20070610 The Last Train to Clarksville

The Last Train to Clarksville

June 10^th, 2007

On June 10th, 2007 Maryland Politics Today had a post titled “The Last Money Train To Clarksville.”

As much as I appreciated P. Kenneth Burns calling to our attention the need of Baltimore mayor Dixon to go outside of the city for support for her re-election campaign, I was particularly intrigued with the reference to the “Last Train to Clarksville.”

And only Mr. Burns knows if he was referring to mayor Dixon’s trip to Howard County in the manner in which the 1966 Monkees’ meant it… Or if he was referring to mayor Dixon and “Betamax” metaphorically or if it is a coincidence…

But what a trip down memory lane that reference causes an aging Baby Boomer such as me. Although, I gotta tell ya, “The Monkees” were a little lame for my taste to put it mildly; it nevertheless brings back a time and place from many years ago.

And it comes on the heels of just writing a Westminster Eagle column on aspects of 1967 last Wednesday, June 6th, 2007: Dwight Dingle, 'Sgt. Pepper' and a bathtub band :

“It was 40 years ago last Saturday, June 2, 1967, when the Beatles released their eighth album, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." Although musical taste can be fiercely debated, many music critics and publications consider this album to be one of the most influential of all time. Rolling Sto...”

“The Last Train to Clarksville,” from 1966, may be considered to be a pop song and to be sure, it certainly has a bubblegum feel and sound to it. Nevertheless the song was about a serious dynamic in the lives of young men eligible for military duty.

The song, with its “pop flavor” and seemingly light-hearted approach is forever engrained in my head as a great example of cognitive dissonance…

Listen to the lyrics.[1]

The song is about a man who is trying to arrange one last date with his sweetheart because he has been drafted and he is about to be deployed to Vietnam. Listen for :

'Cause I'm leavin' in the morning

And I must see you again

We'll have one more night together

'Til the morning brings my train.

And I must go, oh, no, no, no!

Oh, no, no, no!

And I don't know if I'm ever coming home.

And the reference to “Betamax players [2] in home” was equally a hoot. Yes, I actually still have content on old “beta” tapes.” And I thought some of the data migration from my old columns and short stories in DOS-based “Word Perfect” was hard…

And I cannot imagine hardly any of our younger readers are aware of whar being “betamaxed” means… (“A superior technology that is overtaken by an inferior one.”)

Anyway, thanks a bunch for memory Mr. Burns…

Meanwhile if you are not reading Mr. Burn’s excellent work at Maryland Politics Today,” there is no better time than now…. Err, after ya watch, “The Last Train to Clarksville” by the Monkees:

Oh what the heck… Let’s hear more. This is a song that I did like:

“Valerie”

I liked this one too:

The Monkees - A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You

####

---

[1] Last Train to Clarksville

Words and Music by

Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart

Take the last train to Clarksville,

And I'll meet you at the station.

You can be be there by four thirty,

'Cause I made your reservation.

Don't be slow, oh, no, no, no!

Oh, no, no, no!

'Cause I'm leavin' in the morning

And I must see you again

We'll have one more night together

'Til the morning brings my train.

And I must go, oh, no, no, no!

Oh, no, no, no!

And I don't know if I'm ever coming home.

Take the last train to Clarksville.

I'll be waiting at the station.

We'll have time for coffee flavored kisses

And a bit of conversation.

Oh... Oh, no, no, no!

Oh, no, no, no!

Take the last train to Clarksville,

Now I must hang up the phone.

I can't hear you in this noisy

Railroad station all alone.

I'm feelin' low. Oh, no, no, no!

Oh, no, no, no!

And I don't know if I'm ever coming home.

Take the last train to Clarksville,

Take the last train to Clarksville,

[repeat and fade]

[2] Betamax:

The first half-inch, analog videocassette recorder (VCR) format, introduced by Sony in 1975 and commonly known as "Beta." The first Betamax cassettes held only one hour of video, but the capacity was subsequently increased to hold an entire movie. Sony later introduced Beta Hi-fi, which improved audio quality, and SuperBeta, which offered a better image.

Beta Vs. VHS

One year after Beta was introduced, the VHS format came out with a slightly larger cassette that held a full movie from the start. VHS began to overtake Beta almost immediately, but for several years, both formats were widely used, and pre-packaged movies were offered in both Beta and VHS. By the late 1980s, Beta had been almost entirely eclipsed by VHS, although Betamax machines were still manufactured by Sony until 2002.

