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Friday, July 08, 2005

RM

You know those folks who can't come up with a cohesive concept for a column, so they compose these little snippets of unrelated ideas and throw them together? This is one of those pieces. Not only that, unless I find some extra time somewhere, there will be another one next week!
***
Earlier this month, I praised Sandra Day O'Connor for her dissenting opinions in two highly controversial cases. Right after that, she announces that she's leaving the Court. Coincidence...or conspiracy?
***
Been in the attic again. Trying to figure out what I can prepare ahead of time for those days when I'm out of town, or don't have Internet access (or even a word processor), I hit upon an answer. I found this folder with a personality profile of me from six years ago, and an astrological reading of me from about 20 years ago. I found them to be surprisingly accurate, and somewhat interesting. So, when I'm stuck, I'll be going to that well, including at least once next week.
***
There was this "contest" last year to see who would be on the cover of Metroland, the alternative newsweekly around these parts. I didn't win, but I was a runner-up, and they actually did a story about me which appears about 4/5s of the way down. Such narcissism.
***
As I was checking out some blogs to see if my Mixed CD got reviewed (it wasn't), I saw a reference to a "racist Mexican stamp", which led me to another blog, which led me to this news report. The story then was mentioned briefly in Metroland yesterday. Do I think the stamp is racist? At the risk of sounding too PC, do you really have to ask? Mexican President Vincente Fox has NOT acquitted himself well in the situation, either.
***
The United Church of Christ has taken a strong, affirming stance with regard to gay and lesbian members. As my delighted UCC friend Jenny noted, "It will bring considerable challenges for those churches who have not been welcoming to gay and lesbian members." Probably NOT the end of this issue in the UCC or any of the mainline Protestant churches, including my (Presbyterian) denomination.
***
Venus Williams was a Wimbledon underdog. I like this story of this once dominant player, who, due to injury and other interests, slid down to 14th in the women's tennis rankings, but came back to win an amazingly hard-fought battle against Lindsay Davenport, part of which I had a chance to watch.
***
The most poignant irony about the horrific London blasts is that people could seek safety in the tunnels during the German bombing in World War II, but that in this case, some of the bombs were IN the trains in the tunnels. I'll always remember the date as Ringo Starr's 65th birthday, just like I remember September 11, 2001 as Moby's 35th (and I imagine how crummy they must feel). About.com reports that bloggers have played an important role in getting out news about the bombings yesterday. Ultimately, I relate pretty well to what my buddy Fred Hembeck (July 8) has to say. My prayers go out to those affected.

Thursday, July 07, 2005

He's the greatest

I was watching the Father’s Day episode of CBS Sunday Morning the following Saturday morning. That’s not an unusual situation for me, time shifting TV programs.

This particular show had a segment about Ringo Starr and the postcards he kept that had been sent to him by the other Beatles. I had seen the segment before but decided to watch it again, and I’m glad I did. For one thing, the producers added material to the piece including an art retrospective of Ringo’s artwork that premiered the day before the show aired. It also highlighted Ringo’s new album, Choose Love, with guest singer Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, as well as the previous album, Ringorama. So, an old piece, spruced up with new material, was actually more enjoyable to watch than the original segment.

The part about the postcards highlighted these cards:

"You’re the greatest drummer in the world. Really." – from Paul at a point in early 1969 when Ringo briefly quit the Beatles. Ringo thought the other three were tight and that he was the odd man out, but he went to John and he told Ringo that he thought that HE (John) was the odd man out. Similarly, Paul told Ringo that HE (Paul) was the outsider.

"Hello, Toots." - Ringo has no idea.

"I never thought it would come to this."- John (& Yoko) after the break up.

George and wife Olivia also sent a card from Hawaii.

The volume contains about 100 postcards and the drummer's commentary. The proceeds from the Postcards from the Boys book are going to charity.

Richard Starkey, the oldest Beatle, turns 65 today. Barbara Bach STILL needs him, Barbara Bach STILL feeds him. Though it didn’t always come easily, he’s still the greatest. While he can tire of taking a sentimental journey (and has to wrack his brain for those lost pieces of history), it seems that the tango all night bad boy of the 1980s has drifted away; he gave it all up. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

RogeRogeRogeRogeRogeR

I really like the name Roger. It's not too common, but not too rare. According to the Social Security list it ranked No. 416 in 2004 among male names. Previously, it ranked 2003-394, 2002-389, 2001-371, 2000-373, 1999-358, 1998-347, 1997-329, 1996-285, 1995-278, 1994-264, 1993-253, 1992-214, 1991-231, and 1990-209. (Incidentally, Rodger, which is how my own grandfather -Pop -incorrectly spelled my name, doesn't make the Top 1000 in any of the last 15 years.)

I like the fact that my father spent time making sure that my initials, ROG, matched the first three letters in my first name, a story told to me by his cousin Ruth only a few years ago. I'm told that he was madly scribbling on paper at her house shortly after I was born, looking for the right combination. It is NOT a family name.

I have a particular interest in the accomplishments of people named Roger in the public eye.
I thought it was great that the first person to break the 4-minute mile was Roger Bannister.
I was pleased to find out that the Byrds' Jim McGuinn changed his name to a more interesting Roger. IMHO, naturally, all you Jims out there.
I was disappointed that Roger B. Taney was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the dreadful Dred Scott decision.
About 20 neighbors testified against Albany slumlord named Roger Ploof last year at a city hearing, including me. I wanted to say, "I'm embarrased to be a Roger," but I didn't. The city ruled against him, and he was supposed to have modified his building from 26 units to 6, but at this writing, he has not done so.

FWIW, Roger does not appear in the Bible.

