Get off my lawn!

Sharon Spotbottom

Sharon burns her purse ©2005 Sharon Spotbottom

My favorite new, daily art blog is Sharon Spotbottom, created by my pal Karen of Venice, based on a character by another pal Tammy (also of Venice). Everyday is a treat to see what makes Sharon tick, where she's headed and how far she's come from her early doodle days.

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Uniwursts - the new symbol of Europe!

EuroTrash - the restaurant has just opened in Amsterdam. It's home of the Uniwurst - "a tribute to the reunification of Europe under one flag." The logic is that the sausage is "a true European delicacy made in hundreds of variations all across this great union."

Hmm, a weenie as a symbol of European pride? No comment.

Check out the EuroTrash website.

Pop Goes the Weasel - the songs

Pop Goes the Weasel (aka Lady Cocoa) Moonstone Entertainment 1975

While standing in line at the bank recently, a friend of mine was smitten by what she thought was Pop Goes the Weasel ring tones on someone's cell phone behind her. It turned out to be a child's toy.

While searching for ring tones of that favorite childhood ditty I came across a multitude of versions. Listed below are links of a variety of takes. Have a listen and choose your favorite. Mine is at the end of the list.

1. Pop Goes the Weasel as ring tones.
2. An old fashioned touch tone version.
3. How about a vocal rendition?
4. Sounds great done by a banjo orchestra.
5. Here are four versions from hand crank Jack-in-the-Box toys.
6. This one is sung by a baboon!
7. A full band "Pops the Weasel," followed by a swinging country rendition.
8. Disney's Silly Song version.
9. A very sweet rendition with a trombone finish.
10. Birdie whistles Pop Goes the Weasel. More songs by Birdie here.
11. You-know-what on classical cello.
12. The ol' fiddler plays fer ya!
13. A "Pop" baby singer!
14. Punk Goes the Weasel!
15. The classic ice cream truck version we heard as children.

Too bad I didn't find a rap version. Googling "Hip-Hop Goes the Weasel" didn't turn up a thing!

I'm stuck choosing between #11 and #15 - because only the cello seems capable of bringing out the poignant pathos of the song, yet the ice cream truck moved me to tears - nostalgia for those long ago Popsicles and Eskimo Pies, I suppose. ; )

I wonder if that obscure blaxploitation flick "Pop Goes the Weasel" has a version of the song in its soundtrack. I bet it does - something with a cool, urban 70's riff, I hope.

Which is scarier?

An aged Chief Justice attempting to make a power fashion statement by wearing more stripes than an admiral in a Gilbert & Sullivan musical, or an aging King of Pop emulating him in a subtle attempt to curry favor at his pedophile trial?

[uncredited Internet photos]

Return of the Feast

After a brief hiatus, Feast of the Seven Fishes is back online. The story had taken a sad turn for Joey with the arrival of Beth's boyfriend at an inopportune moment. Now we can begin to find out the resolution to his emotional cliffhanger. Fasten your seatbelts!

Rainy Sunday in Red Square

[© 2005 A&E]

The rain last night was the loudest I have ever heard it in LA. It sounded like it was raining bricks. I thought my roof was going to collapse. Thankfully there's lull this morning, although I can already see the next set of dark clouds starting to roll in. And that means "I ain't driving nowhere!"

Since I was staying in town today, I decided to catch up on some of the DVDs that have been gathering dust on my shelves. One in particular is of Paul McCartney's recent concert in Red Square. I'm a huge Beatles fan, with John my favorite, so I haven't rushed to view the disc, but I caught some of Paul at the SuperBowl and was impressed with how well he still carried a tune. Most live concerts sound off-key, but McCartney sounded as clear and perfect as if he was still with the Beatles.

A&E's Paul McCartney in Red Square is an awesome concert and documentary. I found myself getting emotional watching it, and not because of the intrinsic nostalgia to my generation, but to the revelations coming from Russian fans of The Beatles. I've always believed the argument that rock and roll had just as big a part in the Soviet Union's demise as Pope John II, Reagan and Gorbachev, but this concert shows just how much of an impact rock music from the West, and most importantly The Beatles, had on the repressed youth of the former Soviet Union. The kids, as well as adults, hungered for anything - records, pictures, info - about the Fab Four, and the freedom they represented. In many ways The Beatles were more important to them, than for those of us who took our freedoms for granted. Watching Sir Paul perform the classic Back In The USSR in Red Square was especially poignant, even liberating. It seemed like less a parody of The Beach Boy's Back In The USA, that I thought then, and more like the fresh air of freedom that it was to Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian and other Soviet youth. Red Square went wild with excitement when Paul started playing it - and so did I!

Hint to current politicos on both sides: Be aware of the power of music and pop culture. It still is just as potent a weapon against repression that it's always been - whether the repression is social, political or religious.

If only music could make storms go away...

Formula for Worst Day of the Year

Dr. Cliff Arnall, specialist in seasonal disorders at the University of Cardiff, Wales, created a formula that takes into account numerous feelings to devise peoples' lowest point -- which according to his calculations is today!

The equation is broken down into seven variables: (W) weather, (D) debt, (d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since failed quit attempt, (M) low motivational levels and (NA) the need to take action.

Arnall found that, while days technically get longer after Dec. 21, cyclonic weather systems take hold in January, bringing low, dark clouds to Britain. Meanwhile, the majority of people break their healthy resolutions six to seven days into the new year, and even the hangers-on have fallen off the wagon, torn off the nicotine patches and eaten the fridge empty by the third week. Any residual dregs of holiday cheer and family fun have kicked the bucket by Jan. 24.

“Following the initial thrill of New Year's celebrations and changing over a new leaf, reality starts to sink in,” Arnall said. “The realization coincides with the dark clouds rolling in and the obligation to pay off Christmas credit card bills.”

Read the full story.

[Source: MSNBC News 1.24.05, Illustration: d_orlando]

Handimals

I was just emailed a whole slew of these amazing photos of hands painted to resemble animals. This elephant and eagle hands blew me away. It's fluff, but after all the recent crazy weather and news, it's welcome airiness.


Here's a link that exhibits a few more.

[Thanks to Karen of Venice]
[painting and photo credits: unknown]

No more sushi for me

Evil eye... this carp seemingly has a human face / AFP

Fish discovered with human face

If you found this fish staring up at you from a pond, you might do a double take.

For the carp's face displays some extraordinarily human features.

Sinister eyes seem to peer out from the head and a broad nose tapers down to the mouth. But, in fact, the nose is just a marking on the carp's skin as are the "eyes" in front of its real eyes.

The features belong to two 19-year-old female carp in a pond in Chongju, Korea. And the patterns could make the pair very valuable.

Rare markings or colourings on fish are considered a good omen in many Asian countries, Professor Brendan McAndrew, of the Institute of Aquaculture at Stirling University, said.

"Those in the carp industry will go through millions of young fish for good patterns and only find a few."

[From correspondents in London - January 14, 2005 - The Daily Telegraph]

[Via All The Grey In Between - Story source: NEWS.com.au]