Micah and I thought it would be important to recognize the assistance of John Moss, who is our Artist for all things Just Two Guys. John will be doing graphics for the show and possibly any graphics we need for the blog or other excursions we decide to take up in the future. Thanks so much John for the work you're doing.
John Moss, Artist
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Internet Archive Show of the Week
Afroskull. What's not to love about a band that describes their music as "the long lost soundtrack to a 70's horror porno flick performed by a rock band."
They are unique and crazy. Part George Clinton, part Black Flag, part Frank Zappa. Give them a listen.
Afroskull Live at Parkside Lounge, February 4, 2005
They are unique and crazy. Part George Clinton, part Black Flag, part Frank Zappa. Give them a listen.
Afroskull Live at Parkside Lounge, February 4, 2005
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Quick Post -- New Lincoln Links
On the right side of the page, you'll notice a new section titled Abraham Lincoln. These are all links to interesting books about Abraham Lincoln and are housed at Project Gutenberg. Some of them are pretty standard biographies. Others delve a little more into the comic side of Lincoln and are really worth checking out. Lincoln's Yarns and Stories is a definite must-read. Here's a little sample:
"ABE" GOT THE WORST OF IT. When Lincoln was a young lawyer in Illinois, he and a certain Judge once got to bantering one another about trading horses; and it was agreed that the next morning at nine o'clock they should make a trade, the horses to be unseen up to that hour, and no backing out, under a forfeiture of $25. At the hour appointed, the Judge came up, leading the sorriest-looking specimen of a horse ever seen in those parts. In a few minutes Mr. Lincoln was seen approaching with a wooden saw-horse upon his shoulders. Great were the shouts and laughter of the crowd, and both were greatly increased when Lincoln, on surveying the Judge's animal, set down his saw-horse, and exclaimed: "Well, Judge, this is the first time I ever got the worst of it in a horse trade."
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Stormy night
I am writing during a nice spring thunderstorm in Chicago. It feels right. I just finished researching Vachel Lindsay poetry. I had never actually sat down and read his poetry despite the fact that he is the famous local poet. I also never knew that he put himself in to dead poet history by kicking back with a bottle of Lysol. Anyway, one of his more famous works really ties into our first show. Here it goes:
Vachel Lindsay (1879-1931)
Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight
(In Springfield, Illinois)
It is portentous, and a thing of state
That here at midnight, in our little town
A mourning figure walks, and will not rest,
Near the old court-house pacing up and down.
Or by his homestead, or in shadowed yards
He lingers where his children used to play,
Or through the market, on the well-worn stones
He stalks until the dawn-stars burn away.
A bronzed, lank man! His suit of ancient black,
A famous high top-hat and plain worn shawl
Make him the quaint great figure that men love,
The prairie-lawyer, master of us all.
He cannot sleep upon his hillside now.
He is among us: -- as in times before!
And we who toss and lie awake for long
Breathe deep, and start, to see him pass the door.
His head is bowed. He thinks on men and kings.
Yea, when the sick world cries, how can he sleep?
Too many peasants fight, they know not why,
Too many homesteads in black terror weep.
The sins of all the war-lords burn his heart.
He sees the dreadnaughts scouring every main.
He carries on his shawl-wrapped shoulders now
The bitterness, the folly and the pain.
He cannot rest until a spirit-dawn
Shall come; -- the shining hope of Europe free;
The league of sober folk, the Workers' Earth,
Bringing long peace to Cornwall, Alp and Sea.
It breaks his heart that kings must murder still,
That all his hours of travail here for men
Seem yet in vain. And who will bring white peace
That he may sleep upon his hill again?
I guess it captures the imagination of a man who like many native Springfield folk, could never believe that Lincoln had ever left the city and for that matter, ever passed away. He was with no desrespect, god-like to Lindsay and many other people of this time. "His head is bowed. He thinks on men and kings. Yea, when the sick world cries, how can he sleep?" Great stuff. I plan on reading much more. Personally, I am a fan of his style of poetry as well. I only wish I had that capability within me. John has it. It is definately something to hold on to and let flourish.
Vachel Lindsay (1879-1931)
Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight
(In Springfield, Illinois)
It is portentous, and a thing of state
That here at midnight, in our little town
A mourning figure walks, and will not rest,
Near the old court-house pacing up and down.
Or by his homestead, or in shadowed yards
He lingers where his children used to play,
Or through the market, on the well-worn stones
He stalks until the dawn-stars burn away.
A bronzed, lank man! His suit of ancient black,
A famous high top-hat and plain worn shawl
Make him the quaint great figure that men love,
The prairie-lawyer, master of us all.
He cannot sleep upon his hillside now.
He is among us: -- as in times before!
And we who toss and lie awake for long
Breathe deep, and start, to see him pass the door.
His head is bowed. He thinks on men and kings.
Yea, when the sick world cries, how can he sleep?
