randomness personified

on the road again

Well, I won't be around much this week. I'm at client sites today through Wednesday and then will be hosting the lovely Cassie and Holly on Thursday through Sunday. Much adventure to be had, I'm sure.

Entertain yourselves. Just don't leave a mess.

hateful heritage

When I lived in Atlanta there was a lot of flack about the state flag. The flag was pretty awful. Half of it consisted of the Confederate Battle Flag. It had to go but the solution was actually quite dumb. They just slapped tiny versions of five historical flags at the bottom of a flag dominated by the state seal.

Well, people weren't happy with the way that flag was adopted and, unfortunately, spoke with their vote by electing Republican Sonny Perdue as governor. The flag issue was tantamount in Perdue's victory.

The Georgia legislature's suggested replacement for the flag is probably worse than the orginal containing the Southern Cross. They've chosen this flag for the electorate to vote on in March:

Now on first blush you probably think that I'm objecting to the "In God We Trust" slogan tattooed across the flag. Of course I object to that. However, there are bigger issues here. Take a look at this flag:

Do you know what that is? Why, that's the ol' Stars & Bars, the first flag of the Confederacy. That very flag was carried by an Atlantan unit in the Civil War. The design was later replaced by the more familiar one based upon the St. Andrews Cross of Scotland. So, they're just suggesting replacing a well-known racist emblem with a more obscure one. Nice.

Will someone please inform the South that they lost "The War to Repel Northern Aggression" and that battle emblems from such are on face racist?

i thought it was still "big baby jesus"

According to the sublime Gawker.com

Rapper "Ol' Dirty Bastard" is changing his name to "Dirt McGirt."

rich with content

A wonderful new essay from my multi-talented pal Vernam Cipher is now up at A Case for Song. Be sure to take a gander at Vernam's site, too.

Sooner or later I really will get some housekeeping done to fix the title page and do something with the links over there in the left. Bear with me, kids.

the walls come crumblin' down

I find many things about Detroit to be incredibly depressing. The worst, however, has to be the decay of the beautiful and decadent buildings near the city's center. There are entire neighborhoods of abandoned mansions that date back to the boom years of the automotive industry. There are giant hotels that sit silently crumbling. There are vacant lots where monoliths of urban life once stood.

However, I find none of these as depressing as the fate of the Michigan Central Station. Located in the Corktown neighborhood, home of the also tragically abandoned Tiger Stadium, the twenty-four story structure dominates the skyline when you enter Detroit from the west. Opened in 1913 and abandoned in 1988, it was built by the same firms that built Grand Central Terminal and, in its time, sported many of the same architectural flourishes. Sadly it now is slated for destruction.

blowin' in the wind

Kathleen asked me for a more through review of "A Mighty Wind" and who am I not to comply?

I really enjoy Christopher Guest's work. I thought both "Waiting For Guffman" and "Best in Show" were brilliant. Let's forget for the moment that he also directed the Chris Farley/Matthew Perry disaster "Almost Heroes."

"Wind," however, wasn't up to his usual brilliance. I think a good portion of the blame for that is the subject matter. Sixties folk music is a milquetoast world and now everybody's out of it. Got it. Move on. Maniacal dog shows and bizarre local theater troupes certainly offer much more material for satire. I felt like much of the plot, therefore, was one-note.

The acting, however, was superb. Eugene Levy was absolutely brilliant and Fred Willard continues to prove that he's a treasure. Catherine O'Hara and Michael McKean were also great. My biggest acting complaint was the use of my beloved Parker Posey. Remember a few months back when I wrote that Parker had learned to play the mandolin for the role? Well, it was a total waste. She had maybe five minutes of screen time and less than ten seconds of mandolin time. A waste.

I think I might have also missed a lot of inside jokes. I don't know much about folkies. I think I could identify who all the bands were supposed to be parodies of, but I'm sure that there were a plethora of references that I just did not get. Some older folks around me were just absolutely beside themselves in laughter at points that I didn't find funny at all. Odd.

Anyhow, it wasn't bad. I recommend it. I just wanted it to be brilliant. It wasn't.

material girl, indeed

Somebody needs to tell Ms. Ciccone not to mess with hackers. Seriously. This is pretty funny. Too bad the album is getting horrific reviews.

