Noun
- (obsolete) colic
- (slang) sullenness; sulky behaviour
- Pretty awesome rock band in my book
Thank you Crazy Lisa for finding this band.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Mulligrubs
Thank you Crazy Lisa for finding this band.
Monday, December 04, 2006
This may have been a Commencement Speech by Tom Robbins
I am often asked whether there is life after death. Certainly
there is. There is also death after life, and life before death,
and death before life. It goes on forever. There is just no stopping
it.
You will live forever, and die forever. In fact, you already have.
As for Heaven and Hell, they are right here on Earth, and it is
up to each of you in which you choose to reside. To put it simply,
Heaven is living in your dreams and Hell is living in your fears.
In the traditional image where Hell is down and Heaven is up,
one escapes from hell by digging a hole in the ceiling. Though in
an age of downers and uppers down and up no longer make sense, it is
still possible to think of in and out. Think of Hell as in and
Heaven as out. To get out of Hell, expand your soul until it is
pushing on all the walls from the inside all the way around. If you
just maintain a steady pressure, your soul will gradually filter out
into limitless Heaven beyond.
One problem with the notion of Heaven and Hell, however, is that,
although they are exact opposites, an astonishing number of people
seem to be confused about which is which. For example, all over the
United States on this very evening, commencement speakers are
standing before audiences not greatly unlike yourself, describing
Hell as if they were describing Heaven.
Their speakers are saying things such as, "Graduating Seniors,
you have reached the golden threshold of maturity; it is time now to
go out into the world and take up the challenge of life, time to
face your hallowed responsiblity."
And if that isn't one hell of a note, it is certainly one note
of Hell.
When I hear the word maturity spoken with such solemn awe, I
don't know whether to laugh or to get sick. There circulates a
common myth that once one becomes an adult, one suddenly and
magically gets it altogether and if I may use the vernacular, discovers where it's
at.
ha ha. The sad funny truth is adults are nothing but tall children
who have forgotten how to play.
When people tell you to "grow up" they mean approximately the same
thing as when they say "shut up." By "shut up" they mean stop
talking. By "grow up" they mean stop growing.
Because as long as you keep growing, you keep changing- and a
person who is changing is unpredictable, impossible to pigeon hole,
and difficult to control. The growing person is not an easy target
for those guys in slick suits who want you to turn over your soul
over to Christ, your heart to America, your butt to Seattle first
National Bank and your armpits to extra crispy Right Guard.
No, the growing person is not an ideal consumer, which means in
more realistic terms, he or she is not an easy slave. Worse yet, if
he or she continues to grow, grows far enough or long enough, he or
she may get too close to the universal mysteries, the nature of
which the Navy and the Dutch reform Church do not encourage us to ponder.
The growing person is an uncomfortable reminder of the greater human
potential that each of us might realize if we had the guts.
So society wants you to grow up. To reach a safe, predictable
plateau and root there. To muzzle your throb, to lower the volume
on the singing in your blood. Capers all cut, sky finally larked,
surprises known, SETTLE DOWN- settle, like the sand in the bottom of
an hour glass, like a coffin six months into the ground. ACT YOUR
AGE, which means act their age, and that has from the moment they
stopped growing, always been old.
Growing up is a trap.
As for responsibility, I am forced to ask, "Responsibility to
what?" To our fellow man? Two weeks ago, the newspapers reported
that a federal court had ruled that when a person's brain stops
functioning, that person is legally dead, even though his or her
heart may continue to beat. That means that 80% of the population
of Earth is legally dead. Must we be responsible to corpes?
No, you have no responsibility except to be yourself to the
fullest limit of yourself, and to find out who you are. Or perhaps,
I should say to remember who you are. Because deep down, in the
secret velvet of your heart, far beyond your name and address, each
of you knows who you really are. And that being, who is the true
you,cannot help but behave graciously to all other beings- because
it is all other beings.
Yet, we are consistently reminded of our
own..."responsibility."
Responsibility means obey orders, without question, don't rock the
boat, and for God's sake, get a job. (Get a job. Sha na na na)
Thats the scary the one. Get a job. It is said as if it were a
holy and ancient and inviolable law of nature. But the fact is although
cultural man has been on Earth some 2 million years, the very
concept of jobs is only about 500 years old. A drop in the bucket, to coin
a phrase. And with the advent of electronic cybernetic automated
technology, jobs are on the way out again. Jobs were just a flash
in the pan, a passing fancy. There is no realistic relationship
between jobs and work-work being defined as simply one of the more serious
aspects of play- any more than there is a realistic relationship
between jobs and eating. It is curious how many people believe if
it weren't for jobs they couldn't eat. As if it weren't for Boeing,
their jaws wouldn't chew, if it weren't for the Navy their bowels
wouldn't move and if it weren't for the Weyerhauser that great
destroyer of plants- plants wouldn't grow. Technocratic assumptions
about the identity of man, society, and nature have warped our
experience at its source and obscured the basic natural sense of
things. Rabbits don't have jobs. When was the last time you heard
of a rabbit starving to death?
Ah, but we must be responsible, and if we are, we are rewarded with
the White man's logical equivalent of looting: a steady job, secure
income, easy credit, free access to all the local emporiums
and a home of your own to pile the merchandise in! And so what if
there is no magic in your life, no wonder, no amazement, no
playfulness, no peace of mind, no sense of unity with the Universe,
no giggling joy, no burning passion, no deep understanding, no
overwhelming love? At least your ego has the satisfaction of
knowing you are a responsible citizen.
Responsibility is a trap.
As a matter of fact, the entire system into which you were born
and which now, upon completion of high (high?) school you must
perhaps face more directly, is a system designed to trap you- and
manipulate you as a co-operating slave, a system designed to steep
you in Hell.
Hell is living in your fears, and it is through fear, both
subtle and overt, that the system traps you. Fear of failure, fear
of social rejection, fear of poverty, fear of punishment, fear of
death.
