Sanity Sunday- Three by Don McLean

by Nomad

Whenever we think of singer and songwriter Don McLean, we remember his classic "American Pie" and the immortal "Vincent."

However, on that same 1971 album (American Pie), there were so many other great songs. I have chosen a selection of three.

Film Friday - Hate for Sale

  by Nomad

The short animation, Hate for Sale, by Anna Eijsbouts, is based on a poem by Neil Gaiman. Anna says "I like to make things move, so I became an animator."

Think You Know Geography? Take this Challenging Trivia Quiz and Find Out

by Nomad

We are living in historical times, no doubt about that. Most of the news is bleak nowadays. So, to take your mind off of current events for a brief moment, I will be providing my friends with a few diversions.

Here's another trivia quiz, this time on geography. Fifteen questions in all. Some are easy and some are more challenging. Let me know how you do on this.

After Last Week's Blunders, Is Donald Trump Now Officially a President in Free Fall?

by Nomad

In the heart of Texas, there's a feeling that President Trump's administration is going nowhere but down. And last week proved it.

Even before yesterday's stunning announcement that Scaramucci, a man hired only 10 days before, had been shown the exit door, Trump seemed to be unable to maintain control. Shakeups amongst his staff had quickly become a non-stop event even as Sarah Huckabee smirked and shrugged her way through press conferences with assurances that things were 120% normal.  

Like Richard Nixon in the middle of the Watergate scandal, Trump is spending more and more time and energy unsuccessfully defending himself from an avalanche of bad news. Most of it locally produced.
But every day is proving to be a little more degrading and vulgar than the day before. Last week, Trump craziness went into overdrive. 

Sanity Sunday- Four by Shirley Ellis

by Nomad

This Sanity Sunday throws the spotlight on the songs of Shirley Ellis.

Even though it is not reflected in her music, Ellis was of West Indian origin with her father was a native of Montserrat and her mother was born in the Bahamas.
She recorded only three albums in her career (with two later compilation albums).

• 1964: In Action
• 1965: The Name Game
• 1967: Sugar, Let's Shing a Ling

In 1968, for unknown reasons, Ellis retired from the music industry. Before she passed at the age of 76 in 2005, her music had experienced something of a revival, (or perhaps better put, an appreciation) with lots and lots of cover versions made by diverse artists.

Let's get to the music.

Prepare yourself for one wild dance number with the song "The Nitty Gritty."  Along with "The Clapping Song" and of course, "The Name Game," this 1963 song was one of her many novelty hits.