MARKFORBLOG/BLOGFORBRAINS

Duke Nukem Forever

2009-05-28T09:15:00.001-07:00

Duke Nukem Forever

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2008-09-17T14:55:00.001-07:00

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2007-11-28T11:38:00.001-08:00

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BRB

2007-04-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

World Wide News -> Saint Paul St. Rochester

Thanks in great part to an inspiring trip down Saint Paul St I've decided to completely revamp my site and develop some sort of focus for it. What that focus will be is TBD, but within a week or so I should have something up. If you would excuse me, I have a date with Joomla!.

Sony Cyber-shot

2007-04-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

It begins(in poor lighting)

Tomorrow, the world will know another self-important asshole with a camera and a blog. American Beauty here I come.

Rob Zombie's Halloween

2007-04-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

At least it doesn't look like a glorified Slipknot video (yet)

Rob Zombie is remaking Halloween. I don't hate this trailer as much as I should. I've come to grips that nothing in the film world is sacred anymore and unlike most purists I'm welcoming the opportunity for someone else to have a go at it, even if it fails miserably. One has to take a break from spanking it to the original anyways.

P.S. Apparently Rob Zombie is making a lucha/burlesque themed animated comedy called The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. Proceed to the site with caution, not because of the non-existant nudity that they warn you about 20 or so times before you get to the meat of the site, but because Rob Zombie has apparently built himself a time machine to take him back to a time when it was cool to make a flash site with tons of flashy things and wacky sound effects. Woof.

Quicksand

2007-04-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

Peep the security guy around 2:30

I've been grooving to this band pretty regularly for the past month or so. I say grooving because I can't imagine you could do anything else while listening to Quicksand. Enjoy.

Helvetica: The Film

2007-04-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

This is old news to a lot of people, myself included, but I didn't truly get excited about this film until I noticed that it's showing at RIT in May. In Michael Bierut's discussion of the film, he had this to say...

I was in the audience for a sneak preview at MoMA several weeks ago, and I'll give you my early review. The film is great. (And not just because I'm in it, nasal Cleveland accent and all.) Huswit has structured the film's interviews to create a perfect short course in postwar graphic design. Luke Geissbuhler's cinematography is beautiful, and the music makes everything seem positively hip. I left the preview feeling thrilled to be a graphic designer.

I'm excited. Unfortunately Ive been cursed with a creative brain and little patience for formal training, and while I enjoyed and excelled in the typography class that I took my freshman year of college, I'm far from being able to declare myself a true font-o-phile. It's films like this that will allow me to feel and act like a true designer and hope that my execution catches up.

Check out clips/trailers and info about the film here.

El Hijo De Santo Vs. Pollution

2007-04-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

RIGHT THERE!

As if lucha libre could be any more over the top and incredible, el Hijo De Santo has recently began a campaign to battle pollution in and around the waters of Tiajuana. Part of the campaign will involve him fighting pollution themed luchadors including one named "Sewage Man." Yes, yes, and yes again.

Read more Here.

P.S. Thanks to Mike Tommyrot for posting this on the 315 Board

Trent Call

2007-03-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

Screen print on cut billboard

I'm a sucker for screen printing and throwback imagery, so it's no surprise I'm all about this guy's stuff. He also does some very creative and eye catching posters and flyers among other pieces of varying medias.

Check out his website here.

Oh, the humanity...

2007-03-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

I'm stranded in Carousel Mall in majestic Syracuse, NY, and I don't have anything to do or anywhere to go for another 3 hours. Some thoughts:

- The only good thing about malls is wi-fi, truly.

- I'm not sure what's sadder, the fact that there was a line of 4 people waiting to play Guitar Hero II in Best Buy, or the fact that I was in that line.

- Humanity is terrifying. I'm seriously rethinking wanting to have kids.

- I hope they never stop printing magazines. I think the world will end (2014 right?) before print is TRULY dead, and I'm very happy about that.

- Since tripping little children is cruel, I propose an initiative whereby you are legally allowed to trip any parent that buys their kid those stupid roller sneakers.

- I think I'm going to make it a point to put myself in a situation every now and then where I have no plans and no idea where I'm going. I was only lost for a half an hour today and I was able to find a place to stay and people to hang out with. Breaking from routine couldn't come at a better time.

