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No more home computer!

The cooling system has failed. Or so it tells me.

It is sad how dependent I am on that computer for entertainment.

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You're a Gryffinclaw!: You are a determined and
intelligent person who is used to getting your
own way all the time. You are very passionate
about your beliefs and will defend them until
your last breath. Often Griffenclaws work as
lawyers or activists because they have feel so
strongly about a certain subject. You feel that
knowledge is to be used in a practical way and
you often have a very low tolerance for people
you consider of low intelligence. Although you
aren't a social butterfly, you don't have
trouble making fiends, people are usually drawn
to you. Your weakness is that sometimes you can
be insensitive, you're too busy being witty
that you don't realize that you're hurting
peoples' feelings, often your friends. With the
wit of a Ravenclaw and the passion of a
Gryffindor you can face all your battles in
life head on!

Which Mix of the Hogwarts Houses are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

take a look at me now

great, I am obsessed with these blog chain things now.

7 things I plan to do before I die:

1. Live in Madrid.
2. Publish a book.
3. Develop a cult following.
4. Wear a size 00 to see what it feels like.
5. Help create an underground revolution.
6. See my gay friends marry legally.
7. Perform with an improv troupe.

7 things I can do:
1. Hold a good pity party.
2. Play the bass guitar (kind of).
3. Knit.
4. Read quickly.
5. Find other people's mistakes.
6. Explain anything I'm thinking and feeling, as long as it's written rather than spoken.
7. Rebel.

7 things I cannot do:
1. Sleep straight through the night.
2. Play sports or ride a bike.
3. Sing.
4. Live with my parents.
5. Have children.
6. Compromise my principles.
7. Understand why people are such morons.

7 things that attract me to another person:
1. Humor
2. Cynicism
3. Appreciation for pop culture.
4. Original taste in music.
5. Intelligence (book and street smarts)
6. progressive political views
7. arm hair (don't ask)

7 things I say most often:
1. WHAT?
2. I'm going to kill myself.
3. I'm bored with the conversation.
4. Whatevs.
5. Don't even get me started.
6. Look at this picture of a hot celebrity.
7. That was a really interesting story.

Now your turn! Post yours in the comments, or on your blog and leave a link here. I am sure I will see my usual readers, but Kevin, Brian, Mario, Justin…I know you lurk here, so I want to hear from you too.

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This has kept me entertained for hours, and is now the desktop on my computer. Word has it there are at least 50 band names represented here.

So far I have:
Smashing Pumpkins
Alice in Chains
Garbage
Scissor Sisters
Guns and Roses
Whitesnake
The Eagles
White Zombie
Led Zepplin
Rolling Stones
Spoon
The Eagles

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Brenda reinvents the irritating art of chain letters in blog form:

If your blog is listed below, here's what you have to do:

1. Go into your archives.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
5. Tag five other people to do the same thing.

My sentence is:

It's still my cell, but I am trying to make someone think that I changed my number.

I believe I was explaining why I had a the computerized voicemail on my cell phone. That was back when I actually used a cell phone. I believe someone kept calling me (perhaps of the male persuasion) that I so maturely wanted a way to not talk to him anymore, so I pretended it wasn't my number anymore. Shit, I should write for Cosmo.

I don't even think I know 5 people who have blogs, but here are my 5:
Erin
Laila
Andrew
Onnie
Brandon

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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) — Stan Berenstain, who with his wife created the popular children's books about the Berenstain Bears, has died.

He was 82 and lived in Bucks County. He died in Pennsylvania on Saturday, said Audra Boltion, a spokeswoman for HarperCollins Children's Books in New York.

In more than 200 books, the Berenstain Bears, written and illustrated by Stan and Jan Berenstain, helped children for 40 years cope with trips to the dentist, eating junk food and cleaning their messy rooms.

The first Berenstain Bears book, "The Great Honey Hunt," was published in 1962. The couple developed the series with children's author Theodor Geisel — better known as Dr. Seuss, then head of children's publishing at Random House — with the goal of teaching children to read while entertaining them.

Despite changes in society in the last four decades, little has changed in "Bears Country."

"Kids still tell fibs and they mess up their rooms and they still throw tantrums in the supermarket," Stan Berenstain told The Associated Press in 2002. "Nobody gets shot. No violence. There are problems, but they're the kind of typical family problems everyone goes through."

Stan and Jan Berenstain began drawing together when they met at Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art in 1941.

The two married soon after he got out of World War II-era Army service and began submitting cartoons to magazines. They became contributors to The Saturday Evening Post, McCalls and Collier's.

They got into the book business when an editor at a New York publishing house who enjoyed their magazine cartoons asked if they would like to do a book, according to their Web site.

Their sons Leo and Michael joined them, and many of the recent books are credited collectively to "The Berenstains."

The characters are the subject of their own public television program, DVDs and a Christmas musical.

Is it just me?

Pitchfork has a pretty accurate review of the new Darkness.

Unfortunately for Hawkins, there's still a very real possibility of him experiencing this Hell on Earth, despite the Darkness' surprising one-year slingshot from obscurity to worldwide fame. Even with millions of albums sold, the cynical legions still question the seriousness of the Darkness' intentions, often confusing the sense of humor apparent in the band's songs and videos with insincerity and winking satire. But all the discussion of falsettos and leotards misses the obvious: If the Darkness were anything less than completely honest devotees of the large-scale rock they're determined to resurrect, their music wouldn't be so successful or so unconditionally welcomed by the Pyromania tour-shirt-wearers that pack their live shows.

And it shits all over Panic!At the Disco, deservedly so.

It's sad that this is what emo has become. The genre's always had some irritating characteristics, but this newest batch of heartbroken heartthrobs has managed to build their careers solely out of those characteristics. The whining, the emotionally exposed lyrics, and the passionate choruses are there, but there's no sincerity, creativity, or originality.

omfg

What's cuter than the new baby panda?

boner stabone

No one told me my brother had a dvd coming out!

Erin is brilliant

I'm stealing this quote from Hammers' blog.

'Isn't man an amazing animal? He kills wildlife – birds, kangaroos, deer, all kinds of cats, coyotes, beavers, groundhogs, mice, foxed, and dingoes – by the million in order to protect his domestic animals and their feed. Then he kills domestic animals by the billion and eats them. This in turn kills man by the million, because eating all those animals leads to degenerative – and fatal – health conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer. So then man tortures and kills millions more animals to look for cures for these diseases. Elsewhere, millions of other human beings are being killed by hunger and malnutrition because food they could eat is being used to fatten domestic animals. Meanwhile, some people are dying of sad laughter at the absurdity of man, who kills so easily and so violently, and once a year sends out cards praying for "Peace on Earth".'

preface from Old MacDonald's Factory Farm by C. David Coats

Right now I am theoretically vegan. Meaning I do it in theory and not in practice. My one year goal is to go vegan in the summer of 2007.

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Pride & Prejudice was fantastic. Who is this Jane Austen and why is she such a good screenwriter?

I try to imagine myself living in that time period. The outfits look comfortable- kind of nightgown-esque. I'd probably be the town gossip. Either that or I would be dragged out on the street and shot.

525,600 minutes

Back to work after the holiday weekend. I fucking forgot how to do my job. I am sitting here staring at my computer screen. I almost forgot how to retrieve my voicemail. No joke. For the first time ever, I have zero meetings scheduled for today. I can catch up on stuff, like maybe actually balancing my budget. I have a budget of 20 grand that I take care of, and up until now, I haven’t been recording anything that was spent. I’m awesome.

Enought work talk. Yesterday I saw Rent. Oy vey. For a movie adaptation, it was hellacious. I am sore from cringing and clenching through the whole thing. Chris Columbus can’t direct for shit- he just films exact interpretations of the script (i.e. the first two Harry Potter films).

-Rosario Dawson- awful. Gross. And can they get her a better looking weave?
-Roger looks rough. It was funny to see a guy who looks about 40+ playing a young bohemian.
-wtf was with “What You Own”? Was is a fucking Creed video?
-It is funny to see the East Village protrayed as a poor, run down place. Now it is filled with yuppies with 8,000/month rent
-Ugly set. Didn’t look like New York- but props for putting Mars Bar on the street. But HELLO, IT’S NOT ON AVENUE A.
-Ok, I’ll admit, I did get a bit teary during “Will I”, one of my favorite songs.
-Here’s a secret: I knew every word to every song.

