My iTunes
library is coming along nicely, though I still can't imagine what it
would be like to fill my 80Gb hard drive. I'm currently hovering around
3100 songs. They've all been tagged correctly, but I still have a lot
to rip from my collection as well as the stuff I find in the record
library. I'm really going to want an iPod once I get every converted to
AAC and MP3. I wish the iTunes Catalog worked with Windows, but it probably will someday.
I suppose the caucuses tomorrow will either solidify the race for
Kerry or open it back up to the other major contenders. I still think
I'll probably just wait until November to decide whether or not I like
the Democratic candidate enough to vote for him, rather than worry
about it now. I mean, I've already been passed by for my chance to help
decide the 2004 nominee.
There's a foot of snow outside and no melting temperatures in sight.
Now it's time to do a radio show. You should listen.
And I'm back, and I produced a great program. It occurred to me
during the show that Richard Thompson is basically always good. It also
occurred to me that I don't own a single Richard Thompson album which got me to thinking that maybe I should buy Mock Tudor with the help of the credit burning a hole in my e-pocket on Spun.com.
I also got to thinking that I really need the first My Morning Jacket
album. I suppose I really don't know, and unless it's cheap I should
wait until one of my tax refunds comes in. Oh well.
Somehow I memorized the playlist from last night, so I commented it below.
Room draw #: 1088.
Burton single, and all the avoidance of the outdoors implied therein, here I come!
I arrived at Film Society a little before 9:30, where Ivan stood
before an empty lecture hall. We waited awhile for people to show up
(no one did) and then it took a while for the VCR to start working, and
finally Belfast, Maine started. I don't really want to talk
about the film now, maybe I will tomorrow after I've seen even more of
it, I just wanted to talk about how nobody was there, except that
Madeline Gorman showed up several minutes in and this one guy walked in
the back, down the stairs, and out the other door.
Before the movie, we discussed the past and future of Film Society, the periodic lack of attendance, and The Girl Next Door.
Hopefully all the projection equipment in Olin 149 gets fixed and Film
Society at least continues its current pace throughout next year and
beyond.
Also, I've recently seen a number of movies I haven't written about on here like Truffaut's Stolen Kisses, which I enjoyed perhaps even a bit more than The 400 Blows, and Manhattan, part of which I slept during. I feel like maybe there are more but I don't really know. I'd like to see The Dreamers and Jersey Girl once they come out.
And I haven't even had time to read it yet, but I bet Paul Krugman fucking tears Bush's deficit-spiking 2004 budget to pieces.
My Amazon wishlist is as robust as it's ever been.
Do you use All Music Guide? Then this will be a good reminder.
Q: How does your rating system work?
A: Our experts use a 1 to 5 star system with 5 being
considered the best rating. It is important to note that our album
ratings are localized; we only compare a release to other releases by
the same artist. We won't compare a Britney Spears album to the latest
release by Incubus. When looking at an artist's discography, you may
see a red check mark next to the star rating of a release. That
represents the AMG Pick for the release most representative of that
artist's entire body of work. On specific release pages you may also
see smaller red checks next to two or three tracks on a recording.
Those are AMG Song Picks. These are the songs on a recording that our
experts feel are most representative of the entire release.
Digitizing memories.
This is an interesting perspective that I, as a college student, often
wonder about: What will I think of this time in my life once it has
passed?
Dirty words.
The impending death of the public cinema, for the well-to-do.
Pizza Party USA!!!
Maurice Clarett, you're free to go.
I would like to apply for this position.(Though Kevin may, by way of his comps project and tentative graduate studies, have a better chance at it.)
Belfast, Maine, yet again plagued by technical problems,
finished screening last night. It was a four hour documentary without
narration. All "action" took place at various, arbitrarily chosen
locations around the town of Belfast. The segments were about ten
minutes each, which means that we saw approximately twenty-four
different settings. The most memorable, and the funniest, was the scene
in which a guy is telling prison inmates how not to get HIV. After he
tells them how the virus functions, he proclaims: "If it's warm,
slippery, and not yours, don't touch it." To clarify: "If you see a
pile of blood or semen on the floor, don't play with it." I'm not sure
the inmates would have been inclined toward such behavior anyway, but I
was glad that the demonstration was caught on film.
