(via Drudge)
Reuters headline
Mark Cuban is usually an idiot. His HDNet will be a big failure and he lucked into his broadcast.com fortune. With that said he's partially correct. YouTube isn't like other previous popular internet properties. It does have a huge cloud hanging over it, and a deep pockets owner would be exposed to an endless round of lawsuits.
That's why I think a possible way out of this would be if a consortium of media concerns agreed to operate YouTube collectively. Use directed advertising like the little google links that pop up in gmail, but make them 10-15 second commercials that are attached to the beginning of videos. Make them content sensitive, and charge based on where the content came from. If the content being shown is from your own company, you get to advertise free. If another one of the conglomerates wants to attach an ad for one of their products then charge a tiny fee. Leave the way YouTube works alone.
YouTube only enhances the value of the content owned by the media conglomerates. It's proved over and over again, just look at the success Fox News Sunday enjoyed by not fighting their clip spreading by YouTube. FoxNews.com had a different idea about this, but the big boss came down on the side of letting YouTube provide free advertising rather than forcing those that want the content to have to visit Foxnews.com.
By making YouTube a neutral playing field, and recognizing it as such, it would be a valuable commodity to all the big media players as a signal to which content is valued and which isn't. If people love what they see on YouTube, advertise there, point to a higher quality download or DVD they can purchase, and watch the profits increase.
Kill this, and watch more folks become turned off by media companies in general and seek spending their free time engaged elsewhere.
Mark Cuban is correct that the current approach to copyright would kill this site if one of the big media players try to buy YouTube and the others then decide to jealously guard their content. But if they want to act in their collective self interest, they'll let this site flourish as is. They should think of it as free market research rather than a copyright infringer's paradise.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query youtube. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query youtube. Sort by date Show all posts
28 September 2006
14 September 2006
Chopping Off Things In Spite of Other Things
UMG begins hurling threats against YouTube and their allowing the user community to continually violate UMG owned intellectual property.
Thing is, all those YouTube videos help sell albums of old artists. I bet if they tracked the rise and fall of old videos, they will find that their catalogue sales increase when a certain old video of some long forgotten act gets attention due to someone on YouTube infringing upon the copyright of some song and some old forgotten TV program.
Nobody uses YouTube as a jukebox, and it's not a replacement for having the music in a more usable format. Nor is the quality good enough that if you enjoy something on YouTube that if you really think it great, you would refrain from buying a DVD because you already got the images for free.
Rather than theft and infringement, the owners of intellectual property should view YouTube as the free advertising that it clearly is.
Intellectual property laws are overly restrictive and copyrights are maintained for an unreasonably long time.
The idiocy of music executives continues to be in full force
Thing is, all those YouTube videos help sell albums of old artists. I bet if they tracked the rise and fall of old videos, they will find that their catalogue sales increase when a certain old video of some long forgotten act gets attention due to someone on YouTube infringing upon the copyright of some song and some old forgotten TV program.
Nobody uses YouTube as a jukebox, and it's not a replacement for having the music in a more usable format. Nor is the quality good enough that if you enjoy something on YouTube that if you really think it great, you would refrain from buying a DVD because you already got the images for free.
Rather than theft and infringement, the owners of intellectual property should view YouTube as the free advertising that it clearly is.
Intellectual property laws are overly restrictive and copyrights are maintained for an unreasonably long time.
The idiocy of music executives continues to be in full force
Morris related a frequent historical gripe often mentioned by music execs, saying the industry made a costly mistake in the 1980s when it agreed to give MTV free music videos. At the time, the industry saw the fledlging video trend as mere publicity to sell albums, rather than as a revenue generator itself.
"The poster child for this was MTV," Morris said. "Twenty-five years ago, they built a multibillion-dollar company on our software.
Many of the biggest selling albums of all time are 80s and early 90s recordings of middling quality that owe their popularity to all those videos that they 'gave away'. I'm guessing one of the reasons MTV no longer plays videos and has become all crappy reality TV, all the time, is that they'd rather produce low cost programming in house than pay large fees to advertise some other conglomerate's music acts.
No wonder all the folks wandering out of the UMG west coast headquarters down the street from me always look so depressed. They work for jerks like Doug Morris.
20 April 2009
Your 4 and 20 Songs That Last 4 Minutes and 20 Seconds Long, List
It's 4/20, also known as Stoner Christmas, here are 24 (aka 4 and 20) songs (culled from my collection) that last 280 seconds long (aka 4:20), just because.
Diamonds and Pearls, Prince (Diamonds and Pearls)
Given the ton of Prince songs I have on my hard drive, surprising that only one clocks in at 4:20. It's one of his crappier, sappier, efforts, I'm afraid. The less said, the better. (Prince is fanatical when it comes to takedown notices of his music on Youtube, so the only clip is of a Skating With the Stars performance).
Everybody Got Their Something, Nikka Costa (Everybody Got Their Something)
So long as you can accept the grammatically unacceptable, this song is fantastic. Without a doubt, you should own her last three albums, each is great, that none of her last three albums have cracked the US Billboard top 100, is a shame.
Good Times, Yaz (You and Me Both)
So the Youtube link above goes to a recording of a concert from last year. Alison Moyet still sounds great, Vince Clarke's beats still sound like they were created on a cheap little Casio kiddie keyboard, but it works great, anyway. Yes it's dated, but so what?
Goodbye, Alicia Keys (Songs in A Minor)
Hard for me to believe that album was released eight years ago. Her two follow up albums haven't really lived up to the promise of that first one, she's had a tendency to indulge the worst aspects of her vocal gift in later recordings, all that 'diva' crap gets old real quick, on this album her vocals are pure, later they get absurd.
Goodnight Ladies, Lou Reed (Transformer)
This is one of those, 'Lou Reed is trying to be Kurt Weil' songs that he recorded with some frequency during the early 70s. It's one of the better one, the horns really work in this song. The video mates Lou Reed with a ballet performance, it's a bit strange, but works.
Gravemakers and Gunslingers, Coheed and Cambria (No World for Tomorrow)
They are slingers of neo-prog metal. They sling it fairly well. It's an acquired taste, I suspect.
Have I Told You Lately, Van Morrison (The Best of)
Damn, great song, though the bones for some real horridly schmaltzy crap are there for lesser artists to expose (see: Stewart, Rod)
I Found Love, Lone Justice (Shelter)
I can't express in words how in love/lust/awe I was of Maria McKee back then.
(if I met her today, I'd still get flustered as hell, I'm sure)
I Get So Scared, Thelonious Monster (Beautiful Mess)
The first song on this list that's completely Youtube proof. The Monster were kings of the local scene for a time in the 80s and early 90s. Torn apart by the usual things that tear apart talented musicians, their frontman, Bob Forrest, was a force of nature some nights, and an incoherent mess, others. You never knew what you were getting when Thelonious Monster were on the bill. Now Bob can be seen on VH1s Celebrity Rehab as a drug counselor. Here's an extended version of Sammy Hagar Weekend, instead (in three parts) where Bob talks about the 'scene' back in the 80s. (part 1, part 2, part 3)
I'll Pray for You, Love (Love Story 1966-1972)
Another Youtube proof clip. Love were another L.A. scene band that was huge locally, but their internal demons destroyed their chance for wider success. If you don't have Forever Changes in your collection (or this Rhino Records compilation this track is from), you are doing yuorself a disservice. There's a documentary on Love, here's a promo clip, haven't seen it, don't know if it's worthwhile.
Jingo, Santana (Santana)
Probably the most 'fitting' song to make this list, so far. Dude can play guitar, that's for sure.
Killer in the Home, Adam & the Ants (Kings of the Wild Frontier)
Of all the ridiculous looks Adam Ant had over the years, I think the faux-Indian thing was the most ridiculous, but as a band, they were really tight, then. The look is dated, but the sound holds up better than most stuff from early 80s Britpop. Crunchy guitar chords, and two drummers, don't need much more than that, I guess.
Last Chance on the Stairway, Duran Duran, (Rio)
I waxed poetic about Rio, awhile ago, and I still stand by those words. The bass line really drives this song, sure it's dated, sure it's cheesy, but it's still a good listen.
Le Freak, Chic (Dance Floor Divas: The 70s)
Talk about dated, damn, disco. Great song, anyway. The story behind the song is pretty famous (at least famous enough to be on wikipedia). Also, if they ever add some disco songs to Rock Band, this wouldn't be a bad place to start (tough, drums, great bass line, decent vocals, and even the guitarist would have something to do).
The Limit to Your Love, Feist (The Reminder)
I blame those iPod ads for this being in my collection. This is my favorite song from that album, Feist ain't so bad, for a Canadian.
Mi Confesion, Gotan Project (Lunatico)
Can you successfully mate Tango with Hip-Hop beats? Yes, you can, Gotan Project shows the way (Lunatico is a great album, all around).
My Love is Growing, Marvin Gaye (Let's Get It On, Deluxe Edition)
Damn, what else can one say?
Send His Love to Me, PJ Harvey (To Bring You My Love)
Damn, I'm tempted to just say what I said for the song above. A Polly Jean at full power is an awesome thing to behold. This performance goes up to eleven.
