It's going to be a hot week.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
"Racine in Ruins"
A new addition to the local blogosphere: http://racineinruins.wordpress.com/
The lies from City Hall never stop. Never.
Party on, lying John.
The lies from City Hall never stop. Never.
Party on, lying John.
Four for Fridays
Hello everyone! Welcome back to Four for Fridays after a week back to the grind. I'm ready to back on vacation again. Sleeping in sounds great.... Anyways here are some questions.
1) Did you ever have a tree house or build a fort when you were a kid?
2) What are the best seats for a concert or sports event you ever had?
3) If you were the U.S. president for a day, what would you do?
4) What foreign country would you like to visit?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) Did you ever have a tree house or build a fort when you were a kid?
2) What are the best seats for a concert or sports event you ever had?
3) If you were the U.S. president for a day, what would you do?
4) What foreign country would you like to visit?
Enjoy your weekend!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Keith Fair
How long is the City of Racine going to put up with this guy?
He is suppose to be an Alderman, you would think they should be responsible people.
He doesn’t show up for court, now his attorney doesn’t show, these two guys have more excuses then Carter has Little Liver Pills.
His liquor license hearing has been postponed for the third time and now Thursday prosecutors filed a felony bail jumping charge against him for missing a court date Monday morning.
If convicted of a felony he has to be tossed out as alderman; anyone who is convicted of a felony loses their voting rights and to me he then cannot vote whether it is for the city or his personal vote.
See the JT story here; If convicted
He is suppose to be an Alderman, you would think they should be responsible people.
He doesn’t show up for court, now his attorney doesn’t show, these two guys have more excuses then Carter has Little Liver Pills.
His liquor license hearing has been postponed for the third time and now Thursday prosecutors filed a felony bail jumping charge against him for missing a court date Monday morning.
If convicted of a felony he has to be tossed out as alderman; anyone who is convicted of a felony loses their voting rights and to me he then cannot vote whether it is for the city or his personal vote.
See the JT story here; If convicted
IT'S SO HOT in Wisconsin
.....the birds have to use potholders to pull the worms out of the ground. .....the trees are whistling for the dogs.
.....the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance
.....hot water comes from both taps.
.....you can make sun tea instantly.
.....you learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.
.....the temperature drops below 90 F and you feel a little chilly.
.....you discover that in July it only takes two fingers to steer your car.
.....you discover that you can get sunburned through your car window.
.....you actually burn your hand opening the car door.
.....you break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 A.M.
.....your biggest motorcycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death"?
.....you realize that asphalt has a liquid stage.
.....the potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter.
.....the cows are giving evaporated milk.
.....farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs.
.....the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance
.....hot water comes from both taps.
.....you can make sun tea instantly.
.....you learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.
.....the temperature drops below 90 F and you feel a little chilly.
.....you discover that in July it only takes two fingers to steer your car.
.....you discover that you can get sunburned through your car window.
.....you actually burn your hand opening the car door.
.....you break into a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 A.M.
.....your biggest motorcycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death"?
.....you realize that asphalt has a liquid stage.
.....the potatoes cook underground, so all you have to do is pull one out and add butter.
.....the cows are giving evaporated milk.
.....farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying boiled eggs.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The Goldberg Brothers
The Goldberg Brothers - The Inventors of the AAAutomobile Air Conditioner.
Here's a little factoid for automotive buffs or just to dazzle your friends.
The four Goldberg brothers, Lowell, Norman, Hiram, and Max, invented and developed the first automobile air-conditioner.
On July 17, 1946, the temperature in Detroit was 97 degrees. The four brothers walked into old man Henry Ford's office and sweet-talked his secretary into telling him that four gentlemen were there with the most exciting innovation in the auto industry since the electric starter. Henry was curious and invited them into his office.
They refused and instead asked that he come out to the parking lot to their car. They persuaded him to get into the car, which was about 130 degrees, turned on the air conditioner, and cooled the car off immediately.
The old man got very excited and invited them back to the office, where he offered them $3 million for the patent.
The brothers refused, saying they would settle for $2 million, but they wanted the recognition by having a label, 'The Goldberg Air-Conditioner,' on the dashboard of each car in which it was installed.
Now old man Ford was more than just a little anti-Semitic, and there was no way he was going to put the Goldberg's name on two million Fords.
They haggled back and forth for about two hours and finally agreed on $4 million and that just their first names would be shown.
And so to this day, all Ford air conditioners show – Lo, Norm, Hi, and Max - on the controls.
I can hear your groans from here. Control yourself!!!
Dear Madame Zoltar
Hello, my dry, dormant dears! How are you?
