'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Baron Dave Romm's Review
The National Space Society CD
By Baron Dave Romm
To mark a year after Sept. 11, I'm going to review a CD about hope. The future. Space Exploration.
The National Space Society CD is not quite out, but at this page you can be placed on a mailing list to find out when it's going to be released and listen to mp3s of some of the songs. Quick review: Filk music done right; a great compilation of great songs wonderfully produced and arranged.
One of my all time favorite filk songs is Leslie Fish's Hope
Eyrie, about the moon landing. This is the version I've been
waiting for. Superbly sung by Julia Ecklar, it captures the drama
and sensawonda of July 20, 1969.
Worlds grow old and suns grow cold
And death we never can doubt.
Time's cold wind, wailing down the past,
Reminds us that all flesh is grass
And history's lamps blow out.
But the Eagle has landed; tell your children when.
Time won't drive us down to dust again.
The US Space Program is the single most successful undertaking in
human history. It's only failure: We stopped going out into space
(because Nixon hated Kennedy and couldn't stand his success, but
that's a different essay). But as a return on investment, the space
program has paid for itself many times over in ways that are hard to
describe to the average conservative so short sighted as to describe
an estate tax as a "death tax". But I digress. Another great Leslie
Fish song is Surprise! about Sputnik, the Russian satellite in
1957 that surprised and panicked the US in many ways similar to 9/11,
since launching space satellites was directly applicable to launching
nuclear missiles, but back then we had presidents who weren't
unelected cowards and this blow to national pride lead directly to
the space program, weather satellites and the internet (among many,
many spinoffs). Done as Russian balalaika, with stern humor.
Beep beep
boop boop
hello there.
Sputnik sails giggling through the skies.
Red flags, red faces,
jump in the race as
the space age begins with a surprise.
Other great songs include Fire In The Sky by Jordin Kare,
comparing the dangers of rocketry to Prometheus' hubris; we must do
it, because. Christine
Lavin wonders If We Had No Moon, giving the history of the
creation of the moon and reminding us of all its benefits... and some
of the dangers.
The moon is moving away at the rate of an inch and a half a year.
Someday, and I'm not sayin' it'll be soon,
but it just won't be the same down here
and speculating on how we can replace it with another planet's
moon... A long, awe inspiring and sometimes scary song. Queen
Isabella, yet another Leslie Fish song, is about how a deranged,
bigoted, greedy leader managed to tap Christopher Columbus and "all
the world changed". We don't have such a farsighted leader today
(though we have the deranged, bigoted and greedy ones). Judy Collins
flies around the stars Beyond the Sky.
This CD, as yet untitled much less released, was conceived and put together before 9/11. Yet the hope and awe and fear of our successes and failures in mankind's ventures out into space manage to be an antidote to the internecine hatred between a species who dwell on artificial differences and amplify the pride and energy of Americans and all humans who dream of a higher purpose. Highly recommended.
Aside: I managed to have a winning entry (well, an honorable mention they printed) in the Sept. 8 Washington Post Style Invitational that Bartcop readers will like.
Baron Dave Romm is a conceptual artist and a noble of Ladonia with a radio show, a very weird CD collection and an ever growing list of political links. He reviews things at random for obscure web sites. You can read all his music recommendations from Bartcop-E here.
Reader Suggestion
from PassItOn
The Ballad of John O'Neill is available on the web.
Plus, there is a nice explanation of why we should care
about John O'Neill.
And the original lyrics.
~ PassItOn
Thanks, PIO. And while on the topic, don't forget
Remember John.
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Finished up the Vegas plans. No turning back now...LOL
The kid had a factoid today - that sumo wrestlers never wash their loinclothes. After going 'ewwwww', got to wondering what the hell is he watching!
Weather was quite nice today. Fired up the backyard incineration device & grilled burgers.
Momma cat is healing as well as can be expected. The kittens are getting big & frisky. Glad I never took the latches off the kitchen cupboards from when the kid was little.
Tonight, Monday, CBS offers reruns of 'King Of Queens', 'Yes, Dear', 'Raymond', 'Becker', and 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'.
Scheduled on a fresh Dave are Piper Perabo and Queens of the Stone Age.
Scheduled on a fresh Craiggers are Snoop and The Doggystyle Allstars.
