tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-122746112012-02-01T17:26:07.696-07:00a little of everything, a lot of nothing...M S Martineznoreply@blogger.comBlogger10111100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-66935707943914725452012-01-12T09:06:00.001-07:002012-01-27T11:09:38.705-07:00

I felt less compelled to finish a top 10 list for music this year. Not because of a lack of quality music: on the contrary, I was having trouble trying to decide which albums made the cut. Nor was it because I lost faith in the arbitrary sorting of music by capricious criteria.Maybe I am just getting older. Or maybe just lazier and I didn't want to write paragraphs about some of my favorite

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-45986716534129351912012-01-07T16:40:00.001-07:002012-01-17T16:45:06.356-07:00

Uncharted 3: Drake's DeceptionAt an absurdly brisk 8 hours (and even that is rather generous), Uncharted 3 stretches the definition of what constitutes a "game release." I wasted more time in Skyrim staring at loading screens than it took for the semi-tucked Nathan Drake to finish his latest adventure.The length in and of itself isn't a problem, but the barely-stitched together plot, recycled

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-78530418347705220852011-12-31T10:15:00.002-07:002012-01-06T10:45:05.465-07:00

As always, I humbly offer to you my favorite melancholy dancefloor jams of yesteryear. Feel free to stream it straight from the blog or take it to go on the medium of your choice.Taken by the pulse of a fleeting sensation:2011: The Beat and The Pulse by Dldisaster on Mixcloud1. Beat and The Pulse - Austra (Feel It Break)2. Wait and See - Holy Ghost! (Holy Ghost!)3. I Don't Know What To Do - The

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-1190926117818734742011-12-22T16:03:00.000-07:002011-12-22T16:03:21.582-07:00

Gus diesDumbledore diesOld Yeller diesThe red fern grows where the dogs are buried (Editor's note: Not Old Yeller)Ripley dies, but she comes back to lifeHarry dies, but he comes back to lifeGandalf dies, but he comes back to lifeScott Pilgrim dies, but he has an extra lifeJ.R. was shot, but he isn't dead because it's all a dreamIn the last episode, Tony SopranoThe island is some sort of

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-22817484320159254902011-12-06T14:41:00.001-07:002011-12-06T14:51:22.365-07:00

Dear Amazon, Thank you for your preorder price guarantee policy. It seems like a very pro-consumer policy and, with release day delivery, makes it very likely that I will always preorder game from you in the future. Also, I understand why you'd want to email me to let me know that your nice, pro-consumer policy saved me money. But, with all due respect, did you really need to email me know

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-78944232139621765432011-11-30T21:16:00.000-07:002011-12-05T21:18:59.938-07:00

I overheard a customer ask a Best Buy Employee whether the PSP or Nintendo 3DS could play Angry Birds.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-76668524387507494462011-11-29T12:43:00.000-07:002011-12-03T12:46:27.158-07:00

In college, I took a senior seminar called "Narrative and Ideology," a typically generic liberal arts college title belying a typically iconoclastic liberal arts college curriculum: watching 80s movies and analyzing them for the hidden ideologies buried in the narratives.It was the kind of course that had undergraduates swooning: using the tools of semiology to dissect cultural artifacts that

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-56550554259292900522011-11-18T09:14:00.005-07:002011-11-18T10:32:43.074-07:00

Kevin Burkhardt, a NY based sports broadcasting type tweeted this, "All the love/hate for Tim Tebow this year in the NFL, and there is just one thing that matters. He is 4-1 as the starting QB." -- Okay, fair enough, I can see why someone might think that, if that person were a rose-tinted Bronco fan, or a Florida Gator fan, or an Evangelical Baptist, or a COMPLETE IDIOT. But someone whose job

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-23101129398078677342011-11-17T16:17:00.003-07:002011-11-17T16:48:47.873-07:00

Looking at that photo does make me miss the NBA. And D-Will. But knowing what we know now I think the trade the Jazz made with the Nets was the best move. At the time I thought the move was a little bit panicky. Now it seems like incredible value for what could end up being only a couple months of basketball.Also, I'm wondering where everyone stands on this lockout thing. It seems apparent

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-69589600265225671072011-11-09T18:43:00.002-07:002011-11-09T18:46:07.833-07:00

Dark SoulsHow hard is Dark Souls?I joked in my review of Demon's Souls that the sequel would have to develop all new ways to torture players, including deleting their saved games if they failed to beat the last boss. It appears From Software one-upped me. I'm convinced that Dark Souls is actually trying to kill me. Like in real life. I had to go to the hospital because I developed a ganglion cyst

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-84551006066690014082011-11-07T09:28:00.001-07:002011-11-09T09:33:33.768-07:00

To be human is to have limitations, physical or mental, that shape and define us.For me, it is the trials and tribulations of being ruggedly handsome. For Ben, it is the crippling inability to manage a fantasy sports team.I recently met someone who cannot travel over 4,000 feet in elevation without suffering from brain hemorrhages. It is an odd affliction that doesn't have much of an influence on

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-89341878525168222012011-11-04T16:02:00.001-07:002011-11-04T16:02:43.463-07:00

