Pop Culture Is My Curse

2008-08-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

This is done.

Now.

http://dudepresides.blogspot.com/

Hot in Buffalo

2008-07-07T12:09:00.001-07:00

It's Brasil hot in BFLO.

Seu Jorge - Live at Montreux - Tive Razão

2008-07-07T12:00:00.001-07:00

Regis

2008-05-21T19:28:00.001-07:00

Love that Regis!

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BARACK

2008-05-11T13:10:00.001-07:00

Perfect.

Dr Who Season 4 Episode 2 Next Time trailer and credits

2008-05-03T10:11:00.001-07:00

Because the BBC's promos for next week's episode of Doctor Who are so much cooler than Sci-Fi's.

Also, the theme music is pretty fucking cool in it's entirety.

The Black Keys - Strange Times

2008-05-03T07:57:00.001-07:00

Enjoy the Black Keys where and when you can because after that Secret Machines show with a 100 people at the Town Ballroom last night you know they ain't coming to Buffalo any time soon.

Come on now, don't you hipsters get it? If you just wear the funny clothes and act all quasi pretentious without occasionally "making the scene"... without representing for your area... then you're just posing. Putting on phony airs. Wanking.

And "the scene" in your area? If it even exists other than in your minds... it becomes lame... sorry... and eventually extinct.

Homecoming

2008-05-03T07:51:00.001-07:00

You just know these dudes pull mad chicks.

And the drummer looks like Eva Green.

The Teenagers - Love No

2008-05-03T07:47:00.001-07:00

Ummm... ice cream.

The Teenagers

2008-05-03T07:43:00.001-07:00

Thanks for coming to Buffalo Teenagers. Don't judge us too harshly based on our lame ass attendance.

2008-04-29T19:09:00.002-07:00

Finally got around to watching the first episode of Robin Hood season 2 and it was awesome. An exquisite hour of adventure, cliffhangers, dashing heroism and glorious villainy. Yes Keith Allen is jim dandy as the vile Sheriff, but this week Richard Armitage looked positively Vaderesque stomping about as Sir Guy of Gisborne, tossing Maid Marion's dear old dad around, and buring down her house. They're really going for broke this season and I can't wait to see where and how far it goes.

2008-04-29T19:09:00.001-07:00

2008-04-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

Miley Cyrus is one of the biggest fools ever or we're the biggest saps ever. Wasn't it a couple of months ago that she on 60 Minutes* saying that she'd never pull the shit that she's pulling now?

Ah yes... a role model to MILLIONS OF GIRLS.

2008-04-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

Spike TV gets props for actually showing in their entirety the credits to Star Wars. Yes they are sped up, but still that's pretty cool.

Random Star Wars Observation (I wish I could number them for you): the scene at the end of Episode II with Darth Sidious and Count Dooku walking, chilling and plotting is the total analog of that scene of the Death Star (Mark 2) from Episode VI when Darth Vader greets the Emperor (Darth Sidious)... and walks, chills and plots. Both scene's take place in a hanger, I think the Emperor even says something about "everything going according to plan" in both scenes, but craftily enough the roles are reversed (in II it's the boss greeting the underling whereas in VI it's the underling greeting the boss) and the different settings (the dreary hanger in II, the Death Star shuttle hanger in VI) underscore just how far the Sith came.... before being defeated by those damn Skywalker kids. Very nice there George-I hadn't noticed that until tonight (when I caught the end of II on Spike- as you might have guessed). Very nice indeed.

2008-04-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

OK, that was a wacky one two punch during game two of the Western Conference Semis on VS: my mind didn't know how to respond to the stimulus generated by the commercial for Penn and Teller's new TV show Bullshit! in which they say "bullshit!" repeatedly on regular cable TV or the profound hotness radiated by the commercial for Showtime's upcoming Secret Diary of a Call Girl... starring Doctor Who's Billie Piper (sweet wholesome Billie Piper)?!? My brain seized up. Seriously.

5 Reasons

2008-04-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

5 reasons why Vampire Weekend's debut album is too good to be true:

It sounds too good. It's sonic presentation is perfect. No "debut album" comes this artful and sonically ambitious. It doesn't happen.
It's baroque, literate and classy yet tuneful, occasionally crass, and infinitely rump shakable.
U2 and R.E.M.'s debut albums weren't this perfect.
The cd design is pefect: the photography, fonts, layout are all preternaturally cool, and yes, perfect.
It reaffirms the virtue and value of of the cd as a piece of art and mode of musical conveyance in an age of the cheap commodification of popular music.

2008-04-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Folks I watched The Moyers this week and his interview with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright was a humdinger. Anybody watching it for new tidbits or ammunition came away terribly disappointed. Will it make a difference? Of course not, it contained too much information... too much TRUTH to be contemplated by white folks patently un-eager to look the fullness of the American Experience in the face (what Bill Moyers literally calls "the Full Monte"); plus it called out the corporate media for it's complicity in a great many things and therefore will not be mentioned in said corporate media. Maybe we'll get lucky and his press conference tomorrow will make some positive waves.... but I'm not too hopeful.

* I don't even want to know what the kids in private schools are learning about our great nation. Actually I do- it probably explains a lot.

Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma

2008-04-26T16:41:00.001-07:00

Beware a little classy potty language.

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk

2008-04-26T16:35:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah, Vampire Weekend are the best new band since Arcade Fire.

Seriously.

2008-04-24T15:15:00.001-07:00

As you can well imagine, I've been wandering in the wilderness these last 48 hours. It's not been pretty. I've been kicking around all sorts of shit; pondering grim possible outcomes, chewing on all kinds of gristle, and pulling at my hair (my beautiful hair!). Yesterday the Old Man himself, my dear father, laid his disgust as a lifelong Democrat over this shit and growing ambivilance about even voting this November on me. A lifelong Democrat and true blue UNION MAN. And he laid all of this on me.

