Sometimes it takes nearly 100 years for the judicial/political system to straighten out an injustice. Jack Johnson, the world heavyweight champ from 1908 to 1915 and a man with appetites to match his outsized physique and talent, had to serve a year in prison from 1920-1921 for allegedly violating the Mann Act (i.e. "transporting women across state lines for immoral purposes"). Johnson's crime was that the woman thus transported was white, and he was black. The then new law was enough of a catch-all it could be applied to situations of the kind. Johnson's was the first such instance. Considering that good ol' fashioned lynching was the other favored method of discouraging black-white pairings in those days, he was relatively lucky.
But from today's perspective, it's pretty ridiculous he was prosecuted, much less convicted. Johnson's trial was as much about his flamboyant personality and decisive victories over white opponents as his sexual exploits outside the ring. And that is why there has been a move afoot the past few years for a posthumous presidential pardon. Senator John McCain, a big boxing fan, has been the driving force behind it. He, Rep. Peter King, filmmaker Ken Burns, and Johnson's great niece Linda Haywood will appear at a joint press conference tonight to announce another pardon resolution. Similar legislation failed to pass congress last year and in 2004, so its prospects are uncertain.
Mystifying, really. Seems like an easy enough call to me.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Conficker: More Computer Contamination
MS Windows is like a great slab of rotting meat sitting out in the sun and rain for weeks on end. Worm food!
Actually, no. A perverse fact about the computer industry is that dead software remains pristine. It's the living software that attracts vermin and carrion eaters. And the various flavors of Windows are collectively the livingest software there is. Consequently those of us running 2000 or XP or Vista must apply a never ending succession of poultices, potions, smelling salts, and bandages to keep it that way.
A case in point is Conficker. This is the latest worm to try and make a meal of Windows. It exploits a security hole (Microsoft fixed it in October '08, but if you aren't using automatic updates yours might still be there) to spread itself from computer to computer. If you're infected, it also blocks you from accessing security sites so you can't get updated anti-virus definitions that would wipe it out.
Tomorrow it's supposed to go on a rampage, forming a network of remotely controlled hijacked computers to carry out a cybercrime spree; the malicious people who write this kind of malicious code like to set their creations loose on April 1st. They don't understand April Fool's Day is supposed to be for hoaxes and other such harmless deceptions.
But chances are it won't amount to much. There are ways to get around Conficker's website blocking activity. Worst case, you could ask an uninfected friend to download one of the many tools available and send it as an email attachment. The Internet Storm Center has a large collection of these tools.
http://www.dshield.org/diary.html?storyid=5860
Don't search the web for them. Hackers have reacted to the first wave of publicity about Conficker by poisoning search engine results so they point to malware instead. And one further wrinkle: if "Conficker" is in the name of a removal tool, Conficker will block it from running. Many antivirus vendors have already changed the names of their removal tools in response, but if yours isn't you'll have to change it yourself.
The battle between parasites and your immune system is never ending.
Actually, no. A perverse fact about the computer industry is that dead software remains pristine. It's the living software that attracts vermin and carrion eaters. And the various flavors of Windows are collectively the livingest software there is. Consequently those of us running 2000 or XP or Vista must apply a never ending succession of poultices, potions, smelling salts, and bandages to keep it that way.
A case in point is Conficker. This is the latest worm to try and make a meal of Windows. It exploits a security hole (Microsoft fixed it in October '08, but if you aren't using automatic updates yours might still be there) to spread itself from computer to computer. If you're infected, it also blocks you from accessing security sites so you can't get updated anti-virus definitions that would wipe it out.
Tomorrow it's supposed to go on a rampage, forming a network of remotely controlled hijacked computers to carry out a cybercrime spree; the malicious people who write this kind of malicious code like to set their creations loose on April 1st. They don't understand April Fool's Day is supposed to be for hoaxes and other such harmless deceptions.
