Humid Cedar

2006-12-29T10:41:00.001-08:00

New Year's Resolution

In the year 2007 I resolve to:
Poke a badger with a spoon.

Get your resolution here.

2006-12-22T05:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

Synchronized Christmas Lights

2006-12-16T09:10:00.001-08:00

Hey Ya! Charlie Brown Style

2006-12-15T13:11:00.000-08:00

Music Question

I listened to Steely Dan's song Josie (from the Aja album) this morning and I have a question: how does one pray like a Roman? I gather that it includes setting one's eyes on fire, but I am a little fuzzy on the details.

2006-12-13T06:20:00.000-08:00

Battlestar Galactica, Season 2

Linda and I are watching Seasons 2 and 2.5 on DVD. I admit that I was very impressed with the initial mini-series but I felt let down in the first season. The second season is following the same pattern for me: some very impressive moments followed by some serious crap. I shall explain.

First, what I like:

1. The premise of the show is just ripe with great conflict. They could spin nearly endless interesting episodes from the problems the fleet faces on a macro level (e.g., finding resources like water or raw materials). The space battles are icing on the cake.

2. Several of the characters are quite interesting. I like Col. Tigh because he is the perfect incompetent middle-manager (with some blood thirstiness thrown in). He is an ass in a believable way and that makes him a great antagonist. I like the fact that Adama is deeply flawed but a believable leader.

3. The two-part episode introducing the Pegasus was pretty amazing. Admiral Cain was a great villain and it held great promise as a source of even more conflict and interesting developments.

What I don't like:

1. Apollo sucks. I have no problem with the fact that he is a good pilot and that he has leadership potential. However, the character suffers from what I call "lead character syndrome," which manifests as the ability to perform every task correctly and constant use of unerring judgment. The man is always right and his path to leadership is clear and steady. All of the women love him and all of the men want to be him. The show has attempted to introduce flaws and conflict, but they are underdeveloped, come out of left field, and fall flat. In my opinion, the single best source of conflict for the character - the fact that he is the son of the fleet's military leader and therefore open to feelings of resentment and charges of nepotism - is underutilized. In short, the character is boring.

2. Alas, Starbuck sucks too. She suffers from the same malady as Apollo but what makes it worse in this case is the fact that she actually has interesting and developed character flaws. Her recklessness and insubordination do not hinder her in the least, although they should obstacles to her development as a leader. She does not learn from her mistakes and she is rarely called to task for them. I see Starbuck as failed potential.

2. Most of the villains are straw men. They are simplistic and shallow and could be defeated by the robot dog in the original series. It is an old trick: make the heroes look good by making all of the villains stupid. Admiral Cain was a notable exception. She was smart and strong, using her position of strength to her advantage in ways that the heroes of the series could not ignore or wave away. She was also a great role model for Starbuck, an example of a woman who uses her talent and ambition in a focused way to achieve great things. The show introduces this idea in the episodes that Cain appears in but does not develop it.

3. I am conflicted by the Cylons. They have great potential as interesting villains but I am not sure this potential has been realized. Here is a blog post that examines this problem in much more depth than I can give it.

Despite its deep flaws, the show remains an interesting one. I will continue to watch it and I hope that in time the good will outweigh the bad.

2006-12-05T16:58:00.000-08:00

"Reno" is Spanish for "reading a lot of books"

Whilst I lounge upon the stony banks of the gurgling, duck-infested Truckee River, I read a lot of books.

Thud! by Terry Pratchett. This a recent addition to Mr. Pratchett's ongoing Discworld series. It takes place in the city of Ankh-Morpork, where simmering racial tensions between dwarfs and trolls escalate when a prominent dwarf is murdered. The main character is the commander of the city's watch and he and his police force (populated by, among other things, werewolves and vampires) work feverishly to solve the murder and stave off the impending race riots. The book does not make it very easy for readers unfamiliar with recent developments in the series, as it does not pause to explain several "quirks" that have some importance to the plot that were featured prominently in other books. If you have read his recent work, then you will find this one entertaining. If not, then you will find it a little confusing.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman. In this book, Fat Charlie discovers that his recently-deceased father was actually Anansi, the spider trickster god of folklore. To make matters worse, he finds he has a brother who inherited all of their father's godly power. Hijinks ensue as the brothers learn how to deal with each other. A quick and entertaining read.

Thank You For Smoking, by Christopher Buckley. This is a satire of the tobacco industry in general and tobacco lobbyists in particular. I did not see the film (yet), but I found the book to be pretty entertaining.

Currently reading: From Russia With Love, by Ian Fleming.

In the queue: The Gun Seller, by Hugh Laurie.

2006-12-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

Uncle Patrick's Tragic Traveling Tale of Woe!

Part II

Needless to say, three or so hours in a cold hotel room was not really enough to get us back into fighting trim. I won't bore you with details regarding the shuttle ride back to the airport, save to say that there were no swarthy little men or fellows just in from Mexico involved.

I wanted to check with our airline's luggage desk to see if someone could give us a better idea what happened to our stuff, but it was not open at 4 in the morning. We checked in and flew to Phoenix none the wiser.

Our sluggish friend booked us on a flight from Phoenix to Reno on another airline, so we had to go through security again. The TSA people were particularly slow there and they paused with every bag that went through their screening process, squinting intently at their monitors. I suppose I should be appreciative that they were diligent but I was very tired and I felt like a BB bouncing around in a boxcar, with no control over where I went or how I got there. Linda passed through before me but, while I waited, the fellow at the monitor stopped the queue to get a better look at her bag. Apparently, he was very confused and needed help. He also had a weak voice, for when he called out for assistance I could barely hear him and I was standing right beside him. Eventually, someone happened to float by and heard his plaintive pleas. After more squinting, they determined that everything was fine and we were allowed to continue.

When we got to Reno, I felt confident that our bag made it there before us. After all, the airline employee told us that it went ahead and he wouldn't lie to us, right? We strolled to the airline ticket counter to ask about it. There was no one there. It was midmorning. We turned to our left and to our right and watched other airlines and their ticket counters fully staffed and operational. The ticket counter before was was dark. There were no signs that told us that staff was out to lunch, or that the counter was closed. No indication at all what was going on. Did they know we were coming and decided to hide?

So we stood around for a while, uncertain about what to do (remember: less than three hours of sleep). An employee for a rival airline, working a ticket counter nearby, took pity on us and slipped through a door and, after a few moments, emerged with an employee from our airline. She blinked rapidly in the sunlight. It turns out that there were only two flights to and from Reno from her airline that day and we caught her between flights. Apparently, the airline did not feel the need to man its counter during working hours unless it was absolutely necessary.

I am being unfair, of course. Once the airline employee grasped our situation, she boldly stepped into the breach. Between profuse apologies about the way her fellow employees treated us, she set to work on her computer. My spirits lifted for a moment, happy that someone was working on the problem. Unfortunately, my spirits were soon dashed when she informed us that our luggage was not in the system. She had no idea where the suitcase was; no on in the Denver airport bothered to enter the status or location of our bag into the database.

The three of us rallied and put our heads together. Hypotheticals were proposed and tested. The employee placed a world-wide call for any information regarding our bag. Linda and I took turns scouring the baggage claim area, on the off chance that the bag flew in on another flight and sat - lonely and terrified - in some dark corner of the airport. The employee pumped all of her contacts in other airlines for information. Nothing worked. We filed a claim with the airline and fretted.

At some point in the process, I went to the office of the airline that took us from Phoenix to Reno (recall that it was a different airline from the one that we started with). I explained our situation as best I could and asked that they forward our bag to the original airline's ticket counter, should it arrive. When I returned, Linda was in deep conversation with a manager of the original airline. We ended up with a comped hotel room and instructions on where to file a claim for our luggage. It turns out that we should have filed a claim with the airline that took us from Phoenix to Reno. No one told me this earlier, when this information would have been needed and helpful. I had just come from the other airline and no one told me to file a claim with them. I didn't even know enough to ask. I understood their reticence once I learned that the airline responsible for the claim would have to foot the bill for any charges concerning the delivery of our suitcase. No one wanted to pay out money, if they didn't have to.

Linda and I decided to trust in the computer system and get to our hotel as soon as possible, to catch up on our sleep. Our next stop was the car rental desk. As it turned out, it was the attendant's first day on the job. After much pecking at his computer keyboard, he nearly rented us a car that had British Columbia license plates (that would have gotten us pulled over by the local cops) for twice as much as the amount we told him we would pay. There was a good ten minute discussion about insurance - three different contracts were filled out and then shredded - before someone who knew what they were doing came forward and gave us the car that was larger than the one we originally asked for but at the price we were originally quoted.

By that time, I was on the verge of running away, screaming at the top of my lungs. The whole experience was a test of my restraint and intestinal fortitude and I nearly lost it at the end. We still had enough wherewithal to go to a Target and buy clothes and other stuff necessary to be functional on our trip, in the event that the bag disappeared from the face of the earth. I drove us to the hotel in our (presumably) legit rental car, checked in, and collapsed.

We slept for over ten hours. I slept so soundly that I did not hear the phone ring. The front desk left us a message, informing us that our suitcase had arrived and was waiting for us. All's well that ends well, I suppose.

2006-12-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

Uncle Patrick's Tragic Traveling Tale of Woe!

Part I

Recent events have convinced me that sometime in the last century, Denver's city fathers put their heads together and decided that a Native American burial ground would be an excellent site for an airport. As we all know from the movie Poltergeist, building something atop a Native American burial ground is asking for metaphysical trouble. It certainly explains the spiritual wedgie I received there.

The plan was simple enough. Linda and I planned to fly to Reno on Wednesday afternoon. The trip had two parts: the first took us from Austin to the thrice-cursed Denver airport; the second took us from spiritually bereft Denver airport to Reno. We would arrive at our hotel, exhausted but satisfied that our country's modern transportation system brought us safely to our destination. Alas, it was not to be.

It may come as a shock to my Austin-area readers that things are pretty damned cold in other parts of the country. While we plod our way through humid days of eighty degree heat, other people are freezing their butts off in snow and ice. I mention this fact because it played an important part in this story.

When we checked into the Austin airport, things could not have been easier. There were no lines at the ticket counter. The TSA people at the security checkpoint were efficient and friendly. Linda and I had a couple of great hamburgers, courtesy of Waterloo Ice House (I am convinced that Austin's airport is among the best in the world based solely upon the excellent selection of food one can find there). All was right with the world. We were early and did not feel rushed or stressed. We settled down comfortably at our gate - Linda in her kerchief and I in my cap, as it were - waiting for our plane.

I was so relaxed that I did not grow alarmed when we learned that our plane would be thirty minutes late. In retrospect, this should have been a source of consternation. I should have taken matters in hand. I did not. I was floating in some rarefied air, content and confident, never realizing that I would soon fall, Icarus-like, to earth.

The plane ride to Denver was not interesting. As we approached the moral black hole that is the Denver airport, Linda looked at me and said "We are going to miss the flight to Reno."

I shrugged and said, nonchalantly, "Let us see what happens. Worst case scenario: we get another flight."

I looked out the window and saw snow everywhere. I have not seen snow in over a year and I enjoyed the view. At the time, it did not occur to me that the snow was the reason we were late and that it would continue to plague me for the rest of the night. At that moment, I was thinking sleigh rides, hot chocolate, and chairs by the fire with a good book.

We left the plane and rushed to the woman assigned to help people like us. We asked her where we could find the gate for our next flight. I was hopeful that she would tell us that the flight to Reno was delayed too and that we would have plenty of time to climb aboard. Instead, she stared at us blankly, shrugged, and told us that our flight had already left. She jerked her head in the direction of the customer service desk and turned away, doubtless to stare blankly at another desperate passenger.

The customer service desk was not far. It was a tall counter and a maze of mesh line designed to control the mass of unwashed petitioners who flocked there and force them to fall into line and wait their turn. The counter had six computer terminals, but only three employees manned them. Two of them were with customers, a third was busily counting little slips of paper very slowly. Other employees came and went but they were not there to help us. They looked at us, they lingered to talk with other employees, but we were not within their job description.

There were not many of us, but in airline queues it is often quality, not quantity. We stood for nearly ten minutes, watching two employees squint at their computer screens and the third employee continue to count his little slips of paper. A couple of bubbly blond young people treated the employee who helped them as a sort of concierge, asking for all of their options, weighing each one carefully, talking to friends on their cell phones. An elderly man mumbled at the employee who helped him, trying to understand what the hell she was saying to him, trying to get her to understand what he was telling her. The third employee continued to count paper. We waited.

Finally, the third employee looked up from his counting, noticed that a line of people were waiting for help, and summoned us to him. We explained our situation, trying to impress him with a sense of urgency. The man stared back at us slowly (if you had told me a few days ago that a person could stare at another person slowly, I would not have believed it possible). I imagine that if I were trying to communicate to a mountain gorilla, I would experience the same kind of reception. Eventually, he gathered that we needed another flight to Reno and began the process of learning how to use his computer. After a good twenty minutes, he discovered that his airline had other flights to Reno and, much to his delight, other airlines flew there too. The experience so moved him that he left the counter, walked through a door behind him, and disappeared for a good ten minutes. I suppose he needed to share his good fortune with other employees, perhaps take a breather on a sofa, drink a beer. When he returned, he produced tickets that would first take us to Phoenix, then to Reno. The catch: we had to be back at the airport by 4:00 in the morning. It was already 10:30 at night.

I asked him about our luggage. He told us that we needed to pick it up tonight and recheck it in the morning. He gave us directions to the baggage carousel, provided us with a voucher that discounted our stay at a local hotel (the airline would not pay for the hotel because, as someone explained to us, they were not responsible for the weather), and sent us on our way.

