Devil in the what now?

I just started reading this book, "Devil in the White City," recommended to me by my dad. (I'm trying to be diligent and shit and read two books per week for the duration of the summer.)

Only on page 20, but it seems at any moment to be poised to morph into gay porn. Two quotes, same page: "Burnham took to Root immediately. He admired Root's white skin and muscular arms, his stance at the drafting table."

"Sherman liked Burnham. He liked his strength, his steady blue gaze, and the confidence with which he conducted the conversation."

Or maybe too much Oz viewing has warped my brain.

QotD

Napoleon's chief of staff, Louis-Alexander Berthier, tasked with organizing a hunt for his boss, got a thousand rabbits to the Tuileries. Unfortunately, he bought tame rabbits instead of wild ones. According to historian A.G. Macdonell, when the emperor took his gun and advanced into the park, the bunnies, "all thousand of them, mistook him for the man who provided their daily lettuce and leapt to their feet and charged towards him." Napoleon's marshals beat them off with whips, but some rabbits, being skilled in Napoleonic warfare, wheeled around on both flanks and reached the carriage of the escaping Bonaparte.

--Barbara Amiel

Picture of the Day

QotD

In honor of Oz, which I have been watching of late:

Augustus Hill: When Napoleon died in Exile, the doctors cut off his dick. They put his dick in an ornate jar and gave it to his priest; don't ask me why. Over the years, Napoleon's dick was sold and sold again to the highest bidder. To this day, at least three people claim to own Napoleon's dick. But you see, it's not important who owns the real dick. The big question is, well... who the fuck do those other two dicks belong to?

I think I love that show.

Desert Island Albums

Oh that eternal question, if I could only take 10 albums with me to the proverbial desert island...I have always wanted to make a list like this because I am nothing if not a huge nerd. Some obvious ground-rules: Best of Compilations are cheating. Self-mixed compilations are cheating. Ipods are definitely cheating. More than one album for each artist is cheating (except BNL, 'cause they are my favorites and this is my list and my rules, dammit).

1) American Idiot - Green Day. Rock opera is cool, yo.
2) Born on a Pirate Ship - BNL. Even though I'm not sure it hangs together as an album in any particular way, BOAPS is still pound for pound BNL's best collection of songs to date.
3) Either/Or - Elliott Smith. This was hard. Leaving off every one of Smith's other albums was *hard*. Thank God I'm not really ending up on a desert island anytime soon, or I might not be able to live with myself. Either/Or is my favorite Elliott Smith album, though, and it has to go with me.
4) Lost and Gone Forever - Guster. I believe this is Guster's best-produced album to date. However, however, "Come Downstairs and Say Hello" is my favorite song of all time, and it's on Keep it Together. So this was another tough decision. Ultimately, however, I was swayed by the existence of "Amsterdam" on KiT--that song has to stay the fuck away from me! It is just too awful.
5) Kind of Blue - Miles Davis. You know, for those mellow desert nights.
6) Rock Spectacle - BNL. I can't survive without that live version of "What a Good Boy." I really can't. Also, that panting at the beginning of "Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank" will never get old.
7) Automatic for the People - R.E.M. (although my version would magically have "Everybody Hurts" removed, 'cause I can't fucking stand that song).
8) Songs in the Attic - Billy Joel. Billy Joel has so many albums, and I've never really had a particular favorite. 52nd Street has my favorite Joel song on it ("Until the Night," which has my favorite song climax of all time); Glass Houses was my favorite of his albums for a long time; Piano Man is probably his album that I find most cohesive and that I listen to the most nowadays. But, really, Songs in the Attic is probably the best compromise. I love live albums.
9) A Rush of Blood to the Head - Coldplay. Say what you will about Coldplay and overexposure and overrating (and I know, people can say a great deal), but this is an amazing album.
10) The Vanity Project - Steven Page. I still can't believe I didn't think much of this CD the first time I heard it. This is why I have a self-imposed rule of listening to a new song five times before passing judgment on it. "Everything's the Same" is the best song on here; "Wilted Rose" is the most catchy; and "So. Cal" is my favorite to sing along to.

One final thing, on the subject of compilations. When I was a kid, my dad bought a cassette at the gas station called "Cruising Classics of the '50s and '60s." Johnny B. Goode, Travelin' Man, That'll Be The Day...that was the soundtrack of my childhood. Best fucking compilation ever. I wish I knew what happened to it. I would sneak it onto that desert island, rules be damned.

Found Art

This made me laugh...



..and this made me laugh harder...



The Internet is a wonderful place.

Ow

Somehow I have managed to sprain my thumb while...get this...while using the trackpad on my laptop. What can I say, I was laying on the couch at a not very appropriate ergonomic angle. Yes, I lead a pathetic life. Hurts like a bitch, too.

Sweet!

I am my favorite character. I always knew I was meant to be a hot, Constitution-trampling lawyer. Or, you know, John de Munch.


You're Alexandra Cabot!


