Weirdness: February 2009

http://krlabeat.sakionline.net/

Great L.A. pop zine from the 60's.

(Thanks for the link, Perry!)

the coolest fish - EVER!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29354875/

I've never been tempted to own a saltwater aquarium - until now.

Darwin Award Nominee...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/4785833/Woman-fell-to-her-death-while-chasing-a-feather.html

the wallflower...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4786930/Worlds-most-pierced-woman-adds-to-her-collection.html

Arachnophobia....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4787642/Zoo-launches-spiderphobia-course.html

And, for an opposing viewpoint:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJKJ_7LszU0

(I will point out that this film features one of the first screen appearances of Clint Eastwood...)

Philately is the most dangerous hobby known to man...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090220102245.htm

Alert Grace Slick!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4787679/Two-police-officers-given-run-around-by-giant-white-rabbit.html

Create your own Debut Album Cover!

CREATE YOUR DEBUT ALBUM COVER!

- Go to "wikipedia." Hit "random... Read More... Read More" or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random

The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band. (alternatively, if the first article you hit is short, hit Random Article two more times.)

2 - Go to "Random quotations"or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3

The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on "explore the last seven days" or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days

Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

(Thanks for game, Missy!)

I am unaffected...

http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/2009/02/20/hoax-cameras-in-digital-converter-boxes.htm

I keep my entire TV entertainment center, all my electronic appliances, and myself, in lead boxes at all times.

I've met people like this - except they have children...

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/93441

Happy Pully Lug Day!

Virtually forgotten now, it used to be a day in which you could pull someone's ears with impunity, (supposedly). Mostly celebrated in Cumberland and Westmoreland areas of England on the first Friday following Ash Wednesday. I am single-handedly reviving the holiday.

Lovecraft's Mountains Of Madness have been discovered!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7908824.stm

Beware of the Shoggoths!

Superman #1 for sale...

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE51P5XN20090226?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology

THE Ultimate, Hands-Down-Awesome Best Alarm Clock Of All Time

http://dvice.com/archives/2008/07/wake_n_bacon_is.php

(Thanks for the link, Ed!)

Happy Birthday to The Man In Black!

http://www.johnnycash.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Cash

An American treasure. Genius. Essential.

Happy Birthday Godfrey Cambridge!

One of my faves. I'm convinced that racism kept him from becoming one of the great actors of our times. He was a genius at light comedy as well as drama.

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

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

Happy Birthday Fats!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Domino
http://www.fatsonline.nl/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OG3uPULQRs

One of the Immortals. Essential.

Happy Birthday Francis Marion!

http://darter.ocps.net/classroom/revolution/marion.htm
http://www.patriotresource.com/people/marion.html

Patriot.

new Beatles outtake discovered

http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/02/beatles-revolut.html
Now, if I could only find a copy to listen to...

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

Ozzy's Chuck Taylors...

http://www.avclub.com/articles/win-ozzy-osbourneinspired-chuck-taylors,24307/

My fave brand of shoe, (although I prefer the low-top).

Happy Anniversary to Yes Minister!

One of my favorite TV shows. Premiered on this date in 1980. although very British, this would fit perfectly well into DC; I'm surprised and disappointed that it isn't shown more around here. wonderful governmental and political humor.

http://www.yes-minister.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080306/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/yesminister/index.shtml

Happy Anniversary to Your Show Of Shows!

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

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042173/

Premiered on this date in 1950. One of the greatest TV shows - ever. And one of the centerpieces of American comedy.

Happy Birthday Zeppo!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0555688/
http://www.marx-brothers.org/biography/zeppo.htm

Happy Birthday George Harrison!

http://georgeharrison.com/
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/8446/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2oFESUMWhU

Happy Birthday Jim Backus!

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

Great character actor and raconteur.

Van Morrison performs Have I Told You Lately That I Love You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0WFsnxECDU

Beautiful, just beautiful. See ya tomorrow...

The Bangles' video for Hazy Shade of Winter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG9PVucS9aw&feature=related

As predicted, Winter weather has returned to beseige the Manor. It's as cold as a mutha out there, and the wind is howling, mocking last week's hopes for an early Spring. It is a dead time here, one sits and waits...

