J.L. will likely get on my case for use of that particular
word in the Swank post. Uhh... so lets go with... I worked
with a guy who played an Uncultivated Rural American
in Boys Don't Cry. The blog is so amended.
Monday, February 28, 2005
Hilary Swank: Why?
How is it that this woman was annointed most
favored leading lady of Hollywood? Cate Blanchette,
to name but one acterss, is obviously a higher caliber
performer. Shouldn't Blanchette be getting the
female boxing protege role and Swank the elven queen
gig?
Strangely..... Ms. Swank was my strangest New York City
brush with fame (unless you rank sitting next to Kevin
Bacon and family on the uptown M3 bus as more bizarre).
I was checking out a friend's art exhibit on the Baroness Elsa
von Freytag-Loringhoven at her uptown Columbia U. studio,
and in the midst of hanging out in the stu-d, in walks Hilary,
who proceeds to have, perhaps, the longest and most engaged
conversation on the Baroness in recent human history with
my MFA friend... like, they were making a serious pitch to be
co-Presidents of the Baroness fan club or historical society.
Odd. I also happened to do progressive political organizing at
Hunter College with an actor who played one of the rednecks
who abused Swank's character in Boys Don't Cry. If you move
to NYC you'll discover, after a while, its a small world after all.
Who the hell is the Baroness? Great question. Here's a website:
http://www.artnet.com/magazine/features/oisteanu/oisteanu5-20-02.asp
favored leading lady of Hollywood? Cate Blanchette,
to name but one acterss, is obviously a higher caliber
performer. Shouldn't Blanchette be getting the
female boxing protege role and Swank the elven queen
gig?
Strangely..... Ms. Swank was my strangest New York City
brush with fame (unless you rank sitting next to Kevin
Bacon and family on the uptown M3 bus as more bizarre).
I was checking out a friend's art exhibit on the Baroness Elsa
von Freytag-Loringhoven at her uptown Columbia U. studio,
and in the midst of hanging out in the stu-d, in walks Hilary,
who proceeds to have, perhaps, the longest and most engaged
conversation on the Baroness in recent human history with
my MFA friend... like, they were making a serious pitch to be
co-Presidents of the Baroness fan club or historical society.
Odd. I also happened to do progressive political organizing at
Hunter College with an actor who played one of the rednecks
who abused Swank's character in Boys Don't Cry. If you move
to NYC you'll discover, after a while, its a small world after all.
Who the hell is the Baroness? Great question. Here's a website:
http://www.artnet.com/magazine/features/oisteanu/oisteanu5-20-02.asp
Medeski, Martin, and Wood
... a group I've been meaning to see in concert
for some time now. Finally checked them out
last Saturday night at The Egg Theater in Albany,
New York. This trio's live stuff is perhaps the
funkiest jazz that three white guys will ever perform.
I highly recommend them. They are tourning
though the end of May. Check out the tourin'
schedule at:
http://www.mmw.net/events.jsp
for some time now. Finally checked them out
last Saturday night at The Egg Theater in Albany,
New York. This trio's live stuff is perhaps the
funkiest jazz that three white guys will ever perform.
I highly recommend them. They are tourning
though the end of May. Check out the tourin'
schedule at:
http://www.mmw.net/events.jsp
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Fear and Loathing in Central New York
Really folks,
If you know David Weinberg, you know someone
very special. I'm not sure anyone has been more white
guys to more people. For many years, I thought I was
a pretty average looking (though handsome) European Mutt, maybe
with a little more of the Norwegian genes than my two
brothers (with older bro Micah getting a larger portion of the downtown Hebron bloodline, younger bro Seth cornering the market on
the Aragorn lineage)... nothing special. A plethora of white guy
comparisons has shattered that image. Let's
take a brief moment to run down the list of David-doppelgangers:
1) Toby McGuire (Jen saw T.M. filming Spiderman on the
Columbia University campus, and assures me that I am taller,
more slender, and cuter than the world's favorite D.W. look-alike)
2) David Hyde Pierce (thanks a lot, dad)
3) Campbell Scott (though Greg Woodell takes the cake here)
more confusingly and obscurely:
4) Christopher Walken (stems from what some people
perceive as a semi-permanent demeanor and look of mine... we won't
talk about that)
and when the hair's looking a little more 1982,
5) Beck
Time to add another name to the list...
this photo has appeared in many articles on Hunter Thompson
in the days following his death... more than one person has commented on the likeness of this photo to myself. What is particularly errie
is that I have a shot from college where I'm essentially striking
the same pose, wearing the same clothes, hair parted in the same
direction. Yikes.