Woman who dumped kittens sentenced to night in woods

Associated Press
Nov. 23, 2005 12:15 PM

PAINESVILLE, Ohio – Snow and temperatures in the 20s are expected Wednesday night when a northeast Ohio woman begins a 15-day jail sentence by spending a night in the woods.

A judge in Painesville came up with the unusual punishment for Michelle Murray. The 25-year-old pleaded guilty last month to charges that she abandoned 35 kittens in two Lake County Metroparks. The animals were recovered but many had upper respiratory infections, and nine died.

Judge Michael Cicconetti said he wanted Murray to feel what the kittens experienced.

She will have no food or shelter but will have water and a way to communicate with Metroparks rangers in case of and emergency.

Vt. Teacher Accused of Anti-Bush Quiz

BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A high school teacher is facing questions from administrators after giving a vocabulary quiz that included digs at President Bush and the extreme right.

Bret Chenkin, a social studies and English teacher at Mount Anthony Union High School, said he gave the quiz to his students several months ago. The quiz asked students to pick the proper words to complete sentences.

One example: "I wish Bush would be (coherent, eschewed) for once during a speech, but there are theories that his everyday diction charms the below-average mind, hence insuring him Republican votes." "Coherent" is the right answer.

Principal Sue Maguire said she hoped to speak to whomever complained about the quiz and any students who might be concerned. She said she also would talk with Chenkin. School Superintendent Wesley Knapp said he was taking the situation seriously.

Advertisement

"It's absolutely unacceptable," Knapp said. "They (teachers) don't have a license to hold forth on a particular standpoint."

Chenkin, 36, a teacher for seven years, said he isn't shy about sharing his liberal views with students as a way of prompting debate, but said the quizzes are being taken out of context.

"The kids know it's hyperbolic, so-to-speak," he said. "They know it's tongue in cheek." But he said he would change his teaching methods if some are concerned.

"I'll put in both sides," he said. "Especially if it's going to cause a lot of grief."

The school is in Bennington, a community of about 16,500 in the southwest corner of the state.

weclome to my workday

Hey, here is some residential life humor (yes, there exists such a genre of humor). A colleague sent me this, and it illustrates the joy of working with parents:

Hello! You have reached our parents automated answering service. In order to assit you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all options before making a selection:

To complain about what we do/don’t do (or what your child says we do/don’t do), Press 1

To cuss out staff members and to remind us that your husband, father, mother, uncle, neighbor, neighbor’s friend, etc. graduated from our school and has power at our school, Press 2

To ask why your child didn’t get needed information that was already distributed to them via multiple fliers, emails, newsletters, etc. Press 3

If you want to reach out and touch, slap, or hit someone Press 4

To insist that your child’s roommate is crazy and needs to be moved out of the room, Press 5

To insist that your child’s roommate is a slob and that housekeepers (not your child or his/her roommate) must clean up their room, Press 6

To lie for your child about why they need some sort of absurd request (ie. “My child has a rare sleep disorder that requires they not have a roommate.”) Press 7

If you realize that this is the real world and that your child must be accountable/responsible for his/her own behavior, school work, roommate problems, judicial issues, etc., and that it’s not OUR fault that your child is lazy, unmotivated, unreasonable or is actually capable of doing wrong, hang up and have a nice day!

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Turns out Hollywood movies are getting a tad more quality. Some upcoming movies that I actually may pay 9 bucks to see.

Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest. Dumb name, pretty cool trailer.

Memoirs of a Geisha. Although it is already getting bad reviews.

M. Night Shamalyan has a new movie, Lady in the Water. He may be getting just a tad too full of himself, in the way Wes Anderson has:
In "Lady in the Water," a story originally conceived by Shyamalan for his children, a modest building manager named Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) rescues a mysterious young woman (Bryce Dallas Howard) from danger and discovers she is actually a narf, a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the treacherous journey from our world back to hers. Cleveland and his fellow tenants start to realize that they are also characters in this bedtime story. As Cleveland falls deeper and deeper in love with the woman, he works together with the tenants to protect his new fragile friend from the deadly creatures that reside in this fable and are determined to prevent her from returning home.
I can't stop thinking of "I am the Lady of the Lake" or "I'm emerrrrrrging for you, Blaine" from the Upright Citizens Brigade. Second of all Paul Giamatti sucks and graduated from the school of overacting. However, the plot is intriguing. We shall see.

Oh, on another note, I just got a copy of Jenny Lewis' solo album. I'll let you know how it is.

just watched

Rize, directed by David LaChappelle. Love, love, love him. He has done some of the best photoshoots, videos and album covers.

The movie was mediocre, but the filming of the dance sequences were incredible.

Edit: now you too can learn to Krump! I think I would hurt myself in the first .25 seconds.

You’re on the edge…I AM the edge.

Aeon Flux- Music from the Animated Series

http://s62.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1SUP9MGO6JT9J1OVR6LGLR04HY

Brokeback Mountain Soundtrack. Mostly country-esque, with some stuff by Rufus Wainright (obvs, it’s a GAY movie…)

http://s62.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2LEHJF413BFD02EXRK5NJIXR6V

And, by request, a good lalbum from the Delgados (Universal Audio).

http://s62.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=08C9K9SG9MJ7928U2L9D6WGX9V

more randomness

Folks, I don't ever want to see you on here.
http://www.patheticpersonals.com/

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Random celebrity picture time.

I can give two shits about Brangelina, but apparently they are house hunting in DC. WTF? Do they need a place to say while Angelina lobbies the government for her causes? Is Brad interning at the 'Way? Can anyine identify where this is? I would assume Georgetown, but looks Dupontish.

Also, is it sad that the Harry Potter kids are becoming hipper than I will ever be?

Why is Katie Leung there? She had about 2.5 lines in the movie.

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Oh please please please lat me make it through today and into break. Although, Tgiving, when you think about it, is 2 days off. Nothing major. But I need those days so badly.

Last night was my last improv class. I am really glad I pushed myself to do it. It is a really good stress reliever. Turns out I am amazing at the question game- if you watch Who's Line Is It Anyway, you've seen this- where you have a conversation but you can only speak in questions. If you trip up, you're out. At least I have found one thing I am talented at. My classmate asked if I had asked a lot of questions as a child. Actually, I told her, I find myself debating and arguing with people a lot, which probably helps.

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My weekly tallies of most listened to artists:

1 Murder City Devils 78
2 Johnny Cash 64
3 Blondie Greatest Hits 59
4 Saturday Looks Good to Me 56
5 Gang of Four 49
6 Ash 46
6 Brand New 46
8 Blood On the Wall 45
9 We Are Scientists 42
10 Sean Paul 40

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I thought I was the only one who cared about this. Some scholarly journal has some academic essays on the films of Whit Stillman (aka genius).

santa is black

I didn't know if anyone of you knew this, but I am not a fan of holidates. Thanks to Snopes, I feel a little less hostile towards some of these corporate monoliths.

BOYCOTT LAUNCHED

A woman who recently complained to Wal-Mart that the store was replacing "Merry Christmas" with "Happy Holidays" received an e-mail response from Customer Service. It appears below in its exact form:

Walmart is a world wide organization and must remain conscious of this. The majority of the world still has different practices other than "christmas" which is an ancient tradition that has its roots in Siberian shamanism. The colors associated with "christmas" red and white are actually a representation of the aminita mascera mushroom. Santa is also borrowed from the Caucuses, mistletoe from the Celts, yule log from the Goths, the time from the Visigoth and the tree from the worship of Baal. It is a wide wide world.

To which Catholic League president Bill Donohue says: "This statement was signed by someone called Kirby. When I read it, I thought he might be drunk. But I was wrong. We sent Kirby's response to Wal-Mart headquarters only to find that Dan Fogleman, Senior Manager, Public Relations, agrees. After acknowledging that he read Kirby's response, Fogleman said, in part, the following:

"As a retailer, we recognize some of our customers may be shopping for Chanukah or Kwanza gifts during this time of year and we certainly want these customers in our stores and to feel welcome, just as we do those buying for Christmas. As an employer, we recognize the significance of the Christmas holiday among our family of associates and close our stores in observance, the only day during the year that we are closed."

Bill Donohue says: "It's nice to know that Wal-Mart is closed on a federal holiday. Now here is why I am asking the leaders of 126 religious organizations that span seven religious communities to boycott Wal-Mart. Go to its website and search for Hanukkah and up come 200 items. Click on Kwanzaa and up come 77. Click on Christmas, and here's what you get: We've brought you to our "Holiday" page based on your search. In other words, Wal-Mart is practicing discrimination. Contact Fogleman at xxxxx@wal-mart.com.

