No "Knockout" Puns Allowed

An intriguing year at the Oscars, that's for sure. I still haven't seen the Aviator, so for now I must say that I was very pleased. Although on the prediction end I had my worst year ever (winning 15, well below my record of 20 from last year), The big awards all went exactly as I felt they should.

Interestingly, The Aviator won more awards (5) than MDB, but only one acting prize, and the rest 'technical'. As far as the Best Director win for Eastwood goes, I'm satisfied. I've read many places that this shouldn't be the one that finally won it for Scorcese and Clint certainly deserved it.

The biggest complaint I have as far as winners goes is that Passion got shut out, not winning the deserved Cinematography award or the much more deserved Makeup award.

Here's what I REALLY hated: Awards from the audience and awards with all nominees on stage. Fortunately, they only did it for the fringe awards, but c'mon, that just cheapened the whole experience.

And what about Chris Rock? Personally, I feel he played it too save. The Monologue was great, and bashed a ton of people, and then for the rest of the night, he really didn't offend anyone.

Producers Idol

I'm a big fan of American Idol, but one pet peeve I've had since the beginning has come to the forefront this year. America isn't given equal coverage of all 24 semifinalists, and it negatively effects the vote during this round. The producers pick their favorites from early on and focus on only a handful of potential finalists throughout the process, showing background documentaries and playing every single audition performance.

Yesterday, Melinda Lira pointed out the fact that she wasn't shown at all virtually all the way through the process and therefore, American isn't invested in her the way they already were in everyone else. Granted, Lira sucked and I'm glad she's gone, but the other female who was booted, Sarah Mather, was felled by a similar fate and she didn't deserve to go. I had her name written down as one of my favorites from the original audition. Then she went MIA, never being mentioned on screen again until this round.

I just think it sucks and I hope a talent like Aloha Mischeaux (who caused us to say, "WHO?" when the announced her as a semifinalist) can stick around long enough for us to get to know.

Who am I rooting for? Constantine and Carrie Underwood.

Happy Valentines Day

From the "No-Good-Deed-Goes-Unpunished" Files

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2691638,00.html

At least I'm in the door...

Well, I finally got tickets to Anaheim. Don't get me started on the 25-dollar per-ticket ticketbastard charges. I also had two pre-sale passcodes (one for me, one for Melissa), and I couldn't use one of them. But, hey, at least we're going. And my friends and I have a total of eight seats, all between sections 410-412.

Screwed By TicketBastard

Ticketmaster and U2.Com had a grat partnership set up. Until ticketmaster remembered that they are a direct desendant of Satan. U2.com fan club members were allowed access to a special pre-sale for tickets to the upcoming Vertigo//2005 tour.

However, the ticketmaster pre-sale went off like a Anna Nicole Oscar acceptance speech. Myself along with three friends all attempted to use our pre-sale access today for the on-sale all ALL THREE OF THEM got tickets. All I got were error messages from ticketbastard. And I'm sitting here with 2 hours of my life wasted and NO tickets.

Doing the SAG Dance

Freddie Highmore was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award today for his supporting role in Finding Neverland. He won't win, but it was great to see him recognized, since it wasn't a powerful enough "child actor" role to get noticed by the Oscars. He was amazing in that movie, outshining both Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet (Depp was nominated as well today for Neverland, Winslet for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind).

Next up for Highmore, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory!

R.I.P.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1958082

Today the team name has been officially changed to The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Ok, I'm not one of those retarded Angels fans that is going to denounce the team, and say that I won't be a fan anymore, only to continue to fill the stadium year after year. I understand the principle behind it, although I REALLY don't like it. Although I have nothing personal against Los Angeles as a city, I despise what "Los Angeles" represents in the sports world. When I was a kid, I loved the Showtime Lakers, but I don't even like The Association any more, so I just don't care about Kobe & Co. And Duck the Fodgers. I HATE the boys in blue. I HATE chavez Ravine. I won't go to a game at Dodger Stadium, because I value my life and my car.

