Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Remember Kids, Conservatives Think You Are Stupid
Here is the most important that the college students of today need to know about politics: Conservatives think you are stupid. The only reason you voted for Obama is that you are easily led, and naïve. Fortunately for our purposes, conservatives bloviate a lot and leave their bloviations where it easy to find them. Conservatives have a tendency to become adherents of positions after the fact. I was reminded of this when conservatives finally discovered feminism this last year.
But here is the point that young people of today need to know. If you don’t vote the way that they want you to, conservatives do not want you to vote. Let us first take a look at the words of Dennis Praeger
With a few exceptions -- and those exceptions are usually those rare cases when young people confront dictatorships -- when youth get involved in politics in large numbers, it is not a good thing.
So, if you are opposing Communism, and we are going to go out on a limb here and presume that Dennis has no objection, for the most part, that the 1960s civil rights movement was largely run by young people, your involvement with politics is not a good thing.
Ben Shapiro, use to be a young lion of the conservative movement, and then he got old. He now realizes that there is not percentage in supporting young people in their politics. Ben thinks the only reason you could possibly support liberals is because of your loins.
There are probably a lot of good-looking Obama students out there. And I'm sure that it's tempting to go sign up to phone bank next to that student wearing the "I Heart Abortion Rights" T-shirt.
Now, to be fair, Ben. Like Jonah Goldberg, really thinks he is funny. So that was a joke. I told you, so you would know.
I do not think, however, that one of the doyennes of the right-wing Grove City College, Paul Kengor, is joking. Kengor is a political scientist, of sorts. He has been writing books how about really, really spiritual Reagan was, and Bush II, is. The thesis of Kengor is really, really disturbing, and I will just let it speak for itself:
I should add that I've received emails in the last couple of weeks from distraught conservative parents saddened to learn that their college-student children voted for Obama. They shouldn't be surprised; sadly, these parents have unwittingly paid for precisely this. In the vast majority of the nation's colleges, this is what their children are learning at a cost of the parents' lifetime savings.
So, there you go kids, Kengor is convinced that the only reason you voted for Obama, is because your profs told you to. Here is the second part of his thesis, which is disturbing: You should not hold beliefs that are separate and different from those of your parents. Got it?
A lot of my students are conservative, a lot are liberal. It really does not matter to me what their beliefs are. Unlike the conservatives of today, I am willing to laud their participation in politics, even if it runs counter to my own beliefs. Please save this column and refer to it during the next election cycle.
But here is the point that young people of today need to know. If you don’t vote the way that they want you to, conservatives do not want you to vote. Let us first take a look at the words of Dennis Praeger
With a few exceptions -- and those exceptions are usually those rare cases when young people confront dictatorships -- when youth get involved in politics in large numbers, it is not a good thing.
So, if you are opposing Communism, and we are going to go out on a limb here and presume that Dennis has no objection, for the most part, that the 1960s civil rights movement was largely run by young people, your involvement with politics is not a good thing.
Ben Shapiro, use to be a young lion of the conservative movement, and then he got old. He now realizes that there is not percentage in supporting young people in their politics. Ben thinks the only reason you could possibly support liberals is because of your loins.
There are probably a lot of good-looking Obama students out there. And I'm sure that it's tempting to go sign up to phone bank next to that student wearing the "I Heart Abortion Rights" T-shirt.
Now, to be fair, Ben. Like Jonah Goldberg, really thinks he is funny. So that was a joke. I told you, so you would know.
I do not think, however, that one of the doyennes of the right-wing Grove City College, Paul Kengor, is joking. Kengor is a political scientist, of sorts. He has been writing books how about really, really spiritual Reagan was, and Bush II, is. The thesis of Kengor is really, really disturbing, and I will just let it speak for itself:
I should add that I've received emails in the last couple of weeks from distraught conservative parents saddened to learn that their college-student children voted for Obama. They shouldn't be surprised; sadly, these parents have unwittingly paid for precisely this. In the vast majority of the nation's colleges, this is what their children are learning at a cost of the parents' lifetime savings.
