Weirdness: May 2006

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006240778,00.html

Hmmm, this poor woman has forgotten the plotline. Actually, HER baby will not be the Anti-Christ. That child will be born of a union between Satan and a jackyl. Her baby will be brutally murdered in the delivery room and then little Damian will be secretly subsituted for it. Of course, she'll also have to be married to a fabulously wealthy gentleman with a strong resemblance to Gregory Peck and who is being groomed to become the American ambassador to the Court of St. James and not simply shacked up with a roadworker named Lee in Berks. Let's get with the program people! We're WAY off script here!

Happy Birthday Mel Blanc!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Blanc

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000305/

http://www.toonopedia.com/blanc.htm

THE voice of American cartoons.

Pet Clark sings Downtown!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GVE7lRZuFM

As you should know, I love Petula! And I still hear this song in the back of my mind whenever I get to G'Town...

Memorial Day

I hope everyone has a peaceful day. Right now, we in DC are enduring "Rolling Thunder", a gridlock inducing event which has never impressed me. A more interesting activity, (in my opinion), is to walk around Arlington amidst the flags and headstones. It leaves one quiet, in awe, and touched in a way I really cannot describe.

Rob Zombie to become a Horror Host

http://www.fangoria.com/news_article.php?id=6194

The Nostalgia League

http://thenostalgialeague.com/

This looks cool, lots of pulp sci-fi and fantasy here.

Happy Birthday Joseph Guillotine!

http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/2275.html

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blguillotine.htm

Happy Birthday Dashiell Hammett!

One of my faves! The Maltese Falcon, The Thin Man! What a storyteller!

http://www.mysterynet.com/hammett/

Happy Birthday John Fogerty!!!

http://www.johnfogerty.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creedence_Clearwater_Revival

Horror Birthday Extravaganza!

Tomorrow, we honor two of the great Masters Of Horror - Vincent Price and Christopher Lee!!!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001637/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Price

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Lee

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000489/

http://www.christopherleeweb.com/

Update on The NunBun!

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060525/NEWS01/605250387

a real cloaking device!?!?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5016068.stm

Happy Birthday Stevie Nicks!

http://www.nicksfix.com/

I still think that "Landslide" is one of the greatest ballads ever written. And her performance of Rhiannon at the Cap Center in '77 was one of the best I've ever seen.

Jimmy Hoffa Cupcakes!

http://www.wftv.com/foodnews/9272503/detail.html?treets=orlc&tid=2654358485813&tml=orlc_strange&tmi=orlc_strange_1_10000205252006&ts=H

an interesting series of article on human life extension & immortality

http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/060522_immortality_social.html

new Cthulhu figurine

http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PFHPL01

Happy National Escargot Day!

http://escargot.free.fr/eng/cooking.htm

Happy Birthday Tommy Chong!

http://www.thememoryhole.org/drugs/pipe-sites/chong-glass.htm

http://cheechandchong.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Chong

Happy Birthday Mr. Zimmerman...

http://www.bobdylan.com/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan

http://www.expectingrain.com/

http://www.bobdylanisis.com/

http://www.xmradio.com/bobdylan/

R2D2 - The Beginning...

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=inDepthNews&storyID=2006-05-23T121141Z_01_N22375713_RTRUKOC_0_US-IROBOT.xml

nice review of a book on royalty and the nazis

http://www.calendarlive.com/books/cl-et-book22may22,0,5141374.story?coll=cl-books-util

a very near article on 13 challenges facing modern science

http://www.newscientistspace.com/article.ns?id=mg18524911.600

interesting interview with Dr. Shulgin

http://www.sundayherald.com/55774

Happy Birthday Douglas Fairbanks Sr.!

http://users.townsqr.com/ale/doug.htm

http://douglasfairbanks.org/

I just flew in from Mecca, and man are my arms tired!

http://www.wimp.com/muslim/

Don't forget to tip your waitress!

a sign of our hi-tech times

http://www.fugly.com/pictures/11758/no_parking_wireless.html

neat article explaining optical illusions

http://news.scotsman.com/arts.cfm?id=753622006

Happy Birthday Arthur Conan Doyle!

http://www.sherlockholmesonline.org/

Happy Anniversary Bogey & Betty!!!

