Today I learned Blossom Dearie was Blossom Dearie’s real name. I always assumed it was a stage name. Her birth name is: Margrethe Blossom Dearie but she dropped her first name and went by her middle name. Suited her perfectly!
Because of her vocal style I assumed she got the nickname, “Dearie” and it stuck. But it was her actual surname.
For the past seven weeks, our neighborhood has become the only area in Gaza governed by a Palestinian administration not affiliated with Hamas since 2007. Our armed patrols have successfully kept Hamas and other militant groups out. As a result, life here no longer feels like life in Gaza. In eastern Rafah, people have access to shelter, food, water, and basic medical supplies—all without fear of Hamas stealing aid or being caught in the crossfire with the Israeli military.
Thanks.
Actually, Sarah Hoyt’s on a tremendous roll today (over at Instapundit)…
I have been listening to WUCF (a great jazz station from the University of Central Florida), and they’ve been having an impromptu fund raising drive due to their loss of funding from Congress’ cuts to NPR.
It’s interesting.
First, I haven’t heard a single DJ whine, or get political. The message has been straightforward; “we’re now short $X, help us make it up.” When the DJ’s make the plea they don’t even sound upset, or despondent. It’s been positive and uplifting.*
Second, there have been at least two, private donors who have stepped up with significant matches, and some of the individual donations DJs have matched are healthy numbers, 4, 5 digit donations. I’d be curious to know how many are people upset about Congress’ actions vs. how many are people pleased with Congress’ actions. My guess is it’s some of both. If that’s true, it’s smart of WUCF to not take a political stance. The mission is to keep the station going and get the support needed. In July of 2025 that means independent funding, so focus on the mission and get it done. They have had a successful campaign and it ends today.
Third, this is a very different attitude than my local city’s public radio station’s approach. They too are having an impromptu fund drive and the message is very dark, bleak and political. The features they are promoting to entice donors are overtly political; lots of Roe v. Wade references. It will be interesting to see if their fund drive is as successful as WUCFs.
*Here’s the message on their website. I find it refreshingly apolitical.
Thanks to your incredible generosity, WUCF has raised more than $200,000 and fully unlocked two matching gifts. That’s an extraordinary show of support—and we are so grateful! Together, we’ve taken bold steps to help keep WUCF strong. But with the loss of $2M in federal funding and $370,000 in state funding, our work isn’t over.Now, we’re setting our sights on the next goal: raising $170,000 more to help close that state funding gap.
I got Eddie Van Halen, John Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix, but Jimi Hendrix was an easy guess. I also got Ozzy Osborn, but only because I had just seen that photo yesterday or the day before. I came close to Keith Richards with “Some ugly English rocker in his eighties.”
My local npr jazz station is claiming a $650k hole in the budget which they believe is “in perpetuity”.
I am computer shopping on Amazon. Amazon says “ Need help deciding? Ask Rufus”.
Chris Plante’s radio show was soliciting suggestions for a title for Joe Biden’s upcoming memoir. I came up with a few: Grift; The Art of the Steal; The Maroonian Candidate; Never Underestimate My Ability; and Ramblin’ Shamblin’ Man.
“Silicon Valley AI Startups Are Embracing China’s Controversial ‘996’ Work Schedule”
These companies are embracing an intense schedule, first popularized in mainland China, known as “996,” or 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week. In other words, it’s a 72-hour work week.
These companies are embracing an intense schedule, first popularized in mainland China, known as “996,” or 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week. –Wired
Selfy:
First popularized in China?
Whoever wrote that never bothered to read the accounts of working at Microsoft, Apple, Data General or General Magic. To name but a few. From the 70s on.
I recall a turning point in my professional life in hi-tech.
“I’m too old to be sleeping under my desk anymore.”
It’s Sunday. Why aren’t you at work?
–Bill Gates to a Microsoft manager or employee, reported in multiple sources
Almost certainly they mean the label “9-9-6” was first popularized in China, Chinese come up with a lot of those. For example, those who are aware of the massacre in Tiananmen Square refer to it as “6-4”, if they ever refer to it at all.