But chances are it won't amount to much. There are ways to get around Conficker's website blocking activity. Worst case, you could ask an uninfected friend to download one of the many tools available and send it as an email attachment. The Internet Storm Center has a large collection of these tools.
http://www.dshield.org/diary.html?storyid=5860
Don't search the web for them. Hackers have reacted to the first wave of publicity about Conficker by poisoning search engine results so they point to malware instead. And one further wrinkle: if "Conficker" is in the name of a removal tool, Conficker will block it from running. Many antivirus vendors have already changed the names of their removal tools in response, but if yours isn't you'll have to change it yourself.
The battle between parasites and your immune system is never ending.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Blink182 To Reunite
There are reunions, and then there are reunions. Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker reunited on stage at the Grammys two nights ago to present the award for Best Rock Album, and subsequently announced they would be reuniting to perform as Blink182 again. How is that going to work out?
Bands are constantly breaking up, changing members, and reuniting, so this move is right in line with what's normal in the music industry. But reunions are tricky. It's like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Most of the time the creative spark, the chemistry, that allows a group of three or four people to churn out good new music seems to last from three to six years. Then interests start to diverge, personalities to clash, and that's the end of it. Putting the pieces back together doesn't mean the mojo will come with them.
Which is probably why most reunions are more about cashing in on nostalgia, and on the greater disposable income of a core audience that has grown up. (See The Eagles, The Spice Girls, The Rolling Stones... oh, wait, they never officially broke up. No matter. It's the same principle. People go to Stones concerts to hear their old songs, not the new ones.)
Perhaps the new incarnation of Blink182 will beat the odds. But if they don't it won't necessarily matter, because they won't have needed to.
Bands are constantly breaking up, changing members, and reuniting, so this move is right in line with what's normal in the music industry. But reunions are tricky. It's like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. Most of the time the creative spark, the chemistry, that allows a group of three or four people to churn out good new music seems to last from three to six years. Then interests start to diverge, personalities to clash, and that's the end of it. Putting the pieces back together doesn't mean the mojo will come with them.
Which is probably why most reunions are more about cashing in on nostalgia, and on the greater disposable income of a core audience that has grown up. (See The Eagles, The Spice Girls, The Rolling Stones... oh, wait, they never officially broke up. No matter. It's the same principle. People go to Stones concerts to hear their old songs, not the new ones.)
Perhaps the new incarnation of Blink182 will beat the odds. But if they don't it won't necessarily matter, because they won't have needed to.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Grammy Winners
What an amazing turnaround the Grammys have had. Nobody used to care that much about them. Of the all the major awards and their award ceremonies --the Oscars for film, Tonys for live theater, and Emmys for TV-- the Grammys had the least cachet, the least cultural relevance. Sound Opinions rock critics Greg Kott and Jim DeRogatis have noted on a number of occasions they were like that from the start; the music industry's Old Guard established them in 1958 to promote "good music." Meaning music other than rock 'n roll, that abomination teenagers were listening to.
The Old Guard's battle and war were lost long ago, their territory overrun. All that's left is the castle they built in hopes of defending it. Being as they are immobile and heavy, castles don't adapt fast or easily. But the Grammys are obviously trying, and perhaps are finally getting somewhere.
Or not. Here are some of this year's winners. You decide.
Record Of The Year
* "Please Read the Letter," Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Album of the Year
* Raising Sand, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Song of the Year
* "Viva La Vida," Coldplay
Best New Artist
* Adele
Best Electronic/Dance Album
* Alive 2007, Daft Punk
Best Rock Album
* Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends, Coldplay
Best R&B Album
* Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Hudson
Best Rap Album
* Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne
Best Country Album
* Troubadour, George Strait
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
* Randy In Brasil, Randy Brecker
The Old Guard's battle and war were lost long ago, their territory overrun. All that's left is the castle they built in hopes of defending it. Being as they are immobile and heavy, castles don't adapt fast or easily. But the Grammys are obviously trying, and perhaps are finally getting somewhere.
Or not. Here are some of this year's winners. You decide.
