Scattershooting 05-24-15

Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to the great

B.B. King

Sunday's Summary

My incomplete recap of the week

During a walk this morning it felt very swampy. Saturated earth and sunshine makes for a steamy combination. So for ‪#‎MusicMonday‬ let's have a little swamp-rock by those great purveyors of fish-head music, The Radiators. Here is Dedicated to You -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUIO30C__zA

Nice walk this morning. There are tons of ducklings and goslings at Boys Ranch. There are warning signs at both ends of the Tara trail. Being a brave and fearless adventurer, I ignored the warnings and proceeded. The trail is actually in better shape than it was last week.

Geek stuff but interesting. I have been doing computer stuff since 1968 and the technology leaps are amazing.

http://pages.experts-exchange.com/processing-power-compared/

Ironic that our Texas Republicans rail against the federal government interfering with states rights yet they see no problem overriding local rights, laws and elections.

Texas Governor signs HB40 into law, guts community rights 

The end of an era. Tonight (5/20) is the last episode of Late Show with David Letterman. I have watched Dave since he guest hosted for Johnny Carson and then started Late Night which aired after Johnny. I always watched him over Leno when they were on the air head to head. He was part of my daily viewing. Dave is the last of the late night hosts from The end of an era. Tonight is the last episode of Late Show with David Letterman. I have watched Dave since he guest hosted for Johnny Carson and then started Late Night which aired after Johnny. I always watched him over Leno when they were on the air head to head. He was part of my daily viewing. Dave is the last of the late night hosts from my generation. The new guys, Jimmy, Jimmy, Seth & James, don't do much for me. In fact they are often unwatchable. I'm hoping Stephen Colbert changes that. Thanks Dave for all the laughs. You will be missed.

I thought about it, but decided it seemed a little cramped -

Texas' iconic Waggoner Ranch for sale for $725 million

Good stuff from the Neville Brothers on Letterman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUAi-_4zGiU

The last Late Show with David Letterman was pretty damn good. No maudlin tears just the same irreverence we expect from Dave. Here is the whole last show.

This was a pretty damn good final top ten list. The Julia Louis-Dreyfus line is a classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBf8MyGaEk4

Here is an appropriate ‪#‎SongSunday‬ selection for this Memorial Weekend. The Statler Brothers have been retired for over a decade and although this song refers to the Vietnam War it applies to all Veterans. Enjoy More Than A Name On The Wall -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQGWSjjZRIU

The softball Gators win their super-regional and advance to the College World Series to defend their 2014 national championship.

GO GATORS!

wjh

Scattershooting 05-17-15

Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to

Grace Lee Whitney

Sunday's Summary

My incomplete recap of the week

As I watch all the flooding reports on the morning news I am thankful that I live across the street from Bedford Heights elementary school. There is a reason it has that name. I know because I have to go uphill to get home from all my bike rides or walks regardless of the direction. During these reenactments of the Noah's Ark story it is the best place to be. Hope all my D/FW friends are dry too.

For those of us who have lived with the drought conditions for the past few years this is amazing. Officials are warning some residents downstream from Lake Ray Roberts to be prepared to evacuate because the lake and dam may overflow. This is a 29,000+ acre lake that has risen 7½ feet in a week and 15 ft in the last few months. Mother Nature sure can turn a drought around in a hurry. We're fine for now mom, get to work on California.

Does this really surprise anyone who has seen the governor? Fugetaboutit.

Christie buys $300K of food & booze with NJ expense account

I've known Bono's Bar-B-Q is great since I was a kid. They come in #10 in this fan voted list of BBQ chains. Others on the list I've eaten at are #25 Dickey's, #20 Red Hot & Blue, #19 Woody's and #1 Sonny's. All good, but Bono's is my #1.

http://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/america-s-25-best-barbecue-chains-slideshow?slide=17

Time for breakfast after a long walk.

http://www.baconsbistroandcafe.com/

This could be dangerous.

Everyone Will Fill a Baseball Glove Flask With Gatorade, Right?

The sun has been out some today but it is still too wet to plow. This morning I walked through Chisholm Park and checked on the Aquatic Center rebuild. No work being done on the pools and water features. A couple of guys doing the brick/stone facade on one of the buildings. I'm betting they aren't ready to open by Memorial Day.

It appears that Firefox 38 has solved a long time problem on Linux Mint with playing DRM videos on Chrome or Firefox. I have always had problems with WatchESPN (ESPN3 & SEC+) when the feed was locked/restricted to those who had a valid cable/dish TV package. The feed would never start after I entered my credentials. As we speak, I am watching the Auburn @ Florida baseball game on SEC+ without problems, no hacks to make it work. I usually use Chrome, but I will gladly crank up Firefox to watch the Gators when needed. I just put Firefox in another workspace. I heard a rumor that Windows 10 will implement workspaces. Only about 20 years after Linux, longer than that for Unix.

