dimland radio 1-18-20 show notes

Let It Snow

It wasn't the biggest snowfall we've ever gotta in the Twin Cities, but the timing did make it tricky. I decided to do my Friday night job over the weekend. That job is cleaning an office building. Mentioning that led to...

Tales From The Janitor's Closet

This segment was pretty much just me going on about some things office workers do that make janitors grumble. There always seems to be at least one person determined to make the janitor's job harder. the jerks.

A Dimland Radio Pedantic Moment: Good Will Hunting

We watched Good Will Hunting a couple weeks ago. It's a good movie. Oh, sure, he's a math genius, but Good Will doesn't know how to mop. As if! 

And I suggest a possible career path Good Will's best friend, played by Ben Affleck, might pursue.

Sports!

 

I mentioned last week that the Minnesota Vikings were (note that, were) in the playoffs. They managed to beat the New Orleans Saints and move on to San Francisco to take on the 49ers. I predicted the Vikes would lose. They did. 

Well, at least they won't lose the Super Bowl. 

A Dimland Radio Science Zero Or This Can't Be What Gwyneth's Vaj Smells Like

 

Goop, the website designed to extract money from the gullible, has a new product. It's a scented candle that Goop claims smells like their leader's vagina. It's called 'This Smells Like My Vagina'. The vagina in question belongs to America's princess Gwyneth Paltrow.

How does Goop come up with these ideas?

But it's a misrepresentation. It's just some perfume, not the smell of Gwen's genitals.

I imagined how a particular customer might have been disappointed by the bait and switch. 

Cool Thing: Behind The Scenes Photos From Harry Potter Movies

 

The Harry Potter movie series (and books) are among my favorites. So, I thought it would be of interest to share this site which shows some of the behind the scenes magic. It's cool.

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: Ram by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: Electric Lash by The Church & Love Vigilantes by New Order

Second ad break bumpers: Seven Year Ache by Rosanne Cash & O.K. Wait by Naked Raygun

Closing song: Angler's Treble Hook by $5 Fiddle

That's it! See you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com

Please subscribe on iTunes! Just search for Dimland Radio in the podcast section. And if you could leave a good rating and a positive review it would be awesome.

You can also go to my CafePress store and buy stuff with my artwork on it and have me do a portrait for you if you like. Find out more here and here.

Images used under Fair Use.

dimland radio 9-14-19 show notes

Cool Thing #1: New(ish) Who Song!

I must apologize for attempting to sing in this segment, but I didn't have clips of songs to play. Sorry.

 

Imagine my excitement when Friday morning I saw that my favorite band had released a "new" song. It is a new Who song, but it's a cover of a solo Pete Townshend song which he had released in 2015. I explained this was not the first time for there to be a Who version of a solo Townshend song, demos notwithstanding.

 

I like the Who version a little more than Townshend's. That where my attempt to sing comes in to demonstrate the growliness of Townshend's older voice. I don't know if he puts the growl on or if his aged vocal cords give him no choice but to sing that way.

 

I give a brief history of other Who songs released after 2000:

 

Real Good Looking Boy (2004)

 

Old Red Wine (2004)

 

Be Lucky (2014)

 

Ball And Chain (2019)

 

Solo Townshend songs since 2000:

 

Guantanamo (2015)The original version of The Who's Ball And Chain

 

How Can I Help You (2015)

 

If you think there was a lot of talk about The Who for this song, wait until the new album drops in November! Heh heh heh. 

A Dimland Radio Pedantic Moment: University Avenue And The Twin Cities

My wife Amy suggested I listen to the true crime podcast produced in Australia called Casefile. It sounded intriguing as she described it, so I did. It's pretty good, but my pedantry kicked in when they profiled the Weepy Voiced Killer. I realize this pedantry might be a bit on the eye-rolling side, but that's pedantry for you.

 

The show can be forgiven since it is produced in Australia that the host, who is anonymous by the way, doesn't know how University Avenue is situated in relation to to Twin Cities. He describes it as splitting the two cities with St. Paul on one side and Minneapolis on the other. That's not how it runs. University Avenue runs through then Twin Cities, not between them.

 

Paper Straws

I had my first experience (at least an adult, but I can't remember back that far) with drinking a soda through a paper straw. Paper straws are becoming more common as a measure to protect the environment and turtles. The paper kind are biodegradable and less likely to end up choking out turtles.

 

That's good I guess, but...

Cool Thing #2: Network Television Brightened Harry Potter

 

The other evening NBC was playing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and I noticed something: I could see what was going on!

 

On the DVD version the Battle of Hogwarts scene, in which Lord Voldemort and his Death-Eaters and other magical beings attack the fabled school, is damned dark. I adjust the brightness level, but that doesn't help much. The darkness makes it difficult to see details. You can still tell what's going on, but it is a little frustrating.