Fuck people. We are totally entering the danger zone. This shit ain't funny any more. The waters have been muddied enough folks, we can't take 40 more days.

2008-04-22T17:17:00.001-07:00

But let me take a brief moment to reflect on the Flight of the Conchords album. It's hilarious and remarkably soulful. You can shake your booty and nod your head stylfully to it, and you don't need to have seen the first season of the frankly hilarious HBO series of the same name. Of course you'll want to run out to pick up the 2 disc DVD set (I believe it's cheap at Target) immediately after listening to the cd, but that's OK.

All Is Quiet On The Western Front

2008-04-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

I had to interrupt my pure enjoyment of the Flight of the Conchords album for MSNBC's coverage of the Pennslyvania Primary and shit damn it I am starting to feel a little loose. Not good. Loose.

It's 8:15 PM. Dateline USA. We are chilling out.

Yowza

2008-04-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

The second season finale of Torchwood was mind blowing and much deserving of the pre show hype considering they killed off two series regulars. My only regret about the end of this excellent show's excellent second season- that I have to wait nine months until the start of the third season.

And it's not like I am going without*- now that the fourth season proper of Doctor Who debuts this week on the Sci Fi Channel. Last Friday's airing of the 2007 Christmas special with Kylie Minogue didn't blow my mind. Kylie was nice, and she certainly presented herself well as a potential new traveling companion for David Tennant's Doctor, but it was a bit broad in it's humor and approach, a reflex perhaps when writer/producer Russell T Davies goes overboard with the darker elements that drag Who away from it's family show heritage (the episode is a decent send up of both Poseiden Adventures and Titanic- complete with a surprisingly high body count). Still kudos to Kylie for delivering the emotional punch the episode needed, and I hope they find a way to bring her back.

* The Sarah Jane Adventures are fun, and worthy of mention now that they're showing the first season proper of the show after last week's pilot episode. The writing is broad, fun, sly, and emotionally satisfying considering it's a somewhat derivative kids show. And it makes me laugh.

Is there nothing those crazy Welsh Doctor Who/Torchwood/Sarah Jane people can't do? Kudos also to Sci Fi for finding a way to preserve the show's fun cliffhanger's even though they are showing 2 half hour episodes a week.

2008-04-21T19:33:00.000-07:00

I can't get enough of G4's Olivia Munn. She's more than just some bird who looks great in a bikini or Princess Leia steel bikini. She's got that something, that sense of ultra self awareness that hints of great depths roiling underneath the surface of this comely minx.

2008-04-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

I'm excited about the first new Portishead album in 10 years, but I'm buzzing with glee and anticipation about the new (Reverend) Al Green produced by Questlove from The Roots. I was just watching some of Chappelle's Block Party the other day and was thinking to myself "dag, I wonder what that dude is up to right now?" and lo now I know. He is laying it down with the Reverend and bringing the Reverend and us back to basics, and it sounds awesome.

Lesbionic Woman

2008-04-20T20:26:00.001-07:00

Nice. G4 is essentially a useless network, but it does have some virtues. Not many. But some.

2008-04-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

Behold G4's Olivia Munn:

The End

2008-04-18T21:05:00.001-07:00

This one goes out to Hillary Clinton, with all the implied Apocalypse Now allusions totally intended.

Adios Muchacha?

2008-04-18T20:56:00.000-07:00

Now this is what I call "strategy."By slagging off the liberal wing OF HER OWN PARTY, HRC has essentially declared herself unelectable.

The Clinton Death Star has run amok.

2008-04-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

I knew it all along.

Sorry

2008-04-17T15:25:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the light posting the last few days but I've been fulminating in POLITICS WORLD for the last few days and any time in front of the mother box not reading and responding to e-mail has been spent reading and watching video about serious events (like that ridiculous debate last night that qualified as an unmitigated travesty).

And the sun's been out. But tonight's got a new Office and Smallville Tivo-bound for watching after I take in some Countdown (gotta get The American Idol updates).

Happy Birthday Luke Skywalker

2008-04-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

According to the e-mail I just got from Uncle George (actually the Star Wars Homing Beacon newsletter) it was 35 years ago today that Lucas began work on the first draft of Star Wars (or The Star Wars, as it was originally entitled). Wow.

Now if only Uncle George could get those digital theatrical 3D versions out he was talking about a few years back...

SPEED RACER - Official International Trailer - NEW F5

2008-04-15T18:31:00.001-07:00

Yikes! This is the stuff... right here.

Paul Weller Come On/Let's Go

2008-04-13T21:05:00.001-07:00

Straight up rock and roll.

No Shame In His Game

2008-04-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

This is some damn fine oratory, with some good stand up thrown in for good measure. And you've just gotta love how he turns those lameass attacks around into razor sharp rebukes that: 1) light up the crowd, 2) sticks it his opponents for trying to stick it to him, 3) provides clever meta criticism of the process that a) contextualizes his opponents as part of the "establishment" manipulating the process, b) lifts Obama and his supporters up, and c) speaks to the "common sense" of his audience; and 4) drives his message home. "Somebody is playing politics...." what a great line.

Good Times

2008-04-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Changing gears...

It's all coming together nicely folks. Next Friday we get new Doctor Who on the SciFi Channel (the most recent Christmas special with Kylie Minogue) preceded by the first season of The Sarah Jane Adventures. The next day we get the "series changing" season finale of Torchwood on BBC America (featuring Spike/Brainiac James Marsters, from Buffy/Angel and Smallville respectively)... and then on next Friday the highly anticipated fourth season proper premiere episode of Doctor Who with British comedienne Catherine Tate as the Doctor's new travelling companion.

And sandwiched in between all of that we have the Pennsylvania Primary. Good times. Good times.