Remember, Kids - Don't Drink & Dress!

http://meview.metro.co.uk/Video.aspx?id=38274

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

more evidence that we are living in Cthulhu's End Times....

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?Its_a_frog._With_seven_legs.&in_article_id=554090&in_page_id=2

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

in the eye of a needle

http://www.guzer.com/videos/needle-art.php

Amazing stuff!

(Thanks for the link, Rob!)

Happy Birthday Michelle Shocked!

http://www.michelleshocked.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Shocked

Happy Birthday George Thorogood!

http://www.georgethorogood.com/
http://www.delawaredestroyers.com/

Happy National Tortilla Chip Day!

Happy Mardi Gras!

The Boomtown Rats' video for I Don't Like Mondays

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yteMugRAc0

Tell me about it...

A Mighty Wind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOM7mUaOgtI

Everyone has a fave film from this ensemble - but for me this is their best. Brilliant satire, but not mean. A dead-on takeoff on all those PBS specials. Brilliant.

Kim Carnes video for Bette Davis Eyes

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

Fun Jackie DeShannon song. And of course, there's the take off by Bruce Baum:

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

(Missy, the single is unbelievably rare....)

Moon Martin & The Ravens perform Bad Case of Loving You

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

Fun song. I saw this tour, Moon's a good performer.

Bacon Wallet

http://www.stupid.com/fun/BWLT.html

The Last Ace...

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200903/air-force

Very nice article in general on modern air combat as well as the debate on upgrading the Air Force's arsenal.

(Thanks for the article, Chris!)

Happy National Chili Day!

http://www.hardtimes.com/

Today Is Iwo Jima Day

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

Happy Birthday Majel Barrett!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000854/

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Majel_Barrett

AWWWWWW!!!

http://paizo.com/store/byCompany/s/steveJacksonGames/byProductType/plushes/v5748btpy85j5

RavenCon 2009 (in Richmond)

http://ravencon.com/

Only 250 Days Until Halloween!

Happy Birthday Edward Gorey!

http://www.edwardgoreyhouse.org/
http://goreyography.com/west/west.htm

Essential. Genius.

Happy Birthday Dwight Frye!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0296859/
http://www.horror-wood.com/frye.htm

One of the greats. THE mad assistant.

Happy Birthday George Washington!

A hometown boy who did good. One of the Essential Men of the Revolution.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/georgewashington/

http://www.mountvernon.org/

more on the coming robot revolt

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article5741334.ece

I am already preparing for the coming apocalypse and the imposition of a Matrix-like future. Whenever I see red-colored pills, I gobble them right down, (I am getting so bored with One-A-Days...). Soon, I'm going to have Linda start shooting at me so I can practice my amazing bullet dodging ability. I am also collecting up old copies of Magnus, Robot Fighter to help prepare, (although I refuse to wear a micro-mini...).

pretty neat flying skills

http://www.yeah-oops.com/2009/02/18/awesome-flying-skills/

Florida...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29234389/

I've mentioned it before, but you have no idea how many crazy, weird, disturbing, vile, surreal, violent, twisted and downright batshit crazy things occur in Florida every week. I could keep Weirdness up at a reasonable pace just listing them and nothing else. I assure you that I cull through various search services and news outlets, and only publish the tip of the iceberg - there's much more. I think I'm going to try and draw back from even that for awhile. I'm just tired of reading about the god-damned state and the apparently limitless supply of (often dangerous) freaks that live there. It's like Hieronymous Bosch, with sand.

a master of disguise

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/world/article.html?Thong-wearing_robber_sent_down&in_article_id=543793&in_page_id=64

new (to me) site for horror & sci-fi news

http://eerietube.com/

nice article on plush Cthulhus

http://thearmchaircritic.blogspot.com/2009/02/plush-world-of-hp-lovecraft.html

the cutting edge of DNA...

http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/20060216005544data_trunc_sys.shtml

Happy Birthday Mary Chapin Carpenter!

http://www.marychapincarpenter.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vEAEwDRNjY

D.C.'s finest. One of my faves. A great songwriter.

