Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Ex-Governor Palin: "This Is Our Morning In America...and it may take some renegades going rogue to get us there!"

By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor

From Sarah Palin's Facebook page:  "Congratulations, America! And thank you, voters!"

The ex-Governor sends her thanks to The Voters.  If the leaks are kosher, and what I've been hearing is true, the process of the GOP distancing themselves from her begins.  Right. Now.  



They Republicans, besides repealing the health care bill, axing spending (aside from the military), and lowering taxes, now have 2012 to focus on.  The race for POTUS really does begin this January.  Now, the big question is whether or not Sarah's fervent supporters can be so easily shunted aside. . .I'm hoping not.  Keep them in the mix, GOP!

Ms. Palin, in her Facebook post, also included a link to this inspirational YouTube video her staff put together:


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Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Ned Ludd and The Luddites

This illustration of Ned Ludd is from a book published in 1812, called Rage Against The Machine.  Ned Ludd is *probably* a person who really existed.  His actions were the inspiration for the folkloric character of "Captain Ludd", or "King Ludd," the Luddites' imagined leader and founder.

The Ludd legend is that inspired Ned Ludd's transformation from an 18th century common man to a 19th century hero began when he broke two textile frames in a fit of rage around 1780.  After that, industrial problem or sabotage was often explained with the phrase "Ned Ludd did that."

The Austin band The Gourds refer to Ned Ludd as "Uncle Ned" in the song "Luddite Juice" off their 2009 release, Haymaker.

The great Edward Abbey novel The Monkey Wrench Gang (1975) is dedicated to Ned Ludd.

Stephen King's The Dark Tower series contains a metropolis called Lud (city).

Robert Calvert wrote and recorded another song "Ned Ludd," which appeared on his 1985 album Freq; and includes the lyrics::


They said Ned Ludd was an idiot boy
That all he could do was wreck and destroy, and
He turned to his workmates and said: Death to Machines
They tread on our future and they stamp on our dreams.



This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.  This applies to the United States, Australia, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years.
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Saturday, October 30, 2010

War of the Worlds: In 1938, Orson Welles scared the bejesus out of your grandparents.

Five years ago on all this is that.  we published an article on War of the Worlds, with a link to the broadcast...and since it's Halloween, the link still works, and mostly because it's some of the best radio Eve, here is an ATIT retread.

The restrictions on this collection expired in 1986, and the Library of Congress
believes this image is in the public domain.  The photograph is by Carl Van Vechten.

Jump to the link below to download an MP3/Podcast of the entire War of the Worlds broadcast by Mercury Theatre.  This is the piece that propelled Orson Welles to fame, Listen to it and celebrate that great actor, writer, director, and Madison Avenue pitchman, who spooked a large part of America 72 years ago, on October 30, 1938.  And it's plenty spooky, in honor of the day.

http://www.mercurytheatre.info/



The image was distributed as a promotional photograph in the U.S. in 1941 for use
by the general media, satisfying the definition of "publication." There is no evidence
that it was distributed with copyright notice, as then required for copyright protection.
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Friday, October 29, 2010

Learn from the masters: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams show how mud should be slung

By Pablo Fanque
National Affairs Editor

Do you think the attack ads we've seen this political season are the nastiest ever?  They're not even close.  Check out the mud Thomas Jefferson and John Adams flung at each other in 1800...


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Video mash-up --> Beatles/Zombies: A Hard Day's Night of the Living Dead


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The Monkey and The Engineer by Jesse Fuller




The Monkey and The Engineer, by Jesse Fuller

Once upon a time there was an engineer.
Drove a locomotive both far and near.
Accompanied by a monkey that would sit on a stool
Watching everything the engineer would move

One day the engineer wanted a bite to eat,
He left the monkey sitting on the driver's seat,
The monkey pulled the throttle, the locomotive jumped the gun
And did 90 miles an hour down the mainline run.

Big locomotive right on time, big locomotive coming down the line.
Big locomotive No. 99, left the engineer with a worried mind.

The engineer called up the dispatcher on the phone,
To tell him all about his locomotive was gone.
Get on the wire, switch operator to the right,
Cause the monkey's got the main line sewed up tight.

The switch operator got the message on time,
Said there's a Northbound limited on the same main line,
Open up the switch I'm gonna let him through the hole,
Cause the monkey's got the locomotive under control.

Big locomotive right on time, big locomotive coming down the line.
Big locomotive No. 99, left the engineer with a worried mind.
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Jack Brummet drawing - Faces No. 180: Greenwood

click to enlarge
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Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A strange Halloween postcard from 1901, with a message

A Halloween postcard from 1901, with a message


click to enlarge

This media file is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1923.
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