Trailer for “Once”

While seeing the advert for “Once” back a few weeks, I was instantly put off by the word “musical” when describing the flick. After its release, a friend who usually has great taste in films and music said it was IMPERATIVE that I immediately see “Once.” After watching the trailer I completely agreed. And man let me tell you, the movie rocked. Absolutely moving, it was one of the best I have seen in months. Not playing like a musical you might imagine, the soundtrack kills (listening right now) and the acting is well done. Go see it! You’ll be happy you did.

Stylus review of “Once”

Music from “Once”:

Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova – When Your Mind’s Made Up

While getting my daily dose of the NY Times, I caught an article covering Dr. Richard Carmona’s, the Bush Administration’s Surgeon General from 02 – 06, congressional testimony in the run up to confirmation of his successor, Dr. James Holsinger Jr.. There isn’t much that can anger me more than when people play politics with health and science. Where do people draw this line when for the sake of humanity and their own personal decency, they stop playing games with life altering facts and detrimental side-effects? Government policies on issues like sex education/contraceptives, second hand smoking, stem cells, and global warming can not be made based on political, religious, and moral beliefs. That goes for any administration. Clinton’s and Reagan’s Surgeon Generals also testified to political pressure but just no where near what Carmona encountered. Our lack of trust with the Government reins obvious when public health becomes based on political not health issues. Its inexcusable to tell the US health czar that he shouldn’t promote or attend the Special Olympics because of the support the Kennedy family has provided the charity over the years. How horrible of a person do you have to be to even think thoughts like that? The Public health leader should never made irrelevant because science disagrees with an administration’s political policies.

Luckily enough on Monday I got to see Chuck Klosterman, a favorite/idol of mine, do a book reading and Q&A. If you’ve never read a book of his, I recommend you pick up Killing Yourself to Live.

Seeing a friend’s band, the much hyped and loved Le Loup, tonight. They’re first record is due out in September so hit the earlier link for their myspace to give a listen.

Music: Cabin – I Was Here

And most importantly …. from the upcoming new Animal Collective album “Strawberry Jam” listen and love: Animal Collective – Unsolved Mysteries

Moving out party at my place this weekend.  Get in touch if for some reason I haven’t already alerted you to fun that will occur.

I watched the South Park Manbearpig episode today and decided to buy this shirt. Can’t wait to wear it proudly.

Videos:

Powerthirst (cheers tabas)

Remember Stephanie Tanner? Full House? I was thrown completely off guard by seeing these pics. Never realized she turned hot. Watch the video of the digg guys discussing her photos. “She looks like she can gobble a dick” ….. priceless

Golden Eagle vs Deer

Wild 747 Landing

Cop trys to bust kids baking out a tent

Funny: Trailer for Die Hard 12 (via dontlinkthis)

The Famous “I like turtles”

And the even better “I like turtles (remix)” via GvsB

Not Videos:

A Octosquid!

A Zorse!

How to make your hot beer ice cold in 3 minutes

Music:

New from Deerhunter – after class (listen at their myspace via stereogum)

Last Wednesday I was one of the lucky people who had a ticket for The National’s solo tour stop in DC. After missing two performances when they opened for the Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible tour just in May, I was completely appreciative of my wait. Giving Boxer more time to grow on me paid off, big time. The seemingly low-key band put together a good show for the NPR recording (listen here). I suggest you enlighten the ears and go see the people. The Post’s review was wack. Dubbing the show as a “snoring success” was extremely harsh. This guy’s review was almost as if he expected something completely different than what The National would offer. Unlike bad reviewer dude, I thought the highs and lows of momentum were what made the show a good one. Their music definitely “translate”s well live. And for $14 no less!!

Friday it finally happened. My long held fear and consequential football (aka american soccer) moment came true. Thierry Henry left Arsenal for Barcalona at a measly 16.1 million pounds. After the vice chairman David Dein forced departure, Henry’s move seemed only a matter of time. As if this isn’t bad enough, Boss Arsene Wenger’s contract is through at this seasons end with many of his starlets ready to follow in suit should he decide to depart for good. Arsenal are truly a mess and need to stabilize quickly. This is looking like a tough 07 – 08 campaign ahead.

