Also, thanks to Dean's little sister

Most of the scene between Rory and Dean upstairs in his parents' house was amazingly painful to watch, but the sounds of Avril's "My Happy Ending" coming through the wall made me remember what an absolutely fantastic song it is. As in, mighty close to "Since U Been Gone" territory (think of Kelly's song as Syria in the current situation) and possibly more important in my personal development as a music listener. Mock was flattened. Any semblance of distancing was KO'd. You know how Greg Blue hits people (caveat: you may not if you're not a football fan)? That's how this song hit me. I'd just forgotten for months and months that I still had turf to pick out of my teeth. (Video here)

They better hope Jesus understands proper comma usage

I mean, the makers of the sign in this AJC video do, but if Their Lord were to mistake their plea for an imperative directed at him, things could get weird in a hurry.

Trying to make a javascript link.

If that doesn't work, it's on the main page of the paper today, in the video section, under the link "Baby Jesus stolen in Cobb County."

Hobbyhorse

1) Wait a sec now. We have "if"s and words like "scheme" cropping up. ABH continues to moderate its position on voter IDs. And includes this awesomeness:

The state did put a refurbished 15-year-old bus on the road in an attempt to give the poor and elderly a wider opportunity to obtain an ID, but according to a Dec. 19 Atlanta Journal-Constitution report, the bus "has broken down three times and issued just 471 photo IDs ... fewer than 11 per county visited" in its three months on the road.

Also, there's this:

Republicans are a majority in the state legislature, and could, therefore, gain approval for almost any scheme to make state-issued IDs easier to obtain. But Johnson and his colleagues would be well advised to make certain that any proposal uses the smallest possible amount of state funding.

You know what would use the smallest possible amount of state funding? Not requiring the damn ID in the first place. Right now, it seems as if Georgia Republicans are backing off this issue in general. I wouldn't be surprised to see it die a sad, lonely death in a corner next year.

2) So, uh, now the homeless will have nowhere to go at night and also nowhere to go in the day.

Declining federal grants also are a trend. Athens' share of federal Community Development Block Grants dropped from $1.81 million in 2004 to $1.67 million this year, and are expected to drop another $50,000 to $100,000 next year, according to HED.

Yeah, because what're you gonna do? It's just the way of the world. It's not like anyone's making decisions on this kind of thing.

3) The eastside Lowe's is open, sorta. Expects much foot-kissing from Athenians for locating here. After all, they only did so out of the goodness and charitable spirit that resides deep in their big corporate hearts. It wasn't to make money. Note that back in April, we learned:

A second request came from Lowe's, which plans to open another of its building supply stores in the old East Plaza Shopping Center at Lexington and Cherokee roads. The Lowe's bond package totals $25 million and would produce 119 full-time and 29 part-time jobs, said Drew Page, executive director of the Athens-Clarke County Economic Development Foundation.

And now we're hearing:

"For a store this size, Lowe's invests approximately $18.5 million, based on the land, building and infrastructure, not products being sold," Cobb said. "In terms of employment, it creates up to 75 new jobs, 80 percent of them full-time."

So what happened to the extra $6.5 million granted and the 70-something jobs that vanished?

4) It was nice knowin' ya, quiet downtown skyline.

5) Hart County Liberry gets $$ to get rid of mold.

6) God, we'd love to, Heather, if there were such a thing as a great-tasting mock meat.

7) Chip Rogers reaffirms status as giant dildo and general desirer of attention. Looka me! Looka me! I'm a freshman senator!

8) Amazingly, Kennesaw's student government beats our own SGA to the punch in demanding a student seat on the Board of Regents.

"Students need to have a voice," said James Touchton, Kennesaw State student government vice president. "The people on the Board of Regents ... some of them are 40 years out of school. They haven't been around campus. They don't know what's going on."

...State officials say they'll entertain the request but won't make any promises.

Incoming University System Chancellor Erroll Davis said he would support increasing student input into the regents' decisions. But appointing a student to the board might not be the best way to do that, he said.

"There are a lot of different ways to get student perspective," Davis said. "It's not without its challenges."

Many issues that the regents address do not warrant student input, he said. "If a student's view is that we're talking about students all the time, they should be disabused of that notion," he said.

So, how many lawmakers do they have on their side? Two. But not really. Doood.

[bugmenot ABH; bugmenot AJC]

Oh staff listserv etc. etc.

I knew you wouldn't let me down on the eve of the eve of Xmas.

3. Horse sheet, size 76" -- very light blanket in some sort of poly blend which is dark purple with golden leaves on it -- excellent for use under other blankets for limiting rubbing or for when you don't need warmth, but want to keep your horse from getting dirty. We refer to it as "the smoking jacket" -- if Harry Potter, Hugh Hefner, or George Burns were horses, this is what they'd wear. $10.

What about tiny tigers? Would they wear it?

Round-up

1) Why no excerpts from what I am reading? Because I am reading Harry Potter 6, and while I'm enjoying it mucho mucho, J.K. Rowling's prose is not exactly undying. There does seem to be quite the large number of obscene hand gestures in this one though. I think I can recall at least three so far, possibly four. Also, as is oft the case with these big hardbacks rushed into print, there are aggravating typos that should have been caught. I did, however, spy a correctly used en-dash in a compound adjective. It made me happy. (I am easily pleased.)

2) Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer is next up.

3) Hassi pointed out to me yesterday that Trapped in the Closet is the eighth best selling DVD in the Athens area. You're welcome, Athens.

4) Stupid Bloodhound Gang idiot boys. Why must you make the songs that I like occasionally. "Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss" is sophomoric as usual and has an immature video, but the song is mega-catchy--it actually reminds me of some early Weird Al stuff in the tone and mocking of disco. Thing is, I love disco. Just because you're mocking doesn't mean I won't enjoy your tunes in a sincere way.

5) Stylus doesn't hit Kanye until #6 on the album list. Ouchie. There should be some kind of Xmas singles thing that I contributed to at some point over the holidays.

How we're spending our holidays

Why, with our favorite ladies, of course, who finally arrived on the porch after angry amazon email exchanges. A mere six episodes in, and I am full of trust, but still, season five seems maybe a step down from season four. Not least because if Rory keeps hanging out with these secret club folks, she's going to have to be with them when the revolution comes: i.e., first up against the wall. Their stunt = the lame.

I just made a noise

A happy little breathless noise. Perhaps Time's co-man of the year pulled a string or two? [via]

Can we get this version somehow?

NASHVILLE, Dec. 15 - When the Miss America Organization announced this year that its next pageant would be broadcast on Country Music Television - a basic cable channel where, heretofore, the standard of poise and elegance was probably set by Daisy Duke strutting past the General Lee in popular reruns of "The Dukes of Hazzard" - die-hard followers of the competition worried that an American icon was about to get chicken-fried.

As it turns out, fans of the pageant, which will be broadcast live from Las Vegas on Jan. 21, can put to rest those premonitions of Willie Nelson tying a bejeweled bandanna onto the head of the winner while Billy Ray Cyrus croons, "There she is, Miss America."

Cletus will emcee, though.

Drama Queen

Do you know how long this new Mary J. Blige record is?

It is an hour and twelve minutes long.

A couple minutes of that is silence on the last track before it transitions into the traditional hidden tune. But still. MJB. Do you expect me to spend my entire life listening to your album?

Hobbyhorse

1) ABH weighs in on the new on-campus drinking policy, at long last. Nothing better to write about, dudes? And also, "It's not the first place on the University of Georgia campus that anyone would expect to find important and worthwhile policy decisions being made"? Meow. Not that we disagree. We just don't think this is one. It's true that

While the task force approach is a nanny-style effort to distract students from the unlawful or unhealthy use of alcohol, the police department's approach treats students more like adults, allowing them to make a choice regarding on-campus drinking, but clearly outlining the potentially serious consequences of an unwise choice.

It's just that it's not a very flexible way to deal with issues that will naturally arise when kids are away from home for the first time.

2) Arcade's cleared again of being a speed trap.

