27 April, 2007

I Am Still On the *Up* Part of a Manic Mood Shift From Meeting Rufus Wainwright

Yep. I feel like such a fangirl. Here's a favorable review of Wednesday night's show from the San Francisco Chronicle. I have no idea why there's an entire paragraph devoted to what he was wearing. Whatevs, Chron.

They did print a very nice photograph of him, however:

I did mention that I was lucky enough to meet him after the show, right?

Anyway, here's my random iTunes playlist for today:

15. Regina Spektor: Loveology
14. Bjork: Sun in My Mouth
13. Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Hard Way to Fall
12. Concrete Blonde: Take Me Home (LIVE)
11. Charlotte Martin: Every Time it Rains
10. Radiohead: Subterranean Homesick Alien
09. Fiona Apple: Extraordinary Machine (LIVE)
08. PJ Harvey A Place Called Home
07. Goldfrapp: Paper Bag
06. Frank Zappa & the Mothers: Wowie Zowie
05. Nine Inch Nails: Head Like a Hole (LIVE)
04. Ani DiFranco: Subdivision
03. Queen: Bicycle Race
02. The Dandy Warhols: Down Like Disco
01. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds: Where the Wild Roses Grow (Demo Version)

24 April, 2007

Entertaining Blogs, Part I

Rate Your Students

Because reading professors' anonymous complaints about their students is ALWAYS FUN, dig? I happen to think so, anyway.

I'd put a smiley-face here as an unironic expression of cheerfulness, but it's a bit cliched.

18 April, 2007

Instead of Mourning the Loss of Life, Some Decide to Blame the Victims

WHAT.

Excuse me while I go vomit out of complete disgust. Where is their compassion for the victims of the shootings at Virginia Tech? The victims' families? No one should be saying things like that in the wake of such a horrific event.

Also, I don't know what Michele Malkin is on, but I'm going to steer clear of it, as it seems crazy-making: ...it darned well isn't too early for me to raise questions about how the unrepentant anti-gun lobbying of college officials may have put students at risk...
Some high-handed commentators insist it's premature or unseemly to examine the impact of school rules discouraging students from carrying arms on campus.

So the solution to preventing future gun violence is...more guns? Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to go buy a nice Glock now, just in case I need to mow down someone if they decide to open fire on me and/or my classmates. That's the REAL way to be a hero!

If you are currently in need of an ipecac, read the whole piece.

Of course, I should mention that some (Right-wing, in many cases) bloggers are not alone in this tendency to dump their wordvomit upon the dead. The UK's Metro newspaper, ever the reliable source, had as its original headline for this story: "The Girl Who Led to Massacre." They've changed the title as of today, but still, the article's lead is chilling: This is the face of the teenage student who may have sparked the biggest gun massacre in US history.

Yeah, like she's responsible for her own death and the deaths of 31 additional people.

Terrifying. All of it. Simply terrifying. And instead of making it about gun control, or about how "wimpy" the academic establishment supposedly is, or about how those killed on Monday could have, somehow, prevented their own deaths...why not show some semblance of respect toward the dead and towards those affected by the situation? Is that too much to ask?

13 April, 2007

Even More Stupid White Guys

In the wake of the whole Don Imus controversy, I'm just left wondering when people--specifically white, male people who are in the public eye--are going to finally understand that racist and sexist comments are not okay. Certainly, it's not as if every middle-aged white and male media figure is spouting his mouth off and making idiotic remarks, but this has happened several times in the past year or so. Do these dudes think they're magically immune to the public's anger, or what? Or is it an any-publicity-is-good-publicity situation?

Certainly, stupid, bigoted comments didn't kill Mel Gibson's career, but as for Michael Richards and Don Imus? DEATH BY STUPIDITY! Wheeee.

Also: Saying "I'M NOT A RACIST!" and then backpedaling in order to save your crackpot ass is a surefire strategy to get people to think the opposite. Discretion, guys. Discretion.

Happy Friday the 13th!

06 April, 2007

Warning: Fangirl Post Ahead

Remember the rather dubious publicity shot for Tori Amos's latest album? Yes, it was weird. Yes, the concept is sort of weird and not all that clear.

Well, clips have been posted (legally!) 'round these here internets. And I have to say, I love most of what's been posted so far. More rockin' than her last album. Seriously. Okay, okay, a lot of things are more rockin' than her last album, but...I dig these clips, and I hope that this will translate into a digging of the actual album.

If you can't access the clips, please feel free to email me and I will tell you where to find them.

02 April, 2007

As If I Need to Love Her Any More Than I Already Do...

I swear to God, this is the funniest damn thing I have seen in a while:



ILU ALANIS.

As for her new album, I'm really hoping that it'll be a covers record. Just think of all of the bad songs that she could feasibly improve!

Optional Comments-Section Question:
One artist of your choosing + One BAD song. Who would you pick and what song would you force them to cover, and in what style?