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Thursday, July 31, 2003
Addendum x 2: Anyone else notice that many of the arguments being used against gay marriage are eerily similar to those used some 40 years ago against interracial marriage? And the Log Cabin Republicans? "[G]ay advocacy group," my ass. How 'bout a bunch of moneyed fags who want everything to stay the way it's always been? "Gay Republican" makes as much damn sense as "Nazi Jew." Infer what you will.
"Carlo said, 'There should be a Monopoly where you play for men instead of properties.'
'There is,' I reminded him. 'It's called the gay world.'"
- Ethan Mordden, "Kid Stuff" (from Buddies, InsightOut Books, 2001, p.121)
"Guess who's back in the mothafuckin' house
With two big tig ol' bitties for yo' mouth
Heartbreakers must partake of the sensation
So So Def and Clue – hits in the makin'"
- Da Brat on Mariah Carey, "Heartbreaker (Remix)" (Rainbow, Columbia, 1999)
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
- Ethan Mordden, "I Am the Sleuth" (from Buddies) (InsightOut Books, 2001)
Speaking of hits records I'm actually going to buy, the Chemical Brothers unleash 93-03 shortly, and it looks to be smashing. Not quite complete enough – only 12 or so tracks – but first pressing's got a bonus disc of remixes/b-sides (as is de rigeur in these file-sharing times), making it absolutely necessary.
Boy Meets Boy was not offensive – but frankly, rather dull. Its host, Dani Behr, gets very annoying very quickly (she nearly sounds like a Californian – or Madonna, natch – affecting a British accent). Its ostensible star, James, is cute (not hot), and seems very gay. Like a good homo. Like the boring version of the Fab 5. Last night's premiere was all introductions and James asking tedious questions (I mean, really – "what one thing would you take to a deserted island?") of his would-be suitors. I don't have high hopes for this show. At all.
Fortunately, the antidote immediately followed, in the form of the best episode yet of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. This week, the Fab 5 had to up the sophistication level of an utterly gorgeous cowboy manqué so that he could propose to his girlfriend of two years. He's gorgeous, sensitive, interesting (has had stints as a plumber, a Navy SEAL, and a stripper!), well-mannered and well-tempered, and simply delectable. I think all of us watching were in lust. [The episode was, of course, a success, and she said yes at the end.] Splendid.
'99 was the year of – as much as it pains me to say it – the Pet Shop Boys' last great album, Nightlife. From it came two marvelous, classic PSB singles, "I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Anymore" (following in their fine line of absurdly lengthy song titles such as "How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?" and "This Must Be The Place I Waited Years To Leave") and the discotastic Studio 54 explosion of "New York City Boy." Neil and Chris are still making intelligent dance/pop, to be sure, but there's a certain frisson missing, and frankly, I'm not sure they know how to get their groove back. But it's been great while it's lasted.
Single number four from Lauryn Hill's astounding solo debut was "Everything Is Everything," a near-perfect R&B single built around a string section (and not a ballad!). What I remember most about it, however, is its jaw-dropping video, featuring New York City (or at least Manhattan) as a record being played. Timeless.
I know it's incredibly uncool to prefer current Manic Street Preachers to the "Richey era," such as it was, but I do, and don't care, not when they're making majestic, epic songs like the elegiac "S.Y.M.M." Yes, it's a bit heavy-handed, but let's not kid ourselves – subtlety's never been one of their selling points, has it?
The comeback was going so well, and then the wheels came off. Crack is wack, you know. At least we got a slew of great singles out of it, including "Heartbreak Hotel," wherein Whitney Houston, Faith Evans, and Kelly Price do their finest diva-wails over a discreetly tasteful R&B track, and the classic-in-any-era "It's Not Right But It's Okay," not only a superb cheating song (from the other side, that of the one being cheated on) but, as remixed by Thunderpuss, the greatest remix of 1999, and a gay club anthem for current and future generations.
The fact that Maxwell always seems as if he's about to cry bothers me, a little. His use of the phrasing "tasty lips" in "Fortunate" leaves me diffident, as well. Yet the pure romance dripping from every syllable, every note of the song thrills me inexorably.
Compiling a list of 99 songs, and then having to rank them, left me a bit fatigued – that's the only way I know to explain away my #1 of the year, a song which didn't even come close to my top 90 of the '90s, uneasily perched atop the heap. I made a mistake. I was wrong. And, really, if it comes down to brass tacks, I think a much better choice would've been the single which I placed at #5: Chris Rock's "No Sex." It was set forth as a parody of Baz Luhrmann's "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)," but far surpassed the subject of its satire as I brilliantly, blindingly funny record. Chris did his thing – and as the funniest motherfucker in America for going on what, over a half-decade now? His "thing" is pure gold. ["If a girl has a pierced tongue, she'll probably suck your dick. (pause) If a guy has a pierced tongue, he'll probably suck your dick." … "Here's a horoscope for everyone: Aquarius, you're gonna die… Gemini, you're gonna die twice," et cetera, ad infinitum.] But what truly makes the record even more than Prince Paul's plushtastic R&B production job is the secret weapon: Gerald Levert. He sings his big black azz all over "No Sex," actually giving it the feel of an R&B record. Hearing his rich, thick, gorgeous voice crooning "no sex in the champagne room, no sex in the champagne room" is riotously, pants-wettingly hilarious. Chris Rock knows what he's motherfucking doing, and no one was doing it better in '99 – nor is anyone, now.
The year's truly transcendent rock single, bar none, came from an unlikely source, I've always thought. Sure, the Flaming Lips were entertaining, made some interesting acid-soaked Beefhart-cum-Zappa-via-Butthole Surfers records, even made an appearance on 090210 because of their novelty hit about a girl who liked tangerines. Suddenly, then, they made a stunning triumph with The Soft Bulletin, a fine album with an even finer lead single, "Race for the Prize," about scientists searching for a cure for a deadly disease (!). And it worked, in spades. It's weird, it's funny, it's classic-sounding, it's art, it's thought-provoking, and most of all, it's grand.
It's perverse to me that the best single by Busta Rhymes, in my estimation, is his collabo featuring Janet - Ms. Jackson if you're nasty, and she certainly is. It's basically an R&B sex song, but with a certain twist, a je ne sais quoi, even – which is, of course, Busta's weird factor. Don't deny it; even as he begins to stoop to low means of commercial success, there's not anyone (nor has there ever been) like him in hiphop, either the culture or the genre. Against all odds, "What's It Gonna Be?!" works, which of course makes it all the better.
My #1 single of '99 was, misguidedly, George Michael and Mary J. Blige's cover of Stevie Wonder's "As," the first import to get such a designation (it was available only on overseas copies of George's best of, Ladies and Gentlemen). It's quite lovely, a perfectly done cover of a classic song. And that's all I have to say about it.
Speaking of birthdays, I'd be remiss not to point out that today is the first birthday of Jenn's blog - g'on over and say hey, why don't'cha? Today is also the actual and factual birthday of Chrisafer (he's 30! *gasp!*), and tomorrow is the birthday of Michigan's finest, Todd. I recommend e-cards, myself, but then, I'm kinda cheesy like that (and poor). Happy milestones to all of you!
I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Yes, we all love to rib Thomas. The boy has his quirks. But I love him anyway. And I know he loves me. Now I could get into an exhaustive monologue about what makes Tom so special to me, but I don't have the words or the energy. I don't know about you, but for me, I love him because he's never at a loss: whether it be words, opinions, feelings, pain, passion or anger. About the only thing he's ever consistently at a loss for is money. And that may be more a function of circumstance than anything else (although I'd be the first to remind him that he holds most of the strings to his world, if he truly believes in himself). So as we all take great joy in giving Tom the hell he deserves, let us not forget that we come back, most of us every day, not just for his words, but for his heart and insight. Those are the blessings he's been given, and good for us that he shares them.
Good night, all. I'm sure Goddamn Thomas will be waiting for midnight to roll around so he can post again. I'm sure he's itching to.
And just remember: Everyone hates him (and apparently there are some DC bloggers who are plotting to kill him!).
Whilst watching Bravo, I saw a commercial for Boy Meets Boy wherein we see footage of the main guy as the announcer says, "Meet this summer's biggest hunk. He's handsome. He's successful" cut to him dancing with another man. "He's totally unavailable."
Ummm. Pardon me. Unavailable to whom? Certainly not to other gay men. This is not a show for gay men. It's a show for straight women.
The other commercial that made me think this evening? The one for that new Brittany Murphy movie, Uptown Girls. Whenever I see it, I wonder if she has any enamel left on her teeth.
Whether via filesharing, used record store rummaging, prohibitively expensive eBay auctions or one of those Keb Darge Rare Funk compilations, YOU MUST GET ONYX*'S "BREAK IT LOOSE (PART II)" IMMEDIATELY. I'd describe it, go into loving and rapturous detail about how down-dirty and astounding it sounds, but that'd be ruining the impact and spoiling things. So I'll leave the whole revelatory brane-explodin' up to your own ears.
And now, back to your regularly scheduled pop.
*no, not the "SLAM! DUH DUH NUH!" Onyx. Some other one. From 1978.
Hey yawl…
GeekSlut here (guest blogging ho), hear when I first got it and what band was jamming in the background. LOL
Audio Blog (from Geekslut.org): (july29.mp3, 3.1MB)
AALIYAH – Aaliyah
It's hard to believe that this young woman's last studio album, the multi-platinum & critically-acclaimed One In A Million, was released five years ago. After all, she's always been in the spotlight in one way or another – whether it's with soundtrack smashes (Try Again, Are You That Somebody?, national ad campaigns (Tommy Hilfiger) or feature film roles (Romeo Must Die).
But even with all of this exposure, it seems nobody really knows too much about 21-year-old Aaliyah Dana Haughton. And for some reason, this air of mysteriousness only appears to heighten her popularity. So what gives?
Ray's Rants & Raves: Two words – cutting edge. Ms. Haughton is always a step ahead of her peers…with her fashion, her style, and most importantly, her craft. This record is no different, once again expanding the boundaries of urban electronica. Along with her usual comrades-in-arms (Timbaland, Missy Elliott), Aaliyah enlists the help of almost the entire Blackground team (Static & Digital Black of Playa, Tank, J-Dub, Bud'da, Keybeats, and the Hankersons) in creating the darkly sensual mood found on her self-titled third album.
The CD kicks off with the slithering title track We Need A Resolution, which is classic Timbaland fare – stop-and-go beats, warped synth chords/horns, and wickedly rhythmic verses…and it doesn't stop there. Aaliyah abounds with flava-full jams, including the crunked-up confidence of Loose Rap, self-assured sass of Messed Up, and latin-flavored Read Between The Lines. Need some sexy slow-burners? Now you know baby girl can handle her biz in that department. You'll be swaying along with Rock The Boat, I Care 4 U, and It's Whatever before you know what hit you. The rock-infused I Can Be and classically ominous I Refuse add even more fuel to the album's ultra-modern fire. And that voice…my goodness, that voice. It's definitely not the strongest of the bunch, but damn...you'll be searching forever before you find one just as pretty. Oh, and do I even need to mention that she has the body & looks to match?
