Life, Truth, and Blueberries

TAR 17 predictions

2010-10-09T18:09:00.003-04:00

Sorry I'm late, But I made myself a list back in September (16th), before the Amazing Race 17 started, making an uneducated guess at the winner and final 3, based on info about the teams. I've only seen one leg (the first) since I made this list, and it didn't change anything. So here goes :

Third : Jill & Thomas
Second : Connor & Jonathan
First : CLAIRE & BROOKE.

That means I'm going for the first all-female team winner in Amazing Race history. (I think the Producers hoped they would win, for that reason, but didn't rig it.)

Team I hope sticks around : Gary & Mallory. They won't go far. But Mal seems to be tailor-made for fun comments.

Being Occupied

2010-07-31T22:36:00.002-04:00

I'm starting to do things again, after trying to establish myself on numerous social media, and taking care of my mother, who passed away June 5 2010. I told her I'd be in the thick of things in no time. (I also told her I'd find myself a woman to love. In 1974. Look at where that's gotten me.)

I still feel a bit numb. But only a bit.

Links to Radio Playlists

2009-09-25T11:20:00.003-04:00

Some of you have asked why I haven't been posting my radio show playlists lately. I really haven't had much time for typing them in. But some of them are on the WUSB Stony Brook NY 90.1 FM website under my program's listing. Please check them out, and tell me what you think!

So far this year, the top song has been "Endlessly" by Green River Ordinance. What -- me, playing ballads?? No apology for this one.

If any of you are from commercial stations and wonder what you should do for Christmas, send me an email.

Amazing Race 15 : predictions

2009-09-13T00:09:00.003-04:00

Okay, now the cast is out. 12 teams, one of which doesn't make it past LA (except to go into the Elimination Station -- which is usually, when you think about it, a strange sort of free vacation in a resort area). After reading the bios, seeing the interviews, and flipping coins, here's who I see in the finals :

Ericka & Brian Kleinschmidt (She's 2004 Miss America, the requisite beauty queen)
Sam & Dan McMillen (the requisite exemplar gays, this time they're brothers)
Herbert Lang & Nate Lofton (Harlem Globetrotters, trotting the globe for TAR)

Meghan Ricky & Cheyne Whitney have a shot at the third finalist slot.

I think they'll finish in that order. I am, of course, kinda partial to Ericka...:)

I wish they'd have a season where no one from California was chosen. It would take three or four such seasons to make up for their overcasting CA. Next best would be to take every 'requisite' category (the ones that show up season after season) and bar all of them for a season. All by itself, that would make the casting more interesting.

Hyundai: Deal or Duel?

2009-08-09T08:37:00.003-04:00

I just saw a Hyundai commercial on TV. In it, a car was being followed around by a gas tanker truck, for their new promotion of a full year's gas at $1.49 a gallon -- co-promoted with PriceLock. I don't think Hyundai will like what my first feelings were : Fear!

When I saw the truck, it took me back to a 1970s TV movie, Duel. In it, Dennis Weaver was being chased through the desert by an evil gasoline tanker. It was in the thick of the '70s gas crisis, so we were all getting a little of that feeling in real life. And, it was Steven Spielberg, at the top of his game. All in all, a TV terror classic, complete with Weaver's facial expressions each time the truck renewed its attack -- by themselves, worth it.

I wonder if the ad men for this ad are old enough to remember that one.... and how many others got that same creepy feeling. (A far cry from Volvo's "Safe and Sound" ads, to be sure!)

TAR 15 -- from an Unexpected source

2009-07-23T04:46:00.004-04:00

It seems that a relative of one of the women I know from Stony Brook U is in Tokyo Japan. The woman said that two pairs of Amazing Racers had run past the relative. Didn't say where or what they were doing, so it's not quite a true spoiler. And there were pix, but not shared. Also, she's a Big Brother fan who despises TAR. (:P)

That got me thinking: with the wireless technology and the prevalence of Twitter worldwide, can anyone hide anything anymore? In the case of Amazing Race, the TAR Detectives get such incredible detail on everything, long before anything airs. I don't read spoilers until it airs, but I'm sure Chateau has the airport covered and the camera angles figured, Apskip's got the flight numbers and arrival times, and Neobie's got the leg mapped out. It's incredible. But fortunately, they're fans. They love the show and they're sane (as far as any fanship is 'sane'...) Think what would happen in the hands of people who are, er, less supportive and less sane, like, say, someone who's stalking a star, or trying to undermine a rival, not to mention terrorists or spys or Big Brother fans. Go to a mountain in Tibet, some monk's Twittering from the next mountain over. Or a tundra location in Yakutia in Siberia -- the bears have their own YouTube accounts. The amount of evidence can be astounding, and that makes chasing it down for a live event so much fun.

But it's also just a bit scary. Technology has redefined privacy in a way that makes it impossible to hold as a near-absolute right above all else. It has become what it really was all along - a right to be held in the context of all other rights, and defended as such. And it is dealt with in the breach more than in fact, in typical human fashion. How to handle it from there, I don't know.

A liturgical section for commissioning lay ministers

2009-07-23T04:05:00.003-04:00

A Brief Order for Commissioning Lay Ministers of Health and Wellness

Rubrics (descriptions and explanations) are in red.
P: presiding minister, L: lay ministers being commissioned, C : Congregation.

[This service is best used within a standard worship service, following the Offertory. It's actually a specialized version of an order for commissioning other ministries, such as those ministring in education, evangelism, social ministries, youth ministry, or worship. Consider commissioning any of those who have demonstrated the ability, gift, commitment and responsibility to make a job or task or avocation into a real ministry for Christ's sake.]

P: Today we act as the Body of Christ to recognize and support those who do ministries of health and healing among us in Christ's name. Baptized into Christ's priesthood, we are each called to offer ourselves in service, sometimes in specialized ministry as [[ name(s) ]] are doing right now.

[The person/people about to be commissioned come forward. Then, someone officially representing the church council or vestry arises and comes forward, to give a brief description of each person's specific health ministry. Then the council representative is seated, and the lay ministers gather around the presiding minister, on their knees.]

P: Will you commit yourselves to serve people in the humble manner of Jesus, and be responsible to the Body of Christ for the manner in which you serve?

L : Yes, with God's help.

[The presiding minister then goes to each lay minister, and lays both hands on his/her head. Other ordained personnel are invited by the presiding minister to come up and join in the laying of hands.]

P: Come, Holy Spirit, and give blessing and power to the ministry of your faithful servant [[ name ]], that the broken may become whole, and that Your name be given glory.

P, L: Amen.

[When this is completed, the lay ministers arise and turn to the congregation, linking hands. The presiding minister may choose to link hands with them, especially if there is only one being commissioned.]

P, L : We stand together in service to our Lord and our neighbor.

P : Lord, bless all of those who serve to bring wellness and wholeness to others. Bless and guide physicians, nurses, technicians, emergency personnel, physical trainers, dieticians, hospital visitation ministers, chaplains, and prayer intercessors. Grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience, resilience and faithfulness. In Your mercy, heal those who need healing and give comfort to all who need comfort. Through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,

[Other specific ministries, such as faith healers and Stephen ministers, can be included in the above prayer, as fits the congregation's traditions and actual ministries.]

All : Amen.

[At this point, the lay ministers return to their seats and all return to the rest of the service.]

Return to Spirithome.com worship, main page.

Or, if it's where you came from, the Healing page.

A Sotomayor surprise

2009-06-01T20:13:00.003-04:00

The surprise isn't that Obama chose her. She was on about 80% of the pundits' short lists.

The surprise isn't that the right wing of the Republican Party took off into using the r-word (racism) in their comments. These are the people who turned the GOP into the Party of No. (Yo! You lost the election, idiots! In a democracy, you work with the choice that the people very clearly made - those who won the Presidency, the Other party.)

No. The surprise is to see so many refreshing and insightful people coming to her support. I don't mean Pelosi (who doesn't even try to grasp what a thoughtful opponent might say) or Schumer (her main booster during the entire selection process to date)

I mean the folks who reporters have been sticking their mikes in front of. People. Lots of them, for a change. Probably because she's from the Bronx. They seem to understand. They 'get it'. They see a woman who's done some bold things as an appellate judge. Someone who's got a top-drawer legal mind. And most importantly, someone who's had to apply it in real life. (You know - the thing most court justices haven't seen in, say, half a century.)

I get a lot of personal pleasure seeing even cantankerous sports writer Mike Lupica getting his big-mouth licks in, in the part of the NY Daily News that isn't the sports section. (You know, the shrinking part.) This thing matters to so many.

Go get 'em, Sonia!

Amazing Race 14: the finish line

2009-05-09T22:14:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow is the last segment for the Amazing Race season 14 (TAR 14).

They're finishing up in Hawaii, on a golf course on Maui no less. (I hope no golfers try to play through...)

There's always a task in the finals where the racers have to remember what happened in the previous legs of the race. From the preview, it looks like that will be tied to making a surfboard wall.

Who will win? I can't see how it can be anyone else but Tammy and Victor. They're just too good at it. Besides, I'm figuring Jamie (of Cara and...) will have to keep dealing with the fact that taxi drivers are not human slaves, even on the rare occasion they speak her language (rare even here in the US!) And after this, Margie will get a well-earned rest.

The TARflies (fans) will be meeting again in New York to see the finale, in what's called "TARcon". I'd love to be there with them (it's only a 1 hr. trainride away), but I can't because of family commitments. Hopefully, it won't be as noisy as when I went last -- the night the Giants beat the Packers to get into the Super Bowl. They might be able to hear each other speak this time. I'm also hoping Phil Keoghan feels well enough to attend; he's been on a difficult bike ride across the USA to raise money for MS, with of course the usual promotionals along the way for GNC stores and TAR. (At least he didn't have to carry a Travelocity Gnome around, like the racers...)

I will be watching, though. Go Tammy!

Shaky Game

2009-04-23T20:38:00.005-04:00

I know the world of third-party apps is weird, demented, and morally bankrupt (they consider that a compliment). But the iPhone app "Baby Shaker"? My cousin has a baby, Grant, and he was shaken by his caretaker. A happy baby before then, but now a frustrated child because he can't balance himself enough to stand straight, among other mental and coordination problems. It's called 'Shaken Baby Syndrome', and there are many childrenwho suffer because they were shaken (supposedly to attain silence, just like the shaking of the iPhone does in the program). To watch him struggle with just the act of moving from one place to another can break a heart. It does mine.

I want whoever the stupid ass is who thought up such an app to go over my cousin's house and spend some time getting to know Grant, and the true supermom who raises him. By the time he's done, I'd hope he'd himself be shaken -- emotionally. What in hell gets into people that they think that's funny??

Do 'Spiritual Words' Mean Anything?

2009-03-13T22:58:00.003-04:00

A growing number of people are saying, "No, they don't". I beg to differ.

The definitions at Spirithome are my best attempt to make sense out of the most important words used in 'spiritual' or 'mystical' or 'religious' speech and writings, including words that are better not to use at all, or only when talking to specialists.

I understand full well that these words are used for blowing smoke, for blurring the cutting edges of belief, for hiding or disguising a lack of knowledge or the desire to become a 'spiritual' star. There's a lot of distrust, with good reason. You can go ahead and distrust me, too, but before you do, please take the time to read these word meanings. I'm convinced the words (or most of them, anyway) speak to the most important and down-to-earth matters of life. And of what's beyond life. I also believe that definitions are not only used as a trap, they can also be used as a way out of the traps.

I need to hear from you if the Spirithome definitions are right, or most importantly, what they miss. I ask for your feedback. You can be as opinionated as you want, but I do ask that you stay focused on what is meant by the words. Give it a try.

Millard Fuller and what's real

2009-02-04T21:55:00.002-05:00

I just heard about the passing of Millard Fuller. It was even mentioned in the front bottom of the New York Times (directing us to the obits). Fuller was founder and for three decades the leader of Habitat for Humanity. To me, that's worth a lot of attention.

Habitat was one of those strange groups. It was formed at first with a bunch of Christians in Americus GA in 1976, and was based among the Christian community at Koinonia Farms there. (This base had already built their first home in 1969, and in 1973 in the Congo.) The vision went way beyond Americus, or even America, that home ownership (and the related pride, security, and asset value) would not be outside the reach of the poor. One of the elements of genius is how they get people from the community involved in building the houses -- many who got involved that way caught what Fuller called "Habititis", getting deeper into the cause.

Americus had some notoriety already, through Clarence Jordan's popular Cotton Patch Gospel. Indeed, in many ways Jordan's work led to Habitat. But just as important was the ties that Fuller and Habitat made with its neighbors. That included a peanut farmer from nearby Plains, who became President, Jimmy Carter. Carter's continued support gave a solid platform to expand Habitat. And a lot of people heard Fuller share his vision. And Habitat continued to be blessed, growing to the point where its impact was no longer small.

I heard that vision, too. I met Fuller when the Christian Community Development Association had its annual conference in Baltimore. Fuller led a tour of the community of Sandtown, where Habitat has a major housing rehab project. Back at the conference, Fuller spoke with clarity and straightforward faith about what he termed the economics of Jesus. When we extend ourselves to strengthen others, especially those in poverty, God will provide, we can trust in that. I can't argue with him on that, because God has sure provided for Habitat and its cause. When I spoke with him briefly before he left the conference, he was clearly energized to meet so many CCDA people who were totally sold on Christ as found in Scripture -- just like him -- be so actively involved with the poor in some of the toughest neighborhoods in the nation.

Millard Fuller had a passion that ignited a movement. It will -- it must -- now continue without him. But let's stop for a moment to thank God for having gifted him so strongly. And to pass it on to others.

Check here for Habitat's page on Fuller.

regarding Baptism

2009-01-23T11:37:00.006-05:00

I'm right now in the midst of re-writing Spirithome's materials on Christian baptism. But there's something I need to know, because it's not something I can see from where I'm at.

This is for those of you who are not a committed Christian, attend only occasionally, are agnostic, or just find such things puzzling. Most of you have at least a passing familiarity with it -- you've been to a friend's child's baptism, or you've seen it in movies or on the media, read about it, or heard a colleague talk about it. I'm inviting you to write in about what baptism (the act, the ceremony, the talk about it) seems like to you.

To give you an idea, I'll start with a few items others have already told me. (You don't have to be this brief.)

-- a ceremony to mark the arrival of a baby
-- symbols that have been robbed of much of their real-ness
-- another occasion for collecting money
-- a way to pay homage to one's traditions and forebears
-- a way to enhance the power of ordained ministers
-- a mother's moment of honor in public or before the rest of the family

Do you have something more to add to these? A story to describe it? An entirely different reaction? Whatever it is, I want to hear it. Just write it as a blog comment to this note.

Thank you, in advance.
*

Bob Longman show, 2008 year-end list

2009-01-12T13:20:00.005-05:00

as heard on WUSB 90.1 fm Stony Brook NY, and wusb.fm, Sun afts 12:30-2:30 pm
rank -- song -- artist

------------------------------------------------------
(1) No Words -- Neil Diamond
(2) Seven Steps to Heaven -- Take 6/Al Jarreau/Jon Hendricks/Till Bronner
(3) Breathe -- Keller Williams
(4) Half Of It -- Tim Blane
(5) Unburden -- Julia Brown
(6) Lullabye -- Tim Blane
(7) Not the End -- Natalie Walker
(8) the World Keeps You Waiting -- New York Voices
(9) It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace) -- Kenny Neal
(10) I Remain -- Carolann Ames

(11) Adelaide -- Tim Miller
(12) Dreamer -- Sergio Mendes/Lani Hall/Herb Alpert
(13) Flip Flop & Fly -- Cephas & Wiggins
(14) Grace -- Brooke Annibale
(15) One -- Keziah Jones
(16) Ride On -- Ben Wise
(17) Take Your Time -- Al Green w. Corinne Bailey Rae
(18) The Way We Do -- Ladysmith Black Mambazo
(19) Where Dreams Are Bound -- Ben Wise
(20) You've Got to Hurt (Before You Can Heal) -- Kenny Neal

(21) A Deeper Meaning -- Phil Roy
(22) AKA Papa Funk -- Jimmy McCracken
(23) Ashrey Ha'ish -- Sheva
(24) Bass Blues -- Belinda Underwood w. Nancy King
(25) Chamego (Betty's Bossa) -- New York Voices
(26) Disappear -- Michael Korb
(27) Dodo's Bounce -- James Carter
(28) Even Trade -- Terence Martin
(29) Get It, Get It -- Janiva Magness
(30) Hard to Lie -- Brooke Annibale

(31) Hide and Seek -- Return To the Dream
(32) Home To Me -- Phil Minissale
(33) I Can't Make It Alone -- Lou Rawls
(34) I'm Glad You're Mine -- Janiva Magness
(35) I'm Wild About You -- Al Green
(36) Last to Die -- Bruce Springsteen
(37) My Babe -- Dion DiMucci
(38) October Dance -- Seven Octaves
(39) Only You -- Watson Twins
(40) Prosciutto E Meloni -- La Bande Magnetik

(41) Rapid Shave -- James Carter
(42) Scramblin' -- Jo Williamson
(43) The Secret -- Toby Walker
(44) Summer Place -- Kaydi Johnson
(45) Things About Coming My Way -- Ruth Brown
(46) Thoughts and Prayers -- Ron Sexsmith
(47) Two Toasts -- Carrie Newcomer
(48) Un-Wishing Well -- Rajaton
(49) WHY -- Phil & Ian Keaggy
(50) Your Protector -- Fleet Foxes

.

Advent-Christmas-Epiphany

2008-12-13T00:05:00.004-05:00

Tell us about what you experience as the good parts of the holiday season,
the traditions that mark it, the practices you find most beneficial.

Bob Longman, Spirithome.com

Stark cold truth

2008-12-12T01:26:00.006-05:00

In his book *What Americans Really Believe*, Rodney Stark also made a critical, crucial mistake in his reading of the data on church attendance and membership. Or, just as important, the Baylor study itself made the mistake, and he followed it to prove his point.

The extremely critical mistake? They asked the respondents about it.

Why is that a mistake? Because even people who don't go to church want to be seen as if they're part of a church. Or, they want to see themselves as someone who goes. On image questions of this kind, there's just too much lying. And they'll do it even when the information is to be kept confidential; many people don't trust that, either. So it is not something that is accurately studied by way of self-reporting.

The truth? According to those who look at actual counts, actual church attendance and membership are down overall. Attendance has been dropping noticeably for the last 10 years or so, with a brief interruption for 9/11. (Before that there was about two decades of 'shuffling', largely of folks leaving mainline churches for Pentecostal ones.) Many people, even those with strong Christian beliefs, don't bother with church at all anymore. Being an actual member of an actual congregation or church body isn't as important to their identity as in past generations. The drop isn't as large or as deep as the doomsday folks are saying, but it is real, and the churches must take action about it now. They must give a clear answer to the question, "what good does it do for Christians to gather together?"

The best way to measure such subjects by surveys? Indirectly. By creating a scale of indirect questions and doing a cluster analysis of them in relation to the other questions on the survey. By running a cross-check on it by looking at an area's actual attendance counts. By having enough respondents on these specific questions that you can have a high enough number of respondents (Ns) to be in effect a statistically-significant survey for each issue breakdown.

Stark et al.'s sunny analysis about current church attendance has no ground in fact except for the distorted 'self-reported' attendance and membership. This is one of the two instances in the book where the Baylor data was, from the start, not what it seemed to be.
*

Gallows Humor on Spiritual Gifts

2008-12-11T22:11:00.001-05:00

( as found in Cybersalt, http://www.cybersalt.org/cleanlaugh/ )

During the French Revolution, there were three Christians who were sentenced to die by the guillotine. One Christian had the gift of faith, the other had the gift of prophecy, the other had the gift of helps.

The Christian with the gift of faith was to be executed first. He was asked if he wanted to wear a hood over his head. He declined and said he was not afraid to die. "I have faith that God will deliver me!" he shouted bravely. His head was positioned under the guillotine, with his neck on the chopping block. He looked up at the sharp blade, said a short prayer and waited confidently. The rope was pulled, but nothing happened.

His executioners were amazed and, believing that this must have been an act of God, they freed the man.

The Christian with the gift of prophecy was next. His head was positioned under the guillotine blade and he too was asked if he wanted the hood. "No," he said, "I am not afraid to die. However, I predict that God will deliver me from this guillotine!" At that, the rope was pulled and again, nothing happened. Once, again the puzzled executioners assumed this must be a miracle of God, and they freed the man.

The third Christian, with the gift of helps, was next. He was brought to the guillotine and likewise asked if he wanted to wear a hood. "No," he said, "I'm just as brave as those other two guys." The executioners then positioned him face up under the guillotine and were about to pull the rope when the man stopped them. "Hey wait a minute," he said. "I think I just found the problem with your guillotine."
*

Feedback on Church Words

2008-12-09T22:53:00.007-05:00

What applies to words about the Bible also applies to churchly words. The definitions at Spirithome.com are my best attempt to make sense out some of the most important words of the Christian tradition, including words that are better not to use at all, or only when addressing specialists.

I need to hear from you if the Spirithome definitions are right, or most importantly, what they miss. So go ahead. Make my day....

Words About the Word

2008-12-06T15:20:00.008-05:00

A year or so ago I had to think a lot about how to describe Scripture's place in the lives of Christians. I sensed something wrong with much of what I was reading about it.

(1) There was an important discrepancy between what what we say we believe about it and what our thoughts and actions showed we really believed about it.

(2) The vocabulary we used was clearly too narrow, and damaged by abuse and misunderstanding.