3) For want of a bandaid, the Secret Service's big counterfeit bust was diminished. Clearly it was a super high-tech operation.

4) Ivey's open slot on the Oconee County planning commission has several candidates for it who'd like to see a less developer-friendly PC. Ten people have applied, two explicitly saying they'd like to provide a different perspective, seven of whom are unaffiliated with construction and the like. OCC makes the decision. You'd kind of think that, since they appointed all the current planning commissioners, things would tend to keep going in the direction they were already going in.

5) Irony strikes again.

6) United Way's doing fine, charitable-giving-wise. Salvation Army shows a little leg.

7) Anisa ain't no evil stepmom. This was totally worth a column.

8) You did not just write this, did you, Josh Love?

I wonder sometimes if we'd be even remotely interested in Britney Spears, Ashlee Simpson or Lindsay Lohan as music-makers if we weren't exposed to the vagaries of their lives. Certainly there's value in turning life into art (ask Madonna or Eminem), but if you took away the tabloids, scandals, controversies and cultural relevance from most pop careers, would we care a whit about what was left?

Sure, it's in the context of a positive Rachel Stevens review, but I thought we were past such musings.

9) Ken Justice says we should use the state budget surplus on education.

10) USA Today has a UGA student roundtable on drinking. And they say a lot of reasonable things about talking to your kids and promoting education over condemnation. (Also: Give your friends a ride. And what works as far as reducing drinking. The latter contains a little clash between the 21-year-old president of Advocating Safe Alternatives for Peers and the 25-year-old criminal justice major.)

[bugmenot ABH]

We used to have these things called cones

But those can't be squished in the hand for faster ice cream consumption without creating a mess. If that sugar is not getting in your mouth nearly quickly enough, I suggest you try these. [Sidebar: The spelling, once you realize what it is a variation on, will actually hurt your eyes. Physically.]

Running is horrible

Maybe it's great if you know how. I can't say. I think my feeble lungs are only now beginning to calm down after shock! awake! time say what? augh! morning that involved me leaving the house in literally five minutes flat, which included time to call Athens Transit and ask them what time the back-up bus hits my stop. Running through the streets of my neighborhood in work clothes and a heavy coat while carrying my satchel and hoping that the sad, weak, jerry-rigged strap doesn't bust loose = no fun. Getting to the bus stop, taking off coat to equalize temperature, sitting on ground, feeling like death while Asian dude saunters across the street verrrry slowly because he knows what time the bus actually comes (as opposed to the time they tell you on the phone) = even less fun. But getting to work at 1 minute to 8, even though there was no one else here to witness it, is priceless and makes me want to give myself high-fives. Brain may take a bit of poking to wake up thoroughly though.

The big un

The advantage of not being super busy at this time of year is that one eventually has time to make up a top 50 singles list. But I decided not to write an entry for each one. Because it's too much. And I'm not amazingly confident about the order. I decided to keep the top 20 I turned in to Stylus (as opposed to the different top 10 I turned in to Flagpole that'll probably run next week) because that made it a little easier. I believe only two people are represented more than once on the list, and one of those is collaborative. This was pared down from 83 choices, and things were often cut on a whim. Anyway. Here goes [slightly revised]:

Top 50 singles 2005
1. Luda feat. Bobby Valentino, “Pimpin' All Over the World”
2. R. Kelly “Trapped in the Closet (Parts 1-12)”
3. Kanye, “Gold Digger”
4. Of Montreal “Wraith Pinned to the Mist”
5. The Killers “Mr. Brightside”
6. Amerie, “1 Thing”
7. Black Eyed Peas, “My Humps”
8. Akon, “Lonely”
9. Roll Deep Crew, “Shake a Leg”
10. Franz Ferdinand, “Do You Want To?”
11. Gwen Stefani, “Hollaback Girl”
12. Kelly Clarkson, “Behind These Hazel Eyes”
13. Backstreet Boys, “Incomplete”
14. David Banner, “Play”
15. Tegan & Sara, “Walking with a Ghost”
16. The White Stripes, “My Doorbell”
17. Bobby Valentino, “Slow Down”
18. Ying Yang Twins feat. Pitbull, “Shake”
19. John Cale, “Perfect”
20. Madonna, “Hung Up”
21. Missy Elliott feat. Ciara and Fatman Scoop, “Lose Control”
22. Robyn, “Be Mine”
23. The Futureheads, “Decent Days and Nights”
24. R. Kelly, “Sex In The Kitchen”
25. MC Lars, “Signing Emo”
26. Lady Sovereign, “9 to 5”
27. Mariah Carey, “Shake It Off”
28. Crime Mob, “Stilettos”
29. Brooke Valentine, “Girlfight”
30. Regina Spektor, “Us”
31. Juelz Santana, “Oh Yes”
32. Usher, “Caught Up”
33. Ashlee Simpson, “La La”
34. Will Smith, “Switch”
35. Imogen Heap, “Hide and Seek”
36. Trick Daddy, “Sugar”
37. Lindsay Lohan, “Over”
38. Rob Thomas, “Lonely No More”
39. Eminem, “Mockingbird”
40. Keyshia Cole, “I Changed My Mind”
41. Natasha Bedingfield, “These Words”
42. Girls Aloud “Long Hot Summer”
43. Nivea feat. Youngbloodz and Lil Jon, “Okay”
44. 50 Cent feat. Mobb Deep, “Outta Control (Remix)”
45. The Game feat. 50 Cent, “Hate It or Love It”
46. Art Brut, “Good Weekend”
47. Bratz, “So Good”
48. Lovebites, “You Broke My Heart”
49. Chris Brown, “Yo”
50. Goldie Lookin' Chain, "Your Missus Is a Nutter"

"Whoa Yes"/"Tick-Tock"

Video for Juelz Santana's "Oh Yes" has about a minute of "Clockwork" at the end. You are highly encouraged to make the effort. I promise, this'll make me lay off dissing New York's rap scene for a while.

Carat dropping

Here's the headline. Figure out where to put the "^ indie."

Hobbyhorse

1) Febreze not always effective.

2) That building on 316 with the weird ribbon-bedecked sign is expanding. Why? Because they got a hell of a property tax discount to do so.

3) One design proposed to calm the Barnett Shoals/Lexington intersection is a roundabout, but we're kind of freaked by such things here, myself included. Who for it? Do you have to ask?

4) GAE wants a 6% raise for teachers.

"The governor has a history of valuing and respecting teachers, and this will be reflected in his budget," said Heather Hedrick, Perdue's press secretary.

Fat fucking chance.

5) Unlike Perdue, the PSC does something actually useful about high heating costs, moving money into grants for low-income seniors to pay back balances and get their heat turned back on.

Meanwhile, members of the legislature's Democratic Caucus Tuesday afternoon expressed "profound disappointment" with Perdue's sales tax plan.

"(Perdue's) Executive Order is too little," Senate Democratic Leader Robert Brown of Macon said in a statement. "To order the reduction of natural gas taxes by only 50 percent when the state is reaping a financial windfall on soaring prices is a slap in the face of hard-working Georgians. We've become accustomed to Gov. Perdue dismissing our energy proposals for political gain, but the current leadership vacuum is astonishing."

Brown called for a suspension of the entire 4 percent sales tax, as well as financial assistance to protect disabled residents, low-income families and families with small children from natural gas disconnection in addition to elderly customers.

Suspension of the sales tax, whether entirely or partially, does virtually no good as far as relieving costs and it hurts state coffers. I say leave the tax in place and help those who need it.

6) ABH reads own columnists. Also, is probably crossing fingers Cagle wins in the primaries so they don't have to end up endorsing Reed.

7) Shipp gets old-timey wrt Xmas. Liberty cabbage, etc. etc.

8) Letters: This dude explains why I-3 is a bad idea, even though north Georgia has already changed some. Dr. Rapp high fives fellow member of the profession. (Awww. We love Dr. Rapp.)

9) The explanation takes a little away from the drama.

[bugmenot ABH]

Oh, I see... Like Katie?

Where's ya messiah now, nyah?

Ha! You both suck.

