Like Having Nightmares?

Just watch these two videos and you'll be well on your way to a full night's worth of creepy dreams. I don't know if it's the way the clowns stalk their way around the nursing home, the disturbing porno music, or the way the video leads you to believe that elderly people have the same sense of humor as a 2-year-old child, but this is troubling. Troubling and hilarious. This movie strips elderly people of all the dignity they are struggling to hold onto.

Christian Clown Training Part 1


Christian Clown Training Part 2

Movie Geeks Club: A Review of Sorts

I was going to write a review of last night's Movie Geeks Club, but instead I'm going to point you here. Dave has said about all that needs to be said of the night. Thanks for the review Dave.

My own two cents: last night was awesome. I had a great time. There were slightly fewer people than last time, but we had several returning viewers. We even stuck around for a little while afterward and chatted. I had a great time, and I hope to keep seeing the same faces in the future. I think we are starting to develop a nice core group, and that makes me happy.

Next month's selection is Strangers on a Train, the Hitchcock classic. As for next month's showing, Jason, the owner of Capital City, told me that he's purchased a new projector. The quality of our viewing experience should be even better next time around.

As always, spread the word.

Movie Geeks Club Tonight, 7:00 PM, Capital City Bar and Grill

Tonight's the big night: Movie Geeks Club Number 2. We'll be showing the modern film-noir flick Brick. It's a cool movie, with some slick dialogue, a dark and humorous feel, and some vicious punches (you'll see).



Doors open at 7:00 PM, the show will start at 7:30 PM. Come in, grab a bite to eat, enjoy a movie, sip some drinks, and have a good time.



We'd love to see you there.

Stories of Abraham Lincoln

I thought it would be fun to post a short little narrative about Abraham Lincoln from time to time. We Central Illinoisans are immersed in Abraham Lincoln, but I'm not sure we all get a balanced picture of him. I feel like most of what I read/see/hear about Lincoln is so serious and doomed. I think we often lose sight of the fact that he was an incredibly witty and humorous man who loved to tell stories.

Hopefully, we can throw a little balance into your Lincoln life by showcasing his wit and humor.

LINCOLN ASKED TO BE SHOT.

Lincoln was, naturally enough, much surprised one day,

when a man of rather forbidding countenance drew a

revolver and thrust the weapon almost into his face.

In such circumstances "Abe" at once concluded that

any attempt at debate or argument was a waste of

time and words.



"What seems to be the matter?" inquired Lincoln with

all the calmness and selfpossession he could muster.



"Well," replied the stranger, who did not appear at

all excited, "some years ago I swore an oath that if

I ever came across an uglier man than myself I'd shoot

him on the spot."



A feeling of relief evidently took possession of Lincoln

at this rejoinder, as the expression upon his

countenance lost all suggestion of anxiety.



"Shoot me," he said to the stranger; "for if I am an

uglier man than you I don't want to live."

from Lincoln's Yarns and Stories by Col. Alexander McClure (public domain)

Minor Revamp to the Site

Nothing major here. We just updated to the "new" blogger a couple of weeks ago, and I just got around to updating our template to the new style. The new blogger is growing on me, mostly because it gives us folks who are not very in the know about website editing a little more ability to customize our pages with the "Add page elements" function, and it gives people the ability to create and share widgets for their blogs. Actually, I do know a touch of HTML from a job I worked several years ago, but it's only enough that I can kind of modify existing HTML when I absolutely have to.

At any rate, we've changed things up a little bit. We took down the Abraham Lincoln links list. I originally thought it would be cool to provide links to public domain books on Abraham Lincoln, and there were some really great reads in that list. No one ever outclicked on any of those links, however, so I decided to take them off. I'm thinking of whittling the list down a bit and reincorporating it later.

Also, I've added two new sections in the right margin with links to things we like. There's a "Things Micah Likes" section and a "Things John Likes" section. My vision is to rotate these links from time to time with things we are interested in.

Additionally, I've experimented with a couple of RSS feeds. I've placed a link to the Internet Archive's "Recently Added Shows" RSS. Every time a show is added to the Internet Archive, it'll show up here. I'm playing around with a local news feed, also.

February Movie Geeks Club -- Brick

This is just a reminder about the upcoming Movie Geeks Club next Tuesday, February 27 at Capital City Bar and Grill. The show will start at 7:30. Doors will open at 7:00. The movie we're showing is Brick. For more information on the movie, click here and here.

To the folks who made it out last time, many thanks. To those of you who didn't, we'd love to see you there. Be sure to have movies in mind to submit for the upcoming movie lottery. At the end of the night, we'll draw three movies again and vote on our March movie.