But it’s not unknown here either, for example 24-7.
If one reads the article it is not about the 996 label, but the expectation and practice, which is hardly something China invented.
RE: All those estimated 440,000 missing, unaccompanied children
The Left always trots out as the justification for things they want to do or propose that it’s “for the children,” and, yet, you don’t see any great concern, no headlines, lefties wringing their hands, or screaming for action with regard to the estimated 440,000 unaccompanied children the Biden Administration let come across our borders and, then, in essence, let disappear.
According to reports, in tens of thousands of cases these children were simply handed off to people who were not even relatives but, others–hundreds of thousands of these children–were not even kept sight of, tracked, and they have simply disappeared into our country.
You would think this dire situation for these children would be cause for great concern and alarm on the part of the Left, yet, as far as I can see, it’s basically been “crickets.”
In a recent Hearing on this subject a witness for the IG, who was supposed to oversee Secretary Myorkis actions in this area, testified that no actions had been taken by the IG with regard to this matter. They just sat there, watched this situation unfold, and did nothing.*
A cavalcade of Brits with bad hair, leavened with some Americans with bad hair. David Bowie looked presentable. I didn’t have a clue who any of those juveniles were. I’ve never heard of about 1/3 of these people and only collected records of two of them.
“Silicon Valley AI Startups Are Embracing China’s Controversial ‘996’ Work Schedule”
==
Here’s a hypothesis: almost all magazine trend stories are an acre of embroidery on a pinhead of fact.
Re: 996
I only worked one job during my IT career that was like that and that lasted less than a year. I can also tell you that the reason we worked like that was because the manager running the project had no idea of what he was doing. Prior to that (and since) I’d always worked in large corporate IT departments where long hours were an occasional thing and largely due to something like a large system implementation.
I can understand startups keeping that schedule since they’re most likely understaffed and barely funded, but in a more established company it means you are dealing with a management organization that is full of nepo-babies, DEI hires and a C-Suite that is in full on cult of personality mode.
I got none!!!
Got 7:
Jimmy Page
Eric Clapton
Keith Richard
Eddy Van Halen
Ozzy Ozborn
Jimmy Hendrix
Mick jagger
One – Jimmy Page, that’s it, and even that is only because I watched “Becoming Led Zeppelin” on a flight from Seattle last week. They used that picture.
Europe is going in the opposite direction, a 4 day workweek, and I think it’s likely to catch on here.
…the springing up of a series of demonstrations that are currently threatening to transmogrify into a gilets jaunes style mass movement.
…
The tactic of slandering these protests as the work of the ‘far right’ has been deployed by the usual suspects (the Socialist Worker has even described them as ‘pogroms’) but the label isn’t sticking: the truth of the matter is that the population are increasingly simply sick of being governed in the indefensible way we are. We all know that this is the source of the frustration, and feel it keenly. The forced imposition of large numbers of deracinated and often sexually aggressive young men from foreign climes on relatively small and settled communities is simply the most visible aspect of the basically contemptuous and high-handed operating modality of our, decaying and flatulent, ruling regime.
Only got 2:
– Jimi Hendrix
– Ian Anderson (only ’cause I’m a Tull fan and have seen the picture before)
Geezer mode /on:
“What happened to all those nice-looking young kids?”
“What happened to all those nice-looking young kids?”
My reaction was just the opposite. I kept thinking about how each of those boys had a certain gleam in their eyes, and they must have been such little shits….perfect to grow up to be rock stars.
County Clerk Lays Out Objections to Ranked Choice Voting
From McHenry County [IL] Clerk Joe Tirio: … [N]o voter has ever approached me requesting the ability to vote for their second or third favorite candidate.
… Implementing ranked choice voting would require a massive voter education effort.
… Election authorities would need new equipment, software, and extensive staff training.
Jimi Hendrix
John Lennon
Keith Richards
Mick Jagger
Blackwing1
“Geezer mode?”
I didn’t see Sabbath’s Terence Butler featured in the photo montage.
The real question, did neo get Mark Knopfler?
I did, of my three. Hendrix and Jagger the others.
