You would have to have been living under a rock for the last five years to not know what Facebook is. But what most people don't know is the full story of it's creation and the controversy surrounding it's founder, the enigmatic Mark Zuckerberg. I knew tid bits of information from an article I had read in Rolling Stone but I certainly wouldn't have been able to guess just how deep the rabbit hole goes on this topic.
From the very first scene, this movie ignites your intrigue and propels forth, never loosing it's momentum. The dialogue is sharp and punchy but still believable as some of the characters in this film are quite literally geniuses, so naturally they would have an incredible grasp of language. The cuts between the live action and impending law suit scenes really help build your anticipation for the unfolding events, whereas usually so much talking could easily bore an audience. One of my favourite lines of dialogue comes at the end of the first scene and is delivered by Erica Albright (Mark Zuckerberg's irate girlfriend) -
' Mark, for the rest of your life you're going to think that girl's don't like you because you're a nerd. But I'm telling you right now that it's because you're an asshole!'
The performances in this film are extraordinary. Some of the characters (the Winklevoss' for example) seem larger than life but it's almost a symbolism for the on-line exaggerated personas that people create for themselves. I know that some of my actor friends were not too thrilled to see Justin Timberlake appear in this movie and think they should have given the role to a real actor. But I have to say that it was perfect casting if you think about the thought process behind it. Fincher and Sorkin clearly wanted to capture the essence of Sean Parker- rebellious, cocky, magnetic...basically a rock star. So why not cast an actual rock star to portray him?! Timberlake oozes charisma as Sean Parker and it's easy to see how the Zuckerberg character could fall under his spell. Jesse Eisenberg is used to using his awkwardness to endear an audience, the difference here is that his awkwardness manifests itself in such a way that makes it hard for his character to know how to behave in social situations and he's often not very likable (I mean this in a good way.) Still, one can't help but admire Zuckerberg's ambition and extreme intelligence and he definitely wins you over in the final scene, when you see maybe a hint of regret in his eyes as despite everything, he still wants to just have a friend.
Even if you are the person I mentioned at the top of the page who's been living under a rock and have no idea what facebook is (or just have no interest in it for whatever reason) the themes present in this movie such as friendship, class, betrayal and greed are elemental in creating solid drama and are as old as the dawn of time.
'You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.' That says it all...
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Home
Location scouting for 2091: Approx.
Filming, Editing and Music by Jay Bovino. Uncompressed mp3s are free
Filming, Editing and Music by Jay Bovino. Uncompressed mp3s are free
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The Suburbs: The Park and Maple Weathers
*Warning: Long!*
It was a long walk to the park that day for Maple. It was the same distance she had walked countless times in her life, but on this particular day it just felt longer. Maybe she had had a rough sleep. Maybe it was the warming summer heat - each summer seemed hotter than the last. Or maybe it was just that; Summers ketp coming and going and she had seen 75 of them - well 74 if you count her European winter escape when she graduated from high school – and they were taking their toll.
Maple spent most of her mornings on the same park bench. She knew the regular visitors of the park better than she knew her 14 grandchildren (and two great-grandchildren). But then the family, her son and both daughters along with their spouses, had moved up north so many years ago. All she had were disks and chips and gadgets filled with photos she could rarely figure out how to work.
‘Could you please just send me real photos?’
‘But Mum there are hundreds of photos on just one CD.’
‘Why don’t you just come down and show me how it works?’
‘Mum, you know how hard it is…’
Maple had never been one for gadgets (or ungrateful children). Technology had left her behind when microwaves and remote controls started making everything instant and on-demand. She had always preferred watching the timeless breeze shape a cascading sun shower over the fresh spring grass. She could entertain herself musing over the natural beauty all around her. Each morning she spent hours thinking up poetic descriptions of Tunxton Park, only to forget how they started before she could finish. It was a fitting practice, she thought; the park needed all the linguistic attention it could get, having to live with such an ugly name.
Its namesake, Jeffrey Tunxton had been the original proprietor of Tunxton Motors, a humble local factory that spawned the mass migration of job seeking men to Talismount Hills. Talismount Tunxton, a fellow namesaked Tunxton and Jeffrey’s father, had immigrated to the country from a wealthy European heritage. He died in 1930. He committed suicide after the markets crashed, leaving Jeffrey with a small inheritance and little guidance. But Jeffrey managed it well and, against the odds, he was able to open the factory in 1934 in a remote, hilly area. The next year the park was inaugurated, coincidentally the same day that Phillip and Caroline Corwell gave birth to their only child Maple.
It was a long walk to the park that day for Maple. It was the same distance she had walked countless times in her life, but on this particular day it just felt longer. Maybe she had had a rough sleep. Maybe it was the warming summer heat - each summer seemed hotter than the last. Or maybe it was just that; Summers ketp coming and going and she had seen 75 of them - well 74 if you count her European winter escape when she graduated from high school – and they were taking their toll.
Maple spent most of her mornings on the same park bench. She knew the regular visitors of the park better than she knew her 14 grandchildren (and two great-grandchildren). But then the family, her son and both daughters along with their spouses, had moved up north so many years ago. All she had were disks and chips and gadgets filled with photos she could rarely figure out how to work.
‘Could you please just send me real photos?’
