suddenly, tammy! - Beach Song

From 1994's Warner Bros. CD sampler, "Trademark of Quality":

We know that in the past we may have seemed, well, a little cocky. Maybe even snotty. But all that's changed. If you don't like this music, please don't hestiate to tell us. You know, if you like the big guitar solos or girls singing "ooh, daddy," maybe we could find more artists who make music like that. Just tell us. Hey, if you don't like that, maybe we could cook you dinner or something. Will you call us? You know, only if you're not too busy. Will you call our parenst and let them know we're alright? They worry about us. But don't tell them about this sampler. Because all of the tracks are can't-get-anywhere-else one-offs that won't directly promote any of our product--the already nostalgic result of the insane notion of running an artist-oriented record label. It was too late to stop this one. Please. We'll do anything you want.

suddenly, tammy! - Beach Song

---
Extra bonus track: suddenly, tammy! - Places We Go

---

Also, it looks like this Google Pages thing is really going to work out for me. Especially the 100 MB file storage (see links above).

Brrrrring!

Ask MetaFilter vs. Logic Problem

The only thing we have to fear...is fear itself. And Dracula.

PBWiki

Dear Friends -
You know how it is. You're working in an office, but TPTB* have made the decision to slowly downsize the permanent staff, and rely mainly on temps. (The MAN has his reasons, stupid and self-destructive though they may be.)

So your collective continuity, your knowledge base, is gone, mostly replaced by a bunch of people who are just killing time until the next paycheck. You've never had a definitive manual for your department's policies and practices -- you've never needed one until now. How, in this 21st Century, Information Superhighway era, do you tap the knowledge of the remaining fulltimers in a way that all your staff can access? And how can you do it for free?

One word: WIKI.

Your pal MRJEFF's choice for this solution? PBWiki (much thanks to Lifehacker.com). No, I'm not going to give you a link to the wiki I've created - there's far too much confidential information on it. Besides, you need a password, and I'm not going to tell you that, either. But it's a great tool for the sharing -- and updating -- of knowledge. AND FREE. Highly recommended!

Check out the PBwiki tour!

Get a free wiki at PBwiki.com.





* The Powers That Be

Acting Tips, with Harrison Ford

Here are a few pointers.

Evolution Sunday: Feb 12, 2006

(From the Clergy Letter Project)

On 12 February 2006 hundreds of Christian churches from all portions of the country and a host of denominations will come together to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. For far too long, strident voices, in the name of Christianity, have been claiming that people must choose between religion and modern science. More than 10,000 Christian clergy have already signed The Clergy Letter demonstrating that this is a false dichotomy. Now, on the 197th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, many of these leaders will bring this message to their congregations through sermons and/or discussion groups. Together, participating religious leaders will be making the statement that religion and science are not adversaries. And, together, they will be elevating the quality of the national debate on this topic.

Sadly missing from both the list of congregations, or the list of clergy: the Christian Reformed Church in North America. (C'mon, guys - the RCA is all over the place in the clergy list! What are you afraid of?)

Edit: double-checking, I found one! The Rev. John Terpstra, Pastor, Immanuel Christian Reformed Church, Fort Collins, CO -- YOU ROCK! Still: no Van Antwerpen, no Marlink, no Van der Klay. (sigh)

Window Office

Yer pal MRJEFF's department has been moved (for a few months, anyway) to a new office down the street. And this one has a window!

Totally awesome!

Another Stupid Internet Quiz: What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Your Birthdate: [date removed*]

You take life as it is, and you find happiness in a variety of things. You tend to be close to family and friends. But it's hard to get into your inner circle. Making the little things wonderful is important to you, and you probably have an inviting home. You seek harmony with others, but occasionally you have a very stubborn streak. Your strength: Your intense optimism Your weakness: You shy away from exploring your talents Your power color: Jade Your power symbol: Flower Your power month: June

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

(via)

* You've got the information - it should be easy to figure out my birth date!

Animal Crossing: Wild World blog

F O U R H M A N . C O M : weblog archive / AC Wild World Diary

Speaking of blogging AC:WW, why don't I do a little right now? I'm getting tired of only having pears (Skullton's native fruit) and peaches (Mom sent me one, I planted it and harvested and replanted) so I sent letters to a lot of the animals, asking them for fruit. (I enclosed a pear in each letter.)