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-35902777632311223912011-11-03T16:05:00.000-07:002011-11-04T07:55:26.989-07:00

As much as I like my iPhone and my iPad, I'm convinced that it's ruining my brain. And everyone else's too. I'm sure it's killing my brain to never be bored and to always be bored. I can't take an elevator ride from the first floor to the fourth without pulling the stupid thing out. I don't spend as much time daydreaming. Or focusing on one thought until I find my way to what I need to create,

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-83431321927767743962011-10-19T20:55:00.004-07:002011-10-20T08:35:43.870-07:00

I was fortunate enough to win a Portland Timbers twitter contest (it took me all of two seconds to retweet) that granted me access to the field during the last game of the inaugural season.And this is why I love Stumptown footy:This is the Timbers Army rallying around a team that pretty much eliminated any chance of reaching the playoffs in a demoralizing 2-0 loss at home, but you would never

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-28265216894482608202011-10-02T07:37:00.000-07:002011-10-20T07:55:01.646-07:00

3D Dot Game Heroes3D Dot Game Heroes is about on par with Shadow Complex in that Atlus straight up jacked Legend of Zelda's gameplay, albeit with a wink and a nod. Thus the game provides a nice dash of 8-bit humor (the outrageously lengthy Freudian sword never failed to bring a smile to my face), but brings little else to the table. Eventually the tedious dungeons (particularly the last one which

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-2742650792688728872011-09-23T14:12:00.001-07:002011-10-16T14:20:09.124-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of attending a live taping of the NPR news quiz "Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me." Assuming you are a fan of the show (why wouldn't you be?), I thought I would provide a bit of insight into what goes on behind the curtains.As you may have imagined, little extravagance is put into the actual staging. With the panelists spending most of the evening speaking directly into their

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-81506897083443818222011-09-15T13:09:00.003-07:002011-09-15T13:39:57.717-07:00

Dead Can Dance is a bit of an anomaly in the pantheon of my favorite artists. The band falls clearly out of orbit of my two predominant musical spheres of interest (ambient and electronic) and barely graces other satellite curiosities (indie rock and post-punk). Instead, Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard gravitate towards that delightfully unspecific blackhole genre of World Music, which I suppose

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-19616619100390219382011-09-13T12:55:00.001-07:002011-09-15T13:08:18.517-07:00

Castlevania: Lords of ShadowCastlevania has always been a favorite franchise of mine. Simon's Quest was one of the first games I remember playing on my NES and it was one of the last games I played to completion with my dad (although Scott mysteriously picked up a Counter Strike habit somewhere in the past decade). Super Castlevania IV and Symphony of the Night certainly need no introduction to

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-58134137550204262982011-09-09T16:51:00.001-07:002011-09-09T16:51:22.039-07:00

In January 2004, I was in a wedding in the south. Weddings are awkward anyway, so I remember trying to introduce myself to the locals who were in the wedding line. One of them, who we gave a nasty nickname shortly after, blurted out, "We don't need to be all friendly and get to know each other." I found out later than she wasn't really a local. She lived in California. In September 2007, I

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-50281473317853230922011-09-06T09:24:00.006-07:002011-09-07T10:24:20.565-07:00

The Sight BelowHTRKTychoSchool of Seven BellsLusine

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-43338493197989560402011-09-02T11:40:00.002-07:002011-09-02T11:54:53.819-07:00

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-17790439037046285622011-08-31T11:24:00.005-07:002011-08-31T20:34:55.495-07:00

I am perplexed by why people who write about The Hour, a six part BBC drama series, can't seem to avoid comparing it to Mad Men. (Now here I go, calling the kettle black.) Truly, the only comparison I can see is that it's set in the past. Well, and I guess that I enjoy them both. Early reviews from the UK were pretty critical, The Telegraph and the Guardian both found fault with the script and

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-42627684634386189872011-08-30T21:35:00.002-07:002011-08-30T21:39:53.490-07:00

As everybody seems to be recounting their poignant anecdotes of Steve Jobs, I thought I would share one of my own: When I was working as a cashier at the Borders in Palo Alto in 2005, Steve Jobs purchased Season 1 of Monk on DVD from me. He paid in cash. And he did not want any coins back as change. [He also bought something else from me another time but I forgot what it was. True story.]

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-72080831433763816132011-08-28T22:00:00.002-07:002011-08-28T22:11:51.703-07:00

Our shareholders and our 9 followers (3 of whom I think are not just spam-bots) demand content. With Mark leaving, we need to find someway to rejuvenate the blog. We need a totally outrageous paradigm. Something edgy and "in your face." And of course proactive. I'm thinking animated GIFs and embedded MIDI files. But I'm open to ideas.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-49641495696385158032011-08-26T08:53:00.005-07:002011-08-28T22:13:42.365-07:00

Now that Mark is retiring from blogging, I am finally free to post all the best late 90s fake-tronica without fear of ridicule. "Those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire..." @}}>----- @}}>----- @}}>----- @}}>----- @}}>----- @}}>-----

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-14134420754913249392011-08-24T14:29:00.000-07:002011-08-24T14:29:07.725-07:00

