dimland radio 3-26-16 show notes

A Busy Week At Work

A new property started, a new employee to train, a few people off, a want ad in the paper, a new office computer, and a snowstorm all made for a busy, hectic, frazzled week for your humble host. I did survive.

My Annual Rant

Before I started my rant, I admitted to the problem with getting the show to start on time last week was due to my error. I messed up. Can we move on?

My embarrassing admission out of the way, I went on to my annual rant.

It's Spring! And if I'm ranting odds are it's about those folks who insist on riding their super-loud Harleys. Oh, they'll claim "loud pipes save lives", but that's just bullshit. If it were true, why put mufflers on any motorcycle?

It's just their way of saying, "Look at me, everybody! I've got a Harley!"

Speaking Of Noisy Motorcycles

Friday evening as I drove to my part time job, while stopped at a light, a nearby (properly muffled) motorcycle had its stereo blasting. My first reaction was to think the rider could turn it down when stopped at a light. Not everyone is interested is his musical taste.

But at the next light, we were stopped again and that same song was playing. I thought I had recognized it at the last traffic light, but it couldn't be that song. Could it?

I rolled a window down and listened closely. It was that song! I would never have guessed that middle-aged fellow would be listening to that song. Some 70s album rock was what I expected, but nope.

Click here to find out what song it was. I promise this isn't a Rick Roll. 

Dimland Radio ARGH!

I had another rant about trying to get job applicants when they call in to understand me when I say the name of the street on which the company I for is located. It's Frost Avenue and it can be very difficult getting people to understand "FFFFFROSSSSST".

Try it sometime. It's so much fun.

Richard Belzer's Record

I don't know if this is listed in the record books, but comedian/actor Richard Belzer has played the same TV character for longer than anyone other actor has played a character. The close seconds are James Arness as Matt Dylan on Gunsmoke and Kelsey Grammar as Fraiser Crane on Cheers and Fraiser, both played their respective characters for 20 years.

Belzer has played TV cop John Munch for 21 to 22 years (I seen conflicting numbers). And he's played that character on different TV programs. Munch started on Homicide: Life on the Streets and moved to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. But he also played Munch on the original Law & Order, as well as The Wire, The Beat, Arrested Development, 30 Rock and The X-Files!

 

Pretty cool, no?

 

The Miracle Anti-Aging Product Is...

Soft focus video! I noticed in an ad for Meaningful Beauty, a kind of anti-aging cream, I guess, spokesperson Valerie Bertinellie looked pretty good at age 54. I also noticed that her "before" picture showed a few more wrinkles than the current video she was making for the ad. I also noticed her "before" picture was much more in focus than the video.

It's an old trick. Star Trek: TOS and other TV shows of that time period did it all the time to make the female actors look more feminine. I wasn't buying it. Although, she does still look pretty cute.

What's The Difference?

I've heard Adam Carolla talk about the dog trainer he hired to train his new puppy. This trainer has been training the puppy's human to not say, "No!" That's too negative. Instead they should say, "Whoops!"

To which I asked, "What's the difference?" The dog doesn't understand the concept of negative words. It just learns that certain sounds barked (heh heh) by the humans means to stop doing what it's doing. The dog isn't going to fret over negativity. So the word "whoops" just ends up meaning no. So, what's the difference?

I expanded this notion to replacing red ink for purple ink when teachers grade homework and tests. Red has negative implications. Well, in time, so will purple ink. What's the difference?

And I mentioned a woman trying to stamp out swearing by getting people to replace current swear words with non-swear words. OK, let's say she accomplishes that feat. In, let's say, 50 years, those replacement swear words will become swear words and some little busybody will start another campaign to stomp out those former replacement swear words. What's the difference?

 

Movie Recommendation: Mr. Holmes (2015)

Miramax/Roadside Attractions

Sir Ian McKellen is great as the aged world's greatest detective (next to Batman, of course). Holmes is 93 and has been retired from the world of crime-fighting for many years now. His friend Dr. John Watson has died and Holmes is finding he is losing his memory. Watson had written one last case of the great detective, but it wasn't written the way it happened.

 

It was Holmes' last case. He wants to to get he story right, but he can't quite remember. How did it end? Why was it his last case? What was it about the case to made Holmes retire to his beekeeping?

 

With the help of his housekeeper's young son, can Mr. Holmes get that story right?

 

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: 'Dear God' By XTC & 'Soul In Isolation' by The Chameleons UK

Second ad break bumpers:  & 'I Lie' by The dBs

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 3-19-16 show notes

A Family Story...

