John the Baptist at the Nowhere Bar

The hits just keep on comin, here in DeMint country! At left: anti-immigrant demonstrator in downtown Greenville on Saturday. Photo by my talented radio show consigliere, Gregg Jocoy. (More photos here.)







I forgot all about the right-wing demonstration on Saturday (I'm glad Gregg didn't), but ended up downtown in the early evening anyway, to grab a bite to eat after the Randall Bramblett show (see below). By that time (as I said on our show yesterday), only one brave sign-carrying protester remained. Since she was yelling and gesticulating at the traffic all by her lonesome, I thought she was there individually--all by herself--which always makes one look somewhat unbalanced. (I never do it; although I WILL pass out leaflets by myself.) She was yelling about "the hostile invasion" (i.e. immigration) when I passed her and shook my head in an exaggerated, theatrical fashion, "What a loony tune!" was the body-language message I hoped I was sending.

And you know, I won't lie to you: I was momentarily pleased I got a chance to do this to the right-wingers for a change; they are usually the ones doing it to US. In these parts, Occupiers were regarded as either 1) dangerous deluded wackos, or, 2) an interesting sideshow. At least in the case of #2, there was the opportunity to strike up some conversations, maybe win over some hearts and minds.

It was just as I was nostalgically remembering our belated Season of OCCUPY, that the intrepid sign-carrying lady started RUNNING AFTER ME, loudly demanding to know if I was in favor of amnesty for illegals???!!?.

Oh boy.

I realize the proper and nuanced answer is, "What about amnesty for their employers? Why are THEY never arrested?"--but I did not want to hang around and argue with this person, I wanted to eat at the Mellow Mushroom.

At this point, we were right in front of the Carolina Ale House, which has the popular advertising/commercial slogan, "Ale Yeah!"... this catchy phrase is even engraved into the planters out in front of the restaurant. Consequently, all I could think of was, ALE NO!

ALE NO, I do not want to talk to this person.

So I answered quickly, "I think it's a great idea!" I blurted out.

She was ready with a reply, "Do you want the United States to become like a European country?!"

I turned and said very distinctly and loudly, ABSOLUTELY!

That shut her up. Stunned her too. "Umm," she fell back and stopped following me at that point, undoubtedly deciding I was some insane leftist in favor of universal health care. "That's... interesting..." and she then went over and accosted some other poor soul who was trying to decide where to eat.

Jesus H Christ, where do these people come from?! The good news (see linked video) is that they were mostly older white people, the demographic you would expect. No teenagers or twenty-somethings out there.

As I've said here before, the young folks want to date and marry the newcomers, not send them back.

~*~

At left: Randall Bramblett at Bohemian Cafe on Saturday. GREAT SHOW! I also bought his new CD, The Bright Spots.






TMI update: my evil ganglion cyst seems to have shrunk to a pinpoint, which I attribute to my feverish consumption of both kombucha and turmeric. It could also be that the steroid shot of a couple of months ago (directly into my finger! aiyeee!) took some additional time to do the job. In any event, in the last couple of weeks, it has become smaller than it's ever been (over the last few years) and stopped swelling up, hurting or (most importantly) bursting open with nasty goo. Perhaps that was all the nasty goo it had? Whatever the reason, when I went in to get it removed, the doctor took a look and said there was no reason for an invasive procedure (and subsequent risk of infection) at this juncture. He said he saw no reason to "dig around in there for it" (Good God Almighty!), for which I thanked heaven profusely.

I was ecstatic, especially when I saw the size of the needle he was getting ready to use on me. Holy shit.

I doubt my fingernail will ever look okay, but that is a small price to pay for a dormant ganglion cyst. Let's hope it stays dormant, and pass the kombucha.

Serving suggestion: It's really great over ice in the summertime! In addition to Synergy, my favorite, let me also recommend Reed's Culture Club brand, especially the Lemon Ginger Raspberry... also dynamite over ice!

~*~

Hope your week is going well. Me and Double A are going to attempt the radio show today BY OURSELVES, without our trusted and capable consigliere... which as you know, is no way for a consigliere to behave, but there it is. Family obligations have intervened, and we must GO FORTH AND DO IT... and I know I don't have to tell you, I am a nervous wreck. Luckily, I can chatter on like nobody's business, so hopefully, nobody will be able to tell that I am freaked out.

Jonathan, our wonderful and insightful engineer, will probably have to bail us out... but that's what engineers are FOR!

~*~

Check out the cool song. I just loved it. Athens folks, of course, know that the Nowhere Bar is in Athens, Georgia.

I can totally imagine John the Baptist sitting there; so it's where we get today's blog post title.

John the Baptist - Randall Bramblett



Hope your week is going well, too. And don't let your consigliere, whoever it is, out of your sight for a minute!