Here are some other persons/things named Roger of note:

Roger Bacon - 13th Century philosopher and mathematician
Roger Cedeno - former Mets, current St. Louis Cardinal outfielder
Roger Clemens - seven-time Cy Young winning pitcher now in an All-Star year with the Houston Astros
Roger Clinton-brother of the 42nd President
Roger Craig-former major league pitcher (1955-1966), mostly with the Brooklyn/LA Dodgers
Roger Craig-former running back (1983-1993), primarily for the San Francisco 49ers
Roger Daltrey-lead singer of the Who
Roger Dodger-2002 movie starring Campbell Scott
Roger Ebert-influential film critic, paired with Richard Roeper and previously with the late Gene Siskel
Roger Federer,-won three of the four Grand Slam tennis events in 2004, and won Wimbledon for the third time in a row in July 2005
Roger Fox-father in the FoxTrot comic strip
Roger Grimsby-WABC-TV (NYC) newsman, 1968-1986, d. 1995
Jolly Roger-the pirate skull and crossbones
Roger McDowell-major league pitcher (1985-1996), mostly with the Mets and Dodgers
Roger and Me- 1989 movie in which Michael Moore pursues GM chairman Roger Smith
Roger Maris-major league outfielder with the KC A's, NYY, St. Louis Cards. Hit 61 HRs in '61.
Roger Moore-The Saint and Beau Maverick on TV, James Bond in the movies
Roger Mudd-long-time CBS & NBC newsman, descendant of the doctor who treated John Wilkes Booth
Roger Over and Out-inexact CB talk
Roger Rabbit-framed husband of Jessica "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way" Rabbit
Roger Ramjet-cartoon adventurer "fighting for our freedom"
Roger Smith-played Jeff Spencer on "77 Sunset Strip"; husband of Ann-Margaret
Roger Stern-comic book writer
Roger Whitaker-singer who appeared in a lot of commercials in my youth
Roger Williams-founder of Rhode Island

There are about 3000 more, according to the IMDB. If you want to suggest some more, please feel free.

You will see a brand-new list of Roger-related web pages in the links section of ze blog. For the most part, they are NOT the same as the ones listed above. These links will almost always be a page authorized by the Roger in question, or his descendents, or perhaps his fan club. Again, offer up some more and I MAY use 'em.

"Old Roger draft-dodger leavin' by the basement door,
Everybody knows what he's tippy-toeing down there for."
-Punky's Dilemma by Paul Simon

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Let's Get National

I was watching the New York Mets play the Washington Nationals in DC on the 4th of July on one of the ESPN channels. Ostensibly, I was rooting for the Metropolitans, the New York team and all. Yet I developed a certain affection for the team from our nation’s capital because of its long history of adversity.

The city of Washington had a team, first named the Nationals, then the Senators, since the creation of the American League in 1901. The team won a World Series in 1924, and the league pennant in 1925 and 1933, but soon was dubbed as a loser: "First in war, first in peace, last in the American League." The team in the musical "Damn Yankees" that was dealing with the devil in order to try to overtake the title team was the Washington Senators.

Then in 1961, the American League expanded from 8 to 10 teams, in Minnesota and Southern California, but of the two, only Los Angeles got a new team; the Twin Cities got the old Senators and were re-dubbed the Minnesota Twins. And wouldn’t you know it, this team, now in the Midwest, actually became competitive, winning the American League crown in 1965. Meanwhile, the expansion Senators were pretty bad, drew poorly, and moved to Arlington, TX to become the Texas Rangers in 1972, leaving DC with no team at all for over three decades.

Meanwhile, the Montreal Expos were formed in 1969. The team never won a pennant, but they looked to have a lock on the National League crown in 1994 when the baseball strike eliminated the remainder of the season. I went to one home Expos game back in 1992, and I found the stadium forbidding and cold.

Later, the Expos, along with the Twins, were slated for elimination. This does not happen, but the Expos ended up under the operational control of Major League Baseball, which created an awkward situation in that MLB, which regulates the other teams, also OWNS a team. Worse, because they were drawing so poorly in Montreal, they played nearly a third of their "home games" in San Juan, PR for the last couple seasons, which was very difficult for the players.
(Imagine that you have a 6-month job and could be home half the time. That’s much easier than being on the road two-thirds of the time.)
The attendance of 748,550 in 2004 was over 500,000 less than the next lowest team, Tampa Bay.

Then, the team was scheduled to move to DC, but a last-minute move by some members of the Washington city council over funding for a stadium nearly upended the deal.

So, these Washington Nats, 50-32, even after their 5-2 loss to the Mets on Independence Day, lead their division by about 5 games, after being a losing team (67-95) as the Expos last year.

One important factor in the Washington team’s success is manager Frank Robinson. He was a big star for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1950s and early 1960s, where he was Rookie of the Year in 1956 and Most Valuable Player in 1961. The Reds thought Robinson was worn out and traded him to the Baltimore Orioles after the 1965 season; apparently he wasn't, for he won MVP honors for the season AND for the World Series in 1966. He is one of a handful of players to win the season MVP award in both leagues. Most people don’t realize that he is one of the top half dozen home run hitters of all time, at 586, behind only Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, and Willie Mays. (Sammy Sosa may overtake him, as he's at 583 as of July 4. Many folks thought that Mark McGuire would overtake Aaron, but actually he came up three shy of Frank Robinson's total, also at 583.)

Robinson became the first black manager in Major League history in 1975 with the Cleveland Indians. (The Indians had the first black ballplayer in the American League, Larry Doby, in 1947, a few weeks after the Dodgers played another Robinson, Jackie, in the National League.) He also managed the Giants and the Orioles before eventually working in the Baseball Commissioner’s office. When MLB took over the Expos for the 2002 season, it asked Frank to manage the team.

So, if the Mets are unable to make up that 9-game deficit and pass every other team in their division, I’ll be rooting for the Washington Nationals, even though I barely know the players, and most of those I know from other teams they played for other than the Expos: Livan Hernandez, Carlos Baerga, Wil Cordero, Junior Spivey, Cristian Guzman and Vinny Castilla. Better them than the tomahawk-choppin', division-always-winnin', "America's-Team"-self-proclaimin', Turner cable-advantaged Atlanta Braves.