I had already put up some definitions on Spirithome.com, but they needed to be clearer, more systematic, and the vocabulary needed to be wider-ranging. I have a new appreciation for the limits of using words to describe the Bible, but I'm even more convinced that we need to try.

I'm inviting more comment about this. Read the pages linked through the title of this note. I'm looking for real insight from you-all. Fire away!

----

Surveys on Religion : More of the Expected

2008-12-05T22:45:00.005-05:00

I finally got a chance to read Rodney Stark & his crew's take on the Baylor Religion Surveys, most of which is found in Stark's book "What Americans Really Believe".

Before I go on, I should be honest about my own split feelings about Stark. On the one hand, his work with Glock in the late '60s-early '70s, notably American Piety and Christian Beliefs and Anti-Semitism, are seminal works in applying survey techniques to religious belief and practice. Those studies dispelled many fables. And Stark himself has been a part of the birth and growth of multivariate methods of sociological data analysis. On the other hand, in his own books the conclusions he writes are often very opinionated, and he doesn't think through the possible different slants on the data and account for them, as a good statistical analyst should do. His method is to set up straw men of popular beliefs about belief, then knock them down with the stats. (The only thing that makes the approach somewhat acceptable is that, unfortunately, most Americans' beliefs about other Americans' beliefs are based on the same straw men. But one could hope for more insight than that.)

One of the key things supported by the studies is something I've written and spoken about many times over the years : Christians on the whole are not credulous people. We don't believe in most stuff that seems mysterious or supernatural, and a lot of non-believers do believe in such things. Yes, I know where the general public image comes from : the fuss over weeping statues of Mary or gold glitter on the skin or the latest strong-talking preacher. But on the whole, most of us aren't into that. Stark's data shows that most Americans believe in dreams that foretell the future or reveal hidden truths, and large proportions believe in the existence of lost ancient civilizations, in ghost hauntings, and UFOs. This is especially true of those who are "spiritual but not religious". Next to all that, attending to a crying statue seems downright level-headed. The studies also show that Christians, across the board, even of a less-intense variety, are significantly less likely to believe such things.

Then, there is the existence of angels and demons. According to this study, and every other statistical or subjective-case study I've ever read on the matter (including a very recent Pew Center study), not only do most Americans and most Christians believe in angels, most "spiritual but not religious" folks do, too, by 2 to 1. Who's credulous?

Interpretation, of course, should account for the different ways people perceive angels. Also, belief in angels as a measure of credulousness goes one way if there really aren't any, but an entirely different way if there really are some. It's as wrong to believe something doesn't exist that does as it is to believe something does exist that doesn't. The key to which way it goes depends on what the truth is.

To me at least, there were very few surprises in the data. And, predictably, Stark and his coworkers ripped apart the straw men. Hopefully, in future studies they'll take down some more vigorous misperceptions.

----

Twisted world

2008-11-30T11:24:00.004-05:00

Here's one of many ironic twists on the Mumbai bombings, according to a report published online by AFP :

-----------------

British actor Joey Jeetun was caught up in the violence when the Leopold cafe , a restaurant popular with expatriates, was attacked.
The 31-year-old, who played a suicide bomber in a British television documentary, said terrorists assumed he was dead because he was covered in other people's blood. He was then detained as a possible suspect and held for 13 hours in a police cell.

------------------

Let's pray that India does not go ballistic (figurative or literal) on Pakistan. It's rather clear so far that the Pakistani government had no way of preventing this group from doing it, since there's too much of Pakistan that's not in their control. (That is a problem Pakistan must fix, but it won't be easy.)

Sad News

2008-11-28T13:47:00.003-05:00

Spirithome.com extends its sympathies to the people at Synchronicity in Virginia, and to the Lubavitcher community worldwide, who have lost loved ones and friends during this murderous assault in Mumbai.

For all the talk about targeting American, British, and Israeli citizens, it must be noted that so far as can be told from the current information, the two Synchronicity dead were killed in the initial assault at the Oberoi, when they were two of many who were unfortunate enough to be eating in the restaurant where the terrorists' bullets first struck. They were apparently not part of any special 'targeting'. No other Americans have been reported dead (so far), except the US/Israeli rabbi at the Chabad center. A British/Cypriot charter boat/yacht magnate was also killed, and several Israelis at the Chabad center. Several Australians, an Italian, and a Japanese natural gas businessman were also killed; possibly one from China and from Singapore as well, though that's very unclear at this chaotic point. Meanwhile some 90% of the dead were citizens of India, and South Mumbai is awash with British and Americans living there and doing business there. So if the terrorists were 'targeting certain foreigners', as reported in the press, they were dreadful at it. (Unless, as is likely, Hindi are 'foreigners' to them. But what do they care -- they're terrorists. More blood, more bombs, more fires, more fear. Which is the whole point.)

India must know that Americans are with them 100% on this. We need to make person-to-person contacts with those who we know from Mumbai, and let the immigrants and the students in the US know too. They do not stand alone.

Obama, and other notes

2008-11-22T21:28:00.005-05:00

I'm still debating in my mind whether to keep celebrating Barack Obama's victory, or cringing in fear of what could be happening before his January 20 inauguration. That's two months in which W. is still the President. He's already disapproved sensible Democratic economic proposals, continues to speak against any particular regulation of businesses, still thinks nothing of ordering strikes into other countries, and has done nothing to keep track of how the bailout monies are used nor to make the banks use it to give out loans. Also, I wonder who'll be on his list of pardons; every administration puts up a bad pardon or two, but I smell a raft of them for folks involved in government cover-ups and business corruption.

It won't be fun.

-------------------------------------------

As usual, I stunk at guessing the baseball playoffs. I've picked the winner twice in five years, 3 times in the last eight. This year was my usual miss. Next : football playoffs and NCAA basketball. I do a lot better with football, though I was as surprised as everyone else at the Giants' rise last year. I got to watch their conference championship game against Favre and the Packers last year on a big-city bar's big screen. (Even though I was more interested in the Amazing Race finals, which was what I was there to watch.) The Giants look even better this year. So far, so do the Titans -- however, they get to face Favre and the team that used to be known as the Titans. The Jets should use the throwback uniforms in this game, to add more to the battle of the Titans. Except that would be titanic. Which would give us that sinking feeling.

Re the Race : Nick and Starr vs. Toni and Dallas. (And the winner is : Starr and Dallas??) The rest don't count. This year's crop had many poorly-picked teams, but really great tasks and locations. I know some TAR fans are sick of seeing India, but it is probably the single most different, strangest, and most varied country in the world. They could go there every year, and not exhaust the many facets India offers. I hope next time they go there, they try Chennai. Frankly, I'm sick of Moscow, their next stop. Let's hope the tasks stay this good.

Way Too True to be Good

2008-11-18T22:41:00.003-05:00

This is as good an excuse as any to read the Cerulean Sanctum blog (and there are many good reasons).

Dan Edelen posted a picture from a Cindy Jacobs - related prayer event. On the one hand, it's not what it seems. On the other hand, maybe it ultimately is what it seems, considering who so many CBN-types kiss up to.

http://ceruleansanctum.com/2008/10/the-american-religion-on-parade.html

(Enjoy the photo. Then, go ahead -- explore the rest of the blog site.)

WUSB Radio, Bob Longman, 10 August 2008

2008-10-02T21:27:00.004-04:00

08/10/08, 12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New/Current Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
R=Request, L=Local
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweet Dreams of You -- Everly Brothers
Postcard From Gulfside -- Brooks Williams
Scramblin' -- Jo Williamson -- Wake On the Hudson -- N,L
Geodes -- Carrie Newcomer -- Geography of Light -- N
Hard to Lie -- Brooke Annibale -- The In-Between -- N
Love Is Everywhere I Go -- Sam Phillips Burnett
Hold On -- Emmylou Harris -- All I Intended to Be -- N
A Deeper Meaning -- Phil Roy -- the Great Longing -- N
Green Rolling Hills -- Rosalie Sorrels -- Strangers In Another Country -- N
Breadline Blues -- Bernard 'Slim' Smith -- Moneyland comp. -- N
Moneyland -- Del McCoury Band -- Moneyland comp. -- N
I'm Glad You're Mine -- Janiva Magness -- What Love Will Do -- N
Move Across the Water -- Phil Minissale -- Home to Me -- N,L
Adelaide -- Tim Miller -- Adelaide -- N
Summer Place -- Kaydi Johnson -- Peasant Of the Wreck-- N
Homecoming -- Don Latarski & Ru D'Acoustic -- Acoustic Rainbow comp. -- N
The Song Within -- Phil Keaggy -- the Song Within -- 'N'
Can't Find My Way Home -- Return To the Dream -- self --N,L
A Father and Two Sons -- Rory Block
My Piano -- Katie Brennan -- Slowly -- N,L
Hold Me For a While -- Five O'Clock Shadow
It's Only Time -- Mark Curry
Days Go On -- Greg Laswell -- 3 Flights fr. Alto Nido -- N
Meet You In the Middle -- Joan Osborne -- Little Wild One -- N
Telephone Talking -- Real Group
Exodus -- Bob Marley
Beijing (Widescreen Mix) -- Iona UK

Really early Brooks, superb even then.
the Moneyland CD is a sequence of songs by different artists which act as a scream against the current culture of greed and economic b.s.. McCoury's populist credentials have never been in doubt.
A cool track, with what passes in Scandinavia as levity, from the Group whose harmonies are for Real.

WUSB Radio, Bob Longman, 03 August 2008

2008-10-02T21:16:00.003-04:00

08/03/08, 12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New/Current Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
R=Request
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Pool -- Daniel Amos
Hide and Seek -- Return To the Dream -- RTTW -- N
Sound of Silence (electric mix) -- Simon & Garfunkel
Grace -- Brooke Annibale -- the In-Between -- N
The Price of Love -- Everly Brothers
No Place For Me -- Willie Nelson
Story Of A Broken Heart -- Johnny Cash
Summer Place -- Kaydi Johnson -- Peasant Of the Wreck -- N
If A Song Could Be President -- Over the Rhine
Moon Song -- Emmylou Harris -- All I Intended to Be -- N
Get It, Get It -- Janiva Magness -- What Love Will Do -- N
Guava Jelly -- Johnny Nash
Maidin Luan Chincise -- Karan Casey -- Ships In the Forest -- N
New Romance -- David Brighton & Promise
Freeway -- Aimee Mann -- Smilers -- N
Hallelujah -- Leonard Cohen
I Will Have My Portion -- Susan Werner -- Gospel Truth -- N
Dream On Dreamer -- Jo Williamson -- Wake On the Hudson -- N
I Remain -- Carolann Ames -- Acoustic Rainbow comp. -- N
I Me Mine -- the Beatles
You Were There For Me -- Phil Roy w. Antje Duvekot -- the Great Longing -- N
Great Big World -- Pierce Pettis
Homecoming -- Don Latarski -- Acoustic Rainbow comp. -- N
Fool That I Am -- the Ravens
Love Me Like You Mean It -- Percy Sledge
One Day I Walk -- Brooks Williams
Sweet Lorraine -- Nat King Cole
Simple Gifts -- Vox One

Carolann Ames shows she knows how to touch the heart.
At this early age, Brooke Annibale's got a sense of where her music's going.
Susan Werner, with less of the bitters, shines on this one.

Playoff predictions

2008-10-02T20:37:00.002-04:00

Baseball playoff predictions, September 29 2008, made at an online sports site that will go unnamed (but many of you saw it posted).

AL :

Angels vs. Red Sox : Angels in 5
Rays vs. White Sox : Rays in 4

Angels vs. Rays : Angels in 5

NL :

Cubs vs. Dodgers : Cubs in 5
Phillies vs. Brewers : Phillies in 3

Cubs vs. Phillies : Cubs in 6

World Series :

Angels vs. Cubs : Angels in 6

Best Manager in Baseball : Mike Sciosia.

Scoring per hit : Ryan Howard, Phillies.

Players most likely to be tarred and feathered in their team's home town :
Scott Schoeneweis and Aaron Heilman, NY Mets.

WUSB Radio, Bob Longman, 29 June 2008

2008-09-13T21:10:00.004-04:00

06/29/08, 12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New/Current Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
R=Request
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leaves Don't Drop -- Carrie Newcomer -- Geography Of Light -- N
Island In the Sun -- Harry Belafonte
Zombie Jamboree (politmix) -- Harry Belafonte
Even Trade -- Terence Martin -- Even Trade -- N
Beyond the Great Divide -- Emmylou Harris -- All I Intended To Be -- N
Beatitudes -- Sweet Honey In the Rock -- -- Lp
Get It, Get It -- Janiva Magness -- What Love Will Do -- N
I Feel So Good Today -- David 'Honeyboy' Edwards
City of Gold -- Dixie Hummingbirds
Maybe It's You -- Dixie Hummingbirds
You've Got to Hurt -- Kenny Neal
Night Life -- Willie Nelson
Ready -- Jo Williamson -- Wake On the Hudson -- N
No One to Blame -- Brooke Annibale -- the In-Between -- N
Grace -- Brooke Annibale -- the In-Between -- N
No Fear In Love -- Iona UK
Our World -- Maire Brennan
Ankle Deep In the Atlantic -- William F. Gibbs -- My Fellow Sophisticates -- N
Home To Me -- Phil Minissale -- Home to Me -- N
Can You Hear Me Now -- Robin Rogers -- Treat Me Right -- N
Tune In -- Tim Blane
Just the Way -- Tim Blane
How Am I To Be -- Watson Twins -- Fire Songs -- N
Peasant Of the Wreck -- Kaydi Johnson -- Peasant Of the Wreck -- N
Stay With Me -- Al Green -- Lay It Down -- N
Iphel' Emasini -- Ladysmith Black Mambazo -- Ilembe -- N
Hush -- Joe South -- -- Lp
Dodo's Bounce -- James Carter -- Present Tense -- N

Back to back, belly to belly, hahahaha! Belafonte's fun even when he's serious here.
Still more 'Birds!
Yet another Tim Blane track. His stuff has a great feel, accessible but not overly so.

WUSB Radio, Bob Longman, 28 June 2008

2008-09-13T21:01:00.003-04:00

06/28/08, 9:00am-11:10 am. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New/Current Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
R=Request
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prayer Wheel -- Dixie Hummingbirds
Matilda -- Harry Belafonte
My Baby Needs A Shepherd -- Emmylou Harris
I Overlooked An Orchid -- Carl Smith
Springtime Indiana -- Sandra McCracken
the Nighthawk -- Jory Nash
Adelaide -- Tim Miller -- Adelaide -- N
Turn! Turn! Turn! -- Pete Seeger
the In-Between -- Brooke Annibale -- the In-Between -- N
Love Is Everywhere I Go -- Sam Phillips-Burnett
On the Way -- Abra Moore
Drifting -- Bebo Norman
Rasslin' Jacob -- Dixie Hummingbirds
Heavenly Grocery Store -- Dixie Hummingbirds
God's Radar -- Dixie Hummingbirds
Just Keep Goin' On -- Dan Smith
It Makes No Sense -- Kenny Neal
Don't Worry Baby -- Beach Boys
Ride On -- Ben Wise -- Beside the Dial -- N
Al 'N Yetta -- Allan Sherman
Theme From Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Scramblin' -- Jo Williamson -- Wake On the Hudson -- N
What Other People Lose -- Terence Martin -- Even Trade -- N
Not the End -- Natalie Walker
Two Toasts -- Carrie Newcomer -- Geography of Light -- N
Christian's Automobile -- Dixie Hummingbirds
Have a Talk w. God -- Dixie Hummingbirds w. Stevie Wonder
I'll Never Forget -- Dixie Hummingbirds
Slow Moving Train -- Dixie Hummingbirds

This show was dedicated to Ira Tucker, the lead singer of the Dixie Hummingbirds, who had just passed away.
Side note : Dan Smith was the writer of 'God's Radar', which the 'Birds covered.

Bob Longman WUSB Radio, 22 June 2008

2008-09-03T22:28:00.001-04:00

06/22/08, 12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New/Current Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
R=Request
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everywhere I Go -- Willie Nelson -- One Hell Of A Ride sampler
Shallow Water -- Tom Kimmel
Hide and Seek -- Return To the Dream -- RTTD -- N
I'm Glad You're Mine -- Janiva Magness -- What Love Will Do -- N
What Other People Lose -- Terence Martin -- Even Trade -- N
Donald Of Glencoe -- Cara Dillon
No Fear In Love -- Iona UK
Grace -- Brooke Annibale -- the In-Between -- N
Passing Of the Dark -- Sandy Simpson
Empty Chairs -- Harry Belafonte
Dreamer -- Sergio Mendes w. Lani Hall & Herb Alpert -- encanto -- N
Let the Church Say Amen -- Charles Beck -- Folkways Classic Afr-Am. Gospel -- 'N'
Prayed and I Prayed -- Mainline Gospel Trio
Blue Creek Hop -- Rene Hall Sextet
I'm Wild About You -- Al Green -- Lay It Down -- N
That's Enough -- Dorothy Love Coates
Ashrey Ha'ish -- Sheva
Adelaide -- Tim Miller -- Adelaide -- N
Rise -- Miles To Dayton
Waves -- Watson Twins -- Fire Songs -- N
Transfiguration -- Sufjan Stevens
Forgive Me Lord and Try Me One More Time -- Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Pride -- Soweto Gospel Choir
We're Five -- Real Group
Leave It to Me -- Vox One
Pourquoi Le Monde est sans Amour-- Le Bande Magnetik
Rapid Shave -- James Carter -- Present Tense -- N, I

James Carter's new album is simply superb sax-based jazz.

Bob Longman WUSB Radio, 08 June 2008

2008-09-03T22:24:00.003-04:00

06/08/08, 12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New/Current Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
R=Request
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fort Worth Blues -- Steve Earle
Summer's Voice -- Arlon Bennett
A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall -- Steve Tilston
You Were Here -- Jack's Waterfall
Too Much of Everything -- Tinsley Ellis
Broken Things -- Julie Miller
Children -- Chris & Meredith Thompson
No Words -- Neil Diamond -- Home Before Dark -- N
Every Little Thing She Does -- Ali Campbell
the Backbiter -- Cephas & Wiggins
Flip Flop & Fly -- Cephas & Wiggins -- Flip Flop & Fly -- N
Too Fat Polka -- Frankie Yankovic
It's Time to Make A Change -- Madison's Lively Stones
Red's Blues -- Red Prysock
I'm Still In Love With You -- Al Green
I'm Wild About You -- Al Green -- Lay It Down -- N, R
Shamma Lamma Ding Dong -- Mocean Worker w. Rahsaan Roland Kirk
In This Temple -- Sufjan Stevens
Prince of Peace -- Ladysmith Black Mambazo -- Ilembe -- N
Only You -- Watson Twins -- Fire Songs -- N
Superstition -- Just 4 Kicks
Un-Wishing Well -- Rajaton -- Out Of Bounds -- N
Since I Met You Baby -- Kenny Neal -- Let Life Flow -- N
Downstairs Room of You -- Jeff Coffin & Charlie Peacock -- Arc Of the Circle -- N
Aura Lee -- Vox One

Bob Longman WUSB Radio, 01 June 2008

2008-09-01T23:46:00.002-04:00

06/01/08, 12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New/Current Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
R=Request
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Be My Guide -- Alathea
Right On Time -- Eric Bibb
Pattern -- Le Bande Magnetik
Blackbird -- Mocean Worker w. Nina Simone
You've Got to Hurt Before You Heal -- Kenny Neal -- Let Life Flow -- N
Bring It Home -- Bonerama -- -- I
Where Dreams Are Bound -- Ben Wise -- Beside the Dial -- N
War Out Of Peace -- Tristan Prettyman -- Hello
Ya No Te Veria Mas -- Rocha -- "The Hottest State" soundtrack
Whose Hands Are These -- Neil Diamond -- Home Before Dark -- N
Somewhere In the Hills -- Sergio Mendes w. Natalie Cole -- encanto -- N
I Need A Cup Of Coffee -- Steve Tilston
Martha -- Brooks Williams -- Time I Spend W. You -- N
Things About Coming My Way -- Ruth Brown -- "the Honeydripper" strack -- N
It Ain't No Fun to Me -- Al Green
Take Your Time -- Al Green w. Corinne Bailey Rae -- Lay It Down -- N
Take Me Out To the Ballgame -- Vox One
Summer's Voice -- Arlon Bennett
Voice & Guitar -- Graham MacRae -- Graham MacRae -- N
Angels' Prayer -- Miwa Gemini -- This Is How I Found You -- N
The New Love Song -- Joshua James -- the Sun Is Always Brighter -- N
Between Joy & Sorrow -- Jeff Coffin & Charlie Peacock -- Arc Of the Circle -- N
Only You -- the Watson Twins -- Fire Songs -- N
Edge Of the World -- Iona (UK)
Arc Of the Circle -- Jeff Coffin & Charlie Peacock -- Arc of the Circle -- N,R

Finding Spirithome's Demographics

2008-07-29T20:57:00.003-04:00

Earlier this year, I was at a conference and two on-line market researchers overheard me saying I only have vague ideas about who uses the Spirithome site. I knew more about what it was five years ago, but not now. Each offered to send some free data that comes 'off the sides' when they measured general market conditions. (Not stealing someone else's data, but rather digging into the unused stuff.)

