Weirdness: December 2007

And Happy New Year. I can only quote Lennon - let's hope it's a good one, without any fear.

Happy Birthday George C. Marshall!

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1953/marshall-bio.html

http://www.marshallfoundation.org/

Brilliant...

Doug Mudd's "All The Money In The World"

http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060888374/All_the_Money_in_the_World/index.aspx

My old friend Doug's got a book out on the imagery in money. I recommend it to all of you interested in the study of filthy lucre! Congrats Doug!

one of the great "might-have-been" stories from WWII

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/12/giant-iceberg-aircraft-carrier.html

I'm a little surprised this idea was allowed to die. I can see commercial/military uses for it today.

http://community.livejournal.com/vintage_ads/732943.html
If I remember correctly, I owned both Bog Loo and King Zor! Loo supposedly could talk. You had to crank a cheap little plastic handle on his back, (which snapped off the first time I touched it). This cranked a small record and needle gizmo inside him which had all the fidelity of an asthmatic toad. But his weaponry was pretty cool. King Zor had some sort of remote control motor mechanism where they made a virtue of necessity - the gears and motor were loud and very rusty sounding, as they ground away, reaching speeds that a limpet would scoff at. All this cacophony of cheap engineering was supposed to be his "roar". All of these were competing with Great GarLoo, one of my all-time fave toys, (which I still have today!).
http://tesla.liketelevision.com/liketelevision/tuner.php?channel=540&format=tv&theme=toyland

a cultural history of Frankenstein

http://frankensteinia.blogspot.com/2007/12/frankenstein-cultural-history.html

neat horror art of Aeron Alfrey

http://grimreviews.blogspot.com/2007/12/hideous-photo-art-of-aeron-alfrey.html

glow in the dark dice for Call of Cthulhu!

http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizo/products/v5748btpy7zpt&source=rss

Happy Birthday Marianne Faithful!

http://www.mariannefaithfull.org.uk/

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

Happy Birthday Alex Chilton!

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yPSyTTHjQ4&feature=related

The Whisperer In Darkness - a new Lovecraft film!

http://www.cthulhulives.org/Whisperer/trailer.html

neat quote...

http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/40153.html

That's nothin'...

http://naturalplane.blogspot.com/2007/12/farmer-uses-hog-guts-to-predict-weather.html

Trust me; It's even more accurate when you use you enemies'....

neat little article on "micronations"

http://weburbanist.com/2007/12/24/small-strange-and-surreal-3-of-the-most-bizarre-micronations-in-the-world/

"Tax dodge" might be a more appropriate description...

Happy Birthday Marlene Dietrich!

http://www.marlene.com/

http://www.marlenedietrich.org/

Happy Birthday Sydney Greestreet!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002113/

Happy Wren Day!

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

Happy Boxing Day!

I Want To Hold Your Hand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfsvE4j4ExA

Was released on this date in '63.

Happy Birthday Steverino!

http://www.steveallen.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Allen_(comedian)

Darlene Love sings Christmas Time For The Jews! (from SNL)

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

Neat!

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

Scared of Santa

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/holiday/sfl-scaredofsanta-ugc,0,7181908.ugcphotogallery

Priceless...

Cthulhu & FSM Tree Ornaments!

http://www.nifnaks.com/creations-shop/christmas/cthulhu-tree-ornament/detailed-product-flyer.html

Kinda pricey....

Happy Birthday Captain Howdy!

http://members.tripod.com/~nowonmai/

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

The Exorcist premiered on this date in '73. Gtown was never quite the same again...

Happy Birthday Rod Serling!

http://www.rodserling.com/

http://www.danville.lib.il.us/Pathfinder/serling.html

http://www.nightgallery.net/index.html?title.html&0

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

http://www.scifi.com/twilightzone/

Another fave, another Immortal, another Essential.

Happy Birthday Bogey!

http://www.humphreybogart.com/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000007/

One of my faves, and one of the Immortals. Essential.

a final holiday video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX0vOYwHj30
Here's Emerson Lake & Palmer covering an arrangement of the Nutcracker Suite originally arranged by the great B. Bumble & The Stingers. It's called Nutrocker. Enjoy. I'm off to Millie and Ross's for our annual Lasagna Feast...

Crumpet The Elf - a story

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17570326&sc=emaf

A wonderful little tale, particularly if you've ever worked retail.

