DST March 2012 Blog train!

Welcome to DST March Blog Train!

You should come from By The Shore Designs

and this is my part:

Download from here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ta0pdibj12j1f3a


Your next stop is:
http://designsbyambershaw.blogspot.com


If you wish to see all designers participating go to http://blogtrainblog.blogspot.com/


Enjoy!!

PART FOUR OF FAVOURITE COMICS OF THE PAST...

As I lay in bed on that lazy March or April mid-morning in 1972, I was unaware that, in a few short weeks, I'd be moving house for the fourth time in my thirteen and a half short years of existence. Through the slightly open window the sound of kids in the playground of my old Primary school at the bottom of the road reached my ears, as I sipped American Cream Soda and enjoyed not having to attend the Senior Secondary educational facility a couple of streets away.

Surrounded by a monumental mountain of comics, the inconsequential illness which had kept me from school was soon forgotten, as I luxuriated in the privileged status of idle absenteeism while my classmates busied themselves with the enforced academic application that such scholarly study demands. Looking back, it's strange to realise that, were it not for the date on one particular comic establishing almost the exact moment in history, my recollection of events would suggest them as having occurred many months before their actual point in time.

The comic in question? The fifty-ninth issue of COUNTDOWN, which also happened to be the first issue of its relaunch under the title of TV ACTION. Cover dated April 1st, it had gone on sale on March 25th, and perhaps the subsequent issue may even have been amongst that pile of comics on top of the blankets. I'm not 100% sure, hence my hesitation in pinpointing the exact month of that school 'sickie' all those years ago. All I know is that it was either in the last week of March or the first one in April.

However, as I said - that was only a mere six or seven weeks away from moving to a different house in a different area. I was blissfully unaware of the fact, although no doubt my conspiratorial parents had been making the arrangements for some time. I was informed of the move only about a week or so in advance, which, with hindsight, I'm actually glad of, as the knowledge would probably have ruined the last occasion I had a day off from school in the house I had lived in since I was seven years old.

One glance at the above comic and I'm once again lying in bed on that morning in 1972, listening to the faint noises from the street as they drift in through my inch-open window - the knowledge that one chapter of my life was about to end and another begin still concealed behind the cover of Time's cascading curtain.

******

See Part 3 at http://kidr77.blogspot.com/2012/02/part-three-of-favourite-comics-of-past.html     

Rick Santorum’s Abuse of The Republican Primary Process

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USA Today, 2-28-12
LIVONIA, Mich. (AP) – Mitt Romney on Tuesday denounced rival Rick Santorum's automated phone calls urging Democrats to vote against the former Massachusetts governor, calling the tactic "outrageous and disgusting."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-02-28/romney-santorum-robocall/53280620/1
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During yesterday’s close and heated Michigan Republican Primary for President, Rick Santorum’s campaign ran a RoboCall program “asking Democrats to vote for him in the Republican Primary". This action is clearly an act of desperation and also a hostile act upon the Party he seeks to nominate him for President.
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Any Republican who calls upon the Michigan Democrats, made up heavily of Obama’s Government Motors GM-UAW membership, to vote in a Republican Primary is clearly not deserving of Republican nomination for anything, no less President!
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The Virginia Legislature just addressed and then let stand the Open Primary Process. A major reason not to adopt a Party Enrollment System was that “it’s never really been abused”. Hello! Santorum is now the Poster Boy of such abuse and if he were on the Primary ballet in Virginia next Tuesday there’s every reason to believe he would abuse the system here also.
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A Party Enrollment System enables voters to associate themselves with the platform, values and objectives of the party of their choice at a particular point in time. This personal choice increases the probability that party candidates will be chosen consistent with the party and its membership and not to entities outside the party seeking to disrupt and misdirect the membership’s choice.
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Rick Santorum admits using robocalls in Michigan primary campaign
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/28/romney-admits-robocalls-michigan-primary?newsfeed=true
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CONAN - EIGHTEEN AND OUT...

