The Dilbert Blog

I probably owe this discovery to Jabel as well, though I really can't recall. Over on my Frogroll I've just added a link to The Dilbert Blog. Although I've had an average liking of the Dilbert cartoon strip, I've loved the blog from my first encounter with it just last August. Someone, again it was probably Jabel, sent me a link to a hilarious post about the author's familymoon and the trouble he ran into during the trip with his, er, stuff. It's a man's post, for sure, but even the gals may get a little enjoyment, if not a lot of explanation, out of the post. It's called Undergarment Dysfunction, and you can read it here.

Christina On Musicbox

I found a great site that shows Christina's videos in a much higher resolution than the youtube postings. Click the pic of the adorable one above for the link.

Pollan's Link To Emerson

As I've recently revealed I've been reading Michael Pollan's fascinating book The Omnivore's Dilemma. It is my first real experience of reading a contemporary writer on the subject of nature, as up to this point my focus has been on what I've come across in the Harvard Classics, therefore only up to the early 20th century. One of my favorite sources has been a few of the essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Specifically his essays on Nature and Land got me to think how pleasant it would be to have a well-cultivated piece of ground, replete with flowers, plants, trees and grasses of the rarest beauty and usefulness.

Last night I was reading some more of this thrilling book by Pollan when I came across the following Emerson quote: "You have just dined, and, however scrupulously the slaughter-house is concealed in the graceful distance of miles, there is complicity..." Pollan was talking, of course, about his dinner of chicken and how that most of us never look back to all that was involved in getting the bird to the table. The quote is from Emerson's essay entitled Fate, and was a poignant reminder of how important it is to consider from whence our meals come.

Okay, this is a bit of a jumbled-post, but I'm just ecstatic over the connection, albeit a small one, between Pollan & Emerson.

***UPDATE***
In reading through Pollan's articles on his website, I came across the following piece that further shows he's an avid reader of Emerson. Click here for a wonderful essay on weeds in which one very small, interesting bit of information concerns Tumbleweed, that icon of the west, and that it wasn't even introduced to America until 1870. He also suggests that when it comes to weeds, "to do nothing, is tantamount to letting (others) plant (our) gardens".

Michael Pollan

I have added a new link to my "Surfin' The Pond?" section in the right hand column, a simple passageway to all things Michael Pollan. Pollan is a brilliant writer who covers a wide range of topics related to the human-earth connection, and also teaches journalism at UC-Berkeley. I have just recently discovered his body of work via a recommendation by my good friend Jabel, who posted to his blog on February 1 a little snippet about one of Pollans articles in the New York Times entitled Unhappy Meals. After reading the article I reserved and picked up a copy of his latest book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma". As of this post I'm nearly halfway through, and have already recommended it to several people because I'm fascinated beyond expectation. I'll reserve commenting on the actual book itself until I finish reading it, though I've already come across many quotable, practical, eye-opening and poetic lines that I'd love to commit to memory. The link I've created is to Pollan's website, and behind it is a series of articles and bits of information that I definitely intend to browse in the coming weeks & months. Jabel may inspire me to an agrarian focus after all...

Michael Crichton: Next

I finished the latest novel by Michael Crichton yesterday (which I quoted in a previous post), and must say that I'm impressed. The book description is as follows:

"Is a loved one missing some body parts? Are blondes becoming extinct? Is everyone at your dinner table of the same species? Humans and chimpanzees differ in only 400 genes; is that why a chimp fetus resembles a human being? And should that worry us? There's a new genetic cure for drug addiction--is it worse than the disease?
We live in a time of momentous scientific leaps, a time when it's possible to sell our eggs and sperm online for thousands of dollars and to test our spouses for genetic maladies.
We live in a time when one fifth of all our genes are owned by someone else, and an unsuspecting person and his family can be pursued cross-country because they happen to have certain valuable genes within their chromosomes...
Devilishly clever, Next blends fact and fiction into a breathless tale of a new world where nothing is what it seems and a set of new possibilities can open at every turn.
Next challenges our sense of reality and notions of morality. Balancing the comic and the bizarre with the genuinely frightening and disturbing, Next shatters our assumptions and reveals shocking new choices where we least expect.
The future is closer than you think."

