Those Who Left Us in 2021-- Part 6: Elder, Dole, Unser and Nesmith

NOVEMBER

**  LEE ELDER, 87

He broke down racial barriers as the first black golfer to play in the Masters and paved the way for Tiger Woods and others to follow.  Died November 28.

DECEMBER

**  BOB DOLE

He overcame disabling World War II wounds to become a Republican Senate leader and a presidential candidate.  I voted for him.  He became a symbol of the dwindling Greatest Generation.  I really liked where he would personally go and meet WW II veterans on the Honor Flights.  Died December 5.

**  AL UNSER, 82

One of only four drivers to win the Indianapolis 6500 a record four times.  Died December 9.  His brother Bobby Unser was a three-time Indy 500 winner and died May 2.

**  MICHAEL NESMITH, 78

Singer, song-writer and best of all for me, a member of one of my favorite groups (and TV shows) The Monkees."  Died  December 10.

Welcome Summer 2020, One Long and Strange Trip We'll Have, It Won't Be Normal to Say the Least. Flashback to 1968 on WXRT Today

Summer officially arrived here last Saturday, and, believe me, has been long anticipated.  Between this virus thing and the Blacks wanting to tear down every Confederate statue and memorial, these have been some rough times with me.  And, I'm not sure which is worse in those departments.

Last night, Liz and I met Kevin and Kelly at Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg, Illinois, and WENT INSIDE!!!  This is the first time we've been inside for cocktails since March 16, when we were inside Sunnyside the last day it was open before virus closure.

We then started going to Sunnyside when they reopened for outside service on May 29.  And, we've been going back most every weekend when they're open from Friday to Sunday.   Good to see old friends whom we hadn't seen since March.

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This past Sunday, Bob Stroud had a heaping helping of Summer Songs on his Rock and Roll Roots show on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive.  I felt obliged to listen to it, because it ain't summer till that Bob plays that music.

Gets you into the  mood, you know.  I'll be listing those sand and water and concert songs in the next post.

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But, in the meantime, reminding everyone that in an hour, Chicago's WXRT, 93.1 FM, will be going back to 1968 on their Saturday Morning Flashback show from 9 am to noon, CDST.  It streams at www.wxrt.com.

So, if 1968 songs are your bag, this is where you want to be.  This was a high school year for me, junior-senior year.  Some great songs on the Senior Lounge jukebox at Palatine High School in Palatine, Illinois.  (Class of '69 and NOW, I am 69.)

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WXRT is now playing a great Grateful Dead, well, Jerry Garcia, song  "The Wheel."  I don't know how a group that had such great studio albums could be so bad in concert.  The worst concert I ever went to was a Grateful Dead concert back in the 80s with a buddy who is a Deadhead.  But, then again, I really hate jamming, especially excessive jamming.  (I'm more of a Parrothead.)

But their studio albums were works of art.

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Loving That Music--  RoadSong

THAT CRA-ZEE COUNTRY MUSIC:  "She Got the Ring, I Got the Finger."

These Movies Moved Me

Well, maybe I didn't see four of the movies nominated for Best Picture, but, in my opinion, I have seen two movies that SHOULD have been nominated but weren't.

They were "Just Mercy" and "The Last Full Measure."

"Just Mercy" was about a man's unjust conviction for a horrible murder in Alabama.  "The  Last Full measure" was about the effort to secure  the Medal of Honor for a Vietnam Air Force pararescueman.

These movies really moved me.  I see many movies and am almost always entertained, but it is the rare one that moves me.

--RoadDog

TAX FACTS:  Taxes eat up 38.2% of the average family's income; that's more than for food, clothing and shelter combined.

JSIS: Thank Goodness, No Marchado-- Cubs TV?-- Zion's Blowout-- Smollet's Bust

JSIS--  Just Some Interesting Stuff.

1.  THANK GOODNESS, NO MARCHADO--  I was so happy to see that he signed with the Padres.  That's all we need, another overpaid, underperforming player in Chicago and especially on my White Sox.

