Beware, noisy video.
It seems the claims that video games can do strange things to kids' minds may not be so wrong.
With other family members, I bought a Wii for my nephews. The reaction was more erudite than this, but sincere. "How do you say thank you for a present like this?"
I actually bought one for myself in 2007, but got bored with it because what I did with the stick seemed to have only so much influence on what happened on the screen. For instance it was impossible to throw a gutter ball in bowling.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
André F. Chocron
You heard it here first: André F. Chocron will be famous. (Though he should lose the F.) His work is just compelling.
Déjeuner du matin from André F. Chocron on Vimeo.
Bars & Tones from André F. Chocron on Vimeo.
Déjeuner du matin from André F. Chocron on Vimeo.
Bars & Tones from André F. Chocron on Vimeo.
Rob Zombie interview
Update: this is a very cool video. It perfectly captures films of a century ago.
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Rob Zombie interview. Some interesting things are said. But I also show it as an example of what's wrong with post-MTV TV and videos: producers are so terrified of viewers becoming bored that they can't show an interview without weird jump-cuts and camera moves, and sometimes actually putting music on top of it. I really hate when films and TV has music on top of dialogue. It's like putting text on top of photos or art. Come on, guys, respect the communication.
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Rob Zombie interview. Some interesting things are said. But I also show it as an example of what's wrong with post-MTV TV and videos: producers are so terrified of viewers becoming bored that they can't show an interview without weird jump-cuts and camera moves, and sometimes actually putting music on top of it. I really hate when films and TV has music on top of dialogue. It's like putting text on top of photos or art. Come on, guys, respect the communication.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Death of the hero
Somebody made a list of superheroes who actually died. That's impressive until you notice that most of them have been resurrected. Lame... it's almost harder to find a superhero who hasn't died and been resurrected. The trick is to find one who stayed dead. (I find it very hard to believe Captain America will be the one.)
Wouldn't it be fun if just once a prominent superhero died and was never resurrected, despite popular demand. Wouldn't it be fun to hear a commercial publishing company say: "Do you really want us to go against our word? The guy is dead! We have integrity, you know."
Wouldn't it be fun if just once a prominent superhero died and was never resurrected, despite popular demand. Wouldn't it be fun to hear a commercial publishing company say: "Do you really want us to go against our word? The guy is dead! We have integrity, you know."
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Rob Zombie and Beatles
And now for something entirely different.
Though again it is the melody which is the base of the appeal for me.
Embedding is disabled for this one, but you can watch/listen to it here.
And now for something quite different again: All You Need Is Love, performed live and in color in 1967.
What synergy those guys had. Spooky. You'd never think two fellahs like John and Paul could mesh like they did, musically.
And lo! My favorite version of Revolution. I wish they'd done more hard rock.
John Travolta has talked about a theory that anybody has a personality like one of the Beatles. And that his is "Paul all the way, baby".
If so, mine is clearly John.
But what are the personalities of George and Ringo? Pardon my iggorance, I'm just slightly too young.
Does anybody know in which documentary McCartney tells that he and Lennon would sit across from each other and "sort of play at each other" when they were composing?
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Rich said:
The son and I went to an Ozzy concert last year with Rob Zombie opening. Didn't know a thing about him until the night of the concert. We were instant fans - he was more fun than Ozzy. Really cool set, goofy death robot, catchy tunes. Retro-horror-kitsch done right !
Sean said:
I've never particularly gotten into Rob Zombie's music, but I really respect him for doing his own artwork and videos in addition to his music. And his horror movies may not be everyone's cup of blood, but he definitely brings his own special something to the genre.
I just looked him up on wiki, and I'm pleasantly surprised to see he has five platinum albums! I'd no idea he was so popular. He deserves it, he is perhaps the single artist I know who combines near-Ministry intensity levels with great melodies.
... I just checked Rob out on iTunes, and he had one album I didn't have, Educated Horses, so I bought it. Fun to see his titles and looks are getting more subtle.
Man, my connection is great these days! I downloaded all eleven songs in under ten seconds! I remember a few years ago, Steve Jobs showed download speed like this on stage, and the audience laughed with delight and surprise.
Though again it is the melody which is the base of the appeal for me.
Embedding is disabled for this one, but you can watch/listen to it here.
And now for something quite different again: All You Need Is Love, performed live and in color in 1967.
What synergy those guys had. Spooky. You'd never think two fellahs like John and Paul could mesh like they did, musically.
And lo! My favorite version of Revolution. I wish they'd done more hard rock.
John Travolta has talked about a theory that anybody has a personality like one of the Beatles. And that his is "Paul all the way, baby".
If so, mine is clearly John.
But what are the personalities of George and Ringo? Pardon my iggorance, I'm just slightly too young.
Does anybody know in which documentary McCartney tells that he and Lennon would sit across from each other and "sort of play at each other" when they were composing?
---
Rich said:
The son and I went to an Ozzy concert last year with Rob Zombie opening. Didn't know a thing about him until the night of the concert. We were instant fans - he was more fun than Ozzy. Really cool set, goofy death robot, catchy tunes. Retro-horror-kitsch done right !
Sean said:
I've never particularly gotten into Rob Zombie's music, but I really respect him for doing his own artwork and videos in addition to his music. And his horror movies may not be everyone's cup of blood, but he definitely brings his own special something to the genre.