Another music legend leaves us. The thrill truly is gone. RIP B.B. -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fk2prKnYnI

Congratulations to Adrian Beltre on his 400th home run.

GO RANGERS!

For ‪#‎SongSunday‬ we go back fifty years. This was the number one song in the nation in May 1965. It was the second #1 tune by the great Beach Boys. One of my favorites back then and still is. Here is Help Me, Rhonda -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mZ0ApTA-y4

Very cool.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12902421

ASU player catches ball after being plunked

wjh

Scattershooting 05-10-15

Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to the great 

Ben E. King

Sunday's Summary

My incomplete recap of the week

Monday update. Just got the Android 5.1.1 OTA update this morning for my Nexus 7 (2013). Pretty small update, about 18 mb. Let's see how this works. I did have a few 5.1 glitches with WiFi and lockups.

This ‪#‎MusicMonday‬ song is a continuation of last week's theme when I posted Reminiscing by Little River Band and Traces by The Classics IV. This is the 1976 version by Marty Robbins which reached #1 on the Country Charts. Marty always had a fun when he performed. Here is Among My Souvenirs - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPqsHFCvK3I

And here is an earlier 1959 version by Connie Francis that reached #7 on the Top 100. The song was originally recorded in 1927 by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L__1goqraqU

What's new in Bedford? A few observations from the past few days. There were kids in the pool this weekend, looked like the adults were staying on the deck. The Kroger flower tent is up in the parking lot, they probably need to build a permanent structure. Got my first mouthful of gnats this season, still taste terrible. The traffic circle at Cheek-Sparger/Central/Jackson is still a work in progress although you can now walk around it. The China Wok in the Kroger shopping center is now open, looks like standard Chinese fare. 

Euless has a new Dave & Busters. It's in the new development on the west side of 121 between Glade and Cheek Sparger. That's going to be a big shopping/eating area. I was by there a couple of weeks ago and none of the new buildings looked near completion. Guess I'll check it out again.

More stuff. New nearby customers for the new Dave & Busters.

Euless, Bedford agree on zoning for 37.1-acre multipurpose development

Hope you had a happy and safe Cinco de Mayo!

This is exactly what we need, more bowl games. 

Bowl games added in Tucson, Austin, Orlando

Here is an unplanned music break. A certain old friend wanted a Golden Oldie this morning to get her day started. I picked this hit #1 from 1967 by Lulu that was also the title song of a Sidney Poitier movie which she was in. Here is To Sir With Love - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTapoA5RQyo

This is the same song in 2007 by a then 58 year old Lulu. She still looked and sounded damn good to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnyKuya8HVU

Here is Lulu's version from 2010 on American Idol. This is not my favorite version. I think she fell into the trap of oversinging and overproducing that is the norm on Idol. Still not bad and she still looked fine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uNnz4PQ80I

Once every 25 or 30 years I splurge. Since I retired I usually wear sneakers or nothing mixed with flipflops or Topsiders. I have cowboy boots (required in Texas) and a few dress shoes left over from my working days for those special occasions. My Topsiders are at least 25 years old, maybe more. They have been worn thousands of times including a few times in the ocean. The tops are battered but still intact but the soles are fossilized and slippery, too slippery for my metal bike pedals. Today UPS delivered my new ones which cost substantially more. This could very well be the last pair I ever need. Maybe I'll have the old ones bronzed (kids, ask your parents or grandparents what bronzed means). Thanks for all the years of service old friends. 

Today (5/6) is Willie Mays' 84th birthday. He has been my favorite player since I was 4 or 5 years old when he was in New York. I think he is the best player ever and even if you disagree you have to admit he is among the top five. I feel lucky that I got to see him play live a few times when I lived in Atlanta. Another great player, Hank Aaron, was on that same field. Thanks Willie for all the joy you brought me during your magical career. Say Hey, Happy Birthday. 

While reporting on the rainstorms west of us and forecasting dire weather for us I heard a new term from our crack chief meteorologist. They are getting reports of hail size hail. Isn't pretty much all hail the size of hail. Maybe he meant hale size hail.

A sad day in baseball (5/7). Ass wipe A-roid officially passed the great Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time home run leader board. Thankfully this didn't happen yesterday on Willie's birthday. 

I think my Nexus 7 (2013) just died. On power up it gets stuck on the Google logo. Tried a couple of recovery boots and a factory reset. Can't mount any directories. From all my research this usually means the motherboard is fried. Seems N7's are dying at a pretty good clip. Good job Asus and Google. Of course mine is out of warranty. Maybe tablet shopping is in my near term future. 

