Link of the Day [1.20.11]

broderic on January 20, 2011

Oh, you’re still here? I thought that you would be off following the music break video and surfing the related YouTube videos spending the hours upon hours lost in the world of anime song covers.

You didn’t? Well, good.

Let me send you on another journey into the land of the rising sun. This one is another excursion into its music scene. I wonder if this is J-POP or J-Rock? Who knows but since I wanted to see K-ON! videos. Here’s a real live all school girl band. Well, they’re not school girls anymore. They’re rockers! (In school girl outfits!! Yes!)

http://www.scandal-4.com/

Diamond Cravasse Duet (with piano)

broderic on January 20, 2011

Surfing around YouTube last night because I was really, really, really wanting to hear more K-ON!. As you know how it goes, you find a video, then follow the related videos and follow and follow and follow. Next thing you know a couple of hours have gone out the window. Wait, I was looking for K-ON! covers and now I’m listening to “Diamond Cravasse” sung by Ranka and Sheryl (Megumi & May’n) accompanied by the great Yoko Kano. How’d that happen when a few videos back there was that awesome May’n cover of “God Knows?” And that SCANDAL cover of “Don’t Say You Are Lazy” with Shoko-tan? When are these going to be music breaks?

Don’t worry all in due time.

Anyhow, this is a sweet performance of “Diamond Cravasse” from Macross Frontier. Perhaps the best song from that anime. It’s usually sung by May’n but with the help of Ranka’s voice actress, Megumi-chan, a duet of great sadness. Hit me up in comments to show your appreciation. Count this song as number 7.6 in the “You Should Be Watching Anime” list.

2B || !2B

broderic on January 20, 2011

The seed wonders aloud why he blogs. He mutters something about cheese sandwiches and Mac forums, but finds that he doesn’t really have anything to add to the conversation that is on the intertubes.

I beg to differ.

Check out this simple list of reasons on why to blog. You’ll find some things there that can fit the niche the seed has carved out for himself. Why skimming that list, I know that the seed has shared his expertise on video recording and editing. He’s currently updating his list of hotties, so that puts him into engaging a debate with total strangers. And one thing, his blog will always represent him on the intertubes, facebook not withstanding. So it’s not completely worthless.

When I look at that list, my main motivation in writing the blog is to create a permanent record of things that are important to me at particular time. I’ll let the google hive mind index it which allows me to remember all of it better. Second motivation on the list is that I really enjoy leading my readers to content that I think (and hope) you would like. Why do you think that my number one tag has been the “Link of the Day?”

Not to go all meta on you, but I did start another post about those “Link of the Day” posts and why I do them, but couldn’t write about it prosaically. Thanks, seed for this opportunity to write something. Actually, that would be the third reason from that list as to why I blog. I like the art of writing, even when I am so terrible at it.

It is totally worth writing a blog. And twitter, too. But you have to be on it to understand. It ain’t 100% junk. It’s another form of conversation. Now about facebook…..

Link of the Day [1.19.11]

broderic on January 19, 2011

They should bring back the form factor of the original 7-11 Big Gulp cups, the short squat ones that looked like a mini-bucket. If they go for making it taller as the graphic suggests, then it may look like a less daunting drink. Plus, I didn't know our stomachs were so small. I guess that's why with the 24 oz soda bottles I feel full afterwards.Drink better coffee not more.http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/17/graphic-how-big-exactly-is-starbucks-new-trenta-size/

Hawaii Vacation 2010: Desktop Photo

broderic on January 19, 2011

Hawaii 2010/Four Lagoons/Palm Tree Study 2

This picture would make the perfect desktop photo. Don’t you think? Here’s how: click the picture, visit all sizes, select the largest, download. Install as per your own operating system.

I think I’ll install this at work and pretend that I am on the beach.

Purple Passion

broderic on January 19, 2011

After the humiliating defeat to the hated Steelers, what’s a Ravens fan to do? Well instead of getting chocolate wasted, I had to vent my frustrations on twitter (Follow @browsermetrics on twitter yo!) Most of my invective was aimed at Joe Flacco the QB. Well I had to because it would seem like he had lost the game for the Ravens. Two turnovers on consecutive possessions does not make a good outing for a QB. It was bad. And I was angry.

Of course that’s the way the ball bounces. Someone’s got to lose, unfortunately it was the Ravens.

The next day, I felt like pizza. Stopped by the local pizza haunt and look who’s eating lunch — my buddy, Joe Flacco. Should I berate him? Should I yell at him? Give him a sarcastic comment?

I wished him good luck towards next year. He thanked me. As he was leaving the area he signed some autographs for a couple of kids. I couldn’t get angry at him. It was just that one day.

Classy guy. Wish he could’ve won the game. There’s always next year.

Link of the Day [1.16.11]

broderic on January 16, 2011

I saw nice preview of this on Kottke.org wherein the Dude walks into the little Lebowski shop in New York. Imagine the hilarity! So I went to program my DVR to record it but unfortunately the local PBS station on DirectTV seemed to not have it on at all. Luckily for us, it was on public television who always has it available on their website.

Go check it out. The Dude Abides.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/jeff-bridges-the-dude-abides/watch-the-full-film/1771/

Hawaii Vacation 2010: This is the life

broderic on January 16, 2011

Hawaii 2010/Go West

Can you make it while living in Hawaii? It is really a beautiful place, but could you make a go at it like our cousin Bob? Is even cousin Bob making a go at it?

But it really is a beautiful place, the fake Hawaii, not withstanding.

Black Swan

broderic on January 15, 2011

Black Swan is a cautionary tale for the creative types. If you seek perfection in what you do, the rigid regimen may leave you vulnerable. You can’t really play wild because it requires you to let go and be rather than act. Of course this could be dangerous as this throws all logic out the window and you’ll go crazy. Just ask Natalie Portman.

Her character can’t be perfect to play the black swan. It tears her up inside trying to find perfection in the flawed. Then it tears her up literally in order to find that spark of inspiration to be the black swan.

This movie pretty much writes itself once you know the players. In fact, I knew even before what was going to happen once you hear about Swan Lake. Portman is the quiet, mousy type who’s talented but vulnerable. Her mother, Barbara Hershey, lords over her as only a tyrannical stage mother can. The French ballet dude lords over her too making her a new star to take the place of the aging Winona Ryder. Mila Kunis comes in as the doppleganger who could be her rival and/or her lover.

I liked that Winona represented the old guard. You have the millenium generation’s ingenue replace gen-x’s gamine. Very symbolic. And lots of this movie made use of symbolic things. Swan Lake with the white swan-black swan. Old versus new. Darkness versus light. Perfection versus intuition.

One last thing, that scene, you know that scene, was pretty hot. Filmed like a nice porno. And don’t masturbate if your moms sleeping in the same room!

3 of 5 stars