The Meaning of Life

Free and Legal?

Universal has a radical idea.

Free music downloads from its catalog... LEGALLY.

I can see it now...

A program with more malware and spyware than Kazaa...

A program that will monitor your every click and IM, and help to send you more appropriate spam.

A program that will bog your computer down so much that it takes 20 minutes for most web pages to load... kinda like the days of 28.8 modems.

Sign me up!!!

And So It Begins...

Today, is the first day of school.

I hate the apprehension.

Amazing too. This will be the (counts his k-12, previous collegiate semesters, and return semesters up) 24th time I'm experiancing this, yet the nerves are all up again.

Its not like the past years, where actually applying myself I didn't believe in. Hell, I still only give about an 80% effort most of the time anyway, and still do well. Its just that deep down fear of failure.

The classes should technically get more difficult as I advance. I keep expecting to run into something unexpected that's going to completely stump me.

I know I shouldn't be. My GPA since I got back is a 3.7 (too bad I have three semesters from 94-95 at a 1.0 that are killing the official overall gpa.)

But still... there is that apprehension. The fear. Is it of failure? The unknown?

It doesn't matter. Its there, and I'll kill it like I've killed it countless other times. There is no room for failure.

Stiff or Stiffy?

China is now banning the time honored practice of having strippers at funerals "to draw a bigger crowd."

Bad idea.

What more could a dead man want, after taking a vow with a woman who is old and wrinkled, to finally get some grindage from a hot young piece? The vow is till death do you part, well... death parted, so start grinding and gyrating and taking it off!!!

So You Wanna Be a Rap Superstar, Live Large?

Sir Elton John is planning on doing a hip hop album. He wants to record tracks with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Pharrell, Timbaland, Snoop, Kanye West, etc.

I'd buy it. I prefer his upbeat stuff over the disneyized horrid ballads he has been recording for far too long. We need more Crocodile Rock songs out of him.

Of course, thinking of Elton and hip hop makes me wonder... Has he ever heard the remake of Benny and the Jets done by Biz Markie?

Greatest Song Ever?

Now, this song could potentially be the greatest song ever. Why?

Because it was written by Willie Nelson?
Because the vocals are done by Johnny Cash?
Because it features Kim Thayil from Soundgarden on Guitar?
Because it features Sean Kinney from Alice In Chains on Drums?
Because it features Krist Novacelik from Nirvana on Bass?
All of the above?

You decide... Taken from a Willie Nelson Tribute CD (Twisted Willie), that was recorded during the peak of the grunge era. One of my favorite obscure pick ups.

Time of the Preacher by all of the above.


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No More Fat Goose Liver

If you're rich and live in Chicago, you can no longer dine on Foie Gras. What is that exactly? Its a fat goose or duck liver.

Mmmm... sounds tasty right?

It is being banned because it is inhumane to make.

See, the little birdies live happy content lives while their babies. they just get their wings clipped so they can't fly away. No harm. No pain. Then, at the end of their lives, they are shoved in a box and force fed to make their livers extra fat.

I've never had foie gras. Don't like the sound of it either. But STUPID BAN!!!

There is nothing humane about the treatment of animals. That is why they are animals and we are HUMAN. My cat is 19, and she can't drive or vote. I make her piss and shit in sand, and expect her to bury it. I expect her to drink out of a bowl, placed neatly on the floor, next to her food dish. I feed her the exact same nasty ass smelling food every day. She sleeps on the floor, or a couch, or at the foot of my bed. She walks around the house on all fours naked as the day she was born.

Does that sound humane? Cat's pretty damn happy though. I'm sure she'd be really pissed if I tried to make her eat with a spoon and wear diapers because she won't use the toilet.

Is grinding up a dead cows lips and asshole to make hot dogs humane? No, but damn tasty if you ask me.

Is leaving a cute baby seal pup out on the ice to be eaten by a polar bear humane? No, but Simba will start singing about the circle of life if you protest.

Animals are not humans. Stop applying human standards to critters people. They are there for our use. If its for food, companionship, or whatever.

