So, last weekend, as I'm oft to do, I spent Sunday in the parking lot at Met Life stadium where both the Giants and the Jets pretend to play American Football. As the Giants lose in spectacular fashion, even the cry of "but I've lived through 4 Superbowl wins" gets stale and boring. Instead, I'll focus on the fantasy play-offs where I'll be praying for a different outcome.
But, back to the lot. This weekend I decided that I was going to (again) make duck-breast on the grill. This is no easy feat. Due to the skin and layer of fat (read: extra flavor), and the inability to regulate a charcoal grill's constant temperature, I had to plan things out so that a) I don't overcook the duck but get a nice sear, and b) I don't dry it out because of the amount of time needed to cook the bird.
Duck isn't like other foul though, and in the U.S., while it's uncharacteristic to eat undercooked chicken and turkey, the prevailing theory on duck is that you cook it like you would a fine steak, with varying levels of "done." I prefer mine from medium to medium rare. And, any and all instructions for cooking an expensive piece of meat typically call for an internal temperature reading. Bah. I don't need that. I'm a man with meat. Roar.
Truth be told, cooking the duck on a grill or a flat top is actually fairly easy. Follow the instructions below and you too can enjoy delicious marinated duck breast at home.
Ingredients:
1 thawed Duck Breast (I like D'Artagnan ducks, which in the NY area are fairly readily available at both butchers and supermarkets)
1/4 cup of hoisin sauce
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1 heaping tbsp of ground ginger
3 tbsp of sesame oil
Trader Joe's Everything Seasonings (all the stuff you would find on an everything bagel, in a jar)
fresh ground pepper to taste
First order of business is to marinate that duck. Take all of the ingredients, except for the Everything seasonings, and mix them together and then pour over the duck in a bowl. Place in the fridge over night. Place the uncooked duck, skin side down into a "cold" cast iron skillet, saving the residual sauce for use later. Place the skillet on the stove or grill at a medium to medium high heat. This is important, because that layer of fat is difficult to chew if it's undercooked and unrendered. One must render the fat of a duck. You'll let that come up to temperature and get a good sizzle going. Also, you'll notice a little smoke when your sauce starts burning a bit around the duck. I let that thing get good and cooked, about 10 minutes without moving it. Really let it sizzle. Once the skin has browned nicely, turn it over and give it about 5 minutes on the other side. At this point, pour the rest of the sauce over the top. I also like to cook it on its ends to brown those up as well, about 3-5 minutes on each. This gets you to medium rare. Let the duck rest for about 5 minutes, and then slice. If it's still a bit rare, you can throw those pieces back onto the skillet for seconds, just to toast them up on each side. And you're done.
Now, serving it in the parking lot is as simple as cutting it up. But, if you're trying this at home, I like to place the whole breast on slightly wilted mustard greens (lightly wilt first either on the grill or skillet, but cook really fast; you don't want to "cook" it past crisp), and then slice and serve. As the flavors are more Asian in nature, serve with bok choy and some sticky rice to complete the meal.
That's it. I don't know why our society has gotten away from duck where it's a bit more extravagant, however, it's really not that hard to cook. Roasting a whole turkey is definitely more complicated. And, it's frigging delicious. This wraps up 3 consecutive posts about Asian ducks. I promise to write about something else in the next post. Until then, I hope you're having a great holiday season. Me, I'm off to Wegman's to get another duck breast for New Year's! So good!
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
The Duck, part deux...
The natural companion for my previous post would be pictures of the ducks I did wind up seeing. So, if a picture is worth 1,000 words, here's a quick 4,000 words or so on both that day, and the day when my son and I returned to NYC and found the Central Park mandarin, now nicknamed the Mandarin Patinkin (hello, my name is Indigo Montoya...). All photos are by me. If you're interested in purchasing one, let me know.
Hooded Merganser at the Reservoir
Bufflehead at the Reservoir
Wood Duck at The Pond of Central Park
The Mandarin, also at The Pond
It's incredible what you can see if you just look.
Cheers.
Monday, November 19, 2018
The Duck
It's been a long time since I've last blogged, but I thought, with the approaching holiday season, some informal well-wishing on my part might be welcomed. And, an anecdote, always an anecdote.
Firstly, whether you celebrate American Thanksgiving (yes there are other Thanksgivings; thanks Canada), or not, whether you eat turkey or something else, before I get too too busy with the Holiday season, let me first wish you a Happy Holidays. This isn't a war on Christmas, in fact, if Christmas is your holiday of choice, then I wish you a happy one. And, if not, then you get to pick what holiday I'm pleased as punch that you celebrate, whether that's Hanukkah or Saturnalia, the recently passed Diwali or Kwanzaa, I wish you a happy and a healthy end of the calendar year, and to borrow and paraphrase from an Irish blessing, may the best day of this year be your worst day of next year.
Especially in this political climate.
So, there's this duck (I told you there would be an anecdote) in Central Park right now. I'm sure you've heard of it: the Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) that lives in the heart of New York City. How'd it get there? No one knows, but it's banded, and if ever caught, that might shed some light on its origins. We know a couple of things for certain, one: it's originally from eastern China or Japan (or maybe the UK where it was introduced in the 18th century, but escaped captivity and started breeding in the wild in the 1930's); two: that it's been a Manhattan resident for nearly a month now, with periodic sightings; and three: it would certainly be the arch nemesis of Iron Duck (thanks Stan Lee, we'll miss you). One thing is for sure, due to its bright coloration, it's gorgeous and quite unusual, which is why, after thanking my Veterans, I went to Central Park to find this duck.