For example, we are taught to fear something called Communism, and
millions of Americans go to bed every night wondering if Mao Tse
Tung is under their bed. Conversely, on the other side of the world
millions of Russians and Chinese go to bed wondering if Henry
Kissenger is under their bed. Our totalitarian government uses the
hoax of the threat of Communism to control and enslave us, just as
the totalitarian Communist governments use the hoax of the threat of
capitalism to control and enslave their people. It's an extremely
old and obviously effective trick.
You see, the powers behind Communism and the powers behind
Capitalism are virtually the same people. We might also include the
powers behind the Vatican and the powers behind Islam. Their main
function is to mystify the popular mind by creating illusions of
omnipotence and omniscience with which to command docility from
their subjects, although it does not require much thorough investigation
to discover that few of the peoples of this world are happy, healthy,
or fulfilled.
But never mind. There are ways out of the trap, ways, as I
earlier suggested out of Hell.
The only advice I have for you tonight is not to actively resist or
fight the System, because active protest and resistence merely
entangle you in the System.
Instead, ignore it, walk away from it, turn your backs on it,
laugh at it. Don't be outraged, be outrageous! Never be stupid
enough to respect authority unless that authority first proves
itself respectable. And, unfortunately, there is no officially sanctioned
authority today, from the President of the United States down to the
cop on the beat, that has earned the right to your respect.
So, be your own authority, lead yourselves. Remember the ways
and means of the Ancient Yogi masters, Pied Pipers, cloud walkers
and medicine men. Get in harmony with nature. Listent to the loony
rhythms of your blood. Look for beauty and poetry in everything in
life. Let there be no moon that does not know you, no spring that
does not lick you with its tounges. Refuse to play it safe, for it
is from the wavering edge of ridk that the sweetest honey of freedom
drips. Live dangerously, live lovingly. Believe in magic. Nourish
your imagination. Use your head, even if it means going out of your
mind. Learn, like the lemon and the tomato learned, the laws of the
sun. Become aware, like the jungle became aware, of your own
perfume.
Remember that life is much too serious to take seriously- to never
forget how to play.
In times of doubt and chaos, it has been the duty of superior
persons- artists, poets, scientists, clowns, and philosophers
(certainly not statesmen or military heros) to create order in the
psychic vibrations of their fellow man. Due in times such as ours,
times that are too carefully ordered, too strictly organized, too
expertly managed, thoroughly programmed and craftily planned, times
in which too few control too many, it is the duty of all feeling,
thinking, humanitarian people to toss their favorite monkey wrenches
into the machinery. On second thought, you do have some
responsibility to your fellow man. To relieve the repression of the
human spirit, it is your sacred duty ot screw things up royally.
Looking at you tonight, I am sure you will do just fine.
Let me wrap this up with a few short questions I am often
asked.
A difficult question.
1. Will we be eaten by bugs and worms? We ought to be. We
have eaten, and we ought to be eaten. This is justice and their is
no stopping it. If you have your body burned, starving the Earth to
glorify a memory you are asking for trouble.
2. Does your soul fly out of your body the moment that you die?
No, this is a foolish superstition. Your soul is constantly
flying out of your body in just the same way that energy is
constantly flying out of the sun. At the monent your body dies, the
soul stops flying out.
3. Is Jesus coming back?
Yes, all the time. And so are you. All souls echo forever
throughout the universe.
I hope you have a wonderful trip.
Does anyone have any details about this? If you know anything about it, please leave a comment. Even if it isn't Tom Robbins, it's still interesting.
there is. There is also death after life, and life before death,
and death before life. It goes on forever. There is just no stopping
it.
You will live forever, and die forever. In fact, you already have.
As for Heaven and Hell, they are right here on Earth, and it is
up to each of you in which you choose to reside. To put it simply,
Heaven is living in your dreams and Hell is living in your fears.
In the traditional image where Hell is down and Heaven is up,
one escapes from hell by digging a hole in the ceiling. Though in
an age of downers and uppers down and up no longer make sense, it is
still possible to think of in and out. Think of Hell as in and
Heaven as out. To get out of Hell, expand your soul until it is
pushing on all the walls from the inside all the way around. If you
just maintain a steady pressure, your soul will gradually filter out
into limitless Heaven beyond.
One problem with the notion of Heaven and Hell, however, is that,
although they are exact opposites, an astonishing number of people
seem to be confused about which is which. For example, all over the
United States on this very evening, commencement speakers are
standing before audiences not greatly unlike yourself, describing
Hell as if they were describing Heaven.
Their speakers are saying things such as, "Graduating Seniors,
you have reached the golden threshold of maturity; it is time now to
go out into the world and take up the challenge of life, time to
face your hallowed responsiblity."
And if that isn't one hell of a note, it is certainly one note
of Hell.
When I hear the word maturity spoken with such solemn awe, I
don't know whether to laugh or to get sick. There circulates a
common myth that once one becomes an adult, one suddenly and
magically gets it altogether and if I may use the vernacular, discovers where it's
at.
ha ha. The sad funny truth is adults are nothing but tall children
who have forgotten how to play.
When people tell you to "grow up" they mean approximately the same
thing as when they say "shut up." By "shut up" they mean stop
talking. By "grow up" they mean stop growing.
Because as long as you keep growing, you keep changing- and a
person who is changing is unpredictable, impossible to pigeon hole,
and difficult to control. The growing person is not an easy target
for those guys in slick suits who want you to turn over your soul
over to Christ, your heart to America, your butt to Seattle first
National Bank and your armpits to extra crispy Right Guard.
No, the growing person is not an ideal consumer, which means in
more realistic terms, he or she is not an easy slave. Worse yet, if
he or she continues to grow, grows far enough or long enough, he or
she may get too close to the universal mysteries, the nature of
which the Navy and the Dutch reform Church do not encourage us to ponder.
The growing person is an uncomfortable reminder of the greater human
potential that each of us might realize if we had the guts.
So society wants you to grow up. To reach a safe, predictable
plateau and root there. To muzzle your throb, to lower the volume
on the singing in your blood. Capers all cut, sky finally larked,
surprises known, SETTLE DOWN- settle, like the sand in the bottom of
an hour glass, like a coffin six months into the ground. ACT YOUR
AGE, which means act their age, and that has from the moment they
stopped growing, always been old.
