Steely Dan - Aja - 1977

Steely Dan Aja Record Album

It was 1977. I was a senior in high school. Steely Dan released a new record called Aja, their follow up album to their critically acclaimed 1976 The Royal Scam record. Aja was a welcome alternative to the disco era tunes that flooded the airwaves. Yes kids, we listened to the FM radio for our music. We didn't have Ipod's and MP3 players.

The cover is basic black, with the title of the album, Aja, in red at the top right with the Steely Dan in white lettering below it. On the left, you have to look closely, is a picture of a Chinese woman's profile. A red and white ribbon streak down the center of the album.

Steely Dan is comprised of two music legends. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. They are pictured on the bottom left side of the album jacket. There is plenty of liner notes written by Michael Phalen who was invited to observe a Steely Dan recording session and then to report back to a prominent European publication. Alas, things went sour as Fagen and Becker confiscated his tape recorder and notes once they learned who he was.

The liner notes continued on the right inside jacket. Oddly enough, the European publication went belly up before Phalen could publish his story. However, a year later, Fagen and Becker invited him to write the liner notes for their new album, Aja. He accepted and it is what you see here on the jacket.

Also part of the liner notes are from the president of ABC Records, Steve Diener. He touts how great and modern the album sounds.

The back cover of Aja is dressed in black with the song titles listed on the top left corner in white lettering.

Side One offered: Black Cow, Aja, Deacon Blues. Side Two offered: Peg, Home At last, I Got The News, Josie.

Peg was the song that got the most air time on the radio and made it to number 4, while Deacon Blues made it to number 11 and Josie made the top 20.

The dust cover contains all the lyrics from the album along with the musicians who assisted in creating the album.

Lyrics to the hit single Peg are below.

I've seen your picture
Your name in lights above it
This is your big debut
It's like a dream come true
So won't you smile for the camera
I know they're gonna love it

I like your pin shot
I keep it with your letter
Done up in blueprint blue
It sure looks good on you
And when you smile for the camera
I know I'll love you better

Peg
It will come back to you
Peg
It will come back to you
Then the shutter falls
You see it all in 3-D
It's your favorite foreign movie

Steely Dan Aja Album Lyrics

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Olivia Munn - Sci-Fi Sexy Siren

Olivia Munn Nerdgasm Queen

Meet Olivia Munn, sexy co-host from the cable channel G-4 program, Attack Of The Show. (AOTS) Olivia, in a most unique style, (You have to see her hot dog from a string bit) reviews new tech gadgets, the daily news, viral videos, pop culture, new video games, movies, and all things digital. As an added bonus, she stars in several parodies of Sci-Fi movies and shows. And oh yea, she is the absolute sexiest Princess Leia this side of Alderaan. This would be enough for Olivia to land on the Sci-Fi Sexy Sirens but there is much more to her than G-4.

Olivia has a part in the upcoming Science Fiction blockbuster film, Iron Man 2, due in theaters later this year. Plus she had a role in the horror film Insanitarium. You can read about Olivia Munn at her website plus plenty more sexy pictures, funny stories, and general good entertainment. Enjoy!

Sci-Fi Sexy Sirens brought to you by the Grassy Knoll Institute marketing team to boost readership and placement on search engines.

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Lost Update - Feel Like A Number

Lost Update - Season Six - 02/16/2010

I feel like just another
Spoke in a great big wheel
Like a tiny blade of grass
In a great big field

I'm just another statistic on a sheet
To teachers I'm just another child
To IRS I'm just another file
I'm just another consensus on the street
Gonna cruise out of this city
Head down to the sea
Gonna shout out at the ocean
Hey it's me
And I feel like a number
Feel like a number
Feel like a stranger
A stranger in this land
I feel like a number
I'm not a number
I'm not a number
Dammit I'm a man
I said I'm a man

4-Locke 8-Reyes 15-Ford 16-Sayid 23-Shepherd 42-Kwon
Every castaway being tracked and categorized just as if they were participating in a large scale experiment.

Tonight we got a peak at the meaning of the magical numbers that keep popping up for the castaways. But I knew what the numbers meant. I posted it five years ago in my Lost update for October 19th, 2005.

CASE STUDY # 481516.23 VOLUME 42
STUDY COMPLETED TO SATISFACTION…..

And that my friends, is exactly what my Lost theory is all about.

Just what is the Grassy Knoll Institutes Lost theory….I’ve been waiting six years to tell you…..
Although it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are interconnected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.