The first report came in last month. It said that Spirithome's US audience had some clear characteristics :

The US was 82% of the site's users.
The gender/age group which used it most (proportionate to the Net population) was females between 35 and 55.
African-Americans used the site at triple their Net rate -- with a sharp gender difference, in that males only used it at a proportionate rate.
The users were mostly working-class, with household incomes $50,000 - $80,000.
The average degree was a BA.
About 75% of the site's users are visitors, not regular users.
About 25% were not members of any local congregation.
About 10% said they were something other than Christian, most of those being agnostic. (The Ns were a bit too low for me to be comfortable with that as a stat.)
Of those who were college students (any level), that rate rises to about 20%. (The Ns were a bit too low for me to be comfortable with that as a stat.)
Of those who claimed a particular Christian belief, 40% were Catholic, 35% Pentecostal. (That doesn't leave much for mainline Protestants, Evangelicals, and Orthodox.)

Then a week or so ago, I received a report sheet on Australia and New Zealand. All these Ns are low, so it's best to use them only for general impressions. ( I say that. The researcher said otherwise. They always overestimate a data set's accuracy. Remember that when you see a poll on TV or on line.)

The main picture resembles that of the US usership : 30-45 year old working-class women with some kind of college degree. Pentecostalists were the largest group, followed closely by Catholics and Protestants (in this case, I suspect the latter were mostly Anglicans). Non-Christians were almost one in five, mostly of "Asian religions". There was also a side note, from a survey from India, and based on Google Analytics, it's no surprise : the site showed up in a survey on belief in the paranormal, for use of the hypnosis page.

I'm thankful for the information. It tells me I'm not quite getting the audience I seek. And I will have to do some thinking as to why, and how to change it. But I don't live on the data -- in the end, it is just data. The more important thing is to tell the honest truth as clearly as I can.

Bob Longman WUSB Radio, 26 May 2008

2008-07-05T18:40:00.000-04:00

7:00-10:00 am. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New/Current Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
R=Request
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Windemere -- Jeff Johnson
Eyes Of a Child (radio edit) -- Moody Blues
The Light Was Worth the Candle -- Eric Bibb
Not the End -- Natalie Walker
Shine On You Crazy Diamond -- Viktor Krauss w. Shawn Colvin
We Walk In a Fog -- Rajaton w. Real Group
You're Gonna Need This Memory -- Pierce Pettis
Ain't Love Grand -- Jan Krist
Shadow Of Doubt -- Tinsley Ellis
Nobody's Fault But Mine -- Toby Walker
One -- Keziah Jones -- In the Name Of Love (U2 trib.) -- N
Lift Me Up -- Real Group
Breathe -- Keller Williams
Prosciutto E Meloni -- Le Bande Magnetik -- A Kappella -- N
Lord Deliver Us -- Alton Ellis
Vikingman -- Rodrigo Y Gabriela -- R
If I Fell -- the Essentials
South American Getaway -- Burt Bacharach
Hallelujah I Love Her So -- Maceo Parker -- Roots & Grooves -- N
Funky Bahia -- Sergio Mendes w. Will.I.Am -- encanto -- N
Pata Pata -- Miriam Makeba
O Mmu Beno Mmu -- Ladysmith Black Mambazo -- Ilembe -- N
Dancin' In the Son -- Tracey Harris -- R
I Can't Make It Alone -- Lou Rawls
Where Dreams Are Bound -- Ben Wise -- Beside the Dial -- N
Ride On -- Ben Wise -- Beside the Dial -- N
I Get Around -- Beach Boys -- Lp
Lovable -- Sam Cooke
Victory At Sea -- Bill Morrisey
Your Long Journey -- Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
WHY -- Phil & Ian Keaggy -- Dream Again -- N
More -- Charlotte Doreen Small
Come Sunday (a cappella) -- Mahalia Jackson w. Duke Ellington
No Words -- Neil Diamond -- Home Before Dark -- N
Half of It -- Tim Blane
Lullabye -- Tim Blane
Clean Edge of Change -- Carrie Newcomer -- Geography of Light -- N
Undone -- DeVotchKa -- Mad & Faithful Telling -- N
Michael James Anderson -- So Much More --
Wake Up For the Shakedown -- N
All Mine -- Five Satins

Bob Longman WUSB Radio show, 25 May 2008

2008-06-30T22:57:00.004-04:00

12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New/Current Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Feel Like Going Home -- Charlie Rich
Sounds Of the Morning -- Carrie Newcomer
Woke Up This Morning -- Eric Bibb
It Don't Make Sense (You Can't Make Peace) -- Kenny Neal -- Let Life Flow -- N
Tell Me -- Alathea -- My Roots Go Deeper -- N
Blue Orchids -- Sun Kil Moon -- April -- N
If I Had My Way (Sampson & Delilah) -- Gary Davis
Won't Stand the Light -- Stan Hedges -- Two Mule Parade -- N
Flip Flop & Fly -- Cephas & Wiggins -- Flip Flop & Fly -- N
Farther Along -- Mississippi John Hurt
Arrowhead -- Richard Shindell
Everybody's Talkin' -- Fred Neil -- Lp
the Hidden Moon -- Antoine Dufour -- Existence -- N, I
Morning In a Strange City -- Jesse Harris
Everything Is Broken -- Duke Robillard
No Words -- Neil Diamond -- Home Before Dark -- N
The Way We Do -- Ladysmith Black Mambazo -- Ilembe -- N
Dreamer -- Sergio Mendes w. Lani Hall & Herb Alpert -- encanto -- N
Half of It -- Tim Blane -- Clockwork -- N
Geese -- Joshua James -- The Sun Is Always Brighter -- N
Beside the Dial -- Ben Wise -- Beside the Dial -- N
You Can Give But You Can't Take -- Aaron Neville
Crying Won't Help -- Lowell Fulson
Stardust -- Nat King Cole

Cephas & Wiggins cut loose on their take on this early rock classic.
Diamond finally got his #1 album - now that #1 in the download era doesn't mean what it used to.
Do I really have to say anything about Nat or Stardust? You just know.

Bob Longman WUSB Radio show, 27 April 2008

2008-05-28T19:26:00.004-04:00

12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
----------------------------------------------------------
Blowin' In the Wind -- Odetta
Beautiful Lazy -- Urban Hillbilly Quartet
Nebraska -- Bruce Springsteen
A Kappella -- Le Bande Magnetik -- A Kappella -- N
Sky Maps -- Iona (UK)
Vision of Hope -- Terl Bryant
Where Dreams Are Bound -- Ben Wise -- Beside the Dial -- N
One -- Keziah Jones -- In the Name of Love (U2 trib) -- N
Not the End -- Natalie Walker -- Urban Angel -- N
Friends Again -- John Sebastian
If I Were An Angel -- Marc Cohn
Half Of It -- Tim Blane -- Clockwork -- N
Leave It to Me -- Vox One
Just Keep Goin' On -- Dan Smith
On his Southern roots -- Brooks Williams -- interview 1993
Statesboro Blues -- Brooks Williams -- Time I Spend w. You -- N
Spend My Life With You -- Phil Keaggy
St. George & the Dragonet -- Stan Freberg
High School Cadets -- Meredith Willson Marching Band
Being Alive -- Barbra Streisand
There Was Love -- Charlie Peacock
How Little -- Rajaton -- Out of Bounds -- "N"
Un-Wishing Well -- Rajaton -- Out of Bounds -- "N"
Do Nothing Til You've Heard It From Me -- Nat King Cole
Disappear -- Michael Korb -- Ghosts -- N
King Harvest -- Jack Williams -- Don't Let Go -- N
Lovesick Blues -- Jack Williams -- Don't Let Go -- N
Maria -- Ben Webster & Coleman Hawkins

Odetta does Dylan songs that noone else does -- majestic and strong, invested with much meaning.
Freberg's oddball takeoff on Dragnet.
Yes, I played a marching band song not from Stony Brook's band. The familiar name here is Willson, who wrote Music Man (Till There Was You, 76 Trombones, etc.). He apparently served under Sousa himself for about 2 years! (He followed that with time in the New York Philharmonic.)
Rajaton (Finnish acappella) reminds us that we may not want what we wish for.

WUSB Radio Show, Bob Longman, 20 April 2008

2008-05-22T15:40:00.003-04:00

12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
----------------------------------------------------------

Hang Out With the Moon -- Diana Jones
Keeper Of the Earth -- Chuck Pyle
Sailing -- Chuck Pyle
All That I Am -- Tom Griffith
Prosciutto E Meloni -- La Bande Magnetik -- A Kapella -- N
Illia -- La Bande Magnetik -- A Kapella -- N
I Still Haven't Found... -- Cheikh Lo -- In the Name of Love (U2 trib) -- N
Not the End -- Natalie Walker -- Urban Angel -- N
We Walk In A Fog -- Rajaton -- Out Of Bounds -- "N"
Sunshine -- Jonathan Edwards
With or Without You -- Les Nubians -- In the Name of Love (U2 trib) -- N
Ride On -- Ben Wise -- Beside the Dial -- N
Simple Gifts -- Vox One
Gathering of Spirits -- Carrie Newcomer
61 Highway -- Brooks Williams -- Time I Spend w. You -- N
I Think It's Gonna Rain Today -- Judy Collins
Adrift -- Iona (UK)
Jeremiah's Prayer -- Mark Broussard
One -- Keziah Jones -- In the Name of Love (U2 trib) -- N
Set U Free -- Take 6
Improv 2 -- Vox One
Leave It To Me -- Vox One -- -- R

Why does this song from the Magnetik ones make my tummy yearn for an Italian sub?
If you're looking for great NGOs/nonprofits/charities to be involved with, check out the ones described in the booklet for this U2 tribute CD, and its online site. These are the real deal. (Some of them are already listed to the left of this posting, and linked from the Spirithome.com site.)

WUSB Radio Show, Bob Longman, 04 April 2008

2008-05-20T21:05:00.003-04:00

12:40-1:50 pm Sun, http://wusb.fm/

title -- artist -- album N=New Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
----------------------------------------------------------

Beaumont Rag -- Brooks Williams -- Time I Spend W. You - N
The Night Inside Me -- Jackson Browne -- Solo Acoustic vol. 2 - N
Don't Ever Want To Be Without You -- Pierce Pettis
Inside Of My Face -- Chuck Pyle
Humble Me -- Norah Jones
Things About Coming My Way -- Ruth Brown -- Honeydripper s.track -- N
So Fine -- Johnny Maestro
the Cross -- Blind Boys AL
Ugly Baby -- Flip Wilson
Chalice -- Phil Keaggy
Last to Die -- Bruce Springsteen
Undone -- Devotchka -- A Mad & Faithful Feeling -- N
Vision -- Jack's Waterfall -- -- R
My Babe -- Dion -- Son of Skip James -- N
I'm Just A Singer -- Moody Blues
Drums of War -- Chris Cairns -- Hello Blue -- N
All I Could Do Was Cry -- Etta James

WUSB Radio Show, Bob Longman, 09 March 2008

2008-05-19T20:28:00.004-04:00

12:30-2:30 pm. WUSB Stony brook NY, 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

title -- Artist -- album N=New Lp=vinyl I=Instrumental
----------------------------------------------------------

This House -- Christopher Williams
The Dragonfly Races -- Ellis Paul -- the Dragonfly Races -- N
(title track) -- Brooks Williams-- The Time I Spend With You -- N
Desperate For Love -- Over The Rhine
Much Farther to Go -- Rosie Thomas
Those Kind of Things -- Jim Lauderdale -- Honey Songs -- N
Love Hurts -- Everly Brothers
Leaving the Life -- Lori McKenna
Last to Die -- Bruce Springsteen
I Can Laugh At It Now -- Dion
The Song Sings Itself -- Gerry O'Beirne -- the Bog Bodies.... -- N, I
Oh Darlin' -- O'Kanes
Returning -- Buddy & Julie Miller
Unchained -- Johnny Cash
Let's Go Out -- Devon Sproule
Lullabye -- Tim Blane -- Clockwork -- N
Somewhere Somebody -- Jennifer Warnes
If I Could Help Somebody -- 5 Blind Boys AL -- Down In New Orleans -- N
Hallelujah -- Fairfield Four
It Happens Every Day -- Dar Williams
Fire -- Iona (UK) -- -- I
Stoned Soul Picnic -- New York Voices -- A Day Like This -- N
I Can't Make It Alone -- Lou Rawls -- the Essential... -- "N"
Dead End Street -- Lou Rawls -- the Essential.... -- "N"
One -- Harry Nilsson

I've been catching up again with Rosie Thomas tracks lately, they wear well.
Exhibit B in the case for Lou Rawls as a top-level soul singer (Exhibit A was with Sam Cooke, in Bring It On Home to Me).

Jazz On the Air, WUSB 90.1 FM, 09 March 2008

2008-05-10T22:31:00.005-04:00

(Yeah, I know; it took longer to get the playlist back....) ;)

track-- artist -- album (if new) N=new *: especially good
============================================

* Them That's Got -- Maceo Parker -- Roots & Grooves, cd1 -- N
Tempus Fugit -- Miles Davis
Two Bass Hit -- Miles Davis & John Coltrane
Compassion -- John Coltrane
Parker's Mood -- James Carter
Atonement -- Ron Blake -- Shayari -- N
Can't Buy Me Love -- Ella Fitzgerald
Impulsive -- Clark Terry
Keyhole Blues -- Louis Armstrong Hot 9
* Wave -- Sarah Vaughan
Lluvia Azul -- Gato Barbieri
Song For Bilbao -- Michael Brecker
If I Should Lose You -- Mulgrew Miller
Count Basie -- Count's Place
China Cat Sunflower -- Sabertooth -- Dr. Midnight -- N
* Petit Pays (Little Country) -- Cesaria Evora
Just A Blues -- Virginia Mayhew Septet -- A Simple Thank-You -- N
Thieves In the Temple -- Herbie Hancock
Vibraphone Blues -- Lionel Hampton
Blues On the Corner -- David Brandom -- No Way Out -- N
* HIMM -- Don Byron
Around the Corner - Eero Kolvistoinen - Jazz fr. Finland '08 (compil.) - N
Back To Basics -- Bellson & Terry -- Louie & Clark Expedition 2
Well, You Needn't -- Tigran Hamasyan -- New Era -- N
Who Walks In (When I Walk Out) -- Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald
In A Mist -- Clark Terry

Maceo made the first CD of the set a celebration of Ray Charles (incl. this track); the second CD of the set went funk to the floor.
A classic Vaughan vocal, 'nuff said.
Sabertooth, a brass-kicking band, is bold enough to play anything, even Grateful Dead.

Bob Longman radio show, 16 March 2008, WUSB 90.1 FM

2008-05-04T22:56:00.002-04:00

track-- artist -- album (if new) N=new *: especially good
============================================

Everywhere -- Brooks Williams -- The Time I Spend With You -- N
Peace In the Valley -- Sam Cooke / Soul Stirrers
Sentenced to Life With the Blues -- Andy Falco -- Sentenced... -- N
You Better Mind -- Blind Boys of AL -- Down In New Orleans -- N
I Can't Make It Alone -- Lou Rawls
I Know My Love -- the Chieftains w. the Corrs
The Irish Blessing -- Twin Shores Chorus
* Lullabye -- Tim Blane -- Clockwork -- N
Book of Dreams -- Dion
All Mine (w. band) -- Five Satins
* Caravan of Love -- the Housemartins
Today -- Birmingham Sunlights
Dese Bones Gonna Rise Again -- Golden Gates
Think of You -- Five O'Clock Shadow
Shishumayel'ivangeli -- Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Down By The Old Mill Stream -- 139th Street Quartet
Jackie -- New York Voices -- A Day Like This -- N
Farmer's Market -- Lambert Hendricks & Ross
I'll Never Forget -- Dixie Hummingbirds
I Have A Dream -- the Persuasions
Walking Down the Street -- Real Group
People Change -- Rockapella
It's Sure Gonna Flop -- Sabertooth -- Dr. Midnight -- N
Bayou Betty -- Bonerama -- Bringing It Home -- N
Death Don't Have No Mercy -- Jorma Kaukonen
Death Don't Have No Mercy -- Toby Walker
Wide River to Cross -- Levon Helm -- Dirt Farmer -- N
Lamb Of God -- Take 6

Jackie is from the Annie Ross catalogue (as in Lambert Hendricks and..)
Tim Blane sings to someone he hasn't met, but she's already crossed his mind.
Sabertooth and Bonerama are two of a new breed of brass-kicking bands.

a month off... whoa! too long.

2008-04-16T19:37:00.004-04:00

I've been so busy with my own woes and those of others that I haven't posted in 6 weeks. Ouch!

I haven't forgotten. I'm coming!

Much of that time has been dedicated to my finances. Mine are a bit messy. (Like a lot of folks.) I'll have to find a new revenue stream to better support my lifestyle. (Living in a cubicle apartment, minimized expenses, no luxuries.) And, of course, it was tax season, when America's average blood pressure rises by about 15%. Some of the time left over was in the interminable search for a woman to love. And the first week or so of my 'break' was decompressing from the trip to California. No, I didn't see a single celebrity. (Rick Warren doesn't count...:) ) Nor did I get any job offers. But it was great being with my father's side of the family.

Not much was done with the Spirithome.com site in the past month. Some duplicate content was removed. Only two pages took big drops during that time. One of those is seasonal -- angels.html, which drops down search lists when baseball season starts due to the sites related to the Los Angeles Angels team. The other is a puzzler, prayersp.html, which is the main page on prayer. (The other prayer pages are doing quite well.) I'll be doing an emailing in a few weeks to those who asked for it. And there are a few new word definitions, most notably on atonement, expiation, and propitiation.

Please keep me in prayer -- I'll need all of the divine attention I can get.

More from La-La Land

2008-03-03T19:41:00.004-05:00

Went to a number of the local churches this past weekend. ('Local' my butt -- it's like driving to Jersey or Connecticut from Long Island, everything's so far apart and still LA.)

First stop was West Angeles COGIC, Crenshaw Blvd, where two women were gleefully describing what it is to sing worship there. (One of them does solos on occasion, the other's a choir singer.) Super smiles! It was just a hello stop, but a good one. As always, some spending in the neighborhood, picking up an accessory and lunch at El Pollo Loco.

At night, it was Saddleback Church. Moving stuff about forgiveness, reconciliation, and Rwanda, with a Rwandan church leader speaking. Rick Warren is on message, giving a teaching sermon on the whys of forgiving. I never seem to get used to worshipping in auditoriums, even when they're called worship halls. (That applies to many old-style cathedrals, too, for some reason.) I had brief chats with people involved in educational ministries. I was a bit surprised how quickly things wrapped up after the service -- longer than LI churches, but shorter than they let on, all the special tent areas and such were picked up and the worship building being locked up around 8:30. No hanging here. It was also not much of a 'worship service'. To me, it was a very good basic seminar class framed by music and dotted with a prayer at the end.

Next up was Sunday morning, which was started at Lutheran Church of the Master ELCA - Lancaster. They were friendly and had a pretty good supply/temporary pastor, but not much membership. Next after that, Mosaic - West LA. They had to fudge their setup; usually, they are at Beverly Hills High, but they had to switch to an elementary school for this one service. Again, not as much of a worship service as I was expecting; basically some songs followed by an Erwin McManus message, then another song and some hanging out. It felt much looser and less rushed, and I got to talk to some more people. None of those emergent-type worship elements like art, ancient practices, questions, rock music, etc., but then this was on the fly.

None of it really felt like worship. Part of that was me (the phone call that took me out of LC of the Master before Communion, and the fact that this is a vacation). Part was the services (songs - teachings - songs is not, to me, much of an act of worship). But at least I was there. I tried not to go in with expectations, but of course I had them anyway. What was more impressive than the worship was how involved these churches are. Each has made commitments to large-scale projects in LA and in other countries. In the case of Saddleback and Mosaic, they took on large projects involving many volunteers, and working with government and other churches. I'm used to having little money and even less volunteers. Time will tell if this will have any impact on such a big place as LA.

Report from Antelope Valley

2008-02-29T00:53:00.002-05:00

The second full day here in SoCal. So far, a job interview or two, meeting relatives, and a lot of driving and learning the lay of the land. One of the 'stretching' things I'm doing is that I'm using what is for me new technology. For instace, a wireless phone. (Never had one before.) I'm driving a hybrid car (new to me), with a GPS (new to me). Oddly enough, it's all been easy so far, no bizarre electronic fubbs to report. Too easy. The GPS is doing wonders for getting around a strange city.

I've been to the Valley now for a fifth time, but each time is different because each time the place has changed. More houses, more shopping centers, fewer joshua trees. All according to a plan - even if it resembles helter-skelter. (But more of that some other time.) It's not as dry this time, there's more moisture in the air. And there's more fog/smog at the foot of the south mountains. Homes are still being planned, though few are actually being built at the moment. No, it does not yet resemble LA, yet it also resembles its desert roots less and less.

I had a fun time at the Desert Toastmasters tonight, an unplanned pleasure on a busy schedule. I hope I can visit more parts of the LA church scene in the next few days.

More later....

Fun Links

2008-02-22T23:39:00.003-05:00

Some fun-links to try out.

Humor columnist Tim Bete

Bruce Cameron, a good humorist; his stuff translates well over the Web.

Funology, a site just for fun, for all ages.

horn+swaggled blog, that dabbles in religion-world satire

Laugh and Lift :)

The Leviathan, which puts the 'fun' back in fundamentalism. (Y'mean there was some?)

MyHumor.org. Try it just for laughs.