On the bright side, we'll get to see what a shaved monkey looks like.

Brought to you by Village Wine & Spirits, actually

So, at long last, Sparks has been sampled. We were on a tonic/Vermouth run, and it was there in single cans in the refrigerated case, so we thought, "eh, let's experience the fuss." And the verdict is that it's kinda gross and tastes a lot like Spree, including that bitter kick to the back of your teeth at the end. So the question is: is Sparks modeled after Spree? Or does Spree taste like malt liquor? Are the youth of America being trained to appreciate this beverage?

No context so we get the joke?

Benjamin Kunkel's largish New Yorker piece about D.H. Lawrence in the guise of a review of a new biography achieves its real purpose, in that it makes me think, "Oh, hell. Maybe he's not that bad. I guess I should try to read one of the actual novels as opposed to trashing his style constantly," but here's the funny bit:

But his demotion from the modernist canon has been prompted by moral disapproval as well. Martin Amis has provided a succinct bill of indictment:

When I reflect that D. H. Lawrence, perhaps the most foul-tempered writer of all time (beater of women and animals, racist, anti-Semite, etc., etc.), was also, perhaps, the most extravagantly slapdash exponent of language, I feel the lure of some immense generalisation about probity and prose.

Amis goes on to claim that an author’s life is never more than “just an interesting extra.”

Pardon? Who said that now?

Publications (and reponse to such)

OMG. My first angry letter.

As I finished reading the Record Reviews section [11/30], I had to wonder - did Flagpole really just give Ashlee Simpson’s new record rave reviews while trashing one of Athens’ best bands, The Whigs? How can a publication that stands for Athens creativity and originality be so easily fooled by marketing executives who spend millions promoting someone who can’t even write her own songs? It is even more sad that the qualities intrinsic to being an artist - talent and character - are embodied in The Whigs, yet overlooked in favor of someone who has neither. I am disappointed in Flagpole for championing themselves as the bearer of all Athens news, while letting down the dedicated fans of the Athens music scene. That The Whigs sold out the 40 Watt on their CD release party shows not only that the reviewer is wrong about their music, but that Athens still loves The Whigs.

Morgan Catalina

Except, you know, I didn't actually write that Whigs one. Morgan seems not to realize what those names at the bottom of the reviews mean. Or maybe s/he thinks Flagpole should get together and write a mission statement on our general take on music, so the reviews coalesce. Then again, not tons of point, when calling something "pleasant" equates to a rave.

Also, here's the Lady Sov EP review.

You wouldn't think they'd be quite so blunt about it

Yes, it's for audible.com, but it still made me do a double-take. I could go off into some sort of rant here about the increasingly less literate nature of our culture, when everyone can talk about music but almost no one can talk about books, yadda yadda, but a) that wouldn't be very interesting, and b) I think the internets is helping out with the reading thing.

OMG

HSN customers are teh fatties! Ew!

Why now? What's with the timing of a piece so utterly unsurprising? Did the NYT not previously realize the existence of TV channels that sell stuff?

Hobbyhorse

1) Perdue cuts deeper into state revenues so as to avoid seeming even faintly pink. I'm sorry, did I say that? I meant: lowers state sales tax on natural gas through April. Note:

The cut, which will lower the tax to 2 percent from 4 percent, applies only to residential heating bills, according to Perdue's office. It will save consumers about $3 on a $150 bill or $6 on a $300 bill.

So feel free to go out and get the Lexus for Christmas after all.

Perdue's order still needs legislative approval, but legislative leaders aligned with Perdue said they were certain the House and Senate would ratify the suspension of the heating fuel tax cut. House Speaker Glenn Richardson, R-Hiram, and Senate Majority Leader Tommie Williams, R-Lyons, both said they anticipated quick adoption. "It's the compassionate thing to do," Williams said. "It's cutting the tax in half in the coldest months for those who really need it."

Can you feel the compassion?

2) St. Joe's is considering moving out by the Epps Bridge Walmart. Inspirational landscape there.

The Athens Church of Christ owns about 10 acres of land next to the property that has been optioned.

Crips v. Bloods part 2?

3) And clearly the police substation did so much in the way of deterrence.

4) Oy, when it's a question of who's right between Carl Jordan and a bunch of warehouses and industrial parks, both trying to pressure local government into scheduling their particular road project first, it's damn hard to pick. Adrian seems to know much more than I do on the subject.

5) Presumably the Georgia Sheriff's Association doesn't provide as much information in the area of needs assessment for new jails as outside consulting firms do? Because they are, as this article notes, free.

6) Georgia's cutting unemployment taxes. We tend to think the best of Michael Thurmond whenever possible, but it would be nice to know why Georgia's residents are on unemployment less than other states' residents. Is the amount of time for which one can draw it set by states rather than federally, for example?

7) Loran sez: "Academia has its challenges and its short comings, but there are good men and women doing good work throughout the nation's ivy influenced campuses."

8) So, apparently, all we're asking for is vague platitudes when we say "plan."

9) The ladies are not lovin' on Ken Mauldin, due to his decision not to bring the recent child molestation case to trial. Oh, and uh, poor people who lost their houses are parasites.

10) It's the details that give it color.

Added:
11) And here's Andy Rusk's platform, in brief.

[bugmenot ABH]

Panty-watch

47) Not all victims profit, with some children ending up as pornographic commodities inadvertently, even unknowingly. Adolescents have appeared naked on their Webcams as a joke, or as presents for boyfriends or girlfriends, only to have their images posted on for-pay pornography sites. One Web site proclaims that it features 140,000 images of "adolescents in cute panties exposing themselves on their teen Webcams." [from "Through His Webcam, a Boy Joins a Sordid Online World," by Kurt Eichenwald, 12/19/05, eight online pages of investigative whatnot about teens making cash on the side through webcams and a bit of exposure or more]

Panty-watch is a regular feature here dedicated to tracking appearances of the word "panties" or "panty" in the New York Times, partially because it's amusing to see the Gray Lady venturing into such areas and partially to see if it correlates with anything specific. There will be graphs or a graph at the end of the year or maybe the beginning of the next.

[previously] [bugmenot NYT]

Oh he of the eyebrows

Litblog, as perhaps mentioned here before, doesn't have direct links to entries, so at some point, this will be outdated and go nowhere, but for now, we're talking about the top entry on the page, the one dated Dec. 20, 2005, in which Patrick trashes Philip Roth for not smiling, or really, to be more accurate, for his explanation of why he doesn't smile for pictures (contained in this interview). But dude. He's just being facetious in that way you get to be when you've reached a certain age, when you can put on your crotchety hat and crotchet it up. The thing is, maybe he's not fond of his smile or simply prefers the way he looks in photos without it, and this way of justifying the lack of smiling (which I'm not so fond of myself when I'm being photographed; the rest of the time, it's damn near constant) really doesn't seem serious to me, especially coming from a writer with an amazing comic gift. Should he be polite to his interviewer and photographer? He probably should. I'm in favor of that sort of thing. But it ain't my job to rap someone who very likely is America's foremost writer, or at least a contender for the position, and rudeness (or social insensitivity) isn't unheard of in the literary field.

Viddy

New kids Sawin' Blogs have the Gondry-directed video of Kanye's "Heard 'Em Say," but I'm going to express some slight disappointment here. There is nothing wrong with small and quiet, but sometimes there is when you're expecting bigger. Some good touches, but a) I'm not buying our boy as a homeless dude (I know, a reality objection from me. About a music video. Stranger shit has happened, I swear) and b) it feels too much like a department store ad to me. It's this close to being From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, but I think it's not taken quite far enough. So, dang it, meh.

Listy my own

Fine. It's time. Stylus is working on putting up their top 50 albums. I'm thinking two of mine definitely make it, and a third has a chance. So here we go.

