Who knows what evil lurks behind those covers? (Photo by Stewart Butterfield) Thank goodness you’re here! The Spark is one of the last safe sources of reading pleasure (but not too much pleasure, mind you). If you're reading this it means you're not reading one of those hundreds of questionable books that have been sprinkled throughout the nation's libraries just to tempt us with their naughty bits. Since the dawn of the printing press, people have cranked out dangerous books to promote and distribute their dangerous ideas (and you wonder why printers' apprentices used to be called "devils?"). And they keep making new ones! When trying to get books off library shelves and out of schools, it takes a great deal of effort for a few successes. As we stamp out one fire, two more are lit. Just within the past few years, books have been written especially for children with themes including sex, drugs, magic, vegetarian propaganda, and gay penguins. While these naughty books are fairly easy to spot, safe books are harder to find. Some well-meaning folks have published lists of recommendations, but even these must be revisited. I consulted a couple of lists that had glaring titles that should certainly have been omitted. "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland?" Safe? What was that caterpillar smoking, anway? "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble?" Harmless? It has the word "magic" right there in the title! And the police are pigs! Our task is huge, but we must be vigilant. We must scour every text that might be put into childrens' hands. Find each objectionable section and read it. Read it again. Highlight it. Then hide it away (under the mattress is best), and make sure nobody else gets a look at it. Suggested Sites... ALA: Banned and Challenged Books - information and resources, including a Banned Books Week blog, and info about notable First Amendment cases. Banned Books Week - links to events across the U.S., with videos, resources, and ideas for fighting censorship. Amnesty International: Banned Books Week - reminding us that around the world, authors aren't just banned, they're persecuted. NCAC: Banned Books Week - National Coalition Against Censorship provides an interactive map and a very funny author video. KidSPEAK! - organization of kids, parents, teachers, and others who wish to defend the First Amendment (and continue to read Harry Potter books).

Directory categories: Banned Books Week, Banned Books, Censorship, Public Libraries, Children's Literature

Archived under: Authors, Banned Books Week, Books, Censorship, Children´s Literature, First Amendment, In Character, Reading, School, Words, Writers

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"Are we not one-hit wonders?" (Anybody see another hit song?) (Photo by Alterna2) What is it about "One Hit Wonders" that make them just so darn catchy? Most musicians rarely make it to the big time at all, and those that do are usually able to make careers out of it (or at least long enough to reach that elusive #2 hit). But One Hit Wonders are different. They're like the most ephemeral of stars: they shine brightly for a single moment of time, then burn out into oblivion. But if they're lucky, their songs remain for eternity. Inspired by "One Hit Wonder Day" (last week, on September 25th), we asked our fellow Yahoos to share their favorite One Hit Wonder* of all time. (You can find Part One here and Part Two here.) On a side note, many of the below mentioned artists and bands are still recording and performing 10, 20, and in some cases, almost 30 years later -- so props to them for overcoming (or in some cases, embracing) their status as "One Hit Wonders." Mike M.: Wow, there are a LOT of great one hit wonders, but the first one that comes to mind is "Centerfold" by J. Geils Band -- "Na, na, na-na-na-naaa, na, na, na, na-na-na-na-naaaa!" Adam: Easy. "Falco 3" by Falco (it had "Rock Me Amadeus" on it). Wow. I just felt a shiver of embarrassment. Ick. Corinne: The first song I ever loved and still love now is "Too Shy" by Kajagoogoo. Adrienne: Peter Godwin's "Images of Heaven" was truly transportive for me in the early 1980s. Brian: Favorite one hit wonder: "Whip It" by Devo. I was always angry my parents never bought me a Devo-hat! JoAnne: "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and I'm not at all ashamed of it. One of the best '80s songs, and one I will bounce around to every time I hear it. Followed very closely by "867-5309 (Jenny)" from Tommy Tutone. Helene L.: My favorite one hit wonder is "My Sharona" by The Knack. I like the guitar riff, the entertaining beat, and the profound philosophy of the lyrics. What bothers me now is the name of the band, "The Knack," because in my native region, a knack is a type of sausage. The parody by "Weird Al" Yankovic, called "My Bologna" is almost as addictive. Dave S.: I was crazy for "Freeze Frame" by The J. Geils Band. It's decades younger than my favorite music of the 1920s, but there was something about that organ riff and their shouting "freeze frame!" that I loved. Sue me. Sarah L.: "I Melt With You" by Modern English. It still gets so much radio airplay (not to mention covers ad nauseum) that few people realize they can't name another song recorded by the same band. Adrianna: There's "The Macarena," does that count? (Editor's Note: Not only does it count, VH1 named "The Macarena" its #1 One Hit Wonder of all time!) (*Please note that "One Hit Wonder" status is as much defined by perception as by actual radio charting status.) Suggested Sites... One Hit Wonder Central - learn about all sorts of One Hit Wonders from the 1950s to the present. Are You a One Hit Wonder? - find out if you are secretly a one hit wonder with this quiz. VH1: The Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80s - surely you love one of these.

