WA2K Radio is now on the air

The hottest temperature on Earth ever recorded most likely occurred in Death Valley, California during 43 consecutive days between July 6 and August 17, 1917. During those days, the temperature was over 48 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit). The national weather service recorded 56.7 °C (134 °F). The date reported there was July 10, 1913.

The temperature of a certain area depends upon a set of conditions that are called climate controls. these controls include latitude, altitude, topography, distance from large bodies of water, and nearby ocean currents. All these factors added up together created the circumstance to reach such a high temperature.

Death Valley lies mostly in eastern-central California. It was named Death Valley by one of eighteen survivors of a party of thirty attempting in 1849 to find a shortcut to the California gold fields. In terms of latitude is it located at about 35 degrees North, so it is in a good location for large amounts of sunlight. It is considered a middle latitude region.

In terms of altitude, the lowest elevation in the Western Hemisphere is in Death Valley. Generally, the lower the elevation, the higher the temperature. The elevation in the lowest point is 86 meters below sea level.

In terms of topography, Death Valley is a harsh desert with an average of 5 cm of rain a year. there are no nearby bodies of water, thus, no ocean currents.

Death Valley is about 209 kilometers long and 10 to 23 kilometers wide. Despite all these harsh conditions, several animals, such as toads, lizards and plants (like grass and cactus), are found there.

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2000/MichaelLevin.shtml

Ah, me, Bob. That is bad news, Boston.

Folks, I guess we need to reconsider global warming and erosion. 2004 was, perhaps, a prelude.

Australia dry
Florida wet

How about your part of the planet?

Bob, I believe that Death Valley is the lowest point in the U.S. What's the highest point?

Here's a song for edgar because this version is by Harry B., and someone I know who likes radio:



Lyrics:

If I were a carpenter and you were a lady
Would you marry me anyway
Would you have my baby
If a tinker was my trade would you still find me
Carrying the pots I made
Following behind me

Save my love thru loneliness
Save my love for sorrow
I've given you my onliness
Come and give me your tomorrow

If I worked my hands in wood
Would you still love me
Answer me babe yes I would
I put you above me
If I were a miller and a mill wheel grinding
Would you miss your colored blouse
Your soft shoes shinning

Save my love thru loneliness
I save my love for sorrow
I've given you my onliness
Come and give me your tomorrow

If I were a carpenter and you were a lady
Would you marry me anyway
Would you have my baby
I'm a carpenter, just a carpenter
I'm a carpenter, just a carpenter

and so are we all, listeners, carpenters trying to build a better relationship between nations. Do we still have a voice?

Mt Mckinley in Alaska.

Here's a low point for Swiss commuters.

Power Failure Closes Swiss Rail Network


BERN, Switzerland - An unprecedented power failure shut down the entire rail network of Switzerland on Wednesday, the state-owned railway company SBB said.

The power failure, which occurred at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday evening, left thousands of tourists and commuters across the country stranded and the rail authority scrambling to fix the problem.

The first trains began to run again shortly after 8 p.m., but much of the system remained out of operation, railway spokesman Christian Kraeuchi said.

It remained unclear what caused the breakdown, SBB spokesman Werner Nuber told Swiss Radio DRS, adding that the company had yet to rule out sabotage or the unusually warm weather for the failure.

The rail shutdown, thought to be the first of its kind for the famously punctual and efficient SBB, began with power problems in the southern canton or state of Ticino.

In Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, up to 50,000 people were left stranded by the power failure, SBB said.

Well, folks. There you have Bob's answer accompanied by a news item about another power failure. It seems to be happening more frequently.

This seems to be the time for a poetic observation.

DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT


Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Dylan Thomas

Alternative fuel sources, just as alternative medicine, seems to be waning.

Two Songs of a Fool

I

A speckled cat and a tame hare
Eat at my hearthstone
And sleep there;
And both look up to me alone
For learning and defence
As I look up to Providence.

I start out of my sleep to think
Some day I may forget
Their food and drink;
Or, the house door left unshut,
The hare may run till it's found
The horn's sweet note and the tooth of the hound.

I bear a burden that might well try
Men that do all by rule,
And what can I
That am a wandering witted fool
But pray to God that He ease
My great responsibilities?