Too many peasants fight, they know not why,
Too many homesteads in black terror weep.
The sins of all the war-lords burn his heart.
He sees the dreadnaughts scouring every main.
He carries on his shawl-wrapped shoulders now
The bitterness, the folly and the pain.
He cannot rest until a spirit-dawn
Shall come; -- the shining hope of Europe free;
The league of sober folk, the Workers' Earth,
Bringing long peace to Cornwall, Alp and Sea.
It breaks his heart that kings must murder still,
That all his hours of travail here for men
Seem yet in vain. And who will bring white peace
That he may sleep upon his hill again?
I guess it captures the imagination of a man who like many native Springfield folk, could never believe that Lincoln had ever left the city and for that matter, ever passed away. He was with no desrespect, god-like to Lindsay and many other people of this time. "His head is bowed. He thinks on men and kings. Yea, when the sick world cries, how can he sleep?" Great stuff. I plan on reading much more. Personally, I am a fan of his style of poetry as well. I only wish I had that capability within me. John has it. It is definately something to hold on to and let flourish.
An Interesting Excerpt
In my line of work, I come across a lot of obscure books. A few weeks ago, I happened across a book titled Around the World on a Bicycle by Thomas Stevens on Project Gutenberg. It was written in 1887, by Mr. Stevens, and it documented his travels around the world on a bicycle. But not just any bicycle. On this monster (it's called a Penny Farthing bicycle, and it was as difficult to ride as it appears) at the rightAt any rate, after reading the Illinois Times article this past week about Joe Bowen, I couldn't stop thinking about the following excerpt from Mr. Stevens' book about his travels. In this particular excerpt, Thomas Stevens recalls his crossing of Illinois. Although it has nothing to do with Springfield, or even particularly Central Illinois, I think it's a neat little snapshot of Illinois at the time. Actually this book is a very engaging read. It's fascinating to me (and apparently folks at the time) that Mr. Stevens was attempting to cross the country on cowpaths and wagon roads on a bicycle so ill-equipped for riding in general. One of my favorite elements of the book are Mr. Stevens' numerous wipeouts. Great literary stuff there. Read and (hopefully) enjoy:
Passing through Iowa City, crossing Cedar River at Moscow, nine days after crossing the Missouri, I hear the distant whistle of a Mississippi steamboat. Its hoarse voice is sweetest music to me, heralding the fact that two-thirds of my long tour across the continent is completed. Crossing the "Father of Waters" over the splendid government bridgebetween Davenport and Rock Island, I pass over into Illinois. For several miles my route leads up the Mississippi River bottom, over sandy roads;
but nearing Rock River, the sand disappears, and, for some distance, an excellent road winds through the oak-groves lining this beautiful stream. The green woods are free from underbrush, and a cool undercurrent of air plays amid the leafy shades, which, if not ambrosial, are none the less grateful, as it registers over 100° in the sun; without, the silvery sheen of the river glimmers through the interspaces; the dulcet notes of church-bells come floating on the breeze from over the river, seeming to proclaim, with their melodious tongues, peace and good-will to all. Eock River, with its 300 yards in width of unbridged waters, now obstructs my path, and the ferryboat is tied up on the other shore. "Whoop-ee," I yell at the ferryman's hut opposite, but without receiving any response. "Wh-o-o-p-e-ee," I repeat in a gentle, civilized voice-learned, by the by, two years ago on the Crow reservation in Montana, and which sets the surrounding atmosphere in a whirl and drowns out the music of the church-bells it has no effect whatever on the case-hardened ferryman in the hut; he pays no heed whatever until my persuasive voice is augmented by the voices of two new arrivals in a buggy, when he sallies serenely forth and slowly ferries us across. Riding along rather indifferent roads, between farms worth $100 an acre, through the handsome town of Genesee, stopping over night at Atkinson, I resume my journey next morning through a country abounding in all that goes to make people prosperous, if not happy. Pretty names are given to places hereabouts, for on my left I pass "Pink Prairie, bordered with Green River." Crossing over into Bureau County, I find splendid gravelled roads, and spend a most agreeable hour with the jolly Bicycle Club, of Princeton, the handsome county seat of Bureau County, Pushing on to Lamoille for the night, the enterprising village barber there hustles me into his cosey shop, and shaves, shampoos, shingles, bay-rums, and otherwise manipulates me, to the great enhancement of my personal appearance, all, so he says, for the honor of having lathered the chin of the "great and only--" In fact, the Illinoisians
seem to be most excellent folks. After three days' journey through the great Prairie State my head is fairly turned with kindness and flattery; but the third night, as if to rebuke my vanity, I am bluntly refused shelter at three different farm-houses. I am benighted, and conclude to make the best of it by "turning in" under a hay-cock; but the Fox River mosquitoes oust me in short order, and compel me to "mosey along" through the gloomy night to Yorkville. At Yorkville a stout German, on being informed that I am going to ride to Chicago, replies, "What. Ghigago mit dot. Why, mine dear Yellow, Ghi-gago's more as vorty miles; you gan't ride mit dot to Ghigago;" and the old fellow's eyes fairly bulge with astonishment at the bare idea of riding forty miles "mit dot." I considerately refrain from telling him of my already 2,500-mile jaunt "mit dot," lest an apoplectic fit should waft his Teutonic soul to realms of sauer-kraut bliss and Limburger happiness forever. On the morning of July 4th I roll into Chicago, where, having persuaded myself that I deserve a few days' rest, I remain till the Democratic Convention winds up on the 13th.