I’m now 30 years old. I’m not upset about it. In fact, I’m mostly indifferent. 30 isn’t really that old, and it’s hard for it to even feel old when I’m constantly explaining that, no, I’m not 18. I’m 30. I’ve been telling people I’m 30 for long enough that it’s impossible to have any kind of quiet, sad feelings that it may inspire in others. Now for the twist of this post: I doubt I’ll be

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-71385528206644379672011-08-21T14:06:00.004-07:002011-08-21T17:26:21.951-07:00

I don't think a Republican can win the nomination, let alone the presidency, without Evangelical support so I was a bit clueless as to why Huntsman would stick his neck out like this. Polling at barely 2%, Huntsman clearly has little to lose but his comments seem to be endearing him more to left-leaning pundits than to his own base. In fact, I only saw this because it was retweeted by Roger Ebert

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-80826423588535109302011-08-17T10:45:00.004-07:002011-08-17T11:29:19.346-07:00

Stringer Bell is not from the Baltimore Projects. He's not even American. The actor Idris Elba, also known as DJ Big Driis, who played Bell on the best TV show ever made is from London. Hackney to be exack(nee). I made this stunning discovering when I gave the BBC cop drama mini-series "Luther" a try and there was Stringer. . . Elba, and he was talking all funny. DCI John Luther is a bit

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-45958057711479027162011-08-10T18:11:00.002-07:002011-08-12T13:14:34.431-07:00

7 am. My recently purchased biscuit sandwich disassembled on the asphalt. After I sleepily explain that I had dropped my breakfast while fumbling to open my car door, the cook nodded and offered me a "hall pass." He meant to say "free pass" but I understood. It was 7 am after all.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-71611041429488130302011-08-09T13:05:00.001-07:002011-08-12T13:11:01.972-07:00

July 28, 2011: Nintendo announces a net loss of $324 million between April and June and slashes the price of the Nintendo 3DS by $80. August 9, 2011: Apple surpasses ExxonMobil as the most valuable public company in the world. Coincidence?

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-36625047445671251622011-07-25T13:31:00.003-07:002011-08-28T22:12:48.114-07:00

I watched Fight Club over the weekend. Film still rules.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-22716940232117348672011-07-23T11:12:00.001-07:002011-07-26T11:26:31.827-07:00

L.A. NoireA failure on every possible level. I would go into detail dismantling this game but Tom Bissell, whose Extra Lives is worth a read, already landed the ultimate coup de grâce: "I wondered if the single most damning thing about video games is the fact that one could argue, legitimately, that 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand is a better game than L.A. Noire."Grade: D

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-27529960078875820202011-07-14T11:27:00.001-07:002011-07-15T11:30:35.749-07:00

On Sunday, I attended the much hyped Sounders vs. Timbers matchup. The MLS seems to be banking on the Cascadia Cup (which also includes the Whitecaps) becoming a rivalry that not only equals that of other US sports but potentially creates the same sort of heat as matches do across the pond. That ESPN would give a game between an expansion team and a 3 year old franchise such marquee treatment

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-16611297979934400482011-07-10T18:02:00.002-07:002011-07-12T18:08:06.516-07:00

News update: Steam's Summer Camp Sale EVISCERATES Logan's wallet.He went so far as to buy the entire iD collection just to play Hexen 2. Nerd!Also, he is currently debating between impatiently waiting for Season 2 of Game of Thrones or impulsively reading the entire Song of Ice and Fire series just to avoid spoilers. Talk about a nerdlemma!

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-40653613735830455332011-06-28T10:08:00.001-07:002011-06-30T10:15:30.515-07:00

Thor: Sucked.X-men First Class: Brilliant idea, undercooked. Super 8: Would have been far better without the alien.Transformers 3: I don't know if my liver can take seeing this in theaters.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-52480265908945152322011-06-21T13:48:00.004-07:002011-06-27T12:35:11.996-07:00

With a little dumb luck I stumbled into tickets to Broadway's hottest new show. When I bought my tickets earlier this year, I certainly didn't imagine that a musical from the creators of South Park based around Mormonism would appeal to anybody but me. But lo and behold, just days after the Tony Awards I was having to seriously consider whether or not to unload my tickets for a profit of $500 a

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-64899183840760313162011-06-14T15:04:00.000-07:002011-06-14T15:04:40.633-07:00

You're pumping gas as a station and happen to hit the $75 pump limit, so you leave without a full tank. At the same gas station, your spouse is filling your other vehicle to the $75 limit. The credit card charge goes through like normal. But then, a few days later, your bank cancels one of the charges. Presumably because it thought that it was a duplicate charge.