Growing up is a trap.
As for responsibility, I am forced to ask, "Responsibility to
what?" To our fellow man? Two weeks ago, the newspapers reported
that a federal court had ruled that when a person's brain stops
functioning, that person is legally dead, even though his or her
heart may continue to beat. That means that 80% of the population
of Earth is legally dead. Must we be responsible to corpes?
No, you have no responsibility except to be yourself to the
fullest limit of yourself, and to find out who you are. Or perhaps,
I should say to remember who you are. Because deep down, in the
secret velvet of your heart, far beyond your name and address, each
of you knows who you really are. And that being, who is the true
you,cannot help but behave graciously to all other beings- because
it is all other beings.
Yet, we are consistently reminded of our
own..."responsibili
Responsibility means obey orders, without question, don't rock the
boat, and for God's sake, get a job. (Get a job. Sha na na na)
Thats the scary the one. Get a job. It is said as if it were a
holy and ancient and inviolable law of nature. But the fact is although
cultural man has been on Earth some 2 million years, the very
concept of jobs is only about 500 years old. A drop in the bucket, to coin
a phrase. And with the advent of electronic cybernetic automated
technology, jobs are on the way out again. Jobs were just a flash
in the pan, a passing fancy. There is no realistic relationship
between jobs and work-work being defined as simply one of the more serious
aspects of play- any more than there is a realistic relationship
between jobs and eating. It is curious how many people believe if
it weren't for jobs they couldn't eat. As if it weren't for Boeing,
their jaws wouldn't chew, if it weren't for the Navy their bowels
wouldn't move and if it weren't for the Weyerhauser that great
destroyer of plants- plants wouldn't grow. Technocratic assumptions
about the identity of man, society, and nature have warped our
experience at its source and obscured the basic natural sense of
things. Rabbits don't have jobs. When was the last time you heard
of a rabbit starving to death?
Ah, but we must be responsible, and if we are, we are rewarded with
the White man's logical equivalent of looting: a steady job, secure
income, easy credit, free access to all the local emporiums
and a home of your own to pile the merchandise in! And so what if
there is no magic in your life, no wonder, no amazement, no
playfulness, no peace of mind, no sense of unity with the Universe,
no giggling joy, no burning passion, no deep understanding, no
overwhelming love? At least your ego has the satisfaction of
knowing you are a responsible citizen.
Responsibility is a trap.
As a matter of fact, the entire system into which you were born
and which now, upon completion of high (high?) school you must
perhaps face more directly, is a system designed to trap you- and
manipulate you as a co-operating slave, a system designed to steep
you in Hell.
Hell is living in your fears, and it is through fear, both
subtle and overt, that the system traps you. Fear of failure, fear
of social rejection, fear of poverty, fear of punishment, fear of
death.
For example, we are taught to fear something called Communism, and
millions of Americans go to bed every night wondering if Mao Tse
Tung is under their bed. Conversely, on the other side of the world
millions of Russians and Chinese go to bed wondering if Henry
Kissenger is under their bed. Our totalitarian government uses the
hoax of the threat of Communism to control and enslave us, just as
the totalitarian Communist governments use the hoax of the threat of
capitalism to control and enslave their people. It's an extremely
old and obviously effective trick.
You see, the powers behind Communism and the powers behind
Capitalism are virtually the same people. We might also include the
powers behind the Vatican and the powers behind Islam. Their main
function is to mystify the popular mind by creating illusions of
omnipotence and omniscience with which to command docility from
their subjects, although it does not require much thorough investigation
to discover that few of the peoples of this world are happy, healthy,
or fulfilled.
But never mind. There are ways out of the trap, ways, as I
earlier suggested out of Hell.
The only advice I have for you tonight is not to actively resist or
fight the System, because active protest and resistence merely
entangle you in the System.
Instead, ignore it, walk away from it, turn your backs on it,
laugh at it. Don't be outraged, be outrageous! Never be stupid
enough to respect authority unless that authority first proves
itself respectable. And, unfortunately, there is no officially sanctioned
authority today, from the President of the United States down to the
cop on the beat, that has earned the right to your respect.
So, be your own authority, lead yourselves. Remember the ways
and means of the Ancient Yogi masters, Pied Pipers, cloud walkers
and medicine men. Get in harmony with nature. Listent to the loony
rhythms of your blood. Look for beauty and poetry in everything in
life. Let there be no moon that does not know you, no spring that
does not lick you with its tounges. Refuse to play it safe, for it
is from the wavering edge of ridk that the sweetest honey of freedom
drips. Live dangerously, live lovingly. Believe in magic. Nourish
your imagination. Use your head, even if it means going out of your
mind. Learn, like the lemon and the tomato learned, the laws of the
sun. Become aware, like the jungle became aware, of your own
perfume.
Remember that life is much too serious to take seriously- to never
forget how to play.
In times of doubt and chaos, it has been the duty of superior
persons- artists, poets, scientists, clowns, and philosophers
(certainly not statesmen or military heros) to create order in the
psychic vibrations of their fellow man. Due in times such as ours,
times that are too carefully ordered, too strictly organized, too
expertly managed, thoroughly programmed and craftily planned, times
in which too few control too many, it is the duty of all feeling,
thinking, humanitarian people to toss their favorite monkey wrenches
into the machinery. On second thought, you do have some
responsibility to your fellow man. To relieve the repression of the
human spirit, it is your sacred duty ot screw things up royally.
Looking at you tonight, I am sure you will do just fine.
Let me wrap this up with a few short questions I am often
asked.
A difficult question.
1. Will we be eaten by bugs and worms? We ought to be. We
have eaten, and we ought to be eaten. This is justice and their is
no stopping it. If you have your body burned, starving the Earth to
glorify a memory you are asking for trouble.
2. Does your soul fly out of your body the moment that you die?
No, this is a foolish superstition. Your soul is constantly
flying out of your body in just the same way that energy is
constantly flying out of the sun. At the monent your body dies, the
soul stops flying out.
3. Is Jesus coming back?
Yes, all the time. And so are you. All souls echo forever
throughout the universe.
