OMG! A patron just picked up the mouse of the library computer and tried to speak into it like Scotty in Star Trek IV (or as most of the time we call it, the one with the whales)! Probably not an intentional Star Trek reference as the patron is completely computer illiterate and mostly drunk. I should probably kick him out for the drunkeness, but he's not bothering anyone.
Drunk history is the best video series ever. I'm apparently a few years behind on this, but it is so good.
My favorite is Episode 6 (www.youtube.com) (there's pineapple pieces! I know I chewed it), but you should probably start with Episode 1 (www.youtube.com) if you have not seen them.
Finished A Fire Upon the Deep. Definitely sci-fi for nerds. I do like the Zones of Thought, it is an interesting premise for space travel, albeit apparently an attempt to make superhuman intelligience more entertaining for the reader (the inevitable singularity, according to Vernor Vinge).
However, now I know there is a sequel. And a prequel. And a sequel that was written before A Fire Upon the Deep. Given the lengths, I will probably not read any of these novels, although I did enjoy A Fire Upon the Deep as pretty good sci-fi.
I'm now about 2/3rds of the way through. It remains thought-provoking, though, seems to be dwelling a bit on stuff I thought would be secondary by now. Looking to hopefully have some questions answered about the Blight/Perversion.
Still planning on having book discussions early Jan. I will organize with time/place/things.
So I was at home, and a goddamn eagle drops down my chimney. It appears to be knocked out, or asleep, but it seems to be stirring. Also, it has a bright, dayglo orange number spraypainted on its back (what I assume to be a tracking "tag").
I spend the dream panicking, trying to figure out what to do with a massive, dangerous bird about to wake up in my living room.
Best video I've seen so far describing (and not face-melting) the principals of the encryption methods that control today's Internet: https://www.youtube...utube_gdata_player (www.youtube.com)
I'm just curious. I want to know how they can fit story elements together such that a) it makes sense to have a metal song in a kids film, b) it has the song's inclusion be funny or make sense in the context of the film without the majority of the audience knowing about metal, c) it does justice to metal, and Mastodon, and isn't just for a cheap laugh ("It's funny because a character listens to music that doesn't sound like pop music. Ha.").
Basically: I just don't want to see the movie end with a music video of Smashmouth singing "I'm a Believer."
To be fair, Mastodon is creating music specifically for Pixar, for the new Monsters movie. I don't think they're just sandwiching (samwiching?) their hits into it after signing a lucrative deal. It could suck, sure. We could get a horrible live action - animation synthesis set to the credits while they croak out violent lyrics. Pixar is still a giant force of creative geniuses that have made films that could stand the test of time longer than the Disney classics of yesteryear. They have the integrity to create lasting products other studios lack. I have confidence.
Condemnation before the music is even written for the film seems a little premature. I have faith in Pixar and Mastodon to do something tasteful, even if it does play on tropes (e.g., showing an outcast that listens to metal actually being a cool guy, going on a rampage to metal, scary kids with metal, etc).
For the record:
Mastodon previously scored Jonah Hex. While the movie sucked, the score they provided was generally atmospheric and instrumental (not even instrumetal for the most part!).
Their newest album, while it has heavy songs (like the previously linked song), also has songs like this (www.youtube.com).
If "Shame on you" is considered condemnation, perhaps it's time one of us recalibrate the ole "hate" meter. If they want to do it, it's not going to prevent me from watching the movie. However, I've got pretty high expectations from Pixar. This would be a bit like someone saying "Oh, did you hear The French Laundry is going to work lutefisk into a delightful little sorbet?"
When you're a world renown animation company with billions in revenue from blockbuster childrens' movies under your belt, I think you're being a little heavy handed with the idea of juxtaposition or a foil by having a band who wrote an album that is about an out of body experience that "follows a quadriplegic who learns astral projection. On his journey he flies too close to the sun, burning his umbilical cord which connects him to his body, and flies into oblivion. At the same time in Czarist Russia, Rasputin and his cult were channeling spirits and brought the quadriplegic to their time. He explains his situation and foretells the assassination of Rasputin. Inevitably Rasputin is assassinated and Rasputin guides him back to his body."
I'm not sure what else "shame on you" would mean other than censure (to publicly declare disapproval, as you have). Both have about the same connotation in my mind.
And the album you speak of is one of my favorite albums of all time! I've seen them play Crack the Skye in its entirety live before. So good. Sooooo good.
