Love And Rockets - Haunted When The Minutes Drag - 2023-05-21 - Fox Theater, Oakland, CA

Favorite song!

 

A Second Trip To Skyzone

It was earlier on a Saturday, so the crowds were reduced.  I took nine-year-old Jack only.  The most-alarming thing I saw was at the registration counter.  There was a girl, age about nine, looking at Jack with an unmistakable "he's cute" look on her face. Scary!

It's Tough To Grow Up On Albuquerque Streets

Looking at Luis Moncada...

 

A Deal on Colorado River Water

I hope the deal works, at least in the short term:

The seven states that rely on the Colorado River for power and drinking water have reached a deal on cuts to keep the drought-stricken river flowing.

Three states — Arizona, California and Nevada — have agreed on a plan to conserve at least 3 million acre-feet of water by 2026 — roughly the equivalent to the amount of water it would take to fill 6 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.

...The seven states that rely upon the Colorado River were on the precipice of crisis after decades of overuse. Before a banner winter of snowfall, officials grew concerned as dams at Lake Mead and Lake Powell neared “dead pool” status — when flow would be cut off to lower regions of the river as water levels dropped too low to pass through the dams.

About 40 million people rely on the Colorado River for drinking water. Utilities depend on it to generate electricity at dams on Lake Mead and Lake Powell and keep power flowing in several states.

The deal could avert the near-term crisis and put the states on a more sustainable trajectory for water use, but it calls for less conservation than some scientists say is required to stabilize the river after a more than two-decade drought. The deal prevents a political predicament for the Biden administration, which would have been compelled to enforce cuts unilaterally if the states could not negotiate an agreement among themselves.

...As part of the agreement, the administration would use funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to compensate some farmers and other water users who temporarily agree to cuts.

As it analyzes the new agreement, the Biden administration has agreed to temporarily withdraw the plans it drew up for dramatic cuts in case the state negotiations failed.

Glennon said the proposals from the federal government — which laid out competing proposals with stark consequences if states couldn’t find common ground — “focused the minds” of negotiators and forced them to find tolerable cuts. The federal dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act will provide compensation for more than three quarters of the water conserved in the deal.

“Without that money, this deal doesn’t happen,” Glennon said.

...The Colorado River’s water is apportioned among seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico. The river has been overallocated, meaning users collectively have rights to more water than what typically flows through each year, since its use was divided up in the 1922 Colorado River Compact and in subsequent agreements. The effects of climate change — which is heating and drying the Colorado basin — is squeezing the water supply even further.

“We need to reduce demand by up to 3 million acre feet per year to reach a balance in terms of our current supply and demand. This is a fraction, maybe a third, of what is likely necessary, but it is an important step,” White said.

...“The stakes for the 40 million people and farmland reliant on this water are too high,” Buschatzke said. “We can’t stop and take a long break and breathe a sigh of relief and say we’ve fixed our problems because we haven’t for the long term.”

Did You Know That You Have Rights?

I was pushing a shopping cart around a Sacramento Safeway when suddenly a boy with the brightest smile, age about 18, stood right in front of me. He said, “Did you know that you have rights? The Constitution says you do!” I blinked in surprise for a second at the Saul Goodman catchphrase, then remembered I was wearing a “Better Call Saul” T-Shirt. I guffawed, and the pleased boy hurried away.

 

"Love and Rockets" - Fox Theater, Oakland, CA - May 21, 2023

Gabe surprised me with an offer to attend the "Love and Rockets" concert in Oakland. I was flattered and pleased, but these offers usually come because Eleanor finds she doesn't want to, or can't go, to various events. Recently, Gabe and I went to the Sacramento Philharmonic, and the Lara Downes concert at the Mondavi Center, in Davis. Eleanor E-Mailed the tickets to me, and I put them on my phone.  Apart from the song "So Alive," which is on the Classic Rock setlist, I knew nothing about the band.  80s nostalgia show, perhaps?  So, I looked forward to Gabe coming over about 6 p.m. on Sunday evening, picking me up, and driving off to Oakland.

At about 6 p.m., I got in touch with Gabe, and discovered there was a miscommunication.  He wasn't going to go to the concert.  He had just attended a funeral.  So, I had to make an instant decision:  should I drive to Oakland and attend alone, or not?

I wanted to wash up first, so I took a quick shower.  It was not possible to get to Oakland by showtime, at 7:30 p.m.  Still want to go?  Yes.  So, I jumped in my yellow car and raced off to Oakland.

 

The Fox Theater in Oakland.  I've seen two concerts here in the past:  Kylie Minogue's first North American tour in 2009, and Die Antwoord in 2013.  I remember how Die Antwoord's Ninja decided to crowd surf, but the floor wasn't crowded enough to support him.  The crowd dropped Ninja on the floor and the wave of people nearly threw me off my feet.

I was encouraged by the mob of fans at the door.  What rock band ever starts on time?  I wasn't late after all!  I took my seat in the balcony for the 8:30 p.m. start.

The Fox Theater started as a movie palace in 1928.  It's quite amazing that it was able to survive over the years.  It was refurbished as a concert venue in the 00s.  

Nice sign.  Lots of people, dressed mostly in black.  Ages ranged all over the place, but lots of folks in their fifties.  Goth black seemed the favored style.  Very few masks.  I was the only one with a white mask.

Hmmm.... An old switchboard!

Cool Middle Eastern inspired decoration.

Nosebleed seats not far from the intricate ceiling.

The band surprised me: sort of a psychedelic garage band. Not really 80’s nostalgia. Except for “So Alive,” all the songs were unfamiliar, but plenty of people were singing along, so they have fans. Loved the kaleidoscopic projections!  Apparently the band got back together for this tour, so a rare opportunity for their fans.

Projections!

That ceiling....

Scalloped proscenium.

House left.

House right.

The entrance, where hot dog vendors plied their trade and made bank.

The bladelike sign, at night.

Neon!

Their big hit.

  

 

First time listening to this song. I really like it!

   

The same song, but from Saturday, when they performed in Pasadena.

 

Rabbits

@wildest_history This is a true story. The images may be a slight exaggeration. #history #wildhistory #historyiswild #wildhistoryfacts #crazyhistory #napolean ♬ Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op.92-2 - 中国爱乐乐团

Lurid Title Available at One of the Local Neighborhood Lending Libraries

 

A Cool Spring in Sacramento

Sacramento temperatures this spring have been unusually low. Between January 17th and April 20th (between days 17 and 110 on this chart) - a period of about three months - average daily temperatures were usually below average. Temperatures for most of the northern hemisphere have mostly been above average this year. It's interesting how California is out of step this year. 

This cold weather, plus the unusual cleanliness of the snow, has slowed the melt of the virtual ice cap we have in the Sierras. I wonder if all the snow can melt this summer?