(Thanks for the link, Karen!)

A Christmas Ornament Generator

http://www.dumpr.net/christmas-ornament.php

Kinda cute...

The Cthulhu Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGZiQuGfD9c

You'll never listen to Abba quite the same way again...

Cthulhu Cookies to leave out for Santa tonight!

http://www.belly-timber.com/2005/12/28/look-what-we-left-out-for-santa-cthulhu/

Star Trek Lives!!!! Of Gods & Men

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jvbSpozK7A

http://startrekofgodsandmen.com/main/index.php

Don't Forget to Track Santa's Progress...

http://www.noradsanta.org/

Religious Persecution!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22363844/

And I will need a horned helmet, a Viking longboat and the complete works of Wagner...

Jedi!

http://www.eatliver.com/i.php?n=2667

Russia's Great Satanic Coke Controversy!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7153840.stm

It's The Real Thing!

(Thanks for the link, Vanessa!)

Darele Love performs Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXVcrWO5FCg

Perhaps Phil Spector's greatest work. It's a classic, going well beyond its Holiday origins. Paul Shafer earned his paycheck that night, this is a great production

RIP Bill Strauss

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/21/AR2007122102403.html

Been following the Capitol Steps since their very first recording. I'm not sure how well the humor would play beyond the Beltway - but for us, they're great fun. Going back over their 25 years worth of recordings can give you a pretty good feel of what's been going on in politics and the government. Their site is: http://www.capsteps.com/

The Monkees video for Sometime In The Morning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RppY5b6h6eM
I always liked this song and the scene they shot for it. A great King/Goffin tune.

Best wishes to Nick and Alexandra on their wedding!

new Cthulhu anthology

http://www.rainfallsite.com/CreaturesBookInfo.html

steam powered vehicles

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/12/steam-buses-trucks.html

some neat pics

How many sleaves do the undershirts have?

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/162551.html

The Straight Dope on Santa Claus

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/santaclaus.html

What The Hell Is Going On In Greenland?!?!

http://www.hecklerspray.com/whats-this-bloody-massive-thing-in-greenland/200711593.php

Very very very weird...

Happy Mumping Day!

http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/brewers/mumping-day.html

great moments in law enforcement

http://www.bakelblog.com/nobodys_business/2007/12/goats-get-it-on.html

weird BB gun ad

http://community.livejournal.com/vintage_ads/723178.html

Who goes shooting in a tie? And do you really want something that will label you as "The Happy Daisy Boy"??? You'd of had NO lunch money at my grade school with a name like that...

recharging spy planes

http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn13093-spy-planes-to-recharge-by-clinging-to-power-lines.html

Happy National Hamburger Day!

Happy Birthday Vampira!

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

http://www.vampirasattic.com/

Have fun

Well, we're now in full Holiday Mode, however and whatever you celebrate. For me, it's always a mixed business; as I take advantage of the excuse to enjoy the company of friends and family while remembering those no longer around to do so. Such is the way of things.
As with all times, I hope you have a safe, healthy and happy Holiday Season, spent with those you are closest with. Cheers.

new Bruce Campbell movie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZLv3Z7L5lY

Cool!

Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson!

The Graduate premiered on this date in 1967. One of the greats. Plastics...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061722/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-3PP7hfIm4

Happy Birthday Billy Bragg!

http://www.billybragg.co.uk/

http://www.myspace.com/billybragg

old Soviet Christmas cards

http://www.mazaika.com/postcard/aerospace0.htm

Neat collection!

The Apple-1 System!

http://community.livejournal.com/vintage_ads/720860.html

Interesting price. Could it be.....SATAN?!?!

for the young gay cowboy...

http://community.livejournal.com/vintage_ads/718872.html

There'll Always Be A Scotland

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7145026.stm

(Thanks to Infidel753 for the link!)

I have found my artistic calling...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22313575/

going vegetarian in California...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22314760/

Why does everyone get so New Agey when they move out there?

Man, if I had a nickel for every time THIS has happened...

http://www.thevisitor.co.uk/morecambe-news/Man-dressed-as-Grim-Reaper.3601130.jp

naughty...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22315962/?gt1=10645

(Thanks for the link, Sandy!)