Peggie's Place, Peggie Bohannon's pleasant place to stop off during a long
hard night's Netsurfing. (Bohannon also is one of the pioneer Christian believers on the Web.)

the Phantom Tollbooth. (Not easy to describe; you have to dig into it to get a grasp of it. Enjoy!)

the long-running Ship of Fools satirical magazine. I'd never even heard of them until I stumbled onto this web home for the bizarrly faithful. Also, their digital Church of Fools, and their version of the history of saints, Loose Canons.

one version of the origin of April Fool's Day.

Snopes.com, a good resources for checking over those on-line hoaxes and 'urban legends'.

A check-up for your attitude, with
Dr. Thorson's Humor Scale

Radio Show, WUSB 90.1 FM, 17 February 2008

2008-02-18T09:24:00.003-05:00

Bob Longman Sun 12:30-1:45 pm 17 February 2008
WUSB Stony Brook NY 90.1 FM, http://wusb.fm/

Ghost Radio -- Pat Wictor -- R
Wandering Shepherd -- Dan Fogelberg
Light Years -- Caroline Peyton
Walk Among the Stones -- Kate Campbell
Swingin' For Pappy -- Wild Bill Moore -- I
Dyna-Flow -- Jack Cooley
Lady Love -- Lou Rawls
Blues Boy -- Phil Minnisale -- L, N
Hometown - Jan Krist
I Own My Part -- Jan Krist
Death Don't Have No Mercy -- Toby Walker -- L
You Brought the Sunshine -- Clark Sisters -- R
The World Keeps You Waiting -- New York Voices
Veil of Gossamer -- Dave Bainbridge -- R, I
Breathe -- Keller Williams -- N
Flip Our Wigs -- the Treniers
As -- Stevie Wonder

1:45 pm : Seawolves Men's Basketball vs. Vermont

N = New L = Local R= Request I = Instrumental

Radio Show, Bob Longman WUSB 90.1 FM , 03 February 2008

2008-02-04T00:55:00.000-05:00

Bob Longman Sun 12:30-2:30 pm 03 February 2008
WUSB Stony Brook NY, 90.1 FM, wusb.fm
Track -- Artist -- Album

She's Killing Me -- Bob Wills/Texas Playboys -- Legends of Country Music
Gone Gone Gone -- Robert Plant/Alison Krauss -- Raising Sand -- N
Voyeurs -- Jason Harrod -- Bright As You
Your Own Worst Enemy -- Bruce Springsteen -- Magic -- N
Breathe -- Keller Williams -- Breathe -- N
Black Sheep Wall -- Innocence Mission
Lonesome Valley -- Eric Bibb
the Deep -- Claire Holley
A Common Thread -- Michael Kelly Blanchard
Fallen Splendor -- Jeff Johnson -- Fallen Splendor -- I
Setembro (Brazilian Wedding Song) -- Take 6
Java Jive -- Manhattan Transfer
None of Us Are Free -- Solomon Burke
Buffalo Soldier -- the Persuasions
Dead End Street -- Lou Rawls
Five Guys Names Moe -- Louis Jordan/Tympany 5
the Voice -- Five Satins
Masterpiece Theatre -- Jean Joseph Mouret -- -- I
Blessing Wind -- Bill Miller -- -- I
Seahouses -- Dave Bainbridge -- -- I
Ambergris March -- Bjork -- -- I
My Babe -- Dion -- Son of Skip James -- N
Chamego (Betty's Bossa) -- New York Voices -- A Day Like This -- N
The Man Who Would Be King -- John Stewart
Abiola -- Ellis Paul -- Dragonfly Races -- N
Lullabye For Later -- Tim Blane -- Clockwork -- N
I Could Have Been Your Best Friend -- Viktor Krauss -- N
Holding On To the Earth -- Sam Phillips-Burnett -- Indescribable Wow
When Luther Played the Blues -- Hans Theessink -- Slow Train -- N
Change -- Gospel Hummingbirds
By Athenish -- Bonerama -- Bringing It Home -- N

Christians and Asian spiritual practices

2008-01-29T23:20:00.000-05:00

A Spirithome.com site reader asked in 2003 :

>> The only thing that bothered me is when I did a search on your
>> site and it shows a sponsor for the site being one that is for an
>> Eastern "religious" or spiritual healing technique.

Spirithome is not 'sponsored' by anyone. It takes no money. Nor
does Spirithome promote web sites, though two sites do get special
mentions because of their causes : Bread for the World and Habitat
For Humanity. However, some 'gateway' sites link to Spirithome, and
they can put up ads for whomever they want on their site as they give
you access to mine. I have no say in that.

>> Eastern "religious" or spiritual healing technique [Reiki].

I have many links on the links pages. They are there to help
people honestly look through the Web on spiritual matters. I'm
there to share the love of Christ with people on the Web, not
to 'sell' Jesus like a commodity. I do have links to
non-Christian spiritual stuff, and use it sometimes in explaining
the Christian faith. While I believe these can't take you all the
way through to God or make you good with God, they can
sometimes be informative and helpful. Asian techniques are not always
anti-Christian. Some of them are simply real discoveries about
the human body and mind which were made within a non-Christian
culture and were thus explained in a non-Christian way, as they
knew how. A Christian would need to learn it thoroughly, and
mesh it with the Bible and the main framework of the
Christian faith, knowing there are likely to be some points of
contact, just as Thomas Aquinas did with classic Greek
philosophy, and as early Celtic Christians did with their culture.
God works in non-Christians, too, and Christians can adapt from
them whatever builds people up or teaches them better, so long as
it's understood in a gospel way.

Today's Christians are doing this with yoga and tai chi,
with much practical benefit. These practices haven't done
much good for me personally, but they've been very helpful
for the spirituality of other Christians that I know. The main
benefit appears to be that by gearing their bodies down, they
can be in better touch with their bodies and their thoughts. I
don't know enough about Reiki to know if there are comparable
benefits from it, so I won't comment on its use.

I wish the Christians who are convinced of the value of
yoga and tai chi would take much more seriously the task
of fully re-thinking them in a way that springs from the
core of Christian faith and the gospel. But most of the
explanations I've read mostly cut-and-paste the Asian-
religions' explanations (including some theories about inner forces
and spirits which mesh poorly with what Jesus taught, and sometimes
even verge on pseudo-science), and then sprinkle Christian
theological and/or spiritual chatter and/or Bible citations over
it like sesame seeds on a bun -- it sits on top but doesn't
really change the bun. When that's so, it can't be
claimed as an expression of their faith in Christ. I'm
hoping some Christians, preferably Asian ones, would take
on this task 'for the masses'.

The Amazing Race (TAR) notes

2008-01-26T23:47:00.000-05:00

Now that Season 12 has ended, it's time to take note of a few things.

I was pleased to be at this season's TARcon in New York. That's where the big fans of the show get together to meet each other and watch the finale together. It was a strange-feeling schmoozefest at first, in that for the first hour most of those who I approached weren't at all talkative. The Race started while the Giants game was on, but fortunately the screens all shifted to the Race when it came time to start.

Anchorage, Alaska! I briefly saw a picture of a snowy, icy place earlier in the season, so I thought something like that was up. But I didn't think it would end there! Seeing TK in there with the crabs, trying to find the one with the TAR flag, I was ouching with him. Then to see all three teams at the final puzzle task together, that was tense. I was trying to figure out the puzzle myself as it unfolded on the screen, but no luck. They had to take items from each leg of the Race and put them in place according to a set of specific rules. There were, of course, more items than were needed, so it took a lot of thinking it through. They all struggled with it, apparently for about an hour, before Rachel put it all together, apparently by figuring out that the cleaning man, as a human being, counted as an 'animal'. As she had throughout the Race, her pluck and preparation paid off -- to the tune of a million bucks. (It turns out that the taxi ride to the final mat was bollixed by the cab drivers, but fortunately it didn't change the order.)

The Racers arrived at TARcon -- first Jennifer of Shana/Jennifer. Most people thought she was Shana at first, but soon figured out she was the 'other blonde' and that the guy with her was, I think, her husband. (Shana was in California, at a viewing party there.) But they stayed mostly in the background, because arriving at about the same time were Kynt/Vyxsin, the self-proclaimed Goths, and when they arrived all the attention went to them. No mistaking it -- their striking physical appearance, with the makeup and the black-and-red outfits, makes them the center of any circus, which is what PR appearances are. Kynt was, to say the least, very promotional, with the pre-made photo prints for signing and the red business cards. I wonder what he'll do when they start fading from view? Vyxsin was trying hard to be attention-grabbing too, with somewhat startling photo poses, but one got the sense that she'd rather get this phase over with. She's taller than me by a good bit, but I didn't realize how much until I stood next to her. I'm picturing her, say, twelve years from now, showing these pictures to her children, as their eyes shine with wonder.

Next, it was time for the winners, TK and Rachel. They were in New York City for the end-of-season winner's event on CBS' the Early Show, and also the next day for Regis's show. They walked in just as the Giants won the football game, causing a big combined cheer. This hullabaloo is something new to them -- he was a NCAA competitive swimmer, her a flower shop operator with her parents, neither of which prepares you for the burst of PR activity and the showering of love from adoring Race fans at TARcon. (Not to mention a half-mill each.) But they were handling it the same way they handled the Race, with calm collectedness and lots of praise for each other. (Maybe I'll post the photo of them with me, if I can get the darnded thing to upload.) They'd known each other from childhood (their mothers knew each other well), and went to the same high school (the same school as two other Season 12 Racers, Nate and Staella). But they'd only been dating for four months when they decided to get into the Race. They communicate with each other very well, even in a month or so of Race and a mob of fans. They were uncomfortable, yet eager to operate outside their comfort zone. During the Race I was especially impressed with Rachel, who was one of the best Racers they've had, as I see it. She has a level of focus and determination that tells me we'll hear from her again eventually, accomplishing something worth noticing that has nothing to do with flowers or winning money. In person, she was as I pictured her, except even thinner.

Last, of course, was the Amazing Host, Phil Keoghan. Totally at ease in a crowd, he went straight to the back and started telling stories, answering Race questions, and posing with a lot of people. He earned a reputation as an adventurer even before TAR, and appears on those cable channels that show adventurer-types. Those who think this stuff is not an adventure don't know how tired these people get, nor have they ever enjoyed sleeping in an ATM enclosure with a bunch of other teams. It's not easy for Phil, either, but "not easy" is his normal.

There's something that I find odd. TK/Rachel won by way of quiet determination and mutual supportiveness. Yet they are both quick to say good things about the team whose constant hateful words, poor communication and poor teamwork was the very antithesis of theirs, Nate/Jennifer. Especially when some of those not-nice words were directed at them and their approach to the Race. On that front, TK/Rachel let their victory speak for itself, while telling us how great and fun Nate/Jennifer were to get along with. They even mentioned some happy moments the two teams experienced together in Italy and Croatia. It seems the Race isn't all that TK/Rachel are winners at. I can only wish them the best on the road ahead.

Bob Longman radio show, 20 January 2008, WUSB

2008-01-23T20:52:00.000-05:00

Bob Longman Sun 12:30-2:30 pm 20 January 2008
WUSB 90.1 FM Stony Brook NY, http://wusb.fm/

Moontown -- Pierce Pettis -- State of Grace
Empty My Hands -- Christopher Williams -- The Silence In Between
Don't Ever Let Your Spirit Down -- Eric Bibb -- An Evening With... -- N
Sun's Gonna Shine One Day -- Eleanor Ellis -- Comin' A Time -- N
The Great Change -- Mainline Gospel Trio -- -- L
We Shall Not Be Moved -- Mavis Staples -- We'll Never Turn Back
Drifting -- Bebo Norman -- Try
Snow -- Loreena McKennitt
Chanting Waves -- Dave Bainbridge -- Veil of Gossamer
Veil of Gossamer -- Dave Bainbridge -- Veil of Gossamer
Ambergris March -- Bjork
Breathe -- Keller Williams -- Breathe -- N
One More River -- Sam Cooke & the Soul Stirrers
Worthy (acoustic mix) -- Sara Brenner -- Unsteady Ground -- L
Time -- Lou Rawls -- the Essential... -- "N"
She's Gone (With the Wind) -- 5 Satins -- Lost Treasures
A.K.A. Papa Funk -- Jimmy McIntosh -- Orleans to London -- N
Impermanent Things -- Peter Himmelman
To Be Alone With You -- Sufjan Stevens
Lullabye -- Tim Blane -- Clockwork -- N
Love Is the Water -- Pat Wictor -- Waiting For the Water -- L
The World Keeps You Waiting -- New York Voices -- A Day Like This -- N
More -- Charlotte Doreen Small -- More -- N
Careful How You Break My Heart -- Jory Nash -- Folk Jazz Blues Soul
Disappear -- Michael Korb -- Ghosts -- N
(Reach Out and) Touch -- Steve Scott -- Magnificent Obsession
Bayou Betty -- Bonerama -- Bringing It Home -- N

McKennitt can at times be tedious, but at other times, such as on this track, superb.
The Voices put together a jazzy concoction that's crammed with top-drawer group singing.
At this point, it's about 20 years old, but Touch is still a dramatic, rhythmic, snippeted delight.
Bonerama's a trombone band from Nawlins way, with some promising brassy sounds.

Spiritual Shrinkage

2008-01-19T00:03:00.001-05:00

A reader at Spirithome.com asked me this question :

>> I hear all this blah blah blah about
>>'spiritual growth'. But is there such a thing as
>> 'spiritual shrinkage'? <<

There are a lot of folks who say 'no', including some of the
wisest spiritual folks around. They say that spiritual
awareness can't disappear, just like a raised consciousness
supposedly can't be lowered. Something of it still lingers,
some things about the person can never be the same.

I can see some degree of truth to that, but not enough.
Growth goes up and down and stops and starts. You may not
notice your growth - though sometimes others do. Spiritual
growth is not a constant. And if it can stop, it can go
backward. Sometimes, people spiritually shrink and warp. What
can cause it? Desperation. Fear. Hurt. Greed. Lust. Anger.
Loss. Powerlust. Their spirit becomes shallower. There's nothing
that can make you shrink. Nothing has the power to
defeat the Spirit's work in you. Anything that can get you to
shrink can be turned around to make you grow. But that's easy
to say, hard to live, because of the power you have over you.

You can make choices that will shrink you. So you can shrink spiritually.

Bob Longman WUSB 90.1 FM Sun 13 January 2008

2008-01-13T23:34:00.000-05:00

Bob Longman Sun 12:30-2:30 pm 13 January 2008

Hard Love -- Brooks Williams -- How the Night-Time Sings
William's Vision -- Kate Campbell -- Monuments
Sentenced to Life With the Blues -- Andy Falco -- Sentenced to Life -- N
Everybody Knows -- Ryan Adams -- single
Breathe -- Keller Williams -- Breathe
Little Bird -- Levon Helm -- Dirt Farmer -- N
Nighthawk -- Jory Nash -- Folk Jazz Blues & Soul
Take the A Train -- Just 4 Kicks -- All In Good Time
If I Should Fall Behind -- Dion DiMucci -- Deja Nu
I Only Have Eyes For You -- the Flamingos
The World Keeps You Waiting -- New York Voices -- A Day Like This -- N
For Sentimental Reasons -- Nat King Cole
We Shall Not Be Moved -- Mavis Staples -- We'll Never Turn Back
Lord Will Make A Way -- Mighty Sam McClain
I'm In Good Hands -- the Clark Sisters
Coming Down -- Anders Osborne -- Coming Down -- N
Still Water -- Gypsy Soul -- Beneath the Covers -- N
White Bird -- the Strangelings -- Season Of the Witch -- N
Epitaph -- Monkey Puzzle
Bajjan -- Youssou N'Dour
Homeless -- Ladysmith Black Mambazo
I Left My Sins -- Bob Marley & the Wailers -- Another Dance -- 'N'
Cafe -- Malo -- Malo
After Loving You -- Charlie Peacock -- Love Life

Helm gives us a happy surprise album; this traditional is the kind of stuff that drew him to US South/Midwest music.
Twinkie Clark made many a top-grade gospel song from ad slogans.
Chris Thompson pipes in, with Pete & Maura Kennedy -- so they're strangelings, with a cover of the LaFlamme classic.
Malo was more than just their one hit -- for instance, this track had guitar lines and rhythms that at times recall the ones Jorge Santana's brother Carlos would "Smooth" out over a quarter century later.

Not your typical babys' babble

2008-01-13T09:10:00.000-05:00

One of my readers at Spirithome.com asked me this question about 6 years ago :

>> My parents recently told me that when I was little (3-4 yrs old),
>> sometimes at night I would speak in tongues. They're
>> not religious or anything. I don't remember
>> this at all, but then I don't remember much from back then.

I'm assuming they're talking about a time after you started
talking a lot in regular English. It's common for little
children to speak that way. Psychologists say there's no
special meaning to it, though it does seem to have patterns
like talking does. I like to think of it as still remembering
what it was like to be with God and trying to relate with Him
as they did before they were born. I didn't lose that sense
until I was about 7, so I was more aware about it than most are.

>> I'd like to know if I should try to get that ability
>> back or uncover it again. Considering I am a Christian but
>> I don't spend a lot of time or effort in the religion, I want to
>> know if it's worth it or if I have an obligation to use it because
>> God gave it to me for a purpose.

God does not oblige you to do such things. God gave you all that you have, and gave it for a purpose, but you'll use it (or choose not to) when God puts forward the opportunity. Please don't feel guilty about not using tongues or for that matter, about how much time or effort you put into the faith. 15-year-olds like you rarely do, they're too busy living and growing up. I do hope you set up a pattern of praying each day, that's one thing that will be helpful between you and God and for your own peace of mind. Just set aside some time whenever it's best to do so, pray your main concerns, then just be still for a while, and think about something about Jesus. Most folks who do this find themselves being more steady and confident in what can be a confusing time of life. And you'll have a better sense of God's timing.

Language pages have moved

2008-01-08T23:05:00.000-05:00

My linguistics pages have moved to :

http://rlongman1.googlepages.com/

and

http://rlongman1.googlepages.com/protoger.html

Hopefully, it will mean more reliable access to the pages than in the past.

End-of-Year 2007, Bob Longman, of WUSB 90.1 FM

2008-01-05T21:03:00.000-05:00

2007 top list, Bob Longman, WUSB

Track -- Artist -- CD
------------------------------------------------------

When the City Comes -- Chuck E. Costa -- Off the Clock comp.
SomebrightmorningBlues -- Peter Case -- Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John
The Unfortunate Tale Of A County Chicken -- Idea of North
My Own Eyes -- Mavis Staples -- We'll Never Turn Back
Watch Man -- Hope Nunnery -- Wilderness Lounge
Gone Gone Gone (Done Me Wrong) -- Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Nobody's Fault But Mine -- Toby Walker -- Just Walked In
Prayer Song -- Danny Flowers -- Tools For the Soul
All That I Am -- Tom Griffith -- 40 Years Later
Sinner's Prayer -- Rod Picott -- Summerbirds
Late In the Evening -- Spanish Harlem Orch/Paul Simon -- United We Swing
Shanghai Moon -- Cosmos & Dawn Ho -- Aiming For the Stars
Walk On By -- Ian Moore -- To Be Loved
Shadow of Doubt -- Tinsley Ellis -- Moment of Truth
King Of the Dust -- Jory Nash -- Folk Jazz Blues and Soul
Song For June -- Slaid Cleaves -- Unsung
Made to Love -- TobyMac -- Portable Sounds
On the Way -- Abra Moore -- On the Way
Good Stuff -- Eric Bibb -- An Evening With..
You Don't Have Very Far To Go -- Lucinda Williams -- Tulare Dust (Haggard tribute)
Wild Angels -- Martin Sexton -- Seeds
When She's Dancing -- Viktor Krauss
Wolves -- Iron & Wine -- Shepherd's Dog
Can't Find My Way Home -- the Well
I Got the Dirt On You -- Toby Walker -- Just Rolled In
Water To Drink -- BR6 -- Here To Stay
A Gozar -- Arturo Sandoval -- Rumba Palace
Still Growing -- Bob Fox -- the Blast
The Trumpet Child -- Over the Rhine -- The Trumpet Child
Everywhere -- David Wilcox -- Vista

And the winners in Iowa are...

2008-01-03T22:42:00.000-05:00

Oprah Winfrey and Chuck Norris. :)

Radio Show, 23 December 2007, WUSB

2007-12-23T15:54:00.000-05:00

Bob Longman Sun 12:30-2:30 pm 23 December 2007
WUSB 90.1 FM, wusb.fm
N=new to WUSB L=Local (Long Island) I=instrumental
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gabriel's Message -- Jars of Clay -- Christmas Songs -- N
(Santa's Off on a) Sleigh Ride -- the Blenders -- When It Snows
Jingle Bell Jamboree -- Keb Mo
We Three Kings -- Mario Lanza -- Christmas W. Mario
First Noel/Mary Mary -- Sarah McLachlan -- Wintersong
Secret Santa -- GrooveBarbers -- Glory -- N
Please Come Home for Christmas -- James O'Malley -- -- L
Christmas Cookies -- Martha Trachtenberg -- -- L
The Season of Hope -- Tim Dillon -- -- N, L
In the Bleak Midwinter -- Dan Fogelberg
Lulazje, Jezuniu -- Diane Zeigler
Ave Maria -- YoYoMa, Bobby McFerrin
O Holy Night -- Luciano Pavarotti
Bring A Torch, Jeanette Isabella -- Kathleen Battle
Le Sommeil De L'Enfant Jesus -- the Edlos
Let's Do the Elf Dance -- Sufjan Stevens
Silent Night -- If Thousands, Haley Bonar
If You Were Born Today -- Low
Ice -- Shelleyan Orphan
And On That Day -- Phil Keaggy
It's Christmas Time -- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Last Month of the Year -- Fairfield Four
White Christmas -- the Ravens
Coventry Carol / Carol of the Bells -- Bob Westcott -- Christmas -- L, N, I
River -- Joni Mitchell -- Blue
Little Road to Bethlehem -- Shawn Colvin
Dealramh Go Deo -- Clannad
White Christmas -- Bing Crosby
Merry Christmas Darling -- the Carpenters
Nothing But A Child -- Steve Earle
O Come O Come Emmanuel -- Bob Westcott -- Christmas -- L, N, I
The Christmas Song (1946, strings added) -- Nat King Cole

Santa walks on the wild side with the Blenders. (Did Lou Reed hear this?)
McLachlan really tries something here, and it comes of well.
If O'Malley doesn't get to you with this one, your tear ducts must've been removed.

