Prophet or Madman

Friday 80s Flashback for January 27, 2012

2012-01-27T02:00:00.001-05:00

[What's in a Name?] -- 80s artists showed great creativity in their music. Some of these artists, however, displayed an excess of creativity in branding their work. And by "excess of creativity," I mean they showed, perhaps, poor judgement in choosing a name. So this week's flashback honors a few of these appellation-challenged acts. Whether confusing, silly, or just plain stupid-sounding, these bands ruled the charts -- or at least left an impression -- for a short time. What acts have I singled out for their interesting monikers? Read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for January 20, 2012

2012-01-20T17:33:00.000-05:00

[Beneath the Surface] -- Last weekend, I attended an introductory session on Jungian Psychology and Transpersonal Psychology. Carl Gustav Jung was something of a Renaissance man. His interests ranged far and wide, from mythology and dreams to science and medicine. He turned his keen intellect first on his own psyche, and used what he found to help his patients. During his journey, he helped to found and establish the field of psychoanalysis. In doing so, he invented the concepts of collective unconscious, synchronicity, introversion, extroversion, and even developed the association word test. Jung fully believed that symbols are the language of the unconscious, and he advanced the use of archetypes to illuminate both personality as well as literature. Well, not all 80s song lyrics make for great literature, but I would wager all of our favorite artists were drawing, in one way or another, from the "collective unconscious." Let's briefly look at these Jungian concepts in Jung's own words.

Jung on the collective unconscious:

The collective unconscious - so far as we can say anything about it at all - appears to consist of mythological motifs or primordial images, for which reason the myths of all nations are its real exponents. In fact, the whole of mythology could be taken as a sort of projection of the collective unconscious... We can therefore study the collective unconscious in two ways, either in mythology or in the analysis of the individual. (From The Structure of the Psyche, CW 8, par. 325.)

Jung on the archetypes:

The archetype concept derives from the often repeated observation that myths and universal literature stories contain well defined themes which appear every time and everywhere. We often meet these themes in the fantasies, dreams, delirious ideas and illusions of persons living nowadays. (From Carl Jung Resources. http://www.carl-jung.net/archetypes.html)

Jung on Synchronicity:

The philosophical principle that underlies our conception of natural law iscausality. But if the connection between cause and effect turns out to be onlystatistically valid and only relatively true, then the causal principle is only of relative use for explaining natural processes and therefore presupposes the existence of one or more other factors which would be necessary for anexplanation. This is as much as to say that the connection of events may in certaincircumstances be other than causal, and requires another principle of explanation.

We shall naturally look round in vain in the macrophysical world for acausalevents, for the simple reason that we cannot imagine events that are connected non-causally and are capable of a non-causal explanation. But that does not mean that such events do not exist. Their existence- or at least their possibility- follows logically from the premise of statistical truth. (From Synchronicity — An Acausal Connecting Principle.)

Hopefully, you're as fascinated by these ideas as I am. Maybe you're even wondering what 80s tunes have obvious -- or not so obvious -- ties to Jungian concepts. But even if you're not, you can still enjoy some great 80s selections after the break.

This Blog Supports Anti-SOPA Blackout Day

2012-01-18T07:46:00.000-05:00

On the Tuesday 24th January 2012, the US Senate will vote on the internet censorship bill.

Whilst it is an American law, it has far reaching repurcusions for the web as a whole.

There are many companies against SOPA, such as Google, Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, and on January 18th I am lending my weight to the argument by taking my site down for the day.

If you think SOPA doesn't affect you, please think again. Watch the video below, or use the form below to force politicians to take notice.

Thank you

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Friday 80s Flashback for January 13, 2012

2012-01-13T02:08:00.000-05:00

[Reconsidering One Hit Wonders] -- A one-hit wonder is a musical act known primarily -- or only -- for one hit single. And the 80s seemed to be a breeding ground for one-hit wonders. While some of these performers did indeed release only one single, others had long recording careers. Even for the artists who released only one album, a lack of multiple hit singles does not necessarily mean they had no other quality songs beyond the one that happened to break into the limelight. This week, we will feature some of these lesser-known songs. With all of the 80s to choose from, and at least one hundred different one-hit wonders, what tunes have I selected for reconsideration? Read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for January 6, 2012

2012-01-06T14:40:00.000-05:00

"Word Shower" by http://dryicons.com

[Too Many Words] -- Welcome to the very first flashback of the new year! As we've just passed through the extended holiday season (filled with greeting cards, slogans, etc.) only to be "rewarded" with another lengthy campaign season, I think a rumination on the excess of words is an appropriate theme for this flashback. As such, I will not say much else about it except: Read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback (on a Saturday) for December 30, 2011

2011-12-31T14:53:00.000-05:00

Image from Spicytec.com

[Ring in the New] -- I did not do a proper "New Year's Eve" post last year (OK, I didn't do a post at all), but I'll take a few moments to do a quick post this weekend. New Year's Eve is a holiday that does not exactly inspire its own set of season songs. We do have Harry Connick Jr.'s wonderful rendition of "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" and there are umpteen versions of "Auld Lang Syne." But there really isn't a canon of great New Year's songs. Unless, of course, you subscribe to the notion that New Year's songs, unlike songs about Easter or Christmas, are not about a particular event. They are about an attitude. They are about letting go of errors and reaching out for renewal. And so with that in mind, I offer up three songs for this, the last weekend of 2011. To find out what my selections are, read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for December 23, 2011

2011-12-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

Dance of Love by Doe Grozs Art

[Winter Holidays Week 4] -- Here we are. It is the day before Christmas Eve and we have one more installment of our Winter Holidays-themed 80s flashbacks. For the last two weeks, I pilfered from my own archives. But today, we have a fresh playlist! I hope it gives you a brief respite from your own holiday preparations. If you are ready to celebrate the 80s with me, then read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for December 16, 2011

2011-12-16T12:29:00.000-05:00

[Winter Holidays Week 3 Redux] -- As mentioned in last week's flashback post, I did four straight weeks of music about "Winter Holidays" for the 80s posts in December 2010. Well, with Christmas Eve just a week away, I am once again plucking a post from the archives. Hey, just like some of you out there, I'm behind on cards, shopping, and food prep for the holidays. So I'm taking advantage of my previous work. Besides, there may be a few new 80s-philes who weren't following my weekly posts last year. And even if you've been along for the ride since the beginning, do you remember what I offered for your sonic stockings last year at this time? (*ahem* without Googling it?) Well, read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for December 9, 2011

2011-12-09T05:31:00.034-05:00

[Winter Holidays Week 2 Redux] -- The nice thing about having a year's worth of blog posts is that I can reach back and pluck a choice one from the archives. Such is the case today. Last December, I did four straight weeks of music about "Winter Holidays." We're getting down to those winter temperatures, but no flurries have been sighted in my area. Still, I'm in a Seasons Greetings kind of mood. Do you remember what stocking stuffers I presented last year at this time? Well, read and hear more after the break.

It's an Ancient [insert pagan theme here] Holiday, Charlie Brown!

2011-12-05T17:39:00.001-05:00

I love this image so much:

And lest I be labeled a hater, remember that I am an interfaith minister and that I have advocated for everyone getting along during the holiday season. (Please refer to The Reason for the Season posted on December 22, 2010).

Friday 80s Flashback for December 2, 2011

2011-12-02T11:44:00.156-05:00

[I Still Have Heart] -- Last year at this time, I launched a multi-week exploration of 80s "Winter Holiday" tunes. Well, I'm not quite ready to break into songs of the season. So, instead, this week I'm exploring songs about having heart. These three songs defined the time from the beginning of my senior year of high school through the conclusion of my first year at college. Wondering if your heart beat in tune with mine? To find out, read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for November 25, 2011

2011-11-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

[Food, Family, and More Food] -- Sure, today is Black Friday, but I prefer to dwell on the holiday that just passed. Thanksgiving is a time to gather with loved ones for a communal meal, reflect on ones blessings, share our largesse, and then lapse into a food coma. Now, there aren't too many Thanksgiving-specific tunes from the 80s, so I had to be a little creative for this post and focus on the theme of Food and Family (and, of course, more food). If you have recovered from your food coma and you need a break from the insanity of Black Friday, then check out this week's selections after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for November 18, 2011

2011-11-18T22:23:00.000-05:00

[Suffering in Silence] -- Last week's flashback featured songs about children suffering from abuse (see Too Many Tears, posted November 11, 2011). At the end of that flashback post, I included linkage to organizations/agencies working to help current and prevent future victims. Well, over the course of a week, one of those organizations, via the Proud PSU for RAINN campaign, has raised over $400,000.00 (see link below)! But there is going to be more bad news before this is all over. The FBI, NCAA, and more media have descended upon State College, PA, with talk of deeper investigations, more victims, and darker cover-ups. And now the stain of sexual abuse has spread to other schools: a Syracuse University basketball coach has been accused of molesting two boys over the course of 16 years.

As all of this is still fresh in the public eye, I decided to roll over last week's theme into this week, and provide the organization links again (just in case case folks missed them and are still looking for a way to contribute in a positive manner). Here are the organizations I linked last week:

#ProudPSUforRAINN | RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network
http://www.rainn.org/ProudPSUforRAINN
A grassroots network of PSU alumni os standing for victims of sexual abuse by supporting RAINN. They have joined together to mobilize the Penn State fan base – alumni, students and fans – to ensure something like this never happens again – anywhere

Get Involved in Your Community | Stop It Now
http://www.stopitnow.org/get_involved
Creating safe environments where children and teens are safe from sexual harm is everyone’s responsibility. Join us by taking steps to protect the children in your community from sexual abuse.

Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse | Childhelp
http://www.childhelp.org/
Founded in 1959 by Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp® is a leading national non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect.

