REVIEW POTPOURRI: Film: Nightcrawler; Singer: Big Joe Turner

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Peter Catesby  Peter Cates

Nightcrawler

Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal

starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, etc. Directed by Dan Gilroy, Open Road films, released 2014, 117 minutes.

The story line of Nightcrawler involves a night drifter/loner, Lucas Bloom, who stalks the mean streets of Los An­geles and stumbles onto a major source of income as a photographer of particularly gruesome accident scenes. As portrayed quite skillfully by Jake Gyl­lenhaal, Bloom exudes an unsettling, bleak, nihilistic lack of any moral compass; in another time, he would have been a perfect recruit for Hitler’s Einsatzgruppen.

Rene Russo

Rene Russo

This film draws much of its suspense from the unwavering foreboding of the Los Angeles night as distilled through the masterful cinematography, a quality that riveted my attention more than Bloom’s personality or the well-honed chain of events. And the solid acting of Rene Russo and Bill Paxton enhanced the film a lot.

Joe Turner

I’ve Been to Kansas City; Decca/MCA Records MCAD-42351, CD, consists of original Decca 78s recorded between 1940-41.

Big Joe Turner (1911-1985) was a roaring grizzly bear of a singer/ blues shouter who performed for the better part of 60 years and made many records. Born in Kansas City, his early years working as a bartender/ singer led to becoming known as the Singing Barman.

Big Joe Turner

Big Joe Turner

His musical colleagues on these sides include a Who’s Who of American jazz – Hot Lips Page, Don Byas, Pete Johnson, Willie “The Lion” Smith, Art Tatum, Edmund Hall, Billy Taylor, etc. All 13 sides are first rate, particularly Corrinne, Corrina and Piney Brown Blues.

The most truly successful song he may have composed is Shake, Rattle and Roll.

Memories are made of these

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Pages in Time

by Milt Huntington

Sit back, relax, and make a few withdrawals from your collective memory banks while I dredge up a few nostalgia nuggets of my own.

I had the honor of speaking at my 60th Cony High School class reunion a while ago and used the occasion to delve into the pages of yesteryear where fond and distant memories were lurking.

I assured my classmates that some things never change like the Hartford Fire Station whistle that still sounds religiously every single day at 12:30 p.m. and again at 9 o’clock. I reminded them that the State House and the Blaine Mansion are still there along with the old Post Office, the Armory, the AMHI buildings and of course the old flatiron building where long ago they built a school upon a hill.

Speaking to a room-full of Cony grads from here and away, I reminded them of the icons of long ago that no longer exist–places like the Augusta House, Jose Motors, the State Street Diner, Forrest’s Drug Store and the A&P. Gone, all gone, I lamented are our old hangouts like McAuley’s Restaurant on Outer Western Avenue, Doc’s Lunch, Mike’s Lunch, The Roseland, Foster’s Smoke Shop, McNamara’s and the Oxbow out in Winthrop. We still all smile with happy memories when we hear of Island Park.

It was my sad duty to remind folks that McLellan’s, Kresge’s and Woolworth;s have all disappeared from downtown Water Street. No more can they visit Penny’s, Montgomery Ward, Sears & Roebuck, Adam’s, Chernowsky’s, Farrell’s Clothing Store, Nicholson & Ryan’s or Bilodeau’s jewelry stores.

Other institutions that have faded into the pages of time include: the Colonial and Capitol theaters, the drugstores with the wonderful pinball machines, the barber shops, the beer joints, the Depot News, the Army-Navy store, Foster’s Smoke Shop and the Hotel North.

Stealing thoughts from one of my earlier columns, I pushed some buttons of memory concerning the clothes that all of us wore. The boys of the 40’s and 50’s wore maroon corduroy jackets with plaid trousers rolled up at the cuffs. Their shoes consisted of white bucks or penny loafers. Crew cuts were far and away the style of the day. I wish I could grow one now.