Betamaxed!

The Betamax technology was considered to have superior image quality over VHS, but was hardly noticeable on ordinary home equipment, especially if the recording was done off the air and not from a high-quality master tape. To this day however, "Betamaxed" refers to a superior technology that is overtaken by an inferior one. See VHS, helical scan, Beta/VHS debacle and Betacam.

20070606 Torch Run – Annual Maryland Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Maryland

Flame of Hope Arrives in Carroll County!

Torch Run – Annual Maryland Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Maryland

June 6^th, 2007

Carroll County Law Enforcement Officers Join Forces to Escort the Special Olympics Maryland Torch, Ensuring its Safe Passage to the 2007 SOMD Summer Games

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kelley Wallace/SOMD

PH: 410-789-6677 x117

Cell: 443-386-7965

E-mail: kwallace AT somd.org

OR

Chief Jeff Spaulding

Westminster Police Department

PH: 410-848-4646

E-mail: jspaulding AT westgov.com

Law Enforcement officers representing the various police agencies throughout Carroll County will be out in force on Wednesday, June 6th beginning at 8:00 AM, escorting the Special Olympics Maryland Flame of Hope from five (5) separate points around the county to Westminster, where they will join together and officially present the Flame of Hope in a brief ceremony at noon in front of City Hall.

It is the duty of these Law Enforcement Torch Runners to ensure that the Flame is protected until it is delivered to the waiting hands of the Special Olympics athletes on Friday, June 8th at the Opening Ceremony of the SOMD Summer Games held at Towson University, Towson Maryland.

This portion of the Torch Run Relay is part of the Central Leg, and Torch Run volunteers from the Maryland State Police, Sykesville PD, Hampstead PD, Manchester PD, Taneytown PD, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the McDaniel College Office of Campus Safety, Springfield Hospital Police, State Fire Marshals Office, and Westminster PD will escort the flame through various municipalities around the County, eventually converging at McDaniel College and traveling the Final Leg along Main Street to City Hall in Westminster.

With the support of Aerotek, the law enforcement volunteers are raising funds in conjunction with the run by selling Torch Run T-shirts, holding events, and soliciting donations. (See end of press release for details on each of the 6 legs).

“We are proud to join our brother and sister officers from around the world in demonstrating our support for these very special members of our community,” stated Chief Jeff Spaulding of the Westminster Police Department. “We are particularly pleased that we will be joined on each of our runs by Special Olympics athletes from right here in Carroll County. It is a great opportunity to further strengthen the long-standing relationship between law enforcement and Special Olympics that we enjoy in Maryland.”

Chief Spaulding invites the community to attend in a short ceremony at City Hall following the Final Leg during which the Special Olympics Athletes who participated as Torch Runners will be honored for their participation.

Statewide, the Maryland Torch Run Relay consists of four different legs – Eastern, Western, Central and Southern – and during the week of June 4 to 8, thousands of Torch Run volunteers will cover hundreds of miles, eventually converging on Towson where the individual flames will be united in the Final Leg Ceremony and then officers from around the state will travel the final three (3) miles to Opening Ceremonies at Towson University.

It is there that the Flame is handed off to the Special Olympics athletes who have the honor of lighting the cauldron and officially declaring the 2007 SOMD Summer Games open. Carroll County will be represented by Chief Jeff Spaulding and other members of the Westminster PD in the Final Leg on Friday, June 8th.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Maryland is a year-round movement whose goal is to raise both funds and awareness for the athletes who train and compete in Special Olympics Maryland, and 2007 marks the 22nd anniversary here in Maryland.

When the Maryland Torch Run began in 1986, only a handful of officers participated, raising $50,000. Since that time, the Maryland Torch Run has grown tremendously, including volunteer officers from nearly every law enforcement agency and correctional facility in Maryland; raising more than $2 million for Special Olympics Maryland in 2006.

For more information about the Carroll County Torch Run relay, or to support the Torch Run Relay by purchasing a commemorative Torch Run T-shirt for $10, contact the Westminster Police Department at 410-848-4646. For more information about Special Olympics Maryland and the 2007 Summer Games, contact Kelley Wallace at 410-789-6677 x117 or visit www.somd.org.

THE CARROLL COUNTY TORCH RUN EVENT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING LEGS:

Sykesville Leg

Members of the Maryland State Police, Sykesville PD, Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the Springfield Hospital Police.

