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Aug. 10th, 2003 04:42 pmWell, Scott has left California for Seattle. We'll miss him. But he left a nice going-away present.
Aug. 10th, 2003
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Aug. 10th, 2003 05:25 pmIt's Gay Day at the Times! Three different sections have front-page pieces about gay marriage and/or TV. Elisabeth Bumiller in "Week in Review" gives an overview of changing attitudes toward gay people, sex, and marriage. Frank Rich in "Arts & Leisure" notes that "entertainment featuring gays often reveals more confidence in the idealistic notion of marriage than the straight counterparts have," citing an episode of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" where a straight man is instructed on how to propose. And John Weir in "Sunday Styles," reacting to the same show, proudly proclaims that he and all his gay friends are slobs.
Arnold "Commando" Schwarzenegger is too pro-gun-control for his Republican base. He "has expressed support for" abortion rights and gay rights, and, an immigrant himself, may be "soft on immigration". He sponsored California's Proposition 49, which increased public funding for education. And, unlike the leading Democrat, he hasn't endorsed Lieberman. Don't make me vote for this man.
I guess there's always Ariana Huffington, the independent progressive candidate who "is engaging in a stalking campaign" against Arnold.
John Ashcroft wants federal prosecutors to keep tabs on judges who impose sentences more lenient than the Department of Justice requested. You may recall that Ashcroft's idea of an appropriate sentence is usually death.
Arnold "Commando" Schwarzenegger is too pro-gun-control for his Republican base. He "has expressed support for" abortion rights and gay rights, and, an immigrant himself, may be "soft on immigration". He sponsored California's Proposition 49, which increased public funding for education. And, unlike the leading Democrat, he hasn't endorsed Lieberman. Don't make me vote for this man.
I guess there's always Ariana Huffington, the independent progressive candidate who "is engaging in a stalking campaign" against Arnold.
John Ashcroft wants federal prosecutors to keep tabs on judges who impose sentences more lenient than the Department of Justice requested. You may recall that Ashcroft's idea of an appropriate sentence is usually death.
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Aug. 10th, 2003 05:42 pmMontmartre as post-Amélie tourist destination.
Griping about the Angelika Film Center in Manhattan. The seats are too small! The lines are too long! I can hear the subway when it goes by! New Yorkers are spoiled rotten.
A.O. Scott reveals that movies are different from books. Why are we still having this conversation?
Griping about the Angelika Film Center in Manhattan. The seats are too small! The lines are too long! I can hear the subway when it goes by! New Yorkers are spoiled rotten.
A.O. Scott reveals that movies are different from books. Why are we still having this conversation?
(no subject)
Aug. 10th, 2003 05:43 pmLiveJournal, emo heaven. "Just as emo music thrives on catharsis, so do these diaries. Teenage strife abounds, but not every entry is a catalog of gloom; many diaries mirror the manic rollercoaster that is teen life, veering wildly between elation and misery." Go ahead.
According to the Times, the latest issue of Bird Talk magazine says that even though performing surgery on dogs' larynxes to prevent them from barking loudly is "a well-known procedure", you shouldn't do it to your pet bird. I found this brief article completely horrifying.
A little time with Google revised the earlier OH MY GOD tone of this post, but I also learned that the Open Directory Project lists debarking as a subcategory of "elective surgery", which, um, I understand why, but, insult to injury.
A little time with Google revised the earlier OH MY GOD tone of this post, but I also learned that the Open Directory Project lists debarking as a subcategory of "elective surgery", which, um, I understand why, but, insult to injury.
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Aug. 10th, 2003 07:19 pmOne result of my tenure at Liquid Audio is a distaste for the RIAA, that oligopoly of record labels and media conglomerates. I don't take part in the boycott--I like music too much to let a band's business keep me away from its music--but I do weigh a label's RIAA status as one factor among many when I decide what albums to buy.
RIAA Radar has some interesting related tools. You can find out whether particular artists, albums, and labels are RIAA-affiliated, and there's a bookmarklet to make that a one-click operation when you're browsing Amazon. I also liked the yes-no rundown of the Amazon Hot 100: The top non-RIAA album right now is by Pat Benatar at #15, and after that you have to go down to #51 for the Postal Service on Sub Pop.
There's also a complementary list of the top 100 non-RIAA albums at Amazon. Currently #100 on the indie list is Deva Premal's Love is Space, which is #929 at Amazon overall. This means ( click here for lengthy amateur statistical analysis... )
RIAA Radar has some interesting related tools. You can find out whether particular artists, albums, and labels are RIAA-affiliated, and there's a bookmarklet to make that a one-click operation when you're browsing Amazon. I also liked the yes-no rundown of the Amazon Hot 100: The top non-RIAA album right now is by Pat Benatar at #15, and after that you have to go down to #51 for the Postal Service on Sub Pop.
There's also a complementary list of the top 100 non-RIAA albums at Amazon. Currently #100 on the indie list is Deva Premal's Love is Space, which is #929 at Amazon overall. This means ( click here for lengthy amateur statistical analysis... )
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Aug. 10th, 2003 07:27 pmOkay, from Calexico's latest album, I only have one lonely MP3, "Quattro (World Drifts In)". Before I go out and buy the record, can anyone confirm or deny that they've turned into Lindsey Buckingham?
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Aug. 10th, 2003 07:40 pmCinequest, the San José film festival that has my undying allegiance, has introduced a new benefit for members (and non-members with twenty bucks): Dating. "CineSingles, a new speed-dating style event, gives you the unique opportunity to meet other culturally-minded singles that share your interest in movies and adventure." Speed dating doesn't really sound like my thing--I'm more of a sloth dater, or maybe a stall-in-midair dater--but I like the idea that they're bringing independent movie fans together and forcing them to talk to each other.