Record Of The Year
* "Please Read the Letter," Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Album of the Year
* Raising Sand, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Song of the Year
* "Viva La Vida," Coldplay
Best New Artist
* Adele
Best Electronic/Dance Album
* Alive 2007, Daft Punk
Best Rock Album
* Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends, Coldplay
Best R&B Album
* Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Hudson
Best Rap Album
* Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne
Best Country Album
* Troubadour, George Strait
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
* Randy In Brasil, Randy Brecker
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Best Coffee, Best Coffee Maker
Rating products and services can be kind of a mug's game, but Consumer Reports gets it close to right most of the time. Even if there is better stuff out there than whatever they rate as "Best," or worse stuff than what they rate as "Worst," if you follow their recommendations you'll certainly avoid buying junk.
With that in mind, their testers have some ideas for you about coffee. Eight O'Clock Coffee won out over 19 other brands with a "very good" rating. CU described the taste as a "complex blend of earthy and fruity," which one hopes doesn't mean the beans went into the package unwashed. The competition included top national sellers like Folgers and Maxwell House (admittedly, these are sort of the beverage equivalent of cardboard targets), and specialty blends like Caribou Coffee's Colombia Timana, Kickapoo Coffee's Organic Colombia, and Starbucks' Colombia Medium.
Any home brewing java junkie knows the coffee maker is almost as important as the coffee bean. Here again, CU has it covered. They give the nod to the Michael Graves 12-Cup Coffeemaker as having the best combination of price ($40) and quality (high water temperature, programmability). Second place went to the Melitta Take2 at an even more affordable $25.
Of course, none of this matters if you're satisfied with a teaspoon of instant stirred into a cup of nearly boiling water.
With that in mind, their testers have some ideas for you about coffee. Eight O'Clock Coffee won out over 19 other brands with a "very good" rating. CU described the taste as a "complex blend of earthy and fruity," which one hopes doesn't mean the beans went into the package unwashed. The competition included top national sellers like Folgers and Maxwell House (admittedly, these are sort of the beverage equivalent of cardboard targets), and specialty blends like Caribou Coffee's Colombia Timana, Kickapoo Coffee's Organic Colombia, and Starbucks' Colombia Medium.
Any home brewing java junkie knows the coffee maker is almost as important as the coffee bean. Here again, CU has it covered. They give the nod to the Michael Graves 12-Cup Coffeemaker as having the best combination of price ($40) and quality (high water temperature, programmability). Second place went to the Melitta Take2 at an even more affordable $25.
Of course, none of this matters if you're satisfied with a teaspoon of instant stirred into a cup of nearly boiling water.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Musician Died, The Music Lived
It's not officially a national day of remembrance, but maybe it should be. Buddy Holly died in a plane crash 50 years ago today. Fans still like to call it The Day the Music Died.
As poetic as that sentiment is, I can't quite agree. The music hasn't died. Not so long as we're still listening to it, and musicians are still finding inspiration in his simple but affecting melodies and lyrics. Very few of us leave such large footprints or cast such long shadows by age 22.
He left us with a lot. Imagine if you can What Might Have Been if Holly had lived to leave us more. I'd like to think he would have continued writing good songs on into the early 60s, perhaps single-handedly keeping that era's music from becoming as hopelessly lame and bloodless as it was. The mid to late 60s would have presented a problem; in those years rock started branching out into complex orchestration, social commentary, and of course drugs. Not exactly his milieu. He probably would have been viewed as a bit passe, behind the times, not relevant anymore. His star would have gone into eclipse.
And then rebounded in the 1970s. (Which it did in fact, though in this alternative universe version Don McLean has no reason to write "The Day The Music Died" and thus doesn't have a hit. No matter. That's not a big sacrifice.) After the Holly revival died down in, let's say in the early 1980s, he'd have settled onto the nostalgia circuit and earned a comfortable living there. And then, who knows, the late career resurgence of his contemporaries Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison might have inspired one or even two more albums worth of brilliant material.
We can never know. But we've got what we've got, and that will have to be enough.
