Eat

some people like chopsticks. myself, i prefer forks. anyway, here's a little history of this most efficient little instrument of consumption


Breed

ever wonder if the various members of springfield had kids? this site plays out many different scenarious of The Simpsons' characters' breeding match-ups


thanks to Casper for the tip

The Customers Strike Back

apparently, kevin smith is planning on making a sequel to his b/w NJ convenience-store ode "Clerks." i'm a bit skeptical of this - the sequel jinx seems to always be in effect for follow-ups. and Clerks was such a bawdy good time.


thanks to simon for the tip

Adult Swim

harvey birdman is one hilarious show

Because Cans Just Aren't Enough

for all of you who wanted to make your own soda at home - your prayers have been answered here! hmmm...i wonder if you could use "the carbonizer" on any liquid - like milk or orange juice. now that would be interesting.

Your Emotions Here

this is a silly little entertaining site...eric, the guy who runs it, acts out emotions requested by his readers - and he also documents his silly adventures in pictures w/ commentary

thanks to casper for the tip

Mac

i was just watching "The Secret Life of Pasta" on the food network, and i found out an interesting little tidbit. i've always wondered the meaning of the phrase, "stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni" from "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

well, apparently, back in the revolutionary war days, only the most upper class of society could afford to eat macaroni, and eventually, the term "macaroni" also came to be an adjective meaning "high class, or civilized." so, when the British came up with the song lyric, it was meant to be an insult to the American people, meaning the Americans were so uncivilized that they'd consider sticking a feather in a hat enough to make one look civilized in dress.

Friday Night Fights

i really enjoy jammin java as a venue - intimate, good sound, no smoke, good refreshment, and good parking - and it's close by in VA - what more can i ask for?

anyway, i'm actually blogging late in the evening - amazing! - i just got back from jammin java, where i went to see my friends in the group band of blue - it was their going away show for their drummer, Ted. that's Dr. Ted to those of you who don't know him. he's going off to texas to be a professor at a university and mold young minds. i think it's for the freshman girls. but the man can sure bang the drums.

anyway, BOB played their usual kick-ass show - i haven't seen 'em for a bit, and they really do groove, with josh supplying the funky basslines. they had the three-part harmonies going well tonight, and mike was really in the zone on his electric guitar leads. well, the only member i didn't mention yet is shane - so....shane was really sweaty. ok, something music-related - i especially enjoyed when he sat in with the opening act, Daniel Lee.

yes, mr. daniel lee, a guitarist and vocalist, opened for BOB, and i was most impressed. i had met him awhile back at stacccato and jammin java during his previous jaunt in the northeast, but i only heard a few percussionless songs.

anyway, his guitar skills are very polished, with a distinct jazzy influence, but ragged and rhythmic enough to make you tap your feet. he played with a percussionist from new orleans (i forget his name), and it definitely added some nice texture and driving movement to the music. and his voice - it was very strong and expressive, with a buckley-esque upper range. he's a good performer, and i'd definitely recommend catching daniel lee live.

Tongue Makeover?

looks like gene simmons of KISS is going to be making an appearance on an episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy - hmmmm, i wonder how a fifty-something dude who wears kabuki make-up, drools fake blood, and wears leather and platform boots while he rocks and rolls all night can be made over...

Feed My Back

this is pretty cool - doctors were able to grow a new jawbone for a man who had his original one removed due to the effects of a tumor

mmmm....more television

finally! a dallas cowboys tv station! all cowboys. all the time. bask in the glow.