- I'm glad someone is posting on the Kingsboro blog again.

I think I'm going to get me some taco bell and get in the Guitar Hero line again. I'll post more soon, I promise. I've missed the internets.

FINALLY!

2007-03-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

There's an entire Wikipedia article dedicated the The Great Muta's poison mist, and the meanings of the various colors. Though I always look way to far into these things, it brought to mind a portion from "The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling," where an author of a book about the subject raised the point that with the exception of organized religion, we are a society that grew up with no real mythology, and that in a way, pro wrestling in its various forms embodies a modern day mythology.

Is that romanticizing it a big much? Probably. Will it offer a good conversational point when I'm questioned about my upcoming lucha-inspired half-sleeve? Definitely.

Apparently Green Mist is meant to cause discomfort. Who knew?

Jeremy Fish/Aesop Rock

2007-03-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

The price of collaboration and good ideas? $200 apparently.

Despite knowing full well why things of this nature cost so much, I'm not sure I will ever be able to reconcile the price of art beyond what it costs to create it. This record/storybook/collective piece is something I'd love to have, but not something I'd shell out almost a month's rent for. I need to start looking for cheaper things to enjoy before this blog becomes another runaway whambulance.

I had an idea...

2007-03-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

It involves a point and shoot camera and (subjectively) beautiful Rochester, New York. First, I need to get the camera, expect updates.

For now, "I Love Living in the City," sing-a-long style. Enjoy.

Oh, I'm so clean cut. I just want to fuck some sluts.

XBOX 360

2007-03-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

In my self-realized tradition of making one questionable purchase every few months or so, I bought one of these hulking things yesterday:

XBOX 360 - Regrettably well designed

Despite the giant hole now burned in my wallet, and my inherent bias against Microsoft, I regret to say that this $400+ bundle of chips and plastic is well worth it. Watching Zero-1 MAX DVDs while downloading the Def Jam:Icon demo has proven to be extremely fulfilling. Now the only question is whether or not it's worth it to trade in my PS2. I think I'll wait.

Washington Post: OnBeing

2007-03-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

Yet another piece of the web that I find absolutely fascinating but frutrating in its poor execution.

Washington Post: OnBeing

It's an ongoing feature that highlights snippits from 'random' people's lives. It's right up my alley, but unfortunately, I can't seem to watch any of the videos due to horrendous buffering issues. It should be noted that I first viewed this site at work with on a very fast connection. I shudder to think how long I would have to wait to see any of these videos on the hi-def setting.

Either way, it's worth a look. Who knows, the videos might actually load for you.

Things I ALSO Hate

2007-03-05T17:18:00.000-08:00

I just read this post on the Muttpop Blog, and I agreed with the sentiment enough to steal the whole damn thing.

When a "subculture" is going mainstream, there's always people taking that culture to make crap out of it. I expected that with the beautiful Lucha Libre culture. Soon, we'll see Santo or Blue Demon in a commercial for T-Mobile or Carls Junior. What I saw this weekend is way beyond my wildest expectation. As a Belgian citizen, I've always deeply hated Belgian theater, it's made by a bunch of pretentious talentless lowlife motherfuckers who couldn't even survive without government allowance. Take a look here and hate them as much as I do.

Also, I know it's now a common cultural point now, but I'm sick of showing people my tattoo and when I explain it, they say, "Oh, so it's like nacho libre?" I know I'm driving the whambulence right now but I think artists should respect other art forms, whether or not they recognize them as such.

Free News Projects

2007-03-02T10:27:00.000-08:00

Thom Lessner > VVVV (MF Doom)

Blacklisted > Dalek

I want this record and this poster very badly, but I have not come upon inexhaustable art funds yet. Check out free news projects.

Another Breath

2007-03-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

AB @ Rivalry Records Showcase

Like End of a Year, it's great to see a band with guys I know in it doing this well for themselves. To travel like that and get this kind of reaction is a great thing to see. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the actual band makes really intense, quality music. The audio on this particular video isn't very good, but you get the general idea. Have a listen.

KRS ONE

2007-02-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

KRS ONE - Sound of da Police

I can't tell if my recent obsession with 90's hip hop and hardcore is based around a general sound/feeling or some sort of nostalgia I have for songs that came out when I was growing up but hadn't heard until now. Either way, quality, quality stuff.

