I’m Just Curious: Safe summer fun

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by Debbie Walker

It’s that time of year again. It’s the time of year when children want to play in the water. It is always intended to be wrapped up in fun and hopefully some learning.

Children reach a certain skill level in the water. It is somewhat different with each child even if they attended the same classes.
Please remember that children are never completely safe. They still make the wrong choices sometimes, even your teens (even adults sometimes!)

Part of all this I know because I was mom and dad’s water rat child. I loved the water, still do. There was one day when my cousin and I decided to see how far we could swim, we could swim out and then come back. We had gotten to the lake, across the road from my home, without knowledge of either mother. (We were tweens at this point) We were lucky that day. We thought turtles were nipping at our toes and we headed back to shore. Had it not been for the turtles (?) we might have stroked till we went as far as we could and might have used up our strength, oh maybe, mid-lake. There was no raft, etc. to rest on, just the other half of the lake. It might not have turned out well for us.

Please parents, grandparents and friends, remember children of all ages need careful supervision. Don’t rely on them hollering for “Help.” Drowning is usually ‘silent’ despite what some folks think. Please don’t leave them even for a minute. It’s just not safe.

I’m just curious if you would be comfortable asking me any water safety questions. I’m here at dwdaffy@yahoo.com.

I would like to tell you that we will be starting a new column: “IN CASE YOU WONDERED.” The plan is for it to be about a favorite subject of mine and I hope you will enjoy it. I am doing it on ‘uses’ of ordinary products used for surprising results. Some of it will be me answering questions others ask about the uses, feel free to e-mail me at dwdaffy@yahoo.com with any questions you may have or any odd-ball uses of things that you have found in the past. Lately one that surprised me was using “glow-in-the-dark” nail polish to mark a light switch that is difficult to find in the dark. It works! I found the nail polish on Amazon. I am going to paint my nails with it to show my little first graders tomorrow! (Some days I just have too much fun!)

I am hoping you will be looking for it every other week. Oh, and don’t forget we have an online version of The Town Line. You can read current copies and past columns in the archives.

Hope you enjoy the paper and your summer!

Composer: Ludwig von Beethoven; Dance Band: Russ Morgan; Vocal group: Peter, Paul and Mary

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Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by Peter Cates

Beethoven

String Quartet No. 13, Op. 130 – Quartetto Italiano Angel 35064, 12-inch LP, recorded early ‘50s
.

Ludwig von Beethoven

Ludwig von Beethoven

The 16 String Quartets of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) constitute some of the composer’s most powerful and beautiful music, especially the last five. 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 were composed between 1823 or 1824, during a time when Beethoven was plagued by total deafness, a parasitic nephew, bad health, money, personality conflicts, the filth of his living quarters and other manure piles of aggravations, once in a while alleviated by a good day or two.

These Quartets mirror the manic ups and downs, victories and defeats and sideways in a most compelling, stirring manner. Among the paradoxes of Beethoven were the obstacles of his daily life, ones in which he either lacked the ability or willingness to confront; versus the discipline to compose not only the above Quartets, but also such creations as the 9th Symphony and Missa Solemnis while totally deaf.

The 13th Quartet is as good an example as any to begin with; I would suggest, especially to beginning listeners, to just turn on the music, sit back and let it happen. One can do the studying up later.

The Quartetto Italiano played this music totally by memory for the recording. And it is a very good performance, while the early ‘50s LP
sound is exemplary for its time.

Russ Morgan and his Wolverine Band

Everest SDBR 1095, stereo LP, recorded 1960.

Russ Morgan

Russ Morgan

Russ Morgan (1904 -1969) led one of the best dance bands during the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s, until his death. The above LP, however, is a bit more animated than his usual standard. Wolverines being a clue, Morgan assembled a group of some of the finest sidemen active in ‘50s recording sessions, including trumpeter Dick Cathcart, clarinnettist Matty Matlock, guitarist George Van Epps, saxist Eddie Miller, etc. The rousing program includes such oldies as Mama’s Gone, Goodbye; Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home; That Da-Da Strain; Squeeze Me; etc., while the jacket is provided with informative notes by Morgan’s wife, Shirley, and son, David. Worth the search.