Tonight we got reminded by the MIB of Jacob visiting all the castaways before they arrived on the island. Did everyone notice that John Locke during his side ways flash also interacted with the castaways. Perhaps tonight's official Lost title, The Substitute literally means substitute. Locke is the substitute for Jacob.

Case in point. Locke and Helen are talking about the business card of Jacks. John says he met Jack in lost baggage claim and that he offered a free consult. What are the odds of running into a spinal surgeon? Perhaps it's destiny. I am sure that in future episodes, Locke will come into contact with all the castaways Just as he did with Jack, Hugo, Rose, etc.

Sawyer got reminded by the MIB that not many people get a second chance in life. Unless of course, you are an unknown specimen in an experiment being conducted through the use of virtual reality. In that scenario, you get plenty of chances but none seem to get him off the island. Seriously, what are the odds that his plane crashed. His sub blew up, the raft sank, the freighter sank, the chopper was too heavy. All these disasters in a mere 108 days! Something is keeping him on the island. And that something is virtual reality.

Moving on,
John Locke confesses to Helen that he is sick of imagining what his life could be if he were able to get out of his wheel chair. He was tired of waiting for a miracle. Locke was done playing the game. The virtual reality game.

MIB leads Sawyer to a cave entrance on the side of the mountain. inside is a justice scale with two stones, a white and a black one. MIB takes the white stone forcing the scale to tip in favor of the black stone. MIB than throws the stone into the ocean. A pivotal point here folks. MIB is once again changing the parameters of the experiments. Perhaps what once was good is now evil, or perhaps substitutes are being plugged in to finish the end game. (Perhaps I say perhaps to much! Perhaps!)

Believe it or not but I am a religious type person. I recognized something in tonight's episode. A story from the bible. About Lucifer, a beautiful angel that was cast into the pits of hell trapping him for eternity for challenging God's will. Hence, the birth of evil versus good. MIB told Sawyer he was trapped. For a very very long time. He remembers that he used to be a man, have feelings, love, and all he wants is to be free again. Just like Lucifer. He even tempts Richard and Sawyer into following him. He tells them if they follow him, he will tell them everything they want to know especially what their purpose is on the island. Richard knows MIB is evil.

Tidbits from tonight's episode:

* Did you notice Helen's shirt, it said Peace & Karma on it. Something that Locke received tonight. (Just saying!)

* And Helen has a nice rack. (Just saying!)

* Ben lied to Llana about killing Locke. Ben always lies.

* Notice the beginning of the episode, the island was in the point of view of the smoke monster and then a machete is focused on and Locke appears. (Subtle! NOT!)

* Don't worry, I didn't forget about the little boy who looked a hell of a lot like Jacob. MIB seemed to be afraid of him. The young man warns MIB, you know the rules, you can't kill him.

* Locke is surprised that Sawyer can see the young boy.

* The numbers, the castaways are candidates to take over. Take over what, the island? Some become the Others, some good, evil, shoemakers?

* MIB gives Sawyer three options. Play out the scenario and see what happens. Accept the position as the new Jacob and protect the island. And three, both Locke and Sawyer just leave and get the hell off the island and go home. Sawyer chooses number three.

But we all know how previous attempts to leave the island worked....

Until next week, Get Lost!

Addendum:
Damn Damn Damn!
Last night I posted the wrong Lost title and lyrics. Nowhere Man is slated for a future episode. Tonight was all about the numbers. Bob Segers Feel Like A Number is the title and lyrics for this one.

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Caffe Capri Restaurant – Valentines Day Dinner

Caffe Capri 

Happy St. Valentine's Day!
Patty and I decided to have our St. Valentine's Day dinner at Caffe' Capri in Boardman, (A suburb of Youngstown) Ohio. Luckily we arrived early enough before the crowd set in. We were greeted nicely and seated right away, in a very comfortable and intimate booth. We ordered our drinks, diet Cokes, and they were brought out in a timely manner.

Caffe Capri Fried Cheese And Sauce

I ordered the fried cheese with tomato sauce as my appetizer. As you can see, the appetizer was a generous portion. The taste was excellent, the cheese a good blend, the crust cooked to a golden brown, and the sauce, very thick with a zesty taste.

Caffe Capri Salad

I had one problem with Caffe Capri. The service was slower than what I had expected. Upon further observation, our waitress was busy servicing at least three other tables. She did apologize for the slow service for which we said we understood and everything was just fine.

