Tate McRae - "Sports Car"

This tune, from the wonder of Calgary, is getting lots of air play these days on the radio. I can see why.  (The tune is reminiscent of the Pussycat Dolls.)

 

In Honor of Paul Fearn: "Heart of Gold" - DMTC - April 30, 2011

R.I.P. - Remembering a fine actor, Paul Fearn, upon his passing. 

Here's a song from "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," as presented by Davis Musical Theatre Company (DMTC) on April 30, 2011. 

World Wide Wicket Company President J. B. Biggley (Paul Fearn) sings "Heart of Gold" with his love interest, Hedy LaRue (Brittany Bickel). Present near the start is J.B.'s nephew, Bud Frump (Jason 'Clocky' McDowell).

White Cat II

To close out Jasper’s birthday, it was time to do the late-night walk. 

When we walk, I prefer to carry a pooper scooper - scoop and putter - to deal with exigencies. 

On the return leg, Jasper abruptly stopped and spun around. We were being stalked - by a White Cat! This was a different cat from the White Cat who stalked us several years ago. I found this omen to be portentous. A White Cat! 

I wanted to introduce myself to the White Cat, but as we approached the cat arched its back in cautionary alarm. Jasper’s forthright canine approach was scaring the cat. I needed to tie Jasper to a tree or pole, but none was available. So I laid the pooper scooper down on the sidewalk and tied Jasper’s leash around the scoop and putter, hoping that would hold Jasper, and I approached the cat. 

Jasper wasn’t deterred, and continued approaching the cat. His leash wrapped around the pooper scooper putter, which clattered noisily on the pavement. Jasper panicked at the noise, and bolted. Lashed like Ahab to the White Whale, Jasper fled a block down the street, pursued as if by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by the Pooper Scooper putter. Meanwhile, the cat withdrew a cautionary distance, in order to observe - whatever this was. 

Well, so much for diplomacy. Maybe another night. Jasper eventually returned, and we continued home.

Shoplifting, in Bulk

Tonight, I was in a Walgreens drug store just before closing time - in this case, 9 p.m. (some Walgreens are open 24-hours). Significantly, this store had not locked up the more-expensive personal care items they sell, like shaving items and shampoo, as has become common in many California stores. 

Walking through the aisles, I noticed a man with an unusual shopping style. He was taking bottles of shampoo off the shelves and stuffing them into a large garbage bag. The bag was so heavy he could hardly move it. "Hmmm...," I thought. 

I wandered along on my own business. I almost forgot about the guy with the bag. Then someone spoke on the store intercom with a mix of sarcasm and wonderment: "The guy is in the back stuffing his bag!" Indeed! Plus, he was not alone. There were at least three, maybe four men, hauling bags out of the store. They were very businesslike in demeanor, and uncommunicative, as they made a big raid on the merchandise. They did not mask themselves but they averted their faces from cameras likely present in the store. There were no outward signs of guns. 

And the store employees did not interfere. They continued along with their tasks. Among them, I could sense an undercurrent of fear, yet they displayed a lackadaisical insouciance. I noticed one of the employees come in from outside, He was likely a security guard, perhaps catching a car's license plate number in the parking lot. 

"Was that a theft?" I asked an employee. "Oh yes." she replied. "It happens often." "It occurred to me I should interfere, " I continued. "Oh no, don't do that," she replied. Referring to her fellow workers, she said, "We're not security guards. Interfering is against corporate policy. The product is just product. We'll have some more product later this week." 

Reflecting, I think I've barely missed similar shoplifting episodes at other stores. One of the most controversial features of California's Proposition 47, passed in 2014, was the reduction of penalties for shoplifting, as long as the stolen goods have a value no more than $950. Criminals have taken this lenience as license to brazenly take whatever they want from stores. 

I favor reducing that $950 limit, but the resistance necessary to enforce that lower limit will put customers and employees alike at risk of violence. Insouciance won't be enough. 

Closing time is a risky time.

[UPDATE:  Jenny informs me that last year's Proposition 36 reduced the $950 limit.]

Happy 7th Birthday Jasper!