RIP Freddie...

http://www.classicbands.com/dreamers.html

He's a happy feat
cause he's to the beat
of the Freddie Freddie
But a guy in front making a lining bop
can you ready? ready
Kick your feet up , swing your arms up too
move your head both ways, like you see me do
then just repeat through the swinging beat
Do the Freddie , Freddie Do the Freddie, Freddie
It's easy to ask give your self a chance
Do the Freddie
Its a thing to do, kids will laugh at you
So do the freddie Kick your feet up , swing your arms up too
move your head both ways, like you see me do
then just repeat through the swinging beat
Do the Freddie , Freddie
Do the Freddie, Freddie
Kick your feet up , swing your arms up too
move your head both ways, like you see me do
then just repeat through the swinging beat
Do the Freddie , Freddie
Do the Freddie, Freddie

(Thanks for the heads up on this, Nathan!)

The Last (?) Little Tavern For Sale?

http://www.loopnet.com/xNet/MainSite/Listing/Profile/ProfileSE.aspx?LID=14517777&linkcode=1070&sourcecode=1lww2t006a00001

I miss the one that was in North Old Town...

Coronet Blue Mystery Solved!!!

http://wesclark.com/ubn/coronet_blue.html

One of the great lost TV shows of my youth. Definitely in the same ecological niche as The Prisoner.

from the Coming Attractions website:

SHADOWS BEND: A NOVEL OF THE FANTASTIC AND UNSPEAKABLE - Coming August 29th!by David Barbour & Richard Raleigh This unique and original debut novel casts two real-life legends of fantasy fiction — Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan, and H.P. Lovecraft, the inventor of the Necronomicon — in a nightmare of their own making! This tale begins on a dark and stormy night... a night tortured by the cries of an inhuman infant child. A child who would open the gates to the most dangerous force in the cosmos — the ancient god Cthulhu! And only two men — two eccentric writers — can stop him! Mass Market PaperbackACE Books, Soft Cover, 368 pages, B&W, $7.99

The Lurker In The Lobby - The Guide To Lovecraftian Cinema

http://www.nightshadebooks.com/book.aspx?bookid=142

new book on REH

http://www.lulu.com/content/299461

for fans of the pulps

http://www.chinatowndeathcloudperil.com/

This looks pretty cool...

WWII footnote on the defense of California

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/19/MNG7VIUPMR1.DTL&feed=rss.news

A Gamer Survey

http://research.comm.ohio-state.edu/projects/bguillory/gamer/gamersurvey.htm

I took it and it seemed harmless enough. I hope they publish the results.

Happy Birthday to Mad Dogs, Englishmen, and Joe Cocker!!!

http://www.cocker.com/

In ninth grade, I'd only heard OF Joe Cocker, never actually heard any songs by him. Then, my geography teacher, Ed Raskind, brought in Joe's second album and played it one day for the class, (anyone who knows Ed and my high school knows this was not an unusual occurence). The first cut he played was "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" and I was totally hooked! What a voice! The spiritual son of Ray Charles. Essential.

Happy Armed Forces Day!

http://www.defenselink.mil/afd/

Valentino Cthulhu Plush!

http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=TYV12520#LargeImage

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!! A wonderful film parody!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1kqqMXWEFs

(Thanks for the link, Nick!)

The Housewives of Gor

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4996410.stm

Cthulhu's Innsmouth Secrets To Be Revealed!

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/04/sunken_treasure/?rss_id=Boston%20Globe%20--%20City/Region%20News

Gabba Gabba Hey! Happy Birthday Joey!

http://www.joeyramone.com/

http://www.ramones.com/

Don't Fear The Reaper...

http://www.boredatwork.net/funny-video/reaper/

The Oreo Rocket!

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/how20/600152d7d441b010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html

it would take 70,000 to get any flavor and a buzz...

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=268346

Coors Light, ugh...

interesting (to me) article about using your cellphone as a modem

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6028_7-6526567-1.html?tag=nl.e776

FESTIVAL!!!!

http://www.miketheheadlesschicken.org/festival.asp

Don't forget - tomorrow is the start of the Mike The Headless Chicken Festival in lovely Fruita Colorado!

Richard Clayderman to conquer Everest next!

