News: Cecil The Lion shows just what you can do when you bother to name an animal, so here is an idea for all you animal rights activists: stand outside the slaughterhouses and name every cow before we murder it, and then guilt the rest of us over our indefensible actions. Gwan, try it.
Live: The blowback from my Dr. John pan: he is very sick with diabetes and old age. Understood. This week? Sweet Baby James!!! Plus One Direction with Margaret and the kids.
Recorded: Not a great week, not a terrible week, kudos to Daniel Romano with one of the best country albums of the year, and to Samuel Claiborne for his agitprop masterpiece. Buddy Guy, nearing his 80s, sounds in great voice (the guitar is a given). The Mynabirds are minor without being indifferent.
Sports: The Yanks are in first place and by six lengths (though they aren’t pulling away further after a week), but, what is this you say? The Nats AND the Mets are in first place in the National League East!!!
Presidency: More than anything else on planet earth I am gagging for the Republican debate, with fat faced Donald Trump right in the middle of a podium… This is well beyond reality television and right into the realm of joyful world.
Death: Cilla Black was the opening act in the first concert I ever saw, so sorry to hear of her passing.
Rolling Stone: Peter Travers demoted, Will Dana fired, Jann is still giving his brats plum assignments.