Sarah Bettens: Not Insane

I was poking around online for the past while and found this video by Sarah Bettens and I thought it was worth posting on. Check it out here. She did this track on the Underworld soundtrack called All of This Past that really blew me away. I'm glad to see she has her own album coming out now. I also found that she used to record with a band called K's Choice which I'm digging up some torrents on as I type this. Definitely worth a listen.

How to Quickly Get In Trouble

So, I did tell someone that I would never ever mention them on here, but whats the fun in that? The best way to learn about someone is to begin some sort of silly conflict and see how they handle themselves. Do they keep it all bottled up until it just explodes out after forgetting to say "God bless you" after they sneeze? Or do they immediately fire back with ICBMs aimed at your face?

Let's find out.

Josee is cool. I think she's sweet.

As this may be my last post before I loose the ability to use my hands and legs, I would like to take this time to thank all my loyal readers and commentors (you know who you are). It's been a fun ride and I wish you all the best.

Estimated time of death for me: Monday at 3:35 pm (give or take traffic and plane arrival times)

Vote STV!

For those of you who live in BC but haven't heard of the Single Transferable Vote (STV) you may want to read this article by Rafe Mair. It doesn't really get into the details of the process which is, to be blunt, kind of complicated. But the fallout of such a system could be a more accountable government and more public involvement in goverment which, in my opinion, is a good thing.

You can also find more out about the STV at the website of the
Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform who were tasked with finding a new method of electing officials following the 2001 election where, with only 59% percent of the popular vote, the Liberals came out with 98% of the seats.

Funny

Hey all. A good comic was posted on the MBlog today. Click here to see it.

Family Guy Returns!

Family Guy has returned once again to Fox and if you don't watch it, I will kill you. Especially if you are a Nielson family. The opening quickly put to rest any fears of the show losing its sense of humour or randomness. The episode was not the best of the series by any means, but it was a consistently funny (hilarious at times) episode that is easily a good candidate for repeated viewings.

I'm not a man who enjoys spoiling jokes, so I will refrain from leaking anything... besides this one joke from the opening! ;-)

(In the living room with the whole Griffin family)

Peter: Everybody I've got bad news. We've been cancelled!

Lois: Oh no! Peter how could they do that?

Peter: Well unfortunately Lois there's just no more room on the schedule. We've just gotta accept the fact that FOX has to make room for terrific shows like Dark Angel, Titus, Undeclared, Action, That 80's Show, Wonderfalls, Fastlane, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Skin, Girls Club, Cracking Up, The Pits, Firefly, Get Real, Freaky Links, Wanda At Large, Costello, The Lone Gunmen, A Minute With Stan Hooper, Normal: Ohio, Pasadena, Harsh Realm, Keen Eddy, The Street, American Embassy, Cedric the Entertainer, The Tick, Louie, and Greg the Bunny.

Lois: Is there no hope?

Peter: Well I suppose if ALL those shows go down the tube then we might have a shot.

All hail the return of one of the greatest TV shows of all time. Let us hope and pray it will stay on the air for a good long run.

Veronica Mars: Renewed!

E! Online's Fifth Annual Save One Show Poll Results are in.

Total number of votes: 686,323

15. The Wire (HBO): Less than 1%
14. Kevin Hill (UPN): Less than 1%
13. Medical Investigation (NBC): Less than 1%
12. The West Wing (NBC): Less than 1%
11. Jack & Bobby (WB): 1%
10. North Shore (Fox): 1%
9. Joan of Arcadia (CBS): 2%
8. Point Pleasant (Fox): 2.5%
7. Enterprise (UPN): 3%
6. Tru Calling (Fox): 5%
5. Life as We Know It (ABC): 5.5%
4. Charmed (WB): 6%
3. American Dreams (NBC): 7%
2. Arrested Development (Fox): 9%
1. Veronica Mars (UPN): 56%

Yes, that's right. Veronica Mars destroyed the competition. Why? I think most fans will say that great casting, interesting characters, great stories and superb wit are the key factors. With word on the street that the show has been renewed for a second season, I'm damned happy my new Tuesday night show will be back next fall.

If only Fox would get off their ass and start promiting Arrested Development better. Have you seen the ads they run on Global? If I had never seen the show before and the commercial was my only information source, I would never watch. I would cheer when it gets cancelled. But yet, after only one episode (this seasons' premiere) I was hooked. It's like if Family Guy was live action - cut scenes included! Probably the most insane sit-com ever put to air. I will definitely miss it when it goes kaput.

This Lonely Room

I don’t disagree, with your answers
It’s just these questions, won’t go, away
The harder I look for you
The more emptiness I find

I already know what I’m trying to learn
But it feels so cheap to settle for this
Peeling back the layers only opens up holes
And that is when my doubts take hold

Yet outside this lonely room
There’s a light shining on me
I can feel it sometimes, when I stop and wait
And I wonder if it’s you…

Do you think, it’s a lapse of judgment?
To just go, with the flow, and accept it all
The words they say you spoke
Don’t speak to me at all, anymore

To kill them all and take their land
Or to love, forgive and lend a hand
Why do your words support these wars?
While your own son rejected force

Yet outside this lonely room
There’s a light shining on me
I can feel it sometimes, when I stop and wait
And I wonder if it’s you…

My questions, may never get an answer
And sometimes, I’m okay with that
‘Cause if I could prove you exist
What choice would I be left with?

Yet outside this lonely room
There’s a light shining on me
I can feel it sometimes, when I stop and wait
And I wonder if it’s you…

Michael Worth - April 17th 2005

The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

Naomi Klein (pictured here speaking in Vancouver) writes in this new article for The Nation about how the ideas of colonialism have not disapeared, but rather shifted into "reconstructionism" allowing for exploitation of other weaker/poorer nations. I would recommend this for anyone interested in disaster relief as something to keep in mind.