His directions led us to a blank wall. I saw no baggage carousel. I asked another person who wandered by for new directions and, after a train ride and some head scratching, we found the carousel. We waited for a luggage but it did not emerge. We talked to the airline representative who loitered nearby and he told us to wait a while longer. After fifteen minutes, we were still sans luggage. We consulted another representative, who told us that luggage that belonged to people who missed their flights were often late. We waited some more. Nothing. We went to a third representative, who told us that our bag "must have been sent on to Reno." He told us that there had been time after our Austin plane touched down for the bags to make it onto the plane. He could not locate our bag in the computer system but he assured us that was what happened to it. I began to wonder if the woman we talked to when we disembarked had any idea concerning the status of our flight to Reno. I wondered if we could have caught the flight. In any event, our luggage had gone to Reno and we were still in the god-forsaken Denver airport.

Linda and I consulted. It was clear to us, with the information we had available, that we should proceed to Reno. We had to trust in karma (for we had surely accumulated some good karma in this ordeal) to deliver the bag to us when we got there. We were certain that the airline people we dealt with could no longer help us. The only decision left to make that night was what to do with the rest of our evening. By then, it was after 11:00.

Linda made some calls and found a hotel that had a shuttle willing to return us to the airport at 4:00 am. We took our meager belongings outside and waited in the freezing wind for the shuttle to take us away. As we waited, a van pulled up. Its driver, a swarthy little man, emerged and walked along the curb. He told anyone within earshot that he could take anyone to any hotel for ten dollars. We did not take him up on it, and he disappeared.

We waited in the bitter cold for another ten minutes before the shuttle arrived. I must say that Denver knows how to keep it's roads clean and free of ice and snow! It took us twenty minutes to get to the hotel but we didn't slide into a ditch or slam into another vehicle, as I had half expected.

We stumbled into the lobby of the hotel to find a melee in progress. The swarthy little man was screeching at the hotel clerk and another fellow who was trying to check in. We soon learned that the fellow came to the hotel on the swarthy little man's shuttle but had not paid him ten dollars. The fellow attempted to explain to us that he just arrived from Mexico and had no American currency and, besides, he did not know that he had to pay the swarthy little man anything. For his part, the swarthy little man was prepared to haul witnesses out of his shuttle (who were presumably waiting to be taken to their own hotels so they could get some sleep) to testify that he told everyone that they must pay for the privilege of riding in his van. The clerk kept quiet and soon a manager appeared. She did not seem prepared to deal with swarthy little men and fellows just in from Mexico. She insisted that the swarthy little man could not come into her hotel and threaten anyone. The swarthy little man insisted that he could and again promised many witnesses and much retribution. Eventually, the fellow just in from Mexico offered to pay the swarthy little man with a credit card. The swarthy little man danced out to his shuttle (where his witnesses awaited their cue to come forth) to retrieve the card reader. I gather that the manager was not aware that the parties reached an agreement, as she was on a cell phone trying to get someone to tell her what to do. When the swarthy little man left the lobby, she grabbed the fellow just in from Mexico by the elbow, apologize profusely for the inconvenience, and personally escort him to his room. By the time the swarthy little man came back with the card reader, his customer was gone. I should note that the fellow just in from Mexico did not stop the manager from leading him away so he could pay the swarthy little man.

Although the swarthy little man looked as if his head would explode like an overripe swarthy little grapefruit, he collected himself and promised to return in the morning with witnesses and retribution. He had other customers he needed to attend to. He focused his ire on the manager and muttered something about getting her fired.

Linda and I stood to the side and said nothing. We just wanted to get some sleep. It was well after midnight and we needed to get back to the airport early for more punishment. The clerk gave us a look and checked us in.

We finally crawled into bed around 12:30 am.

Little did we know that darker clouds were building on the horizon....

2006-11-28T03:50:00.000-08:00

Did you ever know that you're my hero?

It was six months ago, and what have we learned (clearly SPOILERS ahead)?

1. Sylar has OCD in a big way. I still do not understand if he acquires his powers through brain eating or through some other method that requires brains. I do not recall him using any power other than telekinesis, which was apparently the power that poor sap had before Sylar smacked him in the head. A possibility is the fact that the sap's power should have been Sylar's power and Sylar, with his ability to detect flaws in things, recognized this and "fixed it." Somehow.

2. Peter and Nathan's dad was a lawyer, and therefore a Very Bad Man. Did Nathan's wife see him fly into the air and stay there, just before the car crash? I like the fact that Linderman is still just a presence that everyone is wary of but the audience has not met. Is he the season's Big Bad?

3. Mr. Bennett's Haitian buddy is around six months ago, and we don't get his story. Does the Haitian have the power to dampen other people's powers? It is possible that Bennett has this power but I seem to recall that the Haitian pulled the same trick on the mind-reading cop several episodes ago, just before the cop succumbed to the drugs.

4. Speaking of Mr. Bennett, we get a better idea of where he's coming from but there are still many unanswered questions. This is not a criticism. I appreciate that his motivation stems in large part from a desire to protect Claire and he is very much an "ends justify the means" kind of guy. I like the fact that he has a history with Mohinder's dad. He tells the Brick Pixie that he wants her to use her power to more constructive, productive ends but we are not sure exactly what that means. And we still have no idea where he gets his resources or what other ultimate goals he may have. I am cool with that.

5. Did anyone else catch Hiro's shoutout to the Alamo Drafthouse? I liked the idea that he cannot change certain things in the past, despite his time-traveling ability. The tragedy of his doomed relationship is very gothic and I appreciated it. However, if the writers push this time-traveling bit too far, my head just might explode from all of the paradoxes and problems it creates. I note that the character's irrepressible optimism is mellowing as a result of his experience.

6. So Niki the Super Stripper had an abusive dad and a sister named Jessica who died young. I gather that Niki developed a split personality in order to deal with parental abuse and this personality assumed the identity of the dead sister. That's my story and I am sticking to it.

2006-11-21T06:31:00.000-08:00

Last night, on Heroes

This is my first post in Blogger's updated system. Can you feel the quality?

I must say that I was a little disappointed in last night's episode of Heroes. I expected more than the incremental pacing of each storyline in a show that culminated in a lack-luster battle between a guy who can rip off locker doors with his mind and a guy who...can't rip off locker doors with his mind. Is it too much to ask from a show about people with super powers to have a super fight now and then?

And we never learn why saving a cheerleader will save the world. And what if Peter saved the wrong cheerleader?

I liked the interactions between Ando and Peter, Micah and D.L.. I liked the fact that two of the antagonists in the episode, Mr. Bennett and Nathan, acted from completely understandable motivations. Eden's power was supposed to be a big reveal but it wasn't too much of a stretch, given what we've seen of her interactions with Issac. I liked how she used it though, and how she worked in tandem with the creepy Haitian Who Erases Memories.

In other news, I understand that New Line - the company that produced the Lord of the Rings movies - will now produce The Hobbit. Alas, Peter Jackson will not be the one to direct the movie. Oh well.

2006-11-07T06:21:00.000-08:00

...and I don't like anybody very much!

I voted this morning. I must say that I am disappointed that I could not chose "anarchist" as a straight ticket option. Is Kinky Friedman close enough? And no, that does not necessarily mean I voted for him.

I enjoyed Heroes last night but it seemed to me that there were more commercials than content. Is that just my desire to squeeze as much story out of the hour or were there really more commercials? At least we got to see a couple of the heroes do heroic things. Some questions/spoilers:

Does the "equal sign" tattoo signify that the hero who wears it has had a visit from Horned Rimmed Glasses? What about the "S" tattoo that other heroes wear (Niki the Super Stripper has one, as does Horned Rimmed Glasses' mentalist sidekick)? Do these tattoos identify which side the hero is on? What are the sides, anyway?

Can Micah the super kid control machines, electricity or is he a straight-up telekinetic?

Dollars to donuts Radioactive Man is the dude slated to blow up Manhattan.

I thought Nathan arranged to have his brother see Linderman's painting. If so, why did he tell his brother that it would not be possible? More likely is the fact that I misheard it.

2006-10-31T06:40:00.000-08:00

Six Word Stories for Halloween

Recently, several writers wrote stories that are only six words long. You can read about them here. In that, er, spirit, I wrote a few of my own for Halloween. Don't read these alone!

Look out! That's not a squid!

I think the noise is upstairs...

Fred, why are you so pale?

Won't you come inside, my dear?

Not me, Lord Satan! Not me!

Put down the knife, junior. Put -

2006-10-31T06:17:00.000-08:00

Last night, on "Heroes"...

Spoilers below. Get over it.

Niki the Super Strong Stripper is definitely the Hulk in this show. Her split personality is total id. Thank God she doesn't turn huge and green.

Claire's "parents" were either actors hired by Horn Rimmed Glasses Man (HRGM) or people who work for him.

Speaking of HRGM, he had the best line of the show. "That's cool!" If I were an evil mastermind, that is what I would say.

I just knew that Mohinder's neighbor (hereafter called "Pixie", although the fact that she was in the movie "Brick" may earn her the moniker "Brick Pixie") was a super! I will go out on a limb and say that her power is getting people to do what she wants.

I wonder if Hiro will go back in time to stop Niki the Hulk from killing those poker dudes. If so, how will he stop her?

And will his friend Ando become the "Batman" of the group or the "Snapper Carr"?

2006-10-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

My Head Wants To Kill Me

If you are considering a head cold this season, then I urge you to look at other options. I have one and it SUCKS!

Perhaps a root canal is more to your liking. Wait...I had one of those too and it SUCKED!

And if you have both at the same time, then you can double the suckiness.

2006-10-10T04:06:00.000-07:00

I am a Jedi! I am a Jedi!

I just watched the pilot episode of 30 Rock. I thought it was funny. Every actor in it was great. And it managed to do more in 20 or so minutes than Studio 60 has done in three weeks.

Don't get me wrong: I want Studio 60 to work. I think Matthew Perry is a great comic actor and I liked many of the supporting cast in other projects. I want a smart show where the characters talk intelligently and deal with interesting problems. Alas, Studio 60 is not that show. It is quite taken with itself. We are told that the main characters are the best thing since sliced bread. But the characters have done nothing to earn these accolades. The conflict is weak, the foils are straw men set up to be knocked down easily by the main characters, and these charactrers breeze through them, often dismissively. I grow bored watching it. And to make matters worse, it is not funny. Let me correct that: there are scenes where Matthew Perry, Nate Corddry and D.L. Hughley are funny. The skit show they produce is not funny. The funny scenes are not enough to make up for the rest of it.

30 Rock, on the other hand, is funny. It is a show about making a comedy show and the actors in it are funny! They deal with what I understand to be problems with working in television (such as micromanaging marketers with no creative sense running things) with aplomb and humor. Alec Baldwin, as the aforementioned micromanager, is awesome. Tina Fey, the head writer for the show, has many of the same hangups as the main writers in Studio 60, but she is funny when she tries to deal with them. And Tracy Morgan, as the film actor sent in to punch up the show, is pee-in-your-pants funny.

It promises to be a great show. I give it a month.

2006-10-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

What Do You Mean 'Flash Gordon Approaching'?

I listened to the great, cheesy main theme for that great, cheesy movie Flash Gordon this morning. I have a question: just what is an "intergalactical upset" anyway?

2006-10-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

Tickled Ivories

I highly recommend Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell and McCoy Tyner.

2006-09-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

No Thugs in Our House

I have decided that I will no longer perform post-mortem analyses of House episodes. Instead I shall devote every Wednesday morning to....POLKA!

Just kidding. I simply don't have time today to provide you with those cunning insights and thoughtful commentary you have come to expect in my House posts. Instead, I refer you to the excellent Polite Dissent. Enjoy!

2006-09-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

Dog House

Last night's installment of House had our merry medical band discussing the ethical dilemma of allowing a patient to die. The medicine is analyzed thoroughly by the excellent Polite Dissent, so I will not go into it here (which works out, since I have no idea what I am talking about). The patient of the week is an elderly researcher who collapses while dissecting rats (who, in a nice "Twilight Zone" moment, take advantage of the situation and turn the tables on him). For various medical-sounding reasons, it looks bad for the researcher. He wants to die, preferrably assisted by a giant dose of morphine.

Chase is for it, Cameron is against it, and Foreman is against it but not emphatically so. House strikes a deal with the patient: give us 24 hours to solve the problem. If we fail, we will help you die. When they do fail, House pretends to follow through on his promise. This scene was the most telling one in the episode, as it shows us glimpses inside each character as they react to stress. Cameron looks aghast and protests vigorously, but ultimately leaves in horror. Foreman hesitates between stopping House and helping him, but finally leaves when it becomes apparent that House will follow through with it no matter what Foreman does. Chase calmly stays and closes the blinds.

Cameron and Chase represent the opposing viewpoints in this debate. I was surprised by Chase's firm stance on this. In most episodes, he is portrayed a weak person, easily swayed by strong personalities or the prevailing political winds. Here he presents his case and follows through with it (although I must note that a premise of his argument is that "everyone does it, even if no one acknowledges it"). There are no negative consequences to his actions, since House does not actually kill the patient, but he is "rewarded" in the story by actually being right about the diagnosis.

Cameron is true to form. She has a strong conviction but she does not directly confront anyone with it. Her response is passive-aggressive: she refuses to work. House is frustrated by this, of course, and attempts to deal with this in a similar manner (by assigning her the task of reading some of the researcher's controversial articles, for instance). She is eventually roused into action by following through on her conviction to treat the patient no matter what the patient wants, to cure him as painfully as possible.