For this week's 80s songs, read and hear more after the break.
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Friday 80s Flashback for November 11, 2011

2011-11-11T23:30:00.000-05:00

[Too Many Tears] -- Full disclosure: As a Penn State alumnus and a longtime fan of the Nittany Lions this has been the most difficult week I have ever experienced as a Penn Stater. No, I'm not talking about how I, and other alumni, feel shattered and betrayed. Nor am I talking about being angry over the dismissal of JoePa. No, all of that pales in comparison to what Sandusky's victims (alleged or otherwise, and I hate using "alleged" but the man is charged, not convicted) are reported to have experienced. I have wept -- yes, wept, as I read the details in the Grand Jury Report (Warning: Graphic Content- pdf). And I died a little inside as it seemed increasingly clear that no one tried to help those children. Therefore, this week's flashback has songs about the plight of abused children. And I've included links to organizations that work to prevent and treat victims of sexual abuse. I know this is a heavy topic, but I hope you will continue after the break and check out the latest flashback tunes.
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Friday 80s Flashback for November 4, 2011

2011-11-04T12:17:00.000-04:00

"Don't Forget Me" by ~sweet-reality-xo (deviantart.com)

[Memory] -- Technically, the Flashback is always about memory and remembrance, and about not forgetting great 80s music, but this week we focus on songs that specifically evoke the theme of memory. Given this week, memory is an appropriate theme: we have gone through a number of holidays (or holy days) that traditionally have been dedicated to remembering those who have passed beyond the veil (Samhain, All Saint's Day, El Dia de Muertos, and All Soul's Day). Also, as the days turn colder, we remember, perhaps bitter-sweetly, the warm days that are now in our past. And many are likely looking forward to the upcoming holiday season, yet also remembering the Thanksgiving, Yule, and Christmas celebrations of long ago. Now, all this week, I have had a particular and memorable song in my head. As it fits this week's theme, I hunted down two more tracks to accompany this earworm and share them with my fellow 80s-philes (all two of you). As usual, you can read and hear more after the break.
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Even Brady is a Fan Now

2011-10-31T15:32:00.002-04:00

I don't post football smack talk very often, but in light of yesterday afternoon's game, I had to share this 'shopped image. It's just too funny.

Steelers defeat Patriots, 25-17

Friday 80s Flashback for October 28, 2011

2011-10-28T19:31:00.000-04:00

[Halloween 2011] -- Ah, yeah. It's time for a very special Halloween edition of the Friday 80s Flashback. Now, because I missed posting a flashback last week, and because you've all been good little ghouls and ghosts, there might be an extra treat or two this week. And your first treat is that you can check out all the tunes featured in this week's flashback as a single video playlist! Of course, you can still check them out one at a time, the option which includes my comments and recollections. But either way, you're getting great 80s music for the Halloween weekend! So, if you are opting for your flashbacks one-at-a-time, you can read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for October 14, 2011

2011-10-14T22:57:00.000-04:00

[The Art and Science of Alan Parsons Recordings] -- If you read the Flashback of July 29, 2011, might recall how ... (ahem) instrumental ... Alan Parsons has been to the recording industry. Before launching the band that bears his name, Parsons was involved in some rather seminal records: he was an assistant engineer on The Beatles' Abbey Road (1969) and Let it Be (1970), and he engineered Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon (1973). While working as a producer at EMI, Parsons met Eric Woolfson, a self-styled composer and songwriter who was working as a session pianist.

From 1976 to 1987, Parsons and Woolfson released 10 studio albums, eight of which were certified Gold, and 28 singles. Their recordings were covered a wide range of topics from mystery (Tales of Mystery and Imagination) to science fiction (I, Robot and Eye in the Sky), and from the occult (Pyramid) to the impact of industrial technology (Ammonia Avenue). The Alan Parsons Project was never really a hit-making machine, but five of their singles broached the top 25 in the US Hot Adult Contemporary charts, and eight ranked in the top 50 the US Billboard Hot 100. And even if you did not care for the vocals or lyrical content of a particular song, every one of The Project's records were finely engineered for maximum audio enjoyment.

Which brings me to the reason I am featuring Alan Parsons and his colleagues in this week's Flashback.

On Monday, GeekDad posted an interview with "veteran music geek" Alan Parsons (Veteran Music Geek Alan Parsons Talks iPad Recording, ‘Irreversible’ Loss of Fidelity). This was the first time I learned of the three-DVD set that was released this year: Alan Parsons' Art and Science of Sound Recording. After reading the interview (which I highly recommend; you did see I linked it for you, right?), I immediately put the DVDs on my wish list. So, to celebrate this amazing DVD set, I chose three songs from the Project's 80s catalog. We've already featured one of the band's biggest hits in a previous flashback. And you know I tend to avoid the obvious selections when assembling a retrospective. So make the jump to see what is featured this week.
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Friday 80s Flashback for October 7, 2011

2011-10-07T18:51:00.000-04:00

[Washington Rocks] -- Not Washington, DC. Washington state. Last week, I was vacationing in Washington state (spending time first in Seattle and then in and around Olympic National Park). I thought it might be interesting to see what the 80s music scene was like in this state. Turns out, Washington was quite the hotbed for punk and heavy metal during that time (once you discount the brief fad of Twee Pop). Now, I had intended to post this flashback from the road, but I was not able to finish it in time. So, I'm brushing off the draft, cleaning it up, and posting it this week! If you would like to know what heavy rockin' gems I found, just read and hear more after the break. (Warning: These songs are loud, and possibly disturbing!)
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Friday 80s Flashback for September 23, 2011

2011-09-23T01:02:00.000-04:00

R.E.M. then (circa 1982) ...

... and shortly before the end in 2011

[R.E.M.ember] -- On Wednesday, September 21, R.E.M. posted the announcement they were officially "calling it a day." In other words, as of the other day, R.E.M. is no longer operating as a band. For the remainder of that Wednesday, I mentally played R.E.M.'s catalog as I mourned their passing. An era is officially and sadly over. Of course I had to make them the focus of this week's Flashback! With a career that spans 31 years, R.E.M.'s catalog is massive (15 studio albums, 2 live albums, 10 compilation albums, 3 EPs, 64 singles, 12 video albums, 56 music videos, and 1 soundtrack according to Wikipedia). I'll bet you're wondering what tracks I selected for this R.E.M.embrance post. Did I hit upon one of your favorites? Well, read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for September 16, 2011

2011-09-16T17:59:00.000-04:00

[Big Business] -- This week's Flashback is inspired by the production that opens at my theater this weekend: Big Boys by Rich Orloff is a comedic look at corporate greed in the person of Victor Burlington. He is not exactly one of the smartest guys in the room, but he certainly ranks among the most corrupt and the least ethical. Although Big Boys is set in the post-Enron world, its story is somewhat familiar to those of us who came of age in the 80s. We can certainly recall pre-internet stories about the excesses of CEOs -- remember the stock trading scandals of the early 80s? If not, refer to Michael Douglas' performance as Gordon Gekko schooling a young Charlie Sheen (before his "Winning" ways) in the 1987 flick, Wall Street, which dramatized the corporate raiding and greedy excess that typified much of the decade. So this week's flashback looks at songs about big business, big money, and big ambition. No need to worry about insider trading here, so if you want to know what made the cut, you and read and hear more after the break.
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Friday 80s Flashback for September 9, 2011

2011-09-09T23:35:00.235-04:00

[I Love NY, on September 11 and Always] -- On September 11, 1981, the top song in the U.S. was "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (#1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from August 9 to October 10). In baseball, the Detroit Tigers defeated the Cleveland Indians at Tiger Stadium. Movie goers were about to lift Arthur to the role of top-grossing movie for that weekend. Confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Sandra Day O'Connor ended. On the world stage, the U.S. accused the USSR of using poison gas in Laos, Cambodia and Afghanistan. The Soviets began amphibious landing exercises on the Polish coast as part of naval training in Baltic Sea even while pressure for democracy was mounting within Poland. Egyptian President Anwar Sadat claimed Referendum results supported his crackdown efforts against opposition forces, and the Ayatollah Khomeini's personal representative was assassinated in Tabriz, Iran. And a private plane crashed into the Swing Auditorium, a legendary concert venue in San Bernardino, California, damaging it beyond repair.

30 years later, we are preparing to remember the aftermath of a trio of plane crashes that occurred on the East Coast, destroying an architectural icon in downtown New York and devastating our national psyche. I have previously written about 9-11 (The Real "Never Forget," They Crashed the Planes and Changed the Rules, and Visit to United Flight 93 Memorial for example). But I have yet to do so from the lens of 80s music. So, this week, the Friday 80s Flashback celebrates New York City. Wondering what songs we have for the Big Apple? Read and hear more after the break.
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Friday 80s Flashback for September 2, 2011 (Flashbackiversary!)

2011-09-02T07:00:00.011-04:00

[One Year Anniversary] -- Holy Macanoly! I started posting the Friday 80s Flashback on September 3, 2010. That makes today my one year Flashbackiversary! To celebrate, let's turn back the clock -- er, calendar -- one year and revisit that very first flashback. I'm struck by the sparsity and simplicity of my initial foray into weekly pop-culture ruminations. In fact, that very first flashback has no commentary whatsoever! There isn't even a theme! The weekly theme didn't become part and parcel of the flashback until the fourth entry, on September 24, 2010 (a two-fer: Angry Edition and Uplifting Edition). Sample lyrics first appeared in the November 5, 2010, flashback (Politics Schmolotics). On December 10, 2010, we saw my first attempt at incorporating a header image with the flashback (Winter Holidays: Week 2).