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1777015,00.html

Yeah, Baby, YEAH!

http://modcentric.blogspot.com/

An amazing blog devoted to obscure mod bands and tunes from all over the world! Susan - they've got Billy J. Kramer! Pete - check out Katherine & the Firebyrds with their Singapore Mod/GirlGroup sound. Shagadelic!

unfuckingbelievable

http://www.partialobserver.com/article.cfm?id=1235

http://www.defamer.com/topic/hollywood-girds-against-menace-of-halloween-silly-string-024562.php

don't forget your umbrella that day

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/14580508.htm

light going backwards

http://www.physorg.com/news66582110.html

Tres Weird.

The Long & Winding Road...

The Let It Be album was released on this date THIRTY SIX years ago...

Happy Mothers Day!!!

Some of the greatest/worst music of all time!

http://www.fadetoblack.com/hallofshame/

A wonderful collection! (Thanks for the link, Kevin!)

I also heartily recommend the companion site: http://www.fadetoblack.com/outtakes/ , which features the world-famous tapes of Linda McCartney's backup vocals - ESSENTIAL...

New CAS Reprint!

http://unp.unl.edu/bookinfo/5114.html

I believe this is a reprint of the old Arkham collection. Good stuff!

interesting story of a WWII POW

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12759234/from/RSS/

There Can Be Only One Explanation - Troy Donahue Is An Alien!

http://www.errolmorris.com/content/analysis/inadv527.html

Bacteria Power!

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70882-0.html?tw=wn_technology_1

brain controlled music

http://scotlandtoday.scottishtv.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s1_2_2&newsid=11493&newsType=

Fascinating. It'll be interesting to see where this goes in the next twenty five years.

Happy Leprechaun Day!

Happy Jamestown Day!

http://www.nps.gov/colo/specevent/JTfounding/2006jtday.html

(I wonder how Native Americans feel about this day...)

how to stop a hurricane

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14560113.htm

I love the idea of building a really really big fan!

The End Of The World

http://www.toilette-humor.com/end_of_world.html

(Thanks for the link, Margrete!)

some neat Star Trek satire

(Thanks for the link, Doug!)

http://www3.youtube.com/watch?v=eBXal1GAA4A&search=star%20trek

http://www3.youtube.com/watch?v=Khrpy4V0-U4&search=star%20trek

http://www3.youtube.com/watch?v=bhTeYaqIe3E&search=star%20trek

Singal 30 for sale

http://www.earthstation1.com/Merchant/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=E&Product_Code=DSAAFDVVC&Category_Code=DEF

Yes, now we can relive those pleasant memories of yesteryear...

Alexandria makes parks safe for weens

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051000622.html

Will the jack booted thugs of the Alexandria Park Service prevail, grinding children and their toys underfoot, just like they do with their parents' rights????? And for what reason, just to protect the weak and the stupid from getting hurt?!? That's what playgrounds are for, to weed out the kid who can't figure out that sticking a piece of broken plastic in his eye is probably a bad idea. Hell, we need MORE junk in the Pit! Why, in the old days, you'd be lucky if you got any toys or equipment at all. As long as there was gravel and dirt clods, we knew we'd be entertained. The few contraptions available were made from rust and tetanus enshrouded iron, or wooden boards so splintered they resembled porcupines in heat. Surviving kids would come in from recess or a morning in the park looking like they'd returned from the Battle of Stalingrad. Alexandria could practically station an ambulance permanently at our local park, (Monticello), to haul away the casualties from a normal Saturday morning. And when it snowed, Oh when it snowed! Everly Wheatley could always be seen revving up the hearses in anticipation for the day's slaughter. On days like that a car traveling down Old Dominion Blvd would have to stop at least three times to clean kids and their sleds off the grill. They didn't need to put chains on their tires, a more gruesome traction was available.
But now, we are faced with that most demonic challenge of all, the nanny state, where everyone is to be placed in their own bubble of invulnerability. Where any and everything one comes in contact with will be soft, contain no edges, be too big to swallow or pound into any other orifice, dull, non-toxic, wholesome and blessed by a priest. Pathetic.

This just in, it's worse than I thought: http://www.katu.com/team2/story.asp?ID=85715
(Thanks for the link, Mike!)

Happy Limerick Day!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_once_was_a_man_from_Nantucket

http://home.earthlink.net/~kristenaa/nice/

http://www.holidayinsights.com/stpat/limerickday.htm

http://pagebuild.com/limerick/limerick.htm

Happy Birthday George Carlin!

http://www.georgecarlin.com/

Happy Birthday Burt Bacharach!

http://www.bacharachonline.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Bacharach

One of my faves...

more info on the roachbot

http://www.conceptlab.com/roachbot/

Happy Birthday Sgy. Bilko!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0799014/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Silvers

Brilliant! One of my fave comedic actors. His performance in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum is fantastic.