Gilligan's Island VS Lost In Space!

http://classicshowbiz.blogspot.com/2007/12/family-feud-gilligans-island-vs-hawaiin.html

RAGNAROK!!!!

the BBC VS Shane McGowan & Kirsty MacColl!

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/124000.html

Relax, just play it, guys...

tee hee!

http://eatliver.com/i.php?n=2658

I'm kinda projectin' right now myself...

http://community.livejournal.com/vintage_ads/717987.html

Great Moments in RoVa Parenting

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=80380&in_page_id=2

An Army Of One

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=80382&in_page_id=2

Beware of the Death Star Galaxy!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071217/ap_on_sc/death_star;_ylt=AjFdnq4myHpMQZmcpE0RLQ8PLBIF

Jackson to produce The Hobbit

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071218/ap_en_ot/film_the_hobbit

(Thanks for the link, Roger!)

Welcome to the working week...

I've already gotten emails from several friends noting that posting has slowed down a bit. I got a new job two weeks ago, and so I'm reduced primarily to weekends and evenings for sharing stuff with all you good people. Will try to keep up!

30 years ago, Elvis Costello pissed off all the people I wanna piss off

http://laist.com/2007/12/17/it_was_thirty_y.php

(Thanks for the link & reminder, Mathew!)

RIP Joel Dorn

http://www.jazztimes.com/columns_and_features/news/detail.cfm?article=11313

(Thanks for the link, Erik!)

Great Classical Music Album covers

http://toomanytristans.blogspot.com/search/label/Greatest%20Classical%20CD%20Covers%20EVER

some funny ones here...

(Thanks for the link, Erik!)

Happy Birthday Keith Richards!

http://members.tripod.com/~Blue_Lena/

http://www.keithrichards.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kjO1pqE_Hc&feature=related

Genesis 6:4

Happy Birthday Christopher Fry!

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

http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=4833

My fave playwright. My little moniker, Mendip, comes from his play, The Lady's Not For Burning.

Happy Birthday Michael Moorcock!

http://www.multiverse.org/

http://www.eclipse.co.uk/sweetdespise/moorcock/

Cthulhu Claus!

http://www.neatorama.com/2007/12/17/cthulhu-santa/

weirdly interesting squirrel news!

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/12/17/squirrel-predator-scent.html?dcitc=w19-502-ak-0000

nice article on the wreaths at Arlington

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/15/AR2007121501782.html?nav=rss_metro

The Return Of Hammer Horror Films?!?!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3044894.ece

Rogue Elf...

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSHAR45996620071214?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

cyber chatter

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSL1290432120071213?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology&pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

I guess it's a measure of my old fartism, but I suspect that this software's success may say less about it, and more about what passes for conversation amongst people in chat rooms. Crushing banality, foundation-less bravado, and shallow come-ons are pretty easy to mimic, (and to make fun of....). I've never been to a chat room, but some of the conversations I see carried on at people's personal websites already resemble the clueless and random sputterings of some Russian geek's idea of scintillating conversation.

create your own whopper burger

http://www.undoboy.com/flashSite/whopperettes/index.html
Stupid, yet compelling...

Rock Band Name Generator

http://www.namepistol.com/
I got the Hip Mambo Army...

the cutting edge of the Pepsi Generation

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/popup?id=2033649

unusual tricycles

http://www.dself.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/tricycle/tricycle.htm

Top Ten Astronomy Pics of 2007

http://www.badastronomy.com/bablog/2007/12/13/top-ten-astronomy-pictures-of-2007/

Tired Tribbles Typist Tries Tinkering Tertiary Trek

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/arts/television/16vinc.html?_r=1&ref=television&oref=slogin

Drink Up!

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

Today is the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm

The Addams Family Christmas Episode!

http://classicshowbiz.blogspot.com/2007/12/addams-family-christmas.html

Count Gore is webcasting the film, The Last Man On Earth!

http://www.countgore.com/Lab.htm

That Ghost Host With The Most is showing the famed Vincent Price movie, (the first film adaptation of "I Am Legend"). Very cool!

Crime Scene Shopping

http://www.crimescene.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=47

The New York Dolls perfrom Lookin' For A Kiss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dTDmyil4aM

Fantastic song and group.

The Troggs promo film for Wild Thing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PSKLQLtGAA

Scripture.

Midnight Oil perform Beds Are Burning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Bv8G6v7lc
Great 80's-style rock'n'roll.

