Thursday, June 30, 2011

Methow Margarita Meltdown: family reunion video

By Jack Brummet
Family Life Editor

---o0o---

Photos from Winthrop/Wolf Ridge

by Jack Brummet
Family Life Editor

A few random shots from the Pete Curran family reunion, which happens every year with 35 people attending, give or take one or two who can't make it.  Head shots of all of them will appear tomorrow.

Eric and Otis Sanchez were among the early arrivals to Seattle

Just some hills/rangeland I like

The Methow River at 9PM

The Methow River at 10PM
---o0o---

Monday, June 27, 2011

Poem: Kent, Washington






Kent, Washington
By Jack Brummet


1
The truck farms
Are still there,

Buried a layer down now
beneath tilt-up warehouses.

2
Fin, fur, flesh, and feather
Maintain a faint presence—

A robin waltzes in 3/4 time
Around a stranded nightcrawler;

The pale moon hangs low,
Almost humming overhead
---o0o---

Sunday, June 26, 2011

The President's Head Explodes During Press Conference [six years ago today on All This Is That]


click to enlarge

[By Jack Brummet and Pablo Fanque, All This Is That Wire 6/28/2005 Cleveland, OH]

The President's head spontaneously exploded this afternoon as he formulated an answer to a three-part question from Heywood Jablomy of the Cheyenne Intelligencer. Seconds after the question was posed, the Presidents skull began glowing with a bright pink light and pieces of the skull seemed to break off and hover in the air.

Witnesses reported a deep ringing sound, followed by a loud bang and an overpowering smell of ozone. The whereabouts and medical condition of the President are not known at this time.

Pending further developments, the Vice-President invoked the 25th amendment to The Constitution and was sworn into office at 4:30 EDT today.
---o0o---

NASA's New Solar System (not quite—this image was assembled before Pluto was de-caffeinated)

By Jack Brummet
NASA Editor & Unexplained Phenomena Editor


click to enlarge

I love browsing and plundering the NASA archives.  And the photographs are free to use anywhere.  We, the taxpayers own them!

The original caption for this montage (remember this was before the International Astronomical Union dethroned Pluto and decided there were only eight planets [1]).  "This solar-system montage of the nine planets and 4 large moons of Jupiter in our solar system are set against a false-color view of the Rosette Nebula. The light emitted from the Rosette Nebula results from the presence of hydrogen (red), oxygen (green) and sulfur (blue). Most of the planetary images in this montage were obtained by NASA's planetary missions, which have dramatically changed our understanding of the solar system in the past 30 years."

[1] The I.A.U. decided that planets need to have 3 things:
  • they need to orbit the Sun
  • they need to have enough gravity to pull themselves into a ball
  • they need to have cleared out all other objects from their orbit
"Earth is more than 1 million times more massive than all the other material in its orbit combined, while Pluto is just a tiny fraction of the rest of the icy material around it."
---o0o---

Poem: Chasing Ghosts by Jack Brummet


Chasing Ghosts
by Jack Brummet


1
The scenery whirls by
In a drunken Gaussian Blur
Until I slow it down
And watch it unravel
In a multi-colored, quadrophonic
Parade of flora and fauna
Spinning Venn Diagrams
Around each other.

2
I quit chasing ghosts,
But once in a while
I look over my shoulder
And find a face in the crowd,
With a sad smile and a halo.
---o0o---

Friday, June 24, 2011

From The Archives: The NYC Slides, Part 3

By Jack Brummet
ATIT Chief Archivist

A couple of months ago, I began scanning a box of slides we have from the years 1973 to around 1983. I posted them on Facebook because many of the surviving subjects/participants are on there. I always intended to also put them on All This Is That. These photos are from 1977-1982. Coming next, Bellingham, Seattle, and Europe.

The gang, with Nick taking the photo

Keelin

Jack


Jean McBride and Jack

Jack and Miya


Jack and Vicki on the subway

Jerry, Norm, Jack, Kevin, Neil

Keelin, on our block in Brooklyn (324 Atlantic Avenue)

Jerry, Jack

Miya

Molie on the Staten Island Ferry

Jack, Vicki

Nick, Jack, Vicki

Pinky
---o0o---

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Joan Osborne and Taj Mahal at Woodland Park Zoo

By Jack BrummetAll This Is That Music Spectator


It's pretty fun to go to a concert in your neighborhood, although getting there in time from work was a challenge.  I've seen Taj Mahal several times before, stretching back to the 70's.  He was good, and the crowd was clearly there mostly to see him and he delivered what they wanted.  Joan Osborne, on the other hand, was largely met with polite applause during her first few songs. . .despite their power, musicality, rockability, and passion.



