Fans of the NBC show “The Office” will recognize the name Creed Bratton, the bizarre Quality Assurance director at Dunder Mifflin. The character is a former hippie who played in a 1960s rock band called “The Grass Roots.”

What you may not know is that the actor who plays Creed Bratton is actually named Creed Bratton. And the real-life Creed Bratton was in fact a member of the late-60s band “The Grass Roots.”

Bratton was born William Charles Schneider in 1943. His name was changed to Chuck Ertmoed when his mother remarried. During college, he changed his name again to Creed Bratton and began a global excursion as a traveling musician.

He returned to the states in 1966 and founded the band, the 13th Floor, which later changed its name to The Grass Roots. With Bratton on lead guitar, the group had a string of hits including two Top 10 songs (“Let’s Live For Today” went to No. 8 and “Midnight Confessions” topped the charts at No. 5).

Bratton left the band in 1969 to pursue an acting career, which was rather unspectacular until he landed the role playing himself on “The Office.”

Here’s a video clip of The Grass Roots singing “Let’s Live for Today.” Creed is the guy in the stripped shirt standing behind the drummer. There’s a close up of him at about 1 minute and 30 seconds into the video, and then again at about the 1:47 mark.

I lived my life at 45 RPM

I’m in the middle of a two-part feature concerning three of the best groups of the ’60s (Herman’s Hermits, The Young Rascals and The Turtles) and figured I’d make this week’s theme about ten bands whose 45’s were a staple of my collection. For those born later, AM radio was king, and WMCA and WABC in New York City were among the kingmakers. After an era of crooner pop and teen idol mania, the charts were invaded by surf rock, Motown soul, garage/psych sides and that multi-wave British Invasion. Radio would never be the same.

Many artists have gotten their due critically and financially, from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to The Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel. Many have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, although several are either awaiting nomination or seemingly have no shot despite making a huge impact in a short and magical time.

I’m going to use today’s list to tout ten worthy artists who I feel are very under-appreciated. They’re enshrined in my Hall of Fame and I still enjoy hearing their music today. Not all have decent video clips, so I’m linking to a site where you can at least hear some audio samples and hopefully pick up a greatest hits collection, if not a few of their catalogue albums or a larger anthology.

If you’re a powerpop or garage fan, there are probably no surprises here. But if you only know these bands from a hit or two on oldies radio, I promise you there is more worth digging for.

Tommy James and the Shondells: A pretty fascinating story of how a guy accidentally becomes a bubblegum idol, hates it, and then becomes one of the more interesting purveyors of commercial psychedelic pop. How can a guy who strung together that many hits not be more highly respected? One of the era’s better producers as well.  Wiki.

Gary Lewis and the Playboys: Even the involvement of Snuff Garrett and Leon Russell couldn’t overcome the fact that Gary was the son of Jerry Lewis, so how could you take this stuff seriously. But Gary was no Dino, Desi and Billy; the band kicked out seven Top Ten hits in two years (!) and this new collection reveals how much great stuff you never got to hear. Wiki.

The McCoys: The band that spawned Rick Derringer had an immediate hit with the iconic “Hang On Sloopy” and never hit #1 again, but their singles included covers of “Fever”, “Come On Let’s Go” and the underrated “Don’t Worry Mother”. Great stuff on the albums, too; “Mr. Summer” is an unknown wonder. The core of the band would up backing Johnny Winter during his transition from Texas bluesman to arena rocker.  Wiki.

The Buckinghams: Another band whose hits came fast and furious and then they were gone. Catchy songs that added horns and time changes resulting in songs more progressive than most. Sometimes it didn’t work out (the middle section in the expanded version of  ”Susan” doesn’t age well) but Chicago and Blood Sweat and Tears leveraged some of these tricks in their arrangements. Still  kicking today. Wiki.

The Grass Roots: Not certain why they never get included in the discussion of great groups of the era. Like The Turtles, they recorded the work of great songwriters (P.F. Sloan was even an original member) and had a string of radio hits that extended into the 70s. The songs were not only ear candy but many were socially observant, and they featured a great lead singer in Rob Grill. And yes, that’s Creed Bratton from The Office on guitar.  Wiki.

Paul Revere and the Raiders: Started as a raucous garage band in the Pacific Northwest, launched into America’s living room on an iconic television program and parlayed the opportunity into a string of hit singles, yet those costumes they became famous for led many to dismiss them as cartoonish wannabees. Wrong! Mark Lindsay’s looks got them onto teen magazines but singles like “Kicks”, “Hungry”, “Just Like Me” and the dynamic “Him or Me” cemented their legend. Wiki.

