TVs on the Stage

4/11 - Losing Our Grip

2009-06-21T00:33:00.006-05:00

Nicki and I wake up early and head to the dining hall for a delicious continental breakfast. I lose control and fill the table with food. Eggs, coffee, juice, cereal, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, a fruit medley, and many delicious crescent rolls (one of which I sneak away in my coat pocket for a road snack).

Outside, it's the first damp, gray day on the island - a little chilly with rain water lingering around, evidence of a light, early morning rain. And when it rains, it seems to pour, for Nicki has been losing bus tickets and the car keys on trips between the car and the indoors. Following a not so long drive to Invercargill, we find ourselves in a grocery store parking lot in preparation for our hiking trip on Stewart Island. We exit the car and lock the doors, leaving the keys inside. In panic, one of my mental gaskets overheats and blows.

Fortunately for us, and thanks to some quick thinking by Nicki, we track down the store manager who immediately joins us at the car with a blue bread tie. I'm pleased with his eagerness to help so I briefly overlook the fact that a bread tie is really only good at keeping bagged bread from exposure to air. His attempts fail and he ventures off to track down a man he claims will be of great assistance.

He returns with a younger, more rugged fellow, who's unwinding a coat hanger en route to the car. This fellow approaches the driver's side door, slides the hooked hanger past the rubber of the window and jimmies the poor Corona open after maybe a minute.

We buy our groceries and continue south to Bluff, where we will catch a ferry to Stewart Island, some 30-40 kms due south into the sea. While waiting, the sun emerges and we buy a ticket before realizing we have no money and there are, apparently, no ATMs in Bluff or on Stewart Island. Two hours until boat time. A little under one hour back to Invercargill. It's the only way. It's a race against time.

On the way, the Corona's engine beats like my heart after a smidgen of exercise as we push it past 100 km/hr. Quick aside on the Corona: it was made in Japan so there radio frequencies run from 76 to around 90, so we can only get about 2, sometimes 3, radio stations at any given time; also, if you exceed 105 km/hr, a bell rings incessantly. PING-POONG. Over. And over.

Anyways, we're at about 120 most of the way. So we're listening to this bell most of the way, which doesn't do much to alleviate stress. (perhaps the reason it was installed... ?) To save time, I prepare numerous peanut butter sandwiches (Nicki claims the PB is the best she's ever had) for our 3-day hike on the Rakiura Trail of Stewart Island - which we also haven't registered. So, on top of this, I call the Department of Conservation on Stewart Island to make arrangements for our hut lodging for tomorrow night. The man on the phone informs us that it is not possible and spots in the hut are claimed on a first come, first serve basis. And it's Easter weekend. Dreadfully sorry, but best of luck anyway.

Back at Invercargill, same grocery store as before. Nicki? Do you have your keys? Yes? Good.

We run into the foyer and extract some bills. A man outside plays violin within listening distant - no doubt an attempt by the powers that be to calm me down.

No time for that though! Gotta catch a boat! Race back to Bluff and get there with time to spare.

The sea proves tougher on my constitution than I had anticipated. I attempt to keep an aura of strength but my stomach turns as the boat digs into a wave, smacks through to the surface, bounces back, and repeats for over an hour.

The island comes into view and in retrospect, it reminds me of LOST when they first attempt to leave the island. I digress. It's a beautiful, mountainous protrusion from the massive, stoic sea. The ferry docks and our first stop is the information center to rent a room for the night.

Stewart Island dock

Naturally, it wasn't that easy. Most of the island's accommodations are booked up. The only availabilities are some doubles that are upwards of $300. The lady at the information desk suggests a friend of hers may be able to help us with a room at his apartment, but this sounded a little invasive to me. After some searching, we were able to shack up at a Backpackers Lodge in one of the staff quarters, a room designed for one, probably no more than eight feet by six feet, for $48. The manager seems annoyed by what Nicki informs me to be my brash American voice, lack of inter spacial etiquette and my neediness to be accommodated. Nevertheless, she was very helpful and spirited. After all, it was Easter weekend. Here's Nicki and me bein cheesy in the staff quarters (for reference, the camera is on the opposite side of the room):

On a brief night walk, Nicki and I explore the beach and discover the Kai Kart - a small , light-blue trailer with the the kitchen built into the center and places to eat on either side. In the mood for some local cuisine, I order fried blue cod with chips; Nicki orders potato wedges, which comes with a side of runny pepper sauce mixed with a thick sour cream. My fillet is still freshly fried, wrapped in a newspaper that is drenched with oil. As I eat, it falls apart in my hands exposing sweating white meat beneath a golden skin. It's the most satisfying eating experience I've had in some time, and certainly the best in New Zealand up to this point.

Consumption is always a release of sorts and this delicious meal stood as the antithesis to the rest of the day - a chance to finally relax and relish in such good fortune offered by such great people. All bad situations over the course of today were met by me with this terrible, fatalist perspective that I wish I did not have. Yet, while I rued the misfortune, others were more than willing to offer their assistance. Helping others is a beautiful thing, isn't it? It says, "I am going to assist you in fixing this problem. Not because I have to nor is it because you're paying me to do so. I just want to." It puts you in touch with the universality rooted harmoniously within and among humanity.

Sometimes, it's easy to feel lost and alone in the go-go-go United States.

When was the last time you locked your keys in your car and people passed by, pretending not to notice you?

Better yet, when was the last time you passed someone by?

hard-drive brain, indeed

2009-06-21T00:05:00.003-05:00

My laptop crashed. One minute you're troubleshooting audio drivers with Everett - trying to get AutoTune, of all things, to work - and the next thing you know, the dreaded blue screen of death. This is an obvious hiccup you're likely to encounter when you buy from a big-box-store/use Windows Vista but this will be especially tragic is my New Zealand videos cannot be recovered. God speed, ol' lappy.

Meanwhile, I keep thinking of the Iranian election quagmire.

My petty problems ain't shit, really.

4/10 - Dunedin - Cameraman

2009-06-19T18:29:00.009-05:00

My camera captures moments in hope that I do not lose them.

It sees farmland stretch for miles before fading into the snow-capped Southern Alps.

It sees traffic stop on Highway 1 and Kiwis staring confused wondering why we can't move.

It sees fields of sheep, cows, and horses and Nicki tells me they are treated better here than in the states.

It sees road pass for hours and, eventually, the Pacific Ocean emerges to our left. I look across and muse that home is FAR away.

It sees the road slowly climb o'er mountains and descends into Dunedin.

It captures Dunedin - another Emerald with beautiful houses in a valley of lush green and a crystal water basin that navigates through the mountains and back to the Pacific.

It sees a long and winding road with water close on the left and jagged khaki cliffs to the right. We drive with caution and pray for the same from our fellow travelers.

It sees the water to the left and it seems to me impossible for us to get closer with plungin' the ol' Corona in.

It sees a final climb to the top of a mountain overlooking both Dunedin and the ocean.

It sees Nicki walk to the edge with a joy in her eyes that she and I can experience, by the good grace of God-knows-who, such beauty together as the sun sets behind us and the sky turns orange.

It sees waves crash yards below and fears that I may drop it, crashing down the side before smashing on rocks into a million pieces, aforementioned memories lost forever among salt, sand, and fish.

It sees an albatross fly overhead and I say to myself there is no way, poetry be damned, that I would shoot it out of the sky and wear it upon my neck. Too full-a love for all right now.

And it finally captures an ambient drive home, the city lights blur as the zoom works forward hoping to capture something pure and singular of all this. I give up and delete it.

And I think to myself, now in retrospect, that I didn't film many things that day - A walk through the city following Japanese carryout, happiness on the bluff over the ocean, and even a perfect shot of Dunedin that surprised me as we turned a quick corner but vanished before the camera could be retrieved.

While these memories and more are lost to time, the memories I have of them attempt to stand in their place.

O, to have a hard drive brain! These two lenses I call eyes are better than one and certainly more authentic.

4/9/09 - Day 1

2009-06-16T16:56:00.009-05:00

I arrived at Christchurch's airport a couple hours later, exhausted and barely conscious, moving more out of force of habit than the desire to do so. The night before I was forced onto a later flight following a jog around Los Angeles' International and Domestic Terminals and I still smell like rain and sweat, even after 12 hours. Combine that with the fact that I've spent over 24 hours living in multiple concourses and metal tubes in the sky and you can see why I might have developed a mild case of insomnia. Nicki picked me up outside the terminal and we greeted with warm affectations despite the fact that I had not seen her in over two months.

I tossed my bags into her 1984 Toyota Corona and we headed back to her dorm. It was a workhorse of a car. Certainly a relic from earlier, better days when cars were not built strong but simply and practically. It was a cranberry red sedan slowly being consumed by corrosive rust on its hood with wheelbarrow and it vhrrrmed up hills like a touring cyclist whose uphill stretch also felt like the last. This car would take us through rain, sun, and rain forest, 'cross desert and beach and up more mountains that I can count. And it did so with the spry energy of a 45-year-old legacy right-fielder attempting to steal a base.

The first scheduled stop following brief respite at Nicki's dorm was a visit to Orana Wildlife Preserve. On the way, I marvelled at the quirks of New Zealand driving - left side of the road, road side of the car, roundabouts, and other rules of the road foreign to the United States intrigued me. Additionally, this is the time wherein New Zealand began to reveal its character to me, as we were no longer driving through the city but out in open farm land.

Before long, we had arrived at the zoo. The first stop was the lion cage for feeding time. It was quite a sight to watch as these large cats assaulted the feeding truck, hungry for the tastte of flesh. Fortunately for the zookeepers and their guests, they had alternatives other than themselves - not that the felines would have cared.

Afterwards, Nicki and I fed the giraffes with leafy sticks held away from our bodies. The giraffes would approach, extend their necks, and strip the leaves from the sticks with eel-like tongues.

I enjoyed this.

Nicki tried to feed them out of her hands and got a little freaked out.

Following this little animal adventure, a trip to the Kiwi house was in store. How fortunate was I to see a live kiwi (as distinguished from the capitalized "Kiwi," which I will use throughout this blog to refer to "a person living in New Zealand") on my first day in New Zealand! Since kiwi's are nocturnal birds, they were kept in a house in complete darkness with dim lights inside of their cage to imitate moonlight. The single kiwi behind the glass bobbed slowly in front of us, periodically plunging its beak into the ground searching for snacks. This event acted as a precursor to our later desire to spot a live kiwi in the wild (more on that later).

We emerged from the darkness and it was at this point that I developed a case of, what I later assumed to be, vertigo. The ground seemed to move beneath my feet and my balance wavered nearly causing me to fall over on a couple occasions. Nicki and I checked out a couple more animals before decided to retire to our hotel for the night. I was asleep by 8:00.

All in all, my first day was rooted in fascination - at my arrival, the driving mannerisms, the people, the accents, the currency, the trees, animals, and more. Fascination not unlike the kind that a child experiences upon his first trip to the zoo - it was as if I was observing customs and habits with fascination and interest but, ultimately, as an outsider. It is certainly hard to get past that simple curiosity and see the country as something more than those aforementioned things, especially considering this was my first significant trip outside the United States. You find yourself playing back to this same curiosity when you return from your trip. These are usually the issues at hand in the questions asked by others. But it's just the tip of the iceberg. After so long, one's bond with the customs and country becomes deeper and less artificial, as if that child had decided to willingly lock himself inside the monkey cage. In the time I spent in New Zealand, I found something new within myself. Something tangential to the human spirit. Something I left behind when I returned to the United States.

I am writing this to tell you a story - a fuller story of my trip to New Zealand.

I am also trying to find what's missing.

New Zealand Travels - Introduction (4/9/09)

2009-06-03T21:54:00.003-05:00

Although I'm back in the United States, and have been for a little over a month, I figured that it's never too late to chronicle my adventures. So, flashback to early April, about 20 hours into travelling...

yikes

2009-06-02T03:40:00.003-05:00

Wow. After a rip-roaring start to my 2009 blogging season, I've disappeared off the map for nearly three months.

Not to say I haven't been up to anything.

Big posts coming soon - maybe as early as tomorrow - explaining the details.

2009-03-03T01:31:00.002-06:00

Blogging has been very light lately. This image, more or less, explains why...

Details coming soon.

Correction

2009-02-23T00:02:00.003-06:00

I remarked earlier during my live-blog that I had not seen Heath Ledger during the Oscar memorium. In fact, Ledger died on January 22, 2008 and was included in the memorium during last year's Oscar telecast. Case closed.

Oscar Recap

2009-02-22T19:01:00.061-06:00

Well there it is. On my predictions, not counting the tiebreaker, I was 4 for 5. Not bad. I still hold a chance at snagging those tickets. I think many people were probably fooled by their Best Supporting Actress predictions but we'll see. Slumdog Millionaire was clearly the big winner with seven awards, including the big one. Benjamin Button did pretty well for itself on the level of skillful technical production but, clearly, a big winner requires more than just spectacular visual effects. As for as lasting influence, I expect to see rise in people seeing Slumdog Millionaire, of course, but I think Sean Penn's win for Milk will have the most profound effect in regards to the film. Hopefully, it will convince people to see it that otherwise would not. It is wonderful film that shows that all humanity has a common soul that will forever fight oppression by those above that think they control the power. Anyways, politics aside, here's a recap of this year's Oscar winners and my random tidbits.

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Best Picture - Slumdog Millionaire

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Best Actor in a Leading Role - Sean Penn (Milk)
- As expected, Sean Penn won and, equally expected, his speech was slightly discomforting while being powerful. As much as I love Mickey Rourke's role as Randy "The Ram," this is the real winner and at least he gave Rourke some deserved credit. He took it a little to far with the politics but, what do you expect, he's Sean Penn. We'll see him on the stage again someday, and he'll do the exact same thing.

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Best Actress in a Leading Role - Kate Winslet (The Reader)

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Looks like it's going to be Best Actress. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Meryl Streep but I'm pretty sure it will be Kate Winslet. Not only did she have The Reader but she had a show-stealing performance in Revolutionary Road. Not only has she been busy but she's been performing like a pro.

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Best Direction - Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
- Not surprised at all. But hey, he deserves it. After Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, it's about time.

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The angles for this memorial section are really bad. They're cutting off a ton of names. They should just show the video. Good presentation nevertheless. Those segments always make me forget how many people have died this year.

Maybe I just missed it but I didn't even see Heath Ledger.

God, I sound like a fanboy.

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Best Foreign Language Film - Departures- Well, there goes my tiebreaker. On a personal note, I should really make a serious effort to see more foreign language films.

