Weirdness: February 2007

offline for a little while

The computer seems to be acting up and I'm going to get it investigated, so may be offline for a couple of days. See you soon!

O Little Town Of Methlehem...

http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=104&sid=1074536

more research on military "cloaking"

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/02/yes_i_read_pent.html

The Trade-In

http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=104&sid=1074125

I had no idea that cars were so expensive in Pueblo!

Safety First!

http://www.hugi.is/hahradi/bigboxes.php?box_id=51208&f_id=1000
A foreign (Finnish?) safety film - heavily influenced by Monty Python.

Happy Birthday Zero Mostel!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0609216/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Mostel

One of my faves!

nice interview with Mary Weiss (of the Shangri-Las)

http://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/profiles/28500/

China's newest Secret Weapon - Revealed!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/02/27/china.pigeon.reut/index.html

My only question is, what is our government doing to protect us from this latest scourge? Soon, every red-blooded American statue and car windshield will be in jeopardy! We must not loose the Guano Race!

(I will remind folks that B. F. Skinner was manipulating pigeons on the cheap about 60 years ahead of our Maoist friends... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pigeon )

neat article on garbage disposal and a new plasma device

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/science/873aae7bf86c0110vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html

Baby Trek news

http://movies.ign.com/articles/767/767783p1.html

The Last Record Store

http://www.substancetv.com/article.php/80463db1581039365dd6f0a845279873/?iss=1&art=7
A nice article about something many of you younger folks will never get to experience - going down to the "Sacred Store" (as Don McLean referred to it) and listening to, hunting for, and talking about music. I wouldn't trade my years there for anything, and I suspect those of you who were with me, or at another store, feel similarly. There's something very cool about an independent record shop. I could go on for a long time telling you why, but you either know already, or never will. Too bad they're almost all gone - just like independent radio.
So thanks to Erik for passing on this link to me, and a hello to him and the rest of the clerks, fanatics, aficionados, musicians, refugees and scholars who might be reading this - Pete, Doug, Mathew, Carol, Charlotte, Richard, Jane, Karl, Sarah, Deb, Geof, Randy, Chris, Paul, Stella, Andrew, Vanessa and Missy!!!

Flaming Ember - Westbound #9

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO0v8p6rSTU

One of my fave tunes from '70. This is one of those songs I really shouldn't be referring to in February - this is a song for a hot summer afternoon.
A solid band who were, I think, the only white guys signed to Holland/Dozier/Holland's Hot Wax label. Great album.

The Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQ3W9c_2jks
Great pop/soul song. Spring of '69. My brother would play this all the time. It's off a fun album, too.

Happy Birthday Godfrey Cambridge!

http://imdb.com/name/nm0131387/

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

An under-rated and underutilized talent. Would/should have been a major star in light and romantic comedies. His performance in the "President's Analyst" is fantastic, (a movie I HIGHLT recommend...).

Stop Funding The Spanish American War!

http://www.snopes.com/business/taxes/excise.asp

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=161506,00.html

When I first heard this from my brother-in-law, I smelled "urban legend". But lo and behold - it's true! Check this out before you do file your income tax.

Science Scouts ;)

http://scq.ubc.ca/sciencescouts/

Cool merit badges...

Christopher Lee's Fireside Tales available online!

http://davesworld56.blogspot.com/2007/02/christopher-lee-fireside-tales-bbc.html

Great stuff!

Vampire Theatre online

http://www.geocities.com/gothmenow/lobby.html

Monster Crochet!

http://monstercrochet.blogspot.com/2007/01/popular-culture-on-wing.html

creating a witch kitchen for Halloween!

http://aranamuerta.com/category/witch-kitchen/

Mr. & Mrs. Jesus discovered?

http://time-blog.com/middle_east/2007/02/jesus_tales_from_the_crypt.html

Why do I think this will just be one more gee-gaw to hurl on the pile of spears of Longius, true crosses, shrouds, bleeding/crying/wetting statues, burial tombs/urns/sarcophagi/caves, and sacred skulls/femurs/hangnails.

Almost forgot - Happy Birthday Edward Gorey!

His birthday is 2/22. One of my faves. Genius. Essential.

http://www.goreyography.com/

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

My fave: http://www.wishville.co.uk/gorey/

Happy Birthday Jim Backus!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000822/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Backus

Happy Birthday George!

http://www.georgeharrison.com/
http://www.beatlesagain.com/bgeorge.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn4lCE1XlGg

It has always been my policy to never obey geese...

http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=104&sid=1070999

Save The Girls!

http://www.savethegirls.org/

WWII Aircraft Nose Art - neat stuff!

