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September 29th, 2009
Never met any of mine until I got a MAC!
April 15th, 2008
Okay, so we all know I love Skynyrd, this song, and all things Finnish, but the result of these loves of mine intermingling is shocking. I'm not sure if I really like it, even though you'd think, by proxy, I'd have to. It's odd.
The Leningrad Cowboys is a Finnish rock band famous for its humorous songs and concerts featuring the Soviet Red Army Choir. Currently, the band has eleven Cowboys and two Leningrad Ladies. The songs, all somewhat influenced by polka and progressive rock are performed in English and have themes such as vodka, tractors, rockets, and Genghis Khan, as well as folkloric Russian songs, rock and roll ballads and covers from bands as diverse as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, all presented with lots of humour.
They've covered bunches of other popular songs, so check them out if you're interested.
The Leningrad Cowboys is a Finnish rock band famous for its humorous songs and concerts featuring the Soviet Red Army Choir. Currently, the band has eleven Cowboys and two Leningrad Ladies. The songs, all somewhat influenced by polka and progressive rock are performed in English and have themes such as vodka, tractors, rockets, and Genghis Khan, as well as folkloric Russian songs, rock and roll ballads and covers from bands as diverse as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, all presented with lots of humour.
They've covered bunches of other popular songs, so check them out if you're interested.
March 2nd, 2008
Check it out. It's this cute little Asian kid singing the Beatles classic 'Hey Jude', surprisingly on-key, with a guitar that they can't actually play. They even count off in-between. And so what if they go a little Scooby Doo on us at times? It's still really cute.
P.S. Tessa, Jen, I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I'll call you both...Wednesday. That's my next offday. I'd call you sooner, but I've been so tired and busy lately, I can assure you it wouldn't be much of a conversation and you wouldn't quite have my undivided attention, and I really try not to call people unless I can give them my undivided attention. And Jen, I hope you liked you gifts and the card and I hope you had a great shower.
P.S. Tessa, Jen, I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I'll call you both...Wednesday. That's my next offday. I'd call you sooner, but I've been so tired and busy lately, I can assure you it wouldn't be much of a conversation and you wouldn't quite have my undivided attention, and I really try not to call people unless I can give them my undivided attention. And Jen, I hope you liked you gifts and the card and I hope you had a great shower.
bouncyOctober 30th, 2007
This entry is dedicated to all fallen heroes, in particular to River Jude Phoenix (nee Bottom), Jeffrey Scott Moorhead (nee Buckley), and Brandon Bruce Lee. I'll show tribute videos and clips from their best and most enduring works. While some may celebrate this holiday without thought, it is with a heavy heart that I cannot be freely and completely joyful. I remember what this night and this event has meant in terms of loss. But I also remember what it means to those who live. I know what it means to me. I know what their lives taught me, how they effected me. It is with this is mind that I seek to share this appreciation with you. I hope that you will look into these artists and their works and that you can learn from them as I have. There is so much to gain.
River Jude Phoenix (August 23, 1970 – October 31, 1993) was an Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated American film actor. He was listed on John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 38 as one of twelve "promising new actors of 1986", and was hailed as highly talented by such critics as Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. His career was cut short, however, when he died of an overdose of heroin and cocaine on Halloween morning at age 23. He was the older brother of actor Joaquin Phoenix.
Jeff Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), born Jeffrey Scott Buckley and raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Known for his ethereal singing voice, Buckley was considered by critics to be one of the most promising artists of his generation after the release of his critically acclaimed 1994 debut album Grace. At the height of his popularity, Buckley drowned during an evening swim in 1997.[2] His work and style continue to be highly regarded by critics and fellow musicians.
Brandon Bruce Lee (February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was an American actor of Chinese, English, German and Swedish descent. He was the son of the late legendary martial arts film star Bruce Lee and his wife Linda Lee Emery.