The Box Tops: I’m still amazed how powerful “The Letter” is forty years later, especially for a song that didn’t even hit the two minute mark. And while “Cry Like a Baby” was their only other Top Ten, that only scratched the surface of this great band. “Neon Rainbow”, “Soul Deep”, “Sweet Cream Ladies”…Alex Chilton would reinvent himself with Big Star and time has proven just how valuable Dan Penn, Wayne Thompson, Spooner Oldham and Chips Moman were to have around. Soul Deep was not only a great song, but a perfect description of the band.  Wiki.

The Troggs: Another band often mistakenly dismissed as a one or two hit wonder, they had several great sides. And as anthemic as “Wild Thing” might be, “With a Girl Like You”, “Love is All Around”, “All of the Time” and “I Can’t Control Myself” are superior songs. A great blend of garage band and druggy music with Reg Presley’s nasal sneer the icing on the cake. (Also famous, of course, for  the legendary taped argument where one member suggests that a track needs a little more fairy dust on it). Wiki 

Mitch Ryder: Mitch and The Detroit Wheels burned like a comet and recorded arguably the hottest rock’n'roll single of all time in “Devil With a Blue Dress / Good Golly Miss Molly”. Bad management and naive decisions broke the band up within a couple of years, but they had a few great singles and recorded a treasure trove of killer rave-ups. Most don’t know that Ryder continued to make great albums over the next forty years because he gets no airplay. (Hell, even his Wikipedia page isn’t up to date). Wiki.

The 1910 Fruitgum Company: Yeah, I know it’s a bubblegum group, but I will unashamedly put “Indian Giver” out there as one of the best singles of the late ’60s. “Simon Says”, “1-2-3 Red Light” and “Special Delivery” all got serious spin time at my house and remain irresistable hooks. Listen – if Joan Jett covers your song, you’ve passed the cool test. Wiki.

(Season 6, Episode 3)

Your regular host, the esteemed Joel Keller, is off hiking the Appalachian Trail this week, so he asked me to cover for him. He should be back in time for the nuptials of Pam and Jim next week. But before we could get to that, David Wallace decided to throw new co-manager Jim a major curveball fresh into his new job.

I’m with Joel on the David Wallace situation. Is he really as clueless about how things are at the Scranton branch? My experience with executives is that … well, he probably is. In fact, on the one hand, I’ll say it’s a smart move to make Jim and Michael co-managers. Wallace knows the branch brings in solid sales figures, but he also knows what a loose cannon Michael is.

Maybe the thought was that Jim could reign him in and bring a semblance of sanity to the office. If tonight’s challenge is any indication, it’s not gonna happen.

–>to continue reading, follow the link over to the full article on TV Squad

Hey blogworld, I’m the Lessing-Flynn summer intern, as you probably know from yesterday’s post. I took the opportunity to Google my hometown, Bay City, Wisconsin. Be sure to check out the June 13th event on the calendar. (Caution: this may take some time to load!) Yes, I did grow up on a farm so I’ve been literally knee-deep in “it” before, so I’m somewhat prepared for any situation I may have to wade through.

They haven’t held back either, I think it has something to do with the “give and take” that Josh talked about. It’s been a lot of fun here already in the first week. Although I’m convinced several of them might be somewhat crazy, I think I’ll fit in just fine. And you won’t believe it, but Creed Bratton of the TV show ‘The Office’ sits one office down from me.

Separated at Birth?

To my knowledge they only have one PC in the building, which I couldn’t be more happy about. Anywhere you get to work on a Mac, with people who understand Mac, is a place where I want to be.

The first Tweet I got as I turned on my computer today said that China had blocked all Twitter usage. I’m convinced without it I wouldn’t be sitting here today writing this. That’s why I stress to so many of my friends to start Twittering, here’s how! I mean look where it landed me! (You should still use it.)

I was also completely shocked when I read that only 22 percent of 18-24-year-olds are using Twitter. I joined only 96 days ago and I’ll admit I didn’t even know what to do, but I’ve seen its benefits first hand. So for all you non-Twitterers, what are you waiting for? Just jump in and say something, who knows what will happen?

Well until next time, follow me on Twitter @spenceanderson, and feel free to leave a comment and some recommendations for me here. Check back again, because I guarantee this will be an interesting summer.