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All right, here come the big ones. These are gonna be tough and I'm expecting at least one surprise. I'm almost certain that Sean Penn has Best Leading Actor in the bag. Penn is an absolutely genius at developing characters and it really shows in the complexity of Harvey Milk. However, I was such a big fan of The Wrestler that it would hard to watch the awards end with such a wonderful film not being formally recognized (especially since Bruce Springsteen's song was snubbed from Original Song).

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Best Original Song - "Jai Ho" by A.R. Rahman and Gulzar

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The odds are really in favor of Slumdog Millionaire to win the best Original Song and deservedly. Their is so much life to the music and although I like WALL-E, the song seems oddly derivative in that Pixar-y sort of way. Prediction: "Jai Ho" takes it.

Cool medley.

Best Original Score - A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)
-A.R. Rahman, great composer, not a very good stand-up comedian.

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"From one nutty professor to another" - Eddie Murphy

Academy Awards are going to town on the new Coldplay album.

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In regards to my earlier general prediction, Slumdog Millionaire is certainly do well but Milk has yet to show things that the Academy gave it a lot of consideration.

Best Film Editing - Slumdog Millionaire
- I'm pretty sure we're at the point where I can reasonably say that Slumdog Millionaire is going to take it all. At least Best Picture and Director.

Best Sound Mixing - Slumdog Millionaire
- I should probably know something like this but how can something win Sound Mixing but lose Sound Editing and vica versa?
EDIT: The answer - Sound Editing concerns general audio aesthetics whereas mixing has more to do with post-production rerecording and other solutions. Thanks, Wikipedia!

Best Sound Editing - The Dark Knight
- Don't look back Benjamin Button, here comes The Dark Knight!

Best Visual Effects - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Benjamin Button back in the lead with three total awards.

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Tom Cruise in the Jimmy Kimmel commercial. I wonder if he's even at the Academy Awards... he deserves more respect than he gets. Yes. I just said that.

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With the correct choice of Heath Ledger, I am now 1 for 2 in my predictions.

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Best Documentary Short Subject - Smile Pinki

Best Documentary Feature - Man on Wire

Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
My dad just put it pretty well: "Like anybody else had a chance." He's right. There were certainly no dark horses. And deservedly. Heath Ledger put his heart and soul into this work. I've seen it many times and I still forget that it's him. The character draws you in so convincingly that it refuses to let you return to reality. It's the work of his career and it was his tireless passion that took him from the business. Great choice, Academy.

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I had a feeling that song had something to do with Baz Luhrmann

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Beyonce and Hugh Jackman singing and dancing together? Never thought I'd see it. She is certainly having a good year.

Regarding the Best Supporting Actor: It would seem that Heath ledger is a shoe-in but, of course, it's not a guarantee. As I mentioned earlier, I suspect that Robert Downey, Jr. is the dark horse but Michael Shannon could also steal this one for a bombshell performance in Revolutionary Road. His character, John, is a real-life 1950s joker of sorts. An anarchist by design that challenges the mold and dares everyday characters to adjust their perception. If the Joker were to exist outside a comic book world and in 1950s New England, Michael Shannon's character would be him and he delivers an unflinching performance.

Best Live Action Short Film - Spielzeugland
-Once again, this is stuff that should be attached to full-length features.

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James Franco, Seth Rogen short was brilliant. Probably the most daring though the Academy Awards have ever done.

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Best Cinematography - Slumdog Millionaire
-Fanboy bloggeurs erupt about how TDK was snubbed. This time, I think they're right. Or at least close. At this point, Slumdog getting Best Picture is almost certain. Worry not though fanboys, TDK's time is coming.

Ben Stiller doing Joaquin Phoenix. Clever. Maybe someone will do the Chrisian Bale outburst.

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Best Make-Up - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
-I'm so confident in this one that I'm posting it before it's announced. Also, with that, Benjamin Button pulls into the lead for most awards on the night.

Best Costume Design - The Duchess
- I'm not gonna lie, I haven't seen it. Best Period Piece Award.

Best Art Direction - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Fanboy bloggeurs erupt about how TDK was snubbed! Admittedly, Benjamin Button was an incredibly good looking movie, in a dark, drab way.

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Best Animated Short - La Maison en Petit Cubes
-Thoughts on this in general. I'm pretty sure I think of this every year I watch the Oscars but they should really attach those animated shorts to features over the course of the year, it's a shame that probably no one has seen any of the nominees in that category.
-LOL @ "Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto"

Best Animated Feature - WALL-E
-No surprise here. Anything else would have been a travesty. How awkward for Jack Black, though.

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Best Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Original Screenplay - Dustin Lance Black (Milk)
-Very poignant speech.

More general prediction: these first wins for Milk and Slumdog Millionaire are going to set the tone for the rest of the night.

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Aaaahh... Steve Martin and Tina Fey. Gotcha.

How about Milk for Original Screenplay?

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Coming up next... comedy greats? Will Ferrel and John C. Reilly?

Just kidding.

Best Animated Feature prediction: WALL-E, of course.

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Best Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz

One category in and I'm 0-1 in my predictions. Yay.

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"Everyone's-a-winner"-style listing of Best Supporting Actresses. Are they going to do this for every category? If they do, look for the awards to last into tomorrow.

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Those curtains took way too long to open before the first acceptance montage.

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Yikes! Phillip Seymour Hoffman looked really creepy behind Frank Langella.

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A mild start for Hugh Jackman. Slowly builds into an impressive dance section. He's got a good voice but this entire concept is way too silly.

Anne Hathaway, with the help of Hugh, makes one final bid for her statue.

The set looks great. Great contrast between this year and last. However, the cardboard cutouts mixed with such an elegant set is odd.

Ok, so on second thought, that was a pretty impressive number. I gotta admit, Jackman's got a great stage personality.

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LOL @ Jack Black.

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Just saw a preview for the new Nichoas Cage movie, Knowing. Worst title since The Happening. Boring...

I can't say I've ever seen an actor whose ship was sinking so obviously fast.

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Here's Robert Downey Jr. Great actor but I'm a little bewildered by how he got nominated for Tropic Thunder. I'm pulling for Heath Ledger obviously in the Supporting Actor category but at the same time, you might just have to prepare to have your mind blown when Downey Jr wins.

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Commercial break. I think I'd like to add right now that despite predicting a win for Slumdog Millionaire, I don't think it's the one that should win. I've seen it twice and it is, in fact, a great movie; it is pretty saccharine but it's fun and emotionally affective - two of the main reasons we see films to begin with. However, I'm torn between my support between for it and the emotionally and politically powerful Milk. It could very well be the dark horse.

Mickey Rourke's sense of style is impeccable.

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What does Frank Langella think about Richard Nixon, the man?? Seriously??? It's 2009!

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I thought the Oscars were supposed to start at 7:00. Oh well, I guess I can enjoy these interviews.

Josh Brolin is growing on me.

Oscar night!

2009-02-22T18:57:00.003-06:00

So I entered a contest at the Savoy 16 -- If you can guess the 5 main oscar winners tonight, you could win 52 admit-two passes to the theater. Needless to say, I entered. Here are my selections:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Sean Penn
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger
Best Actress: Kate Winslet
Best Supporting Actress: Marisa Tomei

Tiebreaker, Best Foreign Language Film: Waltz with Bashir

So I'm gonna try something new tonight and attempt an Oscar live-blog. Here we go!

Because it warrants a post....

2009-02-13T17:57:00.003-06:00

EDIT: All due credit to my mom for pointing me in the direction of this trailer. I don't know how I could have possibly been unaware of this.

2009-02-13T13:53:00.004-06:00

Writer's block. Back in a couple days.

EDIT: Posts will continue as I see fit but I need a break to recharge my engines. (see EDIT above)

2009-02-13T03:32:00.003-06:00

Follow my less blog-worthy news and behavior through my Twitter account!

http://twitter.com/acolleb

2009-02-11T12:27:00.003-06:00

Lil Wayne was on Around the Horn yesterday, and "won". But to be completely honest -- this sounds more interesting in writing than it was in reality.

But in case you're curious, here's the video showing his responses only and the final showdown.

****

2009-02-10T13:26:00.003-06:00

I was trying to find something like this about a week ago but could only find single-episode edits. It's around a half an hour. Kudos to Andrew Sullivan for providing linkage through his site:

the sopranos, uncensored. from victor solomon on Vimeo.

Uhh, wow.

2009-02-09T03:08:00.004-06:00

I just rewatched Michael Mann's Heat for the first time in perhaps ten years and, having never noticed before, I am absolutely amazed at the star power this film pulled:
Al Pacino and Bobby D. Even though I was probably ten years old I understood the significance of those two together in a movie. The idea of the two of them in a film together is still an intriguing concept no matter how generic the movie looks.
Val Kilmer
Jon Voight
Ashley Judd
Natalie Portman
Xander Berkeley
Bud Cort as a surly restaurant manager(Harold of Harold and Maude)
Dennis Haysbert (who has come along way from a role as a poor getaway driver to the All-State guy)
Simpsons voice actor Hank Azaria
Danny Trejo, playing the aptly named "Trejo"
William Fichtner, from Prison Break and The Dark Knight where he played the bank manager in the first scene (the style of which was apparently derived from Heat)
and Black Flag's Henry Rollins, who consistently rounds out movies with exceptionally awesome casts.
The film's soundtrack also uses Moby tracks frequently and the score was produced by The Kronos Quartet.

Totally epic. I'd watch it more often if it wasn't, like, three hours long and completely draining.

"What is That" - 2/7/09 Edition

2009-02-07T21:27:00.002-06:00

"Eigengrau" - German term for the color seen in darkness.

The most interesting aspect of this, in my opinion, is imagining the perceptual differences between my eyes in total darkness and utter blindness.

Think about it....

..

Review: Revolutionary Road

2009-02-07T19:52:00.002-06:00

Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road once again takes us beneath the facade of suburbia, contrasting the perfect sterility of the exterior with the darkness and torment within. He is no stranger to this method of storytelling, of course; American Beauty (1999) won him an Oscar for best direction and the title itself earned best picture. Revolutionary Road, based on the 1961 Richard Yates novel of the same name, once again, forces the viewer to "look closer" and the result is one or two steps darker than American Beauty and about four steps below Lynch's Blue Velvet. There are no severed ears in the middle of a field but tragedy certainly seems inevitable.

The focus of the film is the Wheeler family -- Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank, Kate Winslet as April and their two children, a successful suburban family living in 1950s Connecticut. It's hard not to remember their roles as the lead characters in Titanic over ten years ago. Critics have certainly run that point into the ground so, in those regards, I will say nothing more than this: the chemistry certainly hasn't changed.

This story, on the other hand, offers them much more complexity to work with. Frank and April meet at a party where they drink, dance, and demonstrate to each other their unwillingness to lead banal lives. The film flashes forward and the honeymoon appears to over as quickly as it began.

Frank commutes to work everyday; a suit, tie, and hat among many other suits, ties, and hats. The film dares the viewer to pick him out in the crowd. To say he works a 9 to 5 would be not be entirely true. His work primarily involves chatting with the guys in his cubicle, drinking whiskey during his lunch break, and sneaking away early with his secretary to the more comfortable confines of her bedroom.

April's life as a stage actress has proven unsuccessful and she finds herself chipping away at her day one cigarette at a time and inviting over Helen Givings (Kathy Bates), the Wheeler's realtor, for tea and conversation, which always seems to prove less interesting than she imagined.

Together, Frank and April drink, smoke, and argue about how they never wanted their mundane suburban life. April's solution: move to Paris and leave it all behind. She can get a job and he can pursue his true passions in life. Plans become set in stone much to the admonishment of their neighbors and Frank's co-workers.

The only character that sees truth in their decision is Helen's son, John, played strongly by Michael Shannon. According to Helen, John has been institutionalized for years for psychopathic tendencies and she believes, he could benefit from conversation with such an idealistic couple. John, as it turns out, does not appear as insane as he's said to be; he cuts to the heart and soul of the Wheelers in better and worse. He normalizes their thinking and lashes out with powerful truths when plans begin to change. He is the Wheeler's living id.

The real key to the film is the writing, adapted from the novel by Justin Haythe. Its stabs at the social structure of the time go straight to the core. April sees a future where she can be more than just confined to the patriarchal structure of the time -- she's an early feminist model that does not want the life as a servant of the home. Frank, who initially loves the idea of throwing off the shackles of a dead end job, comes to realize he may have more to lose when he is offered an untimely promotion. The result is spot-on in its portrait of the time's assumed gender roles.

That being said, Kate Winslet carries a lot as the emotional focus in the film. Who she is looking out for and, more specifically, why is very critical to a sincere understanding of the events that unfold in this film. It is a shame that she wasn't nominated for an Academy Award for this part.

I can only fault this film for one thing - that due to a common theme and a direct production link, it is hard not to reflect on it in comparison to American Beauty. Like I said earlier, Revolutionary Road is much darker American Beauty in its treatment of the subject matter, which requires more of the actors and the director but, personally, I think the specificity of the subject matter in Mendes' newest film (gender roles) seems less relevant to modern times and as a result, the film behaves as more of an exercise for its actors. Who were excellent.

Rating: 4 stars(out of 5)

Song of the Day - 2/6/09

2009-02-06T20:40:00.001-06:00

The world desperately needs another hip-hop album like this...

Oh, shaboobaloo

2009-02-06T20:22:00.004-06:00

Whoops, no posts for the past couple of days!

I was out of town and unable to gain access to my site. More updates to come starting tomorrow.

As an aside, Nicki is leaving for New Zealand on Sunday and won't be back until June. She'll be posting pictures, blogs, and other things of interest on her new blogspot. Check it out. Bookmark it.

Song of the Day - 2/3/09

2009-02-03T14:08:00.001-06:00

Amazing live act. Here's a good one off of his new album...

"Not a Robot But a Ghost" by Andrew Bird

Cubs-related update!

2009-02-03T02:35:00.001-06:00

Reed Johnson's beard rules. He should join Against Me!

Metromix has Cubs Convention photos.

That's it.

Review: The Wrestler

2009-02-03T00:56:00.005-06:00

The Wrestler is essentially a sports film; Mickey Rourke stars in a tour de force performance as Randy "The Ram" Robinson, a star with years of experience under his belt but whose body is failing. He ponders retirement but, ultimately, he needs one more night in the ring, just as Brett Favre, Roger Clemens, Michael Jordan and many others wanted one more season in the game.

