Ocala, Florida wasn’t known for much back in the 1950s. No real natural resources if you don’t count the National Forest east of town, and while Silver Springs drew in some intrepid tourists back around the turn of the century, the attraction and its glass-bottomed boats weren’t exactly making the town a vacation destination.
Much of that would change with one horse.
The horse is Needles, so named because he was a sickly colt who was always getting injections from the vet. The rider is Elmo Shropshire. More on him later.
After Needles won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont in 1956, other breeders flocked to Florida. It is said that Needles sold more land than all the real estate agents in Marion County. Today, there are over a thousand horse farms in the area. Ocala is becoming to horse racing what Monterey, California is to golf. Florida-bred major stakes winners include Foolish Pleasure, Afleet Alex, Real Quiet, and the Q-worthy Lisa’s Booby Trap.
Elmo’s father was the manager of the first race horse farm in Ocala. Elmo graduated from Ocala High School, the University of Florida, and (since UF had no vet school at the time) Auburn Veterinary School, becoming a race track vet. He moved to California, where he had a thriving practice, dabbled with his guitar and had an infectious grin. In 1979 he recorded this loved / hated modern standard on a lark:
Doctor Elmo has recorded 12 albums, 17 videos and is a champion marathoner at the age of 87.
Right about the time that Dr. Shropshire was starting his practice, a group of high schoolers from Ocala were working towards the dream of most every teen boy: becoming rock stars. They were a trio called the Posmen, and they played a few local gigs before fracturing, as most high school bands do. While recruiting new members, the drummer noticed that their new Vox amp was called “The Royal Guardsman” and suggested that The Royal Guardsmen would be a cool name for the band, cashing in on the British Invasion and all.
They were pretty good, at least good enough to score a record deal. Then they recorded the song that would consign them to novelty hell forever:
They persevered for some time, holding out against pressure from their label to record more novelty songs, and even touring in the “Summer Shower of Stars” tour with Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs and Tommy James and the Shondells. They called it quits for the most part in 1979, electing to receive steady paychecks and starting families over life on the road and getting jobbed by their record company.
The surviving members still play the occasional gig, but are mostly content with their small place in music history.
Interesting, Thanks Shpip, a nice bit of history!
One widely-known novelty song is probably considered “wildly successful” in the business. I’ve known bands – good bands – that flopped and no one will remember them at all.
Cool stories – thanks
^ this ^
Whenever I hear someone make fun of a band for being a one-hit-wonder I ask them, “And how many hits have you had?”
Or maybe they were much bigger in their home country; see Dexy’s, Madness… Ohhh, so many great Madness songs.
I don’t recall the Snoopy song being X-mas related, maybe you meant 2 big novelty songs? My home town’s claim to musical fame is the American version of ‘Little Bit ‘o Soul”
Good catch. Should’ve linked to this, the follow-up to the Royal Guardsmens’ hit.
Ah, I had forgotten about that.
You can thank my home town for Chuck Mangione and Lou Gramm.
1 out of 2 ain’t bad.
One of our local channels (NBC affiliate?) played “Feels So Good” at every opportunity, it kind of stuck in my head.
The Hyperbole; final word on Christmas songs. ?
I meant to ask you before Christmas; you alluded to “maybe one good Christmas song”. It’s this one, right?
The best Christmas song, fight me!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhLFVxq6FYo
Not one of these two?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8MKlOwmIrY&list=PLaijxdW1IZ2CbIH-3u2ELf8NlRtYt-vgl&index=18
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q4RAORvySw&list=PLaijxdW1IZ2CbIH-3u2ELf8NlRtYt-vgl&index=12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9URPvejWHk&list=PLaijxdW1IZ2CbIH-3u2ELf8NlRtYt-vgl&index=19
White Trash Christmas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u_c1oyaClU&list=PLaijxdW1IZ2CbIH-3u2ELf8NlRtYt-vgl&index=21
Frosty the Pervert (NSFW)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvuKPv06l-o&list=PLaijxdW1IZ2CbIH-3u2ELf8NlRtYt-vgl&index=23
Fun to read, Shpip. Songs from my era, I remember them well.
Ocala has a lot more going for it than the local area. Open pit iron mines that are now some of the deepest lakes in MN isn’t much of an attraction. The mining era came and went, lasted about 50-60 years. No musicians, no race horses but nice and quiet, especially now in the winter.