Happy Day to all Mothers. Thank you to the mothers of my two sons. Thank you to the mother of my two grandsons. Most of all thank you to my Mom. I wish I could tell you in person. I love you and miss you every day.

For this Mother's Day ‪#‎SongSunday‬ It seems appropriate to feature a song by my Mom's favorite singer. That would be the great Ella Fitzgerald. Mom had a couple of Ella's albums that she would play often. She would play them during the day so I would hear them after school or during the summers. Once dad got home from work the TV got turned on and the record player was off. Since the TV and big console record player were both in the living room it was an either/or situation. This reworked nursery rhyme was one of Ella's first big hits. It reached #1 in 1938. Here is A-Tisket, A-Tasket - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDt5sxizup8

wjh

Scattershooting 05-03-15

Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to 

Windell Middlebrooks

Sunday's Summary

My incomplete recap of the week

Where is Walter Cronkite when you need him?

NBC News finds Brian Williams embellished at least 11 times

If a MLB game is played without spectators is it really a ballgame? Wonder if they'll still have the PA announcer, walkup music, scoreboard graphics, etc. I assume the game will be on TV and radio. 

A first: Orioles-White Sox game on Wednesday closed to public

Not a great day for Gator Nation. Billy Donovan is one of the best coaches and people in sports. He will be missed in Gainesville. While I'm sad for the Gators lose, I wish Billy all the best and much success in the NBA. He is a class act. Thanks for 19 great years of Gators Basketball.

GO GATORS! GO THUNDER!

Thunder, Billy Donovan agree to contract

We lost another music legend yesterday. Ben E. King died at age 76. King sang with The Drifters before his long solo career. Here is his most famous song that reached #1 on the R&B charts and #4 on the Hot 100 in 1961 then reached #9 again in 1986 with the release of the movie by the same name. Besides being the recording artist, King co-wrote Stand By Me. RIP 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTd2ylacYNU

I just hope I'm still able to ride when this finally gets built.

A 64-Mile Bike 'Superhighway' Will Connect Fort Worth To Dallas

Today (5/1) is the 24th anniversary of Nolan Ryan's 7th no-hitter, he was 44 years old. He has three more no-hitters than anyone else. Too bad the Rangers couldn't find a way to keep him here in the front office.

Also today (5/1) in baseball, Roid Boy Rodriguez hit his 660th drug aided home run thereby tying the great Willie Mays for fourth place on the all-time HR list. Officially the list is Bonds, Aaron, Ruth and Mays/A-Roid. My list is Aaron, Ruth and Mays. I feel privileged to have been able to see Hank and Willie play in person. They didn't use juice to achieve their records, just talent and hard work. 

Today is World Naked Gardening Day. If you are so inclined, get naked and plant a bulb. For those who are members of my generation, please put up warning signs before you start. Also, be very careful with the gardening tools and around bees, thorns and poison ivy. Happy Gardening.

Hoes Abound On World Naked Gardening Day May 2

Remember everybody, May is National Bike Month.

This tune came into my earbuds the other day when I was out walking. It is on my phone and comes on every so often but this time it hit home. It is one of my favorite songs. I love the message and I am a fan of Glenn Shorrock, the original lead singer of Little River Band (LRB). This song also always reminds me of another favorite song by another favorite singer. Look below for that one. LRB put out several good tunes in the 70's & 80's. This song reached #3 in 1978. For this ‪#‎SongSunday‬ I offer Reminiscing -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM4MBKjg0qk

Here is the other song for this #SongSunday. It rose to #2 in 1969. It is by the Classics IV (who started in Jacksonville) with lead singer Dennis Yost. A great song - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyxpQO0YYQo

wjh

Scattershooting 04-26-15

Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to the great

Percy Sledge

Sunday's Summary

My incomplete recap of the week

My inner child awakened tonight. I had a craving for mac and cheese. I usually have a package stashed in the back of my cupboard for just these occasions. It was the upscale Shells & Cheese variety, the one with the package of fake cheese paste instead of the fake cheese orange powder. It was delicious and there is some left in case little Billy shows up again tomorrow.

The sad part is their parents and many in the community are probably proud of them. It's the parents who taught the kids to be intolerant.

Pennsylvania High School Students Organize “Anti-Gay Day”

Well if you stay up late enough and watch Encore Westerns channel you see some strange stuff. Tonight (this morning) is was Ride 'Em Cowboy from 1942 starring Abbott & Costello, two of our great western heroes. It also had a cameo by Ella Fitzgerald. Her song was great, the rest of the movie not so much.

It's a gift. I went for a walk this afternoon and without paying any attention to the time I got home at exactly 5:00. Just in time for happy hour. Progress continues at Boys Ranch both by the wildlife and construction crews. A couple of duck families had the ducklings out for swimming lessons. Saw some goslings too for the first time. The canal in the construction photo used to be small enough to jump across and was 4 feet deep at most.

