Small Talk: Out of Genoa

[Cupid Stunt]

French Air Force Patrouille de France team performs at the 53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

• The Paris Air Show

• The unlikely, eccentric inventor turning inedible plant life into fuel

• The climate crisis and the end of the golden era of food choice -- What’s for dinner in a hotter, drier, more crowded world?

• Jackson Public School District loses 236 teachers due to licensing snafu

• Black mothers turn from grieving to governing -- Gun violence in the U.S. results in tens of thousands of deaths every year. So far this year more than 6,800 people have died in shooting incidents. According to Gun Violence Archives that includes at least 28 since yesterday. A group of African-American mothers who have lost a child to gun violence or alleged police brutality want to go from grieving to governing to make a change.

• Many people think the moon landing was fake. Who's profiting?  -- Follow the money

"Maya" by Skye Walker -- Taco Vino, Corvallis, Oregon

• If Slack is so good, why are so many companies trying to fix it? -- Slack is crap.
• The inevitable future of Slack is your boss using it to spy on you

• In Facebook we trust? (All others pay cash)

• Bipartisan senators want Big Tech to put a price on your data

• LGBTQ Pride Month, explained -- A month of celebration, protest, and political activism.

• How Amazon benefits from counterfeit books

• Why migrant children don't need to be provided soap and toothbrushes.

Edited June 25, 2019 by Cupid Stunt

[Cupid Stunt]

Jeff Austin, Yonder Mountain String Band Co-Founder, Dead at 45

A pillar of the modern bluegrass and jam band scene, singer/mandolinist Jeff Austin died unexpectedly on Monday, June 24th. He was 45.

A statement posted Tuesday afternoon on Austin’s Facebook confirmed his death, calling him a “dear friend whose music touched the lives of so many.”

Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, Austin attended the University of Cincinnati. In Urbana, Illinois, he befriended banjoist David Johnston, whose band the Bluegrassholes he joined. Austin and Johnston later moved to Colorado, where they would found Yonder Mountain String Band with bassist Ben Kaufman and guitarist Adam Aijala in 1998.

With their instrumental prowess and adventurous musical spirit, Yonder Mountain String Band were — and still are — a pioneering group in the emerging progressive bluegrass scene that now includes marquee acts like Railroad Earth, the Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass, and Billy Strings. They have also been a festival staple for the better part of the two decades since they formed. During Austin’s tenure with the ensemble, the group would garner six Top 10 albums on the bluegrass charts, including three Number One releases. Austin parted ways with the group in 2014.

Since 2014, Austin toured the country with as the leader of his namesake Jeff Austin Band. The solo project had been gaining steam in recent years, especially through their ongoing collaboration with the Travelin’ McCourys and the Grateful Dead bluegrass tribute showcase titled “The Grateful Ball.”

“The Infamous Stringdusters opened up for Yonder in our early years and they taught us what was possible as an acoustic bluegrass band to be presented as a rock band,” Jeremy Garrett, Grammy-winning singer/fiddler for the Infamous Stringdusters, told Rolling Stone Country. “Jeff Austin was a huge part of presenting bluegrass as a rock show. It’s tragic. We’re all going to miss him and his profound influence on our scene.”

Austin is survived by wife, Devlyn, and three kids, Lily Rose, Penelope and Jude Patrick

[Cupid Stunt]

• The surprisingly difficult art of doing less -- Taming our impulse to experience everything could make us happier.

• The morbid Instagram goth trend with pool floaties -- How about a coffin for summer fun?

Life and Debt series:

• Life And Debt: Stories From Inside America’s GoFundMe Health Care System
• Life And Debt: Two Health Professionals. Two Hurricanes. Two Heart Surgeries
• Life And Debt: A Paralyzed Child And The GoFundMe Campaign That Launched A Charity
• Life And Debt: Searching For A Million-Dollar Miracle

• It felt like the flu. It took 10 doctors, a year, and $60,000 to get an answer. -- My family’s harrowing journey to get a diagnosis after we were bitten by ticks — and what it says about our health system.

• 5,200 people in ICE custody quarantined for exposure to mumps or chicken pox

Kajal Singh, "Dizzy" , Punjab, India

• Commonly prescribed drugs are tied to nearly 50% higher dementia risk in older adults, study says

• These Black Pitmasters Are Hustling To Preserve Barbecue's Roots -- The popularity of Texas-style barbecue has white-washed a cuisine that was rooted in Native American and African heritage. These black pitmasters are keeping that history intact.

