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Steve: Though I do "pick & choose" where I poke in my nose, I DO agree with you (re: the Alongonquins). . .I went back and re-checked the "members" [a loose term for a group of that sort!]. . .And, I sorta wish I could've lived a hundred years ago; and, peeked in on Them. Old Jonathan Swift would've liked them also! And, they'd have voted him in as "Chairman of the Board!" (Check a private message I just sent you)

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In a "Place of Respect" on my desk (That I may refer to it as often as necessary) is Jonathan Swift's wonderful essay, written in 1729: "A Modest Proposal". . ."for preventing the children in Ireland from being a burden to their parents or country; and, for making them beneficial to the Publick."

I won't quote you the substance of his "Proposal;" but, I suggest you read its several pages (14 in all) as cogent and pertinent today as it was nearly 300 years ago. . .<smile>

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Y'all wanna suggest "sarcasm?" THIS is the best I've come across in my own 80+ years of "Thinking about the Human Situation!"

Chet IS great, Mark. Thanks.

I was waiting for you to bring this one to us: MY favorite holiday "song:" The MJQ, with Gunther Schuler: "England's Carol."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14egMPdzkiQ

Coming up are the Holidays. . .And, I'm gonna plug several MY favorite "holiday" movies. . That fit right there with this photo: "Joyeux Noel:" a TRUE story that occurred in 1914; "No Man's Land;" and, "The Syrian Bride." ["The Syrian Bride" is particularly appropriate to NOW!]

They are NOT Jimmy Stewart-type films!

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I had the same problem; and, solved it by "Clicking Reply". . .The "Replying" e-mail then appeared WITH the image or body of the e-mail that HAD been missing. . .

Here's a TRUE Halloween story that I've been telling for 50+ years. . .And, it always gets a smile:

A friend of mine was a doctor (GP) in Santa Rosa, CA. And, he had delivered MANY children; and, their parents during his years in practice. If you came to town, and, asked for directions to his house,you merely had to ask "How do you get to "The Doctor's house;" and, most anyone could tell you. He was in the habit of throwing a party on Halloween, where he enjoyed sharing the little kids' costumes when they rang his doorbell. One little girl came to the door; and, she was dressed as little angel with wings that her father had made for her. Blonde, blue-eyed; and, cute as a bug! The doc grabbed his camera; and, called all of us to see this "vision." His wife had made cookies and muffins to be given out to the children; and, he said to the little girl: "Here is a treat for YOU!." And, he gave her BOTH a large chocolate-chip cookie AND a big muffin; and, placed both in her bag. "And, here is a SPECIAL treat for you because of your lovely costume!" And, dropped a great big beautiful red apple into the bag. The little angel leaned over; and, looked into the bag. . .And, then, looked up at The Doctor with those big blue eyes. . .And, said: "You sonuvabitch! You broke my cookie!" And, all of us watching, nearly choked with laughter; as we looked at the shocked expression on the face of our friend. . .The "Norman Rockwell" white-haired doctor!

Peter Lorre's first starring role: "M" , directed by Fritz Lang. . .

Or, another Hitchcock film: "Ver'd it go?" [Dontcha just love a good pun?]

Jerry: I believe you are confusing "Eu" and "Ew!" It's all in the "facial expression" when using each term: "Eu-gene" mens well-bred; and, "Ew-gene" means "poorly-bred!"

I'd like to thank not only "Admin" but, ALL of you guys! The Hedgehogg arrives around 4 AM on my computer every day. . And, it's one of the first things I do (after grabbing a cup of coffee)! There are individuals among you who have ansered many of MY questions BEFORE I even ask them. . .And, I look forward to Jerry's latest Embarkation into the Daily World; Mark's musical "advisories;" Linda (who is no longer "From Maine" but, now resides in Arizona; bj's often "lame" cartoons; but, more often evoke smiles; and, all the rest of you that I have not named.

Thanks you!~. . .for the words, I often forward to a diminishing number of friends as I grow older; and "outlive" them!

I'd like to share a short-story I wrote about 15 years ago. . .

Awhile back, I was listening to Vladimir Horowitz play the piano on a CD. . .

And, I recalled the time I spent a couple hours "in conversation" with him? It was just about seventy years ago. . .at a concert he gave in Berkeley. . .
I was a senior in high school and when I found out he was coming to town, I immediately went down to the ticket agency and grabbed two tickets. . .expensive at that time, especially for a high school kid making only 75 cents an hour. . .$5 each! [Today tickets to a Horowitz concert(or, a similar performer)would be $50 (or, more) for the cheap seats; and, many hundreds for front row]. . .I asked several girls for dates and finally one decided that she'd like to see a "master concert". . .
We dressed "properly". . .I, in a tweed sport jacket and slacks with tie; and, she in a nice "cocktail dress." And, we drove into Berkeley from Pleasant Hill. . .a suburban area, about 20 miles east of Berkeley.
Imagine my thrill at "discovering" I had FRONT row seats (I'd never bothered to look at the ticket. . .I was just damn glad to get them!) And, the capper, the seats were practically within arm's length of the piano. My date was thrilled because she, a piano player herself, would be able to see his hands. . .(I had discontinued my own piano lessons about two years earlier). . .
Mr Horowitz walked on stage. . .looked out at the audience of about fifteen hundred people and somehow he and I made eye contact and he smiled AT ME!

