You Know What the World Needs? More “Calvin and Hobbes.”

I was going through old boxes of stuff from the basement — and came across all my Calvin & Hobbes books!  Score.

As a kid, I loved these books.  As an adult, I love them even more.  Especially when I can appreciate something like this that likely zinged right past my head in youth:

If you haven’t connected with the sage advice of Bill Watterson lately, I highly suggest it.  (You can do so in this Reddit thread, dig up your old books, or buy/borrow perhaps?)  Especially when something like this might have new meaning in adulthood:

But nothing will ever beat the philosophic observations of a boy and his stuffed tiger.  For whatever reason, listening to their innocence makes life lessons go down a bit smoother.  Reading these this weekend help ground me and re-frame life a bit.  Maybe it will do the same for you — [eric]

[THANKS:  Reddit’s thread on Calvin and Hobbes]

Should there be intermissions in Movie theaters? Yes!

Going to see a movie sometimes can have some circumstantial hassles like people with light bright on their phones or someone talking loudly, it should be a magical experience to be taking in the big screen adventure, right? What about sitting down for a movie that’s over on average 2 hours (‘Blade Runner 2049’ was nearly 3 hours, worth it!), you are drinking that delish coke, and in the middle of it you got to go to bathroom. Break it up with an intermission like they did back in the day.

Look at this great read from Nick Douglas at Lifehacker that details the history of movies with intermissions and how it helped improved the in-theater expedience. Here’s a bit from it.

Imagine the fringe benefits: Constant texters might finally put their damn phones down if they know there’s a break coming. Audiences can talk about the first half of the film and prepare for the second. Everyone can stretch their legs so the film doesn’t feel like a plane flight. Sure, people might sneak into other movies halfway through, but it’s not like they can’t do that already. People will need to save their seats—sure, fine. It all worked in the 60s, and it can all work again.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE. 

On a related note, Movie Clips put together this on-point detailed all the etiquette that goes with seeing a movie in the theater.

Schedule for Chicago Cubs vs. LA Dodgers NLCS games #FLYTHEWKQX

Find out when to be stressed out but excited at the same time watching the Cubs this week. Yeah, it’s a lot of night games but based on the dramatics of the Cub’s NLDS series closing win over the Nationals, how much more can Cubbie fans handle? As a White Sox fan, let’s just get some entertaining games.

Here is the schedule for the National League Championship Series for the Cubs against the Dodgers.

Game 1: Saturday at Dodger Stadium at 7:08 p.m. 

Game 2: Sunday at Dodger Stadium at 6:38 p.m. 

Game 3: Tuesday at Wrigley Field

Game 4: Wednesday at Wrigley Field

Game 5: Oct. 19 at Wrigley (if necessary)

Game 6: Oct. 21 at Dodger Stadium (if necessary)

Game 7: Oct. 22 at Dodger Stadium (if necessary)

All times are still to be determined, and all games will air on TBS.

 

Listen to NIN’s Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross cover John Carpenter’s Halloween theme

 

If you were not ready for Halloween with a monster movie marathon, a visit to a haunted house attraction or a costume party this may help throw you into the season. Nine Inch Nails are dark and grim, so who better to cover the chill tension-rising theme to the horror classic ‘Halloween’?

John Carpenter who directed the original film which brought Michael Meyers to the masses, also crafted the dramatic music for his movies and is releasing an collection on October 27th, ‘Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998.’ So why not collaborate some fellow visionaries in NIN?

We had Reznor and Ross in for an interview prior to their Riot Fest headlining set.

 

Why is FRIDAY THE 13TH unlucky and scary?

Loved this timely articel from Lifehacker today that details all the historical and cultural reasons that oday FRIDAY THE 13TH is creepy. It’s odd how there is collective combined uneasyness about one day that is interlaced with Norse mythology, Christian numerology, and of course those movies with Jason Vorhees.  Read the full article here. 

Did some tube-digging and found these videos covering the weirdness of this one day on the calendar.

And why not a look back at Jason’s monstrous horror franchise…

NEW MUSIC ALERT! Beck releases energetic new album ‘Colors’

Beck has sure taken releasing his new album ‘COLORS’ which has been in the works for more than 2 years, with the first single from it being the smash hit ‘Dreams’ which was the summer anthem of 2015. Now today it’s finally here after two funky singles released in ‘WOW’ and ‘Up All Night’ coming out since, it’s available on all major streaming services and in a retail vynl release.

