My Opinion Counts - I have proof

I have received a number of emails asking if the letter to editor in this month's Rolling Stone from Bob Karwin of Sun City, CA is from me. Well, yes it is.

I was upset about a slanted and biased article by writer Tim Dickenson. Specifically, Mr. Dickenson clearly attmempted to pass his opinions off as representing what "the majority of Americans" are thinking. Agree or disagree with Mr. Dickenson, that type of journalism is irresponsible.

Unfortunately, my letter was edited down pretty heavily in order to fit in the limited space for such things. So, for that reason, I have decided to post the full letter that I sent to Rolling Stone. You can judge for yourself whether the editing by the magazine was fair or not.

Here it is:

I am disappointed at Rolling Stone’s growing willingness to pass-off agenda-based opinion pieces as journalism. A case in point is Tim Dickinson’s recent National Affairs piece, “The Politics of Fear.” (RS #1003, June 29, 2006)

Let me first say that I support same-sex marriage and oppose a Constitutional amendment banning it. It is clear that Mr. Dickenson and I are in agreement there.

My concern lies in the factually inaccurate and misleading statements made by Mr. Dickinson in support of his agenda. For example, When Mr. Dickinson asks, “Why would the president throw himself behind a measure that he knew was opposed by most voters [?],” he should be able to back up the question with data. As supporting data, Mr. Dickinson vaguely cites only one, unnamed poll that purports to show a drop from 60% to 42% in the popular support for an amendment to the United States Constitution.

Who was polled? Who conducted the poll? What were the questions? Does this reported result show a drop in support for state amendments or just federal? Mr. Dickinson fails to address any of these issues.

The fact is that, to date, nineteen states have held a popular vote whether or not to amend their state constitution to ban gay marriage. The citizens of all nineteen of those states voted overwhelmingly in favor of the ban. This includes a vote as recently as June of this year in Alabama. (1998 – Alaska, Hawaii; 2002- Nevada; 2004 - Montana, Oregon, Utah, Missouri, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi; 2005- Kansas, Texas; 2006 - Alabama) Five more states will vote on the same issue this coming November (Wisconsin, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia)

Even the people of California, whose liberal leanings are so profound that most Republican presidential candidates barely campaign there, voted in 2000 to pass Proposition 22, which would deny recognition of a same-sex marriage deemed legal in any other state. Despite the vote of the “regular people,” the California legislature passed a bill to legalize gay marriage. Does this show a disconnect between politicians and the American people wherein the politicians are more liberal than the public? Again, Mr. Dickinson fails to address this very important piece of history.

My point is a simple one. Rolling Stone and their writers are free to speak their mind and support any agenda they wish. However, to state that “most voters” are behind a particular agenda without the support of either history or current, reliable data, is irresponsible journalism.

If Mr. Dickinson does have reliable supporting data, I would love to see it. Without such data, this article gives conservatives a shining example of the “emotion over fact” tactic that they repeatedly assign to liberals. I cannot debate this issue effectively based on Mr. Dickinson’s “gut feeling” on America’s opinion of same-sex marriage. It is a cop-out to say that the article gives me a springboard to research the issue myself, because my research negates Mr. Dickinson’s position.

Why is this important to me? For many years, I have looked to Rolling Stone to be loud voice for America’s more forward-thinking population. The writers of Rolling Stone have built a reputation as an important, balancing voice in the world of modern, conservative politics. Mr. Dickinson’s choice to use an “impression of the world” rather than research to support his position undermines the magazine’s credibility on major issues and waters down the effectiveness of the writing.

Bob Karwin, Sun City, CA

Mmm...bed

Tied for the second most important thing in life, in no particular order, are a reliable car, a pair of comfortable shoes, and a regular flow of edible food. By "edible" I mean to say that, while some things are technically considered food (Brussel sprouts, lima beans and radishes leap to mind) they are wholly IN-edible. An endless supply of these items would do a sane person absolutely no good and I don’t want them to dilute my list.

If you disagree with my list, please ask yourself why you care what the second most important thing in life is. Throughout time, this debate has, for obvious reasons, never been waged. Thus, I implore you to blindly accept this list and move on to the more pressing issue - The Single Most Important Thing in the World.

The answer, in four easy to understand words, is: A Good Night’s Sleep. I have come to this realization after spending seven mind wrenching days battling sleep’s two greatest foes - a sick 2 ½ year old child and an air mattress.