Ray's Rank: 4 ½ / 5 stars. This CD is everything you've ever wanted in a neo-modern, contemporary release. If you're looking for super radio-friendly ditties and tried-and-true R&B filler, you're looking in the wrong place. If avant-garde, jaw-hitting-the-floor eccentricity is more your thing, then this is what you're after. Bottom line? Aaliyah is one of the year's best records, for any genre.
house of wigs
And, here are the Blogs of the Day:
Art Is For Losers
Beaverhausen Blog
Blah, Blah, Black Sheep
Blog for America: the official Howard Dean weblog
Brand Trueboy
Confluence of Nescience
Cool Relax
Cooped Up
Daily Kos
Devon the Escort's Diary
Fly Over Country
Is This Thing Working?
Joe's Take Out
Johnny A Go Go
Little. Yellow. Different.
Off Wing Opinion
Room Sixteen
Seamus McStebbins
StainMaster Productions
The Day, The Night
The Major Fall, The Minor Lift
They Made Me Do This!!!
This Is My Life...Like It or Not
Vivian's Rebuttal Page
And here are some of the people I Think are Fabulous (talent and looks):
Robbie Williams
aka frank green
lots of co
bald sarcasm
corky dot com
grapefeed (fredo)
holden caulfield's lover
nathaniel wandering
8 legs
gatsby's ghost
living proof
The EX!
Thomas and Carson from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy meet one day while Carson's doing a promotional appearance for the show at a mall in Roanoke. The attraction is immediate. Carson takes Thomas shopping. Thomas takes Carson to Beyoncé shows.
They move to Baltimore and open CarThom, a record/haute couture shop on Charles Street, which quickly puts Balmer on the fashion map. Tyra stops by, but Thomas points to the "No Pets" sign in the window and Tyra immediately ties Janice Dickinson's leash to a parking meter in front of the store.
At their commitment ceremony, Carson gives Thomas some wonderful news. The papers have been finalized. In a matter of weeks, their new son, Andrew W. K. Inskeep-Kressley is home with them. In just a few years he will be the youngest man in history to be both MVP of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournement and star as Edna Turnblad in the Broadway revival of "Hairspray." While accepting the Tony, he gushes through his tears, "I owe it all to my two dads!"
I think this means I need to go to lunch now.
Jenn's Top 10 Disney Songs
(and we all know how much Thomas *loves* Disney!)
10. Colonel Hathi's March - a fun marching tune that you can't help but tap your foot to. Besides, how many songs do you know that include an elephant blowing its trunk?
9. A Whole New World - how can you NOT sing along to this? In fact, Viv and I would like to do this song for the next drag show. And yes, I get to be Aladdin.
8. Whale of a Tale - this is just a fun song about the true life of sailors. I should know.
7. The Work Song - a song sung by a bunch of mice, including Gus-Gus thrown in for those who think his mentally challenged self is so cute.
6. The Ugly Bug Ball - too cute and too apropos for Thomas. :)
5. Hakuna Mata - a lovely little ditty that will always cheer you up!
4. Under the Sea - just can't resist a singing crab with a French accent. And he makes living under the sea sound so great, so I'll never understand what the hell Ariel's problem is.
3. Chim Chim Cher-ee - Dick Van Dyke never sounded so good, though sometimes this song can be a bit of a downer towards the end.
2. Poor Unfortunate Souls - A song that will forever remind me of Vivie. Some people *have* called her a witch (in the bad sense). And it is one of the coolest songs sung by a villian.
and *the* number one Disney song:
1. Kiss the Girl - again with the French-accented crab singing. But this romantic song reminds me of my first date with Steven (long story).
so, in honor of his blog's birthday (woohoo) i'll blog about the top 5 music video outfits of all time. and if you don't agree with me, bugger off, i don't give a rat's ass.
5. george michael from "wake me up before you go-go" - oh please, neon and choose life. how could you go wrong with that?
4. pat benatar from "love is a battlefield" - heavy makeup and ripped skirts and shirts. she gave me reason enough to shred the bottoms of my hanes undershirts
3. janet jackson from "love will never do without you" - blue jeans and black top. simple and stylish and she singlehandedly make jeans hot again.
2. casey spooner from "sweetness" - boys in make up and hair extensions. very helmut lang without the standoffishness.
and the all time best music video outfit is....
1. andrew ridgley from "everything she wants" - he had on a red plaid topcoat with matching pants, perfect curled and coifed fashion-mullet with rooster bangs.
Sorry about the RSVP thang. Obviously, I didn't read the invite e-mail carefully enough. *eyeroll me*
This is just a quickie post to say Happy Blog B-day to Thomas' blog. It rocks hardcore! I check in every day to get the scoop on the latest singles and albums, and I find myself with agreeing with Mr. Inskeep 99.9% of the time (please excuse my 0.1% bad taste in music...hah). Once he sends out his portfolio, he's going to be fielding offers left and right. 'Sho 'nuff!
Ok, I'll write more later. Payce!
(Continuing the "let's discuss the music that rarely gets discussed here" theme)
Joe's Top 5 80's Hair Bands
1. Lillian Axe - a melodic rock fan's wet dream, Lillian Axe never really had a hit, even though their albums were full of enough sexual innuendos and catchy hooks to make Ratt blush and scatter away in shame.
2. Poison - yup. The kings (or queens) of glam pop metal. Bobby and Rikki's degrees in hair styling and cosmetology came in handy when crafting the bands image, while CC's crunchy guitar riffs inspired tons of Aquanet abusers to pick up the guitar and raid their mothers' closet for wardrobe. Bret's abs were not an ugly sight, either.
4. Bon Jovi - still a viable band (except in Tom's eyes, I'm sure) churning out quality melodic tunes, Jon and the boys perfected the radio-friendly pop metal song format. With the aid of Miss Desmond Child's songwriting prowess, the Jersey gang ruled the airwaves - and cable signals - with the long-haired answer to Springsteen. While their hits were solid rock songs, there's a lot more to be discovered in album cuts like "Blood on Blood," "Dry County" and "If That's What It Takes."
4. Extreme - holding more talent in their pinkies than a lot of 80s bands combined, Extreme hit it big with the wrong song, the pussy-balladry of "More than Words." While a good song, it completely misrepresented the band and sold it to soccer moms, who were not ready for the funk metal that dominated their second album, Pornograffitti.
5. Danger Danger - with their "parping," airy keyboards and the Mickey Mouse-on-helium vocals of Ted Poley, D2 combined the sugary AOR of bands like Journey and Foreigner with the guitar pyrotechnics and sleaziness of the Sunset Strip. "Bang Bang" is as anthemic as hair metal gets.
"JULIA: Excuse me, aren't you Marjorie Leigh Winnick, the current Miss Georgia World?
MARJORIE: Why, yes I am.
JULIA: I'm Julia Sugarbaker, Suzanne Sugarbaker's sister. I couldn't help over hearing part of your conversation.
MARJORIE: Well, I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was here.
JULIA: Yes, and I gather from your comments there are a couple of other things you don't know, Marjorie. For example, you probably didn't know that Suzanne was the only contestant in Georgia pageant history to sweep every category except congeniality, and that is not something the women in my family aspire to anyway. Or that when she walked down the runway in her swimsuit, five contestants quit on the spot. Or that when she emerged from the isolation booth to answer the question, "What would you do to prevent war?" she spoke so eloquently of patriotism, battlefields and diamond tiaras, grown men wept. And you probably didn't know, Marjorie, that Suzanne was not just any Miss Georgia, she was the Miss Georgia. She didn't twirl just a baton, that baton was on fire. And when she threw that baton into the air, it flew higher, further, faster than any baton has ever flown before, hitting a transformer and showering the darkened arena with sparks! And when it finally did come down, Marjorie, my sister caught that baton, and 12,000 people jumped to their feet for sixteen and one-half minutes of uninterrupted thunderous ovation, as flames illuminated her tear-stained face! And that, Marjorie --- just so you will know --- and your children will someday know --- is the night the lights went out in Georgia!"
I often think that if 50 Cent hadn't come around to revolutionize hip hop, that void would be filled by a Javanese gamelan orchestra. After all, what is Cilacap if not the new Seattle?
When it comes to pure diva pop, it just doesn't get any better than Justin Timberlake. Mya, Beyoncé, Ashanti, hell even tourmate Christina are all put to shame by that little southern boy's beautiful falsetto. His lilting tones rock my world, then calm it down, just to rock it all over again. Go on witchyourbadself!
Kelis is the new Li'l Brat. I dare you to name anything aside from "I Hate You So Much Right Now" that she's put out. Nope, she's one of those "f" gals. Like Jane's Addiction (f/Kelis), Postal Service (f/Kelis), or Luciano Pavarotti (f/Kelis).
If I were a betting man, I'd say that the new "it" girl in pop music will be Trista from the Bachelorette. Word on the street is Elektra and Madonna's Maverick are in a bidding war over her demo--produced by the team that brought you Hansen and Total. Through my connections at Maverick (Hi Michelle B! Love that new single--kisses!) I've already heard most of her demo. The breakout track is "I'm Not Your Ho (Take Me Out of This Shed)." It's a little bit sluttified Jewel, a little bit pre-beer-gut Trisha Yearwood, and a whole lot of "Sugar Walls" era Sheena Easton. Who knew that someone so bland could make music so good? Aside from Avril Lavigne that is?
I'll admit it, I was wrong. Courtney Love is a no talent slag. Just like every other woman in rock, she's ridden on the coat tails of men. And obviously she killed Kurt and caused the break-up of the Pumpkins. In fact, in the future, we can pinpoint the breakdown of all American music to "Doll Parts."
Well, that is, until I heard about the Barry Manilow thing.
Aug 19
Guided By Voices, Earthquake Glue
Sloan, Action Pact
Aug 26
Josh Rouse, 1972
Sept 9
My Morning Jacket, It Still Moves
GBV have already set up some tour dates for August. Expect more to be posted soon. Josh should be hitting the road sometime in September. I hope Sloan does some dates in the states. MMJ have some European dates posted, but I'm sure they'll rock the states again before year's end. They may be a better live act than my beloved GBV! (blasphemy!) Don't even think about missing them.
He has referred to Barry Manilow as a "musical genius." On numerous occasions.
15 -- Visiting DC
I'm a Chinese girl, 27, visiting the Washington DC area somewhere in the second week of September. Would like to make some friends along the way too-hope to get to know people better before I actually get there. Unfortunately, I don't get along well with people who drink a lot, smoke, do drugs or say foul words, so please don't write back if you do any of them. Otherwise, please write and tell me more about yourself - maybe we will have something in common and can hang out together when I'm there! Besides all the touristy places, I'd like to know great lunch and dinner places too. Replies from both girls and guys are welcomed!!
And then it occured to me...something I've wanted to do for the longest time is refute all of Thomas' musical picks. That's right! It's Belle and Sebastian day here on 'Oh, manchester'. There will be no pop divas today, oh no! No discussion of that weenie Justin. So here it is:
The OFFICIAL 'Oh, Manchester, so much to answer for' best songs ever, which also happen to coincide with the top ten Belle and Sebastian songs. (not in any order)
