Tie-dyed Tehuti

More $20.00 Plastic Crap

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:50:36 -0600

I've found a useless gadget even lamer than Micro S'mores. Yes, for only $19.95 you can look like a complete moron while trying to shave around Darth Vader's respirator. What's next, the mullet lathe?

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Aw Fudge!

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:18:52 -0600

12-15-09 Robert Greiner

Interviewed by Mike Cope

We had a bona fide blizzard in the heart of Texas on Christmas Eve. Today we had more snow and there is even more predicted for later in the week. Quite a rare occurrence in my neck of the woods. I keep hearing about the horrors of global warming but I guess ours must be on back order. Surely all those climate scientists who rejected the scientific method in favor of consensus building wouldn't fib to us or try to fudge the data...

Robert Greiner is a programmer and blogger who writes at Cube Antics. He's found something more troubling than a few leaked emails from the Temple of the MMGW True Believers. Listen to my interview with him above and check out the findings of his investigation here.

And if you are silly enough to believe such nonsense as, "Scientific Consensus," or "The system worked," or "There is NO pork in this bill," then you'll fall all over yourself to be first on your block to have Micro S'mores!

"What the Hell is Micro S'mores?" you ask, (rather rudely, I think.) It's the latest sensation sweeping the nation! As you shiver in the snow awaiting death from our rapidly heating planet, you can enjoy a warm, toasty S'more from the lastest breakthrough in snack food technology. Micro S'mores melts a marshmallow in the microwave in ten seconds for only twenty dollars!

Cheap Plastic Crap

You have got to be freakin' kidding me. Are there really people out there stupid enough to pay twenty bucks for that crappy plastic gizmo? And this thing is superior in what way to say... A paper plate? True enough, a paper plate won't squash your S'more flat for you, but as long as you have the use of at least one finger or toe, that shouldn't be a problem. Worst case scenario is that you have to press them flat with your forehead, which come to think of it, might be pretty entertaining at parties.

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More Beatlemania

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:23:21 -0600

The full "Rubber Soul" album became available for download the other day and we scooped it up the moment we could. I scored 100% on "In My Life" the first time through and I've been hitting the high 90's and 100's consistently. The caveat is that I'm still on easy, but even so I still have the occasional Marty McFly moment where the fingers simply refuse to go in the right spots.

The highlight of this song pack for me has got to be "Norwegian Wood." It is a beautiful song and the psychedelic background imagery is a wonder to behold. The game developers used George Harrison's son Dhani for the mocap of George playing the sitar. (In fact, it was Dhani Harrison who convinced the surviving Beatles to sign on to the project.)
Dhani talks about his father and Rock Band in a couple of podcasts here.

The Beatles: Rock Band - Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) Dreamscape (Wii)

Check out this video of "Norwegian Wood" from the game. I gotta tell ya, it is pretty distracting when those birds start flying around!

Cousin Shelly is in for a visit and can't wait to try her hand at the game. I fully plan to take her to school... (As much schoolin' as you can give somebody in easy mode, anyway!)

09-21-09 Bill Stainton

Interviewed by Mark & Mike Cope

And for a little extra Beatles gravy, here's an interview my brother Mark and I did with Bill Stainton, business expert and author of "The 5 Best Decisions The Beatles Ever Made."

Check out the video "Seven Things You Might Not Know About Beatles Rock Band."

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Beatles Rock Band

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 09:11:42 -0600

Beatles Rockband Opening Cinematic

I scored my first 100% on Beatles Rock Band this weekend. It Was on "For The Benefit of Mr. Kite." Admittedly, it was on the "easy" setting, but nonetheless I felt like I accomplished something grand. The geniuses behind Beatles Rock Band ought to get a prize-- (in fact they picked up the 2009 VGA for best music game.) To be able to take your average schmo who can't play an instrument, who has no musical talent whatsoever, and create an experience that feels like playing music is a stroke of pure brilliance.

And the game play does feel like I'm really making music, even if I'm only using three of the five available buttons. Oh, I know I'm never going to burn up the leaderboards, but Mr. Pinky does not work and play well with others and the jump from "Easy" to "Medium" throws in a requirement for manual dexterity that is simply beyond my abilities.