II

I slept on my three-legged stool by the fire,
The speckled cat slept on my knee;
We never thought to enquire
Where the brown hare might be,
And whether the door were shut.
Who knows how she drank the wind
Stretched up on two legs from the mat,
Before she had settled her mind
To drum with her heel and to leap:
Had I but awakened from sleep
And called her name she had heard,
It may be, and had not stirred,
That now, it may be, has found
The horn's sweet note and the tooth of the hound.

- W.B.Yeats

My fav version of If I Were a Carpenter is by Bobby Darin.

Along The Navajo Trail Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters

[Written by Larry Markes, Dick Charles and Eddie DeLange]

Every day, along about evening
When the sunlight's beginning to pale
I ride through the slumbering shadows
Along the Navajo Trail

When it's night and crickets are callin'
And coyotes are makin' a wail
I dream by a smoldering fire
Along the Navajo Trail

I love to lie and listen to the music
When the wind is strummin' a sagebrush guitar
When over yonder hill the moon is climbin'
It always finds me wishin' on a star

Well whatta ya know, it's mornin' already
There's the dawnin', so silver and pale
It's time to climb into my saddle
And ride the Navajo Trail

I love to lie and listen to the music
When the wind is strummin' a sagebrush guitar
When over yonder hill the moon is climbin'
It always finds me wishin' on a star

Well whatta ya know, it's mornin' already
There's the dawnin', so silver and pale
(Like a silvery veil)
It's time to climb into my saddle
And ride the Navajo Trail
Ride the Navajo Trail
Ride the Navajo Trail

Peaked at #2
Also recorded by Gene Krupa #7
And Dinah Shore #7

edgar, I didn't know that Bobby Darin did that song.

Did you see Beyond the Sea? I thought that Kevin Spacey was awesome.

Someone tell me about Aaron Copeland's Grand Canyon Suite. I think it begins with:

We'll ride away,
Beyond the trail that follows the sun.

And then the Navajo Trail that I recall had something to do with "...Angels come to light the desert nightly...."

Wow, listeners. It's difficult to find songs on the vast super highway.

Bob, thanks for the poems, buddy. Guess tomorrow night is Karaoke time.

Stay tuned, folks. More to come.

Wow! I'm a day behind, yawl. Tomorrow is just Thursday.

Anyway, I just remembered that the song I was thinking of was "Along the Santa Fe Trail." Can't find the lyrics, however. Maybe someone in our vast audience will supply them for us here.

[Words and Music by Harry James, Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges and Don George]

Lyrics as recorded by Kitty Kallen
w/ Harry James & His Orchestra in 1945

I never cared much for moonlit skies
I never wink back at fireflies
But now that the stars are in your eyes
I'm beginning to see the light

I never went in for afterglow
Or candlelight on the mistletoe
But now when you turn the lamp down low
I'm beginning to see the light

Used to ramble through the park
Shadowboxing in the dark
Then you came and caused a spark
That's a four-alarm fire now

I never made love by lantern-shine
I never saw rainbows in my wine
But now that your lips are burning mine
I'm beginning to see the light

Reached #1

THE SANTA FE TRAIL
by James Grafton Rogers, 1911

Say, pard have ye sighted a schooner
A-hittin' the Santa Fe Trail?
They made it here Monday or sooner
With a water keg roped on the rail,
With Daddy and Ma on the mule-seat
And somewhere around on the way
A tow-headed gal on a pony
A-janglin' for old Santa Fe
Oh -- Ah - Oh --
A-janglin' for old Santa Fe.

I seen her ride down the arroyos
Way back in the Arkansas sand,
With a smile like an acre of sunflowers,
An' her little brown quirt in her hand
She straddled the pinto so airy
And rode like she carried the mail,
And her eyes near set fire to the prairie
'Long side of the Santa Fe Trail
Oh -- Ah - Oh --
Alongside of the Santa Fe Trail.

Oh, I know a gal down on the border
That I'd ride to El Paso to sight;
I'm acquaint with the high-steppin' order,
And I've sometimes kissed some gals goodnight;
But Lord, they're all ruffles and beadin'
Or afternoon tea by the pail,
Compared to the kind of stampedin'
That I get on the Santa Fe Trail
Oh -- Ah -- Oh --
That I get on the Santa Fe Trail.

