Help Me, Rhonda!

Trumpster Fire

The train wreck that is the current Republican presidential nominating process continued last night with the Nevada Caucus.

To the complete surprise of absolutely no one with a brain,
the state which permits legalized prostitution and is home to the kitsch mecca known as Las Vegas made asshat Donald Trump their leading choice.

The caucus itself was something of a dumpster fire, with all sorts of complaints being reported. I do wish all the people saying "that's what you always get with a caucus" would come watch how Iowa does theirs. Disaster is not "normal" for our caucuses. (Speaking only for the Republican side. Dems are seriously fucked up. Coin flips, are you !@#$ kidding me?)

Given the situation on the ground prior to the caucus, this is hardly surprising.

The progressive mainstream news media (but I repeat myself) have been busy this morning trying to spin this as more Trump "domination," because they desperately hope he is the GOP nominee (he's the only Republican Hillary routinely beats in head-to-head polling).

I view it more realistically...

• Even though turnout more than doubled over 2012, Trump (46 percent) finished well behind Romney's winning percentage (51 percent). Far more people turned out to vote AGAINST Trump than for him.
• Trump essentially tied the leading Not Trump options (Rubio and Cruz), and both Rubio and Cruz continue to beat Trump handily in head-to-head polling. After more than eight months of 24/7 media coverage, Trump has reached his ceiling of support, and whenever the Not Trump forces unite, he's toast. Whether they WILL unite is an open question.
• Despite the media narrative, only 3 percent of delegates for the GOP nominating convention have been awarded, and Trump has received only about 31 percent of the total votes cast so far, a most unimpressive total (especially considering that New Hampshire and South Carolina were both open primaries). He is the weakest "front-runner" in recent memory, well behind even Romney and McCain.

"So, you're not worried?"

Disgusted and pissed off, yes...worried, not so much...still WAY too early to worry...and Trump has all the earmarks of being a paper hairdo...

Wordplay

Me and Rhonda

The title of today's post is in part
a reference to the Beach Boys song featured today, and in part a wry reference to the Republican party's current mess.

That said, it also gives me an opportunity to mention Rhonda,
my 2010 Hanson Cigno guitar. She's a bit of a show-off, so...

Housekeeping

Just wanted to throw in a reminder about clicking on the live links provided throughout, like this one. A lot of the content (and some of the humor) depends on you following those links at least now and then. Also, comments are always welcome, of course. Agree or disagree, I'd love to hear from you!

"So would I!"

Dessert Logic

From the essential comic strip Non Sequitur, by Wiley Miller, which you should read every day, as I do (even though Wiley is a squishy liberal).

Until Next Time...

The music business was very different for pop/rock bands in the mid-1960s than it is today. There was tremendous pressure on popular bands like The Beach Boys to release new albums every few months, which often resulted in a certain amount of recycling or repackaging of old material. That was certainly the case with "Help Me, Rhonda," a song the band originally recorded in monaural sound for their The Beach Boys Today! album, their first of three album releases in 1965. Recording sessions for that album ended on January 19, 1965. They'd be back in the studio about a month later to begin work on Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), their second planned album of the year.

On February 24, 1965 the band recorded a new arrangement of "Help Me, Rhonda," complete with new instrumental solos, and used Capitol Records's simulated stereo process called "duophonic stereo" for this version (as they did for the whole album).

The re-recorded version even changed the spelling to "Rhonda" from the original's "Ronda." All of the changes must have made a difference, because the revamped "Help Me, Rhonda" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart on May 29, 1965 and held the top spot for two weeks. It was the band's second No. 1 hit.

The song quickly became a staple
of the band's live shows, and has remained one for half a century.



Today's send-off is the "duophonic stereo" version. Enjoy...

Criminy, Your Honor!

The Camel's Nose

"Privacy schmivacy!"

I was going to write about the Nevada GOP Caucuses today, but when I got up this morning the political news was a particularly depressing blend of toxic stupidity, so that will just have to wait.

Meanwhile, we're living in the Golden Age of privacy violations, and there isn't a day that goes by without more fuel being added to that particular dumpster fire.

There was a story published today about a decision by a Federal judge in California, Kimberly J. Mueller, which ordered the release of private information affecting more than
10 million schoolkids to two advocacy groups who want to go on a fishing expedition.

