Instead of reprinting the entire post, including re-configuring the photos and links and so forth, the original can be read on 7 Strong Style A**holes, a pro wrestling blog that I contribute to.
The direct link to this particular post is here.
Us vs. Them – a Short Entry
It’s sad. This is what politics have come to, at least in the United States. And I’ve got no problems assigning blame – fact of the matter is that Republicans, by kowtowing to the radical Right Wing branch of their party, have killed the Art of Compromise.
I lean left. No question. But some of my beliefs on things like Israel or gun rights remove me from towing the company line and push me into moderate territory. It’s because I feel that I get it, that I think for myself, and that I that I refuse to let the more radical elements of my party convince me that what I feel in my heart is wrong.
If the radical Left Wing branch of the Democratic party started having more influence, I’d have problems. Everything works better in moderation, and compromise is essential to any government getting things done and making things better in that country.
Unfortunately, the current crop of GOP numb nuts seem to have forgotten that their hero – the holy Ronald Reagan – excelled in compromise. Now, it’s a four letter word.
Because of that, it’s become us vs. them. And that’s sad.
Rush to Judgement
That people find it ok – and even support Rush Limbaugh calling a woman he doesn’t even know a “slut” – is disgusting. That people see no issues with him also demanding this woman post sex videos online so everyone can see is even more beyond the pale, and shows, simply, how so many people have lost their minds.
I don’t care if you disagree with me politically. That’s your right as an American. But now it’s ok to assign vile, sexist terms to someone you don’t agree with? And this isn’t just some random person – Sarah Fluke is a Georgetown Law Student, and honestly, the kind of woman most parents should want their daughters to grow up to be.
She is strong, she stands up for her beliefs, and she’s not going to let a womanizing, drug-abusing bag of wind keep her silent. If there’s any justice in the world, Limbaugh’s words will be a galvanizing moment, and will backfire against him. There is power in words, but even more power in numbers, and the number of people Limbaugh has infuriated is great.
If you think she’s a slut, if you think it’s ok to call her a slut, then there’s a reasonable chance you probably need to look within and figure out why you find that acceptable. Because ya know what, it’s NOT. It’s not ok to call a woman you don’t even know a slut, regardless of her sex life.
What next? Blame the rape victim because of what she was wearing? Yea there’s no difference.Think on that.
Now, to give credit where it is due, it was good to hear top Republican and Speaker of the House John Boehner condemn Limbaugh’s words. Rick Santorum and Scott Brown have spoken out against Limbaugh too. I’d like to see more of that from the Republican leadership when someone from that side of the aisle says something that offensive.
But it’s also hitting Rush in the pocket-book too. Some of his advertisers have already suspended their ads. Still, that’s not enough. It’s time for this bag of hot air to leave the public arena – free speech is his right, but let him speak it in a living room filled with the handful of neanderthals who still find his schtick entertaining.
Please Stop Trying to Make Discrimination Legal
Dear Roy Blunt (R-Mo),
Check out that thing you have on your desk. Or maybe hanging on your wall. Or even on your computer. it’s called a calendar. If you pay close enough attention, it’s got the days of the week, the months, and even the year. I’m asking you to check the year – yes, it’s 2012.
But, based on the legislation you’re introducing, I’d swear you’d think it’s 1963. Or even earlier. Now, you may not really be aware, but in 1964, something called The Civil Rights Act was signed into law. In a nutshell, it granted equal protection to all Americans.
And now, you and your GOP cronies want to set our nation back a half century. 50 years!
Your amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act would allow an employer to deny health services if they conflict with their “religious beliefs or moral convictions.”
Look. I get it. You wrongly think religion is being persecuted. That there is some imagined war on religion in this country. So, because of this, you’re now trying to force through an amendment that could allow employers to have a moral conviction against whatever they damned well please, in essence, reversing key parts of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Your proposal is obviously designed to discriminate against women, and there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of protection in it for Jews, Blacks, Muslims, Christians, or really, any group that might be discriminated against by an employer. Even some Republican women are breaking ranks against your misguided proposal, because they know it’s a slippery slope once you legalize discrimination.
No one wants to legislate your religion or morality. Practice your religion as you’d like – that’s the great thing about this country. You can go to church, you can live the life you want to lead in your home, and you can even present a religious persona in public. That is a-ok with me!
But please, don’t force your religion down my throat. I’m not forcing you to go to my synagogue, get an abortion, eat mussels, or do anything you don’t want to do.
You’re missing one of the main things that make this country great – our freedom! Please – I don’t think you’re evil, rather, just misguided.