• Why isn’t birth control better?

• ‘Foodie Call:’ Going Out With A Guy Just For A Free Meal -- Because men don't go out with women for equally self-serving reasons

• The cost of an ad-free internet: $35 more per month

• Mary Meeker’s most important trends on the internet  -- Here are all the slides, plus analysis.

• The Huge Trend That Realigned the Media Industry Is Over -- Internet analyst Mary Meeker’s latest report has some bad news.

Singer/Songwriter Nick Murphy, aka Chet Faker. The video features California skaters Candice Heiden, April Corley, and Appelusa McGlynn.

[Petunia13]

I have a feeling when @jewel21 comes back from Italy Steve will give her some nice snuggles and serenade a pretty song. Then he’ll try to play it off like “I didn’t miss you THAT much Mom, I was busy doing my own thing, I’m a grownup and dude-ish” 

George does that shit sometimes too 😂 like kisses me and sqwees w joy when I see him after a long day or 15 hrs apart, then he’ll catch himself and grab a bully and chew it or dibble a ball like “oh yeah no big i was doing shit when you came back” 

[Cupid Stunt]

• Wealthy Americans don't have enough time in the day to spend their money, and it's stressing them out -- <Laughing> Boo Fucking Hoo

• CEOs made 287 times more money last year than their workers did -- Companies have finally started reporting CEO-worker pay ratios. Now we know why they fought so hard to avoid it.

• Fate of opioid litigation hinges on government 'police power -- If they choose to wield that power.

• Stealing Clouds -- Inside the West’s failed fight against China’s ‘Cloud Hopper’ hackers

• Is Facebook listening to me? Why those ads appear after you talk about things  -- What do you think you were signing on for when you accepted FB's terms of use?

• Reuters poll -- Americans demand climate action (as long as it doesn't cost much) -- <sigh> How much did it cost to get to this point? Bazillions, I imagine. It will cost at least that much to clean up and develop new technologies. 

• California, Canada sidestep Trump, ink deal on emissions

A girl plays at a fountain on a hot summer day in central Kiev, Ukraine, June 26. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich -- Reuters Photos -- Heat wave bakes Europe

• 104 degrees in Madrid: why Europe is so vulnerable to extreme heat

• Judge awards $4.1 million in neo-Nazi website lawsuit

• Florida woman charged after giving husband’s guns to police -- Sadly, she's probably safer in jail, with the guns confiscated as evidence against her.

• Country star Jake Owen claps back at anti-LGBTQ commenter

• Pride or protest? Disillusioned plan their own LGBTQ march

• Stonewall: How a raid and rebellion became a rights movement

Associated Press PHOTOS: California aquarium opens new wing

• Bird’s-eye view: Red-tailed hawk perches at Yankee Stadium

• How a border transformed a subcontinent -- This line divided India and Pakistan.

The Back Keys new album "Let's Rock' was released today.

[Cupid Stunt]

11 hours ago, Petunia13 said:

I have a feeling when @jewel21 comes back from Italy Steve will give her some nice snuggles and serenade a pretty song. Then he’ll try to play it off like “I didn’t miss you THAT much Mom, I was busy doing my own thing, I’m a grownup and dude-ish” 

George does that shit sometimes too 😂 like kisses me and sqwees w joy when I see him after a long day or 15 hrs apart, then he’ll catch himself and grab a bully and chew it or dibble a ball like “oh yeah no big i was doing shit when you came back” 

All I ever get from Melvin when I walk in the door, gone all day or walk out of the laundry room ...

[jewel21]

12 hours ago, Petunia13 said:

I have a feeling when @jewel21 comes back from Italy Steve will give her some nice snuggles and serenade a pretty song. Then he’ll try to play it off like “I didn’t miss you THAT much Mom, I was busy doing my own thing, I’m a grownup and dude-ish” 

George does that shit sometimes too 😂 like kisses me and sqwees w joy when I see him after a long day or 15 hrs apart, then he’ll catch himself and grab a bully and chew it or dibble a ball like “oh yeah no big i was doing shit when you came back” 

Haha, he'd better! Two more nights together and then I have to drop him off early Saturday morning at boarding before heading home to get ready for my brother's girlfriend's baby shower that afternoon. Saturday is going to be crazy! And then Sunday I'm off. So crazy! I can't believe I'm leaving in just a few days!