Someday, Kylie Minogue (Body Language)
Couldn't be more different than the last song, yet Kylie is pretty remarkable in her own way. As a vocalist she understands her limits, and uses what she has as perfectly as just about any singer out there, plus she always surrounds herself with great producers, that doesn't hurt.
Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, Todd Rundgren (Anthology)
The Todd is The Todd. This is from A Wizard, a True Star. Have to link something, so here's The Todd doing Hello It's Me, the less said about the outfit, the better.
Soon We'll Be Found, Sia (Some People Have Real Problems)
Her voice is a remarkable instrument. Most singers just sing, there are a few, though, whose voices are uniquely musical, she's one of the latter. You ought to own everything she's ever been on, whether it be her albums, or her work with Zero 7, go out there and seek it out, already.
This Land Flows With Milk, Isobel Campbell, Amorino
This is a delicate little vocal in a delicate little song, from a delicate little album. But, hey it's got a theremin going for it, so it can't be all bad. It pushes the limits of what 'twee' can be and still not be annoying (or not, depends on your tolerance level for 'twee' pop). No video, so have to go with another sweet little song from the same album, instead, gives you an idea of what this album is like, though.
Tokoloshe Man, Happy Mondays (Loads)
Ah, yes, the Madchester sound. I miss that, 24 Hour Party People is a good introduction to what that was all about. It's a b-side cover of a John Kongos song. How similar the two songs are, while being true to their respective genres, is interesting.
Windpower, Thomas Dolby (The Golden Age of Wireless)
Has it been 24 songs, already? Yes, yes it has. Early 80s synth-pop was not the most live performance friendly genre, was it? I remember seeing Howard Jones open for Eurythmics and he did the, 'lone English bloke behind a stack of synths' thing, and finding it all pretty ridiculous (Howard Jones, not Eurythmics, the Eurythmics may have also been 'new wave', but they toured with a real band). I think this stuff still holds up, but that's probably just cause I was around at the time, if I hadn't heard this stuff the first time around, it'd probably sound really strange, and really dated.
So there you have it, 4 and 20 songs, of 4 minutes and 20 in length, posted precisely at 4:20pm PDT. So sit back, follow the copious links, and enjoy your 'holiday'.
Diamonds and Pearls, Prince (Diamonds and Pearls)
Given the ton of Prince songs I have on my hard drive, surprising that only one clocks in at 4:20. It's one of his crappier, sappier, efforts, I'm afraid. The less said, the better. (Prince is fanatical when it comes to takedown notices of his music on Youtube, so the only clip is of a Skating With the Stars performance).
Everybody Got Their Something, Nikka Costa (Everybody Got Their Something)
So long as you can accept the grammatically unacceptable, this song is fantastic. Without a doubt, you should own her last three albums, each is great, that none of her last three albums have cracked the US Billboard top 100, is a shame.
Good Times, Yaz (You and Me Both)
So the Youtube link above goes to a recording of a concert from last year. Alison Moyet still sounds great, Vince Clarke's beats still sound like they were created on a cheap little Casio kiddie keyboard, but it works great, anyway. Yes it's dated, but so what?
Goodbye, Alicia Keys (Songs in A Minor)
Hard for me to believe that album was released eight years ago. Her two follow up albums haven't really lived up to the promise of that first one, she's had a tendency to indulge the worst aspects of her vocal gift in later recordings, all that 'diva' crap gets old real quick, on this album her vocals are pure, later they get absurd.
Goodnight Ladies, Lou Reed (Transformer)
This is one of those, 'Lou Reed is trying to be Kurt Weil' songs that he recorded with some frequency during the early 70s. It's one of the better one, the horns really work in this song. The video mates Lou Reed with a ballet performance, it's a bit strange, but works.
Gravemakers and Gunslingers, Coheed and Cambria (No World for Tomorrow)
They are slingers of neo-prog metal. They sling it fairly well. It's an acquired taste, I suspect.
Have I Told You Lately, Van Morrison (The Best of)
Damn, great song, though the bones for some real horridly schmaltzy crap are there for lesser artists to expose (see: Stewart, Rod)
I Found Love, Lone Justice (Shelter)
I can't express in words how in love/lust/awe I was of Maria McKee back then.
(if I met her today, I'd still get flustered as hell, I'm sure)
I Get So Scared, Thelonious Monster (Beautiful Mess)
The first song on this list that's completely Youtube proof. The Monster were kings of the local scene for a time in the 80s and early 90s. Torn apart by the usual things that tear apart talented musicians, their frontman, Bob Forrest, was a force of nature some nights, and an incoherent mess, others. You never knew what you were getting when Thelonious Monster were on the bill. Now Bob can be seen on VH1s Celebrity Rehab as a drug counselor. Here's an extended version of Sammy Hagar Weekend, instead (in three parts) where Bob talks about the 'scene' back in the 80s. (part 1, part 2, part 3)
I'll Pray for You, Love (Love Story 1966-1972)
Another Youtube proof clip. Love were another L.A. scene band that was huge locally, but their internal demons destroyed their chance for wider success. If you don't have Forever Changes in your collection (or this Rhino Records compilation this track is from), you are doing yuorself a disservice. There's a documentary on Love, here's a promo clip, haven't seen it, don't know if it's worthwhile.
Jingo, Santana (Santana)
Probably the most 'fitting' song to make this list, so far. Dude can play guitar, that's for sure.
Killer in the Home, Adam & the Ants (Kings of the Wild Frontier)
Of all the ridiculous looks Adam Ant had over the years, I think the faux-Indian thing was the most ridiculous, but as a band, they were really tight, then. The look is dated, but the sound holds up better than most stuff from early 80s Britpop. Crunchy guitar chords, and two drummers, don't need much more than that, I guess.
Last Chance on the Stairway, Duran Duran, (Rio)
I waxed poetic about Rio, awhile ago, and I still stand by those words. The bass line really drives this song, sure it's dated, sure it's cheesy, but it's still a good listen.
Le Freak, Chic (Dance Floor Divas: The 70s)
Talk about dated, damn, disco. Great song, anyway. The story behind the song is pretty famous (at least famous enough to be on wikipedia). Also, if they ever add some disco songs to Rock Band, this wouldn't be a bad place to start (tough, drums, great bass line, decent vocals, and even the guitarist would have something to do).
The Limit to Your Love, Feist (The Reminder)
I blame those iPod ads for this being in my collection. This is my favorite song from that album, Feist ain't so bad, for a Canadian.
Mi Confesion, Gotan Project (Lunatico)
Can you successfully mate Tango with Hip-Hop beats? Yes, you can, Gotan Project shows the way (Lunatico is a great album, all around).
My Love is Growing, Marvin Gaye (Let's Get It On, Deluxe Edition)
Damn, what else can one say?
Send His Love to Me, PJ Harvey (To Bring You My Love)
Damn, I'm tempted to just say what I said for the song above. A Polly Jean at full power is an awesome thing to behold. This performance goes up to eleven.
Someday, Kylie Minogue (Body Language)
Couldn't be more different than the last song, yet Kylie is pretty remarkable in her own way. As a vocalist she understands her limits, and uses what she has as perfectly as just about any singer out there, plus she always surrounds herself with great producers, that doesn't hurt.
Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, Todd Rundgren (Anthology)
The Todd is The Todd. This is from A Wizard, a True Star. Have to link something, so here's The Todd doing Hello It's Me, the less said about the outfit, the better.
Soon We'll Be Found, Sia (Some People Have Real Problems)
Her voice is a remarkable instrument. Most singers just sing, there are a few, though, whose voices are uniquely musical, she's one of the latter. You ought to own everything she's ever been on, whether it be her albums, or her work with Zero 7, go out there and seek it out, already.
This Land Flows With Milk, Isobel Campbell, Amorino
This is a delicate little vocal in a delicate little song, from a delicate little album. But, hey it's got a theremin going for it, so it can't be all bad. It pushes the limits of what 'twee' can be and still not be annoying (or not, depends on your tolerance level for 'twee' pop). No video, so have to go with another sweet little song from the same album, instead, gives you an idea of what this album is like, though.
Tokoloshe Man, Happy Mondays (Loads)
Ah, yes, the Madchester sound. I miss that, 24 Hour Party People is a good introduction to what that was all about. It's a b-side cover of a John Kongos song. How similar the two songs are, while being true to their respective genres, is interesting.
Windpower, Thomas Dolby (The Golden Age of Wireless)
Has it been 24 songs, already? Yes, yes it has. Early 80s synth-pop was not the most live performance friendly genre, was it? I remember seeing Howard Jones open for Eurythmics and he did the, 'lone English bloke behind a stack of synths' thing, and finding it all pretty ridiculous (Howard Jones, not Eurythmics, the Eurythmics may have also been 'new wave', but they toured with a real band). I think this stuff still holds up, but that's probably just cause I was around at the time, if I hadn't heard this stuff the first time around, it'd probably sound really strange, and really dated.
So there you have it, 4 and 20 songs, of 4 minutes and 20 in length, posted precisely at 4:20pm PDT. So sit back, follow the copious links, and enjoy your 'holiday'.