So, there you go kids, Kengor is convinced that the only reason you voted for Obama, is because your profs told you to. Here is the second part of his thesis, which is disturbing: You should not hold beliefs that are separate and different from those of your parents. Got it?
A lot of my students are conservative, a lot are liberal. It really does not matter to me what their beliefs are. Unlike the conservatives of today, I am willing to laud their participation in politics, even if it runs counter to my own beliefs. Please save this column and refer to it during the next election cycle.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Paul Revere And The Raiders For Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
The Rock and Roll of fame has firmly moved into the 1980s and there is no sign that they want to move backwards and pick up the pieces, so to speak, of doing clean-up work on who they could have inaugurated in previous decoades. While I am not a huge Van Halen or Madonna fan, in that I wouldn’t cross the street to listen to their tunes, I find myself largely agreeing with their inclusion, in that, they both helped define pop and rock in the 1980s. Were I to pick representative music of the 1980s, I would have to say that Van Halen and Madonna speak for the 80s.
I would like the Hall to consider, “old timers” selections, in much the same way that the pro sports halls have done to recognize those who have gone before.
May I humbly suggest that were such a selection made, Paul Revere and the Raiders be inducted.
Here’s my case: Paul, Mark, and the rest, came stomping out of Idaho, and later, Tacoma, in Revolutionary War gear breathing out instro and r ‘n b tunes like just about everyone and no one else. Just because they were the first to record, “Louie, Louie” and “Stepping Stone” before just about everyone else almost makes them worthy. Paul pounded the keyboards, Mark snarled, and their rhythm section of Smitty, Jim, and Fang kept things rockin’ until the dawn.
They ended up in California, and courtesy of Dick Clark and his new TV show, “Where The Action Is, made them stars. This is about the time they did their now classic commerical for the Plymouth Judge muscle car.
When they hit California, they became part of the mid-60s California Sound, as Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher became their producers of choice. They racked up thirty Top 100 and Bubbling Under chart records combined, their sound is echoed in garage and power pop records to come. Somehow, they never got the hipster doofi cred that they deserved. Keith Allison, Steve Alaimo, and Freddy Weller started surfacing as latter-day Raiders and the 60s rocked, and it was good.
My larger point is that, if Abba, Van Halen, and Madonna can now be enjoyed for their contributions to music, it’s time to recognize the Raiders for their contributions. They made credible commerical pop-rock and it would be hard to imagine the 60s without them. Let them in the hall.
BTW-A & E has a very credible and nice Biography show about the Who that can be enjoyed by many music fans. Their transfromation from struggling singles act to album rock gods was one of rock and roll’s great second acts. I recommend this particualr show for all who believe that rock ‘ roll is a source of all that is good and wonderful in the world. Uber-Who supporter and record nerd Dave Marsh is of course on hand to make the case for a band that needs no case made for it, in much the same way he made the case for Springsteen, Prince and Mellencamp.
I would like the Hall to consider, “old timers” selections, in much the same way that the pro sports halls have done to recognize those who have gone before.
May I humbly suggest that were such a selection made, Paul Revere and the Raiders be inducted.
Here’s my case: Paul, Mark, and the rest, came stomping out of Idaho, and later, Tacoma, in Revolutionary War gear breathing out instro and r ‘n b tunes like just about everyone and no one else. Just because they were the first to record, “Louie, Louie” and “Stepping Stone” before just about everyone else almost makes them worthy. Paul pounded the keyboards, Mark snarled, and their rhythm section of Smitty, Jim, and Fang kept things rockin’ until the dawn.
They ended up in California, and courtesy of Dick Clark and his new TV show, “Where The Action Is, made them stars. This is about the time they did their now classic commerical for the Plymouth Judge muscle car.
When they hit California, they became part of the mid-60s California Sound, as Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher became their producers of choice. They racked up thirty Top 100 and Bubbling Under chart records combined, their sound is echoed in garage and power pop records to come. Somehow, they never got the hipster doofi cred that they deserved. Keith Allison, Steve Alaimo, and Freddy Weller started surfacing as latter-day Raiders and the 60s rocked, and it was good.