Alice Cooper (#18) returned to Christianity in the 80s.
___________________________________
I learned that Cooper teaches Sunday School on occasion at his local church, and that he frequently attends worship services and Bible study gatherings while he is on the road.
Both Cooper and his wife were raised in Christian families. In one interview, Cooper said, “I grew up in a Christian house. My dad was a pastor, he was an evangelist for 25 years, and I used to go up and do missionary work with him with the Apaches in Arizona. My grandfather was a pastor for 75 years. I grew up in a Christian home. And my wife’s father is a Baptist pastor. So, I was like, we were PK’s – preacher’s kids – so we married each other.”
After some prodigal years early in his career, Cooper said he stopped drinking and started going back to church with his wife. “I finally realized, I had to go one side or the other,” said Cooper. “The Lord really convicted me, saying, look, it’s time to make a decision here.”
@ Rufus > ” they’ve been having an impromptu fund raising drive due to their loss of funding from Congress’ cuts to NPR.”
I am happy to see the people who want to support NPR are doing so, with their money, not mine. The entire CPB system should have had a done-by date from the beginning, where the governnmet subsidies were removed, gradually perhaps, but inevitably.
I don’t listen to the radio at all since Click & Clack retired.
My sister, however, who is among the brain-washed Democrats and watches PBS all day long, sent in $500 because “Trump cut their funding.”
And that’s fine.
I don’t listen to the radio at all since Click & Clack retired.
AesopFan:
BTW C&C were both graduates of MIT!
RIP Tom “Clack” Magliozzi (1937-2014)
Hi, Rufus. That was an interesting comparison of the PR approaches of those two stations. I wonder what WMHT here sounds like on the subject. Probably Doctor Alan Chartock holding forth in that way that he does, only more so. (Oh, wait a moment… I didn’t know he retired from the radio a couple of years ago. Well. Anyway, I have no desire to listen in on his replacement.)
I almost guessed Hendrix, but I was iffy. That was it. That’s pretty much my era, so I have no excuse.
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Today I learned Blossom Dearie was Blossom Dearie’s real name. I always assumed it was a stage name. Her birth name is: Margrethe Blossom Dearie but she dropped her first name and went by her middle name. Suited her perfectly!
Because of her vocal style I assumed she got the nickname, “Dearie” and it stuck. But it was her actual surname.
For what it’s worth:
Gazans Are Finished With Hamas
https://archive.md/9DJ04
Could this be the beginning of the end?
From Instapundit via Sarah Hoyt:
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/guybenson/2025/07/24/did-you-see-this-major-update-on-trumps-strikes-against-irans-nuclear-facilities-n2660826
Thanks.
Actually, Sarah Hoyt’s on a tremendous roll today (over at Instapundit)…
I have been listening to WUCF (a great jazz station from the University of Central Florida), and they’ve been having an impromptu fund raising drive due to their loss of funding from Congress’ cuts to NPR.
It’s interesting.
First, I haven’t heard a single DJ whine, or get political. The message has been straightforward; “we’re now short $X, help us make it up.” When the DJ’s make the plea they don’t even sound upset, or despondent. It’s been positive and uplifting.*
Second, there have been at least two, private donors who have stepped up with significant matches, and some of the individual donations DJs have matched are healthy numbers, 4, 5 digit donations. I’d be curious to know how many are people upset about Congress’ actions vs. how many are people pleased with Congress’ actions. My guess is it’s some of both. If that’s true, it’s smart of WUCF to not take a political stance. The mission is to keep the station going and get the support needed. In July of 2025 that means independent funding, so focus on the mission and get it done. They have had a successful campaign and it ends today.
Third, this is a very different attitude than my local city’s public radio station’s approach. They too are having an impromptu fund drive and the message is very dark, bleak and political. The features they are promoting to entice donors are overtly political; lots of Roe v. Wade references. It will be interesting to see if their fund drive is as successful as WUCFs.
*Here’s the message on their website. I find it refreshingly apolitical.
I got Eddie Van Halen, John Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix, but Jimi Hendrix was an easy guess. I also got Ozzy Osborn, but only because I had just seen that photo yesterday or the day before. I came close to Keith Richards with “Some ugly English rocker in his eighties.”