- There's too much love
- I'm waking up to us
- Me and the Major
- Get me away from here, I'm dying
- My wandering days are over
- Take your carriage clock and shove it
- Lazy Line Painter Jane
- Dirty dream number two
- Lord Anthony
- The loneliness of a middle distance runner
- The stars of track and field are beautiful people
And while we are it it, I might as well refute some parts of what Britian is, and what Britian is not! The republic of Ireland is not part of Britian. Northern Ireland, which is the 6 northeastern counties of Ireland, is in United Kingdom. But you wouldnt' call someone from N. Ireland a Brit, unless they were a Prod, really. Then they'd probably prefer being called British, judging by how they act. All proper and sorts. Not like the heathen Irish, no sirree.
And, the red box is the plague of Adams Morgan. For shame!
(All of the previous comments represent the feeling and opinions of 'Oh, Manchester' 100% and can never be refuted under fear of perjury in most US courts. He really thought he could get away with his tomfoolery! Muhahahahaha)
Oh, I'm the first to post! Do I get a door prize?
And I'm glad that you have (kind of) turned it into THAT kind of blog! Makes for more interesting reading for your friends. That and it gives Michael more of a chance to call you a slut. :)
Monday, July 28, 2003
I thought it'd be interesting to hand my blog over to a number of other bloggers who are either personal friends, whose blogs inspire me/I respect, or (as is most often the case) both. There are a couple of *cough*stragglers*cough* who may sneak in under the wire, but those who've RSVP'd for tomorrow thus far are:
+Donald of Art is for Losers
+Todd of Toddo
+Jenn of This Is My Life... Like It or Not
+Chrisafer of Blah, Blah, Black Sheep
+Stephen of GeekSlut
+Jeff of StainMaster Productions
+Mike of Seamus McStebbins, the Irish Paperboy
+Nate of Hipster Detritus
Theirs are all blogs which I read daily, as you should, too. I won't be posting a word from midnight to midnight (which means that my thoughts on tomorrow night's premiere of Boy Meets Boy will have to wait until Wednesday - though I already have this much to say: why do none of them have facial hair?! Is this Twink Meets Twink??), though I may comment here and there (as you're always welcome to do, too). Be nice to my guests, and enjoy.
It's usually also not a good thing when you're a cable network reduced to running a "word premiere" of said Gap Commercial - but that's the case for the network with no identity, VH-1. I remember when they showed Kenny Rogers videos.
It's usually also not a good thing, redux, when you watch said commercial on said network just so you can blog it.
Sunday, July 27, 2003
The award for best use of a Diana Ross sample in 1999 (in this case, "Love Hangover") goes to Jermaine Dupri, of all fucking people, for his superlative production on Monica's "The First Night." In which she makes not having sex sound sexier than ever. Her sultry voice does a fine job of making not-so-sexy things sound sexy, akin to hearing Barry White (R.I.P.) say "periodontist."
I understand why Jay-Z and DMX need hoes, but why do they need money and cash?
I just need the track's marvelous "game over" video game noises.
1999 was the year Robbie Williams should have become a massive star in the U.S. as he was (and still is) worldwide, but Americans are, by and large, stupid, and wouldn't know good taste if it bit 'em in the ass. Perhaps he's too cheeky, just a mite too British, for us Yanks (much like Jarvis Cocker); an album title like The Ego Has Landed is certainly too clever for most of us. And it's our loss, with shoulda-been smashes like "Let Me Entertain You" – really, can you turn down that invitation? If so, you're a) a lesbian, or b) don't appreciate appropriately hairy blokes with talent oozing from every pore (and perhaps some orifices – orifi? – too).
The Masters at Work career-resuscitation machine was going full bore at the end of the nineties, having already done its work on Roy Ayers and George Benson, with Jody Watley and James Ingram (and Patti Austin!) to come. In the spotlight near year's end was the divine Stephanie Mills with her MAW-produced and –played and –arranged "Latin Lover." Mills wrapped her still-sumptuous pipes around the song and squeezed it till it was in need of CPR – and then gave it that, to boot. Meanwhile, Kenny and Louie just did what they do so well: put together deep, creamy house of the highest order. No one does it better.
"Betcha Man Can't (Triz)" is a delicious, slinky groover of a sex song from the 'Ricans in the house, Fat Joe featuring Big Punisher, Cuban Link and Triple Seis. It's clever, has got a great beat, and you dance to it; I'd give it an 88.
Orgy (where are they now?) were a great idea, only occasionally great in practice, combining goth, industrial, and their mentors Korn's strand of aggro-rock into a package I thought was destined to appeal to angst-ridden teenagers of most stripes. Apparently, I was mistaken. I never thought their cover of "Blue Monday" was their finest moment, either – too easy, too by-the-numbers. "Stitches," however, heaved and stewed and kept threatening to boil over with delicious tension like few rock singles in '99.
"Bug A Boo" by Destiny's Child is fierce as hell, and sexy as fuck.
I was in the minority in thinking that as Mariah Carey got further into the hiphop milieu, as it were, with her music, the better it got. [Of course, there was a breaking point - and it came on the Glitter soundtrack, where she was reduced to a guest on her own songs.] Her last great single, then, was her (first) collaboration featuring Jay-Z, "Heartbreaker," on which she sings all over the track (but, crucially, doesn't oversing – at least until the very end, when she casually tosses in some of her sounds-only-dogs-can-hear), Jay-Z does his usual $50,000 for 16 bars bit, and most importantly, Mariah sounds relaxed, almost at piece (one can only assume due to her then-recent breakup with then-Sony chief Tommy Mottola). Easy, breezy, beautiful, cover girl.
Juvenile's "Back That Azz Up": if "Thong Song" weren't quite so crass and featured Juvi's peculiarly delightful N.O. patois and, of course, Mannie Fresh's so fresh, so clean production job, complete with perfectly-placed sampled strings - even then, Sisqo's single wouldn't be this good. Or this clever. And lest I forget: there's a "Monie in the Middle" reference!
Saturday, July 26, 2003
+Nate's posted something akin to a mainfesto today, and it's predictably stellar.
+Paul, meanwhile, is on indefinite hiatus. Damn.
+I hope that Chrisafer posts something soon, so I don't have to look at the photo of his pinky (pinkie?) scar every time I load his blog (not that there's anything wrong with it, mind). I much prefer the pic of him and Jimbo (from Friday night's birthday dinner for 'fer - apparently, it was festive, or at least muy caliente) on the latter's blog.
+Devon the Escort has been posting a series of well-thought-out pieces regarding gay marriage this week, and The Tin Man, my favorite gay law-practicing blogger, is continuing his fine string, as well.
+Sounding just the slightest bit giddy, or at least flushed, is Todd.
+Donald has Jesus on his side.
+Think good thoughts for Corey, please.
+And there's a very interesting post about pee-shyness (or is it?) over at the home of Sardonic Bomb.
That's enough for now. As always, those blogs found on my links page are all recommended reading.
Be sure to check out Almodovar's website, btw. It's deliciously, badly, translated from Spanish into English, and fills me with glee.
Friday, July 25, 2003
I get an email from Marcello today, telling me that he just received a copy of Paul Morley's new book, Words and Music. Morley, for those who don't know, was a member of The Art of Noise, and also is a well-published music writer and cultural critic (he wrote for NME during their glory days circa punk, and has written for a myriad of publications since, as well as having published a number of other books). No less a giant than Brian Eno calls him "...the greatest thinker/writer/social critic... since Plato... ." Why does this matter, you ask?
Because apparently, alongside Marcello's The Church of Me, and Tom Ewing's Freaky Trigger and collaborative music blog New York London Paris Munich, I'm fucking mentioned in Morley's book - as one of "the places where the best writing about modern music - past and present - is found" (p. 120). Oh. My. Fucking. God. I'm not putting on airs here, folks; I'm utterly, absolutely blown away.
Thanks for reading, everyone, each and every person who happens upon Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For. It's your reading, and your comments, and your emails, that keeps me driven and going.
Wow. This certainly makes my week. Month. Year.
Sheryl Crow's best album is undoubtedly, to me, her self-titled one of 1999. That's the one on which she got her groove on, working the country-blues ("Anything But Down") and rhythm-and-blues ("There Goes The Neighborhood," complete with horn section), worked the clever lyrics which verged on non sequiturs ("I dropped acid on a Saturday night just to see what the fuss was about"), and worked herself, tough and sexy and ballsy and clearly the inheritor of Bonnie Raitt's legacy. I mean, really, what is this "Soak Up The Sun" crap? Sheryl Crow is the Sheryl Crow I choose to remember – and I feel fairly certain that she'll be back.
Re: "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!": if you were Shania Twain, you would, too.
"If I had boobies, I'd never leave the house. Huh-huh, huh-huh." - Butt-Head
It amazes me, the drop-off people seem to think Trent Reznor made between the downward spiral and the fragile - to me there's no drop-off, which is exactly the problem, as there's also no great leap forwards. The progression from pretty hate machine to broken to spiral was, in a word, impressive: herein you could see the dramatic ascent to brilliance of a true artist. the fragile's problem is that it treads a bit too much water from spiral and does push as hard, especially considering it's a double album. That having been said, the third full-length nine inch nails record is a fine platter full of lots of quite rewarding songs (and most notably Reznor's sterling songwriting, spotlit particularly on "We're In This Together," a song of – shock! Awe! - hope).
TLC's Fanmail is grossly overpraised. Yes, we all remember "No Scrubs," but not because of its greatness, but because of its ubiquitousness, as inescapable as it was during the spring/summer of '99. It's light, airy, and utterly unremarkable. The best things on the album are the sex songs, notably "I'm Good At Being Bad," which is Left Eye's song (and Donna Summer's), their last truly great song (should've bumped it into the 30s or maybe even 20s, at least, rather than leaving it bereft at #53) – and proof that Left Eye could've made a hell of a hiphop record – and "Silly Ho," a gritty slab of unconstructed machine-funk which reminds me, in its cadences, of R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World As We Know It."
Some records don't reveal their genius to us until years later. Some records have jelly we're just not ready for. And sometimes we're just dense to brilliance. Case in point, Aphex Twin's "Windowlicker." I knew it was good, but I didn't realize just how fucking good it is. In a do-over, this would unquestionably be top 10. Richard D. James makes a bass-booty single? Absolutely mind-fuckingly blinding. And then in the song's last 1:30, he brings you to orgasm by rubbing you down with synthetic sandpaper. Ride that pony, y'all.
"I Hope I Didn't Just Give Away the Ending" is a somewhat bizarre stream-of-consciousness ramble from the mind of New Radicals' leader (and truthfully, one guy) Gregg Alexander which involves making a porno film for cocaine. That wouldn't be enough to get it over, though – what does it is a simply gorgeous melody, and some of the purest white-boy soulfulness this side of Daryl Hall (and like Hall, not afraid to work in rock as well as pop – and piano!). And then he gets you at the end:
"I don't even love you. We weren't even friends. It's just that I can't take it alone…"
- New Radicals, "I Hope I Didn't Just Give Away the Ending" (Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too, Mercury, 1998)
After a career as a conscious rapper with A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip went solo on "Vivrant Thing" with one simple message: ladeez, he's single and looking to mingle!
Cher's "Strong Enough" is like "Believe" 2: Electric Boogaloo. Only better, 'cause this time she's got disco fever!.
I love the way that Total's "Trippin'" sounds. The production is miraculous, space-aged but simultaneously wide-open with room to breathe (Missy done did it). Total was a trio of three 'round-the-way girls who got nasty and told tales, and their records showed it – their love ballads never sounded real convincing, but when they started dirty talkin', you knew it was real. But it's "Trippin'" that stands tall, because as the ciphers they were, you could project anything onto them, and here it's all about the wide-screen production.
Funny how so often, the best singles by Brandy aren't her biggest hits (save for "The Boy Is Mine," of course). "Angel In Disguise" is another great-sounding single for Brandy to curl her pipes around and atop – and notice the catch in her voice during the spoken intro, when she has trouble getting out the word "fake." Gets me every time.
"Shudder/King Of Snake" is to Beaucoup Fish as "Pearl's Girl" is to Second Toughest In the Infants: Underworld's epic, album-centering pice de resistance, helping to further prove them as the lions of techno they are. Gigantic.
Basement Jaxx may be a coupla blokes from Brixton, but on "Bingo Bango" they come on like a party in the streets – and beds – of Rio de Janiero. As deliriously sexy as house gets.
"Anywhere" by 112 is deliciously – and slightly disturbingly – sleazy. [What's with that "softly pull your hair" stuff?! A precursor to what was to come, I guess – in this case, their icky, smutty '01 smash "Peaches and Cream."] But it's got that stutter-step rhythm that was de rigeur in '99, yum.
Thursday, July 24, 2003
First, of course, was The Amazing Race 4 - spoiler alert - and at long last, that bitch Millie (and her little Chuck, too) got sent home to spend another 13 years not having sex (Bob got us all started in a chant of "bad virgins!" tonight). Actually, that may be the case with Millie, but I've got a feeling Chuck's going to be having sex pretty soon - just not with her. Reichip finished in first this week, thanks to accidentally using their Fast Forward, but I worry that may come back to haunt them in the end.
Then came a double dose of Queer Eye (which sounds like a good call-in-sick excuse: "sorry, boss, can't come in today, I have queer eye"). First was the 1/2 hour compressed version on NBC, which left me stunned - and rolling on the floor with laughter - after hearing the phrase "boy sauce" on primetime network television (of course, it was Carson who said it - and who also boiled the straight guy's jockstrap!). Afterwards was this week's new hour-long episode on Bravo, which just made me love Ted more and more - that fish! Those potatoes!
I still wish they'd come to my place and teach me how to live, better, though. As I'm sure many friends could attest, I could use the pointers. Oh, wait! There are some right here! Yay, queen!
Oh, and lest I forget to mention it, Chas' dinner was simple and great, good summertime food: honey-baked ham, various breads and sandwich fixings, a myriad of cold salads (macaroni, potato, three-bean), Michael's ever-fab deviled eggs, and peach pie and ice cream! Yum. Dinner with the gang was just what I needed to snap me (at least momentarily) out of my funk tonight: good food, better company, and lots of laughs. I "heart" my friends.
The Electronic Freedom Foundation has some ideas about how not to get sued by the RIAA worth checking out, as well.
BTW, would someone who has the Muzik comp from a couple months ago (Disco Punk or some such) consider burning me a copy? I missed the issue and have heard nothing but raves about the mix.
When I fall into a bout of depression, which tends to happen about every 5-6 years or so, I'm essentially a shell. I can go through the motions – coworkers often don't know I'm even depressed – but when the 5 o'clock bell rings, I tend to go home and just cocoon. It generally lasts about a month, and in that time, I don't want to deal with anything under those circumstances, and generally don't. Which is, of course, not particularly constructive. It's a fairly low-grade thing as these things go; I've never had a need to be medicated or anything along those lines, and I'm not manic, either. I just have your basic garden-variety depression, clinically speaking. It's a liveable condition, kinda like diabetes.
As I've gotten older, however, I've gotten better at managing it. I often end up forcing myself to be (remain) sociable and put on a happy face. Anything's better than just sitting, by myself, with my thoughts, when I'm depressed. That's not to say I don't examine the causes and effects and solutions of/for my depression, just that I try not to dwell on it. I certainly journal a lot during said times (not that that's so different from normal – and yeah, I do keep an ink-and-paper journal. What, you think I tell you bitches everything? Oh, no I don't). So right now, if I seem a little off, if my entries aren't what you've come to expect, if I'm not as gregarious face-to-face, that's why. But as Daniel Bedingfield sang, I've gotta get through this. And I will.
I miss New Radicals. A lot.
If all gospel music sounded like BeBe Winans's collaboration with Masters at Work, "Thank You," a lot more people would listen to gospel music.
Admit it: the first couple of times you heard "Livin' La Vida Loca," you thought Ricky Martin's star-making smash was pretty undeniable, too.
When I hear "Sexxlaws" by Beck now, all I can think of is Lawrence v. Texas.
Timbaland may need Ginuwine the way a fish needs a bicycle, but Ginuwine needs Timbaland like a fish needs water. Without Tim's masterful production, Ginuwine sounds bereft of any content whatsoever ("In Those Jeans," anyone?). Yet his older singles, such as "What's So Different," are not only interesting lyrically – suggesting to a woman that if she'd cheat on her man with Ginuwine, what's to say she wouldn't cheat on him, too? – but the tracks themselves are predictably state-of-the-art. Let's hope Tim's new Beat Club signing Kiley Dean is as good as her potential – and cuts the mustard commercially – so we get to hear his brilliance on more new music than Missy records. The pop diaspora needs Tim's shock-of-the-new, brilliant avant-garde shit; we can't expect the Neptunes to shoulder the entire load.
No one who loves hiphop would ever, I think, attempt to state that Busta Rhymes isn't a phenomenal rapper and mic prescence. That having been said, however, Busta desperately needs great tracks to push him – singles with Mariah don't cut it. When he's on, he's on, though, and "Gimme Some More" is a fine case in point, all swirling, romantic '60s film-theme strings and odd horn jabs forcing Busta to ever-greater heights of sublime weirdness.
More than any TLC record, her verse on Donnell Jones' "U Know What's Up" makes me miss Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes something fierce.
Important to note about Destiny's Child, and Beyoncé in particular: as "Bills, Bills, Bills" shows, they're just as expert at singing against the beat as with it. More, please.
No, of course "Smooth" isn't a good record because of Rob Thomas. It's good because of Mr. Santana's blistering guitar licks – and because Thomas, in writing "Smooth," gave Carlos (for the first time in nearly two decades) the stuff pop crossover dreams are made of. For that, as much as it pains me to admit it, he should be applauded.
Never, ever, did I expect to find a good cover of a song by – gasp! – Toto. But somehow, against all conventional thinking, Eric Benét featuring Faith Evans pulled it off with "Georgy Porgy."
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
"But if there's anything I've learned, it's that if you want something, you should ask for it; if you feel something, you should say it."
Amen, brother. Amen.
Launch has an utterly superb two-and-a-half minute interview with Thom and Johnny of Radiohead, in which they call out corporate radio and record companies for what they largely are: shit. Watch it now.
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Not that I have to talk all the time, but when other people are quiet, I tend to worry, thinking that I've done something wrong. I'm slowly getting over that with time – especially as I learn how better to be quiet, myself – but it's still a concern. It's all tied in with self-esteem issues, of not feeling good enough or adequate enough, and as I get older and continue to mature, I gain confidence in myself, and some of those issues become lessened. But there's always going to be part of that terrified 11-year-old kid inside me, and I can't change that. So I learn how to reassure him, and in doing so, myself.
[For the end of the millennium – oh, I don't care if it's not technically correct, shut up – I wanted to do something big, so I went for the obvious, a top 99 of '99. As at the time I was still making my "phat tapes," I called these the "superphat tapes." 6 cassettes. A lot of work. But a lot of fun to listen to – at least, I think so. We'll find out together, won't we?]
'99 was the year the Roots broke through at long last, thanks to the Erykah Badu-featuring (and Jill Scott-cowritten) "You Got Me," a sublime piece of hiphop balladry complete with a live drum-n-bass breakdown for a bridge. They followed that with "The Next Movement," a more classic Roots track, Black Thought flippin' lyrics while Rahzel beatboxes like no one since Doug E. Fresh and the rest of the guys just play like they do. Even better than Things Fall Apart, I think, is their subsequent live record, The Roots Come Alive - proof that live hiphop can be just as amazing as live rock or what-have-you.
"Battleflag," who remembers "Battleflag"? C'mon, Lo-Fidelity Allstars featuring Pigeonhed? Wherein LFA remixed a track by Sub Pop band Pigeonhed and turned it into a breakbeat-lite whomper, getting on modern rock radio and in countless TV shows? Tastes great, less filling.
I love hearing Guru rap. I love hearing nearly any DJ Premier production. Ergo, I love me some Gang Starr. Their Full Clip: A Decade of Gang Starr is a definitive hits collection, and featured the fine, new "Discipline" featuring Total. Really, in a lot of ways with Gang Starr, it's not about the lyrics, it's not about the song, it's not about the guest artists – it's just about hearing Guru rap and Primo behind the turntables.
Did you hear Sisqo's second solo album? That's why he's back with Dru Hill now, reduced to opening concerts for bigger stars again.
I'm not a big fan of Beck, earnest, meaning-filled pseudo-folkie. I am, however, a big fan of Beck, the funkiest white man alive, as he shows himself to be (with no irony, thank God) on Midnite Vultures. He means it, maaaan. Beck's masterpiece isn't Odelay or even Mellow Gold, it's Vultures, full of his bizarre non-sequiturs, letting his freak flag fly, like the mutant 150-IQ child of Frank Zappa and George Clinton. And he makes all the lesbians scream, you know.
Yes, I got so sick of it; it's relentlessly overplayed in ever gay club worldwide. But "Believe" truly is one of Cher's finest moments, a positively anthemic "I Will Survive" for the new millennium.
The same way I resent Afeni Shakur and Suge Knight for their exploitation of 2Pac's catalog, I was livid with Puffy for releasing a posthumous Notorious B.I.G. record. But I have to admit to finding the idea of hearing a Biggie track at long last sampling Duran Duran's "Notorious" appealing. Shame it wasn't any better. Biggie deserved better.
Is that a Stevie Wonder sample at the opening of Mary J. Blige's "More Than I Can Say"?