But wrestling is a different type of sport where the star's image and presentation of himself to the audience will always be more important than the inherent skill involved in it. Not that there is not skill involved; Randy is slapped, punched, beaten with household objects, tossed from ladders onto glass and barbed wire, and shot, repeatedly, with a staple gun. If that isn't enough to convince the audience of the brutality in the ring, he has a small razor blade concealed in his wrist tape to make himself bleed for the sake of entertainment -- which is the wrestler's ultimate duty. Randy spends as much time (if not more) bleaching his roots, shaving his pits, and tanning as he does lifting weights in the gym. The wrestler's trash talk and abuse each other on stage but hug, shake hands, and choreograph their fights behind the scenes. The brutality is very real and at times very disturbing but, most of all, it's entertainment.

When Randy's success at entertainment becomes dangerous for his health, he can't retire in the way professional athletes do; he has to pick up more hours at his real job -- a meat man at the local grocery store's deli counter. And even then he still has trouble paying his rent on time. At the end of the day, his trailer is full of reminders of past glory -- posters, action figures, and old Nintendo games featuring himself -- and empty of existential satisfaction. He is alone.

Randy reaches out to his daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood) but Randy knows nothing about her and she knows this. At best, a stable relationship between them hangs by a thread. Randy's attempts to win back her trust are the most poignant scenes in the film and the most revealing of his inner anguish which Rourke performs with sorrow and sincerity. His relationship with Cassidy (Marisa Tomei), a stripper at a bar he frequents, is not better since she herself is also in the business superficial entertainment. When he finally talks her into going on a date, his excitement is far from subtle, almost childish, and when he finally goes over the top, we feel pity instead of disgust.

Rourke's performance and range of emotion between his fights, his daughter, and Cassidy are so on point that it's hard not to believe that this is the performance of the year. Randy is not just complex but distinctly human thanks to Mickey Rourke's wonderful performance. Darren Aronofsky's gritty direction that doesn't so much capture Randy as it makes the camera a part of his character following him through halls, down stairs, and through his life. One of the best scenes in the film involves Randy walking through a maze of hallways on his way to his first day at the deli counter -- the camera movement and the use of sound are perfect. As far as characters and tone, this is Aronofsky's finest work and one that should win Mickey Rourke an Oscar for Best Acting.

-Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Oh yeah...

2009-02-02T19:59:00.004-06:00

... It was Groundhog Day today.

Phil of Pennsylvania saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter.

General Beauregard Lee of Georgia, however, did not see his shadow and reportedly "twittered" that spring is coming soon.

Is there about to be a schism in Groundhog culture? Quoth Sean Connery, "There can be only one!"

Music to Shut it Down to

2009-02-02T14:36:00.003-06:00

The song a ball players chooses to play before he comes to bat or enters in relief, I imagine, should say a lot about his character. Well, Chris Jaffe and Geoff Young from The Hardball Times have selected the 50 best potential closer songs and the 71 potentially awful closer songs, respectively.

Favorites from the good:
"I Wanna Destroy You" by The Soft Boys
Night on Bald Mountain -- Fantasia FTW!
"Raw Power" by Iggy and the Stooges

Favorites from the bad:
"Birdman Kicked My Ass" by Wesley Willis; though, I agree with Geoff when I say that it would be awesome to hear Wesley Willis at a ballpark.
"Loser" by Beck, because I don't think I'd be surprised if that became a ballpark staple.
"Sabotage" by Beastie Boys, for the same reason.

Song of the Day - 2/2/09

2009-02-02T13:57:00.003-06:00

I've had this one on repeat pretty much all day. "Everday" by The Field from the album From Here We Go Sublime. The use of "Wacky Races" footage makes the video all the better.

Super Bowl Wrap Up

2009-02-02T01:35:00.003-06:00

Well, picking the right team to win is certainly worth some bragging rights!

As far as faults, my 29-17 score was inaccurate; the Cardinals performed much better than I had predicted thanks to a monstrous fourth quarter and the Steelers were a safety away from my prediction. Ironically, the Cardinals were the team to earn some points by means of the safety becoming the first team to do so in some time.

Despite leading the team to victory, Ben Roethlisberger's quarterback accomplishments were second to Kurt Warner who threw an excellent game. As a result, Pittsburgh receiver Santonio Holmes took the MVP honors thanks to an amazing game-winning.

As far as the commercials go, this was perhaps the blandest and most uninspired set of commercials in recent memory (even the new Transformers trailer seemed to lift its music from the Terminator movies). Had the PETA commercial aired, it would have been, far and away, the most distasteful which, I believe, actually says less about it than it does about the commercials that did air.

Springsteen and the E Street Band put on a pretty good show despite a pretty uninteresting set ("Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" and the other classics hit while "Working on a Dream" nearly sucked the life out of the show). Bruce was lively, maybe even to the point of self-parody, and Clarence Clemmons wardrobe choice seemed to be channeling Bootsy Collins. All in all, good performance considering the material but, as a non-traditionalist, I wanted songs I can't hear on the radio any given day of the week.

Ultimately, it was the game that stole the show, specifically the fourth quarter. There were a lot of comparisons made to last year's match between the Pats and the Giants and it was hard not to see it in the first quarter after Ben Roethlisberg shook off the swarm of Cardinal defenders before launching an amazing pass. However, to say last year's game was more exciting would be the undermine the quality of this game.

Congratulations Super Bowl! You impressed me.

Why not?

2009-02-01T15:41:00.004-06:00

I feel like I've been spewing some anti-Super Bowl sentiment lately which I don't intend. I do enjoy football and the hooplah surrounding the Super Bowl but (a) I'm fundamentally a baseball type and (b) I barely followed the season for the Bears or anyone else this year. Nevertheless, it doesn't change the fact that in a little over an hour I'll be drinking beers, eating fatty snacks, having some chili maybe, and generally indulging in a catharsis of Americana.

Like I said earlier, I'm a Bears fan through and through but if I had to pick a team in the AFC, I would probably go with the Steelers so that's who I'll be rooting for.

My prediction:
29-17 Steelers.

MVP:
Ben Roethlisberger

Song of the Day - 2/1/09

2009-02-01T15:09:00.003-06:00

Bruce Springsteen is supposed to play for about 12 minutes tonight during the Super Bowl halftime. This is, perhaps, the only reason I'll be watching tonight as neither the Arizona Cardinals nor the Pittsburgh Steelers happen to be the Chicago Bears.

Nevertheless, I expect an awesome performance from the Boss; he'll probably play a handful of his most popular stuff and he may even play some of his newer material (though, admittedly, after listening to the rest of the album last night, my opinion of not nearly as praising as Rolling Stone's). However, if Bruce and the E Street Band were to play my song of the day, and ONLY that, I would be ecstatic beyond words.

Another Milestone

2009-02-01T14:54:00.000-06:00

As of the last post, I've officially posted more blogs in 2009 than in all of 2008.

Cool!

The Sopranos, check

2009-02-01T14:45:00.004-06:00

As of last night, I've officially watched The Sopranos from beginning to end. This project began in late November and was completed before February; at 86 episodes this correlates to about 1.23 episodes per day. All that aside, it is easily one of the best television shows I've ever watched (perhaps a list of sorts is due) -- great story and character development, exceptional acting, engaging, poetic cinematography, and a final scene that I will probably never forget for as long as I live. Cheers to David Chase!

Anyways, that concludes a small episode in my own life. I'll probably resume vigorous film watching or reading before embarking on another adventure like that but I'm thinking The Wire in its entirety may be next.

New Albums

2009-01-31T18:56:00.002-06:00

I've been slacking so far on keeping up with 2009 music releases but I turned that around today by picking up new releases from Animal Collective, Bruce Springsteen, and Andrew Bird. So far, I've listened to half of Springsteen's newest, Working on a Dream; typical Springsteen fare -- loud, anthemic, distinctly American. Animal Collective's newest, Merriweather Post Pavillion, is hypnotic and spacey with wonderful vocal harmonies; less like Sung Tongs, more like Strawberry Jam and Panda Bear's Person Pitch. The sound is so distinct and so pacifying that it is easy to get drawn away into the loops and remain continuously fascinated by the slow builds.

Song of the Day: "My Girls," from Animal Collective's newest album.

"What is That?" - 1/30/09 Edition

2009-01-30T18:03:00.004-06:00

I've recently become obsessed with multi-player Bomberman Generation for the GameCube. After an hour of playing reversi battle, I find that upon closing my eyes or attempting to sleep that I visualize gaming strategy in my head.

What is that?

This phenomenon is called the Tetris Effect and, as demonstrated, is not entirely isolated to the game of Tetris and is even more complicated than the excessive playing of video games. It is effectively a hallucination and before sleep can act as hypnagogic imagery during the mind's transition from a waking to sleep state.

For more reading on this, check out these wiki links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetris_effect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnagogia

Cool!

Ah, Vesey! Ah, humanity!

2009-01-30T17:59:00.003-06:00

My mom sent me a link to a short story written by an old friend from her days in Chicago:

Mr. Vesey Comes to Work, courtesy of The Massachusetts Review

A very good, satirical read.

From the "Rejection" Bin

2009-01-29T15:25:00.003-06:00

The Super Bowl season is here and, this Sunday, millions will be witness to the Cardinals vs. Steelers match and many of those, and I know there is a small faction out there, will tune in simply for the commercials. Sure, these same commercials will run, full or abridged, for the next year or two but, ya know, it's watercooler talk.

The Super Bowl is a wild time though: the American biggest sporting event of the year, an unloading of new commercials many of which will include new film previews, in music, you got the halftime show -- featuring Bruce Springsteen, "The Boss," the man who makes America cool, this year. Ultimately, it's a cultural marker for the year and, ratings as precious as they are, NBC will not take any chances. So, in a sense, the yearly event known as "The Super Bowl" by unifying the public through the spectacle of sport maintains the cultural status quo by the commercialism shoved down our collective throats for 2-3 minutes at a time about every five to ten.

So what does it mean to have your commercial rejected? Here's PETA's rejected entry:

Rejected because of lewd sexual content. Perhaps NBC is well within reason and certainly, this is what PETA intended (after all, censorship creates controversy, controversy creates coverage) but watch with vigilance this Super Bowl and, once it's all over, ask yourself, "Would PETA's banned video been the most vulgar of the year?" Or is the loud rock music and alternative message on top of the sexual images (which we know the Super Bowl to be no stranger to) too challenging of the status quo.

To be determined. But I have a guess.

I kind of want to see Lego Eraserhead...

2009-01-28T13:21:00.004-06:00

The entirety of Twin Peaks, condensed and with Legos.

The guy that made this is apparently part of a group called Bene Gesserit Witch; their musical subject matter is Frank Herbert's novel Dune, later adapted for the screen by David Lynch.

Cheers for excelling in Lynch-Fandom!

More Music

2009-01-27T17:25:00.001-06:00

I just loaded up a new song over on the 'space. It's called The Build and decidedly more techno than the others. Give it a listen.

Going to New Zealand

2009-01-26T23:41:00.002-06:00

Yep.

Leaving Illinois Tuesday April 7th at 5:25 PM and arriving in Christchurch, NZ at 8:15 AM Thursday.

Leaving for home Saturday May 2nd at 4:30 PM and arriving in Chicago at 11:30 PM Saturday.

Lots of hiking and exploring!

More to come later.

Says The Hold Steady to Anthony, "Stay Positive"

2009-01-25T23:46:00.004-06:00

The Hold Steady are playing a show at the Courtyard Cafe on April 3rd!

If New Zealand plans work out the way I want, I'll be able to make it.. ..

However, I am of the opinion that THS should have booked at the Canopy Club if they really wanted to play a show in Urbana. I'm not going to criticize this too much since I'm sure there are factors that I am perhaps unaware of that resulted in the selection of the Courtyard. Nevertheless, Canopy just seems better suited for THS: better acoustics, better and larger playing space, alcohol for sale...

I'm just worried. Recent performances come to memory:

- Last year's Caribou performance at the Courtyard was an acoustic disaster.
- Yo La Tengo's performance at Krannert Great Hall where they made known between songs that "we should do this in someone's basement next time."
- Wu-Tang Clan's drudgerous performance at Canopy Club where the217.com writer Eric Heisig noted in his review that

Members like GZA and Ghostface just walked off stage, acting as if there was somewhere better to be ...

With the possible exception of the Wu-Tang clan, who may be jaded as a result of years of artistic conflict among group members, it seems that venues and bands are often mismatched. I hope this never becomes so bad that it's gives Urbana or Champaign a negative reputation but, more importantly, I just hope the Courtyard is the right choice for a band as known for its powerful, energetic live performances as The Hold Steady.

New Rich Tony

2009-01-24T14:51:00.004-06:00

I posted a new song on the Rich Tony myspace called Let's Hear it for LA Lights!

There's still more I can do to it - it needs a good bass line and maybe some vocals - but I think this is one of the better songs I've made. Also, the main synth sounds a lot like the one Van Halen used on "Jump;" this is especially noticeable in the outro. I created the drum beat in the first half of the song with Linux Multimedia Studio Beta and used my girlfriend's Yamaha PSR-290 for basically everything else.

As an aside, this set-up is what I could be using for a project with Everett who just purchased a MIDI keyboard.

Anyways, check out the page, add me as a friend, comment... you know, whatever you internetters do.

"What is That?" - 1/23/09 Edition

2009-01-23T16:51:00.003-06:00

This will, hopefully, by my blog's newest gimmick. Every Friday, I intend to post a "What is That," a section dedicated to exploring those odd little mysteries of the world and defining them. I don't intend to break any ground with these revelations - they're strictly FYI, fun for me, and a practical use for my chronic wiki-ing.

So, to kick things off: I've always had this odd fascination, since childhood, with mirrors in front of mirrors. As a kid, my family and I once went to a hotel wherein the bathroom a mirror was placed directly across the mirror in front of the sink. I wondered at my endlessly repeating image. Still, I like the apparent depth two mirrors across from one another can give a room.

What is that?

The term is mise en abyme. In French, this translates to "put into infinity" or more literally "put into the abyss."

It is also used in literature and film studies to refer to, among things, a mirror of elements in the text. Specifically, think of Spike Jonze's Adaptation. where the story Nicolas Cage's character was writing was in fact the film the audience was watching.

Now ya know.

Unnecessary Expense

2009-01-22T20:26:00.004-06:00

The floundering economy has hit home.

I was laid-off a week or so ago because Best Buy could no longer afford to keep their seasonal employees. The reason, as told to me: Retail businesses are usually in the red until the holiday season at which point they turn around and starting generating some profit. This is, conveniently, around the start of the last quarter of the store's fiscal year. However, Best Buy did not get the turnaround it hoped for and as a result, unnecessary expenses were cut.