Read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for August 26, 2011

2011-08-27T00:00:00.001-04:00

[Cruising with Donnie Iris] -- Due to an incident or two on the PA Turnpike, I was forced to use one of my alternate routes for my evening commute the other night. On one hand, even this was an unfortunate choice. Traffic was slow going, but at least it wasn't the standstill that would have greeted me at the Mid-County exchange. On the other hand, this was the most wonderful drive of the week. Although the pace was slower than I might prefer, it made for a nice pairing with the cooler evening air that graced us that night. I drove with my windows down and my stereo volume up. Way up. My iPod happened upon a tune by one of my fave 80s tunesmiths, and I immediately dialed in a full block of his work. The chunky guitar work, measured use of synths, driving percussion, and clever lyrics entertained me the entire ride home.

"I have to dedicate a full Flashback to this guy!" I said to myself. And, yes, before you ask, I did say that out loud.

Now, this artist is no stranger to the Friday 80s Flashback. He led off the Hi-Tech Living and Loving Flashback earlier this year. He might, however, be a stranger to many 80s-philes outside of the Three Rivers Area of Pittsburgh, PA. Today's flashback artist was born in Elmwood City, PA, in 1943 and he grew up to become a Pittsburgh rock icon as well as a nerd rock success story. As I mentioned in the January 28, 2011 flashback, he had three things going for him: "the nerd appeal of a Buddy Holly or Elvis Costello, a great sense of humor, and one of the most melodic screams in rock & roll." By now, if you've picked up the hints I've been dropping, you know I'm talking about the one and only Donnie Iris. Oh, what's that? You though he was merely a one-hit wonder? Not so. He has multiple hits (two of them coming from one-hit wonder bands that he was part of in the 70s). Wondering what I've chosen from Donnie Iris' career for this week's flashback? Read and hear more after the break.
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Friday 80s Flashback (for August 12, 2011) on Saturday!

2011-08-13T12:30:00.000-04:00

[Summer] -- I heard a back-to-school radio ad the other day. You know what my first thought was? No, it wasn't that I needed school supplies, or that I dread the return of school buses on my morning commute. No, it was that the school season is just around the corner and I've yet to post a summer-themed flashback! So I'm going to remedy that error right now. Back in the 80s, summer was always a great time for music. And there are far too many great summer classics to fit in one flashback, but I'll do my best to share some of my favorites. What hot tunes made the cut this week? Read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for August 5, 2011

2011-08-05T07:46:00.001-04:00

[Under-Appreciated Movie Theme Songs] -- For every brilliant film/soundtrack combo, there are dozens that are ... well, not regarded quite as highly by either the general public or the critical media. But I love 80s movies and I love their soundtracks. And I think there are some real soundtrack gems that have gone ignored. So this week's Flashback playlist focuses on those poor, under-appreciated, tunes. What movie soundtrack selections made the cut? Read and hear more after the break.

Friday 80s Flashback for July 29, 2011

2011-07-29T13:25:00.000-04:00

[The Eyes Have It] -- Given the theme of The Eyes Have It, you might think "Eye of the Tiger" would make the playlist, but you would be wrong. Given that I was at Comic-Con last week, you might think that this week's Flashback theme was inspired by their logo, but again you would be wrong. No, earlier this month, before I even packed for Comic-Con, I heard a song and said to myself, "Dude, two more songs about eyes and you've got a Flashback theme." Now, you probably want to know what that tune was, but you'll have to wait because I'm saving it for last. So, what are you waiting for? Find out what did make the cut. Just click toread and hear more after the break.
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Friday 80s Flashback for July 22, 2011

2011-07-22T11:22:00.164-04:00

"Look at what's happened to me: I'm an accidental superhero!"

[This Looks Like a Job for a Hero!] -- As I am attending the San Diego Comic-Con this week, I figured we should have a heroic them for this week's Flashback. Makes sense, right? I'm fully immersed in movies, comics, web-series, video games, and other media that deal with heroes, anti-heroes, reluctant heroes, and the occasional, honest-to-badness villain. But there's nothing nefarious in this week's playlist. Or is there? To find out, read and hear more after the break.

San Diego Comic-Con 2011!

2011-07-22T10:51:00.002-04:00

I am attending my first Comic-Con. I've been reading comics books since ... well, for a very long time ... and I'm a big fan of sci-fi and pop-culture. But I just never got around to traveling from PA to CA for this pop-culture Mecca.

Until this week, that is.

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Friday 80s Flashback for July 15, 2011

2011-07-15T11:05:00.197-04:00

[Angels Gone Wrong] -- Last week on the Flashback, we had a selection of tunes that could be described as divinely inspired. This week, we're going to go in the opposite direction. These humid summer days seem the perfect backdrop for songs about a tinge of darkness hidden behind a facade of beauty. What tales of fallen angels grace the Flashback? Read and hear more after the break.
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Tweet On, Eileen

2011-07-12T10:09:00.001-04:00

Dexy's Midnight Runners reunite for new album, change name ("Dexys"?), and join Twitter?? Read the story at Stuck in the '80s | tampabay.com & St. Petersburg Times

Friday 80s Flashback for July 8, 2011

2011-07-08T10:30:00.000-04:00

[Angels in the 80s] -- The English word, angel, comes from a fusion of the Old English word engel and the Old French angele. Both of those words have their roots in the Latin angelus, which is a romanization of the ancient Greek ἄγγελος (angelos) for "messenger" (look it up on Wikipedia or a dictionary). Why am I starting a blog post with the etymology of angel? Well, I have a very good reason for doing so: This week's Flashback features songs about those otherworldly beings found in several spiritual traditions ... as well as TV, movies, and literature. If you have been following my day job adventures on Twitter and Facebook, you might think this post is something of a prayer for heavenly assistance. And though one could successfully pose an argument proving I am in need of such help, this blog entry is not an attempt to secure it. No, I simply heard one of this week's tunes as I shuffled as I shuffled to and from work -- the iPod is a boon to my morning and evening commutes. So, are you wondering what song inspired this week's Flashback (and the other two selections)? To find out, you can read and hear more after the break.
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Friday 80s Flashback for July 1, 2011 (Fourth of July Weekend!)

2011-07-01T11:00:00.112-04:00

[A Rockin' Fourth!] -- Today we embark on a three-day weekend in celebration of the Fourth of July. Sounds like a perfect theme for the Friday 80s Flashback, right? Now, I don't know that the Founding Fathers would look favorably upon, or even understand, this week's playlist. But there will be plenty of serious fare discussing the events of 1776 on the web, radio, and television. So on the Flashback, we're gong to cut loose and have some fun. If you're ready to celebrate with me in 80s rock style, then read and hear more after the break.
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Friday 80s Flashback for June 24, 2011

2011-06-24T10:12:00.008-04:00

[Be Fast, Be Clean, Be Cheap (Part 3)] -- Two weeks ago, I started a journey, sharing the songs on a mixtape from my college days. The first six songs are covered in the flashback posts for June 10 and June 17. Today we will wrap up Side A of the compilation. If you haven't enjoyed this exploration as much as previous flashbacks, worry not. I'll return to the more standard themes next week. As this series has not proven to be very popular, I do not have any plans to cover the tunes on Side B of "Be Fast, Be Clean, Be Cheap" in future flashbacks. That could change, but only if there are sufficient requests for a return visit.

For now, if you're ready to learn what three tracks close out the first side of this mixtape, you can read and hear more after the break.
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Solstice Blessings!

2011-06-21T12:53:00.000-04:00

Solstice Blessings! Here is a dual hemisphere card for celebrating either midsummer or midwinter. The image is courtesy of @Illumine_Nation.

Friday 80s Flashback for June 17, 2011

2011-06-17T23:02:00.006-04:00

[Be Fast, Be Clean, Be Cheap (part 2)] -- This week, we'll continue going through the mixtape I introduced last week (you know, the one with the same name as the theme here). I don't have much time to give you background on another playlist, but I can at least provide the tunes. So, what are the next three songs from "Be Fast, Be Clean, Be Cheap"? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for June 10, 2011

2011-06-10T09:38:00.006-04:00

[Be Fast, Be Clean, Be Cheap] -- Another week has blown by and I barely have time for a proper Flashback. I do, however, have time to share with you the first three tracks from a compilation tape I made in the latter half of the 80s. The name of the compilation, and our theme this week, is "Be Fast, Be Clean, Be Cheap," after the song by Age of Chance. Although that tune lent its name to this week's flashback, it will not make an appearance today. I'm going with the first three songs from side A of the cassette, and "Be Fast" is track number 6. Maybe it will make an appearance in an upcoming flashback. At any rate, I'll bet you are wondering what did make the list. For that, you can read and hear more after the jump.

Look! I still own the cassette!

Friday 80s Flashback for June 3, 2011

2011-06-03T12:05:00.185-04:00

[An 80s Shade of Punk] -- I'm still dealing with an aggressive schedule at the day job, but I don't want to keep you 80s-philes waiting until Friday evening again. So I'm doing my best to crank out a quick Flashback set. You know what else is quick and aggressive? Punk music! That's right, music in the 80s wasn't all sunshine and gumdrops, not that I even know what that means. But I do know I can provide an interesting collection of punk gems for you. Are you ready to spike your hair and attach a run of safety pins to a shredded jacket? Well, then, read and hear more after the jump.
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A Tribute to Fallen Soldiers

2011-05-30T09:56:00.001-04:00

The best tribute to those who have fallen in service to this country is quite possibly the poem "Letter to Saint Peter" which was written by Elma Dean in 1942 and later adapted into a song by John Gorka ("Let Them In" from his 2001 release, The Company You Keep).

This video has John Gorka's song set to a collection of moving images. Very appropriate for Memorial Day.