‘But Mum there are hundreds of photos on just one CD.’
‘Why don’t you just come down and show me how it works?’
‘Mum, you know how hard it is…’
Maple had never been one for gadgets (or ungrateful children). Technology had left her behind when microwaves and remote controls started making everything instant and on-demand. She had always preferred watching the timeless breeze shape a cascading sun shower over the fresh spring grass. She could entertain herself musing over the natural beauty all around her. Each morning she spent hours thinking up poetic descriptions of Tunxton Park, only to forget how they started before she could finish. It was a fitting practice, she thought; the park needed all the linguistic attention it could get, having to live with such an ugly name.
Its namesake, Jeffrey Tunxton had been the original proprietor of Tunxton Motors, a humble local factory that spawned the mass migration of job seeking men to Talismount Hills. Talismount Tunxton, a fellow namesaked Tunxton and Jeffrey’s father, had immigrated to the country from a wealthy European heritage. He died in 1930. He committed suicide after the markets crashed, leaving Jeffrey with a small inheritance and little guidance. But Jeffrey managed it well and, against the odds, he was able to open the factory in 1934 in a remote, hilly area. The next year the park was inaugurated, coincidentally the same day that Phillip and Caroline Corwell gave birth to their only child Maple.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
UFC Eulogy – 121: Lesnar v Cain
But then we should remember that big hype and big expectation can usually lead to big disappointed and though I wouldn’t go so far as to say I was let down by the PPV, I would prefer a higher finish/decision ration. This one being 4-1 (with the best saved to last!). So let’s get into it.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Helly's Video View
Firstly, I must sincerely apologise for the tardiness of this post and to make up for it I'm going to do a video view extravaganza! The following is going to be mini reviews of the four films I have watched in the last two weeks, so I hope you enjoy.
Swingers
Written by John Favreau, it is a semi-autobiographical account of his experiences from when he was first starting out in LA, but this becomes more of a backdrop of the film and we soon discover that the film's larger theme is about relationships and dealing with break ups.
It stars Vince Vaughn in the performance that defined his career and he doesn't miss a beat as the suave,slightly obnoxious, swingin' bachelor. John Favreau also does a great job and in many ways his poignant performance is what gives the film heart.
This film has some truly great moments including the scene with John Favreau leaving the multiple answering machine messages, it's so painfully desperate that you're heart just goes out to the poor guy. The pep talk that Vince Vaughn gives Favreau when he's trying to help him pick up women is truly hilarious, so hilarious in fact that you just have to watch it- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODjE-_OB3JI. I also love the swing dance number with Heather Graham towards to the end, they have a sizzling chemistry which is quite unexpected.
The film has a very raw quality and you can definitely tell that it has influenced other films and possibly even TV shows such as Entourage. The film is insanely quotable, the two most famous quotes probably being 'You're so money' and 'Vegas baby Vegas!'. It's a very enjoyable, rough little gem of a movie.
The Village
This film from M. Night Shymalan seems to divide audiences, people either love it or hate it, no one seems to sit in the middle which is why I was very keen to see it. In the interest of full disclosure I should say that I had somehow already heard what the 'twist' was but I only had a vague idea and I tried to just watch the movie unfold and not think too far ahead.
I think that some of the contempt that people feel towards this film comes from the fact that it was marketed entirely the wrong way. People thought they were in store for a spine tingling thriller and hence were disappointed when this didn't turn out to be the case. The film is still quite suspenseful but for me I would classify this film as more of an un-conventional love story over anything else.
Bryce Dallas Howard gives an incredible performance as the heroine Ivy Walker. Her blindness may seem like just a gimmick at first but Howard's charm and commitment to the role make for a fully realised and unique character. Joaquin Phoenix has surprisingly little screen time but really manages to establish his character in the time he has been given and the film really needs that as the love story is what everything hinges on.
I appreciated this film's truly original concept and it's enthralling performances and think that it gets far too much negative criticism.
A Fish Called Wanda
This is another one pulled from my vault of all time favourite movies and I had the pleasure of re-visiting it last week. As you may have worked out it seems that most of my 'all time favourite movies' tend to be fairly light hearted comedies and I guess the reason for this is that they tend to be the most re-watchable as they're just so much fun! This film echoes that sentiment exactly as I've watched it countless times ever since I was a youngster (which I realise now might not have been entirely appropriate!) and it still manages to make me laugh every time.
Written by and starring John Cleese, this film retains that Monty Python brand of silly, British humour. The comedy is quite big and may not be everyone's cup of tea but I think what I like most about this film is that it doesn't take itself seriously and acknowledges it's own ridiculousness (the text at the end on the future of all the characters is the perfect example of this.)
In terms of characters you have John Cleese as the uptight barrister, Jamie Lee Curtis as the scheming seductress, Michael Palin as the stuttering animal rights activist and Kevin Kline as the Nietzche spouting former CIA agent. They're all thrown in the pot to simmer together and the end result is a wonderful comedic stew! Kevin Kline is the real stand out and his hilarious performance as the buffoon-ish Otto won him an academy award. My favourite scene in the entire movie has to be when Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) finally snaps and unleashes a tirade upon Otto (Kevin Kline) about what an absolute idiot he is.
