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 and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES—an exhibition entitled What, Me Worry? The Art and Humor of MAD Magazine— including more than 150 original works (paintings, drawings, cartoons, ephemera, and artifacts) — is at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, (western) Massachusetts to October 27th.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this essay in Vox about an analysis by Arlie Hochschild … about who in rural areas is more likely to support 45.
QUOTE of the DAY— although behind a paywall, this quote from Tom Nichols in The Atlantic:
In 1975, two people tried to kill (then president) Gerald Ford ... in less than three weeks.
Amazingly, Ford didn't try to rile up the country, inflame America's anger - or try to fundraise off it. But that's back when ... we expected more of our national leaders.
THURSDAY's CHILD is named Shoto the Cat - who went missing from his home during the January, 2022 freeze-up in Texas, now to be reunited (due to his microchip) from ... Springfield, Massachusetts.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is this (gift) essay in The Atlantic (by Mark Liebovitch) on invertebrate cowards in the GOP.
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Clementine the Cat— an English kitteh with (what are described as) autumnal orange eyes, making her a hit on TikTok.
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 look at my 50th high school reunion… junior high school was a horrible time for me, but high school gave me a new-lease-on-life …. and this past 3-day weekend was a blast.
OLDER-YOUNGER BROTHERS?— both ABC’s Jake Tapper and Gov. Josh Shapiro attended the same Philadelphia high school (Jake Tapper born 1969, Josh Shapiro 1973).
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… hectic week, so I’ll simply reprise the tune I used the other night in Top Comments (one of songs my classmates performed at our reunion) … but with a bit more focus.
My mother always liked hearing Grace Slick sing Somebody to Love— which was actually written by her (then) brother-in-law Darby Slick, who (along with Grace and her first husband Jerry Slick) performed in The Great Society. This was neither the most talented (nor the most disciplined) of the San Francisco bands of the 60’s. Yet they had a sound that had a mix of influences that made them intriguing.
One example is this cover version of the song Sally Go Round the Roses— sung by the female trio The Jaynetts— that reached #2 on the charts in 1963. The Great Society’s cover version captured not only the mood of the song, but also had a raga-like improvisation section (which you can hear at this link).
When Grace Slick left to join the Jefferson Airplane: she brought Somebody to Love with her, reaching #5 on the charts in 1967 with a whole new arrangement. She later used it as the title of her 1998 memoirs (which are a scream to read, if you can find it at your public library). Here, though, is the original rendition by The Great Society (produced by the future Sly Stone) that features a slower (yet still intriguing) arrangement.