I read that the science here is "a lot less far-fetched than creating dinosaurs from DNA" (referring, of course, to his works in the Jurassic Park series), and if that is the case then this is certainly a troubling read, or at least I should say unnerving.

I've made it a point to read all of Crichton's books in order of release, so I am always on the look-out for the publication dates of his next thriller. I had to wait a few weeks for this one since a few people were ahead of me on the libraries list, but it was worth the wait. I still think Jurassic Park & The Lost World are my favs, but this one is certainly a deserving thief of the readers hours. Give it a part of your soul and see what you think...

My Fav Chappelle's Show Clip (Wayne Brady)

Click the pic at left and watch the clip of the episode of Chappelle's show featuring a hilarious Wayne Brady skit. Wayne Brady is often ridiculed by fellow black folks as being too "white" b/c of his choice of television roles and his good standing in society, being accepted by whites more than any other black entertainer in America, it seems. Well, this skit is intended to silence the critics of Wayne Brady by showing he really does have street cred. When I watched this a few months ago I was in an uproar...ch-check it out, bitches!

Which Is Stranger: Truth Or Fiction?

Interesting clip from Psychology News entitled Adults Don't Grow Up Anymore: British Researcher Blames Formal Education; Professors, Scientists "Strikingly Immature"...

"If you believe the adults around you are acting like children, you're probably right. In technical terms, it is called "psychological neotony", the persistance of childhood behavior into adulthood. And it's on the rise.

According to Dr. Bruce Charlton, evolutionary psychiatrist at Newcastle upon Tyne, human beings now take longer to reach mental maturity-and many never do at all.

Charlton believes this is an accidental by-product of formal education that lasts well into the twenties. 'Formal education requires a child-like stance of receptivity', which 'counteracts the attainment of psychological maturity' that would normally occur in the late teens or early twenties.

He notes that 'academics, teachers, scientists and many other professionals are often strikingly immature.' He calls them unpredictable, unbalanced in priorities, and tending to overreact.'

Earlier human societies, such as hunter-gatherers, were more stable and thus adulthood was attained in the teen years..."

Alright, this is not in fact, well, fact. It is a page from Micheal Crichton's fascinating new novel titled Next. Perhaps I'll post more on the book later (I picked it up yesterday and am halfway through as I take a break to publish this post), but when I read this I instantly thought of Lisa Nowak, the diapered astronaut who drove hundreds of miles to confront a rival for the love and affection of her man. I heard one brush-off this week that simply stated she need not be punished too harshly for what was obviously "a crime of passion", as if that makes it all justifiable. Hmmm, perhaps her legal team can call the intelligent Crichton as an expert and suggest she just hasn't grown up, therefore she need only be grounded...no pun intended.

My Fav Wonder Showzen Clip

Be forewarned, if you can't take sacrilegious humor then this clip is not for you. Otherwise, it is quite funny... Just click the picture to view the short video from the hit MTV "muppets on crack" adult cartoon Wonder Showzen.

The Voice Within

Christina Aguilera has successfully pulled off a myriad of incredible looks in her career, all of which are fascinating in their own right. I had forgotten about the raven hair she wore in her The Voice Within video. It's a very stripped down, voice and lyrics driven song that did well on the charts, and is one of her big hits. I remember being fascinated by the video itself a couple of years ago, especially the simple-sexy getup she donned for the production. I've been a sucker for a chick with a nose jewel for quite some time, and hers is clearly visible in the video (and the single-cover photo above). Beatiful song, terrific video, gorgeous girl...what more could we ask for? Lyrics here.

Gentlemen, Quarterly Is Not Enough...

...time reserved to see Miss Aguilera...it needs to be daily.

