'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Baron Dave Romm
Dr. Demento
By Baron Dave Romm
Political digression:
One of the ways to tell how poorly the Bush administration is doing
is by how shrill the right-wing apologists are. By any standard,
this has been a terrible few weeks for Bush and the Taliban Wing of
the GOP. Trent Lott was forced out of his position as House Majority
Leader (though held on to his senate seat, for now), Ashcroft is outed as a racist and the GOP has been exposed as
racists and those coddling to racists when necessary to advance their
own agenda. Bush was sued for rape and kidnapping. The economy is going
down the toilet. The sabre rattling in Iraq is reaching a fever
pitch just as thousands protest and close
allies say we shouldn't invade and we haven't
even won the war in Afghanistan yet. And that's just for
starters.
Naturally, with the country falling apart around him and his cronies
exposed, the Karl Rove spin machine is out in force, even getting the
conservative news media to print front-page stories like this
one. Only a conservative can be lied to this consistently and
still believe. Now, about that swampland in Florida...
But the real news is that I'm going to be a Guest of Honor at the 2004 Marscon with Dr. Demento and Richard Biggs. This is for next year, and the web site only has this year's (2003) convention news up, but they've said I could officially brag about it. Wind up your radio and prepare to join us in Minneapolis in the Spring of 2004! And forgive me if I largely repeat a column about Dr. D from last May.
Dr. Demento is the Mad Magazine of the radio, corrupting young and old since 1970. In the music biz, odd, funny, unusual songs are called "novelty" numbers; the concept goes waaaay back and slopped over into recorded music Over the years, Dr. Demento has collected some of his favorites (and the ones he could get the rights to) in CDs. While you can get some of them at other various online shops, probably quicker, the most complete collection is from the Dr. Demento web site catalog. Seems to have more stuff than last time I checked.
He's released 20th Anniversary and 25th Anniversary and 30th Anniversary 2-CD sets. While I appreciate the effort, there's a lot of redundancy between the 20th and 25th and I think the 20th Anniversary collection is better. It has, and the 25th doesn't: Dead Puppies, Cocktails for Two, Existential Blues, Star Trekkin' and Witch Doctor. The 25th repeats many of my least favorite cuts but does have Highly Illogical and Tip-Toe Through the Tulips With Me. The 30th has less redundancy, and does have Bulbous Bouffand, Dead Skunk, I'm The Urban Spaceman, and Lumberjack Song among others. Frankly, I think he should just give up and put out a 5-CD set of everything, and add on as necessary. In the meantime, get the 20th and 30th, and maybe one or two of the individual ones (below).
Dr. Demento's Country Corn is a good collection, and his Christmas collection has both A Christmas Carol by Tom Lehrer and Green Chri$tma$ by Stan Freeberg, as well as Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer and All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth instantly making it worthy if you don't have these songs individually. This is No. 6 in a series of CDs, no longer listed on his site. You can get cassettes of compilations of songs by decades, which can be fun but I tend not to catalog the songs that way.
It's been a while since I was a member of the Demento Society, and it seems they've upgraded the membership so it includes a bumper sticker, autographed photo, a 10-inch ruler and the collection Dr. Demento's Basement Tapes #10 that isn't available elsewhere. Hmm... time to re-up.
Richard Biggs played Dr. Franklin on Babylon 5. One of my favorite actors on one of my science fiction shows. I hope he's amenable to being in a Shockwave skit!
While it's still far too early to make firm plans, I'm hoping to interview Dr. D and Biggs (and perhaps some of the other Guests). Usually, I do these for Shockwave and put them up on the audio part of my web site after airing them. Maybe this time I'll do it live, at the con. Also, I'd like to do a Dement-Off, where we play odd songs at each other... I'm sure his collection is MUCH larger than mine, but I bet I have a few he hasn't heard. It would be great to come out with a Demented Filk or Demented Science Fiction CD through Rhino, but we'll have to see about that. At minimum, I'll come out with a new Shockwave Distribution CD for the 25th Anniversary of the show.
Happy Boxing Day, everyone!
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.
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Beautiful clear, crisp, sunny day.
Finally got a tree. Been pissing & moaning about bubble lights, but there were none at the store. Last year, finally went to a 'day-after' sale, and bought a bunch of things. Went to go get the new stuff after most of the tree was done - that's when I 'found' I'd bought 7 strands of freaking bubble lights last year. Wasn't going to strip the tree & start over, but I'll remember the damn bubble lights next year.
Met up with Marian, Marc, Brat, Pat & Vic in Pasadena.