Sabres Hockey (FIGHT!)

2007-02-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

FIIIIGHT! FIIIIIGHT! FIIIIGHT!

If only I had cable and a vested interest in Hockey. Thank god for YouTube.

Magic The Gathering

2007-02-22T04:55:00.000-08:00

If I hadn't spent the finer days of my youth playing Magic cards, the following would have never happened:

1. I would have never learned the meaning of the word errant, which has become one of my favorite 'obscure' words as of late.

2. My knowledge of mythical beasts such as the Leviathan or Kraken would be limited only to the made for TV version of Moby Dick starring Patrick Stewart.

3. I would have taken up reading sooner, as most of my longer car rides with my family were spent playing Magic cards in the back seat of whatever Honda my mom owned at the time, cursing her as she whipped around the corner, leaving both of our decks in one homogeneous nerdmess (Thank god I usually played only red and black, and my brother only green and blue!).

4. I would have never accidentally learned my first obscure dirty word(NWS!!!).

5. I would have never spent last night longingly wishing for my endless decks of capri-sun stained cards that I sold to my cousin for $30 when I was 13.

Andre The Giant: The World's Greatest Drunkard

2007-02-20T04:56:00.000-08:00

Although I was too busy getting punched in the face this past weekend, I was fortunate enough to re-stumble upon an article about Andre the Giant I had read in Modern Drunkard Magazine some months ago...

A very green rookie wrestler named Hulk Hogan toured Japan several times with Andre and witnessed the Giant’s alcohol consumption first hand. According to Hogan, Andre drank, at a minimum, a case of tall boys during each bus ride. When he finished a can Andre would belch, crush the can in his dinner-platter-sized hand, and bounce the empty off the back of Hogan’s head. Hogan learned to count each thunk, so he could anticipate when Andre was running low. Whenever the bus stopped, it was Hogan’s job to scamper off to the nearest store, buy as many cases of beer as he could carry, and make it back before the bus departed, a sight that never failed to make Andre roar his bassoon-like laugh.

On one tour, Andre’s Japanese sponsors rewarded him with a case of expensive plum wine. Andre settled down in the back of the bus and started drinking. Four hours later, the bus arrived at the next venue, and Andre was polishing off the last bottle of wine.

Sixteen bottles of wine in four hours is a considerable feat, but it gets better. Andre proceeded straight to the ring and wrestled three matches, including a twenty-man battle royal. The 16 bottles of plum wine had no discernible effect on Andre’s in-ring ability. By the end of the evening, Andre had sweated off the wine and found himself growing cranky. He dispatched Hogan for a few cases of beer. Hogan hurried to do as Andre asked, knowing from painful experience that a drunken Giant was a happy Giant, and a happy Giant was less likely to fracture some vital part of an opponent’s anatomy in a fit of grumpiness.

This article in particular illustrates just a few more reasons why Andre The Giant was in fact, larger than life.

Bookshelves

2007-02-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

I just spent a considerable amount of time reading an open discussion on DIY bookshelf solutions on Apartment Therapy: Chicago

The fact that I'm (much more than) remotely interested in this sort of stuff now is fucking terrifying.

400 Words

2007-02-14T09:49:00.000-08:00

Issue 2: Compulsions

I picked up the autobio edition of 400 Words from the Microcosm webstore about a month ago and I just got to digging into it. In checking out their site I've noticed that not only has another issue come out, but they're also accepting submissions for a third.

Basically, they give you a theme, and you write about it in 400 words or less. Simple concept, and the execution is excellent. Of course a few of these stories come off like Sylvia Plath outtakes, but for the most part, the honesty and simple expressiveness is very intriguing. Also, speaking of honesty, this makes a great bathroom read for the perpetually curious. Gotta get writing...

Stranger than Fiction

2007-02-11T20:44:00.000-08:00

No caption necessary

This movie absolutely blew my mind. Everything about it (including the frequent boom mic cameos) was excellent. The story is brilliant, Will Farrell can actually act, and it's shot and edited creatively without being over-stylized, something which most movies of this type suffer from. I can't believe that there hasn't been any hype about this movie whatsoever, at least from anyone that I've talked to.

It'll be on DVD soon, I recommend it to anyone that wants to actually enjoy watching a new movie for once.

