FBO: 'Photo Corner in Narita, Japan'

Photos taken in 2007 from a Failed Bands of Oklahoma publicity-garnering stop-over in Narita, Japan:

FBO: 'Oklahoma Quarter Planners are Idiots!'

ANOTHER BIRD? SACRE BLEU!
The Failed Bands of Oklahoma is supremely disappointed by the lack of imagination the Oklahoma Quarter Planning Commission has shown for the official State of Oklahoma commemorative quarter, which begins circulation on February 20.

The 50 state quarters (part of the US Mint's 50 State Quarters Program) has been an interesting monetary competition of the past few years, with 'new' quarters being released. Those with good designs -- such as Connecticut's wonderful web-like tree -- tend to stay in pants pockets longer than uninspired ones -- say, California (with a bloke looking at a mountain and a bird), Arkansas (a diamond-shaped UFO attacking a bird), or Hawaii (with a Roman looking guy giving the bird to the state shape). South Carolina also has a bird, South Dakota's has a defecating bird atop Mt Rushmore. Idaho shows a profile of a peregrine falcon with an empty eye socket.

Too many birds!

The worst of all, unsurprisingly, is New Jersey's, which celebrates historical figures LEAVING the state (Washington crossing the Delaware River), as does Delaware (with the FBO-endorsed Caesar Rodney riding horseback to Philadelphia).

Meanwhile, Oklahoma had an automatic catapult ride to the top of the heap. Its flag -- a sky blue banner with an Osage warrior's shield -- is simply the best flag ever made. The shield -- graphic, with its hanging eagle feathers and a peace pipe and olive branch -- would have looked good pared down on the back of a $0.25 coin. War and peace in a tidy quarter-sized design. And it almost gets you a pack of Wrigley's gum.



--> No quarter tributes the Native American history of the country.

A proper ranking of best/worst quarters will come in coming months. For now, the FBO expresses its OUTRAGE.

FBO Admin
Mobile/Semi-Permanent HQ -- Brooklyn, NY

FBO: 'Photo Corner in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn'

Photos taken in 2007 from a Failed Bands of Oklahoma visit to the outer fringe of the FBO's semi-permanent HQ home, Brooklyn, New York. Brighton Beach is famed for its Russian/Ukrainian community:

FBO: 'Is it OK to Watch the NFL Network?'

Months ago the question was raised, whether or not FBO fans should/could watch the 'NFL network' to tune into some games that didn't appear on regular TV channels. The answer, though delayed, is finally here for your reference:

FBO: 'Back from Burma'

FBO RUSHES INTO 2008, IN A FERVOR OF DELIGHT

The FBO has been silenced only by iffy technology, not inspiration or ideas. Failed Bands of Oklahoma representative Robert Reid had a positive six-week cultural-exchange symposium with the good private citizens of Myanmar (Burma).

A few highlights:

--> FBO Rep Reid met with the three Moustache Brothers of Mandalay, where he had an impromptu show and met with comedian Par Par Lay (middle), who had been briefly jailed (for the third time) in September, following the peaceful protests around the country. The Moustache Brothers use vaudeville-style humor to parody the government. They no longer have a license to perform, but simply do shows for foreigners nightly in their home.


--> FBO Rep Reid witnessed the traditional Rakhine wrestling match in western Myanmar, near the Bangladesh border. A throw-down type wresting with no kicking or three-second counts, FBO learned that 'kids from the villages' tend to toss 'city folk' (from Sittwe) down easily. We managed to get a photo with a famous wrestler, in his 70s, who oversees the matches, and at one point settled a dispute on a call.


--> FBO Rep Reid attended a rock concert in Yangon of Lazy Club, whose female lead singer paraded around in a grim reaper outfit as a six-string bassist and two-neck guitar added a dark tone to Bon Jovi and Celine Dion covers. A few censors watched from the side stage, in full view of the (sometimes drunk) locals, which included punk rockers in a tender mosh pit.

The FBO applaud the varying styles of entertainment employed by locals in a country that clamps down on free-time fun. Just a couple weeks ago, the government apparently decided to increase the license to use a satellite TV from $5 per year to $800. The average salary is about $1 per day.


FBO Admin
Mobile/Semi-Permanent HQ -- Brooklyn, NY