There are so many things wrong with this decision that it is impossible to list them all (does the judge not understand that the REAL reason the advocacy groups want the information is to fuel further lawsuits against school districts?), so for today I'll just repeat something I have said many, many times: ANY government entity which promises to keep your personal information private is LYING TO YOU. Period.

All it took for those kids' data to be ordered surrendered is for the people who wanted the data to find a halfwit in a black robe (hardly in short supply on the Federal bench, sadly). Decisions like this are just the camel's nose, of course, paving the way for far worse abuses down the road.

It has been awhile since I've given out one of these, but it is well-deserved in this case:

"That seems a trifle harsh, don't you think?"

No, I don't...privacy is a big deal to me, and folks like Judge Mueller are doing their best to eradicate it...did I mention the part about the laughable "safeguards" that will supposedly be used? What a joke...

Just As Well

World's best candy bar

During Lent I don't allow myself treats like candy bars, so the news today that Mars Candy Company issued a recall affecting its namesake product, among others, doesn't affect me right now.

World's second-best candy bar

Of course, if there are any post-Easter shortages of Mars bars related to the recall, I can just increase my intake of Milky Way Midnights (what they used to call the Forever Yours). That one was always my mom's favorite, and I think of her every time I have one.

Take the Hint, Kid

From the delightful comic strip Zits, by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman, which you should read every day, as I do.

Until Next Time...

On February 23, 1952, Brad Ernest Whitford was born in Winchester, Massachusetts
(a suburb of Boston). He graduated from high school in 1970 (a year ahead of my graduation in Kansas City), and attended the Berklee College of Music before dropping out to pursue his interest in being in a rock band.

After knocking around for a bit with several bands that went nowhere, in 1971 he became rhythm guitarist for the band Aerosmith. Except for a brief three-year hiatus
in the early '80s, Brad has been with Aerosmith ever since, and has been a significant contributor to their multi-platinum, Grammy-winning, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career.

In addition to his work with Aerosmith, Brad has also appeared as a guest star in a variety of other projects, as you might expect from someone who made Guitar World magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

One of those guest appearances came in 2012, when Brad joined
my hero Joe Bonamassa on Joe's Driving Towards the Daylight album. Brad played guitar on seven of the album's eleven songs.


Today's send-off is the official video of the album's title track, which features both Brad and his 17-year-old son Harrison joining Joe. Happy birthday, Brad!

I Can't Brain Today...

Shameless Plug

I readily admit that I stole the title for today's post from a t-shirt design by the wonderful folks at SnorgTees.

Highly recommended that you check 'em out!

Palmetto Pinheads

South Carolina, known as the Palmetto State because its state tree is the sabal palmetto, held its Republican primary on Saturday (the Democrats have theirs on February 27). The results do not speak well for the intellectual capacity of South Carolinians.



Asshat Donald Trump finished in 1st place with 32.5% of the vote, meaning two-thirds
of voters preferred "Not Trump" options, but because the South Carolina GOP is idiotic, the rules awarded all 50 delegates to the Republican National Convention to Trump.
And you thought the Democrats flipping coins at the Iowa Caucuses was stupid...

A great deal has been made of the "historical precedent" argument that no GOP candidate who won both the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries has failed
to win the GOP nomination. What this narrative overlooks is Trump's historically weak showing in both primaries. Trump's winning percentage in New Hampshire (35.34%) would be the lowest of any winner who went on to receive the party's nomination, and his winning percentage in South Carolina (32.5%) would also be the lowest of any winner who went on to become the GOP nominee.

"I'm pissed off, and you're gonna have to deal with it!"

One of the frustrating results of exit polling was that only 21% of voters who supported Trump considered "electability" as a factor in their vote. In other words, they don't care if Trump brings the party down like the fucking Hindenburg in the general election. Great!


In many respects, this campaign reminds me a lot of 2008, when "maverick" John McCain (another guy with anger management issues who hated conservatism) got the nomination with weak support because the Not McCain voters waited too long to rally behind a single standard-bearer. If things go on as they have been, the inability of Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz to consolidate the conservative vote will be disastrous for the party.

"My PAC spent $100 million for this shit? Damn it..."

One positive was that the hapless campaign of Jeb Bush came to an end, $100 million worth of negative ads being insufficient to persuade voters to give yet another Bush a crack
at the brass ring.



Bush's flame-out ought to put an end to all of the nonsense we hear from progressives about the Citizens United decision, but it won't, of course.

"You should try to calm down. Think about your blood pressure..."

I'm quite calm, thank you for your concern...

