The Daily Brief

In one of the trailers for the new Bravo series, Being Bobby Brown, our central character introduces himself as ” hi, I’m Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston’s husband.”

Ack: that’s about it for you, Bobby. And a tenuous thread in itself.

Please translate the following: “Klaatu Barada Nikto.”

For this week’s winner: A free Kevin Connors action figure, as soon as I seal the deal on that marketing tie-in.

Oh, and of course, using search engines, or other automated means, would be cheating. 🙂

I am currently watching A Few Good Men, on TCM. And there is little to be ashamed of with this. After all, in-and-of itself, this is, arguably, Tom Cruise’ best movie – after Rain Man.

But what gets me is: this is a classic? Man – it’s only thirteen years old!?!?! I mean, this certainly has more substance than, say, Mister Roberts. But it doesn’t have the gravitates which comes with age.

Is it just me?

Update: Perhaps what makes this a classic is Nicholson, as Col. Nathan R. Jessep, and the fact that this was released eleven years before Gitmo became a POW camp. I can just see him spitting out in Dick Durbin’s face; “you can’t handle the truth.”

Update II: After watching this movie again, in full, including the loathsome and anticlimactic ending, I must say, it is strictly the questioning of Col. Jessep which makes this film a classic. In an instant, this rises from a petty legal who-dun-it, to high courtroom drama, on a par with To Kill A Mockingbird or Inherit The Wind. Yes, for those few minutes, this film certainly deserves a place among the pantheon of classics.

What is the address of Prof. Xavier’s school for “gifted” children?

As the prize for the first commentor with the correct answer – you get a free “The Daily Brief” coffee cup – as soon as we start making some. 🙂

I’ve done a similar, though less incisive post on another site previously. But I don’t think the issue is dead. What brings this to mind is that I am currently watching The Eagles: Farewell 1 Tour on Bravo, and I am reminded of my good friend, Glenn Reynolds, declaring Credence Clearwater Revival The Greatest All-American Rock Band some years back. Again, and much more stridently now, I take issue with that. In fact, I wouldn’t rate CCR as any more than an also-ran.

As issue number one, take the fact that, being from California’s East Bay, CCR was a phony southern rock band. I’m not so strident on this point, as, being principally Canadian, The Band was even more phony than CCR; and I really like them. But generally, if I want southern rock, I’ll go to Jacksonville (The Allman Brothers, Lynard Skynard), not Alameda, just as, if I want the blues, I’ll look to Muddy Waters, not Eric Clapton.

The Eagles, on the other hand, were pure California (as if anything from California, short of Humboldt County sensimilla, can be considered “pure”). At the same time, they were Buck Owens, Brian Wilson, John Phillips, and Donald Fagen (after his westward migration). And inasmuch, they gave birth to an entirely new genre. This is evidenced in the fact that such songs as Hotel California are regular fare on classic rock stations, while Take It Easy, and Desperado are heard regularly on progressive country.

But the real judge is after-the-fact. After the breakup of CCR, John Fogerty took an extended hiatus (which, I understand, contract requirements had a great deal to do with). And then he came out with a triumph in cheap pop (Centerfield). Glen Frey and Don Henley, on the other hand, blazed whole new territory in popular music.

Since then, Fogarty, like oh-too-many oldies artists, is just pumping out tired retreads of old hits. While The Eagles, as evidenced by the Farewell 1 Tour, are not simply as good as they’ve ever been (like The Rolling Stones, or Pink Floyd), THEY ARE BETTER.

The Greatest All-American Rock Band, without a doubt. Arguably the Greatest Rock Band of All Time: The Eagles.

What was Raymond and Charlie’s father’s name in Rain Man? I’m at a loss.

After just one season of the best drama series in the history of TV, Glenn Close is leaving The Shield.

All I have to say to the remaining cast and crew is: you have some huge shoes to fill.

There aren’t many reasons I desire to travel to eastern Canada; one of them is the annual Stratford Festival. This year promises a special treat:

This year brings “As You Like It,” lyrics by William Shakespeare, music by the Barenaked Ladies. The Canadian folk-rockers aren’t performing live in the show, but singer Steven Page wrote the music. He and the other band members also recorded instrumental tracks and worked closely with the actors and musicians who are performing live.

