The Reverie Record

Let's Make Better Mistakes Tomorrow. Mike Monteiro.

2010-11-14T23:37:00.000Z

"Let’s make better mistakes tomorrow. Let’s scratch our heads and give up and wake up and try it again. Let’s fail at digging the well the first three times to get it right the fourth. Let’s build faster horses, and then strap rocket ships onto them. Let’s start a company, let’s watch it fail, and then let’s start another one. Let’s be the boss. Let’s take the boss down. Let’s order too much of something just to see where our limits are. Let’s take a chance precisely because it might fail. Let’s take the hard way out. Let’s go to the moon. Fuck it; let’s go to the moon again. Let’s quit our jobs. Let’s work at being better at what we do by fucking up faster, not less. Let’s fuck up really fast. Let’s wrestle sharks, fight monsters, and disagree with the board. Let’s borrow so much money it becomes someone else’s problem. Let’s start a 10-hour drive by announcing “I’m not into you anymore.” Let’s dump everything out of the garage onto the sidewalk and build something really cool in that space. Let’s start out to build a better mousetrap, and halfway there let’s decide to jump on the mice’s team. Let’s bet on a longshot. Let’s buy her a drink. Let’s start baking bread in our cubicle. Let’s try bringing fresh water to distant villages precisely because we have no idea how to do it. Let’s pool our money. Let’s take their money. Let’s solve that hard problem. You know that one that keeps you up at night? Let’s tackle that bastard. Let it kick our ass a few times, and then finally get it right. Let’s find out what’s at the bottom of the ocean. Let’s tame the Kraken. Let’s just fucking tell people we’ve readInfinite Jest and move on. Let’s forgive our parents. Let’s do something with the goddamned planet. Let’s rent an electric generator and open a food cart that sells nothing but frosted PopTarts, but makes a lot of fucking noise. Let’s have a breakthrough. Let’s have a breakdown. Let’s agree that bruises fade, bones heal, hearts mend, and that tomorrow we’re right back on that horse and that this time, THIS TIME! we’ve at least got a rocket strapped to its back."

It is Happening

2010-04-15T10:37:00.005+01:00

Apparently to James Murphy's dismay the new LCD Soundsystem album has leaked and hipsters everywhere have run rampant file sharing.

I am so sorry James, but I couldn't resist and its difficult to feel guilty when your album is so good!

LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening [streamed from LCD's website]

Internet Playground

2010-04-07T17:27:00.004+01:00

I applied for a job at Google the other day and in the confirmation email they sent me a link to:

Google Labs

Google Labs is a forum to explore and comment on Google's new products, i.e. a whole lot of beta mode. Anyone who knows me knows how strongly I feel about Google's capabilities and their lab is full of applications to come, answering questions and making life easier in ways you never even knew they could.

My favorite new toy?

Google Reader Play

Where I found these must see vaguely useless/hugely enjoyable posts:

I asked Aardvark how to get a job with Google to which Kane in China responded "Send them your resume." The perfect answer? Really?

Desperately Seeking MP3

2010-03-31T14:32:00.004+01:00

Bombay Bicycle Club- Dust on the Ground (acoustic)

Any thoughts?

Embracing Voyeurism

2010-03-21T11:16:00.001Z

"Facebook overtook Google to become America’s most popular website. Figures for the week ending March 13th showed that the social-networking site accounted for 7.1% of the country’s traffic, compared with Google’s 7.0%, the first time it has had a weekly lead. However, with revenues of $23.7 billion last year, Google remains easily the more profitable of the two." -The Economist

Does this mean that we are more interested in each other than in anything else?!

Whole Walmart

2010-02-24T12:18:00.003Z

I will freely admit that I adore shopping at Whole Foods and despise being in a Walmart park lot, but am equally fascinated by both institutions. The article published last week in the Atlantic is a must read for foodies and economists alike:

The Great Grocery Smackdown

The polar opposites of grocery stores seem to be not as far apart as we might think or maybe the power of perceived quality should never to be underrated. How about Walmarts ability to evolve? This is a strategy whose success is yet to be determined but a move towards sustainability and increased quality while maintaining the lowest price the market, seems to be good to be true.

Saatchi Oil Spill

2010-02-14T19:57:00.005Z

This is the first Richard Wilson instillation I have seen (or smelled), but I will be keeping an eye out for more in the future. In the basement of the Saatchi gallery this black pool of petrol makes for a fascinating instillation. The perfect black mirror plays with the viewers perception and is powerful not only in odor.

The pictures don't do it justice. Go see for yourself and than tell me how they are going to get all of that oil out of there.

All Crushed Up

2010-02-13T18:36:00.001Z

David Guetta's Milkshake

2010-01-23T13:17:00.006Z

David Guetta has produced Kelis's new album and if this track is any indication...

Kelis - Acapella [zshare]

Kelis - Acapella [youtube]

I need it. There I said it.

2010-01-22T17:40:00.003Z

Once upon time this blog had a style blogger... She may have fallen by the wayside, but I could not resist posting these dresses. I have often pined after the beautiful and the useless, but I think these dresses might be the most beautiful, the most useless things, I have ever wanted. Needed? Desire is a confusing thing.

photo source

Lots of Bread, No Birds

2010-01-17T22:20:00.001Z

The XX in 2010

2010-01-07T20:11:00.002Z

The XX hit East London in the fall of '09 like a ton of trendy bricks. I am not sure why I waited so long to rave about them but now that their debut album is smeared across the top ten lists of '09, its about time I posted...

