Shoe Drop

I like my neighbor's lawn sculpture of Robin the Boy Wonder rescuing the Earth on Easter hay.

I hardly ever go downtown anymore. What's the point? Ain't hardly a thing open, including Thornes. However, it's nice how despite being closed they still put this sign up (click on photo to enlarge)

Although things are mostly closed here in Hamp, I haven't seen anything as restrictive as these banned swings in Springfield's Forest Park.

While the situation seems to be improving overall from a medical perspective, in a real sense the other shoe has yet to drop. No government has any money of its own, getting every cent it has from the paychecks of the working folks, after which the government then uses that money to do what governments do. In other words, the public sector rides on the back of the private sector.

However, the private sector is now in fiscal crisis and unable to produce tax revenue like it once did. Therefore, the public sector now has very reduced revenues for the rest of this fiscal year and probably most of the next as well. It will be interesting to see what happens once we have some real numbers next week on what these budget shortages look like, as our state and local governments then take up the task of determining what programs to cut and who to fire.

Meanwhile, I have been reading books, and just finished the Jorma Kaukonen autobiography I was telling you about.

It's a good read and you don't necessarily have to be a Jefferson Airplane/Hot Tuna fan to like it. The book provides a deep dive not only into Kaukonen's celebrated years as the Airplane's lead guitarist, but also into the much less documented career of Hot Tuna, the band Kaukonen has played in with Airplane bassist Jack Cassady for over 50 years. The now nearly 80 year old Jorma looks back on the whole wild ride with both affection and insight, plus offering a few life lessons learned along the way. Get your copy here.

It was only a short time ago, before all the clubs closed, that these kids were rockin' and rollin' all over our Valley! Check out their version of "California Dreaming" at 9:10.

Jorma Kaukonen 1971