Friday 80s Flashback for May 27, 2011

2011-05-28T00:17:00.001-04:00

Picture of a Poppy by Ian Britton (freefoto.com)

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

~ Moina Michael (who wore the first Memorial Day poppy)

[Remember the Heroes] -- We have arrived at the "official" kick-off for shorts season: a 3-day weekend that culminates in the observance of Memorial Day, formerly known as Decoration Day (check the history). Now, you might recall the 80s as being rife with anti-conflict, protest songs, so you may find it hard to believe I could find some tunes appropriate for the occasion of honoring this nation's war dead. But the 80s were as patriotic or reflective as other decades. So my only real problem was in narrowing the selections down to my usual three. So, are you wondering what gems I have chosen in tribute to those who have died while serving the United States of America? Wonder no more. Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for May 20, 2011

2011-05-20T22:00:00.005-04:00

Power house mechanic working on steam pump

by Lewis Hine, 1920. (Wikipedia)

[It's a Livin'!] -- This could be my very last Friday 80s Flashback given that Judgement Day is on the agenda for Saturday, May 21, 2011 (tomorrow!). You know it's official when there is a website and everything (http://judgementday2011.com/), right?

Now, with the Rapture scheduled to begin tomorrow evening, you're probably expecting songs about the end of the world (and that I feel fine). I understand those expectations. However, with the last week or so I've at at my day job, I have been thinking about songs focusing a spotlight on that all-too-frustrating aspect of modern life known as work. And, believe me, Ragnarök or its equivalent is looking preferable to my current slate of projects. Plus, there is a tie-in with all this rapping about the rapture: What are the two events that can bring an end to the drudgery of working day to day? Well, one is winning the lottery, and the other is ... the end of the world, of course.

You 80s-philes will have to judge whether this week's selections are winners. Are you ready for this job? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback (for May 13, 2011) on Saturday

2011-05-14T20:43:00.004-04:00

Toy Car Bracelet from ThisNext.com

[Return of The Cars] -- Friday Flashback on a Saturday evening? Yeah, well, Blogger was a bit off on Thursday night, and then I was in an all-day business meeting on Friday followed by a class today. So, Saturday, May 14, is my first chance to post the Flashback for May 13. I hope all my fellow 80s-philes weren't too lost without their Friday fix.

Let's get right down to business.

In case you haven't heard, The Cars released a new studio album this week, their first since 1987! It's getting some good press (Consequence of Sound, Salt Lake Tribune), while other reviewers are disappointed with how reminiscent it is of their earlier work. Sounds like this might be an opportune time to go back and revisit The Cars' 80s catalog. With four studio releases between 1980 and 1987, there are plenty of flashback options. So what three Cars' classics have I revved up for you this week? Read and hear more after the jump.

May 9: Hail Guthroth!

2011-05-09T11:54:00.000-04:00

May 9 is a Day of Remembrance for Guthroth. Please refer to my 2007 post for details and helpful links.

Friday 80s Flashback for May 6, 2011

2011-05-06T13:43:00.000-04:00

[Busted!] -- This week we're taking a look at Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers in the 80s. Of course, from 1977 to 1986 they were collectively known as The Police.

In 1976 the ascent of the Sex Pistols, and all they represented for the punk movement, had all but destroyed the career prospects for bassist Sting's jazz-rock combo (Last Exit) and drummer Stewart Copeland's progressive rock band (Curved Air). After Curved Air's last performance as a unit (in December 1976), Stewart saw a Last Exit gig. He was immediately taken with Sting and arranged for an introduction. Shortly thereafter, Copeland formed the first version of The Police in 1977 with himself, Sting, and guitarist ... Henri Padovani. This trio recorded one single, "Fallout," on a very tight budget and landed a poorly-paying gig (£15 a night) as "pretend punks" that took them all of 20 minutes to blaze through a 13-song set. A brief flirtation with the project band, Strontium 90, introduced Sting and Copeland to guitarist Andy Summers. The Police continued briefly as a four-piece before officially dumping Padovani. Sting, Copeland, and Summers spent the latter part of the 70s scrounging for work, asking Copeland's brother for financial help, and releasing two albums -- Outlandos d'Amour (1978) and Reggatta de Blanc (1979) -- that set the stage for their eventual superstardom, powered by their unique combination of reggae, rock, and jazz influences.

Between 1980 and 1986, The Police released four albums and around 12 singles. What have I selected for your 80s pleasure this week? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for April 29, 2011

2011-04-29T17:52:00.002-04:00

[College Rock] -- I turn 43 this week. Now, how do I work my birthday into one of my weekly 80s post? By looking at the years that, in my opinion, most defined me. I'm a believer in the saying that home is where you find out who you are. For me, that would be college ("We are! Penn State!"). And my college years coincided with the heyday of the musical genre known as College Rock, so named because this "alternative" to pop mainstream found a home on many a college radio station. Although known for many independent artists and giving the world "Alternative Rock" (right after its biggest acts went mainstream), College Radio gave rise to such (now) well-known bands as U2 and R.E.M. So, for my birthday, you 80s-philes get quite a gift with this flashback. You know, of course, I won't go the "easy" route with my selections. But can you guess what gems we'll unwrap this week? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for April 22, 2011

2011-04-22T13:30:00.004-04:00

[A Very Good Earth (Fri)day] -- This week our Flashback Friday falls upon a date of intersection. Today is Earth Day, a time to reflect on our use and abuse of our home planet, as well as Good Friday, the day Christians the world over solemnly observe the murder of their religion's central figure. Also of note this week, we observed the one year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent oil spill. So, today, we have something of a combo theme: 80s songs that reflect a concern for our planet and environment, as well as 80s songs that somehow -- even if only in my mind -- reflect some aspect of Easter. That's quite a tall task, so I'll bet you're wondering what songs made the cut this week. As usual, you can read and hear more after the jump.
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Friday 80s Flashback for April 15, 2011

2011-04-15T13:25:00.003-04:00

Today's Flashback is brought to you by Montgomery Theater's

production of Tom Dudzick's "Hail Mary!"

"Inner Light" from gaeastarcrystal.com

[Hail Mary!] -- First off, I'm kidding about the "brought to you by" message that introduces this post. The Friday 80s Flashback does not have a corporate sponsor ... at least not yet (c'mon, HP, Google, someone ... call me). But this morning, I heard Morgan Spurlock in a radio interview as he talked about his latest "docbuster" (i.e., documentary blockbuster), The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. Spurlock's new film explores corporate sponsorship and the future of branding. I find this interesting because corporate sponsorship started with the media boom, which helped grow commercial radio and television, but the practice pretty much exploded in the 80s and 90s (college bowl games and stadium naming rights coming into play). All of which led many of us in the 80s to ponder the question that Spurlock pointedly asks in his film: What if we lived in a world where everything was "brought to you by" some corporate sponsor? And, trust me, the irony of it all is not lost on him.

Anyway, back to the business at hand.

Regular visitors to Prophet or Madman know that I love my 80s music. What you might not know, however, is my love of live theater -- it is such a fantastic and powerful medium for storytelling. Now, I have been involved with a small professional theater in Souderton, PA, for the last several years. And this is opening weekend for our production of Tom Dudzick's "Hail Mary!" As with the previous Dudzick plays I have worked on ("Greetings!" and "Over the Tavern"), I am quite taken with the message in the script: Shine your light in this weary world, because that's just what the world needs. To be a little more specific, without giving up the full plot, "Hail Mary!" is also about sponsorship of sorts (see what I did there?). The play could just as easily be asking, "Who do you want to be sponsoring God?" or "Does God really need a sponsor at all?" or "Sure, that's what [insert institution's name] taught you, but how is it really working for you?" You see, your worldview is "brought to you by" someone or something. And, much like our downtown view has been hijacked by billboards and other signage touting various corporate messages, our opportunity for a peaceful world has been hijacked by the sponsors of competing worldviews. It might be time to cleanup the public space of our hearts and minds. For folks engaged, or even interested, in interfaith dialogue (another passion of mine), the core themes of this play will truly strike a chord that resonates long after the final bow.

For more information about the production, please visit Montgomery Theater's page, Hail Mary Opens This Weekend. To learn what selections this play has inspired for this week, read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for April 8, 2011

2011-04-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

"Playing with the Rain" from http://dryicons.com

[Rain Over Me] -- I've been terribly busy this week and my good friend, Debbie, had to remind me via a Facebook post that another Flashback was expected. Due to my work load at the dayjob and pre-production tasks at the theater, I had not even thought up a theme. Fortunately, another good friend, Cameron, was at the ready with a suggestion: Rain.

I thought that was a good idea.

We are in the midst of a fairly cold and wet Spring, colder than we've had in a good long while. And rain has been our frequent companion here in southeast PA. Heck, a good chunk of the country was slapped silly with flood conditions over the last week. After Monday teased the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys with a high of 71 degrees, Tuesday came in and bludgeoned us with precipitation. I must have driven through three or four different weather systems on my morning commute that day! And, guess what, more rain is on the docket for this weekend.

So, I accepted Cam's challenge, and selected a few rainy day tunes. What is in this soggy playlist? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for April 1, 2011

2011-04-01T12:57:00.000-04:00

[April Fools'] -- April 1. The 32nd of March. April Fools' (or All Fools) Day. Yes, we have come to that annual observance of mirth and (hopefully minimally destructive and non-lethal) mayhem. You know: The day of reckoning (or, day of pranks and hoaxes). Well, rather than prank you, dear 80s-philes, I shall take pity on you and merely deliver an appropriately "foolish" set of 80s tunes. With an entire decade of artists who often looked the part of fools in addition to acting the role, I have many options. However, rather than looking to the Pucks and jesters who ruled (or attempted to rule) the charts, I chose to narrow my focus to their songs, specifically songs with some form of "fool" in the title.

What foolishly delightful selections do I have for you this week? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for March 25, 2011

2011-03-25T17:04:00.000-04:00

[Phil in the Blank] -- As I mentioned in last week's flashback (Miami Sound Machine), Phil Collins took time earlier this month to call an end to his music career of 40+ years. Collins announced his retirement during an interview with FHM magazine (reported in The Daily Telegraph and later parroted by Anglophenia) adding, "I don't think anyone's going to miss me."