Peter, Paul and Mary

Warner Brothers, WS1449, stereo LP, recorded 1962.

Peter, Paul and Mary

PPand M were, arguably, one of the finest musical vocal groups in any genre. This first of several great albums during their initial seven- or eight-year run (followed by solo outings and intermittent reunions) still holds up incredibly well as a listening experience, even for myself who is no longer a folkie. My personal favorites are, and will always most likely be, 500 Miles, Its Raining, Cruel War and If I Had My Way, especially with the late Mary’s eloquent, haunting gifts of both phrasing the melodic line with both P’s deploying their own harmonies or vice versa.

Finally, their gifted music director, Milt Okun, who whipped the Chad Mitchell Trio into pristine shape for their own several Mercury albums, carefully and methodically honed, nurtured and led them to a level of success they would most likely have never achieved if they had been on their own.

IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of June 15, 2017

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Katie Ouilette Wallsby Katie Ouilette

WALLS, how wonderful it was to receive Ggaduation photos from our Bellingham, Washington, family as they attended great-grandson Landon’s graduation from Bellingham High School. There was Landon, dressed in his blue cap and gown, with his Aunt Donna, cousin Michelle and her children Kinley and Caden Wilhelm (I imagine Uncle Dean Ouilette or husband Jason Wilhelm were busy with their cameras). Oh, how proud we are of all. True, grandad Nick was in Maine and readying to return to Bellingham Yacht Sales and dad Danny was busy chauffeuring folks to Seattle airport, as his business had to come first.

Yes, WALLS and faithful readers, a column about ‘Mother knows best’ was written for this issue, but let’s make this a happy story. True, Landon’s mom did take him to the doctor he had, saying that she felt that the flu medication prescribed for him by the new doctor was not the cure. She was right! Yes, the former doctor wanted five-year old Landon at Seattle Children’s Hospital immediately. Off they went and Seattle Children’s was waiting for their arrival. Fortunately, at the hospital, a stem cell was taken and frozen before Landon was sent to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, in Memphis, Tennessee, where it was determined that Landon had unusual Wilm’s Cancer. Yes, and the Wilm’s specialist doctor was at St. Jude’s. So became the long cure. In fact, Landon was not only treated for Wilm’s Cancer, but he was treated to school days when he was of school age, so he missed little of his schooling … but for 12 years!

When, Landon was ‘free of Wilm’s Cancer’ he was sent back to Seattle Children’s for a stem-cell implant! It was then that dad Danny and Landon lived together in insolation for three months at Seattle Children’s Hospital!

Well, now you know ‘who’ that young man to whom my book, Two Birds in a Box, is dedicated and ‘why’ the dedication reads “To my great-grandson, Landon, and all children who are recuperating at children’s hospitals, waiting for their day to fly.” Well, Landon had his 19th birthday in January and on June 10 got his diploma. He has had a trip to wellness that few his age have experienced, but all who have had their graduations have been preparing for these years to fly. Yes, just as Momma Birds taught her babies to fly into their futures, may Landon’s experiences be an inspiration to you and remember that Mama knows best. Graduation is your beginning. Be happy and an inspiration as you begin the beginning of your life and the future.

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of June 15, 2017

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

This is one of those mornings when I sit down in front of my computer with very little real news to share with you. I did receive an e-mail from Carol Dolan with an update on Embden Community Center events. On June 24, Steve & The Good Ole Boys Band will be playing there from 7 – 11 p.m. Kitchen open. And on Sunday, June 25 Country/Open Mic from 1 – 4 p.m., second and fourth Sundays. By donation. Kithchen open.

I can’t seem to stress enough how much I appreciate any news that is sent to me. But…if I don’t receive it in time for my deadline, I can’t get it in in time.

