Report: Apple Blocks Java Due To "Security Issues"

In a story many mainstream publications didn't touch, Apple blocked Java applications from running on  Mac computers. The story, originally published by the Associated Press, appeared in the Mercury News.

The rationale for Apple's actions was that Java was notably vulnerable to "security issues." According to the AP file, the Department of Homeland Security issued a recommendation earlier this month for users to disable Java to "avoid potential hacking attacks." Oracle, which owns Java, has tried to provide fixes for the allegedly dangerous issues. It seems curious that Apple's decision was made now. Java has a relatively long history of use and is not an obscure programming langauge. It's hard to believe Java's security issues are just being discovered.

The timing of these episodes is curious. Today's New York Times put on a full-court press, including a top-of-the-paper story, about the hacking of its computer systems allegedly committed by agents of the government of the People's Republic of China. The Wall Street Journal also claimed it was the victim of Chinese hackers. Earlier this month, reports circulated about supposed Iranian hacking of Western banks and Saudi Arabian institutions.

Report: Killer Cats Slaughter "Billions" of Other Animals Annually

(photo: bbc.com)

From the "You Can't Make This Up Department":

A BBC article today cited a report in Nature Communications that claimed cats were responsible for killing billions of other creatures annually. The felines' victims included birds and mice. Feral and stray cats were particularly lethal.

As one researcher noted, "'Our study suggests that (cats) are the top threat to US wildlife."

University Acknowledges It Publicized Inflated SAT Scores

The American university system desperately needs reformation. With a corrupting tenure system at the heart of the issue, Academia struggles with basic truth on an almost daily basis. Where else can one find institutions whose tuition charges rise at exponentially higher levels than the reigning inflation rate? Where else can one find staff paid six-figure compensation packages for a few hours of work per week, while farming out "real" teaching to minimum wage teaching assistants? Where else can coaches get paid millions while scientists get bubkas?

Bucknell University
(photo: forbes.com)

The list of grievances goes on and on. The latest outrage from the land of higher education comes from Bucknell University. The school recently admitted it had provided misleading student body SAT score information for years. The goal? Apparently to improve the school's ranking on mindless lists such as those concocted by US News and World Report.

At least that's what one gathers from an article on the subject in today's online edition of The Washington Post. Not surprisingly, Bucknell administrators revealed the story on Friday, which assured minimal attention for the bad news. The U's spin is a case study in litigation avoidance while seeming to provide a moment of perestroika for the institution.

Meanwhile, just who was responsible for Bucknell's black eye? "'...(E)nrollment management leadership no longer with the university prepared these inaccurate numbers,' Bucknell president John C.  Bravman said in a statement." (No questions from the press corps, please.)

Ah, but the story wasn't quite done. "It was unclear why the problem occurred," the Post reported. "'We can't discern people's intentions,'" officials said on the Bucknell Web site," (please, no questions), "'but at a minimum the inaccurate numbers show an inexplicable inattention to the accuracy of data that the university is obligated to manage carefully and report on completely.'"

Well, did anyone bother to ask to "discern (those) people's intentions?" If not, why not? In the absence of such obvious inquiry, one could surmise that the atmosphere that breeds corruption at the university level continues.

I hope you swallow hard when that next tuition bill from your son's or daughter's college comes in, along with a notice that next year will "regrettably require higher tuition and fees..."

Iceland President: "Why Do We Consider Banks To Be Like Holy Churches?"

Icelandic President Grigsson
(photo: http://www.forseti.is/)

In all the financial media's hoopla over the high-profile, big-think, but little-action event known as the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, one breath of fresh air emerged. That came courtesy of Iceland's president Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, whose nation painfully experienced fiscal disasters similar to those Lehman Brothers symbolized in the United States.

Grimson asks -- and answers -- not-so-rhetorical questions such as why banks are considered capitalism's sacred cows, too big to fail, too powerful to scrutinize, and too arrogant to question. The financial blog zerohedge.com posted on Grimsson's remarks. The post includes a video clip of the complete, three-minute interview of Grimsson.

The Icelandic president's comments and his line of reasoning are absolutely spot on. It's ironic his remarks came during the victory lap of one Timothy Geithner. The now former US Treasury secretary worked overtime to ensure America's largest financial institutions felt as little pain as possible for their acts of corporate folly. Instead, taxpayers were offered a poisoned chalice masquerading as a "solution" to the prospect of a second Great Depression.