• Jay replied with a tall cactus, which he dug up in his backyard.
  
• Punchy replied with a gas pump, which he said fell out of a tree he shook.
  
• Wart Jr. sent me a pinball machine.
  
• Gladys sent a classic chair, which she said she won in a contest.
  
• Annabelle's letter said, "I bought two of these, so now we'll match!" It was a stone tile.

Well, better luck next time, Mr. Jeff.

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

ABC Confirms Shift to Wieden: "ABC Confirms Shift to Wieden
January 26, 2006
By Kathleen Sampey

NEW YORK Wieden + Kennedy here has won media planning and buying duties for ABC TV network and the ABC Family cable channel, the client confirmed.

Omnicom Group's OMD in Los Angeles handled the business for eight years.

The assignment covers categories such as entertainment, news, daytime and late-night programming for the cable channel and network, which air shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live and Desperate Housewives.

Sources estimate billings close to $100 million. TNS Media Intelligence lists ABC's media spend at $140 million in 2005.

I'm pretty sure there's got to be a downside to this, but for the moment all I can think is, SO LONG ACTIVE INTERNATIONAL!

T-Shirts I Have Owned, Part II

 
My latest purchase from Threadless.com.

Pissed Off Residents Paint Over PSP Ads - Kotaku

Pissed Off Residents Paint Over PSP Ads - Kotaku

Man, I'd hate to work for the company that came up with that ad campaign.

Oh, wait. I do.

Jack Dempsey Fish

Maybe fifteen or so years too late, but this is for all a y'all hatas.

A Comics Blogging.

Don't worry about being nerdy. Just go to Kelvin's Brainsplurge! for a little lowbrow humor.

C----\D-- Christmas Party 2005

Oh, what a time I had!

Ha, ha - just kidding! Your Pal MRJEFF didn't actually get a vile affliction of the naughty bits - that image is really from inSPOT LA's anonymous notification service for filthy degenerates and fornicators. "Drugs, not hugs," - that's MRJEFF's motto!

Names in the News: Jeffrey Devries

STAY OFF MY PORCH!!!

(This is much more interesting than that Jeff DeVries in Ohio whose emails I keep getting.)

POW! Blue Devils Save Gotham City

From the 2005 Davis High School Homecoming Parade (9/30/05)

OKCupid! The 3 Variable Funny Test

the Wit (80% dark, 11% spontaneous, 5% vulgar)

your humor style: CLEAN | COMPLEX | DARK You like things edgy, subtle, and smart. I guess that means you're probably an intellectual, but don't take that to mean pretentious. You realize 'dumb' can be witty--after all isn't that the Simpsons' philosophy?--but rudeness for its own sake, 'gross-out' humor and most other things found in a fraternity leave you totally flat. I guess you just have a more cerebral approach than most. You have the perfect mindset for a joke writer or staff writer. Your sense of humor takes the most thought to appreciate, but it's also the best, in my opinion. You probably loved the Office. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check it out here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/. PEOPLE LIKE YOU: Jon Stewart - Woody Allen - Ricky Gervais The 3-Variable Funny Test! - it rules - If you're interested, try my latest: The Terrorism Test

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 98% on darkness You scored higher than 0% on spontaneity You scored higher than 0% on vulgarity

Link: The 3 Variable Funny Test written by jason_bateman on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

MP3s - New Music from controller.controller

Yay! Controller.controller's new album, X-Amounts, is out (in Canada).

Well, in the meantime, they've got three songs for you and me to download.

Curse of the Were-Rabbit?

Roger Ebert gives Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit 3 and a half stars, which it almost certainly deserves.

Thanks to the magic of Google Ads, at the end of the review we are invited to investigate further:

• Anime and Animation DVDs, from Netflix
  
• Rabbit and Deer Repellent, from Plantskydd.com
  
• Hellboy Trailers, from Moviefone.com
  

Karma Police: a night on the town

This is what you get: a $47 parking ticket

T-Shirts I Own, Part 1

TBWA\Chiat\Day Summer Party 2005 T-Shirt

The Art Tool

Carl Cheng's Santa Monica Art Tool: "Walk on LA"

Deepak Chopra: MOONBAT

Much like Atrios, PZ Myers at Pharyngula is totally on the ball.

