just what it says biches!
The planned birthday trip to SF didn't pan out and we ended up spending a night in scenic Soledad.
Full report to follow.
10.07.2005
10.04.2005
Politics: stealing content
comments from readers of Atrios r/e Bush's "news conference" to "explain" why an unqualified ass-kisser is being named to the supreme court:
That lazy drunk has got no business talking down to me.
Nookyular Moolah
I just screamed at the television, "Stop talking to us as if we're as stupid as you are!"
Not very adult, but when we've been infantilized for years, I guess this will happen more often.
Jen in Brooklyn
(psst....it's "Antonin" Scalia, not Anthony) ^_^
Nim
Not according to my President, it isn't. I'm his favorite judge.
Anthony Scalia
With mute on, you miss the slurring. No fun. I suspect the closed captioning was quite a task for the stenographers.
He looks tired and weak and incapable. There are a few moments, when he gets back to his fifteen GI Joe pull-the-cord lines, but mostly he sounds palsied. Or medicated.
pseudonymous in nc
It's Springtime... For Dubya... And America!!!! (insert musical note graphics)
Phobos Deimos
call from the niece
my 2 year old niece calls me at work every now and then to make sure everything is on track. Today's call was about this evening's birthday party for the wife.
me: hello?
niece: heyoh? teeb?
me: yes, fiend...how are you doing?
niece: oh, fine. when you come over tonight?
me: 5 or 6.
niece: oh good! i make a cake for you and eenie. (that's the wife)
me: Thank you! what kind of cake?
niece: uh...uh....for you a green one.
me: i get my own cake?
niece. yes. and for eenie....a PINK one!
me: oooh, she'll like that.
niece: yes. for you a green one, for eenie a pink one!
me: yummy! we got you a present, you can have it tonight.
niece: i like presents. i got a present for eenie too!
me: oh fun.
niece: ok, bye now.
me: see you tonight, fiend.
niece: ok...bye bye!
me: hello?
niece: heyoh? teeb?
me: yes, fiend...how are you doing?
niece: oh, fine. when you come over tonight?
me: 5 or 6.
niece: oh good! i make a cake for you and eenie. (that's the wife)
me: Thank you! what kind of cake?
niece: uh...uh....for you a green one.
me: i get my own cake?
niece. yes. and for eenie....a PINK one!
me: oooh, she'll like that.
niece: yes. for you a green one, for eenie a pink one!
me: yummy! we got you a present, you can have it tonight.
niece: i like presents. i got a present for eenie too!
me: oh fun.
niece: ok, bye now.
me: see you tonight, fiend.
niece: ok...bye bye!
One for the Dead Parrots
Complete scripts for all episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Internet + Geeks = entertainment.
Internet + Geeks = entertainment.
music: forgot one...
Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities
Ok this one isn't officially out, but again, James comes through (When you're straining to keep pace with the fast moving blast front of popular music agents on the inside are a necessity, not a luxury.)
All the songs are covers of Modest Mouse tunes. One of Mark Kozeleck's previous solo albums was all AC/DC covers (which you should appreciate, Don). That dichotomy is what makes Kozeleck appealing to me, whether he's solo or with the Red House Painters or Sun Kil Moon.
I was never into Modest Mouse, despite near-hysterical prostheletyzing from my college radio DJ friends in the mid-90's. To this day they tell me that missing their show at Linnea's Cafe is one of the tragedies of my life, a dubious prospect when you consider the sheer volume of shows I've blown off by bands I like.
But Kozelek has one of the great male voices going, and his covers are more illuminating and transformative than most (check the workout Yes's Long Distance Runaround and All Mixed Up by the Cars get on Songs for a Blue Guitar.
He's never covered a song he didn't make his own, and I never had a beef with Modest Mouse's songwriting ....just their singing and playing.
So I'm enjoying this one.
It doesn't pack dynamite in both fists like Ghosts of the Great Highway, but it's a nice placeholder until he comes back with another original RHP or SKM release.
Ok this one isn't officially out, but again, James comes through (When you're straining to keep pace with the fast moving blast front of popular music agents on the inside are a necessity, not a luxury.)
All the songs are covers of Modest Mouse tunes. One of Mark Kozeleck's previous solo albums was all AC/DC covers (which you should appreciate, Don). That dichotomy is what makes Kozeleck appealing to me, whether he's solo or with the Red House Painters or Sun Kil Moon.