As poetic as that sentiment is, I can't quite agree. The music hasn't died. Not so long as we're still listening to it, and musicians are still finding inspiration in his simple but affecting melodies and lyrics. Very few of us leave such large footprints or cast such long shadows by age 22.
He left us with a lot. Imagine if you can What Might Have Been if Holly had lived to leave us more. I'd like to think he would have continued writing good songs on into the early 60s, perhaps single-handedly keeping that era's music from becoming as hopelessly lame and bloodless as it was. The mid to late 60s would have presented a problem; in those years rock started branching out into complex orchestration, social commentary, and of course drugs. Not exactly his milieu. He probably would have been viewed as a bit passe, behind the times, not relevant anymore. His star would have gone into eclipse.
And then rebounded in the 1970s. (Which it did in fact, though in this alternative universe version Don McLean has no reason to write "The Day The Music Died" and thus doesn't have a hit. No matter. That's not a big sacrifice.) After the Holly revival died down in, let's say in the early 1980s, he'd have settled onto the nostalgia circuit and earned a comfortable living there. And then, who knows, the late career resurgence of his contemporaries Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison might have inspired one or even two more albums worth of brilliant material.
We can never know. But we've got what we've got, and that will have to be enough.
Monday, February 2, 2009
What, Those Guys AGAIN?
Super Bowl XLIII was much closer than most people expected. The Arizona Cardinals came back from a 13 pt deficit to take the lead with time running out. But the Pittsburgh Steelers sucked it up and went on a nearly 90 yard drive to score the winning touchdown with 35 seconds left. It came on a tiptoe catch by Santonio Holmes in the corner of the end zone. Steelers QB Ben Rothlisberger could not have made a better throw; there were three Cardinal defenders around Holmes.
So, now the Steelers have six Super Bowl wins, more than any other NFL franchise. What where the others?
Super Bowl IX: Steelers 16, Vikings 6
Special teams and defense carried the day. The Steelers scored on a safety in the second quarter, and put themselves in position for a touchdown when the Vikings fumbled a kickoff.
Super Bowl X: Steelers 21, Cowboys 17
It was the Terry Bradshaw - Lynn Swan show. They only hooked up four times, but one of them was a 64 yard touchdown bomb. Dallas made a good showing of it, with Roger Staubach throwing two TD passes, but the Steelers' defense was too much.
Super Bowl XIII: Steelers 35, Cowboys 31
The arm of Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw carried the day, firing four touchdown passes. Two to Lance Stallworth, one to Rocky Bleier, and one to Lynn Swann. Franco Harris ran 22 yds for another. The Cowboys again made it a tight contest, scoring two touchdown in the last seven minutes, but the Steelers recovered their second attempt at an onside kick.
Super Bowl XIV: Steelers 31, Rams 19
The Steelers' era of dominance came to a close with a shaky performance. But a win is a win. Terry Bradshaw shook off three interceptions to rally his team from behind twice. Once in the third quarter with a 47 yd. touchdown pass to Lynn Swan, and again in the fourth quarter on a 73 yd. pass to Lance Stallworth.
Super Bowl XL: Steelers 21, Seahawks 10
Sorry Steelers fans. This one should have as asterisk beside it, because the officials gave the Steelers some big breaks. There was the first quarter offensive interference penalty against Darrell Jackson that wasn't, nullifying a Seattle touchdown. And the fourth quarter holding penalty against offensive tackle Sean Locklear that wasn't, costing Seattle field position on the Steeler 1 yd line. And the illegal low block called against Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck that was in fact an attempted tackle. Each of these came at pivotal junctures in the game. But in ten or twenty years no one will remember any of that, so it goes down as a win.
Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23
No need for a recap, because we've watched it already. But here goes: Steelers controlled the first half, closing it out with a 100 yd. interception return for a touchdown to go up 17-7. Cardinals rally from 20-7 to take a 23-20 lead with under 3 min to go. Steelers score to reclaim the lead, then force a fumble in the closing seconds to secure the win.
So, now the Steelers have six Super Bowl wins, more than any other NFL franchise. What where the others?