NBC has reruns of 'Fear Factor', 'Third Watch', and 'Crossing Jordan'.
Scheduled on a fresh Jay are Tom Green and Eve.
On a traditional Monday rerun, Conan's guests are Hilary Swank, Steve Harvey, and The Promise Ring.
On a rerun Carson Daly (from 8/5/02), the scheduled guests are Mike Myers and Dirty Vegas.
It's all fresh on ABC tonight! First up is the 8th season premiere of 'Drew Carey', followed by the season premiere of 'Whose Line'. 'MNF' follows with the Steelers visiting in Foxboro, Mass. (If you're on the left coast, it's football first, then the Drew Carey shows.)
The WB has 2 reruns of '7th Heaven'.
Faux has reruns of 'Secrets Of Street Magicians Finally Revealed' and 'Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed: Escape From The Ice'.
UPN has reruns of 'The Parkers', 'One On One', and then back-to-back reruns of 'Girlfriends'.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
New TV Schedule - Season/Series Premieres
Monday
(all times eastern) ABC 8 - 8:30 Drew Carey (Sept 9) 8:30 - 9 Whose Line (Sept 9) 9 - ? MNF (Sept 9) CBS 8 - 8:30 King of Queens (Sept 23) 8:30 - 9 Yes, Dear (Sept 23) 9 - 9:30 Raymond (Sept 23) 9:30 - 10 Still Standing (Sept 30) * 10 - 11 CSI: Miami (Sept 23) * NBC 8 - 9 Fear Factor (Sept 23) 9 - 10 Third Watch (Sept 30) 10 - 11 Crossing Jordan (23 Sept) The WB 8 - 9 7th Heaven (Sept 16) 9 - 10 Everwood (Sept 23) * Faux 8 - 9 Boston Public (Oct 21) 9 - 10 Girls Club (Oct 21) * UPN 8 - 8:30 The Parkers (Sept 23) 8:30 - 9 One On One (Sept 23) 9 - 9:30 Girlfriends (Sept 23) 9:30 - 10 Half And Half (Sept 23) * * Denotes New Program
Welcome Home, Alex!
Cindy Crawford
Ernie Els of South Africa, advises model Cindy Crawford on golfing techniques, on the golf course in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, Sunday Sept. 8, 2002.
Photo by Andree-Noelle Pot
Scarecrow Wins Fair Contest
Chercrow?
A papier-mache rendition of singer-actress Cher, wearing a tiny feather bikini — won the prize for best celebrity lookalike at the Kansas State Fair on Saturday.
The scarecrow raised a few eyebrows and concerns from fairgoers, and prompted fair board members to take a closer look.
The artist, Kim Peirce, said she didn't intend her work to be controversial.
"It's not Pamela Anderson," said Peirce. "It just goes to show that Kansas is still a very conservative and very Republican state."
Bill Ogg, the fair's general manager, decided the Chercrow could stay.
"My impression is that it's silly, it's tacky, but I don't think it's offensive," he said.
Chercrow?
Films Sunken Titanic
James Cameron
Director James Cameron is going back to Titanic, this time with a 3-D camera.
Cameron debuted part of "Ghosts of the Abyss," his underwater documentary on the doomed oceanliner, on Friday at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, held in Goleta this year.
With help from his brother, Mike, and cinematographer Vince Pace, Cameron designed a lightweight camera able to film the sunken Titanic in 3-D. Two robots carried the camera and
swam through the ship's grand interior.
He enthused about the potential of 3-D, but said it remains a challenge. His approach during filming was to "just shoot whatever we can shoot with this," he said.
James Cameron
Event At University of Tampa
Greg Palast
When: Saturday, September 21st 7:00pm
Where: Falk Theater, University of Tampa
How Much: $10 advance, $15 door
FILM and SPEECH: UNPRECEDENTED: THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Not only the Tampa premiere of the new film, with the film's co-director Joan Sekler
(co-founder of The Independent Media Center) but also a speech by BBC
investigative journalist Greg Palast, author of THE BEST DEMOCRACY MONEY CAN
BUY.
Palast's speeches on WMNF's Radioactivity program have caused a
torrent of interest from listeners. The film is the riveting story about the
battle for the presidency in Florida during the 2000 election. It also tells how
Republican political operatives used their access to voting lists to
undermine the black vote.
