M Is FOR MASHUP - October 5th, 2011
Negotiating DJ Maez Mashups
By DJ Useo
(This week's column is given by a fine German DJ, so first the article appears in German & then repeats in my own mangled form of English)
German/Deutsch:
Es ist immer wieder erfrischend, wenn man auf jemanden stößt, der es schafft, souveräne, kraftvolle Mashups zu produzieren und sich gleichzeitig nicht zu Schade ist, sich in der Szene zu engagieren. Natürlich gibt es viele Talente, die sich ihrer selbst sicher genug sind, um sich der Öffentlichkeit zu präsentieren. Leider ist es aber so, dass der Großteil der User großer Internetforen zu den - wie sie in der Szene genannt werden - "Schleichern" (original engl.: "lurker") gehört. Ein Schleicher erfreut sich an der Arbeit der anderen User und liest kräftig mit, beteiligt sich aber nie. Natürlich sind auch solche Nutzer willkommen, noch mehr würde man sich aber über sie freuen, wenn sie auch etwas zu den täglichen Themen beitragen würden. Mashup-Produzenten ("Masher") sind häufig wie Schleicher, sie posten ihre eigene Arbeit, geben aber nie eine Meinung zu den Produktionen anderer preis. Vor kurzem aber wurde mir ein Ehrenmann der Szene vorgestellt: DJ Maez ( mixblick.wordpress.com/ ). Schon vorher hatte mich seine Arbeit beeindruckt, ich hatte aber nie richtigen Kontakt, man kann sich einfach nicht mit jedem austauschen.
Aber in diesem Fall, kam er erfreulicherweise auf mich zu. Ich habe mich schon immer an den Rat von DJ Petrushka gehalten und die Menschen für wichtiger befunden als die Musik. Also habe ich diesen neuen Kontakt genutzt und ohne viel zu überlegen, gleich nach einem Interview gefragt. Was sich dann ergab begeistert mich: Ein großartiger Text über eine interessante Person zusammen mit ein paar tollen Mashups als Begleitung zum Lesen. DJ Maez versteht es, bekannte Künstler unter einem Dach zu vereinen und Tranks zu schaffen, die nicht nur gut klingen, sondern vom Kontrast der Künstler leben. Sein Erfolg zeichnet sich durch Tunes aus, die so klingen als wären sie schon immer so gewesen - obwohl sie vollständig durchgemixt sind. Wenn ihr euch neuere ('Shake That Blade' (Eminem ft. Nate Dogg vs Fedde le Grand ft. Ida Corr vs Mastiksoul vs Major Lazer vs Harold Faltermeyer vs Ali Payami vs Warp Brothers)) und ältere Tracks ('3 Monsta Names' (Britney Spears vs Culcha Candela vs Deichkind vs The Ting Tings), 'Numb Love Game' (Linkin Park & Jay-Z vs Lady Gaga vs French Fries)) von ihm anhört, werdet ihr schnell feststellen, wie durchdringend seine Art zu mixen ist. Folgendes sagt DJ Maez selbst über seine Mashups:
"Zu allererst: es geht um den Spaß, Mashups geben einem die Möglichkeit, Dinge zu erschaffen, die nie möglich gewesen wären; eine Hardrock Band vereint mit einer Jazz-Combo oder Elvis Presley und Britney Spears vereint in einem Duett.
Außerdem sind Mashups eine Methode, um aufzuzeigen, wie einfallslos ein Großteil zeitgenössischer Popmusik ist (und ein Weg dies zu ändern) und die Leute dazu anzuregen, über Innovation nachzudenken. Eines meiner Mashups beschäftigt sich sogar genau mit diesem Thema: Katy Perry vs. TaTu - All the Futuristin lover Said. Jeder hört sofort, dass "E.T. (futuristic lover)" musikalisch Tatus "All the things she said" sehr ähnlich, wenn nicht sogar davon geklaut ist. Ich habe beide Songs zu einem Mashup vereint und an dessen Beginn einen Ausschnitt einer Rede John F. Kennedys gestellt. Diese Rede ist aus dem Jahre 1962 und beschäftigt sich damit, neue Wege zu gehen und neue Dinge zu wagen - "not because they are easy but because they are hard". Diesen Pioniergeist scheinen viele Leute 50 Jahre später vergessen zu haben. Mein Mashup mit Katy Perry und TaTu soll das verdeutlichen. Gleichzeitig bringt das Mashup eine neue Art des Nachmachens mit sich, indem es selbst als (dritter) Song nicht mal mehr neue Instrumente oder Vokals hinzufügt, sondern nur noch bereits vorhandenes Material neu kombiniert, um etwas gänzlich Neuartiges zu erschaffen. Das nennt man Recycling und ist seit Jahren ein angesagtes Thema. Neue Ideen können aus der Rekombination alter Ideen entstehen und trotzdem innovativ sein. Wenn man sich Projekte wie "Everything is a Remix" anschaut, könnte man auf den Gedanken kommen, dass es nahezu unmöglich ist, heutzutage "etwas Neues" zu erfinden. Je länger man aber darüber nachdenkt, desto eher versteht man, dass jede jemals gedachte Idee eine "Mutter-Idee" oder so etwas Ähnliches hat und auch diese wieder eine ihr zugrundeliegende Idee usw. Nun stellen sich folgende Fragen: Was ist "original"?; Was ist Innovation und innovativ (Nein, "futuristic lover" mit Sicherheit nicht)?; und schießlich: Kann man wirklich zwischen originalen und nicht-originalen Ideen unterscheiden?"