Super Bowl IX: Steelers 16, Vikings 6
Special teams and defense carried the day. The Steelers scored on a safety in the second quarter, and put themselves in position for a touchdown when the Vikings fumbled a kickoff.
Super Bowl X: Steelers 21, Cowboys 17
It was the Terry Bradshaw - Lynn Swan show. They only hooked up four times, but one of them was a 64 yard touchdown bomb. Dallas made a good showing of it, with Roger Staubach throwing two TD passes, but the Steelers' defense was too much.
Super Bowl XIII: Steelers 35, Cowboys 31
The arm of Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw carried the day, firing four touchdown passes. Two to Lance Stallworth, one to Rocky Bleier, and one to Lynn Swann. Franco Harris ran 22 yds for another. The Cowboys again made it a tight contest, scoring two touchdown in the last seven minutes, but the Steelers recovered their second attempt at an onside kick.
Super Bowl XIV: Steelers 31, Rams 19
The Steelers' era of dominance came to a close with a shaky performance. But a win is a win. Terry Bradshaw shook off three interceptions to rally his team from behind twice. Once in the third quarter with a 47 yd. touchdown pass to Lynn Swan, and again in the fourth quarter on a 73 yd. pass to Lance Stallworth.
Super Bowl XL: Steelers 21, Seahawks 10
Sorry Steelers fans. This one should have as asterisk beside it, because the officials gave the Steelers some big breaks. There was the first quarter offensive interference penalty against Darrell Jackson that wasn't, nullifying a Seattle touchdown. And the fourth quarter holding penalty against offensive tackle Sean Locklear that wasn't, costing Seattle field position on the Steeler 1 yd line. And the illegal low block called against Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck that was in fact an attempted tackle. Each of these came at pivotal junctures in the game. But in ten or twenty years no one will remember any of that, so it goes down as a win.
Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23
No need for a recap, because we've watched it already. But here goes: Steelers controlled the first half, closing it out with a 100 yd. interception return for a touchdown to go up 17-7. Cardinals rally from 20-7 to take a 23-20 lead with under 3 min to go. Steelers score to reclaim the lead, then force a fumble in the closing seconds to secure the win.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Land of the Lost
We just can't wait. We just can't tune in and simply let the Super Bowl commercials come when they come. We have to have previews of the commercials. Previews of commercials! Next there will be adverts for the upcoming commercials, previews of the adverts for the commercials, adverts for the previews of the adverts for the previews of the commercials... well, you get the idea. Eventually, an entire year will be devoted to promoting Super Bowl ads.
But that's not what I wanted to write about. I noticed that on the list of spots airing during the game (OK, if you must you can view them [Here], there will be one for Land of the Lost. If you grew up in the 1970s, you will remember this as a live action drama that aired on Saturdays along with a whole bunch of cartoons. The premise was that three modern people somehow get sucked back in time -or into a parallel universe, it wasn't important- and have to survive somehow. In those pre-CGI days the special effects gave it away as a low budget production. It was obviously shot in a studio filled with fake trees and bushes, and was a bit mixed up about what kind of critters lived on earth when; our temporally displaced adventurers found themselves dealing with Jurassic-era dinosaurs (crudely animated models) and ape-like human ancestors (actors in raggedly furry suits). Even so, it wasn't too bad if you lowered your expectations.
The updated version stars Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Anna Friel. Which means it retains the premise of the original and nothing else. By all appearances it's now a comedy with as of high production values you could want. There is no reason for films like this to get made, but then, there is no reason for them not to. Why not take a property that was played more or less seriously the first time and camp it up? The viewing public bought into LotL once, and continues to buy into Will Ferrell. Never mind that the two pieces don't really fit. It will probably find an audience, get consumed like a fast food combo meal, and leave no further trace of itself after two weeks. Or perhaps a month tops. Might not be too bad, if you lower your expectations.
