tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10808617423689172512024-03-14T17:04:06.372+11:00To Hell With Good IntentionsJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-27232057411152779232011-02-13T20:14:00.001+11:002011-02-13T20:16:30.231+11:00Sports related: May I just say...<a href="http://au.sports.yahoo.com/videos/watch/24170973/10283123/">...HOLY FUCK!</a><br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-7818069656077269102011-02-05T15:03:00.003+11:002011-02-05T15:10:26.255+11:00Happy new year!Captain Obvious says it is fucking hot. In Sydney today, we've just hit 41 degrees which is impossible to escape. I'm currently camped out in my flat eating ice blocks and using a spray water pistol thing to keep myself cool - very elegant. But I feel really sorry for these guys who were celebrating Chinese new year today. I have no idea how they made it up and down Marrickville Road in this heat. Happy new year and see you in the emergency ward buddy...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUzNY4OPq5I/AAAAAAAADBs/h5XpeuLWnmE/s1600/P2050748.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUzNY4OPq5I/AAAAAAAADBs/h5XpeuLWnmE/s400/P2050748.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570052666443148178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUzNYCWdpGI/AAAAAAAADBk/GF4YTfgKNIU/s1600/P2050746.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUzNYCWdpGI/AAAAAAAADBk/GF4YTfgKNIU/s400/P2050746.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570052651982103650" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUzNZr00BHI/AAAAAAAADB0/vkW-8T4IlV4/s1600/P2050749.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUzNZr00BHI/AAAAAAAADB0/vkW-8T4IlV4/s400/P2050749.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570052680295122034" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUzNX1lgdxI/AAAAAAAADBc/f_Khmu15dbM/s1600/P2050750.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUzNX1lgdxI/AAAAAAAADBc/f_Khmu15dbM/s400/P2050750.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570052648555542290" /></a><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-61051191450161791892011-01-30T07:56:00.003+11:002011-01-30T07:59:35.495+11:00And the winner is...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUR_Gy1yFII/AAAAAAAAC9c/Wh5qOSf-BAU/s1600/the-social-network.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 254px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TUR_Gy1yFII/AAAAAAAAC9c/Wh5qOSf-BAU/s400/the-social-network.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567714794040071298" /></a><br />This <a href="http://www.theshiznit.co.uk/feature/if-the-best-picture-nominee-posters-told-the-truth.php">website</a> re-imagines the ten best film Oscar nominations in a more literal way. <br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-12078830791809401242011-01-20T17:02:00.004+11:002011-01-20T17:18:12.510+11:00And Out Come The Wolves...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TTfTDnd2u_I/AAAAAAAAC88/KvH-HhhL_Fk/s1600/BLACK_WOLF_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 380px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TTfTDnd2u_I/AAAAAAAAC88/KvH-HhhL_Fk/s400/BLACK_WOLF_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564147923726810098" /></a><br />A couple of years ago I wrote a sitcom with a friend of mine. It never got produced or anything but if anyone's looking for a six half hour sitcom, I might be able to hook you up. Anyhow, in one of the drafts one of the characters has this realisation after watching a National Geographic special that there are wolves in Italy. There's some vague plot line about he cheated death because he went on a four week hiking trip through Italy but wasn't aware of any wolves. To be honest, it wasn't very funny and was subsequently left out of later drafts of the script.<br /><br />This plot point came from reading an article about wolves in Europe that I'd read. I can't say I think of wolves often but I think they're pretty awesome looking, probably pretty scary in real life and feel they're scariness has been undermined by their constant use in crappy vampire/werewolf movies. When I was a kid I was afraid of dogs, an affliction I have long since over come but when I see wolves I get a distant glimmer of that fear. Let's face it, wolves are like domestic dogs gone postal - they're like the una-bomber of the canine world - all wilderness and anti-processed dog food.<br /><br />The only reason I mention this is because I read that there is a <a href="http://www.news.com.au/world/russians-hunt-down-rumoured-400-strong-wolf-pack/story-e6frfkz9-1225991690435">400 strong wolf pack</a> roaming the wilds of Northern Russia. 400?! Geez, it's hard to fathom what it'd be like to come across that but I don't think say "nice doggy doggy" would really cut it in that situation. Much like crows, I like wolves because they look kind of vaguely evil but I think even I'd draw the line at 400 of them. At least they're not as crazy as Denis Hopper... or are they?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TTfTDxcNfDI/AAAAAAAAC9E/iPwtzBVSjhk/s1600/WolfPBR.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TTfTDxcNfDI/AAAAAAAAC9E/iPwtzBVSjhk/s400/WolfPBR.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564147926404267058" /></a><br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-48502118044516478962011-01-07T18:40:00.001+11:002011-01-07T18:42:12.841+11:00Now here's Jim with sports...Oh my lord - <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/a-team-to-be-proud-of-english-media-delight-in-ashes-triumph-20110107-19ihs.html">3-1</a>. That is all I'll say on the matter, my fine fellow Australians...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />...losers.<br />-Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-87735057634889848812011-01-02T17:00:00.001+11:002011-01-02T17:00:02.659+11:00Movie reviews...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TR-wF2aDUdI/AAAAAAAAC8k/PBIodwo2qkE/s1600/the-sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pants-2-movie-poster.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TR-wF2aDUdI/AAAAAAAAC8k/PBIodwo2qkE/s400/the-sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pants-2-movie-poster.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557354079749099986" /></a><br />I saw three films this weekend and here are the reviews:<br /><br />Black Swan: What the fuck? I thought it was a movie about ballet dancing, not a pseudo horror film... The film is still good though.<br /><br />Somewhere: What the fuck? Really, a week with your daughter makes you walk away from a life of fame into the distance - I don't buy it. The film is still good though.<br /><br />The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: What the fuck? How did that one pair of pants fit all those girls and in what universe is Rory from the Gilmore Girls Greek? The film still exists though.<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-4823812711559708892011-01-01T16:17:00.005+11:002011-01-01T16:43:15.773+11:00Happy new what! Now here's Jim with sports...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TR6-ghvo5dI/AAAAAAAAC8c/QYzJLi40oa8/s1600/PA140458.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TR6-ghvo5dI/AAAAAAAAC8c/QYzJLi40oa8/s400/PA140458.