Some of you have told me how much you like to read about my stories of visiting up to where my home town of Flagstaff used to be. Lief and I went up there to be with Dave and ‘Pete’ at their camp for a couple of days this weekend. Peter and Sherry went up also and we all had a wonderful time.

Each year as I get another year older, my memories are very dear to me. Peter and I were out on the porch and I was telling him that I had been out there trying to figure out just where it was that the house where I had lived was compared to where we were sitting. Of course I have many pictures of how it used to look but it is still hard to pin point the exact spot.

Even though the hoards of black flies and mosquitoes were enough to drive us nuts, (it does seem to me, they were worse than I could remember), we had a wonderful time….and the food, as always, was out of this world! I kind of twisted Dave’s arm, and he made his famous popovers for breakfast one morning. Delicious! Peter cooked breakfast the next morning, and can’t begin to describe how great it was. So you can see we ate well along with sharing some good special laughter and love.

They always request that I bring cookies, which I did, but I got brave and tried a new recipe for a dessert. It looked really simple and easy to make, but I couldn’t imagine what the finished product would look or taste like…. but, it got rave reviews! I’m going to share this most delectable recipe called, “Simple Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert;” 4 cups rhubarb, 1 small pkg. strawberry Jello, 1 cup sugar, 1 yellow cake mix, 1 cup water. Sprinkle ingredients in a 9 x 13-inch pan in order written. Bake one hour at 350° F. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. (Must not leave out that I bummed the rhubarb from Peter.) Hope you try this recipe and enjoy it as much as we did.

And so for Percy’s memoir which is called, “Lord, Give Us Words: “Give us cheering words for the lonely, Comforting words that bless… Encouraging words for the hopeless, Smiling words to bring happiness. Give us patient words for the struggling, Courteous words, so that rudeness ends, Kind words for those who upset us… Forgiving words for those who offend . Give us faith-filled words that are positive, That inspire optimism and zeal. Teach us “the time to keep silence” And the “time to speak” and to feel. May we wait on You with prayerful thoughts, For the wisdom You impart. Give us acceptable words to express, The meditations of our hearts. (words by Micky Meyer Mathewson.)

TECH TALK: Human or A.I.? The Thin Blurred Line

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ERIC’S TECH TALK

by Eric Austin
Computer Technical Advisor

The land line rang at 5:29 p.m. Suspicious. I picked up the hand-set. “Hello?”

“Hello! Do you have a few minutes to talk this evening?”

It was a vivacious young lady. But something was off. I couldn’t put my finger on it. “What is this about?” I asked rudely. Vivacious or not, I was a repeat victim of dinner-time telemarketers.

“We’ve just started a new fund-raising campaign for breast cancer research and, um —”

It was the ‘um’ that did it. It didn’t sound natural. It sounded like someone had written ‘um’ into their script in order to trick me into thinking I was speaking to a real person.

“Are you a recording?” I said abruptly, in the middle of her spiel.

The lady’s voice broke off in mid-word. “Yes.” The answer came back immediately.

I hung up the phone with a little chill that traveled up my spine and prickled the hairs on the back of my neck. There is something slightly disturbing about thinking you are speaking to a living, breathing human being only to find out it was a computer instead.

And it got me thinking. Is there any law on the books requiring an Artificial Intelligence to tell you it is an artificial intelligence? After a bit of research, I found an article Time magazine published in 2013 detailing their encounter with a “robot telemarketer” named Samantha West that had refused to admit she wasn’t real.

That was in 2013. There have been major advances since then. Apple just had its World Wide Developers Conference where they announced a new voice technology for their computer assistant Siri. It leverages new advances in machine learning to create a computer-generated voice that is indistinguishable from the real thing. This isn’t a computer awkwardly parsing together pre-recorded words of a real human being. This is a voice generated on the fly by a computer that sounds as natural as yours or mine.

In fact, several companies, including Google, are using machine learning and advanced algorithmic programming to develop technologies that allow them to simulate real voices using as little as 60 seconds of data. In other words, feed in 60 seconds of dialog from George Clooney’s latest movie, and you’ll be able to make ole Georgie say anything else you like.