Runners/bikers will depart City Hall @ 8:15 AM and travel north on Route 32, west on Liberty Road, to Route 97 to McDaniel College.

Hampstead/Manchester Leg

Members of the Maryland State Police, Hampstead PD, and Manchester PD.

Runners/bikers will depart Hampstead City Hall @ 8:30 AM and travel north via Route 30 to Manchester where they will join the Manchester PD runners and travel south on Route 27 to McDaniel College.

Taneytown Leg

Members of the Maryland State Police and Taneytown Police Department.

Runners/bikers will depart Taneytown @ 9:00 AM and travel east on Route 140 to WMC Drive to McDaniel College.

Mt. Airy Leg

Members of the Maryland State Police.

Runners/bikers will depart Mt. Airy @ 8:00 AM and travel north on Route 27 to McDaniel College.

Union Bridge/New Windsor Leg

Members of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

Runners/bikers will depart Union Bridge @ 9:00 AM and travel east through New Windsor to McDaniel College.

Final Leg

– Includes all participating law enforcement agencies from Carroll County.

Runners/bikers will depart McDaniel College @ Noon and travel east along Main Street to City Hall where a Torch Run welcoming ceremony and celebration will take place.

####

20070606 Dwight Dingle and The Mamas and the Papas

Dwight Dingle and The Mamas and the Papas

June 6^th, 2007 by Kevin Dayhoff

I had been in contact with Dwight several times recently as he is included in my Wednesday, June 6^th, 2007 Westminster Eagle column… (As I post this it is not online yet.)

In my column Dwight is credited with remarking:

“I reached Dwight Dingle, a radio personality with WTTR since 1974, on the phone last weekend, while he was in Ocean City with other station staff members, where WTTR was receiving five Associated Press awards.

He said that he was a “The Mamas & the Papas” fan. He was a student at Towson State College when the “Sgt. Pepper” album came out. However, he remembers well that his roommate, “Buck” Jones, the former principle of East Middle School and now the principle of Carroll Lutheran School, was a big Beatles Fan…

Mr. Dingle thought the album cover for “Sgt. Pepper” was fascinating but “it doesn’t compare with “The Mamas & the Papas” album cover with the all the members of the band in a bathtub…”

Hmmm. Perhaps someone may want to call Dwight up at WTTR and ask him “on-air” to explain his affection for that “The Mamas & the Papas” album cover…?

The album, “If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears” debuted in March 1966 and it has one of my all-time favorite songs on it – “California Dreamin’.” The first of ultimately three covers for the album, (now a valuable collector’s item) was banned in the United States “as indecent,” (for the silliest reasons – by today’s standards; and not because it contained errors in grammar.) Have Dwight tell you the story…

So just what is the explanation as to why Mr. Dwight Dingle is on The Mamas and the Papas” cover for the album, “If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears?

Perhaps you may wanna give him a call to find out…

####

20070605 Daily Photoblog

Daily Photoblog – 2^nd Amendment Drive

Photo Credit: Mrs. Owl

June 5, 2007

20070528 Variety: ABC gives 'i-Caught' six-week run

Variety: ABC gives 'i-Caught' six-week run

Hat Tip: The Digital TV Weblog: i-Caught – or see post on Soundtrack: 20070531 The Digital TV Weblog: I-Caught to begin test on ABC August 6

Posted on Soundtrack June 3^rd, 2007

Anyone who reads Soundtrack, know by now how much I like movies and videos… and TV commercials…

Commercial TV these days leaves me flat. I’m not much on game shows, situational comedy, and certainly not a fan of reality TV.

But I hope to catch this program – “ABC I-Caught” - when it comes out – as I have so enjoyed much of YouTube… This seems like a pretty good match-up. We’ll see.

ABC gives 'i-Caught' six-week run

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117965899.html?categoryid=1300&cs=1

Network launches user-generated video show

By MICHAEL LEARMONTH Posted: Mon., May 28, 2007, 8:00pm PT

ABC is hoping to reinvent the newsmagazine for the YouTube generation with a show produced by ABC News but based on user-generated video.

Hourlong skein "i-Caught" will get a six-week run on the network starting Aug. 6 at 10pm on Mondays with an eye toward a midseason return if it performs as well as the network hopes.

Amateur video will form the basis of the show's segments, but ABC News correspondents will build news stories and features around video captured on cell phones or digicams and uploaded to a companion Web site.