RIP Joseph Brocard

http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/110/article_2898.asp

Hero. Patriot.

The Last Reunion...

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=722&NewsID=949899&CategoryID=3388&on=1

Iwo was one of those hellish battles in a war that was full of them...

hamster power!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/4731679/Hamsters-in-jackets-harnessed-for-energy.html

This sort of begs the question of how "mobile" a phone is if you need 1,000 hamsters to power it....

24 is the Charm...

http://www.indy.com/posts/married-for-the-record

the cutting edge of contests

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/02/17/china.mistress.contest/index.html

the snake...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1149743/Picture-100ft-long-snake-sparks-fears-mythical-monster-Borneo.html

This is one of those things that's been popping up for centuries - is such a creature possible? If so, what a mother....

the beginning of technologically-based mind reading

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4693740/Mind-reading-technique-developed-in-US.html

Bud-ism

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4687433/Buddhist-temple-built-out-of-one-million-beer-bottles.html

A.P.B. for Mr. Drivers License!

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rogue-driver-prawo-is-lost-in-translation-1644943.html?from=dailynews

I understand that the Gardai's 10 Most Wanted include Ms. Social Security and that infamous rogue : Library Card.

As I Always Suspected....

http://www.mysuncoast.com/Global/story.asp?S=9859527&nav=menu577_2_1

Go Girl!

http://wcco.com/local/gogirl.women.product.2.936414.html

Cat Scan

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/02/16/pf-8406656.html

Restriction of Trade

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7896028.stm

The Lego Pharoah

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4684470/Lego-Pharaoh-floats-down-River-Thames.html

The Wedgie Of Justice

http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20090217/UPDATES01/90217032

The Champion

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1147686/Pictured-The-man-worlds-longest-ear-hair.html

Miss Bombshell

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,608703,00.html#ref=nlint

(Thanks for the link, John!)

Happy Birthday, Sir!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001627/
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/poitier_s.html

Great actor.

Happy Hoodie Hoo Day!

http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/hoo.htm

Happy Birthday Joel Hodgson!

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

http://www.mst3kinfo.com/satnews/brains/20q.html

One of the creators and forces behind MST 3000. Genius. Essential.

RIP Charles Avery

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/18/AR2009021803307.html?nav=emailpage

(Thanks for the link, Pete!)

Happy Birthday Smokey Robinson!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokey_Robinson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MGP6vFMdE8

Wonderful voice. Essential.

Happy Birthday Copernicus!

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

Happy Tick Bird Day!

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

Happy Birthday Gahan Wilson!

http://www.gahanwilson.com/

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

Essential. Genius. I love this guy!

Batman Returns

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2009/02/batman-gets-his.html

Florida....

love thang....

http://www.blameitonthevoices.com/2009/02/people-sexually-attracted-to-inanimate.html

Wurtzite Boron Nitrides Are A Girl's Best Friend

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16610-diamond-no-longer-natures-hardest-material.html

What if I have bad memories of taking pills?

http://www.zimbio.com/Reuters+Health/articles/478/Study+takes+step+toward+erasing+bad+memories

medical cotton candy...

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/02/11/cotton-candy-tissue.html

The Mystery Of Marriage

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7878000/7878974.stm

I'm taking notes...

the guinea pig and the fascist pigs

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?How_the_Kremlin_caved_in_over_girls_guinea_pig&in_article_id=527551&in_page_id=2&in_a_source=

cancel my appointments

http://naturalplane.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-potentially-hazardous-asteroid-pha.html

stiff stiffs

http://naturalplane.blogspot.com/2009/02/increased-death-by-viagra-big-problem.html

the cutting edge of cheese

http://www.crispyontheoutside.com/2009/02/10/sardinian-maggot-cheese-geschmackvoll/

the 911 call (it's in Florida - of course!)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/local_news/epaper/2009/02/07/0207bbarrest.html

wuss Virginia

http://www.crispyontheoutside.com/2009/02/09/when-beer-pong-is-outlawed/

baconize your web experience!

http://amandamc.blogspot.com/2009/02/better-with-bacon.html

the "shadow biosphere"

http://www.phenomenica.com/2009/02/alien-life-on-earth.html

I Win!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090213115127.htm

great moments in British crime

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/02/13/Man_gets_20_weeks_in_jail_for_whistling%20/UPI-19791234570516/

deathercise

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DEATH_BY_EXERCISE?SITE=KYWAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

space collision

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090213/ap_on_sc/eu_satellite_collision

a building block to an artificial brain?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090211194151.htm

Thank goodness!

