i've been thinking about lots and do not have the time to write entries on all of them (would be one a day for the rest of the year not counting the new ideas i have every day) so i'm doing a strapped for time, quick rundown, but don't call it a list.
THRICE: their last album was one of the most under-rated albums in recent history, and yes i know i've mentioned that before. Today they released "The Alchemy Index: Volume I & II". My understanding is they planned on writing 4 E.P.'s with the themes of the 4 elements (earth, water, fire, wind). Island dropped them from the label (Island also fought with Thursday who are now no longer on the label) and were picked up by good olde indy label Vagrant.
i've only listened to the 2 disks once but already i am enjoying it. It's a nice progression from their previous work with a bit more electronic Radiohead sprinkled in. i can't wait to listen to it more and look forward to the III & IV volumes which re rumored to be released next year.
RESIDENT EVIL: no i'm not bringing up Bush Jr again, i'm talking about the third installment of this video game to movie series. i know, i know... for crying out loud i know the second one sucked my left dick. If it wasn't for the naked shot of Mila at the end to distract us we all would have stormed the box office for our money back, but it worked. The first one was so good and Mila is so cute that i decided to give the third one a try and it was very decent. Not quite as good as the first but far better than the second. Maybe i should have tittled this one Mila... lets fix that...
MILA: you could do worse things with $8.25.
MACBOOK: yeah, it's been a couple weeks with the MacBook and those Mac/PC ads can go suck it Trebeck (imagine that with a Sean Connery accent). Apple has put some real thought into the physical design with clever features like a magnetic power connector and magnets to keep the screen down rather than a latch (it must be a big year for magnets). Apple has addressed some of the problems that pc's have suffered from for years but Apple has just as many of it's own problems.
It's a wash. They all have the same number of problems. The MacBook doesn't burn my lap but it's programs are just as faulty. When over 90% of the world speaks one language, why would you go with the other, especially when it is no more efficient. A top notch pc is still better than any Apple in my book. No one can touch the iPod however.
FALL: great temperature, nice colors, what's not to love...
RECORD LABELS: fuck 'em. Radiohead is releasing an album on their own where you can pay what you want. Most artists earn around a dollar an album so if you pay $2 for theirs they will earn twice as much and you save tons o' money. Great bands all around are fleeing from major labels to either start their own or to work with independent labels. If major labels are going to push for more Britney Spears like artists, wine about decreases in revenue, and sue people for downloading music then they can get ready to go the way of the dinosaur. iTunes, indy labels, and the Internet in general will pick up the slack and we will all be released from the ridiculous tyranny of the major labels. Buy indy.
AL GORE: smart guy, Nobel Prize, strong belief in his convictions... why is he no longer in politics? Oh yeah, because their is no room for intelligence or moral fortitude in American politics. Silly rabbit. Deciding NOT to get into politics seems to be a positive character trait now a day. i hope Christopher Walken doesn't get sucked into that den of evil. i am retracting my support for ol' Chris for president, for his own good. We don't want to lose him to the dark side.
SILK COFFEE SOY MILK: my enjoyment of coffee and my new phobia of not getting enough calcium all solved with a daily pint of this very acceptable tasting beverage.
TEXT MESSAGING: taking me one step closer to the goal of never having to talk on the phone.
Oct 16, 2007
Oct 15, 2007
Blog Action Day Part II
Yup, i've already made my entry in honor of Blog Action Day but i had one last environmental option i wanted to bring up.
A renewable resource that is frequently overlooked was brought to my attention recently. It's a bit old school but still a viable source of energy. Burning witches. Yes sir-re-bob, witches are a renewable resource and, from what my Salem Mass history has told me, burn quite nicely.
Sure Hot Topics around the country may see a hit in revenues but the benefits out way the negatives. The female staff at Fox News could power the entire south for at least a year.
Just think of the possibilities.
A renewable resource that is frequently overlooked was brought to my attention recently. It's a bit old school but still a viable source of energy. Burning witches. Yes sir-re-bob, witches are a renewable resource and, from what my Salem Mass history has told me, burn quite nicely.
Sure Hot Topics around the country may see a hit in revenues but the benefits out way the negatives. The female staff at Fox News could power the entire south for at least a year.
Just think of the possibilities.
Oct 14, 2007
i Just Wanted To Hug Him
It appears that the Tyrannosaurus Rex is the favored predator to be re-released into our neighborhoods. i guess they can't sneak up on you at least and watching one snatch up some tool on his Harley as he drove by would be pretty entertaining.
Being just skin and bones i figure no predator would find me particularly appetizing especially with all those slow obese people lined up outside the Country Buffet. i suppose i'd survive at least until the end of the week. Wait... did the water in my glass just ripple?
Well, you may not have Jeff Goldblum around to save you but you do have a new survey ... as always to the right.
Being just skin and bones i figure no predator would find me particularly appetizing especially with all those slow obese people lined up outside the Country Buffet. i suppose i'd survive at least until the end of the week. Wait... did the water in my glass just ripple?
Well, you may not have Jeff Goldblum around to save you but you do have a new survey ... as always to the right.
i Prefer To Call Him Bill...
Well, 10.15.07 is 'Blog Action Day'. This year's topic: the environment. i don't need an excuse to write about the environment so i figured i'd join in.
