M Is FOR MASHUP - RERUN - June 28th, 2017
A Bootleg Tribute For George Michaels Birthday
By Some Human
I know this awesome group of audio mixers called the Crumplbangers. Each of them makes the most creative bootleg mixes you'll ever hear. Here's a video of some children trying to process a few of the best tracks. "
Kids React To Crumplbangers"
( vimeo.com/210731249 )
If you read this column any, you'll recall that the Crumplbangers staged a series of online 3-day Deejay festivals called "Crumplstock".
Here's a past article on one of them
( www.suprmchaos.com/bcEnt-Wed-012517.index.html )
So, to get to the point, one of the most beloved Crumplbangers,
MsMiep
( vimeo.com/user30747985 )
totally coordinated a Crumplbanger tribute to the dearly departed George Michael. It came out a couple days ago, on the anniversary of George's birthday. Here's what DJ DAW-GUN has to say on the subject -
"What the heck is a Crumplbanger?! So a bunch of my mashup peeps get together every now and then and make a tribute album - with a twist. The tracks ride that line where they're good but they're also bad and your brain can't decide if it should feel good hating them or bad liking them. I'm delighted to be a part of the newest collection. For your enjoyment or torture, I present
Careless Crumpl
( www.carelesscrumpl.com/ )
The zip is gratis, & also quite the hoot. I even got a mix on there with George Singing over the Foo Fighters.
You know how rare novelty records can be, so grab it now!
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Paul Krugman: The Great Republican Abdication (NY Times Column)
A party that no longer believes in American values.
Paul Waldman: "No bottom: Republicans show they'll defend just about anything Trump does" (Washington Post)
On Sunday, Rudolph W. Giuliani went on television and insisted: "There's nothing wrong with taking information from Russians." This was in a context where that "information" was the result of an organized attack allegedly by Russian intelligence agents that included hacking into Democratic email systems. That's right: The president's lawyer just issued an invitation to any foreign adversary - Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Islamic State, anyone - that if they decide that one American presidential candidate would be more favorable to their interests, they should go ahead and hack, spy or use whatever other kind of means they want to employ to sway the election, and their efforts will be welcomed.
Mary Beard: Is Beard as useless as a used tampon? (TLS)
Sorry about the headline, but that is what I got on Twitter after talking briefly to Newsnight about the upshot of Brexit, from someone who's Twitter bio parades the words 'Let common sense, respect and decency prevail'. Mmmm, not much decency in this direction ('as useless as a used tampon'? I suggested he took it down, no such luck!). Anyway I am going to make some wider points after I have explained what went on, and where this all came from. But bear with me, it's not unimportant, especially if you dont know what happens at the Twitter frontline.
Coltrane: The search for a higher state of humanity (TLS)
Kevin Le Gendre explores the work of John Coltrane - a creative obsessive with pop appeal.
David Bruce's Amazon Author Page
David Bruce's Smashwords Page
David Bruce's Blog #1
David Bruce's Blog #2
David Bruce's Blog #3
David Bruce's Lulu Storefront
David Bruce's Apple iBookstore
David Bruce has over 100 Kindle books on Amazon.com.
Presenting
Michael Egan
took the day off.
has returned to semi-retired status.
In memory.
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
from Bruce
Anecdotes
• Lots of famous movie directors have directed television programs, although doing so can be different from directing a movie. For example, Patty Jenkins, director of Monster, directed the pilot episode of the TV series The Killing and ordered many more takes than a television director, who often must work quickly, would order. David Madden, president of Fox Television Studios, said, "I'd watch her [Ms. Jenkins] go 12, 13, 14 takes. For a line producer, that's justifiable cause for a heart attack." In addition, when Antoine Fuqua, director of Training Day, directed a television pilot, he says, "I took the exact same approach as I would with a movie," meaning that he used many wide shots and crowd scenes rather than television-friendly close-ups. However, he had to learn to keep in mind that television has commercials: "They'd remind me about act breaks for commercials, and I'd go, 'What's an act break?'" When Martin Scorsese directed the pilot episode of Boardwalk Empire, his reputation as a big-time movie director was so intimidating that people stayed out of his way. Terence Winter, executive producer of Boardwalk Empire, said, "We were laughing because normally you're on the set and it's your show. [Instead, we] hung out at craft services." Mr. Winter did once want to make a suggestion. A 1920s gangster kept his hat on when he entered a room that was filled with women, and Mr. Winter felt that the gangster should take off his hat. He asked the first cameraman how he could give a note to Mr. Scorsese, and the first cameraman said, "I don't know. No one's ever given him a note before."
