So: 
And on that topic:
Speaking of safe words, here are two: Paige Spirinac
♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work you go… ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪
Latest Posts
Classic Beauty: Mistresses (1)
We’re moving away from the movies today, and looking at a few women who were the mistresses of various kings and emperors. First up:
Emperor Alexander II of Russia and Catherine (Katya) Dolgorukova
Next, Britain’s Charles II and…
Barbara Villers Castlemaine Palmer
Phew… it’s a wonder the old boy had any time left over to do any ruling. Anyway, now it’s the turn of:
King Frederick William II of Prussia and Wilhelmine Rietz 
Back to Britain for some King Georges.
George I and Sophia Kielmansegg
George II and Henrietta Howard
George IV and Mary Robinson
And lastly for today, from Austria-Hungary, Emperor Franz Joseph I and:
Anna Nahowski
(who, by the way, was all of fifteen years old when FJ started bonking her; then again, she was already married and thus by law no longer a minor)
More next week.
Forgotten Music
Did you ever find a band whose music you absolutely loved, and then somehow forgot about, or lost track of, and then years later re-discovered, and began kicking yourself because you’d somehow passed them by?
That would be me, and one of the best bands I’ve ever heard: King’s X.
I came upon their music really late — Dogman (released in 1984, but I only discovered them in, I think, 1990), which sounded unlike any other music I’d ever heard. It was heavy rock, soulful, thoughtful and unbelievably complex, played by virtuoso musicians, with wonderful singing — all things that normally attract me to a band and grip me like glue. Other examples of my ear-glue would be Genesis, Procol Harum, Yes, Steely Dan and a host of other prog-rock bands whose music I continued to listen to, yea unto this day — but none sounded like King’s X.
Anyway, after Dogman I set about listening to their other stuff, starting with Out Of The Silent Planet, followed by the marginally less-heavy Gretchen Goes To Nebraska (from 1989, and surely one of the most obscure album titles ever), and I loved them even more. Faith Hope Love (1990) and King’s X (1992) followed, and I liked them, but not as much as the first three I’d listened to. That didn’t stop me buying all five CDs, though.
And then, for some unknown reason, I just stopped listening to them, and pretty much forgot about King’s X — I did make mention of them on this website some time ago, and then forgot about them all over again.
Which is a shame because they’ve had an entire career since then, and I’ve missed it all. Only a brief mention of drummer Jerry Gaskill’s heart attack caught my attention. They’re still together, and they’re still touring.
Here’s the thing, as I see it. Sadly, King’s X’s albums have never been smash hits in terms of chart success, which means that record companies treat the band like dirt, despite their obvious ability as musicians and the quality of their music. So they’ve had to tour, opening for much “bigger” bands like Cheap Trick, Scorpions and Pearl Jam. (They have a fanatical following in Texas, by the way, which they regard as their home outside home state Missouri. I know this because I once tried to see them live in Houston, and the venue was completely sold out, for all three performances.)
Anyway, if you’ve never listened them, give them a shot. I will freely admit that their music is not to everyone’s taste (hence their albums’ dismal sales). But King’s X may be the best — or heaviest — “power trio” that ever played rock music, and that should count for something.
And no, they are not a Christian band, despite what some of their lyrics may make you think.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to listen to Three Sides Of One.
Commenting Bastardy
I know that the Comment-login thing is getting worse, and I apologize. Tech Support is on the case, and warns that there may be some “fuckyness” [sic, good word, will steal] while he’s exploring the innards of WordPress.
Please be patient while he activates the high explosives.
On a similar note, while talking about fuckyness: correspondents may have noticed that my replies to emails come under my old own_drummer account. Do not be alarmed; this is because for some reason, when I reply using me@ or [email protected], the messages are bounced by the mail server. This too will be addressed after the login fuckyness has been fixed.
In the meantime, here’s a little diversion:
Track Away, Fibbies
Here’s something I knew was coming:
The federal government believes that the threat of violence and major civil disturbances around the 2024 U.S. presidential election is so great that it has quietly created a new category of extremists that it seeks to track and counter: Donald Trump’s army of MAGA followers.
The challenge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the primary federal agency charged with law enforcement, is to pursue and prevent what it calls domestic terrorism without direct reference to political parties or affiliations—even though the vast majority of its current “anti-government” investigations are of Trump supporters, according to classified data obtained by Newsweek.
“The FBI is in an almost impossible position,” says a current FBI official, who requested anonymity to discuss highly sensitive internal matters. The official said that the FBI is intent on stopping domestic terrorism and any repeat of the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. But the Bureau must also preserve the Constitutional right of all Americans to campaign, speak freely and protest the government. By focusing on former president Trump and his MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporters, the official said, the Bureau runs the risk of provoking the very anti-government activists that the terrorism agencies hope to counter.
I’m 100% sure that my fevered rants and fervent support for the Second Amendment have put me on several “lists” among the various federal alphabet agencies. But at the same time, I also know that they’re fucking incompetent — I mean, they missed the 9/11 hijackers, FFS — so I thought I’d just help them out.
(by your definition, anyway)
Let me count the ways:
- I believe that the United States of America is the greatest nation the world has ever seen, and I want to restore its power, prestige and majesty to its post-WWII heights.
- I support Donald Trump, even though I’d rather not — but he’s the best option for people like me.
- I believe in the Second Amendment. Actually, I believe in all the Amendments, without reservation. And I want all those who, like me, swore allegiance to the Constitution and its principles to abide by them.
- I support homeschooling.
- I believe in smaller government.
- I know that our taxes are too high and our tax laws too complicated.
- I believe in the Four Boxes of civic participation (letter box, soap box, ballot box and when the first three have failed or been made illegal, the cartridge box).
- I think that our borders need to be closed to foreign incursions, and the current illegal border-crossers in custody should be repatriated en masse, with no exceptions.
There are a few more, but I think that list should suffice.
Go ahead, assholes: track me all you want. I’m only one man, and I publish under my own name — no pseudonyms, no aliases, no pen names — so it should be easy, even for the likes of you. But this is where I stand.
News Roundup
Some of today’s items may not include links because they shouldn’t.
...along with Oprah, Beyoncé and Barbra Streisand’s housemaid.
...and, one hopes, very painfully.
…let me know when it’s hand grenades, and then we may get concerned (or not).
…
...ah yes, the old “clotheslined vs. chlamydia” debate.
...sounds like something I’d do.
...going to add alcohol to it? No? Then, no.
...can we talk about EV batteries, now?
...finally, a Brit law that I can support.
...key word: India.
...this is what happens when you use the word “abuse” incorrectly. Calling a store clerk a lazy twerp: fine. Attacking him with a knife while shoplifting: not.
...the new generation of moon-worshippers being the one after the crystal-worshippers. Bunch of fucking muppets, all of them.
...I can’t enter this one because it’s amateurs-only.
And now: INSIGNIFICA!!!!!
...substitute “bed-hopping” and “boyfriends” to see how it works, sweetie.
Finally, Paige Spirinac has announced her 2023 Halloween costume line. She’ll have to work hard to beat last year’s effort:
…oh, wait:
Girl needs a good spanking, and I know just the man to do it.