Epinions Blows Dogs, Too?
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs. -- John Rogers (on Kung Fu Monkey blog) Stuff in Rotation. Note: this list occasionally includes (a) independent releases not usually listed in epinions' music database, and (b) commercially available music which cannot be found on the site. Explain that to me again. [Epinion's database/catalog/search/"write a review" thingy fellates canines with authority and vigor.] Imagine if this site actually worked ... Possible reviews to follow. Robert Cray Band:Nothin' But Love Simone Dinnerstein and Tift Merritt:Night Kat Edmonson:Way Down Low Gilkyson/Gorka/Kaplansky:Red Horse John Gorka:So Dark You See Steve Forbert:Over With You Robben Ford:Bringing It back Home Bill Frisell:All We Are Saying Steve Hackett:Genesis Revisited II and Beyond the Shrouded Horizon Norah Jones:...Little Broken Hearts Kaki King:Glow Mark Knopfler: Pribvateering The Lake Poets:The Lake Poets Sonny Landreth:Elemental Journey Led Zeppelin:Celebration Day Pat Metheny:Unity Band and The Orchestrion Project Pinback:Information Retrieved Jules Shear/Pal Shazar:Shear/Shazar Duncan SheikCovers 80's Richard Thompson:Electric Ron Sexsmith:Forever Endeavor Neil Young with Crazy Horse:Psychedelic Pill Peonese Spoken Here: I prefer my Peon status, thank you very much. I read old reviews of jkkelley just for the hell of it. My Thoughts on the Site: First off, I do my own thing. Epinions is just a place to dump the thoughts in my head for the most part.
I'm not a big "community" person (I am a blunt, natural contrarian and find the ridiculous enforcement of community norms to be one of the biggest drawbacks to the site) and rarely enter the message board nonsense zone. The asshats never shut up. If I do enter the message boards, I bring the absurdity.
My epinions are my own. I stand behind what I write, unless I change my mind. I do not "crib" my reviews, unlike a number of others here.
I have a low tolerance for comment-crapping. Comment-crappers can go scratch. Other Epinions' Truths. (1) I don't see the need for an ingredients list unless you're trying to poison someone. (2) People who use excessive exclamation points (!) in their reviews are usually full of crap. (3) I am convinced that people who use emoticons are people I don't care to know.
I also trust Sordid-1; Fez Monkey; Annexation; and SpookyMonkey, which makes me a bad person.
I'm not a critic. I'm just a fan and write about my likes/dislikes and other topics that interest me. People who think they are "critics" on this site usually write the reviews I avoid.
I comment when the mood strikes me ("snark" optional). I hope no one on my WOT (my preferred reading list) is a Dillweed. That's it. Who am I?
I'm married [wife K and daughter E] with two well-fed cats: Freddie (RIP) and Chester, and three dogs: Lucy, a Rough Coat Collie/diva, Katie, a Smooth Coat Collie-mix/diva, and Ashley, a Rough Coat Collie/Ingenue. I'm a member of the reality-based community and a proud blue stater---Jersey-born (exit 117) and raised (Monmouth County, near the shore). I'm into music [guitar-oriented, eclectic and electric, independent artists, rock/jazz/blues]. I enjoy concerts, art museums, bowel movements, and good beer [micros/imports]. I have an allegiance to good, high-quality toilet paper, Mallomars, Beer Nuts, Hostess Snoballs, Licorce Nibs, the Chicago Bears, and the Boston Red Sox.
I am also an avowed Pat-Head and if you don't know Pat Metheny and his music, I can't understand you either.
Ditto for my feelings on Eric Clapton, Michael Hedges, George Harrison, Leo Kottke, John Fahey, Mark Knopfler, Bruce Cockburn, John Hiatt, Stephen Bruton, Sonny Landreth, James Taylor, John Gorka, Steve Forbert, J.J. Cale, Ry Cooder, Jackson Browne, David Lindley, John Gorka, Steve Hackett, Peter Frampton, David Gilmour, Michael Manring, Stephen Stills, CSN, Neil Young, Richard Thompson, Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall, Ted Greene, Bill Frisell, Mike Stern, Wayne Krantz, Francis Doughty, Richard Leo Johnson, Pousette-Dart Band, Kaki King, Nils Lofgren, Bonnie Raitt, Shawn Colvin, Lucinda Williams, Robben Ford, and Eric Johnson, among others. Almost all of my faves play guitar.
