WTF Is Wrong With Dennis Miller

I'm watching his new show as I type this, and he's lost it. He really has. He's having a conversation with a chimp right now. He just got done with an interview talking about Iraq, WMD and the lack thereof. The entire interview was him trying to justify the fact that Bush lied. His final word on the subject was 'whenever the Skipper took advice from Gilligan, he got smacked'. ??? What? That's such a stupid thing to say.

Ok let's say Bush decided to go to Iraq based on erroneous information given to him by the CIA. Let's forget Paul O'Neill, ex-treasury secretary, said Bush was looking for a reason to go to Iraq, from the first day in office, and finish what daddy started. Let's forget that President Clinton had the exact same information and didn't invade. We'll forget all that and focus on the fact that the CIA gave Bush the info. Ok, so what? Does that take the blame off of Bush. No. Is the CIA to blame for all the soldiers that get killed everyday in Iraq. No. Bush is to blame. He went to Iraq because he thought it was his manifest destiny, and September 11 just gave him the scared country he could convince and lie to. He lied, it's that simple. Why is it so hard for people to understand that. He lied. Dennis Miller needs to take his head out Bush's ass and realize this.

And before anyone mentions Clinton. Clinton never got anyone killed because of lying. If lying about getting laid led Clinton to an impeachment what will lying about war do for Bush?

Bush must be held accountable for his actions. If his information was wrong, so what. He acted on it and people died and are still dying. The time to go to Iraq was a decade ago. Like Howard Dean said 'The time to stop genocide was while the genocide was going on, not 12 years after' or something to that respect. Most of the mass graves found in Iraq are from a decade ago. He gassed the Kurds a decade ago. He smothered a Shiite rebellion a decade ago. He used chemical weapons a decade ago. Where was daddy Bush then. Probably taking another vacation on his ranch.

Album #3: Sumday - Grandaddy

Track Listing:
1. Now it's on
2. I'm On Standby
3. The Go In The Go-For-It
4. The Group Who Couldn't Say
5. Lost On Yer Merry Way
6. El Caminos In The West
7. "Yeah" Is What We Had
8. Saddest Vacant Lot In All The World
9. Stray Dog And The Chocolate Shake
10. The Warming Sun
11. O.K. With My Decay
12. The Final Push To The Sum


It's been a busy week, but I finally got around to doing this review. Frankie Dintino recommended this album, and thought I might not like it since it's mellow like The Shins album. But I actually thought this was a lot more upbeat than The Shins. The Shins were more acoustic while Grandaddy has more electronic instruments. The vocals are better and the lyrics aren't as abstract. This is a cd I would actually pack for a road trip. I'd probably play it at a low level when everyone is asleep and I'm the driver. It wouldn't wake them up but it would keep me focused.

My favorite song was #11 The Warming Sun.

The Warming Sun
But in real life
You're in another world
You're with another guy
Who doesn't have to cheat
And never has to lie
And all that stuff I didn't get
Comes so easy to him
He doesn't even have to try

But do you ever ask yourself
How it could have maybe been

I haven't been that bad
But I haven't been that good
Overmisunderstood
Oh I wish I really could
Enjoy the warming sun
Enjoy a warm someone
And end the need to hide
Away alone inside

I've had those feelings before, so I can relate to the song. It's also nice and slow, kind of a dream like quality wich is appropriate to the lyrics.

All in all a good burn.

Movie Night

We walked into Blockbuster and browsed the new release shelves but didn't see anything that looked good. So we checked out the old movies. As I walked by the horror section I remembered a trailer I'd just seen to the new Dawn of the Dead remake. The George Romero original had been recommended to me so I thought I might as well get it. They did have it, unfortunately on VHS but that's good enough. I then go the idea we should stay up all night watching movies all zombie flicks. That changed into movies from different genres. Classics from each genre.