So, I get home, and have to bake some pecan pies. A tradition of sorts. Anyway, the KCBS 'news' was on in the background, and David Sheehan was giving his review of 'Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers'. He said the 'problem' with the movie is it went in 3 directions - Frodo & Sam, Aragorn and ''that foolishness with Merry & Pippin and those silly talking trees''. Jeez, this guy makes a juicy 6-figures, and can't be bothered to even glance through the Cliff Notes. He then 'tossed' it back to the
newest anchor-boy-with-the-pretty-hair-&-vacant-eyes who commented ''I saw the movie yesterday and the audience applauded when Sir Ian shows up - he's like Spock to them, or something.''
Tonight, Monday, ain't nothing fresh on CBS - RERUN 'King Of Queens', RERUN 'Yes, Dear', RERUN 'Raymond', RERUN 'Still Standing', RERUN 'CSI: Miami'.
Scheduled on a fresh Dave are Kelly Ripa, Emmitt Smith, and Missy Elliott.
Scheduled on a fresh Craiggers are Goran Visjnic, Tia Carrere, and the Flaming Lips.
NBC has nothing fresh, either - RERUN 'Fear Factor', RERUN 'Third Watch', RERUN 'Crossing Jordan'.
Scheduled on a fresh Jay are Terry Bradshaw and Charlie Stewart.
On a RERUN Conan are Caroline Rhea, Tracy Morgan, and the Strokes.
Scheduled on a fresh Carson Daly are Robin Williams and Talib Kweli.
ABC has MNF, where the Steelers visit Tampa Bay, and depending on your time zone, a RERUN 'Monk' either before or after the game.
The WB has nothing fresh, too - RERUN '7th Heaven', RERUN 'Everwood'.
Faux is not fresh, either - RERUN 'That 70's Show', RERUN 'Grounded For Life', RERUN 'Malcolm', and RERUN 'Bernie Mac'.
UPN follows the herd, and also has nothing fresh - RERUN 'The Parkers', RERUN 'One On One', RERUN 'Girlfriends', and RERUN 'Half & Half'.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
St. George, Maine
Marshall Point Light
The sun, nearing winter solstice, travels low across the sky, from sunrise, at left, to sunset, in this multiple-exposure made at the Marshall Point Light, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2002, in St. George, Maine.
The sun's position is recorded at 50-minute intervals during the short nine-hour day.
Photo by Robert F. Bukaty
Marks 90th Birthday
Lady Bird Johnson
A small group of friends and relatives gathered Sunday to celebrate the 90th birthday of Lady Bird Johnson, who suffered a stroke in May.
Since the stroke, the widow of former President Johnson communicates by using hand gestures and repeating herself. But she spends more time observing and listening.
"For so long everyone went to her for words because her words were so pretty and she was so well-spoken," granddaughter Nicole Nugent Covert said in Sunday's Austin
American-Statesman. "Now, it's more like she's here to listen to you."
Another granddaughter, attorney Catherine Robb, said the family is making extra efforts to spend time with Johnson. "We realize what a treasure she is to all of us,
and we want to soak up every little bit we can," she said.
Lady Bird Johnson
Jinan, Shandong, China
Four Gate Pagoda
A 1,300-year-old sculpture of Buddha with its head re-attached is unveiled at the Four Gate Pagoda, Jinan, Shandong, China, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2002.
A Taiwanese Buddhist group on Monday sent back the head that looters cut off from the statue about five years ago.
Photo by Wu Zengxiang
Auctioning Signed Led Zeppelin Promo Set
Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page is helping a U.K. healthcare provider raise money through a benefit auction. The guitarist has donated a numbered and autographed copy of a three-CD Led Zeppelin promo
boxed set for an auction to benefit the Bury Hospice. The winner will also receive an unsigned copy of the book Led Zeppelin: The Montreux Concerts. To make a bid, go to
led-zeppelin.com and click on "Jimmy Page Charity Auction." The auction closes January 9.
The 40-song promo set, from Page's personal collection, is Number 376 of the 2,500 that were sent primarily to directors and music supervisors in the TV and movie industry in 2001 when
the band decided to allow licensing of its music, following the successful use of four Led Zeppelin songs Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous.
Jimmy Page
Granted Coat of Arms
Paul McCartney
Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has been granted his own coat of arms, a newspaper reported Sunday.
According to The Sunday Times broadsheet, McCartney, who was knighted in 1997 for his contribution to British music and society, uses the crest to pay homage to his
musical career and birthplace, Liverpool.
It features a liver — the fanciful bird which features on the arms of the city of Liverpool — holding a guitar in its claw. Four curved emblems on the shield, which
resemble beetles' backs, reflect his career with John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the newspaper said.