• The Simpsons live in Springfield, but in what state? Springfield, Ohio? Springfield, Oregon? Springfield, Massachusetts? Springfield, Wherever? In one episode, Marge is talking on the telephone and saying where she lives when Homer walks in: "Springfield, Oh hi ya, Homer." In the May 2012 issue of Smithsonian Magazine, Simpsons creators Matt Groening talked about the Simpsons' Springfield: "Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon. The only reason is that when I was a kid, the TV show Father Knows Best took place in the town of Springfield, and I was thrilled because I imagined that it was the town next to Portland, my hometown. When I grew up, I realized it was just a fictitious name. I also figured out that Springfield was one of the most common names for a city in the U.S. In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought, 'This will be cool; everyone will think it's their Springfield.' And they do." Over the years, he has been kind to people who want to believe that Springfield is in their state. He said, "I don't want to ruin it for people, you know? Whenever people say it's Springfield, Ohio, or Springfield, Massachusetts, or Springfield, wherever, I always go, 'Yup, that's right.'"
• Slydini was a great magician who had been born Quintino Marucci in Italy and whom his friends called Tony. He was a master of close-up magic. For much of his life, he operated a tobacco/newspaper shop, and his customers did not know that he was a gifted magician, but he gained renewed fame when he appeared twice on one of Dick Cavett's TV interview series, to the delight of many other magicians, including Johnny Carson. Near the end of Slydini's life, he lived in a nursing home, and he was sad because no one there had ever heard of Slydini. Mr. Cavett visited Slydini occasionally, and he did the great good deed of sending to the nursing home videocassettes of Slydini's two appearances on his show. The nursing home employees played the videocassettes for the residents, and when Mr. Cavett visited Slydini for what turned out to be the last time, Slydini told him, "Dick, you did it again. I was-a nobody here. Now I'm-a the star."
• The Big Bang Theoryis a popular television show in the United States, and audiences in Belarus started viewing their own knock-off version of the show in 2010. Unfortunately, the knock-off version was unlicensed. Also unfortunately, the TV production company of the unlicensed knockoff was owned by Belarus, and therefore Big Bang Theory co-creator Chuck Lorre could not sue the production company. He did put a title card in the show; the card stated that he hoped that Belarus would "send us some felt hats" as payment for stealing the program. Actually, the actors of the knock-off had believed that they were participating in a legal, licensed television show. When they found out that the show was unlicensed, they quit and the production company was forced to suspend the illegal program.
• In season seven of its nine seasons, Roseanne Barr's hit TV series Roseanne dropped out of the top 10, and suddenly she could no longer get reservations at fancy restaurants. She had her assistant call the Palm restaurant for a reservation that night, but she was told that they were full. Roseanne then had her assistant disguise her voice and call back to ask for a reservation that night for Tom Cruise and his then-wife Nicole Kidman, and - no surprise - the Palm was not full. The assistant made the reservation for 8 p.m., but as ordered by Roseanne she called back at 7:55 p.m. to say that Tom and Nicole would not be dining at the Palm because they had accepted an invitation from Roseanne to dine at a Denny's.
• Lucille Ball was clearly the star of I Love Lucy, and everybody knew it, including her husband and co-star Desi Arnaz and including Jess Oppenheimer, who came up with the concept of the show. Occasionally, creative differences came up between these three people, and Desi proposed that the differences be decided by majority rule: if Lucy and Desi disagreed with Jess, then Lucy and Desi would get their way, and if Lucy and Jess disagreed with Desi, then Lucy and Jess would get their way. Jess asked what would happen when Desi and Jess agreed. Desi replied, "Like I told you, majority rules. In that case, then Lucy decides."
• "So, please, oh please, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install, a lovely bookcase on the wall." - Roald Dahl
***
© Copyright Bruce D. Bruce; All Rights Reserved
***
Bonus Links
Jeannie the Teed-Off Temp
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
JD is on vacation.
Visit JD's site - Kitty Litter Music
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
There's a Ford commercial that's driving me nuts - it always plays in 2 parts in the same break - usually the a or b position, and again in the d.
