Ramblin' with Roger

Wordle 1200

Wordle World

Still, in the last 100 games, I got zero ones, 19 twos, 45 threes, 27 fours, eight fives, and a single six, for an average of 3.27. My overall average, attributing my two misses as sevens, is 3.84.

As I have noted, if after my first word (AROSE for about the last 900 games), I get either one (or more) green letters or two (or more) yellow letters, I play in “hard” mode. In recent days, I’ve gotten only one yellow letter. In those situations, I then use TULIP.

The numbers after the word are the number of words left, per the NYT WordleBot:

Wordle 1,453 4/6

AROSE 199

TULIP 2

PLAIN 1

PLAID

If I don’t use TULIP, I try to use the letters in TULIP.

Wordle 1,449 3/6

AROSE 7

PURSE 1

REUSE

Wordle 1,439 2/6

AROSE 37

POLAR; the Bot thought I was lucky, but I just used the TULIP consonants

When I haven’t made a lot of progress, I try some go-to words, such DEIGN, LITER, and ROGER.

Wordle 1,448 4/6

AROSE 219

TULIP 40

DEIGN 2

EDIFY

Sometimes, there’s only one available word, but it still takes me a while, in this case because I had not thought of it as a word.

Wordle 1,445 3/6

AROSE 37

ALIGN 1

ADMIN

Now, this was scary.

Wordle 1,425 6/6

AROSE 146

TULIP 22

WOMYN 4

CONCH 2

GONZO 1

BONGO

Change of strategy

For the first few hundred games, I used the words TUBES FLING WORDY CHAMP, though apparently not for this game, unless I made an unforced error. So I would get most of the words, but usually in five or six.

400 games later, I was getting more 2s and 3s, and far fewer 6s. My pipe dream is to reach 100 twos before I reach 100 6s.

I’ve gotten better at it because I discuss the game with my wife and my Wordle buddy Matthew. The Wordle World folks are great, none better than Nola. We were nearly head-to-head before my second miss. Then she got up to 938 before her X/6. She wants me to get to at least 939. I’m crossing my fingers, toes…

I hope the word isn’t cwtch, because I doubt I would solve the puzzle!

June rambling: the rich get richer

it’s cruelty, plain and simple

How the rich get richer: Evade taxation, grease trillion-dollar tax breaks, jack interest rates, then seize depressed assets

Air Traffic Control and Med Spas: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Edmund White, pioneer of gay literature, dies at 85

Loretta Swit, Maj. Margaret Houlihan of TV’s ‘MAS*H,’ Dies at 87

Frederick Forsyth, Author of ‘The Day of the Jackal,’ Dies at 86

Valerie Mahaffey, Actress on ‘Northern Exposure,’ ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ‘Young Sheldon,’ Dies at 71. I loved her on The Powers That Be.

Alf Claussen, Emmy-Winning Composer for ‘The Simpsons,’ Dies at 84

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Crisis, Kindness, and Change; interview with Katie Couric; she was also on CBS Sunday Morning

The Hidden History of the Nazi U-Boats That Prowled the Gulf Coast

Ben Franklin’s Project

10 States With the Most Expensive Toll Roads

Ursa Incommodus

Lin-Manuel Miranda teaches us some of the slang terms used on Broadway.

Don Glut, Sheldon Mayer to Receive 2025 Bill Finger AWARD

Andy Huggins, king of the one-liners. A comedian older than I am…

The Curious Case of the Pygmy Nuthatch

Pocket Watch From Lake Michigan’s Deadliest Shipwreck Returned After 165 Years

500 days since Mark Evanier broke his ankle (I LOVE the picker-upper)

Follow the rule of adjective order!

How to eat a burrito

Now I Know: Can a Flying Potato Read This Email? and The Ancient Roman Pee Tax and The Great Bread Squeezing Crime Spree of the Late 1990s and Why a Boy Brought a Microwave to School

Bunny boiler

It’s Time to Admit the US Constitution Has Failed

Hegseth Lays Out a Case for Troop Deployments in ‘Any Jurisdiction in the Country’ cf. Hitler’s Enabling Act, the ‘Law for Removing the Distress of the People and the Reich.’ From the Atlantic: Hitler Used a Bogus Crisis of ‘Public Order’ to Make Himself Dictator. “The first paragraph [of the decree] suspended civil liberties, providing Hitler the means to suppress political opposition in advance of the upcoming elections on March 5 [1933]. The second paragraph gave Hitler the power to trample states’ rights: ‘If any state fails to take the necessary measures to restore public safety and order, the Reich government may temporarily take over the powers of the highest state authority.'”

Gabbard is considering ways to revamp FOTUS’s intelligence briefing. One idea is to make the briefing, which, according to his schedule, he has been taking less often than his predecessors, into a video that resembles Fox News.

Shiny new AI contradicts EPA chief’s do-nothing climate change stance

RFK Jr. Ousts All of CDC’s Vaccine Advisors. “Citing studies that don’t exist is NOT an ‘error.’ It is lying.”

