I Am A Historian. . .

. . . says Dr. Reza Aslam during a recent torture session to which he was subject.


Have you seen the interview of Reza Aslam by Fox News that's sweeping the internet? (http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/is-this-the-most-embarrassing-interview-fox-news-has-ever-do) It's been called 'excruciating', 'embarrassing' and 'painful' to watch.

The Fox reporter (I believe her name is Lauren Green) persistently interjects "My question is . . . " most times producing no real question at all or simply positing accusatory statements related to Dr. Aslam's professed faith.

The video is generally labeled a 'debate' while, in fact, there is no debate at all.  It is an embarrassing (to Ms. Green and Fox only) attempt to discredit a scholar which Fox and Ms. Green presume disagrees with their point of view without so much as reading the book produced by the scholar.

Excruciating?  Embarrassing?  Painful?   Maybe!

I call it enlightening.  Enlightening only in the fact that it provides further evidence of the worthlessness of the entire enterprise called Fox News.

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Peek. . .

. . . into my (and Oho's) world the other day. . .

So I didn't memorize Jay's actual address, but I knew the location of the development and I figured after turning into the neighborhood it would be obvious where the band was to setup.

After turning into the main road of the park, I saw Joan walking up the road.  We greeted and I asked where the band was setting up.  She gave us directions and saved the day.

We were able to pull up right next to the band, so I quickly unloaded my gear.  Pam was off to spend some time in Bethany with her sister so we kissed goodbye.

The general plan was for Pam to call me when she was close to Warren's Park so I could remove the cones blocking the entrance to the street on which we were setup so she could drive right down to the band where I could easily load up after we finished.

Setup and sound check complete, we were content to relax before our 6 o'clock starting time.

Pre-recorded Beatles music from a Circque du Soleil production at a comfortable volume level, thoughtfully provided by Jay, was in progress.

Jay and Joan have a beautiful trailer home in the park, impressively large and tastefully decorated.

A bottle of ice cold water was just what the doctor ordered (for me) in light of the type of beverage upon which I over-indulged the prior evening.

Six o'clock start time brought the strains of my piece entitled 'Always You', in consideration of the invitation to the over 70's to partake of the potluck buffet at the start.

I discovered the next day that the gain switch on my Zoom was pushed to the maximum setting, rendering the complete recordings un-listenably distorted.

Pam called eight times during the last set, in hopes I'd hear her and remove the cones that blocked entrance to the road where the bandstand was.  Unfortunately, I did not exert any extraordinary effort to enable myself to hear incoming phone calls and therefore, missed her call.

She parked across the street and fought the Seacrets traffic to enter the development.

All ended (happily?) about 9ish.

A successful performance garnering many appreciative partygoers (and hopefully new fans) in the process.

Pam and I retired to the Atlantic Hotel for a nightcap. . .

 . . . and all's right with the world.

Isn't it????

If you don't believe this, just listen. . . (no lie about the distortion nor the enthusiasm, heart or soul that we put into the performance)


Ocean City Ditty
by John P. Graboski
Performed by Oho Live at Warren's Park, Ocean City, MD, July 27, 2013






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Update . . .

. . . from Oho rehearsals. . .


You’re living your ninth life time is running out
The blood of the lamb has dried and lost its clout
If you show no mercy, no mercy will be your
You’re dated and done for the dot’s on your door

On day one they marked you, put you on the list
Embroidered a burning red letter on your bib
You move with caution, the trap’s laced with lure
You’re dated and done, there’s a dot on your door

Cowards die a thousand times, the brave die only once
If ignorance is bliss, may your joy be out to lunch
If you were meant to hang in life then you will never drown
Dodging the left, the right one brings you to the ground

You’re using the right words, getting the response
Newton was right, you’re life’s a renaissance
Your impedimenta pile up on the floor
You’re locked in this room, There’s a dot on your door

Cowards die a thousand times, the brave die only once
If ignorance is bliss, may your joy be out to lunch
If you were meant to hang in life then you will never drown
Dodging the left, the right one brings you to the ground

Kissing your mother, digging in the dirt
Hoping something of your life will take root and give birth
The vine seeks the light, branches reaching through the clouds
Where love will prune and crown you, relieve you of your shroud

You’re living your ninth life time is running out
The blood of the lamb has dried and lost its clout
If you show no mercy, no mercy will be your
You’re dated and done for the dot’s on your door

Cowards die a thousand times, the brave die only once
If ignorance is bliss, may your joy be out to lunch
If you were meant to hang in life then you will never drown
Dodging the left, the right one brings you to the ground


Dot On Your Door
by John P. Graboski (Oho rehearsal recording of July 11, 2012)





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Another Peach. . .

