Racing regulators kept hearing the reports: trainers were giving their horses a powerful performance-enhancing potion drawn from the backs of a type of South American frog. But for months postrace testing could not find the substance, a painkiller far more powerful than morphine. Then a lab in the Denver area tweaked its testing procedure, and in recent weeks more than 30 horses from four states have tested positive for the substance, dermorphin, which is suspected of helping horses run faster. “We hear about some pretty exotic stuff,” said Dr. Steven Barker, who directs the testing laboratory at Louisiana State University. “Frog juice — this is exotic.”Full article here.
A woman in New Jersey is suing a little league player after his errant throw hit her in the face. Elizabeth Lloyd is seeking more than $150,000 in damages from 11-year-old catcher Matthew Migliaccio. Lloyd was sitting at a picnic table near the baseball diamond when she was hit by a baseball two years ago. The ball was thrown by Migliaccio who was warming up a pitcher before the game.
Migliaccio, now 13, said that he ran over to Lloyd at the time of the accident to see if she was OK. When she said that she was fine he returned to his warm-up.
Migliaccio said:
“I ran over to see if she was all right. She said she was OK. I was just on with warming the pitcher up, and I was not horsing around.”
The lawsuit claims, however, that Micliaccio’s throw was “intentional and reckless” and caused “severe, painful and permanent” injuries. The little league lawsuit goes on to say that Lloyd is still experiencing pain from Migliaccio’s “negligent” and “careless” act and is asking the baseball player to pay for her pain, anguish, and medical bills.
Lloyd is demanding a jury trial.
I always attributed this quote to Elvis Costello, but evidently I was wrong:
Oh, God! Can I please put in print that I didn’t say that! I may have quoted it, but I think [’7os US actor/singer] Martin Mull coined that. It still follows me around, that one. It’s probably in some book of quotations credited to me.
According to this guy, it probably was Mull, but nobody knows for sure. I like Lennon's line: Listen, writing about music is like talking about fucking.
Happy 70th Macca.
One of my favorite origin stories. Also has the birthday mention, and props to any lefty who can play a right-handed guitar without re-stringing.
Thanks to Mike/Matt who originally helped us get our Oatmeal on. The website "Funny Junk" - which stole, re-hosted and monetized The Oatmeal - is now extorting The Oatmeal's creator for $20,000 under threat of a federal lawsuit. Story here. That's some straight, shameless, irony-free hubris!
Although our Bastardus Emeritus and British barrister could probably explain the Digital Millenium Copyright Act and other relevant legal minutiae to us in excruciating detail... the best thing by far is The Oatmeal's response. Enjoy.
Before Airplane!, Police Squad! and Top Secret! (to name only a few), Jim Abrahams and Jerry and David Zucker gave us The Kentucky Fried Movie. Enjoy "A Fistful Of Yen" - a sketch from the film parodying Bruce Lee's Enter The Dragon - as you head into your weekend ...
Spent a couple of fun days in NYC with my mom and step-dad. One place on earth I will never get tired of. I'll be heading back for a week in July for a history grant I'm part of. We're also heading to the Olympic Peninsula and Victoria, BC this summer. What's everyone's summer vacay plans? And do any of them include central North Carolina?
The band is Odland, which maybe explains why the girl just sings gibberish instead of actual words, but I'm thinking someone put in a night or two making this video.
Cory Branan has a new one out called Mutt on Bloodshot Records. That's almost a major label debut, no? Stream on Spinner here, get a free MP3 of first single Bad Man here, and that might be the second best album cover ever.
Archie Powell and the Exports - as featured on the AV Club today. Mmmm...Power Pop...
Also, I'm going to see Heartless Bastards tonight. Thought you might like to know.
Going to Jack White at the Ryman tonight. Please believe me even if I don't return with photos of us together. Also enjoy his collaboration with Tom Jones: Howlin' Wolf's Evil.
I know we generally reserve that post title for deaths, but the so-called 'Marriage Amendment' passing in North Carolina is like death. Not only does it give Constitutional backing to bigotry, it also extends to all domestic partnerships, gay or straight. I love the south and my twenty years here have been the best of my life but the bible-thumpers have seriously gotten under my skin this time around. How dare a bunch of people who believe in fairy tales get to make the rules for all of us.
Finally, they made one that made me feel the same way I did when I read the comic books 30+ years ago. Great script, great humor, great visuals. See it in 3D if you can as it makes it feel even more like a comic book. Kudos Whedon!
"To animate the wave form, we built it and then carefully removed each
individual record. This had to be done very gently as any shift in the
position of the sculpture would result in the failure of the animation
and as we had to literally destroy each piece of vinyl to get it off,
there was only one chance to get it right. Once the sculpture was
finally built, the animation process took about 30 hours."
It was only a matter of time. After Sweden saw a pirate seated in parliament in 2009, the pirate party made inroads into German government. Representing up to 13% of the population, it may now be the third largest paarrrrrrrty in Germany. Initially concerned with intellectual property issues, the movement has recently begun to include government transparency. [Which is undoubtedly code for wenches and grog.] They've won 13 seats in Berlin state parliament as well as 4 seats in the Western Saarland region. The story.
"Make no mistake, the biggest reason voters are flocking to the Pirates is that they’re disillusioned with the opaque deal-making and elite hierarchies of traditional politics.
