The whole family went to a local rep cinema Sunday to watch A Christmas Story (first time we've seen it on the big screen). I love that one. Several scenes shot here in Toronto, so that adds a bit to the charm.

Other favorite holiday movies: A Charlie Brown Christmas, Life of Brian,The Big Lebowski.

Least favorite: It's a Wonderful Life (shrill, annoying and depressing)

Speaking of movies, I recently saw Bang the Drum Slowly for the first time in probably 30 years. It still holds up. De Niro's great, but even more of a pleasure to watch were co-lead Michael Moriarty and Vincent Gardenia as the gruff manager.

on its a wonderful life...i agree on the penny...i hate that movie now...excrutiating.......the big lebowski is going on the list...believe it or not i never saw a christmas story.......ill watch it this year and im sure it will end up on my list.......life of Brian is a brilliant choice.......charlie brown i will watch.

MY 2010 ALBUM LIST - RANKED............

1. - TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBROKEN - MOJO - imo easily numero uno......brilliant album...easily one of his best.......some absolutely amazing guitar jamming......if damn the torpedos was the big mac.......this is the whole enchilada.......fantastic album.......we still have mudcrutch 2.
2. - CORRINE BAILEY RAE - THE SEA - a throw back....she is british but imagine some carol king spliced with minnie ripperton and marvin gaye....this is not quite as good as her first album but is highly recommended....pop and soul combined..
3. - SHE AND HIM - VOLUME 2- gorgeous crafted melodies soft rock...zooey sings very sweetly...like something out of the late 60s..early 70s when melody was king.
4. - JACK JOHNSON - TO THE SEA - an album of ocean gems... a different kind of beach boys.
5. - THE BLACK KEYS - BROTHERS - this group will grow on you....a zillion times better then the white stripes
6. - SHARON JONES AND THE DAF KINGS - I LEARNED THE HARD WAY - a true soul album......if you like amy winehouse and james brown.....died early...was possible hall of fame potential.
7. - CROWDED HOUSE - INTRIGUER - a very mature album by a very skilled strong melodic group who should be highly valued.
8. - APPLES IN STEREO - TRAVELERS IN SPACE AND TIME - one of the best indie groups.....an apple a day.
9. - BELL AND SEBASTION - BELLE AND SEBASTION WRITE ABOUT LOVE - this group once had a song that mentioned sandy Koufax and mike piazza.
10. - JULIANNA HATFIELD - a lemonhead protege hits her stride
11. - THE BIRD AND THE BEE - TRIBUTE TO HALL AND OATES - and yet so cool
12. - THE ARCADE FIRE - THE SUBURBS - hey watch out.. your taxes are going up....sorry suburbs

i didnt include the promise by sprinsteen because it is really songs from the darkness at the edge of town sessions although some were redone.

I may be good for one more LP list (2011) after this one, but honestly I pretty much stopped buying what passes for Rock and roll around in this period.
What I still buy (and listen to) most probably wouldn't call rock and roll anymore. So I'll probably be ceasing these lists soon. Meantime my 2010 list!

1. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers --- "Mojo" (Their best! A band of brothers/professionals at the peaks of their abilities creating blues roots-rock masterpieces from Tom's songs and inspiration without ANY other consideration but making the best music they could make! REPEAT: THIS is the Best full band {Heartbreakers} release that we'll {sadly} now be able to hear. "Poor Tom Jefferson loved the little maid out back, Midnight creepin' out to the servant's shack" Those are the first lyrics of the LP and it just gets better!!!)
2. Buddy & Julie Miller --- "Written In Chalk" (Stupendous performances on haunting songs! A bit of help from friends Robert Plant and Emmylou Harris here and there.) **
3. John Common & Blinding Flashes Of Light --- (Self-titled) (Beautiful songs, beautifully performed, contains the best Pop single that no one {well, a few of us have!} ever heard "Love Is A Shark" Find it, listen to it.........you'll be hooked!)
4. Robert Plant --- "Band Of Joy" (Still making striking original rock that grabs and moves you........ what else is there?)
5. Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses --- "Junky Star" (More roadhouse swagger from the gravelly voiced Bingham. Produced By T-Bone Burnett)
6. Robert Earl Keen ---- "Rose Hotel" (Robert's best. Grows on you with every listen. I listen to this often still!) **
7. Drive By Truckers --- "The Big To-Do" (More careening in between genre rock and roll, without Isbell!)
8. Works Progress Administration --- "WPA" (This is an odd one. A "band" consisting of Sean and Sara Watkins, Glen Phillips, Luke Bulla, Benmont Tench, Greg Leisz, Davey Faragher and a drummer from LA I can't remember right now put this out. It varies from pop to country to just weird....... but it's all good! Google search the band members!) **
9. Jakob Dylan --- "Women + Children" (Dylan's kid goes it alone {no Wallflowers on this one} with the help of producer T-Bone Burnett The result is my favorite of his!)
10. BoDeans --- "Mr. Sad Clown" (This one is produced by Kurt himself. A bit of a harbinger of things to come as Kurt really shines on this one)

