Hippo eats dwarf

This is so funny, I can't even comprehend it in its entirety. Only later tonight will I burst into a fit of laughter so violent that I vomit.

Intonation, you rock my world

Intonation Fest was an absolute blast this weekend. I've got some lengthy write ups to come, which I hope to post tonight. Actually, I'll probably be posting it all on a new blog, one with more lengthy content about happenings and to-do's here in Chicago. I should be able to get at least the first day's worth up tonight. I'll be sure to announce it when it's good to go.

Oops, Ozzie did it again...

Ozzie's in classic form again. Unfortunately. For those not in the know, Ozzie Guillen, the White Sox's manager, called Jay Mariotti, Sun-Times Columnist, a "fucking fag" in an interview with reporters. Now personally, I love Ozzie for his in-your-face honesty, even if he does sound like a jackass. But I also knew that it'd only be a matter of time before he really got himself in trouble, and it looks like this might have done it. Go check out Jake Berlin's post over at The Bard's Room for our strangely prescient conversation on the subject a few weeks ago, as well as Jake's usually thoughtful and entertaining commentary.

And oh yeah, the Sox have been on an utter tear lately, having taken the last two games from the Cards by a combined score of 33-11. They've won 8 outta 9 since nearly coming back to win in the ninth against Cleveland two weeks ago. Is there a connection? Maybe this is part of some secret scheme by Ozzie to motivate his players? Are we all too ignorant and base to understand the scope and complexity of his Machiavellian schemes? Is this man a baseball genius the likes of which we haven't seen since Casey Stengal or John McGraw? Nah, probably not...

Cubs, Cubs, Cubs, tsk, tsk, tsk...

Come on Cubs, you can't even win one freaking game against the Tigers and help out my Sox a little bit? We sweep the Reds at home only to find that we're still a game and a half out of first in the division 'cause the Tigers swept the Cubs at home. And we have the second best record in all of baseball! For the first time this year, I feel the Cubs' pain.

Cubs fans, leave some of your sorrow and pain in the comments below. Trust me, you'll feel better.

Libertarian Democrats?

Not to spoil the party mood after what I figured would be my last post before the weekend, but I read this over at Daily Kos, and found it pretty interesting. The author's comments about the role of government with the rise corporate power is something I've always wanted to argue about with a libertarian. Strange bedfellows for strange times indeed.

Enjoy your weekend y'all!

From Page Six, via Salon.com:

"I didn't start drinking until I was 30," Jewel tells Blender. "I grew up singing for alcoholics, and it never really seemed like alcohol fixed anything. I was afraid that it would get me. Around 30, I kind of realized that alcohol really does solve all your problems. Whoever said drinking doesn't help lied. You live and you learn."

Ne'er a truer word spoken! Double dang!

Tom Verlaine @ The Double Door

Tom Verlaine is a fucking amazing guitar player. I repeat: Tom Verlaine is a fucking amazing guitar player.

I saw him play last night at The Double Door, to a small but appreciative crowd that appeared to be a pretty even mix of music geeks both old enough and not old enough to have actually have seen Television in person. Marty Lennartz put it best is his little introduction before he played, "I think everybody here tonight has spent a night with the lights turned off doing nothing but listening to the amazing interplay between Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd..." *huge roar from the crowd*

His presence on stage was exactly what I had envisioned after all those hours doing just that. Shy, but friendly; not introducing himself upon walking on stage, but endearing himself to the crowd just a song or two later by twice politely admonishing the guy working the light board to quit changing the stage lights because he couldn't see the neck of his guitar. He played a set that was close to two hours straight, without a break, despite a broken string and the oppressive heat in the club. (Seriously, I hadn't sweat that much at a show since I saw Ministry in 1996.) The man is a total master of his craft, easily and fluidly switching between styles and influences. Blues licks that broke from the genre's tired forms morphed gracefully into improvisational stretches that didn't lose the plot by wandering for too far or too long. And boy could he make that guitar sing, just like in the more inspired passages of Marquee Moon. Hell, just listening to him tune up his guitar while the band started the song was amazing in and of itself. Admittedly, I haven't spent much time listening to his solo work, but he completely impressed me with the set that he did play.

