Hawaiian coral reefs are doing better than those elsewhere...
http://starbulletin.com/2008/07/08/news/story03.html
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Coral Reef Health Report
Fiddlin' Around
A June visit to a fiddle fest in Groesbeck, Texas (near Turkey, where Bob Wills was born).
http://www.mexiadailynews.com/local/local_story_162111852.html
Louis Jordan Centennial
Today's the centennial anniversary of the birth of a true American music original, Louis Jordan. Louis was the link between the big bands and rock and roll, and his music has been covered by everybody from Louis Armstrong to Asleep at the Wheel.
A profile:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wiftxqt5ldfe~T1
And a visual look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M3XOFKONlU
"The Mother Road"?
On our epic 1976 "Kerouac Trip", Gumby and Robinson and I spent part of our time on one of the last remaining open sections of the legendary Route 66, namely a stretch in western Arizona that was still open because it was well to the north of its eventual Interstate 40 replacement, which opened in September of 1978.
Here's a wild story of a family of 4 (including two young "kiddies"), driving the Mother Road in reverse, starting from San Francisco, then driving down to the start of 66 in southern California before heading east to Chi-town. They have a budget of $250 a day.
The trip starts here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfmoms/detail?blogid=46&entry_id=27692
"Break a Leg"
An opera legend breaks both of hers...
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/456008
Volcano Surfing
Lava waves on the Big Isle?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/07/08/eavolcano108.xml
Tuesday Music Digest
Canada's ukulele team sighted...
http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/8022/40/
Upcoming next week-reissues of the first 7 Moody Blues albums:
http://www.antimusic.com/news/08/july/08Rediscover_The_Moody_Blues.shtml
Not to be confused with the late Johnny Johnson, another blues guy with a similar name
http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/?p=936
Ringo hands out cupcakes for his 68th birthday:
http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/ringo.starr.birthday.2.765679.html
Antiques roadshow, Liverpool style-
http://www.examiner.com/x-312-Auctions-and-Antiques-Examiner~y2008m7d7-Whats-it-Worth-Appraisal-for-all-4-Beatles-autographs-on-lp-cover
And a look at a guy who calls himself "Dr. Strangejazz"
http://thesuburban.com/content.jsp?sid=20938405021849271178206541560&ctid=1000004&cnid=1015850
Monday, July 7, 2008
We Travel the Spaceways
The Southern Cross in a Southern Sky
Credit & Copyright: Yuri Beletsky (ESO)
Explanation: This breathtaking patch of sky would be above you were you to stand at the South Pole of the Earth. On the upper left of this image are the four stars that mark the boundaries of the famous Southern Cross. At the top of this constellation, also known as The Crux, is the orange star Gamma Crucis.
The band of stars, dust, and gas crossing the middle of the photograph is part our Milky Way Galaxy. Just below the Southern Cross on the far left is the dark Coal Sack Nebula, and the bright nebula on the far right is the Carina Nebula. The Southern Cross is such a famous constellation that it is depicted on the national flag of Australia.
Another Birthday
Not today, but coming soon:
"Professor Irwin Corey celebrates his 94th birthday with a performance at the Cutting Room on July 18th. With his friend, pianist and singer Moogy Klingman & band and his son Richard Corey, who sings and plays autoharp, it will be a nite to remember. Irwin, the World's Foremost Authority, is also the world's oldest practicing comedian. A recent article on him in the New York Times has help to boast his profile and he's gonna be in rare form at the Cutting Room."
http://moogymusic.com/
Banner Tourist Year on Gov's Isle
Despite the rainout of the NY Philharmonic, Governors Island is still running ahead of last summer in tourist visits:
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080707/FREE/765428215/1050/toc
The Other "Forbidden Island"
Kahoo'lawe, located just south of Mau'i and southeast of Lana'i, is the smallest of the 8 major Hawaiian Islands. After originally being settled around the year 1000, by the late 1700s it had turned into a barren wasteland that was eventually used as a Hawaiian penal colony. Later it was used for cattle ranching.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor the island was taken over and used by the US military for decades as a bombing and artillery range, but control of the island was turned over to the State in 2003. There's still a lot of work to do (cleaning up unexploded ordinance, mainly) but eventually the isle will become a destination for Hawaiian culture.
So far some of the island has been replanted with native species, but a lot of the land is hardpan so cannot be restored. Invasive species are also being removed.
More on what is happening on the island is here-warning, some of the links are restricted.
http://www.kahoolawe.hawaii.gov/restoration.shtml
More Return to Forever
"The electric band is scorching, according to audiences that are filling arenas all along the way, as are the musicians themselves—Chick Corea on keyboards, Stanley Clarke on bass, Al DiMeola on guitar and Lenny White on drums, considered the “classic” version of the band. Such is the excitement among the musicians that there is already an indication that there could be much more after 2008, even from Corea, who formed his first version of the band in 1972, whom Clarke affectionately refers to as “our fearless leader,” and who was most in favor of the band's breakup in 1977."
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=29809
Nick Danger Sighting
Firesign Theatre webmaster Mervyn LeRoy advises us:
"Phil Austin's essay, "The Imaginary Dog Awards" leads off the features in this month's The Bark Magazine. (Issue #49, on sale now, presumably anywhere a dog can buy a magazine.)
The Bark has been called the New Yorker of Dog Magazines, which is, I suppose, recommendation enough. In other words, it's not going to be an essay about where to buy dog collars.
I suppose the New Yorker could be called The Bark of Human Magazines. I like symmetry."
"Runt" Throws a Party on Kaua'i
Todd Rundgren, who lives on a 5 acre spread near the North Shore of Kaua'i, celebrated his 60th birthday this year by inviting anyone with airfare and $300 to pitch a tent on his land for a week! He called it "Toddstock".
Interview here:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2008035069_todd070.html
Ringo Starr Day
Today's Ringo's birthday-he got some sad news, however, as the home he was born in will be demolished:
http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/starrs%20childhood%20house%20rejected%20by%20english%20heritage_1073486
Monday Music Digest
A Brit guitarist has his rare Gibson swiped:
http://www.flintshirestandard.co.uk/eveningleadernews/Wrexham-musician39s-rare-Gibson-guitar.4262374.jp
Recap of this weekend's Essence Fest in N'Awlins-
http://www.enews20.com/news_The_Essence_Music_Festival_a_Step_Forward_for_the_Recovery_of_New_Orleans_09181.html
Firesigns sighted at the Mystery Writer's Festival!
http://www.newmysteries.org/photo_gallery/2008/Site/Live_Radio_Performances.html
Elvis Costello is bringing in big stars for his new variety show...
http://www.411mania.com/music/news/79628/Elvis-Costello-Bringing-In-Big-Stars-For-New-Variety-Show.htm
EMI names new head of its music division:
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080707/FREE/926485932/1052/information
And what to do with an old iPod
http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2008-07/what-to-do-with-an-old-ipod-or-iphone/
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