[boes]

45 minutes ago, jewel21 said:

Haha, he'd better! Two more nights together and then I have to drop him off early Saturday morning at boarding before heading home to get ready for my brother's girlfriend's baby shower that afternoon. Saturday is going to be crazy! And then Sunday I'm off. So crazy! I can't believe I'm leaving in just a few days!

Those few days before you leave are always a whirlwind and stressful, but it's gonna be okay.

Have a wonderful time!

Edited June 27, 2019 by boes

[jewel21]

31 minutes ago, boes said:

Those few days before you leave are always a whirlwind and stressful, but it's gonna be okay.

Have a wonderful time!

Thank you, Boes! Or I guess I should say grazie!

[peacheslatour]

8 minutes ago, jewel21 said:

Thank you, Boes! Or I guess I should say grazie!

Ooh, I am so excited for you!  Buon vaggio!

[Petunia13]

@jewel21 if you try any Italian wines let me know the kinds and your thoughts 😊 I’m a big fan of Lambrusco and Prosecco. Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio, and Montepulciano D Abruzzo are popular.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

Pinot Grigio,

Yum, my favorite!

Edited June 27, 2019 by peacheslatour

[valleycliffe]

so, today my grand logan had his high school graduation ceremonies down at the port threatre...glad they were cushy seats and not bleachers..

anyway, just as group 3, the one my grand was in, was just starting to have their names read out and go to shake the hand and take a pic with the principal, the fire alarm went off..then came the announcement we should leave our seats and make an orderly exit to outside.  anyway, there we all were, friends, family and graduating students all standing outside on the sidewalk waiting for fire trucks and men to arrive..2 trucks showed up,, they went inside, made a thorough search of the place and then left..apparently someone on the third floor thought it would be funny...ha ha.. anyway, we all went back in and ceremonies started where they left off and i got to see my grand walk across the stage when his name was called and receive his certifcate....diploma will arrive in the mail in august.

i cried....

[PatsyandEddie]

Yahoo! So wonderful valley! You must be so proud 👏🏻

[bannana]

8 hours ago, valleycliffe said:

so, today my grand logan had his high school graduation ceremonies down at the port threatre...glad they were cushy seats and not bleachers..

anyway, just as group 3, the one my grand was in, was just starting to have their names read out and go to shake the hand and take a pic with the principal, the fire alarm went off..then came the announcement we should leave our seats and make an orderly exit to outside.  anyway, there we all were, friends, family and graduating students all standing outside on the sidewalk waiting for fire trucks and men to arrive..2 trucks showed up,, they went inside, made a thorough search of the place and then left..apparently someone on the third floor thought it would be funny...ha ha.. anyway, we all went back in and ceremonies started where they left off and i got to see my grand walk across the stage when his name was called and receive his certifcate....diploma will arrive in the mail in august.

i cried....

So much YAY!  🎆🎇✨🎊

[Cupid Stunt]

Have a wonderful trip to Italy, jewel! Explore and be bold!

9 hours ago, valleycliffe said:

so, today my grand logan had his high school graduation ceremonies down at the port threatre...glad they were cushy seats and not bleachers..

anyway, just as group 3, the one my grand was in, was just starting to have their names read out and go to shake the hand and take a pic with the principal, the fire alarm went off..then came the announcement we should leave our seats and make an orderly exit to outside.  anyway, there we all were, friends, family and graduating students all standing outside on the sidewalk waiting for fire trucks and men to arrive..2 trucks showed up,, they went inside, made a thorough search of the place and then left..apparently someone on the third floor thought it would be funny...ha ha.. anyway, we all went back in and ceremonies started where they left off and i got to see my grand walk across the stage when his name was called and receive his certifcate....diploma will arrive in the mail in august.

i cried....

(((Valley)))

Congratulations, Logan!

[Cupid Stunt]

• Instagram is going to show you even more ads -- Instagram is one of Facebook’s most valuable products and is on track to drive most of the company’s advertising revenue growth.

• The problem with tech people who want to solve problems

• Americans’ attitude on climate action

• How to fight the Dunning-Kruger effect, explained by psychologist David Dunning.

• AP Explains: The law criminalizing improper border crossings

• A grim border drowning underlines peril facing many migrants

• Meet the people fighting for health care access for disabled kids detained at the border -- Disabled kids in custody have the right to disability protections.

• Seeking gun rights back, Iowa farmer gets arrested instead

• 10 LGBT Uprisings Before Stonewall -- Stonewall is seen as the birth of the LGBT rights movement. But there were pickets, protests—even riots—in the years before June 28, 1969.