Happy National Tortilla Day!

Happy Birthday Michelle Shocked!

http://www.michelleshocked.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpPRLHyahns&mode=related&search=

One of my faves.

Only 250 Days Until Halloween!

I lost the game, said Tim absent mindedly...

http://www.wusa9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=56167

Psychedelic Furs - Ghost In You video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RicevoVel5k&mode=related&search=
Great band and song. Very early 80's...

Freda Payne - Deeper & Deeper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cLZq1Wf1_E
A nice light soul tune from the early 70's. Freda is another artist who never got as far as she should have.

Big Joe Turner - Shake Rattle & Roll!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIn375jX3i4
Great song! Essential.

Suzi Quatro - Can The Can

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SXWgC0SLCA&mode=related&search=
Always thought she'd break through in this country, oh well...

McCain - Then & Now

http://www.myleftnutmeg.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=5905

Grasping, lying, worthless old dirt bag...

EXTRA EXTRA! Real Meat Found At a Taco Bell!!!

http://www.wnbc.com/news/11089614/detail.html?dl=mainclick

I suppose they charge extra...

Could it just be because they suck?

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2007-02-23-lowes_x.htm

world's hottest chili pepper

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/23/hot.pepper.ap/index.html

new (to me) beer oriented restaurant North of Old Town

http://www.rusticorestaurant.com/index.htm
They got a nice write up in today's Post, and apparently they carry Stone brews...

Cool Horror/Psychotronic T-Shirts

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

Dead Head phenomena hits honey bees

http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/20070114210251data_trunc_sys.shtml
A classic case...

The Celebrity Endorsement

http://consumerist.com/consumer/pizza-hut/jessica-simpson-pizza-hut-spokesperson-is-allergic-to-pizza-238907.php

nice historical listing of local NoVa rock & pop bands

http://norvapics.com/music_bands.htm

military laser research update

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6380789.stm

Superbot!

http://physorg.com/news91300869.html

nice article on the mini-revival of silent film

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,72766-0.html?tw=rss.index

(has a nice mention of The Call of Cthulhu film too!)

Happy Birthday Johannes Gutenberg!

http://homeschooling.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/gutenberg.htm

Alcohol & Ammo game

http://crass.on.ru/flash/aaa-1.html

(Thanks for the link, Rob!)

The Jealous Astronaut!

http://www.jealousastronaut.com/

(Thanks for the link, Rob!)

Happy National Chili Day!

http://www.hardtimes.com/

Happy Pully Lug Day!

One of the most obscure holidays, and one I'm resurrecting. It's an old English event, that mostly took place in Cumberland & Westmoreland, that occurred the Friday after Ash Wednesday. You're encouraged to run up to people and tug on their ears. Have fun! (And don't look to me for bail...)

Today is Iwo Jima Day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Iwo_Jima
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/iwoflag.htm

38 Special - If I'd Been The One

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezqpnjbsk8s
Love the song, but the video is pretty bloated. (And yes, that's the former Mrs. Springsteen in it...)

The Troggs - Love Is All Around (non album version!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2A0FLpLP9U
One of my fave tunes. Very under-rated band...

Los Bravos - Black Is Black

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVWNZPOUhO8

nice quickie interview with Clifford Pickover

http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/cliff-nytimes.html

Steely Dan - Reelin' In The Years

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AECrj-bujw

Feeling old and tired today...

if you outlaw bull scrotums, only outlaws will have them...

http://www.bakelblog.com/nobodys_business/2007/02/leroy_e_myers_s.html
I wish I had as few probelms in my life as these dudes obviously do...

more on the destruction of satellite radio

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/21/AR2007022102043.html?nav=rss_technology/personaltech

Even the pups at the Post have figured it out!

new light weapon being researched

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/02/new_roboweapon_.html

Happy Birthday Dwight Frye!

http://www.missinglinkclassichorror.co.uk/dwight.htm
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0296859/

http://www.horror-wood.com/frye.htm

Everyone's favorite mad laboratory assistant!

Happy Birthday George Washington!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gw1.html
http://www.mountvernon.org/

http://gwpapers.virginia.edu/

Rejoice! The Return of the 365 Days Project!!!

http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/365_days_project/

A weird, strange, silly, rare recording each day!

Happy Birthday Mary Chapin Carpenter!

http://www.marychapincarpenter.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf7dn4VrYXs

DC's Finest. And a nice person too.

Mount Vernon Whiskey On The Way

http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=25&sid=1067278

Why does it have to be Rye? I hate that stuff...