David Weinberg or Hunter Thompson? We report, you decide.
Actually, I'm flattered. If this is a sign that I'm the Dalai Lama of
Gonzo Journalism, well, I'll do my very best to carry the torch.
Stay tuned...
If you know David Weinberg, you know someone
very special. I'm not sure anyone has been more white
guys to more people. For many years, I thought I was
a pretty average looking (though handsome) European Mutt, maybe
with a little more of the Norwegian genes than my two
brothers (with older bro Micah getting a larger portion of the downtown Hebron bloodline, younger bro Seth cornering the market on
the Aragorn lineage)... nothing special. A plethora of white guy
comparisons has shattered that image. Let's
take a brief moment to run down the list of David-doppelgangers:
1) Toby McGuire (Jen saw T.M. filming Spiderman on the
Columbia University campus, and assures me that I am taller,
more slender, and cuter than the world's favorite D.W. look-alike)
2) David Hyde Pierce (thanks a lot, dad)
3) Campbell Scott (though Greg Woodell takes the cake here)
more confusingly and obscurely:
4) Christopher Walken (stems from what some people
perceive as a semi-permanent demeanor and look of mine... we won't
talk about that)
and when the hair's looking a little more 1982,
5) Beck
Time to add another name to the list...
this photo has appeared in many articles on Hunter Thompson
in the days following his death... more than one person has commented on the likeness of this photo to myself. What is particularly errie
is that I have a shot from college where I'm essentially striking
the same pose, wearing the same clothes, hair parted in the same
direction. Yikes.
David Weinberg or Hunter Thompson? We report, you decide.
Actually, I'm flattered. If this is a sign that I'm the Dalai Lama of
Gonzo Journalism, well, I'll do my very best to carry the torch.
Stay tuned...
Monday, February 21, 2005
RIP Hunter S. Thompson
A good friend has posted a fitting piece on his blog:
http://bentevelin.blogspot.com/
As much as it will pain me, I will toast
Old Crow Whiskey to the good Doctor tonight.
You will be missed.
http://bentevelin.blogspot.com/
As much as it will pain me, I will toast
Old Crow Whiskey to the good Doctor tonight.
You will be missed.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Wead on Weed
OK,
Happened sooner than I expected, but its unofficially
NORML-week here on 'Get Out Of The Road' after
ex-George the Elder aide Doug Wead, aka the O'Reilly Grinch
who stole Clinton's Hair, went all Nixon on W. and recorded
a pre-ascention conversation with the man where
one could infer that our Comander n' Cheif might have
smoked up at some point during the 20th Century. In other
shocking news, water is wet.
Why'd ya do it, Doug?
So, what to write here? What's the spin? Not
too surprizing that this appeared in The NY Times, which
should officially rename Paul Krugman's op-ed column to,
"I hate W. with an Extreme Passion" and Bob Herbert's
to, "Yes, you are Living in a Police State." Call those limousine
liberals what you will.. Kerry lost by 3 million votes but
who else is going to break the semi-relevant story that makes
you giggle on a Sunday morning? Its not the Syracuse
Post Dispatch, I can tell you that.
Wait a minute.. semi-relevant? Bush also lets out on the
tape that Johnny Ashcroft would make for a "very good supreme
court pick." Yikes. Let me work on some jokes here and post
back later, but also state that, if our beloved lost-to-the-deceased-
Senator, gospel signing, breast covering, Patriot Act writing,
ex-Atty. Gen. takes over for the ailing William R..., well, Howard
Dean should just dissolve the Democratic Party and I am moving
to Vancouver. Strike that. Vancouver is too cold, and they lost
their NBA franchise (probably a good thing). I'm taking my
beloved fellow Earlham grad partner and moving to Alicante, Spain, baby! They've got sun, the Mediterranean Sea, and currently the 3rd
Place Team in the Spanish League:
http://www.eurobasket.com/ESPteam.asp?Team=2004
Actually... the more I think about it, the better this sounds. Serious
upgrade from cloudy-cold, Onondaga Lake, and an Orange team that
has forgotten how to box out and rebound... brush off the law books,
Croft... AQUI VENGO ALICANTE!!!
Happened sooner than I expected, but its unofficially
NORML-week here on 'Get Out Of The Road' after
ex-George the Elder aide Doug Wead, aka the O'Reilly Grinch
who stole Clinton's Hair, went all Nixon on W. and recorded
a pre-ascention conversation with the man where
one could infer that our Comander n' Cheif might have
smoked up at some point during the 20th Century. In other
shocking news, water is wet.