Author: Spencer Anderson

The Office, S5, E17

The Office

Season: 5

Episode: 17

Episode Title: The Golden Ticket

Michael is interrupting Pam on the phone by repeating what she is.  They say that makes them look unprofessional.  He says they’ll never know it was him!  Hah.  Dwight says “Knock, Knock” Michael says “Who’s there?”  Dwight says “KGB”, and Michael begins to talk and Dwight slaps him in the face and says “The KGB answers no questions!”

Michael comes in dressed as Willy Wonka. He sees the Jelly Beans on Pam’s desk, and calls them Extraordinary Jelly Beans.  He’s talking about the Willy Wonka golden ticket promotion, and its the best idea he ever had.  He slips the tickets into paper orders so whom receives them gets 10% off their order.  He tells the office it’s their turn to come up with ideas as great of his.  Jim says they could lease out their delivery trucks on the weekends.  Andy says ‘Golden Girls’ that’s a golden ticket idea.  He doesn’t get it. Michael asks them what will be the state of the company if he’s the only one coming up with ideas.

Kevin tells Andy he thinks that he should call that girl from last episode and ask her to lunch.  Andy says he’s making it too easy for her.  Jim says why don’t you just go on a date with her.  Kevin is confused, he doesnt like getting advice from more than one person at a time, he’s a textbook deep thinker.

Michael is actuing like Willy Wonka too.  Jim tells him it’s a big client, Michael agrees and walks away.  Michael asks Oscar how much that will hurt them if they get 10% off thier order.  Oscar tells him that will hurt them.  Their customer says they found 5 tickets, and its not one ticket per customer.

Michael calls Darryl an idiot.  Darryl says “start over.” Michael asks Darryl what a pallet is.

Now Michael is pretending that this idea of the golden ticket wasn’t his.  David calls Pam, Pam makes an excuse for him.  Michael throws his Willy Wonka clothes in the trash.

Oscar says they CAN fire everyone, what does Michael think “closing a branch” means.  Michael’s like “then we’re screwed!”  Michael tries to balme it on them.  Jim says he lost a lot of money today and he has a mortgage, so he’s not happy.  Michael says its not his fault he bought a house to impress Pam, that’s what carnations were invented for. Creed says “No its not.”

David calls Pam again, she makes another excuse.  Michael is on the phone with David.  David asks him what the heck is going on.  David asks WHY he okayed this golden ticket idea…they’re going to lose a fortune!  Michael says they hired an outside marketing consultant.  Then he says it was an inside person, he asks who it was.  Michael lies and says it was Dwight! OMG!

Michale calls Dwight into the office, and tries to blame him for the idea.  Dwight denies that it is.  Dwight runs out of the office, and gets his diary and says March 4 is when Michale came up with the golden ticket.  Michael asks Dwight why he has a diary.  He says its to keep secrets from his computer. Dwight says the idea of his is impossible, because he could not eat sweets or watch movies.  Michael asks him if he’d like to go out to lunch with him. Dwight says with all his heart.

Pam, Andy and Jim argue over what Kevin should do.  Andy is bitter after Angela.

Michael tries to tell Dwight that he wants him to fall on his sword for him.  Dwight said he did that once, it was on his belt and he was running, it wasn’t fun, won’t do that again. Michael asks why Dwight even wants to work there.  He says Dwight is too manly, but Michale would be lost without this place.  Michael has this idea for fancy men’s shoe store called Shoe-la-la.  Michael says Dwight and he went for a stroll, and although he’ll probably never do it again, he had a nice time.  Dwight says he loves working there.  Michael tells Dwight he can’t put a price on freedom, that’s why he’s made the decision.  Dwight says he hasn’t made the decision.  Jim tells Dwight he cannot take the fall for him.  Dwight says he’d do the same thing for him.  Jim says no he wouldn’t, otherwise he would right now, in this situation.

David shows up.  Dave says that he owes Dwight an apology, that the customer was so excited about the golden ticket promotion they have decided to make Dunder Mifflen their sole office products provider.  David says “Congratulations Dwight.”  Dwight looks at Michael, then at Dave, and says “Thanks, Dave.”  Michael looks robbed!  Just Desserts!

David tells the team how proud of Dwight Schrute he is.  David says “this is huge!”  Dwight says “that’s what she said” David and Creed actually laugh.  No one laughs when Michael says that. Michael challenges Dwight how he came up with the idea.  Jim backs up Dwight as does Pam.  David wants Pam to setup a meeting with the marketing people.  Michael is not allowed in on the meeting.  Dwight tells the people at the meeting about candy.  People can hear someone listening in, a dog maybe, its Michael.  Dwight was inspired by the golden ticket theme.  Michael says that Dwight is a liar and has taken his idea.  Michael tells him the whole truth.  Dwight says it is his idea.  Michael asks Dwight if he came up with Toilet Buddy!  Dwight says “Horse Boat!” A horse that goes in a boat, so you can ride on water.  David looks overwhelmed.  David says enough.  He asks Dwight if it’s true.  Dwight says yes, it was Michael’s idea that he forced on him by threat of death.  Michael says he wants the credit without any of the blame.  David tells Pam not to send him those notes, he’s gone.  Wow, what an idiot.  Michael is such a jerk.