Gummi Road Kill

http://www.candywarehouse.com/roadkill.html

Booker T & The MG's - Time Is Tight

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

Great tune. Summer of '69...

CS&N - Long Time Gone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50go7zlvnfg

Classic. (I think I caught this tour...).

The Beat - Rock'N'Roll Girl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNcRb6U8dKg

Great power pop. Shoulda been a hit...

The Troggs - With A Girl Like You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSiH0bcUN0o
I always loved this group. Brit Invasion Proto Punk.

Cheap Trick - Surrender

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9EMJzu8kV4

IP Spotting

http://www.ipspotting.com/

Strange little hobby...

B Flat

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7442915

keep that umbrella handy

http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=264972007

As usual, The Onion is about one week ahead of the curve...

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/58699

This will not be satire by next year...

Be All That You Can Be

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/19/AR2007021901113.html?referrer=email

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/19/AR2007021900759.html?referrer=email

Thank goodness they vote Republican! It'd be a shame if Liberals and Leftists were treated this poorly!

Live365 Rules

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/20/business/media/20radio.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
And so, as predicted, the Market has reared its head with satellite radio. Just like its terrestrial father, it is now dominated by one company, and just like Daddy, it will lure customers in and then shave playlists, going for whatever the lowest common profit denominator is perceived to be. Corporate priorities don't care whether you have an antenna or a dish, to receive the signal. The market and how companies deal with it don't change just because the technology does. The fact that you're conned into paying money to hear the same stuff is just gravy.
I once again urge folks to check out Internet radio - run by hobbyists, fanatics, oddballs, and scholars. That's where the action is...

interesting attack on TV

http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=265852007

Happy Birthday Joel Hodgson!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0388273/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Hodgson

http://www.mst3kinfo.com/index.html

Creator of one of my fave TV shows: Mystery Science Theater 3000!

Happy Presidents Day!

Happy Birthday Smokey!

http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=180
http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Smokey%20Robinson.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLi61_VRJL0

Genius. Essential.

Cliff, I'm Sorry

What I'm talking about won't make much sense to some of you.

You never like to see a friend take a hit. And the farther you go back the harder it is. Cliff and I go back...

I wish you better times...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjKeQznN4d4

CAS reviewed in the Post!!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021501543.html

(Thanks for the link, Edmund!)

Will It Roll?

http://thrillingwonder.blogspot.com/2007/02/vw-bus-ball-and-other-rolling-art.html

a nice quote...

http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/1243.html

100 Greatest Guitar Solos Of All Time (?)

http://cityrag.blogs.com/main/2007/01/100_greatest_gu.html
I will leave it up to others amongst you to gauge the accuracy of this poll, (I try to stay away from theological debates...)

Cthulhu Chicken Recipe

http://www.ghostdroppings.com/forum/threads.php?id=8727_0_9_0_C

(Hey Ralph, any chance of seeing this on the menu soon?)

nice Penn & Teller routine/lesson

http://emuse.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/13463

Get A Life!

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/tags/star-wars-nerd/

Happy Chinese New Year!

Cat Stevens - If You Want To Sing Out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPx7k9IAdRM
Before the rot set in... The theme to one of my fave movies, Harold & Maude.

Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOjxtrpwR9I&mode=related&search=
A great Dick Cavett show! That's Joni standing by him during the introduction and David Crosby off to the side with a tambourine. The day after Woodstock.

Pentagon Secured Against Balloon Attacks!

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2007-02-16T163901Z_01_N16320029_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-PENTAGON-BALLOONS.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

Defenses against cavalry charges and trench warfare planned in near future.

Anagram Server

http://wordsmith.org/anagram/index.html

Brothers Johnson - Strawberry Letter #23

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4FMJn0wHZw

Tru Fax & The Insaniacs...