I DO NOT want my team to be called the LOS ANGELES anything. I know that this will possibly bring stronger T.V. revenues and therefore more money to put a better product on the field (which of course has been working so well for the Yankees the last few years). And I also understand that Anaheim is too localized. But don't call us something that we are not. I would have been happy to change it back to the California Angels, afterall, we ARE in California. I would have been happy with the Southern California Angels. But NOT Los Angeles.

I still like Arte Moreno, for everything he has done for this team, but I don't like the plan to become more attractive to hispanic fans because, call me a racist if you want (even though I'm not), it's only going to turn US into the Dodgers with the lowest quality and caliber "fans" in baseball.

Oh well. Still the defending AL West champs, still going back to the World Series next year.

U2's Top 32 Songs

As if doing rankings for a single album weren't hard enough, here are my top 32 U2 songs of all time. I set out to do a top-25 list, I just couldn't cut it down any more.

1. One -Achtung Baby
2. Pride (In the Name of Love) - The Unforgettable Fire
3. With or Without You - The Joshua Tree
4. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - The Joshua Tree
5. Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
6. Walk On - All That You Can't Leave Behind
7. I Will Follow - Boy
8. New Years Day - War
9. Bullet the Blue Sky - The Joshua Tree
10. All I Want is You - Rattle & Hum
11. Love and Peace or Else - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
12. Where the Streets Have No Name - The Joshua Tree
13. Stuck in a Moment - All That You Can't Leave Behind
14. Acrobat - Achtung Baby
15. All Because of You - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
16. Sunday Bloody Sunday - War
17. Bad - The Unforgettable Fire
18. Electrical Storm - Best of 1999-2000
19. Kite - All That You Can't Leave Behind
20. Sweetest Thing - Best of 1980-1990
21. "40" - War
22. Beautiful Day - All That You Can't Leave Behind
23. Miss Sarajevo - Passengers Soundrack
24. Vertigo - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
25. Love is Blindness - Achtung Baby
26. Staring at the Sun - Pop
27. If God Will Send His Angels - Pop
28. YahWeh - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
29. Two Hearts Beat as One - War
30. Stay (Faraway, So Close) - Zooropa
31. Mysterious Ways - Achtung Baby
32. Gloria - October

Amazingly, I have another 25 or so that could all crack into this list on a given day.

Atomic Bomb Tracks Ranked

Better late than never, here are my rankings of the tracks from U2's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. I should note that songs 7-10 are all pretty equal and just because a song is as low as tenth, doesn't me I don't like it. This is a great album with a ton of awesome songs. The only song that I don't care for is One Step Closer. Even A Man and A Woman is alright, if I'm in the right mood.

1. Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own
2. Love and Peace or Else (It's so funny how this song is dividing the u2 fans so greatly. I LOVE everything about this song.)
3. All Because of You
4. Yahweh
5. Vertigo
6. Fast Cars
7. Crumbs from Your Table
8. Original of the Species
9. Miracle Drug
10. City of Blinding Lights (interestingly, I'm not a big fan of "New York" off of their last album)
11. Man and a Woman
12. One Step Closer

TV musings

Before Melissa and I had kids, our pop-culture fix was fueled pretty evenly, 33% music/33% T.V./33% movies. In college it was more like 49% Movies/49% music and 2% T.V. Now adays, we get to maybe one movie a month if we're lucky, so it's about 80% T.V./15% music/5% movies.

Most of the best shows on t.v. right now are amazingly, reality shows. I grew tired of the fringe reality shows that started coming out but a few are sticking around that I love. Here's my reality top-5:

1. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
2. The Amazing Race
3. Survivor
4. The Apprentice
5. Wife Swap

Right now, I'm also consistently watching the following shows (for better or worse): Monday Night Football, Scrubs, Oprah, Dr. Phil (hey, there TiVo'd, what can I say), The O.C. of course, Saturday Night Live, Without a Trace, the original CSI, the simpsons, and Sunday Stew: Pimp My Ride, Viva La Bam and You've Got a Friend.

