Made to Measure.

Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock / jam band from Chicago, Illinois.

They have a sense of humor: they called their 1997 debut release Greatest Hits Vol. 3.

Musical influences include The Beatles, Led Zeppelin (both primary), and also Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Miles Davis.

(I can hear alot of the Beatles in this song - MADE TO MEASURE.)

Free download HERE (from their upcoming album, Mantis).

Indian giver.

We draw names for Christmas. I got Bruce, my brother.

He has eclectic tastes which does him well with his hobbies; buying and selling on Ebay and spending weekends exploring for treasures (and junk) at garage sales and auctions.

Since he spends alot of time on the computer, I though this would be perfect.

A USB connection Toaster. LINK HERE

The more I look at it, the more I think I'll keep it for myself. I think I'll just give him a gift certificate instead.

If you are interested, here is the blurb from the online ad:

Don’t be tethered to the kitchen. Take your toast…to go! Now you can take a toaster everywhere you take your laptop. Insert a slice of any bread—white, wheat, even rye—and in 7-9 minutes, you have the kind of perfect toast you could only get from a computer. Winner of the 2006 Gold Floppy Disc Award for Best Cooking Peripheral. No. It's not real. But the box is.
No, the products aren't real. But the empty boxes are. Wrap your otherwise forgettable gift in an Onion gift box, and watch their faces fall when they realize there is no such thing as a USB-powered travel toaster—just a crappy bric-a-brac inside you waited until the last moment to buy.
Box dimensions: 12"x9"x4"
Sold individually or in multi-box sets. More designs available. See all boxes.

Merry Christmas Will Do.

I like this song.

Material Issue was a local band.

The song has a holiday theme and I think a nice beat. Ha.

Looking at the record, there are some good groups included.

I'll have to check out ebay.

Merry Christmas Will Do - Material Issue

Goya's Ghosts.

House was a rerun this week. I thought I'd check out what movies were on cable instead.

I found one about Francisco Goya (the artist) and the Spanish Inquisition.

It wouldn't have been my first choice but it had film stars Natalie Portman (Ines), Javier Bardem (Brother Lorenzo), and Stellan Skarsgard (Goya) in it.

A Spanish film directed by Milos Forman (Amadeus, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest).

It is filled with beautiful period art and the camera work is such that some scenes and characters look like they are pieces of artwork themselves.

The plot jumped around but it was interesting enough to keep my interest.

Goya is the official court painter to the King and Queen. The Spanish Inquisition is disturbed by some of his works but he seems to escape any direct conflicts.

Portman plays a young model for artist Goya. She is falsely thrown into prison for religious reasons and Brother Lorenzo (who had originally commissioned a painting from Goya) tries to help her out.

I learned a few things about Goya also: he was deaf (later years of his life), his portraits had a disinclination to flatter (see below), and some of his work was really dark. And some reminded me of Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights (which was mentioned and shown in the movie):

From so what the fuss

I liked the comments made on this portrait below (looking closely, Goya certainly didn't flatter any of them):

The Family of Charles IV, 1800. Theophile Gautier described the figures as looking like "the corner baker and his wife after they won the lottery".

From so what the fuss

Link to the movie and reviews at Rotten Tomatoes: Link

Movie list 2008.

Richard Roeper comments on Chicago and movies.

I'm saving this article for the best movie list of 2008.

READ IT HERE

After reading (the link above), I looked up Shawn Edwards.

If you're unfamiliar with Shawn Edwards, he's a quote whore - a critic who doesn't write reviews (though Edwards does an occasional column for a local magazine in Kansas City), but gives "quotes" to movie companies to put on the promotional material for the movie. The "whore" part comes in when the movie is so bad that few people beyond horney teeagers actually like.

Interesting.

Anyway, here is a list of Roeper's Best Movies of 2008.

Besides the obvious ones, I'm happy to see In Bruges, The Visitor, Frozen River, and Snow Angels made it. I have them on my must see list.

I'm a little surprised Man on a Wire didn't make it.

