I wish you all a very Happy Holi-DRAY season, and all the best for 2005.
Not only that, but for all you kids left behind in the deep freeze of the Great Canadian Winter of 2004-2005, I sincerely wish that you were all here. Seriously. Like... I really mean it, man!
Actually... I had to endure 26-hours+ on the road between Halifax and Toronto, not counting the 3 hours on a snow-and-ice clogged portion of the 401 outside of Scarb-eristan, interrogation by homeland security about my intents in FL, and a slightly cramped flight to FLL.
And what do I get for my trouble: relatively crap weather. But at least it ain't snowing.
I'll be back in T-dot 5 Jan 2005... back in Halifax on 9 Jan 2005. For the time being, don't expect too much rantage from me, since access to a computer is at a serious slim premium. In fact, I'm posting this on an Apple notebook at the Apple Store at Town Center Mall in Boca. Not a bad piece of machinery, this PowerBook G4 with an AirPort Extreme interface, even though I consider Apple products to be nothing more than glorified toys, but that's my opinion.
Anyways... until I come up with something interesting, keep a clean body, a dirty mind, stay tuned and have fun.
Monday, December 27, 2004
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Dumb fuck: see YOUNG BUCK
Last month's Vibe Awards was intended to be a celebration of urban hip-hop cultcha.
But, given the genre's reputation for pissy, petty infightin' and frontin', the celebration became a confrontation when some muthafucka tried to bust a move on Dr. Dre's face when he received a lifetime achievement award.
The result was hot heads frontin' and shit. And you know what happens when muthafuckas start frontin'... they start bitch-slappin' each other.
Which led to this bum note by G-Unit home Young Buck:
Now, why did that bitch-ass sucka tried to put the smackdown on Dre? Some people say that Suge Knight had it in big-time for the Dr. and that he probably hire some goon to give him some upside-the-head action to make an example.
As I've said before, the genre is infamous for petty infighting. And David's actions doesn't make things any better.
Fuck what the Source said about hip-hop being ruined by Eminem... the immature antics of some of the performers - and thank God that they're all so few and far in between - make the genre no more than an urban "minstrel show", with all the ghetto booty thrown in for good measure. Almost every hip-hop video shown on MTV. Much and BET feature the same tired shit of ghetto boasting, Blaxploitation fantasies and of course, ghetto booty.
And it's a shame that ather artists like Black-Eyed Peas, KRS-One, Public Enemy and K-os are being shunted aside in favour of the more "telegenic" "Gangsta" rappers. Talk about style smacking-down substance. And you thought that Eminem was a factor - remember 3rd Bass, House of Pain or even Cypress Hill? And these ain't no garden variety whiggas either - they held their own by doing what they did best: rhyming to the beat and keeping the groove.
I think it was Chuck D. from Public Enemy who claimed that rap was the Black Man's CNN (I may be wrong but this is my blog, muthafucka...), but I digress - beat poetry, blues, early r'n'b transmitted the same social and political concepts way before someone started messing up the turntables. Sadly, hip-hop is becoming more Springer than Larry King. And that's a shame.
If only the playas would just grow the fuck up and stick to the music.
But, given the genre's reputation for pissy, petty infightin' and frontin', the celebration became a confrontation when some muthafucka tried to bust a move on Dr. Dre's face when he received a lifetime achievement award.
The result was hot heads frontin' and shit. And you know what happens when muthafuckas start frontin'... they start bitch-slappin' each other.
Which led to this bum note by G-Unit home Young Buck:
The rapper, whose given name is David Darnell Brown, was accused in a complaint of stabbing Jimmy James Johnson in retaliation after Johnson allegedly punched Brown's mentor, Dr. Dre, during the taping of the show Nov. 15.
Now, why did that bitch-ass sucka tried to put the smackdown on Dre? Some people say that Suge Knight had it in big-time for the Dr. and that he probably hire some goon to give him some upside-the-head action to make an example.
As I've said before, the genre is infamous for petty infighting. And David's actions doesn't make things any better.