Monday, July 04, 2005

Tunes in 7-4

I’ve been in a groove (or rut, depending on your perspective) of listing song titles this week, so I thought I would do it again today. I haven’t actually made this disc, and the songs wouldn’t necessarily be in this order, nor do I make any claim that this list is all inclusive:

Almost Independence Day-Van Morrison
4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)-Bruce Springsteen
4th of July-Pete Droge
4th of July-U2
Independence Day-Bruce Springsteen
Independence Day-David Byrne
Lake of Fire-Nirvana
On the 4th of July-James Taylor
Saturday in the Park-Chicago
Tears of Rage-The Band

4th of July-Dave Alvin
4th of July-X
Yankee Doodle Dandy-James Cagney

4th of July-Sweet
4th of July-Keel
4th of July-Soundgarden
4th of July-Mariah Carey
4th of July-Robert Earl Keen
4th of July-Aimee Mann
Independence Day-Martina McBride
Independence Day-Ani DiFranco
Independence Day-Eliot Smith
Independence Day-Imani Coppola
Independence Day-Too $hort w/ Keith Murray

The first batch I actually have on CD, the second on vinyl, and the third not at all. So, if I WERE making a mixed CD, I’d have to throw on America the Beautiful by Ray Charles, and the Star Spangled Banner by Marvin Gaye or Whitney Houston, probably both.

Incidentally, many of those same-named songs are totally different songs, not covers of each other.

So, as you celebrate America’s 229th birthday today, remember that is music that’s as much a part of our national heritage as musket.

Oh, and a piece from the Independence Day sermon I heard yesterday led me here.

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Shana & Luther

From the "I'm a week behind in everything" department:

I was disappointed that 60 Minutes failed to mention the death of pioneering journalist Shana Alexander last Sunday. Alexander, who had died the previous Thursday, was a Life magazine reporter and a Newsweek journalist before her most famous gig: being the "liberal " voice on the regular 60 Minutes segment, "Point/Counterpoint" with James J. Kilpatrick, the "conservative". This is the segment that inspired the Saturday Night Live spoof debate between Jane Curtin and Dan "Jane, you ignorant slut" Ackroyd, a piece which Alexander enjoyed, according to her niece. At least CBS Sunday Morning did a short report on her last week.

When Luther Vandross died, the line from the Paul Simon song "The Late Great Johnny Ace" came to mind. Paraphrased: "I wasn't a really big Vandross fan, but I felt bad just the same." The talented artist had over a dozen hit albums and two dozen hit singles, none of which I ever owned. I DID relate to his song "Dance with My Father," which he recorded just before the stroke which he suffered a couple years ago. And that he died at 54, only a couple years older than I am, does bring one...pause.

Crash

If it's true that "Everyone's A Little Bit Racist", as the Avenue Q song suggests, nothing lately has brought that home more for me than the movie Crash, the first flick Carol & I have seen in months. We both thought it was excellent, and we have been playing back scenes and bits of dialogue all week. In addition to race and ethnicity, it's also about class, power and crime. I wasn't at all bothered by the coincidences; I thought it was the conceit of the film. It was less violent than I feared, given its R rating, which was due largely to language, I'm guessing.

Coincidentally, I got an e-mail this week from the Tyler Perry fan club also touting the film. Don't know Tyler Perry? How about the character Madea in Diary of a Mad Black Woman? He says that "CRASH is on a whole other level and will move you in ways which everyone should experience."  

The real cool thing is that Carol & I used a babysitter for the first time in I don't know how long. Oh, we've had people over, but we've (or at least Carol has) been there at home with them. But Lydia took to Anna really well. When we left, Lydia didn't cry; heck, she didn't even seem to care that we were leaving. And when Anna left, she stood at the door, watching her leave like she does for her mother when I'm home with her. So, perhaps we'll have more films in our near future.

Saturday, July 02, 2005

JEOPARDY! Part 6

Continued from Saturday, June 25.

There was a cameraman from WTEN wishing me "good luck." Oh, this guy from Albany! Channel 10, who carries JEOPARDY!, must be here because Boston’s so close to Albany. That made sense to me. They probably would have gone to New York City as well.
This is only partially the story. They were also there because a GUY from Albany (i.e., ME) was here. Somehow my brain wasn’t making the connection until we all went back downstairs.

We get a few more instructions from the staff. Then Glenn Kagan from JEOPARDY! was going over my response card, and he asked about some of the specifics of the incidents mentioned. When he read about the LPs and CDs I had, he asked about my favorite group, to which I replied, "The Beatles." This led to a conversation about the American Beatles albums and the two of us doing the instrumental, James Bondian, introduction to Help! Then I said, "I’m not familiar that. How does it go?" We both laughed heartily. (On videotape, this looks VERY goofy.) He also went over my Rod Serling and mountain pieces. (The Serling piece I’m saving for a particular time. The mountain story is that I tore out my knee in 1994 on one mountain and almost got blown off another 1997 – "I like sea level.")

I met with many of the other contestants. I’m not sure if Tom Schellhammer, a lawyer from Arlington, VA, the defending champion, was present, but I barely saw him during this period. I AM sure that the WTEN cameraman was following me around the room, and that he particularly concentrated on my feet because he was fascinated by my red Chuck Taylor sneakers. (I REALLY know this, because, a few months later he gave me his raw footage of my feet and other things he filmed.)

Next, we went to makeup. Dave, one of the contestants, said to Jennifer, the makeup artist, "Don’t make me look too trampy!" Jennifer spent extra time with me, because I had the most forehead of the bunch.

It was time for us to go back upstairs and onto stage. At some point, there were pictures taken of Alex Trebek and the contestants. For some obscure reason, when I had my picture taken, Alex did the rabbit thing; you know, two fingers behind my head! I know this only because I saw him do this on a monitor; as a result, I have a JEOPARDY! pic sans host.

We did promo pieces. My eyes are darting left and right, and I’m one of the few (or perhaps the only one) who has to do it over.

Glenn explains the buzzer, and the board. There are these little white lights around the board that indicate when Alex is finished asking the question, which is when we should ring in. I see the lights as they are specifically pointed out to me, but from then on, I never see them again.

When we do the practice game, there is a host and announcer and almost everything else you'd expect for a regular game, such as the music and sound effects. The host’s name was Glenn Tate, one of those guys with those game-show-host good looks. I played against Julie and Dave. He even asks us a question for the interview segment. My question: what would I do with the money? I said that I’d buy a music box set. (It wasn’t my most inspired response.) It wasn’t a whole round, and we all had inherited scores from the previous group. I got some right, missed at least two (including one we all missed: the 5 W’s of journalism!), and we each gained $1000 in our time up there.