Now, I'm the first to understand intellectual property rights. I utilize Kaaza Lite to really just sample albums. If I like it, I buy. Notice my 2,000 CDs as evidence. But surely someone could have seen this response, couldn't they?

reviews in brief

This weekend I purchased The White Stripes "Elephant," Vic Chesnutt's "Silver Lake" (which I had previously only downloaded), Eleni Mandell's "Country For True Lovers" and viewed "A Mighty Wind."

I enjoyed them in this order -

1. Vic
2. Mighty Wind
3. White Stripes
4. Mandell

So there...

my insane cat

random snap

Here's a goofy picture of the Empire State Building about to get struck by the moon. I took it last week and I like it. Feel free to hate it.

a cry for help

Is it just me, or is it sad that a I have a stack of tickets this big at home and they still don't represent even a fraction of the shows I'd like to see this spring and summer?

it's only a game, it's only a game

That's what I keep telling myself. No more playoff hockey for this boy. Mitch Albom, love him or despise him, says it best this morning...

Four times the Red Wings took their pride and power onto the ice against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, a team with a laughable name and a nonexistent tradition, and four times they skated off humbled. Wednesday night was the final indignity, a night when the Wings vowed they would show what they were about.

Here's what they're about: They're about home now, done for the year, the first team eliminated from this year's playoffs. The team got dressed. The plane took off.

And that's that.

At least I still have my beloved Tigers. Oh. Wait. They're 1-12.

The Tigers are 1-12, the worst 13-game start since the 1997 Cubs opened 0-14. It's the worst 13-game start by the Tigers since 1-12 in 1959. If they lose tonight to the Twins, they match their worst record after 14 games, set in 1920.

Too bad I'm not a bandwagon jumper. Too bad I hold my allegiances tight. Otherwise I'd be rooting for, I don't, Arsenal or something.

some good hockey news

We're not speaking here about my beloved Red Wings about to go down in the first round of the playoffs to the Mighty *ucks, okay? Thanks.

Anyhow, my pal Julie finally left our former place of employ and moved west. I'm very proud of her on several accounts. She's now the Director of Human Resources for the Phoenix Coyotes and their new arena! Congrats, Julie. You deserve it.

Digging around on their site led me to the coolest webcam ever. Check out this live feed of the construction of the arena. You can zoom around and choose what areas of the panorama you want to view. You can even zoom way in and watch what individual workers are doing. Pretty cool.

fiery issue

For those of you not in the Gotham area, New York City has recently enacted one of the tougher smoking bans to date. As of April 1, smoking is not allowed in any public place. Any public place. This includes both restaurants and bars.

I'm not a smoker. Sure, there was a time where I would sometimes light up while drinking. However, I don't allow myself to drink much anymore and I certainly don't allow myself to smoke. In that regard, this legislation has no negative impact on me personally. Really, it has no impact on me whatsoever. You often hear people go on about how nice it is that restaurants are now smoke free. I think that's a bit absurd. I've never gone to a restaurant in the city and had the smoking section somehow infringe on my dining pleasure.

Bars, however, are a different story. Who doesn't expect to come home from a night of bar-hopping smelling like the bottom of an ashtray? In NYC that's just the way it is. We're a stressed lot. Certainly more people smoke here than any other place I've called home (well, actually, London may have a slight edge). Bars are were the last refuge for our nicotine-addled masses. It just seems to me that taking away that oasis is a silly idea. The thousands of bars in this city are certainly going to suffer. Many people who smoke will just stay home rather than be forced to the sidewalks to flick their butts. People who don't smoke aren't suddenly going to become barflies. I mean, when's the last time you heard someone say that they were staying in because the pub was "too smokey?"

And then there's this. This poor man died trying to get patrons to uphold the law. I know there's no certainty that these folks wouldn't have caused trouble if they were allowed to smoke. It's just tragic. That's all.

polishing the case

Three new essays at A Case For Song!! Thanks, everyone. Keep them coming. I also polished things up a little bit. Still don't like it but don't feel like fiddling with it...

friday five

Well, I don't normally do these. However, I saw this one at Lady Crumpet's and couldn't resist. Play along in the comments, okay?

1. What was the first band you saw in concert?
Ugh. First one I went to on my own accord? I'm embarassed to say that it was Jefferson Starship in 1984 in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. I was a late bloomer with my snobbery, it seems. I was only 14, though. Perhaps that's excusable?

