Another Futile Ostentation
A narcissistic outlet to express my opinions on things that matter little in the grand scheme. Meant as a companion piece to the other blog I post to, but whose readers may not have the desire to hear my thoughts on such matters as music, sports, and philosophy.
Monday, April 26, 2004Bored.
I'm sitting in the Philosophy grad student computer room waiting for PDF's to fucking print out. They are all full images rather than text, and since the laser printer only has 1MB of space it takes like 20 minutes per doc. I'm gonna go fucking crazy.
Thursday, April 22, 2004Mixed CD's
I'm having the biggest urge to make a mixed CD but I have no reason to. If any one wants one, I will then have a reason. Lemme know.
Wednesday, April 21, 2004Finally
I figured out what my Final Paper will be about: Friendship and the various moral complications that arise from it.
Just picked up three CD's: Alkaline Trio/One Man Army Split, "Rock Against Bush" comp, and a comp entitled "It Came from the Garage." Mini Reviews follow: One Man Army/Alkaline Trio Split: I bought this entirely for the Alkaline Trio side, which isn't to say I dislike One Man Army, but rather that they don't really move me. Each band does six songs. I've given it about three or so listens and I'm fairly happy with it. It hasn't moved me the way most Alkaline stuff has, but it's pretty good. Again, songs about death and lost realtionships with Goth touches delivered in a pop-punk vein. The last Alkaline song is a cover of the Damned song "Wait for The Blackout" which I used to like as a kid. Alkaline popify it a bit, but it's pretty good. "If you Had a Bad Time" is a mostly acoustic number sung by Dan, that's probably the highlight of the disc for me, none of the the first four really stick in my head yet. Not a bad buy, but hopefully it will grow on me. Rock Against Bush The insert says it best: "The bands on this comp have come together for one reason, and that's to express our outrage at-and form a unified front against- the dangerous, destructive, and deadly policies of George W. Bush and his administration." It's got tons of good bands (NOFX, Rise Against, Strike Anywhere, Pennywise, Ministry (?), and more.) It's got lots of ranting in the linear notes (Fat Mike's rant is nice and simple, but effective.) It also comes with a bonus DVD with three documentaries about the evils of the Bush administration and a bunch of the anti-bush ads put out by moveon.org. Songs are pretty good, the Alkaline Trio being better than all the songs on the new split. The Rise Against track is good, and you can't go wrong with Jello Biafra. This gets my support even if it had Sum41, the Offspring, and the Ataris on it. (Actually the Ataris do a faithful Bad Religion cover that's good). It came from the Garage This is a strange Sony comp that has all kinds of supposed Garage Rock, ranging from Bob Dylan (Subterranean Homesick Blues) to the New York Dolls (Trash) to Donovan (Hurdy Gurdy Man) to the Raveonettes (Heartbreak Stroll). I've listened to the first disk so far, and it's been lots of fun. Nice and diverse, with only a few weak points. There are some definately odd choices on the CD (namely the Monkees, Tracy Ullman, and Paul Revere and the Raiders) but it hits more than it misses. It'll make a good CD to road trip ith, or play at a party. The Second Round
A Moment of Silence for our fallen comerades.....
...that should about do it. Well, I'm batting just above .500. I correctly predicted Toronto, Detroit, Tampa, Montreal, and San Jose. I had picked Dallas, but I forgot how Colorado turns it back on in the playoffs. I picked Vancouver, because I thought we had it, but i don't want to talk about it. I also picked the Devils as a bit of a dark horse. Anyway, Semifinal predictions, as follows: (4) Toronto vs. (3) Philadelphia Should be a good match-up but I think Phillie's size will make all the difference. Toronto are wounded and old. Much has been made of Belfour's performance, but I think he's not as good as he seems. Philly in 5 (7) Montreal vs. (1) Tampa Bay I hope for Montreal, but I feel that they just aren't capable of taking the Lightening. The Lightning have the speed, grit, goaltending, and plus more firepower. Heart will carry a team, but only so far. Tampa in 6 (6) Calgary vs. (1) Detroit Calgary are in a severe state of disrepair, and are up against the best and most experienced team in the league. Like I said before, heart can only take them so far. Detroit in 5. (2) San Jose vs. (4) Colorado I'm gonna go out on a limb here. This will be my dark horse. I think San JOse can beat Colorado. The pressure is back on the Avs, and I think Nabokov can show why he's one of the best (ok, so he probably ain't, but whatever...) San Jose in 7. There's my predictions. Early guess for the Cup would be the Lightning. Monday, April 19, 2004Playoff Update:
A lot has happened since I first posted. The Isles, Devils, Preds, Stars, and Blues have all been eliminated. In terms of my predictions, I'm running roughly 60/40. I predicted the Wings, Lightning and Sharks to win, but my dark horse picks have not been working out. Should be interesting.