On first listen, it shows that Mr. Hansen whose more 25 years into his alternative music career is still one of the most inventive and diverse artist out there. His hybrid mix of funky, synth pop, dance, and hip-hop is so organic vivid and to borrow one of his lyrics, “WOW!’ If you are fan of his more energetic work on the albums ‘Guero’, ‘Odelay!’ and ‘Midnite Vultures’ than there is a chance you will dig this fresh batch of butt-shakers.

So “giddy up” and dig into all these new tracks in the videos below.

Beck ‘Colors’ 

1. “Colors”
2. “7th Heaven”
3. “I’m So Free”
4. “Dear Life”
5. “No Distraction”
6. “Dreams”
7. “Wow”
8. “Up All Night”
9. “Square One”
10. “Fix Me”

WATCH: Billy Corgan Performs Song From Brand-New Album On ‘Jimmy Fallon’

(from chicagoist.com)

Billy Corgan—or William Patrick Corgan, as he’s currently performing under his legal name—released the Rick Rubin-produced Ogilala, his first solo album in 12 years, on Friday. The former Smashing Pumpkins frontman made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Thursday night ahead of the release. Corgan performed “Aeronaut,” a stately piano number with string-quartet backing. (MORE HERE)

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To be Cool or To Be Popular, that is the Question.

You can only choose one, to be cool or to be popular? Cool and popular cannot co-exist, which do you choose?

Image result for what's cool

Here’s part of my reasoning:

Some kids are popular because they are outgoing and personable.  To be popular, it is to be something that a majority of people like or want to be. Cool things are fresh/new and therefore not popular and once popular they are too well liked by the mainstream to still be considered cool.

For example – James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause is super cool, but in no way popular.  He’s a rebel, that by definition means that he is actively going against the norm.  He also doesn’t have a cause. He’s mysterious and different.  Because of this film, people started emulating this character and this persona and eventually ever tween had a leather jacket and angst and because this got so popular, it became the popular norm and was thus no longer cool.

 

Image result for cool garth brooks

 

Garth Brooks is statistically the biggest-selling music artist in US history and overall third behind the Beatles and Elvis Presley.  All of those artists were at one time considered different and cool, but the more mainstream and popular they became, the less cool they were.

I’ll admit being cool is hard and risky.   Madonna, Prince and countless other artists are constantly reinventing themselves.  Their cool factor fades and once they’ve become popular, they seek the next shocking and fresh idea to wow an audience.  Maybe that’s why some artists never surpass one hit – they strike cool gold, skyrocket to popularity and then their cool vision is forever clouded.

Being popular is no stroll in the park either.  Popularity, weirdly enough, can be lonely.  Because the goal is to be liked by the maximum amount of people, certain sacrifices and conformities must be made to retain appeal.

 

Image result for mean girls popular

 

Sometimes popular people are hated because other’s are jealous of the popularity they have and sometimes cool people are hated because they’re so different and misunderstood.  People don’t like what they don’t understand – which to a lot is both what’s cool AND what’s popular.

I could go on and on – Point is that they both have their pros and cons, which do you choose?

WKQX The Fratellis Text Contest

WKQX’s “The Fratellis Text” Contest
Official Rules

A complete copy of these rules can be obtained at the offices of radio station WKQX (“Station”), owned and operated by Cumulus Media Holdings Inc. or one of its subsidiary companies, 455 N. Cityfront Plaza Chicago, IL 60611, during normal business hours Monday through Friday or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the above address.

The Station will conduct the WKQX “The Fratellis Text” Contest (the “Contest”) substantially as described in these rules, and by participating, each participant agrees as follows:

  1. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not increase your chance of winning.   Void where prohibited.  All federal, state, and local regulations apply.

Eligibility.  This Contest is open only to legal U.S. residents, excluding Florida and New York residents, age eighteen (18) years or older at the time of entry with a valid Social Security number and who reside in the Station’s Designated Market Area (“DMA”) as defined by Nielsen Audio, who have not won a prize from the Station in the last 30 days or a prize valued at $500 or more in the last 60 days, and whose immediate family members or household members have not won a prize from the Station in the last 30 days or a prize valued at $500 or more in the last 60 days.   Void where prohibited by law.  Employees of Cumulus Media Holdings Inc., its parent company, affiliates, related entities and subsidiaries, promotional sponsors, prize providers, advertising agencies, other radio stations serving the Station’s DMA, and the immediate family members and household members of all such employees are not eligible to participate. The term “immediate family members” includes spouses, parents and step-parents, siblings and step-siblings, and children and stepchildren.  The term “household members” refers to people who share the same residence at least three (3) months out of the year. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Station’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.

