Legalectric

“I want to live in a fairytale…”

I remember a magical and dark eerie moment decades ago, it was at a Blues Fest that Charlie Lawson put together for KFAI.  Willie Murphy was on, at the piano, doing a Louisiana Red number, ash tray on the piano with smoke drifting up, filling the spotlight, and the slow dirge of a left hand minor key, “I have a hard time missing you baby, with my pistol in your mouth… You may be thinking ’bout going north, but your brains are staying south.”  Chills up and down, was it captured live that day?  (it’s on Piano Hits Willie Murphy/Willie Hits Piano)

Dave Ray, Eddie Berger, Prince, and now Willie… we’re at that age… sigh…  It does feel like the end of an era.

Later today:

Sunday, February 17th
Fairytales: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Willie Murphy
The Cabooze
Doors: 3:30 pm, Music: 4 pm – 10 pm

Featuring performances by The Bumblebees, The Willie Murphy Band and the Angel Headed Hipsters
Very Special Guests: Spider John Koerner, Ipso Facto, Paul Metsa, Phil Heywood, Detroit Don King and many more!
MC: Bobby Vandell
$10 at the door
100% of the proceeds will go to the Willie Murphy Fund

Here we go again…  On January 24th, Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission denied the Petition for Rulemaking filed by Jewell Jinkins Intervenors, where we’re trying to get them off the dime and promulgate some solar siting rules.

Petition for Rulemaking_JJI_Solar_FINAL

Here’s their written order, just out today, with some bizarre statements:

PSC Order_2-6-2019- Denial of Rulemaking Petition

Bizarre statements?  Yup, here’s one, the grand finale:

As Bob Cupit would say that I say, “GIVE ME A BREAK….”

For those of us “at a certain age,” some things to consider.  Lee Schafer’s article in the STrib brought up a few articles about where Minnesota fits into the mix, and that the usual suspects of states to go to for retirement (often AZ for those of us west of the Mississippi, and FL for those on the East Coast) may not be so hot.  Cost of living in AZ sure is high and the climate sure sucks!

America’s Health Rankings – 2018 Senior Report

But what about Minnesota?  The United Health Foundation’s study put Minnesota pretty high, #4, but last year we were #1.  Click for larger version:

The considerations, above, are ones that make sense to me.  For instance, looking at rates of volunteerism of those 65 and over, isolation and sense of community:

… looking at rates of “excessive drinking” for those over 65 — hey, MN, we were #48 on the list, tied with Hawaii, and above only Wisconsin!  WHOA, folks, consider that! Click for larger version:

And the one that I need to deal with (much easier with mostly resolved plantar fascitis) — I can be a woman of substance in other ways, eh?

And Delivery of Home Meals (Meals on Wheels?!?):

Here’s Schafer’s column today in the STrib — you can check out the other linked studies here:

The best spot to retire might not be the warmest

Oh come on, folks, it’s not that cold. -7 right now in Red Wing. At the risk of sounding like an old fart, I remember when… I remember in the 60s those -30 mornings penguin-walking a mile to school in Michelin Man costume.

And I’d rather forget those awful mornings in the 70s, so glad to have that long muskrat coat, I appreciated each and every dead muskrat.  And 1974 for sure was awful, living in an unheated attic, and trying, and failing, to start the car, a personal emergency.  Piglet, my ’64 Galaxie just couldn’t do it.

Early 80s, changing the oil in my van because I’d flooded it beyond hope. What hell that was…

And in 1994, when my new Dodge Colt froze up!  How did that happen?  Caught it overheating as it was warming up, and lucky to get it to the shop and thawed out. WHEW, too close.

But as you well know, climate has changed. I kept telling Alan Muller that winters are not “normal” here, little snow, and not -30 or worse. Now and then, we do get reminders (click photos for larger versions).

What delightful news to wake up to — Roger Stone indicted and arrested!

REAL NEWS – PRIMARY DOCUMENT ALERT:

Roger Stone_Indictment_012419