Yes, this clipping from the August 14, 1970 Tulsa World provided the "cover art" for MAR4CH MAZEPPA MADNESS.
Knowing Gailard Sartain's artistic bent, he may have created it himself.
I sure would love to hear from anybody who attended this, or any, event at which Mazeppa hisself made a personal appearance!
See you on Monday with another scraping from the Mazeppa scrapbook!
Thursday, March 05, 2020
Monday, March 02, 2020
Welcome to MARCH MAZEPPA MADNESS -- 2020 Edition!
You may ask, whence the past and future plethora of Mazeppa-bilia? Why, I've been clipping these treasures for decades now (with the help of the wondrous Mary Lou).
And keepin' them in this top-secret folder.
Come back on Thursday for the first taste of this year's vacuous vintage! (And don't forget that you may check out last year's crummy crop by simply searching for topic "March Mazeppa Madness"!
See you on Thursday!
And keepin' them in this top-secret folder.
Come back on Thursday for the first taste of this year's vacuous vintage! (And don't forget that you may check out last year's crummy crop by simply searching for topic "March Mazeppa Madness"!
See you on Thursday!
Labels:
March Mazeppa Madness,
My Things,
Nostalgia,
TV and Movies
Monday, February 03, 2020
MA-139 - Forbidden Desires
Yes, it's another bizarre salute to Valentine's Day, full of songs in which the course of true love ne'er do run true … mainly because the love object is not exactly appropriate, even in today's wonderfully welcoming age.
01 - Strange Love - Bad Actors - 1980 (4:32)
02 - I Love You (Miss Robot) - The Buggles - 1980 (4:52)
03 - Love or Lust? - Dirty Girls - 1981 (1:32)
04 - Imaginary Doll - Jullan - 1984 (3:26)
05 - Automatic Lover - Dee D Jackson - 1977 (4:13)
06 - Nazi Love - Billy Wizard and the K-Mart Studio Orchestra - 1977 (4:18)
07 - Plastic Princess - The Wives - 1980 (3:01)
08 - Miss Clarke and the Computer - Roy Wood - 1973 (4:21)
09 - Voodoo Doll - Amelia - 1962 (2:02)
10 - I Really Want to Bomb You - Jill Kroesen - 1980 (5:37)
11 - Mechanical Friend - The Steves - 1980 (2:14)
12 - She's a Magazine - New Musik - 1980 (4:17)
13 - Little Girls - Oingo Boingo - 1981 (3:36)
14 - Mannequin - Max Strom - 1982 (3:03)
15 - Computer Love - Zapp & Roger - 1985 (4:44)
16 - Anna with Antennae - 4 Out of 5 Doctors - 1982 (3:39)
17 - Thing - The Jazz Butcher - 1987 (1:02)
18 - Light Years from Love - Martha Ladly - 1983 (3:41)
19 - Jennifer the Conifer - The Shapes - 1982 (2:46)
20 - Teenage Head in My Refrigerator - The Deep Freeze Mice - 1981 (3:38)
21 - Oral Sex with a Caterpillar - Jerry Jamrag and the Afterbirths - 1977 (1:22)
22 - Reel to Reel - Rock Fiction - 1984 (4:05)
23 - Teenage Mutant Love - High Wire Radio Choir - 1979 (2:26)
Give 'er a listen and decide for yourself!
We're taking the rest of February off. See you right back here on Monday, March 2nd, for this year's installments of MARCH MAZEPPA MADNESS!
Labels:
Music,
My Things,
News and Observations
Monday, January 27, 2020
I'm a Marxist, Number 1
One of the happy occasions of my high-school years was my student-aide role, as a Senior at Sooner High School in Bartlesville, OK, for the wondrous teacher Della Craighead.
She knew I was a ne'er-do-well who needed something to occupy his time, so she came up with some busywork which was perfect for me.
It seemed that somebody had donated several hundred LIFE magazines from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Mrs C assigned me to go through them and simply cut out the articles I thought were "important" in some way, and set them aside for her.