Yes, I see your point. Yes, we're even. I think for me, the Holocaust might as well not have happened because I have the ability to shop for Chanukka merchandise at Wal-mart.

The American Family Association is all up in Target's shit:

Follow the link below to add your name to this important issue.
Go to http://www.afa.net/petitions/signpetition.asp?id=1470 to sign.

Target Stores have decided to ban the words "Merry Christmas" in their stores starting this holiday season. Please sign this petition, which is about this important issue. The American Family Association is calling for a national boycott of Target Stores on the day after Thanksgiving (the busiest shopping day of the year), please join in…do not shop at Target! Let's get the message across that you cannot take Christ out of Christmas, even if you are trying to hide the very words Merry Christmas!

feminism is dead

Holy shit guys, how can tv producers do this with a straight face?

TWENTY-FIVE BEAUTIFUL BACHELORETTES WILL BE PAGING NEW BACHELOR DOCTOR TRAVIS STORK — STAT — AS HE ROMANCES THEM IN PARIS, WHEN THE BACHELOR RETURNS TO ABC ON JANUARY 9, 2006

Vanderbilt Medical Center's Own "Dr. McDreamy" Will Star in the Popular Romance Reality Series, Which Will Be Set — for the First Time Ever — Outside the United States, In the Most Romantic City in the World

Travis Stork, a handsome 33-year-old ER doctor who is completing his residency at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, has been selected to star in the eighth edition of The Bachelor, when ABC's popular romance reality series returns to the network on MONDAY, JANUARY 9 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET). For the first time ever the series will be set outside the United States in the most romantic city in the world – Paris!

The hunky 6'4" doctor is a favorite with all the nurses at Vanderbilt. However, the Ft. Collins, Colorado native, who has a traditional Midwest upbringing, yearns to have the type of relationship that he has seen played out during his parents' 37-year-long romance. Travis considers himself a simple guy with simple pleasures, which he thinks accounts for his being a happy person. When he has time to take off, he's is a huge outdoors enthusiast. A real devotee of mountain and road biking, he also enjoys kayaking and hiking.

Thank you for giving everything I believe in a slap in the face. Of course I have to watch this train wreck. Call it "opposition research". I find it hilarious to see how long it takes for these blubbering 30somethings in halter tops to claim "they felt a connection" and that they are in love with him.

Oh, how great is it that they assumed all the nurses at the hospital are female? Wait, maybe they aren't. Then again, I don't ever want to see another season of Boy Meets Boy.

tunes!

Alright, I am feeling especially generous and am going to share lots of stuff. I've decided not to overwhelm so I've posted individual tracks.
Here are the best tracks from letters to Cleo, one of the most overlooked "pop" groups of the 90s. Guaranteed to make you dance around the room.

http://tinyurl.com/9v69e

Speaking of the 90s, Matthew Sweet was a big part of that for me. "Sick of Myself" brings me back to high school, unfort. it makes me think of someone I had a crush on. Not that I can even remember the kid's name.

http://tinyurl.com/9k86q

Ok, so even though I claim to be over it, I am totally going to see Rent when it opens on Wednesday. Here are some tracks from the soundtrack. Topic: Rosario Dawson can't sing for shit. Discuss.

http://tinyurl.com/dqrt6

Finally, here is about half of the new Strokes album, that will be out in January.

http://tinyurl.com/8dxrl

And to fill a request, here is the new album from Deerhoof, the Runners Four.

http://tinyurl.com/8bn7k

jordan catalano can’t read

Here's an update on my oray into recent literature.

James Frey; My Friend Leonard

I see this as the sequel to A Million Tiny Pieces (I liked it BEFORE it was an Oprah book). It starts off right when he gets out of prison aftern his rehab stint (which the previous book was about). I'll give it away, but he goes to find Lilly in Chicago (the woman he met in rehab) and it turns out she killed herself. Now, that is sad and everything, but I am glad I didn't have to read about her and their relationship anymore. I founf the sick codependency very boring. Leonard, his mobster surrogate mobster shows up and gives him a job. I'm only a 4th of the way through and hell, this guy makes drug addiction and depression seem appealing. Is that wrong to say? I am enjoying it so far, but his writing style is like that of a 16 year old emo girl who listens to Bright Eyes. He'll write about a poignant moment like:
I was heartbroken.
I couldn't believe it.
Heartbroken.
He came to visit.
Him.
Heartbroken.
Heart.

wtf. A little known fact is that I actually had a short email correspondence relationship with James Frey. I get as starstruck with authors as I do skinny white guys in bands (i.e., Bret Easton Ellis, Elizabeth Wurtzel, Augusten Burroughs). I wrote to him because I actually wanted him to come speak at the school I work at. We talked about it for a little bit, because he had friends that go here and teach here. Finally, he ended one of his emails with "soooo….if you want to have me speak, please contact my agent." JAMES! I thought we had something going. I should try to dig those out of my outbox. That should be good for a laugh.

some tidbits of unimportantness

ps fyi, my new favorite podcast is Austin Exhaustion. Some guy in Austin talks about his life, his job, living in Austin, and basically anything. I may hunt him down when I move there.

I am pretty sure I am addicted to working out. I don't know if I enjoy the challenge, or if I enjoy the high that occurs when I work my body to absoulte exhaustion and pain. I am also pretty certain that the woman who plays Coach Wolf on Strangers With Candy works out in my gym. Probably not anymore, because I freaker her out by staring at her for the whole time trying to figure out if it was her.

I watched Party Monster: The Shockumentary over the weekend. I have no freaking idea why I am obsessed with Michael Alig and the Limelight. Of course, you all know of my undying love for James St. james ("Don't feed the drug child!!"). Again, it made me wish that the recent movie was better than it actually was. Although the soundtrack is fucking fantastic.

why do i find this hilarious

I stumbled across these two celebrity playlists on itunes:

Rupert Grint’s Playlist
Forgot About Dre – Dr. Dre, Eminem & Snoop Dogg
U Got It Bad – Usher
Fit But You Know It – The Streets
White Wedding, Pt. 1 – Billy Idol
Sucker Train Blues – Velvet Revolver
Common People – Pulp
Take Me Out – Franz Ferdinand
Minority – Green Day
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
I Am Not Your Broom – They Might Be Giants
Stand Up Tall – Dizzee Rascal

Daniel Radcliffe’s Playlist
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) – Arcade Fire
Hope There’s Someone – Antony & The Johnsons
Boredom (Live) – Buzzcocks
So Here We Are – Bloc Party
What I’m Looking For – Brendan Benson
Carrion – British Sea Power
Man Ray – The Futureheads
Life – Jeffrey Lewis
Music When the Lights Go Out – The Libertines
Me Ves y Sufrer – Hope of the States
Gouge Away – Pixies
Buddy Holly – Weezer

like omgz, Minority is my favorite Green Day song too, lol. Clearly Dan is the more hipster of the two. I wonder what Emma Watson likes? I’ll bet Sara McLaughlin and Jewel.

i’ll be at best buy on tuesday

Holy moley! Looks what comes out on dvd on Tuesday:

Aeon Flux: The Complete animated series.

my obligatory music snob babbling

I hate/love/hate again these kind of lists. Here is one for the top bands in America today. Sufjan Stevens? Um, no, unless they were just looking at a picture. This is the top bands that if you are trying to be a uber-hipster.

Holy Shnikes! I already got a copy of the Sounds’ new album. The Sounds are yet another one of my favorite indescribably awesome Swedish bands, lest we forget the Hives, Sahara Hotnights and the Caesars.

As usual, I am bad at desctribing their sound. I’ve heard them compared to Blondie, the Ramones, the Faint, and Flock of Seagulls. whatevs.

Here are some songs that I am currently obsessed with, mostly old school (i.e. from the 90s):

All here for your perusal.

“Sick of Myself”- old school Matthew Sweet. Pop rock at its finest.
“Am I Wrong”- a cover by Brand New. This song never fails to kick ass.
“Surrender”- Cheap Trick. I’ve only begun to appreciate them as an influential band.
“Pizza Cutter” – Letters to Cleo. How fucking awesome is this band, I never appreciated them when they were actually making music.
“Polyester Bride”- Liz Phair. This is sooooooo junior year of college.

