I'm Reading!

Hey. I'm reading these days. Actual books.

It's a good feeling to be back into it. I'm reading "The Prisoner of Zenda" now. I was looking for a different book in my basement and found an old hardback copy of this classic novel, so I'm into it.

I also have it in a paperback that includes the sequel. So I might switch over and look at that when I'm done with this one.

I've noticed some changes in spellings between the text of the old hardback and the newer paperback. "Coutesied" is "curtsied." And there's some others. And I only checked one or two pages. So I wonder what that's all about.

I Finished Radar Men From The Moon

First, the good. Of Radar Men From The Moon. The flying effects were great, for Commando Cody. Probably not so great for the spaceship.

It might've helped that Cody had a big mask on. Because some of it was obviously a dummy and the mask would help cover up this fact. And the rest, when it was Cody, it could be played by anyone. How am I supposed to know the difference?

There's one especially good flying scene when he comes swooping across the screen toward the viewer, or more toward the left of the screen. So that's the good.

There's plenty of bad. One of the worst things I saw was an episode toward the end of the thing, when he did a couple flashbacks for the sake of the government guy. That meant replaying large chunks of episode 1. Boring! I skipped through most of that.

The rest of the bad I covered in my other blog posts. Cody made very very stupid moves all through the thing, which of course is needed so that he can end up in a cliffhanger every few minutes. Talk about an idiot though!

The ending has Cody's assistant doing something funny. I didn't buy this, since he didn't do anything funny all through the rest of the shows. You can't have a guy as a comic foil in the last minute who hasn't been that all along.

Cody's crew trying to bring back their captive from the moon was also stupid. Why did they need him? That's bad enough, but they've got him running loose on the ship! Then he rebels and about destroys their entire mission. It makes you wonder, why isn't this guy strapped in or confined? Fortunately he was killed and "buried" in space.

The rest of it -- I wasn't fascinated in the least. And I normally like campy stuff like this. Way too many and too prolonged of fist fights. They seemed endless. Boring stuff.

The Book I'm Reading

I've been reading a book. I mentioned it once already. It's called "A Romance of Two Worlds," by Marie Corelli. It's from around 1887.

I'm virtually done. Into the last few chapters. It's been enjoyable, more enjoyable than most books from the 1880s would be, thanks to the more mystical, magical, strange spirituality of it.

But I haven't been able to read any of it today yet, thanks to other duties. So I'd love to finish it off, like maybe tomorrow. It has a lot of socializing and entertaining in it, with the social customs of a bygone era. That's not terribly jarring. But it does make you remember it's an old book.

I'm right at some kind of climax chapter, I'm thinking. But I needed to put it down before I got to the whole thing. There's a storm. Intense lightning. And lightning -- or electricity -- are the key ingredient in the main man's whole spiritual revelation. There's something foreboding for him personally. And there's apparently something terrible about to happen to his sister. She's spoken of her death several times. Oooooo.

I've got my fingers crossed. Heh heh. Whatever happened to the sister happened in 1887, so whatever I'm hoping for, which I'm not really, has already been predetermined.

The book has some funky things in it, like what I wrote about before, that the moon isn't really there, that the sun was a planet, etc. But it's still interesting and compelling. It's compelling me to finish it, which is something!

Lady Gaga's Newie

I downloaded Lady Gaga's newest record today, "Bad Romance," without hearing it before. I like her.

I've heard it probably 15 times thereabouts since this morning. I like it. It's not so stunning that I'm jumping up and down but it's good and good to hear.

My mind wanders so I still don't know precisely what it's all about entirely. She loves a bad romance as long as it's free. She wants to share your disease, get down and get funky in reckless ways.

I should listen and really listen. I'm mostly hearing the nonsense lyrics, blah blah ga ga, raw raw, all that.

I Need To Think Of An Idea

I've been seriously invested in coming up with creative ideas for various projects. I usually just mentally snap my fingers and there's another idea. But tonight I have a tiny mental block.

I took a nap a little earlier, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. approximately. I thought I would wake up clear as a bell. And actually I haven't been doing too badly. I'm just stuck at this one thing, what my next idea will be.