March 1st, 1975. That was the day that MARVEL UK released two new additions to their regal roster of rampaging weekly publications. You've seen the first three covers of one of them - THE SUPER-HEROES - in a previous post, but now comes the time to turn the spotlight on its companion mag, SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN.

SSOC, as it was affectionately known (in my house anyway), only
lasted for eighteen issues, and I still happen to have my original copies. Therefore, it's not exactly a stretch to dig 'em out and scan the covers for all you rabid fans out there of ROBERT E. HOWARD's Cimmerian warrior, CONAN THE BARBARIAN.

As well as Conan, the mag also featured KULL THE CONQUEROR
as a back-up feature, along with (on occasion) KA-ZAR, LORD OF THE HIDDEN JUNGLE and THONGOR OF LEMURIA. It was quite a decent little mag on reflection, and it really should have lasted longer than it did. When it faded from the scene, it was absorbed by another British weekly
publication, THE AVENGERS. (By the way, Look at the cover above.
Due to the colouring of the grey god's bracelet, at first glance Conan
looks as if he has a reptilian tail.)

Although the weekly was relatively short-lived, the title was eventually revived as a monthly in 1977, lasting for ninety-three issues before coming to an end in 1985. However, that's a whole other story - for now, sit back and savour the first six covers of the weekly title from the '70s.

Remember to keep your eyes peeled for Part 2 sometime soon, when we'll feature another six covers from the series.

See Part 2 at http://kidr77.blogspot.com/2012/03/part-two-of-savage-sword-of-conan.html

See Part 3 at http://kidr77.blogspot.com/2012/03/part-three-of-savage-sword-of-conan.html

PART FOUR OF TERRIFIC'S COVER GALLERY...

It's been a while since we featured any covers from the ODHAMS PRESS publication TERRIFIC, which lasted for forty-three issues back in the late '60s before being incorporated with its sister paper FANTASTIC. So, without any further ado, here's another delectable half-dozen front covers and back page pin-ups. Don't be greedy now - savour them one at a time. 

5 Alasan Mantan Kekasih Masih Kirim SMS

Oke, hubungan Anda dan si dia sudah berakhir. Tapi sang mantan masih saja mengirimkan pesan teks ke ponsel Anda; lewat SMS maupun Blackberry Messenger (BBM). Hal yang dibicarakan pun tidak terlalu penting, misalnya menanyakan keadaan atau apa yang sedang Anda lakukan.Anda pun bertanya-tanya, apa maksudnya mengirimkan pesan teks setelah putus?  Ada beberapa kemungkinan, yang salah

Obama’s Good Afghan War Turns Sour

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Roanoke Times, 2-28-12, Pg 15, Editorial: Afghan violence hits home

Obama’s Good War has turned sour and his friends in the liberal media are now working hard to ensure Obama is not held accountable for his decisions and actions that have snatched failure out of the mouth of opportunity.
Absent now is the video of Obama and his minions intently watching the TV monitors of our soldiers being murdered with a shot to the head by their so-called “Afghan Comrades”?
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/us_bigs_slain_in_af_stan_3huhKdtj6q5nUGlu9zr5eI
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Obama and associates castigated Bush for not making Afghanistan the primary target for massive amounts of boots on the ground. Bush’s utilization of Afghan fighters that opposed Al-Qaida and the Taliban was ridiculed as “outsourcing” the war effort.
Perhaps Bush’s team had evaluated the Russian Afghan Experience and decided that employing and supporting the Northern Alliance was the best alternative in that large and desolate and tribal and undomesticated expanse.
It’s also of interest that occupying Afghanistan was not the key to getting Bin Laden; It was in fact the tools and forces and technologies that were developed well before General Obama arrived at the TV viewing studio.
http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2011/05/obama-bin-laden-bounty-hunter.html
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To add insult to injury Obama and associates continue their obnoxious kowtowing and groveling to the fanatical violent Muslim criminals? Has there ever been, in the history of this great Country, such a sad and disappointing Commander-In-Chief?
http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2012/02/obama-apologizes-to-radical-muslim.html
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The RT Editors muse about what Obama’s new war objectives and actions should be. It’s a little late for that! He has announced to the enemy that we are withdrawing on a fixed timeline. The surge-troops are gone and now the only real job is to get out with minimal casualties above the 1700+ killed and 14,000+ wounded to-date.
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The enemy is emboldened, we have lost much of the good-will of the Afghan people (who now know that their collaboration with US forces is their death warrants) and our primary option now is to accelerate our withdrawal.
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The Washington Times   3-1-12  KUHNER: Obama’s Islamist agenda
The Arab Spring is turning into an Islamist winter.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/1/obamas-islamist-agenda/
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"If you voted for Barack Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist,
You'll have to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot."
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FOOTBALL COMIC WITH NO BALLS...