Hank Greenberg

Former AIG chairman Hank Greenberg's disingenuous lawsuit against the Federal government approaches the chalice from an insider's perspective. In essence, Greenberg claimed the Federal actions, which essentially took over AIG, were designed to funnel money from the insurance company to major Wall Street institutions. Geithner played a very strong role in this situation, which included paying Goldman Sachs and other firms one hundred percent on the dollar for certain AIG instruments they held. What's unusual about that arrangement is that firms typically take a haircut on these fire sales. Greenberg asserted these actions were really a back-door bailout of Wall Street's "too big to fail" holy churches.

The corruption, which is at the heart of these issues, runs very deep. The excellent financial writer Bethany McLean notes that directions, such as jailing bankers, quickly enter deep waters that defy 
simplistic answers to these issues. One area which would impact the corruption, in her view, is to hit the bankers where they feel it -- their compensation. That approach, along with Icelandic president Grimsson's views, are useful starting points in what promises to be a long, difficult fight against very entrenched, powerful constituencies.

1999 Swine Flu Infected 20% of People Worldwide

(photo: LA Times)

A BBC report cites medical research that suggests one in five people worldwide were "infected" with swine flu during the 1999 pandemic.

The study, led by the World Health Organization, noted that all infected people did not develop "full-blown flu." The virus was especially problematic for children; researchers noted one-half of schoolchildren most likely contracted the flu.

The 1999 incident reminded me about the considerable mayhem this year's flu in the United States has caused. Many colleagues have missed work, their children forced to be absent from school, the risk factors for the health of the elderly have escalated. I went into disease prevention mode: I washed my hands as often as possible, I absolutely avoided sneezers and coughers, and I got as much rest as I could. I dreaded air travel, as airplanes are made-to-order disease incubators and ideal environments for their spread.

If the 1999 pandemic, which affected one in five adults globally, is any indication of worldwide distribution patterns, this year's viral attacks will have impacted far more people. However, one just has to muddle through this situation as best one can. It's not as if retreat into a sterile bubble is an option.

Zuckerberg to Host Chris Christie Mixer in Palo Alto

Mark Zuckerberg
(photo: forbes.com)

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg will host a campaign fundraiser for New Jersey governor Chris Christie next month, according to a report in siliconvalley.com. The handshake-and-handout fest will continue Mr. Facebook's puzzling connection to the Garden State and its politics. Zuckerberg initially linked to New Jersey around the time the movie The Social Network flashed across American movie screens. As you may recall, Zuckerberg offered many millions to "help" the cause of "school reform" in Newark. If you are asking for evidence of the "school reform," you're not alone. Few have seen any changes in the Newark schools that warrant the donation and subsequent secrecy surrounding its use. Newark mayor and liberal media darling Cory Booker have worked overtime to squash inquiries about the funds and their utilization. It took a successful ACLU lawsuit on behalf of a Newark community organization to compel the Booker administration to release e-mail about the funds, Booker's role in their distribution, and the mayor's plans to "reform" the school system.

Sheryl Sandberg
(photo: theatlantic.com)

Meanwhile, conservative media darling Christie (well, he was beloved by the right-wing until the governor experienced his St. Paul at Damascus moment during Hurricane Sandy) is working to position himself as presidential material. Why Christie believes Silicon Valley is a more appropriate venue to test the DC waters than, say, Seaside Heights, is a fascinating question. On the other hand, what's curious about Zuckerberg's tango with the New Jersey GOP's capo is the visible political connections the company has with the Democratic Party via Facebook's resident brain, Sheryl Sandberg.

My gut tells me Christie doesn't have a chance in the presidential sweepstakes. I don't think he'll survive the primaries. VP? Maybe, but only if the top of the ticket says "Bush."

Making Radio Waves Over Afghanistan

I listen to Bloomberg when I drive to work in the morning. I enjoy listening to the business community discuss situations without having to deal with the dreadful circus known as financial television. Today's program, however, offered a disturbing peek into the thinking of the so-called elite.

Tom Keene
(photo: mediabistro.com)

The offender was Tom Keene, Bloomberg's generally engaging, intelligent morning radio host. During his interview with someone from Davos, Switzerland, Keene compared two American presidents. He postulated that one former commander-in-chief faced a war during his time in office, while Barack Obama does not.

This statement, delivered almost without any real reflection, would have astonished the American soldiers in Afghanistan ducking real bullets on a daily basis. The genesis of Keene's thoughtless assertion comes from a deep place in the American psyche: the Afghan conflict does not lend itself to media glory; the American public would like the war to simply vanish; the Central Asian country is the very definition of "remote."

