---o0o---
Wednesday, February 05, 2014
Jack with 1/3 of his sisters-in-law
By Jack Brummet
With my beautiful sis-in-laws Megan & Mary at the Matt & Emily wedding in Yosemite in October. It's hard to believe I've known these two women 40 years, since neither of them even appears to be 40. Really cool wavy artifacting in the photo...I don't know who took this pic, but it may be actual film...like one of those disposable cameras people pass around at weddings?
With my beautiful sis-in-laws Megan & Mary at the Matt & Emily wedding in Yosemite in October. It's hard to believe I've known these two women 40 years, since neither of them even appears to be 40. Really cool wavy artifacting in the photo...I don't know who took this pic, but it may be actual film...like one of those disposable cameras people pass around at weddings?
---o0o---
Tuesday, February 04, 2014
Poem: The Bay
By Jack Brummet
Between
what we do
And what we'd like to think we'd do
Lies a vast bay of denial and delusion
---o0o---
Lies a vast bay of denial and delusion
---o0o---
President Nixon and Bob Haldeman attempt to neutralize Johnny Cash & Johnny Cash's sweet revenge a couple years later
By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor
In 1970, President Richard Nixon and Bob Haldeman hoped to politically neutralize Johnny Cash, and convince him not to campaign for Tex Ritter in a a Tennessee U.S. Senate race. Here is the White House memo, now housed at The Nixon Library.
Mental Floss, in a post March 5, 2012, [ed's note: I don't think Mental Floss knew about this letter, or the earlier meeting referred to by Haldeman] reported that two years after this memo, "In July 1972, Cash sat down with Richard Nixon in the White House’s Blue Room. The country music superstar had come to discuss prison reform, and the media was present, eager to report the results. Nixon thought he’d break the ice, and asked, “Johnny, would you be willing to play a few songs for us?” “I like Merle Haggard’s 'Okie From Muskogee' and Guy Drake’s 'Welfare Cadillac.'" Both songs were satirical expressions of right-wing disdain for Vietnam protesters and hippies, and one for for poor people who cheat the welfare system."
Cash said he didn't know those songs, but had some of his own. Cash started with “What Is Truth?” a great anti-war song that celebrated the protesting, long haired youth of America.
From Metal Floss again: "Nixon sat listening with a frozen smile. Cash continued the assault with “The Man in Black,” a song that explained how his fashion preference represented his solidarity with the oppressed, the sick, the lonely, and the soldiers (“Each week we lose a hundred fine young men”). Cash then capped off his mini-concert with “The Ballad of Ira Hayes,” about the plight of Native Americans, in particular one of the soldiers who raised the flag at Iwo Jima. Hayes returned home to be decorated, but couldn’t deal with the guilt he felt over surviving the war when so many of his friends didn’t. He drank himself to death."
In 1970, President Richard Nixon and Bob Haldeman hoped to politically neutralize Johnny Cash, and convince him not to campaign for Tex Ritter in a a Tennessee U.S. Senate race. Here is the White House memo, now housed at The Nixon Library.
Mental Floss, in a post March 5, 2012, [ed's note: I don't think Mental Floss knew about this letter, or the earlier meeting referred to by Haldeman] reported that two years after this memo, "In July 1972, Cash sat down with Richard Nixon in the White House’s Blue Room. The country music superstar had come to discuss prison reform, and the media was present, eager to report the results. Nixon thought he’d break the ice, and asked, “Johnny, would you be willing to play a few songs for us?” “I like Merle Haggard’s 'Okie From Muskogee' and Guy Drake’s 'Welfare Cadillac.'" Both songs were satirical expressions of right-wing disdain for Vietnam protesters and hippies, and one for for poor people who cheat the welfare system."
Cash said he didn't know those songs, but had some of his own. Cash started with “What Is Truth?” a great anti-war song that celebrated the protesting, long haired youth of America.
From Metal Floss again: "Nixon sat listening with a frozen smile. Cash continued the assault with “The Man in Black,” a song that explained how his fashion preference represented his solidarity with the oppressed, the sick, the lonely, and the soldiers (“Each week we lose a hundred fine young men”). Cash then capped off his mini-concert with “The Ballad of Ira Hayes,” about the plight of Native Americans, in particular one of the soldiers who raised the flag at Iwo Jima. Hayes returned home to be decorated, but couldn’t deal with the guilt he felt over surviving the war when so many of his friends didn’t. He drank himself to death."
---o0o---
Monday, February 03, 2014
ATIT Reheated: Where is that banjo pickin' boy from Deliverance now?