• Why are Norwegians so happy? In a word: 'koselig'

• Hawaii Adds Third Gender Option For State-Issued IDs -- Gov. David Ige signed into law three bills that strengthened LGBTQ rights in the state, including one that added gender “X” to state IDs and driver’s licenses.

• The Reckoning -- Nearly two decades after the U.S. Catholic Church vowed to eliminate sexual misconduct by clergy, Pope Francis and his bishops are still reckoning with the crisis of abuse, cover-up and the failure to hold church leaders accountable. The Associated Press explores the church’s greatest credibility crisis since the Reformation.

• Indiana archbishop defends firing of teacher in gay marriage -- "The Indianapolis archbishop said Thursday that his orders for two Catholic high schools in the city to fire gay teachers were about upholding church teaching on marriage and not about sexual orientation."

• Las Vegas is trading parking tickets for pencils, pens and paper for students

If you don't know Ry Cooder as a singer/songwriter, influential musician, music arranger and producer, advocate of forgotten music genres and  musicians, then you should.

Edited June 28, 2019 by Cupid Stunt

[Snaporaz]

Best wishes for a bright future for Logan, @valleycliffe!  We're counting on his generation to save us, since we all mucked things up.

Safe and happy travels, @jewel21!  🍕🍷🍋  Don't forget to bring me back a snowglobe!  ;^)

[jewel21]

Thank you Cupid and Snaporaz!

One more day before I'm off. I have most of Steve's things packed up and ready to go. It's supposed to rain most of the day tomorrow so I'll Uber with him to the animal hospital in the morning. Then I have to rush back home to get ready for my brother's girlfriend's baby shower. 

Then I need to go through my suitcases again once I'm home and make sure I didn't forget anything. I also want to water my plants before I go and clean out Steve's cage so it'll be ready and waiting for him when I come back. 

I'm so excited/nervous/anxious I don't know how I'm going to go sleep tonight or tomorrow night for that matter, haha. 

[Cupid Stunt]

Christen Press of the U.S. in action with France's Marion Torrent. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Reuters Photos: Women's World Cup: France 1 - USA 2

• Rapinoe double takes U.S. past France into semi-finals -- The single most inspiring athlete in America this week is Megan Rapinoe :1) Scored both goals against Spain, 2) Decline an invitation to eat fast-food with TPTB, and 3) Scored both goals against France. That's how you do it.

Reuters Photos: Pride worldwide

• Why Google workers plan to protest their employer at Pride Parade this weekend -- The protests come amid controversy in the LGBTQ community over the company’s harassment policies on YouTube videos.

• Neo-Nazi who drove car into Charlottesville crowd sentenced to life in prison -- James Alex Fields Jr.’s sentence on federal hate crimes charges comes months after his conviction on separate charges in state court.  

• Why Are Women's Vaginas Still Being Cut During Childbirth? -- Episiotomies are no longer performed routinely, but they're still shockingly common.

• A guy made a deepfake app to turn photos of women into nudes. It didn’t go well. -- The quick rise and quicker fall of an app that would’ve made any woman (or any man?) a potential victim.
• Original Article on DeepNude -- This Horrifying App Undresses a Photo of Any Woman With a Single Click

• A shooting ended Marshae Jones’s pregnancy. Police say it’s her fault. The shooter was not indicted by the grand jury. -- Reproductive rights advocates say the story shows how pregnant women of color are criminalized.

• The New Radicals come to Ravelry

• NASA is sending Dragonfly drone to look for signs of life on Saturn’s largest moon. Rad. -- “We can’t go back in time on Earth to learn lessons about the chemistry that led to life. ... But we can go to Titan.”

Japanese zoo holds lion escape drill with costumed actor, real lions unimpressed -- Lion thought bubble: "Iz it fud?"

• Fugitive ‘attack squirrel’ owner arrested in Alabama chase

• Mexico struggles to understand, solve, seaweed invasion

• Mediterranean diet named the best for 2019 -- Does cold pizza for breakfast count?

• 10 years ago, “AI risk” was a joke. Now it’s a serious concern. Thank Jaan Tallinn. -- The philanthropist explains why he decided to fund ideas no other donor would touch.

• Decoding the wedding dress code -- They’re stressful, classist, and sometimes no help at all. (We attended a wedding last night, and the dress 'suggestion' was picnic casual. Groan.) 

