Dimland Radio

dimland radio 1-22-11 show notes

A Guest! George Hrab Part 2

The dapper George Hrab

This week was part two of my interview of the totally awesome George Hrab.

But First A Little Tale About A Dead Volvo

A dead Volvo ain’t no fun!

My wife’s car finally decided it had had enough. It was a 1990 Volvo 740 GL and had well over 200,000 miles on it. We bought the car for $1200 a little over four years ago and, despite the age and mileage, we really didn’t have to put much money into it. But, Thursday morning, as Amy (my wife) was returning home from dropping our son at school, the Volvo’s transmission went kaput.

Well, as the tow truck driver put it to me after I told him what I just told you, “That car doesn’t owe you a thing.” It’s true, but now we’re back to being a one car family for the foreseeable future.

And Now, George Hrab Part 2

Take a look at these hands!

This part of our interview centered almost exclusively on Geo’s music. Geo talk’s about how he gets his ideas and how he dealt with writer’s block. I gushed over him a couple of times, but Geo handled it with ease. He’s so great!

If you missed either part, you can download both from the Show Archives at ztalkradio.com.

If you haven’t heard his podcast, you should! Be warned Geo will use some profane language on his podcast, but you’re an adult, you can handle it. You can download, for free, the Geologic Podcast from iTunes or you can go here to listen to it and see his show notes and even make a comment if you like.

Please check out his latest album Trebuchet.

Movie Recommendation: George’s pick – Young @ Heart (2007)

In a spur of the moment stroke of genius, I decided to have my guest recommend a movie. Geo suggested the documentary ‘Young @ Heart’. The film follows a senior citizens’ choir who perform contemporary music. Pop, rock, punk, this group gives the songs a new meaning as you watch them learn and arrange them, while dealing with the loss of their membership to death. Geo says it is wonderful.

My wife has seen this and she has been trying to get me to see it. I want to watch it, but my timing has been off. It is currently in the pole position on our Netflix queue, so I will be seeing it soon.

Before I Signed Off

After my interview with George Hrab had ended, I had a few moments left to fill. So, I let everyone know that next week I’d be doing another all music show. This one will kick ass! As always, you’ll need to tune in to be able to enjoy the music, because I am not allowed to archive the all music shows. Licensing rules do not allow archiving. So, be there!

I also mentioned to upcoming 10:23 event. Around the world, on February 5th, people will attempt to overdose on homeopathic sleeping pills. I’m sure the world will be rocked by the mass deaths and hospitalizations…Oh, wait! What am I saying? No one will suffer anything. Homeopathic medicine has NOTHING in it. Not to worry, everyone will be fine.

Music heard on the show…

Dimland Radio opening theme song: ‘Ahead’ by Wire
First ad break bumpers: ‘Once In A Lifetime’ by Talking Heads & ‘Where Have You Been’ by George Hrab
Second ad break bumpers: ‘When I Was Your Age’ by George Hrab & ‘Scarecrow People’ by XTC
Closing song: ‘Angler’s Treble Hook’ by $5 Fiddle

That’s it! see you next Saturday night for Dimland Radio 11 Central, midnight Eastern on www.ztalkradio.com you can also download my show from the z talk show archives page. You can email your questions and comments to drdim@dimland.com

dimland radio 1-15-11 show notes

A Guest! George Hrab

The multi-talented George Hrab

My excitement was undeniable as I greeted my listeners, because I was going to play part one of my two part interview with musician/singer/songwriter/podcaster/raconteur/atheist/skeptic: George Hrab.

But First A Little Tale About Pink Eye

Pink eye ain’t no fun!

But before I got rolling with the interview, I told everybody about my bout with pink eye. Pink eye! It is no fun, I can tell you. Happily, I am on the mend.

You can get info on pink eye here, if you really want to.

And Now, George Hrab Part 1

Much of part one of my interview of George Hrab centered on skepticism and atheism. We talked about the “power” of prayer and George gave his idea of how to better use the time spent praying. I gushed a bit, I couldn’t help it. I’m a big fan of Geo’s.

If you haven’t heard his podcast, you should! Be warned Geo will use some profane language on his podcast, but you’re an adult, you can handle it. You can download, for free, the Geologic Podcast from iTunes or you can go here to listen to it and see his show notes and even make a comment if you like.

Next week we’ll talk about his music and his latest album Trebuchet.

Movie Recommendation: True Grit (2010)

My last movie recommendation was the original True Grit starring John Wayne. My wife and I had just watched the Coen brother’s True Grit the afternoon before this edition of Dimland Radio. We really enjoyed it. The story is essentially the same, but the tone is much different. Jeff Bridges might just snag another Oscar for his performance. And Hailee Steinfeld as the 14 year-old Maddie Ross is terrific.

Go see this movie!

Music heard on the show…

Dimland Radio opening theme song: ‘Ahead’ by Wire
First ad break bumpers: ‘Help Me Somebody’ by Brian Eno/David Bryne & ‘I Don’t Believe In Christmas’ by George Hrab
Second ad break bumpers: ‘Fifties Stories’ by George Hrab & ‘You’re the Wish You are I Had’ by XTC
Closing song: ‘Angler’s Treble Hook’ by $5 Fiddle

dimland radio 1-8-11 show notes

More books!

Skeptic and author, James Randi

Yep, I talked about three more books that I had picked up. All three were written by James Randi. My skeptical library is really beginning to fill up.

The three titles are:

The Truth About Uri Geller

The Mask of Nostradamus

An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural

Ten Minute Topic with Chris Brown

Skeptic Chris Brown

This time Chris and I talked about the importance of have a bigger tent when it comes to the skeptical movement. Sometimes skeptical events are more accurately described as atheist events. But one need not be an atheist to be a skeptic.