Interview:
01 - Die meisten Bootlegger werden durch eine intensive Liebe zur Musik zum Mixen gebracht. Wie und durch welche Künstler drückt sich diese Liebe in deinem Leben aus?
Es gibt einige Künstler, die mich der Musik sehr nahe gebracht haben, um nur ein paar zu nennen: Runrig, Shantel, Mark Knopfler und Ottmar Liebert. Sie sind dafür verantwortlich, dass ich Unmengen Musikequipment und eine große Musiksammlung aller Stilrichtungen besitze, das meiste auf CD und Vinyl, manches sogar als Tape. Jede Woche verbringe ich einige Stunden damit, meine Sammlung durchzuhören, zu ergänzen und regionale Konzerte zu besuchen, um mehr Musik kennenzulernen. Außerdem probiere ich gerne mit verschiedenen Stilen und Künstlern in meiner DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) herum.
02 - Was hat dich veranlasst, Mashups zu produzieren?
Als Meteora rauskam, habe ich angefangen Linken Park Tracks zu remixen. Irgendwie bin ich zu dieser Zeit dann auch in die ganze Remix-Szene reingerutscht. Ich habe viel Zeit damit verbracht, mir die Mixes anderer Leute anzuhören und dabei bin ich auch auf Mashups gestoßen. Einige waren toll, andere dafür schlecht produziert - was schade war - und ich entschied mich, diese Tunes selbst noch einmal neu zu produzieren, sodass sie mir besser gefielen. Jahre später habe ich dann meine ersten eigenen Mashups produziert.
03 - Die besten Masher haben ein großes Interesse an Soundproduktion. Wenn man deine Arbeit anhört, bekommt man den Eindruck, dass du eine ausführliche Ausbildung im Bereich der Produktion durchlaufen hast. Stimmt das?
Danke, ich denke, es gibt immer noch viel zu lernen für mich. Ich habe mit 12 Jahren angefangen digital Musik zu produzieren. Seit dem versuche ich Woche für Woche meine Arbeit zu verbessern und professioneller zu werden. Das meiste habe ich mir selbst beigebracht, indem ich mir die Mixes von anderen angehört, Bücher gelesen, das Internet durchforstet und andere Künstler oder Produzenten getroffen habe. Außerdem lerne ich bei meinem Radiojob viel über Musik und habe es leichter, die richtigen Leute kennenzulernen.
04 - Wenn man sich deine Mixes anhört, denkt man schnell, dass dir vor allem der aktuelle Mainstream gefällt. Gibt es auch andere Stile, die du magst?
Tatsächlich mag ich sehr viele verschiedene Genres. Wenn ich mich für eines entscheiden müsste, wäre es wahrscheinlich Balkan-Musik oder Alternative Rock. Ich arbeite viel mit Mainstream-Pop, höre ihn selber aber kaum. Beim Radio und als DJ kommt man aber trotzdem viel damit in Kontakt.
05 - Nicht alle Bootlegger kennen sich mit dem Rest der Szene aus, schaust du dir gerne die Arbeit anderer an oder sind es mehr die vermixten Künstler, die dich an anderen Tracks interessieren?
Ich würde gerne die Arbeit aller Produzenten verfolgen, leider ist das bei dieser Vielzahl an großartigen Musikern einfach nicht möglich. Ich konzentriere mich also auf die Websites meiner Lieblingsproduzenten und schaue jede Woche, was es Neues auf GYBO gibt. Letzte Woche habe ich zufällig ein schönes, neues Nightwish-Mashup gehört und wollte sofort unbedingt sehen, was der Produzent noch so gemacht hat; manche Bands wirken auf mich einfach wie Magneten.
06 - Gibt es Mashup-Projekte oder Collections, die deine Aufmerksamkeit erregt haben? Würdest du gerne an Mashup-Sammlungen mitwirken oder sogar deine eigenen veröffentlichen?
Ich muss zugeben, dass ich nicht so viele solche Projekte kenne. Ich denke mal, nur die bekanntesten: Mash-Up Your Bootz, die GYBO challenge und MashupMonday. Trotzdem würde ich gerne an solchen Projekten mitarbeiten, besonders wenn sie sich mit bestimmten Themen wie französischer Musik oder so etwas beschäftigen. Diese Arbeit würde mich interessieren.
07 - Wenn man bedenkt, dass Foren gerade für Feedback da sind, dann fällt die Rückmeldung zu neuen Mashups häufig sehr knapp aus. Ohne Online-Kumpels oder eine interessierte Familie ist es schwierig, direktes Feedback zu bekommen. Die meiste Rückmeldung bekomme ich zumindest durch die tanzenden Zuhörer. Wie sind da deine Erfahrungen?