In 1992, new publishing kid on the block, TUNDRA, were developing a fortnightly football comic called GLORY GLORY, which they hoped would be the next big thing in the world of periodicals. 50,000 copies of a dummy version were printed for promotional purposes, with the launch date of the actual first issue announced for September 9th, 1992.

However, after all the time, effort and money spent on producing the dummy, plans were hastily abandoned and Glory Glory succumbed to

an inglorious fate - cancellation before it had even appeared on the newsagents' shelves. So why was the decision taken to abort the project before fruition? I'm not quite sure - as a contributor I was probably told at the time, but have long since forgotten the details. Perhaps reaction to the dummy was less than positive, resulting in Tundra deciding not to risk losing even more money by going ahead with the launch, hence the plug being pulled at the last moment.

Luckily, 'though, I have one of the 50,000 dummies printed, and have decided to unselfishly share with you the cover and a couple of interior pages - just to give you a taste of what might have been.

Della & The Detectives - "Drake On the Move"

"Donald Dearest" b/w "Drake on the Move" - 7" single
Della & The Detectives
(Travesty Records, 1984)

White hair, checkered coat, bulge on his cigarette pack
Shadowing the shadows at the corner of the depot
And chasing through the railroad track
Cut out, put your butt out, music up and dissolve
Drake on the move...

This past weekend, I busied myself getting a bunch of my vinyl records digitized so I could make some mix CDs. One of them was this 7-inch B-side written by P. O'Leary and credited to Della and the Detectives about Perry Mason's right-hand man, Paul Drake (played by Hedda "the Hat" Hopper's son William Hopper in the television series based on Erle Stanley Gardner's mystery novels) - the rakish P.I. with the silver hair and pinky ring who always checks and rechecks "every possible lead, every possible angle, and every possible possibility" for Perry so he can once again humiliate Hamilton Burger (TV Land's losingest district attorney) in court. (The Dave Nuttycombe-penned A-side "Donald Dearest" is a tabloid confessional spoof in which a bitter Huey Duck accuses his uncle of abuse.)


William Hopper as Paul Drake

As the Eccentric Roadside blog raved, "Paul Drake is REALLY cool. A big, barrel-chested P.I. with prematurely silver hair in a checkered sportcoat smoking a Winston and driving a T-Bird. He's got his own private back entrance to Perry's office, always sits on the edge of Perry's desk and greets Della with an ever so suave "Hiya, beautiful" (she usually just rolls her eyes back at him)." And (like Warron Zevon's pina colada-drinking werewolf of London), his hair was perfect.

Yet, as the folks at the Thrilling Detective web site lament, despite being "one of the most enduring hardboiled private eyes of all time...he has never been the lead, always playing second fiddle to his famous client." Della and her Detectives try to right that slight, and it's the only musical homage I've ever heard to the legendary head of the Drake Detective Agency.

"Drake on the Move" was a Dr. Demento favorite, though "Della and the Detectives" was actually the work of Washington, D.C.'s Travesty, Ltd comedy ensemble. If my memory serves me well (it usually doesn't), I believe this 7-inch single came inside Travesty, Ltd.'s Teen Comedy Party LP (Used Records, 1983), which featured the final performance of the Starland Vocal Band (famous for 1976's #1 one-hit wonder "Afternoon Delight").


