More Songs

I've got a few songs that keep popping in my head. Take a listen, seriously. Give them a shot. If you don't, I'll make you watch X3 before you die.

For the myspace audio players, simply click on the title of the song you'd like to hear (i.e. the song I tell you to listen to) in the playlist on the right side of the website.

I give you 5 days to listen to these 5 songs.

Hurt - Rapture
(lyrics)
(audio)
(Hurt's myspace audio player)

Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
(lyrics)
(video)
(AM's myspace audio player)

WOLFMOTHER - Woman
(lyrics)
(Wolfmother's myspace audio player)

the Von Bondies - C'mon C'mon
(lyrics)
(VB's myspace audio player)

Hinder - Get Stoned
(lyrics)
(Hinder's myspace audio player)

I'm liking the format of this post, so maybe in a week I'll do a post of local bands with good songs perhaps...

X3

X-men 3 is horrible.
More on this when I'm not hungry.
No questions.

Solar Warming

Another interesting global warming article. This one talks about our beloved Sun being hotter.
Read it here.

Enchanted Kingdoms

Smashing Pumpkins - Zero
My reflection, dirty mirror
There's no connection to myself
I'm your lover, I'm your zero
I'm in the face of your dreams of glass
So save your prayers
For when we're really gonna need'em
Throw out your cares and fly
Wanna go for a ride?

She's the one for me
She's all I really need
Cause she's the one for me
Emptiness is loneliness, and loneliness is cleanliness
And cleanliness is godliness, and god is empty just like me
Intoxicated with the madness, I'm in love with my sadness
Bullshit fakers, enchanted kingdoms
The fasion victims chew their charcoal teeth
I never let on, that I was on a sinking ship
I never let on that I was down
You blame yourself, for what you can't ignore
You blame yourself for wanting more
She's the one for me
She's all I really need
She's the one for me
She's my one and only

This is for Chaka

Tolkien Languages

Plus I wanted to try linking the site to a new window.

Salutin Day Weekend

So it's official, the 2nd full weekend of May, celebrate Salutin Day Weekend!!!!!!
Have a drink,
try some grog.
Be a Pirate,
shoot a Frog!

yar!

Nirvana

This is probably my favorite Nirvana song, not sure why. The lyrics aren't the reason I don't think, it's more the mood of the song and how Kurt sings it, I'd say. But here are the lyrics anyway.

Verse Chorus Verse (sometimes titled "In His Hands"):

Neither side is sacred, no one wants to win
Feeling so sedated, think I'll just give in
Taking medication 'till my stomach's full
Either side is sacred, Crawling in my hole

Grass is greener, over here
You're the fog that keeps me clear
Reinventing, what would you do?
Take your time and I'll be true
You're the reason I feel pain
Feels so good to feel again

Neither side is sacred, no one wants to win
Feeling so sedated, but I can't give in
Even medication, 'till my stomach's full
Feeling so sedated, when I'm in my home

Grass is greener, over here
You're the fog that keeps me clear
Reinventing, what would you do?
Take your time and I'll be true
You're the reason I feel pain
Feels so good to feel again

Oh (x4)

Neither side is sacred, no one wants to win
Feeling so sedated, think I'll just give in
Taking medication 'till my stomach's full
Feeling so sedated, when I'm in my home

Grass is greener, over here
You're the fog that keeps me clear
Reinventing, what would you do?
Learn from history, and I'll be true
You're the reason I feel pain
Feels so good to feel again

Oh ...

Wolfmother

This band named Wolfmother has some hip songs, give them a try.
HERE

Munich

So I rented Munich last night. I watched it twice in the same night. It was interesting, but preachy. Stylistically it was entirely sound. Not because it was stylish, I didn't really notice much of a particular "style" like certain movies have style (i.e. Hero, V for Vendetta, Pulp Fiction), but it didn't have bad style in any sense. I guess the style could be called "gritty." But in any case, I like the characters, and I kinda like Eric Bana as an actor. I was a fan of his portrayal of Hector in Troy, and "Hoot" in Blackhawk Down. I never saw the hulk, which is probably why I'm still a fan of him. Anyway, Eric Bana did an swell job in Munich. What I liked about the story the most was probably the fact that the guys they got for the job seemed Ordinary (with a capital O). They weren't killers (some weren't, at least), they weren't exceptionally trained, they were normal.
I don't know, it's a movie that makes you think about it afterward more than during the movie. I was originally going to buy it before I saw it, but now that I've rented it I don't think I'll buy it. It's not one of those movies that I'd pull off the shelf and throw in to pass the time. But I do suggest seeing it once or twice.

Underused Phrases in Conversation

The problem with the world is that it's more boring than a movie. So, what I think more people should do is bring the movies into reality (Note: the names used in examples do not represent actual people and all events are fictional).

--->
The next time a stunning revelation occurs in a conversation, interject a timely "dun dun DUN!"
example:
Monica: "Stan, is that a new tie?"
Stan: "No, I borrowed it from Charlie."
You: "dun dun DUN!!!!!!!"

--->
Any time you hear about potential problems or obstacles in an action or anything in general, throw in a "the plot thickens!"
example:
Charlie: "Let's leave at 5 o'clock."
Sarah: "But if we leave that late we'll hit traffic!"
You: "The plot thickens!!!"

--->
Anytime you hear someone bragging about some sort of ingenious or smart something they did, throw in an exclamation like "Dastardly!"
example:
George: "I found it's easier to eat soup with a spoon than with a fork."
You: "Dastardly!!!"