This means that soon you won’t be buying an audiobook read by the actress Meryl Streep. Instead Ms. Streep will simply license her voice and you’ll be listening to a simulation of Meryl Streep reading the book. And you won’t have famous actors doing voice-overs for the latest animated Pixar flick, rather you’ll be watching a movie with characters voiced by a computer simulating famous actors.

But don’t worry, you probably won’t even know the difference! That’s how good the technology has become. The upside is that actors will be able to lend their voices long after they are dead and buried. The downside is not knowing if that is creepy or cool?

But combine this new voice synthesis technology with recent developments in artificial intelligence and you start to have a combination that sounds ripe for abuse.

Think telemarketers are bad now? What happens when companies no longer need to hire real humans to make the calls?

In fact, it’s likely that you have already had a conversation with an artificial intelligence and not even known it. If you’ve ever gone online to “chat” with technical support, there is a good chance you were speaking with a chatbot and not a real person.

Chatbots are artificial intelligence-driven conversation generators that simulate real human interaction. There are online chatbots designed to be your girlfriend (Julie), your psychiatrist (ELIZA), your doctor (Dr. A.I.), technical support assistants and many other things. Since 1991, there is even an annual award, the Loebner Prize, given out to the best chatbot.

Siri and Google Assistant are both based on research into chatbots. The technology to create an artificial intelligence that can carry on human-like conversations has long been in development, but it’s only recently started to be used in mainstream electronics like Amazon’s Echo or Apple’s just announced Homepod.

Personally, the idea of speaking to a computer doesn’t bother me. But a computer that uses “um” in an effort to make me think it’s human? That’s disconcerting.

Eric W. Austin is a real, live human being. Or is he? To find out, email him at ericwaustin@gmail.com or leave a comment on this article at townline.org.

Click here for a HUGE list of chatbots!

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Fear strikes out

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Roland D. HalleeSCORES & OUTDOORS

by Roland D. Hallee

Back around 1954, when I was seven years old, I became aware of a game called baseball. I loved it. I grew up in an era where I watched some of the greatest baseball players in history: Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, etc. The list goes on.

I watched on television when Roger Maris hit his 61st home run of the season in 1961, at Yankee Stadium against Red Sox pitcher Tracy Stallard, breaking Babe Ruth’s legendary record; I was at Fenway Park when Detroit’s Jim Bunning pitched a no-hitter against the Red Sox; I was also at Fenway Park when Ted Williams hit his 521st, and last home run in his final at-bat before retirement in 1962. I’ve seen many games, watched many players who are now enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

But, my two main idols in those formative years were Red Sox third baseman Frank Malzone, whom I think I gravitated to because that was the position I played in Little League, high school, and during my softball playing days. But my favorite in the 1950s and early 1960s, was Red Sox centerfielder Jim Piersall.

Jim Piersall

What brings this up is that Piersall passed away on June 3, at the age of 87. But the story doesn’t end there.

Back in the early 1990s, a friend of mine was in the business of promoting sports memorabilia shows in Augusta. My job was to drive to Portland and rendezvous with professional athletes with whom he had contracted to come to the shows for autograph sessions. Among the many I drove from Portland to Augusta and back were former Red Sox stars Jody Reed, George Scott, Jim Rice, Jim Lonborg, Bill “The Spaceman” Lee, etc.; New England Patriots linebacker Steve Nelson; Celtics star Robert Parrish and Bruins players Cam Neely, Bobby Carpenter, Ken Hodge, just to name a few.

Well, one day, my buddy says to me, “I’m putting on a show next week, and I need you to go to Portland and pick up George Foster and Jim Piersall.”

I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. A week later, I was driving a car to Augusta with Jim Piersall sitting in the back seat. I was hoping he would sit next to me up front, but Foster claimed that spot. My conversation with Foster is a story for another day. But Piersall did not disappoint me in his storytelling.