Also, I am unabashed fan of The Sarah Jane Adventures. Sure it's ostensibly a kids show, but Elisabeth Sladen is fun to watch as a grown up Sarah Jane, the teenage co-stars are tolerable if not downright appealing- and not obnoxious in the least (a big plus considering my views on some of our teenagers); positive role models abound, there's plenty of sly social commentary, and the show reminds me a lot of the classic Doctor Who series that ran from 1963 to 1989- in particular the late fun (and occasionally cheesy*) 60's and early 70's Who episodes that featured Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee as the Doctor. But with more hugs and happier endings.

Not that kind of happy ending you sickos.

* Not necessarily cheesy in a bad way mind you. It was the 60's and 70's (and 80's) and they didn't have big budgets... so sometimes you got cheesiness. Serious cheesiness. But the writing was (generally) good, the actors played it just right, you used your imagination, and you got past it. As an American kid raised on Star Wars unfortunately that didn't happen (maybe if I'd been exposed to Doctor Who as a young child it might have...), but now that I'm able to contextualize and appreciate it I enjoy that cheese. Sometimes (those Colin Baker Doctor Who's are painful).

Welcome to the Nonsense Season

2008-04-13T07:41:00.000-07:00

Oh boy, it's only April and the 2008 Elections are still way off and already we've rocketed well past being in the "silly season" full bore into the abject "nonsense season." Obama is "elitist" for saying folks in small town America are "bitter?!?" Meanwhile... back in America... 81% think the country is going in the wrong direction and amazingly enough folks are a bit pissed off... all over the country in town and cities large and small. It's amazing I tell you, and apparently a real shock to the folks in Washington. Some folks are mighty pissed, and some folks want change mighty bad. Wow, what a news story. What a feast for the bloggers . Alas I'm almost starting to wonder if I should start lumping bloggers along with the folks in Washington DC and the right wing media in the "out of touch" bin. The good news is that in addition to being inexcusable, this phony ass outrage is hilarious- watching these poor nimrods are tee it up for Obama to label them as "out of touch Washingtonians." This week could be fun.

And CNN let's a nincompoop like David Frum comment on it? That's not fair to anybody, including David Frum, who shouldn't be given more opportunities to embarrass himself on television anymore (obviously the guy's got no friends because a friend would've talked to him about his problems sounding intelligent on television).

Rod Stewart Sucks

2008-04-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

I know I should blame the Molson Amphitheatre but that's no fun. Yesterday Radiohead tickets sold out in minutes and there is no chance of another show being added because Rod's got the place booked the following night.

Thus, Rod Stewart Sucks.

A Hip Slapping Good Time

2008-04-12T18:57:00.001-07:00

Things observed from a repeat viewing of the other night's new Office:

The title of that cd by Jan's former assistant was called "The Hunted."
I think the majority of the pictures at Michael and Jan's are of Jan's enhanced boobs.
The pitch perfect facial expressions:

- The look on Pam's face when Jim tries to escape the dinner party without her.

- Jim's bewildered look when Michael made his crack about the wine's "oakey afterbirth."

- When Michael manages to still look at the camera when he yelled "that's what she said!"

- When the cop says "not now Dwight" to Dwight.

The painting in Michael and Jan's dinning room is of Hell.
My family used to have a cooler just like Dwight's former babysitter/friend with "purely carnal" benefits.
Dwight makes her take the bus home (wherever that is)... and lug that cooler.

God 2, Phil Mickelson 1

2008-04-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

Why does hate Phil Mickelson? What exactly was that about today at Augusta National? That perfect wedge shot that was perfect until it hit the pin and spun back off the front of the green? The car horn honking.... AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL... during his backswing on the 17th tee? That whole thing was insane.

But Phil still rallied to birdie the 18th to snatch some of his dignity back and thumb his nose at the Almighty. Good luck tommorow Phil.

"Um, it has a sort of oak-ey afterbirth"

2008-04-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, the discerning palate of Michael Scott (and the table manners of a man who dips his steak in this wine glass- tremendous). I (and a great many people) was looking forward to it all day and goddamn! The first new Office in what seems like years totally blew my mind. It will go down in history as an orgy of funny pain that became a comedy tour de force in the first ten minutes. Ah the bitterness of Dwight and the madness of Jan (she was something else... back when she was sane). Ah the strange sympathy I felt for poor, poor Michael (as embodied by the brilliant Steve Carrell); yes, that man is in hell. There was an almost Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf quality to this episode as souls were bared and secrets were revealed (thankfully Pam and Jim survived unlike those poor souls in Albee), and by golly did I laugh until I felt genuine pain. The Office is back with a force, and I am happy that it is back. Overjoyed.

2008-04-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

U2 is toiling away in Dublin and "still hoping the new album will be out this year?!?" WTF?

Also, I really wish I lived on the West Coast. Roger Waters, Portishead, and now Prince at Coachella?!? Damn.

Taking It To The Streets Part 2

2008-04-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

The Dude gives BIG UPS to all the people out in San Francisco who kicked it out today and agitated against that damned Olympic Torch and all the human rights abuses it embodies. I was a little worried that we wouldn't represent if we were compared against the British and French who did their thing earlier, but you folks did it up and I salute you. You people deserve awards.

And to those Pro Chinese protesters? To them I say "bah."

The Doomed Files

2008-04-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

Because it's become such a prominent theme it's practically made itself a new category...

Anyway.