Crystalised - the XX [zshare]

The 12th Day of Christmas

2010-01-05T15:29:00.003Z

I really would not do this, if it was anyone other than Chris Martin or if it was not the last day of Christmas.

Coldplay - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas [zshare]

A Van She Christmas

2009-12-27T18:21:00.003Z

This is the first Christmas in years that my Grandmother has spent with our family and this song has been stuck in my head for the last week. With all of those irritating jingles out there, I am humming 'You go sexual city,' Merry Christmas!

Van She - Sex City (live) [youtube]
Van She - Sex City [zshare]

Art in Words

2009-12-12T10:38:00.011Z

I was formally introduced to Ed Ruscha's 50 years of painting last night at the Hayward Gallery and he made an excellent impression. Ruscha falls into the group of my few and favorite artists whose unique perspective is not only groundbreaking but simple, like they are able to see the world from an obvious vantage point before anyone else realizes its there.

His cross-sections of words in art and art in words are not only easy viewing but speak to the flexibility of genres from advertising to exhibitions, a reflection of his pop art origins. In fact they are all the kind of pieces one might want in their own home.

His most recent work an interpretation of Jack Kerouac's On the Road would have been interesting but I am sorry to say I missed it! Below are a few images from the Hayward exhibition:

A 13 Year Old and The Mill

2009-12-08T10:29:00.003Z

A few notable additions to the blog roll:

http://themilltheblog.com/

THE MILL BLOG: This is the culture blog for Trinity College in Hartford Connect. While at first I was hesitant to add it to my blog roll because of my fundamental issues with camp trintrin, as the Mill's president put it "We're trying to change trinity because we all have fundamental issues with it too."

http://tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com/

STYLE ROOKIE: What does a girl have to do to meet Karl Lagerfeld? Start blogging at age 11. Tavi Gevinson has generated more hype in the fashion world than I ever managed in middle school gym class. Her style is eccentric and her writing clever, you can also see her photo shoot in Pop Magazine this month.

The Detail it takes to Disappear

2009-12-07T16:12:00.006Z

Below are a few images of Liu Bolin, a new contemporary artist to keep an eye out for. Bolin views his work as a protest against the dark side of a society that lets people disappear. He works with assistants and his project can involve standing still for hours on end. Despite previously having his studio closed by the Chinese government, he is currently working in Beijing.

Triangle Walks

2009-12-06T17:16:00.007Z

Photo Source

View slide show here

I knew that I could get my hopes up for last nights Fever Ray gig in Kentish Town, when her music video made its way onto The Moment last week. Like the video suggests, the performance was haunting and unique. When I heard the album, I did not know what to expect, but I found the show fascinating.

The stage was speckled with old fashioned lamp shades which blinked with the music while lasers and mirrors attempted to take away from the headdresses adorning every member of the band. The entire space smelled of incense, the haze of smoke never lifted and the music is hugely sensational in its own right.

I will admit that my primary reason for going to see Fever Ray was because I am terrified The Knife will never tour again, but that is not giving Fever Ray enough credit, if you have an opportunity see them live, don't miss it.

Fever Ray - If I had a Heart [mp3]

Fever Ray- Triangle Walks (Tiga remix) [mp3]

The Knife- Hearbeats [zshare]

Please note: If anyone does not own the song hearbeats, it is a must download.

The Power of Portraits

2009-12-04T19:23:00.008Z

Ever since I first studied art history, I have had a certain fascination with portraiture. The attempts and the successes produced when an artist captures a person in an image is always interesting to pick apart.

Richard Avedon spent five days in the UN photographing some the most powerful people in the world and the slide show of their images is not be missed. The article appears in this weeks New Yorker and slide show is available on the New Yorker Website.

Can you imagine if John Singer Sargent had the opportunity to paint Muammar Qaddafi? Maybe I should keep my portrait dreams to myself..

5 Years 2 Minutes 20 Seconds

2009-11-21T15:49:00.006Z

Serge Gainsbourg - animation des graffitis sur 5 ans du mur rue de Verneuil

from Arnaud Jourdain on Vimeo

A short film of the layers of graffiti outside Serge Gainsbourg former home in Paris.

Dirty Songs for Sad Lovers

2009-11-15T15:36:00.003Z

I bought the new The National album the week it came out, and I highly recommended it for anyone who is a fan of the indie group and/or Matt Berninger beautiful voice. While it is more dynamic than their previous albums, I still do not love Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers the way I love Boxer. However it should noted, that it may be my favorite album title of all time.

Start with this track and see it goes:

90 Mile Water Wall - The National [zshare]

So Long SHUNT

2009-11-14T19:14:00.007Z

Its a sad day when the only club-art instillation hybrid in an abandoned train station closes. That day is today. With different artists and performers every evening, SHUNT was always an interesting place for a drink and was packed this past Thursday with the end so near.

In a city obsessed with guest lists and members clubs, the queue for SHUNT speaks to it's egalitarian door policy; it doesn't matter who you are, you have to be here before 11:00 and you have to wait to get in. Apparently the minds behind the magic are looking for a new venue, but its hard to say where another cavernous space exists that is just waiting to be filled with surprises around every dark corners.