Happy 7th birthday, baby dog Jasper! To celebrate, we walked all the way to Safeway (my former dog Bella’s favorite place), in order to search for Bella’s favorite shocking discovery, rotisserie chicken hidden in the bushes.

R.I.P., Paul Fearn

R.I.P. Various pictures of our good friend, and excellent actor, Paul Fearn, at DMTC.  Paul was active in so many theaters over the years.  He really left a mark on Sacramento-area theater!

Davis Enterprise picture of "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," March 2008. Val (Paul Fearn), Kenny (Brennen Cull), Max (Kevin Caravalho), Lucas (Josh Smith), Brian (Jason 'Clocky' McDowell).

“The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” July, 1992. Erin Renfree-Davis as Molly Tobin Brown and Paul Fearn as Johnny Brown.

Merlin (Paul Fearn) waits backstage ("Camelot" - February 20, 2007).

Nimue Dancer (left, Meg King) ensnares Merlin the Magician (right, Paul Fearn) to the eerie song of Nimue Singer (off camera right, Bridget Maguire). ("Camelot" - February 21, 2007).

The Enchantment of Merlin. Nimue Dancer (Meg King), Merlin (Paul Fearn), and Nimue Singer (Bridget Maguire, background). "Camelot" - March 17, 2007.

"Laughter On The 23rd Floor," March 30, 2008.  Lucas (Joshua Smith), Milt (Darryl Strohl), Val (Paul Fearn), and Kenny (Brennan Cull).

King Herod (Paul Fearn), "Jesus Christ, Superstar," April 23, 2009.

Paul Fearn as King Herod and David Holmes as Jesus Christ. Chorus from left; Juliana Leone, Wendy Mumolo, Nikki Nicola, Nancy Longo, Pamela Kay Lourentzos, Amanda Yount, and Jennifer Berry. "Jesus Christ, Superstar," April 23, 2009.

Paul Fearn as King Herod, plus Nikki Nicola and Pamela Kay Lourentzos (Nancy Longo obscured). "Jesus Christ, Superstar," April 23, 2009.

Paul Fearn as King Herod and David Holmes as Jesus Christ. Chorus too. "Jesus Christ, Superstar," April 23, 2009.

The cast of "The Secret Garden," in "Come Spirit, Come Charm," June 12, 2008. Karina Cruz, Scott Sablan, Bridget Maguire, Paul Fearn, Maya Rothman, Joshua Smith, Kaylynn Rothleder, Andrew Lampinen, Caitlin Kiley, Christian Salmon, Linnea Lampinen, Jabriel Shelton, Emily Jo Seminoff, Anne Marie Pringle, Darryl Strohl, and Norma-Jean Russell.

"Shipoopi", featuring Ethel Toffelmeyer (Wendy Young Carey) and Marcellus (Paul Fearn). "The Music Man," June 15, 2009. Zaneeta (McKinley Carlisle) and Tommy (Matthew Kohrt) are here too.

"The Sadder-But-Wiser Girl," with Paul Fearn as Marcellus Washburn and Rand Martin as Harold Hill. "The Music Man," June 17, 2009.

"Shipoopi", featuring Ethel Toffelmeyer (Wendy Young Carey) and Marcellus (Paul Fearn). "The Music Man," June 17, 2009. Zaneeta (McKinley Carlisle) and Tommy (Matthew Kohrt) are here too.

Concert version of "Tommy," July 22, 2007. Captain Walker (Paul Fearn) and Mrs. Walker (Kat DeLapp).

Major-General Stanley (Paul Fearn) and Frederick (Travis Nagler), amongst the ruins at Tremorton Castle. "The Pirates of Penzance," September 15, 2007.

Major-General Stanley (Paul Fearn), "The Pirates of Penzance," October 7, 2007.

The cast of "The Secret Garden," in "Come Spirit, Come Charm," June 12, 2008. Karina Cruz, Scott Sablan, Bridget Maguire, Paul Fearn, Maya Rothman, Joshua Smith, Kaylynn Rothleder, Andrew Lampinen, Caitlin Kiley, Christian Salmon, Linnea Lampinen, Jabriel Shelton, Emily Jo Seminoff, Anne Marie Pringle, Darryl Strohl, and Norma-Jean Russell.

