3 Chords & the Truth: Fly, pigeon, fly

I shall share with you a scene from the week's hiatus of the Big Show. It starts with a stroll through City Hall Plaza in Chicago, a resumption -- after a 41-year delay -- of my Great Blues Brothers Tour.

 

Picture a walk-by of the site of Jake and Elwood’s last stand — along with its iconic Picasso sculpture.

 

A healthy (or perhaps, medically speaking, not) gathering of Big City Pigeons attracted my attention for a bit before I turned back to the Picasso. After a while, I was distracted by the sound of what only could be described as a pigeonado. This is similar to a sharknado, only oddly more impressive.

 

I entertained the possibility that this phenomenon might be even more impressive than what greets you weekly on 3 Chords & the Truth.

 

Likewise, I entertained the alternate possibility that this might be Armageddon, defying centuries of end-times Cassandras by starting in the Windy City. In fact, after witnessing this Avian Apocalypse, I considered this might be where Chicago got its nickname.

 

I will not pussyfoot around. There was a whole lot of flappin’ goin’ on.

 

IN THE CENTER of the maelstrom was not a cosmic cage match between the Son of God and the Prince of Darkness, but instead a little Asian lady tossing the last of a sack of rice into the whirlwind. Then, as suddenly as she appeared, she faded into the mists of time.

 

OK, that was hyperbole. 

 

Instead, she crossed the busy street and vanished into the evening hubbub.

 

Mrs. Favog and I struck up a conversation with a nonplussed bystander who explained what we had seen was, alas, not Beelzebub but instead the "Crazy Asian Pigeon Lady," a figure as determined as she is reviled by Chicagoans sick and tired of scraping pigeon crap off of sidewalks, downtown structures . . . and themselves.

 

ANGRY CITIZENS, exasperated property mangers and pissed-off members of Chicago’s Finest apparently are helpless against a determined woman and a bag of rice.

 

It's kind of similar to how radio and musical convention are helpless against the mind-blowing experience of this humble . . . ish . . . podcast, the Big Show.

 

Anyway, the fellow we talked to said the pigeon lady comes to feed the city’s flying rats every evening at 6 sharp. Also, pigeons can tell time. He noted, though, that she was a few minutes late that evening.

 

I blame climate change.

 

There is no word on whether the city of big shoulders will get serious about ending this crap — literally — once and for all with full deployment of the Chicago PD SWAT team, the Illinois National Guard, a sizable contingent of state police . . . and the fully strapped ghost of Carrie Fisher. (I told you this was a Blues Brothers tour.)

 

There also was no official confirmation that the dude who was way too happy to be considered of sound mind (or permanent address) as he danced amid — and perpetuated — the pigeonado, is, in fact, Da Screwtape.

 

Film at 11 on WBBM-TV, fortuitously positioned right across North Dearborn Street from the coming manifestation of the End of Days.

 

As you may be able to tell, Chicago is one of my favorite cities ever.

 

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

 

3 Chords & the Truth: Uh . . . well . . . um. . . .

You know the old saying, "When you have nothing in particular to say, just shut up and play the music"?

You don't?

Well, you do now. See, there's a reason you listen to 3 Chords & the Truth.

Maybe it's because I'm preoccupied with taking a week off next week. Mrs. Favog and myself are celebrating our 40th anniversary (Yes. I am old. She, however, has not aged a day.), and we plan to revel in goofing off and doing fun stuff. For a whole week.

Listen, would you want to be stuck with me non-stop for four decades? The woman has earned at least a week of goofing off and doing fun stuff. At least.

So, I'm talking about pretty much nothing, and I'm letting the music do all the heavy lifting. (As if that weren't the case already.)

It's gonna be great.

Naturally, the lack of things to say extends to describing the episode of the Big Show where I have nothing much of importance to say. So . . . so . . . so . . . so. . . .

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: 600 and counting

This is the 600th episode of 3 Chords & the Truth. You think I'd have something suitably momentous to say about it.