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557088456245044690" /></a><br />Oh hey, happy new year. You know what's strange? If I take an active interest in a sporting team I support, they actively crumble and lose at everything. However, if I miss a sportscast or don't check a team's progress for a while, they seem to do amazingly well. <br /><br />Now, I know this sounds amazingly egocentric and it is but I have a secret suspicion that my being a fan of a team can be their doom. There are multiple examples I can give you. <br /><br />NRL: I support the Rabbitohs and the Cowboys and I watched them every week they were on telly and kept up with their scores. Result: Cowboys come second last (the Storm were last and they were disqualified so technically the Cowboys were last). The Rabbitohs came 9th, just outside the final 8 in contention for the finals. <br /><br />Stoke City FC: When I remember to check the scores they seem to be doing ok but when I finally get to watch a game live, they lose terribly. I managed to watch their last game and they lost 2-0 (both goals scored in the first ten minutes) to Fulham - FULHAM! They are third last in the Premier League.<br /><br />English Cricket team: You know how they bumbled the Australians out for 98 at the MCG as well as other amazing feats of cricket prowess? That all happened when I wasn't watching. The only cricket I really got to see was Peter Siddle's hat trick and then the Australian team winning in Perth. I did get to see Mitchell Johnson bowl really badly but apparently that's his new style. The English team only seem to win when I'm not watching.<br /><br />So, this is how I'm going to get rich. I'm going to bet on teams I follow and then not watch a single game. My tip - the Rabbitohs to win next year's NRL. (You might say, hey they've got Greg Inglis now but having good players in the past hasn't stopped them from losing and losing badly).<br /><br />--<br /><br />Sorry, I temporarily got lost in my thoughts about how my interest in something can influence the success and failure of multi-million dollar sporting organisations. Anyhow, just to let you know, I'm going to try and write about music a bit more this year as part of my attempt to make writing part of my daily routine. As such, I have created a new blog solely for this purpose. No doubt this will fail like most music blogs but oh well, at least I can be an opinionated pig about it and not feel guilty about it (I'll still be writing here though - double the blog). Check out the shenanigans <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://no-rubbish.blogspot.com/">here</a></span>. <br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-87920425107831487452010-12-24T18:02:00.004+11:002010-12-24T20:07:44.979+11:00Season's greetings<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TRRLZgmdarI/AAAAAAAAC7k/EoU1mm5SMF0/s1600/jumping-great-white-shark.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TRRLZgmdarI/AAAAAAAAC7k/EoU1mm5SMF0/s400/jumping-great-white-shark.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554147142074722994" /></a><br />About a week ago, I read (and subsequently became obsessed with) this <a href="http://www.news.com.au/features/environment/shark-behaviour-linked-to-serial-killers/story-e6frflp0-1225973044404">article</a> which basically explores the similarity of shark behaviour to that of a serial killer. Apparently, great whites stalk their prey rather than it being a random attack. For example, sharks have swam past other swimmers to take out a person closer to shore or have knocked other swimmers or surfers out of the way to get to a person when it would have been easier to eat someone closer. More scary, they get all Ted Bundy about it and hunt the same spot and observe their prey from a distance before attacking. <br /><br />What does this mean? Well, it means that <span style="font-style:italic;">Jaws 4: The Revenge</span> is probably the most misunderstood and awesome movie of all time. In a nutshell, the plotline of <span style="font-style:italic;">Jaws 4</span> is that the family of Brody (Roy Scheider in the original movie) is being picked off one by one by a vengeful shark. They even go from Amity to the Bahamas and the shark <span style="font-style:italic;">follows</span> the family and keeps killing them! Good times.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WQDXfB1nBnk?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WQDXfB1nBnk?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />Currently, Jaws 4 ranks a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes and of the reviews listed, "No review available" was probably the most favourable thing written about it. However, in light of the new research, it's obvious that what I thought was one of the stupidest movies of all time is in fact a brilliant analysis of shark behaviour and adds a cautionary tale to anyone who has ever eaten fish and chips. Sharks know - alright, they just know and if you stray into their kill zone, you're history. Good job I don't swim in the ocean. Enjoy your summer at the beach!<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-71672733596685788952010-12-13T22:03:00.002+11:002010-12-13T22:05:15.290+11:00And the name of my first novel is...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TQX9zUWzxfI/AAAAAAAAC7c/SAiC9u_yfOw/s1600/PC110574.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TQX9zUWzxfI/AAAAAAAAC7c/SAiC9u_yfOw/s400/PC110574.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550121173883536882" /></a><br />You heard it here first...<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-28103889312582292092010-12-11T09:57:00.002+11:002010-12-11T11:20:14.770+11:00Some songs of the year...Some songs that weren't on the albums I listed below (for the record - my favourits song was Superchunk's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYN79LNnFzw">My Gap Feels Weird</a>).<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pc0mxOXbWIU?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pc0mxOXbWIU?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Cee Lo-Green - Fuck You</span><br />So many levels of awesome it's hard to comprehend I could put this on at my staff Christmas party and no one would notice. Did I do this? Possibly.<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OqV-embx_tA?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OqV-embx_tA?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Kate Nash - Do-Wah-Do</span><br />I do love my girly pop and this song just makes me smile.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8TQJAb3W838?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8TQJAb3W838?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - You Won't Let Me Down Again </span><br />I never really got on board with this collaboration because really, I just want lot's of Mark Lanegan - ta dah!<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/L53gjP-TtGE?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/L53gjP-TtGE?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Kanye West - Power</span><br />I'm a fan of Kanye but I've only listened to his album a couple of times so while there's some awesome stuff on there, I'm yet to make up my mind on how good it is. However, I think this song (as well as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm5iA4Zupek">Runaway</a>) is brilliant. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k_GqVFa5GBA?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k_GqVFa5GBA?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">How to Destroy Angels - A Drowning</span><br />This song is great ipod fodder for when you're out and about. Low key but engaging putting you in that aloof mood to deal with the general public. The other thing I love about this band is that it's essentially Nine Inch Nails with a female singer which seems to drive NIN fans barmy and somehow, I find that very enjoyable.