Just finished Buffalo native Jake Halpern's Fame Junkies: The Hidden Truths Behind America's Favorite Addiction, and boy was that scary. And I'm not even referring to the thoroughly deluded stage parents, child star wannabees, celebrity personal assistants, and celebrity worshippers (and I'm talking serious worship here, the kind that triggers faith and false idol worship issues) discussed and interviewed by the shrewd yet not unkind Halpern. Those people are out to lunch, and there's nothing that can be done for them. What freaked me out was the bits about the history and outrageous recent growth of our nation's obsessions with fame and becoming famous and the various explanations for this national nightmare. I daresay Halpern is right about all of it; there's a shitload of reasons why we're all totally obsessed with this shit (and obsessed about hating this shit, which of course sometimes leads to thinking about said shit), but that's not what really got me. It's a statistical fact that our teenagers and youngsters spectacularly narcissistic and prone to prima donna-ism... hell people, you see it. You see it in adults. You see it when they drive.

But that's not the point, the point is these poor deluded children are heading for a HUGE LET DOWN. And what happens then? Generation B? As in BITTER AS HELL? That's not good. And what's worse- they're inheriting a country on the down slide. Yikes. Our society is not in the best spot as it is... and now we've got a generation destined for a big old kick in the teeth when reality sets in. Or doesn't. Which is worse. Far worse.

Needless to say it, we are doomed. Man is Canada is looking better and better.

And a minor quibble for local boy author (and City Honors alumni) Jake Halpern. Must you harp on our down on our luck Rest Belt downtrodden? Was that absolutely necessary?

Ah well.

Still dude, I credit you for your honesty and for not even trying to pretend that you're above your subject matter. That's your good old fashioned Buffalo non pretentiousness at work there, my friend. It is indeed in our bones (except for the pretentious WNYers that do exist in our community- you know... the poofy shirt crowd). Kudos.

Ah well.

Taking It To The Streets

2008-04-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

Attention Sabres Fans:

Larry, Darcy and Lindy are taking it to the public (and the public will take it to them) tomorrow at 5 on WGR.

I just hope they screen the calls a little bit... so we can all have our dignity when it's all over. It could be interesting, and maybe even a sign-post to what's to come.

Go Sabres.

R.E.M. - Supernatural Superserious

2008-04-07T22:50:00.001-07:00

I like it when bands let you blog their videos. R.E.M. is cool.

What a great R.E.M. single.

BSG Notes

2008-04-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

Wow, the first ten minutes of the first new Battlestar Galactica in ages was absolutely Episodes III and VI good. Everybody involved totally went for broke and it showed. I mean I was excited about new BSG's but now I'm "oooooooh... BSG" and jonesing for new BSG.
I'm also jonesing for the new Friday night Sci-FI channel lineup, with the good natured children's show Doctor Who spinoff The Sarah Jane Adventures and the fourth season of Doctor Who leading into BSG. The Tivo will definitely hum Friday nights.
Baltar is Jesus? Jesus was not a sex fiend like Baltar, but he did heal the sick. I've always enjoyed the religious themes and explorations, but now that it's coalescing into a polytheism vs monotheism I'm giddy at the possible implications of this final season of BSG. It's also cool that Baltar's Cylon inspired monotheistic cult is populated by comely lasses.
I'm also intrigued by the fact that the human "good guys" are the monotheists and the robot "bad guys" are the monotheists.
Battlestar Galactic is the sci-fi Sopranos. Pure and simple. I think it always was and we just didn't see it.
Thus I'm saving this first 10 episode batch of the final season on the Tivo to watch when I watch all of the previous BSG's in preparation for the final 10 episodes of this final season (air date totally TBD).

XBOX Update

2008-04-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

Microsoft UPS'd me a power supply for my console Friday and all is well. Microsoft is off the schneid. For now.

Ah Well

2008-04-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, the Sabres season is over, and yes it has to go down as a total failure and a bitter disappointment for the fans. Ah, but that just that means the the countdown has begun till next season, and in the end I'm not completely bummed out yet. That will come if the ownership doesn't step up to the plate and say "THIS IS A BLIP ON THE RADAR" and "STEPS WILL BE TAKEN," words I deem to be essential to reassuring the "new" Hockeytown that the jig isn't up.*

We shall see. Go Sabres.

* Of course by jig I mean dance, or Irish dance in particular. Some people actually think I'm referring to something else, believe it or not.

2008-04-05T07:19:00.001-07:00

Penguins

2008-04-03T01:58:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Keith Olbermann, who also noted that today is Sir Alec Guiness's birthday. He would have been 94.

Keith Olbermann is one cool dude. I can tell you that.

Living Well Is Indeed The Best Revenge

2008-04-02T16:59:00.001-07:00

A few games back I picked up a little wooden Sabres hockey stick thing at the Sabres Store, you know to have around the house. For clutching during Sabres games (especially penalty kills), clubbing yourself unconscious during Sabres games (or if I come across Fox News), and lately for air guitar duty as I shred through R.E.M.'s latest. Yes, "Accelerate" is the best album in ten years from the best American band of the last thirty years. The hype is correct. Peter Buck rocks, it hits you upside the head, it's a manual for our troubled times, yadda yadda. Everything you've heard and read about it is true. But what's truly great about "Accelerate" is that it almost simultaneously exists in R.E.M.'s past and future; I used to have a bootleg tape of an early R.E.M. show from Tyrone's in Athens and this is what R.E.M. used to sound like before the jangly neo-Southern indie rock, before "Chronic Town" and "Murmurs," and it's this raw and pure sound that is driving R.E.M. to it's future and away from the dreck they've been socking us with on their last two albums.* Air guitar and R.E.M. together again at last.... in an election year no less! It's all good people. It's all good.

* Okay, "Reveal" wasn't total bunk, but it wasn't great either. There are indeed a couple of cuts that do save it from being as lame as "Around the Sun."

A Brush With Fate

2008-04-01T19:25:00.001-07:00

That was like watching England futily taking their penalty kicks in a World Cup match up until Max snagged us a win in the shootout. A tremendous game. And Miller redeemed himself somewhat in the shootout tonight. A Herculean effort of redemption and triumph.

And we get another meaningful game Thursday night. Let's go Sabres.