Al Gore & the IPCC winning a Nobel Peace Prize Friday... Monday's 'Blog Action Day' topic is the environment... wow... you'd think that we've got this whole thing taken care of. Everyone must be aware of the situations right now and isn't that the hardest step? As a teacher i am as guilty as anyone of thinking that if we just educate the masses the problems will take care of themselves. Unfortunately this is currently not the case.
Much like with the smoking problem, knowing better doesn't necessarily mean doing better. For whatever reason people keep smoking cigarettes and destroying their lungs. Despite the best attempts of science, people also keep shrugging off our global problem: the destruction of our habitat.
Rather than further flogging away at education and once again mentioning all those simple little things that anyone can do to help solve (or at least minimize) our impacts i'd like to try to get closer to the root of our problem, the root of our self-destructive behavior.
Is it our lust of consumption? Well, that explains why people who never leave asphalt covered roads feel they need a 4 wheel drive SUV, but it's bigger than that. It's bigger than the fact that as families are getting smaller, average house sizes are getting bigger. Existing mean you must consume. How much is up to you but unfortunately we can not escape the fact that we must consume to survive.
Is it capitalism? Well, having the value of the ever plummeting dollar as the center of focus can easily lead us astray and has on many occasions but that's not quite it. Other types of economies are responsible for pollution as well, even if not at the same incredible rates. Also, this does not explain those companies that have taken clear stands to responsibly take control over their waste footprints.
No, our problem is much more fundamental and much older than any of these concepts. Before money was an idea, before we produced anything for others to consume, we adopted the belief of dominion. Before cities were built, before societies were set forth, we decided that we held dominion over the Earth. This is a deep seeded concept in our global consciousness.
As long as we continue to follow our primal urge to conquer mountains, conquer the pests that invade our yard, conquer nature and live where we please we will struggle to use reason to change our behavior. It takes incredible will to overcome primal urges. Is will something we can expect our society at large to have? Overcoming fundamental belief structures that have been practiced for countless generations is no easy task.
We need a change of perspective. We once believed that the Earth was flat. We once believed that the universe revolved around our Earth. Although it took quite some time to convince the masses that these beliefs were not true, i am hopeful that we can someday give up on the belief that the Earth is mearly here for us to use as we wish. Maybe someday we, as a whole, will acknowledge that we are but a part of the Earth and it is as dependant upon us as we are dependant upon it.
When we realize this and stop believing that all can be solved by purchasing something at the mall or by taking out another loan we will be well on our way. The know-how already exists, we just need the collective will to make things better.
i hope we have enough time left to realize this. We don't have the time it took to convince that the world is round and we don't have the time it took to convince that we orbit the sun. Will we find the WILL?
Al Gore & the IPCC winning a Nobel Peace Prize Friday... Monday's 'Blog Action Day' topic is the environment... wow... you'd think that we've got this whole thing taken care of. Everyone must be aware of the situations right now and isn't that the hardest step? As a teacher i am as guilty as anyone of thinking that if we just educate the masses the problems will take care of themselves. Unfortunately this is currently not the case.
Much like with the smoking problem, knowing better doesn't necessarily mean doing better. For whatever reason people keep smoking cigarettes and destroying their lungs. Despite the best attempts of science, people also keep shrugging off our global problem: the destruction of our habitat.
Rather than further flogging away at education and once again mentioning all those simple little things that anyone can do to help solve (or at least minimize) our impacts i'd like to try to get closer to the root of our problem, the root of our self-destructive behavior.
Is it our lust of consumption? Well, that explains why people who never leave asphalt covered roads feel they need a 4 wheel drive SUV, but it's bigger than that. It's bigger than the fact that as families are getting smaller, average house sizes are getting bigger. Existing mean you must consume. How much is up to you but unfortunately we can not escape the fact that we must consume to survive.
Is it capitalism? Well, having the value of the ever plummeting dollar as the center of focus can easily lead us astray and has on many occasions but that's not quite it. Other types of economies are responsible for pollution as well, even if not at the same incredible rates. Also, this does not explain those companies that have taken clear stands to responsibly take control over their waste footprints.
No, our problem is much more fundamental and much older than any of these concepts. Before money was an idea, before we produced anything for others to consume, we adopted the belief of dominion. Before cities were built, before societies were set forth, we decided that we held dominion over the Earth. This is a deep seeded concept in our global consciousness.
As long as we continue to follow our primal urge to conquer mountains, conquer the pests that invade our yard, conquer nature and live where we please we will struggle to use reason to change our behavior. It takes incredible will to overcome primal urges. Is will something we can expect our society at large to have? Overcoming fundamental belief structures that have been practiced for countless generations is no easy task.
We need a change of perspective. We once believed that the Earth was flat. We once believed that the universe revolved around our Earth. Although it took quite some time to convince the masses that these beliefs were not true, i am hopeful that we can someday give up on the belief that the Earth is mearly here for us to use as we wish. Maybe someday we, as a whole, will acknowledge that we are but a part of the Earth and it is as dependant upon us as we are dependant upon it.
When we realize this and stop believing that all can be solved by purchasing something at the mall or by taking out another loan we will be well on our way. The know-how already exists, we just need the collective will to make things better.
i hope we have enough time left to realize this. We don't have the time it took to convince that the world is round and we don't have the time it took to convince that we orbit the sun. Will we find the WILL?
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