I was never into Modest Mouse, despite near-hysterical prostheletyzing from my college radio DJ friends in the mid-90's. To this day they tell me that missing their show at Linnea's Cafe is one of the tragedies of my life, a dubious prospect when you consider the sheer volume of shows I've blown off by bands I like.
But Kozelek has one of the great male voices going, and his covers are more illuminating and transformative than most (check the workout Yes's Long Distance Runaround and All Mixed Up by the Cars get on Songs for a Blue Guitar.
He's never covered a song he didn't make his own, and I never had a beef with Modest Mouse's songwriting ....just their singing and playing.
So I'm enjoying this one.
It doesn't pack dynamite in both fists like Ghosts of the Great Highway, but it's a nice placeholder until he comes back with another original RHP or SKM release.
10.03.2005
music: the personal touch
I've been a little distracted lately, so the blog has been little more than a dumping ground for nifty links with a snide or snappy paragraph appended to humanize the entry.
Well, I'm defragging the hard drive now, which gives me the downtime to cobble together a real entry...this week's musical purchases.
Contrary to the beliefs of the RIAA and like-minded corporate rights groups, downloading music does not immediately transform well behaved commuters on the information superhighway into bomb-throwing, soap-hating anarchist Yippes burning to stick it to the man where it counts...right up his musical royalty chute!
But it does provide a level of consumer protection that ensures you'll only buy a bad CD on purpose, not because you didn't know any better.
Petra Hayden and Bill Frisell
It must have been filed under Hayden instead of Frisell, because I missed it up until yesterday. Very much in Bill's "americana" vein of gentle old-timey playing, spruced up here and there with some tasteful distortion and loops. My first exposure to Petra...she has a lovely voice for harmony, but when she's singing with one voice I'd characterize her sound as "sweet but not filling".
It's an album of mostly covers, good ones. The high point for me (and the reason I immediately bought the disc instead of waiting for a used one to come around) is the first track; Satellite, originally by one of my pound for pound favorites Elliott Smith. The alchemy of Bill Frisell playing those delicate guitar parts nearly sent me toppling off the listening station stool in a diabetic coma of ecstacy. Petra is no Elliott, but the lovely harmonies do the song justice, and it's nice to hear it WELL recorded (the original, from his self-titled second album on the trendy Kill Rock Stars label, sounded like it was recorded on an old 8 track in someone's basement).
The rest of the disc is fine on first listen, with some other standout tracks (I Don't Want to Grow Up, John Hardy). I have the feeling it will grow on me.
Wolf Parade - Apologies to Queen Mary
Another winner from my crusade to avoid being a lame geezer who's musical evolution ceased at high school graduation. They're part of the burgeoning Montreal scene spearheaded by the quite excellent Arcade Fire, and have chops enough for any three normal bands. My music geek buddy James played some of their stuff at a drunken debauched dance party we had a few weeks back, so I jumped on this one. First impressions are good- they're tight, the singers can sing (always a worry with "indie rock") and they write great songs. Worth the price of admission for the brilliant, showstopping I'll Believe Anything, one of those perfect songs I'll still be listening to 20 years from now. Perfectly paced, it builds to a cyclone of a finale that leaves you delirious, breathless and spent.
New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
I'll admit it, I buy these cats primarly because I can't get enough Neko Case, the best voice in popular music today. There's a ton of music here, and I won't even pretend I've listened to it enough to figure out half of what's going on. But there are several standout tracks showcasing Neko (Bones of an Idol, These are the Fables)that rule. The rest of them sound pretty good too.
Pick up her fabulous country noir release Blacklisted from a few years back. Calexico backs her and the whole affair couldn't be more potent and atmospheric. I had the good fortune to catch her opening for Calexico last year, and they reprised their roles from this album, leaving me prostrate with joy. Her voice has even more of a velvet laser beam quality live, it could drill a hole through the world to China and emerge retaining enough force to entrance an entire city in the Gansu province.
note for bobo
There's some Test Department up on alt.binaries.sounds.lossless!
Relive your youth!
Well, I'm defragging the hard drive now, which gives me the downtime to cobble together a real entry...this week's musical purchases.
Contrary to the beliefs of the RIAA and like-minded corporate rights groups, downloading music does not immediately transform well behaved commuters on the information superhighway into bomb-throwing, soap-hating anarchist Yippes burning to stick it to the man where it counts...right up his musical royalty chute!
But it does provide a level of consumer protection that ensures you'll only buy a bad CD on purpose, not because you didn't know any better.
