Happy Birthday Dad

You are missed.

Porcupinese

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g8qUok9BFM&feature=watch_response


(Thanks for the link and title, Mathew!)

First they destroyed our elms....

http://www.doctortipster.com/6952-dutch-researcher-created-a-super-influenza-virus-with-the-potential-to-kill-millions.html

A crappy tattoo

http://www.manolith.com/2011/11/28/cheating-girlfriend-gets-a-pile-of-shit-tattooed-on-her-back-by-scorned-boyfriend/

(Thanks for the link, Mike!)

Sounds that have disappeared

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/11/28/142859563/what-i-still-hear-sounds-that-have-disappeared?sc=fb&cc=fp

This is so cool!  I still find the sounds of a dial telephone or a manual typewriter oddly comforting.

And something like this is VERY tempting:
http://www.ebcak.com/archives/293




(Thanks for the link, Barb!)

Happy Birthday to I Want To Hold Your Hand!

Released (in Britain) on this date in 1963.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iim6s8Ea_bE

Happy Birthday, Rocky & His Friends!

Premiered on this date in 1959. Fun Stuff!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052507/

Happy Birthday Peter Bergman!

http://firesigntheatre.com/media/media.php?member=Bergman

Genius. Essential.

Happy Birthday Stan Rogers!

http://www.stanrogers.net/

One of the greatest folk singers, ever. Genius. Essential.

Happy Birthday Felix Cavaliere!

http://www.felixcavaliere.com/

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

Happy National Lemon Cream Pie Day!

Yum!

RIP Ken Russell

http://www.fearnet.com/news/b24679_rip_ken_russell.html

Great moments in Christmas trees

http://www.happyplace.com/12493/the-most-white-trash-christmas-trees-in-existence

Elvira has a wine!

http://www.sortthisoutcellars.com/

Anniversary of the Alice's Restaurant Massacree!

Occurred in 1965. A great story and a Classic song.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Restaurant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_7C0QGkiVo

Happy Birthday, to Patti Smith's Horses album!

Released on this date way back in'75.  One of my faves.  Essential.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses_%28album%29


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKOULF922Rs

Happy Birthday Jon Stewart!

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

Happy Birthday Berry Gordy!

Genius.  Essential.

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

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

Irma Thomas performs Time Is On My Side

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

Poor recording, superb performance.

The Byrds perform You Ain't Going Nowhere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q21BF38W3Gs

A wonderful song.

Frosty - Noooo!

http://gawker.com/5862829/frosty-the-snowman-arrested-in-maryland

I, for one, would think that all snowmen would become agitated at the proximity of a dog - no one likes yellow snow....

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

A gift for the man who has everything...

http://www.snowdomes.com/snow_globes/product/Last_Supper

A timeless gift for your Christmas list...

http://www.stonehengewatch.com/

RIP Andrea True

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15908790

I think he's Done....

http://newportplaintalk.com/story/36489

Nothing says 'Christmastime' than burning a giant goat

http://www.thelocal.se/37594/20111127/#

Sounds like a variation on the wicker man.  I'd fill that thing up with the usual human sacrifices...

I was at this show

http://ourredneckpast.wordpress.com/2011/11/05/blitzkrieg-bop-in-baileys-crossroads-louies-rock-city-and-the-birth-of-punk-in-dc/

A wonderful little piece of DC music history, if a little inaccurate.  Punk in DC was already a VERY big deal by the Summer of '79.  It just was underground.  WHFS hated it, and never played it, but WGTB had presented it to DC all through '77 and into '78.  Unknown to the author, the Ramones actually played the Warner Theatre about a year and a half before Louie's, (I was at that show, too).  There were zines and little one-off shows going on all the time.  If you were connected, the music was there.
The controversy about a 'dress code" was very real.  The owner of Louie's was an old and well-known dick, and always seemed to hate everyone who'd paid money to sit in his club.  I still remember him yelling at a bunch of kids about their jeans.  At another concert I remember him grabbing me because I was wearing a hat as I entered (!).  In addition, the club made its main money off of beer.  A small army of scantily clad women were constantly nagging you to buy another beer, (at outrageous prices), throughout the shows.  They were irritating, and the whole place had the feel of a strip club.  Needless to say, I was happy to see the place go. 

Ralph Steadman's illustrations for Alice In Wonderland

http://io9.com/5862758/ralph-steadmans-artwork-for-alice-in-wonderland-takes-you-to-gonzoland

The British Resistance

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2066415/The-British-Resistance-The-true-story-secret-guerilla-army-shopkeepers-farmworkers-trained-defy-Nazis-suicidal-stand.html

An excellent article about a once-obscure subject that's only being explored seriously now.  The movie sounds pretty neat, although I take strong issue with the implication that in 1944 Germany was going to be launching an invasion of Britain, (regardless of the success or failure of the D-Day invasion).  But in the Summer and Fall of 1940 this was a VERY real threat, narrowly averted, primarily by the success of the British during the Battle of Britain air war and the unpreparedness of the Germans for such operations in the short-term.  But it was damn close.
A German invasion has been one of those 'what-if' scenarios debated by historians since the War. My understanding is that the consensus leans towards a German success. I tend to disagree. I believe it would have failed, but at the sacrifice of both the Royal Navy and Air Force. What might have happened under such circumstances in 1941 then becomes the next big what-if...
As for the Resistance during an occupation, I go with the current view - these guys had a half life of about two weeks.  The brutality in the reaction would have been monstrous.

Happy Birthday Jimi Hendrix!

http://www.jimihendrix.com/us/home

fanvid for Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin performing Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9krvMqLnc5U

If I remember correctly, it was late Fall of '69.  One of the most erotic songs ever recorded.  Half the radio stations wouldn't play it, and the other half had us all listening.  Beautiful tune.

fanvid for Buckingham & Nicks performing Crying In The Night

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

Tell me about it.  This is such a great song on such a great album that I simply cannot believe that it's never been (legitimately) issued on CD.  A criminal shame. 

fanvid for Nils & Grin performing White Lies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfmtIGZtAD8

A great little song from the early 70's and a DC standard.

fanvid for Bruce performing The Fast Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvKgWWTwn2o

This evolved into the tune "Candy's Room".  Wonderful song devoted to desperate longing.