I've seen Osborne once before, and she is a fantastic performer.  She is not cocky, but she totally commands the stage.  Her music is blues based rock and roll, although her most famous song "One Of Us" is on the pop side.  Speaking of "One Of Us,"last night the entire concert was a performance of her most famous album Relish (which contains that song, and a bunch of other great tunes like "Right Hand Man," Spider-man," and "Man In The Long Black Coat."  They're all good tunes.  She talked about being embarrassed by her song from the album "Let's just get naked," but since it was on the album, she had to play it.  I am assuming this is the first time she has ever played the album in its entirety, since she mentioned she hadn't played "Get Naked" in 16 years.  It's not a bad song, after all.   But probably not something she thought she would still be playing twenty years later.



She gave a great performance, and made every one of those songs unique and compelling.  I'm breaking out this album again!  The last time I saw her she was fronting the resurrected Dead; this time she was playing her music, and it was wonderful.  As we were walking away, I heard several people say how glad they were they didn't leave after Taj's set.  I don't know how many people were like us, and came to see her, but she definitely made some converts.

Our last stop as we headed out was a visit to the penguins.



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Representative Anthony "Owner of a lonely penis" Weiner's last six hours in office

By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor

Rep. Anthony Weiner, New York City's disgraced congressman, and the most famous Tweeter in The Beltway, finally got around to submitting his resignation today.   He will remain a Representative until midnight. 

The larger question is when will we see him return (after "treatment"), and how?  As a lobbyist, with a television program, or will he actually run for Mayor of NYC, or, in the obits? 



---o0o---

Happy 67th Birthday to Ray Davies!

By Jack Brummet
Pop Editor

Happy 67th Birthday to Ray Davies, one of my great musical heroes.  The video below is a wonderful performance of one of his greatest songs, from last summer at Glastonbury.


---o0o---

Monday, June 20, 2011

The thousand most common words in written English

By Jack Brummet
English Language Stringer



There are hundreds of lists of the most common words on various--mostly English teaching--web sites. This first 100 words make up about one-half of all written material, or, in short, half of all known documents contain just these words. The top 300 words make up 65% of all written materials.  These are listed in rank order from the most common, on down.

Source: The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists, Fourth Edition, © 2000 by Prentice Hall,  by Fry, Kress & Fountoukidis

Words 1-25

the
of
and
a
to
in
is
you
that
it
he
was
for
on
are
as
with
his
they
I
at
be
this
have
from

Words 26-50

or
one
had
by
word
but
not
what
all
were
we
when
your
can
said
there
use
an
each
which
she
do
how
their
if

Words 51-75

will
up
other
about
out
many
then
them
these
so
some
her
would
make
like
him
into
time
has
look
two
more
write
go
see

Words 75-100

number
no
way
could
people
my
than
first
water
been
call
who
oil
its
now
find
long
down
day
did
get
come
made
may
part
Words 101-125

over
new
sound
take
only
little
work
know
place
year
live
me
back
give
most
very
after
thing
our
just
name
good
sentence
man
think

Words 126-150

say
great
where
help
through
much
before
line
right
too
mean
old
any
same
tell
boy
follow
came
want
show
also
around
form
three
small

Words 151-175

set
put
end
does
another
well
large
must
big
even
such
because
turn
here
why
ask
went
men
read
need
land
different
home
us
move

Words 176-200

try
kind
hand
picture
again
change
off
play
spell
air
away
animal
house
point
page
letter
mother
answer
found
study
still
learn
should
America
world

Words 201-225

high
every
near
add
food
between
own
below
country
plant
last
school
father
keep
tree
never
start
city
earth
eye
light
thought
head
under
story

Words 226-250

saw
left
don’t
few
while
along
might
close
something
seem
next
hard
open
example
begin
life
always
those
both
paper
together
got
group
often
run