Kevin goes up to the lady that he has a crush on.  He tells her he thinks she has thebest smile and wants to take her out to dinner and amovie.  She says ok.  He says nice.  boobs.  haha.  So close, yet so far away.  She just looks at him.  Andy looks at them and says “well, it’s his funeral.”

The Office

Season: 5

Episode: 16

Episode Title: Blood Drive

Opens with a man coming in trying to sell an automated telephone services.  Pam wants him to go away since it’s her job basically.  They try to keep Michael away from him.  Jim distracts Michael hollering “Eeeeeh” at Michael, thus starting everyone to go “Eeeeeeeh, Eeeeeeeeeeh” to everyone.  Michael is so easily distracted.  This scares phone guy away.

It’s Valentine’s day.  Michael asks Kevin if he’s okay today.  Kevin says it’s hard now that he and Stacey aren’t together.   Michael says he has been broken up with Amy for 4 months and that Amy was way hotter than Stacey, so imagine how much more he’s hurting.  Kevin says he can’t even imagine. Kelly gets a valentine from a secret admirer.  Its from her dentist.  Michael puts Pam’s flowers on the ground, since they’re making him sad basically.  Michael says that just about everyone in the office is single right now (not true), and that everyone’s not feeling good about valentines day.  Michael tells Jim that today is a difficult day for a lot of people in the office and he needs to stop the sexy looks between himself and Pam, and that sexy becomes hostile. Michael invited Jim to “suck it” and he invites everyone to the lonely hearts club for singles only.  cause they DO have each other.

At the blood drive, Dwight is giving blood, and he says he can retract his penis up into itself.  I don’t even want to picture that.  Ooops, just did. Michael goes in to give blood.  there’s a new woman in the blood truck and she says she’s very nervous and can’t stop babbling, but that she’s trying not to talk so much.  Michael says she’s actually talking a lot.  Michael says he feels like a human juicebox, and makes jokes that he’s Type O-cean Spray, it makes the woman laugh.  Phyllis asks Jim and Pam if they want to go to lunch with Bob and her since Michael is afraid of Bob so he won’t be around, they agree.

Michael tells the woman to distract him about stuff with NO blood in it.  She says he’s cute.  He’s like “WHAT?”  Michael passes out.

Michael wakes up and asks how long he was out, he turns around to where the lady was, and there’s the security guard glaring at him.  Michael says he needs her name, they won’t give out that info though.  Kelly is ripping hearts in half and decorating.  Meredith rips off the angels wings off cupid and says now its just a stupid looking baby.

Bob Vance asks Jim how “that old jackass, that other jackass and that new jackass ” are.  Jim pauses.  Phyllis says he means Michael, Dwight and Andy.  Haha.  Bob Vance is a great character.  So is Phyllis.  They’re like those odd friends your parents had growing up.

Michael’s “singles” party sucks.  He wants everyone to go around and talk about their worst relationships.   He makes Kelly feel bad about Ryan.  He asks Oscar to get something off his chest, Oscars like “no.”

Back at lunch, Bob Vance talks about his bowling scores.  Pam says that Jim uses a 6lb ball and that he has dainty fingers.  They’re getting along so well.  Pam and Jim are kinda a young Phyllis and Bob.  But, you know, good looking.

At the party, Oscar tells a story about how he was in love with a man, and he told the man this, and the man said he wasn’t gay.  But then a friend saw him later in a gay bar.  Michael doesn’t understand.  He says its a happy ending, that the guy is obviously gay now, and Oscar should go call him.  Whoosh.  Angela says that the worst thing that happened to her is when she had two men she worked with duel over her.  They all point out that they already know about Dwight and Andy.  Angela corrects them that this was another time when she lived in Ohio three years ago.  Oscar is like “wait, you’ve had TWO sets of men duel over you?” She’s says yes she suppose she has.  Michael asks where Andy is.  Oscar says he’s on one of his honeymoons.  Andy put down all non-refundable deposits for his honeymoons, so he’s knocking them off one at a time.  Tomorrow he has hang-gliding and a couples massage.  Kevin says his worst time was one morning when he and Stacey were reading the paper and he makes a comment about the Eagles winning a championship, and Stacey was like “we’re done.” Michael regrets this type of party, and he thinks they just need to find another single person.  Dwight suggests a giant net.  Michael says they should have a mixer.  Dwight thinks its a terrible idea and they’re not letting natural selection take it’s course, like the guy who invented the seatbelt. Michael just wants to find that woman in the bloodtruck.

