I love Obama. And the Obama administration. Not just for their policy, but for not beating around the bush.
They haven't minced words about FOXnooze, refusing to give interviews and the like. Somebody finally came out this weekend and stated the obvious - something that even FOXnews viewers who call themselves 'independent' or 'impartial' don't seem to understand. That FOXnews is just a shill for the republican party.
The best part is how FOX came back with, "whaaaaat?!?!?" Please, FOX - don't. Don't even.
Their official response was that people are confusing their news coverage with their opinion pieces. To which I respond: Bullshit. FOXnews deliberately splices parts of their incendiary commentors (opinion) into parts of the news (fact?) coverage in an attempt to make the conservative opinions sound more grounded and commonplace than they really are. FOX's ticker (the text at the bottom of the screen) is enough to make me sick to my stomach sometimes. Only FOX can stir up a tea-party protest (organized by affliates of FOXnews) then organize a rally for their 'news' program where they call the protesters "patriots." These patriots just happen to be carrying signs showing Obama as Hitler, and others with signs morphing Obama into Iran's president and text saying, "Death to the Dictator." But that didn't make it on TV, of course.
Smart conservatives everywhere are using this attack to compare Obama's administration with Nixon's - complaining that ONE network doesn't like him. Oh wait - did you just OPENLY ADMIT THAT YOU DON'T LIKE HIM?!? THEN STOP PRETENDING THAT YOU'RE NOT BIASED. Nobody is saying you should close your doors, FOXnews - its just people saying, "you're not fooling us into thinking you're a non-biased news source so we're not going to treat you like one." Quit acting like you've just been wronged. You chose your format - now live with it.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Headphones
I recently had a discussion about what made good headphones good headphones. Then I came across these two articles today, breaking down exactly that. These are specific to "in-ear" headphones, not the bulkier over-the-ear headphones.
This one talks about why there is such a difference between $20 and $100 headphones.
This one has a great table display of what one reviewer thought after testing several brands, models, and price ranges.
Still - I tried Dr. Dre's new over the ear headphones (basically DJ headphones) at the Apple store and they were pretty damn fantastic.
This one talks about why there is such a difference between $20 and $100 headphones.
This one has a great table display of what one reviewer thought after testing several brands, models, and price ranges.
Still - I tried Dr. Dre's new over the ear headphones (basically DJ headphones) at the Apple store and they were pretty damn fantastic.
Monday, October 5, 2009
"...this is the only guitar the band owns"
If you read my blog, you already know how excited I was to see "It Might Get Loud." I won't repost everything I've already posted - but I wanted to talk about a few of the cooler points of the movie.
-The movie starts out with Jack White on a farm, pounding two nails into a 2x4. He then nails a single guitar pickup to the wood. Then he wraps a piece of steel wire around the nails, making it taut. He inserts a glass bottle on one side to act as a bridge and then plugs the rig into one of his Silvertone amps sitting on the porch. Then starts ripping out a slide guitar riff on his homemade 'guitar.' The whole thing took about 4mins. No words. Ends with Jack taking a drag off a cigarette, "...ya know? Who says you need to buy a guitar?"
-Watching Jack White, The Edge, and Jimmy Page all sitting in THEIR music rooms, listening to THEIR records, talking about what THEIR influences were. It was a surreal experience to watch Jimmy Page listening to music. The guy on the top of most "Greatest Living Guitarist" lists, the guitarist for Led Zeppelin - even HE plays air guitar when listening to his favorite guitarists. Turns out its not just me. Really brought home the fact that these guys are just normal dudes.
-There's actually clips of the lutheire making the 2nd of Jack White's custom "Triple Jet" Gretsches. Not the copper one I blogged about 2 posts below, but the one with the Green Bullet microphone on the body. That was pretty sweet.
-The drastically different approaches of each player. Page was a session guitarist playing other people's music before deciding to go a completely different direction and change the way electric guitar was played forever. The Edge is very into effects processing and getting the most out of dozens of pedals and amps in his chain, getting the most precise sound to match whats in his head. Jack White is a minimalist guitarist - cheap plastic guitars, 3 effects, and straight blues riffs backed by as much energy and raw power as he can muster.
