Call him drunken Ira Hayes…

We went to see Flags of Our Fathers last weekend, and it was great. The performances by the three Iwo Jima veterans who were paraded around the country to raise money for the war were all excellent, especially Ryan Phillippe as John Bradley and Adam Beach as Ira Hayes.

I’ve been fascinated with the Ira Hayes story since I was a kid when I first heard the Johnny Cash version of “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” (I’m not too thrilled with this video, but it’s all I could find).

The song was written by Peter La Farge, who was a Native American folk singer in the 50’s and 60’s. His story is almost as compelling, as he fought the same kinds of prejudice to get his career going. Later, his stubborn refusal to bow to either the changing tastes of the public or the folk establishment caused him even more grief. He died young, from a stroke, in 1965.

Peter La Farge bio.

Posted in The Big Screen | Comments Off on Call him drunken Ira Hayes…

Another entry in the “I must be getting old” file

My son, Whiny the Elder, turned 20 today.

paul06.jpg
click to enlarge

Posted in Life, the Universe and Everything | 7 Comments

S-M-R-T

You paid attention during 97% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don’t get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

[ via Scott ]

Posted in Wouldya Lookit That! | 9 Comments

Time And Relative Displacement In Space

Here’s a nifty meme from ktbuffy via Dave.

Name five places in history you’d like to visit:

  1. Philadelphia, July 1776
  2. Gettysburgh, November 19, 1863
  3. The Globe Theater, London, 1605-1610
  4. The Cavern Club, Liverpool, 1961
  5. Sun Records, Memphis, 1956
Posted in Wouldya Lookit That! | 3 Comments

We’re doomed.

The terrorists have won.

Posted in Wouldya Lookit That! | 1 Comment

I can’t trust you people to do anything right!

In spite of my plea and the best efforts of the Monroe County Board of Elections (or at least one trustworthy polling place), somebody decided that they needed to vote for the terrorists to win so fricking badly that they needed to get out of their nice, warm bed, putt-putt down to the local polling place, and make a scene.

Look. If people in wheelchairs were meant to vote, then God would have given them telekinetic powers or something. Geez.

(Well, at least that trumps your whiny cries about how you don’t vote because it takes too much effort.)

Posted in Yo! Listen Up! | 5 Comments

Don’t vote!

Hey, if you could do me a favor and not vote on Tuesday that would be great.

If you don’t vote, then my vote counts that much more!! And, really, wouldn’t you rather have me decide the fate of the country through my elected representatives than muddying things up with your own choices?

So, please, if you haven’t already done so by getting an absentee ballot or by going out to an early voting location, then don’t mess it up for me by voting tomorrow. The lines are going to be long, and your vote really doesn’t mean anything anyway. If you had voted last time, then all you’d have to show for it is the right to complain about your government. And who needs that? You’re much better of whining about how bad things are without wasting your time trying to make a difference.

No, just let me handle everything.

Trust me. The fewer of you who vote, the better off I’ll we’ll be.

Posted in Yo! Listen Up! | 9 Comments

Murder for a jar of red rum!

Palindromes, courtesy of Weird Al.

[ via Sgt. Grump ]

Posted in Wouldya Lookit That! | 2 Comments

Ayuh. No accent heah.

What American accent do you have?

Your Result: The Midland

“You have a Midland accent” is just another way of saying “you don’t have an accent.” You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.

The West
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
The South
Philadelphia
The Northeast
What American accent do you have?
Take More Quizzes
Posted in Wouldya Lookit That! | 10 Comments

SingShot

Here you go, my little chickadees.

SingShot – Online Singing, Karaoke, Sharing, Ratings, and Community

It’s all the fun of karaoke without going to a bar and having your friends shove you on stage to slur your way through “House of the Rising Sun” because you’re too drunk to read the lyrics that are scrolling by too damned fast.

Um, wait a minute…that is the fun part!!

I found this via Gigglechick who’s got the right attitude for it. I especially love her White Rabbit (as Elmer Fudd) and Rocky Raccoon done in a cross between a Jamaican rastafarian and Pepe Le Pew.

If you don’t vote her 5 stars for her efforts, the terrorists have won.

Posted in Wouldya Lookit That! | 3 Comments