Time to Buy some D-Back Gear

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1942433

Since I knew he wouldn't be re-signed, I have always said that it would be ok for Glaus to go to any team but the Dodgers or Yankees. Arizona is great, because I'll have an outside chance to see him play in Anaheim and could go see him play at Petco, the BOB, or (shutter) Chavez Ravine. However, I value my car, so I won't go to Chavez.

Have I mentioned that I like the O.C.?

I finally watched last weeks episode last night. Overall, it sort of seemed like a set-up episode, putting some pieces in place for the rest of the season. No real drama. I was told that this was a great "Seth at his finest" episode, but to be honest, it didn't feel that way to me. The Seth/Summer thing has played its course and it is getting tiresome, so i hope it can die for a while.

This episode did set up all four primary 'kids' with their new prospective romances. Summer and Marisa I could care less about, and Seth and rocker-girl just aren't that interesting. She's smitten with him and his silly wit (gee, where have we seen that before?). I DO, however, love the Ryan and phyics-girl story line. I will be happy to see him happy and I hope it doesn't become an always-looking-over-your-shoulder-for-Marisa relationship.

I'm still not totally getting into the current story line with Caleb's impending trial and what not, and it's the only thing going for all of the 'adults' right now. Until the drama unfolds with Jimmy's departure at some point this season, I'm just a little bored. We need Luke to come back into town!

It was awesome to hear the boys on the end of the episode, too. Although the song fit as far as tone goes, it seemed a little out of place lyrically. Maybe i was just expecting it to be used for some great father-son moment with Seth and Sandy.

What the heck was Marisa wearing, btw?!?! I don't want to get all gay-fashiony, but that getup was just fugly. The frigging hat even had a bow on the back!!!

The Simpsons on T.V. Guide

http://www.tvguide.com/tv/coverstory/
WooHoo! Something cheap to collect!

Happy Christmukkah!

http://www.chrismukkah.com/

Rank and File

Now that I've had an appropriate "cooling off" time, it's time to rank the U2 catalog again, with the inclusion of HTDAAB. I'm sure if I were to do this list again after the tour, everything will change, but here we go.

(TIE) 1. The Joshua Tree/All That you Can't Leave Behind
Joshua Tree is the perfect album, ATYCLB is nearly a perfect album and I have a deeper connection with it, having been impacted so greatly by seeing three tour stops.

3. Achtung Baby
4. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
5. War
6. Zooropa
7. Rattle & Hum
8. Pop
9. The Unforgettable Fire
10. Boy
11. October

The End of Propoganda

I got a letter today at my parents house from Propoganda, the U2 World Service Magazine, which has been the priority ticketing supplier for previous tours. The letter came with a U2.com membership card attached and said the following:

Dear Propoganda subscribers,

It's no secret that with the success of U2.com over the past four years, Propoganda, the band's official magazine, has appeared less and less frequently.

The net has become the best way to communicate quickly and directly with U2's audience.

As a ground-breaking band magazine, for two decades Propoganda offered a unique inside-track on what U2 were up to - exclusive interviews, unseen photos, rare CD releases and, of course, the chance to guarantee purchase of concert tickets!

We have been working on creating that same experience online and this month u2.com is set to relaunch with a "Members Only" area which will give subscribers access to an enormous range of exclusive U2 content.

When launched to the public, subscriptions to u2.com will be $40 p.a. but because you were a subscriber to Propaganda and may have part of your subscription unfulfillled, you may join U2.com for $20 for the next twelve months.

A subscription to the area via your personalized "U2.com ID card" will bring you immediate online access to what the band is up to.

Of course, U2.com will also continue to bring you up to date news of the band, as it does at present on a free subscription basis.

Best wishes and thanks for your support of Propoganda down the years.

Propoganda and U2.com
-----

I don't quite know what I think about this. Unfortunately, more people will know about this and subscribe to this, so although we'll still be able to get guaranteed seats this way for the concerts, it will be a broader market going this route, limiting the chances for getting the best seats. I hope that they something like "The heart" on the upcoming tour.

Happy U2 Day!!!

I know I'm now three albums (plus Passengers) behind on my album reviews, but I'd like to take a moment and wish everyone a happy U2 day. I only worked a 1/2 day, since it should be a national holiday.

