William N. Law Blog: October 2016

Monday, October 31, 2016

Harry the Hipster: 1944-46

Today, young people who have an excessive yen for craft beers, retro clothes and hats, and restaurants in far-off parts of town are commonly referred to as "hipsters." It's not a bad thing to be a hipster, but the word is often unfairly used to typecast those who seem too cool for school. Today, hipsters are often the ones who add life and revenue to down-and-out neighborhoods and start eateries, clubs and galleries there, too. Most hipsters are passionate, gentle folk who are about music and life, which is a good thing.

But hipsters are nothing new to the social landscape. This type of eccentric cool cat has been around for some time. Perhaps the first was Harry "the Hipster" Gibson, a jazz pianist and songwriter who died in 1991. Between 1939 and 1945, he played often at the New York's Three Deuces on 52nd St. He was a cross between a serious jazz musician and a bop entertainer. Much of his routine was inspired by larger-than-life artist-entertainers who preceded him, including Cab Calloway. Let's have a look at Harry the Hipster:

Here's the Hipster in 1944 playing Piano Boogie Jump...

Here's the Hipster again in '44...

Here he is in 1946 from the movie Junior Prom...

If some of the Hipster's hysteria seems familiar to you, you may be thinking of this guy some 15 years later...

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Ohio trailer lining manufacturer faces nearly $215K in fines after OSHA finds company disabled safety devices, exposed workers to hazards

October 31, 2016 Ohio trailer lining manufacturer faces nearly $215K in fines afterOSHA finds company disabled safety devices, exposed workers to hazards PATASKALA, Ohio - For at least two years, an

from OSHA News Release http://ift.tt/2faJ1aj

OSHA inspection finds Dollar General in Jonestown blocked emergency exit again, proposes $215K penalty

October 31, 2016 OSHA inspection finds Dollar General in Jonestownblocked emergency exit again, proposes $215K penalty Home Live Roofing fined $101,121 for safety violations Employer name: Dollar Gen

from OSHA News Release http://ift.tt/2esqg1X

Off-the-Job Safety: How Safe Is Your Home from Burglars? [Photo Gallery]

With the holidays coming up – and with them, holiday travel – how safe is your home from burglars?

The investigative team from Portland, Ore. television station KGW News sent a 17-question survey to 86 inmates serving time in the Oregon Department of Corrections for burglary, asking – among other things – how they chose their victims, what security measures worked and didn’t work and what were the high-value items they looked for.

from Safety http://ift.tt/2f20aqd

OSHA investigation of two serious employee injuries finds global filtration manufacturer failed to protect workers from safety and health hazards

October 31, 2016 OSHA investigation of two serious employee injuries finds global filtrationmanufacturer failed to protect workers from safety and health hazards Agency identifies 21 serious violatio

from OSHA News Release http://ift.tt/2efvCQE

SLC 2016: More than 60,000 Workers Per Day Are Harassed or Are the Victims of Workpalce Violence

Adrienne Selko

Experts say well-defined policies and programs are key to reducing workplace wiolence.

Employers need to create programs to address workplace violence given the fact that on a daily basis 43,800 employees are harassed; 16,400 threatened, and 723 workers are attacked.

from Safety http://ift.tt/2f98AZk

Sunday, October 30, 2016

John Zacherle (1918-2016)

John Zacherle, a rail-thin B-movie actor who in the late 1950s and '60s became a wildly popular host of children's television shows in Philadelphia and New York, where he appeared dressed as a ghoulish undertaker with a sophisticated wit and sinister laugh, died on Oct. 27, four days before Halloween. He was 98.

Zacherle's death may come as a shock to millions of adults who watched him on TV as children, since many of us thought he was dead to begin with. The beauty of Zacherley, as he was known, was unleashing just the right level of morbidity on his young audience while leavening it with an uproarious but dark sense of humor.