Naomi is the author of the books No Logo, and Fences and Windows and writes for The Nation among many other media sources.

Sometimes, things just get weird...

So, yeah. Got a phone call today asking if I'd like to be part of a worship band playing in the new Harrison Ford movie. Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. We find out later if it's for sure, but right now fitting and photos will be on Monday night at 7:30pm and the actual shoot is on the following Monday. Bizzare. I just want to do it to see how it all pans out. I don't care if we get left on the cutting room floor either. Maybe it will end up on the DVD in the end? Go deleted scenes...

What else could possibly happen out of the norm? Did someone misplace their life and give it to me by accident?

Testimony from Guantanamo

This is a short excerpt from a report posted at Common Dreams. Don't you just love seeing democracy in action?

Court documents publicized last week are giving dozens of Guantánamo detainees what the Bush administration had sought to keep from public view: identities and voices. The government is holding about 550 terrorist suspects at its naval base in Cuba. An additional 214 have been released since the facility opened in January 2002 -- some into the custody of their native governments, others freed outright.

The detainees appeared last year before the three-officer military tribunals which, after quick reviews, confirmed their status as ”enemy combatants” who could be held indefinitely.

In the transcripts, one terror suspect asked his U.S. military judge: ''Is it possible to see the evidence in order to refute it?”

In another case, Guantanamo prisoner Feroz Ali Abbasi was ejected from his hearing for repeatedly challenging the legality of his detention.

''I have the right to speak,” Abbasi insisted in transcripts reviewed by the Associated Press.

''No, you don't,” the tribunal president replied.

''I don't care about international law,” the tribunal president told Abbasi just before he was taken from the room. ''I don't want to hear the words 'international law' again. We are not concerned with international law.”

[With Teeth] Leaked!

The day has finally come. Since The Fragile destroyed my ears in late 1999, I have anxiously awaited Trent's inevitable follow-up. Being a long time fan, this is even more exciting as it marks a new beginning of sorts for the "band." With a new lineup of players and a return to songwritting as opposed to concept album developing, this record is definitely more accessible for the average listener. The Hand That Feeds has crossover appeal that makes me wonder how many fanboys will be yelling "sell-out" in their blogs after the official release.

Personally, I don't care if it "sounds mainstream" since my personal rating system of music goes as follows. 1) Does it sound good to me? 2) Do I want to listen to it over and over again? So far, this album has scored a resounding yes for both. The leaked copies of Getting Smaller, The Hand that Feeds and The Line Begins to Blur are already past 30 plays in my iTunes database.

Also noteworthy on this disc is the presence of Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana) on half of the tracks doing drums. Trent described the collaboration as being "one of the most exhilarating experiences of [his] life." Listening to them play together is comparably exhilarating from my perspective.

In short, I have a new favorite album. Even if you don't like their previous work, you should at least listen to this disc once through. You will be caught off guard by the diversity of style and sound and tone. The best news I've heard all year was that the next album will be released in "a timely fashion" according to Trent. One can only assume that this would infer a post tour recording blitz and a follow up in early 2006. We can only hope...

ACF aka Throw Shoes at the Stage Festival

ACF's lineup this year was fabulous. Tupalo Honey were pretty tight and did a wicked cover of Audioslave's "Show Me How to Live." Stabilo showed off their chops and were probably the most layered act of the day. Metric showed up and cranked home their hits (while I didn't really care for much else they did...) K-OS packed them all in though. His band was phenominal and he was just rocking. Tho, could people feel any more of a tool by answering "YO" to his "HEY" more than 4 times?

Then, what I had been waiting for all week. Matt Good meets limblifter. Damn, Pat was ON FIRE on the kit. During Weapon I swear I saw viens in his forhead. Ryan and Meegee fit perfect with Matt (and make him look pretty damn tall too!) The new take on Carmalina was wild and hearing Everything is Automatic and Giant was like a time warp. I'm curious if Ryan will bring back the Dave Genn-ish hooks of Underdogs to the new album. One can only hope.

Sadly, the whole affair was lameified by the 50 pairs of shoes thrown at the stage during the concert. Matt took it the hardest of all the performers and threatened to leave the stage. He kept playing, but it obviously wasn't the planned set. The encore was reduced to two new songs (which were pretty cool) instead of what probably was a longer set with Apparitions on accoustic and maybe some more off the solo albums.

The alarming part was when a wrench was thrown at Ryan (barely missing) and a nine inch nail (aka metal tent nail... man, Trent choose the right name there...) almost contacted with a security guard. People are so retarded.

Music Videos Can Kill

Click here to see a rather painful music video. As much as people seem to hate Weezer on here, most will admit they would rather hear Buddy Holly than this guy...

Behold, Twitchy: The Wonder Dog.

So here is the fruit of my EE375/474 group's labor. Our robot dog doesn't really walk fluidly, but it proves that our design works. Hopefully we can get it a little more stable by the demo time tomorrow, but I'm happy just seeing the little guy move as told.

All hail Twitchy. And may all your adventures be grand.

Jon Bolton: In his own words...

Jon Bolton is now the US Ambassador to the UN. Paul Wolfowitz is president of the World Bank. What could possibly go wrong next?

It is nice to finally have solid quotes dictating what many people have known for years. The US is only looking out for it's own interests. So when you stop to remember all the "humanitarian work" the US has done in the past try not to forget Bolton's message. Roughly paraphrased...

If we don't want to do it, we won't let you do it either.