Not to say I don't understand. Get away from the edge after you've smote the Balrog.

Looking to brighter skies...

Obama's Top Five Films...

2009-01-22T20:02:00.004-06:00

...according to movie-moron:

1. Casablanca

2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

3. The Godfather

4. The Godfather Part II

5. Lawrence of Arabia

The source on this is apparently an interview with Katie Couric.

I'm most surprised by Cuckoo's Nest for no other reason that it is one of my favorite films (I also hold Ken Kesey's novel in high regard). There seems to be a similar theme running through all of these films, as well: they deal with outsider and justice. Both Godfather films deal with the complex morality of the Italian mafia in a country which denounces its practices where as the other three involve an outside figure coming to the assistance of a group mired with conflict.

An admirable film selection from the now commander-in-chief but, to be fair, it is also a safe selection.

I want to know Barack Obama's least favorite films and why.

Now that would be interesting.

The Prophecy has come true!

2009-01-16T12:46:00.004-06:00

So Taguchi has signed a one-year minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs.

Personally, I think this is a step back in the "Cubs trying to get even with the Cardinals for the Lou Brock trade" fiasco.

Nevertheless, I might have to start saving up for my So Taguchi Cubs jersey.

Batter Up!

2009-01-14T14:59:00.003-06:00

Carrie Muskat over at cubs.com ran an article positing among many things what this year's primary lineup will look like:

Got some ideas on what the lineup should be? This week will be a good opportunity to tell Piniella.

Well, Carrie, don't mind if I do.

1. Alfonso Soriano
- Whether or not this is the appropriate spot for Soriano is still uncertain to me. This is a guy that loves the lead-off homer. Frankly, this is not good for productivity (read: not worth what the Cubs are paying him) but it could be resolved.
2. Ryan Theriot
- Given that Soriano will lead-off, this is less of the traditional 2-spot than it is a second lead-off spot. Theriot can get on-base and steal which is perfect for the big bats in the heart of the order.
3. Milton Bradley/Derrek Lee
- Anyone that's watched the Cubs religiously can see that Derrek Lee's star is starting to dim a little bit. Not that Bradley is without concern. Despite criticisms against him, I think the Cubs are going to be more likely to try Bradley in the three-spot after coming off such a hot year.
4. Aramis Ramirez
- When he's on, this is the best place for him, which is most of the season.
5. Derrek Lee/Milton Bradley
- This could be where D. Lee starts the beginning of the year. It might not be where he ends it.
6. Geovany Soto
- If he has the kind of year in '09 like he did in '08 look to find him here in the 6-spot. In fact, if he and ALL the aforementioned players have the kind of year like they did in '08, this will, without a doubt in my mind, be the best 1-6 in baseball.
7. Aaron Miles
- Ok numbers over all but not that great on the base paths.
8. Pitcher Spot.
- Burn me at the stake but I think if the Cubs are going to have Soriano in the lead-off spot they should at least try some LaRussanomics now that the offensive power of the pitchers is down. With Marquis gone, the only pitcher that can hold his own at the plate is now Carlos Zambrano.
9. Reed Johnson/Kosuke Fukudome/Joey Gathright
- These guys have the speed to be matched by Soriano's bat at the top of the lineup. It is not very likely that we'll see them here on Opening Day.

Comment with your opinions!

Heeere's a Video!

2009-01-14T14:33:00.003-06:00

Andrew Sullivan over at the Daily Dish linked a really cool video from the making of The Shining.

About a year ago, I began my undergraduate senior project for cinema studies that studied the process of adaptation using The Shining as a focal point. In addition to rereading Stephen King's novel and watching Stanley Kubrick's film (maybe twice all the way through and numerous bits upon pieces), I also read many works concerning Kubrick's processes. However, at the time, I was never able to track down this video. Granted, it adds nothing to what I had already read in Michel Ciment's interview with the prolific director or his biography by Vincent Lobrutto but it is truly amazing to see a master (Nicholson as well) at work, be it but a glimpse.

Dreams of Obama

2009-01-14T14:16:00.003-06:00

In recent memory, for one reason or another, I have been having dreams in which Barack Obama plays a prominent role. Most of immediate of which involved myself at his inauguration address. There was a giant slide similar to the one at the Illinois state fair. At over 20 yards tall, it cascades slowly and easily to the bottom. The slickness of the surface and height of the dips makes it very difficult to hold your footing and consequentially, difficult to climb. I'm trying to climb the slide but I can't even make it past the first dip, the final at the bottom. I notice stairs to the right of the slide (also like the slide at the fair) which makes it easier to climb though large gaps between each step requires caution. Once I'm at he top, I can hear Obama's voice but he is down amongst a sea of people making him impossible to find.

Freudian interpretations aside, I am curious as to why I have been having dreams about the president-elect; further, my girlfriend also had a dream about him last night.

This certainly can't be an isolated incident. Is anyone else out there having dreams about Obama?

State of the Union, Cubs-style

2009-01-12T14:05:00.003-06:00

After perhaps a longer than necessary hiatus, it's back to business here at TVOTS and with the 2008 at our backs, it is time to look ahead to issues of concern in the coming year. Not least of which for myself is the 2009 Chicago Cubs.

Since my last post (both literal and those only concerning the Cubs) the Cubs have been creating more blips on the Hot Stove radar. First and foremost, and the one I have the most trouble wrapping my mind around is the "DeRosa-Miles" deal on New Years Eve. Carrie Muskat, Chicago Cubs beat reporter, explains that it is not exactly like that:

It won't show up in the transactions as an even Aaron Miles-for-Mark DeRosa swap, but that's what the Cubs essentially did on Wednesday.

Clearly, something else is coming.

O RLY?

DeRosa, a right-handed batter who is coming off his best offensive season, was traded to the Cleveland Indians for three Minor League pitchers, while the Cubs signed Miles, a free agent, to a two-year, $4.9 million contract.

The Tribe, which also acquired Kerry Wood last December, paid $5.5 mil for a one-year contract. Who's getting the better deal? Let's look at the numbers.

It is easy to say DeRosa had his best offensive year ever; his line (.285/.376/.481) doubled with an 118 OPS+ certainly makes a very good year for a guy that is not always an everyday player and constantly shifting from position to position in the field (.982 FP at 2nd, and .996 in right, by the way).

Aaron Miles also performed well last year (.317/.355/.398, OPS+ - 99); he did well at the plate overall but his inability to consistently hit for power plus an average on-base accounted for an OPS just a touch below league average. However, Miles is slightly better than DeRosa defensively though less versatile.

Miles has also shown to be skilled in the postseason during the Cardinals' 2006 World Series campaign where he posted a .364/.417/.545 line plus a BB, only 2 SO's, and a stolen base in the World Series.

Bottom line: it is hard to see the Cubs lose DeRosa AND Kerry Wood to the Indians (2009 AL Central Surprise?) but Aaron Miles (plus three pitching prospects, only one of which could see the light of bullpen time by the end of next year), a World Series vet, could prove to be a valuable commodity.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The Cubs also acquired relief pitcher Luis Vizcaino from the Rockies in exchange for starting pitcher Jason Marquis. Marquis has been the weakest link in the Cubs lineup for awhile but I've always suspected that he could be a nice ace or number 2 on a weaker team and this could be a nice way in going about acquiring a couple young guys who are starting to show some potential in the number crunching crowd.

Instead, a 34-year old Luis Vizcaino who has certainly seen better but never really seen great days. On the positive end, his ERA+ has dropped since leaving Arizona but his WHIP is really starting to jump close to the 1.5 region.

Bottom line: At least the bullpen is already stacked.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Biggest news is the acquisition of Milton Bradley from the Rangers. It's about time.

The Cubs agreed to a three-year contract at $30 million, essentially doubling what the Rangers were paying him.

Now, I'm not really going to get into the details of this trade; frankly, there's much better reads out there. Check out this one from Craig Brown at THT or this from Matthew Carruth over at Fangraphs.

Consensus: Statistics seem to suggest that the Cubs wasted their money.

Milton Bradley is better in the AL because he has not been able to perform well defensively without injuring himself. Even if he performs at the same caliber as he did with the Rangers, management will have to play it safe and alternate him with Fukudome in the lineup. Hopefully you won't buy tickets just to see him.

Conclusion: Despite reassurance from the management and beat writers that the Cubs '09 lineup would closely reflect that of '08, we seem to find ourselves at a point where the differences are beginning to shine through. Not that there is anything wrong with change but anyone that watched the Cubs last year knows that the front office would be better off investing in sports therapists than in deals. But that is also not to say that this does not sound like a winning team. It is, however, going to require managerial brilliance. Which days should Fukudome play and which should Bradley? Same for Fontenot, Miles, Cedeno, and Theriot in the infield and Gathright and Johnson in the outfield. Piniella, in my opinion, has demonstrated over the years the ability to show some cojones and the ability to play it safe. Usually more the latter than the former despite his reputation as something of a firebrand.

Every player on this team must bring their A-game next year and Lou absolutely must bring his A+ game.

Goin' North

2008-12-26T15:13:00.002-06:00

I'm off to Long Beach, IN and Chicago for a handful of days so my internet activity will be fairly scarce. Updates should resume in a few days.

Memories, Ideas, Thoughts and Promises

2008-12-26T04:11:00.006-06:00

There's something about my parents' house that causes an overwhelming flow of thought and emotion, often at night. So here I am again - another late, sleepless night; the same sort of night which my old friend Alex described as a plague to him that occurs on a return home for the holiday season. The pathways between the kitchen and the bedroom, the smells, the old pictures seem all too familiar. They are simultaneously comforting and haunting. I've spent the past four hours surfing the internet, reading, and, generally, attempting to distract myself until I jump, awake, into my bed and land asleep. However, there's little comfort to be found in the world lately, much less on the internet in the dark hours of the daily cycle.

A memory suddenly springs to mind: I'm back in Ms. Rice's kindergarden classroom for the Christmas pageant. The children sit in chairs opposite the parents where they perform a play and sing Christmas songs. I'm wearing a red vest with a white reindeer embroidered on the front with matching antlers over my head. I have been selected to stand, thank the parents for coming, and invite them to join us in singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." I wonder where Melissa is. Someone told me earlier, I recall, that she couldn't be in the play because she doesn't celebrate Christmas. Everyone sings.

Another memory: I'm standing in the middle of my high school gymnasium in front of the entire student body, upper- and under-classmen alike. It's 8:30 in the morning and as the vice-president of the Student Government, it is my job to direct everyone's attention to myself and the floor. Everyone is still talking but the principle has more important information to discuss and I am required to ease that transition.

Some more information would be helpful to drive in my point. I was always very skilled at math throughout high school. In math, many students understood one method easier than the other but geometry, algebra, even calculus, it was all the same to me. I was got the highest score on the AP Calculus exam, a five out of five, which was the best performance my instructor had seen in at least five years.

But I hated math. Sure, I could breeze through most of my assignments but the process was often met with a repressed level of stress, tedium, and contempt. I performed worse, which is to say still better than most, in English but somehow the product of my labors in that field was more satisfying to me. Thus begins me journey to the University of Illinois with a short-term goal in mind - a Bachelor's in Cinema Studies in the Liberal Arts and Sciences department. I still think friends and family have difficulty grasping that choice over the prestigious Engineering or Business programs at the University but it was done; I wanted to be an influence for the greater good of humanity. I wanted to challenge what people considered normal and inspire others to look outside of their sphere of influence. I wanted to stand in front of a crowd, absorb its attention, and redirect it to something more important than me.

Sure, there are other, better methods of accomplishing this than a Cinema Studies degree but at the time, I wanted to make movies. Now, not so much (it would be great), but I want to at least show people how film, culture, and the human condition are all inextricably linked.

Unfortunately for me, and perhaps everyone else, things appear to be changing. Earlier tonight, inspired by some rather tepid film reviews in the local arts section of the paper, my parents and I discussed the degradation in quality of this general style of journalism that is apparently symptomatic of a decline of interest in criticism, analysis, and other modes of thought that challenge cultural normalcy. Many local papers cannot afford to employ an on-hand critic and simply resort to articles obtained from the Associated Press. Not that there is anything wrong with using the AP to fill out a paper, but you lose the personal touch. Many papers are losing this personal touch since newspapers across the country, in general, are losing readership in massive quantities and, as a result, failing entirely. A couple of hours ago, I stumbled upon an article by Roger Ebert, a long-time hero of mine and writing guru of sorts, which confirms the validity of the discussion. People barely want news anymore, let alone criticism. As Ebert puts it, the mainstream culture wants neighborhood gossip, not a town crier.

So then what of someone like me? My college-level education is ostensibly done with the intent to pay the bills while performing a skill. What if the market for critical skill gives way to one more concerned with the practices of the CelebCult? I guess I have to depend on talent as a blogger which begs the question, do the words I am writing, right here, right now, sleepless at 5 in the morning, matter? Is the public still searching, blog to blog, for the truth out there or at least for an opinion that dares scoff at the general consensus? You still reading?

All that I am saying is give me a chance here. Give all of us bloggers a chance. The television and the newspaper may not always be the source for truth, honesty, and criticism. However, these are also things that cannot fade to dust like the printed word. That is why, even though my personal readership for this blog is, I'm sure, incredibly low I must maintain it and keep exploring different ideas. Take this as a mission statement or a more specified explanation as to what I hope to achieve by writing in this thing. The media around us may be changing but that does not mean that we have compromise our intellect. So, I implore you (for I am just as guilty as the next guy), read more books, blogs, magazines, whatever you can find. See an art film; specifically, see "Slumdog Millionaire." Write more. Keep a dream journal and use it to understand the inner workings of your psyche or just to have an amusing dream to tell someone. Perhaps most importantly, talk to your friends, make new ones, reconnect with old ones, just find someone you can inspire or be inspired by.

Like I said, I will do the same. Just promise to be there with me. It can't hurt to try. In fact, it will hurt us all not to try.

