A History of Violence
Sean MurphyWhen you think about the distinctive ingredients of Americana, the elements that comprise what we think about when we think of what makes America so...American, it's easy to recite the clichéd…
Rodney King, R.I.P.
Some people, like Rosa Parks, seem determined (if not destined) to make history. Some, like Parks, are successful. Others are not (many of them are appearing right now on reality…
With You There To Help Me: Cheerio To An Old Teacher (Revisited)
Shortly after 2011 began, I noted the unhappy occasion of Gerry Rafferty's passing and did my best to articulate (and celebrate) what his work meant to me (original post here).…
Farewell to a Goodfella: Henry Hill, R.I.P.
Well, it finally happened, albeit a lot later than many of his enemies would have liked. The world's most famous --and recalcitrant-- bad-guy-turned-FBI-informant, Henry Hill, has passed away at age…
Bob Welch: R.I.P.
One of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs (and a song that has always occupied a special place in my heart) does not feature either Stevie Nicks or Lindsey Buckingham. Seriously.…
The Bittersweet Science, Part Four: Four Kings
Let's finish this four part post off by letting Kimball, and the Kings, do the talking. Duran was fifteen and walking his girlfriend home from a dance when they encountered…
The Bittersweet Science, Part Three: The Fight
Let's end the suspense and get this out of the way right up front: Hagler vs. Hearns on April 15, 1985 is the best sporting event I've ever witnessed. First,…
The Bittersweet Science, Part Two: Getting Acquainted with the Late George Kimball
Every so often there is a confluence of events that, if you're lucky or perceptive enough, leads to a revelation. Other times there are just the happy accidents that function…
The Scream of the Butterfly: Ray Bradbury, R.I.P.
Another great one has gone to that great library in the sky. Ray Bradbury is, among many other things (all good), a visionary, a genius, a role model and a…
The Bittersweet Science, Part One
It probably says something about evolution that the younger generations see the future as expansive, malleable and positive while the older generations eventually—and inexorably—see the past as safer, simpler and…