Why'd ya do it, Doug?
So, what to write here? What's the spin? Not
too surprizing that this appeared in The NY Times, which
should officially rename Paul Krugman's op-ed column to,
"I hate W. with an Extreme Passion" and Bob Herbert's
to, "Yes, you are Living in a Police State." Call those limousine
liberals what you will.. Kerry lost by 3 million votes but
who else is going to break the semi-relevant story that makes
you giggle on a Sunday morning? Its not the Syracuse
Post Dispatch, I can tell you that.
Wait a minute.. semi-relevant? Bush also lets out on the
tape that Johnny Ashcroft would make for a "very good supreme
court pick." Yikes. Let me work on some jokes here and post
back later, but also state that, if our beloved lost-to-the-deceased-
Senator, gospel signing, breast covering, Patriot Act writing,
ex-Atty. Gen. takes over for the ailing William R..., well, Howard
Dean should just dissolve the Democratic Party and I am moving
to Vancouver. Strike that. Vancouver is too cold, and they lost
their NBA franchise (probably a good thing). I'm taking my
beloved fellow Earlham grad partner and moving to Alicante, Spain, baby! They've got sun, the Mediterranean Sea, and currently the 3rd
Place Team in the Spanish League:
http://www.eurobasket.com/ESPteam.asp?Team=2004
Actually... the more I think about it, the better this sounds. Serious
upgrade from cloudy-cold, Onondaga Lake, and an Orange team that
has forgotten how to box out and rebound... brush off the law books,
Croft... AQUI VENGO ALICANTE!!!
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Gettin' Stoned and Gettin' Busted
Ok.. this is part post, part feeling out the technology.
Lets start with: posting a Picture of Uncle Spliff.
Uncle Spliff Head Shot
Fabulous. Now lets give you links to Uncle Spliffs
career stats and multiple ganja-related run-ins
with the law and the league...
Career stats:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=0287
Busted with the Pheonix Suns:
http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2001/0207/1067212.html
Busted with the Golden State Warriors:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1981699
Busted with the Detroit Pistons:
http://www.news-star.com/stories/071102/spo_23.shtml
And my personal favorite, this one involving paint guns,
busted with the Portland Trailblazers:
http://www.wweek.com/html/dudleyL_Frmrogue080697.html
Nets GM Rod Thorn should just get Cliff's NJ Nets incident out
of the way before the playoffs.. plant a quarter in his locker, or
somethin'. Can you imagine a totally baked out Nets coach Lawrence
Frank? I can, and I think it would look approximate like this...:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/coach?id=9
Ahh... so I'd love to elaborate on how Cliff really brings together
a quality, or, propensity, rather, of J.C. and S.W., but that would
probably draw an inaugural tongue lashing (and rightfully so)
from the below mentioned J.L. about something, "I really shouldn't
publish on the Internet." So I won't.
Lets start with: posting a Picture of Uncle Spliff.
Uncle Spliff Head Shot
Fabulous. Now lets give you links to Uncle Spliffs
career stats and multiple ganja-related run-ins
with the law and the league...
Career stats:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=0287
Busted with the Pheonix Suns:
http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2001/0207/1067212.html
Busted with the Golden State Warriors:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1981699
Busted with the Detroit Pistons:
http://www.news-star.com/stories/071102/spo_23.shtml
And my personal favorite, this one involving paint guns,
busted with the Portland Trailblazers:
http://www.wweek.com/html/dudleyL_Frmrogue080697.html
Nets GM Rod Thorn should just get Cliff's NJ Nets incident out
of the way before the playoffs.. plant a quarter in his locker, or
somethin'. Can you imagine a totally baked out Nets coach Lawrence
Frank? I can, and I think it would look approximate like this...:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/coach?id=9
Ahh... so I'd love to elaborate on how Cliff really brings together
a quality, or, propensity, rather, of J.C. and S.W., but that would
probably draw an inaugural tongue lashing (and rightfully so)
from the below mentioned J.L. about something, "I really shouldn't
publish on the Internet." So I won't.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
I'm not sure I understand the point of this
For starters, how to convince the oligopoly of webbrowers tosend curious surfers my way. I think this David Weinberg guy atOSU paidoff someone at google or owns stock in Yahoo or is marriedto the CEO of AltaVista. I'm just never going to knock him from thetop of the "David Weinberg" search engine list, no matter how muchmindless palaver I chalk up on this thing.