Also, please spread the word about the Movie Geeks Club. Tell everyone you know. Our most important marketing tools are your mouths. The theater at Capital City is nice. They have a full menu and friendly wait staff to keep the drinks coming while the movie's playing. It's a nice, relaxing environment, and it gives you a chance to see movies on the big screen that you might not otherwise get the chance to see.

See you next week.

The Ditty Bops on the Live Music Archive

I've seen several local bloggers mention The Ditty Bops in the last year. See here and here. It seems that The Ditty Bops made their way through Springfield last summer, although few people got the chance to see them due to a mixup on the Illinois Times calendar. I'll confess that I know little about the band, but I have maintained a certain amount of curiousity since reading about them on GTG blog and blogfreespringfield. Yesterday I found them on the Live Music Archive and thought I would pass along the info.

As you know, I browse the archive throughout my workday, constantly in search of something to listen to. Yesterday, I saw that The Ditty Bops have 48 shows on the archive for your listening/downloading pleasure.

I listened to one show, in particular. The recording is top-quality, and the sound is great. The Ditty Bops have a unique folksy, swing sound. Their music is upbeat and playful. They pull from musical influences that span the 20th Century and even deeper into the folk traditions of American music.

UPDATE: Here's a link to a youtube video of The Ditty Bops' song "Wishful Thinking." Thanks Dan.

If You're Interested in Local History . . .

come hear Dr. Terrance Martin talk about New Philadelphia's discovery and history. New Philadelphia was the first town in America to be incorporated by a black man. Free Frank McWorter was a South Carolina slave who worked hard during his enslavement to purchase his freedom. When he became free, he increased his efforts to make money and eventually bought the freedom of 14 family members. Upon his freedom, he moved to the Illinois frontier and founded the town New Philadelphia, which was located in Pike County, about 70 miles west of Springfield.

Dr. Martin will be delivering a lecture entitled "New Philadelphia: First Biracial Community on the Illinois Frontier" on Wednesday February 21st at 12:00 noon at the Illinois State Library, Gwendolyn Brooks building (300 South Second Street). The event is free and open to the public.

Internet Archive Show of the Week #2 -- Jack Johnson at Le Zenith (Paris, France)

Jack Johnson at Le Zenith on 2006-03-06



Maybe Jack Johnson is your thing. Internet Archive has a fairly large collection of Jack Johnson shows. I've listened to a few of them, and I haven't been very impressed. Most Jack Johnson shows I've heard all sound pretty similar. I'm a guy who wants something a little different from a live performance. I don't want to go hear an album played out on stage. This show at Le Zenith, however, is one for the ages. It really delivers. For some reason or other, the guys from Animal Liberation Orchestra joined Jack onstage for this entire show. It's Jack being backed by a full band, and the piano, especially, adds a lot to the performance. The crowd is full of energy, and I think the collaboration really works. I'd like to see a lot more from these guys as a group.

Clooney and Damon were in town last weekend . . .

they just spent most of the time at my place.

That's right. I bumped into the two mega-stars at the Walleye Wagon on Friday night and invited them over to my place for some Miller High Lifes. How could they turn down such an offer? So, while you suckers were all running all over town looking for these two Hollywood Hunks, they were here getting their asses whipped at Mario Kart.

I invited Micah over, and we all sat around drinking and just generally having a good time. At one point Oprah called to see if the guys wanted to meet her at the Firehouse for a nightcap, but good ol' George and Matt dissed her. I couldn't believe it. It was a great night. George Clooney told us funny stories about the set of Roseanne, and how he's thinking about returning to ER if it runs for another 10 seasons. He seems to think that would be a good way to wind down his career.

As for Damon, he told us how Ben Affleck has really turned into a huge turd in the last five years, even suggesting that we won't see the two working together anytime soon.

As soon as I upload the pictures from my digital camera, I'll post them here for all to enjoy.

Nod to Dave and Grace.

LMA Show of the Week -- Grateful Dead Live at Fillmore East on 1970-02-11

Grateful Dead -- Live at Fillmore East on 1970-02-11

It's been awhile since I've posted a show of the week from the Live Music Archive. Part of the reason is that I haven't been listening to the shows there as much since I've discovered Sufjan Stevens. I've been listening to his albums a lot the last month or so. Also, I've been listening to a lot of old stuff, stuff by Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Mississippi John Hurt, as well as a little Bill Monroe and some David Grisman, and topped with a helping of Mr. Bungle and a little Hella.

