October 2023 - Page 4 of 7 - Ramblin' with Roger

October rambling: needless scourge

Three Chaplains on PBS

Abandoning the poor by Liz Theoharis. Or confronting the needless scourge of poverty.

Discrimination Has Trapped People of Color in Unhealthy Urban ‘Heat Islands’

The United States has a hate crime problem

Banned Black History Can Teach Us How to Fight Right-Wing School Censorship

Is there a glass ceiling for ethnic minorities to enter leadership positions? Evidence from a field experiment with over 12,000 job applications

The Evisceration of a Public University

Homeschooling: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

The Human Ecology of Overshoot: Why a Major ‘Population Correction’ Is Inevitable

Steve Bannon’s plan backfires: RF Kennedy Jr’s independent bid spells trouble for djt. I had literally two dozen djt-related posts, which I dumped. Look at the Legal Eagle YouTube page; about half of his recent posts address djt’s legal woes. But also read the NYT’s Inside His Backroom Efforts To Lock Up the Nomination.

The Weirdness in the House. Kevin McCarthy reaped as he sowed.

When should public officials resign?

Any antidote to climate anxiety involves organizing

Doomscrolling – The New Drug of the 21st Century

CDC’s Bridge Access Program provides no-cost COVID-19 vaccines to adults without health insurance and adults whose insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs

“They Studied Dishonesty. Was Their Work a Lie?“

Which nonprofits pay their employees $1 million or more in annual compensation? Learn why not all charity salaries are considered “overhead” in this video.

What to Do When an Airline Changes Your Seat

NYS Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program Five-Year Action Plan

13 Common Genealogy Questions, Answered

Exploring Ireland’s Virtual Record Treasury online

The Diversity Visa Program is open from October 4 to November 7, 2023. It allows people from countries with low U.S. immigration rates who meet eligibility requirements to enter for a chance to apply for a U.S. immigrant visa.

New York State Geographic primer Jamais vu: the science behind eerie opposite of déjà vu

Now I Know: A Star Spangled Snafu and The Big Lie and How The Worst Swinging Strike in Baseball History Broke the Game and Why Only Dead People Are On American Money and When Emergency Broadcasts Go Wrong

Unaffordable Luxury. Links re djt, life expectancy, and much more

Let’s close these tabs! Links about the comic strip Nancy, pedestrian deaths, and much more.

Culcha

Three Chaplains: Muslim chaplains aim to make a change in one of America’s most powerful institutions—the military. For them, the fight for equality and religious freedom begins on the inside. PBS November 6, 2023

Now What? The Five Crises Confronting a Post-Strike Hollywood

This month, I received the beautiful book Comics for Ukraine. I asked the folks at Operation USA if more copies might be available. Mary said they “have reached out to the publisher (Zoop) regarding the latest details for purchasing copies. The initial run was crowdfunded via pre-orders, so I am not 100% sure if additional copies are on sale yet. I will loop back as soon as I have more info.” If it becomes available, get it!

Patrick Stewart: Why I Stormed Off the Set of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’

Kelly writes Why Post Bad Reviews in response to a back-and-forth we had via email.

Hollywood Reporter Critics Pick the 50 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century (So Far). I’ve seen eight of them, plus Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000), which should not have been on the list. If they had listed the best shows of the past 25 years, yes. There are at least a dozen shows I’ve never heard of.

What About THE SIXTH SENSE’s Other Twist?

Vladimir Duthiers Is Making Up for Lost Time. My wife watches Vlad every weekday on CBS Mornings.

OBITS

Dana Kennedy was known as writer William Kennedy’s wife, but she had a fascinating career, particularly when he was a struggling writer. Back in 1980, give or take a couple of years, I was at their house outside of Albany, which was… rustic. I met her at least twice since then, mentioned here.

A political trailblazer, Dianne Feinstein was the first woman to be elected mayor of San Francisco and later became the longest-serving female Senator in United States history. I remember when she announced the assassination of George Moscone and Harvey Milk.