1. "Slumdog Millionaire"

2. "The Dark Knight"

3. "The Wrestler"

4. "In Bruges"

5. "I've Loved You So Long"

6. "Gran Torino"

7. "Milk"

8. "The Visitor"

9. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"

10. "Frozen River"

11. "Doubt"

12. "Snow Angels"

13. "Frost/Nixon"

14. "The Reader"

15. "Seven Pounds"

16. "Iron Man"

17. "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

18. "W."

19. "Henry Poole Is Here"

20. "Burn After Reading"

21. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

22. "WALL-E"

23. "The Bank Job"

24. "Tropic Thunder"

25. "Che"

The Music of Chance.

James Spader has always been interesting.

I just saw him in the season (and series) final of Boston Legal.

His character, Alan Shore, was married to William Shatner's Denny Crane, officiated by Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia (it wasn't for sex).

Crazy show.

That reminded me of an old VHS movie I have starring James Spader:

The Music of Chance.

Quite an interesting cast. I have always thought Joel Gray, while very talented, very creepy.

It includes: James Spader, Mandy Patinkin, M. Emmet Walsh, Charles Durning, Joel Gray, Samantha Mathis, and Chris Penn.

TRAILER: (LINK HERE)

James Nashe (Mandy Patinkin), picks up a ragged drifter by the side of the road one day.

The drifter, Jack Pozzi (James Spader) turns out to be a down on his luck, seedy poker player.

Spader convinces Mandy to back him in a poker game against two eccentric (and harmless???) millionaires who have invited him(them) to their posh mansion.

That's the start of their problems...

From Rotten Tomatoes (some above, all below):

The film, based on Paul Auster's existentialist novel, is laden with symbolism and a growing sense of menace as the story progresses.

Sale. Lowest Prices of the Season!!!

Stock up now!!

Prices are at rock bottom.

From so what the fuss

Toots.

The Jamaican musical group Toots and the Maytals,

originally called simply The Maytals,

are one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups.

Their sound is a unique, original combination of gospel, ska, soul, reggae and rock.

Reggae makes me smile. Puts me in a good mood.

Here are a couple by Toots and the Maytals.

Funky Kingston:

LINK

Pressure Drop.

The Clash covered the song Pressure Drop.

So did Robert Palmer.

Guitarist Izzy Stradlin recorded a version of the song with his sometime band,

the Ju-Ju Hounds.

It is you, oh yeah
It is you, oh yeah

I said a pressure drop,
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you
I said pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you

I said when it drops
Oh you gonna feel it
Oh that you were doin' it wrong, wrong, wrong
Now when it drops
Oh you gonna feel it
That you were doin' it wrong and how

I said when it drops
You gonna feel it
That you've been doin' it wrong
Now when it drops, drop
You gonna feel it
That you've been doin' wrong

Now when it drops, drop
Feel it
You make the wrong move
Now when it drops, drop
You gonna feel it
That you've been it doin' wrong

I said, pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you
Pressure drop
Oh pressure, oh yeah
Pressure's gonna drop on you

Now when it drops on your dirty little head
Where you gonna go?
It's you, you, you
When it drop on, oh you're gonna feel it
What you're doing is wrong, wrong, wrong
Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure...
I said a pressure drop

LINK

The Bothersome Man.

Dystopia (dîs-to´pê-e) noun

1. An imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror.2. A work describing such a place or state: "dystopias such as Brave New World"

(Times Literary Supplement).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from InfoSoft International, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Bothersome Man has been called a surreal dystopia, a dark comedy, a social satire, a Kafka-esque nightmare.

This is a Norwegian film directed by Jens Lien.

It starts out with Andreas (Trond Fausa Aurvaag) falling in front of a subway train.

He awakens on a bus with no idea of his destination.

In the middle of a very stark yet beautiful countryside is a small run down bus stop where Andreas is let off.

He is greeted by a friendly old man who drives him into town where he is presented with a new apartment, clothes, job, and even a wife.

Everything seems almost too good to be true yet there is something wrong. No one shows any real emotion, most things are bland and tasteless.

Escape proves to be impossible.

Finally a crack in wall of his cellar that is streaming beautiful music provides hope.