Travesty, Ltd.'s "Teen Comedy Party" album

Out-of-print copies of the original '80s album sell for as much as $45 on the Internet, though in 2000 Travesty, Ltd. released an updated, 40-track CD version of it. One of the skits from this album, "Rock and Roll Doctor," ended up on two Dr. Demento albums and the box set The Greatest Novelty Recordings of All Time.

I think I got my album courtesy of Dave Nuttycombe back in the days when I reviewed music for various publications. The Wheaton, MD-based Nuttycombe was a Travesty alumnus (he wrote "Rock and Roll Doctor," for which the Travesty boys still receive royalty checks from Rhino Records), as well as a Langley Punks/Travesty Films alum (P.G. County's legendary screwball guerilla filmmakers who screened a retrospective of their works at the AFI Silver Theatre as recently as last June 2011 - not to mention previous screenings on Count Gore De Vol's Creature Feature television show - see "Gore Meets the Langley Punks"), Washington City Paper webmeister, and curator of the award-winning ("Best Humor Award," Washington Post) cassette tape Cheap Stories, which featured the best parts of the worst "adult" novels of the '40s, '50s and '60s, read to the accompaniment of "smokey bongo jazz" and the tenor sax stylings of Ron Holloway (veteran sideman with Dizzy Gillespie, Root Boy Slim, Susan Tedeshi, among others).



Speaking of Ron Holloway, his sax is put to great use on "Drake On the Move," as his wild solo riffing at the end plays a clever variation on the Perry Mason theme song. There is no information about any other musicians appearing on "Drake On the Move"; the Teen Comedy Party album credits Jane Raftery, Laura First and Mary Forbes as The Travesty Singers, so I wonder if they were also the voices behind Della and the Detectives (or was it the gals from Starland Vocal Band? Anybody know?)

I also wonder if the writing credit for "P. O'Leary" is a typo for B. O'Leary, as Bill O'Leary was one of the Travesty, Ltd. comedy ensemble.

The song samples some great Perry Mason soundbites, ending with Raymond Burr saying "Paul Drake just left" followed by Paul Drake's quizzical response, "I did?"

Watch & listen to "Drake on the Move."


Paul Drake Lives!
According to the Travesty-Brand Fine Products web store, you can still buy this 7-inch vinyl single (as well as other products) by sending a check or money order in the amount of $5.00 + $2.50 payable to: West Production Services, Inc., P.O. Box 2810, Merrifield, VA 22116.


"Paul Drake just left." "I did???"

***

The Langley Punks/Travesty crew (Pat Carroll, Jim Phalen, Bob Young, Larry Zabel, Bill O'Leary, Tom Welsh, Rich West, Don Hogan, and Dave Nuttycombe) clearly knew their classic cult television history, and not just Perry Mason. Back in 1984, they made a cable TV pilot for The Travesty Show, a period throwback to The Honeymooners replete with gag commercials and black-and-white kinescope video look. DC's Wanktones (a Slickee Boys rockabilly side project) even made an appearance on the show, as shown in the YouTube clip below:


Mark Noone of The Wanktones on "The Travesty Show"

Watch The Wanktones on "The Travesty Show."


Root Boy Slim and Ron Holloway also made cameos on The Travesty Show, as shown in the video clip below:

Watch Root Boy Slim on "The Travesty Show."

HAVE A LOOK AT BOB'S BEANO...

Once upon a time there used to be two mighty comic empires in this country which were in constant competition with one another. Comics were always being developed in each camp to have something ready at a moment's notice to steal the thunder of any new publication the opposition might launch. However, these two companies were not only at war with each other, but also any other company which was in the same business. For example, did you know that D.C. Thomson's SPARKY came out the same week as TV CENTURY 21? This was DCT's way of capitalising on any kid asking his mum to "Get that new comic for me while I'm at school". Any parent asking for that in a newsagent was just as likely to be handed The Sparky as TV21, especially if the latter was sold out. And even if it wasn't, 7d for TV21 may have seemed a bit dear compared to The Sparky's more reasonable 5d - at least from a parent's point of view.