Meistens bekomme ich nicht sehr viel Online-Feedback in den einschlägigen Foren. Ich würde sagen, die Hälfte der Resonanz kommt von Freunden. Zu sehen, dass die Leute sich freuen, wenn du deinen neuen Track spielst oder viele Views auf Youtube zu bekommen ist allerdings auch eine schöne Art Rückmeldung zu bekommen. Aber brauchbare Kritik von anderen Künstlern ist leider wirklich selten.
08 - Mir wurde in meiner Zeit in der Mashup-Szene schon vorgehalten, zu ernst und ebenso zu albern zu sein, meist von den gleichen Leuten zugleich. Beeinflusst der Kontakt zu anderen Bootleggern dein Mixen?
Das kommt darauf an. Natürlich möchte ich meine Arbeit verbessern und habe ein offenes Ohr für Kritik. Andererseits muss ich meinen eigenen Stil beibehalten und möchte nicht, dass jemand mir reinredet. Jedem gefällt eben etwas anderes.
09 - (Leserfrage) Welches ist deine Lieblingstonart? D-Dur?
(lacht) Sehr gute Frage. Natürlich ist sie das.
10 - Vielleicht ist das ja offensichtlich, aber woher kommt dein DJ-Name?
Eine Freundin hat mich früher in der Schule immer "Maez" genannt - ich weiß nicht wieso - irgendwie habe ich mich daran gewöhnt. Allgemein benutze ich verschiedene Namen für meine verschiedenen musikalischen Identitäten: DJ Maez als Bootlegger, Midnighttwist für alle anderen Musikprojekte und Shadowcase als DJ.
11 - Fällt es dir schwer, neue Ideen für Mashups zu bekommen? Woher nimmst du die Acapellas und Instrumentals?
Normalerweise kommen mir die Ideen ganz von allein. Manchmal mache ich die Arbeit anderer nach auf eine Weise, die mir besser gefällt. Die meisten Acapellas und Instrumentals hierfür kann man direkt im Internet oder als Vinyl kaufen. Andernfalls muss ich DIY (do it yourself) Versionen verwenden.
12 - Könntest du uns bitte ein paar Künstler nennen, die du in Zukunft vermixen willst?
Klar: Shantel, Taio Cruz, Deadmau5, Wiz Khalifa und einige andere. Außerdem plane ich mit verschieden Rock- und Metal-Bands, sowie mit einigen unbekannteren deutschen Künstlern zu arbeiten.
13 - Wirst du so lange mashen bis sich der verdiente Erfolg einstellt oder tust du das alles aus Liebe zur Musik?
Ich denke, dass Erfolg einem immer hilft, die Dinge weiterzumachen, die man liebt. Erfolg sollte aber nie der Grund für die Arbeit sein, die man macht. Ich werde weiterhin mit Musik arbeiten, unabhängig davon, wie erfolgreich diese Arbeit sein mag.
…das Gespräch dauerte natürlich noch weit in den Abend an und wir haben uns hier auf eine Auswahl an Fragen beschränkt. Vielen Dank an DJ Maez für das Interview. Wenn euch der Artikel oder seine Arbeit gefallen, dann besucht ihn doch auf seiner Website und hinterlasst einen Kommentar ( mixblick.wordpress.com/ ) .
English:
You know, it's refreshing to come across someone whose mashup work is stong enough to speak for itself, but still goes that extra mile & communicates with words as well. Of course, there's plenty of talented individuals who feel secure enough personally to dwell in the public sphere. A sad fact of many forums is that the majority of readers are what we in the bootleg biz call 'lurkers'. A lurker enjoys the posts & the links, but never logs in & makes themselves known. They're still welcome at the forums, but we'd rather they shared of themselves, too, even if just in words. Mashers often are a similar type of lurker, when they only post & don't comment. One gentleman of the scene I've been introduced to is DJ Maez ( mixblick.wordpress.com/ ). I'd already been impressed from hearing his work. I don't recall if I'd commented, though, as I try to not dominate forums with my comments like I used to. You just can't get to everyone.
Well, in this case, one of them came to me. Joy! I've always valued the people more than the music, in following the wise advice of DJ Petrushka, who was an actual dj long before I was. Well, I took advantage of this new communicative contact, & being a bit pushy, I suppose, in nature, I boldly asked for an interview. What manifested next pleases me to no end. A great read about an interesting person and subject, along with some excellent mashups to listen to while you read. DJ Maez has a strong ability in bringing well-known artists together in one track in a way that not only works, but becomes sronger through the contrast. He thrives through release of tracks that sound like they were always that way, despite being quite mixed. Listen to his latest '3 Monsta Names' (Britney Spears vs Culcha Candela vs Deichkind vs The Ting Tings) or even older mixes like 'Numb Love Game' (Linkin Park & Jay-Z vs Lady Gaga vs French Fries) and 'Shake That Blade' (Eminem ft. Nate Dogg vs Fedde le Grand ft. Ida Corr vs Mastiksoul vs Major Lazer vs Harold Faltermeyer vs Ali Payami vs Warp Brothers) & you'll witness the occurring success of DJ Maez's mixing. Let's begin now the interview with a statement about mashups from DJ Maez & then his replies to my posed inquiries.
DJ Maez : First and foremost: it's all about the fun. Mashups give you the opportunity of creating things that would have never been possible: a hard rock band featuring a jazz combo or Elvis and Britney singing a duet.
