Sgt Pepper, Cops, Doughnuts, and Christmas

Ugg Boot

I borrowed a fascinating book yesterday. "With a Little From My Friends: The Making of Sgt. Pepper" by George Martin(referred to as the fifth Beatle) and William Pearson. It's a behind the scenes look at the whole process of writing, arranging, altering, adding, bending, and destroying songs for Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. I'm just a few pages into the book when I read about Strawberry Fields Forever and how it went from just an acoustic guitar and John singing to two different takes done in two different keys bent to match each other. If you listen close, you can even hear when they merge. Most people, like me, have heard it so long, you never notice it. Even near the end of the song it starts to fade out and then fades in again. Do you know why that was? The instruments got so far out of time that they didn't know what to do with it but loved the ending. George Martin had the idea to fade it just enough to cover up the huge mistake and fade back in for the big finish. Simply amazing. If you like the Beatles or are simply interested in recording tricks, you have to check this one out. It could change your life. It probably won't but you never know. It will change your outlook on the album for sure and the way you listen to it.

I'm watching a PBS series called Colonial House. It's amazing to see what all we take for granted. While I sat on my lazy bum on my couch, I realized that I had 3 hours to sit and watch this show. I didn't have to build a fence, hoe a corn field, milk goats, cook(no microwave or stove), or fear for my life. The colonials had to work every waking moment just to live. You should check it out.

* Cops quickly find stolen doughnut truck. I can relate to that.

* LaRae Lundeen Fjellman could lose her state license as a massage therapist for having sexual relations with her husband. Her husband, Kirk Fjellman, is a former client. He saw her professionally from October 2000 to May 2002, and the two say they started dating in July 2002. But when they consumated the relationship a few months later, they ran afoul of a Minnesota law that bans massage therapists from having sexual relations with former clients for two years. No way! What's the point of this law anyway? If two consenting adults decide to have sex, who does this hurt? I could understand a law saying you couldn't have sex in the parlor. People should mind their own business.


* Only 139 shopping days left: Christmas merchandise goes on sale at London's HARRODS...

* While considering my vacation destinations this year, I thought about two places: Indianapolis and Orlando. Then I read the news: Indianapolis Sees 13 Slayings in 1 Week. Cross out Indi on my list. Orlando Breaks Murder Record Set In 1982.... IX Nay on Orlando. "Why can't we all just get along?"

* Man Run Over By 3 Vehicles, No One Stops To Help. The impact left the victim's body in pieces. I'm ashamed of you.


Today in History:

1579 Cornerstone is laid for Tycho Brahe's Uraniborg observatory
1609 Venetian senate examines Galileo Galilei's telescope
1709 1st known ascent in hot-air balloon, Bartolomeu de Gusmao (indoors)
1815 Napoleon Bonaparte set sail for exile on St Helena

1876 - Thomas Edison receives a patent for his mimeograph.
1918 6 US soldiers are surrounded by Germans in France, Alvin York is given command & shoots 20 Germans & captures 132 more
1929 1st airship flight around the Earth flying eastward begins
1929 - The German airship Graf Zeppelin begins a round-the-world flight.

1930 - Betty Boop premieres in the animated film Dizzy Dishes. Bad Betty Boop drawing. You should be ashamed. I should also be ashamed for linking it here but I'm not.
1945 USSR declares war against Japan in WW II
1963 - Great Train Robbery: In England, a gang of 15 train robbers steal 2.6 million pounds in bank notes.
1963 Kingsmen release "Louie, Louie," radio stations label it obscene

1966 Beatles' release "Revolver"
1966 South Arican Broadcasting bans Beatles (Lennon's anti-Jesus remark)
1972 - Richard Nixon accepts the nomination as candidate for the presidency.
1974 - Watergate scandal: U.S. President Richard Nixon announces his resignation, effective the next day.
1976 - Boston, by the rock band Boston is released. It will become the #1 best-selling debut album in history.
1985 Japan launches Planet A, a probe to Halley's comet
1991 Billy Preston charged with exhibiting porno to a minor

1991 Gary Oldman, actor (State of Grace), arrested for drunk driving.
Interesting facts about Gary Oldman:
* The only other actor since Lon Chaney Sr. to be named "Man of a Thousand Faces" due to his ability to become whatever character he plays.
* He was offered and accepted the part of General Grievous in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, but backed out after learning the film was to be made outside of the Screen Actor's Guild.
* Oldman's portrayal of Norman Stansfield in Léon is generally regarded as one of the best villains in movie history, ranking 43rd on the Online Film Critics Society's list of the Greatest Screen Villains Of All Time. [1]
* He has played the Devil in both the Guns N' Roses music video for "Since I Don't Have You" as well as the BMW short film Beat the Devil.
* Despite a number of critically acclaimed roles, he has never been nominated for an Academy Award.


2000 - Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley is raised to the surface after 136 years on the ocean floor.

Happy Birthday:
1926 Webb Pierce West Monroe La, country singer (Ozark Jubilee)

1930 Andy Warhol artist/movie producer (Frankenstein, Bad)
1932 Mel Tillis country singer/stutterer (Who's Julie, M-M-Mel)
1937 Dustin Hoffman LA, actor (The Graduate, Tootsie, Kramer vs Kramer)

1953 Donny Most Bkln NY, actor (Ralph Malph-Happy Days)
1959 Rikki Rockett rocker (Poison-Every Rose Has a Thorn)
1961 The Edge (Dave Evans) London, rocker (U2-I Will Follow) U2? USuck hahaha

Deaths on this day:
1961 Charlie Gemora actor who portrayed King Kong, dies at 58
1976 John Roselli hired by CIA to kill Castro, found murdered