My next energy drink purchase

http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/drinks/c6c9/

Retro-future visions of Mars

http://io9.com/5862707/gambling-horses-and-the-soviet-mars-colonies-20-retro+futuristic-visions-of-the-red-planet

I finally got to see the film Aelita (mentioned herein) a couple of years.  What a disappointment.  A few good scenes of Soviet-era propaganda and some neat other-worldly costumes - but a real mess, plot and dialogue-wise.  A snorer.

The deadly brine icicle

http://io9.com/5862523/a-time+lapse-video-of-a-creeping-brine-icicle-freezing-to-death-all-sea-life-it-touches

Absolutely fascinating phenomena and nature photography.

Disney, American Agriculture, and WWII

http://io9.com/5862479/disney-world-war-ii-propaganda-cartoon-suggested-wed-win-the-war-with-giant-soft+boiled-eggs

The article accompanying this propaganda film is pretty accurate - the imagery and rhetoric is pretty over-the-top.  It's always amusing to me to see Uncle Walt putting out such propaganda, given the fact he was pro-nazi....

Nothing says 'Winter Fun' like Aliens On Ice!

http://io9.com/5862482/aliens-on-ice--hr-giger-%252B-the-ice-capades/gallery/1



This looks great!

A preview of the new Ab Fab!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ru6kyz9cc0

Happy Birthday Casablanca!

Premiered on this date in 1942. What can I say - my fave film of all time. Viewed it at least 150 times. A part of my DNA. We'll always have Paris...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/

http://www.vincasa.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt1vQ81jNWw

Happy Birthday to Anarchy In The UK!

Released on this date in '76. Hard to believe how long ago that now is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8szRgIcYlY

Happy Birthday Tina Turner!

http://www.bestoftinaturner.com/

Happy Birthday Charles Schulz!

http://www.schulzmuseum.org/schulz-bio.html

http://www.flyingace.net/

Only one month until DC's water-skiing Santa!

http://www.waterskiingsanta.com/

The JFK Assasination, The Umbrella Man, & the Analysis of History

http://www.slashfilm.com/watch-the-umbrella-man-short-errol-morris-jfk-assassination-danger-jumping-conclusions/

This short film is so cool.  And absolutely essential for anyone interested in high and low weirdness, conspiracy theories, fortean phenomena, etc.  What a delightful kink in an the already unbelievably complicated analysis of the assassination. 
(And what an obscure method of protest! (If this isn't just one more cover-up of the story THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW...))  I, for one, will never again open an umbrella again without thinking of Chamberlain and the Munich Agreement! 
I also have to wonder if this has seeped into Secret Service training - if you see a guy with an open umbrella on a sunny day - watch out! 
And, upon further reflection, I think I can add my very own spanking brand new theory about the Kennedy assassination, thanks to the Umbrella Man:  It was clearly the work of Czech nationalists, angry about ol' Joe Kennedy helping sell them out in '38.  25 years later....  The millstones of the Czechs grind slowly, but exceedingly fine....

A great interview with Kat Anderson of the Marvelettes

http://www.jazzwax.com/2011/11/interview-kat-anderson.html

(Thanks for the link, Erik!)

Newscaster Flubs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KNpn-XGM04&feature=related


The one with the Dalai Llama is pretty cute!

(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

hitler's bedsheets

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2065162/Hitlers-bed-linen-embroidered-swastika-eagle-initials-goes-sale.html

I suppose that it's possible.  Maybe it's just me, but there seems to be more hitler memorobilia popping up in the market lately then there was 20-50 years ago, (I could be wrong on this, I'm not an expert in such things and simply rely on the mass media).  On the one hand, such is possible because the original collectors (or looters) have virtually all died off, and even the generation immediately following would be getting to an advanced age.  Under such circumstances it would be natural for many of the estates to start selling off this stuff.  (Not every one would prefer grand-dad's collection of hitler's mustache combs over the cash they'd fetch at an auction...).
On the other hand, there have been some very well publicized fakes and scams in the past, and I'd be amazed if such wasn't continuing, especially as we get further from the generation of people who were actually there and/or involved.  My argument is somewhat along the lines of the religious relics supposedly out there, (and all of the jokes about the pieces of the 'True Cross' being able to fill a forest).
As for wanting to own these knick-knacks, I am probably not the right person to ask. On the one hand, I completely understand the trophy-like aspects that motivated the original "collectors". If I'd been in the squads storming into the Wolf's Lair, or the fuhrer's bunker, or whatever, you can be sure I'd of been loaded down with the material proof of having defeated a monstrous enemy and their total vanquishing. And I can see such little trophies of grand-dad's experiences being of value within his family. But outside of that, something like adolf's bedsheets aren't even of tangetial historical value to someone like me. And I have to wonder why someone would spend serious bucks acquiring them, (there's still far too much romanticizing about the nazis out there).

Darn! All I ever got was a teddy bear!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-parenting/post/co-sleeping-with-butcher-knives-are-these-milwaukee-psas-overkill/2011/11/16/gIQA7tmKiN_blog.html

I always wanted a Fairbairn-Sykes...

Happy Birthday Percy Sledge!

http://www.psledge.com/

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

Happy National Leftovers Day!

Yum!

Bearded barbarous buggy barbers battle backsliders

http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-arrests-7-amish-haircut-attacks-ohio-153051950.html

Art Buchwald writes of Thanksgiving

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/23/AR2005112302056.html

Art is almost forgotten now.  But he was a DC fixture throughout most of my life here in DC, and my Father's favorite humor columnist.  It became a tradition every Thanksgiving for the Post to reprint the above column.  It's not Art's best work, in my opinion, but it is his most famous.  I'm happy to say that he and I even exchanged letters over it just a few years before he passed away, (me telling him how much it meant to me).  At any rate, every year my Father would ask me if I'd caught it in the paper.  That became a family Thanksgiving tradition as much as the column itself.   The Post doesn't print it since Buchwald's death. But they keep it online, and yea, I read it every year, Dad.  And I always will. 

Happy Birthday Mystery Science Theater 3000!