My local npr jazz station is claiming a $650k hole in the budget which they believe is “in perpetuity”.
I am computer shopping on Amazon. Amazon says “ Need help deciding? Ask Rufus”.
“Challenging”.
I’ll say. 3 of 20 I got kinda shows.
Apropos of a discussion seen yesterday a few tunes sticking around yet:
Water Song — Green Onions — Soul Bossa Nova — Cissy Strut
Chris Plante’s radio show was soliciting suggestions for a title for Joe Biden’s upcoming memoir. I came up with a few: Grift; The Art of the Steal; The Maroonian Candidate; Never Underestimate My Ability; and Ramblin’ Shamblin’ Man.
“Silicon Valley AI Startups Are Embracing China’s Controversial ‘996’ Work Schedule”
https://www.wired.com/story/silicon-valley-china-996-work-schedule/
These companies are embracing an intense schedule, first popularized in mainland China, known as “996,” or 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week. –Wired
Selfy:
First popularized in China?
Whoever wrote that never bothered to read the accounts of working at Microsoft, Apple, Data General or General Magic. To name but a few. From the 70s on.
I recall a turning point in my professional life in hi-tech.
“I’m too old to be sleeping under my desk anymore.”
It’s Sunday. Why aren’t you at work?
–Bill Gates to a Microsoft manager or employee, reported in multiple sources
Almost certainly they mean the label “9-9-6” was first popularized in China, Chinese come up with a lot of those. For example, those who are aware of the massacre in Tiananmen Square refer to it as “6-4”, if they ever refer to it at all.
But it’s not unknown here either, for example 24-7.
If one reads the article it is not about the 996 label, but the expectation and practice, which is hardly something China invented.
RE: All those estimated 440,000 missing, unaccompanied children
The Left always trots out as the justification for things they want to do or propose that it’s “for the children,” and, yet, you don’t see any great concern, no headlines, lefties wringing their hands, or screaming for action with regard to the estimated 440,000 unaccompanied children the Biden Administration let come across our borders and, then, in essence, let disappear.
According to reports, in tens of thousands of cases these children were simply handed off to people who were not even relatives but, others–hundreds of thousands of these children–were not even kept sight of, tracked, and they have simply disappeared into our country.
You would think this dire situation for these children would be cause for great concern and alarm on the part of the Left, yet, as far as I can see, it’s basically been “crickets.”
In a recent Hearing on this subject a witness for the IG, who was supposed to oversee Secretary Myorkis actions in this area, testified that no actions had been taken by the IG with regard to this matter. They just sat there, watched this situation unfold, and did nothing.*
* See https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/07/23/unaccompanied-migrant-children-house-hearing/2011753304034/ and see also
https://oversight.house.gov/release/hearing-wrap-up-taking-action-to-protect-vulnerable-children-exploited-by-the-biden-border-crisis/
A cavalcade of Brits with bad hair, leavened with some Americans with bad hair. David Bowie looked presentable. I didn’t have a clue who any of those juveniles were. I’ve never heard of about 1/3 of these people and only collected records of two of them.
“Silicon Valley AI Startups Are Embracing China’s Controversial ‘996’ Work Schedule”
==
Here’s a hypothesis: almost all magazine trend stories are an acre of embroidery on a pinhead of fact.
Re: 996
I only worked one job during my IT career that was like that and that lasted less than a year. I can also tell you that the reason we worked like that was because the manager running the project had no idea of what he was doing. Prior to that (and since) I’d always worked in large corporate IT departments where long hours were an occasional thing and largely due to something like a large system implementation.
I can understand startups keeping that schedule since they’re most likely understaffed and barely funded, but in a more established company it means you are dealing with a management organization that is full of nepo-babies, DEI hires and a C-Suite that is in full on cult of personality mode.
I got none!!!
Got 7:
Jimmy Page
Eric Clapton
Keith Richard
Eddy Van Halen
Ozzy Ozborn
Jimmy Hendrix
Mick jagger
One – Jimmy Page, that’s it, and even that is only because I watched “Becoming Led Zeppelin” on a flight from Seattle last week. They used that picture.