You can find Chris Brown’s blog and podcast, Meet The Skeptics, here.

An Atheist In Church

Impressive, is it not?

Harm Modder, a former St. Paul police officer, he retired from the force in 2000, died 12-28-2010. Harm attempted to get a t-shirt printing business going way back in 1988 and he hired me as his staff artist. He was the brother-in-law of Greg, my best friend in high school, and that was how I got my foot in the door. It was my first art job after I graduated art school and I’ve always bee grateful to Harm for the job.

The job didn’t last long, but the experience was good.

So, when Greg told of Harm’s passing, I made sure I attended the service. It was held at the Cathedral of St. Paul, a most impressive building. It was the first time I’d been to a Catholic mass in many years and also the first time since I’d become an atheist. I talked about the interesting experience.

Music heard on the show…

Dimland Radio opening theme song: ‘Ahead’ by Wire
First ad break bumpers: ‘De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da ‘ by The Police & ‘Head Over Heals’ by The Go-Gos
Second ad break bumpers: ‘Message Of Love’ by The Pretenders & ‘One Step Ahead’ by Split Enz
Closing song: ‘Angler’s Treble Hook’ by $5 Fiddle

dimland radio 1-1-11 show notes

Cold Open: Unintended

So I was off for several weeks. Yep, three weeks with no Dimland Radio! How did you get along? I explained I was off because I was a bit naughty in the chat room, not on my show. I said something really stupid in an attempt at a stream of consciousness joke thing. It wasn’t funny nor was it well thought out. Z Talk felt that I should step down until the first of the year. So that’s why I was gone.

Happy New Year!

I took the opportunity to reveal my yearly made (and kept!) resolution. Each year I resolve to live until the next year. So far I’ve kept that resolution.

I even delved into the world of acting as I considered the time when I will eventually break that resolution. Or, more accurately, the way I might be able keep the resolution, but then not make a new one. Oh, how dramatic it was.

Christmas & Atheists

George Hrab

I do celebrate Chritmas. But I keep mine secular. Another atheist who celebrates the day is George Hrab, musician/singer/songwriter/podcaster/humorist/skeptic/atheist. George has written a song detailing his view on Christmas. It’s called ‘I Don’t Believe In Christmas’.

You can check out the video for the song here and if you like the song email George – geo@geologicrecords.net – and he’ll send you a free mp3. Tell him Dimland Radio sent you.

Christmas Gift Received

My wife gave me four books this year. Three were of a skeptical nature and the fourth was about the stories beheind each of The Beatles’ songs.

The skeptical titles were as follows:

Martin Gardner’s ‘Fad & Fallicies in the Name of Science’

Philip Plait’s ‘Bad Astronomy’

Benjanmin Radford’s ‘Sciencetific Paranormal Investigation’

Yay! Australia!

It’s just a silicone band! It doesn’t do anything!

Australia’s government saw through the BS that is the Power Balance wristband. The producers of this highly overpriced ($30 a pop!) yet worthless item were instructed to cease their claims of increased balance, flexibilty and strength AND to refund all money to any customer who had felt duped by their bogus claims.

Attaboy, Australia!

dimland rado 12-4-10 show notes

What’s the deal? This time I made a boo-boo.

Cold Open: Unintended

Whoops. I forgot to press a certain button, which meant listeners couldn’t hear the opening tracks of my show. Nor could they hear the first ad break. They could hear me talking, however. I realized my error moments after the first break began. So, I did what a true radio professional would do. I stopped the ad break, went back on air, announced my error, and played the opening tracks so that they could be heard and then went right to break.

So, in effect what I did was a cold open about doctor and dentist appointments. Mostly about my son, Hayden, having to have four teeth pulled. Sounds bad, right? Well, it was done to make room for his new teeth to come in and the next day Hayden was back to normal.

Science changes its mind. What?! Again?!

Arsenic tolerate lifeform

Here I talked about the NASA announcement of a lifeform able to survive with one of its basic elements (phosphorus) switched out for arsenic. Arsenic, although genetically similar to phosphorus, is normally poisonous.

There had been speculation that NASA would announce finding life on Mars or perhaps one of Saturn’s moons. The answer was a bit less spectacular, but still significant.

I also read a bit of P Z Myers’ blog on the discovery. Myers did what he does so well, he calmed the overreaction to the news by giving the discovery its proper due.

Correction

Certainly not PC Myers

I knew better, but I called P Z Myers P C Myers. Twice. Whoopsie.

You can read the NASA article here and P Z Myers’ blog here.

The True Villain of the Wizard of Oz is…

But only ugly witches are bad. Tee hee.

Glinda, the alleged Good Witch of the North! Well, according to David Dietle of Cracked.com. He makes a compelling argument for Glinda’s devious underhandedness.

You can read his piece here. See if you agree.

Movie Recommendation: The Wizard of Oz

So, with all that talk about that Dorithy’s true enemy, it seems only right to recommend 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. Watch it again and keep an eye on that piece of work, Glinda. Still a classic but it now has a whole new twist for me.

December 8, 2010

I didn’t say anything until the show was over about this coming Wednesday being the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. I did use only Lennon tunes from the 80s for my bumpers, however.

Music heard on the show…

Dimland Radio opening theme song: ‘Ahead’ by Wire
First ad break bumpers: ‘(Just Like) Starting Over’ & ‘Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)’ by John Lennon
Second ad break bumpers: ‘Woman’ & ‘Nobody Told Me’ by John Lennon
Closing song: ‘Angler’s Treble Hook’ by $5 Fiddle