Petra Hayden and Bill Frisell
It must have been filed under Hayden instead of Frisell, because I missed it up until yesterday. Very much in Bill's "americana" vein of gentle old-timey playing, spruced up here and there with some tasteful distortion and loops. My first exposure to Petra...she has a lovely voice for harmony, but when she's singing with one voice I'd characterize her sound as "sweet but not filling".
It's an album of mostly covers, good ones. The high point for me (and the reason I immediately bought the disc instead of waiting for a used one to come around) is the first track; Satellite, originally by one of my pound for pound favorites Elliott Smith. The alchemy of Bill Frisell playing those delicate guitar parts nearly sent me toppling off the listening station stool in a diabetic coma of ecstacy. Petra is no Elliott, but the lovely harmonies do the song justice, and it's nice to hear it WELL recorded (the original, from his self-titled second album on the trendy Kill Rock Stars label, sounded like it was recorded on an old 8 track in someone's basement).
The rest of the disc is fine on first listen, with some other standout tracks (I Don't Want to Grow Up, John Hardy). I have the feeling it will grow on me.
Wolf Parade - Apologies to Queen Mary
Another winner from my crusade to avoid being a lame geezer who's musical evolution ceased at high school graduation. They're part of the burgeoning Montreal scene spearheaded by the quite excellent Arcade Fire, and have chops enough for any three normal bands. My music geek buddy James played some of their stuff at a drunken debauched dance party we had a few weeks back, so I jumped on this one. First impressions are good- they're tight, the singers can sing (always a worry with "indie rock") and they write great songs. Worth the price of admission for the brilliant, showstopping I'll Believe Anything, one of those perfect songs I'll still be listening to 20 years from now. Perfectly paced, it builds to a cyclone of a finale that leaves you delirious, breathless and spent.
New Pornographers - Twin Cinema
I'll admit it, I buy these cats primarly because I can't get enough Neko Case, the best voice in popular music today. There's a ton of music here, and I won't even pretend I've listened to it enough to figure out half of what's going on. But there are several standout tracks showcasing Neko (Bones of an Idol, These are the Fables)that rule. The rest of them sound pretty good too.
Pick up her fabulous country noir release Blacklisted from a few years back. Calexico backs her and the whole affair couldn't be more potent and atmospheric. I had the good fortune to catch her opening for Calexico last year, and they reprised their roles from this album, leaving me prostrate with joy. Her voice has even more of a velvet laser beam quality live, it could drill a hole through the world to China and emerge retaining enough force to entrance an entire city in the Gansu province.
note for bobo
There's some Test Department up on alt.binaries.sounds.lossless!
Relive your youth!
10.02.2005
The Million Dollar Homepage
neat.
I get ideas like this all the time, cool notions tha would probably turn a buck.
I simply lack the "follow through" gene.
I'm impressed by people who can come up with fun ideas and actually make them happen...
I get ideas like this all the time, cool notions tha would probably turn a buck.
I simply lack the "follow through" gene.
I'm impressed by people who can come up with fun ideas and actually make them happen...
10.01.2005
Daddy Wants.
The Official Predicta Television Site!
I'm not a retro nut like some folks, but these are damn snazzy.
I'm partial to the Holiday....Bobo digs the Chalet.
I'm not a retro nut like some folks, but these are damn snazzy.
I'm partial to the Holiday....Bobo digs the Chalet.
Operation Bold Decisive Operation
Scroll down a bit.
My favorites:
Operation Tombstone Pile Driver
(sounds like a white-trash blues song)
Operation Grizzly Forced Entry
(who's making this porn film?)
Operation Phantom Fury
(so the fury is immaterial?)
They should hire a liberal arts major to think up good operation names for them....
My favorites:
Operation Tombstone Pile Driver
(sounds like a white-trash blues song)
Operation Grizzly Forced Entry
(who's making this porn film?)
Operation Phantom Fury
(so the fury is immaterial?)
They should hire a liberal arts major to think up good operation names for them....
Bomb the mosques!
Hah.
From Bush declaring our "crusade" in the Middle East to this...the cultural myopia and tone-deafness of the military industrial complex is beyond belief.
Boeing and its joint-venture partner Bell Helicopter apologized yesterday for a magazine ad published a month ago — and again this week by mistake — depicting U.S. Special Forces troops rappelling from an Osprey aircraft onto the roof of a mosque.
"It descends from the heavens. Ironically it unleashes hell," reads the ad, which ran this week in the National Journal and earlier in the Armed Forces Journal. The ad also stated: "Consider it a gift from above."
From Bush declaring our "crusade" in the Middle East to this...the cultural myopia and tone-deafness of the military industrial complex is beyond belief.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)