This film has won many awards including the 2006 ACID Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

I enjoyed it though it took me awhile to get a feel of the direction it was going.

A.u.t.u.m.n.

l(a

le
af
fa
ll
s)
one
li
ness

- e.e. cummings

For those not familiar with typographical /

visual poetry: (that includes me), anyway it says...

1(a... (a leaf falls on loneliness)

Taken last Sunday in my driveway

on a very windy day

summer turning into fall...

leaves blowing in a special way

"Listen! the wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves,
We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!"
- Humbert Wolfe

Worn me down.

Rachael Yamagata (born September 23, 1977 in Arlington, Virginia) is an American singer songwriter and pianist.

She is a Yonsei or fourth-generation Japanese American on her father's side and of Italian and German ancestry on her mother's side.

Very pretty and very talented, her songs have been featured on several TV shows, including How I Met Your Mother, ER , Nip/Tuck, Men in Trees, Alias, One Tree Hill, Brothers & Sisters and The O.C.,

(from wiki)

Worn me down appears on the CD Happenstance.





"Worn Me Down"

Gone, she's gone
How do you feel about it
That's what I thought
You're real torn up about it
And I wish you the best
But I could do without it
And I will, because you've worn me down
Oh, I will, because you've worn me down

Worn me down like a road
I did everything you told
Worn me down to my knees
I did everything to please
But you can't stop thinking about her
No, you can't stop thinking about her

And you're wrong, you're wrong
I'm not overreacting
Something is off
Why don't we ever believe ourselves
And I, oh, I feel that word for you
And I will, because you've worn me down
Oh, I will because you have worn me down

Worn me down like a road
I did everything you told
Worn me down to my knees
I did everything to please
But you can't stop thinking about her
No, you can't stop thinking about her

She's so pretty; she's so damn right
But I'm so tired of thinking
About her tonight

Worn me down like a road
I did everything you told
Worn me down to my knees
I did everything to please
But you can't stop thinking about her
No, you can't stop thinking about her

Worn me down like a road
I did everything you told
Worn me down to my knees
I did everything to please
Worn me down like a road
I did everything you told to me to do
But you, you can't stop thinking about her
No, you can't stop thinking about her
No, you can't stop thinking about her
No, you can't stop thinking about her

Wilco Pledge to Vote.

At Wilcoworld, when you provide your name and email address, and pledge to vote on November 4, Wilco will mail a location to download a cover of Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released” recorded (with Fleet Foxes) in Bend Oregon on August 23, 2008.

Bob Dylan's "l Shall be Released" performed by Wilco and Fleet Foxes.

Delta Spirit: Trashcan.

Delta Spirit is based in San Diego.

They have a sound somewhere between indie-rock and alt-country.

They have been know to use unconventional instruments, including trash-can lids.

From their CD, Ode to Sunshine.

Trashcan:

Live at Lou's.

I love how bands will do anything to get their sound out.

A bit surrealistic with people walking by while they are setting up and then performing.

Trashcan, live:

Brothers hold the line till we got something

This world is way too small to feel like nothing

This world is way too small to feel like nothing
I was found near the train tracks looking so homeless at you
You came like a copper
You said, "son it's time to move"

My love is coming I can barely hardly wait around

When my mother left the bat was the only one here
He is just a reason why I'm still here
My mother's well spoken, though I didn't get that gene
But yes, I lost it, and yes, my eyes they are green

My love is coming I can barely hardly wait around

Well if you hide your questions there's no answer
I finally found the cure for my own cancer

My love is coming I can barely hardly wait
My heart is thumping I can feel it more with every beat
My love is coming I can barely hardly wait around

Shoot the moon.

See the moon the other night?

Fantastic.

I only wish I took more pictures.

I was watching the game.

I only noticed it after letting Cubbie out on Monday night.

From Almost full moon. The day before it.

From Almost full moon. The day before it.

From Almost full moon. The day before it.

From Almost full moon. The day before it.

The Pixies Sell Out.