There is a music bed and a voice over. And there is a something like a sub-channel under it all where something metallic goes 'clank, clank, clank' - it has no relation to the music.
Just 'clank, clank, clank', then a beat (or so) and 'clank, clank, clank' again, through both commercials.
Well, they got my attention, but not in a good way.
Walk O' Fame Star
Seth MacFarlane
Versatile entertainer Seth MacFarlane, a four-time Emmy winner who has also received Grammy and Oscar nominations, became the latest honoree on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday.
MacFarlane is best known for creating the Fox animated comedy "Family Guy," now in its 17th season. He also created the TBS animated comedy "American Dad," whose first 11 seasons aired on Fox; stars in, created and produced the Fox science fiction series "The Orville"; and was an executive producer for the 2014 Fox science documentary series, "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey."
MacFarlane also directed, co-wrote and supplied the voice of the foul-mouthed teddy bear in the 2012 raunchy film comedy "Ted" and its 2015 sequel "Ted 2"; and directed, co-wrote and starred in the 2014 western film comedy, "A Million Ways to Die in the West."
Ted Danson, Mila Kunis and Ann Druyan were among those joining MacFarlane at the ceremony. Danson has appeared in three episodes of "The Orville" and supplied a voice on two episodes of "American Dad." Kunis supplies the voice of Meg Griffin on "Family Guy" and co-starred in "Ted." Druyan co-wrote and executive produced "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey." She is the widow of astronomer Carl Sagan, the host of the 1980 PBS science documentary series "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage," which Druyan and Sagan and Steven Soter wrote.
He joked during his speed that he was "privileged and humbled to take my place among the great many Hollywood notables whose names also adorn this Walk of Fame - Hollywood legends such as Donald Trump, Kevin Spacey, Michael Jackson and Bill Cosby. And I have to ask, am I worthy?
Seth MacFarlane
Handwritten Setlist Can Be Yours for $35,000
Freddie Mercury
Queen fans, prepare to be rocked by this incredible piece of history - and it can be yours, provided you've got deep enough pockets.
Freddie Mercury's handwritten setlist for the band's 1978 concert in Copenhagen is now for sale on the memorabilia website Moments in Time. Asking price: $35,000.
The two-page document contains a trove of the band's hits - including "We Will Rock You," "Somebody to Love," "Killer Queen," and the immortal "Bohemian Rhapsody" - all written in Mercury's elegant hand.
The rock god outlines two sets of encores on the page, capped off with a cover of the Elvis Presley classic "Jailhouse Rock." Amusingly, the list ends with "Hotel!!!" - presumably Mercury's shorthand for afterparty shenanigans.
Other items available on Moments in Time include the management contract - signed by John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr - that helped instigate the breakup of the Beatles, a bullet-dented medallion worn by Tupac Shakur when he was shot in 1994, and the vinyl copy of Double Fantasy that John Lennon autographed for his soon-to-be assassin, Mark David Chapman, just hours before his death.
Freddie Mercury
Does Not Approve
Tolkien Estate
The family of JRR Tolkien has issued a rare public statement disavowing a new biopic about his life.
Ahead of the film's release, the Tolkien Estate said they had no part in its making and "do not endorse it or its content in any way".
Tolkien focuses on the author's formative years, before he wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In the words of the publicity material, it traces "how the young Tolkien transformed from a lonely orphan into one of the great storytellers of all time", and stars Nicholas Hoult.
It explores Tolkien's relationship with Edith Bratt, who went on to become his wife and the inspiration for some of his characters, and his "fellowship" with three schoolfriends who would enlist together in the First World War.
The makers of the film did not invite the Tolkien family to participate, and some artistic licence is in evidence. The statement issued yesterday read: "The family of JRR Tolkien and the Tolkien Estate are aware of the Fox Searchlight motion picture entitled Tolkien that is due for release in May 2019.
Tolkien Estate
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
New Words
Get swole, prepare a bug-out bag, grab a go-cup and maybe you'll have a better chance of surviving the omnicide.
Translation: Hit the gym and bulk up, put a bunch of stuff essential for survival in an easy-to-carry bag, grab a drink for the road, and perhaps you'll live through a man-made disaster that could wipe out the human race.
Swole , bug-out bag , go-cup and omnicide are just a few of the 640 additions to Merriam-Webster's dictionary added Monday.
