The Force Awakens - Fan Teaser Trailers

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On November 28, 2014, the official trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was released in theaters all across the United States. Did I say the official trailer?? Wrong… What I meant to say was the official "teaser" trailer was released. We still have to wait for the official trailer(s) to be released. 

Disney, Lucasfilm, and J.J. Abrams are working hard to keep us all in the dark on the newest installment of the Star Wars saga. I love the suspense!! 

I was a boy of 12 back in 1977 when the original Star Wars was released. That was back before it was Star Wars: A New Hope. That was back before anyone knew what to expect. That was back before Jar Jar Binks and Sith Lords with unlimited power…lol

I walked out of the theater that night different from how I walked in. I did not know how or why, but I knew, somehow, everything had changed. I was not alone. Star Wars became a creative spark for a whole generation. It is an inspiration for many today.

Do not believe me?? Watch the official Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer above. Then… Pull your droids close, polish your lightsaber (or blaster), and enjoy the fan created parodies and mashups presented below.

This will be a day long remembered…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Paper Trail:

Have A Very Zombie Christmas!!

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Christmas is upon us, but… Are you ready for a Zombie Apocalypse during the Holiday Season? I doubt it. I know I'm not. That's why I wrote this post and why you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to watch this video by the girl of Team Unicorn.

With the above public service announcement and information in mind, it is time to get prepared. Begin by putting together a bug-out-bag with all the necessary supplies to avoid being bitten or eaten during the Holiday Season. Don't worry if your bug-out-bag is lacking a few items. The good folks at Guns.com have your back with their Holiday Gift Guide for Zombie Fans.

Here is hoping you can survive until the next Holiday Season and remember the following:

  • Zombies can only be brought down by a bullet or blow to the head.
  • You will eventually run out of bullets. So, have a good blade at your side and at the ready.

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Paper Tail:

Team Unicorn: Official Web Site
Facebook: Team Unicorn
YouTube: Team Unicorn
Guns.com: Holiday Gift Guide for Zombie Fans

 

Not Your Father's Schweddy Balls

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In my home, the Holiday Season means many wonderful things. It means a home that can be seen from orbit, wrapped in white and red Christmas lights. It means a beautiful Christmas tree, lovingly decorated for my kids. It means a family outing to our hometown Christmas parade, concluding with Santa on a big red firetruck.

The Holiday Season also means yummy, tasty balls.

Hold on there!! Did I just say balls? Well… Yes, I did. I'm talking about rum balls… kahlua balls… amaretto balls. All tasty Holiday treats that I have enjoyed since I was a small boy. They are a true Holiday tradition in my home and I would love to make them a Holiday tradition in your home.

The recipe for these balls is simple and easy. The best part is they are the "no bake" variety which means you get all the flavor and all the alcohol. So... Here is how to make a sack of balls. Select your liquor of choice or get crazy and mix them up in a jungle variety sack.

No Bake Balls:

  • 1 to 2 cups finely crushed vanilla wafers.
  • 1 to 2 cup confectioners' sugar.
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional).
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa.
  • Stir together, then add the following…
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup.
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup of Rum, Kahlua, or Amaretto
  • Roll 1 inch balls.
  • Roll balls in powered sugar.
  • Store in airtight container.

Have a great Holiday Season!! Enjoy my balls!!

Gottlieb Jazz Collection

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I recently came across a set of over 1,600 images captured by William P. Gottlieb from the 1930's and 1940's. Gottlieb was a notable journalist and self-taught photographer who covered the jazz scene and musicians in it during the period recognized as the "Golden Age of Jazz". Covering a ten year period, from 1938 to 1948, Gottlieb captured these images while following musicians in the New York City and Washington D.C.

Gottlieb was born in January of 1917 in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn and grew up in Bound Brook, New Jersey. He began his career as a journalist while attending Lehigh University where he wrote for the weekly campus newspaper and became the editor-in-chief of the The Lehigh Review. During Gottlieb's last year of college, he began writing a weekly jazz column for the Washington Post. From there, Gottlieb also wrote for Down Beat Magazine, The Record Changer, The Saturday Review, and Collier's.

