Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Take action at stopthespying and prevent Bush's ridiculous plan to let giant telecoms off the hook for illegally spying on their customers.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Blues for Otis (popmatters)
But the reason Redding stands out as an immortal soul icon is rooted in much more than his broad musical palette. Intensely emotional on record and on stage, Redding unhesitatingly bore witness to pain, exposed his own vulnerabilities, and expressed emotions at odds with conventional and emergent notions of black masculinity. Tearjerkers like his “Pain in My Heart”, “Try a Little Tenderness”, “My Lover’s Prayer”, and the criminally underrated “You’re Still My Baby” spoke honestly and profoundly on the power of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
But the reason Redding stands out as an immortal soul icon is rooted in much more than his broad musical palette. Intensely emotional on record and on stage, Redding unhesitatingly bore witness to pain, exposed his own vulnerabilities, and expressed emotions at odds with conventional and emergent notions of black masculinity. Tearjerkers like his “Pain in My Heart”, “Try a Little Tenderness”, “My Lover’s Prayer”, and the criminally underrated “You’re Still My Baby” spoke honestly and profoundly on the power of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Kidnapping! It's not just for extraordinary rendition anymore!
(Sunday Times, UK)
(Sunday Times, UK)
AMERICA has told Britain that it can “kidnap” British citizens if they are wanted for crimes in the United States. A senior lawyer for the American government has told the Court of Appeal in London that kidnapping foreign citizens is permissible under American law because the US Supreme Court has sanctioned it.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Frank Sinatra: A Voice in Time (1939-1952) (popmatters)
In the 1940s Sinatra was the original template for the phenomena of the teen idol. After the war’s end and a brief creative recession in which he heroically did battle against the forces of stultifying novelty recordings which had infiltrated postwar American record stores (those with strong constitutions should track down “Mama Will Bark”, his sole concession to this fashion), he returned to the spotlight with one of the most amazing second acts in American history. Along the way he established a template for sophisticated adult musicianship within a pop context, which has rarely if ever been matched in the many decades since.
In the 1940s Sinatra was the original template for the phenomena of the teen idol. After the war’s end and a brief creative recession in which he heroically did battle against the forces of stultifying novelty recordings which had infiltrated postwar American record stores (those with strong constitutions should track down “Mama Will Bark”, his sole concession to this fashion), he returned to the spotlight with one of the most amazing second acts in American history. Along the way he established a template for sophisticated adult musicianship within a pop context, which has rarely if ever been matched in the many decades since.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
New Yorkers: Don't touch that bag! (nytimes)
One purse was found just sitting on a display shelf in the shoe department at Macy’s. Another one turned up downstairs, in Macy’s Cellar. Yet another rested on a chair in a Midtown McDonald’s, left by a woman who had stepped into the restroom.
One purse was found just sitting on a display shelf in the shoe department at Macy’s. Another one turned up downstairs, in Macy’s Cellar. Yet another rested on a chair in a Midtown McDonald’s, left by a woman who had stepped into the restroom.
In fact, all three items had been planted by police officers in plainclothes during the previous six weeks. And the three people who picked them up were arrested, and now face indictment on charges that could land them in state prison.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Another great holiday logic puzzle from coudal. I've got my answer in, and I'm keeping fingers crossed for the Chicago deep dish prize...
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
var'aq: the Klingon programming language. This page will have to do until O'Reilly title on this prints.
A great monowheels site with tons of pics and diagrams from the museum of retro technology. Want one!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
The Economic Consequences of Mr. Bush (Vanity Fair)
When we look back someday at the catastrophe that was the Bush administration, we will think of many things: the tragedy of the Iraq war, the shame of Guantánamo and Abu Ghraib, the erosion of civil liberties. The damage done to the American economy does not make front-page headlines every day, but the repercussions will be felt beyond the lifetime of anyone reading this page.
When we look back someday at the catastrophe that was the Bush administration, we will think of many things: the tragedy of the Iraq war, the shame of Guantánamo and Abu Ghraib, the erosion of civil liberties. The damage done to the American economy does not make front-page headlines every day, but the repercussions will be felt beyond the lifetime of anyone reading this page.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Monday, November 05, 2007
SI has a gallery of modern NHL goalie masks. Don't waste your time - they're a bunch of airbrushed, NASCAR-inspired design casualties.
A better gallery is at classicmask.com, who chronicles the times when goalie masks were downright creepy.
