so i heard Velvet Revolver's single 'Slither' for the first time the other day, and i have to say, i really like everything I've heard from them so far. their cover of 'Money' for the italian job, 'Set Me Free', and now 'Slither' have all been quality songs. Slither especially reminds me of STP's album "No. 4", which is definately not a bad thing, but i hope VR sounds like more than just STP 2.0 and adds some GnR flavor to the mix. can't wait for their album, and hopefully they'll tour here soon.
wow, i wish i could write this easily about my dumb english paper. i hate having to worry about school so much. i've drank two red bulls, and i'm still tired as crap... what a waste that stuff is.
news to smile about... i have an interview with the delhi park people tomorrow for the same summer job dougie got, so hopefully everything goes well.
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Sunday, April 25, 2004
i talked for hours to your wallet photograph
sometimes my lack of common sense and/or willpower real disturbs me. apparently somewhere in my little brain, it has been decided that it would be a good idea to wait till after church, before work at 4:30, the day before it is due, to start my history paper. that's a good plan. oh, and don't even think about reading the three articles you need to write on beforehand; you don't need to do that. and it doesn't matter that you also have to do another english journal, because you've already used up your freebie and missed another one. no, waiting till now is the smart thing, dave. don't worry, you're doing a good job.
and yet, i'm still distracting myself even now: checking NFL draft results, reading about Justin's Adventures With The Mother From Stupidville, etc. at least i was smart enough to give my sister the UT2004 cd to hide from me till after wednesday, so i can work on this paper and my japanese history midterm. there's no way i'd get anything done with that around. looks like i'm gonna have to just turn on the b.s. machine and let it crank out another paper.
and yet, i'm still distracting myself even now: checking NFL draft results, reading about Justin's Adventures With The Mother From Stupidville, etc. at least i was smart enough to give my sister the UT2004 cd to hide from me till after wednesday, so i can work on this paper and my japanese history midterm. there's no way i'd get anything done with that around. looks like i'm gonna have to just turn on the b.s. machine and let it crank out another paper.
Saturday, April 24, 2004
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
This past Thrusday, an American soldier by the name of Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan. Tillman was a former NFL player who left behind his multi-million dollar contract to enlist with the Army Rangers shortly after 9/11. If you're like me, you probably never even heard about this till now, because the man was so humble that he joined without a bunch of fanfare or any press releases. He simply did what he knew was right. To this man, his duty to his country was infinitely more important than his rich lifestyle. I think it should definately make us all look at ourselves and see if we're actually doing something that matters with our lives. Pat Tillman sure did.
In related news, Warren Sapp may be in Oakland, but there's still plenty of loudmouths to hate in Tampa Bay. Idiot Simeon Rice's brilliant radio eulogy for Tillman was that "He really wasn't that good, not really. He was good enough to play in Arizona, [but] that's just like the XFL." He then made an attempt to complement Tillman by comparing him to someone like Rambo or Rocky. What a moron. Apparently Rice doesn't have a clue what duty or honor is. It's sad that a good man like Tillman had to die to defend people like Rice.
In related news, Warren Sapp may be in Oakland, but there's still plenty of loudmouths to hate in Tampa Bay. Idiot Simeon Rice's brilliant radio eulogy for Tillman was that "He really wasn't that good, not really. He was good enough to play in Arizona, [but] that's just like the XFL." He then made an attempt to complement Tillman by comparing him to someone like Rambo or Rocky. What a moron. Apparently Rice doesn't have a clue what duty or honor is. It's sad that a good man like Tillman had to die to defend people like Rice.
Monday, April 19, 2004
We Are Your Overloards
ok, so dougie and i aree hanging out in the library at uc, looking up movie stuff. so, we decided to come up with our lists of the most overrated movies of all time, because we're just that bored. mine is as follows:
10. Spider-Man - wow, this one is gonna draw some fire. it was a pretty good movie, but i was disappointed, there was just too much cheesiness in it for me to like it as much as everyone else seemed to. a good movie, but not as good as the hype.
