Jack Scott Bechdel was born at 11:04 a.m. today! He was 9 lbs., 3 oz. (i.e. HUGE!) and beautiful! More details to follow.
This was simply too good to not pass along.
As we all know, finals season is upon us. As I walk around the University of Texas campus, there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Women are pulling their hair and men are beating their breasts. It is, in a word, turmoil.
My statistics final was this morning, and although I was doing fairly well in the class, I found the final to be somewhat harder than I had anticipated. As it turned out, my classmates agreed. I am now going to relay to you the first sentence of the e-mail, sent by my professor, Dr. Paul Adams, to his students after grading the exams. It is poetry:
In light of the stunning devastation produced by what I thought was a rather straightforward final exam, I’ve decided to slightly lower the grading cutoffs for the course.
So buck up, students! Occasionally ol’ Saint Nick appears in the form of urban studies professors, hoping not to crush your Christmas season (and soul) too badly. Good luck.
EDIT: After you read my awesome post, this beautifully written post from SeanPAune.com is worth your time. It gives a good bit of back story to this whole mess and, well, I agree wholeheartedly with him.
Ugh. Just when I thought I was rid of you, Jay Leno.
Entertainment Weekly is reporting that late night stand-up “comic” (and I use that term loosely) Jay Leno is moving out of The Tonight Show slot in May (yahoo!) only to move to NBC’s primetime line up next fall. Five days a week. To quote Michael Corleone from The Godfather pt. III, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”
The reader comments are good for a laugh at the EW Web site. “Steph” left a particularly poignant one:
For the love of god, can we please just let Jay Leno go away?! He’s bland and unfunny. In an ideal world, you’d have Letterman and Conan split a 2-hour block of late night and that’s it!
I feel your pain, “Steph.” I’m probably going to offend some of you Leno viewers out there, but I implore one of you to step forward and tell me what is funny about this man? Is it his “Jaywalking” routine, where he gets people to act dumber than they actually are so that you feel smart and better about yourself? Or maybe it’s how he laughs at everything anyone says so as to not ruffle any feathers? People who laugh at everything have no sense of humor.
Anyway, I don’t see this going well. I’ll probably be eating my words in a year or so because against all odds, Leno has maintained a sizeable late night audience. But imagine what this is going to do to NBC’s primetime line up. Sure it will save them money, but it leaves them almost no room for new programming.
To amend “Steph”’s comment, in an ideal world, David Letterman and I are best friends who have lunch with Stevie Nicks and John McCain every Tuesday. In an ideal world.
Before we begin today’s post, a brief word from our sponsors: Jeety’s Joint comments section. “For years, users have had to register, log in and promise one vile of blood from their first-born to comment on The Joint–America’s fastest-growing Web experience (copyright pending). No longer is this true! Thanks to burgeoning technology, Joint readers will simply have to type in a name, e-mail address, and a “are you a rogue monkey escaped from the zoo with a propensity for beautifully-written blogs or a real boy [or girl]” question that asks you to “type the word you see” in a box. And that’s it! Brief and random gropings will likely still take place, however. We are, after all, still at threat level orange. Thank you for your time, and enjoy the show!”
Now to the real reason we’re here. A few days ago, Fleetwood Mac announced their “Unleashed” 2009 tour. Don’t worry, I’ll be having a word with their PR team. “Unleashed” is, um, not the word I would use to describe a group of 60-somethings hitting the road. There was resistance, though, to “Cautiously Avoiding Hip Replacement 2009.” With this group, you’ll never please everyone.
In an attempt to bury the hatchet from the 2004 Pittsburgh debacle, the band has decided to kick off “Unleased” in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Really? So Stevie gets the sniffles when I have 5th row (center!) tickets four years ago, and now, when I no longer live there, they’re starting the tour at Mellon Arena? I’m beginning to think it was something I said.
They’ve only released 16 dates thus far, and they’re all in the Northeast (except a Minneapolis, MN show that somehow snuck in there). Rumors (get it, RUMOURS?) have been swirling that this is “it” for the Mac, but there’s been no indication from the band itself, at this point, that that’s the case. I’m expecting that announcement to come mid-tour, since this is also expected to be a one- to two-year tour.
In the meantime (another Mac pun, but one more for the die-hards… particularly Christine McVie fans), what should you be doing to prepare? I’m glad you asked. You’ve come to the right place, first of all. For new fans: get your hands on copies of “Fleetwood Mac,” “Rumours” and “Tusk.” These are the first three albums of the California-infused Mac sound that resulted from Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joining the three other Brits, and are the only ones to have been remastered and re-released with bonus tracks in 2004. This is going to be your base, particularly for a “hits tour” that “Unleashed” promises to be. For moderately-interested fans, your Christmas list should include “The Dance“–the live album that got all of this started for me almost 11 years ago, and “Mystery to Me,” a pre-Buckingham Nicks album that refuses to disappoint. Finally, for those of you approaching full-blown fandom, you’ve got to complete the set with “Mirage” and “Tango in the Night“–the 80s albums of the fab five. “Mirage” contains my favorite song of all time (I’ll keep you guessing), but you may find yourself asking “Where is the Lindsey Buckingham of ‘Tusk’ on this record?” I don’t have the answers for you, unfortunately, but he bursts forth in extreme 80s style in “Tango in the Night.” Once you get beyond the over-production and oft-irritating effects, the core of songs by Buckingham and McVie is incredible. Stevie was in Betty Ford for a large portion of this album, and well, her songs could use some drugs.