<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-11670925504516320842010-12-08T19:09:00.003+11:002010-12-08T20:39:12.881+11:00Best of the year - the final bit...<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T6HjT4SQKJI?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T6HjT4SQKJI?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Jonsi - Go</span><br />Jonsi is responsible for one song that always makes me cry - this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqJ8hFgYwVg">one</a>. However, my interest in Sigur Ros has waned of late but this album is uniformly excellent. There are still a few weepy numbers but there is a vibrancy and buoyancy to this album which is infectious and weird. Comparing Jonsi to Bjork is redundant (I don't want to put them in some Icelandic ghetto) but there is something they both share - total awesomeness. <br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T4rDZH0Dakc?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T4rDZH0Dakc?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Grinderman - Grinderman 2</span><br />A lot of people talk about Grinderman as an outlet for Nick Cave's angry id which has been repressed by the Bad Seeds increasing sophistication and his penchant for stately ballads. I think that's kind of bullshit because a) Grinderman is made up of Bad Seeds and b) the Bad Seeds can still be fierce both live and on record. This album sounds like the boys messing around in the back shed and as Cave is learning guitar as he goes - Grinderman sounds like the greatest non-adolescent garage band in history. Furious and dirty, this is the sound of Cave re-learning to write in a new form which is fun and detached from his stately history. It's not an angry id, just the sounds of a naughty boy thrashing his guitar in his bedroom.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-mkr19RSG6k?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-mkr19RSG6k?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />Broken Bells - Broken Bells<br />Broken Bells is that guy from the Shins and the dude who did the Jay-Z/Beatles mash up. It is excellent.<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0PKE7MkDrq4?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0PKE7MkDrq4?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Antony and the Johnsons - Swanlights</span><br />I generally have two reactions to foreign films: I'm totally entranced or I look at the screen like a monkey trying comprehend physics. For a long time, I was a perplexed monkey when it came to Antony but good timing and the right circumstances made me finally understand the equation. As such, I've been working my way through all his albums over the last year and <span style="font-style:italic;">Swanlights</span> has come as a welcome edition to my listening spree. At times, it's almost as if the songs are secondary to the voice but there is a deep current of beauty and surprisingly, anger running through this album. The highlight for me is the duet with Bjork where two of the most idiosyncratic singers on record trade lines like they're channeling operas from Mars. <br /><br />Other notable mentions:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">You Am I - You Am I</span>: their best album in years.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Corin Tucker Band - 1000 Years</span>: Not quite Sleater-Kinney but it's still a solid album.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer</span>: Fuck You is a great song and more than makes up for that terrible Band of Horses cover.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Bonobo - Black Sands</span>: Some early '00's electric throwback but really nice.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Hawk</span>: Yeah, that's some good shit there.<br /><br />Bullshit album of the year.<br />Sorry Sufjan, but you've gone from orchestral pop magic to obscurist electronic nonsense. May the Age of Adz be brief.<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-33273918215628103272010-12-07T17:36:00.005+11:002010-12-07T20:52:32.128+11:00The best of the year part 2<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_jk6PXDJm4I?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_jk6PXDJm4I?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Sun Kil Moon - Admiral Fell Promises</span><br />My heart broke a little this year when I read Mark Kozelek's long term muse, Katy (from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFQ4nuUuwNo">Katy Song</a>) had passed away. Having being a big <span style="font-style:italic;">Red House Painters </span>fan, this seemed particularly sad as it had coincided with my falling in love with his music again. There was no denying <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKRA7weVyLs">Carry Me Ohio</a> was an instant classic, it's taken me a long time to really catch onto <span style="font-style:italic;">Sun Kil Moon</span>. <span style="font-style:italic;">Admiral Fell Promises</span> is slightly different as it is largely Kozelek playing Spanish guitar by himself, singing these immaculate lullabies. At times, the guitar lines get a little Spanish-cheesy but everything is anchored by that voice - unmistakable and always haunting - which elevates even the simplest song to a place of beauty.<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/S4Q9zngV52U?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/S4Q9zngV52U?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Spoon - Transference</span><br />Spoon is another band that never made much sense to me until I heard <span style="font-style:italic;">Got Nuffin</span>. Then it all clicked into place and the skeletal beats, meandering bass lines and hipster cool suddenly made sense. Go, you hipsters, go!<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fheYx_ZPU18?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fheYx_ZPU18?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Sleigh Bells - Treats</span><br />Uh-oh, another hipster band. Heavy beats, scorching guitar lines, girly vocals - what's not to love? A bit repetitive but sounds good really, really loud.<br /><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_KZANuDcRO4?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_KZANuDcRO4?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The New Pornographers - Together</span><br />Last year was officially the year of <span style="font-style:italic;">Neko Cas</span>e for me so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I'd start exploring the <span style="font-style:italic;">New Pornographers</span>. While I'm yet to be fully converted, I'm totally infatuated with this album because it's Neko doing indie pop with this weird bombastic cello sound which reminds me of ELO (and I don't see this as a bad thing). I keep getting busted whistling along to <span style="font-style:italic;">Crash Years</span> when it's on my ipod - I can't control myself once the whistling begins.<br /><br />Final four to come later...<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-2293670295365770582010-11-29T19:17:00.010+11:002010-12-08T07:59:01.057+11:00The best of the year part 1<object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bHcxZz5P130?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bHcxZz5P130?