Wednesday Forgotten Oldie....
May 16, 2012 7:10 am

The Rolling Stones are true rock and roll icons, often referred to as "the greatest rock band of all time". But do you remember the first song you ever heard by the Stones on the radio? "Tell Me" is the song by The Rolling Stones, featured on their 1964 self-titled album (US title: England's Newest Hit Makers), that I remember as the first. It was released as a single A-side in the US only, and was the first Jagger/Richards song released as a single A-side, and their first record to enter the US Top 40. The single reached #24 in the US and #1 in Sweden. It was never released as a single in the UK. They had released "Not Fade Away" earlier in 1964, the Buddy Holly cover reached #48 on the hot 100, but I don't remember hearing it on the radio. Then came "Tell Me", which got my attention big time. After that, "It's All Over Now" was released. Many people believe "It's All Over Now" was the Stones first monster hit, and I agree to a point... but even though it was #1 in the UK, it was only #26 in the USA, supporting my contention that "Tell Me" should not be a Forgotten Oldie!

Survivor Finale...
May 14, 2012 9:18 am

Last night's wrap-up of the Survivor One World series turned out exactly as I predicted last week... Kim won. Again the producers went out of their way to convince us that Kim would betray her original alliance of Chelsea and Sabrina, but nope... didn't happen. It was the first time the last five were all women, and front-runner Kim (picture) received seven of the nine jury votes. The only surprise last night was Kat's maturity at the last tribal council and the reunion show... everyone expected her to be childish and bitter, but instead she was gracious and understanding. Anyhow, I predicted Kim... but so did everybody else.

Survivor Update - 5/9/12 episode
May 10, 2012 8:37 am

TOO PREDICTABLE!!!! Yeah, I haven't done a Survivor update for a couple weeks because it's been so frustratingly predictable! I know, I've been saying this a while, but two weeks ago my prediction came true when Troyzan lost the immunity challenge and got voted off... see what I mean? Last week the producers tried so hard to convince us that Tarzan (the last male) was going, but that's always a dead giveaway that something else will happen. Bingo! Kat got voted off. Now if you've been watching, you knew she wouldn't last to the end anyway, heck, she was so dumb that she thought appendicitis was contagious! Sheesh! So last night, the producers showed clips designed to convince us that Chelsea was getting the boot. No, no, no... too obvious. Since they never focused on another woman, I knew by the halfway point that Tarzan was going. It became even more obvious when he started talking about making the final three. Obvious writing on the wall folks! And now we have Sabrina, Alicia, Kim, Chelsea and Christina... all ladies. And since Kim has the best chance to win a physical immunity challenge AND an immunity idol, I think she'll be almost automatic for the final three. Christina has been under the radar so long that I think her time is about up, and Sabrina is too big a threat for jury votes, so I think Alicia and Chelsea will be the other two finalists. Predicting again. Anyhow, I should put Kim's picture here but since she seems to be controlling the game I'll probably post her picture on Monday as the winner. So, I'll put Chelsea's picture... because she's the best looking one left. (See, I'm predictable too)

Today's Forgotten Oldie...
May 9, 2012 6:44 am

"Nashville Cats" by the Lovin Spoonful climbed to number 8 on the Billboard hot 100 in late 1966, and was the seventh consecutive hit by the Spoonful to reach the top 10. Only one other group of the 60's accomplished that feat; Gary Lewis and the Playboys. The Lovin Spoonful was riding a wave of popularity when the song was on the radio, with a unique formula of turning blues and jug band songs into monster pop/rock hits. Their influence was amazing, the original Grateful Dead members saw the Spoonful in concert and traded their acoustic guitars for electric guitars and revamped their entire sound. Nashville Cats was influential that way, rerouting thousands of college students from Florida beaches to the hills of

Tennessee when spring break 1967 rolled around. How does a #8 song by a major U.S. band become a forgotten oldie? That's a good question!

Probably camping!
May 7, 2012 8:00 am

I think that's my message for the summer, "probably camping". It'll be the answer to many questions this summer... questions like "what are you doing this weekend?" Or "where are you going on vacation?" Or "what's the most fun you had so far this year?" Or "where were you when we had the big thunderstorm two weeks ago?" Or "where's you favorite fishin' hole?" Yup, we have a permanent site at Goose Island this year... so I'm "probably camping!"

May 1, 2012 6:40 am

IT'S MAY - TIME FOR A WEIRD PHOTO! Just imagine... a bridge over a river carrying boats on another river. Huh?? Anyhow, this is an actual bridge with a river above a river, Magdeburg Water Bridge in Germany. Look it up, it's very cool!

Apr. 25, 2012 6:50 am

Wednesday's Forgotten Oldie...

Liar was Three Dog Night?s single release after their chart topping song of 1971, Joy To The World. The song peaked at number 7. The song was on their 1970 album Naturally and was the third and last single released off of the album. Liar was originally recorded by the group Argent and was written by Russ Ballard, Argent?s lead singer and guitarist. Argent?s version of the song barely made the charts. Personally, I think the Three Dog Night version is a much better rendition. According to Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton recorded the studio version of this song by singing it into a toilet, with his head just a few inches above the water. It makes sense since there is that great vibration in the vocal. I wish I could understand why this song is largely forgotten. A top ten hit, a great song and my all-time favorite from a great band!