QG ran Christina on the cover in June of last year and I ran across the article today. Behind the link is an area to read a well written piece, AND catch a slide show of the pics, AND even watch a short video of the photo shoot by Michael Thompson. Damn!



The cover shot above is quite classy and adorable, while the sultry shot to the right is downright sexy. Damn sexy, I must say.

I'm enthralled by the many shots available of xtina with those luscious red lips, and I noticed in this shoot she abandoned the bright red nails. Of course, it looks like she's abandoned nearly everything else, too...though I'm not complaining.

I guess I'm a sucker for girlie-girls, as I've mentioned before, but apparently this is a type of shoot she really enjoys doing. In the short video of the photo shoot there are a few lines of an interview she gave in which she comments about how a woman needs to be able to feel comfortable in her own skin, and to be able to show that sexy side of womanhood. I'm simply transfixed by the beauty of the female form as art, but I'm very picky, and am no longer interested in seeing skin for the sake of seeing skin (hell, I'm not 13 anymore!). The old-fashioned glam vibe Christina has going on right now is spectacular. Mwuahhh...

Harvard Classics: 36 To 37

I finished Volume 36 of the Harvard Classics last night. My closest friends know full-well my obsession with this set of books, as I've been reading them for better than a decade now. A slow pace, I admit, but I am trying to read and comprehend as I go, and since there are no timetables I'm attempting to keep I am able to immerse myself in this my true bit of "pleasure reading". The works are fascinating to me and I've often called this collection the best book investment I've ever made.

Anyway, Volume 36 consists of The Chronicles of Froissart (a nice read for the history lover, especially the section on "Wat Tyler's Rebellion"), The Holy Grail by Sir Thomas Malory (one of the most respected accounts of all things King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table), and A Description of Elizabethan England (written for Holinshed's Chronicles) by William Harrison. In this last section a great picture of the way things used to be is painted masterfully. I've read where Shakespeare drew a lot of his imagery from this particular work, and it is quite an enjoable read for the fireside and coffee. The one thing that stood out to me in the Description, though, is that "the more things change, the more they stay the same".

Now I'm off to dive into Volume 37 and see what I can glean from the likes of Machiavelli, More and Martin Luther...

Me And Xtina At My Grandma's

Here's a pic I snapped recently of Christina while we were over at my Grandma's checking out some old records. I told her she shouldn't lay on the floor, but she insisted. I took this pic of her lookin' so darn cute because I couldn't resist. Of course, I'm full of it...this pic is from her Back to Basics album cover, and I thought I'd post it just 'cuz I like it.

The Departed

Jack Nicholson plays a mob boss smashingly in this Martin Scorsese flic. He has the perfect mug for the job, as in his older age he's looking (somehow) more sinister and vile than in times past. He plays a ruthless, totally self-confident ring leader of a crime family, and masters the role from start to gruesome finish.

I read earlier this week that Leonardo DiCaprio almost hung up his acting career after he made Titanic because he hated being portrayed as a sex-symbol. (Read a brief overview here.) As if Gangs of New York & Aviator (both Scorsese movies) didn't do it, he's for sure moved on to bigger and better things with The Departed. I was watching for a soft spot, just a hint of weakness, maybe even a smidgeon of "pretty-boy" gentleness, but no such luck. This is hard to say (especially since Titanic was on TV allllllll weekend long as Fate seemingly meant to thrust Leo front and center in my life), but he played the bad-ass roll amazingly. Even his sex scene was a bit "rough"...at least rougher than his romp with Rose on the soon-to-sink ship.

Matt Damon did slimy without a hitch as Colin Sullivan, a corrupt state cop, and worked outstandily alongside Jack & Leo in the picture. Since his best film to date was Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron , it was a seeming impossibility for him to get any better. (Um, I'm just kidding, by the way...he did much better in films where he wasn't a cartoon horse). I like him a lot in The Departed, becuase he carries his character from start to finish without it ever seeming forced.