The heat of last week has moderated, but we’re still in the middle of a
drought. And more heat is on the
way. The weather was the talk of last
winter and it’s the talk of this summer, too.
Today I had reason to walk on some grass, and it was crunchy
underfoot. That’s beyond dormant. That may be dead. Oh my.
The 4th of July was too hot for me to watch the
parade in person. Junior had a great
time, but he came home sun burnt. My
tonic soon eased the pain and other effects of the sunburn, but nothing
restores the initial damage done to the skin.
My generation had an excuse: we thought the sun was good for us. As it turns out, the sun is out to get us
with a vast array of light waves and radiation.
Junior knows this. He probably
considers it “lame” to put on sun block, but you can’t even see or smell the
unscented stuff.
No parade this week, but we do have this: “Ironman 70.3 Racine
Triathlon Course to Cause Traffic Delays on Sunday” - http://caledonia.patch.com/blog_posts/ironman-703-racine-triathlon-course-to-cause-traffic-delays-on-sunday Be prepared.
This one has snagged traffic a number of times. I don’t think all of our current roadwork
will help matters any. I have someone to
visit on the north side on Sunday, but he doesn’t live on North
Main St., so I should be OK. In fact, my plan is avoid North
Main entirely. Check out
the story and maps to see if the triathlon will affect you.
Of course, there are scads of other events and shindigs
occurring throughout Racine during
the summer. Check the paper, listen to
the radio, and talk to you friends.
There’s something going on almost all of the time in Racine. Most of it is legal. Tee-hee, a little joke there. I’m sorry, that doesn’t reflect positively on
Racine. Racine
is the precious ship that carries my life.
I don’t want to become one of the cargo rats.
If you have one, or more, of those small trees that the city planted this spring, you’d do them a great favor by letting a hose lightly
trickle on the mulch near the trunk of each of them for ½ - 1 hour. Once a week until the rain returns (if ever).
Thank you for stopping by to peruse my blog. And for reading it, too. I so enjoy the company. My readers are my life. Without them, I’d cease to exist.
Let off steam with Madame Zoltar® Voodoo Dolls: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
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Al Capone's Grandson Nearly Murders Local Man
From Oak Creek Patch:
Thank goodness that the 64-year-old man was able to break free from Al Capone's grandson.
"Police received a 911 call early Tuesday morning from a man claiming
that Al Capone's grandson was in a car with him and holding a gun to his
head, but that he was able to break his neck and kill him.
"Shockingly, this did not turn out to be accurate, and a 64-year-old man was arrested for drunken driving.
"According to an Oak Creek police report, officers responded to the
27th Street area about 2:45 a.m. and received updated information from
the man: he must have only strangled him, because the person just walked
out of the car.
"Police found the vehicle and conducted a high-risk traffic stop at the Villa Vista motel, 8060 S. 27th St., ordering the man out of the car.
"He was found alone sitting in his vehicle with the keys in the
ignition. Police also found him to be highly intoxicated, according to
the report.
"In addition to drunken driving, he was arrested for misuse of 911."
Thank goodness that the 64-year-old man was able to break free from Al Capone's grandson.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Useless Information
Did you know:
Wesley Trent Snipes: Actor, martial artist, film producer has earned a 5th degree in Black Belt karate
Source Wikipedia
HEART WARMING LAWYER STORY
One afternoon, a lawyer was riding in his limousine when he saw two men along the road-side eating grass.
Disturbed, he ordered his driver to stop and got out to investigate.
He asked one man, "Why are you eating grass?"
"We don't have any money for food," the poor man replied. "We have to eat grass."
"Well, then, you can come with me to my house and I'll feed you," the lawyer said.
"But sir, I have a wife and two children with me. They are over there, under that tree."
"Bring them along," the lawyer replied.
Turning to the other poor man he stated, "You may come with us, also."
The second man, in a pitiful voice, then said, "But sir, I also have a wife and six children with me!"
"Bring them all as well," the lawyer answered.
They all entered the car, which was no easy task, even for a car as large as the limousine.
Once under way, one of the poor fellows turned to the lawyer and said, "Sir, you are too kind.
Thank you for taking all of us with you."
The lawyer replied, "Glad to do it. You'll really love my house. The grass is almost a foot high."
Come on now...you really didn't think there was such a thing as a heartwarming lawyer story...did you?
Disturbed, he ordered his driver to stop and got out to investigate.
He asked one man, "Why are you eating grass?"
"We don't have any money for food," the poor man replied. "We have to eat grass."
"Well, then, you can come with me to my house and I'll feed you," the lawyer said.
"But sir, I have a wife and two children with me. They are over there, under that tree."
"Bring them along," the lawyer replied.
Turning to the other poor man he stated, "You may come with us, also."
