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The Boning... Tbone Suckahs
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Bending Over...Again
I know that politics is Ned's territory but I have some thoughts on the cabinet confirmation sessions in Congress of Rice and Gonzales. I would like to pose a perennial question: why do the democrats keep giving in? I just don't understand. We just had one of the biggest losses in our history and we're faced with mid-term elections coming up soon--now is the time to fight! The confirmations sound like they're going to go fairly smoothly, which should scare people if they are any indication of how Court nominations will go.
First up we have Gonzales being nominated for Attorney General. First there is the issue of the Geneva Convention that is being talked about the most. Gonzales submitted "torture memos" claiming that this was "obsolete." This is an important issue but one that isn't being talked about much is his previous service in Texas when Bush was governor. While serving as counsel to Bush, Gonzales gave him appeals from death row inmates, many of which didn't include all of the evidence. In some cases this evidence was exculpatory. This man helped give Bush his execution -friendly reputation. Both of these are moral issues that should cut through party lines, so why are we talking about him being confirmed already?
Then there is Condi Rice whose service as National Security Advisor has been deplorable. One needs only to look at her 9/11 Commission testimony to see her many faults in service to this country. She failed to listen to Richard Clarke about the threat of Bin Laden when he relayed the info to her and when she received the PDB's including the one entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Attack in the U.S." She seems to never dissent form Bush on anything. Her Freudian slip where she is quoted as saying "my husb...the president" is quite telling, she worships him. She is like a dog to her master. Some senators (Kennedy, Kerry, and Boxer to name a few) are fighting but they are the vast minority. Six of the eight democratic senators on the Foreign Relations Committee voted for her! Boxer launched a great attack on Rice but somehow her comeback of "I wish you wouldn't impugn my integrity," made her seem sympathetic - even though Boxer was simply pointing out a contradiction. I'll give Rice credit, she is great at deflecting criticism.
Try flipping the parties: if John Kerry were president and democrats had a slight majority of congress and he tried to push through nominees for attorney general and sec. of state – do you think the republicans would let them go this easily? OF COURSE NOT! Once again we come off looking weak against a seemingly monolithic, omnipotent republican gov't. Even the symbols of our parties are quite telling --who is more intimidating, a donkey or an elephant?
Tue Jan 25, 2005 at 3:45 PM
Convention: Day One
Last night, I decided, along with some friends, to partake of the revelry surrounding the Democratic National Convention. First, we went to the Red Hat(one of my favorite neighborhood bars, located behind the State House) where the Young Democrats of America were holding a DNC Watch Party. A good crowd was gathered and it was the most packed I'd ever seen this bar before, especially for a Monday night.
I informed my friends that I was going outside to take some pictures around the Fleet Center. I stepped outside and right away who do I see? Ben Affleck. He was sitting in an SUV with the window wide open so that everyone could see him. I saw him chatting it up the some cops as he waited at the stop light. At the time I was trying to take a picture of one of those right wing billboard cars that has been going around. Many of them have large pictures of aborted fetuses or terrorist attacks, this particular one had the words "homosexuality is a sin" written in rainbow colors. When I went to take a picture of it, I started fiddling with my camera and looked up to see Ben looking at me. He gave me a look like he thought I was going to take his picture. Immediately I put the camera away to put him at ease. I'm not sure if he cared that much, but it made me feel like an evil paparazzi who'd been caught even though I wasn't trying to steal a picture of him.
After that brief encounter I proceeded to the convention area where I did see some protesters, even though most of them are hidden behind North Station. At the security entrance to the convention some kids were shouting at the delegates things like "shame on you democrats!" and "aren't there enough white men!"...stupid shit like that. I was stopped by an attractive girl to put on a "Stand Up for Choice: Planned Parenthood" sticker, I happily obliged. On the way back to the Red Hat I spotted former CA governor Gray Davis, a mild celebrity but still cool.