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-3690374033482474812011-06-11T16:32:00.003-07:002011-06-11T16:34:46.591-07:00

Celebrated my birth with the new X-men movie and Burgerville. Clearly some things never change.And I got a new song from The Rapture. What more could I possibly ask for?05 21 2011 must have been some next-level guerilla marketing.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-45870768662577970262011-06-10T11:14:00.005-07:002011-06-10T16:01:19.840-07:00

As much as I dislike Bill Simmons ("The Sports Guy" ESPN), which is kind of a lot, I have been captivated by a lot of the non-Simmons pieces on his new daily, ESPN backed sports-pop culture venture with Chuck Klosterman, Grantland. I don't really like Klosterman that much either, but for some reason I'm excited about Grantland. (EDIT: Here's where I should have mentioned that Grantland has

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-32427510002301465112011-06-08T12:01:00.001-07:002011-06-09T13:03:44.713-07:00

God bless Nintendo for doubling down on terrible console names. Reggie must have ice water coursing through his veins.Still Nintendo is in a precarious position with its new console: the new controllers certainly aren't going to be cheap to manufacturer and initial reactions might pressure Nintendo into making the WiiU games compatible with two or more of the touchscreen units. Furthermore, the

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-75449507578383929882011-06-07T14:30:00.000-07:002011-06-09T12:01:45.066-07:00

The concurrent XBOX and Apple iOS5 presentations today reconfirmed a few thoughts I drafted earlier this year that I never finished:I had the opportunity to play with the XBOX Kinect over the holidays and despite my initial skepticism I walked away relatively impressed. Watching a group of drunk adults get into Dance Central reminded me of my first experiences with the Nintendo Wii and Rock Band:

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-57761258734100009262011-06-05T22:10:00.003-07:002011-06-06T22:14:39.182-07:00

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-50576444266767948662011-06-02T15:43:00.000-07:002011-06-02T15:43:05.749-07:00

The most profound thing I can say about the new Death Cab for Cutie album, Codes and Keys, is actually a story. I've been listening to the album all day at work. My job tends to be rather immediate and time sensitive. That means that there are people popping up and my desk and asking me to do things for them. When they show up, I'm a nice enough guy that I pause my music so that I can hear what

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-71081430465489758742011-05-23T12:12:00.002-07:002011-05-24T12:20:49.641-07:00

In honor of Nell's wedding, here is another trip around the nostalgia carousel:Nostalgiarama AlephNostalgiarama BethNostalgiarama GimelNostalgiarama DalethNostalgiarama HeNostalgiarama WāwIf you have photos or stories to share from high school (or beyond), post them before Saturday!

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-88286838541784295012011-05-18T21:12:00.002-07:002011-05-19T09:28:23.394-07:00

A few nights ago, I recalled a memory that I hadn't thought about in quite sometime: when I was 7 or so, I stole a 20 dollar bill out of my friend's piggybank. While lying awake in bed, I felt incommensurately guilty about my crime and started probing my past for other similar acts. The time I got caught in elementary school taking money out of my mom's purse because I thought she owed it to me

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-87679152185607719242011-05-15T13:19:00.000-07:002011-05-17T13:32:15.467-07:00

Robocop (1987)Verdict: One of the film professors at Wesleyan provocatively claimed that Verhoeven was the greatest auteur in all of cinema.Robocop 2 (1990)Verdict: After watching both Robocop and the non-Verhoeven helmed Robocop 2 back-to-back, I am starting to see the light. The ultimate test next: Showgirls.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-50921596503116443342011-05-11T16:24:00.001-07:002011-05-11T16:24:59.659-07:00

I would say that I never have any extra time, because that's what it feels like. But that isn't true. When I add everything up, I have plenty of free time. The real problem is I like too many things. I like movies. I like video games. I like TV shows. I like books. I like using Illustrator to create images. I like to spend time doing crazy things to photos and post the photos to Instagram. I

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-86856413293769020322011-05-08T23:38:00.002-07:002011-05-09T00:24:03.926-07:00

Watching Fast 5 while drinking 4 Loko in the 3rd row of the theater on the 2nd weekend of release: #1!I am having a hard time deciding on the most preposterously entertaining aspect of this cultural event:1) The ludicrously out-of-depth and unsubstantiated religious symbolism (although I guess a Freudian interpretation would say it is all about unresolved Daddy issues)2) Joaquim de Almeida

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-36139135098994972142011-04-23T17:52:00.003-07:002011-04-27T11:36:52.656-07:00

Portal 2Portal 2 is the real deal. A complete aesthetic experience from start to finish. A few minor squabbles (the loading times, a piecemeal narrative, a few aggravatingly nebulous environmental puzzles, the overdone retro-future shtick) and one major issue (WHERE IS HALF-LIFE 2 EPISODE 3?) aside, I hereby nominate Portal 2 as the new go-to-game for proselytizing to non-gamers. And I haven't

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-82999068227829998822011-04-21T11:51:00.002-07:002011-04-21T11:52:52.718-07:00

AL CentralTo me this division sort of falls into the "who cares?" category. Of course, I would have said that about the NL West last year and the Giants went on to win the World Series. Anyway, I don't think any of these teams has the look of a WS champ. But of the five, the Tigers do the best job pretending.Projected Standings:1. Detroit Tigers2. Minnesota Twins3. Cleveland Indians4. Chicago

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-59024243618684602002011-04-19T11:17:00.005-07:002011-04-19T15:48:02.736-07:00

As Logan pointed out in the comments on my last post (to use the term liberally), baseball might be all we have left after August first or whenever the NBA Finals are set to wrap up this year. With that as an introduction, I present to you, hideouslyshattered. A project that will surely be abandoned by the All-Star break, but for at least a little while will be my attempt to summarize the red

