It pains me to do so, but I agree with Sullivan on this one. But I agree with Ed Morrisey even more.
Not only should Ann Coulter have been shouted down for this stupid statement, but she probably shouldn't have been invited to CPAC in the first place.
She's an actor on a stage, I doubt she really believes one tenth of the things she says, but she's got her act, it gets her coverage and sells her books.
Still, no reason to enable or legitimize her. She used ugly language in an artless manner, and her point made no sense. Call Edwards a vapid, preening, pretty-boy, but not what she called him. Though I think her reference Isaiah Washington nonsense contains some sort of point worth exploring.
She's as bad in her way as any 9/11 conspiracy nut, or holocaust denier, or apologist for Islamist terrorist.
Still, I think Sullivan's panties are needlessly bunched about this (I would use that metaphor regardless of his sexual orientation, afterall, there's no reason to believe he's a cross-dresser, he just habitually gets his panties in a bunch), he should unwad himself and realize that she's a joke (and really, since the last time I visited his site, he's posted twice more on the subject), and that she wasn't well received in the room (for the most part, his reporting from the scene would suggest she received universal adulation the whole time, but I doubt his objectivity), or by other conservatives, and though there are still some anti-homosexual elements within the Republican party, it's not a defining characteristic of the party for anybody except folks like Sullivan himself.
A lot of this nonsense would go away if the state got out of the marriage business all together. Rather than picking which unions to recognize, the state should just say that 'marriage' however you choose to define it is between you, your partner(s), and your higher power (or lack thereof).
02 March 2007
Gingrich-Hanson '08
The Democratic Party wouldn't know what hit them if the Republican ticket were Newt Gingrich for President and Victor David Hanson for Vice-President.
Both men have amazing rhetorical gifts, and I think a sober and prescient view of the world the way it is right now.
Could Gingrich govern?
In 1980 most thought there was no way a President Reagan could govern as the politician he seemed to be from his campaign, but for the most part he did.
Despite all his baggage, Gingrich has what should be most important, and that's ideas, a curious mind, and I think now flexibility born from experience to know when to stand fast and when to bend.
But why an academic like Hanson for Veep?
Articles like this, for one, also I think after unusually active Vice-Presidents like Gore and Cheney, it's time to return to a time when the Veep is a designated funeral-goer, fund-raiser, and policy-stater.
I would be pleased to see Giuliani survive the primary battles and assume the role as Republican candidate for President, I could probably vote for Romney, even. I could never vote for McCain, he's creepy and a bit crazy, and his only true constituency is the media. He's the Republican lefty MSM types can point to and say they don't hate all 'Conservative Republicans', but that won't win any primaries, or raise any cash, so his candidacy is once again doomed.
The Republican Primary will come down to a 3 way race between Newt, Rudy and Mitt, all with their strengths and flaws. Any of those three men would make far better Presidents than any of the Democratic potential candidates.
Newt will run, but he's just biding his time (I think Gore will jump into the fray around OCT or NOV, also). I think the right rhetoric can energize and impress the electorate enough to cause surprises, especially during the primaries. Also, the press will be too busy obsessing over the Democratic side of things to notice what's going on with the Republicans, so that will play in the GOP's favor.
It's a shame that Schwarzenegger is ineligible, he's exactly the kind of person who could do great things as President. What he's accomplished with a rabidly left wing legislature in a left leaning state is rather remarkable. Former actor Governors of California make pretty darn good Presidents, in my opinion.
Both men have amazing rhetorical gifts, and I think a sober and prescient view of the world the way it is right now.
Could Gingrich govern?
In 1980 most thought there was no way a President Reagan could govern as the politician he seemed to be from his campaign, but for the most part he did.
Despite all his baggage, Gingrich has what should be most important, and that's ideas, a curious mind, and I think now flexibility born from experience to know when to stand fast and when to bend.
But why an academic like Hanson for Veep?
Articles like this, for one, also I think after unusually active Vice-Presidents like Gore and Cheney, it's time to return to a time when the Veep is a designated funeral-goer, fund-raiser, and policy-stater.