2. Who is your favorite artist/band now?
*scratches head* Um. I dunno. Elvis Costello?

3. What's your favorite song?
See, that's an absurd question. Picking a favorite song is, to me, like picking a favorite child. At the end of the day there are three no four wait make that five. Uh. Let's go with six...

* "Battered Old Bird" by Elvis Costello
* "New Lace Sleeves" also by Elvis
* "Fort Worth Blues" by Steve Earle
* Jeff Buckley's heart-wrenching take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"
* "Panic Pure" by Vic Chesnutt
* "Hasten Down The Wind" by Warren Zevon or perhaps "No Depression" by Uncle Tupelo or maybe it's "Shot In The Arm" by Wilco or could even be "Swan Swan H" by R.E.M. or I think it might be "Lost In A Supermarket" by The Clash. Oh, wait, let's not forget "This Charming Man" by The Smiths or "The Wreck of the Ol' 97" by Hank Snow or "Mean Eyed Cat" by Johnny Cash.

Have I made my point? Good.

4. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?

Well, I play a pretty tolerable piano and a struggling guitar. So, I guess, I'd settle for being better at those. If I had to pick a new instrument I'd go with the sousaphone. Why? Who do you know who plays sousaphone? My point exactly.

5. If you could meet any musical icon (past or present), who would it be and why?

Easiest question ever. No, it's not Elvis. I've met Elvis. It's Johnny Cash. First of all, I'd love to talk to John R. about the "old days." Can you imagine the tales he could tell? Sun Records, Elvis Presley, the Carter Family, quaaludes, kicking out the footlights at the Grand Ol' Oprey. Second, I'm sure he's just a joy to be around. Not to mention it would mean a lot to my favorite man on this big blue marble, my grandfather.

get ya some culture

Take some time to read Paul Frankenstein's brilliant, brilliant analysis of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) at A Case For Song. Thanks for sharing, Paul!

oh happy day

I hold in my little hands two new CDs by two of my favorite artists that came out yesterday - The Jayhawks "Rainy Day Music" and Lucinda Williams' "World Without Tears." Almost makes up for the fact that the 'hawks will be in town tomorrow but I'll be at Vic's show.

This is almost as cool as the day last spring when Elvis and Wilco released their discs on the same day.

humble and gracious

I'm going to see Vic Chesnutt tomorrow night. I haven't seen him since I lived in Atlanta (where I probably saw him about once a month) other than in a crazy little puppet show in Brooklyn. I'm very excited. Wurd.

Little Vacation

like a little vacation
like a little old song that I want to hear
like a big libation
like a flattering sentence whispered in my ear

that’s what I want
every time I try what I'm trying for
why don’t we have a little symposium
where everybody takes the floor

like a scenic vista
like a long awaited chemical buzz
like a far off twister
like an unexpected pleasant run-in with the fuzz

that's how I feel
every time I feel like I want to feel so
why don't we have a little council meeting
and hash out something real

Robert's rules of order will be, be observed
I’ll be the parliamentarian
with an unswerving dedication

like a little vacation
like a little old song that I want to hear
like a big libation
like a flattering sentence whispered in my ear

that’s what I want
every time I try what I'm trying for
why don’t we have a little coucil meeting
where everybody takes the floor

Robert's rules of order will be, be observed
I’ll be the parliamentarian
with an unswerving dedication
-vic chesnutt

juicy stuff

Dear Dole Foods,

Why must you make your yummy Dole Fruit Cups so full? You know, only held from over-running by the peel-back plastic cover? You see, when you make them so full and the cup so flimsy it's nearly impossible to open a fruit cup of any nature without the sugary goodness that you surround said fruit with exploding everywhere. Why, just this afternoon I was opening a cup of Mandarin oranges for a little snack and now I smell like a syrupy orange. How can I go about my evening smelling like a processed orange? I don't know either.

Also, bear in mind that I, a 33 year-old nearly responsible adult, am not in your target demographic. I'm at a loss as to how to explain how a 12 year-old can open these in their lunchroom. Perhaps it's some special ninja power that I don't posess.

I'm just remembering the good ol' days when your delicious fruit cups came ensconced in tin. Those were the days. Sure, not as environmentally friendly. I can appreciate that. I can also appreciate not being sticky.

So, Dole, bring back the good ol' days.