Premiered on this date in 1988.  Pure genius and absolutely Essential.  Probably my second favorite TV show of all time. 

http://www.mst3k.com/

http://www.mst3kinfo.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094517/

http://www.hulu.com/mystery-science-theater-3000

Happy Birthday Forrest Ackerman!

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

Happy National Stuffing Day!

Yum!

Happy National Turkey Day! (big surprise....)

Yum!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fleetwood Mac performs Bare Trees

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtYfKe1-0Pw

The wind has picked up, here at the Manor, and autumn's leaves are nearly gone.  Leaving only bare trees. Fall is coming to end, and so is this bottle of cabernet.  See ya tomorrow...

The Jefferson Starship performs Caroline

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh5dOU7xgYQ

Always liked this song.  It was really the comeback song for them in the mid-70's.

Jim Croce performs Operator

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPu_G-T28iU

Probably my favorite song by Croce.

Buy this doll, you crazy bitch!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/19/cursing-baby-doll-upsets-_n_1103434.html?ref=weird-news&ir=Weird%20News

I love marketing...

Darth Vader & the Ukranian Land Deal

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/18/us-ukraine-darthvader-odd-idUSTRE7AH1S620111118?feedType=nl&feedName=usoddlyenough

The EU comes out against Water

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/8897662/EU-bans-claim-that-water-can-prevent-dehydration.html#.Ts17Tz2lIQt.email

I, for one, thank the gods that there are high-paid bureaucrats out there, apparently supported by alleged scientists who are willing to put water back in its place - as a worthless additive to whiskey.  I salute you, EU!


(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

Land Octopus!

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/video-octopus-crawls-water-walks-dry-land-150510810.html

I'm reasonably sure that this is the start of a great monster movie...

Happy Birthday Boris Karloff!

http://www.karloff.com/

Interestingly enough, one or two of the old Hammer Studios horror movies reference this date as The Sabbath of the Undead....)

Happy Birthday Harpo!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0555617/

Joy Division performs Shadowplay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzTw4PYfROU


The End...


See ya tomorrow...

Shane & Sinead perform Haunted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8oyxrrEk58&feature=related

One of the greatest love songs, ever.  It captures the essence of the desperation amidst the ruins.  If you don't understand that last sentence, then the song won't mean much to you.

John Waite's video for Missing You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9e157Ner90

Always liked this tune....

Badfinger performs No Matter What

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xoke1wUwEXY

Power pop gods.  I may be wrong, but I think this was released around this time of year in '71.  I seem to remember aimless drives in frigid cold conditions while this burst out of the ol' AM car radio.

Jethro Tull performs The Teacher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaLSkixN1cA

A classic.

New video by Well Hung Heart performing Power Of Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaLSkixN1cA

Beautiful.

Alice Meets Barnabas

http://movies.ign.com/articles/121/1211259p1.html?RSSwhen2011-11-01_114000&RSSid=1211259

Happy Birthday to the Phil Spector Christmas Album!

Released on this date in 1963.  A true Classic.  Perhaps his finest work, and perhaps the best rock Christmas album of all time. 

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

Happy Birthday to The White Album!

Released on this date in '68.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles_%28album%29

Happy Birthday Terry Gilliam!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000416/

http://www.smart.co.uk/dreams/

Happy Birthday Little Steven!

http://undergroundgarage.com/little-steven-van-zandt/little-steven-biography.html

Happy National Cashew Day!

Yum!

Nicolette Larson performs Lotta Love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-wZ4XaNHOI&feature=related

A great song with more than a hint of sadness from a period of disappointment in the late 70's.

fanvid for Cactus performing Feel So Bad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GD5RcG5-wY

Wonderful song from a band that's almost forgotten, now.

Jethro Tull performs Living In The Past

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCyC1dZiN8

Tell me about it....

The Carpenters perform Rainy Days & Mondays

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPmbT5XC-q0


A (very) guilty pleasure.  But it's been a raining off and on all day here at The Manor.  And the
Carpenters are a much more complicated pop phenomena than a cursory examination would tell you.  The ironies, symbolism and subtleties abound, I assure you.  There's a doctoral thesis in there, I tell you. 

fanvid for the Dead performing The Morning Dew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN0-gUohb9I&feature=feedrec_grec_index

Ah, sounds of a misspent youth!

Bruce is going to tour and release and album in 2012

http://brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html

The Earth from above

http://vimeo.com/32001208

Some neat film from the International Space Station.


(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

Happy Birthday Frankenstein! (the film)

Premiered on this date in 1931.  Brilliant.  Essential.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021884/

Happy Birthday Joseph Plumb Martin!

A Patriot.

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

Happy Birthday Ingrid Pitt!

http://www.pittofhorror.com/

Happy Birthday Alferd Packer - Mr. Hamburger Helper!

http://museumtrail.org/alferdpacker.asp

Galdys Knight & The Pips perform Midnight Train To Georgia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v78-ftcqpNw

Yes, it was played too much on radio at the time.  And yes, it's easy to make fun of the Pips.  But I still love this song.

Karla Bonoff performs Someone To Lay Down Beside Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSOVLft2Kpk

Beautiful song by a great songwriter.  This is very 70's L.A. country rock...

New Order performs Blue Monday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAnynrfuTr8&ob=av2n

A minor classic of 80's new wave dance music.

fanvid for The Moody Blues performing Lost In A Lost World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojY1pudjl8o&feature=related

Happy National Beaujolais Day!

Yum!

Happy Birthday Dick Smothers!

http://www.smothersbrothers.com/

Happy Absurdity Day!

That's pretty much every day for me....

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/November/absurdityday.htm

The Doors perform Alabama Song

It's the mid 70's.  You've been kicking back rum all evening at Mason's basement bar.  And now it's around midnight and your strollin' down South Fairfax Street, kicking through the fallen leaves under a full moon and a crisp late November wind, wondering what the hell's gonna happen next in your life, and how much it'll cost.  And this tune provides the soundtrack.  See ya tomorow.

