Sometimes, You Just Need John Mayall to Make It Right

“Room to Move” from the album “The Turning Point”

And he has a short biographical video with some background on the tune, including the reference to Sonny Boy Williamson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHgRVSE633U

Thanks, man!

Later,

Dame Diana Rigg

One of the great actresses of this and the last century turned 75 over the weekend.

Yes, yes, she lit up 10,000 adolescent male fantasies as Emma Peel in the Avengers, but she also won a Tony playing Medea and was a truly frightening Mrs. Danvers in “Rebecca.”

The Guardian had a wonderful interview with her earlier this year.

May you live forever, Dame Diana.

Later,

July 20, 1969

Yes, it was hugely expensive. Yes, we had challenges here on Earth that were going unaddressed. Yes, other than national pride, it hasn’t translated into much in the way of practical benefit. Nonetheless, hundreds of millions of people held their breaths as, with minutes to go, the lunar lander experienced guidance computer problems, and Neil Armstrong had to take control. The small ship missed its intended landing target, and fuel was running out, but Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin managed to the the craft safely down. Nearly three hours later, Armstrong became the first person to walk elsewhere than Earth.

Later,

Woodrow Wilson Guthrie

Born today in 1912.

Later,

Thomas Jefferson Witnesses the Storming of the Bastille

A letter to Secretary of State John Jay:

July 14

On the 14th, they send one of their members (Monsieur de Corny, whom we knew in America) to the Hotel des Invalides to ask arms for their Garde Bourgeoise. He was followed by, or he found there, a great mob. The Governor of the Invalids came out and represented the impossibility of his delivering arms without the orders of those from whom he received them.

De Corney advised the people then to retire, retired himself, and the people took possession of the arms. It was remarkable that not only the Invalids themselves made no opposition, but that a body of 5000 foreign troops, encamped within 400 yards, never stirred.

Monsieur de Corny and five others were then sent to ask arms of Monsieur de Launai, Governor of the Bastille. They found a great collection of people already before the place, and they immediately planted a flag of truce, which was answered by a like flag hoisted on the parapet. The deputation prevailed on the people to fall back a little, advanced themselves to make their demand of the Governor, and in that instant a discharge from the Bastille killed 4. people of those nearest to the deputies. The deputies retired, the people rushed against the place, and almost in an instant were in possession of a fortification, defended by 100 men, of infinite strength, which in other times had stood several regular sieges and had never been taken. How they got in, has as yet been impossible to discover. Those, who pretend to have been of the party tell so many different stories as to destroy the credit of them all.

They took all the arms, discharged the prisoners and such of the garrison as were not killed in the first moment of fury, carried the Governor and Lieutenant governor to the Greve (the place of public execution) cut off their heads, and set them through the city in triumph to the Palais royal.

About the same instant, a treacherous correspondence having been discovered in Monsieur de Flesselles prevot des marchands, they seize him in the hotel de ville, where he was in the exercise of his office, and cut off his head.

These events carried imperfectly to Versailles were the subject of two successive deputations from the States to the King, to both of which he gave dry and hard answers, for it has transpired that it had been proposed and agitated in Council to seize on the principal members of the States general, to march the whole army down upon Paris and to suppress it’s tumults by the sword. But at night the Duke de Liancourt forced his way into the king’s bedchamber, and obliged him to hear a full and animated detail of the disasters of the day in Paris. He went to bed deeply impressed.

The decapitation of de Launai worked powerfully thro’ the night on the whole Aristocratical party, insomuch that in the morning those of the greatest influence on the Count d’Artois represented to him the absolute necessity that the king should give up every thing to the states. This according well enough with the dispositions of the king, he went about 11 oclock, accompanied only by his brothers, to the States general, and there read to them a speech, in which he asked their interposition to re-establish order. . . Tho this be couched in terms of some caution, yet the manner in which it was delivered made it evident that it was meant as a surrender at discretion.

The storming of the Bastille . . . The demolition of the Bastille was now ordered, and begun. A body of the Swiss guards, of the regiment of Ventimille, and the city horse guards join the people. The alarm at Versailles increases instead of abating. They believed that the Aristocrats of Paris were under pillage and carnage, that 150,000 men were in arms coming to Versailles to massacre the Royal family, the court, the ministers and all connected with them, their practices and principles.

The Aristocrats of the Nobles and Clergy in the States general vied with each other in declaring how sincerely they were converted to the justice of voting by persons, and how determined to go with the nation all it’s lengths.

The foreign troops were ordered off instantly.

Later,

Cardinals at the All-Star Break

Okay, they ran out of gas today, falling 11-2 to the Brewers in Milwaukee. That leaves the Redbirds in second place by one game, with Cincinnati another half-game astern and Pittsburgh only 3 1/2 out.

Although they’ve played well since Yadier Molina went on the DL, he’s lost to them for 8-12 weeks, effectively the remainder of the season. That’s a major setback.

With 66 games to go, the Cardinals play the Brewers and the Reds 10 times apiece, and the Pirates 6 times. They also play the cellar-dwelling Cubs 10 times, but Chicago has been known to rise to the occasion and spoil the Cardinals’ run. That’s 36 of the 66 games. I’m guessing it will take 98 games to win the division; so the Cardinals have 46 of 66 to win, and they have to be winners of the series against the other four NL Central teams. Without Molina, and with a starting rotation riddled by injuries and which, once you get past Adam Wainwright, is, frankly, shaky, that’s a tall order. Not impossible, but that’s almost a .700 clip, and they have only managed a .540 win rate to date. So there’s very little margin for error.

It’s not like they haven’t been in this position before, but at this point in the season last year, they were a full seven games better than they are right now. The difference is not chump change.

Offense is still a big question mark, despite the great week just past. I mean, Kolten Wong, on whom I had given up, hit .333 with 5 home runs and 8 RBIs this week. Is that the start of a strong second half, or merely a good week in a season that could otherwise be charitably described as mediocre? Alan Craig is hitting .244 with next-to-no power, and he went 1 for 15 this past week, when the rest of the club was steaming. Matt Holliday is hitting .265. Matt Carpenter is hitting .283, 17 points below his career average.

Last year, the team set a major-league record for batting average with runners in scoring position, .330. So far this year, it’s .251.

So, I would characterize myself as hopeful, rather than optimistic. If the team starts hitting on all cylinders, or if the rest of the NL Central plays at only a moderate level, there’s a clear shot at the championship. We’re about to see.

Later,

Happy Birthday, Arlo Guthrie

With thanks and deepest respect. God Bless.

Later,

Late Night Listening with Birthday Boy Richard Starkey

All the best, Ringo, and MANY happy returns!

Later,

Lovely Little Nugget of Political Wisdom

All cats are libertarians. Completely dependent on others but fully convinced of their own independence.

Later,

Independence Day! Celebrating the American Spirit

It’s fitting that Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass was first published on this day in 1855.

The past and present wilt—I have fill’d them, emptied them.
And proceed to fill my next fold of the future.

. . . .

Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

From “Song of Myself”

It is equally fitting that I am also reading this weekend “Bourbon: A History of the American Spirit” by Dane Huckelbridge. Written as enjoyably as it is informative.

Thanks to Fred Walker Robbins, Ph.D. for explaining the connections to me.

Later,