October rambling: Sudden Genius

The Mystery of Sudden Genius. The phenomenon of acquired savant syndrome reveals what happens when brain damage unleashes brilliance. I know Diana, who is profiled in the piece.

Federal Courts: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and The Interview:  John Oliver Is Still Working Through the Rage:

One year after October 7

Junk Science Put Me on Death Row. I Shouldn’t Die.

A Woman Was Accused of Murder After Losing Her Pregnancy. Now She Tells Her Story

Twitter is not Elon’s

To Understand Trump vs. Harris, You Must Know These American Myths

‘Trump Bible’ is one of few that meet the criteria for Oklahoma classrooms. “According to the bid documents, vendors must meet certain specifications: Bibles must be the King James Version; must contain the Old and New Testaments; must include copies of the Pledge of Allegiance, Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights; and must be bound in leather or leather-like material.”

The Republican Ethic of Lies

Jill Stein: The Grifter Who May Hand djt the White House Again

1950s TV episode featured a con man named “Trump” who wanted to build a wall

Also

John Amos, ‘Good Times’ Dad, Dies at 84. I saw him perform at Capital Rep in Albany in the August Wilson play Fences as the father several years ago, and he was very good.

I knew the plantation before I knew the college.

U.S. Divorce Rates Down, Marriage Rates Stagnant From 2012-2022

2023 New Zealand Census data

Wrecked rain gauges. Whistleblowers. Million-dollar payouts and manhunts. Then a Colorado crop fraud got really crazy.  “The sordid story of two ranchers who conspired to falsify drought numbers by tampering with rain gauges on the plains of Colorado and Kansas, resulting in millions in false insurance claims.”

History of the Famous “Daisy” Attack Ad from the 1964 Presidential Election

A history of Western art (in less than 7 minutes)

Horse-Riding Librarians Were the Great Depression’s Bookmobiles.

Cookbooks and the war of the sexes

Zoom Sex

Drake Hogestyn, a ‘Days of Our Lives’ Veteran, dies at 70. I only watched DOOL for a couple of years, but I remember him well.

Now I Know: Another Brick in the Wall of Prohibition, and He Complained — and Proved Himself Wrong, and You Could Say Their Commute Goes Swimmingly and Why Late 16th Century British Workers Had to Wear Hats

Word of the Day: Zhuzh– Make something more stylish, lively, or attractive. This would be a brutal Wordle word.

MUSIC

For sister Leslie: He that that a pleasant face by John L. Hatton

When I Go Away – Levon Helm

Nocturne in E min by Fryderyk (Frédéric) Chopin; Grazyna Auguscik

Avinu Malkeinu – Barbra Streisand

Favorite Songs By Favorite Artists: The Cure

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Live at The Egg, Hart Theater on 2016-06-08

When Somebody Loved MeSarah McLachlan from Toy Story 2

Our Time – Jim Walton, who originated the role of Franklin Shepard in the musical Merrily We Roll Along

I Am What I Am – Voctave and the The Swingles

Matrix III by John Whitney Sr.

Bus Stop (The Hollies) and Taxman (The Beatles) – MonaLisa Twins

Death Of Suzzy Roche-The Roches (live) 

An Oscar-Nominated Short Film of John Lennon’s Ramblings

Professor of Rock interviews Weird Al

The last of the DNC 2024 roll call and playlist

South Carolina — Get Up – James Brown, who grew up in rural southwestern South Carolina

South Dakota — What I Like About You – the Romantics

Tennessee — 9 to 5 – the Tennessee singer, artist and activist Dolly Parton

Texas — Texas Hold ‘Em – Beyoncé, a Texas native.

Utah — Animal -Neon Trees, from just outside Salt Lake City.

Vermont — Stick Season – Noah Kahan, who hails from Vermont, mentions “I Love Vermont” in the song.

U.S. Virgin Islands — VI to the Bone – Mic Love, about the Virgin Islands.

Virginia — The Way I Are – Timbaland, born and raised in Norfolk, Va.

Washington — “Can’t Hold Us,” by the Seattle-based hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

West Virginia — “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” by John Denver, a song so core to West Virginia that it is considered an official state anthem.

Wisconsin — “Jump Around.” Though written by California’s House of Pain, this song is played at University of Wisconsin football games.

Wyoming — “I Gotta Feeling,” by the Black Eyed Peas.

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