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-67528173642824696032011-04-07T13:59:00.002-07:002011-04-12T14:27:32.900-07:00

According to iTunes Statistician, I have listened to Ladytron more than any other artist in my library -- and by a considerable margin. This would strike me as odd - I wouldn't necessarily consider Ladytron to be one of my favorite artists - but I noted a similar phenomenon a few years back when I realized that "Flicking Your Switch" was my most listened to song at the time (now since eclipsed by

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-81085111305063801222011-04-04T14:23:00.002-07:002011-04-12T14:27:27.928-07:00

"The patterns are simple, but followed together, they make for a whole that is wiser than the sum of its parts. Go for a walk; cultivate hunches; write everything down, but keep you folders messy; embrace serendipity; make generative mistakes; take on multiple hobbies; frequent coffeehouses and other liquid networks; follow the links; let others build on your ideas; borrow, recycle, reinvent.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-25513356538345632462011-03-31T11:03:00.003-07:002011-04-01T10:56:33.873-07:00

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-58733458421581237592011-03-18T13:23:00.000-07:002011-03-28T15:25:42.693-07:00

Among console manufactures, Nintendo has charted a fairly Apple-esque course. While Sony seems to be trying its hardest with the new PSP to emulate the Playstation experience in hand-held form, Nintendo has abandoned the hardware arms race in favor of promoting novel user experiences -- to great success. Although the Nintendo DS was initially knocked for its seemingly bizarre clamshell two-screen

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-58134432514428378692011-03-16T15:38:00.002-07:002011-03-16T15:39:35.928-07:00

I could probably add a big tag to this entire post: Written on my iPad. But I won't. (Because that's terribly pretentious.) I really like the thing. I didn't have any of that letdown/buyer's remorse you might expect when you buy something that's rather expensive that you'd been waiting on for months. Here are the things I love about my new iPad: 1) I can write stories anywhere and, as long as

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-47829311354517058482011-03-08T13:21:00.002-07:002011-03-08T13:21:56.289-07:00

10,797 — Days since birth 8,722 — Days since Rachel’s birth 8,582 — Approximate days since beginning Kindergarten 5,306 — Approximate days since beginning High School 3,925 — Approximate days since High School graduation 2,496 — Approximate days since University graduation 2,167 — Approximate days I’ve been a Mac owner 1,660 — Days since I withdrew from the University of Utah Creative Writing MFA

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-62151387874520958912011-03-03T16:27:00.002-07:002011-03-03T17:33:09.676-07:00

Chat with M: 10/11/08m: heyim really sorry for the drunk dial :-\me: heym: poor formme: :)it's okaythanks for saying som: hows ny?me: i didn't know if i should call you to see if everything was okayny is goodishi'm on a trip up state, went to an amazing museum todaym: oooh yeah i some photos on the fblooks super coolwhere abouts?me: poughkeepsiem: rad :-)me: you good?m: yup[t]'s having a party

B S Goldsmithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-73395804166010299222011-03-02T11:11:00.001-07:002011-03-03T15:17:26.888-07:00

After a year off (because 2009 was terrible for movies), I am back with my picks for the best films of the year. I am going to follow a bizarre off-year Grammy system when it comes to foreign flicks: if I was able to watch it prior to the Academy Awards, it is eligible. So, for example, you won't see Dogtooth below: not because it wasn't available (it was, on Netflix), but because it sucked.And

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-12161930561959999042011-02-26T22:40:00.002-07:002011-02-27T15:20:40.532-07:00

I'll skip the predictable picks this year; no need to waste valuable pixels talking about Natalie Portman.Bold = will winItalics = should winBest Animated Short45% Day & Night25% Madagascar, carnet de voyage20% The Gruffalo5% The Lost Thing5% Let's PolluteDay & Night has the double advantage of being widely screened in front of Toy Story 3 and of actually being good (although it may lose votes if

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-34494617471853119892011-02-24T09:54:00.003-07:002011-02-24T10:36:12.793-07:00

Still heartbroken, but for the best, I guess.As a fan, I have felt a lingering dread ever since Williams commented "That's why I (only) signed a three-year deal" after the Ronnie Brewer trade. At the very least, it is a relief not to have to worry that every Jazz loss is a step closer to losing Williams. Although we are probably going to see a lot more over the coming months.This season has been

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-55543082314708091172011-02-23T15:50:00.018-07:002011-02-23T23:02:25.636-07:00

Journal entry: 8/22/07What the hell was that?! The night before last I met this friend of [T] and [A] named [M]. She goes to school in Chicago. First thought was that she's super pretty and has nice eyes. The next night I go to meet all of them at the bowling alley and we hit it off. Yada yada yada, I just took her out on a date and we hung out until 1AM. We sat next to each other when everyone

B S Goldsmithnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-48867230708087057292011-02-22T15:26:00.000-07:002011-02-22T15:26:33.859-07:00

I was going to write a post about why I don't care about the new Radiohead album, but I'm not going to. That would be like writing a blog post about why you still don't like that Ex-girlfriend you broke up with four years ago. There's really nothing new to say, even though she commented on the baby photos your friend just posted on Facebook. She didn't even say anything stupid or offensive. It