http://www.trufax.com/trufaxmem.html

It was on a night much like tonight (icy and cold as could be), about 28 years ago that my friend Cliff invited me over to his apartment in Arlington. There was a VFW Hall about a half mile away and it had been rented out to a local punk band of note called the Nurses to perform in. We hiked through the icy streets and joined about 30 or 40 other rock'n'roll stalwarts to watch the show in the little bar room of the hall. There was an opening act whom I'd never heard of called Tru Fax & The Insaniacs. They blew me away. I barely remember the Nurses performance.
Part of it was the atmosphere, I'm sure. The concept of small groups of people enjoying music close up has always been close to my heart. But this band was just so neat. The lead vocalist, Diana Quinn had a clear voice, (a bit like Debbie Harry's), that combined a certain innocence with enthusiasm and even a bit of scepticism; and the band played a raucous sound based on a lot of mid to late 60's tunes. In addition, the covers were all obscure pop culture references - the Mystery Date commercial jingle & Olive Oil's dream song of running for President. You could hear all these cool pop footnotes amid sounds combining the Monkees, the Velvets, the Ramones,and a hundred other bands. It was a great evening. One of my faves.
I saw them again several times, each one a small treasure. Probably their most famous song became something of a mini-theme for late 70's DC - "Washingtron". It, along with the Urban Verbs first album captures the era nicely. They released on LP long ago, (never reissued on CD) and broke up years back, though Quinn still performs regularly in the area. You can catch up with her here: http://www.muddypaws.com/
I bring this up for several reasons, the first is just because it was a fun time and a great band, and I'd hate the memory to be lost forever. The second is because I hope such things happen today. It's been many years since I went to clubs or hiked around to little impromptu shows, and the gods know I have no use for modern radio. But I hope that young people still have opportunities, if they so choose, to strike out from all the corporate crap and the huge packaged stadium tours and see what rock'n'roll really is. A spark of fun/rebellion/identity on a cold Winter night.

New Fafhrd & The Grey Mouser reissue!

http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=13-460

Life (or death) In DC

http://frozentropics.blogspot.com/2007/02/wt-illegal-funeral-home-on-h-street.html

Nena - 99 Luftballoons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B943TX4SOQ
Hard to believe it's been over 22 years. Harder to believe what she sang about didn't come to pass. This is the German version, the preferred language when dancing to the End of the World. But I still hear Shiva tapping his toe...

ZZ Top - La Grange

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5yCKoqRXC4
Wow, '74 memories of smoky nights in horrid bars on 14th Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Life was shorter then...

Traffic - Hole In My Shoe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMyWVm79ZQA
Wonderful band and song...

The Cars - Just What I Needed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3W7EDAJ4j8

I know that I'm alone in this, but I firmly believe this to be a soundtrack for the silent film, Nosferatu...

Johnny Rivers - Poor Side Of Town

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZHPsRKo8TM
Welcome back Baby, to the poor side of town....

The 1860's - Age of the Dinosaurs...

http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/c-w-dinos/

more on airlines crap

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021501853.html

It is interesting that our allegedly elected leaders view helping travel consumers out as an interference in the operation of a business. I'm not an expert on criminal law, but back in my retail days, if I'd locked the store and prevented customers from leaving, just on a power-trip whim, I'm almost positive I'd be arrested and charged with something along the lines of kidnapping and false imprisonment. Being in Virginia, I'd probably be facing the death penalty. Yet, according to Congress, if I call myself an airline official, I can do so with impunity, and it's considered a "business decision", not to be interferred with by government officials. Following this line of logic, the airlines could also rob, rape and murder you on the plane. All would be business decisions on a par with kidnapping and false imprisonment. I could make arguments for each one being to the benefit of the current crop of visigoths running the airline industry.
Linda and I are considering a short trip to Chicago later on this year. We're honestly debating whether it's easier to drive the 700+ miles, rather than subject ourselves to airlines now on a par with a rowing galley from Ben Hur. My last trip to O'Hare resulted in delayed luggage going in and a hassle-filled flight cancellation going out. Against all that I have to weigh the coma-inducing boredom of the Ohio Turnpike. It's a close call.

Wow! The Bionic Eye!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6368089.stm

The Maltese Falcon - MISSING!!!

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/02/13/MNGA7O3NLT1.DTL

the cutting edge of stalinist environmentalism...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,2012697,00.html
I'm not sure how satire can possibly survive, given how people think/act these days...

Cool 14th Century Calculator!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/6363225.stm

Still Waiting...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6363843.stm

Make Up Your Mind! Sheesh!

http://www.religionnewsblog.com/17479/jose-luis-de-jesus-miranda-3

The Superhero Generator

http://www.humorscope.com/hero.html

well, I won't be flying JetBlue...

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=traffic&id=5034846
It's interesting how the airlines have evolved in my lifetime, from something almost fancy to an industry somewhat below that of the old interstate bus lines. One can argue that it's deregulation, market forces, etc., I suppose. But if it is market forces, they've been awfully ineSome of my experiences have left me wondering if the employees are actually trained to treat me like shit. I particularly remember one time checking in at Phoenix and coming away wondering why Osama had felt it necessary to recruit saudis to blow up our airlines; after the way I was treated, I was prepared to do it, gratis.

life in DC...

http://www.wusa9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=55914

I, for one, think it's mighty nice of Metro to take time out from sabotaging the subway system to train their drivers to stop murdering us...