Baseball Irony

Just yesterday I wrote about how LHP Brian Flynn was starting his comeback from an injury that ended his 2015 season. Brian is hoping to make the pitching staff of my beloved Kansas City Royals with a strong spring training (he barely missed making the club last season). I included a picture of Brian in the entry, wearing No. 33.

41 - 34, 4.38 ERA in 654 IP as a Royal

After the blog was already up came news that RHP Jeremy Guthrie, whom the Royals did not tender a contract for 2016, had signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. I was glad to hear that Jeremy will have a chance to make the Rangers' starting rotation. He's a great guy, and I'll miss him.

Jeremy, as you can see, wore No. 33 during his Royals career...

I know, old friend, I know...me, too...

Trump in a Nutshell

From the pen of Chip Bok, whose editorial cartoons you should read often, as I do.

Until Next Time...

A Summer Place was a popular movie released in 1959 based on a best-selling novel by Sloan Wilson. The film is far better remembered nowadays for a piece of music that was used in it than for its merits as a film.

Original 1959 "one sheet" poster

Composer Max Steiner's "Theme from 'A Summer Place'" was originally called "Molly and Johnny Theme" because it was only used in scenes involving those characters in the film, and wasn't the film's primary musical motif.

Recorded as an instrumental by Percy Faith, the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart on February 22, 1960.

It would hold on to the No. 1 position for nine consecutive weeks, which at the time was a new record. It remains one of the most instantly-recognizable bits of music in movie history.





Today's send-off pairs the original Percy Faith Orchestra recording with some promotional images for the film. Enjoy...

Sunday Potpourri No. 24

Second Chances

Brian Flynn

One of the toughest decisions Royals manager Ned Yost had to make at the conclusion of the team's 2015 Spring Training season was whether to keep young LHP Brian Flynn (who had an excellent spring) or RHP Ryan Madson, a veteran free agent from the Philadelphia Phillies signed during the 2014 off-season. Yost chose to keep Madson mostly because Flynn still had minor league options left, but admitted that he "felt terrible" about the decision at the time.

Madson wound up having a fine season and playing an important role for the 2015 World Series Champions (68 appearances,
3 saves, 20 holds, 2.13 ERA). He departed via free agency during the offseason, signing with the Oakland Athletics.


Meanwhile, Flynn was sent to Omaha, got injured, and missed the entire 2015 season anyway. It was quite a setback.

Now he's back in Surprise, Arizona competing for a spot with the defending champions. He's grateful for the opportunity, and glad to be healthy enough to compete. It will be interesting to see if Brian can put together another strong spring and make the team.

"A flame-throwing lefty would be a nice bullpen piece to have."

It absolutely would be, yes...

Wild Kingdom Bed & Breakfast Update

"More dried fruit and peanuts, if you don't mind."

It has been unseasonably warm
this week, and for the first time since winter began I saw (and heard) a blue jay on the patio.

We're just a few weeks away from the first day of spring, so I imagine a lot of species I haven't seen for awhile will start turning up again. Everybody's welcome at the B&B,
of course. That's the whole point...

Another Lenten Sacrifice

One of the things I chose to give up for Lent was Starbucks coffee drinks (just the ones I get from their store; I'm still allowed to use their ground coffee at home).

That turned out to be more of a sacrifice than I had thought, as they have introduced a new beverage: the Smoked Butterscotch Latte.




The barista at my local Starbucks couldn't tell me how long this item would be available, so I can only hope it is still available after Easter. She was able to tell me that she wasn't allowed to sell me a bottle of the syrup they use to make the beverage...

Molecular Gastronomy

From the delightful comic strip FoxTrot, by Bill Amend, which you should read every Sunday, as I do.

Until Next Time...

One of my favorite things about seeing baseball games in person is being present for the national anthem. Seeing how the home team has chosen to handle this song at a particular game is always interesting. It is a famously difficult song for vocalists, so it is not unusual for teams to prefer instrumental renditions.

On special occasions (Opening Day, 4th of July, playoff games, etc.) teams playing at home will often go in for big productions of the song, which makes those occasions even more memorable.

Van Cliburn in concert in 2003

For their Opening Day in 1994, the Texas Rangers made the unusual choice of legendary classical pianist Van Cliburn (a Texan and resident of nearby Fort Worth), playing with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. What followed was one of the best instrumental renditions of the anthem I've ever heard, and the fans in attendance gave it quite an ovation.





