A summer day. Smoke tumbles in the air from mouths of middle-aged men. The heavy smell of tobacco of provides a manly reek in the wind. The sound of Brazilian Tropicalia is playing from a radio and the sound is of staccato moans and cries over a riveting bass line.

Tropicalia brewed from the remnants of the Bossa Nova movement; where the British psychedelic groups and albums influenced musicians. They loved The Beatles Sgt Peppers and Jimi Hendrix. They used Brazilian rhythms, with lyrics poking fun of the military regime that seized power in Brazil.

Sometimes I wish these days we had a far more vicious than the insidiously subtle and ultimately ridiculously ineffectual regime we here in the United States, so that the music and art would have that same edge. Where people would be less victims of the economy and the politicians who strapped us into this rollercoaster. Where there would be a spark and fire. Something definable to fight for.

Instead we float. The victim mentality and soft coddled generation that has developed is irritating.

Imagine a musician causing alarm these days like Caetano Veloso did in Brazil. His song “E Proíbído Proíbír” (It is Forbidden to Forbid) caused such a stir that the government labeled him and Tropicalia movement as a political threat.

No, not just deemed a threat have a file folder created like the FBI did with John Lennon.

In Brazil, musicians and artists were jailed, tortured and a few even exiled.

Yet the Tropicalia movement lasted one year, yet it left an indelible mark upon Brazil. It is amazing how music and art can be used like a weapon when there is something worth fighting for… and men and women willing to lay it all out there on the line.

Part of Playboy’s pile of Hunter S. Thompson letters is this cure for the common hangover… gonzo style.

How the hockey epidemic of concussions are hurting the sport, and might be the NHL itself to blame. 

What goes on when the camera is off on the News… http://t.co/r3WSUazy

Obama being told that building things creates jobs. http://t.co/ldMBlDuV

Hitch will give #blues good cohesion. For #cbj fans pissed off… their GM needs to go before getting any new coach

Brings one back to the #isles original plan of Nino: line 1, and PA on line 3 which might have given it more jump. But injury erased that.

Andy Rooney dies at age 92. RIP

pretty wild… http://t.co/NG3OIwoj

#isles haven’t won a game in 2011 since Oct 15th and are lumbering into a November winless in last 6

The Kardashian’s marriage was shorter than Vancouver Canuck’s yearly Stanley Cup parade route

Expect Nino to play on line 3. Though don’t be surprised if Comeau, not Rolston shifts to line 4. #isles

Also, nobody should really be complaining about the #isles D, which has not been an issue at all thus far.

#isles would really like to kickstart that 3rd line, while needing line 2 to bare more fangs … hey, it’s #halloween