  1. Contest Period. The Contest will begin at 03:51 pm CT on Friday, October 13, 2017 and will run through 12:00pm CT on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 (the “Contest Period”).  The Station’s computer is the official time keeping device for this Contest.
  2. How to Enter. To enter:
  • Text: Send a text message with the keyword DAGGER to 312-101 during the Sweepstakes Period.  All entries must be received by 11:59 am CT on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 to be eligible for the Grand Prize drawing.  Standard text messaging rates, as established by an individual’s wireless carrier, may apply, and Station assumes no responsibility for any fees or charges incurred for and associated with any text message sent to or from Station.  Any and all fees arising out of the transmission of a text message shall be the sole responsibility of the entrant.  Limit one (1) entry per person per phone number. Multiple participants are not permitted to share the same telephone number. Any attempt by any participant to submit more than one (1) entry by using multiple/different telephone phone numbers, identities, or any other methods will void that participant from further participation in the Sweepstakes.
  • Online: Send an e-mail with the title The Fratellis Contest during the Contest Period, to [email protected] containing your Legal Name, Phone Number, Date of Birth, and Address in the body of the e-mail.  All entries must be received by 11:59 am CT on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 to be eligible for the Grand Prize drawing. Limit one (1) entry per person per email address.  Multiple participants are not permitted to share the same email address. Any attempt by any participant to submit more than one (1) entry per day by using multiple/different email addresses, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that entry and the participant may be disqualified.  Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. Station is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, inappropriate or misdirected registrations, all of which will be disqualified.  In the event of a dispute as to any registration, the authorized account holder of the email address used to register will be deemed to be the participant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned the telephone number by the wireless carrier or an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address.  Potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder. All entries become the sole and exclusive property of Station and will not be returned.  Station reserves the right to contact entrants and all other individuals whose email address is submitted as part of this promotion.  No mail-in entries will be accepted.
  1. Winner Selection. On or about 1:00 pm CT on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, Station will select five (5) entries for the Grand Prize in a random drawing from among all valid entries received by Station during the Contest Period. The winning entrant will be contacted using the email address and/or telephone number provided with the entry and may be awarded the prize (subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these rules). Station’s decisions as to the administration and operation of the Contest and the selection of the potential winner are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest. Failure to respond to the initial verification contact will result in disqualification.
  2. Verification of Potential Winner. THE ELIGIBILITY OF ALL POTENTIAL CONTEST WINNERS IS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY STATION WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE CONTEST. The potential winner must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. The potential winner may be notified by email and/or telephone call after the date of random drawing and/or winner determination. The potential winner will be required to sign and return to Station, within three (3) days of the date notice is sent, an affidavit of eligibility and a liability/publicity release (except where prohibited) in order to claim his/her prize, if applicable.  A winner who returns the affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release will be deemed to have accepted the contest prize and thereafter will not be permitted to rescind their acceptance of the prize and/or return the prize. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, fails to sign and return the affidavit of eligibility and/or the liability/publicity release within the required time period (if applicable), or if the prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize. In the event that the potential winner of a prize is disqualified for any reason, Station may award the applicable prize to an alternate winner by random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries.    
  3. Grand Prize. Five (5) Grand Prizes will be awarded in this Contest.  The Grand Prize is 2 tickets to The Fratellis on Friday, May 11th at METRO. ARV [Fifty Dollars] ($50.00).  Winner is responsible for all taxes associated with prize receipt and/or use.  Odds of winning the Grand Prize depend on a number of factors including the number of eligible entries received during the Contest Period and listeners participating at any given time.

There is no substitution, transfer, or cash equivalent for prizes, except that the Station may, at its sole discretion and to the extent permitted by law, substitute prizes of comparable value or cash.  The prizes are expressly limited to the item(s) listed above and do not include taxes, gratuities or any other expenses.  Any tickets and/or gift certificates/cards awarded as part of a prize will be subject to the terms and conditions set forth by the issuer and are valid only on the date(s) printed on the tickets or gift certificates/cards.  Other restrictions may apply.

