Ramblin' with Roger

1975 #1 pop hits, part 1

He Will Break Your Heart

Here’s 1975 #1 pop hits, part 1 because the full list is too damn long, on which the majority of the #1s reigning for a single week. And it’s not just true for the pop list, but soul, country, and adult contemporary. Some songs crossed over to different charts, and I’ve noted the ones that hit #1 elsewhere.

Love Will Keep Us Together – The Captain & Tennille (A&M), four weeks at #1, gold record. AC #1

Fly, Robin, Fly – Silver Convention (Midland International), three weeks at #1, gold record. RB #1

Island Girl – Elton John (MCA), three weeks at #1, diamond record

He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You) – Tony Orlando & Dawn (Elektra), three weeks at #1, gold record. AC #1. A remake of He Will Break Your Heart (1960), the #1 RB, #7 pop song by Jerry Butler, written by Butler, Curtis Mayfield, and Calvin Carter.

Bad Blood – Neil Sedaka (Rocket), three weeks at #1, gold record. Rocket Records was a label founded by Elton John, Bernie Taupin, and others, but Elton was not yet on the label.

Rhinestone Cowboy – Glen Campbell (Capitol), two weeks at #1, gold record. AC #1

Philadelphia Freedom – the Elton John Band (MCA), two weeks of #1, diamond record. Meaning Behind The Song

That’s The Way (I Like It) – KC and the Sunshine Band (TK Records), two weeks at #1

Jive Talkin’ – Bee Gees (RSO), two weeks at #1 gold record. My favorite Bee Gees song.

Fame – David Bowie (RCA Victor), two weeks at #1, gold record. Written by Bowie, Carlos Alomar, and John Lennon. John plays and sings on the track.

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – Elton John (MCA), two weeks at #1. Lennon plays and sings on this Beatles cover.

The rest of the songs were all number one for a single week

One Of These Nights – Eagles (Asylum)

Before The Next Teardrop Falls – Freddy Fender (ABC/Dot), gold record

My Eyes Adored You – Frankie Valli (Private Stock), gold record

Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton (Epic), gold record

Laughter In The Rain – Neil Sedaka (Rocket)

(Hey, Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song Song – B.J. Thomas (ABC), gold record. AC #1

CDTA #10 bus won’t go into Stuyvesant Plaza

Western Avenue and Fuller Road

CDTA I looked at the new Capital District Transportation Authority bus schedule, announced on July 24. The most absurd change is that the CDTA Western Avenue #10 bus won’t go into Stuyvesant Plaza as of August 24.

Stuyvesant Plaza is “home to more than 60 shops and restaurants,” a post office, and other amenities. Currently, coming either from the east (downtown Albany) or the west (Crossgates Mall), the bus would travel Western Avenue, turn onto Fuller Road, turn left into Executive Park, enter Stuyvesant Plaza near the post office, where it would stop, then leave the plaza for downtown or Crossgates.

The new decision is for riders to be left on the corner of Fuller and Western. They will have to cross a not-pedestrian-friendly Fuller Road westbound or a not-pedestrian-friendly Western Ave eastbound, then walk into the plaza.

I see this as an accessibility issue. The cars entering/exiting the mall on the Fuller Road side are not pedestrian-friendly either.

I called CDTA yesterday to ask if this was CDTA’s decision or the Plaza’s, but I haven’t heard back. When I called Stuyvesant, the person I spoke to didn’t know about the change until a couple of days ago. If it were the plaza’s plan, it would be a gross disservice to its merchants.

One can take the #114 from near my house and get off at Executive Park, which is somewhat better, but it now runs sporadically, and like the #10, its current frequency will be reduced.

Once upon a time

In 2011, the CDTA radically realigned its bus schedule. I attended so many public meetings that people knew me by name. In response to an email of mine, a CDTA rep wrote, “We also enjoyed our chats at the public meetings and appreciate you taking the time to keep up the dialogue.”

Most of the changes were great. For instance, it added lines to the South End of Albany that had been woefully underserved.

However, they made several tentative plans, including moving the Allen Street bus to Main, which didn’t make sense. Because people, including me, complained, they rejiggered the plan.

I also noted that there was a late (8:10) bus coming out of Corporate (frickin’) Woods. The tentative schedule would have stranded the cleaning crews from the various buildings. They looked at the data and kept the late bus, which about two dozen people rode daily.

So I don’t think this is a hopeless situation, at least not yet. Local people: if you have ideas on how to rectify this, please let me know.

July rambling: Paleolithic emotions

Bergman, Francis, Laine, Lehrer, Mangione, Osbourne

“The real problem of humanity is as follows: we have Paleolithic emotions, Medieval institutions, and godlike technology.”
– E.O.Wilson

Conspiratorialism and neoliberalism: If “there is no such thing as society,” then all evil must be the fault of evil individuals.

Gang Databases: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Why Nations Fail

Humans vs the alternative – Sharp Little Pencil

What will we call Iceland when all the ice is gone?

Inside the Silicon Valley push to breed super-babies

The mislabeled energy drink that could give you a DUI … or worse.

