(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Odds & Ends: News/Humor (with a "Who Lost the Week?" poll) [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-04-23 I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers". OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted. CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Laramie, Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead. ART NOTES — an exhibition entitled Bruce Onobrakpeya: The Mask and the Cross — his first solo US exhibition, focusing on religious imagery as well as Nigerian folklore (themes which came to define postcolonial art and culture there) will be at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia to July 30th. Peter at the Gate Called Beautiful YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this (rather lengthy) essay by the Black columnist for The Guardian, Gary Younge — whose twelve-year run as a US-based correspondent comes to an end (with a return to the UK), by taking a look at how race is ever-present: “While it never works alone (but in concert with class, gender and a host of other rogue characters) ... it can operate independently”. TRANSPORTATION NOTES — for commuters in the greater Washington, D.C. region — there are potential agreements to bring Maryland’s commuter rail service (MARC) to Newark, Delaware as well as Alexandria, Virginia. THURSDAY's CHILDREN are named Shadow the Cat and Sassy the Dog — a Michigan bonded pair left outside a shelter … but now adopted and doing well. Shadow and Sassy YOUR WEEKEND READ #2 is this short essay by the co-founder of The American Prospect … and how twice (early in his career) professor Robert Kuttner was given access to highly classified documents, giving him a perspective on the current intelligence leak situation we find ourselves in. YOUR WEEKEND READ #3 is this essay by Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect, wondering why major shareholders aren’t revolting against Fox? Where are those "activist investors" who swoop down on companies that don’t shower shareholders with sufficient payments? Where’s Carl Icahn? Where’s Bill Ackman? Where are the guys who rage at companies for paying their employees adequately rather than shoveling that money to their big-time investors? FRIDAY's CHILD is named Max the Adventure Cat — who accompanies a thirty-something woman and her seventy year-old father on hiking/camping trips in Utah. Max the Adventure Cat BRAIN TEASER — try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz. FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T SEEN THIS — I was watching Nicole Wallace’s show when the Fox-Dominion settlement was announced. Over at CNN, host Jake Tapper was reading the Fox statement on his teleprompter … and he was …. ummm … well, having a difficult time buying it: x Tapper while reading a statement from Fox: The settlement reflects— I’m sorry, this is going to be difficult to say with a straight face.. this settlement reflects Fox’s continued commitment to the highest journalistic standards pic.twitter.com/vjUqf08RlI — Acyn (@Acyn) April 18, 2023 THE OTHER NIGHT yours truly hosted the Top Comments diary with an Open Thread … and perhaps an ode to the Twitter Blue Check era ending. FATHER-SON? — actor Steve Carell and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Steve Carell (born 1962) Aaron Rodgers (born 1983) ...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… in the Top Comments diary for this past Monday: we were asked to submit songs with body parts in it. One choice had more-than-one entry … and there is an interesting back-story behind two similar songs: Dry Bones (a folk song based upon several Old Testament passages) and Dem Bones (intended as a spiritual based upon one Old Testament passage). Add to it that the two song names are used interchangeably ... nor to be confused with Them Bones by Alice in Chains … well, let’s unpack. Dry Bones (as a folk song) was included on the landmark 1952 album Anthology of American Folk Music (compiled by Harry Smith for the Folkways record label), sung by Bascom Lamar Lunsford. It incorporates passages from Old Testament books Genesis, Exodus and Ezekiel 37:1-10, plus the New Testament book Acts (of the Apostles). A small segment of lyrics: Dry bones in that valley got up and took a little walk. The deaf could hear, and the dumb could talk. I saw the light come shining. I saw the light come down. Dem Bones (as a spiritual) has much more of a provenance, written by James Weldon Johnson in 1905. He was an educator, attorney and composer, even more notably for having written the “Black National Anthem” Lift Every Voice and Sing some five years earlier. Tragically, he died (while on a 1938 summer vacation) in a car accident in … Wiscasset, Maine. James Weldon Johnson (1871 — 1938) This song adaptation comes largely from Ezekiel 37:1-14 …… where Ezekiel visits the Valley of Dry Bones and prophesies the resurrection of the New Jerusalem. This song (and again, the two titles are often interchanged) has been recorded by many: Fats Waller, Rosemary Clooney, The Four Lads and in 1947 by Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians (with the Waring blender named after him). The song was used in the classic 1967 sci-fi show The Prisoner (starring Patrick McGoohan) and also in the 1988 film Rain Man (starring Dustin Hoffman). The most famous classic spiritual rendition came from the Delta Rhythm Boys in 1950 — who appeared in more motion pictures (15) than any group in history — and lasted from 1934-1987. Their rendition is listed below. Toe bone connected to the foot bone Foot bone connected to the heel bone Heel bone connected to the ankle bone Ankle bone connected to the leg bone Leg bone connected to the knee bone Knee bone connected to the thigh bone Thigh bone connected to the hip bone Hip bone connected to the back bone Back bone connected to the shoulder bone Shoulder bone connected to the neck bone Neck bone connected to the head bone Hear the word of the Lord. Yet as a child in 1964 … I first heard a rendition (of sorts) sung by Herman Munster, whose home recording … becomes a “hit record!” — to the chagrin of the animal residents of 1313 Mockingbird Lane. Note the song is labelled “Dem Bones” but he sings it as “Dry Bones”. Just no telling. 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