To all that came before me
To all that left their mark
To all that tried and failed so
To all that now are gone
I see myself in your words
I see you in my smile
Your wisdom's like a lighthouse
That guides me when I'm lost...
I find myself at this crossroad, broken dreams
And I don't know what tomorrow might bring
I'm like a ball of clay
That you molded with your hands
Raised me without shadows
And baptized me in the light
To those that came before me
I know I'll see you soon
And like a distant star in the night
I'm reaching out for you...
River Jude Phoenix (August 23, 1970 – October 31, 1993) was an Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated American film actor. He was listed on John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 38 as one of twelve "promising new actors of 1986", and was hailed as highly talented by such critics as Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. His career was cut short, however, when he died of an overdose of heroin and cocaine on Halloween morning at age 23. He was the older brother of actor Joaquin Phoenix.
Jeff Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), born Jeffrey Scott Buckley and raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Known for his ethereal singing voice, Buckley was considered by critics to be one of the most promising artists of his generation after the release of his critically acclaimed 1994 debut album Grace. At the height of his popularity, Buckley drowned during an evening swim in 1997.[2] His work and style continue to be highly regarded by critics and fellow musicians.
Brandon Bruce Lee (February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was an American actor of Chinese, English, German and Swedish descent. He was the son of the late legendary martial arts film star Bruce Lee and his wife Linda Lee Emery.
To all that came before me
To all that left their mark
To all that tried and failed so
To all that now are gone
I see myself in your words
I see you in my smile
Your wisdom's like a lighthouse
That guides me when I'm lost...
I find myself at this crossroad, broken dreams
And I don't know what tomorrow might bring
I'm like a ball of clay
That you molded with your hands
Raised me without shadows
And baptized me in the light
To those that came before me
I know I'll see you soon
And like a distant star in the night
I'm reaching out for you...
contemplativeSeptember 5th, 2007
Pick a band/artist and answer all questions by using only song titles by that band/artist.
Pick an artist.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1.) Are you a male or female?
Venice Queen
2.) Describe yourself.
Storm In A Teacup
3.) How do you feel about yourself?
Catholic School Girls Rule
4.) Describe where you currently live.
Backwoods
5.) If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
Around The World
6.) Your best friend is:
She's Only 18
7.) You hate:
Emit Remmus (Summer Time)
8.) Did You know that __?
True Men Don't Kill Coyotes
9.) What's the weather like?
One Hot Minute
10.) If your life was a television show, what would it be called?
Me & My Friends
11.) What is life to you?
So Much I
12.) What is the best advice you have to give?
Throw Away Your Television
13.) If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Dani California
Pick an artist.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1.) Are you a male or female?
Venice Queen
2.) Describe yourself.
Storm In A Teacup
3.) How do you feel about yourself?
Catholic School Girls Rule
4.) Describe where you currently live.
Backwoods
5.) If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
Around The World
6.) Your best friend is:
She's Only 18
7.) You hate:
Emit Remmus (Summer Time)
8.) Did You know that __?
True Men Don't Kill Coyotes
9.) What's the weather like?
One Hot Minute
10.) If your life was a television show, what would it be called?
Me & My Friends
11.) What is life to you?
So Much I
12.) What is the best advice you have to give?
Throw Away Your Television
13.) If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Dani California
cheerfulFebruary 11th, 2007
Comment here and I will:
1) Tell you why I friended you.
2) Associate you with a song/film.
3) Tell a random fact about you.
4) Tell a first memory about you.
5) Associate you with a character/pairing.
6) Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.
7) Show you my favourite user pic of yours.
8) In retort, you must spread this disease in your LJ.
1) Tell you why I friended you.
2) Associate you with a song/film.
3) Tell a random fact about you.
4) Tell a first memory about you.
5) Associate you with a character/pairing.
6) Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.
7) Show you my favourite user pic of yours.
8) In retort, you must spread this disease in your LJ.
