Winter weather in New Orleans is consistently inconsistent. Our summer weather is monotonously hot, but the temps are all over the place at this time of year. It’s cold again and supposed to stay that way for a few days. In case you’re wondering, I go on about it because weather changed my life in 2005.

I’m among those who can’t stop thinking about the MAGA murder most foul in Minnesota. My already low opinion of ICE and the Border Patrol has plummeted to new depths. I hope that everyone in the Twin Cities and elsewhere will stay non-violent regardless of provocations. Team MAGA wants you to take the bait. We have right on our side, but they have the guns.

Shorter Adrastos: Be careful out there.

This week, we have a two-headed theme song with tunes by two of my guilty pleasures: Toto and The Bee Gees. Alone is the magic word when it comes to Edward Hopper’s art. I chose a more subtle form of loneliness for the Hopper featured image: People alone seen through their windows.

Toto’s Alone was written  in 2018 by Steve Lukather, David Paich, Steve Porcaro, and Joseph Williams.

The Bee Gees Alone was written in 1997 by Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb.

We have two versions of each song for your listening pleasure: One studio, the other live.

We move from the brothers Porcaro to the brothers Gibb:

Still feeling lonely? I’ve always dug this tune, naturally:

We begin our second act with a follow-up to last week’s Odds & Sods language segment.

Word Choice Blues 2.0: Another phrase that should be removed from our political lexicon: Failure is not an option.

It’s a tiresome cliche for the false bravado fans out there: Failure is always an option. In fact, one often learns more from failure than success.

Let’s see what Stephen Stills thinks:

A Welcome Comeback: My mother was an avid magazine reader and subscriber. One of her favorites was Gourmet Magazine, which folded in 2009. It was a more cerebral magazine for foodies, which is why mom liked it. As a child, I liked the pictures. Holy food porn, Batman.

It turns out that Conde Nast did not re-register the Gourmet trademark in 2021, so some enterprising food writers have revived the magazine as a newsletter. Newsletters are in, dead tree magazines are dead.

For the details, get thee to the NYT.

What’s gourmet food without onions? The last word of our second act goes to Booker T & The MGS:

We begin our third act with our favorite stolen feature.

Separated At Birth Casting Edition: I’ve been streaming an old guilty pleasure, Hogan’s Heroes. Werner Klemperer who played bumbling Col. Klink played an infinitely more sinister German in 1961:

That poster has more exclamation points that I’ve used in my 20 years as a blogger. I don’t believe in them.

Your Basic Basie: Let’s stay on message with the Count and Sassy.

Have I told you lately how much I love Count Basie?

The Best Of Bob Weir On CBS Sunday Morning: I closed January’s irksome things post with a brief tribute to Bob Weir. Here’s an interview compilation for anyone who cannot get enough Ace.

Don’t believe they called Bob Weir Ace back in the day? Here’s proof:

Saturday GIF Horse: The Minnesota mishigas has put Sparky Schulz on my mind. The creator of Peanuts was a staunch liberal who would have been appalled by the ICE-holes flooding the streets of his home state.

How could I post that GIF without posting some Vince Guaraldi:

Meme Street: This image was shared on social media by my friend Piano Dave. It came from a demonstration in Pittsburgh.

Classic Movie Trailer: Elia Kazan’s A Face In The Crowd was not a hit when it was released. The reviews were only fair to middling. It’s fair to say that its reputation has grown over the years. Spike Lee chose it as one of his Two for One movies on TCM, after all.

Grading Time: I give A Face In The Crowd 4 stars and an Adrastos Grade of A. It’s a stone cold classic.

Speaking of things that can’t be trademarked, a Tom Petty tune with the same title.

Toon Time:  A David Granlund toon from last fall. The MAGA hypocrisy, it burns.

Let’s close down this virtual honky tonk with some more music.

Saturday Closer: I’m grateful to everyone who reads First Draft. Here’s my idea of a thank you note.

That’s all for this week. The last word goes to Patricia Neal, Elia Kazan, and Andy Griffith on the set of A Face In The Crowd.