I don't know her narne, and the prairie
When it comes to a gal's pretty wide,
Or shorter from hell to hilary
Than it is on this Santa Fe ride,
But I guess I'll make Cedars by sundown
And campin' may be in a swale,
I'll come on a gall and a pinto
Alongside of the Santa Fe Trail
Oh -- Ah -- Oh --
Alongside of the Santa Fe Trail.

Well, folks, still haven't gotten the answer to my questions, but I'm certain it's because WA2K has gotten rather vast, and it's difficult to observe what one has said before.

edgar, rainbows in my wine is a beautiful line, is it not? Thanks, Texas.

dj, what a fantastic alternate, but it's not quite the one I had in mind.

Back later, all, if I can make it that long. <smile>

fyi, Letty, Grand Canyon Suite was composed by Ferde Grofe, not Copland. Grofe also orchestrated Rhapsody in Blue, btw; Gershwin only scored it for solo piano.

My word, Yit. I need to do a refresher course in music appreciation. That's what I get for relying on my memory. Thanks, buddy.

Well, it's been one long day, listeners, so I guess I had better call it a day the usual way.

With love to all here from Letty

There have been some wonderful posts on WA2K in the past few days--actually, there are always great posts on WA2K.

Goodnight, sweet Letty, with one of my all time favorite old oldies:

Twilight On the Trail

When it's twilight on the trail,
And I jog along,
The world is like a dream
And the ripple of the stream is my song . . .

When it's twilight on the trail,
And I rest once more,
My ceiling is the sky
And the grass on which I lie is my floor . . .

Never ever have a nickel in my jeans,
Never ever have a debt to pay,
Still I understand what real contentment means,
Guess I was born that way . . .

When it's twilight on the trail,
And my voice is still,
Please plant this heart of mine
Underneath the lonesome pine on the hill . . .

( Underneath the lonesome pine on the hill . . . )
When it's twilight on the trail . . .

~ from the 1936 Paramount film
"The Trail of the Lonesome Pine"
Music by Louis Alter
with lyrics by Sidney D. Mitchell, 1936
Famous Music

Some people say it's only half vast, but not me of course.

June Carter Cash
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.


June Carter Cash (born Valerie June Carter) (June 23, 1929 - May 15, 2003), middle daughter of Ezra (Eck) Carter and Maybelle Carter (Mother Maybelle), was a singer, songwriter, a member of the first country music recording stars, the Carter Family, and married to legendary singer Johnny Cash. She was born in Maces Springs, Virginia and played guitar, banjo, and autoharp.

With the Carter Family

In the winter of 1938-1939 the Carter Family travelled to Texas where they had a twice-daily program on border radio station XERA (later XERF) in Villa Acuña (now Ciudad Acuña), Mexico, across the border from Del Rio, Texas. Then in school, June did not accompany them. Beginning with the 1939/1940 season, June joined the Carters, this time in San Antonio, Texas, where the group's work was pre-recorded and distributed to multiple border radio stations (XELO, XEG, XERB, and XEPN). June's musical contribution to the group consisted of her autoharp playing.

In Fall, 1942, the Carters moved their program to WBT radio in Charlotte, North Carolina for a one year contract. They occupied the sunrise slot with the program airing between 5:15 and 6:15 a.m. June attended Paw Creek High School following the show on weekdays.
[edit]

With Mother Maybelle & the Carter Sisters

In March, 1943, when the Carter Family trio stopped recording together after the WBT contract, Maybelle Carter, with encouragement from her husband Ezra, formed Mother Maybelle & the Carter Sisters with her daughters Helen, Anita, and June. The new group first aired on radio station WRNL in Richmond, Virginia on 1 June 1943. June attended John Marshall High School during this period. In 1946, they moved to more powerful, semi clear-channel WRVA in the same city. In 1948, the group left Richmond and returned to Maces Springs.

After a short stay in southwest Virginia, Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters headed off to Knoxville, Tennessee where they had yet another radio contract on WNOX. Here they met and teamed with a young Chet Atkins. In 1949, the family travelled to Springfield, Missouri where they entertained on KWTO.