Apr. 23, 2012 12:26 pm

Survivor - One World update
Apr. 20, 2012 8:14 am

The women are in control. This week's episode left me wishing this whole thing wasn't so predictable. Last week was the final nail in the men's collective coffin. When Jay was voted off despite his fervent belief that he was safe, the last three men should have had huge lights over their heads... but no, for at least one of them (Tarzan) it didn't happen.
This week the reward challenge was the annual food auction. Troyzan (the only guy who seemed to have the women figured out) held off on bidding for goodies until the item included a bonus advantage for the immunity challenge. And it worked, he won the challenge - huge for him because he would have been voted off.
At tribal, Leif got the axe despite Troyzan's sensible plea for the other two men and the two women at the bottom of the women's alliance to join him and vote Kim off. But ironically, Leif was the only one to see the light and vote with Troyzan, too little too late.
So now we have our usual blind doofus Tarzan, and the loner Troyzan (see photo), and six women... gee, I wonder what will happen next week? And the obvious answer - whichever man doesn't have immunity!

Wednesday's Forgotten Oldie...
Apr. 18, 2012 6:48 am

Today a song that's been covered by some of the greatest names in rock and roll; Jimi Hendrix, AC/DC, the Doors, David Bowie, Rick Springfield and many others. The song was a big hit, but by a different band. "Gloria" is a rock song classic written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and originally recorded by Morrison's band Them in 1964 as the B-side of "Baby, Please Don't Go". The song became a garage rock staple and a part of many rock bands' repertoires. It is particularly memorable for its "G?L?O?R?I?A" chorus. It is easy to play (three-chord) and thus is popular with those learning to play guitar. The song continues to be played by thousands of bands from famous recording artists to unknown garage bands. Humourist Dave Barry joked that "If you drop a guitar down a flight of stairs, it'll play 'Gloria' on its way to the bottom."
The beauty of the original is that Van Morrison needs only to speak-sing, in his Howlin' Wolf growl, "I watch her come up to my house/She knocks upon my door/And then she comes up to my room/I want to say she makes me feel all right/G-L-O-R-I-A!" to convey his teenage lust. Them never varies from the three chords, utilizing only dynamic changes to heighten the tension.
"Gloria" was rated number 69 on Dave Marsh's list in the 1989 book The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made.
What a great forgotten oldie, Gloria by Them!

Now this is fun!
Apr. 17, 2012 8:57 am

Over the years I've seen a lot of neat optical illusions... but this one has to be the best! I've never seen this one before and my hat is off to whoever figured this one out, it's awesome!

On gloomy days....
Apr. 16, 2012 7:35 am

On days like today when it's rainy, chilly and windy (i.e. miserable as heck) I like to do three things... read, watch movies, and listen to music. And if I listen to music I usually find myself choosing something from my large collection of 60's and 70's rock and roll. Today when I get home I think I'm in the mood for some Jimi Hendrix. Guess which album...

Friday giggle...
Apr. 13, 2012 8:22 am

Survivor One World - recap
Apr. 12, 2012 9:49 am

Hmmmm, last night's episode was kind of scary... especially if you're a guy. The six remaining women voted off one of the four remaining guys. And somehow they did it while convincing the guy they voted off that they weren't going to vote him off. Poor Jay, he just didn't see it coming at all.
So, recapping... the tribe is told to conduct a bolo/ladder golf sort of throwing contest between two teams to win a reward eating and drinking on an island. They divvy up and Alicia's team (the team with 3 guys) wins the reward.
After all this, Jay and Troyzan (see picture) chat it up with their old alliance and try to convince their old alliance to vote Alicia off. But Kim has done her work well, and those darned women are solidly determined to lie to and get rid of the guys. So, Jay believes... Troy doesn't believe... Troy plays his immunity idol... Jay gets voted off. So far... three guys on the jury, three guys left in the game, and six women left in the game. Not a good time to be a guy on Survivor folks.

Spring!! Watch out for Motorcycles!
Apr. 9, 2012 9:01 am

Beautiful weather means more two-wheelers on the road... time to watch for motorcycles!

Survivor Re-Cap
Apr. 5, 2012 7:58 am

I'm convinced that the people that play Survivor are not like other people. This season I've marveled at their thinking, their gullibility, their follower mindset, and many times their stupidity. The last two shows were perfect examples. Last week the tribe voted Jonas off. Jonas was unique in that he was always working, and he was one of those rare people that could transform their meager food stores into edible meals. Apparently starving has become preferable to the alternative.
And this week, the tribe blindsided Mike. The rationale as far as I could tell was that having someone that hauled wood for the fire was a bad thing.
Okay, so here's what's happened... last week, Tarzan and Jonas got into a nose-to-nose confrontation, after which, everyone complained about what an unlikable cuss Tarzan is and how he should be voted off... so of course Jonas was voted off. Sheesh.
This week, Kim (see picture) decided to take control of the game but was torn between her Salani-man/woman alliance, or her original all-girl alliance. Hmmmm... is this predictable or what?
Soooo, after Jay won immunity, they voted Mike off. The only part that was kind of interesting was how two of the women weren't told who to vote for so they voted for Tarzan. Amazingly, Troyzan helped her orchestrate the removal of Mike... hey Troyzan... can you count? Six women left... four men left... buddy, the writing is on the wall! At least Kim is kind of hot...

Friday!!
Mar. 30, 2012 6:28 am

Garage Sale season starts tomorrow... cowboy up!

Still worried about the end of the world?
Mar. 27, 2012 8:11 am

Don't be....

So my son went to New York on spring break...
Mar. 26, 2012 2:35 pm

He met lots of fun people. Recognize anyone?

Na na na na na na na....
Mar. 23, 2012 4:05 pm

BATMAAAAANNNNNNN!!!

(Have a great weekend guys!!)