'Best of TBH Politoons'
Baron Dave Romm
Dementia Track '07
By Baron Dave Romm
Hell
and High Water: Global Warming--the Solution and the Politics--and
What We Should Do by Joseph Romm.
A clear, concise and
convincing book on climate change and why we need to hurry to fix the
problem.
Shockwave Radio Theater
Podcasts
for iTunes and iPods, with pictures
Shockwave Radio
broadcasts on archive.org
Bookmark my bookmark page.
Nascent Wikipedia entry for Shockwave Radio Theater
I have seen none of the major movies nominated by the Academy of Arts and Sciences. I won't be watching the presentation tonight, and by the time you read this I will have further ignored the winners. Viewership continues to crumble. The Academy has decades of history to prove why it's irrelevant: As time recedes, we can see that the winners (and even the nominees) were the wrong choice. The Awards are just for show, to get a brief box-office boost. Not, in itself, a bad thing. But if you want to proclaim yourself to be all about "arts and science" then you would do well to make your decisions based on artistic merit and technological accomplishment.
Publicity stunts get boring after a while.
A Retrospective
These reviews are repeats, culled from columns past and edited/updated as need be, regarding artists who will be at Marscon this weekend, March 2-4. I've recommended the great Luke Ski many times, and talked about the Marscon Fundraiser CD last week. Luke will be emceeing the Dementia Track and having a grand ol' time.
Worm Quartet's first AND latest CD (as of 2006) is Sumophobia Alpha 2 Ex Super Championship Turbo Edition. Shoebox calls it Sumophobia A2EXSCTE but I prefer the more descriptive Sumophobia Alpha. By any name is a rerelease of older but remastered material material plus new stuff. Worth every acronym. Heck, it was worth the extra penny to buy it directly from him at Marscon. 72:44 of impure bliss, plus space between tracks.
The only real problem I have with Sumophobia Alpha is that I can't play a lot of my favorite cuts on the radio without bleeping. I'll get around to eviscerating the material for the sphincter conservatives, but out of the box I was reduced to playing Russian McDonald's Commercial in which, if there are Naughty Words, they are in Russian. Worm Quartet is in the proud, if grungy, tradition of anti-establishment young rebels: Scatological, insulting of celebrities, self-deprecating, off the wall and usually makes you laugh even when you don't think you should. The music sounds almost childish but isn't; his use of looping and rhythm machines masks some nice tunes. He sings songs of procreation, coffee, not giving a sh*t about your website, hair on the soap, William Shatner, carbonated hamsters, being a hopeless romantic and hamsters again.
What separates Shoebox from all the other smartass college kids who never grew up is his use of language. He has the astonishing ability to juxtapose ideas and concepts that have never even contemplated being on the same planet together, much less in the same line of lyric. Sure, anyone can write a song about vampire penguins but it takes special talent to make a spatula into a phallic symbol. Only Shoebox can sing his songs; when other people want to sound like WQ, they bring in Shoebox to provide their Inner Voice (the most requested song on the Dr. Demento show in 2005). Imagine if a kid in Tom Lehrer's college math class crammed for finals by immersing himself in Italo Calvino, Weird Al Yankovic and the Sex Pistols. Okay don't, see if I care.
Sumophobia Alpha is highly recommended if you liked any other Worm Quartet CD. If you've never heard WQ, this is a pretty good overview, with early songs and recent songs and a wide range of material to choose from.
Flex Your Nipples - Live, is a full-scale Worm Quartet DVD. (Go to the Worm Quartet main page, click on Buy Stuff; ShoEboX is so retro, he used frames.) I picked it up at Marscon, and have been dipping in it ever since. It's got a full Worm Quartet concert, with commentary but not a subtitle track in Portuguese, and a bunch of other stuff I'm not going to get to in this lifetime. It looks like a basement tape but the sound is surprisingly good and it's very well edited so you don't have to wait around for the sound checks. An excellent addition to any Worm Quartet collection. Heck, if you're the type who prefers concert films to the audio alone you might want to start with this DVD.
Worm Quartet's latest CD, Mental Notes, is available in pre-order and I hope to pick up a copy at the con.
Eric Coleman released his first full CD at age 44, so I like him already. Some See The Glass Half Empty is a pretty good debut. His solo guitar work derives from folk, though he regrets not being a metalhead in his most played song, Bang My Bald Spot, which I heard him perform at Marscon. He is exactly like that. He copes with aging in Low Self Esteem Talking Blues and Trophy Wife. I like his commentary on commercialism in Golden Age of Silicon, out just in time to be a commentary on wardrobe malfunctions. I know too many really good musicians who spent years before releasing a CD that fell flat. Many amateur musicians are great in a circle of friends but their studio albums don't capture their high points. Some See The Glass Half Empty is much better than many 25-year freshmen CDs. It's not a great album, but it has several good songs with a point of view based on long experience.