Exec producer David Sloan said the show will take on a wide breadth of potential stories, including breaking news; celebrity journalism; investigations; and stories of politics, crime, Internet hoaxes or just the moments of everyday life.

"The watershed event that changed newsgathering was the London terror attack in 2005," Sloan said. "There were people on that subway who did not know if they would live or die, but they got out their cell phones and started shooting."

Read more: ABC gives 'i-Caught' six-week run

20070603 YouTube on Soundtrack

June 3^rd, 2007

To view posts on Soundtrack which include videos on YouTube go here.

For posts on Soundtrack that include videos from my YouTube account – go here.

For additional commentary and other related material on YouTube – go here.

20070602 Saturday morning roof fire at Classico Pizzeria

Saturday morning roof fire at Classico Pizzeria College Square Shopping Center

Classico Pizzeria, (410) 751-7600 College Square Shopping Center, 444 W.M.C. Drive, Unit 102, Westminster, MD 21158

June 2^nd, 2007 by Kevin Dayhoff

Westminster, MD – 4:00 AM - - Shortly after a thunder and lightning storm rolled through Westminster late Friday evening, Mike Bareford, the manager of the College Square Liquor Store smelled smoke just as he was leaving his store.

As he walked out of his store to continue to investigate the source, he discovered smoke rising from the roof over Classico Pizzeria, a popular Italian restaurant at Suite 102, College Square Shopping Center, 444 WMC Drive, at the intersection of WMC Drive and Route 140 in Westminster.

He called the Carroll County Emergency Operations Center at 00:55 (12:55 AM.) Fortunately Mr. Bareford was working late and thanks to his quick thinking and a sprinkler system; a fire in the restaurant next door to his store was quickly extinguished.

Approximately 25 Carroll County firefighters from Westminster, New Windsor, Pleasant Valley, Reese, and Union Bridge responded. Westminster City Police also responded.

Westminster Fire Department Chief Jeff Alexander arrived on the scene first at 12:57 AM and assumed command. The first units arrived on the scene at 1:01 AM.

The owner of the restaurant, Giuseppe Como was at home at the time of the fire. He had left the restaurant at approximately 11 PM. Mr. Como and his brother, Nunzio Como, also arrived quickly as did at least one employee of the restaurant.

Smoke was found coming from the air handler unit on the roof and that the sprinkler system had discharged below the air handler in the restaurant.

Chief Alexander reported that the sprinkler system put the bulk of the fire out and shortly after firefighters gained access to the restaurant, they quickly established a 1-3/4-inch water line and extinguished what remained of the fire.

The fire was placed under control at 1:16 AM.

Units remained on the scene for clean up until 2:05 when Chief Alexander terminated command but remained on the scene until 3:05 awaiting the arrival of BGE to check the electrical system, and further consultations with the owners of the restaurant and a representative of the shopping center.

It was preliminarily determined that the fire was accidental (- a possible lightning strike.) No damage estimates were immediately available.

Nuzio Como said that he was impressed at how careful the firefighters were to make sure that the damage to the restaurant was as minimal as possible. The firefighters had carefully covered up much of the kitchen area with large tarps.

Giuseppe Como did not have an estimate as to how long it will take for the restaurant to re-open except he hoped that it would not be long.

The Como brothers are well known as to how fastidious they are about keeping the restaurant spotless and as the firefighters were leaving the restaurant, he and his brother and an employee were already hard at work mopping-up the floor and cleaning up what little mess that resulted from the fire.

####

Classico Pizzeria, (410) 751-7600

Classico Pizzeria, College Square Shopping Center, 444 W.M.C. Drive, Unit 102, Westminster, MD 21158

http://tinyurl.com/cpv9hj
Kevin Dayhoff Art: www.kevindayhoff.com (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/)

20070531 The Digital TV Weblog: I-Caught to begin test on ABC August 6

The Digital TV Weblog: I-Caught to begin test on ABC August 6

i-Caught

The Digital TV Weblog

Filed in archive Business Trends by martino on May 31, 2007

ABC will test an hour-long user generated news show i-Caught on TV for six weeks from August 6 in an attempt to get the YouTube generation interested in TV news. I suppose that the main distinction to make is that this might be 'news' but it is not journalism.

[…]

… Good Morning America weekend co-anchor Bill Weir will host…

More… i-Caught

20070601 Out of the mouths of today’s future leaders

20070601 Out of the mouths of today’s future leaders

Out of the mouths of today’s future leaders

© June 1^st, 2007 by Kevin Dayhoff

See also: 20050713 Today’s Youth – They are Fantastic

Graduation season is upon us and this is when many of us get some emersion exposure in the values and contemporary protocols of our youngest generation who is about to assume future leadership positions.