2008-12-26T02:28:00.003-06:00

The Big Picture over at boston.com recently released their selection of photographs that defined 2008. I am something of an enthusiast when it comes to collections of this sort as it appeals to an objective perception of beauty, humanism, and history captured perfectly at a brief moment in time. The wealth of potential interpretations and biases present adds to the depth and power of these images. Check out all three pages:

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Chicago Cubs acquire Joey Gathright: Thoughts and Potential Implications

2008-12-22T17:28:00.003-06:00

Cubs fans have known for awhile that Kerry Wood would not be returning in 2009 but it's still sad to see him picked up by another team. A more difficult issue to approach is the Cubs' acquisition of Joey Gathright from the Kansas City Royals, which occurred shortly after Wood's official departure. Though the two moves are not directly related from a business perspective, it seems odd to see the Cubs lose such a valuable asset and acquire someone that is largely under the radar. Gathright's one-year, $800,000 contract is minor compared to many other deals going on right now in the majors and although he is a left-handed outfielder, it's hard to believe that he was the left-handed bat the Cubs were looking to add to the outfield to prevent another embarrassing post-season appearance. Joining me now is Socrates to help evaluate this pickup for the Cubs.
Anthony: How are you today, Socrates?
Socrates: Good. A little tired.
A: What are the Cubs to gain in their lineup with Joey Gathright?
S: Primarily: speed. He'll spend early innings in the dugout and enter late during pinch-hit, pinch-run situations.
A: How good is he? And sources, please.
S: According to baseball-reference.com, he's averaging about 31 stolen bases per 162 games over the past five years with a CS% of about 25.7%.
Even a seasoned base-stealer like Brian Roberts will get caught about 20% of the time.
A: Brian Roberts is an everyday starter though.
S: But he's aggressive on the base paths. He'll get in position and score runs. He tallied 41 runs in 105 games last year (keeping in mind he played for the Royals).
A: But as far as batting goes, his line last year was .254/.311/.272 with an OPS+ of 59! Over five years of service his OPS+ is still only 68! That's not good at all no matter how you cut it! Do we sacrifice Reed Johnson's scrappy getting on-base skills for the speed of Gathright? You need to get on base before you can steal any.
S: Who said he can't get on base? Observe:

Baseball High Jump
Professional baseball player Joey Gathright jumps over the pitcher for the L.A. Dodgers. This is the best baseball play I have seen in a long time!

A: That's impressive. About as impressive as it is unlikely to happen again. But ok, sure. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt; he is fast and athletic. Now where does he go?
S: He's a utility outfielder so he can go anywhere in the outfield. Soriano, in good health, will be in left all day every day. Fukudome will start in right or DeRosa will go to right and Fontenot will take 2B duties. The Reed Johnson/Felix Pie center-field platoon is the iffiest because we don't know if Pie can perform at the major league level. Given that and Gathright's speed, it would appear the best position for him would backing up Johnson and center.
A: Johnson was hot last year and he could start center daily. But what if his performance was too good to be true? The Hardball Times, who recently published a study on BABIP, seems to think he is due to fall back. As a matter of fact, the article mentions Gathright as being severely overrated as well. Could the Cubs wind up with an offensive hole in center?
S: There is no guarantee on exactly how well a player will perform but, for arguments' sake, Gathright can back up Fukudome and DeRosa can remain at second base. Fontenot could then back up Theriot. The mysterious, strong left-handed bat could fill center and platoon with Johnson. Or option two, which I prefer: Gathright backs up the unnamed left-handed bat at right while Fukudome and Johnson platoon in center.
A: That doesn't sound bad. Assuming the Cubs are done with Pie, I think Gathright could have some potential on the team as long as his numbers do not regress. If that happened, we would be watching a mediocre player become bad instead of a good player becoming mediocre. Postulating aside, a question: who is the power lefty?
S: Milton Bradley seems to be the popular choice and the Cubs are likely to go with him. He has a strong line (.280/.370/.457), plenty of experience, and his availability on the market isn't causing a lot of commotion which should make him an easy snatch. However, it would be interesting to see the Cubs pursue some of the other free agents such as Garret Anderson or Eric Hinske, but I wouldn't hold your breath.
A: Thanks for joining tonight Socrates.
S: Thanks for having me. Talk to ya later, Ant.

Coldplay Case Files

2008-12-17T20:38:00.005-06:00

My girlfriend recently reunited my interest in Kraftwerk during a recent road trip. She was more or less unfamiliar with their work so we popped in "The Mix" LP which is a easy way to market the group because the album, in essences, remixes their best songs with a distinctly 90s-era rave feel. The one song she was familiar with on the album was "Computer Love," one of their most popular. I mused about how I remembered being in a department store once when I heard the melody only to find out later that it was not, in fact, Kraftwerk but a track from Coldplay's "X&Y" album. Obviously, I'm not the only one who caught this.

However, while reading comments on some of these videos, I discovered something that slipped through my net entirely: Joe Satriani is suing Coldplay for stealing one of his guitar riffs!

In court papers filed in Los Angeles on Thursday, he said the song used "substantial original portions" of his 2004 instrumental If I Could Fly.

Satriani, 52, wants a jury trial and is seeking damages and "any and all profits" for the alleged plagiarism.

Substantial original portions? Well, I guess the million dollar question is exactly how substantial. Let's examine...

Now since Coldplay's newest did earn silver medal status among my top albums of the year, I feel obligated to take a defensive position in favor of Coldplay but even if "Viva La Vida" was amongst the shittiest albums of the year, it would still be logical to defend them. I'm no lawyer or even student of the law but it seems to me that a "riff" is not necessarily entitled to ownership in the same way that a chord progression cannot be claimed as belonging to one particular person or group. I can't imagine a million artists feuding over who owns G-C-D. Granted a riff, as assumed by the "substantial portion" phrase, goes beyond basic chords and into the greater creative process. Nevertheless, I imagine this will die in court as creativity can't possibly be considered quantifiable. Plus, the mashup in the video above seems to not fit as tightly around 1:33.

This is still kind of a diss that the artistry of Coldplay considering it already happened to Kraftwerk but musicians rip other musicians off all the time. The real issue seems to be intent because face it, unless one artist knows every single musical work in the world then there is no way to say whether the alleged "plagiarism" is a true ripoff or a mere coincidence.

By the way, I think my friend Chad is actually ripping of Chris Martin.

<---Coincidence??--->

From the "Shoe: Fly; Don't Bother Bush" Department

2008-12-15T15:46:00.005-06:00

George W. Bush, in a rather impressive display of athleticism, dodged a shoe the other day in a press conference during his farewell tour of Iraq. The reporter is being held in custody and cannot be reached for questioning but, according to sources, expressed distate for Bush's performance during the Farewell Tour as well as that of his opening act, Cher. Ba-dum crash!

Here's a video:

Despite Bush's comments following the attack where he attempted to play off the incident (though, obviously physically and mentally stirred), this will undoubtedly be regarded as an incident iconic of the President's eight-year tenure in office.

More iconic is this image (taken from nytimes.com):

The image of Bush, blurred, cowering in the background while Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki stands authoritatively with his hand blocking the President is essentially symbolic of Bush's involvement in the Iraq War quagmire. And while anything inferred or said cannot detract from Bush's surprisingly quick reflexes and ability to hold out the rest of the conference, this is the icing on the cake; a relatively non-violent yet insulting culmination of years of animosity felt towards the Bush administration at home and around the world.

Corruption in Illinois? Noo....

2008-12-12T22:15:00.004-06:00

Recent allegations against Rod Blagojevich that resulted in his arrest has been a popular news story lately, particularly for those in Illinois. Not that we're shocked. The governor's long history of corruption is no secret. Republicans and democrats alike have admonished his deeds and I am personally resentful of the fact that unemployment has risen a couple of points since he took office in 2002. His arrest for me was more of an "I-told-ya-so" to those in the rest of the country until I came across this article.

The jist: Blagojevich's crimes were directed related to the Chicago Tribune's sale of the Chicago Cubs. Listed in the 78-page criminal complaint issued against Blagojevich is a charge that he was allegedly using the Illinois Finance Authority as leverage to force the removal of Tribune editors pulling for his impeachment. Grants and funds were reportedly withheld from the Tribune that would have assisted in funding a real estate deal.

The Chicago Cubs have been on the market for the better part of the past couple of years yet no sale has ever come to fruition. Granted the sale concerning uptown real state and a Major League Baseball team priced in the billion dollar range. Nevertheless, this is a deal that could most certainly have been expedited through the proper allocation of funds from the state. At this point, the team could look forward to future under ownership other than a failing newspaper company and possibly, at some point down the road, renovations to one of the oldest ballparks in the league.

The bottom line: If charges are true, it still may be a little to much to say that Rod, a long-time Cubs fan, sabotaged the team but he certainly did not do anything to help assist in the normal flow of business.

Top 25 Albums of 2008

2008-12-10T23:21:00.013-06:00

Well, here it is. The propheted year of 2008. Only 4 more years before the Mayan Calender ends and humanity, and consequently all music, ceases to be. At least that's perhaps what Axl Rose was thinking; I can imagine it now, "Shit! Four more years left? Better release "Chinese Democracy", who cares if it is or isn't done?" Or imagine the poor guys from Queen trying to pull it together once more with Paul Rodgers for an album that is about as close to thesound of the original band as Chinese Democracy is. Or the poor Kings of Leon who seem to have decidedly switched on cruise control with the apocalypse in sight. Ok, so maybe I'm being a little unfair because there is always enough time to pull out some great surprises in the field of art known as music. Hail '08 and here's to '09! So until next time... I give you... my favorite albums of 2008!

25. “Street Horrrsing” by Fuck Buttons

To see Fuck Buttons live is to watch two scientists, who might as well have a wall of glass between them and the audience. Behind the glass, from our perspective, they face each other at synthesizers creating dark, fuzzed-out sonic landscapes that swell and quiet in a cathartic manner. When I saw them live, their set list was, at its core, “Street Horrrsing” and it was a beauty to behold. I'll be the first to admit that I like a little music in my music but what these guys can do with their keyboards and Gameboys and childrens' microphone sets is awesome.

24. “Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust” by Sigur Ros

I can't quite explain it but Sigur Ros seems more accessible now than ever before. Their newest album (the title roughly translates to “With Feedback in Our Ears, We Play Endlessly”) is more of a rock album (check out the second track, “Inní mér syngur vitleysingur”) than the ambient fare that we've come to expect from the Icelandic group. The long brooding passages of old remain but the “Hopelandic” lyrics are gone and they even recorded their first all-English track “All Alright” suggesting the possibility for further crossover. Time will tell if a move like that will actually happen and if so, how the quality of music will change. “Endalaust” is no “()” but Sigur Ros is still consistently good.

23. “The Renaissance” by Q-Tip

Hip-hop is enjoying something of a glory period lately. 2008 produced hip-hop albums which I believe will have a lasting influence on the genre for awhile. Q-Tip's latest isn't quite up to par with the production value of these aforementioned albums but “The Renaissance” benefits from its distinctly old-skool feel. That is to say, there is a timeless feel to the album that a lot of hip-hop albums this year do not have. Judging the sound and mood alone, this album could have easily been released 20 years ago. Lyrically Q-Tip is on point; “Gettin' Up” is a love song that is impressive by its subtlety (for a counterpoint, check out T.I.'s “Porn Star”) and the wordplay in “Dance on Glass” is brilliant.

22. “Nouns” by No Age

One of my favorite albums of all time is DFA1979's “You're a Woman, I'm a Machine.” The lo-fi aggression of the drums, bass, and drowned-out vocals was a once in the lifetime sound. The main reason I like “Nouns” by No Age so much is that it has that very same character. The sound made by Dean Spunt and Randy Randall is so aggressive, experimental and oddly minimalist that it elicits such a strong emotional response from the listener. There is no easy way to define it (likening it to DFA is an error according to genre alone) and that is why I like it.

21. “In Ear Park” by Department of Eagles

The newest album by a group primarily made up by Daniel Rossen, of Grizzly Bear, and old NYU roommate Fred Nicolaus can possibly be best described as busy. There are so many layers on each and every song that are so nuanced and quiet that they often escape your ears on first listen. It is only on second listen that you begin to understand the vast scope of the album. There is so much but nothing is overdone. Sonic layering aside, “In Ear Park” is such a relaxing listen. Like Grizzly Bear, the voices on the album are as melodic and beautiful as the music.

20. “808s and Heartbreaks” by Kanye West

A more personal side of Kanye West. Still a little too much AutoTune, but a lot on this album, particularly the diversity of the beats and some of the most heart-felt lyrics in his repertoire, works for me.

19. “Heart On” by Eagles of Death Metal

It's fun to listen to those clever Eagles of Death Metal. Their sound is so dirty and raw that it makes you feel like you're as tough as Jesse “The Devil” Hughes and Josh Homme (also of Queens of the Stone Age). This album is sexy rock n' roll at its finest. No one keeps the 70s alive like these guys can.

18. “Self-Titled” by Flight of the Conchords

Sure, their albums are not nearly as effective as their live performances or their television show but to not place their music among the best albums of 2008 (first recorded in 2008 or not) would, in my opinion, undermine the quality and hilarity of it. Both of which are high. But most of all, the album deserves to be on the list because of the hype and expectations surrounding future seasons of the show. The songs on this album have long been the heart and soul of Flight of the Conchords' body of work for years. Can they follow it up? I hope yes but, if not, we must have this album stand as a memory of the greatest New Zealanders to take the USA by storm.

17. “Modern Guilt” by Beck

The real treat on here is the awesome production by Danger Mouse and the fact that this album is almost as good as Beck's stuff from the 90s.

16. “Heart Burns EP” by Tom Gabel

An excellent but short collection of solo material by Tom Gabel of Against Me!. The true solo stuff on this album is the best, particularly “Cowards Sing at Night” and “Harsh Realm.” “Anna is a Stool Pigeon” features a bold cast of guest musicians and a sound reminiscent of The Clash that is fun despite being a little heavy-handed... Personal message to Mr. Gabel: you are just as skilled and fun to listen to without a group of people behind you.

15. “Trouble in Dreams” by Destroyer

The highlight of Destroyer's newest album is the poetic lyrics that are satisfyingly Dylan-esque. They unfold and listen like poetry and the complex guitar parts beneath help to punctuate that fact.

14. “The Cool” by Lupe Fiasco

“The Cool” was actually released in 2007 past my cutoff date for the year's best. Since it was definitely worthy of the best album list, I've compensated by placing it on this list. Perhaps the artiest hip-hop in the mainstream in awhile.

13. “Saturdays = Youth” by M83

This is a beautiful sprawling epic of electronic music rooted in shoegaze and noise pop. The best thing is how each track drags you in and keeps you tuned in as long as it can. For example, the eleven-minute closing track "Midnight Souls Still Remain" is oddly hypnotic despite being so repetitive and simple.

