There’s not much I can say about this clip, having not seen the full episode. But there’s something particualrly strange about this Glenn Beck clip. If this woman speaking at 7:38 is a real doctor, why does her coat say “Richard”?

Glenn Beck: 10/06/2009

If you had asked me last week what the biggest threat to the artistry of music was, I would’ve replied one of two responses:

1) Albums that indulge celebrities’ whims

Track 3: Lay Your Head Upon My Awesome Rack

2) Auto-Tune and it’s ability to pitch correct any singer into a modern-day eunuch.

AutoTune: The Voice of our Generation

Neko Case, singer for The New Pornographers, solo artist, and goddess on Earth had this to say about Auto-Tune:

When I think about Jackie Wilson or the Platters and then I think about modern, Top 40 music that’s really horrible, it makes me mad. Singing isn’t important anymore. I’m not a genius– if I had been around during the time of Jackie Wilson or Rosemary Clooney or Patsy Cline, I would be shit. I would be singing in some bar somewhere for $5 a week and that’s as far as I would ever go. But I’m living now and I write songs, it’s different. There’s some part about the craft of singing– craft is too important of a word, I hate that word but I just used it anyway– in a lot of places, it hasn’t really made it. It’s not to do with the people who are doing it as much as the people who are producing it. There’s technology like auto tune and pitch shifting so you don’t have to know how to sing. That shit sounds like shit! It’s like that taste in diet soda, I can taste it– and it makes me sick.

But now, a greater threat has emerged: Microsoft Songsmith.

These previous obstacles were nothing but a distraction. Sufficiently fed off the sorrow of music lovers, Songsmith rises from their shadow towering above us all. It is then that we realize that the potential for its evil was always around us, but somewhere in the balance between life and death something happened that allowed this technological devil to be summoned. Perhaps Bill Gates realized he was tired of lying in his house made of money and that the world needed something interesting to happen. To Mr. Gates, all music being reduced to five pre-set melodies and rhythms is “a good day”.

This is the equivalent of SkyNet from “Terminator”. This will bring about the End of Days.

Neko Case interview with Pitchfork

Thanks to Jhonen Vasquez for talking about this via Twitter

Taken from my own blog, The Quandtum Theory. I thought you readers needed to know about this pressing issue.

Though it seems to be based on rumors, the sheer possibility that it’s true is too ironic not to mention.

The New York Post is reporting that Ann Coulter, the neo-conservative siren, has had her jaw wired shut. For those who don’t agree with Coulter’s radical views, take this as a chance to enjoy the world being a little less crazy until she recovers.

Read the short blurb here.

I still like to subscribe to the idea that Coulter’s entire brand is fake and created just to sell books (as seen in the clip from The Boondocks below). If not, I can’t comprehend someone is that ridiculous and filled with that much hate. [Clip NSFW]

This column was posted to the Indiana Daily Student website Tuesday, November 3.

As you read this, I’ll be volunteering during Election Day. I’ll be providing backrubs, hot towels and words of encouragement to those in line to vote. I look forward to the chance to converse with my academic peers, many of whom are voting for the first time.

It’s been strange to see apathy turn into passion toward government this fall, especially as one who once decried the uninterested attitude of my generation. I sometimes think the best thing would be to reinstate the draft to finally force those with their heads in the sand to actually take an interest. Vietnam showed us nothing says “I suddenly care what policies my government enforces” like a draft card.

I used to have an elitist view that I was generally more educated in the ways of Washington. This was dangerous thinking.

David Hume once said, “When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken, giving views to passion without that proper deliberation which can secure them from the grossest absurdities”.

I’ve seen some take amazing strides into this world of legislation and speeches, making points and arguments I hadn’t considered before or for a long time. Just like refusing to try new flavors of jelly beans, we stifle our growth as people if we don’t consider everyone’s opinion valid and worthy of a chance to be heard.

Some of this resentment from the more politically seasoned might be due to the process of becoming jaded the more you involve yourself in government. There’s a bit of jealousy to see someone so optimistic about government and what the president will do in office. I have this same feeling towards those who think Santa is real, pining for the days I thought magic was real and someone was always watching me besides the CIA.

The feeling is strikingly similar to the music scene. Having followed Obama since his 2004 Democratic National Convention speech was like being a rabid fan of a band before MTV sweeps them under its corporate wing to be exploited and placed on Slushee drink cups. His weekly podcasts were like his first LP. His television special that aired last week was like a sold out arena concert; something Obama’s rallies are often compared to.

Obama is an excellent candidate to vote for, and based on polls of young voters, it seems a large majority agrees. The sad fact, though, is some who are so enthusiastic about Barack’s message of change will realize over these next few years that not everything on his platform will happen. The reality of bureaucracy is that Obama will spend most of his time trying to fix mistakes from the Bush administration, and knowledge of that makes us cynical when we see someone so happy about possibilities. As much as I’ve been harassed by volunteers, I applaud these people for choosing to be active on a Saturday morning going door-to-door instead of sleeping through a hangover.

This is the most refreshing thing I’ve seen the entire election. Kids pushing not for a candidate, but for voting itself.

This column was posted to the Indiana Daily Student website Tuesday, October 20th

Imagine you just finished production on a movie. With your job done, you wait for the release of the film so you can finally bask in your accomplishment.
But there is one last obstacle you have forgotten: the film critic.