2008-04-01T19:24:00.001-07:00

Oasis and Paul Weller (with Stereophonics, some other bands) in Toronto 9/7/08. Very nice.

I Can't Stop Watching This

2008-04-01T18:15:00.001-07:00

They totally @#$%ed up my whole plan of watching the entire series including the third season on DVD right up until the fourth season by releasing the third season DVD last week, ONE FRAKKIN WEEK before the beginning of the fourth and final season. Thus this has become something of a mantra, a shared memory of what's come before on the show.

Trust me folks. Watch this catchy ditty a couple of times (it gets better with age), and then watch the fourth season opener this Friday (or Tivo it like I will).

It's the best.

2008-04-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

Ah but something ain't right in America. We all know it, deep down. It's soul is twisted. There is violence there. In America's DNA. And it's getting worse, and can't be stopped. That's the beautiful point of the Brother Coen's No Country For Old Men, and the Cormac McCarthy novel it is based upon. It's dark yet utterly mesmerizing, occasionally violent (but not as violent as many have said) yet delicate, spare yet dazzling in it's minimalism, and everything about it is perfect. Tommy Lee Jones is perfect as God, or the voice of God at least; the old man with a Bible and a gun out of a U2 or Johnny Cash song (or, a U2 song featuring Johnny Cash- specifically "The Wanderer" off of Zooropa) trying to make sense out of our crazy times and the movie we're watching. Javier Bardem is brilliant. I'm not exactly sure what he brought to the sort of character that we've seen before to make his performance so jarringly effective, but he brought it, and I couldn't take my eyes off of him as he pursued Josh Brolin's cowboy, who deserves kudos for keeping up with Bardem and Jones (who looms over the film completely inspite of his comparatively short time onscreen). Every bit actor, every perfectly framed shot, every perfectly placed ray of light, it's all there... thanks to the unflinching vision and patience of the Brothers Coen.

It's a masterpiece for our troubled times. Go choke on it.

We are Doomed

2008-04-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

These little fuckers are totally evil. Third graders plotting to put the hurt on their teacher?!? Fuck that shit. What I want to know is: what the hell kind of TV shows are these toerags watching? Or is family DVD night that fucked up? Egads. Yeaaahhrrrh.

Something just ain't right in Weycross Georgia.

One Upmanship

2008-04-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

Is that how it

This is what I call a sex scandal. It totally puts the Spitzer in perspective.

Now that's hot. I wanted to link that YouTube bit to the blog but thought better of it. I have standards. And speaking of thinking better how about that Jonah Goldberg stuff? That guy's a total mess... all torn up inside being Jewish.... yet ceaselessly trying to link liberalism with fascism... I'm really amazed his head just doesn't explode right off his shoulders. I'd say that's the root of his profound cognitive dissonance but he's a neocon hack, and that means cognitive dissonance is par for the course...

My XBOX 360 Is A Piece of Crap

2008-03-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

Two repairs for the ballyhooed red ring of death... and now Microsoft sends my XBOX 360 back to me with a power supply that doesn't match my console and thus doesn't fit? Thanks for checking that out before you shipped it back to me. Jebus H. Christmas. What a fucking fiasco.

6+ years of perfect service from my old yet trusty PS2.

15 months, 2 repairs and a total cock up, for my pisspoor XBOX 360.

That's 2 months in the shop out of the 15 months I've owned it, plus another 2-3 (which equals 4) weeks to get a new power supply out to me. Thanks for nuthin' Bill Gates.

I wouldn't recommend an XBOX 360 to my worst enemy.

New Doctor Who Season Four Trailer 29/3/08

2008-03-31T10:13:00.001-07:00

Nice.

Star Wars: Ultimate Trailer

2008-03-31T10:10:00.001-07:00

Kudos to Spike TV for the mondo boffo STAR WARS uber-trailer. Of course there's no chance that I'll be tuning in... I own those jammies on DVD with the 5.1/6.1 surround sound and I hate commercials during my STAR WARS... but now I have to resist the urge to watch my STAR WARS again (all 6, no half stepping here). Damn you Spike!

Or do I?

Sunday Morning Tidbits

2008-03-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Briefly:

Kudos to Reliable Sources' Harvey Kurtz for his salvo at MSNBC and Keith Olbermann in the ongoing CNN/MSNBC donneybrook over Maria Milito's crack about "pimps not sharing hoes" the other night on Countdown. Very classy and sharpHowie. And for my part though I hope that Keith doesn't pull a Samantha Power on Maria because I think her weekly American Idol updates are great for water cooler talking points.
I am probably a bad person for not talking about the war more on this blog. God knows I've blogged about the war, but the war makes me angry, and depressed, and I guess I didn't want to share that here. The reality? I've given up. I follow the war in the alternative media, but the reality is it ain't ending until this guy is out of office, and that's that. We had our shot in 2004, and we blew it.
This week's Frank Rich is right on the number.
But it's not all serious. I shoehorned in last night's Torchwood and yikes. Freaky. Circuses and freaks always freak me out, and last night's evil soul stealing circus.... yeeaaarrggghh. 3 new episodes left... until new Doctor Who and Sarah Jane Adventures at the end of April.
Is hope alive for the Sabres? I don't even know anymore at this point. But I will be watching the last HD broadcast of the year, and who knows, maybe my mother will win a player jersey at Fan Appreciate Night. The Sabres should at least do her that courtesy.

Go Sabres.

Ales Kotalik is a Bum

2008-03-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

I posted this on BFLO Blog in a right state this morning. It pretty much sums up my feelings about the game last night.

I was at the game Tuesday and even I can’t hang last night on Ryan Miller.
My blame goes to Kotalik for taking that lazy and stupid penalty with 3.5
minutes left against the #1 power play in the league. That 3-1 lead was
precarious as hell, and taking a needless and pisspoor like that teed up
Montreal for that pivotal second goal that swung the game back the other way
right in time for the Habs to pull their goalie for the last few minutes. A
month or so ago it would have been Lydman taking the killer third period
penalty, but last night it was Kotalik the lazy, Kotalik the heartless and
gutless. It’s all Kotalik folks. Fucking Kotalik.