New pages on Spirithome

2007-12-19T23:09:00.000-05:00

On spirithome.com, I've been able to start adding new pages that would be a help to anyone trying to understand each of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23, as well as several other matters of Christian character. The new pages (so far) are :

patience.html
joy.html
goodness.html
gentleness.html
faithfulness.html
self-control.html
humility.html

There's more to come, eventually, as well as more changes in the main page on spiritual fruit. And each of these pages will be added to along the way, in the same fashion as with the rest of the site : a bit here, a bit there, always evolving. Give the newbies a try!

Bobby's Believe-it-or-not

2007-12-17T21:56:00.000-05:00

Found this while researching the fruits of the Spirit for the Spirithome site's new pages on each fruit. I'm not linking to it. Ever. It was first page Google searching for "self-control fruit spirit":

Self-Control/ Fruit of the Spirit Lip Gloss

52348-SW Regular price: $2.99. Sale price: $2.49

(You should see what comes up under "Gifts of the Spirit"...)

RIP Dan Fogelberg

2007-12-17T21:51:00.000-05:00

Dan Fogelberg passed away, age 56, after a long bout with cancer.

The "Same Auld Lang Syne" (considered a holiday classic) will be more sad this season.

Bonds of Bury St. Edmunds area -- genealogy

2007-12-15T16:14:00.000-05:00

I'm starting to "migrate" my genealogical stuff over to this blog, in hopes that someone may have further leads to check out. The most important section is on the Bonds of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolkshire, England. The earliest pieces are below. Any further information would surely be appreciated. My own ancestors are in bold. In my entire chain of Bond-age, by the way, there is no James Bond, no Barry Bonds, no Municipal Bonds. But the list is shaken, not stirred.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jonas Bond (b. ca. 1562-68, Woolpit, England; d. 30 Jul 1601, Bury St. Edmunds)
sister-in-law : Hester Woode (see below)
wife : Rose Woode (m. 23 Jun 1588, Rattlesden, Suffolk, England; d. 05 Aug 1602, Bury St. Edmonds)

Bury St. Edmunds is in western Suffolk. Woolpit is several miles east of BStE, barely south of the current A14 road, a bit less than halfway to Stowmarket, just west of Haughley. Jonas married Rose in 1588 in Rattlesden, her hometown, several miles south of Woolpit, not particularly noted for anything. They apparently lived in Rattlesden parish until the fall of 1590, when they moved to BStE. There was no record of a previous marriage for either Jonas or Rose; it would likely have been noted if it were otherwise.

children :
--------- Oliver Bond (bapt. 04 May 1589, Rattlesden; d. after 1625). Children :

------ John,
------ Rose,
------ Elizabeth,
------ Agnes,
------ Alice,
------ Grace,
------ Thomas,
------ Oliver.

--------- John Bond "the Elder" (bapt. 24 May 1590, Rattlesden)
--------- John Bond "the Younger" (bapt. 26 Dec 1591, Bury St. Edmunds; d. 01 Jan 1656/7) m. 28 Jun 1612 to Lydia T(r)ixtott or Tiptatt. Children :

------ Thomas,
------ Rose,
------ Fortune,
------ Joseph,
------ William,
------ John,
------ Matthew,
------ Elizabeth.

--------- Bartholomew Bond (b. ate 1592, BStE; heir ; d. after 1616)
--------- William Bond (bapt. 08 Sep 1595, BStE; d. after 1602)
--------- Thomas Bond (b. 08 Sep 1597, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England) heir, 'youngest son'
--------- Elizabeth Bond (b. 17 Jan 1599)
-- m.#1. Samuel Palmer (d. 1623).
-- m.#2. 08 Feb 1625 to Deacon Ephraim Child in Nayland, Suffolk, Eng.. Moved with Child to Watertown MA in 1630. Nayland was in Child's neighborhood, between Sudbury (south border Suffolk) and Colchester (north Essex). Son Jeremiah (b. 1641-45) m. Elizabeth Esterbrook.
poss. ---- Margaret Bond (b. 10 Dec 1600). Parents not listed.

George Woode (b. ca. 1536, poss. Frome, Somerset, Eng; d. 28 Jun 1608, Rattlesden, Suffolk, England)
wife : Katherine Buttall; b. 1540, poss. in Rattlesden; m. 27 Oct 1560, Rattlesden.
Children :
--------- Rose Woode (bapt. 25 Oct 1562, Rattlesden) m. Jonas Bond. (more above)
--------- George Woode (bapt. 02 Jul 1564; d. 25 Feb 1585)
--------- John Woode (bapt. 20 Jan 1566)
--------- Anne Woode (bapt. 21 Sep 1567)
--------- Abraham Woode (bapt. 21 Aug 1569, d. 11 Oct 1648). M#1. 27 May 1593 to Amy Amner (b. ca. 1572, d. 11 Mar 1618) in Rattlesden. Children :

--------- Anne (bapt. 19 Mar 1593),
--------- John (bapt. 22 Jun 1595),
--------- Margaret (bapt. 06 Aug 1598);
--------- George (bapt. 02 Nov 1600; children : George (m. Mary Borley), Anne, John, and Elizabeth;
--------- Rose (bapt. 26 Jun 1603),
--------- Hester (bapt. 26 Jan 1606),
--------- Dorothy (bapt. 07 May 1609),
--------- Rachel (bapt. 03 Jun 1612; d. 04 Jan 1612).

M#2 : Margaret Smyth 27 Oct 1618. Daughter : Edith (bapt. 18 Apr 1620).

--------- Eleazar Woode (bapt. 19 Aug 1571; d. 21 Nov 1587)
--------- Elizabeth Woode (bapt. 20 Sept 1573)
--------- Dorothy Woode (bapt. 18 Sep 1575)
--------- Suzan Woode (bapt. 01 Sep 1577, d. 19 Aug 1579, Rattlesden) (spelling is correct)
--------- Hester Woode (bapt. 19 Mar 1580; no children) Parents not listed in Rattlesden baptismal records. The George Woode connection is indicated by Hester's living with Rose and Jonas, and that Hester is called a sister-in-law in Jonas Bond's will.

possible relative : John Woode (m. Martha Hyon 12 Oct 1572, Rattlesden); child : Mary Woode (m. William Stephens ca. 1600, Haughley)

Abraham's son George appears to be the last one to stay a long time in Rattlesden; the last non-funeral record of the Woode family is his daughter Elizabeth's birth in 1636 and his son George's wedding. Abraham's son George is listed in the Rattlesden record transcription as the son of "Abraham & Anne", which is incorrect, prob. carried over from surrounding records.

Radio Show, 09 December 2007, WUSB FM

2007-12-12T23:15:00.000-05:00

Bob Longman Sun 12:30-2:30 pm 09 December 2007

Little Road to Bethlehem -- Shawn Colvin -- Xmas
O Little Town of Bethlehem -- Bruce Cockburn -- Xmas
Back Home Again -- Andy Falco -- Sentenced to Life w the Blues -- N
White Christmas -- Bing Crosby -- Xmas
Your Good Thing (Is About to End) -- Lou Rawls
Sons of Light -- Jeff Johnson
The Trumpet Child -- Over the Rhine -- The Trumpet Child -- N
O Holy Night -- Luciano Pavarotti -- Xmas
Divine Presence -- Iona UK
Coventry Carol/Carol of the Bells -- Bob Westcott-- Christmas -- N, Xmas
Kitty Kat -- Cathy Kreger
??? -- Dee Harris
??? -- Tim Dillon -- Xmas
Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring -- Bob Westcott -- Christmas -- N, Xmas
Walk Among the Stones -- Kate Campbell
More (acappella mix) -- Charlotte Doreen Small -- More -- N
More -- Charlotte Doreen Small -- More -- N
Shadow of Doubt -- Tinsley Ellis --- Moment of Truth -- N
River -- Carolyn Cruso -- Xmas
Gone Gone Gone -- Plant & Krauss -- Raising Sand -- N
Mary Had A Baby -- the Acoustix -- Xmas
the Thunderer -- Dion DiMucci -- Son of Skip James -- N
Jackie -- New York Voices -- A Day Like This -- N
The Bed Song -- Ellis Paul -- Dragonfly Races -- N
The Night the Lights Went Out on Christmas -- Ellis Paul -- Xmas
A Cradle In Bethlehem -- Nat King Cole -- Xmas
Christmas Must Be Tonight -- the Band -- Xmas
O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings to Zion -- Take 6/Stevie Wonder -- Xmas

Colvin has a delightfully light touch; it's originally from Holiday Songs and Lullabyes.
Small's song is about surviving the World Trade Center attack. She really cuts loose here.
Plant (of Led Zeppelin) knows how to do '50s rock really well (no surprise there), and he's having a blast on this one with Alison Krauss. The recent Zep reunion show in Britain was by all accounts a smashing success, and the band was tighter and more spirited than they were in the years just before their drummer John Bonham died and they broke up. (It's reported that Bonham's son did superb drumming in the show.)
Paul is not just a good songwriter; he's pretty good as a storyteller, too.
O Thou is from the Soulful Messiah project (as in Handel), and it brought out the best in both acts.

Radio Show of November 25 2007, WUSB

2007-12-08T23:36:00.000-05:00

Bob Longman, Sun 12:30-2:30 pm 25 November 2007
WUSB 90.1 FM, Long Island NY and coastal CT

song -- performer -- album -- notes (N = new to station)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kisses Sweeter Than Wine -- Jimmie Rodgers
One Gift -- Michael McDonald/James Ingram -- -- Xmas
Good Man Down -- Brooks Willams
Watching Eternity -- Charlie Peacock
Angel -- the Well -- Drop In the Bucket -- N
The Rooms My Mother Made -- Carrie Newcomer
I Got the Dirt on You -- Toby Walker
Snowfall -- m-pact - the Carol Commission -- Xmas
Everything -- Rose Reiter -- real -- N
The River Flows -- Iona UK
Patrick's Fire -- Jeff Johnson
William's Vision -- Kate Campbell
If I Should Fall Behind -- Dion DiMucci
the Hammer -- Red Prysock
Tears Come Rolling Down -- Colin Linden -- Easin' Back to Tennessee -- N
Gone Gone Gone -- Robert Plant/Alison Krauss -- Raising Sand -- N
A Working Man Can't Get Nowhere -- Peter Case -- Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John -- N
And On That Day -- Phil Keaggy -- true believer -- Xmas
Sunset -- Cosmos -- Aiming For the Stars -- 'N'
Knock Knock II - How Many Psychiatrists (Does It Take) -- PDQ Bach
When She's Dancing -- Viktor Krauss -- II -- N
Sinner's Prayer -- Rod Picott -- Summerbirds -- N
I'll Never Turn Back No More -- Take 6 -- Feels Good
You Can Make It - Do It -- Take 6 -- Feels Good
Plena Con Sabor -- Spanish Harlem Orchestra

This is the first I've heard from Reiter, and this new album says there's more to come.
Prysock laid down much honkin' rockin' sax, released in the 50s/60s.
Keaggy's fine Christmas classic from a dreadful rest-of-album. (Commercial radio : Yo! Why aren't you playing it???)
Latvia's acappella band Cosmos has several really sweet tracks, including this one.

Radio Show of November 18 2007, WUSB

2007-12-08T23:21:00.000-05:00

Bob Longman Sun 12:30-2:30 pm 18 November 2007
WUSB 90.1 FM, Long Island NY and coastal CT

song -- performer -- album -- notes (N = new to station)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Good Man Down -- Brooks Williams -- North From Statesboro
Hide and Seek -- the Well -- Drop In the Bucket -- N
Can't Find My Way Home -- the Well -- Drop In the Bucket -- N
Can't Find My Way Home -- Blind Faith
Someone -- Jan Krist
the Thunderer -- Dion -- Son of Skip James -- N
Shadow of Doubt -- Tinsley Ellis -- Moment of Truth -- N
Sinner's Prayer -- Rod Picott -- Summerbirds -- N
I Could Have Been Your Best Friend -- Viktor Krauss w. Lyle Lovett -- II -- N
Stuck In a Moment -- U2
Your Long Journey -- Plant & Krauss -- Raising Sand -- N
Divine Presence -- Iona UK -- Journey Into the Morn
Dear Diary -- Moody Blues -- Threshold of a Dream
For My Lady (b-side mix) -- Moody Blues -- Seventh Sojourn
Love Hurts -- Everly Brothers
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (concert ver.) -- Four Freshmen
Still Here -- Cosmos -- Aiming For the Stars -- N
All My People -- Hope Nunnery -- Wilderness Lounge
Listen Closely -- Paul Clark/Phil Keaggy
Prayer Song -- Danny Flowers -- Tools For the Soul -- N
Trouble Soon Be Over -- Colin Linden -- Easin' Back to Tennessee -- N
When I Die -- Marie Knight
Chamego (Betty's Bossa) -- Jack Donohue -- N
Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog) -- Iron and Wine -- the Shepherd's Dog -- N
The Sky Is Crying -- Etta James -- Blues to the Bone
Por Amarte Asi -- Vocal Sampling -- De Vacaciones

The Well is a local group that includes one of my faves, Martha Trachtenberg, and her husband Tom Griffith. This one's an especially poignant track, from their upcoming release. The Freshmen did this almost-acapella version while touring with Stan Kenton. Chamego gets around -- it also turns up on the new album by the New York Voices.

Music notes

2007-11-23T16:25:00.000-05:00

(1) On Dion DiMucci's newest album, in amongst the blues songs from Skip James, Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson and such, he has an original named "The Thunderer". It's about, of all people, St. Jerome! (The guy who translated the Bible in Latin, the translation known as the Vulgate.) Check it out!

(2) On The Amazing Race 12, there is a team of a grandson and grandfather, Nicholas and Donald. Apparently, they're the son and father-in-law of Robbie Fulks, the sometimes-country recording artist. If they're anything like him, then I'll guess that the show's editors must cut out an awful lot of FCC no-nos, because does Fulks ever spew them!

04 November 2007 WUSB 90.1 FM

2007-11-19T21:32:00.000-05:00

Bob Longman -- Sun 12:30-2:30 pm -- 04 November 2007
(N=the album's new to WUSB)

All The Ways You Wander -- Brooks Williams -- Hundred Year Shadow
I Still Miss Someone -- Johnny Cash
Speak Into Me -- Christopher Williams -- When I Was Everything
Who Is Not Afraid? -- Charlie Peacock -- Lie Down In the Grass
I'm Still In Love With You -- Al Green
Good Stuff -- Eric Bibb -- An Evening With -- N
Yellow Guitar -- Kate Campbell -- Monuments
Mary -- Maeve
Awake -- Peter Mayer
How Deep Is Your Love -- the Bird & the Bee -- Please Clap Your Hands -- N
Happiness Runs -- Storyhill
Along the Way -- Doug Wamble
Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven -- Jimmy King -- Live at Monterey
the Backbiter -- Cephas & Wiggins
You Can't Hold On (to a Love That's Gone) -- Holmes Brothers
Missing You -- Johnny Rawls-- Heart & Soul -- N
Tunnels -- Donockley & Bainbridge
Let Us Get Together -- Marie Knight -- Let Us Get Together -- N
Beijing (Widescreen mix) -- Iona UK -- Songs For Luca
Wolves (Shepherd's Dog) -- Iron & Wine -- the Shepherd's Dog -- N
Lay Down (full-length mix) -- Melanie
Feels Good -- Take 6 -- Feels Good -- N
Big Boy Blue -- Ella Fitzgerald/Mills Brothers
I'm Through With Love -- Arthur Prysock
Artillerie Lourde (Heavy Artillery) -- James Carter -- Chasin' the Gypsy
But Beautiful -- Betty Carter -- I Can't Help It
Too Marvelous For Words (1940s) -- Nat King Cole
Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans -- Take 6 / Aaron Neville
Boyd's Bounce -- Professor Longhair

Jimmy King @ Monterey, with a traditional -- ... but nobody wants to die [which is how you get there].
If you've never heard the full-length Lay Down, do so. It's a gospel-sound full-out celebration w. Edwin Hawkins & co.
Prysock gets really deeeeeep.
When he visited WUSB, Allen Toussaint spoke a lot about how he patterned his piano and musical styles on Longhair in his youth.

WUSB FM / wusb.fm, 21 October 2007

2007-11-05T21:34:00.000-05:00

Bob Longman WUSB 90.1 Fm / wusb.fm Sun 11:30-2:30 pm 21 October 2007

America --- Simon & Garfunkel
Wild, Wild Heart --- James O'Malley
Doin' Nothin' --- Phil Keaggy
Snowman -- Jan Krist
Everybody Knows -- Ryan Adams -- (single) -- N
Morris of Arabia (In the Sahara) -- Myron Cohen
Somebrightmorningblues -- Peter Case -- Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John -- N
Let's Go Out -- Devon Sproule -- Keep Your Silver Shined -- N
Eyes On the Prize -- Mavis Staples -- We'll Never Turn Back-- N
Java Jive -- Manhattan Transfer
Shanghai Moon -- Cosmos w. Dawn Ho -- Aiming For the Stars
Dreaming My Dreams With You -- Waylon Jennings
Sinners' Prayer -- Rod Picott -- Summerbirds -- N
Lula Lula Don't You Go To Bingo -- Boozoo Chavis
I Know What's Going On -- Joan Osbourne -- Breakfast In Bed -- N
Take Time to Know Her -- Percy Sledge
Take Time To Know Her -- John Mooney
Change -- Gospel Hummingbirds
Substitute For Life -- Real Group -- Commonly Unique
A Thousand Things -- Real Group -- Commonly Unique
Road to Hope -- Hilary Scott -- Road To Hope -- N
Juan Loco -- Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Falling Star -- Tom Prasada-Rao
Jazz n' Samba -- BR6 -- Here To Stay -- N
Don't Fix What's Broken -- Cadence

Just another note on Cold Case

2007-11-05T00:38:00.000-05:00

...and what is typical of so many shows, especially those of Jerry Bruckheimer, but most typical of Cold Case.

Once again, as it has done repeatedly over the years, time and again, the show writers of this Sunday's segment once again made absolutely sure to trash marriage. Once again, romantic affairs are portrayed as a healthy way out of a stymying marriage. This has been said by so many show biz sources that many people are actually beginning to believe it. And it may well be true in a few instances. But here in real life, whether in the 1930s (the show's setting this week) or today, the vast majority of the time affairs don't make people stronger, they make people more foolish. They don't make people's lives more real, they play into people's fantasies. They don't build up, they destroy. Far, far more often than the other way around. And we always think of ourselves as the exception, when we are really the rule.

An affair is not someone standing up to break their chains. Much more often, it is a surrender to our own worst enemy, which is usually ourselves. But do you think a Bruckheimer show will ever say that? And am I being a [male tool] by asking that they start being real about it?

I'm almost mad. Can't get really mad, though. I met Allen Toussaint on Saturday, saw the Patriots win Sunday on TV, and then saw the return of Amazing Race !!

For Halloween

2007-10-30T23:02:00.000-04:00

check out these links :

http://www.spirithome.com/halloween.html

http://www.spirithome.com/ghosts.html

Have fun!

At least I know who I'm not...

2007-10-24T19:18:00.000-04:00

A note on the Robert Longmans that I am not :

I was not the lead live broadcast engineer at the BBC for many years, who was instrumental in their live casts of Parliament sessions. He was, in many ways, a broadcast pioneer.

I was not the town smithy in Easington UK in the 1850s.
Nor am I his probable ancestor who married a woman named Mary, who soon after his death married the son of the Rector of Easington, Thomas Mallory, in the 1650s.

I was not witness to the wedding of William Dowling and Ann Longman, 30 Oct 1785, at St. Mary Bourne, Winchester Anglican Diocese

I was not a poet/writer in Lancashire UK around 1350.

I was not the Anglican minister of Placentia NF starting in 1759.

I did not live in Tingewick UK in the 1890s.

I was not the son (1785 - 1850) of William & Matilda Longman.

I did not marry a Jane Hodges in Corton-Denham, Somerset UK, whose son was Charles Longman (b. 1722). (Though I could be related to him.)

I am not the president of Central Surveys Inc.

I do not head the Australian Electoral Office.

I was not he who agreed to the Protestation of 1641, in Stalbridge, Dorset UK -- nor would I have done so.

I was not his probable descendant, a woodman from Hilton in Dorset, who at the time of the 1881 census was an inmate at the Poole Union Workhouse.

I am not a credit officer at the Rural Community Assistance Corp. (though I have read articles related to his work)

I am not the Laparoscopic Surgeon in Bristol UK.

I did not marry Hillary Carter (Hillary was b. around 1954). (Or anyone else :( )

I was not a fencer at Oberlin College (class of '62)

I did not marry Hannah Scouse in Wherwell UK on 12 Jan 1767, nor marry Rachel Becket in Wherwell UK on 25 July 1785.