This event is being sponsored by WMNF, 88.5FM
Thanks, Stevan
Snarky Gossip
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth says he was ready to deliver a beat-down to his fellow fired Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar after Hagar trashed him a while back. Hagar, who was co-headlining a
tour with Roth at the time, likened Diamond Dave to Liberace, called him an "a--hole" and made fun of his receding hairline. "I called him out in front of about 20 people after
his famous harangue," Roth said on Howard Stern's radio show. "He backed down. I guess he didn't want to hurt his strumming hand." Roth, who holds a black belt in karate, explained
their backstage blow-ups by saying: "Two big dogs eating out of one big bowl." But he'd tour with Hagar again. "I'd sign up the day after tomorrow. I think the only one who didn't have fun on the tour was Sam."
David Lee Roth
John Singer Sargent
'Zuleika'
The watercolor "Zuleika," circa. 1906, by John Singer Sargent is part of an exhibit of 140 original works on display through July 4 at the Terra Museum of American Art in Chicago. The exhibit, "Masters of Color and Light: Homer, Sargent
and the American Watercolor Movement," traces the works of Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent and other American watercolorists.
In The Hospital
Gordon Lightfoot
Singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, known for fits such as "If You Could Read My Mind," "Carefree Highway" and "Sundown," was being treated in a hospital Sunday for an undisclosed ailment.
Lightfoot, 63, was rushed to a hospital in Orillia, Ontario, shortly before he was scheduled to perform Saturday night, according to a hospital spokesman.
He was later flown in an air ambulance to the McMaster University Medical Center in Hamilton, Ontario, 30 miles west of Toronto, said Jeff Valentin, the hospital's director of public affairs.
"Mr. Lightfoot and his wife have asked that no more information be given at this time," Valentin said. "I think for right now, they just want to be together as a family."
Lightfoot is one of Canada's best-known and most-honored performers, receiving the Order of Canada and the Governor General's Performing Arts Award. He was inducted into the Canadian
Broadcast Hall of Fame during its 75th annual convention last October.
Gordon Lightfoot
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Venice's Palazzo Grassi
'The Pharaohs'
A vast exhibition of Ancient Egyptian relics was inaugurated in Venice on Sunday, with more than 300 works ranging from a colossal statue of Tutankhamen to a miniature ceramic.
"The Pharaohs" exhibition at Venice's Palazzo Grassi opens to the public Monday and runs until May 25. It combines artifacts from 34 museums and private collections, and 12 countries.
The exhibition involved close cooperation between the Italian Culture Ministry and Egyptian authorities, and includes works from museums and private collections in Austria, Belgium, Canada,
Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and the United States.
The Cairo Museum provided the greatest number of exhibits, supplying about one-third.
Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosni had been scheduled to attend the inauguration, but museum officials said he was unwell and had to opt out.
'The Pharaohs'
Family Feud
Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly's "biography" by his widow, Patricia Ward Kelly, may never see the light of day. Patricia and Gene were married for only three years, but the "Black Widow," as
Kelly's progeny call her, promised Public Affairs Books that she would deliver a manuscript about her life with the screen legend by late summer for an October publishing
date. The book was listed on Amazon until two weeks ago when it was abruptly pulled. "From what I hear she never turned in a manuscript," Kelly's daughter Kerry Kelly Novick said.
Novick, who charges Ward Kelly with "isolating" her father from the family in his last years, added: "It would be unfortunate if people took her version of things - she only
knew him for three years!" A rep for Public Affairs books said: "We have postponed the book to work on the manuscript. It will not come out this fall and we don't know the reschedule date."
Gene Kelly
Learn logic with Beavis & Butthead
Taken Ill in London
Jerry Lewis
Veteran Hollywood comedian Jerry Lewis was taken ill on Sunday night just before going on stage at a London charity performance.
The audience was told that the 76-year-old Lewis, who has been suffering from pulmonary fibrosis in the lungs, would not be performing because he was unwell.
Lewis, who has been plagued by ill health for years, was due to appear at the London Palladium, the theater where he first played alongside Dean Martin 50 years ago.
Jerry Lewis
BartCop TV!