Today's send-off is the official MLB video of Cliburn's stirring performance. Enjoy...

Mixed Bag

They're Baaaaaaaack!

Crooner Andy Williams notwithstanding, the beginning of baseball season is the REAL "most wonderful time of the year." It is especially so this year since my beloved Kansas City Royals are the defending World Series champions.

LHP Brian Duensing

Although players reported to spring training in Surprise, Arizona on February 18 (my birthday), the first official workouts were yesterday. The team's defense of its title is now underway.

The team announced on Thursday that they had signed former Minnesota Twins pitcher Brian Duensing to a minor league contract. Duensing's odds of making the team are long, but the Royals have a recent history of guessing right on pitchers, and Duensing could well earn a bullpen spot. Brian was LF Alex Gordon's teammate in college, and the two are still close friends.



The main areas of interest for fans this spring are the battle for the 2B job between Omar Infante and Christian Colon and the adjustments to the starting rotation and bullpen after the departures of Johnny Cueto and Ryan Madson to free agency. Starter Jason Vargas will not be available for much of the season either, as he is recovering from the Tommy John procedure, and Greg Holland won't pitch at all this year due to his Tommy John surgery following the World Series.

"Shall I buy you some peanuts and Cracker Jack?"

Some Cracker Jack would be nice, but I hate raw peanuts...

Another Loss

The beginning of spring training notwithstanding, yesterday was a tough day. In the morning came the news of the death of Harper Lee at age 89. Later on, images of Antonin Scalia's viewing at the Supreme Court building started popping up all over the internet...

Scalia's SCOTUS colleagues pay their respects

Before the day was over came the news that Italian scholar and author Umberto Eco had passed away at age 84.

Original 1986 "one sheet" poster

I always found Eco's essays interesting reads, but as a fan of mystery fiction I will always remember him for his wonderful 1980 novel The Name of the Rose.

In 1986 the novel was made into an underrated motion picture starring Sean Connery, F. Murray Abraham, and Christian Slater which I still enjoy watching.

Requiescat in pace, Signor Eco.

Leader of the Pack

From the pen of Henry Payne, whose editorial cartoons you should read often, as I do.

Until Next Time...

While there is no "official" song for Major League Baseball, its unofficial anthem is certainly "Take Me Out To the Ball Game." It is part of the DNA of every baseball fan, myself very much included.

Sheet music circa 1908

At the time the song was written in 1908 by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer, four of the five players who formed the first class inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 were still active players: Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson.

Considering the fact that neither Norworth nor Von Tilzer had ever been to a game at the time the song was written, it is truly remarkable how well they captured the essence of what it means to be a baseball fan.




The first recorded version of the song was performed by Edward Meeker and captured for posterity by Thomas Edison himself in 1908. In 2010 it was added to the National Recording Registry curated by the Library of Congress.

Today's send-off is a special video featuring the song made by the Kansas City Symphony and Chorus prior to Game 3 of the 2014 World Series (the Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 3-2 in that game). Enjoy...

Departures

Thank Space Ghost It's Friday!

"It's the weekend, Earthlings! Make it count!"

Respect

The death of Associate Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia last Saturday provided an opportunity for setting aside partisan differences and showing proper respect to a man who led a consequential life, and served his country and its charter with distinction. His colleague Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as opposite from Scalia politically as it is possible to be, called him her "best buddy" and was heartbroken at the news of his death.

Justice Scalia's chair in the chamber where oral arguments are heard is draped in black crepe, to honor his memory.

Justice Scalia will lie in repose at the Supreme Court building today.
In a moving display, his former law clerks lined up to serve as honorary pallbearers as his flag- draped coffin was being carried up the steps of the courthouse.


Now contrast those signs of respect with President Obama's decision not to attend Scalia's funeral, which will be held in Washington. Despite frantic attempts by Obama's sycophants in the mainstream media to spin this as the President abiding by the family's wishes, all the evidence we have suggests that it was his choice, and a controversial one at that.

Whatever arguments are put forth to justify Obama's decision, none of them seemed to apply when Obama attended the memorial service for Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2013.

"Is this what progressives mean when they say they want a 'classless society'?"

Most likely, yes...

Requiescat in Pace

As happens far too often these days, it seems, I wasn't able to finish my first cup of coffee this morning before encountering the news that another prominent author has died. Nelle Harper Lee (who omitted her first name from her writings) passed away early this morning in her home town of Monroeville, Alabama. She was 89.