Goth/Glam Bluegrass

Comrades, let me present Hogscraper...

http://hogscraper.com/

the science of jello shots on fire

http://www.myscienceproject.org/j-shot-2.html

I post this merely for educational purposes. I do not believe one should ever play with one's food...

update on the Toynbee street graffitti phenomena

http://www.space.com/entertainment/ap_060507_toynbee_jupiter.html

This has been going on, and been written about, for years...

A Remake Of The Prisoner?!?

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/12499/eccleston-in-talks-to-lead-sky-one-prisoner

Sacrilege! Actually, there have been rumors and announcements about Prisoner remakes for at least ten years. This is another case of "I'll believe it when I see it."
But if it is done, I'm sure they'll manage to mess it up, (unless McGoohan is in charge).

my cousin's hot rod on Ebay!

My cousin Rob out in Colorado is a serious car person and his auto is being used to advertise a videotape of American hot rods on Ebay. Just type in 9131861262 to their search engine to see a very cool car, (I prefer riding in the rumble seat, myself).

nice selection of Cthulhu plushies (with the new Hounds of Tindalos!)

http://www.toyvault.com/cthulhu/index.html

Ask A Ninja

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdS5lkeN8_8&dpos=1

VERY funny!

film of the Troggs performing I Can't Control Myself!

http://bedazzled.blogs.com/bedazzled/2006/05/the_troggs_i_ca.html

A poor lip-synch, but cool nevertheless...

Ahhh, the Baby Bot

http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn9117-baby-robot-learns-like-a-human.html

A very happy, and a very sad anniversary

Today is VE Day, but also the anniversary of the crushing of the Warsaw Uprising & the death of one its inspiring leaders, Mordecai Aneilewicz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-E_Day

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Anielevich.html

http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/wgupris.htm

Happy Birthday Gabby Hayes!

http://www.gabbyhayes.org/

http://www.surfnetinc.com/chuck/pals-gh.htm

The ultimate sidekick.

Happy Birthday Kolchak!

http://www.darrenmcgavin.net/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0569000/

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Stargate/4991/klchkhom.htm

Well, it doesn't look a day older than 905 billion years old...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1768191,00.html

Happy Birthday Bob Seger

http://www.bobseger.com/

Tomorrow is his birthday. An under-rated songwriter and performer. Along with Keith Richards, he kept the legacy of Chuck Berry alive through the early and mid 70's. He was also one of the first people to seriously try to artistically deal with becoming a middle aged rocker, (years before such folks as Springsteen, Van Morrison, Nick Lowe, Ian Hunter, etc. etc.). Live Bullet is still one of the greatest concert albums ever made, and Against The Wind is still one of my all-time fave songs.

Sometimes a birthday candle is just a birthday candle...

Tomorrow is Freud's birthday...

http://www.iep.utm.edu/f/freud.htm

http://www.freudfile.org/

Gathering Moss?

Tomorrow is the anniversary of when Keith Richards came up with the basic riff for (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction while in a Florida hotel room in 1965. Amazing tune. I've written before about in '65 & '66 all the kids in the neighborhood sitting in Edmund's bedroom listening to his record player spinning their album, High Tides & Green Grass. That, and the Best of the Animals, were essential listening back then.

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=449

Dare you bid on....THE HAUNTED TEDDY BEAR?!?!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6056014456

Good to the Last Drop

http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=12068926

Slickee Boys Video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTPpGz8SXd0&search=slickee%20boys

DC's finest. No one cares to remember it, but we were the 2nd biggest locale for punk and new wave in the early days up to about late '78, (NYC was the core). The Slickee Boys, Tru Fax & The Insaniacs, the Insect Surfers, White Boy, Tina Peel, Razz, the Urban Verbs, Tiny Desk Unit, Egoslavia, the Dark, the Nurses, etc. etc. Gone and almost forgotten, but very cool tunes and times.

The Chocolate Watchband from Riot On Sunset Strip!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ9YM_fRypk&search=chocolate%20watchband

America's answer to the Rolling Stones. Another essential.