The gutting of medical research. There are nearly 2,500 NIH grants that have ended or been delayed.

‘Completely Unworkable’: Sculpture Experts Say $34 Million Statue Garden Has Major Problems.

Kennedy Center hopes coupons will fix the toxic takeover

Borowitz satire: Travel Ban Unnecessary After Rest of World Shows Zero Interest in Coming to S***hole Country

Big, Ugly Bill

From my Congressman, Paul Tonko:

The GOP’s so-called “big, beautiful bill” is a historic transfer of wealth from the poorest Americans to the richest — providing $4.5 trillion in tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations while slashing essential services and raising costs for those who can least afford them.

Independent researchers at the University of Pennsylvania estimate that the GOP budget will cost the poorest households more than $1,000 per year, even as the wealthiest 0.1% reap an annual windfall of more than $389,000.

And according to the independent, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) most recent projections, their plan would strip health insurance from 16 million Americans while adding $2.4 trillion to the deficit. This isn’t “fiscal responsibility” — it’s cruelty, plain and simple.

John Green

John explains how $20 per person per year has helped save 91 million human lives since 2000.

Truthout

Bill Will Lead to 51,000 Preventable Deaths Each Year and Would Limit Investigations Into Abuse, Neglect of Disabled People. Annual cuts to Medicaid would average $70 billion, roughly the same amount the wealthy will save in tax cuts.

MUSIC

Symphony No. 5 by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Arthur Hamilton, “Cry Me a River” Songwriter, Dies at 98; Cry Me A River – Julie London

Green Fields Of France – Dropkick Murphys.

Handel’s Op. 6

In My Room – Julien Neel

You Won’t Dig My Grave -Josh Ritter

Love – OK Go

K-Chuck Radio: The Musical Legacy of Terry Knight and the Pack

Everybody Wants To Rule The World – Tears for Fears

Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra by John Williams

Have A Nice Day– World Order

Good Lovin’ – the Olympics

Coverville 1536: Covering Our Tracks Back To June 1985

Whistle While You Work from the live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

For Your Eyes Only – Sheena Easton

The Scott Joplin Problem

Billboard Presents 24 Hours with “Weird Al” Yankovic

Hamilton Original Broadway Cast: Where Are They Now?

Fatherhood

a different lovely person at each age of her life so far

A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled onto an NPR YouTube video, “‘Weird Al’ Yankovic on ditching architecture for music, fatherhood, and staying weird.

At about 7:15, he talked about daydreaming about his daughter’s childhood, showing her old pictures on his phone – “Remember this when you were eight?” I THINK I try not to do that too much, although I do wonder what she remembers when she was younger.

Rachel Martin asked,” Did you always know you wanted to be a parent?” He said that, honestly, no. But he got married in his late thirties and became a dad to Nina in his early forties. Now, “I wouldn’t have it any other way”.

I’m feeling essentially the same, although I first became a dad in my early fifties. There were times in the early 1990s when I hoped it would happen, but it didn’t. And I was okay with it. It wasn’t meant to be.

Besides, I had nieces. I babysat some of my friends’ kids. But having your own kid was a different animal. For me, it mainly was hoping I didn’t screw her up too badly.

My father believed in corporal punishment. Well, we’re not going to do THAT. But I didn’t want to spoil her either.

Many different persons

Al talked about remembering her at different ages, and I do with my child, hopefully not wallowing in it. It seemed, at least at church, that she initially gravitated towards the older kids, then later took care of the younger ones.

I recall that she went through phases of ballet, soccer, and playing the clarinet. None of these “stuck,” but I think they were all useful. She was, as one commenter said about Al’s recollection and a high school play he saw, being “a different lovely person at each age of her life so far.” It is “how one can be almost entirely different personalities, and how each of those stages of life is still a part of her, whether she barely consciously remembers them or not.”

Happy Father’s Day.

Sunday Stealing — Complete the Thought

McKinley Green

**“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley recounts the crumbling legacy of a once-proud king.**

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. “A blogger named Elisha shared 10 things about herself. By turning her revelations into prompts, we hope to learn more about you.”

Complete the Thought

1. I wish someone would …

Stop being a purblind Nero, a Herod, a Heliogabalus, an Ozymandias.

2. When I order Chinese food …

I like to order a variety of different items so that I can enjoy them over several days. Hmm. It’s been a while.

3. I know it’s not everyone’s favorite activity, but I actually enjoy …

Handwashing dishes. I like the soapy water. It reminds me of my childhood when I used to wash the dishes. One thing they did at my elementary school was to check your fingernails to ensure they were clean. My fingernails were never clean because I was a kid who played in the dirt unless I had just recently washed dishes.

5. A major pet peeve of mine is …

This happened on Thursday: my wife was driving, stopped at a red light. The light turned green, so she started moving when a bicycle from the sidewalk coming from her left suddenly pulled right in front of her. If she hadn’t had rapid reflexes, she could have easily pancaked him. In general, bicycles and, especially, these motorized vehicles often show a lack of respect for the rules of the road. It’s scary for other people, but it’s, frankly, dangerous for them as well.