No dear reader, he didn't play a single Television song. *sigh* Not even a few bars from Venus De Milo? *deep sigh* Oh well, great show nonetheless. When I get that time machine though, first trip: NYC, The Bowery, 1977.

Update: Don't take my word for it, check out a review of the show in the Chicago Tribune.

Supreme Leader Bush

I'm a couple of days behind on catching this, but over at Crooks and Liars is a clip of Bill Kristol actually suggesting that Bush should be referred to as "Supreme Leader". For those of you not familiar with Kristol, he's one of the head ideologues over at the Project For The New American Century (PNAC). They're the kind-hearted braniacs who think we should quit fucking around and just take over the world by force. That's boiling it down, but that's pretty much the jist of their twisted little world view. Seriously, I wish I was making this shit up.

Back to the "Supreme Leader" crap. Admittedly, he made the crack after referring to Iran's head of state, who apparently does go by that honorific. Watch it for yourself though, he was serious, and even had a warm little smile after he let that little thought skate across his little pea brain.

I'd point out that there was a time when something like this would lead to outrage, public censure, or at least a collective labelling of this asshole, as well, an asshole. But I'm too jaded to be surprised by this anymore. It's a new century baby!

BTW, I found out about this via a silly little podcast by Twilight and Thebes. I've only heard a bit of one of the podcasts, but it ain't half bad. Mainly politics and porn so far, so I dig it.

BTW (Parte The Seconde), I found out about them via Shelley The Republican, which spouts more truthiness than even Fox News can spit out.

Gelaskins

All us iPod owners love our little iPods like children. As such, we want to make sure they're kept safe from harm and protected from the scratchy, scuffy, mean, old world. In my experience, most cases and sleeves are either too bulky or keep me from actually seeing the screen or touching the click wheel. Or, the case ends up getting scratched all to hell, which kind of ruins the whole point of having a case. Why bother if your iPod's still gonna look like ass?

Behold Gelaskins. A vinyl sticker with slick ass graphics that are also removable. I just got one in the mail today for my 4G. I haven't had a chance to stress test it, but it looks cool as hell. No bulk, but durable with all sorts of space age 3M technological goodness. They're available for the Mini, 4G, Nano, and Video, so I've already ordered a matching skin for my nano. Aww, won't they look cute???

The only negative so far has been the fact that it took damn near a month to get the thing delivered. There is only one shipping method, standard post, and apparently they've been having problems getting them cleared through customs. It does appear to be well worth the wait though.

Update: The second skin I ordered for my nano came in only a couple days after ordering it, so it would appear that the shipping problems Gelaskins was having have been resolved!

Midsommerfest in Andersonville

Hey y'all! Those looking for some more festival fun this weekend should check out Andersonville's Midsommerfest, I will be (on Saturday). At the very least, it's a good excuse to stop by the Hopleaf. Anyone who's down that way should ping me while you're down there, voice or txt.

The latest album I'm obsessing over

There are those albums you run across that you just can't stop listening to. They stick in your head and fuel your soul when you hear them. These are the ones you actually go out and buy. (On vinyl, because that makes me better than you. Or just an elitest douchebag. Either way...)

Spoon's Gimme Fiction: It was released last year, but I've finally just caught up with it. I won't bother to comment on it, as you'll find many more out there better qualified to do so. Just consider this one of those shut-the-hell-up-and-listen-to-it moments.

More Colbert Goodness

Sure, we all loved Stephen Colbert's White House Correspondance dinner speech. Not only was it brilliant, it was ballsy. The greatest act of gonzo journalism since HST shuffled off this mortal coil. Well, the esteemed Mr. Colbert just gave a commencement speech at Knox College just chock full of hilarious, classic bits. Go get your truthiness fix with the transcript here.

Higher Education is a scam

This little comic from AppleGeeks pretty much sums up my attitude towards higher education:

Why do I find this so damn funny?

From the eXile: An ex-pat American writing for an indie/alt/underground English language newspaper published in Moscow, visits one of Germany's greatest philosophers' grave, which used to be in Prussia-now in Russia, and gives him a Lynndie England. NICE.