Saturday, November 20, 2010

late night: Bo Diddley's controversial appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show

On November 20, 1955, rock 'n' roll singer and guitarist Bo Diddley appeared on the Ed Sullivan show. The show had requested that he sang his version of ‘Sixteen Tons’. But when he hit the stage, he sang his #1 R&B hit "Bo Diddley". Diddley was banned and never appeared on the show again.

Diddley later recalls: "Ed Sullivan told me that I was the first black boy that ever double crossed him! I was ready to fight, because I was a little young dude off the streets of Chicago, an' him callin' me 'black' in them days was as bad as sayin' 'nigger'"



Monday, November 15, 2010

image of the day: New John F. Kennedy pictures

Life just released some never before published shots of J.F.K, you can
check them out and listen to Simon Barnett, director of photography for
Life.com, comment on the pictures on the pbs website


Sunday, November 14, 2010

late night: "The Riviera Affair" by Neil Richardson

Composer Neil Richardson passed away a month ago, at the age of 80 years old. He was most famous for his library music; incidental music for use in films and television.

New Yorkers may remember "The Riviera affair", which was the opening theme music for WOR-TV's late-afternoon movie program (The 4 O'Clock Movie), in the late 1970s and early 1980s.



This brilliant theme was also used as part of an homage of "The 4 O'Clock Movie" in the opening logo sequence for the 2007 film, Ocean's Thirteen.



Saturday, November 13, 2010

video of the day: Rubik's Cube Official World Record

A new Rubik's Cube world record was set today by Feliks Zemdegs in just 6.77 seconds. This young Australian is only 15 years old and started cubing in 2008!



Thursday, November 11, 2010

on this day... in 1918: Choctaw Code Talkers




During recent decades, Navajo code talkers during World War II have been subject of many films, documentaries, books... But very few know, that in the closing days of World War I, a group of Choctaw indians (from Oklahoma) were the very first to use their native language as military code for the U.S. army.

German forces proved to be masterful breakers of American military code, and were believed by U.S. army officers to be intercepting and decoding every code in use. Colonel A.W. Bloor, noticed a number of American Indians serving with him in the 142nd Infantry in France. With the active cooperation of his Choctaw soldiers, he tested and deployed an innovative experiment, using the Choctaw language in place of regular military code.

Full use of the Choctaw language as military code involved speaking the language by telephone. Choctaws were placed in each company of soldiers to send or transmit it. Runners were also employed to extend the system as necessary. The ennemy could no longer decypher the messages, and it was a big help for the American Expeditionary Force who won several key battles in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign in France, during the last big German offensive of the war. The movement was successful and the tide of the battle had turned. In less than 72 hours the Germans were retreating and the Allies were on full attack.

More than 70 years passed before the contributions of the Choctaw Code talkers were fully recognized. On November 3, 1989, in recognition of the important role the Choctaw Code Talkers played during World War I, the French government presented the Chevalier de L'Ordre National du Mérite (the Knight of the National Order of Merit) to the Choctaws Code Talkers

Monday, November 8, 2010

on this day ... in 1970: Dempsey's record kick.

On this day, November 8 1970, New Orleans
Saints kicker Tom Dempsey kicked a 63 yard
field goal with 2 seconds left on the clock that
gave the Saints a 19-17 victory over the Detr-
oit Lions. The field goal is, to this day, the lon-
gest in NFL history. Dempsey, who was born
without toes on his right foot, had a special cu-
stom fit boot with a flattened and enlarged toe
surface.

Check out the 30 second video of Dempsey's game winning kick.



Saturday, November 6, 2010

late night tv: Miles Davis improvising ...

Brilliant video of jazz great Miles Davis recording the soundtrack to Louis Malle's
1958 motion picture "Elevator To The Gallows". Davis along with his four musicians
improvised the entire score, playing to the images that were projected on the screen.



Thursday, November 4, 2010

song of the day: Small Black - Search Party

I been humming this one all day so I just had to put it up. It's got an 80's feel
to it so get ready for a blast of the past.