There are lots of media, as I’ve said, and there was a period when only a few were on stage that the rest of us were in the front row of the auditorium watching Alex getting interviewed. The media also got to play a practice game, so that they can say on their respective local broadcasts, or write in their stories, "It’s not as easy as it looks."

Then, the interview with Bianca de la Garza from Channel 10 takes place.
She asked if I was relaxed
"I’m going to be on national television and you talk about relaxed."
She asked about money.
I said if I concentrate on money, and don’t win any, than the joy of the experience might be lost, so I’m going to try to have fun.
I told her about many of the things I’ve already written here (Aunt Deana, trip to Detroit & DC, toothache, etc.)
She asked some other things (which you’ll read about later) in a 10-minute interview.

Others were being interviewed by local stations as well. When I finished with Bianca, I figured I was done. But no, Sharman Saccetti of Channel 18 in Elmira was there to interview me. Why? Because the station that carries JEOPARDY! in the Binghamton market , my hometown, is located 60 miles away in Elmira. (Elmira’s near Corning where my friend Judy, who gave me the ride, lived; eventually she got me a video clip). I told her the experience was "exciting, terrifying, invigorating."
(Incidentally, Bianca, Sharman and a guy named Matt and were involved in a media practice game against each other. Sharman, who "won", eventually moved from Channel 18 to Channel 10 in Albany, and she’s moved on from there.)
Then Channel 2 Plattsburgh wanted to talk with me. Why? I don’t know. I must have been the contestant geographically closest to them.

Finally, with talent coordinator Susanne Thurber practically dragging me off the stage to end interview #3, we return downstairs. By some method unknown to me, it was determined who the contestants who would face defending champion Tom: Amy Roeder, an actress from Merrimack, NH, and me!

So, we three go to makeup AGAIN. Maggie, a member of the staff, accompanies me to the bathroom (so that nobody could slip me answers, presumably; she DID wait outside the door.) Then back to the dressing room, where I FINALLY take off my red sneakers and put on shoes.

In those days, JEOPARDY! used to do "the walk"; the contestants would walk to the podium. (They’ve since abolished it.) But in Boston, they didn’t use it because there were wires all over the place.

I got a glass of water, but I couldn’t keep it at the podium.

I am still feeling very relaxed. Then Johnny Gilbert says, "A business librarian from Albany, NY, Roger Green."

And my mouth goes dry.

Continued on Saturday, July 9

Friday, July 01, 2005

"Dorothy", Part 2

Back on June 1, I did this summary column of all the things that I had learned in a month of blogging. The title above comes from "What Have You Learned, Dorothy?" from The Wizard of Oz (1939). That quote did NOT make the AFI’s top 400 quotes, though six Oz quotes did, let alone the Top 100 movie quotes (3 Oz gems.) I’ve liked this quote because of the delivery by Glinda (Billie Burke) of the word LEARNED.

I’ve LEARNED that I have nothing to say about the new War of the Worlds movie opening this week, even though it was partially filmed in Athens, NY, near here, except to say that I LOVE it when a big film hits a small town; it seems to really enhance the collective ego of the place. I especially have nothing to say about Tom and Katie.

I wrote about identity theft on June 10, but the worst was yet to come. The story about the breach in security that put 40 million credit cards at risk comes out. So, what’s the advice we get? "Be vigilant." Check your statements for unauthorized expenditures, and whatnot.
I’ve LEARNED that I’m feeling TIRED of being "vigilant". Watching for the next terrorist/shark attack/industrial disease/assault on civil liberties/illegal incursion is exhausting enough. But having to be wary of the faceless interlocking conglomerate that seems to know more about me than I do makes me want to take all of my money and stuff it under my pillow. But if everyone did THAT, I’ve been told, it would wreck this economy.

Speaking of money, I’ve LEARNED that when I need 75 cents for a vending machine, little is more frustrating than having two quarters, two dimes and 13 pennies.

I've LEARNED that throwing money at a problem is a lot easier that changing hearts. This is why Bob Geldof's Live 8 concerts tomorrow is much more remarkable than the Live Aid concerts two decades ago. Sir Bob is trying to make a systemic change in the attitudes and policies of the G8 nations towards the poorer nations, such as those in Africa.

I've LEARNED that Heather Mills McCartney (that's the wife of Sir Paul) visited "Philip" and "addressed his worry and fears, and counseled him about living life as an amputee" on the June 29 episode of the NBC soap Days of Our Lives, and she is expected to appear once more, on the July 4 show. If she hasn't already, expect her to talk about Adopt a Minefield, a topic close to her heart.

Burning the flag was my Flag Day message. So, of course, the House subsequently passes an amendment that would allow Congress the right to pass a law banning flag-burning. It still has to pass the Senate and then pass muster in 38 states. I’ve LEARNED that some legislation just seems to have a life of its own.

I've LEARNED that it is Canada Day and I had to LOOK UP the name of the Prime Minister. It may be conjecture on my part, but I'm guessing that most Canadians can name the U.S. President.

I’ve LEARNED that I can scoop even intrepid writers like Fred Hembeck (June 23).

I've LEARNED that Lynn Moss, who I had immortalized on this page recently, is amazingly clever. She figured out the hotel problem in the last episode of the Jeopardy! story was Bill Clinton! My, that Julie has bright parents!

I’ve LEARNED how to link to a single entry on my blog, although not everyone else's.

I’ve LEARNED that at least two of my sister Leslie’s friends are reading this blog.

I've LEARNED that my cholesterol is down from 204 last June to 176 this June. I'd like to say it was diet and exercise, so I will: bad diet and lack of exercise. But no pharmaceuticals.

I've LEARNED that Lydia is 23 pounds (50th percentile) and 33 inches (70th percentile), as of yesterday.

I’ve LEARNED that I am even more evil than Hemby in getting people to start blogs, like I did to my poor friend Lori, and I will continue to do so. Nothing will stop me. HEH, HEH, HEH!

Thursday, June 30, 2005

Scholarfied

"Summertime, the TV viewing is awful.
All my favorite shows are repeats or they're gone.
The stuff they put on now should be declared unlawful.
So, it's time to go out and play in the back lawn."

George and Ira must be rolling over in their graves.