10. Belladonna, Daniel Lanois
9. Bobby Valentino, Bobby Valentino
8. Get Behind Me Satan, The White Stripes
7. The Way It Is, Keyshia Cole
6. Animal Lover, The Residents
5. Chain Letter, Brooke Valentine
4. Illinois, Sufjan Stevens
3. TP.3 Reloaded, R. Kelly
2. Late Registration, Kanye West
1. The Sunlandic Twins, Of Montreal

And honorable mentions to Pretty Ricky (for Bluestars), the Brah (for his debut album and collaboration with the Lil' Flip Scoldjah), and local fellas Nutria.

Jason Kottke proves whiteness

Note the date.

Lexis-Nexis reveals The Observer explaining it as far back as Sept. 7, 2003. i.e., That's a major paper reference going back more than two years.

Because somebody asked

Here's the sum-up of the overlaps between PF and Stylus, and since they both have 50, we can even average them together to come up with a rank for each song.

47 - Spoon – I Turn My Camera On (#46 Stylus, #48 PF)
37.5 - Animal Collective – Grass (#44 Stylus, #31 PF)
36.5 - Feist – Inside and Out (#26 Stylus, #47 PF)
31.5 - Franz Ferdinand – Do You Want To (#31 Stylus, #32 PF)
29 - Juelz Santana – Mic Check (#39 Stylus, #19 PF)
26 - Missy Elliot feat. Ciara – Lose Control (#29 Stylus, #23 PF)
26 - Ciara feat. Ludacris – Oh (#15 Stylus, #37 PF)
25 - LCD Soundsystem – Tribulations (#33 Stylus, #17 PF)
23.5 - Gwen Stefani – Hollaback Girl (#12 Stylus, #35 PF)
23.5 - Lindstrøm – I Feel Space (#25 Stylus, #22 PF)
19.5 - Kanye West – Gold Digger (#14 Stylus, #25 PF)
18.5 - Madonna – Hung Up (#11 Stylus, #26 PF)
14 - The Killers – Mr. Brightside (#10 Stylus, #18 PF)
12.5 - Robyn – Be Mine! (#4 Stylus, #21 PF)
12.5 - R. Kelly – Trapped In The Closet (#16 Stylus, #9 PF)
10 - Antony and the Johnsons – Hope There’s Someone (#19 Stylus, #1 PF)
6.5 - Three 6 Mafia – Stay Fly (#2 Stylus, #11 PF)
5.5 - The Futureheads – Hounds Of Love (#6 Stylus, #5 PF)
5.5 - The Game feat. 50 Cent – Hate It Or Love It (#5 Stylus, #6 PF)
2.5 - Amerie – 1 Thing (#3 Stylus, #2 PF)
2.5 - Kelly Clarkson – Since U Been Gone (#1 Stylus, #4 PF)

Let me know if I've missed any.

Listy

So this was top 50 as in: we put 50 songs on slips of paper into a hat and picked them out?

We are 150 messages and counting.

Hobbyhorse

1) County jails housing state inmates receive some compensation, but not compensation adequate to the costs of housing them. Clearly, both state and local govts are in a tight spot, and tight spots lead to buck-passing, but some kind of a better solution has got to be found (and I don't mean building more state prisons). This article on the cuts to the migrant education program, focusing on the local incarnation of it, leads to a similar place. If it's ultimately funded with federal dollars, you might as well kiss it goodbye.

2) Reed is super-apologetic for his fuck-ups. "Had I known then what I know now, I would not have undertaken that work," he says. You mean that you were gonna be running for office? That it was gonna get noticed?

3) Local: Gots to love it when a story starts with "after five years of inaction." Makes your group look real good. Rails-to-trails committee moving again, slowly. Duluth treats its day laborers right. Self-operated, warm, dry, fair, and with dominoes.

4) Farther out: Oglethorpe and Crawford's fighting over tiny piece of land in the park continues. "Who gave it to Crawford and was it theirs to give?" is the question at hand. The BC is the 24th fastest growing county in the country, and its residents say Applebee's or bust.

5) Monsignor Donovan hanging in there.

6) AthPo has a bit on LPDS from the other side.

7) UCW to be featured on ABC tonight. Awkward transitions are made.

"Peter Jennings suggested we should be devoting a lot more coverage on religion and culture wars and what a lot of people think is a reawakening in this country," said Tapper, who is based in Washington. "This is not (an example of) a culture war. But it is an intriguing way to spread the word."

There is this trend that is totally important. Over here, there is this thing that I will admit is not related at all. See the connection? No?

8) UGA: More on our new chancellor, but not much more. He believes that his utility company and the university are both public service entities, which is true, but they haven't always been run that way. Ain't nothing clipped out of these juxtaposed paragraphs from the obligatory report on fall graduation:

Justin Golshir, an international affairs and finance major from Augusta, told his classmates to abandon their preoccupation with name brands and material success.

"It's amazing how much we cherish the material things in life, when in reality they don't matter much," he said. "Material things won't give you class or character."

UGA President Michael Adams touted the university's fundraising success during his speech, and congratulated the SEC champion football team, which, coincidentally, was practicing for the Sugar Bowl next door at Woodruff Plaza and Practice Field.

ABH finally does another report on the Lumpkin frats' relocation, tying it in with the arson at TEP, which can probably use the insurance money from damage to the building toward a new building rather than renovations. KA (unsurprisingly, given their rep) isn't so interested in locating on campus. Everything else is still being worked out. Check it: we've got cotton scientists displaced by Katrina.

9) Rachel Bellew is a total hottie.

10) Opinion: Clarke County school superintendent responds to the paper, talks about blueberries. Shipp compares 1955 Georgia to the present-day state and concludes that a lot of things haven't changed much. Walter Jones talks about how nearly all committee meetings at the state capitol will be webcast and archived online and what kind of effect this will have; it does seem to be more of a PR move than anything else, a way of saying, "we don't totally hate open government," but improvement is improvement. Winders nuances Barrow's stance on the war. On the other hand, who says he's serving his current base at all? Art Jackson appreciated. Ponsoldt gives his take on military recruiting on law school campuses ("everybody wrong"), but dude, how often do you hear about academic abuse of power. Don't you have to have some kind of real power before you abuse it? And the ABH focuses on minor hypocrisy rather than the real issue in building I-3, i.e., is it necessary at all?

11) Letter says the school district is overloaded and that's the commission's fault.

[bugmenot ABH]

The blog subtitle is there for a reason

S'all I'm saying, you know?

Xmas special mighty fine as well. Final chunk a bit short and choppy, but "orange bowl" joke and grandpa story both major awesome.

Movie Diary (sorta)

Once Upon a Mattress (2005, TV): Once upon a time, Mr. Brown was in a high school production of this, in which he was a member of the chorus, with one line (of which he made the absolute most he could, with some dramatic pausing for heightened comedic effect). This led to his knowing pretty much all the words to all the songs. I win in general in the knowledge of musicals department, but not with this one. So, of course, it had to be watched. Felt a little stretched even though much was cut, but it is a sweet and generally not corny example of the form, sort of the Faerie Tale Theatre of its day. Tom Smothers most esp notable. Zooey launching her career as the next who knows what? Dunno, but it was a gutsy move casting her and it paid off, even if she is a bit odd-looking with that princessy wig.

Damn ye mightily

You do want to read Ian Frazier's article on feral hogs in the Dec. 12 New Yorker, so much that you'll no doubt visit your local library to unearth a copy, since the powers that be continue to toy with you. Mr. Brown can tell you. I wouldn't shut up with the fascinating hog facts all weekend. And my is it full of them. Plus, Athens makes a cameo in the person of Joe Corn, senior wildlife biologist for the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS, or skwid-is) based out of Vet Med here. Georgia and the entire South is pretty prominently featured. The aspect of Frazier's article that seems to be getting the most play is his theory (tongue plenty in cheek) that those counties with a high number of feral hogs are exactly those counties that went red in the last election, and the higher the number of hogs, the redder the county, except for California. Of course, areas with high numbers of hogs tend to be either rural or rapidly suburbifying, explaining away the effect. Frazier's view of the South is occasionally patronizing, but at least interested in parsing out how things are and why they are and how they are slightly different from this and that.