28 May 2007
Embrace the Smut
Judging from the Amazon ads that keep showing up on my sidebar (Naked Frat Men and Crotchless Panties), I'm guessing this is perceived by their algorithms as being a pretty smutty blog.
I can't argue with Amazon, they're too powerful, too all knowing, if they think I'm a smut blogger, I must be a smut blogger.
So here are some NSFW (18+ to view, please) video links to stuff I've seen recently at LiveLeak.
I won't embed the full on smut, but I will link it.
The first bit of smut is both extraordinarily wrong, and yet just a little bit right for Memorial Day. It's also why we fight. We fight against the gynophobic, puritanical, maniacal Islamist fascists so that young buxom blonde European pornstars can pose naked (but for some boots and gloves) with an RPG launcher and some other weapons (which I assume are as fake as her breasts) and perform push ups and jump rope (with really good form, if you watch this video for one reason it would be to observe her technique). She may not be American, but she can thank America for letting her produce videos like this without fearing for her life.
The second bit of smut is a montage of clips of a young slim fit South American woman. It's not spectacular in of itself (though she is exceedingly attractive), rather it's the music used (if you can stand to look at the smut, enjoy the music, it's so wrong it's right).
LiveLeak is trying to compete with YouTube by being completely unfiltered. What has ended up happening is you have lots of porn and violence being uploaded along with unfettered copyright infringement and more fringe stuff from a political standpoint. Also, it would seem to be the go to sight for both the Jihadis and the people in our Armed Forces to upload war footage.
It's hard to know where that site is headed. Either it will get bought by one of the bigger players and will move towards respectability, or it will stay as the "wild west" alternative to the comparatively staid YouTube. So long as no deep pockets get involved, it's lawsuit proof (the way YouTube was before Google stepped in), as soon as they sell, then there'll be lawsuits a plenty (as has been the case with YouTube/Google). Maybe they can afford to keep the servers going just on the ads they already get and make enough profit to please the folks who put it together. If so, it's probably a net positive to have an outlet like this for (mostly) crappy videos. If not, they'll move towards respectability, and some new video site will take its place on the "the other guys won't show you the sickest crap" rung on the ladder. There's plenty wrong with the impulse to put this stuff up. I have no problem with the titillating stuff, I have a problem with the 'faces of death' footage that also seems to be popular on this site and wonder how kids will turn out who grow up having finger tip access to whatever they want to see, whenever they want to see it (so long as they are on a computer unsupervised). But then, society always thinks that the latest tech is too much for the kiddies to handle and will rot their weak little minds. Good parents keep kids' brains unrotten, no matter what media is out there for them to consume.
Also, LiveLeak's search engine sucks, big time. If they want to get more popular, they'll need to fix that, pronto.
I can't argue with Amazon, they're too powerful, too all knowing, if they think I'm a smut blogger, I must be a smut blogger.
So here are some NSFW (18+ to view, please) video links to stuff I've seen recently at LiveLeak.
I won't embed the full on smut, but I will link it.
The first bit of smut is both extraordinarily wrong, and yet just a little bit right for Memorial Day. It's also why we fight. We fight against the gynophobic, puritanical, maniacal Islamist fascists so that young buxom blonde European pornstars can pose naked (but for some boots and gloves) with an RPG launcher and some other weapons (which I assume are as fake as her breasts) and perform push ups and jump rope (with really good form, if you watch this video for one reason it would be to observe her technique). She may not be American, but she can thank America for letting her produce videos like this without fearing for her life.
The second bit of smut is a montage of clips of a young slim fit South American woman. It's not spectacular in of itself (though she is exceedingly attractive), rather it's the music used (if you can stand to look at the smut, enjoy the music, it's so wrong it's right).
LiveLeak is trying to compete with YouTube by being completely unfiltered. What has ended up happening is you have lots of porn and violence being uploaded along with unfettered copyright infringement and more fringe stuff from a political standpoint. Also, it would seem to be the go to sight for both the Jihadis and the people in our Armed Forces to upload war footage.
It's hard to know where that site is headed. Either it will get bought by one of the bigger players and will move towards respectability, or it will stay as the "wild west" alternative to the comparatively staid YouTube. So long as no deep pockets get involved, it's lawsuit proof (the way YouTube was before Google stepped in), as soon as they sell, then there'll be lawsuits a plenty (as has been the case with YouTube/Google). Maybe they can afford to keep the servers going just on the ads they already get and make enough profit to please the folks who put it together. If so, it's probably a net positive to have an outlet like this for (mostly) crappy videos. If not, they'll move towards respectability, and some new video site will take its place on the "the other guys won't show you the sickest crap" rung on the ladder. There's plenty wrong with the impulse to put this stuff up. I have no problem with the titillating stuff, I have a problem with the 'faces of death' footage that also seems to be popular on this site and wonder how kids will turn out who grow up having finger tip access to whatever they want to see, whenever they want to see it (so long as they are on a computer unsupervised). But then, society always thinks that the latest tech is too much for the kiddies to handle and will rot their weak little minds. Good parents keep kids' brains unrotten, no matter what media is out there for them to consume.
Also, LiveLeak's search engine sucks, big time. If they want to get more popular, they'll need to fix that, pronto.
06 October 2006
YouTube Blowout
In honor of the possible sale of YouTube to Google (news via Instapundit), I thought I'd post some YouTube goodness.
First up, Cheap Trick, just because (I Want You to Want Me).
Second, some randomness from Japan (with English Subtitles), Hard Gay in a Ramen Shop style (requires age verification, nothing explicit though)
Thirdly, Stride piano at its best, Fats Walller was a great one. Some clowning, verging on minstrelsy in this clip, but entertaining nevertheless.
Finally, Kat Dennings posted a new video this week! Woohoo! Almost ten minutes of Kat and Friend (and the friend isn't a Gumby doll this time). Good times, good times.
First up, Cheap Trick, just because (I Want You to Want Me).
Second, some randomness from Japan (with English Subtitles), Hard Gay in a Ramen Shop style (requires age verification, nothing explicit though)
Thirdly, Stride piano at its best, Fats Walller was a great one. Some clowning, verging on minstrelsy in this clip, but entertaining nevertheless.
Finally, Kat Dennings posted a new video this week! Woohoo! Almost ten minutes of Kat and Friend (and the friend isn't a Gumby doll this time). Good times, good times.
13 October 2006
Infringement Fridays
(via Drudge)
More media conglomerate presidents are cluelessly whining about YouTube.
The history of media so far . . .
TV will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while lowering the level of discourse.
Cable TV will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while lowering the level of discourse.
Video Tapes will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while increasing piracy.
DVDs will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while increasing piracy.
YouTube will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while increasing piracy.
The second part of each of these statements has been true to some exent, but the first part has been ridiculously false. Each new medium has increased profits rather than reduced them, yet the content providers have fought to put draconian controls on the end users ability to enjoy their product.
(I conveniently left out P2P file sharing/MP3s effect on music, cause they most likely did drain value out of the music industry, but the decline can also be explained by shoddy product and more competing choices for entertainment dollars)
Now on to the copyright infringement portion of the post . . .
Island records is part of Doug Morris' empire so here is a seminal song in the Island catalogue. The fantastic Harder They Come by Jimmy Cliff
For me, the Warner Bros. artist that matters most is early Prince. Damn, that purple little freak was (is) good. So many great songs to choose from, I'll go with the original video for 1999. Why? Cause Lisa (I'm not sure that's Wendy next to her in the video) looks tasty (speaking of Lisa, I like the work she and Wendy are doing scoring this show), the song is great, and it's hard to believe that 1999 is so long ago, let alone 1982 when this song was first recorded.
Back to pissing off Doug Morris, Geffen Records is the home of many great acts. I'm going for a back in the day clip from Lone Justice
Finally, back to the WB, Looney Tunes is one of their most valuable assets, let's just 'drain it of value' why don't we, after watching this clip now you won't have any urge to ever buy another Looney Tunes DVD again (I guess that's what Dick Parsons is thinking, or something). This particular bit of YouTube-age is a bizarre amalgamation of Daffy Duck and Bonnie Tyler, you've been warned.
More media conglomerate presidents are cluelessly whining about YouTube.
The history of media so far . . .
TV will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while lowering the level of discourse.
Cable TV will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while lowering the level of discourse.
Video Tapes will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while increasing piracy.
DVDs will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while increasing piracy.
YouTube will destroy the current media content paradigm and drain it of all value, while increasing piracy.
The second part of each of these statements has been true to some exent, but the first part has been ridiculously false. Each new medium has increased profits rather than reduced them, yet the content providers have fought to put draconian controls on the end users ability to enjoy their product.
(I conveniently left out P2P file sharing/MP3s effect on music, cause they most likely did drain value out of the music industry, but the decline can also be explained by shoddy product and more competing choices for entertainment dollars)
Now on to the copyright infringement portion of the post . . .
