Bendy Bendy

Fountains Run Dry

2007-03-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

Newman's "Fountain at the Center of the World." Not really worth it.

If future generations mythologize the Seattle protests, this book'll find itself in the middle of the protest canon. But, still, not really worth it. By which I mean it's really not worth it.

What it's got going for it is the psuedo-documentary stuff. What does it feel like in the middle of a big protest? There's nice little details that, if you're interested enough to learn (but not interested enough to join a protest/sports victory riot yourself), you'll find some of it interesting. It's pretty much like you'd expect: tear gas, running around, a lot of not understanding exactly why or what you're protesting.

In fact, that lack of understanding is a big annoyance in the novel. All the good characters are protesters, and all the bad guys work for the WTO. Why be a good guy? Because the WTO is a bunch of dicks. That's as deep as the analysis goes--the main baddie is distinguished by both his zeal to be on the wrong side of every issue as well as his dickishness to people who interrupt him reading a newspaper. All the protesters are good guys.

That's pretty much it: Don't be a dick! Protest the WTO! says Newman. Why? Because that's what the good guys do.

Go Rerun!

2007-03-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

Something dark will happen to them.

2007-02-10T17:02:00.000-08:00

Something dark will happen to them anyway.

Yeah well I know you hate my music...

2007-01-06T13:43:00.000-08:00

...and you think that I should throw it away.

But I've got nothing to hold onto but the dreary shit I always play.

I like the part where there's fire behind the guitar -- it reminds me of a certain Crabid Records star...

I'm not being mean, so don't take it hard

2006-12-16T12:10:00.000-08:00

But this is a bad video for a great song. Where'd you go, Josef K?

Did I say a bad word about you?

2006-06-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

Sultans!

I Forgot to Remember to Forget

2006-06-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

Eco's Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana is like a Yakov Smirnoff joke: In America, people tell stories. For Eco, stories tell people! What a country.

In a nutshell, Yambo (protagonist) has lost his memory, and tries to find himself by reading all the books and comics of his youth. Good idea, and for a brief moment it seems like you could carry a book that way. But it quickly becomes obvious how futile this is for Yambo, and for Eco as well. How many obscure fascist comics does Eco need to reference before you get the idea that the number of books Yambo ever read doesn't add up to Yambo? Not that many. At least, not as many as Eco thinks it takes, sadly.

What kills this book is what kills the other Eco books, and this one doesn't have the salvation of a William Weaver translation. Great ideas, beaten to death in a storm of clunky writing. And lots it. However, it's a gorgeously designed hardcover, and looks good on my shelf.

I think of demons...

2006-04-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

...for you.

That's an actual Roky Erickson lyric. I love Roky, but, really, I can't relate. But can you dislike "The Interpreter" or "Mine Mine Mind"? "Cold Night for Alligators"? "Reverberations"? Not if you're honest, you can't. He's a genius, even though sometimes it's like Tenacious D, but for real (like "Stand for the Fire Demon").

Without getting into the whole mental health part of his biography, I will say that despite his far-out cred, you're basically talking about blues-form garage jams with some unusual pentatonic solos on top. And his bridges, to be honest, are far out. So of course I loved I Have Always Been Here Before(thanks for buying it for me Rachel!).

That said, his music really fits well with stuff that came much later -- "I Have Always Been Here Before" is just steps away from Guided by Voices. (Who I just saw on Austin City Limits, and man that singer was drunk off his ass. I think I like them again.)

Everywhere's a beach...

2006-04-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

The first little mini-track of the Magnetic Fields' Holidayis my ringtone. As an album, I think it's Merritt's best; nevertheless, I think Get Losthas a few songs that top anything on this album: "Famous" in particular. But not much better (listen to "Strange Powers" here).

What strikes me most about this album are the lyrical conventions -- especially the comparisons: "On the Ferris Wheel, looking out on Coney Island / Under more stars than there are prostitutes in Thailand [...] When we kiss it feels like a flying saucer landing." And the entire first verse of "Desert Island" is nothing but a list of comparisons.

So there's a showy lyrical effusiveness here, and I kind of like it. I'd have to agree with Bob on appreciating the lyric "I read your manifestoes and your strange religous tracts / You took me to the library and kissed me in the stacks." (Also thanks for Bob for introducing me to the Magnetic Fields in the first place.)