Crazy, huh? Yeah. Crazy because FIRST I was mutilating historical documents. SECOND, I really had no specific guidance except for the above vague guidance.
You know how something can seem casual but pack a wallop of deeper meaning? That is true with this "job" for Mrs C. Thanks to her, I now have a very deep appreciation for the LIFE-magazine world and nation of that era. I am so very thankful for this exposure to Populuxe America.
Plus, I nabbed a few items for myself!
The above Personna razor-blade ad is from the October 4, 1946 issue of LIFE. Note that it ties in to the then-current film A Night in Casablanca.
By the February 15, 1953 issue of LIFE, Groucho was burning up the TV waves with You Bet Your Life. Surely everybody knows about "ghosts" in TV reception? They were usually caused by an antenna that wasn't sufficiently aimed towards the broadcasting tower. In this case, GE is using the term to push their "aluminized" picture tube.
You know what THAT is, don't you, campers?
Come back next Monday, February 3, for a new Valentine's day music compilation. Until then, the Secret Word is COMPASSION.
She knew I was a ne'er-do-well who needed something to occupy his time, so she came up with some busywork which was perfect for me.
It seemed that somebody had donated several hundred LIFE magazines from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Mrs C assigned me to go through them and simply cut out the articles I thought were "important" in some way, and set them aside for her.
Crazy, huh? Yeah. Crazy because FIRST I was mutilating historical documents. SECOND, I really had no specific guidance except for the above vague guidance.
You know how something can seem casual but pack a wallop of deeper meaning? That is true with this "job" for Mrs C. Thanks to her, I now have a very deep appreciation for the LIFE-magazine world and nation of that era. I am so very thankful for this exposure to Populuxe America.
Plus, I nabbed a few items for myself!
The above Personna razor-blade ad is from the October 4, 1946 issue of LIFE. Note that it ties in to the then-current film A Night in Casablanca.
By the February 15, 1953 issue of LIFE, Groucho was burning up the TV waves with You Bet Your Life. Surely everybody knows about "ghosts" in TV reception? They were usually caused by an antenna that wasn't sufficiently aimed towards the broadcasting tower. In this case, GE is using the term to push their "aluminized" picture tube.
You know what THAT is, don't you, campers?
Come back next Monday, February 3, for a new Valentine's day music compilation. Until then, the Secret Word is COMPASSION.
Labels:
News and Observations,
Nostalgia,
TV and Movies
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Remembering Wiener King
In 1977, a guy named Don Schooler opened a franchise of the fast-food Wiener King, in Bartlesville. I was one of the first crewmembers. I found out about the job because Don's parents shared a back fence with us.
Their tagline was "King of Hot dogs, USA."
I found this photo of a Wiener King in Mansfield, OH, which is a good match to what the place looked like when it opened.
For me, the most disgusting thing on the menu was a dog with cole slaw, onions, pickle relish, and CHILI also! Yuck! But I remember seeing Mr Schooler eat one.
And that's the summer job I had the year before we got married.
See you on Monday!
Their tagline was "King of Hot dogs, USA."
They had paper crowns for the kids, just like the crowns at Burger King. Here, print your own!
My work name tag.
The building is still there, now being used as Jaron Leach's Shelter Insurance office.I found this photo of a Wiener King in Mansfield, OH, which is a good match to what the place looked like when it opened.
For me, the most disgusting thing on the menu was a dog with cole slaw, onions, pickle relish, and CHILI also! Yuck! But I remember seeing Mr Schooler eat one.
And that's the summer job I had the year before we got married.
See you on Monday!
Labels:
My Things,
News and Observations,
Nostalgia
Monday, January 20, 2020
Kaleidocope Video in OKC
I'm not the only one who fondly remembers Kaleidoscope Video Stores.
The Lost Ogle from 2019.
A 2001 newspaper mention.
Don Pierce, who founded the OKC chain, only died a month or so ago. I wish I had known, I would have gone to the funeral.