There's a number of different ways to find this proverbial Asian needle in the haystack. The first is to canvass the entire park (pun: evoking images of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, but I digress). Not likely possible in my one day in the city. Enter Twitter, knower of all things. Mr. David Barrett maintains the @birdcentralpark Twitter feed where he announces the locations of birds of interest in Central Park, based, likely, on the hive mind of New York City's birders. The day I went was the second or third day that a Barred Owl decided to rest in the Ramble section of the park (north of the Lake, but South of Turtle Pond and Belvedere Castle). Off I went. Sure enough, perched high above the paths, was the Barred Owl, in a tree on the south west corner of Azalia Pond, and not caring that 5 or 6 of us at 12:30p were staring up at it.
It was there I met Ben and several other birders including D. Bruce Yolton who runs the Urban Hawks blog. A few of us tried to see if we could get a better viewing angle as it was facing away from us. No dice. There's only so many pictures of an owl's butt you can take before it gets tiresome. Ben was headed up to the reservoir, would I like to go? He had never seen a hooded merganser and there was rumor some were along the edges near the paths. Of course I said yes and we went.
Along the way we stopped at Turtle Pond, one of the sites where the Mandarin had been spotted days before. No luck on the mandarin, but there were northern shovelers, males and a female, heads down in the water, swimming in a circle and (likely) digging up invertebrates to eat from the bottom of the pond. There were more birders there, each with binoculars dangling from their necks, each asking the others "Did you see him?" and the response "he's been missing since last Friday." [he's since resurfaced].
From there as we walked, we saw brown creepers, wrens, red-bellied woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmice, all manner of sparrows, loads of blue-jays, ruby-crowned kinglets and a pair of red-tailed hawks, circling above the north meadow (I suspect). When we got to the reservoir, there were several other enthusiasts with their gear, taking shots of the couple hundred ducks swimming right next to the path. No mandarin, but there were loads of ruddy ducks, more shovelers, buffleheads (a personal favorite) and, yes, Ben got to see his hooded mergansers, male and female, about a dozen all in a group. Finding these birds was the perfect meld of technology and nature. Twitter had us at absolutely the right spot at the right time.
After a while, Ben had his fill of the mergs (the female is the Tina Turner of ducks) and we bid each other goodbye as he was headed north, and I wanted another look at the barred owl I retraced my steps the way I came to see if the Mandarin surfaced at any of the places I had already looked. No luck on that, but I did notice something else: this community I stumbled into, it was like a secret society of birders, and we were all in on the hunt. From the rollerblading dude at the Turtle Pond to the old lady with the brand new Nikon spy-glasses he was talking to, we were all speaking the same language, discussing what we had seen recently that was cool and what we'd like to have seen (in addition to the mandarin). There was no discussion of race or economic class. There was no argument about liberal and conservative values (though I'm sure everyone had an opinion about global warming, it's a thing, look it up), there was just the birds. While I had just arrived to see what I could see on my own personal mission, I was immediately accepted and looked upon as an equal, and spoken to with respect and dignity without prejudice. It got to the point where, as I crossed from one area to another within the park, the other birders, recognizing that I was packing some serious birding gear, waved to me as if to say "I know why you're here, you're part of my tribe and I hope you find what you're looking for. Best wishes!"
And that's what I wish all of you this holiday season. Friends and families can be stressful, but we're all part of the same club. I wish that you all can find the same acceptance that I was able to find, regardless of politics and preconceived notions. At the end of this fairly stressful part of the year, I hope you can appreciate someone who you know is going through the same event, with similar intentions, and that you can wave at that person with the attitude that we're all in this together. In this culture of divisive arguments, I hope you have a calm and understanding approach to the holidays where most people's intent is good.
So, Happy Holidays, and I know why you're here, you're part of my tribe, and I hope you find what you're looking for this Thanksgiving. Best wishes!
Firstly, whether you celebrate American Thanksgiving (yes there are other Thanksgivings; thanks Canada), or not, whether you eat turkey or something else, before I get too too busy with the Holiday season, let me first wish you a Happy Holidays. This isn't a war on Christmas, in fact, if Christmas is your holiday of choice, then I wish you a happy one. And, if not, then you get to pick what holiday I'm pleased as punch that you celebrate, whether that's Hanukkah or Saturnalia, the recently passed Diwali or Kwanzaa, I wish you a happy and a healthy end of the calendar year, and to borrow and paraphrase from an Irish blessing, may the best day of this year be your worst day of next year.
Especially in this political climate.
There's a number of different ways to find this proverbial Asian needle in the haystack. The first is to canvass the entire park (pun: evoking images of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, but I digress). Not likely possible in my one day in the city. Enter Twitter, knower of all things. Mr. David Barrett maintains the @birdcentralpark Twitter feed where he announces the locations of birds of interest in Central Park, based, likely, on the hive mind of New York City's birders. The day I went was the second or third day that a Barred Owl decided to rest in the Ramble section of the park (north of the Lake, but South of Turtle Pond and Belvedere Castle). Off I went. Sure enough, perched high above the paths, was the Barred Owl, in a tree on the south west corner of Azalia Pond, and not caring that 5 or 6 of us at 12:30p were staring up at it.
It was there I met Ben and several other birders including D. Bruce Yolton who runs the Urban Hawks blog. A few of us tried to see if we could get a better viewing angle as it was facing away from us. No dice. There's only so many pictures of an owl's butt you can take before it gets tiresome. Ben was headed up to the reservoir, would I like to go? He had never seen a hooded merganser and there was rumor some were along the edges near the paths. Of course I said yes and we went.
Along the way we stopped at Turtle Pond, one of the sites where the Mandarin had been spotted days before. No luck on the mandarin, but there were northern shovelers, males and a female, heads down in the water, swimming in a circle and (likely) digging up invertebrates to eat from the bottom of the pond. There were more birders there, each with binoculars dangling from their necks, each asking the others "Did you see him?" and the response "he's been missing since last Friday." [he's since resurfaced].
