Friday, January 18, 2013

Baby got back

Most people associate the title with the Sir Mix-A-Lot song but I don't. Though I heard the original first, I know the soulful, love ballad version created by Jonathan Coulton in 2006. Here is a video of him performing it live with Paul and Storm in 2007: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gW6yQZyx5w

Within the last 10 hours, it was discovered that on next week's episode of Glee, the high school chorus sings Baby Got Back using Coulton's complete soundtrack and slightly changed lyrics. People who know more about music than I do confirmed it and there is even a version where both Coulton's and Glee's version are played at the same time. Though it was released under a creative commons license and that anyone can download it for free, credit and permission must be granted for commercial use and it was never given.

Wonder what will happen next.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Zemeckis theory

The Houston Astros moving to the American League for the 2013 season now means that the mathematical odds of every team winning a pennant is now 15-1 and the World Series 30-1 including the Cubs who were 34.67-1 having been in a 6 team division.

Updating my chart from 3 years ago, the mathematical odds of the Cubs not winning a title since 1908 by chance are now 217.8-1 and a pennant since 1945 are 464.2-1.

I have also recently seen multiple incorrect posts stating it was the day Marty McFly visited the future in Back to the Future II. It is October 21, 2015.

How do these fit? On the news feed Marty McFly saw in the future Hill Valley, it stated the Cubs won the World Series beating Miami for the title. At the time it was a joke since there was no Miami team in baseball in 1989 and when the area got a team a little while later, it was called the Florida Marlins.

Last year the city of Miami  FINALLY (9 years too late for me) built a baseball only stadium. They also changed the name of the team to the Miami Marlins.

Since Miami is in the National League the Cubs can't beat the Marlins to win the World Series. However, they can beat the Marlins to win the NL pennant to get to the World Series. When the movie was made, there were two playoff rounds in baseball so October 21st was a plausible day for the playoffs to end. After an additional round was added in 1995, the World Series champion is crowned the last week of October if not in the first couple of days of November.

Therefore, I believe that the Cubs will beat Miami in 2015 to win the NL pennant since the 21st is just after the time the National League Championship Series would end and I will make sure I have a bet on it.

Do I hope to win that bet? NO! I never want to see the Cubs win a title. In 1998 and 2007, I made a bet believing the Cubs would make the playoffs and have a chance to win the title and my Cubs fan wife was annoyed that I made a bet for something I did not want to happen.

In September 2003, I won $2,000 in a baseball handicapping contest and my wife said that ruined her enjoyment of the Cubs winning the division title and their whole playoff run which infamously ended. I know that if I collect a bet on the Cubs winning the 2015 NL pennant, it would ruin my wife's enjoyment of the title since I would be correct in my predictions and she hates it when I'm right about anything.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

T minus 8 weeks

Eight weeks from now, I expect to be on my way to Bloomington, MN for Marscon 2013. This will be my 10th trip there for the convention which over the years has become the most special weekend of the year.

A couple of days ago, Luke Ski announced the schedule for the dementia track and as I have done over the past few years listed my opinion on the acts performing there this year which I know have been read by those who will be on stage. For some reason, I am unable to upload the pie chart which seperated by grade.

As I try to do, these grades are on how I feel about the performances on the main stage at the convention and I will list them in cronological order.

Possible Oscar - B: I have enjoyed their music first as part of the Nick Atoms and currently in this arrangement for years. The only reason I can't give an A is the venue itself with its low ceilings in the main stage room causes their music to be overwhelming at times.

Steve Goodie - A-: My recent financial situation makes attending out of town conventions fewer and far between. I am glad he is making the trip to Marscon as his music has evolved over the years to a more edgy tone.

Insane Ian - A-: Another artist who I have not seen since October 2011. My daughter's appreciation for his work has improved my outlook for his act since he parodies songs she knows.

TV's Kyle - B:  As I had hoped, he looked far more comfortable on stage at Marscon last year and know he will put in a solid set.

Worm Quartet - A+: Dammit, I need to see ShoEboX on stage more than once per year. I have been suffering nipple mention withdrawl. When I noticed there was an option for a house concert as a reward for the kickstarter for his new CD, I was considering donating but realized that if I had that money, I would have gone to Deep South Con last June. The situation which caused me to be unable to go there really has me annoyed. Anyway, I am going to take precautions so I won't burn out my voice and comment about it on Mr. Tuesday's recording.

the great Luke Ski - A: A couple of years ago, I would have not been disappointed had Luke decided to not have a Marscon concert since the preparation for his show there was overshadowed by his work in putting the convention together and would often leave him too tired to put on the best show that he could. Fortunately, the video version which debuted last Marscon has allowed him to use less on stage effort while maximizing his talents. I am not sure how well he would have been able to perform last year with his illness without the help from his video setup.

Music guests of honor Flat 29 - B: I overcame my initial disdain for the group due to their Sherlock Holmes bit on their podcast and really enjoy their music and podcast. So why only a B? They have to travel from the London area to Minnesota in winter and though the weather has usually been passable, anything can still happen. I am also concerned about the 7 hour time change and the fact that they have had little on stage time together. As a side note, I recently discovered one of their members was born on the same date in 1985 when the Dolphins defeated the Bears.

The 3rd annual Logan Whitehurst Awards for comedy music excellence - B+: I am not sure how the non hardcore fan audience will respond to this. As stated earlier, I am not happy about having to miss the presentation last year at Deep South Con. I do hope to one year be selected as one of the fan jurors though I understand why I have yet to be included even though the founder of the event stated things would be better in dementia if there were more fans like me.

Max DeGroot - D: In 2010, he came up with a song called Census which fit his personality perfectly and earned the #3 spot for the year on the Dr Demento Show and a Logan Award finalist. However, it is now 2013 and the rest of his material is not on that level.

Power Salad - B+: The Marscon Sunday slot always seems to fit his style of music and I am glad he will be there this year.

Mikey Mason - ?: All I know about his work in the clip from the promo and that Luke Ski considers his act worthy of the main stage.

The FuMP Jukebox - B: I am glad this was recently created as it allowed Insane Ian to show the people at Marscon his worth. There are acts worthy of a couple of songs each and this is the perfect setting for them.

Dementia Smackdown - B: It gets more difficult each year for artists to find unique songs to cover after 10 years and it has shown. Still a fun way for the music to end.