1:20 p.m. April 22---

Billy Jurges is looking good.
Of course he’s dead, but on March 3 I got Chicago area medium Rik Kristinant to channel the former Cubs shortstop on his feelings about the 2008 Cubs. March 3 was the anniversary of Jurges’ death. He was born on May 9, 1908. You know, the last year the Cubs won the World Series. We held the seance at the Sheffield House, 3834 N. Sheffield in Chicago. This was formerly the Hotel Carlos.
Jurges told us things would be just fine this year if the Cubs “played for love.”
Since our seance Cubs general manager Jim Hendry acquired throwback outfielder Reed Johnson, who keeps a photo of Ty Cobb by his locker. Ace pitcher Carlos Zambrano has mellowed for the betterment of the team. Koskue Fukadome has brought the Japanese baseball tradition of grace, unity and going with the pitch to Chicago.
“The Great Chicago Earthquake” happened on April 18, registering 5.2 on the richter scale. The last time an earthquake shook Chicago shook this much was in 1968, the year the Cubs woke up from decades of hibernation and ascended to first place.
People are already whispering about 2008 post season play.
Click this link to watch our now historic meeting with Billy:

http://video.ap.org/v/Default.aspx?g=f9f1ffe4-630f-4540-b12e-38728443646b&mk=en-ap&f=ilchs&fg=email

On July 6, 1932 cabaret singer Violet Valli visited Jurges in Room 509 of the Hotel Carlos. She wanted to confront Jurges about their "love affair".............

5:30 p.m. April 11----

As a life long fan of old school rhythm and blues and soul music it didn’t surprise me that the Young @ Heart chorus is more appreciated in Europe than in America. In my travels through Europe, Japan and Mexico I’ve found more interest in American roots music than in America. These are older places than the U.S.A. and the appreciation for history runs deeper.
Even the Zapp Band is considered out of date in the states.
The Young @ Heart choral group began in 1982 in an elderly housing project in Northampton, Mass. Nowadays members come from across the region. No original members remain. No one in the 24-voice chorus is under 72 years of age.
In keeping with the music/road motif of the Scratch Crib blog, link to Young @ Heart's take of the Talking Heads "Road to Nowhere":

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/youngatheart/

Choral Director Bob Cilman came up with the idea of having his elder singers cover songs by David Bowie (think “Golden Years”), the Clash and Prince. This was around the same time that the timeless Duplex Planet pop culture magazine was born out of a nursing home in Boston. The group is now the shining stars of the resplendent Young @ Heart documentary which opens on April 18.......