Radiohead's Thome Yorke, after being informed of the Pixies plans to play before them at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, exclaimed:

No! That's just not right! The Pixies opening for us is like the Beatles opening for us. I won't allow it. There's no way we can follow the Pixies!

Comment by Gary Smith (producer of their first album):

I've heard it said about The Velvet Underground that while not a lot of people bought there albums, everyone who did started a band. I think this is largely true about the Pixies as well.

Kurt Cobain on Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit :

I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it (smiles). When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily I should have been in that band - or at least in a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.

Pixies an aquired taste?

I don't know. I like them.

I have this DVD, forgotten about till I heard this song on the radio.

I'll have listen to it again.

This is "Monkey Gone to Heaven".

Letterman:

BBC:

"Monkey Gone to Heaven"'s main theme is environmentalism.The song mainly deals with man's destruction of the ocean and "confusion of man's place in the universe".

"Monkey Gone to Heaven" includes references to numerology in the lyrics

"If man is five/then the Devil is six/and God is seven".

So, how does she look?

Sarah Palin’s face is on the cover of Newsweek…..well, actually it is part of the Alaska Governor’s facial profile. The issue is dated October 13, 2008 and hit newsstands on Monday.

The story, written by Jon Meacham, is entitled She’s One of The Folks (And that’s the problem). A fair amount of criticism has been leveled against Newsweek for putting Palin on the cover in a photo that shows all of her pores, wrinkles, age lines and blemishes. Original blog here

Reminds me of the famous Time and Newsweek covers of O.J. Simpson. Time admitted darkening his face. (I saved both covers - there really is a difference.)

What do you think with Palin?
Should they have done anything?

Fleet Foxes.

New releases Thursday.

How about something mellow and harmonic?

I like this group the more I hear them.

Fleet Foxes are a 5 piece Seattle based band.

The quintet describe their music as "baroque harmonic pop jams".

This is White Winter Hymnal:

I was following the pack
all swallowed in their coats
with scarves of red tied ’round their throats
to keep their little heads
from fallin’ in the snow
And I turned ’round and there you go
And, Michael, you would fall
and turn the white snow red as strawberries
in the summertime..

Picture from SXSW 2008:

And live in Chicago at Shuba's:

Scouse for "Lads".

I like the English sound / accent I hear in lots of rock from over the pond.

Now I know what it’s called. Scouse.

The La's formed in 1983, with original member Mike Badger claiming the band name occurred to him in a dream, as well as it being Scouse for "lads"

Scouse - pronounced (skous) is the accent and dialect of English found in the city of Liverpool, and in some adjoining urban areas ....

The Scouse accent is highly distinctive and sounds wholly different from the accents used in the neighbouring regions of Cheshire and rural Lancashire.

The La's are an English rock band from Liverpool consisting of frontman Lee Mavers (vocals, guitars) and John Power (bass, backing vocals), plus a rotating cast of guitarists and drummers.

The band's best-known song is There She Goes.

The song has also been covered by, amongst others, Sixpence None the Richer, Robbie Williams, The Wombats, The Boo Radleys and The Cranberries. It has appeared on several film soundtracks, including The Parent Trap, Fever Pitch', Girl, Interrupted and So I Married an Axe Murderer (where both the original and Boo Radleys version appear). "There She Goes" also appeared at the beginning of the Gilmore Girls pilot episode.

Two Silver Trees.

Calexico, Two Silver Trees.

This song is readily available for free download on the net (their choice). See: http://www.myspace.com/casadecalexico

I like their sound (this must be my mellow period).

The Album is called Carried to Dust.



Calexico's Carried To Dust, which follows 2006's Garden Ruin, is out.

On it, Joey Burns and John Convertino are joined by Paul Niehaus (pedal steel), Volker Zander (bass) and multi-instrumentalists Martin Wenk and Jacob Valenzuela, along with guest spots by Sam Beam, Douglas McCombs, Pieta Brown, Spanish artists Amparo Sanchez and Jairo Zavala, and Willie Nelson band member Mickey Raphael, among others.

Sunday 9-21-08: Summer meets Fall.

Bears vs Tampa Bay football game this afternoon.

Also it's the last official Sunday of summer.