Since then, Eric has spent a great deal of time touring and refining his act. He has great rapport with the audience, and the concert is frequently interactive. I expect his Marscon appearance to be fun.
A word about The Gothsicles. I'm not really a fan of mosh pit music so didn't pick up their CD. But I've got to give props to the video that accompanies their live performance. Computer-generated video, lovingly crafted by geeks with too much time on their hands. Watching the images as they flash by helps those of us who can't really catch the lyrics as they get screamed. If you like this kind of music, go for The Gothsicles. If not, see if you can catch one of their concerts. You might acquire the taste.
I hear a lot of music. Not all of it is to my taste. Now, I'd like to think that I can tell the difference between something that others might like but I don't and a real piece of crap. Perhaps, but perhaps not. Like The Gothsicles, Art Paul definitely falls into the category of acquired taste that I haven't acquired yet. You might. No promises. He has several CDs out, including a Tribute Album to which I contributed. Here are my updated comments on his Best Of CD.
Art Schlosser belongs to that group of people who believe that if you keep plugging away, you'll eventually succeed. No matter what. And he may be right. I wish him luck. The Best of Art Schlosser was compiled by The Great Luke Ski, so on his recommendation Art and I traded CDs. He's a very persistent guy. (You can stop sending me e-mails asking when I'm going to review your CD now, Art.)
The CD is nearly 74 minutes comprising 54 songs. He sort of sounds like The Sex Pistols without the punk, Emo Phillips without the jokes or a kid brother who desperately wants something. I started off listened to a few cuts at a time, and I think I've got the gist of his musicianship. He has great titles and good concepts, then beats them to death by repetition. Probably the best way to survive as a street musician. Have a Peanut Butter Sandwich is most of the lyrics of that song, and it became #1 on Dr. Demento's Funny Five back in 2001. I listened to Are You Gullible? and The One Chord Song and I Don't Want To Find Waldo and a few others. It took me a while before I could listen to The Shortest Song I Ever Wrote, This One's Even Shorter, Another Star Trek Sequel Blues, Kermit the Frog Aftershave or Santa is Elvis. Worth a coin or two as you pass by on the street.
The Best of Art Paul, in a cardboard sleeve, is the perfect gift to give a tween boy, especially if you tell him never to play it around you. It has that sense of pre-adolescent humor and an infectious enthusiasm that transcends any lack of talent. I'm glad this CD is part of my collection because I like weird things, and I'll probably slip in some cuts over the air now and then. But listen before you decide for yourself.
Art Paul will be performing at Marscon 2007. I look forward to meeting him but, during his concert, I'll probably watch audience reaction more than listen to the music. Still, live performance is a different art form than recorded music. I might get caught up in the experience.
Ookla the Mok are the Musician Guests of Honor at Marscon. They've remained on the periphery of my consciousness; I only have one of their CDs, Super Secret, and a few other scattered cuts. OtM is heavy on the comic references, which can is fun if you follow the field. They'll fit into Marscon well.
Baron Dave Romm is a conceptual artist and a noble of Ladonia who produces Shockwave Radio Theater, writes in a Live Journal demi-blog, plays with a very weird CD collection and an ever growing list of political links. Dave Romm reviews things at random for obscure web sites. You can read all his music recommendations from Bartcop-E. Podcasts of Shockwave Radio Theater. Permanent archive. More radio programs, interviews and science fiction humor plays can be accessed on the Shockwave Radio audio page.
Thanks to everyone who has sent me music to play on the air.
--////
A Note from zEN mAN
'Gruffalo'
DO YOU KNOW THE STORY OF THE "GRUFFALO" ?????
HE SCARES ALL THE ANIMALS AND TRIES TO EAT THEM AND WHEN THE LITTLE MOUSE COMES ALONG HE CONVINCES THE GRUFFALO THAT HE, THE MOUSE, IS SCARY AND TAKES THE GRUFFALO WITH HIM TO THE OTHER ANIMALS...OF COURSE THE OTHER ANIMALS SEE THE GRUFFALO AND RUN AWAY BUT THE DUMBASS GRUFFALO IS FOOLED BY THE LITTLE MOUSE AND RUNS AWAY IN FEAR.
THE MORAL: PRETTY SOON SOME SMART AND FEARLESS PATRIOT IS GOING TO CHASE CHENEY BACK TO HIS CAVE (WITH SHARP WIT AND INCISIVE INVECTIVES )
BARRACK OBAMA HAS MOUSE EARS AND HE HAS ACTUALLY STARTED A WAR OF WORDS WITH THE CREEPY VEEP !
