A Little of This and A Little of That

I love Kathy Griffth, she makes me laugh almost the whole time she is talking...the cover of this magazine caught my eyes in the line up at Whole Foods a couple weeks ago...
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Some movies watched lately and ratings out of ten:

American Gangster, 10. We bought a three disc set, and went right for the extended version. Fantastic.
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, 10. I reviewed this film two years ago here and was excited o watch it again...it is such a good movie!
V is For Vendetta, 9.
Superman Returns, 9.
Bernard and Doris, 9. (an HBO movie starring Ralph Fienes and Susan Sarandon, very good friendship story)
Hollywoodland, 8.
Dreamgirls, 8.
Blood Diamond, 10. Stagg also gives a 10.
Snakes on a Plane, 0. I didn't make it through the whole thing. Shit if I can't watch your movie and give it at least a 5...you know you've really screwed up.
The Devil Wears Prada, 7. If this had more plot or character development, with a tiny bit more humour it would have been perfect. Seen it twice and felt same way both times.
Chinatown, 10. Seen this a million times, came uninterupted on cable so we watched it for the experience...never gets old this movie. In fact...like Hitchcock movies I always learn or see something enw each re-visit.
Swimming Pool, 8. Very good movie starring the gorgeous Charlotte Rampling. Slow...but but still interesting. Not for everyone. Artsy's need only apply.
Poseiden, 5. I didn't think it was possible to lose with this movie. I watched it, I am a disaster ensemble cast fan...but it was just okay.
Children of Men, 10. Loved this one. Stagg also gives it 10.
16 Blocks, 6.5. This was fun. Just a little less chemistry than I hoped for...but I enjoyed it.
Mr. Brooks, 10. I loved this...it may not be a fast paced suspense film, but Kevin Costner is back! I loved the whole thing and whole premise.
Diehard 4, 10. Listen, I love Bruce and I love Diehard...so I can not review with out my bias.
To Catch A Thief, 10. Again a movie I've seen a million times, came on cable so Stagg and I watched it together. It's fun for me to see all Hitchcock movies with Stagg for the first time and discuss.
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Remember when I was saying in a review of the XXX porn film Pirates some friends had recommended it to me...well here is one of those friends. This is David and this his Facebook profile photo right now...he came to Madonna in Chicago a couple years with us...and here he is with, I believe, Jesse Jane...I love this photo!
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I am within two weeks of hitting 1,000 posts. I am not sure how I will celebrate...I was thinking of linking posts with my favourite comments.
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This collage shows a guitar wire...and lookie! It's handmade in the U.S.A. We couldn't believe it, we were picking up some stuff at wonderful music store where handmade is still sometimes a point of pride!
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We went to see our friends band The Adornments last night, the place was full and the bands were great. They even scored a gig playing a benefit in May!
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The computer is full...when we bought it I asked if we needed an external harddrive...no said the sales rep...most people hardly use all the features of a Mac. We were going to go buy an external hard drive today...butslept in, so we started deleting all kinds of things like music files and some of the movies I was working on...because we can't even burn a cd or load YouTube right now. It seems we might need to not only buy an external hard drive but also another computer...hmmm...how aboutthat lovely wafer thin Mac laptop, yummy...
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SPIN Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005.
1. OK Computer, Radiohead 1997
2. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Public Enemy 1988
3. Nevermind, Nirvana 1991
4. Slanted and Enchanted, Pavement 1992
5. The Queen Is Dead, The Smiths 1986