That said however, Miller does hit his knees faster than Monica
Lewinsky, almost as a reflex, and that’s ain’t helping either.

In my opinion a true hockey fan can't hate on the Sabres for last night's game. They played a solid game, they kept the pressure up the entire third period and didn't let up, and they got the game down to the 2.5 minute mark before it all went sour because of a lameass Ales Kotalik penalty. That second goal was the swinger, and with a pulled goalie they had us right where they wanted us for those last few minutes. The Sabres were doomed.

But hope is apparently still alive.

PULP - This is Hardcore (UNCUT)

2008-03-28T15:40:00.001-07:00

I know I've posted this before, but ya know... I've been fulminating about this Spitzer thing for the last few weeks and listening to this album with this whole fiasco in mind so it just seemed appropriate. I watch. I post.

This one goes out to Eliot Spitzer.

World's Worst - Wal-Mart Sues Disabled Lady

2008-03-27T19:42:00.001-07:00

Hear hear! Or is it here here!

I can't stand Wal-mart.

Special note: Olbermann's on NBC Sunday night at 7. Yes you read that right. And it's a Iraq War 5 year anniversary episode. On Sunday. On NBC. Yep.

Oasis - Acquiesce (Live in Manchester)

2008-03-27T19:33:00.001-07:00

From the superlative Lord Don't Slow Me Down DVD set. I just felt like posting this after that Sabres game....

Gotta love that Eastlands (Manchester City Stadium).

2008-03-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

It was 100% Roy in the shootout and lo, hope is once again alive. We get the highs and the lows with these Sabres, and tonight we had plenty of both. In the end however, we got the two points and yes, we've got a reason to really play tomorrow night against Montreal.

WTF?

2008-03-27T17:24:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm not surprised that Spitzer is caught up in another prostitution racket; at this point it's par for the course for a man with so much love to share. What I don't get is this hooey I heard about The Spitz paying a hooker to watch another couple do the nasty. Hey buddy, we call that porn... and now that I think about we generally don't pay people to watch it with us live.* I could at least on some level appreciate the cracking up (the only rational explanation for such madness) and throwing in with prostitutes, but this... this just says that he had way too much money and time on his hands. It almost qualifies as grotesque conspicuous consumption in my book, and I ain't down with that.

* I believe they call this dinner theater in Europe.

2008-03-27T17:19:00.001-07:00

Another die hard Sabres fan asked me sincerely "do you still love them" and the answer was an unflinching "absolutely." No doubt about it. I've been a fan for as long as I can remember, and that's the way it's gonna stay. I'm watching the game tonight, I've got my jersey on (the 90's black evil goat instead of the vintage with the C Lafontaine 16), I've got my Jim's Steak out/Sabres hockey agita, and of course, there's still that mathematical hope.

Let's go Sabres.

And

2008-03-25T19:53:00.001-07:00

Why is Buffalo soooo segregated? My theory: we're segregated fourteen ways till Christmas. We're segregated within the city (North, West, South..... and the East Side), and we're segregated regionally- suburb versus city. I mean we've got suburbanites who have never, ever been in the city. Ever. And if you want to broaden our perspective... if you look at the accumulation of wealth in the burbs vis a vis urban plight, one could easily say that we're also economically segregated.

Folks, we are segregated up the wazoo.

2008-03-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

And I don't want it to seem that I'm hating on 97 Rock. I like 97 Rock. They've mixed it up, and they're going deeper occasionally into the classic rock vaults much to my delight. Hell, I did an hour of guest DJing for 97 Rock and it was one of the greatest afternoons of my life. What I'm on about was the fact that today's chat about race featured so many half started statements that had to be ammended on the fly once the interlocutor reflex kicked in BEFORE IT WAS TOO TOO LATE, so much of the white folks calling in to agree with each other about black people and say "yeah".... folks, in the end I just can't see that colliding prettily with Reverend Al. And that kind of shit could end up on the Internet... to our total (regional) detriment.

So I guess you could say that I'm looking out for 97 Rock. Yeah, let's go with that.

2008-03-25T19:25:00.000-07:00

That game tonight was pathetic. I haven't left a game early in ages, but I left early tonight. Pathetic. A disgrace.

The playoff dream is dead.

The Dude Helps His Fellow Honkies in General and 97 Rock in Particular

2008-03-25T09:54:00.001-07:00

The Dude's tips for white people about to talk out their _____ on the subject of race:

Ask yourself: would you be COOL or SORE with the fact that your ancestors were enslaved and shipped to America to be slave labor? Yeah.... hmmmm.... never thought about that before... did you?
140 years (the amount of time that's elapsed since the abolition of slavery) does not qualify as ancient history by ANY measure.
You are aware that segregation was 100% legal in the US until about 50 years ago, right?!? And you're also aware that the Civil Rights Act wasn't signed into law until about 40 years ago, right?!?

Yes my silly crackers, that's not even a generation ago.

Slavery and Jim Crow seem like they happened "ages ago" because they didn't happen to you or your people. You probably read about slavery and Jim Crow in a history book back in school, and odds are good that you probably got defensive about it back then too.
Try to think about race with a perspective larger than just your lily white cracker worldview. Try... just try... to think about race if you were African American. Yeah it might be hard... it might even blow your mind... but it's worth trying. Trust me.

We gotta try.