Tonight, game 7 Nucks vs. Calgary. We're winning the battle of attrition. They are missing like half a dozen players (including most of their big guys) and they aren't really all that deep to begin with. Hopefully with a few more new bodies they will lose some chemistry, and the fight will leave them. It's hard to say. The Canucks need to stay focussed. They can't break down like game six. Auld has to be better, as does our defense. Offensively, we've been doing the right things. Hopefully we'll stay disciplined, and draw some penalties. I'm stoked. Gonna watch it with Owen and Garath at Garath's. (As a side note, can you imagine how much better this series would be if we had Bertuzzi?) Monday, April 12, 2004Playofs, Day ?
Habs vs. Bruins
Game three was good. Kovalev has finally shown why they traded for him. Good goaltending, and a much better effort all around. Hopefully Begin isn't out for too long. Nashville vs. Detroit Finally the speed is working. They played a pretty solid game. Detroit outshot them by a large margin, but iif the first period is any indication, they were mostly lame point shots with no traffic. Like Vokoun is gonna miss those. (Speaking of which, he played a great game!) Nucks vs. Flames Hard checking game. We lost Cloutier and May, but Hedberg stepped in and played solidly. Ohlund really got under Iginla's skin, and man is Iginla a really cheap fighter! Cooke playeda great game, scored the gamewinner, and dished out a bunch of good hits. I thought Rutuu was in good form as well. I worry about the lack of production from the Sedins and Sanderson. They just don't created enough space. I think Hedberg will create a little more for them. I'll be out of commission for a few days, writing essays and grading papers.... Friday, April 09, 2004Playoffs Day 2:
Sharks vs. St. Louis
Didn't watch it, but this looking like the physical battele that was expected. Suprisingly it also looked like a pretty good goaltending dual, with Nabokov finally defeating Osgood, 10 minutes into overtime (Shock of shocks, Osgood gave up the only goal!) Toronto vs. Ottawa Looked like quit ethe blow out really. Toronto really didn't show to play. Lokked like Lalime was a little off, but it didn't matter. Ottawa really set the tone. It early to tell, but it looks pretty good for Ottawa. Philly vs. Devils: Another battle, with Esche finally showing signs of what makes him a contending starter. Brodeur looked kind of week, but also had little help. Close game, but it'll take a few more to see if the monkey is really off Philly's back. Tampa Bay vs The Isles As one sided as it should be. THis really isn't a shock. Didn't watch any of these games, but whatever. (I was to busy reading the worst papers EVAR!) Thursday, April 08, 2004Just a Little Something Neat I just found:Playoff Action Day 1:
I doubt I will keep up this pace, but hey, we'll see.