From there as we walked, we saw brown creepers, wrens, red-bellied woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmice, all manner of sparrows, loads of blue-jays, ruby-crowned kinglets and a pair of red-tailed hawks, circling above the north meadow (I suspect). When we got to the reservoir, there were several other enthusiasts with their gear, taking shots of the couple hundred ducks swimming right next to the path. No mandarin, but there were loads of ruddy ducks, more shovelers, buffleheads (a personal favorite) and, yes, Ben got to see his hooded mergansers, male and female, about a dozen all in a group. Finding these birds was the perfect meld of technology and nature. Twitter had us at absolutely the right spot at the right time.
After a while, Ben had his fill of the mergs (the female is the Tina Turner of ducks) and we bid each other goodbye as he was headed north, and I wanted another look at the barred owl I retraced my steps the way I came to see if the Mandarin surfaced at any of the places I had already looked. No luck on that, but I did notice something else: this community I stumbled into, it was like a secret society of birders, and we were all in on the hunt. From the rollerblading dude at the Turtle Pond to the old lady with the brand new Nikon spy-glasses he was talking to, we were all speaking the same language, discussing what we had seen recently that was cool and what we'd like to have seen (in addition to the mandarin). There was no discussion of race or economic class. There was no argument about liberal and conservative values (though I'm sure everyone had an opinion about global warming, it's a thing, look it up), there was just the birds. While I had just arrived to see what I could see on my own personal mission, I was immediately accepted and looked upon as an equal, and spoken to with respect and dignity without prejudice. It got to the point where, as I crossed from one area to another within the park, the other birders, recognizing that I was packing some serious birding gear, waved to me as if to say "I know why you're here, you're part of my tribe and I hope you find what you're looking for. Best wishes!"
And that's what I wish all of you this holiday season. Friends and families can be stressful, but we're all part of the same club. I wish that you all can find the same acceptance that I was able to find, regardless of politics and preconceived notions. At the end of this fairly stressful part of the year, I hope you can appreciate someone who you know is going through the same event, with similar intentions, and that you can wave at that person with the attitude that we're all in this together. In this culture of divisive arguments, I hope you have a calm and understanding approach to the holidays where most people's intent is good.
So, Happy Holidays, and I know why you're here, you're part of my tribe, and I hope you find what you're looking for this Thanksgiving. Best wishes!
Monday, October 29, 2018
It's Time to Support Facts
After the terrorist shooting in Pittsburgh where only religious minorities were killed, the far right, and our President gave the event a shoulder shrug and then twisted the knife in his relentless attack on the media. Yeah, killing sucks, but the media, am I right people?
However, how off is he?
First, let's get out of the way that this President has called for violence against his political opponents. He refused and continue to refuse to condemn hate groups, mostly because then it would be against a large swath of people who voted for him and actively campaign for him (and because he kinda agrees with them). He's demonstrated that in addition to religion (anti-Islam/Judaism) he's also anti-environment, anti-women, anti-Native American, and anti-poor. WORDS HAVE MEANING AND CONSEQUENCES!
But, he's right about a slanted media. "Headlines," and I use the term loosely, have been sensational and alarmist and accusatory against this administration, or at least, presenting facts and drawing conclusions that the administration doesn't either want to admit or believes to be false, hence, fake news. So, why submit misleading headlines? Blame FaceBook.
The Pew Research Center has been gathering information on newspaper and periodical distribution since the 1940s, and, according to this report the news industry is in a death spiral: "A Pew Research Center analysis of data from AAM shows that total weekday circulation for U.S. daily newspapers – both print and digital – fell 8% in 2016, marking the 28th consecutive year of declines." Not only that, but the L.A. Times reported on September 25 that TV network news ratings are also slipping. "Broadcast network news continued to fight a rear guard attack as audience levels slipped again in the 2017-18 television season, which ended last week. Only one daily program, 'ABC World News Tonight With David Muir,' showed year-to-year growth, according to data released Tuesday by Nielsen." Fewer people paying attention equals a drop in advertising revenue and makes it harder for these organizations to staff experienced journalists and editors to get the real news out there.
So, if the populace isn't getting their news from papers or TV networks, where are they getting their news from? Well, that's the FaceBook link. In a report that the Pew Research Center released back in 2014, it was estimated that roughly 2/3rds of Americans used FaceBook, and 30% of those got their news from headlines posted on the site. That's tremendously ominous as we know that much of what is posted or shared on FB are opinions, not researched news. We also know that in the last 4 years, FaceBook and Twitter influence has grown substantially globally, i.e. the numbers aren't likely to be less if that same study was updated today. And, finally, the most troubling fact is what the Washington Post reported on in 2016 is that "According to a new study by computer scientists at Columbia University and the French National Institute, 59 percent of links shared on social media have never actually been clicked: In other words, most people appear to retweet news without ever reading it."
That's right, no one actually reads an article which makes our collective information problem less click-bait and more share-bait, which is healthy and strong, regardless if it's from a trusted news source or not. Many of us are guilty of doing it, including and especially the President who has the intellect of a white-tailed deer: "ooooh, look at all of those lights getting brighter, I'll just stand here and watch the show!"
So, what can we do about it? First, we must all resist that dreaded "share" button for opinion pieces that aren't vetted. Second, we need to focus on actual news sources that aren't just writing headlines for us to push around. Forbes, which I believe is a bit right-of-center when it comes to political leanings, has a list of news institutions where the journalists are held to a higher standard. The full list of their 2017 recommended sites is here, but you already know that the Huffington Post is not, nor should it be, on this list. Next, pay for your news. I'm not saying that you need to have a paper delivered every morning, but absolutely subscribe to a real news agency and help support the distribution of verifiable content. And, finally, vote. We're in the final week before mid-term elections, and there are so many politicians who are the ones circulating poor data and bad science. We need people making policy who believe in both social science and environmental science, or at least have staffers who are digesting that information for the candidates allowing them to make informed decisions based on undisputed scientific fact!