My larger point is that, if Abba, Van Halen, and Madonna can now be enjoyed for their contributions to music, it’s time to recognize the Raiders for their contributions. They made credible commerical pop-rock and it would be hard to imagine the 60s without them. Let them in the hall.
BTW-A & E has a very credible and nice Biography show about the Who that can be enjoyed by many music fans. Their transfromation from struggling singles act to album rock gods was one of rock and roll’s great second acts. I recommend this particualr show for all who believe that rock ‘ roll is a source of all that is good and wonderful in the world. Uber-Who supporter and record nerd Dave Marsh is of course on hand to make the case for a band that needs no case made for it, in much the same way he made the case for Springsteen, Prince and Mellencamp.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Remembering "Valley Girl"
I still can not fathom why the 1983 film, Valley Girl doesn’t have hip cred yet. It is the first starring feature of Nick Cage, under his then new moniker. His sole film credit before this was under the name Nick Coppola, in Fast Times At Ridgemont High as a stoner bud of Jeff Spiccoli. Even despite Ciskel and Ebert giving this film their blessing, it still languishes in relative obscurity. A few years ago, Rhino Records gave it some long awaited credit by releasing two CDs worth of music from this film. At the time, it probably went by the wayside, because it came out during the teen sex comedy craze of the 80s, and it featured zero brat packers. It also was somewhat unusual, in that it was directed by a woman, the now well-known Martha Coolidge. Despite the fact that the movie largely features Nick Cage, it does also largely focus on the concept of teen relationships from the point of view of a young woman. Julie, the lead character, is largely in control of whether she will go for awesome Hollywood punk, Randy, or gnarly valdude Randy. In fact, we don’t get to the character Cage plays until fairly well into the movie. The focus is largely on the young women in this pic, including the travails of a character played by the young, and always delightful, E.G. Daily. Of course, for me, the selling point of this film has always been the music. The soundtrack featured lots of what was known as New Wave music from the early 80s. This was the music that was starting to get played on some of the early New Wave radio stations like KROQ out of Burbank. Like a lot of teen comedies from all eras, it would be nothing without a live performance scene, and this movie features two live numbers in a grungy Hollywood club by the awesomest powerpop combo of all time, The Plimsouls. This movie was also probably a factor in the song, I Melt With You, by Modern English, getting some play in the U.S. I think it is still fairly hard to get on DVD, and I am pretty sure it has not had the Blu Ray treatment. If you are tired of 80s teen comedies that feature a bunch of young men looking for innovative ways to lose their virginity, I highly recommend you see this movie. I will lobby to get TCM to release it on their TCM Underground program.
NOTED IN THEIR PASSING: Boomers will probably largely remember Beverly Garland for her turn as the wife of Fred Mac Murray on later episodes of My Three Sons and soapaholics will remember her for her late 90s turn on Port Charles, but she has done a bevy of awful movies and was featured in many bad girl roles such as Swamp Women. Also check out the likes of Not Of This Earth. She also did a nice bit in the noir classic, DOA. Somehow, she is really not remembered for her bad girl roles.
My dad noted to me the passing of Van Johnson. I can remember him for his takes on cocky young officers in any number of World War II movies. He has cred with me for doing a turn as a Batman villain. He was featured as the Minstrel.
Bev and Van, you will be missed.
NOTED IN THEIR PASSING: Boomers will probably largely remember Beverly Garland for her turn as the wife of Fred Mac Murray on later episodes of My Three Sons and soapaholics will remember her for her late 90s turn on Port Charles, but she has done a bevy of awful movies and was featured in many bad girl roles such as Swamp Women. Also check out the likes of Not Of This Earth. She also did a nice bit in the noir classic, DOA. Somehow, she is really not remembered for her bad girl roles.
My dad noted to me the passing of Van Johnson. I can remember him for his takes on cocky young officers in any number of World War II movies. He has cred with me for doing a turn as a Batman villain. He was featured as the Minstrel.
