"Live every moment to the fullest so your life isn't hollow" - Murs & 9th Wonder, Murray's Revenge
It's weird not having internet access at home and, generally, being far too busy at work for leisure writing. I've gotten so used to regular content here, though, that I feel bad that we've gone two weeks without a Conspicuous Consumption (There's some N.W.A. talk and why "Making The Band 3" and "Run's House" might be my favorite hour of TV this summer coming, though) and a week without a Wayback Machine or a Random 10. I might get in a Friday Hodgepodge today because I really want to talk about what's coming up new on Last.fm and some other things but my link list has gotten so long that I really need to get out some Hot Links & Gumbo so, whoomp, there it is.
Newsvine - Vandross Record Coming Out After Death
There's new Luther Vandross music on the way.
Fans of the legendary singer, who died in July, can enjoy two new tracks when "The Ultimate Luther Vandross" collection is released Aug. 22. It includes the previously unissued songs "Shine," produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and "Got You Home."
Word comes from deep inside the studio that Clooney plans to revamp and carry on a new version of the shingle with Eight's former VP of Development and Good Luck co-writer Grant Heslov. And the two have reportedly already settled on a new name for their production company: Smoke House.
For those unfamiliar with its world famous garlic bread, the Smoke House Restaurant across the street from Warner Bros.' Burbank lot has long been a favorite of Clooney's, who started making regular jaunts there back in his "ER" days. A local fixture since the '40s, the Smoke House was popular with WB stars like Errol Flynn and Judy Garland, and it continues to provide a welcome respite after marathon editing sessions and long days shooting hoops with the grips.
So That Happened...: Una Pelicula Mala
And, Nacho Libre was such a waste of time and money. Not a single funny line in the movie -- only occasional amusing deliveries of unfunny lines. What an a**pile.
Chuck Klosterman on Gnarls Barkley in NY Times Magazine
But I think the main problem (and explanation for his portrayal of Ceelo as pawn in Danger's master plan) is that he seems to be wandering around with the Gnarls press packet as his only guide, so he never fully catches on that it's the mechanics of their hype, in itself, that's the key to the Gnarls Barkley story.
NOW Magazine - Music in Toronto, JUNE 22 - 28, 20061
No one outside Scandinavia was paying much attention to the softly sung tunes González so gently strummed on his lovely Veneer (Imperial) debut, initially issued in 2003 (recently released domestically by Mute), until one of his sweetly crooned confections called Crosses appeared in the 2005 season finale of The OC.
The Omnivore's Dilemma : A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan (kottke.org)
At first it was just little stuff, like buying local produce and banning foodstuffs made with high fructose corn syrup. But then there was the fist-fight at the greenmarket about the sausage that Meg suspected was not humanely made because the woman selling it did not know the names of the pigs that supplied the meat. "Just one name, you heartless bitch!" she screamed as security escorted her from Union Square. The restraining order prevents Meg's further presence at the market and I am barely tolerated in her stead.
Amazon.com: The Omnivore's Dilemma : A Natural History of Four Meals: Books: Michael Pollan
We needn't learn how to shoot our own pigs, as Pollan does; there's hope in other ways -- farmers' markets, the Slow Food movement, restaurants supplied by local farms. To Pollan, the omnivore's dilemma is twofold: what we choose to eat ("What should we have for dinner?" he asks in the opening sentence of his book) and how we let that food be produced. His book is an eater's manifesto, and he touches on a vast array of subjects, from food fads and taboos to our avoidance of not only our food's animality, but also our own. Along the way, he is alert to his own emotions and thoughts, to see how they affect what he does and what he eats, to learn more and to explain what he knows. His approach is steeped in honesty and self-awareness. His cause is just, his thinking is clear, and his writing is compelling.
Be careful of your dinner!
Disease Proof: NBA Star Menu Predicts Future Health Problems
Clearly Richard Hamilton and his chef are not nutritionists. His diet is designed to meet Richard’s taste preferences, not to maximize health and performance. Let's take a look at what this fit basketball player eats, we’ll do a complete dietary analysis of his meals and see if his diet comes up healthful or not.
I had my staff dietician analyze these menus with a computer software program to document the poor nutritional quality of Hamilton’s diet. For any person to expect to remain in excellent health as they age, the vast majority (meaning 75- 90 percent) of calories must come from unrefined natural plant foods, not white flour, sugar, oil and animal products. Because Richard’s diet is profoundly deficient in vegetables, beans, fresh fruits and raw nuts and seeds (high nutrient plant foods), we can use his diet as an example of a disease-promoting diet-style.
Whole Foods Market : Company : John Mackey's Blog : May 2006 Archives
I regret that you did not engage in any serious research about how Whole Foods Market actually does business or you would have discovered that we support local and small farm food production all over the United States as well as in other parts of the world. Whole Foods Market, despite its size, does not operate as a typical monolithic corporation such as Wal-Mart (with which you associate Whole Foods Market several times in your book). Our company continues to operate on a decentralized model wherein each of our 11 regions, as well as each store, has a high level of autonomy. Differences in product offerings, suppliers, and seasonal availability result in a significant variation of items on our shelves from region to region and even store to store within the same city. However, our strict quality standards, the highest in the industry, are observed with every supplier and retail outlet. In other words, you may find a variation in the types and kinds of products, but each has been screened by our rigorous quality standards.
toddkelley.net: Does Whatever A Spider Can...
One of the coolest comics i've come across is Spider-Man. I've been back tracking through the past couple years (in anticipation for the movie) and i've been very impressed. These days, Spidey's hangin' out with Tony Stark (Iron-Man), and has reaped the fruits of their friendship, in the way of a new Spidey Suit.
Ultratart: It's Got Bite: She's So Neurotic2
I'm in bed, right? And I am not one of those people who just gets into bed and falls asleep. There's a lot of routine involved. First of all, I like to read something before I go to sleep. Second, when I am working, I can not fall asleep until I figure out what I'm going to wear to work the next day. Please note that I hardly ever actually wear what I planned on. I just like to have something in mind before I go to sleep. And then, with the Outfit I Am Not Going to Wear all picked out, I like to get in ten good minutes of day-dreaming. [Night-dreaming? Wool-gathering.] These are very elaborate fantasies, generally, with detailed sets and costumes -- hang on! This entry is not about THOSE kind of fantasies, so go no further down that road -- and they often involve: a) a romantic declaration of love, b) a dramatic fight, in which I emerge the victor, or c) a tragedy requiring some kind of hat with a veil.
1I can't believe that fans of The O.C. were up on José González before I was. I'm getting old.
2OK, Jessica's posts are always very good but this one is so incredibly enjoyable (and mildly disturbing...it has never occurred to me in 31 years of life to have deliberate plotted day dreaming. Maybe I should do that more) that I've read it five times over and smiled and laughed each time.