Sitting comfortably in his theater chair, the critic spends a few hours picking apart what you spent months putting together. I actually feel a twinge of sympathy for even the worst films that get destroyed by critics. There must have been at least a few who did their job well, only to see a significant part of their lives receive a “D-.”
Justin Babin of “Disaster Movie,” I’m talking about you.

Among the movie critics, there is one who rules over them all with an iron thumb: Roger Ebert.

If “movie critic” was a category on Family Feud, this man would be an instant win answer. In my hometown newspaper, he is the only word on the subject. I’m never a fan of receiving information from a solitary source, but the position could be in worse hands.

Last week, Ebert reviewed “Tru Loved,” a film so indie I could only find five other reviews online. In 700 words, Ebert tore the film apart in every area.

I’m not defending “Tru Loved.” I have viewed the trailer, and the criticism seems just. What has me stirring in my standard dorm chair is that at the end of the article, he drops the bomb that he walked out early.

Ebert’s aware of the problem and claims “the rating only applies to the first eight minutes”, but this raises ethical questions about reviewers. While Ebert hasn’t walked out of a film since 1980 with “Caligula,” what about other film critics? How often do they slip out the back to catch the early train home and give a false review?
Most film reviews fear spoiling the plot of the film and avoid specific details, choosing instead to talk about broader concepts. The potential for dishonesty is there.

Criticism of any form of art should never be taken that seriously. All it takes is a good reputation or a silver tongue and a critic can bestow on anything the vague term “good art.”

Where Ebert fails his readers is by giving a bad impression about the entire film. What if that movie miraculously became better after the first act?
We will never know, thanks to Roger.

While the review explains Ebert’s action, the “one star” rating will be scanned by many readers without going further.

Reviews are best utilized by not paying attention to the final score, just the specific details on why the piece was given that evaluation. A Michael Bay film may be panned for excessive explosions, but there are some people who would rather see two hours of pyrotechnics than “There Will Be Blood.”

While I respect the man’s knowledge and found the review an interesting commentary, I’m not going to rule out that he could be wrong. After all, he did give a favorable review for “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan.”

I’ve been a fan of For Tax Reasons for a while. They’re made some Adult Swim-worthy cartoons about general nerd topics, but I completely support this political endorsement. Even if you’ve never seen an old G.I. Joe Cartoon, this is hilarious.

And it should be said. NSFW

This column was posted to the Indiana Daily Student website Tuesday, September 23rd

It’s said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. This seems to be no truer than right now in the film and television industries. We as viewers are being swarmed by remakes or reinterpretations of properties thought long dead. Name any intellectual property you’ve enjoyed over the last twenty years, and chances are someone in Hollywood is scheming to make it again. Except this time it will star Shia Lebouf and a soundtrack by Linkin Park.
From a business perspective it creates an initial audience before the first minute is shot. Did you like “Transformers” as a kid? Then you’re going to see the Michael Bay summer blockbuster. “Knight Rider”? Well, there’s a new NBC series this fall (with Hasselhoff in tow). The executives have realized our love for nostalgia gives them a cash cow in ideas they merely need to recycle and update.

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I’ve been eagerly waiting for the VP debate since the candidates were announced. Some of my first thoughts when Palin and Biden were official was “I cannot wait for them to go at each other”. We’ve seen Obama and McCain’s debates and had a faily good idea what to expect last week in their first contest. Biden and Palin are unknowns in this regard. I’ve seen Biden in the Democratic primaries, but Palin’s public speaking has comprised of a rousing convention speech and her gaffs in front of ABC news. I’ve been looking forward to this contest expecting an entertaining roust of Palin as Biden says the things that Obama can’t (or risk dstroying his message of new politics).

Even after this week, the SNL skits, and the unflattering news coverage, I think Palin’s going to be ready for tonight. The GOP knows what the Democrats are likely to go after them on, and both VP candidates have been training like Rocky Marciano for tonight. After not being able to name one singular law case besides Roe v Wade, I’m sure her aides have sat her in front of a law text book for a few hours. Unfortunately, I don’t think this will end McCain’s campaign tonight.

If I was Palin, I’d wait for my chance to strike. Stay on the defensive and bide my time until Biden says something easily misconstrued or unpresidential and pounce.

I’ll have my popcorn ready on the couch tonight, but I’m expecting more of a long drama instead of a Michael Bay blowout.

I’m sure my problem with the bailout is similar to a lot of Americans: I lack the deep financial understanding to really be sure 700 billion dollars will take care of things. Sure I can be educated on the general strategy and idea, but it requires me to trust the word of the same politicians who are getting an extremely large amount of money. Nothing says “you can trust me” like a man wanting money from you.

Emotions get the best of us and its hard to justify a bailout to what literally is “The Man” while small businesses and families are suffering. 3 million college students could have their tuition paid for with this bailout. As a man struggling to pay for academics myself, its pretty tempting to look at this crisis and say, “let them eat it”. A lot of my opposition to the bailout is that our country is infamous for racking up debt, and this seems like another few billion to tack onto the bill. We’ve been able to get away with not paying because of our status as a world power. What if that changes? What if our government becomes just like the banks they are bailing out, racking up charges they really can’t pay? I know this might seem crazy, but maybe we as a people need to be punished for once. Perhaps the hits people will take without government intervention will wake some people up that things aren’t ok, and that they need to change.

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