Of course, each and every graduating generation is hyped as the “next great generation” and everyone’s family member is the brightest and all our friends are quick to call to our attention to the multitudinous accomplishments and awards of their son or daughter.

Nevertheless, I am profoundly impressed with the current generation donning caps and gowns and tepidly dipping their toes in the perilous waters of the future unknown.

In a number of experiences in the last month I have been in the company of many young folks of which we can all be proud. At every opportunity possible, I attempted to “interview” young folks about a wide range of topics.

Yes, it was unscientific and most of the “interviews” were undocumented and your impressions from your interactions with the current crop of future leaders may very well be different.

Of particular interest for me, although beyond the focus of this column - are the numbers of Iraq veterans with whom I have had the honor to socialize and also gather their take on the future of our great nation.

It will be interesting to see how this current generation shapes our world. I was thunderstruck by the negative view of many with whom I “interviewed,” of the mainstream media and the information dissemination systems older generations take for granted.

In our current era of hype and hyperbole in which the word “outrage” is the bandied about carelessly, it causes one to pause to value old age and the commensurate ability to recognize media silliness. For some of our younger generation, they have not needed the advantage of advancing years to recognize the silliness.

To be somewhat polite about it, my experience was that much of the younger generation does not take traditional media very seriously. All too often their independent investigation has caused them to understand that “(liberal) media bias” is real.

In today’s world it is far too easy to “fact check” a newspaper article that is slanted and misleading. Today’s internet allows one to easily read the “rest of the story.”

Curiously enough, many young folks commented that they are impressed that much of the mainstream media “seems hell-bound to throw itself off a cliff and has lost any credibility…” One young man, after a reflective pause, continued by saying that his generation “did not revel in the slow suicide of the media” but viewed “it as a tragedy.”

But what really caused many younger folks I “interviewed” to go from zero into some sort of a NJ Turnpike toll collector stare, was a discussion about politics. Many expressed that they understood that the “red” – “blue” politically partisan view of the world is not real.

Although, to be certain, some identified with one or the other political party but a majority spoke of being disillusioned with both parties – and the explanation will amaze you.

Several examples come to mind. On a positive note, most of the young folks were very concerned with the environment but disillusioned with the current politicalization of the environment.

But one example of disillusionment was brought up in a discussion of the “Kyoto Accord.” Remember, the “Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” was an amendment proposed December 11, 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, to the international treaty on climate change. The protocol proscribed mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The mainstream media would have you believe that the Bush administration is the reason for not only the greenhouse affect on the environment and global warming, yet several young folks are confused as they have learned that it was the Clinton - Gore administration that rejected the Kyoto Protocol.

When it came to a discussion of the advocacy over global warming, several young folks called to my attention the excesses of the residence of Al Gore as compared to the progressive approaches of President George W. Bush’s Texas ranch.

Of course, this explanation is obviously meaningless to those who practice professional partisan outrage. However, this came from one young lady who identified herself as “liberal” on the environment but refused to identify herself as a Democrat, explained that although she firmly believes that “personkind” is negatively impacting the environment (and causing global warming;) she wishes Al Gore “would shut-up about it because he is way too arrogant, a hypocrite and too preachy.” And she “doesn’t believe anything Hillary says…”

She placed no faith in either party adequately addressing the need for “environmental reform.” She explained that both parties, but “especially the Democrats pull that toy rabbit around a track to give the righties some exercise by running in circles, chasing it.”

When my “interviews” delved into the war in Iraq, it was brought up that in (December 16) 1998, when then-President Bill Clinton ordered air strikes on Iraq, he expressed a belief that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq harbored a terrorist threat to global stability.

(Of course, this explanation is obviously meaningless to those who practice professional partisan outrage.) “Yet Democrats explain that when President Bush said that Iraq had WMDs, he lied. I wonder who is telling the lies and who is telling the truth.”

This, from a young woman who wants the war in Iraq to end “yesterday,” but is worried about how the Democrats “are going about it.” She has “friends who are over there and other friends who are going there” and she doesn’t want harm to come to them by the “Democrat approach.”