What? He doesn't think he's going to be missed?

Sure, Collins doesn't fit neatly into the current music scene, which has changed much since he ruled radio playlists in the 80s. Yes, he is likely responsible for shifting Genesis from their prog-rock foundation to a more polished pop rock sound. True, he hasn't had a top 20 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 since 1990 ("Do You Remember?"), and his last studio album to crack the US top 20 was Both Sides in 1993. And, yes, it's true that his most successful album in the last 20 years was a soundtrack ... for a Disney movie (Tarzan in 1999) ... with a single ("You'll Be In My Heart") that went on to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Academy Award for Best Original Song ... and for which he was lampooned on the animated series, South Park.

But I have to believe there are folks out there who will miss him.

To date, Collins has sold over 150 million records. He recorded 12 studio albums released over 30 singles with Genesis. In his solo career, he released over 40 singles, nine of which reached #1 in either the US or UK. His last solo studio album, Going Back (2010), reached the top 10 in the UK and eight other countries (but only peaked at 34 in the US). He played drums on, or produced, nearly 70 albums between 1969 and 2001.

In case you forgot, Phil Collins really knew his way
around a drum kit (image source: A Brainless Thinker)

Unfortunately, those drums are a part of why Collins is calling it quits: He can no longer play them. A dislocated vertebra and nerve damage in his hands leave him unable to even grip a pair of drumsticks.

Or is he quitting? A day or so after the FHM interview I cited above, People magazine reported that Collins has no intention of retiring. (Has he been taking career advice from Brett Favre?)

Whatever the future holds for Collins, how can I possibly select three tunes and do justice to a career that has spanned decades, especially one that could be ending on such a sour note? The short answer is, "I can't." But I'm not here to sum up the entire career of Phil Collins. I'm here to share great music from the 80s. It just happens that this week I was motivated to focus on Phil Collins in light of his potential retirement. So, what three gems have I selected? Read and hear more after the jump.
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Friday 80s Flashback for March 18, 2011

2011-03-18T14:47:00.002-04:00

[Miami Sound Machine] -- Notice how often today's artists have their releases pushed in TV shows and commercials? How about the resources available to help you track down and purchase those songs (e.g., TuneFind, Shazam, AdTunes)? Given how prevalent pop music is in television, you might think that this marriage of entertainment genres has been in place since the beginning of broadcast TV.

But if you thought that, you would be wrong.

We can actually trace this practice to the 1980s. To be more specific, we can give credit to one groundbreaking show that debuted on September 28, 1984: Miami Vice. In addition to chronicling the exploits of Detectives Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs, Miami Vice was a huge influence in shaping and defining style in the 80s. (Exactly how many pastel shirts and white jackets were sold because of this show?) In fact, Vice was as much a contributor to 80s style as MTV -- not surprising considering how many MTV artists contributed tunes to the police procedural.

Miami Vice originally ran five seasons, spanning 111 episodes from 1984 to 1990. The music was such a popular part of the shows that three soundtracks were released on MCA Records: Miami Vice I (1985), Miami Vice II (1986), and Miami Vice III (1988). Jan Hammer's score music was finally collected in 2002 on the two-CD set, Miami Vice: The Complete Collection. Those four releases combine for a total of 74 tracks. That's a fair number of options for Flashback selections. So, what three are featured this week? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for March 11, 2011

2011-03-11T13:29:00.189-05:00

Vince Clarke (Image Credit: Bradford Shellhammer)

[The Clarke Factor] -- Unless you enjoyed scouring album liner notes due to a serious irrational interest in who made electronic music and how they made it, the name Vince Clarke will not strike a bell for you. (See what I did there? No? Don't worry, you'll catch it later.) But Clarke's musical DNA is featured prominently in three of the most-popular synth acts from the first half of the 80s: Depeche Mode, Yazoo (known as Yaz in the States), and Erasure. His work with these three bands yielded nearly 20 hits that landed within the top 50 on several different charts -- and that's just looking at the output from 1981 through 1989! That makes for a sizable catalog to assess. So, what selections have I chosen from this man's illustrious pop and dance music career?

Read and hear more after the jump.
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Friday 80s Flashback for March 4, 2011

2011-03-04T13:15:00.165-05:00

[Bonded] -- Today's Flashback is shaken, not stirred, because we're looking at title songs for James Bond films in the 80s. In that one decade, three different actors assumed the task of portraying the British super-spy. Three! That has to be foreshadowing for a Flashback, right? In the 80s, those three actors appeared in five different films. During that time, we saw the original (and aging) Bond try to recapture the magic, the second Bond age himself out of the role, and a third Bond who never got the chance to grow into the role (he lasted only two films). So, which spy-worthy themes do I have for you in this week's Flashback?

Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for February 25, 2011

2011-02-25T15:31:00.008-05:00

[Heirs of Avalon] -- This week's theme has nothing whatsoever to do with the court of King Arthur. No, today I am dealing with bands inspired by the look, style, and sound of the English art-rock band, Roxy Music (1971-1983; 2001-present). The theme is named in honor of their last studio album, Avalon (1982). Well, that, and I suppose you could make a case for "heir" being rather close to "hair" which was something of a trademark for these bands, but I digress.

Now, art rock is closely related to progressive rock. Both are experimental, sometimes drawing on themes from classical music, and both often incorporate avant-garde influences. And art rock is typically more keyboard than guitar-driven. However, as the 80s gave rise to New Wave music, art rock went a bit more in the synth direction and relied less on concept albums (although some bands still dabbled in large-scale story telling on occasion). Roxy Music, to my mind, lies between the extremes of progressive and art rock. So they were the perfect gateway band for their later 80s forebears.

Of course, many bands claim to have been influenced by the Rox (wait, does anyone really call them that? Oh well, I just did), but I am bound by the rule of three, so I had to whittle my options down. I had to find a trio of artists to represent the gamut from New Romantics to New Wave Rock.

Who made the cut, and what songs are featured? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for February 18, 2011

2011-02-18T15:01:00.024-05:00

[An Awkward KISS] -- With yet another Valentine's Day safely in the collective rear view mirror, we can reflect on other Valentine's Days gone by -- specifically, Valentines of the 80s. I spent the first half of the 80s in junior and senior high school, so most of those "celebrations" can be filed under the category of awkward. That's just the nature of the pre-teen and teenaged experience. Now, the members of KISS, who had been the object of many teenagers' hero worship through the 70s, probably were not awkward (or even necessarily honorable) in their dealings with members of the opposite sex , but the start of the 80s did find them at an awkward point in their career. They entered the decade strong: To their credit, they had a string of eight Platinum-selling albums, the last five of which included the interesting gimmick of their four "solo" albums -- all released on the same day in 1978 -- and the disco-influenced Dynasty of 1979. But they also greeted the new decade with internal tensions, Peter Kriss and Ace Frehley being particularly dissatisfied, and musical identity issues. Kriss and Frehley were therefore less-involved with the recordings of this period and they eventually left the band in 1980 and 1982 respectively. KISS eventually experienced something of a rebound in the late 80s, probably due to the convergence of glam/hair metal rising in popularity and an increase in KISS nostalgia. But 1980 - 1983 were pretty much a low point for the band. So, what could I possibly choose as showcase songs for today's Flashback set?

Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for February 11, 2011

2011-02-11T13:38:00.204-05:00

[Covered] -- I decided to go in a slightly different direction with the Flashback today. Please be advised that this post might not be for the 80s purists in our midst. You see, I love cover songs. Sure, I feel there is something to be said for purity of an artist's vision for their own music. However, I also feel that one of art's most wonderful qualities is its capacity for reinterpretation. When an artist covers material from the previous generation, they show a love and respect for that material (there are exceptions for satire and spoofs, neither of which are the focus of today's Flashback). And a successful cover can prove a song's staying power and legacy. So, while a song may have been born in a specific decade and brought to life with certain music technology, it can enjoy new life and, sometimes, bring new attention to the original artist. Even if the original artist is forgotten in the release of a successful cover, the original song's innate glory is preserved. And somewhere, within some percentage of the listening public, there will be folks who do remember, and who can sit back satisfied smile and say, "Yes, so-and-so really was a skilled songwriter."

Are you ready to find out what artists have I chosen for their covers of great 80s songs? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for February 4, 2011

2011-02-04T13:10:00.002-05:00

[Theme: Super Bowl XLV Weekend!] -- In case you haven't noticed, Super Bowl XLV is this weekend. And my favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, are playing for their 3rd title in six seasons (or their 7th in franchise history). Now, this isn't a football blog by any stretch of the imagination. And aside from winning Super Bowl XIV in January 1980 (to cap off the 1979 season), it's not like the Steelers had a great deal of success in the 80s. Also, "Renegade" by Styx, which has become something of an anthem for the Steelers since 2002, comes from 1979.

So how do I select 80s songs to go with this week's theme?

First, I thought I would try to select a song from the 80s-equivalent of each year the Steelers have reached the Super Bowl -- basically 20 years prior to the recent year. But whether I went with the year of the season (2005, 2008, and 2010) or the actual Super Bowl year (2006, 2009, 2011), I ended up with only two out of the three years actually falling in the 80s: The first option yielded 1985, 1988, and 1990; the second option gave 1986, 1989, and 1991.

Aside: Yes, if we want to get technical, 1990 is 20 years prior to 2010 and it can be considered part of the 80s if you run the decade as 1981 - 1990. I just chose to not go that route.

Fortunately, while riffling through songs from 1985 and 1988, I came across this one tune and the path to fulfilling this week's theme was clear. I will simply select three songs from the 80s that make me think of this Steelers team playing in this Super Bowl.