Two songs in the top 99 were by animated characters, both from South Park: Terence and Philip and Chef. "Uncle Fucka" is a ridiculously moronic, and even more ridiculously hilarious, song pairing some of the filthiest lyrics possible with total Disney-rama music. "Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You)" is dirty, but supposed to be theoretically open to interpretation – but we all know it's really supposed to be dirty. Hearing Isaac Hayes sing said lyrics only heightens the effect, gloriously.
Nas' "Hate Me Now" is fairly undistinguished lyrically, but the song's going for one thing: drama. And what better way to eke out that emotion than by sampling Orff's Carmina Burana? To great effect, I might add.
The radio station at which I put in 3.5 years was pretty bad, roughly adult contemporary, with some truly wretched jocks (who are still on the air, amazingly). But over time Stumpy and I convinced our GM to let us start playing new music (albeit sparingly). And one of the good things about working at an independent, small-market station is that you often have the freedom to play what you want, within reason. So I'd test singles from the multi-format music-service discs were received, and if I got good response (or it was a no-brainer), I'd add 'em to at least my evening shift. A prime example is the singles released from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Echo, most notably the instant classic "Swingin'." New but not too new-sounding, fresh yet classic, this was perfect for our format (which we attempted to mutate a bit, when live, into adult top 40 without the crap and with more oldies/classic stuff than most similarly formatted stations, stuff like "Start Me Up" – again, when you're not dependant on market research to make your programming decisions, you can do stuff like this – you know, like radio's supposed to be!). Sorry, what was I saying before that rant left the tarmac? Oh, yeah. To sum up: Tom Petty good.
Monday, July 21, 2003
To sum it up: the Post's Dan Balz is a great political journalist. His webchat today was fine. Here's the transcript.
No more.
I am over it. I'm sick of bullshit regulations (meaning within the context of a Virginia Department of Social Services program, not specific things at my agency, for the most part). I'm sick of trying so hard to be a good employee while coworkers get away with absolute murder (I know, that's not specific to my job, but still). And most of all - non-PC alert - I'm fucking sick and tired of these ghetto mamas trying to run game. Thinking that they're the smart ones - uh, excuse me bitch, if you so smart how come you got 4 kids by 3 different baby daddies and you comin' to me to help ya pay for it, huh? These women who were raised in a "welfare culture," where the way you survive (if not thrive) is by taking advantage of the system. Who think that having a job is too much to ask. Now, this isn't to say that there aren't clients of mine who don't sincerely need the helping hand, and who aren't using it to better their lives and the lives of their children - because there most definitely are. But numerous bad apples really do spoil the whole bunch, and lemme tell ya, we've got entire bushels of fucking worm-infested apples amongst our clientele. If you "just forgot" to get paperwork in, then your subsidized childcare isn't that important to you, is it? So don't expect me to give a good damn if your case is closed; you certainly didn't (until you heard the money tap being shut off, right?). I'm gonna stick with this job until I move, but after that, no fool no more, as En Vogue so presciently sang. I applaud those who have the tenacity and personalities to help the disenfranchised, 'cause it's important work. But my days in social work are numbered. By me.
I've suggested in this space recently that Madonna, artistically speaking, appears to be in decline, and I stand by that. But that doesn't mean she can't still strike gold from time to time, as she did on the single "Music." This should've been what she was going for with Ray of Light: nasty Frenchified funk (courtesy of producer Mirwais) that endlessly, effortlessly, makes asses shake like some miracle product advertised in hour-long 3am commercials – the kind you watch after a night at the club, shaking your ass to the music, and the "Music," all night long. Plus she uses the word "bourgeousie." So what went wrong on American Life?
Ruff Endz were, themselves, instantly forgettable, but "No More" is a delectable sweet/tart of a song, one which'll still bring a smile to my face a decade from now.
"The Light" is one side of the Common coin, his most-displayed side, the sensitive-guy/black Phil Donahue side. [Please – tell me he wouldn't wear a hippie dress in harmony with womankind, and I'll tell you how wrong I think you are.] It's good, and it's refreshing in the pimps up/ho's down world of hiphop, but it's starting to smell a little stale. The otherside of that coin comes through all too rarely, but still pops up on tracks like "The 6th Sense." The key is in the production; the genius who is DJ Premier helps keep Common from fully succumbing to the tarpits of complete pussiness.
"Party Up (Up In Here)" is to 2000 as to "In Da Club" is to 2003. And, really, you can take that parallel even further and suggest that DMX is to '00 the way 50 Cent is to '03. The big difference? When I hear DMX rapping, I always feel like he's about thisfar from coming unhinged. He's unstable – and I love that about him. DMX is pure animus on wax.
I sure hope Mystikal invested the royalties from "Shake Ya Ass" well.
Michael Moog is, basically, irrelevant to me, but "That Sound" was the best disco-soaked filtered house record of 2000 – and maybe 2001, too.
"I Think I'm In Love With You" is the sound of "Jack and Diane" on the radio, singing along at the top of your lungs in your best friend's convertible as you fly down the highway heading towards the beach, on the cusp of leaving your teenage years, high on life, high on that certain someone. It's the sound of Jessica Simpson in love. It's the sound of you in love, too.
Hearing Armand Van Helden ripping shit (and "Cars") up on "Koochy" is the epitome of the phrase "fuck me gently with a chainsaw" transformed into brilliant tech-house. The purists hated it, always a good sign. [I ranked this #8 at the end of 2K; a re-rank would likely land it at #3, possibly even in the runner-up spot.]
Do you remember the first time you heard anything from Radiohead's Kid A? That wonderment, that amazement, that oh-my-fucking-God jaw-droppingment? I remember being particularly interested in what they'd come up with after OK Computer, and actually tuning into the local "modern rock" (my ass) station to hear the first spin of "Optimistic." And it was so, so – dissonant. So almost Sonic Youthish. So pushing the parameters of what you can do in the rock idiom, as the "next/last great hope." And they're still. Fucking. Doing It. They may not be the best rock band alive today, but they're unquestionably the most important, I think, because of the way they push and prod and kick at the constructs of the genre, of the form, from their position as a global colossus. Like a man given superpowers who uses them for good, they're the good guys, they're on our side. People will talk about them in 50 years. Seriously.
Outkast = P-Funk. It's that fucking simple.
D'Angelo's "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" might just be the "Let's Get It On" of our generation.
I loathe Baby, and have no clue how he's become everyone's favorite rap cameo whore. I hate 2002's "Still Fly," too. But Big Tymers nailed it, just once, on 2000's "Get Your Roll On," largely due to masterful production by Mannie Fresh, the architect of the Cash Money sound. 3-4 years ago, he looked as talented as maybe even Timbaland, crafting a new sound to hiphop; now, he appears to be that brief era's Swizz Beats (his main competition at the time). If you don't believe me, check out Cash Money – The Instrumentals for the proof of his giantness.
Chicks On Speed are just as much a conceptual art project-as-music as Fischerspooner, only where they fall flatter in some ways, they succeed more thoroughly in others. Being based in Berlin somehow makes them much cooler, too. "Glamour Girl" is a marvelous accident, a goof which somehow ended up better than most of the year's house singles, with an odd perkiness which comes off as believable, beyond belief.
Killing Puritans is an incredible, snarling, nasty beast of an album, the beast Armand Van Helden's released yet. From the Scorpions-sampling of "Little Black Spiders" to the unholy cumfest that is "Koochy" (more on that later), this is the sound of – as Van Helden himself once referred, glowingly, to Basement Jaxx – house music getting fucked up the ass. It's not, however, without its joy, most notably on retrofitted "Full Moon," featuring Common. Armand goes all '85 disco-mutating-into-what-we-know-now-as-house while Common spits "I'll House You" lines all over your area, and you believe once again that dance is life.
Carl Thomas, please pick up the white courtesy phone. Hello? Bueller? Bueller? Hearing "I Wish" does offer me the opportunity, though, to discuss my #4 remix of '00, which was done by a then-coworker's husband with too much equipment and time on his hands. From a mix he titled Paper Chase 2000 - the kind of bootleg mix that you used to be able to buy on street corners in big cities, and still can in streetside record stores – I call this "I Wish/Ryde Or Die Chick (DB Blend)," wherein the mixmaster simply flips up the instrumentals of each track and rematches them with the opposing vocal. This is premium hiphop mixing, and it goes down a charm.
"True – if I was you, I'd hate me too."
- Lil' Kim, "No Matter What They Say" (Notorious K.I.M., Undeas/Atlantic, 2000)
If I ever met a guy who said things to me like the lyrics of Mary J. Blige's "Beautiful Ones," I'd run to Ontario with him and get hitched in a heartbeat. Romance ain't dead.
One of the buried treasures of this decade so far is Ice Cube featuring Krayzie Bone's "Until We Rich." A relax-yo'-mind '70s-sounding soul sample underpins Cube doing his "if I ruled the world" riff while Krayzie catches bones with his teeth on the chorus. Cube then vamps out talkin' 'bout how "the best thing in life is life." I love the way that even when he's in a good mood, he sounds so damn angry.
Inspirational lyric: "Taught you what a trick and a ho is/taught you what a 654 is." And he did, didn't he?
For the record, I liked "Desert Rose" by Sting featuring Cheb Mami long before it became a car commercial. The best single the Policeman's made in nearly a decade.
"I Can't Wait" might actually be the greatest song Ol' Dirty Bastard has released thus far. Produced by the Neptunes (I think), it samples what sounds like a cop-show theme from the '70s, just adding to the intensity. And Dirty just goes fucking nuts over the track. Is he the Captain Beefheart or Syd Barrett of hiphop, completely crazy and ridiculously gifted? Think about it – he gives shout-outs to Luke, "all the schoolteachers," "the Eskimos," and himself, amongst others.
Please follow up Where I Wanna Be, Donnell Jones.
No Doubt are fun, spunky, full of life and fire. But they hit a surprising stride on the sad, lovely, truthful "Simple Kind of Life." After hearing it, every time, I just want to give Gwen Stefani a hug. The kicker's the last line of the last verse: "You seem like you'd be a good Dad," Gwen sings plaintively, and I almost cry.
It was all very overwhelming. My first shift didn't go very well.
Sunday, July 20, 2003
1. On a bench on the sidewalk, there was an apparently abandoned pair of khakis. Odd.
2. A car passed by me, loudly cranking Asia. Was it you, Joe? Must've been the heat of the moment.
Saturday, July 19, 2003
I'd love to know what the first record you ever bought was. That's a good reason I have comments.
BTW, the new-to-me chachacha blog is good shit. Consider it blogrolled.
Update, 1130pm: had a lovely day meandering our way through Eastern North Carolina, including stopping in Hertford so Chas could get his hair did, sojourning down to Greenville, home of East Carolina University (which has a gorgeous campus, lots of rich red brick buildings), then on to some smashing Carolina barbeque and fried chicken at Bill's in Wilson. Yay!