I would be pleased to see Giuliani survive the primary battles and assume the role as Republican candidate for President, I could probably vote for Romney, even. I could never vote for McCain, he's creepy and a bit crazy, and his only true constituency is the media. He's the Republican lefty MSM types can point to and say they don't hate all 'Conservative Republicans', but that won't win any primaries, or raise any cash, so his candidacy is once again doomed.
The Republican Primary will come down to a 3 way race between Newt, Rudy and Mitt, all with their strengths and flaws. Any of those three men would make far better Presidents than any of the Democratic potential candidates.
Newt will run, but he's just biding his time (I think Gore will jump into the fray around OCT or NOV, also). I think the right rhetoric can energize and impress the electorate enough to cause surprises, especially during the primaries. Also, the press will be too busy obsessing over the Democratic side of things to notice what's going on with the Republicans, so that will play in the GOP's favor.
It's a shame that Schwarzenegger is ineligible, he's exactly the kind of person who could do great things as President. What he's accomplished with a rabidly left wing legislature in a left leaning state is rather remarkable. Former actor Governors of California make pretty darn good Presidents, in my opinion.
01 March 2007
Dinner Party Syndrome Strikes Again
Did Sen. McCain and former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan both fall victim to the same syndrome?
For lack of a better term, I'll call it Dinner Party Syndrome.
DC is not just "Hollywood for ugly people" it's also the Dinner Party Capital of the World.
The number of official, semi-official, and informal dinner parties that proliferate in that town are staggering.
It's a wonder that anything ever gets done.
The problem with dinner parties is that folks feel a need to chit-chat. Chit-chat is just slightly removed from blather, and the blathering that gets done is almost always from a mostly left-liberal vaguely statist viewpoint.
Blather is not viewpoint neutral in DC. If you want to remain unshunned and hang out with the 'cool people' you need to at least nod your head when folks spew the latest in left-liberal-academic consensus.
When conservative viewpoints come out, they come out as blurts, rather than blather, and blurts are about as welcome at dinner parties as loud farts. The blurting happens for much the same reason as farts happen, constantly hearing liberal nonsense, if one isn't inclined to it, causes mental indigestion. This mental indigestion builds and builds, and the head can only nod so many times, and the mouth can smile weakly for only so long until finally in one slightly too loud outburst one finds themselves saying, "but Iran, North Korea and Iraq really are/were an Axis of Evil".
The silence that follows can only be withstood by the most hearty of souls (or socially boorish).
So I suspect that Greenspan and McCain got tired of blurting and instead began blathering. Once you start mouthing left-liberal consensus, those non-ideas begin to drive the actual ideas in your head out (think of it like a mental Gresham's Law).
So when McCain says our soldiers lives are being wasted, he doesn't mean it, but he's just repeating the blather that hangs in the air in DC like a miasma off of a bog.
When Greenspan continues to talk down the economy despite evidence to the contrary, he's not thinking, he's just nodding his head and repeating the blather that he hears at the various dinner parties he surely attends with his oh so viewpoint neutral wife.
At least that's my theory, I don't have first hand experience with the DC dinner party scene, but it's easy enough to extrapolate what it must be like based on what it's like out here.
For lack of a better term, I'll call it Dinner Party Syndrome.
DC is not just "Hollywood for ugly people" it's also the Dinner Party Capital of the World.
The number of official, semi-official, and informal dinner parties that proliferate in that town are staggering.
It's a wonder that anything ever gets done.
The problem with dinner parties is that folks feel a need to chit-chat. Chit-chat is just slightly removed from blather, and the blathering that gets done is almost always from a mostly left-liberal vaguely statist viewpoint.
Blather is not viewpoint neutral in DC. If you want to remain unshunned and hang out with the 'cool people' you need to at least nod your head when folks spew the latest in left-liberal-academic consensus.
When conservative viewpoints come out, they come out as blurts, rather than blather, and blurts are about as welcome at dinner parties as loud farts. The blurting happens for much the same reason as farts happen, constantly hearing liberal nonsense, if one isn't inclined to it, causes mental indigestion. This mental indigestion builds and builds, and the head can only nod so many times, and the mouth can smile weakly for only so long until finally in one slightly too loud outburst one finds themselves saying, "but Iran, North Korea and Iraq really are/were an Axis of Evil".