Elmore James, legendary singer/songwriter

[AngelKitty]

I actually skimmed through the articles about the deep fake nudes because I was wondering if it would make one look better than reality. Unfortunately, that question was never answered. 🤭

[Cupid Stunt]

5 hours ago, AngelKitty said:

I actually skimmed through the articles about the deep fake nudes because I was wondering if it would make one look better than reality. Unfortunately, that question was never answered. 🤭

Is that what you're shootin' for, AngelKitty.

[Petunia13]

@peacheslatour what is your favorite Pinot Grigios? For whites I really like Sauvignon Blancs. Its funny, I know so little about wine and my palate is so uneducated but I buy it 😂 

[jewel21]

Steve is in boarding and I keep thinking I hear him moving around in his cage. It's kind of creepy. 

Because he didn't get a mite treatment beforehand, they had to put him on the hospital side and I couldn't leave him any of his toys or blanket or his branch because they could be contaminated. I also wasn't able to change the layout of his cage as a result, and he's so finicky I don't think he'll want to sit on any of the perches they gave him. Hopefully he'll adjust quickly. 

The baby shower went well. The people were nice and the cake was adorable. 

Finally all packed up. I just have to put my face was in my checked luggage. 

Can I put an umbrella in my purse or will they think it's a weapon, lol. 

Also, my cousin and I aren't sitting together at all but maybe that's a good thing. We would've just fought over who got the window seat, lol. 

[valleycliffe]

11 hours ago, Petunia13 said:

@peacheslatour what is your favorite Pinot Grigios? For whites I really like Sauvignon Blancs. Its funny, I know so little about wine and my palate is so uneducated but I buy it 😂 

my hubby makes my wine when he makes his beer....

however, when i buy it at the liquor store, it is dry white and comes in a box.

[Cupid Stunt]

• The Nonprofit Hospital That Makes Millions, Owns a Collection Agency and Relentlessly Sues the Poor -- Nonprofit hospitals pay virtually no local, state or federal income tax. In return, they provide community benefits, including charity care to low-income patients. In Memphis, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare has brought 8,300 lawsuits for unpaid medical bills in just five years.

California's mighty predator — the mountain lion — faces 'extinction vortex'

• Palm oil producers are wiping out orangutans – despite multinationals’ promises
• The Orangutan Project

• The UK is now committed by law to the most aggressive climate target in the world

• Russia plans to tow a nuclear power station to the Arctic. Critics dub it a 'floating Chernobyl'

• An oil spill that began 15 years ago is up to a thousand times worse than the rig owner's estimate, study finds

• Your dog's food may be linked to canine heart disease

• Ikea wants to build homes in Britain that cost what the buyer can pay

• Protest in Madrid as conservatives suspend ban on most polluting cars

• Jane Eyre is a startlingly modern heroine. A new ballet shows why.

There's so much more work to do.

PJ Harvey, singer/songwriter

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, valleycliffe said:

my hubby makes my wine when he makes his beer....

however, when i buy it at the liquor store, it is dry white and comes in a box.

Same here. I purchase only the finest wine in a box.

[valleycliffe]

47 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Same here. I purchase only the finest wine in a box.

boxed wine stays fresher longer than bottled wine cause no air gets in..

mine is good ole bc wine "sawmill creek".

[peacheslatour]

20 minutes ago, valleycliffe said:

boxed wine stays fresher longer than bottled wine cause no air gets in..

mine is good ole bc wine "sawmill creek".

I myself take the Tour De Franzia.

[Cupid Stunt]

3 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

I myself take the Tour De Franzia.

[peacheslatour]

Hey OhioSongbird! Its almost time for onion dip!

[Cupid Stunt]

• TV’s Reckoning with #MeToo -- Many creators are visibly struggling to adjust to the changing landscape, rejecting the “very special episode” path and seeking something more honest and original.

• Romance Novelists Write About Sex and Pleasure. On the Internet That Makes Them Targets for Abuse -- “They act like I don't have a real job, like I'm just a horny person all the time.” … Female sexuality is a threat to the crumbling status quo.

• Alabama’s law forcing sex offenders to get chemically castrated, explained -- The law is supposed to keep children safe. Critics say it won’t work.

• Why the U.S. Can’t Solve Big Problems  -- The system of government gets in the way

• ‘We can change something’: These 13-year-olds found mold in their schools and did something about it

• Environmentalists removed more than 40 tons of trash from the Pacific -- and it barely made a dent -- That's why it's called work.

• CDC issues warning on 'crypto' fecal parasite that can live for days in swimming pools

• AI can learn how a pizza is assembled. Here's why that matters -- We'll start eliminating the minimum wage/entry-level jobs, and work our way up the food chain.