-There was a funny quote from The Edge talking about their first serious recording session w/ Steve Lillywhite. After they'd recorded all the main parts, Steve wanted to overdub different guitar parts on top of Edge's original riffs with a different guitar (to make the tone fuller, a common trick). This was so early in U2's career, The Edge looks at Bono, looks at his brown Explorer and says, "...this is all I have. This is the only guitar the band owns."
-There's a clip of Jack White talking about the blues and while he's talking there is a clip of him playing "Blue Veins" with the Raconteurs. He's playing so hard that his hand is bleeding all over his guitar body. He sets the Gretsch down, the camera zooms in, and there's red smears all over the finish.
-The movie starts out with Jack White on a farm, pounding two nails into a 2x4. He then nails a single guitar pickup to the wood. Then he wraps a piece of steel wire around the nails, making it taut. He inserts a glass bottle on one side to act as a bridge and then plugs the rig into one of his Silvertone amps sitting on the porch. Then starts ripping out a slide guitar riff on his homemade 'guitar.' The whole thing took about 4mins. No words. Ends with Jack taking a drag off a cigarette, "...ya know? Who says you need to buy a guitar?"
-Watching Jack White, The Edge, and Jimmy Page all sitting in THEIR music rooms, listening to THEIR records, talking about what THEIR influences were. It was a surreal experience to watch Jimmy Page listening to music. The guy on the top of most "Greatest Living Guitarist" lists, the guitarist for Led Zeppelin - even HE plays air guitar when listening to his favorite guitarists. Turns out its not just me. Really brought home the fact that these guys are just normal dudes.
-There's actually clips of the lutheire making the 2nd of Jack White's custom "Triple Jet" Gretsches. Not the copper one I blogged about 2 posts below, but the one with the Green Bullet microphone on the body. That was pretty sweet.
-The drastically different approaches of each player. Page was a session guitarist playing other people's music before deciding to go a completely different direction and change the way electric guitar was played forever. The Edge is very into effects processing and getting the most out of dozens of pedals and amps in his chain, getting the most precise sound to match whats in his head. Jack White is a minimalist guitarist - cheap plastic guitars, 3 effects, and straight blues riffs backed by as much energy and raw power as he can muster.
-There was a funny quote from The Edge talking about their first serious recording session w/ Steve Lillywhite. After they'd recorded all the main parts, Steve wanted to overdub different guitar parts on top of Edge's original riffs with a different guitar (to make the tone fuller, a common trick). This was so early in U2's career, The Edge looks at Bono, looks at his brown Explorer and says, "...this is all I have. This is the only guitar the band owns."
-There's a clip of Jack White talking about the blues and while he's talking there is a clip of him playing "Blue Veins" with the Raconteurs. He's playing so hard that his hand is bleeding all over his guitar body. He sets the Gretsch down, the camera zooms in, and there's red smears all over the finish.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
"Liber Novus"
There's something about the the occult that interests me. Physical manifestations of heaven and hell, good and evil, angels and demons - if you throw that stuff in a book or movie... there's a pretty good chance I'll get it.
Which is why when I came across this link about a secret book written by Carl Jung while he was... well... going out of his way to allow his phychosis / schizophrenia to get stronger, I proceded to read the entire article. And its not a small article.
Something about special books with pictures and biblical allusions containing information important enough to get hidden and locked away - just seems to interest me.
Examples:
-The grail diary in The Last Crusade
-The crazy artwork in Dante's Divine Comedy (but mainly just Inferno)
-The three texts in the movie The Ninth Gate
Which is why when I came across this link about a secret book written by Carl Jung while he was... well... going out of his way to allow his phychosis / schizophrenia to get stronger, I proceded to read the entire article. And its not a small article.
Something about special books with pictures and biblical allusions containing information important enough to get hidden and locked away - just seems to interest me.
Examples:
-The grail diary in The Last Crusade
-The crazy artwork in Dante's Divine Comedy (but mainly just Inferno)
-The three texts in the movie The Ninth Gate
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The 'Triple Jet'
Jack White has been using Gretsch guitars for a while now, but there's two SWEET ones he's been using for Raconteurs gigs.
