hallelujah, a new jeff buckley video!

so adorable, it's SCARY!

It was Ashley's first Halloween, and I can't imagine how much fun it must have been! Her costume is absolutely adorable. Yes, the photos made me cry. I'm a proud auntie!

makin' my baby daddy my man

Marry Your Baby Day?

"An all expenses paid wedding extravaganza, celebrity wedding dress designers, vendors and wedding planners are on board to make this a memorable and important moment in the lives of some very 10 fabulous, loving couples... Marry Your Baby Daddy Day is an effort to strengthen 2-parent homes and promote marriage and family values."

For all of those couples who love each other but can't afford a wedding, join in this one. Sounds noble, but of course, if you're gay, you're still out of luck.

i left my heart in new orleans

Metro Three has some new T-shirts! They have some cool totes, too -- perfect for your grocery store trips. Now why don't they make one that says "Making Groceries"?

ashley's crawling!

My niece is growing up so fast. She'll probably be dating before I do.

ben still does it for me

steal you will

ahhh, trent. i love you.

Trent Reznor of my beloved Nine Inch Nails spoke out about the high cost of his CDs in Australia several months ago. You can't say no one was listening because I guess he got a lot of crap for it from his record execs, but he didn't forget it. If you keep watching, there's a nice version of "The Day the Whole World Went Away" following.

steal you will

ahhh, trent. i love you.

Trent spoke out about the high cost of his CDs in Australia several months ago. You can't say no one was listening because I guess he got a lot of crap for it from his record execs, but he didn't forget it. If you keep watching, there's a nice version of "The Day the Whole World Went Away" following.

ella, ella, ella

Elevate. Listen. Love. Appreciate
an upcoming celebration of the female Florida artist

i want someone to eat cheese with

This new Sarah Silverman flick looks really funny. And check out all the cameos!

hot knives burn bright

I just saw Bright Eyes' new video for the first time, and I love it. You can see all the elements of the live show I enjoyed so much (bright eyes at hard rock live) including Janet on drums, the live art, the white suits, the tiny orchestra and the ridiculously passive Nathan on keyboards. Enjoy.


"Hot Knives," Bright Eyes

There's also a really great interview posted on MTV.com that mentions Conor's famous performance of "When the President Talks to God" on "The Tonight Show" and where yours truly was right on the front row. Some of those screams you hear are mine! Ow! Ow! Ow!

it's on my list

When I first moved to Orlando, I heard about the jazz strolls at Leu Gardens, and I thought it sounded so romantic. A moon-lit evening with requited love and live music under the stars sounds lovely, doesn't it? There are even candles lining the sidewalks!

Ten years later, I still haven't had the planets align and actually be dating someone at the time Leu Gardens was hosting its little love fest. Now, I have the opportunity (oh joy!) to add to my list of wonderful ideas to, if I may quote Kool & The Gang, cherish the love here in O'do.

Here's one that will be just as tricky -- having a date on the same day as a shuttle launch that won't be scrubbed because of astroaut intoxication.

A Day Away Kayak Tours offers outdoorsy couples the chance to paddle up a canal to a site that's only seven miles from the launch pad and offers an unobstructed view of the shuttle's ascent. Yes, it's a two-person kayak, and, yes, ou might even see a manatee. It's $30 a person.

I better get my Match.com profile ready because the next opportunity is on Aug. 7. If it all works out, I'll be at the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge with someone who's a lot older and heavier than their online photo.

There's also something called "Moonlight Paddles." I'm not sure what that is, but if my online match also spends time in the S&M chat room, then my stock is gonna skyrocket.

By the way, the Leu Gardens Annual Fall Jazz Stroll will be held at Leu Gardens on Nov. 3 and dates are not required. Instead of walking hand-in-hand, you can pop a squat on the lawn with your picnic basket and declare your independence.

my new addiction

If you can't get enough of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart -- and really, who can't? It's the fastest 30 minutes in the whole 24 hours of the day. If you need more sassy humor in your life, then try out the new online game, The Most Important Trivia Game Ever.