I was flicking through the channels the other morning and came across a televised broadcast of a radio interview of a guy talking about a book (talk about mixed media). The theme of the book was that parents of this generation are more likely to keep their kids inside than ever before (and the kids are more acclimated to the indoors, playing with computers, watching TV, and having play dates) than previous generations. A greater fear of strangers on the part of parents feeds into this as well. The question: how is that group of kids going to respond to needs to protect the (outside) environment when they grow up? The answer: I don't know; as I said, I was just flicking through.

There is actually ONE summer show I should admit that Carol and I started watching a couple weeks ago. It's called "The Scholar," on Mondays at 8 p.m. (EDT) on ABC. The premise is that 10 high school seniors, five males and five females, are competing for a full-ride scholarship to the university of his or her choice. Like "The Apprentice", the groups are divided into two teams who are assigned tasks to do in a limited amount of time. Unlike "The Apprentice", no one gets "fired" or even "voted off the island." The three best at the task are given a topic, such as African geography (from last week), and given three or four hours to study before being tested, spelling-bee style. The winner of that round gets a $50,000 scholarship and the right to compete for the full ride.

I suppose we enjoy it because these teens are so positive in wanting to make a difference in the world (being President, curing cancer). Their task last week involved helping a couple Boys/Girls Club-type centers. Among other criteria, they were judged on how much they engaged the kids they were helping in the process.

This week's show involves putting together a jigsaw map of the U.S. states as the test. Naturally, I've only seen the last week's previews (except for sports and news, my TV watching's almost always on tape because of the child), but I'd have done really well on that test. I spent hours and hours playing with similar puzzles as a child. I recognized that Alabama and Mississippi were mirror images, from the way they both have too short a panhandle for the size of the state (cf. Florida or Oklahoma.) Vermont and New Hampshire, very different states politically, are also mirror images in jigsaw puzzles. The hardest states to place were Colorado and Wyoming, practically the same size (8th and 9th largest states, respectively) and shape.

I'm suddenly feeling very nostalgic. Guess what a little 15-month old I know will be getting in a couple years?

***

Probably NOT the new Bobby Zimmerman CD from Starbucks.

Library plates

As a librarian, I'm obliged to pass along the following press release, in case y'all want to run out and get one...

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles announced the availability of the new "Love Your Library" license plate at a press conference today. The plate features a library-related graphic and the tagline "READ LEARN EXPLORE."

Renato Donato, Executive Deputy Commissioner of the NYS DMV; Carole Huxley, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Cultural Education; Assemblywoman Sandra Galef; and a representative of Senator Hugh Farley's office. Assemblywoman Galef and Senator Farley sponsored the law creating the Love Your Library license plate.

The Love Your Library (LYL) license plate is available to anyone who has a passenger or commercial vehicle registered in New York State. The International Symbol of Access is available on both types of plates for those who qualify. When issued in the commercial class, the word COMMERCIAL will appear in the tagline. Proceeds from the plate's annual fee will help support the NY State Library's Statewide Summer Reading Program at public libraries across the state.

The NYSL's Statewide Summer Reading Program keeps students Pre-K through 12 reading when school is not in session. Youngsters choose what they read and learn the joys of reading while building literacy skills.

Each year the NYSL works with public libraries and library systems to develop a theme and encourage youngsters to participate. This year's program, "Tune In @Your Library," was coordinated by Crystal Faris, Youth Services Manager, Nassau Library System. More than 1 million youngsters participated in 2004.

The LYL license plate is available from the NYS DMV, their Custom Plates Unit at 518-402-4838, and all Issuing Offices. Individuals may call the Custom Plates number to place an order using MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The order forms can also be accessed on the NYSL's web site or to order online, go here and click on the 'Love Your Library' plate under 'Recently Released Plates.'

The initial fee for a plate with a number assigned by DMV is $43, with a $25 annual renewal fee. The initial fee for a plate personalized with your choice of two to six characters including spaces is $68, with a $50 annual renewal fee. The $25 annual fee will be deposited to the credit of the LYL Fund, which supports the Statewide Summer Reading Program.

For more information on the LYL fund, contact Janet M. Welch, State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries via phone at (518) 474-5930 or e-mail.

For more information on the New York State Library's Statewide Summer Reading Program, go to the website and point to Statewide Summer Reading.

One of the nation's leading research libraries, the New York State Library has served New Yorkers, state government and researchers from throughout the United States for more than 180 years. It is the largest state library in the nation and the only state library to qualify for membership in the Association of Research Libraries. The New York State Library is a program of the State Education Department.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Aht w/ David Brickman

My buddy photographer and critic David Brickman just e-mailed me to tell me that will be doing his second art criticism spot on WAMC (90.3 FM) tomorrow (Thursday) at 10:07 a.m.

The topic will be Michael Oatman's big solo retrospective at the Tang Museum.

By the way, for the out-of-towners it is possible to listen online.

The blogger CD exchange-ROG

Several months before I was involved with the bloggers exchange I mentioned a couple days ago, I was participating on a one-on-one exchange with Fred Hembeck, my old compatriot from the FantaCo comic book days. Most of my earlier works were chronologically based, but as Fred was already doing more thematic pieces, I did likewise.

One of the topics I decided on was to get a song for every state in the country. I missed a few states, but I ended up putting together three discs of an "American travelogue."

Meanwhile, Fred was involved with a bunch of folks, most of them interested in comic books, who did a bloggers’ exchange of mixed CDs, initiated by Chris "Lefty" Brown. As I wasn’t blogging at the time, I couldn’t participate. But now that I am posting fairly regularly, I got to give it a go in the second round with these very diverse folks (May 23).

I decided to use the first of my American Travelogue discs, but I made a few changes.

US: I wanted to start and end with an "American" song. I started with "American Roulette" from Robbie Robertson’s first solo album, which starts off slowly, but really rocks at the end. My old friend Karen has worked for record companies over half her life, and she was trying to promote this album when it came out. She goes to one station trying to explain who Robertson WAS, "You know, The Band? Backing band for Dylan? The Last Waltz?" No hint of recognition from some 23-year old program director who was making decisions about what got played on the air.

NY: "New York, New York" - Ryan Adams was an alt-country darling in 2001. Some critics indicate that he puts out too much mediocre stuff, so his double albums should be single discs. Remind me to look up "alt-country."

