A short take on today’s news

• I love following JK Rowling on Twitter. Just yesterday, she announced that a statue of Tom Morvolo Riddle would be erected at Hogwarts to commemorate Lord Voldemort’s contribution to the understanding of the difference between good and evil
• Meanwhile, at Our Lady of Bad Intentions Church in Blue Balls, Pa., the congregation has begun fundraising to erect a statue commemorating Lucifer because we should never forget the losing side in the history of Christianity.
• All kidding aside, the Southern Poverty Law Center reports more than 700 monuments commemorating the Confederacy still exist. A few will go away but not all. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article168016742.html
• Visited Uncle Jumbo’s Distillery Friday afternoon. I usually like brown liquor better, but crystal clear white stuff can be great. It comes from the still at 200 proof. They cut it to 80 with ultra-filtered water. Nice to see them use Clarence suppliers, too, American Clearwater for filtration and Kreher’s for corn. #unclejumbos
• When Uncle Jumbo’s opened, the plan was to offer vodka and Uncle Jumbo’s old time country lemonade. Then reality hit. Side-by-side, the 24-time-filtered spirit is better than Tito’s and they couldn’t make enough to keep stores supplied let alone relax enough for lemonade. Maybe next year. https://www.facebook.com/UncleJumbosAmericanVodka/
• Visiting CMAC to see Santana, I expected a Darien Lake vibe. It was decidedly more Artpark. Cross Carlos off the bucket list. Sometimes a singer’s pipes fade, but for the great ones, the emotional connection to the guitar never does. I especially dug Love Supreme as well as hearing him jam the Stevie Wonder/Chili Pepper's classic Higher Ground.
• Watching Santana, I realized bidding for percussion in the tightest, most danceable bands starts at 2. Santana had 2 full drum kits, a bongo player and keyboards. This brings a breathtaking complexity of rhythm. LCD Soundsystem, My Morning Jacket, The Allmans, the Dead. . . you get it. All, at least 2 drummers and keyboards.
• Carlos has never been shy about positive messages. “Be happy to be free, knowing all you do is for the greater good of everything. Invest in consciousness so we can have elegance, grace and dignity. What I care for is compassion for all people. I make choices. I am not a villain. I am not a victim. I am victorious.” Hey, maybe he should run for President. We could use some winning. He closed with “Peace and Happiness” He couldn’t have made a stronger statement.
• Speaking of villains, Chief Trump Strategist Steve Bannon has marched back to Breitbart, where his rumpled, right wing brilliance will no longer stain the Trump spotlight. No word if my favorite reality TV star calls people in for dramatic meetings in the Oval Office so he can dramatically exclaim “You’re fired!” but I have my suspicions it maybe the only way he can get a woody.
• WNY Weather: Mostly nice today and tomorrow with fluffy white clouds, a gentle breeze and a high of 26 (78) today and tomorrow.
• Friday at Clarence Toastmasters, Darren DeSantis told us about the Panama hat. He mentioned famous wearers like Winston Churchhill and FDR among others, but not Santana.
• In light of the Charlottesville violence, the ACLU is reconsidering its support of such groups as the Alt Right organizers, in part because they carry guns. Last I checked, it was a terrorist with a car that caused the issue. The Alt-Right folks are mostly good people, just like my peace-loving Islamic friends, only with a gun fetish, you know, ammosexuals.https://www.npr.org/…/gun-carrying-protesters-create-tricky-…
• Recounting the evolution of newspaper composition. I never worked with the linotype but I sure as heck remember the Compugraphic typesetter which printed justified type in long strips on photographic paper. A pica pole remains a cherished relic at my desk and my backup letter opener. https://www.oleantimesherald.com/…/article_2fed328a-83d2-11e…
• Nice to see Big League Chew for sale at Wegman’s, pick up the tub and see it marked as manufactured byFord Gum, Akron, NY.
• At first, the vintage shop in New York City didn’t understand the strange run on faux fur and hippie garb. Then it listened. Burning Man isn’t Burning Man without the costumes and they have to come from somewhere. https://www.nytimes.com/…/bound-for-burning-man-but-first-t…
• When Brandon Reilly scored his touchdown for the Bills Thursday, he dropped the ball and pantomimed a punt as his celebration, a commemoration of a Cornhusker teammate who died in an accident last year. https://www.newyorkupstate.com/…/buffalo_bills_brandon_reill…
• Sizing up Bills’ rookies, post training camp. Interesting to note Bradley Sylve has slipped under the radar and Greg Mabin is on the rise. 

Vol. 3, Issue 134 (858 (44 consecutive))