12. “The Carter 3” by Lil Wayne

I first got into Lil Wayne last year after the release of “Da Drought 3” and when I heard he was BET's MVP last year, I knew somehow I shouldn't have missed out on how significant Birdman Jr. was in the rap game. The release of “The Carter 3” proved it to me and the rest of the world alike. Lil Wayne is a hilarious and effective wordsmith for the ages. A milli a milli a milli a mil a mila milli amilli

11. “The '59 Sound” by The Gaslight Anthem

This album, like the band's previous effort, reminds me of why I got into punk in the vein of The Bouncing Souls and The Descendents so long ago. That being said, The Gaslight Anthem is more like Social Distortion than anything. And, even more accurately, like Social Distortion mixed with a Bruce Springsteen-esque psychology obvious in the lyrics on “High Lonesome,” among others: “Every night I wake up with the sheet's soaking wet / It's a pretty good song maybe you know the rest / maybe you know the rest.” A lot of fun to listen to and definitely a band I would love to see live.

10. “Dear Science” by TV on the Radio

This album awed me on first listen. TV on the Radio's songwriting is so full and complete and they have the music to match. It's dancey, emotional, and funky. "Lover's Day" is a great way to end it all as well.

9. “When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That Shit Gold” by Atmosphere

Holy shit. What a year or so for Atmosphere. The craziest thing is that this isn't even Slug's best album in the past 365 days. His free, online-only “Strictly Leakage” was a surprisingly excellent new turn for him as artist, which had long depended on how long we were able to believe and care for how shitty Lucy was. However, “Leakage” was released in 2007 and even though it was after my cut-off, I already let Lupe slide so I'm not gonna get too liberal with this. Nevertheless, “Lemons” is great in its own right and it's equally great to see Atmosphere flourishing in its new direction. Plus, any song that samples “Love Will Find Its Own Way” by Gladys Knight and the Pips is OK by me.

8. “Airing of Grievances” by Titus Andronicus

I used to be relatively traditional when it came to what type of lineups constituted a legitimate band. But now I say fuck it because it does not matter how many guitars you have in your band. DFA1979 showed me you can get away with only a bass and Titus Andronicus convinced me that you can have three or four at once without them doing anything really distinct. Just as long as its loud and aggressive, which is exactly what these guys are.

7. “Lust Lust Lust” by The Raveonettes

Released overseas in 2007, then in the United States in 2008, The Raveonettes newest is great thanks to all of those fuzzed out instruments that I have loved so much since my first experiences listening to My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain, and other shoegazey bands with clever names. “Lust Lust Lust” is noise pop at its finest. Fun at times, dark at others, and cranked to the max all the time.

6. “Feed the Animals” by Girl Talk

Some, one of which being my dear friend Everett, would argue that Girl Talk, in sampling good music, does not make it good nor does it make it music. It is a legitimate point but that's what makes it fun, in my opinion. It's really just a matter of personal preference. There is a good point in the argue in the sense that, by construction, Girl Talk is based on the fun of the novelty. The novelty slowly begins to wear off after you've heard the tracks and completed the “name the song” game but forget not how fun those listens were. That's why “Feed the Animals,” Girl Talk's new album that was released for free over the internet last summer, is number 6 on the list. Any album that received so many plays so many times at so many summer parties at my old house with so many good friends deserves all the credit that it's worth.

5. “Stay Positive” by The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady are such a monumental band and one of the best live acts I saw this year and, perhaps, ever. Lead singer Craig Finn brings so much energy to the stage and his music. “Stay Positive” being no exception. Finn sings a little more on this one to which I take no issue but other than that, this is like any other Hold Steady album – full of interesting young characters and stories, inspirational lyrics for those who receive the least sympathy in pop culture (read: rockers and drunks, et al), whoa-oh-ohs, and a sense of nerdy salvation. Oh, and it's great.

4. “Self-Titled” by Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend came out of nowhere this year with comparisons being made between their sound and Paul Simon's “Graceland” and, consequently, a lot of hype. The hype is deserved but the comparison... well, that depends. If forced to, we can connect any sound to one previously heard but sometimes it is not necessary and, often, it detracts from the quality of a fresh new sound. And Vampire Weekend certainly have that – a soundtrack best suited for warm summer days.

3. “Brighter Than Creation's Dark” by Drive-By Truckers

My personal connection to the Drive-By Truckers (I saw them twice this year as well as interviewed Shonna for an article when I was writing for the217.com) certainly warrants them a high place on any music-related list I make but that is not to compromise my sincerity when I say that “BTCD” is one of the best albums of the year. It certainly paints the broadest musical and lyrical strokes of any album on the top five; at over 70 minutes, the album runs the gamut from the simple storytelling of “Bob” to the personal confessional of “The Righteous Path” to the album's beautiful conclusion “Monument Valley,” an ode to the cowboys of the old west who must, for some reason or another, always ride to the sunset. All things considered, Drive-By Truckers are still the reason I can never tell the lie “I hate country music.”

2. “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” by Coldplay

Having Coldplay's newest this high on the list may seem shocking, after all they are the band most people like to fall asleep to, but I like what “Viva La Vida...” does. It doesn't depart from what the band has done previously, but somehow it is not the same. The best thing about “Viva” is how it seems to effortlessly flow together while successively contrasting the dark with the light tracks (maybe more like “Viva La Vida vs. Death and All His Friends”). Or how tracks can, and often, change moods so drastically while engaging the listener the entire time (see “42”). But most of all, such an epic album does not overstay its welcome. There seems to be places on the album where it would be tempting to draw an idea out ad nauseum (the great final lyrics of “Death and All His Friends” before “The Escapist”) but Coldplay resists, no doubt thanks to ideas from producer Brian Eno. I may still be too young to be favoring contemporary adult rock so highly on my list, but it's a great album regardless.

1. “Self-Titled” by Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes have such a warm inviting sound that it's impossible not to like them. At least a little bit. Come on..... There's something familiar and friendly about it all, particularly their label release. There's a little Beach Boys somewhere in there. Maybe a little Devendra Banhart. Hell, maybe some Radiohead. A little punk? On and on it goes. But what the pieces sound like is not nearly important as how the pieces feel together. Admittedly, it took a little bit for this album to grow on me but, like some of the best human and artistic relationships, just because it isn't initially powerful (say, for example, my selection for last year's best, “In Rainbows”) that does not mean there isn't something there strong enough to keep you coming back. Which is exactly what Fleet Foxes self-titled will do. I can listen to this album through and through. It's such a pleasant experience that is so sincere and musical; the guitars are warmest even at their darkest and the vocal harmonies cannot be described in any other except that they are the highlight of the album. But most importantly, it's fun and it doesn't get old; turn it up or turn it down, just listen and experience.

All Album cover images taken from Amazon.com with exceptions:

Girl Talk album cover taken from www.myspace.com/girltalk

Titus Andronicus album cover taken from www.myspace.com/titusandronicus

New Title

2008-12-04T19:07:00.002-06:00

I've decided to change the title of the blog from the "Blog Waves" to "TVs on the Stage" in hope to inspire a certain new direction in the content. As to what this new direction will be is yet to be determined but I hope to incorporate an element of general cultural analysis vis-a-vis my greatest passions: music, film, and baseball. Finding this analysis will require a certain level of experimentation that may result in a seeming lack of focus from post to post, so bear with me.

In case you were curious, the new title comes from The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn's response to an inquiry on an ESPN open online chat: "You guys have a show in Louisville on Oct. 30 [which I attended] which could be Game 7 of the World Series. What happens if the Twins are in that game?" Finn's response: "TV's on stage!"

Baseball on a television during a concert? That's what I'm kinda getting at, ya know?

Review: MST3K 20th Anniversary Tin Set

2008-12-03T15:21:00.004-06:00

Perhaps it is no secret that one of my favorite television programs of all time is Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K); if not, it is certainly my favorite show that runs an hour and a half per episode. Watching an episode is an investment that borders on masochism -- you know you are about to watch one of the worst movies ever made but you do it anyways. In this sense, the show has appeal for specific types of people who share not only negligible concern for the quality of films but the same sense of humor as the 'Bots and Joel/Mike, which in itself can be off-putting at times. I revel in both with fanboy-esque fervor.

That being said, I may be the last person that should be giving an objective review to this DVD set. However, if you are a fan of the show, chances are you know this box set is great and would purchase the DVD anyway with little regard to my opinions in both circumstances.

But this review is more for those who remember the show from its original run on Comedy Central (the "Comedy Channel," then) and Sci-Fi and want to rekindle their interest or for those who have never seen it at all.

For the latter, a plot synopsis: A man is shot into space and forced to watch the worst movies ever made. Throughout the movie, he cracks jokes with his robot friends to keep his sanity.

The tin set includes four episodes on four DVDs: First Spaceship on Venus, Laserblast, Werewolf, and Future War (don't forget to watch the original trailers before the movies!). Joel is featured as the unwilling test subject in First Spaceship from the second season with Mike at the post in the others -- perhaps a mix blessing for Joel fans and a great treat for fans of Mike but, personally, I don't care. These films together are the strongest set of any previous MST3K DVD release. Particularly Laserblast, a film which Leonard Maltin gave two-and-a-half stars. This episode, the last with the evil Dr. Forrester, has some of the best riffs and, not normally the shows strong suit, the best host segments of any episode. The absurd storyline of Future War (1997), which somehow involves time travel, dinosaurs, a drug addict turned nun, and a lot of cardboard boxes, is a prime MST target despite being the youngest movie to ever appear on the show proving that films need not grow old to become terrible. Similarly, Werewolf (or "wurr-wuilf") cannot be saved by Charlie Sheen's uncle. Perhaps the biggest surprise comes with First Spaceship on Venus, a Cold War-era space adventure plagued by cliches and a dry story. While this episode does not have the strongest riffing by Joel and the 'Bots, it is as fresh and clever as they could have done it, thanks to, in part, an overly sarcastic Tom Servo. This episode is the odd one out of the bunch but it is certainly not the weakest. In fact, one more episode should have been included in the set specifically for that honor.

In addition to being a great collection of episodes, the discs include an awesome set of bonuses; the most notable being a feature length documentary in three parts about the history of the show that is insight for newbies and a genuine treat for old school fans that still remember the "Making of" special from the Sci-Fi days. Joel's stories and insights on the development and early history of the show are particularly interesting while Mike's input and analysis of the characters, events, and the show in general are lucid and cogent. The cast reunion at San Diego ComicCon on Disc 4 is a nice treat and the compilation of the series' theme song variations are fun to watch evolve.

And then there's the tin itself. This thing is huge. The tin itself opens with a hinged door and the DVD box is included inside. My only complaint is that the box itself seems a little too large for the tin and required some shaking and pulling to extract. Four custom lobby cards for each movie and a plastic Crow T. Robot figurine are also included. I have yet to find a cool use for the cards but I imagine having them individually framed and placed on my wall would add a retro feel to my apartment. Crow is currently perched on top of my television reminding me to never let bad movies give me any shit.

All in all, this limited edition tin set is a treasure for any fan of this classic television show and a great introduction to those who have never seen it. I still think the MST3K DVD sets cost just about $10 too much but the extras included in this set make it worth every penny. Did I mention the tin itself is awesome?

There's something wholly captivating and satisfying about MST3K. It is the ultimate exercise in postmodernism -- a movie within another show being attacked by a barrage of cultural references on a cheesy spaceship set made out of spare parts that somehow still manages to have more character than those in the low-budget jalopies they watch. It is, essentially, the ultimate form of art and it could have only been born in a small studio in the midwest in the 1990s. Nowadays, we are more comfortable engaging ourselves within our culture in a manner of seriousness than we are in stepping out of the box and recognizing it instead for its inherent vulnerability and foolishness; basically, we would rather laugh at than laugh with. There is no room for MST3K on television anymore in the big east/west coast systems but at least we have DVDs to provide us with a link to the past. Because we still need MST3K. As long as there are bad movies, MST3K is always relevant.

- Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

MST3K Tin Box image taken from www.amazon.com.

Review: "24: Redemption"

2008-11-24T18:16:00.003-06:00

Jack Bauer is certainly one of the greatest action characters in television history; his skill as a counter-terrorist agent are impeccable and exciting as they are unorthodox, and this is why many have tuned to FOX religiously on Monday nights. Yet, even more, one of the most fascinating elements of Keifer Sutherland's character is watching him balance on a thin line between the acceptance and disdain of his actions. He is a morally steady character, always determined to do the right thing for his country while, more often than not, his superiors in the government would rather he remained bound by his bureaucratic or brought to justice for his actions which, illegal as they may be, produce desirable, ideological results. Adding to this is the gimmick that he is able to accomplish this feat in 24 real-time hours.

"24" debuted on November 6, 2001 and although most of the show was produced before 9/11, its themes hit a strong note with viewers in a post-9/11 world. As the Bush administration marched on relentlessly with its agenda by means of questionable use of surveillance, counter-terrorism operations, wars, criminal detention centers where all rights were stripped, and so on, the show continued to play off the real-life anxieties of its audience. Viewers did not know if a person like Jack Bauer existed somewhere within the United States' operations but it was certainly comfortable to know he was on television at 9:00 every Monday night.

As the show progressed through seasons, its popularity increased and, naturally, so did the element of redundancy. The show may have been just as exciting as ever but certain things became predictable: Jack's family would come into danger resulting in him acting out of passion instead of professionalism; there is a mole somewhere; the present threat is a red herring for the real threat; Jack's behavior would threaten his position at CTU; something shocking would happen at the 55th minute of every hour, and so on. While the first two seasons are certainly guilty of these flaws, they were treated with much more patience than later seasons. Perhaps eager to keep more viewers intrigued, the show began adding twists and turns with a preposterous amount of frequency. Twists not of the "wow I didn't see that one coming" sort but were instead more like "wow, I knew a twist was coming but I didn't think it would be that crazy but then again I guess it had occurred to me before I was led in another direction before returning... but, oh, nevermind." Time continued to flow as true to life as before but somehow seemed augmented to allow for more rapid plot development. These flaws certainly did not compromise the quality of Jack's action sequences but everything seemed more convoluted than before.

Cue a writers' strike, a one year delay, and enter "24: Redemption," a two-hour "television event" designed to bridge the gap between the mediocre Season 6 and the upcoming season 7, the first season to run without George W. Bush in office. Jack is passing the time in Sangala, Africa along with old friend Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle) who constructed and now runs a school for the local boys in the area. Their lives are peaceful but both seem aware that this is merely a step between where they were and where they are going. Jack, meanwhile, is being pursued by Frank Trammell (Gil Bellows), an American representative eager to serve him a subpoena that will have him tried for his unorthodox torturing methods.

Elsewhere in Sangala, Colonel Benjamin Juma (Tony Todd) is raising an army to take over the government. His primary target for his growing army is young children which he captures and brainwashes to support his agenda.