Beautiful out. In the low 80's.

I have potatoes and other garden stuff to pick.

Will I regret missing any of it?

Bear's dig in and hit paydirt.

Field goal: Bears 3 - 0. Then another: Bears 6 - 0.

(I could lie and say there are 6 potatoes in the hole. ha)

Scoring scattered all over the place (visual metaphor).

Tampa 7 - 6.

Tampa 14 - 6.

Tampa 14 - 9.

Bears 17 - 14.

Looks like a successful afternoon.

Bears 24 -14 in the fourth quarter.

Especially with their defense.

(The Bears are the potatoes).

Got bit.

(that on my arm is one of those little yellow bugs that looks like a ladybug but bites)

Lost 10 point lead in the last minutes of the game.

Their QB?

Brian Griese who wasn't good enough to stick as our QB last year.

Bears 24 - 24 tie. Game goes to overtime.

Seeing red part one: Stupid penalty.

Tampa was going to have to punt from its own 10-yard line early in overtime,

setting the Bears up with premium field position,

before one of the all-time boneheaded

Bears' penalties moved the chains for the Bucs.

Cornerback Charles Tillman was singled out in the fracas for squaring off with

Tampa wide receiver Michael Clayton and called for a

15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. For his part,

Tillman said emotions got the best of him.

Seeing red part two:

Dropped passes, can't advance the ball in overtime.

Bears lose 27 - 24.

Sunday afternoon outside turned out to be the right choice.

MMJ: Evil Urges, Librarian.

My Morning Jacket is a band not known to everyone.

Yet to some, they are considered America's Best Live Band (really).

They have changed their sound from previous albums.

This is their fifth studio recording, Evil Urges.

The 8th track is a beautiful sounding song called Librarian. Enjoy.

walk across the courtyard, towards the library.
i can hear the insects buzz and the leaves 'neath my feet...
ramble up the stairwell, into the hall of books...
since we got the interweb these hardly get used.
duck into the men's room... combing thru my hair...
when god gave us mirrors he had no idea...
looking for a lesson in the periodicals...
there i spy you listening to the AM radio...
karen of the carpenters- singing in the rain...
another lovely victim of the mirror's evil way.
it's not like you're not trying, with a pencil in your har
to defy the beauty the good lord put in there...
simple little bookworm- buried underneath...
is the sexiest librarian...take off those glasses and let down your hair for me.
so i watch you thru the bookcase- imaging a scene:
you and i at dinner, spending time, then to sleep.
and what then would i say to you- lying there in bed?
these words, with a kiss, i would plant in your head:
"what is it inside our heads that makes us do the opposite?
makes us do the opposite of what's right for us?
cause everything'd be grrreat...and everything'd be good...
if everybody gave...like everybody could."
sweetest little bookworm. hidden underneath...
is the sexiest librarian...
take off those glasses and let your hair down for me.
take off those glasses and let your hair down for me.
simple little beauty- heaven in your breath.
the simplest of pleasures- the world at it's best.

Too (2) funny Palins.

Michael,



I love Michael Palin. He is one of my favorites from Monty Python.

He is also remembered for the movie "A Fish Called Wanda" and the quite strange movie "Brazil".


From so what the fuss

Two of his quotes, which seem to describe him perfectly: “I always wanted to be an explorer, but - it seemed I was doomed to be nothing more than a very silly person.”

“Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.”

Recently he had a around-the-world travel show on cable television (which was pretty good).

Sarah, (Vice-Presidental candidate from our remote state to the north, Alaska).