 

NBC must have felt that same frustration and brighten the movie. Doing such did bring out missing details, but it also tended to flatten the look of the movie and expose some of the flaws in the CGI effects that had been hidden by darkness.

 

Cool Thing #3: Helena Bonham Carter

 

Helena Bonham Carter is a terrific actor. I don't think she gets enough notice for how good she is and in Deathly Hallows Part 2 she really shows why she's so good. In the scene in which Harry, Ron, Griphook, and Hermione as Bellatrix LeStrange (if you don't know Harry Potter, I'm not going to explain it to you - sorry) make their way into Gringott's bank, Helena really shines.

 

She is playing Hermione as Bellatrix and you absolutely see the mannerisms of actor Emma Watson in Bonham Carter's performance. In the scene of the group gathering on the beach to apparate to Diagon Alley (again, I'm not going to explain) as Bellatrix (really Hermione) approaches the group you swear it's Watson, but it's Bonham Carter. Incredible!

 

Links below:

 

This video has several Bellatrix moments including the Hermione as Bellatrix moments. Note the excellence. Spoilers! And in this you can see how dark the films are.

 

Behind the scenes with Helena Bonham Carter.

 

Seinfeld, Corbert, And Cosby And Separating The Artist From The Art

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld recently appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Cobert promoting his new Netflix comedy special - Jerry Before Seinfeld. The conversation turned toward Jerry's influences and Bill Cosby was discussed. Cosby contribution to comdey cannot be denied, but can his work still be viewed in light of what the world learned about the man.

 

Seinfeld had no problem separating the work from the man, the art from the artist. Cobert can't. There was a brief and interesting discussion. After the commercial bring, Jerry had changed his position...

 

Interview part one here and part two here.

 

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: 'OK Wait' by Naked Raygun & 'Uncertain Smile' by The The

Second ad break bumpers: 'Rusholme Ruffians' by The Smiths & 'English Roundabout' by XTC

Closing song: 'Angler's Treble Hook' by $5 Fiddle

That's it! See you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com

Please subscribe on iTunes! Just search for Dimland Radio in the podcast section. And if you could leave a good rating and a positive review it would be awesome.

You can also go to my CafePress store and buy stuff with my artwork on it and have me do a portrait for you if you like. Find out more here and here.

Images used under Fair Use.

dimland radio 11-3-12 show notes

More Memes Outrage & Election Fatigue

Again someone has posted on the Facebook an image that is misleading.  It's another "Romney is evil" thing that shows how his campaign caps are made in China.  Well, as I have stated on the show before, both campaigns have pledged that all official merchandise is American made.  It seems more likely that someone has bootlegged Romney campaign booty.

Snopes.com has weighed in on this here.

In the interest of balance, I talked about a meme alleging the Obama White House situation room was hopping with activity during Hurricane Sandy, but an empty room when the American embassy in Benghazi was attacked by terrorists.  The meme might be accurate, but we only have its say so to go by.  There was no source citation.

 

A Little Free Speech Talk

A Facebook friend from Pakistan asked if the maker of 'Innocence of Muslims' was going to be arrested.  As lousy as the trailer for the alleged film is, and at this point we don't know if anything but the trailer actually exists, we have freedom of speech here in America.  I explained to him that protecting speech we don't like is as important as protecting speech we do like.

Get In Line Or Don't

When there is a finite number of items to be purchased and when arriving early insures a better seat at a concert or movie, then getting lined up makes more sense.  But when Apple releases an new iPhone or Springsteen releases a new album or a new Harry Potter book comes out, why line up for hours or days to get one?  Won't they make more?  Will those items disappear from the stores never to be restocked?

I don't understand needing to be one of the first to have some product when you could easily go to the store a week after the product is released and get it.  No need to miss several days of work or, at least, several hours of sleep.

Seeing 'Return Of The Jedi' First

Ok, all that said about lining up, I told the story of how my friend Greg and I skipped the first part of the school day to watch 'Return Of The Jedi' the day it opened in the theaters.  We were seniors in high school and the year was winding down, so our moms said it was ok.  My mom even let us use her car.

Interestingly enough, there was no line of people having waited for days.  Greg and I just walked up, got our tickets, and enjoyed the show.

Movie Recommendation (TV edition): The Wire (2002 - 2008)

HBO

This HBO series is awesome!  Great characters, great writing, fantastic performances.  It's a gritty, realistic, and unflinching look at the world of police, politicians, gangsters, lawyers, and drug dealers.  So good!  Watch it! 