One gentleman, as did a number of Iraq veterans, remarked that they may never trust the mainstream media as they have witnessed the inconsistencies of what they saw is happening in Iraq with how it is being portrayed in the major media outlets… “Some of which seem to have a grudge dating back to the reign of Caesar.”

In an attempt to present as neutral, I shared that I have private reservations about the progress of the war in Iraq. To which he explained his position with a simple question: “would you rather have a home game or an away game?”

When I asked as to how I may appropriately express my reservations, he said “carefully.” And as he continued (erroneously) conclude that I did not support the war on terrorism, he “unceremoniously” explained to me that most of his colleagues in uniform do not believe that “you #!@&^*! liberals support the troops when you give aid and comfort to the enemy…”

As I pulled out my reporters pad to take some notes, he, like many said that they did not want to be a part of my columns… “The military’s job is to protect democracy, not practice it.” He then added “you folks certainly have been well trained to bark on cue…”

Realizing when in a hole – stop digging. I thanked him for his service and went about my business…

Many do not identify with the excesses and lack of values or sense of personal responsibility represented by Hollywood-types such as Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears.

Indeed, if much of the younger generation with whom I spoke is not simply “annoyed” with the current pre-occupation of older folks with these bad role models, they are certainly “amused” with the older generations pre-occupation...

It has been said that “Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.” It would appear that much of our older generation may not appear to be very wise in the eyes of the 18 to 25 year olds out there observing our public discourse and leadership – with disdain. One young man explained that he has come to realize that our “spin” is not his “reality.”

If maturity is qualified as an acceptance of responsibility and not as a function of age, it could be said that that our current crop of young future leaders may very well be far more mature than those of us in leadership positions today.

####

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

www.kevindayhoff.net

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr DOT org or kevindayhoff AT gmail DOT com

His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com and Winchester Report.

Labels: Art Writing Essays and articles, Children Parenting and Intergenerational studies

20070530 KDDC Betty Blue

Betty Blue

Posted May 30^th, 2007

"The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words." (Philip K. Dick)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xJrrHTos6P8

In the last several days I have run across several references to a evocative movie, “37°2 le matin,” or as it is known in the United States: “Betty Blue.”

The movie, released November 7^th, 1986, was based on a novel, also by the title of “37°2 le matin,” by Philippe Djian. The movie version of the novel is directed Jean-Jacques Beineix, who also directed another one of my “all time favorite movies, “Diva.”

The music for the movie is by Gabriel Yared. The recurring musical theme is as haunting as the movie; a piano progression, which will remain in your head for the longest time…

In many of my old movie notes from many years ago – this movie is consistently listed in my all time top-ten movies…

According to several published accounts, “The film received both a BAFTA and Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 1986, as well as winning a César Award for Best Poster. In 1992 it was awarded the Golden space Needle of the Seattle International Film Festival.”

For those not aware of the movie, it is not a movie for the weak of heart. It is about a writer who gets involved with a woman who is psychologically disheveled but nevertheless somewhat socially acceptable at the beginning of the movie. The movie documents her precipitous quixotic psychological deterioration... The excellent use of a narrator was effective and affective...

Here is clip from the last scene in the movie:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BIaU1us81Ts

The Internet Movie Database has the following plot summary for “37°2 le matin:”

“Zorg is a handyman working at in France, maintaining and looking after the bungalows. He lives a quiet and peaceful life, working diligently and writing in his spare time.

One day Betty walks into his life, a young woman who is as beautiful as she is wild and unpredictable. After a dispute with Zorg's boss they leave and Betty manages to get a job at a restaurant.

She persuades Zorg to try and get one of his books published but it is rejected which makes Betty fly into a rage. Suddenly Betty's wild manners starts to get out of control. Zorg sees the woman he loves slowly going insane.”

Wikipedia says:

“Betty (Dalle) and Zorg (Anglade) are passionate lovers who live in a shack on the beach. He works as a handyman who does odd jobs to pay the bills. As the film begins, they have only been going out for a week and are in a very passionate stage of their relationship. Zorg narrates the story of their relationship via voiceover. He describes Betty, “like a flower with translucent antennae and a mauve plastic heart.” She yearns for a better life and quit her last job as a waitress because she was being sexually harassed by her boss.

Zorg’s boss asks him to paint the 500 shacks that populate the beach — a fact that he keeps from Betty who thinks they only have to do one. She attacks the project with enthusiasm that quickly turns to anger once she learns the actual number. In response, Betty covers the boss’ car with pink paint.

