Pat St. John is Leaving WCBS-FM

Pat St. John has certainly been as asset to New York radio as he is approaching his 42nd anniversary in the Big Apple.  He started his career in his native Detroit, but came to WPLJ in 1973.  He later worked at WNEW-FM, Q-104.3 and WCBS-FM.  Since 2007 he has worked Sundays on WCBS-FM.  I always enjoyed his collectible cut feature.  I would leave my house about 12:15 and arrive in th parking lot of my mother's apartment building at 12:45 in the middle of the collectible cut.

Today, he announced on the air that he was leaving his WCBS-FM show after April 12 to move to San Diego to be close to his daughters.  It was nice of the station's management to let him make that announcement. Pat was an asset to WCBS-FM over the 7 1/2 years he was at the station.  He will still be heard on his SiriusXM 60s on 6 show heard weekdays from 1 PM - 5 PM.

Here is the announcement recorded by John Troll and posted on the New York Radio Message Board

Here is a photo of myself with Pat at the Oldies Meet and Greet in November 2009

Decade of Soul at BB Kings

We usually take Lee out to a Broadway show for his birthday, but this year there was nothing he wanted to see.  Since he likes oldies and classic soul he picked the Decades of Soul playing at BB Kings in Times Square.  They covered a wide variety of soul hits from 1964-73  The three singers are:

• Bruce "Big Daddy" Wayne 
• Prentiss McNeil 
• Janelle Jones 

They did an excellent job of covering the soul hits of that era.  Please see their promotional video

Congratulations to Brian Matthew on His 25th Anniversary as Host of Sounds of the 60s on BBC Radio 2

Since 2005 I have regularly listened to Sounds of the 60s hosted by British radio legend  Brian Matthew.  It is heard on BBC Saturday mornings at 8 (GMT).  Thanks to internet technology I listen to the podcast every Sunday morning.  It provides a good mix of British and American hits and rarities.  Congratulations Brian for a job well done and I hope you will host the show for many more years.

Back in April 2008 Brian played a dedication I mad to Karen on our mutual birthdays.  I invite my readers to listen to it.

Happy 27th Birthday Lee

Above is a photo of Lee on his 27th birthday.  He has a large collection of t-shirts many from places we have visited.  He is wearing a t-shirt from the CNN Center in Atlanta.  After all these years my heart is still aching for Mr. Lee, Mr. Lee.

The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel - Oldie of the Day

Bob Radil played this on his 60s 70s show tonight.  Below is the recording from the Concert in Central Park,

You Showed Me by the Byrds and The Turtles

The Turtles actually had the hit version of this song that was actually written by Jim (later known as Roger) McGuinn and Gene Clark.  The two versions are both good, but very different.

NJIT Highlanders 80 Cleveland State 77

I think it was in 2006 that NJIT sports moved into Division I.  There was some controversy on campus if this was the right move.  A good basketball or football team will attract good students to the school and get it recognition.  The team started out very poorly in Division I play, but since Jim Engles became Head Coach there has been great improvement. The big event this season was the upset victory over nationally ranked Michigan. The Highlanders did not make the NCAA or NIT tournaments but have now won two games in the College Insider Post Season Tournament. 

I certainly congratulate Coach Engles and Athletic Director Lenny Kaplan on the team's accomplishments and wish them all the best in the future.

I Bought an iPhone 6 Today

I bought the iPhone 5 in November 2012.  Since then the 5c and 5s models have been on the market. Anyway my phone has been acting erratically lately since it has been losing a lot of power in a short period of time.  Perhaps it just needs a battery, but what to heck I'll get the lateest model.  I spent some time downloading most of the icons I had in the iCloud to the new phone.  There are some subtle differences between the two models.  I guess I have to "keep up with the Joneses".

The Two Movies I really Wanted to See Were Only in Manhattan Theaters

I have likely mentioned this before about only mainstream movies being shown at the College Point Multiplex which is within walking distance of my apartment.  There were two new releases that I wanted to see that are only seen in Manhattan right now.  Since I have a long commute to work during the week, I am somewhat reluctant to travel by subway on the weekend just to see a movie.

The Wrecking Crew  a film about musicians backing up 1960s hits.  Right now it is playing at the IFC Theater in Greenwich Village.  I could rent the streaming version for $7, but I decided to wait until I can purchase it on DVD.

Danny Collins - An aging rocker (Al Pacino) decides to change the course of his life after receiving a long-undelivered letter from the late John Lennon.  I saw a trailer for this last week at the Kew Gardens Cinema, but as of today it is only playing at two theaters in Manhattan.  I am certain that within a few weeks it will come to Queens.