The Kaleidoscope in south OKC was originally at SW 44th and Penn, and then moved to SW 59th & Agnew. It had two locations in the strip mall before succumbing to the internet era. If I recall correctly, the south store's manager was Mike Reed.
One of the things I loved about the south store was its selection of offerings from Something Weird Video.
The Lost Ogle from 2019.
A 2001 newspaper mention.
Don Pierce, who founded the OKC chain, only died a month or so ago. I wish I had known, I would have gone to the funeral.
The Kaleidoscope in south OKC was originally at SW 44th and Penn, and then moved to SW 59th & Agnew. It had two locations in the strip mall before succumbing to the internet era. If I recall correctly, the south store's manager was Mike Reed.
One of the things I loved about the south store was its selection of offerings from Something Weird Video.
And here's my own customer card (with personal info whited out, of course!).
Ah, what sunny memories!
See you back on Thursday for who-knows-what?!?
Labels:
My Things,
News and Observations,
Nostalgia,
TV and Movies
Thursday, January 16, 2020
What a Clever Pun, Saturday Evening Post!
Here's one reaction to the "underground cult" status of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings book.
This survey appeared in the Saturday Evening Post for July 2, 1966.
See you on Monday!
This survey appeared in the Saturday Evening Post for July 2, 1966.
See you on Monday!
Monday, January 13, 2020
Superboy TV, Part 1
Thanks to the wonderful friend Mark Barragar, I've got the promo packet for Season Two (1989-1990) of Viacom's syndicated TV series Superboy. In time to come I'll share its contents.
This big folder is like 12x20 inches, and contains several discrete folders.
Folder 1 ensueth:
And that's just a taste. Now that you're hooked, you'll keep comin' back for more! But who knows when more of this little trove will appear? Don't miss a single installment of the Super Blog!
See you Thursday …
Labels:
Other Super Stuff,
TV and Movies
Thursday, January 09, 2020
1968 Reviews of the White Album
Time mag had the above to say about The Beatles, aka "the White Album," on December 6, 1968. It's "a sprawling, motley assemblage," among other things.
"Caveat emptor," Newsweek said on December 9, 1968. Shouldn't they have said, "caveat lector" -- "let the listener beware"? It's all a blank … or is it bubblegum?
Time has proven both of the reviews a little petulant. yes, the White Album is overblown. It's underproduced and overproduced, by turn. But it's still a wonderful capture of not only the fractured times of 1968, but the fractured creative and personal lives of the Beatles, who belonged to themselves and not to our expectations.
Goodnight, everybody, everywhere.
"Caveat emptor," Newsweek said on December 9, 1968. Shouldn't they have said, "caveat lector" -- "let the listener beware"? It's all a blank … or is it bubblegum?
Time has proven both of the reviews a little petulant. yes, the White Album is overblown. It's underproduced and overproduced, by turn. But it's still a wonderful capture of not only the fractured times of 1968, but the fractured creative and personal lives of the Beatles, who belonged to themselves and not to our expectations.
Goodnight, everybody, everywhere.
Labels:
Music,
News and Observations
Monday, January 06, 2020
Foreman Scotty Gets Scratchy
Steve
Powell created the character of Foreman Scotty for Channel 4, then WKY-TV,
1957-1971. His show was called The
Circle 4 Ranch.
Here he is with similar OKC legends Ho-Ho the Clown and Miss Fran.
Though all of this was before my time in OKC—that commenced in Fall of 1974—I still somehow absorbed the name osmotically. So in later years when I came across a teeny little scratch pad, I nabbed it.
The real thing is about three inches square.
See you on Thursday!
Here he is with similar OKC legends Ho-Ho the Clown and Miss Fran.
Official Foreman
Scotty Facebook page:
Though all of this was before my time in OKC—that commenced in Fall of 1974—I still somehow absorbed the name osmotically. So in later years when I came across a teeny little scratch pad, I nabbed it.
The real thing is about three inches square.
See you on Thursday!
