the rix mix

Mets 4, Cards 2 The game offered no respite until the Mets tacked on two runs in the 7th for a 4-zip lead. Good thing. John Wagner's turning out to be the closer equivalent of a gun shy hound dog. He almost threw away this one, too. Tonight I shut off the sound on the TV & listened to Dan Shulman & Dave Campbell on ESPN radio because I couldn't take another inning of Tim McCarver's "I guarantee you" know-it-all commentary. The TV image was about 3 seconds behind radio.

A slightly belated nod to the demise of Tower Records. Big chain record stores killed off the independents in the 70s & 80s. Tower came late to New York City, around the time Sam Goody's was turning stupidly corporate & cutting back on classical & jazz. Despite the monstrousness of the place, I have fond memories of driving with friends to the downtown Tower store at Broadway & 4th in the 80s - it was open til midnight - especially to browse the great bargain annex.

McCartney to contest abuse claim
Sir Paul McCartney has said he will "vigorously" defend allegations that he violently abused Heather Mills during their four-year marriage.

The Daily Mail says court papers filed on Lady McCartney's behalf allege Sir Paul abused her and used illegal drugs.

OK, I'm not a fan of Sir Paul. But I'm a guy, maybe I can think it through from Paulie's perspective. I'm world famous & fabulously wealthy, & mind you I didn't inherit this fortune, I earned it meeself. Generally, people either love me or don't give a shit. Me beloved wife dies & I make the mistake of marrying a young woman who reminds me of her. My daughter warns me about this & I don't listen because I'm Paulie. Next thing I know, my new wife has me sliding around icebergs off the coast of Canada. At home, she won't let me smoke a bit of weed while I'm noodling at the piano or sitting outside watching my sheep & the sunset. Strangely, she claims not to have understood that the big reason I love my farm is because whenever I leave it there are paparazzi up my arse wherever I go; fact is, there's only two Beatles left on Earth & I'm one of them. I've been a Beatle all my adult life, it's my job. My second wife was born in 1968. The original title of "Helter Skelter" was "Heather Leather." So the marriage doesn't work out & she leaves. She's gonna take me to the cleaners no matter what. But am I a wife-beater?