Which Law & Order: SVU character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Teh Hot

So I've never watched the show "Grey's Anatomy" before, but I heard through the grapevine that last week's episode was, like, incredibly great and shit. Actually, I believe exactly what I heard was, "I didn't breathe for the entire hour this was on." And being the fan of high (and low) television drama that I am, I had to check it out.

Even though I knew none of the characters, it was a pretty gripping hour of television. Good editing, good camera work, above average dialogue. A little cliche at times, but it's a network medical drama after all--pretty hard to avoid the cliche. At the end, though? They totally killed the hot bomb squad guy. Why, why, why? He was so the best character in the episode. And also, you know, hot. Poor "Grey's Anatomy," I think they just lost their best chance to get me hooked on their show.


Yep, definitely hot.

Picture of the Day

QotD

Let us tell you something, Diane Neal. There is a line that you do not cross. And that line is sequins. But if you’ve crossed that line, don’t add velour to that. And if you’ve crossed that line, too, don’t wear a belt. Don’t wear you Casey leather jacket on top of it all, Diane Neal. And in the name of all that’s holy, don’t add a turtleneck to the mess.

Nothing justifies this outfit. Nothing. Diane Neal could have been sobbing, exhausted, possessed by a ghost and on crack when she picked this out, and I would still hold her responsible. What is going on here? What is it? It looks like a French poetry reading went terribly awry, as if a Disco party fell from the sky and melted into it. And the one question that pops into our mind, oddly, is… “The HELL?!” Where to start? By looking AWAY, people. The bag— the ring—my GOD, the sequins—it all screams Samantha Fox meets bag lady of the campus- “Touch me, touch me, but don’t touch my thrift shop goodies!” And she’s standing there, hand on hipbone, as if saying, “Oh god- darn it! I missed that memo that said that it’s no longer okay to wear reflecting clothes.” If we can see ourselves in your attire, Diane Neal, then it is a NO NO! Seriously, when you stand around in your outfit on a hot day and suddenly the earth diagonally to you catches on fire- then you’re doing something wrong. And unless you intend to hang from the ceiling in a retro club- GO HOME AND CHANGE!

Taken from the livejournal SVU community, a snippet of a quite hilarious post by "dancing_crazy"

Two Cathedrals, Annapolis and the Honky Bach

So on Saturday I saw the movie "Annapolis" at the theater. I hardly ever get to see movies at the theater anymore, and I'm usually pretty particular about what I'm willing to fork over nine bucks for. "Good Night, and Good Luck" was actually the movie I was intending to see (nine bucks for George Clooney? worth the investment every time), but exigent circumstances changed the plan at the last minute, and the only movie available was "Annapolis." And, you know, it was pretty bad, which was to be expected. What I didn't expect, though, was that I actually enjoyed the movie--based in large part on having a group of hilarious teenage girls sitting behind us. Usually it's pretty damn annoying having people provide their own running narrative of a movie, but these girls were freakin' hysterical. And they had the best sense of comic timing. (Semi-greasy horndog guy comes padding out of his room in his underwear? "Oh no, Uh-uh!" the girls cry. Other guy gets knocked out in the boxing ring? "They sure he still alive?" one asks. OK, that one loses something in the translation. You had to hear her delivery.) Seriously, by the end of the movie, I wanted to turn around and invite them to come home with me and live in my basement and provide commentary for all the movies and bad TV I watch.

Other impressions of "Annapolis": The movie itself was painfully dull, but the acting was pretty good throughout. I spent about half the movie vacillating between believing James Franco was playing the main character and thinking there was no way James Franco could have been made so unappealing looking. (It was him, in the end.) In my defense, he had the worst hair cut in the history of the military and somehow his bulking up made his ears stick out like Dumbo's. All in all, not the best look for him. The movie could have been a hell of a lot better if there hadn't been so much boxing, too. Seriously, they could have made a good movie about military academies and the rigors thereof, but instead they decided they would like to make Rocky Part 20 instead. Bad choice. The "Arkansas" character was cute and huggable, though, and even though his character arc was obvious as hell, I didn't foresee it. Of that, I am ashamed. I am not ashamed, however, of hating that "Loo" guy; he was such a kiss-ass fucker and then at the end James Franco was like all buddy-buddy with him and that pissed me off to no end. Heh, I think I invested way more in this movie than it was worth. Just, just...James Franco, please dude, get a better haircut before your next movie.

On a completely different note...Au and I finally watched the end of season 2 of TWW on Sunday. It made me quite nostalgic for the good old days of Sorkinese and smart TV and looking forward to every Wednesday night. Watching "Two Cathedrals," I kept trying to decide whether it was the best TWW episode of all time. Probably it is. Martin Sheen's soliloquy in the National Cathedral? Just amazing. And nobody does flashbacks like Sorkin. The end sequence, with "Brothers in Arms" playing--possibly the best editing I've seen on the show (although there is a similarly great sequence at the end of the fourth season, if I recall). Man, there is something about musical montages that really gets me. And great television in general. Damn. Sorkin is a freaking genius.

