Beale Street Highlights

I pulled some of the better shots and made a highlight set on Flickr. Click the title ^ and you should be there :)

You Have A Type B+ Personality

You're a pro at going with the flow You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer A total joy to be around, people crave your stability. While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity. Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done You're passionate - just selective about your passions

Do You Have a Type A Personality?

The Book of Noah ~starring Pat Cox

The Book of Noah-Trailer


Pat Cox

Can also see Pat in 'Eat'
Eat (new trailer)


and

'100 Lives'

System of a Down with Lyrics & Commentary ~ there is a lot more to SOAD than you might think!

Because it is way past time for this post! I have made plenty of music posts, but for some reason I've not posted anything about the band and music that I listen to most. Sometimes it's like that, the things that are TRULY important to us are the things that we keep private. Well it's time to change that. Going all the way back to Toxicity, from 2001. It is the one CD that I can't live without. It really is how I start (and usually end) my day. I'm not saying that the other music I listen to isn't important and meaningful, it's just that in the end it all tends to come back to these songs.

SOAD Toxicity ~ Science
Making two possibilities a reality
prediting the future of things we all know
fighting off the diseased programming
of centuries, centuries, centuries, centuries
Science fails to recognise the single most
potent element of human existence
letting the reigns go to the unfolding
is faith, faith, faith, faith
Science has failed our world
science has failed our mother earth
Spirit-moves-through-all-things x6

Letting the reigns go to the unfolding
is faith, faith, faith, faith
letting the reigns go to the unfolding
is faith, faith, faith, faith
Science has failed our world
Science has failed our mother earth
Spirit-moves-through-all-things x12

Science has failed our mother earth

(I'm ALL for science, but it certainly isn't everything. If you look at everything with just the eyes of science you are missing the point! Faith does not and should not exclude science either. Science is an amazing and important tool. They are not mutually exclusive, you can have both ;)



SOAD Toxicity ~ Prison Song
They're trying to build a prison x2

Following the rights movement
You clamped on with your iron fists
Drugs became conveniently
Available for all the kids
Following the rights movement
You clamped on with your iron fists
Drugs became conveniently
Available for all the kids

I buy my crack, my smack, my bitch right here in hollywood

(nearly 2 million americans are
incarcerated in the prison system
prison system of the US)

They're trying to build a prison x3
(For you and me to live in!)
Another prison system x3
(For you and me!)

Minor drug offenders fill your prisons
you don't even flinch
all our taxes paying for your wars
against the new non-rich
Minor drug offenders fill your prisons
you don't even flinch
all our taxes paying for your wars
against the new non-rich

I buy my crack, my smack, my bitch right here in hollywood

The percentage of americans in the prison system
prison system, has doubled since 1985

They're trying to build a prison x3
(For you and me to live in!)
Another prison system x3
For you and I, For you and I, For you and I.
They're trying to build a prison x3
For you and me
Oh baby, you and me.

All research and successful drug policy show
that treatment should be increased
And law enforcement decreased
While abolishing mandatory minimun sentences
All research and successful drug policy show
that treatment should be increased
And law enforcement decreased
While abolishing mandatory minimun sentences

Utilising drugs to pay for secret wars around the world
drugs are now your global policy now you police the globe

I buy my crack, my smack, my bitch right here in hollywood

Drug money is used to rig elections
and train brutal corporate sponsored dictators
around the world

They're trying to build a prison x4
(For you and me to live in!)
Another prison system x3
(For you and me!)
For you and I, for you and I, for you and I
For you and I
They're trying to build a prison x3
for you and me
oh baby, you and me

(It's scary but it's true, land of the free, has more people in prison per head of population than anywhere else in the world, By FAR! It has 751 people in prison or jail for every 100,000 in population. (If you count only adults, one in 100 Americans is locked up.)

The only other major industrialized nation that even comes close is Russia, with 627 prisoners for every 100,000 people. The others have much lower rates. England’s rate is 151; Germany’s is 88; and Japan’s is 63.

The median among all nations is about 125, roughly a sixth of the American rate.

Citizens and Residents of the United States are more likely to be incarcerated than people anywhere else in the world, including China, Russia and the Middle East. American prisons and jails are notoriously unsafe, overcrowded and underfunded.

Myths have a way of hiding what we don't want to see.

Americans, for example, are quick to charge Third World dictators with abusive prison policies. But prison incarceration rates tell a different story.

Recent reports show that 45 of the 50 democratically elected state governments in the U.S., including Florida, imprison their citizens at a faster pace than any of the foreign governments headed by dictators.

Rulers in Libya, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, China and Pakistan made Parade magazine's 2005 world's worst dictators list. And the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, located in Oakland, Calif., has issued a report titled, "U.S. Rates of Incarceration: A Global Perspective," showing the incarceration rates for these five dictatorships - the number of persons in prison for every 100,000 population - ranging from a low of 57 in Pakistan to a high of 207 in Libya.

By comparison, prison policies made in Tallahassee locked up 499 state citizens for every 100,000 population in 2005. In other words, Florida imprisons its people at a rate more than two times faster than Muammar al-Qaddafi's Libya and eight times faster than Pakistan under Gen. Pervez Musharraf. If inmates held in local jails in Florida were added, the spread would be even wider.