I am not Group Technical Director at Plasmon.

I am not in any way involved with USA Shout Media.

I am not the Longman who is affiliated with Green Living Now.

I am not the antitrust legal counsel at Kasowitz, Benson LLP. That Robert is also an officer of a group that works with the world's needy women and children, Heartbeats Of the World. His wedding to Chin Quee was written up in the New York Times (16 July 1996).

I am not the consultant who was quoted in several news reports as having heard the Cory Lidle plane crash.

I was not the 1800s British thief (whose real name, as far as I can tell, was Phineas Henry).

I did not serve in the US Navy at sea on the USS Montrose in the Korean War.
(However, I am the son of a Marine who served on land in battle during that war.)

I am not the one who raises show cats in Sussex UK.

I am not a staff lawyer for the Washington State legislature.

Guitarist Richard Durrant's record label was not named after me or my family.

I am not a leader in the Saskatchewan Miniature Horse Association.

That sure wasn't me who was a leading character played by Linus Roache in the British TV show Seaforth.

I did not publish scandal rags (newspaper/flyers) in New York in the 1900s. (Though I may be related to him.)

So far as I can tell, I am not related to the Longman family that founded a major publishing company in the UK. (If someone has other information, I'd love to know.)

and, I most certainly, absolutely am not the one who, under the apparent pen name Bob Longman, wrote the rated multiple "X" so-called 'underground classic' book titled 'The Debutante Whore'. (Believe it or not, I get occasional emails asking me about that.)

Charismatic report card -- 2007 pt 1

2007-10-14T00:45:00.000-04:00

How is the charismatic movement doing in regards to some of its most basic aims or signs of the Spirit's work? Not too good, from where I'm watching.

Let's take one of the aims : "Spontaneity, openness, freedom and joy in
praise and worship."

When I first wrote on this one in 1996, I was taking note that many mainline-church charismatic congregations were stiffening. Since then, that process has definitely continued. In many cases, the stiffening has taken them away from charismatic freedom to a rather frozen form of liturgical orderliness that feels like what they were originally objecting to. (This can't be blamed on the mainline liturgical renewal, a separate thing which is also beginning to show signs of stiffening and has never really been friendly to any charismatic input -- to its serious detriment, as I see it. They both in some way attempt to address the same situation in worship -- a palpable lack of spirit.) In any event, worship in many formerly charismatic mainline congregations has become, well, lifeless. It took on liturgical forms, which can be good, but then left the Spirit at the door, which is deadly. When returning to liturgy in freedom, the most important thing is that they use each traditional form based on what it means and what it does, and then feel free to modify the traditional form so it can better carry out that form's core purpose(s).

To be blunt, with the exception of some Anglican circles, mainline-Protestant Charismatics have not only failed to bring freedom and joy into their denominations' worship, they have for the most part lined up with leaders whose actions have been killing the Spirit in worship for decades -- the very ones who created the dead atmosphere that mainline Charismatics used to rail against. Instead of real spontaneity and empowerment of local worship leaders, they're straitjacketed into watching the 'experts' for the next 'acceptable' new thing. Those who didn't line up that way have for the most part headed out the door to independency.

Add to that a sense among Christian leaders that the mainline Charismatic movement's time has passed, and thus they are free to totally ignore them. The former part is true, unfortunately. The latter part is a continued serious breach of the near-absolute responsibility and duty to listen to, understand, bring to bear, and fully and fairly account for, all the parts of their church, whether in vogue or out of vogue. (But that's for a different rant....)

The independent churches and church networks have a different problem. They are not aware of their own set patterns of worship - they don't think they have any. Thus they don't know when they're just vamping for time, or when they are not maturing from an earlier set of experiences. Many of the newer worship leaders are keenly aware of charismatic worship's obsession with "me" and "I", and are working hard on ways to keep that sense of "my" intimacy with God and yet also be into "You" and "us" and "together". They're a promising development. Yet when the newest hit worship song makes the rounds, it's still usually an "I me mine" song, or is prone to misstate God's promises as if done by push-button. HELLO -- God is not focused on just you!! Worship leaders also have to be careful that certain false teachings about prosperity or about the end-times do not start worming their way into the worship service. Also, they must be more cautious about talk of receiving divine power -- power-talk can breed power-addiction.

So there are still signs of worship life in the independent circles. There may yet be some new positives coming from there. But for the most part, the non-Anglican mainline-Protestant charismatics have lost their first love. It's sad, but it's true. And if you're one of the exceptions, as a mainline-Protestant charismatic and/or a worship leader, you need to think hard and pray harder, in hopes that maybe you can be a part of a new and different thrust within the mainline churches, less stuck on worship rules and more firmly connected to the Holy Spirit as found in Scripture. A thrust that is self-consciously not an extension of the previous movements.

Blueberry's Razzberries

2007-10-12T19:03:00.000-04:00

Some for whom nose-ick is too kind a descriptive :

(1) Ever and always, Ann Coulter. The Coultergeist. I heard she's got a new book out this week. That means we can expect a series of super-outrageous comments that will get this group or that group annoyed, angry, or afraid. She's got talent -- a talent for saying just the thing that most reflects hatred of somebody or some group. Usually, when some right-wing pundit says something, there's someone among those I know who will echo that sentiment; you can't get much further out there than these few. But when she made her comments about the 9/11 widows, even they couldn't stand it. She makes Laura Ingraham and Rush Limbaugh seem like Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears. I finally found the book in a store, right below Colbert's new book. Colbert, of course, lampoons the right by making stupidly extremist comments in character. But when someone writes in a tone that actually trumps the lampoon, what do you do? That's Coulter. So you'll buy the book, and reward the hate-talk? Not me.

(2) It's back -- the commercial with the guy whining "waaaaaa-ha-haaa...I maxed out my credit cards, so I can't get the new car I wanted....waaaaa!" And radio listeners all over the NY Metro are saying, "MAN UP! Stop spending on trivia and stick to the real needs, will ya?" "Waaaa... but my credit is bad...waaa!" And the listeners cry, "So you're the one who's been getting those loans that never should've been granted, ruining the credit picture for the rest of us!!! I'll sue the pants off you!!!"

(3) The *&%$#!@*! ticket scalping companies that sucked up all the Hannah Montana tickets. The punishment should be to throw them unprotected into an auditorium with tens of thousands of screaming, angry little kids who couldn't afford the tickets at the outrageous prices they're charging. I know -- that's inhuman, but as they suffer, the next set of would-be pro scalpers might think twice. Why, it would be far better and far more real that Kid Nation!

TV execs dreams could become nightmare

2007-10-10T01:27:00.000-04:00

When the baseball playoffs started a week or so ago, the TV channels who were covering them were licking their lips and preparing for a feast. The Yankees made it, so did the Red Sox, and the Cubs. Just think : a New York-Boston AL championship (guaranteed to go all seven games, all long and tense), followed by a possible New York-Chicago or Boston-Chicago superstar World Series, with one of the two mega-ratings national-drawing teams plus all of Chicago panting for an historic miracle.

Well, now the dream has turned bleak. Three of the first round series were minimum-game sweeps, mostly with uneventful wins. (Try getting the full load of ad dollars from that.) Both the Yanks and the Cubs are out of it. So much for the mega-market matchup.

But it could get worse : if Colorado blows through Arizona (quite possible), and Cleveland defeats the Red Sox (a very remote possibility), the television nets/cable channels could have a series where the only people watching will be from two medium-market cities. I'll still be watching it, like any real fan of the game itself. But for the most part, the East, West, and South Coasts won't be. Then, what kind of money can they ask for next time, what with this latest example of the risk side of sports advertising? I can picture TV execs squirming and sweating in bed at night, watching their dream payday convert into a horror movie nightmare. And how they suddenly get religious enough to pray that Papi and Manny can send Cleveland back home.

WUSB radio show Sun 30 September 2007

2007-10-03T21:41:00.001-04:00

Bob Longman Sun 12:30-2:30 pm 30 September 2007
http://wusb.fm/

song -- artist -- album
Nobody's Fault But Mine -- Toby Walker -- Just Rolled In -- N
Cry Cry Cry -- Johnny Cash
Train of Love -- Jimmy Dale Gilmour
Amazing Grace -- Daniel Lanois/Aaron Neville -- Acadie
Desperate For Love -- Over the Rhine -- The Trumpet Child -- N
Somebrightmorningblues -- Peter Case -- Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John -- N
Go Boy -- Zap Mama -- Supermoon -- N
Walk On By -- Ian Moore -- To Be Loved -- N
The West Was Burning -- Martha Scanlon -- The West Was Burning -- N
Road to Hope -- Hilary Scott -- Road to Hope -- N
Confetti -- Lori McKenna -- Unglamorous -- N
On the Way -- Abra Moore -- On the Way -- N
You -- Al Green -- I Can't Stop
Need You Now -- Gurf Morlix -- Diamonds to Dust --N
Happy Ending -- Chuck Prophet -- Soap and Water -- N
Question -- Moody Blues
Blues Boy -- Phil Minnisale -- N
Prayer Song -- Danny Flowers -- Tools For the Soul -- N
How Deep Is Your Love -- the Bird and the Bee -- Please Clap Your Hands -- N
Got To Do Better -- Eric Bibb -- An Evening With -- N
Till Then -- Mills Brothers
Victory At Sea -- Bill Morrisey -- Come Running -- N
I Cover the Waterfront -- Don Byron
Too Marvelous For Words -- Nat King Cole

Prophet's new album shows he's ready to step forward. Bibb has a new live concert album; the track played here is a new(er) song. Gurf has recorded many albums -- mostly for others.

Griping about Cold Case

2007-10-02T20:35:00.000-04:00

... no, not beer. I mean the TV show. I like the show. But there's one thing that really, really bugs me about it.

This past Sunday's show was a great example of it.

Teen girl is murdered. A quarter of the way through, we find out that she was part of a 'chastity circle', of teens who make a commitment not to have sex at this point in their life due to faith in Christ. I immediately thought, 'here it comes again...'. Sure enough. All the ghastly stereotypes about committed Christians get trotted out once more. In this case, of course the youth pastor had sex with a teen (or at least enjoying himself as she eagerly spoke her fantasies, apparently more than once), of course one of the girls was skilled at controlling the others, of course the couple was having sex and getting pregnant, and of course there was the closet homosexual who was denying it. (That's right, the youth pastor and all four of the other teens fit a stereotype.) And the dead girl got stoned (who stones but religious folk?) by all four other kids, taunting her and calling her slut and other hateful taunts while they were killing her.

The show, like many shows and just about anything loosely connected with Jerry Bruckheimer, has a steady track record on this. Nuns are shriveled biddies or closet Nazis (unless of course they're acting against a dogma, in which case they're always heroes). Fundamentalists (which by their definition includes evangelicals, charismatics, religiously conservative and even moderate mainline Protestants and Catholics) are mad bombers, guilt-trippers, crooks, or sex perverts. Religious ideas are always not only part of the problem, they are portrayed as its root cause, and must be smashed for the sake of the show's absolutist definition of 'personal freedom'. It's relentless. I can think of only one Cold Case episode in which religious faith and those who have it were treated with any real respect (a show that intersected two schoolyard murders last season, to the tunes of U2). Otherwise, it's been treated as a relentless enemy. The stereotypes are not entirely lies, mind you. I myself have known perv pastors, shrill nuns, hateful churchgoers. But I also know of a whole lot more who aren't - they're really fine people who really live their beliefs. They have to live under the burden not only of the bad ones, but also the hateful stereotypes that others foist upon them. Do I really have to say that they're not hate-filled? That they'd no more think of stoning someone to death than you would? Do I have to say they're the opposite of dangerous? If I do have to say that to you, then I have to say another truth to you : you're a raving bigot, and you have no business trying to foment more of your bigotry. And yes, I do know, very personally, what certain tightly-held dogmas can do to one's life. I also know that it is precisely my faith in Christ, shaped rather strongly by that same Bible they seem to hate so much, that has as a very practical, real-life matter led me to a life of caring and loving, in spite of the brutality of life that is (in reality) worse where the faith isn't than where it is. That is the truth. Can you portray that?

Of course, the show doesn't really believe in the reason teens join such groups either -- that is, to establish at least some level of sexual self-control. Even the attempt is ridiculed as being an inevitable 99% failure, and the people who make those commitments as invariable liars who are just looking for cover for their secret behaviors. They don't think it's even healthy to band together to at least try; better to feel free to have sex whenever you want to. In that view, their evidence is how often the effort fails. HELLO THERE -- teens are humans, and are still learning about the side of themselves that's their own worst enemy. That's all the failures mean. And many of these youth circles are quite aware of that, applying grace instead of law. (Yes, even many of the evangelical-based ones.) Sure, some don't; some can be quite cruel. But teens of all stripes and in all groups can find cruelty easy to do; being religious doesn't stop them from being teens.

I wonder what would happen if the youth pastor didn't go sexual toward one of them? If the couple could actually be shown as really dealing with their desires instead of just lying? If someone actually was trying to be a true friend to the dead girl? Couldn't they do even one of those? That, I propose, is much more of a reality than the predictable script way. They could've still had a good murder mystery without having everyone turn evil. But then the show wouldn't have reinforced its favorite set of prejudices in the minds of the public.

It seems that the one group that's fair game for bigotry nowadays is any sort of conservative Christian. NO. There is no such thing as 'fair game'; it's always unfair, always wrong. All bigotry rots your soul out. All bigotry undermines public life. ALL of it. It seems that conservative Christians are far from being the only ones who need to learn that. I hope more people tell the TV show makers that.

A P.S. : I'm not one of those who likes to rant about this sort of stuff. It makes me sound shrill and far right-wing. (They've jumped on the same episode with fangs out.) But I'm not at all a right-winger, a rabble-rouser, or much of a ranter; you can check me on that. But Cold Case's willingness to feed prejudices about a certain group of people has to be called to task. That's way more important than making their political point, because their political struggle is supposed to be largely about getting rid of prejudices. Do as you say, please.

Another look at charismatics, 12 years later

2007-09-29T22:27:00.000-04:00

Looking back on the points made 27 years ago by Charismatics at Geneva, I can only feel a great sadness. For I look at the landscape of what had then been the the robust, energetic Charismatic movement, and what is there now, the mainline part of it becoming either spent (Lutherans, for example) or reshaped and tamed in a manner better suited for the powers-that-be (like Catholics and Methodists). The 'Third Wave' part of it isn't in much better shape, for while there are many congregations within it that are better than ever, the overall impression is that they've lost their vision, and are being blended into a veriety of new mini-movements, or are being taken up by some larger movements that have little to do with following Christ.

I'll use the points from Geneva that I addressed 12 years ago as a starting point. When I do this, please remember that I am an outside observer, a mainstream Christian who is clearly not (by nearly all of the movement's own self-definitions) a charismatic, and never has been. I am simply a believer in Christ who insists on being in dialogue with a movement that, even at this stage, is still the main shaping force for many millions of Christians the world over. A believer in Christ who believes that mainstream Christian leaders are still seriously shirking their responsibility as Christians by choosing not to be in real dialogue with them.

In 1980, Charismatics at one of their many conferences saw a series of marks of the Spirit that they believed were present in their movements. These included :

New openness toward the healing power
and the lordship of Jesus;
Renewal of spiritual life of the church in
local congregations;
Spontaneity, openness, freedom and joy in
praise and worship;
New interest in the Bible as God's living
Word;
Deeper experience of the reality, holiness,
and transcendence of God;
Deeper interest and new openness in regard
to the essential doctrines of the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, his
death and resurrection, confirmed in experience;
Renewal of the service of healing for the
sick;
Lay leadership;
New incentive for evangelization, missions
and witness in the power of the Spirit.

I'll be going over these in upcoming weeks.

2007-09-29T22:13:00.000-04:00

Bob Longman Sun 12:30-2:30 pm 23 September 2007
wusb.fm (90.1 FM, Stony Brook NY USA)

title -- artist -- album (if any) -- notation
(N=new, R=request)
--------------------------------------------
No Love Is Free -- Tom Griffin -- 40 Years Later -- N
Mountains o' Things -- the Duhks
Stop By Anytime -- Devon Sproul -- Keep Your Silver Shined -- N
Between Friends -- Rollyn Zoubek -- Hinge
Victory At Sea -- Bill Morrissey -- Come Running -- N
the Deep -- Claire Holley
Let Someone Love Me -- Solomon Burke -- Make Do w. What You Got
Hang Out With the Moon -- Diana Jones -- The One That Got Away
Scarborough Fair -- Simon & Garfunkel
Away Down the River -- Alison Krauss -- 100 Miles or More -- N
Light Years -- Caroline Peyton -- Intuition
Right On Time -- Eric Bibb -- Natural Light
Lies (That I Have Known) -- Patsy Moore -- Regarding the Human Condition
Eyes On the Prize -- Mavis Staples -- We'll Never Turn Back -- N
Al 'n Yetta -- Allan Sherman
the Trumpet Child -- Over the Rhine -- Trumpet Child -- N
Let Us Get Together -- Marie Knight -- Let Us Get Together -- N
All My People -- Hope Nunnery -- Wilderness Lounge -- N
I'm Gonna Change My Ways -- Peter Case -- Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John -- N
Lelilungelo Ngelakho -- Soweto Gospel Choir -- N
Late In the Evening -- Spanish Harlem Orch/Paul Simon -- United We Swing -- N
That Was Me -- Paul McCartney -- Memory Almost Full -- N
She Remembers -- Tim Grimm
Feels Good -- Take 6 -- Feels Good -- N
Water To Drink -- BR6 -- Here To Stay -- N

----------------------------------------------

It's strange, how so many of the TV shows Allan Sherman mentions in Al 'n Yetta (from the '60s) can still be seen on some cable channel. Case's song is about wanting to repent -- but wanting it not quite enough. The Trumpet Child is eschatology through the grid of supper club music. Bill Morrisey (with Phil Minnisale) is appearing Sunday 2pm at the University Cafe here on the Stony Brook campus. Catch you there?

radio show WUSB and wusb.fm, 11:30 am - 5 pm

2007-09-17T00:28:00.000-04:00

Bob Longman Sun 11:30-2:30 pm 16 September 2007

Fool Like Me -- Porter Waggoner -- Wagonmaster N
Georgia Moon -- Pierce Pettis -- State of Grace
How Can I Meet Her? -- Everly Brothers
Kneeling Drunkard's Plea -- Johnny Cash
Confetti -- Lori McKenna -- Unglamourous N
Thank God -- Alpha Band
Cold Cold Heart -- Hank Williams
I Want To Be Ready to Meet Him -- Chuck Wagon Gang
I Can't Stand Up Alone -- Tom Kimmel -- Shallow Water
Ontario -- Diana Jones -- The One That Got Away
the Razor's Edge-- Carrie Newcomer -- My True Name
Patience and Hope -- Dan Bonis -- Delivering the Cake
Sweet Evalina -- Aengus Finnan -- Fool's Gold
Along Came Jones -- Ray Stevens

=========================================

Alone With You -- Joan Osborne -- Breakfast In Bed N
You -- Abra Moore -- On the Way N
Somebrightmorninblues -- Peter Case -- Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John N
Water Works Fine -- Eric Bibb -- Natural Light
Walk On By -- Ian Moore -- To Be Loved N
My Own Eyes -- Mavis Staples -- We'll Never Turn Back N
When the City Comes -- Chuck E. Costa N
Light Years -- Caroline Peyton
The Trumpet Child -- Over the Rhine -- The Trumpet Child N R
Crazy 8s -- Mae N
Must Have Done Something Right -- Relient K -- Five Score N
Nod Your Head -- Paul McCartney -- Memory Almost Full N
Plena Con Sabor -- Spanish Harlem Orchestra -- United We Swing N
La Hiedra Venenosa -- Los Straightjackets -- Rock En Espenol N
Wounded Me Wounded You -- Jan Krist -- Live at Calvin College N
Shanghai Moon -- Cosmos -- Aiming For the Stars N
Still Here -- Cosmos -- Aiming For the Stars N
Silver Bells -- Amandine -- Solace In Sore Hands N
I Got the Dirt On You -- Toby Walker -- Just Rolled In N
Walking On the Moon -- Eliza Gilkyson -- Tom Russell tribute N
Hot and Cold -- Flynn -- The Answer's Not Enough N
Made to Love -- TobyMac -- single
You'll Want Me Back -- Ethel Waters
Tu Scendi dalle Stelle -- Luciano Pavarotti -- Xmas
Twelve Gates -- Marie Knight -- Let Us Get Together N

==================================================
Jazz On the Air

I'd Love It -- Benny Carter Orchestra
Don't Worry 'Bout Me -- Ella Fitzgerald
Wrapped Tight -- Coleman Hawkins
Heading Home -- Joshua Redman
Coctails For Two -- Benny Carter Orchestra
Sweet Lorraine -- Nat King Cole
Can't Teach My Old Heart New Tricks -- Benny Goodman
Ooh Pop A Dah -- Dirty Dozen Jazz Band
Take the A Train -- Just 4 Kicks
Trouble Don't Last Always -- Allen & Allen R
But By the Grace -- Harrison & Blanchard
Ain't That the Truth -- Don Byron
Pink Champagne -- Lionel Hampton R
Ain't Nothing To It -- Fats Waller
Habanera 3 -- Kamikaze Ground Crew -- Postcards From the Highwire N
Yes and No -- Branford Marsalis -- Random Abstract
Gotta Travel On -- Ray Bryant
Show 'Nuff -- Red Rodney
Banished -- David Murray N
Joie De Vivre -- Dewey Redman
Old Music Master -- Nat King Cole
When Diana Dances -- Charlie Peacock
Happy-Go-Lucky Local -- Duke Ellington
Of Kindred Souls -- Roy Hargrove
But Not For Me -- Sarah Vaughan
All Too Soon -- Duke Ellington w. Ben Webster
Don's Idea -- James Carter
Make Sure You're Sure -- Joshua Redman
Tapajack -- Ray Anderson -- Alligatory Band
My One and Only Love -- Ella Fitzgerald
Yes Or No -- Jose Rizo N

Commercials can get weird, pt 1

2007-09-12T00:25:00.000-04:00

Take, for instance, the Dux Bed radio spots. I remember the first one I heard, lo so many years ago. They apparently accidentally sent their first rough run-through to 880 AM -- the announcer sounded sleepy and badly out of breath, and didn't even mention his name (though the voice was easily recognizable to me as that of Pat Summerall, the sportscaster). It was unedited, and poorly written. But since then, there have been a dozen or more ads over the years, each one sharply done.

