The Diary of A Simple Man

Thanks, WGBH. By transferring all your classical programming to WCRB's pathetically weak signal, you've successfully deprived southeastern Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island of our only source for classical radio. Your suggestion that listening online or buying an internet radio is just as good is just the sort of clueless elitism I'd expect.

And by killing off all jazz programming on 89.7, you've managed to take jazz radio away from us, to boot. My little boy is extremely disappointed; he wanted to know why there would never be jazz on his bedside radio ever again, and I had no explanation to give him.

For the record, this sort of stupid, arrogant programming decision is exactly why I will never donate to public radio or television again.

Apparently it may take a while before videos of the panels that I was on are posted, but here's a link to an mp3 recording. You may find it interesting...or not, of course.

It's a recording of the "We Want It On DVD!" panel.

http://n1jdu.org/Fandom/mp3/We_want_it_on_DVD_64k.mp3

I was awfully sad to hear that Patrick McGoohan, the creator and star of The Prisoner, died yesterday at the age of 80. I was a huge fan; as a teen, I practically worshiped him.

When Sebastian is older I'll watch The Prisoner with him...and probably some Danger Man, too.

I just realized who Chris Matthews reminds me of: Fred Willard, doing his classic "clueless" shtick like he did on Fernwood 2Nite and America 2Nite.

It's that same dopey, cheerful cluelessness. Funny!

Rudy Ray Moore, AKA the "Dolemite" died today. I wonder, has anyone else on my flist ever heard of him?

Just in case anyone had forgotten that the Chinese government is utterly evil:

China Presses Hush Money on Grieving Parents

They even beat a pregnant woman for protesting! Yet George W. Bush and the world community continue to grovel to them. What's even more ironic is that according to a report I heard on NPR this morning, the vast majority of Chinese citizens believe that the world generally holds China in high regard and admiration.

In fact, of course, world opinion is quite the reverse. Why do so many people in China have a completely distorted understanding of world opinion? Because their government controls the media, of course!

I'm tempted to draw a parallel with the many American idiots who were so sure that Saddam had been responsible for 9-11.

Sorry, I'm sure almost everybody knows about all this. It's just that I'm feeling particularly outraged this morning.

The Press: The Enemy Within by Michael Massing.

This is a damned good article, well worth reading. It certainly enraged me.

I'm going to keep an eye on this guy.

I was just thinking of writing an entry about why I haven't been writing much lately. Basically, I don't know why, but I also don't suppose it matters much. Then I saw a news story that surprised me.

George Takei has announced that he's gay. Go figure.

I'm not terribly surprised, actually. I wonder if this makes it more or less likely that they'll give him his own Trek show?

I've run across a lot of funny and cool things over the years. Some of them are available, like SCTV; others might be someday, like the original SNL. But some will almost certainly never be seen again.

So I'm dredging the memory vault, a little, and when I remember something I'll post it here.

Example:

In the early 1990's, there was a DJ called "That Guy Ty" on WFNX, a progressive Boston-area station. He was pretty funny, and he did damn funny promos. There was one that I heard while I was driving in Cambridge, and I think I actually had to pull over because I was laughing too hard.

It started with the unmistakable opening of the Carpenter's "Top of the World", but when the lyrics should have started, Ty began singing instead:

"I do 'Morning Drive' on 'FNX,
but I'd much rather smoke crack and have some sex -"

The song was instantly interrupted by a scream of "OH MY GOD!" from the control room.

This started out as a comment on klyfix's recent post...but it grew on me.

I went to the Bush web site and viewed the wolf ad for myself...and was surprised at just how lame it was.

But then, it surely wasn't aimed at me. Maybe midwesterners react more strongly (and negatively) to wolves? Or maybe really stupid people do - some sort of caveman-like reaction, "Ugh, me see wolf. Baby in danger. Me vote Bush, keep baby safe!"

Okay, now I'm cracking up. :D

Hmm, maybe this ties into Bush's view of the American public as having the intelligence of a 10-year-old child...but the 10-year-olds I've known are smarter than that. As the Nickelodeon poll proved (by the way, I really liked their "Nag the Vote" thing, too).

You know what I'd really like to see? John Kerry challenge George W. to a shooting contest. You know, at targets or something. Nationally televised.

I'm betting Kerry would clean Bush's clock.