Island records is part of Doug Morris' empire so here is a seminal song in the Island catalogue. The fantastic Harder They Come by Jimmy Cliff
For me, the Warner Bros. artist that matters most is early Prince. Damn, that purple little freak was (is) good. So many great songs to choose from, I'll go with the original video for 1999. Why? Cause Lisa (I'm not sure that's Wendy next to her in the video) looks tasty (speaking of Lisa, I like the work she and Wendy are doing scoring this show), the song is great, and it's hard to believe that 1999 is so long ago, let alone 1982 when this song was first recorded.
Back to pissing off Doug Morris, Geffen Records is the home of many great acts. I'm going for a back in the day clip from Lone Justice
Finally, back to the WB, Looney Tunes is one of their most valuable assets, let's just 'drain it of value' why don't we, after watching this clip now you won't have any urge to ever buy another Looney Tunes DVD again (I guess that's what Dick Parsons is thinking, or something). This particular bit of YouTube-age is a bizarre amalgamation of Daffy Duck and Bonnie Tyler, you've been warned.
19 June 2007
Oops, There Goes Another Rubber Tree Plant
James Lileks, has Buzz now, but that doesn't mean he doesn't still Bleat (thankfully). Today's Bleat has an interesting digression regarding ants.
Funny thing about ants, they outweigh us. At least that's what Ted R. Schultz wrote about seven years ago, and who am I to argue with Ted R. Schultz? The wiki on Ant quotes his little factoid, and all the citations for that factoid seem to point back to this article by Schultz that isn't mainly about that factoid.
Did nobody think about the remarkable number of ants in the world before? That seems doubtful, but maybe he came up with the hook that brought it to everybody's attention and birthed an oft repeated factoid, or his was the first article to mention that concept that was readily searchable through google and the like.
I'm a little surprised that Lileks didn't dust off that factoid himself during his little ant related digression in today's bleatings.
When I was at UC Riverside, it was much easier to believe that factoid than here in Santa Monica. Anything sugary left out was an invitation for a full scale invasion. The dorms would get colonized from time to time, those ants meant business. If you didn't have good habits with regards to food disposal before being in those dorms, you had much better habits when you left. Ants in the Pants isn't just a plastic kids game from the 60s, it's also a really lousy way to start the day.
Speaking of UCR, you may have heard of a bomb threat that caused the postponement of some commencement ceremonies on Friday. Sucks, but you could tell the perp wasn't an engineering student, or else he would have cooked up something more effective. Luckily the idiot didn't know what he was doing, or else someone might have been hurt.
Back to those ants, with the slew of apocalyptic and semi-apocalyptic pictures released lately, I'm a bit surprised nobody's been tempted to remake Phase IV. Somehow this film hasn't ever been released on DVD. Not sure why given all the other crap available. My memories of this film are vague at best as I don't think I've seen it since the original release in 1974 (my memories are hazy from back then not for druggy haze reasons, but only being 5 at the time reasons). The idea that an intelligent hive mind could develop amongst a colony organism like ants is a compellingly creepy idea.
That film was the only feature directed by Saul Bass, a man whose work you've undoubtably seen. There's quite a bit of his work up on YouTube. I only embedded (above) the title sequence to Vertigo, but just search Saul Bass on YouTube and you'll see all the hits.
Speaking of YouTube searches, while seeing if any clips from Phase IV are there (none to be found), came across the above video titled Economic System IV. Not sure how the pretty pictures are supposed to help analyze anything. All complex systems show emerging patterns over time given the right limitations on what you put into the simulation.
Now, you may be wondering, what the hell does the Soup Dragons video above have to do with any of this? It's all due to a mistaken belief I had of the derivation of their band name. Given the use of fractal patterns on their cover art and in this video, I had thought that the phrase "soup dragons" was a reference for how we tend to visualize familiar objects out of the repeating fractal patterns. It's like seeing a dragon in your soup, or a fluffy bunny in the clouds, or The Virgin in your tortilla. I've always thought Homo Sapiens was a very incomplete description of what makes us unique as a species. It's not just that we think, it's that we feel compelled to see order in the chaos. This ordering of chaotic signals, and the ability to intuit patterns without complete data is what allowed us to be a tremendously successful species, and though ants may outweigh us in total, we can still kick their collective puny little asses when we need to. But I probably shouldn't talk too tough about those ants, wouldn't want to end up like one those rubber trees Frankie sang about (and just to put a neat little bow on all this, the people in the video below are so high up in Tokyo, that if the folks were visible down below, they'd look like . . .)
Funny thing about ants, they outweigh us. At least that's what Ted R. Schultz wrote about seven years ago, and who am I to argue with Ted R. Schultz? The wiki on Ant quotes his little factoid, and all the citations for that factoid seem to point back to this article by Schultz that isn't mainly about that factoid.
Did nobody think about the remarkable number of ants in the world before? That seems doubtful, but maybe he came up with the hook that brought it to everybody's attention and birthed an oft repeated factoid, or his was the first article to mention that concept that was readily searchable through google and the like.
I'm a little surprised that Lileks didn't dust off that factoid himself during his little ant related digression in today's bleatings.
When I was at UC Riverside, it was much easier to believe that factoid than here in Santa Monica. Anything sugary left out was an invitation for a full scale invasion. The dorms would get colonized from time to time, those ants meant business. If you didn't have good habits with regards to food disposal before being in those dorms, you had much better habits when you left. Ants in the Pants isn't just a plastic kids game from the 60s, it's also a really lousy way to start the day.
Speaking of UCR, you may have heard of a bomb threat that caused the postponement of some commencement ceremonies on Friday. Sucks, but you could tell the perp wasn't an engineering student, or else he would have cooked up something more effective. Luckily the idiot didn't know what he was doing, or else someone might have been hurt.
Back to those ants, with the slew of apocalyptic and semi-apocalyptic pictures released lately, I'm a bit surprised nobody's been tempted to remake Phase IV. Somehow this film hasn't ever been released on DVD. Not sure why given all the other crap available. My memories of this film are vague at best as I don't think I've seen it since the original release in 1974 (my memories are hazy from back then not for druggy haze reasons, but only being 5 at the time reasons). The idea that an intelligent hive mind could develop amongst a colony organism like ants is a compellingly creepy idea.
That film was the only feature directed by Saul Bass, a man whose work you've undoubtably seen. There's quite a bit of his work up on YouTube. I only embedded (above) the title sequence to Vertigo, but just search Saul Bass on YouTube and you'll see all the hits.
Speaking of YouTube searches, while seeing if any clips from Phase IV are there (none to be found), came across the above video titled Economic System IV. Not sure how the pretty pictures are supposed to help analyze anything. All complex systems show emerging patterns over time given the right limitations on what you put into the simulation.
Now, you may be wondering, what the hell does the Soup Dragons video above have to do with any of this? It's all due to a mistaken belief I had of the derivation of their band name. Given the use of fractal patterns on their cover art and in this video, I had thought that the phrase "soup dragons" was a reference for how we tend to visualize familiar objects out of the repeating fractal patterns. It's like seeing a dragon in your soup, or a fluffy bunny in the clouds, or The Virgin in your tortilla. I've always thought Homo Sapiens was a very incomplete description of what makes us unique as a species. It's not just that we think, it's that we feel compelled to see order in the chaos. This ordering of chaotic signals, and the ability to intuit patterns without complete data is what allowed us to be a tremendously successful species, and though ants may outweigh us in total, we can still kick their collective puny little asses when we need to. But I probably shouldn't talk too tough about those ants, wouldn't want to end up like one those rubber trees Frankie sang about (and just to put a neat little bow on all this, the people in the video below are so high up in Tokyo, that if the folks were visible down below, they'd look like . . .)
08 December 2006
Blender Mostly Messes Up
Blender (hat tip Throwing Things) does their 25 greatest LA songs list. They mostly get it wrong, but they do get the number one song right.
My list would look different, very different (other than the top song).
Here's my infringilistic (un-ordered and non-comprehensive) list of LA songs with YouTube videos for each (linked, not embedded, too many to put right up on this blog).
Frank Black - Los Angeles
He doesn't want to live in the Los Angeles in Southern California, but the one in South Patagonia. That's so LA (and the video's got hovercraft action, can't beat that).
War - Lowrider
Tribute to one aspect of LA Car Culture, great song.
X - Los Angeles
They rock. They punk, also.
Janes Addiction - Ocean Size
As big as the Pacific itself. LA is defined as much by the ocean as it is by Hollywood and the freeways.
Kool and the Gang - Hollywood Swingin'
Greatest. Horn. Intro. EVAH!!!
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Hollywood
The Red Hots under the influence, of the PFUNK (their George Clinton produced album is still their best).
Faith No More - Epic
If you don't think this is about LA, then you just don't know how to think.
Traci Lords - Walking in LA
This version is pretty crappy, but somehow having someone who gained notoriety for nearly shutting down the porn industry for 'starring' in films while underaged seems even more appropriate then the far better Missing Persons version (which is absent from YouTube, unfortunately).
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia
This song is about leaving Los Angeles. Some dreams come true, some don't. Love the choo-choo dance the Pips do in the background.
David Lee Roth - California Girls
I can't believe there was no room for the Beach Boys on Blender's list. That's just ignorant. I've always liked this video, that's why I'm going the Diamond Dave route instead of using a Beach Boys clip.
