Stranger in a Strange Land: Watching Stereo

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein has had an effect on United States Popular Culture.   According to Wikipedia the following songs and episodes were inspired by A Stranger in a Strange Land. 

Heinlein's book inspired the following songs:












Also the book inspired "Strangers in a Strange Land" a song written by David Blue and recorded by folk rockers Jim and Jean on their 1966 Changes Album.

T.V. Episodes-
Stranger in a Strange Land was also the name of and inspired a LOST episode titled Stanger in a Strange Land:











Spock in some ways acts like the Man from Mars....

Goodwill and the perfect Shirt (Insight from Gregorio Roth)

What is the perfect shirt? What makes something good and something trashy?

I went to Good will today to find the answer to these questions:


Americans, I mean you and me, (yes I am just as bad as the next guy) love the new thing. We love to buy stuff that will exhibit our evolving personality. We love too be considered cool in our own evolving Face Book profile.   Our profiles are blown like a kit flown during a Tornado, no wonder we say are tired.  We go to great lengths to be unique in a world that wants us common; for more on this idea check out my Mom's Blog on the Blue Allium?


As I was saying before I rudely interrupted my own thoughts, I went to Good Will today to look for the perfect shirt. I went through 100 or more shirts in order to find two that would be bonuses to my collection. I love the thrill of a good deal, $5.00 for a one of a kind shirt. We all love to search for something cool; (my brother loves to look through records to find the perfect album). 


 I looked through the Short Sleeve dress shirts.  And I found a University of Oregon replica jersey with the number 96 and tire treads on the sleeves.   Finding an Oregon replica jersey in Florida is something that makes me smile.   

BTW: Happy Birthday Mom I love you!!!!!!

120 Minutes Archive.

Do y'all remember 120 minutes?

 Do you remember a time, when MTV attempted to play interesting music? 

When MTV did not become another teen reality network? 

 When MTV mattered? 

 Do you remember these times: then head to the 120 Minutes Archive put together by Tyler C..  

Reprint:

Toy Publix truck on mantle,
Van Gogh Flowers Poster
Flogging Molly Banner
Mountain Riders Maui Poster 242-9739
White (the hero's color) Cowboy hat from Ocala
Cologne: Burburry London for Men
Obsession Silken Body Lotion C.K.
Compass pointing out Due North
Date Jar full of Dimes
Wind in the Willows Poster from London's National Theater
My bedroom lies cramped with so much character.   

Revision of LOST by Chris Seay

The tide rises,

the day returns,

but nevermore,

returns the traveler to the shore,

And the tide rises,

the tide falls.

                                                                                          - Long Fellow

                

I love the television series Lost. Lost offers twisting plots; Lost also offers well formed characters, and interesting links into philosophy.   The tale offers a good study on the effect of the Gospel on the LOST sheep amongst hungry wolves





I read this book as if I was hunting for emergent(s) amongst the Cloud Monsters that inhabit the Island.  Chris Seay struggles with the gospel and often barely grasps it; because the gospel is weak it undermines the usefulness of the book.   Chris does do a good job on bringing in philosophical ideas that are not Christian.   This book is a good view into the Emergent World that Chris inhabits.  Seay has an ability to grab readers, and he knows his audience (between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five).   .  Chris shows the probing question on Lost is: "What does it means to build up a culture from the ground up?"





Also now we see the comparison of the Children of Light and the Children of Darkness; and the battle that is being waged for the balance of the Island.  I hope Chris writes a revised edition with all that is learned in LOST the final season.   The book would need at least a couple more chapters.  



 I would recommend this book to Christians who want to hold LOST parties, but I would have reservations because of a translucent Gospel.

Punt Bama Punt

1972; a year before I was born. The score of the Iron Bowl was 16-3. Bama undefeated. Auburn hungry for a victory. Bama punts. Auburn blocks the point and runs it back for a touchdown. Score 16-10. Then the incredible happened, Bama punts again, again the same guy blocks the punt, and the same Auburn Tiger scores; the score now was 16-17. Auburn won. Punt 'bama punt; a rivalry had become even more fierce.