And also:

Singer-songwriter, Neko Case has finished recording her first studio solo album since 2002. Fox Confessor Brings The Flood is scheduled to come out March 7 on Anti- Records.

A variety of musicians will contribute on the new LP — Garth Hudson of The Band, Kelly Hogan, The Sadies, Howe Gelb of Giant Sand and Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico.

This album will be Case’s first studio work since 2002’s Blacklisted. She released a live album, The Tigers Have Spoken, last year. She plans to tour the new album in North America early next year.

Case has been touring with The New Pornographers and when she gets back from playing a couple dates with them in the U.K. she’ll play a couple of solo shows in the U.S.

Some other bands that I recommend:

• The Soviettes. “danceable punk tunes that are reminiscent of the early 90’s Gilman St. scene but with a gritty edge.”
• The Like- I’ve heard comparisons to the Sundays, the Pixies, and The Killers.
• The Cribs- another Britpop “it” band. What the Kaiser Chiefs and Razorlight should sound like.
• babyshambles- the band formed by Pete Doherty, the drug addict who was kicked out of the Libertines and who is dating fellow bloe-snorter Kate Moss. I was prepared to hate them, but it is hard to.

come on pilgrim

Welcome to the Thanksgiving edition pot, in honor of my second least favorite holiday. Why do I like dislike Thanksgiving? That’s a long rant I don’t have the time for right now. But here are some supporting suppliments:

Read about the real first Thankgiving. (via Brandon)

A pro-vegan Tgiving ad featuring uberhotvegan Joaquin Phoenix. (via Erin)

How effing cute are Fall Out Boy? I no longer can hide the fact that I lurve them.

The whole article is here.

wanna spoon?

Well, after more than a year of waiting, taking vacation days from work, and numerous blog posts, I finally saw the 4th Harry Potter movie. And, as expected, I feel let down.

How anticlimactic.

The next stuff can be considered spoilers, but not really, because if you’ve read the book, it’sno biggie. Anyway, some more thoughts:

• Generally, this movie seemed like the cliff’s notes of the book. I understand they need to edit for time, and there are major action-packed events in this book, but they cut out a lot of the interaction scenes between the trio, which really add to the reasons why harry is nervous about each event. I guess that is just me, who enjoys the soap-opera-y aspect of the books.
• The Yule Ball was done well. The Weird Sisters? Fantastic idea.
• I never realized what a weak character Fleur is. Why did Rowling do that? Would it hurt for the female contestant to have a little more stregth and dignity? I think she comes in last in every tournament.
• Second task in the lake: done niceley. Excepot for the fact that Ron, Hermione, Cho, and Gabrielle were obviously prosthetic dummies floating in the water. Creepy. And hello, everyone knows Doby gives harry the gillyweed….but that leads into…
• No SPEW! This was one of my favorite parts of the book, it was actually the most humorous and actually shoes depth to the wizarding world about the class system and politics within it.
• This is the first HP movie to be PG-13, and the makers went to town on this one. I mean, there was death and gore, but sexual remarks galore. I myself am going to have nightmares about Voldemort as a slimy little fetus-like worm thing.
• The graveyard scene was stellar. Death Eaters = KKK?
• I never realized Beuxbatons was a girls’ sch0ol and Durmstrag was a boys school. I guess Hogwarts is really progressive. But still no gender-neutral housing.
• The kids in the movie are surpisingly attractive. I feel so dirty for mentioning that.
• The screenwriters basically wasted the three other triwizrd contestants. I think Viktor had all of two lines, and Fleur just cried, kissed people, and looked scared.
• The graveyard scene was choice! Dies anyone else think Ginny Weasley looks like Harry’s dead mom? Hmmm, how Oedipal…
• The Weasley twins really did a good job in this one. They were basically main characters- they had better step up their shit for the fifth movie.
• The worls cup was toooooo short. There was also a lot of significant storyline in this that becomes important later, so why cut it out? Plus, I missed seeing some of the little quirks and magic for all the countries and teams. Remember the leprachauns making a formation of the middle finger? Also, I wanted to see the Viktor Krum action figure. Oh and a little important detail that Fleur was actually a VEELA? Sigh.

Here are the songs by “The Weird Sisters” as performed and written by Jarvis Cocker of the band Pulp. Not bad. These Hogwarts kids are rather indie.
http://www.easy-sharing.com/100885/22 Do The Hippogriff.mp3.html
http://www.easy-sharing.com/100889/23 This Is The Night.mp3.html
http://www.easy-sharing.com/100894/24 Magic Works.mp3.html

Goblet of Woot

As you read this I am probably on my way to the midnight showing of Goblet of Fire. it is so weird to me that the day has actually arrived after talking about it. I think 5 minutes after meeting Brandon and put this day on both our Meeting Software at work.

Harry Potter openings have become benchmarks. I remember each movie and who I went with and what the circumstances were.

• Sorcerer’s Stone: November 2001: Went with the PFAW gang, and ended up driving like a maniac to suburban maryland to make it on time. This was the night before our first band performance and I had to keep myself from having the dry heaves.
• Chamber of Secrets: November 2002: Went with my Mom after escaping to my family on Long Island after what was probably the worst 3 months of my life in Brooklyn and NYU.
• Prisoner of Az: June 2004: Went to see it in Union Square with John and Tim right after I moved to Fort Greene for the summer. Beginning of a crazy summer and right after I accepted my job offer her. How could I forgot that infamous quote, “He’s there on scholarship.”

Thanks for the memories!

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Today's stuff I want to share is taking a little risk. They are DC bands with a specific DC sound. Perhaps it is an acquired taste. But I promise you, they will change your life.

The Most Secret Method- Get Lovely ~~~~~~~~

The Most Secret Method of Washington DC play punk in a style that is DC to the core. If you listen to any other punk/indie band from any other scene, you realize that none of it sounds like anything coming out of DC. "Get Lovely" serves as a perfect continuation of the sound now that Jawbox, Smart Went Crazy, and Hoover have all broken up. The record starts of on a high note, with "Suitland Highschool Theme", with singer/guitarist stating "I am quickly becoming the worlds best… um". It doesn't stop there, "Bronze", with its quiet, driving verses and completly bombast choruses is another great song. Other songs, like "Saints", and "Poor Maryland" are slow, driving songs that never fail. This record will prove to be hard to find, however, it is a really great record, and is really worth looking for. Unfortunately, they are now defunct.

Q and Not U- No Kill No Beep Beep ~~~~~~~~

Quirk-ass posturing matched with infectious D.C. backbeat and overly catchy singsong/shoutfests comes together as one of the best aggressive indie pop albums to see the light of day in many years. Q & Not U offer a take on the classic D.C. sound by bending its rules a bit, making things more infectious and fun to listen to than the Dischord world is used to. Their minor melodies and to-the-throat rhythmic drive, matched with an aesthetic sense that offers no cliché, offer more replay value than many of this band's peers, such as the other 2000-era Dischord addition, Faraquet. Shows are know to turn to dance parties in quite a hurry. Buy this for the enjoyment of technical spazz pop that few can produce with such tact.

do the hyppogriff

Well, folks, tomorrow is Goblet of Fire day. I’ll be going to the Thursday midnight show and then again on Friday night. Notice I haven’t said much about it. I am trying to refrain from reading anything about it for the last few weeks. So it will kind of like being a virgin on wedding night. It is great to be able to look forward to something for so long. I know I am usually unhealthally obsessed with things, but something about Harry Potter stuff just makes me so happy. They’d better not fuck this one up.

public service announcement

I'm loaded. It's official. I'm the 470,036,765 richest person on earth! How rich are you? >>

yes professor

What's hotter than hot?

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Ex-Sub Pop Employee eBays Postal Service Gold Record

Kati Llewellyn reports:
Break open the piggy banks, snag your little sister's lemonade stand profits, or if worse comes to worse, unload that extra ounce of marijuana, because a Postal Service gold record could be yours to have and to hold.

The man giving up Give Up to the highest bidder is former Sub Pop publicist Jed Maheu, who claims in the item description that a soul-searching trip to foreign lands made him realize that "there are bigger things to life then [sic] money and so called 'Indie Cred.'" Like remembering the difference between "then" and "than"? Oh wait, forget it– that's not as important as the Scene.