I do not.

After 600 shows, you tend to feel like you've said everything you have to say about it -- unless sudden inspiration strikes. Well, as I post another of the Big Show with two zeros at the end of the number, inspiration has struck out.

Not in the show itself, mind you, just in thinking of something to say about it, apart from -- once again -- eclectic, reasonably entertaining, good music and the host doesn't completely suck. Of course, there's a lot of leeway in "doesn't completely suck."

So, give the latest 3 Chords & the Truth a listen, and I'm reasonably confident you will find that it doesn't completely suck.

And, no, I never did get the salesman gene. This is as good as I get.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Thatsa lotta shows!

It just so happens that episode No. 599 of 3 Chords & the Truth drops on my birthday.

After all those years, and shows, I certainly hope the program is fresher than I am. For I am . . . not young.

Five hundred ninety-nine editions of the Big Show. That means the next one will be . . . let me get out the calculatin' machine here . . . hang on . . . workin' the problem . . . any second now . . . just about there . . . No. 600.

Thatsa lotta shows.

But I'll worry about that next time. This week, there is good music, of course, but I'm at a loss over what else to say. Birthday, don'tcha know. Takin' a break from thinking too hard.

So, with that not said. . . .

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Jonesin' in the years

Sometimes, progress looks like going from Butch Wax to Brylcreem. Unless, of course, you live in a Vitalis household.

The above sentence makes sense to me. Therefore, I am (Generation) Jonesin' in the years. Stowin' away the time.

This means I remember when vintage was new. When classic rock was AOR. Which was not MOR. All of which ends up on 3 Chords & the Truth, by the way.

This last sentence also makes sense to me. Authenticity -- you can't fake it. It also helps you avoid sepia-colored cliches. A little dab'll do ya.

I KNOW. I'm rambling. It happens at my age. But sometimes you ramble into a lot of good stuff, just like we do on the Big Show.

I guess that's just the way we midcentury old farts do things.

So . . . yeah.

Groovy.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: The voice of world control

Artificial intelligence has come to radio, and it's ready -- or, rather, the vulture capitalists behind some of America's largest broadcasting chains are ready -- to give mere organics the old heave-ho.

This subject is of some interest to us at 3 Chords & the Truth. To be honest, this subject leaves some of us feeling like we're now totally obsolete, rather than our previous state of being mostly obsolete. Like we were perfectly educated and trained for the Bronze Age. Like being oriented toward the humanities and creative pursuits is just an invitation to obliteration.

Let's get real here. Your Mighty Favog knows damned well that the Big Show is a niche deal. An esoteric pursuit. That most folks -- especially today -- just won't f***ing get it.

FACE IT, it's an anachronism, and I march to an anachronistic drummer. And I often wonder why I bother. Why can't I just squeegee car windows at traffic lights and be grateful for every day that I don't get run over or arrested (or shot, because a squeegee handle might look like a gun barrel, and this is America)?

Frankly, there are days (this is one of them) when I figure I'd have a lot more listeners if I just let the robots do the podcast instead of me. Because Americans.

I got no answers. Given my obvious lack of insight, I thought I would go to the expert in all this -- ChatGPT, which will be writing all your kids' term papers soon enough.

My question was simple enough:

"Why is RadioGPT superior to having human radio announcers? It can replicate the voices of known station personalities, so why have any humans on air at all after the intial customization?"

Here is Chat's -- I hope that's not being too familiar with an artificial intelligence I've just met -- answer. And remember, Chat is the expert here, not your deficiently human Mighty Favog.

While RadioGPT and other AI-driven solutions for radio broadcasting have several advantages over human announcers, there are still reasons why having human personalities on air can be beneficial. Here are some points to consider:

1. Authenticity: Human announcers and personalities can bring a level of authenticity to a broadcast that AI may not be able to replicate. Listeners may feel a stronger connection to a human voice, which can enhance their overall listening experience.