Joe Corn is tall and lean, in his late forties, with curly dark hair and blue eyes that sometimes betray an unscientific amusement at the hogginess of wild hogs. For example, he was describing a type of wire pen used in trapping hogs, and he said that the pen had no ceiling and was of a height that one could lean over and look down at the hogs; but, he added, one should never do that. I asked why, and he said, "Because they'll jump up and bite your face." And that look--amusement combined with a sort of admiration--lit his eyes.

Notice

Be it hereby posted in the public arena. Hear ye, hear ye. Being only two episodes away from being thoroughly up to speed on Veronica Mars (having friends who have friends who know how to do magical things with the Internet is cool), and being that I enjoy being entertained/titillated, and being that J.J. Abrams has clearly been spending more time than is healthy with Tom Cruise, leading to the ever-increasing suckage of his show, I think it's pretty easy to say what my new Wednesday night, 9 p.m. viewing is going to be. Have fun under the bus, man of faith and man of science. Mr. Dohring out hots both of you little bitches. A show where things actually happen? And it's funny? Holy fuck. It's like cold fusion just got discovered.

When Chris Brown says "yo"

Jive Rekkids says,

it's as if he gives new meaning, new depth and whole new feeling to the word.

Buy it or not, he's both adorable and talented, with sweet vocals, fine production, and the ability to work mad awesome dancing into his videos. I mean, I was just starting to get the hang of that Madonna move that involves squatting down in one direction then swiveling your knees in the other direction as you stand up (pop an ACL, ladies). Now I'm going to have to work on this complicated hand stuff from the "Yo" video. Poke around on his official site, which contains said videos and a "fans" section featuring Chris's favorites that makes you wonder if he was grown in a lab somewhere (Korea?).

Amazon might know a thing or two about me after all

So what if Star Wars III is currently topping my recs list because I had to buy that snazzy Sin City edition. Emails like this make it worth it:

Dear Amazon.com Customer,

We've noticed that customers who have purchased Road Trip (Unrated Edition) also purchased Bob the Butler on DVD. For this reason, you might like to know that Bob the Butler will be released on December 20, 2005 on DVD. You can pre-order yours at a savings of 10% by following the link below.

Description
Likable Bob (Tom Green) can't hold a job, and alphabetically finds employment using the phonebook. Once in the "B's," he stumbles upon "Butler School" and is soon hired by Anne (Brooke Shields), single mother of 2 and business owner, who desperately needs help. Through trouble ensues, Bob's relationship with the kids leads to an unlikely romance with Anne and a very happy ending.

Yes, I say. Yes. Team Brown had caught a minute or so on ABC Family (or Disney Channel?) and pledged "We will see this movie." DVD makes it ever more likely that we will.

I recently watched a screener copy of this film, and I must say it's pretty entertaining. A warning for the average Tom Green fan however, this is Tom Green humor on a leash. Tom really needs to be allowed to reach outside the box for his humor to really take form, and on films like these you can literally see him restraining and thus limiting himself. But a tamed Tom Green is a whole lot better than no Tom Green at all(which has been the case since Stealing Harvard tanked at the box office a number of years ago). So run out and get yourself a copy of Bob the Butler, just don't expect to see horses being masturbated or mice being placed in mouths or bloody bones being licked

Eh... on the other hand... Nah. Who am I kidding? Tom Green is a butler! And there seems to be a hamster in it.

Cuttin' off people's toes is the new black

First Prison Break, now Hostel. Yes, I'm late on the trailer, but my Quicktime just got fixed. Insanely inappropriate to be attached to King Kong? Yes, but somebody's showing his roots. Jan. 6. Mark it.

Hobbyhorse

1) Toys for Tots donations down in Athens, but article could be clearer with its figures. We get this:

"We only have 50 percent of what we had last year," said Vic Thomas, a retired Marine and assistant coordinator for Northeast Georgia Toys for Tots.

And then this:

Last year, the program was able to give two toys to each child, but has only received enough toys for about 2,500 of the almost 25,000 needy children this year, he said.

So are they usually way under what they need? Because that's what it sounds like. On the other hand, they usually give each child two toys. So what's the deal? Are they at 50% of what they're normally at at this particular point in the collection season and they usually get a lot of donations in the last week, meaning they do make their total? Anyway. Griping aside, there's a long list of places to donate at the end of the article, if this is your particular charity.

2) There was iciness yesterday (and still some this morning, as buses weren't running down Sanford Drive). Please do note:

The storm was a knotty problem for school administrators, not only because of the potential driving hazards but because school officials already have lost two "snow days" when Gov. Sonny Perdue asked schools to shut down for two days to conserve fuel after Hurricane Katrina knocked out Gulf Coast refineries and pipelines.

3) OSHA hits Sikes Oil Service with 22 citations and a decently hefty fine.

4) Commission talks about next phase of Baxter Street beautification. Carl Jordan wants to spend $2 million+ on burying power lines, even though a) the entire budget for the beautification is $500,000 and b) the projected cost is already $730,000.

The plans also include crosswalks that are flush with the road, rather than slightly raised. Some business owners had complained about raised crosswalks, saying they slowed traffic. County officials declined to include other business owners' requests, such as returning the road to a four-lane configuration and removing bicycle lanes.

Heh. Work will take place only during the summer.

5) Jerry Keen's bill that would increase penalties for sex offenders is expected to be somewhat hotly debated in the general assembly, due to the administrative costs it would result in. He's already rehearsing his "think of the children" rhetoric. Also, if you go to Aruba, Sonny Perdue is totally taking you off his Christmas card list.

6) Rex Gonnsen strikes the Playgirl pose beautifully.

7) ABH says Chip Rogers is wussing out on this immigration thing because he doesn't want to piss off his donors.

8) Letters: NCLB already treats schools as businesses. Bla bla bla. I love Jesus. Bla bla bla. Happy Mithras Day.

9) AJC reports Georgia's 18th nationally in teacher pay, which, compared to where the schools are, isn't all that bad. Still, I'm not one to oppose raises in this area. And neither are those who need electing:

Senate President Pro-tempore Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) said, "I expect we will give state employees and teachers a pay raise, and we will give them as much of an increase as taxpayers can afford. I hope they will be happy. I believe there is a substantial number of teachers who will appreciate what we do for them."

..."While their pay is dropping relative to other states, Georgia's teachers are paying more for health care and many teachers are even forced to buy their own supplies," said Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, a Democrat who is challenging Perdue in 2006. "We need to fix this, and we need to fix it right now, or our kids will suffer."

[bugmenot ABH; bugmenot AJC]

Movie Diary

King Kong (2005): So, yeah, now I can participate in the discussion, as opposed to standing on the sidelines and calling people losers for going to see it opening day. And, uh, it's pretty good. I mean, Mr. Brown took issue with some of your more obvious greenscreening and CGI, particularly with the dinosaurs, but I was all, "Bad-ass! Dinosaurs!" (i.e., too caught up in the running and the stomping and the gravity of it all to pay attention to FX much). I appreciate the efforts to make it a hard PG-13, and most of the set pieces are slyly done. Not to mention: Kong his own self rules pret-ty hard. But it's over-long at three hours, and there are lapses that are a bit irritating: it goes from day to night and vice versa ridiculously quickly throughout; what happens to the island folk post sacrifice; Jamie Bell's character so could not read Conrad; there is annoying blurred slo-mo in the non-CGI battle scenes. And Brody feels very wrong for his part. Things like that. Which, you know, I'm not tearing the movie down for or saying it sucks. I'm just saying: Not the greatest film ever. Not even the greatest film this year. Or in my top five. Let's say it's about on a level with Jurassic Park, in that it is a nice piece of entertainment, the FX are generally good, there are some thrilling moments, yadda yadda, but it's not genius so much as it is spectacle (as opposed to LOTR, which feels heavy with "meaning" in every scene).

