Thursday, November 22, 2007

Cloverfield is coming 01-18-08



It's a J.J. Abrams production which usually means it will be worth the price of admission... and judging from the two trailers online it looks to deliver!. It's already on my list of must-see movies next year.

The following are 3 links to related sites:

Cloverfield - 1-18-08
Slusho! - You Can't Drink Just Six.
1-18-08

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Album Cover of the Month: Seal


Ive always had respect for Seal... He seems to generate an alternate urban contemporary sound that crosses cultural boundaries. His album artwork always seems to represent what the music will sound/feel like. Bravo to Seal and the art directors/designers who came up with this striking image.

Review: Duran Duran's Red Carpet Massacre (Live at Roseland Ballroom NYC 11/13)



3.5 of 5 stars

• biggest issue with the show was the venue....because of the stagehands strike, the show had to be moved from ethel barrymore theatre to roseland :( ..... they did well but the set-up was really strange and seemed a bit sparse as well as too spread out and no seating...

• the souvenirs were pretty bad... :(

• no special edition cd? its the release date for christsake....


• ACT ONE: Red Carpet Massacre - The Album
act one was a bit long and rather mediocre (their were some stand-out selections but overall, a little annoying --like watching an opening act that played for a little too long instead making it short and concise)

-- the valley
-- red carpet massacre
-- nite-runner
-- falling down
-- box full o honey
-- skin divers
-- tempted
-- tricked out
-- zoom in
-- she's too much
-- dirty great monster
-- last man standing



• ACT TWO: Electro Set:
act two was refreshing and very well done (basically one big remix / all songs meshed together over electronic beats performed live in kraftwerkian effect - best performance of the night happened here)

-- showroom dummies
-- last chance on the stairway *
-- all she wants is
-- warm leatherette
-- i don't want your love
-- skin trade



• ACT THREE: Essential Duran Duran
act three was fantastic except for the song "sunrise" -- it is by no means "essential" - just a bad song to me - wished they would have replaced it with something else / anything else ... the encore was very cool and extended remix along with remix vocals as well as end of the play recognition of the group/players -- very nice

-- rio
-- notorious
-- the reflex
-- hungry like the wolf
-- ordinary world
-- do you believe in shame
-- planet earth
-- a view to a kill **
-- the sunrise

-- girls on film (encore)


* favorite song of the evening
** second favorite song of the evening

Monday, November 05, 2007

DWB = Driving While Black

Two Sundays ago, i was pulled over in downtown Flint, MI for driving 45mph in a 25mph zone. First off, i was going 25 to 30mph tops. I spotted the police car following me for an extended period of time (at least 6 blocks and 3 stop lights before "flashing-lights"). No one in their right mind would see a police officer and begin to speed...

Anyway the following is my account of the incident:
-- Police cruiser/suv follows me from corner of Dort Highway and Court Street

-- Police cruiser/suv is directly behind me from Dort Highway to point of “stop”

-- Officer pulls me over just past Crapo and claims that i was speeding (45mph in a 25mph)

-- I accept that i was speeding BUT never past 30mph (especially since he was right behind me all the way until point of stop)

-- Officer ask for my driver's license and registration.

-- I give him the proper info (license and rental car registration).

-- Officer asks for registration again.

-- I explain to him that the car is a rental and the rental registration is the registration.

-- Officer asks if i had been drinking

-- I say “Yes. One beer at dinner which was 2 hours previous.”

-- Officer asks various questions about the beer I had (ie: what kind of beer, what size of beer, where i had the beer) on top of asking where i was going and what i was doing in town among other questions.

-- I answer all questions

-- Officer asks me if i have any weapons/illicit drugs in car or on my person.

-- I say “No.”

-- Officer has me get out of car and searches/fricks me.

-- Officer asks me if i was using any illicit drugs.

-- I say “No.”

-- Officer has me go thru sobriety test and a breathalizer.

-- I pass all test/breathalizer.

-- Officer returns my drivers license and says he’s going to let me go with a warning.

-- I say “Thank you... and may i have your badge number?” (and also ask for my rental registration because he did not give it back).

-- He takes my license back returns to the police cruiser.. Then after a 20 minute wait, he returns and gives me a ticket for speeding (40mph in 25mph).

-- I protest and say/ask “ so basically you are giving me a ticket for asking for your badge number?”

-- Officer says “Yes”

-- I ask “Why cant you give me a ticket for the actual speed i was going?”

-- He then explains that my drivers license has to be taken/impounded (out-of-state license) and i will have to pay a bond to get it back

-- I ask how much is the bond.

-- Officer says $120-$150 approximate

-- I say "Can I pay it now" because i will not be able to take a flight (the next day) due to the fact that i now have no valid picture ID...

-- After another bit of a wait while he goes back to his cruiser, the officer returns and tells me i can follow him down to the police station and take care of it there.

-- After asking him if i would get another ticket for driving without a license, I follow him to the police station to pay the bond ($120 cash / equivalent to the ticket)

the whole debacle took about 1.5 hours...

The good news out of all of this is i did get my license and my money back but the money went to lawyer fees to get the speeding points on my license stricken from record... awaiting final notice on that ---- wow.

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