Labels:
My Things,
News and Observations,
Nostalgia
Monday, December 30, 2019
Watchpanels, Part the Sixth
One
compulsive reader’s observations ...
after
gazing into Watchmen for the
umpteenth time
PART THE SIXTH
All right, I’ve got photons in my teeth and my wrist brace on ...
6:2
– The chapter title is in quotation marks in the comic, and extends just a
smidgen pas the panel borders . . .
.
. . while in the reprints the chapter title is just as wide, without quotation marks.
At
least in 1951, JDs were smoking regular cigarettes, not ball-pipes. Probably because regular cigs were simpler
and cheaper.
What
the heck is that hanging-balls mobile dangling at top of the panels? It’s also seen in 13:6.
It
doesn’t make sense that Kitty Genovese, a bar manager with some clerical
skills, had the money for a special-order dress.
From the chalk outline and the
images of neighbors and balconies, it looks like this world’s Kitty Genovese
died outside – Kovacs says, “outside her own apartment building.” On our Earth, the attack commenced outside, but
the actual rape-murder took place inside her building, in the rear hallway.
It’s
a necessary story point, but to me it has always seemed unbelievable that, in
Sing-Sing prison, home to murderers and all types of lowlife, prisoners are
within reach of “hot cooking fat.”
In
the comic, the epigraph bar has quotation marks around Nietzsche’s words – the
quotation marks don’t appear in bound editions.
In
Kovacs’s “My Parents” story, he applauds the A-bomb’s use using the same
rationale that Ozzy uses: “saved millions of lives” and “more people would of
been killed.” Perhaps the difference to
Rorschach, morally, is that Truman’s use of the A-bomb was part of a long,
declared conflict, with strongly defined sides.
On the other hand (or tentacle), the Space Squid was deployed at the
whim of one man, unelected, who used it as part of a maniacal scheme to make money
and secure his own power.
I
noticed that “My Dream” is dated 5/27/63, but it must be a typo – Kovacs was in
the Charlton Home in 1953 – in 1963 he was 23 years old. The drawing is labeled “13 years old.” Since this has never been changed in bound
editions, I suppose that either I’m the first person to notice (ha!) or this was an intentional “typo”
intended by the writer.
Thanks for obsessing with me. Six chapters remain.
Labels:
In Comic Books,
News and Observations,
WATCHMENUTIA
Monday, December 23, 2019
Walter's Book Is Coming!
Beaming Up and Getting Off:
Life Before and Beyond Star Trek
It's coming! We're looking for a May release date for the expanded memoirs of Walter Koenig, star of stage and screenplay, director and producer … and famous as the mean ol' Bester on Babylon 5 and the valiant semi-young Chekov in Star Trek.Here are a couple of screengrabs from the book.
Walter's book Warped Factors came out in 1997. Here is the entire text of that book, updated and revised, along with ninety-some new pages from Walter's (by turns wry and heartfelt) pen. He discusses cons, stage work with Mark Lenard, many short films or episodes he's written, produced, or appeared in, and all with a most wonderful point of view.
I sure would like to see The Actor!
Walter writes with a super-engaging voice. He's seen so much wacky behavior, and produced some himself, mixed with things that cause disappointment, anger, or simply jaw-dropping incomprehension. The great news is that his adventures have driven him to compassion for us nudnicks -- not despair over the human race (like Ambrose Bierce for example).
Yes, mixed in with Walter's Hollywood adventures are oh-so-human frights and heart-stopping achievements. And it's so fun to read about them because Walter's style is so compassionate yet sarcastic.
Yes, you'll also read about his comic-book work, and the fan films, and … buy the book and find out!
The book goes to press after the turning of the New Year. If you like insider showbiz memories, or pop culture, or just plain human beings, you will love reading this book. Judging only by my five minutes or so of phone chats with him, this is a guy whose time on the Earth has molded a fun person.
BTW, I was thrilled to both edit and design this book.
The Jacobs/Brown webpage for the book is here ...