Celebrity Lookalikes

2007-02-09T11:17:00.000-08:00

I hate Liza Minelli. Piss off MyHeritage.com.

Born Magazine/Digital Poetry

2007-02-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

It means, stay home human, if you're leaking.

...at least that's what the Fathometer tells me.

As far as the quote's concerned, it's cute, and I kind of like it. I'm just not so sure how I feel about digital poetry just yet.

A look through Born Magazine bring up any number of submissions, some abstract, some pretty straight forward. I think that my major problem with digital poetry, at least in it's current form, either illustrates too much or obscures the meaning of the poem to the point where you really gain nothing but a "wow, that looked pretty cool," kind of feeling. I guess I'm still too much of a realist to wrap my brain around something as 'complicated' as digital poetry, but for now, I'll stick to words on paper or spoken word, it just makes more sense to me.

(Born Magazine is still worth a look though, there's some seriously cool shit going on design and code wise)

Peter Callesen

2007-02-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

The right half of this staircase is made of paper. PAPER.

On Peter Callesen's site, he has a number of paper sculptures and 'paper paintings' like this one, and they're all amazing, to say the least. I would kill for this sort of manual dexterity and patience.

Tin House

2007-02-06T20:02:00.000-08:00

Tin House!

In preparation for a long summer of working/writing/drinking I've started ordering zines and subscribing to magazines to produce somewhat of a mini-library to keep me from completely missing out on what sort of things are being created around me. Being in the heart of the print world, I'm constantly reminded of how much of a dying art it truly is, and in witnessing that, as well as the death of film (the actual material not the medium) I'm gaining a greater appreciation for both.

I picked up the year's first copy of Tin House and I'm already feeling great about it. It's a potent mix of everything that someone like me is looking for, all crammed into one refreshingly dense volume. I suspect I'll be subscribing in the near future. I'm sure I will post about all sorts of cool shit I find in here over the next few days.

Freakout!

2007-02-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, when I wrote/designed for the Bloody Good Horror Page I was lucky enough to gain access to all of the screeners and all sorts of other freebies reserved for those smart enough to start a semi-successful movie review site. Throughout my tenure with the site (its entire existence), both my brother and I were able to meet tons of awesome people including the actors/voices behind Candyman, Chucky, Jason Vorhees, Chewbacca, and Lardass among countless others.

FREAK OUT's Pro/Antagonist (Yes, he should look somewhat familiar)

On top of these brief meetings/conversations, we were also able to build relationships with some lesser known but immensely talented indy filmmakers/directors that were looking for the type of promotion that only a site with our underground focus could really provide. The strongest relationship we built was with a pairing of wily Brits that were promoting FREAK OUT! their (at the time) UK-only horror comedy. We were lucky enough to snag some viewing copies and watch through numerous times, and we were not only impressed by how funny the movie actually was, but how personable and thankful Christian James and Dan Palmer (writers/directors/stars) were. I'm writing this because they just recently obtained their first U.S. release of this film, and I think it's worth picking up. In the process, you'll be supporting two stand up guys that just wanted to make an entertaining movie, and who doesn't like that?

You can check out all sorts of information on FREAK OUT! here.

Maakies

2007-02-01T10:38:00.000-08:00

How on earth would I be able to make it through my day without gems like
this to make me make an ass out of myself by laughing uncontrollably in the library.

Be sure to check out the rest of the site. Cheers.

Deer Tick

2007-01-30T20:40:00.000-08:00

Deer Tick Live (in a bathroom)

Nothing flashy, just some more strikingly honest music. Just listen.

Nic Nichols

2007-01-29T10:51:00.000-08:00

Despite being surrounded by innumerable aspiring photographers at school, I have yet to develop a discerning taste for photography. I also have yet to subscribe to the belief that there can actually be such a thing as a discerning taste for photography. It's easy to tell when things are shoddily done or uninspired, but in many cases it's difficult to put my finger on exactly what draws me to one photographer or one style specifically. That being said, I find images such as this to be captivating.

May Day Riots in London

All of these images were shot with a Holga, which automatically triggers not only my soft spot for low-fi imaging, but also a more personal association with a handful of images captured of some of my finer moments by two good friends of mine (Photo Credit: Sarah Crump, October 2006). Visually, I'm not so sure what appeals to me, I just think shots like this capture a feeling that is very powerful.

