Last week, I rolled down to the local Record and Tape Traders and gave them a bunch of old games and DVDs and CDs that I don't play, watch, or listen to any more. It was pretty sweet. They gave me, in return, well over a hundred bucks of store credit, wich is great 'cause I was gonna give them money for some of their goods, but now I didn't have to!

So, here's my purchases, and my takes on the ones I've listened to:
Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped: The best Sonic Youth album to come out in a long time. All the crazy ass schitzo stuff we love from those guys, in a really accessible album. Woot!
Be Your Own Pet - Be Your Own Pet: One of the dudes at the store described this as "What you probably wanted the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs to be." I think it fits.
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations: I can't stop listening to this. The single Supermassive Black Hole I would advocate as the perfect song to get a striptease to, and on the very next song, the boys sample Depeche Mode! I mean, it's Depeche Mode! Come on!
Thursday - A City By the Light Divided: This is a good album by some awesome hard rockers. If you're into Thursday, you'll dig it 'cause it's not a big departure from them, but it's different enough to be interesting and new. Makes up for how little I liked War All the Time.
Snow Patrol - Eyes Open: It's good. More poppy than the Final Straw, which I liked better.

I've actually had the next two for a long time, but I finally bought them legally.
The Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virgina: The Dresden Dolls can do no wrong.
Pretty Girls Make Graves - Elan Vital: Pretty Girls Make Graves can do no wrong.

And I haven't listened to:
Mogwai - Mr. Beast (I know. A Mogwai album I haven't heard? WTF?)
Every Time I Die - Gutter Phenom

Also being reviewed: Clerks 2!
This movie was two hours of pure fan service, everything that Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back should have been, and totally makes up for the shitty movies Kevin Smith has been intent on making recently. It's not as smart as Clerks was, but it's not supposed to be. It's just good.

Ok, I'm done being all preachy, now. I might write more on Clerks later, after I've thought about it for a few days, but I encourage any Kevin Smith fans to go see it. It's good. I didn't expect it to be, either, but it is.

Posted by jehan at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

a cry for help, originally uploaded by jehan.

Every once in a while, we'd be watching a movie together. I'd lean forward for no particular reason, and she'd reach over and scratch my back.

Posted by jehan at 10:58 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

On the way into work this morning, my drive (and the drives of countless other commuters, I imagine) was punctuated by a mob of pro-life protesters outside an elementary school, holding giant signs of aborted foetuses. Without getting into my beliefs on the issue, there was one sign I saw that had pictures and the heading "Things to do with an unwanted baby." I'm sure it said things like "Put it up for adoption, Have your parents raise it, and Give it a loving home, anyhow, slut." But all I could think was "Soccer, Sandwiches, and Labor Camps." I'm fucked up. I know.

Posted by jehan at 9:37 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

A coworker and I were having a brief discussion about the state of the Apple, today, and it got me thinking. It started when he sent me this link. The article brings up a couple points that are wothwhile, however it primarily focuses on the failures that Microsoft has had of late, and not the successes Apple has made. Essentially, this article syas that Apple wins by default because Microsoft is so good at sucking.

But that's only a fraction of the truth. That view is the common view of a pre-switch switcher. I know I was there a few years ago. The thing is, once the person switches to Apple, the differences become much more clear.

That Apple's Human Interface Guidelines make third-aprty apps much more intuitive (not to mention Apple developers care more about the ease-of-use factor, where Windows developers don't, and Linux devs seem to just like fucking with your head). That community support thrives for Apple stuff. That errors and pop-up boxes typically make sense. That's all stuff that is foreign to Windows users, and it takes a while to get used to when you start using Macs.

But, more than all that, we're gonna talk about the all-together-too-often-brought-up "halo effect" that Apple's been riding since the first hipster bought the first iPod back in aught-one. If you haven't been following, it essentially goes along the following lines: Dude buys an iPod; Dude thinks "Woah! This is cool, and easy to use, and I suddenly can convince girls to give me kisses! I wonder what Apple's computers can do?"; Dude buys Apple computer.

Well, that's been great for Apple, but it's not going to last forever. The thing is, it doesn't have to! No, it's true. Apple's hardware and software are good enough to stand on their own legs. People who bought into the halo effect will then go on to use the computers. And so will their friends. And coworkers. And it will be good. Or so Apple is banking on.

Here's my fear. Over the past five years, Apple has grown by leaps and bounds. There's been a few cases where Apple software or hardware has not had its usual spit and polish. It has been habitual that when Apple drops some crazy new hardware, things go wrong for a while. That's why I haven't bought a first-gen of any Apple product. But if this keeps up, or if it spills over any more into the software, Apple will be looking at losing some of their faithful. I'm not saying this because I see it happening, or because I'm thinking of calling it quits. I'm not, but it is a possibility for some of us to consider.

Posted by jehan at 12:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

my ship sank, but I didn't mind, by jehan.

I can hardly think of a better way to go.

Posted by jehan at 9:38 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)