Unfortunately, Piersall suffered from bipolar disorder during his playing days, in a time when the disease was not fully understood (early in his career he was diagnosed with “nervous exhaustion” and spent seven weeks in a mental facility in Massachusetts), and everyone said he was crazy. The film Fear Strikes Out, starring Anthony Perkins as Piersall, was the story of Piersall’s 17-year major league career and the mental challenges he faced.

But that day, in the car, on our round trip from the airport to the Augusta Civic Center, he displayed no signs of the disorder. Most of his topics were up and coming players at the time and some banter with Foster, who was a feared slugger who played in the National League for the Cincinnati Reds’ “Big Red Machine” in the 1970s. He once held the National League record for most home runs in a season with 52.

Piersall’s stories are legendary. He once stepped up to bat wearing a Beatles wig and playing “air guitar” with his bat; led cheers for himself in the outfield during breaks, and “talked” to Babe Ruth behind the centerfield monuments at Yankee Stadium. In 1963, while playing with the New York Mets, he hit the 100th home run of his career and ran around the bases backwards.

He was ejected from the game a countless number of times for the shenanigans he performed on the field.

In his autobiography, Piersall commented, “Probably the best thing that ever happened to me was going nuts. Whoever heard of Jim Piersall, until that happened?”

The list of his antics are endless, but one memorable one was when he was ejected from a game, while playing for the Cleveland Indians, for running back and forth in the outfield, waiving his arms frantically, trying to distract Ted Williams during an at bat.

He heckled umpires, threw baseballs at scoreboards, and charged the mound when hit by a pitch.

He was a colorful character that is missing from the game today. When Jim Piersall stepped on a baseball field, you never knew what was going to happen.

But with all these incidents, playing for five different teams, Piersall was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame on September 17, 2010.

To this day, I really can’t explain why I idolized that baseball player.

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of June 8, 2017

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

In the many years that I have been writing, one of the things that gives me the most enjoyment is doing stories about people. One day last week I spent an hour questioning and listening to a very interesting and unusually talented person.

One of the clocks carved by 84-year-old Solon resident Bob Therrien. Photo by Marilyn Rogers-Bull

His name is Bob Therrien and he lives on north Maine Street, in Solon, where he makes cuckoo clocks and beautiful wood carvings. The clocks have been on display in Griswald’s Store and three of them have been sold within a very short time, the ones that sold were 36-inches x 21-inches, but he makes smaller ones also. Each one is chip carved around birds, deer, moose, people etc. that are painted.

He took up this hobby when he retired and is self taught, and said he “Loves doing it,” that was very evident. When I said it must be very difficult to do all the chipping, he demonstrated how he does it and made it look easy.

He is a very generous person also and doesn’t charge as much as he could for the hours he must put in for all the carving that goes into the finished product. His garage is his workshop, along with a wonderful, cheery one in his house. He has been selling his wooden carvings and clocks from his home for several years. He doesn’t have regular hours, but when the garage doors are open he is there.

He told me several very interesting stories about giving things to people, and one of them really impressed me . He said he had carved several eagles and had them on display in his shop for $50 each. One day a lady came in and he could tell she really wanted one but perhaps couldn’t afford that much money, so when she asked the price, he told her a quater. He insisted she walk away with the eagle for 25 cents, there were other stories of his generosity, also inspiring.

He is 84 years old but hasn’t slowed down much, which is wonderful with the talent that he has. He said, “I have met many excellent people, and I do things for them.” He has a great philosophy about many things, and I agreed with him on many. He had two friends stop by while I was there, it was a wonderfully worth while visit.

It brought back many happy memories of when I had my GRAM’s Shop for 22 years and of moving the building three times, and of the wonderful friends I met during that time.

The mystery has been solved! I am so happy, (just received a call of confession) now I can thank the wonderful giver of that beautiful surprise carnation. My heartfelt thanks go out to the Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club!

The Embden Historical Society meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 12, at 7 p.m., at the Embden Town House. Art Ray, of Sidney, will be giving a PowerPoint presentation on the Early History of Central Maine Power and Wyman Dam. A business meeting will follow along with refreshments. All are welcome.

