A little of this, a little of that, all reflecting on the past through the eyes of the present.  This episode is a little bit more like my original concept for Digital Flotsam.  I expected it would have a lot more variety in each episode and only a very rough theme.  This returns, or at least hints at that style.  There’s a story about smuggling a radio to school in order to listen to the World Series.  Theres a story about how I met my wife, and how I eventually won her over.  There’s a couple of new home made commercials that I hope you’ll listen to.  There’s some classic comedy, and there’s loads of great music from unusual places.  If your interested:

The Lone Ranger radio intro from the 1930s
“Radio” by Heavy Mojo
“A Husband And A Wife” by Ethel Merman & Jimmy Durante
“Beautiful Face” by Bob & Ray
An assortment of musical treasures from The Beau Hunks
“Still The One” by Orleans (a Roz fave)
and of course theme music by 3 Blind Mice (my drop dead favorite musical artists)

One of those new commercials was for these guys, and here’s where you should click…

Thank you, China.  Thank you for the most beautiful Olympic opening ceremony of all times.  Thank you for the enormous effort it took to create it and share it with the rest of the world.

The creative ingenuity of the presentations were nothing short of astounding.  Jaw dropping.  Dumbfounding.  Awe inspiring.

The final moments, when Li Ning ran around the top of the stadium to light the Olympic cauldron brought tears to my eyes.

Thank You, China.  Thank you, Zhang Yimou.

Dorothy Gale ain’t got nothin’ on me.  Yes this harrowing tale is completely true.  Another one you just couldn’t make up.  You can read an actual press account of that day from the archives of the St. Petersburg Times.

Some great music can be heard in this edition…

Music by Rob Costlow from his CDs “Woods of Chaos” and “Sophomore Jinx”
“Frisco Fog” and “Shield Suspense Medley” from The Beau Hunks
The late Isreal Kamakawiwo’ole singing a bit of a relevant TV show theme.
A snippet of another relevant song by Christopher Cross.
…and of course the Digital Flotsam Theme Music by 3 Blind Mice

Excellent music plays in the background during this show and every artist is playing and/or singing “God Bless The Child” written by the late great Billie Holiday.

Frederic Yonnet from his CD Front & Center

Anita O’Day from the CD Anita O’Day’s Finest Hour

Sonny Rollins from his CD The Bridge

Ella Fitzgerald from her CD The Best Is Yet To Come

And of course, the Digital Flotsam Theme graciously provided by 3 Blind Mice.

The first show ever reissued from the shows that were taken offline. Below are the original shownotes. It is perfect for “Independence Day” otherwise known to U.S. citizens as “The Fourth of July”.

1. “Washington Post March” by John Philip Sousa, played by the Band of the Grenadier Guards & Rodney Bashford

2. Opening pronouncements

3. “The One Pound Rocket” by P.W. Fenton segment #1, backgound music - “Family” by Rob Costlow

4. “Beer And Fireworks” by Jim Paquette

5. “The One Pound Rocket” segment #2 and #3, backgound music - “What! Not Another Greasy Spoon” by Hank Marr

6. “Brooklyn Bridge” by The Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps & The Jackie Robinson Steppers

7. “The One Pound Rocket” segment #4, backgound music - “Sweet Nancy” by Hank Marr

8. “1812 Overture - Finale” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

9. “The One Pound Rocket” segment #5, backgound music - ““Sweet Nancy” by Hank Marr

10. “The Star Spangled Banner” arranged by Igor Stravinsky

11. Closing pronouncements

In the mind of a 6 year old, a parent’s concerns can get magnified. Just ask the former 6 year old. In this case the former 6 year old is my “Anglo daughter”, Billie Fenton. Billie did the story writing and the narrating this time around. This is a “re-mix” of one of those older shows that had been taken off line. I hope you agree that it was well worth bringing back.

Pre flight instructions - recorded during a flight to New Orleans in May of 2002

“Fear of Flying” by comedian James Gregory from his CD “It Could Be The Law, I Don’t Know”

“On The Plane” by Cheryl Wheeler, from her CD “Defying Gravity”

Theme music by 3 Blind Mice

You are hearing this story for the first time. No one in my family has heard this story before either. I don’t know why. I just never told it.

Most of the music is by The Beau Hunks, those wonderful purveyors of glorious music from the past.

And there is a bit of music by Randy Newman from the film “Avalon“.

And of course the theme music comes from my favorite band “3 Blind Mice”

Prologue: “Ralph’s Basement” by P.W. Fenton
“Bashin’” by Jimmy Smith
“The Legacy of Geeks” by P.W. Fenton
“Take Me Out To The Ball Game” by Don Stiernberg from his CD “About Time”
“End Title” by Randy Newman from the Avalon Soundtrack Album
“The Natural” by Randy Newman from the soundtrack of The Natural
“Take Me Out To the Ball Game” by Carly Simon from her boxed set “Clouds In My Coffee”

As always many thanks to 3 Blind Mice for providing my theme music

My sponsor for this episode… eMusic. Check these folks out. They have a deal you won’t believe. All you have to do is use my link and you get all kinds of stuff FREE…. (that means no money)

Special thanks to Jan Polet for helping me by creating that tongue-in-cheek “Hit Test” to open the show.  I am a big fan of Jan’s work and very grateful for his contribution.

Audible beneath my constant blabbing are portions of the following…

“Song C” & “Song D” by Bruce Hornsby, from his CD “Spirit Trail”

“And So It Goes” by Billy Joel, from his CD “Storm Front”

“Friends” by Buzzy Linhart, from his LP “Pussycats Can Go Far”

“The Art Teacher” by Rufus Wainwright, from his CD “Want Two”

My pal Charlie who is now retired and living like a king in Thailand

As always many thanks to 3 Blind Mice for providing my theme music

My sponsor for this episode… eMusic. Check these folks out. They have a deal you won’t believe. All you have to do is use my link and you get all kinds of stuff FREE…. (that means no money)