The Cony girls of long ago displayed pony tails, up-do’s or page boys, and they looked “sharp” in blue velvet, sweaters, clinging skirts, Gibson Girl blouses and midi-skirts. Their feet were decked with bobby sox, white sneakers and saddle shoes.

The guys never called them “cool.” Nah! They called them sharp, groovy, snazzy or neat. Today, of course, all the younger whippersnappers say “like” and “you know” most of the time. Not all the time, just when they open their mouths. It doesn’t take much to get me going on that subject. I think of the the Red Sox pitcher I watched who said “you know” 32 times in a three minute television interview. I expressed my amazement that a lot of college graduates who go on to sports never learned to exhibit some degree of articulateness.

Seizing my moment in the spotlight, I dug down deep to dredge up memories of icons of 60 years ago and more. I asked them to sink into the depths of their memories to remember stuff like table-side juke boxes that played the music of Frankie Lane, Joni James Patti Page, Jo Stafford and Frank Sinatra. The songs that continually spring from my memory of years gone by are the likes of Mule Train, Jezebel, Come Fly With Me, See the Pyramids, Music, Music, Music, Purple Shades and a thousand more.

Those were the days, my friends, we thought they’d never end, but they did–just like the pant leg clips we wore when we road our one-speed bicycles. Gone forever are the glass milk bottles delivered to our doorsteps and the ice boxes that actually contained blocks of ice. Gone, all gone, are the telephone party lines, Howdy Doody, 45 rpm’s, S&H Green Stamps, Hi-Fi’s, Studebakers and Packards, roller skate keys and pizza when we called it pizza pie.

I could go on and on…and I usually do, but suffice it to say: “Those were the good old days.” How much fun it is to pause now and again to think back on all the things that we remember of our own particular and special Camelot.

Milt Huntington is the author of “A Lifetime of Laughter” and “Things That Make You Grin.”

IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of February 9, 2017

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Katie Ouilette Wallsby Katie Ouilette

OK, faithful readers, there’s an old saying about ‘what goes around comes around,’ and, frankly, as I sat in my chair in our kitchen in East Madison and reflected on the problems that were encompassing our USA because of immigration rules and regulations. I also decided to find out why the pile of papers in the corner of the top shelf of our bookcase had been kept. Yup, I made a discovery, WALLS!

I found a column entitled IF WALLS COULD TALK that had been written before The Town Line’s managing editor had called me about writing for The Town Line. You were writing for the extinct hometown newspaper, but, guess what? I learned that my Mémère Zelia Valliere and I were having a talk about my speaking French. Yes, she and my Great-Grandma Sarah would talk French to each other on the phone and I wanted to learn that language, but Mémère said, “No, you don’t want to learn to speak French……You speak English.” It seems I didn’t understand her reasoning until Skowhegan Junior High School and I learned in history class that the French were employed only after all the English-speaking immigrants had jobs.

So, WALLS, as you talk to our faithful readers, it is true today that what went around has come around again. It is true that immigration in those days was from our north, wherein, today, folks who love what they hear about our USA, want to live here. What’s more, many of those who want to immigrate to our USA have experienced unbelievable torture and loss because of the Middle East War.

WALLS, I know you aren’t taking a political stand here, but I do appreciate your being aware of what has happened in the world as we thought we knew it. This brings you back to your opening sentence, WALLS, that ‘what goes around, comes around.’ Probably our faithful readers haven’t thought how speaking our native English has possibly played into the equation. I never thought of it until finding the column in the corner of our bookcase.

Yes, yes….I do listen to the news and I did learn a few days ago, WALLS, that the development area for our famous “Valley” in California has many of other countries working there. In fact, our West Coast family tells us of their many friends from other countries……and many of them are from Asia.

WALLS, maybe we in Maine have lived a ‘protected life.’ You know that there’s been a sign at the ‘entrance to Maine’ that says “Welcome to Maine…..The Way Life Should Be.” Yes, WALLS, let’s make sure people ‘believe.’