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=6857715

I am always packing heat when I enter a church....

robot wars?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29142213/

the tank theft...

http://www.polskieradio.pl/thenews/news/?id=102260

nice article on te Dresden bombing

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,607524,00.html

neutral Sweden

http://www.thelocal.se/17604/20090215/

And yet another wrinkle in Sweden's (in)famous "neutrality". It's particularly charming that the article forgets to mention the supply of Swedish "volunteers" to Germany's military....
I am still trying to find any mention of the Swedish navy battling Soviet submarines in the Baltic Sea. The possibility exists (quite strongly, in my opinion).

the Star Trek corset...

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/02/star_trek_corsets_hopefully_will_make_him_last_long_and_prosper-2.html

I suppose we could have a steampunk Trek....

Sunday drivers...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7892294.stm

As it stands, I find this story to be beyond belief. Something happened, and it's not being reported.

Happy Birthday Sonny Bono!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bono
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k51dVQYijhw

Happy Presidents Day!

RIP Estelle Bennett of the Ronettes

http://www.spinner.com/2009/02/13/ronettes-star-estelle-ben-dies-at-67/

One of the great girl groups.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu8tdXBkQhY&feature=PlayList&p=E89D51F9A868CA21&index=0&playnext=1

(Thanks for the link, Pete!)

Happy Birthday Harvey Korman!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0466327/

Happy Birthday Norton I, Emperor of the United States, Protector of Mexico!

A hero of mine. There's some debate as to his actual birth date, which somehow seems appropriate.

http://www.sfmuseum.net/hist1/norton.html

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

Happy Birthday Jack Benny!

http://www.jackbenny.org/

Genius. Essential.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Outta here

We're out of town for a couple days. See you Sunday.

Jefferson Starship promo for St. Charles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4BxmjFuF_0&feature=related

I always thought this was a beautiful love song. Great lyrics - There was China in her eyes...

Spitfire was a great album. Very much Summer of '76...

The New Radicals perform You Get What You Give

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPb6KCtUKwA

Fun song.

Wreckless Eric performs The Whole Wide World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSjwl8lHEVE

Great song. Poor Eric, he never made it here...

Mazzy Star video for Fade Into You

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

What a beautiful song and sound. This band should have been much more popular. Essential.

Cheap Trick perform Surrender

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsjhxh0-gH4
Wonderful power pop.

The Duel...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Img2z6dG-Sg&feature=related

Neat-O!

(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

Black Sabbath released!

On this date in 1970. Wonderful and ground breaking album.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath_(album)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnD3VbjACTM

Happy Anniversary to Dracula!

Premiered on this date in 1931. One of my all-time fave films.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula_(1931_film)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021814/

Happy Birthday Ray Manzarek!

http://www.raymanzarek.us/

Great musician and producer. When is someone goign to get around to releasing Nite City on CD???

Happy Birthday Abe!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/abrahamlincoln/

The new soft drink on the market!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article5707554.ece

Somehow I don't think Coke is quaking in their boots....

I'm going to hate it when the ice gods return...

It's currently 71 degrees here at the Manor. A false Spring. The plants will start to bud and then we'll get hit by some Polar Death Storm that destroys all in its path....

The Klingon Book Of Mormon

http://stfhe.jlcarroll.net/Klingon_BoM/

I certainly look forward to seeing pairs of scrotum heads bicycling around my neighborhood attempting to proselytize.

disco inferno...

http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_11658470?source=rss

Notice the name of the bands playing that evening....

Synesthesia - a genetic link

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/09/synesthesia.genes/index.html

Fascinating...

