Author: DOuG pRATt

The Essential K3

I am happy to report that I am no longer the best place on the Net to see the Belgian girl group K3. This is.

K3 1024x768 wallpaper

At last, Studio 100 has given K3 a proper virtual venue. When Karen Damen’s channel on YouTube disappeared I figured that would be it for online videos, but how good it is to be wrong.

Over six months ago, I wrote sort of an open letter to Studio 100…

I’m the lone voice in America pushing K3. To increase interest in your own posted videos, get high quality versions of “Kusjesdag”, “Hart Verloren”, “Tele Romeo” and “Verliefd” in stereo on YouTube. I’d love to link to those. “I Love You, Baby” too, because it has some English. Think about it. Please. The songs are wonderful, but it’s not just the format that makes it all work, it’s Karen, Kristel and Kathleen, one of the best pop music trios I have ever enjoyed.

Later I added “A Trip to Mars” to that list. Here are direct links to all of those videos, available at last in high quality transfers that hold up to being displayed full screen, and they’re in stereo.

Great job, Studio 100. I don’t even mind that you’ve prevented embedding and downloading. Kudos and thanks.

[flv:http://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Video/K3/NewK3Girl.flv 480 270]

Numbers and more numbers

Whenever there is a notable layoff in the tech sector, c|net keeps track and adds it to the pile of listings. The rate of job losses seems to be abating, but according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, unemployment for EE’s is now at a record 8.6%.

On another serious topic, the death of Robert McNamara brings to mind memories of 40 years ago. The distinct impression I had as a kid was that Viet Nam was all about the body count. It seemed that night after night, the news emphasized how many more North Vietnamese than Americans were being killed. Yet we never seemed to be winning, and our involvement dragged on and on, until my brother reached draft age, and then I was approaching draft age. At my high school job I worked with a guy who left to attend McGill University in Canada to avoid the draft.

A relative of mine, an economist who worked for Robert McNamara at the World Bank, sums him up with, “In the end, he was a tragic figure. Like a lot of brilliant people who excel in math and physics, his social skills and understanding of people were limited. But his brilliance fed an ego that over-reached: hubris, leading to a fall.” She recommends this assessment of McNamara by sociologist Norman Birnbaum.
Continue reading Numbers and more numbers

Guess the girl

Any idea who this is? As an adult, her face became the most famous in the world — not one of, but the most. Even knowing who she is, I can’t say identifying her from this photo is easy, but as far as I can determine the snapshot is genuine.

Diana Spencer

Hover over the picture and you’ll see that it’s Diana Spencer as a child.

Prue-fection

Here is something very special indeed. This is a portrait of Prudence Bury at age seventeen, while she attended the Royal School of Ballet. It was taken by Antony Armstrong-Jones, before he married Princess Margaret and was named the 1st Earl of Snowdon. Lord Snowdon is known for many things, among them his numerous portraits of Lady Diana, Princess of Wales.

Prudence Bury, age 17
© Lord Snowdon (Antony Armstrong-Jones)

This is a photo of a framed photo. In the reflection you can see one of Prue’s sons taking the picture, and some bookcases behind him.

Thank you, Prue! 🙂

The New Joker

Now that I’m subscribing to The New Yorker, I look at the weekly cartoon caption contest, and sometimes a gag comes to mind instantly, without thinking. Here’s an example of what pops in my head. I know that puns are not favored by the magazine, and I’ll be amazed if a submission with this idea is picked by the editors as a finalist.

New Yorker Cartoon Contest

Petula Clark in, “The Runaway Bus”

As I’ve said before, I feel that Petula Clark’s career is one of the most impressive ever in popular entertainment. She started as an endearing child star in England, developed into a sexy adult actress, then became an international singing superstar — which was where we caught up with her in the States — and she’s still going strong!

I’ve spliced together about ten minutes of Petula as Lee Nicholls, a perky and resourceful stewardess in a 1954 comic caper flick, “The Runaway Bus”. It’s not the greatest print, but at least it’s available in the U.S., including Netflix.

[MEDIA=49]

Oh, dear. Did I hear Pet ask for some uppers? No wonder she was so perky!

For a much more recent view of Petula, here’s a link recommended by David Moncur. Turn it up!