The Pirate movement on the other hand is very much born of the internet, with its open nature, ever-shifting meritocracy and low barriers to entry for new ideas. The goofiness of net humour is there in force — Pirates have been known to turn up to Berlin’s parliament in fancy dress — but the message is serious, and it is taken seriously."
My school is entered in a video contest with a prize of $10K at stake. We're a small school so I hope you'll go HERE, register to vote for us, and then vote up to 10x per day starting Monday. If you can beg, blackmail, or blow your co-workers and loved ones into doing the same, I'd much appreciate it. Our school is Josephine Dobbs Clement Early College High School.
Sorry for my lack of recent involvement. Thank God I pay Eric to take up my slack. April is the cruelest month at school, unless you count March and February. Anywho, I'm back bitches and I'm taking no prisoners. Next Sunday will mark my next appointment with my idol and godhead, Elvis Costello, who brings his Spectacular Spinning Songbook to the Durham Performing Arts Center. As a nod to the diversity of this amazing guy, here is a list of my concert history and EC's show format for each:
1) Berkeley, CA in 1991. Supporting Might Like a Rose and playing with the Rude 5 which includes Marc Ribot and a couple of the original Elvis' 70s band.
2) New Orleans, LA in May of 1994. Supporting Brutal Youth. Drove from Jackson to see this show which featured the Attractions together again. The next night....
3) Memphis, TN. Saw this outdoor show at Mud Island with some bastard. I only have four words to say about the opening band: Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm.
4) Philadelphia, PA 1999. My girlfriend took us to Philly to see Elvis as a birthday present. Tower Theater was great, and so were EC and Steve Nieve. I got them both to sign the limited edition EC/SN box set, my prized musical possession (besides my Subteens CD that has one of Jay's boogers on it).
5) New Orleans, LA 1999. EC and keyboardist Steve Nieve play a gorgeous set and Elvis actually gets the noisy ass crowd at the House of Blues to STFU when he sings off-mic. You coulda heard a pin drop.
6) Oxford, MS. EC plays at Proud Larry's, a tiny bar downtown, in order to warm up his new songs for the recording of the Delivery Man. Most of those new songs were played twice with lots of classics and deep cuts scattered in. Amazing to see him in a dive. The next day I got Steve's autograph when I ran into him in a record store on the town square.
7) New Orleans, LA 2005. Elvis with the Imposters at the HofB. Bob Andrews of the Rumour (a New Orleans resident) hops up to play a couple of songs with the boys. My only picture with Elvis is ruined when some jackhole walks in front of the camera. I have a pic of EC and my right hand.
8) New Orleans, LA 2005. A scant month later, EC plays the JazzFest. David Hidalgo of Los Lobos joins for a few songs. Three months later, Hurricane Katrina comes and leads EC to record The River in Reverse, which leads to the next show in...
9) Vienna, VA in 2006. Elvis and Allen Toussaint are touring together with the Crescent City Horns and the Imposters. A very joyful show with great new brass arrangements of the songs, deep cuts from AT's catalog, and a nice salve for the still painful memory of Katrina.
10) Washington DC 2007. Elvis celebrates thirty years in the biz and plays stuff from just about every album. Allen Toussaint is in town and joins in towards the end. An amazing setlist and a great time with yet another bastard. Cover highlight: Hey Bulldog!
11) Cary, NC 2007. A few months after the raucous show in DC, EC and SN perform with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra. Lots of new arrangements and a peaceful night under the sky enjoying an outdoor show.
12) Cary, NC 2009. Elvis brings his bluegrass band and plays rearranged versions of his hits plus stuff from Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane. Cover highlight: Femme Fatale and Mystery Train.
13) Durham, NC 2012. Sunday Elvis brings his spinning songbook. People from the audience get to spin the wheel and he'll play the song. Included are thematic jackpots like 'Time' and 'I Can Sing a Rainbow'. Recent covers have included Please Please Me, Out of Time by the Stones, and Purple Rain.
I can't recall if we've 'discussed' the New Pornographers. If not, Finally There's Plans to do so. Great pop and Neko Case features throughout, which should put Joe on board at least.
Levon Helm was simply one of the greatest drummers ever. But he was also one of the most influential musicians and important artists of our time. Levon had a depth of feel that does not exist anymore. His brilliantly economic parts, lyrical phrasing and incredible touch and tone on the drums were as unique as his song writing and timeless voice. His impact on me cannot be overstated. Getting the privilege to double drum with him last year at our Solid Sound festival was one of the greatest thrills I could ever imagine. He was a passionate man with an extremely gracious, warm and giving personality. That he made some of his best music in the final years of his life, is a testament to his greatness and historical significance. He will be dearly missed.
Organizers for the upcoming London Olympics were disappointed when they spoke to the Who's manager -- and were told that Keith Moon would be unavailable. Story here.
Any of you fine bastards ever order a personalized plate? This is my first. Our upstanding educator can clue us in to the proper pronunciation. I think he recognizes the word. You have to list three options on the request. [See mine above.] High praise to anyone who recognizes my first option without using the Google.
This is total genius: a German advertising agency (Jung von Matt) came up with these LEGO minimalist cartoon characters. I can name most of 'em. Can you?