CHAOS REIGNS without a consigliere to maintain order... just ask anybody.

Odds and Sods - adorable grandson edition

Daisy's beautiful grandbaby has just discovered his thumb, and is very happy with it!

Ah, to be so easily satisfied with life...




~*~

In politics, as Whoopi Goldberg recently remarked: All you have to say is the word POLITICS and it's a joke, with the punchline already there.

But in case you missed some of the recent funnier punchlines, here is Delaware Senatorial candidate (and Tea Party pin-up) Christine O'Donnell, admitting she never heard of the First Amendment. (Good God, where do they FIND these people?!?) Her now-famous Halloween ad, in which she claims she is not a witch (horror-movie aficionados will easily-spot this goody-goody sounding denial for what it is; oh sure she isn't!)... is some priceless stuff.

Here in the beleaguered Palmetto state, the 2010 election-frolic continues. The talented Mr Greene's interview last week on MSNBC, was utterly painful to watch. (I must hurriedly add, I also find Jim DeMint painful to watch, but for entirely different reasons.) Meanwhile, DeMint has been backing O'Donnell to a fare-thee-well, and it is sorely tempting to tell them to get a room.

Remember, sports fans: VOTE FOR TOM CLEMENTS FOR SENATE!!!!

The predetermined election of Nikki Haley may not be quite as predetermined as I believed it was. The persistent rumors have chipped away at her support, but I'm still fairly certain she will win. Her Democratic opponent, Vincent Sheheen, is a nice guy with little charisma, whilst Nikki (whom my commentariat reminded me looks exactly like Angie Harmon--and it certainly never hurts to look like a TV star!) has oodles to spare. And even more than that, South Carolina Republicans are eager to prove they are NOT racist and sexist, as the rest of the country has portrayed them. Nikki appears a sure thing to me, at this point.

Republican Mama Grizzlies are the (temporary, one hopes) wave of the future.

Our schools are already in the toilet here in SC, and Haley has been bragging about how she is going to further impoverish them too.

Help us Obi Wan Kenobe, you're our only hope.

~*~

Speaking of crumbling infrastructures, Lisa at That's Why scared me to death with her post about emergency services being denied to people who didn't pay their fees. And as a result, one guy's house burned down.

FEES?!!? Wait, what?

Lisa's post bears the frightening title Please Put Your Fire On Hold While We Check Your Account:

The internets are full of righteous indignation about Cranick's story. For good reason, I might add. Some of us are pointing out that what happened to the Cranicks is just the beginning. It is the thing that Ayn Rand wrought. Others are saying that society's sponges like Mr. Cranick get what they deserve. In this case, you don't pay for the service, then you have no right to expect the services. And you're an asshole if you think your neighbors should pay for you. It's every person for themselves, personal responsibility reigns! Their thinking can be boiled down to this - if the firefighters make one exception for a deadbeat, then everyone will become deadbeats.

These are the same "thinkers" who believe it's fine to charge fees to individuals for a possibly needed service, but we should cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations who use our common good resources every day. I tell you, I do not get it.

As they say, read it and weep.

This incident reminds me of the Ballardian fiction I've read over the years, and the increasing importance of living in what they call a "compound"... in Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake, the overpopulated, teeming territories between the "compounds" (run by corporations for their workers to live in, not real estate companies) are known as the Pleeblands.

I read that excerpt, and I see "Pleeblands" written all over it.

~*~

In foodie news, I managed to wheedle three free slices of pizza out of these fellows, while they were busy giving a demo in the store in which I toil. They were very friendly and sweet and I promised them a PLACE OF HONOR on my blog, just for giving me pizza. And then I promptly forgot.

They probably think I am an AWFUL PERSON.

Luckily, I am sorting through the mounds of detritus that comprise my Odds and Sods notes, and found their yummy-looking business card: GALLO LEA ORGANICS -- made with love in Asheville.

These are fabulous, flavorful, whole-wheat, organic, 30-minute pizza kits, and I can attest that they are good enough to bribe someone with!

For those of us who never learned to make homemade pizza from scratch, this is MOST ASSUREDLY the next best thing.

Munch munch!

~*~

Another new line in the store where I work: Sunbeam Candles, a green candle company from upstate New York. The candles smelled just like honeycombs, they were so amazingly fresh when they arrived. One of their candle-styles looks just like a honeycomb (page down here), and I knew I had to have that one. The bright red beeswax candles would be fabulous for holidays. (They also have heart-shapes and Buddha-shapes.)

Let your light shine!

~*~

The Liberace museum in Las Vegas closed on Oct 17th.