Maheu continues, "I believe that as a man you should lead by example so for my first foray into 'world betterment' as I like to call it I have decided to start my own publicity and marketing company." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

The company, which boasts the sweet name Dudes PR, needs a financial push before it's up and running, so Maheu is hawking the RIAA-certified gold record Sub Pop awarded him for his help in selling 500,000 copies of Give Up. Through some strange mathematical formula, Maheu has determined that he contributed $6217.14 worth of Postal Service promotion, so that's the price he's aiming for. As of this story's writing, it's only up to $305.00, so he's got a long way to go.

Maheu's also throwing a burned Give Up CD into the deal, allegedly the very copy "brought to Sub Pop when we first decided to put out the record." Is that RIAA certified too?

Sub Pop assures us that this isn't a joke; the gold record is authentic, and Maheu is indeed starting his own PR firm. Something tells us that Dudes won't be representing any Sub Pop bands.

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Do music bloggers even make sense? I don't think so.

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David Cross + The Strokes = PERFECTION.
The new video for Juicebox.

Also interesting: Forbes list of most (in)efficient charities. Although Forbes is a dubious source.

It wasn’t not funny.

Cant. Stop. Posting.

Here are some tidbits that gave me a giggle today:

George Carlin: Cultural reference and phenomenons that are useless.

Saturday Night Live: Matt Foley gives his motivational speech in Spanish. "Shut your flan hole!"

David Cross: more rants on Bush.

All uploaded here.

build me up buttercup

I know by this time it may be irrelevant and untimely, but I wanted to report about the two conferences I attended last week. One was for undergraduate students who want to go into the professional field of residential life. It was nice to give back and help the little ones get where I am. The conference was good, and it was good to connect with colleagues in other schools who do what I do. However, I felt like the odd person out. I kept expressing how I couldn't wait to supervise profesisonal staff and not students. People looked at me in horror. "But I love my RA staff! I hang out with them all the time." Well, maybe that's the catch. Most people in my position hang out with their staff and make popcorn and watch movies with them all the time. I really don't want to do that. I love my staff and they are awesome people, but let's face it, they are 7-8 years younger than me and at a different point in life. Plus, i am their supervisor! There is a certain level of appropriateness that goes along with that. This confirms my point that many people go into this field to further mask their insecurities, by surrounding themselves with a fan club, and for those who are afraid to live their own adult lives. Oh well. Since when do I ever judge my own actions compared to others? I was on a panel and people were asking us what we think the best part of the job was and everyone was all, "I love to make a difference in people's lives", "I love to help people" blah blah blah. I said since I started working in residential life, I have never laughed so much, both WITH and AT sutdents. Everyone thought I was joking.

Then on to the next week, where Eric, Brandon and I presented on anti-racist education/white privlege/uprooting racism. Check out the pieces of ass I work with. Hands off, they're married. Not to each other.

Meanwhile, it was at the whitest town in America: Sturbrudge, MA. The presentatiin went well, but many people were a bit skeptismo of the project. It has really made me think about anti-racism vs. multiculturalism. I am getting very tired of the "let's all come together and share our cultures in one big melting pot." Bullshit. That doesn't solve anything. I feel like I am not doing this subject justice, because it is too complicated to even put into words here. Talking about the subject with Brandon and Eric while we put together the presentation has been helpful. My parents think I am a paranoid schizophrenic because when I was in the phone yesterday I was yelling that they better figure out how they are going to survive when the class riots come. Ironically, we gave the presentation at a conference where this was one of the silent auction items:

Other pictures I took of my lovely colleagues. I am trying to really make an effort to use my digital camera because I paid anough frigging much for it.

I am always excited to go to conferences, but then when I get there i am suddenly exhausted and feel like I am at a junior high dance. Everyone comes with their clique from their school and then doesn't talk to anyone else. So much for networking. So, of course, I acted really professional and pretended to hang myself on the coat rack.

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Stats for the week:

1 Madonna 43
2 Murder City Devils 30
3 Midtown 28
4 Green Day 23
5 Gang of Four 22
5 M.I.A. 22
7 Brand New 21
8 The Mars Volta 20
9 Ash 19
10 The Jesus and Mary Chain 18

let’s get physical

So it was my firt weekend ever as a certified gym member. I'll have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to go. It was a little redic. I think the people at the front desk are required to greet everyone by name as you walk in, and really loudly. They may as well, shouted, "FEELING FAT TODAY, HUH?". However, I did impress myself with being able to stay on the eliptical for more than 30 seconds without going into cardiac arrest. However, not ever going to a gym, I took a lot of things for granted that I guess is important: like wearing a supportive sports bra. One word: OUCH!

fake french

Is this a step forward for gender variance?

OH, YOU PRETTY THING!
By SARA STEWART

November 13, 2005 — IT'S hard to watch Cillian Murphy's new movie, "Breakfast on Pluto," without recalling Jaye Davidson in "The Crying Game."
Both actors play stunningly beautiful cross-dressers. Both films were shot by Irish director Neil Jordan. And both feature IRA-terrorist plot points and actor Stephen Rea.

But the parallels stop there. Davidson was an androgynous character in real life, too; he freaked people out on the red carpet at the 1993 Oscars, and was basically never heard from again.

Murphy, on the other hand, is a fairly regular guy … except for all that buzz about him being one of the hottest young actors working today.

In "Pluto," the 29-year-old Irishman plays Patrick "Kitten" Braden, an orphan with a penchant for lipstick and an unshakable sense of optimism.

The film follows Kitten as he embarks on a search for his long-lost mother and stumbles into one tumultuous situation after another – always emerging with his fluffy personal mantra intact: "Oh, serious, serious, serious!"

Over a box of chocolates in his hotel suite, Murphy tells The Post that he immersed himself in the character for what he considers the role of a lifetime.

"I hung out with transvestites and went out to some of the clubs," he says. "They were unbelievably kind and sweet and protective."

With his piercing blue eyes and chiseled cheekbones, it's not a stretch to imagine the actor getting pretty – but the star of "Batman Begins" and "Red Eye" says becoming Kitten gave him a new outlook on women's daily primping.

"I didn't particularly like having my eyebrows plucked," he admits, "but it was very nice to look beautiful all the time. I can understand why women get obsessed with it."

When shooting began, the director was stressed that Kitten wasn't going to be a "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" type of drag queen.

"I didn't want a camp extravaganza," Jordan says. "I didn't want 'La Cage aux Folles.' I wanted this to be a movie about a boy who managed to maintain his innocence."

The Denial Twist

The new White Stripes video is the absolute SHIT.

Be on the lookout for the new album from the Darkness. An mp3 included here,

It's been a while since I have posted some crap about Bill O'Reilly.

Also irrelevant:
An analysis of The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown show thing.

form erin

[and anyone else interested]

Dancehall music V2
http://www.quickdump.com/files/316290148.html

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From Pitchfork:

Sony Music Sued Over Anti-Piracy Software

Jonah Flicker and Amy Phillips
report:
In the slow and perhaps inevitable movement towards microchip implantation of the entire human race, Sony BMG Music just took the lead. According to the Washington Post, a class action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court November 1 alleges that the label's anti-piracy software, installed in several recently released CDs, is harmful to computers.

The suit claims that when a copy-protected CD is loaded onto a hard drive, it installs a hidden program known as a "rootkit," which not only keeps track of
the computer's activity, but depletes the drive's resources in the process. So
Sony is basically eating up your hard drive space while keeping track of all the
porn you watch, just because you actually spent money on a My Morning Jacket CD.

Thanks, guys. This is even better than getting the RIAA to sue us.

The rootkit also makes the computer more susceptible to viruses. Sony falsely states that its copy-protection software can be easily removed, when in reality, getting rid of a rootkit can be damaging.

Here's the crux of the suit, straight from the legal papers: "As a result of Sony's failure to disclose the true nature of the digital rights management (‘DRM') system it uses on its CDs, thousands of computer users have unknowingly infected their
computers, and the computers of others, with this surreptitious rootkit. This
rootkit has been responsible for conflicts within computer systems, crashes of
systems, and other damage."

The suit, which accuses Sony of "fraud, false advertising, trespass, and violation of state and federal statues prohibiting malware, and unauthorized computer tampering," claims that the suspect software has been included on certain Sony BMG Music CDs since this spring. Albums to watch out for include Amerie's Touch, My Morning Jacket's Z, Kasabian's Kasabian, Neil Diamond's 12 Songs, Cassidy's I'm a Hustla, Kings of Leon's Aha Shake Heartbreak, and, appropriately, the Bad Plus' Suspicious Activity and the Coral's Invisible Invasion, among others.