It's addictive! You compete in a series of mini-games against other "journalists," and you'll need to know geography, history, popular culture and current events to win. You also have to be quick with the mouse. Good luck -- unless you're playing me. I want to win!

ashley is so punk rock

It was Crazy Hair Day at day care on Friday. I don't think punk rockers are supposed to be this adorable!

another reason to hate the falcons

It's just the way that it is. New Orleans Saints' fans hate the Atlanta Falcons. I don't use the "hate" word lightly. We hate them.

Any respect that I had for Michael Vick as a talented quarterback has been completely drowned out. He was indicted late last week for his involvement in a dog-fighting ring. Apparently, Vick and his cronies ran a fighting ring "where losing dogs were often killed in the ring or executed by hanging, drowning or electrocution," according to NPR.

Dog fighting is a felony in 48 states, and if you're like me and naive to the popularity and history of this disgusting practice, then you might be shocked to know how "trendy" it has become. Although its beginnings can be traced back to the Romans in 43 A.D., it's sounds like almost a status symbol now.

Vick faces $350,000 in fines and six years in prison if convicted of the charges. The dogs don't fare quite that well. All of the dogs that survive the ring are eventually killed because they are conditioned to be aggressive to other dogs. They're anti-social and probably very scary. And it's not their fault.

According to one of the news reports I read, "Officers reportedly found equipment associated with dogfighting, blood stains on the walls of a room and a bloodstained carpet stashed on the property. They reportedly removed more than 60 dogs from the property."

The more I read about this, the more disturbed I get. I cannot imagine anyone finding dog fighting fun. It's inhumane, and Vick deserves to be knocked down from whatever pedestal Nike, the NFL team owners and fans have put him on.

slumber party!

Walt Disney World has Cinderella's Royal Chamber -- a luxurious suite where lucky Guests can spend the night right inside the Magic Kingom. It's magical, and people would pay big bucks to stay there if they could.

In Norway, there's a similar must-have experience. Slumber parties at IKEA!

From July 23-27, IKEA fans can shop until they are so exhausted, they fall asleep right there in the showplace. People will actually be able to spend the night in special rooms set up in the store, including:
* Bridal suite, with a hanging chandelier and a round bed
* Luxury suite -- includes breakfast in bed
* Family rooms for parents and kids

A company spokesperson said, "It will be like an alternative hostel." Guests will check in at 10 p.m. -- just an hour before the warehouse closes -- and need to be up and have the bed made by 10 a.m., when the store opens. No need to wash the sheets -- IKEA is giving them away as a souvenir! They also get bathrobes with the IKEA Hostel logo on it and slippers!

simpsonize!

Look at me, I'm a Simpson! You can be one, too. Upload your photo at SimpsonizeMe.com.

wii have lots of fun

These videos really speak for themselves. I love me some Coachie Wii!

Wii are silly


Wii look ridiculous


Wii love to play


Wii are really running this joke into the ground


Wiiiii'll never stop


Wii need a rest

when disaster strikes

These impactful new bulletin boards, sponsored by the American Red Cross give viewers a realistic look at the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake. The billboards are part of a campaign to promote earthquake preparedness in San Francisco.
(Photo credit: Jill Palmer)

Speaking of American Red Cross, whoever is in charge of their merchandise line deserves a raise. I've donated money to the Red Cross before, but the idea that I can help others and get some cool merch, well that's just sauce!

let's get digital

Insound just put up a full album of free downloads it promotes as "fifteen tracks of the hottest smooth light jazz you’ll ever hope to hear." There's a catch, though. IThe songs are only free for one week, then you gotta pay up -- so start clicking!

Here's the tracklist:
Justice - "Phantom"
Takka Takka - "Draw a Map"
Aesop Rock - "None Shall Pass"
Mirah and Spectratone International - "Credo Cigalla"
1990's - "You're Supposed to be My Friend"
No Age - "My Life's Alright Without You"
Architecture in Helsinki - "Heart it Races"
Okkervil River - "Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe"
Minus the Bear - "Knights"
Turbo Fruits - "Pocket Full of Thistles"
Tiny Vipers - "On This Side"
Rocky Votolato - "Postcard from Kentucky"
Editors - "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors"
Ferraby Lionheart - "Small Planet"
Portugal the Man - "Shade"

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In other music news, the shortlist for the Mercury Prize were announced today. The judges chose these as the top albums of the year from British or Irish artists. The winner will be announced on Sept. 4.

