It’s the middle of June and here in the Valley of the Sun we’re in the hottest streak of the year thus far - temps above 110 and an intense, merciless sun. Back home in New England, these would be the days to celebrate, as the days are the longest of the year. I always found it difficult to understand how, just as you’re starting to ease in summer, it wouldn’t be long before the days start getting shorter. Oh sure, you don’t notice it at first, and you go through plenty of summer before you even start noticing the difference, but it still is amazing to think that we’re at the longest days of the year and there’s still so much heat to go.

Unless you live out here it’s hard to convey to people just what it’s like when the temperatures get this hot. All I can equate it to is those times in the middle of a New England winter when you get that streak of frigid, below-zero days and everyone stays indoors. It’s kind of the same thing here, except the reason why no one goes out is because it’s so freakin’ hot. It still amazes me to pass by golf courses in the middle of a bright, sunny summer afternoon and see them green and welcoming, yet empty of golfers.

Of course, this time of year is nice for late-night swims once the temperatures drop back to the ’90s and high ’80s (although when your pool temperature is 90 or more, while you can’t exactly call it refreshing, you can call it wet!).

Hard to believe we’re still a good month away from our monsoon season where it’s not only as hot as it is now, but you get that little rise in the humidity that really makes it oppressive and uncomfortable. People don’t live in this part of Arizona for the summers, that’s for sure.

Nevertheless for the folks in the more northern climes, these are the days to celebrate - the longest days of the year.

It’s summertime, dude. Another Friday after another long, hard work week. It doesn’t matter what line of work you’re in, how old you are, or what your actual plans are for the weekend. Somewhere in the back of your mind the teenager in you longs for simpler times, when life was all about having the coolest car, or cruisin’ the beach to check out the scene, or hoping that that girl (or guy) in your tenth grade History class would someday succumb to your charms - if only you were given the chance or had the nerve to ask her (or him) out. No matter, you’re cruising in your car, the radio or CD player is cranked, the wind is blowing through your hair, and even that idiot that just cut you off is gonna be cut some slack because the weather is too fine, the air is too clean, and you’re goin’ to the beach and feeling free of every constraint life can throw at you.

To me, that’s what surf music is all about - freedom, the celebration of God’s creation, and sun, sand, surf, and chicks. Is there any better (or healthier) exposition of the American Dream for a teenager’s mind? Never mind that it’s all (and always was) just a pipe dream. But it oughta be OK to dream - after all, life’s gotta be more than just working your ass off and paying the bills, right? And to me there’s no greater song that exemplifies this surfer dream world than Jan & Dean’s “Surf City” - written by The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson. no less!

Two girls for every boy!

I bought a ‘30 Ford wagon and we call it a woodie (Surf City, here we come)
You know it’s not very cherry, it’s an oldie but a goodie (Surf City, here we come)
Well, it ain’t got a back set or a rear window
But it still gets me where I wanna go

And we’re goin’ to Surf City, ’cause it’s two to one
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, ’cause it’s two to one
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy…

You know they never roll the streets up ’cause there’s always somethin’ goin’ (Surf City, here we come)
You know they’re either out surfin’ or they got a party growin’ (Surf City, here we come)
Yeah, and there’s two swingin’ honeys for every guy
And all you gotta do is just wink your eye

And we’re goin’ to Surf City, ’cause it’s two to one
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, ’cause it’s two to one
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy…

And if my woody breaks down on me somewhere on the surf route (Surf City, here we come)
I’ll strap my board to my back and hitch a ride in my wetsuit (Surf City, here we come)
And when I get to Surf City I’ll be shootin’ the curl
And checkin’ out the parties for a surfer girl

And we’re goin’ to Surf City, ’cause it’s two to one
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, ’cause it’s two to one
You know we’re goin’ to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy!

Call me outdated. Call me a relic. Call me washed up. Hell, you can even call me a dreamer. But I’ll tell you this - I wouldn’t trade the Southern California Pastoral as promoted by the surf bands of the early ’60s and Brian Wilson - no matter how much of an idealized figment of a teenager’s imagination it might have been - for anything in the world. In the angry and cynical times we live in, everyone oughta have a fantasy they can conjure up as a harmless means of escapism. In that way, everyone needs a “Surf City” - even if it only lives within the confines of one’s imagination or audio system.