December 15th, 2006
From Pogue's Posts: The latest in technology from David Pogue in The New York Times Blog @ http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/
"Dear David,
first off i would like to tell you that you are full of **** and did not research the zune enough to know your facts. The following are incorrect, and not limited to: podcasts, giftcards, looks(which is an oppinion), controls, and content. Also i would like to inform you that on the day of the launch(nov 14) there is a sceduled firmware upgrade which will most likely disband the 3 by 3 rule [which limits songs beamed between Zunes to three playbacks within three days], and the zune marketplace is also to offer video content about one month after launch. In my oppinion you should be fired for wrighting such a biast article in a (somewhat professional newspaper. Oh and in case you think i work for microsoft or have bad grammar, or something, you should know that im 15!"
The deeper we sail into the new online world of communications, the sadder I get about its future.
I'm OK with criticism, I'm fine with disagreement, I'm perfectly capable of handling angry mail. That's not the issue here (although my teenage correspondent above was, in fact, wrong about every single one of his points).
I've even accepted personal attacks as part of the job. I'm a columnist; the heat comes with the kitchen.
But what's really stunning is how hostile *ordinary* people are to each other online these days.
Slashdot and Digg.com are extremely popular sites for tech fans. Each discussion begins with the presentation of an article or Web page--and then opens up the floor for discussion.
Lately, an increasing number of the discussions devolve into name-calling and bickering. Someone might submit, say, this item to Digg:
685 diggs. "*AWESOME astronomy poem.*" (posted by MetsFan 3 days ago)
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.
Before long, the people's feedback begins, like this:
by baddude on 12/11/06
What's yr problem, moron. You already said it's a star, why would you then wonder what it is. Get a clue, or a life.
by neverland2 on 12/11/06
Dugg down as inaccurate. Stars do not twinkle. It's the shifting atmosphere that causes an apparent twinkle. Or were you stoned all through science class?
by mrobe on 12/11/06
yo neverland2--It's a poem, idiot. Nobody's claiming that stars twinkle. Ever heard of poetic license?Honestly, the intellectual level of you people is right up there with a gnat's.
...and so on.
What's worse is that the concentration of the nasty people increases as the civil ones get fed up and leave.
What's going on here?
My current theories:
* On the Internet, you're anonymous. Since you don't have to face the person you're dumping on, you don't see any reason to display courtesy.
* On the Internet, you're anonymous. You worry that your comments might get lost in the shuffle, so you lay it on thick to enhance your noticeability.
* The open toxicity is all part of the political climate. We've learned from the Red state-Blue state talking heads that open hostility can pass for meaningful conversation.
* Young people who spend lots of time online are, in essence, replacing in-person social interactions with these online exchanges. With so much less experience conversing in the real world, they haven't picked up on
the value of treating people civilly. That is, they haven't yet hit the stage of life when getting things like friends, a spouse and a job depend on what kind of person you are.
* Many parents haven't been teaching social skills (or haven't been around to teach them) for years, but Web 2.0 is suddenly making it apparent for the first time. ("Web 2.0" describes sites like Digg and Slashdot, where the audience itself provides material for the Web site.)
I'd give just about anything to hear what 15-year-old Josh's parents would say if they knew how little respect he holds for adults (let alone the English language). Then again, maybe they wouldn't be surprised a bit.
The real shame, though, is that the kneejerk "everyone else is an idiot" tenor is poisoning the potential the Internet once had. People used to dream of a global village, where maybe we can work out our differences,
where direct communication might make us realize that we have a lot in common after all, no matter where we live or what our beliefs.
But instead of finding common ground, we're finding new ways to spit on the other guy, to push them away. The Internet is making it easier to attack, not to embrace.
Maybe as the Internet becomes as predominant as air, somebody will realize that online behavior isn't just an afterthought. Maybe, along with HTML and how to gauge a Web site's credibility, schools and colleges will one day realize that there's something else to teach
about the Internet: Civility 101.
Visit David Pogue on the Web at DavidPogue.com
<http://www.davidpogue.com>.