Directory categories: Music, Rock and Pop, Music Charts, Musical Artists, CDs, Records, and Tapes

Archived under: 1970s, 1980s, Celebrations, Dance, Entertainment, Events, Flops, Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, History, In Character, Music, Music History, Musicians, Rock and Roll, Songs

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Those cats are fast as lightning! (Photo by mK B.) What is it about "One Hit Wonders" that make them just so darn catchy? Most musicians rarely make it to the big time at all, and those that do are usually able to make careers out of it (or at least long enough to reach that elusive #2 hit). But One Hit Wonders are different. They're like the most ephemeral of stars: they shine brightly for a single moment of time, then burn out into oblivion. But if they're lucky, their songs remain for eternity. Inspired by "One Hit Wonder Day" (last week, on September 25th), we asked our fellow Yahoos to share their favorite One Hit Wonder* of all time. (You can find Part One here.) On a side note, many of the below mentioned artists and bands are still recording and performing 10, 20, and in some cases, almost 30 years later -- so props to them for overcoming (or in some cases, embracing) their status as "One Hit Wonders." Mitzi: I’ve always liked "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers. Not sure if they qualify as one hit wonders, but I don’t think any of their other songs ever hit the U.S. charts. Cathleen: My favorite one hit wonder record (and sure to stay that way) was Color Me Badd's "C.M.B." Some may call "I Wanna Sex You Up" their only actual "hit," but "I Adore Mi Amor" and "All 4 Love" made it to the Top 10 in my heart. I'm pretty sure they pioneered the use of numerals instead of words in song titles, an innovative and important achievement in the history of pop music. Think of where texting would be today without these four musical geniuses. Cliff: Hanson's "MMMBop." Huw: I can't say I have a favorite one hit wonder, but I'm very entertained by "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" -- a delightfully ESL track by the Spanish duo Baccara. Chris B.: I hope that both "Kung Fu Fighting" and "If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don’t Want To Be Right" make your compilation. (Editor's note: They have now!) Jessica J.: My top one hit wonder: "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something. Dave T.: Although not my favorite one hit wonder per se, the one that has etched itself permanently into the album of my memory is Joe Dolce's "Shaddap You Face." It was a novelty record which consisted of an American-born Australian offering such times less lyrics as "Whassamatta you? (Hey!) Gotta no respect? Whaddaya think you do? Why you looka so sad? It's-a not so bad. It's-a nice-a place. Ah, shaddap you face!" All this in a seriously dodgy Italian accent to boot. This is largely memorable because it kept a genuine 80s classic (Ultravox's "Vienna") off of the #1 spot in the U.K. and forever tarnishing Midge Ure's reputation. We'll have our final round of humiliating confessions tomorrow! (*Please note that "One Hit Wonder" status is as much defined by perception as by actual radio charting status.) Suggested Sites... One Hit Wonder Central - learn about all sorts of One Hit Wonders from the 1950s to the present. Are You a One Hit Wonder? - find out if you're secretly a One Hit Wonder with this quiz. VH1: The Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80s - surely you love one of these.

Directory categories: Music, Rock and Pop, Music Charts, Musical Artists, CDs, Redcords, and Tapes

Archived under: 1970s, 1980s, Celebrations, Dance, Entertainment, Events, Flops, Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, History, In Character, Music, Music History, Musicians, Rock and Roll, Songs