Rudolph Isley, founding member of the Isley Brothers, dies at 84

Tim Wakefield dies at 57: Red Sox mourn the loss of former pitcher who ’embodied true goodness.’ A class act.

Hall of Fame 3B, Orioles legend Brooks Robinson dies at 86. He received 16 consecutive Gold Gloves.

Dick Butkus, Legendary Chicago Bears Linebacker Turned Actor, Dies at 80

Former Pro Bowl TE Russ Francis dies in a plane crash. I was fond of Francis and the 1980s 49ers

Keith Giffen, Comic Book Writer-Artist Behind Lobo, Blue Beetle and Rocket Raccoon, Dies at 70

Piper Laurie, Actress in ‘The Hustler,’ ‘Carrie’ and ‘Twin Peaks,’ Dies at 91

Suzanne Somers, Star of ‘Three’s a Company’, Dies a Day Shy of 77

Phyllis Coates, the First Lois Lane on Television, Dies at 96

Mark Goddard, Actor on ‘Lost in Space,’ Dies at 87

Kelly remembers Robert John Guttke

“I don’t want to discuss the intricacies and atrocities of the Israeli-Hamas conflict here. I just want a quiet space to express my grief. Grief is different than outrage and vengeance because it has no satisfying outlet or expression. No remedy, no cure. Even achieving justice does not slake grief. It is impenetrable.” –Kareem

MUSIC

Lenny -Atka

Sweet Sounds of Heaven – The Rolling Stones with Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder

Leonard Bernstein, playing the solo piano and conducting the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, in George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and also An American in Paris. I have the very CD pictured..

Mean Town Blues – Johnny Winter (CPH, 1971)

Peter Sprague Plays Getting Better

Coverville 1458: The Joan Jett & The Runaways Cover Story and 1459: The Renee & Jeremy Interview and 1460: The Steve Miller Band Cover Story III

The Tree – Maren Morris

Ceremonial: An Autumn Ode -Toru Takemitsu

Look What They’ve Done To My Song, Ma – the MonaLisa Twins

CUIDADITO – Becky G

Sunday Stealing: another swap bot

multiverse

Apparently, today’s Sunday Stealing is yet another swap bot production.

1. Write about the best decision you ever made. How did you make it? Was it reasoning or gut instinct?

Putting money away for retirement. My employer was matching it at some percentage. It was neither reasoning nor gut instinct; it was “I might actually live to be 70, so maybe I should do that.”

2. What ONE thing would you change about your life? How would your life be different?

I could spend dozens of blog posts musing that, if I did X, my life would be different in so many different ways. Jobs, and especially relationships. Too many variables – think multiverse – so that’s a hard pass.

3. What is the hardest thing you have ever done? Why was it hard for you? What did you learn?

Burying my father was hard because there was a lot of familial strife. And because he was my father, a complicated guy. If I learned anything, it was that, at that moment, it was right to stay the course I believe he had wanted us to take.

4. What is your greatest hope for your future? What steps can you take to make it happen?

I hope for my daughter, and I worry for my daughter. I try to be an educated citizen. Naturally, I vote. I try to be kind and a good listener.

I discuss issues in my blog – though not as often as I could because, frankly, it exhausts me, it doesn’t convince many people who weren’t inclined to that POV, and it tends not to bring me joy.

Talking with myself

5. If you can time travel, what will you tell your teenage self?

Not a damn thing because he wouldn’t listen anyway.

6. Write about the most glorious moment in your life so far.

This probably isn’t it, really, but still. When I was in high school, there was a Red Cross training event in Manlius, NY, near Syracuse. At the end of the week, there was a talent show, and somehow, a couple of guys, one a blues guitarist, asked me to play with them. I stood on stage, people expecting me to sing. Instead, I played the comb. The whole thing was about 3 minutes. I got a standing ovation.

7. Write about a moment you feel brave.

There was a kid whose parents ran a falafel shop on Delaware Avenue in Albany. He wandered into traffic, and I went out and scooped him up before he could get hit by a car. It was only scary after the fact.

