Year: 2008

Boston Globe goes color, wimps out

The paper edition of The Boston Globe now prints the daily comics in color. They’ve gotten letters of complaint from some readers, including one old codger (are there any young codgers?) who said the only way he knows it’s Sunday is because the comics are in color, as if having them printed bigger in a separate section isn’t enough of a clue. Anyway, I’m all for it, because other cities have had color daily comics for twenty years. Back then the papers had to do their own coloring, but now the syndicate provides the color guides.

But I’m disappointed that the Globe didn’t run G.B. Trudeau’s intended installment of Doonesbury for November 5, declaring Obama the President-elect. Instead, this strip was reprinted.

Boston Globe Doonesbury, 5Nov08

Newspaper people love to rag on other newspapers, and the suburban Boston paper I get, The Metrowest Daily News, had this commentary on the Globe’s wimpery.

Halloween Hijinks

Here it is, already a week since Halloween, and I’m only now getting around to this entry. We had a good turnout this year, but we had way more than enough candy. Two years ago we had a more modest amount of excess.

I enjoy decorating the front porch for Halloween. Some webbing, simple lighting, a fog machine, and creaky old radio shows make a nice effect. One kid, about ten, who came to house said he remembered coming here “when he was little”, and he always liked the way the house looks. Eric took Bismo’s son out again to make the rounds, and he wore the same getup as last year, but with a new mask.

Halloween 2008Halloween 2008Halloween 2008

Eric was goofing around with the digital camera and came up with a fun little video. He designed the pumpkin faces and I carved them. The old time radio program “The Whistler” is playing. Trivia note: Gerald Mohr, who says “likes to do it the hard way” was the voice of Reed Richards in the 1967 Fantastic Four cartoon. I posted one at this link, and you can also hear Mohr’s voice here. You’ll even find a picture of him on the blog. How did so much of Gerald Mohr get on DogRat.com?
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2008/NOV/Halloween08.flv 440 330]

Like Yo’ Mama Sees You

K3 did three shows in the Netherlands on Friday! They’re doing three more on Saturday, and then again on Sunday! Lucky Dutchies. How about a couple of K3 tunes with “Mama” in the title?

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/K3/K3MamasPapasLive.flv 480 270]

I know, I know, almost sounds like a jingle for a commercial, but I still like it. Give the studio recording a listen.

[audio:https://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Audio/K3/MamasEnPapas.mp3|titles=Mama En Papas – K3]

K3 has a nifty tune called “Ye Mama Ziet Graag”, or “Like Your Mama Sees You”. I featured a live performance at this link, and here’s the video for it.

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/K3/K3JeMamaZietJeGraag.flv 480 270]

An alternate take was used for the video. The CD version goes easy on the Dixieland sound until the end.

[audio:https://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Audio/K3/JeMamaZietJeGraag.mp3|titles=Je Mama Ziet Je Graag – K3]

AF #15 in LOC

Something I meant to mention months ago is the anonymous donation to the Library of Congress of the original art to the 1962 comic book Amazing Fantasy #15. That particular issue includes the first appearance of Spider-Man, by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

And a few months ago a new book about Ditko came out from Fantagraphics, the outfit that is handling The Complete Peanuts. (Here’s the set I’m hoping to get from Santa this year.) STRANGE AND STRANGER The World of Steve Ditko, by Blake Bell, rated a review in the New York Times.

Did the doc murder the doc?

Here is the complete 48 Hours|Mystery program about the 1993 murder of Dr. Linda Goudey, who worked at the same hospital as my wife Carol. One omission in the narrative is the fact that, except for the medical arts building, the facility has been closed since 1999. I was there a couple of days ago seeing my retinologist, and nearly ten years later it’s still one big, empty place.

There were other factors involved in its demise, including financial mismanagement by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, but Goudey’s murder was a significant event in the downward slide of New England Memorial Hospital. It was called Boston Regional Medical Center when it shut down.


Watch CBS Videos Online

Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts

There’s a lot of Old Time Radio available for free listening online. One of the many sites offering OTR shows is RadioLovers.com, which is where I found this complete 1949 installment of Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. It’s particularly interesting for who appears at 17 minutes into the program. He was 24 years old, and yet he’s introduced by his Jewish mother.

[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/NOV/ArthurGodfrey.mp3]

I watched Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour on CBS TV in the 60’s. Today, of course, the format is back as American Idol, etc.