The silence that follows can only be withstood by the most hearty of souls (or socially boorish).
So I suspect that Greenspan and McCain got tired of blurting and instead began blathering. Once you start mouthing left-liberal consensus, those non-ideas begin to drive the actual ideas in your head out (think of it like a mental Gresham's Law).
So when McCain says our soldiers lives are being wasted, he doesn't mean it, but he's just repeating the blather that hangs in the air in DC like a miasma off of a bog.
When Greenspan continues to talk down the economy despite evidence to the contrary, he's not thinking, he's just nodding his head and repeating the blather that he hears at the various dinner parties he surely attends with his oh so viewpoint neutral wife.
At least that's my theory, I don't have first hand experience with the DC dinner party scene, but it's easy enough to extrapolate what it must be like based on what it's like out here.
A "Green" Luther Must Arise to Denounce The "Goracle"
Seems like the 'carbon offsets' program favored by the environmentally conscious but unwilling to make personal sacrifices crowd fits in with the past practice of indulgences so well, that the antidote to said practice may end up being very similar.
Martin Luther provided his antidote to the hypocrisy he saw, not just because the church was being hypocritical, but because the church was playing fast and loose with the principals at the foundation of Christianity.
Is Papa Viridus Albertus Gore XL the new Pope Leo X?
Will somebody nail a list of demands to the main gate of one of The Goracle's mansions?
If they do, it should look something like this.
That's enough of that, you get the idea already (you didn't really think I'd do 95 of those, did you?).
(read the real thing here)
Martin Luther provided his antidote to the hypocrisy he saw, not just because the church was being hypocritical, but because the church was playing fast and loose with the principals at the foundation of Christianity.
Is Papa Viridus Albertus Gore XL the new Pope Leo X?
Will somebody nail a list of demands to the main gate of one of The Goracle's mansions?
If they do, it should look something like this.
- Our Great and Green Mother Gaia Has Willed that all her children must Curb Their emissions of the foul Carbon at all costs
- Carbon can not be 'offset' through market schemes, all of Gaia's children must reduce, reuse, and recycle every last bit of substance that passes through their lives
- Yet, carbon reduction can not only be an inward manifestation, one must outwardly demand others mortify themselves before Gaia and deny their own flesh
- The penalty, the death of the entire planet, will loom as long as people are allowed to do as they will without regard to the consequences for Gaia
- The Goracle can not absolve you of your Carbon Sins, only each individual can reduce their own footprint
- Gaia loves all, but will also punish all if we do not repent our sins collectively
- We can not forgive those from the past their sins, as their actions remain in the atmosphere, but we must not copy those sins
- The Goracle is still to be revered, as his pronouncements are correct, just his methods lacking
- Ignorant and wicked are those that preach 'greenness' while continuing to consume beyond their measure
- Carbon offsets are a form of 'purgatory' for evil doers, but it's a false purgatory produced by greed and a desire for an easy path, there is no easy path for true oneness with Gaia
- The Goracle can claim carbon offsets absolve those of responsibility, but Gaia knows that it is a mere market scheme meant to bilk the gullible from their money, and has nothing to do with true greenness
- Therefore, those that preach on behalf of offsets are in error, money alone can not absolve folks of their carbon footprint, only through an ascetic denial of earthly pleasures may Gaia be appeased
- Only those who have already perfected themselves can be offered absolution, if someone is less than perfectly Green, then their absolution has no meaning
- The Goracle does not have special power over the environment, he does not control the laws of nature, the power he and his friends consume is just as dirty and earth destroying as that which anybody consumes
- Those that preach contrition to Gaia must also live contrition to Gaia
- The highest of officials must live the lives they expect others to live, to do less would be less than Green
That's enough of that, you get the idea already (you didn't really think I'd do 95 of those, did you?).