It’s beautiful up here in the Winter, I love it,
Cheers! 4X
That quiet environment sounds nice.
Well there was that curly haired fella (born in Dooloot) from Hibbing, name of Robert Zimmerman. He later changed his name to Bob Dylan.
…and now you know (dramatic pause) the rest of the story…
He’s from the Upper Range though, best we can do here is the Elected Communist mayor ”
https://www.tpt.org/common-ground/video/common-ground-517-communist-mayor-serbian-sisters-crosbyironton/
You got that big fancy race track not too far from you. Nothing quiet about that place.
30 miles, not much overflow from there. Only noise here is the locals shooting everyday that it isn’t below zero. We had about 14 inches of snow Sunday-Monday, another 5-6 yesterday. -13 this morning but no wind.
You got us beat. My completely scientific wild ass guess is about 12-14 total from the two storms. -22F this morning. The next 3 days don’t look any warmer. Supposed to be pushing -30 on Friday night.
Forecast is -24-25 for Fri and Sat nights, Coolo-boolo as my kids used to say
It’s calling for 72 and 77 with occasional T-storms with the Trades dropping for the next 10 days.
No famous singers from around here. Just Frodo Baggins.
Sir, if I must buy store bought honey for mead, what should I look for?
I think that you would go bankrupt paying retail for mead honey.
I need like 3 lb.
… this time.
Look for anything “raw and unfiltered”. I buy a lot of honey at Sam’s Club. Usually in the range of $3 to $4 per lb. Quite reasonable.
Best to buy in bulk from a local supplier.
Here is the Michigan Map from The Honey Locator.
I just paid $3 per pound for bulk honey from a farm in Iowa. You can get close to that price at the big-box club-stores.
And I will send you some mead. I have been distracted the last several weeks.
My addy is in the forums, sent your way I think, thanks,
I saw it.
https://www.glibertarians2019.link/2019/02/19/and-now-for-some-fabulous-fruit-mead/
The Nature Nate’s Raw Unfiltered Honey in this class was purchased at Sam’s Club. Target and Walmart both carry it. But it is cheaper at Sam’s.
No famous singers for us neither. Just Partyboy from Jackass.
I thought Ocala was the town with the KKK mayor.
Well, it is Florida.
I like this history of Ocala.
Last October I drove through Ocala to go to The Villages. I was visiting some friends who recently moved to the villages, and some of us would go down to Orlando for the Tom Woods 2000th show party.
I noticed all the horse farms while driving through Ocala. It seemed an odd place for them, but now things make sense.
A variation on “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”.
A friend spent a week in the Villages two years ago, visiting friends who moved there, and considering a move himself. He says GILFs were thick on the ground and any guy who could dance could go home with about anyone he wanted. Due to some medical problems, he couldn’t partake, but he says the place is like a college campus in the 70s. I’m surprised Zardoz hasn’t cleansed the place yet.
Kathleen Madigan has a bit in one of her shows about visiting her parents in The Villages. The place seems like Del Webb’s Sun City on steroids.
Whoa. There’s a name I haven’t heard in a while.
I like her. Hear her on Sirius sometimes.
My one friend was joking about getting me with an older woman and moving in with her so that he could have more friends in the area.
For years, there was an urban legend circulating that The Villages was the STD capital of Florida, if not the US. Something about all those randy widows passing around the clap willy-nilly. Utter rubbish, of course, but you still hear it brought up from time to time.
Of course it’s rubbish. Everyone knows you can’t get herpes twice.
“he says the place is like a college campus in the 70s”
Well, most of the residents probably went to college in the ‘70s, so . . .
Ocala is also home to Jumbolair. It’s where John Travolta used to park his personal 707 (painted in 1950s QANTAS livery) before he donated it to an Aussie air museum.
I have no idea why the area became a Mecca for thoroughbred breeders, but it is. One of those happy accidents of history, I reckon.
Fun history lesson, Shpip. Thanks!
Ass Wednesday dedicated to all the Florida Men.
https://archive.fo/Uc76D
My furnace is down, I have it jerry riiged to get some heat, but I’m worried about the water lines. I have new circuit board that should be here tomorrrow, but until then, yikes!
Did you check the thermostat?
But seriously…aren’t you renting?
