SONG OF THE DAY: Wild Style Theme Rap No. 1 (kudzu'd)

The power went out the other day, right at 5:30 or so, after a big thunderstorm blew through. As it got twilight, I laid on the screened in back porch bed and vibed to the quiet. No riding mowers buzzing around, no compounded hums from the electrical wires buzzing in all our homes and overhead… just a deep, chill, settled down quiet. The folks two doors down got a generator and generally they get it fired up, but for whatever reason, they hadn’t yet. And being all the shit in the fridge was gonna be okay for a little while, made me wish we had deep quiet like that every now and then. My house is never that quiet when power’s running to it.
Of course, by the next morning, them folks had their generator running, and so did someone else, and people had begun panicking to get back to normal. I liked it still (still). It was true wild. Often times, we as humans use “wild” to mean out of order, or lacking the expected order, so we assume that means chaotic and bad. But this wild was just a deeply peaceful silence. And other times, shit we call “wild” is just seeking joy or happiness or living human lives by a different set of inspirations and motivators than what is considered “normal”, which honestly ain’t even normal so much as what we’re collectively trained to think like. Wild style ain’t necessarily bad, or chaotic; it’s just different than the established order to things, and usually unwanted by those in control of the established order. But them power dudes got the vast system of glorified extension cords humming again, and I could quickly enough poison my wild stream of consciousness with trending algorithms and flat world realities again. I was wondering about how my stream of consciousness would flow in true wild, not tethered to or trained by all this bullshit my whole goddamn life.
I guess we’ll never know. Or we already do and don’t like the answer. Or aren’t allowed to accept it.

SONG OF THE DAY: Terminator (kudzu'd)

The Original Terminator. Man, I love this era of West Coast Electrofunk so hard. I got to see Egyptian Lover the other week, and what a blast that was. We need more “just have fun” shit in this world.

SONG OF THE DAY: Eighteen With a Bullet (kudzu'd)

To be completely honest, playing old doo wop and oldies 45s at 33 speed makes about the most perfect sense ever. That totally recognizable stuff sounds hauntingly chill, and I am forever confused why people don’t hire me to DJ this shit every other Thursday evening at their bougie restaurant or throwback dive bar. It’s the perfect drinking music, too, but feel-good drinking music, not “let’s get mad about the world and pick fights with the other assholes” drinking music, which – from my understanding – is what most establishments shoot for. Oh well… born behind ahead of my not quite time, like always.