Only five states - Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Minnesota and North Dakota - have prison incarceration rates less harsh than Libya's. All other states enforce prison policies that put dictators around the world to shame, including more than 600 inmates per 100,000 population in Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas.

Read here, here here, here and here for more information.



SOAD TOxicity ~ Forest
Walk with me my little child
To the forest of denial
speak with me my only mind
walk with me until the time
and make the forest turn to wine
you take the legend for a fall
you saw the product
why can't you see that you are my child
why don't you know that you are my mind
tell everyone in the world, that I'm you
take this promise to the end of you
walk with me my little friend
Take this promise to the end
Speak with me my only mind
Walk with me until the end
And make the forest turn to sand
you take the legend for a fall
you saw the product
why can't you see that you are my child
why don't you know that you are my mind
tell everyone in the world, that I'm you
take this promise to the end of you
Take this promise for a ride
you saw the forest, now come inside
You took the legend for it's fall
you saw the product of it all
no televisions in the air
no circumcisions on the chair
You made the weapons for us all
just look at us now
why can't you see that you are my child
why don't you know that you are my mind
tell everyone in the world, that I'm you
take this promise to the end of you

(God is trying to explain to us that we are not just people but that we are created in his image, we are His children (pieces of Him). Why is that so hard to see? In other words, we are all ONE, everything is connected, it's that simple.)


SOAD Toxicity ~ Deer Dance
Round, round
Circumventing circuses
lamenting in protest
to visible police
prescence sponsored fear
batallions of riot police
with rubber bullet kisses
baton courtesy
service with a smile

Beyond the staples center you can see america
with it's tired poor avenging disgrace
peaceful loving youth against the brutality
of plastic existence

(chrous)
pushing little children
with their fully automatics
they like to push the weak around
pushing little children
with their fully automatics
they like to push the weak around

round, round
A rush of words
pleading to disperse
upon your naked walls, alive
A political call
the fall guy accord
we can't afford to be neutral on a moving train

Beyond the staples center you can see america
with it's tired poor avenging disgrace
peaceful loving youth against the brutality
of plastic existence

(chrous)

A deer dance, invitation to peace
war staring you in the face, dressed in black
with a helmet, fierce
trained and appropriate for the malcontents
for the disproportioned malcontents.
The little boy smiled, it'll all be well
The little boy smiled, it'll all be well

(chrous)

Push the weak around(3x)
They like to push the weak around.

It's about peaceful protests and ordinary citizens that are violently treated by police/riot police/military, etc. Not so amazingly, it's another direct consequence of the 'war on drugs'.

The only terrorist most Americans will ever encounter is a policeman with a badge, nightstick, mace and Taser. A Google search for "police brutality videos" turns up 2,210,000 entries. Some entries are foreign and some are probably duplications, but the number is so large that a person could do nothing but watch police brutality videos for the rest of his life. A search on "You Tube" alone turned up 2,280 police brutality videos. PrisonPlanet has a selection of the most outrageous recent cases.

Police brutality has crossed the line from using excessive force against a resisting Rodney King to unprovoked gratuitous violence against persons offering no resistance, such as the elderly, women, students, and elected officials. Americans are not safe anywhere from police. Police attack Americans in university libraries, in public meetings, and in their own homes.

"In recent years American police forces have called out SWAT teams 40,000 or more times annually.

Last year, did you read in your newspaper or hear on TV news of 110 hostage or terrorist events each day? No. What then were the SWAT teams doing? They were serving routine warrants to people who posed no danger to the police or to the public.

Occasionally Washington think tanks produce reports that are not special pleading for donors. One such report is Radley Balko’s "Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America" (Cato Institute, 2006).

This 100-page report is extremely important and should have been published as a book. SWAT teams (Special Weapons and Tactics) were once rare and used only for very dangerous situations, often involving hostages held by armed criminals. Today SWAT teams are deployed for routine police duties. In the US today, 75-80% of SWAT deployments are for warrant service.

In a high percentage of the cases, the SWAT teams forcefully enter the wrong address, resulting in death, injury, and trauma to perfectly innocent people. Occasionally, highly keyed-up police kill one another in the confusion caused by their stun grenades."

It is also in a bigger picture sort of way about how the USA pushes the rest of the world around. {Bush’s "war on terror" quickly became Bush’s war on Iraqi civilians. So far over one million Iraqi civilians have lost their lives because of Bush’s invasion, and four million have been displaced. Iraq’s infrastructure is in ruins. Disease is rampart. Normal life has disappeared.} It is saying that law enforcement and the goverment would not be able to get away with the brutality if we all spoke out against it. What we're doing instead(sitting back and complaning a bit, while shopping and maintaining our plastic existence) isn't helping anything. "We can't afford to be neutral on a moving train".

It really is music with an important message. You may not like how it's done, you might not be able to listen to it, but you can't deny how important these messages are. Spread the word!

XKCD ~The Blag of the webcomic

Read the XKCD Blag too!!

Great stuff!

1:37am

To go along with the last post

pwnage!

This Isn't a Joke but I wish it was! ~ Consevapedia~ I am bringing this awful, horrible, mind-numbingly ignorant site to your attention because of this article from Bad Science. It is really a thing of beauty and must be read completely to fully savor all of the nuances and PWNAGE! (WIRED's article about Conservapedia is great; What would Jesus Wiki?)