So I’d like to suggest you reconsider this bit of legislation – no one is forcing you to do something you want to do, yet your response is take away the rights and freedoms of others, and that’s just against everything this great nation stands for.
Thank you,
Josh Tree
Here Comes the Rain Again…
Dear people of Texas,
That space I’m leaving between my car and the car in front of me, particularly in a torrential downpour, is so I have enough room to stop, especially in poor driving conditions.
It is absolutely not for the pick up truck you don’t even really need, particularly the one you’re driving right now without your headlights on, despite visibility not being great.
Love,
Josh
Where We Been, Where We Going…(aka Nice to meet you 2012, don’t let the door hit ya on the way out 2011)
“Hey Josh, what’s been going on?”
“Eh. Not much.”
“I’m thinking you’ve got a lot going on. You haven’t blogged much lately, you haven’t really Tweeted anything meaningful in recent memory, and if it wasn’t for the fact that Facebook is so easy that even Rick Perry could use it, you probably wouldn’t even be updating that.”
———————————————————————
Hey folks,
It’s been a while. almost four months now. I seem to be going through these long dry spells of writing a lot lately. I’d like to blame my ADD, but, in all honesty, 2011 was a whole lot of suck for me.
My social life; my friends; things like kickball, wrestling, and roller derby – they all kicked ass. But professionally, and financially, 2011 was a kick in the balls. Even personally, i suffered some great losses. i have never been so glad to have a year be in the past than i am about 2011, and i am very excited to have the opportunity to swing for the fences and knock 2012 out of the park.
Two of my friends died in 2011.
Alex, better known as Larry to most people (myself included), passed in April. I hadn’t spoken to him in nearly a year when he left us. He called me the summer prior, while I was out running, in a rainstorm. We spoke briefly, and then I let him go to prevent my phone from getting soaked. I wish I had spoken to him longer.
Being involved in the wrestling business, I knew it was just a matter of time before I lost a friend. I just kind of hoped it happened decades from now. RIP Larry Sweeney/Alex Whybrow. A lot of people love and miss you brother. 12 Large.
My friend Paul died in October. It was awful, and it shook me to the core. Paul was six months older than me, and he died in the gym, working out. He was a good man, and he should still be on this planet. While Larry/Alex’s death shocked me, Paul’s devastated me. It devastated a lot of people, and I think we’ll all be reeling for a long time. RIP Paul Kurtzman. You are loved, and you will be in our memory for as long as we live.
I probably should have had an idea of what 2011 had in store for me when I was forced to move from the apartment I loved, the one found for me before I moved here from NYC, and one that was really, really perfect. It was through no fault of my own, but I had to move nonetheless.
But, more than anything, the part of 2011 that kicked my ass the most was my job situation, and related to that, my finances. the first third of the year was relatively calm on that front. I was working two jobs part-time, and eventually left one to go full-time at the other. While I knew money would be tight by doing that, I felt in my heart it was the right decision, and that I would love what I would be doing.
And I did. For a very brief period of time. And then, the proverbial shit hit the fan.
I should be more clear. I loved what I was doing right until the end of that job. I wasn’t in an office, I had some really great co-workers, and I got to play with dogs all day long. But at some point, the owner of the place decided micro-managing was the way to go. And when I mean micro-managing, i can’t over-emphasize just about micro. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Flexible schedules were a bad thing. Willing to cover shifts when someone needed a day off was a bad thing. Willing to learn as many different jobs in the company, was a bad thing. Suggesting ideas to increase our customer base, was a bad thing.
Until the next day…when the opposite might be true. or, really, any given day, when it would change again. sometimes, there would be no right answer. There’s a reason that business has been through a half-dozen groomers and an equal number of general managers in just over a year of business. There’s one common denominator, and sadly, she’ll be the reason for the demise of her own business.
When you spoke up, the owner didn’t fire you. Instead, she would reduce your hours dramatically, in an effort to get you to quit, so she wouldn’t have to pay unemployment. it’s unethical, and it’s scumbaggy. When you filed for unemployment, she would make up a litany of charges against you, things that couldn’t possibly be true. There’s a reason she lost lawsuits and every unemployment case against former employees.
And the only thing more miserable than working there for me was the fact that at once point, it was a fun place to work, and watching how bad it got, and how fast, was just awful.
The potential for that place was amazing. But as long as the owner continues to run it like she does, it will be awful, at least until it goes out of business. And unless she finds someone to sucker into buying a part of the business, I don’t believe it will be around next Christmas. I’m not one to mock someone for losing their livelihood, but if that place goes under, it couldn’t happen to a more deserving person than the evil woman who owns it.