Speaking of genius, I have been listening to a ton of Elliott Smith lately. I can't believe I hadn't listened to him sooner. He is amazing. I was gonna make a list of my favorite songs of his, but then I realized that it would be easier to make a list of songs of his I don't like,'cause 99% of them are brilliant. I think my favorite is "Stupidity Tries," but really all of XO and Figure 8 are going to have a permanent spot on my playlist.

I do find it funny that Elliott Smith and a lot of other musicians I like supposedly have such a Beatles influence, and I can hear it, even in my musically uneducated ears...and yet, I really don't like the Beatles. Can someone explain this to me? I've always thought the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and U2 are the holy trinity of most overrated bands of all time. And "Hey Jude" would be their theme song--so fucking annoying. Does the end of that song even qualify as music?

Hmm, I seem to really be enjoying the hyperbole today. I like hyperbole. Also red Sour Patch Kids. They're the best, yo!

Show me the HoYay

I had the pleasure of explaining HoYay (aka Homoeroticism, Yay!) to a friend tonight. I had momentarily forgotten that "HoYay" is not some universally acknowledged film term, like the rule of thirds or something. It should be! HoYay makes everything better. (It should also be pronounced Who-Ya, as I pronounce it in my head, but that has yet to catch on, well, anywhere.)

Anyway, HoYay! It is good to see and fun to say. My brother is particularly good at detecting the HoYay, which is one of the reasons we get along so well. It's all about the subtext, people.

The following picture has no HoYay, but it is still one of my favorites:

QotD

and so i go from floor to floor looking for a port of call
another drunk conquistador conquering the governor's ball
i couldn't think of a thing
that I hope tomorrow brings
oh what a surprise
stupidity tries
--Elliott Smith, Stupidity Tries

Best of TWoP: Quote #257

add_duck: "You know, Aidan figured out that his mom was the killer, but why didn't he just wait until the jury convicted EvilMom? (I mean, we know Casey would never have gotten a conviction, but Aidan didn't know that) If he'd just let the case run it's course, it seems unlikely that Our Heroes would've pegged Dr. Quinn as the killer. It's not like they know she's a special guest star.

Topic for discussion: Which is hotter, Donna the Undercover Bar Slut, or FormalWear Liv in "Surveillance"? I'm voting for Donna, because, as wonderful as the view of the plunging back may be, I think the off the shoulder look is better for MH. Plus, Donna has better hair. But let's get a really good shallow debate going on the subject!"

Best of TWoP: Quote #853

spacedog: "And, I must say that I do not watch the L&O franchise to feel safe. For your information, Mr. Big, I watch it to fufill my lustful yearnings."

add_duck: "Heh. I think you've just spoken for the majority of this thread. I completely agree, L&O rarely makes me feel "safe." Episodes like "Contact" freak me out, even if Our Heroes eventually catch the bad guys. They couldn't prevent it from happening in the first place, huh? And then episodes like "Popular" make me feel unsafe because they teach me that some self-righteous cop might decide to stick his nose in my private medical business..."

Spacedog: "Yeah, I'm in constant fear that an extremely hot, blonde ADA is gonna show up at my door, and demand to search my house without a warrant. Wait...that's not a fear, that's another lustful yearning. Nevermind."

QotD

"You've presented a provocative theory. What it lacks in substance, it makes up for in pretty colors."
--Alex Cabot, Law & Order SVU

So I'm taking this for a test drive...

This one I do know why I have. Awww, Ed is cute.

Also, I've been spending way too much time reading the old Law & Order SVU thread on TWoP. My favorite post so far today:

Meanwhile, this line just rang strange: "Now the only people who can save them are the men and women sworn to protect them." I mean, that's an odd construction, isn't it? Kind of like: "Now the only person who can drive the bus is the bus driver." The hell?

From Learned Hand

That thread is better than crack.

The Things We Find Under the Bed...

For some reason, I have this picture saved on my computer. I'm thinking it's an old photo of the Supreme Court or something. Why do I have it? I don't know...Old white men in robes, so not sexy.

Quote of the Day

"You know, every day I get out of bed and drag myself to the next cup of coffee. I take a sip and the caffeine kicks in. I can focus my eyes again. My brain starts to order the day. I'm up, I'm alive. I'm ready to rock. But the time is coming when I wake up and decide that I'm not getting out of bed. Not for coffee, or food or sex. If it comes to me, fine. If it won't, fine. No more expectations. The longer I live, the less I know. I should know more. I should know the coffee's killing me. You're suspicious of your suspicions? I'm jealous, Kay; I'm so jealous. You still have the heart to have doubts. Me? I'm going to lock up a 14-year-old kid for what could be the rest of his natural life. I got to do this. This is my job. This is the deal. This is the law. This is my day. I have no doubts or suspicions about it. Heart has nothing to do with it any more. It's all in the caffeine."
--Frank Pembleton, Homicide: Life on the Street

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