Fifteen miles of good riding and three of tough trundling, through deep sand, brings me into Indiana, which for the first thirty-five miles around the southern shore of Lake Michigan is "simply and solely sand." Finding it next to impossible to traverse the wagon-roads , . . .
The Format of Just Two Guys
Okay, so we've been mentioning our Public Access show for awhile here, but we haven't really been forthcoming with details. That's mainly because we've been working out the details. I'm going to try to set out my interpretation of the layout of our show, and Micah, you can add anything you feel is necessary.
The show will run 1 hour. It will consist of 4 segments. These segments do not yet have names. Well, the first segment is going to be named "Just Two Guys Talking." This will run roughly the first 15 minutes of the program and will consist of Micah and I interviewing each other. I thought it would be cool if, instead of just offering introductions of ourselves (pretty boring), we would interview each other a little bit at the top of each show. The questions will be unknown to each other until they are asked. For example, I will develop questions to ask Micah, and he will not know the questions in advance. There are no boundaries on these questions. My opinion is that you can really get to know a person by watching how they respond to questions, and how they answer questions that they haven't prepared for. We'll see how it goes.
The second segment will also run about 15 minutes, and it will consist of the two of us discussing some aspect of Springfield history.
The third segment will run anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on the material and the guest. This will be the interview segment, where we will interview a local person or persons. Our first guest will be Garrett Moffett, and he will be discussing Lincoln's Ghost Walk. We're very excited to have Garrett on the show. Should be exciting! We have also been in touch with some other interesting folks, and as soon as we have confirmation, we will post right here on the blog.
And the fourth segment will run the remainder of the show. In this segment, we will discuss local food, arts, entertainment, and anything current that strikes us as needing discussed.
Micah, did I cover everything? Feel free to add anything you need.
The show will run 1 hour. It will consist of 4 segments. These segments do not yet have names. Well, the first segment is going to be named "Just Two Guys Talking." This will run roughly the first 15 minutes of the program and will consist of Micah and I interviewing each other. I thought it would be cool if, instead of just offering introductions of ourselves (pretty boring), we would interview each other a little bit at the top of each show. The questions will be unknown to each other until they are asked. For example, I will develop questions to ask Micah, and he will not know the questions in advance. There are no boundaries on these questions. My opinion is that you can really get to know a person by watching how they respond to questions, and how they answer questions that they haven't prepared for. We'll see how it goes.
The second segment will also run about 15 minutes, and it will consist of the two of us discussing some aspect of Springfield history.
The third segment will run anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on the material and the guest. This will be the interview segment, where we will interview a local person or persons. Our first guest will be Garrett Moffett, and he will be discussing Lincoln's Ghost Walk. We're very excited to have Garrett on the show. Should be exciting! We have also been in touch with some other interesting folks, and as soon as we have confirmation, we will post right here on the blog.
And the fourth segment will run the remainder of the show. In this segment, we will discuss local food, arts, entertainment, and anything current that strikes us as needing discussed.
Micah, did I cover everything? Feel free to add anything you need.
Response
In response to Micah’s post yesterday, I’d like to say that working on this project has given me a different perspective on Springfield. I grew up in Central Illinois, but suddenly it’s like I’m seeing Springfield with a brand new set of eyes. As I’ve been reading about the first settlers of Sangamon County and all of the early frontier days, it really gives me a different perspective as I travel about town and throughout the county. I almost feel like I did when I was a kid, and I thought that at any turn I might find something magical and wonderful simply by overturning a rock or an old log. This area really is rich with history.
Being raised here, I was spoonfed tons of Lincoln stuff, but it’s the non-Lincoln stuff that I’m enjoying learning more than anything else. Lincoln was one interesting dude, no doubt. But it’s the frontier settlers, the smalltown heroes and villains, the wild political games that have interested me most.
Our show never really set out to be an exploratory history of Sangamon County or Springfield, and it isn’t going to be. The history is but one part of our program, but I have found myself really being drawn in that direction.
Being raised here, I was spoonfed tons of Lincoln stuff, but it’s the non-Lincoln stuff that I’m enjoying learning more than anything else. Lincoln was one interesting dude, no doubt. But it’s the frontier settlers, the smalltown heroes and villains, the wild political games that have interested me most.