"All time classic creationist pwnage
June 24th, 2008 by Ben Goldacre in bad science

Richard Lenski is a biologist who recently found evidence for the emergence of new traits among E.coli bacteria, in a fascinating experiment which he has described in a paper in PNAS. His results look a bit like evolution. You will note that his paper includes the original data.

Andrew Schlafly is a startlingly predictable right wing christian activist who runs Conservapedia. I highly recommend a look around there if you’ve not already had the pleasure, because even the people who run Conservapedia find it hard to tell whether the edits are being made by god-fearing americans or naughty satirists.

Schlafly read Lenski. He got angry. He demanded the original data. It was pointed out to him that the original data was in the paper. He demanded the original data again. With menaces.

The following exchange is mirrored humbly and verbatim in case of disappearance. It represents pwnage on a scale most of us can only dream of."

It continues on with the full letters from the exchange between Mr Andrew Schlafly (right-wing conservative nutjob) and Mr Richard Lenski (respected scientist, educator and one of my new heroes). Please, do yourself a favor and read them!!!

Uncyclopedia

Uncyclopedia {the content-free encyclopedia that anyone can edit}is a useful resource for not looking things up. Check the article on Alternative Medicine.

Today In History:
On this day...
July 1: Dennis Rodman Appreciation Day (in Canada), Canada Day (in most other countries).
251 - The Goths defeat the Emos at the Battle of OMFG.
1765 - Ireland was liberated from the Indians
1800 - Canada is invented by Kevin Bacon some guy.
1863 - The Battle of Gettysburg begins. Canada sits back and watches.
1867 - Canada does something, but I'm not going to tell you what.
1878 - Canada joins the Universal Postal Union. Galactic Federation stamps cost an arm and 3 legs.
1936 - The Trial of Howard the Duck comes to an end.
1967 - Pamela Anderson born.
1968 - World suffers critical shortages of silicone.
1985 - Battle of Little Bighorn begins. Custer makes last stand, but is totally destroyed by the Nazis
1986 - Hundreds demand refunds as they discover that misprints in their Playboy calendars spell July "Jooly". Millions never notice.
1890 - Canada and Bermuda linked by telegraph cable, but the cable disappeared mysteriously the next day.
1961 - Windemere, a tiny Jew belonging to American writer Ernest Hemingway, committed suicide
1999 - Seven ate Nine
2003 - An old person dies
2006 - Eon8 countdown finishes, leaving everyone's penis size shrunk one inch.
2010 - Kurt Cobain is resurected from the dead by Ozzy Osbourne. Sharon files for divorce.
2036 - Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey, and Angelina Jolie lead the world on a war against Xenu.
2046 - After a ten year war, Oprah Winfrey becomes The world's first Oprah (more powerful then a god).

And from the VERY enlightening page on Goths:
Why goths are not emos: A comparison
In order to show the differences between these two often confused species, presented here is a list of comparisons of the two groups.

Goths: "We're not like them, our anguish is real... They're a bunch of wannabes listening to Marilyn Manson and cutting themselves."
Emos: "We're not like them, our anguish is real... They're a bunch of middle-class kids who dress in black. Okay, I am middle-class, but I only to dress in black to hide my self-harm wounds better. Oh, and it expresses my true pain."

Goths: "I'm bisexual and I don't feel my biology should impose on how I define my gender. If you criticize me in any way, it definitely means you didn't understand me. I'm an individual."
Emos: "I'm bisexual and I don't feel my biology should impose on how I define my gender. I'm an individual."

Goths: "Why do you immediately assume that, because I paint my face to look like I'm weeping black tears, lock myself in my room writing pseudo-philosophy and/or poetry on Livejournal all the time about how my sexuality and gender confuses me and how my daddy doesn't understand me and have an obsession with silver Catholic symbols despite being agnostic/pagan/wiccan and like cults and death?"
Emos: "Why do you immediately assume that, because I paint my face to look like I'm weeping black tears, impose anemia on myself, lock myself in my room writing pseudo-philosophy and/or poetry on Myspace all the time about how my sexuality and gender confuses me and how my daddy doesn't understand me, have an obsession with silver Catholic symbols despite being agnostic/pagan/wiccan and like cults and death, I must be sad?"

See? Entirely different with no overlaps. One has to ask how this confusion emerged, one really does.

I bring you XKCD

One of the best little sites I've come across in a long time!

Just in case you don't know.....Robert Smith

a posse ad esse ~"from being able to being"

Unitas ~ Unity
Caritas ~ Love in Action, Charity, Virtue
Veritas ~ Truth
Aequitas ~ Justice

Which reminds us that "Deus Caritas Est" ~ "God is Love."

I took this picture in Portland last week.

Right Brain Dominant

The Results Are In!

You are a right brain dominant student!

You Might Be a Right Brain If ...

Do you get bored when teachers lecture too much? (YES!) Do you feel like you can size up people easily by watching them? (yup) If so, you may be right-brain dominant.
Characteristics of Right-Brain Students:

You take notes but lose them. You may have a hard time keeping track of your research (may? hahahahaha ~may~ )

You might have a hard time making up your mind
(might? so many options! so many choices! so many sides and points of view!)

You are good with people
(um sometimes, maybe a definition of the word 'people' would be in order here)

You don't fall for practical jokes as easily as some
(of course not!;)

You seem dreamy, but you're really deep in thought
(same-same yes?)