SHUNT's front entrance in London Bridge train station

So long SHUNT

364 Days

2009-11-03T07:50:00.005Z

"Once again they gave the worst job to a black man..."

One year tomorrow since the election, and the critiques are rolling in from all corners of the media. While Obama has managed some passing grades with expectations like his, there should have never have been a recession, right? Seeing as he has not actually been in office for one year, waiting until January for another round of report cards seems fair. And remember six years ago this time, the US had not 'occupied' Iraq for one year yet, and the only war Obama has started is on Fox News.

She Wolf vs. She Wolf

2009-10-31T13:15:00.003Z

A latino goddess and an indie white boy, both are worth a download:

Shakira - She Wolf [zshare]

She Wolf- The Violet Hour [zshare]

More Kapoor

2009-10-26T21:14:00.005Z

I will fully admit to being a fadist, but this is for anyone who missed the Cloud Gate reference in my last Kapoor post.

A Poem for Last Week

2009-10-25T17:16:00.005Z

I retired my copy of Lunch Poems today for a new handbag book of poetry. Poems are the best kind of subway reading, and I cannot recommend Lunch Poems by Frank O'Hara highly enough (it even fits in my smallest handbags).

FIVE POEMS

Well now, hold on
maybe I won't go to sleep at all
and it'll be a beautiful white night
or else I'll collapse
completely from the nerves and be calm
as a rug or bottle of pills
or suddenly I'll be in Montauk
swimming and love it and not caring where

an invitation to lunch
HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?
when I only have 16 cents and 2
packages of yoghurt
there's a lesson in that, isn't there
like in Chinese poetry when a leaf falls?
hold off on the yoghurt till the very last,
when everything may improve

at the Rond-Point they were eating
an oyster, but here
we were dropping by sculptures
and seeing some paintings
and the smasheroo-grates of Cadoret
and music by Vaese, too
well Adolph Gottlief I guess you
are the hero of this day
along with venison and Bill

I'll sleep on the yoghurt and dream of the Persian Gulf

which I did it was wonderful
to be in bed again and the knock
on my door for once signified "hi there"
and on the deafening walk
through the ghettos where bombs have gone off lately
left by subway violators
I knew why I love taxis, yes
subways are only fun when you're feeling sexy
and who feels sexy after The Blue Angel
well maybe a little bit

I seem to be defying fate or am I avoiding it?

-Frank O'Hara 1960

Been Waiting a Long Time for Bye Bye

2009-10-23T10:29:00.003+01:00

There are few bands I follow as closely as LCD Soundsystem, and there are few bands who have had so little activity in the last few years to follow. Thankfully, the new album is out in November, and in the mean time an amuse bouche:

LCD Soundsystem - Bye Bye Bayou [zshare]

A Sculpture Says a Thousand Words

2009-10-18T22:07:00.009+01:00

"I have often said that I have nothing to say as an artist. Having something to say implies that one is struggling with meaning. The role of the artist is in fact that we don't know what to say, and it is that not knowing that leads to the work." -Anish Kapoor

Slug

Svayambh

Tall Tree and the Eye

Ever since I saw Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate reflecting all of down town Chicago, I have wanted to see an exhibition of his work and the Royal Academy of Arts finally provided me with the opportunity. Kapoor's sculptures play on instillation and are like magnets interacting with their viewers; from small children to my date, it was easy to find visitors to the gallery guiltily looking around before quickly reaching out to touch the art. His pieces are a wonderful balance of organic forms and synthetic materials, which like a new species of plant feel oddly natural and totally foreign. Kapoor is one conemporaty artist whose work I will believe will be survive into future generations.

Shooting into the Corner

Every 20 minutes a canon would be loaded with red wax and shot into another room of the gallery. I pity the intern who has to clean the thirty tons of wax, which will be splattered all over the walls of the Royal Academy for the duration of the exhibition.

The Chicken or the Egg

2009-10-13T22:23:00.002+01:00

I found this picture on PMA and the song a few weeks ago on a different blog; its hard to say which is responsible for this post. Although Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is ancient history in blogosphere years, this remix is not to be missed:

Rome (Neighbors remix feat. Devendra Banhart) - Phoenix [zshare]

Everyone's a Winner

2009-10-11T17:41:00.002+01:00

"The nobel prize for lack of chemistry went to John McCain and Sarah Palin"
- David Letterman

Koons in Covent Garden

2009-10-09T16:32:00.003+01:00

This is the closest I will get to a thanksgiving day parade this year

Black White Yellow

2009-10-04T15:33:00.006+01:00

An entire basement of used books for 50p some of which are arranged by color. It has everything and nothing you ever wanted, stop by on your way to Portobello.

28 Pembridge Rd, W11 3HL

What's in a Name

2009-10-01T12:12:00.006+01:00

Having stepped down as Governor, Sarah Palin has written her memoirs entitled 'Going Rogue: An American Life,' which will be available in mid-November. I am admittedly very curious to see what Palin will have come up in the last few months which is ready for publication, and I am not alone. Amazon as well as Barnes & Nobles have seen significant pre-release sales.

When Palin's political career began to decline, maybe when she 'went rogue' I secretly hoped she would stay in the public eye. She makes Jon Stewart's life easier with her never ending supplying of increasingly comical poor decisions. Like the fact that she named her book after the title of a Slate article, which was less than flattering. I doubt John Dickerson has already ordered a copy of his namesake.