How will I overcome the block? I thought if I started typing about it -- and it's still not hopeless -- that it would pop into my mind. I depend on that all the time.

I need to take the dog out in a few minutes. That might be a good thing. The cool night air in my nose, mouth, and throat. Clear out some of the inside stuffiness.

I'm looking around the room. I live in a very cluttered environment. That's good and bad. It's good because I obviously need everything I have. It's bad because I obviously don't need particular things when you get right down to it.

This might be the idea, but I think I already did that idea. Yes, I did. The "Got Along Without You Before I Met You" idea. I'm sure I did that already.

[OK, I'm going to take the dog out and see if anything happens. I won't hit PUBLISH POST until I get back and we'll see how it stands.]

OVER 10 MINUTES LATER: I was out with the dog, giving this thing lots of thought. My thoughts went over topics like our wavelength, our mental furniture, and arranging things like on a shelf, being orderly, purposeful, etc. Those ideas aren't grabbing me.

Radar Men From The Moon

I mentioned the other day somewhere that I'm watching a serial movie from the '40s, "Radar Men From The Moon."

It has the character Commando Cody. Big whoop, right? Right.

I don't know if I've seen a stupider hero than Commando Cody. But the hero has to be fairly stupid in these serials, in order to get himself in some kind of idiotic danger within 12 minutes.

In the episode I was watching this morning, there's a couple of thugs at a car. Cody flies in (he has a jet pack on his back). He's up among the rocks, but he's so careless that they immediately see him. Bang, bang. Then they run and are up against a cliff. One of the thugs hides and tells the other to stand there. Cody runs into the scene, doesn't notice it's an obvious set up, gets hit in the head with a rock and falls off the cliff.

What a moron.

And the guy they had playing Cody is not exactly the heroic type. Talk about bad casting. He looks like someone's old Uncle Delbert.

How about this? The thugs are in his office/laboratory like it has a revolving door. It doesn't. And they never think, "How about locking the door next time?" The woman gets kidnapped, the other guy gets kidnapped. If they had a dog it'd get kidnapped too.

This is a very bad movie. I usually like campy stuff but this is pure tripe.

Why Is It So Hard To Get Followers At Blogger?

It seems weird to me that I never get any followers at Blogger. I'm not complaining and I don't really care. But it is a weird thing.

Were they picturing Blogger as some sort of social gathering spot? I don't know. I do know I have five blogs I update virtually daily, sometimes three or four times daily, and there's only one follower on one blog. And I don't know what his story is!

But you go to Twitter and make an account and you have 40-50 followers in a month or so. I've seen people on there with 200 followers and they haven't even written their first tweet yet!

(It seems like I've already written about this subject. But it's still on my mind.)

What precisely do you have to do to have followers on your blog?

She Comes In Colors

I listened to "Their Satanic Majesties Request" by The Rolling Stones again today. I don't have it on CD but on LP. It seems like I recorded it off one other time, but my system probably wasn't as good and I didn't look it up. So I recorded it again as MP3s.

I like this album more each time I hear it, which frankly hasn't been that many times. Less than 10 times in my whole life.

It seems like it gets something of a bum rap -- I could look it up, I guess -- because it is different than what the Stones were "supposed" to sound like. They were doing a Sgt. Pepper thing and it seemed out of character.

But it's very beautiful to me, especially songs like "She's Like A Rainbow" and "2000 Light Years From Home," which were together on a 45. I have one somewhere.

The other songs are cool too, for the most part. I wish "In Another Land" didn't have that weird vocal effect on Bill's voice. But even that is tolerable after a few times. Everything else I like.

I used to have one of the 3D covers, but it would seem that I sold it sometime over the years to get needed money. Drat. On the non-3D cover I can't see Paul and Ringo, and I know they're there on the 3D.

Figuring Out The Kindle

As far as I'm concerned, the Kindle isn't all that intuitive. But thanks to the internet, I've been able to get most of my questions answered.

We have one in the family. It's not mine. And it's being put to good use.