It's the end of an era. :(

I guess young folks don't know who Liberace was? That makes me sad. They missed a really great guy, as well as a true original... and the first raving queen allowed into Middle American homes. (My grandmother ADORED Liberace.) Keith Moon was also known for launching into impromptu Liberace impersonations during interviews and could sing entire songs.

I always wondered how all the white-bread, Christian housewives could somehow dislike gay people, yet love Liberace. I am still not sure I understand it, but I know how much I loved him. (How could you not?!?)

Palm Springs Savant hopes his home in Palm Springs will turn into a shrine, now that the museum is gone.

~*~

GT Dave's trademark Synergy KOMBUCHA IS BACK! But it's different.

Synergy-fans agree, it just doesn't have the kick it once had. Everyone is joking that it's due to less fermentation (and resultant alcohol), but I noticed immediately that the L-Theanine level is no longer listed on the outside of the label, and it used to be there (100 mg a serving, which worked out to a heaping 200 mg a bottle, significantly stronger than most L-Theanine supplements currently on the market). I would hazard a guess that it was the unique combination of small amounts of alcohol and big doses of L-Theanine, that gave us all that pleasant brain-buzz we enjoyed so much.

At any rate, I discovered some other kombucha-makers in the interim. (NOTE: YES, I am fully aware I could make my own kombucha at home, which is a long, drawn-out process and not my idea of fun. I suppose I could cook more often, too, but have no inclination to do so.) None of these have the kick that Synergy had, but some are very good and nicely-flavored:

Buchi, local from Asheville, tastes magnificent... it's also the wonderful story of two hippie moms who decided to cash in on GT Dave's misfortune in recalling Synergy. YOU GO GIRLS!!!!

Kombucha Wonder Drink is also good, but has an almost sodapop-level of fizz... you may like that or not. The Asian Pear/Ginger is excellent, my favorite of their eight flavors.

I just tried Vibranz for the first time yesterday... not sweet enough for me, but pretty good fermentation and has the tart kombucha-taste I want.



And what's new with you?

Kombucha withdrawal

For godsake, will somebody tell me what is going on with the KOMBUCHA?!? Are they trying to KILL US or WHAT?!

You non-Kombucha-drinkers are probably wondering what I am fussing about. Well, the #1 maker of commercial Kombucha in the USA, Synergy, is AWOL. Not exactly a recall, but no other shipments are currently forthcoming. The shelves in every city are empty, and I know someone who actually drove to Charlotte to get some. (Yes, she was kind enough to share!) The Kombucha junkies of America are jonesing; we are all suffering from major Theanine withdrawal. (Most of us drank it every day.)

Apparently, the actual fermentation in Synergy could be out of sync with the trace amounts of alcohol promised on the label (this explains plenty!)... I guess some people were complaining, or maybe somebody somewhere actually got drunk on it? (I found the amount comparable to mouthwash, with very little variation.)

And now, as a result, there is NO Synergy! :(

Pathetic Kombucha junkies prowl the streets, ransacking every possibly-healthy store in the land, settling for cheaper impersonations and attempting to make their own (which I am told is fairly easy to do, if you have adequate space, which I don't). It's a sorry state of affairs. Simply put, all Kombucha is not the same, and Synergy is the best there is.

Synergy-guru GT Dave has posted this on the company website:

TO OUR BELOVED FANS:

In order to improve product quality, label integrity and to comply with the highest standards, we at GT's Synergy Kombucha have temporarily removed our products from store shelves. Excellence is our motto, and we remain committed to bringing you the freshest, purest, and most potent Kombucha available. We miss you already. Watch for us to return SOON. For more updates, please visit us on Facebook.

-GT Dave

(((screams))) We are dying out here, Dave! Please hurry and tweak the formula, or whatever it is you've been doing for the past month.

The Facebook page doesn't have much more to say, except that they are promising a deadline of LATE AUGUST.

Um, this IS late August, and I want my Kombucha, Dave!

Kombucha-brethren, stay strong! We will prevail!

~*~

Other random stuff:

:: I used up all my vacation time going to Texas, so I didn't go to Medicines from the Earth, the yearly herbalist conference I wrote about a couple of years ago. Ditto, the Southeast Women's Herbal Conference, but linking here in case anyone else wants to sign up!

:: If you can't find any Kombucha to sustain you, try to locate some 'Coconut Milk Beverage' by So Delicious. This isn't plain, raw coconut milk; it has been tinkered with to make it palatable... my new favorite thing!

:: Check out wonderful GREEN PATRIOT RADIO!

:: What is your city's "Sun-IQ"?

:: Who gets upset when people won't friend you? Who doesn't care? And who thinks Facebook is the Devil, besides my cousin?

If you wanna friend me on Facebook and make me look evermore popular, I'm ready! (PS: let me know you are from the blog!)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Links and whining for your Tuesday

Sign reads: Local peaches on right! (Only a dullard could resist.)