NJ: "Atlantic City" - I wanted to NOT do Springsteen here; I half succeeded. It’s a Bruce song by post-Robertson The Band, a little more up tempo than The Boss’s version, with mandolin.

PA: "Allentown" - I expect to be pilloried by some bloggers for putting the very uncool Billy Joel on the disc, but sonically, it just works for me. I had put Elton John’s "Philadelphia Freedom," but it didn’t fit.

MD: "Baltimore" – I’m sure I got Peter Case from Karen. It’s one of those albums that I never remember to play, but the gravelly-voiced singer always satisfies when I do. I considered Vonda Shepherd's "Maryland" here, but I was in a city groove.

DE: Couldn’t find anything in my collection for the First State. Don't think "The White Cliffs of Dover" would count.

DC: "The Bourgeois Blues" – Folkways put out an album of covers of Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly tunes. This song was written by the latter, and sung by Taj Mahal. Talks about black people not getting a break in our nation’s capital.

VA: Some relative told me that "I Believe" was the "future of popular music." So, sound unheard, I bought the Blessed Union of Souls album. I wouldn't say it was "the future of popular music," but "Sweet Virginia" works in this disc.

NC: "Take the Train to Charlotte" – There are a number of other NC songs, but this one was obvious for me, since my mom, sister Marcia, and niece Alex live there. From the Roots and Blues 109-song, box set, this tune is by Fiddlin’ John Carson, no relation to the late, late-night talk show host (I don't think so, anyway.) This song is from c. 1930.

SC: "Darlington County" – talk about commercial! From Springsteen’s massive Born in the U.S.A. album. This was the toughest change, because I replaced an obscure John Linnell song "South Carolina", but again the sound was the determining factor.

GA: "Oh, Atlanta." Love the chromatic scale ascent on this Alison Krauss tune. Chromatic scale? Play the scale MI up to DO, including the black keys, on a piano, staccato (short notes), then imagine that on guitar leading to Alison’s sweet voice.

FL: "Gator on the Lawn." At 1:13, the shortest song, also the loudest. It has a really rockabilly feel. From the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ box set.

PR: I DUMPED "America" from West Side Story from this version. I LOVE West Side Story, I ADORE West Side Story, but I didn’t think it worked here.

AL: "Alabamy Home" by the Gotham Stompers, an instrumental from "1930s Jazz- The Small Combos."

MS: "The Jazz Fiddler" by the Mississippi Sheiks, also from "Roots & Blues".

LA: "Down at the Twist & Shout" was performed by Mary Chapin Carpenter at a Super Bowl, and I have the live recording, but this is the studio version.

TX: I love Lyle Lovett. I love his backing vocalists, Sweet Pea Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens. They really help make "That’s Right (You’re Not from Texas)" swing.

US: This CD ends with a Garth Brooks song "American Honky Tonk Bar Association." It’s a flat out country song for the "hardhat, gunrack, achin'-back, overtaxed, flag-wavin', fun-lovin' crowd." I had, in the previous incarnation, put this song before Lyle.

So, when I see reviews of this album on other blogs and I link to them, you’ll know what the heck they’re talking about. Not so incidentally, look at Lefty's page for June 28 for what other bloggers said about their own and each others' discs.

The Undesirable Demographic

I am pretty OK being over 50. Yes, I am. On the other hand, I don't need constant reminders.

So, the umpteenth mailing from AARP and its various services gets tiresome. However, while many marketers have abandoned me because I'm no longer in the "desirable" 18-49 range (and given the junk snail- and e-mail I get, that's not all bad), there are some who have figured out that people MY age actually spend money!

So, I am trying to figure out how I feel about a recent e-mail I got.
This is a complimentary issue of Advising Boomer's e-News. You are not subscribed. To become a FREE subscriber and guarantee your continued delivery, send a blank email to: sub-advising_boomers@lists.highlinemedia.com

I'm always suspicious of sources that that say things like, "The Financial and Lifestyle Resource for Trusted Advisors". Indeed, anything with the word "lifestyle" sets my teeth on edge.
The sample articles were about
"A Boomer Look at Marriage": interesting
"Destiny: Americans Save Little For Retirement Health Expenses": stop depressing me
"Bush To Keep Talking About Social Security": MEGO

Well, I guess NOT.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Supreme surprise

One of the things that I think is generally a good thing is getting my assumptions challenged now and then. Well, that's happened to me this past month with regard to the Highest Court of the Land.

Apparently, the term "liberal" and "conservative" are not as meaningful on the Supreme Court as I thought they were, or mean different things than I thought. In the medical marijuana case that I mentioned on June 7Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion, while Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, considered a moderate, penned the dissent, supported by the ailing Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justice Clarence Thomas, part of the conservative wing of the court.

Last week, in the eminent domain case, Justice Stevens, deemed the most liberal on the Court, wrote for the 5-4 majority in favor of the government, while Justice O’Connor again authored the dissenting opinion, saying that the Court abandoned a basic limitation on government power and, in doing so, "washed out any distinction between private and public use of property." O'Connor said economic development is not a constitutionally permissible reason to take people's land.

Further, she wrote: "Any property may now be taken for the benefit of another private party, but the fallout from this decision will not be random. The beneficiaries are likely to be those citizens with disproportionate influence and power in the political process, including large corporations and development firms. As for the victims, the government now has license to transfer property from those with fewer resources to those with more. The Founders cannot have intended this perverse result." O'Connor was supported by the conservative Justice Antonin Scalia and again by Rehnquist and Thomas. I can’t remember the last time I agreed with Rehnquist AND Thomas on a non-unanimous decision twice in one month.

The cautious, mixed Ten Commandments ruling this week adhered more to the traditional liberal/conservative split of the Court.

I was disappointed by the marijuana ruling, and generally pleased by the Ten Commandments decision, but I remain deeply troubled by the eminent domain case. It appears that the underlying assumption in the latter case is that government will always work for the benefit of all, rather than just the "connected," and I'm suspicious enough of government - all government, however well-meaning - that that chance of greed and corruption driving a land grab is very high. I predict that in a couple decades, this ruling will be overturned when some egregious activities are uncovered.