President Obama managed to deftly extricate the United States from its ill-conceived Iraq invasion and subsequent occupation. American troops, however, remain in Afghanistan, surrounded by hostile nations unified in their desire to see the US out of Central Asia. It's a war by any other name, and a very dangerous one.

A postscript: Keene also interviewed Jacob Frenkel, the wise former governor of the Bank of Israel. Frenkel observed that those who believe in "an eye for an eye" retribution ultimately will result in a society largely inhabited by the blind.

Girl Scouts Robbed While Selling Cookies

Chester County, Pennsylvania does not often come across as the "wrong side of the tracks." Various degrees of prosperity characterize this suburban Philadelphia area. Consequently, most towns in the county would seem to be safe venues for the sale of Girl Scout cookies.

That feeling changed recently when a thief pinched a table where Girl Scout cookies were being sold and donations for military veterans were being collected. According to a report in philly.com, the robber lifted twenty dollars from a cash drawer and some money from a collection jar.

No cookies were ripped off during the incident.

Original Batmobile Auctioned for Four-Plus Million Dollars

Original Batmobile, with its creator George Barris
(photo: Motor Trend)

My wife knew someone who owned a Batmobile replica. He drove the vehicle around northern New Jersey and thoroughly enjoyed himself. He was frequently stopped by law enforcement. They were disappointed when the vehicle's driver was not in a Batman costume, and when he didn't violate any speed limits.

However, the replica was not the real thing. The original Batmobile was recently auctioned to a Phoenix collector for over four-and-a-half million dollars. According to a report in today's online edition of the Chicago Tribune, the Batmobile's new owner plans to keep -- BOP! -- the famous ride -- ZAP! -- in his living room -- OOF!

As Robin might have said to his caped colleague, "Holy One Percent, Batman!"

Are Crowdsourced Reviews Fair or Useful?

Randall Sullivan
(photo: oprah.com)

An article in today's online edition of The New York Times discusses the influence of crowdsourced reviews on a book's commercial fate. The piece uses Randall Sullivan's Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson as its case study. Apparently, Mr. Sullivan's work offended some of the late Gloved One's fans. They retaliated by submitting highly negative, one-star reviews in amazon.com's information about the book. Essentially, the bad reviews killed the book's sales prospects.

For some time, the tech crowd and its more cynical fellow travelers have promoted the notion that crowdsourced reviews are reliable, truthful measures of a product's quality. This allegedly democratic notion gained great prominence in the world of restaurant reviews. Two Yale-trained lawyers, Tim and Nina Zagat, turned their crowdsourced data into a personal bonanza. Google purchased the Zagat information empire and now sends Zagat's "cast of thousands" reviews into the world. Few consumers question the quality of the reviews, their perspective, or their veracity.

Amazon's book reviews are a more primitive version, if such a thing is possible, of the Zagat formula. However, the dark side of crowdsourcing has emerged during the cause celebre of Sullivan's title. Instead of enlightened mass opinion, the reviews allegedly reflect an organized hatchet job against the book. An author can now claim his or her work has been ruined through the manipulation of a system.

Of course, Sullivan did not squeal when things were going well, such as when an excerpt from the Michael Jackson work appeared in Vanity Fair. He also did not complain about Amazon's marketplace clout and how stifling its role is in publishing. Sullivan did not question the notion of crowdsourcing as a legitimate method of appraising the value of a book. It only mattered when the book's buzz did not go according to what appeared to be a carefully crafted plan.

Today, few raise any concern about Amazon's nearly religious belief in the validity of algorithmically based appraisals of quality, or evoke any useful skepticism about accepting crowdsourced "wisdom." Those notions should be explored and skeptically considered. A new headline for the Times article would add some punch (no Sulzberger pun intended). The story could be entitled Untouchable: The Strange Life of Crowdsourced Reviews and the Tragic Death of Controversial Books. Sounds like a five-star idea to me.

Earl Weaver and Stan Musial -- RIP

Stan Musial
(photo: sportsillustrated.cnn.com)

Two members of baseball's Hall of Fame -- Stan Musial and Earl Weaver -- passed away today. They shared the mixed fortune of being integral parts of small market franchises. Both Musial and Weaver had personalities that could have only thrived in, respectively, St. Louis and Baltimore. Musial's folksy disposition would never have survived the New York hothouse, especially as he would have been incessantly compared to Joe DiMaggio and, later, Mickey Mantle. Weaver was much too cantankerous and did not suffer fools gladly, a lethal formula in any of baseball's major media markets. Charm City's temperament was just right for the man called the Earl of Baltimore.

