Self Help Radio 020124: Telescopes

(original image here)

Look up in the sky! Can't you see? It's a radio show! It's very far away so use the telescope! It's in a sky full of radio shows! Still can't see it? Use a radio telescope!

Indeed, this week's Self Help Radio explored the romance of the telescope with lots of songs (including one called "The Romance Of The Telescope") & some exceedingly silly interviews. It's bound to be as appealing to one who isn't a science nerd as to one who is. Which means neither might find it appealing. But it's still a show about telescopes!

Listen now at the Self Help Radio website. Make sure you remember that the username is SHR & the password is selfhelp. Lots of songs were played & lots of people were interviewed & all that info is below.

Now. How far out do we have to go to avoid all this light pollution? I wanna see some planets!

Self Help Radio Telescope Show

"Through My Telescope (Demo)" Marty Wilde _Climb Aboard My Roundabout! (The British Toytown Pop Sound 1967-1974)_

"Telescope (Mr Galileo)" Chris White & Argent _Into The Afterlife_

"Telescopic Love" The Only Ones _Darkness & Light (The Complete BBC Recordings)_

introduction & definitions

"The Romance Of The Telescope" Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark _Dazzle Ships_

"The Telescope" The Residents _The Voice Of Midnight_

"Telescope (Demo)" The Wild Swans _Space Flower_

"The Telescope & The Bonfire" Gorky's Zygotic Mynci _Bwyd Time_

interview with telescope maker Bob Young

"Telescope" Nada Surf _Karmic_

"The Other End Of The Telescope" Sleeper _All This Useless Beauty_

"Telescope" Mirah _Storageland_

"Telescopic" Edith Frost _Telescopic_

librarian Carole talks about telescope books

"100,000 Telescopes" Elf Power _The Winter Is Coming_

"Telescope" The Mary Janes _Flame_

"Telescope Eyes" Eisley _Room Noises_

"The Telescope" Her Space Holiday _XOXO, Panda, & The New Kid Revival_

interview with author Bettina Yarborough

"I Think A Telescope" Guided By Voices _Please Be Honest_

"Telescope" Altamina _Tomorrow Morning Will Be Tonight_

"Telephones & Telescopes" The Handsome Family _Scattered: A Further Collection Of Lost Demos, Orphaned Songs, & Odd Covers_

"Telescope" Lisa Prank _Perfect Love Song_

interview with spyglass maker Brett Yetta

"Telescope" Vanishing Twin _Choose Your Own Adventure_

"I Am A Telescope" Wesley Gonzalez _Excellent Musician_

"Telescope" Emma Elisabeth _Some Kind Of Paradise_

"O Telescope, You" Fog _10th Avenue Freakout_

conclusion & goodbye

"Telescope" Boy & Bear _Suck On Light_

"Telescope" The Glass Set _Something Unknown_

Whither Telescopes?

(image from here)

Are you're asking me why there will be a radio show about telescopes today? Um, because telescopes are awesome! I should hope that would be enough.

But you persist: telescopes are awesome, yes, but why in the world would anyone write a song about a telescope? My reply: you can write a song about anything, why not a telescope? For example, it can be a potent metaphor. About seeing clearly. About distance. I mean, I'm not a songwriter. But I know the power of metaphor.

Still you question me: why are you, Gary, doing a show today about telescopes? Asked & answered, your honor. Because telescopes are awesome! & let's be blunt here - almost nothing about Self Help Radio is awesome. It's nice every once in a while to have an awesome theme.

Tune in & stare into the night sky this afternoon from noon to 2pm on 90.3+98.3fm in Portland & online at Freeform Portland dot org for telescopes songs & telescope interviews & telescope talk. Because telescopes are awesome!

Preface To Telescopes: A Cartoon By Tom Gauld

Tom Gauld is a very funny & inventive cartoonist & illustrator whose work mixes science & reading & all the fun things in life. He has a website. If you like the telescope humor above, you'll probably like lots of his stuff. Check it out!

Becoming Friends

This is a picture from one year ago. We had lost our cat Bolan earlier in the month. You can read about him here. Our cat Boone had been one sole cat for a couple of weeks, then we adopted Bluto. Though he initially greeted Bluto with hisses (as cats are wont to do), Boone quickly remembered how great it is to cuddle with someone & after less than two weeks I could snap this picture. They remain great friends & Boone often shows up with he thinks the dogs are bullying Bluto. My own big brothers would never have stood up for me in that way. Gosh they're adorable up there!

Kazoo

(image from here)

Yesterday (January 28) was National Kazoo Day. On the show that I do on XRAY, The Dickenbock Report, I played lots of songs about & featuring the kazoo. I had a good time.

The show will eventually end up on the Self Help Radio website but for now if you'd like to listen - & why not? kazoos are awesome! - you can do on The Dickenbock Report page on the XRAY website.

To say I highly recommend it would be overstating - but like I said, I had a good time. Maybe you will too!