2. Emotional connection: Human announcers and personalities can convey emotion in a way that AI may not be able to. They can react in real-time to events and news, and provide commentary and perspective that may resonate with listeners.

3. Creativity: Human announcers and personalities can bring their own creativity and unique perspective to a broadcast. They can improvise, ad-lib, and inject humor into their delivery, which can keep listeners engaged and entertained.

4. Personalization: While AI can personalize content based on a listener's habits, human announcers and personalities can also provide a personalized touch through interaction with listeners. They can take calls, read emails, and engage with listeners on social media, which can enhance the overall listener experience.

5. Flexibility: Human announcers and personalities can adapt to changing circumstances and events in a way that AI may not be able to. They can react to breaking news, adjust their delivery based on audience feedback, and make other real-time decisions that can improve the quality of the broadcast.

Overall, while AI-driven solutions like RadioGPT may have some advantages over human announcers, there are still benefits to having human personalities on air. They can bring a level of authenticity, emotional connection, creativity, personalization, and flexibility that may enhance the overall listening experience for audiences.

THANKS, Chat, for the pick-me-up. Unfortunately, I think you failed to cover the one rea$on radio-$tation management won't li$ten to any of your quite-valid point$. While you are very artificially intelligent and well-re$ourced, I think you lack the nece$$ary cynici$m to under$tand America today.

And the one point to remember -- always -- is that it's always humans who have held close to their hearts the belief that there's nothing more expendable than human labor . . . and human lives. You might say it's one of humanity's defining characteristics.

That said, dear listener (one shortcoming of a human writer -- or announcer -- is susceptibility to cliches),  you can assume this week's edition of the Big Show is rather different. Because it is. But it's still good . . . and filled with nifty segués, because I'm uselessly weird like that.

Besides, the new age is upon us, and you'd better listen to the organic while you can. Such as he is.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: We will do what we must

There’s something you must know — we will do what we must.

To ensure your enjoyment of 3 Chords & the Truth.

That may or may not involve cranial implants.

The choice is yours.

To give you a bit of information that will inform your ultimate choice, you should be aware that the Big Show is good. Very good.

Good music, good sequencing, even a unifying theme here and there.

Host has been deemed minimally acceptable by his wife.

Overall, listeners have given it six out of five stars.

Of course, the program may not be to your taste. That’s a legitimate stance.

That also is where the cranial implants come in. Just so you know.

It’s 3 Chords & the Truth, y’all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Hanging in there

Hanging in there?

Yeah, I know. 

Maybe this week's edition of 3 Chords & the Truth will help.

And you had hoped that 2021 would be better than 2020. Perhaps it is, but the progress has been decidedly incremental. 

Now here's where I tell you about how good the Big Show is this go 'round, but I'm guessing you know that already if you're a regular listener. If you aren't . . . what the hell is wrong with you? 

Time to get with the program. Get it? The program! That's a funny, I tell ya'. A joke! 

Aw, forget it. 

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all.  Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Words to the wise

Just a few things: 

Do listen to the Big Show. It's typically good this week.

Don't go around trying to "own" people on the Facebook, not during the show. I see you. You have better things to do -- at least when you should be listening to 3 Chords & the Truth.

Did I mention we have a really good show this week?

IF YOU'RE the kind who goes to school board meetings to scream about your "rights" when educators tell your kids to put on a damn mask and try not to be a Typhoid Billy or Susie . . . or avoid being infected by a Typhoid Billy or Susie, there's nothing for you here. Go away. And put on a damn mask.

It really is a good show this week. 

Everything sounds better on reel-to-reel audio tape. 

Audio tape is a description; Audiotape was a brand name.

The Big Show is still good. Really.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Uhhhhhhhhh . . . .

I was working on putting together this week’s episode of the Big Show, last night and it was going just fine, but then something happened.

We had a bit of weather here in Omaha, by God, Nebraska.