Horror - Dawn of the Dead
Western - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
SciFi - Blade Runner

All classics but for some odd reason I'd never gotten around to watching any of them. So we rented them. Got home and decided to start with the western.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

This was not what I expected from a western. Sure it had the shot of an empty street with a skinny dog walking across but it was much more artistic than the stereotype. It reminded me a lot of the 'art' films I've been watching lately.
The camera work was excellent. Big, wide, lingering panoramic views of the desert made me think of Lawrence of Arabia. I liked the way the director would have extreme close-ups of characters and he would switch back and forth over and over to add tension to the scene. One scene I liked a lot was when Tuco was running in the graveyard. The camera followed him as he went from grave to grave, getting closer until the background was blurry and the music got faster and faster, it was so cool. In no way did it fit my pre-conceived image of a western.
The graphics during the opening credits were also out of place. They reminded me of Tarantino for some reason. I'm sure he was influenced by Leone.
The music throughout the film definitely set the mood. I was really moved by the scene where the confederate soldiers play while Tuco gets beat down. The music coupled with the crying fiddle player was very touching.
I really liked the acting in the film, particularly Eli Wallach as Tuco. Tuco had the most depth in the movie. The scene with his brother, where they talk about the death of his parents, shows you a different side of Tuco. He is usually loud, obnoxious, he's a liar, a thief, and greedy but during that scene he shows a sadness, guilt, something not seen before. He quickly covers it up, but it was there, and it makes Tuco more human. He's the Ugly from the title, but he's not ugly all the way down.
Eastwood is classic in this movie. A cigar always in his mouth, and damn that cigar is useful, a Mexican poncho, and that squint of his. I wish you got deeper into his character, all you know is that he's not as bad as the others, but he's no 'good' guy.
This was a great movie, and I recommend it to all.

We never did get to the other movies that night. We will though, in the nights to come.

Fremont Street "Unplugged"

This seems like a very cool project. I hope it turns out great. If anyone decides to make a proposal I would like to hear about it. Either in the comments or in email. I'm really hoping it doesn't turn out to be something to abstract or 'pop'. And I hope the artist who's chosen decides to light it up. That's a must I think.

Deadline for Proposal Submissions
5 p.m, March 31, 2004.

The City of Las Vegas Arts Commission in collaboration with the Fremont Street Experience, is requesting artists/artist teams to submit proposals for an outdoor art in public places project utilizing the light bulbs from the Fremont Street Experience light canopy.

The proposed artwork may be either two- or three-dimensional in nature. However, the lights must remain the major emphasis of the piece and up to 40,000 bulbs may be included in each proposed design. Although not a requirement of the proposed artwork, many of the light bulbs are capable of being energized, providing artists the option of illuminating their designs. Artists choosing this option must provide their own wiring and power source. The incandescent bulbs come in four colors: red, green, blue and clear.

Bulb Dimensions: 3/8" wide and 1" high. Actual bulb colors, red, green, blue & clear Light bulb Components & Specifications:

* 12-volt wedge base incandescent light bulbs; each have a life of 5,000 hours. Light bulbs available for this project will have varying longevity. Wedge sockets available upon request.

* Four different colors: red, green, blue and clear. Each bulb, except the clear, has a coordinating color boot.

* Dimensions: 3/8” wide and 1” high
* Please submit two sets of paper documents: one set with contact information and one set without the artist name/address.
* All documents must be one-sided. Please do not staple.

1. One page letter of introduction, describing artistic experience, design philosophy and ability to execute the project.
2. Illustrations of proposed artwork. One to three designs may be submitted with each design mounted separately on an 8 1/2" x 11” matte board.
3. One-page written description in paragraph format for each proposal submitted, also addressing installation and display requirements.
4. One page abbreviated artist resume.
5. Five labeled slides or 5 image CD slide show or 3 minute VHS/CD demo reel of past relevant work.
6. Accompanying slide/VHS/CD list.
7. Three contact references.
8. SASE (Self-addressed stamped envelope)

Proposal Requirements: Please send Proposal Packets to:

FSE “Unplugged”
City of Las Vegas Arts Commission
749 Veterans Memorial Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89101

Inquiries may be addressed to Lisa Stamanis @

lstamanis@lasvegasnevada.gov or 702.229-4631

Project Page Here.

Bush In 41.2 Seconds

via blame it on eve

This is hilarious, childish, but fucking funny. Correct too. Watch it and please take the advice: vote Democrat. It really doesn't matter which one gets the nomination. And in fact it may be the lesser of two evils dilemma. But any Dem. would be better than Bush.