But I wanted to know how to send documents to it. I had a little trouble when they didn't seem to be showing up. But a little bit of help, and we were back on track.

The Kindle is a nice thing. I don't know that it'll stand the test of time, though. Then what will you do with all the books you purchased when you can't access them.

I have plenty of books on my shelf that are around 100 years old. Will the Kindle still be chugging away 100 years from now?

OK, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

It probably sounds weird, but I never knew anything about Liberty Valance. Just the song by Gene Pitney, which I've heard a million times over the years without especially liking it all that much.

I heard of the movie but never saw it or had any interest in seeing it. But I've been in the mood lately, doing my exercise, watching whatever. VHS, DVD, anything remotely decent that crosses my path. Since I only do the exercises 20 minutes a day, I don't get to see that much.

But I've had this one on VHS for a while. It's been laying around. So I watched it, then tonight I extended the session of watching it since it seemed like I was in the home stretch.

It was very good. Not that I'm going to be watching it over and over. Nothing like that.

It's all a flashback, except the beginning and end. James Stewart's character explains why he came back to Shinbone for John Wayne's character's funeral. But I don't want to give away the ending.

We Could Take In An Old Steve Reeves Movie

I got an old Steve Reeves movie today on VHS at a thrift store, "Hercules Unchained."

I've been watching movies lately and VHS is just as good, since I have a TV in my room that plays them. Right now I'm watching "The Man Who Killed Liberty Valance." It's good. I'm wondering if that old song will come on at the end. Or if that song was just a song with no relation to the movie.

Anyway, the Steve Reeves movie. I love the line from "Rocky Horror Picture Show," one of the songs, "Sweet Transvestite," "If you want something visual that's not too abysmal, we could take in an old Steve Reeves movie." But there's no sign of them watching one in the movie!

The box on this tape says it's "The Original Uncut Version," so there must have been a cut version. I'm glad I have the uncut. (I wouldn't have known the difference.)

Ignore The Republicans

The Republicans are just so full of crap.

They know that health care reform is likely to pass, so they're going to stand in the way as much as they can, to trip it up, with their overall purpose being to undercut President Obama.

That's it. That's all they're for. They're not for a positive difference. They're not for doing things in a responsible way. They're not on the side of the American people. All they want to do is stand in the way and lie as much as possible, hoping they can kick up enough dust that no one will be want what the Democrats have been working on.

Partisanship at its worst ... is all the Republicans can manage.

How about this quote:

Republicans are demanding a deceleration of the process and moving to define whatever plan that emerges as a combination of Medicare cuts, tax increases, higher insurance premiums and rising overall costs.

They are going to define WHATEVER plan emerges as this, that, and the other thing.

How is it that these tactics aren't transparent to 100% of the American people?

Balloon Boy A Hoax?

This story seems to be written from the point of view that the Balloon Boy episode a few days ago was definitely a hoax.

They attribute the assertions to law enforcement authorities, who don't appear to be holding back in their charges. The only thing left to do is arrest the parents, who, if the authorities are right, concocted the whole thing to somehow get a reality TV series. They might still make it!

Not only that, it sounds like the children were in on it:

The sheriff said that the Heenes' three sons knew about the hoax, but that they probably will not be charged because of their ages. The oldest son is 10.

If true, this is one heck of a family. "Dysfunctional" doesn't cover it.

Steak For My Dog

I don't feed my dog off my plate anymore. I used to, years ago, but she gained a lot of weight and the veterinarian told me I shouldn't do it, that I was killing her.

Since then we haven't done it, except once in a while, hardly ever, she gets a little something extra. Like when we have raw hamburger we toss her a few tiny balls of it, which she catches in midair.

Tonight we were out to eat, and we had steaks, big ones. At the end, getting a little full, I decided we could take a few scraps to the dog, who could have them if she wanted them. And that's a big IF ... ha ha.

When we got home she smelled it and knew something was up. I was cutting it into smaller pieces and she was maintaining an anxious vigil at my feet. Then when I put the bowl down, she was crazy with delight, wolfing it down.