The motto, "Ecce Cor Meum," which is Latin for "Behold My Heart," is the title of an oratorio he composed, the newspaper said.
The Sunday Times said McCartney applied for the crest the year he was knighted, but the death of his first wife Linda from cancer in 1998 delayed its design and approval.
The coat of arms was granted by the College of Arms, the English heraldic body formed in 1484, the newspaper said.
Paul McCartney
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Bars Use of R-Rated Movies in Class
BYU
After years of discussion, Brigham Young University has formalized a policy to ensure classroom study is rated PG-13.
Professors at the Mormon-owned private university started following a policy this semester that discourages showing R-rated movies in classes.
Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints counsel members to avoid films with excessive gore, violence, profanity or nudity.
The guidelines apply to visual and literary materials used in class. It says that faculty should not "require students to view unedited R-rated movies, as a
matter not simply of content but of obedience to prophetic counsel."
The two-page statement urges professors to pick films, books, poems, paintings, music and sculptures that are "appropriate to BYU's mission and teach them in
ways that invite the spirit of God into the classroom."
BYU
Roevershagen, Germany
Gingerbread City
Marian Decker, background, decorates gingerbread houses Monday, Dec. 2, 2002 in a hall of an agricultural market in Roevershagen near Rostock, northern Germany. On a site measuring more than 400 square meters, the city of
Rostock has been built as a town of gingerbreads houses. The constructors used around 800 kilograms (1,760 pounds) of flour, 320 kilograms (705 pounds) of honey, 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of almonds and about 80 kilograms
(175 pounds) of raisins, as well as 2,400 eggs to build the world's biggest gingerbread town, with which they hope to get an entry into the Guinness Book of Records.
Photo by Frank Hormann
Names Whistle-Blowers as Persons of the Year
Time Magazine
Time Magazine named a trio of women whistle-blowers as its Persons of the Year on Sunday, praising their roles in unearthing malfeasance that eroded public confidence in their institutions.
Two of the women, Sherron Watkins, a vice president at Enron Corp., and Cynthia Cooper of WorldCom Inc., uncovered massive accounting fraud at their respective companies, which both went bankrupt.
The third, Coleen Rowley, is an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In May, she wrote a scathing 13-page memo to FBI Director Robert Muller detailing how supervisors at a Minneapolis,
Minnesota field office brushed aside her requests to investigate Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called "20th hijacker" in the Sept. 11th attacks, weeks before the attacks occurred.
Other people considered by the magazine, which hits stores on Monday, included resident Bush, al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, Vice President Dick Cheney and New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer.
However, Kelly said "some of (Bush's) own goals: the capture of Osama bin Laden, the unseating of Saddam Hussein, the revival of a sluggish economy, haven't happened yet. There was a sense
of bigger things to come, and it might be wise to see how things played out," he added.
Time Magazine
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
Qeshm Island
Hookah
A veiled Iranian woman wears a traditional dress as she smokes a water pipe on Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf some1,500 kms (932 miles) south of Tehran, Thursday Dec. 19, 2002.
Photo by Hasan Sarbakhshian
Curse of the Mummy's Tomb Broken
King Tutankhamen
King Tutankhamen's infamous "curse of the mummy's tomb," supposed to have killed off many of those involved in the opening of the pharaoh's tomb 80 years ago was a myth, Australian researchers say.
The British Medical Journal published a study on Friday which found that, contrary to the legend that sprung up around Tutankhamen's mummy, most of those present at its opening of his tomb in 1922 lived to a ripe old age.
"(The myth) was almost certainly generated by rival newspapers that were shut out of the find of the century when exclusive rights were given to The Times of London," the study's author, Mark Nelson of Monash
University in Melbourne, told Reuters.
According to archaeologist Howard Carter -- who led the team that discovered the burial chamber -- 25 Westerners were present when the tomb was opened. They found the pharaoh's mummy, complete with splendid
gold burial mask and a treasure trove of golden artifacts.
The find made headlines around the world and sparked a craze for all things Egyptian. But when Carter's sponsor Lord Carnarvon died just weeks after the opening of the chamber, the legend of the curse was born.
Newspapers at the time reported that the tomb was engraved with a curse promising that "death shall come on swift wings to him who disturbs the peace of the king" although there is no record of such an inscription being found.
Even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, said he believed an ancient curse was at work. Nelson established dates of death for all of those exposed
and found the average age at death was a respectable 70 years. Carter himself lived well into his 60s before dying of natural causes.
King Tutankhamen
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'The Osbournes'
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