I hope you have a wonderful trip.
Does anyone have any details about this? If you know anything about it, please leave a comment. Even if it isn't Tom Robbins, it's still interesting.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
More Hedberg
By request, here are some more Mitch Hedberg clips. These are from his CD called "Mitch All Together."
Arrows
Teeth
Movie Pot
This guy is hilarious.
image courtesy of www.mitchhedbergfans.com
Arrows
Teeth
Movie Pot
This guy is hilarious.
image courtesy of www.mitchhedbergfans.com
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Tenacious D
I have the new album Pick of Destiny and it rocks.
The D was kind enough to "Rock this Website"
The movie comes out on Wednesday, November 22. I can't wait.
The D was kind enough to "Rock this Website"
The movie comes out on Wednesday, November 22. I can't wait.
Friday, November 17, 2006
PEACE FOR ALLEN GINSBERG
Arlo was a finalist in the 2006 War Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers. Congratulations. Here is a little chunk of it.
Link
we are ignorant white men, waving chainsaws lynching the poor with barbed wire.
I blame the caveman who invented the idea of an idea the man that made the heart more than just muscle, immortalizing elk on every cave wall. Allen, tell me
Link
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Mitch All Together
Mitch Hedberg is really funny. I recently discovered him and also learned that he is dead. It's really too bad. I think he had a lot more jokes to write. Check out this track from his CD called "Mitch All Together."
Mitch Hedburg - Houses.mp3
Friday, October 13, 2006
Monday, October 02, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
New Pictures on Don't Noah
Oh boy, have I got great news! I've posted 10 new pictures at Don't Noah that will provide lots of stimulation for you.. Here is a tidbit to get your mouth watering.
Friday, September 22, 2006
I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by Google
I just found this cool essay on del.icio.us Apparently it is written by a teenager in 2026.
Here is an little chunk of it for your preview.
Here is an little chunk of it for your preview.
"it's that all our social relations have been reified with a clunky intensity. They're digitized! And the networking hardware and software that pervasively surround us are built and owned by evil, old, rich corporate people! Social-networking systems aren't teenagers! These machines are METHODICALLY KILLING OUR SOULS! If you don't count wall-graffiti (good old spray paint), we have no means to spontaneously express ourselves. We can't "find ourselves" - the market's already found us and filled us with map pins."
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Spoons
Nothing special. Noah did most of this. It's my first time playing with Windows Movie Maker. Enjoy.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Tasty Neutral Milk
If you haven't heard Neutral Milk Hotel, then go find some and listen to it. In an Aeroplane Over the Sea is a phenomenal album. Furthermore, Oh Comely is one of the best tracks on it. As a special treat for you tonight, I'll offer up this gem of a live track from Jeff Magnum. It is a song labeled Oh Sister, that is a rarely heard continuation of Oh Comely. It's really cool and I haven't seen it anywhere else, not even on that Jittery Joe's album. I guess I should share the live recording of Oh Comely as well.
Oh Comely.mp3
Oh Sister.mp3
Oh Comely.mp3
Oh Sister.mp3
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Great Air Chair
The "Air Chair" is also called a hydrofoil. Here is some footage of someone who has mad skills with this device. I had to sort through lots of crappy videos to find it. You can thank me later.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Air Chair
It's my first time on an Air Chair and I was getting air, albeit not intentionally. I got the opportunity to try it this past weekend at Newfound Lake in New Hampshire.
Bike
Check out my new bike...
The Specialized Allez Sport Triple. I got the largest size they make since I'm a big fella. I just got out for a spin today and it is a sweet ride. It's my first road bike.
The Specialized Allez Sport Triple. I got the largest size they make since I'm a big fella. I just got out for a spin today and it is a sweet ride. It's my first road bike.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Reader of the Month
Shirley is my Reader Of The Month. This is the first ROTM and I'm not sure I will have one next month. What month is it?
She reads my blog I think... and she sometimes even writes comments. It's incredible.
She is a funny gal. Here's a link to a classic post from her about her Hungover Asian Fro.
I just ordered HBO, so I'd better get watching. Comcast only gave me one month for free but I'll take it. Time to catch up on Deadwood.
She reads my blog I think... and she sometimes even writes comments. It's incredible.
She is a funny gal. Here's a link to a classic post from her about her Hungover Asian Fro.
I just ordered HBO, so I'd better get watching. Comcast only gave me one month for free but I'll take it. Time to catch up on Deadwood.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Noah
I finally fixed Noah's website after a long annoying fiasco.
First thing I'd like to mention is "Fatcow sucks" (the web hosting company). I'm not the only one who thinks so. Aside from a hard to use site management interface, they didn't even send me an email to let me know that my domain was expiring. I certainly should have paid more attention, but it would have been nice to get an email from them giving me the option to renew. I would think it makes sense from a business perspective, not even as a feature for the customer.
But that's in the past... The new domain is www.dontnoah.com (also www.nowyounoah.com) I am using Network Solutions and 1and1.com. I am very pleased so far. Please check out the new website. It's mostly the same as before but there is now some introductory information at the entry page. Click the links on the main page to get the goods.
Here's a Preview.
First thing I'd like to mention is "Fatcow sucks" (the web hosting company). I'm not the only one who thinks so. Aside from a hard to use site management interface, they didn't even send me an email to let me know that my domain was expiring. I certainly should have paid more attention, but it would have been nice to get an email from them giving me the option to renew. I would think it makes sense from a business perspective, not even as a feature for the customer.
But that's in the past... The new domain is www.dontnoah.com (also www.nowyounoah.com) I am using Network Solutions and 1and1.com. I am very pleased so far. Please check out the new website. It's mostly the same as before but there is now some introductory information at the entry page. Click the links on the main page to get the goods.
Here's a Preview.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
scars to remember
Out of Tune keeps posting great pictures on flickr. She is one of my favorite flickr contacts. Adding a little story to go along with the picture is a nice touch.
Flanimals
I think Ricky Gervais is awesome. The Office (UK and US) is a great show. He does audio and video podcasts with Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington, which are very entertaining. I haven't seen much of his HBO series called "Extras," but I hear it's good.