Pat Robertson: "No Extremist Cleric"

Oh, good -- Atrios noticed it too.

Who Loves Ya, Baby?

(Your Pal MRJEFF tries out a new look.)

Bicycle

Bicycle in Los Angeles storm drain, near Culver and Slauson.

Finally - a CNN.com "poll" that speaks to MRJEFF!

I know it's time to move jobs when I...

S. Harris

A few of the science cartoons of Sidney Harris.

Wal-Mart Nation

Why can't you buy the Pensacola, Florida News Journal at Wal-Mart?

---

Update 7/27 - Wal-Mart does have a sense of shame!

Blimp, again

You need this t-shirt, Matt

Some fellow has submitted a t-shirt design at Threadless.com, based on the building in the film Rashomon.

Three Years Old

Hey! Your pal MRJEFF just realized that this little thing is three years old! That's right, on July 13, 2002, I set myself up with a Blogger account, typed up two posts, and promptly set about ignoring mrjeff3000.blogspot.com until Matt Langdon started up his Rashomon seven months later.

Ahoy!

What kind of pirate am I? You decide!
You can also view a breakdown of results or put one of these on your own page!
Brought to you by Rum and Monkey

National Treasure

My roommate Mike, every so often, gets phone messages from people who are under the impression that he can help them get their scripts made into movies. We don't know why. Here's one that we got last week:

My name is Jeff Jones. My number is (724)637-xxxx*. I don't know if you're the right person to talk to about this. But, uh, I discovered a very interesting historical mystery and secret. Obviously very, uh, important enough that I've been somewhat blackballed. I cannot get the story out anywhere.

The story that I have is the true story of the National Treasure In other words, Jon Turteltaub got hold of my story from a friend of mine, and rewrote the story, and fictionalized it.

The story of the National Treasure is really a true story of myself and my great-great grandfather who was a minuteman at the battle of the Concord and Lexington. And I have a real cryptic. I don't know how I can explain this to anybody. And I realize you don't take solicite...unsolicitated, uh, stories and stuff, but, uh, I don't know what else to do.

I cannot get this story out. I've tried the BBC, PBS, uh, the History Detectives, Oregon Films, Lion Films...EVERYBODY.

I have literally been blackballed because of all this. All I know is that I have one of the most incredible stories that has ever been discovered in 200 years and I have been blackballed to get this story out. Like I said, Jon Turteltaub took my real story and fictionalized it and I suspect that's where I'm having the problem at.

I don't know if you're the right person to get this story to. But, um, I don't have anywhere else to turn. Ah, my life has been destroyed over this. Ah...if you can help me or are interested in this story... [chokes up] ...please call me.

Best of luck, Jeff!

(^* 2983)

Sparkler trail

July 4, 2005, Woodland, CA

Paul Giamatti IS The Amazing Screw-On Head.

Superhero Hype! - The latest superhero movie news and rumors: "Giamatti is the Amazing Screw-On Head

Source: Variety June 27, 2005

Paul Giamatti has signed with Sci Fi Channel to voice the lead character in the animated series pilot Amazing Screw-On Head, from executive producers Bryan Fuller ('Wonderfalls') and Jason Netter, reports Variety.

The cable channel last year quietly commissioned the pilot, based on Mike Mignola's (Hellboy) comic book of the same name. David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon and Patton Oswalt also will lend their voices to the project.

Giamatti will voice Screw-On Head, a Civil War-era secret agent at the service of president Abraham Lincoln and an unsung hero who never made it into the history books. His special power is the ability to screw his head onto a variety of different bodies. Hyde Pierce plays Emperor Zombie, Shannon voices Patience the Vampire and Oswalt is Mr. Groin.

Cable executives hope to see a finished pilot by early next year."

I picked up a copy of Amazing Screw-Off Head some months back. Best $2.99 I spent that week.

Tsunami Watch 2005!!!

Move to higher ground! Run away!

(edited to fix link - thanks, Matt!)

Emiliana Torrini - Concert Planet Claire - 13 Janvier 2005

5 songs, live in studio at a French radio station, from Italian/Icelandic songstress Emiliana Torrini.

