Quote of the day, from Anthony Bourdain

"A good laugh, a little context, they go a long ways to bringing one back from the urge to shave one's head, climb a tower, and start shooting pedestrians." - Anthony Bourdain ("The Nasty Bits")
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The Old Ways - Ed McGroaraty's $150 per game 1944 football contract with the Packers

My brother Guy sent me Ed McGroaraty's pro football contract from 1944.  Hey, we'll pay you $150 a game; if you play better, we'll pay you more.  The contract is one page long.  What a different world that was.

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Santa gets some wide exposure

Santa Claus definitely gets some wide exposure this time of the year, from lifeisajoke.com. 

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Favorite songs of candidates and politicians (and a few hangers-on)

By
Jack Brummet, Social Mores Editor

Mona Goldwater, Style Editor

We recently researched favorite songs of some of our favorite (and many not so favorite) politicians, candidates, and pundits.  We thought this would be a research nightmare...but then figured, naw... remember when someone on an MTV College Town Hall sort of thing asked Bill Clinton whether he wore briefs or boxers; didn't he answer? People must have asked politicians about their favorite songs too...

This was originally inspired by BHO--Jack remembers him telling someone his favorite Dylan song was "I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more," and what a perfect choice that was.

Former President Bill Clinton's Presidential museum has released two volumes of his favorite songs.  Volume 1 contains

Miles Davis, "My Funny Valentine"

Nina Simone, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free"
John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman, "My One and Only Love"
Zoot Sims, "Summertime"
Mahalia Jackson, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"
Igor Butman, "Nostalgie"
Judy Collins, "Chelsea Morning"
Art Tatum, "There Will Never Be Another You"
Mickey Mangun, "In the Presence of Jehovah"
David Sanborn, "Harlem Nocturne"

Bill's Volume 2 includes songs by: Joan Baez, Elton John, Stan Getz with Charlie Byrd, Carly Simon, Simon and Garfunkel, Sarah McLachlan, Willie Nelson, North Texas Wind Symphony, Van Morrison, John Williams and the President’s Own United States Marine Band,.

Bill O'Reilly gave this list of his five favorite songs to Don Imus.  Jack felt a little strange about one, since it lists at least two of his own favorite songs (Drive My Car, L.A. Woman):

“I Love Music,” by The OJays

“Baby You Can Drive My Car,” by The Beatles
“Just Dance,” by Lady Gaga
“L.A. Woman,” by The Doors
“Kentucky Rain,” by Elvis Presley

Barack Obama: Favorite Bob Dylan song "I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more"

Hilary Clinton: Aretha Franklin "Respect"

Ex Governor (and bassist) Mike Huckabee: Stephanopoulos: "What's your favorite song?  Huckabee: "Oh, don't ask that because then you start getting me into stuff, which artist. It's going to most likely be a Mellencamp or Rolling Stones or Beatles song. Maybe Creedence. But can you tell, it's got to be heavy guitar music in there?"

But then, another time, Huck gave this list of his favorite five songs to Don Imus:

"I Want to Hold Your Hand," by The Beatles
"Start Me Up," by The Rolling Stones
"Purple Haze," by Jimi Hendrix
"Freebird," by Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Restless," by Alabama

Political Grateful Dead fans.  While we don't know their favorite songs, we do know that these folks have at various times happily admitted to the press (or even followed the band on the road) that they are DeadHeads, a/k/a fans of The Grateful Dead. As a fellow-traveller, I bet that this list is woefully incomplete.   We Are Everywhere.

(photo of Jerry Garcia, the last time we saw him in Seagttle, in 1995)

Senator Patrick Leahy 
Anne Coulter !?
Tipper Gore
Tucker Carlson (no question on this one...he's had members on his shows). 
Soon to be ex-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.  She had the surviving members play after her swearing in as Speaker.
Majority Leader, Senator Harry Reid:  Quote: "Here, I'll show you the bathroom. This is my prized possession, a signed poster of the Grateful Dead." - from Las Vegas Eyes Witness News
Senator Al Franken - Al was and is a huge Grateful Dead fan (who pressured Lorne Michaels, successfully, to get them on SNL), saw literally hundreds of shows, and I think...appeared on stage with them more than once.