  1. Entry Conditions and Release. By entering, each participant agrees to: (a) comply with and be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Station, which are binding and final in all matters relating to this Contest; (b) release and hold harmless Station, Cumulus Media Inc., and its subsidiaries, related and affiliated companies, participating sponsors, the prize suppliers and any other organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the Contest, and each of their respective past and present officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, including but not limited to invasion of privacy (under appropriation, intrusion, public disclosure of private facts, false light in the public eye or other legal theory), defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, infringement of trademark, copyright or other intellectual property rights, property damage, or death or personal injury arising out of or relating to a participant’s entry, creation of an entry or submission of an entry, participation in the Contest, acceptance or use or misuse of prize (including any travel or activity related thereto) and/or the broadcast, exploitation or use of entry; and (c) indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Released Parties from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to an entrant’s participation in the Contest and/or entrant’s acceptance, use, non-use or misuse of the prize.
  2. Except where prohibited, participation in the Contest constitutes winner’s consent to use by the Station and its agent of winner’s name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions and/or biographical information (including hometown and state) for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration, unless otherwise prohibited by law.
  3. All State, Local, Federal and/or other taxes, duties, tariffs, title fees, licensing fees, or other fees for prizes awarded become the sole responsibility of the winner.  All those who win a prize or prizes valued $600 or more in any given year will be issued an IRS Form 1099 to report their winnings.
  4. General Conditions. Station reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Contest, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Station’s reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Contest, as determined by Station in its sole discretion. Station reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Station reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Station’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
  5. Limitations of Liability. The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by Station, entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; (2) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Contest; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Contest or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Contest or receipt or use, non-use or misuse of any prize. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. In event that a production, technical, programming or other error causes more than stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be claimed, Station reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, unawarded, eligible prize claims.
  6. Entrant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; (ii) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved exclusively by the United States District Court or the appropriate state court located in the Station’s listening area; (iii) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Contest, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (iv) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of entrant and Station in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the state in which the Station is located, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the state in which the Station is located or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the state in which the Station is located.
  7. Entrant’s Personal Information. Information collected from entrants is subject to Station’s Privacy Policy, which is available on the Station’s website under the “Privacy Policy” link. All entry blanks, forms, devices, and materials gathered during the course of entry, as well as all information contained therein, shall become the sole property of Station to be used, disposed of or destroyed in its sole discretion. Station is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information entered by website users, and assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to Station’s website.
  8. Contest Results. A winners list may be obtained within thirty (30) days after the Contest Period expires by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to the Station identified below.

CONTEST SPONSOR: Cumulus Media Holdings Inc., WKQX, 455 N. Cityfront Plaza Chicago, IL 60611.
METRO Chicago,
3730 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613

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Hot, Hot, Hot

I like to play pranks, harmless pranks that usually involved people eating something weird. Never eat salsa after I’ve been standing by it ’cause I’ve more than likely put HOT, HOT, HOT sauce into it just to watch and laugh as people wince and confusingly breath fire.

 

Family Living In The ‘Breaking Bad’ House Finally Taking Action Against Countless Pizza Throwers

(from brobible.com)

Countless perfectly good pizzas have been the casualty of a tired, overplayed gimmick on a quiet street in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It’s been four years since the final episode of Breaking Bad and still so many people have been throwing pizzas on the roof of Walter White’s house (a la White in the second episode of season three watch below), despite Vince Gilligan–the show’s creator–urging fans to stop nearly three years ago and Jonathan Banks–who plays Mike Ehrmantraut–adding that he would “hunt down” those responsible for the pizza tossing (MORE HERE)

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Tom DeLonge Just Launched a Multi-Faceted Space Research Company

(from exclaim.ca)

Former Blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge has said a lot of crazy-sounding things since taking off his Take Off Your Pants and Jacket garb. Slowly but surely, however, his larger-than-life proclamations are ringing true. He really is moving closer to the 15 novels he promised, and his out-there space talk saw him win UFO researcher of the year. Now, he’s launched a fairly impressive tech company that aims to open space research to the public. (MORE HERE)

 

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Linkin Park shares Carpool Karaoke Episode

Linkin Park recorded and Episode of Carpool Karaoke with Ken Jeong 6 days before Chester Bennington was found dead.  The band have decided to share it with us, with the blessings of Chester’s family and in his honor.

From the band, “The One More Light Fund was established to honor Chester. If you would like to make a gift in his memory please visit http://lprk.co/OMLFund

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, please call the suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK, someone is available 24/7.

<3 @laurenoneil

Linkin Park Carpool Karaoke

Shrekfest Where Irony Goes To Die

(from avclub.com)

In James Madison Park in Madison, Wisconsin, a group of like-minded individuals came together to celebrate the death of irony, also known as Shrekfest. For the fourth year in a row, fans of the Dreamworks franchise emerged from their swampy ogre dens to dance, play games, and presumably bum out their parents. As one attendee so succinctly described the event: “It’s weird.” (MORE HERE)

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WATCH PARAMORE – HARD TIMES OUTTAKES.

We heard the video hit 50 million views on the Tube. enjoy – @paramore

Paramore stopped by the Sound Lounge recently and performed Hard Times. More like FUN TIMES!!! (watch below)

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