So if you're a fan of British comedy and you haven't seen this movie than it's about time you gave it a look! Just don't call me stupid...
Remember Me
Okay, so I know at this point you're probably wondering why I bothered with what looks like a C grade teen movie designed for 'Twi-hards' but me and this Cat I know had been informed that it was actually fairly decent so I thought I would at least give it a shot.
We had to stop the movie half way through and watched the rest another day. At the half way point I found that the movie was far from perfect but still quite a promising drama with a great soundtrack. I'm kind of wishing that I'd just left it there as the second part of the film is where things take an overly dramatic turn and there is quite a bizarre plot twist . The problem is that up until this point the film had just been an intimate little drama and the plot twist that happens is so epic that it hasn't earned it and it feels completely out of place. There is a Ghandi quote which is repeated in the film which is 'Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it's very important that you do it' so I think that's clearly what they were going for in regards to the plot twist and I understand the sentiment but think it could have been done is a much more subtle way.
The two leads (Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin) far surpassed my expectations and have fantastic chemistry, without which the film would have been much less successful. Robert Pattinson was actually fairly believable as the confused yet endearing Tyler, but at points he became overly dramatic (which I think was more a fault of the writing but he could have easily reigned it in a little.) Emilie de Ravin is enchanting as the impetuous Ally and has an understated sexiness. I liked the character quirk of her eating her dessert before her main course to show that she wants to live life to the fullest and not deprive herself of anything but I thought there could have been more examples of this in her character. Pierce Brosnan is laughably bad as the cold, work-a-holic father and I can't fathom why anyone would cast someone so identifiably British (he was James Bond for cripes sake) in a role that requires them to do a Brooklyn accent!
This film still has more merit than I judged it would from the outset and if nothing else I've learnt from this film to not be such an elitist and to give anything a go.
Swingers
Written by John Favreau, it is a semi-autobiographical account of his experiences from when he was first starting out in LA, but this becomes more of a backdrop of the film and we soon discover that the film's larger theme is about relationships and dealing with break ups.
It stars Vince Vaughn in the performance that defined his career and he doesn't miss a beat as the suave,slightly obnoxious, swingin' bachelor. John Favreau also does a great job and in many ways his poignant performance is what gives the film heart.
This film has some truly great moments including the scene with John Favreau leaving the multiple answering machine messages, it's so painfully desperate that you're heart just goes out to the poor guy. The pep talk that Vince Vaughn gives Favreau when he's trying to help him pick up women is truly hilarious, so hilarious in fact that you just have to watch it- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODjE-_OB3JI. I also love the swing dance number with Heather Graham towards to the end, they have a sizzling chemistry which is quite unexpected.
The film has a very raw quality and you can definitely tell that it has influenced other films and possibly even TV shows such as Entourage. The film is insanely quotable, the two most famous quotes probably being 'You're so money' and 'Vegas baby Vegas!'. It's a very enjoyable, rough little gem of a movie.
The Village
This film from M. Night Shymalan seems to divide audiences, people either love it or hate it, no one seems to sit in the middle which is why I was very keen to see it. In the interest of full disclosure I should say that I had somehow already heard what the 'twist' was but I only had a vague idea and I tried to just watch the movie unfold and not think too far ahead.
I think that some of the contempt that people feel towards this film comes from the fact that it was marketed entirely the wrong way. People thought they were in store for a spine tingling thriller and hence were disappointed when this didn't turn out to be the case. The film is still quite suspenseful but for me I would classify this film as more of an un-conventional love story over anything else.
Bryce Dallas Howard gives an incredible performance as the heroine Ivy Walker. Her blindness may seem like just a gimmick at first but Howard's charm and commitment to the role make for a fully realised and unique character. Joaquin Phoenix has surprisingly little screen time but really manages to establish his character in the time he has been given and the film really needs that as the love story is what everything hinges on.
I appreciated this film's truly original concept and it's enthralling performances and think that it gets far too much negative criticism.
A Fish Called Wanda
This is another one pulled from my vault of all time favourite movies and I had the pleasure of re-visiting it last week. As you may have worked out it seems that most of my 'all time favourite movies' tend to be fairly light hearted comedies and I guess the reason for this is that they tend to be the most re-watchable as they're just so much fun! This film echoes that sentiment exactly as I've watched it countless times ever since I was a youngster (which I realise now might not have been entirely appropriate!) and it still manages to make me laugh every time.
Written by and starring John Cleese, this film retains that Monty Python brand of silly, British humour. The comedy is quite big and may not be everyone's cup of tea but I think what I like most about this film is that it doesn't take itself seriously and acknowledges it's own ridiculousness (the text at the end on the future of all the characters is the perfect example of this.)
In terms of characters you have John Cleese as the uptight barrister, Jamie Lee Curtis as the scheming seductress, Michael Palin as the stuttering animal rights activist and Kevin Kline as the Nietzche spouting former CIA agent. They're all thrown in the pot to simmer together and the end result is a wonderful comedic stew! Kevin Kline is the real stand out and his hilarious performance as the buffoon-ish Otto won him an academy award. My favourite scene in the entire movie has to be when Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) finally snaps and unleashes a tirade upon Otto (Kevin Kline) about what an absolute idiot he is.
