Fun Fact: A Trip to the Emmy Awards

Image Orthicon → Immy → Emmy

Tim Hortons Roll Up the Rim Discard — Redemption?

Yesterday I took a few minutes to clean out my wallet, ridding it of bits and pieces of paper, some of which held scribbles of unmarked telephone numbers, a ream of Canadian Tire money (my dealer was tired of having to return 'money' to me), and....

"Win Coffee"?

I have no idea how long that small paper strip was in there; probably a few years as Tim Hortons has not had the paper cup "Roll Up the Rim to Win" version in a while.

My guess is I can't redeem it.

I should give it a try. No doubt I'll receive a mix of laughs and confusion....

On the Speaker: The Linda Lindas No Obligation

Four years ago I, like many music fans, discovered a band by the name of The Linda Lindas. They were four young ladies wearing Riot Grrrl sleeves. I quickly became a fan, and though I had forgotten about them for a while, another cue informed me that they had released an album. To Amazon I went and ordered "Growing Up".

My schedule and interests are such that something, including a talented new band, can eventually fall from my radar set. Weeks ago I heard that The Lindas had released another album.

"The Linda Lindas - No Obligation" rests on my speaker ready for a spin. I'm forever 78 revolutions behind, but I'll let you know soon....

ReCD: Growing Up (The Linda Lindas)

Growing Up

by

The Linda Lindas

Epitaph Records

2022

These ladies Rock! This punk-head has picked his favourite new band, The Linda Lindas ― actually, Bela, Eloise, Lucia, and Mila.

Like many folk, I first heard of this group in May of 2021 through a viral Twitter post highlighting a song by a bunch of young punks. The group, made up of one pre-teen and three teens, belted a tune which can only be described as pure punk. "Racist, Sexist Boy" is full of that youthful vigour expected of young women who are discovering the world of (some) men.

Days later I posted a brief story: The Song of the Year! ("Racist, Sexist Boy")

Almost two years passed, I had all but forgotten about the Lindas until someone posted a bit about their new album, "Growing Up". There they were, a little bit older, and more refined. I was impressed with how they had progressed in just two years... their earlier songs were good!

After checking out a few of the new TLL tunes online, I decided to order the CD. It is very good, great even. If The Linda Lindas are doing stuff of this quality now, wait till they gain even more experience writing and performing.

My favourite song on "Growing Up"? That's a tough one... "Why" for now.

* * *

Last week I picked up the latest Linda Lindas album, "No Obligation".

Tomorrow!

Soviet-Era Music Video: На заре (Альянс)

When I was looking for things "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" on YouTube a couple of years ago, something caught my attention: the Soviet-era synth-pop band Альянс (Alliance) and their popular song, На заре ("At Dawn").

The video is from 1987. It played and I was transfixed.

The band members in 1987 ― the group changed members a few times over the years ― were Konstantin Gavrilov (keyboards), Andrey Tumanov (bass), Igor Zhuravlev (vocals, guitar), and Oleg Parastaev (keyboards).

What I find interesting about the studio audience is their pure attentiveness to the performance before them. They look as though they're watching a string quartet.

На заре was written by Parastaev, the gent with the funky eyewear.

Igor Zhuravlev's high-octane voice zooms to the sky, and he sings here with great conviction.

The video is a revealing look at the state of popular music in 1980s USSR. It was hardly staid or static. Synth-pop was in on that side of the curtain, too.

The lyrics, as translated to English....

Smooth run of my destiny

Night, sadness and lamentation of the soul

Moonlight and may rain in the sky

The long century of my star

The sleepy shine of the earth's dew

Loud laughter and paradise honey in the sky

At the dawn voices are calling me

At the dawn voices are calling me

Sun light and the sound of the heart

Timid gaze and strength of hands

The finest hour of my dream in the sky

At the dawn voices are calling me

At the dawn voices are calling me

At the dawn voices are calling me

At the dawn voices are calling me

At the dawn

Music Video: Rush YYZ

Rush rocks!