Roky Erickson Lives!

http://www.rokyerickson.net/

Clarence "Frogman" Henry - Ain't Got No Home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXc6Y0DB3LE
For me, one of the quintessential New Orleans R&B songs. I can't help but smile and tap my foot whenever hearing it. I love this song.

The Stylistics - Stoned In Love With You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB7ffWJcrBs

Bob Seger - Ramblin' Gamblin' Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2aBOTNGWMY

I always loved this tune...

a nice view of toys

http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,72690-0.html?tw=rss.index

Happy Birthday Matt Groening!

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

Genius. Essential.

Monsoon - Ever So Lonely

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awbTQQa0MFc

Beautiful. Fulfilled the potential of George Harrison's dream of incorporating Indian instruments with Western music. A great album and several singles. Sheila Chandra went on to a moderately successful solo career. The other musicians formed a less than succesful group called the Ganges Band. Their first 12" single came with a hand drawn cover and a stick of incense. (Missy - it's fabulously rare!)

The Delfonics - LaLa Means I Love You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsxf7JxY4Jw&mode=related&search=
Ah, '68... The world seemed to be falling apart, and along came one of the sweetest songs...

The O'Jays - Backstabbers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj6uxUGDr5Q

Billy Price - Nickel & A Nail

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

Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul - Bed Of Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOi4e5gkhbQ

Poor recording, great band and song.

interesting article on ageing and efforts to study/combat it

http://viewzone.com/aging.html

latest Star Trek film news

http://scifipulse.net/Trek_ArchiveII/Feb2007/TrekXIReleaseOnHold.html

artilce on new distilleries in Virginia

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/13/AR2007021300277.html

Actually, most of this doesn't sound very appetizing to me, particularly the prices! Virginia Gentleman still sounds like your best bet...

nice interview with songwriter Chip Taylor

http://www.spectropop.com/ChipTaylor/index.htm

very cool Thai boxing routine video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb8m4CXjd98
Watch for the last kick...

(Thanks for the link, Sandy!)

light into matter...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sci/tech/6343311.stm

neat article on squid

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sci/tech/6357005.stm

a strange little video performance

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=08f6908bec22de942b9621ad6bd308c6.722639&fr=yvmtf
(Thanks for the link, Mike!)

I don't know anything about this, not even the guy's name. I presume he's singing in Russian (can anyone of you Russophiles confirm that?). The vocal range is pretty extraordinary.

Happy Birthday Norton I !!!

First and only Emperor of the United States of America, Protector of Mexico, Discordian Saint, and personal fave of yours truly!

http://www.zpub.com/sf/history/nort.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_A._Norton

http://www.notfrisco.com/nortoniana/

http://www.knauer.org/mike/discordia/norton.php

Happy Birthday Jack Benny!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000912/

http://www.jackbenny.org/

http://members.aol.com/vartox/benny.htm

A genius. One of my faves. I still listen to recordings of his old radio shows. Benny's comedy was superb and unique. He was the master of the long pause and (along with Groucho) the nod to the audience. He was also one of the few comedians whose routine involved his assistant getting the laugh. Essential.

Happy Valentines Day!

General Zod in 2008!

http://www.zod2008.com/

nice article on the silent Jekyll & Hyde

http://greenbriarpictureshows.blogspot.com/2007/02/jekylls-and-hydes-ive-known-part-one.html

Past Life Generator

http://www.blogthings.com/pastlifegenerator/

The Singularity

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

One sees more and more about this online and in the various science reporting sites. I have mixed opinions about various aspects and predictions, but it is all quite interesting. I suggest folks check out Infidel753's site at http://www.infidel753.blogspot.com/ for a lot more articles and links.

neat toilet commercial

http://www.boredatwork.net/funny-video/toilets-against-cocaine/

my next toothpick holder...

http://www.drinkstuff.com/products/product.asp?ID=2399&title=Ouch%20Toothpick%20Holder

The 5 Satins - In The Still Of The Night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBT3oDMCWpI
Fantastic song. The archetypal Doo-Wop tune. I seem to remember a poll taken amongst the pop cognoscenti at Goldmine Magazine - this would be the SERIOUS fans, the real collectors, etc. And 'Night came in as #1 best song of all time. Essential.

Brian Setzer - The Knife Feels Like Justice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFkTJDflcrc
A great song from a vastly under-rated and forgotten album. One of my favorite song titles. (That's Mighty Max on drums...)

