The hydra of misinformation

You know, I had another ugly dust up with a liberal friend the other night.  Among the things that got me to react were (and not in exact quoting):

"Trump is creating a cabinet that will unleash a holocaust on Jews, LGBTs, Muslims, and ANYONE WHO OPPOSES HIM." (Capitalization not mine)

"Trump is too stupid to write a book" (never mind The Art Of The Deal has sold over 1 million copies.)

"How much more of a economic catastrophe do we need (to prove the conditions now are the same as in Nazi Germany)?"



Wow.  Now there is one ton of baseless slander.  But you know, the person telling these whoppers isn't lying on purpose- they are regurgitating what they have been taught.  And damn shame that it is, they are so confident in the kool-aid they have drink, they refuse to do any but the most cursory research, to try to learn the truth behind these statements that THEY stand behind.

But arguing each point is like fighting a hydra of misinformation- you lop of one head with facts and figures, and three more fresh off the presses of MSNBC or Occupy Democrats spring up in their place. There is no dearth of trash to be found in each side's gutter.  I prefer to deal in historical fact.


So I can go back and look up unemployment statistics in 1930's Europe that would boggle the mind; I could remind people of the Kristallnacht so that they could see what REAL persecution feels like; I could pull up pictures of the massive soup lines here in the states back then.   But they COULD do that too.  I could ask them where the Hooverville in their town is, or if they've seen Coxey's Army camped out on the National Mall; or when last you paid 2 billion German Marks for a loaf of bread, if you could find it.  But they would just point out the "huge line" at the local food bank, or question why a latte made by a $15-an-hour coffee hop is so darn expensive anymore.  Yeah, we got it rough.

Today, Carrier announced a deal with the President-Elect that will keep 1,000+ jobs earmarked for Mexico right here in Indiana.  So why couldn't the sitting President do this?  I might postulate it is because why should he care about the economy in a red state (never mind all the United Steel Workers union hands that likely voted for him), or that he saw them as an environmentally unfriendly company whose products reduce the ozone layer, but the fact is, like in many other things- he did nothing.  Now if Trump were the Hitler look-alike that these people claim, he'd have just had the government buy the factory, fire all the employees, and get slave labor from Latin America and Syria to do it for free.  Because, children, THAT'S what a Fascist does.  Or maybe he could have bought the company as the Government, paid people half what they're making now, set production schedules with little connection to reality so that the product becomes overpriced and slipshod, and put up posters all around the factory about teamwork and pulling together.  Because that's what Communism does.  Ask anyone whose tried to run a small business in Cuba for the last, say, 70 years.


But what Trump did is what he is BEST at- he made a deal.  One no doubt beneficial to all parties, especially the 1,000+ people who don't have to spend half a day at Unemployment.  And will it be appreciated?  Well, as little as three days ago:

Chuck Jones, president of United Steelworkers Local 1999, said Friday he has not been briefed on talks between the incoming Trump administration and Carrier. But he doesn't see any chance for Trump or Vice President-elect Mike Pence to reverse Carrier's plan to move its west-side furnace operations to Monterrey, Mexico.


And why is that?  Because much of the left doesn't WANT to see any hope.  They are too busy moping that all their sacred cows are seemingly lined up for the slaughterhouse.  But are they?  Frankly, I doubt it.  EVERYone talks tough on the campaign trail.  Obama had 8 fricking years to close Gitmo- but soon found out it wasn't as easy or smart as it seemed.  The Donald is likely going to shoot off his mouth about a lot of things, only to find out reality is a bitch.  But if he can do even a few good things- like saving jobs at Ford and Carrier, and not even in office yet- isn't it worth it to set aside fear born of lies and untruths and give him a chance?

Prolly not.  Easier to just respond to everything with ideology and fear, wasting large chunks of your life that could be spent productively working with the system to make things better for EVERYONE by sharing memes with no truthful basis, attending rallies that serve no real purpose, and really making oneself look like you've just fallen off the ol' turnip truck.

And me?  Well, I'm trying here to be that guy who wants to give you that wake-up call, stop wasting your time on reverse-hate and needless fearmongering, and act in such a way that you will become happy and well-balanced again.  Or I'm just that anti-semitic, woman hating, homophobic bigot whose bent on insulting you because you LIKE it inside that fear bubble. You can decide, but I know WHY I wrote what I did.

Another wonderful TMI list...

I had forgotten that Al Penwasser got hit up for one of those "A little more about me" lists the other day, and I thought it would be amusing to play along... though I'd venture to say my answers won't be near as funny.  For one, I refuse to eat gorilla.  Anyway, let's try this out:

1. Are you named after someone? Dad used to claim my name was a result of Mom wanting me to have the same initials as our Doctor, CW Dahling.  Of course, he hated Robert Mitchum for years because he thought it was the guy on Father Knows Best.


2. When is the last time you cried? Prolly the first time Peanut got his diaper changed in front of me, and started crying because he was cold.


3. Do you like your handwriting? Sure.  It's you all that have a problem with it.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat? This is where Al started the whole "Gorilla" thing.  Sorry, mundane Ham 'n'cheese loaf for me.

5. Do you have kids? Why, you missing one?

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you? Now, probably.  I ain't got enough to be fussy.

7. Do you use sarcasm? Have we met?

8. Do you still have your tonsils? In a jar on my bedstand.  Cause you never know.

9. Would you bungee jump? See #7.

10. What is your favorite kind of cereal? I've been eating Life of late, but grew up on Cheerios.

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? No. (Don't even have to change that one!)