In short: if you're about to load that new My Morning Jacket disc onto your hard drive, STOP. Sell the album back to the record store and buy something on Dischord

It's a good thing I still dowmload illegally. Since then, Sony has stopped manufacturing these cds. Andrew has more good info on this. Those sneaky fuckers. Can't they just accept the fact that music is no longer in the hands of the labels anymore?

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Basically, this is my dream job:

Legendary annual New York City-based music festival seeks department head to manage talent-related responsibilities including evaluating, coordinating, securing and scheduling talent for all showcase-related events at CMJ Music Marathon. Also includes oversight of the music submission process, venue/promoter communication/negotiation and department staff. Must have at least five years professional experience in A&R and booking. Must have excellent communication skills and be able to handle extreme high pressure. Please send resumes to jag@cmj.com. No calls please.

irony is a dead scene

Special Report: The Death Of Rosa Parks
'Now We Can Finally Put Civil Rights Behind Us'
November 9, 2005 | Issue 41•45

DETROIT—Nearly 50 years ago, Rosa Parks made history by refusing to give her seat to a white man on a segregated public bus in Montgomery, AL. This week, following the passing of the woman known as "the mother of the civil-rights movement," Americans from every walk of life—regardless of race, gender, or creed—can finally put the subject of racial equality behind them, once and for all.

"During today's service, America not only bade farewell to a seamstress from Alabama," President Bush said at a special GOP fundraiser Monday evening, "America buried the idea of civil rights itself."

Bush added: "Today, that long-ago chapter of American history is slammed tightly shut, never to be reopened."

Alabama State Senator Hank Erwin, one of the hundreds of emotional guests at Bush's $5,000-a-plate dinner, proposed a toast, saying, "If I may paraphrase the words of Dr. Martin Luther King… 'I am free at last, free at last—thank God almighty, I'm free at last to stop thinking about civil rights.'"

It is often difficult for young people to understand the segregated United States of the mid-20th century, when black citizens often lived in poverty, had substandard housing, were given poor-quality public educations, and were disenfranchised as voters. With the passing of Parks and the fight for racial equality that she symbolized, such subjects are now relics of a bygone era.

In honor of Parks, Congress agreed Monday to table all civil-rights bills currently under deliberation and turn instead to the passing of non-binding resolutions. Additionally, judges across the country are throwing out hundreds of outdated civil-rights cases clogging federal and state courts.

Organizations both private and public are doing their part to usher out the painful era during which Americans fought for racial justice.

The Smithsonian's National Museum Of American History announced Tuesday that they have canceled a December exhibition that would have been titled "The Stories They Were Told: Selma Remembers." The History Channel is also helping the nation to move on, with a weeklong series devoted to the Apache helicopter.

With racial inequality no longer part of the national dialogue, the NAACP is being urged to focus on new problems, such as breast cancer.

Michael Lomax, president of the United Negro College Fund, said, "Our organization is considering the proposal, put forth by our colleagues in Washington, that we devote our abilities and resources to saving the majestic Burmese tiger."

Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) spoke fondly Wednesday of the civil-rights era of yore.

"On behalf of the African-American community, I thank God we have lived to see the day in which civil rights for all Americans are no longer a concern," Lott said. "America needs to understand that the legacy of the civil-rights movement belongs to them, and they don't need to do anything to further it, because it has already been achieved."

sugar we’re going down

Here’s some foreshadowing to my life after I turn 30.

A Dog, 35 Cats Found in Smelly Pa. Home

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. (AP) – When neighbors complained about a strong ammonia-like smell coming from a house, officials expected to find a methamphetamine lab. Instead, a code enforcement officer found 35 cats and a dog.

“Everywhere you looked, you saw cats,” New Kensington code enforcement officer Rick Jacobus said.

The animals were found in the home’s rafters and air ducts; the carpets and floors had been soaked with animal urine, he said.

“Your eyes began to tear,” Jacobus said. “It was like someone opened a can of ammonia.”

Jacobus took police with him last week to inspect the rental house, about 20 miles up the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh, because officers told him the odor could signal a methamphetamine lab.

The three adult tenants were evicted and the Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau was contacted to check on the young boy who lived there.

The tenants were not cited and landlord Dean Rodriguez might not be either.

“If he acts in a responsible manner to clean it up, that’s all I care about,” Jacobus said.

An answering machine at a number listed in Rodriguez’s name was full.

The animals were taken to a local shelter that was struggling to find new homes for them.

A city ordinance allows up to four cats and two dogs per residence.

Pretty in Black

Your daily download from me:

The Raveonettes- Pretty in Black. More mellow than the first one, almost with a country feel. I didn't like it at first, but it is growing on me. Highlights include "Somewhere in Texas" and "Here Comes Mary." Get it while it's hot.

has it come to this

I am embarassed to be a young person. Hell, I am embarassed to be a part of the human race:

0867 Finding Love on Your Cell Phone: Three New Services Help You Check Out Prospective Lovers and Companions.
Skip directly to the full story.
By Hillary Rhodes The Associated Press

Published: Nov 11, 2005

Welcome to dating in the 21st century, where it's love at first sight … of his online profile.

A giddy feeling sweeps over you as you land on some cute guy's picture while scanning through countless singles putting themselves out there in the worldwide web. Maybe you send him a smile and start chatting online. Eventually you speak on the phone, and then perhaps even meet in person. He could be the one.

It would sound absurd to your grandmother, who probably met her husband the old-fashioned way: in person. But dating keeps getting more high-tech, constantly providing new ways to check out the options before you brave those first dreaded face-to-face exchanges over dinner or drinks.

In the end, you can't tell much from a picture or even an online profile. You can't possibly know if the cute 26-year-old lawyer from Brooklyn who drinks socially, doesn't smoke and enjoys jogging, cooking and watching movies has a severe odor problem. There's no way from to tell if seattleprincess607, who likes to bike, garden and play video games, also has a fetish for hitting on your friends. And yet we are still convinced that scanning the choices before heading out into the real world is a good idea – anything to help let us know what we might be getting into.

So for those on the cyberprowl, here are three startup companies promising new ways to find the love of your life, or at least somebody who will buy you an appletini.

Sixth Sense

Web site: www.sixsense.com

The point: To use your mobile phone to find people at any given time in your immediate vicinity who you might want to meet.

Hypothetical happily-ever-after scenario: You're having a crappy time at a bar, so you flip open your phone and scan the site for people in the 15- to 30-foot area around you, looking for love in all the wired places. Turns out somebody cool is sipping bourbon alone in the bar next door. You send him an invitation, he accepts, and the rest is history.

Why they say they're special: The application you download to your phone for Sixth Sense is very simple, using Bluetooth technology. All the heavy lifting is done by their server, so you don't have to.

asap's warning: It's a bit Star Trekkie.

Log on, and you could meet: poison6, eyedoc, ChemMajor, PaPerboy, BIKERBOY600, JeepGirl99, cakenugget, stonesfan425, oceaneyes702 or sweetjohnB.

Zogo

Web site: www.zogo.com

The point: To find people in your proximity using your mobile phone as with Sixth Sense, but talk to them on the phone anonymously before you decide to meet up.

Hypothetical happily-ever-after scenario: You pop into your favorite pizza place for a bite, but you're kind of lonely. There must be a lovely woman nearby who's also hungry, and happens to share some of your interests. After scanning the options in your phone, you make an anonymous call to somebody in your zip code. You hit it off on the phone and next thing you know, you're falling in love over deep dish.

Why they say they're special: Zogo cuts straight to the chase, making it easy to have an anonymous phone conversation without having to give out your number. That can tell you a lot about your chemistry or lack thereof before you waste time going on a date.

asap's warning: Hang up if the person on the other line says, "I'll gut you like a fish."

Log on, and you could meet: love-potion-no9, flirtini, interestingfella, orange-gurl, buddha, astroboy2999, welshwonder, strawberry, monkeyking or doctormauri73.

AirTroductions

Web site: www.airtroductions.com

The point: To pick a seat mate who interests you from among the registered people on your flight.

Hypothetical happily-ever-after scenario: You're headed out the door for yet another business trip, bracing yourself for having to sit next to some overweight snorer who falls asleep on your shoulder. But fortunately you see online that a hottie on your flight also loves to do crosswords on the plane. You chat and decide to meet at the gate, where you exchange a good vibe, and change your seats to be in the same row. It turns out to be the first time you wish the flight from L.A. to New York were longer.