The second man, in a pitiful voice, then said, "But sir, I also have a wife and six children with me!"
"Bring them all as well," the lawyer answered.
They all entered the car, which was no easy task, even for a car as large as the limousine.
Once under way, one of the poor fellows turned to the lawyer and said, "Sir, you are too kind.
Thank you for taking all of us with you."
The lawyer replied, "Glad to do it. You'll really love my house. The grass is almost a foot high."
Come on now...you really didn't think there was such a thing as a heartwarming lawyer story...did you?
Cosmic Corner No Longer Cosmically Colored
Well, they finally did it. It took them over a year, but the building was painted last week.
The picture at top is the color scheme which offended city fathers. Below are two I took today. This time they painted the entire building:
I stopped in to ask about the paint job, but the clerk didn't have a lot of info. She did know that the original complaint came from a neighbor, and was followed by a complaint from the alderman, Jim Kaplan. (I remember when he complained about the teachers from Janes School parking their cars near his house, which is across the street from the school.) Once again, the powers that be in Racine enforce conformity, in the name of "free enterprise."
Cheap Trick and Aerosmith at Summerfest
What a difference a few days can bring....
The heat wave that paralyzed Southeast Wisconsin, baking it like a blazing, superheated oven had moved over to the east. The cool winds over Lake Michigan had brought the much needed relief over the dry and parched landscape. Still no rain, at least not yet....
The standing room only on the shuttle buses were a sign of things to come. With the temperatures down to a more comfortable level in the high 70's, flocks of people migrated towards the Summerfest grounds, packing it like anchovies in a sardine can. It grew even more crowded as the day drifted along... As Tender heart Bear and I, along with some close friends of ours, filtered through the hordes met of with some good friends ours like, Aaron from the band Full Flavor and Dan and his lovely wife Cindy. Conversations were great and the beer flowed freely.
With heat gone, good beer and good friends is was perfect night for some good old fashioned rock and roll....
As the clock struck 8:00 (Or should say 10? It's a joke...) Cheap Trick burst into action, led the quirky guitarist, Rick Nielsen launched the band into their raucous blend of rock and roll. Trademark checkerboard guitars flashed in the spotlights while vocalist Robin Zander, dressed in his customary Dream Police cop outfit, belted out the words to classics like "Clock Strikes Ten" and "ELO Kiddies". The show was on!
After being bombarded by some classic tunes, Cheap Trick, kept rolling along, laying down some more... 12 string bassist Tom Petersson held his ground, thundering the audience with his own tune,"I Know What I Want". Nielsen tossed a KISS record so far in the masses, that it somehow managed to reach the middle of the arena on "Surrender". Zander sang his heart out during the "The Flame". The crowd roared to their feet upon hearing the first notes of "I Want You to Want Me'. Rick's own pride and joy. Daxx Nielsen, filling in on the drums for Ben E. Carlos set the the backbone for the band seamlessly. The biggest highlight of the show was the five necked guitar that Nielsen brought out in the closing number, "Goodnight" . Never have seen one those before....
At this point, Tender Heart Bear and I looked at each other as if to say, this going to be one a hell of a great night....
The heat wave that paralyzed Southeast Wisconsin, baking it like a blazing, superheated oven had moved over to the east. The cool winds over Lake Michigan had brought the much needed relief over the dry and parched landscape. Still no rain, at least not yet....
The standing room only on the shuttle buses were a sign of things to come. With the temperatures down to a more comfortable level in the high 70's, flocks of people migrated towards the Summerfest grounds, packing it like anchovies in a sardine can. It grew even more crowded as the day drifted along... As Tender heart Bear and I, along with some close friends of ours, filtered through the hordes met of with some good friends ours like, Aaron from the band Full Flavor and Dan and his lovely wife Cindy. Conversations were great and the beer flowed freely.
With heat gone, good beer and good friends is was perfect night for some good old fashioned rock and roll....
As the clock struck 8:00 (Or should say 10? It's a joke...) Cheap Trick burst into action, led the quirky guitarist, Rick Nielsen launched the band into their raucous blend of rock and roll. Trademark checkerboard guitars flashed in the spotlights while vocalist Robin Zander, dressed in his customary Dream Police cop outfit, belted out the words to classics like "Clock Strikes Ten" and "ELO Kiddies". The show was on!
After being bombarded by some classic tunes, Cheap Trick, kept rolling along, laying down some more... 12 string bassist Tom Petersson held his ground, thundering the audience with his own tune,"I Know What I Want". Nielsen tossed a KISS record so far in the masses, that it somehow managed to reach the middle of the arena on "Surrender". Zander sang his heart out during the "The Flame". The crowd roared to their feet upon hearing the first notes of "I Want You to Want Me'. Rick's own pride and joy. Daxx Nielsen, filling in on the drums for Ben E. Carlos set the the backbone for the band seamlessly. The biggest highlight of the show was the five necked guitar that Nielsen brought out in the closing number, "Goodnight" . Never have seen one those before....