Reader Suggestion
Auctions
Marty
Your Saturday, Feb. 24th page was just great. Loved the section on ephemera and the related item about the Declaration of Independence that is to be auctioned March 22nd at Raynors' Historical Collectible Auctions in Burlington, North Carolina.
I have a very distant cousin who lives in Burlington, NC. and sent the article to him. He responded by sending me the
web site for the auction: Raynors' Historical Collectible Auctions Entire Catalog can be downloaded as a PDF file , as well as browsing many special items that can be seen as html.
Here's the web site that shows the Declaration of Independence.
One item I found interesting was Thomas A. Edison Fires a Womanizing Department Head
Thanks for all the good things that you find and put on your site for all of us to enjoy!
MAM
Thanks, Marianne!
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Nat Hentoff: Is This America? (villagevoice.com)
"We knew damn well if Maher Arar went to Syria, he'd be tortured. It's beneath the dignity of this country, a country that has always been a beacon of human rights, to send somebody to another country to be tortured . . . Let us not create more terrorism around the world by telling the world we cannot keep up to our basic standards and beliefs." - Senator Patrick Leahy, questioning Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on the CIA's kidnapping of Maher Arar
Brent Budowsky: Thank You Al Gore (makethemaccountable.com)
Imagine a world where an American President is again the leader of the free world. Where our commander in chief has the experience to wage war, but the judgment to know that the best wars, are the wars wise leaders can avoid.
Michelle Garcia: Fact checking at Focus on the Family (advocate.com)
Washington State couple Dotti Berry and Robynne Sapp walked into Focus on the Family headquarters wanting to set the record straight on the conservative group's misinformation about gays. Instead they got arrested-but made an important statement all the same.
Ellen Seidler: The Oscar Goes to Ellen (afterellen.com)
There is no doubt that whatever outward signs of the LGBT community are present on Oscar night, the subtext will be clear: Ellen DeGeneres has had and will continue to be a huge influence on LGBT history and culture.
Michael-Oliver Harding: The Twenty Most Groundbreaking Gay Films (afterelton.com)
Assisted by an esteemed panel, we chose twenty films for our list of the most groundbreaking gay films. While there may be few similarities between a transsexual rock star, two fugitives on the run and a few lonesome cowboys, their outsider status is at the root of their individual struggle, and therein lies the common ground among AfterElton's chosen films.
Tyler Cowen: For some countries, America's popular culture is resistible (iht.com)
American movies and music have done very well in some countries, like Sweden, and less well in others, like India. This may sound like a simple difference in human tastes, but choices about culture also have an economic aspect.
Interview by Valerie Reiss: Alice Walker Calls God 'Mama' (beliefnet.com)
"There's a saying that I appreciate a lot, which is "Knowing without doing is not to know." That seems to be where most of us live. We say, "Oh, I know that." But if we don't do anything about it, do we know it? I don't think so. And so, part of practice for all of us now should be understanding what exactly we know, and the way we tell what exactly we know is to notice what we do."
Hubert's Poetry Corner
GEORGE W - ASSHOLE OR ASSWHOLE?
Reader Question
Oscars
Dear Marty,
Yahoo has an article today saying that the Oscar race is "wide open." Are they whacked? It seems more closed than ever. It looks like best actor and actress will, once again, go to people who have "imitated" other people. I think actors who create characters have the tougher job. I love Helen M. and think she deserves an Oscar, but not for this role.
I saw Little Miss Sunshine after much hype…I wish I had seen it earlier. I was disappointed.
Hey…remember Don Sherwood? His predecessor, Joe McDade, has been accused of exposing himself in Florida…twice. Maybe it's the position.
Please give me your opinion of The Secret….I'll give you mine.
Later,
Willow
Thanks, Willow!
I haven't seen 'The Secret', but now I'll make a point of it.
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Mostly overcast, but only mist, no rain.
Here's the Complete List Of Oscar Winners - 2007
Here's the updated Razzies - 2007
Raising Money
Tommy Chong
Comedian Tommy Chong will help raise money to defend the self-proclaimed "Guru of Ganja," who is charged with growing hundreds of marijuana plants for a dispensary.
Chong, who starred with Cheech Marin in stoner movie classics "Up in Smoke" and "Nice Dreams," will appear at a $125-per-person event for Ed Rosenthal.
Rosenthal, 62, famed for his marijuana cultivation books and the "Ask Ed" column he wrote for High Times magazine, will host the event at his Piedmont home on March 4.
