I can't stop listening to .... Cee-Lo

New track from Cee-Lo that is entirely too catchy. Not safe for work for the five of you who happen to read this.

I can't stop thinking .... driving is Beijing must be a fate worse than Hell

Saw this today and was probably more incredulous than when I saw the tiny pencil tip sculptures. 62 fucking miles long? Weeks to clear? What could possibly worse?? Oh I know, having gypsies/nose bears incessantly pestering you and offering their wares at exorbitant prices when you have no where to go to escape their terror. Seriously though, how many people will literally die sitting in this traffic? Hundreds? Thousands?? I think I'd have to place that slightly below being burned alive and above crucifixion on the continuum of awful ways to go.

I can't stop wondering .... how the hell he did this??

I'm still trying to figure out how long these took this this artist to do. Truly amazing and I can't begin to imagine how frustrating it was every time the tip broke.  My guess is he used something other than a #2 pencil.

I can't stop reading ..... the 100 greatest magazine articles of all time

On vacation this week so I'll keep it short and sweet. This is a compilation put together with the help of a bunch of contributers of the 100 greatest long-form magazine articles of all time. The list is separated by decades with the articles receiving the most nominations appearing at the beginning. Two articles I've posted before made the list, the article on hospice care, and the article on the death penalty and the arsonist from Texas. The list gets updated so check back from time to time.

I can't stop listening to...Menomena

A few years ago it seemed like every band I liked was from Portland, moved to Portland or had been from Portland Portland was like epi-center of my musical world. This meant two things; one I pretty much was only listening to music made by white people and two, I thought I wanted to live in Portland. The former has remained true by and large (With some obvious and notable exceptions) while the former can just be added to the long list of things I was wrong about in law school. See, I visited Portland and it wasnt really that cool. The city's shtick was easy to identify and wasnt really that amazing 1) Portlanders are always drinking something, probably coffee or beer, often in rotation to mix the uppers and the downers 2) They hike more than you or I ever will and dress the part with regularity 3) They care less than you 4) They are whiter than you (Arizona should probably just look at what Portland did if it wants to rid itself of Latinos, as its the only city in America I have ever been to where I literally did not see a single Latino/Latina) 5) They are more apathetic than you and will go great lengths to prove to it and 6) They dont respect Kevin Pritchard, which is a joke (google it).

Despite my falling out with Portland, I am mature enough to realize that the city may have a few redeeming qualities even if the hipsters have ruined it. One of those redeeming qualities is Menomena. I'd say they are in my top 5 bands but we all know every band I like is in my top 5 bands I like so thats really a meaningless title to award them. But they are good. They just released a new album, Mines and its good to quite good. Here are a few tracks from it. Their earlier work is also pretty great, so check that out too.

Menomena - Taos


Menomena - Lunchmeat


Menomena - Lunchmeat

I can't stop reading .... about hospice care

I posted another article by Atul Gawande a while back that dealt with health care costs by looking at two towns in Texas. This excellent and at times tear-jerking article deals with looking at reducing health care costs and improving quality of life through the use of hospice car. The article hit close to home on several fronts, but I think anyone regardless of past experience can relate to what he talks about. The article does an amazing job of describing the dilemma physicians face when talking about end-of-life-care as a result of society's view of death. I still blame the GOP for mischaracterizing, nay, lying, about "death panels" when health care was being debated and causing reimbursement for counseling to disappear, but I realize now the problem goes much deeper than that. More than anything, it comes down to a choice between the societal ideal of fighting death to the bitter end or giving up the chance to be healed and focusing on enjoying life and minimizing pain.

I'd like to thank Mike for being the bigger (read: more weak-willed) man and finally posting. The blog is back at least until next month when it's been another six weeks since his lazy-ass has posted.