~*~

Still recovering at home, against my will. I have assorted documentation and will therefore get paid anyway, so that is something. No thanks to anti-labor Republicans!

I have debated blogging over my current disaster. But the fact is, it's embarrassing. I'll let you all guess: What is the first sign of getting old? What happens to old ladies, like clockwork? If you guess right, I'll fess up. Pretty shoddy of me, since I like to think I am Big Disability Rights Advocate Womyn!!! Ha, well, I guess not when it's ME, and some rather predictable old-lady thing. But that's how it works, yes? You don't get to choose these things yourself.

Onward, with the linkage, and your required reading/listening.

Aunt B writes some awesomeness about country music. Pertinent quote:

My contention is and has always been that country music and urban music are the fun-house mirror reflections of each other–both share many of the same themes: deep pride in where one is from cut through with a strain of shame and anger about the circumstances one came from; a definition of manliness based in sexual prowess; a fascination with violence and guns; deep pride and anger about being outside of the mainstream; a definition of womanhood that is either based on very traditional notions of femininity or on being able to out-man the men; a love of vehicles; drinking; honoring tradition; and Mama.

And it’s no surprise to see them dancing around each other while very rarely crossing over. You can count the successful, respected white rappers on one hand, and use the other hand to count the successful, black country singers.

I bring all this up because I want to make a point about what country music means in terms of its racial focus and make-up. Country music is not usually “white” music. It’s traditionally specifically for white people who are outside of the mainstream, but who believe themselves to be some kind of bearer of Truth, some authentic experience unavailable to most folks, who are not “regular” folks.

In other words, it’s music of “regular” white people, but white folks who, in claiming regularity are claiming that in opposition to what most white folks have.

This kind of writing is why I am now addicted to Aunt B's blog!

Smirking Chimp reminds us: Think U.S. is moving far left? That terrain's not even close. And he explains why, too, which is the really depressing part.

Speaking of disability activism, check out Crip Chick's post on Sins Invalid, particularly the attractive and riveting Rodney Bell (first clip). Oh my!

When such people exist, why do they give reality TV shows to increasingly uninteresting, boring clones? I ask you: Where is Rodney's show????

The death of trans woman Duanna Johnson is being discussed by many bloggers, and will certainly be part of The International Transgender Day of Remembrance, November 20th.

If there is no event in your city, you could start your own. Here in the most conservative county in the USA, folks usually just meet over coffee and talk about books, blogs, and community--but that is something.

And it means, as always, passing the important knowledge on. And on.

Jill at Feministe points us to a fantastic article in THE ECONOMIST, about the dumbing down of the Republican party:

Many conservatives—particularly lower-income ones—are consumed with elemental fury about everything from immigration to liberal do-gooders. They take their opinions from talk-radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and the deeply unsubtle Sean Hannity. And they regard Mrs Palin’s apparent ignorance not as a problem but as a badge of honour.

Another reason is the degeneracy of the conservative intelligentsia itself, a modern-day version of the 1970s liberals it arose to do battle with: trapped in an ideological cocoon, defined by its outer fringes, ruled by dynasties and incapable of adjusting to a changed world. The movement has little to say about today’s pressing problems, such as global warming and the debacle in Iraq, and expends too much of its energy on xenophobia, homophobia and opposing stem-cell research.

Conservative intellectuals are also engaged in their own version of what Julian Benda dubbed la trahison des clercs, the treason of the learned. They have fallen into constructing cartoon images of “real Americans”, with their “volkish” wisdom and charming habit of dropping their “g”s. Mrs Palin was invented as a national political force by Beltway journalists from the Weekly Standard and the National Review who met her when they were on luxury cruises around Alaska, and then noisily championed her cause.

I wondered where they got her from. CRUISES! Well, this explains plenty.

And finally, POP FEMINIST gives a 70-minute interview about what it's like to grow up with a pornographer mother!

Hmph! Just when you think your childhood was the weirdest of em all, someone comes along and OUTDOES you.

~*~

During my endless convalescence, my (never that solid) sanity has been saved by streaming the wonderful RadioIO. (Although hearing the late Porter Wagoner's "The Rubber Room" was a rather bizarre experience.) I was inordinately pleased to hear Robin Trower's "Too Rolling Stoned" after about 30 years. If you are up for over 7 minutes of psychedelic gee-tar, blowing your little mind (and certainly, I have nowhere else to go, dunno about yourself!)--please check it out... if you can't dig the first minute, as Queen Emily might say, you are rubbish! :P

And if you rock out to the whole thing? Go, my child, and sin no more. You've been redeemed!

Robin Trower - Too Rolling Stoned