During a nasty fight, Betty accidentally discovers a series of notebooks that contain a novel Zorg wrote years ago. She reads it and falls in love with him even more. She then makes it her mission in life to type every hand-written page and get it published. Betty's freespiritedness and devotion to Zorg develop into alarming obsession, aggression and destructiveness, and the film alternates between comic and tragic modes.

Roger Ebert lists it on his top-ten “most hated films.”

Oh well. Mr. Ebert likes Michael Moore…

A reason Mr. Ebert may not like the movie is that he is frequently hyper-critical of movies that have “hypocritical agendas” such as “a confrontational film that is passed off as art, but is merely lurid and sensational; Ebert has levelled this charge against such films as The Night Porter and Blue Velvet.” [Cited by Wikipedia (although I have seen this in other published accounts.)]

Oh! – I finally found Mr. Ebert’s review. Read it here.

Oh my – he really did not like the movie…

[…]

“Now comes ‘Betty Blue,’ which opens with a shot of two people sideways on a bed, making love beneath a portrait of the Mona Lisa, while the narrator says: ‘I had known Betty for a week. We made love every night. The forecast was the storms.’…

[…]

She finds a manuscript he has written, determines that he is a genius, and types it up, tens of thousands of words. (Typists will enjoy the typing scenes, in which she makes typing errors, causing her to throw away countless copies of Page 1, and then has the whole manuscript typed in no time. This is the way typing is thought about by people who always use yellow legal pads themselves.)

What is Bieneix trying to say in "Betty Blue"? I am not sure. The behavior of the characters is senseless and boring. We lose interest in Zorg because anyone who could tolerate Betty Blue would scarcely have the discrimination to write a good book. One scene follows another senselessly, like in a soap opera, until Betty goes mad and we can go home.

And yet the movie has made millions in France, where it will not have escaped anyone's attention that Betty is played by an attractive young woman named Beatrice Dalle, who is naked as often as not.

[…]

Reviews have been written debating the movie's view of madness, of feminism, of the travail of the artist. They all miss the point. "Betty Blue" is a movie about Beatrice Dalle's boobs and behind, and everything else is just what happens in between the scenes where she displays them.

[…]

My word… Read his entire review here.

I saw the movie twenty years ago… Who knows, with my current sensibilities, perhaps I would see the movie again and not like it either… I do not remember the gratuitous nudity for which Mr. Ebert objects, although I have no doubt that there is a great deal of that in the movie…

The trailer is rated “R.” Although, curiously enough, the “R” rating for the trailer is because of the nudity of the male protagonist.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ueFTOS8FDfQ

I remember being fascinated by the portrayal of the artist–writer and his interaction with the madness of his companion. Sorta like a “Five Easy Pieces” on acid. (“Five Easy Pieces” is another all time favorite of mine. I will always remember that it opened on my birthday, September 11^th, - in 1970.

Video de la canción Numb de Linkin Park.

Perhaps, just perhaps, both movies portray the reality of relationships of which many artists may identify… Just as I like the video of the Linkin Park song, “Numb.”

After all, as Philip K. Dick once said:

"The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words."

####

Interesting post script:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SJo-V1wip6g

casting de beatrice dalle betty

je sais pas si a l'epoque c'est dominique besnehard qui s'en ai occupe

Et bonus video: Scène de danse entre Beatrice Dalle et Romain Duris, tirée du film dix-sept fois Cecile Cassard

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8nTryJX7cn4

Beatrice Dalle in "Pretty Killer"

20070531 Feeding time for the baby Robins

Feeding time for the baby Robins…

May 31^st, 2007

Several weeks ago we became the landlords to new tenants at our wildlife reserve here in the Westminster City Limits – a family of Robins decided to build a nest right outside our back door.

Today, I tried (once again) to get some pictures of Mr. (or Mrs.) Robin feeding their chicks…

I know very little about Robins. Although I have observed, what I have hypothecated to be, Mr. and Mrs. Robin trading places in tending to the eggs and the hatched chicks…

As an aside, I’ve always liked my digital camera – although I at first, reluctantly let go of my old professional grade Konica camera equipment.

Rarely have I missed the old Konica equipment – until moments like this… With my old Konica film camera I could zero in on Mr. and Mrs. Robin as if you were standing inches away from them.

Not so, with the current grade of point-and-shoot digital equipment that I have – “Nikon Coolpix 5200,”

So I guess now that I have truly discovered the drawbacks of the current grade of equipment – I either need to go out and purchase an upgrade – or what I may very well do; and that is - - go upstairs in the attic and dig out my old equipment…

Anyway – enjoy the pictures.