But this morning I woke up and felt like I needed something a little different. The snow was coming down, the wind was blowing, and I had little to do at work but research and write. I wanted something I could settle into, get comfortable, and just roll through the day. So, I located this gem of a Grateful Dead show from 1970, and I've been listening to it all day.

It was recorded from a night of long, high-energy jams and features guest appearances throughout the night from the Allman Brothers Band, featuring Dwayne Allman on guitar, Gregg Allman on organ, Butch Trucks on drums, as well as Mick Fleetwood dancing. This show gives you a wonderful taste of some of their straight songs, and the night ends with all out jamming on Dark Star, Spanish Jam, and a 30+ minute version of Lovelight. Bluesy, psychadelic, and full of crazy energy. This show is truly symbolic of what the Dead were all about in their early days.

My Boyhood Dream

When I was a kid, I loved reading stuff like Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. I loved the notion of an underground world. I've always thought it would be so cool to see a giant underground cavern. A friend of mine told me once of a boyhood vacation he and his family took to a cave system in Tennessee that features America's largest underground lake. You can take a glass-bottomed boat ride out across the lake, and I think that sounds effing awesome! I think I'd live down there if I could. Someday I will go to this underground lake myself.

Anyway, today I was doing some research for work, and I came across the wiki entry for the Blauhohle, a large cave system in southern Germany, that features numerous open-air caverns, open underground lakes, and a river that flows underground through the cave system. This sounds like something straight out of a Jules Verne story, or even the Tolkien stories. What's really cool about the Blauhohle is that the whole cave network starts about 20 meters underwater in the German spring, the Blautopf.

Just sharing.

Breaking Real News?

Last July, Dave Bakke ran an article that discussed the likelihood of local bloggers beating the SJ-R or other local media outlets to "big stories." Dave interviewed several local bloggers (myself included). It seemed like Dave's consensus in his article was that local bloggers posed little threat to the seasoned professionals of central Illinois. We bloggers, it seemed, were in it for the fun, and never had any intentions of scooping the big story.

Well, look out local media professionals. With Barack Obama set to deliver his announcement tomorrow in front of the Old State Capitol, it appears as though many in the local blogosphere are gearing up for an opportunity to deliver delicious little scoops of news surrounding the event. Will mainstream media get beaten to the punch on a meaningful, worthwhile story? I don't know. Only time will tell, but it sounds like plenty of bloggers are gearing up for the event, starting with the possible appearance of major celebrities right here in little ol' Springfield.

See here, here, and just in general here for all the latest Obama related blogging news.

It's not every day that we get an event like this here in town, and it will be interesting to me to see how the local blogosphere deals with all the action. I'll be attending the announcement, but I'll be wearing a stocking cap, not my blogger beret.

14 Days in a Civic

I saw this video on YouTube a few days ago and thought it was hilarious. It's a spoof of the "7 Days in a Sentra" campaign by Nissan. Give it a watch.

Movie Geeks Club Selection: Brick

I rented Brick last week after it was selected as the next movie for the Movie Geeks Club. What a great movie! I think we're all in for a real treat. It's got a really great classic film noir feel, while also managing an incredibly modern and slick look. Plus, the dialogue is lightning fast and at times images and names are being thrown at you about as quickly as you can process them. I think everyone who comes out on February 27th is going to have a great time.

Here's some info. Be warned, there are spoilers here.

Lucy's Surgery: a Follow-up

This post is directed to our occasional web browsers more than to our daily readers. I've been truly amazed at how many people come to the blog looking for information on canine vulvoplasty, canine episioplasty, or canine vulvar conformation. I never thought I'd be a go-to guy for information on canine vulvar conformation, but you never know what hand you'll be dealt.

I originally posted our story of our dog Lucy's problems because it was so hard for us to find information about the procedure before we decided to do it. Since that first post back in October, we've had tons of hits to the blog from people trying to find information on the procedure. I feel glad to have been able to offer some anecdotal advice based on our experiences with Lucy.



It has been a little over 4 months since Lucy's surgery, and she's doing great. The vulvoplasty surgery fixed her conformation, and she's no longer suffering from the chronic urinary tract infections that plagued her for over a year. In fact, we've seen a huge change in Lucy's mood and temperament since the surgery. Before the surgery, she seemed tired all the time. She liked to be left alone, and she just seemed like she was irritated. Since the surgery, she has been full of energy, very playful, and very social.