My regrets to the folks of New London, CT, who have vowed to stay in their houses until the bulldozers come.

Monday, June 27, 2005

USA is NUTS!

I just read that the USA Network was born 25 years ago as basic cable's first general entertainment channel. It is celebrating its first year as part of the NBC Universal Television Studio (NUTS), which also includes Bravo and Telemundo. I tell you this merely so I could use the above title. This is just one more way I am trying to lose my serious, stuffy image.

Mixed CD-Greg Burgas

For some obscure reason, I was singing "Istanbul (not Constantinople)" in the locker room of the Albany Y a few weeks ago. I noted to one of my compatriots, Phil, that the original came out in 1953, the year I was born, but I didn't know who performed it. (It turned out to be the Four Lads. It entered the charts on 10/17 and went to #10.) Please know that I don't USUALLY go around singing "Istanbul".

I'm involved in this CD exchange among two dozen bloggers, organized by Chris "Lefty" Brown (May 23). The first disc to arrive was on that same day from a guy named Greg Burgas, and what's on it? "Istanbul"! It's the They Might Be Giants version (which I own), but still pretty spooky.

It's a pretty eclectic mix from Delenda Est Carthago, the name of his blog. Some of it I liked a lot. The title cut is a relatively obscure Diana Ross and the Supremes hit, "Forever Came Today," a fine song (though how that defines the theme of the disc, I'm not quite sure yet.) Only two songs I didn't care for, and I attribute that to a generational thing. (A Fred Hembeck lets me know that I'm the second oldest one in the exchange; he has 5 weeks on me.) One was Ugly in the Morning, an apt description of the Faith No More song, and the other some Jane's Addiction song that would have driven me to drugs if I didn't have willpower.

On the other hand, a lot of stuff worked. Alison Krauss' Down to the River to Pray (the second O Brother cut on the disc) oddly segues nicely with the guitar noodling in the beginning of a song by the hard rockin' Cinderella! Who knew? There are other links like that throughout.

But for me, THE find was: "Somewhere between a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra, a classical chamber music ensemble, a Brasilian marching street band and Japanese film noir is the 12-piece Pink Martini. Tasty. I want MORE.

(Oh, and I just figured out WHY Greg was first - his wife just had a baby. Congrats, Greg, but did you think having a baby might interfere with blogging and making mixed CDs? Can't understand THAT.)

OK so I wrote that, but now I have two dozen MORE CDs I should address. Four I haven't heard, and - fortunately - a few I haven't received yet. Don't know that I'll be as verbose in the future. BTW, I expect that, eventually, the song lists of all of these bloggers will show up on Lefty's page. If Chris' list shows up on the page, I'll link to that. MY list will show up on THIS page, also eventually.

Sunday, June 26, 2005

The Lydster -Part 15: Adventurers in Babysitting

I was reminding someone that I was going to be out of work for a day earlier this month in order to watch Lydia. Someone said, "Oh, you're going to babysit Lydia." Hmm. Can you babysit your own child? I've heard this before, and something about it has never resonated correctly with me, but maybe I'm being overly sensitive.

So, I go to several dictionaries to look up babysitting/babysitter:
  • to take care of someone's baby or child while that person is out, usually by going to their home
  • a person engaged to care for one or more children in the temporary absence of parents or guardians
  • a person who cares for or watches over someone or something that needs attention or guidance

    OK, so there's some wiggle room in the third definition.

    Then I asked Carol: "Has ANYONE EVER said to you, "Oh, you need to babysit Lydia [because she's sick, etc.]? And the answer, as I suspected, was "No." SHE watches, SHE tends to, SHE cares for. And I babysit? Nah, *I* watch, *I* tend to, *I* care for.

    I really believe the linguistic distinction matters. When she's ready to be in a relationship and have children THOUSANDS of years now, I want her to have a partner who is a caregiver, not a babysitter.

    Of course, it was difficult to give Lydia care when she went three or four days this month when she ONLY wanted Mommy, ironically around Father's Day, but that too has passed.

    What hasn't passed is her utter rejection of her high chair in the past 72 hours in favor of a "grown-up" chair that she can pull herself onto. She is now at the table (in the booster seat), just like everyone else.


    And that's what I learned about myself from my daughter THIS month. Happy year and a quarter, Lydia.
  • Saturday, June 25, 2005

    JEOPARDY Part 5

    Continued from Saturday, June 18.

    Why are there over a half dozen Boston media trucks parked in front of the Boston Park Plaza Hotel? It can't be for JEOPARDY!

    Being an information specialist, I figure I'd better find out, and who better to consult than the doorman?

    So, I asked him. He gave me that look that said, "You dummy!", but he answered, "The President's coming!" I was going to ask him the president of what, but then I got it. THE President is coming here? But why?

    As it turned out, President Clinton, Vice-President Gore, Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and other dignitaries were going to be at the hotel for a fancy (read: high-priced) fund-raising dinner. The President was in Cincinnati earlier in the day, but was flying in for this evening.

    You need to remember the time frame: this was the Monicagate era. Eventually, I could look down from my upper story room (12th floor?) and see many hundred protesters. It seemed that they were split about 50/50. Half were upset with President Clinton because of his behavior and the effect it had on the country. But the other half was outraged by Kenneth Starr, the special prosecutor, for putting all of the lurid details about Bill and Monica on the Internet. "Pornographer" was often used in the anti-Starr signage. (My view at the time was "a pox on both houses.")

    Judy, Max and I went to see an OMNIMAX showing of a movie about Mount Everest, which was most exciting. (Max going to the OMNIMAX - how cool is THAT for a teenager?, I thought). Then we went out to dinner. When we got back, 4 of the 5 building entrances were inaccessible for security reasons. (I heard later in an interview that Alex Trebek also had difficulty getting back in, but I did not see him.)
    There was a large canopy that stretched to the middle of the street. One could not see anyone coming in or out of the event. Cars would drive under the canopy, then out. When we walked back from dinner, we noted that the glass was tinted as well (and bullet-proof, too, I gather.) We also saw security on adjoining rooftops.