After the Red Hat we went to the Harp, a bar right across the street from the Fleet Center. I was a little peeved because the convention and red sox game were on at same time, but the audio was on the baseball game! That didn't make any sense to me. It gives you an idea of where this town's priorties lie though. Of course, I also wanted to see the sox game but I also wanted to listen to Al Gore and Jimmy Carter speak instead I just watched them off and on. Al Gore seemed fired up and Jimmy Carter seemed old and stagnant, that's all I got from those speeches. I met up with a friend of mine who works for a Mass. Representative and had a pass to convention last night. He borrowed my camera, so hopefully I'll be posting some shots from inside. I stepped outside for a smoke and RFK Jr. walked by me, just a side note. Luckily, after the game ended of course, the audio went to the convention. When Bill Clinton finally came on, the bar went fairly silent and people were glued to the TV's. Watching him speak filled me with nostalgia. It made me forget about term limits, for 25 minutes he was my president again. God, I miss him. The night ended with my friend Chris and I passing out pro-Kerry tickets in a semi-drunken stupor as we wandered home. We walked along chatting up with a very friendly Danish journalist. Who knows what other random events tonight will bring.
The convention being in town has scared a lot of people to take vacation or stay home. I must say that I don't understand this mentality. Why else would you live in a city? I live in the city because I want to be where stuff is happening. An event like this only happens once every four years and will probably not be here again for a long time. People seem more concerned about the inconveniences of traffic and accessibility, or about a terrorist attack -- this hype and paranoia has caused much of the population to sit this one out, which probably was the point. If everything goes smoothly when people weren't expecting it to then the city comes off looking great, like they pulled off a miraculous task. I am disheartened with the fact that not many people are EXCITED about this. So much for "liberal Massachusetts"...You could bitch about the security I suppose but it's kind of fun to pretend for four days that you live in a police state. Of course, if the election goes the wrong way then we could end up living in one for four years.
Tue Jul 27, 2004 at 12:37 PM
Limp Biscuit Sucks
I'm sorry I haven't posted in awhile but I have to say a few things about Limp Biscuit. I was just watching "All Things Rock" on MTV, an hour long show devoted to showing rock videos. Does anyone remember when MTV didn't need to specify a certain time slot to show rock videos? All you need to get a show on MTV are a minor celebrity and a camera...but I digress.
I'm sure you all remember the 9-11 tribute concert, which was a downer for obvious reasons. However, Fred Durst performed one of my favorite songs, Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here." He completely butchered the song, not only with his terrible whiny voice but he ADDED LYRICS! Where the fuck does he get off changing the lyrics to a classic song? I was literally on the verge of tears watching his performance. I had always hated his music but at least it was his own. Now he was coming in on my territory and I was offended. I've had time to get over it and I figured I would never run into this problem again...
Apparently I was wrong...I recently saw a video of Limp Biscuit covering the Who's "Behind Blue Eyes," another one of my favorite songs. My heart skipped a beat as Fred Durst's eletronically tampered vocals started "no one knows what it's like to be the bad man..." He's done it again, he has completely bastardized a great song! Now there's an interlude of someone spelling "L-I-M-P" and then yelling "discovery." Huh? Durst has also, once again, changed the lyrics. He's added a verse "no one knows what it's like to say you're sorry." Where does he get the audacity(the bad kind)?
Could someone inform me as to the copyright rules of these sort of things? I know you can cover whomever in concert but you obviously need the rights to do one on an album right? So is there any sort of clause saying that you can't change the lyrics around when you get the rights? Would Pete Townsend have a say in this? I'm so confused and I don't understand how something like this can happen. Fred, you should've taken the highway a long time ago.
Sun Feb 15, 2004 at 9:49 PM
Champ: Monster or Myth?
 "Champ" is the elusive, possibly fictional creature dwelling in Lake Champlain. In a recent trip to my home state of Vermont, I began pondering the existence of such a creature. Many theories came to mind. Could it be a dinosaur, one that took sanctuary from the asteroid? Something that got carried on a glacier during the ice age and when it melted was stuck? Could it be a mutated hybrid fish-snake, the result of nuclear waste being dumped in the lake by crafty Canadians? Or could it be that Vermonters really do have too much time on their hands?...I find this last theory rather hard to swallow; making cheese, maple syrup, and gourmet ice cream is rather time consuming, not to mention all of that weed to smoke. WAIT! Maybe that's it: "Champ" could be a hallucination.