Honorable Mention to Kevin Welch for his "A Patch of Blue Sky"

** These are actually 2009 releases BUT I didn't begin to listen/get into them until 2010 as they were (most likely) my Christmas gifts to myself that year, :-)

i didnt know dylan had an album in 2010...he may not be the dylan but he really is a dylan....by 2010 my cd buying severely reduced...by 2011 maybe a handful every year....for years i would buy at least 500 - 750 per year......i know....now i buy less then 10 per year if that and some are reissues...the last cd i bought was elvis the king with te philarmonic...the 2nd volume...it is a great series....speaking about j. dylan i was thinking the other day that it might be cool if j. did the singing on the new papa dylan albums.........id like to hear the 2009 album redone with j. dylan singing.

i never burn cds...believe it or not.....i wont out of principle....no earnings for artists no music......i really believe that.

Burned Cd's rot over time. I've spent great effort making CD's from my original LP's and then after a few years the "recordings" deteriorate beginning with the later tracks. It's very annoying.

i always liked tom petty but in making these lists i listen to each album and he ranks much higher on my list of all time greats now then before....and amazing for volume of excellent albums.........i think the black keys..a newer group are quite cool....i really agree that there is a lot less quality today......and i dont see much improvement until current artists listen more music from 1956- 1986........and classical music and jazz.........no foundation anymore.

GOP - too cheap for chip.

some people i cant stand in the sim forums :


1. #5@!!(L''
2.()^&*&^%ZEB
3.D:g)))0000
4. &caMP @#pee
5.L45@@@-='[,( esp this guy )
6. [[pouh45@@3
7. ccRIGHTmong##r

tax consequeces - I'm allowed to give my opinions and facts .
the bonuses are from a few companies...gigantic companies......they are one time bonuses.......sounds like team pr to me.
countries around the world are lowering their corporate rates....lets see how many jobs still go over seas...gotta watch that.
lets see how many companies convert to pass throughs to take advantage of that despicable part of the bill - more significant corrosion of the debt.
lets see what kindly republicans start to do about entitlements.......when you see it....cause and effect....cause and effect!
wells fargo already planned some of the things they announced....since when could you trust wells fargo........they went to trump university.
how much infrastructure can be done now after blowing 1.5 - 2 trillion into the debt..........much less now....cause and effect.
republicans will suddenly become deficit hawks when they talk about infrastructure and trump will try to use the dems...what will happen?
I think the dems will extract some teeth.
when the individual tax rates end in 2025 it will need another .5 trillion to keep it going...the recession or depression will have already kicked in.
what is going to happen to healthcare......in flux...why does trump hate Obamacare so much...so much hate.
orin hatch is saying things like there is no money for chip....what is going to happen tochip...will it survive...will it be degraded now.

a real leader ...a moral leader would have done infrastructure first.
a real leader would have done a 25 % tax for corporate and helped the poor and middle class...that's all.
the suburbs are going to feel pain..they haven't felt since reagen......that's when property taxes/school taxes started to go through the roof......they lost federal funds...long time ago but cause and effect.

God save us from trump and the wild crazy gop.

Wells Fargo and Fifth Third are giving raises not just bonuses. And these are raises to tellers or lower/entry level roles. How do you explain the coincidence?

no one is in need for publicity like wells fargo.....they increased wages after the last scandal.....I would not use wells fargo for a model of anything...they are desperate for pr.

Fifth Third?