But that's not what I wanted to write about. I noticed that on the list of spots airing during the game (OK, if you must you can view them [Here], there will be one for Land of the Lost. If you grew up in the 1970s, you will remember this as a live action drama that aired on Saturdays along with a whole bunch of cartoons. The premise was that three modern people somehow get sucked back in time -or into a parallel universe, it wasn't important- and have to survive somehow. In those pre-CGI days the special effects gave it away as a low budget production. It was obviously shot in a studio filled with fake trees and bushes, and was a bit mixed up about what kind of critters lived on earth when; our temporally displaced adventurers found themselves dealing with Jurassic-era dinosaurs (crudely animated models) and ape-like human ancestors (actors in raggedly furry suits). Even so, it wasn't too bad if you lowered your expectations.
The updated version stars Will Ferrell, Danny McBride and Anna Friel. Which means it retains the premise of the original and nothing else. By all appearances it's now a comedy with as of high production values you could want. There is no reason for films like this to get made, but then, there is no reason for them not to. Why not take a property that was played more or less seriously the first time and camp it up? The viewing public bought into LotL once, and continues to buy into Will Ferrell. Never mind that the two pieces don't really fit. It will probably find an audience, get consumed like a fast food combo meal, and leave no further trace of itself after two weeks. Or perhaps a month tops. Might not be too bad, if you lower your expectations.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
New NFL Hall of Fame Inductees
It was a pretty good round for the Buffalo Bills in the latest inductions to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Two of the six who made the cut were associated with the team: Bruce Smith, their fearsome defensive end from 1985 to 1998, and Ralph Wilson, long time team owner and founding member of the AFL.
It was even better for the late Bob Hayes. He won two gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the second thanks to his incredible come from behind surge running the anchor leg of the 4x100m relay. He helped the Dallas Cowboys win five Eastern Conference titles, two NFC titles, and a Super Bowls in ten seasons (1964-1974), in the process forcing NFL teams to invent zone coverage schemes to counteract his unmatchable speed. And yet, inexplicably and somewhat controversially, was passed over repeatedly by the Hall of Fame Committee. Today's decision makes him the world's only athlete to have Olympic gold, a Super Bowl ring, and a place in the Hall.
Also voted in were former Minnesota Vikings guard Randall McDaniel, former Kansas City Chiefs middle linebacker Derrick Thomas (posthumously), and well-traveled defense back Rod Woodson (Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders).
It was even better for the late Bob Hayes. He won two gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the second thanks to his incredible come from behind surge running the anchor leg of the 4x100m relay. He helped the Dallas Cowboys win five Eastern Conference titles, two NFC titles, and a Super Bowls in ten seasons (1964-1974), in the process forcing NFL teams to invent zone coverage schemes to counteract his unmatchable speed. And yet, inexplicably and somewhat controversially, was passed over repeatedly by the Hall of Fame Committee. Today's decision makes him the world's only athlete to have Olympic gold, a Super Bowl ring, and a place in the Hall.
Also voted in were former Minnesota Vikings guard Randall McDaniel, former Kansas City Chiefs middle linebacker Derrick Thomas (posthumously), and well-traveled defense back Rod Woodson (Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders).
Friday, January 30, 2009
Coachella Lineup
Is the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival still relevant? At least one commentator believes that while it used to warrant a significant investment of time and money, Coachella has in recent years become just another top heavy three day concert. This perception is apparently based on a too small lineup of Big Names.
Odds are lots and lots of people will go anyway. And when they do they will choose among:
* 43 performers on Friday, April 17.
These will include Franz Ferdinand, the Black Keys, Girl Talk, Leonard Cohen, Morrissey, and Paul McCartney.
* 41 performers on Saturday, April 18.
These will include Bob Mould Band, Amy Winehouse (unless she's in jail, in rehab, or dead), Henry Rollins, The Killers, Superchunk, and TV On The Radio.
* 37 performers on Sunday,April 19
These will include The Cure, Jenny Lewis, Lupe Fiasco, My Bloody Valentine, Public Enemy, Throbbing Gristle, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and X.
Is that enough? If not, you can view the full lineup [here] and decide.