So if you're a fan of British comedy and you haven't seen this movie than it's about time you gave it a look! Just don't call me stupid...
Remember Me
Okay, so I know at this point you're probably wondering why I bothered with what looks like a C grade teen movie designed for 'Twi-hards' but me and this Cat I know had been informed that it was actually fairly decent so I thought I would at least give it a shot.
We had to stop the movie half way through and watched the rest another day. At the half way point I found that the movie was far from perfect but still quite a promising drama with a great soundtrack. I'm kind of wishing that I'd just left it there as the second part of the film is where things take an overly dramatic turn and there is quite a bizarre plot twist . The problem is that up until this point the film had just been an intimate little drama and the plot twist that happens is so epic that it hasn't earned it and it feels completely out of place. There is a Ghandi quote which is repeated in the film which is 'Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it's very important that you do it' so I think that's clearly what they were going for in regards to the plot twist and I understand the sentiment but think it could have been done is a much more subtle way.
The two leads (Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin) far surpassed my expectations and have fantastic chemistry, without which the film would have been much less successful. Robert Pattinson was actually fairly believable as the confused yet endearing Tyler, but at points he became overly dramatic (which I think was more a fault of the writing but he could have easily reigned it in a little.) Emilie de Ravin is enchanting as the impetuous Ally and has an understated sexiness. I liked the character quirk of her eating her dessert before her main course to show that she wants to live life to the fullest and not deprive herself of anything but I thought there could have been more examples of this in her character. Pierce Brosnan is laughably bad as the cold, work-a-holic father and I can't fathom why anyone would cast someone so identifiably British (he was James Bond for cripes sake) in a role that requires them to do a Brooklyn accent!
This film still has more merit than I judged it would from the outset and if nothing else I've learnt from this film to not be such an elitist and to give anything a go.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Passing By
Some more holiday footage to some more nice music
Music, Editing, Filming by Jay Bovino. Uncompressed mp3 free if you ask nicely
Music, Editing, Filming by Jay Bovino. Uncompressed mp3 free if you ask nicely
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Suburbs – Suburban Skies; Suburban Highs
The boys stood out the front of Kent’s house. They were clad in shorts and t-shirts and while Jeremy wore thongs the others were barefoot. Summer was finally coming. A soft night breeze came from the west, all the way from the mountains, it brought a slight chill but not enough to raise the skin. The streetlamps spotlighted the street in a scattered fashion while the crescent moon filled the gaps with a soft ambience.
“Man, I love summer! How good is this weather?” Kent said enthusiastically. Jeremy agreed verbally; Michael smiled his response and took a deep breath of the night air. The boys were feeling great that day and had every right to. Only three weeks ago they had finished high school and it was the anticipation of their lives stretching out in front of them that brought out the goose bumps.
After taking another deep breath of fresh air, Michael produced a little white stick from his pocket. It was more than just ‘no more school’ and ‘the oncoming summer’ that made this night special. He smoothed out the stick and passed it under his nose, closing his eyes to enhance his nasal appreciation. He felt a green wash engulf the darkness beneath his eyelids.
“Man, I love summer! How good is this weather?” Kent said enthusiastically. Jeremy agreed verbally; Michael smiled his response and took a deep breath of the night air. The boys were feeling great that day and had every right to. Only three weeks ago they had finished high school and it was the anticipation of their lives stretching out in front of them that brought out the goose bumps.
After taking another deep breath of fresh air, Michael produced a little white stick from his pocket. It was more than just ‘no more school’ and ‘the oncoming summer’ that made this night special. He smoothed out the stick and passed it under his nose, closing his eyes to enhance his nasal appreciation. He felt a green wash engulf the darkness beneath his eyelids.
Friday, October 15, 2010
My Top 9 Albums of the 90's
I was recently listening to Nevermind by Nirvana, and it got me thinking about the 90s - and more specifically music of that decade. From that thought, I started to think what my favourite albums would be of that said time period. The 1990's were a strange time, the last decade of the 20th Century saw major changes in not only music but in society, technology, and politics. Musically, hip-hop morphed from the 70s New York scene into the huge money-making machine it is today. Artists such as Nas, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube were all massive. Alas, hip-hop doesn't trump rock for mine, therefore you will not see a hip-hop album on this list (sorry hip-hop fans.. I will say though that Illmatic by Nas is my favourite hip-hop album of that era). I also grew up during the 90s - from the ages of 3-13. Even though I didn't get to listen to most of these albums till after the 90s were finished, I can look back on them as being a part of my childhood.
Note on selection: As I was scrolling through my iTunes library, filtered for the 90s, I noticed that there were certain bands that featured with a few albums; some bands that are my favourite of all time. Therefore I placed a selection criteria on myself that only one album per band was allowed, otherwise this list would have only 2-3 bands. There is no other caveat, just for the music to be awesome!
Note on selection: As I was scrolling through my iTunes library, filtered for the 90s, I noticed that there were certain bands that featured with a few albums; some bands that are my favourite of all time. Therefore I placed a selection criteria on myself that only one album per band was allowed, otherwise this list would have only 2-3 bands. There is no other caveat, just for the music to be awesome!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
A Day With You
Shots from Eden Luke and Jay's fun filled trip across America...or at least from Vegas to San Fran via Yosemeti.