Our show never really set out to be an exploratory history of Sangamon County or Springfield, and it isn’t going to be. The history is but one part of our program, but I have found myself really being drawn in that direction.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
What the @#$ is a Loami?
In the April issue of The Sangamon Star, there was a column titled "Peculiar Town Names." One of the town names mentioned was Loami (What the @#$ is a Loami?) . Well, as I was reading last night, I found the answer to that very question.
According to Campbell's The Sangamon Saga, Loami was settled by a man named Henry Brown in 1819. But the town didn't receive it's name until later when a man named William Colburn lost his mill in a fire. Feeling depressed and downtrodden, Mr. Colburn moaned, "Low am I." The rest is, how they say, history.
According to Campbell's The Sangamon Saga, Loami was settled by a man named Henry Brown in 1819. But the town didn't receive it's name until later when a man named William Colburn lost his mill in a fire. Feeling depressed and downtrodden, Mr. Colburn moaned, "Low am I." The rest is, how they say, history.
Hugging the Widow
Before Illinois had any penitentiaries, lawbreakers were punished at the whipping post. Every crime was assigned a certain number of lashes on the bare back of the guilty person. One of the most common sentences was 50 lashes on the back, given in two installments. The first 25 were given, and then 30 days later, the other 25 were given. Wow. Not only did you receive 50 lashes, but you had a month to think about how the last half were going to feel.
The whipping post in Springfield was established in 1828. It consisted of a strong wood post about 6 feet high and placed at the northeast corner of the city square. The first whipping was administered to a man named Robinson. This bold criminal had the audacity to steal a bar of iron and as such was sentenced to receive 20 lashes.
The day after Robinson was publicly whipped, someone affixed a crude carving of a woman's head (with a bonnet) to the top of the post. Below the head, the words "The Widow Robinson" were carved into the post. From that point onward, the whipping post here in Springfield was known as "The Widow Robinson." When anyone started to cause trouble, they were warned that if they didn't watch out they'd end up hugging the widow.
The Widow Robinson stood in Springfield until 1837.
Again, my source is The Sangamon Saga by Bruce Alexander Campbell. The book was published in 1976 by Phillips Brothers, Inc.
The whipping post in Springfield was established in 1828. It consisted of a strong wood post about 6 feet high and placed at the northeast corner of the city square. The first whipping was administered to a man named Robinson. This bold criminal had the audacity to steal a bar of iron and as such was sentenced to receive 20 lashes.
The day after Robinson was publicly whipped, someone affixed a crude carving of a woman's head (with a bonnet) to the top of the post. Below the head, the words "The Widow Robinson" were carved into the post. From that point onward, the whipping post here in Springfield was known as "The Widow Robinson." When anyone started to cause trouble, they were warned that if they didn't watch out they'd end up hugging the widow.
The Widow Robinson stood in Springfield until 1837.
Again, my source is The Sangamon Saga by Bruce Alexander Campbell. The book was published in 1976 by Phillips Brothers, Inc.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Far, far away
I finally got my computer hooked up on my week long (work) trip in Chicago. A week away is too long. I don't like being away from my wife for that long. I guess that's what separates a trip from a work trip. I don't want to get into my job too much but the days are long and it takes place in an old high school. It almost feels like detention which became a real irony when I found out 'The Breakfast Club" was filmed there.
John is doing a wonderful job with this blog. We got together this past weekend to pick up a few things for the show. We even picked out the wardrobe for a portion of the show. I guess we have decided that this show will either be something you have to watch or something that makes you want stop channel surfing for fear you may see us again. I love it.
There has been some research done on the history section of the show. Mostly on the part of John. One of the themes that we have come across is that Springfield is not just an ordinary midwest mid-sized city. It has a diverse background that is not all industrial, not all agricultural and not all bureaucratic. That's different than say, Peoria, Rockford or Decatur. People came to this city for different reasons with many Eastern and Southern influences. At times, those influences have clashed and at times they have made wonderful things happen. Lincoln was a great example of such thing. He was essentially from the South but settled North. He was a man with southern strength and humor but eastern progressive values. Springfield has provided two major "Americana" foods in Horseshoes and Corn Dogs. We took two American greats (hamburgers and hotdogs) and made them even more unhealthy. I'm not complaining because I do enjoy them, I just want to know why they were developed here. Hopefully we can help draw out those answers.
John is doing a wonderful job with this blog. We got together this past weekend to pick up a few things for the show. We even picked out the wardrobe for a portion of the show. I guess we have decided that this show will either be something you have to watch or something that makes you want stop channel surfing for fear you may see us again. I love it.
