Ike Turner Keeps On Rollin'..... Into his Grave..!

"Shut up, Bitch!"
Smack! Pow!
This is how the r&b legend will be remembered by his ex-wife Tina, pictured with him below:

Talk about a bad career move. Letting Tina get away (and become one of the biggest stars on the planet in the 1980's). Languishing in alcoholism and mediocrity.
Idolized by a generation of unemployed Democrats.

New Job, New Tool (Or Toy!)

Well, I have completed my first two weeks at my new place of employment. I went to work for American Tire Distributors (formerly Heaffner Tires). Monday-Friday, 7:30-5:00.
Not once this week have I been called a liar, cursed, or threatened. He's got the whole world in his hands.


...And he has an illegitimate son...!



ANYhow, I got my Christmas present early, and am using it to prepare an animation pitch proposal. "ToonBoom Studio" is an idiot-friendly animating program that I will be utilizing to bring my creations to life. AND to bring other folks (like Uncle Henry) to the small screen, as well.

R.I.P. EVEL KNIEVEL

Dude. The greatest stuntman of my generation finally cashed it in. Oddly enough, he didn't go out in a fiery crash. Who can forget the "abc's Wide World of Sports" intro replaying his ill-fated jump of the Caesar's Palace fountain? Or the anti-climactic Snake River Canyon attempt (after he was not allowed near the Grand Canyon)?
An entire generation of would-be daredevils (myself included) was inspired to ride recklessly and build ramps to jump ditches, wagons, culverts, garbage cans or whatever we could scrounge. Johnson & Johnson made a FORTUNE in bandages and medicine off of my neighborhood alone.
And for the record, my 'Evel Knievel' figure with motorcycle and gyro was an 'action figure', NOT a doll. He was MY generation's 'G.I. Joe', a hero/hapless victim subjected to whatever daring stunts or poorly executed adventures we could dream up. (Note: per Sam Anthony, the 'Steve Austin:Six Million Dollar Man' was also an 'action figure' and not a doll.)
Burials. Drownings. High-impact collisions. Parachuting from trees.(For the record, the wire-reinforced soft vinyl construction of the Evel Knievel was nowhere NEAR as durable or flame-resistant as the G.I. Joe)
Here, for your enjoyment, is a video tribute:

Even Auburn's OWN Guard Dogs Don't Like 'Em! (I WANT THIS DOG!)

Ha! Auburn may have beaten The TIDE again, but they STILL get no respect-- even from THEIR OWN SECURITY K-9!



This was a classic moment. Even though Bama lost in a very boring and uneventful game, there was a highlight. Unfortunately, that was it.
I wonder how much they want for the dog....? Now I want it! Or one just like it!

Wait 'Til Next Year....AGAIN...!

Oh, well.
Alabama lost to the cow college. Again. It was to be expected, relative to the process the past few weeks. The lack of talent, depth and discipline along with auburn's desire was just too much to overcome.
Hopefully, Coach Saban can get some young men who WANT to be here, who want to play for The Crimson Tide.

IRON BOWL WISH

ALABAMA PLEASEpleasePLEASEpleasePLEASE PLEEEEEEEEEEEASE
BEAT auburn......!
I'm still so full of turkey & dressing that I can hardly move.
Hopefully, The TIDE can end this string of embarrassing losses and 'right the ship'.
Arkansas (barely) beats LSU (in 3OT) to end the Tigers' national championship hopes. LSU will still represent the West in the SEC Championship game. MSU comes from behind to beat Ole Miss and send Orgeron packing. Kentucky and Tennessee looks to be a good matchup, and with a win the vols can be right back in the SEC Eastern driver's seat. Crazy season!

Thanksgiving Treat 'BLAST From the PAST'

Hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving holiday. For your viewing enjoyment, I am posting 20-yr-old photos of the beginnings of an impromptu wall mural that I rendered on an apartment wall that I shared with my sisters Gwen and Kay. It 'seemed' like a good idea after a long day/night of working and after-hour indulgence:


My sister Gwen thought it would be funny to capture her inebriated brother in action, and at a later date snapped a pic of Bill Horn and me posing in front after several other additions.

Yes, I know. It's a 'mullett'. But, in my defense, everyone had one in 1987, so live with it.
If you look just above Billy and to the right, you will see a caricature of him, arms out-stretched, in a Mickey Mouse shirt. Several other caricatures are visible, including one of the artist (me) peeking out from behind a tree. Various cartoon characters and friends are also scattered throughout, including Richard Nixon, Dan Povenmire, Max Headroom, Calvin & Hobbes, and others.

Interestingly enough, when we went to move out of this apartment I knew I had to paint over the scribbles. So, I did. I slathered it thoroughly with two coats of white paint, covering the wall entirely. Mural gone, no problem.
Except that when I woke up the next day, IT WAS BACK! The mural had re-appeared, bleeding through the newly-applied interior latex! We thought the wall was possessed, even considered calling a priest or theologian. I repeated the process, with the same results. I finally sealed the wall with clear enamel, THEN painted it.
That time, it was really gone. Covered for good.