August rambling: Guinnevere

A David Crosby song from the first CSN album

Maps and Images Show the Devastation in Nepal’s Flooding
What the Measles Betting Market Does Not Measure. Polymarket is currently running a $7.8 million betting option on the number of measles cases in the U.S. in 2026. It runs a detailed analysis of the bets. It does not measure the real impact of those numbers.
Texas became a powerful magnet for American Muslims seeking affordable homes, good schools, and thriving congregations before Islamophobia’s rise there.
Police Chief in Mississippi Regularly Used Racist Slurs, Private Texts  Reveal. Exchanges obtained by reporters show troubling messages sent by the chief of a Mississippi police department facing an uproar over the fatal shooting of a 1-year-old boy in June.
Flock Cameras. Canoodling Lawyers. How Much Surveillance Are We Comfortable With?
States Claim to Invest in “Humane” New Prisons — But Prisons Were Never Humane
A Manhattan-Sized Ice Island Just Broke Off Greenland
Fetal Personhood and Subscriptions: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The biggest home shutout in 141 years
NFL eliminating Pro Bowl Games, but will still name Pro Bowlers
Sartorial observations from the Erie County Fair
Don’t Use This “Random” Password
The regime

The millstone of $40 trillion in national debt is a major contributor to the national affordability crisis. Economists Blame It on GOP Ineptitude and Tax Cuts for the Rich

The Average ACA Marketplace Deductible Grew by About $1,000 Per Person in 2026, With More Enrollees Shifting to Higher-Deductible Plans as Enhanced Tax Credits Expired. Marketplace Enrollment Could Fall to About 17.5 Million in 2026

The Pentagon Fired the Editor and Publisher of Stars and Stripes, which also claimed a Middle East correspondent. They are the Pentagon’s latest effort to diminish the news outlet’s editorial independence.
The regime is planning to remove the name of an aircraft carrier meant to honor a pioneering Black military hero, a report from CNN revealed.  The USS Doris Miller is currently under construction, but Navy leadership is reportedly discussing removing the name and possibly using FOTUS’s name on the ship instead.
Purge of Top Generals Leaves the Army Rudderless. The leadership vacuum comes as the Army is trying to adapt to a new kind of war dominated by deadly drones.
Tacky Superstore closes because the economy sucks for MAGA too
New album by Peter Sprague features Rebecca Jade

Peter Sprague Plays Guinnvere. The title track of the new album features Rebecca Jade, the first niece. Sprague: “In learning to play Guinnevere, I got a closer look into how they came up with such a unique sonic vibe. The main guitar part is played in a special ‘tuning’ that delivers gorgeous chords that aren’t available in standard tuning. I call them ‘magic chords,’ and it happens when most of the strings are not fretted and instead are ringing free. Mix that in with a few fretted notes that rub against the other notes in a good way — cluster chords as they’re known, and the whole sum sparkles in the air.  The Guinnevere recording is available at all of the streaming services, including: Spotify, Apple Music,  PS Online Store, and YouTube Music 

MORE MUSIC

I Do The Rock – Tim Curry. Tim Curry, Star of ‘Rocky Horror’ and Much More, Dies at 80

Johnny Angel – Shelley Fabares. Shelley Fabares, ‘Donna Reed Show’ Actress, Dies at 82. She also starred in Elvis Presley movies and the sitcom “Coach.”

Sharp Dressed Man – ZZ Top.  Frank Beard, Beardless Drummer for ZZ Top, Dies at 77
That’s All I Want From You – Jaye P. Morgan (1954). Mutual Admiration Society – Eddy Arnold & Jaye P. Morgan (a song from 1956 that I actually remember). Jaye P. Morgan, a Jack-Of-All-Trades Entertainer Who Was a Pop and TV Star, Dies at 94.
Favorite Songs By Favorite Artists (Series Four) #10: Camper Van Beethoven
Concerto for Marimba ”The Crossed Sonar of Dolphins” by Takatomi Nobunaga (b. 1971) 
Coverville 1590: The Ben Gibbard Cover Story II and 1591: The Tanya Donelly Cover Story
Japanese Festival Dances by Yasuji Kiyose
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – DEVO
K-Chuck Radio: Rare Pop Music from Western Australia
Until the Last Moment – Yanni, Live At The Acropolis, 25th Anniversary
Stairway To Heaven – Dolly Parton

Sunday Stealing Says Yeah!

rainbow door images

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. Cheers to all of us thieves!

This week’s meme was inspired by F, Yeah Surveys. She admits she does too many of these, but we get it. We do, too. Sunday Stealing Says Yeah!

Yeah. 

SURVEY TIME!