SONG OF THE DAY: Brass Monkey

“Brass monkey” allegedly came from the colloquialism (that means “shit that old people said”), “Cold enough to freeze a brass monkey’s balls off.” An enterprising person submitted the following in their filing for a patent for a “brass monkey” in January 1987:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a release mechanism for releasing an object when the temperature reaches a predetermined release temperature. The release mechanism may be incorporated into a novelty "brass monkey" to "emasculate" the monkey when exposed to a predetermined temperature.
The release mechanism of the invention comprises means defining a passageway for movement of an object to be released and temperature responsive means at least partially obstructing the passageway to prevent movement of the object along the passageway before the temperature of the temperature responsive means reaches a predetermined release temperature. The temperature responsive means moves to open the passageway to allow movement of the object along the passageway when the temperature of the temperature responsive means reaches the predetermined release temperature. In a disclosed, preferred form of the invention the temperature responsive means is a bimetallic strip which is fixedly supported at one end with the opposite free end of the bimetallic strip being positioned for movement toward and away from the passageway for at least partially obstructing the passageway to prevent movement of the object along the passageway before the temperature of the bimetallic strip reaches the predetermined release temperature. The free end of the bimetallic strip moves away from the passageway to open the passageway to allow movement of the object along the passageway when the temperature of the bimetallic strip reaches the predetermined release temperature. The free end of the bimetallic strip is preferably L-shaped for contacting the object to prevent movement thereof along the passageway. A non-metallic tip formed of plastic, for example, can be provided at the free end of the bimetallic strip for contacting the object. The plastic tip can be press-fitted onto the bimetallic strip.
The passageway for movement of an object to be released is inclined with respect to the horizontal in the disclosed embodiment of the invention so that release of the object from the mechanism upon reaching the predetermined release temperature is facilitated by the force of gravity. If the object to be released is at least round in cross section, a round ball is employed in the illustrated embodiment, it is able to roll under the force of gravity down the inclined passageway past the temperature responsive means when the temperature of the temperature responsive means reaches the predetermined release temperature.
The novelty "brass monkey" incorporating the release mechanism of the invention includes a base which is provided beneath the release mechanism for receiving the object released by the release mechanism. The base is designed to produce an audible sound when struck by the balls released from the release mechanism. The base can also be provided with an electrical switch means which is actuated by the ball received by the base. The electrical switch means can be used to activate other devices.
According to a further feature of the invention means are provided for adjusting the predetermined release temperature of the release mechanism. In a preferred form of the invention, this means for adjusting comprises a support for the object to be released and means for adjusting the location of the support, and hence the object thereon, relative to the temperature responsive means.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a "brass monkey" of the invention shown partially in cross-section through the body of the monkey and illustrating the release mechanism of the invention and the accompanying base and showing two balls to be released from the body when the temperature of a bimetallic strip of the mechanism reaches a predetermined release temperature;
FIG. 2 is a top view of a portion of the release mechanism of the invention of FIG. 1 taken along the line II--II and depicting the bimetallic strip in relation to the two balls to be released from the body of the release mechanism; and
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of the release mechanism of the invention and illustrating two additional features of the of the invention not shown in FIG. 1 including means for adjusting the predetermined release temperature for releasing the balls from the mechanism and an L-shaped plastic tip press-fitted onto the free end of the bimetallic strip.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, a release mechanism 1 according to the invention is shown incorporated into a novelty "brass monkey" for releasing balls 2 and 3 from a body 4 of the "brass monkey" at a predetermined release temperature through an opening or passageway 5 in the body.
More specifically, the body 4 comprises a support surface 6 and side walls 7 and 8 which define a passageway for movement of the balls 2 and 3 to be released. A temperature responsive means in the form of a bimetallic strip 9 at least partially obstructs the passageway to prevent movement of the object along the passageway 5 before the temperature of the bimetallic strip reaches a predetermined release temperature. The bimetallic strip is fixedly supported at one end in a slot 10 in the body 4 by crimping the portions of the body on either side of the slot 10 against the bimetallic strip or otherwise fastening the strip therein as by soldering, for example. The opposite free end of the bimetallic strip is positioned for movement toward and away from the passageway 5 for at least partially obstructing the passageway to prevent movement of the balls 2 and 3 along the passageway and past the strip 9 before temperature of the bimetallic strip reaches the predetermined release temperature. The bimetallic element 9 is made by welding together two strips of metal having different coefficients of expansion. For example, the two strips of metal may be invar (iron-nickel alloy) and brass. A change in temperature causes the bimetallic element or composite strip to bend an amount proportional to the temperature. Thus, when the temperature drops to a predetermined release temperature, the free end of the bimetallic strip 9 moves upwardly to the position shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 1 and 3 thereby releasing the balls 2 and 3 for movement through the opening or passageway 5 of the body 4.
Preferably, the free end of the bimetallic strip 9 is L-shaped so that the free end of the strip contacts the adjacent ball to prevent movement thereof along the passageway before the temperature of the bimetallic strip reaches the predetermined release temperature. As shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the L-shaped tip 11 of the bimetallic strip 9 may be formed of plastic with the tip 11 being press-fitted onto the bimetallic strip.
The support surface 6 of the body 4 which defines the passageway 5 for movement of the balls to be released is preferably inclined with respect to the horizontal. This inclination is 5° to 7° in the illustrated embodiment. With this arrangement, the force of gravity causes the balls to roll down the support surface 6 and out the opening in the bottom of the body 4 when the bimetallic strip moves away from the passageway at the predetermined release temperature.
A means 12 can be provided in the release mechanism for adjusting the predetermined release temperature as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The means 12 comprises a support 6' for the balls 2 and 3 and means in the form of adjusting screws 13 and 14 for adjusting the location of the support 6' relative to the bimetallic strip. Adjustment of the screws 13 and 14 changes the spacing between the support 6' and the free end of the bimetallic strip 9. Since the amount of bending of the bimetallic strip is proportional to the temperature, changing the relative spacing between the support 6' and the free end of the bimetallic strip necessarily changes the release temperature at which the balls 2 and 3 can roll unobstructed past the free end of the bimetallic strip.
A base 15 of the novelty "brass monkey" is provided beneath the release mechanism to receive the balls released by the mechanism. Both the body 4 of the "brass monkey" and the base 15 are preferably formed of metal with the base 15 having a hollow form so as to produce an audible sound when struck by the balls released from the body 4. The balls 2 and 3 successively drop from the body 4 onto an inclined top step 16 of the base from where they progressively roll and drop through additional steps 17, 18, 19 and 20 formed on the base as shown in FIG. 1. An electrical switch 21 can be provided in the base, for example adjacent the bottom step 20 for actuation by the balls. In particular, the switch 21 is provided with a plunger located in a position where it is contacted and depressed by the ball 2 when the ball is received in the lower step 20 of the base. The electrical switch 21 can, in turn, be used to activate other devices such as a bell tone or chimes, for example. Once the balls have been dropped from the body 4 by the release mechanism, and the temperature has increased above the predetermined release temperature, the balls can be returned to the body 4 by inserting them through the bottom opening 5 in the body in which case the bimetallic strip 9 is pushed upwardly momentarily at its free end for insertion of the balls onto the support surface of the body, or the balls may be inserted in another opening, not shown, provided in the side of the body adjacent the support surface 6.
While I have shown and described only one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto, but is susceptible to numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art. For example, the release mechanism and base of the invention are not limited to use in a novelty "brass monkey" but could be used in other applications for releasing balls and/or a variety of other objects. For example, lightweight cylinders could be permitted to roll down the inclined support surface upon reaching a predetermined release temperature. Further, the bimetallic element in the release mechanism could be in a form other than a strip and also could be oriented so as to release an object with an increase in temperature to a predetermined release temperature instead of with a decrease in temperature to a predetermined release temperature as in the disclosed embodiment of the invention. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