12. Do you think you're mentally strong? Sure, I do brain-ups at work.

13. What is your favorite ice cream? Chocolate.  Just so you know, I might be using this answer a lot.

14. What is the first thing you notice about people? With my inability at eye contact, prolly the third or fourth button down on their shirt.

15. Red or pink? If you're asking me to make a color choice, I'll say none of the above.

16. What is the least favorite physical thing you like about yourself? That my body has taught me to love the foods that it is now telling me I have to give up or drop dead.

17. What color pants and shoes are you wearing right now? Black sweats, imaginary shoes.  Or is that black shoes and imaginary sweats?

18. What was the last thing you ate? Salmon patties and Bush's Homestyle beans.  One cold from the can, the other lukewarm from the pan.

19. What are you listening to right now? Sean McDonough, the human sleeping pill, on Monday Night Football.

20. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Copper.  No one uses copper.

21. Favorite smell? Bread in the oven.

22. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? The lady from Longe Optical reminding me it was time for an eye check.

23. Favorite sport to watch? Chris' guide to sports:  Football is for TV, Baseball is for radio, hockey best in person.

24. Hair color?

I'd say, "Partly clearing"...


25. Eye color? Brown, to no one's great surprise.

26. Do you wear contacts?  I used to have to help my ex with her contacts.  I swore never again.  Frames are fine.

27. Favorite food to eat? Burger.  Plain, with cheese.

28. Scary movies or comedy? The state of movies today, that's pretty much the same thing, no?

29. Last movie you watched?  I'm guessing Thor:The Dark World.  Unless you count Columbo episodes on Netflix.

30. What color shirt are you wearing? IDK, I have a sweatshirt on over it.  If you wanna know so bad, YOU lift it up.

31. Summer or Winter?  In the interests of not creating a new thesaurus for "words to denigrate winter with", I'll just say summer.

32. Hugs or kisses? Depends on the hugger/kisser.  And don't get funny...

33. What book are you currently reading? Reading?  Good grief, can't you see I'm writing this dumb post?

34. Who do you miss right now? Laurie's home tonight, so I'm good.

35. What is on your mouse pad? Raindrops on Turtle Wax.

36. What is the last TV program you watched?  Depends.  Do I have to have been paying attention?

37. What is the best sound? 

"Ha ha, Grandpa, I tooted on you!"


38. Rolling Stones or The Beatles? Tune into my Time Machine Anniversary post from Friday...

39. What is the furthest you have ever traveled? Homer Street in Baltimore.  Pretty much slept through it, too.

40. Do you have a special talent? Combining Hostess Ho-Hos with Cheez-Whiz.

41. Where were you born? Right between Mom's legs, I'd surmise...

42. People you expect to participate? Participate?  Hell, I'll be glad if they comment!

All the stuff you thought you missed over the holiday...

So as you read this, I am back at work after a blissful 5 days off for the holiday.    While I try to work off whatever weight I accrued over that time, let me catch you up on a few things.

Like did I tell you I discovered what is really going on on the trail?  They are setting things up for I&M to remove the old electrical towers in favor of new, "octagonal" towers which I am told will have less of a footprint on the area.

One of them is going right where the footbridge to cross back into mid-complex is- well, was.  But fear not, the bridge is safely on the other side of the trail, awaiting its return.

Yes, we were going through barriers to gain access, but we weren't alone...

And quite frankly, if they REALLY wanted us out, they'd put locks on the chains instead of latches.

Or at least have south end security a little tighter, lol!

_______________________________________


The other day, I got an important missive by e-mail, you know the kind...

Good day, Hope all is well with you and your family, You may not understand why this mail came to you.

United Nation have been having a meeting for the past 3 months which ended 21th, September 2016 with the World Bank President Mr.Jim Yong Kim and the USA Secretary of State Mr. John Kerry.

This email is to all the people that have been scammed in any part of the world, and the people that have lost their properties in the earthquakes and tsunami United Nations and World Bank have agreed to compensate them with the sum of $USD3 Million (Three Million United States Dollars) each, this includes every foreign contractors that may have not received their contract sum and people that have had an unfinished transaction or international businesses that failed due to Government problems etc.

Your name and email was in the list submitted by our Monitoring Team of Economic c and Financial Crime Commission observers and this is why we are contacting you, this have been agreed upon and have been signed. You are advised to contact Mr. Banthoon Lamsam of Kasikorn Bank of Thailand, as he is our representative, contact him immediately for your check...


The amusing part was the "sender"...

Good-luck and kind regards,
Mr. Ban Ki-Moon
Secretary (UNITED NATIONS).
UN making the world a better place
http://www.un.org/sg/ 


I guess they decided to go into scamming since Trump's gonna cut 'em off, lol....

____________________________________________


The kids came over for the Michigan/OSU game...

As I said on FB:  "Horns on head, how appropriate..."

Peanut chillin' with "Uncle Scrappy"  (actually cousin Scrappy, but that's how Jessica posted it)

And earlier in the day, we spotted a deer doing the mannikin challenge...

---------------------------------------------------------------


The other day, I saved this bon mot for a possible MWN and then forgot:

North Korea has made a state request to officials in China pleading for them to stop referring to ‘glorious leader’ Kim Jong-un as fat.