By Jack Brummet, Music Ed.
[originally published 2009. It is one of out most popular articles in our ten year history, A lot of people want to know what happened to Billy.]
What ever became of the boy who played the banjo (The Wikipedia describes him as the "creepy banjo kid") on the porch in 1972's Deliverance?
As it turns out, Billy Redden, the man who may be the most famous banjo player of all time, can barely play at all.
In 2003, Redden appeared in Tim Burton's movie "Big Fish." It was his first movie since his appearance in Deliverance. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Burton on Dec. 23, 2003: "I never forgot that image." The spooky and haunting Redden appeared in one of the key scenes of "Deliverance."
[originally published 2009. It is one of out most popular articles in our ten year history, A lot of people want to know what happened to Billy.]
Billy Redden in 2003 at 49 years of age
What ever became of the boy who played the banjo (The Wikipedia describes him as the "creepy banjo kid") on the porch in 1972's Deliverance?
As it turns out, Billy Redden, the man who may be the most famous banjo player of all time, can barely play at all.
In 2003, Redden appeared in Tim Burton's movie "Big Fish." It was his first movie since his appearance in Deliverance. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Burton on Dec. 23, 2003: "I never forgot that image." The spooky and haunting Redden appeared in one of the key scenes of "Deliverance."
Redden said he did not mind being a hillbilly icon in the film, but he was embarrassed by what he--unintentionally, hilariously--called the film's "love scene" (a violent rape that turns the sylvan rafting trip into a nightmare). Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty starred in the film. Voight claimed that Billy is the son of an unholy union between his mother and his brother). I find no confirmation of that, but I've never believed much that emerges from that rabid Republican's mouth.
Tim Burton eventually located Redden in Clayton, Georgia, where Redden works as a cook, dishwasher and part-owner of the Cookie Jar Cafe. "Big Fish," drew the attention of media as far away as London and throughout the United States. "Quite a few people have come in to meet me," Redden said.
Burton gave Redden the banjo he used in the film,and a video about how to play the banjo. Redden said he would give it a shot.
Redden's performance on that porch, in the Dueling Banjos is one of the most memorable and creepy movie scenes ever. After that scene (and the Ned Beatty "love scene"), you knew anything could happen in this bizarro hillbilly world. I might have some cousins in that film. Billy and I might even be related, when you think about some of Our People's breeding practices back there (and maybe even out here). We're not quite in the "I'm My Own Grandpa" camp, but who knows?
Billy Redden in 1972 - click to enlarge
Tim Burton eventually located Redden in Clayton, Georgia, where Redden works as a cook, dishwasher and part-owner of the Cookie Jar Cafe. "Big Fish," drew the attention of media as far away as London and throughout the United States. "Quite a few people have come in to meet me," Redden said.
Burton gave Redden the banjo he used in the film,and a video about how to play the banjo. Redden said he would give it a shot.
Redden's performance on that porch, in the Dueling Banjos is one of the most memorable and creepy movie scenes ever. After that scene (and the Ned Beatty "love scene"), you knew anything could happen in this bizarro hillbilly world. I might have some cousins in that film. Billy and I might even be related, when you think about some of Our People's breeding practices back there (and maybe even out here). We're not quite in the "I'm My Own Grandpa" camp, but who knows?
---o0o---
Transformed police sketches: Faces No. 597
By Jack Brummet
I created a series of "police sketches" using the Faces 3.0 police sketch software. I then ran them through various Photoshop filters to come up with this digital painting. . .
My original police sketches:
I created a series of "police sketches" using the Faces 3.0 police sketch software. I then ran them through various Photoshop filters to come up with this digital painting. . .
My original police sketches:
---o0o---
Sunday, February 02, 2014
Saturday, February 01, 2014
Poem: The Cloud Endures
By Jack Brummet (created in the random poetry generator)
1
The cloud endures like a red sun.
Winds calmly rise like a dead captain.
2
Love, adventure, and anger.
Work, anger, and death.
3
Laughter, anger and death.
The dusty skyscraper grabs the truck.
---o0o---
Winds calmly rise like a dead captain.
2
Love, adventure, and anger.
Work, anger, and death.
3
Laughter, anger and death.
The dusty skyscraper grabs the truck.
---o0o---
A monkey shoots an AK-47
By Jack Brummet, Primate Ed.
Context unknown - I don't know where this actually came from, or whether it is staged, or cooked up (which seems likely). . .
Context unknown - I don't know where this actually came from, or whether it is staged, or cooked up (which seems likely). . .
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