Odds are lots and lots of people will go anyway. And when they do they will choose among:
* 43 performers on Friday, April 17.
These will include Franz Ferdinand, the Black Keys, Girl Talk, Leonard Cohen, Morrissey, and Paul McCartney.
* 41 performers on Saturday, April 18.
These will include Bob Mould Band, Amy Winehouse (unless she's in jail, in rehab, or dead), Henry Rollins, The Killers, Superchunk, and TV On The Radio.
* 37 performers on Sunday,April 19
These will include The Cure, Jenny Lewis, Lupe Fiasco, My Bloody Valentine, Public Enemy, Throbbing Gristle, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and X.
Is that enough? If not, you can view the full lineup [here] and decide.
(The Usual) Off Season Drama
The economy is in freefall. Disruptive changes and great challenges lie ahead. The nation watches and waits, barely daring to breath. And over it all hangs a pivotal question: Will the Boston Red Sox resign catcher Jason Varitek?
Well, actually, even Red Sox fans are kind of jaded about the whole issue. The team is offering $5 million. Varitek is holding out for more. Casual observers of the negotiation (ie: fan postings on message boards) describe him as a type-A personality whose defense is pretty good but whose offense is suspect; his career batting average is .263, which is... average. They think he's already getting the best deal he can expect. And some analysts who have sliced and diced the numbers question whether a catcher really affects the performance of a pitching staff all that much.
But team management seems to like him, so maybe after Varitek is done sulking he'll sign on. Or not. If he doesn't, the Red Sox can sign me instead. I'd love it someone paid me $5 million a year to play baseball. (And apart from my inability to hit, field, or throw, I'm an outstanding baseball player.)
Well, actually, even Red Sox fans are kind of jaded about the whole issue. The team is offering $5 million. Varitek is holding out for more. Casual observers of the negotiation (ie: fan postings on message boards) describe him as a type-A personality whose defense is pretty good but whose offense is suspect; his career batting average is .263, which is... average. They think he's already getting the best deal he can expect. And some analysts who have sliced and diced the numbers question whether a catcher really affects the performance of a pitching staff all that much.
But team management seems to like him, so maybe after Varitek is done sulking he'll sign on. Or not. If he doesn't, the Red Sox can sign me instead. I'd love it someone paid me $5 million a year to play baseball. (And apart from my inability to hit, field, or throw, I'm an outstanding baseball player.)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Super Bowl Start Time
Kickoff for this year's Super Bowl (43 if you're New School, XLIII if you're Old School) is at 6pm eastern standard time. Or 6:20pm EST. No one wants to say precisely; the pre-game show and various set-pieces have to be shoe-horned in, and sometimes these don't come off quite as planned. But you can probably expect the ball will be in play by 6:30pm EST at the latest. A world wide audience of potentially 1 billion could tune in.
The pre-game show starts at 12:01am EST on Sunday morning and will run continuously for roughly 18 hours, the commercials having long ago become integrated into the programming. Topics covered will include profiles of key players, their families, pets, and home towns, profiles of the coaches, their families, pets, and home towns, profiles of the assistant coaches, profiles of coaches' hair pieces if any, and highlights from each of the previous XLII Super Bowls accompanied by dramatic music and commentary. Complete exhaustion of all relevant subject matter will be achieved by 3:00pm EST.
The actual game will pit the Arizona Cardinals against the Pittsburgh Steelers. As of this writing Pittsburgh is favored by a touchdown or nearly so, but in recent years the games have been close. And almost compelling enough to justify the hype. If each team’s playoff performance is anything to go by, this year could hold true to form.
It should be noted as an afterthought that although the westernmost range of the North American Cardinal does extend to Arizona, you are much more likely to find these birds in the eastern half of the country. Nor is steel made in Pittsburgh these days. The city's economy is now based on healthcare, education, technology, robotics, fashion, and financial services.