Ezra Carter declined Grand Ole Opry offers to move the family to Nashville, Tennessee a number of times because the Opry would not permit Chet Atkins to accompany the group. Finally, in 1950 Opry management relented and the group, along with Atkins, became part of the Opry company. Here the family befriended Hank Williams and Elvis Presley and June would meet Johnny Cash.

With her thin and lanky frame June often played a comedic foil during the group's performances alongside other Opry stars Faron Young and Webb Pierce.

On her own

In the mid-1950s June studied at The Actor's Studio in New York City and stayed with Elia Kazan and his wife in their apartment. During this period, she became close friends with Robert Duvall and dated James Dean. June's acting career netted her one feature film, Country Music Holiday (1958), several guest spots on TV Westerns, and a few roles on soap operas. Throughout these years, she retained her Grand Ole Opry membership.

June's first husband was singer Carl Smith and they were married from 1952 to 1957. Their daughter Rebecca Carlene Smith (known professionally as Carlene Carter) was born in 1955 and is a country singer. Her second husband was Edwin "Rip" Nix, a policeman, and they had a daughter, Rozanna Lea (Rosie). June married her third husband, Johnny Cash, in 1968, and they had a son, John Carter.


With Johnny Cash

In 1967 she and future husband Johnny won a Grammy Award in the Best Country & Western Performance, Duet, Trio Or Group (vocal or instrumental) category for the song, "Jackson"'. In 1970 they won again in the Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal category for the song, "If I Were a Carpenter".

She played the part of Mrs. "Momma" Dewey in Robert Duvall's 1997 movie The Apostle.

In 1999 she won a Grammy Award for her album, Press On. Her last album Wildwood Flower was released in 2003. It contains bonus video enhancements showing extracts from the film of the recording sessions which took place at the Carter Family Estate in Virginia on 18 September, 19 and 20, 2002.

She died in May 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee from complications following heart valve surgery two years after she had a pacemaker implanted. She was interred in Hendersonville Memory Gardens in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

The body of her daughter, Rosie Nix Adams, was found dead on a bus, on October 24, 2003, after apparent carbon monoxide poisoning from six propane or kerosene lanterns on the bus. Also found on the bus was the body of Bluegrass fiddle player, Jimmy Campbell. Rosie Adams was a songwriter and had pursued a performing career.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Carter_Cash

Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone

When death shall close these eyelids
And this heart shall cease to beat
And they lay me down to rest
In some flowery-bound retreat
Will you miss, miss me, when I'm gone
Will you miss, miss me, miss me when I'm gone X2
Will you miss when I'm gone
Perhaps you'll plant a flower
On my poor unworthy grave
And come sit alone beside me
When the roses nod and wave
Will you miss, miss me, when I'm gone
Will you miss, miss me, miss me when I'm gone X2
Will you miss when I'm gone
One sweet thought my soul shall cherish
Till this fleeting life has flown
This sweet thought will cheer when dying
You will miss me when I'm gone
Will you miss, miss me, when I'm gone
Will you miss, miss me, miss me when I'm gone X2
Will you miss when I'm gone

Parodies of Broadway Show Tunes


"If I Were A Rich Man" Based on the performance by Zero Mostel (Fiddler on the Roof)
"If I Were The Dark Lord" Parody by Phil Alexander


If I were The Dark Lord
Mwahahahahaha
Snigger snigger, evil evil One
All day long I'd plan my evil fun
If I were the Overlord
I wouldn't show no mercy
Mwahahahahaha
Snigger snigger, evil evil One
If I were a baddy-baddy dark,
Evil, evil nasty nasty man

I'd build a great big Death Star, size of a planet
Sail that mother into space
I'd check the plans so no little flaws to blow
There would be one big gun to blow planets up
And lots of lasers to bring down
Every little rebel ship I know

I'd fill my big Death Star with troops who can shoot
And duck if the doorway is too small
Clear visors so their faces can be seen
And each loud "pee-ow" and "spaanng" and "kapow"
Would herald another rebel's fall
As if to say "Mwaha! I rule supreme"
Oh..