Bev and Van, you will be missed.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Christian v. Secular Education
I was back in the upper-Midwest lately. While bored and waiting for my flight, I happened upon a publication called Christian Connection purporting to be, The Grand Cities (of North Dakota and Minnesota) Only Christian Magazine.
I happened upon the cover, and was drawn to the article purporting to be a Guide to Christian Rights. The article covered such things that Christians are allowed to do, in those dens of secularism, public schools. These rights include reading a bible during non-instructional hours, or witnessing to classmates, again, during non-instructional times. I looked at the list, which almost breathlessly described how Christian students are indeed allowed to do such things as form student clubs that can get recognition form the school.
I looked at this list, and said to myself, Well of course.The fact is, that yes, Christian students in public schools do have those rights. Those are not, however, Christian rights. Those are rights everyone enjoys. Students can read whatever material they wish on student grounds during non-instructional times. They can talk about a myriad of topics with their classmates on school grounds. They can also form special interest clubs. These are not rights that accrue to people because they belong to any religious sect. These are rights that accrue to them, because they are citizens in a secular society. In public schools you have the right to be a Christian, or not. The fact is, is that a secular environment does not determine what you practice, nor should it. Secularists do not care what your religion is, or is not.
Now, I did not think that such a publication would not mention the benefits of an exclusively Christian education. And, there it was, on the immediate next page. A short article extolling the benefits of Riverside Christian school. A place where their students, study the word of God on a daily basis. Also, all students memorize scripture. The article also mentions that students at this school are, learning to pray.The opening paragraph frames this matter, thusly, we have the freedom to educate based on the word of God. But here is the rub, in such an environment, students only have the freedom to be a Christian. They cannot be anything else.
Now, I know that public education has its problems, and issues. But, I ask parents to consider the following issue: In a secular environment, such as a public school, students have the freedom to be Christians, or not. They have the freedom to be whatever they will be. Why put young people in an environment where they can only be one thing?
I happened upon the cover, and was drawn to the article purporting to be a Guide to Christian Rights. The article covered such things that Christians are allowed to do, in those dens of secularism, public schools. These rights include reading a bible during non-instructional hours, or witnessing to classmates, again, during non-instructional times. I looked at the list, which almost breathlessly described how Christian students are indeed allowed to do such things as form student clubs that can get recognition form the school.
I looked at this list, and said to myself, Well of course.The fact is, that yes, Christian students in public schools do have those rights. Those are not, however, Christian rights. Those are rights everyone enjoys. Students can read whatever material they wish on student grounds during non-instructional times. They can talk about a myriad of topics with their classmates on school grounds. They can also form special interest clubs. These are not rights that accrue to people because they belong to any religious sect. These are rights that accrue to them, because they are citizens in a secular society. In public schools you have the right to be a Christian, or not. The fact is, is that a secular environment does not determine what you practice, nor should it. Secularists do not care what your religion is, or is not.
Now, I did not think that such a publication would not mention the benefits of an exclusively Christian education. And, there it was, on the immediate next page. A short article extolling the benefits of Riverside Christian school. A place where their students, study the word of God on a daily basis. Also, all students memorize scripture. The article also mentions that students at this school are, learning to pray.The opening paragraph frames this matter, thusly, we have the freedom to educate based on the word of God. But here is the rub, in such an environment, students only have the freedom to be a Christian. They cannot be anything else.
Now, I know that public education has its problems, and issues. But, I ask parents to consider the following issue: In a secular environment, such as a public school, students have the freedom to be Christians, or not. They have the freedom to be whatever they will be. Why put young people in an environment where they can only be one thing?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Cool Radio Guys
Way back when, AM radio was king. Rock 'n roll and AM radio were made with each other. When long-form radio content started dissapearing from the dial, rock and roll helped fill the woid.
I may be a little retrograde, but I honestly beleive that rock 'n roll's first full decade was it's finest. Soul, garage, and other cool sounds came wafting through the airways free of charge, while the jocks were the maitre d's in this world, serving up the sounds. AM radio needed content, and so, occasionally played local bands and numerous local scenes were nurtured by the local radio station. Pop radio hadn't completely been formulaized, yet.