Let me first address the blatant fact that I have ranked sleep over food. This is not a mistake. At any given moment, most people would take a nap over a sandwich, if given the choice. Go ahead, try it. Go out to your local mall with a pillow top California King sized bed and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Once people get over the fact that you are not some creepy person standing in the middle of a crowd with a bed and food, but a very nice, scientifically-minded person standing in the middle of a crowd with a bed and food, you will find that, eight times out of ten, people will choose the nap over food. [The other two out of ten will try to persuade you to let them have both. Don’t do it, after all this IS science]

I have seen people on reality television shows go pretty close to five days without food. What do they do to survive? That’s right, they sleep a lot. On the other hand, even if I were provided an unlimited supply of pie as an incentive, I could not go five days without sleep. (By the way, I am open to this challenge. My pie preference is mile high apple).

In order to attain the elusive "good night’s sleep" there are two strict rule to which one must adhere. First, be absolutely sure that there are no children under the age of five within thirty miles of you. Children of this age have only two innate skills - to poop as much and as inappropriate a time as possible, and to wake up any dozing adults within earshot.

This would not be so bad if they accomplished their wake-ups by singing a verse or two from a Phil Collins tune or some other easy listening favorite to ease you out of slumber. But no, they prefer to two pronged approach of poking and screaming. This is not soothing.

The other rule is that never, under any circumstances, should you believe you can sleep well on an inflatable mattress. Have you ever seen that television commercial for the high-end air bed? They boldly profess that it "inflates in seconds" and that "each spouse can set their own firmness." What they don’t tell you is that there are only two firmness levels" "not firm" and "totally deflated."

They also never show the couple actually sleeping soundly on the bed. This is because the U.S. Government has imposed harsh penalties for false advertising. A realistic commercial would show two bleary eyed adults laying smushed together in the vortex of a v-shaped air mattress. Then, as one gets up in the middle of the night to take a leak, there is a loud "whooshing" noise followed by the rolling blur of the other spouse being catapulted off the "bed"

and onto the floor, which, by the way, is far more comfortable.

The bottom line is that, when you miss out on sleep, you are cranky, irritable and distracted because wherever you are, whatever you are doing, all you can think about is how much you would rather be asleep. Even a 20 minute power nap can improve one’s attitude towards the most arduous task.

So go out and get yourself a really good bed and spend as much time there are you possibly can. Oh, and keep a piece of mile high apple pie on the night stand, just so you don’t have to get up.

Woo-Hoo my new albums is done

On my web site at www.bobkarwin.com/music, I have posted clips from all ten tracks of my new cd "In Spite of it All." In the past few months I have posted rough draft mixes and stuff. These are the final album versions. Take a listen and let me know what you think of "In Spite of it All."

Dumbest Song Lyrics ...... EVER!!

The Black Eyed Peas have a new single called "My Humps." Hands down, worst lyrics ever.
Some people may say that I am out of touch or that I just don't understand the plight of the urban music listener enough to relate to the music. But, if there was ever a song that sounded like the band was making it up as they went along in the studio, this is it.

Please remember that these words are on a Grammy nominated album. Ugh...

BLACK EYED PEAS - "My Humps"

What you gon’ do with all that junk?
All that junk inside your trunk?
I’ma get, get, get, get, you drunk,
Get you love drunk off my hump.

My hump, my hump, my hump, my hump, my hump,
My hump, my hump, my hump, my lovely little lumps. (Check it out)

I drive these brothers crazy,
I do it on the daily,
They treat me really nicely,
They buy me all these icies.
Dolce & Gabbana,Fendi and NaDonnaKaran, they be sharin’
All their money got me wearin' fly
But I ain’t askin,

They say they love my ass ‘n,
Seven Jeans, True Religion's,I say no, but they keep givin’
So I keep on takin’
And no I ain’t taken
We can keep on datin’
I keep on demonstrating.

My love, my love, my love, my love
You love my lady lumps,
My hump, my hump, my hump,
My humps they got u,
She’s got me spending.(Oh)
Spendin’ all your money on me and spending time on me.
She’s got me spendin’.(Oh)
Spendin' all your money on me, up on me, on me

What you gon’ do with all that junk?
All that junk inside that trunk?
I’ma get, get, get, get, you drunk,
Get you love drunk off my hump.

What u gon’ do with all that ass?
All that ass inside them jeans?
I’m a make, make, make, make you scream
Make u scream, make you scream.

Cos of my hump, my hump, my hump, my hump.
My hump, my hump, my hump, my lovely lady lumps. (Check it out)

I met a girl down at the disco.
She said hey, hey, hey yea let’s go.
I could be your baby, you can be my honey
Let's spend time not money.
I mix your milk wit my cocoa puff,
Milky, milky cocoa,
Mix your milk with my cocoa puff, milky, milky riiiiiiight.

