On this Sunday today’s read is from Matt Vespa of Townhall.com. Here’s an excerpt:
Yeah, that’s a rather blunt headline, right? It’s something that we’ve known for decades. It’s why this issue is intense, emotional, and loaded with nuance. With the Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court wiped out Roe v. Wade. It did not ban abortion nationwide. Abortion is not illegal. The Court did what it should have done with this issue eons ago—return it to the legislative process. There is nothing in the Constitution about abortion. There is no constitutional right to an abortion—that’s left-wing propaganda. The fact that the Constitution doesn’t say anything about isn’t a smackdown of the pro-abortion side. It’s a fact. Our founding document doesn’t prohibit it. That’s a good thing for both sides. Pro-life and pro-abortion wings of America can now mount a campaign through the legislative process to either ban or support abortion rights. The way is clear. If pro-abortion forces convince enough people, get enough lawmakers elected, and pass a law—then yes—there is a right to an abortion.
The ballot box is how you keep society up to date. It’s not done through the Constitution, though the Left continues these legal wars because large swaths of their agenda aren’t popular. So, we seem to have the first talking point of the new messaging campaign: just admit that we’re killing babies, okay.
BONUS: Roe’s End Means Lives Saved By Dr. Alveda C. King, the daughter of the late slain civil rights activist Rev. A. D. King and the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as a Christian Evangelist. Additionally, she is founder of Speak for Life(speakforlife.org).
“The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.” The US Supreme Court
“The Supreme Court handed down its opinion in the Dobbs case, and Roe v. Wade is no more. No, abortion is not banned. The original and heinous 1973 decision was overturned, and the issue is now sent back to the states. The legislative process is where this issue should be decided as abortion is not mentioned in the Constitution. Pass a law. If you want a right to an abortion, pass a law. The problem is Democrats really must bring their A-game convincing voters that baby-killing is a good thing. With this bunch, they’ll overreach. They’ll get too emotional. And they’ll come off as totally insane.” Matt Vespa, Townhall.com
“Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn and support for women in crisis pregnancies to every state Capitol in America. Having been given this second chance for Life, we must not rest and must not relent until the sanctity of life is restored to the center of American law in every state in the land.” Former VP Mike Pence
“Today is a victory for life and for those who have fought for decades to protect the unborn. For almost fifty years the decision of nine unelected Justices have prevented a democratically derived consensus on the profound moral issue of abortion to be formed. This decision will now allow that democratic process to unfold in each state to determine at what point does society have the responsibility to protect life. Hopefully, the debate will be conducted with sincerity, compassion, and respect for the broad range of views that people hold.“ U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI)
“I’m furious and incredibly disappointed, not only for my wife and daughter, but for all women in Wisconsin and across the country.” Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alex Lasrywhose wife, Lauren, is chief of staff at Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin
“This is an unfathomably grim day for our state and our country. I am heartbroken — for the millions of Wisconsinites and Americans the U.S. Supreme Court has abandoned and for our country and our democratic institutions. This is an absolutely disastrous and unconscionable decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the consequences of which I hoped to never see again in my lifetime. I know many across our state and nation are scared — worried about their own health and about the health and safety of their family members, friends, and neighbors, who could very soon see the ability to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions stripped from them. My heart breaks for them, I grieve for them, and I pray for their strength and courage in the days ahead.” WI Gov. Tony Evers
“It is important that we continue to compassionately work on winning hearts and minds. We need to build a world that is safer for all, a world where better education is provided, and an economy that allows for all to prosper. Life must always be protected. We should not demonize those who don’t believe that, but rather redouble our efforts to show how they can provide a high quality of life for their children.” Republican candidate for governor Tim Michels
“Now the abortion debate goes back to states like Wisconsin, where it always belonged. As a state we must hold firm for the voiceless and protect their right to life — and that means enforcing the laws we have on the books. I remain committed to my 100% pro-life stance.