People may have told you you're psychic
(psycho yes, psychic not so much :)

You like to write fiction, draw, or play music
(yep)

You might be athletic
(I move well, is that the same thing?)

You like mystery stories
(LOVE not like)

You take time to ponder and you think there are two sides to every story
(just 2 sides?!?)

You may lose track of time
(no may there at all...)

You are spontaneous
(combustion is my middle name)

You’re fun and witty
(better than wun and fitty!)

You may find it hard to follow verbal directions
(May???! omg this will be my downfall! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE WRITE that $hit down so I can read it!!!!)

You are unpredictable
(fickle, unpredictable, um yes I may have been described as thus before ;)

You get lost
(define lost)

You are emotional
(in an unemotional sort of way, yes)

You don't like reading directions
(now this is not true, I LOVE reading directions, if it's directions I want to be reading anyway.)

You may listen to music while studying
(again with the may, let's just remove that right now. I WILL be listening to music while studying, reading, eating, writing, sleeping, um pretty much anything that can be done WILL be done while listening to music :)

You read lying down
(there is another way to read?!?)

You may be interested in “the unexplained”
(Oh yes I may and I am!)

You are philosophical
(Nice, classic, clean, statement of fact. I like it!)

In history class, you enjoy the social aspects most. You like to explore they effects of things that happened in history. You like the essays, too. (I do?)

You can do well in math class if you apply yourself, but you get bored doing long problems. (well yes it's true!)

Science? Boring. (seriously! I love the big picture sort of stuff, and general research, but when it gets to the kreb's cycle level OMG snooooooooze)

You do well in English class, especially when it comes to reading literature and writing essays about books. You also do well in creative writing assignments.
(theoretically of course, if I could manage to be interested in the literature that was assigned and if I managed to not lose my finished creative writings....)

You probably get bored during long lectures and prefer to take classes with a lot of freedom of movement and thought. You like to write stories and even tell stories about your funny experiences. You might be a little suspicious of other people's motives sometimes, but that's only because you can usually tell whenever someone is lying or when they're up to no good. You are a little on the dreamy side--or a lot. You plan books or movie plots but you don't always follow through on things you think about. You should work on that. You are fun and spontaneous, and probably active in sports or clubs. Your feelings run deep, and it shows. You have strong instincts, and you solve problems on hunches and feelings. You are artistic in some way. You can believe in things based on experience, without seeing scientific proof. You might be a finalist on Survivor some day, since you know how to read people so well, and you have great survival instincts.

I found this little gem "The right-brained person wants to see, feel, or touch the real object. Right-brained students may have had trouble learning to read using phonics." here (again with the 'may'... I had an AWFUL time with phonics, I finally sort of figured it out with my youngest child... a good 30 years of trying and I 'kind of' get it....)


Experiments show that most children rank highly creative (right brain) before entering school. Because our educational systems place a higher value on left brain skills such as mathematics, logic and language than it does on drawing or using our imagination, only ten percent of these same children will rank highly creative by age 7. By the time we are adults, high creativity remains in only 2 percent of the population.


Which Side Do You Use?
You responded as a right brained person to 15 questions, and you responded as a left brained person to 4 questions. According to the Hemispheric Dominance test, you use your right brain the most. The summary briefly describes your dominance type. Remember, this only represents half of the picture.

Some of the traits associated with the right side of the brain are listed in the table. Not all of the traits will apply to you. Remember, we use both side of our brain, but your right sides gets the most exercise.

Holistic Processing information from whole to part; sees the big picture first, not the details.
Random Processing information with out priority, jumps form one task to another.
Concrete Processes things that can be seen , or touched - real objects.
Intuitive Processes information based on whether or not it feels right know answer but not sure how it was derived.
Nonverbal Processes thought as illustrations.
Fantasy-Oriented Processes information with creativity; less focuses on rules and regulations

A right brain learner....

may know the answer, but can not explain how they got the answer.

is inclined to “grab things” out of your hand in order to “show” you something.

has creative abilities that may be overlooked in a school environment.

moves around and/or “talks” with her hands.

is interested in what something looks like or how something feels.

may be sensitive to light, sound, smells.

seems to understand “complex” concepts more easily than “easy concepts.

may struggle with mastering basic reading and/or basic math facts.

may have poor handwriting or weak spelling skills.

makes “careless errors” or “simple mistakes”.

Other right-brained people who are also visual learners are Albert Einstein, the painter Vincent Van Gogh, and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Extroversion vs. Introversion (Caring for Your Introvert)

First, I'd like to state for the record, I am an introvert. I am an introverted introvert or an introvert squared or an introvert to the nth degree. I am just about as introverted as it is possible to be in other words. I have recently learned that even people that think they are introverted, that think they understand what it means, really have no clue! Introversion is NOT shyness! It is also not something that can be changed, it is not a problem. It is simply a difference in ways of thinking. Introverts' personality traits include increased blood flow in the frontal lobes, anterior thalamus, and other regions associated with remembering events, making plans, and problem-solving. An introvert's brain is literally wired differently than an extrovert's!

If you click here you will be taken to a really good article that outlines some of the major issues and facts about introversion.

Here are some of my favorite bits:

"Science has learned a good deal in recent years about the habits and requirements of introverts. It has even learned, by means of brain scans, that introverts process information differently from other people."

