Non-partisan notes (for a change)

First of all, I just finished up jury service for this week for the Superior Court at Torrance. A service which involved basically nothing at all. I called in 4 times to their number to hear that I was not needed on the following day. Today I heard on the message that my service had ended. I never once had to show up, I just had to do phone registration and the daily-checkins, and now to mail off the jury summons notice. There are a lot of ways the courts and other government functions are extremely non-functional, but I was very impressed by this. Of course my positive opinion is doubtlessly heavily influenced by the fact that I was not called on to serve or even show up in person.
Second of all, it looks like a replacement has been hired for the teaching position I left this year! That means that the threat of me being cajoled back is pretty much gone. The guy seems able, and is without a doubt more qualified on paper than I ever was. He has also dealt with jr. high students, which shows he probably will be able to handle high schoolers quite well. I intend to try to help in whatever ways I can, but regardless I think he will do fine, and again, this means I'm officially no longer a teacher. (and the youth of America collectively sighs a well deserved sigh of relief!)
Third of all, given the title of the blog, I should be talking more about the Beatles, or at least music, but there's just not much on the horizon. There's a rumored box set of early Capitol (!?!) Beatles albums coming out this year, but not much on the Beatles front right now. There's Brian Wilson's Smile re-recording coming out next month, and Leonard Cohen's new album is also out next month. (I will pick up the latter for my father as a present) Supposedly a new U2 album is out this year, and I've read rumblings about potential Beck and R.E.M. albums. And wasn't the Who, or what remains of them, supposed to release a new studio album?
I know Paul McCartney has also been recording lately, and if he continues the level of quality of his last few albums, he'll have his 4th great solo album in a row. Yes, for those who have largely ignored Paul McCartney's solo career, some how in the mid 1990s through his last album, he's been in a renaissance of sorts, releasing one terrific album after another. (which unfortunately few have heard of much less own) If you want to hear some great latter day Beatle member music, take a listen to his trio of Flaming Pie, Run Devil Run, and his latest, Driving Rain. (I'd also suggest George Harrison's magnificent posthumous release, Brainwashed)

What is the point of this? None really, except to delay me from finishing some code.