Too many good jokes on late night television to ignore)


From so what the fuss

•Reporters asked Sarah Palin if she could ever be president and commander-in-chief, and she said, "Ya, sure, you betcha!" … David Letterman (CBS)

•Since Sarah Palin became the vice presidential nominee, there's been an actual spike in the sales of her style of eyeglasses. Gone way up. Yeah. Yeah, with Palin's glasses, you'll be able to see everything, except what the hell your teenage daughter's up to. ... Conan O'Brien (NBC)

•I gotta admit, [Palin, the governor of Alaska] looked very comfortable at the podium. 'Cause it's kinda like Alaska: you look out on that [Republican] convention floor, nothing but white as far as the eye can see. … Jay Leno (NBC)

•They asked her if she would be able to explain how she once lobbied Washington for earmarks, and she said, "We'll cross that bridge to nowhere when we come to it."… Jay Leno

•"[Republican presidential nominee John] McCain has been running this campaign based on 'We're at war, it's a dangerous world out there … I, John McCain, am the only one standing between the blood-thirsty Al Qaeda and you. But if I die, this stewardess can handle it.' " … Bill Maher (HBO)

Sarah Palin gave a tremendous speech to the Republicans, though some are claiming it was actually her daughter's speech.(Letterman)

Say what you will about this Sarah Palin, women love this candidate. Am I right about that? As a matter of fact, last night at the convention, security had to restrain Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter.(Letterman)

When Sarah Palin and John McCain make an appearance together, there's always a brief hug, but no kissing. It's just like Bill and Hillary.(Letterman)

It got a little testy on the campaign trail today. A reporter asked John McCain if he ever Googled Sarah Palin, and McCain said, 'Hey, you take your filthy mouth, and get out of here!"(Leno)

There’s an old picture of Sarah Palin circulating on the Internet right now, and she’s wearing a T-shirt that says, “I may be broke, but I’m not flat busted.” John McCain was upset when he heard this and asked, “What’s the Internet?”(Conan)

Sarah Palin's got a 4-month-old of her own, she's about to become a grandmother and she's partnered with John McCain. How many diapers can one woman possibly change?(Kimmel)

Are you kidding me, the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska? Yeah, that’s who you want in the White House during a time of crisis. When she got a phone call at 3 in the morning, it was because a moose had gotten in the garbage can.(Maher)

Disclaimer: (I'm not making any political statements - just things I collected off the web)

Stereophonics.

I just heard this on the radio.

Maybe Tomorrow by the Stereophonics.

A song I forgot about since I haven't hear it for awhile.

That made me think of the CD of theirs I bought I haven't listened to in awhile either.

Anyway,

Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band, consisting of Kelly Jones, Richard Jones, venezuelan/argentinian Javier Weyler and Adam Zindani.

"Maybe Tomorrow" is a single from the Stereophonics 2003 album You Gotta Go There to Come Back.

It is featured in the soundtrack of the academy award winner movie Crash. It's an emotional song with repetitious lyrics that grow on you.

I've been down and
I'm wondering why
These little black clouds
Keep walking around
With me
With me

It wastes time
And I'd rather be high
Think I'll walk me outside
And buy a rainbow smile
But be free
They're all free

So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home
So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home

I look around at a beautiful life
Been the upperside of down
Been the inside of out
But we breathe
We breathe

I wanna breeze and an open mind
I wanna swim in the ocean
Wanna take my time for me
All me

So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home
So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home

So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home
So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home

So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home
So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home

Two years later came the much more upbeat Dakota.

I bought the CD Language Sex Violence Other because of the song Dakota .

(It's the best one on it.)

Dakota:

Fringe.

J.J. Abrams

is back again with a new tv show, Fringe. It looks like something I would like.

Sci-fi: When an unlikely trio uncovers a deadly mystery involving a series of unbelievable events, they discover it may be part of a larger, disturbing pattern that blurs the line between science fiction and technology on FRINGE.

BONUS: It follows my favorite show, House..

This is going to be on Fox on tuesday nights.

It runs against Dancing with the Stars and Biggest Losers (two shows I'll never be caught watching.)

J.J. is the creator and writer of Lost and Alias (to mention just some of his work).

Trailer:

Fringe

Hey Ma: Waterfall.

Hey Ma is the tenth studio album by Mancunian (Manchester England) rock band James

It was released on April 7, 2008.

Waterfall:

Curious facts:

A somewhat dubious honour that can be attributed to James is that many of its support acts went on to find great success of their own, eclipsing that of James itself.

In 1988 it was supported by The Stone Roses and the Happy Mondays (James went on to support the Happy Mondays only two years later).