This month cousin Shelly is coming for a visit and is eagerly anticipating her first turn at the game. She is as big a Beatle's fan as I am and I'm looking forward to her reaction when she lays her eyes on the amazing graphics of this game. This is one of the few games I've seen that is as much fun to watch as it is to play. With a full compliment of instruments however, none of the kinfolks will have to sit out of the fun.

Check out this video of the gameplay from the "Abbey Road" album:

Abbey Road Gameplay

Doesn't that look like fun?

My brother Mark and I interviewed Anthony Pomes the day before the big 9-9-09 release of Beatles Rockband as well as the new re-mastered box sets. Anthony is a PR guy who arranged for me to interview Elliot Tiber, the man behind the movie "Taking Woodstock." But Anthony lays claim to some solid Beatles credentials himself. He is the John Lennon of "Mostly Moptop" a Beatles tribute band out of Stonybrook New York.

Check out our interview:

Anthoney Pomes Beatles 09 08-09

Mark & Mike Cope

And for those of you who are waiting for things to go full-circle, check this out from the Life-imitates-art File: now there is a gizmo that lets you play guitar chords by pressing four buttons attached to the frets of a real guitar! While game developers are hard at work trying to make video games more like real life, others are working equally hard to make real life more like a video game. E-Z Chord anyone?

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Enrichment

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:18:16 -0600

10% Ethanol

Remember when they used to put warning labels on gas pumps to let you know they were dispensing potentially engine damaging Ethanol?

"Enriched" With Ethanol

Have you seen the labels lately? Now our gas is "enriched" with Ethanol? Did Obama appoint some sort of Euphemism Czar to come up with that spin? I can just imagine the directives coming out of that office!

In the interest of creating a more positive Life-Space for all sentients, the description, "tastes like crap," will now be replaced with the phrase, "Robust Flavor." A "painful skin irritation" will now be known as an "Invigorating tingling sensation"

ObamaLogo

Have you noticed how much the new Ethanol label looks similar to the Obama logo? Has America been "enriched" with Barrack Obama?

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Booty Call

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:31:43 -0600

The Dread Pirate Roberts

Dear family and friends,

I have given in to the call of the sea and run away to become a pirate. I am headed to the hearty Caribbean to seek my fame and fortune, maties. I've got almost everything I need to complete my pirate kit. I've got a hat, a sword and a black flag with a skull on it. All I need now is to find someplace to get a used parrot on the cheap. I'm even prepared for emergencies since it seems pirates are susceptible to on the job injuries. I've got my eye patch (just in case) and a peg for my leg (just in case) and a hook (just in case).

Is it me or do Pirates have even worse health care than the rest of us?

I can see handing the pharmacist your AAAARGHFLAK card:

Cap'n Tehuti: "What's this? The prescription says I need eye drops."

Pill Slinger Bill: "Drops aren't covered. This is an eye patch."

Cap'n Tehuti: "What if I needed a splint for a broken finger?"

Pill Slinger Bill: "Not covered. We would have to fit you with a hook."

Cap'n Tehuti: "Corrective shoes?"

Pill Slinger Bill: "Peg leg."

Cap'n Tehuti: "I see. Asthma?"

Pill Slinger Bill: "Eye patch."

Cap'n Tehuti: "Makes perfect sense. Rash?"

Pill Slinger Bill: "Look, on your coverage all you can get is an eye patch, hook or peg."

Cap'n Tehuti: "So if I bring you a prescription for monkey knuckle ointment you are going fit me with a hook instead?"

Pill Slinger Bill: "Didn't you read the information in your pirate's handbook before you signed up for it? Patch, hook or peg-- Those are your only options."

Cap'n Tehuti: "What do I get if I come in with a prescription for... Viagra?

Hey! How'd he get a gold tooth?

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In The Zone

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:54:07 -0600

Can you believe that The Twilight Zone is celebrating its 50th anniversary? I had a chance to talk to Stewart Stanyard, the world's foremost Twilight Zone expert about what made the show so great.

11-13-09 Stewart Stanyard Twilight Zone Interview

Interviewed by Mike Cope

I talked to Stewart on the morning of Friday the 13th. As some of you know, the afternoon of the 13th turned out to be... interesting. But now, without further delay, here's my conversation with Stewart.

Be sure to check out the very cool TZ Archive.

Mystic Seer Bobblehead

Here's one of the super TZ collectibles you can pick up from Stewart's site. I've got to get me one of these. I think it would look smashing on my desk.