(read the real thing here)
27 February 2007
NMT: 27 FEB 07 The Feeling --- Twelve Stops & Home
This isn't the review yet, but it's coming, and you really don't want to know why this will be late, cause if I told you then you'd complain about TMI, but let's just say that the words 'watery' and 'stool' would figure prominently in the explanation.
I've Got More Power Than I Thought
Just noticed that the Wiki for the Spirit Awards more accurately reflects the location where they are held now.
I'm not going to say my post had anything to do with it, but . . .
Of course, if you read my past post, you'll think I'm the one who doesn't know what the hell they're talking about rather than the collective authors of that Wiki.
Now, speaking of Wikis, the Wiki for Santa Monica oddly doesn't mention the politics of this town. I think many people know about its reputation as one of the most "progressive" communities in the country, and the moniker "People's Republic of Santa Monica" doesn't appear at all (at the link, a good article on some of that phenomenon from Kevin Roderick), nor a reference to rent control (a Cato report at the link on how rent control tends to achieve the exact opposite of the intended goal, namely creating plentiful, cheap and fair housing) and all the controversies swirling around that practice. Also missing is a reference to Harry Shearer's term for the place, "Home of the Homeless", as a matter of fact, the rather significant homeless population hereabouts isn't mentioned at all.
Passing strange, that omission.
I'm not going to say my post had anything to do with it, but . . .
Of course, if you read my past post, you'll think I'm the one who doesn't know what the hell they're talking about rather than the collective authors of that Wiki.
Now, speaking of Wikis, the Wiki for Santa Monica oddly doesn't mention the politics of this town. I think many people know about its reputation as one of the most "progressive" communities in the country, and the moniker "People's Republic of Santa Monica" doesn't appear at all (at the link, a good article on some of that phenomenon from Kevin Roderick), nor a reference to rent control (a Cato report at the link on how rent control tends to achieve the exact opposite of the intended goal, namely creating plentiful, cheap and fair housing) and all the controversies swirling around that practice. Also missing is a reference to Harry Shearer's term for the place, "Home of the Homeless", as a matter of fact, the rather significant homeless population hereabouts isn't mentioned at all.
Passing strange, that omission.
Words Fail
I have no words to describe my disgust at the reactions to the recent attack in Bagram.
Michelle Malkin does a good job of rounding up stuff.
It's vile, dark, twisted, and I suppose wonderful that we live in a society free enough where these insane people feel free to spout their venom.
Each one of them should spend one day unprotected in the exercise yard at GTMO and see how well they're treated by those wonderful folks they seem to support and have far more sympathy for than their own elected leaders.
Are there folks out there dreaming of a President Pelosi and plotting ways to make it happen?
(given the Democratic Party's unwillingness to step up to the plate and begin impeachment hearings (which I'm for as it would expose their empty rhetoric and lies as empty rhetoric and lies, start the hearings immediately, I say), that leaves the bloodier method as the only option)
Also, I doubt Taliban remnants/Al Qaeda knew in advance that Cheney was there, they just 'spun' the attack as a direct attack on the Vice President as a way to make themselves seem more together and threatening than they really are.
Much of the press will most likely help the Taliban with their spin, though. It was yet another attack by Muslim extremist that succeeded in killing or maiming mostly Muslims. Despite being perceived as being on a genocidal mission to wipe Islam from the face of the planet (as some would have you believe), our military has been severely outpaced in the killing of Muslims when compared to Al Qaeda and other extremists groups.
Michelle Malkin does a good job of rounding up stuff.
It's vile, dark, twisted, and I suppose wonderful that we live in a society free enough where these insane people feel free to spout their venom.
Each one of them should spend one day unprotected in the exercise yard at GTMO and see how well they're treated by those wonderful folks they seem to support and have far more sympathy for than their own elected leaders.
Are there folks out there dreaming of a President Pelosi and plotting ways to make it happen?
(given the Democratic Party's unwillingness to step up to the plate and begin impeachment hearings (which I'm for as it would expose their empty rhetoric and lies as empty rhetoric and lies, start the hearings immediately, I say), that leaves the bloodier method as the only option)
Also, I doubt Taliban remnants/Al Qaeda knew in advance that Cheney was there, they just 'spun' the attack as a direct attack on the Vice President as a way to make themselves seem more together and threatening than they really are.