Fuck what the Source said about hip-hop being ruined by Eminem... the immature antics of some of the performers - and thank God that they're all so few and far in between - make the genre no more than an urban "minstrel show", with all the ghetto booty thrown in for good measure. Almost every hip-hop video shown on MTV. Much and BET feature the same tired shit of ghetto boasting, Blaxploitation fantasies and of course, ghetto booty.
And it's a shame that ather artists like Black-Eyed Peas, KRS-One, Public Enemy and K-os are being shunted aside in favour of the more "telegenic" "Gangsta" rappers. Talk about style smacking-down substance. And you thought that Eminem was a factor - remember 3rd Bass, House of Pain or even Cypress Hill? And these ain't no garden variety whiggas either - they held their own by doing what they did best: rhyming to the beat and keeping the groove.
I think it was Chuck D. from Public Enemy who claimed that rap was the Black Man's CNN (I may be wrong but this is my blog, muthafucka...), but I digress - beat poetry, blues, early r'n'b transmitted the same social and political concepts way before someone started messing up the turntables. Sadly, hip-hop is becoming more Springer than Larry King. And that's a shame.
If only the playas would just grow the fuck up and stick to the music.
Who'll be the new Husker Du?
Husker Du - the name evokes mystery, mythology and head-scratchings followed by the occasional "Hmmm" upon listening to the Minnesota trio's body of work.
Nowadays, the band is no more, with Bob Mould currently soldiering on with solo work and activism (and his own blog to boot).
But what of the contenders? Who would carry the torch that the Huskers once held in a genre that I would call "Adult Punk"?
Were Husker Du responsible for the rise of pop-punk (or was it punk-pop) and it's derivatives - adult-Alternative, emo and the ilk? We may debate this until the cows come home. The fact of the matter is what band would fit in with the likes of Husker, Soul Asylum, Urge Overkill and the Afghan Whigs?
Nirvana may come to mind if it weren't for that sad day in April 1994 when Kurt Cobain decided to permanently go solo. For all it's rage, the band made itself surprisingly accessible to the general public that many clones have sprung up. That phenomenon always was, is and ever will be neither new or special in the realm of pop muzak, but in the era of super-sized fast-food muzak production, people wanted more of that sound and that vibe.
Like any other indie band, Husker Du didn't cater to the taste of fast-food muzak junkies - they seemed content with doing their own thing on their own terms.
Do other bands have what it takes to be the next Husker Du? Allow me to roll off the following that I know...
Trust me... you do.
Next up: who'll be the new Paris Hilton? Stay tuned.
Nowadays, the band is no more, with Bob Mould currently soldiering on with solo work and activism (and his own blog to boot).
But what of the contenders? Who would carry the torch that the Huskers once held in a genre that I would call "Adult Punk"?
Were Husker Du responsible for the rise of pop-punk (or was it punk-pop) and it's derivatives - adult-Alternative, emo and the ilk? We may debate this until the cows come home. The fact of the matter is what band would fit in with the likes of Husker, Soul Asylum, Urge Overkill and the Afghan Whigs?
Nirvana may come to mind if it weren't for that sad day in April 1994 when Kurt Cobain decided to permanently go solo. For all it's rage, the band made itself surprisingly accessible to the general public that many clones have sprung up. That phenomenon always was, is and ever will be neither new or special in the realm of pop muzak, but in the era of super-sized fast-food muzak production, people wanted more of that sound and that vibe.
Like any other indie band, Husker Du didn't cater to the taste of fast-food muzak junkies - they seemed content with doing their own thing on their own terms.
Do other bands have what it takes to be the next Husker Du? Allow me to roll off the following that I know...