And even more seriously: Aren’t you an HVAC tech?
Yes i am, I diagnosed the system and ordered the part, easy to fix, but stil 200$ and i have to hang on til tomorrow,better than a service call.
Heat tape?
Yes, under the house, but if it drops below 32 up here, yikes!
@MikeS no, I’m buying my little ship,
Well good for you, but damn, that sucks!
Thanks man, but anything in this place that breaks, I can fix it, it’s a very small machine compared to the usual,
Won’t save the water line, but cuddling naked with a busty beauty conserves body heat.
I wish, jeez
?
1 track mind, that 1
And progeny; QED.
If I were raising kids in Louden County, Virginia, I wouldn’t.
Va. teachers push back on equity proposal to abolish some grades, late homework penalties
Oh, OK then. ?
Y’know… my mom was pretty hands-off – I was basically wind me up and watch me go – but if she saw this shit I know she would have blown her top.
“…blown her top.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiVNsis2h0M
Also
https://youtu.be/vnDrjjg_2a0
LOL that’s the one I was waiting for
The intro to that song reminded me of this.
MikeS = TedS
Have you ever seen them at the same time, same place?
You aren’t the first person to throw out that crazy idea!
/nervous’ laugh
*liked the extraneous apostrophe*
Also Rhywun’s mom has got it goin’ on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZLfasMPOU4
?
My mom was a beauty… think Candice Bergen.
Wow! ?♀️
Too bad her four sons got more of deadbeat dad’s genes.
My mom too but she wanted to see some results. Graded papers and report cards were important. It was one of the few ways us kids could compete on a level playing field.
The main thing she did was make sure I got into good schools, but yeah I got an earful when I messed up a few times. Mostly she didn’t have to worry about that.
✋ high five!
Public schools did a decent job with me once, I swear to dear old Mr. Dewey. We really did have some strict but fair teachers like Mr. Hand. (I forget what he was like in the novel cuz it’s OOP and unaffordable; something about a Hawaii 5-0 obsession?)
Dammit, meant as reply to Hroowin (sp?).
Parochial or private school might have done a better job. Private school bears the risk of falling in with snobs, of course. Don’t board your kids (not that anyone here would).
I was lucky to be in a time and a place where I could get into a really good public school, one with lots of industry money poured into it too. Back when industry was still a thing in my home town.
Gifted classes? ??
Yah starting in 4th grade. So yeah, multiple really good public schools.
“The air from Rochester when you open it”, photography teacher used to say.
I had to take a class called “Optics” in I think it was 9th grade. The class had a built-in darkroom and shit.
An “Optics” class today would likely be a far different endeavor.
Magnet school. I forget what training we were supposed to attract, cuz I is old.
When I was in Third Grade I would leave class during Math Time to attend a Fourth Grade math class. Unheard of in 1961-1962 and was not repeated in Fourth Grade.
He’s not wrong…
https://www.foxnews.com/media/joe-biden-ronny-jackson-therapeutics-fear-control
Anyone still on the Zoom?
We are here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89390907227?pwd=eDVOTnNNdUZlYWZsUkhZNXRkUkM3UT09
No one let me in for about 10 minutes. Trying again.
Still no one there I guess
Yeah I gave up.
Just tried, not just you.
Or neither of us are ones of the cool kids.
*runs off sobbing*
That is the same link I tried before and nobody was answering. ?
I bet Sloper is host and blocking us out
Exclusive club, sheesh
Shut the fuck up, Sloper!
I was in a rare mood so I tried. Nobody there I guess.
Well, I’ve gone and milled off the irregular edge made by the hacksaw when I chopped the work piece off the larger bar of angle aluminum. The two cut faces should be parallel given how I cut it, but it’s definately within the margin of error for my purposes.
I’ve learned a lot, just by having to go through the process. (And from advice from MikeS.)
The main lesson you should have learned is that hacksaws are for chumps–now you need to buy a real bandsaw.
Why? I’m not cutting up animal carcasses.
Not Yet!
Dude!
Dude!
Dude, Where’s my truck?
That fucking movie is 90 minutes of my life I can never get back.
An den?!
Sweet!
I saw a large chunk of it for the first time a couple months ago.
Hoo boy.
I thought it was surprisingly not-terrible. Like whatever that movie was where the football players go to cheerleading camp to get laid and they chew on anal beads.