Europe is going in the opposite direction, a 4 day workweek, and I think it’s likely to catch on here.
No Weird Al Yankovitch?
Not much of a list. :0
https://newsfromuncibal.substack.com/p/gradually-then-suddenly
Only got 2:
– Jimi Hendrix
– Ian Anderson (only ’cause I’m a Tull fan and have seen the picture before)
Geezer mode /on:
“What happened to all those nice-looking young kids?”
“What happened to all those nice-looking young kids?”
My reaction was just the opposite. I kept thinking about how each of those boys had a certain gleam in their eyes, and they must have been such little shits….perfect to grow up to be rock stars.
County Clerk Lays Out Objections to Ranked Choice Voting
https://www.mchenrycountyblog.com/2025/07/25/mchenry-county-clerk-lays-out-objections-to-ranked-choice-voting/
Four for me:
Jimi Hendrix
John Lennon
Keith Richards
Mick Jagger
Blackwing1
“Geezer mode?”
I didn’t see Sabbath’s Terence Butler featured in the photo montage.
The real question, did neo get Mark Knopfler?
I did, of my three. Hendrix and Jagger the others.
Alice Cooper (#18) returned to Christianity in the 80s.
___________________________________
I learned that Cooper teaches Sunday School on occasion at his local church, and that he frequently attends worship services and Bible study gatherings while he is on the road.
Both Cooper and his wife were raised in Christian families. In one interview, Cooper said, “I grew up in a Christian house. My dad was a pastor, he was an evangelist for 25 years, and I used to go up and do missionary work with him with the Apaches in Arizona. My grandfather was a pastor for 75 years. I grew up in a Christian home. And my wife’s father is a Baptist pastor. So, I was like, we were PK’s – preacher’s kids – so we married each other.”
After some prodigal years early in his career, Cooper said he stopped drinking and started going back to church with his wife. “I finally realized, I had to go one side or the other,” said Cooper. “The Lord really convicted me, saying, look, it’s time to make a decision here.”
https://baptistnews.com/article/the-day-that-alice-cooper-came-to-church/
___________________________________
As Chuck Berry sang, “Goes to show you never can tell.”
huxley,
He was also a very good distance runner and is a very good golfer.
Rufus T. Firefly:
He looked familiar, but I didn’t get him. Then again, I was watching the video at double speed, so it was harder.
I guessed Paul McCartney for about 2/3 of the first 9 and then stopped guessing and fast forwarded to see which names were featured.
Paul McCartney still looks like a 12 year old British lad.
Rufus T. Firefly:
That’s so funny; I did the same thing with McCartney.
BOOM!! S&P 500 posts fifth straight record close this week, powered by solid earnings: RePost
https://commoncts.blogspot.com/2025/07/boom-s-500-posts-fifth-straight-record.html
Rock – White man’s Rap
who cares
@ Rufus > ” they’ve been having an impromptu fund raising drive due to their loss of funding from Congress’ cuts to NPR.”
I am happy to see the people who want to support NPR are doing so, with their money, not mine. The entire CPB system should have had a done-by date from the beginning, where the governnmet subsidies were removed, gradually perhaps, but inevitably.
I don’t listen to the radio at all since Click & Clack retired.
My sister, however, who is among the brain-washed Democrats and watches PBS all day long, sent in $500 because “Trump cut their funding.”
And that’s fine.
I don’t listen to the radio at all since Click & Clack retired.
AesopFan:
BTW C&C were both graduates of MIT!
RIP Tom “Clack” Magliozzi (1937-2014)
Hi, Rufus. That was an interesting comparison of the PR approaches of those two stations. I wonder what WMHT here sounds like on the subject. Probably Doctor Alan Chartock holding forth in that way that he does, only more so. (Oh, wait a moment… I didn’t know he retired from the radio a couple of years ago. Well. Anyway, I have no desire to listen in on his replacement.)
I almost guessed Hendrix, but I was iffy. That was it. That’s pretty much my era, so I have no excuse.