In the end, House tells Cameron that he is proud of her. It is quite clear that House does not want his patient to die but his actions do not help his position. He lies constantly to everyone around him. A scene in this episode implies that he is doing this in response to the Big Lie Cuddy and Wilson told him in the beginning of the season. He also does it to trick the patient into giving him more time to solve the problem and cure him. Of course, everyone assumes that his motives are more selfish, that he is stringing the patient along so that he can assuage his ego and solve the unsolvable. Although House seems to take this in stride, he is once again leaning on a cane and popping pills. A psychosomatic response to the peer pressure, perhaps?

I see a prime opportunity to bring in Stephen Fry as a psychologist brought in to treat House. Mr. Fry can even keep the British accent!

On a different note, I learned yesterday that a British composer named Simon Matthews composed a movement named after Pluto, as a sort of addition to Holst's "The Planets." There is an excellent discussion of it over at Something Old, Nothing New, complete with links to other lively discussions. Although the obvious facet to this story is the fact that the new piece made its debut at the same time the astronomical community decided to "demote" Pluto, the consensus appears to be that the piece itself is not that good. I must admit that this whole notion intrigued me. I have been a fan of "The Planets" ever since I was a kid and I often wondered why Pluto was not included. Apparently, others wondered too. Despite the negative reviews, I could not resist an opportunity to hear this thing. I downloaded it from iTunes and gave it a good going-over. Short review: it's not half-bad, but it's not half-good either.

2006-09-19T04:08:00.000-07:00

Talk Like A Pirate Day

So keep a sharp lookout, mateys!

Arrr!

With a "Yo Ho Ho Ho" to Notorious Mjt!, who sent me this link.

2006-09-15T06:19:00.000-07:00

Hippies!

And now, hippies.

First, the Fairport Convention. This was Richard Thompson's band in the 60s and early 70s. I suppose they weren't hippies in the strictest sense of the word. But they sure had hair! Mr. Thompson rocks in this thing. If you are not buying his records, you are totally square.

Next, Jethro Tull. This band features hippies playing flutes. As we all know, Mr. Anderson went on to become a giant in the salmon fisheries business. I know this music from the "Living in the Past" album, an album I was exposed to at a very early age and is a huge influence on my taste in music. It introduced me to jazz, classical and rock music all at once.

And what post featuring hippies would be complete without Jefferson Airplane? My parents had a copy of Surrealistic Pillow too.

My parents were not hippies in the strictest sense of the word, but they were very, er, hip to the scene. Much like young Ted Nugent. And we all know what happened to Mr. Nugent!

God help me...I love this music! This stuff definitely made its mark on me. Damn long-haired hippies.

2006-09-13T05:28:00.000-07:00

He Sits Around the House

To be frank, I am not sure what to make of last night's episode of House. As always, I refer you to Polite Dissent for a most excellent analysis of the medicine. The soap opera storyline, in which Cuddy and Wilson attempt to keep news of House's major medical victory from him in order to prevent him from putting on airs, begins from shaky premises. Can anyone seriously think that something like a near-miraculous cure will be kept under wraps for long? And does anyone really think that keeping such news from someone deliberately will produce anything positive? I am all for conflict in my drama, and conflict is the inevitable by-product of such a set up. However, I have a hard time with the idea that two intlligent characters would concoct such a scheme and then carry it out.

On the other hand (and this is where the "I am not sure what to make of last night's episode" part kicks in), we know that Wilson is capable of making some boneheaded personal decisions. We also know that Cuddy is constantly flummoxed by House's behavior. Based upon these characterizations, one could make the argument that these characters, despite their intelligence, are capable of making such a move. I am almost persuaded by it. Except that the idea still sounds stupid to me.

Despite this, the ultimate fate of House's ailment interests me. I enjoyed watching the Young Guns interact with each other (Chase's attempt at a witty comeback was pretty funny) and I especially liked Cameron's reaction when she learns about the Wilson/Cuddy plot and how she dealt with that. Well acted all around.

If you would like to experience cognitive dissonance, then you can't go wrong with an episode of House followed immediately thereafter by an episode of A Bit of Fry and Laurie. Mr. Laurie has range! I REALLY want to see Stephen Fry make an appearance in House!

2006-09-12T03:43:00.000-07:00

Youtube, Brutus?

I discovered youtube recently. What did I find there?

1. Richard Thompson performing "Vincent Black Lightning 1952" (shout out to 2 Blowhards for first showing this video and praising Mr. Thompson).

2. Hugh Laurie rapping.

And a great homemade video by a band called Ok Go.

2006-09-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

9/11

I have nothing pithy to say, so I leave it to Mr. Stewart (with a hat tip to X-Ray Spex for first posting this video):

2006-09-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

Housewarming

House began its third season last night. As per usual, I refer you to the excellent Polite Dissent for a discussion of the medicine in the show. In this episode, Dr. House returns from an extended hiatus after being shot in the second season finale and having undergone a treatment that eliminated the pain in his leg. House seems to be a changed man. He is willing to interact with his patients and their families. He asks Dr. Cameron out on a date. He seems happier and more engaged. However, he gradually slides into old, familiar patterns of behavior and, by the end of the episode, he engages in some behavior that signals a reversion back to type.

In my opinion, the most interesting development was not in House's character but in his supporting cast. Everyone, from Dr. Cuddy to Dr. Cameron, resists the notion that House can change. They even seem to resent it. I applaud the writers for taking this approach, which runs counter to the expected reaction to House's change for the better. An argument can be made that this resentment, and the ways it manifests throughout the episode, contributed to House's return to form. It makes for better drama and I look forward to seeing how this plays out over the season.

In other news, The Areas of My Expertise is now out in paperback. If you have not experienced this book, written by the fellow who plays the PC in the "Mac and PC" commercials as well as acts as an expert commentator on The Daily Show, then you owe yourself the pleasure. You will laugh your ass off. Guaranteed.

And try Pandora. This is a streaming audio site that generates a playlist for you based upon an artist or song that you like. Pandora has a database of over 500,000 songs, categorized by specific characteristics (e.g., big band arrangements, subtle use of vocal harmonies, etc.). Once you enter the name of an artist or song, the service identifies your entry's characteristics and pulls music from its database that share those characteristics. You can tweak the results by voting a selection up or down. Those songs you vote against are never played in your playlist again. You must subscribe to take full advantage of the service, but you can do this for free. Highly recommended!

2006-09-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome Aboard!

My nephew Robert Logan was born this morning. Glad you could join us!

2006-08-14T15:44:00.000-07:00

Girls on Skates

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of watching the Honky Tonk Heartbreakers win their 3rd straight roller derby championship in a tough contest with the Hotrod Honeys. The event was well-attended by loud and enthusiastic fans. Much beer was consumed.

I had no idea what I was getting into. Mad Science suggested we go as a belated birthday present and - since I am always open to new ways to celebrate my birthday and girls in short skirts and skates struck me as good an idea as any - I agreed. The fact that a friend of Linda's is on one of the above referenced teams (no, I am not saying which one, for I am sworn to secrecy) was an extra incentive.

What is roller derby? Two teams skate around an oval track (a flat track in this case) in rounds called "jams". A team scores points when one designated member of the team, called a "jammer", manages to pass every member of the opposing team. The jammer earns a point for her team for each opponent she passes without going out of bounds. Each team also has three blockers and a pivot whose sole purpose is to prevent the jammers from passing. The blockers and pivots form a pack and, at those speeds, the pack can be a dangerous place to be. The first jammer to completely pass the opposing team becomes the lead jammer - a strategically important position because a lead jammer has the right to call an end to a jam. This ability allows the lead jammer to attempt more passes or - if called at the right time - to prevent the other team's jammer from completing passes. Each game lasts twenty minutes. The team with the most points wins. See this link for official rules.

And yes, there is a lot of falling and destruction and mayhem. A good time was had by all!

2006-08-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

Gym Tunes

"What do you listen to when you are at the gym?"

I am glad you asked! Here's a list of songs on my current workout playlist:

Catholic Schoolgirls Rule! by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Bonin' in the Boneyard by Fishbone

Mr. Jones by Talking Heads

Firestarter by Prodigy

Breathe by Prodigy

More Human than Human by White Zombie

Bring Me to Life by Evanescence

He's a Pirate from the Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl soundtrack

Ape Suite #1 from the Planet of the Apes soundtrack (the recent version)

Naked Eye by Luscious Jackson

These tunes change almost daily and without notice; however, they are scientifically proven to rock your world.

2006-08-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

Tough Row Tahoe

It was almost cruel to spend the weekend on the north shore of Lake Tahoe last weekend.

We enjoyed dry, cool, sunny days and clear cold nights. In the evenings, we sat on the balcony of our hotel and watched the blue water deepen in color and the moutains melow in the fading sunlight. We paddled down the Truckee River and walked up and down Tahoe City's main drag. We drank dirty martinis in Frank Sinatra's Cal-Nevo casino. We leaped from rock to rock at Eagle Falls and stared in wonder at Emerald Bay. We had an amazing dinner on Sunday night.

Then we went home to harsh, humid days and work and the hundred little things one must do around the house after a vacation. We played a dirty trick on ourselves when we escaped to the Sierra Nevadas, a tantalizing glimpse of what could be that only made the jagged reality sting the more.

Would we do it again? Absolutely.

While I was gone, I read Rory Stewart's The Places In Between. His book chronicles his travels across Afghanistan in 2002. He walked the entire way and spent his nights in the villages he stumbled across. It was often dangerous and never dull. He was accompanied by a "retired" war dog that a villager gave him, a mastiff-like beast he named Babur (after a historic Afghani king who made a similar journey hundreds of years before). The two of them encountered people who were often ignorant and sometimes frightening (he traveled through the country just after the US invaded, and many locals were once loyal to the Taliban or Al-Queda). It is a fascinating look at a troubled country and highly recommended.

2006-07-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Faboo Tuesday

The first seasons of Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain hit shelves today!

Brain: Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?

Pinky: I think so Brain, but if we didn't have ears, we'd look like weasels.

2006-07-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

We Loved Lucy

Today is a sad day for us. Lucy, one of our cats, died. She was 21 years old.

Linda and Lucy were inseperable. Lucy was there for her through good times and bad. She ruled the house as if she was several times her size (even in her advanced age, she totally owned our golden retriever). I knew her during the last five or so years of her life, well into her curmudgeon phase, but even I could see how extra-ordinarily tough she was. A few years ago she was the victim of a dog attack that left her with a dislocated leg that never healed properly and she still managed to get around almost as easily with three legs as with four. She never lacked for something to say and she always knew what she wanted.

I hope that, wherever she is, she will remember us as fondly as we remember her.

2006-07-18T05:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Patrick's Birthday

I hope everyone is having a good time on this, the greatest of holidays. Think of the children running around, wearing Patrick masks. And of the families trimming their Patrick trees with plastic Patrick replicas.

But I want to take a moment and discuss a serious issue with you. Many of you will soon join your friends and neighbors in some uplifting Patrick carols. As you know, it is traditional to sing the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Give It Away" as you stroll through your cities, towns and hamlets. Yet many people miss out on the frivolity because they simply do not have the funk.

Patrick understands. And he believes in recycling. For the environment.

I suggest singing Christmas tunes but replacing the word "Christmas" with the word "Patrick". Here's an example:

O Patrick tree! O Patrick tree!
How beautiful your branches!

See how easy that is? Anybody can do that!

Now get out there and celebrate!

2006-07-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Shine On You Crazy Diamond

Syd Barrett died at the age of 60. I am not a big fan of the songs he wrote but I do not think the alternative pop that I do enjoy would exist without him.

2006-07-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

Plotz!

From The Alternative Yiddish Dictionary: plotz (verb) fall down dead right now note Usage: "oy, after all that shopping I'm about to plotz" Or "Ham and cheese sandwiches? If your grandfather weren't already dead, he'd plotz."

From The Urban Dictionary: plotz —v.i. Slang. to collapse or faint, as from surprise, excitement, or exhaustion.

2006-06-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

Heart of Dorkness

I bought some comics this week.

Astonishing X-Men - We are still very much in the second act of this story line. The villains sneak up on our heroes and attack. There are some interesting set pieces here: like Colossus, I forgot what Sebastian Shaw's powers were; and the way Wolverine is, er, "neutralized" is very entertaining. I have only a vague idea what powers the "goth punk" wields, though. We get a glimpse of the villain from the last storyline but I am not very interested. The White Queen made a pretty tough decision a few issues ago, and followed through with it, but this issue hints that she is playing another game entirely.

There are glimpses of Joss Whedon's characterization, especially with the young women featured in the book (this should come as no surprise, what with the Buffy and all). Although Mr. Whedon clearly favors Kitty Pryde, I am far more interested in the White Queen. She has far greater potential for interesting conflict. This conflict builds from her history as well as her own character, which is all too rare in fiction these days. I am also a big fan of the Beast but I am not as confident that Mr. Whedon will develop the conflicts inherent in that character. After all, he may be blue and hairy but he is still a male.

And, as usual, Mr. Cassaday's art is amazing.

Ultimates - Everyone in this comic is still an asshole. This morning, I wrestled with the question: why do I still read this thing? For one, Mr. Hitch's art is pretty darn good. He has problems with complicated fight scenes but in this issue he does a good job with some tough stuff. I particularly liked Captain America's fight with the villain who makes copies of himself. I also enjoy the character design for Iron Man.

But the real reason I keep picking up this comic is that I am pretty dumb. Marvel releases issues so infrequently that I forget how much I hated the previous issue. I buy the current one when I see the pretty pictures. And yet as soon as I get home, and experience the agony that is Mr. Millar's writing, I slap myself on the forehead and say, "Oops! I did it again!" Stupid, stupid art.