Meanwhile, on Inauguration Day in the United States, the shady, baritone-voiced President Noah Daniels (Powers Boothe) is being replaced by Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones) whose facial features and general demeanor is no doubt intended to reflect that of Hillary Clinton. The two share a scene in the oval office where Daniels cynicism and Taylor's optimism is certainly modeled after Bush and Obama, respectively. There seems to be a conspiracy being perpetrated by a stoic Jon Voight which seems to immediately threaten Taylor's son (Eric Lively) as well as have connections to the overthrow in Africa.

Before Jack is about to continue with his life of wandering, a group of local boys are kidnapped and the school comes under attack by Juma's army. Jack, Benton, and the boys escape, with the army in hot pursuit, for the capital which is offering escort for Americans. Between Jack and the helicopter is miles of jungle, Frank Trammell, and a decision he did not think he would have to make. Before accusing me of revealing any spoilers, remember this is "24: Redemption" not "24: Renegade."

The story is a nice topical break from the usual "24" fare considering the genocide in Darfur and it seems to promise an exciting and different seventh season. Action sequences are as good as ever, Sutherland is in top form as Bauer despite being a little less fierce and the subplots, though it may be unfair at this point to assume a lack of connection between the primary story, are layered with promise provided the material is treated appropriately over the 24 episodes next season.

However, "24: Redemption" seems to already be falling into some of the traps that plagued the more recent seasons. While it is plausible for the storyline of a film to be condensed to keep the length under 2 hours, there seems to be a little too much going on still. Jack, on the run from the army, is able to do 5 kilometers through the jungle, make it to the helicopter in the capital city, and take off in under an hour despite having to care for over a half-dozen kids, one of which is in critical condition. Juma's coup seems far too sudden and a story involving President Taylor's son and his drug addict friend seems to end before it has a chance to really begin.

Despite the fresh story and the action sequences, "24: Redemption" struggles with keeping its patience. Ideas are rushed and the most promising characters are killed before relationships can be fully explored. Season 7 will definitely be worth giving a chance but if it continues at the same pace as "24: Redemption," the return of "24" for Season 8 in 2010 will not be as exciting.

- Rating: 2.5 (out of 5)

"24: Redemption" poster taken from imdb.com

Ketchup

2008-11-20T22:31:00.003-06:00

Hello, internet. It's been awhile.

And indeed it has.

Much has happened since the publishing of my last blog entry (August 8th). Most shocking was my emergency surgery that occurred no sooner than a couple days after my brief tirade against McDonalds' newest ad campaign. I had not been eating well at the time and furthermore, I started drinking Vault again in copious quantities, often before work. It is because of these two factors, I believe, that following a long day at work, I returned to Nicki's (I was in the process of moving out of the Dude Ranch) with severe stomach pains that would result in the removal of my appendix. But not before an hour or two of moaning and groaning and trying to nap away my agony. Nicki, meanwhile, was growing hungry (I promised to cook dinner for her), anxious, concerned, and apparently, suspicious that I was faking it. This was, of course, not the case; the sensation I felt was like a cross between severe hunger pains and the feeling you get when you really have to shit but you're stuck in the middle of a crowd at a music festival or out to dinner with your girlfriend's parents or something similar so you just squeeze and try to forget about it.

But I couldn't ignore it. Eventually, I went to the hospital and was placed in the emergency ward. The doctor instructed me to drink some contrast (which looked and tasted like piss/Mountain Dew) in preparation for an x-ray which would reveal the problem. As it turned out my appendix had inflamed to inhuman proportions and had to be removed immediately. I was anesthetized, they inserted a catheter, cut me open, and removed my appendix. The next thing I remember was being awoken in a dark room by the removal of said catheter. In my daze, I thought they had to remove another for some reason. I spent the next 15 hours in the hospital hooked to an IV which was set to release morphine into my veins every ten minutes and was later told by the doc that I was fortunate to have gone to the hospital when I did because if I had waited much longer it would have burst before the operation.

I was largely incapacitated for the next week at which point I moved to my new apartment across from Jimmy John's on Lincoln Street in Urbana. It's officially a one-bedroom despite the fact that there are five total rooms, including the kitchen and bathroom, but since the one room flows consecutively to the next, and so on, it's only suitable for one person. Needless to say, I'm spending more money on it than I should be but it have really made it my own.

For instance, my bedroom has become my station for music production. While working at Best Buy is, more or less, existentially dissatisfying, its major perk is cheap pieces of electronics that I've been using to put together a studio. I restrung my guitars with some cheap slinky Ernie Balls, picked up a new 10' instrument cable and, my favorite, a Samson dynamic recording mic with a 1/4" to 3.5 mm converter. The key piece in that set is the converter since it's allowed me to plug my instruments into my sound card and mix down tracks with Audacity. This has consumed most of my free time over the past couple months and I just recently put together the bare bones of an album called The Rich Tony Project (get it?). It's a really heavy synth album but I've thrown most of the emphasis on making the drums and bass as deep and penetrating as possible while maintaining my standard poppy-songwriting sensibilities. The entire process is far from complete: I need to make all the individual sounds cleaner, maybe add some more musical elements, and almost certainly add some vocals, a task I've assigned to Jon Speagle. More updates on that later.

In truth, I've spent most of my time getting caught up on older movies that I have either never seen before or haven't seen in awhile and need to revisit but I think that will be another post. I'll also probably throw in a review of the new MST3K 20th Anniversary Set.

Toodles.

Lies

2008-08-09T20:01:00.004-05:00

I just caught the last half of a McDonalds commercial hailing its food as "an excellent source of happiness" to the rhythm of sickly generic pop-punk music. McDonalds clearly has no shame because this slogan implies two things:
1. There is a scale of happiness upon which things may be judged and McDonalds is "excellent." Ok, so what is a Poor source of happiness or maybe an Average source of happiness? I mean, seriously, this is happiness we're talking about! It can be dirty, but never bad!
2. Happiness is the only thing of which McDonalds' food may be an excellent source because it certainly isn't an excellent source of healthiness (as it's an excellent source of trans fats).

But I guess I do like McDonalds from time to time. I just wish their ad campaigns didn't make me feel like an idiot for them.

BLAST!

2008-08-05T18:08:00.002-05:00

I began packing today in a most haphazardly half-assed way that landed me in front of the screen and keyboard. While moving magazines and old collegiate notebooks from my dresser to a box I stumbled upon an old memo book from my sophomore year days; it appears to span from early January 2006 to March, maybe April. It's lame for the most part, typical of a 20-year old, but a few passages stood out, including:

haikus-
"Like ants to and fro
we make a destination
No! We've everywhere to go"

"Two squirrels give chase,
separate and return -
searching for food"

"A crooked limb
less appealing to the eyes
- but just as strong"

a line foreshadowing my future relationship with Everett-
"we will become kings of the road!"

a rap about robots from my free-stylin' days with Flanagan-
"(Bust a flow!)
Now all the robots in the house put yo' hands in the air
y'all need batt'ries but ya just don't care
roll up to the white house
put the robots in charge
dangerous criminals:
robots-at-large!
hold ya ass up
throw ya to the floor
rob ya straight and get the fuck out the door
uuhhh robots
microchips
specially programmed to make the ladies dip
mechanical arms
doing ya harm
roll up on ya like a fucking swarm
and don't even fuck with the gangsta bots
cuz they definitely got the best robopot
smoke it up quick and they make lots of beeps
then drive in their cars yelling at the peeps
i'm just kidding, robots got wheels
they don't need no automobiles
uhhh make the chicks squeal
robots got style, robots for real."

vague questions-
"(bum with a cell phone?)"
"I'm a police officer?"

poetry-
"Dancing on the moon! In the month of June!
How can I assume that I can presume that
this feeling is fully new on a new full moon?
Extravagant, excellent
away from plague and pestilence of earth
a place to dance and drink and smile! oh! the mirth!
(for all it's worth) it can only get better
we make the path break from the center
we're the unbeatable, unmovable mobile trend setters
we inspire what you desire and when we kiss
we take them higher... damn! set them on fire!
their hearts will scream and all will seem
like they had seen us before in a deep dark dream
where we hugged and held and had and
had been helplessly haranguing and harping
of all the love in the world invested in one boy and one girl
who held hands, which together crushed this weak world
with a power of cosmic magnitude
making out hearts explode with deep gratitude
for finding one another beneath the stars-
the endless infinite stars-
the stars that would be ours!

watch out for the kids who know their goals
who hold the knowledge and experience of the world
on a table in a stone bowl, oh!
now we're on a roll!
don't want to stop, can't stop
will not stop.
we may die and drop but it does not end
my friend
only the physical-
destiny lives in the inexplicable.
so hold my hand as we off to new lands-
a troubadour traveling with his mighty band
whose maestro is perched on a stand
conducting a piece in a steady four/four
this world is our masterpiece!
nothing less
but everything
forever
and endlessly more;"

obvious but strangely philosophical truths-
"Alton Brown is a genius. We've got life... love... good eats;"

and advice I should have heeded a lot sooner-
"Subway is no place for a ROCK STAR."

Success

2008-06-03T17:51:00.003-05:00

- I officially graduated from college!
- I caught a plane from STL to Denver, Denver to Seattle!
- I climbed a mountain! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._Si)
- I went to a music festival! (http://sasquatchfestival.com/2008/)
- I saw the Mariner's snap a seven-game losing streak in epic fashion! (http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/wrap.jsp?ymd=20080527&content_id=2782621&vkey=wrapup2005&fext=.jsp&team=home&c_id=sea)
- I came home!
- I'm still unemployed but a couple options have opened up.
- The Cubs are the best team in baseball (http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/tht-dartboard-june-1-2008/)
- I'm hungry.

Holy Shit

2008-04-30T17:19:00.003-05:00

I just got home from last class of college undergraduate. Ever. I want to do something epic but there are still things left to be done:
- 5/5: HIST 142 Final
- 5/7: 6-8 Page Paper for French Colonial Film
-5/8: 20 Page Independent Study Paper

I guess it does seem like a lot when I list it in bullet points but motivation is bottoming out. Here's to a timely resurgence of energy!

In other news, Erika is starting a Zine for the Springfield/217 area and I'm pretty sure I'm set to contribute to the first issue as soon as I specify to her what my story will be. Cool cool!

In other OTHER news, I went to Off-Broadway in St. Louis on Monday with my roommate Dan and my sisters for Tim and Eric Awesome Tour. The event put those guys in the position of phenom-status in my mind as their live show was unlike anything I had ever seen before in my life. It consisted of song and dance numbers, including an appearance by Casey and His Brother, plugs for Papa John's, and general stand-up goofiness. In between sketches, they aired some season 3 material which was as pleasant of a surprise as it was hilarious.

Tim and Eric were also cool enough to stick around after the show was over to talk, drink, sign autographs and take pictures. And it wasn't like they went to the back for 20 minutes before re-emerging. They literally ended their show and began mingling in front of the stage.

I got a picture with my sisters and Eric:

Great Job!

Market Report

2008-04-08T18:16:00.003-05:00

Into hour twenty-nine of what originally began as Operation: History Paper.

Since inception the plan has evolved into some sort of Zen nightmare. A sort of balancing act of tasks that became more complicated as awake state continued into the 20+ hour zone. Production remained relatively steady, save quick breaks for general planning and musing (Roy Orbison videos FTW) but overall, I feel the drain sinking in.

Primary Objective was completed by 11:48.

Secondary Objective was successfully completed by 2:50... but at what cost? Must remain more alert in class.

Now I'm here, pondering sleep. Major Definitely. But first, general items of market interest:

- Baseball is up. Why the fuck does there seem to be so little baseball on television? The Cubs played the Pirates yesterday but today is an off-day. Cubs-Pirates resume tomorrow? Why? To be continued. No matter, baseball is still captivating quantities of attention and generating positive feelings for spring, summer, and fall.
= What the Fuck Award: Chase Utley wore an expression of general "what the fuck" today after being beamed by 3 Hit-By-Pitches and a throw to second by Carlos Delgado (I believe).
= Baseball Monster Award: FU-KU-DO-ME!!!!
- Shitty TV is down. Don't want a part of that shit right now.
-Horror Movies are down. Just watched part of Final Destination 3 on TV and it was fucking annoying. I can predict plot points like what.
- Ideas are up. Writing in a blog, again! Also, doing some minor character development for my TV show idea. Because I have an idea for a TV show.
- Bills are level. w00t.
- Employment Status is also leveled out at 0.
- Partying is up! Party up! (however: there is a 98% chance of correlation with the past weeks' decrease in employment)

Recommendation: put your stocks in partying.

Out.

Spoon?

2007-12-22T12:56:00.000-06:00

For whatever reason, Last.fm does not have a page for Spoon's newest album "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" so I decided to search for it on their Wikipedia page. Searching for "spoon" on Wiki yielded the following result:
"A spoon is a utensil consisting of a small, shallow bowl at the end of a handle, used primarily for serving and eating liquid, or semi-liquid foods, and solid foods such as rice and cereal which cannot easily be lifted with a fork. Spoons are also used in cooking to measure and mix ingredients. Mixing with a spoon is called stirring."
Damn you, ambiguous terms!

Killer Instrumentals (Buzz 11/15)

2007-11-29T21:50:00.000-06:00

The Four

Killer Instrumentals!