Why they say they're special: It gives you control over something that would otherwise be luck of the draw.

asap's warning: Smooth takeoffs don't always mean there won't be turbulence during the ride, even for mile-high club members.

Log on, and you could meet: FrequentFlyerBarbie, JohnnyJet, Flimflamflamingo, harley60, Kewpiedoll, WingedOne, luckyluke or minstrelette.

jane austen meets francine pascal

So I finally got to see a movie I have waiting to see for ages, Bride and Prejudice.

So, the deal is, it is a remake of Pride and Prejudice, set in modern-day India. The other catch is that it is supposed to be an homage to Bollywood films, made in an American movie studio. Now, I know a little bit about Bollywood films (I did NOT learn it from Bombay Dreams)and I know the plots are supposed to be simple and follow a formula, but this waws ridiculous. I think the screenplay was based in the young adult novel I wrote when I was 13. It's like someone had millions of dollars to make this movie but the night before someone scribbled the script and plot on a napkin while watching One Tree Hill. Anyway, some of the dance/music sequences were awesome, others were downright cheesy. I hate when an idea for a movie can be so awesome but the makers fuck up the chance for it to be. This could have been the new Moulin Rouge.

 

Speaking of movies that could have been fricking sweet, here is the soundtrack to Party Monster. I am still trying to convince myself that I like that movie. I loved the book, and James St. james (played bny Seth Green in the movie) is probably my idol. Anyway, the soundtrack is stellar.

http://www.filehd.com/download.php?get=707811557

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So I was being a drama queen and the computer situation has been fixed. It was the power adapter. Great story, huh?

Anyway this is amazing. You have to register. Enter a song or artist you like and it will give a playlist related to it. I just passed out.

http://www.pandora.com/

Oh, and just for kicks…I found a link to the funniest!skit!ever! on SNL.

Wow, there are a lot of freaky discoveries that come from watching all six Star Wars movies at once. Like the realization that you will die alone.

apocalypse now

My home computer has died completely. This is after I replaced the hard drive just a year ago. Fuck Toshiba computers. It is really sad the amount of panic in my throat at the thought of not having internet in my house. Thank GOD I just bought an external hard drive for my music. Anyone have recs on laptops? No macs, plz. Your thoughts and encouragements are needed in this time of extreme crisis.

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green puppy!

time won’t make things better

Oh, how I love Radar magazine. In honor of Brokeback Mountain and Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, Radar Online ranks the best guy-on-guy onscreen kisses.

And….

Green Day to make American Idiot movie
US punk band Green Day are making a rock opera style movie based on their smash hit album American Idiot.

The band have met producers and directors and plan to start filming next year.

The film will include plenty of references to their anti-George Bush themes from their massively successful seventh album. According to reports, the band are also planning to bring in mates Benji and Joel Madden from the band Good Charlotte to star in the film.
They’re hoping it’ll mirror the success of The Who’s Tommy album and Quadrophrenia film.

The guys have sensibly decided not to appear on screen, avoiding a possible Spice Girls style mauling from critics.

Also, wheeee! Look what I got: The Misfits Box Set.

a decade under the influence

Apparently the Arcade Fire set up shop right in Union Square and started playing. Le snore.

Some tidbits about the Transformers movie. You’ve got the touch….

Pitchfork shits all over the new Matt Pond PA record and the live Mars Volta.

Ok, ok. so now I’ll get to what you came for. Remix albums are huge these days, and I am not sure why. Thw last remix album I bought was the No More Games Remix album. Anyway, these are pretty hot right now.

Bloc party- Silent Alarm remixes. The original was my favorite album of the year, so one would think I would like this. However, I think the original is way better, so why ruin a good thing? Here it is though.

Death From Above 1979 put out another amazing release, but now it is remixed by several “notables” including Josh Homme (do the curtains match the drapes?), and Sammy Danger. Again, this album is not necessary; the original is better. But here it is anyway.

Finally, a remix album worth having- M.I.A. and this DJ guy Diplo remixed a lot of the tracks from Arular to make the labum Piracy Funds Terrorism. Which is an ironic title, I guess, because most of the songs sample some notable pop/R&B stuff. Love it!

In case you forgot, I also posted the new Madonna album.

To do this week:
See Jarhead.

my wishlist

So many of you may think I own every album ever released. This is sadly not the case. Here is a list of albums I am always on the lookout for. Maybe for some reason you own them, or know someone who does. If so, I would love to get a copy…

Jawbreaker- Dear You
Queer as Folk- Club Babylon
Eyeliners- No Apologies
Calla- Scavengers
Bis- Music for a Stranger World
Sunny Day Real Estate- Sunny Day Real Estate
Say Hi to Your Mom- Discosadness
Bollywood Dreams- Broadway Casst Recording
Detroit Cobras- Life, Love and Learning
Letters to Cleo- Sister
Quasi- Field Studies
Soledad Brothers- Live
Silkworm- Developer

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have you been listening to any good podcasts? let me know which ones.

let’s get physical

Ok, so I gathered up my balls today and went to sign up for a gym membership. It was the signing up that I was dreading. Of course, it was an overfiendly guy who walks with his arms three inches from his sides who gave me my "tour" while making small talk. All I wanted was to sign the damn contract and get my card to let me in the place so I could do my five minutes on the eliptical machine and get some of my dignity back. He kept asking questions about what I wanted to do and what I wanted out of my gym experience. It was like there was a big pink elephant in the room. I wanted to flail my arms around and cry "ARE YOU BLIND??" I am not trying to put myself down, but let's just be realistic here. I think it was obvious why I was there. Plus, I was out of breath for climbing the three stairs to the entrance. So, we'll see if I go enought times to get the most out of my 10 bucks a month.

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I think this was writte in response to my recent rants against Christmas (and holidays in general)

Some other important links:

Andrew has a blog, and it is good example of what I have been attempting to do with music on this blog. He is able to accurately descrive music, whereas I just say "omg, this album is good".

Subway art. I kinds sorta miss the subway.

The official Google Video Blog. I have a hard enough time keeping up woth Podcasts.

Speaking of, here's the blog for one of my favorite podcasts, Stuck in the 80s.

telepop music

Warning: lots of pop music ahead!

I've uploaded it here.
What do you think?

I am surprisingly liking the Veronicas. it's like what Ashlee Simpson dreams she can be
oh yea I've put it here.

Kind of like Avril Lavigne and Liz Phair meet Good Charlotte (because they are twins).

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picture of success

Things keeping me from suicide:

I just stumbled upon an old recording of Weezer's "December." I had forgotten about it when their steaming pile of crap album Make Believe came out. Listen you jerks.

I just got my grubby paws on the new Madonna album. I'll listen to it tonight and post it tomorrow. Any more requests for albums?

Um, this is a bit…alluring. Hermione, did someone but a tightening spell on those jeans?

Can't wait to see Walk the Line.

capitalism as entertainment

Poll; which one do you like better?

OR

Scroogey McScrooge

I am overwhelmed by an overwhelming case of…boredon. That's the only way I can describe my state during this time of year. Bored with work, bored with every conversation I have, bored with every song I hear, bored with every movie I see. I need the get the.fuck.out. of the northeast and leave the seasonal affective disorder behind.

Lucky for me, I have to present to 40 eager bright-eyed wannabe hall directors tomorrow.

Best albums of 2005

Here they are. The biggies. The ones that matter. My top releases of 2005. I also want to note that there were many new bands that I disovered in 2005, but have not released anything this year. I doubt anything better than these will come out in 2005. Soon I will add some commentary and I will be uploading these gradually so you can make sure you have them in your collection. It was a tough call, but not everyone can be on my best-of list. Better luck next year to all recording artists out there.