8. What made you happy today?

The blog post I wrote for October 25th.

9. What do you dislike most about growing up?

We lived in a district where we walked to school. So our superintendent of schools almost NEVER called for snow days, even when the drifts were a foot taller than I was.

Using time

10. Write about ten activities you love the most and why you love them.

Singing in choir, listening to recorded music, and writing this blog – because it feeds my soul.

Reading books, reading certain online articles/websites, playing word games (Boggle, Wordle)- because it feeds my brain.

Collecting Hess trucks, watching recorded NFL football games while fast-forwarding between snaps and during commercials – because it’s fun.

I buy books that I take forever to read – because it supports local authors.

I am doing genealogy – because it gives me insight into my roots and myself.

11. Do you have an embarrassing moment that still makes you cringe? Write about it in as much detail as you feel comfortable!

It’s hardly cringeworthy at this point, but I still remember elements of it. I was in a class at school – I don’t even remember when or what class, but probably junior high. We were all supposed to give a talk about whatever. The outline was on the chalkboard in the back of the room. I broke my glasses shortly before this exercise and couldn’t READ the chalkboard in the back of the room. So, I used binoculars to read. It got a big laugh, and I was mortified.

12. What has been your best trip so far?

Maybe the 2011 family trip from Albany to Niagara Falls to Toronto to Peterborough, ON in 2011.

Moi? Unique?

13. Write a list of 5 things (physical or personality-wise) you love about yourself, and why they make you unique.

I’m desperately curious about a lot of things.

When necessary, I can be loud enough to get the attention of a crowd.

When I was three, I fell down a flight of stairs; as a result, I have a scar around my soul patch where hair won’t grow.

I’ve given over 22 gallons of blood and continue to do so at least twice a year, even though it’s more difficult now as my injection site has developed scar tissue.

I’m told that I read well in public.

14. Discuss 5 things you wish others knew about you.

When I say I don’t care about a choice – I don’t care what kind of restaurant we go to, I mean it.

Conversely, when I get insistent, I REALLY mean it: no anchovies! (I have two specific examples, neither having anything to do with food.)

I am more introverted than most people believe; I’m just fakin’ it, as I wrote.

Here’s something that seems obvious to me: I am thinking a lot of the time about the best way to do something, what I can do to remove obstructions, how to be aware of being in someone else’s shoes, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

The rest of the time, there’s music in my head.

15. Is social media a blessing or a curse?

Yes. While it’s a way to keep in touch with people I used to know IRL, there’s too much noise.

Music cover and re-cover

Sinatra

I’ve often mused on musical covers by the same artist. This would be a re-cover in the parlance of the Coverville podcast, which I listen to regularly.

The post was initiated by a 2021 video of a lawyer talking about Taylor Swift rerecording her early albums issued under her original contract. The attorney wondered if the public would purchase the songs again; from the last time I checked the Billboard album charts, three of the ten albums were “Taylor’s version.”

I should compare the old songs with the new ones, but I’m not a Swifty and would feel inadequate to point out the differences in the recordings. (However, I’m quite amused and bemused by the MAGA disdain for her.)

Conversely, I could discuss some of the variations among the records of Frank Sinatra on different labels long before Taylor. A good example would be Snatra’s Sinatra.

“Ten of the album’s twelve tracks are re-recorded versions of songs that Sinatra had previously released, with ‘Pocketful of Miracles’ and ‘Call Me Irresponsible’ being first-time recordings for Sinatra.

“Sinatra’s two previous record labels, Columbia Records and Capitol Records had both successfully issued collections of Sinatra’s hits; this album was the attempt of his new label, Reprise Records, to duplicate this success by offering some earlier songs in stereophonic sound, which by 1963 was an exploding recording technology.” You should be able to hear that album in its entirety here; then, you can tool around and find earlier iterations.

Fab

The Beatles had different versions of Get Back and Let It Be, from the single to the album version. Both Get Back and Medicated Goo by Traffic have singles that come to a dead stop – I still own the 45s – while the album cuts do not. Get Back: LP and single. Medicated Goo album cut; I can’t find the single.