Like The Bard himself, Barenaked Ladies have always been great for producing high art with tongue well into cheek. But, as I can’t afford a trip to Canada just now, I guess I’ll have to settle for the CD.

It is interesting that Timmer brings up the subject of a McCartney concert just now, as I am currently watching McCartney In Red Square. And I have never heard a band murder Fool On The Hill as I did just now. It’s amazing that it was even McCartney’s composition in the first place.

Update: Still thinking about this. This is arguably McCartney Third greatest song, after Eleanor Rigby and Yesterday. Now, can you imagine Yesterday with out the instrumental flourishes and poignant pauses? It would be like Ben Stein reading in monotone: “Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play. Now I need a place to hide away. Oh, I believe in yesterday.”

“Three hours a day. That’s all we ask.”

You say that quite a bit on your radio show. And I try to give you as much of that time as I can (which, admittedly is not very much, since I have a life to lead, which usually keeps me away from my radio from 3-6PM).

But when you take one of those three hours and devote it entirely to Michael Jackson, including going over the litany of charges repeatedly, I must say you’re asking too much.

I look to you for cutting edge political commentary, interviews with some of the great conservative luminaries of our day, and the occasional useless debate with some liberal. I admire your unwavering support for our troops and their families. But I do not need to hear about the Michael Jackson trial on your show. And I especially don’t want to hear a list of molestation charges (and the details) when my seven-year-old daughter is traveling with me (as she was today). We eventually turned you off.

Get over Mr. Jackson (which I guess you can, now that the verdict is in) and get back to what you do best. Give me three hours that I can look forward to.

Regards,
Lt Col Sage

From CNN:

Guitarist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason and keyboard player Richard Wright will be on stage with bassist Roger Waters for their first public performance since they played at London’s Earls Court in 1981.

The rock legends will join a star-studded line-up including Coldplay, Elton John and Paul McCartney at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, organized by activist rocker Bob Geldof to pressure rich nations to ease African poverty.

But will there be flying pigs?

I can, without any qualms whatsoever, vouch for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. They remain The Greatest Show on Earth. The clowns were funny, the dancers were sultry, the animals were cute, ferocious, and amazing, the acrobats took our breath away, the trapeze artists defied gravity, and the Ringmaster will probably have a career in professional announcing all the days of his life. If he were to get a catch phrase, he’d surpass Michael Buffer in no time.

Boyo was a bit of a butthead, but he’s paid the price for that. Beautiful Wife and I had a blast in spite of his losing his mind.

I’ll post pics as Beautiful Wife does her magic on them.

We’ll be here.

And I know I’m more excited than Boyo, he doesn’t know we’re going yet.

My dear departed father used to take me whenever they and he were in town at the same time. He travelled a lot for his job.

Seriously, n0thing wires me up like Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey. The clowns, the high wire acts, the animals. God love the Shriners and Al Korah and the like, but for sheer extravagance outside of Vegas, there is simply nothing like the greatest show on earth.

Well, it’s only an hour into episode one. But Steven Spielberg’s epic miniseries on TNT may just meet the standards of Sgt. Mom’s dream movie. (See also here, here, here, and here.)

If you’re at your computer and want commercial-free web radio with a great deal of variety, I humbly submit there’s no better station than Radio Paradise (RP).

Once you’re hooked, you may even want to throw them a buck or 5 to let them know they’re appreciated.

If you’re thinking about buying an iPod or other Apple product, check out how you can buy them through RP. RP gets a 5% commission if you click through them.

Again, this is one of those things where I get nothing out of it, I simply like the station.

Now that I’ve gushed all over them, tell us what Web Radio station you listen to.

Around here a new Radio Station has popped up calling itself, “106.9 Bob FM.” I only listen to the radio in the car, to and from work, but I’ve been on this station since Monday and have liked the little bit I’ve heard on it.

This morning, Michele links to an article in the Christian Sciene Monitor explaining what appears to be a nationwide format change in radio. Lose the DJs, load a bunch of “hits” onto a computer and hit “shuffle.”