- Green Day - SoCal power trio. Started life as your average "ponk" band. Recent offering "American Idiot" showcased mature and political themes;
- Blink-182 - Another SoCal power trio. Started life as a rambunctious "ponk" band. Started getting a bit more serious with "Adam's Song" on "Enema of the State". Epynominous last offering started to touch on adult angst;
- Good Charlotte - Started off as your average emo-glam-punk outfit. Latest release "Chronicles of Life and Death" is seen as a foray to the dark side;
- Sum-41 - Started life as Ajax, ON "ponkers" with a taste for hip-hop and hair metal (see video for "Fat Lip/Pain for Pleasure"). Nearly got asses blown off in Congo. Experience led to latest offering "Chuck";
- Billy Talent - Named after fictional guitarist "Billy Tallent" in "Hard Core Logo". Both punk and screemo, they posses serious, yet acessible sensibilities.
Trust me... you do.
Next up: who'll be the new Paris Hilton? Stay tuned.
Monday, December 20, 2004
Hockey: is our State Religion on hold?
I just have to say this...
AWW - FOR FUCK SAKES, GUYS... GET IT TOGETHER!
That's right, at about this time, the NHL and the NHLPA are at a standoff.
Actually, right about now it's a Mexican standoff, since the two warring factions are now faced with the wrath of the media, the fans and players in other leagues who have ice dreams of facing off for the Stanley Cup.
Hockey is what keeps up Canadians talkative around the water cooler. That's right, Yanks... go ahead with your NFL, MLB and the NBA... up here, hockey isn't just a sport: it's a religion.
Like any other religion, you have your practioners and choirboys (Bobby Hull, Bobby Orr), the ushers (also known as "referees"), the novices (rookies), the high priests (Gretzky, Lemieux), the saints (Bill Barilko, Tim Horton, Gil Perreault, Guy Lafleur), the cathederals (Maple Leaf Gardens, le Forum de Montréal, Madison Square Gardens), the laymen (Ray Bourque, Mike Bossy, Theo Fleury), the popes (Pat Burns, Toe Blake, Roger Nielson, Jacques Lemaire), and even a prophet (the Man Himself, Don Cherry!).
There's a congregation (the season ticket holders), tithing (ticket and concession prices), the singing of hymns (Oh, Canada and the Star Spangled Banner) along with the amens (Na Na Naah Naah - Hey Heyy... GOODBYE) and of course the holy sacrements (the entry of players, the dropping of the puck).
Hell... the sport also has its own inquisitors - can you say Bob Probert and Tie Fuckin' Domi, kids?
But today, the practitioners, the laymen, the inquisitors, the choirboys - the lot are locked out due to a contract dispute with powers that be led by Gary Bettman - a former NBA exec who is still trying to get a grip on what hockey - our religion - is all about.
Like all other contract disputes, this is all about money and job security. It isn't as if the practicing clergy is starving - they're gettng paid quite decently for their troubles. But hockey is a game that causes lots of injuries, and the cost of fixing up whatever ails the clergy keeps going up.
The porblem is that neither the clergy and the powers that be could see eye-to-eye as equals. Both parties claim that whatever they propose would be in the best interests of the sport, the fans and the players. Yet there stand these two hulking rocks of Gibraltars saying, "Fuck you - your proposal sucks cock" for the past few months, without mention of compromise, concession or consensus.
In the end, everyone loses, with the fans losing the most. Because without hockey, our winters would be without purpose or meaning. There would be no water cooler conversations or barroom philosophising, nor would there be any point of reference or inspiration for hockey players young and old, since anything normally shown on CBC Saturday nights act as dream sequences, with body checks, hat tricks, power plays, short-handed goals, penalty killings and fighting - err... creative conflict management.
But at least the Saturday night hockey widows would be able to spend some more quality time with their loved ones.
Whatever the liabilities or benefits there may be, these two warring factions should get their shit together and learn to come to a decent consensus before it becomes too late to start a decent season.
Luckily, the smaller leagues are starting to fill the void left by the NHL. If there is a silver lining to this dark cloud of shinny pessimism, it would be in form of the AHL, QJHL, OHL and all the other leagues. But the average Canadian NHL fan is spoiled and jaded - he wants to see the stars now, not under development. And this is where the NHL and NHLPA should take a small step back and survey the damage left by the this lockout, simply because they are hurting themselves by depriving the fans their sport by litigation,
That's all... and there you go.