You can also pick up Stewart's behind-the-scenes look at the iconic sci-fi anthology here.

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Mr Unlucky

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:16:29 -0600

Going Home 11-13-09 Pt 1

Mark & Mike Cope

Going Home 11-13-09 Pt 2

Mark & Mike Cope

I sat in with my brother on his afternoon show for Friday the 13 th. I knew that we were going to interview world renowned skeptic Joe Nickell with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and that later I would blog about it. I wanted the perfect picture for my blog entry and not being particularly superstitious I sat up the above knee-slapper. It was sort of a Paraskevidekatriadelphia Experiment, if you will. The result? I blew a head gasket in my truck not ten minutes after taking this photo. True story.

Our engineer left a message on the studio white board:

"Thou shalt not tempt thy fates for they shall persecute thee." Jude 2:38

Now I'm not saying that this is anything more than a freaky coincidence colliding with bad vehicle matainance habits, but if you hear thunder, you might not want to stand next to me.

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On (or Rather, in) Golden Pond

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:47:37 -0600

Fish pond

Just a quickie testing the water-proofity of my video camera. GLUB...GLUB...GLUB...

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Rest In Peace, Rocket Man

nobody@vox.com(Tie-dyed Tehuti) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:21:04 -0600

Hal Graham, the original Bell Aerospace rocketbelt pilot passed away October 23, 2009. I had the privilege of interviewing him twice.

Hal Graham

The Rocketeer
Originally Posted
10/19/2006

Some days the old day job is the greatest job in the world. Yesterday was just such a day. I had the rare treat of interviewing Hal Graham, the world's first rocketbelt pilot, and one heck of a ukulele player.

Hal told us all about those heady days in the early sixties when Bell Aerospace sent him all around the country demonstrating the whiz-bang technology of the rocketbelt. He flew for dignitaries, high ranking Pentagon officials, even President Kennedy. While the rocketbelt never realized its promise of personal transport for the atomic soldier on the battlefield of tomorrow, it went down in history as the coolest accessory a spaceman or spy could ever have. From Commando Cody to James Bond, to the Rocketeer, the idea of strapping a rocket on your back and taking off into the wild blue yonder fires the imagination (and probably the seat of your pants.)

Check out Hal in action from his Pentagon Demo. (I added the Shatner vocals. I hope Hal doesn't mind-- it just seemed natural.)

Hal Graham

Hal was recently one of the guests of honor at the Rocketbelt Convention held at Niagara Falls. He told us about that too, and treated us to a verse of his song, "My Rocketbelt Daze." You can check out the full performance of his song at the convention over on Tie-dyed Tehuti at VOX.

He also disabused me of a couple of erroneous notions. I was under the impression that several of the guys at the convention came to show off their DIY rocketbelts, but Hal set me straight right away. "These guys aren't knocking these things together in the garage," he said. Oh well, so much for the Diet-Coke and Mentos powered rocketbelt I've been cobbling together!

Hal Graham

Interviewed by Mike cope

Listen to the full interview with Hal, as I sit in with Jesse and Sam on the afternoon radio show.

Now, this is not the first time I've had a rocket-jockey on the radio. When my brother and I had our afternoon classic rock show, "The Drive," we did a series of traffic report skits, one of which featured a rocketbelt stunt man. The joke was that our town is so small that the idea of an afternoon traffic report is ludicrous. The running gag through all the skits was that no matter what method we used-- helicopter, hot air balloon, ice cream truck or rocketbelt, something always went wrong and we could never get our traffic report. Mercury Theater Of The Air we weren't, but presented now for your entertainment is "Flash," our doomed rocketbelt traffic reporter. Enjoy!

Flash.Traffic

"The Drive" With Mark & Mike Cope

Are you comfortable? Want some popcorn?

Be sure to check out Hal's rocketbelt page.

My Pal Hal

Originally Posted

8/9/2007

This is a guy I'm proud to say I know. You don't meet many characters like Hal Graham these days. The real deal with the right stuff, Hal is the original rocketeer. As the first pilot of the Bell Aerospace rocketbelt Hal demonstrated his mad rocketbelt skillz for the top brass at the Pentagon and flew for J.F.K. I caught up with Hal as he prepared to attend the Rocketbelt Convention this weekend in New York. He graciously agreed to an interview on our radio show this morning.

Hal Graham Interview 08-09-07

Interviewed by Mike Cope 8-9-07

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