What happened in Pittsburgh is atrocious. None of us wants to be a target of extreme hate and violence. However, if we aren't able to enact common-sense legislation based on facts because our representatives are kowtowing to a neanderthal minority with deep pockets, then we need to vote them out.
However, how off is he?
First, let's get out of the way that this President has called for violence against his political opponents. He refused and continue to refuse to condemn hate groups, mostly because then it would be against a large swath of people who voted for him and actively campaign for him (and because he kinda agrees with them). He's demonstrated that in addition to religion (anti-Islam/Judaism) he's also anti-environment, anti-women, anti-Native American, and anti-poor. WORDS HAVE MEANING AND CONSEQUENCES!
But, he's right about a slanted media. "Headlines," and I use the term loosely, have been sensational and alarmist and accusatory against this administration, or at least, presenting facts and drawing conclusions that the administration doesn't either want to admit or believes to be false, hence, fake news. So, why submit misleading headlines? Blame FaceBook.
The Pew Research Center has been gathering information on newspaper and periodical distribution since the 1940s, and, according to this report the news industry is in a death spiral: "A Pew Research Center analysis of data from AAM shows that total weekday circulation for U.S. daily newspapers – both print and digital – fell 8% in 2016, marking the 28th consecutive year of declines." Not only that, but the L.A. Times reported on September 25 that TV network news ratings are also slipping. "Broadcast network news continued to fight a rear guard attack as audience levels slipped again in the 2017-18 television season, which ended last week. Only one daily program, 'ABC World News Tonight With David Muir,' showed year-to-year growth, according to data released Tuesday by Nielsen." Fewer people paying attention equals a drop in advertising revenue and makes it harder for these organizations to staff experienced journalists and editors to get the real news out there.
So, if the populace isn't getting their news from papers or TV networks, where are they getting their news from? Well, that's the FaceBook link. In a report that the Pew Research Center released back in 2014, it was estimated that roughly 2/3rds of Americans used FaceBook, and 30% of those got their news from headlines posted on the site. That's tremendously ominous as we know that much of what is posted or shared on FB are opinions, not researched news. We also know that in the last 4 years, FaceBook and Twitter influence has grown substantially globally, i.e. the numbers aren't likely to be less if that same study was updated today. And, finally, the most troubling fact is what the Washington Post reported on in 2016 is that "According to a new study by computer scientists at Columbia University and the French National Institute, 59 percent of links shared on social media have never actually been clicked: In other words, most people appear to retweet news without ever reading it."
That's right, no one actually reads an article which makes our collective information problem less click-bait and more share-bait, which is healthy and strong, regardless if it's from a trusted news source or not. Many of us are guilty of doing it, including and especially the President who has the intellect of a white-tailed deer: "ooooh, look at all of those lights getting brighter, I'll just stand here and watch the show!"
So, what can we do about it? First, we must all resist that dreaded "share" button for opinion pieces that aren't vetted. Second, we need to focus on actual news sources that aren't just writing headlines for us to push around. Forbes, which I believe is a bit right-of-center when it comes to political leanings, has a list of news institutions where the journalists are held to a higher standard. The full list of their 2017 recommended sites is here, but you already know that the Huffington Post is not, nor should it be, on this list. Next, pay for your news. I'm not saying that you need to have a paper delivered every morning, but absolutely subscribe to a real news agency and help support the distribution of verifiable content. And, finally, vote. We're in the final week before mid-term elections, and there are so many politicians who are the ones circulating poor data and bad science. We need people making policy who believe in both social science and environmental science, or at least have staffers who are digesting that information for the candidates allowing them to make informed decisions based on undisputed scientific fact!
What happened in Pittsburgh is atrocious. None of us wants to be a target of extreme hate and violence. However, if we aren't able to enact common-sense legislation based on facts because our representatives are kowtowing to a neanderthal minority with deep pockets, then we need to vote them out.
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Adventures in Asbury Park, NJ
The New York Times (that liberal rag, go figure) ran an article about the life of the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. If you're from NJ, you're familiar with the Pony: home to Bruce Springsteen...which, if you read this article, you'll realize that he was a johnny-come-lately, just looking to catch a local act, play some music and drink a beer. Regardless, the resilience of Pony after riots in the 70's and depravity in the 80's is definitely due to something magical, something inexplicable, which reminded me of a story...(cue flashback waves a la Wayne's World).
About 8 years ago, in 2010, I had a day off in June (read: forced State furloughs), and my brother-in-law, Jesse was in from Los Angeles, visiting family. He had grown up in and around Freehold, NJ, and like many in that neck of the woods, idolized Bruce Springsteen. Bruce, after all, was the home town hero. Bruce stopped into local businesses like Jersey Freeze right off Route 9. And, Bruce lived nearby too. Jesse had one movie out already (see it on NetFlix), which made him a professional screen writer (and actor), and he had thoughts about writing something about Bruce and Freehold, however, he'd never spent any appreciable time in Asbury Park. Road-trip.