Michael asks Dwight how hes holding up about being single.  Dwight says “meh.”  Michael greets two lovely ladies that show up at the door for the mixer, he sets up a bigger redhead woman with Kevin Malone.  This is awkward.  Michael says to run with the ball.  Kevin and the woman stare at each other without saying anything for awkward seconds.  Kevin stands there with a gaping maw.  Michael tells the woman Kevin only gets better. Dwight is hitting on an Angela look-a-like.  Dwight tries to sell her paper and looks like he’s going to “faint.”

Back at lunch, Pam says that Bob and Phyllis have been gone to the washroom for like 20 minutes.  They start picking at their food waiting for them to come back.

Kevin chats up the redhead, but he mentions that his fiance left him…then corrects that he left her, then admits that she left him.  He thinks he blew it.  It all happened so fast.  Michale tries to fix up this awkward guy with Meredith.  He’s still waiting for that woman to come in.

Michael tells them he met a woman when he was giving blood and hoped she’d come by.  Kelly says that’s so romantic, and even more that he has her glove.  Meredith says he could be her soul mate. Dwight says no that’s probably not possible, there’s 3 billion women in the world and most of them are in Asia, the numbers just don’t add up.

Pam keeps eating Bob’s food.  She wonders if they dined and dashed.  But Jim corrects her that they didn’t dine, they just dashed.  Pam thought they were having a nice time, and is insulted that Bob and Phyllis may have bounced on them.  They check the washrooms, they’re empty.  They check the wheelchair one, they hear “noises.”  They’re like “Oh god!”  Pam and Bob come back from the “washroom.”  Jim looks like he’s lost his appetite.  Phyllis is out of breath and drank down all her water.  Bob feeds Phyllis some of the meat off his plate. Pam and Jim glare into the camera.

Kevin apologizes to the redhead, saying he gets very nervous talking to pretty girls.  She’s flattered.  He says he sweats a lot when he gets nervous and she should feel how sweaty his hand is.  She does, and says wow, it’s really sweaty.  Gross, not the only thing I bet.  He asks if she’s on email, she says yes and gives him her card. Kevin says it’s a good valentines.  Dwight keeps trying to sell this woman paper, she declines.  He says thanks for wasting his time and calls her an idiot!  He’s got a way with women he does.  Everyone’s sticking around waiting for Michael’s mystery woman to show up.  He says they can go home, they stay anyways.  They all start cleaning up, and then they say it’s time to leave.  Oscar says they should all go out together.  Michael concludes that his odds are good at finding another woman and getting over Amy.

Stanley goes up to the bloodtruck and says that he needs another cookie cause he feels dizzy and shows the woman his arm with his cotton and tape appendage.  The blood nurse says that they used bandaids, not cotton and tape.  Stanley pretends to be too dizzy to understand what she’s saying and runs away.  On his way out, Phyllis is waiting with her cotton and tape.  Stanley says to her “bandaids.”  Phyllis walks away and says “darn.” Creed stole some blood in a bag out of the truck.

All in all, another funny episode.  Not the best, and i question why they didn’t air this around Valentine’s day instead?  It’s more than slightly dated now.

No time for dawdling and analysis today,  let’s get straight to Haiku Review:

A solid outing:

Creed never has a bad scene.

Whither Stringer Bell?

So I just watched a few more episodes of “The Office” from Netflix and I am starting to really starting to like another character in the office… Creed.

Creed is the creepy old guy that sits in the back of the office who really doesn’t seem to do ANYTHING work related, (when asked point blank what he does by a daughter of a co-worker during “Bring Your Daughter to Work Day, Creed becomes quite agitated and can give no answer… something Quabity Ashwitz related). 

He is notorious for stealing things from the Office, taking advantage of the Canadian welfare system, and eating raw Mung Beans that make him have an “old man” smell… (smells like death).   He also doesn’t take the time to learn/remember his co-workers names, (or possibly not being able to remember because of long-term (and current?) drug use).

