Wild At Heart
Just recently the government called for the pictured display of some really gruesome pictures to be placed on packages of cigarettes warning smokers of the dangerous side effects of their addiction. While I hate smoking in general, I hate the fact that the government has put this into place. I have never smoked though I do admit being addicted to those chocolate cigarettes I could get as a kid. You might remember the ones that came in an actual case wrapped in white paper (if you are old enough). Despite the hundred of chocolate cigarettes and cigars (for that matter), I never developed a taste for the real thing. I just never saw the appeal unless you were in a film noir atmosphere which I generally never came across in real life.
Maybe it was just the god awful smell of my clothes after bowling league from the cigar of one of the other kids’ grandfather that did this. Over the years, I also became friends with a number of people who were allergic to smoking, meaning if around smoke for too long they could die. That meant when going on with them, we couldn’t go certain places if smoking was going on and I learned what the dangers could be. However, you can look at people like George Burns who lived to be 100 years old despite smoking every day and he always seemed in good health. So while I don’t like smoke, I can deal with people who do it as long as they are considerate of others. In regards to the pictures, I mean, is there anyone who smokes that is not familiar with the Surgeon General’s warning already on packages? I have never met a smoker who wasn’t and about 50% of all the smokers I know are trying to quit. So either make cigarettes illegal or just leave smokers alone.
Of course, maybe a caveat where smokers can sign a waiver if they get ill due to smoking related health issues that can drain already strained health care issues. Of course with all the environmental laws big business are allowed to skirt, how can we be sure people are sick from smoking or something from the nearby chemical plant in the air?
And my real point to this is that is cigarettes can have these hideous pictures of what can happen if they smoke, can we make members of congress wear t-shirts with them behind bars with slogans like “I ignored the warnings about the S&L due to donations from Lehman Brothers” or “Special interests before the American people”? I think until these politicians get their act together they should wear their transgressions on their sleeve (literally). Put warning labels on our politicians so we know when they take money from special interest groups and then vote for bills that help them exclusively or when they hired someone into a position based on favors instead of merit.
I won’t even get started on the troubles with the NCAA and the fact they refuse to solve the issues of payola because it hits their pocket books also. They can talk all they want about integrity but until the universities and NCAA actually try to channel that integrity into their policy making, programs like U of Miami will just continue to get worse. It is a shame when someone is unable to contribute a picture to a calendar to raise funds for a charity cause but we can see a booster using illegal money to bride school officials (essentially) to give money to players and get a training room named after him (won’t even touch the issue of providing prostitutes for the athletes) and not take it seriously enough for immediate sanctions.
This is even a bad week for recommending concerts but here is a small list. At least Jazz Fest and Arts Beats and Eats are coming up soon:
Tuesday (6/23) - Chicago @ Fox Theatre
Thursday (6/25) - Aretha Franklin @ Pine Knob
Friday (6/26) - Eric Sardinas @ Callahans, Ke$ha and LMFAO @ Pine Knob
Saturday (6/27) - Alice Copper @ Pine Knob, The Tubes @ City Square (Warren), Grand Funk Railroad @ Monroe County Fairgrounds
I also saw some a couple of nice acts here. I caught Johnny Rawls at Dinosaur Barbecue. Rawls is from Mississippi which is prime blues territory. He started young backing artists like Joe Tex and Little Johnny Taylor while still in high school. He is a jack of all trades playing, writing and producing the blues and has been getting some recent praise on the blues community. Contact Callahans or the Ark and see if they can get him to come in and amaze. The site http://www.johnnyrawlsblues.com/ is where you can find more info on this cool blues player.
For fans of Cajun music, there is C’est Bon Cajun Dance Band which translates “it’s So Good” and this group of upstate NY women (one is actually from Louisiana) and one guy can make for a good time esp if you enjoy dancing. A nice group for festivals, I could see them do a Concert Of Colors or play the DIA so make some inquiries and see the band for yourself. Check the out on Facebook (www.facebook.com/cestboncajunband).
Hope you enjoy and I'll end with a gratuitous shot of two cute girls dancing as to get more views on my photobucket account. Peace out.
