A classic!
Marv Albert narrates this commercial in which John Belushi attributes his athletic success as a cigarette-smoking decathlon champion to eating Little Chocolate Donuts for breakfast. [Season 3, 1977]
Smells Like … Vindication
Just one more reason to hate this fey twat. From The Guardian (“Bigmouth strikes again and again: why Morrissey fans feel so betrayed“)
These days, however, Morrissey prefers a different kind of onstage provocation. During a recent performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (and at a number of live shows in New York), the former Smiths singer sported a For Britain badge. For those unfamiliar with it, For Britain is a far-right political party. Even Nigel Farage believes it is made up of “Nazis and racists”.
To see Morrissey embrace the far right so openly was shocking. But was it surprising? Ever since the early 90s, he has flirted with the far right and fascist imagery – wrapping himself up in the union jack, writing a song called The National Front Disco, making inflammatory comments about immigration.
Yet in the last year there has been little doubt about his views. He has claimed Sadiq Khan, London’s first Muslim mayor, “cannot talk properly”, and declared “Even Tesco wouldn’t employ Diane Abbott,” – the Cambridge-educated shadow home secretary and Britain’s most prominent black MP. He has described the media’s treatment of the racist Tommy Robinson as “shocking”. And he has explicitly promoted For Britain on his Morrissey Central website: “There is only one British political party that can safeguard our security.” The party’s leader, Anne Marie Waters, posted a video online thanking Morrissey for his support.
Full story here.
Falling In Love Again, What Am I To Do?
Never wanted to, I can’t help it. I mentioned this one to Renfield the other day, but I feel like it’s worth a post. Behold, the Seiko SLA033J1, a gorgeous reissue limited to 2,500 pieces. (The bastards.) It’s always a bad sign when the company’s own website won’t tell you how much the damn thing costs. But I did a little research, and this watch will set you back about $4,000.00. (EDIT: $4,250.00, to be exact.)
Introduced in 1965, Seiko’s innovative diver’s watch has been chosen by divers and adventurers globally. Seiko’s diving watch has become a global standard as a result over 50 years of innovation. The 1970 launch model, which boasts strong popularity in its history, will be reinstated. It is resurrected by modern state-of-the-art technology and design interpretation.
For comparison, here’s the original, the Seiko 6105-8110 …
And as worn by Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now …
Movement
Caliber Number
8L35
Movement Type
Automatic with manual winding capacity
Accuracy
+15 to -10 seconds per day
Duration
Approx. 50 hours
Exterior
Case Material
Stainless steel (super hard coating) with stainless steel bezel
Glass Material
Dual-curved sapphire
Glass Coating
Anti-reflective coating on inner surface
LumiBrite
Lumibrite on hands and indexs
Band Material
Silicone
Other Details
Water Resistance
200m / 660ft diver’s
Magnetic Reluctance
Equipped
Case Size
Thickness: 13 ㎜
Diameter: 45 ㎜
Length: 49.7 ㎜
Other specifications
Screw case back
Screw-down crown
Serial number engraved on the case back
Unidirectional rotating bezel
Other Features
26 jewels
Date display
Stop second hand function
Adam Savage’s One Day Build
Because I’m done for the day.
One Day Builds are back! Adam takes us through another spaceship model build, this time utilizing his trusty vacuum former, sheet styrene, and years of experience from his special effects modelmaking days. As the spaceship takes shape, Adam introduces several new tools and tips for this kind of modelmaking, and shows the versatility of this kind of build.
Sad News
Farewell To A Legend: Milo Ramone, The Conductor Of The Ramones, Has Passed Away At 83
Born Milo Sebastian Altenhöfen in 1936 in Forest Hills, Queens, Milo Ramone first made a name for himself in the flourishing 1970s NYC punk scene. He was known by musicians all over the city for his signature upbeat conducting tempo and DIY aesthetic, the broken piece of pool stick he used as a baton, the beat up barstool he turned into a music stand, and the wild, unkempt gray hair exploding out from the sides of his balding head. After bouncing from band to band, the middle-aged conductor crossed paths with the Ramones for the first time in 1974—and after seamlessly clicking with the group while filling in for their usual conductor during a legendary show at CBGB, he was officially asked to join the outfit. With the five original Ramones in place, the band was born, ready to set the world ablaze with hit after lightning-fast hit.
Full story here.
What I’m Reading Right Now
I somehow made it to 50 without ever reading any of Raymond Carver’s short stories, but I’m fixing that now with this collection. Great stuff! Little depressing slices of life that any bastard can relate to. Perfect bedtime reading …
By the time of his early death in 1988, Raymond Carver had established himself as one of the great practitioners of the American short story, a writer who had not only found his own voice but imprinted it in the imaginations of thousands of readers. Where I’m Calling From, his last collection, encompasses classic stories from Cathedral, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, and earlier Carver volumes, along with seven new works previously unpublished in book form. Together, these 37 stories give us a superb overview of Carver’s life work and show us why he was so widely imitated but never equaled.
I picked this one up in hardback at Barnes & Noble for a few bucks. Chabon I’m quite familiar with, having read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, Wonder Boys, and Werewolves in Their Youth. I honestly believe Chabon is one of our greatest living writers. Anyhoo …
In 1989, fresh from the publication of his first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, Michael Chabon traveled to his mother’s home in Oakland, California, to visit his terminally ill grandfather. Tongue loosened by powerful painkillers, memory stirred by the imminence of death, Chabon’s grandfather shared recollections and told stories the younger man had never heard before, uncovering bits and pieces of a history long buried and forgotten. That dreamlike week of revelations forms the basis for the novel Moonglow, the latest feat of legerdemain from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon.
I Will Find A Way
Everybody knows this one. But did you know there was a 1974 Capitol Records version of “Shake Some Action?” (I’m guessing Renfield does.)
A lot of folks on YouTube prefer this other one, but I don’t know. See what you bastards think …
I Said Goddamn
$250.00! Cheap!
This deluxe two-volume slipcased set explores seven-time Academy Award–winner Rick Baker’s 40-year journey as a special makeup effects artist
From the gory zombies of Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the staggeringly lifelike Bigfoot in Harry and the Hendersons to the creative builds in Men in Black and the groundbreaking effects in An American Werewolf in London, Rick Baker’s special effects, makeup, and prosthetics count among some of Hollywood’s most enduring achievements.
This deluxe, two-volume slipcased set is replete with more than 1,000 four-color images and original sketches. It covers the makeup artist’s 40-plus year career in which he’s earned seven Academy Awards, one Emmy, and three British Academy Film Awards, among numerous others.
Imprint: Cameron Books
Publication Date: October 22, 2019
Price: $250.00
Trim Size: 10 1⁄2 x 13 1⁄4
ISBN: 978-1-944903-43-5
EAN: 9781944903435
Page Count: 736
Illustrations: More than 1,000 color illustrations
Format: Two-volume set, hardcover with slipcase
EDIT: Rick Baker’s Instagram is here. Definitely worth a look.
Before, I Was Curious
Now I’m positively intrigued.
In Search Of In Search Of
https://youtu.be/ZvcApBICFks
Anybody remember this series from the Seventies? I used to scare myself silly watching it on Saturday afternoons as a kid. This episode (Killer Bees!) in particular freaked me out. I was convinced we only had months to live.
Entries about Bigfoot, The Bermuda Triangle, and UFOs also left an impression. And that theme song is the shit!
Other episodes here.