I’ve left solo material out of this discussion because who has the time? Below is the video that changed my life.
I hate to prematurely declare “I’m back,” but it certainly feels good to be winding down the semester. Today was the last day of classes, and finals begin mid-week next week. It’s incredibly hard to believe that we’re already five days into December, but in that vein, I’d like to catch you up on a few things going on in the wide world of Jeet (and beyond).
For starters, and as promised, I’m uploading my fourth and final podcast. I think I was a little spoiled after the last one (see here) because I had complete control over the project. Interviews can throw a wrench into pre-made plans, but I was pleased with the final product. The story is a profile of the plans of Austin Stone Community Church to build a campus-style facility in one of Austin’s worst neighborhoods. To listen to the podcast, click below:
Next up, my friend Sarah was on Austin radio this week! A little after 8 a.m. on Tuesdsay, Sam Marion called me to say that Sarah and her band “The Reliques” (comprised of herself and another Sarah) were the topic of discussion on the Bobby Bones show, which is one of the most popular morning shows in Austin (96.7 Kiss FM). You can listen to a couple of their songs on The Relique’s MySpace page. I recommend it.
In the off chance you’re not terribly in to Texas politics (I mean, who isn’t, right?), on my last day at Senator Hutchison’s office, she released a statement that indicated she is serious about running for governor of Texas. Check out the Politico story (i.e. national news), but don’t miss the Wayne Slater piece in the Dallas Morning News. The Burka Blog, which speculated she would resign from the senate in the near future was refuted by the DMN’s “Trail Blazers” blog and a statement by the senator herself that indicated she would remain a senator through at least late 2009. So what does all of this mean? Well, if she decides to become a candidate for governor, it means a primary showdown with current-Gov. Rick Perry (who won in 2006 with a staggering 39 percent of the vote, in an election where 11 percent went to “the guy in the wheelchair”) in March 2010. Stay tuned on this one.
In other news, Chris Matthews is a blemish on society. He apparently thinks he’s worthy of taking the senate seat of one of our country’s foremost leaders in public policy, Sen. Arlen Specter. I, of course, have no bias in this situation. Neither my education in journalistic ethics, nor my brief employment for Sen. Specter has any bearing on the fact that Matthews is literally the worst that cable news has produced (which is saying A LOT… for an example of his competition, I present to you: Nancy Grace). It’s going to be difficult to sit idly by and watch this thing unfold, if he decides to run.
And finally, I really like this song by The Clash “Train in Vain.” The YouTube video is just a slideshow since the song came out before MTV, so I recommend playing it while you’re working on other things. It feels good to be back!
Now I got a job, but it dont pay
I need new clothes, I need somewhere to stay
But without all these things I can do
But without your love I wont make it through
Did you stand by me? No, not at all
I’m really sorry about the long gaps in posts. To add insult to injury, this post promises to be a short one, but I have a feeling you will like it.
This semester, as devotees surely know, I have been working in several multimedia journalism classes. One of the courses is the reason that I’m blogging on the Joint so infrequently (and thus you, the audience, is supposed to hate it), whereas the other one has provided you with two podcasts for you listening enjoyment. Personally, I love both classes.
Anyway, my podcasting class has finally launched our Web site: UTexas Podcast. I really encourage you to go there and listen to what my classmates are doing. Some of the podcasts are really amazing. If you only listen to one, make sure you listen to Lauren Carlson’s second podcast (it’s about her grandmother and singing, so if you hear a canon firing and “Texas! Fight!” that’s the wrong one). In my estimation, it’s the best podcast I’ve heard all semester.
Other good ones include Casey Winan’s second podcast about growing up with two parents as principals. I also really liked Stephanie Fourqurean’s second podcast about her grandmother’s colorful past.
As for me, I just finished my fourth podcast. I’m not going to post it yet, because it might still need a few tweaks, but I’ll add it as soon as I think it’s ready. In the meantime, I hope you’ve found something else to fill your time.
(Also: No commentary on my picture on that Web site!)
It feels like every time I get on here now I’m apologizing for taking so long between posts. This is no exception. And to be honest, this is sort of a tease of a post. I just wanted to share something with you that I had forgotten about.
Following 9-11, a lot of celebrities and artists got together to do a benefit for the families of those affected by the attacks. The following performance is by U2 of their song “Walk On” (with a brief intro from the song “Peace on Earth”). If you’re a fan, watch and enjoy. If not and you’re curious, go for it. If not and you hate U2, well then… good day, sir.
Oh, and for those of you looking for more, Bono has called 2009 to “be our year.” More on that here.
The last two records were very personal, with a kind of three-piece at their heart, the primary colours of rock - bass, guitars and drum. But what we’re about now is of the same order as the transition that took us from The Joshua Tree to Achtung Baby.