Kacey Musgraves - "'Slow Burn"

I like this contemplative, psychedelic country tune from 2018 (Pam uses it in ballet class).

 

Jack White - "Archbishop Harold Holmes"

Pop music is such a strange place! "Archbishop Harold Holmes" appears to be heavily-influenced by "Trouble," from Meredith Willson's "The Music Man" and is now getting radio air play. I like how Jack White features his 18-year-old rocker daughter Scarlett here.

 

"Prom" - Woodland Opera House - April 26, 2025

Saw Woodland Opera House’s “Prom” Saturday night. Saw lots of familiar faces, including, most remarkably, Scott Martin, who was in my first WOH show, "Fiddler on the Roof," twenty-eight years ago. Good times!

"Chicago" - Sheldon High School - April 25, 2025

I caught "My Own Best Friend," and the rest of Act 2. I liked Nate Demers, the fellow who played Billy Flynn.

 

Deterding Elementary "Pinocchio" - Missoula Children's Theater - April 25, 2025

Jack R. as the villain puppeteer "Stromboli" (top right).

 

So, I Guess He's in Rome

(h/t Andrew)

Speaking In Fake Accents

Overheard - two women walking past on the sidewalk: “Speaking in fake accents is an ADHD symptom.” 

I don’t know if that’s true, but it would explain some things about theater.

This Virga Bomb Sounds Amazing!

Texan weather can be astonishing!

 

Nice Tesla Dealership You Have There

Stood across the street from the Tesla dealership today, carefully watching the path of the security guard, and dreaming big dreams.

Target Boycott Forever

I've been a big Target customer for years - I think I was spending more than $300/month there - but like so many others, I was dismayed by Target's immediate abandonment of DEI initiatives after the election. So, along with many others, I boycott. 

I was optimistic that Target CEO Cornell's recent approach to Rev. Al Sharpton might yield fruit; perhaps a surrender, a recommitment to DEI goals, and a rebuke to Donald Trump. I sure would like to shop at Target again. 

That doesn't seem to be what's going on, though. Instead, it looks more like Cornell is trying to use half measures to split the Black leadership on the boycott. After all, Rev. Sharpton is not the leader of the boycott - Rev. Jamal Bryant in Georgia is. Maybe someone from Target should talk to Bryant. They could ask Sharpton for Bryant's phone number. 

So, the Target boycott will continue, perhaps indefinitely. The Tesla-ization of Target continues. Costco booms and Target sinks. 

We will shop where we are welcome.

Rev. Al Sharpton held a meeting with Target CEO Brian Cornell on Thursday, April 17, 2025, in New York, NY, concerning the retailer’s decision on removing DEI. Sharpton says the meeting was “very constructive and candid” and intended on meeting with Rev. Bryant on where they “will go from there,” notes The Guardian.

Bryant appears to be underwhelmed by the outcome of the meeting, according to The Christian Post. He stated that Target only fulfilled one of the four demands the Target Fast campaign had set out, which was to complete its $2 billion commitment to Black businesses “through products, services, and black media buys.” The other requests were for the retailer to commit “250 million amongst any of our 23 Black banks”; restore “the franchise commitment to DEI”; and “pipeline community centers at 10 HBCU to teach retail business at every level.”

“If in all of these years we have been loyal customers and clients and then in the moment of ‘dis-ease’ you turn your back. And so, I had to share with Target that we gave you 40 days to answer four, not one. And they only came back with one. So I told them what I’m getting ready to tell you. We ain’t going back in there. And so, the fast shifts to a full out boycott,” he asserted.

Libertarians Think They Are Back In Fashion

The author here has a much-brighter view of Libertarians than I do, and imagines that they are now poised to fight Donald Trump's tariffs. I see no reason for such optimism. Libertarians don't labor under the burden or inspiration of religion, which just makes them depraved Republicans. They will fall in line and do just as Donald Trump tells them to, no matter how far he veers from their ideology.