All-Star Superman - This issue featured Jimmy Olson and the best gypsy curse since the Spleen ("You smelled it, you dealt it!"). The plot is pretty standard Superman stuff (where he is the victim of his own power) but I enjoyed the characterization very much. Everybody and everything is interesting in this issue. And, like previous issues of this title, the "golly gee whiz" factor is cranked up to eleven. A much needed balm after reading Ultimates.

I gave my wife a copy of the new Wonder Woman comic. I wanted to see if she would like it and to see if she would have any trouble with the character's rather convoluted backstory. I also did not tell her that the Mr. Heinberg also wrote several episodes of "Sex in the City" and "Gilmore Girls." She liked it. She liked the idea that Diana's sister is now Wonder Woman and she had no problem with following the story or the characters. Her sentiment echoes mine too. When I told her about the writer's television experience, she said "oh!", and I think that was a good thing. I may continue to buy the comic.

Two of the comics I looked at this week are written by television writers and a third, Ultimate Wolverine vs. the Hulk, is written by one of Lost's show runners. I think this makes perfect sense. Many people making a living writing today were big comics fans as kids. I also think that the skills it takes to create episodic, ongoing stories translate well from television to comics (and vice versa). Those writers who come to comics from television, by and large, succeed in the printed medium and (perhaps) attract readers who would not have picked up a comic otherwise.

But.

There is a problem. A big problem. I planned to go on a long rant about this, but Paul O'Brien beat me to it. As he is more capable of making the point more eloquently than I, I am happy to link to his thoughts on the matter and let him do the talking.

2006-06-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

Odds and Ends

Paul McCartney is now 64 years old. I'll give you a few moments to think about that.

The US tied with Italy this weekend, 1-1. Neither team played very well, especially in comparison to Ghana's performance earlier that day. Ghana schooled the Czechs 2-0, scoring their first goal during the first two minutes of the game. As I watch these and other games in the World Cup, I marvel at the way these players control the ball, plucking it out of the air with their feet. I also marvel at the extraordinary aerobic conditioning those guys must be in, to run around nonstop for 90+ minutes.

Linda and I watched Howl's Moving Castle on DVD this weekend. The story is only loosely based on the book by Diane Wynne Jones but it boasted the most coherent narrative that I have seen in a Miyazaki film. And, as ever, the animation is gorgeous.

We also watched Orson Welles' F is for Fake, a documentary about fraud and con artists. It is not a linear presentation but a amiable meandering through the subject matter. I liken it to a dinner conversation with Mr. Welles, where he can hold you spell bound with his asides and logical leaps while still leading you inexorably to his point. It was pretty challenging but pretty good too.

I read Jeff Vandermeer's City of Saints and Madmen. It is a lush read about a fantastic city where the people live uneasily with, well, mushrooms and squid. The book is not a single narrative but a series of short stories, excerpts from imaginary historical and scientific essays, and the like. The city is locked in a perpetual war between the human populace and the alien mushroom dwellers, a war that the humans do not realize that they are fighting and losing. As I read each section, the almost cthulhu-like horror crept up on me, hidden by the dark humor and absurdity of the premise. A great fantasy book!

2006-06-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

World Cup Update

Well, my boys on the Costa Rica team will not advance to the next round. And the US team got its butt handed to them by the Czechs (awesome beer+soccer prowess=world domination) but I do not think that the US is out of the running yet.

The official site is here.

Finally: my amigos on the Mexican team has finally done what the US has yet to do: show up Iran! I have hopes that at least one North American team will represent at the Cup.

2006-06-09T05:54:00.000-07:00

Go Costa Rica!

Costa Rica plays Germany in the World Cup today at 12pm EST.

Update: Germany won 4-2.

2006-06-08T04:40:00.000-07:00

Nawlins, Part III

Our last day at the Fest was a traditional tourist experience. We visited the French Quarter and ate beignets at Cafe Du Monde before hitting the Fest. Despite the devastation we had seen the day before, the Quarter looked much like I expected it to look. The neighborhood was spared much of the flooding and weather that plagued the rest of the city and tourists like me were there in force. Cafe Du Monde was bursting with people, coffee and powdered sugar.

Once at the Fest, we listened to the Treme (pronounced "tre-MAY") Brass Band at the Economy Hall tent, while a sudden downpour drenched passers-by. The band attempted to march through the crowds but the surging crowd prevented it, so they contented themselves with playing standards with irrepressible energy.

We sat in on an interview between Harry Shearer (of "Spinal Tap" and "The Simpsons" fame) and Marcia Ball. They talked about music, of course, and of the towns they lived in. Ms. Ball lamented the fact that Austin is no longer the town she knew 20 years ago, and I must agree.

We wandered back to Fais Do-Do, where the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars played a set and finished the day at the Jazz Tent. Nicholas Payton was supposed to play at the Tent but he could not make it, so a pick-up band of brass players improvised a set of standards. It was an extraordinary thing and highlighted what makes New Orleans so special. Brass bands are such an institution in this city, and the players are a close knit community, that members of different bands can play with members of other bands so seemlessly. The music they made on the fly was extraordinary, a wall of triumphant sound that continued to build as more musicians took the stage until the audience could hardly stand it! It was the perfect way to end the Fest.

2006-05-24T03:58:00.000-07:00

Nawlins, Part II

On the second day of our trip, we took a drive through the Ninth Ward and parts of St. Bernard's Parish. The Ninth Ward is snug up against the levee that burst in the floods that followed Katrina, and the devastation is evident everywhere. Houses were shoved on top of other houses. Cars flipped over. Trees were uprooted. Power lines lay strewn on the ground. The experience made me both uncomfortable (after all, I was there not to help but to watch) and angry. I am stunned that our government (and I am starting locally and working my way up to POTUS) allows this situation to stand. Although I am sure that there are people who work very hard to fix the situation - my hat is off to them - I saw little evidence that the government provides any assistance at all. Instead, the place is a monument to indifference and neglect.

When the Fest resumed I was not in a good mood. But the people and the music pulled me out of my funk (or perhaps put me in the funk, so to speak) soon enough. The Mandeville High School Jazz Ensemble started things off in the Jazz Tent. When I was in high school, I was pretty impressed by our jazz ensemble. Compared to these kids, we were losers with kazoos. Germaine Bazzle, an accomplished jazz vocalist, followed. We ran into more friends and followed them to the Acura stage, where Deacon John played the blues and Buckwheat Zydeco played, well, zydeco.

I am not a fan of the Acura stage. Unlike the Jazz Tent or the Fais Do-Do, it is a large space packed with people too close together to dance. It is the stage where the "big names" perform because it is the only place large enough to accompate the fans. Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello played there the weekend before. It takes up nearly a quarter of the total area of Jazz Fest but it is far removed from the experience. Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed Mssrs. John and Zydeco. And I am sure that the big names draw in more money, which is what the town desperately needs. But the experience in that crowd leaves me cold.

Fortunately, I got the cure soon after. The Ohio Players performed on the Congo Square stage and it was fantastic experience. Ed Bradley (of 60 Minutes fame) introduced them as one of the top two funk bands ever, and he bobbed his head while they spent twenty minutes on "Love Rollercoaster" and another twenty minutes on "Fire". The crowd jumped up and down and wiggled and bobbed. The energy level at a funk show is always good and this act was a tonic. I was particularly impressed with the bass player's leopard-print pajamas. I have got to get me a pair of those!

I understand that Ray Nagin won the New Orleans mayoral race. As an outsider, I have no investment in this and I defer to others. A local friend is of the opinion that he is what the town needs: someone who is not a part of the local political machines and who won't get distracted by their demands. On the other hand, I understand that he has shown a lack of interest in negotiating with those machines, which can be a problem in itself. Whatever the case, he's got a herculean task ahead of him.

In Other News

We lost Clifford Antone yesterday. I did not know the man but I did love the music that played in his club. Another piece of Austin is gone.

On the other hand, our friend Edie received her Ph.D this weekend and won UT's Oustanding Dissertation Award to boot! Congratulations!

2006-05-11T15:53:00.000-07:00

Nawlins, Part 1

Linda and I drove back to New Orleans on Thursday afternoon/evening/night. It isn't a bad drive ; in fact, I found it to be pretty interesting. I don't get to see trees that aren't juniper trees that often and the further east I went, the less like cedar the trees became. It grew too dark when we drove through the Atchafalaya (sp?) swamp for me to see that natural wonder, although I could appreciate the engineering marvel that is the raised causeway that allowed us to pass harmlessly over it.

The last hour of the trip was the worst. Crews were working on sections of I-10 as we hit the outskirts of New Orleans, squeezing three lanes of traffic into one and causing us to spend nearly forty-five minutes to travel a mere 2 miles. Once we got past the snarl, I took a wrong turn. Linda called the hotel for directions and we crawled through some pretty sketchy neighborhoods, searching for landmarks and street signs. We learned three things: 1) there are still sections of town, even just outside of the downtown area, that are practically deserted; 2) there are street signs that point the wrong way, hang upside down, or are missing entirely; and 3) New Orleans does not believe in left turns. We got to the hotel eventually but I was worn down to a frazzle by the time I got there.

Fortunately, the beds were very comfortable and I got a good eight hours of sleep before my brother-in-law called us out of bed and shepherded us to the Fest. Despite the fact that it was not quite 1100am, crowds gathered outside a bar not far from the entrance to the Fest for their first shot of booze. We picked up a Bloody Mary and allowed ourselves to be led through the ticket touts and into the Fest.

Looking back at the schedule the first day, I realize that I spent most of my time at the Fais Do-Do stage, where local cajun and zydeco bands whooped it up. After the last few difficult months, I soaked up the energy and the joy like a grateful sponge. I have not been the biggest fan of the squeeze-box but I grew to love it during my trip. We saw the Pine Leaf Boys, the Savoy Family Band and the Red Stick Ramblers, and each band was as good as its predecessor. We wrapped up the first day with Angelique Kidjo, an African pop singer, at the Congo Square stage. Ms. Kidjo wore her politics on her sleeve but she had a fantastic voice, her band brought the funk, and they did a kick-ass version of "Voodoo Child".

I should mention that we began the day with my brother-in-law but we did not end it that way. As I have mentioned in previous posts, the man totally immerses himself in the Fest experience. He has places to go and people to see and he prefers to go and see at his own pace and in his own way. So he passed us along to our local friends and faded into the crowd. I believe he communes with the Fest in much the same way as a shaman communes with the spirit world; he understands it on a level that us mere tourists cannot. I salute him!

Our friends took us in hand. I am happy to report that they weathered the storm very well, with minimal damage to their house. Their stories of other victims were harrowing but that is the subject of my next post.

2006-05-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

Uncle Patrick Goes Abroad

Not that this blog has been a paragon of consistency lately, but you will see even less of me over the next few days. Your aunt and I are going to New Orleans for the Jazz Festival this weekend. As many of my long-time readers will recall, I began this blog just before I went to the Festival a few years ago. I hope to post some thoughts about this year's Festival, particularly in light of the fact that this is the first post-Katrina Festival. I will not have one of those lap-top thingies with me, and I am not sure if I will have access to a computer while I am there, but I will take notes and blog like the wind upon my return. In the meantime, check out my archives from 2004 for a refresher course in Uncle Patrick/Festival studies.

And I did watch the first part of the two-part House event last night. I cannot speak to the medicine (as always, I refer you to the fine Polite Dissent) but I did enjoy the show. I think everyone involved played their roles perfectly. Kudos go to Omar Epps in particular. His portrayal of Dr. Foreman's plight was spot-on and consistent with the character as developed over the last two seasons (although I think the scene where he "enlists the aid" of Dr. Cameron was a bit much - but this is a writing problem, not an acting probliem). I hope that this is not some sort of swan song for the character, though...

2006-04-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

Descent into Dorkness

This post is all about the geekery. Regular readers may wish to check in later.

This week saw the release of Frankenstein #4, the last issue of the last mini-series in the Seven Soldiers Project. Now all that's left is Seven Soldiers #1 (which, I understand, is delayed until summer). And the crying.

'Cause I'm gonna miss this when it is all done. The project had it's misses but it also had a lot of hits. Frank 4 is one of the hits, baby. It kicked all sorts of ass! I was not very impressed with the first issue of this mini but it grew stronger with each issue, creating more connections with the larger story and allowing the bolt-headed one to carve a bloody swathe through it. Frank 4 lays the ground work for what I assume will be the final showdown between the Soldiers and the enemy in this project. Without spoiling too much: the Soldiers need not sweat the small stuff 'cause Frank did all of the heavy lifting for ya!

Speaking of heavy lifting, I also picked up the most recent issue of The Thing. In this issue, he teams up with a bizarre-looking Spider Man (a new costume with mechanical spider-arms?) to take out a couple of classic villains. We get a little soap opera too as Mr. Grimm still carries a torch for an old flame. I am not sure I am cool with the fact that everyone around him encourages him to break up her current relationship (especially since her new boy friend is a nice, normal dude) but fiction is all about conflict, right?

Oh, and Marvel must give Dan Slott a gig writing Spider Man. Between this issue and Mr. Slott's recent turn with the Spider Man/Human Torch mini, I am convinced that he was born to write that character. With my luck, he'll be offered a job writing on Lost and I will never hear from him again.

I picked up Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men but I have not read it. My enthusiasm for this comic is the subject of many posts here on this blog but I am losing interest in this thing. The last story arc lost momentum and the current story relies on some cliches that plague this property. Joss Whedon gives good characterization, and I am willing to stick it out a little longer, but I am not optimistic.