I believe there's a horror movie somewhere in all of this

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/pf/17389448.html

Psychopaths on the loose

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7833672.stm

Some of the best actors I've ever seen were several of the shoplifters I'd helped catch over the years in retail. Absolutely Oscar-winning performances. If I hadn't seen them steal the stuff I never would have suspected 'em.

Zorro Attacks!

http://www.tampabays10.com/news/mostpop/story.aspx?storyid=100209&provider=top

Florida...It's always Florida.....

(Thanks for the link, Nick!)

Happy Birthday Sheryl Crow!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yLnYO9gPMc

http://www.sherylcrow.com/

Wonderful singer and songwriter.

Happy Birthday Gene Vincent!

http://www.rockabillyhall.com/LatestNewsGV.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuAtzsAB9O8

Happy Birthday Bobby "Boris" Pickett!

The Guy Lombardo of Halloween!

http://www.themonstermash.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76NI-iahlKg

The Seekers perform I'll Never Find Another You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ga9Bs4fzSY&feature=related

One of the great sentimental love songs of all time.

The Mindbenders perform Groovy Kind Of Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B8k3wzHUvE

I've always thought this was a great love song.

Neil Diamond performs Cracklin' Rosie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCTF-IksHQ8&feature=related

The Nathional Anthem of winos. Wonderful tune.

B-52's perform The Deadbeat Club

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I31zCc1xik0&feature=related

Great song. I'm a charter member....

Bowie performs Changes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8v486aUYu0

A great song. Reminds me of this time of year, back in '75.

Dexys Mignight Runners perform Come On Eileen

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

One of the greatest songs out of the 80's. And totally out of left field - an English band effecting some sort of ersatz Irish depression street band. But it works. Neat stuff!

Kirsty MacColl performs In these Shoes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISzoUdtMSH4&feature=related

Tres cool!

Cthulhu Crafts!

http://www.dabbled.org/2009/02/more-cephalopod-crafts-octopus-wine.html

the coolest cars - ever!

http://ratroduniverse.com/rats/rat/2201_204.html

These are so cool. I want them. All of them.... I want to go down Braddock Road, (past Ox Road) at about 100mph, with twin streams of fire blackening the tarmac out the back of my car. I want the front grill to be cluttered with the wrecks of all the wankers who wouldn't get out of my way. Careening madly and with no thought to life or death. I want a huge skull on the hood that belches fire and has twin red laser beams shooting out of its eyes, permanently blinding anyone who tries to look at me. And I want to pass a speed trap, and the officers just sit their debating who has the guts to stop me, and deciding that none of them do. In other words - I want it to be like it was in '74....

(thanks for the link, Rob!)

Happy Birthday Bertholt Brecht!

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

http://german.lss.wisc.edu/brecht/

Happy Birthday Jimmy Durante!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002051/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Durante

Happy Birthday Lon Chaney Jr.!

http://www.lonchaney.com/

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

Petula Clark performs Downtown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLLqHHS69TI&feature=related

A wonderful Tony Hatch tune. And I'll always have a crush on Pet. I might as well point out that MAD magazine had a devastating parody entitled Ground Round that I also loved:

When you eat meat but hate the meat that you're eating then you've surely got,
GROUND ROUND
It's so unnerving when they're constantly serving in an eating spot,
GROUND ROUND
It may be called a chopped steak, a salisbury or beef patty
No matter what it's called it's always overcooked and fatty
What can you do?
Go up to your waiter there, and loudly pound on your table,stand up on your chair, and shout:
GROUND ROUND, always you're serving me,
GROUND ROUND, always you're conning me,
GROUND ROUND, why must it always be,
GROUND ROUND, Ground Round, ground round...

Eddie cochran performs C'mon Everybody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRjlZ8x2uQM

I love this guy. One of the best - ever.

Little Eva performs The Locomotion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5OoQadZTPk

Great song. It pays to be Carol King's babysitter. Bruce copied the drum intro to this song for the beginning to Born To Run.

10,000 Maniacs perform These Are The Days

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

Perfection.