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-43964006414559647742011-02-17T15:59:00.007-07:002011-02-18T15:22:25.267-07:00

I guess now's as good a time as any to do this, let's have a look at the NBA.Current overall ranking based on record in brackets. W-L Record in parentheses.1. [6] L.A. Lakers (38-19) - The Lakers have looked flawed. I think it's all about Pau Gasol, when he plays well the Lakers look like the best team in the league. When he doesn't the Lakers look like they can get beat by the Cavs. Still, I

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-194210496097811972011-02-16T15:09:00.002-07:002011-02-16T15:15:12.413-07:00

The other day I spent some time looking over the HideouslyWrinkled archives. Reading over old posts brought back some fond memories and made me feel grateful to have all of you as friends. You're all quite brilliant and hilarious (some more so than others). It's been too long since my last post. I think it's safe to say there's a direct correlation between my emotional well-being and the

B S Goldsmithnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-71651164480444181072011-02-16T12:10:00.000-07:002011-02-16T14:15:20.635-07:00

Is it ethical to feign wanting to terminate service with a company in hopes of securing a discounted subscriber retention rate? Would it matter if said company was the largest media conglomerate in the world or the largest local metropolitan newspaper in the country? Anonymous, Portland, OR.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-67413148162145689372011-02-15T11:07:00.008-07:002011-02-15T12:40:28.597-07:00

Esperanza Spalding incited the rage of 13 year old girls and Twilight fans when she won the grammy for best new artist a couple days ago.I'm not sure how good y'all's memories are, but Spalding came within a breath of winning Album of the Year from yours truly for 2008's Esperanza. Two years ago! And that wasn't even her debut album! Am I that much better a critic and more on the leading edge

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-45596657507322831702011-02-14T13:54:00.003-07:002011-02-14T15:32:18.861-07:00

I can count, on one hand, the people whom I have actively disliked. Four total. Three women, one man. Three I worked with. Two in the 90s, two in the 00s. Two I’ll definitely never see again. One was from a social connection. One I can’t even remember their name. (Obviously, I’m not actively disliking all four. It’s just too hard to dislike people.) One you’ve already heard about. The most

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-4756725321395301982011-02-13T20:42:00.001-07:002011-02-14T08:52:19.917-07:00

1. Saw this comment under a Yahoo! Sports article and knew it had to be our very own B. Christensen:The 49ers player was the biggest tipoff.2. My prediction: with Williams gone after a strike season, Corbin struggles as head coach, leaving the window open for Karl Malone to usurp power in his own "crossing the Rubicon" moment. This, of course, sets in motion the historical inevitability of

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-46422465000135342922011-02-11T14:10:00.002-07:002011-02-11T17:34:34.358-07:00

I caught the Jazz-Bulls game on tape-delay Thursday morning, so it was a bit of a shock to hop on Twitter to find rumors circulating that Jerry Sloan AND Phil Johnson were going to be resigning that afternoon. I had to fight back a spit-take across my computer keyboard. The loss was a sucker punch to be sure, but mostly because the Jazz let it slip away from them with missed FTs and untimely

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-66621150889795143132011-02-07T13:57:00.001-07:002011-02-08T13:59:25.886-07:00

I guess this means Andy Nelson and I can no longer be friends.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-25340074953186691942011-01-18T10:51:00.009-07:002011-01-18T21:01:13.076-07:00

One of us will turn 30 this year. We're pretty decidedly not in high school or college anymore. Maybe our tastes are getting better with age. . . maybe not. (Mark was there too, but he came late.) I'm not a wine snob yet, maybe (hopefully?) I never will be, but I am kind of a beer snob, (I do enjoy a good Oly from time to time) and I am kind of a coffee snob. I'm beginning to feel like I

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-63799788797838283182011-01-06T22:31:00.005-07:002011-01-10T00:56:43.458-07:00

Albums/Reissues/Compilations/Whatever Honorable Mentions -!!! - Strange Weather, Isn't It?Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before TodayAutechre - OverstepsBeach House - Teen DreamBenoît Pioulard - LastedBrian McBride - The Effective DisconnectCFCF - The River EPDeerhunter - Halycon DigestInfinite Body - Carve Out The Face Of My GodNest - RetoldThe New Pornographers - TogetherMark McGuire - Living

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-13261302040451405972011-01-01T11:46:00.004-07:002011-01-02T01:09:05.201-07:00

These mellow indie rock jamzzz are for my homies nursing four loko hangovers.Keep living the dream, space cowboys.LOGANMIX2010: Indestructible (Delirium Tremens Version) 1. Before and After Light - CFCF [The River EP]2. Shouting Distance - Benoît Pioulard [Lasted]3. Infinite Arms - Band Of Horses [Infinite Arms]4. Precious Plans - Field Music [Field Music (Measure)]5. Fool's Day - Blur [Fool's

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-38346347506434211742010-12-31T15:39:00.004-07:002010-12-31T15:58:15.556-07:00

Spoiler alert: my list of the best albums of the year is going to be filled with boring ambient records you don't care about.In the meantime, to celebrate the burning of the Año Viejo, I am going to let my alter-ego take over to provide some of my favorite electronic and disco dancefloor tracks of the year. Most of these songs are one-offs from bands that may or not ever make an album, let alone