But the point of this effusiveness is unclear, or at least I don't get it. Maybe I could be clever and argue that there's some implicit comparison between ordinary life and "holiday" life through the album? I'd point out the Brian Wilson-inspired songs "In My Secret Place" and "In My Car" in my defence: maybe the songs, like a holiday (or a hide-away, or your car, or a desert island, ecstasy trip, etc.), take you out of the ordinary world and into a poetic, showy fantasy.

A Cannibal's Feast

2006-04-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

Reviews of Hemingway's Moveable Feast usually focus on the deeply cruel portraits of Hemingway's emigre circle of artists -- not unfairly, especially considering the F. Scott Fitzgerald anecdotes. Papa eats his old friends and acquaintances alive in this one.

But what people don't seem to focus on is the amount to which Hem eats himself up -- he just tears through his Paris years in a wave of cynicism. And yet, despite this, there's an undercurrent of nostalgia for his simpler days, before he wised up and learned what an ass he and everybody else was. Ah, sweet memories.

I think it's unsettling that these stories are so unattached to the author's present; there's no rationale for them, just a free-floating bitterness that forces him to recast his earlier happinesses as if they were a kind of gullibility or blindness.

Don't get me wrong. The gossip's hot and vicious, and, at the end of the day, it's still Papa H: I think I'm genetically predisposed to really love his writing no matter what.

Lem!

2006-04-01T09:36:00.000-08:00

Didn't have time to post earlier this week, but RIP Stanislaw Lem. One of my faves -- read Pirx the Pilot, the Cyberiad, and Star Diaries; enjoy; feel nerdy.

I'm a dance commando...

2006-03-24T22:01:00.000-08:00

Two members of Gunrack get together again. Sweet, ain't it? It's been 10 years since I've seen Steve!

What's in my head

2006-03-23T14:11:00.000-08:00

Even though there's still plenty of snow on the ground, I've grown tired of my fall/winter lipstick. It's MAC's Taupe, and the manufacturer describes the color as "muted reddish-taupe brown (matte)." Doesn't it sound like the sensible lipstick shade a low-level college administrator in the Midwest would wear? Since I am one, I guess it works. But now that it's spring, at least according to the calendar, I'm ready to go back to my current spring/summer standby, MAC's Plastique. It's "soft muted peachy-brown with golden bronze shimmer (frost)." That's a little funkier, isn't it?

However, I had forgotten that the name makes me think of that Le Freak song. So as I'm opening the tube all I can hear in my head is:

"Awwww, freak out! Plastique! C'est chic!"

And now I bet you're hearing it in yours. Sucker.

Point/Counterpoint: Not All Wolves are Scary

2006-03-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

I feel I have to comment on Ben's last post. Though wolves in general are scary, "the last time we went up north" did not involve seeing a scary wolf. It featured a sighting of a pitiful, bedraggled, limping wolf along the side of the freeway. We were never in any danger, and in fact went on to win a nice chunk of change at Grand Casino on the way home. All in all, a pleasant drive. Ben, you have exaggerated the scariness of the wolf we saw up north.

The wolf that tried to kill me at the pay zoo was much scarier, but even he was not as scary as the gorilla at the free zoo. Who was separated from us by a sheet of plywood. Now that is scary.

And I realize this will sound petty, but I would like to take this opportunity to point out that I am the one who made the delicious waffles we enjoyed in Bemidji.

Ah sweet Bemidji.

2006-03-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

Well, if I get my act together I'll post a picture or two of our Bemidji trip someday. It was a fun visit with Aunt Cami and brother-in-law Jacob.

But here's the lowdown: We stayed in a really hip 70s-style cabin on lake Bemidji, roasted near the fire, and watched some Olympics. There was also vegetarian food, and really good waffles. Then, we hurt ourselves skiing all over the place -- fun though! We recuperated in the hot tub and drank beers.

Also, I saw a really big woodpecker and a bunch (scraggly gaggle?) of turkeys -- thankfully no wolves, like the last time we went up north. Wolves are scary. No lie.

For Bob

2006-03-13T20:19:00.000-08:00

I wasn't a regular at Discount Video, but Bob was. I do wish I'd run into Deneuve!

And for all that clatter about browsing, it was nearly impossible to browse there.

Stereolab at First Ave!