Intriguingly, both player Musial and manager Weaver understood their physical limitations and made the most of them. Weaver, similar to many baseball managers, came to the realization that he would be a career minor league ballplayer at best. Managing turned out to be his MLB meal ticket. On the other hand, Musial began as a pitcher and, thanks to an injury, was compelled to play the outfield. By all accounts, he was a fantastic hitter. The National League All-Star outfield, at one point consisted of Orlando Cepeda, Willie Mays, and Roberto Clemente.  Musial and Hank Aaron were on the bench. So was Frank Robinson, whom the Cincinnati Reds eventually traded to the Baltimore Orioles. (Talk about a tough lineup to crack!)

Earl Weaver
(photo: cbsnews.com)

It was Robinson's arrival in Baltimore, along with pitcher Mike Cuellar, that turned Weaver's Orioles into an American League juggernaut. However, for all of Weaver's acknowledged wizardry, the Orioles of that era only won a single World Series. The team lost, most memorably, to the 1969 Miracle Mets in what remains one of the most exciting Series ever played. The Orioles also lost twice to Clemente's Pittsburgh Pirates. In the end, Weaver's Orioles were a somewhat unappreciated team. Part of that sad fact unquestionably belongs at the feet of the baseball-savvy Baltimore manager, who did his level best to piss off just about everyone he knew. For a small market team, even one blessed with exceptional talent, as the Orioles had in their glory days, media relations were and are very important. Today, with franchise value dependent upon "fan friendly" players, a major league team could not afford the Earl of Baltimore as its face to the media. For better or worse, baseball is a different game than the one where Earl Weaver and Stan Musial earned their Hall of Fame credentials.

When My Checked Bag Was Searched

I just returned from a business trip to Florida. The event I attended required multiple clothing changes, some product samples, a laptop computer, and some small metal stands to properly display the books I sell. Not exactly a complicated or unusual repertoire. The accumulated items required more than the usual small suitcase. I had to take a chance and a bring the dreaded "extra" bag.

As an experienced traveler, I do everything possible to avoid bringing more than one small suitcase on an airplane. I just couldn't help it on this trip. The one advantage of a checked bag is that one can put verboten items, such as shaving items, in the suitcase. For this business venture, I also had to bring a stapler (don't ask). Does this sound like wild and crazy stuff?

You might say "no," but then you have not encountered airport security in Orlando. For some reason, the feds scrutinize travelers leaving Orlando's airport with dark suspicion. Fair warning to anyone flying from Orlando: the security lines are far worse than those in major city airports, such as Chicago's O'Hare Airport or New York's LaGuardia Airport. The departing crowd, presumably giddy after days at Disney or Universal, has as much decorum as a family of escaped parakeets. In fairness, I did ask for and receive a professional and entirely acceptable pat down. No problem, even though the Jack Bauer-ish questioning was a little annoying.

It wasn't until I got home and unpacked my checked bag that I saw the note from the TSA. My bag had been searched. What on earth did they expect to find? A rogue Mickey? Purloined soap from my hotel room? A dangerous nail file? An embarrassing tee shirt? Massive amounts of a controlled substance?

I just don't get it. I'm a very unlikely candidate for anything that would arouse the attention of airport, or any, security. The episode was very off-putting. To make matters more distasteful, someone placed the wrong identity tag on my suitcase.

I understand the need for airport security. I can only hope TSA Orlando works harder to focus on someone other than a man with a clean record, an easily identifiable travel itinerary, and a cooperative personality.

Chachi Valencia -- Human Cannonball

Chachi Valencia, at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Closing Ceremony (photo: edition.cnn.com)

I don't know anyone who makes a living as a human cannonball. However, there are people who fill out the "occupation" box on tax forms with this job title. Among them is the Chilean specialist Chachi Valencia. A brief, engaging first-person account of the human cannonball's life and work appears in today's online edition of the Financial Times' "FT Magazine."

The piece includes some priceless observations from Valencia:

• "I'm not sure there's a conventional way into becoming a human cannonball."
• His wife is in the same line of work. "It's still pretty weird being responsible for firing your wife into the air several times a month."
• "I travel a lot and passport officers tend to look at me closely when I explain what I do for a living."
• The origin of the human cannonball concept apparently originated during World War I. The Italian army "explored the idea of firing soldiers over enemy lines but soon gave up because of the lack of the safety net!"