"Shy people are anxious or frightened or self-excoriating in social settings; introverts generally are not. Introverts are also not misanthropic, though some of us do go along with Sartre as far as to say "Hell is other people at breakfast."* Rather, introverts are people who find other people tiring."

"Extroverts are energized by people, and wilt or fade when alone. They often seem bored by themselves, in both senses of the expression. Leave an extrovert alone for two minutes and he will reach for his cell phone. In contrast, after an hour or two of being socially "on," we introverts need to turn off and recharge. My own formula is roughly two hours alone for every hour of socializing. This isn't antisocial. It isn't a sign of depression. It does not call for medication."

"For introverts, to be alone with our thoughts is as restorative as sleeping, as nourishing as eating. Our motto: "I'm okay, you're okay—in small doses."

"How many people are introverts? I performed exhaustive research on this question, in the form of a quick Google search. The answer: About 25 percent. Or: Just under half. Or—my favorite—"a minority in the regular population but a majority in the gifted population."

"Are introverts arrogant? Hardly. I suppose this common misconception has to do with our being more intelligent, more reflective, more independent, more level-headed, more refined, and more sensitive than extroverts. Also, it is probably due to our lack of small talk, a lack that extroverts often mistake for disdain. We tend to think before talking, whereas extroverts tend to think by talking, which is why their meetings never last less than six hours."

"Introverts," writes a perceptive fellow named Thomas P. Crouser, in an online review of a recent book called Why Should Extroverts Make All the Money? "are driven to distraction by the semi-internal dialogue extroverts tend to conduct. Introverts don't outwardly complain, instead roll their eyes and silently curse the darkness." Just so."

"The worst of it is that extroverts have no idea of the torment they put us through. Sometimes, as we gasp for air amid the fog of their 98-percent-content-free talk, we wonder if extroverts even bother to listen to themselves." ~(I wonder this ALL the time.....)

"Still, we endure stoically, because the etiquette books—written, no doubt, by extroverts—regard declining to banter as rude and gaps in conversation as awkward. We can only dream that someday, when our condition is more widely understood, when perhaps an Introverts' Rights movement has blossomed and borne fruit, it will not be impolite to say "I'm an introvert. You are a wonderful person and I like you. But now please shush."

"How can I let the introvert in my life know that I support him and respect his choice? First, recognize that it's not a choice. It's not a lifestyle. It's an orientation.

Second, when you see an introvert lost in thought, don't say "What's the matter?" or "Are you all right?"

Third, don't say anything else, either."


*I need a t-shirt AND a bumper-sticker with this on it!

More facts about Introverts

"Basically, an introvert is a person who is energized by being alone and whose energy is drained by being around other people.

Introverts are more concerned with the inner world of the mind. They enjoy thinking, exploring their thoughts and feelings. They often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy. This is true even if they have good social skills. After being with people for any length of time, such as at a party, they need time alone to "recharge."

A site Just for Introverts!
Has some cool charts with interesting Introvert facts and tips for functioning better as an introvert in an extroverted society. (Ok so how many extroverts would pick Tom Hanks, Steve Martin, Christina Aguilera, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Harrison Ford, Johnny Carson and David Letterman as Introverts?!)

Robert Downey Jr is incredibly cute and so is Hugh Laurie

Also I adore Hugh Laurie.


" i am a swallower..."
*confused face

AWW :)

Very Good top 10 vampire movies List

Click on the Title ^ to see the original list at The Skinny Post blog. {Personally I think Underworld should be on this list!}

1. Nosferatu the Vampire (1922). 8.1 on imdb, 98% on Rottentomatoes. Considered among the greatest silent movies, it's amazing that this 85 year old genre defining classic remains scary. Absolutely still worth a watch. Number 16 on RT's Top Horror Movies.

2. Dracula (1931). 7.7 on imdb, 92% on RT. Poor Bela Lugosi. You'd have to figure the accomplished Hungarian stage actor would have turned down this life defining title role if he had to do it over again. He died penniless; Frank Sinatra reportedly paid for his funeral. Still, great movie, among the most influential of all time. Number 25on RT's Top Horror Movies.

3. Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000) 7.7 on imdb, 70% on RT. The director of the transcendent anime Ninja Scroll takes a swing at the sequel to the 1985 anime classic Vampire Hunter D. Among the best anime ever produced, with over the top action and some incredible villains.

4. Near Dark (1987). 7.0 on imdb, 91% on RT. Fantastic movie whose influence is seen in dozens of horror movies. Terrific cast with Bill Paxton in possibly his finest role. ("We keep odd hours," one of the best lines ever.) Made Kathryn Bigelow's career. Number 34 on RT's Top Horror Movies.

5. Dracula (1992). 7.2 on imdb, 82% on RT. So what if it's not as great as the sum of its considerable parts? It's still a cool movie with a great choice for the title role even if the rest of the casting falls flat.

6. Interview with the Vampire (1994). 7.3 on imdb, 69% on RT. A terrific translation of a terrific book with a terrific cast. The cast is completely stacked: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Banderas, Stephen Rea, and Thandie Newton.

7. Shadow of the Vampire (2000). 6.8 on imdb, 82% on RT. More of a dark comedy than horror, Malkovich and Dafoe make for a great onscreen duo. Terrific concept based on the original Nosferatu. Number 38 on RT's Top Horror Movies.