A better gallery is at classicmask.com, who chronicles the times when goalie masks were downright creepy.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Friday, November 02, 2007
[sarcastic, but just barely] Best donut maker review/Indictment of complacent American consumerism ever.
Danny Wilcox Frazier's Driftless: Pictures from Iowa
(via gmt+9)
As rural economies fail, people and resources are migrating to the coasts and cities, as though the heart of America were being emptied. Frazier’s arresting photographs take us into Iowa’s abandoned places and illuminate the lives of those people who stay behind and continue to live there: young people at leisure, fishermen on the Mississippi, veterans on Memorial Day, Amish women playing cards, as well as more recent arrivals, Lubavitcher Hasidic Jews at prayer and Latinos at work in the fields.
(via gmt+9)
As rural economies fail, people and resources are migrating to the coasts and cities, as though the heart of America were being emptied. Frazier’s arresting photographs take us into Iowa’s abandoned places and illuminate the lives of those people who stay behind and continue to live there: young people at leisure, fishermen on the Mississippi, veterans on Memorial Day, Amish women playing cards, as well as more recent arrivals, Lubavitcher Hasidic Jews at prayer and Latinos at work in the fields.
Kos got screwed by Blue Shield on a routine medical procedure. Looks like they messed with the wrong guy.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
10 Reasons to hate cellphone carriers. Or 10 reasons to hate them even more if you've already arrived at the hatred point.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
The Bush administration appears to be ramping up for another all-you-can-eat buffet for it's polluting cronies in the form of subsidies for polluters. Tell your congressman that you won't stand for it. (MoveOn)
French finger shadow-puppets circa WWI. Somebody should pdf these for modern consumption.
It's good to be cronies. Bush administration offers immunity to Blackwater killers.
But you knew this was going to happen
But you knew this was going to happen
Monday, October 29, 2007
Amazing 15-lateral play by Trinity U against Millsap this Saturday. Cal/Stanford has met its match.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Trigger-happy commando contractor Blackwater has modified its logo to reflect a slightly less "We will shoot anything foreign that moves" sentiment. Since when did they start caring about what anyone thinks?
FEMA loves FEMA
Unbelievable. Every time the Bush Administration hits a new low, the bring in more backhoes.
Very smooth, very professional. But something didn't seem right. The reporters were lobbing too many softballs. No one asked about trailers with formaldehyde for those made homeless by the fires. And the media seemed to be giving Johnson all day to wax on and on about FEMA's greatness. Of course, that could be because the questions were asked by FEMA staffers playing reporters.
Unbelievable. Every time the Bush Administration hits a new low, the bring in more backhoes.
Very smooth, very professional. But something didn't seem right. The reporters were lobbing too many softballs. No one asked about trailers with formaldehyde for those made homeless by the fires. And the media seemed to be giving Johnson all day to wax on and on about FEMA's greatness. Of course, that could be because the questions were asked by FEMA staffers playing reporters.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Written and released before the copyright lawsuits that put the damper on ubiquitous sampling for commercial releases, The Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique is possibly the most sample-heavy record ever released with 105 samples appearing throughout the album (and 24 on the last track alone). Now they're all indexed and annotated at paulsboutique.info
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Bullshit is most important issue for 2008 voters
The Onion erases the line between parody and reality
The Onion erases the line between parody and reality
Are you right-brain or left-brain? I'm apparently so right brain that I can't force myself to see the left-brain interpretation of this test
Friday, October 19, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
It's the oil (London Book Review)
In the 27 September issue of the New York Review of Books, Thomas Powers, one of the most astute watchers of the intelligence world, admitted to a degree of bafflement. ‘What’s particularly odd,’ he wrote, ‘is that there seems to be no sophisticated, professional, insiders’ version of the thinking that drove events.’ Alan Greenspan, in his just published memoir, is clearer on the matter. ‘I am saddened,’ he writes, ‘that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.’
In the 27 September issue of the New York Review of Books, Thomas Powers, one of the most astute watchers of the intelligence world, admitted to a degree of bafflement. ‘What’s particularly odd,’ he wrote, ‘is that there seems to be no sophisticated, professional, insiders’ version of the thinking that drove events.’ Alan Greenspan, in his just published memoir, is clearer on the matter. ‘I am saddened,’ he writes, ‘that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.’
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
So Radiohead is going up against the majors, and everyone except the majors hopes they win.
Is it any good?
Is it any good?