Like many young viewers, I discovered Zacherley through my father, who enjoyed watching the horror movies of his youth on TV's Chiller Theater. Today, in an age today when terror, fear and death seem to be a daily occurrence on the news in the U.S. and abroad, it's hard to appreciate the adolescent obsession with horror magazines, TV shows, trading cards, toys and movies a half-century ago. But back then, before terrible adult events were routinely imposed on children the way they are today, there was a shared preteen fascination with death and understanding why it happens and how it works.

In the realm of juvenile goose bumps, Zacherley was a maser. To his credit, there was always something kindly and above board about his ghoulish humor, and he never crossed over to bad taste, gross humor or anything that would get him booted off the air or arrested. It was just rainy-day fun, and his brand of Transylvanian humor became so infectious and popular it led to the Monster Mash by Bobby "Boris" Pickett, TV's Addams Family and The Munsters (above) on TV and Los Angeles TV host Elvira, the self-proclaimed "mistress of the dark."

There was also something hip, improvisational and jazz-like about John Zacherle's wit. Nothing seemed canned and everything seemed made up on the spot. Even his makeup—dark charcoal streaks on his already boney face and white shoe polish on his lips to create a freshly unburied look—had a Phantom of the Opera-next-door quality to it.

On Halloween, let's raise a skull to the greatest mortuary MC of them all and the father of goth—Zacherley. Here's the New York Times obit of John Zacherle, here's his site, here's a fan site and here are a handful of clips so all of you worldwide can appreciate his grim brilliance:

Here's the Zacherley Archives...

Here's Zacherley in 1967 with the (perplexed) Box Tops...

Here's Zacherley on the Mike Douglas Show...

Here's Zacherley interviewed in 2008...

Here's Zacherley interviewed in 2012 at home...

from JazzWax http://ift.tt/2ed8bY1

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Reyner Banham Loves L.A.

Those who didn't live through the early 1970s tend to romanticize them. I suppose we all do that about periods that precede our birth. I certainly do it with the 1940s and early '50s. Guilty! But today, many who were too young to experience the early '70s view it as a hippie, trippy period, and in some ways it was. There were plenty of strange looking cars thanks to American Motors, strange colors such as canary yellow, burnt orange and kelp green, and strange people, including cult murderers, drug-crazed assassins and heiresses turned terrorists.

In short, those years were a mutant extension of the 1960s without the whole-earth optimism or the home-made clothes. The chill was gone and the news seemed to grow crazier by the day (if you think today is nuts, dig the major headlines back then). Everything was rusting, technology emerged in strange places, and many young people who had tuned-out and turned-on returned home to find themselves without prospects or income.

What was Los Angeles like back then? How did a city that started so many trends, including a passion for the future, seem through the eyes o a smart stranger? You're in luck. To really get a feel for the 1970s—with its smoggy decay and seediness—here's a BBC documentary on British architecture professor Reyner Banham (above) during one of his visits to the City of Angels in 1971...

from JazzWax http://ift.tt/2flrhNp

OSHA cites Coilplus Illinois following fatality investigation at Plainfield facility

October 27, 2016 OSHA cites Coilplus Illinois followingfatality investigation at Plainfield facility 50-year-old dies after being pulled into scrap metal baller PLAINFIELD, Ill. - A federal investiga

from OSHA News Release http://ift.tt/2eKzF5Q

Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels encouraged by BLS report on occupational injuries and illnesses in 2015

October 27, 2016 Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels encouraged byBLS report on occupational injuries and illnesses in 2015 WASHINGTON - Occupational injury and illness data released toda

from OSHA News Release http://ift.tt/2eKqodW

OSHA's investigation of machine operator's injuries finds safety guards bypassed at Wisconsin retail bag manufacturer

October 27, 2016 OSHA's investigation of machine operator's injuries findssafety guards bypassed at Wisconsin retail bag manufacturer KG Marketing and Bag Co. fails to report employee's injury as req

from OSHA News Release http://ift.tt/2eV3IYL

OSHA cites animal feed company for exposing workers to grain handling, electrical hazards at Nebraska facility

October 27, 2016 OSHA cites animal feed company for exposing workersto grain handling, electrical hazards at Nebraska facility YORK, Neb. - Responding to a report of unsafe working conditions, federa

from OSHA News Release http://ift.tt/2eWixcg

OSHA cites Illinois manufacturer after electrician's first day ends tragically when mobile trailer falls, fatally crushes him

October 27, 2016 OSHA cites Illinois manufacturer after electrician's first dayends tragically when mobile trailer falls, fatally crushes him Inspections in Monee, University Park find seven serious

from OSHA News Release http://ift.tt/2eKvwRS

American Staffing Association Partners to Protect Temporary Workers

A five-year agreement with the American Staffing Association aims to educate temporary workers about their rights.