“One day, we will all look back on Roe v. Wade as one of the U.S. Supreme Court’s most egregious cases that allowed the killing of more than 60 million babies over nearly half a century. We must look to a future where we value life and support moms and babies.” Republican candidate for governor Rebecca Kleefisch
“The Constitution was designed to protect Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. The issue of abortion has been returned to the American people, where it should have always been. Our goal should be a world without abortion, in which innocent life is protected and celebrated for what it is – a gift from God. Life begins at conception, and we must do everything we can to preserve innocent life. I’m honored to be the only candidate for Governor of Wisconsin that’s been endorsed by both Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Family Action PAC. As Governor, I will commit to protecting innocent life — which includes ending state funding of Planned Parenthood and supporting existing pregnancy resource centers around our state.” Republican candidate for governor Kevin Nicholson
“The Constitution was not written for the times, it was written to stand the test of times.” Charlie Kirk
“We don’t see a recession right now. We’re not in a recession right now. Right now we’re in a transition where we are going to go into a place of stable and steady growth.” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
“There’s a great deal of Americans where it is uncomfortable that they’re spending more, but they’re not going to go under. You know, you got to stop complaining. … So I’m going to need you to calm down and back off. … Overall, many Americans are not suffering as much as they think they are.” Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary
“The economic woes now upon us have been caused almost single-handedly by one person — the 46th president of the United States of America, Joe Biden. You know, never in my lifetime has there been a greater disconnect between the president and the American people.” Former Vice President Mike Pence
“The president has been very clear in making sure that he does everything that he can to elevate — to alleviate the pain that American families are feeling when it comes to gas prices.” Karine Jean-Pierre
“Elevating the pain. Correct.” Katie Pavlich
“In theory there’s nothing wrong with a holiday to commemorate emancipation, but ‘Juneteenth’ exists not to celebrate freedom but to divide and promote white guilt. Advocates of the holiday have been clear about their intentions, including Biden when he made it a federal holiday.” Matt Walsh
“[Juneteenth] is a day to celebrate the principle of freedom. And think about it in terms of the context of history, knowing that black people in America were not free for 400 years of slavery.” Vice President Kamala Harris
“The first African slaves in the American colonies arrived in 1619 in Virginia. Slavery was abolished through the 13th Amendment, which was ratified in 1865 — ending 246 years of the practice, not 400.” NY Post
“The fact is that Donald Trump 2024 has a reasonable chance to beat anyone the Democrats launch at him.
“We deserve a chance to have a real Trump presidency, and so do our enemies – they need to pay. Their Russiagate lies and stupid impeachment onanism wrapped-up the administration for years when Trump should have been free to do even more than what he accomplished despite the establishment’s full-court press to disenfranchise his voters by neutralizing him. Moreover, the shameful 2020 election with its unlawful legal hijinks and regime media interference (“Trump is down 17 points in Wisconsin!”) was fundamentally unfair. Trump personally deserves vindication from that unfair fiasco, but more importantly, the people who voted for him deserve vindication too. And the people who hate Trump deserve four more years of suffering under his reign of mean tweets.
“Anyone who tells you that Trump cannot win is wrong. He can. He has powerful winds behind him, some of them of his making, some historical, and he has a fantastic record that contrasts starkly with the legacy of bungling of his successor. Trump has been blessed with incompetent opponents who have made everyone hate them. So, a win is not out of the question. Trump has real reasons to run, if he chooses.“ Columnist Kurt Schlichter
“Don’t [pro-abortion protestors] realize the irony of this? The reason why you are here is because at some point, your mother was pro-choice. And that’s why you, my dears, are here. Otherwise, you would not be. I’m telling you, our country is confused, and it’s grotesque.” Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Sears
“Fathers are important. We know that, but we have emasculated our men. We have said fathers are not important, and we have government programs that remove fathers from the home, and this is one of the reasons why our black community has been destroyed.” Winsome Sears
“I promise you I’m doing everything possible … to bring the price of energy down, gas prices down.” Joe Biden
