#117 - SATURDAY MORNING RANTS

1. It's fucking snowing. Not really. Not by Chicago standards. Just flurries. But it's enough to piss me off. Yesterday I might have thought it a prank. Today it can fuck off.

2. Boycotts? Do they work? I doubt it as the only businesses you're likely to boycott are mega corporations with plenty of non-boycotting patrons. One of my favorite places is Starbucks, but I am starting my boycott of them. That's big for me. There's nothing I love more than Starbucks. They won't care, but my principle is that I don't patronize any place that doesn't allow my constitutional and legal right to carry a concealed handgun. I've known the Starbucks has some "company policy" to that effect, but in Illinois that means fuck all unless they post the no gun (actually, no Beretta pistol) sticker on the entrances. My Starbucks in Huntley doesn't have this regulated and designated sticker on the door. So I haven't taken an anti-Starbucks stance. Yesterday I went to one in the neighboring town and couldn't walk in. I'm done with them. I'll keep making my Black Rifle Coffee Company beans at home in the morning. I only wish Costa was in America (that's the Starbucks equivalent in the UK). Now I know this is my big hairy spider blog and not my triggercontrol blog, but the point is more on whether boycotting is pointless than on my specific reason to boycott any business. The point is that these mega corporations don't care about irrelevant me, even if I am a member of one of America's largest and strongest ranks. And instead of focusing on their product (exceptional espresso beans making 1000 different versions of a simple cup of Joe), these mega corporations want to play politics. They want to adopt a position on an issue. Make fucking coffee you knob headed twats! BTW, if you share my reason, don't go to Buffalo Wild Wings either. I'm not sure why anyone would anyway. The food is shit and the atmosphere is family chaos and overwhelming sports bar gaudiness.

3. The Dead Pool - No, I know nothing about the movie or the story. Not my genre. I'm referring to all the greats we have lost recently. Lemmy, David Bowie, Ronnie Corbett, Glenn Frey, Alan Rickman and, recently, the great Keith Emerson. That's just a short list of those who went to the dirt in 2016 (actually Lemmy was December 28, but it started all this madness). Vanity. Remember her? Prince's protege? Dead at 57. Garry Shandling? I didn't even know that one until today. Happened just over a week ago. I don't read or watch news so I pick things up in the wind. Lemmy was a big shocker because although he was 70, had cancer, and inside was probably 200, he just seemed like he would live forever. Most recently, I was more troubled by the loss of Keith Emerson. I was a huge ELP fan as a kid (and today) and eventually his death was ruled suicide. I'd mention the "fifth Beatle" George Martin but, for fuck's sake, he was 90. Nobody should be alive at 90.

Well, I hope this brings your weekend off to a cheery start. I promise the next blog entry will be all about spiders. Or at least critters. Actually I have an idea... Maybe I'll post something big. Something that you'd want to share on FriendFace, Arachnoboreds, and Twatter. Something that would bring in new readers and maybe keep KMBHS going. 'Cause I ask for comments and I get only my bro Apple. I ask for questions, suggestions, etc. and mostly I get more Apple. Someone toss me a dadgum Orange.

HUGZ< MJ

PS - UPDATE: the gentle snow flurries have turned to sleet/hail. Off to my loading press and then an afternoon of guitar riffle. Fuck Chicago and living close to family. I've got to return to my gypsy life.