Hmmrrruurrrrghhhh...

Zombie Letters from e-zombie.com

You're On Notice, William Carlos Williams!

The Steven Colbert "You're On Notice" Board Generator

Better Than A Wax Cylinder Upside The Head

(via the Vinyl Record Generator)
If it's good enough for Matt...

Christmas in August: Lieberman, McKinney Lose

It's been so long - I have completely forgotten how to react when things go right.

With 95 percent of the precincts reporting, Lamont led Lieberman 52 percent to 48 percent, according to The Associated Press.

---

Also on Tuesday night, Georgia Rep. Cynthia McKinney lost in a runoff to Democratic challenger Hank Johnson.

All right, world -- what's the catch?!?

Sen. Joseph Lieberman conceded to anti-war cable executive Ned Lamont in the Democratic primary for the Connecticut Senate nomination Tuesday night but vowed to run as an "independent Democrat" this fall

Oh, right. Carry on, then.

Prohibido Entrar

The LA Times reports: Two miles of beach were closed Tuesday because of a spill in Culver City that released 20,000 to 30,000 gallons of sewage into Ballona Creek. (©Bryan Chan / LAT - August 8, 2006)

The Golden Gate, from Crissy Field, SF

  

Four Years + One Week

While you weren't looking, this blog passed its fourth anniversary.

Pay no attention to that seven month gap between posts (7/13/02-2/20/03). I was resting up.

(blogging is hard.)

Tales of Wikipedia, Part One: The Jewish Autonomous Oblast

The Jewish Autonomous Oblast is a small district in the Russian Far East, on the border with China, which was created by Stalin in the late 1920s as an alternative Zionist state.

via Wikipedia's "Random article"

Dr. Katz

A Dr. Katz parody (via Slate)

4th of July

Hey, baby - it's the Fourth of July!

(Mexican kids, are, of course, shooting fireworks below at my apartment too!)

One Way

Discovery's launch (from the BBC.)

A very muddled afternoon

Some random filler: the emails at work have been flying fast and furious about mojito recipes.

Ms. B____ started things off by asking for recommendations for "a light rum, but with excellent flavor".

Mr. A____ recommended Bacardi, and suggested raspberry flavor.

"Mojito fanatic" Mr. C_____ disparaged the raspberry idea: "Rasberry?!? That is not a real mojito. Go simple (Limes, rum, mint, sugar, soda) and always use fresh materials, no mixes. Bacardi is yucky. Use Myers White AND Dark rums."

Countered Mr. A____:

Depending on what you like and what flavor....i love raspberry ones and an original that has a little spicy kick to it by adding crushed and chopped chilies but no seeds..... Yeah I know... Chilies....also you have to follow the steps. Do not do one step over the other.

Here is the original firecracker mojito,,

In a cup, put 5-6 slices of limes, a medium size batch of mint, once small red chili chopped, and half and half (sugar and water that was boiled with a small amount of brown sugar). Take something you can smash all ingredients with. When it is all smashed together having all lime juice out, pour in 3-4 oz (I like mine strong) of bacardi light rum and top it off with soda water. Take a shaker it shake it 3 times and pour. But make sure all ingredients are on the bottom or else your will be sipping most of it in your straw.

There are also other recipies. I can put a whole list together and send it out on Monday

Bacardi is the best cuz it does not give you a hang over and its cheap unless you want to use more expensive rum..... I can tell you more.

Mr. B________ sent out a link to Bacardi's website, Ms. P____ recommended blending the mint into the drink (rather than mashing or smashing), and Mr. C_____ provided his own recipe suggestion:

A Mojito is a very personal thing.

Always use more rum!

In a tall glass, put a large amount of mint, a small handfull, in with a tablespoon of sugar, a little extra if it is a very big glass. Grind the sugar and the mint together with a blunt instrument, the handle of a wooden spoon works well. Fill the glass with ice. FILL! Use a strong shot of white rum (I suggest Myers White), as much lime juice as you are willing to squeeze, at least one large lime, and then fill the rest with soda. Stir. Float a little Myer’s Dark rum on top.

If you are going to make a pitcher, make sure you use a lot of lime, mint and sugar, and not too much soda... Often people get tired of squeezing limes and short themselves... Here is a stolen recipe for a pitcher of mojitos.

3 cups (packed) fresh mint leaves
9 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups light rum
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
6 cups club soda
6 cups crushed ice
6 lime wedges

MOJITO SHOWDOWN!!!!!!

That's all well and good, but it needs more wresting mask. Youtube?


I feel we got a lot accomplished today.

Jacaranda Days 2006

  

Egg-Fu

The Absorbascon's "Scipio" has had a couple of really good posts this week. Due to the reverse-chronological nature of blogging, I read the second one first - a wonderful reintroduction to the Batman villain Professor Radium. (Comics blogs + scanners + free image hosting = crazy delicious!) Good stuff, Maynard.

The other post is an analysis of the latest issue of DC Comics' 52-week series, "52" (#6). Or, more specifically, of the writing on the blackboard left behind by the missing time travel expert Rip Hunter. This led, in comments, to added analysis of the clues hidden in the comments of mad scientist T.O. Morrow, and of the secrets behind the Chinese superhero team, The Great Ten. Both commenter Jamie Ott and I noticed a disturbing possibility -- that the mastermind behind the Great Ten may well be the Silver Age Wonder Woman villain (and hideous Sixties racial stereotype) EGG-FU!

