I started a supak for Wes Clark blog. I will support whoever the Democrative nominee is, of course, but I'm pushing for Clark because I think electability is the most important factor. I think a Dean - Clark ticket would be good, but they seem to be ruling it out now.

"The question is whether we are to abandon the standards and habits of a free society, fleeing the risks of freedom for the deadlier risks of opression. The question is whether we are to relinquish the standards of Jefferson for those of Torquemada."

"Down there in the jungles, unregenerate, ingenious, tricky, as tiny as a louse or a termite, and as hard to get at, emerged a strange creature whose potency we had almost forgotten: man."—I.F. Stone

A Chat with Jack Sheldon back stage at Like Jazz

I sat down next to one of my favorite Jazz musicians, Jack Sheldon, backstage at the Mark Taper Forum last week. We're they're doing "Like Jazz" through Jan 25th. I'm running projection. Jack is 1st trumpet and sings two songs. We chatted about the Hollywood Bowl. He asked me who my favorite Jazz musician is and I said Art Pepper, and Jack went off. All kinds of Art Pepper stories. Art had a tough life and a heroin addiction. But Jack only mentioned that briefly, like it was a sad disease. What mattered most to Jack about Art was how well he played. I could see a hint of tears welling up in the chubby bags under his tired eyes.

Apparently, his eyes are the only things of Jacks that's tired. He flirts a lot (even on stage during "Don't Touch My Horn." And, he's doing eight shows a week!

I never knew Jack was the voice of the I'm still just a bill up here on capitol hill guy of School House Rock fame....

Response to a "Don't vote for tax increases" mail I just got

Considering that the rich in California pay less as a percentage of their income in taxes than the middle class and poor, I'd say you're kinda right. Don't vote for someone who is going to raise your taxes, especially if you're rich, because you wouldn't want to have to pay for all those lazy, middle class, over-paid union guys who seem to think they have some right to health care and social security and decent wages?

Also considering that the term "taxes" can include many things, like payroll taxes, higher fees, price increases, bigger fines, less services, less benefits, and the middle class paying a higher percentage of all taxes due to tax cuts for the rich, the middle class should definately not vote for BUSH. HE HAS RAISED THEIR "TAXES."

As someone recently said, Republicans like to say Democrats are "Tax and Spend." Well, Republicans are now the party of "Don't tax -- and spend."