Monday: Greg's Notebook

Going Westside: Space Needle

West Coast-California Basketball

a. lakers fast break makers
kinds of the court shake and bake all takers
back to back is a bad ass fact a claim that remains in tact
m-a-g-i-c see you on the court
buck has come to play his way and his way is to thwart
m-a-g-i-c magic of the buck
other teams pray for dreams
but he don't give a [fuck]
penetrating the lane like a bullet train
comes the magic blood a telepathic brain
knucklehead suckers better duck
when the buck comes through like a truck
scott stops pops and drops it in
on his way back gets a little skin
from the hand of a man named a. c. green
slam so hard break your t.v. screen
worthy's hot with his tomahawk
take it to the hole make your mamma talk
i hate to burst your bubble but triple double trouble
is coming to your town and he's going to make rubble
l. a. lakers fast break makers
kings of the court shake and bake all takers
back to back is a bad ass fact a claim that remains in tact
lakers are the team that i watch on the telly
cause they got more moves
that a bowl full of jelly
the buck stops here - pops - then cheers
a roar through the forum
that deafens my ears
the one and only know if his kind
sits in a throne
not for the records that he holds
but for being bald and bold
kareem abdul jabbar
all time great super super star
i hate to burst your bubble but triple double trouble
is coming to your town and he's going to make rubble
does anybody want some magic johnson
l. a. lakers fast break makers
kings of the court shake and bake all takers
back to back is a bad ass fact a claim that remains in tact

Monday: Greg's Journal of Found Things

Tools for Week:
Sandwich Calculator

From Greg's Journal of Found Things

The Fumble Heard Around the AFC
the Story of the 1987 AFC Championship

We humans like to take one event from the whole set and make that the truth. We can not tell a likely event from one event, or one piece of data. We need a large sample size to make a statistical likely-hood.

Ernest Byner of the Cleveland Browns statistically never fumbled; but one day in 1987 he fumbled on the 3 yard line redefining his identity forever.

"Browns running back Earnest Byner took a handoff and appeared to be on his way to score the game-tying touchdown. But he was stripped of the ball by Broncos defensive back Jeremiah Castille, and fumbled at the 3-yard line. The Broncos recovered the ball, gave the Browns an intentional safety, and went on to win 38-33. While Byner took a lot of heat from Browns fans and the media for his fumble, what is often overlooked is that he was one of the main reasons Cleveland came so close to winning the game. He had a superb performance with 67 rushing yards, 7 receptions for 120 yards, and 2 touchdowns." Wikepedia Article the Fumble.


If you see one bright red swan, you are not likely to give up a theory that says that all swans are white, you will instead go looking for the person who painted it." Smolin, Lee Trouble with Physics (297)

Saturday: Westside

Traveling the Western Highway

Route 66

When my friend John Moon, and I were traveling one time the lyrics to this song helped us plan our route. You never know when pop culture will aide you in discovery. Sometimes you might end in a farmers field but hey that's only in Flagstaff.

Well if you ever plan to motor west
Just take my way that's the highway that's the best
Get your kicks on Route 66
Well it winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2000 miles all the way
Get your kicks on Route 66
Well goes from St. Louie down to Missouri
Oklahoma City looks oh so pretty
You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino
Would you get hip to this kindly tip
And go take that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66
Well goes from St. Louie down to Missouri
Oklahoma city looks oh so pretty
You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino
Would you get hip to this kindly tip
And go take that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66

I watched last night, before me,
a duckling become an elegant swan.
She stood upright in her sack cloth dress,
Her voice tightened amongst cat calls,
Salivating critics licked their chops,
Thinking, "Oh -Yeah?!
Another: klutzy, untalented, tone deaf, chump!
She opened her mouth in triumph,
her voice flew out fluttering.
With gossamer wings,
wiping tears that appeared in front of my eyes,
Wings wrapped around me and
Whipped the dirt from my frame,
I had seen an ugly duckling,
but now I saw beauty take flight.

Poem by Gregorio Roth

Sometimes it is good to show revision of my writing, the first draft appeared on Polycarp 55 yesterday. Check out the inspiration here: Britains Got Talent.

Stalin Versus the Martians

Funny! Funny! Stalin looks so cool dancing that way, oi-vey!

All Quite on the Canine Front

Perry Farrel sings our Jewish Favorites

Barbie at 50