Instead I went to the College Point Multiplex and saw Insurgent  .  Eh

A New Video Board is Coming to Citifield as Well

Yesterday, I posted that there will be a new video board at Wrigley Field in Chicago, but how can I not report the new board at Citfield?  As I pass by the stadium on the #7 train I observed that the old scoreboard seen above is being replaced by a modern video board.  You can read the details in this post from Ball Park Digest .

A Modern Video Board is Coming to Wrigley Field

I had the pleasure of seeing games at Wrigley Field when we went on the Jay Buckley Baseball Tour in 2006, 2007 and 2010.  The first schedule night game at Wrigley was on 8/8/1988.  However, it rained that night and the game did not go the required 9 innings to be official.  The Mets played in the first completed night game there on 8/9/1988.

This season there will be modernization there as a modern video board is now being constructed there.  I guess there are some purist Cub fans who will not like that, but time marches on.

Visit to the Dentist This Morning

My trip to the dentist gives me the excuse of visiting my old neighborhood.  I don't have much time to look around since I go back to work for a half day afterwards.  Anyway, hopefully I'll just need a cleaning this time. I think the dentist will take some X-Rays to see if she finds any problems.  Hopefully, I'll have a good checkup.

Deli Man The Movie

I was intrigued about the documentary Deli Man as soon as I was aware of its existence.  I found out that it was playing at the Kew Gardens Cinema.  We generally go there a few times a year to see an independent film.  That is a movie theater the way it ought to be in a residential area away from shopping malls.

In February 2008 in this journal I wrote about the demise of kosher delis in Queens.  That theme is discussed on a national scale in this film  In 1931 there were thousands of delis in the USA with 1550 in NYC alone, but now perhaps only 150 still exist in North America.  There were interviews with restauranteurs of the well known delis that remain.  Much of the movie considered Kenny and Ziggy's in Houston.  David "Ziggy" Gruber appeared numerous times in the movie as he inherited the business from his parents and grandparents.  He was very attached to his family and the deli and figuratively was married to it.  At the end of the movie he went to Hungary the home of his grandparents and got married.

Jay Parker, the owner of Ben's Best Deli in Rego Park, was featured throughout the film.  While growing up in Rego Park I would go there and pick up food to bring home.  I remember that Ben who has since passed on had a big mouth and was very much a braggart. His food was excellent! Back in the 1960s I remember:

• Julie's Deli on Queens Blvd. near the Rego Park Jewish Center
• Dave-Ed's on 63rd Drive near P.S. 139

Ben's Best in Rego Park is not to be confused with the Ben's Deli with restaurants in Bayside, Manhattan, Long Island and Boca Raton.  The latter Ben's is the location of the famous Oldies Meets and Greets.  It's owner, Ronnie Dragoon, was interviewed briefly at the Boca Ration Location.  I can not understand why it is called Ben's when the owner's name is Ronnie.

Certainly not all the 150 delis remaining could be featured in the film, but I was disaapointed that Mendy's Glatt Kosher Deli did not appear.  I think that the director/producer Erik Greenberg Anjou could have explained what is meant by Glatt Kosher.  He did include translations of some Yiddish terms which are likely not familiar to Gentiles watching the film.

It was briefly noted that the demise of the Kosher Deli is likely caused by demographic changes.  I have certainly observed that in Queens.  I suggest that owners of these establishments try to market themselves to potential customers of different religions and national origins.

This is the best movie that I have seen in a very long time.

Review in the Los Angeles Times

Unusual Games on Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune Today

As a loyal viewer of Jeopardy, I don't know if this ever happened before.  At the end of Double Jeopardy only the champion had money.  One contestant was at -$200 while the other was at -$6800.  I can not remember a contestant being so far in the hole at the end of the game.  As far as I can remember this was the only time only one player entered Final Jeopardy.

I have watched Wheel of Fortune irregularly over the years.  On today's show one player solved all the puzzles.  The two others received the consolation prize of $1000.

I am sorry Joe, but I am not writing anything about Dick Tracy today.

Mumbles was My Favorite Dick Tracy Villain

One of my classmates at JHS 190 who name was Daniel L. used to imitate Mumbles.  In this episode of the Dick Tracy cartoon series Stooge Villar and Mumbles are nabbed by Joe Jitsu.  Six Two and Even, Over and Out.  Here goes:

Will A New Politically Correct Dick Tracy Wear the Apple Watch?