On the other hand, mashing is a way to show how unimaginative popular music nowadays is (and a way to change that too)... and a method to make people think about innovation. One of my mashups deals exactly with this topic. It's Katy Perry vs tatu: all the futuristic lover said. Everyone knew that e.t. (futuristic lover) is just completely stolen from tatu's all the things she said. What I did was combining them and adding a John F Kennedy speech snippet in the beginning. It's from 1962 and it's all about achieving and daring new things - "not because they are easy but because they are hard". 50 years later people seem to have forgotten about that spirit of daring new things. The mashup of katy and tatu is a way to show that, but by the same token this mashup tries to take it all to another level of duplication, making a third song that doesnt even use a new instrument or vocal part but just combines the old things and still tries to be different. Now the whole conflict unfolds: new things can be created by using old things. Thats what we call recycling and we've been doing that for years now. New ideas can originate from the combination of old thoughts and can still be innovative and daring. When looking at projects like "everything is a remix" you might tend to believe that it's impossible to come up with new ideas nowadays. The longer you think about it you step by step understand that every idea has a "mother-idea" (that again has a mother-idea and so on) or something like that. That's the point where everybody should start thinking about the following questions: What does "original" mean? What is innovation (no, "futuristic lover" isn't)? and finally: Is it really possible to tell which idea is original and which isn't?"
01 - Bootleggers all have an intense love of music that drives them to mix. How did this love of music manifest in your life?,and through which musical artists?
There are several artists that made me fall in love with music, just to name a few: Runrig, Shantel, Mark Knopfler and Ottmar Liebert. They are responsible for the fact, that I own tons of musical equipment and a huge collection of all kinds of music, most on CD or vinyl and even as tape. I spend several hours a week just listening to my collection or visiting concerts by local artists to get to know music. I also love playing around with different musical ideas and artists in my 'DAW'.
02 - What were the circumstances that led to you taking up the mashing mantle?
I started remixing Linkin Park tracks just when Meteora came out, because I loved LP's music and wanted to work with it. By that time I somehow got involved in the whole remix scene. I spent many days just listening to other people's mixes back then and also came across some mashup-music; some of the mashes were awesome but also some were produced sloppily - which was a pity - so I decided to recreate these tracks to have a version that suits my fancy. Years later I produced my first own mashup.
03 - The best mashers have a strong interest in sound production. Your work gives the impression you've had extensive production training. Is this the case, or did you work it all out on your own?
Thank you, I think there's still a lot I should learn. I started producing music digitally when I was 12 years old. Since then I've tried really hard to improve my style and get a more professional workflow every week. I figured most of the stuff out on my own learning from other people's tunes, looking for online material, reading literature and meeting with other producers or artists. Additionally my radiojob helps me learn about music and get to know the right people.
04 - From hearing your mixes,I get the impression your first musical love is mainstream popular music.Is this so,& do you also enjoy other musical styles,like dubstep,chill,or rock?
Actually, there are a lot of genres I like. If I had to decide on one favourite style it would probably be alternative rock or balkanmusic. Mainstream pop is just the music I mostly work with, but I normally don't listen to it too much. Working at a radio station and as DJ gets me in contact with popular music a lot though.
05 - Not all bootleggers are into the rest of the scene. Do you enjoy following any other mixers' work,or is it mainly the source artists that they use in their tracks that draws you in?
I'd love to follow all of them. But there are just way too many great producers out there, so I have to concentrate on seeing what's new on "gybo" and checking the websites of my favourite mixers. Last week I discovered a new Nightwish mashup by chance and just couldn't resist to check out the producer's other stuff as well - there are certain artist that just pull me in.
06 - Are there any mashup projects,or compilations that have garnered your attention? Are you interested in participating in mashup compilations,including releasing collections of your own?
I have to admit that I do not know too many projects, I guess I only know the most common ones like Mash-Up Your Bootz, the gybo challenges and MashupMonday. Nevertheless I would really be interested in becoming a part of less known projects that focus on certain topics like fear or French music or something like that. That would be an interesting thing to work on.
07 - Mashup feedback can be surprisingly scarce given that forums are set up for that very purpose.Without a few good online pals,or interested family, direct response can be problematic.Most of my own feedback comes from actual audience dancing & cheering.What's the state of your feedback experience?
In most cases I don't get too much feedback on my new tracks in online forums. I would say half of the resonance I get is delivered by friends. Seeing how people react when dropping your tunes or getting numerous views on youtube is a common way to get feedback too. But useful responses from other artists are rare, unfortunately true.
08 - In my personal experiences with the 'mashup scene',I've been taken to task for being too serious,& correspondingly criticized for not being serious enough,often by the same people.Does your interaction with other bootleggers affect your mixing?
It depends. I want to improve my work and therefore listen to critiques. On the other hand I have to stick to my own style and I do not want people to tell me what to do. Different people like different things, that's just normal.
09 - (reader contributed question) What is your favorite key? D major?
(laughs) That's a good one. Of course it is.
10 - This may seem obvious,but how did you come upon your DJ name?
A good friend back in school used to call me "Maez" - no idea why - and I somehow got familiar with it. In general I use different names for my musical identities, DJ Maez as bootlegger, Midnighttwist for all other music production projects and Shadowcase as a DJ.