Nirvana was the support act for a show in 1991 - only a month later, Nevermind reached number one in the Billboard Album Charts.

For their 1993 tour, Radiohead was the support.

After James' hiatus, the trend continued. Third Eye Blind supported in 1997; The Corrs, Theaudience and Stereophonics in 1998; Supergrass, Cast and Doves in 1999.

In 2000 they were supported by Coldplay: a month later its breakthrough single Yellow was released; a month after that its debut album Parachutes went to #1 in the UK album chart. In 2001 it was supported by Turin Brakes.

Frozen River.

This looks like an interesting film. I've heard nothing but good about it.

It won the Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

Rotten Tomatoes has it rated at 85%.

From Rotten Tomatoes:

Synopsis: Courtney Hunt's feature directorial debut FROZEN RIVER is a powerfully unflinching tale of two women, who, driven by economic hardship, form an unlikely partnership smuggling illegal immigrants across the Canadian border.

Melissa Leo turns in a gritty performance as Ray, a struggling dollar-store cashier and mother living in a trailer home in upstate New York who is desperate to make ends meet.

During a frenzied search for her deadbeat spouse, she apprehends Lila (Misty Upham), a Mohawk Indian from an area reservation, attempting to steal her car.

In the process of taking back her vehicle, she learns of Lila's smuggling operation through an unpatrolled corridor within Mohawk territory--the frozen St. Lawrence River that forms part of the border between the U.S. and Canada.

Out of necessity, they form an uneasy alliance:



Another point of interest to me is I'm part Seneca Indian.

They are part of the Iroquois Nation that also includes the Mohawk tribe.

We had many relatives up in that area.

I can't wait to see it.

It probably won't make it out to the sticks so either I'll hunt it down or wait for the DVD.

Renaissance Art.

Over Labor Day weekend, Aimers, Steph and I went to the Renaissance Faire in Bristol Wisconsin.

I've been going for years but still bring my camera along.

The site is really large and they are always adding new things.

You never know what you will run across.

My favorite pictures of the day were taken more by luck than anything else.

Just walking along, we found these painted ladies posing on the balcony.

I had never seen them before at the Faire.

Being in a hurry to see a particular show, we didn't stay very long but I did snap off a few pictures.

The one below, cropped, to me, looks like a painting.

This is it uncropped. I crossed a little street, looked up and saw them.

Now I wish I had stayed and taken more pictures.

A few seconds later, a door opens and the moment is lost. Looks less like art now.

More girls on the balconies.

I remember in the early days of coming here seeing a couple of the princesses sharing a renaissance smoke in one of the towers. Never forgot that. Ha. Wished they would have asked me to join them back then.

Amy and Steph:

First Snow (2006)

Jimmy Starks is a stringy long haired salesman (Guy Pearce - Memento) whom at first comes off as somewhat unlikeable, fast talking, and self-centered.

On the road near Albuquerque, his car breaks down. Stranded in the middle of nowhere while his car is being repaired, he visits the trailer of fortune teller (J. K. Simmons - I remember him as the dad in Juno).

The fortune-teller makes a couple predictions (which later in the movie come true, giving him some credence as a psychic). Continuing to tell Jimmy's fortune, he then sees something bad that almost causes himself to have a seizure.

The future for Jimmy doesn't look good. - hence the title of the movie. (Let just say his demise is connected to an occurance of weather as in the title.)

Guy does a good job playing a character with that prediction over his head along with other stressful issues in his life. I liked him more and more as the movie progressed. William Fichtner (Prison Break) has a small part as a co-worker.

Nicely cast as his girl friend is the pleasing but not distractingly pretty, Piper Perabo. I knew I had seen her before but she wasn't familiar enough for me to make a connection. (By the way, she starred in Coyote Ugly.) I liked her in that movie too.

Trailer:

Entertainment Weeky's review here: (Owen Glieberman). EW does a good job with movies. I like to read their upcoming movie reviews and make mental notes of what to keep an eye out for.

I caught this on cable.

The ending wasn't entirely satisfying or unpredicted but overall I liked the characters and plot. I'm glad I watched it.