Apologies for the delay in posting. Not to exaggerate, but my entire world came crashing down this past week as I studied for my economics test that I took at 4 p.m. today. Don’t ask me why, in my senior year, I chose to take electives that involve numbers. I had completely escaped their evil grasp after high school, and yet here I am.
So, we elected a new president. I hope most of you watched the speeches Tuesday night. Both were exceptional. In the abstract, I was very proud to watch history take place. I don’t know if electing Obama means that the United States is better-handling racism than it was 10 years ago, but hopefully it’s a sign of progress.
Sure, I voted for the other guy. But that’s because I thought his policies would work better for the U.S. and international community. (Yeah, I know Europe wanted Obama, but that’s not what I mean.) That doesn’t automatically mean that I think Obama would be a bad president, though. He’s my president(-elect), and he’ll get judged on the exact same score card that Bush did.
Moving onward… I submitted my third podcast today in class. The assignment was sort of a free-for-all: personal narrative, storytelling, or “experimenta.” I went with personal narrative, in part because you didn’t have to go out and do any actual reporting. I know, I know–I’m lazy. But see above if you forgot what this last week has been like.
So, I did my podcast about Wito. Well, not so much about him, but since it was a personal narrative, it’s more about what happened and how I dealt with it. Last spring in Gene Burd’s “Feature Writing” class, I wrote a similar piece. As far as I know, only he read it, and that was partly on purpose. It felt weird writing a personal narrative about someone else passing away. (Not to imply that you could write a personal narrative about your own passing, either…) The point I’m trying to make is that I didn’t like making this story about me.
But I think writing this story once already (in Burd’s class) made it easier this time around. And you know what? It is about me, at least a little bit. Witnessing someone with as much passion and dedication for what he did, firsthand in high school, had a profound effect on how I viewed education, work… a lot of things. The same could be said for my parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, and anyone else who has had a significant influence in my life.
So, I do have a story to tell. It’s up to you to determine if it’s a good one or not. But it’s mine. I figured since I shared this with my professor and classmates, who are otherwise perfect strangers, I might as well share it with those of you I know best (and the rest of the Interweb). So without further ado, my podcast (it’s about 5 minutes long, so plan accordingly):
Sorry for the somewhat touchy-feely post. I’ve been in a weird mood the past week or so. Maybe my headcold knocked something loose in my brain. Or Obama’s sweet words have finally gotten to me. I’ll get back to you on that.
Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin’ anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
Well, well, well… here we are. November 3rd. Election eve. The last “real” day of governing for the Bush administration. For those of you who hate politics and have stuck around this blog, tomorrow is a day of hope for you. Hope that I’ll finally stop writing about this crap. We’ll find out, won’t we?
Anyway, as promised I thought I’d illuminate your minds with my electoral college predictions for tomorrow’s presidential election. Will Ohio go to Obama? Will McCain steal Pennsylvania? Will anyone ever care what happens in Nevada? These questions and more will be answered! For your reference, I’ve included an electoral map from electoral-vote.com.
Unlike what many people in the media love talking about, those traditionally red states, those “sexy” picks to go blue, simply will not. If you want to put it in terms of this map, that means Arizona, Montana, North Dakota, Missouri, Indiana, Georgia and Arkansas (ARKANSAS? I know there’s Clinton, but really?). McCain is taking all of these. As much as the talking heads want you to believe they’re in play, they’re absolutely not. Boy I hope I’m right… I sure sound decisive right now.
Now, how bout those pesky light blue guys in the West? It seems like New Mexico and Colorado are locks for Obama. He also has a 6-point advantage in Nevada, which leads me to believe he’ll probably take it, too. He can have it, with those Vegas heathens.
Let’s move on to those other die-hard red states on the east coast: North Carolina and Virginia. Obama has Virginia by 5 points, but North Carolina by only 2. I’m predicting a McCain victory in the Tar Heel State. Virginia will be exceptionally close, but will likely go to the senator from Illinois.
That leaves America’s favorite drama queens: the battleground states. I’m talking about the big three of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. In 2000, Tim Russert was able to boil the entire election down to three words “Florida! Florida! Florida!” I’m not sure this year is quite so simple. In Florida, Obama is up 45-49. In Ohio, it’s 44-49. Pennsylvania leans a little more for Obama at 44-52. I’m fairly confident that those who haven’t hopped on the Obama bandwagon, won’t. I also believe that some people may not be answering polling questions honestly.
With all of these things being said, I’m picking Pennsylvania to go to Obama (47-49), Florida to McCain (49-48) and Ohio… hmm. Ohio. I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I think it could break for the big O.
So what does all of this mean? I’m predicting a closer-than-expected… loss by McCain. He’s my homeboy. He has been for about 6-8 years. And in some ways, it’s almost a relief. They said on “Meet the Press” yesterday that whoever wins the election will probably be asking for a recount Wednesday morning. I wouldn’t give that guy’s troubles to a monkey on a rock.
All we can do now is make some popcorn, settle in and watch the great American drama unfold.