I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Laramie, Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — an exhibition entitled First Impressions: Women Printmakers of Washington — the first overview of women printmakers of Washington state, who were active in the early to mid-twentieth century — is at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture in Spokane, Washington to November 19th.
Elizabeth Warhanik, c. 1930
ON THE FRONT-PAGE STORY comparing Brain Kemp to Kevin McCarthy:
Brian Kemp is term-limited as Georgia governor … and he has his sights on higher office. His own job isn’t in jeopardy now. (Plus, being on the receiving-end of death threats in addition to Brad Raffensperger and Gabriel Sterling … doesn’t endear him to Mr. MAGA).
By contrast, Kevin McCarthy probably doesn’t sleep well at night. John Boehner and Paul Ryan threw-in-the-towel as the human punching-bags they became … from their own caucus. Yell all he may about Democrats … Kevin McCarthy must have envied Nancy Pelosi’s security.
I recall Charlie Pierce saying once something-along-the-lines of: “John Boehner is a Republican … who has to pretend to be a madman … in order to beg and grovel for votes … from a group of madmen … pretending to be Republicans”.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Mia the Cat — a Wisconsin kitteh who was rescued from a horrific apartment fire that left twenty-one people homeless.
Mia the Cat
YOU PROBABLY RECOGNIZE the addresses 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and No 10 Downing Street … alas, 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa (home of Canada’s prime minister) is in such need of repair, there may be plans to build a new residence.
YOUR WEEKEND READ is this short take on last week’s GOP debate by the intrepid Diane Roberts, with her irrepressible humor.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Bob the Cat — a Kansas kitteh who went missing ten years ago … now returning home after being discovered in North Carolina.
Bob the Cat
BRAIN TEASER — try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz.
THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a quick look at the Daily Tar Heel newspaper’s front page (of text messages on the school’s fatal shooting) and if the print managing editor (whom I hope is nominated for a Pulitzer) goes on to later fame in journalism … she wouldn’t be the first in the paper’s history.
FATHER-SON? — two musicians performing in multiracial soul/rock bands (and also with male and female instrumentalists) — Jerry Martini (tenor saxophonist for Sly & the Family Stone) and Evan Sarver (bassist for the Memphis band Southern Avenue).
Jerry Martini (b. 1942)
Evan Sarver (b. ??)
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… just enough time for a look at someone whom I profiled six years ago, Robert Cray — who is now on tour and who gave an interesting interview to the Boston Globe.
In it, he mentions parting ways with long-time collaborator Eric Clapton — when he and Van Morrison performed a song comparing vaccine mandates to slavery and posing for a photo-op with Greg Abbot. In it he says Clapton wanted to continue (and just not talk politics) which Robert Cray said he cannot do.
I can relate: I’ve loved Eric’s work (going back to John Mayall) and will always be grateful to him for finally agreeing to re-form Cream in 2005 … so that after thirty-seven years, I could see my favorite band (when I was too young to see them before). It’s just that over the years, his politics and racial attitudes have accumulated … so that I won’t give up any of his old records; just simply am moving on. “Thanks for the Memories” is my adage.
Robert Cray also mentioned in the interview two songs he wrote about TFG: the first came from 2017, Just How Low
Why you wanna pull us down and separate
We come with all kinds of customs and colors and features
That's what makes our country great
United, do you know what that means?
Why you wanna go around from town to town
Dousing us with gasoline
You called out the president,
'cause you didn't like his name
You had a fit, said he wasn't legit
Made him show his birth certificate
You could be a hero, then maybe not
So if you go to war you better make sure
That you never get caught
How you gonna fix this mess, that you created?
Why you wanna raise up the dead?
If you are not a "10" or you're disabled
You'll just never forget all that he's said
If you wanna build a wall
Build it around yourself
Then you can sit up in your tower
And we'll all have a toast to your health
One never knows
Just how low
Someone might go
The second is from the election year of 2020, This Man. A note: the song is compartmentalized. The first 1:45 is the main body of the song, then next minute is the repetitive chorus, and the last minute features the young John Lewis speaking at the 1963 March on Washington — quite timely.
Who is this man in our house?
Who is this man? Better get him out
We've got a problem, he's gotta go
He don't leave
Can't live here no more
If we wanna save our home
We need to get him out
When I come home from work
There he is again
Talking loud, talking trash
And it's always something about him
Every thing's out of place
It just don't belong
Can't get no sleep
Cause he's up on the phone
If we wanna save our home
We need to get him out
Who is this man in our house?
Who is this man? We need to get him out
He had to have help
How the hell he'd get in?
Now he's walking around
Like he's a big king
If we wanna save our home
We need to get him out