11 - Do you have any trouble devising new track combinations? Where do you get your mixing fodder such as instrumentals & acapellas from?
New combinations normally just come to my mind every other day. Sometimes I just imitate mashes others have done before but remake them in a way that I like better. Most instrumentals and acapellas can be purchased either on the internet or as vinyl. In other cases I have to use DIY versions.
12 - Can you please share with us some of the artists you crave mixing with in future?
Definetly: Shantel, Taio Cruz, Deadmau5, Wiz Khalifa and some others. Furthermore I'm planning on working with different rock/metal bands and some less known German artists.
13 - Do you expect to continue mashing till some deserved success results,or are you in it for the love alone?
I think success helps you carry on the things you love and of course success is always appreciated. But it should never be the one reason for your work. I will continue working with music in all ways no matter how successful that work might be.
...and of course the talk continued far into the evening. Big thanks to DJ Maez for the interview. If you enjoyed the article, or his mixes, please drop him a comment on
his site ( mixblick.wordpress.com/ ) .
Mix Of The Week
Rusty Egan has released 'Chilled Electro Mix Sep 2011 We Come One' and it's a positive occurence. As Rusty states "(It's a) Chilled mix of some current mixs of classic and some new chilled mixs of favourite tracks this year. "It's an hour well-spent,I say.
( soundcloud.com/rusty-egan/2011-08-30-22h35m55 )
Mashup Tip : If you can operate itunes media player, you can manage most dj mix programs. So get to it!
Latest Useo Thing
My monthly long mix as hosted on B00mB0x for many years now is '
DJ Useo-Eff Up The Volume (Modern Dubstep Mix). It's only the latest, hottest tracks all mixed extremely by yours truly. Have fun with it
here ( www.bmbx.org/2011/09/eff-up-the-volume/ )
... g-mix.html ( groovytimewithdjuseo.blogspot.co/
Podgornio, The Mashup Psychic Predicts
In exactly 2 days Geraldo will reveal on live Fox television a newly-found, long-lost cache of Motown acapellas leading to an immediate resurgence in Smokey Robinson mashups. Wow!
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
David Bruce: Wise Up! Heroes (Athens News)
On Sept. 2, 2010, approximately 40 robbers stole money, cell phones, laptops and other valuables from passengers on a train - the Maurya Express - going to Gorakhpur, India, from Ranchi, India. They may have gotten away with their crimes if they had not stripped and attempted to rape a girl in front of her parents. Sitting beside the girl was Bishnu Shrestha, age 35 and a Gurkha (Nepalese) soldier who had recently retired from service in the Indian army. He had his khukuri - a razor-sharp knife - with him, and he fought the robbers and would-be rapists for 20 minutes, killing three of them and injuring eight more before the rest fled.
Taking the Show on the Road (YouTube)
According to a rough Babelfish translation from the Russian description, Alexander Ishutin bought a motorcycle and installed a drum set on it so he and his friends could do this. In Soviet Russia, concert drives to you!
Asjylyn Loder and David Evans: Koch Brothers Flout Law With Secret Iran Sales (bloomberg.com)
Egorova-Farines wasn't rewarded for bringing the illicit payments to the company's attention. Her superiors removed her from the inquiry in August 2008 and fired her in June 2009, calling her incompetent, even after Koch's investigators substantiated her findings. She sued Koch-Glitsch in France for wrongful termination.
Andrew Tobias: THIS CHART SAYS IT ALL
Take a second to click here and five seconds to absorb it. It won't take longer.
AYLIN ZAFAR: Denmark Institutes First-Ever 'Fat Tax' (Time Newsfeed)
Would you think twice about indulging in Chubby Hubby if you had to pay more for a pint? Denmark hopes you will. Even though less than 10% of Denmark's population is considered clinically obese, which is lower that the European average, the country is tackling the ever-worsening issue of obesity by instituting the first-ever "fat tax."
Amanda Ripley: Teacher, Leave Those Kids Alone (Time)
On a wet Wednesday evening in Seoul, six government employees gather at the office to prepare for a late-night patrol. The mission is as simple as it is counterintuitive: to find children who are studying after 10 p.m. And stop them.
Maurice Sendak: 'I refuse to lie to children' (Guardian)
At 83, children's author Maurice Sendak is as productive - and angry - as ever. Roald Dahl? Glad he's dead. The US right? Schnooks. Life? Awful. Emma Brockes gets an earful.
Geoff Boucher: After 40 years, actor Malcolm McDowell has come to terms with landmark film (Los Angeles Times)
With his bloodied cane and black bowler, Malcolm McDowell became a signature symbol of brutal youth in 1971's "A Clockwork Orange," but the actor says he couldn't truly appreciate that angry young man until he himself was old enough to comb white hair.
David Bruce has 42 Kindle books on Amazon.com with 250 anecdotes in each book. Each book is $1, so for $42 you can buy 10,500 anecdotes. Search for "Funniest People," "Coolest People, "Most Interesting People," "Kindest People," "Religious Anecdotes," "Maximum Cool," and "Resist Psychic Death."
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answered:
Reader Suggestion
Michelle in AZ
From The Creator of 'Avery Ant'
BadtotheboneBob
In the Navy...