Nov. 15, 2007 - by Anthony Collebrusco – Buzz writer

Russian Circles’ Enter — This post-rock/progressive-metal three-piece from Chicago packed a heavy sound into their debut album, and despite having only six tracks, the album still clocks in at over 40 minutes. Most of the songs begin with a very heavy arrangement that transitions into a lighter middle section and back again. Guitar and bass are heavily layered, which is not the result of good album production but the band’s amazing ability to use loop pedals. Consequently, they can recreate the exact sound of their album live. Key track: “Death Rides a Horse”

The Beastie Boys’ The Mix-Up — Though it’s not the best effort by the B-Boys and not even their best collection of instrumentals, The Mix-Up is still a very good album with a very under-the-radar release. As you might expect, the album is funky like an open hamper with key work coming from MCA on bass. Additional keyboard and percussion work give the album an especially groovy kick. Key track: “The Rat Cage”

Madlib’s The Beat Konducta Vol 1-2: Movie Scenes — Nothing says more about hip-hop producer Madlib’s confidence in his beats than this album. The Beat Konducta is a collection of 35 wholly unique beats that could have easily been fleshed out into full-length tracks. Instead, they are presented here in short one-to-two minute snippets that function as what I can only imagine to be a soundtrack to a film in Madlib’s mind. Key track: “Sir Bang (Bounce)”

Fugazi’s Instrument — Before Pete Wentz left diapers (at least I assume he did), Fugazi was taking punk to another level prior to it eventually becoming the soundtrack to prom night. This album is not entirely instrumental but nevertheless deserves inclusion on this list. Each track takes a simple melody and jams on it, continuously adding new layers of the standard discordant Fugazi sound while retaining the same core. Key track: “Arpeggiator (Demo)”

Horseshoe Recipe

2007-11-05T22:53:00.000-06:00

For the first time since last summer, I put on my apron and cooked up some horseshoes for the roommates. The horseshoe is undeniably my favorite meal to make, at least in this point in my life. I'm still having some difficulty figuring out the perfect recipe with appropriate portions as well as the timing for cooking all the components. Hopefully this blog will serve as a sufficient guide to making your own horseshoe recipe as well as help me create a recipe with perfect portions and timing based on my previous errors. This recipe should satisfactorily feed four people:

As I mentioned before, timing is critical. You don't really want any of the horseshoe components chillin' and getting cool on ya. Since the fries take the longest to cook, you should begin with them. I just use the frozen kind you buy at your local megamart. A 2 lb bag should be more than enough while not being too much. Set your oven to 450 and pop 'em in before you do anything else.
Next, the meat! I'm old fashioned and I prefer to use ground beef. 1-1.5 lbs ground beef will do. Take the beef and form it into 4 patties and season to your choice - I like using garlic powder. Just let these rest for a bit and move on to your.....
Cheese sauce! For a heaping pile of cheese sauce you're going to need the following:
2 cups beer (I used PBR last time, which worked out okay, but anything on the lighter side will do)
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry mustard seed
1 tsp flour.
2 regular sized green peppers
2 tsp olive oil
Fill a saucepan with the beer and hot sauce. Combine all the dries in a separate bowl. Warm the saucepan over medium-low for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, grab a skillet and add enough oil to lightly glaze the surface. Slice the two green peppers into small pieces and add them to the oil. Let these cook over medium heat until they are barely golden brown... you'll want to keep an eye on them but for now we can turn our attention back to the beer/hot sauce mixture. Take the cheese and other dries and slowly stir them into the saucepan. Turn the heat up to about medium and once the cheese reaches a gooey consistency, add the milk (you can add more than 1/2 cup but you run the risk of it being thinner).
At this point you might want to check on your fries as they will probably require turning.
Now, onto the burgers! Just toss those babies onto the grill and cook until they are gray in the middle (I love steak and burgers a little on the rare side but I think horseshoes are more compatible with well-cooked meat... this, however, is up to you). I use a George Foreman which cooks burgers fast as hell so if you are using a regular grill you might just want to throw the burgers on whenever you have some downtime in the middle of mixing the cheese sauce.
Back at the stove, the green peppers should be golden brown and delicious and the sauce should be ready to serve, so turn the heat down a little bit and add the green peppers to the mix. Keep warm and stirred until the burgers are ready.
Ok! Really quick! Grab four slices of bread and toss 'em in the toaster at about the second lowest setting.
Once the bread and the burgers are done, your fries should be done, and you're cheese sauce will be ready.
Grab a piece of toast, toss a burger on top, cover in fries, and add the cheese sauce. Repeat.

* * * * * *

Now, let me add that this is not exactly how I made my horseshoes last time but this should work out almost perfectly. If you want, you can also add in some mushrooms or onions with the green peppers. Feel free to experiment with the type of beer you use as well. I feel like the heavier, maltier stuff wouldn't work but I could be wrong. So get in the kitchen and make yourself a masterpiece of Springfield, Illinois culture.

Halloween's Most Played Out Costumes and Alternatives

2007-10-26T15:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween weekend! That one time of the year where everyone dresses up and competes for the honor of the most memorable costume of the year. If someone doesn't dress up, it's still cool because you can use the classic "what a hideous mask you're wearing" joke. Halloween was always the shit when I was younger, then I reached a point around high school where it sucked (my hometown declared that trick-or-treating hours can only be between like 6 and 8 PM), then when I started drinking, I found new purpose in the holiday. However, Halloween in college is a weird thing because while some costumes are clever, many are completely uninspired. Here are some costumes that you're guaranteed to see at some point over the course of the week:

1. Slutty (Anything) - Classic fall-back costume for any girl. Simply take any profession, such as police officer, nurse, nun, librarian, make the outfit as revealing as possible and there you go, you have a Halloween costume. As a guy, I can't complain too much about these costumes but seriously, I've seen them all.
Alternative: Try taking something that's completely unsexy and make it sexy. For example, how about a Slutty Zombie or Slutty Hobo costume?

2. Spartans - I'm sure gangs of frat guys are going to hit the street in nothing more than red capes and underwear screaming "SPARTA!" the entire time. This seems so unoriginal that I think it may actually be setting evolution back by a couple years. Don't get me wrong - "300" was totally cool
Alternative: Go for the throwback. Be Rambo or Steve Reeves' classic peplum figure of manliness, Hercules. All you need is a cloth and some olive oil.

3. Britney Spears and K-Fed - I can almost goddamn guarantee that some poor guy is going to be talked into this costume pairing by his unoriginal girlfriend. She'll wear a bald wig and stuff her stomach while he will cover himself in fake tattoos, don a wife-beater and a trailer-stache.
Alternative: ... I honestly can't think of anything, so just stay home and save us the eye-rolling.

4. Hunter S. Thompson - While HST is undeniably badass, you're almost sure to see some guy in a sunhat, Hawaiian shirt, and a cigarette extender at any party with a slightly indie crowd. Usually people that think they can pull off this costume aren't nearly crazy enough in real life.
Alternative: If you are crazy enough to fit the Hunter bill, don't play it safe - Charles Manson is crazier and sure to cause more controversy, which you want.

5. Jesus - Yep. Definitely see this one every year. Usually some bearded guy in a white robe and a crown of thorns, but most of the time, they're missing the key ingredient...
Alternative: ... the cross. Build a giant wooden cross and have your best friend tie your arms to it - You'll take up a stupid amount of space anywhere you go, which will draw a lot of attention to you and give you major alpha points. Don't worry about offensiveness because anyone out celebrating Halloween is a true pagan at heart and, for Christ's sake, you're already Jesus.

A Quickie with Zmick/Bruce Springsteen Album Review

2007-10-22T01:58:00.001-05:00

Two more articles I wrote for the Buzz this week - a quick interview with my good pals, Zmick, and a review of Bruce Springsteen's newest effort:

Media Credit: Anne-Marie Cheely

Kris Ahrens (Drums, Vocals), Dan Wonsover (Bass, Vocals), Mike Donato (Keys), and Brad Miller (Guitar, Vocals) of Zmick in a portrait taken on Saturday October 13th.

Progressive funk jam band Zmick is reaching critical mass and about to explode all over the CU scene. Zmick can be found raging every Monday night at the Canopy Club for free in front of a crowd that grows larger with every week. In addition, they will be opening for Blind Melon Oct. 18. buzz met with Zmick in their "funk dungeon" for a quickie! See what they had to say:

buzz: What's been going on with Zmick lately?

Zmick: We've been rehearsing as much as possible and trying to write new music and create a studio-quality recording. Pretty much, we've just been trying to get our internet portfolio together for our MySpace and our Web site.

buzz: Your audience keeps getting bigger every week. What's drawing people to Zmick?

Z: It's just not the same show every time. We change our set list every week, new covers every week, genre variety - reggae, techno, music from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, live improvisations, a light show, and, most of all, good community vibes.

buzz: Seeing Zmick is a very aesthetically pleasing experience. What's the best part?

Z: First and foremost, the crowd is awesome, and the people that come out are so much fun, and they like to get down. The atmosphere keeps getting better. We'll get a circular conversation going without instruments, and we like to see everyone react to it. We've got to mention Bigs, too. He's really the fifth member. His light show creates an aesthetic ambience that really complements the music. It just feels good. Also, people can come and sit in, too. We keep the stage open before and in-between sets. Any musician can sit in if they ask us.

buzz: Any big plans for the future?

Z: Just playing out more, in and out of town. We want to tour this spring, travel, see the country - it would be great to hang out in the mountains then play a show the next day.

buzz: You guys clearly appreciate all your fans. In the tradition of "Dead-heads," what would you like your fans to be called?

Z: Zmicksters!

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Bruce Springsteen
Magic
[Columbia]
Grade:A-
-Anthony Colebrusco

In the same spirit as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen holds a place in American culture that transcends time. If one was given the task to determine the poet laureate of American pop music, "The Boss" may very well be the first choice, if not in the top five. In the tradition of his previous albums, Springsteen's new album, Magic, is full of places we've been and people we've met before, and Bruce Springsteen tells their stories with such remarkable detail and enthusiasm that we are drawn into his mythology. His lyrics are backed by the full, robust choruses of the 9-member E Street Band, which always manages to bring the decibel level up a few notches.

In 2007, though, Bruce Springsteen is worried about the fates of his characters and laments the political atmosphere in many of his songs. In "Last to Die," he describes the apathy many have toward war and asks, "Who'll be the last to die for a mistake?" But unlike The Rising, his 2002 post-9/11 concept album, these pleas against war are only asides from the rest of the upbeat tracks on the album.

Despite a slow start with songs like "Radio Nowhere," which bears an uncanny resemblance to "867-5309/Jenny" by Tommy Tutone, and the slow-paced "Your Own Worst Enemy," Magic finally hits a stride and rediscovers the energy of the Boss's old classics in songs like "Livin' in the Future" and "Girls in Their Summer Clothes."

End of the tunnel?

2007-10-22T01:08:00.001-05:00

It's been a crazy couple weeks full of many different peaks and valleys, of sorts - lots of hours at the old sandwich shop, noise violation warnings and tickets, baseball-related disappointments, a subpar (at least so far) Bears season, waking up for a test 15 minutes late, and on top of all of that, it's midterm season. After struggling through a 7-8 page paper and a 2-hour essay-based midterm, I must now spend the next two days cranking out a 10-15 pager on Iranian President Ahmadinejad's recent and controversial trip to Columbia University and its implications on our present definition of liberty. It's gonna be rough but that's the middle of the semester for ya and in my traditional mid-semester form, I feel like I'm slumping. Nothing more coffee won't cure.

But there's light at the tunnel. I saw Grayskull and Atmosphere tonight at the Canopy Club and it was awesome. Grayskull had a lot of good energy and the crowd seemed to really dig them. Atmosphere really surprised me though; his show was not what I had expected at all. There was a full band and Slug had a wicked mustache. They played a lot of new stuff that I hadn't heard before and the rest was classic Atmosphere (minus "Modern Man's Hustle"... lame). It was a good light spot in the middle of, more or less, utter madness. By Wednesday night, things should be back to normal, aside from the Gwar concert.

Also, at some point, I need to start constructing my Halloween costume. I'm going to be Master Shake and hopefully I can find some to join me as Frylock and Meatwad. More on that to come still, as well as some articles.

Maritime Album Review

2007-10-17T15:56:00.000-05:00

Here's my most recent article from buzz:

Media Credit:
Photo Courtesy of
www.amazon.com

Maritime

Heresy and the Hotel Choir
[Flamseshovel]
Grade: B+
-Anthony Collebrusco

Maritime's third album, Heresy and the Hotel Choir, picks up where their previous album left off by delivering more enjoyable post-emo, indie-pop tracks. There is a relative simplicity to each song on the album, but that is not to discredit the overall quality as former Promise Ring front man Davey von Bohlen has a knack for writing catchy but safe pop songs.

The opening track, "Guns of Navarone," sets the tone for the rest of the album - its lyrical hook is catchy despite its brevity, and von Bohlen and Dan Hinz demonstrate their abilities to take a four-chord guitar part and develop harmonies within it. "Fox Science Fiction" starts with a dancey drum part before layering on a fuzzed-out bassline and a whistling synth part, creating a happy-go-lucky, indie-pop song that's sure to get some radio play in the near future.

The highlight of the album comes with the one-two punch in "Peril" and "Pearl," companion tracks that share similar lyrical elements. "Peril" is a short song comprised of von Bohlen's emotional croon accompanied by a heavily distorted guitar reminiscent of early post-rock, while "Pearl," in contrast, is the longest track on the album and one of the most musically dense.

Heresy is an album full of great melodies spoken between lead and rhythm guitars with remarkably well-produced clarity. Still, the album is able to retain the punk quality that characterized von Bohlen's former projects from the '90s. These qualities combined create a fun, poppy album that is fresh, albeit slightly familiar.

Weird Al Stuff

2007-10-04T20:50:00.001-05:00

In addition to using this blog for any bloggins I see fit, I plan on using this site to spotlight my articles from buzz Magazine. I've been writing for them since the beginning of this semester and it's been a lot of fun. There's a link to the website on the right side of my page so you should check there regularly for cool entertainment related stuff.
My first major feature was an interview with "Weird Al" Yankovic and a follow-up concert review.
Weird and Nerdy (the interview)
Concert Review

Check 'em out. For brevity's sake, the interview was edited significantly. I'll post it in its entirety tomorrow but right now I gotta go watch the Cubs game.

First Post/Sports Update!

2007-10-03T15:34:00.000-05:00

So this is my new blog. Welcome.

Now that that's out of the way, let's down to the brass tacks. October has arrived and nothing has my attention more than Major League Baseball, especially since I'm a Cubs fan on the potential brink of the hugest celebration in 99 years. However, I must remain realistic, knocketh on wood, and uncage my billy goat. Tonight marks the opening of the Divisional series between the Cubs and the Diamondbacks (who have homefield advantage thanks to their statistically absurd amount of wins despite having one of the poorest offenses in baseball). The match-up between 2006 Cy Young winner Brandon Webb and Big Z, the Road Warrior, promises to be excited. Statistics tend to favor Webb but Zambrano proven his worth on the road and, lately, his ability to shutout teams. Still, this is playoff baseball and tonight's game could go either way but I don't see the D'backs besting the Cubs in a 5-game series. For those with any interest in the divisional series, check out The Hardball Times - they have some good articles today that analyze each team's strengths and weakness against their respective opponents and why each team may win.

Have you ever noticed that at virtually any given sporting event there's always some guy listening to the game on headphones trying to tell you what's going on? I've encountered this twice recently: once, at a Diamondbacks-Cubs game and last weekend at the Illini football game. During the former, there was a line drive that could have been turned into a brilliant defensive play but the fielder fumbled the ball and this guy wearing headphones made it a point to tell everyone around him that the sportscasters thought it should be ruled as an error. It actually wound up being an infield single. Good job, dude.

Anyways, have a safe and happy postseason, kids.