If you're more visually-oriented, Ms. Torrini has videos for "Sunny Road" (.wmv) and "Heartstopper" (this one is especially wonderful).

Kate York : Paste Records

MP3 FRIDAY! Two songs from Kate York, at Paste Records. Good stuff for a summer evening.

Maui Wowee

Your pal MRJEFF has just returned from a much-needed vacation on Maui. (His sister had decided that that was where she was going to have her wedding.) Here we see the just-married bride, enjoying a well-earned beverage. Yum!

Blogging about blogging

Christopher Guest* blogs about capo gardening, at THE HUFFINGTON POST.

* That's Lord Haden-Guest to you, peon!

Airship Ahoy!

The Goodyear Blimp passes over Casa de Señor Jeff.

Goodyear currently has three blimps in operation. (They have erected nearly 350. More history here.) The West Coast blimp is the Spirit of America, based out of an airfield in Carson, near the intersection of I-405 and I-110. You can tell when the blimp is flying over your area by the sound of the propellers, and by the barking dogs. (The dogs in MRJEFF's neighborhood really don't like the blimp.)

Lawsuit mp3s!

Here's how the internet is a beautiful thing:

This morning I read an Ask Metafilter thread about a snoring neighbor. Somebody (perhaps jokingly) suggests, among other courses of action, filing a noise complaint. This reminds me about the old news story from my hometown of Davis, about a woman who was cited for snoring too loud. While looking up the particulars, I come across the Noise Violation page of the Davis Wiki. One of the people commenting on this page is Bev Sykes, mother of several of the members of the band Lawsuit, which was the best local band of the late eighties - early nineties. The band broke up in 1996, and lead singer Paul Sykes died in 1999, but -- miracle of miracles! -- they've put their albums online. (I've had Kind of Brown, Emergency Third Rail Power Trip and the Lawsuit EP ever since they came out, but I'd thought that I would never hear any of the old pre-CD music again.)

And so that's how I rediscovered "Into the Night," "The Disco Song" and "Days of Our Lives" and had a happy Friday.

Sad, But True

Rilo Kiley's "Portions For Foxes": Great song, crappy video.

Other people's private misery: VOTE NOW!

What is wrong with CNN?

Everybody Sees Something Different

Matt's been MetaFiltered!

Happy Cherry Blossom Festival!

MRJEFF and his Sküllton friends Coco and Cheri wish you the happiest of Cherry Blossom Festivals! (Make sure to say hi to Mayor Tortimer, of course!)

Burying the Lede

The New York Times > National > Schiavo Dies Nearly Two Weeks After Removal of Feeding Tube


A photo of Jesus?!? Tell me how that isn't front page news on its own?

Southern California beaches have the nicest sand!

That Is Not Appropriate, MRJEFF.

(Apologies to the Schiavo family and the Schindler family of Florida, and the Bueller family of Illinois)

Popstrology: What's Your Sign?

1970 - The Year of the Jackson 5
Sep 13-Oct 3 - Diana Ross "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

"The popstrological end of the Beatles, the Supremes, and Simon and Garfunkel signaled the end of an era in 1970, but the sudden and powerful impact of the Jackson 5 provided an optimistic, sugar-funk injection to a year ripe with potential causes of mopery (viz. the aforementioned breakups; Kent State; the deaths of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix). Still, the biggest stars rarely burn out without first casting off some of their energy into the pop universe. Indeed, in 1970 we see the first solo appearances of former Supreme Diana Ross and former Beatle George Harrison, heralding the birth of a brand-new popstrological grouping: the constellation Spin-Off, an entity known to inspire the kind of ambivalence that comes with realizing that while life may always go on, we sometimes know that the best is already behind us. Like the Jackson 5 themselves, the micro-generation born in this pivotal year may exhibit enormous gifts at a tender age. But the bright lights of youthful success can unmooor even the greatest of talents, so take heed, children of 1970, and never forget that for every Michael, there is also a Jermaine. Not to mention a Tito. "

3.4

Earthquake! The unbridled fury of an angry Earth, unleashed upon an unsuspecting public!

Charles + Maribel

Ah, l'amour. Your pal MRJEFF attended a co-worker's wedding on Saturday. The groom's family was conservative Orange County-types; the bride's family, working class Mexican immigrants. The happy couple are twenty-something punks who met at a concert.