And my buddy Dan "the Man" lent me his copy of volume 1 of Essential Moon Knight this past weekend. I have read only the first issue collected in this omnibus but I am digging it already! I loved this character as a kid in the 70s, when he showed up in issues of Werewolf By Night to kick the eponymous lycanthrope's butt and this collection gave me a fist full of silver! And then follows it up with a savate kick to the jaw with a silver-toed boot! Ouch!

2006-04-25T04:03:00.000-07:00

Kong!

My wife and I finally watched Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong on Sunday. The experience highlighted an interesting trend in our lives. We rarely go out to the movies anymore. We have become the people Hollywood fears most: the people who would rather stay at home and watch DVDs than pay extraordinary amounts of money to sit with a bunch of goobers who talk on their cell phones. If we go to a movie, we make it an event worth our while by going to an Alamo Drafthouse. Otherwise, we just wait for the film to make it to the top of our Netflix queue.

Anyway, the movie. It was very hit-and-miss for me. The first hour or so dragged. Most characterization (with the possible exception of Carl Denham - played by Jack Black) was done by telling rather than showing. The writer character - played by Adrian Brody - was not developed, despite the screen time devoted to him. The film spent a lot of time developing minor characters with little pay-off. If I were to judge the movie on the first half, I would be very disappointed.

It takes off on Skull Island. Every scene on the island is exciting and dramatic. Dudes die in horrible ways. Kong lays some ape-fu on T-Rexes. Giant bugs. Insane, malnurished natives speaking in tongues. Pulpy goodness, friends and neighbors.

King Kong himself was an amazing piece of work. I was very convinced that a giant ape was rampaging across the screen. And the pathos that follows him everywhere was very affecting. I am a sucker for movies where (SPOILER!) the animal dies and this one got me right where it wanted me.

If Mr. Jackson and company had figured out a way to fix the first half of the film, then this would have been a great movie.

2006-04-12T03:45:00.000-07:00

House Party

In last night's installment, House and his posse break themselves away from a party to tend to a sick child. There wasn't much sopa opera this week, as the central conflict (figuring out what the kid is suffering from in time to save him) was more than enough to sustain the show. Granted, the writers made it "personal" by introducing a bit of backstory wherein House tried to save a woman with similar symptoms years before but failed. And Dr. Chase, in a rare display of uppity-ness, reminds the rest of the cast that this failure haunts his boss to the point of obsession. There is a nice series of cut-scenes where House, Wilson and Cuddy play poker, where House can once again display his intellectual dominance over all in a more social setting. And, once again, poker provides answers to vexing medical questions. However, the show wisely focused on the medicine. Accordingly, I have little to comment on. For an analysis of the details, I refer you to Polite Dissent.

Before we settled in for House, my wife and I caught the last few minutes of American Idol. As a rule, I avoid the show. Last night I had a few, er, idle moments and took a peek. As it turns out, last night was Queen night and the contestants belted out glam rock. I must admit that several of the contestants showed remarkable talent; however, I am not as impressed with their ability to deliver. If nothing else, Queen music is all about drama, and one has to be willing to put it all out there for the songs to work. The contestants' versions lacked punch (or soul, if you will). I am not sure if this is due to a generational difference or nervousness or just a lack of understanding of the source material. But it confirmed my suspicion that watching the show is not the best use of my time.

On the other hand, we have been watching the second season of Scrubs as if our lives depended upon it!

2006-04-10T04:07:00.000-07:00

What's with the Dots?

It is almost the second anniversary of this blog! In accordance with hallowed tradition, I have changed the template so that you, dear reader, will not grow bored with the reading experience. At Humid Cedar, we go the extra mile for you!

2006-03-31T06:11:00.000-08:00

Best Pop Song Ever

Once in a Lifetime, by the Talking Heads.

Discuss.

2006-03-29T08:44:00.000-08:00

Breaking News!

David Mamet loves my wife's show! She met him this morning. Apparently, Mr. Mamet is visiting the Harry Ransom Center and really liked what he saw.

So, if you've attended the show, and you liked the show, then you are in good company.

2006-03-29T03:55:00.000-08:00

House Mates and Who

Last night's episode of House had an interesting twist (which I am not going to spoil for you) but was nothing spectacular. A recurring sub-plot involving Dr. Wilson's separation from his wife continued, as our man Wilson moves in with House. We learn that Wilson spends a lot of time in the bathroom and likes to label his food. At first it appears that the curmudgeonly House will chase Wilson out after only a day or two but, with the labeled food and the new maid, House takes steps to keep his buddy around a little longer. That's some compelling drama, right there.

I suspect the presence of a theme in there somewhere, perhaps one about companionship and/or relationships (this week's victim was involved in a marriage that was, ah, surprisingly open). But other than the twist (which I am not going to reveal here), the show did not explore the implications of the victim's marriage very thoroughly. Dr. Cameron almost did, when she asked a few questions, but that was about it. Maybe the final moment of the show, when she pulled some money out of her pants, was supposed to mean something but it went completely over my head. Granted, it could have been the Shiraz muddling my thinking.

And Stephen Fry? Nowhere to be found. And, as always, you can find a much more intelligent analysis of the show over at Polite Dissent.

I have found myself watching Dr. Who on Friday nights on the Sci-Fi Channel. I haven't watched this show since I was a kid. I was never that impressed with the show: the effects were cheesy and the stories seemed trite, even to a kid. But the main character, a time-traveling alien who lives in a police call box and has adventures with a beautiful woman, is a great hook. As a kid, I thought the Dr. Who with the overcoat, scarf, curly hair, big nose and hat (played by Tom Baker in the 70s) was the coolest dude ever, right up there with Kolchak the Night Stalker. I understand that over the years actors played eccentric variations on the Doctor but I couldn't get into it like many fans.

The new Dr. Who is pretty good. Christopher Eccleston played the good Doctor for a season. He didn't have many of the eccentric accoutrements that Mr. Baker did but he definitely had the right attitude. He played the Doctor as an enthusiastic participant in any situation he found himself in, a being who loved life and reveled in excitement. The attitude is infectious and makes up for some of the (still) cheesy effects. I am also a fan of the current sidekick, Rose (played by Billie Piper). She is more down-to-Earth than the Doctor but she still shares his love for adventure. They make a great team and I enjoy watching them stumble through some crazy sh#t.

In other news, Dave's Long Box (link in the Link-O-Rama)is celebrating its first year anniversary. Take a gander but don't drink the punch.

2006-03-23T04:21:00.000-08:00

Into Deep

It appears that bon vivant and raconteur Notorious Mjt! started a blog. You may a find a link to said blog in the Link-O-Rama to your right.

If you ever read it, then may God have mercy on your soul.

2006-03-21T16:03:00.000-08:00

As I walked to my car, someone emerged from the shadows and knocked me on the head! When I came to my senses, I discovered that the Notorious Mjt! posted the following on my blog:

Hey!

Just thought of this - and thought of you - and your blog - and felt compelled to zip this off to you.

Bear with me...

I'm sitting here at work tapping away on my computer while listening to XTC's Oranges and Lemons, and it struck me as to how perfect an album it is. I love every song on it - I think it's XTC's best work (their "peak", if you will - just my opinion of course) - and it would be less of a work if any song or sound were missing or even if the play order was different. It is complete, and whole, and exactly right for itself, and it's intent, at that time and place - in other words: perfect.

So that made me think. How many truly perfect albums are there like that? I mean, there's are tons of cool albums, and everybody has their favorites. But there's always the "That song was awesome, but this one- not so much". Or the "I wish they'd started the album with this track instead of that" (Steely Dan's Aja immediately comes to mind for that one - they TOTALLY should have started with the title track instead of Black Cow!). You know what I mean?

I can think of a few other possible contenders. Pink Floyd's DARK SIDE OF THE MOON was my next thought. It's arguably not their most influential work - like The Wall. And yet it seems more complete and true to itself than any of their other albums. And each song flows from one to the next as if that was the only order they could have possibly been in. It's internal consistency is without flaw, IMHO.

Pat Metheny's LETTER FROM HOME came to mind, too. I could listen to that album on eternal replay over and over again. It's not like As Falls Wichita So Falls Witita Falls - which has the awesome title suite (it's really more than one track), with a few other numbers tacked on to the end. Each individual song on Letter From Home seems like it segues to the next, as if the whole album is one great big extended composition. Perfect.

Does this make sense? Can you think of any others? And would your readership have some suggestions? The more I think about this, the more I'm interested to hear what others think about it.

Mjt!

Despite the throbbing pain in my skull, I will list a few albums that, in my mind, fit your criteria:

1. Pete Townshend, White City

2. Talking Heads, Remain in Light

3. Dave Brubeck, Take Five

4. Paul Simon, Graceland

5. Miles Davis, Kind of Blue

Ok, posters, it's your turn!

2006-03-20T10:06:00.000-08:00

The Movie "The Man" Didn't Want Me To See

I took myself to the movies this weekend and watched V For Vendetta. I read Alan Moore's comic when it was first released (has it really been almost 20 years?) so I didn't remember too many details from the original source material.

As a result, the only baggage I carried with me into the theater was the recent huffaloo raised by Mr. Moore. The New York Times reported that Mr. Moore doesn't like the movie very much and, in fact, doesn't like any of the movies made from his work. The rancor between Mr. Moore, DC Comics, and Hollywood has developed to the point where he is not credited in the movie (the only reference to the comic is the fact that it was "Illustrated by David Lloyd"). The basic point he makes is: the story was his until the comic company and other media twisted it into something it was not. He wants nothing more to do with the process. Although I think the media has been inordinately kind to Mr. Moore by keeping his work in print and in the public eye for over twenty years, and I think that he is naive if he thinks movie makers will not change the story to fit the demands of the medium and the marketplace, I can understand his sense of ownership. Having seen what those bastards did to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I too would be overcome by fear and loathing for the deep capacity of movie makers to really screw things up.

Did they screw things up with V? I don't think so. I will not get into many plot details here, so as not to spoil it for you. I will say that the movie definitely watered-down the exteme viewpoints dramatized in the comic and humanized the radical V to a greater extent than I recall from the original story. There are a few Matrix-like fight scenes but they were not overdone and they did not occur too often. Hugo Weaving (who played Elrond in the Lord of the Rings movies and Agent Smith in the Matrix movies) does an amazing job playing a tortured human being who wears a mask with but one expression at all times. Natalie Portman does an excellent job too, although her British accent is not that great. And I am always happy to see Stephen Fry in a movie. Now if we could just get him to play a role in House....

If you'd like a more in-depth analysis of the movie and its relationship with the original source material, then I refere you to the excellent commentary on the Howling Curmudgeons web site.

2006-03-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

2006-03-17T06:23:00.000-08:00

Uncle Patrick takes Substance D

The movie premiere was a lot of fun. Before the movie started, we stood in the line reserved for cast, crew and various hangers-on (that was us). Patton Oswalt was there! We talked with a few of the animators and learned that the film making process was not as grim as this article would have you believe. Which is a relief.

The movie was not the finished product scheduled to hit theaters this summer but it was quite good. It takes place seven years in the future, when over 20% of the population is addicted to a drug called Substance D. Substance D alters the user's sense of reality and gives a sense of euphoria but can result in brain damage. Keanu Reeves plays an undercover agent seeking to root out the members of the drug's distribution chain in Anaheim, California. Robert Downey, Jr. and Woody Harrelson play his addicted roomates. Winona Ryder plays his love interest. Rory Cochrane (who you'd recognize from his work in Dazed and Confused) plays another addict. The performances were all very good. Mr. Downey's characterization of an intelligent, amoral man whose mental synapses misfire under the influence of Substance D is particularly excellent. Mr. Cochrane's performance of a man deep within the thrall of the drug is also really good.

The animation is well used here too. The process is called roto-scoping, where the animators animate over the live-action film. By and large, the animatos show admirable retraint, using the process to give the whole movie a slick, almost greasy look, as if seen from the eyes of an addict one-step removed from reality. Although the animation is often almost indistinguishable from live action film, backgrounds can sometimes slide around or come into and out of focus. People turn into insects. Imaginary insects crawl over the skin and through the hair. The effect can be disconcerting but immersive (and I must admit there were moments when it distracted me from the dialogue or the action). The animation is most evident in the one sci-fi gimmick in the film: the scramble suit.

Undercover agents wear scramble suits to hide their identities. Scramble suits are full body suits that contantly shape-shift, flickering characteristics of different people across the wearer's body. These characteristics are not consistent across the suit (half of the torso could be a business suit, while the other half is a summer dress, while the face shifts from African-American female to Caucasian male, and so on) and the result is like a walking night-terror, a miasma of images that the viewer cannot get a handle on, hiding its wearer in plain sight. The animators really shine with this effect; I am not convinced that it could be captured effectively in any other way.

In any event, with the exceptions of the scramble-suits and the insects (which are the few instances of overt animation), the animation in this movie serves the story admirably and provides a new dimension to the experience. Highly recommended.

2006-03-15T11:51:00.000-08:00

Uncle Patrick Goes to the Movies

My wife and I are going to see A Scanner Darkly tonight. It premieres at the Paramount Theater in downtown Austin as part of SXSW.

2006-03-11T14:56:00.000-08:00

Chattering Cyclops, Part II

You may have noticed that I did not post any commentary on House this past week. I was pretty wrapped up in Ptolemy's Gate and did not note the time until I paused long enough to call my parents. We talked for a few minutes before my Dad said, "Gotta go, House is back on!"

I figured that I can catch the episode in re-runs and went back to my book.