Everclear - Santa Monica
Not a great song, but had to include it, civic pride and all.
Concrete Blonde - Still In Hollywood
Lots of songs have been sung about the seedier side of Hollywood, this is one of the best. Concrete Blonde put the power in power trio. Great band in concert back in the day. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but it sure seems like the bands making the scene in LA in the 80s were phenomenal.
Frank Sinatra (with Poorringo) - LA is My Lady
Ummmmm, the things you find on YouTube. Some guy singing (badly) along with LA is My Lady by Frank Sinatra. Sad? Funny? Funnily Sad? Sadly Funny? (Yet this is about as good as anything on any of those "Duets" style albums)
Chet Baker - Time After Time
Again, not exactly about LA, but the West Coast jazz movement was very, very LA, and this was the best video I could find to exemplify that. Chet could sing, and he could blow.
A Tribe Called Quest - I Left My Wallet In El Segundo
Screw all that "gangsta" crap. They may be from New York, but they recorded the best LA-centric hip hop tune.
Bow Wow Wow - Do You Wanna Hold Me
It's true, Mickey Mouse is as big as a house (and more women should sport mohawks, really).
Joni Mitchell - California
For a Canadian, she sure did a lot of songs about LA. Beautiful song. And what a live performer she was (is). Did she really kiss a Sunset Pig?
Maria McKee - Absolutely Barking Stars
Not exactly about Los Angeles, but not not about Los Angeles. Plus Maria McKee is one of the best artists this town ever produced. If she's in your town, see her live, you won't regret it.
Love - Between Hill and Clarkdale
There's a pretty famous club between Hill and Clarkdale on Sunset.
And, Blender ain't wrong choosing the song below as the top song (and it's a great video, also).
UPDATE: There are some omissions that have gnawed at me since I first made this list. And since Blender came up with 25 I'll expand this list to include that number. I wouldn't call this a "best" list, rather it's a list that exemplifies different aspects of LA-ness. There is no such thing as "best" lists that truly and accurately reflect the "best" of what's out there, that's an impossible task.
Also Icepick has some interesting ruminations on songs about Florida.
Now on to the expansion of this list.
Los Lobos - Down on the Riverbed
No list of LA bands and LA songs should ignore Los Lobos. They've been churning out fantastic songs for decades now. A river flows through LA, but mostly you wouldn't know it. It's concrete, and graffiti, and trash. Except when it rains, then it's a deadly confluence that carries more volume of water than the Mississippi. LA is like that, when it rains, it often pours. The song lyrics aren't really LA-centric, but the video is shot at the LA River, so it counts, and it's a fantastic song.
Dionne Warwick - (Theme From) Valley of the Dolls
What could be more LA than this? Trash of the highest order (the video isn't of LA, but that doesn't matter).
Dick Dale - Wipeout
No lyrics, other than the word "wipeout", and still says more about LA than most any other song. The video isn't of Dick Dale, but that doesn't matter one bit. And by the end you can see that this drummer must speak VERY softly.
The Mamas and the Papas - California Dreamin'
I'm really not a fan, but this is a great song. This could be argued as being about New York, since it's about missing Cali while being stuck in a dreary NYC winter, but we'll call it an LA song for purposes of this list.
Bing Crosby - White Christmas
What do you mean this isn't an LA song? It was written in Beverly Hills and is pure dream factory projection. Afterall, here you can only dream of a white christmas (unless you head up in the mountains). That seems pretty LA to me. Plus, tis the season.
My list would look different, very different (other than the top song).
Here's my infringilistic (un-ordered and non-comprehensive) list of LA songs with YouTube videos for each (linked, not embedded, too many to put right up on this blog).
Frank Black - Los Angeles
He doesn't want to live in the Los Angeles in Southern California, but the one in South Patagonia. That's so LA (and the video's got hovercraft action, can't beat that).
War - Lowrider
Tribute to one aspect of LA Car Culture, great song.
X - Los Angeles
They rock. They punk, also.
Janes Addiction - Ocean Size
As big as the Pacific itself. LA is defined as much by the ocean as it is by Hollywood and the freeways.
Kool and the Gang - Hollywood Swingin'
Greatest. Horn. Intro. EVAH!!!
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Hollywood
The Red Hots under the influence, of the PFUNK (their George Clinton produced album is still their best).
Faith No More - Epic
If you don't think this is about LA, then you just don't know how to think.
Traci Lords - Walking in LA
This version is pretty crappy, but somehow having someone who gained notoriety for nearly shutting down the porn industry for 'starring' in films while underaged seems even more appropriate then the far better Missing Persons version (which is absent from YouTube, unfortunately).
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia
This song is about leaving Los Angeles. Some dreams come true, some don't. Love the choo-choo dance the Pips do in the background.
David Lee Roth - California Girls
I can't believe there was no room for the Beach Boys on Blender's list. That's just ignorant. I've always liked this video, that's why I'm going the Diamond Dave route instead of using a Beach Boys clip.
Everclear - Santa Monica
Not a great song, but had to include it, civic pride and all.
Concrete Blonde - Still In Hollywood
Lots of songs have been sung about the seedier side of Hollywood, this is one of the best. Concrete Blonde put the power in power trio. Great band in concert back in the day. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but it sure seems like the bands making the scene in LA in the 80s were phenomenal.
Frank Sinatra (with Poorringo) - LA is My Lady
Ummmmm, the things you find on YouTube. Some guy singing (badly) along with LA is My Lady by Frank Sinatra. Sad? Funny? Funnily Sad? Sadly Funny? (Yet this is about as good as anything on any of those "Duets" style albums)
Chet Baker - Time After Time
Again, not exactly about LA, but the West Coast jazz movement was very, very LA, and this was the best video I could find to exemplify that. Chet could sing, and he could blow.
A Tribe Called Quest - I Left My Wallet In El Segundo
Screw all that "gangsta" crap. They may be from New York, but they recorded the best LA-centric hip hop tune.
Bow Wow Wow - Do You Wanna Hold Me
It's true, Mickey Mouse is as big as a house (and more women should sport mohawks, really).
Joni Mitchell - California
For a Canadian, she sure did a lot of songs about LA. Beautiful song. And what a live performer she was (is). Did she really kiss a Sunset Pig?
Maria McKee - Absolutely Barking Stars
Not exactly about Los Angeles, but not not about Los Angeles. Plus Maria McKee is one of the best artists this town ever produced. If she's in your town, see her live, you won't regret it.
Love - Between Hill and Clarkdale
There's a pretty famous club between Hill and Clarkdale on Sunset.
And, Blender ain't wrong choosing the song below as the top song (and it's a great video, also).
UPDATE: There are some omissions that have gnawed at me since I first made this list. And since Blender came up with 25 I'll expand this list to include that number. I wouldn't call this a "best" list, rather it's a list that exemplifies different aspects of LA-ness. There is no such thing as "best" lists that truly and accurately reflect the "best" of what's out there, that's an impossible task.
Also Icepick has some interesting ruminations on songs about Florida.
Now on to the expansion of this list.
Los Lobos - Down on the Riverbed
No list of LA bands and LA songs should ignore Los Lobos. They've been churning out fantastic songs for decades now. A river flows through LA, but mostly you wouldn't know it. It's concrete, and graffiti, and trash. Except when it rains, then it's a deadly confluence that carries more volume of water than the Mississippi. LA is like that, when it rains, it often pours. The song lyrics aren't really LA-centric, but the video is shot at the LA River, so it counts, and it's a fantastic song.
Dionne Warwick - (Theme From) Valley of the Dolls
What could be more LA than this? Trash of the highest order (the video isn't of LA, but that doesn't matter).
Dick Dale - Wipeout
No lyrics, other than the word "wipeout", and still says more about LA than most any other song. The video isn't of Dick Dale, but that doesn't matter one bit. And by the end you can see that this drummer must speak VERY softly.
The Mamas and the Papas - California Dreamin'
I'm really not a fan, but this is a great song. This could be argued as being about New York, since it's about missing Cali while being stuck in a dreary NYC winter, but we'll call it an LA song for purposes of this list.
Bing Crosby - White Christmas
What do you mean this isn't an LA song? It was written in Beverly Hills and is pure dream factory projection. Afterall, here you can only dream of a white christmas (unless you head up in the mountains). That seems pretty LA to me. Plus, tis the season.
25 September 2006
Why Roger Ailes is a Better Executive Than Doug Morris
Roger Ailes, one of the best executives in the entertainment/news industry, has some of his intellectual property go viral on YouTube, and celebrates the fact.
Doug Morris, in contrast, is still an idiot.
YouTube doesn't function as a replacement source of entertainment, essentially it is fan directed free advertising. Fox's rating for Fox News Sunday were through the roof, thanks in no small part to YouTube.
Also, poor Tim Russert, he gave his best Monica Lewinsky impression on Meet the Press and kept his knees on the floor, buried his head in the former President's lap, and planted his lips firmly around Pres. Clinton's 'charisma'.
He must be feeling like a fool now. If Clinton ever goes on Meet the Press again, I suspect a different Tim Russert will greet him.