9. Independence Day - it was hyped as a huge blockbuster action movie, but it felt way more like a cheesy 50s sci-fi b-movie. likeable, but nowhere near that good.
8. Gone With the Wind - maybe you have to be over 60 to appreciate it, but i don't even see any groundbreaking cinematic elements for it's time that should make it as well known as it is.
7. It's A Wonderful Life - sure, it's cute. but does it need to be played constantly every holiday season?
6. Every Adam Sandler Comedy except Happy Gilmour and Billy Madison - let's face it, every adam sandler movie is essentially the same. even Happy Gilmour and Billy Madison are basically the same as the Waterboy or Mr Deeds, but at least it was funny back then. now it's just old.
5. Apocalypse Now - i was expecting a great movie, considering all the critical hype this movie always gets. while there were a few cool sequences, like the "flight of the valkeries" scene, the rest was so boring i actually fell asleep by the end.
4. The Harry Potter movies - i'll admit, i mocked harry potter before i ever saw any of the movies. but since they were so big and even people my age liked them, i thought i'd check them out. wow, if this is the biggest thing out there for kids now, i am even more afraid of what's going to become of the younger generation.
3. Pearl Harbor - talk about a movie with such great potential, made so terrible because they had to turn it into a crappy love story.
2. Full Metal Jacket - stanley kubrick, what happened? the first half of the movie was just terrible, and then it had nothing to do with the mediocre second half.
1. Titanic - to this day i can't understand how this movie grossed over 600 million dollars. good special effects, and that's about all you can say for this.
i have the feeling that doug's list and my list are going to be basically the same. hopefully i didn't miss anything, cause now we gotta go to english.
10. Spider-Man - wow, this one is gonna draw some fire. it was a pretty good movie, but i was disappointed, there was just too much cheesiness in it for me to like it as much as everyone else seemed to. a good movie, but not as good as the hype.
9. Independence Day - it was hyped as a huge blockbuster action movie, but it felt way more like a cheesy 50s sci-fi b-movie. likeable, but nowhere near that good.
8. Gone With the Wind - maybe you have to be over 60 to appreciate it, but i don't even see any groundbreaking cinematic elements for it's time that should make it as well known as it is.
7. It's A Wonderful Life - sure, it's cute. but does it need to be played constantly every holiday season?
6. Every Adam Sandler Comedy except Happy Gilmour and Billy Madison - let's face it, every adam sandler movie is essentially the same. even Happy Gilmour and Billy Madison are basically the same as the Waterboy or Mr Deeds, but at least it was funny back then. now it's just old.
5. Apocalypse Now - i was expecting a great movie, considering all the critical hype this movie always gets. while there were a few cool sequences, like the "flight of the valkeries" scene, the rest was so boring i actually fell asleep by the end.
4. The Harry Potter movies - i'll admit, i mocked harry potter before i ever saw any of the movies. but since they were so big and even people my age liked them, i thought i'd check them out. wow, if this is the biggest thing out there for kids now, i am even more afraid of what's going to become of the younger generation.
3. Pearl Harbor - talk about a movie with such great potential, made so terrible because they had to turn it into a crappy love story.
2. Full Metal Jacket - stanley kubrick, what happened? the first half of the movie was just terrible, and then it had nothing to do with the mediocre second half.
1. Titanic - to this day i can't understand how this movie grossed over 600 million dollars. good special effects, and that's about all you can say for this.
i have the feeling that doug's list and my list are going to be basically the same. hopefully i didn't miss anything, cause now we gotta go to english.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Unforeseen Consequences
For those of you who missed it, Half-Life has rightly defeated Mario Bros. 3 to win Gamespy's Title Fight as the best game. Our hero, Gordan Freeman, has taken his place atop the championship platform!
Now I know there are heathens and communists out there among you that will try to slight Half-Life and argue that it is not the greatest game of all time, but there are few reading this who have actual played the game through enough to be able to judge it's worth. Not only that, but you are also ignorant of the enormous impact this game made on the gaming community on so many levels (yes, I'm talking to you, Austin, Doug, and Rob). I defy you to try and argue that Half-Life is not, as Doug would say, the Game of the Century.