Don’t worry dude, it’s OK to fantasize. The music will always be there, calling you back to Surf City, where there’s two girls for every boy (or vice versa!).

BTW, here’s a very cool website. No matter where you are, it’s always nice to know the surf is rolling in somewhere.

And this is a cool site too. I may not agree with Domenic Priore’s politics, but I sure like where his heart is.

Love the headline - Red Sox slugger David “Big Papi” Ortiz becomes a U.S. citizen:

“My whole family, kids, and everyone have been born here,” Ortiz said. “It’s a great country, proud to be here, now proud to be a part of it.”

Ortiz’s wife, Tiffany, added: “It’s a big deal for him. It’s really important and I’m really proud of him.”

A great story, and a great picture. I especially like the shades - a VERY nice touch…

Imagine that - someone actually proud to become a citizen of this country! The privileged, perpetual hand-wringers and doom-and-gloomers in the mainstream dino-media could never understand the motivation and the passion behind Ortiz’s sentiments.

How can one not love stories like this? No matter whether they’re famous or not, rich or poor, it’s always great to have people come aboard who appreciate everything America stands for. As a country we may not be perfect - but nothing is. Nevertheless, we’re certainly a hell of a lot better than any other place on earth, I’ll tell you that.

Just don’t tell that to the Progressive Left.

Compare Big Papi’s sentiments to those from ignorant, unpatriotic leftist nitwits like actress Susan Sarandon. And what does this oh-so-sophisticated, know-it-all Hollywood limousine liberal elitist have to say?

…”If McCain gets in, it’s going to be very, very dangerous,” she says.

“It’s a critical time, but I have faith in the American people. If they prove me wrong, I’ll be checking out a move to Italy. Maybe Canada, I don’t know. We’re at an abyss.”

We’re at an abyss. Wow, what a profound nugget of wisdom! And such a positive message! Well, with all due respect to Ms. Sarandon (and actually there’s nothing about her I respect) and those like her, I think Italy or Canada would look great on you. So just do us all a favor and don’t let the door hit you from behind as you leave.

But enough of Sarandon and her ilk. Congratulations to David Ortiz and all those who with him took the Oath of Citizenship yesterday - welcome to the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Wondering on a day where it was as hot back home as it was here in the Valley of the Sun:

1. If USA Today editorializes for it, is there any rational person out there left who truly believes that exploring for more oil in the Arctic isn’t worth a try - at least on a limited basis?

2. Is it just me, or has this been a VERY weird past year for weather?

3. Do people really need to be told it’s not a wise thing to exit your car while it is still moving?

4. Does anyone really think the answer to higher oil prices is to tax the profits of oil companies?

5. Is there a better song that captures the freewheeling spirit of surf music and the surfing culture in general than Jan & Dean’s “Surf City”?

6. Is there any performance-enhancement drug Roger Clemens didn’t take?

7. Does blaming the jockey rather than the horse prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Big Brown’s trainer Kent Dutrow is the biggest buffoon in the horse-racing industry?

8. Is there a more exciting position player in the American League right now than speedy Red Sox centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury?

9. Isn’t it about time openly-gay Episcopal Church bishop the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson’s lover made an honest man out of him?

10. Does the Marietta, GA City Council know something about responding to our country’s long-term energy needs that our elected representatives in Washington don’t?

Note: The following press release from Kittyhawk Productions national headquarters went out late yesterday:

NEWS RELEASE: KITTYHAWK PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCES JERRY PALMA SIGNING, “JP’S BIG SHOW” NOW ACCEPTING IMMEDIATE BOOKINGS

Oceanside, CA - June 9, 2008 - Kittyhawk Productions (NYSE KHPR) announced today that it has reached a tentative agreement on a multi-year contract with former Top Priority keyboardist Jerry “Keys” Palma to re-join Kittyhawk Productions’ roster of artists and, in turn, help promote the launch of “JP’s Big Show” - Palma’s one-man show featuring music from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Employing the latest technology to its fullest use, “JP’s Big Show” features Palma on keyboards and guitar with percussion and bass to create a full and exciting sound perfect for parties, social gatherings, and club settings.