• The State of Hate -- The deep American roots of white supremacy

• Inside the deadly world of India’s sand mining mafia -- India ranks second after China in its use of construction sand, a dwindling and increasingly valuable resource.

• Russia and China are waging a “shadow war” against the US, and the battlefields will be AI and space -- Hacking and election interference is just the beginning

• A New Lawsuit Could Transform How the Influencer Industry Is Regulated

• Support for Black Lives Matter cost church its polling place designation, lawsuit claims

• How modern life is transforming the human skeleton

• The malaria vaccine could change world health

Dolly Parton, Queen of Country, singer/songwriter -- There will be sequins. 

[pearlite]

Edited July 1, 2019 by pearlite

[Snaporaz]

Happy Canada Day, Maple Leaf Buds!

[Petunia13]

It’s Canada day... No way, eh? 

[Cupid Stunt]

• Brunswick News Inc. Cancels Michael de Adder's Freelance Contract

• What the last Nuremberg prosecutor alive wants the world to know -- Benjamin Ferencz: Do you think the man who dropped the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima was a savage? Now I will tell you something very profound, which I have learned after many years. War makes murderers out of otherwise decent people. All wars, and all decent people. -- Many thanks for your undaunted service and wisdom, Mr. Ferencz.

• 9/11 first responder and advocate Luis Alvarez dies at 53 -- Luis Alvarez, a retired NYPD bomb squad detective who described for Congress his medical issues during an impassioned appeal for an extension of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, died Saturday in a hospice in New York. He was 53. His death from complications of cancer linked to the time he spent with other first responders in the rubble at ground zero was announced in a Facebook statement from his family.

• Boston Strait Pride Parade: The distraction of Straight Pride, as explained by LGBTQ activists and historians -- What is an event that promotes the “inclusion of straights”? Just a second … Isn't every day expected to be Straight Pride, of only to maintain the status quo? Two: A Straight Pride Parade has an obnoxious, gay man as Grand Marshal? Boston is too small for a republic and too large for an insane asylum. (Posthumous apologies to James L. Petigru) 

• Minnesota moves toward banning 'conversion therapy' but it's still legal in many states -- And high time.

• Cities are beginning to own up to the climate impacts of what they consume -- Consumption emissions from goods, food, and services are huge, and politically explosive.

• The US is in its longest economic expansion in history. Growing and unequal.

• The unbearable whiteness of American charities. Meet the racial philanthropy gap.

• Hong Kong’s latest protests, in 22 photos Protesters stormed the legislative building and police tried to clear them with tear gas.
• Hong Kong protests escalate with storming of legislative building -- On the anniversary of Britain’s handover of the city-state to China, protesters occupied the legislature. Police later used tear gas on protesters to disperse them.

Tim Buckley, singer/songwriter

Edited July 2, 2019 by Cupid Stunt

[Cupid Stunt]

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Rick Sebak Ice Cream Show -- Part 2 -- Part 3 -- Part 4 -- Part 5 -- Part 6

Frozen custard: Summer's hottest snack

[valleycliffe]

smart parrots doing amazing things

[Cupid Stunt]

Gary Duncan, Quicksilver Messenger Service Guitarist, Dead at 72

Gary Duncan, guitarist and vocalist of the influential San Francisco psychedelic rock band Quicksilver Messenger Service, has died at the age of 72.

The band confirmed Duncan’s death on their Facebook page. According to Best Classic Bands, Duncan died Saturday in Woodland, California after suffering a seizure and falling into a coma.

Born out of the same San Francisco scene that fostered the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and Steve Miller Band, Quicksilver Messenger Service were known for their electrifying live performances and complex guitar interplay.

Duncan co-founded Quicksilver Messenger Service after a stint as lead singer of the garage rock band the Brogues, who had a Nuggets-bound hit with 1965’s “I Ain’t No Miracle Worker.”

Soon after, Duncan and his Brogues bandmate, drummer Greg Elmore, were recruited by guitarist John Cipollina to audition for and then join the fledgling Quicksilver Messenger Service in 1965 alongside bassist David Freiberg; at the time, the band’s founding guitarist Dino Valenti (the stage name of “Get Together” songwriter Chet Powers) was in the midst of a two-year prison sentence on marijuana charges.