And that, of course, is odd considering the take the movie seems to have on spectacle. Which is that it's mostly exploitation. Witness the presentation of Kong's exhibition at the theater on Broadway. Denham is the exploiter, and the audience is full of gaping morons, and the whole thing is presented as a denigration of nature. Which is not to say that it's not, but there is a tone that suggests (to me) that those of us who enjoy spectacle are wrong for doing so. But, dude, you made the movie. Why would you give me spectacle if you think I'm wrong to want it? What is your deal? Eh, on the other hand, Kong himself seems to enjoy the simplest forms of entertainment, so maybe it's more of an environmental message than an anti-Hollywood-whoring one. (Double added: Kottke picks up on this thread too, though a little differently.)

Added: Also, heh, am remembering the "I said NO!" bit. Hello, Fran and Philippa.

Uh...

Apparently, I need this shirt. That's what I've been told via email anyway. But, dude, that guy is flipping off my boy. I think this shirt could only be worn by those souls who appreciate the R more in an ironic sense and feel free to mock his sexual predilections, as opposed to appreciating his works quite genuinely and trying not to think about the whole peeing thing. Any of the former can purchase said shirt here.

Heeey now

Yeah. Hank-style.

Do you want a true message of love and brotherhood this holiday season? An expression of man's fundamental commonalities rather than the differences that tear us apart? A genre-melding throwdown that turns into a slow grind, with elements of raga and disco, a brief snippet of vocoder, and every production trick in the book? I know you do, kids. Here you go.

Added: Original link is dead, but video is up at AOL Music, for one.

We used to call that kind of thing a movie

Telenovelas soon to be made for networks.

McPherson said the success of serialized dramas such as ABC's "Lost" and "Grey's Anatomy" has proven viewers are interested in event sudsers.

"There's an audience that's excited to watch something like this, something with a beginning, middle and an end," he said. "It's something we want to find a home for on ABC."

Ain't it cute how he assumes Lost has an end? [via]

Lookit

Intrigued by a New Yorker blurb on a show, I googled Kehinde Wiley. Lovely, lovely stuff, and a soundtrack to boot. It is a bit frustrating the way the images dance around until you click on them, but make the click/effort. If you don't, you won't notice how the involved background patterns sometimes end up curling forward over the figures depicted. Morthfucker can paint. The article in Interview is both short (2 pages) and interesting. Contains this detail: "The opening for the military show will be accompanied by a full African-American military brass band performingWest Coast gangsta rap as military marches a la Sousa."

The key word is "unwittingly"

So, for the record, pissing your pants on purpose = the coolest, whereas pissing your pants not on purpose = your single sucks.

(Sidebar: I'm going to go find that Eminem song now.)

Hobbyhorse

1) Mucho transit info, including that there's a new bus stop on the non-Arch side of Broad (close to the intersection with Lumpkin) that will replace existing parking, which is sure to make many folks happy; howevs, some will be added up at City Hall, where buses will still stop, but not hang out. Multimodal Transportation Center due to open in April. Note:

The $7 million multimodal center will provide a central hub for county and University of Georgia buses, taxis, pedestrians on the North Oconee River Greenway and a proposed Athens-to-Atlanta commuter train line.

Erm, how does it serve pedestrians? Maps? Water fountains? Foot massages?

2) Texas sporting goods store that sells guns to open in old Target building. After they pressure-wash the Democrat stink off the walls, of course.

3) Athenians ask Barrow to support immediate troop pullout. Because they think he cares about what his current constituents think.

4) "What [Commerce is] needing is chain restaurants." How much do liquor licenses normally cost? Is $4K a lot compared to $300 for a wine only license?

5) We're getting our state news from a legislative breakfast held in Ila now. There is much talk about what to do with the tax surplus in Georgia.

State Sen. Brian Kemp, R-Athens, said he will push for construction money for the University of Georgia, as well as much-needed funding for major repairs and renovations to buildings on the UGA campus.

"Hopefully we can re-fund some of the cuts we've had," Kemp told about 60 people at the breakfast meeting in Ila Restaurant.

There's been a long-standing shortfall in money for building maintenance at UGA and other state schools, made worse by several years of budget cuts, Kemp said.

"That was one of the difficult choices we had to make," he said.

Kemp said he hoped to see money in the budget for a new UGA cattle and swine facility, a project of about $5 million vetoed last year by Gov. Sonny Perdue, and for a new UGA School of Pharmacy building.

People? We didn't lay off any people. Raises? Living wage? Them cows is my people now.

State Rep. Alan Powell of Hartwell, the only Democrat of the four legislators at Wednesday's meeting, predicted there would be little controversy in this year's session, even though Republicans rather than Democrats now control the legislature.

"Politics is still politics in the state of Georgia, no matter which party rules," Powell said. "It's an election year. The crowd in control won't want to stir the waters too much. That may be a blessing for the voters."

Like Hudgens, Powell said the No. 1 issue will be the budget. But no one will know how that debate will shape up until Perdue releases his proposed budget, he said.

Local school officials have seen "three straight years of unfunded mandates," with the state passing down program costs to local taxpayers, Powell said.

"Local school boards have no other recourse than the property tax," he said.

So apparently anti-immigrant hoo-ha is noncontroversial? ABH is briefly intrigued by the possibility of funding our schools at an appropriate level but decides it would be best to sock it away under the mattress (can we not split it up somehow?).

6) UGA Real Estate Foundation continuing to do what it does, even though its parent organization is being shunned.

On Wednesday, the Real Estate Foundation decided to draw dividends from a handful of building projects that had generated extra revenue since 2001. In all, the group will have about $5.25 million to use, though whether the funds will go to debt retirement, new projects or building up the foundation's reserve hasn't yet been decided. "We're evaluating that now," said foundation President Eric Orbock.

The money could also go toward a real-estate transaction that was discussed in a closed-door session. Members of the board said the deal would require buying some land and selling other property.

Theories? Probably not Lumpkin Street stuff.

7) It sounds like TEP might as well go ahead and start pouring the foundation for their new house. They ain't getting back in this one any time soon.

8) Fine, we're immature and we watch a lot of Britcoms. So we kinda spit-taked at Mr. Love's characterization of Lady Sov as having "plenty of old-fashioned spunk."

9) Walter Jones reports on Taylor and Cox's campaigns for governor. The former is still alive. The latter is supposedly trying to position herself as transcending party, while "Taylor is sticking to the traditional Democratic base of unions, teachers and blacks" (sort of, um, bluntly phrased there, Mr. Jones). So the question is whether it's about the primary or the general election.

10) East-sider and Fed of Neighborhoods pres Andy Herod says Cedar Shoals should follow a "boulevard"-type plan in its zoning overlay. Refers to the street as a "most vital corridor in our community." Notes, "I believe such a plan would also provide a pleasant setting in which students at Cedar Shoals High can learn, protected from the distractions of crass commercialism that might otherwise develop." Because being within sight of a McDonald's means the kids can't learn to read. Etc. etc. So you'd think La Puerta del Sol would fit with this, but then, you'd be wrong. Just because it's a local business not committed to crass signage and because it would enhance the neighborhood feel of things doesn't mean it'll get supported. JMac talks about this too.

[bugmenot ABH]

You're god damn right, Dr. Ross

“I hate it when smart men and women are saying, ‘Well, if I knew then what I know now,’” Clooney told the Sunday Times of London. “The fact is: I knew it then and I don’t have national security clearance. . . . Basically, the Democrat leadership was scared [of criticizing Bush] and it’s too bad, because it’s come back to haunt them.”

Directing your ire at Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, is useless. She didn't vote for it because she's spineless. She voted for it because she believes in it.

Question. Then Answer.

Apparently, you can go as low as $24. But no lower. So tough luck, all you kids who thought you could get by with Martini & Rossi are SOL in the opinion of the NYT. My favorite (the Piper) gets snubbed again, but possibly because the Brut tends to be priced a couple dollars above their cutoff.

Oh staff listserv etc. etc.

searching for king kongs revenge its were kong had a heart transplant on vhs or dvd

It looks like he's actually looking for King Kong Lives, starring Miss Linda Hamilton. Ebert describes it, if you want further illumination on the plot.