Navy Posts DADT Web site
The U.S. Navy has posted on the Navy Personnel Command web site its Don't Ask Don't Tell Post Repeal Website...
(From the site)
On 22 December 2010, the President signed into law legislation that set conditions for the repeal of Title 10, United States Code, Section 654, known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT).
Training was given to all active duty, selected reserve, and civilians who supervise military personnel using a tiered approach. Effective 20 September 2011, United States Code, Section 654 was officially repealed.
The United States Navy values diversity and we are a better military and stronger nation for it. This means that, like all other qualified citizens, gay, lesbian and bisexual (LGB) Recruits and Sailors shall be evaluated based on individual merit, fitness, and performance. It is the policy of the Department of Defense to treat all service members in a sexual orientation neutral manner - with professionalism, dignity and respect to ensure maintenance of good order and discipline.
In addition the site has links for...
Post Repeal: Top 10 things to know (pdf)
Repeal News
FAQ's
Earlier this year I predicted that once DADT was repealed and the military was directed to 'make it work', they would with minimal fuss and ado. They have. I'm sure that there are many in the military that are still opposed to GLB's serving, but they will have no choice but to 'deal with it' much as those that opposed Truman's integration of blacks in the military in 1948 had to... Unit commanders will be very keen to prevent any mistreatment of, or discrimination against, GLB members if only to protect their own 'fitness to command' evaluations and fear of being relieved of their commands (a career ender) for failure to ensure 'good order and discipline'. In the military, rules are rules with damn'd little wiggle-room. This year alone, the Navy has set records relieving Captains of ships and commanders of shore units for all manner of infractions. Some seemingly minor to civilians, yet to the Navy they were evidence of 'loss of confidence in ability to command'. I actually think the transition will be smoother and less fractious than the 1948 integration was. At least I hope so.
BadtotheboneBob
Thanks, B2tbBob!
Reader Comment
thoughts on Hank getting yanked
Marty, when I first received word of Hank Williams Jr.'s comments about President Obama yesterday, I had to believe that it was more red meat for the many on the right who are so awful and infested with hate. I was expecting ESPN to yank his intro for the Monday Night football games, but I wasn't expecting such a quick response.
I suppose this serves to prove that one has to be a raging right-winger in order to be in country music in this day and age. Oh, we can't have Willie Nelson smoking pot or the Dixie Chicks criticizing Mr. Bush, but we can have Toby Keith attacking Natalie Maines, as well as Hank Jr. criticizing the President, not to mention Lee Greenwood giving us that right-wing propaganda every year come the Fourth of July - "God Bless the USA", now, can't we?
When it comes to my tastes in country music, I prefer Willie Nelson - after all, he's groovy - and the Dixie Chicks, who will be reuniting for a benefit show in Austin on October 17th, I understand. I also favor Anne Murray and Shania Twain, plus the Canadian folk-country star Stompin' Tom Connors. Look up his song, "The Hockey Song", on YouTube. It's worth listening to.
Hope the days go well for you, Marty!
George M
Thanks, George!
BadtotheboneBob
Jeff Daniels - Tigers Fan
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Rainy morning, with more rain to come.
Rupert Cries Poor Mouth
"The Simpsons"
The future of long-running animated television comedy "The Simpsons" appeared to be up in the air on Tuesday after 20th Century Fox Television said it could not continue to afford producing the show under its current business model.
Fox Television, a unit of News Corp, issued its statement after a report that the cast of the subversive comedy had refused a proposed 45 percent pay cut.
"The Simpsons" is the longest-running comedy series on U.S. television and is currently in its 23rd season on Fox. The show also generates billions of dollars through global syndication, as well as DVD and merchandise sales.
The Fox statement followed a report on news website The Daily Beast that the six principal voice cast members -- including the voices for Homer (Dan Castellaneta), Marge (Julie Kavner), Bart (Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (Yeardley Smith) -- were having difficulty negotiating their contracts that currently see them earning around $8 million each per season.
The Daily Beast also said the cast had tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a 30 percent pay cut in return for a portion of the show's profits.
"The Simpsons"
TV Season's First Cancellation
'The Playboy Club'
NBC's Playboy Club is closing early.
The network said Tuesday it is cancelling its highly-publicized new drama, "The Playboy Club," after only three episodes. Its time slot will eventually be filled by Brian Williams' new newsmagazine.
The Monday night drama, set in the 1960s, had only 5 million viewers for its first episode two weeks ago and kept losing viewers. Nielsen said the show had only 3.5 million viewers this week.
It's the first cancellation of the new fall TV season.
'The Playboy Club'
New Hungry Muppet
Lily
A new poverty-stricken Muppet will highlight the issue of hunger struggles on an episode of "Sesame Street", the show said in a statement on Tuesday.
Pink-faced Muppet Lily, whose family deals with food insecurity, will join Big Bird, Elmo and other favorites on a one-hour prime-time special featuring country star Brad Paisley and his wife Kimberly Williams Paisley called "Growing Hope Against Hunger," to air Oct 9.
The new Muppet will bring awareness to the ongoing hunger struggles that families face in the United States, the show said.
Recent U.S. Department of Agriculture data estimates that 17 million American children have limited or uncertain access to food. And 9.6 million of these children are under the age of 6, which prompted Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization behind "Sesame Street," to launch a "Food For Thought: Eating Well on a Budget" initiative.