Point Five

i was going to take a nap, but i realize it's simply too damn late to do that. so i'm currently listening to "Divided," by Speechwriters LLC while i watch the Van Buren Boys threaten george costanza... adam richman had told me about these guys awhile ago, so when i noticed they're coming to jammin java in the near future i decided to check 'em out... i like what i've heard so far - perhaps i'll have to go check 'em out...

i finished watching Kill Bill vol. 2 earlier this evening. interesting - usually it takes awhile for me to fully digest QT movies, so i won't spit too much type on the page - like the first volume, it's a stylistic film, both aurally and visually. it was good to hear a little ennio morreone (composer of clint eastwood's spaghetti westerns, among other films) in the soundtrack. less bloodshed, a little more thought toward relationships. we're not talking "when harry met sally,"but...

a capella warning...check out the song "Eliza" by my friend andrew's group Staticflow - we collaborated some on the lyrics - it's a pretty little number, and as expected, he does a good job singing it...

is it football season yet?

Scrubs Premiere

Season premiere of Scrubs, Tuesday, August 31st at 9:30 on NBC - be there for my favorite show. yeah, i admit it, ER jumped the shark many years ago.

Where Are You?

this is a cool scrolling virtual map of DC

thanks to Casper for the tip

A Little Art...(and not Sharon)

here's a link to where you can listen/download the final mix of "Occupied Territories," a song i wrote with mr. aaron cunningham. there's mr. cunningham on vox, petey paraschos on searing lead guitar, greg davis on booming drums, bret beale slapping the bass around, and me on keys and acoustic guitar. and matt bryant behind the board and drumming the tambourine. it's a good time.

i recently became aware of sculptor Lee Bontecou in the most recent issue of The Smithsonian, and i like her stuff a lot... check it out

Boot to the Head

ahhhh....i'm experiencing the pleasure of a migraine right now - i've been a bit lax on taking my new migraine drogues, so perhaps as jimmy buffett says, "it's my own damn fault." i'll have to get on the ball!

here's an interesting little article on FX's "Nip/Tuck." basically it praises 'em for their bravery and brashness in subject lines. i, however, feel the show has gone downhill, with the decline beginning at the end of last season. while they began as a show that was a well-balanced blend of character development and outrageous visual images and plotlines, now, it seems, they just try to cause shock strictly for shock's sake and see just how far they can go. i feel the structural integrity of the show has been compromised.

Jersey

i'm outtahere to new jersey for the weekend - no snide comments, please - so be good, kids!

Homer's Voice

here's a little bit about the guy who provides homer's voice...

Marah Back in Arlington

Yes! Marah is coming back to the IOTA in October! the eighth, to be exact...

One Final Meal of Phish

phish is giving their fans a goodbye present with a weekend festival in vermont...

The Kitchen Is Closed

Sad news in the world of cooking - Julia Child died today at age 91.

Junior's Done

once again, ken griffey, jr. has suffered as season-ending injury...

Menu Plans

it's always difficult to select which meal to have when you're going to a wedding.... for this wedding, i'm guessing the choice was slightly simpler...

__ Fish
__ Chicken
__ Filet Mignon
__ Cousin Benjie

A-Team

the A-Team has finally been cleared of all charges by the US Government!!! they can now do their good deeds in peace! go ahead with your bad self, hannibal!

8 Glasses

a little ditty on why drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day is good for you... make sure you've got a bathroom handy!

Mookie B. To Record Some More

P.Jam back in the studio this winter?

Perlman

i had been waiting awhile to rent Hellboy from the DVD rental place downstairs, and i finally was able to get it this evening. although my expectations were high, Hellboy actually delivered. very entertaining, with a great performance by ron perlman as Hellboy. kind of like a combination of Raiders of the Lost Ark and Men In Black. the movie doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's smartly written. a very good selection.

Be Happy. Drink Water.

ever wonder why the Brits are so happy? well, turns out there's prozac in their drinking water...

The West

wow, this is certainly a bunch of posts for a saturday...anyway, though i was looking to see Hellboy, it wasn't in, and i ended up seeing "Open Range," Kevin Costner's "Unforgiven"-esque western of redemption and maturation. i'm guessing that description doesn't sound all that exciting. but it ended up being a good movie after the slow start - robert duvall and kevin costner do what they do best in front of a wide open western sky.