The date for the North Anson Congregational Church yard and bake sale is Saturday, June 17, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Percy’s memoir this week is about getting older – he lived to be 17 which is pretty old in cat age: “Getting older is not for sissies to help you face the inevitable changes with a spirit of fun and fearlessness, here are a few words. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them, that’s what you pay him for.

Keep only cheery friends. The grouches pull you down.

Keep learning. Learn more about crafts, the computer, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain stay idle. “An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.”

Enjoy simple things. Visit a friend or read a good book, just for fun.

Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

The tears happen, endure, grieve and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life is ourselves.

Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s family, pets. keepsakes, music, plants and hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

Cherish your health. If it’s good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it, If it is beyond what you can do to improve it, get help.

Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but not to where the guilt is.

So put a spring in your step and a lilt in your voice and grow old gracefully without losing your youth. Remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away. (words by George Carlin) These wise words were given to me by a good friend to pass on for Percy.)

I’m Just Curious: History of a few clichés

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by Debbie Walker

You know I have purchased some rather unique books. Tonight I dug out The Dictionary of Clichés because I wanted to look up an old saying.

A couple of times recently I have caught myself saying “Between you and me and the fence post …” I looked it up and found it! It does read “between you and me and the bedpost/gatepost/four walls/lamppost.” It is the long version of “in strictest confidence”. It’s usually followed up with gossip!

“Add insult to injury” means to make harm worse by adding humiliation. The saying is traced all the way back to a Greek fable.

“Ass in a sling” – to be in deep trouble. The saying was common about 1930. The ass referred to is not the animal but the term for buttocks.

“In one fell swoop” – A single operation. Goes all the way back to Shakespeare. Vultures attacked chickens in “one fell swoop.”

“At one’s beck and call” – Required to tend to someone’s wishes. The word “beck” only lives on in this cliché. It meant a mute signal or gesture of command (nod of the head or pointing your finger).

“At the drop of a hat” – at once without delay. It comes from the dropping or waving a hat as a starting signal for a race, prize fight or other event.

“Bad penny always turns up” – unwanted or worthless object or person is sure to return. It’s written in several languages. It’s dated back to when pennies were maybe made of inferior metal.

“Baker’s Dozen”– Thirteen. There was a law passed in England in 1266. It specified exactly how much a loaf of bread should weigh and put a penalty for shorted weight. Bakers protected themselves by giving their customers 13 loaves.

“Bane of one’s existence”- One’s ruin or misery. The earliest meaning of the noun bane was “murderer.” Sometime later the meaning was “poison.” Now, dating back to 1500s, it means an agent of ruin.

“Barefaced liar”- a shamelessly bold untruth. It means bold-faced or brazen but it is believed in the 16th century it meant “beardless.”

I wanted to leave a little room here to add a little info about nail polish:

Don’t shake it to mix, roll the bottle between your palms. Shaking puts in air bubbles that can muck up your job.

There is a way to dry the nails quicker. Spray aerosol cooking spray to coat nails from about six inches. Wait a few minutes and rinse. Sally Hanson also has top coat called Insta-Dri. It is wonderful, I love it!

Dab nail polish on screws in eyeglasses to keep them secure.

OK I used up my words for the night. Hope all is well with you. I’m just curious what we’ll learn next! Contact me with comments or ideas at dwdaffy@yahoo.com sub: Next.

Composer: Giacomo Puccini; Singer: Burl Ives; Composer: Johann S. Bach; Organist: Robert Elmore

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Peter CatesREVIEW POTPOURRI

by  Peter Cates
Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini

Puccini

Madame Butterfly Selections
Arthur Pryor’s Band; Victor – 31697, 12-inch one-sided black label acoustic shellac 78, recorded approximately between 1905 and 1913.