If you don't like it, don't do it. Don't buy foie gras. Don't wear leather or fur. Be a veggie killer. Whatever. Just don't try and stop me from eating any sort of yummy critter, or having a cuddly one as a pet.

My New Addiction

As of late, I've been addicted to a game called dicewars.

You roll a stack of dice, and it faces off against your enemies stack of dice. Whoever has the higher number, wins. In the event of a tie, the attacker retreats, but loses all of their dice except for one. Every time you attack and win though, you lose one di. At the end of your turn, you get the number of areas you have connected won in dice.

Hopefully I explained that right.

Just play.

WTLBX FM Radio

I'd like to send a shout out to Froyd, all the way out in Bemidji. This songs for you man.


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Deep Thoughts

Dear President dubs and Homeland Security,

How is a terror alert that stays yellow, but then, jumps up to orange or red after a group of plotting terrorists get caught, help me as an American citizen?

Wouldn't it help me out more if it turned orange or red beforehand?

-Michael

Freaky Stuff

1. Open up MS Word
2. Type in Q33 NY ( according to the source I haven't double checked, that's the number of the first flight to hit the twin towers)
3. Increase the font size (48 is good)
4. Change the font to Wingdings 1

Blogger + Castpost = THE DEBBIL!!!

I tried to do another music post... two songs. At least one of them is working.

Anger isn't, no rage.

Sappy is, so you can hear Todd Snider.

I would remove the rage link... but blogger is being evil and won't let me edit that post. When I go to do it, all the text dissappears.

*sigh*

Anger and Sappyness - Together at Last

First, Anger...

I'd like to dedicate this song to the financial aid department at my lovely University.

Year of the Boomerang by Rage Against the Machine

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Second, Sappy...

I was searching for the music video for "Looking For a Job" by Todd Snider. Yes, I'm bringing him up again. He's just simply one of the greatest songwriters to ever lay foot on the planet, but hasn't made it big.

Well, instead a came across a live performance of a song off one of his earlier albums. One of my favorites of his. Normally I post his funnier stuff, like "Conservative Christian, Right Wing Republican, Straight White, American Males" or "Beer Run" or even "Just In Case" (song about getting a pre-nuptual agreement).

Not posting one of those today. Really amazing songwriter. Check him out. Buy his stuff. See his live show (It's supposed to be really good, his live disc was really good...)

All My Life by Todd Snider

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The Upcoming Semester

My elderly self is entering my Junior year in school.

I have discovered something semi-useful on MySpace though. The "grade your professor" page. So, I checked out what I am going to be experiancing in a few weeks.

C# programming - had this guy before (2 classes, actually). Good professor by mine and everyone elses ratings.
Java programming - same professor. Good thing since the java class is online, I'll be able to utilize that to my advantage in the other class.
Management Info. systems - the same as my current academic advisor. She is a good advisior, and was rated high as a teacher.
Intro to Literature - always said I wanted to take up reading. So I forced myself to with a class that will give me credit for the English elective I have to take. Professor was spoken about like he was some sort of god, so this one looks good.
Interviewing practices and principles - this professor was highly rated too.

I'm thinking it will be a good semester. It will be a great one if I manage to not kill anyone in financial aid, cheap bastards.

Total Stolen Video

Stole this one from the comments of Gothie's Blog.

Ultimate Showdown

Ten Sexy People

This one interested me a bit.

An Online Poll asked who is the sexiest person who doesn't conform to stereotypes.

The results?

1. Sophia Lauren - Hot for being in her 70's
   
2. George Clooney - he's always listed in these things
   
3. Charlotte Church - I hadn't seen a pic of her since she was 14... DAMN she filled out nicely.
   
4. Catherine Zeta Jones - see George Clooney
   
5. Johnny Depp - if I was gay I'd do him.
   
6. Kate Winslet - Can't find interest since her name will always be tied to Titanic in my mind, which Titanic is tied to Celine Dion, who we all know is an evil-wench beast who wants to destroy all that is good in music.
   