What a happy dog! Just don't gain weight!

I've Got Chili Belly

We had chili this noon, which was so delicious I had a big bowl and a half.

It's simple to make and about as good as anything there is. It goes down easily.

The big problem with chili is later on, when Chili Belly kicks in, the bloating, the churning, the digestive process.

So it's a nasty feeling as the day drags on.

My Grocery List

Ugh, I probably should go to the grocery store.

Even though it's dark and I hate to get out. I'm not in any desperate need for anything. But I like milk in the morning and we're completely out. I didn't have any this morning.

Then there's the cat food. We have enough for another day or so, of the dry, but I may as well go get it.

And I know there's a couple other things I was thinking of this morning ... but precisely what, I can't remember. I need to start thinking categorically. Bathroom supplies. Oh yeah, I need some bar soap. We're down to slivers and it's hard to get a good grasp on those.

Pet food. May as well get some dog food.

Then in the grocery section ... they ought to do it like the pets ... a bag of Purina Human Food (for Seniors) ... But that's just a dream ... I don't know what to get. Probably some more bagels and orange juice.

Oh, it's such a drag to go to the grocery store.

So Many Mishandled Records

I like to look at records, lots of them, whenever I can. Like at garage sales, thrift stores, book sales, wherever.

I see the ones at thrift stores all the time, because unless someone buys them they set there virtually forever. There was some guy in the area who was reportedly using them for wallpaper in his basement, the covers, so he would periodically swoop in and clean out all the crap. But he must have finished that project because the crap has come to stay.

It's amazing too, because a lot of the crap records would actually be decent records to own -- currently there's some great '60s country albums that I wouldn't mind having, except for one thing: Whoever owned them originally didn't take care of them.

It always makes me wonder how records get so abused and yet manage to end up in the proper cover. And even in the paper insert in the cover. It's absurd. If you totally messed up your record, scratched it, gouged it, stepped on it, whatever, why are you also being meticulous about putting it in the inner sleeve?

As for me, I hate scratches and pops. It's tough to believe someone was just oblivious to scratches and pops and purposely mistreated the things, then went to the trouble of putting them back in the inner sleeve, etc. Don't get me started.

The big downside to these showing up at the thrift store is that virtually no one is going to want them. The market is way down for records for one thing. And two, anyone with any discriminating taste will look at them and say, That's crap, because they've been mishandled.

Then there's all the religious records. By unknown groups and individuals. Some nutty looking guy usually. Or some group in big thick suits, weird '70s haircuts, and terrible album design standards. You could come up with a heck of a collection of oddball records if that's what you liked. I saw a place that had some of the worst covers of all time, and some of them were these religious records. I see candidates for the worst covers of all time ... all the time.

I crave getting some decent records. I know there are thousands upon thousands of decent records that would be worth buying ... but they don't show up that often.

Senator Snowe's Aye Vote

I don't know if the health care reform bill the Senate's working on is any good. I'm actually lost in the details and am relying simply on crossing my fingers to hope that we get something decent.

But it appears to be a step in the right direction at least. And today it got Sen. Olympia Snowe's vote, making it truly a "bipartisan" vote -- even if it's as slim as her one vote.

The real story in all this should be the Republicans' continued intransigence on anything that might benefit the American people. The Party of No. We need to bring back the concept of shame, then shame these guys all the way to the gates of hell.

There's no one else I can think of, as a group, who are is as consistently worthless as the Republican party. They don't believe government can do anything positive, yet they feel they ought to serve in the government. Those two truths guarantee failure. Kick them out!

Now there are calls to punish Sen. Snowe by denying her some committee chair. And of course there are calls (wingnuts on message boards) to kick her out of the GOP. I wish they would kick her out. She ought to be a Democrat anyway. The Republican party isn't worth serving.

Happy Columbus Day

Columbus showed up in America, went to the post office to get his mail but it was closed. In honor of him getting here.

Happy Columbus Day. Or as I call it, the world's most worthless holiday.

Candy Kisses

There's "Candy Kisses" by Amanda Perez. Then there's the George Morgan song by the same name, also famously recorded by Tony Bennett.