Hobbyhorse

1) You don't have to leave Athens to find a good job. If you learn a ton about math and geometry, stay in school, and are very, very lucky, you might some day get to work at a tire plant. (sidebar: When the photo caption says, "Ariella Cross, 12, asks a classmate if she can eat her fruitcake," it is not a euphemism, although it sounds like one.)

2) What Cedar Shoals folks would like on Cedar Shoals is nothing. And all you whippersnappers who don't live on certain blocks better back the fuck off. It's not like you drive on the street or make use of businesses located there or anything.

3) Downtown Development Authority looking for new head. Applications due Jan. 15.

4) It's so nice of the ABH not to put "leaders" in quotation marks. SGA not happy with technology fee hike.

"I'm hoping that Michael Adams' belief in shared governance will be reflected in his decision to listen to what the students have to say and consider that 75 percent of students do not want a $25 increase," Byrd said after Tuesday's meeting with Adams.

"I have a high regard for these two students. ... I told them I wanted to sleep on this," Adams said after Tuesday's meeting, but added he is generally inclined to support the committee's recommendation.

That's the committee that voted in favor of increasing the fee, if you need clarification.

5) ABH buying the line that illegal immigration is the major issue facing us today, likes Chambliss's bill, which would provide labor-law protection for migrant workers in agriculture, but is maybe a bit too lenient on their employers. Sure, they have to say they couldn't find U.S. workers to do the jobs, but how hard do they have to try?

6) Shipp wonders if Democrats are about to sweep into power in Congress, after wandering around, talking about different reasons to be unhappy with those currently in office (reneging on term-limit promises, corruption).

7) Letters: Another correction to Jim's editorial on educational testing in Georgia. This letter talks about how the shelter in the Home Depot parking lot is a good solution. And this dude says there's no good reason to deny rezoning to LPDS.

8) Hot Corner Coffee would really prefer you pay in cash.

[bugmenot ABH]

Oh staff listserv etc. etc.

ELVIS DOLL 18in tall in a real nice musical case hes wearing a white jump suit trim in gold and he has stob lights all around and it plays music.1,000 .00

Not really so much having the words for this. Stob?

Revised

This was my list of my top five movies last December, before I'd seen a lot of stuff, so I'm going to offer up a revised 2004 list expanded to ten choices before I revert to five for 2005.

10. Collateral
9. The Life Aquatic
8. I Heart Huckabees
7. The Incredibles
6. Spartan
5. To Be and to Have
4. Shaun of the Dead
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Dogville
1. Kill Bill, vol. 2

And here are 2005's top five:

5. Mad Hot Ballroom
4. Serenity
3. Broken Flowers
2. War of the Worlds
1. Sin City

Oldboy should go somewhere, but where?

Meow what's all this then

Gratuitous Milton jabs in the New Yorker? Do not make me come over there, kids. Adam Kirsch, in his review of a new Wordsworth biography, writes (of Willie):

He knows what he knows so surely, so completely, that he cannot think against himself; no poet besides Milton is as devoid of humor.

Look, cranky-pants, just because John-John's the greatest poet in the English language doesn't mean he can't be funny. Not that any part of Paradise Lost leads to literal roffles, but the view that Satan is an essentially comic figure, filling up his time with futile self-justification and easily thwarted pay-attention-to-me plans is one I happen to subscribe to.

Things eaten or sampled

Last night:

Duo of foie gras: torchon with bread and butter pickles, crostinis, caramelized pineapple and seared with persimmon and onion jam. (Let it be said again: this goose liver stuff is heaven on a fork.)

Local chestnut and porcini soup with port-poached raisins, roasted chestnuts, and parsley. (thick and beautifully textured, with little treats hiding in it)

Amaaazing app that was a reinterpretation of bacon, eggs, and grits, with pork belly, a pullet egg (and a perfect one), and Red Mule grits standing in. (bestness of the night)

Wild (and tame) mushroom risotto: local snow crab mushrooms, button mushrooms, and shiitakes, finished with a fennel crema and fried leeks.

A pork choucroute (sauerkraut thingie) with various delicious pork products. (good, but different from my mom's; does Hugh make his own sauerkraut?)

And a byootiful piece of skate, dusted with cornmeal, cooked with plenty o' butter, and served on top of a cake of Red Mule grits and topped with a pea shoot and carrot salad dealie.

Yum. Yum. Yum.

Publications

Reviews of: 1) Wade O. Brown and 2) Modest & Humble.

Movie Diary

Vera Drake: For many of you, it's redundant and unnecessary to call a Mike Leigh film dour, and it may even be for me, but usually I don't mind. I'm interested anyway, even though I don't tend to gravitate toward the depressing. But I wasn't crazy about this one. I'd rank it probably just above Meantime, which remains my least favorite of his films. Mr. Brown said that without the acting, it's really nothing, and while the acting is damn good, even that doesn't quite make it worth the time. I felt that it was more rapidly edited (that is, the scenes are shorter, not that the editing took less time to do) than a lot of Leigh's other stuff--that it kept cutting before I wanted it to, whereas normally his scenes go on much longer than you'd like them to. There are a few lovely moments, but on the whole, I wasn't nuts about it.

Not because I plan to, just because I can

And because I'm holding off on year-end lists a little bit longer. From various spynotebooky people, including. So, the 100 most frequently challenged books, with those read bolded because it's easier than doing the strikethrough over and over.

# Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
# Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
# I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
# The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
# The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
# Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
# Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling (minus #6, which I'm planning to do on the break)
# Forever by Judy Blume
# Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
# Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
# Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
# My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
# The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
# The Giver by Lois Lowry
# It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
# Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine (some of these)
# A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
# The Color Purple by Alice Walker
# Sex by Madonna (yeah, this is for reading...)
# Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
# The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
# A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
# Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
# Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
# In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
# The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
# The Witches by Roald Dahl
# The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
# Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
# The Goats by Brock Cole
# Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
# Blubber by Judy Blume
# Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
# Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
# We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
# Final Exit by Derek Humphry
# The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
# Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
# The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
# What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
# To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
# Beloved by Toni Morrison
# The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
# The Pigman by Paul Zindel
# Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
# Deenie by Judy Blume
# Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
# Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
# The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
# Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
# A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
# Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
# Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
# Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
# Cujo by Stephen King
# James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
# The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
# Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
# Ordinary People by Judith Guest
# American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
# What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
# Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
# Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
# Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
# Fade by Robert Cormier
# Guess What? by Mem Fox
# The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
# The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
# Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
# Lord of the Flies by William Golding
# Native Son by Richard Wright
# Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
# Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
# Jack by A.M. Homes
# Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
# Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
# Carrie by Stephen King
# Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
# On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
# Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
# Family Secrets by Norma Klein
# Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
# The Dead Zone by Stephen King
# The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
# Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
# Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
# Private Parts by Howard Stern
# Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
# Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
# Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
# Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
# Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
# Sex Education by Jenny Davis
# The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
# Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
# How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
# View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
# The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
# The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
# Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

This says: I had quite a lot of time to read in elementary school and that I need to read me some more Toni Morrison.

Answer to your rhetorical

Miccio begins 2005 albums countdown, wonders if the reason more critics don't like Fitty is that he sings too much.

No. The problem is that he raps too much. If it really were all singing all the time, it wouldn't make me want to hurt other people.

Read

For real this time. Alice Munro just keeps churning out absolutely astonishing stuff. "Wenlock Edge" continues that. I don't know what it is exactly, except for an attuned flatness of tone, not in an affected way (a la Carver imitation), just in a way that makes shock feel like shock. The dark turn is never expected, even when it is.

Hobbyhorse

1) Education: Clarke County did better at retaining math teachers this past year. Bad-ass op-ed on how to fix our schools: a) funding, b) active and engaging learning, c) scientifically based assessment methods. This sentence in particular is pleasing to see in the paper:

The fact that some school districts have money to burn for sophisticated equipment and to pay higher salaries to attract and keep the best educators, while others have out-of-date materials, a lack of classroom space and teachers caught in deadening routines, is a travesty.

Report card delay is the suck. Diversity task force actually getting diverse. Also, art's getting short shrift.