At this point, Tender Heart Bear and I looked at each other as if to say, this going to be one a hell of a great night....The setlist
Clock Strikes Ten
ELO Kiddies
California Man
Ain't That a Shame
Sick Man of Europe
Baby Loves to Rock
Need Your Love
I Know What I Want
Surrender
The Flame
I Want You to Want Me
Dream Police
Goodnight
Clock Strikes Ten
ELO Kiddies
California Man
Ain't That a Shame
Sick Man of Europe
Baby Loves to Rock
Need Your Love
I Know What I Want
Surrender
The Flame
I Want You to Want Me
Dream Police
Goodnight
Aerosmith was the headliners for tonight's show... This is band that just won't quit rockin'! Aerosmith earned their stripes early in their career with their massive success of their phenomenal 1975 release, Toys in the Attic. Wildfire success followed by endless tours, drug and alcohol abuse and the the departure of the original guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, led to the downfall of this great American band.
Under new management, Aerosmith cleaned up their act and checked into rehab. After signing under a new label, Aerosmth reunited with the original members with a new attitude. Renewed, revived and ready to rock, this Aero Force was set to take on the world. Thanks to the help of MTV for spawning an unbelievable set of hit singles and albums, Steven Tyler and the boys set a course of world domination. A success story that still stands today and unparalleled by any other act ever.
Undaunted by the recent fiascoes surrounding Steven Tyler's employment as an American Idol judge and near break up rumors, these Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees come out to do what they do best....ROCK! Starting with the opening bars from their title track of their fifth album, Draw the Line, Aerosmith proved that they will never be forgotten. Joe Perry blazed his slide up and down his famed glass guitar. The Demon of Screamin' vocalist, Steven Tyler dressed in a black vest, a golden turncoat, jeans and a red bandana twirled his trademark scarf dressed mic stand to the sky as if the lead the band. The Toxic Twins were taking no prisoners!
As Aerosmith was barreling though their 19 song set list, they stuck basically to their golden classics from the '70's with a few great tunes from the 90's for good measure. Guitarist Brad Whitford led the band through a searing replica of "Last Child" from the Rocks album. Joe "F@#king" Perry seared the frets off his guitar on "Boogie Men" while he sang his ass off on "Combination". Tom Hamilton displayed his bass prowess, introducing the band to the legendary classic "Sweet Emotion"; even nudged Perry for a killer song ending guitar solo. Tyler rapped and danced has way through the fan favorite, "Walk this Way". Skin master Joey Kramer even banged his head (literary!) on the drums during his solo.
Their were many highlights in this show. For me, it was the between of the tossing of the colorful lights and the performances of "No More, No More" and "Lord of the Thighs" of the endless sea of cellphone lights of Tyler sat down on the piano to perform "Dream On". Only two songs, "Oh Yeah" and "Legendary Child" from their upcoming release, Music from Another Dimension were played. This is the classic Aerosmith show, the way it's meant to be played...The way I like it!
As we were corralled out of the packed Summerfest grounds like herds of cattle through mazes of fences, I couldn't help my smile knowing I had witnessed a great show. Then again, I could tell you about the first time I saw Aerosmith. Seventh row at Alpine Valley... Then again, I could wait till another time....
Under new management, Aerosmith cleaned up their act and checked into rehab. After signing under a new label, Aerosmth reunited with the original members with a new attitude. Renewed, revived and ready to rock, this Aero Force was set to take on the world. Thanks to the help of MTV for spawning an unbelievable set of hit singles and albums, Steven Tyler and the boys set a course of world domination. A success story that still stands today and unparalleled by any other act ever.
Undaunted by the recent fiascoes surrounding Steven Tyler's employment as an American Idol judge and near break up rumors, these Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees come out to do what they do best....ROCK! Starting with the opening bars from their title track of their fifth album, Draw the Line, Aerosmith proved that they will never be forgotten. Joe Perry blazed his slide up and down his famed glass guitar. The Demon of Screamin' vocalist, Steven Tyler dressed in a black vest, a golden turncoat, jeans and a red bandana twirled his trademark scarf dressed mic stand to the sky as if the lead the band. The Toxic Twins were taking no prisoners!