My great uncle Pal died earlier this month at the age of 85. 85 years is a pretty good run, but ask me if I still think it's a good run when I'm 84.

 

His death got me thinking about the Fourth of July celebrations held at his house that we used to attend every year. We stopped attending some time in the early 80s. Not because of a family falling out, but I think it was mostly due to my parents no longer enjoying the heavy drinking that was usually involved.

 

My mother had before that time begun to pull away from all the boozing. She didn't like the hangovers and just didn't enjoy the antics alcohol could facilitate. Dad was coming to that same way of thinking, too.

 

That lead me to remembering one particular Fourth of July holiday. It was perhaps the last time any of our family went to Uncle Pal's for the Fourth. I told the story of that Fourth when Dad was the drunkest I had ever seen him. Mom did not go that year, she was upset with Dad, but she didn't stop my younger brother and I from going.

 

I was working early that day, so when I got off work Dad and Uncle Jack came over to pick me and my brother up to bring to the party. They had both already been there for a while. Dad was driving. Dad was drunk. My brother and I will never forget that terrifying ride. Dad drove too fast, he and Uncle Jack laughing all that way, while my brother and I were white-knuckling in the backseat.

 

I had seen Dad buzzed before, but not like this. This was a different drunk. Dad wasn't falling down or acting out, he just wasn't right. He was barely there. It was scary.

 

Uncle Pal pumped Dad full of coffee at the end to the night and said, "He'll be OK." I was 17 or so and I wasn't a driver yet, but I was contemplating whether or not I would be able to drive us home. Well, Dad drove. We got home and he didn't speak of that holiday very much after that.

 

Years later, about the only thing I was able to get him to say about that day was he didn't remember most of it. He had been blackout drunk virtually the entire day. As I recall, he was taking an antibiotic at the time, for an infection of some sort, and that certainly must have affected how drunk he got.

 

It must have really scared him, because Dad never got that drunk again. In fact, today he's practically a teetotaler and has been for many years.

Canadian Couple On Trial For Not Providing Their Son Proper Medicine

Ezekiel Stephan was 19 months old when he died from meningitis four years ago, after his parents refused him science-based medicine, opting instead to use naturopathic remedies. Had Ezekiel received proven medical care, and had he been vaccinated (his parents refuse to vaccinate as well), chances are very good he'd still be alive today.

 

The Canadian government have brought the parents to trial for not providing the necessaries of life to their son. There are some who say that losing their child is surely punishment enough. That is part of the public debate surrounding the case up there.

I agree the loss of a child is unthinkable. But they have three other children. Ezekiel's death might be enough of a punishment if they learned that instead of relying on unproven methods they should use what science has provided us and get their remaining kids vaccinated.

 

Somehow, I don't think that will happen. Someone needs to speak for Ezekiel and his siblings.

 

Speaking Of Naturopathy

 

It is a the one drawback to having old Johnny Carson shows playing again: The commercials for dubious products and services. I've talked about the California Psychics on a previous show.

 

This time I mentioned the My Pillow claims. It may be very comfortable and hold its shaped, but let's not suggest the pillow helps with fibromyalgia or other self-reported anecdotes. Maybe the pillows are great, but I wonder about those claims.

 

Worse, however, are the ads for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. If their ads are to be believed the centers have a good record for dealing with cancer. Yay. The problem I have is they are an integrative medical facility. Integrative means they provide science-based therapies and treatments along with alternative medical treatments, such as naturopathy, chiropractic, spiritual, etc. Boo.

And listeners to my show should know that there is no such thing as alternative medicine. If it works, it's called medicine. So clinics such as the Cancer Treatment Centers of America make it possible for unproven or disproven methods to glom onto proven treatments and share in the credit for the cure or remission of a cancer. Thereby given those alt treatments a sheen of legitimacy.

That's not good. 

IRS Phone Scam

 

I briefly warned listeners about a phone scam that has been going around. The caller will claim to be from the IRS and that the person being called owes a lot of money in back taxes. They will pressure the person to pay up now or the authorities will be at their door.

 

The IRS does not do that. This is a scam. Hang up. Don't get taken in.

 

I Wish I Had Created This Meme

Brilliant!

Last week, I was going through some of my accumulated images and files for Dimland Radio and I found the image above. I had posted it to the Dimland Radio Facebook page a while back, but I like it so much I figured I'd post it again. The meme makes an awesome point, which a lot of people must appreciate, because it has gone out on the Facebook like wildfire.