The 13th Floor Elevators performing You're Going To Miss Me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf3DgTD966Q&search=roky%20erickson

One of the coolest bands ever. Essential. And the electric jug is probably the #3 most important psychedelic instrument, (behind my beloved sitar and the theremin).

interesting tidbit on the WWII Memorial

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/2006/05/kilroy_is_herecan_you_find_him.html

Happy Birthday Michael Palin!

http://www.palinstravels.co.uk/

http://www.pythonline.com/plugs/palin/index.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Palin

Taking Over Best Buy

http://www.improveverywhere.com/mission_view.php?mission_id=57

A very funny situation. My only criticism is that they had WAY too many people involved. And they were helpful. Anyone who has ever been to a Best Buy can tell you that there are never more than three employees scheduled at a time in the stores, and they are NEVER helpful. Other than that critical difference, I think this was a great idea.

An American Haunting

http://www.anamericanhaunting.com/

To paraphrase a line from the film, The Legend of Hell House, the phenomena of the Bell Witch in the 19th century is the Mt. Everest of American haunting stories. That's the basis for this horror movie. Of course, it pales when compared to the goings on at Blau Manor...

The Seeds on film!!!

http://bedazzled.blogs.com/bedazzled/2006/04/the_seeds_i_can.html

Performing I Can't Seem To Make You Mine. A lame lip-synch, but still cool..

film of the Pretenders doing Precious & The Adultress

http://bedazzled.blogs.com/bedazzled/2006/05/the_pretenders_.html

video of the Clash!

http://bedazzled.blogs.com/bedazzled/2006/05/the_clash_on_fr_1.html

Performing London Calling, Train In Vain, Guns of Brixton & Working For The Clampdown. Amazing.

nice article about lucidity after decapitation

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=495

Clearly, this author hasn't seen the Re-Animator series of films...

John Frum Lives!

http://www.religionnewsblog.com/14355

Antique submarine uncovered!

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,412287,00.html

FridgeHenge!

http://googlesightseeing.com/2006/02/10/stonefridge/

http://www.abqtrib.com/albq/fe_visual_arts/article/0,2564,ALBQ_19848_4083742,00.html

I love stuff like this...

neat article on possible military space orbiters

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/24/blackstar/

The Navy's testing something new?

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20060427-9999-1n27boom.html

more news on the use of drones for combat

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/002369.html

neat article about dolphin rings and "art"

http://www.earthtrust.org/delrings.html

MIG on EBay

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4962466.stm

the cutting edge of legal research

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20060503/2006-05-03T131002Z_01_MAN183690_RTRIDST_0_ODD-PHILIPPINES-JUDGE-DC.html

Clearly, I'm well qualified to be a Phillipines judge...

Alert the Romulans!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4968338.stm

REH Days 2006

http://www.rehupa.com/reh_days_2006.htm

REH news from the Coming Attractions website

Paradox Entertainment to Develop Robert E. Howard Western LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 21, 2006--Not long after acquiring the entire Robert E. Howard library, Paradox Entertainment announced it has commenced development of a motion picture based on one of Howard's many western stories, titled "Vultures of Wahpeton." The story is an action thriller that focuses on the character Steve Corcoran, an amoral Texas gunslinger who finds himself far from home in a mining boomtown. Appointed Sheriff, his job is to rid the town of its crushing lawlessness. But Corcoran soon finds himself drawn into a conspiracy to rob the town, led by a mysterious gang known as The Vultures. The movie will be produced by Paradox's Peter Sederowsky and Fredrik Malmberg along with producer Ken Aguado via his company, Standard Film Group. Leif Rahmqvist acts as executive producer. Paradox has hired David Heller to adapt the novella into a screenplay. Says Aguado, "This is really one of the best stories I've read since `Unforgiven.' It has all the elements of the great Hollywood westerns: a strong, enigmatic lead fighting evil while battling his inner demons." Ken Aguado is the producer of movies such as "Sexual Life" (Anne Heche), "The Salton Sea" (Val Kilmer, Vincent D'Onofrio) and "Ticker" (Dennis Hopper). David Heller was represented by Caren Bohrman of The Bohrman Agency. It was on February 1, 2006, that Paradox Entertainment announced the acquisition of all rights to the stories and characters of pulp author Robert E. Howard. One of the greatest authors of his time, Howard is considered the creator of the genre "Sword & Sorcery," perhaps most known through the character Conan. His stories take us to such different surroundings as ancient Atlantis, the North African desert during WW1, hidden opium dens in dark alleys of the Big City, the Wild West and northern Britain during the invasion of the Roman Legions.

Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=filmNews&storyID=2006-05-02T083541Z_01_N02260638_RTRIDST_0_FILM-NIGHTMARE-DC.XML&pageNumber=0&imageid=&cap=&sz=13

Monster Bash 2006!

http://www.creepyclassics.com/scripts/shopplus.cgi?DN=creepyclassics.com&cartid=1320555896668&FILE=/bash2.html

Kinky's new radio spot (with Willie Nelson)

http://kinkyfriedman.com/multimedia/_audio/willie_radio/

What I Did On My Spring Vacation

Well, we had a lot of fun. Linda and I flew into Phoenix after a relatively uneventful airline flight. I say uneventful to mean that it was not unlike any other trip captained by H.R. Giger. Whenever I’m jammed into a plane these days, I keep being reminded of the slave ship scenes from Ben Hur. I swear I can sometimes make out the sounds of a rhythm drum as we’re chained into the pit of the plane. A young infant directly across the aisle from us screamed for about half the flight. Let me tell you something about hearing aids – hearing a scream is like a spike being pounded into your brain. My head felt like they were laying the roadbed for the Penn Central Railroad. In addition, approximately twenty of the passengers were loudly coughing, sneezing and wheezing in such a way to make me think we’d accidentally boarded a modern plague ship. It’s difficult not to breathe for five hours, but I managed to do so, and didn’t catch whatever afflictions the rest were suffering from. And, of course, thinking pure thoughts was also an aid and protection ;)
After landing, we rented a car and began to move North to our first destination, the Grand Canyon. Now, on a map, this looks pretty damn easy. Just a quick jaunt over to Interstate 17 and then straight North. But Phoenix is a cruel and possessive town. Many of you might remember various entries I’ve made regarding driving in DC during snow. Well, let me tell you about trying to get out of Phoenix in Spring – you can’t. The Interstate was a solid parking lot – no movement; nada; no way. We had three maps of the town – all worthless. None of them offered enough detail or covered a big enough territory to show us an alternative route. Driving feverishly, we managed to turn around and search for ways out of town. We roared past mile after mile of the same stucco track homes and strip malls. We tried to go East and then cut North, but the only road on our map was also blocked by construction! We were trapped in some sort of ersatz adobe nightmare! And then, a break! We found a small road out and to the North. Linda was driving and broke the land speed record for Arizona, but nevertheless, we’d lost half a day trying to escape the foul web of Phoenix.
The next three nights were spent in Tuba City, on the Navajo Reservation. The motel was actually run by the tribe. Being a traditionalist, I’d brought blankets and sheets from the local TB and smallpox wards to trade for room and board. The management seemed surprisingly reluctant to accept them in trade. We finally agreed on a large cash sum in exchange for a room and my life. The Navajo are shrewd traders.
The next day was spent at the Grand Canyon, (or the Big Ditch, as I like to call it). Linda had never been there before, and I hadn’t visited since I was a kid. Magnificent. All I’ve gotta say is, if you haven’t seen it, then you haven’t seen it. I’ve never seen a photo of the Grand Canyon that captured just how impressive and beautiful it really is. It’s overwhelming. Our only slight disappointment was that we didn’t see any of the California condors that now inhabit the park.
After that, we spend a day out driving around the Navajo and Hopi reservations in search of loot at the various trading posts. Two things of note here. Ten or twenty years ago, you could go to some of the more obscure trading posts and get a deal, maybe even find a real steal. Those days are over. Even the proverbial holes in the wall now know the value to tourists and collectors of their wares. The second, and sadder, fact is that almost all of the posts now carry junk for the tourists. Crap made in the Philippines or China; stuff that isn’t even particularly based on Southwestern Indian culture or traditions. I guess it sells, and you gotta go with you market. But it really cheapens the atmosphere of what used to be some places that just glowed with authenticity. Sad.
Another weird thing was the time. Arizona is on Mountain Time, but not Daylight Savings. But the Navajo Nation is. We kept shifting back and forth over the border every hour or so, getting completely confused between our Eastern oriented biological clocks and the local times. It was like some sort of Star Trek episode where we kept arriving before we left. I finally gave up all hope of figuring out what time it was. When Linda would ask me, all I could mutter was “April”.