1. What will you remember from August 2026?

The truth is that it was a lot of stress for people I know, not family, but friends, involving housing and health. In fact, two different situations are remarkably similar, and these people don’t even know each other. To say more would be inappropriate. This in turn was a bit stressful for me. On the other hand, my wife and I went to NYC and saw a Broadway musical, which I’ve done fewer than half a dozen times.

2. When will you start your holiday shopping?

I don’t know. But my daughter picked out some items she brought home from South Africa as gifts. I shop when I’m inspired. Often, that’s December 23, when the inspiration is panic, particularly when certain parties are LOUSY hinters. 

3. Where did you meet the person you fell the hardest for?

I’m trying to suss out “fell the hardest for.” Is there a Geiger counter for that? By my reckoning, it could be an unrequited something from decades ago, or maybe a requited one. I could say second grade, or high school, or the first year in college. The definition is too fuzzy for me. 

Friends

Midler, War, John

4. Where did you meet your best friend?

Ah, a concrete question I can answer! I met my two oldest friends in kindergarten, which was a VERY long time ago, and we’re still friends. I saw one earlier this year, and I’ll see the other next month.

5. Share a fact about the last person who texted you.

I’m in a group chat about a situation referred to in Question 1. Without looking, I don’t even know who texted me last, though it’s among four people, because my phone died.  Here’s the truth – I HATE texting. It’s become a necessary evil. So poring over the thread is really tedious.

6. EXTRA! EXTRA! Since June’s DIY meme was such fun, let’s do it again. Please close out this post with a question for your fellow Sunday thieves. Hopefully we’ll have enough responses for a September DIY.

What is your favorite Dolly Parton story? I know mine. 

Oh,  the photos are of the wall just before going up the stairs. The one above is from August 30 at 9:47 a.m.; the one below is from August 20 at 8:30 a.m., both thanks to the rainbow door. I love them both because of their impermanence; they are relaxing to look at. The later shot was gone within an hour, like a sand castle wiped out by the waves.

#1 pop hits of 1986

All three of his #1 hits had exactly eight words (including in the parentheses)

I think I know many of the #1 pop hits of 1986 because I watched MTV regularly at home at the time. I certainly don’t own most of these, but I heard them enough to identify the vast majority of the tracks. And I eventually did buy some greatest hits albums for this new technology called the compact disc: Heart, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Prince, Steve Winwood.

That’s What Friends Are For – Dionne & Friends (Arista), four weeks at #1, gold record. And such friends Ms. Warwick had: Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, and Elton John. Written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. Originally recorded by Rod Stewart in 1982.

Walk Like An Egyptian – The Bangles (Columbia), four weeks at #1, gold record

On My Own -Patti LaBelle/Michael McDonald (MCA), three weeks at #1, gold record

Greatest Love Of All – Whitney Houston (Arista), three weeks at #1, gold record

Stuck With You – Huey Lewis & the News (Chrysalis), three weeks at #1

Rock Me Amadeus – Falco (A&M), three weeks at #1

Kyrie – Mr. Mister  (RCA), two weeks at #1

Kiss – Prince and the Revolution (Paisley Park), two weeks at #1, gold record

Papa Don’t Preach – Madonna (Sire), two weeks at #1, gold record

How Will I Know – Whitney Houston (Arista), two weeks at #1, gold record

Glory Of Love – Peter Cetera (Full Moon), two weeks at #1

When I Think Of You – Janet Jackson (A&M), two weeks at #1, gold record

True Colors – Cyndi Lauper (Portrait), two weeks at #1

Amanda – Boston (MCA), two weeks at #1

One week at #1

The Way It Is – Bruce Hornsby & The Range (RCA)

Human – Human League (A&M/Virgin)

Addicted To Love – Robert Palmer (Island), gold record

They’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) – Billy Ocean (Jive). All three of his #1 hits had exactly eight words (including in the parentheses)

Sledgehammer – Peter Gabriel (Geffen), from an album I did/do own. I have a LOT of Gabriel.

West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys (EMI America)

Take My Breath Away – Berlin (Columbia), gold record. I was flipping through the channels a few months ago and came across Top Gun, a movie that I had never seen before. I watched about a half hour of it, which seemed sufficient.

Sara – Starship (Grunt)

Venus – Bananarama (London); a cover of the Shocking Blue song that hit #1 in 1970

The Next Time I Fall In Love– Peter Cetera with Amy Grant (Full Moon)

You Give Love A Bad Name – Bon Jovi (Mercury)

Holding Back The Years – Simply Red (Elektra). I do have two Simply Red albums.

Higher Love – Steve Winwood (Island)

These Dreams – Heart (Capitol)

Live To Tell – Madonna (Sire)

Invisible Touch – Genesis (Atlantic). I have a couple of Genesis albums, including the one for which this song is the title track.

