Feel Good Friday – Spooky Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone!!

In honor of the holiday, let’s get a little “Spooky” with Dusty Springfield.

The Classics IV did the original, but I like her version.

Newscoma’s FGF tune also has a Halloween vibe.

So does Ginger’s and she’s got a long list of others who’ve posted FGF tunes today.

Zombie Big Brother

As a big fan of reality television, I can’t wait until BBC America brings over this version of Big Brother.

The UK Channel 4 has been airing a five-episode “reality” show that features zombies called Dead Set.

The storyline of this fictional show has the castmembers of a Big Brother show trapped in their home playing to win the cash prize while outside the house/set zombies have taken over the world. Then when each houseguest is eliminated, they exit the safe house and the first thing they encounter is the undead seeking to eat their brains.

For a video clip and more info, visit The Guardian.

Wouldn’t that make a great TV marathon for Halloween night?

Giant Kitchen Skull

I’m not sure if they included the kitchen sink in this, but just about anything else you can think of from the kitchen was put together to make this giant shiny skull.

Indian artist Subodh Gupta presented his piece at the Frieze art fair in London.

Just a little something to break up the non-Halloween music of the last few posts as we begin the final countdown to All-Hallow’s Eve. Boo to you!

Via the Telegraph.

Amazing kd lang at the Ryman

I got to see kd lang perform at the Ryman the other night.

Incredible, moving, brilliant.

Believe it or not it was my first ever visit to the Ryman and what a way to experience the historical building – an angelic voice filling the room and someone I love sitting next to me – a perfect night.

I’ve been a fan of kd since her first album (yes I had “Angel With A Lariat” on vinyl) and her late night visits to Letterman’s set.

She performed lots of stuff from her new CD “Watershed”; you can hear a few of those tunes on her MySpace page.

She charmed her audience with a bit of banter and some “dance moves” and her banjo.

The showstopper was her version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. The emotion conveyed by her powerful voice raised the Ryman roof and lifted her audience to its feet for an extended standing ovation once the rendition was finished. It moved me to tears.

This version isn’t from the Ryman, but it’s still an impressive showing from 2007.

Feel Good Friday – kd lang

It’s Feel Good Friday and I’ve got some retro kd lang for everyone headed to the Ryman in Nashville to see the Canadian songbird tonight.

Gwen Stefani’s Soggy Bottom

I ran across this video last week while I was looking for a Feel Good Friday tune and I’m still not quite sure what to make of it.

It’s a mash-up of Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” and the Soggy Bottom Boys from the movie soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou.

I’ll let you judge for yourself.

Space Race Heats Up

What with all the Joe the Plumber, Caribou Barbie, McCain tongue-wagging talk, some of you may have missed the news about a new lunar mission.

Yes, I know that diaper-wearing, Katie-Couric-on-a-bad-morning-look-alike astronaut Lisa Nowak‘s case has been back in court with her lawyers’ attempts to get the wacko stuff found in her car like wigs, duct tape and maps thrown out as evidence. That’s just loony, not lunar.

Here’s the lunar race I’m writing about.

FYI, India launched its first lunar mission — Chandrayaan-1 which means “moon craft” in ancient Sanskrit — this morning with hopes of mapping the moon’s surface. They’re looking for potential energy sources.

“A principal objective is to look for Helium 3, an isotope which is very rare on earth but is sought to power nuclear fusion and could be a valuable source of energy in the future, some scientists believe.”

The quote above is from an article at Scientific American.

Japan and China are also very interested in the moon and have launched orbiters around the big green cheese.

NASA does have some payload on the Indian lunar lander and will benefit from the exploration.

Is the USA ahead of the game with its Mars rover (which you can follow on Twitter @MarsPhoenix) or overlooking what’s right in our “backyard”?

It makes me wonder just how many more $$$$ will be pumped into space exploration in the coming years as other nation’s take serious shots into outer space.

Killer Pillows

Lay your weary head upon these gruesome yet fun pillow cases and see what kind of sweet dreams you have.

One of the two pillow cases has a bloody axe and splatter patterns printed on it, while the other half of the pair has just a bloody puddle for your to place your noggin upon.

It might be the perfect gift for the serial killer in your life.

Pop Pillow produces these and has two other designs that are not as frightening. One is a devil and angel tandem with applicable horns and halo designs and the other applies to snoring.

You can order yours or check out the other designs at lazyboneuk.com.

H/T to Trendhunters

Praise the Rays

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays, American League Champs and World Series bound!!

I’m just feeling groovy this morning after watching the Tampa Bay Rays hold off the BoSox to earn a trip to the World Series in a worst-to-first season.

I’ve kept an eye on this talented bunch for a couple of seasons, using several of their players on my fantasy baseball team. Upton, Longoria, Garza, Price. Those are

names you’ll be hearing about for several years to come.

They’ve got a forward thinking manager who looks pretty cool with those glasses and that silver fauxhawk.

The Phillies won’t be an easy team for them to roll through, but the Rays do have homefield advantage and some fans showing up to make an impact (More COWBELL!!).

The boys from the City of Brotherly Love do have the overall edge in experience, but I’m not counting out the Rays.

And while we’re talking baseball, let’s give a shout out to the curse of the Billy Goat and 100 years of Cubs futility! Hip Hip Hooray to the losers in Wrigley. No Bartman was needed to down the lovable losers, just some Dodger blue and Manny being Manny.

Hey, I’m a Cardinals fan. I’ve got to throw a jab when I get a chance.

Joe Madden image source

Winking Sarah Palin in Legos

We’ve all seen Sarah Palin wink whether in the actual vice presidential debate or in the video bits compiled from the debate or even Tina Fey’s winking on Saturday Night Live.

But here is a version you may not have expected – a Lego creation by ochre jelly.

You betcha you can see close-ups and other angles of the Lego Sarah, just click here.