Lily
New U.N. Refugee Role
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie will be taking on a new role in the world's most acute refugee crises, the American actress and United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday.
UNHCR sources told Reuters they expected her to be named Special Representative on the Afghan refugee situation, to help resolve the fate of 2.7 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran. But a representative for the actress said there was no final agreement.
Jolie, who has served for 10 years as goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and donated $5 million to its aid operations, declined to be specific, telling reporters: "We are looking at a few countries in the world.
Antonio Guterres, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, said Jolie would become "our special envoy mainly for the most dramatic refugee situations that require a lot of advocacy" and help mobilize strong international support.
Angelina Jolie
His Last 'Star Trek' Convention
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy has attended his final "Star Trek" convention.
The 80-year-old actor, best-known for playing Mr. Spock in the original TV series that began in September 1966, formed four fingers into a V for Vulcan sign and intoned to fans Spock's most famous phrase: "Live long and prosper."
Nimoy has said the convention in suburban Chicago celebrating the 45th anniversary of "Star Trek" would be his last.
He spoke for an hour about his life and career, and thanked fans for their support over the years. Some held signs saying: "We love you Leonard! Live long & prosper."
Leonard Nimoy
Collection At Paris' Grand Palais
Gertrude Stein
The lady with the crazy hat is back, 106 years after she scandalized Parisians. Nearby is another woman of scandal, reclining naked, her body strangely contorted and tinted blue.
These Matisse masterpieces are part of the art collection of writer Gertrude Stein and her brothers, Americans from San Francisco who set up in Paris and became legendary patrons of avant-garde art.
Some 200 paintings and other works acquired by the Steins go on display Wednesday at the sumptuous Grand Palais, where Matisse's "Femme Au Chapeau" (Woman with a Hat) scandalized visitors during an art exhibit at the Grand Palais in 1905.
The show, on two floors, brings together masters who defined modern art - Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne, Manet. Along the way, it tells the story of the important role the Steins played in setting the direction of 20th century art.
Gertrude Stein
Beck Got Wood
Bill O'Really
With New Jersey governor Chris Christie officially out of the 2012 presidential race, that leaves it to the current crop of Republican candidates to win over the electorate and the pundits.
Based on Monday's sit-down between Fox News' Bill O'Reilly and his former colleague Glenn Beck on GBTV, it would appear that Mitt Romney has the edge in O'Reilly's view, but he's not exactly overly enthusiastic about the candidate.
O'Reilly was cautious throughout the interview, complimenting the candidates with one hand while still offering criticisms of most of them.
Meanwhile, Beck seemed to like every candidate, referring to Cain's "9-9-9 Plan" as "brilliant" and insisting Bachmann's toughness would outweigh her inexperience.
In keeping with his normal shtick, Beck called Obama a Marxist, and conducted the interview with a baseball bat in between his legs.
Bill O'Really
Defended Confederate Symbols
Gov. Goodhair
Eleven years ago, when the NAACP stepped up a campaign to remove the Confederate battle flag from statehouses and other government buildings across the South, it found an opponent in Rick Perry.
Texas had a pair of bronze plaques with symbols of the Confederacy displayed in its state Supreme Court building. Perry, then lieutenant governor, said they should stay put, arguing that Texans "should never forget our history."
It's a position Perry has taken consistently when the legacy of the Civil War has been raised, as have officials in many of the other former Confederate states. But while defense of Confederate symbols and Southern institutions can still be good politics below the Mason-Dixon line, the subject can appear in a different light when officials seek national office.
He took criticism over the weekend for a rock outside the Texas hunting camp his family once leased that had the name Niggerhead painted on it. Perry's campaign says the governor's father painted over the rock to cover the name soon after he began leasing the site in the early 1980s and says the Perry family never controlled, owned or managed the property. But rival Herman Cain, the only black Republican in the race, says the rock symbolizes Perry's insensitivity to race.
A related issue may rise this fall when Texas decides whether to allow specialty license plates featuring the Confederate flag. The plates have been requested by the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a nonprofit organization Perry has supported over the years. A state board he appointed will decide.
Gov. Goodhair
Robber Barons For The 21st Century
Koch-Suckers
Subsidiaries of the global business empire headed by the Koch Brothers, who have helped bankroll an array of conservative, anti-regulatory causes, made illegal payments to win foreign contracts, Bloomberg Markets magazine reports in a detailed investigation in its November issue. In addition, foreign subsidiaries belonging to Koch Industries sold millions in petrochemical equipment to an Iranian methanol plant, Bloomberg also reports.
I
n September 2008, a team of researchers sent by Koch Industries to its subsidiary in Arles, France, "found evidence of improper payments to secure contracts in six countries dating back to 2002, authorized by the business director of the company's Koch-Glitsch affiliate in France," Bloomberg's Asjylyn Loder and David Evans write .
Koch Industries, based in Wichita, Kan., was reportedly none too pleased when the allegations came to light internally. Instead of recognizing the work of Ludmila Egorova-Farine--the ethics compliance officer who first brought the alleged bribes from the French subsidiary to the company's attention--the company took Egorova-Farines off the case. Koch management then fired her a year later, Loder and Evans report.
