finally

I finally got to Brendan's apartment and had a very pleasant dinner. Much of the conversation was about nipples and butts.

Why won't anybody tell me

Why won't anybody tell me where brendan lives!

GOP News

Mark Foley just resigned after inappropriate emails and IMs were made known. The funny thing is that he's worked on legislation that teaches kids how to recognize and protect themselves from online predators.
Of course it seems that the main problem is that they were male pages. Poor closeted republicans.

By the way...

Did you guys know that the New York Times style manual does not have the word ironic? So you can't use it in an article/op-ed unless referring to the Greek plays.

Insubstantiality

Also like Ben, yesterday's posting was only a mention of a failure to post the previous day. I feel like this is not acceptable and so would like to make up for it with a substantial post today. Don't really know what I want to write about though, and I don't really have - or really shouldn't have - time enough at work to make a serious entry. However, I am thinking of writing about this essay on photography in the Boston Review.
I think it's an interesting essay and I am still formulating my response to it, but I don't agree with it in many ways. At the least with its way of arguing, since it would be hard to disagree with at least some of Susie Linfield's conclusions that

It is precisely because these photos are so confusing—such utter failures at providing answers—that they are so valuable: by refusing to tell us what to feel, and allowing us to feel things we don’t quite understand, they make us dig, and even think, a little deeper. In approaching photos such as these, the point is not to formally disassemble them in the hope of gaining mastery; nor to reject them as feeble, partial truths; nor to deny the uncomfortable, unfamiliar reactions they elicit. Instead, we can use the photos’ ambiguities as a starting point of discovery, a tool with which to delve into the larger historic realities at which the images can only hint. By connecting these photographs to the world outside their frames, they begin to live, to breathe, more fully; otherwise they simply devolve into spectacles.

This argument is not all that controversial. The rest of her article, however, addresses photography critics who appear to hate photography or at least approach it with extreme distrust and without any of the pleasure with which critics of other mediums approach their sources. Linfield argues that, like Pauline Kael for film for example, photography critics should engage photography with all of their senses, using their critical faculties to examine their emotional responses. I don't necessarily disagree that it shouldn't happen in that fashion, I disagree that it hasn't been happening.
I think that the critics that she quotes write sometimes about photography with seeming vitriol precisely because they don't want photography to become a static document, a harbringer of some reality. The critics were reacting to the early perception of photography as a strictly documentary medium, one which conveys exactly what it means to. And because photography is a more recent development, which Linfield does point out, the struggle with presentation / representation etc. took place more visibly to us. I also don't think that it hasn't been an issue with film, or with the other arts that she mentions actually, but the audience approached film as a medium for fiction much faster than they did photography.
As far as Linfield's method of arguing goes, I'll provide a couple of examples. She begins the essay with a description of positive critical approaches, including film. But when later she gives reasons for the critical antipathy toward photography, one of the most significant is its base in technology and modern man. A statement that is surely true even more for film.
Also, consider this passage:

There is much that is bracing, and revelatory, and so wonderfully challenging about Brecht’s emotional astringency. Who can not admire a man who, in one of his very first poems, announces to the women in his life, “Here you have someone on whom you can’t rely.” What is often forgotten, however, is that Brecht—like Moses—was a particular man who lived in a particular time and place and who observed particular things.

"a particular man who lived in a particular time and place and who observed particular things" that is fairly vague, but what gets me is the drop in "like Moses." I mean, what? I suppose one could follow the analogy - Brecht, like Moses with the Jews, wanted to lead the German people from the oppression of growing ideology - but it is so strained and so awkwardly placed that it immediately destroyed any semblance of a coherent flow to the argument.
This is not a substantive critique, I am aware, way too vague and lacking examples. I don't really have time right now to look for some. But I want to develop this further, so I might post something else, or edit this as the day wears on.
Comments are welcome.

Oops

Well, I didn't post yesterday. I didn't even forget at first, I tried to go online at my dad's house and couldn't. I even thought about needing to mention that via phone, but then didn't. I guess neither did Ben though and this is why he granted us the mulligan.