My Nexus 7 (2013) just got the Android 5.1 update now the N7 and his little brother Nexus 5 are on the same release again. Of course it appears that Android 5.1.1 is just about ready to rollout, although that is just a bug fix release except for Android Wear devices.

We are doomed. We have two weather guys, including the "Chief" meteorologist, in shirtsleeves on the 4:00 news. Big storms coming tonight. Of course it is 75° and sunny right now so they are explaining why it isn't storming now as they predicted.

I feel better now because what I thought was the CBS11 weather department or team is now the Weather Authority. We are also in a Weather Alert Day. That alert was not issued by the National Weather Service, but by CBS11. There is a weather alert bug in the upper right corner of the screen just in case you forget. Talk about self-importance.

After my posts about the terrifying weather forecasts yesterday afternoon I'm sure you will be glad to know that I survived. Turns out the weather authority and their weather alerts were just a tad off. No, we didn't get off scot-free. Very early this morning, 12 hours after the dire warnings, we endured torrential drizzle. So glad we were warned.

I tried this and it worked. Installed ARC Welder in Chrome 42 browser on a Linux Mint 17.1 system. I tried the GoComics app. Able to sign into my account. Navigation is a little awkward without a touch screen but it is possible. Give it a try.

How to Use Google’s ARC Welder to Run Android Apps in Chrome

My guess is that tough guy Bobby will soften his stance when the big money Republican folks and business people tell him to cool it. Pretending to be a discriminated against Christian conservative in Louisiana doesn't quite ring true to me.

Bobby Jindal: I’m Holding Firm Against Gay Marriage

New inflatable bike helmet. I'm for sure going to get a couple of these. I think I'll wear one already inflated most of the time because it is so stylish.

It's about time, Pete Rose is a jerk but he was a helluva ballplayer for a long time. I think he even got several hits during his career. What he did was no more harmful to the game than what all the roid boys did.

 Rob Manfred: Pete Rose can participate in All-Star Game

The new Late Late Show guy, James Corden is working a four day schedule. Friday nights are reruns, same as Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers. That's OK, his show isn't very good anyway. I really miss Craig Ferguson & Geoff.

Funny. I was working on my PC and listening to Pandora. The song Monday Morning by Peter, Paul & Mary came on. At some point in the song Google interpreted something as "OK Google" because the voice search screen popped up. I can assure you that nowhere in this old folk ballad do the words Google or OK appear. Check for yourself, it's a lovely song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_zpFM07-Ls

Yes, but then again most laws unfairly target minorities and the poor. BTW, the Dallas helmet law mentioned in the article has been repealed. They had to to make the bike-share program feasible.

Do Helmet Laws Unfairly Target Minorities?

Great day to be outside after yesterday's crappy weather. Nice day for a bike ride although it did get a little windy in the afternoon. Several neighborhoods are sporting brand new 65 gallon recycle carts. They were delivered today. How many empty crushed beer cans and wine bottles does it take to fill up a 65 gallon cart? The 18 gallon bins they replaced were pretty easy to fill up. I'll report back in the future with the answer. Just another of life's challenges.

I think Roku needs one of those "last" or "recall" buttons on their remote. I was trying to watch the White House Correspondents Dinner on CBSN and the Gators baseball game on SEC Network+ (ESPN3) at the same time. Solution was to put the game on my tablet. I don't need to hear a baseball game.

My opinion is that president and amateur comedian Barack Obama was better than professional comedian Cecily Strong at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. There was a reason she got kicked off the Weekend Update on SNL. A couple of decent lines but overall a very weak performance. Obama zinged several folks.

Heard this song a few days ago and it has stuck with me. For this‪ #‎SongSunday‬ we have the great Dick Dale. Dick is credited with creating surf music and the surf guitar sound. Dick actually was a surfer, unlike many of the artists and groups that jumped on the surf music bandwagon in the 60's. He was a friend of Leo Fender and one of the first to play Fender guitars. Dick also plays the guitar backwards. He is a left handed guitar player but merely turns a right handed guitar upside down rather than restringing it. Mr. Dale is still performing at age 77. Here is the surf classic Misirlou -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIU0RMV_II8

Here is a 1995 performance that more clearly shows Dick's guitar work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRH_70_Foow

Quick walk around Tara this afternoon. Little Bear Creek is flowing strong after Friday's storms. Saw several turtles but most wouldn't stay above water long enough for a picture. This one guy didn't move. That may be because he was drunk. The white can next to him is a Miller Lite empty. Big birthday party at Sparger Park. Lotsa kids. Thunder boomers chased me home.

wjh