The whole thing was a sort of authentic reality TV, in which we get
to see how a community works within the space of four hours. We see
places of work (taxidermist, bakery, lobster-catching), community
gatherings (city council meeting, church services), and the
surprisingly ubiquitous presence of the police, who are always cruising
around town, and who are also present in the scene at court. These
scenes together give the viewer an introduction to a community that
would take months or probably years to gain in "real life". Apart from
the HIV demonstration at the jail, laughs were few, but the almost
voyeuristic pleasure of attempting to grasp the entirety of a community
all in one (or two) several-hour viewing(s) was really something. It
wasn't an extraordinary community, not one of breathtaking beauty or
fabulous wealth or intrigue or suspense, but it was real, far more than
TV executives could ever hope for.
The Media Disappeared Howard Dean
I think it's really funny that Howard Dean was the anti-media
candidate, or at least one using new and alternate forms of media
(internet, weblogs), and now they're complaining that he didn't get the
proper support from old media (newspapers, TV). If you're really going
to show the world that you can run without help from big corporations,
blah blah blah, I think that means that you'd better, you know, run
without help from big corporations. Perhaps those looking for a
candidate who is truly committed to changing politics and government,
and not just riding a wave of new media-driven popularity ("You guys,
I'm quitting after Wisconsin because nobody likes me. :( "), should
look to Dennis Kucinich who, despite finishing well below Dean and
other candidates in the primaries and caucuses, is actually passionate
enough about his beliefs that he continues to struggle on.
Then there's this piece
in which Ralph Nader is defamed because he attempts to work outside of
the two-party system. Nader, in his more than forty years of consumer
advocacy and work promoting progressive causes, has done more for this
country and the well-being of its people than Dean's army of whining
supporters could even if he got elected.
I think those involved, invested, or just interested in presidential
politics should ask themselves whether they are doing so because they
are passionate about the beliefs they hold, or whether this all just
looks like a lot of excitement.
It seems that at least one of Europe's political fiascoes (disappearance of a Russian presidential candidate) has subsided.
The Guardian also has a good piece on Howard Dean and electoral American politics in general.
This seems to be a tumultuous time in European politics. Schröder, Chirac, and Blair
are all under fire. And then you've got Silvio Berlusconi disappearing
for a month to get plastic surgery while the courts debate whether it's
possible to prosecute him for offenses perpetrated in his media mogul
guise. Don't forget about the impossibility of the European Union's
constitution, on which the nations can't agree and, even worse, nobody
else likes either.
Schoolkids, rejoice.
The Observer on The Passion of the Christ.
Harpers.org is original,
interesting, and almost always worth your while. Not quite an online
organ of the magazine, not quite unique content, but worth looking at.
There has been some mention made of its organizational system,
which goes by the traditional date, but also by hierarchical
categories. The intra-article topical links are also something else.
But
Mr. Greenspan did say that the federal government faced big deficits
for many years to come and that those deficits posed a variety of
dangers.
It is now Wednesday, and thus there is a 50% percent chance of a new issue of Professor Yeti. This week, there is a 100% rate of success with a new department, lists, the first two of which are mine.
Urgent message to all those on the Atkins diet: he was 18 stone (252 lbs).
The Fog of War, in which Robert McNamara talks about his life
and his involvement in World War II and Vietnam, was full of insights.
At least from the slant of the movie, McNamara seems not to have been
the evil military-industrial complex ogre that I'd previously thought
him to be. Instead, he seemed like a rational, well-spoken, considerate
man who simply doesn't think he needs to protect his reputation at his
age, which I have to admire. Errol Morris used jump cuts in all the
interview scenes, though the audio seemed smooth; it made me wonder how
he might have altered the meaning of what McNamara said. It seems the
Carleton professor seated behind us was Jorge Brioso.