Bruins vs. Habs: So the Bruins pretty much destroyed the Habs, shutting em out and beating them up. Raycroft looked amazing in net, but Montreal never really got a good forcheck going, and also seemed to go offside more than usual. They just didn't seem to be playing like a team, but rather (to continue the cliche) like a bunch of individuals. I also felt really uncomfortable watching Kovalev, who looked amaturish and just plain awful. To his credit, he did have a few bad bounces. In order to beat the Bruins, they are going to have to control the puck a bit better and do some hitting of their own. I knew this series was gonna be tough, but I have a feeling they can adjust. Avs vs. Stars: Wow, just when you think they are gonna suck, they turn it on. To be honest some of the Avs goals were a little weak, and Turco kept Dallas in it. Watching the opening period (sporadically, clicking between the Habs/Bruins game and reading papers, but I was watching) I felt the Stars played fairly well, but had a few bad bounces. This series is far from over. Preds vs. Wings: This series will be more fun than expected, with Nashville really carrying much of the play until the end. Sadly the Wings are able to capitalize on any breakdowns, which Nashville occasionally suffer from. Legace played outstanding, as did Vokoun. Nashville played a good game, and as long as they avoid getting demoralized by this loss, they should be alright. Canucks vs. Flames: I dound the game hard to watch, what with so many penalties being called. I guess it worked in Vancouver's favour, but so many lame calls, and special teams. I felt that the Canucks played fairly well, but could have played a whole lot better. Rucinsky has a good game, and we had a nice balenced attack. Some more hard hitting to ware hem out would be good. Cloutier looked sharp, as did Kiprosoff (sp?) but the Flames' defense was a little weak. Lots of strange bounces in the game, and very little flow. It was nice to see the Canucks prevent the Flames from getting a single shot on a 68 second two-man advantage. My Three Stars: 1) Morrison (What a nice goal!) 2) Ohlund (Kept Iginla pretty quiet until the end there) 3) Rucinsky (Spent some time in front of the net, and just seemed like a threat) Tuesday, April 06, 2004Western Conference Predictions
Well, since my last post was soooooo popular (One comment! Woot!) I will continue on in this vein.
The standings are as follow: 1 DETROIT 2 SAN JOSE 3 VANCOUVER 4 COLORADO 5 DALLAS 6 CALGARY 7 ST LOUIS 8 NASHVILLE Leading to these first-round matchups: Colorado vs. Dallas: Prediction: Dallas in 7. Dallas is on a role, while Colorado are mired in suckage. Moral is low (I might venture to suggest that this is due to the manipulative purposes the organization has had in parading Moore around and the general lack of integrity that the most recent press conference seemed to display.) Kariya is looking like he's out for awhile, and the team really seems fragile. Dallas is getting wicked goaltending; it's also getting some healthy players back with will only make them stronger. I expect it will be a toughly contested battle with the winner ultimately being quite damaged for the second round. Vancouver vs. Calgary: Prediction: Vancouver in 6. Despite a strong finish, I don't think that they have deep enough roster. They're getting good goaltending, but defense is a little weak. Calgary are running on heart, but I think they have reached the end of the line. As the fifth planeteer knew only too well, Heart will only get you so far. When faced with a stingy defense and consistent forecheck (top 3 lines, woot!) they will falter. The only question mark is Cloutier. He's healthy heading into the play-offs for once, and he's got Hedberg who only seems to work in the back-up role. Can he pull it off? This will be his test. San Jose vs. St Louis Prediction: San Jose in 5. This was a tough decision, as I think it could go either way. I feel that St. Louis is missing some key players on defense, and that Osgood ain't so good. San Jose is a grittier team with balanced scoring, and has really rolled into the playoffs. St. Louis is just above .500 (Going 9-7-4 since the coaching change. They split the series with San Jose winning the last 2 games. This will be a good battle to watch, methinks. Detroit vs. Nashville Prediction: Nashville in 4….just kidding. Detroit in 6. It's possible that Nashville will be this year's Anaheim, but I doubt it. They play well against Detroit and I really hope that they can pull it off, but I just don't see the depth required. They do have a hot goaltender (who I think is very difficult to watch, somewhat like Hedberg) and some gamebreaking players, but ultimately I think that Detroit will pull it off. So there you go, my picks. I hope I do better than the TSN Monkey. Also, you should all check out the band TV on the Radio, and the movie "Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind." Sunday, April 04, 2004Eastern Conference Predictions
Fuck. I had a huge post just fuxxored by Avant crashing. That will teach me to not use Word and copy it into the Blogger page. Oh Well. I'm feeling bored, I can start again.