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
Basquiat Strings (with Seb Rochford) - Basquiat Strings
Bat For Lashes - Fur and Gold
Dizzee Rascal - Maths + English
Jamie T - Panic Prevention
Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
Maps - We Can Create
New Young Pony Club - Fantastic Playroom
Fionn Regan - The End of History
The View - Hats Off to the Buskers
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
The Young Knives - Voices of Animals and Men

the rage continues

I don't know anything about the new Spanish zombie film REC, but the trailer below definitely intrigues me. According to Moviephone.com, the film is an "experimental frightener about a terrifying television broadcast." Here's the synopsis...

While covering the night shift at a small-town fire department, an ambitious young television reporter and her cameraman follow the crew on a call to rescue an elderly woman unable to escape the inferno that is consuming her home. Upon their arrival at the scene, the calm midnight air is pierced by the sound of horrific screams, and the television report takes an unexpectedly dark turn.

Hank!

Thank you, Henry Rollins, for always stopping in Orlando on your spoken word tours! Henry is set to return to the House of Blues on Sept. 23, and I couldn't be more excited! I've been lucky enough to catch him three times already over the last 8 or 10 years, and the man keeps getting better and better.

The last time Henry visited O'do was in October 2005. It was soon after Hurricane Katrina, and America was getting war weary. It's funny, because I remember that in his performance prior to the 2005 visit, Henry told the audience that he thought we were definitely going to war because George Dubya had "put his dick out there." He explained that because we put out the ultimatum, there was no way we would go back with our missiles between our legs. Several months later, of course, we started bombing.

I remember thinking, damn, I hope that's not true. I hope we can still pull back because we can. We won't look cowardly, we will look like the mature, confident country we are (or should be).

But Henry gets it. He just does. You gotta hear him.

bipolar movie weekend

I saw two movies this weekend, and they were polar opposites of each other.

Once
Today, I finally saw Once, and I loved it. The low-budget Irish film sometimes needed subtitles for my American ears. Once the singing begins, though, everything makes sense. It stars Glen Hansard, the lead singer of The Frames, and Marketa Irglova, a Czech musician.

The grittiness of the film and the hand-held camera shots gave the movie a documentary feel. And then there's the music. It's achingly beautiful, and it tells the story more so than the sparse dialogue.

There's a lot about this film online, so I will cut to the chase with some quick facts I learned. By the way, if you want to see the film, don't read too much about it online. In fact, the article I link to below includes some spoilers -- but none below.

* Cillian Murphy was originally cast in the lead. He bowed out partly because the director chose a non-actor in the leading female role (according to the NY Times.

* Filming was complete in 17 days for $150,000, most of which was paid for by the Irish Film Board.

* The title of the film, according to director John Carney, refers to fellow Irishmen and women he would encounter in bars: “They say, ‘Once I do this, then it’ll be great.’ But they never do it. It’s a great Irish tradition of vacillating.”

* The bandmates in the film are indeed members of The Frames.

* Fox Searchlight Pictures purchased the film at Sundance for $500,000.

* In limited release, it has already earned nearly $5 million worldwide.



Transformers
Saturday, I caught Transformers, which made more money in one hour than I probably will my entire working life. Yes, the effects are truly amazing, and yes, I laughed at moments that weren't supposed to be funny. Gratuitous cleavage (see photo below), bare midriffs and corny dialogue were abundant. But all in all, it was a fun summer flick, especially if you see it sharing a whole theater row with your best friends.

Still, the film was nearly over-
shadowed by one of the previews, a clip that was so mysterious, it created a huge buzz on the Internet. All we know is JJ Abrams has something to do with it, and it's coming out on Jan. 18, 2008.

