Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Detroit Rock Pity



With the promise of a Super Bowl for Detroit and Ford Field comes the equal promise of a sports media blitz that will be teeing off on this once- and still-great city. It stands to reason that a lot of spoiled and lazy journalists will ride in on their high horses and declare that the Motor City, as a Super Bowl venue is no Miami, no San Diego, and certainly no New Orleans (though now that's a good thing, right?). Fortunately the coverage is not all that bad so far. Thomas George of the Denver Post writes from experience as a former Detroit resident in the 1980s, and Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times tells it like it is: The Lions played ball, built a stadium that can host a Super Bowl, and there you go. Make no mistake about it, Detroit is war torn, but not hopeless. It is a work in progress.


And then there's the cubic ton of press we're seeing about The Bus, Jerome Bettis. You heard that he's from Detroit, right?? Totally true!!!

Oh, and the Seattle Seahawks happen to be playing in their first Super Bowl.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Junket Food

Do you ever have one of those weeks where you can't pick up a magazine without running into articles and features on the same people over and over? The stars were in alignment this week fo' sho,' and there was product to push. The good news is that it's mostly quality material, or at least product from dependable names.

I did pick up the new CD release from Cat Power, The Greatest, a relatively upbeat recording from the notoriously gun shy indie goddess.



On the docket are new releases from Rilo Kiley frontwoman, Jenny Lewis...



Beth Orton...

To this day, I will swear that "She Cries Your Name," from Trailer Park is one of the most amazing, hauntingly beautiful songs I've ever heard. That opening violin will immediately take me to Seattle in 1995 anytime I hear it.


Of course you can't read an issue of SPIN without knowing what The Strokes are up to.

I don't necessarily hate the band, and should I get an opportunity to see them at a cozy venue, I'd be into it. But something about the way the media really force-fed them as the saviors of rock without them ever nailing even one song that had everyone at attention has always kept me off their bandwagon.


But of all the various stories I ran across in the last 8 days, this one leads the pack, and it was anything BUT business promotion...

SUICIDE GIRLS EXPOSED!!!
Let's do a count on the magazines that came out this week alone that had some angle on various controversies that have plagued the leading alt-porn site since 2005 and before that:
  • SPIN

  • JANE magazine

  • BUST

  • GQ magazine


  • Did I miss any? I've made a lot of great friends and connections as an SG member since 2003, but I won't hide my disappointment in the stories I've read about the company, even before these stories broke in the mainstream press. Not much different than if you read disparaging articles about the company you work for. I'll go to bat over what I do have control over on that site, mine own user profile, etc., but there's been a Big Brother specter looming over the site for the last year or two now, and it's finally come to a head. I'm just waiting for TIME magazine to cover this.

    Monday, January 16, 2006

    Moore of the Same



    Over at Newsarama.com, I take a look at DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore. Great stuff for any self-respecting DC fan.



    It's a good thing the Steelers beat Indy Sunday, cuz dey wuz robbed. This was not a good weekend for NFL officiating. I'm a Denver Broncos fan, and even I felt empty after the Broncos first score against the New England Patriots was by way of a gift-wrapped pass interference call. What's discouraging is seeing these instances all occurring around the same time when team seasons are on the line. The NFL and the fans deserve better.

    Wednesday, January 11, 2006

    Best foot forward


    The Perfect Forwarding Email

    My heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me "forwards" over the past 12 months. Thank you for making me feel safe, secure, blessed and Healthy.

    Extra thanks to whoever sent me the email about rat crap in the glue on envelopes - cause I now have to go get a wet towel every time I need to seal an envelope.

    Also, I scrub The top of every can I open for the same reason. Because of your genuine concern, I no longer drink Coca Cola because it I know it can remove toilet stains, which is not exactly an appealing characteristic.

    I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

    I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

    I no longer go to shopping malls because someone might drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

    I no longer eat KFC because their "chickens" are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.



    I no longer worry about my soul because at last count, I have 363,214 angels looking out for me.

    Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

    I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl on the internet who is about to die in the hospital (for the 1,387,258th time).

    I no longer have any money at all in fact - but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special on-line email program.

    Yes, I want to thank you all so much for looking out for me that I will now return the favour! If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 7 minutes , a large pigeon with a wicked case of diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM (EST) this afternoon. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician.
    DO IT NOW OR ELSE.

    And Have a nice day!