text:
377 16
Yikes! That is insane. Bet it doesn't sell.
I have seen a few DB Cooper T shirts at DZs, but that is the only thing related to Cooper that I have ever seen in commerce.
Cooper is a folk hero for sure, although I don't really see that he deserves the "hero" part. If he survived, too bad he didn't donate a chunk to charity. That would have made him more like an American Robin Hood rather than a plain old selfish robber.

subset: commoncrawl


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Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls ~No Sugar
Heya foodies! Thank you to everyone who made it out to the market last night for Char Stars. I'm sorry I haven't been able to do the markets much this year, but hopefully next year! It's always exciting to see _ hear how many people have been waiting to satisfy their Char Star cravings. So ... [Read more]
Healthy Chocolate Banana Coconut Haystacks
Hola, foodies! It's good to be back! I have some fabulous news: I AM DONE BIOLOGY!! Like, all done!! I am so freaking stoked!! Dallas is still away until September, but I plan to make the most of August by spending as much time with friends _ family as much as possible. And yes, I'm back ... [Read more]
Peanut Butter & Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Hello foodies! I hope you're all enjoying a heat wave like we are. I wish it were summer all the time! In complete contradictory fashion, my rain jacket finally arrived in the mail! {Please also notice my fabulous new full-length mirror. I smashed the other one on Monday. Whoops. I like this one better.} [Read more]
Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Happy Canada Day, foodies!! Today is the day- it's the First Annual Victoria Vegan Fest happening in Victoria, BC from 12pm-5pm. Me and my Char Stars, we will see you there! And because I love you guys so much, I have to share my new favourite recipe with you before I hit the road. These ... [Read more]
Best Ever Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies! Low Fat Option, Zero Sugar
You heard me: best ever. I realize this is a claim many proud recipe developer's make, but I truly think these cookies are the best. Hear me out: Ever heard of Chewy Chunk's Ahoy? About six months after going vegan, I developed a ... [Read more]
Soft & Chewy Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies- low fat, no sugar!
How do you feel about healthy, delicious cookies for breakfast? For a snack? Dessert? Obviously you're like, "ummm yess!" Unless you're crazy. Because only crazy people don't like cookies. Dallas brings home apples from his army lunches all the time, and usually I'm ... [Read more]
Fudgy Dark Chocolate Banana Brownies with Walnuts
Everyone has their own particular criteria for what the perfect texture of a brownie should be. My perfect brownie? Gooey, fudgy, _ with chunks of walnuts. THAT'S a brownie! This is another almond pulp recipe from making almond mylk. If you haven't yet jumped the bandwagon, ... [Read more]


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Dissident Republican plot foiled by Limerick garda operation
GARDAI have dealt a second blow to dissident Republicans in County Limerick by seizing a major haul of ammunition, explosives and firearms.
A garda spokesperson said the find was part of a planned joint search between Bruff gardai, Henry Street detectives and the Regional Response Unit.
They swooped on a yard located in the countryside surrounding Murroe village.
The Army Bomb Disposal Unit had to be called due to the nature of the find.
A cordon was erected but due to the rural location no homes had to be evacuated.
"It is part of the investigation into dissident Republicans. We carried out searches in a location in Murroe on the morning of Saturday, December 23. The investigation is ongoing," said a garda spokesperson.
The Limerick Leader understands that while the device wasn't primed there were component parts of a viable bomb that could cause an explosion and loss of life.
In mid-December it was reported that gardai in Limerick foiled a plot by dissident Republican criminals to assassinate a soldier in the British Army while he returned to his family in Limerick city this Christmas.
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter declined to comment but did say that Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan had confirmed to him that there was "an ongoing operation in Limerick aimed at the activities of a certain group".
He was responding in the Dail to Fianna Fail justice spokesman, Niall Collins, who raised the matter of the failed plot by criminals aligned to the Continuity IRA to kill the soldier at a function over the holiday season.
Mr Collins praised the latest garda operation against dissident Republicans in Murroe.
"I was accused of being 'hysterical' for raising the matter in the Dail. Some have sought to dismiss the recent successes of the gardai.
"The gardai's latest seizures in Murroe show the seriousness of the situation.
"It shows the devastation and loss of life that these people have the potential to cause," said Mr Collins.
County councillor, John Egan, said locals were shocked by the major garda operation on their doorsteps.
"Everybody was shocked at the news. The gardai deserve outstanding praise for their continuous efforts to control these people and ensure the safety of the public at large," said Cllr Egan.
A large garda presence is expected at two commemorations marking the death of Republican activist Sean South this Sunday, December 6.
Limerick City's Sinn Fein branch will begin its annual commemoration at Bedford Row at 2.45pm and proceed to the Republican Plot, Mount St Laurence cemetery.
At 1.45pm, a similar commemoration will be held by Republican Sinn Fein.


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Eastern Customer Perks
Joining Eastern is like becoming a part of a team. We will always have your back.
We strive to be the best neighbors and be involved in all the communities we serve because, to us, being a good neighbor is what it is all about.
To do so, we want to treat you like we would want to be treated. Below are all the great benefits of being an Eastern Customer, and trust us.. There's plenty more we could add..
- 24/7/365 on-call service
- Reliable fuel storage
- $5 OFF Ticket Discount to the Eastern Concert Series at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, NH
- Top-notch safety for you and your family
- Refer-a-Friend Program that benefits BOTH you and your friend
- Locally owned
- 24/7 emergency call center to assist you at any time
- No hidden fees
- Online account management
The list could go on and on.


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Jamie Shulman and Jamie McDonald co-founded Toronto-based Hubdoc Inc. in 2012. Hubdoc is a platform that consolidates bills, statements and other important documents online all in one place. Users provide their login credentials for their recurring bills and statements and Hubdoc fetches these documents, extracts key information and notifies users when new documents are available.
The partners were pleased when the concept gained early traction in the market. Consumers seemed to like the idea of a service that automatically consolidating all of their bills and statements on a single platform. However, there was one glaring problem: consumers were reluctant to pay.
"We had a big monetization challenge," Mr. Shulman says. So how could Hubdoc make money?
Mr. Shulman and Mr. McDonald each spent six years working in the tech industry in San Francisco and Seattle, respectively. They moved back to Toronto around the same time and co-founded a company in 2007, which they sold three years later.
That sale was important in the genesis of Hubdoc. "The buyers of our company flew up to look at our books, and reviewed several filing cabinets full of our company's financial documents," explains Mr. Shulman. "Our records were all paper-based and we had been shuttling documents back and forth to our bookkeeper and accountant in accordion files. We knew there must be a better way to run the back-office of a business."
The partners started looking at ways to automate bookkeeping and record-keeping.
It was pretty straightforward to build a prototype that consumers wanted to use. It was more difficult getting people to pay for it.
The first challenge was getting billers on side. "It should have been easier," says Mr. Shulman. "It costs roughly $25 per year per customer to send out monthly bills, and although companies are setting goals for paperless billing, only 10 to 15 per cent of customers opt to receive bills online. This is why billers had indicated that they'd pay Hubdoc to convert customers from paper bills to e-bills."
The billers were ultimately supportive, but it took longer than expected. Companies that send out millions of bills per month are large and bureaucratic, and have multiple internal groups involved with billing. "Our hypothesis about how long it would take to contract with these companies was way off. We thought it would take 9 to 12 months, but it ended up looking more like it would take 24 to 36 months of going to meetings and discussing proposals."
What about the customer side of the platform? That not only took time to figure out but it also required rethinking their target market.
The partners realized that they needed to understand more about their customers in order to focus their efforts on the segment most willing and able to pay for Hubdoc. They analyzed their usage data to find out which kinds of customers were most engaged with the platform.
They discovered that the most engaged users were not typical household consumers. These users weren't just connecting accounts with phone and utility companies, they were also asking Hubdoc to fetch bills and statements from websites used by consultants and small businesses, such as business bank accounts and services such as SurveyMonkey and GoDaddy.
The value proposition of Hubdoc was stronger as a business-to-business model, because it was businesses that needed to retain records of bills, statements and invoices to support their tax returns. Importantly, Hubdoc also provides businesses with a way to share this information with their bookkeepers and accountants.
Once the partners understood the needs of their business customers, they were able to focus on them. "We consolidate documents for our customers in the Hubdoc platform. Documents are either automatically fetched by Hubdoc or uploaded by the user (via email or by snapping a photo with the Hubdoc mobile app). Hubdoc then delivers this data to their accounting application (e.g. QuickBooks or Xero), creating a journal entry with the document attached," Mr. Shulman says.
Hubdoc is mostly sold to bookkeepers and accountants rather than to small business owners directly, so one sale ultimately leads to multiple Hubdoc accounts. Mr. Shulman says that they've been successful with word-of-mouth recommendations to help the business grow. "Once a bookkeeper uses Hubdoc, he or she typically wants to get all their clients using it."
In March 2014, the partners relaunched their product as Hubdoc Business. Customer accounts presently cost $20 per month for unlimited usage and, so far, roughly half of their customers are from Canada and the other half from the U.S., which they expect will drive the majority of their growth. And although it is still early days in the relaunch, the two Jamies are optimistic that they've now got the right focus, and have effectively doubled the number of paying customers in each of the first five months of operation.
Becky Reuber is a professor of strategic management in the Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto.
This is the latest in a regular series of case studies by a rotating group of business professors from across the country. They appear every Friday on the Report on Small Business website.
Follow us @GlobeSmallBiz, on Pinterest and Instagram
Join our Small Business LinkedIn group
Add us to your circles Sign up for our weekly newsletter