20 Best Countries For Work-Life Balance—And U.S. Isn’t On It

Investors snap up a growing share of US homes as traditional buyers struggle to afford one

Why Your Voice Sounds Different to You Than to Others

Why you shouldn’t visit Las Vegas

Ryne Sandberg, a baseball Hall of Fame player primarily for the Chicago Cubs, dies at 65

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, actor, musician, director, and producer, dies at 54

Michael Ochs, Pop Culture’s Preeminent Photo Archivist, Dies at 82

Vince Calandra, ‘Ed Sullivan Show’ Talent Booker Who Helped Bring on The Beatles, Dies at 91

Hulk Hogan, Wrestling Icon, Dies at 71

How a fake astronaut fooled the world, broke women’s hearts, and landed in jail

A toddler tells a joke.

A history of… pizza

Now I Know: The Smell of Time Passing? and The Number That’s Illegal to Share and Do Not Fry This At Home and Getting Divorced Over an Illegal Hyphen? and The Burger With a Side of Insensitivity

Two steps back

Report Details 400+ Attacks on Science in First 6 Months of 2.0

RFK Jr. Reportedly Planning to Fire All U.S. Preventive Services Task Force members and replace them with members of his choosing

Treasury Sec Admits ‘Backdoor’ Scheme to Privatize Social Security

EPA deepens environmental rollback with delays, deregulation, and industry favoritism

Delays and dysfunction: How FEMA overhaul failed Texas flood victims

FCC abandons the future

Memo allows federal workers to persuade coworkers that their religion is ‘correct’

‘Extra Cruel’: Regime Ends Job Program for Seniors as Work Requirements Loom

Mass Firings at Department of Education Are Already Harming US Students

By Refusing to Show Faces or Badges, ICE Opens Door to Vigilante Impersonators

‘We Had to Eat Like Dogs’: Report Details ‘Abusive Practices’ at Florida Immigrant Prisons

‘License to Kill’: New Report Finds Higher Homicide Rates in ‘Stand Your Ground’ States

Venezuelan Little League team denied entry into the US amid travel ban

Doctors in Elected Office Are Turning Their Backs on Science

Republicans keep voting for bad bills to suck up

The worst chief justice of all time

Make team names racist again

“Unitary Executive” is a euphemism for Tyrant

Fight back

WATCH: “How Can YOU Defend Our Democracy?” Panel discussion with Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor Lauren DesRosiers, and Corey Dukes. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) writes: “Refuse to normalize what is happening to our country — because it is not normal. We must stay in touch with our outrage and refuse to accept the idea that the deluge of unconstitutional, horrific actions is our new normal. What is happening is not normal, and we can’t accept it as such.”

ACTION: Stop Palantir’s mass surveillance dragnet targeting immigrants. FOTUS’s billionaire mega-donor, Peter Thiel, is profiting from the violence. The Thiel-founded big-tech company Palantir has a $30 million contract with ICE to surveil and track immigrants so it’s easier for the regime to raid workplaces, schools, and homes. And that’s only one of Palantir’s contracts — in all, the company has received at least $113 million of taxpayer money since January.

ACTION: Not only is extremist adviser Stephen Miller pushing an inhumane immigration policy, but he is also buying hundreds of thousands of dollars of stock in the company the government is contracting with to carry out the very policies he advocates. He is the driving force behind some of the most harmful anti-immigrant measures in modern U.S. history. Support Rep. Robert Garcia’s call to investigate Miller’s misconduct, and demand that every member of the House Oversight Committee join him.

MUSIC OBITS

Alan Bergman, Oscar-winning lyricist who helped write “The Way We Were,” dies at 99

Tom Lehrer, Musical Satirist With a Dark Streak, Dies at 97. Songs and lyrics, with all copyrights permanently and irrevocably relinquished since 2007. LOC interview (2015). Full Copenhagen Performance. The Tom Lehrer Wisdom Channel. Poisoning Pigeons in the Park and The Vatican Rag and Silent E and The Element Song– Tom Lehrer

Cleo Laine, who boasted a four-octave range, has died at 97. Send In The Clowns – Cleo Laine

Connie Francis, Whose Ballads Dominated ’60s Pop Music, Dies at 87.

From 1958 to 1964, she was the most popular female singer in the United States, selling 40 million records. (Musical links within)

Chuck Mangione, Grammy-winning jazz musician and composer, dies aged 84. Celebrated flugelhorn and trumpet player released over 30 albums and sold millions of records throughout his career. Feels So Good and Land Of Make Believe – Chuck Magione

Ozzy Osbourne, ‘Prince of Darkness’ Turned Reality TV Star, Dies at 76

Paranoid -Black Sabbath

Coverville 1543: The Ozzy Osbourne Tribute

MORE MUSIC

The Day I Saw An Angel Fly – Sharp Little Pencil

Lachian Dances by Leoš Janáček

Coverville 1541: The Jack White Cover Story II and 1542: This Day in Covers: July 17, 2025

Jolanta and Fotographia– Peter Sprague

My Misery – Jake Wesley Rogers

Your Summer Playlist, Courtesy of the Internet Archive: Anchored by the expansive Grateful Dead collection, our Live Music Archive features nearly 300,000 items for endless, easy, summer listening. Search for your favorite artist or discover someone new.