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Superchunk - Majesty Shredding</span><br />I'm sure people will argue there are better albums this year (I know Kanye West would) but for me, if music is for pure visceral excitement and fun, this is my album of the year. I'm two years shy of my twenty year anniversary with Superchunk - I first heard them at a Livid festival in 1992 and went straight out and bought their albums. Our relationship has had its up's and down's but my Superchunk love is pure. Being their first album in nine years, it delivered a batch of quality tunes far beyond my wildest expectations - it is as the title suggests a record that royally shreds. This album just makes me want to pogo and play air guitar but it also plugs into that feeling of being past any semblance of youth but still wanting to dance. Proving (like Fugazi) that some of your greatest music can be written some twenty years into your career, this album is joyous, raucous and fun and far surpasses any other album I've liked this year.<br /><br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5Euj9f3gdyM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5Euj9f3gdyM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Arcade Fire - The Suburbs</span><br />For a long time, <span style="font-style:italic;">High Violet</span> was the easy winner for album of the year but the Arcade Fire made me re-think this in the past month. Both albums are slow growers that explore different areas of emotion - the National mine the abstract territory of loss and love but the Suburbs explores notions of place, space and time in a way that is simultaneously nostalgic and current. It doesn't matter if in the distant past you were a blonde haired scamp roaming the backstreets with a posse of neighbourhood kids (like myself) or a disaffected indie kid scuffing your checked vans in the 00's - this album explores the notion of belonging, home and escape. I find this album strangely haunting and affecting in ways I don't think I really understand yet but this section from the title track does my head in:<br /><font style="font-style: italic;"><br />So can you understand<br />Why I want a daughter while I'm still young<br />I wanna hold her hand<br />And show her some beauty<br />Before this damage is done</font><br /><br />The images of buildings from the 70's collapsing hit hard too - not sure why. The other thing I like is that <span style="font-style:italic;">the Suburbs</span> works as a full album that needs to be played in its entirety rather than a bunch of songs with a few I skip. I've always liked the Arcade Fire before but never really loved them. This album makes me love them.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/u5C2WVCruPM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/u5C2WVCruPM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The National - High Violet</span><br />I've written pretty <a href="http://torch-the-restaurant.blogspot.com/2010/05/high-on-violet.html">extensively</a> why I like this album. I stopped listening to it for a few months but a recent listen made it seem even more powerful - absence makes the heart grow finder I guess. <span style="font-style:italic;">High Violet</span> plugs into a sentiment that is instantly beguiling and affecting. It makes me want to drink wine and talk until 2am about past regrets, the present state of the nation and a future I can barely imagine. It's not for everyone but it's a dark record and a record for adults - and it's waiting for you if you're special enough to listen to it.<br /><br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qksTlo_1Tpw?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qksTlo_1Tpw?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="340" width="560"></object><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Deftones - Diamond Eyes</span><br />As I discussed in my last post, I am a bit of a metalhead at heart and I'm unapologetic for this. The Deftones are usually dismissed as a band that came out around the time of Limp Bizkit and are forever tarnished with the Rap-Metal tag. However, any close investigation reveals these allegations to be false. Their sound is equal parts Meshuggah and the Cure and lead singer Chino Moreno has long cited his love of PJ Harvey and Bjork which actually plays out in some of their music. They have at least one classic album to their name (<span style="font-style:italic;">White Pony</span>) and while <span style="font-style:italic;">Diamond Eyes</span> isn't in that league - it is a powerful and brutal record. Rising from a tragedy (their bass player was seriously injured in a car crash), this album has a singular focus that is both aggressive and cathartic. If anything, this band are the heirs to Faith No More - both bands that stretch the limits of the genre while still making you raise your devil horns skyward. If you like heavy music at all and can't appreciate this album, well, go back to listening to Nickelback because this is metal for serious music fans only.<br /><br />More to come...Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-37520125331881537912010-10-20T11:31:00.006+11:002010-12-15T20:03:51.318+11:00I was a teenage metalhead...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TL46LfN09bI/AAAAAAAAC7U/gMlDYA_LsHw/s1600/jaymzhairstylesyo8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 367px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TL46LfN09bI/AAAAAAAAC7U/gMlDYA_LsHw/s400/jaymzhairstylesyo8.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529921361490015666" /></a><br />I make no secret of the fact I was a teenage metal head. I listened to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and nameless other bands until Nirvana swept that all away. To be honest, my allegiance to metal was actually tested earlier when I started to fall in love with Jane's Addiction, Husker Du and Faith No More - all heavy but in other ways to be sure. Even so, I have still listened to Metallica on and off since I was about fourteen. I figure if you're going to listen to a metal band it might as well be a band called Metallica (seriously, if you step away from the legacy of one of the biggest bands in the world and look objectively at the name, it's pretty stupid). So, this last Monday I got to see Metallica live for the first time...<br /><br />I have to admit I was a bit trepidatious about it at first. I mean there is a part of me that clings to the Metallica of my teens (1988 on the Hetfield mullet watch above) - the lion maned front man who chugs jagermeister on stage with EET FUK inscribed on his guitar while leading a cyclonic, humourless riff monster through eight minute songs about pain and suffering - like, awesome! My eternal teenager loves those guys - I mean, come on, their nick name was Alcoholica! I remember when they toured with <span style="font-style:italic;">Justice For All</span> in the 80's and there was a riot which resulted in running battles between fans and police. That's how serious it was back then. Metal or death! Metal up your ass! METAL METAL METAL! My concern was that the post-therapy Metallica would be more Master of Ceremonies (Hello Cleveland!) than Master of Puppets (<span style="font-style:italic;">I'm your source of self-destruction!</span>).<br /><br />I need not have worried. Even though James Hetfield kept yelling out "Hello Brisssssbane YEAH!", the great thing everyone forgets about metal is that it is both fun and hilarious (unless you are a boy aged 14-18 and then it's very, <span style="font-style:italic;">very</span> serious indeed). So I sang along to most of the songs, threw some devil horns and had a great time. I bounced up and down to my favourites (BA-TER-RY!) and scoured my memory for songs long forgotten (I couldn't remember <span style="font-style:italic;">Motorbreath</span> off <span style="font-style:italic;">Kill 'em all</span> for the life of me). And just to make me feel better about missing the old days, they played a 10 minute version of the angular riff, tricky time signature dour fest which is the title track of <span style="font-style:italic;">And Justice For All...