Marty Balin, R.I.P.

Marty Balin, a founding member of The Jefferson Airplane and the voice who defined the sound of its successor The Jefferson Starship, died on Thursday at the age of 76.

The cause of death is unknown, but Balin's health declined in 2016 following open heart surgery and complications which resulted in him suing Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City for medical malpractice. I found this quite disturbing given my Dad's life saving experience with the same institution nearly four years ago.

Balin would establish The Jefferson Airplane in 1965 out of a club he co-owned in San Francisco called The Matrix along with Paul Kantner, Signe Toly Anderson, Jorma Kaukonen, Jerry Peloquin and Bob Harvey. Anderson would be soon succeeded by Grace Slick. She and Kantner would be the best known members of the Airplane although Balin is probably best remembered for his lead vocal on "Volunteers" during their set at Woodstock. Balin would have a far less pleasant experience at Altamont only months later when he was knocked out by a member of the Hell's Angels gang. Shaken up by the death of Janis Joplin, Balin would leave the Airplane late in 1970 and retreated from music for a time.

Balin would reconnect with his musical comrades in 1974 when Kantner invited him to sing lead vocal on a song called "Caroline" which appeared on Dragon Fly which was the debut album for The Jefferson Starship. He would soon become a full fledged member and would reach his creative peak the following year with the band's second album Red Octopus which featured the group's biggest hit "Miracles" which Balin wrote and sang lead vocal. The Jefferson Starship would later score hits with "With Your Love" and "Count on Me" which appeared on Spitfire and Earth released in 1976 and 1978, respectively before he departed the band.

In 1981, Balin would release his debut solo album Balin which featured the Top 10 hit "Hearts". Later in the decade, he would collaborate with Kantner and Jack Casady in the KBC Band. The last three decades of his career were spent recording 10 more solo albums and occasional reunions with The Jefferson Starship.

One of my everlasting regrets was missing his performance at the Hatch Shell on The Esplanade in Boston in June 2008. He was opening for America and somehow I got there just as his performance ended. The crowd was raving about his performance. Evidently someone saw fit to release this performance on DVD. I must see it one of these days.

The best I can do for now is leave you with Miracles. R.I.P.

Why Republican Senators Won't Delay The Kavanaugh Vote & Other Cynical Notes UPDATE

I did the best I could to avoid the whole Kavanaugh-Blasey Ford spectacle precisely because I knew it would be a spectacle which would make Clarence Thomas & Anita Hill look like a Sunday school picnic. Then again I can't stay off Twitter. It's a character flaw.

As I stated earlier in the month, only Kavanaugh, Blaney Ford and the third person (Mark Judge) truly know what happened. Although the fact Judge wouldn't testify and Republicans didn't want him to testify doesn't do Kavanaugh any favors and it showed.

Four Republican Governors including Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Larry Hogan of Maryland, Phil Scott of Vermont and John Kasich of Ohio have called for a delay in the vote to confirm Kavanaugh until the FBI can investigate the accusations against him. The American Bar Association, which had previously given Kavanaugh its highest recommendation, has followed suit.

But they are not Republican Senators. Honestly, if it were shown that Kavanaugh was a serial rapist and murderer like Ted Bundy, I think they would confirm him to the court. Getting another conservative on the Supreme Court means more than life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness itself for the GOP. Besides there is no guarantee Republicans will control the Senate following mid-terms. If Ted Cruz is in trouble in Texas then no Republican is safe.

Of course, I harbor no illusions about Democrats. Dianne Feinstein nor any other Democrat has any use for Karen Monahan concerning her domestic abuse allegations against Congressman and DNC Deputy Chair Keith Ellison who is currently running for Attorney General in Minnesota. Only 5% of Democrats in Minnesota believe Monahan's allegation. As the Church Lady would say, "Well, isn't that convenient?" Sure, Ellison called upon the House Ethics Committee to investigate the accusations. But he's retiring and Democrats will take charge in the new year. Again, convenience with plenty of decorations to the window.

It's all very depressing. Why would any honest person want to enter a life of public service? I suppose that's why it gets left to the dishonest people. As my former roommate Christopher told me yesterday, "The truth of the matter left the room without anyone noticing." To which I replied, "The truth of the matter didn't leave the room. It never entered it in the first place."

UPDATE: Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake agreed to confirm Kavanaugh, but only if the FBI investigated the sexual misconduct allegations against him. President Trump agreed to the investigation which will conclude in a week's time. No doubt Flake made the demand after being confronted in the Senate elevator by two sexual assault victims this morning.

I suspect this will only delay matters. I doubt the FBI will uncover much, Kavanaugh will be confirmed and Democrats and Republicans alike will hate Jeff Flake.

Astros Clinch Back to Back AL West Titles; A's Get 2nd AL Wild Card Berth

The Houston Astros were able to clinch back to back AL West titles with both a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays along with the Oakland A's losing 10-8 in 11 innings to the Seattle Mariners. Notwithstanding the loss, the A's secured the second AL Wild Card berth and will play the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card game one week from today. Where it is to be played will depend on which team has the better record. As of right now the game would be played here in NYC. It is the A's first post-season appearance since 2014.