8. The Lost Boys (1987). 6.8 on imdb, 74% on RT. A classic 80s Coreys movie. Kiefer Sutherland shines in an early role. I wanted to put it higher for nostalgia, but this is where it belongs.

9. Day Watch (2006). 7.0 on imdb, 65% on RT. An amped up follow up to the amped up Night Watch (2004), it loses a bit if you missed the first part of the trilogy. Available today on DVD.

10. Blade II (2002). 6.5 on imdb, 56% on RT. An entertaining sequel based on the comic book character directed by Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth). Perhaps a bit loud and over the top, but it's never dull.

I wonder what his animal totem was?!

hmmm I really can't figure it out ;)

Threadless

Awesome T-shirts to be found at Threadless.com :)

Real Men Wear Kilts!

I <3 Kilts :)

Go to www.utilikilts.com to see some really awesome kilts and there are some hilarious

Mockumercials

And do yourself a favor by checking out the

Photo Gallery~!

Reasons to Wear a Utilikilt
Utilikilts Company’s Top 10 Reasons for Wearing a Kilt
Because through out history, men have worn un-bifurcated garments.
Because if women had an appendage hanging between their legs we guarantee you they wouldn’t be wearing pants.
Freedom, and increased mobility.
You only go around once, so why shouldn’t you be as comfortable as possible.
All men deserve air conditioning in the summer. You will chafe no more.
No more adjust, right side, left side… Say goodbye to wedgies.
A word about the pockets: Unlike pants, the Utilikilt’s pockets are only sewn down on top, so that they move with the garment but not with your leg. No more bulky crap contorting the shape of your leg. The Workman’s can carry an entire six pack. You don’t have to wear your cell phone on your belt. With the Wrkms kilt, you don’t need a tool belt (for lighter stuff.)
The Utilikilt is made in the USA . You are supporting local industry. Your mojo will thank you.
Easy access …
Fringe benefits:
· Physical: Your virility may increase. You will experience the pleasing sensation of air conditioning.
· Mental: Wearing a kilt shows a sense of security with yourself, and you will inspire much debate in others.
· Spiritual: Without physical constrictions, you burden will be lighter, your sense of freedom less impaired, and your sense of yourself, will have room to grow.