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

A Trip To GlitterMaker.com

http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics

Thou Shalt Not Mock "Today"

We learn from a posting at "Dispatches From the Culture Wars" that the 2006 spoof issue of the Calvin College student paper, "Chimes" (a parody of the incredibly dull CRC devotional Today: The Family Altar), has been banned by Calvin.

Student journalists at Calvin College are being given an unexpected lesson: When the subject is piety, there are limits to parody.

The annual spoof issue of the student newspaper, Chimes, often has ruffled feathers among conservatives at the Christian college. But this spring the college said staffers went too far when they parodied "Today," a daily devotional published by the Christian Reformed Church.

The spoof version, dubbed "Cliche," ran afoul of campus censors who had trouble with some of its mock meditations and prayer parodies. They also objected when it poked fun at Calvin benefactor and gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos and James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family.

After a three-week standoff between the Chimes staff and a subcommittee of the college's Student Life Committee, the newspaper, led by Editor-in-Chief Nana Yaa Dodi, announced Friday it would not publish "Cliche."

Scott Admiraal, a Grand Rapids senior who worked on the spoof, said when staffers chose the format, they assumed not everyone would like it.

"At the same time, by using this format, we knew we could make a comment we could not make in a dry, academic way," he said.

Despite the publishing ban, the tract found its way onto the Internet, a move that led to the firing of two Chimes staffers, college officials said.

Though the so-called "spoof subcommittee" had served in an advisory capacity in past years, the panel was given more power this year and demanded changes.

"The prayers invoke God's name inappropriately and the Bible passages in some cases are not used in a context that is honoring the holy Word of God," said the committee's memo to the Chimes staffers.

A tongue-in-cheek meditation that encouraged readers to revere DeVos for his family's donations to Calvin also was forbidden. "Don't critique a friend of the college merely because he is a friend," they warned the editors.

The decision to censor the DeVos reference proves their satire was on target, Admiraal said. "The whole point was that we were pandering to donors' dollars," he said.

As for the references to Dobson, former managing editor Justin Pot said they were willing to change them to "Jim Dorbsin" to avoid legal problems.

"The spoof for a long time has been a sensitive thing," said Pot, a junior from Ontario. "But we never thought it would come to this."

Jennifer VanAntwerp, an assistant professor of engineering who chaired the spoof subcommittee, said the rules changed this year to include veto power over the final product. The Student Life Committee, which includes faculty, students and administrators, always has held final authority over college-funded activities, she said.

"Is the content edgier this year than in other years? Not really," she said. "We probably would have blocked things in previous years, too."

VanAntwerp said she was disappointed by the end-run publication of "Cliche" on the Web. "We're a community and we're tying to come to a community decision. We all in good faith followed that process."

On Friday, college officials said editor Dodi fired Admiraal and Pot, in part because she believed they were involved in putting the spoof online. It is on a Web site registered to a Chimes alumni, students said.

Both Pot and Admiraal said they did not know how the forbidden tract made it online. Pot said he resigned from Chimes after a discussion with Dodi, who declined to be interviewed. Admiraal could not immediately be reached for comment on the firing.

Pot acknowledged he knew the alumnus who posted the spoof, but said they are not close friends. The junior said the edition has been on Chimes' computer servers for three weeks.

The newspaper staff was not without its defenders on the subcommittee.

Christopher Smit, an assistant professor of communication arts and sciences, said he argued for publication.

The 1996 Calvin graduate said the spoof is taken too seriously by some. "I agree that they pushed some buttons, but they knew they would set off alarms," he said.

"When I look into this thing and see what's under it, I respect what's under it."

This being the 21st century, the issue has been placed online, of course.

All Songs Considered - Neko Case concert mp3

Awesome: NPR has an mp3 of alt-country goddess Neko Case live in concert at Washington DC's 9:30 Club available for download.

Awesome squared: Blogger "Kaya Na Kisser" has, magically, split this 128k concert mp3 into individual song mp3s, at 192k!?!

Modern Mechanix

"Yesterday's tomorrow, today."

Truly, this is an age of miracles!

"Hold me like a mother would, like I've always known somebody should"

In honor of the recent release of the film documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston, I present to you one of Mr. Johnston's songs, performed by Kathy McCarty, from the 1989 Bar/None sampler Time For A Change (this version is far better than the version from Dead Dog's Eyeball.)



mp3 link: Kathy McCarty, Living Life

LA County 4 Lyfe: Jury Duty, Part I

Your Pal Mister Jeff's week of calling in to the LA County Courthouse has finally caught up with him: I get to drive down to the Airport Courthouse at La Cienega and Imperial early tomorrow morning to fulfill my Civic Obligation and (potentially) sit in judgement upon my fellow, uh, person.



Originally the County had decided that I would, if Called To Serve, sit out my hours in the Inglewood Courthouse, but as their week-long window of opportunity drew to a close, desperation set in, and the Powers That Be settled on assigning me to the nearest available courthouse, just to make sure that I served (at the very minimum) my one day of service.

Of course, I'm game. Homie, as it were, does play that. Hell, it's the closest thing I've had to a vacation day since I called in "sick" a month and a half ago. In fact, since The Company pays for 10 (ten) days of jury service, I just might pull a "Twelve Angry Men" and make sure I get my money's worth out of this.

Eat This, Part I

Mr. Jeff Recommends: Ben & Jerry's The Gobfather ice cream.

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.)