As Aerosmith was barreling though their 19 song set list, they stuck basically to their golden classics from the '70's with a few great tunes from the 90's for good measure. Guitarist Brad Whitford led the band through a searing replica of "Last Child" from the Rocks album. Joe "F@#king" Perry seared the frets off his guitar on "Boogie Men" while he sang his ass off on "Combination". Tom Hamilton displayed his bass prowess, introducing the band to the legendary classic "Sweet Emotion"; even nudged Perry for a killer song ending guitar solo. Tyler rapped and danced has way through the fan favorite, "Walk this Way". Skin master Joey Kramer even banged his head (literary!) on the drums during his solo.
Their were many highlights in this show. For me, it was the between of the tossing of the colorful lights and the performances of "No More, No More" and "Lord of the Thighs" of the endless sea of cellphone lights of Tyler sat down on the piano to perform "Dream On". Only two songs, "Oh Yeah" and "Legendary Child" from their upcoming release, Music from Another Dimension were played. This is the classic Aerosmith show, the way it's meant to be played...The way I like it!
The setlist:
Draw the Line
Love in an Elevator
Oh Yeah
Livin' on the Edge
Jaded
S.O.S (Too Bad)
Last Child
Drum Solo
Lord of the Thighs
Boogie Men
Combination
What It Takes
Legendary Child
Sweet Emotion
Mother Popcorn
Walk This Way
Dream On
Train Kept a' Rollin'
As we were corralled out of the packed Summerfest grounds like herds of cattle through mazes of fences, I couldn't help my smile knowing I had witnessed a great show. Then again, I could tell you about the first time I saw Aerosmith. Seventh row at Alpine Valley... Then again, I could wait till another time....
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Saturday, July 7, 2012
"Man reports woman bit his genitals"
From The Journal Times.com:
Ouch, ouch, ouch.
"UNION GROVE — A woman was arrested after she allegedly attacked a man and bit his genitals, according to a police report.
"Eileen M. Townsend, 32, of the 1400 block of High Street, was
arrested for disorderly conduct and battery domestic abuse after the
alleged incident at about 1:45 a.m. Sunday.
"The man told Racine
County sheriff’s deputies that Townsend reportedly 'whacked out on him'
and their verbal argument turned physical when she began attacking him.
Deputies observed the man had fresh scratches to his stomach, chest and
arms.
"He told deputies that Townsend had also bit him twice in the
genitals and 'grabbed his (genitals) twice to throw him to the floor,'
according to the report."
Ouch, ouch, ouch.
Virus Warning
Sounds real to me........
Source: Voice of America Virus Could Leave Thousands Unable to Use Internet Monday
Hundreds of thousands of people around the world could be in for an unwelcome surprise Monday, unless they check their computers now for malware that infected their machines a year ago.
The virus caused by Eastern European computer hackers will make it impossible to access the Internet
Facebook and Google, websites used by billions of people every day, are alerting users who they suspect may have infected computers. They also provide information on what people can do to fix the problem.
The hackers used an online advertising scam to take control of nearly 600,000 computers last year, harvesting information about users and directing them to fraudulent websites.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation smashed the computer ring and temporarily set up two Internet servers so that users can remain on line.
But that temporary fix will be closed down at 0401 UTC Monday.
Along with Facebook, Google and some global computer security firms, the FBI can provide information on how to find out if your computer is infected and how it can be fixed
Source CNN Money CNN - Virus Could Leave Thousands Unable to Use Internet Monday
Still, the FBI decided to give people even more time to check for the malware, extending the deadline until July. The agency now says the time has come to cut the cord, and the emergency servers will be shut down on Monday.
Though the FBI tried to send notifications to those infected, it could not identify all of them, a spokesman said.
To help the users still infected, the agency laid out a
Step by Step plan on how to check to see if your computer has the virus.
Source: Voice of America Virus Could Leave Thousands Unable to Use Internet Monday
Hundreds of thousands of people around the world could be in for an unwelcome surprise Monday, unless they check their computers now for malware that infected their machines a year ago.
The virus caused by Eastern European computer hackers will make it impossible to access the Internet
Facebook and Google, websites used by billions of people every day, are alerting users who they suspect may have infected computers. They also provide information on what people can do to fix the problem.
The hackers used an online advertising scam to take control of nearly 600,000 computers last year, harvesting information about users and directing them to fraudulent websites.
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation smashed the computer ring and temporarily set up two Internet servers so that users can remain on line.
But that temporary fix will be closed down at 0401 UTC Monday.
Along with Facebook, Google and some global computer security firms, the FBI can provide information on how to find out if your computer is infected and how it can be fixed
Source CNN Money CNN - Virus Could Leave Thousands Unable to Use Internet Monday
Still, the FBI decided to give people even more time to check for the malware, extending the deadline until July. The agency now says the time has come to cut the cord, and the emergency servers will be shut down on Monday.
Though the FBI tried to send notifications to those infected, it could not identify all of them, a spokesman said.
