You Don't Say

Many years ago there was a game show hosted by Tom Kennedy called "You Don't Say".  Tom would say that it's not what you say that counts its what You Don't Say.  Of course anybody can read this journal.  All I will say here is I wish "Awesome Lady" the best of luck in her future endeavors.  Any other comments I will keep to myself.

Kristin Morgan Must Have the Record for Jeopardy Ties

Once in a while two players on Jeopardy end the game in a tie and come back the next day.  There was one occurrence of a three way tie back in March 2007 .  Contestant Kristin Morgan of Huntsville, Alabama won for the fourth time today.  It is unusual that two of her four victories were ties.  I don't think that has ever happened in the history of Jeopardy.  If I am wrong I am hope that one of the show's historians will correct me.

I have a new blog

Bruce's Journal has been in existence since 2005 while I started Bruce at the NJIT Library in 2008.  Both blogs are produced by Blogger software offered by Google.  Since we are between semesters at work, I was able to spend sometime learning to use Wordpress, another popular blogging program.  I started a blog using that platform called NYNJCOMMUTING which will document some of my adventures and misadventures commuting in the New York metropolitan area.  It will take me sometime to learn some of the special features of Wordpress, so it may take me sometime to spruce it up.  I am predicting the Alan Berman will be the first visitor.  If you want to read about Bob Dylan, oldies music, Jeopardy and radio, please stay here.

My Favorite Doo Wop Hit - I Only Have Eyes for You by the Flamingos

Cool Bobby B just played my request on his Sunday night show on SiriusXM 50s on 5. In the mid 1980s I dedicated it to Karen on the late Jack Spector's Saturday Night Sock Hop on WCBS-FM

Hofstra 70 William and Mary 59 with a Seat Upgrade

For the first time this season we drove out to the Mack Arena to see Hofstra play William and Mary.  The home team started out with a 16-2 lead as the visitors from Virginia could never come back.  The closest they closed the deficit to 4 points but still lost the game 70-59.

Game Summary

Early in the game a seat upgrade contest was announced.  You had to put your section and seat number in Twitter with #WeAreHofstra.  Today was my lucky day as I won and was moved from section 202 to the 4th row of section 102 at center court.

Ben Sidran - There was a fire: Jews, music and the American dream

I reported in this journal before how I became interested in Ben Sidran after hearing Gary Walker of WBGO play a cut from his Dylan Different CD.  I was in my car about 8:30 one morning in December listening to Gary on WBGO saying that Ben would be his guest at 9 AM to talk about his new book

Sidran, B. (2012). There was a fire: Jews, music and the American dream. S.l.: Nardis Books, an imprint of Unlimited Media Ltd.

I had an appointment at 9 AM so I couldn’t listen to the interview, but luckily there was a pod cast of it on WBGO.org  that I heard a few days later.

Before I read the book I didn’t realize how Jews dominated the music business for the last 100 years.  It is obvious that Ben spent much time and effort researching many recording artists of many genres and music executives who were Jewish.  Many of them changed their names so I didn’t realize that so many of them were Jewish.   Barbra Streisand was one of the few Jewish recording artists who did not change her name. He even discusses one of  sensitive topics of Jews singing and writing Christmas songs.  Irving Berlin wrote the famous White Christmas.  Ben does talk about my favorite Jewish recording artist.  It certainly makes sense for a nice Jewish Boy from Wisconsin to write about a nice Jewish boy from neighboring Minnesota.

On a tangent, it is unfortunate that so many secular Jews reject their heritage.  From reading the book many recording artists and music executives were indifferent to their religion and customs.

Since I work in a science/engineering library I can not purchase it for my library.  Hopefully my colleagues at the Institute Jazz Studies at Rutgers will buy it.  I highly recommend it for those interested in the history of any kind of music no matter what religion you observe.

I thank Gary Walker for bringing Ben Sidran to my attention for the second time.  I actually found out about this biography of Ben which I just purchased for my Kindle:

Sidran, B. (2003). Ben Sidran: A life in the music. New York: Taylor Trade Pub.

I am sure that it will be a good read.  I’ll have to review it in Bruce’s Journal after I finish it.

Random Thoughts on a Thursday Evening

It's always a good feeling to get the final Jeopardy question correct when all 3 contestants missed it.  The category was legal terms.  The answer - The French term for truth. [The wording may not be exact].  The Correct Question - What is verdict.

There has been speculation for months about what will happen to 94.7 FM when the sale from Family Radio to Cumulus was completed.  Radioinsight reports that they applied for WRXP, thus the big speculation is that the station will be alternative rock.  A few of the amateur radio executives on the message boards think it could be a decoy.  I hope it will be country music.

Carmelo Anthony was suspended for one day for his misbehavior after the Knick-Celtic game on Monday night.  These jerks make millions a year and then act like children.