Indeed, several of the converted oldies stations – including WCBS and others in Chicago and Baltimore – have begun wooing younger audiences with a popular new radio format called “Jack.”

The stations, with names like 100.7 Jack FM, share the snarky slogan “playing what we want” and rely on unusually large playlists of songs from the past two or three decades.

Apple must be so proud. The shuffle function on their little music boxes are so popular, radio stations are copying them.

I’m not sure about naming the radio stations though. We have “Jack” and “Bob.” Making a bit of an ewww face here… Well, it could have been worse, one of them could have been “Neil.”

Doing a Diceman, “HEY! Don’t forget to tip your waitress snapperheads.”

Commenter Kai writes in that in her market, the new channel’s name is Charlie. What’s the name of the shuffle playlist radio station in your town?

… For about the sixth time, “King of the Hill”:Bluegrass Is Always Greener. And it hits so close to home. I’m not sure I have Khan talent. I absolutly know (tested and proven) I have Bobby talent. But I’m Hank. I don’t have that passion to get out and perform, whatever. But Ihave my passions, This show says it. But something is missing…

…That used to be the buzz-phrase for NBC’s Law and Order. But FX’s The Shield is ripped from page six of the Metro section. From tonight’s show: “You were a security guard at Chowchilla, and fathered a child by Antione’s mother.” If you don’t know, it’s ok – only regulars will “get it.”

I’m sure this season will get Glenn Close the Emmy where Oscar has slipped away from her 5 times

Update: Her only competition would be C,C.H. Pounder. I expect them to walk away with a one-two best leading-supporting Emmy sweep.

Update 2: I saw this ending (in passing) about an hour ago. And my jaw is again dropped to my chest. This establishes a ‘hole new league for network television drama.

Let’s see: Hillary Duff, Heather Locklear, Chris Noth…

Why am I sure the only thing remotely funny about this movie will be Carson Kressley, as Lance – the gay bartender?

Stolen from Styker. Put your iTunes library in order alphabetically by song, then take the first song for each letter of the alphabet. Take out anything that’s not music, radio dramas, podcasts, comedy. And I added in the characters and numbers becuase…it’s Sunday morning and I have the time.

‘Deed I Do – Diana Krall
1963 – New Order
2000 Miles – The Pretenders
3 A.M. Eternal (Live At The S.S.L.) – The KLF
4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
5’15 – The Who
634-5789 – Various Artists
7 A.M. – Dirty Vegas
A B C – The Jackson 5
Baba O’Riley – The Who
C’est La Vie – Bob Seger
Daddy’s Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car – U2
Early In The Morning – Bobby Darin
Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa – The Commitments
Gangrene (Live) – Utopia
Half A Boy & Half A Man – Nick Lowe
I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) – Meat Loaf
J.A.R. (Jason Andrew Relva) – Green Day
Karma – Alicia Keys
L-L-Love – Astaire
Macavity: The Mystery Cat – CATS Original Broadway Cast
Naked (Live) – The BoDeans
Oaks – Eric Tingstad, Nancy Rumbel and David Lanz
Paddy McCarthy (Instrumental) – The Corrs
Queen of Hearts – Dave Edmunds
R.A.M.O.N.E.S. – The Ramones
Sacred – Depeche Mode
Tahitian Skies – Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler
U Boat (Video Edit) – Kasabian
Velvet Sky – Los Lonely Boys
W.O.L.D – Harry Chapin
X Offender – Blondie
Y’All Know – Will Smith
Zero And Blind Terry – Bruce Springsteen

I don’t know what it says about anything, but I like the results.

And some folks are counting so…I’ve got 3999 songs that would play for 11.9 days taking up 18.6 gigs on my hard drive. No, I don’t put them all on my iPod, some stuff is just there for Beautiful wife.

I’m currently watching the first few minutes of the rather poorly reviewed Just Visiting on WE, and I’m busting a gut. Alas, a full determination will have to save ’til later.

So…Carrie Underwood is the 2005 American Idol.

So…what happened on Lost? Yeah-yeah, I know there’s an oncore showing Saturday Night, we’re busy. Give people, don’t be like that.