Signed,

Nincompoop in Norwalk

this is a joke, right?

Okay. I'm sorry to bitch about the weather again. Nobody likes to hear that, I know. However, indulge me one more time. Thanks...

WE'RE GETTING A BLIZZARD TOMORROW. And I don't mean a frosty Dairy Queen treat. Nope. A real-life Nor'easter. The local news said 6"-10" inches (with probably a bit less by the shore, where I live) with scattered accumulation of up to 13".

As if that's not wacky enough, the weather guy said it will be snowing and thundering? What. The. Hell. How is that even possible?

I also just heard they cancelled the Yankee's home-opener because of the impending storm. The never even had to do that at old Jarry Park in Montreal.

I still don't miss Atlanta....

sunday sundry

Thanks for all the well wishes. You kids are the grooviest. I feel much better, thanks to all of your kindness. Okay, okay. It was the antibiotics. You kooks had nothing to do with it.

Anyhow...

I went out this morning to get a bagel and the papers and it was completely insane. From the warmth of my little apartment I looked into the courtyard and it looked all bright and sunny. I had heard that Sunday was going to be a nice day so I put on a light jacket and went out. Wowza! It's cooooold. One of those windy days where you're chilled to the bone. Thing is, those days are normally in February. My calendar says April 6. What's with that?

Another great new essay up at A Case For Song from Kirsten. Can we get some more, please? One a week is kind of depressing. I'm getting a complex, though. I'm not a music snob. Really. I'm not. If you were to peruse my collection you'd see that it's very well-rounded.

But, um, Kirsten if your friends would have made fun of you for not knowing Rush I would have suggested some new friends. Sorry. Sorry. Couldn't resist.

Happy Sunday!

what's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?

Nicked from my pal Tom (who is tragically blog-free) and posted without editorial embelishment...

"Ideally, we would kill them all," Col. Joseph Anderson, a brigade
commander of the 101st Airborne Division, told Reuters on April
2. "But if they choose to change their mind and flee, there's not
much we can do."

Take a look around you, boy, it's bound to scare you, boy.
An' you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend,
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.
- p.f. sloan

what is it good for?

I must admit that I'm not following the minutia of the war that the media outlets are providing. I find the whole concept to be not only depressing but also somewhat obscene. "Embedded" reporters seems such a bad idea on so many levels and I can only shake my head when they show an "operation" that has literally as many journalists as combatants.

I always take most of the mainstream media with a proverbial grain of salt. However, I watched this Bill Moyers special last night and found the whole thing disgusting. Seems that the knee-jerk jingoism of Fox News has rubbed off on the other outlets since, well, it sells. I mean, have you seen Fox's ad bashing MSNBC for employing Peter Arnett (who I think is just a pompous asshole)? As a result, the media has become the military's cheerleader. Dan Rather even admits that's the case. When truth loses we all lose.

So who can we count on for an objective opinion? The BBC? The New York Times? An alternative source? Sadly, I don't really know anymore.

We'll always have the last bastion of journalistic integrity...

sick puppy

Sorry I've been lax in updating for the last couple of days. I'm fighting yet another kidney infection. It ain't fun - fever, aches, all the good stuff.

So hang in there. I'll be up and good as new in a couple of days now that I have the right antibiotics.

sometimes it snows in april

sometimes it snows in april
sometimes I feel so bad, so bad
sometimes I wish life was neverending,
and all good things, they say, never last
-Prince

(I should add that I'm not a big believer in that last line...)

april foolishness

It's April. It's snowing. Hard. Just wrong.

yes, yes

I'm still here. Just been a busy little boy and working on a soon-to-end project at work. I don't have much for my public. Just a couple of thoughts from watching Letterman as I was dozing off last night.

In case you missed it, Dave is back. He seemed completely looped out on pain killers which, I'm assured, the shingles require. A co-worker had them a couple of years ago and, from what he says, it is the worst and most inexplicable pain ever. Yipes. Anyhow, Dave's now going to Matt Lauer's barber. Did anybody see this?! He looks, I dunno, old. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I've been watching Letterman since he was gap-toothed kid with a daytime show on NBC. It literally startled me.

Also, what's the deal with the evil, big-headed Celine? She's now doing another Chrysler ad with another of her new songs? Shit. Make it stop please. To make it worse, she's now advertising the Chrysler Sebring. Guess who drives a Sebring?