Everyone needs to go out right now and buy both versions of the disc, and here is why: Simple studio album, because it fits nicely on the shelf and it includes lyrics. Extended version because the DVD kicks a$$ and this version includes a book that it worth the price alone AS WELL AS the extra track "Fast Cars".

The biggest negative right now: No lyrics available for Fast Cars.

DOH!

U2 - Zooropa - Countdown Day VIII

"Don't Piss in the Drain"
For the first time in their careers, U2 put together back-to-back masterpieces with the release of Zooropa. Many people, even U2 faithful, dislike this album and to you I say, "pthtphtphtphtp!!!" This album had just one or two commercial hits with Numb (thanks to the video) and Stay, it's the bulk of the album that makes this album wonderful.

This album is a stylistic mess, there's no doubt about it, and their follow-up will follow suit. I guess I enjoyed this album inspite of the misdirection and Pop I don't like as much because I began to grow tired of the misdirection and began to yearn for the 80's again.

If the pending Atomic Bomb is said to be "The Edge's Album" then there is no denying that Zooropa belongs to Adam Clayton. The Bass takes over the album and is one unifying element of songs like Babyface, Daddy's gunna pay, Stay, Zooropa, Dirty Day and Lemon.

The boys seem to be channelling their inner Beck on this album more than once, which is probably why I love it so much. In fact, songs such as Babyface, Daddy's Gunna Pay... and especially the brilliant Some Days are Better Than Others could all easily be dropped onto Odelay or Mixed Bizness and noone would be the wiser.

The band doesn't fail to remind us why we love them with slow ballads such as The First Time and Dirty Day. The former sounds like a leftover from the Joshua Tree/Rattle & Hum days and while out of place and tossed in towards the end of this album, it is a beautiful song and one of my favorites.

Then they go and get Johnny Cash to close out the album on the fantastic collaboration "The Wanderer". While it serves now mostly as a novelty item, it's a pretty cool tune in and of itself.

Top songs to hold onto:
1. Some Days are Better Than Others
2. Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
3. The First Time
4. Babyface
5. Daddy's Gunna Pay for Your Crashed Car
6. The Wanderer
7. Numb
8. Dirty Day

Jerm's Take
Mark's Take

U2 - Achtung Baby - Countdown Day VII

"Have you come here to play Jesus/to the lepers in your head?"
The 90's have come and gone and few albums (my blog is named for one of them) from the decade will have as lasting an impact on music or on the band that created it as Achtung Baby. U2 created their third flawless album in 1991. Every song on this album is perfection, when taken as a part of the whole. The album ebbs and flows and is a truly complete package, almost a rock-opera in and of itself ala The Wall or Tommy. While some songs might not stand up if taken by themselves, as a cohesive unit, few albums have done what AB has. Four U2 albums occupy slots in my top-ten albums of all-time, and this is the fourth of them (JT, War, ATYCLB).

Any discussions of the album have to begin and end with, as Jerm said, the song that saved U2. The single greatest U2 song ever is "One". It is one of the five greatest rock and roll songs of all-time, period (another list, another time). It was this album, and more importantly this song that turned me from a U2 interested supporter to a U2 fan. I was 13 when this album came out and spending alot of time with my high-school leader Mark Ford. I had been around Joshua Tree since junior high, with all of our youth leaders being U2 fans. This was when my fandom truly became my own.

Among the songs that probably wouldn't hold up on their own without the album are Zoo station, SO cruel, acrobat and Ultra violet, although I love that song. Every other song is a masterpiece as U2 has gotten to the point where every member of the band plays a key role in every song. Whether or not it was so in studio, this album comes across as the most effortless to date, smooth and easy even amid a complete change in direction for the band.

Top songs to hold onto:
1. One
2. Mysterious Ways
3. Until the End of the World
4. The Fly
5. Love is Blindness
6. Who's gunna ride your wild horses
7. Tryin' to throw your arms around the world
8. Even better than the real thing
9. Ultra Violet

Jerm's Take