Ministers have reportedly asked their neighbours to refrain from referring to the chunky Swiss cheese fan as Jin San Pang or ‘Kim Fatty III’ in media or conversations.

Apparently ‘Kim Fatty III’ is a widely used nickname for Kim in China along with Jin Pang Pang (Kim Fat Fatty) or Jin San Fei (Kim Abundant III).

Now According to the Apple Daily in Hong Kong, terrified North Korean government officials have called on their old comrades to take action before heads roll.


They are terrified the tyrant will find out about the insult and look for someone to blame.

______________________________________

As they posted over the holiday, I beseech you, if you missed them, go back and catch the Time Machine anniversary special and subsequent M10 countdown.  They are well worth it!

Now THIS is a century-mark worth noting!!!- Bobby G.

__________________________________________________________

Put up the Christmas lights during the off-time.  Here they are, with Scrappy's expert opinion:

__________________________________


Finally, a headline I just HAD to share:

NASA Wants You to Help Astronauts Poop

Space diapers just won't cut it

It would seem NASA is having a hard time coming up with a suitable in-suit system for the excretory process, and is asking for inventors to figure out how to do it, because they're done with all that Apollo-13 stuff.  I would think that a perfect solution would be to affix tubes to the pertinent physiological areas, and have a sensor that opens the tube to hard vacuum as needed.  Not only would it suck the stuff right out, but it would also help with space hemorrhoids and, if used for urination as well, could well eliminate the need for space Viagra!

Sunday message-Thanksgiving

In many ways, this post is going to be the opposite (though not a retraction) of my rant from a few days back.  Because the subject today, appropriately enough, is thanksgiving, and the power that it has.

You can imagine quite a few pastors have preached on the subject of thanksgiving this week; perhaps you have heard some of them.  And perhaps you have heard them speak of God's desire for us to be thankful to Him in ALL situations.  After all, Paul was stoned, bit by a viper, shipwrecked, etc. and yet in the bowels of a Roman prison he gave thanks.  If he could do it, we can too, they say.  And we file that away in the "I'll remember that when I get bit by a snake, etc." category and move on.  But what are we missing here?

One thing is the opposite of gratitude, and that I believe is anger.  I firmly believe that 90%+ of the times I am angry are when a situation which HAPPENS to me at some level gets taken as a personal attack on me.  Probably in the referenced rant, I did just that.  But was it, really an attack on me?  When (our biggest customer) does one of the many idiotic things they do to create extra work for us, is it really done for MY inconvenience?  No, and many of those times, I can say to myself later, "Well, if that hadn't happened, I might have not caught this", or, I might have run out of work before more orders were ready" or the like.  It would save me a lot of wasted time and thought to just be thankful.


But how do we manage thanksgiving in such a situation?  I was forwarded a devotional yesterday that can help with that one.  Heavily paraphrasing, the story went along the lines of a missionary whose family was to have received a gift, but when the shipment arrived, a letter explained that the promised thing hadn't arrived, but as a pair of crutches were just sitting around at the time, they were shipped instead in case someone might make use of them.  And the daughter, who missed out on the gift, was trying to explain how she was using the incident to teach herself to be thankful in everything to a friend.

The friend said, "But what is there that you can POSSIBLY be thankful for about these crutches?"
Her answer:  "Well, for one, that I don't NEED them."

One thing I have learned well over the years: when God has put me in a situation that sucks, it's usually preventing me from being in a far worse situation.  The trick being not letting the situation trap you in a pity-party where you can't see the benefit- or God's protection.  And that often requires you be thankful FIRST, and figure out the details later.

But it works both ways, too.  Take for example the story of the ten lepers.  Jesus healed them all, but only the "foreigner", the Samaritan, returned to thank Him.  And Jesus told him, "Your FAITH has healed you."  Meaning, while the ungrateful nine received their health, the returning Samaritan received something much better- his SALVATION.  It was his thankful heart that brought him to Christ, and thankfulness covers over a ton of problems.

Take for example the story of Gideon in the Book of Judges.  How many times was he fearful?

1- when he accused God of forsaking Israel (6:13)
2- "Me? But my family is poor, and I'm the least of my house!" (6:15)
3- "Prove you aren't a mirage, stick around while I get you an offering" (6:18)
4- Tearing down the altar of Baal by night so he wouldn't get caught (6:27)
5- Testing God not once, but twice, with the fleece (6:37-40)
6- "But if you still fear, go into the camp with your servant", and he did (7:10-14)

But once God "passed" this final test- wherein Gideon heard the enemy discussing a dream that told them Gideon would win, what was Gideon's next move?

Jdg 7:15  And it happened, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and the meaning of it, he worshiped. And he returned to the army of Israel, and said, Arise! For Jehovah has delivered the host of Midian into your hand. 

From then on, he was a tiger for God, and the Midianites and all those who supported them fell.  Because he stopped saying, "But what if..." and Thanked God for what He was about to do.

And just to draw the difference between thankfulness and anger even sharper, look at this following passage:

Jdg 8:1  And the men of Ephraim said to him, What is this thing you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight with the Midianites? And they rebuked him sharply. 

Jdg 8:2  And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison to you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? 

Jdg 8:3  God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison to you? Then their spirits toward him went away when he had said that. 

Once they saw what Gideon did WITH God, then they became all brave and said, "Why didn't you get us in the first place?  Who do you think you are?"  To which Gideon could have just said,

But instead, he praised them- albeit he was praising them for what they accomplished chasing an enemy who was already defeated.