They say I’m really sexy,
The boys they wanna sex me.
They always standing next to me,
Always dancing next to me,
Tryin’ a feel my hump, hump.
Lookin’ at my lump, lump.
U can look but you can’t touch it,If you touch it

I'ma start some drama,
You don’t want no drama,
No, no drama, no, no, no, no dramaS
o don’t pull on my hand boy,
You ain’t my man, boy,
I’m just tryn’a dance boy,

And move my hump.
My hump, my hump, my hump, my hump,
My hump, my hump, my hump, my hump, my hump, my hump.
My lovely lady lumps (lumps)
My lovely lady lumps (lumps)
My lovely lady lumps (lumps)

In the back and in the front (lumps)
My lovin’ got u,
She’s got me spendin’.(Oh)
Spendin’ all your money on me and spending time on me.
She’s got me spendin’.(Oh)
Spendin' all your money on me, up on me, on me.

What you gon’ do with all that junk?
All that junk inside that trunk?
I’ma get, get, get, get you drunk,
Get you love drunk off my hump.

What you gon’ do with all that ass?
All that ass inside them jeans?
I’ma make, make, make, make you scream
Make you scream, make you scream.

What you gon do with all that junk?
All that junk inside that trunk?
I’ma get, get, get, get you drunk,
Get you love drunk off this hump.

What you gon’ do wit all that breast?
All that breast inside that shirt?
I’ma make, make, make, make you work
Make you work, work, make you work.

She’s got me spendin’.
Spendin all your money on me and spendin’ time on me
She’s got me spendin’.
Spendin' all your money on me, up on me, on me.

Mourn for Jim Rice

When I was growing up in Boston, I was a huge Red Sox fan. Back then, late 70's, early 80's, you could root for a whole team. Players spent their entire careers in one place. In some cases, over the hill guys would jump to a lower rung team to hang on for a few more pathetic years (are you listening Fred Lynn and Bobby Orr?). But, for the most part, your favorite team stayed intact long enough to get attached to the guys.

As a young Little Leager, my idol was Jim Rice. Big Jim Ed was a class act and a monster hitter. He entered the league in 1974 as half of the rookie phenom combo Gold Dust Twins with Fred Lynn. That outfield of Lynn, Rice and Dwight Evans was a baseball fan's dream.

Today, Jim Rice was overlooked for baseball's Hall of Fame for the 12th straight year. He has three more chances to get in. If not, he's out for good.

I am here to say that I want to see big Jim Ed in the Hall. He has earned it and baseball needs a guy like that in its permanant history both as a player and as a man.

Jim Rice played sixteen years in the majors, all of it in a Red Sox uniform. In 1975, the Sox went to the World Series against Cincinatti's Big Red Machine , but he didn't get a chance to play because was hit in the wrist by a pitch at the end of the regular season and it knocked him of the entire post-season. He got one other chance at World Series glory in 1986 agaisnt the Mets

You want stats? How about these:

Rice finished his 16-year career with a .298 batting average, 382 home runs (51st best of all-time), 1451 RBI's (51st), 1249 runs scored, 2452 hits (91st), and 4129 total bases (61st). He was an American League All-Star eight times (1977-1980, 1983-1986). In addition to winning the AL MVP in 1978, he finished in the top 5 in MVP voting five other times (1975, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1986). Rice led the AL in home runs three times (1977, 1978, 1983), in RBI twice (1978, 1983), in slugging percentage twice (1977, 1978), and in total bases four times (1977-79, 1983). He also picked up Silver Slugger awards in 1983 and 1984 (the award was created in 1980). Rice hit at least 39 HR in a season four times, had eight 100 RBI seasons, four seasons with 200+ hits and batted over .300 seven times. He is the only player in major league history to reach 200 hits and 35 HRs in three consecutive years. According to the baseball-reference web site, Rice ranked among the league leaders in various batting categories more than 100 times during his career. From 1975 to 1986, Rice led the American League in total games played, at-bats, runs, hits, homers, RBIs, slugging percentage, total bases, extra-base hits, multi-hit games, and outfield assists.

So call your Congressman (or local sportwriter) and do your part to get Jim in the Hall on next year's ballot. The world thanks you.

Pre-order "In Spite of it All" now!

I am pleased to announce that my new cd, "In Spite of it All," is available for pre-ordering. The cd will be officially released on February 14, 2006. From now until February 10, 2006, you can save $5 by pre-ordering "In Spite of it All" for just $10. After that, the price will be $15. (All prices include shipping).

This cd features nine original tunes plus my version of Paula Abdul’s "Straight Up."