The salads arrived and they were standard fare as salads went. The lettuce was fresh and crisp, very little carrots, one black olive, one slice of cucumber, one small cherry tomato. It lacked cheese and croutons.

Chicken Parmigiana Caffe Capri Style

The main course was chicken parmigiana with a side of Penne pasta. The portion was very generous, consisting of two large pieces of chicken that was well cooked, juicy, tender, and baked to a golden brown. Melted cheese and a hearty tomato sauce smothered the chicken. It was delicious. The penne pasta and sauce was equally surprising. Classic Italian bread completed the meal.

Pattys Meal

Patty's meal consisted of shrimp cocktail for an appetizer, salad, and haddock francaise in a tangy wine sauce with a side order of spaghetti. Patty said the meal was delicious and that we would be returning to Caffe Capri in the near future for another fine dining experience.

The cost for both meals was $53 dollars excluding tip which was very reasonable with the quality and amount of food received. The service was very good even with the excessive burden on her.

The Grassy Knoll Diner scores 4 out of 5 shots and recommends Caffe Capri for dinner.

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Youngstown Blizzard Of 2010

Last Friday began the onslaught of the blizzard of 2010 with it dumping 22 inches of snow in just under 24 hours. Last night another 4 inches were added. On Saturday morning, after shoveling the drive and getting the boy off to work, I revved up the Jeep Wrangler and went to Mill Creek Park to play in the snow. Hope you enjoy the photos.

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Lost Update: Katy Lied

Lost Update - Season Six - 02/09/2010

Katy lied
I was halfway crucified
I was on the other side
Of no tomorrow
You walked in
And my life began again

Are you with me Doctor
Are you really just a shadow
Of the man that I once knew
She is lovely yes she's sly
And you're an ordinary guy
Has she finally got to you
Can you hear me Doctor

Kate, Kate, Kate. No matter where or when she is, Kate is on the run. In her sideways flash tonight, Kate continues her escape by forcing the cabbie to drive away. She zig zags across the city driving a very pregnant Claire to the hospital after the adoptive parents of Claire's baby balk due to the couple breaking up.

On the Lost island, Kate is running, escaping, even in tonight's episode. And Kate's running helps explain my Lost theory.

Just what is the Grassy Knoll Institutes Lost theory…. I’ve been waiting six years to tell you…..
Although it appears the survivors of Oceanic flight 815 are on a tropical island, they are being deceived. There is no island. The survivors are in a virtual reality laboratory. All the castaways are interconnected to one another sharing each others thoughts, memories, and feelings. While in this virtual reality laboratory, a battery of physical and mental experiments are performed on them. And who is running these experiments? As Juliet stated, the Aliens of course.

You see, Kate, on and off the island, was still part of the experiment, and through virtual reality, various scenario's can be inputted to study how she reacts to her constant. In both realities, Kate is running.

Speaking of Claire. In her Side way flash, she meets the adoptive parents of her baby Aaron. The woman explains that she and her husband had broken up and that she couldn't raise the baby on her own. Claire has complications and Kate takes her to the hospital. In both realities, Claire keeps Aaron.

Even professor Artz is the same on and off the island. He was a pain in the ass know it all at the airport as well as on the island.

And hey look, Ethan is alive taking care of Claire. He has more lives than a cat. (An Egyptian cat)

Something I found intriguing tonight involved Sayid. Sayid awakens from being dead, (Not mostly dead, but dead, dead) to the astonishment of the Losties. Dogan, (The leader of the Temple Others) has him brought in for questioning. (Interrogation) Sayid is strapped down, electrodes connected to him, and gray ash spread over him. A battery was cranked up and Sayid was shocked. He was then let go. He was told he was being tested, and he had passed. Doesn't this sound exactly what happened to him when he happened upon Danielle, the French woman. She did the same thing. Perhaps testing him to see if he was turned, or claimed.

Tonight's episode was slower than what I expected. With only a few more episodes to go, I was expecting more action, more answers, more moving toward the end game. Instead, we get the following tidbits.

* Dogan is the leader of the Temple Others. He dislikes to speak in the English language. He is afraid of Sayid, and all the Losties for that matter. Can someone say paranoid.

* Did you notice the interpreter, the guy wearing glasses, watched Jack very closely when he was drinking the tea Dogan offered him. I wonder why?

