Banks, Toys And Music -- Nothing About The Bakken -- January 13, 2023

Laser-Focused On Dividends

Investing 

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Toys

Lego

• "we" own the top two pirate ships in the entire Lego collection
• these are expensive, and hard to find; and we got 'em!
• Ships.  
• More ships.

Stuntz:

• on another Lego note, I'm having trouble sorting out "Stuntz."
• I first saw "Stuntz" a couple of years ago in a Lego store in a Nashville, TN, mall. I thought the sets were quite clever, but last night, looking at the retired Lego products, I was surprised to see so many "Stuntz" sets retired, and yet, I don't think "Stuntz" have been out all all that long. 
• is Lego closing out "Stuntz"? Was the concept a dud? I don't know, but I do see Lego still coming out with new "Stuntz" sets.

Cars, Pixar, Disney:

Target -- the retail store -- has some interesting "Metal" Pixar / Disney car sets -- a Pixar car with a small accessory -- compared to $1.00 Hot Wheel cars, these Pixar / Disney car sets are incredibly expensive at $7.99 and I've been unable to find the same sets on Amazon.

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Music

So, Wednesday night, church night in Texas. 

I'm watching The Who -- Tommy documentary for the first time -- Amazon Prime Video.

First question, when?

Over at another ad-free, subscription-free, password-free blog, I argue that 1969 was the best year ever for music. Period. Dot. I was reminded of that when I ran across yet another 1969 song that I had not posted (as far as I can remember) on that post of 1969 songs.

From that post:

The top 100 songs of 1969.

There was an 18-month-period, from late 1968 through mid-1970 that clearly had some of the best music ever.  This was the year of Woodstock. The Beatles were still going strong, but touring less, and would soon stop completely.  Led Zeppelin's first two albums, Zeppelin I and Zeppelin II, were released in 1969. The era of "free love" and the uncertainties of the Vietnam War probably contributed to some of this really incredible music.

Speaking of the Vietnam war, I turned 18 in 1969. My lottery draft was July 1, 1970; my lottery number was 103. The highest lottery number called for this group was 125; all men assigned that lottery number or any lower number, and who were classified as available for military service, were called to report for possible induction. I would have been deferred by virtue of being enrolled in college. I was worried that I would be called up before I graduated from college. I was convinced, but wrong, that the war would still be going on when I graduated from college.

So, Tommy, from wiki:

Tommy is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Who, a double album first released on 17 May 1969. The album was mostly composed by guitarist Pete Townshend, and is a rock opera that tells the story of Tommy Walker.

Tommy is traumatized from witnessing his father murder his mother's lover. Tommy's parents compound his trauma by denying the experience. In reaction, Tommy becomes dissociative ("deaf, dumb and blind"). Tommy then experiences the trauma of being sexually abused. As a way of coping with his trauma, Tommy dissociates further through playing pinball. He gains a following because of his skill at playing pinball. After numerous misguided attempts to heal Tommy, a doctor prescribes him a mirror so he can confront himself and his experience. Instead, Tommy becomes self-absorbed and comes to think of himself as a messianic figure. When the mirror is eventually broken, Tommy comes out of his dissociative state. Tommy then tries to lead his followers to believe that the only path to healing is through him. His followers eventually reject him and his teachings.

Townshend came up with the concept of Tommy after being introduced to the work of Meher Baba, and attempted to translate Baba's teachings into music. Recording on the album began in September 1968, but took six months to complete as material needed to be arranged and re-recorded in the studio.

Tommy was acclaimed upon its release by critics, who hailed it as The Who's breakthrough.

1969.