Anyhoo. Play-offs are upon us, and I figure I should give my predictions for the first round. Eastern Conference today, Western tommorow. The Standings ended as following: 1 TAMPA BAY 2 BOSTON 3 PHILADELPHIA 4 TORONTO 5 OTTAWA 6 NEW JERSEY 7 MONTREAL 8 NY ISLANDERS Toronto vs. Ottawa Prediction: Toronto in 7. Toronto has owned the Sens this year, and are on a bit of a role as of late. They beat Ottawa 6-0 in their last meeting and should win a toughly contested battle. Despite missing gritty forwards Nolan and Tucker, they have the scoring power and Veteran leadership that should put them over. I like Ottawa, and would rather them win. They have a nice speedy team, with some added size, but I think they lack the determination to pull it off in what's going to be an emotional series. Look for Toronto to limp into the second round, with their aged roster and a hard-edged Ottawa that should punish them. Philadelphia vs. New Jersey Prediction: New Jersey in 5. I expect that Brodeur will steal the show, per usual. Philly has stumbled quite a bit as of late, and is getting sub-par goal-tending. I also think that they probably haven't gotten the Jersey monkey off their back, despite having a winning record against them this season; the playoffs are a whole different ballgame (oh wait, this hockey, should I say puck-game?) Boston vs. Montreal Prediction: Montreal in 7. I know that Montreal has stumbled a bit, only .500 in their last 10 games. But they usually put up a good fight in the playoffs, and have split the season meetings with Boston (ok, they had an overtime loss more). I think that Theodore will shine, and that Kovalev will finally find his feet. This team has some depth, and is a lot of fun to watch. I think maybe this prediction is a little wishful thinking, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. Tampa Bay vs. New York Prediction: Tampa Bay in 4. I just don’t see New York as having what it takes. Goaltending is an issue, as is depth and character. Will Yashin pull his weight? Will Peca be the team leader that he should be? They have a great defense, but I just don't see it. Khabibulin will turn it on, and I think the Lightning are all on the same page. They've bought into the system, and should win easily. And there you have it. My predictions. Friday, April 02, 2004Feeding the Puppy
Movies:
Borrowing the VCD of Ju-On: The Grudge from one of my students. Apparently it is scarier than Tale of Two Sisters, a claim I find hard to believe as ToTS scared the living crap out of me. He also lent me the sequel on a DVD rip. If Corinne's 'rents' DVD player plays it, it might make for a good scary evening. I'll let y'all know. Been watching "The Awful Truth" on DVD lately, and it's been pretty funny. Sometimes a little slow, but always thought provoking. I like when he makes the bigwigs uncomfortable, but less so when its some secretary. The best so far is the Bus full of gay men and lesbians and makes pretty much the south uncomfortable. Good times. I've decided that if I ever get the chance to see him speak, I won't as he makes me uncomfortable. I think it's cuz he mugs so much. It's almost like watching an embarassing uncle. Sports: Real big game tonight. We've faced pretty weak competition on our latest winning streak. Do we have enought momentum to take on the surging Sharks? It's hard to say, but I think that having their back-up goalie to face will make things easier. I'm not sure if May will play but that would also be a welcome edition. I'm assuming he would play in place of King or Rutuu, possibly Keane. I won't get the chance to watch it but I may get the chance to listen to some of it on the way home. Music: Listening to the Non-Prophets' Hope LP on the way in to school from Pitt today. It's been about a month since I last listened to it, and I must say, it really does stay fresh. Very good stuff. |
Links The Last Time Work/School Philosophy Stuff The Man Himself More Espn 2 goodness Media Matters AL Daily Time Killer Beer and Rap Talking Points Memo Evolutionary Blog Music Elitist Indie Rockers Catchdubs Cocaineblunts Free Downloads Customizable Radio Indie Hop All Music Radio Free Burnaby |
03/01/2004 - 04/01/2004 04/01/2004 - 05/01/2004 05/01/2004 - 06/01/2004 06/01/2004 - 07/01/2004 07/01/2004 - 08/01/2004 08/01/2004 - 09/01/2004 09/01/2004 - 10/01/2004 10/01/2004 - 11/01/2004 11/01/2004 - 12/01/2004 12/01/2004 - 01/01/2005 01/01/2005 - 02/01/2005 02/01/2005 - 03/01/2005 03/01/2005 - 04/01/2005 04/01/2005 - 05/01/2005 05/01/2005 - 06/01/2005 07/01/2005 - 08/01/2005 09/01/2005 - 10/01/2005 10/01/2005 - 11/01/2005 11/01/2005 - 12/01/2005 01/01/2006 - 02/01/2006 05/01/2006 - 06/01/2006 01/01/2011 - 02/01/2011 08/01/2015 - 09/01/2015