“I am very excited to rejoin Kittyhawk Productions as an artist to market and showcase this new venture”, said Palma to a crowded lounge of reporters. “Being back with Kittyhawk Productions brings my musical career full circle and provides an outlet for me to showcase my own musical heritage. My thanks to Mr. Cugini and his staff for helping make this agreement possible.”

Victor N. Cugini, Kittyhawk Productions Executive Director and Producer, echoed Palma’s comments, saying, “We at Kittyhawk Productions are pleased to once again be able to call ‘Keys’ Palma a part of the KP family. We see ‘Keys’ as a unique, dynamic, and multi-talented artist with the unique ability to connect to people of all ages through his impressive musical talent. Simply put, dude can play.”

Palma mentioned that he already has several bookings for “JP’s Big Show” and is thrilled at the propect of performing popular music on stage once again. Asked repeatedly if any Top Priority songs would be included in his repertoire, Palma would only smile and say, “we’ll see.” He also refused to any any questions about the possibility of a Top Priority reunion in the near or distant future, saying, “at the present time my only energies are directed towards making “JP’s Big Show” a huge success, not just for me but for Kittyhawk Productions.”

(If you live in the metropolitan Boston or southern New Hampshire area and are interested in booking “JP’s Big Show” for your club, special event, or social gathering please leave a comment at this post. Full contact information will soon be made available at the Kittyhawk Productions official website.)

Earlier this year it was Hawaiian music, but lately I’ve been totally into surf music and retro surf culture. (Must be because my inner clock tells me it’s summer even though the weather here has been summer-like for the better part of two months now.)

So, I’ve got “The Endless Summer” on DVD close at hand, a genuine movie poster (signed by principal surfers Mike Hynson and Robert August, no less!) at the framers being prepared for hanging in my office, and surf music on the tray. Because there’s so much of it around I’ve been able to combine what I already have and what I wanted courtesy of Napster and have turned out a pretty gnarly (in surfer lingo) collection of music culled from various surfing hits compilations, some early Beach Boys tunes, Dick Dale and The Deltones, The Sandals (I highly recommend their “The Spirit of Surf” CD), “The Endless Summer” soundtrack, “Surf Route 101″ by Gary Usher and The Super Stocks, and, for a modern surf touch, a CD called “Supertones Surf/Modern Surf Band Spotlight”. Truly boss stuff.

I was a relative late-comer to the surf music genre, by means of discovering The Beach Boys in their post-surf music era and then gradually working my way backwards. It’s kind of hard to stay or be in any kind of a bad mood when surf music is nearby. Perhaps it’s because the music hearkens back to a simpler era, perhaps it’s the whole nautical imagery it conjures up. Either way, whether it be a frantic rave-up of echo-y reverb-leaden guitars before a driving beat or the more melancholy instrumentals, or the sweet, smooth vocals of the early Beach Boys, there’s something about surf music that touches my soul deeply and makes me feel good.

And after all, that’s supposed to be what music is all about, isn’t it?

Got this in an e-mail from a friend today. Now THIS is what I would call a valuable (and timely) golf lesson:

“A guy got hit by lightning Monday morning on a golf course in Madison. I’m attaching pictures of what was left of his pull cart and golf bag. Read the report, then take a look at the pictures! I have been a police officer for 18 years and have seen a lot of gruesome and disturbing scenes. This one was different because it hits close to home and most of us have been in this situation.

This 75-year-old golfer was golfing with three other retired guys in a regular weekly tee time and the weather forecast had never even predicted rain the night before. They teed off and got around to the back nine when it started to rain …then a little lightning way off in the distance so they headed in and waited under a tree half way in when the rain became very heavy. Three of them then continued in but one guy decided to wait it out under a 50′ pine with an overhang of 10′ standing next to his bag.