So, how does that all tie in to my rant and the people who continue to cry sour grapes and refuse to see that someone might have a good reason to disagree with them?  I don't know quite yet.  But I thank God for bringing me this far, and for helping me realize that I don't have to take the stupidity of others-nor the opinions of those who simply don't agree with me, without the stupidity- personally.  Because, God's still in His Heaven, and our politics is still no more than two ants fighting over a half a bread crumb.  And that's a LOT to be thankful for.

Time Machine VI401M10112416- M10 countdown

So what's all that gobbledygook on the top?  Well, since a Tardis needs proper co-ordinates, one of the things I've decided to play with is putting the co-ordinates on the post:  V for volume 5, I for first post of the volume, 401 for the overall post, M10 for this being an M10 stand-alone (where the date we are going to would normally go, this time you get M10 and date typed).  At any rate, this is this week's M10 show, which includes two debuts- by the same act!!??!


10- The song who leads the category "most weeks on chart, peaking at 6 or lower" with 7 now, Tangerine's Wild At Heart drops a pair to #10.

9- First debut is by a two person band of under 21s- Max Schrager and Shannon Wise.  They call themselves the Shacks and their new single is our #9...





What I didn't know until moments ago is that this is a Ray Davies (of the Kinks) penned tune that was first charted in the UK by Dave Berry in 1965 (hit #37), but never studio recorded by the Kinks.  More on the Shacks in just a bit.


8- The former #1 for Dinosaur Jr, Love Is..., slipped another notch this week...

7- and so did Madrid's Baywaves with Time Is Passing U By, mainly because a couple of more impatient songs passed it by.

6- One of those tunes is Agnes Obel and Mary, jumping 4 to #6.

5- and the other is the beginning of the Shacks' story.  Max was working on some tunes for a band called the El Michels Affair.  They wanted a female vocalist for a certain tune, and Max brought in then 16-year-old Shannon.  The song, due to waiting for her majority, was released in June last year as an El Michels Affair single WITH the Shacks.  Either way, the song makes for one of the strangest M10s ever- because it is the second of THREE songs with the word strange in it- as well as the first time an act debuted 2 songs in ONE week!






4- Buffalo Springfield eases down a notch to 4 with Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It.

3- And the third of our strange trifecta, Billy Stewart's Strange Feeling moves from 5 to 3.

2- For a third week, Northern Ireland's Two Door Cinema Club hold at #2 with Lavender.


And at number one....

Radiation City's Come And Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Rad City becomes the ninth tune to hold serve at the top for 3 weeks... will they become the fourth to do it for four?  Very possible- but I've a Strange Hunch it won't be easy!  Find out next week at the usual time when we go to 1974!

The great anniversary Time Machine

Exactly 2400 days ago, five months into my blogging career, the first "Step into my Time Machine" appeared.  It was a rundown of the chart that week in 1975, with Dawn's He Don't Love You at #1.  No features, no comments, and a whopping six page views.  And here we are some 6 1/2 years later.  Time Machine now averages 44 views and 6 and a smidge comments a week, and we have hit the100- post mark of volume IV- and when you count all the volumes, miscellaneous related stuff, and specials, we are at 400 total posts- approximately 20% of all my posts.  So I hadda come up with something special.  And that concept took me way back to a comic called Defenders #10.  You see, there was a Thor vs Hulk fight in that one...

...and I remember Steve Englehart leading up to it by saying:  "Would you agree that in the realm of comicdom, these two are the best there is... the only TRUE titans?"  And that is what I wanted here.  And in the era which bears my name (1962-79), there are only four true titans...


Elvis Presley, "The KING"
The Beatles, "the FAB FOUR"
The Rolling Stones, "The World's GREATEST rock and roll band"
The Beach Boys, "AMERICA'S BAND"

And we are going to do a feature on these four, with a bit of a different twist.  You see, I have figured out my ten favorites for each act- and we are going to play them off each other to see who wins!  And along the way, we'll see if YOU have any favorites you can add to the comments.  That said, let's start out at #10!

10- The work or the reward?

The songs at #10 on the respective list came down to a two-horse race.  Unfortunately for the Stones, my #10 for them, Wild Horses, is not one of them.  Elvis' Jailhouse Rock also takes a back seat.  The real battle here is between the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night, and the Beach Boys' Chuck Berry cover Rock And Roll Music.  But as you can't enjoy the work without the promise of the cold one afterwards...

The Boys win round one!


9-You Know You Need Someone...

I found it funny that in this round, two songs make a point of chasing everyone (or someone) off- the Stones and Get Off My Cloud, and Elvis with Hound Dog- and one seems content in a world of two- the BBs Don't Worry Baby- but one song sends out a distress call for assistance... and that winner is...

And the Beatles take round two.


8- Tell Me Who I'm Talking To....

All of these acts had a tendency to walk off the beaten trail, and this round really puts that in perspective.  The Stones capture the free spirit in Ruby Tuesday; The Beatles take one trippin' on Strawberry Fields Forever; the Beach Boys go existential on Surf's Up;  but for such a hard choice as I have this round, I have to take into account memories.  And the clear winner here is a song that is forever attached to a girl I had a crush on as a freshman, because she stood by me (one of many who did) when the a-holes of my class circled around.  The girl?  Sorry, that's mine.  The song...

7-  I Wonder Will It Be The Same Tonight...