 

As of my writing this, FB tells me that image has reached nearly 112,000 people, been shared almost 650 times, and has added 22 likes to the Dimland Radio FB page.

 

It is a brilliant statement. I just wish I had thought of it.

 

Movie Recommendation: None

 

I ran out of time. You are on your own this week.

 

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: 'Red Rain' By Peter Gabriel & 'Once In A Lifetime' by Talking Heads

Second ad break bumpers: 'Snake Dance' by The March Violets & 'Your Silent Face' by New Order

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 3-12-16 show notes

How Many Years?!

It was March 13, 2010 that Dimland Radio first appeared on Z Talk Radio. I've racked up 266 shows since then and I'm pretty sure Dimland Radio is the second longest running show on Z Talk Radio. I took time to thank Scotty Rorek, owner of Z Talk, for giving me a shot at doing a show and not pulling me off the network when I skeptical of there being ghosts, spirits, demons, psychic powers, telekinesis, mind-reading, extraterrestrial visitations, giant or regular sized angels, life after death, Atlantis, shadow people, men in black, bigfoots, poltergeists, a Mothman, chupacabras, a Loch Ness monster, alien abductions, past lives, spirit guides, gods, etc. And when I skeptical of ghost boxes, Reiki, dowsing, homeopathy, magnet therapy, astrology, chiropractic, therapeutic touch, reflexology, prayer, coffee enemas, etc. actually working.

 

The science just doesn't support any of it. So, I remain skeptical.

 

Still, thanks, Scotty.

A Visit With Some Minnesota Skeptics

I hadn't done a meet-up with a group of skeptics in a long while. I forget how many years ago it was when I attended a Minnesota Skeptics "newbie" night. I enjoyed it, but I just didn't go to any other meet-ups. Not that I'm anti-social, I just hadn't gone to any.

 

I decided it was time to attend one of the monthly meet-ups. The group had the foresightedness of having their gatherings on Thursday nights, because that is one of the two nights I have off during the work week.

 

So, I headed out last Thursday, making the trip across the river to Minneapolis and, having park much farther away than I needed to, I hiked the eight blocks and walked into the deli and spotted a couple people I recognized from the Facebook page. Stealthily I approached, maybe they wouldn't notice me, maybe I could just slink away unspotted. I don't look good in spots.

 

Nope, Maddy saw me and announced that Jim Fitzsimons from Dimland Radio was there. It was strange hearing my name being associated with my show. Other than when I say it, that is. In fact, Travis, the meet-up organizer, floored me when he not only told me listened, but that my show was one of the first skeptical podcasts he had listened to. He sent me through the floor when he told me that my show was recommended listening by iTunes, because he listened to other skeptically themed podcast. I still can't quite figure out how that happened.

 

It's pretty cool though. 

 

They made me feel very welcome. I will have to do my best to go each month.

 

A Dimland Radio ARGH!

 

I'm toying with the idea of doing a take off of the Dimland Radio Pedantic Moments called Dimland Radio ARGH! It would be a more intense reaction to something I find annoying than merely being pedantic about something someone got wrong.

 

So, this first foray had me ARGHing about how record labels would take perfectly good album tracks and lop of a few seconds for their release as singles for radio play. This had bothered me for a long time, but it was brought to mind when Adam Carolla played XTC's Senses Working Overtime on his podcast as an example of a great song. He is right about the song, however, he played the hacked single version. ARGH!

 

This is the version Adam played. This is the version he should have played.

Time To Let My Inner Dirty Old Man Out

 

God damn!

I blogged about this for Warehouse Find, the official blog of Nostalgia Zone, this week, so I won't belabor the point here. Essentially, I admitted to being... impressed by Seven of Nine of Star Trek: Voyager. The show was OK, but Jeri Ryan in that form fitting silver outfit - Va va vooooooom!

 

Movie Recommendation: Pete Townshend's Deep End (1985)

 

I'm a big Who fan and, of course, a big fan of Pete Townshend, so I find this concert from 1985 very enjoyable. I love watching musicians, good at their craft, just playing the shit out of something. Admittedly, it does help if you like the material. And I do like this material.

 

Yes, that is Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd on lead guitar. He had played on Pete's album White City: A Novel, which was Pete's latest release at the time this was filmed.

 

It's on YouTube and it sounds so damn good! 

 

Music heard on the show...

Dimland Radio opening theme song: 'Ram' by The Yoleus 
First ad break bumpers: 'Man On The Corner' By Genesis & 'Luka' by Suzanne Vega

Second ad break bumpers: 'Paradise' by Sade & 'Senses Working Overtime' 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
 
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.