With that in mind, editors kept up with all the titles the opposition produced, often having racks of their rivals' comics on hand in their own offices to see what the 'other side' were up to. And that explains THE BEANO pictured in this post. It was IPC's Humour Group editor BOB PAYNTER's personal copy, which he allowed me to have in order to clear some space on the comic racks along the side of his office wall. Bob was quite good to me in that way. I picked up quite a few comics for my collection, including a number of FRANKIE STEIN Holiday Specials that Bob no longer wanted, plus the very last issue of TV COMIC.

So have a read at DENNIS's adventures above - and don't forget to thank Bob for it. 

AND NOW - A LITTLE 'ICE BREAKER'...

Someone once asked me what I'd do to dilute any possible negative influence or bad example comics might have on younger readers. By way of kick-starting suggestions, I pondered the possibility of comics having a little warning on the editorial or letters pages, saying something to the effect of "Hyperman is indestructible, you are not. Do not try to imitate him". (Like Captain Scarlet used to have.) Obviously, the message would be appropriate to the content.

This was met with scorn by the person who asked the question, saying that it was patronising to children. I pointed out that many toys carry such advice, so why not something similar with comics? The packaging on toy guns and bows 'n' arrows warns kids about the dangers of aiming them at people's eyes, etc., which seems a perfectly sensible precaution to me. At the very least, it covers the manufacturers if some kid decides to ignore the 'operating instructions'.

I was therefore interested to see the above panel from a copy of The Beano, after an episode in which Dennis and his pals went skating on a frozen pond. Might have been better in the actual issue in which the strip appeared, but better late than never. Obviously, the person who took issue with me on the matter thinks that it's 'patronising' to exercise a little social responsibility. Thankfully, DCT are not in accord with his views in this instance. 

Media Matters Hypocrisy: “Boys” Will Be “Boys”

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Once again the Liberal-Progressive Media is tarnished with Hypocrisy.
“The organization" dedicated to rebuff and marginalize and belie FoxNews and The WSJ is caught-up in bad behavior. After the string of losers that MSNBC has employed to do that job; who could have seen this coming?
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Media Matters chief David Brock paid a former domestic partner $850,000 after being threatened with damaging information involving the organization’s donors and the IRS – a deal that Brock later characterized as a blackmail payment, according to legal documents obtained by FoxNews.com.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/27/media-matters-boss-paid-former-partner-850g-blackmail-settlement/
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The Washington Post: 2-27-12
Media Matters for America (MMfA) has been called many things. "Liberal media propaganda outlet." "A "propagandist" organization. "Partisan activists." The organization's mission statement, declares that it comes at the world from an angle. "Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/27/media-matters-fox-effect-ailes-_n_1304765.html
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Media Matters and associates are now busy explaining away $850,000 of hush-money.
Sounds like a “Boys” rerun of Democrat Presidential Candidate John Edward’s issues.
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Perhaps an appropriate hypocrisy analogy for the Media Matters Boys would be; Aesop’s fable “the monkey and the dolphin”. This might be a good time for Mr. Brock to brush-up on his swimming skills.
http://www.happychild.org.uk/nvs/cont/stories/aesopsfables/page0185.htm
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Left-leaning Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz is vowing to begin a campaign to personally make the Media Matters for America controversy into a re-election issue for President Obama.

http://www.wnd.com/2012/02/dershowitz-media-matters-will-be-re-election-issue/
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The following are samples of some Obama-Progressive-Socialist-Democrat items that Media Matters could focus on instead of FoxNews and The WSJ:
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http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2012/02/obama-and-hillary-chameleons-of-foreign.html
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http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2012/02/obama-oil-and-gasoline-plagiarism-and.html
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http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2012/02/obama-apologizes-to-radical-muslim.html
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http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2012/02/another-obama-democrat-charade-budget.html
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MARVEL ON A RAMPAGE...

Here's two of the comics mentioned, but not pictured, in the previous post. THE COMPLETE FANTASTIC FOUR lasted for thirty-seven issues before being merged with THE MIGHTY WORLD OF MARVEL (putting the good ol' FF right back where they started). It was probably one of the better comics that MARVEL UK ever published, so it's a shame it didn't have a much longer run. It has its modern day equivalent in FANTASTIC FOUR ADVENTURES, published by PANINI, but I hear that, sadly, the next issue (#28) is to be the last.