More of Nic's work (mostly shot on a Holga) can be viewed here.

MADE YA LOOK!

2007-01-28T20:43:00.000-08:00

Car 1/10

A little over a month ago MADEULOOK NYC put together an extremely impressive 10 car piece. The flash intro to the site does a good job of sparking my interest, I just wish that the website and the photos they took did justice to their work. Their t-shirts are also pretty heinous looking. Excellent work fellas, I just expect a little more from the takeover. I might nab the DVD when it comes out though.

Bas Rutten on Self Defense.

2007-01-28T11:28:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a good friend I found this gem of a video, spliced together from Bas Rutten's (world famous MMA fighter) bar fight self defense video. It's hard to point to one thing that's amazing about this video, because it's all pretty ridiculous. This man is absolutely terrifying.

Dangita dangita dang!

Blu Dot: Good Design is Good Gallery

2007-01-25T06:29:00.000-08:00

Even if I don't necessarily agree on the price of Blu Dot's furniture, I do appreciate their focus on design which I that it's pretty evident by looking at both their website and the pieces they produce. Their "Good Design Is Good" section has very little to do with their furniture, and everything to do with their "mission," and I find it admirable that they chose to allot a place for it.

Good Design is Good (new window)

NOTE: They offer a clock that has a photograph representing every minute of they day, pretty damn cool if I say so myself. We'll see how long it takes me to get sick of it.

Lourdes Grobet

2007-01-23T12:55:00.000-08:00

Tineblas, Tineblas Jr. and Alushe

Anyone that has been around my house (or seen my tattoo) is already somewhat familiar with the Mexican photographer Lourdes Grobet, who is most noted for her book "Lucha Libre: The Stars of Masked wrestling," a photo book chronicling decades of masked (and unmasked/de-coifed) luchadores, from the glory days of mexican cinema up until a few years ago. The book is not only an amazing chronicle of the spectator sport, but also a pretty eclectic and compelling collection of photography. The glossy portraits contained in the center of the book are awe-inspiring in their eccentricity and honesty. It's no secret that I'm obsessed with all things Lucha, but many of my friends have picked up this book and been compelled enough to thumb all the way through it. Plus, it's only $20! A must read/see/buy for any photographer/wrestling enthusiast/weirdo.

Lourdes' website features a number of shots from her book as well as some more current ones. (NOTE: The site is in Spanish. If you are really interested, just search her name in Google and use the translate option)

The Chap Magazine

2007-01-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

I found out about this zine a few years ago when I was taken aback by an image of a luchador in a fancy hat smoking a pipe. I have yet to find another copy of that image, but I have checked back now and then at their website to see how things are going. Despite having some of the worst cover designs I've ever seen, I still think these wily brits have quite an entertaining niche carved for themselves. As uncouth as I may be, I salute them.

An interesting snippet:

The Chap proposes to take a stand against this culture of vulgarity. By turning ancient rituals of courtesy and dress into revolutionary acts, the immaculately attired Anarcho-Dandyist can use the razor-sharp crease in his trousers to press home his advantage. Once presented with the dazzling sight of rakishly angled trilbies, gleaming brogues and exquisitely mixed dry martinis, hoi polloi's long-cherished nylon sportswear and strawberry milkshakes will suddenly lose their appeal.

RIP Scott "Bam Bam" Bigelow

2007-01-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I miss 1995

Earlier today I was discussing with a friend all of the wrestlers we liked when we were younger, and it was shocking how much of them are no longer alive.

This also brought me to the thought that all of my favorite actors/comedians/musicians that are older than me will likely die before I do, and that's a pretty strange thought to deal with.

RIP Bam Bam.

Kozik El Panda (Saved by the bell, again)

2007-01-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

Despite minimum wage increasing, I'm still broke as a joke.

Despite being broke as a joke, I still go out to eat at least 3 times a week.

Despite going out to eat at least 3 times a week, and being broke as a joke, I still feel compelled to buy things like this...

Kozik El Panda - Muttpop

Luckily for me, these limited edition vinyl something-or-others were sold out, saving me $70+. Why the hell would I ever even think about buying something like this? It's simple, I like it. It has no practical use, it's really expensive, and I'll be totally happy and healthy without it, but I still want it.