</span> - let's face it, if I was fourteen, I would have loved but at 37, I was looking for the exits. That ten minutes made me miss the all-entertainment Metallica which soon came back. They even dropped big black Metallica balloons (Metalliballs as I like to think of them) during <span style="font-style:italic;">Seek and Destroy</span> - this shit was off the hook. <br /><br />My second source of trepidation was that I was going to see them in bogan heartland - Brisbane. The thought of a 15,000 black clad bogan army descending upon me was a little horrifying. Would I get eaten alive? Would they notice that I wasn't metal enough? I shouldn't have worried because the crowd were the best bit of the night. I don't think I have laughed so hard at a concert because bogans love metallica like indie kids love skinny jeans and irony. I don't want to come across as mean but it was their enjoyment of the show that made it just that much more fun for me and my brother who went. Firstly, there was a guy dancing to the left of us like Magda Szubanski in this video...<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/simatCov_SM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/simatCov_SM?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />Seriously, you kind of see people doing that dance in old countdown episodes - some form of primitive bogan waltz. <br /><br />It was hilarious but I noticed the guys to the left of me laughing at him. I thought this was a bit rich as they were rocking back and forth in unison playing air guitar (like Status Quo). It was a hair farming frenzy as the moves they had been perfecting in their bedrooms for the last 20 years were finally on show in a place that they would be accepted. Bad dance guy was just as moved by the music but at least he wasn't pretentious about it? Pretentious how? Well, metal dudes on the left all had obscure metal band shirts on (you don't need to know who Voivod is) and stood stoney faced with arms folded when they played anything off the Black album (you know, when Metallica sold out) - a sure sign that they were serious fans, not like the rest of us posers. Metal dudes also had one other signature move which was to thrust their fist in the air at a right angle at the end of an awesome line in each song (the move is similar to a body builder flexing his arm muscle while raising it in a metal salute). I'd like to think of it as "By the power of Thor" move. It was apparent that they had either caucused earlier or they all thought the same lines were amazing as they all fist thrusted in unison too.<br /><br />The last guy I'd mention was in the stands and he reverted to some primal monkey-like state - bare chested holding on to a rail and jumping up and down and screaming. Did I mention that monkey had been infected by the rage virus from 28 days later? Madness, I tell you, madness. But there was many examples of this kind of behaviour and I stayed weeeeeeeeeell away from the moshpit.<br /><br />BTW if you see me, I'm happy to re-enact any of these moves for your amusement. <br /><br />Sadly, I have no photos as I left my camera at home but be rest assured that my hearing is still destroyed and yes, I'm listening to Metallica as I type this but the Black album because I'm a sell out...<br /><br />\m/<br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-35357457616019535292010-10-14T15:17:00.004+11:002010-10-14T15:44:34.822+11:00The Rules Part 1: The Bus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLaIjCHQiJI/AAAAAAAAC7M/Nr5Sma_qYl0/s1600/P1010296.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLaIjCHQiJI/AAAAAAAAC7M/Nr5Sma_qYl0/s400/P1010296.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527755728087976082" /></a><br />(I recently wrote some rules about road trips for <a href="http://blanketmagazine.com/">Blanket Magazine </a>and in my spare time I've written some more rules for life that I'll post here occasionally). <br /><br />Through necessity and convenience I catch buses most days. The reason is twofold, a) there is a bus stop at the end of my street and b) I find it harder for youth gangs to beat and rob me on a bus (they seem to dedicate their lives to train travel thankfully). However, even though bus travel is relatively common, some people seem to be baffled by the concept of communal transportation. So much so they make decisions that can only be described as stupid. As such, here’s the rules for the bus.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What? There’s a bus a-coming?</span><br />Hey lady, I take it from the fact that you are standing at a bus stop, flagging down and then entering a bus, you <span style="font-style:italic;">actually</span> want to catch one. So why is it that you get on and then take out your tardis-like handbag and spend five minutes rummaging around for change? Are you surprised you have to pay for a ticket? Listen, there’s only two people who travel for free on the bus and that’s Kanye West and crazy people. I ain’t never seen Kanye on the 426 to Newtown but I’ve seen a lot of crazy people. Do me a favour and just have your fare ready before the bus gets there.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Baaaah</span><br />So there’s no seats on the bus so you stand - <span style="font-style:italic;">but where do you stand?</span> Logic dictates that you move to the back of the bus to allow more people on and (spoiler alert) you actually have more chance of getting a seat if you’re standing near them. However, most people like to crowd around the middle exit because, obviously, that’s where it’s the most inconvenient for people trying to get off the bus. Seriously, this little flock of moronic sheep mutter and curse when you have to basically force your way by them because they’re blocking the exit. Hey dickhead, you’re a walking-talking OH&S liability, move out of the goddamn way!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sitting isn’t hard</span><br />There are numerous places to sit on a bus but unbeknown to many, there are a bunch of different styles of sitting. Let me break them down for you.<br /><br /> 1. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Normal Intelligent Human Position</span>: tries to sit in a way that allows the people around them maximum comfort.<br /><br /> 2. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Real Estate Agent position</span>: They sit on a seat but they put their bag, box or whatever on the seat next to them and refuse to move it. ‘<span style="font-style:italic;">Hey mate, is your inanimate object having a great trip? Too bad that 80 year old woman has to stand up while your bag enjoys the ride.</span>’ Short of taking a canoe on the bus, you should make room for anything with a pulse over your possessions. If you want personal space, buy a car so you can have your own four wheeled mobile bedroom for all I care. Another variant of this loser will take up the pram/wheelchair space oblivious to the struggling mother angling their pram around them.<br /><br /> 3. <span style="font-style:italic;">I am a Dickhead position</span>: So the bus has two seats next to each other near a window but you choose to sit in the aisle one to, say, avoid the sun or you’re getting off soon. You’re silently thinking ‘<span style="font-style:italic;">If they want a seat, they just have to ask.