2006-03-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Rachel and I caught Stereolab at First Ave last night -- fun, as always. First Ave's changed itself around a lot, though, and I don't think they've got everything quite figured out. We thought the sound wasn't too great -- really muddy bass, really quiet vocals -- and that's really unexpected for First Ave!

I stood next to a bunch of interpretive dancers who danced like snakes on acid through everything -- even the DJ music before and after the show, and even during the silent parts between songs.

Company newsletter

2006-03-10T11:59:00.000-08:00

The Minneapolis Star Tribune unveiled a new tier of advertising on their website today.... but I think it goes too far. There's practically no Strib branding left! Did GM buy the whole thing? "Unleash the power of corn" indeed.

--Phew! Back to normal on the 11th!--

Big Brother on CD

2006-02-28T20:15:00.000-08:00

Not the TV show... Man. Our state GOP are a bunch of voyeuristic weirdos. Secretly collecting info on users viewing a cd promoting anti-gay marriage legislation, and then putting that info on a public website -- hopefully the DFL will take a look and get some free focus group info. Thanks, GOP!

Bemidji bound

2006-02-19T14:19:00.000-08:00

We're headed to Bemidji (that's 4 hours north) for some skiing, ice skating, and maybe even curling! I'm excited!

El Hombre doesn't want you to have this enchilada recipe

2006-02-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

There used to be a really good bean and cheese enchilada recipe printed on the Old El Paso enchilada sauce cans, but it's not there anymore. El Hombre wants you to buy more ground beef, apparently. But what are you supposed to do about dinner when it's 6:00 on Thursday night and you haven't been shopping since the weekend? Defrost some ground beef? I ain't tryin to hear that. Here's what you do:

1 (16 oz) can refried beans (I like the Old El Paso brand with green chiles)
2 (10 oz) cans of enchilada sauce (my secret: 1 can of "hot" and one can of "mild." Just to be crazy.)
10 corn tortillas (not the giant burrito-sized ones)
2 cups shredded cheese (this meal ain't fancy, so just buy the pre-shredded stuff)
vegetable oil

Heat about 1/4 cup of the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat for a couple minutes. Warm the tortillas in the oil by dipping each one in the oil (both sides) for a few seconds. Combine the 2 cans of sauce in a large bowl. Combine the beans with 1 cup of cheese in another bowl. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Now, here's where the technique comes in: dip each tortilla in the sauce (again, both sides). Lay it on a plate, then drop about 3-4 tablespoons (don't actually measure like a wuss. Also, use your hands) of bean and cheese in the center. Fold the two sides of the tortilla over the center, and place it seam-side down in the pan. Repeat until all the tortillas are filled. Then pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, and sprinkle the last cup of cheese over the top. Then bake for about 25 minutes at 350.

You can make this vegetarian if you use the vegetarian refried beans. However, lard is what makes refried beans taste good. Also, whatever they use in place of the lard in the vegetarian beans has been known to cause some . . . gastric distress.

Dearest dunce...

2006-02-14T17:22:00.000-08:00

I think what had kept me from reading John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces for so long was that it was marketed (not necessarily by the publisher, but by well-meaning book pushers I've come across) as a comedy, and, worse yet, as a hippie comedy (I have trouble with poetry in LP liner notes, too). But I was finally pressured and cajoled into reading Dunces, and, having tested it on Rachel first, dove in, thank God.

And it was rewarding, in a dark, bitter way. Like Milky Way Midnight bars.

It's true that portly protagonist Ignatius finds solace in the words of Boethius, and it's true that his incredibly allusive and quasi-scholarly inner world lends depth and meaning to his daily life. But constantly the heart breaks upon realizing that it all depends on maintaining the self-delusion -- maybe the philosophy of the Consolation is just a mind fuck. Because, finally and unfortunately, I think the reader must in good conscience not only include Ignatius among the world's dunces, but must also, perhaps, accept him as the dearest and dunciest of them all.

Motown Mow Down

2006-01-26T00:08:00.000-08:00

Make way for the bowl...

On The Historian

2006-01-06T23:59:00.000-08:00

Recently finished reading The Historian. Not too bad, not so great: somewhere closer to Dan Brown (yech!) than Eco (yeah!). To put it on a more precise continuum, more like Club Dumas (not appalling!), but leagues ahead of pretenders like The Rule of Four (appalling!). I kept wanting it to be a metaphorical meditation on the beauty of handing down and receiving cherished books from generation to generation. It almost was about that, to its credit.