He sat down and began to play. The notes flowed from his fingers as though the piano were an extension of him. And, about two minutes into the opening Chopin piece, he looked over at me and hit a clinker. . .on purpose! I know he did it on purpose because he smiled at me as he did it! I knew it was "wrong" and smiled back. . .
What followed was a couple hours of he and I sharing a very special musical--and, "social"-- moment. And, it was JUST between the two of us! And, NOT for the rest of those in the auditorium.
He played the "usual" program of Chopin and Liszt and Beethoven. . .I use that term "usual" knowing full well that NO Horowitz concert was ever "usual!"
And, sprinkled throughout the afternoon, was a little Basie and Ellington and Joplin. . .and, quite of bit of Horowitz!
Playing a Chopin mazurka, he'd "wipe" a little Joplin rag across the Polish master's theme line; or, in the midst of a Liszt tone poem, he'd underline it with "Take the A Train" or Perdido. . .and, the whole afternoon was like that.
And, each time, he'd look over at me to make certain I "got it" and then, when he was satisfied that I was "tuned in," he'd do something else. . .not always jazz. . .Maybe a little Rachmaninoff or Tchaikovsky tidbit. . .or, even "Happy Birthday" which, of course, the whole room heard! A little like Victor Borge might do. . .
But, who'd ever imagine this sort of high-jinks coming from Vladimir Horowitz!
As the first portion of the program ended at the Intermission, when everyone was applauding, he bowed low and leaned toward me and asked, "Did you like it? Is there anything special you'd like to hear?" He asked ME! And, no one else. . .
When he came out for the second half, he was very serious and played without the jokes of the first half. . .until about ten minutes into the program, he leaned over and asked me again, "Anything special?" I sort of whispered, "Slaughter on 10th Ave". . .He did a double take and launched into a vigorous Chopin "march". . .and, then, I heard it subtly, the quietness of the pas de deux from "Slaughter" underneath. . .and, he smiled at me. . .
The concert concluded and the audience wouldn't stop applauding. . .they called him back for several encores and each time he responded with a smile. . .
Finishing the last of three encores, he threw up his hands in mock exhaustion; blew kisses all around; and, leaned down one last time toward me. And, he said, "Thank you!" Made one special wave to me! And, walked off-stage.
We sat there for a few minutes, my date and I, and, then she asked, "Do you know him? He seemed to know YOU!" I told her I had never seen him in person before that concert! I did not "know" him in the usual sense of knowing someone. . .but, apparently we DID "know" each other in some way. . .at least for that one afternoon, we were "best friends!"
And, I recall that afternoon seventy years ago as I sit here this Fathers Day, 2007. . .

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What's worse is. . .THEY often run for office; AND, THEY ARE ELECTED!! Now, THAT is REALLY scary! <smile>

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Johnny Cash made a career for decades with "one note." But, nobody put more. FEELING into that note! And, THAT, my friends IS music! The Navajo; the Arapajo; and, the Zulu, et al did the same . . .And, made MORE music. The Family Bach "explored" a note or two; and, created more music! Paraphrasing Justice Potter Stewart: "I know it when I hear it!"

I believe it was Judge Judy who said: "Don't pee on my leg; and, tell me it's raining!"