Simon & Garfunkel perform Mrs Robinson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1_-NBWrh_8&feature=related

Another essential.

The Ramones - Do You Wanna Dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcsVOFh-Ipo

Taken from Rock'N'Roll High School, one of my all-time fave movies. Someday someone needs to do a serious analysis of it, it's much more than you think it is. I may have to do this...

Tom Waits performs Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis

(and a little bit of Silent Night)

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

Classic.

Dave Edmunds performs Run Rudolph Run

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiTH4G1AxvI

Great cover of a great Chuck Berry tune.

The original Phantom of the Opera film online!

http://www.archive.org/details/ThePhantomOfTheOpera_1929

Essential. One of the great horror movies.

the mimic octopus

http://pharyngula.org/index/weblog/comments/indo_malayan_mimic_octopus/

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=260

Just heard about this little beastie - very cool!

Wuss Nation

http://www.bakelblog.com/nobodys_business/2007/12/cutting-knife-c.html

Weenies. At my middle school, (Minnie Howard), switchblades were the eating utensil of choice...

The Nine Most Unnecessary Greatest Hits Albums

http://www.cracked.com/article_15714_9-most-unnecessary-greatest-hits-all-time.html

weird ad - Aetna helps goat giving cripples

http://community.livejournal.com/vintage_ads/711333.html

Daddy! Daddy! I want a goat doll for Christmas!

The X-mas Files

http://baetzler.de/humor/xmas_files.html

Another Classic.

Yes Virginia, There Is A Cthulhu!

http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/97/Jan/cthulhu.html

A Classic...

Happy Birthday John Hammond Sr.!

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/hammond_j.html

Happy Birthday Alan Freed!

http://www.alanfreed.com/

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

Happy Bill of Rights Day!

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/bill_of_rights.html

A forgotten and ignored document; unfortunately no longer adhered to.

another WWII footnote - the German attack on Florida!

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/121207/nes_224657785.shtml

Argentine pilots in the RAF - another interesting footnote to WWII

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN02329934

Happy Birthday Spike Jones!

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

http://www.spikejones.net/news.php

a new (to me) source for horror books & products

https://www.horror-mall.com/store/

just what we need - new ways to irritate us with ads...

http://adage.com/article?article_id=122491

Happy Birthday Dick Van Dyke!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001813/

growing organs - using an HP Printer! Amazing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgzNJk90-CY

(Thanks for the link, Marcy!)

What will life with computers be like in 1999?

http://cool-mo-dee.blogspot.com/2007/12/video-from-1967-predicting-1999-and.html

Not bad! (But I'm still waiting for my personal jet-pack...).

the sniper crowbar...

http://eatliver.com/i.php?n=2649

I know it's stupid, but I want one anyway...

the time travel device ;)

http://manydeadthings.blogspot.com/2007/12/chrono-displacement-device.html

Space Shuttle Attacked By Giant Spider!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSI5jIY0Zk4&eurl=
Alert Clint Eastwood!!!*

*If you get that joke, consider yourself a Master of Pop Culture Trivia!

how the world works now, apparently

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=79496&in_page_id=2

I'd rather get shot in the face than look bad on YouTube....

Milk from Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00032G1S0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Read the customer reviews - priceless!

(Thanks for the link, Nick!)

Happy Birthday Karl Wagner!

http://www.darkecho.com/darkecho/features/kew.html

http://www.dodgenet.com/~moonblossom/kane.htm

One of my fave Sword & Sorcery authors.

Happy Birthday Dionne Warwick!

http://www.dionnewarwick.info/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R-ZE-gFcBA

hmmm, the use of demonic pederasty in marketing

http://community.livejournal.com/vintage_ads/704374.html

Happy Birthday George Mason!

http://www.gunstonhall.org/

Santa Claus Conquers The Martians is online!

http://www.archive.org/details/santa_claus_conquers_the_martians

Starring a vey young Pia Zadora. Rejoice!

there's a Monty Python skit in this....

This, is a double parked Parrot!

And good for Ramadan too!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071206/ap_on_fe_st/hanukkah_ham

Happy Birthday Emily Dickinson!

http://www.bartleby.com/113/
http://www.online-literature.com/dickinson/

Transvision Vamp video for Baby I Don't Care

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOuDAjbxcV4&feature=related

Great band with a great sound. Experts at trawling through rock sediment for bits and pieces* to recombine into new songs. Ignored by the public and media, of course.

