Sunday, October 30, 2005
I'm gonna put in a plug here for Random 1, a new series debuting on the A&E channel this Tuesday at 10. It's a reality show in which the hosts/creators perform good samaritan type deeds for strangers, and it was shot all over the country and produced here in Baltimore. A good friend of mine works on the show as an assistant editor, so check for Mr. Bartolomeo's name in the credits. From what he's described of it to me, it sounds interesting just because, unlike a lot of these reality shows about helping people, they show what happens even when things go badly. There was an article about the show in the Baltimore Sun last week (bugmenot). New episode every Tuesday, but of course, it's cable so they rerun it throughout the week, and there's rerun times listed on the A&E website.

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Friday, October 28, 2005
top ten:

1. System Of A Down - "Hypnotize"
2. Trick Daddy featuring Tre+6 & Deuce Poppi - "SNS / Roland (skit)"
3. Apollo Sunshine - "Lord"
4. Private Eleanor - "Photocopy Of A Photocopy Of A Photograph"
5. Tyree Colion - "Bass Drop"
6. Mark De Gli Antoni - "Hong Kong"
7. The Rolling Stones - "Can't You Hear Me Knocking"
8. Blink 182 - "Not Now"
9. INXS - "Don't Change"
10. Fine Young Cannibals - "Good Thing"

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Thursday, October 27, 2005
Being a fan of Sports Night, I'm hyped about the news that NBC just bought Studio 7, a new series from Aaron Sorkin that once again revolves around the behind the scenes of live television (this time an SNL-type sketch comedy show). Even if it's a total thematic retread I'll be cool with that as long as it's anywhere near as well cast and executed.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2005
My article about Baltimore rapper Mullyman is in the City Paper this week.

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Tuesday, October 25, 2005
This site (link via Cocaine Blunts) is fucking amazing. I want to print that page out as wallpaper and cover a room in my apartment with it.

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Monday, October 24, 2005
Happy birthday to this blog.

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Saturday, October 22, 2005
Happy birthday to J.G.

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Thursday, October 20, 2005
in my stereo:

Bossman/DJ Envy - This Is A Warning mixtape Vol. 1
Tim Trees - Dalton... Vol. 1
Ms. Tris Beats - The Fall Collection, Vol. 1
Unheard Of a.k.a. Big Drew a.k.a. Big Whiskey - B-More's Hottest Beat Maker Beat CD
Ebony Eyez - 7 Day Cycle
Medications - Medications EP
Jeanjacket Shotgun - Collides Again
The Who - Who's Next
Fat Joe - Loyalty
Missy Elliott - Under Construction

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Wednesday, October 19, 2005
I have a Medications review in CP this week.

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Monday, October 17, 2005
Not really a White Stripes fan, but I'm so looking forward to when this video comes out and someone I know is in rotation on MTV -- ok, who am I kidding, MTV2.

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Movie diary

Friday, October 14, 2005
1. Finder's Fee
At first I clicked over to this when it came on TV because it's written and directed by Survivor/Rock & Roll Jeopardy host Jeff motherfucking Probst, and was kind of expecting it to be terrible, and visually it was pretty lousy, looked like a Lifetime movie or something. But it actually turned out to be pretty good. Kinda reminded me of Suicide Kings in some spots (buncha young guys trying to corner and get something out of old guy, twists ensue), but sharper dialogue and a little more character development. Includes Matthew Lillard being annoying, James Earl Jones being stoic, Robert Forster being grizzled and Ryan Reynolds not being Van Wilder.

2. Batman Begins
Saw this when we went to Delaware to visit my mom, for $2.50 a pop at the 2nd run theatre that used to be the first run theatre back when I lived there. Heard good things but was still kinda surprised at how good it was. I'm a fan of the 90's animated series and the Burton/Keaton flicks, and this was pretty consistent with the dark tone of those while still packing some new tricks. Christian Bale won me over despite initial skepticism, Michael Caine was good, Katie Cruise's character was surprisingly more than just an empty romantic foil, even if she wasn't up to playing it to its full potential.

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Thursday, October 13, 2005
This week in the Baltimore Sun there was a 4-part special report called On Their Own, where a reporter and a photographer spent a few months following 2 of the over 2,000 homeless students in this city. Worth taking a look at.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005
This week in the Baltimore City Paper I wrote Know Your Product, a round up of new local releases, with reviews of the Hamsterdam mixtape, Comp and Little Clayway. I'll be putting up individual posts for each CD with links and audio over at Gov't Names in the next few days.

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Monday, October 10, 2005
Over the weekend, my friends Mat and Emily hyphenated their last names, and J.G. and I went down to the Eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay to witness the event. Aside from the days of constant rain (I read in the paper this morning that it set a new 2-day record for rainfall in the region), and getting a little lost on the way, it was a great weekend. They've both got extensive graphic design experience and different creative outlets, so everything from the invites to the programs looked great and original. Whenever I get married, I'm definitely going to take some cues from them.

Mat put a lot of thought into the music too, from a great reception playlist to hiring his friend Mark de Gli Antoni as musical accompaniment for the ceremony. Mark is best known as a member of Soul Coughing, a 90's alt-rock band who history will, I suspect, not treat kindly, but he did some amazing work in that band playing a keyboard sampler in a live band environment back when that was still kind of a novel idea. And his 1999 solo album Horse Tricks is a really underrated piece of work. Mat's label has been sitting on the rights to release Mark's next album, most of which features 3/4ths of Soul Coughing doing more weird Horse Tricks-type stuff, for a while now, and it too is great and I hope someday soon it sees the light of day. I also hope that when Mat gets back from his honeymoon, he'll finish rebuilding his home studio so we can finish recording my solo album that we started recording at his old house 2 years ago, and that at some point I'll have the honor of officially being labelmates with Mr. de Gli Antoni.

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Saturday, October 08, 2005
top ten:

1. Maxine Nightingale - "Right Back Where We Started From"
2. Kanye West - "Roses"
3. John Mellencamp - "Cherry Bomb"
4. Mullyman - "Oh Baltimore"
5. Diablo - "Jail Flick"
6. Twista f/ Pharrell - "Lavish"
7. The Who - "This Song Is Over"
8. Tony Yayo - "Pimpin'"
9. U2 - "All I Want Is You"
10. Our Lady Peace - "Is Anybody Home?"

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Netflix diary

Friday, October 07, 2005
4. Constantine
I wasn't even sure if I was gonna watch this, and when I did, I had low expectations: it got lousy reviews, weak box office, and a lot of flack for supposedly not being faithful to the graphic novels it was based on. But man, I really liked this. Keanu did alright in it, although some other leading man could've done a better job of brooding and looking haggard in that role, and him being there unfortunately makes it seem like a Heaven and Hell version of the Matrix at times. But the rest of the cast was strong (even Gavin Rossdale and the kid from Even Stevens!), the story had some good twists, and the CGI all served up some really memorable imagery. Definitely a pleasant surprise.

5. Finding Neverland
This was pretty pleasant and enjoyable, with some sad bits. Reminded me a bit of Big Fish, although I didn't like it as much maybe because the way it evoked the power of imagination was an overly familiar story. Kinda funny to see Dustin Hoffman in there, considering he already did a Peter Pan movie.

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Monday, October 03, 2005
Much to the dismay of our team over at A Current Affair blog, ACA has been fucking cancelled. But we've started an online petition to protest the cancellation and save A Current Affair. Please sign it today.

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