…then by all means, don’t go to this helpful site, which, though in Spanish, contains links to about a gazillion ’80s-era music videos.
Because you’ll get sucked in, you will.
On the bright side, though, they have Rapper’s Delight. Oh, kill me now and clear the calendars.
I was going to link to a story in the Freep today that illustrates and reinforces many of my personal prejudices — my loathing of small towns, high-school sports, most coaches and, especially, jocks under the age of 35. Unfortunately, someone seems to have poured maple syrup into their servers (I suspect jocks and coaches). Check back later.
And now I really do have videos to watch work to do.
UPDATE: OK, the Freep site, while loading slowly, seems to be working. Here’s the story, about a small-town Michigan high-school track coach who held parties for his athletes at his house, featuring alcohol, pornography and (but of course) sexual assault. (Links to related sidebars within the main story.) This went on for several years before it all fell apart. Now he’s going to jail.
I don’t know if there’s more of this sort of thing nowadays or we just hear about it more. I don’t know if it’s a function of young teachers wanting to stay young forever and refusing to grow up. Maybe it’s just criminal stupidity. In this case, I suspect you can add a healthy dollop of deeply suppressed homosexuality to the mix (a side of the coach that he’ll be getting in better touch with behind bars, most likely).
I do know this: When a grown man encourages teenagers to call him “the Dizzle,” the best course of action for the latter party is to run in the opposite direction.
A fine, disgusting read. Enjoy!
Dorothy said on May 18, 2006 at 10:19 am
I love this link! Had to sit all the way through “You Can Call me Al” with Paul Simon and Chevy Chase. I remember learning the lyrics to that song so I could sing along with is. I used to leave a tape in the VCR in the 80’s (I was home with my kids) and leave VHS or MTV on, and hit the ‘record’ button when a fave video came on. I have two tapes that are almost full of videos we loved. This makes me want to go home and put a tape on Saturday morning when I’m cleaning the house!
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Mindy said on May 18, 2006 at 10:26 am
Alas, no paradies of eighties videos on that link. Was hoping to see the better version of Michael Jackson’s “Bad”, which is Weird Al’s “Fat”, but it’s not there. Too bad.
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4dbirds said on May 18, 2006 at 1:43 pm
Gee Thanks Nancy. I ended up watching nearly all the versions of Rapper’s Delight on YouTube.
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brian stouder said on May 18, 2006 at 5:13 pm
that WAS a “fine, disgusting read”
The sort of article that just makes a person angry.
Didja notice that several of the girls in the article commented on how things didn’t feel right, or that the atmosphere was uncomfortable from the get-go –
and no such remark is reported from the boys (or the men, for that matter)? With the boys and their lawyers and the school adminstrators, it’s all trading e-mails and smoke and after-the-fact regrets
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Dorothy said on May 18, 2006 at 5:21 pm
It’s so hard to believe there wasn’t one person at those parties that didn’t mention it to a parent or someone they trust. How can that sort of situation go on so long? It’s a sad reflection of society today. (Lord I sound more and more like my parents every day!)
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nancy said on May 18, 2006 at 5:33 pm
Well, I think that was the underlying theme — how many people DID know and either didn’t say anything or didn’t tell the right people, or didn’t follow up once they had told.
The bishop in Fort Wayne was in Boston at the time the most notorious of the pedophilic priests was being transferred around the diocese. He wrote a letter to the archbishop objecting to the transfers, which was part of the evidence the Globe dug up, and good for him for doing so. But when the archbishop ignored him, did he go to the police? Did he try another route? Not that we know of.
At some point I think people would rather maintain peace in the valley than root out evil. The girl in the sex tape was offered money for sex from the coach, and her father found out, but chose not to pursue it, at her request. Bad move.
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jubilao said on May 18, 2006 at 7:20 pm
Sorry, I’m Jubilao, the webmaster of Milkinkito, and I only want to say Mindy that the videoclip ‘FAT’ is in the W (Weird Al Yankovic).
Mindy, open your eyes!!!
Grrrr!
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brian stouder said on May 18, 2006 at 10:39 pm
Wow – I’m getting old.
Mayor Lebamoff died today
http://indiana.typepad.com/fwob/
He was mayor when I was 10 years old; mom was his pricinct committee person in our neighborhood. She did the door-to-door grass roots thing. (it was very educational)
I remember when he lost his bid for re-election by 300 votes (or whatever the margin was); it was an article of faith (so to speak) that the damned Republican News and Sentinel did him in!
They ran a series of front-page, above the fold headline stories about how the mayor had the city repaving the parking lots of Lebamoff Cap ‘N Cork liquor stores, by God!
This was back in the good ol’ Sentinel’s salad days; we had three TV stations, the N-S, and Time Magazine in our house (the J-G on Sunday only)
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Jim said on May 19, 2006 at 7:53 am
Thanks, Brian … that brought back quite a few memories.
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John said on May 19, 2006 at 8:18 pm
Yeah I was warned, but you know I had to click the link… It’s been a few solid hours. I’ve come to the conclusion that I romanticized the ’80s. Sure I miss gas for $1, but not the big hair on girls. Freak 80’s confession (for a fat boy especially) : I had one of those cool Don Johnson-ish Miami Vice linen jackets, mine was something between cream and yellow, wore it my grandparent’s 50th anniversary party with blue jeans and a T-shirt, slicked back hair. Yeah I looked silly, but I had a delightful big hair 80’s date to match.
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Tori said on May 22, 2006 at 1:09 pm
Thanks for the link to the “fine, disgusting read.” It left me asking one thing… where were “the Dizzle’s” wife and children during these parties? When did they divorce? Before or after the charges were filed? Did she already see the writing on the wall and take her kids to her parents for the weekend early and often, so the house was free and clear for all of this to take place? Did she also turn a blind eye to it? I mean, I don’t need 300 words from her, but it just left me wondering.
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