2011. Kiss my ass. 2012, I am embracing you with open arms.
2012 began with me wrapping up a vacation in New York. It was fantastic to see family and old friends. That led into a wonderful birthday weekend, which rolled into me starting a new job.
I’m excited about the new job. It’s a good opportunity, and while not the writing job I had hoped for, it interests me, and it pays well enough. And it has benefits (i haven’t been on a serious health insurance plan in almost three years, so it will be really nice to have that again.)
I’m excited as usual about spending times with my friends, and being involved with wrestling, roller derby, and kickball once again.
I feel lucky that the worst of my problems include losing my apartment and having a crappy job. Losing loved ones was awful, but there are people with worse problems – they wonder where their next meal will come from, they don’t have a roof over their head, and there really is no positive end in sight to their troubles.
What’s 2012 got in store for this blog? well, if you’re easily offended, check out now. We are in a run up to the 2012 presidential election, and things could get ugly in here. While I’ve been disappointed with Barack Obama, I still have faith in him, and i KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s better than any other candidate out there.
So, politics. It will be discussed here. And you may not like it. or you just may very well love it.
2011, you are in my rear view mirror. The good memories will remain. The bad ones? You are done, and don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.
2012, you are going to be a damned good year. End of the world? kiss my ass Mayans, because i am knocking this year out of the park. It is going to be one helluva fun ride!
The Road Goes on Forever
Dear People of Texas,
On a three-lane interstate (per direction), the left lane is for passing, the center lane is for travel, and the right lane is for slow vehicles. If you’re going to drive the speed limit or less, please get out of the travel lane.
Thank you, and much love,
Josh
p.s. I’m Baaaaaaack. details on where I’m going, and where I’ve been, to follow. it’s about to get fun up in this joint, and if you’re easily offended, please check yourself at the door.
Paul Kurtzman
Yesterday, my friend Paul died.
Paul was 6 months older than me. He was a wrestling fan. He had a wife and a few kids and worked hard and was a spiritual man and was really one of the greatest people you could ever have the pleasure, and honor, to know.
He loved good beer. He loved good people, good friends, good times. He loved soccer. He liked the TV show “Glee”. He traveled to Haiti on a relief mission to help the victims of the 2010 earthquake. He could laugh heartily at nearly any joke, but wasn’t so aloof that he wouldn’t let you know if you said something that was insensitive or just plain old pissed him off.
He got to see Spain vs. the US in soccer this year. He saw the Red Sox collapse. He went to several WrestleManias. He got to see the Bruins win a Stanley Cup again.
I got to drink really good beers with him the last time we hung out. In fact, I discovered a whole new type of beer that I’d never had before, and I discovered that beer with Paul.
When a doctor told him a few years ago that his health was in poor order, and he needed to make urgent lifestyle changes, Paul embraced those changes with gusto. Sure, now and then he’d slip up and eat something less than healthy, but in the grand scheme of things, Paul was serious about getting back into shape, and a simple comparison of “now-and-then” photos shows just how serious – and successful – he was in that mission.
Paul died in the gym, working out, keeping himself in shape.
I am heartbroken, and although I know he’s looking down at us and telling us to “shut the hell up!” with our mourning and whining and simpering, this world is a little less bright without Paul in it.
Yesterday, my friend Paul died.
Happy ROSH!!! May You Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Rosh Hashanah begins tonight. For those who are not in the know, it’s the Jewish New Year, and, like any other new year from any other culture, it’s a time for celebration. We celebrate the joys of life, both great and small.
This blog post will be celebrating a joy of life somewhere in the middle of great and small, that being the fact that Jewish holiday music has evolved into something at least moderately entertaining. From originals to parodies of pop songs, Jewish music has developed from….hmmm..from things shockingly not that good, to things that, are, at the very least, fun.
Take, for example, the Brothers Zim.
Seriously. Take them. Take them far away. Somewhere really far away. and leave them there. I do not want to know where they are, I just want to know they’re somewhere that they can never escape from. Like New Jersey. or a convention of Harry Potter Fans. just, take them away.
Ok. I mean, the Brothers Zim weren’t the worst musicians ever. They’re actually pretty decent singers. But to me, they just represent the schmaltz and cheese of Jewish music, a music that forever seemed stuck in EZ Listening mode, Jewish versions of songs on some 1970s radio station that had a moniker like “EZ 104 – Your Light Listening Station” or “94.9 Heart – Music That Soothes Your Soul.”