Vacation

Took the day off today, was way too tired to make my way to work. Thinking of taking another one tomorrow, feel like I am actually getting sick. I watched hours and hours of downloaded TV while home.
I have to say I am really liking Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip as of now. I also watched Heroes, the new superhero show on NBC and though the premise is interesting, the execution is sometimes painfully bad. The surmonizing that most of the characters do at some point is annoying as well as cliche and often wrong. The episode begins with a teacher lecturing the students about evolution and how the cockroach is more advanced because it can survive more... I mean come on! I'll give it another chance but it better step things up.

Problems?

is anyone else having problems with blogger today?

Cartooning around.

If you knew me freshman year of college, you might remember that I used to swear by a book called "Snake 'n' Bacon's Cartoon Cabaret," a collection of whimsical comics by Michael Kupperman. It featured the adventures of such characters as the titular Snake 'n' Bacon, Picasso and Thorsraeli - the nuclear combination of Thor and Benjamin Disraeli.
Recently, Michael Kupperman started releasing his inspired stupidity in a series of comics called "Tales Designed to Thrizzle." I have #1 and #2 and I'll post some selections whenever I feel like it.
Here's one now. Enjoy. (click for largeness.)

Last night's party...

We went to the gas station last night, thinking about food and trying to find our friends, but Ben was too tired to do much.

I'm literally phoning it in.

I'm literally phoning it in.

This is mike's party. Coming

This is mike's party. Coming at you. Check it out.

This Weekend

Is anyone doing this: http://www.comeoutandplay.org/?

We should participate in this specifically: www.cruelgame.com. Registration is still open and it looke like lots of. It's tomorrow at noon in the 48th - 58th area of Broadway.

Call me if you think you'll be awake. Not sure if I'll make it, but I want to be motivated.

Say wha?

That's right. It's the new Beck album. If you download it now, you'll hear it before I have. That's how much I do for you all.

Beck - The Information

Picture

I tried to post a picture from my friend's art site yesterday, but instead just got the gray box. I kind of like it though, think I am going to keep it.

Chicago

If anyone is going to be in the Chicago area from the 13th to the 15th of October, let me know. I think I am going out there to check out the art show my friend curated.

In a few minutes is

In a few minutes is the premiere of America's next top model. Too exciting.

New Discovery

Been reading this website: Evil Editor. There's various fun that he has with the submissions that he gets and they are all very entertaining. For example, when commenting on submissions, he has a little game where the readers can choose, based on the title, the actual plot of the book.

Here's one:

Guess the Plot

The Shrimp that Sleeps

1. A book created entirely by matching random nouns with random verbs, and a few articles, prepositions, and conjunctions. Also, a vampire.

2. An ancient evil lurks beneath the mighty deep. Almost as feared as the Kraken, more terrifying than the Loch Ness Monster, it is . . . The Shrimp That Sleeps.

3. A scathing expose of the seafood industry, proving that not everything is as fresh as the consumer would like.

4. Mati is forced to decide whether or not to become a lady of the evening, like the proverbial sleeping shrimp.

5. Okay, Morty Wansch was small for his age, but Mr. Mullally's nickname for him in fourth period civics class was just mean. And when he wakes up, he's determined to get even.

6. A cabal of sinister mages predicts the future by reading malignant omens in restaurant leavings.

The wait...

There are only two or so weeks left until Richard Powers' new novel comes out. The Echo Maker is my most anticipated novel of the year, outstripping even the Pynchon one.



I can't wait.

Money

I promise to get my contest money to Ben as soon as I remember my PayPal password.

Films

Just got, and watched some of, this:



Pretty excellent.

I'm so embarrassed...

By my brother trying to get pie!

More about poetry

Jim Behrle is so angry about Best American Poetry 2006.


I have a few suspicions as to why, but funny nonetheless.

Achewood reference

"An Asian dude can flavor up a noodle ten ways from Sunday in the time it takes an Italian dude to find his pants and wish he had a Lamborghini."

From Roast Beef's blog.

Amy and Jordan

Please enjoy another strip.









Don't forget to click for readability.

Hey, pretty good!

I am the 12th result on a google search for ear trivia.

Learn something new.

I think this is a very funny idea for a show. Unfortunately it would never work in America, or probably most places today.