When we got to Asbury, a lot had changed from what it had been in the 80's and 90's. Asbury was a hole. It was seedy and drug-filled, and poor...desperately poor. The late Anthony Bourdain visited with his show in 2005, where the only place Tony was willing to grab a bite was the Howard Johnson's, and he ordered something he thought wouldn't kill him, something safe: a Heineken and a grilled cheese sandwich. "The beauty of the grilled cheese sandwich in its classic form is that neither the shaped carbohydrate slabs nor the processed orange food product have any relationship with a living, organic nutrient system. Being therefore incapable of sustaining life in any form they, presumably, can't make you sick." By 2010 things had gotten way better. My wife and I had been there and visited the Langosta Lounge and loved it. In that, the Lounge's original configuration and eclectic upscale menu, there was plenty to eat that Bourdain would have loved, including sushi, and succulent pieces of beef, and plenty to drink. There was music in the corner, and a bar with many TVs. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Jesse and I got there mid afternoon, and the place was open, but not close to being "lively." We visited the old casino building. We walked up and down the newly renovated boardwalk. And we pointed out the Paramount and walked past the pinball museum. It was fairly uneventful. At about 6pm, we decided it was time to bail and do something else. On the way back to the car, there was a woman playing guitar on the boardwalk and crooning (whining?) a Natalie Merchant tune. This was a long way off from the city's storied history of music. About to cross the street, we see another girl with a guitar slung on her back, and joked, loudly, that we hope that she plays better music than the one we just left. And, with a very thick European accent, she said "You know Bruce?" She took off her gig bag, unpacked the acoustic she was traveling with, and started into "No Surrender." Jesse, someone not unfamiliar with Bruce's entire catalog, immediately joined in singing, and she then lent him her axe to continue/finish the song. It was great! Here we were, with a complete stranger, sharing something bigger than the three of us, on the streets of the city he made famous.
She explained that her name was Calien, she was from Amsterdam, she was 17. She was so obsessed with Bruce Springsteen that she came to New York, and specifically to Asbury Park to see the Stone Pony with her own eyes. She had already gotten kicked off his property in Rumson by the police. She just wanted to be part of the scene. She had taken a hotel right there near the boardwalk, and as the sun went down, it was getting a little cooler. Would we want to go back to her hotel room so she could get a jacket? It would just take a minute.
Get your minds out of the gutter.
That said, Jesse and I looked at each other and, we had no place to go, so, yes, we'll come along for the ride. When in her room, she not only took out her jacket, but also an orange crown, with the Netherlands coat of arms on it, and a soccer ball. She made us each pose wearing the crown as, the world was in the middle of the 2010 World Cup. National pride and all that. Then, she pulled out a XX Large Stone Pony bouncer's jacket, handed it to me, and asked if I wanted it. It was the same make and material of the light jackets students wear in High Schools when they're part of the tennis team or band. What? How'd she get it? Well, her obsession with Bruce brought her to the Paramount Theater in AP at 2am after a day of being in New York. She snuck into an open door at the back of the theater and immediately got wrangled by the guard there. She explained she just wanted to see the stage where Bruce performed. The guard took pity, let her walk on the stage, and then, handed her his jacket he wore as a bouncer at the Pony as a souvenir, one that was at least 5 sizes too big. Would I want it? Sure! I put it on.
We decided that, because we were all there due to Bruce, maybe we should check out the Pony for ourselves. It was literally across the street. Off we went, and, because I was wearing the right apparel, we walked right in, told the other bouncers that Jesse and Calien were with me, and marched into the club. The band taking the stage wasn't our cup of tea, some metal band, but that's OK, we just wanted to see the inside for Jesse's research and Calien's holiday. While I was standing there, I got a tap on my shoulder. Worried that it was time to get thrown out, I turned around, and there's a dude, standing there, arms above his head, waiting for me to frisk him on his way into the venue. I quickly pointed him to someone who actually worked there, found Jesse and Cal, and got out.
Lots of laughing happened later as we headed to the Langosta Lounge for a drink with a 17 year old from Amsterdam, and watch the Mets and the Yankees duke it out for supremacy in the Big Apple.
There's really nothing more. I'm not sure where the movie is on Jesse's list, whether he's shelved it for other things. I do know that Calien has made it BIG in Amsterdam. We knew she was talented, and after she finished school, she formed her own band: Cal and the Leavin' Train, yes, a direct reference to a track officially released on Bruce's 1998 Box Set. You can catch some of her stuff here on the band's FaceBook page. There are a couple videos to check out.
Also, Asbury Park has since exploded with restaurants and the artist community that was there is thriving. The beaches are fun in the summer. And the Mogo Taco, next to Langosta Lounge, is worth the trip alone. Bourdain made a second trip (probably more) for his more recent show "Parts Unknown" that was on CNN in 2015. "Asbury Park has taken the long, hard but smart road back,"It's very unusual to have a place with this kind of tradition of live music," Bourdain said in an interview with the Asbury Park Press. "It's such a powerful tradition and that it's managed to survive at all, that's very unusual." That's because the music of Asbury Park, and the epicenter, The Stone Pony, has the magic to bring people together. Certainly, it worked for the city, Bruce, Cal, Jesse and me.
About 8 years ago, in 2010, I had a day off in June (read: forced State furloughs), and my brother-in-law, Jesse was in from Los Angeles, visiting family. He had grown up in and around Freehold, NJ, and like many in that neck of the woods, idolized Bruce Springsteen. Bruce, after all, was the home town hero. Bruce stopped into local businesses like Jersey Freeze right off Route 9. And, Bruce lived nearby too. Jesse had one movie out already (see it on NetFlix), which made him a professional screen writer (and actor), and he had thoughts about writing something about Bruce and Freehold, however, he'd never spent any appreciable time in Asbury Park. Road-trip.