That said, I'm a true music junkie unless it's something I don't like. That only reads like a dichotomy. Those of my generation (north of the 40 watermark) understand.
For the love of good music, check out the following from from independent artist, bassist Michael Manring: Soliloquy or the Book of Flame.
If you're a fan of acoustic guitar, check out these two offerings from independent guitarist Francis Doughty: Among Trees and Under the Sky.
Also, this independent jazz release from trumpeter Rebecca Coupe Franks is well worth listening consideration from serious jazz fans. Fun Facts:
I am not political by nature. I am a proud GDI, and if you have to ask you probably aren't. As a cynical optimist, I tend to distrust those who are self-described experts unless I'm bleeding.
I make a point everyday to read MUTTS by Patrick McDonnell and GET FUZZY by Darby Conley, as well as Pearls before Swine by Stephan Pastis. If you are unfamiliar with these comics, you're missing out on laughs everyday. If you don't like said comics, I suspect it's time to get your posterior stick implant adjusted. When in doubt, I can always get a laugh by rereading Rich Hall'sSelf Help for the Bleak. Gizmo and Moi: My late great dog Gizmo [1983-2000] was a true dog with a capital "D" and certainly this man's best friend. He lives on at our homepage and at the "justpaws" site of Chicago-area artist Pamela Staker-Matson. For more of her great pet portraits, check out the justpaws.com link above. My Beer(s) of the Moment: I'm drinking, period. Whatever you got, enjoy. Slainte!
One of my favorite personal beer reviews (and one of my own) is a nostalgic look back at a beer of my late father's generation--Schaefer Beer-- and a brew firmly in my 1970s memory bank.
Note: Chris Harford and his music is always on or not too far away from the rotation. Want to know why? See his web site at www.chrisharford.com Recommended albums: Chris Harford:Looking Out for Number 6 Chris Harford and the Band of Changes:Time Warp Deck Chris Harford and the Band of Changes:Sing, Breathe, and Be Merry 1989-2002 [compiliation] Chris Harford and the Band of Changes (with Sim Cain):Live at CBs 313 Gallery Chris Harford and the Band of Changes:Wake Chris Harford:Band of Changes Chris Harford:Comet Chris Harford and the First Rays of the New Rising Sun:Be Headed Stephen Bruton (1948-2009): "Waiting for a Long Time" from What It Is
(from Don Was, "My Damn Channel" site)
Stephen Bruton's five solo records are well worth hunting down: Stephen Bruton:What It Is (1993) Stephen Bruton:Right on Time (1995) Stephen Bruton:Nothing But the Truth (1999) Stephen Bruton:Spirit World (2002) Stephen Bruton:From the Five (2005) Deep Thought:. . . It’s called the American Dream cause you have to be asleep to believe it. George Carlin (1937-2008) The problem with some people is that when they aren't drunk they're sober. William Butler Yeats Dilbert (2/8/07)
Pointy-haired boss: “Wally, what are your goals for the coming year?”
Wally: “My goal is to replace my soul with coffee and become immortal.”
Pointy-haired boss: “I mean something about work.”
Wally: “Oh, I thought you said my goals.” White Collar Crime Penalty Idea. Take all the bankers, brokers, mortgage industry clowns, and hedge fund jokers that destroyed America's financial system. Line them up and have them drop their drawers. Instruct them to put their balls in a vise. Let everybody have a turn twisting the handle. Government charges a nut cracking fee for anyone wanting to take part. A dollar a ball. End of financial crisis. It's not torture because America doesn't torture. Republicans would rate a 2-for-1 special, just because...