--->
Anytime you are introduced to a new person by a friend, whisper loudly to the friend "So that's who the evil mastermind is!"
example:
Stan: "Hey, , meet Tina."
You: "Pssst, so that's who the evil mastermind is!"

--->
Anytime you have to go to the bathroom, grab food at a BBQ, or leave the conversation, let a friend know and have him remember everything so he can fill you in when you get back.
example:
George: "And then we're going to the Home Depot, maybe Bed Bath & Beyond..."
Stan: "Are you going to have enough time?"
You: "Hey, Stan, I gotta piss. I'll be right back, let me know what happens."

[new addition]
--->
Anytime in a conversation where the mood becomes somber, or something is said that is absolutely not supposed to be celebrated, give a nice, high-pitched rockstar shout.
example:
Charlie: "I got this month's report, we've got to fire 4,500 experienced employees."
You: "YOW!"

With even this limited list of ideas, any/every conversation can be brightened up!

Han Shot First

I was a fan of the original Star Wars Trilogy, I'm not going to lie. I don't mind Lucas making three crap-tacular prequels. What I did mind was him creating a "special edition" version of the original three. What I did mind was his "re-mastering" and then his "re-re-mastering" for the DVD release. What I did mind was including a pointless scene where Greedo somehow shoots before Han Solo. Han Solo: the fastest draw in the Galaxy. Han Solo: the man, the myth, the legend. Han Solo: my childhood hero. Lucas took a big fat crap on Han Solo when he modified the original Star Wars trilogy. Lucas also crapped on the actor who played the body of Darth Vader by dubbing out his one freakin scene as a ghost at the end of Return of the Jedi (replacing him with the Hayden Christainsen). He also crapped on the original actor of Boba Fett by replacing his voice talent with that of Jango Fett's voice.
Well, after much protest, they are now fixing their greatest mistake.
Lucas, this doesn't mean you're forgiven.

Scientists in Minneapolis

The infamous band We Are Scientists is coming to Minneapolis! They're playing at First Ave. on June 23rd. Check out their website for more information and because their website is worth checking out.

Pizza

Well, today I went to a pizza place I hadn't been to in at least 2 years. This was, of course, Duffy's Pizza. I forget it exists, it was Chaka who first brought the place to my attention. So when I went there today, I thought of you, Chaka. Yes it's still there, it's still selling pizza, and the pizza still tastes good! I had a pepperoni, spinach, dried tomato pizza. It was phenomenal.

Also

That said (referring to previous post)...
Usually it was just the lowlifes and unskilled laborers that went to sea. So don't give them too much credit, though there are accounts of pirates having connection with royalty, and some pirates being educated or even landowners.

Pirates

What makes pirates cool? They were the non-conformists of non-conformists. Many of them were taken against their will to the sea. Imagine the arms race during the cold war with immense stockpiling of nuclear arms. Now imagine the same thing done, only with immense armadas of Ships of the Line, each one built slightly larger, slightly more powerful, slightly more destructive than the last. First they needed two decks of guns, then three, then four and more. Each ship needed more and more people to operate, more and more sailors to wage a global war at sea. Living at sea with long, hard days, no amenities, no women, crappy food, sometimes overly harsh captains, away from your home and loved ones, for months and months at a time, is not a job many people volunteered for. So they were kidnapped (a.k.a. shanghaied) and taken aboard vessels and forced to work the sea. Now imagine that after having served months, years, in the Royal Navy you were told to go home and find another job. Imagine that you were kidnapped before you could learn a tradeskill, or your apprenticeship was rudely interrupted by the call to sea. So now you are expected to earn a living but you've been given no chance to learn any set of marketable skills... except the skills learned at sea. What are you to do? What can you do? You take your skills to sea and fight back against the oppresive monarchy, you give them a taste of the medicine they gave you. So you band with others who feel equally disenfranchised and you plunder merchant vessels for a living. You have no homeland, except your ship, and the sea. You are an equal amongst your crew. The Captain was elected by popular vote, and even as Captain his only power is to make executive decisions in combat (i.e. time-intensive) situations. Most decision making is done by vote, a democracy at sea. Racial discrimination is non-existant as all are equally handy at sea. This vision of pirates is slightly romanticized, but I like it.

Kingdom of Heaven

So... I just got done watching my newest DVD: Kingdom of Heaven. I'm a fan of the movie because I find the time period really fascinating. So I decided to make this post a menage a trois of insight. I'm going to list my favorite time periods, my favorite Henry V quote, and my favorite John Stuart Mill quote. These things come to mind because I just got done watching a war movie with some intense combat sequences and the such.
A) Favorite Time Periods to Study:
-> Late 1700's, Early 1800's (Napoleonic Wars, War of 1812, Seven Years War, etc)
-> Crusades / Hundred Years war (1200's - 1400's)
-> Vietnam Conflict (1965-1975)
-> Viking Expansion
-> Any time that has Pirates.

B) Favorite Quote from Shakespeare's Henry V:
"And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall find themselves accursed they were not here
And hold their manhood cheap, whilst any speaks
That fought with us, upon Saint Crispin's Day"


C) Favorite John Stuart Mill Quote:
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing is worth a war, is much worse."
...
"A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

Mudvayne

I bought the Mudvayne CD Lost and Found last week, I like it. Specifically I like the tracks Happy?, and Fall Into Sleep, though my likes are not limited to those two.