisc,, see you  later."

Timidly Tamirisc walked back into his living room, cautiously, looking to see if any of the dread creatures were still in the room.

"Are they gone, I mean, I thought that for a moment they were here in my living room, you didn't see them, did you?  Oh no!  Not you too, am I the only who is not a Penguin" QUACK.

Mondays' Music Moves Me.

a trip through the 1970's



one hit wonders

love songs part 1

part2

some personal favorites too

a favorite song by a favorite group.  Styx with BABE


A GREAT LOVE SONG

More than just the song

kenny rogers

i could go on forever and I know I have gone past the usual limit, but love the music of the 1970s