I ♥ America.

How To Lie With A Bar Graph

Look! The Democrats are NINE TIMES as likely to want to remove the feeding tube as are Republicans and Independants! The picture proves it!

(inspired by the wonderful How To Lie With Statistics)

Update 3/22/05 12:15pm: I also posted this on del.icio.us, and now it's been noticed at Media Matters; Atrios and Josh Marshall have linked to the Media Matters post. (It's clear from those sites' comments that many people noticed this on their own.)

---

UPDATE UPDATE!!! Media Matters says that "CNN has updated its graphic after the posting of this item." Of course, Gentle Reader, you know the real reason, but we'll let Mr. Brock believe what he wants.

In Which MRJEFF Purchases a Bottle of Diet Pepsi At Lunchtime and Wins One Free Song From the ITunes Music Store

The code: RFR4A TZOLH
The song: Seal's Killer (William Orbit Remix) (iTunes link)

Tales from Highway 99

"I can tell Modesto from Merced, but I have visited there, gone to dances there; besides, there is over the main street of Modesto and arched sign which reads:

WATER WEALTH CONTENTMENT HEALTH

There is no such sign in Merced."

- Joan Didion, "Notes From a Native Daughter"


The Modesto Arch

MRJEFF's Language Korner

Word Of TheDay: Blepherospasm.

EARTHQUAKE!

At 8:09 this evening your pal MRJEFF felt a small but sharp jolt that, to his Southern California-sharpened senses could mean only one thing -- an earthquake! Or a big truck driving past. (It wasn't a truck.)

Anyhoo. In this great Computer Age we're living in, the USGS keeps track of earthquakes online, and the public can report in on local tremblers (this one is Event 10083305, a 2.9 on the Richter scale, centered near Encino.)

All Earthquakes in California-Nevada Map Area for the past week (note that some "quakes" are suspected quarry explosions!)
Event 10083305: ZIP Map (who felt it, and how strong)

Terrible Two

Well, I've wished El Rashomono a Happy Anniversary and whatnot. After all, it was he who reminded me that I had created this little free thingy-mc-doodle some months earlier, and who provided me with just enough peer pressure to post at least once a month (whether I had material or not!)

Anyhoo, I've spent too much time concentrating on Audioscrobbler/Last.fm and del.icio.us, and not enough on Mister Jeff Dot Blogspot lately. (For whatever that's worth.) Anyhoo, I got another blog post out of this, and that's OK.

Benn loxo du taccu

A wonderful African music mp3 blog: Matt Yanchyshyn's Benn loxo du taccu. You won't be disappointed!

Garzón

Three bitchin' kickass pop songs and a video, from Spanish pop trio Garzon. Sadly, I don't understand their crazy moon language, but they get extra bonus points for the Creative Commons license.
via búscate un novio, who also turned me on to mid-eighties French pop-punk band Les Calamités and to Bradley's Almanac's mp3s of Velocity Girl (among others) at 1992's Sub Pop music festival Vermonstress.

"A Good Friend Has Left Us"

James Randi, on Johnny Carson's death.

Ancient Chinese Secret

You learn something new every day!

Wait...what???

All I was doing was looking up the newly released DVD of Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle. Who would have thought this horrible aberration would come up?


...



image courtesy of Beards of the Web. Blog entry title courtesy of Tracey Meyers.

New Quarter Friday

Wisconsin: a cow, a cheese, and an ear of corn. Might be old hat to you, but today I got two of 'em. "Forward," indeed!

Basho would be proud

comics haiku

Language Log

You never know just what you'll find through Fark. A thread about an anti-Hmong bumper sticker contains, deep within, a link to a University of Pennsylvania-based blog about the English language.

Beautiful Day / Amazing

Free Music Monday! Two songs from Beth Sorrentino, of the late, lamented suddenly, tammy!

Christmas is coming!

And Amazon.com has just the thing to help you pass those long winter nights.

"The Criterion Collection Holiday 2004 Gift Set consists of all of their published DVDs through October 2004 (except for the out-of-print editions): that's 241 titles on 282 discs and includes a Certificate of Authenticity." The whole package is a mere $4999 (discounted 33% from the list of $7500).

(6 people recommended Police Academy - The Complete Collection instead of The Criterion Collection Holiday 2004 Gift Set.)