####

Animals Birds

20070531 Carroll County opens 'cooling centers'

Carroll County opens 'cooling centers'

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 12:18 PM

Subject: EAGLE ALERT: County opens "cooling centers"

May 31^st, 2007

These stories and other updates are posted on The Eagle Web sites, www.theeldersburgeagle.com and www.thewestminstereagle.com.

Carroll County opens 'cooling centers'

May 31, 2007 - Carroll County officials announced today (Thursday, May 31), that due of anticipated high temperatures, the Department of Citizen Services is operating six cooling centers around the county. Residents who are vulnerable to extreme heat and who do not have air-conditioning in their homes are invited to cool off in any of the following locations until the close of business at 5 p.m.:

* Citizen Services office building, 10 Distillery Drive, Westminster

* Mount Airy Senior and Community Center, 703 Ridge Ave., Mount Airy

* North Carroll Senior and Community Center, 2328 Hanover Pike, Greenmount

* South Carroll Senior and Community Center, 5745 Bartholow Road, Eldersburg

* Taneytown Senior and Community Center, 220 Roberts Mill Road, Taneytown

* Westminster Senior and Community Center, 125 Stoner Ave., Westminster

Officials said water will be available for those who need it at any of the cooling centers.

The Carroll County Emergency Management Division is also encouraging people to follow safety tips when temperatures and humidity are high:

* Slow down. Strenuous activities should be reduced or rescheduled to the coolest time of the day.

* Wear loose, lightweight, and light-colored.·

* Eat fewer proteins and drink plenty of water.

* Stay in air-conditioning.

For more safety tips, refer to the Citizen's Guide to Emergency Preparedness, available online at http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/pubsafe/emer-prep.pdf, or by contacting the Emergency Management Division at 410-386-2877.

For information about Carroll's senior and community centers, call the Bureau of Aging at 410-386-3800.

####

20070528 History Is Looking Up In Westminster

HISTORY IS LOOKING UP IN Westminster

May 28^th, 2007

http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpid=978&show=archivedetails&ArchiveID=1273619&om=1

05/23/07

Found 'em yet?

The Westminster Historic District Commission's "History is Looking Up in Westminster" continues through May 31, when all entries are due at City Hall.

The entry form, which appeared in the May 2 edition of The Westminster Eagle, challenges residents to identify 12 historic buildings in the downtown area.

The first six of these are shown here. If you've had trouble finding them based on the initial clues given May 2, here are a few Bonus Clues that might help unlock this mystery of history:

BONUS CLUES

1: Two of these six buildings are located on streets other than Main Street. In other words, on side streets just off Main Street.

2: One of these has been both a church and a library in the past.

3: One of these used to house the National Guard; and another currently houses cash.

4: Two of these buildings were grand Main Street houses in the past and are now busy offices.

JOIN THE HUNT

If you haven't started looking yet, there's still time. Copies of the official entry form are available at the office of The Westminster Eagle, 121 E. Main St., Westminster, during regular office hours, and at City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, Westminster.

Forms are also available at the Westminster Family Center on Longwell Avenue, the Westminster Branch Library, Historical Society of Carroll County/Tourism Office, the Carroll Arts Center and in the Great Hall at Carroll Community College.

The form is also available as a pdf on The Eagle's Web site, www.TheWestminsterEagle.com.

Completed forms must be mailed or delivered to City Hall by May 31. Forms may be delivered in person, or mailed to: Preservation Month Scavenger Hunt, c/o Westminster City Hall, P.O. Box 710, Westminster, MD 21158.

PRIZES ...

First prize in the contest, to be chosen at random from all the correct entries, is a framed, limited edition print depicting historic buildings in Westminster, created by artist Connie Ward Woolard.

Other prizes include gift certificates from local restaurants and merchants.

In addition, ALL those who deliver their entry form in person to City Hall will receive a participation prize -- a commemorative poster of the 12 building sites depicted in the contest. They'll also receive a copy of the CD, the "Buildings of Westminster," while supplies last.

For more information and complete rules, call Tim Rogers at 410-848-4628.

The wedding of Mr and Mrs Smurf

The wedding of Mr and Mrs Smurf

May 27, 2007 by Kevin Dayhoff

20070527 The wedding of Mr and Mrs Smurf

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

Kevin Dayhoff Art http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/