Home Town Hero

2009-09-30T14:11:00.007+01:00

Cleveland's most recent export has managed to make a few

worthwhile friends in the world of electronica:

Kid Cudi - Day n' Night (Crookers Remix) [zshare]

Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness (featuring MGMT & Ratatat) [zshare]

Walking in my Mind

2009-09-05T13:40:00.009+01:00

The Hayward Gallery's summer exhibition was entitled Walking in My Mind, and it included the works of ten artists given a space to turn into their imagination. From polka dots to porn every room was completely different, but entertaining none the less.

Jason Rhoade's imagination almost smelled like a boys room, but I appreciated how straightforward him and Thomas Hirschhorn were about the amount of junk that piles up. My surprise favorite was Charles Avery, a young Scottish artist whose work I will continue to look for.

I loved the nature of the exhibition because it directly required the artists to indulge in their inner monologue. Unfortunately, the exhibition was an instillation and all the pieces of the different creative processes have been taken down, but here are a few picture that I was not allowed to take.

A man in a suite in Chiharu Shiota's web

Yayoi Kusama's expression of her hallucinations

Charle's Avery's infinity chamber

Yayoi Kusama

Vampire Weekend and a Penguin

2009-09-03T17:36:00.003+01:00

At the Lock Tavern this past Tuesday, I happened upon Chris the bass player from Vampire weekend performing a free DJ set, and an Australian man in a penguin costume. Chris played Discovery's So Insane, which I requested (and blogged about before); he pleasantly responded to my request with 'I'm the bass player.'

Americana: Indians Abroad

2009-09-03T17:34:00.008+01:00

There are few minorities who have fought the politically correct battle as well as the Native Americans. Teachers across the US will correct their students when they refer to the many individual tribes as Indians. Sports teams have changed mascots in order not to offend misrepresented descendants in their fan base. And the stories of cowboys and Indians are mostly left to twentieth century Hollywood.

However apparently in the interest of selling CDs, not just one group but multiple groups of buskers at the Edinburgh fringe embraced all of the classic stereotypes. There were tomahawks, huge headdresses, dream catchers and plenty of flute dominated music, when these musicians clad in animal skins took to the streets.

Apparently the PC battle is yet to go global, but it might have to if the Scottish children keep crying out, "look Mummy, red indians."

Old School for September

2009-09-01T18:57:00.005+01:00

Both Pretty Much Amazing and Pitchfork published their best songs of the decade in August, a little prematurely, but its a lazy month and reading best of lists is always surprisingly satisfying. These rankings were primarily a reminder of old friends but also ideal for discovering a few tracks from years past.

My new (old) favorites for fall:

Roisin Murphy – Ramalama (Bang Bang) [mp3]

Sufjan Stevens - Chicago [mp3]

Poseidon Outshines in the Return of Ulysses

2009-08-29T14:37:00.005+01:00

Image Source guardian.co.uk

The Royal Ballet of Flanders's production of the Return of Ulysses in Edinburgh not only managed to beautifully balance contemporary choreography with classical ballet, but did so without taking itself it to seriously. Poseidon graces the stage in a tutu and flippers, while Athena acts as mistress of ceremonies in gold, and Penelope resists her suitors constant attention while awaiting for Odysseus to return. A familiar story in an entertaining light, not be missed.

A few from the Edinburgh Festival

2009-08-28T14:50:00.007+01:00

Looking up the royal Mile

Upside-down on Princes Street

Bubblegum busking: Jakil [MySpace]

When I moved to Scotland, it was in September and Edinburgh was just coming down from its festival high. I have been meaning to go the festival for the last five years, and it did not disappoint. Although it had been described to me many times, the magnitude of the event was still a surprise.

Anyone who is interested in the performing arts or counts the Avant-garde amongst their guilty pleasures, should make an effort to experience the festival.

Official Sites: Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Festival

My Mecca

2009-08-22T20:18:00.006+01:00

I have never seen so much cheese in one place.

Strong Sartorial Statements

2009-08-18T21:28:00.005+01:00

Image Andy Rain

Pink protestor at the G-20 meeting in London last July

Americana: Must Read

2009-08-18T14:26:00.003+01:00

"So the birthers, the anti-tax tea-partiers, the town hall hecklers -- these are "either" the genuine grass roots or evil conspirators staging scenes for YouTube? The quiver on the lips of the man pushing the wheelchair, the crazed risk of carrying a pistol around a president -- too heartfelt to be an act. The lockstep strangeness of the mad lies on the protesters' signs -- too uniform to be spontaneous. They are both. If you don't understand that any moment of genuine political change always produces both, you can't understand America, where the crazy tree blooms in every moment of liberal ascendancy, and where elites exploit the crazy for their own narrow interests." -Rick Perlstein, taken from:

In America, Crazy Is a Preexisting Condition

Birthers, Town Hall Hecklers and the

Return of Right-Wing Rage

New Justin (or is it Jesus?) Vernon

2009-08-16T12:12:00.005+01:00

Download: Volcano Choir- Island, IS. [zshare]

Listen: Volcano Choir-Island, IS. [hypem]

Deep Thought: Can Justin Vernon do no wrong?