</span>’ Well, fuck you, I ain’t no mind reader, I just see a rude prick who is taking up more space than they need. The only caveat is that you’re getting off in a couple of stops and if that’s the case you should offer to get up for people if you’re so bloody vigilant about your upcoming stop.<br /><br /> 4. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Mighty Penis position</span>: Why is it some men have to sit with there legs so far apart they take up half the seat next to them? Dude, if you’re that well endowed that you have to sit like that, I’d seriously consult a doctor. That ain’t normal, it sounds like Elephantitis of the penis. Just close your legs moron...<br /><br /> 5. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Princess position</span>: This is when you have two seats together and the person sits in the middle of the two, arse cheek firmly planted on both. It’s a clever ruse because it’s not clear which seat they’re sitting on, do you perch yourself on the edge or ask them to move? Most people tend to do neither and look resentfully at this idiot hogging two seats to themselves.<br /><br /> 6. <span style="font-style:italic;">The Emperor position</span>: I call this the Emperor because generally it is always assumed by men. They sit in the middle seat of the back row, leg’s spread wide making it impossible to get past them to the other seats. So they sit there, surveying the land like a conquering fascist dictator and take up five seats instead of one. They also like to open the air vents in some wanton act of machismo which I can only guess is because they can’t open the window and put their head out the window like a dog. See Fido sit, see Fido drool...<br /><br />The solution to all this is to ask people to move and I do and often and if they are reluctant I push past them. There you go, rudeness in you promotes rudeness in me. If you just had even the vaguest sense of what was going on around you and some common courtesy, I wouldn’t have noticed any of this and I could be writing a novel or something...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">IPods are awesome</span><br />IPods are awesome. I cannot think of a single piece of technology that has improved my life in every way like the iPod has (except for when I go prematurely deaf at age 40 - 3 years and counting). I’m no audiologist but if I have earphones on listening to Fugazi and you’re sitting on the other side of the bus with headphones on and I can still hear your music, I’d say that’s because you’ve got it on TOO LOUD. Worse still is that some mobile music devices have speakers so at times I have had to endure other people’s crappy music taste. Did I really want to hear the Cranberries at 7:30am in morning on my way to work? And I think that junkie who played I wish <span style="font-style:italic;">I was a Punk Rocker</span> fifteen times in a row must regret that now... surely? It's more offensive to me that people have such terrible taste in music than the noise aspect but they go hand in hand I guess. Keep your shit music in the closet people and turn it down.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Thank your driver</span><br />Everyday and in every way I see bus drivers deal with a lot of crazy people in what seems like a pretty thankless job. I don’t know if they notice or care but a simple thank you might stop that driver snapping one day and driving a full bus load of commuters over a cliff one day. Just says '<span style="font-style:italic;">thanks driver, you're awesome</span>.'<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-63609309463544342932010-10-11T09:35:00.005+11:002010-10-11T10:14:17.488+11:0037<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLJG4pUPY4I/AAAAAAAAC6s/eKQEqEn3TqM/s1600/PA090362.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLJG4pUPY4I/AAAAAAAAC6s/eKQEqEn3TqM/s400/PA090362.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526557631714386818" /></a><br />So, I'm 37 and that's weird. It's weird because when I was 20 I couldn't even imagine being 35 so technically I have am now living in a period of my life which was previously <span style="font-style:italic;">beyond</span> my imagination - holy shit! It's weird though because I'm still throwing devil horns and playing air guitar to Superchunk in my lounge room like when I was 20 so maybe nothing has changed. Well, that's not true - everything has changed.<br /><br />I've just had a very reflective week where everything I did was reminding me of change and mortality. I re-visited my childhood home in New Zealand which I haven't been to in a good 22 years. I lived a reasonably idyllic childhood roaming the streets of a family orientated suburb near a university. There was lots of parkland to explore and university buildings to play war on with my friends. When my sister and I drove past our old home it looked exactly the same except the street had changed dramatically. The suburbs are now predominantly rented to students so the family homes of my youth are now populated with bare chested students lying on the front lawn drinking long necks. It's true, you can never go home unless you're willing to except some arsehole playing Nickelback or something at full bore at 3am. It made that Arcade Fire <a href="http://thewildernessdowntown.com/">page</a> all the more pertinent and sad.<br /><br />I also read Haruki Murakami's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-Talk-About-When-Running/dp/0307269191">What I talk about when I talk about running</a>, which is ostensibly, an exploration of his running, writing, life and encroaching frailty. It made me feel it even more so. While I've been lucky with my health, twice this year I've hurt my back and it aches and aches sometimes regardless of the treatments I get. For some reason this has struck me to my very core because it affects almost everything I do and I've never felt that before. I suddenly feel very mortal and wonder if I've been wasting my time as each passing day takes me further and further away from the clueless 20 year old I was. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLJG518bEXI/AAAAAAAAC7E/oxZE-VccOOg/s1600/PA100367.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLJG518bEXI/AAAAAAAAC7E/oxZE-VccOOg/s400/PA100367.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526557652284019058" /></a><br />That being said, it's not all doom and gloom as there is sweetness is my life and much to be grateful for (two of my favourite things are in this picture). But it's almost as if the clock is ticking that little bit louder and faster. I'm not sure what it all means but I've got a couple of weeks holiday and I think I'm going to dedicate my time to working out what I should be doing next...<br /><br />However, one thing about my birthday. My friend baked me personalised ginger biscuits which are awesome and yummy and almost all eaten.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLJG5WrExtI/AAAAAAAAC68/njkO5PvREr0/s1600/PA090363.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLJG5WrExtI/AAAAAAAAC68/njkO5PvREr0/s400/PA090363.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526557643889755858" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLJG4zMyGNI/AAAAAAAAC60/bSqYF-94eBA/s1600/PA090354.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TLJG4zMyGNI/AAAAAAAAC60/bSqYF-94eBA/s400/PA090354.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526557634367461586" /></a><br /><br />Yay - gingerbread!