6. Surfer Rosa, The Pixies 1988
7. 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul 1989
8. Sign O the Times, Prince 1987
9. Rid of Me, PJ Harvey 1993
10. Straight Outta Compton, NWA 1988
11. Achtung Baby, U2 1991
12. Paul's Boutique, Beastie Boys 1989
13. New Day Rising, Husker Du 1985
14. Daydream Nation, Sonic Youth 1988
15. Exile in Guyville, Liz Phair 1993
16. Odelay, Beck 1996
17. Illmatic, Nas 1994
18. Appetite for Destruction, Guns n Roses 1987
19. Live Through This, Hole 1994
20. Enter the Wu Tang Clan (36 Chambers), Wu-Tang Clan 1993
21. Fear of a Black Planet, Public Enemy 1990
22. Loveless, My Bloody Valentine 1991
23. Stankonia, Outkast 2000
24. Dig Me Out, Sleater-Kinney 1997
25. The Downward Spiral, Nine Inch Nails 1994
26. Post, Bjork 1995
27. The Head on the Door, The Cure 1985
28. Definitely, Maybe Oasis 1994
29. 13 Songs, Fugazi 1989
30. Ready to Die, Notorious BIG 1994
31. You're Living All Over Me, Dionsaur Jr 1987
32. Tim, The Replacements 1985
33. AmeriKKKas Most Wanted, Ice Cube 1990
34. Either/Or, Elliott Smith 1997
35. The Chronic, Dr Dre 1992
36. Doolittle, The Pixies 1989
37. Bee, Thousand Guided by Voices 1994
38. The Low End Theory, A Tribe Called Quest 1991
39. Lucinda Williams, Lucinda Williams 1988
40. Raising Hell, Run DMC 1986
41. Siamese Dream, Smashing Pumpkins 1993
42. Nothing's Shocking, Jane's Addiction 1988
43. Criminal Minded, Boogie Down Productions 1987
44. Dookie, Green Day 1994
45. College Dropout, Kanye West 2004
46. This Nation's Saving Grace, The Fall 1985
47. Paid in Full, Eric B & Rakim 1987
48. Kid A, Radiohead 2000
49. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill 1998
50. Low Life, New Order 1985
51. In Utero, Nirvana 1993
52. Licensed to Ill, Beastie Boys 1986
53. The Battle of Los Angeles, Rage Against the Machine 1999
54. Last Splash, The Breeders 1993
55. Dig Your Own Hole, The Chemical Brothers 1997
56. To Bring You My Love, PJ Harvey 1995
57. White Blood Cells, The White Stripes 2001
58. Master of Puppets, Metallica 1986
59. The Lonesome Crowded West, Modest Mouse 1997
60. De La Soul Is Dead, De La Soul 1991
61. Pinkerton, Weezer 1996
62. Supa Dupa Fly, Missy Elliott 1997
63. Crooked Rain Crooked Rain, Pavement 1994
64. The Marshal Mathers LP, Eminem 2000
65. Remedy Basement Jaxx 1999
66. Aquemini, Outkast 1998
67. Reign in Blood, Slayer 1986
68. Maxiquaye, Tricky 1995
69. Entroducing DJ Shadow, DJ Shadow 1996
70. The Blueprint, Jay Z 2001
71. Psychocandy, The Jesus and Mary Chain 1985
72. Only Built 4 Cuban, Linx Raekwon 1995
73. Different Class, Pulp 1995
74. Dummy, Portishead 1994
75. Le Tigre, Le Tigre 1999
76. If You're Feeling Sinister, Belle and Sebastian 1997
77. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco 2002
78. The Stone Roses, The Stone Roses 1989
79. Everything Is Wrong, Moby 1995
80. Voodoo, D'Angelo 2000
81. Mellow Gold ,Beck 1994
82. Grace, Jeff Buckley 1994
83. Relationship of Command At the Drive-In 2000
84. Superunknown, Soundgarden 1994
85. Automatic for the People, REM 1992
86. Up on the Sun, Meat Puppets 1985
87. Parklife, Blur 1994
88. Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Stereolab 1996
89. Fever to Tell, Yeah Yeah Yeahs 2003
90. Sister, Sonic Youth 1987
91. Skylarking, XTC 1986
92. Atomizer, Big Black 1986
93. Ten, Pearl Jam 1991
94. Spiderland, Slint 1991
95. Elastica, Elastica 1995
96. Rum, Sodomy & the Lash, The Pogues 1985
97. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Neutral Milk Hotel 1998
98. When I Was Born for the 7th Time, Cornershop 1997
99. Gentlemen Afghan Whigs 1993
100. Is This It, The Strokes 2001
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Asterisk had asked me about an article in SPIN magazine about Avenged Sevenfold...but all I could find was this photo above...I wonder if that is the article? Sorry, *, this was all I found and at their website they seemed to say onlya photo "op" in SPIN...

Funk

Cormac Visits Oprah

Drawing by Palmer Murphy. I thought this was just lovely...it was e-mailed to me by an old friend from the Cormac McCarthy forum, and McCarthy scholar Rick Wallach. Thanks Rick! Click on the image to see a larger version and more details.