A staffing agency has the duty to inquire and verify that a host employer is compliant, and both may be held responsible for any violations, according to OSHA.

OSHA has announced a partnership with the American Staffing Association in order to educate temporary workers and staffing agencies about compliance and safe practices.

from Safety http://ift.tt/2ePVKR0

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Another Anita O'Day Video

Earlier this week, I received an email from reader Geri Goldman Reichgut. For years, Geri handled publicity for her dear friend, Marty Napoleon, the late piano great. She enjoyed my post on Anita O'Day and suggested I take a look at a video featuring Marty and O'Day at the Art Ford Jazz Party, which aired on Thursdays at 9 p.m. in 1958.

It's up at the Marty Napoleon Facebook tribute page. All I can say is, "Wow!" Marty is on piano, Mundell Lowe is on guitar, Vinnie Burke is on bass and Zutty Singleton is on drums. O'Day is a gas, but dig Marty. What an incredible swinger. [Photo above of Marty Napoleon]

To view the Facebook video, go here.

To read my multi-part JazzWax interview with Marty, go here.

And finally, here's Marty, Bill Crow on bass and Ray Mosca on drums in 2012...

5 tips to stay fit for the holidays

Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com

With the Holiday season just around the corner, it can be difficult to stay fit for the holidays when you want to bake with the grand kids or attend your friend’s annual Friends giving dinner.

The good news is that media’s claim that people tend to gain 5 pounds around the holidays isn’t true. The average weight gain is actually 1 pound, according to the US National Library of Medicine.

Your Health Mate family understands the importance of enjoying the holidays and maintaining a healthy mind and body. Whether it’s 1 pound or 5, we know the importance of maintaining your health and fitness routine, all year round.

Our top 5 natural tips to stay fit for the holidays!

1. Embrace the staycation

If you find yourself indoors to keep out the cold or you can’t bring yourself to drive to the gym, there are still ways you can keep moving! YouTube offers numerous fitness videos for free, such as Yoga With Adrienne. There are even apps that give you structured workouts like Nike Training Club and you can track your performance on the go or in the comfort of your own home.

2. Hydrate!

You’ll hear it over and over but hydration is essential to optimum health. According to the Institute of Medicine, about 75% of the American population suffer from chronic dehydration. So remember to get your daily dose of water and stay rejuvenated!

3. Fun holiday activities

Sign up for a fun holiday activity like the local turkey trot to stay motivated throughout the holiday season. Invite some family along and inspire each other on your wellness journeys!

4. Make holiday errands a workout

Have a long list of shopping or errands to get through this season? Go to your local outlet or shopping mall and slip on your comfy workout shoes. There’s nothing better than keeping your body fit and finishing your to do list at the same time.

5. Infrared sauna heat therapy

Paired with a healthy diet and exercise routine, infrared heat will increase detoxification and burn anywhere from 400-600 calories in just one 30 minute session. With a warm and relaxing infrared sauna session, you’ll gain a positive mood and help burn some extra weight lingering from holiday treats. View our infrared heat saunas to see which Sauna is meant for you!

We hope these natural tips will guide you on your health and fitness journey this holiday season and savor the special moments (and treats) that the holidays have to offer.

Here at Perfectbath we aspire to come along side you and help you reach your fitness and wellness goals with rejuvenating infrared sauna heat therapy.

Contributed by: Aaron Gruenke foremost sauna expert and author.

The post 5 tips to stay fit for the holidays appeared first on Perfect Bath Canada.