Are you at all curious about what I selected? Need some great 80s tunes, either to get fired up for the game or just have a great weekend? Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for January 28, 2011

2011-01-28T14:30:00.004-05:00

Image Credit: Computer Costume from the 80s [Make]

[Theme: Hi-Tech Living and Loving] -- Last week's theme was so much fun that I decided to expand on it for this week. We now move from the concept of Better Living through Science to how exactly are people living with the latest tech? Although you probably cannot turn around without tripping over one today, computers only started to enter everyday life in the 80s. And for every person who was excited for the new possibilities that these devices represented, there was someone equally anxious about the rise and proliferation of computers and computer control. In today's digital age of Google, Facebook, and internet advertising, privacy and security top the lists of people's big concerns. But at the onset of the computer age, folks were worried about being replaced by a machine -- or even losing their very souls. Think about Tron (1982), WarGames (1983) and Electric Dreams (1984), all of which had plots featuring computers that seemingly, or actually, came to life and challenged their human creators for control. Issues of alienation, loneliness, and loss of control, however, are as relevant today as they were in the 80s. Now, I could have gone quite dark with this theme, but I am in a good mood this week so I kept the choices fairly light. I hope you appreciate this week's collection of toe-tappers about the human spirit interfacing with cold, logical machines.

Read and hear more after the jump.

25 Years Ago Today: The Challenger Shuttle Disaster

2011-01-28T12:16:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, January 28, 1986: The space shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven astronauts aboard, including Christa McAuliffe, intended to be the first teacher in space. Other astronauts killed were Francis "Dick" Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Ellison S. Onizuka, Judith A. Resnik, Ronald E. McNair and Gregory B. Jarvis.

Challenger Explosion (from Wikipedia)

I remember it today as though I were looking through the wrong end of a telescope -- it's far away and tiny, but the emotional punch is still there. It was my senior year of high school. I was with other students waiting in the hallway outside the gym for the class bell. Before that bell went off, the principal spoke over the PA system, saying he had to make a special announcement. I remember thinking how odd it was for him to break in at that time of day. And then he said some words I was sure I had not heard correctly: "The Challenger exploded just after takeoff. There are no survivors."

I was stunned. I stood there blinking. And then someone next to me -- no, I don't recall who it was -- asked the question that was on my mind, "Did he just say what I think he said?"

The rest of the day passed in a sorrowful haze.

Exploration, particularly space exploration, is a dangerous and risky business. But it is necessary because it satisfies the human impulse to push boundaries, and because of the technological rewards we reap when those boundaries are pushed. Never take for granted the pioneers who make the life we live possible.

Friday 80s Flashback for January 21, 2011

2011-01-21T16:15:00.003-05:00

Image from How Do You Know You're Doing Science Wrong? [scienceblogs.com]

[Theme: Better Living Through Science] -- This week's theme was inspired by a fan video that I just happened to see in my Facebook newsfeed yesterday. I'm using that very same video today, so you'll have to wait until later for specific details about it. For now, all I want to say about it is that this particular video took footage from the current incarnation of an older TV series and set it to a great song from a crazy-fun 80s movie (a movie that inspired a slightly entertaining 90s TV series, but that's a bit tangential for today). "Science," I said to myself, "is a perfect theme for me to use in an 80s flashback!" Why is it so perfect? Well, I spent 1982-1986 in what was called the Scientific curriculum at my high school. I then spent the remainder of the 80s pursuing a Physics degree at Penn State. Yes, I was a good little nerd during that seminal decade. So, of course, I love music that is infused with technology -- or music that at least has lyrics influenced by science and technology. It may not be the best stuff for studying how to use bracket notation or matrix computations, but it is the absolute best music for celebrating after surviving another difficult exam.

Or celebrating a long work week. Like, perhaps, this week.

If you want to know what songs your mad scientist has in the mix today, read and hear more after the jump.

"I Ran Out Of Tiles!"

2011-01-21T11:40:00.000-05:00

Interesting and fun, but this article does not address the most important question regarding the longest word: How the heck do you use a word with 1,913 letters in Scrabble? I mean, wouldn't you have lost the game by the time you amassed enough tiles for it? What's The Longest Word In The English Language? : Krulwich Wonders… : NPR

Friday 80s Flashback for January 14, 2011

2011-01-14T23:50:00.003-05:00

[MLK] -- Let me begin with an apology: I'm sorry this week's flashback is only getting posted during Friday's last few minutes. Unfortunately, my day job required more of my time than usual. I can't promise it won't happen again, but I will do my best to keep such occurrences to a minimum.

So, where were we? Oh, yes! This week's flashback.

Many folks are enjoying a three-day weekend because they are employed at a business that observes Martin Luther King Day, a celebration of the life and work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. So, I figured that it would be great to kick off the weekend with 80s songs about, inspired by, or in some way reminiscent of MLK. Now, I do not want to assume that everyone visiting Prophet or Madman for the Friday 80s Flashback knows why MLK is honored with a federal holiday. However, I don't want to spend too much time explaining it either. Fortunately, with sites such as The King Center and MLK Online providing easy access to archival footage, audio clips, service information, etc., I can simply point you in their direction. So, surf on over before festivities begin on Monday. You can even look at them before you delve any further into this week's flashback.

Go on, I'll wait.

Oh, you can't wait to find out what songs I have selected to go with this theme? Well, then, read and hear more after the jump.

My 80s Music Cred

2011-01-08T18:03:00.003-05:00

In case folks are wondering about my credentials for doing the Friday 80s Flashback, here is a sampling of 45s from my youth. (

And, yes, they are still in my possession.

Friday 80s Flashback for January 7, 2011

2011-01-07T15:00:00.001-05:00

[Ring in the New] -- Welcome to 2011! A brand new year always seems so full of potential, does it not? In honor of the potential that comes with a new year, the theme for this week's flashback is songs that in some way celebrate some aspect of ... well, the new. Those of you who have been following along for any stretch of time know that I tend to avoid the obvious choices, so don't hold your breath for U2's 1983 single, "New Years Day." And although Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" would be a great message for the new year, it has been all over pop culture the last few years (The Sopranos, Glee, Family Guy, San Francisco Giants / World Series Anthem, American Idol, etc.) so I stayed away from it as well. Even so, I think I've managed to make some rather choice selections. So, by all means, read and hear more after the jump.

No Friday 80s Flashback for December 31, 2011

2010-12-31T22:37:00.000-05:00

No Friday 80s Flashback for today. But that doesn't mean you have to go without 80s tunes as you celebrate the new year. Pick your favorite from the 80s Flashback Archives!

The Myth of Santa?

2010-12-24T21:41:00.000-05:00

Is Santa Claus a myth?

Santa is indeed a myth. But only in the original and not the corrupted, modern sense of the word. To those of us who know better, myth ≠ untrue. Myth is the truest, most important thing in the world. Myth describes events that never happened, and yet are happening to us still. Myth tells us about individuals who could never have existed, and yet reach out to us even today.

Endeavor to live a mythic life!

Friday 80s Flashback for December 24, 2010

2010-12-24T18:42:00.005-05:00

[Winter Holidays: Week 4] -- Welcome to the fourth and final installment of the Winter Holidays-themed 80s flashbacks. Yes, I took time out my own busy Christmas Eve to bring you a brief respite from your holiday preparations. And what a collection we have today!

Read and hear more after the jump.

The Reason for the Season?

2010-12-22T12:25:00.003-05:00

Winter Solstice Buddha Painting by Cherie Glasco

Oh, we're knee deep in the holiday season now, aren't we? Hanukkah has passed. The Winter Solstice is upon us, and Christmas and Kwanzaa are coming up this weekend. Of course, it wouldn't be December without claims that there is a War on Christmas (history), debates over whether to use "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays," arguments over the holiday's Pagan/Heathen roots (and even calls to return to the holiday's pagan roots), atheist appeals to reason, astronomical explanations for the Winter Solstice, crying over "Xmas" as crossing Christ out of Christmas, and all sorts of other nonsense.

Are you feeling the holiday warmth now?

Continue Reading >>

Make A Yule Candelabra

2010-12-20T17:18:00.002-05:00

I submitted my first Instructable. It details how I made my Yule candelabra last year.

Make Your Own Yuletide Candelabra - More DIY How To Projects

Friday 80s Flashback for December 17, 2010

2010-12-17T16:32:00.001-05:00

[Winter Holidays: Week 3] -- Oh, we're counting down the days now, aren't we? One week from Christmas Eve. If you're like me, you're caught in the midst of preparing for the Solstice and the upcoming full moon, and you're behind on Christmas cards and shopping. Maybe it's time for a break. Hey, flashbacks make for great breaks! What flashbacks do I have for your sonic stockings this week? Well, read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for December 10, 2010

2010-12-10T17:57:00.002-05:00

[Winter Holidays: Week 2] -- Well, that week pretty much flew by and we're right back at another Friday, ready for some 80s tunes. As I put the finishing touches on this week's holiday offerings, there are flurries dancing about on a breeze just beyond my window. The snow, and the fact that I did a bit of gift shopping and then adjusted the tree, certainly puts me in the Seasons Greetings kind of mood. What marvelous stocking stuffers have I for you this week? Well, read and hear more after the jump.

War on Christmas, or War on Diversity?

2010-12-07T12:16:00.001-05:00

Marci A. Hamilton argues that "War on Christmas" rhetoric is actually a war on diversity. And you know what? I think she has a valid argument! The money moment comes in the sixth paragraph:

Given the prevalence of Christmas in the culture, why do people feel insulted by the judicial decisions holding that the courthouse can’t have a crèche, or the school choir can’t sing only Christian music at the public school annual holiday concert?I suppose it is because there was a time when no one challenged them. Culturally, we came to expect such displays, and it feels like we have a right, but also, emotionally, it is scary to have them removed from our universe. For a Christian, and perhaps other believers, they were a comfort. At base, many apparently feel that if the government can’t support our Christian celebration, then we are losing control and power over the most important values in the culture. But these responses lack historical perspective.