. . . representing the people. . .


 (from NBCNews.com)
". . . Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa drew rebukes from Democrats and Republicans alike Tuesday after claiming that most young undocumented immigrants are involved in the drug trade.

In an interview with Newsmax, King said that -- out of the population of young undocumented immigrants -- "for every one who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert."

That remark from the noted immigration reform foe prompted a sharp response from Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who is working on legislation to offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children.

"I strongly disagree with his characterization of the children of immigrants and find the comments inexcusable," Cantor said.

House Speaker John Boehner called the characterization "hateful."

"What he said is wrong," Boehner said. "There can be honest disagreements about policy without using hateful language. Everyone needs to remember that."

And South Carolina Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy argued that "the number of people that have Steve King's precise ideology with respect to immigration is not a sufficient number to derail anything. . ."

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Caught Short . . .

. . . for words. . .


A friend recently commented to me that he wished the President had not made those recent comments about race relations to which I, naturally, responded, "Why?"  He said that among all of the problems we as a people, society and world currently face, the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman situation should not be monopolizing our attention. In short, like a popular song on a top 40 radio station, he was just sick and tired of hearing about it.

Like many other conversations with many people, I was quickly distracted from this one and on to other things.  But later that day, after contemplating our short interchange further, I realized what I could have, should have, and hope to tell my friend upon our next encounter.  And, in brief, that is:  the President's remarks were spot-on.  They were NOT political, they were not platitudinous or pompous blather, trite heard-it-alreadies or scolding.  They were simply a from-the-heart reflection and plea for US to reflect on how we treat each other.  Reflect- probably something very few of us do during our busy, self-absorbed days.  He also described how it feels (and felt to him) being a young black man and some of the racist behaviors with which young black men must cope everyday.  He mentioned the history of mistreatment to which black people have been subjected and alluded to the anger that results.  So many things which white people know, but have somehow tucked away and choose not to think about too much. . . BUT SHOULD!

These are things that middle-aged white men such as my friend and myself do not now, nor have in the past, encountered.  If we have a country, and a world, where people must live together, we must, at the very least, be empathetic to these things.  This is every bit as important as the economy, the environment, budgets and spending, foreign policy, drones and (do-nothing)politicos.  This is our world.  It's the only one we've got. We can, and should, certainly make time to help resolve such such relevant and important issues as THE WAY WE GET ALONG! 

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Reasonable. . .

A reasonable, thinking man. I may not prefer he be my president, but I would have him represent me in the Senate . . . if I could convince him to talk sense to ALL the others.

Sen. John McCain, has joined President Obama's call to review "Stand Your Ground" laws in the aftermath of the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin shooting. McCain also believes his home state, which has such a law on the books, should also consider it.

Meantime, other extreme-rightists continue to stand THEIR ground, like
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas who criticized Obama for his comments.  McCain, logically asserted that it is time to try to come together in light of several weeks of what is really exacerbating relations between elements of our society? McCain says he favors discussion rather than condemnation.

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No Shortage. . .

. . . of tragedies in this world. . .


(from wikipedia.com)
". . . (Lee) Morgan was killed in the early hours of February 19, 1972, at Slug's Saloon, a jazz club in New York City's East Village where his band was performing. Following an altercation between sets, Morgan's common-law wife Helen More (a.k.a. Morgan), shot him. The injuries were not immediately fatal, but the ambulance service was reluctant to go into the neighborhood where the club was located. They took so long to get there that Morgan bled to death. He was 33 years old. According to an eyewitness, Miss More (13 years his senior) walked out of the club just before the last set. She returned and the band was already on stage. Lee was trying to get up there, but was talking with some people. He just started to get up the stage, when she entered and called his name. He turned around and she shot him. She then turned the gun on the club's doorman Ernie Holman, who grabbed her wrist and took the gun away from her. She started to scream, "Baby, what have I done?" and ran to him. She was later committed to a mental institution for some time. Soon after, Helen Morgan returned to her native North Carolina. Reportedly she never spoke publicly of the incident, until she granted an interview a month before her death. She died in Wilmington, NC, from a heart condition, in March 1996. . . "

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