7. Gwenyth Paltrow - no thanks. I don't see it.
   
8. Jack Black - YES!!! Jack Black rocks. Not to mention he's not some twig boy, or even pretty boy.
   
9. Cameron Diaz - If your into anorexic looking blondes with crater faces I guess she's a 10...
   
10. Gail Porter - Never heard of her, after a google image search... Hot with the hair, too bad she got the hair loss disease.
    

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FIDEL!!!!!

Today is Fidel Castro's 80th birthday.

Who'd of thought the man who brought communism to the west would outlive so many US presidents, and still be THE man. Looking forward to celebrating many more.

Who Likes Covers?

I have a disturbing fascination with covers of songs. I dig them up out of nowhere, to having a vast collection of the mainstream, to knowing some songs are covers when other people think they are by the original artists.

This weeks Friday song shall yet again be a cover. I thought I needed to post a song that EVERYONE knew, and even though the song isn't exactly an upbeat topic, since its done by the Punk Rock band Me First and the Gimmee Gimees... Its upbeat in my book.

So, I bring to you, a song penned by Prince, made famous by Sinead O'Conner, and being performed by Me First and the Gimmee Gimees. That's right, "Nothing Compares 2 U."


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They're Baack...

So, I go on myspace after reading blogs. I see a bulletin from Audioslave.

New video.

Album out in September.

Of course this had me bouncing around like a little kid.

New song kicks ass. I swear this band keeps getting better. I'm almost happy Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden both broke up so I could have this band.

Couldn't find an embedable video via YouTube or GoogleVideo.

So... here's a link to the Yahoo music page that has the link to view the new video for the song. In case the 2006 date isn't obvious enough, the song's title is "Original Fire"

(link to video)

An FYI

In case anyone hasn't noticed... I'm beginning to post a little bit more as of this weekend. I don't know if its just videos catching one of my interests and making me post, getting out of writers block, or that my summer class finished up last week.

Whatever it is, I don't care. I just hope I can keep it up. Amazing how for a bit the blog can seem like a burden, but then a little bit later... feel like this magnificent outlet for everything.

Vicariously I Live While the Whole World Dies...

Vicarious by Tool (music video)

Eye on the TV
'cause tragedy thrills me
Whatever flavour
It happens to be like;
Killed by the husband
Drowned by the ocean
Shot by his own son
She used the poison in his tea
And kissed him goodbye
That's my kinda story
It's no fun 'til someone dies

Don't look at me like
I am a monster
Frown out your one face
But with the other
Stare like a junkie
Into the TV
Stare like a zombie
While the mother
Holds her child
Watches him die
Hands to the sky crying
Why, oh why?
'cause I need to watch things die
From a distance

Vicariously I, live while the whole world dies
You all need it too, don't lie

Why can't we just admit it?
Why can't we just admit it?

We won't give pause until the blood is flowing
Neither the brave nor bold
The writers of stories sold
We won't give pause until the blood is flowing

I need to watch things die
From a good safe distance

Vicariously I, live while the whole world dies
You all feel the same so
Why can't we just admit it?

Blood like rain come down
Drawn on grave and ground

Part vampire
Part warrior
Carnivore and voyeur
Stare at the transmitter
Sing to the death rattle

La, la, la, la, la, la, la-lie

Incredulous at best your desire to believe in
Angels in the hearts of men
Pull your head on out
Your head believes it give a listen
Shouldn't have to say it all again
The universe is hostile
So impersonal
Devour to survive, so it is
So it's always been

We all feed on tragedy
It's like blood to a vampire

Vicariously I, live while the whole world dies
Much better you than I

$300,000,000,000

What could we have done with 300 BILLION dollars?

provided full 4 year scholorships to public universities for over 14 million students.

built over 2.7 million housing units.

Insured over 180 million children for a year.

Hired over 5.2 million public school teachers for a year. (No kids would be left behind)

Purchased about 6 million Corvettes. (that would probably bail out GM)

Gave everyone in the US $1,000. (How's that for a tax break?)

Paid off Dr. Evil 3 times. (100 billion dollars? There isn't that much money in the world?!?!?)

Richard Simmons... Comedic Genius

Get this video and more at MySpace.com

The Man In the Iron Latex Mask

Corey Taylor, lead singer of the bands Slipknot and Stone Sour.