Memo to 97 Rock

2008-03-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

Word on the street has it that Reverend Al Sharpton is going to be on the 97 Rock morning show and in the name of all that is holy somebody has to cancel that pronto. Call in sick... pretend that 97 Rock has gone under... something... anything... to prevent that interview from happening. Why? Because I listened in to the Snorton Norton and crew discuss race in Buffalo this morning and nothing good could possibly come from those people having that discussion with Al Sharpton. And I ain't joking. Imagine the outbreak of foot in mouth disease that broke out this morning in the 97 Rock studios without the Revernd present- times a thousand.

It's bad enough I live in one of the most segregated communities in the US. I don't want to live in one of the most racist. Stop the madness. Stop the presses. Abort this mission... please. Our region doesn't need that rap in the least.

2008-03-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Springsteen is God, Danny Federici is back, and the Count Basie Theater is up for one hell of a facelift. Huzzah!

2008-03-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

Jeremy Clarkson on the Caparo T1 :

"When this thing goes on sale there isn't going to be a ditch in the land or a hedgerow that isn't full of Premiership footballers, who are broken and and on fire."

And Simon Cowell is the top Star in the Top Gear Reasonably Priced Car so far? Damn. Is nothing safe? We gotta get some Americans over there to take some shit from Jeremy Clarkson and represent for the nation that brought the world Steve McQueen!* USA! USA!

* That link was for the kids, who might not have a clue who the ____ Steve McQueen is... kids who sadly have no modern analog upon which to even understand who and what Steve McQueen was, is, and forever will be....

Nice

2008-03-24T18:07:00.000-07:00

The new Gnarls Barkley disc The Odd Couple is nice. There's no standout cuts like "Crazy" this time around, but let's be real here: that was a once in a lifetime cut and one of the best pop songs ever and that probably wasn't going to happen again like that anyway. But The Odd Couple delights for all the same reasons as the improbably brilliant St Elsewhere- it's sonically sweet and dense no matter what style or groove is on display; the lyrics are sharp, relevant, funny, and occasionally universal; and Ceelo Brown no question has one of the greatest soul voices ever. He's Curtis Mayfield. He's Al Green (not the Reverend Al Green... not yet). And sonic architect Danger Mouse is as sonically daring and brilliant as Os Mutantes- all within the context of the 3 minute pop song. It's magical shit that gets you coming and going, and it's going to be in my cd player a lot.

2008-03-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to watching last Friday's Newsnight and man alive, I wasn't amused at all watching Richard Perle, one of the brightest of the bright lights of the neoconservative movement, get skewered by the BBC's Jeremy Paxson. No, instead I was just embarrassed to be an American... watching Perle absolutely babble proven nonsense and then make statements that required immediate backtracking, the very epitome of cognitive dissonance.... no folks, this was actually something of a dispiriting exercise. I mean, neoconservativsm is the reigning political and economic ideology of the United States of America, and that was sad... and that sort of makes me sad. Thankfully I inflicted Newsnight on myself before the glorious macho frivolity Top Gear, so I won't be too sad for too long. Actually my sadness is fading away now that Jeremy Paxson is verbally clubbing a grubby swine over the Diana inquest. Now that's what I call journalism.

Gnarls Barkley - Run

2008-03-24T15:01:00.001-07:00

Get down. Yeah.

NEW Portishead Video 'Machine Gun' (Third, 2008)

2008-03-24T14:39:00.001-07:00

Decker ignored the rain drops that pelted the back of his neck as he sat hunched over his bowl of noodles because that's the price you pay for oing anything in the Undercity. Neverending rain and flickering neon. But Decker couldn't ignore the tune that was leaking out of a nearby pod because it reminded Decker of her.

Sunday Odds and Sods

2008-03-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter.
This week's Torchwood was brilliant: sex, violence, conflict, maneating aliens, humor, a wedding- it had it all. God Torchwood is such a good show.
The new Gnarls Barkley disc is awesome. More to come later.
The Dude dissects the obvious appeal of Lonelygirl15's exploits on YouTube: her cans.
I gotta admit it folks, I did think that it was cool that Cafe Aroma came in dead last in yesterday's Buffalo News coffee judging. Yes, the most ludicrously pretentious coffee joint in Buffalo also serves the lamest coffee in Buffalo. A coincidence? Probably not.*
You know what the worst part of all this divisiveness among the Democratic party, in addition to the fact that it might well give the GOP the keys to the car for a third consecutive term? The fact that win or lose you know it's gonna fall to Barack Obama to (try) to unite and save the party. Yes, the guy on the receiving end of all this divisive BS, the chap playing far more defense than offense over this divisive BS, is gonna have to (try to) save the bloody day with his much maligned (by his opponent) pretty talk. Now does that qualify as irony, or is that the height of cynicism?
It is waaaaay past time for activist Democrats to check themselves, and to ask themselves "WHAT EXACTLY AM I DOING?" Seriously. It's time.
I used that Frank Rich link twice on purpose.

*I'm sorry, but I am gonna nurse that grudge against Cafe Aroma. I mean, what's the point of even showing World Cup matches if you can't get in the place because half of the seats are taken by the backpacks and tote bags of the wankers clogging up the joint?

And those wankers weren't even watching the matches!

Raw

2008-03-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

The bad news: Kristen Davis ex boyfriend from way back sold some smutty pictures of them en flagrante to the Internet. That's just wrong, low, and downright ungallant. The good news: they are great.
I used to think Bill Clinton was smooth. Nice. A sharp operator with impeccable game. But that was before this year's model decided to roll the dice with that already somewhat dodgy legacy of his. And now they're saying he's like Joltin' and Revoltin' ' "Joe McCarthy?" Dude, The Dude recommends taking a time out to build some houses or officiate a third world election with Jimmy Carter, or, if that's not flash enough for you, hang out with Bono.
Sorry Keith Olberman, but sports and politics go together like fried chicken and gravy.
The Dude is officially not down with the summer Olympics, and will be boycotting this year's games in China, which is currently mowing down Tibetan folks in the streets.