There has been some research done on the history section of the show. Mostly on the part of John. One of the themes that we have come across is that Springfield is not just an ordinary midwest mid-sized city. It has a diverse background that is not all industrial, not all agricultural and not all bureaucratic. That's different than say, Peoria, Rockford or Decatur. People came to this city for different reasons with many Eastern and Southern influences. At times, those influences have clashed and at times they have made wonderful things happen. Lincoln was a great example of such thing. He was essentially from the South but settled North. He was a man with southern strength and humor but eastern progressive values. Springfield has provided two major "Americana" foods in Horseshoes and Corn Dogs. We took two American greats (hamburgers and hotdogs) and made them even more unhealthy. I'm not complaining because I do enjoy them, I just want to know why they were developed here. Hopefully we can help draw out those answers.
Internet Archive Follow-Up
As the Internet Archive seems to be one of our visitors' favorite sites to visit, we're going to begin posting one link a week featuring our choice for "must-listen" shows from the Archive. Just look on the sidebar to the right of the screen titled "LMA Show of the Week."
This week's featured show is a regional Grateful Dead show from 1978: Grateful Dead -- Live at Horton Field House, Illinois State U. on 1978-04-24
This week's featured show is a regional Grateful Dead show from 1978: Grateful Dead -- Live at Horton Field House, Illinois State U. on 1978-04-24
The First Recorded Murder in Sangamon County
Here's a disturbing story from Sangamon County's past.
On August 27, 1886, a Sangamon County blacksmith by the name of Nathaniel Vannoy flew into a drunken rage and killed his wife. His trial commenced at a special session of the Circuit Court over the three days following the murder. It was the first trial for a capital offense in the county.
Attorney General James Turney acted for the people, while James Adams and J.H. Pugh represented the defendant. Vannoy was found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang on November 26th of that year.
The turnout for the execution was incredible. Nearly everyone in the community and many from the surrounding areas turned out to witness the execution. There was little in those days that created such excitement.
Now, here's where things get a bit twisted. As soon as the execution was over, the surgeons who had purchased the corpse cut Mr. Vannoy down and began dissecting him on the spot. The crowd was so disturbed by the action, that the surgeons decided better of it. They moved Vannoy's body to a private location to complete the autopsy.
source: The Sangamon Saga by Bruce Alexander Campbell. Published in 1976 by Phillips Brothers, Inc.
On August 27, 1886, a Sangamon County blacksmith by the name of Nathaniel Vannoy flew into a drunken rage and killed his wife. His trial commenced at a special session of the Circuit Court over the three days following the murder. It was the first trial for a capital offense in the county.
Attorney General James Turney acted for the people, while James Adams and J.H. Pugh represented the defendant. Vannoy was found guilty of murder and sentenced to hang on November 26th of that year.
The turnout for the execution was incredible. Nearly everyone in the community and many from the surrounding areas turned out to witness the execution. There was little in those days that created such excitement.
Now, here's where things get a bit twisted. As soon as the execution was over, the surgeons who had purchased the corpse cut Mr. Vannoy down and began dissecting him on the spot. The crowd was so disturbed by the action, that the surgeons decided better of it. They moved Vannoy's body to a private location to complete the autopsy.
source: The Sangamon Saga by Bruce Alexander Campbell. Published in 1976 by Phillips Brothers, Inc.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
A Totally Cool Thing I Saw Last Night
Last night, I was walking in Washington Park with my wife and our puppies. As we were walking along the south side of the park, just south of the gazebo, we heard a loud popping sound. We heard it once . . . twice . . . and just as my wife and I were about to ask each other what the hell was going on, one of the large, old trees in the park started to split. The top of this giant tree came crashing down in slow-motion, and took out most of a younger, smaller tree along the way.
It was just awesome watching this thing come down in front of us. If anyone saw the look on my face, it was a look of intense calculation as I tried to determine if we were out of range of the falling monster. Thankfully we were well out of the way. No one was hurt. Plenty of people saw/heard it, but everyone was a safe distance away.
I've seen trees fall in my life, but never without some coaxing. It was just so random and surprising. My favorite part, though, was shortly after the tree came to rest, a lady drove by and asked me as she passed if I was going to need to clean out my pants.
It was just awesome watching this thing come down in front of us. If anyone saw the look on my face, it was a look of intense calculation as I tried to determine if we were out of range of the falling monster. Thankfully we were well out of the way. No one was hurt. Plenty of people saw/heard it, but everyone was a safe distance away.
I've seen trees fall in my life, but never without some coaxing. It was just so random and surprising. My favorite part, though, was shortly after the tree came to rest, a lady drove by and asked me as she passed if I was going to need to clean out my pants.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Internet Archive's Live Music Archive
For those of you who love live music, you should really check out the Live Music Archive, a branch of the Internet Archive. The Live Music Archive currently has over 35,000 live performances by everyone from the Grateful Dead to 311. The website has just undergone a redevelopment, and it has some really nice new features. For those of you who like to download shows in lossless format, you can find shows in .shn or .flac formats. If you don't care as much, you can always go the .mp3 route. Or, if you don't feel you need to "own" the show, you can simply stream directly from the site. It really couldn't be simpler to explore and discover music.