In a post to his Web log, The Blog of Chong, on Saturday, Chong urged his readers to attend the benefit for Rosenthal and donate to his defense. "Ed is being dogged by the feds for his marijuana work with sick people," Chong wrote. "It is the feds who are sick."
Tommy Chong
Christ's Coffin
James Cameron
Titanic director James Cameron believes he may have discovered Jesus's lost tomb. He said DNA evidence and statistical analysis of a set of 2,000-year-old stone coffins found in Jerusalem in 1980 suggest they once held the remains of Christ and his family. Cameron said tests on human residue taken from the ossuaries believed to be those of Jesus and Mary Magdalene indicates they might have been a couple.
And Cameron - the man behind The Terminator - believes they may have had a son, Judah.
Cameron, who produced a documentary for the Discovery Channel, will unveil the two key coffins at a press conference in New York.
The Discovery Channel claimed the evidence could be the "greatest archaeological find in history".
James Cameron
Related To Noted Racist Rapist
Al Sharpton
The Rev. Al Sharpton is a descendant of a slave owned by relatives of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond - a discovery the civil rights activist called "shocking" on Sunday.
Sharpton learned of his connection to Thurmond, once a prominent defender of segregation, last week through the Daily News, which asked genealogists to trace his roots.
"It was probably the most shocking thing in my life," Sharpton said at a news conference Sunday, the same day the tabloid revealed the story.
They found that Sharpton's great-grandfather, Coleman Sharpton, was a slave owned by Julia Thurmond, whose grandfather was Strom Thurmond's great-great-grandfather. Coleman Sharpton was later freed.
Al Sharpton
Conversion Confirmed?
Michael Jackson
Pop superstar Michael Jackson has confirmed his conversion to Islam, according to reports in the Middle East.
The Arab-Israeli newspaper Panorama claims Jackson has announced the move and revealed plans to move to Bahrain, where he has bought property.
The singer's Muslim brother Jermaine claimed the Thriller hitmaker had taken interest in the religion since he converted in 1989 - and had been considering converting himself following his acquittal on child abuse charges in 2005.
Michael Jackson
UN Ship Hijacked
Pirates
Pirates hijacked a cargo ship delivering U.N. food aid to northeastern Somalia on Sunday - at least the third time since 2005 that a vessel contracted to the United Nations has been hijacked off the country's dangerous coast.
The ship, MV Rozen, had just dropped off more than 1,800 tons of food aid in the semiautonomous region of Puntland in northeastern Somalia when the pirates struck, said Stephanie Savariaud, a spokeswoman for the U.N.'s World Food Program.
There was an attempted hijacking on the same ship in March last year by five pirates armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, but the vessel managed to outrun them.
Pirates
Mexico Vows To Protect
Monarch Butterfly
Mexico will enforce a "zero tolerance" policy against logging that threatens to wipe out the monarch butterfly and will act to stop a rare and ancient oasis from drying up, President Felipe Calderon said on Saturday.
Calderon said soldiers will be deployed to clamp down on illegal logging in a protected forest where monarch butterflies winter after migrating thousands of miles from Canada and the United States.
He said 10 million trees would be planted in the butterfly reserve, part of a goal to plant 250 million trees across Mexico in 2007.
Monarch Butterfly
Plans Drawn
Iran
Despite the Bush administration's insistence it has no plans to go to war with Iran, a Pentagon panel has been created to plan a bombing attack that could be implemented within 24 hours of getting the go-ahead from President George W. Bush, The New Yorker magazine reported in its latest issue.
The special planning group was established within the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in recent months, according to an unidentified former U.S. intelligence official cited in the article by investigative reporter Seymour Hersh in the March 4 issue.
The panel initially focussed on destroying Iran's nuclear facilities and on regime change but has more recently been directed to identify targets in Iran that may be involved in supplying or aiding militants in Iraq, according to an Air Force adviser and a Pentagon consultant, who were not identified.
The consultant and a former senior intelligence official both said that U.S. military and special-operations teams had crossed the border from Iraq into Iran in pursuit of Iranian operatives, according to the article.
Iran
Exotic Animals Sited
Antarctic Ice
Spindly orange sea stars, fan-finned ice fish and herds of roving sea cucumbers are among the exotic creatures spied off the Antarctic coast in an area formerly covered by ice, scientists reported on Sunday.
This is the first time explorers have been able to catalog wildlife where two mammoth ice shelves used to extend for some 3,900 square miles over the Weddell Sea.
At least 5,000 years old, the ice shelves collapsed in two stages over the last dozen years. One crumbled 12 years ago and the other followed in 2002.
Global warming is seen as the culprit behind the ice shelves' demise, said Gauthier Chapelle of the Polar Foundation in Brussels.
Antarctic Ice
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