Lord, deliver us from your followers

Josh Marshall notes some recent frothings from the fetid soul of noted right-wing "Christian" James Dobson:

“Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage,” Dobson said.

“It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth.”

Black Wednesday

"The people have spoken...the bastards."
- Morris Udall, 1976

"Was Darwin Wrong?"

 
"NO."

- National Geographic, Nov. 2004

I felt it, for once!

NBC 4 - News - Small Earthquake Rattles Los Angeles Area

LOS ANGELES -- A small earthquake rattled areas of West Los Angeles on Saturday but there were no reports of damage or injuries.

The magnitude-2.7 temblor occurred at 9:07 a.m. and was felt from West Hollywood to Culver City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Web site.

It was centered a mile west-northwest of West Hollywood and three miles north-northeast of Century City.

There were no reports of damage or injuries.

Hideously Strong

A MRJEFF3000 operative dropped by the local Rite-Aid earlier today and came across something too interesting to pass up: Liquorice Altoids.

(Insert licorice flashback here)

The press release gushes:

Reminiscent of its British heritage, Altoids, the Curiously Strong Mints®, is proudly introducing Liquorice Altoids® to their esteemed line of mints. This bittersweet new addition to the celebrated line of mints delivers the same aromatic intensity and authentic flavor expected from Altoids. Available in the ubiquitous reclosable metal box, new Liquorice Altoids will stand apart from the other breath-fresheners with a striking black and gold tin that uses stripes on the face of the lid for the first time.

"Liquorice is an old-world flavor with an enormous following of people with discriminating tastes for powerful and sophisticated flavors," said Brand Director, Altoids. "It makes perfect sense for Altoids to introduce a power mint that is both curiously strong, reminiscent of our British roots and a favorite among liquorice and fresh breath aficionados."

Possibly. I guess this could appeal to that niche market, the one that likes the idea of candy, but wishes it wasn't so darn edible.

Moose on the Loose!

(courtesy Bert and Marie, Anchorage, Alaska)

"Kerry waxed Bush's ass."

The October 8 Bush-Kerry debate, as seen by Wonkette (and Dad Wonkette).

Pearls of wisdom...

The October 8 Bush-Kerry debate, as seen by the dittoheads of Free Republic.

Osama Surprise!

"He let us down."

   The re-election of George W. Bush would be a mandate to continue on our present course of chaos. We cannot afford to double the debt that we already have. We need to be moving in the opposite direction.
   John Kerry has 30 years of experience looking out for the American people and can navigate our country back to prosperity and re-instill in America the dignity she so craves and deserves. He has served us well as a highly decorated Vietnam veteran and has had a successful career as a district attorney, lieutenant governor, and senator.
   Kerry has a positive vision for America, plus the proven intelligence, good sense, and guts to make it happen.
   That’s why The Iconoclast urges Texans not to rate the candidate by his hometown or even his political party, but instead by where he intends to take the country.

   The Crawford, Texas Iconoclast, George W. Bush's hometown newspaper, has endorsed John Kerry for President.

Masterful...(see it now)

So, the other day I'm over at Salon. As you no doubt are aware, they rely on a "day pass" -- a commercial that you have to watch in order to unlock that day's content -- to maintain profitability. This day's sponsor was Olive Films' Notes From Underground. Ordinarily, I ignore the ad until it's over and I can click into the content I really want to see. But for some reason one critic's quote caught my eye:

"Masterful...(see it now) - Matt Langdon, Film Threat

Hey, I thought. I wonder if Matt knows that he's been blurbified. So I dutifully made a screen grab and emailed it to Everyone's Favorite Underrated Movie Critic, and he has helpfully provided the Secret Origin of his quote.

...

Of course, a little attribution would be nice.

This is because I went out to lunch with my staff on the day you dropped by, isn't it? It was Roger's birthday, dammit! What was I supposed to do?

Sartre & Peanuts

Charlie Brown, existentialist.

3hive - sharing the sharing

Many nice indie mp3 downloads linked at 3hive. I know what I'm going to be doing this morning.

Golden Gate Garrison Gallery :: Calkins Wedding - Children's Fairyland Oakland, CA - Aug. 1, 2004

Best. Wedding. Ever.