One day in the late 1970s, Rush member Alex Lifeson flew his bandmates, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart, into Toronto International Airport. The airport's IATA (International Air Transport Association) identification code of "YYZ", broadcast by the airport's VHF omnidirectional range system as Morse code, greeted the music crew as they approached. The repeating rhythm called like a siren... inspiring the band to write a piece to exploit the sequence.

(Y)  - . - -   (Y)  - . - -   (Z)  - - . .

Beauty, eh?

I love this instrumental piece.

Toronto rocks!

Postscript: YYZ is pronounced as, "why why zed". Say it properly or don't waste my time.

* * *

(The video embedded above I shared from the super Canadian band's YouTube channel.)

A Story: The UFO Researcher and My UFO Story

A few years ago I met a gentleman who was a UFO researcher. The discipline of ufology is interesting to me whether I believe in extraterrestrial visitors or think they are, with all due respects to Archie Bunker, pigments of our imaginations. The gent briefed me on some of his cases: "plasma" was a big one. During our conversation I remembered my own personal story....

Early 1980s.

It was evening and the winter sky was dark — with the exception of a sky field flicked with thousands of stars. I was walking along the street in a small city here in Ontario where the above is fresher and clearer than it is here in the big city, Toronto. Something made me look up. Above, way up, streaked a tiny burning bright. Immediately I discounted it being a satellite or meteorite: the speedy light zigged and zagged as if undertaking evasive maneuvers. The star-field relief gave my eyes some 'registration'; a reference point for the non-static light to play against, confirming to me that what I was seeing might have been piloted by an indecisive, albeit quick-thinking, navigator.

The ufologist nodded. He looked as though he believed that I had seen something not of this Earth. I'm not sure I believe it. But that's my UFO story.

"Believe it, or not."

* * *

Hopefully it's not one of these....

Picturing: A Curious Kitty on Sentry Duty

What could it be? A butterfly? A bug? A fly? It might be a pigeon.

Picturing: Barista Michelle of Starbucks Toronto

Athot for the Day: What Is Humour? Anyone?

If you don't find The Three Stooges funny I certainly don't want to know about your other problems.

Picturing: Two Eastern Bloc Books on the Table

Two books to read, indeed. Given my interest in the former Eastern Bloc, "The Soviet Space Race with Apollo" deserves an essential reread, and "Stasi: The Untold Story of The East German Secret Police" earns a much-warranted first ply through.

My ongoing fascination, in particular, with the GDR (German Democratic Republic, "East Germany") seems to have no limits. I don't eat cold breakfast cereals, but if someone marketed a cereal promising to satiate such an appetite, I would consume ravenously... with milk and (too much) sugar, of course. And with it enjoy a fine cup of "Erichs Krönung".

Funny story: after reading "Soviet Space Race" about ten years ago I contacted the author to pass on my admiration for his great document (of which this book is actually a Part Two). He responded, and my reaction was: "Exactly how an academic would articulate 'much appreciated'." Smart guy!

The Soviet Space Race with Apollo (by Asif A. Siddiqi)

Stasi: The Untold Story of The East German Secret Police (by John O. Koehler)

Sunday Fun: Carnivorous Seaweed?! What the?....

Floating through Wikipedia, as I'm prone to do once I'm on a rolling wave, I went from "shipping" to "Bermuda Triangle" to "Sargasso Sea" and ended up on "The Lost Continent (1968 film)". That entertaining motion picture, produced by Hammer Films — wonderful Hammer Films — and Seven Arts Productions, captured me when I first saw it in my early teens.

I read its Wiki entry....

Basic plot details took me back to fantastic imagery: wrecked ships (it is the Sargasso Sea, after all); conquistadors; people sporting "buoyancy balloons" (fantastic!); pirates; priests; and Spanish ladies (marketing, my boys!).

I decided right there that I had to see this film again.

Then I read further:

"... adrift in a morass of large sentient carnivorous seaweed...."

Carnivorous seaweed?!

(Sentient carnivorous seaweed?!!)

(Large sentient carnivorous seaweed?!!!)

What the?....

Should I even click on that?

With my cursor, and some trepidation, I touched the link.

Oh, it's two separate words, links: "carnivorous"; "seaweed".

