Monthly Archives: September 2005

uk music finds

While in the UK, we listened to a lot of BBC Radio 1, and saw a few installments of “CD UK.” As such, we heard a great deal of new music that hasn’t made it big on this side of the pond. Here are a few good ones to check out: The Magic Numbers Hard-Fi

r.i.p. jerry juhl

As some people may know, I feel a kindred bond with Jim Henson, who died on my birthday in 1990. In fact, I feel a close bond with virutally all things Muppet. Via Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, I enjoyed the antics of Kermit, Fozzie, Dr. Teeth, Ernie, Bert, Oscar, Rowlf and Sherlock Hemlock.

military as first responders? not yet, says admiral

President Bush suggested that the military be the first responders to all large-scale natural disasters, such as large hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, etc. That presumes two things: that the military be ready, and that it is available before a diaster hits. The latter one presumes that we haven’t sent most of our troops (including the National

reframing the trailer

A tip ‘o the hat to Running Chick for pointing me to this lovely, reworked version of the trailer for The Shining. It’s a great tongue-in-cheek nod to the increasing tendency for movie studios to misrepresent their products via crafty spin. Enjoy!

ct: will weicker run?

A most interesting tidbit from Connecticut: it seems that Lowell Weicker may challenge Joe Lieberman for his old Senate seat. Weicker would run as an independent. Given that Lieberman defeated Weicker (then a Republican – a fiscally conservative, socially liberal one) by tacking to the right, it’s definitely an interesting development. Weicker remains quite liberal:

delay: precedent doesn’t mean it’s ok

Says Tom Delay about his indictment on criminal conspiracy: “I have done nothing unlawful, unethical or… unprecedented.” So what you saying is that “everybody else is doing it, so I should be able to be a crook, too.” Takes one to know one, Tom.

record labels: then and now

Music industry pundit Bob Lefsetz sums up the changed role of record labels very well in this recent posting at Rhino Records’ site: Used to be the label was a midwife, aiding the band in birthing their baby, and bringing it into the world. Today the label is a dictator, exacting conformity and killing art.

how’d i miss this?

Somehow, in the midst of preparations for the UK trip, I completely missed the fact that Cream – the 60s power trio of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce – scheduled three concerts at Madison Square Garden. These will be their only gigs on this side of the pond. Of course, tickets went on

post-mortem on the big anti-war rally

Back in August, I posted my reasons for not supporting the United for Peace/International A.N.S.W.E.R. D.C. Anti-War Mobilization. Aside from the fact that I was in transit from the UK back to the US, I simply did not want to associate myself with anything related to A.N.S.W.E.R. and its radical stances. Well, the rally happened

cheese!

sprite and I went to a preview screening of Wallace and Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit last night, and it was “a smashing good time.” The warmth and humor of the three Wallace and Gromit shorts is still intact in this full-length feature, with tons of great jokes for both kids and adults. Be