Glen Beck:

"You and I," by Ingrid Michaelson
"Haven't Met You Yet," by Michael Buble
"Bad Romance," by Lady Gaga
"Uprising," by Muse
"Exogenesis: Symphony: Part 3 (Redemption)," by Muse

In 2008, Blender.com listed John McCain and Barack Obama's favorites.  Randy Newman commented on some of their choices:  "McCain has a really likable list. Then again, Hitler liked some good music, you know?" 

Senator Barack Obama:
1. "Ready or Not"  by The Fugees
2. "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye
3. "I'm On Fire" by  Bruce Springsteen
4. "Gimme Shelter " by The Rolling Stones
5. "Sinnerman" by Nina Simone
6. "Touch the Sky" by Kanye West
7. "You'd Be So Easy to Love"  by Frank Sinatra
8. "Think" by Aretha Franklin
9. "City of Blinding Lights"  by U2
10. "Yes We Can" by will.i.am

Senator John McCain:

 1. "Dancing Queen" by ABBA
2. "Blue Bayou" Roy Orbison
3. "Take a Chance On Me" by ABBA
4. "If We Make It Through December" by Merle Haggard
5. "As Time Goes By" by Dooley Wilson
6. "Good Vibrations" by  The Beach Boys
7. "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
8. "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Frank Sinatra
9. "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond
10. "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"  by The Platters

The Reverend Al Sharpton:  "Talking Loud, Saying Nothing," by James Brown. The Reverend called it "James Brown's song about the Republican Party."

Rep. Dennis Kucinich:"Imagine," John Lennon

Ex-Senator John Edwards:  "Small Town," by John Mellencamp.

Ex-Rep. Dick Gephardt: "Born in the USA," By Bruce Springsteen.

Sen. Bob Graham: "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes," by Jimmy Buffett

A whole bunch of favorites from Don Imus (he regularly asks guests their five favorite songs...we got probably a third of this list from the Imus archives):

Ex-Governor Mitt Romney:

"Friends in Low Places," by Garth Brooks
"Crying," by Roy Orbison
"Let it Be," by The Beatles
"Lying Eyes," by The Eagles
"Like a Rolling Stone," by Bob Dylan
"When I Said I Do," by Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black


Senator Bob Kerrey:

"Tom Traubert's Blues," by Tom Waits
"I Still Carry You Around," by Steve Earle
"Can't Let Go," by Lucinda Williams
"Romance is a Slow Dance," by Tim O'Brien
"When the Deal Goes Down," by Bob Dylan

Senator John Kerry:

"No Surrender,” by Bruce Springsteen
“Born to Run,” by Bruce Springsteen
“Hey, Jude,” by The Beatles
“Satisfaction,” by The Rolling Stones
“Like A Rolling Stone,” by Bob Dylan

Senator John Thune:

"Long Time," by Boston
"Independence Day," by Martina McBride
"Don't Stop Believing," by Journey
"Roll With the Changes," by REO Speedwagon
"Where the Streets Have No Name," by U2

Senator Chris Dodd:

Anything by Roy Orbison
Bobby Darin
Early Beatles Songs
Anything by Patsy Klein
Frank Sinatra
Barbara Streisand

Congressman Ron Paul:

"Universal Soldier," by Donovan
"Alice's Restaurant," by Arlo Gutherie

Congressman Darrell Issa:

"Cats in the Cradle," by Harry Chapin
"Bennie and the Jets," by Elton John
"American Pie," by Don McClain
"Welcome Back," by John B. Sebastian
"Wouldn't It Be Nice," by the Beach Boys
"Take it Easy" or "Hotel California," by the Eagles

Governor David Paterson:

"Beyond The Sea," by Bobby Darin
"Get Up, Stand Up," by Bob Marley
"A Change is Going to Come," by Sam Cooke
"Sister Golden Hair," by America
"Empire State of Mind," by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
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Claire Brummet and Colin Whitchelo's big screen debut in a Bollywood movie

By Jack Brummet
Travel Editor

Last spring, we met Claire and her BF Colin in India and traveled together for two weeks.  After Keelin and I departed back to America, they continued traveling for another couple of months.  When they went back to Mumbai, they ended up being extras in a Bollywood movie being shot for Christmas release.  This is that movie, and it is scheduled to be released Christmas Eve.  It looks hilarious.