But take a look at this photograph taken by Sandra Mansi in 1977. You don't have to be high to appreciate this one. It looks real doesn't it? Some people say "yes" and some "no." Check out this site, part of the Skeptical Inquirer magazine. It offers analyses of the photo by skeptics and believers. If you're interested in other things of this nature or you are simply paranoid, pick up a subscription.
Champquest offers personal sightings and accounts with Champ, as well as several pictures of the shy monster. Here's a piece form one person's journal:
...We were anchored when we saw a large ripple started on
the east side of the mouth of the bay and then continued
west and disappeared. A few minutes later, about 10 yards
off our port we saw a large dark shadow about 20 ft. long
appear below the surface of the water...
How creepy and wonderful...May I suggest a suckahs trek to rural VT to track this thing down? Presley has a digital camera, Ned could bring his labtop and bitch about being outdoors, Dan could write an autobiographical account in novel or script form. First we should join the Champ-Trackers club. If, by chance, Champ doesn't show up...well we'll make something up.
Tue Sep 23, 2003 at 10:36 PM
American Splendor
 "Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff," says Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar. Pekar goes on to be a pioneer in comic books by basing his writing on just that premise. In this case, an ordinary life has been transformed into extraordinary cinema. While most comic books are based on superheroes or far-fetched situations; Pekar decides to write about his seemingly simple, boring life. His constant scowl and hunched back reveal a pathetic, lonely character who is used to being shat on. Even with his misanthropic attitude, it's easy to feel sorry for him.
When we first meet Pekar, he is a file clerk at a VA hospital in Cleveland working on his second divorce. His voice is practically gone from arguing with his wife way too much. One day he comes home to find her packing and getting ready to leave him. He tries to beg her to stay but his voice is so squeaky and inaudible that she gets frustrated and abruptly walks out the door. It is a heartbreaking scene to watch. From the beginning, it is apparent that this man's story will be filled with constant struggle. He isn't always fighting an uphill battle; he simply struggles to get through everyday life. When Harvey teams up with Bob Crumb (subject of Terry Zwigoff's documentary "Crumb") and he agrees to illustrate his stories, Harvey's life takes a new turn.
When his comic book, "American Splendor," becomes a cult sensation, Harvey still keeps his day job -- of course he has to because his writing is based on just that. When one of his biggest fans, Joyce (Hope Davis), decides to start writing him, Harvey gladly responds and the two begin a long correspondance that continues over the phone. Harvey sees an oppurtunity to cure his desperation. Davis and Giamatti have great screen chemistry, not the typical cutesy type of chemistry found in Hollywood movies.
By cutting away to documentary footage of the real couple, we see how well the actors have captured their relationship. They don't get together because they are soulmates, rather they both seem be misfits. Though it is not a sappy love story, it is oddly affecting and romantic. I am definitely not a sucker for romance in films. However, relationships like this one, based on mutual dysfunction, always bring a smile to my face.
In an interesting technique, using the format of a comic book, we are sometimes able to view the characters direct thoughts, these reveal more than they would admit to anyone else. The people in "American Splendor" are all in search of a cure for their loneliness, even though they seem disenchanted with everyone else. In an amazing feat, the film seamlessly interweaves the adaptation (with actors playing the roles), documentary footage of the actual people, and the comic book. The comic book characters, actors, and real chacaters all interact as well. It is one the most unique films in recent memory not just because of its characters but also its manipulation of the medium of film.
Sun Sep 21, 2003 at 5:33 PM
Gimme Tweeter
I regret that I have not posted in a couple of months. To my 3 readers out there: Mom, Dad, Ned...I sincerely apologize. That being said, it has been a remarkably busy summer for music. I really should've posted about each of them individually...but here goes.