Not yet!
animal carcasses. Right, definitely being used for animals. Not any sort of other carcasses.
I didn’t know there were vegetal carcasses.
Pedantry will get you all the chicks.
Is there a distinction re: carcasses like there is for necropsy vs autopsy?
Not that I’m aware of, figured that would be a better joke then the humans are animals joke.
Pedantry yields pedantic chicks? “Baby, is that really what you want?” ?♀️
This is when we need HM. Maybe SugarFree. One of them would know for sure if there was a distinction.
Now you do.
Spud and the Count finally had it out?? ?
There can be only one.
I was bleeding today from a private area. I feared a miscarriage. But all seems well now. The First gestates.
Your gums aren’t really your privates, despite what they tell you downtown
Are you trying to star a brouhaha with me, slumbrew? You don’t want a brouhaha with The Bro.
I’m more of a donnybrook fella
Fisticuffs at dawn!
I’ll be your second, slum.
Jolly good!
Bro: Full plate mail and cleavers, on a raft mid-river
I don’t wake up before noon, and then I eat guys like slumbrew for breakfast.
You eat slumbrews for breakfast?!
Shooter!
*makes finger guns*
Pitter patter, let’s get at ‘er!
Lol
hawt
I have a new game. CNN or CCP?
The sentiment could be either, but the wonky English says CCP.
Yeah. You’re right about the phrasing giving it away. It was from one of the ChiComs in charge of shutting down a pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong. I thought it sounded very similar to Twitter and Facebook and their MSM cheerleaders. Maybe the game should be Silicon Valley or Silk Road?
I know Pooh is cracking down on the media – I mean, it was never free but it’s like more totalitariany there than it has been in decades thanks to that asshole.
Porch pirates stole some late coming Christmas presents for my son today. I am livid.
Call the police. I’m sure they’ll get right on finding the culprits!
PS. lad on the horse
*woof*
Down, boy.
He grew up to be a monster, though.
Closing out Ass Wednesday for 2021.
https://archive.md/lwIqa
NSFW.
That’s how you go out on a high note.
That’s a great little tale. I’ve never heard the Red Baron song before!
The only musician I can think of from my hometown is Hoyt Axton, who drily referred to the town as “The Cultural Capital of the Universe.”
Rance Howard and Ron Howard hailed from there too, as did Jeane Kirkpatrick.
Jeane was a very smart broad, and wise (the two don’t always go together). I was fortunate enough to meet her at some young leaders thingy; she’s probably the first female role model I had in the realm of politics and business. Very odd path she made in her political awakening from socialist to democrat to republican, and a staunch anti-commie.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeane_Kirkpatrick
But, yeah only Hoyt for music that I’m aware of.
Dictatorships and Double Standards
Is that the sequel to Pride and Prejudice?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmzGRtwHurI (Can’t find the WKRP clip, slo this will have to do.)
Well we have this fun-sized songstress. BA did always punch above its weight in the arts tho.
I have no love for Ghislaine Maxwell but the judge hurrying along the jury seems suspect.
Same. I doubt it’s enough, on its own, to overturn her conviction on appeal. But it is troubling.
Good Morning.
Is this thing on?
Did anybody like “Don’t look up”?
I hated it, but was just wondering if it was just me.
*waves*
Morning, *waves back*
Not familiar with it. I’d look it up on IMDb, but it says not to. ?
Good morning, ‘bodru, Sean, Stinky, & homey!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/man-attacked-by-tiger-after-reaching-into-zoo-enclosure-animal-killed-by-authorities/ar-AASgexy
Bad kitty!
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/french-bulldog-stolen-owner-dragged-in-hollywood-hills/
That’s messed up.
They left out carry a gun. Why do they always leave out carry a gun?
Continuing the animal theme:
https://omaha.com/news/world/spanish-police-rescue-puppy-stuck-in-a-pipe/video_aee7263c-f7b8-54df-8e98-20d9614cfcba.html
suh’ fam
whats goody
So, homey – greatest famous musical acts to come out of Dayton (in no particular order):
Ohio Players
The Breeders
Guided by Voices
Have I forgotten anyone? Any solo artists (not associated with these bands?)
uhhhhh…..Roger Troutman and Zapp
True – a goodly number of R&B/Funk acts out of that era. Didn’t know how many of them achieved fame at anywhere near the level of the Players.