Deciding what gets included is a painstaking process involving the Springfield, Massachusetts-based company's roughly two dozen lexicographers, said Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster's editor at large.
The words are added to the online dictionary first, before some are later added to print updates of the company's popular Collegiate Dictionary, which according to company spokeswoman Meghan Lunghi, has sold more than 50 million copies since 1898, making it the "best-selling hardcover book after the Bible."
New Words
Legislator Leaves Party
Iowa
The longest serving Republican in the Iowa Legislature announced Tuesday that he's becoming a Democrat, saying he didn't want to remain in a party led by President Donald Trump (R-Rapacious).
Rep. Andy McKean said he made his choice after returning to the Legislature after years away from politics and finding the GOP had changed. Another significant factor, he said, was the presidency of the Republican Trump. He said if the president's behavior and leadership is the new normal, "I want no part of it."
"Unacceptable behavior should be called out for what it is and Americans of all parties should insist on something far better in the leader of their country and the free world," said McKean, 69, a retired attorney from the eastern Iowa city of Anamosa.
He pointed to Trump's spending decisions, and what McKean called the president's "erratic, destabilizing foreign policy," choices regarding the environment and "disregard for the truth."
McKean first entered the House in 1979 and served seven terms. He left the legislature but returned to the Senate in 1993 and served three terms. He then won election to the House in 2016 and was re-elected in 2018. He's now served nearly 29 years in the Legislature.
Iowa
We Now Know
Earth's Magnetic Field
Earth's magnetic field is not as stable and certain as a compass might suggest. Every now and again, a sudden jerk rumbles through the magnetic field, twitching the planet's magnetic field lines. After first being described in 1978, scientists finally believe they know what causes these mysterious geomagnetic jerks: sudden spurts of hot liquid metal sloshing around in Earth's core.
Our planet might look like it's all rock and water, but deep beneath our feet, there is a swirling sea of liquid metal. This is why Earth has a magnetic field. Researchers already know that movement within the core, in the form of "slow" convection movement, can cause changes in the magnetic field over the course of centuries. They now believe the smaller but sharper geomagnetic jerks that occur every 10 years or so might be the result of "rapid" hydromagnetic waves in the core.
Reporting in the journal Nature Geoscience, scientists from the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris and the Technical University of Denmark used supercomputers to model Earth's core and reproduce the succession of events that lead to geomagnetic jerks.
Their computer modeling showed that the jerks, occurring approximately every 10 years, can be traced back to "a sudden buoyancy release" - a rapid gush of convection that rushes towards the core's surface - that occurred 25 years previously. As reported by Newsweek, the intermittent jerks in Earth's core could possibly be a factor in recent observations that seem to suggest the magnetic north pole is shifting across the globe in an unpredictable fashion.
The magnetic field is surprisingly important to life on Earth, so understanding its intricacies and oddities is also of great importance. First of all, we (and many other species) use it for navigation. We obviously use the magnetic field when we look at a compass, but more high-tech methods of navigation, such as smartphones and satellites, also rely on the magnetic field lines.
Earth's Magnetic Field
Prime-Time Nielsens
Ratings
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for April 15-21. Listings include the week's ranking and viewership.
1. "NCIS," CBS, 11.89 million.
2. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 11.45 million.
3. "Game of Thrones," HBO, 10.29 million.
4. "FBI," CBS, 8.77 million.
5. "60 Minutes," CBS, 8.47 million.
6. "Survivor," CBS, 7.9 million.
7. "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 7.66 million.
8. "The Voice" (Tuesday), NBC, 7.18 million.
9. "American Idol" (Sunday), ABC, 7.114 million.
10. "America Idol" (Monday), ABC, 7.106 million.
11. "Motown 60: A Grammy Celebration," CBS, 6.86 million.
12. "Life in Pieces," CBS, 6.74 million.
13. "Bull," CBS, 6.66 million.
14. "NCIS: New Orleans," CBS, 6.54 million.
15. "Mom," CBS
16. "Grey's Anatomy," ABC, 6.25 million.
17. "The Neighborhood," CBS, 5.75 million.
18. "Amazing Race," CBS, 5.74 million.
19. "911,' Fox, 5.65 million.
20. "Blue Bloods," CBS, 5.28 million.
Ratings
| CURRENT MOON lunar phases |