Mad TV had never made a fan of me. Then a friend sent me this video. I laughed and I think you will too. Especially with the looming d-day release of the iPhone this Friday. MADNESSSSSSSSSSS

Also Mad TV: Emo Elmo

Music for this post: My favorite mashups and remixes

Peter Bjorn and John (loosie remix) – Amsterdam ft. Spec Boogie

UGK vs TV on the Radio – I was an International Player

T.I. vs Fujiya & Miyagi – What You Know About That

…. agreed

I’m a huge fan of Wikipedia but then again who isn’t? I’ve always wanted to be the proud creator of an article on the site but didn’t know what to write about that hasn’t already been covered. Now I preface these coming sentences by stating that the page I created does not reflect my actions (except maybe on random bored days and some alcohol induced nights). Its a phrase that gets thrown around and is basically common knowledge, Facebook Stalking. Right now the page is up for deletion so make a concerted effort to log on and update the article to save my baby from being vanquished!

A few points that need to be captured in the looming Energy Bill

Finally the Oil Companies will have their billions of dollars in tax breaks rolled back to fund renewable energy research and development. The Oil Industry claims it will drive up gas prices by having less money for exploration and drilling. Such a bad thing? Not necessarily. Higher prices = less driving (and specifically gas guzzling vehicles) = less detrimental effects to the environment. It’s an easy equation. People will be forced to walk more, ride bikes more often, and god for bid (!) take public transportation. In the end, this could help us on our way to reducing emissions drastically. Of course I know the effects felt to the economy with the rise in gas prices could be difficult, but at least it will be the result of our own actions and not some foreign body, such as OPEC or a not so friendly regime (ie – Iran, Venezuela).

Gives reason to having faith in our judicial systems

More great news on Iraq. Now only the 2nd most unstable country in the world! And we have 150,000 + American troops there. Wtf?

I want to be this guy and own his boat

Two Important and well written articles passed down from MTS:

1) Bush and detrimental moral obligations

2) Bio on Steve Jobs. Long but great.

I’m obsessed with playing this game. The Nodes

Music: Bebel Gilberto – Samba de Bencao

A Classic – “The Swear Jar”

Not that I really need to be delving into topics that get me heated and draw conversations ending 30 minutes later with fast paced voice raising, BUT the gears are a grinding as they say. Or maybe just I say. Although I will refrain from touching the immigration subject/bill, this whole energy discussion/debate/clusterfuck is just beginning to hit congress so brace for the shit storm ahead. Let me rephrase that, hit congress last week. The key difference in the ability to get an immigration bill passed vs the ability to get an energy bill passed is everyone agrees on not having illegal immigrants roam our country (minor, and I use minor lightly, details withheld) while conservatives still contend that global warming does not exist. Crazy, I know. The amount of interests both corporately and publicly will leave this bill and subject of interest making no gains environmentally. For example, the article above uses the story of the auto industry and their adverse feelings towards more stringent fuel standards. The current proposal to bump mpg to an average of something like 35 over 10 years while netting the auto companies a tax break of $10 billion is something to be against? Oil companies (shady), corn producers (which bump up food prices and create a crappy alternative fuel in ethanol. Thanks Prez for that excellent decision! Watch Who Killed the Electric Car? and you’ll appreciate my position.), food companies, and energy utilities are taking advantage of the mess of a situation. Renewable energies are the way to accomplishing something significant in working to save our warming environment. Pushing ourselves and lawfully forcing corporations to comply, which seems to be the only way things may get accomplished, will be the way to move effective policies forward. Forcing the companies to innovate, at reasonable expectations, will bring profitable new technology to the forefront while saving our Earth with it. Everyday we see new companies spawning to meet the growing need to assist in this process of becoming “green.” We cannot be slow to act.

Our Amazing legal system, I love!: Read both these stories (a & b) the other day. Perfect examples of legal bollocks screwing over people for actions that should be none of our concern. I (sarcastically) love hearing stories of arrogant people preaching powerfully (whoa p’s) then conducting their life in ways they tell others to abstain from. It really makes me laugh. This guy is full of shit. PS – people, please stop suing other people because you’re the idiot. Thanks!

Awesome! I love bombs and our current government!

Widely reported story by NYT and Newsweek discussing the Pentagon’s decision to not save 70 – 80% of soldiers lives in Iraq. WTF?

