DYFL?

Public service announcement.

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:10:39 -0400

Reduced Fat Doritos are FUCKING FILTHY. Stay away.

I made the mistake of ordering from Domino’s online once...

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:11:30 -0400

I made the mistake of ordering from Domino’s online once (DON’T JUDGE ME) and now I get an e-mail from them EVERY DAY. But yesterday’s contained this little gem of absurdity.

perpetua: lindsayb: This is a competition. This is not...

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:04:38 -0400

perpetua:

lindsayb:

This is a competition. This is not “America’s Next Top Best Friend.” (fourfour)

This is sublime and depressing. “I’m not here to make friends” = the mantra of reality show sociopaths.

Maybe that should just be the official motto of this country in the 00s.

America: We’re Not Here To Make Friends.

I know it’s not OK to say this in public, but I’m pretty sure that if you’re the kind of person who goes on one of these shows and says this, you should lose your voting rights and be executed, and maybe not in that order.

The influence of “reality” competitions on American culture has been so widespread, so unbelievably toxic, so mind-bogglingly hateful, and so ubiquitous, that I feel like I am taking crazy pills when I say that it is NOT OK to watch 90% of these shows. Even “ironically.” Even “because they’re like a car wreck.” DO NOT REWARD THEM, EVER.

I make exceptions for shows that are much more about talent, dedication, and skill — TOP CHEF, say, or PROJECT RUNWAY. But it’s not a skill to be a fucking cock to people and use hateful bullshit to win a competition with meaningless rules. If I had a gun that shot backwards through time, I would assassinate the man who conceived SURVIVOR with my very first bullet fired.

How Coldplay's green hopes died in the arid soil of India - Telegraph

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:10:52 -0400

How Coldplay's green hopes died in the arid soil of India - Telegraph: My interest is piqued by the previous discussion of carbon-offsetting. I remember raising an eyebrow about this when I saw it in the liner notes of A RUSH OF BLOOD…; very interesting to see it followed up on.

Straighten up and fly right.

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:55:24 -0400

I just paid $40 extra to sit in exit-row seats on two flights. I’m not sure if it sucks to be tall, or if it sucks to fly anywhere these days, but one of those things definitely sucks. And I probably know the answer.

Also: I investigated the little “offset your carbon footprint” affiliate link from the Jetblue site. Does it seriously require an investment of only $7.60 to negate my environmental impact on a round-trip to Florida? Or are these things just the most complete and utter hogwash? Again, I probably know the answer, but anybody with some kind of learned experience w/r/t commercial carbon offsetting, please get in touch.

barthel: Hamlet 2 trailer, featuring Steve Coogan. This. Looks....

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:13:35 -0400

barthel:

Hamlet 2 trailer, featuring Steve Coogan.

This. Looks. Spectacular.

Undependent™ » The World’s First Album Cover - Alex Steinweiss’ Greatest Hit

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:57:37 -0400

Undependent™ » The World’s First Album Cover - Alex Steinweiss’ Greatest Hit: Really just linking this so I have it to refer back to later. Also, I’m sure we’ll have bands doing knockoff covers of this within a year. It is a pretty hot design.

Secret Acres: Not So Secret Any More - 6/30/2008 2:46:00 PM - Publishers Weekly

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:04:25 -0400

Secret Acres: Not So Secret Any More - 6/30/2008 2:46:00 PM - Publishers Weekly: PW Comics Week profiles my friend Leon’s new comics company.

A thing to do.

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:03:00 -0400

List your favorite record from every year you’ve been alive.

You can do it based purely on hindsight, or you can do it by listing the answer you would’ve given in that year (assuming you were aware of pop music at the time). My list below is based on hindsight, but would have some awesomely hilarious and embarassing choices if you’d asked me at the time. When I remember what those are, I’ve indicated them in brackets.

So: nerd ahoy!

1982: Prince - 1999
1983: R.E.M. - MURMUR
1984: Prince - PURPLE RAIN
1985: The Replacements - TIM
1986: Pet Shop Boys - PLEASE
1987: Prince - SIGN O’ THE TIMES
1988: R.E.M. - GREEN
1989: Pixies - DOOLITTLE
1990: Pet Shop Boys - BEHAVIOUR
1991: U2 - ACHTUNG BABY
1992: Morrissey - YOUR ARSENAL
1993: U2 - ZOOROPA
1994: R.E.M. - MONSTER
1995: Smashing Pumpkins - MELLON COLLIE & THE INFINITE SADNESS
1996: R.E.M. - NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI
1997: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - THE BOATMAN’S CALL [U2 - POP]
1998: Afghan Whigs - 1965 [Garbage - VERSION 2.0]
1999: Magnetic Fields - 69 LOVE SONGS [Moby - PLAY]
2000: Radiohead - KID A [U2 - ALL THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE BEHIND]
2001: Jay-Z - THE BLUEPRINT [Depeche Mode - EXCITER]
2002: Andrew W.K. - I GET WET
2003: Twilight Singers - BLACKBERRY BELLE [Blur - THINK TANK]
2004: Scissor Sisters - SCISSOR SISTERS
2005: M.I.A. - ARULAR
2006: The Knife - SILENT SHOUT
2007: LCD Soundsystem - SOUND OF SILVER
2008: Robyn - ROBYN (US EDITION)

I am including the Robyn album for this year, even though it’s really a 2005 record, because frankly 2008 has disappointed me so far and this (very different) version of the Robyn album is leagues better than anything else I’ve heard.