Isaac Hayes performs Shaft

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2cHkMwzOiM&feature=rellist&playnext=1&list=PL435348909EEBE709

Just watched this movie again, for about the tenth time.  The theme is supernaturally good.  Along with Sergio's theme to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, the coolest movie theme of all time.

The Cars perform You're All I've Got Tonight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEEUGaQTTQ0


Another tune that I associate with the confusion and falling apart of late '78.  Great song. 

Fleetwood Mac performs Rhiannon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR_i0sKWKEA

I know, I know, it's become old, overplayed and boring.  But I've always loved this song.  And the performance of it I saw in '77 at the old Cap Centre is considered legendary. 

It's a chilly night here at the Manor, and this seems appropriate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7KALN4Xrs4

Great moments in architecture

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2011/09/architectural-blunders-and-atrocities.html

True 3D

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

Amazing.

How To Steal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5aUdijAN8

PETMAN - military robot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDOW30nNpmg#t=1m29s

These things always creep me out.

Ukranian Miner Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWE2IDEofmI

Fun stuff!

I want this toy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ox1Cb9uoy8#t=4m48s

A nice slam on Jobs

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/11/14/111114fa_fact_gladwell?currentPage=all

Having dealt with worthless assholes like this for a long time,  I can only say that I'm overjoyed that he's dead. I hate pricks like this.  And I couldn't care less what all the aspergers-ridden fanboys think of it.  I'd much rather the media and public focus on folks like this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/sane-nurse-provides-medical-care-and-collects-evidence-in-rape-cases/2011/10/24/gIQAL71iYN_story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/h-gobind-khorana-biochemist-and-nobel-prize-winner-dies/2011/11/11/gIQAe4rIDN_story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/paul-r-epstein-public-health-expert-dies-at-67/2011/11/15/gIQACuMhPN_story.html

The most beautiful meteorites

http://www.meteoritelab.com/collection/fukang.php

Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers

http://www.motherboard.tv/2011/11/1/mammoths-on-ice-the-magnificent-beauty-of-russian-nuclear-powered-icebreakers

Pretty neat!

Very nice article on the Arctic Convoys of WWII

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2062529/Frozen-hell-As-PM-resists-campaign-medal-survivors-Britains-Arctic-convoys-tell-horrific-conditions-faced-World-War-II.html

The cutting edge of Customer Support

http://infidel753.blogspot.com/2011/11/hello-i-need-help-with-sweep-feature.html


As always, I heartily recommend my ol' penpal Infidel753's blog for great articles on politics, religion, humor, music and technology, (and just about anything else that strikes his fancy). 

Happy Birthday George Rogers Clark!

http://www.nndb.com/people/271/000049124/

A Patriot.

Science Fiction Tails From Uranus...

http://www.tmz.com/2011/11/17/buzz-lightyear-butthole-photo-xray/#.TscZuFajOuI

Ten Military Aircraft That Never Made It...

http://www.innovationnewsdaily.com/military-aircraft-test-phase-failures-2062/


(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

Happy Birthday to A Christmas Story!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/

http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/


A Classic.  Premiered on this date in 1983.

Happy Birthday Graham Parker!

http://www.grahamparker.net/Home.html

Happy Birthday Imogene Coca!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0168042/

So, this is Christmas....

Sigh. WASH-FM begins broadcasting Christmas music tomorrow morning. To those of you in the hinterland, this won't mean much. But, to the credit of their marketing department, this has become something of a DC tradition, and is sort of the 'official' start of the Holiday Season here for many folks, and one more turn in my life-long confusing and complicated relationship with Christmas. On the one hand, it'll mean getting together with family and friends, my favorite activity. And I am grateful for any excuse to do so. But it is also a grim reminder of those I can no longer do that with. This week, I began going through the Christmas card list - another yearly ritual. And I have to shave a few names off, every year. It's become a tally sheet of those who've died.
While growing up, my folks had a pretty good circle of neighbors, relatives and friends. Those in the area we'd socialize with year-round. For the others, get-togethers might take several courses. We'd always travel on vacation in the Summer, and travel plans would include stop-overs or destinations with these folks. And of course the advantage to living in DC is that one could expect a variety of people to visit us, for business or vacation. There was always someone comin' into town. It was fun. And I was one of those kids who was probably more comfortable amongst adults than with many of my contemporaries. These people were my friends too, and I looked forward to these gatherings, many of which would occur between Thanksgiving and New Year. We're talking about 45-50 people in this circle, here. And now, you could count the remaining members on one hand. The rest are gone.  There is nothing unusual or unnatural about this. Over the course of decades, they died. Most of these deaths were quite natural. It's just age. Many of you have experienced the same thing, and the rest of you will soon, I'm sorry to say. But that predictability and universality hasn't made it any easier. I miss those guys.And I'm going to be reminded of that a lot over the next six weeks. 
See ya tomorrow...

Mary Chapin Carpenter's video for This Shirt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbL1LptZ8Vc&ob=av2e

DC's finest. I love this tune.

Jerry Jeff Walker performs Navajo Rug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxOpqOn48nc

A Classic by an American Treasure.

Kim Wilde covers You Keep Me Hanging On

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNyRU0fKHAY&feature=feedrec_grec_index

Very 80's. Pretty lite, but I still enjoy it.

Still Dead!

Franco died on this date in 1975.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/1426/saturday-night-live-the-death-of-franco

Zombie Fun!

http://www.wargamer.com/forums/posts.asp?t=581400&p=2

There are some neat ones here.


(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

True Love

http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/133964503.html?storySection=story


(Thanks for the link, Audrey!)

Happy Birthday to The Star Wars Holiday Special!

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

Premiered, (and only shown), on this date in 1978.  Perhaps the worst TV special ever made.  Deliciously awful.  A cringe-fest.

Happy Birthday Duck Soup!

My fave Marx Brothers film, and one of my all-time faves, as well.  Absolutely Essential.  Premiered on this date in 1933.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023969/

Happy Birthday Peter Cook!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177228/

Happy Birthday Gordon Lightfoot!

http://www.lightfoot.ca/

Happy Homemade Bread Day!

Yum!