The Monks perform The Monk Chant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5iI0__9S1c

So weird. The Monks are one of those legends in garage band Valhalla. American servicemen in Germany form a beat band that shows what happened when American frat rockers met the British Invasion.

Graham Parker & The Smithereens perform Behind The Wall Of Sleep

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bOBOhZYXBM&feature=PlayList&p=736BFCB889BF8448&playnext=1&index=26

Wonderful...

Moby Dick VS Das Boot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1SJo83FLI4

(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

insert French jokes here...

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3A0e137157-74c2-4594-afaf-c232914fa74f

Ackerman collection for sale

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i3GRrwwaV5GFhCJSYfDF6_qjuKkQD964UTTO0

Sad, this stuff belongs in a museum.

True Gamesmen

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/05/BAUI15N79R.DTL
Whenever I hear "Checkmate" - that's when I reach for the sword...

A Lovecraftian Library List

http://www.epberglund.com/RGttCM/bookstore/library01.htm

Very nice!

Happy Birthday Carol King!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI6KiccgsLI

http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/gerry-goffin-and-carole-king

Another essential. Another genius. An American treasure.

Happy Birthday Barbara Lewis!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Lewis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI6KiccgsLI

One of my faves, VERY unappreciated. One of the greats.

It Begins...

The Beatles first appeared on Ed Sullivan on this date in '64.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7756999545272736794

Happy Birthday to Wizards

It's probably no accident that Ralph Bakshi decided to premier his masterpiece on Frazetta's birthday (in '77) There are many flaws with this film, mostly caused by a low budget - but I love it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizards_(film)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076929/

Happy Birthday Frank Frazetta!

http://www.frazettaartgallery.com/ff/index.html

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

Probably my favorite illustrator. Certainly the best in the fantasy and sword & sorcery field.

The LOLCat Bible...

http://www.lolcatbible.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

Tee hee!

a nice day...

It's in the upper 60's right now here at the Manor. It's been a fun weekend. Good driving weather, (if not for those damned speed traps on 95, I'd of been able to easily hit 90mph on the way back from Richmond yesterday).
Oh, they'll be a sucker punch later on. It seems like nearly every year sometime between mid January and early March we'll get a few seductive Spring-like days, lulling us and the budding plants into a false sense of security, only to have a terrific ice storm attack us shortly thereafter. But, like most things in life, we can at least enjoy the pleasantness while knowing that it's only temporary.
I'm in a Bruce frame of mind today. Here's a couple appropriate tunes from him. If you can't identify with them from various times of your life, I pity you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI8Wa-di3t4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZRznZ50JU0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAvolRT3sX4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1ASNugJVG4

Happy Birthday Jules Verne!

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

Museum Replicas - get in touch with your inner Viking

http://www.museumreplicas.com/

A fave of mine...

The Poe Museum

http://www.poemuseum.org/

it's something I've been meaning to do for years - finally went down to the Poe Museum in Richmond. It was cool, I'm glad I went. Of course, there's only so much that such a place can offer - some photos, some early editions, a few persoanl items and furniture; but it was fun, nonetheless. I'd recommend it.
First time I've really been in Richmond in about 25+ years. The part I saw was still dirty, run-down, and ugly. That place never changes...

Diamond Dave Screechs For You!

http://www.thetyser.com/

Just click on a phrase...

(Thanks for the link, Rob!)

does this collar make me look fat?

http://thechive.com/2009/02/midwestern-dogs-and-cats-14-photos/

(Thanks for the link, Ed!)

RIP Dewey Martin

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gcEyBIcAtP3njaxOaJHO4wVP_LFg

(Thanks for the head's up on this, Peter!)

The Hulu Ad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m71m-LBqFQ

Fun stuff!

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

Happy Birthday Patrick Macnee!

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

http://theavengers.tv/forever/

One of my faves.

Happy Birthday Bob Marley!

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

http://web.bobmarley.com/index.jsp

Genius. Essential.

neat octopi photos

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2009/02/awesome-octopi-cephalopods-from-outer.html

Florida, again....

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0205091doll1.html

RIP Lux Interior

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/148947-cramps-frontman-lux-interior-rip

One of the great - a legend.