Today I had a conversation with my colleague Joe about the new Apple Watch that was announced today though the web site states it won't be available until April 24.  The nuisance about this watch is that the iPhone must be nearby for it to work.  I guess all of the technology geeks will have to own it.

This watch reminded us of the radio watch used by Dick Tracy.  We recalled that in the early 1960s WPIX Channel 11 in NYC featured Dick Tracy cartoons hosted by Chief Joe Bolton.  Some of the villains were:

• Stooge Villar and Mumbles
• The Mole
• Flat Top and BB Eyes

Some of the detectives that worked with Dick Tracy were:

• Joe Jitsu
• Heep O'Calorie
• Hemlock Holmes
• Go Go Gomez

The cartoons have not been shown on TV in many years since there were ethnic stereotypes associated with the characters.  Now people are politically correct.  I did find some of the old shows on Youtube.

Positively Fourth Street by Johnny Rivers

Bob Dylan said that this was the best cover version of any his songs.  4th Street is a very bitter song and I must say that Johnny's version takes much of the "bite" out of it.  Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine sends the same message, but with a kinder and gentler tone.

Saturday Afternoon at the Paley Center for Media

For a number of years the Slutsky's have been members of the Paley Center for Media formerly known as the Museum of TV and Radio.  We like to go to the library and view old TV shows.  As members we are allowed 3 hours to watch TV or listen to radio shows.  Today we picked three recording artists and watched their performances from the late 1960s.  We watched:

• Barbra Streisand Concert in Central Park (1968)
• Johnny Cash on the Kraft Music Hall (1968)
• Diana Ross and the Supremes as hostesses on the Holiday Palace (1969)  Soupy Sales was a guest performet.

Time Has Come Today by the Chambers Brothers

On Sunday morning we turn the clocks ahead for daylight savings time.  Supposedly we save energy by having a later sunset, but on Monday morning sunrise will not be until 7:20.  IMHO we should not go back to daylight savings time until late March.  Here is my favorite "time" song.  Time Has Come Today by the Chambers Brothers.

Another Snowstorm

The original forecast said there would be 1-3 inches of snow in NYC with areas south getting 3-6 inches.  As of now (3:10 PM) there must be at least 4 inches on the ground in Flushing.  I received a phone call from NJIT at 5:50 AM stating that classes and office would be closed until 12 noon.  At 10:40 I rceived another call stating that all classes would cancelled until at least 5 PM.  Finally at 3 PM they announced that night classes are cancelled.

I just wish this miserable winter would end already.  Enough already with the bitterly cold weather and the snow.  I spent some time today reading baseball books.

Legendary Locals of Forest Hills and Rego Park

Perlman, M. H. (2015). Legendary locals of forest hills and rego park. Place of publication not identified: Arcadia Pub.

This book was announced by the author on Facebook a few months ago.  Of course I had to pre-order it from Amazon.com.  To make a long story short, I lived in Rego Park in 3 different apartments from 1951-72 and 1978-1983.  My parents moved to Forest Hills in 1980.

This books contains photographs with annotations about local landmarks including:

• Alexanders
• Hamburger Train
• Fairyland
• Rego Park Jewish Center
• Eddie's Sweet Shop
• Trylon Theater
• Midway Theater

Most of book is devoted to photographs and thumbnail biographies of famous people who lived part of their lives in Rego Park or Forest Hills.  Those include:

• Simon and Garfunkel
• Danny Troob
• Gypsy Rose Lee
• Captain Kangaroo
• Art Buchwald
• Alan King

Michael Perlman is to be congratulated on a job well done.  It is hard to believe that I left Rego Park over 30 years ago.  I live only 4 miles away in Flushing, but every so often I like to return to reminisce and to see how the old neighborhood has changed.  Perhaps when I am retired I'll have some time to research the old neighborhood.

Hey Zimmy - Where are You Going with That Gun in Your Hand

A few weeks ago I mentioned in this journal that Shadows in the Night was not my favorite Dylan album,  I think he should sing his own songs in his genre of music.  I thank fellow New York Met fan and owner of Dylanradio.com Pete Freckleton for bringing this video to my attention.

I think that Dylan's videos should be limited to he and his backup band singing his songs.  I didn't care for this video as there was gun violence in it.  If I had my way only police officers and the military would be allowed to have guns of any kind.  I do not like seeing Mr. Zimmerman with a hand gun.  Thus, IMHO this video sucked.  I thought that the video for Duquense Whistle was a little too violent but the one for The Night We Called it a Day was worse.