Utilikilts Customer’s Top 100 Reasons for Wearing a Kilt
Chicks I’ve never met before ask me about my underwear
The freedom to scratch when and where it itches.
You can call Punks conformists.
Because the boys (wink wink!), they like to swing.
Because history has shown that men in kilts routinely kick the sh!t out of the trousered.
Heat vents on cold days.
AC vents on hot days.
The extra element of suprise, when you have to kick someone in the head.
In this culture, men have spent the last century ogling women’s legs. It’s time to turn the other cheek.
You introduce yourself to a woman, and she immediately starts thinking about your undergarments.
Because I can wear / have worn the Black workman’s UK to ANY of the following : hiking, semi dressy dinner, Goth club, Burning Man, beach, wedding - and got nothing but compliments. Try THAT with another piece of clothing.
When your balls are free, you will find inner peace.
Becausen the extra groin room compensates for the cojones required to wear one. :-)
Yes, I like a UK on my boyfriend because it lets me play with his "kilt-saber" whenever I want.
When else would you ever hear the phrase, "Dude, fix your pleats."
It itches a lot less in a kilt, it’s the breeze you know.
It makes people wonder.
When it smells of Guinness, smoke and Whiskey, it can go in the wash, and not to the dry-cleaners.
I look good in it.
Almost as good as being naked.
Women love men in kilts.
Because zippers scare sheep.
Even straight guys check me out.
When operating a zipper is too far beyond your capabilities.
To give the ladies a cheap thrill when you get out of a car.
Because equality should extend to comfort, dammit!
Floor mounted AC vents on a hot day.
Name another article of clothing where you can carry a 12 pack of longnecks in the pockets!
Ergonomically, men belong in kilts. That seam in pants can be deadly.
Because I wear them!
Number one reason to wear a kilt: "You can dance in one - plenty of ball room!"
To "air out your nads" - Courtesy of my fiance.
Women LOVE them.
Utilikilts are SEXY.
Any guy who feels confident enough to wear one has got to be progressive, sexy, and hip All my men wear utilitkilts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I submit that UKs are the Ultimate ‘Babe Magnet’. ‘Nuff said.
Because it makes me feel good to feel sexy.
Prevents the marshy feeling from wearing pants when living in the desert.
When worn regularly, no one ever forgets who you are.
On a mooning raid, you have quick access!
Chicks love confident guys… and ya gotta be confident to wear one.
It’s one thing that men and women can agree on when deciding what to wear.
If you’re out of things to talk about with a new friend, a kilt will be a convo topic for at least four straight days.
Scots rule. Scots wear kilts. Kilts are the #1 reason Scots rule. Ergo, so will you when donning one.
A utilikilt also represents HERITAGE!!!! This should be the greatest ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Utilikilts Disclaimer: It may be that this customer is talking about a broader sense of heritage, not necessarily Scottish, but more primitive and ancestral. Men the world over used to wear unbifurcated garments no matter what country or class they came from. We at the UKHQ do not try to promote the UK as a Scottish garment.)
It makes a great trademark if all your band members wear kilts.
If you like carrying big swords, a kilt is a necessary accessory.
Y’know, "kilt" IS Scottish Gaelic for "easy access". Anyone up for a quickie?
As a woman who loves male legs and their accessories, it all comes down to one word: ACCESS.
I can get it on with very little clothes adjustment/removal on my part.
Fashion colours for my every mood.
I have nice calves and I like to show them off.
It’s a good reason to invest in nice wool socks.
People look at me funny.
Women like men who don’t wear underclothes (I should know, I am one of those women!) Not to mention, Kilts are sexy!
In the words of Mel Gibson in Braveheart …"Freedom!"
Because real women LOVE men in kilts (especially Utilikilts!)
All the cool guys at ren-faire wear them to the after hours events. you’re even cooler if you have a selection.
I love the reactions!
With the workmans, i don’t need a backpack.
Wearing a kilt promotes creative and witty thinking. there’s only so many ways you can respond to the "what are you wearing under that?" question. the trick is to wear it out to a busy location (disneyland) and try to come up with a different response each tme. (’i'd have to show you’ is my favorite-the reaction is quite fun to watch…)
it’s easier to run away with your kilt up than it is to be caught with your pants down….
Have you seen how dorky some of the "traditional" dress kilts are? Those men don’t need the freedom a kilt affords, they need their balls back.
You don’t have to be Sean Connery (or Steven) to look good in a UK. It looks good on everyone.
Chicks dig me in a kilt. Gay men dig me in a kilt (not my preference, but flattering none the less). Straight men admire the Ballsy attitude it requires to wear a UK in Corporate America (and wish they were you.)
Circulation. Freedom. Comfort. Style. Quality.
Two Words: Beer Pockets.
Women ask about underwear.
The only person at a party that doesnt have to go to the fridge for another beer.
Question and answer sessions w/ opposite sex.
You never feel more alive then when you fall snowboarding and slide a few feet on your ass while in a Utilikilt of course.
Because Thompson (author of:"So You’re Going To Wear The Kilt!") said to "wear it early and often".
After wearing UK’s EVERY SINGLE DAY for a year-and-a-half gives my company visual and professional recognition all over a large city like Denver.
Because after a rugby match, nothing says, "I’m a warrior", like putting on your utilikilt.
I’m a ‘contra dancer’ ie; traditional dance. A lot of men don semi-masculine skirts.. so when they are spinning and twirling.. they have something to flow.. The Utilikilt allows a man to look great dancing… and not be mistaken for a cross-dresser.
I AM A MAN AND I DON’T HAFTA WAX ANYTHING!
"The only problem with a kilt, and I mean the ONLY problem is that when you cut a fart the smell lasts longer if you’re standing up. It kind of lingers–especially if i ’s a hot fart…because heat rises.” – Mark Nichols
I am a woman who knows that men in kilts are extremely sexy. And I agree with #18.
Wearing a UK reflects my attitude of freedom to be who I am; a sexy, self assured, man who enjoys self expression, comfort and freedom to the hilt.
You get higher points from the Karoake judges recreating the Men without Hats video "Safety Dance".
The zipper scene in “Something About Mary”.
Because driving cross-country in pants is just plain cruel!
Motorcyclist can REALLY feel the freedom of the open road (I do however suggest a modesty snap so as not to get pulled over every 500 yards)
So you can just say "lipstick" when someone asks what you wear under your UK.
For the enjoyment of being properly powdered by your girlfriend (or boyfriend) before you go out.
Just to hear my Scot friends yell "What f**ken tartan is that you bloody heratic?" when I wear the cammo.
Men love pet names for their own, shall we say, "attachments". It just means we can retire the phrase "trouser-snake" and come up with something a little more inventive, perhaps "kilt-cosh" or "kilt-caber"!!!
Want to meet people? Wear a UK - you’ll meet people right and left!
I’ve worn the kilt for years, with a recent hiatus because I’d ‘outgrown’ my traditional kilt. I finally took the plunge for a UK, and I think it’s great. So does everyone I’ve discussed it with - I’ve not had a single derisive comment (not like I care). I’m a 43-year-old software engineering manager with a family (and a longtime biker) - f*** ‘em if they can’t take a joke. (Yes, I’ve ridden a motorcycle while wearing a kilt.)
Consider what disintegrates just as your jeans reach their maximum comfort: knees and crotch, if you’re like me. Enough said.
Because you can be the ‘Belle of the Ball’ at Gay Pride.
For women, it’s not all about what’s under the kilt. It’s about that strong self confidence and absolute masculinity you exude when wearing one, too…. no, I lied. It’s all about what’s under the kilt.
Chicks Dig Guys in Kilts… Plus the Added Bonus of KILT CHECKS!
The best reason to wear a UK is that it makes my wife laugh. I have to make sure that I have my wedding ring on when I wear my UK.
The Utilikilt in plain colors has no connection to any Scottish tartan or clan. I am a Friesian.
Less weight than a real Scottish kilt.
Choice of underwear: a. Cotton, b. Nothing, c. Steel.
Roomy pockets, not moving with my legs.
I can carry my hiking-backpack with my UK, riding on my hips. No buckles there.
No need to unzip in the toilet.

Because I am missing hockey

This is an incredible bench clearing hockey BRAWL from February 9th 2001. It's the Nottingham Panthers Vs. Sheffield Steelers (EIHL) and the battle just keeps going and going. You just have to watch it to believe it...