Now I know there are heathens and communists out there among you that will try to slight Half-Life and argue that it is not the greatest game of all time, but there are few reading this who have actual played the game through enough to be able to judge it's worth. Not only that, but you are also ignorant of the enormous impact this game made on the gaming community on so many levels (yes, I'm talking to you, Austin, Doug, and Rob). I defy you to try and argue that Half-Life is not, as Doug would say, the Game of the Century.
Sunday, April 04, 2004
Ten Years Gone
I'm never gonna leave you
I never gonna leave
Holdin' on, ten years gone
Ten years gone, holdin' on
Ten years gone
- Led Zeppelin
As you may or may not know, this week marks the 10 year anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death. He died on April 5th (tomorrow) and was found on the 8th. The entertainment media is going into a frenzy about the 10-year anniversary, with countless articles on people who all think they are experts on Kurt Cobain, his life,a and his career. Of course, the biggest of these are institutions like MTV and Rolling Stone, who ironically, Kurt openly despised, although he did appear for them in articles and shows.
Of course, anyone reading this should know that I think the whole suicide theory is very sketchy and I think there is a great deal of credible evidence to support reopening the investigation. But I also don't think the claim of suicide is unfounded. He was certainly tired of all the fame, and never in his life did he ever feel like he fit in. However, while I certainly don't know what was going on in his head during his last few weeks, I think much of the reported events taking place in his life point away from suicide. Not to mention the numerous loopholes and screw-ups in the conduct of the investigation into his death.
But I don't feel like this is the time to lay out my arguments on why Cobain might have been murdered. I know it sounds extremely cliched, but I just feel sad. No, I'm not really in mourning, like all these people they're bound to show on the news, gathering in Seattle and lighting candles together and singing Nirvana songs. I suppose maybe if I lived in Washington I would do the same. But really I just feel sad for that we never got to see more of what he could do, and that such a gaping whole has been left in music. His career only lasted a short five years, so publicly, he's been gone twice as long as he was here when he as famous. I just wonder what more they would have gone on to do. Three studio albums only gives us a very limited insight into what Nirvana was even capable of, or even just Cobain by himself. Sadly there was no chance to really see his music evolve and change over the length of his career (although Unplugged does help show how diverse and adaptable both he and his music could be). And I wonder if music would still be in the same sorry place it's in now if Nirvana, or at least Kurt, had stayed with us. I think it's more than a coincidence that he died in 1994 and rock music has been on a downhill slide since 1994-95 (in my opinion). Now all we're left with is a bunch of sorry imitators and a bunch of would-be worshippers who are ready to jump on the next big music bandwagon that comes along. And then there's Courtney Love, parading around, rallying all the little depressed kiddies into worshipping Kurt so she gets more attention. I can think of few people who sicken and enrage me like she does. Talk of dragging his name and reputation through the mud.
On a side note, the 5th also marks the 2nd anniversary of the death of Layne Staley, lead singer of Alice in Chains (probably the second best Seattle grunge band). In 2002, Staley tragically never overcame his drug addictions and died of an overdose in his home. He is in my opinion one of the more overlooked creative musicians of the past ten years, probably because the media never latched onto AiC like they did with Nirvana. But it makes tomorrow all the more sad.
But now I've gone on and on, and I sound like one of those "Kurt Cobain was a god" people that I've come to dislike so much. Honestly, I think most of the hype about this is starting to annoy me, but that's the way it goes. I guess there's not much left for me to do, but I suppose I'll just spend the listening to my Nirvana CD's and watching their videos (with some Alice in Chains thrown in). Maybe I'll find a good special on TV or something. But otherwise, I think I'd rather avoid all the hype and tributes.
Although I'm not a big fan of Rolling Stone, their website does have a nice collection of articles, pictures, and reviews, so it might be worth a look for some. Also, a good article from the Seattle Post on Kurt. But I suppose that this is it, and I have nothing more to say.