If you choose to do this silly thing you may find it useful to consult the Pazz & Jop archive to remember what even came out in each year.

An Urgent Communique to All New Yorkers

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:49:51 -0400

howsyrface:

If you haven’t been yet, please drop everything you are currently doing and head to MoMA and/or PS1 to check out the last day of Take your time: Olafur Eliasson, because you will probably not have more fun at an Art Exhibit this year unless they’re handing out giant flyswatters at the upcoming Louis Bourgeouis/Giant Spiders Vs. Guggenheim exhibition.

Damn it, I wanted to see that this weekend, but forgot, and now I am angry. Mainly I am angry at PS1 for the complete and utter absurdity of scheduling a major exhibition of an artist’s work that ends THREE DAYS AFTER THE UNVEILING OF HIS MOST HIGH-PROFILE PIECE EVER. I mean seriously? The artist gets some fucking attention and you immediately close the exhibition? I’m sure there are all kinds of scheduling issues to work out with art on this scale but come on this is common fucking sense.

Bayville Adventure Park

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:17:41 -0400

Bayville Adventure Park: This is the totally sweet mini-golf course we went to this weekend, which features a rope-climbing thing that was pretty much completely boss.

"According to the poll, 81% of male moviegoers and 66 percent of female moviegoers polled June 10-15..."

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:22:00 -0400

“

According to the poll, 81% of male moviegoers and 66 percent of female moviegoers polled June 10-15 intend to see “The Dark Knight” opening weekend. 100% of ticket buyers polled were aware of “The Dark Knight’s” release this summer, compared with 49% of ticket buyers three weeks before “The Incredible Hulk” and 36% of buyers three weeks before “Iron Man.”

“The Incredible Hulk” muscled its way to a $54.5 million opening, while “Iron Man” bowed with $98.6 million. The biggest opening of all-time was last May’s “Spider-Man 3” with $151.1 million, a number I expect “The Dark Knight” to possibly challenge on July 18th.

”

- The Weekend Gross: ‘The Dark Knight’ tracking extremely well

[DISCLAIMER: This is meant in no way to reflect any data or expectations on the part of my employers; I only post it because I’m friggin’ excited about the movie and am sensing a similar level of excitement out there in The Real World. Opinions do not reflect those of Time Warner or its affiliated companies etc. etc.]

Dara Torres - Profile - Olympic Swimming - NYTimes.com

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:05:33 -0400

Dara Torres - Profile - Olympic Swimming - NYTimes.com: This piece kinda blew my mind. If this woman was a character in a novel, you’d find her unrealistic.

douglaswolk: BeaucoupKevin(dot)com | The Nineties-est Cover I...

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:20:54 -0400

douglaswolk:

BeaucoupKevin(dot)com | The Nineties-est Cover I Could Find

FTW

If I won the lottery...

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:51:38 -0400

…I’d hire James Jean to paint a 30-foot mural of the X-Men fighting dinosaurs in my apartment’s entry hall.

"Amazing amazing amazing Annie amazing amazing amazing amazing Norwegian amazing amazing amazing..."

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:41:19 -0400

“Amazing amazing amazing Annie amazing amazing amazing amazing Norwegian amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing. Amazing amazing amazing Richard X and Hannah Robinson amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing ‘Don’t Stop’ amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing Island Records amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing October amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing amazing.”

- Popjustice - Annie’s ‘Songs Remind Me Of You’: amazing

The point is, there’s a 30-second clip. This is absolutely my most anticipated album of the year.

Pitchfork: Devo Suing McDonald's Over Happy Meal Toy

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:38:32 -0400

Pitchfork: Devo Suing McDonald's Over Happy Meal Toy: Good for them. Fuck that kind of trademark infringement. He said, while eating McDonald’s for breakfast. BUT THAT DOESN’T CHANGE ANYTHING.

U.S. to Take North Korea Off Terror List - NYTimes.com

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:31:08 -0400

U.S. to Take North Korea Off Terror List - NYTimes.com: As we all know, I despise the government of George W. Bush with a burning passion. And story after story keeps hitting about how corrupt, incompetent, and vicious these people are. But it’s only fair to say that there are certain things his administration has done right (he did at least try to get a reasonable immigration-reform bill passed; it was the wingnuts and deadenders in his party that killed that one), and this is very clearly one of the major accomplishments of his eight years in office. These are the sort of results that you get with classic diplomacy, not macho bluster. Nice work, folks.

USA Olympic Diving Trials - The Big Picture - Boston.com

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:19:20 -0400

USA Olympic Diving Trials - The Big Picture - Boston.com: I would hide behind the usual “These pictures are so amazing, what an awesome blog The Big Picture is” excuse. But no, I just think divers are super-hot. So here you go: some hot, basically-naked boys making silly faces. Enjoy!

What a 'Fun, Sexy Time' For Us: Jason Bateman Confirms 'Arrested Development' Movie To Shoot Next Year

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:48:30 -0400

What a 'Fun, Sexy Time' For Us: Jason Bateman Confirms 'Arrested Development' Movie To Shoot Next Year: I continue to hold to my policy on all AD-movie-related stories: If this does not actually happen, I will systematically butcher everyone in the world responsible for getting my hopes up in this fashion. The cast and crew are, logically, excepted from this massacre.