I use to sell...mixtapes...now I'm a emcee!

Music Intelligence Quiz via PJ’s blog.

In your face, (hang the) DJ!

Your final score was 120/180

Mix-Tape Master (109-144 points)
You are a music evangelist: the person in your network of friends who always has the coolest new song, the one whose iPod gets picked to DJ every party. You understand the art of the segue, how the key to the best mix-tape isn't just the songs you pick, but how they interlock with each other. You also know who the up-and-coming acts are and are quick to recognise where their influences lie and whether they will make it big. You work hard at the pursuit of this knowledge, scouring music blogs, magazines and record stores. Most importantly, you are generous with your passion – and your friends should be very, very grateful. Still, it’s always good to get new inspiration for your latest mix.

This is so wrong...

Because if there's one thing this White House hates...

Ok. I don't pretend to understand the housing market. That sort of thing is, if you will, way on the other side of the river from me. So this isn't about that. But take a look at this article, and, well, see if the same thing strikes you as struck me.

The measure would let debt-ridden homeowners refinance into fixed-rate, government-backed mortgages they could afford.

Congressional analysts say it could help as many as 500,000 borrowers and cost $2.7 billion over the next five years.

The White House calls it a burdensome bailout that would open taxpayers to inappropriate risk and reward those who helped cause the housing crisis.

Heckuva job, Bushie.

Something to remember next time Sens. McCain, Clinton and/or those who are for them call the Obamas “elitist” and out of touch

From a column by wish-I'd thought-up-this-name Primus Mootry, columnist; high school teacher.

Both the Clintons and the McCains are worth over $100 million. And how can a rich, former first lady possibly position herself as an in-touch underdog? That’s absurd.

On the other hand, the Obamas are barely worth a million, and that’s a recent result of the success of Senator Obama’s book sales. Otherwise, as far as I’m able to tell, the Obamas have been, by choice, fighting in the trenches along with the rest of us. Plus, you’d have to look at where the guy has come from.

How I learned to stop worrying and love Clinton

On the question of whether Clinton should drop out, my position continues to be one of indifference. It's her decision, and I doubt that it matters much either way. I suppose I would prefer that she not attack Obama using GOP talking points now that the nomination has been effectively decided, but even there, as Dilan says, the effects of this kind of attack are greatly overstated. (Barring a major change in fundamentals, if the election is close enough something so minor could turn the election, I've seriously overestimated Obama as a candidate.) I also object to assumptions that Clinton is trying to tear the party apart or sabotage Obama or whatever. I have no doubt that she will strongly support Obama as soon as she concedes. And I think one has to have some empathy here; it can't be easy to run a race you reasonably expected to win, assemble a very strong coalition of supporters, and fall just short. I can't really blame her for not quite wanting to concede the inevitable just yet. If staying in is "selfish," it is only in the sense that anyone running for that kind of office is going to be.

From a post in TAPPED, via news from me.

Cheap joke for 2:30 AM

"Sweetheart," he said, "It's time to put our cards on the table."

That was the race that was, it's over, let it go...

Via Americablog:

According to:

a senior Clinton official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to be frank... "We lost this thing in February."

Also, according to political analyst Chuck Todd:

"With leads like this now, if you throw in Michigan and Florida, as is, then Obama would still have about 150,000 votes and he would still have 100 delegates, pledged delegate, lead."

They've lost. They know they've lost. They know there's no chance they're gonna win. So what the hell is Clinton thinking? Does she think she's doing anything else other than hurting the party, at best; the country, at worst?

The nightmare scenario for me here is that Hillary becomes in the 2008 election what Ralph Nader was in 2000...

I just rented Saw I--IV, but this...this scares me

Family Guy creator seals megadeal

After two-and-a-half years of negotiations, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane has inked a new deal with 20th Century Fox TV that would make him the highest-paid writer-producer working in television.


The pact, which could be worth more than $US100 million, will keep MacFarlane at 20th TV through 2012.

You realize what this means, don't you? It means the creator of Family Guy will be paid more money than David E. Kelley (Boston Legal), Trey Parker & Matt Stone (South Park), Hart Hanson (Bones), Patrick Sean Smith (Greek), David Shore (House), or Donald Todd (Samantha Who?).

I mean, it's not like any of those people are likely to see a negative balance in their checking accounts any time soon, but, still...The creator of Family Guy?

Oh, I shan't sleep soundly tonight...

the great-named Jennifer Lee Wiggins...

...is playing a small role on next week's episode of House. Those of you whose curiosity has been piqued by my occasional mentions of the actress may want to check it out.

According to the email flyer she sent out to shamelessly infatuated schleps like me, we should be sure to catch the opening teaser.

I have a feeling in this case the wily Ms. Wiggins--without a doubt the sexiest holder of a B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration TV has ever seen--may actually be the opening teaser, but we shall see, we shall see...

So watch.

Do you really want to make this woman mad at you?

This has been a public service announcement.

Is it in any way, shape or form wrong that I find this girl hotter than the Sahara?

The year is 2008, the place...Ben Varkentine's mind...