 Back in July, Pearl Jam came for a three-night stand at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield. At first, some of my buddies and I decided to just get a ticket for the 2nd show on July 3rd. Then news broke out: the band announced at the first show that they had decided to play all three shows without repeating a song! Well, fuck. So we proceeded to the 2nd show where we almost got our asses kicked by a bunch of South Shore kids due to one of them denting my friend's car...long story. The Tweeter Center is not known for its great crowds.
The show itself was spectacular and we had great seats about 20 rows back. They opened with "Release" and went through classics like "Corduroy," "Animal" and "Alive." The encore was a cover of The Who's "Baba O'Riley"(which they dedicated to Joe Strummer and Pete Townshend) and an amazing version of their own "Yellow Ledbetter." I had been waiting for 10 years to see these guys and finally it happened. Forgive me for sounding cheesy, but after listening to these songs over and over again in my junior high and high school years-- hearing them live gave me chills.
Well, listening to the radio at work I found out that they were doing an hour-long acoustic set before the opening act on the 3rd show. How could we pass it up? Thankfully, we didn't. The acoustic set was great, as was the rest of the set. They ended up playing 44 songs (about 3 and a half hours). Eddie Vedder was getting increasingly drunk as the evening went on. He really fucked up the words to "Wishlist" but somehow snapped out of it and got back on track.
Oh, one other thing about the Tweeter Center...there's an 11 pm curfew! Ricidulous right?! Due to complaints by a neighboring trailer park, bands are not allowed to play a lick past 11. Pearl Jam decided to break this curfew in order to finish the set that they wanted to play. Eddie exclaimed "so it looks like next time we'll see you at the Fleet Center." He changed words to yet another show-ending "Yellow Ledbetter" to be "I never have to play this outdoor place again." Preach on Eddie, I'll go see you anywhere.
A few weeks ago, Nedward, Albany Dan, Plumby, and I went to Montreal to go see Radiohead. It was yet another brilliant performance. It was a little more loose than the Field Day show, Thom would sometimes keep singing acapella after the song was over and encouraged the crowd to sing along with him on "Karma Police." They played 10 of the songs off of the new album, "Hail to the Thief," as well as incredible versions of "Lucky," "Paranoid Android" and "Street Spirit" among others. They reaffirmed my belief that they are indeed the best band on the planet.
The venue was the Parc Jean-Drapeau, which is on an island on the St. Lawrence. There were 22,000 people there, even though it looked like a lot more. The crowd when compared to the Tweeter was much cooler and more well-behaved. I'm not sure if it was the crowd (mostly Canadian) or the band that had an effect, my guess wold be the former. Canadians seem to be a much calmer people than us. We are more uptight but feel the need to let loose every once in a while and act like idiots. We stayed in Montreal for that weekend and had a great time, biding our time with drinking and topping it off with strippers (of course). Montreal has to be my favorite city in the world. It is an american and european city mixed together, with the best of both worlds...and the girls are hot.
Last Wednesday, I went to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Tweeter Center. I didn't have a choice as to where to go this time unfortunately, but now that summer is over there will be no more shows there, thank god. Anyway, the show was really good even though our seats were far away. For some odd reason they don't have much speaker action in the back of the place, the music is barely loud enough. The band played pretty much everything that I wanted to hear. They played a few of the singles from the newest album, a bunch from "Californication", along with "Suck My Kiss" and "Give It Away." They sounded really tight and had a lot of energy. For the encore, Flea busted out his trumpet and played unbelievably well. They then broke into a great rendition of "Under the Bridge" (what a classic, I never get sick of this song) and a cover of Hendrix's "Fire." But of course, they had to stop at 11 because of the stupid curfew.
It has been a successful summer for concert-going. I've gotten to see a couple bands that I'd been waiting to see for along time. I also saw my favorite band twice! If there is lesson to be learned though its: stay the hell away from the Tweeter Center if you can help it.
Sun Sep 14, 2003 at 5:40 PM
Wetter, Happier...
