Issue #21 - Obscure Celebrity Cartoon Appearances

Broster - A combination of a bro and a hipster. Has the party-loving attitude of a bro, the pretentious taste of a hipster, but is somewhere in between. 

Obscure Celebrity Cartoon Voices - Upon finding out that Flea was the voice of Donnie Thornberry of the Wild Thornberrys, I conducted an extensive 2 minute google search on some other obscure celebrity cartoon voices. The results:

Flea as Donnie Thornberry

 

George Clooney on South Park as Stan's Dog

JK Simmons as Yellow M&M

 

----> Bruce Willis as Rugrats Spike

Johnny Cash on the Simpsons (As a spirit guide space coyote after homer has a spicy insanity pepper)

Positive News:

Sankofa Brewing Company is a newly formed craft beer company in Washington D.C. Started by Kofi Meroe and Amado Carsky they strive to incorporate flavors from their upbringing in West Africa, putting a distinct spin on brewing. 

It's nice to see some diversity and unique flavors in the craft beer market. There are only so many pumpkin beers that can be created. 

Music: 

Bird on a Wire - Johnny Cash

Daydream in Blue - I Monster

Drop the Game - Flume & Chet Faker

Issue #20 - The Christmas Truce

Broster - A combination of a bro and a hipster. Has the party-loving attitude of a bro, the pretentious taste of a hipster, but is somewhere in between. 

The Christmas Truce - This refers to a series of unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front of World War I around Christmas 1914.  In the week leading up to the 25th,  French, German, and British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange seasonal greetings and talk. Historical accounts indicate it began at the first light of dawn on Christmas, when some some German soldiers emerged from their trenches calling our "Merry Christmas" in their enemies' native tongue. The Allied solider's at first feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they emerged from the trenches and shook hangs with the enemy soldiers. They exchanged gifts of cigarettes and plum puddings. There were joint burial ceremonies, prisoner swaps, and several meetings ending in carol-singing. A famous example was a game of soccer that took place amongst opposing troops.

The Christmas truces were significant due to the number of men involved and their level of participation. It was seen as a symbolic moment of peace and humanity during one of the most violent events in human history.

Positive News - Beau's Coffee Shop was the vision of Amy Wright, the mother of two children with down syndrome, whom upon discovering that nearly 70% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities do not have jobs, they resolved to do something about it. The shop opened in January 2016 and has a staff almost entirely comprised of individuals with an intellectual or developmental disability (Down Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy) and for many it is their first job. Today the store employs 40 people with disabilities, as well as two managers who have degrees in special education. All the profits from the coffee shop go to Wright's nonprofit, Able to Work USA.

Shop website - Bitty & Beau's Coffee Shop

Topical Music - 
Happy Xmas (War is Over) - John Lennon
Why Can't We Be Friends - WAR
Alive with the Glory of Love - Say Anything

Issue #19 - Court Mandated Studio Album

Broster - A combination of a bro and hipster. Has the party-loving attitude of a bro, the pretentious taste of a hipster, but is somewhere in between. 

Court Mandated Album - Singer Marvin Gaye was so immensely talented that he was able to turn an album about divorce proceedings and the fallout of his marriage into a critically acclaimed album, that later made Rolling Stone Magazines' Top 500 albums of all time list.

Marvin Gaye was going through a personal crisis in the Summer of 1976. In November 1975, Gaye's estranged first wife, Anna Gordy Gaye, sued Gaye for divorce, claiming irreconcilable differences, and seeking child support for their adopted son. What complicated issues further is that Anna Gordy was the sister of Berry Gordy - Motown founder and executive. Since Gaye was falling behind in alimony payments (cocaine addiction was a contributing factor), his lawyer came up with the idea of offering Anna the advance made by Motown against Gaye's next album and half the percentage of album royalties.

When starting production, he said he figured he would do a "quickie record - nothing heavy, nothing even good" since his ex wife would be receiving a large portion of the money anyways. But as he began the project he became more fascinated with it, taking it as an opportunity to express himself with a deep passion and take jabs at his ex wife and embarrass Berry Gordy with a "poison pen." This culminated in Here, My Dear which was released in 1978.

Memorable lines like:
"Why do I have to pay attorney fees, attorney fees? This is a joke, I need a smoke."
"Is that enough to last you a lifetime"
"She was too possessive jealous"
"Judge says she gotta live the way she accustomed to"

Topical Music - 
Here, My Dear - Marvin Gaye
Is That Enough? - Marvin Gaye
Anger - Marvin Gaye
Time to Get it Together - Marvin Gaye

Issue #18 - December 5. 2017 - Glückliche Krampusnacht!

Broster - A combination of a bro and hipster. Has the party-loving attitude of a bro, the pretentious taste of a hipster, but is somewhere in between. 

Krampusnacht - A holiday celebrated in Bavaria, much Eastern Europe and other parts of Germany feels more Halloween than Christmas. On Krampusnacht, December 5th, men dressed as Krampus drink a bunch of alcohol, run through the streets, and frighten children. Often they chase delinquent children around and hit them with sticks.

The Krampus costume is traditionally made of a hand carved wooden mask and a suit made from sheep or goat skin. Cowbells are worn around the wearers hips. Now they are usually made with less expensive materials, like faux fur and face paint.

Krampusnacht folklore goes back at least a thousand years with most anthropologists agreeing that it is a pre -Christian pagan mythology tradition. Some agree that it derives from a pagan supernatural who is assimilated to the Christian devil. Overtime Krampus was turned into the mischievous, child-terrorizing ghoul we see today. Traditionally Santa Claus and Krampus appear together working as a team with Santa rewarding the good children and Krampus punishing the bad ones. 

It is now a tradition that is widely known throughout the world (Even I am writing about it - mostly for the photos and American Dad videos). Even this Bro down there has a Krampus Ugly sweater and that costume below it sells for $70 (discounted from $122) - A Christmas Commercial success. (And that Krampus movie on netflix). 

Music

American Dad - Steve and Krampus

American Dad - You get the Rod