I don't really do the whole blog.

I'm too pure for you!
not really, I just don't have time. Oh well.

Lust, Lust, Lust

Got your attention? Good. I am a recent convert to the Danish indie duo, The Raveonettes, but my conversion was well timed it seems. The band's fourth full length album Lust, Lust, Lust reached record stores this past Tuesday. I had previously purchased the bands second album Chain Gang of Love the week prior and enjoyed it. The only downside to the previous album was the repitition of the gimmicky "all recorded in glorious B Flat Major" aspect. The band, despite mixing 60's bubblegum rock and roll with late 80's fuzz rock, has a tendency to fail in the diversity category. Lust, Lust, Lust (refered to as Lx3 from now on) tries to valiantly avoid old pitfalls, and does...most of the time. If the White Stripes' Elephant was about the death of the sweetheart, Lx3 is about the death of the sweetheart's dirty surrogate lover. Lust, death, and sadness permeate the album's lyrics, while the hypnotic whirr of the music is both soporific, jarring, and hauntingly hopefull. The album's first song Aly Walk With Me is a good melodic intro to the rest of the album. Sounding like Misirlou from Pulp Fiction if David Lynch had gotten hold of it, riffy guitars, mountains of noise, and Sharin Foo's melodic voice slink and crash along letting the listener know what they are in store for. Equally longing and jaded, Lx3 is the band at its least sweet, most dark, and most enjoyable.

http://www.myspace.com/theraveonettes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SMPjXsnD8k

Foreknowledge aka unmotivated theological post

Many people claim to believe in predestination, but with the qualification that God "knew" who would choose him and who wouldn't, so those were the ones he chose to save. First off, this idea seeks to play with a PC God, one who delivers out judgement to the unworthy, but redemption to the worthy. This has too high a view of man (all sinned and fallen short of God's glory) and too low a view of God (his Will dependent on our choice). Outside of that issue, the word "foreknew" always gave me a bit of a hangup. I knew that my salvation was not dependent on my choice to accept God or not (and thank heaven for that!). In a technical sense the choice was mine, but by the very definition I don't put too much stock in my "choice" (one cannot resisist the irrisistable after all).

It wasn't until my Junior year Theology class that it was explained why I was having such a quandry. the word used for "knew" or "knowing" means knowledge, but in the "Biblical sense" (i.e. Adam "knew" his wife and she conceived). Fore, obviously means prior to, or before. For those God foreknew, he also predestined. For those God chose to love, he also predestined. Thank God his choice didn't depend on mine.

More Gobias industries?

http://imdb.com/news/wenn/2008-02-04/

Arrested Development' Film Planned?

Actor Jason Bateman has confirmed plans are underway for a movie version of cancelled TV sitcom Arrested Development. A rumored meeting between the star and series creator Mitch Hurwitz late last year fuelled speculation a big-screen adaptation of the cult show was in the pipeline. And now the Juno star has confirmed the cast has received calls from executives asking if they would be interested in reviving their roles once the ongoing Hollywood writers strike is over. He tells E! News, "I can confirm that a round of sniffing has started. Any talk is targeting a post-strike situation, of course. I think, as always, that it's a question of whether the people with the money are willing to give our leader, Mitch Hurwitz, what he deserves for his participation. And I can speak for the cast when I say our fingers are crossed."

as long as they don't screw it up, oh the joy.

Satan Said Dance

Update-thingy! Actually I have but few tidbits to ruminate over. I have been obsessing over Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, they are really quite extraordinary. Josiah and I have been collaborating on the film for this semester, and still have not quite finished. I need to finish my short story. I purchased Fanny and Alexandria as well as Spartacus last night. Excitements. Huzzah for St. Bernadus 12, a most excellant brew.

Goodnight sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

Just to drop in

so, life has been beyond crazy. I felt the need to drop by and say that I am teaching Sylvia Plath for the next three days. Each time I re-read her stuff I can't help but be putty in her hands. Her verse never fails to leave me feeling like I've just read beauty for the first time.

Kevin Barnes as Tobias Funke, Creative Stagnation, and the Missing Digit Found!

Due to technical difficulties, Of Montreal didn't actually begin playing unti l12:30 a.m. As the concert was in Athens, it was a long night and a long drive home. It was worth it, if even for the sole reason that the band came out dressed as the Blue Man Group (with Kevin Barnes half-blued, be-spectacled, and sporting nothing but teeny-tiny cut-offs). Barnes and Co. put on a great show despite the late hour (we had arrived at 7:00 and had been standing since that time). Its an odd phenomenon being front and center. The majesty and "oh my gosh! I'm right in front of 'insert famous person,'" factor is somewhat diminished. The concert wrapped at about 2, and finally got into bed around 4. I can't do the long night, crazy college thing like I used to. Unfortunately, The Past is a Grotesque Animal, Cato as a Pun, and Art-Snob Solutions were missing from the set list, but the inclusion of Purple Rain and several new songs made it worthwhile.

My creativity needs refilling. I know what has to happen to finish my story, but I can't seem to get there. If you are reading it, please bear with me.

In light of new discoveries, Tyrannosaurus Rex actually sported tres metecarpal digits rather than two. How could over a hundred years go by without scientists knowing about it? You got me. Apparently Scientists have long suspected this, as the bone structure of the hand lent itself to three fingers. The finger itself is rather small and miniscule compared to its other hand mates, so all in all it doesn't make too much difference (like discovering that Dromeosaurus could solve linear algebra equations for example), but still interesting nontheless.