SOLON & BEYOND, Week of February 9, 2017

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

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

As part of RSU #74’s participating in a Preschool Expansion Grant from the Maine Department of Education, they are forming a Community Literacy Team. With the increase in literacy demands for today’s job market, communities need to play a role in helping to promote and increase literacy skills in their citizens from birth to adulthood.

They are looking for community members who would like to be part of this team. Their plan is to meet once a month to create a literacy plan for the communities in RSU #74 to promote and expand literacy skills. Their activities need to include connections to early childhood, but they can also target people of all ages.

If you are interested in joining the team, please contact Ms. Butler at school or through e-mail at jbutler@carrabec.org. (The above is from an e-mail I received from Solon Elementary School.

Now for another apology, this time to Bill and Lori Messer… Sometimes I am either rushing to meet my deadline, or I have used up too many words already in a column, anyway… Last week in writing about their wonderful Blue Grass Show I didn’t write that they have Open Mic nights the first, third and fifth Sundays of each month from 1 to 4 p.m.

Lief and I recently traveled to Bangor where we had lunch with a former teacher of his from the “County,” Sam Coco. It was a most enjoyable time, he is a wonderful example, that no mater how old you are life can be exciting! We have been getting together with him several times and I always look forward to our get-togethers. He is a remarkable man…and he always assures me that Lief was a good boy back then.

Again, I would like to invite any of you painters, (in water colors, oils, or other mediums) to join us at Skowhegan Adult Ed for painting on Monday nights, starting on February 27, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. My faithful students and I always welcome new comers to our group of happy artists. Although I am a hard task master who loves peace and the joy of painting so my wishes are that during the few hours we are painting there won’t be any discussions about politics or religion. Please don’t let that stipulation keep you away! Many of these artists have been with me since I started this adventure many years ago, and I am proud to call them friends. You can sign up now at the Skowhegan Adult Ed office or on line, the fee is only $5.

And now for Percy’s memoir, he was a great believer in friendship: Friendship’s Token: Only a little token, Offered for Friendship’s sake – Picture and song together, Here, my greeting, take. What though on brightest pictures Time’s hand at last be lain; What though earth’s songs awaken Only to sleep again?

Voices once loved ring ever In faithful listening ears: The sacred hand of Friendship Gleams through the mist of years. (words by Ellis Walton). And Friends, like all good things in this life, can be had by any one who wants them. There is only one simple rule to follow, it is this; To have a friend, be one yourself. (that one came from my old, falling apart book “Uncle Ben’s Quotebook”. Percy and I studied that book a lot in all our years of writing, it was copyrighted in 1976. )

You guessed it…. I’m rambling, I need real news, I’m waiting to hear from you!

Agility: what skills do my dog and I really need?

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TRAINING YOUR PERFORMANCE DOGTRAINING YOUR PERFORMANCE DOG

by Carolyn Fuhrer

Handling systems, videos on foot work, and books on mental practice all can have a place in your agility training, but if you just want to enjoy the sport with your dog, work on building a solid basic foundation and relationship.

Your dog needs an introduction to agility equipment that is safe, sensible and will build your dog’s confidence. For this, you need a qualified instructor who can help you steadily progress and build your dog’s skills on equipment. Teaching your dog all the agility obstacles and the skills necessary to perform them will not get you very far on the course if you have no obedience background. Running a successful agility course with your dog requires that your dog takes direction from you and can switch from handler focus to obstacle focus and back again to the handler.

This requires a strong partnership with your dog. Agility trials are very stimulating. All your dog’s senses will be heightened by the surroundings. A good name recognition and recall is essential to performing agility to keep your dog off distractions and also to change your dog’s path and keep them on course.
I like to use the dog’s name to have them come into me. The best thing your dog should ever hear is his name and it should cause the dog to look towards you and move towards you. You can practice this as a fun game anywhere. It is essential for all dogs off leash, whether in agility or pet life, to have a strong recall.
A wait command is another essential obedience command. It is also another essential pet command. It will allow you to lead out in agility while still retaining your dog’s focus as he waits for a release.