To help the users still infected, the agency laid out a
Step by Step plan on how to check to see if your computer has the virus.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Four for Fridays
Hello everybody! Welcome back to Four for Fridays! I'm still up, leading a nocturnal life for the moment. I'm not a vampire, just trying finish things before I go to bed here. Since I'm still up, I might as well throw some questions your way....
1) If the Beatles were to reunite for a concert, what tunes would you want to hear?
2) What kind of spices do you like in your food?
3) What habit would like to try to break?
4) Do you have a better time falling asleep on your back or on your side?
Enjoy your weekend!
1) If the Beatles were to reunite for a concert, what tunes would you want to hear?
2) What kind of spices do you like in your food?
3) What habit would like to try to break?
4) Do you have a better time falling asleep on your back or on your side?
Enjoy your weekend!
Alice Cooper and Iron Maiden at Summerfest
HOT and HUMID....
The words I'd describe the night... The temperatures rose to a sweltering 102 degrees while the moisture in the air made the humidity almost unbearable. I was wondering if we were going to make it. Water...the panacea of the gods, was a necessity. Armed with 24 oz refillable bottles of H2O, Tender Heart Bear and I strolled through the gates of Milwaukee's largest music festival, Summerfest. Slapped with Extreme Heat Warning by the National Weather Service, Summerfest provided the means necessary to find relief from the inferno: misting stations, air conditioned buses parked on the grounds and over staffed medical teams ready for emergencies.
It didn't stop us from having a good time... After we met up with good, close friends of ours, we strolled across the scorching asphalt to the Marcus Amphitheater to see Iron Maiden with special guest Alice Cooper. Surprisingly, it was a little cooler inside than I expected it to be. Thank god, for the gentle breezes off of Lake Michigan for some relief. Every little bit counts...
As the clock struck 7:30, the curtain dropped for the opening act, Alice Cooper. Six musicians burst into action, crowding the stage that was already filled by Iron Maiden's super-sized stage. On stage left was Ryan Roxie and Tommy Henrikson, both on the guitars. Filling the other side was the 27 year old blond guitarist Orianthi from Micheal Jackson's band and bassist Chuck Garric. Filling in the skins for Glen Sobel was Jonathan Mover. Where was Alice Cooper, the Master of Macabre himself? Perched high on the right stage pedestal wearing a mechanical spider arms like contraption belting out the words to "Black Widow". A vision of Dr. Oct from Spiderman came into my mind upon seeing this. The theatrics had begun...
The 64 year old rocker roamed across the stage like a confident and seasoned veteran. His conviction and charisma captured my undivided attention. The band, especially Orianthi (I originally thought that was Alice Cooper's daughter, but it ain't) rocked hard, bringing on the retro feel and bringing me back to the '70's. Well, almost... That odd feeling almost left me when we began to notice two young kids more half our age head banging and singing away to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Thinking I knew a quite a bit about Alice Cooper, these kids knew more!
At this point, I was seriously getting into the show. Although crude at times, the macabre theatrics amazed me. Some of them I guessed would happen. After all, THIS is Alice Cooper, the shock rock king. The snakes, top hats, baton twirling, fake blood, the make up, the costumes, a guillotine and what? A 20 foot Frankenstein! And yes, in Alice Cooper's image... Each had its place among his set of classics- "No More Mr. Nice Guy", "Billion Dollar Babies", "I'm Eighteen", "Poison" and "Hey Stoopid". When the confetti fell on "School's Out" the show was over. I was begging for more....
While of the six piece band was driving a good show, the stage show itself was worth the price of the tickets. A U-shaped stage was set up to the likeness of the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album cover along with a pyrotechnic galore and an elaborate set of props to go with it. Sparkling fireworks on the side and flames in the back, who needs the Forth of July fireworks at this point? It's all here! Along with a 20 foot "Eddie" dressed as a buccaneer dueling with the band and a larger than life "Eddie" similar to the Seventh Son album cover creeping up the back stage adorning flames on his head while holding an unborn "Eddie" still in the womb. Sounds strange, but awesome!
Was this my favorite show ever? No. The Rush show I saw two years ago was much better. The seats I were in wasn't the greatest. I couldn't even get a glimpse of Nicko's drum set. Although Maiden did play many classic tunes like "Run to the Hills" and "The Number of the Beast", I would have preferred to hear "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", "Flight of Icarus" and "Hallowed be thy Name" over "Fear of the Dark" or "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" any day. For the die hard Maiden fans this would work, but me....ehh....
As for the heat, we endured....Grinned and bared it... Got relief on the shuttle bus on the way to our car. The temperature read 89 degrees.
This Saturday is Aerosmith with Cheap Trick....