Michael Scott: Okay Ryan, you told Toby that Creed has a distinct old man smell?
Creed: [to film crew] I know exactly what he’s talking about. I sprout mung beans on a damp paper towel in my desk drawer. Very nutritious, but they smell like death.

-

Creed: Today is actually my birthday and I want to pick the cake.
Jim: What do you want?
Creed: I want pie, I want peach pie.
Jim: Well birthday pie.
Creed:  I want a nice cobbler.
Jim:  Well, I’m gonna talk to Angela and we’re gonna see what we can do about a pie.
Creed: I don’t care who you talk to you just make it happen.
Jim:  It’ll be Angela.
Creed: Tell her it’s for Creed; she’ll know what that means.

-

Michael Scott:  Why do we as a society hate old people so much?
Creed:  Because they’re lame.

-

Creed: “Oh, I steal things all the time. It’s just something I do. I stopped caring a long time ago.”

 

I woke up this morning with this lyric stuck in my head: “Gee, the traffic is…”

I couldn’t remember the other word.  “The traffic is delicious.”  “The traffic is ridiculous.”  “The traffic is… delicious.”  I felt like Andy Bernard in “The Office” when he could remember the end of “Break me off a piece of that-duh-duh-duh!”

So first thing I do is turn on my pc to Google search the lyric, and found that “Gee, the traffic is terrific.”  Leave it to Perry Como to be happy about it!  And no wonder I couldn’t think of it!

Anywaterunderthebridge, I also dreamt an idea for “Hard Rain 2,” which may come in handy since Christian Slater’s once again out of work.  Although, in my version, Seth Rogan was one of the guys, and I think I had Nicholson Lite’s role.  I would detail it here, but it is actually pretty cool (IMHO) so I’m holding onto it for now.  If I change my mind, you’ll be the first to know (after any person I know in real life that will pretend to listen to me, i.e. my siblings).

(Some Andy Bernard highlights after the jump… and some bonus Creed.)

Can you imagine Creed Bratton as the Joker? Check out the first preview for the Halloween episode of “The Office.”

and this one!

Look who’s back……..back again!  Awkward much?

I find the random ramblings and revelations of the Creed Bratton, that character from The Office (as opposed to the real life actor who plays him) absolutely wonderful.

To quote one post . . .

Most people like cookouts for the camaraderie. Not me. I go for the free drinks and the relish. You don’t see relish used a lot anymore, but it’s my favorite condiment by far. I can eat it for every meal. In 1981, I ate relish every day for three months. I tell you what, you get into a bind and all you’ve got is a jar of relish, just heat up that jar and you’ve got yourself some delicious relish soup. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

I have come under attack lately, by a proselytizing Stefan Molyneux fan boy who has assumed that because I don’t agree with his position that I was brutalized by my family. Whatever. Thus appeared Stefan Molyneux and Freedomain Radio on my radar screen. Long story short, I escaped the defooing process but not before watching and reading some of this guy’s stuff. Specifically, I sat through half of the video entitled “Families, Abuse and History” and it makes some extraordinary claims while providing some pretty shoddy evidence.

I am not linking directly to the video because I am a childish wench. Look it up. It’s on YouTube.

At 0:00:15 seconds in he announces that he’ll be reading from an article by Lloyd DeMause, who runs the Journal of Psychohistory. The article is a speech from the “National Parenting Conference” in Boulder, Colorado in 1997.

At 0:01:45 Molyneux cites a statistic that 300,000,000 people were murdered by governments in the 20th Century (although he doesn’t ever mention if that number is greater or less than any other century, either in a gross body count or percentage of the world’s population body count). He does not provide a source for this statistic; perhaps it’s in the article. He also plays fast and loose with the definition of “theft” (re: taxes) but that’s not really noteworthy–he’s an anarchocapitalist and they all use that term.

Extraordinary Claim (0:02:35): Parenting is the reason we have murders, wars, and genocide.

Genocide, people.

Evidence Provided: The video is basically him reading aloud from this article, which was a speech given at a conference. There are some editorial and expository comments on the article, but that’s it. Let’s look at some aspects of this article as we have been invited to do.

1. The speech was made at the National Parenting Conference in Boulder, Colorado.

2. Robert B. McFarland is the Chairman of the National Parenting Conference.

3. Lloyd deMause runs the Institute for Psychohistory.

4. The Institute for Psychohistory publishes the Journal of Psychohistory.

5. Lloyd deMause is the primary contributor to the Journal of Psychohistory.

6. Robert B. McFarland runs the Rocky Mountain Branch of the Institute for Psychohistory.

7. The online version of this speech cites four secondary sources as research; all of them were written by Lloyd deMause–none later than 1991

This isn’t scholarly research. This is some guys agreeing on a topic and presenting it as academic insight. You want to talk about some ideas you have? Fine. Are they radical and original? Fine. Even better! But don’t claim the authority of scholarly research to jazz up your point and make it seem legitimate, like lots of people have seen this but refuse to come forward because the truth is too painful. This is just some guys talking and backing each other up.