I also considered remakes such as Fame and Fame ’90 by David Bowie, Think and Think ’89 by Aretha Franklin, and a supposedly improved version of John Hiatt’s Have A Little Faith In Me. In each case, I prefer the original. However, I have an odd affection for the Trans version by Neil Young of Mr. Soul compared with the Buffalo Springfield take.

In Paul Simon’s In The Blue Light, he re-covers ten of his songs that he thought were previously overlooked. One Man’s Ceiling Is Another Man’s Floor: original (There Goes Rhymin’ Simon) and remake.

My favorite: Crying – the original is by Roy Orbison, the re-cover by Orbison and k.d. lang.

Egregious sins exist on remakes of some compilation albums. I have a Herman’s Hermans greatest hits collection that is all redos; Peter Noone is singing them, but it ain’t the same. Likewise, I have a 4-CD set of soul songs, with the only originals by deceased artists. These are very disappointing.

Licensing rights are often the issue. Rhino put out The Ray Charles Anthology, with 17 songs from his ABC/Paramount period and three live versions of songs he first recorded when he was on Atlantic Records.

Live versions versus studio albums? A whole ‘nother conversation. I tend to like the studio versions, though the live performance of I’m So Glad on Goodbye Cream shreds the studio track from Fresh Cream.

That said, I needed to do much more compare and contrast, scouring YouTube to do the topic justice; frankly, it was too daunting.

A Sedingerian ARA post

the rules of curling

Kelly Sedinger asked a slew of questions for Ask Roger Anything. And he’s not even from New Jersey. (An old SNL reference.) This makes this a Sedingerian post. Or a Sedingeresque post. You decide.

What do you think of Spam? The actual food product! (I’m still stunned at how beloved it is in Hawaii; you can get Spam at McDonald’s there!)

When my then-girlfriend/now wife went there in 1995 with her parents, she reported the same phenomenon. By the way, I ended up going to New Orleans for work at the same time.

I’m sure I used to eat Spam when I was a kid, maybe in my twenties. As I recall, I liked it. But I’m not sure I’ve had it in the past four decades. I’ll have to try it again.

BTW, from the SPAM FAQ: The true root of the island’s love for SPAM® products goes back to World War II, when the luncheon meat was served to GIs. By the end of the war, SPAM® products were adopted into local culture, with Fried SPAM® Classic and rice becoming a popular meal. The unique flavor quickly found its way into other Hawaiian cuisine, from SPAM® Fried Wontons to SPAM® Musubi, and SPAM® products became a fixture for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Today you’ll find SPAM® dishes served everywhere from convenience stores to restaurants, reflecting a demand that is unmatched by any place in the world.”

Timeshare

For whatever reason, you are required to spend one week someplace that’s no more than an hour away from home. Where are you going?

There’s a timeshare in western Massachusetts that we’ve been to perhaps 25 times in the past quarter of a century. It was initially my parents-in-law’s place, but we’ve taken it over in the place few years.

Once, we were there when our then-baby daughter got a splinter, and we couldn’t get it out. So we took her to a doctor in Albany, then returned to the timeshare the same day.

Sports report

Do you understand the rules of curling? I do not. In fact, I’m not convinced the whole thing isn’t an elaborate prank.

I looked at the rules for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. And I STILL don’t understand them.

Favorite obscure sport?

Foot archery, of course. It is something that I could never do.

Food eating contests: your feelings? (I loathe them, but that’s just me.)

It’s fairly revolting, gluttony as sport; it’s on ESPN! And yet I know Joey Chestnut’s name.

What’s one lesson you learned from any one teacher you had as a kid?

My fifth-grade teacher, Miss Oberlik, taught us to count to 19 in Russian. I can still do that.

Milk as a beverage: Yes or no?

Yes and no. Yes, when served with cookies or, I suppose, pastries. No, when on cereal.

