Slanted and Enchanted

HOLY CRAP! Thanks for posting that great video.

2010-07-17T12:36:09.945-04:00

HOLY CRAP! Thanks for posting that great video.

Randal, interesting question. From the definitions...

2010-03-16T07:43:14.107-04:00

Randal, interesting question. From the definitions of karaoke I've seen, the scenario you describe would definitely be karaoke. I suggest it would also be cheating -- Bowie as ringer in a karaoke contest.

It might be more interesting if Bowie sat there and let somebody else warble through "Heroes," then took the stage for a killer cover vocal of, say, the Stooges' "Penetration."

Bowie singing "Heroes" to a recording of the song minus the vocal track would be what we've come to expect of people like Brittany Spears, albeit in a more genuine situation.

I guess the societal framework of the question is ...

2010-03-04T08:14:59.379-05:00

I guess the societal framework of the question is what I find so ridiculous. It could be argued, I suppose, that one's job tells you a great deal but I don't think that's inherently true. One job may simply be the intersection of practicality and necessity. In such a case, one's job only indicates what one was able and willing to do to survive. Therefore, idea that one is defined to some degree by their job description is just silliness.

By the way, my favorite answer to that question: "Respirate... Metabolize..." Although, that probably falls under "B" in your list of assumptions.

Randal, being a "good person" is of course a noble...

2010-02-27T08:57:57.603-05:00

Randal, being a "good person" is of course a noble goal, but that answer doesn't address the societal framework of the question "What do you do?" I've always found it interesting that when you meet someone and that person asks, "What do you do," they mean, "How do you earn a living." In our particular form of capitalist culture, "Do" in that context inherently means "for money." If you answer the question with something like "I listen to music," or "I shoot pool," or "I do unto others as I would have them do unto me," the other person will a) assume you're temporarily unemployed, b) assume you're a wise guy, or c) restate the question -- "No, I mean what do you do for a living?"

If we didn't define ourselves so much by what we "do" -- if we were still a predominantly agrarian culture -- the question "What do you do?" wouldn't even exist. It would make no sense.

Curiously, "don't ask/don't tell" is one of those ...

2010-02-20T20:47:23.451-05:00

Curiously, "don't ask/don't tell" is one of those things that work on the Internet but not in reality. Radio and blogging are also good examples of this phenomenon.

If DADT works on the Internet, might it work elsew...

2010-02-20T18:46:05.231-05:00

If DADT works on the Internet, might it work elsewhere?

You know, Bob, the Internet doesn't ask and I'd pr...

2010-02-19T19:37:11.702-05:00

You know, Bob, the Internet doesn't ask and I'd prefer not to discuss it.

What the hell were you doing in the "cute baby ani...

2010-02-17T16:01:56.197-05:00

What the hell were you doing in the "cute baby animals" section in the first place? HMMMM?

just because you know your late doesn't mean you c...

2010-02-09T07:18:45.257-05:00

just because you know your late doesn't mean you can't or won't be

Dear God, yes! I couldn't hope for better! It's so...

2010-02-07T10:59:29.234-05:00

Dear God, yes! I couldn't hope for better! It's something along the lines of the Zaireeka project undertaken by the Flaming Lips but with live performances.

Sounds like a project for Jim O'Rourke and friends...

2010-02-07T10:41:52.526-05:00

Sounds like a project for Jim O'Rourke and friends.

It's tough not to over-simplify things like Police...

2010-01-31T18:12:37.129-05:00

It's tough not to over-simplify things like Police Academy 5 as "bad art" but I'm sure someone, somewhere would rise to its defense. At any rate, it is certainly an experience in which I'd rather not take any part.

My philosophy of film professor would disagree wit...

2010-01-31T12:59:09.086-05:00

My philosophy of film professor would disagree with you. He loves talking about "bad art". Lol

Thanks, man! I appreciate the feedback. Methods an...

2009-10-09T18:17:19.865-04:00

Thanks, man! I appreciate the feedback. Methods and size will probably be a function of the designs. I'm sure most of them will be digitally created using Photoshop and Illustrator among other tools.

Very nice. How will you reproduce them? Will these...

2009-10-08T06:13:45.101-04:00

Very nice. How will you reproduce them? Will these be large pieces?

You could be onto something.

What an awesome article! TechDirt nailed it. I fi...

2009-09-25T08:11:51.252-04:00

What an awesome article! TechDirt nailed it.

I find it quite difficult to believe she's that good. Just phenomenally lucky to have avoided taking a position on a major issue until now.

Here's a nice, higher-ground take on the Lily dile...

2009-09-25T07:33:24.328-04:00

Here's a nice, higher-ground take on the Lily dilemma:

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090924/0241556300.shtml

On lower ground, given her reaction to criticism, it's a puzzle how she gathered the courage to take a stage in the first place. Were her audiences pre-screened, or is she that good?

Thanks! Lily Allen and her ilk are artists only in...

2009-09-23T19:29:43.397-04:00

Thanks! Lily Allen and her ilk are artists only in the
broadest, most hilarious sense of the word. Really, she's bitching
about her livelihood not her "art." I wonder what someone like Brian Eno or Lou Reed would think about this (if at all).

Excellent post. Lily Allen doesn't care at all ab...

2009-09-23T19:16:18.022-04:00

Excellent post.

Lily Allen doesn't care at all about record companies EXCEPT that they are, as you point out, the means to becoming pop culture icons. And that's her goal. It's not about making great music, not about art.

And how interesting -- turns out she's a copyright trampler herself when it suits her purpose:

http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/let-s-kick-lily-allen-off-the-net-637713

Pot, meet kettle!

Hmmm - LinkedIn is something I don't appreciate fu...

2009-04-23T13:43:00.000-04:00

Hmmm - LinkedIn is something I don't appreciate fully. There has to be more to it than my short attention span is grasping. What do you find it most useful for?

I think I'm pretty much done with those networking...

2009-03-26T19:28:00.000-04:00

I think I'm pretty much done with those networking sites. I don't see a much point any more for me. I still have a LinkedIn account, though.

So, are you a Facebook user instead? Or are you j...

2009-03-26T16:12:00.000-04:00

So, are you a Facebook user instead? Or are you just done with networking sites? Had to ask...

Let me say that I am a huge (and I mean HUGE) Bill...

2009-02-24T13:41:00.000-05:00

Let me say that I am a huge (and I mean HUGE) Bill McDonough fan. As a grad student at American University, Cradle to Cradle was one of the first books we read. And it's amazing how quickly it ejects old arguments about reducing, reusing and recycling. As I was graduating, McDonough was recruited to to the design for the new School of International Service, of which I was apart. I can't wait to see the finished product. Thanks for this post!

I agree summers. Paul Newman was certainly one of ...

2008-10-27T20:47:00.000-04:00

I agree summers. Paul Newman was certainly one of the best and most certainly one of my favorites.

Several of the "new" shows this fall were original...

2008-10-27T20:45:00.000-04:00

Several of the "new" shows this fall were originally on the BBC. Eleventh Hour, Kitchen Nightmares, Life on Mars, etc. I think the Brit versions of all these programs had much more wit and vigor. I even prefer the BBC version of the Office.

Cheers!