The words I'd describe the night... The temperatures rose to a sweltering 102 degrees while the moisture in the air made the humidity almost unbearable. I was wondering if we were going to make it. Water...the panacea of the gods, was a necessity. Armed with 24 oz refillable bottles of H2O, Tender Heart Bear and I strolled through the gates of Milwaukee's largest music festival, Summerfest. Slapped with Extreme Heat Warning by the National Weather Service, Summerfest provided the means necessary to find relief from the inferno: misting stations, air conditioned buses parked on the grounds and over staffed medical teams ready for emergencies.
It didn't stop us from having a good time... After we met up with good, close friends of ours, we strolled across the scorching asphalt to the Marcus Amphitheater to see Iron Maiden with special guest Alice Cooper. Surprisingly, it was a little cooler inside than I expected it to be. Thank god, for the gentle breezes off of Lake Michigan for some relief. Every little bit counts...
As the clock struck 7:30, the curtain dropped for the opening act, Alice Cooper. Six musicians burst into action, crowding the stage that was already filled by Iron Maiden's super-sized stage. On stage left was Ryan Roxie and Tommy Henrikson, both on the guitars. Filling the other side was the 27 year old blond guitarist Orianthi from Micheal Jackson's band and bassist Chuck Garric. Filling in the skins for Glen Sobel was Jonathan Mover. Where was Alice Cooper, the Master of Macabre himself? Perched high on the right stage pedestal wearing a mechanical spider arms like contraption belting out the words to "Black Widow". A vision of Dr. Oct from Spiderman came into my mind upon seeing this. The theatrics had begun...
The 64 year old rocker roamed across the stage like a confident and seasoned veteran. His conviction and charisma captured my undivided attention. The band, especially Orianthi (I originally thought that was Alice Cooper's daughter, but it ain't) rocked hard, bringing on the retro feel and bringing me back to the '70's. Well, almost... That odd feeling almost left me when we began to notice two young kids more half our age head banging and singing away to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Thinking I knew a quite a bit about Alice Cooper, these kids knew more!
At this point, I was seriously getting into the show. Although crude at times, the macabre theatrics amazed me. Some of them I guessed would happen. After all, THIS is Alice Cooper, the shock rock king. The snakes, top hats, baton twirling, fake blood, the make up, the costumes, a guillotine and what? A 20 foot Frankenstein! And yes, in Alice Cooper's image... Each had its place among his set of classics- "No More Mr. Nice Guy", "Billion Dollar Babies", "I'm Eighteen", "Poison" and "Hey Stoopid". When the confetti fell on "School's Out" the show was over. I was begging for more....
The setlist:
The Black Widow
Brutal Planet
I'm Eighteen
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Hey Stoopid
Guitar Solo
Billion Dollar Babies
Feed My Frankenstein
Poison
Wicked Young Man
I Love the Dead
School's Out
The Black Widow
Brutal Planet
I'm Eighteen
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Hey Stoopid
Guitar Solo
Billion Dollar Babies
Feed My Frankenstein
Poison
Wicked Young Man
I Love the Dead
School's Out
Of course, the stars of the night fell upon the British heavy metal act, Iron Maiden. Maiden roared into the scene back in the '80's, mercilessly annihilating every other metal act out there at the time with their progressive rock like guitar structure and their dark storytelling imagery. With singer Bruce Dickinson soaring vocals and of course, their mummified mascot, "Eddie", the band was indestructible. During the mid '90's Dickinson left the fold and Maiden descended into obscurity with a forgettable singer. Twenty years later, Dickinson is back, along with the addition of a third guitarist, Maiden comes back to life again!
Wrapping the spotlight around tunes mostly culled from their 1988 release, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album, Iron Maiden mainly focused on their earlier work on this tour. Its a wonderful approach, yet it has its flaws. I'll try to explain as I go on....
Bouncing into action, Dickinson takes control of the stage and making it his domain. At the age of 53, his athletic skills are outstanding! He jumps and leaps over stage monitors. He runs around the back stage props like a demon unleashed, jacked up upon adrenaline like a Monster drink junkie. I seriously don't know were his gets his energy from. but it's unbelievable! And that was the beginning of the action...
From the opening bars of the show's first tune, "Moonchild", Steve Harris' rapid fire bass was relentless, thundering the arena into submission. The triple axe threat of the guitar trio, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and newcomer Janick Gers intertwined and weaved through the endless time progressions, laying down maps of emotions, leaving listeners in awe- especially on the show's haunting centerpiece "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son". Driving a pulsating beat, connecting and combining the elements together, drummer extraordinaire Nicko McBrain lays down a solid foundation for the band to stand on... This is a force to be reckoned with!