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/

The Stranglers perform Walk On By

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXHToM3qt6w

One of the great, and unexpected, interpretations of a Bacharach & David tune.  Brilliantly manages to combine a spitting bitterness with the inherent sadness of the song.  And with that, gentle reader, I bid you a good night.  Meanwhile, I'm getting another glass of absinthe.  And if you see me tomorrow, just walk on by...

fanivd for The Buoys performing Timothy

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

I am reasonably sure that this was the first Top 40 song devoted to cannibalism.  I keep reading that this was released in '71, but I seem to remember it getting airplay around this time of year in '70. 

Elton John performs Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters

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

One of Elton and Bernie's best efforts.  Beautiful. 

The cutting edge of library rules

http://www.happyplace.com/12246/college-library-posts-no-masturbation-sign

fanvid for The Wind performing Make Believe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0EUmYXYAao

A couple of years before Dawn, Tony Orlando tried another group called The Wind, and this was there only hit.  Always liked it.  Much better than Dawn...

fanvid for the Stones performing Ruby Tuesday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVmCL1QMNks

A Classic.  Always loved the lyrics to this.

fanvid for Jim Croce performing Alabama Rain

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

It is a rainy and dreary night here at the Manor.  Each drop of rain banging against the window seems to release an old memory.  And I'm suddenly in the mood to dance with the green fairy tonight.

Bonnie & Clyde VS Dracula

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1117379/

Why wasn't I told?!?  Gotta see this!

The Popgun War

http://www.futilitycloset.com/2011/11/10/the-battle-of-bermuda-bridge/

It's possible.  There were famous wargames going on then.  I'm not sure the troops would have been quite so friendly or occupied with these kids, however...


(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

Penny Postcards on the web!

http://www.usgwarchives.org/special/ppcs/ppcs.html

This is wonderful!  A collection of old postcard photos from around the U.S., divided by State and County.  Very cool.


(Thanks for the link, Missy!)

Captain Kirk takes on a Turkey Fryer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYkRF_FmD40&feature=share

Good To The Last Drop

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/881457-i-plan-to-make-the-worlds-most-expensive-tea-out-of-panda-poo

The Chinese 'grid'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8888909/China-Google-Earth-spots-huge-unidentified-structures-in-Gobi-desert.html

Interesting...  I'm guessing underground test bomb site.

More smart-ass responses to signs

http://www.happyplace.com/4286/brilliantly-sarcastic-responses-to-completely-well-meaning-signs

Shooting from the hip...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/crime-scene/post/spotsylvania-man-inadvertently-shoots-self-in-giant-parking-lot/2011/11/14/gIQASJKxLN_blog.html

My Hometown!

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2632710

Hmmm.  As always, I am somewhat disappointed (and suspicious) that we are not out-and-out ranked as #1.  It's curious that there's no mention of I-66, nor of the Beltway at Tysons. 

Dinosaur will once again roam the Earth!

http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/15/dinosaur-jr-reissuing-first-three-records-on-cassette-harnessi/

I confess that I was never a big cassette (or 8-track) fan.  But this is kind of cute.

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

Happy Birthday to A Night At The Opera!

Great movie!  Premiered on this date in 1935.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026778/

Happy Birthday Pet!

http://www.petulaclark.net/

One of my faves.

Happy Birthday Frida Lyngstad!

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

Happy Birthday Jack Burns!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0122698/

Happy America Recycles Day!

http://americarecyclesday.org/

Happy Clean Your Refrigerator Day!

Eno, Stipe, and Colbert perform Lean On Me

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/402026/november-10-2011/sign-off---brian-eno--michael-stipe---stephen-colbert----lean-on-me-

Cute stuff!


(Thanks for the link, Perry!)

Russia's badminton snipers!

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20111114/168683913.html

Why do I imagine that one of putin's cronies has a lock on badminston equipment in Russia, and this is a way to profit by that?  Regardless, they'll be nothing compared to my plans for bowling commandos!


(Thanks for the link, Doug!)

Weird Cloud Behavior

http://io9.com/5859018/what-the-heck-are-the-clouds-doing-in-this-video

Neat-O!  My only question would be if one shouldn't be hearing thunder while this is going on.


(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

A new magazine just devoted to Arlington

http://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/Arlington-Magazine/

Seems a little limiting, to me.  I'd of at least gone for all of NoVa.

Happy Birthday Veronica Lake!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000043/

Happy National Guacamole Day!

Yum!

Happy National Pickle Day!

Yum!

fanvid for Jim Croce performing Time In A Bottle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO1rMeYnOmM

The Odds Winner...

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/09/21/woman-gets-hit-by-space-junk-lives-to-tell-tale/#ixzz1Yf9FaCyf


(Thanks for the link  Dennis!)

Will Teach For Food

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/12/4048922/sacramento-state-psychology-professor.html

Let me make sure I get this straight, this old turd is academically extorting free food from his students?!?!  And he proudly considers this an important part of learning?  Well yes, it does teach the kids about mindless greed masked in pointless authority.  And that certainly is what this country is all about.  But, sheesh!

Happy Birthday Robert Louis Stevenson!

http://www.robert-louis-stevenson.org/

Happy Birthday Margaret Corbin!

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

Happy Birthday Neil Young!

http://www.neilyoung.com/

Happy National Pizza With Everything Day!

http://www.crozetpizza.net/

Yum!

http://www.harriscrabhouse.com/menu.htm

We went out to the Eastern Shore last night to partake of the first oyster feast I've had in at least six years.  A scheduling mistake I won't make again.  My gods, it was sooo good!  Raw, steamed, deviled, fried, and more.  One of my fave ways to spend an evening.  First time I've been to Harris's - it was great.