And don't worry about any trouble that may come from downloading these shows. Unless you're downloading shows and trying to make a profit off of them, you're fine. All of the bands who are archived on Internet Archive must first agree to have their shows posted on the site. The shows are there for all listeners to listen and enjoy and share. Just don't sell them.
Right now, I'm really enjoying listening to the following bands:
Grateful Dead: I've never considered myself a fan of the Dead, and I never even listened to them until about a year ago when I discovered them on the Live Music Archive. Now, I can't get enough. I love that with the Archive, you can hear them from '65 all the way to '95. It's great to listen to how the band evolved and grew over time. Currently, the Archive has over 2,800 Grateful Dead shows available.
Drive-by Truckers: If you like Southern Rock, you'll love the Truckers. They have a dual-axe attack and are well-known for their long, energetic shows. Really highly recommended.
Assembly of Dust: Based out of Boston, Mass., this jam band draws a lot of comparisons to the Grateful Dead. I enjoy them a lot. They have a lot of fun songs that just sound good and fun.
Umphreys McGee: Kings of improvisational jams. Always fun to hear.
Hank III: The grandson of Hank Williams and Hank Jr. He has the voice of his grandfather, but the attitude's a little closer to GG Allin. Really pushing country back into outlaw territory. You're not going to hear Hank III on country radio anytime soon, so check him out on the Archive.
Railroad Earth: If bluegrass is your thing, check out Railroad Earth. They have an extraordinary sound, and they've been referred to as the Grateful Dead of bluegrass music due to their powerful bluegrass improvisations and jams. Also, they derived their name from a Jack Kerouac poem, which is pretty sweet.
Yonder Mountain String Band: Additionally, in the bluegrass vein. Fun, upbeat bluegrass music. Always a treat.
There's more, and maybe I'll post them later. Until then, get on the Archive and check it out for yourself.
Organism of the Day -- the Tully Monster
The Tully Monster is the state fossil of Illinois. These creatures lived during the Pennsylvanian geological period and appear to be unique to Illinois. TM was discovered in 1958 by an amateur collector, Francis Tully. As of today, paleontologists have still not been able to clearly classify the Tully Monster into a specific phylum. It was named the state fossil in 1989.What's funny to me is the description of this thing. According to Wikipedia, the Tully Monster had "a long proboscis with eight small sharp teeth with which it may have probed actively for small creatures and edible detritus in the muddy bottom." Funny, this sounds a lot like how I would describe the "Political Monster" of modern day Illinois.
For more information, click here.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Person of the Day -- Gutzon Borglum
Gutzon Borglum was an American sculptor. During Theodore Roosevelt's presidency, Borglum created a sculpture of Abraham Lincoln's head out of a 6-ton slab of marble. It was exhibited in the White House. Today it can be found in the Capital Rotunda in Washington, DC. A bronze recreation of this sculpture can be found right here in Springfield at the entrance to Lincoln's Tomb.
Borglum was particularly interested in carving large works that expressed nationalistic themes. It was this combination of large scale and intense patriotism that gave him the vision and drive to become the primary sculptor in the creation of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
To learn more about Borglum, including his controversial Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial and subsequent relationship with the Ku Klux Klan, click here.
Borglum was particularly interested in carving large works that expressed nationalistic themes. It was this combination of large scale and intense patriotism that gave him the vision and drive to become the primary sculptor in the creation of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
To learn more about Borglum, including his controversial Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial and subsequent relationship with the Ku Klux Klan, click here.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Camping Last Weekend (A Follow-Up)
Well, as I mentioned on Friday, my wife and I went camping with our two little puppies this weekend. We planned a camping trip way back in the dead of winter to give ourselves something to look forward to when Spring finally rolled around. Now, I understand there are no guarantees, but we thought a weekend in May seemed like a reasonable weekend for decent weather.
Boy were we wrong! This was one of the worst possible weekends for camping. It was disappointing. We were looking forward to sitting lakeside with the pups, cooking out, hiking the wild woods, and just generally chilling out. After a cold, wet Friday night, a poor night's sleep, and a cold, blustery Saturday morning, we decided to cut our losses and come home. We spent the rest of the weekend camping in our bedroom. The pups spread out on a blanket on the floor, and we sat around drinking wine and just generally enjoying life. Times were good, folks.
I have to say, though, that I would strongly encourage people who are interested in camping, hiking, biking, hunting, and other general outdoorsy stuff to check out Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area. The cabins are great, especially if you're not equipped to camp. For $45/night you get a roof and four walls. It's not much, but it gets the job done. The only recommendation I have is to pack a foam roll or an air mattress, as the plywood bed doesn't provide a lot of comfort.
FINAL NOTE: I realized this weekend that I love to drive places where I'm not supposed to drive. The cabin was several hundred yards from the nearest parking space, so Friday night I unloaded the car and hauled everything over hill and dale to reach the cabin. On Saturday, I just threw caution to the wind (what a daredevil, I know) and drove all the way back to the cabin. Loading was so much easier. And I had that wonderful tingle of joy at driving where I wasn't supposed to. Good times, friends. Good times!