So I am not writing in praise of House (I have done that before anyway). Instead, I sing a song of The Shield.

My wife and I watched the fourth season on DVD a few weeks ago. As many of you recall, this season featured Glenn Close as Capt. Monica Rawling, the new head of the Farmington precinct where the series takes place. The character was a strong, driven person who was not given to passionate outbursts (save for a few noteworthy exceptions during the last few episodes of the season) but who clearly cared about the people she worked with an protected. There was never any question who was in charge either. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Ms. Close portrayed one of the best protagonists I have ever seen on television or elsewhere, of either gender. That is not to say that any of the other actors in the series were any less worthy of praise; rather, it is a reflection of the greatness of the work that she stood out in such an excellent ensemble cast. And the character's arc was dealt with intelligence and style, that ends in ambivalence that is also somehow satisfying (and in keeping with the tone of the show). I won't go into too much detail so as not to spoil anything for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of watching the series.

And I would give the entire series, from beginning to end, my highest recommendation. The premise seems suspect on first blush: the show traces the career of a corrupt cop who works in a precinct beseiged by crime. But you grow to like the cop, and the people he works with, and follow his descent and his climb back to respectability (of a sort). Not all of his colleagues are corrupt (indeed, the source of much of the conflict in the show is his race to keep one step ahead of his fellow cops) but they all struggle mightily to create order out of chaos. My wife and I make it a point to wait for each season to come out on DVD, so we can absorb it in marathon sessions.

2006-03-06T05:12:00.000-08:00

And the winner is...

Blogging about the Oscars.

First, see By Ken Levine, a regular member of my Link-O-Rama.

Then, see Tom the Dog.

Then, Vince Keenan.

Very amusing stuff.

For my part, I only watched the opening monologue. Mr. Stewart was stiff and a little nervous but he was still funnier than any host in recent memory. And Kudos to George Clooney, who helped sell Mr. Stewart's joke about "Good Night and Good Luck". I admit that I haven't watched any of the best picture nominees but most of them are waiting on my Netflix queue.

As for my next TV post, I want to give people an opportunity to read the first part. It is below.

2006-03-03T14:50:00.000-08:00

The Chattering Cyclops, Part I

Today, I write in praise of television. I have a love/hate realtionship with that device. When I grew up, my family treated it with scorn and derision. In fact, we did not have a TV for a few years. When we did have a TV, my parents strictly regulated my viewing habits. So naturally I loved the thing. I'd watch it every chance I had. Mostly cartoons and syndicated shows. I have blogged before about my love for old Universal movie monsters, which came from watching old movies on Sunday afternoons on TV. It offered a great escape and inspired many ideas in my young, fevered brain.

But I got older and along the way I obtained an over-developed critical faculty. This faculty cannot stand most of the stuff that is on television. On most days, I adopt the same attitude about the medium that my parents did when I was a kid.

Then there are shows that make me believe that the best creative work in pop culture is on television. I have spent many blog posts discussing House, so I will not rehash it here. Instead, I want to talk about the first of two shows that have grabbed my attention and won't let go: Arrested Development.

My wife and I rented the first two seasons on DVD from netflix about a month ago. I watched bits-and-pieces of the show when it was on the air but I didn't see enough that it earned more of my attention. After we watched back-to-back episodes in sequence, most of them in marathon sessions, I reflected upon my stubbornness. It could be my tragic flaw. Arrested Development is a damn fine show.

From the writing to the acting to the music to the production, the talent on display is top-notch. The show rewards regular viewers with convoluted in-jokes that twist and turn, growing funnier and funnier. There is also a thread of met-commentary on pop culture in general and television in particular (the scene where Henry Winkler's character literally jumps over a dead shark is a classic example) that rewards the attentive viewer. Each actor displays his or her chops in physical and verbal comedy as they make their way through stories that adhere to their own internal logic so faithfully that one could convince oneself that one was looking through a magic window into another reality where things are slightly...off...and not just another paint-by-numbers sitcom. All-in-all, an enjoyable and entertaining experience.

I understand that, despite the critical praise and countless accolades heaped upon it, the show could not develop a larger audience and Fox canceled it after three seasons. I am stunned that Fox kept it around that long! If a show is good, Fox will usually kill it within a few episodes (see, for example, Firefly and Wonderfalls). I guess the acclaim kept Arrested Development on life support. I also understand that Showtime picked the series up and will run new episodes. I wish it well.

In my next post, I will talk about the other show. What show is it? Stay tuned and find out!

2006-02-27T04:32:00.000-08:00

No Pithy Title Today

We lost Don Knotts and Darivn McGavin this weekend.

2006-02-09T05:42:00.000-08:00

Eroica

I once dated a woman who told me that Beethoven's music could only be appreciated by mature persons with a deep knowledge of musical theory. Unfortunately for that relationship, I am not the tautest string on the violin and I know just enough music theory to get slapped around in Mexican bars. But I do know one thing: Beethoven's Symphony no. 3 is the best symphony I have ever heard. I love that piece of music! And I went on to marry a wonderful woman, so I win.

I fyou have the slightest interest in this piece, I refer you to this description, which is quite accessible and does not require a Ph.D to understand. If you can get your hands on Leonard Bernstein's audio commentary on the symphony, then do so forthwith.

But most importantly, listen!

2006-02-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

From the Decline of Western Civilization Desk

Big Momma's House 2 opened last weekend and earned 28 million.

Serenity's opening weekend netted only 10 million.

To quote Jubal Early: Does that seem right to you?

2006-02-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

The Image Wrought

My wife's show made its debut this week at the Harry Ransom Center. You can read an article from The Economist here.

The exhibition will be up until August and it is well worth your while. I am so proud, I could burst!

2006-01-30T05:47:00.000-08:00

Inevitable History: or why Gore will win in 'o8

Something Old, Nothing New traces some interesting parallels between the time period 19323 to 1968 and the time period 1980 and the present, at least regarding presidential elections. It is an interesting thought experiment. Fundamentally, if this exercise shows anything, it shows that things stay the same, regardless of the politcal party in power.

2006-01-27T12:46:00.000-08:00

DAVE LOVES STINKY CHEESE!

I have long been a fan of The Smoking Gun, which came to prominence recently for exposing the (ahem) misleading statements in the best-selling "memoir" A Million Little Pieces.

My favorite section of the site, however, is the collection of riders. Touring musicians enter into contracts with the venues that they perform in. Riders are addendums to those contracts, where the musicians spell out what they want to see in their dressing rooms backstage. Riders are telling evidence of any particular musician's eccentricities, as well as amusing examples of contract drafting. My current favorite is a rider drafted by someone on behalf of the Foo Fighters. Take note of the portions indicated by the red arrows (the other stuff is typical boring "contract-ese"), especially those comments that have no legal effect but make the document much easier to plow through.

2006-01-27T06:47:00.000-08:00

Dare to Dream!

With the recent news about Disney and Pixar, I have spent some of my precious blog-reading time over at Cartoon Brew (now a part of my presitgious link-o-rama), reading reactions for and against the deal by persons directly affected by it.

One piece of news that struck me was the announcement that the new managememt team killed Toy Story 3. One of the reasons cited for this move was the desire to engage the original Toy Story artists when they have a good story. This was a not-subtle dig at the popular Hollywood concept of a sequel for a sequel's sake. People who make movies spend a lot of money and want to see a return on investment. As these people are conservative with their money (if not their politics), they know it is safer to bet on a known success than gamble on something that could flop on opening night. Although I understand the reasons behind this trend of rehashing tired concepts (Big Momma's House 2, anyone?), I am still a dissatisfied consumer. So I find in this piece of news a ray of hope that some truly talented and creative people will have opportunities to produce something new and original and good. The prospect of seeing a great animated film makes me giddy.

I wish the new creative management team at Disney well.

2006-01-25T05:57:00.000-08:00

You Got Your Pixar in My Disney

As you doubtless know by now, Disney purchased Pixa r yesterday. The two companies had a close relationship in the past (Disney distributed Pixar's films for the past twelve years or so) but that relationship grew strained during the last year or so of Eisner's tenure as Disney's CEO. In fact, Pixar was looking for another studio to distribute its films before Eisner left Disney and the new management proposed the deal. There is some great commentary on this, largely from an animator's perspective, on Cartoon Brew. Something old, Nothing New (link at right) has some thoughts as well.

The deal makes Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple and of Pixar) the largest shareholder at Disney. John Lassiter, creative driving force at Pixar, will now fill the same role at Disney animation. I am not sure where Brad Bird (the writer/director of The Incredibles and The Iron Giant) fits in this scheme. I should note that, as someone who is neither an animator nor a producer, I was completely frozen out. I am very bitter about this.

UPDATE: I read that Brad Bird must join Disney or the deal is off! So I guess he's still in the mix. I still find no reference to me, though.

I predict that Apple's iTunes will feature a lot more Disney related content for the iPod. I understand that many classic Disney cartoons will soon be available for download.

2006-01-24T17:41:00.000-08:00

Book Reviews, no Whatnot

Over the holidays, I read some books!

The Areas of My Expertise, by John Hodgman. Mr. Hodgman is a frequent contributor to This American Life on public radio and a sometimes guest on The Daily Show. His book is written like an almanac and purports to contain "complete world knowledge". Indeed, the section on hobo lore alone is exhaustive (he even includes a list of 700 hobo names - number 670 is Flaky Mike Psoriasis). He teaches us the real history of the Maine lobster, reveals the dark secrets of the largest mall in America, and reminds us of the 51st state, Hohoq (also known as Ar). With my many years of graduate and professional school, I thought I knew a thing or two. But after reading this weighty tome, I realize that I know nothing! It is a hilarious book and well worth the time.

The King Must Die, by Mary Renault. This book is the first of two books about the life of the mythical king of Athens, Theseus. It recounts his life as a young man, before he becomes King of Athens, and ends when he (SPOILER!) defeats the Minotaur in Crete. Ms. Renault plays this straight, as a historical novel. There is no fantasy here, save the sense of wonder people of this time and place must have felt about the world around them. The story also traces the passing of an older religion, which venerated a mother goddess, in favor of a male-dominated religion that worshipped a pantheon of Greek gods. But it is also the story of a young man's development into a confident, capable ruler who learns to earn the trust of his followers. It is a fascinating work that I couldn't put down.

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. This is a book one should make a point of reading every few years. It is a scathing indictment of racism in the South that doesn't condescend towards the white people who perpetuate it. Indeed, on one level it is simply the story of a young girl who has adventures with her brother and Dill (Truman Capote?) in the long, lazy summers of the south in the early 20th century. I remember resenting this book when I was in school, when i had to read it. But when I picked it up again recently, I was totally enthralled. Atticus Finch is my new hero!

Photobucket

2006-01-24T16:50:00.000-08:00

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2006-01-23T06:18:00.000-08:00

When Blogs Attack

It's been a while, hasn't it? Would you like to know why I haven't posted since the holiday? Well, I ain't gonna tell you. I want to preserve the mystery.

From the sea monster desk: giant jellyfish! Check out the photo! If I had seen this picture when I was eight years old, there would be NO WAY that I'd ever go into the ocean.

Please note some new links to your right. "By Ken Levine" is a blog written by a television writer. He is very funny and his comments regarding the writing life in general, and television writing in particular, are insightful. "PVP Online" is a web comic about a group of video-gamers who run their own magazine. "Defective Yeti" is just a funny blog written by a dude in Seattle.

I shall post again soon, with some book reviews and whatnot.

2005-12-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays!

I'll talk to you in the New Year.

2005-12-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

In Praise of Pratchett!

So far as I know, no new episode of House aired last night. Thus, no recap for you!

Instead, I would like to take a few minutes to praise Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Discworld is, well, a disk that sits atop four elephants who, in turn, sit atop a giant turtle that swims through the universe. As you can imagine, this is not a fantasy series that takes itself too seriously. Mr. Pratchett takes fantasy tropes and gives them a unique spin, often at the expense of the trope. For instance, wizards are muddle-headed fools who are clever but not wise. A race of tiny blue men, called Pictsies, run around whacking things and speaking in a near-unreadable Scottish brogue (they think that they are in heaven and are free to drink, carouse and perpetrate violence because that is what heaven is for them). Many vampires belong to a Temperance Society wherein they eschew human blood. There are Verruca Gnomes as well as Tooth Fairies. It goes on and on and never dulls.

But the thing that really sells this series is the way he spins modern real-world problems and examines them in his fun-house-mirror world. He looks at the internet and the dot com bubble in Going Postal; women in the military (and women in traditional societies in general) in Monstrous Regiment; race relations and extremism in Thud! He skewers the silly in our own society in an entertaining manner that serves the story. Any book in this series is highly recommended.

One note of caution: there are, like, hundreds of books in this series. One could face them on the shelves of your friendly local branch of the large bookstore chain and quaver. But although groups of the books tend to go together (featuring the same characters or the same region of Dicsworld), each story stands alone. Once you get into any particular book, you are off and running. Check 'em out.

It appears that we may see some freezing rain in Austin today. I predict much madness and terror in the streets on my commute home. I love winter.

2005-12-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Saint Nicholas' Day!

Today is the day we celebrate the proto-Claus, the dude who was the patron saint of practically everyone (I especially like the fact that he is the patron saint of victims of judicial mistakes).

I hope you left your shoes outside last night!

2005-12-02T06:04:00.000-08:00

"Starring New Zealand and a computer"

Here is a curmudgeonly defense of C.S. Lewis. It is a good, thoughtful read if you have the time.

Answering the Wrong Questions responds.