If you would like a transcript of the McCarthy Oprah interview please leave your request and e-mail in the comments. Cheers!

What Should We Do With Our Life?

Stagg and I have batting around ideas for a few weeks. We feel we might need or want to make some changes and make our life even more fun than it is...In many ways we have an element of freedom because we don't have tons of bills and we don't have a mortgage holding us down. Maybe we would like to own a building? Maybe not? We are at a feeling of crossroads...and opportunity...

-he wants a different job...a job where people are more fun and the morale is cooperative and positive.

-We thought about opening a gallery and/or retail store (but no one buys art...so is that a dumb idea?)

-should we put all our stuff in storage and travel for two months? (but then..what do we do then?)

-we have to pay off some credit cards and keep those funds flowing...

-we would like a situation where we can work together in the day or make films together...in the same spot.

-should we move to New Orleans and work in bars? Rent is super expensive though...

-should we open a retail art gallery boutique somewhere...(Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago?)

-should we get a different bigger apartment but with more costs?


We thought it might be fun to ask blog visitors what they think...when you leave a comment here your blog will be linked. 1) Red Letter Day 2) Mister Anchovy 3) Tweetey

Patrick Swayze I Love You!

When the movie Point Break came out in theatres...I figured I had died and gone to Buddha. One of my fave directors, Kathryn Bigelow, BOTH Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze...and surfing!!! Come on!!! I've owned several copies of this movie over the years. (and a cameo with hottie Anthony Keidis...shhhheeeeee-iiiitttt)

Patrick Swayze has pancreatic cancer but doctors feel he has a good progosis. Patrick you make the world a better place...I love you! Hearts and meditation and prayers for you, you rock!


Yep, this trailer for Roadhouse includes the music of Jeff Healey and he had a role and was on the soundtrack with several songs...thats Healey hugging Swayze in one clip. Jeff Healey passed away a few days ago...I was very sad to hear this...and when at the hospital visiting our friend we told him. I knew Jeff from clubs we both worked in and just well enough for us to say hi to each other over the years. Jim loved Jeff Healey and had all his albums. One of the last times I saw Jeff Healey play was outside in Central Park. I tired to find ANYONE to drive down to New York City to see an amazing concert on Canada Day a few years ago. Great Big Sea, Jeff Healey and The Tragically Hip played for free in Central Park. One of the best concerts I've ever been to. Can you imagine thousands of wild Canadians drinking beer in the warm sun? Talk about an invasion. I actually landed up making pals with a guy from Brooklyn for the afternoon. On my way to NYC I slept in my car in the parking lot of the McDonalds in Syracuse. (Jim watches Roadhouse over and over...one of the best B movies ever!)


Patrick Swayze in a scene from Donnie Darko playing a motivational speaker for "Attitudnal Beliefs". Another movie that keeps on giving...just like Patrick Swayze's performances and dancing!

2002

Delivered on Wednesday, October 2, 2002 by Barack Obama, Illinois State Senator, at the first high-profile Chicago anti-Iraq war rally (organized by Chicagoans Against War in Iraq) at noon in Federal Plaza in Chicago, Illinois; at the same day and hour that President Bush and Congress announced their agreement on the joint resolution authorizing the Iraq War, but over a week before it was passed by either body of Congress.


Good afternoon. Let me begin by saying that although this has been billed as an anti-war rally, I stand before you as someone who is not opposed to war in all circumstances.

The Civil War was one of the bloodiest in history, and yet it was only through the crucible of the sword, the sacrifice of multitudes, that we could begin to perfect this union, and drive the scourge of slavery from our soil. I don’t oppose all wars.

My grandfather signed up for a war the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, fought in Patton’s army. He saw the dead and dying across the fields of Europe; he heard the stories of fellow troops who first entered Auschwitz and Treblinka. He fought in the name of a larger freedom, part of that arsenal of democracy that triumphed over evil, and he did not fight in vain.

I don’t oppose all wars.

After September 11th, after witnessing the carnage and destruction, the dust and the tears, I supported this Administration’s pledge to hunt down and root out those who would slaughter innocents in the name of intolerance, and I would willingly take up arms myself to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

I don’t oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other arm-chair, weekend warriors in this Administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne.