*So many influences just in this one song - the Troggs, the Ronnettes, the Go Gos, maybe a touch of Genya Ravan, a little Kinks.

fan video for the Sandpipers song Come Saturday Morning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3SIQvaXWBs
Beautiful soft pop. This was the theme to the movie The Sterile Cuckoo, probably the best film ever about college romance, (at least if one is a Baby Boomer). The song was perfect for the theme, and the movie was perfect for its time, (and for once, better than the book). I believe Liza Minnelli once said she was proudest of her performance in it, and she is quite correct - once again, the performance is perfect - the innocence, the bravado, the awkwardness and the sheer goofiness of being young were captured wonderfully by her. The whole project is very touching, and is of course, out of print. The market is controlled by soul-less drones.

Kenny Rogers & The First Edition perform Ruby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZYcqlEZxGQ
Fine example of early country rock. Interesting how nearly 40 years later it's still timely...

Ian Anderson (of Tull) performs A Christmas Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zm9RmfNZIA

Another essential classic for the Holidays. Heh Santa, pass us that bottle...

fan video for A Punk Rock Christmas

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

A great and fun hiliday song. Forget all the bullshit from wankers on the web claiming this is the Sex Pistols. Not even close. The Ravers were just a one-off studio band put together by the guys who started Rhino Records. it was originally released on a Christmas Tree-shaped vinyl EP that's now fabulously rare, (Yes Missy, I own it...).

Bruce performs Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yErhglOXIxM&feature=related

Classic. Essential.

The Ramones video for Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7NNKqkQWcw

Classic stuff from one of my fave bands!

a fan's video for the Waitresses' Christmas Wrapping

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jy4X87fDk4
There appear to be no films of the band actually performing this, one of the best rock/pop holiday songs. Nevertheless, this one kinda grows on you.

Santarchy

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/08/AR2007120801389.html?nav=rss_metro

The Kinks perform Father Christmas

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

Classic.

Soviet snow mobiles

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/12/unique-soviet-snowmobiles.html

Pretty neat photos and drawings. There's some nice wargaming miniatures potential here.

Christmas Light Display Finder

http://www.christmaslightfinder.com/

Allows one to locate the most/best decorated houses in or near your zip code.

my annual plug for NORAD's Santa Tracker

http://www.noradsanta.org/
Very cool. If I were four years old, I'd be addicted to this site.

Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!

I've written about this show in the past, and won't repeat myself again, (if you wish, the entry may be found on 12/5/2005 of Weirdness). Today is the anniversary of its first broadcast. To me, one of the most interesting of all the Christmas shows/movies/specials. And probably the best overall soundtrack for a TV show - ever.

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

http://wilstar.com/xmas/cbxmas.htm

http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Taping/3172/

Happy Birthday Margaret Hamilton!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002121/

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

One of the best character actresses, ever. And THE Witch, archetype.

Happy Birthday Michael Dorn!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000373/
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TNG/cast/69065.html

Monopoly and WWII

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/12/05/mf.waropoly/

Pretty interesting.

Please raise all your right hands and swear to tell the truth...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7132124.stm

kitty in a bowl...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn9HgEPxO0M

The perfect gift of bureaucrats!

http://estore.archives.gov/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=N-07-3401

Imagine...

Lennon was assassinated on this date...

Happy Birthday Flip Wilson!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip_Wilson
Under-appreciated...

Happy Birthday Jim Morrison!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py_JN5lPCC0

http://www.thedoors.com/

Happy Birthday Sinead O'Connor!

http://www.sinead-oconnor.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9c03aHny-s&feature=related

tigers and pigs...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=498789&in_page_id=1811&ito=1595Don't

violin playing robot

http://www.lep.co.uk/weird/Meet-the-violinplaying-robot.3565615.jp

Maybe this is as neat as it sounds. But mechanical instrument players of great sophistication, (at least to me), were around in the Victorian era. Is this truly different/better?

Rudolph!!!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4313531a4560.html

interesting footnote to WWII - Axis diplomats in the U.S.

http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=74911

Happy Birthday Vlad "The Impaler" Tepesch!

http://roswell.fortunecity.com/seance/500/vamps/vlad/intro.html
"Mr. Excitement!"