Wrapping the spotlight around tunes mostly culled from their 1988 release, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album, Iron Maiden mainly focused on their earlier work on this tour. Its a wonderful approach, yet it has its flaws. I'll try to explain as I go on....
Bouncing into action, Dickinson takes control of the stage and making it his domain. At the age of 53, his athletic skills are outstanding! He jumps and leaps over stage monitors. He runs around the back stage props like a demon unleashed, jacked up upon adrenaline like a Monster drink junkie. I seriously don't know were his gets his energy from. but it's unbelievable! And that was the beginning of the action...
From the opening bars of the show's first tune, "Moonchild", Steve Harris' rapid fire bass was relentless, thundering the arena into submission. The triple axe threat of the guitar trio, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith and newcomer Janick Gers intertwined and weaved through the endless time progressions, laying down maps of emotions, leaving listeners in awe- especially on the show's haunting centerpiece "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son". Driving a pulsating beat, connecting and combining the elements together, drummer extraordinaire Nicko McBrain lays down a solid foundation for the band to stand on... This is a force to be reckoned with!
While of the six piece band was driving a good show, the stage show itself was worth the price of the tickets. A U-shaped stage was set up to the likeness of the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album cover along with a pyrotechnic galore and an elaborate set of props to go with it. Sparkling fireworks on the side and flames in the back, who needs the Forth of July fireworks at this point? It's all here! Along with a 20 foot "Eddie" dressed as a buccaneer dueling with the band and a larger than life "Eddie" similar to the Seventh Son album cover creeping up the back stage adorning flames on his head while holding an unborn "Eddie" still in the womb. Sounds strange, but awesome!
Was this my favorite show ever? No. The Rush show I saw two years ago was much better. The seats I were in wasn't the greatest. I couldn't even get a glimpse of Nicko's drum set. Although Maiden did play many classic tunes like "Run to the Hills" and "The Number of the Beast", I would have preferred to hear "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", "Flight of Icarus" and "Hallowed be thy Name" over "Fear of the Dark" or "Afraid to Shoot Strangers" any day. For the die hard Maiden fans this would work, but me....ehh....
The setlist:
Moonchild
Can I Play With Madness?
The Prisoner
2 Minutes to Midnight
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
The Trooper
The Number of the Beast
Phantom of the Opera
Run to the Hills
Wasted Years
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
The Clairvoyant
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
Aces High
Evil That Men Do
Running Free
Moonchild
Can I Play With Madness?
The Prisoner
2 Minutes to Midnight
Afraid to Shoot Strangers
The Trooper
The Number of the Beast
Phantom of the Opera
Run to the Hills
Wasted Years
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
The Clairvoyant
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
Aces High
Evil That Men Do
Running Free
As for the heat, we endured....Grinned and bared it... Got relief on the shuttle bus on the way to our car. The temperature read 89 degrees.
This Saturday is Aerosmith with Cheap Trick....
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Dear Madame Zoltar
Of course, today is that holiday of holidays, Independence
Day, our nation’s birthday. Hurrah,
hurrah! Sound the trumpets. Start up the band. But please don’t light any fireworks. Besides being illegal to use in the city, firecrackers
and the like are often annoying and dangerous.
With conditions so dry, we don’t want to take a chance on lighting
anything we can’t control. Let the
professionals do it. They put on a much
better, and safer, show.
Junior is going to the parade with friends of his, so I am
undecided at this point as to whether or not I will go. I told Junior that I would be watching him
from the æther. The parade itself is
rather compelling, but as others have pointed out elsewhere, the crowd is not
what it used to be. That’s the element
that disturbs, even scares, me. Civility
is all but obsolete.
As if the 4th of July was not enough, this
Friday, July 6, is a First Friday in Downtown Racine. Oh my, the excitement. Of course, we are the party city and there
are plenty more events occurring. Check
out http://www.journaltimes.com/calendar/ for more information, or ask around your
neighborhood. There is always something
going on.
If you happen to drink a little too much alcohol today,
you’re not alone. Please do the responsible thing and call a cab or a friend
for a ride home. Better yet, go easy on
the booze and enjoy the parade and fireworks both, without a hangover on
Thursday morning.
Thank you one and all for reading my blog today. I love visitors, regular and/or
Irregular. I am blessed to have friends
like you. I appreciate your presence.
Who do the movers and shakers listen to? madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com, who else?
Wear light colored, loose-fitting clothing to ease the
heat. Drink a lot of water. Water is the best for you. No sugar, no alcohol, no additives, no
carbonation, no calories. Or drink
Madame Zoltar’s® Miracle Tonic; in moderation, of course. My tonic will cure
your chronic ailments, plus it keeps you hydrated to 212° F. I love you all. Logodaedaly!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
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