 This past weekend was the Field Day Festival, originally a 2-day camping festival on Long Island that ended up in Giants Stadium. Albany Dan, Ned, Presley, and I, after overcoming severe disappointment upon the relocation, decided that we would partake in the concert. What followed could only be described as sustained misery with occasional bliss:
For starters, Ned's car broke right after picking me up from work. Good timing actually because it happened so soon in the trip, but it was a bump in the road. Presley came up with the great idea of renting a car, so we got on the road a couple hours later just in time to hit rush hour traffic headed out of town! After a couple of hours of driving, the three of us became so bored that we were trying to come up with our own trivia questions to stump one another...nerds. We did have good time hanging out with evil monkey and glendo on friday night(thanks to monkey for letting us crash at her place!).
On to Saturday, the day of the show, we realized that it was going to rain ALL FUCKING DAY. We proceeded to buy some full rain gear which made us look...well picture yourself in rain gear, exactly. After taking a couple hours to leave the city, we finally arrived at our glorious destination: NEW JERSEY! Are you jealous?...We stopped at our hotel, got into full rain clothes and proceeded out into certain wetness. Walking along the highways to get to the stadium and getting our feet completely soaked...this concert better be good.
Now to the concert:
First up was Beth Orton, who was very English and bubbly. She had a very folkish sound and a great voice, so that was a nice start. Next was Spiritualized who absolutely sucked. They had some of the most ridiculous lyrics ("Jesus, when are you comin' round again"); let me just say for the record that JESUS AND ROCK DO NOT GO TOGETHER. What happened to singing about drugs, sex, ex-girlfriends, the road...but I digress. After the guitar/bible thumpers came Underworld, a great techno group. Now I'm not a fan of techno but this stuff I would to dance to, or at least attempt to dance to. The main guy was wearing all black with bright, white sneakers and bouncing around the stage constantly, fun to watch.
 Up to this point we had been sitting under the second tier in Giant's stadium, therefore remainng fairly dry. But we decided to to move down closer to the stage to the very edge of the field (this was around 4:30 in the afternoon). Ned's favorite band, Blur, came on next and played for a solid hour. Damon Albarn, the lead singer, began by handing out ponchos to the crowd. He proceeded to sing in the rain for a good part of the set, raising his arms as if to say "bring it on." Damon defintely knows how to charm the crowd. After Blur, we sat waiting for Beck to come on...more disappointment lay ahead.
After watching the roadies setup Beck's stage, we then saw them take it down and replace it with another set. A guy came out to announce that in fact, "Beck took a stumble and had to be rushed to the hospital."...fuck..."but the good news is the Beastie Boys are up next!"...maybe for some people that's good news, I'm not one of them. The Beastie Boys came out and did their show basically bouncing around like a few old farts. Several times they had to stop and figure out the words, they were obviously out of practice. There are a lot of groups that I don't like but I understand why people like them-- the Beastie Boys, I don't get. Every song sounded the same to me.
After the Beastie Boys came an hour wait, during which girls started showing their tits to the camera this made the wait slightly easier to bear. Now on to my favorite band, Radiohead...this would be the culmination of my entire day standing in the cold rain, this would make it all worthwhile...and in fact it did turn out that way.
 Radiohead came on with blazing lights and launched right into amazing versions of "There There" and "2 + 2 = 5" off of their new album, "Hail to the Thief." Other highlights were "Exit Music(for a film)", "I Might Be Wrong," and "Just" among many others. They played for almost 2 hours, including an encore with ended with "How to Disappear Completely," from Kid A. This was easily one of the best sets I have ever seen. The best concert I had seen was them 2 years ago at Suffolk Downs and I believe this might have topped it. My toes and fingers had been completely numb when they came on, but their performance gave me real chills. With all of the misery, hassle, and expense that this weekend provided it was Radiohead who made it worthwhile.
A word to those of you considering going to an outdoor concert, if you don't end up seeing the best show of your life, you might be let down.
Tue Jun 10, 2003 at 7:53 PM
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