I've been trying to decide what book I would read to Geena's 3rd grade class if I was invited in as a "Guest Reader."
I'm thinking about buying his children's book Flanimals to see if it would work. It looks creative and funny.
I've been trying to decide what book I would read to Geena's 3rd grade class if I was invited in as a "Guest Reader."
I'm thinking about buying his children's book Flanimals to see if it would work. It looks creative and funny.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Fungi
I snapped this on my phone on my sunday ride through Wompatuck. I decided not to eat them. Are they poisonous? Is there a mushroom expert in the house?
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Mountain Bike Race - Helmet Camera
| I got out on my mountain bike today so I've been browsing through mountain biking videos. This one is crazy. I get an adrenaline rush just by watching it. "A Helmet Camera view of the WA State Mountain Bike Downhill Race. Watch Lars from Fluidride take flight on his mountain bike as he flies down the hill. All footage provided by Twenty20 Helmet Camera" | |
Bay Area Mountain Bike Documentary Norcal Biking Video
MTB DOC (Spring 2004). Video documentary shows the mountain bike scene with interviews of Msdhw members and Herb from Versus Cycles. Also features Jamie Goldman's backflip at DMC. Filmed and edited by Calvin (Dvcal.com). Total Running Time: 13 minutes | |
Monday, June 26, 2006
Tapes 'n Tapes
I haven't been this excited about an indie rock band since I discovered Spoon. Tapes 'n Tapes sound really good on their debut LP Loon. You can order it from their website or from emusic. They even have some free mp3s on their site.
The music really gets my toes tapping. The first songs on the album will grab you immediately and then the latter songs will grow on you. It's Pop Rock perfection. Check it out.
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Stephen Colbert on Google Video
Colbert Roasts President Bush - 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner
You don't have to pay 2 dollars to get it on itunes. Its worth taking 24 minutes out of your life to watch this for free on google video if you haven't already.
Gary Weiner calls him the Bravest Man in America in his blog.
I wonder if Bush comprehends the fact that he was ripping on him the entire time, even when Colbert made it seem like he was supporting him. Colbert is the most scarcastic bastard I've ever heard, and it's brilliant.
An excerpt from the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner. Comedian Stephen Colbert made humorous remarks about various current events and the relationship between the press and the White House. He also presented a video of a mock press conference which ended in a chase scene featuring long-time correspondent Helen Thomas.
You don't have to pay 2 dollars to get it on itunes. Its worth taking 24 minutes out of your life to watch this for free on google video if you haven't already.
Gary Weiner calls him the Bravest Man in America in his blog.
I wonder if Bush comprehends the fact that he was ripping on him the entire time, even when Colbert made it seem like he was supporting him. Colbert is the most scarcastic bastard I've ever heard, and it's brilliant.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
We Versus The Shark
This band has really withstood the test of time with me, even if it has only been about 6 months since I first heard them. I routinely turn to Ruin Everything! when I want to rock out. It is defenitely the kind of album that I can really listen to, rather than use as pleasant background noise.
I thought about trying to write a review on the album, but I there's no way I could ever write anything as succinct as this review at Cokemachineglow.com. They really have some impressive writers there. Here is an excerpt.
Perhaps their greatest asset is that they handle hooks like a Japanese steakhouse knife, dicing them into their spicy sonic dishes with frightening speed and deadly accuracy. Opener “You Don’t Have to Kick It” goes through three hook modulations in under a minute, before balancing their dual guitars on complementing melodic knife-edges – it’s the kind of execution that’s as precarious as it is thrilling. In fact, “You Don’t Have to Kick It” may go down into the record-books as one of the most hook-packed songs in history; I counted at least seven in four minutes and 15 seconds.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds them delightful.
I looked through the archives and found a great review of the Twin Cinema by The New Pornographers (who I adore). Peter Hepburn says "this here's pop music that is immediate but not slutty." Well put, my friend.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Sneak Preview of new Noberalice
We've got quite a teaser on our hands here. Here are the little mini shots I have of Noah's latest projects. I am anxiously awaiting some full scale high res images. As soon as I have them I will let you know and post them on www.noberalice.com
If only I was in the CSI: Las Vegas crime lab, I could blow these up to full size and they would be crisp and clean. I gotta get their computer program. Enhance (previous post)
If only I was in the CSI: Las Vegas crime lab, I could blow these up to full size and they would be crisp and clean. I gotta get their computer program. Enhance (previous post)
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Tour De France is coming
From the Official Page:
Running from Saturday July 1st to Sunday July 23th 2006, the 93rd Tour de France will be made up of a prologue and 20 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,600 kilometres.
It is a bit premature to post on it already but I'm excited because I finally have a DVR to record and fast forward the footage. It will be a closer race now that Lance is not competing.
You can always catch up on the race on the OLN cable channel.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Eggers - Velocity
Wow, I just finished You Shall Know Our Velocity by David Eggers. Great book. Great to see that he can write fiction as well as non-fiction. His last book, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genious, was a memoir, and he describes with excruciating detail how (mostly) accurate that account is. In Y.S.K.O.V. there is just as much real emotion described vividly and creatively. It really resembled another memoir with Eggers assuming a completely different identity. Enough about that, my purpose is not to write a book report or a review.
After completing the book, I found myself thirsting for knowledge about David Eggers. I actually doubted the veracity of H.W.O.S.G. since I had learned what an exceptional liar (fiction writer) he was. It sounds like it was as true as he claims. You should check out this particular interview that was very interesting.
link.
The link is to a transcript of emailed interview questions written by Saadi Soudavar of the Harvard Advocate. Eggers responds by incisively criticising the critic, though he admits to being like that only worse when he was younger.
If you're short on time, scroll down to Eggers's rant on "Selling Out." It is no doubt something we all spend time thinking about. Which artists are "selling out" and which are "keeping it real?" Eggers provides some great insight here and eloquently describes and solidifies vague notions that I had floating around in my head. He's right. I can't wait to check out an issue of McSweeney's Quarterly Concern and see what that's all about.