SONG OF THE DAY: The Girls They Love Me (screwed & chopped)

Syrup & Soda is my absolute favorite DJ Screw tape. Nothing else even comes close, to be honest. He’s in such a zone on this one (Chapter 046 in the anti-chronological Screw discography), with a heavy old school set on Side A. But he’s not just playing the tracks, he’s fuckin’ it up on the tables, juggling “The Girls They Love Me” and “Love’s Gonna Get You” to his heart’s content. And even on Side B, when it gets to that west coast gangsta funk Screw tapes are more known for, he still sprinkles in a Slick Rick track, and fills out the end of the second side of the tape (remember, these were all originally 100-minute Maxell mixtapes) with “Juicy”. Just an absolute classic, and whenever somebody wants me to tell them where to start, I go to this one. Of course, who the fuck is gonna listen to a whole ass 100-minute mixtape, in the order it was originally released? You. You should at least. Most all his tapes are the Internet Archive.

SONG OF THE DAY: What Am I To Do

Mostly listen to oldies at this point, and mostly don’t give a fuck. Thinking about forming a doo wop group if I could find four other people like myself, which can’t be easy, to be honest. I’m pretty fucked up.

SONG OF THE DAY: Def Fresh Crew

You can't make a song like this in 2024, because Biz Markie is gone (may his memory be a blessing). If any tech lord tries to AI together a holograph Biz Markie, I hope they get haunted into mysterious car accident. If any tech lord reads this, please use your momey to get those 7-inch Technics tables to drop instead.

SONG OF THE DAY: Deadly Rhymes

Been listening to a lot of Roxanne Shante lately, for whatever reason. I guess it’s because I’ve been on an old school kick, and upon reflection from this current point in time (both for myself as well as hip hop, both of us allegedly being 50 years old though origins of all universal matter can’t be pinpointed to a precise birth), Roxanne Shante is pretty fuckin’ ill. Deadly Rhymes indeed.

SONG OF THE DAY: Something

Al Green has always been a favorite of mine, but I'd mostly only dug into his Greatest Hits album (which has been in heavy warped level rotation since I was like 19... like I really need to get a new copy lol), which I also downloaded from the blog era (and had the added track "Belle"). I missed a lot. This track showed up on a Shaolin Soul comp I still downloaded from the limping along still blog era (for us old heads who live and die by external hard drives full of mp3s), and fuck if it's not the greatest. The Memphis backing band is on a tear, and Al's voice is always like chunky pat of batter mixed into the bowl of grits... smooth but with a touch of grittiness (literally). I love this song, and immediately got it on 45 to spin slow during live sets. Al Green, no matter how highly people think of him, is still underrated.

SONG OF THE DAY: Shock, Shock the House (kudzu'd)

LISTEN TO THE MAN! SHOCK SHOCK THE HOUSE!
Seriously though, my old school hip hop 45 arsenal has grown immensely, and I could slow it down with electro-funk old school vibes all night long. Hadn’t found a crowd that wants to get down like that though. I guess people don’t do angel dust like they used to. Shrug emoji.