You know what else? Most of the stuff the article addresses refers to preindustrial hunter-gather societies, or medieval Europe. Somehow the abuses that have occurred among “unenlightened” and illiterate groups of people are supposed to explain why the twentieth century is so bad. I disagree with the premise, first of all, that the twentieth century (and beyond) is so bad for people with education in industrialized nations. So if you are trying to make the point that parents are the reasons people like government and government wrecks your life, at least compare two time periods that have the same amount of government. Or the same amount of education. What the Papau New Guinea tribesmen do to their kids doesn’t really tell us anything about why modern Europeans like socialism.

Honestly.

At the 0:33:11 mark, offers some consolation to members of the audience who haven’t had much luck converting people to his brand of freedom, reason, and philosophy, the Enlightenment fruits, that if they don’t agree with you, it’s because they likely have suffered abuse as a child, along the lines of physical abuse at the hands of their family, who has been raised with ancient, primitive, or medieval ideas child-rearing methods, which involve sexual exploitation, beatings, verbal humiliations, terror of sexuality, terror of masturbation, and/or terror of the body. Not because your ideas and claims might be unfounded or idealistic beyond the point of applicability.

He never quite gets around to explaining genocide.

And check it out: At 0:35:09, he says that anyone who doesn’t agree with his position is an extraordinarily damaged, borderline person whose ability to function is very low. This person is volatile, reactionary, without a third eye or observing ego (??) and does not experience remorse. Until all the people who disagree with him agree with him and thereby heal, society and technology will not progress. So shame on you, society and technology blockers! You know who you are.

So here we are. There’s this guy making points with spurious support, using faulty arguments and enough unstated premises to fill a book (which he has–five times). Either he doesn’t know what real scholarship is, or he is a sloppy thinker, or he is completely disdainful of his audience’s ability to reason. In any of those scenarios, he’s not presenting himself and his claims as worth taking seriously. It probably wouldn’t bother me so much if he weren’t on his website, suggesting to people that they ditch their personal connections and families of origin (the foos from whom you should de), and then providing a carefully guided community (with himself at the head) for people who have alienated themselves from their social networks–and asking for donations.

Creed Bratton once said that he’d been part of cults, both as a leader and as a follower. He had more fun as a follower but he made more money as a leader. Nice work if you can get it. But if Stefan Molyneux or one of his followers offers you a choice between pills, take the blue one.

Steaks for everybody!

Since work and my San DIego workcation are stealing my time check out some creed thoughts:

Creed Thoughts by Creed Bratton

Why is it so impressive to sleep on a bed of nails? There’s obviously a trick to it that makes it not hurt. I think the real challenge is sleeping in a bed filled with needles. You just know that’s not gonna end well.
I’ve gone for rolls in the hay and it is nothing like sex.
Sometimes I’ll do shots of mouthwash. It gets me a little tipsy and gives me great breath.
I think baseball should introduce a longstop position, just in case the shortstop misses the ball.
Who decided that we needed both North and South Dakota. It seems like a lot of wasted paperwork to me.
Catching flies with your hands is fun, but catching frogs with your feet is a lot more satisfying.
I like to wear two undershirts most days because you never know when you’ll walk into a strip poker game.
I want to open up a bar called “Creed’s Meads” and bring mead back to how popular it was during the American Revolution. It’ll be right between my book store and woodwind instrument shop – Creed’s Reads and Creed’s Reeds.
Why hasn’t anyone built a live-action version of Chutes and Ladders? I’d be first in line to play.
I’ve always thought that shopping carts are just mobile jails for food and all the prisoners are sentenced to death by ingestion. Kind of makes you shop differently, huh?

Yikes!

“The Office” finale is on in approximately 3 hours and 28 minutes . Not that I’m counting or anything. I want to make some predictions, mostly because if I’m right I’ll get to say “I told you so”. And I so rarely get that kind of satisfaction in my everyday life. (If I’m wrong, this post will most likely be deleted at 10:01pm).