After completing the book, I found myself thirsting for knowledge about David Eggers. I actually doubted the veracity of H.W.O.S.G. since I had learned what an exceptional liar (fiction writer) he was. It sounds like it was as true as he claims. You should check out this particular interview that was very interesting.
link.
The link is to a transcript of emailed interview questions written by Saadi Soudavar of the Harvard Advocate. Eggers responds by incisively criticising the critic, though he admits to being like that only worse when he was younger.
If you're short on time, scroll down to Eggers's rant on "Selling Out." It is no doubt something we all spend time thinking about. Which artists are "selling out" and which are "keeping it real?" Eggers provides some great insight here and eloquently describes and solidifies vague notions that I had floating around in my head. He's right. I can't wait to check out an issue of McSweeney's Quarterly Concern and see what that's all about.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Ted Leo - Since You've been Gone
In case you haven't heard about it, Ted Leo does a great cover of Since You've been Gone by Kelly Clarkson. UGO.com has a streaming video of it here.
Dennis told me about it the other day. It actually renewed my love for Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. I have been rocking out to the Shake the Sheets album lately.
Dennis told me about it the other day. It actually renewed my love for Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. I have been rocking out to the Shake the Sheets album lately.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Noberalice
I haven't been adding anything to Noberalice recently. Its because Noah moved to Portland with his lady friend. I should make an effort to get my hands on some of his latest work because I'm sure its great. I have the original of this picture hanging on my wall.
I think it's fantastic (and sexy). Noah produced a lot of these Porn Scenes on Classified Ads while he was in Portland in 2003-2004. I had the pleasure of visiting with my boys there in February of '04. It was incredible what they had done to the apartment where they were living at the time. There was so much artwork scattered around everywhere I would step in it.
Click the image to see some of the other photos from that trip that I recently uploaded to flickr. I'll be sure to post when I find some new goods from Noah.
I think it's fantastic (and sexy). Noah produced a lot of these Porn Scenes on Classified Ads while he was in Portland in 2003-2004. I had the pleasure of visiting with my boys there in February of '04. It was incredible what they had done to the apartment where they were living at the time. There was so much artwork scattered around everywhere I would step in it.
Click the image to see some of the other photos from that trip that I recently uploaded to flickr. I'll be sure to post when I find some new goods from Noah.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Clock Lady
Thursday, March 16, 2006
New Music
I love checking out new music, even if it's only new to me. My eMusic monthly downloads were just replenished so I "went to town" yesterday. Also, I may or may not have accessed some of my friend Jeff's files via AOL Instant Messenger's file sharing service.
I'm keeping my finger on the pulse of the online community of indie rock lovers. This is some stuff I've been checking out.
Jets to Brazil - Nice melodies, a little bit "whiny singer/songwriter" for my taste. It works as background music for me.
The Expendables - From Jeff. I'm just starting to listen to it and it is sounding really good. I've been really looking for some cool Reggae. For some reason it sounds a little more original than...
Pepper - From Jeff also. Funny and catchy Reggae tunes. Sometimes it sounds A LOT like Sublime, but hey, someone has to sound like Sublime.
Matisyahu - I got "Youth" from Jeff. I know I'm way behind on this guy. I like it a lot.
Arcade Fire - Critically acclaimed Indy Rockers. The album "Funeral" is getting better with every listen.
The Clientele - They play with Spoon and are on the same record label. Its a little soft for me, but soft rock can grow on me over time.
Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Unfortunately named, they know how to rock. I want to check out more.
The Fall - It seems as though they may have come out with hundreds of albums since the '70s when they formed. I got "Boxoctosis" and I want to hear more. I wonder if they have a "best of" album...
!!! (pronounced Chk Chk Chk maybe?) Innovative electronica. I don't know much about this kind of music but this sounds good. I got the song "There's No Fucking Rules Dude" for free from Epitonic.
Neutral Milk Hotel - After checking these guys out, I read some user reviews on emusic.com and I was struck by this one written by user 78705...
Pedro the Lion - Good stuff. I downloaded one song called "I Do" and I think I'll check out some more tracks.
I grabbed a couple extra Spoon songs that weren't on the original 6 albums that I downloaded. "Don't Buy the Realistic" and "Tefamon Bridge" both exceeded my high expectations for the band. In case you don't know Spoon too well, start with albums "Gimme Fiction" and "Kill the Moonlight" and you might just get hooked.
I want to check out some more Iggy Pop. I stumbled upon his album "Brick by Brick" when I was younger and I still love it. For some reason I never explored any of his other solo work or collaborations with The Stooges. I think a good place to start would be the recent "best of" album, Nude and Rude.
I'm keeping my finger on the pulse of the online community of indie rock lovers. This is some stuff I've been checking out.
Jets to Brazil - Nice melodies, a little bit "whiny singer/songwriter" for my taste. It works as background music for me.
The Expendables - From Jeff. I'm just starting to listen to it and it is sounding really good. I've been really looking for some cool Reggae. For some reason it sounds a little more original than...
Pepper - From Jeff also. Funny and catchy Reggae tunes. Sometimes it sounds A LOT like Sublime, but hey, someone has to sound like Sublime.
Matisyahu - I got "Youth" from Jeff. I know I'm way behind on this guy. I like it a lot.
Arcade Fire - Critically acclaimed Indy Rockers. The album "Funeral" is getting better with every listen.
The Clientele - They play with Spoon and are on the same record label. Its a little soft for me, but soft rock can grow on me over time.
Dogs Die In Hot Cars - Unfortunately named, they know how to rock. I want to check out more.
The Fall - It seems as though they may have come out with hundreds of albums since the '70s when they formed. I got "Boxoctosis" and I want to hear more. I wonder if they have a "best of" album...
!!! (pronounced Chk Chk Chk maybe?) Innovative electronica. I don't know much about this kind of music but this sounds good. I got the song "There's No Fucking Rules Dude" for free from Epitonic.
Neutral Milk Hotel - After checking these guys out, I read some user reviews on emusic.com and I was struck by this one written by user 78705...
Taste it...NOW!