AWW - FOR FUCK SAKES, GUYS... GET IT TOGETHER!
That's right, at about this time, the NHL and the NHLPA are at a standoff.
Actually, right about now it's a Mexican standoff, since the two warring factions are now faced with the wrath of the media, the fans and players in other leagues who have ice dreams of facing off for the Stanley Cup.
Hockey is what keeps up Canadians talkative around the water cooler. That's right, Yanks... go ahead with your NFL, MLB and the NBA... up here, hockey isn't just a sport: it's a religion.
Like any other religion, you have your practioners and choirboys (Bobby Hull, Bobby Orr), the ushers (also known as "referees"), the novices (rookies), the high priests (Gretzky, Lemieux), the saints (Bill Barilko, Tim Horton, Gil Perreault, Guy Lafleur), the cathederals (Maple Leaf Gardens, le Forum de Montréal, Madison Square Gardens), the laymen (Ray Bourque, Mike Bossy, Theo Fleury), the popes (Pat Burns, Toe Blake, Roger Nielson, Jacques Lemaire), and even a prophet (the Man Himself, Don Cherry!).
There's a congregation (the season ticket holders), tithing (ticket and concession prices), the singing of hymns (Oh, Canada and the Star Spangled Banner) along with the amens (Na Na Naah Naah - Hey Heyy... GOODBYE) and of course the holy sacrements (the entry of players, the dropping of the puck).
Hell... the sport also has its own inquisitors - can you say Bob Probert and Tie Fuckin' Domi, kids?
But today, the practitioners, the laymen, the inquisitors, the choirboys - the lot are locked out due to a contract dispute with powers that be led by Gary Bettman - a former NBA exec who is still trying to get a grip on what hockey - our religion - is all about.
Like all other contract disputes, this is all about money and job security. It isn't as if the practicing clergy is starving - they're gettng paid quite decently for their troubles. But hockey is a game that causes lots of injuries, and the cost of fixing up whatever ails the clergy keeps going up.
The porblem is that neither the clergy and the powers that be could see eye-to-eye as equals. Both parties claim that whatever they propose would be in the best interests of the sport, the fans and the players. Yet there stand these two hulking rocks of Gibraltars saying, "Fuck you - your proposal sucks cock" for the past few months, without mention of compromise, concession or consensus.
In the end, everyone loses, with the fans losing the most. Because without hockey, our winters would be without purpose or meaning. There would be no water cooler conversations or barroom philosophising, nor would there be any point of reference or inspiration for hockey players young and old, since anything normally shown on CBC Saturday nights act as dream sequences, with body checks, hat tricks, power plays, short-handed goals, penalty killings and fighting - err... creative conflict management.
But at least the Saturday night hockey widows would be able to spend some more quality time with their loved ones.
Whatever the liabilities or benefits there may be, these two warring factions should get their shit together and learn to come to a decent consensus before it becomes too late to start a decent season.
Luckily, the smaller leagues are starting to fill the void left by the NHL. If there is a silver lining to this dark cloud of shinny pessimism, it would be in form of the AHL, QJHL, OHL and all the other leagues. But the average Canadian NHL fan is spoiled and jaded - he wants to see the stars now, not under development. And this is where the NHL and NHLPA should take a small step back and survey the damage left by the this lockout, simply because they are hurting themselves by depriving the fans their sport by litigation,
That's all... and there you go.
Is anything sacred anymore?
Oh my God... They've outsourced Santa!
You bastards.
What's next - priests, rabbis, soldiers, despots, voters?
Sooner or later, NHL players may be next!
Horror of horrors! What will they think of next?
(Thanks Michelle Malkin)
You bastards.
What's next - priests, rabbis, soldiers, despots, voters?
Sooner or later, NHL players may be next!
Horror of horrors! What will they think of next?
(Thanks Michelle Malkin)
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