2008-03-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

I think Marie looks much hotter before than after the Nutrisystem. Before she looked sultry, voluptuous... but now she looks like another Desperate Housewife, and that's just not how I want to think of Marie Osmond.

2008-03-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

Whoa hey. It appears that some of my short posts from the last few days didn't make it, including a damned clever YouTube clip of the new Portishead video. Ah well. The Sabres are staring doom clear in the face and the Internet's gone wacky. Happy Easter?

NEW Speed Racer (2008) HD Trailer

2008-03-18T18:43:00.001-07:00

Yeah.

2008-03-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

I got nothing for you people today. Yesterday was great, I got a Doctor Who dvd in the mail from Netflix, blah blah blah, and I'm gobsmacked by Obama's speech today. And flush with pride to be an American.

U2 - Zoo Station - Brazil 2006

2008-03-17T19:26:00.001-07:00

No, this is my last half assed St Patty's Day U2 blog video post. What the fuck is this about? U2 only brings out the really good stuff for the Brazillians? Why does U2 hate on this brilliant 90's stuff? Why won't they delve into this material on their American tours? It's almost as if U2 is ashamed of their "cool" period... when they were actually cool. I don't get it. To heck with the greatest hits (OK, I like those too)... give us some daring. Some balls. Some art.

U2 Zoo Station Live from Detroit (Zoo TV Tour)

2008-03-17T19:20:00.001-07:00

Remember when U2 used to stick IT TO THE MAN? Boy this is a walk down memory lane into our collective future/present/nightmare. I am ready for the laughing gas.

And yes... my last half baked U2 St Patty's Day video post.

U2 - Numb (video remix)

2008-03-17T19:11:00.001-07:00

Aw yeah... let this sucker work on yer hang over tomorrow morning... or your rampaging buzz right NOW.

Stay-U2

2008-03-17T19:06:00.001-07:00

Have I blogged this before? Who the fuck cares? It's St. Patrick's Day and this is fucking U2.

Yes, I've got my Irish up. It's been a long day and I just came from the Irish Center.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day kids.

2008-03-16T08:01:00.001-07:00

Now the truth can be told: it's true- I stole all of my dance moves and karoake mic poses from Bono when he pranced around in his gold lame devil get-up circa 1993.

And I have no regrets on that score either.

U2 - Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car

2008-03-16T07:59:00.001-07:00

For all you party people driving around town this weekend....

The Pogues Streams Of Whiskey

2008-03-16T07:52:00.001-07:00

For my old mate Bob the Communist.

Tough Weekend

2008-03-16T07:25:00.001-07:00

Posting this weekend is on the light side due to the four day St. Patrick's Day revelries, but I needed to:

Give a shout out to Buffalo for seemingly making St. Patrick's Day a four day revelry, or if you want to be specific and only count Friday night, 3 and a half day revelry. And we've got snow today for the parade! I almost feel bad for the Irish girls from all of the Irish Dancing schools dancing about in the colorful dresses and curly wigs... almost. Somebody has to dance the jig for us. Thanks girls.
Salute the Sabres for winning another must win game. They are still in it baby.
Freak you people out with a CONSPIRACY THEORY that isn't crazy at all.
Right an ommision- I almost forgot to say that the take out food from Lagniappes (883-FOOD) on Allen is worth the trip to Allentown just to get the food. Pure New Orleans goodness through and through: the gumbo is real, the BBQ shrimp po'boy is not for those observing Lent (the bacon wrapped shrimp almost compelled me to go to church and confess my sins), the authentic and magnificent jambalaya burns sweetly in your tummy for hours, and the blackened catfish po'boy is jim dandy. It's also a cool little spot. The Dude recommends it highly.
Give an even bigger shout out to Nelson Starr and crew for Nelson's ode to Buffalo and Anthony Bourdain. Even though I do have to quibble with the statement that we are "humbly without pretension*" (if only that were totally true), the gist of the piece is absolutely correct and conveyed perfectly. Dave Attell missed his chance to kick it out in Buffalo... let's hope that Bourdain doesn't make the same mistake.

Happy St. Patrick's Day people! Now let's everybody git down!

* Please note, I am not calling Nelson pretentious. I have never, ever seen him in a poofy shirt.

2008-03-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

OK, hope is alive for the Sabres. Last night's game was indeed convincing enough that I believe they can actually get into the playoffs. They might be backing their way into the playoffs, and or stepping over the carasses of other teams, but it can be done. I believe. For now.

Special kudos have to go out to the fans at the game last night. From the fans with the big PLEASE DON'T QUIT ON US sign tapped to the wall to the fans who clapped and chanted and urged the team to keep scoring goals (to gaurantee their win and help our mental health)... we did our part, and the team did their's. It was all good folks, all good. I just wish I had Eliot Spitzer's money because I'd love to head north up to the TO with the gang and score some tickets off of some scalpers because tonight's game is titanic, another must win game....

LET'S GO BUFFALO.

Mascot Fight at the 2008 Summit League Championship

2008-03-13T19:21:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Countdown. Apparently the Oral Roberts University Eagle started it. Obviously.

2008-03-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

The worst part of all these cool music festivals? They are all happening when I have other prior engagements.

Pithy Hyperlink-o-rama

2008-03-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

The only down side- two dvd's.

I don't think Dr. Laura likes herself very much.

I agree with Ed Norton- this would make for a great movie.

2008-03-13T04:33:00.000-07:00

Who is Ashleigh Banfield? Watching her talk about the legal aspects of the Spitzer Thing on CNN this morning made my morning. Kudos to you Ashleigh for those fine black leather @#$%boots. Ha cha cha.

2008-03-12T19:38:00.002-07:00

It's official: the last Harry Potter movie will be in two parts and will be directed by David Yates, who did an excellent job with Order of the Phoenix. This is good. Very good indeed.