(Thanks for the link, Peter!)

strange little tales

http://www.deannamolinaro.com/Stuff_That_I_Made/Books/BookTitles.html

Happy Birthday Matt Groening!

One of my faves. Genius. Essential. Creator of both The Simpsons and Life In Hell. And a nice guy, too.

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

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004981/

http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_creators_index.htm

http://www.geocities.com/lifeinhellperson/

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

Happy Birthday H. R. Giger!

http://www.hrgiger.com/
http://giger.com/Home.jsp

Master of Darkness....

Happy Birthday John Carradine!

http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001017/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carradine

Happy Anniversary t The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour!

Great show. Premiered on this date in 1967.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061296/

http://www.smothersbrothers.com/

fanvid for the Pousette Dart Band playing Amnesia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C45nmYKwTsE

Another great song for late at night. Believe me, I'm sick but not insane. See you tomorrow....

A Four Seasons medley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UZKoUppu-Q

Great pop!

Nick Lowe and Rockpile perform Cruel to Be Kind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JJ7oGHwMTI&feature=related

A great song, one of the best. But I'm listing it a little early, it sounds best around midnight and after a few more bottles. Rockpile was one of the best all-around rock bands, ever. And Nick, well, his nickname was the Jesus of Cool...

Plastic Bertrand performs Ca Plane Pour Moi

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

A silly little song, but I've always enjoyed it. It just sticks in your brain. Now it's in yours....

The Temps perform Ball of Confusion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BJOXopGW8g&feature=related
A fun song about dangerous times. Reminds me so much of those days at TC. High school was always fun and challenging - if you had to go to the men's room, you'd crack the door open, and toss you wallet in first. All the resident thugs would immediately jump on it and start fighting over its contents, and maybe, MAYBE, that'd give you enough time to do your business and get out. "D" hall in the basement was the students' smoking area, and a free-fire zone. Casualties were immediately lost under a thick blanket of smoke and ash, never to be found. No adult ever ventured down that hall - ever. Skin color was paramount and depending on the time and the place, meant the difference between life and death. It was a school of immense contrast - geniuses and scholars, bed-wetters and psychopaths, shambling mutants and dopers, boppers, jocks, hippies, earth freaks, felons, revolutionairies, whores, junkies, gamblers, soldiers, cretins, jesus freaks, occultists, mystics, musicians, poets, painters, arsonists, demonologists, and white-bread republicans. And every hope, dream, scam and tragedy going on full-bore. We were the only school in Virginia whose student paper had a regular obituary column. And this song was a very neat part of it all. With my fave lyrics of all time: "Oh, great GoogaMooga, can't you hear me talkin' to ya". Yea, ball of confusion....

The Buoys perform Timothy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9N8gHSUo4s

The first and probably only top 40 hit devoted to cannibalism, (no, they didn't eat a mule....)

Ian Hunter (and the enchanting Ellen Foley) perform We Gotta Get Out Of Here

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

Fun song from two old pros.

I was born in the dead of Winter, at night, in a cave, during an eclipse...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7869146.stm

forget the police - Alert Captain Kirk!

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/18637190/detail.html

Is that a pigeon in your pocket, or are you happy to see me?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7869301.stm

Chinese batteries in the news!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/02/03/exploding_battery_chest_pocket_kills_chinese_man/

Happy Birthday Alice Cooper!

http://www.alicecooper.com/
http://www.myspace.com/officialalicecooper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHr6GbWPBVQ

Happy Birthday Tadeusz Kosciuszko!

http://europeanhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa060801a.htm

Patriot.

Are We Not Men?

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre5120c7-us-cloning-hybrids/

the latest silliness from Japan...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/01/world/main4767079.shtml

anti-Star Trek prejudice!

http://www.thelocal.se/17070/20090122/

robocop - first generation

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7845879.stm

the cutting edge of gold mining

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE50T56120090130

immortal jellyfish?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/090130-immortal-jellyfish-swarm.html

cloning brings back from extinction (almost...)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/4409958/Extinct-ibex-is-resurrected-by-cloning.html

an oldie but goody - the digital clock

http://www.yugop.com/ver3/stuff/03/Fla.HTML

(Thanks for the link, Rob!)