What I am opposed to is the attempt by political hacks like Karl Rove to distract us from a rise in the uninsured, a rise in the poverty rate, a drop in the median income – to distract us from corporate scandals and a stock market that has just gone through the worst month since the Great Depression.

That’s what I’m opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics.

Now let me be clear – I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power. He has repeatedly defied UN resolutions, thwarted UN inspection teams, developed chemical and biological weapons, and coveted nuclear capacity.

He’s a bad guy. The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him.

But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors, that the Iraqi economy is in shambles, that the Iraqi military a fraction of its former strength, and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history.

I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a US occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda.

I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars.

So for those of us who seek a more just and secure world for our children, let us send a clear message to the president today. You want a fight, President Bush? Let’s finish the fight with Bin Laden and al-Qaeda, through effective, coordinated intelligence, and a shutting down of the financial networks that support terrorism, and a homeland security program that involves more than color-coded warnings.

You want a fight, President Bush? Let’s fight to make sure that the UN inspectors can do their work, and that we vigorously enforce a non-proliferation treaty, and that former enemies and current allies like Russia safeguard and ultimately eliminate their stores of nuclear material, and that nations like Pakistan and India never use the terrible weapons already in their possession, and that the arms merchants in our own country stop feeding the countless wars that rage across the globe.

You want a fight, President Bush? Let’s fight to make sure our so-called allies in the Middle East, the Saudis and the Egyptians, stop oppressing their own people, and suppressing dissent, and tolerating corruption and inequality, and mismanaging their economies so that their youth grow up without education, without prospects, without hope, the ready recruits of terrorist cells.

You want a fight, President Bush? Let’s fight to wean ourselves off Middle East oil, through an energy policy that doesn’t simply serve the interests of Exxon and Mobil.

Those are the battles that we need to fight. Those are the battles that we willingly join. The battles against ignorance and intolerance. Corruption and greed. Poverty and despair.

The consequences of war are dire, the sacrifices immeasurable. We may have occasion in our lifetime to once again rise up in defense of our freedom, and pay the wages of war. But we ought not – we will not – travel down that hellish path blindly. Nor should we allow those who would march off and pay the ultimate sacrifice, who would prove the full measure of devotion with their blood, to make such an awful sacrifice in vain.

Great News!!!!!

from the University of Alberta...

Researchers discover gene that blocks HIV

By Richard Cairney

February 28, 2008 - Edmonton - A team of researchers at the University of Alberta has discovered a gene that is able to block HIV, and in turn prevent the onset of AIDS.

Stephen Barr, a molecular virologist in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, says his team has identified a gene called TRIM22 that can block HIV infection in a cell culture by preventing the assembly of the virus.

"When we put this gene in cells, it prevents the assembly of the HIV virus," said Barr, a postdoctoral fellow. "This means the virus cannot get out of the cells to infect other cells, thereby blocking the spread of the virus."

Barr and his team also prevented cells from turning on the TRIM22 gene - provoking an interesting phenomenon: the normal response of interferon, a protein that co-ordinates attacks by genes like TRIM22 against viral infections, became useless at blocking HIV infection.

"This means that TRIM22 is an essential part of our body's ability to fight off HIV. The results are very exciting because they show that our bodies have a gene that is capable of stopping the spread of HIV."

One of the greatest challenges in battling HIV is the virus' ability to mutate and evade medications. Antiretroviral drugs introduced during the late 1990s interfere with HIV's ability to produce new copies of itself - and though beneficial, the drugs are unable to eradicate the virus. Barr and his team have discovered a gene that could potentially do the job naturally.

"There are always newly emerging drug-resistant strains of HIV so the push has been to develop more natural means of blocking the virus. The discovery of this gene, which is natural in our cells, might provide a different avenue," said Barr. "The gene prevents the assembly of the virus so in the future the idea would be to develop drugs or vaccines that can mimic the effects of this gene."

"We are currently trying to figure out why this gene does not work in people infected with HIV and if there is a way to turn this gene on in those individuals," he added. "We hope that our research will lead to the design of new drugs, or vaccines that can halt the person-to-person transmission of HIV and the spread of the virus in the body, thereby blocking the onset of AIDS."

The researchers are now investigating the gene's ability to battle other viruses.

Barr's research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research. The findings are published in the Public Library of Science Pathogens.