Happy Birthday Eli Wallach!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0908919/

Remember Pearl Harbor!

http://www.pearlharbormemorial.com/site/pp.asp?c=fqLQJ2NNG&b=386117&msource=gphmf06

Smells Like Teen Orchestra

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEUpKzoEW-E

Pretty neat!

And also from a Ukelele Orchestra!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXVdNKciP94

(Thanks for the links, Mathew!)

VampireWear

http://www.vampirewear.com/index.php?category=1

I'm a slave to fashion...

Cthulhu in the fridge...

http://eatliver.com/i.php?n=2629

our salvation lies in kangaroo farts

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=78527&in_page_id=2

As I always suspected...

Happy Birthday David Ossman!

http://www.firesigntheatre.com/albums/ossman.html

Hello Kitty Assault Rifle

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/10/18/hello-kitty-assault.html

Tracey Ullman video for They Don't Know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K1xnVFxfw0&feature=related

I've posted this before. But it's one of my fave videos and songs. Tracey covering a Kirsty MacColl tune that is right out of the Lesley Gore canon. It doesn't get better than that.

Fleetwood Mac perform Rhiannon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XitZTig5X38

Once again - I know this got way to much airplay in the 70's. But forget that for a moment. It's really a great song, matching emotion with element and season.

Jethro Tull performs Aqualung

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqZmtq5LhFo
I tend to associate Tull with dark weather, and it's been snowing all day here at the Manor, and the temperature is dropping with nightfall - a bad night for an old man wandering lonely...

Tom Jones performs It's Not Unusual

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGf0sZEB6Pc

I know, I know, at this point this tune has an enormous Austin Powers-type campy appeal. But I've always liked it. And, like the Austin Powers movies themselves, there's an almost sweet innocence now about the whole "Swingin' Sixties" vibe...

Greg Lake video for I Believe In Father Christmas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq54OSEmJ44
A nice, dark, take on the Holiday...

Buddy Holly performs Peggy Sue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko0qw3nHwdU&feature=related

Fantastic. Essential.

Bad Company perform Silver Blue & Gold and Run With The Pack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs6LfHXOSxU

Nice mid 70's rock'n'roll.

a very very cool painting technique

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

(Thanks for the link, Carol!)

Happy Repeal Day!

http://www.repealday.org/

Happy Birthday Little Richard!

http://www.kolumbus.fi/timrei/lre.htm

Happy Birthday Alvy "Hank Kimball" Moore!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0600886/

Surreal.

Happy Ninja Day!

http://dayoftheninja.com/index2.html

Tina Peel perform Blow Me (A Kiss) & Penis Between Us

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16my0qhdXS8

I always loved this band and regret never having seen them perform, though they were regulars in the very early days of the DC punk scene. They later evolved into the Fuzztones, who've put out a bunch of neat psycho-garage-horror albums over the years.

The B-52's video for Deadbeat Club

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-deVRLs03jw

Great band, great sound, great song. Would have been perfect in the Spring of '74...

Duane Eddy performs the theme from Peter Gunn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xME2VC56ubA

So cool...

Dylan performs Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUcd7KpGbt8&feature=related

Muddy sound mix; GREAT song. Wonderful.

George Thorogood & The Destroyers perform Rock'N'Roll Christmas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnnj-N_Vc0I

I've always like Thorogood, particularly his early days on the Rounder label. This is a cute little tune he put out for the holidays many years ago. And John Lee Hooker playing Santa Claus in the video makes it that much neater.

Archie McPhee's Christmas gifts for the carnivore!

http://www.mcphee.com/categories/meat.html

Needies!

http://needies.com/index.html

this is rich!

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/03/mpaas-university-wir.html

I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning!

(Thanks for the link, John!)

Happy Birthday Southside!

http://www.southsidejohnny.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW2OKLp4m2k

Police Chase Donut Truck...

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?in_article_id=78047&in_page_id=2
Sometimes the jokes just come too easily...

Nellie McKay performs Zombie

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vBM_VkEp-9M

Fun stuff!

The Peoria Plague

http://za-pick.livejournal.com/6522.html

This is interesting. Apparently, back in '72 an Illinois radio station did their own version of a War of the Worlds-type broadcast. This one involved a plague of zombies. Pretty neat!

cool looking record player!

http://community.livejournal.com/vintage_ads/451151.html

Happy Birthday Ozzy!

http://www.ozzy.com/

http://www.blacksabbath.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfeTjVoPVe0

it's the holiday season...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrAwK9juhhY

Fairytale of New York.

