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  We dropped by for a look at progress on various forms of art littering the sidewalks of the City Market this evening.  Chores and other obligations had made it impossible to make it down for the festivities during normal hours, and the same reasons made visiting the next day improbable. The early evening viewing proved perfect for unhindered access to the art in progress. Everyone had  mostly left for the day.  A few lingered, finishing up their goals.  Judging by the number in progress, there did not appear to be quite as many participants as in years before.  What was on display looked good, although not quite on par with some of the displays witnessed in the past.

On the borderlands of the city, the oddly comforting smell of freshly tilled dirt pushed the more acrid stench of the encroaching urban area into the distant recesses of short-term memory for the evening. Diesel and dust would eventually become the dominant fragrance in the vicinity, occasionally interrupted by distinct aroma of burning alcohol.  A spot midfield, behind the cattle fencing and in front of the announcer booth, offered good fortunate right next to an individual intimately familiar with most of the vehicles and their drivers.  The cheerful character filled us in on expectations and unique rules for the events of the evening, happily answering questions and offering unique insight, mixing it up with a good dose of amicable conversation. High performance internal combustion engines cycling to explosive levels soon relegated all attempts at conversation to the space between each run occurring over the next several hours.  The machinery in play co

Taking our seats on the side of the grandstand of the Platte County Fairgrounds late in the afternoon, we were anxious to kick things off.  The flag would not drop for another two hours though, and the sun would persist in heating things as much it could.  By the time the water truck entered the field, most in our vicinity looked on longingly as it hosed down the dirt, wishing it were them. Power Wheels started the demolition derby, racing around crashing into each other until the bitter end: that is, until their battery died.  50+ Bone Stock series followed immediately after, with an older group of young'uns smashing into one another with much greater enthusiasm. All in this class were beat by a girl, in minivan with a flat tire.  The fiery red head behind the wheel was "Bella," based on the chanting.  She survived all others in this heated contest of grease and steel.  A few more rounds followed this one, though we wandered off on other adventures. The first stop

The annual Freedom Fest on the Lake stood in stark contrast with all prior versions of the event, nearly to the point of being a non-event.  Day time activities were limited to a couple of vendors showcasing products, a bouncy house by the Arkansas National Guard and four or five food vendors overcharging.  Cardboard boat races, which had taken center stage for the last several years, failed to make an appearance due to lack of support. That probably should have been left for the end of the month anyway, rather than trying to combine it with the fourth of July.  Participation had declined significantly since combining it with Freedom Fest. A hot day at the beach on Saturday ended with music from local area talent  Sophie and the New Relics , playing their hearts out to a good crowd gathered on the asphalt, as well as the masses littering the beach and soaking in the lake.  The whole affair culminated with the usual massive display of fireworks li

image borrowed under Creative Commons from  The Concept of “Resource” Traveling down the road this morning, tuned in to "Morning Edition" on the local National Public Radio station KCUR, a brief story unfolded about failing concert ticket sales across the nation.  It seems that just in the last few days The Black Keys and Jennifer Lopez have cancelled tours citing other reasons, in spite of data indicating pre-sales for their concerts were not living up to expectations. It is an interesting little tale that identifies the cause at a high level.  The cost of tickets to some of our favorite shows has become completely unrealistic.  Fans are backing away from the extreme expense of enjoying their favorite artists.  In 2023,  an article in People magazine  marked the average price of concert ticket at $252.  Add to that parking, dinner, drinks, memorabilia, and all t