When we got to Asbury, a lot had changed from what it had been in the 80's and 90's. Asbury was a hole. It was seedy and drug-filled, and poor...desperately poor. The late Anthony Bourdain visited with his show in 2005, where the only place Tony was willing to grab a bite was the Howard Johnson's, and he ordered something he thought wouldn't kill him, something safe: a Heineken and a grilled cheese sandwich. "The beauty of the grilled cheese sandwich in its classic form is that neither the shaped carbohydrate slabs nor the processed orange food product have any relationship with a living, organic nutrient system. Being therefore incapable of sustaining life in any form they, presumably, can't make you sick." By 2010 things had gotten way better. My wife and I had been there and visited the Langosta Lounge and loved it. In that, the Lounge's original configuration and eclectic upscale menu, there was plenty to eat that Bourdain would have loved, including sushi, and succulent pieces of beef, and plenty to drink. There was music in the corner, and a bar with many TVs. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Jesse and I got there mid afternoon, and the place was open, but not close to being "lively." We visited the old casino building. We walked up and down the newly renovated boardwalk. And we pointed out the Paramount and walked past the pinball museum. It was fairly uneventful. At about 6pm, we decided it was time to bail and do something else. On the way back to the car, there was a woman playing guitar on the boardwalk and crooning (whining?) a Natalie Merchant tune. This was a long way off from the city's storied history of music. About to cross the street, we see another girl with a guitar slung on her back, and joked, loudly, that we hope that she plays better music than the one we just left. And, with a very thick European accent, she said "You know Bruce?" She took off her gig bag, unpacked the acoustic she was traveling with, and started into "No Surrender." Jesse, someone not unfamiliar with Bruce's entire catalog, immediately joined in singing, and she then lent him her axe to continue/finish the song. It was great! Here we were, with a complete stranger, sharing something bigger than the three of us, on the streets of the city he made famous.
She explained that her name was Calien, she was from Amsterdam, she was 17. She was so obsessed with Bruce Springsteen that she came to New York, and specifically to Asbury Park to see the Stone Pony with her own eyes. She had already gotten kicked off his property in Rumson by the police. She just wanted to be part of the scene. She had taken a hotel right there near the boardwalk, and as the sun went down, it was getting a little cooler. Would we want to go back to her hotel room so she could get a jacket? It would just take a minute.
Get your minds out of the gutter.
That said, Jesse and I looked at each other and, we had no place to go, so, yes, we'll come along for the ride. When in her room, she not only took out her jacket, but also an orange crown, with the Netherlands coat of arms on it, and a soccer ball. She made us each pose wearing the crown as, the world was in the middle of the 2010 World Cup. National pride and all that. Then, she pulled out a XX Large Stone Pony bouncer's jacket, handed it to me, and asked if I wanted it. It was the same make and material of the light jackets students wear in High Schools when they're part of the tennis team or band. What? How'd she get it? Well, her obsession with Bruce brought her to the Paramount Theater in AP at 2am after a day of being in New York. She snuck into an open door at the back of the theater and immediately got wrangled by the guard there. She explained she just wanted to see the stage where Bruce performed. The guard took pity, let her walk on the stage, and then, handed her his jacket he wore as a bouncer at the Pony as a souvenir, one that was at least 5 sizes too big. Would I want it? Sure! I put it on.
We decided that, because we were all there due to Bruce, maybe we should check out the Pony for ourselves. It was literally across the street. Off we went, and, because I was wearing the right apparel, we walked right in, told the other bouncers that Jesse and Calien were with me, and marched into the club. The band taking the stage wasn't our cup of tea, some metal band, but that's OK, we just wanted to see the inside for Jesse's research and Calien's holiday. While I was standing there, I got a tap on my shoulder. Worried that it was time to get thrown out, I turned around, and there's a dude, standing there, arms above his head, waiting for me to frisk him on his way into the venue. I quickly pointed him to someone who actually worked there, found Jesse and Cal, and got out.
Lots of laughing happened later as we headed to the Langosta Lounge for a drink with a 17 year old from Amsterdam, and watch the Mets and the Yankees duke it out for supremacy in the Big Apple.
There's really nothing more. I'm not sure where the movie is on Jesse's list, whether he's shelved it for other things. I do know that Calien has made it BIG in Amsterdam. We knew she was talented, and after she finished school, she formed her own band: Cal and the Leavin' Train, yes, a direct reference to a track officially released on Bruce's 1998 Box Set. You can catch some of her stuff here on the band's FaceBook page. There are a couple videos to check out.
Also, Asbury Park has since exploded with restaurants and the artist community that was there is thriving. The beaches are fun in the summer. And the Mogo Taco, next to Langosta Lounge, is worth the trip alone. Bourdain made a second trip (probably more) for his more recent show "Parts Unknown" that was on CNN in 2015. "Asbury Park has taken the long, hard but smart road back,"It's very unusual to have a place with this kind of tradition of live music," Bourdain said in an interview with the Asbury Park Press. "It's such a powerful tradition and that it's managed to survive at all, that's very unusual." That's because the music of Asbury Park, and the epicenter, The Stone Pony, has the magic to bring people together. Certainly, it worked for the city, Bruce, Cal, Jesse and me.
Thursday, October 4, 2018
Wake Up
I had this whole rant thought out about how the religious right are using our sheep politicians to further their goals to subjugate women through restriction of medical treatments (i.e. birth control, abortion, etc.) and the flaunting of patriarchal misogynistic practices by denying women a voice in physical and sexual assault situations.
But, I am seriously burnt out on this whole Kavanaugh thing. I so want the GOP to move on to a better candidate, but I'm terrified that this rich, Roe v. Wade-hating, beer-swilling entitled fraternity douche-bag is going to get his vote and be 100 times more politically charged than Gorsuch whilst attempting to legislate us back into the dark ages.
And while he believes himself to be a child of Jesus, and a righteous Catholic, I think, even the Pope would have issue on this man's past actions, legal decisions, core beliefs and severe lack of a dedication to his fellow man, except for Judge and Squee. Frankly, the Pope would make a far better justice.
But that all being said, I have found myself turning to my music for both confirmation of my feelings and fears as well as a refuge so as to tune the world out.
For fears, I think it's easy. I've recently re-found Rage Against the Machine (as I've mentioned before) and the lyrics to "Wake Up" are so adaptable to today. Admittedly, I'm cherry picking them for my argument, but the song references:
Fist in the air in the land of hypocrisy;
Still knee deep in the system's shit;
Departments of police, (what!) the judges (what!), the feds;
Networks at work, keeping people calm
It speaks, literally to the assassination of Martin Luther King, a Federal cover-up because he returned the power to the people. I think a lot of it resonates with me because the problem never went away...certainly it never left the black communities, and now there are echoes of similar themes with white nationalist politicians, namely Trump and the Republican right. As an avid student of music from the 60s, these themes are hardly new, but due to the grandstanding and extreme political actions by those who would put business before the needs of the people, a new protest, using old themes, is in order.