One started off as a single cut-away, but he sent it to a luthier in Seattle to have it turned into a double cut-away. And install a theremin near the bigsby. And install a green bullet microphone on a retractable cable on the body of the guitar. Hard to explain.
The other one is a custom made guitar, based on the Duo Jet, that has a copper finish and a 3rd pickup wired to an internal MXR Micro Amp effect inside the guitar. He dubbed this guitar the Gretsch "Triple Jet." He added the three stripes seen on lots of White Stripes posters and on his Silvertone amps grill cloth. Its a sweet sweet sweet guitar.
One started off as a single cut-away, but he sent it to a luthier in Seattle to have it turned into a double cut-away. And install a theremin near the bigsby. And install a green bullet microphone on a retractable cable on the body of the guitar. Hard to explain.
The other one is a custom made guitar, based on the Duo Jet, that has a copper finish and a 3rd pickup wired to an internal MXR Micro Amp effect inside the guitar. He dubbed this guitar the Gretsch "Triple Jet." He added the three stripes seen on lots of White Stripes posters and on his Silvertone amps grill cloth. Its a sweet sweet sweet guitar.
Fair and Balanced!
Can you believe I found this on FoxNews? The same network that was praising the Tea Party protesters with Obama/Hitler signs and Swastika emblems "Patriots"? This writer is probably looking for a new job today.
Not every person dissatisfied with Obama's policy is a racist, but there is a large segment of morons who don't have any idea what's going on with policy, but just think Obama is ruining, "their country." Quotes like, 'Muslims are taking over' are becoming more and more prevalent, and some conservatives are fanning those flames to look like they have support. Rather than educating their supporters on the actual facts that they SHOULD be mad about - some politicians and FoxNews are fanning the protesters like the TeaBaggers to provide some kind of facade of support for their agenda. What they're actually doing is stoking the fires of xenophobia and racism among Amercia's bottom feeders.
What sucks is that there's a serious debate to be had here, but its not happening because people think shouting, "you lie (boy)!" is legitimate dialog. Even if Joe Wilson isn't a racist, his kind of vitrol-soaked politics isn't helping. Its hurting.
Not every person dissatisfied with Obama's policy is a racist, but there is a large segment of morons who don't have any idea what's going on with policy, but just think Obama is ruining, "their country." Quotes like, 'Muslims are taking over' are becoming more and more prevalent, and some conservatives are fanning those flames to look like they have support. Rather than educating their supporters on the actual facts that they SHOULD be mad about - some politicians and FoxNews are fanning the protesters like the TeaBaggers to provide some kind of facade of support for their agenda. What they're actually doing is stoking the fires of xenophobia and racism among Amercia's bottom feeders.
What sucks is that there's a serious debate to be had here, but its not happening because people think shouting, "you lie (boy)!" is legitimate dialog. Even if Joe Wilson isn't a racist, his kind of vitrol-soaked politics isn't helping. Its hurting.
Monday, September 14, 2009
How could you be so heartless?
VMAs were hard to watch last night. I get that its probably not the easiest thing to do to corral drunk celebrities, but the pre-show and majority of the show was skin-crawlingly awkward.
Good parts of the night:
-Singers actually singing live (Swift, GaGa, P!nk, Perry)
-Lady Gaga's morbid but AWESOME performance of Paparazzi
-Pink having to be restrained by security from beating Kanye's tiny ass.
MY piece about the Kanye Pest fiasco:
Everyone one knows Kanye's full of himself. He always has been. Last night wasn't the first tantrum he's thrown at an awards show. It was just the lowest he's stooped to do it. There's been a few good rants about Kanye on celebrity twitters and interviews. Since ranting is what I do best, allow me. Ahem.
Dear Kanye,
You make good music. I'll give you that. Lots of people wondered when your ego was going to be your downfall, and I think we all just witnessed it on live TV. Your hubris and ego has finally eclipsed your talent. Your body of work has been overshadowed by your stupid ass tantrums. THAT'S what you'll be known for in 10 years - Being a baby. How's that feel? Don't feel anything? Still think you're the best thing ever? Okay. I can hit harder (and lower). *pause for deep breath...*
I like that you had to reach UP to take the mic from Taylor. Is your ego partially to make you feel bigger than you are? 'Cause you're just a little guy. How's it feel knowing TAYLOR SWIFT makes you look small?