Chaosmi - The Beaver Man

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=41&sid=2628604

Fascinating, from a variety of angles. First of all, his seclusion is about to abruptly end. Hiker and kayakers from all over will be descending on him, now. I'm somewhat surprised that I've not heard of him before. Despite the reporters insistence, I doubt that there's miles of trails that one muse navigate to get to Chaosmi, and I am flabbergasted that more have not done so. The fact of the matter is that the river is a busy place for outdoors-people all year around. There can't be too many nooks that aren't regularly visited. I remain curious.
Finally, I will bring up one situation from decades back in my life - I knew a guy whom I'm sure was a schiz. And he claimed that was a small portion of the Potomac that radiated a power, maybe a gate to other dimensions of spheres of consciousness. And that it could (very briefly) be glimpsed from a certain site along the C&O Canal overlooking the river. I've been out there several times since, with no such phenomena occurring. But the very first time, a friend and I went out to it, and there did seem to be a very brief pause in everything around us that we both noticed.  I don't think it lasted three seconds.  But we were both very aware of it.  All sound stopped, for no apparent reason, (the Canal is VERY noisy at nightfall in the Summer, with birds, frogs and insects creating a real cacophony).  Were we simply conning ourselves?  Perhaps.  I admit the possibility.  But it was a truly spooky coincidence.
Like I said, I've never experienced such a reaction again, anywhere.  And I'd be curious if our friend Chaosmi has settled in that spot of the river to find his answers....

Warning about safe sex for you country boys.....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/11/sex-with-animals-penis-cancer_n_1088874.html

(Thanks for the link, Ed!)

The Fake Paris

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/8879053/Second-Paris-built-towards-end-of-First-World-War-to-fool-Germans.html

Fascinating, I'd not heard of this before. Such a tactic was used in WWII. One famous example was the Anglo-Egyptian port of Alexandria was faked to try and fool the Luftwaffe.


(Thank for the link, Dennis!

Nigel Tufnel Day!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/nov/11/spinal-tap-nigel-tufnel-day

Fun stuff!

(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

Robert Gordon & Link Wray perform Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BEGuqQcbunI

Very cool...

One of my all-time fave toys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0p0WRhAp9o

I still own it, although the engine died out decades ago.

Happy Veterans Day!

http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/

Still Spitting Fire

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15652440

(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

Happy Birthday Marshall Crenshaw!

http://www.marshallcrenshaw.com/

Happy birthday Jonathan Winters!

http://www.jonathanwinters.com/

Happy National Sundae Day!

Yum!

Happy Birthday Laporta's!

One of my fave restaurants.  And official dining location for all True Gamesmen.  Opened on this date in 1986.

http://www.laportas.net/

Happy Birthday Ennio Morricone!

http://www.enniomorricone.it/uk/news.php

Happy Birthday Lord Sutch!

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

Happy Birthday Claude Rains!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001647/

Happy Birthday Carl Stalling!

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

Kinky performs Rapid City South Dakota

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aANGAiRkZQ4

One of the saddest songs that I know of. And one of the Kinkster's finest. Every decision has its costs... Time for another bourbon; And with that, gentle readers, I bid you goodnight. See ya tomorrow.

Eddie & The Hot Rods perform Do Anything You Wanna Do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYW5zYjqiLQ&feature=related

Discovered this tune around this time of year in '77 and instantly fell in love with it. One of my all-time faves. Freedom and Defiance in the face of loss and defeat. A wonderful example of what was happening as British pub rock turned punk. This song helped keep me alive in that oh-so-cold Winter of 77-78. I would also mention that the Rods were the real thing - kids from the streets, not posing art students. This is music as survival. This is Rock'N'Roll.

Bruce Cockburn performs Lovers In A Dangerous Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1-DI_ZeG0s&feature=related

Great, great song.

Ab Fab movie - Confirmed!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/nov/09/jennifer-saunders-absolutely-fabulous-movie?fb=optOut


Cheers!

"Exploded Views" Art

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=W4T5kECTYaE

Fun stuff!


(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

The Onion Understands...

http://www.theonion.com/articles/report-it-all-some-kind-of-sick-joke,26592/

Building the world's 'first' computer

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/08/science/computer-experts-building-1830s-babbage-analytical-engine.html?_r=2&scp=2&sq=John%20Markoff&st=cse


This sounds so cool!  I think they ought to make it one of those contest between grad schools at MIT and Cal Tech to see who can come up with the most accurate and interesting version in a semester or two.

(Thanks for the link, Rick!)

Charity Porn!

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=120&sid=2626209

Hubba Hubba!

Happy Birthday Hedy Lamarr!

http://www.hedylamarr.com/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001443/

http://www.inventions.org/culture/female/lamarr.html

A great inventor and patriot, and one of the most beautiful actresses of all time.

(Future) Anniversary of the Khitomer Massacre...

2346 -- Outer Space: The Khitomer Massacre — the Romulans
slaughter over 4,000 Klingons on an agricultural colony; Worf &
Kahlest are the only two survivors

Anniversary of the release of Louie Louie by the Kingsmen!

Released on this date in 1963. The National Anthem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WcgqXMncf4

Happy Chaos Never Dies Day!

fanvid for John Cale performing Strange Times In Casablanca

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7fsdEQTYUk

My 2nd favorite song by him.  I figure/dream that there are always strange times in Casablanca.  Like D.C.....

Al Stewart performs Time Passages

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRKyGhgoNE8

I know I've posted this before, but it's one of my all-time favorite songs. And it was a hit around this time in '78, (which it reminds me of), when it was almost spookily appropriate, as it is now.

fanvid for Marvin Gaye performing Mercy Mercy Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9BA6fFGMjI

A Classic.

Mayor For Life

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/barry-said-to-be-eyeing-son-as-possible-dc-council-successor/2011/11/07/gIQASdkRxM_story.html?wpisrc=nl_cuzheads

The joke will go on forever...

So THAT'S how it occurs!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57320571-10391704/rugby-jock-says-stroke-turned-him-gay/

It's kind of amusing to me when the article associates watching sports and drinking beer as purely a heterosexual definer....


(Thanks for the link, Mike!)

Happy Birthday Rickie Lee Jones!

http://www.rickieleejones.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9N_BPreGNg

Happy Birthday Bram Stoker!

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

fanvid for Ringo performing Photograph

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MubU8qHutY&feature=fvwrel

A sad little hit from around this time in '73.

fanivd for Derek & The Dominos performing Thorn Tree In The Garden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEWvJHd67KE

A very pretty song from an interesting Summer.

Nothing To Declare

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=120&sid=2622789

13 Movie Poster Trends

http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/64047251.html

So true!


(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

News from The Hobbit film

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/51851

Gummy Bear Science!