Doug Morris, in contrast, is still an idiot.
YouTube doesn't function as a replacement source of entertainment, essentially it is fan directed free advertising. Fox's rating for Fox News Sunday were through the roof, thanks in no small part to YouTube.
Also, poor Tim Russert, he gave his best Monica Lewinsky impression on Meet the Press and kept his knees on the floor, buried his head in the former President's lap, and planted his lips firmly around Pres. Clinton's 'charisma'.
He must be feeling like a fool now. If Clinton ever goes on Meet the Press again, I suspect a different Tim Russert will greet him.
09 September 2006
YouTube on a Sunny Saturday
A variety of YouTube highlights for a sunny Saturday.
First, the Queen of YouTube has unleashed another great bit of video, enjoy.
Second, Bob Forrest's (his Myspace here) new CD will be unleashed in stores on Tuesday the 19th (or download it from iTunes where it's already available), enjoy this music video from back in the day. Also read Tony Pierce's appreciation for how great Thelonious Monster was back in the day.
Third, tacos rule! (plus a reminder, Sept 17th new Robot Chicken!!!)
Fourthly and finally, New Numa - The Return of Gary Brolsma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First, the Queen of YouTube has unleashed another great bit of video, enjoy.
Second, Bob Forrest's (his Myspace here) new CD will be unleashed in stores on Tuesday the 19th (or download it from iTunes where it's already available), enjoy this music video from back in the day. Also read Tony Pierce's appreciation for how great Thelonious Monster was back in the day.
Third, tacos rule! (plus a reminder, Sept 17th new Robot Chicken!!!)
Fourthly and finally, New Numa - The Return of Gary Brolsma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15 August 2006
You Tube Enters the Big Leagues
A website hasn't made the big leagues until it has suffered through an unplanned outage
To celebrate their ascension to big time player status on the web, I thought I'd embed four short videos for your enjoyment and edification.
First up, Victoria dips her toe into the YouTube waters and posts this bit of channel flipping from South Florida.
Next, Gizmodo proves the adage regarding idle hands doing the devils work, because the Treadmill Bike is fiendishly idiotic (yet funny), behold the Treadmill Bike!
As if that wasn't enough, Kat Dennings has posted her second vlog, and this time she tells a tale while sitting in the pink room. And what a tale it is. Once again, I'm engaged by this, still can't explain why.
Finally, while posting all the Arthur Lee related stuff I came across this video of a 2003 performance of Alone Again Or, watch, listen, and be awed.
That's it, hopefully all this linkage won't break YouTube again.
To celebrate their ascension to big time player status on the web, I thought I'd embed four short videos for your enjoyment and edification.
First up, Victoria dips her toe into the YouTube waters and posts this bit of channel flipping from South Florida.
Next, Gizmodo proves the adage regarding idle hands doing the devils work, because the Treadmill Bike is fiendishly idiotic (yet funny), behold the Treadmill Bike!
As if that wasn't enough, Kat Dennings has posted her second vlog, and this time she tells a tale while sitting in the pink room. And what a tale it is. Once again, I'm engaged by this, still can't explain why.
Finally, while posting all the Arthur Lee related stuff I came across this video of a 2003 performance of Alone Again Or, watch, listen, and be awed.
That's it, hopefully all this linkage won't break YouTube again.
06 February 2007
Since Bill Quit Blogging . . .
I'll pick up the Ken Trivia, posting of my guesses before googling for the right answers, post (like this one).
I'm certain on precisely 2.5 of these questions (from Tuesday Trivia XXXII) without the aid of using the search engine/wiki of choice.
If you don't like trivia, first, what's wrong with you, second, you shouldn't let that stop you from subscribing to Ken's weekly challenge. It's interesting tidbits of info presented in a mostly humorous manner. What's not to like? If you don't subscribe the following will be gibberish, if you do subscribe, you'll laugh at my ignorance, or marvel at my mastery of trivium, your choice.
Don't follow the links if you don't want to know the answers (in other words **spoilers warning**). Post wiki perusing musings in red.
1) An ornately woven fabric originally named diaper whose name is the same as an Asian capital? This should be easy, and yet I'm blanking. Doh!, I knew this, just trying to think of it was the hard part.
2) OK, now Ken is just making stuff up, Sister named Minga? Dog named Nopey? Doh! again, I had bendable figurines of this fella (and his red companion) back in the day. Dammit! (obvious YouTube choice at link)
3) Oh boy, a penal question! Another one that should spring to mind, but don't know for which country Robben Island was a Penal Colony, which makes it harder to educate my guess (sans google/wiki of course). As soon as I knew for which country this place incarcerated folks, then the is obvious.
4) The easy one is the over-exposed ex-Steeler one, but the second one probably isn't that hard either come to think of it since he was a back-up to a hall of famer for years on a great team and spent a few years as the 'man' himself (and also deservedly inducted into the hall of fame). Oops, after checking the wiki, a certain hall of fame back up to a hall of famer missed by a ring, instead it's the hall of famer (the anti-Grossman, zero picks in all his Superbowl appearances) who was being backed up by the future hall of famer who managed to collect all that jewelry (the 80s are so long ago, yet the 70s are fresher in my Superbowl memories, I lived football in elementary school, and always watched those NFL Films shows on Saturdays if I was home). Should have easily gotten this right, but I tricked myself into thinking it was a trick question.
5) Ohhh, this one I know, mainly cause of all the jokes about it in the culture at the time (and those old CBS "In the News" breaks between cartoons on Saturdays). Surprising results (at least to me, if you search YouTube for this term.
6) This seems transcendentally easy, but maybe that's just me. Also, all the aging hippies who taught in schools and colleges while I attended ram this crap down your throat at a very early age. This might have been harder for someone to know in the 40s or 50s, but anyone who's grown up since the 70s would be well versed in this ur-Hippie text.
7) These are the bread and butter of these quizzes, built to be 'google proof', the 7th question each week is a tester. This one is no exception, and it's beyond a test, it's utterly impenetrable as far as I can tell as to what possibly could be the connection. Hopefully Ken won't mind if I reprint the question in full, "What unusual distinction is shared by all these pinnacles of Western civilization? The sewing machine, Wagner's prelude to Das Rheingold, St. Patrick's ministry to Ireland, the Beatles' "Yesterday," Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the discovery of neurotransmitters, Jasper Johns' flag paintings, and James Cameron's The Terminator?"
Guesses? Anyone? One of John's flag paintings holds the record for most money at auction for a living artist, No doubt Yesterday is one of the most played songs, Frankenstein might be one of the most published books (outside of the bible, that is), but St. Patrick? Wagner? Terminator?
Maybe it's all stuff that sounds real funny if recited or sung by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (in the case of the sewing machine, watching him operate one, and in the case of discovering neurotransmitters, maybe he was in on that, he's a remarkable man, our Governor).
After that bit of searching it seems like this should have been a 6 of 7 week for me. All information that resides somewhere between my ears, just the access routines were faulty in the given time allotted.
I'm certain on precisely 2.5 of these questions (from Tuesday Trivia XXXII) without the aid of using the search engine/wiki of choice.
If you don't like trivia, first, what's wrong with you, second, you shouldn't let that stop you from subscribing to Ken's weekly challenge. It's interesting tidbits of info presented in a mostly humorous manner. What's not to like? If you don't subscribe the following will be gibberish, if you do subscribe, you'll laugh at my ignorance, or marvel at my mastery of trivium, your choice.
Don't follow the links if you don't want to know the answers (in other words **spoilers warning**). Post wiki perusing musings in red.
1) An ornately woven fabric originally named diaper whose name is the same as an Asian capital? This should be easy, and yet I'm blanking. Doh!, I knew this, just trying to think of it was the hard part.
2) OK, now Ken is just making stuff up, Sister named Minga? Dog named Nopey? Doh! again, I had bendable figurines of this fella (and his red companion) back in the day. Dammit! (obvious YouTube choice at link)
3) Oh boy, a penal question! Another one that should spring to mind, but don't know for which country Robben Island was a Penal Colony, which makes it harder to educate my guess (sans google/wiki of course). As soon as I knew for which country this place incarcerated folks, then the is obvious.
4) The easy one is the over-exposed ex-Steeler one, but the second one probably isn't that hard either come to think of it since he was a back-up to a hall of famer for years on a great team and spent a few years as the 'man' himself (and also deservedly inducted into the hall of fame). Oops, after checking the wiki, a certain hall of fame back up to a hall of famer missed by a ring, instead it's the hall of famer (the anti-Grossman, zero picks in all his Superbowl appearances) who was being backed up by the future hall of famer who managed to collect all that jewelry (the 80s are so long ago, yet the 70s are fresher in my Superbowl memories, I lived football in elementary school, and always watched those NFL Films shows on Saturdays if I was home). Should have easily gotten this right, but I tricked myself into thinking it was a trick question.
5) Ohhh, this one I know, mainly cause of all the jokes about it in the culture at the time (and those old CBS "In the News" breaks between cartoons on Saturdays). Surprising results (at least to me, if you search YouTube for this term.