...Rises From The Ashes

It took a couple days but finally I have comments again. The story of how I became a member of HaloScan is a long and troubled one. Actually BlogSpeak croaked and HaloScan took over. Very easy transition. The only problem I notice is that the comments made on BlogSpeak are in the wrong order now that they are displayed on HaloScan. Oh well, not a big deal anyways. So come one people, how about some comments on my reviews. Make it worthwhile for me to do them.

BlogSpeak Dead?

Thsi sucks, I just recommended BlogSpeak to a few people and it goes and dies on me. It sounds like it will be back in some form, but it's just another strike against Blogger for not having a comment system built into it. And that big Blogspot ad they put back on my site at the top after I'd moved it to the bottom. For some reason the code for it doesn't appear in my template so I can't even move it again. Oh well. If I just wasn't so lazy (and broke) I would have moved everything over to MovableType by now. Soon, I will.

Album #2: Chutes To Narrow - The Shins

This album really didn't leave an impression on me. I blame the lyrics as not being forceful. I really didn't feel grabbed by any of them. A song would start and about 30 seconds into it had already lost my attention. I would say the lyrics are to poetic for my taste. I like to be swept up by the words but this album just made me think to hard to understand what he's saying. And when I did understand, I just didn't care.

So I googled the lyrics and read them instead of listened to them, and I actually liked them.

Kissing the Lipless
But you've got too much to wear on your sleeves
it has too much to do with me
and secretly I want to bury in the yard
the grey remains of a friendship scarred

That actually strikes a note within me. I can relate to that. But when he was singing it didn't do the same.

A Call To Apathy
Untie me, I've set my bow
The train is getting way too loud
I gotta leave here my girl
Get on with my lonely life
Just leave the ring on the rail
For the wheels to nullify

These are really good lyrics, and the music in this song was really good. So why didn't it make a splash for me. His voice. Something about it, just isn't believable to me. This song has a country feel to it but the voice is wrong for it.

I like the music, I like the lyrics on paper, I don't like his voice, or his delivery. In other words, neither good nor bad in my book.

Chutes and Ladders

I've gotten a lot of suggestions on what albums to download. The one that seemed to pop up in a few people's lists and on other sites is The Shins - Chutes too Narrow. So I decided to go with that one for my next review. From what I've heard so far, it's a little to mellow. I'll listen to it but lose track of what he's talking about. We'll see how it turns out after more listening. It's not an RIAA album either, so that's a good thing I guess.

I watched Paycheck with Ben Affleck a few days. It doesn't even deserve a link to it. It was really bad. The dialogue was so damn cheesy. The characters were one dimensional if that's possible. They were bodies with names running around. I did like the subject matter, but it wasn't explained well, and they didn't do enough with it. There was no point to it. My hopes for Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl have been shattered because Affleck is useless.

On another note, I completely, totally recommend 21 Grams by Alejandro González Iñárritu. It's three different stories that eventually become one. The actual story isn't what's important though, the individual scenes are. This is the reason that Iñárritu filmed it the way he did. Instead of showing the movie in sequential order, he jumps around in time. So you end having to piece the story together in your head. In a normal story you build up to the climax and then come down. In this one you experience all three at the same time. The result of this is that you focus more on the characters emotions in each scene instead of the overall result. For some people this is just to hard. In a way you can't just sit down and enjoy this film. You shouldn't feel enjoyment when it's over. You should feel drained.

Album #1: The Preacher's Son - Wyclef Jean

Track Listing:
Intro
Industry
Party To Damascus (feat. Missy Elliott)
Celebrate (feat. Patti LaBelle and Cassidy)
Baby Daddy (feat. Redman)
Three Nights In Rio (feat. Carlos Santana)
Class Reunion (feat. Monica)
Baby
I Am Your Doctor (feat. Wayne Wonder and Elephant Man)
Linda (feat. Carl Restivo)
Take Me As I Am (feat. Sharissa)
Grateful
Next Generation (feat. Scarface and Rah Digga)
Rebel Music (feat. Prodigy of Mobb Deep)
Who Gave The Order (feat. Buju Banton)
Party By The Sea (feat. Buju Banton and T-Vice)
Party To Damascus Remix (feat. Missy Elliott)

I've always like Wyclef, so that made this a safe choice. I wanted to start with something I would enjoy, so as not to be turned off to the entire idea. Some people have mentioned that I could download 52 albums in a few hours if I wanted to. While this is true, it's not the point. My reason for doing this is to download one album a week, listen to it at least once a day, and then write about it. Hopefully most of them will be completly new music, opening up new styles and genres for me to enjoy. And I really don't want a RIAA lawsuit. That was just a joke.