A lightning bolt minutes later struck his bag and pull cart as he was holding onto one of his clubs, killing him instantly. The old man was literally cooked. Most of the items in his bag simply disintegrated from the heat and intense initial zap - including the labels to his Ping irons and Cleveland woods, which popped off. The electricity actually burned holes into the bottoms of the clubs.

* In this photo, a look at what was left of his pull cart and equipment. On the top is what was left of his driver.

* In this photo, a closer look at what was left of the destruction.

* In this photo, the little brown clumps you see are what used to be golf balls.

The strange thing is the tree under which he was standing had no sign of a lightning strike. The bolt literally went sideways under the tree to the golf clubs.

LESSONS: If you are caught out on the course or water distance yourself from anything metal OR graphite. (Did you know that lightning rods are often made of graphite?) And keep your pull cart at least 50′ away from you! Please pass this along to your golfing buddies.

Pretty amazing stuff, huh? Consider this a public service message from Goodboys Nation weblog.

Some random thoughts on Barack Obama finally wrapping up the Democratic nomination for President and the news that Hillary Clinton plans to concede to Obama on Friday.

1. Eight months ago, the idea of headlines like these would have been virtually unthinkable. While people were doing their Christmas shopping, Hillary Clinton was not just the presumptive nominee for the Democratic nomination, she was the inevitable presumptive nominee - i.e., no other candidate need apply. Hell, you can bet she already had a team working on measuring the drapes for the White House and planning her coronation. And what a coronation it was gonna be! After all, the way she had it figured out, her election wasn’t going to be just vindication for her, but vindication for the Feminist Movement of the ’60s and the agenda-driven politics of privileged women everywhere who attended uber-liberal colleges like Smith, Simmons, and Amherst who bought into the whole radical feminist worldview. And now to have lost the nomination after running such a crummy campaign, there is a bitter pill to be swallowed by feminists everywhere.

2. In that regard, I don’t think you can disregard the anger and resentment many feminists will ultimately reserve for Hillary because of the way she ran her campaign. How is it, they will ask, that such a strong and confident woman figure chose not to run as one? Were The Great White Shank her campaign manager, that’s what I would have done, exploiting the strengths of her feminist agenda to enable her run to the left domestically and to the center internationally as a way to truly distinguish herself from her other political opponents. To me it would have been a no-brainer, not only would her campaign be an inspiration to women in this country, but around the world where - especially in Islamic countries - women are treated as second-class citizens. What a powerful and hopeful message she could have pushed! But what did she do? At the first sign of trouble she hides behind the same cheating scumbug who treated her like crap while he was in the White House, then she sheds tears and complains about the boys beating up on her as a way to show her - ahem - vulnerability and feminine side to voters. Then she gets caught lying about coming under fire during a trip as First Lady to Bosnia - reminding voters everywhere the problems the Clintons always seemed to have with the truth - and it was she was toast. The strong, confident feminist revealed herself to be a shell of her husband as a politician.

3. I think Rich Lowry of NRO’s Corner blog is right - Obama’s camp has every right to give themselves a big pat on the back fo rwhat they’ve been able to accomplish:

…this is a historic moment. That an African-American has a better than even chance to be the next president of the United States is an amazing thing—and heartening about this country’s capacity for progress. Also, on a more mundane level, Obama out-campaigned, out-fundraised, out-strategized, out-classed, and—yes—out-spun the Clintons. What a campaign. He and his team should be very proud.

I would also add that Obama’s camp out-hustled the Clinton campaign at every stop in the process, knocking her off-stride by their Iowa victory and keeping her and her campaign off-stride from that moment, to the point where Hillary was increasingly painted as yesterday’s news - not an easy task when you consider “yesterday’s news” spent two terms in the White House as part of the Democrats last “golden era”.