<br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-25490377967677566292010-09-30T17:16:00.006+10:002010-09-30T17:50:40.073+10:00Dark was the night<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TKQ6DGO9KsI/AAAAAAAAC6c/I09sfGdTem8/s1600/P9170324.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TKQ6DGO9KsI/AAAAAAAAC6c/I09sfGdTem8/s400/P9170324.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522602867950430914" /></a><br />Hi there, it's been a while but I think I needed a break from blogging and some time to be miserable and introspective (AND I wasn't blogging about it - <span style="font-style:italic;">why do I even have a blog?</span>). I'm looking down the barrel of my 37th year on this mortal coil and the eternal "what am I going to do when I grow up?" question has been rattling around the brain. It seems hard to commit to a course of action and when I do it's like the First National Hurdle Association of the Universe is telling me, 'nah, that's not it.' I'm a work in messy progress...<br /><br />Anyhow, the photo above was taken on a jaunt to Melbania. The main reason of the trip was to see the Tim Burton exhibition. Exhibit A: me and the batmobile...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TKQ_Bs00x3I/AAAAAAAAC6k/ZKHsJSHkGW0/s1600/P9170252.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TKQ_Bs00x3I/AAAAAAAAC6k/ZKHsJSHkGW0/s400/P9170252.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522608341508212594" /></a><br />My lord, the exhibition was fantastic but that guy's world view is bleak. Lot's of happy puppets hiding hideous monsters as well as creepy clowns - I'm sure a psychologist would have a field day in there. Melbourne also provided its requisite footy madness, great food/bars and record shopping. I also discovered some really cool functions on my camera that allowed me to take interesting photos with little to no skill involved. The cream of the crop is on my flickr site <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/du_husker/sets/72157624862031639/">HERE</a>.<br /><br />Today is the first day of some holidays for me and I'm heading over to New Zealand for a week to see my sister. Should be fun, I haven't been there (my hometown) since 1988. They used to have a department store called DIC - I wonder if they've changed that... Anyhow, if I have any interesting adventures, I'll blog the shit out of it.<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-3236217206346886332010-09-04T17:11:00.000+10:002010-09-04T17:12:40.879+10:00Finally - my analysis of Inception is complete!<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CLDSE7RHvno?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CLDSE7RHvno?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-47984684325132551632010-08-18T16:53:00.003+10:002010-08-18T16:58:30.238+10:00IdiotSheeeit I've been following my horoscope which said be careful of social networks and don't say too much so I've been avoiding my blog... well, maybe it's really because I've got nothing to say. So, in the absence of having nothing to say I've joined <a href="http://twitter.com/du_husker/">twitter</a>. Read more of my idiocy there...<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-66568331960011788012010-07-26T16:53:00.003+10:002010-07-26T17:08:39.220+10:00Election 2<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/H4BNbHBcnDI&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/H4BNbHBcnDI&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />Seriously, I only have a limited amount of time for sporting contests so after the World Cup, State of Origin and Masterchef, I have zero patience for this upcoming election. It's like watching two lice infested seagulls fight over a piece of mouldy bread - but they're seagulls that hate gay people, migrants(*) and human rights. The race to the bottom is thrilling in it's banality.<br /><br />What I want to know is this: in the 9o's, the Government defunded higher education and propped it up with international student dollars. These students were lured here with the promise of permanent residency and now that is going to be taken off the table in a frenzy of "we-hate-filthy-migrants-who-probably-eat-babies-and-steal-white-people's-jobs" rhetoric. SO what happens to the students already in the system and secondly, if you destroy the international student market, will you restore funding to higher education?<br /><br />Anyone?<br /><br />(crickets)<br /><br />Carry on then... <br /><br />*(For the record, I'm a migrant to this country - like pretty much ANYONE who isn't Indigenous).<br /><br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-9630550244064732412010-07-25T14:21:00.002+10:002010-07-25T14:24:05.432+10:00Crash years<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_KZANuDcRO4&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_KZANuDcRO4&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />This is my favourite song off the latest New Pornographers album. It sounds like Neko Case fronting ELO (+ whistling!). How could a thing of such beauty even possibly exist in this world?<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-28181610478561501852010-07-17T19:16:00.003+10:002010-07-17T19:26:11.709+10:00Election<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TEF1LtKYpGI/AAAAAAAAC6I/4T35a5JBs6M/s1600/election1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TEF1LtKYpGI/AAAAAAAAC6I/4T35a5JBs6M/s400/election1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494801864330880098" /></a><br />Oh god, not this again... Day 1 and I'm already bored. However, even at this early stage, I can 100% guarantee and commit to the promise that if Tony Abbott wins, I'm moving overseas within a year of the election. And as much as I think it could never happen (I mean Tony Abbott - PRIME MINISTER!!!), this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nQdS88O66w">person</a> votes.<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-63407831724395224772010-07-07T08:12:00.001+10:002010-07-07T08:52:11.591+10:00Double rainbow! (updated all the way!)<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OQSNhk5ICTI&hl=en_GB&fs=1?color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OQSNhk5ICTI&hl=en_GB&fs=1?color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />Yeah, we've all been there...<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MX0D4oZwCsA&hl=en_GB&fs=1?color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MX0D4oZwCsA&hl=en_GB&fs=1?color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />Now in autotune... I love these videos...<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-50395168214868753532010-07-04T19:21:00.007+10:002010-07-07T08:13:53.617+10:00Soundtrack of Your Life 3: The Curdling!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TDL2ffvU1hI/AAAAAAAAC6A/7qFfSv7DAjU/s1600/SOML.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 235px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TDL2ffvU1hI/AAAAAAAAC6A/7qFfSv7DAjU/s400/SOML.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490721916674430482" /></a><br />It was about a year <a href="http://torch-the-restaurant.blogspot.com/2009/07/soundtrack-of-your-life-2-sequel.html">ago</a> I undertook this little exercise where you get your itunes to score the soundtrack to your life. This year, I thought I'd do it again but also do a double feature and re-write the scenes to a horror film so it's not the same every year (YES, it will be an annual event). <br /><br />IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?