Eddie Cochran - Somethin' Else

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXOpCaG3pWc
One of my faves...

another guilty pleasure... Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr6H1a7YUac&mode=related&search=

True West - Steps to The Door

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC3VUh3go1U
Great droning neo-psychedelia. Relax your mind and float down stream...

neat candy!

http://candyaddict.com/blog/top-10-grossest-candies/

Iggy performs Louie Louie

http://youtube.com/watch?v=F3OxYILDYuQ

A beautiful version. I'm coming around to the belief that this should be the National Anthem...

computer fun!

http://thrillingwonder.blogspot.com/2007/02/computer-gadgets-roundup-funny.html

Horror Cakes!

http://www.theyrecoming.com/extras/

Snow (supposedly) is on the way...

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/2007/02/hysteriawatch_countdown_to_a_w.html
I've not checked, but suspect this will have little impact on schools - I doubt they've reopened since our >1" "blizzard" of last week. Wussies. I don't know why they even bother to schedule classes between Thanksgiving and Easter...

the cutting edge of government creepiness...

http://www.koat.com/news/10980789/detail.html

Happy Birthday Ray Manzarek!

http://www.raymanzarek.us/

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

Happy Birthday Abraham Lincoln!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/al16.html

http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton/Lincoln2.html

http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/

Happy Birthday Bobby "Boris" Pickett!

http://www.themonstermash.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_%22Boris%22_Pickett

Creator of the Monster Mash!

Happy Birthday Jimmy Durante!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002051/

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

Happy Birthday Lon Cheney Jr.!

http://www.lonchaney.com/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001033/

Happy Birthday Bertolt Brecht!

http://german.lss.wisc.edu/brecht/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertolt_Brecht

End of Baltimore's Dime Museum

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/galleriesmuseums/bal-md.ci.dime03feb03,0,639607.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

Sad, I regret never getting up there to see it.

Chocolate Skulls

http://www.chocolateskulls.com/

Stan Ridgway - Drive She Said

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fLKkdCM1J0

Quirky L.A. darkness...

X - 4th Of July

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Be-FtHPwrE
A great song by a great American band.

English Beat - Save It For Later

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJx8EqLsxKY

Cool...

the cutting edge of dusting the erasers

http://wben.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=06816

brain reading...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,2009229,00.html

nazi rabbits

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/index.php?ntid=118232&ntpid=2
I know it's a serious subject, but somehow "I Was A Bunny For The SS" keeps popping into my mind...

Horrorfind Convention coming up!

http://www.horrorfindweekend.com/state/maryland/index.html

Revolutionary War Reenactment at Fort Ward next week

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=77180&paper=69&cat=115

Cool!

Happy Birthday Carole King!

http://www.caroleking.com/

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

http://www.history-of-rock.com/carole_king_and_gerry_goffin.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoK8W2b6x2Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MopbhuZ2Bh0

Genius. Essential.

Happy Birthday Barbara Lewis!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Lewis
I've written about her in the past - one of my faves. A vastly under-rated and under-appreciated talent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1iOwE658NU

It Begins....

The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on this date in 1964...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB2eWPxAmQ8

The "Doomsday" Vault

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6335899.stm

and Rob kicks the body...

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=114&sid=928458

Can you imagine what the autopsy is going to be like? What killed her? My gods, it'd be easier to ask what didn't kill her! They're gonna have to check through the entire Periodic Chart just to match her liver's chemistry. Love Canal is gonna look like Ewell Gibbon's garden compared to this woman's body chemistry. The new compounds discovered will dwarf anything the Amazon has to offer to biochemistry and pharmaceutical research!

Happy Birthday Jules Verne!

http://www.online-literature.com/verne/

Joan Jett - Roadrunner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQTe7Qxxxsw

A great rendition of a wonderful old Jonathan Richman song, by one of DC's finest. The original was essential listening in the late 70's for anyone going over 50mph down Route 1 from Hybla Valley southward to the wilderness of Pohick and beyond. (Franconia and Braddock Roads were also good...)

Mr. Zimmerman - Subterranean Homesick Blues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srgi2DkDbPU
One of the first, and most famous music videos, ever. Watch the parking meters!

Steely Dan - My Old School

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN30zTpozRw
I have read reasonably authoritative texts and interviews that state this song is NOT about Virginia in the mid 70's. I couldn't care less. This song IS about Virginia back then..
(This is another of those tunes that it's difficult to listen to without semi-consciously smelling a sweet haze and tasting Mateuse or bad Scotch...).

Crazy Elephant - Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaK600yrvPE
One of the last great bubblegum songs of the 60's.