“When I first came to San Francisco before Quicksilver started, Jefferson Airplane was already playing. You could see them and see that they were gonna be successful. I mean, they were groomed for it. The Grateful Dead was just a phenomenon,” Duncan said in an interview. “We didn’t pursue that. Nobody really wanted to be a celebrity. That’s kind of like the way all of us are. Virgo is the sign of the hermit in the Tarot cards. We were all hermits and still are.”

Quicksilver Messenger Service spent the next few years honing their guitar-powered, psychedelic sound at San Francisco venues like Bill Graham’s Fillmore West. Following a breakout set at the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival, the band signed with Capitol Records, which released their self-titled debut in 1968.

As far as Quicksilvers’ [Monterey Pop] performance, we were scared. I was scared. I had never been in front of that many people in my life. The whole set went by in a flash and it was finished,” Duncan said in 2007 for the book A Perfect Haze: The Illustrated History of the Monterey International Pop Festival. “I wasn’t aware until later that there was that much media, label attention on the show. I don’t know if we got signed because of our performance or not. I would assume not because we didn’t play that well in my opinion.”

In 1969, Quicksilver Messenger Service released their acclaimed Happy Trails, recorded live at the Fillmore West and Fillmore East and featuring a side-long riff on Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love?” Duncan also penned a pair of instrumentals, “Calvary” and “Maiden of the Cancer Moon,” that appeared the album’s B-side.

Rolling Stone placed the band’s 1969 LP Happy Trails at Number 189 on the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. “The definitive live recording of the late-Sixties ballroom experience: This San Francisco acid-blues band’s second album captures its twin guitarists in bright flight, and composed intricacies like the studio epic ‘Calvary’ prove that psychedelia was about more than just tripping out,” Rolling Stone said of the album.

Following a brief departure from Quicksilver Messenger Service – the guitarist did not perform on 1969’s Shady Grove – Duncan and founding member Valenti rejoined the group for 1970’s Just for Love. Duncan remained a member through the founding lineup’s run, which concluded in 1975 with Solid Silver. Duncan and Elmore continued performing under the Quicksilver moniker until 1979, when the group disbanded.

While Duncan revived the Quicksilver name in the mid-Eighties for his own band, he ultimately reunited with Freiberg beginning in 2006. The duo performed as Quicksilver Messenger Service until Duncan’s death.

Vaya con Dios, Gary.

33 minutes ago, valleycliffe said:

smart parrots doing amazing things

Incredibly inventive and adaptive creatures.

[Cupid Stunt]

• If Thwaites Glacier collapses, it would change global coastlines forever -- Scientists fear the collapse of Thwaites Glacier could one day destabilize surrounding glaciers and eventually trigger up to 11 feet of global sea level rise. 

• Alert level increased at world’s largest volcano in Hawaii

• NASA sold moon landing footage to an intern for $218. Now, the tapes could sell for millions -- Oops.

• Calling the cops on someone with mental illness can go terribly wrong. -- What if we sent mental health experts instead of police?

• 6 babies and 6 employees at a hospital have tested positive for MRSA

• Vandals spray painted the 'Bean' sculpture at Chicago's Millennium Park -- Amateurs. 

• Kids are being taught about LGBTQ rights in these British schools. Some parents are saying no

• Inside the Secret Border Patrol Facebook Group Where Agents Joke About Migrant Deaths and Post Sexist Memes

• I was a child of Chernobyl  -- The 1986 Russian disaster isn’t just compelling TV. It was my life.

• SpongeBob SquarePants becomes human in his big birthday special. Almost.

• Why are fireworks laws so complicated?  -- Each US state has its own arcane set of regulations, but moves are being made to change that.

• Facebook ban on white nationalism too narrow, say auditors

• How a lawsuit could reveal secrets about Silicon Valley’s favorite philanthropic loophole

• Fast-food restaurants represent the best and worst of America

• Heinz Is Selling Mac & Cheese In A Can On Amazon -- Urp.

• Iguanas spread in Florida as climate warms: ‘They’re a menace’ -- Vacationing in Belize, iguanas were everywhere. The town we were staying hired kids to hunt them down for a bounty the resort owners were paying. 

• Remember when Ginger Spice wore the Union Jack?

Presenting The Very Reverend Al Green, singer/songwriter, with rhythm guitarist Teenie Hodges. "Love and Happiness" is called the quintessential Al Green song, and one of the greatest soul songs of all time.

Edited July 3, 2019 by Cupid Stunt

[lovemesomejoolery]

55 minutes ago, Cupid Stunt said:

• If Thwaites Glacier collapses, it would change global coastlines forever -- Scientists fear the collapse of Thwaites Glacier could one day destabilize surrounding glaciers and eventually trigger up to 11 feet of global sea level rise. 