Americana: Confusing Truth

2009-08-15T11:02:00.001+01:00

"Over the past week, congressmen have been holding town hall meetings across the country. They’ve been disrupted by angry protesters who are against Obama’s new healthcare plan. And things could have gotten violent, but nobody could afford to get hurt. So, it was very peaceful protesting." -Jimmy Fallon

Enigmatic as Ever

2009-08-14T11:31:00.003+01:00

picture source flickr

The Mona Lisa had a worse than average week, an enraged Russian lady threw a tea cup at the painting in the Louvre. The attacker (who did not manage to damage Mona) has been placed in a psychiatric infirmary.

Something Old and Something New

2009-08-10T19:50:00.003+01:00

A new take on an old song is a difficult thing to pull off, but here a few tracks that make it look effortless:

Sharam - She Came Along (feat. Kid Cudi) [zshare]

Marvin Gaye - Mercy Mercy Marvin L.A. (Sacha Di Manolo edit) [zshare]

Nina Simone- Sinnerman (Felix De Housecat Mix) [hypem]

note: I am not at all implying that the FDH remix of Sinnerman is better than the original, but it's noteworthy.

One Man Marching Band

2009-07-31T09:41:00.000+01:00

Better Together

2009-07-26T20:17:00.004+01:00

My IPOD at the moment is full of music love children all of whom are worth sharing. Discovery, which is a side project of Ra Ra Riot's lead vocalist Wes Miles and the keyboardist from Vampire Weekend Rostam Batmanglij is dominating my songs of summer. I've also included a few other one offs like Simian's new song featuring Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip, and St Vincent the National's crooked fingers cover. Enjoy.

Discovery - So Insane [RapidShare]

Simian Mobile Disco- Bad Blood (ft. Alexis Taylor) [RapidShare]

St Vincent and The National- Sleep All Summer (Crooked Fingers Cover) [RapidShare]

Strange Figure in Trafalgar Square

2009-07-25T15:59:00.005+01:00

Expanding His Scope

2009-07-21T23:41:00.004+01:00

Banksy goes to Africa...

SOURCE

Hell Hath No Fury

2009-07-19T11:39:00.002+01:00

SoHo Pride on the 4th of July

2009-07-11T12:37:00.006+01:00

Love is No Excuse for Bad Art

2009-07-07T23:15:00.002+01:00

I kind of love this song, but I really love that line.

Esser - I Love You

So Long Sarah

2009-07-04T12:27:00.005+01:00

I am sorry, but aren't you quitting?

"Life is too short to compromise time and resources... It may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head down, pod along and appease those who demand: 'Sit down and shut up,' but that's the worthless, easy path; that's a quitter's way out. "

-Sarah Palin

Full text from resignation speech HERE.

Colloquialism Win

2009-06-29T17:35:00.002+01:00

This photo was taken at a Senate banking committee meeting

regarding Paulson's bailout bill.

SOURCE

Harsh Words

2009-06-21T00:37:00.002+01:00

awkwardfamilyphotos.com

2009-05-18T00:51:00.002+01:00

This website is genius.
http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

There in Spirit

2009-05-03T17:37:00.005+01:00

Tiga's album launch is this evening in London, and I will be celebrating officially from somewhere in the American midwest.

So wherever you find yourself this evening be sure to enjoy these Tiga tracks new and old:

Shoes - Tiga
Tribulations (Tiga Remix) - LCD Soundsystem

Bush Bashing

2009-04-22T16:40:00.003+01:00

Apparently the lords of late night television are still clinging to the administration which made their jobs just a little bit easier:

Well, recently, that evil Hugo Chavez from Venezuela slipped President Obama a book that is printed in Spanish. But President Obama does not read or speak Spanish. It would be like handing George W. Bush any book. - David Letterman

Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will appear together on stage in Toronto for a two-hour, friendly debate. Each side gets to pick a topic, so the first hour will be centered on the international banking crisis. The second hour will be dedicated to NASCAR trivia. -Jimmy Fallon

Earlier this week, there was a reunion of Bush Administration officials in Dallas, Texas. Because there is one team you want to put back together, am I right? You bet, buddy! - David Letterman

Americana: Not Everyone Deserves Paris

2009-04-21T23:57:00.003+01:00

A tale from the blogosphere that is more cringe worthy than amusing:

When I lived in Paris, my sister and her husband came to visit. They were going to Deauville the next day and wanted to buy stuff for a picnic lunch.

I sent them to the still-open markets at Les Halles (this was the early ’80s). They came back empty-handed. “Disgusting,” they announced.

I sent them to the supermarché. “So much better,” they declared. “Everything was wrapped in plastic!”

SOURCE

Good Riddance

2009-04-04T19:40:00.001+01:00

Jon Stewert reacts to Rush Limbaugh's announcement
that he is leaving NYC

WATCH THIS VIDEO

A Muppet and a Fat Guy

2009-03-15T16:53:00.004Z

I assume this was never actually aired on
Sesame Street...

WATCH THIS VIDEO

contrôlez-le dehors

2009-03-13T00:12:00.003Z

Another addition to the blog roll. Even though I cannot read a word of it, everything posted is worth listening to: BOULE a FACETTES

Welsh and Worthwhile

2009-03-06T17:00:00.003Z

If everyday is a present, yesterday I got Marina and the Diamonds. Fans of Kate Bush and Regina Spektor should definitely be able to appreciate this track:

Marina and the Diamonds - Obsessions [rapidshare]

What's the Use?

2009-03-03T18:12:00.004Z

Be Mine?