4. Where does Obama go from here? Personally, I think he’s going to have a difficult time - just as Hillary would have - for, as Mitt Romney’s failed campaign showed, this country still has a long way to go to overcome its inherent racism, sexism, and religious bigotries. Maybe I’ll be proven wrong, but I just think there will be large sections of the population that will not - at least for now - vote for an African-American. And I think you’ll see that in states with large blue-collar voting blocs like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, where so-called “Reagan Democrats” will vote for John McCain. In that regard, Democrats may, in fact, be selecting the only nominee who could lose in November and Republicans the only candidate who could win. And that would be a very strange thing indeed.

5. If Obama is smart, there’s no way he picks Hillary to be his VP. Not only would she and the Clinton mafia work behind the scenes to destroy him at every chance they could, it would also hurt Obama’s reformist message. After all, how can someone be a true agent for change if both you and your running mate are the epitome of Washington insiders? Choosing Hillary would also paint Obama as a politician who can be pushed around by the Democratic establishment and the special interests. Finally, it would open the door for McCain to choose a running mate who isn’t a Washington insider (Mitt Romney?) and could blast away at Obama’s seeming hypocrisy as an agent of change.

Nice win by the Red Sox tonight - not only because they start their month-long stretch without Big Papi, but because young ‘un Justin Masterson pitched well again and - lo and behold! - Craig Hansen came in to pick up Javier Lopez and do a real nice job with the game on the line in a pressure-packed, 8th inning hold. Good for Hansen, whom I’ve been rooting for since day one. If he can pitch well, that will take a lot of pressure off of Terry Francona to keep running Hideki Okajima and Mike Timlin - both of whom have struggled mightily this year - out of the bullpen night after night.

What really makes tonight’s win especially nice is to see that pudgy, over-hyped media sensation Joba Chamberlain suck wind in his first start this season for the New York Yankees. It’s when things like this happen that I have to admit, I find it difficult to decide what I enjoy more - watching the Sox win or watch the Yankees lose badly.

The whole Joba move to the starting ro’ idea puzzles me anyways, but when it comes to the Yankees, their punk manager Joe Girardi and their windbag owner’s son Hank Steinbrenner, I just chalk it up to %$#@!s believing their talent is oh-so-much-better than everyone else’s simply because, well, they’re the Yankees. Most teams would send their pitcher down to the minors to stretch him out in preparation for starting, but not Joba and not the Yankees - they’d much rather blow out their bullpen by limiting their new starter to no more than 60 pitches (!) his first time out. And then not even make it out of the third inning at that.

If you’re a Yankee fan riddle me this - how does LaTroy Hawkins and Kyle Farnsworth sound as your new set-up men for Mariano Rivera? Hmm…I thought so.

Might be time to start measuring just how long it’s been since the Bronx Bombers played in a World Series, let alone win one.

I guess that’s what makes nights like tonight a great one to be a Red Sox fan.

OK, let’s take ‘em one by one.

Put me down as one who dearly misses Tina Cervasio on the NESN Red Sox broadcasts. Where do I start? Oh sure, that smile could reduce you to singing Fleetwood Mac’s “Bleed To Love Her” over and over again. And that oh-so-confident cock of the head (the one she undoubtedly practiced in front of a mirror fifty times to work out the full effect) while giving her spots could reduce a grown man to nonsensical babble. And who could forget that game in Texas last July where, throwing caution to the wind, she cast aside those typical tasteful conservative clothes and went totally rad with that low-cut tanktop - I mean, you could practically hear wives and mothers across New England clicking the cable off lest their husbands or teenage sons get any bright ideas.

No, what I truly miss are those fantastic, probing post-game questions to Sox manager Terry Francona during her “Terry’s Take” segment - ya know, something like, “Terry, (insert pitcher’s name) had eight walks over two innings and gave up twelve runs; your thoughts on his performance…” I mean, sure, her replacement Heidi Watney is OK, but ’scuze me if I say she ain’t Tina. And it’s not just me - Surviving Grady’s Red also had an early flirtation with Heidi, but he too seems to have gotten over it as well.

Come back, Tina. I need you. Boston needs you. We all need you.

…’Specially now that we get word that Hazel Mae is leaving NESN. Will NESN Sports Desk ever be the same?