I think it took us Jews longer to start recording entertaining holiday music than it did Moses to find his way out of the desert.
Most of the contemporary music is silly and light-hearted. Often, it’s a bit too much over the top, but it’s still entertaining. And there are a LOT of inside Jewish jokes and humor, but that’s probably what makes it really fun.
The songs also cross every genre from punk to hip hop to dance to pop to everything in between. Let’s kick it off with some Hebrew Crunk! Dip the apple in the honey, oh yeah!
ok, yea, that was a bit silly and over the top. This one though – from Prodezra Beats – is the real deal.
Born Reuben Formey in Savannah, Georgia, Prodezra left his home state after what he calls “some bad decisions”, moved left for Yeshiva in New Jersey, and ultimately Jerusalem.
Prodezra is solid hop-hop. No jokes, and no more gimmicky at this point than Matisyahu, the well-known orthodox reggae/hip-hop superstar.
Good shite, right?
Now switching gears, let’s have some fun with the Shlomones (rhymes with “Ramones”) – sure it’s light-hearted and fun, but it’s a really entertaining take on the classic “Blitzkrieg Bop”, albeit with a Rosh Hashanah bend.
Punk not your bag? How about some super sweet sugary pop? (ok, this song does not do it for me. i dig her voice, but it’s just not a style of music i can dig. Still, there’s no denying it’s part of the changing face of Jewish music, especially Jewish holiday music).
see what i mean? super sweet. i have cavities now. Thanks, RHGirl! oy!
Now we’re going to start getting to the meat of the matter, and what is probably the biggest sub-genre of Jewish music, that being Jewish-themed parodies/covers of well-known pop,rock, and dance songs. This one (which actually came out last year) is a pretty fun DIY video, down to the not-terribly well done lip synching.
See, wasn’t that fun? not terribly brilliant in any sort of way, but certainly a solid representative of the genre.
This one is…a but quirky. It’s a take on a Shakira track, and the video seems straight out of 1980s silliness. But there is a cameo by some handmade “Angry Birds” (and Green Pigs too!), so that gives it bonus points for me. Even so, this song probably went #1 in Israel, which has some weird, weird musical tastes.
Now, we’re getting to the heavy hitters. The first – the Maccabeats – are arguably the superstars of this genre. In less than a year, the video for their Channukah song “Candelight” has had nearly six million hits. Yep, 6 million. The Brothers Zim would kill for that number. Here’s their Rosh Hashanah entry for this year, a take on OneRepublic’s “Good Life”.
i don’t think it’s nearly as good as “Candelight”, but with their vocal chops and sense of humor, you can see why the Maccabeats have done quite well for themselves.
It’s looking like the biggest holiday song for Rosh this year is going to be this take on LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem”. It has all the keys for success in this genre – a catchy video, a familiar tune, fairly entertaining lyrics (Three times a day I’m shucklin‘, shucklin’, shucklin’) and most of all, some damned good break-dancing. No joke, Jews can break dance!
Ok, I realize these songs aren’t Grammy winners, and they’re not likely to be remembered in 25 years. But for a genre that has long suffered, they are a huge step up.
(bonus Maccabeats “Candlight” track)
How Did We Get Here?
inspired by a conversation last week, I’ve decided to try to remember to post the top search terms each month for people who randomly found my blog. I really do marvel at some of the terms people use to land here.
And, if there are any in the top 10 that are remotely entertaining or super weird, I’ll list those for Gits and Shiggles.
Counting down, from 10 to 1.
10. flying saucer beer
9. what is edamame
8. onion sniffer
7. onion farming
6. “arts fifth avenue”
5. onion farmer
4. suburban store
3. grocery store
2. under the texas sun
1. yuppies
some of those are weird – I mean, how many pages deep on google did people have to go to find me using terms like grocery store and yuppies!?!? (it should be noted that since January 1, yuppies has been used 104 times to find this blog. 104 times! but it’s not number one – what is? guess we’ll have to wait until the ned of the year to find that one out!
and onion sniffer?? really? what is wrong with folks?
although it will be hard to top that onion sniffer one, here are my 3 favorites that fell outside of the top 10:
3. manimal wrestler
2. sunshine schwartz bullrider
1. former pro wrestler/animallover
that last one, is a doozy. i am completely baffled by it. And that manimal wrestler guy? he’s a friend of mine – go like his Facebook page. :o)
I wonder what terms will get people to my page next month. this should be fun.
Under the Texan Sun 