Capn Bob

And here it is, number two on the list of the 50 Greatest Cartoons (Bambi Meets Godzilla is #38, btw...), and declared by the Library of Congress itself to be "Culturally Significant" Whoever says the 1950's were "repressed hasn't seen this. This is my personal favorite (which may say something about me...and it says something about Chuck Jones, as well) And now...I present to you...the adventures of a certain duck... Duck Amuck

I live to please... And you'll be seeing more operatic cartoons soon, but I want to slip in one of my absolute favorites first. And there's some classic Road Runners coming up, too. Always assuming, of course, that Youtube has them.

And now for a musical interlude. Not a great clip in quality, but the best I could find, and as an added bonus, its in English! Bugs takes on Rossini (and a couple others) while giving Fudd the business. This particular cartoon has been voted #12 of the 50 greatest cartoons of all time. Rabbit of Seville My next entry will be something of great cultural importance. No, really!

I remember watching Blakes 7...quality was about the same as "Doctor Who" of the time, but rather more serious. I always prefered the character of Avon...there was a hint of "Dr Smith" in him...after the character of Blake was written out of the series, Avon himself took over leadership. I don't know if you can get US releases of the dvds. You might want to try thru interlibrary loan (consult yer local library)...you can get imports thru Amazon, of course, but you'd be needing a region free dvd player to view them.

Couple days ago, I got in "SPQR XIII: The Year of Confusion", by John Maddox Roberts. Scupper me, I wish that bloke would write some pirate books, cuz he's good! Also picked up at Borders (since I had a coupon for 30% off), "Gladiators: Rome's Bloody Spectacle", by Konstantin Nossov (who?) So its yet another case of my going forward into the past...

Well, here we are, Prismo Beach and all the clams we can eat! (I don't know why I said that...) Anyway, here it is, Saturday morning, and time for cartoons. And today, its a nautical theme twofer...the first one, by request, is: Captain Hareblower Quality isn't that great, but its viewable... Next is: Mutiny on the Bunny This has one of the greatest lines in cartoon history..."I was a human being once!" Again, quality is so-so, but nonetheless, break out the rum (or sodee-pop) and enjoy.

Returning to a somewhat nautical theme, here's an early (1942) Chuck Jones, featuring Conrad the Cat and a certain rather daffy Duck. Conrad's voice might sound familiar...because the voice actor is the same one as did the original voice of Disney's Goofy (Pinto Colvig). So, here's Conrad... Conrad the Sailor

To continue and further this thread, which is of great benefit to all mankind, I offer this epic saga of two working stiffs. Please note the one that is not a sheepdog is also *not* a coyote...he's actually a wolf, named Sam (see, he's got a red nose instead of a black one. (on such details does the world turn...) Don't Give Up the Sheep

I must confess...in my very early and tender years, I fell in with bad company...was moose and squirrel. This may explain why I like the Goon Show (ying tong iddle i po). Chuck Jones was the most inspired of the Looney Tunes directors, in my not humble opinion. And which Jones am I recommending here? Since I figure someone's bound to link to "Duck Amok", I'm going to address your attention to a couple of mice: Cheese Chasers Classic lines to watch for? Here's two: "They say a hobby sometimes helps..." and "If I give you something nice, will you *go away*?!" And watch for the dog's spit-takes. Jones at his best.

For the subject of gladiators, a good book is Fik Meijer's "Gladiators: History's Most Deadly Sport" And ye know, they weren't over muscled "Mr Universe Contestant" types...they had a bit of fat to them, as, believe it or not, an added defense. Puts something a little extra between the steel and the vitals. To get a very good idea of how the sport really looked, do a Youtube search for "Ars Dimicandi" A good books for the Spart-Man himself would be "The Spartacus War", by Barry Strauss Not getting Starz, I've not watched the series itself, therefore cannot comment on it. Just being fair...

Right now, I seem to be on a bit of a Roman kick. Reading "Cleopatra's Kidnappers" by Stephen Dando-Collins, a unit bio of the 6th Legion, and reading as well "SPQR IV: The Temple of the Muses", John Maddox Roberts. Currenly waiting for the newest in the series, "SPQR XIII: The Year of Confusion" to be delivered. Playing on computer Gallic Wars (HPS Sims)...and had me a gyro when I got home from work...fried onions, meat, sauce...and it was yum! Hey, they had pirates back then...but they didn't have our sense of style.

Right now, at 7.34 pm, here in Akron Ohio, its 22.5 degrees and light snow. There's a dusting on the driveway, the which I am likely to not bother with tomorrow. I have been running the snowblower each and every day for a solid week...today I had to get more gas for both car and blower. I'd rather smell gunpowder smoke than gas exhaust fumes, and ye can lay to that, me mateys! I dunno wha happen...last month was rather mild, as Januaries go here in NE Ohio. Come Feb, and we get dumped on. Not just us here, of course. I think the gods got bored (again) and decided to play one of their little jokes on us mortals.