“Here’s a tip to the GOP. When you’re talking to the American people, don’t talk like you’re defending ExxonMobil or some other giant corporation on the stock exchange. Put the American people first. Talk about the pain Biden’s policies are inflicting on the American people. Your pain at the pump is Joe Biden’s plan. Tell them that Biden has declared war on hard-working Americans, on truckers, on farmers, on local taxpayers and the American workers in our energy industries.” Gary Bauer
“The Dems’ so-called gas tax ‘holiday’ is a gimmick worth 18 cents a gallon, or about 6% of the increase in gas since Biden took office. It’s meant to cover up the fact that Dem policies have restricted supply & raised costs.” Senator Tom Cotton
“If you fill up once a week and have a 15-gallon tank, at $5.00 a gallon, you’re only saving $2.70 per tank. Over the course of three months, that’s $32.40 or about half a tank of gas. While that’s better than nothing, it’s a drop in the bucket in Biden’s inflationary economy, which is costing Americans at least $460 a month! Moreover, it has nothing to do with the ‘root causes’ of high energy prices — the radical left-wing policies Biden has pushed which are responsible for this mess. While the federal 18 cents a gallon tax is the visible tax, Biden’s radical policies could accurately be described as a ‘hidden tax’ that is far greater than 18 cents a gallon.” Gary Bauer
“If you could pull out the working class, you’ve got people who are very well educated and very well off. Those people talk funny. ‘Latinx’? I’ve never met a ‘latinx.’ I’ve never met a ‘BIPOC.’ … Nobody talks that way at the barber shop, the nail salon, the grocery store, the community center, but that’s how [Democrats] talk now. So that’s weird. And then the people who are very low down on the economic ladder need a bunch of stuff. You wind up overpromising — ‘Oh, we gotta give you reparations’ — to people at the bottom of the economic ladder, talking weird to appeal to the people at the top of the economic ladder, and the working class walks away from you. That is the danger we’re facing. ” Liberal commentator Van Jones
The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of This Just In…Originally written by both my lovely wife, Jennifer and me, this blog brings you the latest news about our furry friends including articles, columns, photos and videos. Enjoy!
THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.
TODAY: Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High of 77. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. “C-”
SUNDAY: Sunshine and some clouds. High of 76. “A”
Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.
We begin with a video…
MORE: Trumpet the Bloodhound makes history by winning Best in Show at 146th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
PHOTO: Jinx, a Chinese Crested Dog gets ready before breed judging at the 146th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, New York. Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
Every Friday night we smooth our way into the weekend with music, the universal language. These selections demonstrate that despite what is being passed off as art today, there is plenty of really good music available. Come along and enjoy.
Knowing that I’m a huge Elvis fan a friend of mine several weeks ago asked if I was going to see the Elvis biopic starring Austin Butler that premiered today. I honestly couldn’t give a definitive answer.
I’m no fan of Elvis impersonators. With the exception of Kurt Russell who I believe gave a credible performance in a late 1970’s TV movie and the late Tom Green of Milwaukee I harbor a great distaste for impostors of the King. To me they only give, even unintentionally, a tremendous disservice to Elvis’ image and legacy. Not to mention they just simply aren’t all that good.
If I would see the biopic (I passed it on it today) I’d undoubtedly sit there and criticize over and over.
‘That’s not right.’
‘That didn’t happen.’
‘Elvis wouldn’t say or do that.’
‘The vocals are awful.’
And I could be wrong. The movie might be terrific.
Even so, there will be never be anything like the real deal, and that’s my focus this week.
A rap on Elvis is that he couldn’t act. Those critics probably never saw 1958’s “King Creole,” considered by fans and critics as his very best film.
Having flunked graduation for a second time and needing cash to support his unemployed father, Danny Fisher (played by Elvis) takes a job as a busboy in New Orleans nightclub, run by mobster Maxie Fields (Walter Matthau). There he encounters Fields’ kept mistress – fading singer Ronnie (Carolyn Jones).
“He [Elvis] was an instinctive actor,” said Matthau. “He was quite bright…he was very intelligent…He was not a punk. He was very elegant, sedate, and refined, and sophisticated.”
“As the lad himself might say, cut my legs off and call me Shorty! Elvis Presley can act…Acting is his assignment in this shrewdly upholstered showcase, and he does it.” Howard Thompson, Review of “King Creole,” New York Times, 1958 “A Presley picture is the only sure thing in Hollywood.” Hal Wallis, Producer of nine of Elvis’ films
When Elvis came out of the Army one of his subsequent films was the immensely popular “Blue Hawaii.” The soundtrack album was on the Billboard Pop Albums chart for 79 weeks, where it spent 20 weeks at #1. It has been certified by the RIAA for sales of three million copies in the U.S.