Second, there doesn't seem to be a spellcheck function on blogspot.This is unfortunate and will lead to much embarrassment. Like, is thathow embarrassment is spelled? I'm not so confident as to bet myrecord collection or stake my professional reputation on it. Ifyou google Jennifer L., you'll find a marathon runner on the eastcoast, but also a reference to an uber-uber-uber bright guy namedPeter Suber writing that another Jennifer L. is a pretty kick ass editor.This J.L. will catch my misspellings and grammatical blunders here and I'llhear no end of it. But God do I love the woman. To no end. So its OK.
OK, so, what's the point? You tell me. Here's the first thing that reallycame to mind to post about: I was watching SLC Punk on HBO #318 theother night and there was this scene in the movie where the main charactersflash back to their childhood days in the early 80s and the one kid upsetsthe other by turning off his Rush cassette and putting on some punk. Thewhole idea was that Rush represented the old and tired, Punk the new andexciting ... and both kids eventually respond to the punk like its really hotshit. Problem here with the nostalgic glorification of punk music, as was ondisplay also in 24 Hour Party People is, well, that Punk music just isn't verygood. Cry me a river about how much airplay Stairway to Heaven got. JoyDivision is a forgettable grain of sandy subparness in the ocean of the greatand wonderful Classic Rock.
So what was the point? You learn I don't like punk music. Which tells you a littleabout myself. I'm a bit of a music snob, and under the right conditions, am a heartybeliever in objective standards, concrete judgements, universal truths. But notalways. Rarely, infact. But with some things, mainly the aesthetics... ratingthe quality of music or the sound of a language, you just can't go without it.Classic Rock is to French as Punk is to Dutch. There you have it.
I guess if it helps to pass the time for someone somewhere snared in aunderstimulating white-collar desk job-- or brightens the day, even-- to read something like that.. well, then, I would feel like I did some goodin the world. Ahh..... I think I may be picking up on the blog culture somewhat..... not that you'll read this, though..... cus you'll always be directed to Mr. Dave at The Ohio State.....OK, before signing off, I want you to know that I am also elated (estatic, really), that the New Jersey Nets signed Clifford Robinson,aka, Uncle Spliffy. This gives me joy to almost no end. If we had more Uncle Spliffys in this world, well... what a wonderful place it would be.
Second, there doesn't seem to be a spellcheck function on blogspot.This is unfortunate and will lead to much embarrassment. Like, is thathow embarrassment is spelled? I'm not so confident as to bet myrecord collection or stake my professional reputation on it. Ifyou google Jennifer L., you'll find a marathon runner on the eastcoast, but also a reference to an uber-uber-uber bright guy namedPeter Suber writing that another Jennifer L. is a pretty kick ass editor.This J.L. will catch my misspellings and grammatical blunders here and I'llhear no end of it. But God do I love the woman. To no end. So its OK.
OK, so, what's the point? You tell me. Here's the first thing that reallycame to mind to post about: I was watching SLC Punk on HBO #318 theother night and there was this scene in the movie where the main charactersflash back to their childhood days in the early 80s and the one kid upsetsthe other by turning off his Rush cassette and putting on some punk. Thewhole idea was that Rush represented the old and tired, Punk the new andexciting ... and both kids eventually respond to the punk like its really hotshit. Problem here with the nostalgic glorification of punk music, as was ondisplay also in 24 Hour Party People is, well, that Punk music just isn't verygood. Cry me a river about how much airplay Stairway to Heaven got. JoyDivision is a forgettable grain of sandy subparness in the ocean of the greatand wonderful Classic Rock.
So what was the point? You learn I don't like punk music. Which tells you a littleabout myself. I'm a bit of a music snob, and under the right conditions, am a heartybeliever in objective standards, concrete judgements, universal truths. But notalways. Rarely, infact. But with some things, mainly the aesthetics... ratingthe quality of music or the sound of a language, you just can't go without it.Classic Rock is to French as Punk is to Dutch. There you have it.
I guess if it helps to pass the time for someone somewhere snared in aunderstimulating white-collar desk job-- or brightens the day, even-- to read something like that.. well, then, I would feel like I did some goodin the world. Ahh..... I think I may be picking up on the blog culture somewhat..... not that you'll read this, though..... cus you'll always be directed to Mr. Dave at The Ohio State.....OK, before signing off, I want you to know that I am also elated (estatic, really), that the New Jersey Nets signed Clifford Robinson,aka, Uncle Spliffy. This gives me joy to almost no end. If we had more Uncle Spliffys in this world, well... what a wonderful place it would be.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
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