Music heard on the show (Whenever Possible, I Will Link To The Song)...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus

First ad break bumpers: 'Come To Milton Keynes' by The Style Council & 'Mega City 1' by The Screaming Blue Messiahs
Second ad break bumpers: 'You Know Better Than I Know' by Pete Shelley & 'Sign O The Times' by Prince
Closing song: 'Angler's Treble Hook' by $5 Fiddle

That's it! See you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com

You can also go to my CafePress store and buy stuff with my artwork on it and have me do a portrait for you if you like. Find out more here and here.

dimland radio 7-23-11 show notes

The Local Connection

Another reason I don't like the way local TV stations report on the local connection to any not local story. Am I gonna care more if I know someone from my home state was involved in a plane crash in Spain? I doubt it.

Ant Invasion

Die! You invaders! Die!

The joys of being a homeowner! I talked about dealing with ants taking over the window ledge in the bathroom. Some vacuuming and laying down of ant poison seems to be working.

County Fair Game Trickery

"Dad, win me one of those angry birds!"

I took the wife and son to the county fair last weekend and my son wanted to win a stuffed angry bird. I was apprehensive, but did it anyway. Less than 10 minutes later (and my wallet $25 lighter) he got his angry bird. Hopefully, both he and I learned the lesson to just not get involved in the whole game of chance ever again.

It's Not True: The Piltdown Man

Nope! It's not real

I gave a talk about the hoax that was the Piltdown Man. Piltdown Man was a set of fossils of skull bones and some teeth that were thought to be about 500,000 years old. If true, that would not fit the established timeline of human development. The hoax stood for more than four decades before exposure.

The story is an illustration of how science can be mistaken from time to time and that more science is what corrects those mistakes.

I mentioned the Cardiff Giant (another hoax) and a short story written by Mark Twain. It's a humorous tale about the ghost of the Cardiff Giant haunting the copy PT Barnum had made. It's a good read.

Good News

The Texas Board of Education decided 8-0 to keep creationist educational supplements out of high school biology classes. A win for science and reality.

Movie Recommendation: Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2

We saw it today. Very good. I think it was a satisfying end to the film series. The revelation of Snapes' past and his words to Harry were very touching.

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus
First ad break bumpers: 'Shaken But Not Stirred' by The Red Guitars & 'Hiding Out' by Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (Yes, that's his full name.)
Second ad break bumpers: 'Another Nail In My Heart' by Squeeze & 'Something I Learned Today' by Husker Du
Closing song: 'Angler's Treble Hook' by $5 Fiddle

That's it! See you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com

dimland radio 5-14-11 show notes

A Tale Of A Comic Book Collector

I have three copies of this one!

I geeked out on this show, letting myself talk about collecting comic books. I talked specifically about one particular comic book, The Incredible Hulk #181 (Nov. 1974). The reason for talking about this comic book was because I had read that it had recently sold for $150,000! I have three copies of this issue. Alas, none are in as near as good condition as that high buck getting book.

The reason for it's high value? The Incredible Hulk #181 happens to be the first full issue appearance of the highly popular character Wolverine. But 150Gs seems a bit excessive no matter how good its condition.

Read more about the big time sale here.

A Few Observations On Harry Potter

I continued waving my geek flag by talking about the Harry Potter books and movies. I really, really, really like them, so indulged myself by making these observations:

First, the most heroic character? Severus Snape.

Second, after the last book of the series (Deathly Hallows) was released J K Rowling announced that Professor Dumbledore was gay. Ok, so what? However, I made the point that I thought that Gary Oldman very subtly played the character of Sirius Black as though he was gay. It could just be me, but I got the impression that in the fifth film (The Order Of The Phoenix) Sirius had been in love (unrequitedly) with Harry's father, James Potter. I could be wrong, but that's what I think.

Lastly, I wondered just how much regular education these young witches and wizards received prior to enrolling at Hogwarts. I'm fairly certain that Hogwarts doesn't teach any readin', 'ritin', or 'rithmetic. Maybe the magic in the students gets them through all that.

Movie Recommendation: Harry Potter And... ANY Of Them

Hint, hint.

Any of the seven films will be very entertaining, but if you don't know the story at all watch from the beginning (The Sorcerer's Stone) because the subsequent films assume you have been watching from the first one on.

Of the films released thus far I'd say my favorite is the sixth film (The Half Blood Prince). I'm really looking forward to the final installment which will be released this July.

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ahead' by Wire
First ad break bumpers: 'Gardening At Night' by REM & 'Rock The Casbah' by The Clash
Second ad break bumpers: 'Spirits In The Material World' by The Police & 'Burning From The Inside' by Bauhaus
Closing song: 'Angler's Treble Hook' by $5 Fiddle

That's it! See you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com