Hack

What a small world we live in sometimes. I am currently reading Colonel David Hackworth’s “About Face.”. I was on a plane from Nashville to Chicago today and a kindly gentleman noticed what I was reading. He was a vet who served in a unit adjacent to Hackworth’s in the battle of Dak To. We spent the flight, much to the dismay of our neighbors, with him talling stories from the war and of Hack. I didn’t get any readin done on my book, but I think I learned more and gained more perspective by listening.

Trooper

I’m excited to share this collaborative effort.

Iron Maiden and Robinsons, a 175-year-old family-owned U.K. brewery, plan to release Trooper in May.

The label features the band’s mascot—a demon-faced monster named Eddie—wearing an English soldier’s traditional red coat and waving a Union Jack.

In a video posted on the band’s web site, Iron Maiden front man Bruce Dickinson said they wanted to “put something suitably patriotic” on the label, so the 1983 song The Trooper, about a British warrior, “leapt out and grabbed us straight away.”

Chicago Teachers Union Sues District for Discrimination

This has nothing to do with discrimination and everything to do with keeping dues-paying union teachers in empty classrooms.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago Teachers Union has sued the nation’s third largest school district, saying Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s campaign to reform or close underperforming public schools discriminates against African-American teachers and staff.

The federal lawsuit filed on Wednesday and announced on Thursday is the latest battle with the city since teachers staged a week-long strike in September. It alleges that more than half of the tenured teachers fired in the most recent round of school closings and turnarounds were African American.

But blacks make up less than 30 percent of the tenured teaching staff in the district and 35 percent of the tenured teacher population in the failing schools, the lawsuit claims.

[...]

The district’s enrollment has fallen nearly 20 percent in the last decade, mainly because of population declines in poor neighborhoods. The district said it can accommodate 500,000 students, but only about 400,000 are enrolled. About 140 schools are half empty, according to the district.

SKYFALL

I gotta admit… that’s an awesome song for a Bond movie. Music is such an important part of the franchise. It’s nice to see it continued.

Wish You Were Here

Some Nights

Yes, I’m a dork. I love this song and think the singer’s vocals are really fun, but I can’t get over the really odd grip of the drummer. It’s some sort of morphed traditional grip that doesn’t seem like it would work for anything other than beating a dead cat. Ah well… to each his own. It does work. Good for him.

The Ride

Moonlight Sonata

Still one of the most beautifully haunting songs ever written.

Greater Love Hath…

The Junkie’s Prayer

Mandrell Sisters

Another Bring Him Home

What a fantastic version.

Bring Him Home

Who Wants to Live Forever?

OK, last Queen video for the day… I promise.

These Are The Days Of Our Lives

Freddie’s last video. He looks half in the grave. Such a talent… such a loss…