What's more, it's so hard to believe that informed citizens voted "these people" in. There are so many extremes I see on the right, from fraternizing with a new Nazi regime, to claims of being devout without following a word of the bible when it comes to treating others as you would treat yourself. Granted, the Democrats are hardly innocent. I believe Menendez dodged a political bullet based on procedure and lack of evidence. I think he's guilty. I think he's not the only one who swings his political might in this manner, and that both sides of the aisle are guilty, but he got caught. I'm not happy that I have to vote for him, but the alternative is another right-wing religious zealot, with views similar to Trump's, that would be deciding Federal law in my name. No way.
November is coming. Historically, Americans are horrific at getting to the polls. I hope you're not. Something has to change. And, I don't believe that a xenophobic, nation-first, blinders version of United States policy is good for our own citizenry or that of the world. Which movie will you feel better coming out of: the one where the underdog, with nothing, is able to finally make his/her life better against all odds...or the one where the oppression of the people rewards only the task masters at the top pulling all the strings to keep them fat while the rest of the world burns around them? We have one month to talk to people about our right to choose who leads this nation. It's time to wake up.
But, I am seriously burnt out on this whole Kavanaugh thing. I so want the GOP to move on to a better candidate, but I'm terrified that this rich, Roe v. Wade-hating, beer-swilling entitled fraternity douche-bag is going to get his vote and be 100 times more politically charged than Gorsuch whilst attempting to legislate us back into the dark ages.
And while he believes himself to be a child of Jesus, and a righteous Catholic, I think, even the Pope would have issue on this man's past actions, legal decisions, core beliefs and severe lack of a dedication to his fellow man, except for Judge and Squee. Frankly, the Pope would make a far better justice.
But that all being said, I have found myself turning to my music for both confirmation of my feelings and fears as well as a refuge so as to tune the world out.
For fears, I think it's easy. I've recently re-found Rage Against the Machine (as I've mentioned before) and the lyrics to "Wake Up" are so adaptable to today. Admittedly, I'm cherry picking them for my argument, but the song references:
Fist in the air in the land of hypocrisy;
Still knee deep in the system's shit;
Departments of police, (what!) the judges (what!), the feds;
Networks at work, keeping people calm
It speaks, literally to the assassination of Martin Luther King, a Federal cover-up because he returned the power to the people. I think a lot of it resonates with me because the problem never went away...certainly it never left the black communities, and now there are echoes of similar themes with white nationalist politicians, namely Trump and the Republican right. As an avid student of music from the 60s, these themes are hardly new, but due to the grandstanding and extreme political actions by those who would put business before the needs of the people, a new protest, using old themes, is in order.
What's more, it's so hard to believe that informed citizens voted "these people" in. There are so many extremes I see on the right, from fraternizing with a new Nazi regime, to claims of being devout without following a word of the bible when it comes to treating others as you would treat yourself. Granted, the Democrats are hardly innocent. I believe Menendez dodged a political bullet based on procedure and lack of evidence. I think he's guilty. I think he's not the only one who swings his political might in this manner, and that both sides of the aisle are guilty, but he got caught. I'm not happy that I have to vote for him, but the alternative is another right-wing religious zealot, with views similar to Trump's, that would be deciding Federal law in my name. No way.
November is coming. Historically, Americans are horrific at getting to the polls. I hope you're not. Something has to change. And, I don't believe that a xenophobic, nation-first, blinders version of United States policy is good for our own citizenry or that of the world. Which movie will you feel better coming out of: the one where the underdog, with nothing, is able to finally make his/her life better against all odds...or the one where the oppression of the people rewards only the task masters at the top pulling all the strings to keep them fat while the rest of the world burns around them? We have one month to talk to people about our right to choose who leads this nation. It's time to wake up.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Political Assault
As new accusers of nominated Supreme Court Judge, Brett Kavanaugh reveal themselves, I am blown away at the critics of their stories, primarily Republicans. But, first, let me back up.
Assault is assault. It's a criminal act of someone in power physically overpowering another individual as part of an act of malicious intent. The degree to which one is injured is irrelevant. The state of toxicity of the victim is irrelevant. The fact that the accused assailant was once a victim themselves is irrelevant. The fact is that someone is being wronged, and someone else is doing the deed.
With the first accuser of Kavanaugh, her credibility was immediately called into question. How can someone remember the details of something that happened so long ago? Why wasn't it pursued then? In my experience, high school is easy to remember, especially the negative. When I was a senior, I was working on an independent art study with two classmates, a black male classmate and a white female classmate. We were outside using a spray adhesive on an art project we were working on together when underclassmen who were black decided to harass us, question us, and ultimately spit on our art project. The fact that they were black is important, because my words to them after seeing them ruin our art were harsh: "instead of wasting my time in school walking the halls, I'm trying to get an education and have a future instead of deep frying chicken for a living." It was then that one of the three boys punched me in the jaw, and another punched me in the back of my head, before running off. Long story short, we got the teacher and I was able to identify one of my attackers for the vice principal who was overseeing the resolution to the altercation. He then told my mom and dad that I provoked the boys, and was to blame. The attackers weren't expelled and only one of the three received a suspension. And that was that. To the school, I was almost as guilty as the ones throwing the punches. It's true that I chose my words poorly, as referencing fried chicken could be interpreted as a racist slur. I admit that there were months when I questioned myself and the words I used. Why didn't I say "flipping burgers?" Regardless, I remember it all in vivid detail. That was in 1993, 25 years ago.