Pop

6. I remember when my grandfather …

McKinley Green took me hunting one time when I was about seven years old. I fired his rifle and I landed on my butt. Mostly, I remember watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, boxing, and Wide World of Sports with him, as well as playing gin rummy.

7. I am not fazed at all by …

No, I am hard-pressed to answer this question. I engage in a variety of activities, including donating blood, speaking publicly, and writing this blog. Am I unfazed by doing these things? I don’t think so.

8. Long car rides …

Since I’m not driving, I’m usually the navigator. Between those times when we have to change roads, I read a lot of newspapers and magazines that have accumulated.

9. I don’t understand the fuss over …

Answering this question would involve me being aware of things that I don’t care about. If there’s a music, television program, or fashion trend that I’m not familiar with, and other people think it’s terrific, then good for them. It doesn’t have any real effect on me. This is a corollary to Arthur’s Law.

10. When I’m home alone …

I spent the first hour playing a CD and probably writing a blog post. With the second CD, I need to change positions, so I’ll empty the dishwasher, reload it, and maybe vacuum. With the third CD, I would sort my mail, pay my bills, and read the newspapers. The length of CDs can range anywhere from 35 to 75 minutes, so this is an approximate agenda.

Thank you for playing! Please come back next week!

Sly and Brian

They were both 82 when they died

I’m compelled to write about Sly and Brian. Coincidentally, when I was writing for the ABC Wednesday meme, I created a series of family-related band posts in 2014. It included Sly and the Family Stone -Sly Stone and his siblings, Rose and Freddie; and the Beach Boys – Brian Wilson, his brothers, Dennis and Carl, plus their cousin Mike Love. The posts were only two weeks apart. They are chockablock with musical links.

Check out Coverville 1537: Sly Stone and Brian Wilson Tributes.

Sylvester Stewart (March 15, 1943- June 9, 2025)

The first time I heard of the Family Stone was when I listened to their hit single, Dance to the Music, but I didn’t have any of their albums. My sister got the album Stand! It was a revelation, with the title song, Everyday People, Higher, and others.

I REALLY got Sly and the Family Stone when a bunch of my friends and I went to a cinema in 1970 and watched the movie Woodstock. They were mesmerizing, especially Sly. I seem to recall that when the group was on stage, the projector emitted a purple glow. And then, in those days, the theaters didn’t seem to care – we all watched the movie a second time. (This video is much longer than what was used in the film.)

Soon, I bought the greatest hits album, which has some of the wonderful songs not on a previous album (Hot Fun In The Summertime, Thank You).

Every time I played There’s A Riot Going On, I felt… stoned, and I didn’t even have to smoke. I followed Sly’s various travails. It was great to see the 2021 movie Summer of Soul, featuring the group in 1969, the same year as Woodstock. I’m looking forward to seeing the new documentary ‘Sly Lives!’ as Questlove sets out to answer one question: What is Black Genius?

Long before I’d heard of the Family Stone, Sly produced an album by young Billy Preston, which I own.

Stuck in my head: Sing A Simple Song (the chorus always starts on the first beat of a 4/4 measure, then, at the end, crazily comes in a beat early), Thank You, and Family Affair. Here’s the NYT obit.

Brian Wilson (June 20, 1942- June 11, 2025)

I may have written more about Brian Wilson than any other non-Beatle musician. Surely, I noted that when The Beach Boys first came out , I found them pleasant enough, but I felt no compulsion to buy any of their albums.

Still, I was very aware of them because The Beatles and The Beach Boys were both on Capitol Records, so the inner sleeve of my Beatles LPs listed all the Beach Boys’ albums. I did have two Beach Boys songs from a compilation album.

My first Beach Boys album I purchased was Pet Sounds. I belonged to the Capitol Records Club and never set back the negative option card. Surprisingly, I loved it, and it led me to buy many Beach Boys albums at a time when the group was becoming generally less popular. There are some great songs from that era.

Then Capitol, in its capitalist wisdom, released a collection of their old songs called Spirit of America. I bought that and suddenly became a full-fledged Beach Boys fan. I’ve also purchased several Brian solo albums.

I gave my friend Donna a boxed set of Beach Boys CDs in the late 1990s. Before she died of cancer in the early 2000s, she wanted her friends to divvy up her books and music; I took the boxed set.

I knew that

The New York Times article about Brian contained about 95% of the information that I already knew, including the Beatles/Beach Boys competition. You should see the movie Love & Mercy. I worried about Brian’s well-being after his second wife, Melinda, died in 2024.

I was madly in love with the 2014 BBC cover of God Only Knows by a variety of musicians, including Brian. You can watch the December 2007 Kennedy Center Honor Tribute, part 1 and part 2.

The three songs floating in my head are God Only Knows – effectively used at the end of the movie Love, Actually – ‘Til I Die, and Our Prayer.