Here is the song list:

1. In Spite of it All
2. I Sail
3. Hello Sunshine
4. Falling Apart (written by Scott Southworth)
5. Daytrippin'
6. I Can't See the Ocean
7. Shiny Locomotive
8. Tequila and Lime
(co-written with Jim Hill of the Los Angeles Parrot Head Club)
9. Straight Up (written by Elliott Wolff)
10. Next Time Around

On my web site (www.bobkarwin.com) , you can hear one minute clips of all 10 songs. I have also posted all of the lyrics and some background on the inspiration for each song.

There are two ways to place your advance order. You can either send a personal check for $10 made out to: Bob Karwin, 29739 McGalliard Rd., Sun City, CA 92586, or purchase with your credit card via Pay Pal. Please note that you do not need to have a Pay Pal account to make a credit card purchase. To use your credit card, simply click here and scroll down to the "buy now" button at the bottom of the page.

I would like to take a moment to thank you for supporting and encouraging me and the other musicians who run on the "sunburn circuit." Those rare nights spent wearing our loudest shirts, swaying our margaritas back and forth in the air and singing at the top of our lungs make the other days easier to deal with. I have tried to capture that feeling with this record and I hope that listening to it brings you on a little vacation, wherever you are.

If you have any problems with ordering, or if you have any questions or comments, please drop me an email at this address (rkarwin@yahoo.com) and I will get back to you right away.

Thank you and I will see you very soon,

Bob

Bandwagon - December, 2005

Happy December!

And now....here’s the news...

1. New show dates announced

I have found a new home in the inland empire. The Anchor in Hemet, CA has turned out to be a great Bob Show venue. They have a full restaurant with steak, lobster and sushi. The bar, where I play, is also very cool. Check it out at I have booked several dates there through Feb, so if you’re in the area come on by.

It looks like I’ll be back in Salt Lake City at the new downtown Lumpy’s in March, so watch for that announcement. I am also furiously working on some Key West dates for Meeting of the Minds next November...more on that as it develops.

Until I get a chance to update www.bobkarwin.com you can view my complete schedule of upcoming shows on my MySpace page at: www.myspace.com/bobkarwin

2. Phins to the West is on!

Registration is now open for Phins to the West, an awesome music event in Laughlin, NV. If you’ve never been, the parrot head clubs in L.A., Orange County, Arizona, Santa Barbara and others have banded together to host this event at the Avi Casino in Laughlin (about an hour south of Las Vegas). Over three days, you can see eight different musical acts and enjoy discounted rooms and food. The casino is also very friendly (if you know what I mean). This year’s event will be May 5-7, 2006.

I will be opening the event on Thursday, May 5 playing pool side from 8-12.

For all the info on rates, schedule of events and registration, go to: www.phinstothewest.com

3. The New Album is Almost Done

I have completed 10 of the 11 tracks for "In Spite of it All." All that is left is some final vocals, mixing and mastering. So, I am sticking my neck out to announce a Valentine’s Day release (for the guys out there, that is Feb 14th). The response to the preview tracks has been so positive that I can’t wait to get the whole album out there.

In the next couple of weeks, I will be announcing a discounted "advance purchase" price. It will probably be in the next edition of the Bandwagon or in a special bulletin, so watch for it in your in-box.

4. Thank You

Since this will probably be my last missive until 2006, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support. It seems like each year in the life of the Bob Show is bigger and better and it is entirely because of you. Your encouragement and energy has driven me to make every show memorable and every cd better than the last. Because of you, I have had the opportunity to raise money for hurricane victims, to entertain children, and to make friends in parts of the country that I would have never visited without the music. Thank you my friend, and I hope to see you again very soon.

Happy Holiday and a safe New Year,

Bob

It's All About the Kids

Here is an email I received from the organizers of an event where I performed this weekend. I thought I'd share it with you...

Sat. Dec. 10, the Orange County Parrot Head Club held its "Christmas Island" party for the children at the Girls and Boys Town of Southern California. OCPHC and Santa (props to Sean Blair) delivered over $2500 worth of presents to the kids from our members. These presents will be opened on Christmas morning by the children. Bob Karwin provided the music doing selections from his incredible cd "Parakeet Island" and Christmas favorites, ice cream sundaes and root beer floats were served to the kids, and each child, at the facility was made an official OCPHC "parakeet' and given official "parrot head" swag. What a incredible day it was for everyone involved. I want to personally thank the members of the OCPHC who stepped up big time for the kids at the Girls and Boys Town showing them the true spirit of the holiday season.

Thanks to everyone for a great event!