* What's in the box? (Grinning) Sawyer digs up the floor board of his former cottage shared with Juliet and holds tightly onto s cloth taken from the box.

* Sawyer steals a gun, leaves the temple by force.

* Sayid is infected! Or as best translated, Claimed.

* Staying with Sayid. Let the speculation begin. here's the first Sayid poll: After he rose from the dead, is Sayid now, Jacob, MIB, John Locke, Christian Sheppard, Boone, Charlie, or Sayid? And why?

* Jack chows the pill marked for Sayid. Dogan chokes Jack forcing him to spit it out. Dogan claims it was poison.

* Claire is a good shot. Was she claimed by Danille, the French woman?

* Why do the Temple others want the losties to stay inside the temple. What is the big deal if Sawyer leaves, and Kate, and Jin.

Episode 3 has aired and brought more questions than answers. At this rate, a 6 hour mini series will be needed to tie up all the loose ends after the series ends.

BTW: Lyrics by Steely Dan, off their Katy Lied album.

Until next week fans, Get Lost!

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Smoking Cigarettes Causes Cancer

Did you ever notice how the old cigarette magazine and bill board ads had a design flow. The readers eyes would automatically flow to the sexy woman seductively holding the cigarette gently stroking it. Even the the print dialog drew your eyes toward one spot on the page, the cigarette and the sexy woman. The reason for this was to keep the reader from seeing the Surgeon's General's warning that smoking causes cancer.

So, can you spot my logo in this picture?

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Lost Update Twilight Zone: Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

Hello, glad you could make it to my first Lost / Twilight Zone comparison for season six. As promised several years ago, we are going to discuss the correlation between Rod Serling’s science fiction television program, The Twilight Zone, (1959-1964) and the current ABC network hit, Lost. You can find the previous updates here.
Lost In The Twilight Zone.

Tonight's offering is from season five, episode number 142, original air date, February 28, 1964, titled, An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

As you read the opening monologue, plot synopsis, and epilogue, think about Lost and the season six premiere. As usual, I will explain the tie in below.

Monologue:

Tonight a presentation so special and unique that, for the first time in the five years we’ve been presenting The Twilight Zone, we’re offering a film shot in France by others. Winner of the Cannes Film Festival of 1962, as well as other international awards, here is a haunting study of the incredible, from the past master of the incredible, Ambrose Bierce.

Plot Synopsis:

Here is the French production of An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge.
A Confederate spy is about to be hung by Union soldiers. The hanging is going to take place on a bridge above Owl Creek. The soldiers fix the noose around the spy’s neck and step off of the plank sending the spy toward the water. Just as the soldier reaches the bottom the rope snaps and the spy falls into the water. He struggles to get the noose off of his neck and swims to the surface. He makes his way down the river managing to avoid the Union gunfire.

As he is floating down the river he notices all the small things he had never noticed before. He realizes how great it is to be alive. Once he makes it to shore he starts to head home. He runs through what seems to be an endless forest until he finally sees his house. His wife is waiting there for him. He is filled with delight.

Just as he is about to embrace his wife his head snaps back. He is back at Owl Creek Bridge, swinging from his neck on a rope that didn’t break.

Epilogue:

An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge – in two forms, as it was dreamed, and as it was lived and died. This is the stuff of fantasy, the thread of imagination, the ingredients of The Twilight Zone.

Lost Tie In:

The season six Lost premiere is spot on to what happened in this Twilight Zone episode. The prisoner is escorted out to the bridge, prepared to be hanged. The Lost castaways board Oceanic Flight 815 bound for Los Angeles, California.

The prisoner's hang rope snaps affording him a second chance. Luck would be on his side even more as he escapes the guards and their gunfire. The Lost castaways flight is typical until turbulence occurs shaking the passengers. In an instant, the plane tears apart and crashes on the island.

The prisoner in his journey to escape and go home to be with his wife and family becomes more aware of his surroundings and has a greater appreciation for the life he led and his family. On Lost the castaways during their journey on the island, become very aware of their surroundings in their struggle to escape the others and go home.

The prisoner, just at the moment he made it home to his house and family, was yanked back to reality as he found himself hanging from the bridge. On Lost, after battling smoke monsters, seeing loved ones die, and running and hiding from the evil Others, they find themselves back on the plane and after a little turbulence, land safely in California and go about their normal lives.

Submitted for your approval, respectfully, in the Lost Twilight Zone.

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