K-Chuck Radio: The First Cut Is The Deepest

Daniel Leaves by Bill Conti from The Karate Kid Part II

Coldplay: Tiny Desk Concert (March 9, 2020)

How to fight against major label abuse of content ID systems on YouTube (Rick Beato), and Why We Won’t Back Down (Professor of Rock), and a Lawyer Reacts

People online

Wheel of Fortune and JEOPARDY

I read so much political conversation that I need to examine other topics, only to discover that people online can be annoying there, too.

Let’s find some math stuff. There are charts about the number of squares, triangles, or rectangles; the scolds remind us that squares are rectangles. (How many squares do you see above? And if you get it wrong, I promise not to chastise you.)

Also, how do you solve these equations? You prove you do or do not understand the Order of Operations in Math (PEMDAS).

Example: How do you work out 3 + 6 × 2? Multiplication before Addition: First 6 × 2 = 12, then 3 + 12 = 15. Example: How do you work out (3 + 6) × 2 ?Parentheses first: First (3 + 6) = 9, then 9 × 2 = 18.

Of course it is valuable, but the arrogant and demeaning way those who get it wrong are treated – sometimes with personal attacks! – diminishes the joy.

The games

Let’s go to pages tied to the Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. In those cases, people get agitated because the final puzzle or Final Jeopardy was either too hard—no one could get it—or so easy that anyone could get it.

On the last show of Season 41, July 25, 2025, the Final Jeopardy answer was, “According to one obituary, in 1935, he owned 13 magazines, eight radio stations, two movie companies, and $56 million in real estate.” The two challengers, Charlotte Cooper ($7,800 going into FJ) and Jonathan Hugendubler ($14,000 before FJ), wrote, “Who was [William Randolph] Hearst? His correct answer put Hugendubler in the lead by $1. The 16-day defending champion, Scott Ricardi, wrote, “Who was Howard Hughes?”

Some folks noted that they felt bad that Ricardi missed it, although he’ll be back for the Tournament of Champions. After all, going into the Final, Scott had 29 correct, zero incorrect responses. Jonathan had 13 correct, three incorrect, and Charlotte had 12 correct, one incorrect.

Others said, How could he not know that? It was” easy.” An article suggested that Scott “threw” the game because he didn’t want to be champion over the summer. What? Scott has denied tanking the game.

One person online said Hughes died in 1976, and the FJ answer said the subject died in 1935. Except that, and I admitted that the clue was strangely written, it did NOT say that. Hearst died in 1951, and some pedantic librarian, annoyed with this other person’s pedanticism, decided to correct him.

Show biz

This meant, “Oh, I have to get out of this.”

I came across a Facebook page about events in upstate New York. It mentioned that Cynthia Erivo, who had been scheduled to perform at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on August 22, had cancelled her show for scheduling reasons and would be replaced by John Baptiste. A reasonable conversation would be about how to get refunds or whether the show will be rescheduled. But I found – and I’ve seen this elsewhere -the sheer number of people who wrote, “I don’t care.”

Also, a large contingent needed to comment on the length of her fingernails. But more than a few seemed to think she just lucked into a blockbuster movie, Wicked. She’d been in several movies, notably Harriet. She was a Tony winner almost a decade ago for The Color Purple. Well, whatever.

So it’s not just supporters of a particular political agenda who I find exhausting.

Health report for the middle of 2025

the tooth of the matter

Here is the health report for the middle of 2025.

I received a hearing test in April. My hearing is rather good at most frequencies, and the word recognition was solid. I’ll get it rechecked next year, and maybe I’ll get an aid. When I hear white noise simultaneously, I can listen to words but not comprehend them. That’s normal, right?

I’m having some oral surgery at the end of August. A couple of molars you can’t see are coming out. One – lower left – had been giving me some exquisite pain a few months ago. It has subsided, but it is not salvageable. I’ve had a root canal in the past on those teeth.

A third tooth, which people might notice, is also coming out, but some ersatz item will replace it. I’m not looking forward to this process. It will be pricey, but less than if they replaced all three teeth.

So I postponed dealing with my left Achilles, which bothers me on and off. Eventually, I’ll need some physical therapy.

Taking a knee

Then I MUST deal with getting a left knee replacement because sometimes it’s so achy that I can’t even ride my bicycle without a brace; the rotation is too painful.

At least it’s not as bad as it was after the Olin family reunion at Nataniel Cole Park near Binghamton, NY, in July. I had long told myself that I didn’t need a cane when walking on a flat surface. But walking on grass, hills, gravel, etc., I SHOULD use the cane. I walked to the bathroom through a grassy area with a slight incline. “Ah, it’s not that far.”

At about 2 a.m., the pain was so tremendous that it woke me from a sound sleep. The agony emanated from one point. If my knee were a map of France and my leg were up on the bed, it would be approximately at Bordeaux.

I was really irritated with myself. The cane was in the car, and the car was nearby, so this was a totally avoidable incident.

Other than that, it’s the usual aches and pains.