For me, the songs that stick out the most are the ones that make me cry.  It doesn't have to be sad to get to me.  A turn of phrase, a certain chord (As the Decemberists said, "that misbegotten, long forgotten chord...")...  The Stones don't get that with The Last Time, and the Fab Four miss it with Ticket To Ride.  The Boys are a lot closer with In My Room, but for sheer drawing out of pain you cannot top...

...Elvis and Don't Cry Daddy.  The King gets his second and takes the lead.


6- ...You Made A Grown Man Cry...

...but sometimes it has to be fun, too.  This round runs the gamut from lp cuts- as in the Beach Boys' Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulders) from Pet Sounds- to #1s- like the Beatles' All You Need Is Love.  But for a good time, you can't beat the songs at 1-2 this round.  And since Elvis already has 2 in a row, we'll let Burning Love take a back seat to...

...Mick and the Boys getting on the board with Start Me Up!


5- " ...That's not an album, that's our lives..."

That was a quote from a Doonesbury cartoon when a dying character was given the gift of a Pet Sounds cd on his deathbed.  For me, Pet Sounds is the finest example of lp art, and so, while it gets stiff competition this round from the Stones and Gimme Shelter, Elvis and Don't Be Cruel, and the Beatles and Nowhere Man, the winner is....

The Beach Boys and Sloop John B!  And they tie Elvis at 2 wins apiece!


4-   ...Four Of Fish, and Finger Pie In Summer...

The best songs give you vivid mental images of what they want to convey- especially if you know what they are trying to get at with them, like in Penny Lane's above line.  Surfer Girl puts you on the beach at sunset; In The Ghetto puts you on a dirty street looking at "an angry young man face down in the street with a gun in his hand."  But for me, I get the most vivid image of a cartoon joint singing "you've got to roll me" in...

The Stones' hit Tumbling Dice.  Sometimes my imagination is its own problem!


3- Don't It Make You Feel Good...

Which is a discussion I had with myself last week.  Music can make you sad (like the Stones on Doo Doo Heartbreaker), excited (for example the Beatles on Paperback Writer), romantic (such as Elvis on The Wonder Of You)- but shouldn't EVER make you depressed.  It's all about feeling good, and praising the God who gave us music to me.  And that means the round three winner goes to...

...which puts the Wilson brothers in front with three, and the Beatles would have to win out to tie.  Can it be done?

2- The Higher You Go, The Harder It Gets

True in mountain climbing, true in chartbusting.  This group held what might be the Stones biggest ever hit in Miss You;  another Pet Sounds clip with Wouldn't It Be Nice; and Elvis' Suspicious Minds.  But sometimes the best songs to you weren't what the act thought they should be.  The Beatles- particularly Paul- objected to the Phil Spector production of their last number one, but to me it MADE the song.  The Beatles back on the board with...

Which means now everyone gets to bring their best to see if they can tie the Beach Boys- or the california kids will take the flag!


1-  B-List Only, Please....

As much as I like my Stones' favorite, Almost Hear You Sigh from Steel Wheels, and Elvis's #1 for me, the weather appropriate Kentucky Rain, this final stop is a two dog hunt.  One was a chart favorite- the Beatles with A Day In The Life.  The other took two shots and still never made the top 40- the Beach Boys' Sail On Sailor.

Sometimes, when you wear out all the other ways to choose, you ask yourself this- If I had just come into a room, and the radio just came on, which first two seconds stop you hardest?  These are both "I can name this song in 2 notes" tunes for me.  But I know when I look at it THIS way, which one wins it.






And the BEACH BOYS win!  Who would have won for you?   Next time, we sail on with the next new era of Time Machine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (NOTE:  Well, actually, next time will be tomorrow with the M10 countdown...)

Martin World News, sandwiched in a rant

I saw enough just reading the local and national news this morning to tell me I needed to do this post.


Needed?  Yes, because liberal whining, bitching about "Nazi" appointees, and hypocritically protesting, I have had enough.  People who were begging two weeks ago about "working together" have shown no interest in it.  When Barack Obama was elected, I took a vow of near-silence, put up a black armband "for America", and realized, as any adult would, that life would go on.  Obviously many of our friends across the aisle have not the capacity or wherewithal to do the same.  They have become self-appointed "activists" in a lost cause, never once stopping to think that their own arrogant intransigence MADE President Trump.  And even as their beloved NYT admits they screwed themselves by partisan coverage of the campaign, allowing themselves to be caught with their pants down, they still have no clue that half the country just doesn't agree with them.   That it was just some white supremacist fringe that got Trump elected.  And they don't care that there are people who feel just as passionately against their views as they do for them.

And since they have no desire to change, let me make the announcement now- the gloves are off.  I am going to have fun, and I am not going to listen to your drivel.  I will point it out as necessary- but by and large, I am going to ignore you.  Because you ignored me.


Rant over, and now for the fun stuff.


ITEM 1:  What kind of results do you get when you teach kids the "participation doctrine" and that their actions actually SHOULDN'T have consequences?  How about this from Akron North High School?  On October 12, a student mad because he got a suspension, apparently hid something akin to an M80 in a glue stick, decorated it with " the teacher’s name along with the words 'You will pay' and 'School Shooter' ", and lit and threw it at the teacher.  A month after the fact, the student- who also, "threatened to kill the teacher and bring 'a grenade to school and blow it up' ", was charged by police in the incident.