Some Web sites are referring to it as Cloverfield or The Parasite. I won't pretend to know more than that, but I am officially hooked and anxiously awaiting more details. One good place to look -- the film's official Web site, 1-18-08.com. There's not much there now, but I bet there will be soon.

know hope

Know Hope is an Israeli artist creating some truly amazing art from corrugated cardboard and candles in Tel Aviv. These are beautiful.

According to the artist ...

The lanterns deal with the frail, temporary aspect of putting up art in street. Take the best case scenario: nobody takes the piece after a short while and there are no extreme winds or rain, the longest life span of these pieces will be that of the candles, which is probably just a few hours. Therefore, when someone runs into one of them on the street they know that it was placed there not so long ago and they, by coincidence, got there in the small time frame that the piece was "active", hopefully giving them the feeling that it was placed there especially for them, and maybe guiding them, following them home and subtly lighting up their way.


More photos are posted on Flickr.

do you feel lucky? well, do ya?

show some indie love

Interpol heads out on the road

... and they're making a stop in Orlando on Sept. 18 at the Hard Rock Live. You can get a taste of their live show on July 10, when the band plays on "The Late Show With David Letterman." For a very long list of tour dates, check the Pitchfork Media site.

A couple of other cool shows announced recently:
* Eisley special acoustic tour - Aug. 18 at The Social
* John Vanderslice - Sept. 17 at The Social

grab the popcorn!

There are some great new films headed to Orlando, and I'm not talking about Transformers, although it may be a very good flick.

2 Days in Paris - Julie Delpy, who starred in two of my most favorite films (Before Sunrise and Before Sunset) was nominated for an Oscar along with Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke for best original screenplay for the latter film. In 2 Days in Paris, Delpy serves as the writer, director and star.

Adam Goldberg plays Delpy's boyfriend in the film. Interesting fact: Goldberg has an uncredited role in Before Sunrise as "Man Sleeping on Train" and also appeared in Linklater's Waking Life, which featured a clip of Hawke and Delpy as their Before Sunrise characters. Confused? Just watch the trailer.

Starting tomorrow, a film that has a lot of buzz and a soundtrack that is good enough to atract you to the film, rather than the other way around.

Once - according to IMDB, the film is "a modern-day musical about a busker and an immigrant and their eventful week, as they write, rehearse and record songs that tell their love story."

Are you familiar with the Frames' "Falling Slowly"? It's a beautiful little ditty, and it's on the soundtrack. In fact, Frames' lead singer Glen Hansard stars in this Irish film as ... wait for it ... a musician. Actually, it sounds really cool. Fun facts, anyone?
* The two main characters actually wrote all of the songs in the film.
* Director John Carney used to play bass for The Frames.
* Hansard and lead actress Markéta Irglová, a Czech musician, fell in love during the filming of the movie.
* The film earned the World Cinema Audience Award for a dramatic film at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

Turn up the volume on your computer and watch the trailer.

Paris Je T'Aime - This one is already out in theaters, so you should probably hurry if you want to catch it. The film is made up of 18 different vignettes - each about the City of Love. There are beaucoup A-list actors, including Natalie Portman, Elijah Wood, Steve Buscemi and Juliette Binoche. The different stories were created by different directors, including Alexander Payne, Wes Craven, Gus Van Sant and the Coen Brothers.

Watch the trailer here.

flight is the shite

Oh my God, I love Flight of the Conchords.

Not only is it hysterical and musical, but it features yet another doppleganger for Mike Britton. His name is Bret McKenzie, but with his adorable New Zealand accent, it sounds like "Brit."

Coincidence??? I think not.



"Oh my God, she's so hot. She's so flippin' hot. She's like a curry. I want to tell her how hot she is, but she'll think I am being sexist. She's so hot, she's making me sexist.. Bitch."

Classic.

She might be able to do a better job ...

My blog was never so controversial than when I spoke out against Old Navy and its obvious display of sexism, or at the least insensitivity. All I am asking for is that the corporate execs use some common sense when they green light their summer clothing lines.

Perhaps more onesies like this one ... It's perfect!