2009-02-14T17:06:00.003Z

HAVING A COKE WITH YOU

is even more fun than going to San Sebastian, Irún, Hendaye, Biarritz, Bayonne

or being sick to my stomach on the Travesera de Gracia in Barcelona

partly because in your orange shirt you look like a better happier St. Sebastian

partly because of my love for you, partly because of your love for yoghurt

partly because of the fluorescent orange tulips around the birches

partly because of the secrecy our smiles take on before people and statuary

it is hard to believe when I’m with you that there can be anything as still

as solemn as unpleasantly definitive as statuary when right in front of it

in the warm New York 4 o’clock light we are drifting back and forth

between each other like a tree breathing through its spectacles

and the portrait show seems to have no faces in it at all, just paint

you suddenly wonder why in the world anyone ever did them

I look

at you and I would rather look at you than all the portraits in the world

except possibly for the Polish Rider occasionally and anyway it’s in the Frick

which thank heavens you haven’t gone to yet so we can go together the first time

and the fact that you move so beautifully more or less takes care of Futurism

just as at home I never think of the Nude Descending a Staircase or

at a rehearsal a single drawing of Leonardo or Michelangelo that used to wow me

and what good does all the research of the Impressionists do them

when they never got the right person to stand near the tree when the sun sank

or for that matter Marino Marini when he didn’t pick the rider as carefully

as the horse

it seems they were all cheated of some marvellous experience

which is not going to go wasted on me which is why I’m telling you about it

-Frank O'Hara 1960

Covered: Joy Division

2009-02-11T18:28:00.006Z

Transmission (Joy Division Cover) - Hot Chip [rapidshare]

Pop Music Bipolar

2009-02-06T17:24:00.007Z

Lady Gaga has effortlessly has found her way onto center stage with her upbeat dance tracks, particularly with one of my favorite radio songs Just Dance; however, when I found this track No Floods, I was pleasantly surprised by the Lady's change of character. Check out both sides of Ms. Gaga:

Just Dance - Lady Gaga [rapidshare]
No Floods - Lady Gaga [rapidshare]

Notable Minimal

2009-02-03T16:58:00.003Z

Homme speaks for itself, but these two tracks are a must download:

Black Pepper -Homme [rapidshare]
Hitch Hiker- Homme [rapidshare]

Happy February

2009-02-01T21:51:00.003Z

NOCTURNE

There's nothing worse
then feeling bad and not
being able to tell you.
Not because you'd kill me
or I'd would kill you, or
we don't love each other.
It's space. The sky is grey
and clear, with pink and
blue shadows under each cloud.
A tiny airliner drops its
specks over the UN Building.
My eyes, like millions of
glassy squares, merely reflect.
Everything sees through me,
in the daytime I'm too hot
and at night I freeze; I'm
built the wrong way for the
river and a mild gale would
break every fiber in me.
Why don't I go east and west
instead of north and south?
It's the architects fault.
And in a few years I'll be
useless, not even an office
building. Because you have
no telephone, and live so
far away; the Pepsi-Cola sign,
the seagulls and the noise.

-Frank O'Hara 1955

Here's to Reaching Across the Bar

2009-01-31T18:30:00.004Z

"We need a bottoms up party"- Speaker at an RNC meeting

SOURCE: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/01/a_new_day.php

Random for Jan II

2009-01-29T19:20:00.004Z

A few more tunes to get you through the last week of Jan:

Furr- Blitzen Trapper [rapidshare]
The Fear (Christian Vorbau Remix)- Lily Allen [rapidshare]
Tick of Time- The Kooks [rapidshare]
Lovers Day- TV on the Radio [rapidshare]

NOTE: I know that if I wanted to be taken seriously (?) as a music blogger, I would leave TV on the radio's Dear Science, on its pedestal in 2008. Unfortunately for you all, I still have not overplayed it, and this track happens to be one of my favorites.

Practice What You Preach

2009-01-25T11:52:00.002Z

"A weak currency arises from a weak economy, which in turn is the result of a weak government"

Gordon Brown, 1992

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=a1FQyvBVCPyg&refer=uk

The Inauguration Sensation III

2009-01-22T18:08:00.003Z

Product Placement...

The Inauguration Sensation II

2009-01-22T02:14:00.004Z

The Inauguration Sensation I

2009-01-22T01:54:00.005Z

Obama's inaugural address was written by his head speech
writer 27 year old Jon Favreau.

WATCH IT

READ IT: My fellow citizens,

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Covered: Featuring Béla Fleck and The Flecktones

2009-01-14T19:14:00.000Z

A bluegrass/Bela Fleck spin on some old favorites:

Improv / Prelude from Bach Violin Partita #3 - Béla Fleck and The Flecktones [rapidshare]

Improv / Amazing Grace - Béla Fleck and The Flecktones [rapidshare]

Fair Enough

2009-01-12T16:38:00.000Z

FAIL

2009-01-09T17:44:00.002Z

An excellent addition to the blog roll: http://failblog.org/

Random for Jan I

2009-01-07T18:42:00.004Z

Because even the worst of the months deserves a good soundtrack:

For Emma - Bon Iver [rapidshare]
Cuddle Fuddle - Passion Pit [rapidshare]
Walking on a Dream - Empire of the Sun [rapidshare]
Let the Spirit (Hot Chip remix) - Roots Manuva [rapidshare]

Resolutions

2009-01-01T23:26:00.001Z

To post more often.