One of the saddest, truest and greatest songs for Christmas time. It sounds better with whiskey. Made all the more poignant by our loss of Kirsty. Here's to ya, Lass!

Elvis Costello video for Pump It Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbhIzN9-p0

Brilliant. Essential.

fan video for Reunion's Life Is A Rock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ckMvDJkbAo

Another guilty pleasure. I love this song! Ever since it was released back in '74, it's been my fervid and secret desire to be able to sing this tune - without success. This guy comes damn close - more power to him!

The Bush Tetras perform Cowboys In Africa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkep-zFQJ2s&feature=related
One of those bands you probably had to work in a record store to be aware of; but for about two months back in '81 it looked like they'd be the Next Big Thing.

5000 Volts performs I'm On Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eye0mXrl_Po
A true guilty pleasure. Some mid 70's Euro-disco band takes Los Bravos' song, Black Is Black, adds new lyrics, speeds it up, and turns it into a minor hit. But I like it anyway...

This Lizzy perform The Boys Are Back In Town

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FmPhJkdTwU

A fun song. The Irish response to Bruce.

The Grass Roots perform Let's Live For Today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnFZsrs32Co
Beautiful example of mid-sixties Top 40. Sounds great on an AM radio.

The Guess Who perform No Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKWIXtKcDg8

I've written before about summers in Colorado listening to the Guess Who. Very warm memories...

John Hartford & Glen Campbell sing Gentle On My Mind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glc9lzV8_S4

Great, great song. Hartford wrote it and Campbell make it his personal theme song.

Psychedelic Furs video for Love My Way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlCfZ-DanZQ

Very cool group, one of the best from the early 80's.

Sonny & Cher perform I Got You Babe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVtbFXm2E6Q
I always liked this tune. My only regret about this video is that it doesn't feature Sonny's yak fur coat!

a fan's video for Dolly Parton's Here You Come Again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlnyyabSLIE&feature=related

A great pop country song from a sad point in my life. Virtually inescapable on AM radio in late '77. It's a pity that Dolly and the media focused on her breasts/hair/etc., she's a very good songwriter.

James Taylor performs Fire & Rain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64_303eHaTM
Great song. Very interesting, probably the best song I know of on suicide. Many years ago in my record store days, I worked with a young lady who then went off to college. She was very discouraged and saddened by the experience, and we corresponded regarding that and I tried to tell her things would get better. It did no good. One Saturday morning I was home listening to the radio - it started playing this song and at that very moment I got a call from one of the assistant managers - she was dead. Official details were understandably vague, but I was able to piece together that she'd died of what was almost certainly an intentional overdose from a prescription. Very sad, and I am always reminded of her and the potential lost when I hear this tune.

Linda Ronstadt & The Stone Pony perform Different Drum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5C710lnPfQ

Nice country rock song, written by Mike Nesmith, (of the Monkees).

an interesting WWII footnote - Britain's royal nazis...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=498894&in_page_id=1770

stuffed toys...

http://www.patriciawaller.com/en/images.html
There are some nice knitting projects here!

The Tesla Christmas Tree

http://tesladownunder.com/Xmas.htm

Pretty neat!

new film: Lovecraft's Pillow

http://grimreviews.blogspot.com/2007/12/lovecrafts-pillow-on-horizon.html

the best Virginia license plate...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/triborough/2078887934/

Happy Birthday Jonathan Frid!

http://www.jonathanfrid.com/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0294847/

http://www.geocities.com/fridfanpage/

Cthulhu Carols!

As many of you know, I am a HUGE fan of Cthulhu Carols. I have many fond memories of us sitting in the back room at the record store, belting these favorites out on Christmas Eve. Most were created by the good folks at the HP Lovecraft Historical Society, who've now released two CD's of their classics. Here's a neat little fan video of one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ftld7Ohojg . 'Tis the season!

Weirdness

Monday, December 31, 2007

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Friday, December 28, 2007

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Happy Boxing Day!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Monday, December 24, 2007

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Friday, December 21, 2007

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Have fun

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Welcome to the working week...

Monday, December 17, 2007

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Friday, December 14, 2007

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Wednesday, December 12, 2007