<br /><br />1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)<br />2. Put it on shuffle<br />3. Press play<br />4. For every question, type the song that's playing<br />5. When you go to a new question, press the next button<br />6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool - first songs only<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Opening Credits:</span> Fingers and Toes - Screamfeeder<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Waking Up:</span> No Drop to Drink - Astronomy Class<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">First Day of School:</span> Burnin'/Too Long - Daft Punk<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Falling in Love:</span> Ball & Biscuit - White Stripes<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Fight Song:</span> The Train from Kansas City - Neko Case<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Breaking Up:</span> Gamera - Tortoise<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Prom</span>: Banned from the End of the World - Sleater Kinney<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Life is Good:</span> Trampoline - The Grates <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mental Breakdown:</span> Pearl's Dream - Bat for Lashes<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Driving:</span> The Fall Of The World's Own Optimist - Aimee Mann<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Flashback:</span> I Was A Kaleidoscope - Death Cab For Cutie<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Getting Back Together:</span> Say Aha - Santogold<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Wedding:</span> Colours - Jodi Martin<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Paying the Dues:</span> The Life & Death Of Mr. Badmouth - PJ Harvey<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Night Before the War:</span> Santa Maria - Bill Callahan<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Moment of Triumph:</span> Time to Pretend - MGMT<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Death Scene:</span> Thelonius - Common<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Funeral Song:</span> Excitable - Def Leppard<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">End Credits:</span> Sexy Plexi - Jack Johnson<br /><br />Oh man - it was going so well until the last two tracks. I was having a nostalgia fit about a month ago and downloaded Def Leppard's Hysteria - serves me right. And Jack Johnson - I thought I'd gotten rid of that pap. Oh well, everything else was pretty cool, except maybe the smooth RnB number for my Death Scene. <br /><br />But as mentioned, I decided that I'd write my own movie, this time a horror film. Fortunately, most modern horror films are filled up with rap-metal so my one Limp Biscuit song has to come up. So here you go: the soundtrack of my horror movie (The Curdling!) as scored by my itunes:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Opening credits:</span> Welcome Home - Radical Face<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Darkness descends:</span> I Found That Essence Rare - Gang of Four<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Chased by a maniac and killed in an unexpected way:</span> The Boxer - Simon and Garfunkel<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Next day - meeting the protagonists:</span> Temptation (Ft. Alex Turner) - Dizzie Rascal<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Hey, did you hear about that creepy murder?":</span> Uncle Phranc - Team Dresch<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Talk of Billy's party at the secluded lake house:</span> Yesterdays - Guns N' Roses<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Jeep ride with cheery teens:</span> Hospital - The Lemonheads<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Watched from the shadows:</span> Wonderful Life - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Tina goes swimming (uh oh):</span> Tire Me - Rage Against the Machine<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Oh my God! Is that Tina's bloody arm floating in the lake?":</span> Coming Right Along - The Posies<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Jeep's tyres are slashed, phone lines are cut, no mobile reception:</span> I Ain't Mad Atcha (Feat. Danny Boy) - Tupac Shakur<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Billy walks up the spooky deserted country lane to get help:</span> 1,000,000 - Nine Inch Nails<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Billy's decapitated head rolls down a hill:</span> Stay Alive - The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">BACK INTO THE HOUSE!:</span> Catfish Blues - Skip James<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">All quiet, plotting an escape:</span> You Never Know - Wilco<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mindy and Jim slip away to the bedroom:</span> Coney Island - Death Cab for Cutie<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Did you hear something?:</span> Sextape - Deftones<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Jim moves to second base, loses his head in the process:</span> Hot on the Heels of Love - Throbbing Gristle<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Teenagers about to have sex in horror movies always die horribly:</span> Lamb On The Lam (In The City) - Band of Horses<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Going down a dark corridor where no one can help you or hear you scream:</span> Holy Diver - Dio (DIO!!! YEAH!)<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Random token character, get's killed in front of everyone's eyes:</span> Color Me Once - Violent Femmes<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">RUN! MOTHERFUCKER RUN!:</span> Heidi's Theme - Decoder Ring<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Hiding:</span> Carousel - Iron & Wine<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The masked man revealed, it was Billy's twin brother Jacob who was always jealous of him:</span> Bring Me Down - Kanye West Feat. Brandy<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Surprise attack, escaping Jacob:</span> I Love Buddha - Monkey<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Cornered but then unexpectantly Jacob gets killed by Mindy (we thought she was dead!):</span> Wishing Well - Bob Mould<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">All huddle and console each other: </span>Rid Of Me - PJ Harvey<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Back at home, thank God that's over Mom:</span> Mexicola - Queens of the Stone Age<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Jacob's face at the window:</span> Wish I may - Ani di Franco<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Final credits:</span> Drain you - Nirvana<br /><br />Hmm that didn't really work although great final credits song. Need to work on that concept a little more...<br /><br />--Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1080861742368917251.post-28195253932383060182010-06-29T18:02:00.001+10:002010-06-29T18:05:13.877+10:00More Scott Pilgrim fun<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TCmo5ea0BdI/AAAAAAAAC5s/bg9Bx7pAhPk/s1600/scott1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 373px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0kLAqIN_Qqw/TCmo5ea0BdI/AAAAAAAAC5s/bg9Bx7pAhPk/s400/scott1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488103326299194834" /></a><br />Get Scott Pilgrimised <a href="http://www.scottpilgrimthemovie.com/avatarCreator/">here</a>...Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13439169949165545033noreply@blogger.com0