2) UGA: New Media Institute trying to make life-changing movies for cell phones. UGA beats USC in something. UGA (visiting) professor says UGA should get Navy School, also "whether the property is taxed is a relatively minor issue, economically." And:

The impacts of colleges and universities on small, local economies are profound. Almost invariably, such communities are islands of vitality in otherwise declining areas. Collegiate employees are relatively well paid, from money largely originating elsewhere. Furthermore, their spending reverberates through the community: For every dollar spent, there is roughly a $2 impact on business. Research money "multiplies" even more. Also, there is student spending, spending by visitors to cultural and athletics events, and many other associated economic gains.

And the, erm, schools and other governmental departments that help everyone in the community and would be funded by those property taxes? Ag School wants more students. More on Davis from the AJC; he thinks today's generation is complacent. Don't forget "drunken." But he does say he believes in transparency. Won't be looking for a big house, so what happens to whatever's left over of that $600K housing allowance? Kegger?

3) Commission and such: Blake writes about how smoking is illegal in county parks. Also illegal? "Other activities that are illegal in county parks include drinking alcoholic beverages, setting off fireworks and letting dogs off their leashes outside of designated dog runs." All of which would seem to be consistent with laws elsewhere, as opposed to banning a legal activity that is allowed outside elsewhere. Why is it illegal? Carl Jordan cares about litter. But thinks he could only pass an outside ban in parks?

4) LPDS: The headline sums things up pretty well. There was also a meeting for public comment on the proposed zoning overlay on Cedar Shoals, but it was yesterday. Will not affect LPDS or any other requests made before overlay is in effect.

5) Local: Watch this water demand expansion, y'all. I know it's not sexy, but it'll be important at some point. Solutions are good things; several are being proposed to resolve problems with day laborers not staying in the shelter in the Home Depot parking lot. The day-labor center mentioned seems like a fine idea, not least because it evens workers' chances of being picked up. Habitat is trying to help out Stonehenge neighborhood. Some of them were also wrapping presents at Borders for donations, and they do a seriously careful job. Ivey pays the money back, but we don't know where he got it.

6) Somewhere in between: Barrow County's jail folk want to build a big one-stop-shop-type jail. So do the jail building folk. The rest of Barrow County is not quite so sure, not quite buying the "efficiency" argument when it considers the yearly cost of staffing such a facility, nervous that if you build too many beds, you'll end up with people to fill them, etc. Good article.

7) State: As usual, Georgia's economy projected to grow, though there is some admission that it still kind of sucks. Athens will add a couple of jobs. Perdue wants the state to give the poor $4.2 million for heating costs. We don't see a catch. What's up? Lots of people have already applied for LIHEAP grants, more than previously, and no one seems to know how much money there is available, since some in Congress want to cut the program and others want to expand it. Perdue also promised scholarship and jobs programs for Reservists and National Guard returning from Iraq. Tell me this: isn't the reason people join the Reserves (etc.) in the first place the fact that they offer college scholarships? I may well be wrong. WaPo story on fight over evolution reprinted in ABH reestablishes that Cobb is an embarrassment. Also, check this:

Rogers [who favors the warning stickers about evolution] is a BMW-driving graduate of the University of Georgia who plays tennis twice a week and says her life is wrapped around caring for her two sons.

Go Dawgs! Blake talks about how everyone (really?) thinks something serious must be done about immigration, notes that Barrow will probably vote for bill that

would mandate fines and jail time for undocumented immigrants, rather than deportation, creates an electronic Social Security card that can be used to verify citizenship and immigration status, and tightens the U.S.-Mexican border with new patrollers and surveillance equipment.

Also, Kemp now says he's in favor of SB 170, "which requires proof of residency to receive state-funded health care and welfare benefits." Not so much in favor of denying public education to illegal immigrants. Are there several versions of 170 floating around? Sounds like Kidd and Heard think focus on this issue is ridiculous, not that they think it's important. Tax collections up, and with Republicans in control in Georgia, the poor can be expected to be told to suck it. Which is more popular when you're trying to win an election: tax cuts for your potential supporters or (snort) helping people who don't vote anyway?

8) Opinion: Not technically filed there online, but Mars Hill Baptist minister raves about Christmas, tells you not to kill everyone's baby boys. Listen, mister. We will kill as many babies as we want to on Christmas, damn it. This is a free country. ABH sez the real problem with No Child Left Behind is that it's too lenient. Winders sez: "Folks, 'Christmas in crisis' might be the weakest issue since Phyllis Diller's Playboy pictorial." Zing-a-ding-ding. While Jim now wants (along with AthPo) to kick out the school board because god forbid they debate an issue he doesn't think needs to be debated. A school board, properly constituted, should concern itself primarily with one question:

Are taxpayers getting their money's worth out of the dollars they pump into the school system. It's a particularly big question in Clarke County, where the property tax rate assessed for school funding is at the state maximum of 20 mills.

And what about the answer to that question?

Well, let's see. This is a school district that manages to graduate slightly more than half its students. This year, the district is spending slightly less than $100 million to deliver that dismal level of service.

Applying a business model doesn't always make sense, fella. And this letter says so, too. PR director of Clarke County Schools points out some other errors. Shipp sez Chancellor Davis is Perdue's dude all the way and that you can forget about independence. Bla bla bla, blame the victim. ABH also favors criminal background checks for school volunteers. UGA junior favors integrating Latinos into the community.

9) Letters: Jews and Muslims totally celebrate Christmas, right? Do not force this lady to celebrate your pagan holiday.

10) Misc: You probably don't want your DUI lawyer showing up a little tipsy.

[bugmenot ABH; bugmenot AJC]

Viewing Diary

Have been watching Rowan Atkinson's The Thin Blue Line of late, shirking more serious responsibilities in the viewing department due to brain being fried by 1) term paper and 2) giant psychology manuscript for proofing full of test names that must be kept track of. So. Me like laugh penis jokes. Of which there are plenty. Team Brown is sort of addicted to Ben Elton, even with a lesser work like this one (that's fair, isn't it?). Loads of wordplay and pompousness skewered and so on.

Read (in theory)

No, you can't read (online) Margaret Talbot's New Yorker piece "Darwin in the Dock" about putting intelligent design on trial in Dover, PA. You can read her Q&A, which covers some of the highlights. But you can read this bit, because I'm going to type it. Here is what the Dover biology teachers argued:

...central to the teaching act and our ethical obligation is the solemn responsibility to teach the truth....if I as the classroom teacher read the required statement, my students will inevitable and understandably believe that intelligent design is a valid scientific theory, perhaps on pat with the theory of evolution. That is not true. To refer the students to "Of Pandas and People," as if it were a scientific resource, breaches my ethical obligation to provide themm with scientific knowledge that is supported by recognized scientific proof or theory.

Inspiring, no?

It is also nicely paired with the article on Matthew Carter, typeface intelligent designing genius. Which you also may not read. What you may read is the brief on Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, in which you beardless folk will learn that if your chin is, in fact, adorned (let alone famously so), you may have to drink your beer through a straw to avoid soiling your whiskers.

Movie Diary

1) Millions: Hey. I kinda liked it. It's a bit heartwarming, especially toward the end, but there is something about the absolute earnest weirdness of the main kid that hooks. Strange incorporation of special FX, but makes sense when you think about the fact that it's Boyle directing, branching out. Maybe I liked it because I'm interested in saints too. Eebs digs it maybe slightly more than I do (and I liked it more than Mr. Brown did), but the Scottishness adds this nice, cozy veneer. Oh, and it's all Xmassy.

2) High Tension: So I kind of like the big twist, but I also agree with Mr. Brown that the movie doesn't need it at all, and in some ways, it makes it worse. It is sort of logical, but logic isn't necessary so much in a classic slasher flick. Mostly, it's like the good parts of Jeepers Creepers, only more so. And the title is right on. Am quite impressed with Cécile De France as an actress, though a lot of it consists of a) looking scared, b) being quiet and hiding, c) tiptoeing around, and d) being sprayed with blood and screaming. Question: Where are her friend and her friend's family supposed to be from? The subtitles say that their French is not good.