Lolita was one of my least favorite Kubrick movies. I, like
many others, enjoyed the novel, but felt the film couldn't truly do it
justice. The book was very psychological, and some films do a good job
of getting into the psyche of the main character, but the subject
matter seemed too complex to be presented adequately on screen. I don't
think that films should try to follow the books on which they're based
to the letter, but they should present something interesting in their
own right. I don't know that this would have been made were the story
not already famous. That's not to say that it was bad, it was still
better than okay, but I just couldn't find anything in particular to
recommend it.
Monday night Max and I went to the St Paul Curling Club.
I'd seen curling on TV a couple times during the last winter olympics
(note: Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010) but never really got a hang of
it. Well, watching eight lanes at once, with stones flying and ends
beginning and ending all over the place, it started to make sense. All
except the scoring. It seems that they waited almost until they'd
finished the next end (round) before putting up the score from the one
before that. Delinquent scoring or no, it was still a great experience.
AO Scott on the New Golden Age of [Screen] Acting.
DM in danger of being knocked off by EMI due to remix record.
This weekend started off with a bang in the form of a trip to Fine
Groove Records where I picked up the four records for $1.00 each:
Chet Atkins Our Man In Nashville
The Ventures Play Telstar, Etc.
Joe Jackson I'm The Man
Something by Pete Seeger
Last night we saw American History X at SUMO. It was
appropriately devastating. The best part was the look both killers got
on their faces once they realized what they'd done. I don't know if it
was comforting that they were painted as humans rather than monsters,
or whether that confusion made what they'd done even worse.
As of this writing, Danger Mouse's The Grey Album, which puts vocals from Jay Z's Black Album over music from The Beatles's White Album, is available in its entirety here.
Its as good as I'd read, and the penultimate track backmasks Jay-Z
repeating the words "murder Jesus 666" over "Revolution 9."
Below is a synopsis of The Girl Next Door, which I will see on Thursday for free at the U of M Film Society due to my membership I got last summer, from RottenTomatoes.com:
Eighteen-year-old Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsch) is a
straight-arrow over-achiever who has never really lived life, until he
falls for his new neighbor, the beautiful and seemingly innocent
Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert). When Matthew discovers this perfect "girl
next door" is a one-time porn star, his sheltered existence begins to
spin out of control. Ultimately, Danielle helps Matthew emerge from his
shell and discover that sometimes you have to risk everything for the
person you love -- as he helps her rediscover her innocence.
Also, last night we saw The Dreamers at the Lagoon. It was exciting and there were a lot of naked people and references to classic films.
I think after I finish my homework and eat dinner and everything, the weekend will be over.
I am feeling exceptional because I am posting from the mouse-less computer in the Willis lab.
At first I was sad because the U Film Society said that they had
gotten confused and that no, there wasn't going to be a free screening
this Thursday. But then Colleen found an NNB ad promising two tickets
to the M Ward/Jim James/Bright Eyes show Friday night. Since she found
it and I called, we by default will be going together. Don't read the
preceding sentence if you wanted to go but can't.
Elephant screened last night at Film Society and it was
interesting. Eric Smith said he couldn't tell if he liked it, and I
sort of agree with that sentiment, but it was thought-provoking and, I
think, worthwhile.
Sub Pop's Pitchfork parody.
iTunes song #4500: The Fiery Furnaces "Inca Rag/Name Game"
Also, on Saturday Dennis Kucinich is going to speak at noon in the Chapel.
Interesting Guardian article on "Conspicuous Compassion" and its emptiness.
In three recent games of Tecmo Super Bowl, Bo Jackson has compiled the following stats:
Avg Carries: 23
Avg TDs: 8
Avg YDs: 610
High YDs: 687
Friday night was the concert, which was great. M (Matt?) Ward
displayed some prowess on his various guitars (though the electric
seemed to be malfunctioning), mostly playing songs from Transfiguration of Vincent.
Jim James joined in on a few, and Conor Oberst on one, and then James
started his solo set. I enjoyed "Bermuda Highway" a lot, it was the one
I thought he had to play solo. Some other songs sounded new or
unfamiliar, but derivative of My Morning Jacket's recent material, in
particular one could be compared closely to "Dancefloors". All three
headliners (plus pedal steel guitar) played on "At Dawn" and "Golden".
