Sadly, Molly Ivans passed Wednesday from cancer.  She was 62.

She was always a bright light in the dismal murk of typical syndicated columnists and reporters.  Her razor sharp wit and sarcasm made me laugh every time.

One of my favorite Molly lines was back in the 90's when Republican radical Pat Buchanon either spoke at the Republican Convention, or had written a widely distributed article (I don't remember which).  Molly commented on his words by saying, "Just as it is better to read Cicero in the original Latin, so it is better to read Buchanan in the original German."

I always got a kick out of that. 

Show 80 implies:

• Leo Lincourt from Neural Gourmet joins us again
  
• Tune 1: Villa Lobos Prelude 2 by William Gangel
• The race for the Race - are Hilary or Obama electable?
• Tune 2: Blood is Red by Molly Pauken
• On Film: Sherry Baby

Show 79 includes:

• Live From NY...
• Tune 1: Young Boys by 805
• DANGER, or Q&A
• Tune 2: Daydream by Robin Stine
• On Film: The Bridesmaid
  

I got some bad news today.  A friend of mine died.  A friend that I had never met, but knew from work.  He was one of the many people that I've talked to on the phone over the past 4.5 years in my duties at work.  His name was William Gangel, and we've featured his wonderful Classical Guitar playing on our show.  If you've listened, you've probably heard him.

William had some health problems, and he passed a few days ago.  I think he was in his late fifties.  I was given the bad news today when I called a music store at which he used to work.

When I read our web-site logs, I am able to see the search terms that people use to reach our site.  Many months ago I was pleasantly surprised to see his name as one of the search terms that brought people here to visit.  Since that time I see at least five visitors a month who have come here looking for William.  Hopefully they download and listen to the two shows on which we featured his playing, and enjoy the music as much as we did.

Show 1, Show 2 

Show 78 includes:

• Karma Chameleon
• Tune 1: Bagel on the Malecon by Lev Zhurbin
• Vin: 2003 Hugo McLaren Vale Shiraz
  
• An Inconvenient Truth gets banned
• Tune 2: Strange Day in Mexico by the Clintons
• On Film: The Queen

A few months ago, John authored the BloodyVeg Music Meme that we discussed on the show.  One of the questions asked if there was a song that was able to cheer you up.  At the time this song did not come to mind, but after seeing the film Finding Forrester, I was reminded again of the song that was/is always able to cheer me up.

Throughout the film, the song Somewhere Over The Rainbow was used to great effect.  There were two very different arrangements of the song, both different from one another, and both different from the traditional version in The Wizard Of Oz.  Hearing the two versions used in Finding Forrester reminded me of another amazing version of the song I heard when I was in recording school.  One of the teachers  there was also an amazing guitarist and musician.  One of the best you'll ever hear in fact, and he performed an incredible solo guitar arrangement that simply soared.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, the song that ALWAYS cheers me up is Somewhere Over The Rainbow.  It's so uplifting and powerful to me, that without fail, I'm always the better for having heard it. 

Show 77 involves:

• Bear Grylls is the real James Bond
  
• Episode IV: A New Road Case
• Tune 1: Monkey Rag by the Asylum Street Spankers
• Iraq
• Tune 2: Quickie by Amanda Monaco 4
• On Film: Mutual Appreciation
  

Wow has this been a weird January.  A weird winter even.  In my lifetime I don't think I've ever gone outside in January, with a short sleeve polo shirt, and no jacket.  Well today I did exactly that.  The weather gurus were predicting near 60 degrees today, and the temperature readings I saw at around noon said 58 and 59 degrees.  If it wasn't raining/threatening rain, I would have been on my bike.  I guess places like Colorado are getting the snow we're supposed to be getting now. 

The first week of January is often the week that leads us into near-zero, and sub-zero temperatures.  Not that the mercury won't be dipping that low in a few weeks, but as I look out the window and as I see it today, something weird is afoot with the weather.