From that point on, Ms. Hamilton obliges the reader with a very necessary, albeit brief, summary of the historical facts. I don't know if the folks who most need to read this piece will even see it, but it's handy to have in your hip pocket if you ever find yourself dealing with, say, Mr. O'Reilly and his associates at Fox News (or one of their fans).

Read The War on Diversity over at Patheos.com.

Friday 80s Flashback for December 3, 2010

2010-12-03T12:38:00.001-05:00

[Winter Holidays: Week 1] -- Ah, December. Remember when the holiday season waited until after Thanksgiving before it truly kicked into gear? No? Well, that's no surprise. I can barely recall that either. But at least here, on Prophet or Madman, no one can be accused of jumping the holiday gun (or, hopefully, the shark). And now that we are finally in the most wonderful time of the year, it's safe to break into songs about winter, snow, Christmas, Santa, etc. And because so much wonderful holiday music came out of the 80s, we're going to stretch this theme to cover four weeks. That's right. Today's Flashback is the first of a four part series!

Read and hear more after the jump.

The Theory of Hipster Relativity

2010-12-02T14:32:00.001-05:00

Dustin Glick weighs in with the astonishingly accurate Theory of Hipster Relativity

Vikings' Barbaric Bad Rap Beginning to Fade

2010-12-02T12:38:00.001-05:00

"'The Norsemen were not just warriors, they were farmers, artists, shipbuilders, and innovators,' said Ingmar Jansson, a professor of archaeology at Stockholm University in Sweden. 'More than anything, they were excellent traders who connected peoples from Baghdad to Scandinavia to the mainland of North America.'"

Read the full article at National Geographic: Vikings' Barbaric Bad Rap Beginning to Fade

LEGOs and Dreams

2010-12-02T11:58:00.000-05:00

Over on Facebook, a friend posted his shock over the price of Star Wars LEGOs. He asked, "Are LEGOs mined in Africa or something?" To which I replied:

"LEGOs are expensive because they are made from the crushed dreams of cubicle dwellers. While plentiful, the dreams are rather difficult to distill properly."

Photos of LEGO Cubicles (Via: TrendHunter and thinkgeek)

Friday 80s Flashback for November 19, 2010

2010-11-19T14:19:00.000-05:00

[Second Acts] -- Themes for the Flashback are strange and often take on a life of their own. Consider this week's theme of "Second Acts." For my purposes, I define a Second Act as the result of an individual artist, or an entire band, that decided to go in a new direction. I was specifically looking at artists that joined or formed a new band, or bands that shifted format/direction due to personnel changes. I didn't care so much whether the change was a conscious choice, or if the artist was forced to change simply to continue recording. I also don't care whether the change was ultimately judged as boon or bane to the artist's career. Now, the idea of Second Acts was not my original choice for today, but it has been on my list of TBD themes, so it has been on my mind. The issue, you see, is that when I write the Flashback, I try to hew closely to my trio formula: provide (1) background, (2) my recollections, and (3) a video link for each one of -- say it with me now -- three different 80s tunes that reflect the chosen theme. However, when I turned my attention to Second Acts in the 80s, I was stuck after making only two selections. Of course, there are countless examples of what I call the Second Act, but I cannot just simply pull a third option from the proverbial hat. I need to have some kind of connection to the song, otherwise I'm simply parroting what other music bloggers have said about it. And I just could not come up with a viable third tune. That is, I could not make that final selection until this morning. A more accurate assessment might be to say that the song presented itself to me.

Read and hear more after the jump.

Memory is a Funny Thing

2010-11-17T13:58:00.001-05:00

My lunchtime excursion today took me through a residential area where I had to wait for a small construction vehicle to clear the road. As I sat there, my car the last in a row of similarly waiting cars, I just watched the wind blow leaves across the street and sidewalk. Somehow that sight reminded me of elementary school, specifically the elementary school library. I almost felt as though I were sitting in that library again. I'm not sure why that is -- it's not as though I can recall a library trip that had me sitting close enough to the windows that I could watch a similar scene. But we are in Autumn, and I did spend a fair bit of my time window-gazing in my youth, and the street across from the school did feature a row of homes.

Memory is a funny thing.

Image courtesy of the web.

Photo by Suzanne Tucker

Friday 80s Flashback for November 12, 2010

2010-11-12T02:35:00.000-05:00

[In the Spirit] -- Due to this being tech week at Montgomery Theater ("Half and Half" opens this weekend), and the fact that I am leaving Friday afternoon to attend a conference, I'm rather short on time to compile a Flashback. So, please forgive me if my recollections are shorter than usual. Now, the conference I am attending is for interfaith ministers, so I thought I might take the flashback in a spiritual direction. But don't worry: I'm not pulling hymns from the 1580s.

Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday 80s Flashback for November 5, 2010

2010-11-05T12:26:00.000-04:00

[Politics Schmolotics] -- Here in the US, we recently endured a mid-term election season. Across the pond, Great Britain is observing Guy Fawkes Day. So this seems like a good time to have a politically minded set of Flashbacks. Now, I have heard arguments that the best protest songs were written and recorded in the 60s and 70s. That might be true, but the 80s did not lack for politically charged passion or activist rhetoric.

Read and hear more after the jump.

Post Mid-Term Election Thought

2010-11-03T13:38:00.000-04:00

I've posted this elsewhere, but I figure I should archive it on my own blog.

Take a good look at the election results and get ready to evaluate what the "new" Congress does over the next two years. You might even go back to the mid-term elections of 1982, 1994, and 2006 for comparison.

But none of that really matters. (Here comes the material I've posted elsewhere, such as my Facebook page).

The names on the office door might change now and then, but the US is still run by corporations and lobbyists. And in the final analysis, there is no Red/Blue, or Republican/Democrat, division. All of those labels are the public face of government, or the entertainment if you will. The only real work done in government, and it's the same work that has been going on for DECADES, is the behind-closed-doors dance our representatives do with big business and lobbyists to (a) get elected or (b) stay elected. That leaves very little time to deal with real issues let alone seek pragmatic solutions for them.

Doctor When?

2010-11-02T15:28:00.000-04:00

Originally posted at GraphJam

Quotable | Patriot (Mid-Term Election 2010 Edition)

2010-11-01T11:39:00.002-04:00

A Patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.
-- Edward Abbey, author, essayist, and environmental advocate (1927-1989)

I posted this quote at the height of the 2008 election season. I bring it back now on the eve of the 2010 mid-term elections because it is still relevant. I am not, however, advocating a form of "tea party" patriotism. I use this as a warning that the "government" is not a monolithic entity. It is comprised of

elected persons who are members of both major political parties
candidates who are trying to become elected for the first time
candidates who are trying to keep (or regain) political office
lobbyists who work for, and against, parties and candidates
think tanks who examine citizens' behavior and then attempt to mold it toward a certain purpose (without letting those same citizens know they are being subtly manipulated)
members of the media who try to tell us what the government is doing, and sometimes chastise elected officials and candidates, even as they try to court favors and money from those very same officials (or promises from up-and-coming candidates)
individual citizens who vote -- and voting is done directly at the polls as well as indirectly with every dollar a person spends or choice they make.

So, what exactly is Abbey's patriot defending against? Well, in a word: "us."

Continue Reading >>

Chart: Visual History of Halloween

2010-10-29T22:48:00.003-04:00

[Via: FrightCatalog.com: The The Web's #1 Halloween Costume Store View Larger Image and Get the Embed Code to Add This Infographic to Your Site

Friday 80s Flashback for October 29, 2010

2010-10-29T13:30:00.002-04:00

[Halloween] -- Welcome to a very special holiday edition of the Friday 80s Flashback. Now, as far as I'm concerned, Halloween songs typically fall somewhere between being (1) Oh-so-obviously Halloweenesque, and (2) Stealthily Halloweenish. That is true regardless of the decade. Right off the bat (no pun intended there), we have to agree that Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is squarely in the first camp. And you have to understand, that I'm not going to feature it in today's Flashback. Yes, "Thriller" was huge for radio and MTV, and everyone wanted to learn the Thriller dance in 1983. Hell, that dance continues to inspire popular culture. But it's not featured today because it's just too obvious a choice. Moving on the other end of the spectrum, we have stealthily Halloweenish songs like "Dr. Heckyll and Mr. Jive" (1982) by Men At Work. This song is a clever riff on Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde." It also features that wonderful stock science fiction character who has made numerous appearances in Halloween/horror flicks, particularly of the b-grade variety. You know him, you love him, he is The Mad Scientist!

Now that I have provided a longer-than-usual intro, you are probably waiting not-so-patiently for me to unveil the actual Flashback choices, right? Well, please know that I needed to provide that info so you can understand that, for your Halloween listening today, I offer one song from the obvious camp and two that hue a little closer to the stealth end of the spectrum. And maybe, just maybe if you're very good, there will be a bonus track.

Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday Pet Blogging: Simon (We Still Miss You)

2010-10-29T00:48:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe seven years have passed since we lost Simon. Today I present the photo collage I posted in 2004 to mark the one year anniversary of his untimely death.

Thank you, Simon, for 7+ wonderful years: 4/28/96 - 10/29/03

We love you and miss you

Friday 80s Flashback for October 22, 2010

2010-10-22T12:38:00.000-04:00

[Jazz/Fusion] -- We're going in a slightly different direction with the Friday 80s Flashback this week. I want to take a look at how the 80s represent a pivotal decade not only for pop and rock music, but also for jazz. Remember, before rock n' roll gained popularity and took over the airwaves, jazz was considered popular music -- it was the "pop" music of three decades, the 20s through the 40s. During that time, a wide variety of genres and subgenres were spawned as jazz grew and evolved, often incorporating (or fusing) elements from other forms of entertainment together within a jazz structure. This was very evident in the 60s and 70s as elements of rock were combined with jazz improvisations to develop the genre known as jazz-rock fusion (or "jazz fusion" or just "fusion" for short). Rock rhythms, electric instruments, and loud amplification went from being snubbed by jazz traditionalists to forging a whole new musical idiom for jazz's greatest innovators. Now, we know that new technology and changing tastes in the 80s made stars of folks who could barely play instruments (think of Trio and Duran Duran), but what did it do for folks who were considered exceptional musicians?