Music, Filming and Editing by Jay Bovino
Music, Filming and Editing by Jay Bovino
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Suburbs - Gardening with Mr Sampson
“C’mon you piece of shit! C’MON!” his frustration grew as he looked down at his lifeless piece of machinery. Years ago he barely had to touch it and it was up and ready to go. He looked out at the lush body in front of him, growing wild in anticipation. He could tame it if he could just get going. He yanked and pulled. He was starting to get violent. His wife would be so disappointed if he couldn’t get the job done. He tweaked the knob and applied more oil – he didn’t want to do permanent damage but he worked furiously.
With one last effort, sweat dripping down his face, he pulled. It struggled, coughing and spluttering but eventually the lawn mower kicked into action. Finally his tool was working again and he went straight to action, pushing it straight ahead, into the dense scrub. He hadn’t mown that lawn in years, embarrassed when his old machine wouldn’t work. Had it run out of ticker?
“You can get things to help it work better” his wife had said
“No, I don’t need them. It will work, just wait.”
“Let me try,” she insisted.
“No you’re too rough, you don’t know it like I do.”
“Well the grass needs to be cut. Maybe I’ll just go out and get a new lawnmower!”
The motor groaned as he penetrated the thicket. He aimed straight for the centre of the lawn, as if in defiance of the years of neglect and inaction. The garden responded with a heavy wind; rustling and raising the attention of each blade of grass. They called to him. Beckoning him, taunting him but secretly desiring his forceful presence. The Sun glistened off the light morning dew, twinkling and winking at him. Telling him it was ready.
He caressed the curvatures on the outer border. He wouldn’t need a Whipper Snipper - he could finish it off all by himself. Back and forth he worked, sweating and breathing heavily. Up and down the vast field. In and out of each nook and cranny. He was like a kid again, experiencing the joys of this hard labour for the first time. He got his mower into spots he had never reached before and the garden screamed in excitement, responding with cracking twigs and rustling leaves. Bits of grass and scrub and bush shooting and squirting out in every direction.
As he finished the lawn off he took out the grass catcher and brought it to the head of the garden. With his final efforts he aimed it at the compost pile. Shouting in triumph and satisfaction he unleashed the heavy load.
***
The next day he stood outside admiring the work he had done. His neighbour’s daughter, 22 year old Amy Phillips, came over.
“Hey Mr Sampson, my parents are away for a month and I need my lawn mown before a party I’m having tonight. Could you help me?”
Sampson got out his trusty lawnmower and took it across the street. He got it started in one go.
- Eden
With one last effort, sweat dripping down his face, he pulled. It struggled, coughing and spluttering but eventually the lawn mower kicked into action. Finally his tool was working again and he went straight to action, pushing it straight ahead, into the dense scrub. He hadn’t mown that lawn in years, embarrassed when his old machine wouldn’t work. Had it run out of ticker?
“You can get things to help it work better” his wife had said
“No, I don’t need them. It will work, just wait.”
“Let me try,” she insisted.
“No you’re too rough, you don’t know it like I do.”
“Well the grass needs to be cut. Maybe I’ll just go out and get a new lawnmower!”
The motor groaned as he penetrated the thicket. He aimed straight for the centre of the lawn, as if in defiance of the years of neglect and inaction. The garden responded with a heavy wind; rustling and raising the attention of each blade of grass. They called to him. Beckoning him, taunting him but secretly desiring his forceful presence. The Sun glistened off the light morning dew, twinkling and winking at him. Telling him it was ready.
He caressed the curvatures on the outer border. He wouldn’t need a Whipper Snipper - he could finish it off all by himself. Back and forth he worked, sweating and breathing heavily. Up and down the vast field. In and out of each nook and cranny. He was like a kid again, experiencing the joys of this hard labour for the first time. He got his mower into spots he had never reached before and the garden screamed in excitement, responding with cracking twigs and rustling leaves. Bits of grass and scrub and bush shooting and squirting out in every direction.
As he finished the lawn off he took out the grass catcher and brought it to the head of the garden. With his final efforts he aimed it at the compost pile. Shouting in triumph and satisfaction he unleashed the heavy load.
***
The next day he stood outside admiring the work he had done. His neighbour’s daughter, 22 year old Amy Phillips, came over.
“Hey Mr Sampson, my parents are away for a month and I need my lawn mown before a party I’m having tonight. Could you help me?”
Sampson got out his trusty lawnmower and took it across the street. He got it started in one go.
- Eden
Monday, October 11, 2010
A Mind Alike
“The ‘you’ who is happy,
is the right ‘you’.”
A: How to be..?
B: Be you.
A: And what if you is not right?
B: Then change you.
A: But then you are not you anymore.
B: Unless you agree with the new you.
A: But then who's doing the agreeing, you or you 2?
B: I don't know, but, I'm not sure what a pop band has to do with this..
A: What? No, you idiot. The new you.
B: Who is the new me?
A: The one you are becoming.
B: Who am I becoming!?
A: What? No one! What are you talking about?! This is about me!
B: What are you talking about, “Me...”? I am you!
A: That’s not the point. Look..