Condemn (www.merriam-webster.com) - ": to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil usually after weighing evidence and without reservation condemned as racist> "
Condemn and censure are essentially used interchangeably, it appears. "Shame on you" is what my grandma told me when I stole a cookie when she wasn't looking. Censure (or, condemnation) is what happens to Joseph McCarthy for conducting himself "contrary to Senate traditions (www.ourdocuments.gov)" for his communism witch hunts. I don't think they carry the same connotative "weight." Denotatively, I suppose it is technically a form of censure.
However, if I wanted to condemn Pixar, I most certainly would have said something along the lines of "Fuck you in your fucking face holes, Pixar! You're ass raping something beautiful here. LEAVE MY GODDAM CHILDHOOD ALONE." That is condemnation, or at least a close approximation.
Also, just because it's one of your favorite albums doesn't make it Pixar-appropriate. Randy Newman set the tone with the original Pixar movie, Toy Story (www.youtube.com). There are standards, and they shouldn't be tossed aside for the novelty of "Look! A metal band is collaborating with a kids movie company!" In the same way I will likely never enjoy savory ice cream or Bjork's fashion choices, innovation is not necessarily endearing.
How progressive!
But seriously, change can be good. We can sit in the masturbatorium perfectly content while Pixar cranks out quality sequels and canned tropes of feel good faery tales, or look on with anticipation (skeptically!) as they try something new. The capitalist in you should embrace the idea that growth is good lest their product become stale. It could suck, but they need to carve out a new market in before someone else comes along and steals what their greedy greasy Disney hands already have a strangle hold on.
As a counterpoint, I loathe the idea of growth for growths sake. Innovation is awesome, but if you have an amazing product, why change it or compromise it because your investors demand a 5% rate of return? If I ran a company with integrity, and produced a product I was happy with, I don't think I could go public for a brief windfall just to watch shareholders set unreasonable expectations.
So to conclude, what the fuck are you doing Pixar? Stop with this metal bullshit and give me Randy Newman. But I also want new content.
#confused
To remain relevant, Pixar has to change with pop culture. And, like it or not, metal/rock is part of pop culture. Saying a certain genre does not belong in a children's film at face value seems silly to me.
Plus, heavy metal is obviously beneficial for some (www.telegraph.co.uk).
Saying that metal is part of pop culture is casting a wide net for pop culture, since Billboard (www.billboard.com) somehow has a Bluegrass chart and Regional Mexical Songs chart, but no Metal chart.
Aside: if metal is listed on the rock chart, can someone please explain to me why Hey Ho by the Lumineers is #1? Particularly when Some Nights by fun is #2? I think Billboard is getting loose with the language. Or, perhaps, my prescriptivist bent is showing again.
There is a hard rock chart, and that includes metal releases. But this is an aside, although there are plenty of metal albums that have charted fairly high in the overall Billboard 200 (Pantera's Far Beyond Driven at #1 certainly comes to mind).
Mastodon is certainly pop culture, based on the the fact that they have albums chart fairly high (#10 on Billboard 200 for their latest), and have sold hundreds of thousands of albums.
Two can play this game (#3 (www.merriam-webster.com)), although it's obviously besides the point: which is to say, I think your disapproval and dismissal (better (en.wiktionary.org) words? (en.wiktionary.org)) of this collaboration as a gag is premature, as both entities are established and accomplished artists.
I understand my tastes do not mix with children in general, I was rather saying that although it sounds silly, the music on Crack the Skye is incredible. So more of a defense of Mastodon more than anything else.
Of course, it may turn out like the Aqua Teen Hunger Force COLON Movie (www.youtube.com), but I doubt it (since that is Adult Swim). Even if it did, I would obviously love it still ;)
The critical distinction, of course, is the difference in a first definition and a third definition. Ask any uber-nerd studying for the SATs which one is more common and which one they'll be tested on. Regardless, I already conceded the point of a denotative overlap and reiterated the connotative difference. Moving right along...
I find my pessimism regarding their collaborative output no more unfounded than your blatant optimism given the context and circumstances surrounding the joint venture. For me to accept it on its face, there would have to be previous cases of success in the realm. Ozzy Osbourne famously worked with Miss Piggy (and let us not forget Kermit working with Alice Cooper). The Muppets have a much longer history positively influencing children (if we overlook Elmo's rather inappropriate tickling escapades of late). However, these musical moments are likely best left in the dank recesses of the mind. I'm an empiricist, and collaborations of this nature frequently bear tainted fruit. To say my skepticism and disapproval of Pixar and Mastodon's actions are baseless would be a bit off the mark.