April 28, 1926 - February 19, 2016

Although I was never quite so taken with
To Kill a Mockingbird as many others were (and are), Lee's talents as a writer and storyteller are undeniable, and
I always considered it
a loss for American literature that she only wrote a single novel.


That view became controversial in 2015 when a so-called "sequel" was published. It was called Go Set a Watchman, and I share the opinion of many that its publication was a scandalous fraud. The book is simply an earlier draft of Mockingbird, and its publication is nothing more than a shameless attempt to squeeze a few more dollars out of Lee's reputation. All involved in this ugly bit of literary grave-robbing deserve all of the opprobrium we can heap on them.

Disappointing, But Not Surprising

From the forthright pen of Michael Ramirez, whose editorial cartoons you should read often, as I do.

Until Next Time...

One of the main reasons I cherish the music of Ludwig van Beethoven so much is that regardless of what sort of mood I am in I can always find some composition of his that suits me perfectly. Today I am feeling somber and sad, but Beethoven is there to console me with the beauty of his art.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Opus 55 (also known as the "Eroica" symphony) was completed in 1804 and debuted in Vienna on April 7, 1805.

The symphony, considered the beginning of Beethoven's "middle period" as a composer, includes a funeral march ("Marcia Funebre") as its second movement.




That section of the symphony went on to become quite popular as a way to mourn the death of public figures, including Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy.

Today's send-off is a live performance of the march by the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra, conducted by Leonard Bernstein, recorded on February 2, 1978. Enjoy...

Another Trip Around the Sun

63 Orbits

In a more perfect world...

I hit the atmosphere (and immediately began stirring up trouble)
63 years ago today.

It is a cultural expectation that such occasions are to be celebrated with a certain amount of hoopla, but in my case there is no need.




The cats are indifferent on the subject, and there's no one else around, so today will be much like any other day...

I am, of course, glad to have made it this far. As they say, it certainly beats the alternative! And I am truly blessed in more ways than I can count...

In years when my birthday occurs during Lent (pretty much every year), I allow myself a one-day reprieve from the "no desserts" part of my Lenten sacrifices.





I doubt that I'll be able to track down a piece of coconut cake, but I definitely plan on having some kind of cake and ice cream this evening. I'd be a fool not to...

"Would you like some ants to sprinkle on your ice cream?"

I appreciate the thought, old friend, but I'll pass...

Shopping Forecast

As a birthday gift, my best friend Skip gave me the model of the Milwaukee Road Fairbanks-Morse C-Liner I wrote about awhile back. It meant a lot to me to have him here visiting on Super Bowl weekend when I opened the gift, but now it is my actual birthday and I have no gifts to unwrap.

That means there is a small but non-trivial chance that I will go to one of my favorite stores like Hobby Lobby or Bed, Bath & Beyond or Guitar Center or Best Buy and buy myself a new toy to play with.

"Isn't buying birthday gifts for yourself sad and pathetic?"

Possibly, but did I mention the part about having a new toy to play with?

Feast Day

Portrait of Fra Angelico, by Carlo Dolci

For the most part, Catholic feast days are celebrations of saints and martyrs for the faith. Every so often, though, there is a feast day for someone who, although not canonized, deserves to be celebrated for the holiness of the life he led and for his contributions to the Church.

Today is one such day, as we celebrate the life of Fra Angelico,
a Dominican friar who was also one of the most gifted and influential artists of his time.

He died on February 18, 1455, and was beatified on October 3, 1982 by Pope John Paul II.

The Last Judgment

Perhaps I Have Lived Too Long

From the pen of Chip Bok, whose editorial cartoons you should read often, as I do.

[In case you haven't seen it, the cartoon references this bit from a recent Hillary campaign appearance.]

Until Next Time...

Part of the joy I derive from being a fan of musical artists is watching and appreciating their growth and evolution during their careers (assuming their career lasts long enough to allow for that). Many fans expect their favorite artists to pretty much sound the same from one recording or concert to the next, and will sometimes abandon them if that doesn't happen. That never made any sense to me, and it still doesn't.

R.E.M., one of my all-time favorite bands, had a recording and performing career that spanned thirty years. Despite the fact that they enjoyed a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career, though, not all of their recorded output was greeted warmly by their fan base. Unlike a lot of the band's fans, though, I always found enjoyment in their recordings right up to the end in 2011.