Not Good.

Okay, bad: SEOUL (Reuters) - A huge explosion rocked an area in North Korea near the border with China three days ago and appeared to be much bigger than a train blast that killed 170 people in April, Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday.

UPDATE: well, at least everyone is saying it's not nuclear...

2 Leias!

LAY, LADY LEIA: Fisher, left, and her stunt double take a sand-dune sunbath aboard a space vehicle during a break on the Yuma, Ariz., location for Return of the Jedi in 1982

(stolen from TIME magazine)

Bad Way to Start the Day

I know I won't be leaving here...

The other morning I heard on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic what I assumed was, due to some sort of rip in the space-time continuum, a cover version of Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out", as performed by Elton John, circa 1972. Later, I found out that it was, in fact, a Scissor Sisters cover of the song, from 2004. No matter. Still good fun.

Fugly, Fugly, Fugly!

Go Fug Yourself is the new Defamer. Or Supermodel Personals. Or something.

Hero?

I saw the new Zhang Limou/Jet Li movie Hero on Saturday. It's certainly one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. And the acting was quite good, and the fights were spectacular, if overlong and overmany.

But.

At the end the whole film took a decidedly disturbing turn, one which seems to endorse the current Communist regime's brutal repression of dissent in China. Joshua Tanzer, in his review at OFFOFFOFF, also notices this ugly political message.

Plenty of people will just sit back and enjoy the fast-paced action, charismatic actors and lush colors of "Hero," so why get stuck on this one issue? Well, this question about how to respond to pro-fascist film has been around almost as long as film itself — we still debate the merits of the pro-slavery "Birth of a Nation" and the pro-Nazi "Triumph of the Will." (I would even throw in the less overtly pro-Jim Crow "Gone with the Wind.") And the answer is that films help shape our visual, psychological and intellectual instincts, and this is a film that teaches beauty, violence and authoritarianism at once. A beautiful film that exalts killing opponents of the state is a beautiful parchment on which is written, in the most elegant calligraphy, a manifesto for evil.

(hero)


8/31 update: Two readers' letters to salon.com about Salon's review of Hero

...and Jerry Mathers as Robin, the Boy Wonder.

Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin has a rather amazing find: two comics fans' letters, published in JLA #17 (July 1963), casting a hypothetical JLA movie.

---

Dear Editor: I think that the Justice League of America ought to be in the movies. Here are my ideas about who should play who:

     Aquaman - Troy Donahue
     Wonder Woman - Carole Wells (with black wig)
     Flash - Edd Byrnes
     Batman - Vince Edwards
     Green Arrow - Bobby Darin
     Snapper Carr - John Ashley
     Martian Manhunter - Gordon Scott (with make-up)
     Superman - Efrem Zimbalist
     Green Lantern - Roger Smith
     Atom - Michael Landon (with help of trick photography)

Jim Dismukes, 2141, Walz Drive, Savannah Ga.

(How's this for a remarkable coincidence - which really happened, as contrasted to a fictional one that no one would ever believe: in the same mail, we received two letters -- both from Georgia -- suggesting a cast of characters to portray the JLA in the movies! We offer them both for our readers to compare and deliberate over. -- Editor)

***

Dear Editor: I like the JLA so much that you should have them in the movies. Let me know how you feel about my selections:

     Green Lantern - Edd Byrnes
     Flash - Troy Donahue
     Martian Manhunter - Steve Reed
     Wonder Woman - Tuesday Weld
     Green Arrow - ?
     Aquaman - Lloyd Bridges
     Atom - Dean Martin
     Batman - Robert Taylor
     Superman - ?
My original choice for Green Arrow was Clark Gable, but he has since passed on. And I can't think of anyone to replace the late George Reeves in the role of Superman.

Joe B. Allen,
350 Altoona Place, SW, Atlanta 10, Ga.

A Letter to the New York Times

Sir -
In your story, The Boys From "South Park" Go To War I came across the following passage: "His partner, Mr. Stone, glumly agreed: 'We're so dumb.' (Except that he added a four-letter word. Many of their sentences include four-letter words.)" Later, we read, "'We hate both of them,' Mr. Parker confirmed. 'They're both retards. We have to choose between a' — four-letter word — 'sandwich and a' — same four-letter word — 'sandwich.' O.K., so they're not exactly nuanced." And finally, "'It's just a dumb puppet movie.' (Except he added a four-letter word.)"