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-25218457364242780452010-12-29T19:34:00.000-07:002010-12-30T19:38:39.767-07:00

The Green Hornet is pretty good. More consistently entertaining than Pineapple Express, but not as funny as Superbad. Un/surprisingly, Gondry whips up some pretty wicked fight sequences.5000:1 odds it is better than Green Lantern.A message from your humble hideousylwrinkled.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-69658048170303451532010-12-28T13:18:00.001-07:002010-12-30T19:33:52.436-07:00

By about 2016, I will probably have found enough time to both read and organize a list of the best books of 2010. In the meantime though, I thought I would offer up the best book I have read this year (regardless of publishing date) in case anyone was looking for last minute reading recommendations for the holiday season.I have never attempted nor do I plan on attempting to be a fiction writer. I

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-69755429802976446162010-12-27T16:49:00.000-07:002010-12-27T16:49:19.422-07:00

What do you call cheese that isn’t yours? That’s my cheese you son-of-a-bitch! Knock Knock Who’s there? Pumpkin Pumpkin who? Pumpkin get out of my way, I’ve got to fart! (My nephew actually made up this joke.) Why is three afraid of four? Because four five six! Knock Knock Who's there? Boo Boo who? Don't cry. It's only a joke! Why do you always take everything so seriously always. I swear to

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-54427828415681453932010-12-21T15:37:00.003-07:002010-12-22T15:41:22.624-07:00

When freedom is outlawed, only outlaws will be free.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-1135788169045094582010-12-19T14:08:00.003-07:002010-12-20T15:35:58.212-07:00

Donkey Kong Country ReturnsDonkey Kong Country Returns is pretty good. It doesn't quite obtain DKC2 levels of perfection, but it is charming in its own right and every level sports an interesting twist in platforming mechanics that is sure to draw a smile to your face.Until you die that is. And you will die a lot. Not that the game itself is hard, but you also have to fend off the Wiimote which

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-6397849788560421002010-12-12T12:04:00.000-07:002010-12-13T10:09:58.406-07:00

PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:1. What are you thoughts on...a) the Obama-GOP tax cut deal, b) Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,c) the movie adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-12668058157561234362010-12-09T09:42:00.002-07:002010-12-11T10:35:48.658-07:00

So I guess my pitch for an Apatow helmed movie featuring Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen just shooting the shit in a basement is never going to come to fruition. Luckily, Michael Winterbottom just dropped the next best thing:Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon trading impressions while touring restaurants in Northern England for three hours.It's utterly sublime.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-74647008521674230642010-12-07T14:43:00.001-07:002010-12-09T14:34:29.901-07:00

God of War 3When playing a game as corrosively idiotic as God of War 3, one would at least hope for a modicum of awesomeness. Sadly, the third and - supposedly - final chapter in the God of War series offers very little in the way of such pleasures.The game starts off promisingly enough with Kratos scaling Mount Olympus on the back of a Titan ready to wage outright war on the gods of Olympus. So

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-14188390735102651442010-12-02T11:23:00.004-07:002010-12-02T13:31:50.386-07:00

In case you're interested in attending the 2022 World Cup which will not be held in the United States.· Population- Qatar: 840,000 according to CIA, 1.3M according to Qatar (South Dakota:812,000, Idaho:1.5M)(about 400,000 people went to South Africa for the 2010 world cup.)· GDP per capita- Qatar: $121,000 (U.S. $46,000)· Qatari Prime Minister, in November 2010 "Elections will be held some day.

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-61290131974487077202010-11-30T12:57:00.007-07:002010-11-30T19:25:03.083-07:00

Most in-season rankings read a lot like the standings, which is boring, I'm gonna try something a little different and look at the rankings from over a month ago and see how right or how wrong I was.W-L Record in parentheses.1. L.A. Lakers (13-4) - This still seems about right, you could probably put the Spurs at 1, but I'd take the Lakers over them.2. Miami (10-8) - Not looking like the second

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-16303523299089632022010-11-19T16:50:00.004-07:002010-11-19T16:57:31.893-07:00

No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes. So, he whispered to the Loko. I have you.

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-71263692766024302722010-11-17T10:58:00.003-07:002010-11-17T11:21:38.947-07:00

When I heard yesterday that Mark Shurtleff and his team of tee-totaling hand-wringers have effectively castrated Four Loko I was immediately worried about a certain member of our hideous world.Stick it to the man.

