Smells Like A 14-Year Old On Ukelele

This is 14 year old Feng E with his interpretation of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit.  The playing and arrangement is brilliant bringing out the beauty in the song's melody and brooding bass line.

The Trabant

The 1981 Trabant, manufactured in East Germany.  A hysterical introduction to communist cars.

Washington's Birthday

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732.

Excerpt of Letter from Moses Seixas, warden of the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island; August 1790, on the occasion of President Washington's visit to the town.

For all these Blessings of civil and religious liberty which we enjoy under an equal benign administration, we desire to send up our thanks to the Ancient of Days, the great preserver of Men beseeching him, that the Angel who conducted our forefathers through the wilderness into the promised Land, may graciously conduct you through all the difficulties and dangers of this mortal life: And, when, like Joshua full of days and full of honour, you are gathered to your Fathers, may you be admitted into the Heavenly Paradise to partake of the water of life, and the tree of immortality.

Angel Eyes

The greatest of Frank Sinatra's Torch Songs (yes, even surpassing One For My Baby, In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning, and Only The Lonely), Angel Eyes was composed in 1946 by Matt Dennis and Earl Brent.  Recorded many times by many artists but none match this 1958 version from the album Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely, which hit #1 and spent 120 weeks on the charts.  With its vivid, confessional lyrics, blues tinged melody, Nelson Riddle's perfect arrangement (listen for the harp at the end), combined with Sinatra at the peak of his interpretive powers, this is American popular music at its finest.

First up below is the recorded version, followed by Sinatra performing the song live.  It's in the live version you can see how the song matches Sinatra's theatrical sense - watch him walk away from the mic into the darkness as he tosses off the last lyric.

Hey drink up all you people
And order anything you see
Have fun you happy people
The drink, and the laughs on me

Try to think that love's not around
Still it's uncomfortably near
My old heart ain't gainin' any ground
Because my Angel Eyes ain't here

Angel Eyes, that old devil sent
They glow unbearably bright
Need I say that my love's misspent
Misspent with Angel Eyes tonight

So drink up, all of you people
And order anything you see
Have fun you happy people
The drink, and the laugh's on me

Pardon me, but I gotta run
The fact's uncommonly clear
I gotta find who's now The Number One
And why my Angel Eyes ain't here

'Scuse me, while I disappear

Three Quick Ones

Much of Jethro Tull's 1971 album Aqualung has not aged well, many of the tunes now sounding bombastic and pretentious.  What has retained its power is the immortal guitar solo on the title tune, and three short (1-2 minute) acoustic guitar based songs with lovely melodies and sentiments.

The Peoria Speech

Yesterday was the 210th anniversary of the birth of our 16th president.  

After serving one term in Congress as a member of the Whig party, Abraham Lincoln returned to Springfield, Illinois in early 1849 to resume the practice of law, returning to active politics five years later amidst the controversy over the Nebraska-Kansas Act, which ended the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and opened up new territories for the potential expansion of slavery.  Opposing any expansion of the peculiar institution, on October 16, 1854 Lincoln spoke at Peoria, Illinois, an event which began his elevation into the national spotlight.

At Peoria, Lincoln made a moral case against slavery, and a pragmatic and legal case against its expansion while accepting its continuation in the states where it currently existed.  The entire speech can be read here.

He was unequivocal in his condemnation:

This declared indifference, but as I must think, covert real zeal for the spread of slavery, I can not but hate. I hate it because of the monstrous injustice of slavery itself. I hate it because it deprives our republican example of its just influence in the world---enables the enemies of free institutions, with plausibility, to taunt us as hypocrites---causes the real friends of freedom to doubt our sincerity, and especially because it forces so many really good men amongst ourselves into an open war with the very fundamental principles of civil liberty---criticising the Declaration of Independence, and insisting that there is no right principle of action but self-interest.

Yet he was also at pains to discuss the practical problems attached to slavery's elimination, a problem he saw no easy answer to.  His words resonated at the time, and the tragic inability to find a solution short of war, and then to postpone for so long attempting to integrate the former slaves into American society, continue to do so today.

Before proceeding, let me say I think I have no prejudice against the Southern people. They are just what we would be in their situation. If slavery did not now exist amongst them, they would not introduce it. If it did now exist amongst us, we should not instantly give it up. This I believe of the masses north and south. Doubtless there are individuals, on both sides, who would not hold slaves under any circumstances; and others who would gladly introduce slavery anew, if it were out of existence. We know that some southern men do free their slaves, go north, and become tip-top abolitionists; while some northern ones go south, and become most cruel slave-masters.

When southern people tell us they are no more responsible for the origin of slavery, than we; I acknowledge the fact. When it is said that the institution exists; and that it is very difficult to get rid of it, in any satisfactory way, I can understand and appreciate the saying. I surely will not blame them for not doing what I should not know how to do myself. If all earthly power were given me, I should not know what to do, as to the existing institution.