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/11/06/uw-scientists-condemn-gummy-bears-to-crushing-ocean-depths/

Happy Birthday Johnny Rivers!

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

http://www.johnnyrivers.com/

Happy Birthday Joni Mitchell!

http://jonimitchell.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4oY8ojxp_8

fanivd for Joy Division performing Dead Souls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhEm4S-4v_U

My fave song by them, and one of the truest songs of all time. 

Beautiful steampunk computer

http://historiesofthingstocome.blogspot.com/2011/10/retro-futurism-18-ukrainian-steampunk.html

Wonderful!

(Thanks for the link, Infidel753!)

Lovecraft's From Beyond in claymation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQZyYvb-GD8&feature=related

Fun stuff!

Peanuts Meets Cthulhu!

http://baznetart.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-post_2294.html

Fun stuff!


(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

'Frost On The Pumpkin'

And on almost everything else here at the Manor.  The trees have pretty much fully turned color, (it seems to be a few weeks later than I remember from my childhood), and the leaves are starting small piles in the corners and depressions of the yard.  We've got all of the Halloween decorations taken down* and stored away and are all dressed for Harvest time and Thanksgiving.  One more turn of the wheel.  I supposed it's nice to have the clocks turned back, for the morning.  But in the late afternoon we'll be paying for it. There's no getting around the fact that the shadows are getting longer and coming earlier.  Birds are devouring the seed we've been putting out, and we just unpacked and put out all of the fireplace tools and implements.  It's not quite cold enough (for my tastes) to have a fire, yet.  But soon...
We're now well into late Fall, and the signs are all there for the coming Winter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad54e-R4RkE&feature=related

Pendulum Waves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVkdfJ9PkRQ&feature=player_embedded

Neat effect.

(Thanks for the link, Rob!)

Ab Fab - The Movie!

http://lifestyle.aol.co.uk/2011/11/06/get-ready-for-ab-fab-the-movie/?a_dgi=aolshare_twitter

I'm looking forward to this, Sweety Darling!

Happy Sadie Hawkins Day!

(Actually, there are numerous dates for this little holiday, but this is the one I like)

Happy Birthday to It's My Life!

Released by the Animals on this date in '65.  A part of my DNA, one of my all-time faves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_My_Life_%28The_Animals_song%29

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

Happy Birthday Jonathan Harris!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364893/

Happy Birthday Trace Beaulieu!

http://mst3k.wikia.com/wiki/Trace_Beaulieu

Happy National Nachos Day!

Yum!

The Jefferson Starship performs Miracles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbJ4Ws6Nq8Q

One of my fave songs by one of my fave groups.  It is more than a little painful to realize that it was hit around this time of year - 36 years ago.  That's a lot of water under the bridge, too long a time to still believe in miracles.  One can only sit back and remember what it was like to do so...

fanvid for The Cookies performing Chains

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_f9lrXd_48

A Classic Goffin/King tune.

Roberta Flack performs First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go9aks4aujM

DC's Finest.

Kenny Rogers & The First Edition perform Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EJGZt3X6uU



Great tune.

The death of the CD

http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=P46980_0_2_0

Very sad.  I still believe that records and CD's are the only way to own music.  I do  not trust that the electrons that the companies are now selling will have software around in 10 years capable of playing them, nor do I trust/like how difficult it is to store such information in the long-term, with constant upgrades as operating systems evolve, etc.  I'm still playing records I've owned since the mid 60's and CD's I've owned since the mid 80's.  No one running computer software can make a similar claim.



(Thanks for the link, Erik!)

Bruce (solo and acoustic) performs Incident On 57th Street

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aes6wdy_oAY&feature=share


So cool, so '73-'74....

A blast from the Past

http://norton.patch.com/articles/emergency-alert-system-to-conduct-test-nov-9

Remember kids, "Duck & Cover"!

The Dark Side of the Force

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8865509/Wife-strangled-after-smashing-up-husbands-Star-Wars-toys.html

But does the Internet taste as good?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/8865093/Internet-weighs-the-same-as-a-strawberry.html

The ultimate carving knife

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8866083/Jack-the-Ripper-Is-this-six-inch-knife-used-by-Victorian-serial-killer.html

I will leave it to the small legion of ripperologists to debate whether this is jack, or not. 

Brown to Blue Eyes

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2056646/California-doctor-Gregg-Home-turn-brown-eyes-blue.html

Neat!  But Crystal Gayle was way ahead of the curve on this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0aT0GXW8jw

I want one of these for the hood of my car

http://news.yahoo.com/worlds-most-powerful-laser-could-tear-apart-vacuum-141353244.html

That'll get me through traffic in in Merrifield...

Story of the day

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/03/jasha-lottin-oregon-woman_n_1074050.html

Tipsy Tampon Tosser Tearfully Tries To Tell Twisted Tale

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/rebecca-crimmins-tampon-tosser_n_1069273.html?ref=weird-news

RIP Andy Rooney

http://abcnews.go.com/US/journalist-andy-rooney-dies-92/story?id=14818244#.TrUecXKjOuI

Practice Safe Sex - With Joy Division!

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltkrkn7Mkz1r3k744o1_500.jpg


(Thanks for the link, Rachel!)

Nice article on Christopher "Slo Frank" Inlow

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=355496&paper=69&cat=104

One of the characters on Monster Madhouse.

RIP Sid Melton

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/comic-actor-sid-melton-dies-257760

One of those character actors whom you never remember by name, but you'll recognize him instantly on the screen.

Happy Birthday Manos - The Hands Of Fate!

Premiered on this date in 1966.  A Classic!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060666/

Happy Birthday John Glover!

http://www.revolutionarywararchives.org/glover.html

A great Patriot, almost forgotten, now.

Happy Birthday Art Garfunkel!

http://www.artgarfunkel.com/

Happy Birthday Peter Noone!

http://peternoone.com/

Happy Devil's Stone Turning Day!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shebbear,_Devon#Turning_the_Devil.27s_Stone

Happy Guy Fawkes Night!

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

Happy Book Lovers Day!

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/August/bookloversday.htm

fanvid for George performing If Not For You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8P65y8iuNc

A great version of a beautiful song.  And a nice way to finish off a bottle of chard on a still November evening.  See ya tomorrow.

