Yes, peeps. I’ve been in a bit of a funk lately. Can’t put my finger on one thing, but it doesn’t help when The One says that the country, like all families, has to live within its means and then offers up a budget that increases the spending of borrowed money and, worse yet, increases spending on things like unicorn fart powered cars. It really doesn’t help when the jackasses in the mainstream media don’t call the bastard out on this stuff.

It’s also not a spirit lifter to see public sector workers in various parts of the country acting like characters from The Godfather running what amounts to a protection racket on taxpayers.

Sooooo, to try to climb out of my state of Funkdom, I like to listen to some fabulous guitar playing:

Here are Martin Taylor and Tommy Emmanuel playing a beautiful version of “The Nearness of You.” For those of you who play a bit of guitar, pay attention to the part when Tommy Emmanuel takes the lead back and plays the tune using harmonics. Amazing!

After they’re done playing, Martin Taylor chats with Tommy about guitar playing. I have seen Tommy Emmanuel interviewed a few times, and he is always interesting and extremely likable.

Hang on to your hat while Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo play “Tico Tico” (with a couple other tunes tossed in). I’ve seen them do this live on two occasions, and it always farookin’ knocks me out. Wow!

In fact, I think the entire country needs this tonight.

Shamelessly swiped from Coalition of the Swilling.

I’m having my income tax done today, thereby doing my part to feed the insatiable federal beast. It plops the lunacy of big government right on my front doorstep.

Makes me sick.

Update:

1. Yes, I got slaughtered. Knowing that my money (note: it’s not the “government’s money”) is going straight down ratholes such as the Department of Energy (“investing” in Unicorn fart power) makes me nuts. The next person who suggests that I am not paying my “fair share” might just get a swift kick in the stindeens.

2. Kevin, you’re killing me here.

3. That is all.

Check out the 360 degree image of the cockpit of the Enola Gay, the B-29 aircraft that the dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Be sure to pan around and use the zoom feature as well. Interesting stuff, right there.

Got it from Catfish.

Hello there.

Maybe you didn’t hear me; I said, “Hello.”

I heard you, but I don’t have to be polite to you, because as of next year, you’re toast, and I’ll be the only game in town.

Why is that?

The government says you’re bad for the environment.

That’s crazy. I’m comprised of glass and a tiny metal filament. I come on instantly in all kinds of weather, and I’ve been lighting homes and businesses for more than one-hundred years. If I break, one needs only to sweep up the glass and put it in the trash. You, on the other hand, don’t come on instantly, you cause epileptic seizures in some people and you contain mercury, with the result being that if you break, one has to call a hazmat team to clean up and properly dispose of the toxic mess.

You’re killing the polar bears.

You must be a democrat.

Absolutely.

Figures.

Did you know that The One’s administration is spending millions of dollars of your money to make improvements to mosques in foreign countries? We are also paying to provide internet access and computer hardware use by imams in foreign countries. It’s true.

If that doesn’t piss you off, you’re beyond help.

I’m fairly sure I’ve posted this before, but I’m too lazy to find it. Anyway, Ken, my friend and bodyguard, sent this to me today, and I watched all of it again, amazed by what these guys do for a living. I don’t have a morbid fear of heights, but …… whoa!

Quite a roster, I’d say.

Thanks to reader, Dave.

Untitled from ryan latham on Vimeo.

Check out this great video of my buddy (and the only-slightly-younger half of the “Elderly Brothers”) Denny, skiing. He has been doing this for at least as long as I’ve known him, which is something like seven years. When he’s not skiing, guitar playing, partying, driving all over the country or scuba diving, he’s a monster blogger. Pretty farookin’ good for a guy who doesn’t have the use of his legs.

Denny describes the above video here.

I can’t believe that I’ve never heard this song until today. I love the video.

Here he is doing the song live and reading the lyrics. From the comments, it appears that he co-wrote the tune. On his Facebook page, he wonders whether this was a rehearsal. Great stuff.

Great googa-mooga! Here is is singing with the Great Phil Everly. Be still my heart.