McDonald's vs. Starbucks

First McDonald's, Southern California
(photo from interesting story
in the UK newspaper Daily Mail)

Fred Turner, a former chief executive at McDonald's, passed away recently. While I was reading his New York Times obit, I was struck by Turner's insistence on a simple success formula for fast-food restaurants: "quality, service and cleanliness." What was left out of his equation was "inexpensive." McDonald's and its fellow travelers tend to be the dining venue of choice for poor and working class people. Judging from McDonald's stock price, they seem to have struck a nerve.

The NPR/PBS crowd, generally speaking, doesn't like McDonald's. It's too low rent for their tastes. They're more inclined to visit Starbucks and linger over a made-to-order cup of coffee. I've even heard people argue that Starbucks is more "sophisticated" than McDonald's, although the evidence for that assertion seems to be based on a combination of expensive coffee, groovy music, and occasionally comfy seating.

What one pays for at Starbucks is brand perception. The message, similar to NPR's and PBS' "value proposition," is that it attracts a better class of citizens. How else does one explain an audience that rolls over and plays dead in exchange for no free wi-fi (something McDonald's does provide), dreadful pastries (far worse than anything McDonald's offers), and infrequent cleanliness (something Mickey D's plebians apparently are attentive to)?

First Starbuck's, Seattle
(photo: seattle.gov)

For the record, I happen to enjoy Starbucks and McDonald's. There's one Starbuck's style of flavored coffee I like sharing with my wife. I have a Starbucks app and, yes, I knowingly give my transaction data to the Seattle-based firm. Sometimes I meet the excellent writer Richard Torres in a Manhattan Starbucks. We talk for a long time, and we don't get hassled or thrown out.

I go to McDonald's every now and then. I have an unreasoned desire for their French fries, especially when I'm on the road. I like their Southern chicken sandwich and I trust their salads. (I profoundly mistrust salad bars.) McDonald's coffee is cheap and acceptable. The seating doesn't bother me. I also find it somewhat reassuring to be in a venue where children are welcomed, something Starbucks does not in its heart encourage.

I am fully aware of the "factory" nature of McDonald's food and atmosphere. However, I don't find Starbucks any different in those respects. Ironically, the adults who patronize Starbucks very likely grew up going to McDonald's. Sometimes, familiarity breeds contempt.

"Field of Dreams" Venue Spared From the Plow

"Field of Dreams," Dyersville, Iowa
(photo: movie-locations.com)

The movie Field of Dreams featured a baseball diamond on which a passionate fan successfully conjured the ghosts of Baseball Past. The actual setting was a 193-acre Iowa farm which contributed more maize for ethanol than corn for entertainment.

According to the showbiz website deadline.com, the farm's owners recently sold the land to an investment group that includes former baseball star and Hall of Famer Wade Boggs. The plan is to transform the agricultural land into an amalgam of hardball and softball fields called "All Star Ballpark Heaven." It's unknown if Boggs will insist on serving fried chicken in his version of baseball paradise. During his playing days, Boggs attributed his batting prowess to his steady diet of poultry. 

Chicago Lotto Winner Fatally Poisoned

Urooj Khan, holding his winning
and presumably fatal lottery ticket.
(photo: abcnews.go.com)

The obvious fantasy with a lottery ticket purchase is winning a fortune. The process is a bit like fishing, in that one is encouraged to throw back a small catch into the water. The only thing that matters is the big fish. However, people's desire for whatever they imagine money can bring also has its dark side.

A lottery winner from Chicago discovered the truth of this observation the hard way. According to a report in today's online edition of the Los Angeles Times, 47-year-old Urooj Khan recently won a cool million playing the Illinois Lottery. About one month after his success, he died of what was initially diagnosed as heart disease. A relative did not believe the reasonably healthy Khan would have simply dropped dead. The Cook County medical examiner reopened the case. Evidence of a fatal dose of cyanide was found; the cause of death was duly revised to indicate foul play.

Sometimes, it doesn't pay to win.

Feds, Banks "Settle" Foreclosure Scandal; Obama Administration Lets Google Off the Hook

According to a report in today's online edition of The New York Times, federal negotiators and major American banks have reached a settlement in a probe of "foreclosure abuses by 14 major lenders." The banks will collectively pony up ten billion dollars; in exchange, the feds will stop its investigation. Essentially, very little will change, which is how major players want it.

