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 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 Edvard Munch: Between the Clock and the Bed is at the San Francisco, California Museum of Modern Art to October 9th.
In San Francisco: to Oct 9thEACH SPRING since 1970 the city of New Orleans hosts the Jazz & Heritage Festival… and while it has strayed from its original decision not to show major rock bands (like Led Zeppelin) — as it has featured (in recent years) Lorde, Pearl Jam, No Doubt and Ed Sheeran — festival promoters say these guests help underwrite the performers who embody the true meaning of the event: “More people have seen gospel at Jazz Fest than anywhere else ... they return home and go to a blues club they never went to, or buy a Cajun or zydeco record." Speaking of jazz …..
HAIL and FAREWELL to the guitarist John Abercrombie— whose career included a long stint in jazz-rock, with Billy Cobham and especially Jan Hammer: whom he roomed with at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and played duets with at a club ... “before the strippers came on” — who has died at the age of 72.
THURSDAY's CHILD is a Utah momma cat who was found inside a CAT — yes, a Caterpillar front-end loader— near Salt Lake City … and she plus her brood were brought to a shelter … where all are doing well.
Utah momma cat & broodENVIRONMENTAL NOTES — following the lead of the Pope, the friars who run the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy have embarked upon an ambitious plan to utilize LED lights, photovoltaic panels, thermal insulation, waster sorting and recycled paper, just for a start.
HOPING for the BEST for all of our friends in the Gulf Coast …. hopefully, everyone will make it through this week safely.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Luna the Hero Cat— a South Carolina kitteh who alerted a family to a fire that destroyed their home … but all escaped safely.
Luna the Hero CatTHE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with a look at the town of Keene, New Hampshire— where I have lived the past four years — and how this blue-city is more than just the residence of some unsavory characters and where some drunken louts ruined a wonderful festival a few years back. Plus, an explanation of the difference between two libertarian groups here: one which is authentic, the other …. an anarchist/grifter group.
BRAIN TEASER - try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
SEPARATED at BIRTH — imprisoned Mexican drug lord Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán and retired baseball star Pete Rose.
Sinaloa cartel head El Chapo Retired ballplayer Pete Rose...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… super-hectic week, not even time for a true mini-profile … so, a version of my favorite instrumental pop song of all time, and the man who wrote/performed it.
He was hired as a comedy writer on the old Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour — helping to write skits for the Paul Paulsen for President campaign — and he also has also garnered acclaim for his artistic ventures (an 11' x 37' photographic poster of a Greyhound bus is on permanent display at New York's Museum of Modern Art), plus has written and published several books of prose and poetry.
But Mason Williams will always be remembered for his music: writing the Smothers Brothers theme song, and also this Texas native's magnum opus.
Classical Gas won several Grammy Awards (including for instrumental theme and instrumental performance) and remains a landmark composition — last week in my mention of performing rights organization BMI: in 1998, he received an award for over five million airplays for the song (now over six million).
And below is a version he played on the Smothers Brothers reunion show of 1988.
x xYouTube Video