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AfricaBrass

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Everything posted by AfricaBrass

  1. Happy Birthday, Jim!! I hope it is a good one. :party:
  2. Happy Birthday!! I hope it is a good one. :party:
  3. About 20 years ago, I read "Ringolevio" and loved it. I should find another copy of it and read it again.
  4. Thank you so much!!! I purchased the Mal Waldron with the last credit. I love his Soul Note albums. With this new coupon, I purchased: Cecil Taylor - Olu Iwa Thanks again!!!
  5. I respect that you stand up for your principles and have integrity. I think the real work is creating a society that is inclusive and whose greatest failure would be to let someone fall through the cracks. I've lost friends from drugs. I know how difficult it is to get over an addiction. I know that many people are unable to do so. The last thing I want is for anyone to chose drugs. At the same time, making a person who is an addict into a criminal, I believe, is the wrong course of action. Just think of the jazz musicians who wasted some of their best years in prison. I wish we had more recordings of Dupree Bolton and others. I'm not copping out at all. I completely believe that our drug laws are unfair. As it was pointed out earlier, you don't see a lot of upper class people going to prison for drug crimes. At the same time, by making any drug user a criminal, you limit their possibilities for success. I know a lot of high functioning alcoholics, such as a attorneys, who are very successful. They don't have to worry about prison unless they drive drunk or do something really stupid. I think, as a society, instead of throwing these people away in prison, we need to do everything we can to bring them back from addiction and empower them to truly live. I like your point about leading by example. I used to drink, smoke and use drugs, but I quit years ago. I try to teach my son the consequence of drug and alcohol abuse. I have taught him that he should never give his power to anything, be it drugs, alcohol, religion, etc... I think one of the biggest problems in the USA is hopelessness. We should start a war on that instead of one on drugs. If people know they matter and have opportunities, the drugs and alcohol won't look so tantalizing. My stepfather is in his 70's and spends his day watching Fox news. He went to college in the 50's, was in a fraternity, and has had a somewhat privileged life. Yes, he worked for it, but he had a lot more opportunities than most. He's really dismissive of the struggles of others. His attitude is, "Not all salmon make it upstream." I couldn't live with myself if I had that attitude. He thinks because he worked hard in college and others didn't than they deserve what they get. I've told him, that these people that he looks down on, work ten times harder than he ever did. I've seen it. He has no problem generalizing people and fitting them into categories. He is for harsh drug laws and tea party ideals. He is completely polarized and has forgotten that the everything isn't black and white. There are grey areas and much of life exists here. My problem is that I can't generalize drug users. I've known them and have been one myself. They are people just like you and me. Yes, some are extremely lost and may never recover, but there are others that can be brought back with love and support. Some of the best people I've ever known were addicts while some of the worst I've known were pillars of their communities and churches. It is not right to generalize about drug users being criminals. Some become criminals to get their drugs, yet if they were legal, maybe the drugs would be much cheaper and the addict could work, and contribute to society, in order to purchase their drugs. Every person born on this planet is valuable and we, as a society, need to remember this and fight for each person. These are the principles I live by.
  6. I used to live in record stores. I miss them so much. I made some great friends and discovered amazing music.
  7. Sorry, that doesn't warrant an answer. why did u answer then? And Shawn, what I have found consistently throughout my life is that the majority of people who adopt the "live and let live" credo are usually the ones who are struggling to deal with their own demons (ie. justify their own behavior). The only time I've ever felt the need to justify my behavior was when I was dealing with judgmental people. Usually I tried not care about how these people, but judgmental family members have gotten to me. Actually, it's always difficult to not be accepted. I'm grateful for the "live and let live" of this world because often they are trying to follow their hearts. The ones I've known have been amazing musicians and artists. Yes, many including myself have struggled because our society doesn't appreciate its artists and free thinkers. It would be interesting if drugs were decriminalized and the people who take them were no longer treated like criminals. I've been sober for 16 years, but when I took drugs, I felt like a criminal and was often paranoid of getting in trouble. Back then, I had long hair and drove a VW hippie van (I'm a white guy) and I got pulled over every couple of weeks. The cops would always ask me if I had drugs with me. I had a good friend who looked like a frat boy, yet was a bigger addict than I was, and he never got any grief.
  8. I agree! I'm really tired of right wingers vilifying everyone other than themselves. It's amazing that some even resent prisoners. I've watched those prison documentaries and I feel deep sadness for many of the prisoners. I couldn't think of a worse existence. I personally believe that the people who run the prisons should personally be liable for any crimes that occur in the prison (such as rape or murder). I'm not proud to live in a society that sends people to prison for victimless crimes and then exposes them to hellish conditions of prison. They need to legalize drugs and all other victimless crimes. It's funny how people who are against big government are the first ones to take away the rights of others. It's my body and I should be able to do WHATEVER I want with it. If any of my free will actions hurt someone else, than that is a different story and then I deserve the consequences of them.
  9. I love Neu!'s first album. The guys from Neu! were briefly in Kraftwerk. Here's a video: That's a great video Thanks for posting it! I love Neu too.
  10. I still love Kraftwerk. My son, starting when he was 5 years old, fell in love with Kraftwerk's music (they are his favorite band). It's been a constant in our lives during these last 5 years (he's 10 now).
  11. I hope you have a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! :party:
  12. I too have come back around to the music that I loved when I was growing up. I went through years of being a music snob and consciously made the effort to stop being one. I realized I had become a jerk. Now, I find myself listening to the rock music I liked when I was younger along with jazz, blues, reggae, bluegrass, country, classical and any other interesting music I can find. I'm much more open to different music than I have ever been. At the same time, I have lost track of much of the current music scene. I just don't know how to keep up with it anymore. I try to, but I'm not too successful. I had an enjoyable afternoon on Saturday listening to dubstep with my son. It's interesting that I missed out on that whole genre for so long.
  13. Happy Birthday, Allen! I hope it is a great one. :party:
  14. Thank you so much!!! I got Mal Waldron's Crowd Scene with the credit. The album was $1.78.
  15. That monkey on the cover of "Capuchin Swing" has got to be a kid magnet. lol
  16. I remember Pepsi Light. It takes me back to the late 70's. One of the first soft drinks I drank as a kid was Tab. My mom used to buy that stuff. I bought a can of Tab a few years back and it took me right back to my childhood. I didn't buy any more of the stuff, it wasn't very good. At least it was better than the Shasta cola my parents bought when I was little. lol
  17. Hi Daniel! I have a few things that were modified/damaged by my son when he was really little. Back then, when the damage was done, I was upset, but when I see them now, I actually appreciate and cherish them because it reminds me of that time in his life.
  18. I'd like to participate. Download is fine for me too.
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