Being able to tug with your dog in play and engage your dog with a toy in a distracting situation is also a valuable skill. Desire for a toy is a great training tool. It can help your dog focus. It is a great way to work on distance and sends. It is also a great way to teach self control. Your interaction with your dog and you, through playing with a toy, will reflect a great deal about your relationship with your dog. Much can be taught through interactive play. If you don’t have this with your dog, work on it. Some of us humans really need to learn how to play! If you are not a good player, get some help. Teach your dog to run with you by your leg on both sides – going faster when you accelerate and slower when you decelerate, leaving you when sent to an obstacle and returning to you on a pick up cue.

Many of these basic obedience skills can be worked on daily. No equipment necessary! Be creative – run with your dog and change direction, speed up, slow down, find unusual challenging situations where your dog must wait or come to you.

Enjoy building a strong foundation through everyday interaction with your dog – it is a wonderful investment.

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.

Give Us Your Best Shot! (compilation) Week of February 2, 2017

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Catching up on Your Best Shots:
Local camera buffs submitted many good photos in 2016

Pat Clark, in Palermo, captured this raven in a tree behind her home.

 

Betty Dunton, of Gardiner, took this foliage photo last fall.

 

Susan Lohnes, of China, took this photo in Canmore, Alberta, Canada.

 

Emily Poulin, of China, photographed these water droplets on a spider web.

 

Tina Richard, of Clinton, snapped this female hummingbird on a branch.

 

Eric Austin, of China, captured this beautiful sunset last fall.

 

David Bolduc, of Waterville, snapped this trestle of flowers last summer.

 

Susie True, of Chelsea, caught this chipmunk eating some jelly.

 

Bob Poulin, of Winslow, snapped this chipmunk playing hide-and-seek from a rain downspout.

Groundhog says six more weeks of winter…maybe

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Well, it’s Wednesday, February 1, the next issue of The Town Line is due to hit the streets tomorrow, and my deadline is fast approaching. Tomorrow is Groundhog day and I have not yet visited by little friend, Woodrow Charles, the weather prognosticating groundhog. So, I dressed and headed out. Fortunately, there isn’t very much snow on the ground, but a light snow was falling. The footing was not all that great. The rain has frozen the snow and it was a little slippery.

I finally reached the woodchuck’s lair, and like every year for the last 13 years, smoke is billowing from the chimney, and lights are on inside.

Instantly, I realized, since a woodchuck can live up to eight years, that would make Woody about 144 years old in human years. Amazing!”

I knock on the door, and Woody answered quickly.

“Come on in,” he said.

I noticed a suitcase near the door. “Going somewhere?” I asked, not expecting an answer.

“Headed to Houston.”

“What’s in Houston?”

“Super Bowl, my boy,” he responded. “I’m meeting some prairie dog cousins for the big game.”

“I thought they built a wall to keep you guys out,” I inquired.

“They can contain us, but they can’t stop us. We’re gonna tunnel under it.”

“Do you know anything about football?”

“I know that the Patriots and the Falcons’ offenses are comparable, but the Patriots’ defense is superior. It doesn’t matter that Atlanta has the No. 1 rated offense. Remember the St. Louis Rams’ vaunted “greatest show on turf” offense? Where did that get them? The Patriots held them to 17 points in 2002.”

“So, do you have a prediction?” I asked.

“Yes. Patriots 34-27.”

“No, no,” I interjected. “I’m talking about the rest of the winter. It is Groundhog Day,” I retorted.

“It’s getting more difficult to predict the weather with the way things have gone over the last 30 – 35 years,” Woody responded.

“What do you mean by that,” as I tried to pin him down for more information.