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Off-the-Job Safety: Tips for a Safe and Happy Halloween

These Halloween tips protect families, homeowners and drivers from Halloween’s scary risks.

With Halloween just a few days away, many consumers may not realize how frightening this scary night could be for their personal safety, their property or their bank accounts. Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents can help families and businesses better prepare for hazards that may approach in disguise or on Halloween night.

To help individuals, families and businesses enjoy the holiday and protect themselves against spooky Halloween risks, the company is offering the following safety tips:

from Safety http://ift.tt/2fgvfXS

How To Spot An Alien

Native plants, those that are naturally occurring in your garden’s locale, are adapted to your climate. They won’t leaf out while there’s still a chance they’ll be harmed by cold weather, and they drop their leaves when it’s clear wintery cold is returning. Alien plants came from Somewhere Else–whether by your hand or uninvited–and don’t […]

from Cold Climate Gardening http://ift.tt/2ebuxHd

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Stan Getz in L.A.: 1953 and '55

In April 1953, Stan Getz was in New York recording for Norman Granz's Clef label. He was joined by Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone, John Williams on piano, Bill Crow on bass and Al Levitt on drums. This group was a revamped version of the Stan Getz Quintet formed after guitarist Jimmy Raney left the group in December 1952. According to Donald Maggin's Stan Getz: A Life in Jazz (1996), Raney's departure was over Getz's escalating drug habit and the paranoia, anxiety and shady characters that came with it.

After the new quintet recorded for Clef, Getz left for California. According to interviews at the time, Getz was determined to create a pianoless sextet, enlisting Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker and bringing them back to New York to join Brookmeyer.

When he arrived in California in May, Getz gigged at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach with the Lighthouse All-Stars, a revolving combo of jazz studio musicians. In the case of his May 31 appearance at the club, the band featured Stan Getz and Bob Cooper (ts), Jimmy Giuffre (bar), Teddy Charles (vib), Russ Freeman (p), Howard Rumsey (b) and Shelly Manne (d). Getz also performed fronting just the trio segment of this group. Eastcoaster Teddy Charles was in Los Angeles to produce records for Prestige at the time.

While gigging later that summer, Getz played at the Lighthouse with Shorty Rogers and Maynard Ferguson (tp), Milt Bernhart (tb), Jimmy Giuffre and Bob Cooper (ts), Frank Patchen (p), Howard Rumsey (b) and Shelly Manne (d). On some of these dates, Hampton Hawes played piano instead of Patchen.

The sound of Getz in the raw on the beachside club in 1953 is really something. The action for the ear is between Getz and pianist Russ Freeman (above), and then Getz and Patchen and Hawes. There was something synergistic about Getz and his pianists. As you listen to the recordings in question, it seems as if nothing else mattered to Getz except what his pianists were playing. All three were signature West Coast keyboardists with different punctuating styles. Freeman had a cool bop sensibility and beautiful chord voicings while Hawes had a harder bop attack and Patchen was a Bud Powell disciple. The competitive nature and ambition in the playing remains remarkable.

In July and August 1953, Getz and his quintet recorded in L.A. for a 10-inch Norgran album called Interpretations. But by Labor Day, the Stan Getz Quintet's bookings slowed considerably, and Getz left the group to go out on tour with Stan Kenton as the featured soloist. It's unclear why Getz abandoned his quest to form a pianoless sextet. More than likely, neither Mulligan nor Baker felt the need to give up the Hollywood weather and scene for Getz's East Coast vision.

A year later, Mulligan turned Getz's dream into a reality, forming a pianoless sextet with Broomeyer, Zoot Sims and trumpeter Jon Eardley with bassist Bill Crow and drummer Dave Bailey (all above).

JazzWax tracks: You'll find this music in this post on Stan Getz and the Lighthouse All-Stars here. The second CD features Getz at the Hermosa Beach club in 1955.

JazzWax clip: Here's Topsy in 1953 featuring Stan Getz and Bob Cooper (ts), Jimmy Giuffre (bs), Teddy Charles (vib), Russ Freeman (p), Howard Rumsey (b) and Shelly Manne (drums)...

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