Charles E. Harris WW II memorabilia

57th Ordnance Ammunition Company

In my Father’s Day post, I noted that the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, part of the New York Public Library, had the Charles E. Harris World War II memorabilia collection, 1944-1971 [bulk 1944-1945]. My father had, I only discovered recently, been part of the all-Black 57th Ordnance Ammunition Company in Germany in 1946.

Moreover, I wrote: ” This means that at some point I need to go to the NYPL to see whether Les Green appears in the documents.” Since my wife and I were going to NYC, my first stop needed to be the NYPL’s main branch. I had a library card, available to any New York State resident, but it had lapsed. (I’ve also been a member of the library, making an annual contribution, for at least a decade.)

I got my renewal even before we checked into the timeshare. Then I registered for the Special Collections account. But I wasn’t sure I’d have a chance to use it because the space in the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division is limited.

Change of plans

My wife and I got our theater tickets in Times Square, but we had over seven hours to spend. We started walking toward a museum. But I needed to sit and rest, so I pulled out my phone and checked messages. I had an appointment at the Schomburg for 11 a,m. Oddly, I received it at 11:25 and didn’t read it until 11:45, but the notice said my spot was good until 5 pm.

Directions on my phone said I could get to the facility on 135th Street via the 1, 2, or 3 train. But the directions lied. The #1  left us at least 20 minutes away (did I mention it was hot and humid?) Ultimately, I found a kind letter carrier who told us we needed to go downtown to 96th Street, then take the #2 or #3 back uptown to 135th. The facility was right across the street.

The Harris collection, as I figured, only covered 1944 and 1945, and didn’t touch on my dad’s service dates. Nevertheless, I found the information in the log he kept to be fascinating. 

Afterward, we got a recommendation for a local restaurant. Unfortunately, it was hotter inside than it was outside. So we got food from a street vendor, found a place to sit in the shade, and then returned to Times Square, where we went to a coffee shop before heading to the theater. 

Goodbye, Dolly Parton

9:25

I’m not surprised that I was sad to hear about the passing of Dolly Parton. (Do I need a series of descriptors for her – singer, actor, philanthropist, et al.? I think not.)  But the melancholy frankly astonished me.

I have only one of her albums. The Grass is Blue, which I bought at a library deaccession sale. It starts with a cover version of Billy Joel’s Travelin’ Prayer. I do have the three Trio albums with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris; the three-part harmony on the chorus of Telling Me Lies always makes me weepy.

Watching a bunch of television coverage reminded me of her grace. My favorite Dolly story involves the song I Will Always Love You. Incidentally, a guy on NBC News said that the song was written in response to someone’s death, which I knew to be untrue.

When The Times included Parton on its 30 Greatest Songwriters list earlier this year, their pop critic Lindsay Zoladz wrote:

“Perhaps the rich emotional range of her vast body of work is best expressed in those two songs she supposedly wrote in a single night. “Jolene” crackles with nervous envy, anxiety and desperation. “I Will Always Love You,” her huge-hearted farewell to her mentor Porter Wagoner, is sung with the omniscient benevolence of a guardian angel. The human and the divine: Dolly Parton is a little bit of both.

In an interview with Dan Rather, she talks about Elvis wanting to record IWALY, which thrilled Dolly. But his manager, Col. Tom Parker, informed her that Elvis would get 50% of the publishing royalties. She was disappointed and declined the offer, but didn’t blame Presley or Parker; she graciously acknowledged that the Colonel was just being a shrewd businessman. Of course, Parton was just as clever.    

Cinema

Little wonder that Jane Fonda saw that Dolly would be perfect for the movie 9 To 5. (The Empire State Building was lit on Tuesday night at 9:25.)  The fact that she memorized everybody’s lines, which may have made her performance stronger, and wrote and recorded the iconic title track, was a bonus. 

She was probably underestimated for a time. The New York notes that “at the time of her death, Parton reportedly had more than 350 wigs and 2,000 pairs of shoes. She embraced rural stereotypes and kitsch to develop a chic all her own. 

Dolly said, “I’ve created this [caricatured public persona] and played it up. But this isn’t all I am. It’s not even most of what I am. Hopefully people can see beneath the hair to know there’s a brain, beneath the boobs to know there’s a heart, and behind all the other stuff to know there’s some talent.”

Definitely, heart. She has a children’s hospital named after her and helped fund the Moderna mRNA COVID vaccine. “She was the first in her family to graduate from high school; years later, her philanthropic organization donated more than 200 million books to children.”

What really caught me was something Heather Delaney Resse wrote: “Dolly Parton died. She was 80 years old, too. And suddenly, I found myself thinking about 80 years in an entirely different way. About how much life that really is. How many choices it holds. How many opportunities we are given to make someone else’s life a little better, or a little worse. And ultimately, how differently two people can choose to spend the time they are given.”

Read the NYT obit and a piece from the Smithsonian. 

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