    We went into the hotel through the only means of access and went up to my room. Judy's car was in the lot, and she was unlikely to be able to get out very easily. Also, the event downstairs was apparently running late, so we watched the last episode of the Larry Sanders Show on HBO. Judy and Max left around 11:30, when the roads were finally clear, and they stayed at a nearby hotel. I went to bed but slept fitfully.

    The next morning, I went down to get my complementary breakfast, but I really couldn't eat. In fact, I was feeling a little queasy. We were to meet in the hotel lobby with our change of clothes at 11:30 a.m. We rode in a couple vans for the two or three block trip to the Wang Center.

    We went into a room and met Susanne Thurber, talent coordinator, who gave us tips on playing the game. Among other things, she noted that the place was much larger (seating capacity 3200) than the small theater where the show is filmed (250). She noted that a good game involves clearing the board, so we should go right to the next clue as soon as possible, always indicating the category and the amount. We should be upbeat. (She told us a lot of other good stuff which I’ve since forgotten.)

    Boston was really psyched to have JEOPARDY! in town. The show had traveled before, to Stockholm, Washington, DC and Berkeley, but this was a first for this town. I understand that it was chosen because of the extremely high viewership per capita. The Globe, the Herald, and even the Christian Science Monitor were there, interviewing Susanne, Alex Trebek, head writer Gary Johnson, and others.

    This is how the Boston Herald's Marisa Guthrie described the set (9/19/98): "The Wang stage was littered with Boston props, from a bigger-than-life sculpture of Paul Revere astride his trusty mare to a scaled-down replica of the Old North Church with the top of the steeple cut off. (It won't show up on camera anyway.)" There was a preponderance of red brick everywhere, from the game board to the players' lecterns.

    In fact, if you go here, and click on "Boston photo album", you'll see the set, including a picture of (ahem) me. If you're in the "Contestants" field, you will also see (er) me. (The interview section is no longer functional; whatever profundities that I said are now lost to the ages.)

    I'm wandering around on stage, when suddenly, I had the sense that I was being followed. Some guy I don’t know says, "Glad to see you, Roger. Good luck!"

    Continued on Saturday, July 2.

    Friday, June 24, 2005

    Memories of Pop

    So I went up to my attic, trying to find some memorabilia for a project I’m working on, about which I will tell you about soon. I didn’t find the memorabilia, but I DID find 10 notebooks I used as diaries between 1979 and 1987, which will also be helpful for that aforementioned mysterious project. But it IS rather painful to read about your immature, self-absorbed thoughts from 25 years ago. (As opposed to my current MATURE, self-absorbed thoughts.)

    One of the things I re-discovered was the death of my grandfather a quarter century ago this week. I knew he had died sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s, but the precise date had fled my memory.

    Pop is what we (my parents, my sisters and I) called my father’s father, McKinley Green. Everyone else called him Mac. My nuclear family lived downstairs in a very small two-family house in Binghamton. Pop and his wife, my Grandma Green, Agatha (and it was A gath’ a, not Ag’ ath a) lived upstairs. This was one of two houses owned my mother’s mother, Grandma (Gertrude) Williams, who lived about six blocks away. (HER death I remember quite well: Super Bowl Sunday, 1982.)

    Pop was a janitor at WNBF-TV and radio; eventually, the TV station was sold, but he maintained his job at the radio station. I’m not quite sure just how old was, but he was well past the age of retirement, yet the station kept him on to work as long as he wanted, and as much as he wanted. He was such an amiable man that people liked him to be around.

    He used to bring home albums (LPs) that had been discarded by the station. Most were "beautiful music" with no artist even listed, or in later years, obscure rock bands that I had never even heard of, but three discs stand out in my mind.
  • "50 Stars, 50 Hits on two great country albums!" That’s the way it was advertised on TV, and I was thrilled when Pop brought a copy home. It featured Buck Owens, George Jones, Minnie Pearl, T. Texas Ruby and many more -46 more, to be precise. In Binghamton in the 1960s, you could get these clear channels (not to be confused with the conglomerate Clear Channel) at night, and I could get stations in New York and Cleveland. I could also reach WWVA in Wheeling, WV, a country station, and I probably listened a couple nights a week for four or five years.
  • Gary Lewis and the Playboys Greatest Hits- Jerry’s son’s band doing The Loser (with a Broken Heart), Where Will the Words Come From, (You Don’t Have to) Paint Me a Picture, My Heart’s Symphony, and my favorite, Jill.
  • The soundtrack to the movie The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968). I saw this movie with my high school friend Carol and HER friend Judy, on whom I had a tremendous crush (though nothing ever came of it.) The film, starring Britt Eklund and Jason Robards, was the film debut of Elliot Gould and served as the final film for Bert Lahr. It started with Rudy Vallee saying: "In 1925, there was this real religious girl. And, quite by accident, she invented the striptease. This real religious girl. In 1925. Thank you." It also featured songs like "Take 10 Terrific Girls, But Only 9 Costumes." For a 15 year old, this was really hot stuff, even though the "striptease" in the movie lasted a nanosecond, so getting the album was quite fine.

    Pop was an avid hunter. He provided the vast majority of the venison I’ve ever eaten in my life. The only time I ever used a firearm was with Pop. We went out to the woods somewhere, and he gave me his rifle. I fired. Naturally, the recoil left me sitting on my butt. Pop also liked to bowl, work on cars, and especially go to the track, particularly in Monticello.

    I used to go upstairs and play gin rummy with him while we watched Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. In the later years, I’d beat him about 50% of the time. On a bulletin board, he had a faded newspaper clipping of Ed Marinaro, the Cornell running back, who was the son or nephew of a friend of his; Marinaro eventually played Officer Joe Coffey on Hill Street Blues.

    From my 6/26/1980 diary: "Pop was a very dark-skinned man with grey hair, thinning, but more prevalent than mine, combed straight back… I recall a certain twinkle in his eye, though I hadn’t seen him in a year and a half or longer; he was never home when I dropped by. I probably should have written more often, but he never wrote back...I would have called if had [had] a telephone, but he refused… The phone company would have required a deposit in switching service from Grandma Green’s name [she died in the mid-1960s] to his, even tho’ he had been paying the bills, [so he had the phone taken out.] He was stubborn that way."

    I was going to write about Pop’s death, and I will soon. But it was nice to write a little about Pop’s life.
  •