Several shellacs from the pre-1924 acoustic era feature symphonic bands doing very nice performances of operatic excerpts. Arthur Pryor’s Band left one devoted to the matchless melodies from the opera, Madame Butterfly, of Giacomo Puccini (1857-1924) and is recommended heartily to collectors of early acoustic band disks.

Burl Ives

Burl Ives

Burl Ives

Songs of the West
Decca – DL 4179, mono LP, recorded 1961.

Burl Ives applies his Down Comforter of a voice to a dozen western classics – Home on the Range, Mexicali Rose, Cool Water, Jingle, Jangle, Jingle, Empty Saddles, etc.- and has the arrangements of Decca’s late, great Nashville A t R man, Owen Bradley, and the Anita Kerr Singers, both uncredited on this album.

My absolute favorite, one I have played many times with pleasure, is The Cowboy’s Dream, with its gospel message and the exquisite, separately recorded, different harmonies of Anita and her colleagues added gradually in each of the choruses. Recommended!

Bach on the Biggest

Robert Elmore, organist; Mercury SR90127, stereo LP, recorded 1956.

Johann Bach

Johann Bach

Organist Robert Elmore (1913-1985) was recorded on November 23, 1956, playing the Auditorium Organ of the Atlantic City Convention Hall. To call this instrument a behemoth of Great White

Robert Elmore

Robert Elmore

Whale proportions would most likely be an understatement. Its volume alone is equal to that of 25 brass bands; 225,000 feet of lumber was used in its construction, including 10,000 just for the 12 pipes; and the hall itself is more than 13 stories and occupies four city blocks.

Elmore’s playing of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major and Sleeper’s Awake and In Dulci Jubilo Chorale Preludes is both magnificent and magnificently recorded. A record worth seeking out!

Tracking: more than just following your dog

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TRAINING YOUR PERFORMANCE DOG

by Carolyn Fuhrer

Tracking involves teaching your dog how a certain job (following the track) needs to be done. It requires the handler to have the sensitivity, knowledge and skills necessary to help the dog achieve this goal. It is not just following wherever your dog goes. If you let your dog wander around and intermittently follow the track, you are not defining the job that the dog has to do. This will not enable the dog to clearly understand the job and ultimately lead to confusion, stress and failure.

So how do you avoid this in training? First of all, do not run blind tracks until you feel you can “read” your dog and have confidence as to whether or not your dog is tracking. Be particular about who you choose to help you; just because someone has a tracking title – even an advanced title – does not mean they have the ability to help you and your dog to succeed.

Training sessions need to build upon success, expose problem areas and ultimately create training scenarios to solve those problems. Just going out and laying a long track with lots of “problems” and letting the dog wander all around until they seem to “solve” them, is not training with any purpose and will not help the dog learn.

Tracking involves solving problems step by step and recognizing when a problem is starting to occur and being able to recover to where you know tracking was correct, and then being able to refocus your dog.

Recovery occurs in gradual stages. It is more than just backing up. In recovery, the handler actually becomes the leader and backs up slowly as the dog works back towards them. You cannot turn around or pull your dog towards you. You must have a style of handling that allows you to recover ground as your dog moves towards you while searching. It is more than just going in reverse a certain number of steps.

A good handler is constantly in tune with the dog while recovering and observing carefully for track indication which could occur at any moment. At that point, the dog becomes the leader of the team again.

Following behavior that is not tracking will take you further and further off the actual track, confuse your dog, and will cause you to fail in a test. You must be able to determine when your dog is looking or searching for scent and actually tracking the scent. Searching can develop into tracking and tracking can move into searching; being able to determine when this is happening is where the expertise of teaching truly becomes evident. Well planned tracks will teach both dog and handler.

Don’t wander – have a purpose.

Happy tracking.

Carolyn Fuhrer has earned over 90 AKC titles with her Golden Retrievers, including 2 Champion Tracker titles. Carolyn is the owner of North Star Dog Training School in Somerville, Maine. She has been teaching people to understand their dogs for over 25 years. You can contact her with questions, suggestions and ideas for her column by e-mailing carolyn@dogsatnorthstar.com.