We're #1! We're #1!

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=30&sid=1591444

My old friends Frank and Nancy are right in the middle of it all down there. Good luck, folks!

(Thanks for the link, Linda!)

Creat your own Star Trek adventure story!

http://io9.com/5136738/create-your-own-original-star-trek-story

(Thanks for the link, Chris!)

anniversary of the day the music died....

http://www.fiftiesweb.com/crash.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6uEjifqTaI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhgO8rZs1Fg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaTOMsrVg5s&feature=PlayList&p=8D9EF2CAA6DEC9C8&playnext=1&index=84

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TcC_ni0ojo

Happy Birthday Melanie!

http://www.melaniesmusic.com/
http://www.patswayne.com/melanie/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZUdzr9e2GQ

I've always hated her biggest hit, Brand New Key, but ahve loved everything else she's done. Beautiful People and Lay Down were the anthems of what the mass media dubbed Flower Power. It was much cooler than that, never let a suit define your life for you....

Happy Birthday Norman Rockwell!

http://www.normanrockwell.com/
http://www.nrm.org/

I always enjoyed his illustrations. We visited the museum two years ago and enjoyed it very much.

The Raspberries perform Go All The Way

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VG2e0z0h4I

Top rank power pop.

Happy Birthday Talleyrand!

Patron saint of Diplomacy players...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Maurice_de_Talleyrand-P%C3%A9rigord

Happy Birthday Wilbur Whately!

According to H. P. Lovecraft, Wilbur was born on this date in 1915 in Dunwich, MA.

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

http://manybooks.net/titles/lovecrafthother06dunwitch.html

Happy Biirthday Tom Smothers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kj_ZoQZUps

http://www.smothersbrothers.com/

Happy Birthday Graham Nash!

http://www.bgarnett.co.uk/GrahamNash/

http://www.grahamnash.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEP3Mv8MsIY

One of my faves

Happy Groundhog Day!

http://www.groundhog.org/

Devo perform Mongoloid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWmf7r_37eA&feature=related

Fun stuff!

Nico performs Femme Fatale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgbxLxrr9jI&feature=related

I can't believe the audience is yammering through this performance. Sometimes there's a perfect match between an artist and the material - even if it's an accident or the result of a cynical maneuver.

The Bus Boys perform The Boys Are Back In Town

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DajhLlpguo

I've never understood why these guys weren't bigger.

fanvid for Bullet's White Lies Blue Lies

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

Another great power pop tune. Remember running up to Giant Music to buy this 45...

Cheap Trick's video for Tonight It's You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNm7OTzIoAw

I've always thought this was an extraordinarily under-rated power pop anthem.

Liz Phair video for Extraordinary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ViRMmoNc9A

Wonderful....

THE Coolest Corkscrew Of All Time!

http://www.oneofonehundred.co.uk/media/cork.php

I want one of these so bad, that it hurts....

The Bonzo's Online!

http://cheezefactory.blogspot.com/2009/01/bonzo-dog-doo-dah-band-gorilla.html

Great stuff!

tragedy in Utah

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11574397

the cutting edge of extra credit

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2186897.ece

the wussiest robber

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28862943/

On Holiday

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24979945-29277,00.html

mom of the year

http://www.winknews.com/news/top/38395994.html

There's something about Florida... I don't know if it's the sulphurous water, the sand grinding into your brain, or the total lack of any topography; but I could fill Weirdness with nothing but weird, perverse, pathetic, tragic, stupid, and viscious crime stories out of that state. Really, there are sites out there where you can just wade through the muck.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330303580858&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm38.l1313%26_nkw%3D330303580858%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1

I sure hope I win the auction....

(Thanks for the link, John!)

Weirdness

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Friday, February 27, 2009

Create your own Debut Album Cover!

Happy Pully Lug Day!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Happy National Tortilla Chip Day!

Happy Mardi Gras!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Only 250 Days Until Halloween!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Friday, February 20, 2009

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Monday, February 16, 2009

Happy Presidents Day!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Saturday, February 14, 2009