Michael Paulus

Is an artist out west somewhere. Here's a thing.

Poetry

This is a poem by Eric Gelsinger from http://mtdmagazine.tripod.com/
Though I don't drink that much coffee I think I can relate.

Vibrations

I have put so much coffee into my body I have lost my emotions.
Coffee makes me lie: I do have one emotion
It is called too much coffee.

The coffee wears off very fast
Because I drink so much of it: I have a second emotion
It is called I have to pee
It is a very strong emotion
I am like King Lear

I have a strong emotion
I am like Oedipus
I do not gouge out my eyes.  I have to pee.
They live in the old days.  Not me.

Oedipus never pees
King Lear does not pee
Because they are from that time
They are not real
I am real
I am emotional
I need a glass of water
This is also a strong emotion.
I will drink water and pee at the same time.

The coffee is wearing off even more
I have new emotions.
They care called txt msgs.
Txt msgs are a major way to do emotions
Txt msgs are better than faces or voices for emotions

I get txt msgs
But they are all from the same person
My pocket vibrates hopelessly
Like the old days.

Knife

This is kind of insane.

Masamoto Yanagi

A knife for almost $3,000, and if you want it done left handed, it will be 5,000. I guess they have to grind it in the other direction, but seems like a lot. Which of course means I want it.

I've actually been thinking about getting some nice knives, just one or two multipurpose ones that will last me a while. Have my eye on either the Kershaw Shuns or the Globals. I guess that also means that I should also learn how to sharpen them properly.

The New Yorker

This week's is a good one, with an essay by Ian Buruma (a sometime Bard professor) about the drama surrounding the new Grass memoir and his confession of being in the SS.
On the lighter side, there is also a new essay by David Sedaris involving more funny cultural and language barrier hijinx that happened in France. Strangely, it is not linked from the main New Yorker page but this direct link works for now. It's totally linked now.

Enjoyment

Amy and Jordan is one of my favorite comic strips. Here is one I chose randomly.
(click to see in readable size.)





It comes from this great collection.

I constantly mistype...

... and end up here. I have to admit I laugh a little every time I am redirected.

Try again

I am sorry if you tried to download the Of Montreal album yesterday and weren't able to. That should be fixed now.

I know you'll want this.

Pretty sure this will be to everyone's liking:

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

Word.

Ugh

Damn, I can't believe that Jewgle.com is already a site. I thought it was going to be my next big thing. There is also Jewster.com. But no Jewspace.com! I need to have it!

Work

I hate it when I actually have so much stuff to do at work that I can't even properly update my blog. Ridiculous.

Beasties

From Theo Jansen

TV related

Ron Silliman has a good post on, what else, Project Runway. I agree with almost everything he says, I suppose most of it fairly obvious, except for calling Angela a designer on par with Alison and better than Vincent and Kayne.

What's happening

US funds truce with Al Qaeda in Pakistan (though, oops, no asylum for Bin Laden.) PETA protests research on sexuality in sheep. Meanwhile, both the Japanese princess and Tom Cruise have children.

Excellent.

Trivia

I think this is kind of strange: the actress who played Laura in High Fidelity, Iben Hjejle, has never been in another American movie. I understand that she's a Danish actress, and maybe she hasn't wanted to be in one, but didn't everyone love her in High Fidelity?

Finally!

As promised, here are the new albums from Yo La Tengo and The Rapture. Sorry that it took so long.

Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid You and I Will Beat Your Ass

The Rapture - Pieces of The People We Love

Ok, that's all for now.

Good

Things seem to be working, so check back in a little bit for Yo La Tengo, Rapture and whatever else I feel like putting up.

Come to farihah's party everyone!

Come to farihah's party everyone!

Long island. It's kind of

Long island. It's kind of a boring place, especially ocean front during a hurricane. Not much happening except roving hangs of Russian children.

I'm in long island today

I'm in long island today and tomorrow. playing chess with my dad. Bad phone reception and no internet so don't expect much from me.

Trouble on the front

The RarHost service I use seems to be down for now. No servers they say. I am currently looking for other ways to upload my music, if anyone has any ideas, let me know.