Two radio shows typify this era for me. One is on John Caroll University's college radio station. Jumpin' Joe Madigan supplies the sounds by following the playlists of Celveland's finest rockers, like WIXY 1260. He plays the local bands, the big hits, and some obscurities. I don't know he knows the era as well as he does. He's only in his 20s. His show is very-well-produced and has authentic jingles and sounders placed between the songs. His show can be accessed on the web.
Dick Bartley first got into radio when he was 16 in 1970. He's been jock and a programmer and produces one of my favorite synidciated shows American Gold. I don't have a statio nto listen to him on, so I illegally buy his old shows on ebay. Dick spins the hits and highlight various artists and years in music. After listening to several shows, I am amazed at how he frshly repackages the same material. For the die hard, he almost puts a couple of lost gold songs, tacked on the ends of his shows, these are for the radio stations who get his show.
I do something like they do on KTIM, environmentally-friendly radio in St. George, Utah. My show, the Gold Standard isn't as well-produced but it has the same spirit, and I used these guys for inspiration.
I may be a little retrograde, but I honestly beleive that rock 'n roll's first full decade was it's finest. Soul, garage, and other cool sounds came wafting through the airways free of charge, while the jocks were the maitre d's in this world, serving up the sounds. AM radio needed content, and so, occasionally played local bands and numerous local scenes were nurtured by the local radio station. Pop radio hadn't completely been formulaized, yet.
Two radio shows typify this era for me. One is on John Caroll University's college radio station. Jumpin' Joe Madigan supplies the sounds by following the playlists of Celveland's finest rockers, like WIXY 1260. He plays the local bands, the big hits, and some obscurities. I don't know he knows the era as well as he does. He's only in his 20s. His show is very-well-produced and has authentic jingles and sounders placed between the songs. His show can be accessed on the web.
Dick Bartley first got into radio when he was 16 in 1970. He's been jock and a programmer and produces one of my favorite synidciated shows American Gold. I don't have a statio nto listen to him on, so I illegally buy his old shows on ebay. Dick spins the hits and highlight various artists and years in music. After listening to several shows, I am amazed at how he frshly repackages the same material. For the die hard, he almost puts a couple of lost gold songs, tacked on the ends of his shows, these are for the radio stations who get his show.
I do something like they do on KTIM, environmentally-friendly radio in St. George, Utah. My show, the Gold Standard isn't as well-produced but it has the same spirit, and I used these guys for inspiration.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Appreciating Ross Hagen
Well....maybe "appreciate" is a strong term.....
If you, however, find yourself in front of a television that happens to be showing a Ross Hagen flick at the time, you could do worse.
Ross Hagen was one of the original action hero auteurs. He was born with the improbable name, Leland Lilly, but probably realized he wasn't going to go very far in the action/adventure realm with that name.
He did almost everything he could do to get on a motorcycle in a movie. Think Steve McQueen without the talent.
Hagen brought a deadly earnestness to roles in which the plot almost at times make sense, between all the motorcycle shots.
Well...again, "makes sense" may be too strong a term. At times, the shots between motorcycle sequences occasionally don't make your head hurt.
If you like snark, and like bad movies, and...well...you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't....go to youtube and look up the MST3K takes on the following two films, "Sidehackers" and "The Hellcats."
"Sidehackers" introduces America to the newest extreme sport ca. 1969, dudes hangin' off the side of motorcycles on what would now be known as motocross tracks, but in 1969, was known as "dudes hangin' off the side off..." er..."Sidehacking."
There's a near Jacobean murder and revenge plot weaving its way through this drama, but that really shouldn't get in the way of watching dudes hangin' off the side of motorcycles while scrambling on dirt tracks.
Some of these movies got released under different names and "Sidehacking" is seen under the d.b.a name of "Five the Hard Way."
"Hellcats" is one of those movies in which the poster was apparently conceived first, before the movie was shot. If you went by the poster, you would think that it somehow involves a grim-looking red-haired woman looking all piratey in a leather vest and eye patch and her female gang.