“Blue Hawaii” and the previously released “G.I. Blues” were so big that they set the stage for a formula for future Elvis films with familiar elements:
A fight scene, usually ending with Elvis winning and fleeing the scene
Elvis singing in a car or while riding a motorcycle
“Silly” plots or insignificant plots that usually involve Elvis in romancing a female with songs
Beautiful young women
Elvis as a man trying to succeed on his own talents and merits
A soundtrack that sold a ton of records
From cheatsheet.com:
The Viva Las Vegas choreographer, David Winters, followed the co-stars into Ann-Margret’s dressing room one day to discuss the song (“Cheek to Cheek” sung by The Jubilee Four). But when he put on the music, all they could see was each other.
“He put on the tape,” Ann-Margret remembered. “We listened to it once, watching each other from across the room, staring into each other’s eyes and thinking. We didn’t say a word. We didn’t have to.”
After their silent bond was forged, Elvis asked the choreographer to play “Cheek to Cheek” again. Their connection came alive and developed into a full-on dance, right there in Ann-Margret’s dressing room.
“The moment the music started, Elvis and I just started to move,” Ann-Margret wrote in Ann-Margret: My Story. “Nothing had been rehearsed, but to watch you wouldn’t have known that. We covered the entire room, bumping into the furniture, shoving it aside, circling each other like a couple of caged animals.”
It was in that “spontaneous burst of creativity,” Ann-Margret revealed, that most of the choreography for “Cheek to Cheek” was set. A stunned Winters simply told them, “Great. Just do that.”
In Ann-Margret’s memoir, she wrote, “Once the music started, neither of us could stand still. We experienced music in the same visceral way. Music ignited a fiery pent-up passion inside Elvis and inside me…We look at each other move and saw virtual mirror images.”
As Elvis gradually lost popularity to other entertainers during the 60’s he gained it backed thanks to a monumental 1968 NBC-TV special.
Rolling Stone wrote:
“The King reclaimed his crown with one of the greatest performances of all time. The hour-long broadcast, then dubbed Elvis and now known as the “’68 Comeback Special,” proved that the then–33-year-old still had swagger. For years, he’d been exiled in Hollywood – making movies instead of touring, as the Beatles blew up and rock got bigger than ever – so the show was a long-overdue return to pure performing for the singer. Although Presley began work on his next movie, a Western called Charro, a week after shooting, the special transformed his career. When it aired on December 3rd, it was seen by 42 percent of the viewing audience, making it the number-one show of the season. Moreover, the show’s soundtrack album made it into the Top 10 and was later certified platinum, and the single, “If I Can Dream,” made it up to Number 12 and went gold; both were his highest-charting releases since 1965.
Elvis’ movie contracts ended, removing the chains that prevented him from doing live concerts. He hit Las Vegas, and eventually all of America. No, the movies of the 50’s and 60’s never won any awards, but his documentary chronicling his shows on the road captured a Golden Globe.
That’s it for this week.
Goodnight.
Sleep well.
Have a great weekend.
This week the LA Times ran a column wondering if Elvis mattered anymore. Here’s a portion.
Chris Isaak, a singer who has kept the fire of early rock ’n’ roll alive throughout his career and who appears on the “Elvis” soundtrack as well as providing the vocals for country star Hank Snow in the movie, has seen how Presley’s peers are being forgotten.
“I was talking to a young girl, and she’s a successful singer, so she knows music,” Isaak recounted. “I said, ‘Are you putting harmonies like the Everly Brothers on this?’ And there was a blank look in her eye. I said, ‘Are you acquainted with the Everly Brothers?’ She had no clue. That was kind of shocking to me. I think a new generation will see this movie and go, ‘Wow. I love this music. Who is this guy?’”
Elvis’ amazing special, “Aloha from Hawaii,” aired on January 14, 1973, and it was the first entertainment special by a solo artist to be broadcast live around the world.
There was no set ticket price for the concert; instead, donations were given. The more the donation, the better the seat. Elvis actually purchased a ticket for himself and his entourage at $100 each (which, with inflation, would be over $575 in today’s money).
He asked that donations and merchandise sales go to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund, which had been established following the songwriter’s death in 1966. Lee wrote “I’ll Remember You,” which Elvis covered in many of his concerts, including in the “Aloha” special. The goal was to raise $25,000. A total of $75,000 was raised for the fund.