So…

• Andy’s leaving. Despite the fact that the episode is titled “Goodbye Toby”, I’m pretty sure he’ll be around to annoy Michael for years to come. The producers say someone’s leaving Dunder Mufflin tonight, and my money’s on Andy “Drew” Bernard. Why? We know there’s going to be an “Office” spin-off premiering this January after the Super Bowl, and in my opinion Andy’s the only character (other than the main 5) that could be a lead on his own show. I will be seriously depressed if anyone from the original Dunder Mifflin family leaves (remember- Andy’s the last survivor from the Stamford Branch). Plus, with the Nard Dog out of the way, perhaps we can hope for a Dwight/ Angela reunion?
• Jan is pregnant. With Hunter’sMichael’s baby. I lost count of how many vasectomies/ vasectomy reversals (is there a technical name for that?) Michael’s had, but I’m guessing the last one didn’t take. Despite the fact that this seems a little too “May sweeps-ish” for my tastes, I actually think Michael being a father will help the character evolve a little bit. I don’t think I’m alone in expressing my growing weariness with Michael’s continued over-the-top antics. They were funny for the first three (ehhhh… two and a half?) seasons, but at some point he’s going to start becoming unlikable. So please executive producers, don’t make me hate Special Agent Michael Scarn.
• Jim will propose. To Pam. I’m not exactly sure when it’ll happen, but hopefully it won’t be in the last 30 seconds of the show, forcing us to wait until September for her answer. I don’t think the producers would stoop so low, but you never know (um, remember when Michael and Dwight drove into the lake? I know- I try not to either). But I’ve been very happy with the way their relationship has gone this season, so I’m delightfully optimistic.

And there you have it. For further reading, check out www.creedthoughts.gov.www/creedthoughts.

-Jennie

I love your show. I love that Dwight owns a beet farm, I love that Angela has a thing for babies dressed like adults, I love that Kevin has anal fissures. I love that Stanley grew up “on the ghetto”, that Michael grilled his foot on a George Foreman grill, and that Oscar’s mexicanity is what defines him, not his gayness. I love Bob Vance (Vance Refrigeration), Threat Level Midnight, and Creed Bratton.

And I love Jim and Pam. Not to wax poetically here, but in my mind, they are the heart and soul of the show. As much as I love Michael’s antics, Andy’s songs, and Meredith’s alcoholism, Jim and Pam are what make “The Office” so addicting. They’re real people: emotional, awkward, funny, desperate, and about a million things in between. They’re subtle, brilliant, honest…and would never smoke a clove cigarette at an Alicia Keys concert.

So after three years of Jim’s unrequited love, Pam’s reluctance to admit her true feelings, a season 2 finale that left me with as much hope as Eddie Murphy before the 2007 Oscars, a season 3 premiere that left me with as much disappointment as Eddie Murphy after the 2007 Oscars (still think “Norbit” was a good idea?), a Jim-Karen romance, a Pam-Roy engagement/break-up/reunion/break-up/macing, and a season 3 finale that had me dreaming about those three little words (“It’s a date”) for four months, we FINALLY get to see Jim and Pam together. As a couple. A loving couple. Together. Jim and Pam. A couple. For real. And although season 4 has been a little off (we’ll place some of the blame on the writer’s strike), I have delighted in seeing Jim and Pam together. As a couple. A loving couple. An ordinary, run-of-the-mill couple. No cinematic swoons, no sloppy kisses as the sun sets, no obligatory nudity. No dramatic fights with high-pitched screeching. No contrived plot twists where they actually turn out to be related (I’m looking at you, “Brothers and Sisters”). And I love it. I every every small acknowledgement of their growing relationship, every time they joke with each other, every time Jim admits he’s “in love” with italian food.

So PLEASE, writers and producers of “The Office”, LET JIM AND PAM BE. Let their romance unfold realistically. I’m not saying you can’t throw in a speed bump every now and then, but please don’t make them so high that it damages the muffler. Because I like the muffler the way it is. Too many TV shows are OBSESSED with getting people together/breaking people up/almost getting them back together/making them fight/getting them in unhappy realtionships with others/making each other jealous/and finally bringing them back together…at which point the spark has dimmed and the reunion seems contrived and is ultimately unfulfilling (I’m looking at you, “Friends”).

Believe me, I’m interested in Jim and Pam as a couple. I will ALWAYS be interested in Jim and Pam as a couple. I have faith in your writing abilities, and know you can come up with storylines that deal with their realtionship in a realistic and funny way. If I want over-dramatic, I’ll watch “Grey’s Anatomy”. But I don’t want over-dramatic. I want Jim and Pam. PB & J. Please don’t break my heart.

Sincerely,

Jennie