She Memed me.

Becca, that is.

Here are the rules:

A) The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
B) Each player answers the questions about himself or herself.
C) At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. Ten years ago I was:

Hanging out on radw

Listening to old radio tapes

Watching Babylon 5.

Reading comics like 300 and Usagi Yojimbo, reading the Comics Buyer's Guide

Beginning to become disgusted with the "National Inquirer" level to which our media was beginning to sink

Not seeing Titanic in the theater, despite the promise of a naked Kate Winslet.

Enjoying A Bug's Life, The Truman Show, Gods & Monsters; Out Of Sight

Not enjoying Lethal Weapon 4

Reading Neil Gaiman, Nick Hornby, Steve Martin, Terry Pratchett; Jules Witcover

Not reading J.K. Rowling.

Realizing it will never be the '80s, musically, again.

Enjoying a Backsteet Boys song or two when nobody was looking.

Beginning to lose what little respect for Madonna I had left.

I think that was the year I saw the musical Ragtime, and liked it.

Thinking Billie Piper was just an English Britney Spears. Who knew? ...no pun intended.

2. Five things on today's to do list:

"Eye-Z Clo-Z"

Go to the bank.

Grocery shopping.

Finish a book or two that are due back at the library tomorrow.

Watch Bones, Greek, House (is it me or do those go together?); Samantha Who.

3. Things I'd do if I were a billionaire:

Send myself to film school.

Buy a home in the SF Bay Area.

Buy one KICKASS sound system. Also, a brand new car.

4. Three bad habits:

Letting mail pile up, letting dishes pile up, and letting piles pile up...

Eating like I still think I'm a kid.

Getting caught up in how bad our media is...

5. Five places I've lived:

Menlo Park, Palo Alto, San Jose, Mountain View, Seattle.

6. Six jobs I've had in my life:

Used bookstore night manager, fantasy bookstore stock boy, comics store stock boy, library staff, writer for college paper, playwright.

And I'll toss this one towards George, TRO, PJ, M.Yu, and the Viper if he has time.

A reign of cats and dogs

I wanted to take a minute to acknowledge the passing of Ted Key, who created my favorites from the Jay Ward studios, Mr. Peabody and Sherman.



He also wrote a Disney movie I remember well from my youth, "The Cat from Outer Space,"


I have no idea if he was responsible for that film's M*A*S*H in-joke (it feels like something the actors came up with on the day).

I really know very little else about him (at least I didn't until I read this death announcement), but his work had some importance in my life.

You won't often see me say this, but Pat Buchanan was right

...about John McCain, of whom Buchanan said 'Will Make Cheney Look Like Gandhi.' Not convinced? Take this little quiz, here, and see if you can tell the difference between Bush and McCain.

John McCain. The "good," "sane" and not-at-all-hypocritical republican.

(With a salute to George for the idea)

When the wind blows, We can work it out It's not that you're not good enough, It's just that we can make you better. Given that you pay the price...

A little Tears For Fears never hurt anyone...

This is the first version of "Mothers Talk." I like it. It may not be as jazzy or fun as the later versions, but y'know, the song is about nuclear missiles (among other things)...



Plus I gotta love the word "rage" coming up at the beginning. I think it's actually a reference to the music video program from which the YouTuber got their copy, but damned if it doesn't work in the context of the song.

I feel compelled to post this, for some reason

IMG_1671

IMG_1671
Originally uploaded by 乙葉 猴

"Enough $$*%%*% tea! I want a Mountain Dew!"

This is not, in fact, a portrait of the house that I grew up in

IMG_1671
Originally uploaded by McMamus

But you'd be perfectly within your rights to think it was...

Emma Watson in...

(or, "It's OK, she's 18 now.")

I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me



She showed me her room, isn't it good, norwegian wood?



She asked me to stay and she told me to sit anywhere
So I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair



I sat on the rug, biding my time, drinking her wine



We talked until two and then she said, "It's time for bed"



She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh
I told her I didn't and crawled off to sleep in the bath



And when I awoke I was alone, this bird had flown
So I lit a fire, isn't it good, norwegian wood?

Culture?

To quote Studio 60 :

Harriet [a conservative]: I don’t even know what the sides are in the culture wars.

Matt [a liberal]: Well, your side hates my side because you think we think you’re stupid. And my side hates your side because we think you’re stupid.

I learn this afternoon that a blogger called M.Yu has very kindly added this blog to the rolls of his own two blogs, The Jade Gate and Social Seppuku. The one is an "adults only" blog, the other intended for "Social and Cultural commentary."

At the "adults" blog, he divides his blog listings into categories: Erotic, Arts/Design, and so on. Your humble Dragon & Buddha can be found in the "culture" section.

Culture?

check beneath your fingernails
In between your toes
Right between your earlobes darling
That's where culture grows
It's breeding in your short and curlies...

...Thomas Dolby.

But seriously (?), I'm no Pop Culture Gadabout like the lovely Mr. Sherman. I'm a pornographer, remember?

Lara Flynn Boyle...

What happened?