Back to The Preacher's Son. This album has what I've been missing from mainstream hip hop recently, a message. I'm so tired of rappers talking about how much money they have, what cars they drive, and all that bullshit. Who cares? I love tracks like Where is the Love by Black Eyed Peas. Tracks that have a social message. Wyclef brings this with this release.

Industry:
Shots go off mothers cry
Busters ride homicide
Black on Black crime needs to stop
yall cant blame it on hip hop
Cause what we say is what we see
and what we see is reality
a ghettos a ghettos we got to live in the sorrow
so we will live to see tomorrow

This is a hip hop album but the only rap you'll hear is from guest stars. Instead 'Clef sings the verses and the chorus in his distinct reggae voice. You would think that so many guests on an album would detract from the main star but not so in this case. They fit right in and never step out of place. The most notable are Missy Elliot on Party to Damascus with a distinct middle eastern sound, Carlos Santana on Three Nights in Rio with a smooth Latin beat. All go great with the overall reggae feel. Scarface and Rah Digga on Next Generation :

Feel the tears of the angels looking down on me crying
For a lying ass but yo forgive us in a while
And I'm sorry, never let me forget that I'm your child
While I'm locked up in this basement staring eye to eye with Satan
In this cold dark world with no patience
We get plotted on by agents with talks of replacing
The Africans, Jamaicans and the Haitians in this next generation

Nobody cares about the feelings of the poor
Man they suffer while we spending eighty billion on a war, uh
Cutting school budgets, US stockmarket plummets
Condition's only worse and I wonder what become it
Metal detectors replace music classes
Angry little kids wanna beat their teacher's asses
The red and blue's, somebody gotta lose
Reality TV be reality for who

Who Gave the Order:
Well what you gonna do, what you gonna do, what are you gonna do
Incarcerate a million and only free few
What was done to others, it shall be done to you
Open up your eyes and you will see the full view
Work all day, and you can't get raise in pay
Civilly bodies being taken away
I wonder what the voice of the people have to say
Stand up and defend your rights today

That's heavy shit. That makes you think. That's what music is for. That's what this album does.

52 Burns or RIAA Lawsuit

I too have decided to start a new year's project based on, actually a complete rip off of, kottke's 52 magazines or bust and vegard's 52 albums or burn. But I'm cheap(poor, lazy) and can't afford 52 CD's. Even if I could, I don't think a CD is worth the price. I could do magazines but I enjoy music more. So my project will involve me meticulously searching the web for albums. One a week, for the entire year and probably beyond. I'll be using the greatly superior BitTorrent client and Suprnova. When this site is down, I'll find another. If it comes down to it, I'll use Kazaa Lite.

So please give me suggestions on what I should check out. Any style, genre, etc will be considered. So help me out.

WTF?

Now this came out of thin air. Who would of thought she'd go out like this. I would of at least expected a 'wedding of the year' from Britney, not jeans and a baseball cap in a Las Vegas chapel. Oh well, props to him.

Marriage License

And You Can Call People Too!

You can do almost anything with a phone these days. Surf the web, download porn, call people, schedule events, figure out how much of a tip to leave (for cheap bastards), take pictures, chat, walkie talkie, listen to music, watch TV, change the channel, etc. They're great. Now if the screen was bigger, the sound was better, a full keyboard, maybe a mouse, and longer battery life and it would be perfect.

Check out this article about TV coming to Sprint PCS phones.

While consumers are still trying to get used to the idea of cell phones with cameras, Idetic has launched a service that enables Sprint cellular subscribers to watch live TV, including three music video channels, through their mobile phones.