"Never reviewed anything in my life, but I implore you,"Download now!" Stop taking your medication (that step is important). Let all those crazy effed up feelings start to creep back into your life. Relish your defects. Break it off with that girl/guy; you know it's not going anywhere. Spread all those unpaid bills out before you...breathe it in. Take a long look in the mirror: not what you'd thought you'd become, but not so bad either, right? Buy a bag, load your one hitter. Dump album to iPod. Find 50 cents, and get on the bus. That's right, a bus. Take a long hard look at your surroundings...your neighbors, your town. Plug into this album and realize why movies and books will never again change your life. Everything so far has been a prelude to this moment. I know it sound deep in a really retarded, 'I'm totally a psych frosh' way, but it works... and that's the beauty. Also try PBR tallboys and People's Court."
Pedro the Lion - Good stuff. I downloaded one song called "I Do" and I think I'll check out some more tracks.
I grabbed a couple extra Spoon songs that weren't on the original 6 albums that I downloaded. "Don't Buy the Realistic" and "Tefamon Bridge" both exceeded my high expectations for the band. In case you don't know Spoon too well, start with albums "Gimme Fiction" and "Kill the Moonlight" and you might just get hooked.
I want to check out some more Iggy Pop. I stumbled upon his album "Brick by Brick" when I was younger and I still love it. For some reason I never explored any of his other solo work or collaborations with The Stooges. I think a good place to start would be the recent "best of" album, Nude and Rude.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Milk Replacer
My friend Arlo is quite a poet. You can buy his book at Powells
Books. Here's a Sample for Ya...
Because You’re not Supposed to Write About the Moon
The moon is a neon globe in a child’s hands,
a slow motion bullet, a hand grenade fired by god
during genesis that threatens wooden skies and ashes
of highways, a temporary eye to splash change
on our canvas which is snow.
We are boys in this dream smoking cigarettes and
drinking mountain dew.I shove your hands in my pockets
and you bury mine in the snow.Every few seconds the
moon dreams this white field into a baseball diamond
and we are kicking up cold dust and slashing bats
through the smoky chests of our rivals.When I remember
this later we’ll be rolling each otherin winter’s soft
teeth like snow angel cigarettes until dawn.
Through the window a grey claw, jaundiced headlights
scratching the skyline. We are yellow nails on gray
fingers, choosing to drive through this, our future
sheets of paved fog, a gray sky gray road gray tongues
and gray words ahead.
We are still drinking soda, folding maps into paper
airplanes,blurring the borders of anytown new England,
sending them out the window to crash and freeze.
Three years later, home still fades into the fog
into the last cigarette and now the typewriter chiming
misspelled bullets and frozen snow globes. You left me
here years ago to invent this night alone and you are
shattering inside my head. What should I say?
The fog fakes your figure into smoke and I’ve escaped
from every photograph? That the snow is just dust
disguising a different past? If not why have I spent
all day revising an empty pasture and filling
your footprints with leftover moonlight?
Books. Here's a Sample for Ya...
Because You’re not Supposed to Write About the Moon
The moon is a neon globe in a child’s hands,
a slow motion bullet, a hand grenade fired by god
during genesis that threatens wooden skies and ashes
of highways, a temporary eye to splash change
on our canvas which is snow.
We are boys in this dream smoking cigarettes and
drinking mountain dew.I shove your hands in my pockets
and you bury mine in the snow.Every few seconds the
moon dreams this white field into a baseball diamond
and we are kicking up cold dust and slashing bats
through the smoky chests of our rivals.When I remember
this later we’ll be rolling each otherin winter’s soft
teeth like snow angel cigarettes until dawn.
Through the window a grey claw, jaundiced headlights
scratching the skyline. We are yellow nails on gray
fingers, choosing to drive through this, our future
sheets of paved fog, a gray sky gray road gray tongues
and gray words ahead.
We are still drinking soda, folding maps into paper
airplanes,blurring the borders of anytown new England,
sending them out the window to crash and freeze.
Three years later, home still fades into the fog
into the last cigarette and now the typewriter chiming
misspelled bullets and frozen snow globes. You left me
here years ago to invent this night alone and you are
shattering inside my head. What should I say?
The fog fakes your figure into smoke and I’ve escaped
from every photograph? That the snow is just dust
disguising a different past? If not why have I spent
all day revising an empty pasture and filling
your footprints with leftover moonlight?
Panoramio
YO!
Check out this cool website called Panoramio.
You can upload pictures to specific places on the google maps. I've posted a couple. It will be great if it catches on. There are already lots of pictures posted. Its fun to look around. I love collaborative projects like this. I'm going to keep posting images.
Check out this picture from Sweden.
Or this one from Algeria.
It makes mine from Breckenridge, CO seem boring.
Check out this cool website called Panoramio.
You can upload pictures to specific places on the google maps. I've posted a couple. It will be great if it catches on. There are already lots of pictures posted. Its fun to look around. I love collaborative projects like this. I'm going to keep posting images.
Check out this picture from Sweden.
Or this one from Algeria.
It makes mine from Breckenridge, CO seem boring.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Lost at Vail
I'm a little embarrassed by this story but I'll tell it because maybe someone will learn from my mistake. At least maybe someone will be entertained.
We were riding out of bounds in Vail when I lost Dino and followed some tracks out to the wrong side of one of the peaks out in Blue Ridge Basin. It didn't take me too long to realize that I was off the map. I started cutting right as hard as I could but it just wasn't enough, I had to unstrap my bindings and start hiking.
It was difficult to hike, in my shape and at that altitude. I would go about 10 steps before I fell down and panted like a dog for a few seconds. I found that pushing my board along the snow with my hands helped take some weight off my feet so I didn't sink into the powder past my knees.
After hiking for almost an hour, I finally made it to the ridgeline where i could drop into the correct side of the bowl. My cell phone still didn't have service, which was too bad because I really wanted to let Dino know that I was OK so he didn't make an expensive call to the search and rescue team. There was good powder on the ride down but I couldn't quite enjoy it since I was still a little shaken up by the experience. I just got down to the lift before it closed for the day.