My sister-in-law's friend Amber bought this for Ashley in D.C. See Old Navy, you don't have to be inappropriate to make a profit.

the voodoo that you do

Organizers announced the list of performers scheduled to appear Oct. 26-28 at this year's Voodoo Music Experience at the lovely City Park in New Orleans. The headliners are festival darlings Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine and Willco (I am loving the new CD!). Then there's Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Sinead O'Connor, Kings of Leon, and -- according to the official site -- Clap Your HANS Say Yeah. Let's hear it for the proofreaders.

This festival was never known for being cutting edge -- the list is pretty safe, but it does offer a pretty solid three days of music. There's also Spoon, Paolo Nutini, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Dr. John, Tiesto, and Quintron and Miss Pussycat, who opened for Peaches earlier this year. The festival offers a great introduction to some of the native musicians and their unique sound.

Hopefully, all of the festivalgoers will take a couple of extra days and explore the city, spend money and help revitalize NOLA.

Check out video performances from past festivals, including Green Day, The Pixies, The White Stripes, Nine Inch Nails and Social Distortion, on the Voodoo site.

you're making me laugh ...

This looks like a casting tape for Days of our Lives.

This video is such a perfect illustration of the Disney College Program. It's silly, unforgettable fun with people you'll never forget. It's the X factor.

and then UNSHUN ...

SHUN!

your concert calendar

Here are some recent announcements and a few reminders of some good shows coming to O'do. (Do you think that if I keep calling Orlando that, it will catch on, or is it a lost cause?)

6.25 - Dancing with the Stars - Amway Arena (OK, it's a guilty pleasure.)
6.28 - The Working Title - The Social
6.30 - Satellite Party - House of Blues
7.2 - Jesse Malin - The Social
7.15 - Morrissey - Hard Rock Live
7.20 - The Format - The Social
7.30 - Travis - House of Blues
8.8 - Ben Kweller - The Social
9.4 - The Rentals and Copeland - House of Blues
9.12 - Tiesto - House of Blues
9.13 - Perry Farrell's Satellite Party


And one we have a long time to get excited about ...
10.24 - Low - The Social

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If your first impulse after reading that is to turn your jeans pocket inside out to illustrate your lack of fundage, you can catch some great artists on Austin City Limits this season on PBS (WMFE Channel 2 in Orlando). Here's the remaining schedule ...
6.30 - Corinne Bailey Rae and KT Tunstall
7.7.7 - The Pixies
7.14 - Death Cab for Cutie and My Morning Jacket

happy father's day

To the two most wonderful dads in my life ...

My daddy ...


And my brother, who's already a great dad ...


I love you guys!

if you're not outraged ...

I have this bumper sticker that says "If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention."

Some people are paying attention. I'm not the only one who is pissed that Old Navy is introducing newborns to sexism before solid foods. I've received a few more comments on my post about the Old Navy onesies that tout "Stripes are slimming." However, I am surprised that no one else has raised the issue in a more public forum.

At least one other person felt the anger and put fingers to the keyboard -- check it out at raggamuffin.wordpress.com.

Here's another head scratcher ...

You may have heard about Hallmark's recent and very major faux pas. The card company put a Father's Day card on store shelves that was clearly homophobic. The front of the card features a serene picnic setting for two and reads, "Dad, how about a Father's Day picnic?" When Dad opens the card, the punch line reads, "Too queer? Yeah, I thought so too."

Once The Advocate magazine questioned Hallmark about the card, the company acknowledged its poor judgment and agreed to pull the card from store shelves. A spokesperson said, “[Hallmark’s business unit] reviewed it today and did all agree that it was in poor judgment to include the card in the line. We are stopping the shipping of the card, and we will not produce it again. Hallmark's intent is never to offend, and we're truly sorry if that is the case here.”

(Betamike, I'm still waiting to read your post about this.)

But where's the outrage? The only reason I know about this is because a friend found the card at an Orlando Publix and couldn't believe the bigotry right there in Stationery.

And finally, just one more bit of crazy ...

"Kittens vs. Cougars. There's going to be a catfight." Have you seen this commercial yet?