Load up on guns and bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over bored and self-assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello
With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
Yay
I'm worse at what I do best
And for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello
And I forget just why I taste
Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard, it was hard to find
Oh well, whatever, nevermind
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello
With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
A denial
I never gonna leave
Holdin' on, ten years gone
Ten years gone, holdin' on
Ten years gone
- Led Zeppelin
As you may or may not know, this week marks the 10 year anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death. He died on April 5th (tomorrow) and was found on the 8th. The entertainment media is going into a frenzy about the 10-year anniversary, with countless articles on people who all think they are experts on Kurt Cobain, his life,a and his career. Of course, the biggest of these are institutions like MTV and Rolling Stone, who ironically, Kurt openly despised, although he did appear for them in articles and shows.
Of course, anyone reading this should know that I think the whole suicide theory is very sketchy and I think there is a great deal of credible evidence to support reopening the investigation. But I also don't think the claim of suicide is unfounded. He was certainly tired of all the fame, and never in his life did he ever feel like he fit in. However, while I certainly don't know what was going on in his head during his last few weeks, I think much of the reported events taking place in his life point away from suicide. Not to mention the numerous loopholes and screw-ups in the conduct of the investigation into his death.
But I don't feel like this is the time to lay out my arguments on why Cobain might have been murdered. I know it sounds extremely cliched, but I just feel sad. No, I'm not really in mourning, like all these people they're bound to show on the news, gathering in Seattle and lighting candles together and singing Nirvana songs. I suppose maybe if I lived in Washington I would do the same. But really I just feel sad for that we never got to see more of what he could do, and that such a gaping whole has been left in music. His career only lasted a short five years, so publicly, he's been gone twice as long as he was here when he as famous. I just wonder what more they would have gone on to do. Three studio albums only gives us a very limited insight into what Nirvana was even capable of, or even just Cobain by himself. Sadly there was no chance to really see his music evolve and change over the length of his career (although Unplugged does help show how diverse and adaptable both he and his music could be). And I wonder if music would still be in the same sorry place it's in now if Nirvana, or at least Kurt, had stayed with us. I think it's more than a coincidence that he died in 1994 and rock music has been on a downhill slide since 1994-95 (in my opinion). Now all we're left with is a bunch of sorry imitators and a bunch of would-be worshippers who are ready to jump on the next big music bandwagon that comes along. And then there's Courtney Love, parading around, rallying all the little depressed kiddies into worshipping Kurt so she gets more attention. I can think of few people who sicken and enrage me like she does. Talk of dragging his name and reputation through the mud.
On a side note, the 5th also marks the 2nd anniversary of the death of Layne Staley, lead singer of Alice in Chains (probably the second best Seattle grunge band). In 2002, Staley tragically never overcame his drug addictions and died of an overdose in his home. He is in my opinion one of the more overlooked creative musicians of the past ten years, probably because the media never latched onto AiC like they did with Nirvana. But it makes tomorrow all the more sad.
But now I've gone on and on, and I sound like one of those "Kurt Cobain was a god" people that I've come to dislike so much. Honestly, I think most of the hype about this is starting to annoy me, but that's the way it goes. I guess there's not much left for me to do, but I suppose I'll just spend the listening to my Nirvana CD's and watching their videos (with some Alice in Chains thrown in). Maybe I'll find a good special on TV or something. But otherwise, I think I'd rather avoid all the hype and tributes.
Although I'm not a big fan of Rolling Stone, their website does have a nice collection of articles, pictures, and reviews, so it might be worth a look for some. Also, a good article from the Seattle Post on Kurt. But I suppose that this is it, and I have nothing more to say.
Load up on guns and bring your friends
It's fun to lose and to pretend
She's over bored and self-assured
Oh no, I know a dirty word
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello
With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
Yay
I'm worse at what I do best
And for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello
And I forget just why I taste
Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile
I found it hard, it was hard to find
Oh well, whatever, nevermind
Hello, hello, hello, how low?
Hello, hello, hello
With the lights out, it's less dangerous
Here we are now, entertain us
A mulatto
An albino
A mosquito
My libido
A denial
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