Words 251-275

important
until
children
side
feet
car
mile
night
walk
white
sea
began
grow
took
river
four
carry
state
once
book
hear
stop
without
second
later

Words 276-300

miss
idea
enough
eat
face
watch
far
Indian
really
almost
let
above
girl
sometimes
mountain
cut
young
talk
soon
list
song
being
leave
family
it’s

Words 301-325

body
music
color
stand
sun
question
fish
area
mark
dog
horse
birds
problem
complete
room
knew
since
ever
piece
told
usually
didn’t
friends
easy
heard

Words 326-350

order
red
door
sure
become
top
ship
across
today
during
short
better
best
however
low
hours
black
products
happened
whole
measure
remember
early
waves
reached
Words 351-375

listen
wind
rock
space
covered
fast
several
hold
himself
toward
five
step
morning
passed
vowel
true
hundred
against
pattern
numeral
table
north
slowly
money
map

Words 376-400

farm
pulled
draw
voice
seen
cold
cried
plan
notice
south
sing
war
ground
fall
king
town
I’ll
unit
figure
certain
field
travel
wood
fire
upon

Words 401-425

done
English
road
halt
ten
fly
gave
box
finally
wait
correct
oh
quickly
person
became
shown
minutes
strong
verb
stars
front
feel
fact
inches
street

Words 426-450

decided
contain
course
surface
produce
building
ocean
class
note
nothing
rest
carefully
scientists
inside
wheels
stay
green
known
island
week
less
machine
base
ago
stood

Words 451-475

plane
system
behind
ran
round
boat
game
force
brought
understand
warm
common
bring
explain
dry
though
language
shape
deep
thousands
yes
clear
equation
yet
government

Words 476-500

filled
heat
full
hot
check
object
am
rule
among
noun
power
cannot
able
six
size
dark
ball
material
special
heavy
fine
pair
circle
include
built

Words 501-525

can’t
matter
square
syllables
perhaps
bill
felt
suddenly
test
direction
center
farmers
ready
anything
divided
general
energy
subject
Europe
moon
region
return
believe
dance
members

Words 526-550

picked
simple
cells
paint
mind
love
cause
rain
exercise
eggs
train
blue
wish
drop
developed
window
difference
distance
heart
sit
sum
summer
wall
forest
probably

Words 551-575

legs
sat
main
winter
wide
written
length
reason
kept
interest
arms
brother
race
present
beautiful
store
job
edge
past
sign
record
finished
discovered
wild
happy

Words 576-600

beside
gone
sky
glass
million
west
lay
weather
root
instruments
meet
third
months
paragraph
raised
represent
soft
whether
clothes
flowers
shall
teacher
held
describe
drive

Words 601-625

cross
speak
solve
appear
metal
son
either
ice
sleep
village
factors
result
jumped
snow
ride
care
floor
hill
pushed
baby
buy
century
outside
everything
tall

Words 626-650

already
instead
phrase
soil
bed
copy
free
hope
spring
case
laughed
nation
quite
type
themselves
temperature
bright
lead
everyone
method
section
lake
consonant
within
dictionary

Words 651-675

hair
age
amount
scale
pounds
although
per
broken
moment
tiny
possible
gold
milk
quiet
natural
lot
stone
act
build
middle
speed
count
cat
someone
sail

Words 676-700

rolled
bear
wonder
smiled
angle
fraction
Africa
killed
melody
bottom
trip
hole
poor
let’s
fight
surprise
French
died
beat
exactly
remain
dress
iron
couldn’t
fingers

Words 701-725

row
least
catch
climbed
wrote
shouted
continued
itself
else
plains
gas
England
burning
design
joined
foot
law
ears
grass
you’re
grew
skin
valley
cents
key

Words 726-750

president
brown
trouble
cool
cloud
lost
sent
symbols
wear
bad
save
experiment
engine
alone
drawing
east
pay
single
touch
information
express
mouth
yard
equal
decimal

Words 751-775

yourself
control
practice
report
straight
rise
statement
stick
party
seeds
suppose
woman
coast
bank
period
wire
choose
clean
visit
bit
whose
received
garden
please
strange