Perfect reason we don’t trust people in power

Cool long exposure photo of an airplane taking off at night

It wouldn’t be another week in the Middle East without serious confrontations and unfavorable (at least as far as the Americans are concerned) results. But now a divided (geographically and politically) Palestine makes this whole dream vision of a Palestinian State even further from reality. In fact a three state existence now seems more realistic. Israel, Palestine – Fatah (West Bank), and Palestine – Hamas (Gaza). The slightly more troubling aspect is the blow to the Bush Administration’s goal of sweeping democracy through the Middle East. Michael Hirch does an excellent job discussing the idea in this article. With Iraq in sorrows, Lebanon’s being taken hostage by Hezbollah, and Iran’s success, democracy has never looked worse to any Persian Gulf or Arab country. These are some great pictures from the beginning of this latest conflict. Makes the situation hit more real.

Music: (New) New Pornographers – My Rights Versus Yours …. from the upcoming release

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: This Sunday, June 17th (father’s day if you forgot), 10 PM, Comedy Central. Tune in to see Daniel Tosh do his stand up. For all of you unlucky people who have not heard his cd or seen him live, you have been missing out. DO NOT MISS THIS. You shall not be disappointed. Promise.

This past week:

Sopranos: Good Ending but I still contend I could have finished those last few minutes better than what had been picked from the numerous endings.

French Open: Watched the entire thing. Damn the Spaniard and his kicking high shots. Big ups for the three peat though

Sunburn: I looked like this guy after saturday afternoon. Beaatttttttttt

NBA Finals: Cavs swept. Big fucking surprise

In other news: I was reading this week’s Newsweek interview with Jessica Alba that happened to mention Alba reading “Atlas Shrugged”?!?!?……..

Newsweek: What do you do for fun?

Alba: I read too much fiction. It’s nice to escape. I was reading “Perfume.” Did you read “Atlas Shrugged”?

Newsweek: Not yet. It’s long.

Alba: It’s impossible. Ohmygod, it’s really long. It’s, like, too long. So I’m going to start Phillip Roth. I’ve never read any Phillip Roth.

Ok so maybe she isn’t going to read the long but amazing book. But I do love her more for merely mentioning it. I feel your pain on “AS,” Jessica. I really do. Personal experience kind of thing.

Just got done watching Studio 60 (great show) and Little Bush from last night. It could be the wine talking but the show had me laughing. Lil Cheney was great and stole the show! Always mumbling while doing absurd stuff, i.e. – Banging Barbara Bush then inhabiting her vag, ripping the head off multiple living animals and sucking the blood dry. You know, normal things. Still don’t know how well the show is placed for the long term run but we shall see how it does. Unless you are intently politically minded, some of the off the cuff mentions may be missed.

Music: When I found out the Handsome Furs, another well liked husband-wife combo (you may know from the husband’s relation to the Wolf Parade), were playing Boston for Memorial Day when I happened to be visiting, I knew I had to grab tickets. And I did. Problem occurred when upon entrance to grand ol’ US of A, the border patrol denied the mofos (read Handsome Furs) entrance. Goodbye seeing the Handsome Furs live. I cried. On the inside. Not really but I was bitter. Classic gov’t antics. Basically if you like Wolf Parade you’re bound to be a Furs fan. Listen: Handsome Furs – What We Had

If you haven’t been listening to the Kings of Leon’s latest “Because of the Times” since the months ago release then please immediately drop what you’re doing and find it. Itunes, best buy, local cd shop, whatever. Make it happen. Awesome cd.

One track: Kings of Leon – Ragoo

And once again the weekend is upon. As people scurry to the beach for the weekend leaving me sweating my, to put it more than bluntly, balls off on this hot and humid 90 degree day, I blog for you, the readers. Whomever you may be. I just got done watching The Italian and lets just say I want my hour and a half of life back. That’s the risk I ran I suppose. Can’t really be bothered with writing/thinking/creativity right now so I’m a make this a quick one. Instead I think I’m gonna go enjoy a hookah with the Bock (btw your picture creeps me out dude) who is town for the weekend.

I do have two quick mentions before dropping some music on you cats.

1) New Spoon cd “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga” is awesome. Especially for the summer. Check song below.

2) New Wilco cd “Sky Blue Sky” is perfect music for just chilling with friends and conversation and wine, red of course. Not that I’ve done that but I get the feeling I want to when I hear it. I’ve never been a fan of Tweedy’s stuff really but for some reason after hearing this album I’ve formed a new opinion. Chuck Klosterman, aka the man, did a piece on him for one of his books and the guy sounds like a crazed madmen but pretty down to earth. Oddly enough he is also playing the voice of God for the new comedy central show “Lil’ Bush“.