By “weather,” I mean all hell broke loose. For about an hour, conditions varied between “strong tropical storm” and Category 1 hurricane. This, mind you, 1,000 miles from the nearest coastline. 

In the Midwest, we call that “a pretty good thunderstorm.” And some fallen limbs, a neighbor’s fallen tree, a blown-off downspout, no cable or Internet and a battered and blacked-out city later, we’re going to see how it goes trying to post 3 Chords & the Truth using the 4G connection from my iPhone.

WELL, at least the apocalypse bunker still has electricity, though there were doubts about that during the storm as the lights flickered and transformers blew up here and there in the night.

That said, it’s a pretty good edition of the Big Show. When everything is surveyed and considered, all you need is love . . . and electricity.

This week, there’s some of this and a bit of that, and it’s all primo stuff, man. If I were you, I’d give it a listen. After all, it took a little doing (and some duct tape and jury rigging) to get it to you.

C’mon. Show a little gratitude. Is what I’m sayin’.

It’s 3 Chords & the Truth, y’all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Stereo rock

I pity those who never  got the chance to be inspired by the radio -- at least inspired to do something other than storm the Capitol. 

I suppose this is yet another step down the road to old farthood, the compulsion to tell the young'uns how much better it was back when we were whippersnappers. Some of that is, undeniably, bullshit. The thing about how special radio once was -- especially that brief moment where freeform radio shined -- definitely is not.

This week, I find myself thinking of my first encounters with enlightenment, my early forays into subversion of the constipated world The Man desperately was trying to foist upon my young self all those years ago. And remembering lying in bed out at our camp in south Louisiana, which was within the range of the glorious FM signal of Rampart 102 in New Orleans, WWL-FM.

Rampart 102, named for the street where the good music lived, was a middle finger in the face of The Man. Kind of fittingly, it was owned by the Jesuits back then. And it played what my parents would call "hippie music," which was what they called it when they were in a good mood. What they called it when they weren't would make them, if they were still with us, MAGAs of the Year. 

I'D LIKE to think 3 Chords & the Truth carries the torch today for that lost moment in time -- the subversive moment, not the reactionary one. The reactionaries today have no problem carrying their own torches. Literally.

If you'd like to authentically relive the 1971 experience of kids like me, surreptitiously listening to The Music of Which Your Parents Would Not Approve, the music that would get your ass labeled an Enemy of Right Thinkin' (say this in your head with a Southern accent), you'll listen to the Big Show late at night, in bed, under the covers, with an earphone to hide your inner subversiveness from the agents of repression. 

For the full glory of the music, however, I recommend a good stereo system or listening through good headphones -- not crappy earbuds. 

And remember the days when listening to the radio -- listening to the FM radio -- could be an enlightening experience, a chance to connect with that late-night radio host, sitting with an audio board and a couple of turntables in a darkened studio somewhere in the ether, through the music. It was a supremely human thing.

It's Rampart 102 . . . er . . . 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Zap!

Blame it on the Jewish space lasers.

This show . . . the problems with the United States of Qmerica . . . that bald spot on the top of your head . . . wildfires . . . that we have a congresswoman who believes in Jewish space lasers -- take your pick, or take all of the preceding.

Howard Walowitz going up to the International Space Station? Coincidence? I think not.

There are two types of people who listen to 3 Chords & the Truth: Those who have been zapped by the Jewish space laser . . . and those who will be zapped by the Jewish space laser. Qmerica is the land of zaportunity.

So, while you're waiting to get baked like a nice brisket by a beam from low earth orbit, we have some nice music for you this week on the Big Show. Some really nice tunes, and a nice musical journey in the middle of the program.

Because you only live once, and then you get zapped.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Alo . . . ZORRRRRRRRRRRCH!

3 Chords & the Truth: Too colorful?

This week on the Big Show,  we have a lot of cool music and a little straight talk.

There also may be a joke about public radio. Excuse me a second; I have to take a phone call.

Um hmm. Um hmm. Yes. Um hmm. Well, it was all in good f. . . .