For those unfamiliar with the two...

This, is Corey in Slipknot.

I Portray a Look of Fine Musicianship

And this is Corey Taylor in Stone Sour.


Hi, I look normal enough to date your daughter.

I know I'm semi-old when I can't watch a Slipknot video because of the costumes, but am still semi young because I can jam out to songs like this.


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But, that song isn't the true friday song. That was just the set up. No no no, the real song is a Stone Sour song that will probably be my current earworm™ for several weeks.

Other end of the spectrum entirely.

The man is slowly moving up my list of favorite vocalists.

Zzyzx Rd. by Stone Sour

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Too Much Music Yesterday

Gee, thanks music industry. For weeks you release nothing but crap. Nothing of interest to me. Then yesterday, you pull something like that. I like my releases spread out, not three discs I must own in one week.

Yeah, you heard it, three discs: Stone Sour, G. Love, and Powerman 5000. Luckily the massive release coinsided with the bonus 10% off an entire shopping trip at the most evil retailer in America, Target.

Of course yesterday with work and school, I couldn't listen. Today though, is a music day. I'm 3/4ths through Stone Sour, and yes, it is good.

Now, I have to get these three listened to and dissected for the next good release.... next tuesday I know at least one... Todd Snider.

That one will be fun to find though. Hopefully Best Buy won't let me down. Just gotta avoid the assault of the blue and khaki troll people there.

Star Wars vs. Star Trek Answers...

(these are the answers from this post)

Chewbacca vs. Worf
This is a tough one. Worf is a warrior. He's trained in fighting hand to hand, with weapons... just overall baddass. He's also Klingon, which makes him bigger, stronger, and faster than a human. However... Chewie is a fucking wookie. I give the slight edge to Worf. Simply because this is like putting a grizzley bear (chewbacca) vs. Chuck Norris. Yeah, you wanna say the grizzley would win due to size and power... but we all know Chuck is invincible.

Han Solo vs. Kirk
This one is easy. If it was hand to hand, kirk might pull this one out. It would never get that far though. Know why? Han would shoot first.

Luke in the beginning of Episode IV vs. Ensign Wesley Crusher (pre traveler Wesley)
This would be the fight of the crybabies. Luke whining about going to Toshi station to pick up some power converters, and Wesley wanting to do some dumb ass experiment. Luke would eventually win out, after several hours of slapping and hair pulling.

Leia vs. Jadzia Dax
Dax. Hands down. Leia may be tough, but Dax would bust out some Klingon moves and gut Leia. No excitement here.

Yoda vs. Q
Yoda is the master of the force... The little green guy is a major badass. But how can you beat an entity as powerful as Q? You can't. Q wins.

Boba Fett vs. Odo
The greatest bounty hunter ever vs. someone who can change shapes. This would be one hell of a fight, but Boba would be more likely to resort to lethal force... so I give the edge to him.

C-3PO and R2D2 vs. Data
Two on one? No contest. Data would wipe them both out in a second. Had to check to see if anyone was being honest somehow.

The Millennium Falcon vs. the Defiant
Defiant. Has better armor and weapons. Besides, the Falcon is a freighter, and the defiant is a warship. I knew it was one sided... had to test knowledge and the impartiality again.

10 Stormtroopers vs. 10 Red Shirt Guys
This would be tough, but not tough. Both were killed off like worthless turds. The stormtroopers at least had a reputation, which had to be earned somewhere... so I give the edge, 5 storm troopers alive to a bunch of dead guys in red shirts.

10 Clonetroopers vs. 10 Jem'Hadar
Now this is a battle. Both are badasses. Both kill, and do it well. I give the edge to the Jem'Hadar since they can cloak. 1 Jem'Hadar warrior standing, everyone else dead.

Viva Fidel

My homie Fidel, in that paradise of Cuba that he has valiently ruled with a soft, padded, glove since 59 is doing well after surgery. Chalk that one up to Cuba's amazing Medical capabilities.

So, I'd like to wish a speedy recovery to THE man, the Legend, my homie, Mr. Fidel Castro.