The pre-game show starts at 12:01am EST on Sunday morning and will run continuously for roughly 18 hours, the commercials having long ago become integrated into the programming. Topics covered will include profiles of key players, their families, pets, and home towns, profiles of the coaches, their families, pets, and home towns, profiles of the assistant coaches, profiles of coaches' hair pieces if any, and highlights from each of the previous XLII Super Bowls accompanied by dramatic music and commentary. Complete exhaustion of all relevant subject matter will be achieved by 3:00pm EST.
The actual game will pit the Arizona Cardinals against the Pittsburgh Steelers. As of this writing Pittsburgh is favored by a touchdown or nearly so, but in recent years the games have been close. And almost compelling enough to justify the hype. If each team’s playoff performance is anything to go by, this year could hold true to form.
It should be noted as an afterthought that although the westernmost range of the North American Cardinal does extend to Arizona, you are much more likely to find these birds in the eastern half of the country. Nor is steel made in Pittsburgh these days. The city's economy is now based on healthcare, education, technology, robotics, fashion, and financial services.
Afro Samurai: Resurrection (It's a game, it's a movie)
The end of January is providing a flood of riches for fans of Samuel L. Jackson and Afro Samurai: a two hour movie AND a game for XBox 360 and Playstation 3. The movie premiered on Spike TV last Sunday (Jan. 25, 2009), and the game debuted last Tuesday (Jan. 27, 2009). Still ahead is the DVD release of the movie on February 3rd. Jackson once again lends his distinctive voice to Afro, the haunted, nearly mute samurai, and to Afro's talkative alter ego Ninja Ninja.
The Movie:
Of all the movies Jackson appeared in last year (there were six, but who's counting?), Afro Samurai: Resurrection has by his own admission a special place in his heart. The story line is what you would expect from a comic book melodrama: Afro walks a shattered, post-apocalyptic earth, avenging the desecration of his father's grave by the sadistic mastermind Sio (voiced by Lucy Liu). The important thing is that he looks and sounds really good doing it. And thanks to the stylized vision of Manga artist Takashi Okazaki, combined with the music of Wu-Tang Clan alum RZA, he does. Through every lightning crack, sword slash, and gush of blood.
The Game:
Is the game a movie, or is the movie a game? Well, either way it all fits. With a story based on a character thirsting for vengeance, you know there's going to be a whole lot of bad guys to chop up. And OK, sure, you've encountered that before. But once again, it's about the look, the design, the movement. The use of dynamic cross-hatching visuals give a captivating pen and ink hand-drawn feel to the environments you explore, and the characters you meet. These work seamlessly with an innovative combat system that enable you to execute your foes with fluid yet elegantly precise fighting moves (imagine that!). Raw, irreverent dialogue and RZA's hip-hop score complete the experience. If you ever wanted to inhabit Afro's world, Publisher Namco Bandai Games America Inc. has delivered.
The Movie:
Of all the movies Jackson appeared in last year (there were six, but who's counting?), Afro Samurai: Resurrection has by his own admission a special place in his heart. The story line is what you would expect from a comic book melodrama: Afro walks a shattered, post-apocalyptic earth, avenging the desecration of his father's grave by the sadistic mastermind Sio (voiced by Lucy Liu). The important thing is that he looks and sounds really good doing it. And thanks to the stylized vision of Manga artist Takashi Okazaki, combined with the music of Wu-Tang Clan alum RZA, he does. Through every lightning crack, sword slash, and gush of blood.
The Game:
Is the game a movie, or is the movie a game? Well, either way it all fits. With a story based on a character thirsting for vengeance, you know there's going to be a whole lot of bad guys to chop up. And OK, sure, you've encountered that before. But once again, it's about the look, the design, the movement. The use of dynamic cross-hatching visuals give a captivating pen and ink hand-drawn feel to the environments you explore, and the characters you meet. These work seamlessly with an innovative combat system that enable you to execute your foes with fluid yet elegantly precise fighting moves (imagine that!). Raw, irreverent dialogue and RZA's hip-hop score complete the experience. If you ever wanted to inhabit Afro's world, Publisher Namco Bandai Games America Inc. has delivered.
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