But it started me thinking about something that bothers me about this current fad of conspiracy books: what's with the ancient mysteries we could all discover with a little light research? Sure, a lot of it is piling on (Brown, etc.). I'm starting to feel that it's more about arguing for a more elevated place for genre fiction in the canon -- that even a Dracula thriller can be philosophical and meditative, maybe even ponder literary history. In fact, The Historian reminds me of moments in Chabon's Kavalier and Klay, especially in the way it cherishes/belittles older genre books (Bram Stoker, instead of Chabon's comics).

I love genre fiction in its own right, but sometimes all these references to ancient manuscripts and famous libraries, and master painters, and renowned architecture feels like putting a line of plaster sculptures down the hallway of a McMansion.

Art Show Hero

2005-12-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

Two of my pieces were selected for a Minneapolis student art show! One's a pen-n-ink portrait of Lee Marvin; the other's an oil paint monoprint.

I'd scan them, but I won't get them back until after April.

Draw like the Depression's back on!

2005-11-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

SaveLoomis has got a great collection of Loomis's drawing manuals. I like how the "Fashion" male model (in his most famous book) has a mustache and pipe.

Rodd 'n' Todd

2005-11-15T12:59:00.000-08:00

So, our local newspaper, the Star Tribune, has recently been defending one of its columnists, Katherine Kersten. KK (one short!) is first of all a terrible writer, and, secondly, a terrible thinker -- see for yourself.

But I had to laugh reading a letter from one of her de- diddly-fenders.

What does a shoulder separation feel like?

2005-10-30T14:10:00.000-08:00

Not good. I'm looking at 6 weeks of physical therapy!

Thus I have neglected the blog.

Text Me

2005-10-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

As a kid, I was addicted to those Infocom games. Here's one of my faves!

What remains of old Detroit?

2005-09-15T18:44:00.000-07:00

See for yourself...

You never hear about...

2005-08-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

Flagpole sitting anymore.

Check it out!

2005-08-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

Pix of the inside of our new house! That's not our stuff in the pictures. We haven't moved in yet.

Victory on the Homefront!

2005-08-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, we received the good word: our offer on a house was accepted!

It's really a gorgeous house. And it'll be ours after an inspection and appraisal!

Gunrack Sightings

2005-08-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

Time for my favorite pastime: Gunrack sighting. For those of you who aren't familiar with Gunrack, it was the early-90s punk-a-billy band that made Ann Arbor famous. Gunrack sighting is the practice of finding information about Gunrack on the web and linking to it from somewhere else so as to futher the world's familiarity with the Gunrack legend.

Here's my favorite. It's a Russian site that appears to be about beer. They've reproduced the the complete lyrics to Gunrack's hit song, Drink Sum Beer, and have even provided a Real Audio recording of it.

http://www.nubo.ru/songs/texts/drink_some_beer.html

My Planet X Names

2005-08-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

1. Osama (where is it?)
2. Jackson (creepy. the further away the better)
3. Hasil (R.I.P)
4. Bendy (hell, why not?)
5. Zelda

Planet Naming Contest?

2005-08-04T12:18:00.000-07:00

Chris, you're exactly right about the bullshit names they give planets. "Bush" is plausible enough to scare me.

So let's brainstorm! Here's some ideas:
1. Elvis
2. Nusic
3. Wellstone (*sigh*)
4. Leslie
5. Eegah! ("The Name Written in Blood")

House hunting

2005-08-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

We've been looking for a house for a month (in northeast Minneapolis), and bad luck is keeping us looking. We've lost 2 right out from under us... It's not unusual: the market here is just crazy. At least we aren't getting caught up in condo fever!

So why are we looking to buy in one of the worst real estate markets in the country? Because it's better than renting in one of the worst real estate markets in the country.

Free cookies to whomever finds us a winner.

Planet X

2005-07-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

Every few years, it seems like astronomers find a new candidate for the 10th planet in our solar system. And each time I get excited. I'm such a sucker. Again.

Good Times!

2005-07-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

Got hooked in to the "Good Times" marathon on TV Land... Temporary layoffs. Good times.

Hockey! Part 2

2005-07-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

The players' union voted to support the new CBA. This was the last significant hurdle to hurdle, so from now on it's all icing and 5-minute fighting penalties!

The hockey market

2005-07-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

Every problem has a solution, and I guess every solution has a problem, too.