The latest one, though, stands out. In it, Summerall talks about -- get this -- how much he loves getting to bed with his wife. And he does it with such breathless, joyous longing that he's getting high on it even as he's doing the commercial. Wow. 77 years old, and the old kicker's still got kick!

On the other hand, the considerably younger onetime darling of commercials, Britney Spears, hasn't been doing so many of them lately. Now that she looks so, well, ordinary. I'm hoping her young sister Jamie-Lynn (the Zoe Girl who has a great face, and whose body should fill out in the next few years) is taking note as to what not to do and how not to handle fame. Or more precisely, I hope she learns not to sell herself out to the drive for fame.

Still Here.

2007-09-07T18:03:00.000-04:00

------ but not on the radio, lately, at least not on my time slot. First, Riverhead's Polish Town festival, then Fiddle & Folk festival, then Bradstock. All are worthy shows, and I'm glad to step aside for them. I think next up is Valerie Wilcox, with Classical, my usual alternator. So it's a long time between playlists.

When I get back, there'll be new old stuff from Coleman Hawkins, Caroline Peyton, and David Brenner, and new new stuff from Hillary Scott, Bill Morrissey, and Mae. Also, acappella fans will get a dose of Cosmos, a superb band from Latvia.

My personal life? Oy vey... They dump me before they pick me up. I once dated Kim Possible, but when we got to commitment-time, she wouldn't promise anything for sure. For a few weeks I dated Hello Kitty, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get her to smile. And then there's Wonder Woman -- all she wanted from me was to do weird games using her lasso. (...tugging on my virtual necktie...) So I went to a matchmaking service. They made me pay for the phosphorus.

Then I went to another one, Yente To The Cosmos. They're not kidding -- they hooked me up with a six-eyed warted silica crawler from Alpha Centauri. We met on neutral ground, at the Tattooine Cantina. As the band played, she smiled, and said, "let's dance". Right... dance with a partner with no feet, lubricated by goo. As we held each other, I was noticing her eyes. I was looking into two of them, but the others were checking out four other guys! She left with one of the clarinet players. Hey, I can't keep this up -- interplanetary dating doesn't come cheap.

0-for-August. The story of my life (sigh).

personal morality and public religion

2007-08-23T20:19:00.000-04:00

I was just catching some of the latest that Cristiana Anampour wrote about those "Teen Mania" youth rallying publicly in Frisco for a stronger sense of personal morality.

On the one hand, I see those groups. Major league crowds of young folks turn out. Do I know kids like these, committed as they are? Yes. I can tell you that their commitments came about not because of the rally group, but rather they were looking for someone to rally them on such matters, and the group came along.

Can they sustain that commitment? Some will, most won't. I say that with sadness. Because I really believe that they are far better off (happier, more whole, more able to devote to one another, and less likely to get disease) by not having sex at least until they have first wound their lives into another's. I really believe that some things are better off not tried; I've seen too often when someone tries these activities and gets hooked or has it turn ugly or even deadly. I've seen bad attitudes on one thing infect attitudes in other parts of their lives. I've seen with my own eyes and in my own life that self-control is critical to becoming a healthy adult, and how lack of it can stand in one's way.

Is our youthful "moral decline" all the fault of the "godless pop culture"? No. The urges are biological, psychological, and sociological. The body is geared to desire. The mind is geared to love intimately and be caught up in another. The soul longs to fit in, not just because of peer pressure but because people are inwardly constructed to be a person among other people and not someone separate or alone. Those things are part of what God has put into them. However, pop culture as it is now constructed talks a good game of individual freedom, while it undermines the discipline and ridicules the self-control needed to make it real freedom instead of a stealth captivity. There's a lot of good going on in pop culture, some really-true truths from people whose aim is still true, even if they misfire sometimes. (Who doesn't?) And many kids have gotten pretty good at finding it -- in fact they do a better job of finding it than my own "do your own thing" generation did at that age. (Not hard to do...) They're also smarter, if not wiser, about their own sexuality. But most of the time, pop culture celebrates the kind of lives that wreck a person or causes them to lose their sanity, or at least keeps them spending. It feeds a constant craving of attention or excitement, laying itself prostrate before the almighty buck, titillating and stimulating until the mind can't think straight from all the sensations and complications. Increasingly, it breeds a cynicism about living that rumbles ever louder under its ground.

But aren't I afraid of the right wing, the lurking fascists, the dominionists? Yes. From the part of Christianity I deal with, I know them well. I know how they kinda slip their ideas into everything. I do know how much they believe that they should be in charge of our country and our world. (I can say that about some of their opponents too; those opponents are just much less likely to use stealth and force to get there.) But not all conservatives, evangelicals, or even fundamentalists are dominionists; in fact they predominate only in some parts of the Pentecostal camp. Most people who are out there cheering on the conservative causes are ordinary people who live their lives pretty much like everyone else, with all the crazy quilt of conflicts between their morality and decision-making in daily life that everyone else has. And sometimes they choose better, and sometimes they don't. I am completely unafraid of those people, even as I must stand against the confining social vision and love of the halls of power of Dobson, LaHaye and dominionists, whom I do sometimes fear. The ordinary conservatives are every bit as much a part of America's backbone as the left's ordinary people, and like anyone else they have every right to a full place at the table - including a right to have a say in determining what that place is. These people are not an enemy. The more certain sectors (mostly from the Democratic Left) treat them as an enemy, the easier it will be to coalesce them with other ridiculed middle-Americans into a new silent majority, to once again be manipulated by politicians. That's why I hate so much to see them lampooned, ridiculed, and dismissed. We're still paying for the last time we let that happen.

It is not anti-freedom to try to develop a sense of public morality, one that stretches beyond just the issues of pluralism. It is not anti-freedom to publicly encourage stricter forms of personal morality -- public address is the only forum wide enough for it. A weak sense of personal and public morality erodes the ground on which freedom stands. Does that mean I'd support the Teen Mania rallies? No. I don't think their approach is real enough, it encourages youths to bypass important questions. But I don't oppose it either, because I really do believe in encouraging a clear moral vision for one's personal life, and that can only be done if the culture allows social space for it. It does not do so now, as proven by the constant protests against them. And we all eventually pay for that. That, I believe, is an absolutely critical public issue.

radio playlist, 19 August 2007, WUSB

2007-08-21T20:49:00.000-04:00

Bob Longman Sun August 19 2007 11:30am-1:10 pm
WUSB 90.1 FM Long Island NY and coastal CT
http://wusb.fm/
includes Down Home Country fill-in.

The Family Who Prays -- Louvin Brothers
Stormy Waters -- Jimmy Martin/Sunny Mountain Boys
Come Thou Fount -- Claire Holley -- Sanctuary
Not What I Had In Mind -- Kelly Willis
He'll Have To Go -- Jim Reeves
The River's Gonna Run -- Sam Bush -- Laps In Seven
Honky Tonk Blues -- Hank Williams
Cowboy Camp Meeting -- Sons Of the Pioneers
Horse Wrangler -- Roger Welsh
Watch Man -- Hope Nunnery -- Wilderness Lounge -- N
Ticket to Heaven -- Tammy Rogers
Unglamourous -- Lori McKenna -- Unglamourous -- N
You Don't Have Very Far To Go -- Lucinda Williams -- Tulare Dust (Haggard tribute)
Silver Wings -- Marshall Crenshaw -- Tulare Dust (Merle Haggard tribute)
Thank God I'm Free -- Vicksburg Quartet
Why Me -- Kris Kristofferson
Whispering Pines -- Johnny Horton
Tears Falling Down -- Rosanne Cash
The West Was Burning -- Martha Scanlan -- The West Was Burning N
Walk On By -- Ian Moore -- To Be Loved -- N, R
Up Above My Head -- Maria Muldaur & Tracy Nelson
Death Don't Have No Mercy -- Marie Knight -- Let Us Get Together -- N
I Heard the Angels Singin' -- Eric Bibb
In the Evening When the Sun Goes Down -- Ella Fitzgerald
3 Minutes on 52nd St -- Lionel Hampton
Goody Goody -- Ella Fitzgerald

This week's show was pre-empted by special coverage of the Riverhead Polish Town Festival, hosted by Matt Mankiewicz and Teresa Zapolska. Teresa was in fine spirits and lots of good friends of the station and of polka stopped by at the fest to see here. A good time was had by all.

The pick on this week's abbreviated show was some first-rate pop-rock from Ian Moore. Are you listening, radio folks?
The description of the Watch Man in Nunnery's first verse gives such a strong mental vision...
When left to my own instincts, it's either Ella or Nat. Here, Ella briefly turns soul singer. Wow.

A review of the return of WCBS-FM

2007-08-11T12:32:00.001-04:00

In New York radio, the big news this year has been the return of the mother of all oldies stations, the big fish in that medium-sized oldies pond, WCBS 101.1 FM. It departed from the scene two years ago as the ratings were dropping, not only in key demographics like mid-20 year olds and males (not the target audience anyway), but also in the 30s and 40s year olds. older males, and women. No advertisers, no station. (There was little hard evidence that ads had ceased to be effective, but one could hardly resist concluding that it had started to happen.) So, they changed to a Jack-format. There are several of these around the country -- faceless, characterless, almost voiceless, iPod shufflers. They boasted "we play what we want", which meant that they had jack-poor taste. Would that sell in New York? It quickly became clear that it wouldn't. Then, CBS brought in a PD who used to run a major SF Bay Area oldies outlet until it folded (similar demo problems, plus owner problems). I heard that and thought, oh my, they'll bring the oldies back when this jack thing is all jacked out. Sure enough, that's what they did, keeping that Jack director.

Okay, Bob, so enough radio shop-talk. What's the station like?? It's pretty much like what it was the last two months before it closed. Their morning and early afternoon shifts are familiar voices, the music of the '60s thru '80s is featured, Mr. G (my fellow Hofstra alum Irv Gikofsky) is back doing morning weather, they still try to bring on radio legends as best they can. They key on personalities, which is important anywhere but is crucial in New York. The last few months before closing, they had made futile changes such as dumping doowop and lessening ballads. Those changes only made things worse. They've undone that in a minor way, by once in a while playing a "Hall of Fame" pick (with a brief lead-in to say it's coming). Indeed, those lead-in montage/announcements for older oldies and for country (which is also segregated out of the main mix) may be the best new thing they're doing, because they need to create a trained/educated/spoiled audience that's easier to keep because there's few other places for them to go to get the quality they want.

Problems? A few.

Their flattened signal makes the songs, especially the mid-60s stuff, have a sound like the record's trying to be heard past other noises. If it wasn't so 'brightened', it'd be almost like having the voices wash out. Do that to recordings that have that problem to begin with (like 'Dancing In the Streets' or 'Go Now'), and it becomes really difficult to pick out the voices. The percussion becomes like sand. They need to address this, through both their broadcast settings and getting clearer copies of those songs, because it's quite distracting at times, and those recordings simply sound better on some other stations.

Also, they could try expanding the format. I hear you -- "are you nuts? It's already unmanageably large!" No, it wouldn't be. I mean expanding in both directions, selectively. I find it hard to believe that the audience would go running if once in a blue moon they heard, say, "Count Every Star" (the Ravens) or "Nature Boy" (Nat Cole) or "Dream a Little Dream" (Louis & Ella). Or for that matter, "The Game of Love" (Santana & Branch) or "Bailamos" or "Could I Have This Kiss" (Enrique Iglesias). The key is to be selective, with high-quality tracks that don't sound like big band or hip-hop. This is called "spicing". It creates enjoyable radio experiences others don't have, it's too rare for noticeable turnoff, and it spoils the audience. For all their playing on peoples' memories, they sometimes forget that their listeners are still alive and are still making great memories, including while they're listening to your station. The main music, the 'audience education', and the spicing can all be part of that.

Also, they should become the place to hear famous artists upon their death. What made them so big in their kind of music? Once again, it's a way to spoil, and the death-time guilt and curiosity factors would lessen button-pushing.

In its later years, WCBS was slower than snails on things that were happening with oldies artists. Like, for instance, the pre-rock rock side of Louis Prima when it was getting popular thru its use in commercials, or Johnny Cash as his popularity rose. Many little waves of popular attention to oldies acts were just plain missed. I hope the new WCBS does better with that.

Anyway, it's good to have a broad-format station back on the FM dial. People can relax from tending to their iPod mix for a while.

WUSB, Sun 12:30-2:30 pm, 05 August 2007

2007-08-09T20:47:00.000-04:00

Know -- Christopher Williams
Hang Out With the Moon -- Diana Jones
I Got the Dirt On You -- Toby Walker -- Just Rolled In -- N
A Little Room to Breathe -- James O'Malley
Drip Drop -- Mint Juleps
On Broadway -- Mint Juleps
You've Got A Friend In Me -- Randy Newman
Love -- Joni Mitchell
Forgiveness -- Cephas & Wiggins
You Will Be My Ain True Love -- Alison Krauss & Sting -- A Hundred Miles or More -- N
Tu Te Vas (You'll Lose A Good Thing) -- Los Straightjackets -- Rock En Espanol N
Sugar -- Ethel Waters
Louisiana 1927 -- Sonny Landreth
Masquerade -- Sam Hill
All My People -- Hope Nunnery -- Wilderness Lounge -- N
Unglamorous -- Lori McKenna -- Unglamorous -- N
I Second That Emotion -- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
You -- Abra Moore -- On the Way N
In This Temple... -- Sufjan Stevens
Woke Up This Mornin' -- Eric Bibb
Eyes On the Prize -- Mavis Staples -- We'll Never Turn Back -- N
Getting Somewhere -- Allison Moorer
Something New -- Lisa Moscatiello
Seahouses -- Dave Bainbridge
You Still Believe In Me -- Beach Boys
Eyes of A Child -- Moody Blues
Ice Cream Song -- the Dynamics -- First Landing -- N
Water To Drink -- BR6 -- Here To Stay -- N
Waters of March/Rhapsody In Blue -- BR6 -- Here to Stay -- N
Love Is Here To Stay -- BR6 -- Here To Stay -- N

Delectible new stuff from Toby; he may be talkin' to you..... Classic Moodies, with a slightly different end mix.
Politically-charged Mavis -- hey, she really was there, and still is. Bainbridge of
Iona doing solo wonders. Landreth doing Randy Newman. Smooth soul
from the Dynamics. C-Dub starts off; the acappella Brazilian jazz of BR6 finishes off.

WUSB 29 July 2007

2007-07-30T00:13:00.000-04:00

BOB LONGMAN Sunday 7/29/07 12:30-2:30 pm

Track -- Artist -- Album -- other notes (N=New, R=request)

Little River Canyon -- Pierce Pettis
Like I Do -- Diana Jones
Don't Let the Whole World Know -- Everly Brothers
Away Down the River -- Alison Krauss -- 100 Miles or More -- N
Watch Man -- Hope Nunnery -- Wilderness Lounge -- N, R
Blues Will Do You Good -- Cephas & Wiggins
Color Him Father -- Keb' Mo'
Right On Time -- Eric Bibb
12 Gates -- Marie Knight -- Let Us Get Together -- N
Tell 'Em About Me -- Ethel Waters
A Conjunction of Drones... -- Sufjan Stevens
Heart of Stone -- Joan Osborne -- Breakfast in Bed N, R
Patterns In the Sky -- Jan Krist -- -- R
Almost Peaceful -- LeRoy Martez Bell -- Spending Time -- N
Plead the Fifth -- Relient K -- Five Score and Seven -- N
A Prayer -- Madeleine Peyroux
Wings of Angels -- Rosanne Cash -- Anchored In Love (J.Carter trib.) -- N
Hibbing -- Nathan Rogers -- True Stories -- N
On the Way -- Abra Moore -- On the Way -- N
Too Much Stuff -- Duke Robillard
Stop By Anytime -- Devon Spoule -- Keep Your Silver Shined -- N
I Me Mine -- Beatles
Nod Your Head -- Paul McCartney -- Memory Almost Full -- N
Shadow of Doubt -- Tinsley Ellis -- Moment of Truth -- N
Song From June -- Slaid Cleaves -- Unsung -- N
Mujer Divina -- Spanish Harlem Orch. -- United We Swing -- N
A Gozar -- Arturo Sandoval -- Rumba Palace -- N
Dry Cleaner from Des Moines -- Cadence -- 20 for 1
Come On -- Take 6 -- Feels Good
Heading Home -- Joshua Redman

Notes : Hope Nunnery was the guest on Sunday Street w. Charlie Backfish (9-11:30 am)
"Dry Cleaner" is a Joni Mitchell song. "Don't Let the Whole World Know" was done in concert, with one of the brothers being louder and harder than usual. "Too Much Stuff" is an Eric Bibb song that Robillard does well. "Patterns In the Sky" is one of Jan Krist's best performances. Marie Knight was part of a duo with Rosetta Tharpe some 60 years ago; the pairing gave Tharpe several of her biggest hits. Knight's album is all covers of Gary Davis' gospel material. If the liner notes are to be believed, Knight never met Davis and didn't know his songs, even though they were contemporaries, so she comes to the material with fresh eyes.

Lucinda Williams

2007-07-29T00:19:00.000-04:00

at Brookhaven (NY) Amphitheater. Her usual mix of rock songs with country songs is jarring but interesting. But the contrast was a bit more jarring this night : she did two numbers with bluegrass great Charlie Louvin, then launched into '90s heavy rock/ AOR (with traces of metal) for the next four songs. The new songs in the bunch were, with one exception, harder than even her past forays into hard rock. In a way, that music suits her lyrics better : so many songs were almost clinically cynical and aimed at bursting any bubbles. Lost love, lost faith, lost hope, and most of all, lost joy. Usually (not always) even when it's about sex. She doesn't seem like someone who's actually really lost any of that, but that is her lyric of choice. But then again, there were moments she seemed like she lost track of what she was doing -- all that changing of gears, so much material, maybe some other reasons.

I must say, those are not my kind of song. It shows one kind of reality, but telling reality does not always tell truth, at least when taken in isolated moments almost shorn of context. It tells feelings and thoughts fairly straight, then spins them out so you catch how deep (or shallow) they go. Not bad, but then not good enough, either. It just is, that's all. Maybe that's the most honest way to be. But it does lack something, not as a style but as a way of seeing the world. Lucinda does this way of seeing with consummate skill. But the more you talk/sing like that, the more it starts working on your mind. Both rock and country have ample evidence of that. I hope that doesn't happen to her, but it's a hard path to refuse.

School, violence, and choice

2007-07-27T17:34:00.000-04:00

Some things just defy reason. I get reminded of that every day. But there are few times that it strikes me as this hard to understand.

You see, a couple weeks ago, the high school I graduated from apparently came close to having a Columbine-style massacre. Two boys were arrested for their role in this plot that was still not yet ready-to-go. From what has been said in the press, the main plotter apparently didn't have life going so well. The profile that's developing for those who do these sort of things -- God that's scary, that there's enough of them to make a profile -- says that they're socially abused, physically beaten, isolated from their parents and other students, and show signs of instability. Thus they become angry, drawn to violence, despondent about their future, wanting to grab attention in a definitive and unforgettable way. (The Columbine killers did that, for sure.)

The thing I don't understand is, they were me. What did they get that I didn't have in spades? Tauntings. Beatings. Countless concussions. Set-ups. Pranks on me that were done so often and so unimaginatively I eventually became bored with them, in a "ho-hum, it's Tuesday, when my shoes go into the gym rafters" kind of way. For my years in elementary into special-ed and through 11th grade, hardly a day went by without some sort of humiliation. I acted out, sometimes with temper outbursts, sometimes by running and hiding. I was usually alone, and I couldn't get a girlfriend to save my life -- which it full well might have, in the state I was in. And the school staff didn't do right by me either -- I never once made up anything, but I was treated as if I was a grand story-teller. And home life wasn't a prize either. And it's not like there were no very visible examples of violence in a violent world : the Six-Day War, the race riots, Kennedy, King, the skyjackings, Munich.

So, why was it that I never thought to do harm to people? Even those who beat or humiliated me? Why was I so intensely focused on getting through to them, why did I care so much, that the frustration and hurt of their unlove would cause me to act out? Why couldn't I just tell them all to go roast in hell? Why couldn't I hate, or even not care, even for a moment?

And, most importantly, why can these budding murderers hate when I couldn't? What gives them that bitter edge, that cynicism, that screw-you-all spit-in-your-face -ness that would even let the thought cross their minds?