The Bloomberg Markets investigation also found that "Koch Industries--in addition to being involved in improper payments to win business in Africa, India and the Middle East--has sold millions of dollars of petrochemical equipment to Iran, a country the U.S. identifies as a sponsor of global terrorism," Loder and Evans write.
Koch-Suckers
Michael Douglas' Son Testifies
Cameron Douglas
The imprisoned son of Michael Douglas has testified that he would have been better off staying in jail rather than being freed on bail after he was arrested in New York on drug charges.
Cameron Douglas testified Tuesday at a drug trial in Manhattan federal court. He says he learned the federal prison system treats drug-addicted inmates when they arrive. Instead, he was freed on bail after his arrest in July 2009 for dealing methamphetamine from a high-end Manhattan hotel.
The son of the Oscar-winning actor eventually pleaded guilty to charges and agreed to cooperate in a deal that secured him a five-year prison term.
Douglas was called by the government as part of his deal to testify against a man he claims supplied him with large quantities of drugs.
Cameron Douglas
Reward? What Reward?
Michael Levine
Michael Levine, a Hollywood publicist sued in L.A. Superior Court on Monday, said he never established a $25,000 reward for his murdered friend Ronni Chasen and thus should not be sued for failing to pay it.
Levine was named in the lawsuit demanding a $125,000 reward, citing the publicist along with the Palm Springs Film Festival for failing to pay a promised bounty for finding Chasen's killer.
The suit was filed by an unnamed "John Doe" who said he was the tipster who had called the "America's Most Wanted" television show and led police to Harold Martin Smith, the alleged killer.
In a letter by his lawyer Eric George, Levine demanded that he be removed from the lawsuit, saying, "Your complaint is devoid of evidentiary or legal support, not to mention common sense."
George said that Levine only said that he hoped to raise a fund of a $25,000 to find Chasen's killer, but that after Chasen's family asked him to demur never followed through.
Michael Levine
Brewer, No Shipley
Mrs. Palin
Sarah Palin (R-Quitter) has contributed a foreword for an upcoming book by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R-Leatherized).
A statement issued Tuesday by HarperCollins says Brewer's "Scorpion for Breakfast" comes out Nov. 1 and will offer "a hard-nosed look at the dangerous situation in the border states."
Brewer signed a tough immigration bill in 2010 that the Justice Department has sued to block. It says it violates the Constitution because enforcing immigration law is a federal issue.
Palin has supported the law and called Arizona "ground zero" on dealing with border security.
Mrs. Palin
Costumes Up For Auction
Marilyn Monroe
A selection of Marilyn Monroe's costumes from films such as "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Bus Stop" are going up for sale in December, following sales of $22.8 million from an auction held earlier this year in Beverly Hills.
The Debbie Reynolds Collection auction in June far exceeded its initial estimates, and earned a place in the Guinness World Records after selling Monroe's iconic white "Subway Dress" for $5.52 million, making it the world's most expensive dress.
Fans and collectors of Monroe will have another chance of owning costumes worn by the late actress, priced between $150,000 and $300,000 at the Debbie Reynolds Collection Part II auction.
Monroe's provocatively sexy costumes were known for pushing the barrier set by strict film censorship codes. The December auction will feature Monroe's saucy showgirl leotard from the Oscar-nominated 1956 film "Bus Stop," designed by William Travilla, auctioneers Profile in History said on Tuesday.
Marilyn Monroe
Beer Record
Oktoberfest
Revellers at the world's biggest beer festival slurped down a record number of ales, taking advantage of balmy late summer weather, organisers said Tuesday as the festivities closed.
A total of 6.9 million visitors staggered around the cavernous beer tents in Munich, guzzling 7.5 million "steins", litre-sized measures of the amber nectar, despite a record high price of nine euros ($12).
Last year, 6.4 million people drank seven million litres (12.3 million pints).
To soak up the beer, party-goers also consumed 118 oxen (one more than last year), 53 calves and thousands of chickens.
Oktoberfest
Prime-Time Nielsens
Ratings
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen for Sept. 26-Oct. 2. Listings include the week's ranking and viewership.
1. "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 20.53 million.
2. "NCIS," CBS, 19.51 million.
3. NFL Football: N.Y. Jets vs. Baltimore, NBC, 18.9 million.
4. "60 Minutes," CBS, 17.11 million.
5. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 16.27 million.
6. "Dancing With the Stars," ABC, 16.23 million.
7. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 14.74 million.
8. "Dancing With the Stars Results," ABC, 14.39 million.
9. "Sunday Night NFL Night Pre-Kick," NBC, 14.09 million.
10. "Mike & Molly," CBS, 13.86 million.
11. "Modern Family," ABC, 13.45 million.
12. "The Mentalist," CBS, 12.92 million.
13. "Criminal Minds," CBS, 12.58 million.
14. "Person of Interest," CBS, 12.52 million.
15. "Unforgettable," CBS, 12.43 million.
16. "The X-Factor" (Thursday), Fox, 12.17 million.
17. "The X-Factor" (Wednesday), Fox, 11.86 million.
18. "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 11.76 million.
19. "2 Broke Girls," CBS, 11.75 million.
20. "Castle," ABC, 11.67 million.
Ratings
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