Words  776-800

caught
fell
team
God
captain
direct
ring
serve
child
desert
increase
history
cost
maybe
business
separate
break
uncle
hunting
flow
lady
students
human
art
feeling

Words 801-825

supply
corner
electric
insects
crops

hit
sand
doctor
provide
thus
won’t
cook
bones
tail
board
modern
compound
mine
wasn’t
fit
addition
belong
safe
soldiers

Words 826-850

guess
silent
trade
rather
compare
crowd
poem
enjoy
elements
indicate
except
expect
flat
seven
interesting
sense
string
blow
famous
value
wings
movement
pole
exciting
branches

Words 851-875

thick
blood
lie
spot
bell
fun
loud
consider
suggested
thin
position
entered
fruit
tied
rich
dollars
send
sight
chief
Japanese
stream
planets
rhythm
eight
science

Words 876-900

major
observe
tube
necessary
weight
meat
lifted
process
army
hat
property
particular
swim
terms
current
park
sell
shoulder
industry
wash
block
spread
cattle
wife
sharp

Words 901-925
company
radio
we’ll
action
capital
factories
settled
yellow
isn’t
southern
truck
fair
printed
wouldn’t
ahead
chance
born
level
triangle
molecules
France
repeated
column
western
church

Words 926-950

sister
oxygen
plural
various
agreed
opposite
wrong
chart
prepared
pretty
solution
fresh
shop
suffix
especially
shoes
actually
nose
afraid
dead
sugar
adjective
fig
office
huge

Words 951-975

gun
similar
death
score
forward
stretched
experience
rose
allow
fear
workers
Washington
Greek
women
bought
led
march
northern
create
British
difficult
match
win
doesn’t
steel

Words 976-1000

total
deal
determine
evening
nor
rope
cotton
apple
details
entire
corn
substances
smell
tools
conditions
cows
track
arrived
located
sir
seat
division
effect
underline
view
---o0o---

Thank you Clarence "Big Man" Clemons for all the music

Clarence Clemons died this weekend, after he suffered a massive stroke last week.  He was a sweet man, and one of the heart and souls of the E Street Band.  I fell in love with his work in the summer of 1977, around the time I visited Asbury Park for the first time.  RIP.


---o0o---

Sunday, June 19, 2011

happy 69th birthday to Brian Wilson (with his rare version of God Only Knows and Your Imagination)

Happy 69th birthday Brian Wilson (no, not the closer!).






Brian's solo song Your Imagination--he does all 60 vocal parts.  It's all him!


Outtake-- Brian sings lead (Carl sang lead on the released version)
---o0o---

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Poem: Who Am I Today?



By Jack Brummet

I'm no longer the Jack
I was in 2004. Each cell

Is replaced every seven years—
My brain rewires itself

And the new circuits
Sing in a synaptic chorus line.

I don't know if I will wake up
As The Fuhrer,

Bishop Tutu,
Or something in between.
---o0o---

The look: Anthony Weiner and five of his sexual misconduct confederates make the contrite/busted/sad face

click to enlarge - thanks to Jeff Clinton for finding this
---o0o---

Friday, June 17, 2011

Hyman Roth's speech on Moe Greene, from The Godfather, Part 2

Hyman Roth, played by Lee Strasberg, gave this speech in The Godfather 2 to Michael Corleone (who he knew had given the order to have Moe Greene killed):



Hyman Roth: "There was this kid I grew up with; he was younger than me. Sorta looked up to me, you know. We did our first work together, worked our way out of the street. Things were good, we made the most of it. During Prohibition, we ran molasses into Canada... made a fortune, your father, too.

"As much as anyone, I loved him and trusted him. Later on he had an idea to build a city out of a desert stop-over for GI's on the way to the West Coast. That kid's name was Moe Greene, and the city he invented was Las Vegas. This was a great man, a man of vision and guts. And there isn't even a plaque, or a signpost or a statue of him in that town!

"Someone put a bullet through his eye. No one knows who gave the order. When I heard it, I wasn't angry; I knew Moe, I knew he was head-strong, talking loud, saying stupid things. So when he turned up dead, I let it go. And I said to myself, this is the business we've chosen; I didn't ask who gave the order, because it had nothing to do with business!"

Meyer Lansky, the character upon whom Hyman Roth was modeled:

---o0o---