T Rex - Bang A Gong

http://spikepriggen.onlinestoragesolution.com/get_it_on.mov
I'm not sure why they never broke in America.

life in DC

So, we woke up this morning to find it had snowed last night. Probably the nicest snowfall we've had in years. There was just slightly less than an inch of dry powdery flakes - not like the usual icy mess we get. It took us all of 15 minutes to shovel/sweep the entire Manor.
But Fairfax County schools are closed - probably until June. We are raising a generation of weenies. While growing up, I really did have to listen to my folks talk of trudging through feet of snow to get to school. Something I certainly never experienced. But I never thought I'd be braying away to the younger generation that I'd had to "struggle" through over half an inch of the stuff! The five or six inches we'd overcome must seem Himalayan to today's rugged ten year olds.
Of course, DC itself is a different story - there the schools are closed because there's no heat, that money having been long-since drained away into the private coffers of the bureaucracy. If you're cold, just go over to a superintendent's house, he'll have the furnace well stoked with tax dollars.
I'm told that PG County's schools are also closed, this will allow their police force to practice on smaller and faster moving targets than normal.
It's a Winter Wonderland!

England Rocks

http://www.england-rocks.co.uk/

Nice geography lesson in British pop music.

(Thanks for the link, Erik!)

Dr. Seuss goes to War!

http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dspolitic/
Neat stuff!

Elton - Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93JvHkdYNNw
Another memory flogger - Spring of '74...playing poor pinball and eating the worst pizza ever at Electric Circus down in the bowels of Route 1 and Hybla Valley; parking behind St. Agnes school at night; gray skies and moods to match; Rick's birthday party. What a bacchanal. Was in Colorado for Spring break, flew home early just to make the party. Got into Dulles and then home about 6; just enough time to change clothes and hitch a ride with Edmund to the festivities. I'm exhausted, but always a professional. It's held in a penthouse out at Skyline, secured by some drug connection of Rick's. Loads of people, loads of stuff to consume. I remember sharing a beer and cigar with the doorman; trying to make time with some girl while trying to avoid another, must have been two dozen gate crashers - mean guys and tough women. Midnight we closed shop. Empties everywhere. Could of made a fortune on the recycling fees. Ended up continuing the party at Ron's house. The gods alone know how or when I got home. Maybe I never did.

Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM7LR46zrQU
Another fave by one of the most intelligent lyricists in pop. Frozen nights in Gtown in '76. Possibilities and failures crowd in and compete. Zombies at Pall Malls, steak tartar at Cafe de Paris, slinking along the canal after last call...

Gimme Shelter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGAWE7l-fgU
One of my faves. Spiral descent. Feel the Power of the Dark Side, Luke... ;)

Lawrence Welk Meets The Velvet Underground

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i48BP1PUoFI
(I know I've sent this out to a bunch of you before, but I love this clip!)

The Hotel Pianist - a neat, (and sad) little blog

http://hotelpianist.blogspot.com/

It is always interesting to me to see what different folks' lives are like. And sometimes depressing too. But this is nicely written, and anyone who worked in a music store or a hotel will be able to identify quickly with it.

(Thanks for the link, Erik!)

Fun With Google's Earth Photos

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/columnone/la-fi-maps6feb06,1,3151806.story?coll=la-headlines-columnone&ctrack=1&cset=true
http://www.birdseyetourist.com/

(Thanks for the links, Mathew!)

Thank Goodness! She's From DC!

http://www.wonkette.com/politics/astronauts/astronut-gal-a-product-of-maryland--dc-234405.php
Murderous diaper wearing kidnapper astronauts - yup, my kinda town! Remember what REM said about Rockville:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcfYFivot3Y

Soviet Quality!

http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=105&sid=1054587

nice little article on Mrs. Lovecraft

http://blog.wired.com/tableofmalcontents/2007/02/the_mysterious_.html

military's new high speed camera

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,72632-0.html?tw=rss.index

astronaut weirdness

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-bk-nasaastronaut0507feb05,0,6104316.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

Obviously, we're planning trailer parks in space...

nice little article & picture of the Colossus computer of WWII

http://news.com.com/2300-1008_3-6156336-1.html?tag=ne.gall.pg

Happy Birthday Patrick MacNee!

http://patrickmacnee.com/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001495/

http://theavengers.tv/forever/bio-macnee.htm

One of my faves. The Avengers is an essential TV show...

Bad Baby Names

http://www.notwithoutmyhandbag.com/babynames/index.html

Jet Man!

http://jet-man.com/playervideo.swf?video=jetman2007.flv

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

Skytyping!

http://www.skytyping.com/index1.html

This is so cool! I'd love to have these guys put "SURRENDER DOROTHY" above the Mormon Temple on Georgia Avenue!

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

A guilty pleasure - Mercy performs Love Can Make You Happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzoeZTFj4TA

Summer of '69 - I've always loved this limp little tune. And never knew they performed it in a film, (apparently centered around the most boring looking bar this side of Kansas).