B: No. wait. You know what? I’m sick of you. You're always wanting something different, not liking who you are... making me question myself. I don't need that negativity anymore. It’s time to start worrying about real issues and stop wasting time on you. It’s time to get out of my head.
A: What!? You can't do this. I was you first! I know what's right for me!
B: And what’s right for me, is what’s right for you, and what’s right for you is just me. It’s time to open my mind. Be happy. Be me. Goodbye.
Written by,
- Luke.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Danny & Annie
I was going to try and write something about love and love stories with the intent of posting this video. However, nothing I can write is good enough. This should be shared:
- Dogman
- Dogman
Thursday, October 7, 2010
The Past Master
The Title
In the build up to the fight The Natural had had a few chances to battle The Master in a non title fight, but chose not to use his new secret weapon – Xiaoyu. This would prove critical in the much anticipated title bout. Xiaoyu paired up with Paul to challenge for the belt. The Master on the other hand, still struggling to cope with losing the NRL Grand Final, had decided to keep his winning combo of Bruce and Julia.
The fight started as planned. The once feared Paul lined up against Bruce and got his ass kicked. The doubters had said what they said about Bruce. But Bruce came out swinging and KO’d Paul, a diving leg kick finishing him off as he tried to swap.
The next two rounds, however, were a different story. Xiaoyu was first out and was just too quick for Bruce. She quickly beat him down and Julia entered. Surely the jewel of The Master’s reign, the ever dominating Julia would put an end to Xiaoyu’s combos. But it was not to be. Xiaoyu did similar damage to Julia be fore tagging out to Paul who finished the job. Round 3 and Xiaoyu started again. This time Julia had a fresh start but the unpredictable and flowing combos could not be handled. Xiaoyu was unstoppable and severely damaged both characters before Paul finished the job. The Master was defeated.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The Suburbs - Food Chains and Karma
Terry had just got back from a long run. He was exhausted. As he entered the front door he called out to his brother. No response. Must have gone out, he thought to himself. He untied his shoes and took off his socks. He then decided to relish in the freedom and took off his shirt, shorts and undies. Usually with these rare moments of freedom he would be stationed at the computer while sporting similar attire, but this time he was just planning to go cool off in the pool. He stood at the pool edge, naked, basking in the hot summer Sun. His thangle dangled but he dismissed concerns over the neighbours watching – Old lady Saunders could use the excitement. He lowered himself into the pool but before completely submerging he saw an ant, its six legs were kicking wildly, struggling to stay afloat on the precarious balance of surface tension. Terry cupped a tiny pool beneath the insect, lifting and splashing it onto the pavement. He ducked his head under the surface and let the soothing life source cool his body.
***
Surrounded by water! Swim to safety! Surrounded by water! Swim to safety! Surrounded by water! Swim to safety! Surrounded by water! Swim to safety! Surrounded by wa-Land? Land! Stand up. Cough out water. Breathe. Injured? No. Need to dry. Walk to drier land. Wipe water off. Walk. Need to find the colony. Walk. Walk. Need to find the colony. Walk.
“Hey look! It’s Tiklon! He survived! Hey Tiklon, the line is over here!”
Receive call of fellow ants. Locate and respond.
“Hey guys, `sup!”
“Tiklon! You wandered out of the line again. I thought you were fucked for sure!”
“Nah man, you know I escape that shit. Is how I do!”
“Oh baby, you for real gangsta. Ha Ha!”
“Oi! cut the shit you two or I’ll shove both your asses into Lake Death.”
“But Sarge, he survived La-”
“I said cut the shit. Old Lady Saunders left her window open and fell asleep and we got 3 million mouths to feed so MOVE!”
Obey Sarge. Join line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Ooh what’s that over there? Inspect.
“Tiklon! Get the fuck back in the line!”
Obey Sarge. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line.
***
Surrounded by water! Swim to safety! Surrounded by water! Swim to safety! Surrounded by water! Swim to safety! Surrounded by water! Swim to safety! Surrounded by wa-Land? Land! Stand up. Cough out water. Breathe. Injured? No. Need to dry. Walk to drier land. Wipe water off. Walk. Need to find the colony. Walk. Walk. Need to find the colony. Walk.
“Hey look! It’s Tiklon! He survived! Hey Tiklon, the line is over here!”
Receive call of fellow ants. Locate and respond.
“Hey guys, `sup!”
“Tiklon! You wandered out of the line again. I thought you were fucked for sure!”
“Nah man, you know I escape that shit. Is how I do!”
“Oh baby, you for real gangsta. Ha Ha!”
“Oi! cut the shit you two or I’ll shove both your asses into Lake Death.”
“But Sarge, he survived La-”
“I said cut the shit. Old Lady Saunders left her window open and fell asleep and we got 3 million mouths to feed so MOVE!”
Obey Sarge. Join line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Ooh what’s that over there? Inspect.
“Tiklon! Get the fuck back in the line!”
Obey Sarge. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line. Follow line.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Enter the Dogman
“Hamish” no longer exists on this site.
There are very few facts known about this being. Of the scraps of information that we do have, all are curiously canine in nature, hence the name – Dogman.