Can I get an amen?

2005-07-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

Yes. I can get lots of amens. Don't let the narrator hypnotize you with his powerful voice.

Coolest Keyboard Ever

2005-07-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

So far, that is. Man, that's cool. It's got LEDs for each key that change according to the program you're using, or any template you put in.

Rutgers is bad for politics and writing.

2005-07-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

This upsets me as an American and an editor. Saw this on DailyKos.

Hockey!

2005-07-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

Finally! Here's the details:

1. A salary cap (both a minimum and a maximum)
2. Salaries tied to league revenue (54%)

Both things the players' union had rejected for almost a year.

No word yet on if this means reduced ticket prices, or if the draft order has been sorted out.

Beanball Biggio

2005-06-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

A favorite player in our household, Houston's Craig Biggio set the record for being hit by pitches yesterday.

Don't wanna holiday in the sun

2005-06-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

The Russkis lost the solar sail.

Yeah, the coverage sucked...

2005-06-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

But the cycle's passed, so it's too late now.

At least, that seems to be the media's reaction to the Downing Street Memo at this point.

I'm especially disgusted byt this paragraph in the Strib's response:
"I love a good campaign in which informed, engaged citizens come together eagerly to debate issues. But there's something about these e-mail campaigns fomented by political websites (and Downing Street is just the most recent -- they erupt across the spectrum of politics and issues) that smacks more of Astroturf than grassroots. Ombudsmen around the country chat regularly about the latest campaigns; the technique isn't fooling anyone. It's also important to remember, however, that some of the Downing Street reaction, such as the e-mail from Bootz, was genuine and spontaneous -- although Bootz says he later went online to urge others to contact the media."

Sorry, but my outrage about the silence over this wasn't part of a "campaign." I also don't think that Bootz stopped being authentically outraged when he encouraged people to ask the media to cover the story.

Boo, strib, boo.

Suburban art

2005-06-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

There are people living outside of Minneapolis? I know nothing of Minnesota outside of the Twin Cities (and a few blocks of Duluth and St. Peter). Lucky for me the McKnight Foundation just released a snazzy little interactive map to arty places outside the cities.

Democratic campaign gaffes

2005-06-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

I tell ya. Those swift boat vets claimed Kerry had shot himself in Vietnam. Now we know it's not true. Kerry shot himself in the foot last year.

Guliani on ice

2005-06-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

Lordy. I guess he wants to up his profile before he runs for president or senator or something.

Spinnin' Nixon

2005-06-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

Rewriting history is nothing new for repubs, but why doesn't anybody notice that Gerald Ford was the one in the oval office?

Pass the puck.

2005-06-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

The NHL might play next season, but will we be able to watch the games? Fortunately, the league will air some games on NBC, but it looks like they'd do that as often as ABC did in the past. Which is to say, they'll air the first game of the season, and then nothing until the playoffs. Sigh.

Also, I like that ESPN posted this article about how they won't be offering a sports service to fans. But I don't like that it's an AP article, and not an explanation from the network itself.

Pawlenty of articles about our guv

2005-06-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

The City Pages today ran two really good articles about our guv, one outlining his nascent presidential campaign and another discussing his recent missteps, focusing on the state budget fight.

Pawlenty for quite a while had garnered a lot of good will just by not being Jesse Ventura -- Pawlenty hasn't been great, but he hasn't been crazy, either.

But as memories of Ventura fade away, Pawlenty's ambitions put him forward into the spotlight. And it turns out he ain't so great.

Erato, look away

2005-05-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

So our guv just vetoed the creation of a state Poet Laureate -- despite it being an honorary, unpaid position. What a jackass, that Pawlenty. Still, there's hope for an override.

Erato, by the way, is the muse of love poetry. I think when republicans like pawlenty dismiss the arts, they think mostly of work that would come under Erato's sway. But the rest of us know that Calliope, muse of epic poetry, records offenses like these in the histories of states.

Pawlenty, even more by the way, is pretty moderate for a repub (we're a purple state), and pretty unconvincing to everyone on every topic. And yet some beleive he may run for president in 2008. Silly.

And Deep Throat is...

2005-05-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

Yo momma.

No, wait...

Actually it's retired G-man W. Mark Felt. Probably. Weird how Woodward & Bernstein won't confirm it.