RAMPAGE lasted around thirty-four issues before fading away, to be relaunched a couple of months later as a monthly, featuring black and white tales of THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Despite the weekly featuring THE DEFENDERS and NOVA, this title always seemed a bit lacklustre to me, probably because it was overshadowed by its FF sister publication, which I thought was a great little mag. What's the old saying? "A sparrow may look beautiful - until it stands next to a peacock." Well, I guess TCFF was the latter in that instance, although it only lasted three more weekly issues than the former, so nothing to crow about. (These bird allusions are writing themselves now, so I'm outta here.)

Enjoy the covers. 

5 Film dengan Tema Pernikahan Terbaik

Selama ini film bertema pernikahan selalu dicap klise. Setiap karakter wanita di dalam film pernikahan digambarkan memiliki masalah emosi, suka mengomel, dan tidak merasa nyaman. Kemudian, jalan cerita selalu diakhiri dengan adegan salah satu karakter utama tergesa-gesa pergi ke bandara atau stasiun kereta api dan membuat pengakuan cinta di menit-menit akhir.Meski demikian, tidak

5 Grup musik wanita terpopuler di Korea

1. Girl's GenerationSiapa tak kenal grup musik Girl's Generation atau SNSD. Grup yang terdiri dari  9 wanita cantik ini berhasil menggebrak industri musik Korea dengan lagu 'Tell Me Your Wish (Genie)' dan 'Gee' di awal kemunculannya. Girl's Generation sendiri dibentuk SM Entertainment pada tahun 2007 dan beranggotakan Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Yuri, Hyoyeon, Sooyoung, Yoona

MIGHTY MARVEL MEMORIES AND MAGIC...

I can only speculate as to the reasons why, but after releasing their first three weeklies - THE MIGHTY WORLD OF MARVEL, SPIDER-MAN COMICS WEEKLY, and THE AVENGERS - as individual titles over a period of a few months, MARVEL UK then tried a different approach. DRACULA LIVES and PLANET OF THE APES were both released the same week - as were their next two comics, THE SUPER-HEROES and SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN. Perhaps they felt that two comics had twice the chance of success - at least for one of them - than one on its own. Who knows?

Their next new publications, THE TITANS and CAPTAIN BRITAIN, were released individually about a year apart, although with RAMPAGE and

THE COMPLETE FANTASTIC FOUR in 1977, it was back to two at a time. (I think the next Marvel UK weeklies released together were the

THOR and X-MEN titles in early 1983, which soon merged into one mag - making it even more like the Odhams Press POWER COMIC known as FANTASTIC from the late 1960s.)

Anyway, here's a selection of covers from some of the comics mentioned, simply because they're nice to look at and also bring back a lot of memories for me. I'm sure it's the same for you, too - so feel entirely free to indulge yourself in these images of yesteryear.

   

HERE COME THE SUPER-HEROES...

Back in March of 1975, MARVEL UK released two new weekly comics on an unsuspecting British public - THE SUPER-HEROES and SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN. We'll turn our attention to the Conan mag another time because, for the moment, we're going to take a look at the more successful of the two titles.

Initially, The Super-Heroes reprinted THE SILVER SURFER tales from NORRIN RADD's eighteen issue US monthly comic mag from the '60s. Taking up the slack in the back pages were THE X-MEN, their adventures being split in two and continued the following week. (Seeing those early X-Men adventures was just like having the late, lamented FANTASTIC back again.) In fact, as the Surfer's first seven American mags were double-sized, the same approach was adopted for his adventures also, until such time as his regular-sized tales were featured.