Some of the Bright Eyes songs felt overwrought, but both "One Foot in
Front of the Other" and "Waste of Paint" were just devastating. They
closed the set with "Always on My Mind", then encored with what might
have been a Bright Eyes song and then "Girl from the North Country".
I enjoyed seeing M Ward and Bright Eyes (though I'd rather see My
Morning Jacket than Jim James solo) but mostly liked the idea and
execution of three indie icons (or future icons) performing together. I
also remembered that if I ever record an album, it will without
question feature a pedal steel guitar, no matter what genre it may be.
The hockey game last night was exciting and WH@C was victorious.
Today is all homework. Dennis Kucinich was in fine form yesterday
afternoon.
This year's Spring Concert will feature Electric Six.
You can download "Danger! High Voltage", but sadly, not "Gay Bar".
Holy crap! I realized in Macroeconomics today that I have a
Statistics assignment to do, an Econ test to study for and take, and a
group TV project to complete this weekend, in addition to board
elections all afternoon on Saturday. I shouldn't have this much work to
do at once again until at least May.
Serendipity! iTunes just went right from "Pink and Blue" by the Mountain Goats to "Pink & Blue" by Outkast.
iTunes song #5000: Michael Jackson "Thriller"
Did you hear about this?
Secretary of Education Rod Paige called the national teachers union a
"terrorist" organization for opposing the No Child Left Behind act.
It appears that I may visit Pratt, Kansas for the second spring
break in a row, though this time it will be but a milemarker on my way
west.
Lilya 4-Ever was, according to the obnoxious loudmouths
behind me, about how not to sniff glue, get orphaned, or go to Sweden
with a strange man, even if he seems nice. These people are essentially
correct, at least in their broad restatement of the subject matter. I'd
prefer, however, if people would keep their doltish, obvious, and
moronic comments to themselves, especially after a film. As I learned
at a piano lesson one day, maybe in choir too, come to think of it, the
performance does not end when it stops, but rather once the time passes
in which the audience takes a breath and the performer calmly returns
to a resting position (or the credits begin to roll). While I learned
this in order to not ruin a performance by moving around too quickly
after a piece is finished, it would behoove moviegoers to realize the
same. A movie is not over when the last scene stops, because the
"spirit" of the movie hovers in the room, if you will. Granted, you can
probably start yelling at your friends as soon as Adam Sandler lands
his last one-liner or Arnold Schwarzenegger dispatches with his last
foe, but some directors actually communicate something to their
audience by the tone and pacing of their picture, and it's not quite
fair to steal that away by going on loudly about whatever it is they
don't have the self-control to keep to yourself.
I have a few theories about why people do this. One is that they
have temporarily lost the good sense to keep to themselves what no one
needs to hear, or maybe they never possessed it in the first place. Two
is that they really just don't "get" whatever it is the movie was
about, perhaps they failed to understand why it was made and want to
express that by yammering on about it, hoping that others were
similarly confused. Third is that they are unsettled by the feelings
stirred up in them by the filmmaker and, rather than entertain them and
contemplate for a while, they'd prefer to try to get rid of them by
stealing the mood and reshaping it to one in which no one has to think
about what they've seen and heard because they can just listen to the
obnoxious jerk taking over the theater (or lecture hall).
Outbursts such as those always sadden me after a movie because I
know that part of the pleasure I take in the moviegoing experience is
savoring it afterwards for as long as possible. To do away with that
seems a shame.
Mario Brothers flash movie
Wouldn't it be cool if, rather than album covers, you could get the
label from the side of the CD case that you see when they are lined up
on a shelf? Then you could copy and paste them onto a sort of virtual
bookshelf to create an image of what your digital music collection
would look like if it were, in fact, legal? I think that it would be pretty cool.
Remember high school? This list makes me sad for those who will need it.
'Thousands evicted' for Beijing Olympics