In reality, the movie is about a cop infiltrating a motorcycle gang that has found a way to really inefficiently smuggle small amounts of marijuana by hiding it in their headlights and speeding through the California hills just north of a housing development in Tarzana.
Ross is the cop, and the other folks on motorcycles are the bad guys.
As far as Ross' oeuvre goes, my nod goes to "Hellcats" on the basis of the soundtrack which consists groovy psychedelic bands composed of studio musicians and a couple of bar bands that regularly performed in dives just north of a housing development in Tarzana. I'm not certain about this, but I think "Davy Jones and the Dolphins" are a psychedelic vocal offshoot of one of the greatest instrumental rock groups of all time, Davie Allan and the Arrows. Mr. Allen's work generously graces some of the best biker films of the day.
I also enjoy the scenes in the bar that serves as the communal squat for the motorcycle gang. It actually makes some of the bars in my hometown seem like upscale boites. Insert your own joke about Buffy's Lampoon here.
Both of these films feature the earnest grimacing of Mr. Hagen at its best.
If you watch 70s cop shows, you'll see Hagen regularly featured as a guest star.
Like I said, the snark-filled views of the MST3K gangs view of these films are readily available on youtube.
Hagen's work, like many a junk movie is now available via the magic of home video.
If you, however, find yourself in front of a television that happens to be showing a Ross Hagen flick at the time, you could do worse.
Ross Hagen was one of the original action hero auteurs. He was born with the improbable name, Leland Lilly, but probably realized he wasn't going to go very far in the action/adventure realm with that name.
He did almost everything he could do to get on a motorcycle in a movie. Think Steve McQueen without the talent.
Hagen brought a deadly earnestness to roles in which the plot almost at times make sense, between all the motorcycle shots.
Well...again, "makes sense" may be too strong a term. At times, the shots between motorcycle sequences occasionally don't make your head hurt.
If you like snark, and like bad movies, and...well...you wouldn't be reading this if you didn't....go to youtube and look up the MST3K takes on the following two films, "Sidehackers" and "The Hellcats."
"Sidehackers" introduces America to the newest extreme sport ca. 1969, dudes hangin' off the side of motorcycles on what would now be known as motocross tracks, but in 1969, was known as "dudes hangin' off the side off..." er..."Sidehacking."
There's a near Jacobean murder and revenge plot weaving its way through this drama, but that really shouldn't get in the way of watching dudes hangin' off the side of motorcycles while scrambling on dirt tracks.
Some of these movies got released under different names and "Sidehacking" is seen under the d.b.a name of "Five the Hard Way."
"Hellcats" is one of those movies in which the poster was apparently conceived first, before the movie was shot. If you went by the poster, you would think that it somehow involves a grim-looking red-haired woman looking all piratey in a leather vest and eye patch and her female gang.
In reality, the movie is about a cop infiltrating a motorcycle gang that has found a way to really inefficiently smuggle small amounts of marijuana by hiding it in their headlights and speeding through the California hills just north of a housing development in Tarzana.
Ross is the cop, and the other folks on motorcycles are the bad guys.
As far as Ross' oeuvre goes, my nod goes to "Hellcats" on the basis of the soundtrack which consists groovy psychedelic bands composed of studio musicians and a couple of bar bands that regularly performed in dives just north of a housing development in Tarzana. I'm not certain about this, but I think "Davy Jones and the Dolphins" are a psychedelic vocal offshoot of one of the greatest instrumental rock groups of all time, Davie Allan and the Arrows. Mr. Allen's work generously graces some of the best biker films of the day.
I also enjoy the scenes in the bar that serves as the communal squat for the motorcycle gang. It actually makes some of the bars in my hometown seem like upscale boites. Insert your own joke about Buffy's Lampoon here.
Both of these films feature the earnest grimacing of Mr. Hagen at its best.
If you watch 70s cop shows, you'll see Hagen regularly featured as a guest star.
Like I said, the snark-filled views of the MST3K gangs view of these films are readily available on youtube.
Hagen's work, like many a junk movie is now available via the magic of home video.
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