Boy were we wrong! This was one of the worst possible weekends for camping. It was disappointing. We were looking forward to sitting lakeside with the pups, cooking out, hiking the wild woods, and just generally chilling out. After a cold, wet Friday night, a poor night's sleep, and a cold, blustery Saturday morning, we decided to cut our losses and come home. We spent the rest of the weekend camping in our bedroom. The pups spread out on a blanket on the floor, and we sat around drinking wine and just generally enjoying life. Times were good, folks.
I have to say, though, that I would strongly encourage people who are interested in camping, hiking, biking, hunting, and other general outdoorsy stuff to check out Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area. The cabins are great, especially if you're not equipped to camp. For $45/night you get a roof and four walls. It's not much, but it gets the job done. The only recommendation I have is to pack a foam roll or an air mattress, as the plywood bed doesn't provide a lot of comfort.
FINAL NOTE: I realized this weekend that I love to drive places where I'm not supposed to drive. The cabin was several hundred yards from the nearest parking space, so Friday night I unloaded the car and hauled everything over hill and dale to reach the cabin. On Saturday, I just threw caution to the wind (what a daredevil, I know) and drove all the way back to the cabin. Loading was so much easier. And I had that wonderful tingle of joy at driving where I wasn't supposed to. Good times, friends. Good times!
Breaking News!
Garrett Moffett will be the very first guest on Just Two Guys!
Garrett is the tour guide for Lincoln's Ghost Walk here in Springfield. Garrett will appear on our first show, which we tape on June 19th. We still don't have a date for when the first show will air, but we'll keep you posted right here on the site.
In the meantime, if you're interested in learning more about Garrett and Lincoln's Ghost Walk, go here: Lincoln's Ghost Walk.
The Ghost Walk tours run from May 1 to October 31st. Prices are $10 for adults, $5 for children between the ages of 5 and 12, and FREE for children under age 5. Click the link for more information.
Garrett is the tour guide for Lincoln's Ghost Walk here in Springfield. Garrett will appear on our first show, which we tape on June 19th. We still don't have a date for when the first show will air, but we'll keep you posted right here on the site.
In the meantime, if you're interested in learning more about Garrett and Lincoln's Ghost Walk, go here: Lincoln's Ghost Walk.
The Ghost Walk tours run from May 1 to October 31st. Prices are $10 for adults, $5 for children between the ages of 5 and 12, and FREE for children under age 5. Click the link for more information.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Nice weekend
I did a little research this weekend for our first show. I have put a call into our first guest. Hopefully he will be booked this week. I don't want to reveal his name yet for civility sake. We have two shows to do and so many ideas have come and gone through my head. It's a good thing I have a level headed co-host. John brings to the show everything that I'm missing. Creativity, motivation, abillety 2 rite... all those good things. I hope he and his wife had an enjoyable time camping. My wife and I had a nice weekend. Nothing fun to report, especially for her since she had to work what seemed like 18 hours yesterday. Thankfully she does not work tomorrow.
Here's my thought for today:
There needs to be a new system for funding television shows. My favorite television show was cancelled this year (Arrested Development) because of shotty ratings and horrible timeslot changes by Fox. When you have bad ratings, you have to find cheap advertising which cuts back into profits. That's when a show goes under. Why not allow fans to pitch in? Shows like that have very loyal fans but not a wide audience. Networks could set a up a website that allows fans to donate a minimum of $1 an episode on top of advertising. If that still doesn't cover their profit margin, cancel it. But if it does, it allows for more niche shows to exist. That system could have saved some great shows. Just a thought.
Here's my thought for today:
There needs to be a new system for funding television shows. My favorite television show was cancelled this year (Arrested Development) because of shotty ratings and horrible timeslot changes by Fox. When you have bad ratings, you have to find cheap advertising which cuts back into profits. That's when a show goes under. Why not allow fans to pitch in? Shows like that have very loyal fans but not a wide audience. Networks could set a up a website that allows fans to donate a minimum of $1 an episode on top of advertising. If that still doesn't cover their profit margin, cancel it. But if it does, it allows for more niche shows to exist. That system could have saved some great shows. Just a thought.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Camping this Weekend
My wife and I and our two dogs are going camping this weekend. We're going to Jim Edgar Panther Creek Fish and Wildlife Area to spend Friday and Saturday night. We booked this weekend many months ago in the midst of our winter doldrums with hopes that this May weekend would be warm and bright and pleasant. Instead, it looks (and feels) a lot like it did two months ago. Oh well. It'll still be fun to get away with our puppies. They're both roughly 8 months old, and this is their first overnight trip away from home.
More details on Monday.
More details on Monday.