"Dear David,
first off i would like to tell you that you are full of **** and did not research the zune enough to know your facts. The following are incorrect, and not limited to: podcasts, giftcards, looks(which is an oppinion), controls, and content. Also i would like to inform you that on the day of the launch(nov 14) there is a sceduled firmware upgrade which will most likely disband the 3 by 3 rule [which limits songs beamed between Zunes to three playbacks within three days], and the zune marketplace is also to offer video content about one month after launch. In my oppinion you should be fired for wrighting such a biast article in a (somewhat professional newspaper. Oh and in case you think i work for microsoft or have bad grammar, or something, you should know that im 15!"
The deeper we sail into the new online world of communications, the sadder I get about its future.
I'm OK with criticism, I'm fine with disagreement, I'm perfectly capable of handling angry mail. That's not the issue here (although my teenage correspondent above was, in fact, wrong about every single one of his points).
I've even accepted personal attacks as part of the job. I'm a columnist; the heat comes with the kitchen.
But what's really stunning is how hostile *ordinary* people are to each other online these days.
Slashdot and Digg.com are extremely popular sites for tech fans. Each discussion begins with the presentation of an article or Web page--and then opens up the floor for discussion.
Lately, an increasing number of the discussions devolve into name-calling and bickering. Someone might submit, say, this item to Digg:
685 diggs. "*AWESOME astronomy poem.*" (posted by MetsFan 3 days ago)
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.
Before long, the people's feedback begins, like this:
by baddude on 12/11/06
What's yr problem, moron. You already said it's a star, why would you then wonder what it is. Get a clue, or a life.
by neverland2 on 12/11/06
Dugg down as inaccurate. Stars do not twinkle. It's the shifting atmosphere that causes an apparent twinkle. Or were you stoned all through science class?
by mrobe on 12/11/06
yo neverland2--It's a poem, idiot. Nobody's claiming that stars twinkle. Ever heard of poetic license?Honestly, the intellectual level of you people is right up there with a gnat's.
...and so on.
What's worse is that the concentration of the nasty people increases as the civil ones get fed up and leave.
What's going on here?
My current theories:
* On the Internet, you're anonymous. Since you don't have to face the person you're dumping on, you don't see any reason to display courtesy.
* On the Internet, you're anonymous. You worry that your comments might get lost in the shuffle, so you lay it on thick to enhance your noticeability.
* The open toxicity is all part of the political climate. We've learned from the Red state-Blue state talking heads that open hostility can pass for meaningful conversation.
* Young people who spend lots of time online are, in essence, replacing in-person social interactions with these online exchanges. With so much less experience conversing in the real world, they haven't picked up on
the value of treating people civilly. That is, they haven't yet hit the stage of life when getting things like friends, a spouse and a job depend on what kind of person you are.
* Many parents haven't been teaching social skills (or haven't been around to teach them) for years, but Web 2.0 is suddenly making it apparent for the first time. ("Web 2.0" describes sites like Digg and Slashdot, where the audience itself provides material for the Web site.)
I'd give just about anything to hear what 15-year-old Josh's parents would say if they knew how little respect he holds for adults (let alone the English language). Then again, maybe they wouldn't be surprised a bit.
The real shame, though, is that the kneejerk "everyone else is an idiot" tenor is poisoning the potential the Internet once had. People used to dream of a global village, where maybe we can work out our differences,
where direct communication might make us realize that we have a lot in common after all, no matter where we live or what our beliefs.
But instead of finding common ground, we're finding new ways to spit on the other guy, to push them away. The Internet is making it easier to attack, not to embrace.
Maybe as the Internet becomes as predominant as air, somebody will realize that online behavior isn't just an afterthought. Maybe, along with HTML and how to gauge a Web site's credibility, schools and colleges will one day realize that there's something else to teach
about the Internet: Civility 101.
Visit David Pogue on the Web at DavidPogue.com
<http://www.davidpogue.com>.