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These Teeth-Whitening Pens Are a Mess-Free Way to a Brighter Smile
Just like how the trusty Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover you have stashed in your purse has saved all of your white clothing from coffee, red wine, and salad dressing stains, a teeth-whitening pen can have a similar effect for your smile.
Even if you brush and floss daily, and make it to your twice-yearly cleaning, sometimes your teeth can look less than bright and dazzling. Your coffee addiction, sweet tooth, or the fact that you channel your inner Olivia Pope with a glass of red wine every night, can all contribute to stains. While visiting the dentist for an in-office whitening treatment or at-home whitening kits are both options that can help your smile appear brighter, we like the idea of having a whitening pen on-hand.
These treatments are simple, fast, and best of all: are mess-free. Keep scrolling for our favorite teeth-whitening pens to use when a trip to the dentist isn't the cards.


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Hilary Radley
Timeless, Elegant, Dynamic, Functional Hilary Radley epitomizes the modern woman of today. It strives to balance the functional with the elegant creating a unique look that can only be described as Hilary Radley. Hilary Radley blends precious yarns and fabrics creating a look that's both classic and luxurious."View complete collection


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Online Camping Reservation Service
The B.C. government is launching its enhanced Discover Camping reservation service on April 1, with several new service and efficiency improvements, announced Environment Minister Barry Penner.
"Starting April 1, when you make your reservation online or at our call centre you will notice a number of new improvements," said Penner. "For the first time in B.C., people will be able to make specific reservations for individual campsites, next to their favourite trail, near the beach or next to their friends or family."
With the new service, campers will be able to book double sites in a single reservation to guarantee that families or friends can camp together. The new online reservation service is more user-friendly, with a step-by-step process on an easy-to-use website. It is expected to reduce gatehouse and check-in line-ups at campsites, since campers will have chosen their sites ahead of time.
Under this new service, there will be four more parks available for reservations, raising the total number of reservable parks from 68 to 72. This is one of the improvements being made as the "Parks 100" celebration approaches, marking the 100th birthday of BC Parks in 2011.
The Discover Camping phone number and web address stay the same: visit
www.discovercamping.ca or call 1-800 689-9025 to make campsite reservations. Overseas callers may call 519 826-6850.
The call centre hours will be Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST, and Saturday, Sunday and holidays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.
"I encourage everyone to get outside this summer and enjoy the beauty and natural wonders of BC Parks," said Penner.
Since 2001, the B.C. government has invested $70 million in capital improvements for BC Parks, including upgrades to drinking water systems, washrooms and picnic areas.
The B.C. government has established 58 new parks, 143 conservancies, two ecological reserves and nine protected areas, and expanded approximately 60 parks and six ecological reserves, protecting more than 1.9 million hectares of additional land since 2001.
Today, a total of 14.26 per cent (more than 13.5 million hectares) of British Columbia is protected – more than any other province in Canada.
For more information, please visit our website at: www.discovercamping.ca.


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Online Articles about the Heartland Earthworks Conservancy
Listen to this WBEX radio interview with HEC Director Bruce Lombardo about why Ohio's ancient Native American earthwork sites are important.
See this article about HEC in the Ohio Archaeology Blog.
A second article by the Ohio Archeological Council.
An article about HEC's role in saving Junction Earthworks on the Appalachian History website.
Other Earthwork Preservation Groups
Many organizations and agencies are involved in protecting ancient earthworks and spreading the word about their plight and significance. We encourage you to visit the websites of these other organizations by clicking on the hyperlinks below:
The Ancient Ohio Trail
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
The Ohio Historical Society
The Arc of Appalachia Preserve System
The Archaeological Conservancy
The Ohio Archaeological Council
The Archaeological Society of Ohio
The Friends of Serpent Mound
The Newark Earthworks Center


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There are some many news outlets now. Social media apps, news channels, news apps and blogs.
It's tough to keep up with all these news outlets. The fear of missing out is real.
That's why I have continued to rely on RSS to get all my news updates.
Which RSS reader do I use? NewsBlur.
Every news channel, every blog that I would like to catch up on is part of my newsblur subscription.
I jump into Newsblur every weekend and read as much as possible. If a feed has lot of content, I read the top 5 - 10 articles and mark the feed as read. I leave Newsblur with all feeds marked as read.


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EMC PowerPath/VE – Lab Validation Report
This ESG Lab report documents the hands-on testing of EMC PowerPath/VE for VMware virtual environments and validates the business and performance benefits of PowerPath/VE load balancing and path management when compared with VMware native path management. The report focuses on the performance, ease of management, and failover and recovery capabilities of PowerPath/VE.
These tests were designed to simulate the real-world SAN conditions that organizations encounter every day, and they were conducted using common tools to highlight the potential impact on application, SAN, and storage performance. While these test results represent what a user might experience, actual results will vary depending on the data center configuration
Server virtualization is on the rise, driven by the positive results that organizations are achieving, the increasing benefits as virtual deployments expand, and the growing popularity of cloud computing. As ESG research discovered, early on in their virtual machine (VM) experience, organizations benefit primarily from data center cost reduction. But as virtual deployments expand, they gain higher-level benefits such as improved provisioning, data protection, application availability, and IT automation. It makes sense that organizations plan to increase their virtual deployments given these experiences. When IT managers were asked recently what their organizations' most important IT priorities would be over the next 12 to 18 months, 30% indicated that they planned to increase their use of server virtualization1 Often, this includes extending virtualization to production and business-critical workloads—not just IT-focused applications
However, virtualizing more applications and increasing consolidation ratios can create contention for data paths, which can then affect application performance and availability. Manually mapping data paths across the environment becomes extremely difficult in these expansive, hyper-consolidated environments. The dynamic nature of virtual implementations, the move to virtualize more production applications, and the increasing service-level expectations of users conspire to make I/O bottlenecks even more problematic
EMC PowerPath/VE
In the same way that server virtualization creates a sharable pool of computing resources, and networked storage creates a sharable storage pool, EMC PowerPath/VE delivers dynamic multipathing capabilities that form a pool of data paths. Built on the gold-standard PowerPath application for physical hosts, PowerPath/VE provides automated data path management and failover and recovery for VMware vSphere (and Microsoft Hyper-V) environments to produce predictable, scalable, consistent information access across Fibre Channel, iSCSI, and FCoE environments. (Note: Though PowerPath/VE supports Hyper-V, the focus of this report is on PowerPath/VE for VMware vSphere.)
Because PowerPath/VE resides in the hypervisor (below applications/guest operating systems and above the HBAs and storage), it can support heterogeneous servers, guest operating systems, networks, and storage environments. PowerPath/VE for vSphere is integrated with VMware vCenter Server and Update Manager as well as vSphere auto-deploy and stateless licensing capabilities, and operates effectively with any raw storage devices, volume managers, file systems, and applications.
EMC PowerPath/VE is available standalone and as a key component in VCE Vblock Infrastructure Platforms: preconfigured virtualization solutions combining best-of-breed technologies from VMware, Cisco, and EMC. Vblock Infrastructure Platforms make it easier for organizations of all sizes to implement cloud strategies.
Automated failover and recovery. PowerPath/VE automates data path failover and recovery to eliminate business interruption from failures or errors, without manual mapping. If a path error occurs, data is redirected to the next best path and the load is rebalanced across all paths (see Figure 2). When the failure is resolved, that path is returned to the available pool. Intelligent, dynamic testing of inactive paths enables faults to be preemptively discovered and paths automatically removed from service; upon resolution of the fault condition, the failed path is automatically returned to the pool without disrupting operations or requiring manual intervention.
you can read the full report here:
ESG Lab Validation Report: EMC PowerPath/VE Automated Path Optimization for VMware Virtual Environments
but basically, As shown in the figure below, PowerPath/VE handled 25% more IOPS versus NMP for 8K OLTP workloads, 17% more for File Server, and 22% more for Exchange DB data


text: Late June I tore a muscle in my abdomen wakeboarding, that caused internal bleeding. After a month of pulling all my friends, i got back out, and kept having horrible pain in my neck. Had X-rays and numerous doctor visits. By October it was throbbing day and night, so I had an MRI, and i have a bulging disk. I'm 27 and my friend have made the nickname "gramps" stick. haha. Has anyone else received any good injuries this year from wakeboarding?