Which four-letter word do you mean? I do like to consider myself well-versed in most current obscenities, profanities and vulgarities. But the only term I find it likely that Messrs Stone and Parker would have used, in each instance, the adjective form of the legendary "F-word", is seven letters. So I went and checked my copy of The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage. Under the entry for "obscenity, profanity, vulgarity" I read the following:

The Times also forgoes offensive or coy hints. An article should not seem to be saying, "Look, I want to use this word, but they won't let me." Generally that principle rules out telltale strings of hyphens or dashes (The prosecutor is full of ----). Editors may sparingly allow paraphrase of a term, if it truly sheds light on a serious question. But a phrase like the legendary barnyard expletive, ambiguous about the animal to which it alludes, may raise questions as distracting as those it answers.

(You do have a copy, right?)

If there is a new four-letter adjective obscenity, profanity, or vulgarity that the Hollywood in-crowd is using, I think it is the Times's obligation - nay, duty! - to inform the American public.

C'mon, at least give us a hint...

Yours,
MRJEFF3000

PS -- "Blame Canada" was not so much the theme of the South Park series, as it was of the movie, South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut.

Eagle Rock, Topanga State Park

All the cool bloggers hang out at Eagle Rock in Topanga State Park...

Super Special Bonus Secret Extra Credit Questions: Who's that fellow in the white T-shirt in the foreground? And what the heck has he got on his head?

Danny Boy

News from the mysterious East!

It's not often that MRJEFF can do his small part in this whole corrupt networking/logrolling thing, but longtime chum Dan Renkin sends word of recent career doings:

New York, NY: Caucasian Chalk Kurosawa (fight direction) "There are cool sword fights (by Dan Renkin and Brad Lemons), and grade-A nifty plastic-and-fishnet costumes (Virigina Tuller) and a healthy dose of East Village Wierdness."

Bridgeport, CT: Shakespeare at the Zoo - A Midsummer Night's Dream (Nicholas Bottom) "I would be remiss if I did not point out that the entire cast did an outstanding job. Dan Renkin as Nicholas Bottom, the pompous actor who is turned into a donkey, delivers an absolutely hilarious performance. Thanks in large part to his performance, the park not only was filled with exotic sounds and sights, but also with the happiest sound in the world - children's laughter. Every time Bottom hee-hawed or spoke donkinese, children in the audience laughed without reserve."

Boston, MA: As Bees in Honey Drown "Fight choreographers Brad Lemons and Dan Renkin construct a very convincing melee."

monkeyview.net

Random photo sites provide a voyeuristic thrill. Some people are artsy and talented, while some are...well, they have a rawer talent.

(Monkeyview.net)

Brouwerij Henri Maes

Brewery sign, Brugges, Belgium
01 August 2004

The Atomium

Atomium (8/2/04, modified photo)

Statue of Bela Bartok, in Brussels, Belgium

(8/2/04, modified photo)

Meanwhile, in Boston...

PS - all this time I have been pretty well insulated from the news. So, sadly, I have missed all the Dem convention coverage. I really hope C-Span (and/or its website) will continue to make the speeches available.

PPS - it's kind of annoying traveling with a bunch of goddamn red-staters who think that George W. is just the cat's meow, and who interpret an attack on the ability of the man to be president as an attack on the USA and on themselves personally.

In fact, while Europeans are almost universally against the re-election of Bush, there is a very positive attitude toward America and Americans here.

So: Go Kerry! Go USA! Go World!

Still in Europa

Well, we have come to the end of the biking portion of the journey, and are back on the bus. MRJEFF is blogging from Brugge, Belgium right now.

It has been a rough week for your old pal, as he either caught a bit of a bug, or encountered some mild food poisoning. Either way, it's no way to spend one's vacation. Luckily this hasn't kept a trooper like me down and out, at least not both at the same time.

By the way - if this is Europe, where are all the undraped breasts at? You'd think they'd be everywhere, the way this place is advertised.

Anyhoo, that's it for now. More when I get back to the other side of the ocean. Pictures, too.

MRJEFF
Brugges, Belgium
01/08/04 2:09 PM