Original 2004 album cover

Released in 2004, not long after my one experience seeing the band perform live, Around the Sun was the band's third album following the departure of founding member Bill Berry due to health issues.

Like its predecessors Up (1998) and Reveal (2001), the record was not embraced by most fans. It was the first R.E.M. release in 26 years to not crack the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. It was also their first studio album that didn't earn at least a gold certification from RIAA.

I don't consider it one of the best recordings the band ever made, but as usual there were a handful of songs on the album that became favorites. In particular, I enjoy "Around the Sun," the title track. Even though it features some of the experimental weirdness that left many long-time fans cold, I found much to like about the song musically, and the lyrics grabbed me right off the bat.

Today's send-off is the original album track, which I think is especially appropriate for my birthday. Enjoy...

Teach Our Children Well

Zero Common Sense

The earlier incarnation of this blog focused almost exclusively on issues relating to K-12 education in the United States, particularly in public school systems. Now that my career as a professional educator has ended, I don't talk about those issues nearly so often, but every once in awhile a story comes along that make my blood boil every bit as much as it used to when I was still a part of the system.

On January 27, two male students at San Pasqual High School in Escondido, California had their vehicles searched because a drug-sniffing dog "alerted" on those cars, triggering a warrantless search.

What officials found in both vehicles was some Advil, which allegedly caused the dog to "alert" to begin with.

Never mind the questionable reliability of such dogs in the first place, the fact that no illicit drugs were found in either vehicle should have resulted in a simple apology to both students, and nothing more. That is not what happened, unfortunately.

That these young men might be charged with crimes is bad enough, but for school district officials to even consider expelling them is to double down on the stupid. And that they were eventually cleared of any wrongdoing and allowed to return to school today is quite beside the point. The real issue here is the mind-numbing stupidity of "zero tolerance" policies and the eagerness of half-witted school bureaucrats to bring them to bear for the most trifling of "offenses."

Never mind the national election going on, folks. If you live in a community where school officials pull this kind of crap, THAT is where your political energies need to be focused. Some people are simply too stupid to be in charge of your child's education or his safety.

Not at all...stuff like this happens somewhere in the country almost every day...the stupid people responsible for it need to be held accountable...

Meanwhile, On a College Campus Near You...

...equally stupid people are trampling all over freedom of speech, due process, freedom of association, and other assorted goodies from the Bill of Rights. And, just as in K-12 education, the halfwits responsible claim they're doing it to "protect" our college students. What those students (and their professors) actually need protection from is folks who don't understand what freedom is or how it works.

The invaluable Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) just published it's annual list of the 10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech in the past year (2015).


I can guarantee that when you read the list and see how these institutions wound up
on it, you will shake your head and wonder how such things can happen in a country supposedly respectful of individual rights and equal protection under the law.

It is especially distressing to me to see so many Catholic institutions on the list. I am hopeful that this year those responsible for these outrages decided to give up being fascists for Lent...

"Don't hold your breath on that one."

Believe me, I won't...

Expertise

From the droll webcomic xkcd, by Randall Munroe, which you should read every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, as I do.

Until Next Time...

One of the harshest appellations in the music business is "One-Hit Wonder," applied to artists who only produce a single noteworthy hit song in their careers. Fairly or unfairly, the tag is also applied to artists who enjoy long and successful careers if their biggest hit record overshadows the rest of their music.

The latter proved to be the case with Eugene Dixon and "Duke of Earl." The song originated as nothing more than a warm-up exercise for the R&B vocal group to which he belonged at the time, and his record label thought so little of its commercial potential that they didn't want to release it under the group's name. Given the offer of releasing it as a solo effort, Dixon did so using the name "Gene Chandler." And the rest, as they say, was history.

Original 1962 45 rpm single

On February 17, 1962 Chandler's song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, a position it would hold for three weeks.

While Chandler scored 26 other Hot 100 charting singles in his career, including three Top 20 hits, he never came close to matching the success of "Duke of Earl." Casual music fans can be forgiven for mistakenly placing Chandler on "One-Hit Wonder" lists, but he deserves a better fate.




"Duke of Earl" has been enshrined in both the Rock and Roll and Grammy Halls of Fame, and Chandler himself was chosen for inclusion in the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame. He was selected for that honor based on his distinguished career as a writer and producer as well as a singer.

Today's send-off is Dixon/Chandler's original 1962 recording, one of the most iconic songs in all of American popular music. Enjoy...