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Do the Hustle! (This is not Andrea.) (Photo by Janine Dupree) What is it about "One Hit Wonders" that make them just so darn catchy? Most musicians rarely make it to the big time at all, and those that do are usually able to make careers out of it (or at least long enough to reach that elusive #2 hit). But One Hit Wonders are different. They're like the most ephemeral of stars: they shine brightly for a single moment of time, then burn out into oblivion. But if they're lucky, their songs remain for eternity. Inspired by "One Hit Wonder Day" (September 25th), we asked our fellow Yahoos to share their favorite One Hit Wonder* of all time. On a side note, many of the below mentioned artists and bands are still recording and performing 10, 20, and in some cases, almost 30 years later -– so props to them for overcoming (or in some cases, embracing) their status as "One Hit Wonders." Andrea S.: The best one-hit wonder of all -– and I say this proudly and with oodles of swing to my hips -– is "The Hustle." When I was a little girl, my parents took disco dancing lessons, and there’s a famous (to our family, anyway) photo of my groove-challenged engineer father attempting to count out the Hustle steps while my three-year-old brother scoots around in his a pair of green feet pajamas. "Do the Hustle!" Laura: My favorite one-hit wonder was Mr. Big's 1989 sentimental instrumental, "To Be With You." As an awkward, swoony, prepubescent 12-year-old, this song seemed to perfectly encapsulate all my cheesy romantic fantasies. Unrequited love! Passion! Heartache! Good times all around. Helene K.: So here is my little French contribution ... can't miss our French one hit wonder (or should I say "le hit?"): "Born to be Alive" by Patrick Hernandez. It's still a number one for any party, wedding, or other events involving dancing, at least in France. Cheesy, easy and yet, it works! Terri: My choices are both from the '80s: "99 Luftballons" by Nena and "Human" by The Human League. More embarrassing revelations on Monday! (*Please note that "One Hit Wonder" status is as much defined by perception as by actual radio charting status.) Suggested Sites... One Hit Wonder Central - learn about all sorts of One Hit Wonders from the 1950s to the present. Are You a One Hit Wonder? - find out if you're secretly a One Hit Wonder with this quiz. VH1: The Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80s - surely you love one of these.

Directory categories: Music, Rock and Pop, Music Charts, Musical Artists, CDs, Records, and Tapes

Archived under: 1970s, 1980s, Celebrations, Dance, Entertainment, Events, Flops, Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, History, In Character, Music, Music History, Musicians, Rock and Roll, Songs

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All aboard -- for romance! The year is 1977. It's late September, the weather is warm and inviting, and the conditions are perfect for cruising. Lucky TV audiences are about to be treated to "love, exciting and new," in the form of a madcap romantic sitcom with a nautical twist. "The Love Boat" is set about to set sail and she "promises something for everyone."  Indeed ... That first episode, airing on September 24, perfectly set the tone for the 248 to follow. All the major players were there: the unflappable Captain Stubing; Doc and Gopher, who usually spent more time wooing passengers than actually working; Isaac, the eternally cool bartender; and the constantly pert and perky Julie McCoy, your cruise director. Later, of course, we would meet Vicki, the precocious daughter of Capt. Stubing; Ace, the ship's photographer; and Judy McCoy, Julie's sister and her replacement as cruise director after actress Lauren Tewes was fired for drug use. Scandal and intrigue were always inevitable on board! Toss in a bevy of well-known B-list celebs (not to discount the sporadic and jaw-dropping A-lister), a deliciously catchy theme song, and storylines featuring a ménage a trois of love and romance, soap opera-esque drama, and madcap antics. Throw in the occasional musical number, and you've got an instant classic, with strong sea-legs to boot! Despite an initially lackluster critical reception, the show lasted until 1986 in its original form, with a sequel, a German remake, and a fourth TV movie (the first three were prequels to the initial series) following in later years. It's no wonder, considering "The Love Boat" was the brainchild of television legend Aaron Spelling, whose shows defined television in the '70s, '80s and '90s. Unforgettable classics such as "Starsky and Hutch," "Charlie's Angels," "Magnum P.I.," "Dynasty," "Beverly Hills 90210," and of course, "Fantasy Island" (which was tethered to "The Love Boat" on Saturday nights until 1984) are the epitome of "guilty pleasures." And why not? We all need a dose of frivolity and fluff every now and again. So on this, the anniversary of her maiden voyage, we invite you "to set a course for adventure, your mind on a new romance. Welcome aboard! It's love!" Suggested Sites... CBS.com: The Love Boat - watch complete episodes of "The Love Boat" online. Amazon.com: Love Boats by Jeraldine Saunders - the book that started it all. ABC News: The Love Boat, Where Are They Now? - see what the cast is up to these days. Princess Cruises - official site of the actual "Love Boat" cruise line. Love Boat Episode Guide - lists titles and air dates of all episodes of "The Love Boat."

Directory categories: The Love Boat, Love Boat: The Next Wave, Aaron Spelling, Cruises, Television Shows

Archived under: 1970s, 1980s, Anniversaries, Boating, Entertainment, History, Nostalgia, Romance, Sitcoms, TV

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