“The winters don’t seem to be as harsh.”

“So, you’re saying that climate change exists.”

“You’d have to be an idiot if you don’t think so,” he darted back.

I pushed further. “And you have the evidence to back that up, that climate change exists.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say that. Just call it alternate facts,” he replied.

“You mean like fake news,” I asked.

“Something like that,” he answered.

“So, do you have a prediction, and I don’t mean the Super Bowl.”

“Okay, okay, if you insist. I have been checking my equipment, although I know you don’t believe me. I do have another life, you know.”

“I have an obligation to my readers,” I tried to convince him. “They deserve it.”

“All my science seems to point to coldest temperatures in early to mid-February and early March, with the snowiest period in mid-February and into early and mid-March.”

“Sounds to me like March will come in like a lion, meaning it will go out like a lamb,” I summized.

“You can say that,” he replied. “But I’m going to come to the conclusion that we’re looking at six more weeks of winter, although maybe not harsh,” Woody answered.

At first I was going to debate it with him, based on the information I gathered from Mother Nature’s other weather forecasters last fall, but I couldn’t really argue with him. He has been right 85 percent of the time.

IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of February 2, 2017

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Katie Ouilette Wallsby Katie Ouilette

Y’know, WALLS, I guess one has to live through local history for as many years as I have to be able to share historic happenings.

Yup, I just got discharged from Skowhegan’s Redington-Fairview Memorial Hospital after a week’s stay and I just have to write to all you faithful readers how fortunate you are to have such an outstanding wellness center in our river city.

Yes, I remember the home of Margaret Chase Smith and her husband Clyde H’s being in the location of our present hospital, while Skowhegan’s first hospital had been across from our Free Public Library, that is before the Redington Hospital was located at 234 Madison Avenue. Yes, first the Smith House was purchased to become the Osteopathic Hospital, in Skowhegan, and, after several years, the hospital at 234 Madison Avenue moved to the original Bloomfield area of Skowhegan and grew and grew until it is presently “what you see.”

Now it is time for accolades to Redington -Fairview General Hospital’s CEO “Dick” Willette and his board of directors for assuring that Skowhegan has only the best of care and comfort for its patients.

Yes, WALLS, you usually take liberties allowed by Roland Hallee, managing editor of The Town Line with regards to word count, but surely you faithful readers will excuse this short column this week. Another time, I’ll elaborate more on my experiences, but for this time, I simply have to say that the ambulance driver and caregivers were extremely tolerant of my pain all the way from East Madison to the hospital, and their fast action allowed my remembering the ambulance’s entering the doors at the hospital and, from that moment, I was cared for but remember nothing until I was returned to my assigned room, hours later.

At this time, I can merely say so many thanks to all who put me through the surgery I needed, for their wonderful care for the seven days I spent there. The surgeons, the doctors, the RNs and CNAs, the physical therapists and the food that was prepared in the kitchen was truly outstanding! We are so fortunate to have had the foresight and caring of all involved in wellness for the Skowhegan area.

It is true that WALLS must make sure Katie does her breathing exercises and walks a bit before heading back to her chair, and WALLS promise more later, but, in the meantime, faithful readers, be thankful that Redington-Fairview General Hospital is for all of us and our care.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Orchestra leader: Billy Vaughn; Country artist: Chuck Reed; Recording artist: Tony Martin

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Peter Catesby  Peter Cates

Billy Vaughn

Melodies of Love
Dot DLP-109, 10-inch, mono LP, recorded 1955.

Billy Vaughn

Billy Vaughn

As a name in the annals for easy listening from 1955 to 1969, Billy Vaughn (1919 – 1991) was a very successful arranger, orchestra leader and multi-instrumentalist, his saxophoning most memorable on such mega-hits as Sail Along Silvery Moon. Melodies of Love consists of eight tunes celebrating the subject, including his hit cover of Wayne King’s 1940 blockbuster, Melody of Love. The program is a pleasant one, enhanced by what would become the frequent trademark of two saxes in so many of the later records. Also, his background support for most of singer Pat Boone’s 45s, starting in 1956, contributed so much to their sales.