If I were The Dark Lord
Mwahahahahaha
Snigger snigger, evil evil One
All day long I'd plan my evil fun
If I were the Overlord
I wouldn't show no mercy
Mwahahahahaha
Snigger snigger, evil evil One
If I were a baddy-baddy dark,
Evil, evil nasty nasty man

I see a hero come, looking like a proper fool
With a proper vorpal blade
I won't put off his death, just for my delight
I won't ask him his plans, or how he knew mine
I'll just toss in a hand grenade
And make sure it's removed him from the fight

The most important men in space and time will come to me
They will ask me not to kill them,
Like an evil Overlord
"If you please, Oh, Dark One"
"Pardon me, Oh Dark One?"
I might kill them anyway, if I get bored...
(Cue evil laughter) Mwahahahahaha
And it won't make one bit of difference
If I answer right or wrong
When you're evil, powerful, you know

There would be no computers for rebels to access
If left alone for any time:
A totally non-standard interface
And if I ever capture a lovely princess
Who say's she NEVER will be mine
I'll sigh, and kill her quickly - just in case

If I were The Dark Lord
Mwahahahahaha
Snigger snigger, evil evil One
All day long I'd plan my evil fun
If I were an Overlord
I wouldn't show no mercy
Mwahahahahaha
Snigger snigger evil evil scum
My diktats would never be ignored
I would put whole planets to the sword
What I'd do, just to keep from getting bored
If I were the OVERLORD!!!!!

MWAHAHaHaHahahaha.....



Cabaret" Based on the performance by Liza Minelli
"Killer Ray" Parody by Phil Alexander

So, Meester Bond, you thought you could outsmart ME?

Now that I've got you tied up in my room
I'll give all my plans away
I've got a Killer Ray, James Bond
Come see my Killer Ray

Push down the button... it all goes KABOOM!
And blows everyone away
I've got a Killer Ray, James Bond
Come see my Killer Ray

It's so malign
All that I've planned
I'll blow them all
We're detonating
Look at them disintegrating

I'm a maniacal prophet of doom
And I'll rule the world someday
I've got a Killer Ray, James Bond
Come see my Killer Ray

I've been known to go somewhat beserky
And give the order to fire up and roast Turkey
But start on something smaller - say: Albania
To increase UN tension, let me explain t'yer
Soon there will be no land next to Poland
Italy will be totally at my command
But when they sent James Bond, secret police
I knew then I was going to melt Greece
I think maybe I'll KO the UK
Waste Wales and use up the USA

No point in guessing what I'll do to whom
Start now, without delay
I've got a Killer Ray, James Bond
Time for my Killer Ray
And as for me
And as for me
I know that no one will forgive me...
When I go

The

World

Goes

With

Me

(Bond, he escapes through
A hole in the plot
Starts shooting without delay)
That is my Killer Ray, James Bond
Don't touch my Killer Ray, James Bond
No! You broke my Ki- ller Raaaaaaaay!

Good morning, WA2K listeners.

Thanks to our Yit, I finally got things in line concerning Aaron Copland, and I think the suite of which I was thinking was Billy the Kid and Appalachian Spring.

http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/copland.html

Diane, followed with that haunting song Twilight on the Trail and Bob gave us the straight "half vast" stuff about June Carter Cash. <smile>

Thanks, Bob. What tragedy occurred in that family, right listeners?

Angel, that was a fabulous parody on If I Were a Rich Man. Loved it. So much of what we know and learn is through oral history, so I would like to share with you a song that I recall my mother having sung.


Traditional, arranged by Avie Lee Parton

There's a little rosewood casket
Resting on a marble stand
With a packet of old love letters
Written by my true love's hand

Go and bring them to me sister
Read them o'er for me tonight
I have often tried but I could not
For the tears that filled my eyes

When I'm dead and in my casket
When I gently fall asleep
Fall asleep to wake in heaven
Dearest sister do not weep

Take his letters and his locket
Place them gently on my heart
But this golden ring that he gave me
From my finger never part

There's a little rosewood casket
Resting on a marble stand
With a packet of old love letters
Written by my true love's hand

Now for some coffee in the hopes that my grey matter will begin its appointed task.

Morning/Evening everyone.

Letty my mother too was the singer in the family. She used to sing to us old ballads of her country. Ballads that were real cases of things that happen long ago. I wrote down my favorite one, so I would not forget it. I will have to translate it, and share it with you all one of these days. I promised myself to research where the story (ballad) came from. It's a very sad ballad.

She also sang to us children's rhymes.