Childhood Home for Sale
Kurt Cobain
An Oregon couple is hoping to cash in on Kurt Cobain's childhood.
Ed and Jennifer McKee, of Oregon City, Ore., are auctioning off the former Nirvana frontman's childhood homes on eBay.
The couple, who invest in houses to fix up and sell, bought the home last month for $42,500. At the time, they said they had no idea Cobain once lived there.
Cobain lived in the house from age 11 to 15 with his father, Don, and his stepmother, Jenny. Much of the house, including Cobain's bedroom, described
as "nautical" on the eBay website, has not been changed since he lived there, McKee said.
The McKee's set an opening bid of $200,000, although the turn-of-the-century home was valued at only $52,660 in 2000. As of Sunday, no one had offered
a bid. The auction ends Sept. 15.
Kurt Cobain
Still On The Payroll
Opie & Anthony
The folks at Infinity Broadcasting kicked popular shock jocks Opie and Anthony off the air over last month's St. Patrick's Cathedral sex scandal, but the company still has to pay
their hefty salaries. According to a source close to the canceled talk show, Infinity bigwigs can't figure out how to get out of their reported three-year, $30 million contract
with Greg "Opie" Hughes and Anthony Cumia without having to pay them a king's ransom. "Everyone's still on the payroll," the tipster said. Even comic Jim Norton, an O&A staple, is
still receiving regular paychecks while lawyers for both sides try to hammer out details about how to part ways. If it goes to court, Infinity will surely claim the company had
sufficient cause to cancel the show after Hughes and Cumia broadcast a blow-by-blow description of a couple having sex at St. Pat's as part of their "Sex for Sam" contest. But Opie
and Anthony can argue that every detail of the contest was approved by company brass before the segment aired. An Infinity rep declined to comment, while the jocks' agent did not return calls.
Opie & Anthony
Burqa Blue
Afghanistan
An Afghan woman carries freshly baked bread on her head to sell in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Sept. 6, 2002.
Photo by Kamran Jebreili
#9
Disruptions
Universal Studios Japan
Beleaguered theme park Universal Studios Japan suffered another disruption Sunday, when it received three bomb threats that turned out to be a hoax, park officials said.
Three calls were received Sunday afternoon from someone who said he had planted a bomb inside the theme park in the western city of Osaka, park spokesman Yasushi Aoshima said.
The park continued operating as 317 park employees and Osaka police searched the grounds. No suspicious objects were found, Aoshima said.
Universal Studios Japan had more than 10 million visitors in its first year, but it has been beset by a series of scandals.
In July, the park acknowledged it had violated a permit by using and storing more explosives than it was allowed.
The park was also accused of poor hygiene after it was found cooks routinely used expired ingredients. It was also forced to shut a drinking fountain that carried untreated industrial
water with abnormal levels of bacteria.
Universal Studios Japan
Serial Philanderer To Speechify
Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani is sure to have a few stirring things to say when he addresses the Securities Industry Association at its annual meeting in Boca Raton in November - but you won't be reading about it. In a rare
move, the press has been barred from covering the event, which is usually such a snoozer that the SIA has to beg reporters to cover it. A rep for Giuliani says the former mayor was happy to let trade press
cover the speech, so it is unclear who decided to ban reporters altogether.
Rudy Giuliani
Turns 18 Next Week
Prince Harry
Britain's Prince Harry, hurt by lurid headlines and stories since the death of his mother Princess Diana, will mark his 18th birthday by paying tribute to her deep devotion to charity
work, a royal spokeswoman said on Sunday.
The spokeswoman said the prince, the younger son of Diana and heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, decided to mark his coming of age next Sunday with a series of public visits reflecting
Diana's charity interests in a bid to remind people of her good work.
The spokeswoman said the visits were Harry's own idea but had greatly pleased his father.
Although the palace has not yet released details of Harry's schedule ahead of his birthday next Sunday, the spokeswoman said they would reflect his mother's interests.
Prince Harry
A giant pumpkin-pyramid towers in Ludwigsburg, Germany, Sept. 3, 2002. The 45-foot-tall pyramid is part of an exhibition showing some 600 different kinds of pumpkins.
Photo by Thomas Kienzle
#13
'The Osbournes'
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 3
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 2
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
#8
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