It was a brisk evening in the winter of 1947 in a public house in the east of London (The ‘Isle of Dogs’, to be precise), when a group of scholars where debating whether the phalus should be measured from below the testes or above. Before a conclusion could be reached a foul screaming hag burst forth through the doors. Screaming and babbling loudly, and before anyone could help her she fell to the floor. Writhing in pain, she pulled up her dress (her screaming became louder still) and began to give birth - “the bitch is crowning!” - howled one of the bystanders. Out of her wretched cunt came not but a babeh, but a puppeh. This was no ordinary puppeh, for it had red fur (not due to the mung fluid) and was already growling and scowling at all present. The puppeh then scampered away, never to be seen again... that day was the 4th of January 1947.
His exact birth date has been confirmed by internet researchers using various scientific methods. The most reliable method of which is Numerology. The 4th of January, 1947. That date would more commonly be written as 4/1/47. Numerology confirms that this is the Dogman’s birth date. The method is simple: D is the 4th letter of the alphabet, 0 the 14th and G the 7th. 4 1 4 7 or 4/1/47. Not only is does numerology confirm it, the Chinese Zodiac does too. As this date falls within the ‘Year of the Dog’. Moreover, all zodiac cycles are assigned an element, the element assigned to this cycle was fire. This is correlates as the Dogman who we know to have red hair – hair of fire.
But the rabbit hole is deeper still. We already know that the Dogman was born on the Isle of Dogs in the east of London, a part of the world once famous for pirates. The Isle of Dogs is also the location where many movies have been filmed, notably – the fifth Harry Potter film.* This is interesting as it features not one but two dog-men**. 1) Professor Lupin and, 2) Sirius Black. This duality of doggery represents the two sided nature of the Dogman. He is at one instance an evil fiend and the next a loyal friend. This dichotomy represents all the best and worst of animalia.
That said, the Dogman will be blogging on this site instead of “Hamish”, and he’ll also be taking credit for all of “Hamish’s” past blogs.
- Dogman
*Note – 5th film. In the 1940’s when the Dogman was born, the word ‘Dog’ was spelt – ‘Dogge’. That’s 5 letters. Numerology proves his doggedness beyond all reasonable doubt.
**However, they aren't true dogmen in the sense that the Dogman is. They're lesser dogs or in old german unterhunds.
There are very few facts known about this being. Of the scraps of information that we do have, all are curiously canine in nature, hence the name – Dogman.
It was a brisk evening in the winter of 1947 in a public house in the east of London (The ‘Isle of Dogs’, to be precise), when a group of scholars where debating whether the phalus should be measured from below the testes or above. Before a conclusion could be reached a foul screaming hag burst forth through the doors. Screaming and babbling loudly, and before anyone could help her she fell to the floor. Writhing in pain, she pulled up her dress (her screaming became louder still) and began to give birth - “the bitch is crowning!” - howled one of the bystanders. Out of her wretched cunt came not but a babeh, but a puppeh. This was no ordinary puppeh, for it had red fur (not due to the mung fluid) and was already growling and scowling at all present. The puppeh then scampered away, never to be seen again... that day was the 4th of January 1947.
His exact birth date has been confirmed by internet researchers using various scientific methods. The most reliable method of which is Numerology. The 4th of January, 1947. That date would more commonly be written as 4/1/47. Numerology confirms that this is the Dogman’s birth date. The method is simple: D is the 4th letter of the alphabet, 0 the 14th and G the 7th. 4 1 4 7 or 4/1/47. Not only is does numerology confirm it, the Chinese Zodiac does too. As this date falls within the ‘Year of the Dog’. Moreover, all zodiac cycles are assigned an element, the element assigned to this cycle was fire. This is correlates as the Dogman who we know to have red hair – hair of fire.
But the rabbit hole is deeper still. We already know that the Dogman was born on the Isle of Dogs in the east of London, a part of the world once famous for pirates. The Isle of Dogs is also the location where many movies have been filmed, notably – the fifth Harry Potter film.* This is interesting as it features not one but two dog-men**. 1) Professor Lupin and, 2) Sirius Black. This duality of doggery represents the two sided nature of the Dogman. He is at one instance an evil fiend and the next a loyal friend. This dichotomy represents all the best and worst of animalia.
That said, the Dogman will be blogging on this site instead of “Hamish”, and he’ll also be taking credit for all of “Hamish’s” past blogs.
- Dogman
*Note – 5th film. In the 1940’s when the Dogman was born, the word ‘Dog’ was spelt – ‘Dogge’. That’s 5 letters. Numerology proves his doggedness beyond all reasonable doubt.
**However, they aren't true dogmen in the sense that the Dogman is. They're lesser dogs or in old german unterhunds.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The Death Of Pop Music
Pop music (the concept, not the style) runs on the momentum of the relationship between radio stations, MTV and the record companies. As a song is released, the big companies (EMI, Sony etc) give these songs to the pop stations (Nova, 2Day FM, MTV etc). The radio or TV station plays the song repeatedly, giving the impression that it is popular, regardless of whether it is or not. Almost all of this music is in the same style (currently this is RnB and female fake rock (Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus (to name but a few))). This ideology goes back to the days when radio was king, and besides jazz clubs, the only music you could hear was through the airwaves. In the 1960's though, bands started to play gigs and rock clubs began surfacing, sometimes even allowing a band to survive without radio play (Led Zeppelin didn't release singles in the UK). When punk arrived in the mid 70's, live shows were the whole deal for these bands and they proved that a whole subculture of music could exist without the need for radio. Still, at this time, the most popular music was out there due to radio exposure. But when MTV reared its ugly head in the 80's, kids wanting to find good music would only have to see what was on heavy rotation to find out what to like. It was, dare I say, too easy to discover new music.