And, even as I pontificate, we are getting more of The Evil...8 to 10 inches by tomorrow evening, they say.

Snowblowers can serve the role of heavy artillery...

Currently, I got a bit of a mix going on with me reading. Reading a Christmas present: "The Pirate Round: Early Eighteenth Century Maritime Navigation during the Golden Age of Piracy" by Richard Rutherford-Moore (read a library copy before, but this one's all mine)...also reading "Legionary: The Roman Soldiers Unofficial Manual", by Philip Matyszak (what wrote "Rome on 5 Denarius a Day")...and... "The Essential Groucho"...because the only Marxism worth a spit is Groucho Marxism. Go ahead...*ask* me why-a duck. I pity the pirate crew that would have Groucho as captain. He'd confuse Jack Sparrow himself.

Anyone making snowangels here would sink a couple feet first. It be a decidedly un-tropical 7 degrees...but at least its sunny right now. Finally got the driveway fully dug out yesterday, but the city snow plows blasted thru last night at 9.00 pm, so now there's hard blocks of snow on the driveway apron...and splashed up onto the sidewalk. And guess what, mateys! We're meant to get more of this wonderful stuff Tuesday. This keeps up much longer, and I'll be able to go out hunting mammoths, since they'll be making a return any time now. (Luckily, I do have a couple of atlatls waiting for use) I have long since ceased referring to snow as snow. To me, it is simply..."The Evil".

You want some snow? You can have some of mine...I've got plenty. Anyone else want some? More than enough to go around! As I don't have a truck, you'll have to come up to pick it up, but I'm perfectly happy to share. Really I am! I don't know how much snow we got out there, being too early to go out and discover, and there's still an active storm warning, but the frongs outside are almost completely covered (Yes, I keep Frenchmen chained up outside...) There is also blowing snow, which means drifts...which means trying to clear this lot out is not going to be fun. No fun at all. Good thing I have a snow blower. :::nods::: such is midwestern weather. Joyful, isn't it? Currently, glad that will NOT be getting the massive snow storm that's pounding the east... but a little sad since the snow is cool. But, we are still getting some snow here nevertheless. So far obtained a little over an inch. Alas, about another inch of that has melted.... so... But will be snowing off and on for the next 3+ days. According to the National Weather Service, we are already at breaking point for Spring flooding. NOT what we fancy hearing with the Floods of 2008 still so very fresh in our minds. Time to prepare for some flooding. Ahhh... how I love El Nino years... NOT! ~Lady B

Well, its surely weathering here, and no mistake. We're getting our very own piece of the Bigge Eastern Blowe to cherish as our very own. At this moment (8.35 pm, Feb 5 2010...for posterity), the wind's hard out of the east, 10 mph, with gusts of 23 mph...we're getting heavy snow...by tomorrow morning, we may have 6 inches on the ground. It gets worse farther south ye go...I understand Columbus OH is due for a foot of the ee-vyl white stuff...thats Michael Bagley's territory, isn't it? Hope ye have a snow blower! Ain't goin' out for food tomorrow, ye may lay to that. Got the fixin's to make up some gyros for me mum and me, and plenty of grub for the two ship's cats. Does rum go well with hot chocolate?

I'm the one not in the picture...

When are we going to start buying up land? As for me..."official" trade? I suppose maybe a bookseller of some sort...since I am, in this current life, a librarian...and *someone* has to supply the charts and celestial almanacks and what not... Or maybe a sugar planter. Not that I know a bloody thing about it, but after all, someone also has to provide the basic makings of rum. Where to live? Maybe someplace like, say...Bacon's Castle in the old homeland of Virginia...Aye, that'd be a pleasant abode for a humble bookseller. I ain't telling where I'd be getting the gold for it, tho...

O agree...its all Al Gore's fault! All that chat about global warming only tempts the gods, and being immortal, they get easily bored and start looking for things to do. "That Al Gore", they say, "He thinks he's such a Clever Hans with all that talk...so we'll zap all the land with cold and snow and ice! Bwah hah hah!" Umm...actually...I have nothing but the highest respect for the gods...may the gods bless them... Side Note: I was watching on Weather Channel what North Carolina got. I may complain about the cold here in Akron Ohio, but we haven't had that much snow, really...not compared to last year, which was bloody awful.

I'm originally from Virginia...Charlottesville. I suppose it depends where in the old homeland ye decide to settle...Tidewater area likely better for winter avoidance, but do keep in mind the Williamsburg area can get some nasty ice storms from time to time. Also, they hang innocent pirates like us there.

There's a pirate restaurant in, of all places, Minnesota! This trend needs to spread! And as an added bonus, they even serve rum! http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/August-2008/Barbeque-Buccaneers/

It's bloody cold here in Akron, Ohio. Right now, its 13 degrees, and it'll dip down to all of 5...5 bloody degrees. Man, that's cold. I'll be into the rum tonight, ye may lay to that...at least that's *something* tropical. So, how cold is it in yer neck o' the woods?

Right now...at work...processing magazines...ho hum