Claire isn't sure where or how they appear in the film, but is pretty sure they appear in the end credits-- those elaborate song and dance routines that often end Indian movies.

"Only once in a blue moon is such a great criminal born who is fearless as well as shameless! And that blue moon happens to be 24th December,2010. Watch the theatrical trailer of the year's most awaited film Tees Maar Khan, starring Akshay Kumar & Katrina Kaif.The film Releases on 24th December 2010"


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Three Santa Claus Photographs

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Alien Lore No. 188 - Animal? or Alien in the woods near Baton Rouge? They say it's an animal, but it looks like a Grey to us.

Jack Brummet
Alien Lore Editor


Thanks to Jeff Clinton for this one.

A deer hunter captured a weird image of something wandering through the Louisiana woods one night recently.  WVLA in Louisiana (NBC 33) reports that a Baton Rouge hunter found this photo when he returned to the area in which he had a camera on a "deer stand."

On closer inspection, "the hunting camera was broken but the memory card was still there and so was this bizarre image."

Their description, "it looks like a cross between a human and an animal, with long slender appendages and glowing eyes," sure sounds like the classic EBE/Grey/Visitor/Zeta-Reticulan of alien lore.

Here is a classic Grey photo:

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The Sphinx

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The best wah-wah music, ever: Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix

By Jack Brummet
Rock & Roll Editor

There were three masters of the wah-wah pedal (I am missing the wah-wah tonight): Seattle's own Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton (I loved the Cream reunion, but missed both Clapton's Les Paul and the wah-wah), and Frank Zappa. Voodoo Child may be the best wah-wah tune, ever.

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Alien Lore No. 187 - John Titor--real, unreal?

John Titor may or may not be a real person, or s/he may be a real person using the name John Titor.  Did Titor make all this up, or did someone make John Titor up?  John Titor claim to have traveled back (and forth) in time.  The photos?  Who knows--they could be stills from a Star Trek set for all I know!

clip 1 of the time machine from John Timor

According to the Wikipedia, "The first post appeared on the Time Travel Institute forums on November 2, 2000, under the name TimeTravel_0. At the time the posts had nothing to do with future events and the name "John Titor" was not being used. Instead, the posts discussed time travel in general, the first one being the "six parts" description of what a time machine would need to have to work (see below) and responses to questions about how such a machine would work"

Clip 2 - John Titor's time machine

In online posts, Titor said that he was an American soldier from the year 2036, from Tampa, who works for (or is it will work for?!) a governmental time-travel project.  Titor says he was sent back to 1975 to bring back a computer needed to debug old computer programs in 2036.  He was chosen for time travel because his grandfather was directly involved with the assembly and programming of the computer he was bringing back.

Mr. Titor claimed that he briefly stopped on earth in the year 2000 for "personal reasons" (to collect pictures he would lose in a war in the future, and also to visit his family.  Titor also said he had tried to spread the alarm about Mad Cow Disease, and about a potential new civil war in the U.S. Online, he also expressed interest in unexplained UFOs, and thought the aliens might be time travelers from much further into the future than 2036.

John titor described his time machine as a  "stationary mass, temporal displacement unit powered by two top-spin, dual positive singularities", producing a "standard off-set Tipler sinusoid".

In 2003, the John Titor Foundation published a book, John Titor: A Time Traveler's Tale, discussing (and documenting?)  his claims.

An Italian TV show, (Voyager - Ai confini della conoscenza) investigated the Titor story on May 19, 2008.  A private detective--Mike Lynch--hired to investigate, found that there were no registry traces of any John Titor or Titor family; that the John Titor Foundation had no office and its address is a post office box; that no tapes, recordings, or evidence of Titor have ever been found; and that only Larry Haber (owner of the commercial rights to John Titor) confirmed his existence.  The investigator believes that John Titor may be John Rick Haber--Larry Haber's brother, a computer professional....
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Saint Nicholas, up close

Digital Art by Jack Brummet

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New Found Photos!

A new batch of photographs have appeared on Foundphotos.net.  Updates have slowed to a crawl over the las year or so...  Here is my favorite from the new current crop (archive 137):

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