As of the early 00's, the music on pop radio was of little merit and was now supported by American Idol. This hellish show made millions of people believe that this was normal music, furthering the illusion that besides pop music, there really isn't much out there. This is not to say that great music can't survive, but it is always going to be harder on good artists when there are a large portion of people in the world that don't know better. These people, the viewers of Idol and the listeners of Nova, I believe would be listening to better music if this shit wasn't so easily available. These people (most people) obviously enjoy listening to music, or else they wouldn't be tuning into these stations and getting these records in the first place, so now imagine a world where they had to seek it out. I honestly believe they would seek it out, because music is an amazing thing that most of us want in our lives, hence the existence of a huge industry making money off feeding these poor misguided souls such easily accessible songs.
Now to the point of this article... I think the record companies are in their last years. More and more people are downloading music for free. Yes, alot of the music being downloaded is the crap that's on the radio, but what about the day when almost nobody buys music anymore, leaving the industry to die. If the companies don't exist, and therefore are not creating this bad music in such large quantities, will bad music just become another genre to seek out on the internet?
I have faith in people, and I truly do think most people just don't know the difference between what they like and don't like and will just take what is given. So if left to their own devices, with no corporation to tell them what to like, will the misguided masses seek out the type of music that is currently being pumped through ad nauseam??
If all music becomes equal in exposure, and (unless a friend burns you something) the only way to hear music is by seeking it out, will the next generation really want to go to the sites playing music akin to Akon, or will they follow their heart and listen with their own ears?
Perhaps it will mean the death of pop music after all.
- Lee (while not listening to T-Pain)
As of the early 00's, the music on pop radio was of little merit and was now supported by American Idol. This hellish show made millions of people believe that this was normal music, furthering the illusion that besides pop music, there really isn't much out there. This is not to say that great music can't survive, but it is always going to be harder on good artists when there are a large portion of people in the world that don't know better. These people, the viewers of Idol and the listeners of Nova, I believe would be listening to better music if this shit wasn't so easily available. These people (most people) obviously enjoy listening to music, or else they wouldn't be tuning into these stations and getting these records in the first place, so now imagine a world where they had to seek it out. I honestly believe they would seek it out, because music is an amazing thing that most of us want in our lives, hence the existence of a huge industry making money off feeding these poor misguided souls such easily accessible songs.
Now to the point of this article... I think the record companies are in their last years. More and more people are downloading music for free. Yes, alot of the music being downloaded is the crap that's on the radio, but what about the day when almost nobody buys music anymore, leaving the industry to die. If the companies don't exist, and therefore are not creating this bad music in such large quantities, will bad music just become another genre to seek out on the internet?
I have faith in people, and I truly do think most people just don't know the difference between what they like and don't like and will just take what is given. So if left to their own devices, with no corporation to tell them what to like, will the misguided masses seek out the type of music that is currently being pumped through ad nauseam??
If all music becomes equal in exposure, and (unless a friend burns you something) the only way to hear music is by seeking it out, will the next generation really want to go to the sites playing music akin to Akon, or will they follow their heart and listen with their own ears?
Perhaps it will mean the death of pop music after all.
- Lee (while not listening to T-Pain)
Friday, October 1, 2010
Album of the Week: Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?
Of Montreal
Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? is the eighth album from indie pop band Of Montreal. It was released January 23, 2007.
Track listing:
All songs written by Kevin Barnes.
- "Suffer for Fashion" – 2:58
- "Sink the Seine" – 1:04
- "Cato as a Pun" – 3:02
- "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" – 3:18
- "Gronlandic Edit" – 3:24
- "A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger" – 4:54
- "The Past Is a Grotesque Animal" – 11:52
- "Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider" – 3:51
- "Faberge Falls for Shuggie" – 4:31
- "Labyrinthian Pomp" – 3:21
- "She's a Rejecter" – 4:02
- "We Were Born the Mutants Again with Leafling" – 4:57
Why I Chose This:
Kevin Barnes is the David Bowie of our generation, using his glam rock lyrics about art, fashion and drugs mixed with song technology engineering available to the new-age producer to come up with Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?. This album took a few listens for me to like it, as the sounds were very different to what I had heard at the time (even only early this year...) - however once I did get a hard on for Barnes' voice then he didn't disappear from my ipod for a while.
Stand-out tracks for me are "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse", "The Past Is a Grotesque Animal", "Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider", "Faberge Falls fo.." - wait, everything after track 7 is cool lol. According to wikipedia, Barnes transforms into his glam rock alter-ego (Georgie Fruit) during track 7.
The other reason I chose this album is because BotM hasn't seen an Album of the week for a while now, and I loved the section so much I decided to bring it back.
Get into this album, you won't be let down - and if you are, at least you know that glam rock isn't your thang.
- Russell
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)