I almost dropped $60 on this guy two weeks ago, before being politely informed by my girlfriend that I'd be much better off if I didn't drop $60 to look like a "bunch of vines." Also, if you follow that link, I have again been saved not only by my girlfriend's honesty, but also by "the bell."

I'm on the verge of beginning a new job that will afford me quite a bit more spending money, which, thanks to the internet, and a burgeoning interest in various artists and useless limited edition frivolities, will go out as fast as it comes in. Expect updates.

Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Constipation Blues

2007-01-18T09:36:00.000-08:00

My good friend Aaron introduced me to Screamin' Jay some years ago and I finally mustered up the thought of looking for some videos. This is what I got, enjoy (for as long as you can).

LET IT GO! LET IT GO!

John Sinclair and Burning Rainbow Farm

2007-01-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was lucky enough to be able to sit through a lecture by John Sinclair, who has gained notoriety for three things, the first of which was being the manager of MC5 during their heyday, the second being his unique and inspired form of blues-infused poetry (a pretty impressive thing to see live), and the last, and perhaps most significant (at least as far as this post is concerned) was his 1969 arrest (sentenced to 10 years) for distributing two joints to an undercover cop, which was to become the subject of a famous John Lennon tune. When asked about his arrest, a question I'm sure he has fielded no less than three thousand times, John (in so many words) had this to say:

'Hell, at that time, I would have given anyone two joints. You going somewhere? Here, here's one for the road.'

That in itself speaks to a whole host of issues regarding the spirit of his 'heyday' and the spirit of our times, but that's another discussion for another day.

While searching for videos of some of John's performances on YouTube, I came across a couple terribly recorded performances and one two-part performance that was excellently recorded, but unfortunately restricted from embedding in blogs and the sort, which was disappointing. However, I did come across this neat little video, which seemed to fit perfectly into my recent posting streak about drugs (blame it on the history channel!).

Burning Rainbow: A short doc-film promoting the book "Burning Rainbow Farm."

Now, in general, I consider myself all for the legalization of marijuana for various reasons, but I find myself not fitting into the mindset of more ardent 'activists,' because of one simple fact: I'm not nearly educated enough on this subject in particular to build a rock solid platform. I am also (unfortunately) cursed with reality-induced apathy. This is not to say that progress has not been made and that certain people should stop pushing for what they believe in. John, for example, after his arrest, has actually made serious progress in certain areas with decriminalizing pot and is probably still, after nearly 50 years of activism, still one of the most active activists (sorry) in his field (sorry again). I've come to grips with the fact that I have not the stroke, nor the muscle, nor the platform to change anyone's mind about the subject, or at least anyone important's viewpoint.

In my mind, there's a lot to be said about personal impact. I don't want the campus socialists pushing "Socialist Worker" newspapers in my face when I'm on my way to class. I'm not touched by three burnouts sparking a joint on a college campus at 4:20PM on April 24th in futile protest. I'm not an idiot. I'm not enlightened by forceful preaching. All I want is to be spoken to like the intelligent human being that I fancy myself to be, and I want to be moved by honesty. If we accomplish nothing, if John accomplishes nothing in terms of widespread legal gain, we will always have personal impact. John's performances in my poetry class yesterday and the words he had to share about all things (the weed portion of his lecture was actually the shortest) got to me. I was ready to be moved, and he provided. We could benefit so much more from speaking honestly to the people that want to be moved than imposing our will, no matter how good-natured, on people that just aren't ready to hear it.

Rogue: Dead Guy Ale

2007-01-17T07:37:00.000-08:00

The offending logo

I fell into a trap!

I've been told and experienced the dangers of advertising my whole life. When I was little, I was told not to listen to Joe Camel, no matter how 'cool,' he looked (when in fact he was quite terrifying to young children). Now, despite being ultra-aware and even involved in some of the 'evils' of advertising I still find myself falling victim to it. Case and point: Rogue Dead Guy Ale.

After seeing a lineup of bottles on a friend's window sill I thought it was time to give this a spin, as I was in fact celebrating RIT's first snow day in over 5 years. I thought to myself "hey, I have rogue-ish qualities about me, this must be my beer!"
Plus, if you notice (which you probably don't), this character on the bottle is a reference to El Dia De Los Muertos, Mexico's closest equivalent to our Halloween. And for those of you that know me, any reference to Mexico or mexican art is an immediate drawing point (god help my liver if I ever find a beer with a luchador on it).