I don't understand. I want to understand, because maybe that will uncover the clues to this murderous mystery, and maybe that will tell me a lot about myself. But I get this nagging feeling that I'll never know, that it will always be something to wonder about, at times like this.

Gospel Blues WUSB Special, 22 July 2007

2007-07-23T01:36:00.000-04:00

Bob Longman, WUSB 90.1 fm/wusb.fm -- Sunday
7/22/07 -- 12:30-2:30 pm

The Lord Will Make a Way -- Mighty Sam McClain
I Want to Be Ready -- Holmes Bros.
If I Fall -- Doug Wamble
Death Don't Have No Mercy -- Jorma Kaukonen
Soon My Work Will Be All Done -- Gary Davis
Can't Nobody Hide -- Blind Willie Johnson
Nobody's Fault But Mine -- Toby Walker -- Just Rolled In -- N
If You See My Savior -- Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
John the Revelator -- Son House
Keep the Faith -- Johnny Rawls & the Rays
Shaky Ground -- Glenn Kaiser/Darrell Mansfield
Farther Along -- Mike Bloomfield
Hallelu Hallelu -- Rory Block
A Friend Like Lonely Jesus -- Gary Davis
Woke Up This Morning -- Ruthie Foster
Feel Like Going On -- Ruthie Foster, Pat Boyack
Read Way Back -- Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith
Just Keep Goin' On -- Dan Smith
Take Your Burden -- Washington Phillips
Take Your Burden to the Lord -- Joseph Spence
Shadow of Doubt -- Tinsley Ellis -- Moment of Truth -- N
Where Shall I Be -- Mississippi John Hurt
Take My Hand -- Blind Boys AL & Ben Harper
Without the Help of Jesus -- Blind Boys AL
Death Don't Have No Mercy -- Marie Knight -- Let Us Get Together -- N
Witness -- Mighty Sam McClain
Be With Me Jesus -- Sam Cooke & the Soul Stirrers

My Lowest Pages

2007-07-19T21:53:00.000-04:00

Most people will spread the word high and far about how popular their website is, and boast about their page with the highest usage (in my case, http://www.spirithome.com/angels.html , averaging over 360 users per day, and top 5 in Google searches for 'angels'). But where can you find a site that tells you which ones are the least-used pages? Spirithome.com, of course.

These ten average less than one unique visitor per day, and no external links so far. They are listed with their pagerank and their Google rank for their primary keyword, where there is any known rank.

page --- pagerank --- search rank --- internal links
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Isaiah66-17.html --- PR 3 --- supplemental --- 3
endtimes_2.html --- PR 3 --- 240 --- 6
asiapract.htm l --- PR 3 -- no search rank --- 3
prosperity.html -- PR 0 -- no search rank -- 6
universalism.html --- PR 3 --- 145 --- 8
heresies.html --- PR 1 --- no search rank on 4 of 5 terms, 230 on the fifth -- 2
disclaimers.html --- PR 3 --- no search rank --- 6
loving.html --- PR 0 --- no search rank --- 8
letters7.html -- PR 3 --- supplemental on 2 terms -- 3
letters4.html --- PR 3 -- supplemental on 3 terms -- 5

I'm still trying to figure out this puzzle. I realize that most of these are specialized pages, and will never get angels.html-level use. But they should at least rank in searches. (Of course, I'd love to have you link to them....)

Playlist, 08 July 2007

2007-07-17T01:26:00.000-04:00

BOB LONGMAN Sunday 7/8/07 12:30-2:30 pm WUSB 90.1 FM and wusb.fm

track -- performer -- album
_________________________________

Hard Love -- Brooks Williams -- How the Nighttime Sings
Suit Yourself -- Kate Campbell -- Visions Of Plenty
Hard To Say -- Dave Crossland -- Pearl --- (N)
Sometimes the Romance Fades -- John Dodge
Southland Of the Heart -- Maria Muldaur -- Southland of the Heart
Roseville Fair -- Rose Laughlin -- Souvenir --- (N)
If I Fall -- Doug Wamble
I'm Not Thinking Of You -- Carrie Newcomer --- (R)
Sometimes Trouble Is A Gift -- Tim Grimm
Mississippi Swamp Moan --Alfred Lewis
Stay A While -- Greg Glancey
Hope Sleeps -- John Flynn
Love Abides -- Tom Russell
Watch Man -- Hope Nunnery -- Wilderness Lounge --- (N)
(a fabulous track.)
Ring of Fire -- Elvis Costello -- Anchored In Love (June Carter Cash trib.) (N)
Molly Ban -- Alison Krauss -- 100 Miles or More --- (N)
Tu Te Vas -- Los Straightjackets -- Rock En Espanol vol.1 --- (N)
What Would I Do? -- the Dynamics -- First Landing --- (N)
(smooth soul.)
Nod Your Head -- Paul McCartney -- Memory Almost Full --- (N, R)
Wooden Shoes -- Eight Page Story -- Eight Page Story --- (N)
Santa Fe Dream -- Anais Mitchell -- the Brightness --- (N)
When Worlds Collide -- Bainbridge / Donockley -- When Worlds Collide
Y-Note -- Gino Sitson -- Bamisphere --- (N)
Wait For the Sunshine -- Take 6 -- Feels Good --- (N)
Love That Breaks All Lines -- Trey Anastasio
After the Gold Rush -- Prelude
Spread Love -- Take 6

(N) = new to station (R) = request

Notes on local live music events

2007-07-16T00:48:00.000-04:00

I've been at two local live music events this summer, with another one coming next week (the Riverhead Blues Festival). Some quick notes :

(1) You know you're old when the people who are 10 years younger than you look old.

(2) There is a race gap in these events. Not on stage : that's fairly well integrated. But there are usually more African-Americans on stage than in the crowd. Part of that's #3 below. But is that all there is to it?...

(3) These events are really for guitar-based rock audiences. Sure, there's some electric blues and soul, but that's in guitar-rock's roots from the start and have always been present at these festivals. But the heart of it is album rock. Understandable : their sounds 30+ years ago created most of the festivals. Yet it is an aging sound, now mostly for 35-55-year-olds. (At least one group, the Defibrillators, has fun with that.)

(4) Two main products : guitar-rock and beer. Oh - and two others : beer bellies and thick thighs.

(5) These fans do bring their kids, and there's always the kid who's up front below playing their toy guitar like the musician on stage. The 5-year old boy on Friday was especially into it. I expect to see his first album available for download soon.

A review of an Idea of North show

2007-07-04T20:13:00.000-04:00

http://dreamqueen.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

If you ever (if *I* ever) get a chance to see them, take it!!

By the way, my WUSB listeners have given lots of great feedback on their Unfortunate Tale. The last verse is lost on them (it's veddy British), but otherwise so fun.

Odd online dating things

2007-07-03T22:39:00.000-04:00

There are some things about the online dating stuff that just feels strange.

For instance, what happened a week ago. I got a sudden burst of emails at one of the sites I'm part of. That in itself is strange -- I can send out 30 letters before getting a single non-automated reply, and I almost never get someone contacting me first. Just seeing the number of incomings, I got suspicious. But I looked at them all.

Each was of a different woman with a different account. (Well, one was really a girl -- says 18, but had to be at least 2 yrs younger.) Each was from either Eastern Europe or Taiwan. And the self-description paragraphs had a strangely similar sound to them -- they covered the same topics, and used many of the same words. Each had 5 photos -- not 4, not 6, always exactly 5 -- and four of them would be each of the same 4 types. A front facial, a lightly-clad frontal full-body, an almost-direct side view, and a view lying mainly clothed in bed with body front turned toward the camera. The fifth would cover what could be considered their best view, which was different for each one. The two busty women had a cleavage shot with a slight down angle (the same angle in each), another had a 60-degree facial shot for a great look, two others showed the woman's athleticism by running basepaths. Another had a beach shot that bore an eery resemblance to the hot inside come-on photo in Alison Krauss' new album (which only just now got released, so how??). The last two had scenes of each woman enjoying herself in Paris, with drink in hand.

It's obvious that all eight profiles were produced (and probably sent) by the same person or firm. I must admit it was professionally done, with a good eye for details and an awareness of the qualities of each specific 'product'. The strangest part is that they apparently picked up on something in my own profile that told them I was likely to go for what they had. Each profile mentioned a certain set of styles of music -- acappella and singer-songwriter -- that are uncommon in combination, and even mentioned a specific band in neither genre ("Iona UK", which is not how the band identifies itself). I have to think that the marketeer found my profile through a search mechanism for keywords, then actually looked at my profile, and took the time to slightly tailor theirs to mine. I have to admit, if it weren't for their location and sameness, I might have gone for it. Each of the eight were a somewhat different kind of wow, which if there was just one and it was in the New York Metro, I would have eagerly sent an email. But 8? On the other side of the world? In an obviously 'managed' fashion? No. But the profiles' polish (~ Polish?) makes me think that this could be a trend. A consultant who uses existing dating services as a place to market marriageables by putting their best foot forward. Could be a 'next big thing' in online dating.

More assorted notes

2007-05-17T23:12:00.000-04:00

(1) Still sore over missing TARCon :(. Sounds like the TARFlies had a blast. Well, there's still Amazing Race 12 this fall unless CBS does something weird. I did pick the winner right in a March blog here : Eric and Danielle. Just about everyone else in the late going (poss. excepting Charla) showed some sign of serious fatigue. Even Dustin & Kandice (their little fight, and their struggle with the last task). Oswald and Danny were hit the worst, with all the classic signs : arguing, disorientation, bleary eyes, and bungling tedious tasks. Heck, even Phil looked a bit weary.

(2) I'm still getting good feedback on the singing groups special, especially the Alvin Chea interview. Take 6 fans a re coming out of the woodwork. See below, April for a played-list. Acappella fans should know that while the Fall WUSB 'thon will probably generate a different show (on ethereal music), I'm still hoping for an acappella jam show on one of my regular shows in September/October. But I'm going to need a lot of groups to show up. So if you're in a Metro NY, Jersey, or Connecticut bandless band, leave me word here as to availability and contact. And keep checking here for further developments -- they will be posted.

(3) Revamped many of the word definitions on the Spirithome.com site. That includes clearer sections on homiletics and "deliverance ministries". If you're a student of religion or of Christianity, or you're a news reporter or talk show producer searching for information on a topic on Christianity, Spirithome.com is what you're looking for. There's no end to what you can find there.

(end of shameless plug for my own site....)

(4) I still can't get over those who keep calling the expression of religious belief in the public and political realms "dangerous". The Constitution specifically protects religious practice. Christian religious practice is based on loving one's neighbor, and being of help even to those who don't hold our beliefs. This is often unavoidably public, and sometimes unavoidably political. If I can't fully follow through on that, then I am not free to practice my faith. The Founders of the US understood that. Yet some writers, mostly but not exclusively on the Left, just don't get it, mainly because some religious person says something they oppose, and they (sometimes rightly) fear that the advocates are tyrants in disguise. But that's irrelevant; you fight them by opposing their viewpoint on the subject matter, not by telling them to shut up like O'Reilly does. You're free to oppose. Just don't even try to cut off the social space for the public parts of religious practice. You'll have me in your face. For your own good. For our freedom to speak is also yours, and if we don't have it, you also won't have it before long.

That said, some Christians should learn when to speak and when to listen. Listening, too, is part of loving one's neighbor.

Played-List, Singing Groups special

2007-04-16T15:20:00.000-04:00

This is what I have in my notes; I fully expect to revise it as I go over it. But this is how it went :

When I Needed Him Most -- Blind Boys of Alabama
Heaven's Joy Awaits -- Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
A Voice From On High -- Bill Monroe & his Bluegrass Boys
Helplessly Hoping -- Crosby Stills Nash
Down to the River to Pray -- Alison Krauss (fr. 'O Brother')
All Is Well -- Ollabelle
An tAiseirl (the Resurrection) -- Noirin Ni Riain
Blue Shadows On the Trail -- Roy Rogers / Sons of the Pioneers
(unspecified)
Oklahoma Wind -- Tonic Sol-Fa
Very Last Day -- Peter Paul & Mary
Tone-Whole -- Just 4 Kicks
Poppity-Pop -- Just 4 Kicks
Vinterlude -- Take 6
If I Fell -- the Essentials
Why I Feel This Way -- Take 6 / Stevie Wonder
I Believe -- Take 6
++ [start of interview with Alvin Chea, bass singer of Take 6]
Harmony -- Take 6 / Queen Latifah
You Can Make It - Go On -- Take 6
++ [end of Chea interview]
Gypsy Woman -- the Persuasions
Inside Of You -- Ray Goodman & Brown
(You Gave Me) Peace Of Mind -- Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge
Everything's Coming Up Roses -- Realtime
Pretty Baby -- Sean Altman
Zombie Jamboree -- Rockapella
++ [ start of interview with Sean Altman, founding member of Rockapella ]
Under the Boardwalk -- Rockapella w. True Image (fr. Spike & Co. Do It Acappella)
Secret Santa -- the GrooveBarbers
U'vnay Yerusalayim -- Kol Zimra
Change In My Life -- Rockapella
++ [ end of Altman interview ]
South American Getaway -- soundtrack of Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid
[several other songs)
How Many Psychiatrists -- P.D.Q Bach
2 -- m-pact
++ [ start of interview with Trist Ethan Curless of m-pact ]
I Thought You Cared For Me -- m-pact
My Favorite Things -- m-pact
What Are You Doing the Rest Of Your Life -- m-pact
++ [ end of Curless interview ]
(something or other)
Tal Vez Seja Voce -- Groove Society
Rockin' Chair -- the Mills Brothers
We Three (My Echo, My Shadow, and Me) -- the Ink Spots
Uncloudy Day -- Staple Singers
Morse Code of Love -- the Capris
All Mine (acappella mix) -- the Five Satins
In the Still Of the Night -- the Five Satins
Vowels of Love -- the Poets
Silence Is Golden -- the Four Seasons
Whispering Bells -- the Dell Vikings
You've Really Got A Hold On Me -- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Papa Was A Rolling Stone -- the Temptations
Lovers Never Say Goodbye -- the Flamingos
Splanky -- Toxic Audio
Amazing Grace / Nearer My God -- Ladysmith Black Mambazo w. Emmylou Harris

------------------------------------

The interviews, esp. Chea, were so good I had to let them run on. I didn't get to soooo much stuff, including segments on the Mint Juleps, the Ravens, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, as well as songs from the Beach Boys, Prelude, Dixie Hummingbirds, Comedian Harmonists, and some 1990s improv from Extempo. Both time and weather shot down the idea of a jam (maybe during the fall?)

Any questions? Make a comment.

Chea, Altman on singing group radio special

2007-04-13T19:18:00.000-04:00

It's pretty much official now for the April 15 singing groups special on WUSB 90.1FM on Lon Guyland, or wusb.fm on webcast. The following phone interviews are on :
( all times in Eastern Daylight (New York) Time )

Alvin Chea of Take 6, 1:30 pm

Sean Altman, founding member of Rockapella, 2:30 pm

Trist Curless of m-pact, 3:30 pm.

Attempts at setting up live have taken a back seat because of the bad weather forecasted for Long Island.

In any event, there will be no lack of great music. I have my digi copy of "All Mine" (Five Satins), my greatest prize. I will find myself a better copy of "South American Getaway" (Butch Cassidy soundtrack). And the Black Mambazo segment is all set up. Fun, fun, FUN. Be there or be octagonal.

Singing Groups, II -- In Harmony

2007-04-09T21:54:00.000-04:00

Yes, we've got another radio special coming up April 15 at 12:30-5 pm, on wusb.fm. Music to do taxes by.

I can say with complete assurance that there will be great recorded group music, from a wide range of styles.. Switching leads, unison, fugues, gospel, world, but most importantly harmonies. A whole lot of WOW.

I'm also piecing together a live music segment, for acappella bands from Metro NY/coastal western CT. If that's your band's home base and you want to be involved, leave me word in the comments here.

If you're a fan of the music, the wusb.fm site has a link to the live webcast. So if you're an acappella fan in California, Seattle, Jo'burg, or Dalmatia, you've got no excuses. You can listen in.

Oh -- if you like what you hear, donate to the station; there's a form at the website, or call 631-632-6901.

Three Days experiences

2007-04-06T21:45:00.000-04:00

The Three Days (or, to Catholics, the Triduum -- uh, hello, Latin's dead?) always gets to me. Not that the design of the services helps a whole lot. Good intentions, I'm sure, but it's more important to get the feeling of gloom and darkness on Good Friday than to read a bulletin. Have just enough light to get to a seat, perhaps with an usher's help. It's something to experience, so you can explain it afterward, if you wish, but pre-explanations dull the impact. I realize most traditions read the whole ending up to Jesus' death on Maundy Thursday, but shouldn't the service focus on Thursday's events, the last supper and the betrayal? The Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and Easter services have their own special emphases, even when seen as continuations of each other. Use the stream of continuity to take people through the days -- a mental pilgrimage traveling through the Gospel story. You can't get that experience by overtly tipping the hand (that's where symbolism and allusion can help).

Only once has an Easter Vigil given me the sense of anticipation or waiting for God to act. That once was where it happened in the early morning before sunrise. (Sparsely-attended, of course; just three church women, 6 theology students, an Episcopal vicar, a Vineyard minister, and me.) It led right into the praise music hour that led up to the somewhat-high Episcopal Easter sunrise service at 7 am. It made me think of the Marys who went to the tomb, the loss they were feeling, the surprise they had when they got there, the joy at the incredible news. In a way, I entered into what they went through, by way of the flow of the worship services. Unfortunately, it also left me totally spoiled.

The congregation I'm a member of has a fairly good time of it on Easter. The place is full of balloons and butterfly cut-outs and vigorously-loud organ music. My worst Easter experience was about 12 or so years ago, when I was visiting a church in New Jersey I had heard good things about some 8 years earlier. (I was on my way back to Long Island from Maryland, and chose a church to go to along the way.) Unfortunately, 8 years can be a long time when there's a lot of change going on. The newly-hired pastor was doing his first Easter service there (he'd served nearby for 5 years, arrived a month or so ago). Have you ever been to a service where noone gets it? The music was noise with no flow, no harmonies, and a relentless tone of "look at me, I'm saying God loves me". The lectors talked almost like robots from the old sci-fi movies. The assistant looked and acted like she had snorted a whole bag of coke, with the ghastliest painted-on grin -- I giggle thinking about it. The pastor had obviously used the sermon before, I suspect so he could feel more comfortable in his new surroundings. He should've burned it. He spoke as much of TV shows as Jesus. And he was having great trouble reading his sermon -- meanings can change greatly by mistaking one letter. Two of the mistakes were rather racy - freudian slips, perhaps? The acolyte stumbled twice -- once over the robe, once from playing around with the crucifix. There was even a sharp but indirect reference to the firing of the previous minister. (Even the sharpest of visitors should never be able to detect that during a worship service). Of course, I was totally ignored on the way in and out, since I am a stranger.

Yes, Holy Week has its lessons.

Latest on the Site, and other tidbits

2007-03-14T13:03:00.000-04:00

Spirithome.com has been tidying up lately -- a lot of pain-in-the-butt little tweaks that add up to a lot. For instance, further refinement in the subject index means you can either scroll through the index to see what interests you, or look for a particular topic alphabetically and see what's there. It can be really fun to use! If it needs further refinements, please pass the idea along to me (in comments to this blog entry).

I hear that in an upcoming leg, the Amazing Race folks couldn't do what they had arranged to do, so they had to make a new stop 'on the fly'. Also, that on an upcoming leg, someone(s) got really far behind the leader - a half-day or more, which is a logistical nightmare. I wonder how they'll edit around those troubles.

Still pondering the apparent clash between the freedom to claim one's own spiritual identity and being spiritually honest with the rest of us. During this 'Jesus tomb' stuff, I read someone well up in the Methodist ranks saying that he doesn't believe in Christ's actual resurrection. Yet this person still acts in the name of an organization whose core belief is rooted firmly in precisely that resurrection, as a living reality not just a symbol. If what he said really is his settled conviction (and not just an expression of doubt or wondering), I think he ought to leave the Methodist church and admit what he really is, a Unitarian Universalist, Religious Scientist, or some other such group. Because the stated belief puts the lie to his stated identity. I can deal with people more honestly when they are being what they really are. I can respect that even when I disagree with them. But there's no respecting a lie.

Later, 'gator. (Oops... shouldn't say that during the NCAAs....)

David Wilcox, and the headache

2007-03-09T23:55:00.000-05:00

Went to see David Wilcox tonight at the Boulton Center in Bay Shore NY. Great show, funny as ever, and his songs still strike that special spot. A bit too much time tuning the guitar, but that was fine, for the kind of show he did. It gave him a chance to do what he does second-best -- tell a story. (That's second only to singing that story.) It was a bit disappointing to see the place a little over half-full, he deserves better than that. But then again, he strikes me as someone who really would love doing it for just a handful.

I hope Wilcox didn't think I was bored. I wasn't -- I was just down. I had a sour stomach and an even sourer disposition. Eating the cost of a ticket has a very bad taste. What hurts much more is why : getting stood up. After all these years and all those turndowns, it still hurts like hell. And while Wilcox's show gave me some smiles, it also reminded me of what I miss. You see, he sings of hope and love, especially about love that grows when all you can expect of it is to die. I can't get it to even begin. I want to be the wonder in a woman's life, the one who gets her heart to blossom. There have even been specific women whom I most wanted to light up. But the story of my life is being not just dumped, but being dumped on my head. Hence, a persistent headache.

I'll gladly take the headaches that come with love.