That makes more sense... and makes me feel a lot better about swimming in the ocean. (Regular seaweed doesn't bother me. Key word: "bother.")

I'll probably avoid the Sargasso Sea. But I won't avoid The Lost Continent.

Postscript: True to my words, I rewatched the fantastical flick after grabbing the Blu-ray. Great stuff. I was a little surprised by how languid the pacing was in the first act. That editorial choice, however, worked in the picture's favour, setting up nicely what strange things were to come....

A Kodak Moment: Watching a Parade in Germany

I'm guessing I took this picture in Hügelsheim, which is just down the road from Iffezheim, the town my family was living in at the time. Perhaps this is Iffezheim. I can't remember, exactly.

One thing I am sure about is how much I love those Fanfarenzug ("fanfare band") costumes. I loved living in Germany... actually West Germany at that time. East Germany, the GDR (German Democratic Republic), was something different.

My parents bought me a Kodak "Instamatic" 133 camera for my seventh birthday. They started me at a young age on my road to photography. That colourful parade scene would have been captured in the summer of 1969 or 1970.

Flukey the Flower's Odd Petal in an Odd World

We hear you, Fluke. We're living in a... special time.

Metropolis is One of the Greatest Pictures

Late last night I was reminded that the German (post-expressionist) science fiction feature film Metropolis was first screened for the public on January 10, 1927, in Berlin. To me, it is a prime example of the possibilities of the motion picture form. All production departments are front and centre, including Gottfried Huppertz's magnificent original score.

This fan of UFA, the classic flick's producing studio, and of director Fritz Lang, should not have missed that special birthday: 99 years ago... vor neunundneunzig Jahren.

A plaqued Metropolis mini-poster hangs proudly on my wall....

... it replaced a plaqued mini-poster of Klimt's "The Kiss". With that move did I unwittingly pull some symbolism? I must find a certain kiss and give it its well-deserved place on my wall: re-place it.

Postscript: I labelled Metropolis as being "post-expressionist", which is what it was. Too often it's slotted into "German Expressionist Cinema". The picture certainly has many touches fitting comfortably within that film form, but overall it is "post".

Something I Read Minutes Ago... Something Brilliant

"One key difference between 1930s Germany and 2020s USA is that 1930s Germany didn't have 90 years of books, movies and documentaries warning it about 1930s Germany."

It really resonated with this student of history... especially that history.

Picturing: Bloor Street at Dalton Road, Toronto

While running a few errands early this afternoon, I snapped a few pictures. While walking east along the north side of Bloor Street, I stopped at Dalton Road, raised my Canon 'mirrorless', and fired away. It was relatively mild today, about 6 Celsius (43 Fahrenheit).

The above pic has a pleasant subtext, I think.

Environment Canada is calling for Toronto temps of 10 Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) tomorrow.

Before I go: In my best Mark Daley voice....

"From the corner of Bloor and Dalton, this is CityTV. Everywhere!"

Picturing: Many of Us Would Just Love to See This

With what's going on in the world right now, the above machine, the fictional Starship Enterprise, would be most welcome: not so much for her phaser banks, but for her "transporter room"....

"Locked onto Mister Trump and Mister Putin, sir. Ready to beam them up."

Quote: Paramahansa Yogananda on Positivity

"Never give up on the things that make you smile. Learn to be calm and you will always be happy."

Indeed! 

A Discussion on BBC Radio 2 Re: Trump's Invasion

I'm listening to BBC Radio 2 right now, "Jeremy Vine" (with Tina Daheley sitting in). The discussion is about Donald Trump's invasion of Venezuela, the kidnapping of ruthless dictator Nicolás Maduro, and the obvious driving motivation for this intrusion... access to rich oil deposits.

A big concern expressed is that it may well set a dangerous precedent: China has been threatening for years to reclaim Taiwan; Trump and his corrupt cronies have their sights on resource-rich Greenland; Russian president Vladimir Putin won't stop with Ukraine....

For about a decade now I've been saying something that some people find troubling, concerned about my sanity, and my twisted "sense of humour", while others just laugh it off:

"The human race will be done by twenty sixty [2060]... plus or minus a few years."