Your girlfriend looks like something stolen out of Roswell. (read: she looks like an alien)
Luckily, your douch-baggery didn't ruin everyone's night. Beyonce won video of the year and got Taylor to come back on stage to finish her speech, making it the last speech of the night. Beyonce is crazy talented (and smoking hot) and a class act. Which is why she can choose to marry the best rapper of the last 10 years, Jay-Z. Jay-Z - THERE'S someone who'll get remembered for his music. Unlike you, Kanye, who'll get remembered for thinking they were cooler than they actually were.
Still have an attitude, 'ye? I've got one more:
Somewhere, Kanye, your mother is ashamed of you.
Good parts of the night:
-Singers actually singing live (Swift, GaGa, P!nk, Perry)
-Lady Gaga's morbid but AWESOME performance of Paparazzi
-Pink having to be restrained by security from beating Kanye's tiny ass.
MY piece about the Kanye Pest fiasco:
Everyone one knows Kanye's full of himself. He always has been. Last night wasn't the first tantrum he's thrown at an awards show. It was just the lowest he's stooped to do it. There's been a few good rants about Kanye on celebrity twitters and interviews. Since ranting is what I do best, allow me. Ahem.
Dear Kanye,
You make good music. I'll give you that. Lots of people wondered when your ego was going to be your downfall, and I think we all just witnessed it on live TV. Your hubris and ego has finally eclipsed your talent. Your body of work has been overshadowed by your stupid ass tantrums. THAT'S what you'll be known for in 10 years - Being a baby. How's that feel? Don't feel anything? Still think you're the best thing ever? Okay. I can hit harder (and lower). *pause for deep breath...*
I like that you had to reach UP to take the mic from Taylor. Is your ego partially to make you feel bigger than you are? 'Cause you're just a little guy. How's it feel knowing TAYLOR SWIFT makes you look small?
Your girlfriend looks like something stolen out of Roswell. (read: she looks like an alien)
Luckily, your douch-baggery didn't ruin everyone's night. Beyonce won video of the year and got Taylor to come back on stage to finish her speech, making it the last speech of the night. Beyonce is crazy talented (and smoking hot) and a class act. Which is why she can choose to marry the best rapper of the last 10 years, Jay-Z. Jay-Z - THERE'S someone who'll get remembered for his music. Unlike you, Kanye, who'll get remembered for thinking they were cooler than they actually were.
Still have an attitude, 'ye? I've got one more:
Somewhere, Kanye, your mother is ashamed of you.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Jay-Z @ MSG w/ JM playing D.O.A.
Acronyms galore!
"all the crazy press would have done me in twice over by now - ...but I've got this guitar, see?"
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Shins...
are awesome. I know most of my readership is already aware. But I'm listening to them again this morning, and I'm always impressed at how simply they blend wordy, vague and sometimes non-sensical lyrics with such great melodies and layering. Great stuff.
Sleeping Lessons
Go without,
Till the need seeps in
You low animal,
Collect your novel petals for the stem.
And glow. Glow.
Melt and flow.
Eviscerate your fragile frame.
And spill it out on ragged floor.
A thousand different versions of yourself.
And if the old gods still offend,
They got nothing left on which you depend.
So enlist every ounce
Of your bright blood.
And off with their heads.
Jump from the hook.
You're not obliged to swallow anything you despise.
See, those unrepenting buzzards want your life,
And they got no right.As sure as you have eyes,
They got no right.
Sleeping Lessons
Go without,
Till the need seeps in
You low animal,
Collect your novel petals for the stem.
And glow. Glow.
Melt and flow.
Eviscerate your fragile frame.
And spill it out on ragged floor.
A thousand different versions of yourself.
And if the old gods still offend,
They got nothing left on which you depend.
So enlist every ounce
Of your bright blood.
And off with their heads.
Jump from the hook.
You're not obliged to swallow anything you despise.
See, those unrepenting buzzards want your life,
And they got no right.As sure as you have eyes,
They got no right.
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