Why is my cat such a doofus? (I doubt you can answer this, but it’s been much on our minds of late)

One of my cats is a doofus. When I come in from outdoors, he runs to the door like he wants to go out. About four years ago, he did go out, and he was terrified when he finally returned over an hour later. Many felines are doofi.

Two more questions will be answered forthwith. Or with forth.

The Las Vegas strip and Fremont East

Meow Wolf

Sun, Sept 24: You’d think two old guys flying three time zones might at least nap before going out. You’d be wrong. We needed to check out the Las Vegas strip.

After checking into our quite lovely Club Wyndham Desert Blue room- thanks to my mother-in-law, who had points that needed to be used up before the end of September – we took the hotel shuttle to the Paradise Hotel. It ran nearly every hour. M-Th until 9 pm going out and 9:30 coming back, but until 1/1:30 on Friday through Sunday.

We just walked a lot, stopping for a slice of pizza.

We spent a good deal of time in the Bellagio. It had all sorts of interesting and unusual features, such as this ceiling.

This room is fantastical.

This view of the Eiffel Tower, which included a water show in the front of the Bellagio, is wonderful Also, the place was so damn big, and it was difficult to leave without doubling back.

Working for a living

A lot of people were out there trying to make a buck, including so many buskers, their sounds blurred into each other. Instead of the costumed Muppets and Spider-Man at New York City’s Times Square, we see several young women wearing enough clothing not to be arrested, who asked us several times over the first two days if we wanted our pictures taken with them. I was in the “thanks but no thanks” school. MAK was more conversational with them but ultimately answered in the negative as well.

The Las Vegas Sphere opened the day after we left town. This picture does not do it justice, but I was too tired to walk closer that night. Yes, it’s an abomination of wretched excess, it looks really cool, and apparently, the sound system inside is incredible. ( You could read how Darren Aronofsky Describes His Journey to Creating the First Movie for it.)

M, Sept 25: The resort offered a ride to a local grocery store affiliated with Kroegers every Monday. It left at 10 a.m., took ten minutes to get there, and then returned to the hotel at 10:40. We had a half hour to get our food—milk, raisin bran, sandwich fixing, orange juice, etc.

There was a guy on the bus who, especially in profile, looked astonishingly like Barack Obama. With his soft Texas cadence, he even sounded a bit like 44. MAK asked him if he ever… Faux BHO cut him off: “All of the time.”

Old LV

After lunch, we took a cab to East Fremont. It’s an older part of the city, a bit grittier. But a few blocks are covered by a dome that changed color. Below the roof were ziplines that people rode periodically.

The most fascinating place had to be Circa, an adults-only hotel and casino. It had a bank of four dozen monitors and provided the ability to get information to bet on almost everything. We did not gamble at all, and I’m disinclined to. But it was an interesting anthropological observation. (Read more about the Circa and its Stadium Swim here.)

Omega Mart

Tu, Sept 26: We went to something Meow Wolf. What is it? I don’t know, and I was there. “Meow Wolf opens portals of possibility. We redefine the paradigm of art and storytelling to make a positive difference in the world.

Yeah, that. “We have numerous full-time artists on staff, working in a huge range of media, including sculpture, painting, fabrication, digital art, writing, film, and many more. Additionally, we prioritize collaboration with many local artists in each exhibition location.”

There are exhibits in Denver, CO; Grapevine, TX; and the original site in Sante Fe, NM, as well as Las Vegas, which has the Omega Mart, “America’s Most Exceptional Grocery Store.” Let’s see: “Every door or box of cereal at Omega Mart is a potential entryway into new worlds and artful revelations.”

You have to go with it. It is part weird, part scavenger hunt, and part meditative space.

Afterward, we ate at an excellent Vietnamese restaurant with a savvy server who said, “You don’t want” the item I was about to order. She told MAK what flavorings to add to his soup. This is someone who cared about her work.

(Note: the cereal box pic is from MeowWolf.com. MAK took the first three and the last two photos. The rest are mine; having seen the REAL Eiffel Tower fairly recently, I was obsessed with getting a good picture of the LV one; the sixth time was the charm.)

Month: October 2023