Labels:
Book Reviews,
My Things,
News and Observations,
Star Trek,
TV and Movies
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Shoppin' Silly, the Amazon Way! #3
We all know that websites, especially sellers, use algorithms to analyze our transactions. They then tailor “suggestions” targeted to our presumed buying practices.
But sometimes those algorithms produce silly results!
A fine item, this universal remote. What has it to do with vacuum-cleaner bags? Why, to turn up the volume because the vacuum cleaner is on!
I suppose having bought a carpet cleaner, I might wish something to dirty the carpet with?Similarly, the relation between Keurig-style single-serve coffee pods and carpet deodorizer might be conjectured as reverse cause and effect? You tell me, effendi!
Anyway, see you on Monday for something perhaps more substantial.
Labels:
My Things,
News and Observations
Monday, December 16, 2019
Tomorrow’s Tech … Today!
Tomorrow’s Tech … Today!
Many futuristic inventions have come to pass, while some may never be realized.
WEATHER CONTROL
In Star
Trek’s “The Devil in the Dark,” Dr McCoy jokes that he’s beginning to
think he can cure a rainy day. Weather control is often a feature of
pie-in-the-sky techno-futures.
Superman’s Silver Age bottle city, Kandor, even had a mini-sun on a sort
of roller-coaster track. Of course, some may call it cheating if you’ve got a closed environment, such as Ray Bradbury’s domed cities on Venus, or those featured in Logan’s Run.
You could call terraforming a type of large-scale Weather Control, as discussed in Dune or as delivered with a bang by Star Trek’s Genesis Project.
In the 1900s, a German chocolatier, Theodor Hildebrand & Son, produced a series of views of the Year 2000, including a Weather Control Machine:
The classic low-tech example is cloud seeding, originating in the 1940s. Besides instigating rainfall in dry areas, it’s also been used preemptively, for hail and fog suppression near airports. Did you know that rockets were used for Cloud Seeding before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, in an attempt to prevent rain over the Opening Ceremonies?
Many conspiratorial types see attempts at Weather Control around us today. Some warned that the HAARP project in Alaska was also a secret government program to zap the US’s enemies with bad weather vibes. Similarly, the contrails of high-flying jets are sometimes seen as weather or other climate-control attempts.
Here’s hoping that in real life, a little humility and awareness of the doctrine of unforeseen consequences will prevent an artificially generated weather apocalypse. We’re still a long way from Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs’ “Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator.” Anyway, what if a colony of vegetarians lives downstream?
********************************
INVISIBILITY
Becoming see-through on demand was a property of the Cap of
Invisibility, used in various Greek tales of Hermes, Athena, and Perseus.
The concept is also featured in the Dragon Quest RPG and Percy
Jackson and the Olympians, after being earlier popularized as the Tarnhelm, in
Wagner’s nineteenth-century operas about the morals of power, Der
Ring des Nibelungen.
Other invisi-gadgets abound. Harry Potter’s got a cloak that blots you out completely, while Elven-cloaks in LOTR are great camouflage if you hide under one. As of 2012, the technology was under construction.
And while the One Ring may hide you from mortals, it unveils you to supernatural nasties that are far worse. Tolkien probably drew this aspect of Sauron’s Ring from such artifacts of myth as Plato’s Ring of Gyges, which was used as the basis for an argument over how an otherwise moral person might act if they knew nobody could catch them being naughty.
In HG Wells’s 1897 The Invisible Man, and the TV or movies based on it, the usual emphasis is likewise on the concept of this secretive power leading to moral corruption.
However, there are plenty of other invisible folks who get along just fine being able to sneak into locker rooms — such as Sue (Storm) Richards, Violet Parr of The Incredibles, or Danny Phantom.
The “cloaking devices” of Star Trek and other fiction usually mean non-detectability to sensors and the like, not outright vanishing. Modern-day research into the idea has resulted in various assemblies of lenses to bend vision around a stationary object. We are probably far from the day when you can spill “invisible ink” over something and make it fade away!
See you on Thursday with some more silly Amazon suggestions!
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copyright © by Mark Alfred
copyright © by Mark Alfred