On a somewhat related note, my wife and I watched A Series of Unfortunate Events last night and found it quite charming ("My name is Stefano. I am an Italian man."). Does anyone know if there will be any sequels?

2005-11-30T05:40:00.000-08:00

House Rules

Well, this was the House episode I'd been waiting for: the episode when the legal chickens came home to roost. I've been anxious to see this in action in a show that practically begged for a disciplinary proceeding. Alas, there isn't a lot to sink my teeth into. Disciplinary proceedings vary from licensing board to licensing board within a state, let alone between states, so I have no idea if the process we observe in the show comports with what would really happen. We only see the dramtically important bits. The inevitable paperwork (such as a notice stating the allegations against Dr. Chase, the written response to those allegations) is not exciting stuff. And the meeting between Chase and the members of the disciplinary committee would not be very exciting even if we were allowed to listen in on it. So there isn't enough data upon which to comment with the same level of analysis as Dr. Scott provides us in his excellent blog.

However, I wonder about the way the disciplinary sanctions were imposed upon House and Chase. Under most circumstances, a disciplinary committee doesn't have final say on the sanctions it imposes. Rather, the committee makes a recommendation to a board consisting of fellow members of the profession and a few "public" members (people not in the profession). The board can then impose the sanction or not. Settlement agreements between the committee and the respondent are not uncommon but they too have to be ratified by the board before they have any effect. There is plenty of room for legal wrangling along the way and there is a process to appeal the final board action. In the episode, the sanctions were imposed upon the doctors immediately. Granted, the sanctions were not onerous. In fact, the sanctions imposed upon House were pretty weak: having a doctor in the same hospital supervise him is not unlike having the fox guard the hen house. Too much self-interest involved in such an arrangement. But it is fraught with dramatic possibilities, as we will learn in the next episode.

I am also curious about the doctors' legal representation too. Is it common practice for a hospital's general counsel to represent individual doctors in disciplinary proceedings? I wouldn't think so but we see it happening here. Also, I think it is a potential conflict of interest (all soap opera stuff aside) when a lawyer represents two different people with potentially opposing interests in the same proceeding. Yet Stacy Warner advises both Chase and House. If the outcome had been different, either Chase or House could have reported her to the state's Bar Association. But this wasn't an episode of Warner.

2005-11-23T05:37:00.000-08:00

Bertie Cures A Rat

The above title sounds like something P.G. Wodehouse would have written while on the same stuff Dr. Cameron took in last night's episode of House. Last night's episdoe was all about role-reversal. Our man House, played by the same man who portrayed Bertie Wooster in the excellent Jeeves and Wooster series, takes advantage of a rat infestation in his once-and-future love interest's home to apply the knowledge he gleened from her therapist's file. The set-up gives us an opportunity to see House as he might have been: a caring man fully engaged in his life. It was a mercifully brief glimpse; although we'd like the characters in our fiction to end up as nice, caring people, this show does not take the easy way out with House. He is a misanthropic curmudgeon and that is that. But I liked the idea that we are never sure if the warm fuzzies are pretext or a genuine reaction to his proximity to the woman he loves. In the end, he gets the rat and loses the girl.

Our Dr. Cameron takes a walk on the wild side last night and tries on a wild girl's costume. We have seen this character supressing her baser intincts and doing the right thing throughout this series, and this sudden change under the influence of drugs (crystal meth?) is a desparate cry for release. And our man Dr. Chase gets caught up in it. This transformation is expected, almost cliche in television, but what makes this one interesting is the complications that may spring from it. Dr. Chase's reaction to the event is more illuminating of HIS character than Cameron's character. He is still very vain and self-centered but it may lead to further developments. As Dr. Chase has been more-or-less underdeveloped this season, I welcome the opportunity.

You know where to go for the medicine. All I will say is: where the heck is the local board of medical examiners? They'd have a field day with House!

2005-11-21T05:37:00.000-08:00

China Invades Tuscany, England Embraces Confucianism

I picked up Civilization IV this weekend and played it like the obsessive fiend I am. I am still working my way through all of the changes made to the game but I am very happy with it. And you get Leonard Nimoy intoning pithy phrases every few minutes! What's not to like?

I tore myself away from the game long enough to take my wife to see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. We enjoyed it. I appreciate the fact that much of the story had to be stripped away in order to meet the demands of the medium and I think they did a good job with the story's two main themes: the Tri-Wizard Tournament and Teen Angst. The filmakers did a great job illustrating the simmering resentment the kids at the school have of Harry and how that came to the fore when he was picked to play in the tournament (although I think Ms. Rowling is a fair writer, I haven't really seen this in the books - Harry sometimes just comes across as a whiny git) and the adults' sheer panic when events spin out of their control (again, not something I really see in the books). I could see the almost impossible pressure Harry must feel every time he faces adversity and I have a better understanding of why his adolescent ranting is so overblown. Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson and Brendan Gleeson were AWESOME in their roles too. And did you know that the fellow that plays Crouch in the film is the same actor who played the earthy farmer in the Vicar of Dibley (the same comedy that featured Dawn French - the Fat Lady in the painting that guards the entrance to the Griffindor common room)?

What interested me most about the film was the misplaced love triangle. By that I mean the obvious chemistry between Harry and Hermione and the resounding lack of it between Hermione and Ron. I think it is supposed to be the other way around. I get that Ron and Hermione are supposed to be attracted to each other (scenes that focus on one or the other of these characters do a fine job showing this - particularly Hermione's scene after the ball) but I didn't see that spark between them when they are together. I don't blame the actors (they are excellent); the story just isn't set up to accomodate the relationship. Harry and Hermione, by virtue of their characters and the circumstances of the plots, just have more opportunity to "hook up" and their pairing makes more sense.

Which leaves Ron is an even suckier situation. He's the average guy cursed to be in the shadow of greater people. Harry is the savior of the wizarding world. Hermione is smart and proactive. Ron is just...Ron. He is steadfast and brave (at least he is in the books, not so much in the films) and we are led to understand that he will get together with Hermione in the end. But for the time being he suffers from some serious self-esteem issues. Adolesence magnifies everything and in this instalment, we see how this knowledge starts to gnaw at him. Frankly, he is ripe pickings for Voldemort's crew: in exchange for attention and a sense of importance, he could act as the Death Eater's inside man (a sort of reverse Snape). This would generate some interesting conflict for the character. But it is no spoiler by now to learn that this is not the direction the story takes. In the end, Ron chooses his subordinate position as the least of the three main characters. Oh well.

2005-11-18T05:42:00.000-08:00

Brutal Reality

I think this is the kind of reality show Grinding Metal can get behind.

And speaking of harsh reality and television, check out this blog post from a writer and budding tv producer about the trials and trevails of producing a tv series.

2005-11-16T05:39:00.000-08:00

She Sat Around the House

On last night's episode of House, we learn that cheaters never win. Unless they do win. Having a disease helps.

On the soap opera front, we finally get to spend some time with Stacy Warner, the hospital's general counsel and House's former love interest. We learn that she hates House and loves him too. We also learn that she devotes chunks of her doubtlessly busy day making sure that doctors are up to date on their paperwork. One would think that House's antics would keep her busy trying to fend of the local board of medical examiners, but I suppose that she has a personal interest in making sure that House's, er, house is in order. This subplot is woefully underdeveloped and the quasi-love triangle between Warner, House, and Warner's new husband is, at best, comical in the way it really reaches to find some dramatic conflict.

The ongoing conversation Dr. Cameron has with the other doctors regarding cheating (and controlling one's actions) was far more interesting. The ambivalent positions taken by the other characters sounded right to me, given how ambitious they are. I particularly liked Dr. Wilson's attempt to help Cameron see his point and justify his own actions at the same time.

And the whole bicyclist/doping thing was pretty interesting. I guess I should be offended, since Lance Armstrong is something of a local deity around here, but I don't really have a dog in that fight. As always, I refer you to Polite Dissent for the medicine.

In other news...

If you have the time, please check out the links to the right. Something Old, Nothing New has an interesting essay about the Xander character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Answering the Wrong Questions has posted links to some very good fiction freely available on the web. And 2 Blowhards takes some time to talk about afternoon naps.

2005-11-09T05:38:00.000-08:00

Family House

In a very special episode of House, we learn that: 1) lying is bad, but everyone does it; and 2) families sure are complicated. Last night's show wore its morals on its sleeve, which is pretty unusual. I am much happier when the characters show us rather than tell us (a notable exception being the episode where House demonstrates his point about perception versus reality but that was itself a marvelous bit of character), and there was a lot of telling last night.

That said, there were several things I enjoyed. I liked House's experiment with money. I liked the fact that Dr. Cameron was eager to learn more about House's family, but when push came to shove she left it alone. I REALLY liked the fact that R. Lee Ermey played House's father (I must be honest that I had hoped that a couple of well known British actors - like Dame Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer of As Time Goes By fame - would walk in sporting American accents). And I like the fact that House insists on riding a high-performance motorcycle when he has a bum leg.

Of course, I refer you to the excellent Polite Dissent for the medicine.

2005-11-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

Oops, Wrong Scooter

Grand Jury Indicts Muppet.

Did you think that Grinding Metal provided all of the hard-hitting political commentary around here?

2005-11-03T06:24:00.000-08:00

Sony CDs

Apparently, in an effort to protect its content from nefarious CD-rippers, Sony will include software with each new music CD that forces the user to download a proprietary media player in order to play the music stored on the CD. The CDs will also install stealth software, called "rootkits," into your computer. I am not sure what this software does (I am not as sophisticated about this stuff as this guy is) but I don't want it. It's hard enough to keep track of the crap that currently vies for space on my PC as it is.

I guess I won't be buying Sony music anymore. Great job, guys!

2005-11-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

Are You Pondering What I am Pondering?

BRAIN: Now, Pinky, if by any chance you are captured during this mission, remember: you are Gunther Heindriksen from Appenzell. You moved to Grindelwald to drive the cog train to Murren. Can you repeat that?

PINKY: No, Brain, don't think I can.

(Pinky and the Brain "Where Rodents Dare")

Yoinked from the estimable (Something Old, Nothing New).

2005-11-02T05:32:00.000-08:00

House Call

I appreciated the contrast between the apparent selflessness of the "missionary doctor" (I cannot remember the character's name) suffering from the ailment-of-the-week and the apparent selfishness of our dear Dr. House. It was an excellent opportunity to peer into our hero's psyche and learn more about what makes him tick. On the one hand, was the "missionary doctor" an extreme narcissist, willing to kill himself slowly in order to attract attention to himself, or was he someone who loved his job so much, and believed in his cause so much, that he was willing to subordinate his self-interest to the interest of poor people in Africa? On the other hand, was Dr. House more concerned about healing the dying man in front of him than the abstract notion of people dying thousands of miles away, or was he simply treating (and hopefully curing) the patient to make a point? We do not get direct answers to any of these questions and, unfortunately, the interaction between them was minimal and other characters had to do most of the compare and contrast. What I did like was the bit at the end of the show, where House demonstrates the ways in which appearances can be more important than the reality (it also nicely tied the main story to an underdeveloped sub-plot). Although I wish the show would spend more time (or, perhaps, better time) with the characters (where was the lawyer, anyway?), this episode is another example of the proposition that House is still one of the best shows on television.

Again, I refer you to Polite Dissent for a look at the medicine in the show.

I also picked up the DVD of Star Wars: Episode III yesterday and began watching the documentary that comes with the film. I like the idea behind it: there is an enormous amount of effort and care that goes into every minute of a film like this one. The documentary visits everyone involved in the scene where Obi-Wan and Anakin fight on the "lava planet", from the carpenters to the actors to the kid who gets the coffee. I am in awe of their skill and their ability to plan around what must be a logistical nightmare. What an extraordinary collection of talent!

2005-10-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

Are you pondering what I'm pondering?

According to this site, fans of Animaniacs and its spin-off, Pinky and the Brain, may see DVD sets for those cartoons in mid-2006! Narf!

2005-10-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

RIP Paul Pena

Paul Pena, the blind blues singer/guitarist featured in the incredible documentary Genghis Blues, passed away earlier this month. I first heard of Mr. Pena when I rented the DVD from Netflix. He lived in a tiny San Francisco apartment and suffered from a pancreatic illness. He spent his time writing music and listening to short wave radio. He discovered a unique vocal style called throat singing from the tiny Asian country of Tuva and mastered it. Genghis Blues documents his trip to Tuva, where he competed in a national throat singing competition and treated like a visiting dignitary. Yet even at this high point in his life, he struggled with blindness, sickness and depression. His story affected me deeply.

I purchased a CD of music he recorded in the early seventies called New Train. It is an album of heartfelt blues sung in his easygoing voice, with songs about the transition from rural life to urban life, the longing for home, the need to stand on one's own. Incidentally, the album features his version of Jet Airliner, a song that the Steve Miller Band covered and made a hit. I grew to love it over many listens. I understand that he did not record much more than that and the soundtrack to Genghis Blues. I am saddened by the fact that this enormously talented man had to suffer so much. I hope he finds peace.

2005-10-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

A Leaf on the Wind

My wife and I watched Serenity this weekend. It rocked.

I finished The Historian this weekend too. It did not rock.

I picked up the first issue of Grant Morrison's Mister Miracle this weekend. It rocked.

I picked up the most recent issue of Mark Millar's The Ultimates this weekend. It did not rock.

I created a play list of October/Halloween related tunes for my iPod, which includes the original soundtrack for The Bride of Frankenstein. It rocks.

Whilst doodling around on iTunes, I picked up some electronica remixes of Icehouse tunes. They did not rock.

All-in-all, the weekend evened out nicely.