The school?  They gave him a TEN DAY SUSPENSION.  Let that sink in.  Oh, and the cherry on this poop float?  The school NEVER notified parents or kids, calling it a "judgement call."

Well, your judgement blows...

ITEM 2:  From the "Why do you care" department, subheading, "at least I never said THAT..."




By Masha Froliak, from Heatstreet:
  
A popular TV anchor on one of Russia’s state-owned channels has accused President Obama of behaving in an “uncivilized” fashion toward President-elect Donald Trump, including manspreading.

In his prime-time Sunday news program, Dmitri Kiselyov weighed in on the first meeting between Obama and Trump at the White House. During the meeting, the host pointed out, Trump was behaving “humbly” while Obama was “unceremonious” and even “uncivilized.”

“Trump behaved like an English lord, while Obama sat with his legs wide open, in a pose that is prohibited even in the New York metro, because it is considered a demonstration of male domination,” he said on the Rossiya TV show News of the Week.

The host then said that Obama “was throwing his arms about as if he was in the jungle”—a comment that was later edited out.

ITEM 3:  How's that bubble fitting?  from Heatstreet again:

British TV censors have banned an ad for Heinz Baked Beans after viewers complained that it could encourage kids to cut themselves.

The Advertising Standards Agency has banished an ad encouraging viewers to use empty tins as a musical instrument, which they said is “dangerous for children to emulate”.

The advert, featuring actors drumming on the cans whilst singing, told the audience to “learn the #cansong”, and to recycle old cans as their makeshift instruments.


Apparently, the ad went to lengths to show the proper way to tape the cans up to avoid injury, but on the basis of a whopping 9 complaints, the ASA said it wasn't good enough.  The "evidence" that Heinz presented of several (I found 21 on YouTube under #Cansong) videos taken of people successfully completing the can song challenge was ignored by the ASA, who said,  “the advert must not be broadcast again in its current form” and that Heinz must ensure its future content does not “condone or encourage behaviour that prejudice[s] health and safety.”

ITEM 4:  Finally, the thing that pushed my little car over the edge:  You've prolly heard about the thing where VP-elect Mike Pence was spoken to at the play Hamilton, which I understand is a typical Democrat re-telling of history with Minorities playing the main rolls.  Now, mind you I have no more problem with revisionist history portrayed as fiction, so we're fine there.  I have no problems with using an all-minority cast, even though some outlets are portraying that as racist of the producers.  I won't go into the tweets from the producer PRIOR to the genesis of the show, which will prolly be hard for those busily bringing up ages old dirt on Jeff Sessions to understand.  I won't even bash the statement read, though I believe its mode of delivery was typically tactless.  But I WILL point out an interesting thing that the UK's Daily Mirror pointed out.

The man who read the statement and played Aaron Burr, did not vote in the last 2 elections.
The man who played Hamilton has skipped the last three Presidential elections.
The man who played James Madison registered in 2005 but has never voted.
The man who played Thomas Jefferson skipped the last two Presidential elections.

To me, I think you have to have skin in the game to even comment and be credible.  If you want to be heard, it should start in the voting booth.  If not, you might want to step back from the big stage.  If you want to fix the country, you need to bring more than your mouth and a protest sign.  I have voted in every Presidential election but one- I had just moved out of district and my car broke down.  (On the bright side, I would have lost a $20 bet on that election, and claimed my inability to vote as a voidable moment, lol).  So I feel I can speak out on such matters and I carry more weight than THESE particular speakers.  I almost called them bozos, but I erased that- because, despite their lack of class in delivery, their message was sound- the hope that we have an administration for EVERYONE.  They have my respect in a way that those who get their news from FB and depend on "what would [fill in my candidate] say" do not.


Now, I know the beginning and ending of this post will get me some hateful thoughts if not comments.  But think about this:  I'm not the ones calling people KKK supporters without ever digging into it for myself.  I'm not the one who refuses to hear what anyone but their chosen source has to say.  I'm not the one protesting a legitimate election, or demanding the electoral college go away because it screwed me.  Now, when it gets to a point that such people want to discuss item by item their concerns instead of just protesting me for being some kind of racist neanderthal, this can be an open forum.

But you better come with facts, and be ready to defend them.  Insults will be treated in kind henceforth.  Fake news stories on BOTH sides will be investigated.  And eggshells will be stepped on, and sacred cows put along with special sauce, lettuce, onions, (skip the) pickles and cheese between two sesame seed buns.

Thanksgiving 2016

For all things lost in 2016 we have gained much more- three grandkids just to top the list.

The problem with eating multiple helpings is others getting done first and grabbing a camera, lol...

The young'un on the on the right is one of those "acquired" grandkids, Aaron.

A very tasty spread, thanks to Laurie and Jessica.  And maybe KC.  I just brought the turkey home, bought dessert, and took out the trash.  And THAT was heavy enough I almost had to have another plateful at 11 PM!

Me and Aaron invented the night's entertainment- rolling cars off a flat surface and down the steps.  Three generations combining to annoy the ladies...

The idea was simple:  Hit the floor, one point.  Hit a pillow, 2 points.  Between the pillow, five points.  No points for doggies.

Later, Scrappy and Aaron meet in brief, pitched battle.  Again, the ladies "spoiled the fun".

Grandma and Peanut share a quiet moment... well, HE was quiet...

They make a perfect couple... perfectly weird.  NOTE:  Key word for the evening was "ball sack."  Best not to ask.