A second Newsweek surprise

2005-05-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

Newsweek wasn't lying. Of course, if you believed the white house's complaint in the first place, you won't beleive this, either.

Downing Street Memo Article

2005-05-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

An honest-to-god story in a US journal about the downing street memo! And it's the best I've read about it yet.

Mein dome

2005-05-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

Secrets of my city. I'm still not convinced this one was on purpose, though.

Music Software

2005-05-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

I'm lookin' for some music software (PC-type) -- something that acts as a multitrack recorder, at the very least. I've used Cakewalk products before (an older version of Home Studio, especially), but frankly I don't like their stuff. Too tuff.

I'm leaning toward Ableton. Heavily. It's mighty nice (at least the demo is). Anyway, I wonder if some of my friends who record music on their computers have anything to add?

Bears!

2005-05-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

Too much nature in my city.

Even Ridge thinks those terror alerts were phony

2005-05-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

USA Today reports that Ridge opposed a lot of those hinky terror alerts, but doesn't note that they occurred during the presidential election season.

Republicans lie about judges. Again.

2005-05-11T10:33:00.000-07:00

God bless Media Matters. I hate how the Republicans haven't stopped lying about this. Plus, I don't get how they can be so critical of the judiciary in principle (recall Delay and Frist and Justice ~~Sin~~ Sunday? No, really -- recall them!), but still be so crazy about getting these terrible judges in.

MTN: Not Just for Angry Bald Pastors Anymore

2005-05-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

I've pretty much given up on the local cable access channel, because it seems like every time I try to watch it there's an angry bald pastor bitching about something or other. Or Somali music videos. Either way, I can pretty much only deal with it in small doses. Until last night, when this snazzy number was being modeled. It's tough to look away from a dress called "Erotic Ice." But there was so much more in store for me, such as showgirl prom dress and this thing, which manages to make a scary-thin girl look kinda blocky and weird. Speaking of which, check out the rack flattener. My favorite part of this outfit would have to be the matching foot accessory on the right, there. What is that by the pinky toe? A zit? A boil? A corn? There's not enough rare antique crystal in the world to make that pretty.

I think this might be my favorite, though. It's considered a museum piece.

Maybe they're just modest?

2005-05-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

No confirmed time-travellers. I'm subscribing to the theory that admitting you're a time-traveller is a social gaffe in the future.

It's still appropriate to arrive a little late

2005-05-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Time travellers' convention. No need to RSVP.

There, I posted on your blog

2005-05-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Right after I woke up from a teeny little nap at my desk.

Freak - o - nomics

2005-05-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

I have to say that while I enjoy the anecdotes, Freakonomics just ain't that big a deal. It's also incredibly short -- just a few hours of reading.

There's a new Roger Nusic CD!

2005-05-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

As my first post on Bendy Bendy, I'd like to just reprint a portion of a CD release announcement for a CD that I'm not connected to in any way, but that I know Ben will appreciate:

Hey Lova Playas,

The new Roger Nusic cd "Burn Or Save?" Produced & Recorded by the great Torry Ward (of www.jusfamilyrecords.com ) will B released (by me) on Wed. May 11, 2005 at my show at: Neurolux 111 N 11th Boise, ID.

I'm planning a June USA tour & lots of dates need 2 B filled in yet, but I'll get back 2 U on that soon. Hopefully there'll B a show close 2 U. Please check my web site (Latest News & coming Shows) at http://www.rogernusic.com

Hope 2 C U really soon.

4 U O, Holla

Roger

Scholars' Scholars Walk

2005-05-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that the University of Minnesota made the right decision in dropping the apostrophe for its Scholars Walk. It both follows the U's building-naming style guide and avoids the implication that the walk is only for scholars. The apostrophe lovers may be technically correct, but as an editor (and clever fool) I like the extra meaning attached to the absence of the apostrophe. There's nothing there but a story.

Another smoking gun...

2005-05-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

Rep John Conyers has posted on DailyKos his dismay at the discovery of more direct evidence that Bush et al cooked up the Iraq situation. Of course, most of us are already convinced. So Conyers is right to wonder why the media won't touch the story.

Houston in May

2005-05-02T12:06:00.000-07:00

We're headed back to Houston at the end of the month for my brother-in-law's graduation!

This pic is from our last trip in January, in the Houston Museum of Fine Arts.

Bendy Bendy: A New Hope

2005-05-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

A new hope that I'll keep blogging, that is.