Tom Hendricks's Blog (421)

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:

This World War Two film had this great line, "I think we hit the sub. I saw it go down." Name the war comedy.

IS: "1941" the Spielberg film of 1979.

We had no correct eligible answers. Seems the answers sunk with the sub on this one! I don’t dumb down, so please wise up!

Now on to a new Q.: Win a copy of my NEW cd CALLED ‘30′! – (first anti-band CD) or my NEWER cd CALLED ‘NEXT”(‘06) or my NEWEST cd…

Poems written in Jan. 2012

Comments welcome.

[poem notes in brackets like this]

POEMS

1 [ This sci-fi idea is not mine but clever -

from Writings in Science, my sci-fi novel in progress]

The Rosetta Stone

to communicate

with aliens is

the Periodic table

2. [from Writings in Science, my sci-fi novel in progress]

telescopes in space

have liquid lenses

made of water

curved to perfection.

3. [kid's poem, inspired by "The…

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:

This year's annual Musea Christmas story, 'Senlin', about the world's greatest dancer, had a major plot point connected to this passage,

"COME TO THE WINDOW! Follow me. Do as you're told!" Then he (Paulo) laughed. She (Senlin) followed. Looking out the open window, down below was a milling crowd. They did NOT cheer. Senlin thought that odd! Then one young man in the center , turned on some music, and began to…

Poems written in Dec  2011 

Comments welcome.

[poem notes in brackets like this]

POEMS

1 [Loosely based on a passage from 

"The Book of General Ignorance".]

What a day for a nothing event.

In 2003 the Hubble Telescope

was set to ultra deep field mode.

In 1 million seconds, or about 11 days

the photo they made showed tens of thousands

of hitherto unknown galaxies,

each consisting of hundreds of…

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:

When you think of the American cities with the best architecture, these four come to mind. There's Chicago that started skyscrapers, New York, Gotham of course, Los Angeles on the coast, and.... Well according to one architecture study, the fourth most notable architecture city in the US is this small 50,000 pop. town! Say what? Name this small American town with the great architecture.

IS: Columbus Indiana!…

Poems written in Nov/Dec  2011 

Comments welcome.

[poem notes in brackets like this]

POEMS

1 

The road zig-zags

across the valley

and yet never really

moves at all.

2 [Kids poem for Moon Tea]

Can Earthlings fly?

Of course they can!

To think they can't is absurd.

Can Earthlings fly?

Of course they can.

Remember some earthlings are…

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:

There is always room for a Beatle question and this one is a fun one. My range singing is almost exactly 2 octaves. I think John Lennon of the Beatles could BEAT that. My claim for the highest John note on a Beatle record is probably the falsetto at the end of In My Life (any one know for sure?) But this week's contest question for the prize is about the low end of his range: what Beatle recording has John's lowest…

Dear Readers,

The new issue of Musea #182 is out and about. The hard copy is available at all the usual suspects , or read it online, or send me a SASE. Here's a preview and intro to the issue. Don't miss the art work at the end of this message! Both are at

http://www.musea.us/

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Happy Holidays Readers! ! Here is our annual Musea Christmas Story. Take a rest from your busy schedule and…

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:

Since Buck Rogers and the Rocketeer, we've seen the future and it's jet packs. Surely by 1980 everyone would have one right? There are real jet packs in our age, but they don't work all that well ... yet. Strangely enough they all run on the same fuel, some beauty product you'd find in any hair saloon. Name the jet pack fuel.

"

IS: Hydrogen Peroxide! Yes, the same stuff we bleach our hair with. Guess it gives…

Poems written in late November  2011 

Comments welcome.

[poem notes in brackets like this]

POEMS

1 (start of an adventure for sure)

Come with me!

Come with me!

There is magic

everywhere!

2 (where the night comes from)

The underground

in grottos and caves

holds the night

till twilight arrives.

Then it's released

and flies away

like a…

Poem for the country in these hard times -

from the Musea Poetry issue from 2007

***

Bless the minnow, bless the whale

Bless the hardy, bless the frail

Bless the straight, bless the turn

Bless the world from stem to stern

Bless the sky and all that's in it

Bless the start and bless the finish.

(Inspired by "The Robin's Song, an Old English Rhyme)***

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:"Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb..."  But who was Mary? IS: Mary Sawyer who grew up in Sterling MA. The lamb caper happened in 1815 when her pet lamb followed her to school (clearly against the rules). Bet you didn't know it was about a real person! The author of the poem is in some dispute and remains a literary mystery.

But there is no mystery about our winner - Mike from Dameron MD. Seems the rest of…

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:A couple of questions back I had one about the first self help book. This question is about Van Gogh and a self help book. The great artist learned some of his drawing skills from a famous self help art book of the time. Name it.IS: Charles Bargue with Jean-Leon Gerome's art book titled "Cours de dessin." This from one of Van Gogh's letters: "I’m now busy drawing all Bargue’s Exercices au fusain for the 3rd time."

We…

Poems written in November  2011 

Comments welcome.

[poem notes in brackets like this]

POEMS

1 

Picasso's distorted faces

show a repressed angst.

This is rampant in modern art

and displays personalities that are split -

torn apart and filled with rage.

2 [from Writings In Science - my sci fi anthology]

When we are sailing

light years away

how can we still

smell the sea air?

3…

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:Did you know that at the last minute Joseph Heller changed his book title to Catch-22?  What was the original catch number?IS: Catch-18 was the working title while he was writing it. But at the time it was about to be published, Leon Uris had his war novel out called "Mila 18", so he needed a new number.We had a winner! Congratulations to Barry from Glendale, CA. Seems the rest of you were not 'grounded' on this one. I…

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:

This writer wrote the first self help book. Name the writer and the title of the book.

IS: Good for a few laughs! Because the book is titled, "Self Help (with illustrations of Character and Conduct) and was written by Samuel SMILES. 



We had a winner! Congratulations to J. B. from Mechanicsville, VA. 

Seems the rest of you were not all 'Smiles" on this one. I don’t dumb down, so please wise…

Poems written in late October  2011 

Comments welcome.

[poem notes in brackets like this]

 POEMS

 1

Their actions were

alien to me

like watching players

playing a game

where you don't know the rules

and nothing makes sense.

2. (Kid's poem)

no need to worry

no need to worry

when the  full Moon starts to fade.

no need to worry

no need to worry

it'll…

Readers,  Here are four more entries into THE BIG LIST, the 200+ first 'best of' song list from all the music on the net, from all over the world. You are guaranteed to find many hits you've probably never heard.

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Classic Songwriter's Best Song Performance, Jimmy Webb, "Just This One Time".

Best Psychedelic Classic, You've Never Heard (Unless you come from my home town), Five Americans "7:30 Guided Tour" (yt).

Best Song with drumsticks on ashtrays…

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:This first musical conductor (before him it was usually the first violinist or organist) actually died from conducting! Name him and tell how conducting music, did him in!IS: Jean-Baptiste Lullly (1632-1687). Instead of a small baton he used a 6 foot long staff that he banged on the ground for the beat. He hit his foot, it became gangrenous, and he died two months later.

There were no correct eligible answers.…

The answer to, and winner (if any) for, our last contest question of:Here's a money art question. This is the only Vice President of the US featured on US Currency (that never served as President). Clue - the answer is personal.

IS: Thomas Andrew Hendricks the Vice President and Governor of Indiana. (my full name is Thomas Manley Hendricks). Growing up I was told we were related. More recent research in my family suggests that we just don't know for sure. My father's line goes back to…