I can't stop listening to...Robyn

I like pop music. I am not ashamed of it nor do I think I need to apologize for it. Within the genre of pop music, I would say I am inclined to gravitate to women pop singers of a certain age (usually under the age of 18, certainly never over the age of 25). These girls are so capable of capturing my entire emotional range in a 3 minute song that its scary - OMG, how did Miley know that hearing Jay Z makes me feel at ease even in the most uncertain circumstances?! And Taylor's ability to capture what true love is like makes me cry sometimes (granted I always envision myself as the Romeo part, but you get the picture - LOLZ).

Anyway, Robyn isn't that kind of pop music. Yes, she is a female but she is actually a woman in her 30s I believe. I know most of you think thats the era when most pop singers should be posing in playboy to regain the spotlight, but she is something entirely different. This is like good music that just happens to be in the pop genre. Here are a few songs from her most recent album and they are really good - I hope you enjoy them. In terms of Swedish imports she has already cracked the top 3 and who knows what her ceiling is? (First is obviously Peter Forsberg while second I would say goes to the young Mrs. Tiger Woods).

Robyn - Cry When you Get Older

Robyn - Dancing on my own

Robyn - Fembot

PS - If anyone cares, this album is 5 bucks at Amazon for August.

I can't stop thinking ..... Anonymous is a moron.

A few weeks back, Anonymous, who I'll refer to as Chris Clare, predicted this blogs demise within 4 posts. Well like a phoenix rising out of Arizona, this is post #5. Mike promised Chris Clare his comeuppance and I'm here to deliver it. See Chris isn't just an idiot for incorrectly predicting the downfall of our vastly superior blog. He's also an idiot because he's now a Charlotte sensation. He's even gotten shout-outs from the managing partner at his firm. Hell, even lawyers at other firms in the area know his name. For what you ask? I'll leave this certificate created by one of his co-workers to explain. I hope you enjoy one of the many examples as to why Chris Clare is a moron.

I can't stop reading ..... articles that are getting me amped for the World Cup

In case you don't watch TV or peruse the interweb, the World Cup starts this Friday. It's going to be tight. I'm going to watch it. A lot of it. You should watch too. Here are two interesting articles that should help get you interested in it. Both touch on why the US trails the rest of the world in soccer through examining two different subjects. The first is a brief profile in the New Yorker  goalie Tim Howard. I had known he had Tourettes, but had never read much about how it affected him, and this article talks about that.

The second is a feature in the New York Times Magazine about a youth soccer academy in Holland. It's a really interesting look into the business of international soccer, in addition to an examination of the different approaches to grooming youth talent. It's borderline, nay, it's downright creepy how much the kids are treated like assets rather than, well, kids, but it's as good an explanation as any as to why we can't seem to produce any world-wide soccer stars. The Cup starts Friday, and on Saturday at 2:30 we play England and hopefully go Revolutionary War on their dumb asses.

Update: Here's a link to the Sports Guy's podcasts that Mike repped. In addition to the Steve Nash pod, I highly recommend the Michael Davies podcast and anything involving Joe House, just because House should be our next president.

I cant stop thinking...Josh is a little bitch

Dear Josh aka Baby Trotter aka the man formerly known as the Birdman before he became too cool to have fun -

I am alive. I drive the readership - without me there is no blog - the readers just come here in hopes that I have posted the next amazing song, put them on the next great TV show or let them be privy to my acerbic wit. No one cares about your food cravings, and your musical taste is merely derivative of things that I have introduced to you. I am officially reclaiming the blog. Readership - rejoice in being entertained again and not having to deal with Josh's dumb posts. My only worry is that you have given up on the blog because Josh has bored you.


As my first gift you all, I give you the Roots and Ice Cube playing Straight Outta Compton. The Roots are Jimmy Fallon's house band and as such, they often play with the musical guests. Ice Cube was there to promote his new show, Are We There Yet? (which I'm sure Josh will feature in a I cant stop watching post any minute now) and they played this during warm-ups. Its

Ice Cube and the Roots - Straight Outta Compton

Love,
Michael

As

PS - Chris - you are also a bitch and I will deal with you very soon.