Whats with today, today?

2008-11-20T18:52:00.002Z

Song of the day:

City Middle - The National

The Culprit?

2008-11-19T16:10:00.004Z

On an old bank statement I found an add which read:

HOME LOAN SALE

Is this evidence of the root of the financial crises? Surely home loans should never be on sale.

My Father's Wisdom

2008-11-17T19:31:00.002Z

"The trouble with being tall is that you have to deal with short people."

Starfields Vanquish: The Reviews

2008-11-09T21:46:00.020Z

The up and coming talent

Dickie Drysdale

Fresh from Edinburgh, this new face to St Andrews was totally unknown. In the bubble of music that St Andrews maintains, there are a handful of well known DJs that seem to play all the gigs. Recommended by several people, Dickie Drysdale held several sets at the festival, each one truly exceptional. He was an unknown entity, his musical taste and DJing style totally different to the norm in St Andrews. A mixture of house, electro and breaks, Dickie's set was refreshing and very welcomed. His energetic and charismatic antics on stage won over the crowd and created the perfect party atmosphere, captivating everyone with his skills on the decks. Dickie, a regular on the Edinburgh club circuit, is definitely one to watch out for.

Cristiano Van Zeller

A new comer to the St Andrews event scene, Cristiano hasn't had the same exposure as some of the other student DJs seen at the festival, but none the less he put on a great performance. His style features heavy elements of electro and his personal choice of minimal techno. There are not many DJs in St Andrews who deviate from electro house and whether you think it's good or a bad thing, variation is always highly welcome.

Cristiano holds a residency in Catch Beach Bar, situated at the start of West Sands in St Andrews. Every Thursday he entertains a full venue, playing bass heavy tracks that resonate throughout the two floors of the Ibiza reminiscent beach bar. What the future has in store for Cristiano, only time will tell, maybe he'll follow in the footsteps of previous St Andrews DJs and become a mini celebrity like others before him, notably Rory Mitchell, DJ Weatherbeats and James Matthews; or maybe he'll be content in staying for what is St Andrews deemed as an 'underground DJ'.

James Matthews

Over the past year in St Andrews, there has been one DJ in particular who has ascended to DJ fame. James Matthews has gone in one year, from being relatively unknown to one of the most in demand DJs in St Andrews. He used to hold a residency at The Lizard and this year has played a few nights in Mackays, but his main love is big events and the crowds they attract. Starting from a young age and getting his set of vinyl decks when he was 12, James' musical heritage rests with breaks and drum and bass. He then moved into house and electro, purchased a pair of CD decks, started breaking into the St Andrews scene and the rest, as they say, is history. Playing nearly every major last year, from the original Starfields to SF:08 and the May Ball, James has had widespead exposure.

One of James' talents is knowing how to read a crowd and give them what they want. He may not have the onstage antics of someone like Dickie, but what he does have is an eye for what people want and is a master of controlling atmosphere. At Starfields Vanquish he played a house set that perfectly set the stage for Bodyrox and cemented his status as one of St Andrews premier DJs. Winning the St Andrews branch of the Corona DJ competition and coming second in the Scotish finals, James is rare talent for St Andrews and the prediction is that he will go very far indeed.

Starfields Vanquish: The Reviews

2008-11-09T19:17:00.012Z

Bodyrox
The UK's house music maestros Bodyrox took the stage as the tent headline act on the Sunday evening. Nick Bridges, one half of the Bodyrox team, commanded the decks and dominated the crowds with his take on electro, house and dance classics. Bodyrox, famous for their UK no.2 single with Luciana 'Yeah Yeah', have received wide spread acclaim.Their songs have charted in countries across Europe, been described as some of the biggest in Miami and have even featured in a Ford TV commercial.

At Starfields Vanquish their hour and a half set bellowed out from the impressive sound system and electrified the crowd. Some critised it for being too housey, but from an electro house group, what do you expect? The mixes were precise and the overall performance inspiring, the light show mixing seamlessly into the music. Throughout all of this, the greatest thing to see was the smile on Nick Bridges face, which never failed to fade and showed he was enjoying himself just as much as the crowd. The two highlights were the opening use of 'Yeah Yeah', igniting the crowd and setting the level for the rest of the evening; and the world premier of Bodyrox's new song, a special treat just for St Andrews.

First two day event hits St Andrews by storm

2008-11-08T18:00:00.012Z

Starfields Vanquish makes a name for it self

Two weeks ago today saw Starfields Vanquish descend upon St Andrews. The town's first two day student run music festival saw a whole host of international artists grace its streets. Over the weekend we saw Drum and Bass pioneers 'London Elektricity', UK beat boxing champion 'Beardyman', DJ legends 'Scratch Perverts', dance music maestro 'Bodryrox' and the institution that is Utah Saints. The focus was not only on the DJs and we were also graced with performances from local four piece 'DanDanDan', T in the Park performers 'Day of Days' and up and coming band 'The Gentlemen'

The event was held in a colossal festival tent in the grounds of one of the University's oldest colleges. Unfortunately for the event goers, the site had to be evacuated on the Saturday due to severe storms and gale force winds, however the event was saved by moving it to the local student's union where people didn't even notice the change. On the Sunday, all was well and the festival goers enjoyed an afternoon and night of entertainment on the festival site which had everything from a red bull support tent, food stands, University society village, an epic dance floor and one of the grandest structures in St Andrews.