I'm sure that the words I used are different than the exact quote I've identified above. But, I remember the teacher and the fact that it was an independent study, the fact that one of the kids who hit me was an extremely light-skinned black boy, that the project was a play on the Beatles song "Blackbird" and that it was a book which incorporated pop-ups and spray painted feathers, and I can recall the doors we used to leave the High School to use the adhesive and the location of the art teacher's classroom...and its layout, and the fact that we had jazz playing in the background while we worked...
And to that point, these women who are coming forward can also recall a similar level of detail. It's possible. What's more, it's likely. And, they're not coming forward without risking anything. Yes, ultimately, the Democratic party is using their stories as a blunt physical instrument for stopping the nomination of an extremely conservative judge who has views of women that are not modern or scientifically accurate. You can argue with me on that point, however, the testimony of these women is inarguable. It is their truths and accusations...ones that, at the very least, require far more consideration than politics is allowing. I understand that once this nomination goes through, or doesn't, the casualties in this political fight will be these women. They get nothing from this process. They get to be used and bludgeoned by our bi-polar political system, and then left to fend for themselves amid accusations, death threats, and the potential for being sued themselves for libel.
There is no winning for these women. They will get nothing, and that has to make you think: why would they come forward with these allegations? How can we trust their words? It's simple, the events in the past that are now coming to light hold a special and very negative meaning for these women. This has impacted their entire lives since either witnessing debauchery at the hand of Kavanaugh, or being a victim his advances. It's not enough to point fingers at the Democrats accusing them of political motivations. That's why they were elected, to be political, same as the Republicans who are trying to get this done before the midterms.
It's true that there have been several nationally publicized sexual assault accusations that were proven to be fabricated. However, the number of forcible rape cases is on the rise in the United States. Since 2013 when it was 23.5 cases per 100,000, the number of cases has risen to 30.7 rapes per 100,000 people. That translates to over 99,000 cases in 2017. So, before you become political judge, jury and executioner yourself based on news headlines, take into account that not only are the accusations plausible, but they're likely.
Check these statistics from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and let's give due deference to these women's accusations for a man who may be presiding over cases pertaining to sexual assault and women's rights over the course of a lifetime appointment.
Assault is assault. It's a criminal act of someone in power physically overpowering another individual as part of an act of malicious intent. The degree to which one is injured is irrelevant. The state of toxicity of the victim is irrelevant. The fact that the accused assailant was once a victim themselves is irrelevant. The fact is that someone is being wronged, and someone else is doing the deed.
With the first accuser of Kavanaugh, her credibility was immediately called into question. How can someone remember the details of something that happened so long ago? Why wasn't it pursued then? In my experience, high school is easy to remember, especially the negative. When I was a senior, I was working on an independent art study with two classmates, a black male classmate and a white female classmate. We were outside using a spray adhesive on an art project we were working on together when underclassmen who were black decided to harass us, question us, and ultimately spit on our art project. The fact that they were black is important, because my words to them after seeing them ruin our art were harsh: "instead of wasting my time in school walking the halls, I'm trying to get an education and have a future instead of deep frying chicken for a living." It was then that one of the three boys punched me in the jaw, and another punched me in the back of my head, before running off. Long story short, we got the teacher and I was able to identify one of my attackers for the vice principal who was overseeing the resolution to the altercation. He then told my mom and dad that I provoked the boys, and was to blame. The attackers weren't expelled and only one of the three received a suspension. And that was that. To the school, I was almost as guilty as the ones throwing the punches. It's true that I chose my words poorly, as referencing fried chicken could be interpreted as a racist slur. I admit that there were months when I questioned myself and the words I used. Why didn't I say "flipping burgers?" Regardless, I remember it all in vivid detail. That was in 1993, 25 years ago.
I'm sure that the words I used are different than the exact quote I've identified above. But, I remember the teacher and the fact that it was an independent study, the fact that one of the kids who hit me was an extremely light-skinned black boy, that the project was a play on the Beatles song "Blackbird" and that it was a book which incorporated pop-ups and spray painted feathers, and I can recall the doors we used to leave the High School to use the adhesive and the location of the art teacher's classroom...and its layout, and the fact that we had jazz playing in the background while we worked...
And to that point, these women who are coming forward can also recall a similar level of detail. It's possible. What's more, it's likely. And, they're not coming forward without risking anything. Yes, ultimately, the Democratic party is using their stories as a blunt physical instrument for stopping the nomination of an extremely conservative judge who has views of women that are not modern or scientifically accurate. You can argue with me on that point, however, the testimony of these women is inarguable. It is their truths and accusations...ones that, at the very least, require far more consideration than politics is allowing. I understand that once this nomination goes through, or doesn't, the casualties in this political fight will be these women. They get nothing from this process. They get to be used and bludgeoned by our bi-polar political system, and then left to fend for themselves amid accusations, death threats, and the potential for being sued themselves for libel.
There is no winning for these women. They will get nothing, and that has to make you think: why would they come forward with these allegations? How can we trust their words? It's simple, the events in the past that are now coming to light hold a special and very negative meaning for these women. This has impacted their entire lives since either witnessing debauchery at the hand of Kavanaugh, or being a victim his advances. It's not enough to point fingers at the Democrats accusing them of political motivations. That's why they were elected, to be political, same as the Republicans who are trying to get this done before the midterms.
It's true that there have been several nationally publicized sexual assault accusations that were proven to be fabricated. However, the number of forcible rape cases is on the rise in the United States. Since 2013 when it was 23.5 cases per 100,000, the number of cases has risen to 30.7 rapes per 100,000 people. That translates to over 99,000 cases in 2017. So, before you become political judge, jury and executioner yourself based on news headlines, take into account that not only are the accusations plausible, but they're likely.
Check these statistics from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and let's give due deference to these women's accusations for a man who may be presiding over cases pertaining to sexual assault and women's rights over the course of a lifetime appointment.
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