How to survive Auschwitz

Just imagine what Poland’s besieged Jewish community might have accomplished with the informational and emotional resources of Twitter and Psychology Today, had they been available back in 1944.

Oy! The tragedy! Even today, Twitter, with its inexhaustible cache of self-styled #lifecoachweasel(s) and green-themed avatars, has stoked me with the emotional support to weather such traumatic events as Iran election riots and the John and Kate divorce. Continue reading

Posted in: Hot Topics at 2:08 am Wed, Jul 15, 2009.

Do we have any asses here today?

“And now it’s time for the blues portion of our show,” I warned the collected faithful at Bill’s Records, mid-way through the Nov. 1, 2008, show that continues to spit out (now classic) video singles.

“This next here song’s called My Fat Ass Itches — ’cause it does.”

Guitar tip: Capo the E-chord up to the sixth fret, and you can actually play My Fat Ass Itches in the key of B-fat. Really wows the crowd! Continue reading

Posted in: Video at 3:34 pm Wed, Jul 8, 2009.

Another podcaster pays the price

Dave Lee probably figures he’s built a solid foundation of work and a loyal audience over 65 weekly episodes of the U.K.-based Bugcast.

I, on the other hand, have absolutely nothing invested in the chat-and-music program, and see Dave’s archive as a soundbed of coughs, sighs, belches, grunts and assorted exclamations I can combine with a few non-sequiters to completely mischaracterize his intent.

In other words, I’ve alienated another podcaster who foolishly played one of my songs (The Ballad Of Morris The Cat, on Episode 56). Continue reading

Posted in: Podcast Roundup at 2:44 am Fri, Jul 3, 2009.