Person of the Day
I thought it might be totally awesome to post information about interesting people from time to time. Note that I said, from time to time. People, don't expect a new person every day. It's hard work doing this type of research on coffee breaks and lunch hours. I'll provide a brief summary of the individual, and a link to a wiki page (I'm a wikipedia fanatic!) or some other web page that gives you more information on that person.
Without further adieu, today's person of the day is: Joan Vollmer
Joan Vollmer was William S. Burroughs' common-law wife. Up until the mid-40s, she and Burroughs carried on together as friends and lovers and junkies-in-arms but never got too serious. In 1946, she got shipped off to Bellevue Hospital for having wig-outs from too much benzedrine. At the same time Burroughs went to jail for forging doctor's notes. Long story short, Burroughs got out of jail, went to Bellevue, and rescued Joan. From that point on they were "husband and wife." Sound like a match made in heaven? Read on.
A few years later, while at a party a drunken Burroughs and a drunken Vollmer decided to play a game of William Tell for their friends (and their young children). She put a glass tumbler on her head. Burroughs took aim, and lodged a bullet in her head. She died almost immediately.
To learn more, click the link: Joan Vollmer
Without further adieu, today's person of the day is: Joan Vollmer
Joan Vollmer was William S. Burroughs' common-law wife. Up until the mid-40s, she and Burroughs carried on together as friends and lovers and junkies-in-arms but never got too serious. In 1946, she got shipped off to Bellevue Hospital for having wig-outs from too much benzedrine. At the same time Burroughs went to jail for forging doctor's notes. Long story short, Burroughs got out of jail, went to Bellevue, and rescued Joan. From that point on they were "husband and wife." Sound like a match made in heaven? Read on.
A few years later, while at a party a drunken Burroughs and a drunken Vollmer decided to play a game of William Tell for their friends (and their young children). She put a glass tumbler on her head. Burroughs took aim, and lodged a bullet in her head. She died almost immediately.
To learn more, click the link: Joan Vollmer
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
My Background in Television by guynumber2
I've watched some.
I've never been on television before, and I have no previous experience with television. That said, I'm psyched about getting in front of the camera and having some fun. It should be great.
I've never been on television before, and I have no previous experience with television. That said, I'm psyched about getting in front of the camera and having some fun. It should be great.
Micah, Welcome and Then Some
Micah's now officially posting to the blog, and we're rolling full-steam ahead. Welcome Micah.
We're in the process of lining up guests for our first two shows, and it's going well. The first show is taking shape nicely. We're putting a lot of thought into this show, and I hope people actually tune in and watch. We have a bit of a guerrilla marketing campaign underway, and we'll see how the word spreads between now and our first air-date.
Fingers are crossed.
We're in the process of lining up guests for our first two shows, and it's going well. The first show is taking shape nicely. We're putting a lot of thought into this show, and I hope people actually tune in and watch. We have a bit of a guerrilla marketing campaign underway, and we'll see how the word spreads between now and our first air-date.
Fingers are crossed.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Signing on
I am the other guy. The number one complaint about me is that my glass is always 3/4 full. What it's full of is another question. For me, I hope that this television show reflects how much I have learned in life. But, as reflections go, it will only show the opposite. I always think it's a good thing to find out how much you don't know in order to really learn. And again, as reflections go, I will try to be as unfunny as possible in order to inject humor.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Format of the Show
We're still in the planning and strategy stages of development on the show. Here are a few basic premises that we're using to guide development:
1) We are not trying to reinvent the wheel.
2) We want the show to be fun and interesting.
3) We want the show to be laid back.
4) If we enjoy what we do, you'll enjoy watching it.
1) We are not trying to reinvent the wheel.
2) We want the show to be fun and interesting.
3) We want the show to be laid back.
4) If we enjoy what we do, you'll enjoy watching it.
Why Are We Here?
Beginning in June 2006, Micah and I will begin filming a television show on Springfield's Access 4, titled Just Two Guys. We will film our first show on June 15, and our second show on June 29. At this time we don't know when the show will appear on television, but stay tuned for details.
Who Are We?
Guy number 1 is Micah. He likes chewing gum and shoelaces. Watermelon is his favorite aphrodisiac, and hammers are his favorite painkillers. He has an intense interest in Native American Oral Poetry, and he loves to watch Macguyver.
Guy number 2 is John. John likes to read William S. Burroughs and listen to his wife breathe while she sleeps. He likes to wear masks. He likes to look at absurd things. He likes to catch glimpses of people doing things when they think no one is watching. He likes oral history projects. He dislikes hotshots and cotton candy. He is an opponent of celebrity-driven media coverage.
Guy number 2 is John. John likes to read William S. Burroughs and listen to his wife breathe while she sleeps. He likes to wear masks. He likes to look at absurd things. He likes to catch glimpses of people doing things when they think no one is watching. He likes oral history projects. He dislikes hotshots and cotton candy. He is an opponent of celebrity-driven media coverage.
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