Roman Legionaires in China

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/02/wroman02.xml

Actually, I thought this was now generally acknowledged, at least as a strong possibility, due to the excavation of some tombs over there.

new search for Martians

http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2229&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

Chewbacca Goes Over To The Dark Side

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hollywood3feb03,0,1452234.story
A great article!

Happy Birthday H. R. Giger!

http://www.hrgiger.com/

Happy Birthday John Carradine!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001017/
http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/johncarradine.html

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

The Crystals - He's A Rebel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqDvAaAZ5J0

Great stuff!

Bush Tetras - Things That Go Boom In The Night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gze5hap2BOI
It's probable most of you have never heard of this band, unless you worked in a record store around late '80; but for about 5 minutes, it looked like they were going to be the "next big thing". Don't know what happened. Oh well, I liked 'em...

Canned Heat - On The Road Again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exAFl0Ufk-Y

New Dimensions Discussed

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070203103355.htm

At last! I can find room for that new easy chair!

new (to me) info on the liberation of Paris in WWII

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2201106.ece
The data on Allied morale immediately following D-Day does not surprise me, nor do I find it particularly worrisome under the circumstances. But I am struck by the reports of battle racism in the Allied High Command, how it attained prominence over who would liberate Paris and when, and the Rube Goldberg efforts to make it so. Despite the documentation listed, I still find it improbable and wonder if we are getting the whole story, or rather a cover for a much more accurate tale. The implication that the French had NO choice as to what any of their units were doing at any given time and could be shipped* around with impunity by the Anglo Americans like so many dumb chess pieces doesn't sound right at all to me.
I wonder if someone owed someone else a favor, or wanted to get back at someone else, maybe even for the pettiest of reasons. It's well known that the Anglo Americans didn't think much of De Gaulle, nor he of them. Different folks had different "favorite generals" on the French side whom they'd promote for power, etc. (the Free French were riven with factions, some of them murderous competitors). I think there's more to this story, and a tidy racism was seen as a nice explanation for more personal or political purposes.

*Allied transport and logistics isn't generally considered the most romantic or dramatic aspect of the war - but it's how we won! And troop transport was ALWAYS a big concern and everyone always demanded more, and there was never enough to go around etc. etc. So the idea that an entire armored division is going to be shipped to a new theatre of operations just to make sure some Senegalese doesn't get to see the Eiffel Tower sounds VERY weak to me. Access to shipping was like GOLD.

Billy Henderson, RIP

HOLLY HILL, Fla. - Singer Billy Henderson, a member of the band the Spinners who sang "I'll Be Around" and other hits, has died. He was 67. Henderson died Friday of complications from diabetes at a Daytona Beach health care facility, his wife, Barbara, said.

Rod Stewart & The Faces perform Maggie May

(this clip will take a couple minutes to load...)

http://spikepriggen.onlinestoragesolution.com/maggie_may.mov

Ah, the Autumn of '71 - such chaos, such experiences, such promise! And this was the soundtrack for it. It was inescapable at the time - thank goodness! "Every Picture Tells A Story" is essential in any serious pop music collection. It's one of those records that even today I can come home, pop it on the stereo and be thoroughly moved and entertained by something that sounds as fresh now as it did 35 years ago. And what we have here is one of the best rock vocalists singing one of the best songs off of one of the best albums ever, and backed by one of the best rock bands - ever. Simply classic.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=145743&zoneid=500

Of course all the social nannies are up in arms, (the really interesting thing is that the attached photo would imply that it's duckpin bowling! I didn't think that existed North of Pennsylvania!)

The Dunwich Horror...

According to H. P. Lovecraft, Wilbur Whateley was born on this date in 1913 in Dunwich, Mass....

She hasn't got a leg to stand on...

http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,2000991,00.html

I think she's really going out on a limb with this proposal. She needs to put her best foot forward and start toeing the line. She also should avoid kneedless surgery and other such tendon-cies.

(I know, I know, I'm going to hell....)

Weirdness

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

offline for a little while

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Monday, February 26, 2007

Nick Danger on YouTube!!!!!

Weird physics!

regional Renfests coming up

Arrr, Matey!

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Happy National Tortilla Day!

Friday, February 23, 2007

Only 250 Days Until Halloween!

Happy Pully Lug Day!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Be All That You Can Be

Monday, February 19, 2007

Happy Presidents Day!

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Cliff, I'm Sorry

Happy Chinese New Year!

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Friday, February 16, 2007

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Wednesday, February 14, 2007