No one is surprised the Astros won the division. After April 20th, the Astros were never more than a game out of first and had at least a share of the lead after June 13th. But everyone was surprised with the A's. Most pundits expected the Astros to be challenged by the Angels. Then the Mariners showed life in May and early June. On June 15th, the A's were 34-36 and 11.5 games back of the Astros. They have gone 61-27 since and briefly tied the Astros for first place in mid-August.

If given the choice I think the Boston Red Sox would much prefer to play the Yankees than the A's in the ALDS. The A's beat the Sox 4 out of 6 games this season and this was before they got hot in mid-June. Meanwhile, the Astros will play the Cleveland Indians in the other ALDS. Most are going to favor the defending World Series champions. And why not? They've earned back to back 100 win seasons. To put this into perspective, the Red Sox who have won a franchise record 106 games and counting haven't had a 100 win season since 1946. Nevertheless, the Astros won't be taking Cleveland lightly and neither should we even if they are only marginally better than the Tampa Bay Rays.

While the AL playoff picture is clear (save for the site of the Wild Card game), the same cannot be said for the NL. Aside from the Atlanta Braves clinching the NL East last weekend, everything else is up in the air. The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers have a half game lead in the NL Central and NL West over the Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies, respectively. If play ended today the Brewers and Rockies would be in the NL Wild Card game. But those standings could easily reverse by this evening. The St. Louis Cardinals are only a half game out of a NL Wild Card berth. This might not be settled until Sunday and even then that might not be enough.

Yankees Earn 3rd AL Wild Card Berth in 4 Years

The New York Yankees defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 in 11 innings on a walk off double by Aaron Hicks to clinch the team's 3rd AL Wild Card berth in four seasons.

The Yankees will most likely play the Oakland A's in the AL Wild Card game. If things remain as they are the game would be played in the Bronx. Should the Yankees prevail then they would most likely play the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS.

Despite inconsistent staring pitching and injuries to Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorius plus a disappointing first season in pinstripes from Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees persevered with the emergence of youngsters Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres, the acquisition of Luke Voit from the St. Louis Cardinals plus a deep bullpen during Aaron Boone's inaugural season as manager.

The Yankees have been very good this season, but being 10 games back of the Red Sox in the AL East they have much to prove in October.

Braves Clinch 1st NL East Title Since 2013

The Atlanta Braves defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 to clinch their first NL East title since 2013.   Overall, it is their 14th NL East title.

Most pundits presumed the Washington Nationals would run away with the division, but instead the NL East turned into a two team race between the Braves and Phillies. The Braves climbed into first place at the beginning of May, but would relinquish top spot to the Phillies shortly before the All-Star Break. The Braves would reclaim the lead for good on August 13th. Brian Snitker will get more than a few votes for NL Manager of the Year.

The Braves largely won on the back of 20-year old outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. and 21-year old second baseman Ozzie Albies. Johan Camargo opened eyes with his play at third base. Nick Markakis had a resurgent season while Freddie Freeman was his usual Steady Freddie.

Their pitching won't intimidate anyone, but there is a serviceable rotation with Mike Foltynewicz, Sean Newcomb, Anibal Sanchez, Julio Teheran as well as Kevin Gausman who has been outstanding since being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles. A.J. Minter took over the closer role mid-season after Arodys Vizcaino went on the DL with a shoulder injury. Having two quality closers during the post-season could be of help to the Braves in the post-season.

The Braves will most likely face the winner of the NL West in the NLDS. As of right now that would be the Los Angeles Dodgers who have 1.5 game lead over the Colorado Rockies. No doubt the defending NL champions would be heavily favored in that contest, but it would be a mistake for pundits to write off the Braves in the post-season as they did during the regular season.

Bye Bye Boston; New York New Home

After nearly 18 and a half years in Boston, I have bid the Hub farewell and New York is my new home.

The events which have led me to the Big Apple began in July 2017 when I abruptly lost my job as a federal contractor working with HHS as a paralegal. Seeking a new opportunity as a paralegal I spent 8 months looking for work. In all, I applied for 435 jobs and had 33 job interviews before ending up back to my old line of work as a Records Clerk at a law firm on behalf of yet another contractor.

The work wasn't bad at all. I had my own space and mostly left alone. My boss and I had a very good rapport with baseball being our common language. Unfortunately, my housing situation did not go as planned. My roommate of nearly a decade decided to move to Providence. I spent much of the summer trying to find a successor. More than a dozen people looked the apartment. There was a couple who were interested, but then wavered. Then came an older gentleman who was eager to move in and then 24 hours later told me he could not make a commitment.

By this stage, I did not think I was going to find a new roommate. And even if I had I was at the mercy of a complete stranger or strangers. When Christopher and I joined forces we had already known each other for more than six years. Such a luxury would be unavailable to me this time around.

There was also the reality of the Boston housing market. When we moved into our two bedroom apartment in 2008 the rent was $1150. It is now $1875. A bulk of that increase has come in the past five years. Within a year or two, I would have been priced out of the market.