Last, there's the actual edible candy kisses that come out of hiding every year about this time. What the candy kiss companies make the rest of the year, I don't know. I hope they make some other kind of candy so the workers are working more than a month or two.

We got some candy kisses today, not the brand I usually buy. I don't usually buy a "brand" that I know of. I just remember the wrappers as generic black and orange. The ones I got today are made by Necco, the same people who make the little Mary Jane chewy candy. They look exactly the same and taste exactly the same, except the labels (the orange ones, not the black) have the Mary Jane little girl logo and Necco logo printed on them.

They're like always. I always have a resolution not to rush myself in chewing them. One thing, I don't want to lose any fillings. But I'm never able to stretch them out.

I was thinking it'd sure be delicious to have some of the candy kisses when they were first made, hot or soft in the factory. Umm. A cup of tea and that.

Bought A Book At An Antique Store

I went to an antique store today where there was no one on duty. We were there, browsing and I found a book I wanted.

There was a back room, a big one, with a door open out the back. There seemed to be a complex back there. Who knows?

Way, way back somewhere I could hear some clunking around. So I gave it one holler ... and no one answered.

We went back up front. (The back door had a sign on it, something to the effect of if you want to see back here, ask the guy.)

No one ever came. And I didn't have exact change. So I wrote the fact that I bought a book and the item number on a card and left $5. (The book was marked $4.00).

Anyway, there's a first time for everything. A self-serve antique store!

Those Despondent Republicans

D'oh! Can't anything go right for the Republicans?

Just when it seemed like everything was coming up roses -- the United States lost the Olympics -- they just turn around and this happens, President Obama is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize!

Then they rush out to criticize the award, since any honor for America or Americans is something to despise, and are tripped up by two other very patriotic groups, Hamas and the Taliban, trying to hog the microphone.

Add to that: The president's approval ratings went up six points in a couple of days, the fact that things look more on track to get credible health care reform, the stock market's going up, and the sun came out this morning. Nothing can go right!

The Republicans almost had a piece of good news -- came that close. They heard we attacked the moon and figured we'd be in another big war. But it turns out no one up there cared. So even that's a downer.

iPhone App Looks Up Girls' Skirts

The headline says what the app is about.

But if you watch the video there's no way you'll ever need the app.

Because they show everything there is, apparently.

It's cute ... worthless ... but worth a look.

Constant Comment Tea

Ummm ....

Before I say this let me make a full disclosure. I have not received any Bigelow Constant Comment tea free or at a reduced price. I have no ties whatsoever with the company. My opinions about this product are freely given with no inducement. [I read a thing that bloggers now have to reveal any incentives they might have to recommend a product or disclaim the same.]

As I was saying, Ummm ....

I've been drinking a lot of tea lately. I was drinking a lot of "Eight O'Clock" coffee [The same disclaimer applies to any product I mention. I don't have anything to do with any company.] But then I got to drinking tea and haven't turned back ... yet. Everything gets its day eventually!

Regular tea. Green tea. Flavored tea. Lady Grey. Earl Grey. Irish Breakfast. And now Bigelow Constant Comment, which I think I like best.

I has a kind of orangeish flavor, with orange rinds being one of the ingredients they mention. And spices. It's very tasty stuff.

[If anyone from the Bigelow company sees this, please don't send me any free tea. I want to keep my opinions free and clear. Thank you.]

Republicans Begging For Stimulus Money They Voted Against

Too funny.

"The stimulus money won't do any good," the Republicans told us. Now they not only want it, they're begging for it.

Charles Grassley, a Republican senator from Iowa who voted against the stimulus, and said that it "is not working," and about its positive effect on the economy, said that it had "none whatsoever," seems to have changed his tune:

Grassley announced two grants totaling $399,875 to Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa and Goodwill Industries of the Heartland through the Homeless Veterans Reintegration program. “These funds will give a hand up to our veterans who have fought bravely and selflessly for our country,” Grassley said. The funds were authorized by the Recovery Act.

The hypocrisy is mind numbing.