6) This seems transcendentally easy, but maybe that's just me. Also, all the aging hippies who taught in schools and colleges while I attended ram this crap down your throat at a very early age. This might have been harder for someone to know in the 40s or 50s, but anyone who's grown up since the 70s would be well versed in this ur-Hippie text.
7) These are the bread and butter of these quizzes, built to be 'google proof', the 7th question each week is a tester. This one is no exception, and it's beyond a test, it's utterly impenetrable as far as I can tell as to what possibly could be the connection. Hopefully Ken won't mind if I reprint the question in full, "What unusual distinction is shared by all these pinnacles of Western civilization? The sewing machine, Wagner's prelude to Das Rheingold, St. Patrick's ministry to Ireland, the Beatles' "Yesterday," Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the discovery of neurotransmitters, Jasper Johns' flag paintings, and James Cameron's The Terminator?"
Guesses? Anyone? One of John's flag paintings holds the record for most money at auction for a living artist, No doubt Yesterday is one of the most played songs, Frankenstein might be one of the most published books (outside of the bible, that is), but St. Patrick? Wagner? Terminator?
Maybe it's all stuff that sounds real funny if recited or sung by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (in the case of the sewing machine, watching him operate one, and in the case of discovering neurotransmitters, maybe he was in on that, he's a remarkable man, our Governor).
After that bit of searching it seems like this should have been a 6 of 7 week for me. All information that resides somewhere between my ears, just the access routines were faulty in the given time allotted.
15 March 2007
There Are Rabbit Holes, and There Are Pestilential Filthy Warrens . . .
John Noonan posting at Michelle Malkin linked to some YouTube clips of a Lisa Ling National Geographic special on North Korea, I noticed that there were other links to a YouTube site for Songunblog.
This is fascinating stuff. It seems to be from a committed and honest true believer in the glory and great works of the Kims, both the Sung Il and Jong Il varieties.
It's enough to make anybody with a functioning cortex ill.
In the most recent blogpost over there (about Yankee Imperialism, naturally), I noticed the first commenter felt the need to pile on the America hatred even thicker than the Kim lover.
It's too good to quote, and it's just a rehash of his post at one of his many blogs.
Notice something about his CV?
No media bias (or academic bias), indeed.
Unreconstructed Marxist/Stalinist/Maoist and "the reality-based community" can coexist in cozy comfort.
Isn't that interesting?
Speaking of commie bastards, those commie bastards have decided to try and ruin St. Patrick's Day by designating that as a day of action, expect papier mache, ranting speeches, and in Los Angeles at the corner of Hollywood and Vine performances by Ozomatli and Jackson Browne.
This is fascinating stuff. It seems to be from a committed and honest true believer in the glory and great works of the Kims, both the Sung Il and Jong Il varieties.
It's enough to make anybody with a functioning cortex ill.
In the most recent blogpost over there (about Yankee Imperialism, naturally), I noticed the first commenter felt the need to pile on the America hatred even thicker than the Kim lover.
It's too good to quote, and it's just a rehash of his post at one of his many blogs.
Notice something about his CV?
"A PROUD MEMBER OF THE REALITY-BASED COMMUNITY--Assistant Professor of Journalism at Roosevelt University in Chicago, 23 year veteran of the television industry, 18 years with NBC News' "Today" program. "
No media bias (or academic bias), indeed.
Unreconstructed Marxist/Stalinist/Maoist and "the reality-based community" can coexist in cozy comfort.
Isn't that interesting?
Speaking of commie bastards, those commie bastards have decided to try and ruin St. Patrick's Day by designating that as a day of action, expect papier mache, ranting speeches, and in Los Angeles at the corner of Hollywood and Vine performances by Ozomatli and Jackson Browne.
03 October 2008
I'll Admit It, I'm a Big James Burke Fan.
After AJ Lynch's comment regarding my Ultimate Blame post, I'd have to place ultimate blame for my original post at the feet of James Burke for putting together his Connections episodes back in the late 70s (one episode from that first series in 5 parts collected at YouTube and embedded below for your convenience, as well as elucidation).
(so he was a bit wrong about what computers would bring, how could he have known back in '78 about the internet, blogs, YouTube, or that for a lot of people their computer would function primarily as their, 'big box o' porn')
(so he was a bit wrong about what computers would bring, how could he have known back in '78 about the internet, blogs, YouTube, or that for a lot of people their computer would function primarily as their, 'big box o' porn')
16 December 2006
This Just In . . .
Drudge just posted this bit of hyperventilation
Woohoo!! I am Da Person!!! I take a big share of the responsibility, I've been pimping YouTube pretty hard these past few months, on top of that, all those "user generated" photos I've been posting while walking the dog have forever changed how dozens of folks get their entertainment.
So I accept this accolade on behalf of all the other folks on the internets, and I just want to know, where do I pick up my prize?
YOU were named TIME magazine 'Person of the Year' Saturday for the explosive growth and influence of user-generated Internet content such as 'blogs', video-file sharing site YouTube and social network MySpace... You -- YES, YOU -- beat out candidates including Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, China's President Hu Jintao, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi... YOU, YOU, YOU....
Woohoo!! I am Da Person!!! I take a big share of the responsibility, I've been pimping YouTube pretty hard these past few months, on top of that, all those "user generated" photos I've been posting while walking the dog have forever changed how dozens of folks get their entertainment.
So I accept this accolade on behalf of all the other folks on the internets, and I just want to know, where do I pick up my prize?
30 August 2008
An Issue That Won't Go Away . . .
People want to see Sarah Palin while less clothed apparently (see here, and here). I can appreciate that, I'm a big fan of seeing as many attractive women in less clothing possible, too. It seems, some of this frenzy isn't just good old American horn-doggedness, though, some folks on the left somehow have bought in to their own twisted notions about social conservatives and have come to the conclusion that ALL Republicans are gynophobic, skinnophobic, and will recoil in horror at the sight of women with bared ankles, knees and stomachs.
Given Sarah Palin did compete in pageants, and she's a red blooded American woman who grew up in the 80s, I'm guessing she has more than one or two private and semi-public photos of herself with a bit of skin showing.
She should post them on her official website before someone else digs through their pageant photos to try and 'out' her and show off her assets. Make them flash images that can't be easily copied to other websites, and have text of policy positions floating over the pics. Or, do a narrated slideshow and post it on YouTube, show off those pictures, and while you're at it, tell us about you and McCain's positions on the stuff that's really important.
That'd be amusing, display a sense of humor about yourself, and be a great avenue in getting non-political junkies to see, hear and read specific policy positions for the GOP ticket.
So far, the McCain camp seems to understand things like this and have used YouTube far more effectively than Camp Obama, go ahead and harness the power of all those horndogs searching Google, give them what they want, and give them information, too, do this and you won't lose anybody who will be voting for the GOP ticket, and if it's done right, this might even pick up a few independents and centrist Democrats. Every vote will be needed in this election, and every avenue should be explored in getting the message out, it's the message above all else that will win this election for McCain-Palin, and if they need to show a bit of skin to get folks to listen to that message, so be it.
Given Sarah Palin did compete in pageants, and she's a red blooded American woman who grew up in the 80s, I'm guessing she has more than one or two private and semi-public photos of herself with a bit of skin showing.
She should post them on her official website before someone else digs through their pageant photos to try and 'out' her and show off her assets. Make them flash images that can't be easily copied to other websites, and have text of policy positions floating over the pics. Or, do a narrated slideshow and post it on YouTube, show off those pictures, and while you're at it, tell us about you and McCain's positions on the stuff that's really important.
That'd be amusing, display a sense of humor about yourself, and be a great avenue in getting non-political junkies to see, hear and read specific policy positions for the GOP ticket.
So far, the McCain camp seems to understand things like this and have used YouTube far more effectively than Camp Obama, go ahead and harness the power of all those horndogs searching Google, give them what they want, and give them information, too, do this and you won't lose anybody who will be voting for the GOP ticket, and if it's done right, this might even pick up a few independents and centrist Democrats. Every vote will be needed in this election, and every avenue should be explored in getting the message out, it's the message above all else that will win this election for McCain-Palin, and if they need to show a bit of skin to get folks to listen to that message, so be it.
03 January 2007
Flutes Rock, Don't They?
Surely you have a favorite flutestrumental in rock/pop?
Here's a few (not necessarily my favorite, possibly the only I could think of and could find on YouTube)
Nicolette Larson - Lotta Love
The Moody Blues - Nights In White Satin
Prince - Gett Off (possibly where I got the term "flutestrumental" first song I recall with a 12" 'flutestrumental' mix, no flutes in this live performance, but it does have the famous 'cheeky' pantsuit, and that's so wrong on so many levels. And it's a shame he's found God again, he doesn't do the seriously nasty songs like this one in concert anymore)
Jethro Tull - Aqualung (you knew it would come to this, didn't you?)
Other songs that would have been included had the videos been available on YouTube: Hyperactive by Thomas Dolby and Disco Dazz by The Dazz Band (probably the best of the lot, but nowhere to be found in all its disco/jazz glory).
I knew I forgot something, I'm not the world's biggest Will Ferrell fan, but this scene from that Ron Burgundy film fits, and tickled me, so below it appears as if by magic.