Wow, time fails me to tell of the roles played by Mark Wahlberg , Martin Sheen , & Alec Baldwin , when especially Wahlberg deserved more. The token chick in a 87.3% man's movie was Vera Farmiga , and since I have a lot of friends of the fairer sex I'll give her a spot here in the review by saying she did a good job. Not the hottest gal on the big screen today, but I'll say of her role like the guy on the Taco Bell commercial says of Carmen Electra's dress: "it'll do." (FYI, this commercial is NOT currently online, or at least I couldn't find it, so I have no link to it. Feel free to remedy that if you find it.)

Leave Grossman Alone Already

Are you kiddin' me? ESPN is in absolute Rex hater mode, and it's startin' to really piss me off. Granted I may be a bit biased since, as I've already mentioned in a previous post, he's a local hero here in Bloomington. But even at that, don't you think the guy needs a break? Seriously, every time he threw a pass that was within 25 yards of a defender during the Saints game, the announcers were harping about how "lucky he was it wasn't picked off". C'mon, now...it's the N.F.L. Nearly every pass is "almost intercepted", just like every time a team punts, the defense "nearly blocked it". (Don't believe me, pay attention the next game you watch and see how many times this comment is made.) Anyway, I'm just sayin' it's time to cut 'ol Rexy some slack. He's a dynamic player, and in case you haven't noticed, his team has the best record in football and is representing their conference in Super Bowl 41. He's obviously gifted, so let's get some sportscasters and writers to get a little creative and start showing clips of his best passes and make remarks about what he's doing right. Why is this so important? One reason: if the Bears (and I hope not!) win the Super Bowl, these naysayers will be the first ones writing about how awesome this young kid who's going to Disney World really is. Hypocrites! Pshaw, I'm gonna put my two-cents in now...he's a deserving starter and a terrific player, mistakes notwithstanding...

My Favorite Family Guy Clip

Click the image above to see the best 22 seconds of Family Guy ever...

Colors

Race is still a volatile subject in this America in which we live. Much is being said about the fact that for the first time in history a Super Bowl team is being coached by a black man. Actually, both teams are. As I was watching the games last weekend it seemed like every few minutes that fact was being made known, and I couldn't help but wish under my breath that they'd just drop it already. Maybe I'm overreacting, but it just seems unfortunate to me to make an issue of someone's race when the color of their skin played absolutely no part in their success. The coaches in the Super Bowl are there solely because they are outstanding leaders who've learned how to direct a set of talented teams to the next level. Anyway, I've said more than I intended, I just wanted to post a couple of links to articles I've read recently concerning race. One from Esquire, and one from ESPN. Check 'em out...

HWOTP Goes Back In A Sexy Way!

Damn, girl! My life was blessed this past Christmas by my best friend/ gal-pal Amy who bought us tix to an upcoming show of Christina Aguilera's Back To Basics tour. I'm soooooo stoked about it, and can hardly wait. Taking a leisurely stroll today on the www I came across a bit of information that has (believe it or not), stoked my fever even more. Evidently there is a video backdrop during a part of the show where X-tina shows clips of a photo shoot she did in preparation for the 2005 tour that was cancelled (if my memory serves me right, she was touring then with Chingy, I think). Anyway, I found both a link to the video AND a site that has a list of still pics, one of which is included in this post. I am a believer that as far as dress and presentation of oneself goes, the decision should be in what makes that person happy. That being said, MY personal preference is for girls to look like girls, the look I affectionately refer to as "girlie-girls". The vid and pics here leave a stunning impression of feminine beauty, in my most humble opinion. I've noticed that a lot of pin-ups from the 30's and 40's dressed quite provocatively, and the look is just as hot today on present day starlets. The HWOTP has produced a smashing display of gorgeousness in these presentations, and I'm so looking forward to the concert. I believe the tour lineup also includes The Pussycat Dolls. Bloody hell...thanks AJ!

If I Were A Country Singer...