Joe Cocker performs She Came In Through The Bathroom Window

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCVrO8IkdZY

A Classic.  Pure late '69, I've always loved this version.  I still remember when this came out.  My geography teacher brought it to class and set up one of the school's old turntables to play it.  We listened to the whole album.  It was so cool, that he immediately played it through again.  I don't remember a whole lot about his lecture about the Brahmaputra River, but I think I remember every line on that album. 

Rod the Mod performs Every Picture Tells A Story

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

It started to get airplay around September, and lasted through November of '71.  One of the greatest albums of all time.  Shanghai Lil, you live on....

Al Green covers How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

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

Brilliant.

fanvid for Simon & Garfunkel performing My Little Town

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jg8jf9oTjw&feature=related

Dave Mason performs We Just Disagree

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8_FOQ7-P30

Ah, another painful reminder of the bleak early Winter of '77.  Beautiful tune.

I Ate All Your Candy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YQpbzQ6gzs&feature=email

I have a mixed reactions to this whole thing.  Obviously, there's something pretty funny about all of these kids' reactions.  On the other hand, it seems kind of over the top, even to a hard-core hedonist such as myself. 


(Thanks for the link, Dennis!)

The most inappropriate Halloween costumes...

http://www.happyplace.com/11102/the-most-inappropriate-halloween-costumes-of-all-time/page/1

(Thanks for the link, Audrey!)

Animated Album Covers

http://animatedalbums.tumblr.com/post/632323961

Some cute ones here.


(Thanks for the link, Mathew!)

Joy Division Cake!

http://theantilaugh.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/joy-division-chocolate-cake/

Anniversary of Alice falling though the Looking Glass

On this date in 1871.

http://www.literature.org/authors/carroll-lewis/through-the-looking-glass/

Happy Birthday Glenn Tilbrook!

http://www.glenntilbrook.com/

Happy Birthday Will Rogers!

http://www.cmgww.com/historic/rogers/

Genius.  Essential.

Happy Waiting For The Barbarians Day!

Happy National Deep Fried Clams Day!

Yum!

The Days of Wine & Roses

Was released by The Dream Syndicate on this date in '82.  Brilliant.  One of my faves.  Perfect with that second bottle of Stone Double Bastard Ale...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww5DJjiH_zQ

Happy birthday Lulu!

http://www.luluofficial.com/

Happy Birthday Kevin Murphy!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Murphy_%28actor%29

The ebb and flow of indie record stores

http://www.matadorrecords.com/matablog/2011/11/01/indie-record-stores-closing-and-opening/


(Thanks for the link, Erik!)

Happy National Deviled Egg Day!

yum!

5000 Volts perform I'm On Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eye0mXrl_Po

A guilty pleasure.  But another tune that reminds me of November, (this time, from '75)

The Moody Blues video for Nights In White Satin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9muzyOd4Lh8

If I remember correctly, this single was re-released around this time of year in '71, and I've always associated it with November since then.

November...

And so, we enter the old 'blood month', and the beginning of Winter.  It is a time of cold, death, darkness and remembrance.  Five months of staying indoors, hidden, silent, sepulchred against, and yet dealing with,  reality.  Okay, here we go....

http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?storycode=1047262

RIP Bob Brunning

http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?storycode=1047262


(Thanks for the link, Perry!)

When eagles attack

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8861852/Eagle-brings-down-paraglider-over-Himalayas.html

This is incredible.

I know there's a pun in all of this, I just know it, (but I can't come up with a good one)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8860498/Face-discovered-in-testicular-tumour.html

Wine Snob Ghost

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-world/2011/10/30/wine-snob-ghost-haunting-birmingham-pub-smashes-house-wine-bottles-115875-23526249/

The Ultimate Halloween Costume?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/8859251/Heidi-Klum-dresses-as-dead-body-for-Halloween.html

Impressive....

Last Night...

It was a fair Halloween, here at the Manor.  We had about 65 trick-or-treaters.  More than usual, and certainly more than we expected.  The houses in our neighborhood are spaced fairly far apart by modern suburban standards, (one reason we bought the place);  in addition, only about a third of our neighbors leave their lights on and participate in the Holiday, making the ratio of energy to candy that much less profitable.  But people now were driving their kids to each house, (or cluster of lit houses).  Sigh.  I understand, sort of, but this seems to take away a lot of what I enjoyed about trick or treating.  For one thing - ditching my parents.  I mean, I don't think my folks accompanied me on any of these pillaging expeditions after I turned 6.  It's a different world, I guess. 
Which brings me to another (good) point.  Most of the kids this year were younger.  The last time I trick-or-treated was when I was ten years old, and that felt kind of pushing it, (to me).  I hate it when teenagers go out begging for snickers bars.  Sheesh!  Shouldn't you guys be learning about sex, or how to drive, or something?  We only had a few oldsters.  One couple, I think it was a guy and his girlfriend looked and sounded at least 16 - AND HIS FATHER WAS STANDING IN OUR DRIVEWAY WATCHING/PROTECTING!!!  Wussies.  Terminal wussies!  This guy was at least as big as I was.  What did he and/or Dad think was going to happen?!?  Stay home and hide under your fucking bed, dweebs. 
One other good sign - fewer clueless kids.  Even the younger ones seemed totally into it - calling out trick-or treat, and thanking us, etc.  Some years they've just stood there, gaping stupidly, and saying nothing.  Perfect for zombies - but they're dressed as princesses, pirates and anything but.  The intelligence level has definitely risen. 
Finally, I got two new Chick comics thrown into my yard, (I collect 'em!), warning me of the eternal damnation I face for celebrating Halloween.  Thanks guys - you keep on tryin'!

Zombie World Record!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8858383/California-goes-for-zombie-world-record-as-thousands-of-corpses-wake-up.html

The Exercise Program

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEH4Yum4nN4&feature=youtu.be

Cute!

(Thanks for the link, Gail!)

Happy Birthday Dan Peek!

http://www.danpeek.com/

Happy Birthday Jim Steinman!

http://www.jimsteinman.com/