Um hmm. Um hmm. I'm sorry you feel that way. Um hmm. Well . . . I think that's a bit of an overreaction.

Um hmm. Um hmm. No! Not that! A "Car Talk" marathon! C'mon! The one guy has been dead for years!

Um hmm. What? Surely you're not serious about a Tibetan throat singing retrospective. Complete liner notes for every selection?

Listen, what can I do to make things right?

Um hmm. Um hmm. OK, I think I can do that. Goodbye. 

IT SEEMS there's one more thing I have to do before we move ahead with this week's edition of 3 Chords & the Truth. Just a sec.

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

I will not make fun of public radio again. 

I will not make fun of public radio again.  

IT'S 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all.  Be there.  Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Well, THAT was close

Your Mighty Favog is back after an extended holiday break . . . who am I kidding?

It was a friggin’ sanity break. Let us just say it’s been a month, in the “Holy crap!” sense of the phrase.

You thought it was over with the election, didn’t you? But now we — after four horrible years — have a president not named Trump, one who shows all the signs of being competent, a normal human being . . . and not a deranged fascist. For that, 3 Chords & the Truth gives thanks.

We got here. But it was close. We got here, but only after multiple attempts to subvert the election, invalidate tens of millions of votes and — finally — overthrow Congress and torch the constitution in the name of despotism and white supremacy. Oh . . . and another impeachment for Donald, this time for ncitement of a deadly insurrection.

LIKE I SAID, it’s been a month. And through it all, the ‘rona still rages, and the body count now is well north of 400 thousand. And some still don’t think the virus is a real thing. And we safely can say that at least a third of the American population is stone-cold fascist with a deeply perverted sense of what it means to be an American. Or who is allowed to be fully American.

Yep, it’s been a month. Can’t say that too much, because it seems too unreal. Maybe that’s because we haven’t been paying enough attention the past couple of decades or so.

And here we are in this terribly broken country, still stalked equally by hatred and disease. We got rid of a wannabe despot but despotism remains a mortal threat — just like the coronavirus. Just like the lies too many of us accept as the gospel truth.

Joe Biden is president, and Donald Trump has reaped the whirlwind. The immediate threat has passed, but the larger threat remains. We have so much work to do.

Now, let's listen to some good music on the Big Show.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: The Late Show

Now that America has completed the Thanksgiving national 'rona superspreading event, we eagerly careen toward the Christmas national 'rona superspreading event. 

So, just in time for the most festive time of the year, it will not be festive at all for millions of our American countrymen. Some of the darkest days of our history will coincide with the darkness of winter. 

This is enough to cause many an otherwise sane and confident person to curl up beneath a mountain of blankets in the dark of night, afraid for the future and despairing for the present. Amid the dark, cold night, we seek a little light -- even if it's the dial light of your old radio . . . or, as the case may be, the light of your smartphone's screen. 

3 Chords & the Truth can't do much to fix what ails us during this dark December, but it can keep you company in the night. We can play music that might, for a moment or three, make you forget and bring a little joy.

And starting with this week's edition of the Big Show, we can bring you a little Christmas, right this very minute. Really, don't we need all the Christmas we can safely get right now? 

That, friend, pretty much sums up this week's program -- a little comfort and light in the cold, dark night. It's something we all need to grab a hold of as often as we can, especially when it comes in the form of really good music.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Turkey for two

'Twas the week before Thanksgiving and all through the land,
Creatures were gathering, the ‘rona be damned,
The Trumpers fanned their lies and wild theories with care,
They still thought that from Biden they’d be spared.

The president was in the crapper, fuming on Twitter,
While visions of a prison cell made him quite bitter.
And in our houses that we dare not leave,
Came visions of Rudy that we couldn’t believe.

Hair dye streaking down his face with the sweat,
Surely, we thought, they’d fetch the net.
But, no, the clown car ran into a post,
And democracy started to look quite like a ghost.