This one really takes the next step in offensiveness. NBC's new reality dating show "Age of Love" promises to take feminism back a couple of decades. It's pretty formulaic. Take hot thirtysomething guy, introduce some hot women to him, watch the sparks fly. The twist with this one is that once he gets comfy cozy with ... gasp ... the fortysomethings, the producers will introduce a bunch of even hotter, scantily clad (or so the ads promise) twentysomethings.

What pisses me off? NBC advertises the introduction of the younger "kittens" as offering up "temptation." It's pushing this stereotype that young women are all sexy looks, loose morals and sharp tongues, while the older women are boring intellectuals. And of course, the competition is pitting woman against woman.

In one TV ad, a woman asks for a synonym for "old." Someone answers, "decrepit," and lets out an evil chuckle. Well, props for the big word, but what the hell are you thinking?? It's just maddening to hear women treating each other this way. And the fact that NBC is playing up the "catfights" just makes me cringe.

Ugh.

just a few things ...

According to Pitchfork, The White Stripes will release their eagerly anticipated CD (at least in my house) Icky Thump next Tuesday and adding an interesting, high-tech twist for fans. They are also making the music available on pre-loaded USB flash drives -- and you don't even have to look for them in bathroom stalls! You can buy them next week, too. They even look cool -- one like Jack, and one like Meg.

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NPR is streaming a Webcast of Rufus Wainwright's recent show at the Gramercy Theatre in New York. You also must check out the slideshow of pictures from the concert, including some sexy photos of Rufus in drag. He's got some hot legs!

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The Discovery Channel Store is going out of business, (at least the physical stores are; I am not sure about the Web site.) and you can find some pretty good bargains. I went to the store at Millenia Mall over the weekend and purchased a pen with a laser pointer in it. Sweet! My dog loves to chase the little red dot around the house. Hours of fun!

old navy introduces sexism to infants

I went to the new Old Navy store near the Mall at Millenia today, hoping to find great bargains on some summer clothes, and instead, I left the store with my blood boiling. I saw something very disturbing.
Stripes are slimming

The description of the little onesie read like this: "Sweet animal graphics and sassy slogans make baby's bodysuit wildly cute! Stylish zig-zag stitching and puff short sleeves add a girlish twist, with snaps in back and along inseam for easy dressing."

What is sassy about a 3-month old being self-conscious about her weight? Seriously. I think about my little niece, who is the most beautiful thing in the world, and I don't want her to grow up with body-image issues or feelings of unworth because of a sexist culture. And moreover, I don't want society implanting those thoughts in her innocent little head. Her Buddha rolls are beautiful.

Right beside that monstrosity on the clothing rack was this little number ...
Bat your eyelashes

Again, Old Navy is reinforcing the stereotype that females get what they want not by working hard and earning it, but by using their sex appeal. It's an ill-conceived product line, and I can't believe it made it all the way to the stores.

But Old Navy doesn't stop there. When I went on the company's Web site to pull the image of the sexist apparel, I found more examples of inappropriate and uncool clothing.

This cute little number was sold only in the boys' section ...
Future class president

And this one was sold only in the girls' section ...
Future American Beauty Queen

You don't have to be a card-carrying member of the National Organization for Women to see what's happening here. Is that what American expects of my young niece? That the best she can hope for is to score big in the swimsuit competion so she can be a spokeswoman for curing diseases? While the little boy who laid just a few feet from her in the hospital nursery will be where the power players are, making the real difference.

And let's be fair, Old Navy is only about the boys who are "real boys."
MACHO just like DaddyI'm not a girl

I don't believe that I am over-reacting here. Real change can't happen until we acknowledge that these things make a difference. Just because the baby doesn't know what's written on her chest, other young girls and boys can read it, and it reinforces the culture of valuing men and women differently. Do you remember when Abercrombie thought it would make a profit off of sexist T-shirts that read "Who needs brains when you have these"? (See previous "girls kick Abercrombie's ass" post.) I think another girlcott is in order. It's irresponsible, Old Navy, and you should be ashamed.