So take it from me... Even if there are tracks going someplace on the mountain, don't assume that will take you to a lift. You might end up following my snowboard track which will lead you on an excruciating hike and a race against time to get back to civilization. I won't make that mistake again.
The woods are a lot more fun when you have your friends with you.
We were riding out of bounds in Vail when I lost Dino and followed some tracks out to the wrong side of one of the peaks out in Blue Ridge Basin. It didn't take me too long to realize that I was off the map. I started cutting right as hard as I could but it just wasn't enough, I had to unstrap my bindings and start hiking.
It was difficult to hike, in my shape and at that altitude. I would go about 10 steps before I fell down and panted like a dog for a few seconds. I found that pushing my board along the snow with my hands helped take some weight off my feet so I didn't sink into the powder past my knees.
After hiking for almost an hour, I finally made it to the ridgeline where i could drop into the correct side of the bowl. My cell phone still didn't have service, which was too bad because I really wanted to let Dino know that I was OK so he didn't make an expensive call to the search and rescue team. There was good powder on the ride down but I couldn't quite enjoy it since I was still a little shaken up by the experience. I just got down to the lift before it closed for the day.
So take it from me... Even if there are tracks going someplace on the mountain, don't assume that will take you to a lift. You might end up following my snowboard track which will lead you on an excruciating hike and a race against time to get back to civilization. I won't make that mistake again.
The woods are a lot more fun when you have your friends with you.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Karl Pilkington
Gotta mention Karl Pilkington. I love the Ricky Gervais podcast. It is changing the world as we know it. They just started having random Channel 4 advertisements. It's getting annoying, but I guess you can only expect that someone would take advantage of this marketing opportunity.
I could eat a knob at night. Remix.
I could eat a knob at night. Remix.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
V-day
Happy Valentine's Day from Dwight Schrute and I.
I love this picture.
I wanted to take this moment to publicly* declare my love for Geena. As an example of how great she is; today she made me an amazing steak sandwich for lunch. Fluffy onion bread, juicy rare steak, cheddar cheese, lettuce... Brilliant.
* "public" is probably not accurate since nobody actually reads this blog.
I love this picture.
I wanted to take this moment to publicly* declare my love for Geena. As an example of how great she is; today she made me an amazing steak sandwich for lunch. Fluffy onion bread, juicy rare steak, cheddar cheese, lettuce... Brilliant.
* "public" is probably not accurate since nobody actually reads this blog.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Yay
Congratulations Shaun White and the US Snowboarding team. Shaun proved he could live up to the expectations and win the Gold Medal in the Halfpipe competition at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino. Shaun is literally the best Snowboarder in the world. Thats quite an honor.
Detailed Results...
Props also go to Danny Kass of the US team. He won the Silver Medal. Mason Aguirre almost completed a US medal sweep for the competition but Finish rider Koski Markku beat him out for the Bronze.
Detailed Results...
Props also go to Danny Kass of the US team. He won the Silver Medal. Mason Aguirre almost completed a US medal sweep for the competition but Finish rider Koski Markku beat him out for the Bronze.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Shralp!
Best Video podcast available. The Snowboard Podcast from Finland... Shralp! Check out #15, it is a great example of some of the sick snowboard footage that they record. Even if I didn't have a video iPod, I would watch it on my computer. They recently started speaking English so there is less Finish with subtitles.
Enhance
So I'm watching a lot of CSI lately. Primarily Las Vegas. The other night on the show, Nick Stokes was looking at a photograph on the computer. They were using one of those magic computers that they have over there at the lab so they were able to zoom in sooooo closely on the eye of the person in the picture that they could see the image in the the reflection on the eye.
Now something about that always bothered me because I just can't understand how you can keep turning these big pixels into sharp lines. "Thats Impossible!" I would shout at the television. How can they do it? I wonder if it's technology that is just beyond my understanding. Well, I guess I'm starting to understand howit might possibly work, under the right circumstances.
They seem to be using a method called Interpolation to enhance the image. It actually gives a more accurate representation of the image the camera was attempting to capture.
I learned a few things at Smart Guy's Website about the algorithms they use to process these images and enhance them.
Now something about that always bothered me because I just can't understand how you can keep turning these big pixels into sharp lines. "Thats Impossible!" I would shout at the television. How can they do it? I wonder if it's technology that is just beyond my understanding. Well, I guess I'm starting to understand how
They seem to be using a method called Interpolation to enhance the image. It actually gives a more accurate representation of the image the camera was attempting to capture.
I learned a few things at Smart Guy's Website about the algorithms they use to process these images and enhance them.
" The various algorithm's then divide the original large pixel into a number of smaller pixels whoose new values are derived (interpolated) from the shared values of the original adjacent pixels. Bilinear Interpolation multiplies the original pixel into four, Dipietro and Molenaar's S.P.I.T. multiplies it into eight, and the "Cubic Spline" method used by Carlotto uses twelve surrounding pixels.
This is, in effect a statistical analysis of the data provided by the pixel relationships. "
Monday, January 30, 2006
Music and other Musings
I've been checking out some really good music available at eMusic.com
This band Spoon really rocks my socks off lately!
Whats with this weak snowboarding season. I hope I can get my money's worth on my All-For-One pass.
I never knew how many people I know are leading separate electronic lives on MySpace
This band Spoon really rocks my socks off lately!
Whats with this weak snowboarding season. I hope I can get my money's worth on my All-For-One pass.
I never knew how many people I know are leading separate electronic lives on MySpace
Favorite Chuck Norris Fact
When Chuck Norris goes to donate blood, he declines the syringe, and instead requests a hand gun and a bucket.
Whats your favorite Fact?
Whats your favorite Fact?
Friday, January 13, 2006
Pats vs. Carolina
This is Geena and I at a local bar celebrating the Patriots first Playoff game of the season. Still getting used to the camera settings.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
iPod Video to TV
I bought a camcorder cable from Radioshack and plugged it from my iPod headphone jack to my TV's component video and audio plugs. I had to plug the red audio component input into the yellow video input on the TV. That seems wierd but it works well.
details
details
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