Why Songs

"Tell me why-y-y-y you cried and why you lied to me ..." - The Beatles.

"Why, why, why, why? 'Cause I love you that's why ..." - Carl Smith.

"Why, baby, why don't you treat me, like you used to do ..." - Pat Boone.

"Tell me why, baby, why, baby, why, baby, why, you cry, baby, cry, baby... " - Can't remember who.

"Why don't you love me like you used to do?" - Hank Williams.

Out of these few songs -- and I'm sure there are lots more -- I like the Carl Smith record probably the best. It's very smooth and nice. The Beatles' song is thrilling too.

The Coolest Records I Heard Today

I'm still working through a box of records (45s) I got at a garage sale a little over a week ago.

There's some cool stuff in there, some gems.

I've never been terribly interested in "Tops" records. They were knockoffs of hits by no name artists, to sell cheaply and make a quick buck. I read some of their interesting story at this link.

I probably have a few more Tops records around. But there was one in this box (that I know of). It has four songs, as they generally did. One of them is a cover of "Peggy Sue" by a guy named Jack Sheldon. It's kind of humorous. He made a valiant effort at it ... but of course he's no Buddy Holly. In short, I loved it! That's one I'm going to listen to a few more times (on an MP3).

The other songs are about the same thing. They must have practiced up a song, then just went in and recorded it ... BANG, first take, we're done.

It's fascinating listening (I'm easily fascinated.)

The other coolest records were Hank Thompson's "Someone Can Steal Your Love From Me"; Jimmy Newman, "Blue Lonely Winter / The Devil Was Laughing At Me," Carl Butler, "Wonder Drug," Chet Atkins, "Yakety Axe," and the Wilburn Brothers, "Hurt Her Once For Me."

Hank's record there makes a good point. If I can steal your love from someone, someone can steel your love from me! And Jimmy Newman's "Devil" song has some cool sound effects. Carl Butler's "Wonder Drug" references Dr. Salk! And rhymes penicillin with killin'.

This is a great way to find music ... if you can manage it. Where I live (and go), boxes of 45s are very very rare.

A Few Old Country Boys

I was listening to a record a while ago, and I've decided I want to get more old country records.

There was an old label years ago called Artistic. It looks like maybe it was a mail order record. I don't know if they sold them in stores.

The typical Artistic record has eight songs on it. It's 7" and 33 rpm. The songs tend to be mostly very short, maybe to fit them on. I don't know if they're edited versions of longer songs, but that would be my suspicion.

A couple of songs on the one I was listening to tonight were under a minute and a half. I think one was 1:19. So is that the complete song? It has a beginning and an ending, but there might be something spliced out in the middle.

A couple of old names on this record were ones I wasn't familiar with, including Pete Pike and Slim Willet. But they sound very cool, old and rustic. I'd like to have more by them. I looked at eBay and almost everything by Slim is on 78 rpm records. One guy has an album for around $50. (I don't think so.)

There's some interesting old country stuff, though. One by Ferlin Husky is "Electrified Donkey." And one by Webb Pierce, a guy I'm reasonably familiar with (along with Ferlin), called "High Geared Daddy." You know a song called "High Geared Daddy" has to be good ... and it is.

It's The Pelvic Thrust

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, mono songs from the film.

I love this movie. Just saw it again the other day, first time in six months or so.

The Lost Symbol

Well, friends, how's this? I, who am literate (let me tell that to you right up front), but hardly ever get a book all the way read, did indeed start and actually finish a book.

It was the popular book "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown. There's something else startling about this. I hardly ever buy a new book, since I inhabit thrift stores, garage sales, and used book sales (when there's one around).

But I got started. Then as I became familiar with the whole thing I was able to buzz through faster and faster.

I hate to describe anything about it, because I'd hate to ruin anything for anyone reading it currently or about to. There was one thing about it that I didn't find all that compelling (or as big a threat was it seemed to present in the book), but that's just me. I think the public could easily handle it.

I liked it. And because I have a problem finishing books, this is a gold star moment for me. Like back in 4th grade.