The Super-Heroes lasted for just under a year, bowing out with issue #50 (Conan only lasted eighteen issues) and being merged with the weekly SPIDER-MAN comic. In its time it managed to showcase GIANT-MAN, THE CAT, DOC SAVAGE, and some MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE tales of THE THING and various guest stars. It was never better 'though, than in its early issues, and it was sad to see it go when it eventually faded from the scene. The name (sans hyphen) was later revived for a British monthly mag called MARVEL SUPERHEROES in 1979, but it was never quite the same. There were even two (at least) hardback annuals by GRANDREAMS before the title disappeared yet again, this time for the final time.

 

Fifty issues? Is that all? Funny how, when I look back, it seems that the comic lasted far longer than a mere forty-nine weeks of my life. Surely it was around for a couple of years at least? (Nope, I guess not.) I still have my original issues and, sometimes, whenever I want to revisit yesteryear, I dig them out yet again and savour the sight, smell and touch of these classic comics from nearly forty years ago. Then, somehow, I'm magically back in the past and sixteen years old once more, reliving the thrill of settling down with the latest Mighty Marvel mag from the House of Ideas! What more could anyone want?

Anyway, as I'm feeling nostalgic, here's the first three covers to give you a taste of what I'm taliking about. Enjoy.   

Celebrate America Scavenger Adventure in Second Life

Click on the box called Celebrate America Scavenger Hunt

Celebrate America Scavenger Adventure
Taken from: VIrtual Pioneer History Conference
January - March 2012

Directions:
* You have all trimester to work on this scavenger hunt.
* You do not have to complete it in any special order.
* Take a photo at each location.
* Try to talk to the avatars you find in the places you visit. * Copy and paste your conversations . Ask them permission to copy and post your conversation in your blog.
* Show your avatar and be creative!

URBE EFL Center in SL : http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nova%20Vita/176/108/22

Feel free to complete it with a partner, but each of you should post your pictures and comments in your blogs.

Deadlines for posting on your blogs are Exam days.
There are 10 locations to visit... You can follow this:

First term: 3 locations
Second term:  3 locations
Third term: 4 locations

Just click on the landmarks and visit the places.

South Dakota, Mount Rushmore
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Le%20Dome/232/181/60
Carved into the Black Hills of South Dakota are the iconic faces of four former presidents of the United States--George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. These men were chosen to represent the first 150 years of American history and America’s cultural heritage. Get your  picture in front of this National Monument.

Manhattan - NYC - Hotel Chelsea
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lanestris/53/153/99
The hotel has always been a center of artistic and bohemian activity and it houses artwork created by many of the artists who have visited. The hotel was the first building to be listed by New York City as a cultural preservation site and historic building of note.  Picture with your avatar behind the desk - showing the hotel Chelsea sign.

NY - Statue of Liberty
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Carnforth/30/215/22
The Statue of Liberty  was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886, designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986. There is a very small landing area - beware!  Get a picture with Lady Liberty.

California - Golden Gate Bridge
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tech/76/50/36
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean.  It has been declared one of the modern Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Get a picture with the bridge in the background.  Note: There is a horse you can ride if you want.

Texas - The Alamo
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Antiquity%20Texas/201/97/22
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas.  Picture inside by flags

Massachusetts - Nantucket Yacht Club
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nantucket%20Yacht%20Club/54/31/22
Nantucket, the world’s leading whaling port for about a century, had lighthouses  by 1784. As Nantucket evolved from whaling capital to vacation resort, the lighthouses became a popular attraction. The name “Sankaty” is said to come from a Wampanoag word for a highland or “cool hill.” Get picture of your avatar at the top of the SL Coast Guard Station Sankaty Lighthouse. (Across the water from the yacht club)

Washington, DC - World War II Memorial Park
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/WW2%20PACIFIC/128/10/2518
This Memorial is a scaled replica of the original memorial located in Washington D.C. The SL version was commissioned by the SL Flying Tigers and built by RL architect, Deusen Marx. The purpose of this Memorial is to honor the sacrifices of a generation and commemorate the allied victory in World War II.  Send a picture in front of your state if you are in US. Otherwise, it is your choice.

Missouri, St Louis 
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/St%20Louis%20Island/183/128/31
The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri on the west bank of the Mississippi River. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States. Find the arch for a picture.