2.  CUBS TV--  The rich get richer.  No way I'll pay for or buy this travesty.

3.  ZION'S BLOWOUT--  Hope he's ok,   but I don't much like one-and-done college players or their teams.  I used to be a huge Duke fan, but now I pull against them.  Shame on Coach K for doing the Kentucky thing.  Sure loved Virginia Tech's win over Duke this week.

4.  SMOLLET'S BUST--  Trying to play those Black and Gay cards.  I'm getting more than a bit perturbed by these.

--RoadDog

I'd Celebrate That!!! Feb. 4 to Feb. 7: Thank A Mailman Day Today

**   I'd celebrate that.

FEBRUARY 4--
National Thank A Mailman Day**   Especially this last week.
Rosa Parks Day**  It took real courage to do what she did.  White folks in the South back then weren't particularly understanding.
National Homemade Soup Day**  Nothing like it on a cold day.  Shoot, I'll even take it out of a can. National Stuffed Mushroom Day**  Just let me see them on a buffet line!!!

FEBRUARY 5--
Chinese New Year**  They've sure been around a long time.
National Weather Persons' Day**  Used to be Weatherman's Day.  I hear what they say and then look outside, though.
Western Monarch Day*8  One really beautiful butterfly.  Always makes my day to see one.  And Mom always said that Dad came back a a butterfly.

FEBRUARY 6--
National Frozen Yogurt Day**   Mmmm, yogurt, or is it ice cream?
Lame Duck Day    For those politicians running out the rest if their term after either losing an election ir retiring.
Pay a Compliment Day**  Everyone can use a compliment every now and then.

FEBRUARY 7--

Rose Day**  Love roses.  Hate the thorns.
National Girls and Women In Sports Day**  They deserve credit.

Soup!!   --RoadDog

IN 50 YEARS OF LIVING YOU LEARN:  Your friends love you anyway.

WLS Top 40 for January 13, 1969-- Part 2: "For Once In My Life"

Seventeen of the Top 40 were music from black acts, including 7 Motown.  A big week for black music.

35.  BABY, BABY DON'T CRY--  Smokey Robinson / Miracles     #8   Oh, that voice.  Take us into it, Smokey.

34.  I'M LIVING IN SHAME--  Diana Ross / Supremes    (D)     #10   Another social issue song.

33.  FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE--  Stevie Wonder    #2     Three great Motown songs in a row at this point.

32.  THERE'S GONNA BE A SHOWDOWN--  Archie Bell & the Drells     #21     This song gets played  a lot in Beach Music.   They're from Houston like he said in "Tighten Up."

31.  YOU SHOWED ME--  Turtles      #6   The vocals this group could do!!    Group formed at Winchester High School in Los Angeles in 1961.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Mama Was Cooking Bread.  She Wore A Dirty Raggedy Scarf Around Her Head."

IN FIFTY YEARS OF LIVING:   People who tell you they have an excellent sense of humor are telling you that they have no sense of humor.

"I'm Living In Shame."

We Have Our Blue Light On: Blue Lives Matter Too

Our driveway light has been blue since last September.  We do it in honor of our brave men and women in blue.  The police.  The ones that protect us from the undesirables who would do us harm given the chance.  Ladies and gentlemen, it is a very thin blue line.

We keep it on now to honor the five white police officers murdered in Dallas (as well as the several wounded) while protecting a Black Lives Matter parade directed against them.  They were murdered by a black man who was out to kill white policemen because of the incidents that occurred this past week where two black men were killed by white police.  I can understand why blacks are so upset about this, especially in the killing of the man in Minnesota. But the one in Louisiana was resisting arrest.

But police must learn to show more restraint whenever possible.  Do not shoot unless absolutely necessary.

Since then, police have been attacked, often by blacks, in other places.  It seems that some blacks have declared war on the police who are the internal protection of the United States.  And, even in their shame, blacks (and  some whites) still are marching for Black Lives Matter.

To my way of thinking, Blue Lives Matter.  Without them we would be at the mercy of the certain undesirable blacks.

A Truly Sad State of Affairs.  Shame On Black Lives Matter for Bringing This On..  --RoadDog