Oh and fyi "After something like a half an hour break to sort the mess out, the game actually continued! Nottingham won in the end, but the result didn't matter as Sheffield had already secured the league title."

Foo Fighters~ Stacked Actors - Live At Hyde Park

Oh mirror mirror, you're coming in clear
I'm finally somewhere in between
I'm impressed, what a beautiful chest
I never meant to make a big scene
Will you resign to the latest design
You look so messy when you dress up in dreams
One more for hire, a wonderful liar
I think it's time we all should come clean
Stack dead actors, stacked to the rafters
Line up the bastards all I want is the truth
Hey hey now can you fake it,
Can you make it look like we want
Hey hey now, can you take it
And we cry when they all die blonde
God bless, what a sensitive mess
Yeah, but things aren't always what they seem
Your teary eyes, your famous disguise
Never knowing who to believe
See through, yeah but what do you do
When you're just another aging drag queen

I totally agree...

Susan Sarandon on men: “There’s nothing that turns me on more than a smart guy with a sense of humour and a little bit of a twinkle in his eye. I like men who cry and who listen, and who have a strong feminine side. I also like a man who can take care of things for me. I don’t care what age a man is, if he’s older or younger – it doesn’t matter to me. I like someone who can dance and laugh, and has a sense of adventure and who’s good at what he does. Passionate.”

She continues on with this: "I think forgiveness is essential and difficult. I could forgive a sexual misdemeanour more easily than I could forgive being excluded from something important that was new in his life. I believe you have to give your partner freedom and be generous. I want him to be with me because he wants to be."

I love her. :)

I Hope You Dance ~Lee Ann Womack

I love the lyrics to this song :)

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance..........

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance,
Livin' like me, takin' chances, but they're worth takin',
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin',
Don't let some Hell bent heart leave you bitter,
If you come close to sellin' out reconsider,
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years
and wonder where those years have gone.)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

Dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance.
I hope you dance....I hope you dance..
(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along,
Tell me who wants to look back on their years
and wonder where those years have gone.)

A hockey fan after my own heart :)

"Just What Is It About Netminders?!!"
A trip into the almost obsessive (but not quite!) interest in people of the goalie persuasion (by one who knows!),

During the long quiet (ish) summer months without hockey, I've mistakenly fallen into the habit of thinking, and pondering the many mysteries of my life. The most pressing (and, ahem, FUN!) one has to be, "just what subtle appeals do netminders have that draw your attention to them?" (or, as subtly phrased by my Fiance "well what is it about netminders that causes U to drool buckets?").

{I am wondering if I should share my Sebastien Centomo Link .... }

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."

-Mark Twain

Sign the Petition!

Get Fletch back on the air where he belongs! 93X Memphis needs to put him back in the 7-midnight slot.

Fletch Rocks!

John aka Twitch

I'm posting this picture even though it's from a couple years ago because it is just too good to have it lost in the forgotten photos files.....

It was originally captioned: "just dont even bother asking..."

Original Questions/comments posted about this photo..(one of these is mine but I'm not tellin' which one ;)

"are you trying to be ALL of the village people?"
"Seriously HOT and I have NO idea why... I'm soooo confused!"
"It's fuckin Elton John!!!"
"Prince Mongo's forgotten child."
"when the feather boas come out...well, 'nuff said :)"
"hahahahahah...Like I would bother asking...This is a DRAG BALLERINA NATIVE AMERICAN...Who is possibly fishing or fenceing....AND.....WHAT...Don't you people know???"

{Luv ya' John! Hope things are Rockin' in Texarkana!)

Marvel by George Perez

for some reason this makes me laugh

Mug ShotMicrosoft Founder - Bill Gates Gates was arrested in Albuquerque in 1977 for running a stop sign and driving without a license. Apparently, Gates had a hard time sticking to driving laws. In 1975, he was arrested for speeding and driving without a license and in 1989, he was arrested for suspicion of driving drunk, but the charges were later reduced.

And this is just all kinds of Wow!

 

One of the COOLEST Comic Book covers EVER!!!

 

Hah!

 
 

Some Really Awesome Old Ads I found

 
 
 

Squidbillies!

"I am my own heaven and hell."
- J.C.F. von Schiller

Teach/Learn

Me/You

Optical Illusion

Good/Evil

How Big is a Google?

A googol is 10 to the 10th power or a 1 followed by 100 zeros.

(This post is for Cameron... he's 8 :)

Problem 1. How much money would it take to fill up our classroom with $1 bills? A stack of 250 bills is about 1 inch high. You will need to find the volume of a $1 bill along with estimating the size of the classroom.

Problem 2. How many tennis balls would it take to fill the earth, if the earth were a hollow ball? The radius of a tennis ball is about 1.2 inches and the radius of the earth is about 4000 miles. The volume of a sphere, such as the earth or a tennis ball, is given by formula


V = 4/3 × pi × r3,
where r is the radius. You may use 3.14 as an approximation for pi.

Problem 3. A stack of 15 quarters is approximately 1 inch high. How much money would it take to form a stack of quarters that would extend from the earth to the sun? The sun is about 93 million miles from the earth.

Problem 4. How much money would it take to form a stack of $1 bills that would extend to Proxima Centari? This is the nearest star to the sun, and is about 25 trillion miles from the earth.

Problem 5. The most distant object known is about 10 million light years from earth. How much money would it take to form a stack of $100 bills that would extend to this object?