Boston Torn...

Dolphins' WR David Boston is out for the year, having suffered a torn knee ligament in non-contact practice drills.....maybe he'll join ricky williams on a tour of the world...


Trade Me!!

apparently Peja wants out of Sacramento - this business of NBA players under contract demanding trades has gotten way out of hand. they're getting paid, and they're bound by a legal agreement - they don't also have the power to dictate where they're sent. but they seem to think they do. ridiculous. unless one of my teams gets a player i want, of course.

...But Sparky Will Live On!!!

this company is going to start producing pet clones. make sure you save your dead animal's cells!

Shaking the Money Maker....Again?

might the Black Crowes be getting back together?


Walker to Cardinals

the team with the best record in the NL has gotten some additional firepower - Larry Walker has been traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for minor league pitcher Jason Burch and two players to be named later


The Sporting Rumor Mill

here's the rest of the recent "truth + rumors" in the sporting world...

He's Dead, Bitch!

you just knew someone would say that, didn't you? Funky singer Rick James died of a heart attack this morning at age 56.

The Glove Now Wears Green

the Lakers traded Gary Payton and Rick Fox to the Celtics for Chucky Atkins, Marcus Banks, and Chris Mihm...

Santana

carlos santana is gathering songs for his next album....and due to the massive number of collaborations, he's actually not playing one thing on the album...

Bloody Hell!

ever what the brits really are saying? well, here, your prayers are answered in this most interesting site...

thanks to casper for the tip

Festivus For The Rest Of Us

After much anticipation, Seinfeld is finally coming out on DVD - well, the first three seasons, at least...

The Wall on Broadway

Pink Floyd's "The Wall" is going to be made into a Broadway musical. Roger Waters will write the show's book and orchestrate the score. I'm guessing there won't be any animation in this version...

Ralphie Joins the Potter Crew

ralph fiennes will be playing the role of Voldemort in the next Harry Potter installment...

The Q Is Gone

well, the cowboys have gone and released quincy carter, the QB that guided them into the playoffs last year. am i upset? well, i never was extremely comfy with the Q back in the pocket - to put it bluntly, he could be maddingly erratic. but he was most likely the best they had, with vinnie about to start receiving social security, drew henson not having played football in ten years, and tony romo....i won't even go into the possible positive drug test until more information comes out - though i'm tempted to mention cocaine!

Court and Kumar

well, i got two items off of my to-do list today....i finally settled up my traffic court date, and i finally saw "harold and kumar go to white castle."

traffic court was actually kind of cool. while i waited to be called (which was a long time, i must admit), i got to watch the goings on around me. was it Law & Order? no. but it was entertaining nonetheless. the judge was a rather cool lady, with a sense of humor, which was good to see. i'm sure you need that in her field. and you know how they tell you that when you go to court for, say a speeding ticket, that the cop never shows up? i'd say that's an incorrect statement for arlington county - there was a ton of cops milling around, waiting to be called to testify if necessary. i enjoyed hearing the different people's traffic stories, and i enjoyed seeing how justice was doled out quite reasonably around me. after showing the nice police officer my valid license and registration, the judge dismissed the charges. so i didn't even need my NJ driving record and all of the internet printouts about workers committing fraud at the gallows road DMV....go figure.

once that was all finished and i ate properly, i was finally able to go see "harold and kumar go to white castle," the next movie from the guys who did "dude, where's my car." now some people didn't get "dude, where's my car," but i thought it was great for what it was. unfortunately, "HAKGTWK" is no "DWMC." why? it's hard to say. i guess there just wasn't enough - things that made me laugh, whimsy, supporting characters, etc. there were a few redeeming factors, like the cheetah sequence, and the actor that played kumar was pretty cool - he reminded me of one of my friends.

i think that about wraps up my commentary for now...

Public Pools Are Dirty!!!!

i knew it! the CDC agrees with me!