>>>I can relate to being stuck in the past <g>. Well, sometimes. But I did just order a "new" Billie Holiday CD collection so I can't exactly claim innocence....
>>
>>There's a 'new' Billie Holiday collection? What is it, dead silence? ;) Kidding aside, good buy. You can't have too much Billie around.
>>
>
>It's a 5 CD set of live recordings. Here is the product description from Amazon. (I found it much cheaper on eBay).

That looks like a really interesting set. Here are a couple of interesting things maybe you know, maybe not. Billy Crystal's first visit to a movie theater when he was a child was in company of Billie Holiday. He sat on her lap. Also, she couldn't get anybody to publish "Strange Fruit" (for fear of repercussions in the south) until Milt Gabler agreed to do it under his 'Commodore' label. He was Billy Crystal's uncle. The song was written by Abel Meeropol who later adopted the Rosenberg children after the Rosenbergs were executed for treason. Many people consider it to be the first popular anti-racism song.

James Carter on his cd "Gardenias for Lady Day" does an absolutely astonishing and horrific rendition of "Strange Fruit".

>
>http://www.amazon.com/Rare-Recordings-1934-1959-Billie-Holiday/dp/B000WCN8VY/ref=pd_bbs_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1210766310&sr=8-4
>
>>>So-called sin taxes have always been easier to pass than other taxes. That would probably include state-run lotteries, which for everyone but the winners are just disguised (and regressive) taxes. These days, with taxpayers in no mood to pay any taxes at all, that's probably more true than ever.
>>
>>Same up here, except that in Canada there is no tax on winnings, so anything you make at the track, the casino, or the lottery, is all free and clear.
>>
>>>How's the bad wheel doing? Aren't you about to go back to work?
>>
>>I'm back! I started Monday this week. In their infinite wisdom, the Doctor and the LTD Insurer have colluded to only allow me back for half days this week. Next week I'm back on full time. I think they wanted to make work for the cpa who has to figure out who pays what portions of my salary.
>>
>>It feels good though to have a little bit of normalcy back in my life. I can walk some without the cane now, but not too far or too long, so I still use the cane - and then there are stairs.
>>
>>I figure another couple of months and I should be good to go without the cane. It's been a long and somewhat painful process, but to tell the truth, in some ways, it has been an interesting and maybe even worthwhile experience. You get a whole new perspective on things living for a while in a wheelchair. Regardless, I think I've pretty much decided not to do it again anyway. ;)
>>
>
>That's terrific that you are back at work and continuing to improve physically. And I can see what you mean about gaining a new perspective being in a wheelchair. Makes you appreciate not needing one, I bet.