2005-09-28T05:45:00.000-07:00

Joss Whedon is my Master now

The folks over at pvponline are selling t-shirts with the above logo. It is particularly apt now that my wife and I saw a clip from the Serenity movie last night. As regular readers (hi mom!) of this blog know, I am a total Joss Whedon fanboy. I may have to start a religion.

I apologize for the long lag time between posts. The usual excuses (i.e., work) apply with some added stresses. I will not go into details here but a relative became very ill and I left town to visit him. While I was there, I visited another relative who is also very ill. Although I am glad I was able to do it, and my relatives are taking things in stride, it was a sobering experience for me. Once I sort it all out, I may post something about my thoughts on the matter.

I have been watching House since the season started but there has been very little character and a whole lot of plot recently, so I haven't had a lot to say. As always, I refer you to the excellent Polite Dissent web site for an in-depth analysis of the medicine practiced in the show. Last night provided a little more insight into a much-neglected character, Dr. Cuddy. In the first season, I thought she was woefully underutilized as a foil for House. He stumped her at every turn. In this episode, we learn that she feels inadequate because she hasn't actually practiced medicine in quite a while. That is a perfectly reasonable explanation for her reluctance to stand up to House when he practices some dubious medicene but I don't think that it works here. With Cuddy taken care of, there is no dynamic opposition to House's antics. The new character, an in-house lawyer played by Sela Ward, may develop into this but the scenes with her in the season so far are not promising. I enjoy the medical stuff very much, and the actors stand out in their roles, but I want to see more more plot involving these characters. They are too good to neglect.

I am reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. Although I am determined to finish it, it manages to take an interesting thriller and turn it into a pedantic exercise. The premise is simple: Dracula really exists as an undead creature and several scholars seek him out for various reasons. There are bits of this book that really seize my interest and keep me reading; however, this thing could easily be hundreds of pages shorter than it is.

Also, I added a few more links to the roster. Of particular note is Recyclum, a blog written by an acquaintance of mine from New Orleans. My wife and I visited him and his wife when we attended the New Orleans Jazz Fest last year. I am sure the posts are buried in the archives. At any rate, he writes about New Orleans as well as his experiences in Nicaragua, where he is working and researching. Please check it out.

Oh, and someone has finally taken pictures of a giant squid! Sea monsters do exist! My nine year-old self is vindicated! (yoinked from Boing Boing).

2005-09-03T12:06:00.000-07:00

A Trip to the Humid Cedar Reading Room

What have I been reading lately? I am glad you asked!

In the Forests of Serre, By Patricia A. McKillip. Not a retelling of the Firebird story (that is, not the story I am familiar with: the one Stravinsky used in his ballet), but a riff on themes from Russian folklore. There is a fierce one-eyed king; a Baba Yaga-like witch, complete with moving hut; melancholoy wizards; a grieving prince; a wilful princess; and, of course, a firebird. An elegant little book that is by turns an examination of responsibility, a love story and a fairy story.

Black and Blue Magic, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. This book is a blast from my past. I remember checking it out from the library as a kid and loving it . It is the story of a pre-teen boy living in a boarding house with his mother, who helps a strange boarder and receives an astonishing gift in return. It is set in San Francisco in the early sixties (the boy has a view of the bay from his bedroom window that a yuppie would trade his BMW for) and Ms. Snyder takes us on moonlight tours of town with our hero. Our hero, always a well-meaning, if clumsy, kid, uses his new magical gift to help people (sometimes by accident). A wonderful book.

Spring-Heeled Jack, by Philip Pullman. This little book is part text, part comic. Mr. Pullman of His Dark Materials fame takes three small children through the foggy back streets of nineteenth century London, where thugs, thieves and the mysterious Spring-Heeled Jack lurk. As is usual in these yarns, the children seek escape from their dingy orphanage and find themselves quickly embroiled in plots and counter-plots. A lot of fun.

Count Karlstein, by Philip Pullman. This children's book is a gothic tale of romance, misplaced heirs, self-reliant British women, and the Demon Huntsman, set in Switzerland in the 19th century. The narrative jumps from one character to another, but the book was pretty entertaining.

Guns, Germs and Steel, by Jared Diamond. This examination of natural and human history to see where some civilizations succeed where others fail. I won't get into his thesis here; suffice it to say that it is a fascinating book for someone like me (that is to say, someone with an abiding interest in history and a superficial knowledge of natural history and anthropology). I learned a lot from reading it and it provoked some serious thinking. Which hurts my head.

Thanks to Grinding Metal for the loan of Guns, Germs and Steel! And thanks to my family for the other books!

2005-09-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

New Orleans Blog

This is the most compelling blog I've found on the internet that describes ongoing recovery efforts in New Orleans. I urge you to check it out.

2005-08-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

Music Meme

Here's a meme I picked from Tom the Dog (who is also the author of the Zombie Eats Brains blog).

A. Go to http://www.musicoutfitters.com.
B. Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function.
C. Bold for the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate and underline your favorite. Do nothing to the ones you don't remember (or don't care about). Edit: I italicized the songs I hate, since I am too dumb to figure out how to strike through text on this blog.

1. Careless Whisper, Wham!
2. Like A Virgin, Madonna
3. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Wham!
4. I Want To Know What Love Is, Foreigner
5. I Feel For You, Chaka Khan
6. Out Of Touch, Daryl Hall and John Oates
7. Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Tears For Fears
8. Money For Nothing, Dire Straits
9. Crazy For You, Madonna
10. Take On Me, A-Ha
11. Everytime You Go Away, Paul Young
12. Easy Lover, Phil Collins and Philip Bailey
13. Can't Fight This Feeling, REO Speedwagon
14. We Built This City, Starship
15. The Power Of Love, Huey Lewis and The News
16. Don't You (Forget About Me), Simple Minds
17. Cherish, Kool and The Gang
18. St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion), John Parr
19. The Heat Is On, Glenn Frey
20. We Are The World, U.S.A. For Africa
21. Shout, Tears For Fears
22. Part-Time Lover, Stevie Wonder
23. Saving All My Love For You, Whitney Houston
24. Heaven, Bryan Adams
25. Everything She Wants, Wham!
26. Cool It Now, New Edition
27. Miami Vice Theme, Jan Hammer
28. Lover Boy, Billy Ocean
29. Lover Girl, Teena Marie
30. You Belong To The City, Glenn Frey
31. Oh Sheila, Ready For The World
32. Rhythm Of The Night, Debarge
33. One More Night, Phil Collins
34. Sea Of Love, Honeydrippers
35. A View To A Kill, Duran Duran
36. The Wild Boys, Duran Duran
37. You're The Inspiration, Chicago
38. Neutron Dance, Pointer Sisters
39. We Belong, Pat Benatar
40. Nightshift, Commodores
41. Things Can Only Get Better, Howard Jones
42. All I Need, Jack Wagner
43. Freeway Of Love, Aretha Franklin
44. Never Surrender, Corey Hart
45. Sussudio, Phil Collins
46. Strut, Sheena Easton
47. You Give Good Love, Whitney Houston
48. The Search Is Over, Survivor
49. Missing You, Diana Ross
50. Separate Lives, Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin
51. Raspberry Beret, Prince and The Revolution
52. Suddenly, Billy Ocean
53. The Boys Of Summer, Don Henley
54. One Night In Bangkok, Murray Head
55. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free, Sting
56. Obsession, Animotion
57. We Don't Need Another Hero, Tina Turner
58. Material Girl, Madonna
59. Better Be Good To Me, Tina Turner
60. Head Over Heels, Tears For Fears
61. Axel F, Harold Faltermeyer
62. Smooth Operator, Sade
63. In My House, Mary Jane Girls
64. Don't Lose My Number, Phil Collins
65. All Through The Night, Cyndi Lauper
66. Run To You, Bryan Adams
67. Glory Days, Bruce Springsteen
68. Voices Carry, 'Til Tuesday
69. Misled, Kool and The Gang
70. Would I Lie To You?, Eurythmics
71. Be Near Me, ABC
72. No More Lonely Nights, Paul McCartney
73. I Can't Hold Back, Survivor
74. Summer Of '69, Bryan Adams
75. Walking On Sunshine, Katrina and The Waves
76. Freedom, Wham!
77. Too Late For Goodbyes, Julian Lennon
78. Valotte, Julian Lennon
79. Some Like It Hot, Power Station
80. Solid, Ashford and Simpson
81. Angel, Madonna
82. I'm On Fire, Bruce Springsteen
83. Method Of Modern Love, Daryl Hall and John Oates
84. Lay Your Hands On Me, Thompson Twins
85. Who's Holding Donna Now, Debarge
86. Lonely Ol' Night, John Cougar Mellencamp
87. What About Love, Heart
88. California Girls, David Lee Roth
89. Fresh, Kool and The Gang
90. Do What You Do, Jermaine Jackson
91. Jungle Of Love, The Time
92. Born In The USA, Bruce Springsteen
93. Private Dancer, Tina Turner
94. Who's Zoomin' Who, Aretha Franklin
95. Fortress Around Your Heart, Sting
96. Penny Lover, Lionel Richie
97. All She Wants To Do Is Dance, Don Henley
98. Dress You Up, Madonna
99. Sentimental Street, Night Ranger
100. Sugar Walls, Sheena Easton

What an interesting trip down memory lane! I surprised myself at how quickly I recalled the tunes as I went down this list. You will note that I hated a lot of stuff and was indifferent to much of the rest. I was a fickle kid in those days. Another lesson learned: pop music was crap back in my youth too, nostalgia be damned!

I now pass the torch to Grinding Metal, But Is It Fun?, Eric's Musings and Athens Pie.

2005-08-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

Files Deleted

Apple's iPod, which is a great and handy device, allows the user to download songs from the iTunes database on one's PC to the iPod but does not allow the user to upload songs from the iPod to the PC. I understand that Apple intends this prohibition against uploading to be a discouragement to people who want to swap copies of mpeg files willy-nilly (dare I say, illegally?). I am cool with this, to a point. Under normal circumstances, I am happy to drive the one-way street from iTunes to iPod. I obtain my music using (currently) legal methods. I spent many hours ripping most of my CD collection into iTunes (over 7 GB). I purchase other music from the iTunes store. I have nothing to be ashamed of.

But what happens when you lose the data in iTunes, including music you purchased in mpeg only format? You are screwed. You can't use your iPod as a backup storage device to retrieve lost data. Let me qualify that: you can do it with utilities one can obtain on the internet but these only work if your iPod does not automatically sync with iTunes. And this "auto-sync" is the default condition that can only be changed when the iPod is connected to iTunes. And the iPod and iTunes sync automatically when the iPod is connected. And when iTunes discovers that it doesn't have copies of the music stored on the iPod, iTunes erases the music on the iPod. Unless you are forward thinking enough to turn off the "auto-sync" function while the data in iTunes matches the data in your iPod (I wasn't), then you will lose your iPod data before the utility has a chance to load. That is what happened to me last night. Over 7GB of data gone, including $30+ worth of mpeg only music.

I am not happy with Apple right now. I am seriously re-considering my stance on digital copyright. This is getting silly and directly affecting my pocket book.

2005-08-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

The iPod is dead. Long live the iPod.

Speaking of music, my faithful iPod has ceased to be, joined the choir celestial, etc. As I can't live without that tinny noise that passes for music nowadays (damn kids), I bit the bullet and purchased a new one. This one has a color screen and is slightly thicker than my old one. As it turns out, this is a problem. It does not fit into the cradle of my portable speakers, which allow me to listen to my iPod without headphones. Which means that I can't take it to work, which is where I listen to my music these days (mostly as background noise, played softly, but still), unless I purchase a compatible set of speakers. I can't spend money on that right now, after spending money on the frickin' iPod! So I am somewhat put out by this turn of events.

In related news, I lost the data stored in my Windows iTunes the other day, including the stuff I bought from the iTunes store over the last year or so. So now I have to figure out how to upload the stuff from my new iPod to iTunes. Grrr.

2005-08-22T06:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Oscar!

Oscar Peterson, jazz pianist extraordinaire, turned 80 last week. Over the course of his prolific career, he has played with all of the jazz greats, from Stan Getz to Lester Young. At one time, his trio boasted the tightest drum-and-bass combo in music. I am particularly fond of Night Train, in which his trio quietly swings through blues standards. Many happy returns! I hope he plays for another 80 years!

2005-08-09T06:04:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of Phillip Pullman's series entitled His Dark Materials and I still found this very funny.

2005-08-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Pratchett on Rowling

As a taste of things to come, here is a short piece by Terry Pratchett, author of the excellent Wee Free Men and Hatful of Sky, concerning J.K. Rowling's apparent disdain for the genre that has made her oneof the richest women in Britain.

2005-08-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

Cedar Chopping Capital Of the World!

A very short history of my home town. It does not mention that the church alternated between Methodist and Baptist every other week for quite a long time, and I wonder where the cottin gin used to be, but it's as fair a summary as one could hope to find.

2005-08-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Seven Soldiers Redux

And speaking of bustling metropolises (metropoli?) Here is an article about Grant Morrison's vision of New York that could have been, one with buildings designed by Gaudi and Frank Lloyd Wright, that is featured in his Seven Soldiers series.

A brief program note: in the next few days I will post a review of the latest Harry Potter book. It will contain spoilers. You have been warned.

2005-08-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

More Whedon

Here is an interview with Mr. Whedon that discusses his work from Buffy to Wonder Woman, with an emphasis on "Serenity". It is a lengthy article but it is chock full of stuff.

2005-07-22T12:42:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...

John Roberts, the Supreme Court nominee, and Greg Kinnear, the actor: separated at birth?