• Alert level increased at world’s largest volcano in Hawaii

• NASA sold moon landing footage to an intern for $218. Now, the tapes could sell for millions -- Oops.

• Calling the cops on someone with mental illness can go terribly wrong. -- What if we sent mental health experts instead of police?

• 6 babies and 6 employees at a hospital have tested positive for MRSA

• Vandals spray painted the 'Bean' sculpture at Chicago's Millennium Park -- Amateurs. 

• Kids are being taught about LGBTQ rights in these British schools. Some parents are saying no

• Inside the Secret Border Patrol Facebook Group Where Agents Joke About Migrant Deaths and Post Sexist Memes

• I was a child of Chernobyl  -- The 1986 Russian disaster isn’t just compelling TV. It was my life.

• SpongeBob SquarePants becomes human in his big birthday special. Almost.

• Why are fireworks laws so complicated?  -- Each US state has its own arcane set of regulations, but moves are being made to change that.

• Facebook ban on white nationalism too narrow, say auditors

• How a lawsuit could reveal secrets about Silicon Valley’s favorite philanthropic loophole

• Fast-food restaurants represent the best and worst of America

• Heinz Is Selling Mac & Cheese In A Can On Amazon -- Urp.

• Iguanas spread in Florida as climate warms: ‘They’re a menace’ -- Vacationing in Belize, iguanas were everywhere. The twon we were staying hired kids to hunt them down for a bounty the resort owners were paying. 

• Remember when Ginger Spice wore the Union Jack?

Presenting The Very Reverend Al Green, singer/songwriter, with rhythm guitarist Teenie Hodges. "Love and Happiness" is called the quintessential Al Green song, and one of the greatest soul songs of all time.

Wish I could love this news roundup a million times!  Lots of good articles this morning (as there are everyday!), but to end with Al Green?  And this song? I'm a happy girl!

Thank you for taking time to do these daily!

Edited July 3, 2019 by lovemesomejoolery

[Cupid Stunt]

3 hours ago, lovemesomejoolery said:

Wish I could love this news roundup a million times!  Lots of good articles this morning (as there are everyday!), but to end with Al Green?  And this song? I'm a happy girl!

Thank you for taking time to do these daily!

J'adore Al Green.

Just for you, lovesme.

; )

[Cupid Stunt]

Happy Fourth of July, Preverts!

I'm burning up vacation time at my parent's. There was a wedding, graduation party and family reunion last weekend. Dad's smoking a beef half and roasting sweet corn for the ravening hordes on the Fourth. The family will ride in the Independence Parade.

Yee Haa!

What are you guys up to for the Fourth?

[peacheslatour]

Nothing. I'm not feeling it this year.

[valleycliffe]

we didn't do anything for canada day either.  just stayed home.  it was too hot for me to go out.

my daughter and grand rey are in forida this week..liz drove her and the dog down to step mom's place and rey will be going to college there in sept.  wanted to get all settled in and try and find a job before school starts.  got her first nu to her car too.  lizzie is also planning to see some friends from ft. rucker before she heads back to maryland.  she is not looking foreward to getting used to not having rey around.

[lovemesomejoolery]

4 hours ago, Cupid Stunt said:

J'adore Al Green.

Just for you, lovesme.

; )

Thank you!  That was, simply beautiful 🙂  I've bookmarked that acoustic version - Mr. Lovesmesome will enjoy it, too!

[Cupid Stunt]

To the patriots ...

Jimi Hendrix The Star Spangled Banner American Anthem Live at Woodstock 1969

[pearlite]

17 hours ago, Cupid Stunt said:

J'adore Al Green.

And I couldn't seriously like anyone who didn't. That voice, and the Hi/American Records horn line...

Since I go in and out of popular music [which amounts to classic R & B for me], there have been stages where I just tune out on it and revert to my pre-set, classical. Al Green, though has always been the exception.

I once spent months listening only to the Reverend and to Sinatra's Capitol Records versions of Cole Porter [Nelson Riddle arrangements only].

[lovemesomejoolery]

If any of you are in California where the 6.4 quake hit, I hope you and those you love are safe

https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-earthquake-california-shake-quake-20190704-story.html

[valleycliffe]

@Cupid Stunt, are you and your family safe?

@pearlite i hope you and yours are all safe as well..

Edited July 4, 2019 by valleycliffe