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Food & Drink
A Winston Churchill tour of England
Aaron Millar for CNN • Updated 1st April 2018
View Gallery
10 Pictures
He may have died in 1965, but Winston Churchill, Britain's famous leader, is still a formidable presence in the country he led to World War II victory.
Most of us know the highlights of his life, but few of us know the details.
Behind his infamously stubborn political facade and iconic top hat and cigar, he was a Nobel Prize-winning author, flawed student, accomplished painter and devoted father and husband.
One way to learn about the man behind the hero is to
to these fascinating Churchill attractions in
Blenheim Palace (Oxfordshire)
A portrait of Winston Churchill on display at Blenheim Palace.
Courtesy Blenheim Palace
Churchill's beginnings were far from humble.
Born into the British aristocracy, his early years were spent at Blenheim Palace: a 2,000-acre, 187-room Baroque mansion built in the early 1700s to honor his distant relative John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough.
A new exhibition, held near the room of his birth, uses diary extracts, personal photos and family artifacts to take visitors on an intimate journey through his life.
Elsewhere on the grounds a new historical trail allows guests to follow in his footsteps through the estate.
Highlights include visits to the chapel where he was baptized and the Temple of Diana where he proposed to Clementine, his wife.
"We shape our buildings," Churchill said. "Thereafter they shape us." Something that seems evident amid the splendor of Blenheim Palace.
Blenheim Palace
, Woodstock; +44 1993 810 530
Harrow School (London)
Harrow School, which counts Churchill among its most famous former pupils.
Courtesy Harrow School Enterprises Ltd
The list of Harrow's former pupils, one of the world's most illustrious private boys schools (established almost 500 years ago) reads like a roll call of political and military success stories.
Churchill, who attended from 1888 to 1893, is undeniably at the top of that list.
Surprisingly, his academic success there was somewhat underwhelming.
He flunked the entrance exam (though was admitted all the same) and struggled with results.
Related content
Secrets of the Tower of London
"I'm always ready to learn," he wrote. "But I do not always like being taught."
Harrow -- still echoing today with upper class English history and tradition -- nonetheless remained close to his heart.
Returning as prime minister in 1941, in the midst of seemingly insurmountable war, he uttered some of his most famous words: "Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never."
Harrow School
, 5 High St., Harrow on the Hill; tours taking in the Speech Room, Chapel, Museum of Harrow Life and more are available to the general public three times a year on Saturdays. +44 20 8426 4638
Chartwell (Kent)
"A day away from Chartwell," Churchill once said, "is a day wasted."
Churchill's much loved family home, where he lived from 1924 until his death, has been carefully preserved much as he left it.
His presence can be felt everywhere: books, pictures and mementos paint a personal picture of his life away from politics; 500 of his canvases still hang in his studio gallery; walks meander around the landscaped gardens and lakes he personally helped design and build; his daughter Mary's original playhouse is there for other children to play in.
Running until February 22, a special exhibition, "Death of a Hero," commemorates the latter weeks of his life.
Note: The house itself is closed throughout January and opens again on February 28.
, Mapleton Road, Westerham;
+44 1732 868 381.
Churchill War Rooms (London)
Under the streets of Whitehall in London, as the Blitz rained bombs down on the capital, Churchill and his Cabinet gathered in this secret bunker to orchestrate the war.
Walking through the narrow warren of tunnels is an eerie and profound experience.
Many of the rooms have been left exactly as they were in August 1945, the day the Japanese surrendered and the war was declared officially over.
Related content
Windsor Castle tour: Guide to Queen's residence
It's still possible to feel the tension of those precarious weeks and months when the fate of the Great Britain and the world hung in balance.
Next door is the Churchill Museum, the only major museum in the world dedicated to his life, featuring rare diaries, photographs and extracts from his inspirational wartime speeches.
The Churchill War Rooms and Churchill Museum
, Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London; +44 20 7930 6961
Ditchley Park (Oxfordshire)
During the early years of World War II, when the Luftwaffe's bombardment of Britain's cities and key strategic sites was at its most intense, it was considered too dangerous for Churchill to escape to the prime minister's official country residence, Chequers.
Its whereabouts were well known, and its long gravel drive made a perfect target for German bombs.
Instead he came to Ditchley Park, a 40-room Georgian mansion -- then shrouded in a dense forest of mature trees and owned by a political colleague -- and returned a subsequent 12 times during the war.
He wasn't alone. The house also served as a refugee center for children escaping Britain's war ravaged cities.
Ditchley Park
, Enstone, Chipping Norton. Minimum eight people for guided tour that takes in the art, architecture and history of the 500-year-old estate. The house is used mostly as a conference center -- reservations must be made in advance, except during the last week of July and first week of August when the house and grounds open to the public; +44 1608 677 346.
Bletchley Park (Buckinghamshire)
Known as "Station X" during the war, Bletchley Park was Churchill's secret weapon.
It was here that an elite team of scientists, mathematicians and cryptographers managed to crack the allegedly unbreakable Enigma code used by the Germans to convey top secret messages between their forces.
US Gen. Dwight Eisenhower called it a "decisive" factor in victory. But it was Churchill who championed the program, authorizing the provision of any resource it required and overseeing its progress regularly.
Related content
'Pub Dogs of London': Public houses where canines are welcome, too
It's possible to tour the top secret site, exploring the dramatic story of the great minds and code-breaking machinery that helped change the course of history.
The story of Bletchley Park has been popularized in the movie "The Imitation Game," and Robert Harris' 1995 historical novel, "Enigma," does an equally good job of recreating the wartime atmosphere at Bletchley Park.
Bletchley Park
, Sherwood Drive, Bletchley, Milton Keynes;
+44 1908 640 404
Aaron Millar is an award-winning freelance journalist, and history buff, from the UK. He writes a blog at
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Shmat Records
Address Used To Be
Here, Now It's Not
If you have burning questions, please visit the
contact the Shmat
ShmatFAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Holy Shmat, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REVIEWS!
While running his record label, The Shmat started to receive homemade plastic music sandwiches (CDs) from Peoples interested in having their music released. Rather than throw them away, he decided to write some words about them. Thus, the review portion of this site was born in March 2003. In September of 2003, the Shmat decided to provide additional indie music content in the form of feature interviews.
As of March of 2006, the Shmat has ceased reviewing new CDs on THIS site. However, he is continuing the review schedule with a bunch of other Peoples on the
For more information on what happened, and where to send your CD for review NOW, see the
demos and reviews
Who or what is a "Shmat"?
The Shmat is a fuzzy animal that likes good indie songs, sunshine, and treats. He is currently hard at work on his record label which is dedicated to sharing music that otherwise wouldn't see the light of day. Shmat also notes that some Peoples have named a Unix function after him, something having to do with "attaching shared memory". Shmat enjoys being mysterious, but you can see some pictures of him and his friend Bert
By the way, the Shmat appreciates if you say his name correctly. Hint: It rhymes with "bat", not with "spot". Also, THERE IS NO 'C' IN SHMAT!!!!
What are "Peoples"?
Peoples are the creatures that hang around the Shmat. Some Peoples like to step on Shmat's tail. The Shmat doesn't like these Peoples. Other Peoples give the Shmat treats. Shmat is very down with these Peoples!
Who's running this show?
The Shmat is in charge. Well, like many smaller labels, Shmat Records is run by the artists on the label. Besides the Shmat, there's no major label head honchos here.
Will you listen to my music?
The short answer is... yes! BUT, please see Shmat's
demo policy
Can you send me a catalog?
In order to keep costs down, the Shmat is only offering his CDs through the web for now. If you'd like to order something from him, please visit
Shmat's Shop
Can you send me a free CD so that I can review it or give it airplay?
Shmat will have to answer these on a case by case basis, although the answer is usually yes! Please let him know the name of your organization and which band you are interested in. You can get a hold of him
Contact page
I ordered a CD from Shmat and it hasn't arrived yet. What gives?
Shmat is handling most of his record label stuff by himself, so it may take awhile for your order to be processed by him. He appreciates that you're patient. If you have other questions about your order, Shmat can most likely answer them on
this page
. If you've really got to get a hold of him about and order, please use the
contact form
I'm a distributor and I'd like to help you sell your records.
Shmat is most definitely interested in that. He would like you to please
send more info to him
Can I work for Shmat Records?
While the Shmat is flattered and would love to hire more Peoples to hang out with, he doesn't have the resources right now. And since he knows Peoples don't like to work for free, he'd rather not jack you over. However, you can certainly help out by calling your local college radio station and requesting a song by one of Shmat's bands. And if you ask nicely he might send you some stickers to help promote his music.
Does Shmat like beer?
The Shmat doesn't drink alcohol, but he knows lots of Peoples who do. In particular, they seem to favor fermented grain elixirs like Bass Ale, Sierra Nevada, and Guinness.
Are you related to Barsuk the Dog in any way?
No, the Shmat doesn't particularly like canines. But
Barsuk Records
is a fine indie label.
Why do you insist on talking in this strange 3rd person point of view?
Mreow? Sorry, English isn't the Shmat's first language.
© 2003-2020 shmat records, all rights reserved.


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- Creative Team
- Facility
- Clients
- Hotkey Matrix
- About
- Contact
Queenie and the Blue Cats
Queenie and the Blue Cats are a working electric blues band that hit the Wisconsin music scene full throttle in 2005. Described as playing "blues so tasty you don't need no sauce," Queenie and the boys quickly built a following playing at many blues clubs and festivals in the area.
The band won the 2007 MAMA Award for Blues Album of the Year for their debut CD, Live at Milo's Place. Queenie and the Blue Cats was also honored with nominations for "Entertainer of the Year," "Blues Artist of the Year," and "Cover Band of the Year." With Queenie McCarter-Wade on vocals, Joe Dieter on guitar, Scott Lukomski on bass and Bill Cheadle on drums, this band puts on a stage show you won't want to miss. Known for their clever, life-inspired lyrics, fresh arrangements and authentic sound.
DNA projects:
more about this client:
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Videos, Books, & Blogs
Current information on Prolotherapy
Thanks for your interest in our office. Having done Prolotherapy since 1993, and a love for writing and sharing information with our patients, we have several years of archived articles on Prolotherapy and Natural Medicine. Whether its scientific research articles, patient case studies, or commentary on the latest medical news, we are continuously publishing new material and would love to share it with you! Sign up for our Prolotherapy E-newsletter and read our blogs, which are both free.
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Learn more about what we do, share your stories, and stay up to date on Prolotherapy on the main Caring Medical Facebook page and the Southwest Florida Caring Medical Facebook page. Check us out on Instagram too!
Prolotherapy videos and much more!
Watch our videos on Youtube, by checking out and subscribing to our Youtube channel. We post videos about Prolotherapy, Stem Cell therapy, the various conditions that we treat here, and more. We hope you find them educational and helpful for your condition. If you have an idea for a Prolotherapy video, or a specific condition, we'd love to hear it.
Read our columns
Check out our monthly articles in Dr. Ross and Marion Hauser's weekly Doctor and Dietitian column in the Island Sun and River Weekly. We cover various chronic pain topics for the local coastal communities.
The Journal of Prolotherapy
Dr. Hauser is Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Prolotherapy, a medical journal dedicated to educating the world about the life-changing effects of Prolotherapy. The journal is completely open access to both doctors and patients.
Books to help keep you active for life!
Our passion is helping people maximize their healing potential utilizing more natural ways that allow your body to work FOR you! Check out the many books that Dr. Ross and Marion Hauser, The Doctor and the Dietitian, have written to help you on your journey toward maximum health and healing chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions: numerous books on Prolotherapy, as well as The Hauser Diet: A Fresh Look at Healthy Living!