I just looked him up on wiki, and I'm pleasantly surprised to see he has five platinum albums! I'd no idea he was so popular. He deserves it, he is perhaps the single artist I know who combines near-Ministry intensity levels with great melodies.
... I just checked Rob out on iTunes, and he had one album I didn't have, Educated Horses, so I bought it. Fun to see his titles and looks are getting more subtle.
Man, my connection is great these days! I downloaded all eleven songs in under ten seconds! I remember a few years ago, Steve Jobs showed download speed like this on stage, and the audience laughed with delight and surprise.
Black Box Recorder - "The Facts of Life"
This song has been amongst my faves for a while, and I suddenly wondered if a video was available. I like the sweet melody and the voice of the singer.
"STEAL THIS BOOK"
Here's a popular classic: STEAL THIS BOOK By Abbie Hoffman.
It's about grifting and stealing your way through life. That seems to me an unloving attitude towards your fellow man, not to mention an admission that you can't pay your own way.
But wait, there's a morality:
"Our moral dictionary says no heisting from each other. To steal from a brother or sister is evil. To not steal from the institutions that are the pillars of the Pig Empire is equally immoral."
... Though the very first chapter is about how to steal from restaurants, so clearly people who own or work in restaurants are not brothers or sisters, but "pillars of the Pig Empire".
"There are still some places where you can get all you can eat for a fixed price. The best of these places are in Las Vegas. Sew a plastic bag onto your tee-shirt or belt and wear a loose-fitting jacket or coat to cover any noticeable bulge. Fried chicken is the best and the easiest to pocket, or should we say bag. Another trick is to pour your second free cup of hot coffee into the plastic bag sewed inside your pocket and take it with you."
Good lord, what a fucking pathetic life that sounds like.
When looking at Abbie Hoffman (male), he looks to me like somebody who may have had some worthwhile things to say, but who was a person who was deeply mired in a viewpoint of intense conflict with most of the world. (The book contains advice on how to get armor and weapons for conflicts with police!) If you see it that way, that's what you see. Self-fulfilling prophesy.
It's about grifting and stealing your way through life. That seems to me an unloving attitude towards your fellow man, not to mention an admission that you can't pay your own way.
But wait, there's a morality:
"Our moral dictionary says no heisting from each other. To steal from a brother or sister is evil. To not steal from the institutions that are the pillars of the Pig Empire is equally immoral."
... Though the very first chapter is about how to steal from restaurants, so clearly people who own or work in restaurants are not brothers or sisters, but "pillars of the Pig Empire".
"There are still some places where you can get all you can eat for a fixed price. The best of these places are in Las Vegas. Sew a plastic bag onto your tee-shirt or belt and wear a loose-fitting jacket or coat to cover any noticeable bulge. Fried chicken is the best and the easiest to pocket, or should we say bag. Another trick is to pour your second free cup of hot coffee into the plastic bag sewed inside your pocket and take it with you."
Good lord, what a fucking pathetic life that sounds like.
When looking at Abbie Hoffman (male), he looks to me like somebody who may have had some worthwhile things to say, but who was a person who was deeply mired in a viewpoint of intense conflict with most of the world. (The book contains advice on how to get armor and weapons for conflicts with police!) If you see it that way, that's what you see. Self-fulfilling prophesy.
Employee of the Month
Employee of the Month - totally hil. I don't know why it has mediocre reviews on Amazon, and I don't care much, I'm guessing they were expecting a different kind of movie. It's a highly entertaining satire.
Little person (or whatever the singular of the PC term "little people" is) Danny Woodburn as Glen Ross has a great line: "I like people. From a distance." That's exactly how I feel.
Or as Linus van Pelt put it: "I love humanity. It's people I can't stand."
Little person (or whatever the singular of the PC term "little people" is) Danny Woodburn as Glen Ross has a great line: "I like people. From a distance." That's exactly how I feel.
Or as Linus van Pelt put it: "I love humanity. It's people I can't stand."
The media landscape
Hans Lysglimt is echoing here what I've been saying since the mid-nineties, that the decentralization of media will have far-reaching effects we can hardly imagine now.
Back then I didn't realize how big a barrier the technology would still be to most people, but blogging and vlogging is finally changing this now.
Hans says: "The fact that we have a free society in the West ... is an anomaly... Right now we are in an amazing time in human history where we do have a free society for the most part, but that can change very easily..."
Back then I didn't realize how big a barrier the technology would still be to most people, but blogging and vlogging is finally changing this now.
Hans says: "The fact that we have a free society in the West ... is an anomaly... Right now we are in an amazing time in human history where we do have a free society for the most part, but that can change very easily..."
Debbie Harry: I Want That Man
I'll keep the money You can have the fame
Debbie Harry, I Want That Man
Very wise words.
I think Def, Dumb and Blonde was a terrific solo album. It's not often a solo spinoff from a popular band is that good.
This seems to be the original video:
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Adam Isler Photography
Adam Isler Photography.
Funny how it's clear that some pictures are modern, some are from the seventies, and some are from the fifties.
(I wish he'd make the text on the pictures more discreet. I never liked text on pictures.)
I love the tones and lines in this one.
Funny how it's clear that some pictures are modern, some are from the seventies, and some are from the fifties.
(I wish he'd make the text on the pictures more discreet. I never liked text on pictures.)
I love the tones and lines in this one.
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