Time Machine week 99

Well, we hit another real snoozer of a day this week- November 18th, 1971.  The President of Austria was in Rome being serenaded by the Pope, Bette Davis was on Dick Cavett, the EPA was in Birmingham AL, shutting down the air-polluting steel factories for one day to teach them a lesson in cooperation, and put away that gun, because as of today, you are not allowed to hunt or "harass" any animal from the air.  Given all that, let me step away from the dials and levers of the Tardis for some serious business.


Two legendary performers passed between last show and this.  I have only a bit of knowledge on Canadian folk legend Leonard Cohen, but his presence was felt on the M10 when Joe Cocker's cover of his First We Take Manhattan hit the chart a while back.  More in my sphere of musical interest was Leon Russell.  Coming from a high school where he shared building time with Anita Bryant, David Gates, and Elvin Bishop, he started in a band at 14 with another "unknown legend", JJ Cale.  He was tutored in guitar by HOFer James Burton, and composed a handful of hits such as co-credits on Gary Lewis and the Playboys' hits Everybody Loves A Clown and She's Just My Style.  He went on to be involved in two of the great tours of the rock era- the Delaney and Bonnie and Friends tour, and brought several musicians from that with him on Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs And Englishmen tour.  He penned hits such as Superstar for the Carpenters, and George Benson's This Masquerade.  He also made an impact on the charts himself with his signature tune Tightrope, and my favorite Lady Blue.  Two more names us old timers in music could ill afford to lose this sad and tragic year.

We tried to talk it over, but the words got in the way...

We're locked inside this lonely game we play....

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Welcome to the start of changes on the old Time Machine!  I'll be introducing you to some of the changes waiting just on the other side of the 100/400 special next week as we go along, but I needed to find a way, even with "improved randomness" to avoid telling the same old stories over- and make a better Time ride for you all.  And in addition, you'll see- the 6D that Arlee Bird has been dreading; two new debuts- and one of them is the new OLDEST song to hit the M10; and all the rest of the fun we always have here!  So lay down a flower as we pass... and let's move on!


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One of the things that is going to change is the Panel as you have known it.  But for one more time, let me intro you to this week's group:  WFDF Flint MI (of the clear and sparkling water); WABC New York; KGB San Diego; WNKR Detroit; KBPI Denver; WRNO NOLA; KQV Pittsburgh; WBBF Rochester NY; WEEX Easton PA; WDGY Minneapolis; WCRV Washington NJ; and KGMB Honolulu.  They turned up a mere 18 different songs, the lowest charter of whom was the Stylistics just starting their upward journey with You Are Everything at #60.  One thing that will be changing is I won't be letting you know about number ones that didn't make the P4, because... well, you'll see in a bit.  Anyway, one last time the songs who got #1s and didn't make the list were Sly and the Family Stone with Family Affair (Detroit, to no great surprise), and (here we go...) John Lennon's Imagine (Honolulu).  And one last time, the Panel Four:

With 2 #1 votes (Denver and Rochester) and 21 points, the national #7- the aforementioned David Gates and Bread with Baby I'm A-Want You.

With 2 #1s (Flint and Jersey) and 22 points, the national #5, the Chi-lites and Have You Seen Her.

With FOUR #1s (WABC, Pittsburgh, Easton, and Minnie) and 26 points, the national #3, soon to be space explorer Cher and Gypsies Tramps And Thieves.

All of which might make you think the race was a close one- after all, the top song has only 2 #1s left, correct?  BUUUUT... it was on every countdown but one and racked up 40 points!  It was the national top dog as well... stay tuned and you'll find out who.

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Let me get debut #1 out of the way.  At the number ten slot, new Agnes Obel...





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One of the things I intend to do is a complete rework of the UK ten.  From henceforth, it will go like this:

You get the #1 song- this week, Slade and Cuz I Luv You.

You get the highest song on the UK chart to chart in the US- this week that would be Rod Stewart's Maggie May, which is on its way down at #16 in the US, but #4 in the UK.

You get the highest song on the US chart that's also on the UK chart- this week that's our Panel runner up, Gypsies Tramps And Thieves, #3 here and #7 there.

And either here or on that-which-replaces-the-panel, you'll get the song that made me curious enough to check it out.  And this week, that's the tune at #15 on the UK chart.  They were a Norwegian one-hit wonder calling themselves Titanic.  They were shooting for a Santana vibe- hard to do without a Carlos Santana- but they did a decent job on an instrumental called Sultana:





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So I learned this week that Bruce Springsteen was a huge Elvis fan.  In fact, he wrote the song Fire not for the Pointer Sisters, but for the King- but he died just before the demo arrived.  Springsteen ended up performing it himself for the first recorded time on the Live 1975-1985 lp.  Another song first performed by the Boss on that disc was his original lyrics for Because The Night, a tune he gave to Patti Smith, who changed some lyrics and re-arranged others.  Because The Night was also covered, and became the biggest hit, for Natalie Merchant's band 10,000 Maniacs.  The 10KM were also known for a cover on a 1984 lp that they removed from all further copies a couple years later when the original artist seemed to be condemning a then famous personality TO DEATH.  The artist- then Yusef Islam, but when he wrote the song, Cat Stevens- the personality condemned, Salman Rushdie- and the song, apologies to Mr. Bird, is Peace Train- which just happened to be the highest charter this week (#4) with no Panel Love.