The next stage of our trip was to visit my cousin Lynnae and her husband Pat at his cattle ranch in the center of the state, (Thanks Cousins!!!). What a time! Here we are, 40 minutes of off-road driving to get to the house, (no car, we had to leave it behind in the neighboring village so Lynnae could pick us up in her 4-wheel drive vehicle). We’re staying with them in a stone walled house hand built by Pat’s parents, overlooking hundreds of the thousands of acres he owns. You cannot see any other structure or person for miles around. There’s no connection to the outside, you’re off the grid – electricity, water, phone, etc., are all derived from solar power, wells, etc. I’m sitting here, asking questions about ranching, to a guy who literally rides a horse out to catch and herd cattle – a real honest-to-god cowboy! How many people can say they’ve had that experience? It’s kinda difficult to put into words, but I really feel like, for a day or two, I really was touching something out of folklore. Amazing. (Another footnote – the silence. Outside of the wind, there was no noise around the ranch, (cars, etc.).
The final leg of the trip was visiting my cousin Bill, his lovely wife Cathey, and their kids, Sean, Jennifer and Rebecca. Another wonderful experience. Bill and I have corresponded for years, (and met a few times in the 70’s), but I’d never met his family. Sean is a budding film maker, and we watched a collection of his works. They focused on violence, sex, and drugs, so I felt right at home. The reunion was wonderful, as we discussed the Cthulhu Mythos, psychotronic films, politics, industrial music, and their life in the desert of Southern California. All while feasting on Cathey’s cooking! A very cool time. (I know what some of you are thinking – “Hmmm, Rob having a family reunion on Walpurgisnacht. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!!!)
Then, it was back to the dreaded Phoenix and a flight back home. Dulles airport graciously provided us with an instant reminder that we had arrived back in DC. As one starts to leave the baggage claim area, there are many signs announcing that the airport had provided for cab service by selling sole rights to a company called the Washington Flyer. The signs darkly warn against accepting rides from any other cabbies, implying that hell and damnation await those who try to buck this monopolistic set-up. Well, Linda and I walked past several taxi freebooters offering us rides, and went to the “official” Dulles/Washington Flyer door, and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Guess what: Washington Flyer’s cabbies were on strike and had a picket line out front. There were no cabs. The corporate types were out there trying to bring in new drivers, and failing miserably. Linda and I both got after them as they idiotically grinned at us and assured us that the monopoly made sense, despite the lack of drivers. After a silly wait, they finally managed to breed a new foreigner to drive us home. But it was all so typically DC: 1) You must only use Washington Flyer cabs; 2) There are no Washington Flyer cabs available; 3)That doesn’t matter. Let’s see: Mindless Bureaucracy combined with Senseless Hassle. Hey! We’re Home! (As a footnote to this, I noticed that several of the striking drivers had signs saying that “Not all Afghans belong in Guantanamo”. After escaping Phoenix and enduring a half day flight, only to get burned on a cab ride when I’m so close to home, I’m not sure I agree with that statement…).
At any rate, we’re home, we’re in one piece, and we had fun. (And a big thanks to all the cousins - it was great!).

the return of Kirk & Spock!?

http://news.com.com/Star+Trek+to+boldly+go+again/2100-1026_3-6063799.html

(Thanks for the link. Larry!)

Hi-Tech Soldiers Taste Danger

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/04/24/tongue.sight.ap/index.html

(Thanks for the link, Chris!)

Weirdness

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Monday, May 29, 2006

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Memorial Day

Friday, May 26, 2006

Horror Birthday Extravaganza!

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Happy Birthday Douglas Fairbanks Sr.!

Monday, May 22, 2006

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Happy Anniversary Bogey & Betty!!!

Saturday, May 20, 2006

RIP Freddie...

from the Coming Attractions website:

Friday, May 19, 2006

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Monday, May 15, 2006

The Long & Winding Road...

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Happy Mothers Day!!!

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Happy Leprechaun Day!

Friday, May 12, 2006

some neat Star Trek satire

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

my cousin's hot rod on Ebay!

Monday, May 08, 2006

A very happy, and a very sad anniversary

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Happy Birthday Kolchak!

Friday, May 05, 2006

Thursday, May 04, 2006

film of the Pretenders doing Precious & The Adultress