Ya hadda be there to hear my full spiel. . .I also spoke about fine heritage and traditions of the Miwok and their social "structure" and culture. For example, individual groups who inhabited the different geographical regions of California had roles in the overall relationships between these groups. Miwok who lived in the central regions acted as "facilitators" between the coastal inhabitants who were sea and shoreline "hunters" and "gatherers" and traded with the groups who lived in the foothill and mountain regions. Some groups were masters of basketry and hand-skills and produced not only for their own use but for trading with other regions. . .And, there were many different dialects and languages that required "translators" between regional groups. I also "taught" visitors to the park about these different peoples who lived around California. . .who were ALL identified as "Miwok" but whose traditions and "day-to-day living" were very different from each other. . .And, this sophisticated structure REQUIRED a formal "socialistic" division that was "co-operative and complex" . . .And, the Miwok had developed this system over milennia which recognized these differences within the larger context; and, found ways to live together while still utilizing what EACH group contributed to the entire. . .In a sense, it was a VERY sophisticated system of "FROM" each was taken; and, to each was "GIVEN!" And, ALL of this was co-ordinated within the Miwok what Nature provided; and, the "got along" in this "social Babel" in large part governed by the seasons AND the geography. . .My talks and teachings to the Park Visitors was meant (and, generally succeeded) to bring "understanding and respect" for the Miwok who had found a way to "co-habit" with each other; AND, with "Nature!" And, thus they had created a way of living in "harmony" their Natural Surroundings that THEIR Spirit World "approved of!" When the Head Ranger asked ME to 'leave," she was simply responding to a minority of the Visitors who told her: "He makes us uncomfortable!" And, she never took the time to listen to my talks herself! The larger majority of Visitors who I had talked to APPROVED (and, enjoyed) my talks. . .Which were given with the "approval" and, "guidance" of the local Shaman of the Miwok. And, I more often "tailored" my talks to "answering" QUESTIONS from the Visitors. And, I did my own "research" into the PUBLISHED scientific and social research of the professors and teachers of the University of California--Berkeley, who had been studying in depth the culture and traditions of the Miwok and the regional peoples who had lived in the State! And, in season, I also gathered acorns (among other "local" produce) and made acorn mush, etc which I ate at my own house, so that MY "understanding" was as authentic as possible; and, my talks were "accurate." Because I wanted to represent these people as accurately (and, respectfully) as possible I had many long talks with the Shaman; and, he invited me to "view" as many of the rituals that an "outsider" was allowed to view. I don't think he would have given me as much "entree" into the "inner sanctum" he did if I was NOT acting as a "reliable; respectful; and truthful" guide for the visitors to the Park. [Along those lines, when I taught in the public schools as a "certificated" teacher in California, I had a personal bookshelf in my classroom that in Today's United States that would have "earned" me a place on the flagpole in front of the school (in an "upside-down" position with the rope around my neck!). And, once, after a petition had been circulated DEMANDING I be FIRED, I invited those parents to "join" my classroom as observers and "participants"(if they raised their hands as the students did). . .And, that group (which included a local minister) after a week of observation, invited me to teach an "Adult Sunday School" in THEIR church. . .Which I did for three months! And, the minister asked me privately: "What exactly IS your religion?" To which I replied: "None of your business! But, I will tell you that it's roots are "akin" to that of the Miwok, of California!" And, to any and all, I suggest you look into it! Those "primitive illiterate savages" are more advanced in that regard than any "Believers" I have ever encountered in my more than 80+ years! Sadly, it "made" the White Invaders of our part of the World so "uncomfortable" that their only response was to wipe them out! And, they are still at it today, in the 21st Century!. . .<smile>

How about this in reply: I was a docent for a year or so at Grinding Rock State Historical Park (a few miles up Hwy 88 from Jackson, CA). This is the site of "round house" of the Miwoks, a native people who were victims of the settlement by first the Franciscan monks who built the missions in California; and, later the Gold Rush of 1848. And, were the last native people finally wiped out by the White Man in 1914, after holding out for a number of months in the Lava Beds under their leader, "Captain Jack." I was finally asked to leave the Park by the Head Ranger, who said I was making the Park visitors "uncomfortable" during my talks of the history of the Miwoks; the Aztecs; the Mayans; and, other indigenous peoples. . .When I told them that the original "illegals" on the North American continent were the Pilgrims in 1620 on the Eastern Coast; and, the Spanish Conquistadores in the Southwest when Cortes invaded Mexico in 1509. Of course, I dropped Columbus (1492-96) into the mix also when I described his landings in the Caribbean Islands. . .I also included Balboa; Pizarro; and, a story or two about the invaders of Central and Southern America. No history could be complete without mentioning the enslavement of the indigenous peoples; and, the first Africans brought to the New World who were "needed" in the mineral mines; the tobacco; sugar; cotton; and, other agricultural production enterprises established in the Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. . .And, while all of this was going on, the White Man was "graciously" endowing these people with syphilis and other bacterial infections; and, Christianity . . .Virtually guaranteeing these peoples would be forever thankful to the White Man for wiping out their "savage and primitive" spiritual histories!
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A brief tidbit of California history: When gold was discovered in California in January, 1848, the Miwok People had over 900 distinctive "social groups" in a population of over a million . . .Within 2-3 years, their total population could be counted in the HUNDREDS due to disease and "other sources of death and social destruction" such as murder; massacre; and, forced "evacuation." [Statehood was granted to California in Sept. 1850. Thank you, America!]
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I also included a bit of 19th and 20th Century "gifts" to other peoples who were "imported" for specific purposes; but, not granted citizenship or the right to own land or other property: the Chinese (who built the Transcontinental railroad in 1865-1869); and, the Japanese, who worked the agricultural fields in Central California; and, were interned in "concentration camps" located in various parts of the United States during World War II. . .As you can see, I was a "full service" docent; and, tried not to leave anyone out when describing America's proud history of promoting democracy and freedom in an "inclusive society."