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The replacement for the Panel is going to be similar but less cumbersome (for me).  What is going to happen is I am going to take JUST the number ones from ALL the stations of that week- rather than the top five of just twelve-  and let you take a guess at who wins the "popular vote".  This week, you would have had 11 choices from 38 stations- those choices I would then reveal, and let you think on who might have carried the election.  This week, it would have looked like this:

2.6% of the vote for a five way tie of Peace Train, Maggie May, Donnie Osmond's Hey Girl, Dennis Coffey's instrumental Scorpio, and Climax's Precious And Few.

5.3% for Sly and the Family and Family Affair.

7.9% each for Imagine and Have You Seen Her.

13.2% for Baby I'm A-Want You; 15.8% for Gypsies etc.

And at #1 with 31.6% of the vote- not yet, guys!

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I'm also going to intro a couple of other nifty things to the mix.  One is my personal five favorites out of the weeks' Cashbox hot 100.  That would look like this:


Ten Years After, I'd Love To Change The World, sitting at #28 on CB;
Rare Earth's Hey Big Brother, at #86;
Yes, Your Move, at #37;
One Fine Morning by Lighthouse, at #23;
 and my top would be Carpenters, Superstar, sitting at #24.

The other I am toying with is taking the year and profiling the song at that spot:

#71 in '71, Satisfaction (not that one!) by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.  It was the fourth and last single from the last Miracles lp with Smokey, One Dozen Roses.  Unlike the first two, including the #1 Tears Of A Clown, this tune and the one before it missed the top 40, Satisfaction peaking at #49.


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And now, the M10!


You heard #10.  Number nine is last week's debut from Empty Houses, Daydream, up one spot.

Going down:  Tangerine drops to 8, down one, with Wild At Heart.  Former #1 for Dinosaur Jr, Love Is, slips from 5 to 7.

Last week's other debut, Baywaves and Time Is Passing U By, up 3 to #6.


And at #5 we have last week's Panel low charter from 1963- making it the oldest M10 hit ever.  The singer Billy Stewart, who had the huge hit with the "scat" version of the classic Summertime.  This tune though only got to #70- and I don't know how, because it's great!  Coming in hot at #5:







Agnes Obel, meanwhile, still is floating around near the top, slipping a spot to #4 in week number nine with Golden Green.

Buffalo Springfield has our other '60's contribution to the M10, Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It at #3, up one.

Holding at #2, Two Door Cinema Club and Lavender.


And at #1, M10 says...

...Radiation City and Come And Go for their second week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the winner of the election with 12 of the 38 votes, or 40 Panel Points one last time...

Isaac Hayes and the Shaft Theme!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Next week, the 100th/400th episode!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Newspage go and pictures

Well, I have made a commitment to myself to not be baited into going off on the really idiotic way both sides of the political fence are acting.  I would like to believe those who say they want to work together- and hope they want to do it in a more constructive spirit than Obama did with John McCain in 2009.  Therefore, I will declare a complete political truce for now...  as long as the world doesn't continue to tempt me...


Therefore, I am going to be a good boy, and share with you the best in sarcastic entertainment, music I like, and pictures of my corner of the universe as I always do.  And the rant that certain quarters- mainly media driven- are building up in me, I will forgo in the interests of showing that we CAN have fun in this world.  Starting with-

"Grandpa, I just tooted on you."
That's okay, I'm more worried about your dad getting a picture of my bald spot.  I'm starting to look like Brother Dominic."

FIRST STOP:  IF YOUR FRIENDS TOLD YOU TO JUMP OFF A CLIFF...


Our headline here was found on Russian news site RT.Com, the story from South Africa...

‘Rare medical emergency’: Man accidentally ‘strangles’ his penis with wedding ring


The  part that cracked me up INSIDE the story was this-  “The patient reported that he had applied the ring four hours previously for erotic reasons, on the recommendation of friends.”  Thus showing not only that he had very stupid friends, but that four hour Viagra rule comes in pretty handy here, too.

"Grandpa, I'm too young to know who Brother Dominic is."
"Your DAD is too young to know who Brother Dominic is."
"Why, I outta..."

"Man, demoted to second string.  This sucks!"

SECOND STOP: AND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT ONE....


This stop we thank the Japan Times for a story out of Myanmar:

Myanmar says 34 people killed after they attacked troops


And just what kind of people attack the Army?  Why, unarmed ones...

 ...but villagers belonging to the Muslim Rohingya minority say the victims were unarmed civilians.


Maybe they're upset that Trump won, too....

Oh, yeah, um, oops?

THIRD STOP:  I NEVER THOUGHT I'D RUN INTO YOU HERE....


From Chinese news outlet Xinhua:

Space Journal: Entry 7 -- Chinese farmers in space


Milking meteors?  No, actually, they're testing plant growth on the Chinese space station Tiangong-2.  But I saw the headlines, and the first thing I thought was...

But it wasn't meant to be...

FOURTH STOP:  There is no fourth stop because everyone else is talking politics- except North Korea, who wants you to know the south is still incompetent and corrupt and the destiny of the US of A is to collapse.  So screw 'em, we say, and let's look at the Sunday walk to Shoaff Park.

A frosty start...

Bottoms up!

IDK what the green thingy on my neck is.  But it wasn't a hickey from an Orion chick...

Scrappy finds a side trail...

Bit of a dropoff there, Boofus...

And the new signage is in.