Read and hear more after the jump.

Friday Pet Blogging (on Saturday) | Similar But Different

2010-10-16T22:45:00.000-04:00

Is it OK to submit a Friday Pet Blogging entry on Saturday (er, Caturday)? Well, it has to be OK because I'm going that route.

This week, we have a morning shot of our boys, Otis and Milo, staking their claims on our bed as I prepare to go to work. What is strange here is that Milo, who is typically rather reserved, is freely sprawled out while his usually rambunctious brother, Otis, assumes a more conservative pose. In fact, I had to wait for Milo to stop moving before I could even attempt to capture a photo with my Palm Pre!

So Similar, So Different

And one by one, the pet blogging posts steal my sanity ...

More Pet Blogging

See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator.
Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday.
And one of the funniest/cutest/obsessivest (OK, I know that's not a word!) sites for cat photos, StuffOnMyCat.com is a must see. Take it from them: Stuff + Cats = Awesome!
And for a funny and saccharin sweet photo collection of cat, kitty, and other critters that have been tagged with LOL, go see I Can Has a Cheezeburger? Really, these are good.

Friday 80s Flashback for October 15, 2010

2010-10-15T16:15:00.001-04:00

[Hair Metal] -- The 80s spawned a very strange creature: The Hair Metal genre. Possibly the result of controlled efforts to crossbreed Heavy Metal (for its energy and intensity) with Pop Rock (for its relative safety and accessibility), Hair Metal was responsible for a boat load of record sales. Of course, not nearly as noteworthy is the fact that this genre also drove up the sales figures for hairspray, spandex, and bandannas. Most bands in this category are considered one-and-done deals, and many of them certainly qualify. But a majority of Hair bands actually got started in the mid to late 70s before finding some measure of success in the 80s. And some of those guys continued to release albums far after their glory days had passed in the haze of spent smoke machines. Read and hear more after the jump.

Continue Reading >>

Quotable | Superman's Mask

2010-10-14T12:23:00.000-04:00

An essential characteristic of the superhero mythology is, there’s the superhero, and there’s the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When he wakes up in the morning, he’s Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic that Superman stands alone. Superman did not become Superman, Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he’s Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red “S”, that’s the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears, the glasses, the business suit, that’s the costume. That’s the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent? He’s weak, he’s unsure of himself… he’s a coward. Clark Kent is Superman’s critique on the whole human race. Sort of like Beatrix Kiddo and Mrs. Tommy Plympton."

-- Bill (“Snake Charmer”), from the two-part action thriller, KILL BILL

Unfrozen Caveman Candidate

2010-10-12T17:54:00.001-04:00

When political ads start appearing on TV, doesn't it seem like they are all variations on this theme:

Ladies and gentlemen of the constituency, I'm just a caveman. I fell on some ice and later got thawed out by some of your scientists. Your world frightens and confuses me! Sometimes the honking horns of your traffic make me want to get out of my BMW.. and run off into the hills, or wherever.. Sometimes when I get a message on my smart-phone, I wonder: 'Did little demons get inside and type it?' I don't know! My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts. But there is one thing I do know - when a man like my opponent is in office, BAAAAAD things happen. When a caveman like me is in office, only GOOOOD things happen. So vote for me. Thank you."

With apologies to the genius of Jack Handey and Phil Hartman (1948 – 1998) who brought us the brilliant Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer sketches on SNL.

By the way, we miss you, Phil.

Bizarro: The Mr. T Party Candidate

2010-10-12T11:16:00.000-04:00

Bizarro nails it again (comic from 10/12/2010):

Muppet Jesus

2010-10-11T21:37:00.001-04:00

In a December 2008 comic, the first panel of which is shown below, PVP nailed the idea that the Muppets are a commentary on the human condition. I have no nothing further to say about the comic. It speaks for itself.

Click for full comic strip

This comic originally appeared here: http://www.pvponline.com/2008/12/10/its-time-to-light-the-lights/

Friday Pet Blogging | Milo on the Couch

2010-10-08T17:14:00.001-04:00

I just looked at my archives, and my last Friday Pet Blogging post was on January 26 ... of 2008! I've heard of sabbaticals, but that's a bit ridiculous. I would blame Facebook (as I have in the past), but I don't think I was using Facebook that early in 2008.

Anyway ...

It's time to get back into the swing of Friday Pet Blogging. We'll ease back into it with this comfy capture of Milo sprawled out on our couch.

My wife thought he looked just like a teenager flopped out on there. What she meant was: He looks like a bum!

And one by one, the pet blogging posts steal my sanity ...

More Pet Blogging

See the Friday Ark, featuring a compilation of today's pet blogging posts, over at The Modulator.
Carnival of the Cats, coming at you every Sunday.
And one of the funniest/cutest/obsessivest (OK, I know that's not a word!) sites for cat photos, StuffOnMyCat.com is a must see. Take it from them: Stuff + Cats = Awesome!
And for a funny and saccharin sweet photo collection of cat, kitty, and other critters that have been tagged with LOL, go see I Can Has a Cheezeburger? Really, these are good.

Friday 80s Flashback for October 8, 2010

2010-10-08T13:36:00.007-04:00

[Making Movies] -- The theme for today's flashback is songs from the movies. But not just any old song from any old movie. We're talking iconic scenes from iconic films; we're talking scenes whose impact was possible largely in part to the right song being played at the right time. Now, one could argue that 80s movies were nothing more than vehicles to push hit singles onto a public hungry for music (uh, that hasn't changed much). And looking back over the releases from that decade, that argument probably holds true for most of them. But there are some rather sparkling examples where the stars aligned and magic happened.And we're going to celebrate them today.

Continue Reading >>

Pancake Goes RRAAAAWRRR!

2010-10-07T17:01:00.000-04:00

Check out the coolest pancakes ever. Starting with with the 3D Dinosaur Bones Pancake.

Get Out The Dilithium Crystals!

2010-10-07T14:37:00.000-04:00

You're familiar with Haynes Manuals, right? They're only known for publishing the very best illustrated guides for repairing (or exploring the guts of) cars, motorcycles and bicycles, as well as a series covering historic aircraft. Maybe you have to be into DIY stuff to have heard of them. Or, maybe, you have to be interested in technical communication (that's my camp).

Well, now they have boldly gone where no (serious) technical DIY manual has ever gone: Star Trek's U.S.S. Enterprise! The startrek.com staff interviewed editor Derek Smith about this latest addition to the Hayes library: Inside the Haynes Enterprise Manual

I can finally build my own warp engine! (No, not really)

Living Myths

2010-10-06T15:14:00.000-04:00

Living myths are not mistaken notions, and they do not spring from books. They are not to be judged as true or false but as effective or ineffective, maturative or pathogenic. They are rather like enzymes, products of the body in which they work; or in homogeneous social groups, products of a body social. They are not invented but occur, and are recognized by seers, and poets, to be then cultivated and employed as catalysts of spiritual (i.e., psychological) well-being."

-- Joseph Campbell,(2003). The Flight of the Wild Gander, 3rd Edition. San Francisco: New World Library

Joseph Campbell's accomplishments are quite extensive. But if he had achieved only the re-introduction of living myths into our dialogue, I would say he had done the world a huge service.

Friday 80s Flashback for October 1, 2010

2010-10-01T16:19:00.003-04:00

[Unrequited but Upbeat Edition] -- The theme for today's flashback is upbeat songs about unrequited love. Every generation has them, but the 80s seemed to spawn some singularly interesting instances of happy beats with potentially depressing lyrical content.

Continue Reading >>

1938: The Things We Miss

2010-10-01T10:25:00.002-04:00

Note: This is a post I started in May of 2008 but never finished. I found it this morning when I was looking for a draft of my next Friday 80s Flashback. It is one of several posts just sitting in an electronic abyss. Over the next week or two, I will try to complete as many as I can.

On a Saturday morning in May of 2008, I arose early to drive my Forester to the Subaru dealer. It's a pretty short drive; the dealership is just beyond my town's borders. I typically take advantage of their shuttle service -- I drop off the car, they take me back home, they call me with details regarding my vehicle's service, and finally they pick me up after they finish the job -- But the shuttle is not available on weekends.

No worries. As I mentioned, it's a short drive. So I figured walking back and forth wouldn't be all that difficult. Besides, I lucked out with a glorious, Spring day. Perfect for walking. So, after I dropped off the car, I made my way home from the dealership.

My pace was slow, almost meandering. I had the whole day before me with no need to race home. I listened to birds. I took in the gentle breeze. I paid attention to homes and yards that would normally fall away in my peripheral vision as I focused on the road ahead.

And then I came to a full stop when I saw this in the concrete walk (also available on my Flickr page):

To be completely accurate, I would have to post the image upside down. But that's not the point.

I was completely enamored with this small token in concrete. What did that symbol mean? What happened in 1938? How are the symbol and this date connected? It took all my self-control to not walk up to the house connected to this walk, knock on the door, and ask if anyone there knew what the message of their front walk was. After all, it was kind of early for someone to receive such questions from a complete stranger.

I might never know concretely the message of this sidewalk. But here is something I do know: I had been driving past this parchment-in-pavement for several years and never once had any inkling that it was there, that it was waiting for a brief moment of discovery.

What else am I missing -- are we all missing -- as we rush about in our machines with our to-lists, schedules, and agendas?