We couldn't be happier with how the surgery turned out. We're very grateful for the wonderful doctor who performed the surgery. If you are considering the surgery, I can tell you that in our experience, it was worth it. Lucy's quality of life is much better. She's a happier dog, and we're happier, too. Plus, we're not spending nearly $100 a month on medicine to treat urinary tract infection.

Redbridge, a Gluten-Free Beer

As many of you may know, my wife has celiac disease, which means she can't eat anything with gluten (found in grains such as wheat, oats, barley, and rye). It gets more complicated than that, but that's really enough information to get you started. As you can imagine, she cannot drink beer. Even before she was diagnosed with celiac, she never drank beer because it made her feel crappy. Even one beer would make her feel bloated and nauseated.

Cue Anheuser-Busch. This year, they've begun producing and distributing Redbridge, the first mass-produced beer that is gluten-free. There have apparently been other gluten-free beers available in some local markets in the Northeast, but nothing that was ever easy to get our hands on. The key difference between Redbridge and your average beer is the lack of barley and/or wheat. Redbridge is manufactured with sorghum instead, leaving the finished product completely free of that nasty gluten.

When we first heard about Redbridge, we were excited. We're always excited when a new gluten-free product is developed. So, yesterday, I was checking the Redbridge website, and I saw that it is now available in Springfield. I went out after work and grabbed a six-pack. It's a little more expensive than your run-of-the-mill mainstream beers, but not much different in price than a microbrew or an import.

We cracked a couple last night, and I have to say I was very pleased. Redbridge is a little on the sweet side, I'm assuming because of the use of sorghum, which is naturally sweet, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. It has a smooth flavor, and doesn't linger long with any strange aftertaste. I thought the beer was great, and even Aubrey liked it. The Redbridge was the first beer she's ever had that didn't make her feel sick. Now, I can't wait to introduce her to the many traditions of beer drinking -- beer and peanuts while watching a baseball game on a Saturday afternoon, beer and pizza (yes, we make gluten-free pizza), beer and grilled meats in the summer time, just to name a few.

Redbridge is a great beer for people with gluten intolerance. But it's also a fine beer for those of us who can tolerate gluten.

Another Bit of Central Illinois History

I was born and raised in Oakford, which is a blip on the Illinois map about 10 miles north of Petersburg and about 35 miles northwest of Springfield. Oakford is the "O" in PORTA.

Anyway, I'm always looking for historical information on Central Illinois, and I came across this little tidbit recently about the first phones being installed in Oakford. I'm sure other communities have similar stories about the new technology of the telephone, but I bet few stories end the way Oakford's does.

This information is quoted from the book, They Left Their Mark In Oakford, 1872, which can be found online thanks to the Illinois Genealogy Trails website.

"It was hailed as a step forward in communications when in about 1900 the first Oakford telephone was installed in Dave and Ellen Lee's boarding and rooming house. when the Independent Telephone Company installed another phone in the same room Mrs. Lee was kept busy relaying messages to people on the different lines.

West of town, the farmers built the first lines known as the People's Telephone Company.

Most switchboards were located in the operators homes.

Then the story gets really good. In the early days of the Oakford telephones, a drunk (God love 'em) made a phone call early one Sunday morning on the line coming from west of town. He claimed that a band of gypsies were moving through the countryside, and they had just invaded Oakford. These gypsies were "killing babies" and "kidnapping women" among other things. Word spread quickly, and a madness ensued. People stormed out of their houses with their children and headed to nearby fields and timbers to hide from the gypsies with their children. When the news reached the Mount Olive Church, the people saw fit to suspend services so they could go find the gypsies and protect their possessions. Vigilante groups were assembled, roadblocks were set up, and believe it or not, no gypsies were found.

I guess this was Oakford's first prank phone call. It was certainly better than anything I came up with in my teenage years.

A Resource for Beginner Musicians

I just recently found MusicMoose as I was looking for videos of mandolin players. It's a website with free video music lessons for beginners (and more experienced players, too). They have numerous lessons on a number of instruments, and they are always adding more. What's best, is that the instructors are world class performers. For example, the mandolin instructor is National Mandolin Champion, Anthony Hannigan, a guy who is obviously talented and passionate about the instrument.

You can currently find lessons for guitar, banjo, mandolin, violin, saxophone, dobro, and harmonica. The videos I've watched are easy to follow and simple to understand. Already my tremolo and double stops have improved about 75%. And that's saying something, because before my tremolo sounded like I was murdering small woodland animals, and my double stops just sounded like I didn't have any fingers on my picking hand.

If you're a beginner on any instrument, I'd keep MusicMoose in mind. It's a great resource for learning basic techniques and laying the foundation for developing as a player.