Independence? Is that meant to be a joke?

A storm looms omniously today; hinting and powerful destruction and on what better a day? There would be nothing better to remind the people of this country how fiercely un-independent we have become than to have a storm hammer down its wind and hallow upon us.

I am fully aware that the preceeding statement are fighting words on such a patriotic of holiday. We have soldiers fighting abroad; my family among them... but I'm not sure most of us know why--or for what freedom?

Just a few questions that meander my mind as I see people today touting the flag and over-indulging on fatty food and filling their tanks. About 50 emails in the last few days with subject lines about God and Freedom and other such stuff--emails from people who really don't know me, or think I might change with just the right combinations of motivational messaging. People who never actually send me an email with any thought or personal sentiment--just forward and keep the machine churning. 1984 anyone?

It is predictable, to launch into a tirade of sorts on this prestigious of holidays... but all I have to say is if our supply of fossil fuel were suddenly to be cut off this country would fall in minutes. All I'm saying is that World Peace depends on the hangs on crude oil.

I can't help but be a little verbose, I've been flipping back through the Thompson, and I did watch Where the Buffalo Roam again this past weekend. Always nice to be surprised by the fact that Bill Murray can act from time to time; even if he hasn't done too much since 1980 to really prove that fact. I managed to also catch, finally, Oceans Thirteen yesterday after work. I loved it... a lot of homage is paid to Frank and the original as well as to the Godfather. And, I have to say, even if you don't know all the cast "in jokes" you don't miss the humor--that is the brilliance of the writing. In fact, if you do recognize the in jokes, it can be a tad distracting... but still quite humorous. I just have to note that I loved the ringtone Brad Pitt's character, Rusty, had during the movie: the midi of the Human League's "Don't you want me." Classic. And my favorite line (sheesh, to pick one?): "You're analog players in a digital world."

Poisoning the muzik

Tonight, I watched two videos... not an activity that I do very often, but I just couldn't help it. Poison has released their 20th anniversary album. Where do I start?

I guess I start 20 years ago (sorry SK... we have to face the facts) when four men in make up and women's attire came screaming into the airwaves of Cheboygan begging us to Talk Dirty to Them--this meant that they had likely been making this request for some time, as Cheboygan was often a little behind the times. Then, there was the begging of the parents to let me go see them in concert... first, the opened for Ratt, and I wasn't allowed to go. The next year they toured through the area opening for David Lee Roth... and I got to go. Oh yeah, the Roth-man. That was the year I for Brett Michaels and Rikki Rocketts' autographs. It was awesome but would have only been made better if it had been CC. The following year, I got to see them headline (Tesla opened). It was even better.

Fast forward to now... yeah, I have some Poison on my playlist, nostolgia gets to me from time to time and I need a little Talk Dirty to Me, a little of the Crue, some Tesla... but I was so unprepared for the videos.

First, I have to say Poison making a comeback as a cover band is bad, but what is worse are the two covers I heard. "We're an American Band" and "What I Like About You" are classics, and I think I might have liked them better if I had not first been exposed via video. Bobbi Dahl is balding and looking like a saggy old guy, Rikki, not much better... Brett has too much collogen and really, he tries too hard and looks like he hasn't left 1986 (sans the AquaNet). CC, well, CC is still a brilliant guitarist, lending the only redemption to the remakes, but I suspect should still not be allowed to speak.

Ironically, it was just yesterday when I was driving home listening to the lastest Bon Jovi thinking about how they survived, they've grown with their audience... they aren't the same, but they are better... they have evolved, but had you asked me 20 years ago, I would have thought that Poison would have stood the test of time (hey, there isn't anything you don't know when you are 12-13!). And today, this. I'm not surprised that Poison has sold out a stadium tour, as far as performers, they were amazing--ok, Brett and CC were amazing... I don't think the stage could handle more ego than that.

It gets me thinking a little, too, about how I purposely avoided reviews and interviews on the new Bon Jovi release so I could hear it on my own without outside interference with creating my own experience in listening to the music. It is something I try to do more lately... and yet, I dug down into the Poison videos like a moth to the light. Perhaps the reason is more to do with the unliklihood that I will actually download the CD, but in all fairness, I should have tried to listen to music before I watched it... I might have not left with as bad a taste had I not watched Brett's showboating his new lips.

The Wash. Post Makes a Funny

And I quote from today's Washington Post in reference to Paris Hilton's reassignment to electronic monitoring and confinement to her mansion:

It could not be immediately determined if personalizing the bracelet with Swarovski crystals would interfere with its transmission capabilities.

Nice touch, Mr. Booth.

5K, PA and the Season Finale of House

A go on the treadmill tonight proved the inevitable--I will not be able to run in this Sunday's Dexter-Ann Arbor 5K... Running only re-strained the muscle that I strained during the 2-Day. Happily, my knee seems to have recovered. I will walk the 5K, check out the Taste of Ann Arbor and with any luck, find another 5K once I'm completely healed. Perhaps it will be a good challenge once I move.

Oh, yes, "the move." I believe I have now told everyone, officially, that I will be moving to Philadelphia this September. I was at the office there last week for a meeting (or 20) and managed to also find time to look at some apartments and get the low-down on microbrews of the area from the bartender who felt that was the most important information on a relo to the area. Others were far more helpful.

I remember when I first started watching House, I watched because I can't help but oogle Omar Epps... now with the season finale aired (sorry if you TiVo and haven't watched yet), but the House team has all been fired or quit. The suggestion here is no more Omar Epps... but after a few years, I'd much rather Hugh Laurie... not entirely attractive physically, his character is entirely sexy--brash and intelligent... what more does one really need? Did I mention he rides a motorcycle? If only he gets a tattoo in the next season...

Terrible disappointment

As I mentioned last night, I have ideas brewing for my next story... and as such, it requires a little research on my part. This morning, I delayed my walk due to weather, and embarked on the said research. Suffice to say I am greatly and terribly disturbed by Time magazines early recant of the Top 25 crimes of the century... which they did not too long ago as an 75th anniversary of the Lindbergh kidnapping.

I'm not disappointed my Time's list so much as I am with the female criminal representation on it. As women, we can certainly do better... OR maybe we do, and we just aren't dumb enough to get caught? But still, women account for less than one-fifth of the top crimes... and even then, Lana Turner/Cheryl Crane, Andrea Yates, Mary Kay Letourneau are all crimes of "victims" that were just sensationalized... Patty Hearst maybe the only one I could garner some respect for, but even her crimes were dubbed as her being a victim of the situation. Where is the female Lucky Luciano? That's what I want to see; shear genius... even the Tate murders give credit to Manson and don't even mention the women that did the actual crimes.

I'm not saying that women should commit more criminal activity or that I justify what Manson did, but I am saying I find it interesting that we haven't seen it. We very much romanitcize these male perpetrators of vicous crime and make the women as victims of another situation that devalues the horrendous nature of what they did. I need to champion someone else other than Martha Stewart or Winona Ryder or Heidi Fleiss... although Heidi was/is a genius female criminal or at least the potential is there... I wonder what she's up to these days?