Robert Crumb is 78 years old today. He’s been living in France for the past 30 years.
Another Drumming Death
Taking a cue from Keith Moon’s fate, a running gag in This is Spinal Tap is that all of the band’s drummers meet an untimely end. Fortunately, Charlie Watts lived to age 79, as did Iron Butterfly’s drummer Ron Bushy, who has also passed away. Bushy’s legacy is assured, thanks to his legendary drum solo in their most famous recording.
The Big Reveal
Back to the Back of the Station Wagon
In case you missed it yesterday, here’s Tom Hanks’ second DJ gig on Boss Radio 66.
France’s Britney
Where’s Alizée today? She’s at St. Andrews in Scotland, where her husband is playing golf.
Wait. Alizée isn’t a screwed-up mess like her contemporary, Britney Spears? How can that be? She was so provocative!
Alizée must have been exploited and turned to drugs to cope with the madness. What? That didn’t happen? She got married, became a mom, and makes money with product endorsements!
The thing that seems to be screwed-up are France’s un-American liberal values, that allowed Alizée to be so well-adjusted!
Self-Regulation Self-Deception
Brooksley Born was one of the authors of the official government report on the 2008 financial crisis. I bet it was Born who insisted on putting this knock against Alan Greenspan in the preface.
FINAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON THE CAUSES OF THE FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS IN THE UNITED STATES
January 2011
“More than 30 years of deregulation and reliance on self-regulation by financial institutions, championed by former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan and others, supported by successive administrations and Congresses, and actively pushed by the powerful financial industry at every turn, had stripped away key safeguards, which could have helped avoid catastrophe.”
Speaking of banks, I am the victim of attempted fraud. A check I had mailed to the contractor replacing the deck was stolen somewhere between the post office and the contractor’s office. It was modified by the crook, who deposited the check in an ATM. Thanks to the notification settings on my account I caught it in time. Any withdrawal over $100 shows up in e-mail and as a text message. Lots of stress and hassle getting it all straightened out this week.