...I'd probably be Jason Aldean. Here's a video clip to Hicktown, and below is the set of lyrics that go with it. I've never owned a cowboy hat or a pair of boots, but perhaps I should start lookin'. Yee-haw!

You like the way that sounds?

Little Jimmy Jackson is jackin’ up his Bronco

He’s gonna lay a little rubber later on at the truck pull

All the girls are getting’ pretty sprayin’ on the White Rain

Yeah they’re gonna get a rowdy tonight down at the football game Yeah

(Ch.) We let it rip when we got the money Let it roll if we got the gas

It gets wild yeah but that’s the way we get down In a Hicktown

Well you can see the neighbors butt crack nailing on his shingles

And his woman’s’ smokin’ Pall Mall’s watchin’ Laura Ingles

And Granny’s getting’ lit she’s headin’ out to bingo

Yeah my buddies and me are goin’ muddin’ down on Blue Hole Road

You know You know

(Br.) We hear folks in the city party in Martini Bars

And they like to show off in their fancy foreign cars

Out here in the boondocks we buy beer at Amoco

And crank our Kraco speakers with that country radio

Yeah in a Hicktown Oh we aint finished yet

We got you’re country boys and you’re redneck girls

It’s the party heard round the world Right here in Hicktown Yeah In Hicktown

The whole town’s gettin’ down

Home State 76 Or Hometown 1

That's the debate around here...who to root for in the Super Bowl? With yesterday's impressive come-from-behind thriller, Indiana's beloved Colts have finally exorcised the "can't beat the Patriots-can't advance to the big stage"
demons that have been nagging them for years. Peyton Manning is nearly a god around here, and that's saying a lot for a basketball obsessed state! The hype in recent years has been paralleled only by the the disappointment at repeatedly having a fabulous season with a flop of a post-season. All that is past now, and it's time to take a deep breath and get ready to don the royal blue and white on February 4th. Or is it?

Here in Bloomington there is a bit of a dilemma. The quarterback for the opposition in the Super Bowl, the Chicago Bears, is none other than hometown legend Rex Grossman. A stand-out in high school for Bloomington South, Rex's following has intensified each year of his stellar rise from local hero to college phenom at Florida to N.F.L. darling and now Super Bowl dynamo. I strolled down Kirkwood Ave. recently and saw a sign promoting calling early to the bar/eatery to snag seats to watch the big Bears game! What? We're less than an hour from the RCA dome. A short drive from the haunts of Peyton and Marvin and Tony, last names not needed around here. I admit I'm proud of Rex and his accomplishments, but I would feel like a traitor to root against the Colts now! Besides, no one ever posts placards about rooting for the Chiefs, and Trent Green played QB right here at I.U.! That is a classic double standard if you ask me;)

My latest check showed 76 players on the Colts roster. I'm sure the Super Bowl will be awesome, and I wouldn't miss it for the world, even if I'll be watching it in the only town in America where 1 is greater than 76.

Mad As Hell

I connected today with the song "Not Ready To Make Nice" by the Dixie Chicks. Above is a still pic from the video, next is the lyrics, here is a link to the youtube page for the video itself.

Forgive, sounds good. Forget, I'm not sure I could.

They say time heals everything, But I'm still waiting

I'm through, with doubt, There's nothing left for me to figure out,

I've paid a price, and i'll keep paying

I'm not ready to make nice, I'm not ready to back down,

I'm still mad as hell And I don't have time To go round and round and round

It's too late to make it right I probably wouldn't if I could

Cause I'm mad as hell Can't bring myself to do what it is You think I should

I know you said Why can't you just get over it,

It turned my whole world around and i kind of like it

I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,

With no regrets and I don't mind saying, It's a sad sad story

That a mother will teach her daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.

And how in the world Can the words that I said Send somebody so over the edge

That they'd write me a letter Saying that I better shut up and sing Or my life will be over

It's not been often that I've felt this way, but in a few of the biggest turmoils I've experienced in my life a lot of what's said here is what I would express to the ones who were involved. "With no regrets"...frog