The Silver State Chronicles

Funky Chinatown Action!

Just when you think that liberals/leftists can’t get nuttier, they come through again!  Read this absurd story. I just hope a couple of Chinese guys don’t wander onto this blog entry and get me arrested for racial aggravation!

The story is courtesy of our friends at ThirdAge.com…

Kung Fu Fighting British Singer Arrested On Grounds Of Racial Aggravation

A ‘Kung Fu Fighting’ singer in Britain has been arrested on the grounds of racial aggravation after apparently offending two passers-by of Chinese origin with his rendition.

British man Simon Ledger says he fears he will end up with a criminal record for performing the 1974 disco classic at a seafront bar on the Isle of Wight in the UK on Sunday, reports The County Press.

The 34-year-old, who lives in Shanklin, regularly features Carl Douglas’ 1974 number one hit in his set when he performs at the Driftwood Beach Bar in Sandown.

But, after striking up the melody in front of customers at the weekend, he noticed a man of Chinese origin walking past with his mother, making gestures at him and taking a picture on his mobile phone.

Later on Sunday evening, Mr Ledger was dining at the Dragon Pearl Chinese restaurant in Shanklin when he received a call from the police saying they wanted to meet him.

He was then arrested and bailed pending further enquiries, The County Press reports.

An Isle of Wight police spokesperson confirmed, “A 34-year-old man from Shanklin was arrested on suspicion of causing harassment, alarm or distress under section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986.”

As a result of his arrest, Mr Ledger has found himself on the front page of British national newspaper The Sun today.

Mr Ledger told The Sun, “We were performing ‘Kung Fu Fighting,’ as we do during all our sets. People of all races were loving it, Chinese people have never been offended before.”

Ledger continued, “I honestly cannot believe how much this has been blown out of all proportion. The last thing I want is to be portrayed as a racist because I certainly am not.”

Singing and performing for more than 20 years, Mr Ledger has played on cruise ships in the past.

He also starred on former British entertainer Michael Barrymore’s popular TV program, ‘My Kind of Music’ several years ago.

The performer said he “couldn’t believe it when I was actually arrested,” reports the County Press.

You’re so super hip, you make love a trip!

On the eve of the eve of the State of the Union Address tonight (to be given by Barack Obama, star of The Barack Obama Show) I’m reminded of one of my favorite films, The Love God?, starring one of my favorite funny men, Don Knotts.

Don’t make the connection?  Well, The Love God? was made in 1969 as a Don Knotts vehicle.  Don plays Abner Audubon Peacock, the publisher of a fading bird-watcher’s magazine named Peacock Magazine which a sleazy promoter named Osborn Tremaine (played by Edmond O’Brien) converts into a hip nudie magazine.  This catapults the new Peacock Magazine into a national phenomenon, so they need the publisher (Knotts) to play their Hugh Hefner character in order to give the franchise a personality.

The only problem is that Mr Peacock is in reality an awkward, square character, not suited to the free love scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s.  No problem, really: threw shrewd media manipulation they manage to convince the American public that the awkward, shy, and unglamorous Abner Peacock.  And from there forward, the sky is the limit!

Remind you of anyone we know?

In my favorite scene from the film, Abner (now the free love icon of the era) is honored by fawning, gullible elites, who are too dim to realize that their ‘Mr Peacock’ is a figment of their imaginations.  The showstopper features the beautiful Darlene Love with The Blossoms on backup vocals, the keen musical sound of Orange Colored Sky, a half dozen leggy showgirls, and a dancing Don Kotts.  In other words, there’s no way this musical number can be improved upon!

Enjoy!

PS: Yes, I know all the lyrics to this song, and have known them for over 20 years.  But I suspect you had guessed that.

PPS: Special thanks to my friend Donna Marie Majoros Oswald for creating the idea, which was that spark that inspired me to write this post.  Thank you!

‘Cause things won’t be like they’ve been before!

We Miss Alan King

Though CNN Calls it “Breaking Debate Rules”

Babs Boxer Steps In It

Call Me Madam Joe from RightChange on Vimeo.

Now, that’s weird

I overheard a twentysomthing begging for change comment on the matter say “Dude, that’s like, ironic!”  Read more at Wired’s Gadget Lab…

Owner of Segway Company Dies in Segway Accident
By Brian X. Chen

The owner of Segway died on Sunday riding one of his company’s electric scooters off a cliff and into a river.

The 62-year-old millionaire Jimi Heselden crashed into the River Wharfe in Northern England while inspecting his North Yorkshire estate, according to multiple reports.

Heselden was riding a rugged-country version of the Segway, which was also recovered at the scene, according to the Telegraph.

Unveiled in 2001, the Segway was invented by Dean Kamen, who dreamed of launching a transportation revolution. The scooter contains five gyroscopes linked to a set of computers to monitor a rider’s center of gravity.

Heselden, chairman of Hesco Bastian and a former miner who earned millions from defense contracts, purchased the Segway company in early 2010.

Rock’em Sock’em Elmo – New This Christmas!

Sesame Street can get pretty rough at times. Read the whole story at NBC Miami…

Don’t Tickle Me Elmo: Sesame Street Character Kicks Florida Man’s Butt
Man in Elmo costume is attacked and breaks man’s fingers
By Todd Wright

He’s cute. He’s cuddly. He’s red all over. And he throws a mean right hook.

Introducing Florida’s version of Elmo.

A man wearing the Sesame Street character’s costume for a promotional event pummeled a guy in Orlando after he was attacked in a guitar shop over the weekend..

The costumed fighter’s name hasn’t been released, but he left a pretty good impression on his attacker, who told police he felt threatened by the Elmo costume. Police believe the attack was unprovoked and the attacker might have mental issues.

That guy is also in the hospital after taking on the Little Red Bull or whatever Elmo really is.

“Elmo got the best of the guy,” Winter Park police Lt. Wayne Farrell told the Orlando Sentinel. “He broke two of his fingers. Elmo was unhurt.”

Well at least now we know who the bully on Sesame Street really is.