Paley Center and Ben's Deli This Afternoon

A few times a year we like to visit the Paley Center for Media on West 52nd  Street.  Today we saw a few episodes of Doctor Who, a popular science fiction seen on the BBC for many years  From there we went to the library where Lee insisted we research TV programs about Johnny Cash.  We saw a Trbiute to Johnny Cash recorded in 1999 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC.  Many country and rock stars saluted the "Man in Black" by covering his songs.  Both Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan who were touring in Europe at that time appeared via satellite transmission.

From there we walked over to Ben's Deli at 7th Avenue and 38th Street for dinner.  This of course is the scene of the many oldies meets and greets that have been held over the years.  The food was excellent as usual, ut why did they have to play WKTU?

Random Thoughts on Black Friday

I did not go into any shopping malls today.  I dislike shopping as it is and did not want to fight the crowds in a retail establishement.  I passed by a Toys r Us at about 9 AM and saw some cars in the parking lot, but it did not look very crowded at that time.

I was curious as to the original of the term "Black Friday" as applied to shopping the day after Thanksgiving.  Here I go quoting from the Wikipedia again. "The term "Black Friday" began to get wider exposure around 1975, as shown by two newspaper articles from November 29, 1975, both datelined Philadelphia."  I guess since I am not at work, it is OK to do that.

My theory about going to the barber shop late in the afternoon worked today.  I passed by the place at about 1 PM and noticed 4 people sitting an waiting.  That implies a one hour wait.  I came home and went back about 4 PM and just walked in.

Alice's Restaurant (The Mascacree Revisited)

My first exposure to Alice Restaurant must have been in Spring 1968 when Steve Greenblatt, a brother in Sigma Beta Phi fraternity, played it at one of our Sunday meeting at the house we rented on 6th Avenue between 27th and 28th Street.  In recent years the original has been played every Thanksgiving at 12 noon on Q104.3 and WFUV.

Today I was listening to SiriusXM's Deep Tracks channel at about 9 AM when the song came on.  It sounded somewhat different.  Arlo Guthrie talked about meeting Chip Carter (Jimmy's son) in 1977 and that he had learned that Richard Nixon owned a copy of the song.  I knew that this couldn't be the original version of the song released in 1967.  So I did a little research in the Wikipedia which can be a very reliable source of  popular information.  There were actually several revised versions.

I also remember seeing the movie Alice's Restaurant in 1969 in Brooklyn with a date that didn't work out.

The 2013 Leg of the Never Ending Tour Ended Tonight

The Never Ending Tour started in 1988 (the year that Lee was born) and continues to this day.  Bob usually takes a break around Thanksgiving and  resumes early the next year.  He is now 72 years old so we can all understand if he gives fewer concerts than he used to. The 2013 leg of the tour ended tonight at the Royal Albert Hall in London.  Dylan gave famous concerts there in 1965 and 1966.  So let's hope that Bob has a good rest so the tour will resume in 2014 and returns to NYC.  Below is the set list from last night's concerts taken from Bill Pagel's Boblinks Page.

London, England Royal Albert HallNovember 27, 2013

1.	Things Have Changed (Bob center stage)
2.	She Belongs To Me (Bob center stage with harp)
3.	Beyond Here Lies Nothin' (Bob on grand piano, Donnie on electric mandolin)
4.	What Good Am I? (Bob on grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
5.	Duquesne Whistle (Bob on grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
6.	Waiting For You (Bob on grand piano)
7.	Pay In Blood (Bob center stage)
8.	Tangled Up In Blue (Bob on grand piano)
9.	Love Sick (Bob center stage with harp, Donnie on electric mandolin)
	(Intermission)
10.	High Water (For Charley Patton) (Bob center stage with harp, Donnie on banjo, Tony on standup bass)
11.	Simple Twist Of Fate (Bob on grand piano)
12.	Early Roman Kings (Bob on grand piano)
13.	Forgetful Heart (Bob center stage with harp, Donnie on violin, Tony on standup bass)
14.	Spirit On The Water (Bob on grand piano, Tony on standup bass)
15.	Scarlet Town (Bob on grand piano, Donnie on banjo, Tony on standup bass)
16.	Soon After Midnight (Bob on grand piano)
17.	Long And Wasted Years (Bob center stage)
	(encore)
18.	All Along The Watchtower (Bob on grand piano)
19.	Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on grand piano with harp then center stage with harp, Donnie on violin)

Finally Got a Bluetooth Speaker

Sometimes I am chicken when it comes to trying new devices.  So today a bluetooth speaker that I ordered a few days ago arrived by FedEx.  I tested it out so now the music form my iPhone can be sent to the speaker seen above.  This way I can listen to Cousin Brucie on Wednesday and Bob Radil  on Fridays when I am eating dinner.  I just ordered an adaptor from my laptop so I use it with that.  It will not work with my Kindle Fire, since it is an older model.  Technology changes very quickly.

Support Your Favorite Not For Profit Radio Stations

In the past I have written in this journal during fund drives for non-profit stations.  For years I have supported WFUV and WBGO with a yearly donation.  There are now many internet only radio stations in every genre of music who play music no longer heard on terrestrial radio.  Many owners of these stations do it out of love of radio and their favorite music.  The gentleman on the left is Don Tandler of Pop Gold Radio.  He plays the music of the 1950s - 70s that is now rarely heard on traditional radio.  I often listen at lunch and on the way home via my iPhone.  In appreciation of his efforts I gave him a small donation today.  Running internet radio stations should never be a financial burden to those who provide entertainment to listeners.

If Don does not like the photo which was taken at the Long Island Radio Day in 2010, I will gladly take it down.

Memories of November 22, 1963

In previous years I have reminisced about Kennedy Assassination.  Below are the links for 3 entries:

• 2009
• 2010
• 2011 

The 2011 entry includes a link to Irv Kass's blog entry where he talks about being in Russell Sage Junior High School when he heard the news.  We were in the same school, but two years apart.  I did not know him back then as I met him electronically on Facebook.

I don't want to repeat what I wrote in previous years, but this time I'll discuss some of the people I knew back then.  I was in class 9-6 in the 1963/64 school year.  My teachers were:

• Carol Minov - Social Studies I found out that she became a reference librarian at a public library on Long Island
• Frank Jackson - Algebra - I was in his class when I heard the news
• Alice Duffy - English
• Jane Singer - Spanish
• Betram Valenti - Science

Some of my classmates in 9-6

• Alan Metzger - I went to my first game at Shea Stadium in Apil 1964
• David Alper - went to Richmond Hill HS
• Andy Bard
• Richie Heller
• Susan Feinstein - I heard through the grapevine that she passed away
• Susan Raphael - she too past away at a young age
• Lola Gold - she passed away within the last year
• Joan Koser - I ran into her at CCNY in the early 1970s
• Carolyn Brindle

Maybe I'll dig out the class picture and remember some more people

Some other friends at Russell Sage

• Larry Stahl - I reconnected with him on Facebook,  He is a lawyer in Baltimore
• Alan Nelson - he is a physician in Connecticut
• Joshua Socoloff

Less than half of the people alive today were born before 1963.  So certainly the younger generation did not experience the Kennedy years or the tragedy of November 22, 1963