One issue in the foreclosure scandal is that relatively few affected homeowners will gain anything from the deal. According to the Times, "Only 323,000 homeowners submitted claims for their files to be reviewed." Does that sound like the complete number of screwed homeowners across the country?

Of course, the corruption still runs deep, and across party lines. Some consumer advocates, the Times article noted, "have questioned whether the banks were getting off too easily because they selected and paid the consultants charged with examining their loans."

The banks were not the only powerful corporate juggernaut at which the Obama administration waved the matador's cape. Right out of the box in January, the FTC managed to conclude a lengthy investigation of Google's search engine placements and competitive tactics and determined the Mountain View company plays fair all the time. No violation of antitrust laws, no fine, no warning, no nothing.

FTC Commissioner Jon Leibowitz
(photo: ftc.gov)

The FTC's explanation was a masterpiece of doubletalk. As reported in The Washington Post, FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz observed that "The American antitrust laws protect competition, not competitors." Unsurprisingly, Google itself echoed this ridiculous statement. Its chief legal officer "wrote that the FTC's actions affirm that Google's products  are 'good for users and good for competition.'" Google's competitors did not second this motion, and are now hoping for succor from the European Union.

UK Researchers Help Blind Mice See

Sight and blindness are two powerful, truly global metaphors. These conditions have also been with us in the tangible world beyond recorded history. For some scientists, the conquest of blindness is their holy grail.

While the ultimate prize remains elusive, researchers from the University of Oxford have come tantalizingly closer to solving blindness' riddle. In recent experiments, this intrepid group has been able to restore the sight of blind mice. According to a BBC report on the subject, the scientists restored the rodents' sight by injecting "light-sensitive cells" into the creatures' eyes.

While questions remained about the quality of sight resulting from the new cells, the experiment did confirm that some qualitative change occurred.

Medical procedures that could mitigate or entirely eliminate blindness would be an extraordinary contribution to humankind. I hope I live long enough to see it.

2012 Champagne Sales in France Far From Bubbly

Pierre Bonnard poster, from exhibit
at the Milwaukee Art Museum

If champagne sales are a barometer of celebration and good times, then count France among this year's more discouraged nations. According to an Associated Press story picked up by sfgate.com, sales in France of the world's favorite bubbly alcoholic beverage declined nearly five percent from the previous year's results. Apparently, Europe's economic woes trimmed the spirits of Parisians and provincials alike. The story did not reveal if the French found a substitute for champagne, although abstinence does not seem in keeping with the Gallic personality.

Antoine Chiquet, part of a family that has produced champagne and wine for generations, offered a unique perspective on the situation. "We'll have to rediscover optimism," he said.

Kansas Duns Sperm Donor for Child Support Payments

Many years ago, the author William S. Burroughs speculated there would be a need for biological courts. At the time, the concept seemed connected to some far away event that might not ever materialize.

The circumstances that influenced the writer of Naked Lunch and The Ticket That Exploded may be upon us now. According to an Associated Press story reprinted in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, a Kansas sperm donor is fighting against a state ruling that he must pay child support. The case gets entangled in Kansas law, which mandates sperm donation must be conducted via a licensed medical doctor. The donor in question, William Marotta, gave his jizzom to a lesbian couple without benefit of medical sanction or assistance.

The story is definitely worth reading, as the details add texture, philosophical weight, and legal gravitas to this tale of unplanned, unwanted consequences. The journalist noted one unintentionally funny moment, when Mr. Marotta "dropped off a container with his sperm at the couple's home..."

Now there's service!

Charles Mingus Live Performance Recordings Reissued

Charlie Mingus
(photo: versemusicgroup.com)

I first became aware of Charlie Mingus' music when I was a teenager. I listened to many of his recordings for hours and hours, as did close friends of mine. We grasped and deeply admired his level of musical skill, his material, and his drive. My enthusiasm for Mingus' sound carried over into college. I was fortunate enough to see the bassist and his ensemble perform in a small club in Madison, Wisconsin. It was an interesting night, made a bit more curious when Mingus, et al, smuggled booze into the "dry" performance space.

Lately, I've returned to listening to Mingus' studio efforts and admiring his grasp of composition. According to the Financial Times, Mosaic Records has re-released a number of concert recordings. I can't wait to listen to them, and hear Charlie at his most dynamic. He was a musical titan, who could play with fellow giants, and add something special to nearly any song he performed.

Yes, he really was that good.