I was intrigued enough to plunk down $11 (on loan) for a 6 pack, which again, if you know me, is something that is very out of character for me. How was the beer? It was good, not UHHHMAAAAAZZZINNNGG, but good. It tasted like an almost 2 dollar bottle of beer should, except I would have maybe priced at at $1.50.

After sampling my first Rogue beer I went to their very helpful website which not only has a PDF breakdown of all of their beers, complete with food suggestions and a picture of the associated tap/tap sticker, but also a host of extra information as well. I was very impressed. Impressed enough, in fact, to continue my quest to find my Rogue beer, and maybe, one day, be THAT guy that buys merchandise (glasses, t-shirts, etc.) from a beer company. Only time will tell.

Sorry Mom.

Thoughts: Cocawine and Me

2007-01-15T20:40:00.000-08:00

Ganked from Wikipedia (duh) :

"Cocawine was an alcoholic beverage that combined wine and cocaine. The most popular brand was Vin Mariani developed in 1863 by Corsican entrepreneur Angelo Mariani. It was a popular drink at the time.

In Atlanta, John Pemberton, a pharmacist, developed his own cocktail based on Vin Mariani and called it Pemberton's French Wine Coca. It proved popular among American consumers. But in 1886, when Georgia introduced Prohibition, he had to replace the wine in his recipe with non-alcoholic syrup. The new recipe was the origin of Coca-Cola.

At the end of the 19th century, the fear of drug abuse made coca-based drinks less popular. This eventually led to the outlawing of cocaine in the United States, and the removal of cocaine from Coca-Cola."

I have been aware of the fact that coke was an essential part of Coca Cola for its first few years of existence, but not until last night was I aware of how widespread coke use was among other things: wine, cough syrup, headache medicine, among dozens and dozens of other things. This particular History Channel special followed coke's progression from a miracle cure-all to the 'menace' that it is today.

(Side note: In a one hour special on cocaine they only spent about one minute talking about crack. I found that to be a bit off-putting, considering crack, in my narrow suburbanite opinion, has been responsible for more unique and destructive forces. Just a thought.)

The special was very informative and captivating, but I haven't been able to shake the thought of living in a time where everyone I know would be coked up. I also can't help to think what it would be like to be among those people that say, for example, have a toothache, and take a little of this miracle drug. There is certainly no arguing that coke is destructive, especially the coke that we know today, one of our nation's serious (pardon) fuck ups especially as it relates to policing and controlling.

The thing that scares me is the fact that it's hard for me to wrap my mind around and blindly believe that people's lives were ruined by marginal, sometimes negligible amount of cocaine in say, a beverage that they drank from time to time. The fact is, the proof of the ill-effects of this particular use of the drug doesn't exist. At about the time that scientists should have been studying the long-term effects of marginal use, the drug was stigmatized, being used as a scapegoat for black on white violence. Unfortunately, there are virtually no living souls left to give an objective viewpoint on what it was like to live in a world where you cured a cough with cocaine.

I am by no means advocating coke use, in fact, the drug itself scares the living shit out of me and I've been around it enough to see what it can do to a person's life and family. However, in my safe world, in the comfort of my own home, I can't help but ponder this:

Mark Twain was one of the world's most celebrated drinkers of Vin Mariani.
He also wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Mark Twain, shirtless

End Of A Year - Sincerely

2007-01-14T22:10:00.000-08:00

Sincerely poster

It's not very often that a band that I enjoy from around my hometown "makes it." Sure, Albany has seen it's share of noteworthy bands of various styles fade in and out of obscurity, but something about the air in the Capital Region of Upstate NY keeps bands from sticking it out long enough to really make themselves visible.

This is not the case with End of a Year, who signed to Revelation Records (Gorilla Biscuits, Quicksand, etc.) this past summer, elevating themselves from a smattering of local shows to 2 modest US tours and an upcoming Euro tour. End of a Year are commonly pinned down as a modern-day Rites of Spring/Fugazi, but in all reality, they are just a genuinely good band with very tight, driving musicianship and geniune, relateable, and intelligent lyrics, a must-hear for anyone willing to suspend judgment and comparison and just genuinely enjoy a band that actually, for lack of a better term, totally has their shit together.