Much of the press will most likely help the Taliban with their spin, though. It was yet another attack by Muslim extremist that succeeded in killing or maiming mostly Muslims. Despite being perceived as being on a genocidal mission to wipe Islam from the face of the planet (as some would have you believe), our military has been severely outpaced in the killing of Muslims when compared to Al Qaeda and other extremists groups.
26 February 2007
Slightly Random Helen Mirren-centric Thoughts Subsequent to the Oscar Telecast
Do you think her husband, director Taylor Hackford, ever asked her to stay in her Queen Elizabeth II drag for a little, 'late night fun'?
Don't you find it a touch strange that they've never worked together?
Is their marriage in trouble?
(Best Actresses do not have a good record of staying with the men they were with after winning Best Actress, Reese, Hillary, Nicole, Halle, Gwenyth, and I think even Charlize dumped or were dumped by the guys they were with at the time of their most recent accolade)
And I didn't know her father was a Russian noble, her birth name kicks ass, Ilyena Vasilevna Mironov.
Don't you find it a touch strange that they've never worked together?
Is their marriage in trouble?
(Best Actresses do not have a good record of staying with the men they were with after winning Best Actress, Reese, Hillary, Nicole, Halle, Gwenyth, and I think even Charlize dumped or were dumped by the guys they were with at the time of their most recent accolade)
And I didn't know her father was a Russian noble, her birth name kicks ass, Ilyena Vasilevna Mironov.
25 February 2007
Have I Run Out of Ideas . . .,
No, not just yet, but I think instead of doing the hard work of thinking and composing those thoughts into coherent units, I'll point to others who have been doing a fine job of it lately.
Callimachus has an excellent and ongoing series regarding post war Germany (I, II, III, IV), and its similarities (and dissimilarities) to our current experiences in Iraq, read it, you'll likely learn something. I don't link to Done With Mirrors often enough, it's not that they both don't have a lot to say, but I assume for some reason that the small set of readers here maintains a one to one relationship with readers over there. If you're picturing a venn diagram (and why wouldn't you be?), I'd be that small dot being utterly consumed by Done With Mirrors' impressive oval.
Speaking of excellent series, Victoria banged out a nice series of posts (start from the bottom, and work your way up (and no, that's not some sort of veiled sexual reference on how to best handle a Brazilian women, though come to think of it, probably not a bad suggestion)) regarding Rio's Carnival. It's an annual event in Rio, and it's an annual event on the blogosphere. It would be preferable to be at the actual Carnival, no doubt, but Victoria's recaps make for a solid second best.
Victor David Hanson revisits his Mexifornia, and finds that he was more prescient than he could have ever imagined back when he wrote it.
If you missed the Oscars, count yourself amongst the lucky. If you want to know what happened, just read the Fug Girls 'liveblog' that they posted for New York Magazine.
Tammy Bruce lets the unnamed anonymous generals mentioned in this Times of London piece have it. There will be a Grant who will step up, if a Grant is what is needed (plus the article makes it seem like the entire US military will rise up and kill Pres. Bush if he orders an attack on Iran, whereas most likely this story is just 4-5 career paper pushers (and partisan Democrats) are trying to embarrass the President). Folks with high level clearance and access to classified documents should refrain from being anonymous sources. I don't care who's president at the time, it's a disgusting, cowardly tactic that is only ever done for political reasons and generally weakens trust and security and I can't remember a single time when it's been an honest and true example of 'whistleblowing'.
Just noticed this resembles a "You Ain't Wrong" post like I used to do back in the day (but without the gimmick).
Speaking of Ain't Wrong, folks who said that 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour was really, really bad, They Ain't Wrong (unwatchable, but the new Malkin/Powers thing, not so bad, and Red Eye is surprisingly not bad, but not quite good just yet).