The list of jazz musicians that Gottlieb followed and captured in images is extensive. Some of the more prominent personalities included Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Earl Hines, Jo Stafford, Thelonious Monk, Stan Kenton, Ray McKinley, Benny Goodman, Les Paul, and Ella Fitzgerald. From candid moments to street scenes to performances on stage, Gottlieb documented this period in time with an in the moment and intimacy rarely seen.

Gottlieb stopped photographing jazz musicians in 1948. In 2006, Gottlieb suffered a stroke and passed away in April of that year from complications. Following his wishes, the images in this collection entered the public domain on February 16, 2010. They  were made public by the Library of Congress (LOC) and can be viewed directly at the LOC's web site or the LOC's Flickr feed/portfolio.

These timeless images are snapshots of our past. They are venues and moments that are gone, but still live in our collective consciousness. Gottlieb's images are the vision and product of self self-taught photographer and creative. They are truly an impressive legacy.

Enjoy!!

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Paper Trail:

This post was originally published on Kerrsplat.com, dated December 17, 2013.

The Slingshot Channel

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If you have not seen Joerg Sprave from The SlingShot Channel on YouTube, do yourself a favor and checkout his videos and web site. Joerg and the folks involved with his projects are crazy insane (in a good way) and uber creative.

What do Joerg and his team do, you ask? They do anything and everything that can be done with rubber powered projectile launchers and weapons. From everyday slingshots to rapid fire slingshots to a slingshot canon, Joerg and his team design, build, and demonstrate some of the most outrageous and original inventions of rubber powered destruction I have ever seen.

Warning... Be sure you have ample time to spend before you start watching Joerg's videos. They are addictive. You will be watching for a while. 

Enjoy!!

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Paper Trail:

This post was originally published on Kerrsplat.com, dated December 14, 2013.

Feeling Down?? The Callin' Oates Hotline to the Rescue!!

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OMG... The Callin' Oates Hotline is back up and in service. I feel whole again!! No, seriously... I friggin' love Hall and Oates!! I grew up on Daryl Hall, John Oates, and all their music in the late 70's and early 80's. Some of the fondest memories of my life, past and present, were experienced with Hall and Oates playing in the background. 

Okay, okay... Some of you are thinking, "Calm down Bill. What the hell is this all about? Callin' Oates Hotline, really?" Answer... Really.

A few years ago, a good friend of mine, Morgan, told me about the Callin' Oates Hotline. I didn't believe her at first, but she texted me the number. I immediately called and discovered she was right. Call the number. Get a menu of songs to choose from. Listen on your phone. If you're with good company, switch to speaker phone.

I loved it!! The number immediately went into my contacts list on my phone and set as a favorite. Not only that... I began a crusade to spread the word. I told family. I told friends. I blogged about the hotline. Life was "fan" friggin-tastic!!

One day, though, my worst fear was realized. I was feeling down. I needed the Callin' Oates Hotline. I dialed the number only to discover it was out of service. I didn't know what to do. I had just redone my playlist on my phone. In my haste, I had forgotten to add any Hall and Oates. I was crushed. I had no choice. I had to listen to what I had... Men at Work.

Thank God those dark days are over. Yesterday evening, just when I needed an emotionally pickup and calm in my life, another good friend of mine, Josh, texted me with the news. Here are Josh's words, clear and straight from the heart, "Bill. Someone posted this to Reddit today. It is on the front page right now. There is an emergency Hall and Oates Hotline!!"

I read Josh's text once, twice, a third time before it registered. I read the Reddit posts. I wrote down the number and knew instantly that this was real. This was actually happening. The Callin' Oates Hotline number was the same as the old number. My heart skipped a beat. Trembling, I dialed the number. 

It was true. It was and is all true... The Callin' Oates Hotline is operational. The hotline is back and better than ever. More song... Better sound quality… Same number… I couldn't have hoped or asked for more. All is well in my world. I hope the Callin' Oates Hotline makes things better in your world as well. 

Enjoy!! 

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Paper Trail:

This post was originally published on Kerrsplat.com, dated December 13, 2013.