Hawaii
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mills/77/123/27
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states (August 21, 1959), and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. Hawaii’s diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches and oceanic surrounding, and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, surfers, biologists, and volcanologists alike.
Hawaii's coastline is approximately 750 miles (1,210 km) long. This SL Hawaii has many fun things to explore. There are ski-doo, hang-gliding, and a butterfly tour. So grab your lei and join the fun.
Get your picture by the Aloha sign.
10 extra points for a picture of you hang-gliding or bungee jumping.

Louisiana - The Houmas House 
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spirit%20Oaks/211/128/23
Feel free to explore and enjoy this antebellum-style plantation known as Houmas House. Your picture can be in any of the formal living area.
10 extra  points for a picture of the little girl who runs throughout the estate.

We'll make a collage with your photos.. so have fun!!!

Keep On Shining Love and Peace!
Doris3m  A.K.A Pionia Destiny

Mom's Jersey Shore

The beach where Mom grew up.

I've been resting my writing chops while Mom took herself, and her computer, off to the Jersey shore to visit Great-Grandma. Locals, of course, never call it "The Shore." To them, it's simply the beach, and all one has to do is head east a bit to get there. All roads lead to the beach, and it's take your pick for miles and miles. Thanks to the generosity of the U.S. of A., tons of sand have been added to the once-eroded strand, and it's quite lovely. The jetties are remnants of a long-ago experiment to keep sand from shifting north toward Sandy Hook.

After a long run from Spring Lake to Asbury Park and back, along a glorious stretch of boardwalk and ocean, Mom warmed up at a family friend's sublime Belmar coffee shop, Turnstile. I doubt Mike and co. would allow dogs in there, but I'll bet he could be persuaded to put a water bowl outside. Just the thing one would need after too much salt water.  Or too much "Jersey Shore."

5 Hal yang Membuat Kamu Lama Menjomblo

Memang tidak mudah untuk menemukan tambatan hati yang sesuai. Dalam pencarian Mr. Right, tidak jarang Anda  mengeluh. Keluhan yang seringkali terlontar, mengapa sulit sekali mendapatkan kekasih? Mungkin Anda harus lebih jauh berinteropeksi pada diri sendiri. Berikut ini dipaparkan beberapa hal yang membuat Anda tetap menjomblo. Kurang percaya diri Kepercayaan diri sangat penting.

Twist Along Week 3

Now that you have your 36 patch with borders on and have best pressed or starched it, it's time to start cutting. As I mentioned before, It's a good idea to be able to cut all 49 pieces at the same time. It makes keeping track of your piece placement easier.

The Twister ruler is a square ruler with lines drawn a little wonky. These are the lines you will be lining up on the seams.

Starting at the top left corner, place the ruler along all 3 seam lines. You will only have 3 here because the border is sewn on without any seams. Make sure there are no bumps under the ruler. It's easy to get bumps since the ruler is on 'stilts'. Then cut around all 4 sides of the ruler. Be sure to no go more than a 1/4" past the sides or it will cut into the next piece.

Remove the square from the cutting table and put onto a design wall or table.This is what the 36 patch will look like now.

Here's the fun part. Twist the block clockwise until the block is a straight square.

Repeat for each square, remembering to line up the lines with the seams. On any piece that has a border included there will only be 3 seams to line up with and on all the rest there will be 4. This is what it will look like after 2 squares are cut. 

Keep cutting and adding squares to finish the first row. Notice how you can see the twisted pinwheels forming.

Then start on the 2nd row. This is what it will look like after the first two squares of the second row are cut. You can see the first twisted pinwheel now.

After you have all 49 squares cut out then sew them back together just like you did for the original 36 patch, but you will have 7 rows of 7 this time. Remember not to pull the fabric when sewing it back together because it is cut on the bias and has extra stretch.

Now I just need to give this a quick press. Next week we will be adding an outside border or 2 if you want. I have some of the black Sassy with the little paisley print for the border, but an thinking of doing a turquoise for a first border.

Don't forget to link up your twister quilts on the flickr page.