Now I know why I don't do these posts anymore, it makes more sense to turn something like this into 7 separate posts rather than one. Plus digging up all those links is a pain, I really need to be better about saving permalinks of interesting articles as I read them.
Callimachus has an excellent and ongoing series regarding post war Germany (I, II, III, IV), and its similarities (and dissimilarities) to our current experiences in Iraq, read it, you'll likely learn something. I don't link to Done With Mirrors often enough, it's not that they both don't have a lot to say, but I assume for some reason that the small set of readers here maintains a one to one relationship with readers over there. If you're picturing a venn diagram (and why wouldn't you be?), I'd be that small dot being utterly consumed by Done With Mirrors' impressive oval.
Speaking of excellent series, Victoria banged out a nice series of posts (start from the bottom, and work your way up (and no, that's not some sort of veiled sexual reference on how to best handle a Brazilian women, though come to think of it, probably not a bad suggestion)) regarding Rio's Carnival. It's an annual event in Rio, and it's an annual event on the blogosphere. It would be preferable to be at the actual Carnival, no doubt, but Victoria's recaps make for a solid second best.
Victor David Hanson revisits his Mexifornia, and finds that he was more prescient than he could have ever imagined back when he wrote it.
If you missed the Oscars, count yourself amongst the lucky. If you want to know what happened, just read the Fug Girls 'liveblog' that they posted for New York Magazine.
Tammy Bruce lets the unnamed anonymous generals mentioned in this Times of London piece have it. There will be a Grant who will step up, if a Grant is what is needed (plus the article makes it seem like the entire US military will rise up and kill Pres. Bush if he orders an attack on Iran, whereas most likely this story is just 4-5 career paper pushers (and partisan Democrats) are trying to embarrass the President). Folks with high level clearance and access to classified documents should refrain from being anonymous sources. I don't care who's president at the time, it's a disgusting, cowardly tactic that is only ever done for political reasons and generally weakens trust and security and I can't remember a single time when it's been an honest and true example of 'whistleblowing'.
Just noticed this resembles a "You Ain't Wrong" post like I used to do back in the day (but without the gimmick).
Speaking of Ain't Wrong, folks who said that 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour was really, really bad, They Ain't Wrong (unwatchable, but the new Malkin/Powers thing, not so bad, and Red Eye is surprisingly not bad, but not quite good just yet).
Now I know why I don't do these posts anymore, it makes more sense to turn something like this into 7 separate posts rather than one. Plus digging up all those links is a pain, I really need to be better about saving permalinks of interesting articles as I read them.
21 February 2007
But Only a Little Excessive
I find clowns deeply irritating but surely lethal force is a little excessive.
I have to agree with that, being a clown is offensive, but it's not a capital offense, and it's not like I suffer from this, or anything.
Speaking of clowns, Shakes the Clown really is "the Citizen Kane of alcoholic clown movies", and should be immediately added to your netflix queue if you haven't seen it before.
Maybe Bill Should Adopt Britney
(via Drudge on both counts)
Maybe Bill should adopt Britney.
I know she's already an adult, and mother of two, but she hasn't ever really acted like an adult, and seems disinterested in mothering at the moment.
Plus, judging from that article, Mr. Gates seems like an engaged and attentive parent despite leading a pretty busy and productive life himself.
I like how he turned the comments into an ad for Vista's parental control features as well as XBox 360's engrossing game for 'children of all ages' Viva Pinata.
But back to Bill and Britney, girl needs help, one day in and out sessions at pricey rehab centers aren't going to cut it. She needs to grow up, but before she grows up, maybe she needs to be a kid first, and I don't think she got the opportunity to ever be a kid thanks to the mommy/manager she was unfortunate enough to have been born to.
Never cared for her in any way (her music was always pretty bad), but I can care for her as a human being, she's an unfolding tragedy headed to some real dark territory if something doesn't happen soon.
So if Bill Gates adopted her, and her two sons, I think maybe she'd learn what it's like for someone to tell her, "NO!" and mean it. She needs structure, reason and firmness, all things that she seems to have lacked for awhile now.