Elvis’ “Aloha from Hawaii” aired in more than 40 countries across Asia and Europe. The special didn’t air in the United States on January 14, though. There was another major TV moment happening on U.S. televisions on January 14 – Super Bowl VII – so “Aloha from Hawaii” aired on April 4. It is estimated, though, that between 1 and 1.5 billion viewers watched the king’s special.
To be perfectly honest, I’m not fond of 80’s music.
In my view the quality of pop music deteriorated dramatically on January 1, 1980.
There are exceptions of course and I’m going to make a rare 80’s tune as my feature this week. Just don’t, darling wife of mine, get used to it.
June 15th marked the 40th anniversary of the release of the Steve Miller Band‘s 12th studio album, “Abracadabra.” Miller was born in Milwaukee and spent his first five years in Wisconsin, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from his Alma Mater, the University of Wisconsin Madison, and his godfather was legendary guitarist Les Paul.
Written entirely by Steve Miller, “Abracadabra” is a catchy pop song with mild sexual innuendo that rhymed “abracadabra” with “reach out and grab ya.”
“Abracadabra” was a huge hit, spending two weeks at #1 in the US in September 1982. Miller wrote it in 15 minutes.
Back in 1982 MTV was a musical phenomenon. You didn’t need just a great song or an attention-grabbing gimmick to sell records. You needed a video.
“Abracadabra” was the last US Top 40 hit for the Steve Miller Band, and then the group began to fade.
“We were considered a dinosaur group,” said Miller. “Punk was in, new wave, the hair bands – the guys in the green tights and two-foot hairdos – it seemed at the time that our run was over.”
You can see Steve Miller at this year’s Summerfest in Milwaukee. Ann Wilson is canceling her show at Summerfest on Saturday, June 25 at the BMO Harris Pavilion after a band member and four crew members tested positive for COVID-19. Steve Miller Band will now be headlining the BMO Harris Pavilion on Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25.
In 2016 Miller was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but wasn’t happy.
UPDATE, 6/25/: SUMMERFEST
The Steve Miller Band has amassed an impressive number of FM radio hits over the years, and the massive crowd at the BMO Harris Pavilion Friday night was clamoring to hear all of them.
The band, fronted by Milwaukee native Miller, opened with 2017’s driving “Stranger Blues,” followed by a long version of the groovy “Fly Like an Eagle” (which included a wicked solo by keyboardist Joseph Wooten).
Miller, now 78, acknowledged his godfather, guitar legend and Waukesha native Les Paul, and Paul’s influence on his music career. Then he pulled out a Les Paul guitar and played the riff-heavy “Jet Airliner” — with the crowd belting out the lyrics.
Other hits included the swaggering “The Stake” and disco-esque “Abracadabra.” The Steve Miller Band also stayed true to its electric blues and psychedelic roots, including on signature hits “Living in the U.S.A.” and “Space Cowboy.”
— Catherine Jozwik, Special to the Journal Sentinel
Today’s read is from Larry O’Connor who hosts O’Connor and Company, the politics/pop-culture and lifestyle talk show heard daily from 5AM-9AM on WMAL FM in Washington, DC. Here’s an excerpt:
We are being told to temper our happiness on this historic day. The sensible and sensitive conservatives who are intellectually and morally superior to us groundlings are very quick to tell us to check our enthusiasm as we finally see Roe v. Wade cast into the ash-heap of history.
“Now is not the time to gloat,” you’ll be told. “Show some charity to those who are on the wrong side of today’s decision,” they’ll lecture to you. “Put yourself in their shoes and show some empathy,” they are already admonishing.
The Walker-Kleefisch administration achieved record low unemployment rates and high workforce participation rates. Rebecca supports an approach that invests in workers. She would double the number of state-funded youth apprenticeships for high school juniors and seniors who want to enter straight into the workforce.
Today’s read is from Georgi Boorman, a Senior Contributor at The Federalist. Here’s an excerpt:
Another day, another blue check wondering why things Americans used to take for granted seem to be out of reach, even as they promote the very changes in cultural norms and values that have led to rising costs for families and fewer babies being born. Writer for The Atlantic Olga Khazan recently tweeted in wonder, “how women are supposed to have kids before they’re 35 if they make $40,000 before they’re 35 and childcare is $40,000.”
Conservatives have a very simple answer to this question: be married to someone with a steady income.
This Just In... From Franklin, WI 