This could go on for ever if I let it, but here's three more anyway (and that will be it)
Yes, Bill is right, Spill the Wine has some mighty fine flute action (a horrible lapse of judgment on my part to forget that song).
The Smiths you say? Yes, the Smiths I say.
Finally, the original in your face anthemic protest song. I say this IS ROCK AND ROLL!!! (or drum and fife, at any rate)
Here's a few (not necessarily my favorite, possibly the only I could think of and could find on YouTube)
Nicolette Larson - Lotta Love
The Moody Blues - Nights In White Satin
Prince - Gett Off (possibly where I got the term "flutestrumental" first song I recall with a 12" 'flutestrumental' mix, no flutes in this live performance, but it does have the famous 'cheeky' pantsuit, and that's so wrong on so many levels. And it's a shame he's found God again, he doesn't do the seriously nasty songs like this one in concert anymore)
Jethro Tull - Aqualung (you knew it would come to this, didn't you?)
Other songs that would have been included had the videos been available on YouTube: Hyperactive by Thomas Dolby and Disco Dazz by The Dazz Band (probably the best of the lot, but nowhere to be found in all its disco/jazz glory).
UPDATE:
I knew I forgot something, I'm not the world's biggest Will Ferrell fan, but this scene from that Ron Burgundy film fits, and tickled me, so below it appears as if by magic.
UPDATE TOO:
This could go on for ever if I let it, but here's three more anyway (and that will be it)
Yes, Bill is right, Spill the Wine has some mighty fine flute action (a horrible lapse of judgment on my part to forget that song).
The Smiths you say? Yes, the Smiths I say.
Finally, the original in your face anthemic protest song. I say this IS ROCK AND ROLL!!! (or drum and fife, at any rate)
31 July 2007
Bat For Lashes ~~~ Fur And Gold
Not a return of New Music Tuesdays, but it's an album just released in the United States, and it's Tuesday, so close enough.
Browsing Urge, I came upon this album, it's good. Any album where the first song rocks the harpsichord is all good (or at least the harpsichord sounding synth).
Also, auto harp is featured prominently.
I hadn't heard of Bat For Lashes, but it's an English band, featuring Natasha Khan as the lead singer.
Two videos are up at YouTube from this album, and they're interesting.
First up, "What's a Girl to Do?". The song is solid, and the video is creative. It's just people riding bikes on a darkened road. But, for those folks with a fetish for furries and bmx bikers, this video is for you!
Next up, "Prescilla", this should be something I loathe, but I like it anyway. The music could be straight out of 1987, and the video could be straight out of 1967, but it works.
Listening to the album, I'm reminded of that song from Wickerman, Willow Song. YouTube is dastardly, though. Found the music, but not Brit Ekland from the original film, instead some yobbo having a bit of fun.
The album's not bad, some moments are great, Natasha has an excellent voice, but some of the tracks are forgettable, and there's not a lot compellingly different about the album than the stuff from which it's derived. There's a hint of Sinead O'Connor in her vocals, and a strong whiff of pre-glam T.Rex in the overall faeries and dragons feel to the whole project (not musically, though, no white swans were ridden during the production of this album). Some tracks are seriously Bjork-ish (and that ain't bad).
Maybe I'm just being cranky old guy, who can't help but compare every new artist to someone else from 15, 20, 25, 30, or 40 years ago. It's hard to be original when every thing's already been done.
Originality is overrated, anyway. If you're going to be derivative, do it well. This album is mostly well done (and mostly derivative).
Browsing Urge, I came upon this album, it's good. Any album where the first song rocks the harpsichord is all good (or at least the harpsichord sounding synth).
Also, auto harp is featured prominently.
I hadn't heard of Bat For Lashes, but it's an English band, featuring Natasha Khan as the lead singer.
Two videos are up at YouTube from this album, and they're interesting.
First up, "What's a Girl to Do?". The song is solid, and the video is creative. It's just people riding bikes on a darkened road. But, for those folks with a fetish for furries and bmx bikers, this video is for you!
Next up, "Prescilla", this should be something I loathe, but I like it anyway. The music could be straight out of 1987, and the video could be straight out of 1967, but it works.
Listening to the album, I'm reminded of that song from Wickerman, Willow Song. YouTube is dastardly, though. Found the music, but not Brit Ekland from the original film, instead some yobbo having a bit of fun.
The album's not bad, some moments are great, Natasha has an excellent voice, but some of the tracks are forgettable, and there's not a lot compellingly different about the album than the stuff from which it's derived. There's a hint of Sinead O'Connor in her vocals, and a strong whiff of pre-glam T.Rex in the overall faeries and dragons feel to the whole project (not musically, though, no white swans were ridden during the production of this album). Some tracks are seriously Bjork-ish (and that ain't bad).
Maybe I'm just being cranky old guy, who can't help but compare every new artist to someone else from 15, 20, 25, 30, or 40 years ago. It's hard to be original when every thing's already been done.
Originality is overrated, anyway. If you're going to be derivative, do it well. This album is mostly well done (and mostly derivative).
23 June 2007
Saturday Whatever Lyrics: Steely Dan --- Deacon Blues
Fridays were for funk lyrics, and I think I've already mined most of the good lyrical content available, you can only wax poetic about P-Funk so many times. But Saturday's a different day, so until I bore of this project, Saturday will be Saturday Whatever Lyrics.
The main thing will be the YouTube link. I'll only do songs that have something interesting on YouTube available.
Fagen and Becker discuss the song's structure at length in the segment, it's interesting watching the sausage get made. The video of this is a bit jarring at first, as it uses establishing shots of NYC, and the usual establishing shot of peering through the Brooklyn Bridge peering back at Manhattan is used (which means the main thing you see in the shot is the WTC). This song should be everything I hate. It's deeply cynical, over produced, and very, very late '70s
But just cause I hate everything this song represents doesn't mean I hate the song. The craft is too good, the song is light and lush (still very chordally and rythmically complex), yet the lyrics are deeply bitter, not bittersweet, the only sweetness in the song is musically, lyrically there's only bitter.
Here's another clip of just the song, played underneath a slide show of Renoir paintings. I don't get the connection, either, but it looks good, so I include it. Really, the styles couldn't be more different, Renoir's visual style doesn't seem a good fit for a deeply bitter cynical song, but the discordance between sight and sound becomes something either separately wouldn't be, so I heartily approve. Here's a video that uses images keyed to the lyrical content, it's way too literal for my taste.
But, back to those deeply cynical lyrics:
The main thing will be the YouTube link. I'll only do songs that have something interesting on YouTube available.
Fagen and Becker discuss the song's structure at length in the segment, it's interesting watching the sausage get made. The video of this is a bit jarring at first, as it uses establishing shots of NYC, and the usual establishing shot of peering through the Brooklyn Bridge peering back at Manhattan is used (which means the main thing you see in the shot is the WTC). This song should be everything I hate. It's deeply cynical, over produced, and very, very late '70s
But just cause I hate everything this song represents doesn't mean I hate the song. The craft is too good, the song is light and lush (still very chordally and rythmically complex), yet the lyrics are deeply bitter, not bittersweet, the only sweetness in the song is musically, lyrically there's only bitter.
Here's another clip of just the song, played underneath a slide show of Renoir paintings. I don't get the connection, either, but it looks good, so I include it. Really, the styles couldn't be more different, Renoir's visual style doesn't seem a good fit for a deeply bitter cynical song, but the discordance between sight and sound becomes something either separately wouldn't be, so I heartily approve. Here's a video that uses images keyed to the lyrical content, it's way too literal for my taste.
But, back to those deeply cynical lyrics:
This is the day
Of the expanding man
That shape is my shade
There where I used to stand
It seems like only yesterday
I gazed through the glass
At ramblers
Wild gamblers
That's all in the past
You call me a fool
You say it's a crazy scheme
This one's for real
I already bought the dream
So useless to ask me why
Throw a kiss and say goodbye
I'll make it this time
I'm ready to cross that fine line
CHORUS:
I'll learn to work the saxophone
I'll play just what I feel
Drink Scotch whisky all night long
And die behind the wheel
They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide
Call me Deacon Blues
My back to the wall
A victim of laughing chance
This is for me
The essence of true romance
Sharing the things we know and love
With those of my kind
Libations
Sensations
That stagger the mind
I crawl like a viper
Through these suburban streets
Make love to these women
Languid and bittersweet
I'll rise when the sun goes down
Cover every game in town
A world of my own
I'll make it my home sweet home
CHORUS
This is the night
Of the expanding the man
I take one last drag
As I approach the stand
I cried when I wrote this song
Sue me if I play too long
This brother is free
I'll be what I want to be
CHORUS
28 December 2009
Your Daily Photo (Troyswoman44, Today's Daily Photo Post is In Your Honor Edition)
Noticed that the model I captured along with the Dodge Challenger commented on the YouTube clip where she's seen. The stills I shot at the same time are underexposed, so I changed the exposure, and recropped them to highlight her as much as the vehicle.
The originals below
and the YouTube clip
The originals below
and the YouTube clip
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