On the subject of weather ...

[lowend1]

Try being from the Twin Cities and disliking Prince.

I hear ya, Dave, but outside MN, Prince's name is probably not immediately associated with the state. What's worse is that I'm in Northern NJ - even the successful bands and artists that came from this area are somehow associated with the terminal hipness of Asbury Park by default. The better "shore bands" these days would rather book a UK tour than drive 90 minutes north for a couple gigs.

[Dave W]

Westheimer!

Yes, that's the Purple Runt. Or, as a local longtime gossip columnist used to call him, Symbolina.

[Dave W]

I hear ya, Dave, but outside MN, Prince's name is probably not immediately associated with the state. What's worse is that I'm in Northern NJ - even the successful bands and artists that came from this area are somehow associated with the terminal hipness of Asbury Park by default. The better "shore bands" these days would rather book a UK tour than drive 90 minutes north for a couple gigs.

That's too bad.

I'm pretty sure Prince is widely associated with this area. People came from all over the world to see Paisley Park from the outside. They still do. I still don't understand why.

After he died, two couples I know from the local music scene started going to every local Prince tribute and memorial and posting pics of themselves on FB. I had known all of them for two decades or more and they had never, ever mentioned liking Prince. But now suddenly it was hip.

[uwe]

"I'm pretty sure Prince is widely associated with this area."

He is. Since the 80ies, any review of a Prince gig or album in German media without reference to Minneapolis or Paisley Park is unthinkable.

As a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, versatile and prolific songwriter, lyricist, vocal stylist, live performer and fashion icon he was pretty much the full package. Like the adjective consummate was invented for him. A black David Bowie.

[gearHed289]

As a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, versatile and prolific songwriter, lyricist, vocal stylist, live performer and fashion icon he was pretty much the full package.

I agree with all of this, but I'm still not what you would call a fan. I don't dislike him, but I never once considered buying a Prince album.

[uwe]

My first exposure to him was via Little Red Corvette airplay in the early 80ies while I was in Florida. That song reminded me of T. Rex (there is something in Prince's mannered singing that is very Marc Bolan) and I immediately dug it.

I'm not a fan either, more an inquisitive observer.

[TBird1958]

 I loathe Bruce Springsteen.

[uwe]

I hate to tell you Mark, but you wouldn't have looked right as a member of the E-Street Band either!

I'm catholic, not just Catholic - I can listen to the New York Dolls one minute and Springsteen the next. They both had iconic moments.

Springsteen has become a commodity, yes, BUT there was also a time when he was unafraid to start his first gig on UK soil at the prestigious Hammersmith Odeon LIKE THIS, defying the expectation of the audience that he would treat them to a Born To Run-wall of sound. That was brave. And musical. Boiling a song down to its core.

[patman]

I gotta admit I grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Cincinnati...and sometimes Springsteen's lyrics hit real close to home.  Sometimes too close.

I thought (still think) "Born to Run" is one of the best-crafted albums of all time.

Some of the others not so much...I only own a few of his albums.

My 2 cents

[Pilgrim]

My view of Springsteen is more favorable.  Long ago, I observed that he can't sing - but neither can Dylan.  Both have written some music which I like, and both have written songs which have become iconic in the US.  I'll listen to him and enjoy it.

It's OK, we all like some stuff that others here don't.

[the mojo hobo]

Duck Dunn's comment got me thinking.

Alligators and crocodiles are not native to California. There are no alligators and crocodiles in California except in zoos and in the homes of people who keep them illegally as pets. One might read an article about the California Crocodile, but this species is new, and there is no official word about it from the scientific community. In addition, this crocodile was not found in the US but Baja, California, in Mexico.

But on the other hand:

Yes, alligators can survive in California. The weather is ideal for the gators, and there are many bodies of fresh water in the state.

It snows in California, but it does not get as cold as it does in New York. On the south side of the state, snowfall happens rarely. If it does snow, the amount of snowfall is negligible.

So, how will the alligators survive? For one, there are more than 3,000 lakes and reservoirs in the state. Below are the biggest ones:

Mono Lake
Goose Lake
Honey Lake
Lake Tahoe
Salton Sea

All these lakes are teeming with wildlife, and there is no reason for a crocodile or alligator not to survive. In addition, there is plentiful food in the state. In addition to this, there are 100 rivers in the state. What this means is that alligators have plenty of options where to build a home in the state.


You would think that a similar sized mammal carnivore would have by now certainly made its way to the West Coast. Even the gators have made it to Texas. So why not warm Southern California? I mean they can't be all Confederates and/or white supremacists, can they?! 

They would have to be introduced. To spread naturally they would have to cross a vast desert and huge mountian range. They wouldn't get halfway across Texas.

[uwe]

But the Rebels are already up North!



https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/20/alligator-brooklyn-prospect-park-lake-new-york

Poor critter, hope he/she recuperates (you can tell by his/her emaciated tail that he/she found it too cold to hunt for food). They could have at least driven him/her down South before releasing him/her.

[slinkp]

Prospect Park is a half mile from my apartment!
It's idiotic people thinking gators make good "pets" and then illegally dumping them. Poor critter.

I can't help wondering what would happen if the gator had managed to sneak up on our other recent visitor - at least this one is here voluntarily:
https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/bald-eagle-takes-perch-prospect-park

[uwe]

"Prospect Park is a half mile from my apartment!"

You never told us you live by the swamp. What else?

[slinkp]

You never told us you live by the swamp. What else?

The Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden are even closer, and both well worth a visit, even for presumably highly cultured German folks.



No gators, though. And no bass shops in the neighborhood either except (ugh) G***ar center.