I THOUGHT of the demons hijacking elections could muster,
And wondered how grievous might be this cluster.
History tells me these things cause wars to be fought,
That countries, for some, can be sold and bought.

Dead men’s ghosts warn nobility is sparse,
That tragedy is repeated often as farce.
And the dye’s still running down old Rudy’s face,
While Mad King Donald’s still riling his base.

Whom COVID won’t kill, cult leaders still can,
The life of a nation slips through fingers like sand.
Then I swear I heard a federal judge laugh,
Pondering clown-car filings that were one big gaffe.

Said he, “Farce is not sparse, and clusters pass muster,
“But God, these jerks are a nuclear disaster!”
In Trump’s head, it’s quite bad that fever dreams dance,
“But must he send me a lawyer with his hand down his pants?”

Then the wife yelled at me, “Turn the damn TV off!
“Thanksgiving’s coming up, and is that a cough?
“It’s a shred of normality of which I’m desirous,
“I can’t deal with nuts when the air’s filled with virus.”

So I’ll do my best to send warm wishes to you,
That and one question: Can you buy a turkey for two?

 

IT'S 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Save America

I’m guessing you might have expected a Halloween show on 3 Chords & the Truth this week, being this is Halloween day as we record the program. Sorry about that . . . frankly, I find life is scary enough without adding ghouls, ghosts, goblins and zombies to the mix.

I mean, c’mon, Tuesday is Election Day here in these Disunited States of America, and if the outside chance of four more years of Donald Trump doesn’t scare the hell out of you, you’re probably still shivering after the president’s freezing-cold superspreader event here a few days ago and are being told by medical authorities to quarantine yourself for 14 days.

Halloween, hell. Don’t know about you, but I’m scared you-know-whatless as we wait to see whether Uncle Joe wins and we earn an outside shot at putting America back together . . . or everything goes horribly-er wrong, and the country as we knew it ceases to exist, and democracy here dies the most deranged death the world has ever seen.



Come Tuesday, life will go on — maybe — in a fashion close to what used to be normal, or life as we knew it will end, and the untenable will be the new normal. And we who love the idea of the United States — who love the idea that is the United States — will have some awful choices to make.



The untenable — the unacceptable — is just that.

STILL, even if everything goes as right as rain this coming week — and would you really count on that, this being 2020 and all — those of us who love the messy, idealistic, not-yet-lived-up-to idea of the United States still have to internalize the reality that 40 percent or so of our fellow Americans have no idea about the American idea — our national creed. That all men — all people — were created equal, “that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”



We still must grapple with the reality that 40 percent of Americans are OK with fascism. With ripping refugee children from the arms of refugee parents.

With putting refugees in cages. With putting children in cages.

 

We must wrap our minds around 40 percent of Americans being OK with the president’s blatant racism and bigotry. With his cuddling up to despots and sanctioning their interference in American public life.

With a shambolic and corrupt administration of our national affairs. With a thoroughly corrupt administration which subverts and corrupts everything that comes too close to it.

 

We have gone to war with countries over less. Now we are what we had professed to abhor. After all, we elected what we once professed to abhor . . . and we conceivably might do it again. 



And — conceivably — our present cold civil war well might turn hot in the coming days, weeks or months. As if our criminal mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t killed enough Americans — roughly 230,000 as I speak. And we’re not half done with the dying at this rate, with the pandemic going into a wintertime frenzy.

 

Some 40 percent of our fellow citizens are fine with that. Fine enough with it to vote for it. Don’t ask me why; I have no good answer.

 

MAYBE we who try to live — imperfectly, as it turns out — our American creed . . . and remember, America is a creed, not blood and soil . . . maybe someday we will be able to forgive our brothers and sisters. But we won’t — we can’t — forget.



Assuming we have the chance. 



If you can vote but haven’t voted yet . . . do it. Vote. The world as we know it depends on it.

Now that I’ve had my say, I’ll let the music have its say as we seek to save America.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.