Word of the month: “Tasky” – a word used to describe someone who gives orders. A friend was telling me about how she heard some ghetto chick talking nasty on the phone telling a story of some “bitch being all tasky” or a “tasky bitch” if you will. I died laughing and this word is now an essential part of my vocabulary.

Music you must hear:

Dr. Dog – Heart It Races

Spoon – Don’t You Evah

The National – Green Gloves

Map of Africa – Bone

So spending Memorial Day weekend in Boston was a top notch decision. If only for the Brazilian breakfast from the Neighborhood Restaurant and Bakery, the flight alone was worth it. But the fun didn’t stop there. Holding down the pong table and pisses people off in the process was merely a bonus. Bbqs, parties, friends, the Harpoon Brewery (so delicious!), and an Edward Hopper exhibit at the MFA (awesome!) made it a weekend of nothing but good times. Boston is a great place with friendly people, and I’m sure I’ll end up living there at some point in my much-to-be-lived life. Vermont and the cape close by, perfect.

Now, to the topic of discussion. The Knife. Oh what a band. A Swedish band that begun in 1999 that I unfortunately didn’t have the pleasure of hearing until ‘06 with the release of Silent Shout, their latest and most critically acclaimed album. I was a fan of the music from the get-go, but recently, circa the past month, I’ve been almost obsessed with the album. Every time I turn my pod on, it’s almost as if the thing gravitates towards The Knife. The bro/sis duo produces a mean sound. And I think what makes the sound so attractive to the ear is the amazing way the cd plays as a whole. Picking out each song for separate listens doesn’t hold the weight of when the tracks are played together. Not to sound too contradicting but the Silent Shout gives me the feeling of meandering through fantasy lands and dreams while all along remaining ever so planted in reality. Maybe that is where mine and others appreciation for this group comes from.  A wicked sounding music providing an escape from the daily hassles of life. Or maybe it’s just an awesome cd. Either way, I’m gonna listen. Probably right now.

The Knife – Neverland

The Knife – Na Na Na

The Office environment makes for hilarious thoughts and interesting conclusions to be realized. Perfect example being the much loved comedy The Office. Walking the halls I just laugh to myself seeing some of the characters that inhabit my floor. And let me tell you, working for a major branch of the Federal Government enhances this ‘odd character’ factor by at minimum 10 times. The list begins here:

1. “Mole Man” – this guy is the creature from another world. A descendant of some Eurasian country, this old dude reeks of a strange aged odor, almost of mustiness. After our morning daily conference calls, he stalks out his victims and drowns them in his incessant questions. I’ve been cornered for no less than 30 minutes answering questions of which I specifically tell him I don’t have the answer for. The massive mole on the tip of his nose gives the guy his name. He is known throughout the office and people avoid him like the plague.

2. “Soprano” – I swear this guy spends his free time doing guess spots for the soon to be finished Sopranos. Rocking his Caddy Escalade, with Jersey plates nonetheless, this dude sports nothing but tight shirts and pants in a trying to be badass style while everyone remembers he is like 45 and now looks completely out of place. He never shows an emotion, and I’ve even caught him pulling out his comb in the bathroom to perfect his permanently placed hair. My buddy from work referred to him and his lunch group as the “Johnny Sax crew” the other afternoon. Pretty fitting.

3. “Buttons” – seriously this lady goes by the name of Buttons even in formal settings. I’ve never seen her but are you serious? Your name is Buttons? Wow.

4. “That freaky transsexual dude from Silence of the Lambs” – this guy looks EXACTLY like him. He has this stoic slow moving way about himself. He is really tall and always wears short sleeve button down shirts that are unbuttoned way too far down showing like half his wife-beater. This is inside the office let me remind you. Supposedly a business casual/business dress environment. Weird, really weird.

These are just a few of strangers I encounter on a daily basis. Not to mention all the old Virginia-loving government lifers that if you have worked with or in the Federal Gov’t, you would totally know what I’m talking about.

Let me close by saying I’m dedicating myself to getting pictures of these peeps so that you can all fully appreciate the humor. I’ll be in touch.

Music: Today I found myself listening to this track from Andrew Bird’s newest album, Armchair Apocrypha, and digging it.

Andrew Bird – Simple X