And next time you get lice in your extensions, call up these good folks (bet they'd love to get a celebrity endorsement) don't go grabbing some stylist's shears while they're not looking.
PS: I've been loving Vista so far, there's been a few hiccups along the way (a few drivers still don't exist, but everything still works), but it does provide a better desktop environment than Windows XP, and on the Premium edition, the Media Center coupled with an ATI TV Wonder 650 card (both HD OTA and NTSC tuners built in) rocks.
Maybe Bill should adopt Britney.
I know she's already an adult, and mother of two, but she hasn't ever really acted like an adult, and seems disinterested in mothering at the moment.
Plus, judging from that article, Mr. Gates seems like an engaged and attentive parent despite leading a pretty busy and productive life himself.
I like how he turned the comments into an ad for Vista's parental control features as well as XBox 360's engrossing game for 'children of all ages' Viva Pinata.
But back to Bill and Britney, girl needs help, one day in and out sessions at pricey rehab centers aren't going to cut it. She needs to grow up, but before she grows up, maybe she needs to be a kid first, and I don't think she got the opportunity to ever be a kid thanks to the mommy/manager she was unfortunate enough to have been born to.
Never cared for her in any way (her music was always pretty bad), but I can care for her as a human being, she's an unfolding tragedy headed to some real dark territory if something doesn't happen soon.
So if Bill Gates adopted her, and her two sons, I think maybe she'd learn what it's like for someone to tell her, "NO!" and mean it. She needs structure, reason and firmness, all things that she seems to have lacked for awhile now.
And next time you get lice in your extensions, call up these good folks (bet they'd love to get a celebrity endorsement) don't go grabbing some stylist's shears while they're not looking.
PS: I've been loving Vista so far, there's been a few hiccups along the way (a few drivers still don't exist, but everything still works), but it does provide a better desktop environment than Windows XP, and on the Premium edition, the Media Center coupled with an ATI TV Wonder 650 card (both HD OTA and NTSC tuners built in) rocks.
20 February 2007
Metaphor That Tells You Far More About the Author's Viewing Habits Than You'd Ever Want to Know
Buried within this epic lengthed Bill Simmons, Page 2 over at ESPN.com is this nugget
Thanks for that mental image, fella, appreciate it (bolding was my, doing, by the way).
Also, howdy neighbor!, Bill Simmons' driving distance to Vegas is pretty similar to my own, so I suspect he resides somewhere on the westside.
To LeBron James, who coasted through the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday and played the All-Star Game with the uplifting, charismatic intensity of a female porn star trying to break one of those "most male partners in one afternoon" records. Could we end up putting him in the "Too Much, Too Soon" Pantheon some day? Will he become the basketball version of Eddie Murphy, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson and every other celeb who became famous too quickly and eventually burned out?
Thanks for that mental image, fella, appreciate it (bolding was my, doing, by the way).
Also, howdy neighbor!, Bill Simmons' driving distance to Vegas is pretty similar to my own, so I suspect he resides somewhere on the westside.
NMT: 20 FEB 07 Ojos De Brujo --- Techari
Ojos De Brujo --- Techari
[update: 21 Feb 07, 3:20pm, Just realized I flipped my usual of order of things, to make it clear, the band's name is Ojos De Brujo (ODB for short, though there is only one 'real' ODB, god rest his soul), and this most recent album is Techari, sorry if anyone was confused]
There's a bit of witchery going on in this brew. It's an unusual mix of a wide variety of influences and flamenco (the flamenco influence is strong in almost every track, but the added elements vary widely from track to track). It doesn't always work, but it doesn't fail to entertain, even when it's slightly off. Has to be heard to be understood, I think.
1) Color
Horns, and fat bass line don't mix all that well with flamenco rhythms. It's not bad, but it's just a bit messy in parts.
2) Sultans De Merkaillo
A more straight forward Flamenco style treatment, with some turntable scratching thrown in for accent. A much better marriage of hip-hop elements and flamenco than the first song. This I like.
3) Todo Tiende
This song makes a more explicit connection between flamenco and its Arabic/Indian roots. Has an interesting bhangra beat, mixed with traditional style flamenco vocals, mixed with rap en espanol. That's a lot of different meats in the same stew. It works just the same, barely.