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-24448787942481645582010-11-15T16:55:00.000-07:002010-11-15T16:55:41.650-07:00

The last five Jazz games have been, well, remarkable. Although I am one of the realists who will point out that you can't win a championship if you only play two quarters a game, I think it's great for a different reason: They are playing like a Jerry Sloan team. During the Carlos Boozer era, the Jazz were not been known for being, to use Logan's favorite condescending adjective, scrappy. (

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-30344449984252790352010-11-15T16:03:00.000-07:002010-11-15T16:03:58.245-07:00

NaNoWriMo isn't really happening. Unsurprisingly, I've been very busy. (Also, I have wanted to play a lot of Halo: Reach.) I wasn't expecting to get a Zombie virus... err... cold. Or the number of other little things that happened to distract me. (On the bright side, I did finally hit Captain in Reach.) Rather than just throw my hands up in the air, I decided to drop the clever gimmick of

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-57243786633244397342010-11-13T22:50:00.001-07:002010-11-14T23:20:24.147-07:00

Has anyone else noticed movies being released on iTunes before they appear in theaters, let alone on DVD? Not blockbusters like Jackass 3D mind you, but smaller independent flicks like Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer which I watched for a cool $6.99 a week before it was scheduled to be screened in Portland.After Netflix sandbagged us with 30-day delay windows and studios talking of

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-22501266046424928052010-11-03T22:29:00.010-07:002010-11-07T23:06:59.364-07:00

I won't bury the lead: Gorillaz' "Escape to Plastic Beach" was quite possibly the best concert I have ever seen. 24 hours later and I still can't wipe the smile off my face.It was a veritable 12 Days of Christmas: 1 Damon Albarn2 Former Clash Members (Mick Jones and Paul Simonon)3 De La Soul MCs4 Back-up Vocalists5 Fictional Band Members6 Guest Cameos (Roses Gabor, Bobby Womack, Booty Brown,

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-5845762053092118752010-11-01T19:52:00.000-07:002010-11-01T19:52:23.682-07:00

I guess this is a cry for peer pressure. I'm going to try NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth this year. And a little push from my family and friends would help. I need to average 1,700-2,000 words a day. (Though I'm confident that, once I get going, I could overshoot that.) Anyway. Day one. 1,300 words to go.

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-54115459021209299992010-10-31T20:08:00.004-07:002010-11-01T08:26:38.679-07:00

The Crazies (2010)Verdict: Perhaps too efficient for its own good. Packs some thrilling set-pieces, but - like all other Romero remakes - lacks the chilling subtexts that really keep you up at night.Session 9 (2001)Verdict: Without a doubt, one of the absolute worst movies I have ever seen.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-27805233512364738652010-10-27T09:48:00.006-07:002010-10-27T14:35:21.049-07:00

October 27th NBA Power RankingsPrevious (July) rankings in parentheses.1. L.A. Lakers (1) - Pau Gasol is good. And looks like a praying mantis. Kobe will be good enough. And looks like a f****r.2. Miami (2) - Losing first game to Boston in Boston doesn't change anything for me.3. Orlando (3) - Vince Carter looks a lot more solid than last year. Most balanced team in the east.4. Utah (5) -

b r christensenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09049380361243354090noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-12286949918808246422010-10-26T15:14:00.001-07:002010-10-27T10:20:41.227-07:00

I know the pricing of digital media is still the Wild West as far as the internet is concerned, but this is ridiculous:$9.99 seems reasonable enough for standard definition, but double the price for HD? That is a particularly hard sell when I can flip over to TV shows and purchase, let's say, an entire season of The Wire for the same price. And why are audiobooks still so expensive? I could buy a

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-67087668110093012492010-10-19T15:37:00.002-07:002010-10-23T17:44:54.891-07:00

In 2007, dial records released two of the best electronic records of the past decade: Pantha Du Prince's This Bliss and Efdemin's Efdemin. Both albums represent the high-water mark of - as well as the catalyst for my well-documented obsession with - the electronic sub-genre minimal techno."Minimal" and "techno" are two terms that have little context or association for the average music listener,

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-13997298936095812072010-10-17T23:23:00.004-07:002010-10-18T08:35:11.548-07:00

Is it just me or does Uma Thurman look like a female Quentin Tarantino in Pulp Fiction? I don't mean this as a slight against Uma; I just find it amusing that Tarantino's muse should bear such an uncanny resemblance to himself.

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-70449697281272371512010-10-06T23:05:00.002-07:002010-10-06T23:22:18.087-07:00

A couple of thoughts from the Decibel Music Festival:1) Although it was fun being around likeminded electronic music nerds, discussing artists whose names I had never spoken aloud, my euphoria eventually settled into ambivalence. This is, after all, probably how members of the Flat Earth Society feel when they meet up at their yearly convention: "Finally, people who really understand me!" And an

d l wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04145030566984004815noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-54713102240557159732010-10-05T15:27:00.001-07:002010-10-05T15:28:54.865-07:00

The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting that Carlos Boozer officially filed for divorce on Aug. 13, days after his eighth anniversary. This news breaks days after word of his latest injury. You know the one. Where he broke his hand in a manner remarkably similar to what is commonly known as a boxer's fracture. I'm not usually a conspiracy theorist. Boozer could have actually tripped over a bag and

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12274611.post-75708988482205313862010-10-04T14:47:00.000-07:002010-10-04T14:47:58.390-07:00

As I mentioned in Logan's like-minded post, my dreams have taken a turn to consumerist existentialism. Instead of pushing a rock up a hill, I'm getting lost and turned around inside of an overcrowded store. It's a grand opening, and the music is too loud and the lights too bright and we have too little time because Rachel has to go to work. I get lost inside and separated from Rachel. I

M S Martineznoreply@blogger.com0