I don't harbor any grudge regarding this malformed union, but, rest assured, I will set a reminder to revisit this thread once the movie is released to gloat when it is, in fact, terrible.
I WILL COUNTERGLOAT LIKE A RESPONSIBLE ADULT! PUT THIS ON THE 'TILS JOSH!
My last point: Pixar, although I respect their art, is still a business. They would not do something like bring in Mastodon just for the hell of it. Some sort of market research is guiding this decision, I'm sure. Since they somehow make movies that damn new anyone can enjoy, I can only assume they have market research wizards that make sure their movies are universally appealling. EVEN WITH A METAL BAND!
As a dad who has seen all but the worst of their works, and by that I mean Cars 2 and that it is their worst is just based on assumption, I can tell you by watching countless hours of special features that the best of the Pixar films are the ones they make for themselves.
It's perfectly possible that someone who is a lead animator, story artist, even the director themselves is just a big Mastodon fan. And they want nothing more than to find a way to bring their own love of music into this project. It may have nothing to do with Disney/shareholders/pandering at all.
Here's what ICT should really teach kids: how to do regular expressions (www.guardian.co.uk)
by Cory Doctorow (of When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth (craphound.com) fame)
If we're going to teach kids to use PowerPoint and word processors as part of their core education, we should be teaching them regular expressions. Very few pieces of technical arcana have their widespread applicability – and the present lack of widespread appreciation.
http://www.soundoff...atrick_Stewart.htm (www.soundoffforautismspeaks.com)
I want him to talk dirty to me.
quakepredictions.com (quakepredictions.com)
Bunk or real? He predicted the Kodiak quake and yesterday's quake. It looks like he has some accuracy on his california and tokyo quakes as well.
I need to show some progress on some of my projects, but it's on my list. Also, it lists the Mac OS X version as being released in November... I feel like I'm missing something.
Also, I really don't want to buy it from the App store.
Edit: Appears that they found a critical bug late in the game, and they're having trouble getting it approved through the App store. That's too bad. May or may not come out before Christmas.
Eh, I woke up at 3am this morning, nightmarishly trying to solve a problem that I'd left undone from my latest programming project. Yeah, I need to clean my house, exercise, look for Christmas presents... but my existing, all-consuming hobbies tend to bleed into where they shouldn't unless I see them through.
I've changed out all of our upstairs light fixtures, save the stairs and the bathroom, to LED light bulbs. They're 80% savings over the incandescents I swapped them out with. It's basically most of our fixtures we use regularly. Haven't gotten an electric bill yet that covers the installation period but considering how much we use them, should see a good slice of savings.
I'm going to make an attempt to host this year since we're up here. But whether or not it's here, the tradition must continue! I don't care how old and decrepit we are, this new years party tradition is just too precious to stop now. Especially because next year will be the 10th anniversary of us all getting stupid together on NYE.
Fly Air New Zealand. Great for a laugh. And I actually watched an entire safety announcement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cBlRbrB_Gnc (www.youtube.com)
Cheers mate!
Starship Troopers, by Robert A. Heinlein
Alright, gentlemen... Someone made a big goddamn mistake. I mean, I will start the book discussion thread now. Post any discussion items, comments, criticisms, etc. as a reply to this post. Be kind and give notice of spoilers. Otherwise, this will be a free for all.
Enjoy!
I have a pretty terrible memory for books, particularly books I've already read (see: every book in the Song of Ice and Fire). However, I know for a fact that I read this when I was a kid, and either I stopped reading it at some point, or completely lost interest, or didn't understand most of it.
And that makes sense. I was probably 12 or 13 at the time. Civic duty, or even the right to vote, was a concept way too remote for me to read a few hundred pages about the virtue of citizen franchise.
Reading it now makes me realize why the movie is so laughable, and the book is respected among the scifi community. I can't speak to the quality of the political arguments in the book, but they're certainly interesting to read and ponder, particularly when most scifi I read is nowhere near as contemplative.
Also, holy hell, they captured the military mindset well.
So, my fellow Alaskans, what would you pay for one of these (www.snolosleds.com)?
Flattop, here I come... TO DIE.