I also saw that the company was advertising a similar position in New York. So I called my boss to see if the position was available and arrangements were made. I start my new position at a law firm in the Chrysler Building on October 1st.

That gave me all of three weeks to clear out an apartment I have lived in longer continuously than I have lived anywhere else in my life. It was a very difficult, exhausting process. Fortunately, I received critical help from a former co-worker as well as my neighbors across the hall (along with their cat) and some neighbors down the street. So I wasn't entirely alone.

My neighbors' cat is sad to see me go. I shared a back deck with my neighbors and the cat would come to my window and meow in an agonized manner. One of them told me she had never heard him meow like that before. He knew I was leaving. In many ways, cats pick up on things far quicker than people and often feel them more acutely. It's too bad the cat couldn't pay rent. Manny would have been a great roommate.

So I now find myself living with my Dad. This is the first time I've lived with either of my parents in 27 years. It is a weird sensation. I have visited Dad many times, but this time I'm not going back to Boston.

Honestly, I don't know when I'll be back. The past year or so has been one swift kick in the ass after the other. Despite good people here and there, on the whole, Boston was getting me down. It is not a friendly place. There's an aloofness which precludes kindness and warmth and I have not been immune to its effects. As time has passed, I have become more uncomfortable around people and generally more anxious being out and about. In recent years, the St. Patrick's Day Parade and going to Fenway Park. When I attempted to go to Walden Pond on Labor Day, the commuter train broke down and I decided to get out while I could and get back on the T and go home. Boston is not without good memories. But I will need time and space to better appreciate those memories.

I know there are others who have experienced far worse than what I've gone through. I haven't had my home destroyed by a hurricane or a gas explosion. And there are a far less worse landing spots than the Upper West Side. Some people have nowhere to go.

There will be a period of adjustment. I'll need time to establish a new routine and get used to my new job. While I will spend time with Dad and his friends I shall need to find friends of my own. None of this comes easy to me. But what is easy?

I might be the only person to ever move to NYC to save money. However, the savings might take awhile to realize. Unfortunately, our landlord didn't accept our terms of surrender. So we are still obligated to pay rent until the landlord re-rents the unit. Lord knows how long that will take. I spoke with an attorney earlier in the week to see if there was any relief available to Christopher and I. Alas we are at the mercy of landlords and realtors.

On a lighter note there is baseball. I shall root for the Red Sox for the duration of 2018 even if it means missing a World Series parade. Well, I've been to three of them. But starting in 2019 I shall follow the New York Mets. Pulling for the Yankees is a bridge too far and the wound of Bill Buckner and Game 6 of the 1986 World Series is long since healed. Fittingly, my last game at Fenway took place last Sunday (on my birthday) between the Red Sox and Mets. While the Mets have had a bad season you wouldn't know it by the number of Mets fans in attendance. I'd say a good 40% of the crowd were Mets fans. When the Mets tied the game there was a sizable "Let's Go Mets!!!" chant. After a back and forth of "Let's Go Red Sox!!!" and "Let's Go Mets!!!" there was a pause. Red Sox and Mets fans chanted in unison, "Yankees Suck!!!" The transition from Red Sox to Mets might be the most seamless part of my move.

A new chapter has now begun. I don't know if this chapter will go as long as Boston but I shall have my share of New York Stories before this chapter closes. Hopefully most of these stories will be happy ones.

Red Sox Clinch 3rd Straight AL East Title On My Last Night in Boston

The Boston Red Sox have clinched their third consecutive AL East title with an 11-6 victory over the New York Yankees. While the Sox would have preferred to clinch at home as they did last year (I was there to see it in person) there is always a satisfaction in beating the Bronx Bombers at Yankee Stadium.

Home runs by Brock Holt, Jackie Bradley, Jr. & Mookie Betts (who belted his 30th of the year) contrubuted to the Sox's 104th victory of the season. It is the most the Red Sox have won since 1946 & are one victory away from tying their franchise record 105th victory set back in 1912. To put it in perspective, the Red Sox already have 11 more victories than they did a year ago with 9 games remaining in the regular season.

It has been a remarkable season for first year manager Alex Cora. Of course, it will be quickly forgotten if they fail to get past the ALDS for the third straight year especially if they fall to the Yankees. But for the moment there is a chance for the 2018 Boston Red Sox to be the greatest Red Sox team ever.

Should they go all the way I shall not be attending my fourth World Series parade. You see this is my last night in Boston. I won't go into the details now. But I am moving to....New York City.

Rest assured if there's Red Sox vs. Yankees ALDS I will be rooting for Boston. Rooting for the Yankees would be a bridge too far. But in 2019 I will be rooting for the New York Mets. Fittingly my last game at Fenway was on Sunday (my birthday) as the Sox hosted the Mets. There was a large contingent of Mets fans. I'd say about 40%. When the Mets tied the game late there was a large "Let's Go Mets!!!" chant. After a minute of "Let's Go Red Sox!!!" & "Let's Go Mets!!!" there was a pause. Red Sox & Mets fans chanted in unison "Yankees Suck!!!" So becoming a Mets fan won't be such a stretch.

But that will be next year. This year I will see the Red Sox through even if Boston will no longer be my home.