Top Tier:

BLOC PARTY Silent Alarm
CAESARS Paper Tigers
LADYTRON The Witching Hour
AT THE DRIVE-IN This Station is Non-Operational
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS Twin Cinema
MOMMY AND DADDY Duel At Dawn
GANG OF FOUR Return the Gift
FALL OUT BOY Under the Cork Tree
M.I.A. Arular
SAY HI TO YOUR MOM Ferocious Mopes
PLACEBO Once More With Feeling
ATHLETE Tourist
CALLA Collisions
STELLASTARR* Harmonies for the Haunted pass=bedroomstereo
…AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD Worlds Apart
ROYKSOPP The Understanding
SHOUT OUT LOUDS Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
ALKALINE TRIO Crimson
WE ARE SCIENTISTS With Love and Squalor
SONS AND DAUGHTERS The Repulsion Box

2nd Tier:

STATISTICS Often Lie
RAVEONETTES Pretty in Black
BLOOD ON THE WALL Awesomer
SATURDAY LOOKS GOOD TO ME Every Night
THE GO! TEAM Lightning, THunder, Strike
DETROIT COBRAS Baby
MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK Commit This to Memory
OUT HUD Let’s Never Speak of This Again

3rd Tier:

VHS OR BETA Night on Fire
Q AND NOT U Power
SPOON Gimme Fiction
MANDO DIAO Hurricane Bar
NADA SURF The Weight Is a Gift
SOCIAL DISTORTION Sex Love & Rock n Roll
ANTONY AND THE JOHNSONS I Am a Bird Now
MADONNA Confessions on the Dance Floor
FRANZ FERDINAND You Could Have It So Much Better

You will note that these are NOT on my list:
Arctic Monkeys
Spinto Band
Oasis
Metric
White Stripes
Dandy Warhols
Wolf Parade
Arcade Fire
Fiery Furnaces
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Weezer (don’t get me started)

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From Savage Love:

STRAIGHT RIGHTS UPDATE: There were two disturbing developments in the battle over straight rights last week. First, we know that Target fills its ads with dancing, multi-culti hipsters giving off a tolerant, urbanist vibe and runs hipster-heavy ad campaigns positioning Target as a slightly more expensive, more progressive alternative to Wal-Mart. Well, as John Aravosis revealed on Americablog.org last week, Target's politics are as red as their bulls-eye logo. The chain allows its pharmacists to refuse to dispense birth control and emergency contraception to female customers if the pharmacist objects on religious grounds. What's worse, the company claims that any of its employees have a right to discriminate against any of its customers provided the discrimination is motivated by an employee's religious beliefs. Read all about it at www.americablog.org and www.plannedparenthood.org.

Second, more troubling news from Tucson, Arizona, where a 20-year-old rape victim called dozens of pharmacies in town before she found one that stocked emergency contraception (EC). "When she finally did find a pharmacy with it, she said she was told the pharmacist on duty would not dispense it because of religious and moral objections," reported the Arizona Daily Star. Emergency contraception, the story continued, "prevents pregnancy by stopping ovulation, fertilization, or implantation of a fertilized egg. The sooner the emergency contraception is taken after intercourse, the more effective it is."

Don't just sit there, heteros. Defend your rights! Don't shop at Target, and write 'em and tell them why you're going elsewhere. (Go to Target.com and click on "contact us," then "Target Corporation.") As for Fry's Pharmacy in Tucson, the shop that wouldn't dispense EC to a freakin' rape victim, the fundamentalist pharmacist claims its her "right" not to do her fucking job. Well, you have a right to free speech. Call Fry's at 520-323-2695 and ask them why the fuck a pharmacy that won't dispense EC keeps the drug in stock. Do they do it just to torment rape victims? ("Oh yeah, we've got EC—but you can't have any. Don't you know that Jesus wants you to bear your rapist's child?") Rise up, straight people, and demand your rights!

suck it

So Erin started this whole thing by making a quiz about herself in all seriousness to see how well her friends knew her. Then Jenn followed, then laila, and then came one about the illustrious Mr. Martin-Mulkey.
So I made this one about PFAW. I am especially proud. Kevin, I think you will enjoy it.

tunes

Here are two British bands that I adore. If you son’t at least give these a try, you are ridiculous.

Placebo- Once More With Feeling
Greatest-hits packages or career retrospectives usually occur around the ten-year mark for most bands. After ten years together, eight of those spent on the U.K. charts, Placebo exhume their past with Once More With Feeling: Singles 1996-2004. This 19-song collection includes all of their biggest hits, most notably “Nancy Boy” and “Pure Morning.” It’s also a look back on Placebo’s conscious effort to maintain a campy, glam rock-influenced rock sound. Placebo achieved great success in their native U.K. (and at a college radio level in the U.S.) at the height of both grunge in the mid-’90s and the teen pop/emo excursions just as the new millennium got underway. As much as frontman Brian Molko’s sexuality was called into question and the band’s exterior appearance was a topic of conversation among the U.K. music press, Molko’s androgynous appeal was equally intriguing as his gender-bending presence as a singer, so style and substance worked in favor of Placebo’s place in music. Was he the pop generation’s new David Bowie? No, but he yearned to attract fans much like Bowie did during the 1970s. Molko’s pixie-like peculiarity only added to Placebo’s star power, so naturally the timing of Once More With Feeling is a nice fit in the Placebo discography. It’s arrangement is out of order; however, all the singles released from their 1996 self-titled debut to the fierce neo-glam statement that is 2003’s Sleeping With Ghosts sound as great as they ever did. What’s nice is how the select tracks from Black Market Music — “Taste in Men,” “Special K,” “Slave to the Wage” — age better simply because Placebo has aged well. The direction of Sleeping With Ghosts does the same, holding promise for what’s yet to come from Placebo; just check out “The Bitter End.” For a fan who’s already bought every Placebo single, Once More With Feeling is only necessary for collecting purposes. For those who didn’t, this singles collection is a great place to start.

Muse- Absolution
Though some may still consider them Radiohead mimics, obviously Muse continue to strike a nerve with their alternative hard rock audience, here releasing their third album of heavy guitars, haunted harmonics, and paranoid musings in Absolution. Frontman Matt Bellamy and company stick to the same disturbed, and sometimes disturbing, formula that’s worked in the past: the emotional intensity and style of Radiohead, a rock thunder descended from Black Sabbath, and the baroque drama of Queen. Longtime producer John Leckie sits this one out, and in steps indie uber-engineer Rich Costey. With Costey manning the desk, the music feels more polished and slick, but less epic and raw. Longtime fans won’t miss a beat though, because Bellamy delivers the same Thom Yorke vocal impersonation for which he’s known, and continues the same anthemic posturing he’s lifted from Freddie Mercury. With song titles and subject matter fueled by fear of the apocalypse, and worries about infidelities and random murders, the subject matter is as gloriously pretentious and lovably unlovable as ever. Newcomers to the band should expect killer guitars reminiscent of jackhammers and chainsaws, bloodcurdling choruses, and, of course, tender passages of falsetto. A recurring motif of racing samplers suggests nothing less than a rock opera version of the score to Koyaanisqatsi, and then there are the occasional spooky moments where funky rhythms mingle with heavy metal guitars, suggesting a progressive Italian zombie flick soundtrack. There’s little point in selecting highlights, because other than some slow moments that feel tacked on, there’s not much variation in theme or mood. Many listeners will probably prefer to tackle the album in small doses, and only the most headstrong won’t require a breather. Muse continue to make unrelenting hardcore art rock; Absolution is a tad cheesy, a bit too grandiose in its ambitions, bursting at the seams with too many ideas, and thus exactly what any Muse fan craves.

i’m mister brightside

The RIAA doles out more lawsuits to college students for sharing music. These people are dumb enough to use a P2P system, instead of uploading to a file hosting system. Seriously. If you are going to illegally share files, do it right!

sing me spanish techno

I am notable fascinated with this site. Mostly for the train wreck syndrome, the other for the scientific aspect.
Feral Children

Here are some pretty cool pictures of Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Pitchfork is kind to Stellastarr*.

I am on a reading kick again. Here's what's up on my list:

Permanent Midnight
The Hazing Reader
Generation S.L.U.T
Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology
Post-Modern Theory
Anti-Oedipus: Schizophrenia and Capitalism

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Memo to self:

1. Do not eat dining hall food. Ever. Even if it is free.

2. Don't wear low-rise pants to work. You are not 19 nor do you have the body of kate Moss.

3. Don't think you are Rachel Ray and can copy any of her meals by remembering them.

4. Don't tell your colleagues that you secretly love American Girl Dolls. They will use it against you.

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This is why I nhate these online tests. Really, they make me feel worse. The results might as well have been "Kill yourself now, there's no hope."

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	4.1
Mind:	4
Body:	2
Spirit:	5.9
Friends/Family:	2.6
Love:	0
Finance:	7.4
Take the Rate My Life Quiz