4) Runali
Normally I comment on the lyricism of a song, but my Spanish is too rusty, and rapped Spanish doesn't make it easier to follow the meaning of a song, so I can only focus on song structure and execution. Luckily this song is strong in all those areas. This song has some lyrics in English, but they're mostly meaningless, more rap+flamenco, the flamenco is stronger than the rap on this song, but the rap doesn't destroy the other part (doesn't add a whole lot, though).
5) El comfort No Reconforta
The rapstyle on this album sounds a lot more like Mexican roqenespanol acts than Spanish, but most Mexican bands don't look to flamenco and Arabic music to set their raps within. It's an interesting marriage of styles.
6) Tanguillos Marineros
Pretty straight forward flamenco, a touch too much like any other flamenco you might here, not bad, but not great.
7) Silencio
This is pretty good song. Another more or less flamenco-ish song, with a jungle-ish break in the middle just to shake things up. It works pretty well.
8) No Somos Maquinas
The musicianship on this album is excellent throughout, it really shines on this track.
9) Bailaores
Befitting the title, it's hard not to tap your feet and get the itch to get up and do a bit of dancing yourself to this song.
10) Corre Lola Corre
Of course you knew there'd be a reggae tinged song in here somewhere, didn't you? Well this is it, doesn't work for me, it's by the numbers reggaeness doesn't cut it.
11) Feedback
A marriage between flamenco and traditional Indian sounds. Those two worlds aren't so far apart, and it's all surrounded by a bit of a fusion jazz thing going on with the guitar and melody. In this case, all those flavors make for a tasty stew.
12) Piedra Vs. Tanques
More good stuff, another meeting of roqenespanol with flamenco, works just fine.
13) Respira
This is one of the better tracks on the album, it's got a sexy little whisper, some interesting syncopation (I'm a sucker for properly executed off-beatness), and has the proper mix of modern sounds with traditional vocal methods.
14) Nana
Straight up, no fooling flamenco guitar kicks off this track. After all that precedes, you know to expect the song to head somewhere else, and you'd be mostly wrong. It's pretty much a straight flamenco song ( . . . . . . . followed by nearly a minute of silence and some Indian style vocalizing at the very end, didn't think folks still put in 'hidden bonus tracks' in this iPod era).
I liked it, liked it quite a bit, though when I first listened, thought the vocals were a bit too nasally, but this is flamenco singing, there's no such thing as too nasally.
Ballot Stuffing, TheNMN, and Blogrolls
Its time for some serious ballot stuffing. The King of YouTube, aka TheNMN (found his blog, finally), posted a new video (above), and he's looking for suggestions for HNIC '07.
The poll already includes Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (three cheers for originalism!!)amongst the possibilities, and I say he ought to win (though Gary Coleman makes a very strong second choice).
Also, I'm linking and blogrolling his blog. He's been blogging for a year, says many things with which I disagree with vehemently, but says them in an entertaining way. I prefer blogs that say things I don't like well over blogs that say things I agree with poorly. But that's just me. I understand the political stance he's taking by calling himself The New Millenium N***a, but it's a stance I don't agree with.
I am one of those people who if given the position of HNIC would ban the use of the term that begins with "N".
I blame my grandma, she was born on a sharecropper farm in Hope Arkansas. She was mostly black (her mother was part Cherokee, had long straight hair that she always wished had made it into her gene set), was the most dignified, sweet, honest and strong person you would ever likely to meet. And would never, ever allow anyone within ear shot of her to get away with using that word.
I don't understand folks being comfortable with that word, yet TheNMN refers to himself as such, and seems to be pretty cogent and self aware (if leaning towards the Marxist, we all can't be perfect).
But back to the ballot stuffing, Justice Thomas needs to be the HNIC '07, so go and rock the vote.
On a side note, I've been tweaking the blogroll some, expanding and subtracting, mostly it reflects my daily reads, except where it doesn't. Also, new blogger makes that stuff too easy, so tweaking becomes addictive.
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