The question on everybody's lips is now with the unheard of 'two day event', what will be next to the St Andrews event calendar? In the space of one year, we have seen the first St Andrews music festival, a full on rave in a 15th century quad and now a two day full blown music extravaganza. All I can say is watch this space.

Reviews of the acts to follow

Endorsed

2008-10-30T19:24:00.002Z

In case there was ever any question about which candidate this blog was supporting:

I promise. I'm on it.

2008-10-25T20:55:00.006+01:00

One day we're gonna live in Paris
I promise
I'm on it
When I'm bringing in the money
I promise
I'm on it
I'm gonna take you out to club showcase
We're gonna live it up
I promise
Just hold on a little more

And every night we'll watch the stars

They'll be out for us
They'll be out for us
And every night, the city lights
They'll be out for us
They'll be out for us

One day we're gonna live in Paris
I promise
I'm on it
I'll find you that French boy,
You'll find me that French girl
I promise
I'm on it

So go and pack your bags
For the long haul
We're gonna lose ourselves
I promise
This time next year will be forevermore

Friendly Fires - Paris [rapidshare]
Friendly Fires - Paris (Aeroplane Remix ft. Au Revoir Simone) [rapidshare]

Kisses of An Enemy

2008-10-24T17:21:00.004+01:00

An endorsement the McCain campaign never meant to encourage:

"Al-Qaida will have to support McCain in the coming elections so that he continues the failing march of his predecessor, Bush." -Message posted on al-Hesbah Website [password-protected]

Al Hesbah Site: http://www.alhesbah.org/
TPM Article: http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/238985.php

McCain's Hard Work

2008-10-23T17:09:00.004+01:00

On Governor Palin's denouncing of the McCain campaign's robocalls...

"You really have to work hard to violate Governor Palin's standards on negative campaigning." -Barack Obama

Recessions, Depressions and the Wisdom of the Ages

2008-10-21T22:44:00.011+01:00

I think John, Obama, Joe and even a pit-bull with lipstick maybe leaving Brangelina behind in the never ending quest for America's attention; however, while 'the recession' may not be America's sweetheart, many a publication cannot seem to get enough of it.

Most of the articles I've perused have referenced the dot com bubble, the collapse of Long Term Capital Management, the late 80s, the early 80s, and the list goes on. Although most have stayed well away from the 1930s, one or two have danced around the word depression. Maybe continuing to look backward will help with the 700 billion dollar gamble going forwards

At times like these, there is really one thing to do, call your grandmother. Debbie was thrilled to hear from me but almost scoffed when I said the word depression. I was really curious about whether or not during the depression, people referred to it as 'the depression' because some how this recession has been termed 'the recession.' How does an economic period merit a definite article? Unfortunately, Debbie could not remember if it was called the depression then or not.

Debbie moved to Cleveland in 1932 when she was 10 and 25% of Americans were unemployed. Her governess, who was the former head of Case Western Reserve University's English department, used to take her to help in a soup kitchen, which more like a window in the side of the building with a line of people outside which went on for miles. Even as a child, Debbie remembers that whenever the food for the day ran out, the front window would be closed, and they would run to their car in case the hungry people left rioted.

A few weeks ago investment bankers were sitting on the curb of Wall Street drinking top shelf liquors in brown paper bags. It has not been a good month. From sea to shining sea Americans have watched the Dow play a game of egg toss with retirements and inheritances alike, [note: I've refrained here from the ubiquitous "Main Street" analogy. I am pretty sure America replaced Main Street with residential developments and strip malls long ago].

Times are hard, but in Debbie's words "it may not feel like it, but everything will work out."

In the mean time sell, save and call your Grandmother.

A Tough Neighborhood

2008-10-21T16:54:00.002+01:00

Mixed Signals

2008-10-20T16:52:00.001+01:00

Religion and State

2008-10-17T19:16:00.002+01:00

Why is there a cross in front of the Capitol?

A Couple Songs for Autumn

2008-10-15T21:57:00.003+01:00

Even if it never feels like fall:

Andrew Bird - Oh Sister (Bob Dylan cover) [RapidShare]

Bon Ivor- Skinny Love [RapidShare]

Metaphors

2008-10-08T19:49:00.004+01:00

Graduating from University for many casualties of the upper middle class, probably feels a bit like running into a brick wall at pace; however, its the year which follows graduation when the purposelessness of unemployment really takes its toll. Speaking to a friend of mine on the phone about the predicament, she volunteered the metaphor "building a life/career piece by piece in the dark."

I prefer seeing myself in a field with two birds (career and relationship) circling overhead with a million stones at my feet that I am throwing into the air at random although most are useless and others are hugely misdirected. Only occasionally does one strike me on the head on its way back to earth leaving me momentarily unconscious before my absurd behavior begins again.

No Salinger reference intended. Happy job hunting.

Confessions of a Psychiatrist: D L R O W

2008-09-28T17:04:00.004+01:00

When determining the mental aptitude of a patient, a Doctor has to ask many questions; during one such examination Dr Max asked a patient the routine question,

"Can you please say the word world for me forwards and backwards?" Obligingly the patient stood up faced the Doctor and said,

"World," before turning 180 degrees and repeating himself.

A Contradiction in Flavors

2008-09-19T21:47:00.008+01:00

Louis XIV vs. Jeff Koons