A copy of this original LP is listed, as of January 11, 2017, on Ebay for $13.

Chuck Reed

Cry Like a Baby; I’m Gonna Get Some Sleep Tonight
Mercury 70527, 10-inch vinylite 78, recorded approx.
1954 or ’55.

Chuck Reed

Chuck Reed

Chuck Reed had a recording career mainly centered between 1954 and the mid ‘60s, generally getting some traction, as far as minimal charting and TV appearances, in 1957. The above record combines rural country with white rhythm and blues and is a nice example of the genre. Unfortunately, it has been out of print for decades – found my copy at a junk shop.

Tony Martin

One for My Baby
RCA Victor LPM 3136, 10-inch vinyl LP, recorded early ‘50s.

Tony Martin

Tony Martin

Tony Martin (1913-2012) had one of the top two or three baritone voices singing during the ‘40s – ‘50s pop era and achieved a huge success in film, radio, TV and records, through which I have a sizable number and first got to know his expressive vibrance and warmth as a singer, particularly of romantic ballads.

Harold Arlen (1905-1986) affixed his name to over 500 songs but was most likely best known for his score for the Wizard of Oz. The above LP contains eight of his classic selections: One for my Baby; Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea; Come Rain or Come Shine; I’ve Got the World on a String; Stormy Weather; It’s Only a Paper Moon; Let’s Fall in Love; and Get Happy. And Martin gives Arlen his total all, but this LP has been deleted for decades.

TECH TALK: “I know who you are and where you live…” – The Internet

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by Eric Austin
Computer Technical Advisor

In my first column, I wrote about the perils and pitfalls of shopping on the web. Over these next few weeks, I’d like to delve deeper into some of the new issues that face us now that we live in an online world.

Let’s face it. The internet is here to stay and it has been transformative. Things can’t go back to the way they were because they have been changed forever. For some of us, this is a bit scary. For others, not so much.

Part of the problem is that the internet has evolved faster than we have had a chance to adjust. To illustrate just how drastic this divide in generations is, let me give an example from my own life.

I have two sisters, one older, one younger. There is 14 years difference between them.

My older sister has a Facebook account, but you won’t find any pictures of her children there. Her main concern is that, unlike a physical photo, a photo on the web can be easily copied and shared without her being aware. This is a valid concern, and likely understandable to many of the parents reading this.

Now, in contrast, my younger sister recently had her first child, and his entire life is chronicled on her Facebook page. She and her husband share a huge amount of their lives online, and even used it to find a nanny. They harbor none of the fears of my older sibling.

So while online privacy will continue to be an important issue into the future, the discussion is going to change as the next generation, accustomed to life online, finds the open nature of the internet to be no more risky than walking through a busy mall. In fact, according to a recent report in U.S. News, online privacy barely registers on the risk radar of millennials.

Beyond individual privacy, the internet opens up interesting new ethical questions as well. My brother-in-law, who works for a company in New Hampshire, mentioned how he researches new job applicants on social media. “If they’re drunk and throwing up on the rug in every picture on their Facebook page,” he told me, “I might think twice about hiring them.”

Is it fair for a prospective employer to evaluate an applicant’s private life as part of the criteria for a job? Or is this a good thing, giving employers another tool for finding the right person for a job?

Over the next few weeks I’ll be looking at a number of these issues, what we can do about it, what we can’t, and why, in many cases, it’s not going to matter.

For my next column, I’ll explore how we are tracked on the web, what information we leave behind, and how that information is used to manipulate us. That’s right. Get ready, because I’m gonna scare the livin’ $@%& outta ya!

Have a tech question or idea you’d like to see covered in a future column? Email me at ericwaustin@gmail.com! Until next time, happy computing.