This rejection of the far-right elements in the Libertarian Party, combined with the urgency of President Trump’s tariff schemes, has created an opportunity for Americans —particularly those leaning Republican — who support free people and free markets to rejoin the Libertarian Party and join the opposition to the Trump administration. 

Tariffs are taxes Americans pay. The libertarian position is that we should be fighting for zero tariffs, and we certainly shouldn’t let a president unilaterally usurp the constitutional authority of Congress to impose taxes.

Recess and Club M

As a substitute teaching assistant, today I went to the Montessori school for recess supervision and afterschool Club M activities. 

It's been two weeks since I've been at the school, due to Spring Break. Thus, I was surprised when I saw the TK kindergartners. Almost all the kids seemed larger than last time I saw them. They probably were larger - kids grow fast - but there was one girl who seemed smaller. I don't know why. It's always Alice in Wonderland with the littles. 

The kindergartners were full of energy - the most I've ever seen. They were running everywhere. I tried to insert myself in their play in order to cool the temperature and avoid accidents. One kid cried that another kid had bent his thumb back. Another kid was crying because he stepped on his own finger - which happens, I guess. The littlest girl began bullying the littlest boy, and seemed surprised when he got upset. The kids got excited when they located a beetle in a bin of corn feed. Numerous times they engaged me in fantastical conversations that I had trouble following. 

The kids began to play a Zombie game. They started to eat their victims. I flinched when the kids ate my fingers, which they found amusing, so they proceeded to consume me entirely. I'm sure it looked strange to the other teaching assistants. 

After TK recess it was time to find the older kids at Club M. Apparently Club M is now located in several of the portable classrooms rather than focused in the school cafeteria, which looked as if was now dedicated for theater rehearsal. I was a bit at loose ends, but I ended up supervising play in the Gaga Pit, a kind of small octagonal space used for kickball activities. My supervision didn't go particularly well. The overheated yelling and screaming eventually attracted the attention of one of the other assistants, who decided to shut down the game. 

(I'm pretty tolerant of yelling kids, but not everyone feels the same way.) 

At loose ends again, I found several kids engaged in a dubious activity; riding plastic boards with casters attached (resembling large skateboards) down a cement wheelchair ramp leading from one of the portable classrooms. The ramp ended just short of a metal picnic table and it was easy to see how someone could sail into it and get hurt. 

Now, I suppose I should have just shut down this activity, but I chose to stand in front of the picnic table as a barrier of last resort. The kids played and had fun. Despite their yelling and screaming there was no interference from the other teaching assistants. 

Through repeated trial and error I could tell this activity was safer than it appeared. Provided the kids didn't stand up on the boards, or start at speed, they couldn't get enough momentum to reach the metal picnic table and hurt themselves. I banned racing so as not to encourage collisions and tried to keep the pathway clear.

It all worked out. No one got even the slightest bit hurt and everyone had fun. Towards the end of play a girl approached (no doubt a Deputized Girl of long-standing) and said, "Mr. Marc, I don't know if you know, but this is Against the Rules!" I thanked the girl and told her I wasn't surprised - it certainly looked dubious - but by that time it didn't matter. 

One of these days I need to learn the rules. I don't know if it's because I'm from a distant generation or if I'm just indulgent, but provided the situation is safe, I seem to tolerate greater play and noise from the kids than others do.

Sparking Wires

This is near Rachel's house. The sparking wires look scary.

Ash Bricky - "We Protect Us"

At Sacramento's Southside Park 50501 protest on Saturday, several musicians played. I got there late, so missed seeing some, but there was a "folk punk mixtape" CD for sale that featured various artists. As you can imagine, this is a great time for new protest music. This song is first on the mixtape:

 

50501 Protest - Southside Park - April 19, 2025

People are so clever with their signs! Much admiration! Every protest is a little different, week by week, as new issues take the fore. This week, autistic folks have something to say. Meanwhile, among conservatives and libertarians, nothing but a vast, damning silence.  So much for their utterly false dedication to the Constitution and the rule of law.  We know that truth now.  Traitors, all.