Duh
Tommy James
“Scots Urged Not To Evade COVID Rules By Celebrating New Year In England”
https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/scots-urged-not-evade-covid-rules-celebrating-new-year-england
Sounds like they might have to dig up Edward Longshanks and reinvade, this time for their own good though.
I think I’d rather see Scotland invade and take over England. Or even the Irish. If either country has any stones left, that is.
No. They bled all of their bold blood away. Those that remain are even more servile than the english.
::slowly, sadly whistles “Scotland the Brave”::
Breaks my cold Scottish heart.
England is actually the right wing part of the UK now so I’m going to have to root for them. The Scots and the Welsh particularly, not sure about the Northern Irish, have gone straight into the leftist toilet.
Yeah, no. Scotland is swirling down the drain faster than England.
Is anyone not swirling?
Detroit. They’ve already gone down the drain and are in the sewer.
I’m looking for a better place.
Lotsa room for Glibs here, just don’t get stuck in the Twin Cities.
Ummm…..perhaps I got it twisted, but when dealing with a government I think they meant ‘sovereign immunity’.
Qualified immunity: How it could impact any lawsuits stemming from U.S. 35 manhole issues
Like when the Explorer owned by the Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority rear-ended my ’91 Festiva. MY insurance had to pay for the repair.
I’m still honked off about that.
The “Explorer” rear-ended you? Sounds like recent news coverage about a certain Xmas parade mishap or something from a nsfw reddit thread. In any case, sucks to be you!
When I 1st met Jugsy she was employed by DMHA. And I constantly accuse her of driving like she thinks the world is Mario Carts…
Be happy that a gun didn’t discharge
Mornin’ Glibs! Finally got the my paystub from the check that I was shorted on. All of the OT was missing. Forwarded it to my supervisor with the message, “I want my two dollahs!”
Were you actually shorted only two dollars, or is that a reference I don’t get?
80s movie “Better Off Dead”
You are so unrefined! Hier – https://youtu.be/FsxJfcFVnpo It’s a classic, dumb 80’s movie that gets constantly referenced on these boards.
Damn shame… throwing away a perfectly good white boy.
“Gee Im real sorry your Mom blew up, Rikki”
You people are strange.
I hadn’t noticed…
People are strange, when you’re a stranger.
To UCS – they actually shorted me twenty hours of overtime which is a chunk of change to me, at least. Wasn’t really their fault, our payroll server got hacked along with thousands of others.
Twenty hours at time and a half or more is a chunk of change to anyone. That’s practically a full work week’s worth of cash.
Hope things get sorted out promptly.
Oh, swell. TWO accidents on the interstate, right around the point where I usually get on. Better get my butt in gear and try to get out the door early. ?
-_-
Last night on the way in we had a heavy fall of powder snow and wind. White-outs on the highways give you that special feeling that slowing down just enough to keep from piling into the driver ahead will inevitably lead to some other person plowing into you from behind. It’s like automotive centipede.
Question for all of you bar-bell slingers out there, isn’t it considered good form to take some respite time when you are really hitting the weights? I’m growing like crazy but sore as hell and feeling really stiff and top heavy. Is there some sort of supplement that would help with this? Honest question.
Add in leg days to counteract the top-heaviness?
But I’m no expert, I have trouble just sticking to a regime.
It’s not working out, perse it’s just work. I was hoping for some advice about dietary aids and such what-not.
Son, I was having the same problem so I gave my weights away and the problem disappeared. A spoonful of local honey helps. Doesn’t make the soreness go away but puts a smile on your face.
So anyone starting a pool on how long until Gislaine is found hanging in her cell?
Or perhaps something more classy like falling down prison steps and breaking her neck?
Or the ever tragic “stabbed to death by someone that was doing life anyhow”.
Why would anyone care about her? She’s being effectively embargoed.
But yeah “child predator doesn’t survive in lockup” is a cliche for a reason.
I’ll put a 20 on “found unresponsive, cause unknown at this time”.
I suspect she has enough first-hand knowledge of “events” and has enough names that she could still be a liability to certain people in certain circles.
But that’s just speculation on my part. The fact that none of “those people” have come to her rescue bolsters your statement for sure.
You can’t fool me! This is just like cow-flop Bingo.