Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Looks like being taken under Funny or Die’s wing hasn’t taken the edge off the Bad Lip Reading folks.

Posted by YAFB on 12/21/11 at 07:30 PM
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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Happy Birthday, Shirley Jackson! Hey, I know a fun game: let’s juxtapose some of her most famous writing with an excerpt from her obituary, see if it gives us chills:

No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.

In 1965, Shirley Jackson died of heart failure in her sleep, at her home in North Bennington, at the age of 48. Jackson had suffered throughout her life from various neuroses and psychosomatic illnesses.

Yep, definitely got some chills. That’s what I love about her, she can always be counted on to provide those.

Some fans like to honor this day by buying a lottery ticket. Not me, though; I’m gonna go to a haunted house and watch chicks make out.

Okay, that’s a lie. I’m actually going to search online for the hardcover edition of The Haunting of Hill House I gave to a girlfriend years ago and see if it’s still going for an obscene amount of money. God damn I wish it’d been something easily replaceable, like an engagement ring.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 12/14/11 at 08:44 PM
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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Those of you who follow British politics at all will have heard that Mr. Cameron’s current policy of imposing a swingeing austerity drive in the teeth of a world recession isn’t working out too well (whocoodanode?). Among the services that are no longer a priority for government funding are our public libraries. Indeed, the village where I live would no longer have a public library at all if it wasn’t for the efforts of a band of dedicated volunteers who took over the venue (which the village already owned, having taken it over from the council many years ago to counter an earlier austerity drive) and book stock, and have turned what was a rather sleepy facility into a very well-used local resource.

Sometimes these sorts of developments have unexpected consequences. This is one of those occasions when I can’t improve on a post on another blog, so I’ll just point you there after some brief background.

Back in March, staff at an Edinburgh library were mystified and delighted to find that tucked away on a table, one of their visitors had left them an exquisite sculpture carved out of books.

The plot thickened, as this wasn’t the only anonymously donated paper sculpture that staff at various Edinburgh libraries and museums were to discover over the next few months.

Head over to Central Stn to read the rest of a story well told.

Posted by YAFB on 12/11/11 at 10:23 AM
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Thursday, December 08, 2011

Laydeez and gentlemen—in the red corner, Mitt “Flip This” Romney, in the even redder corner, Newt “Never Knowingly Undersold” Gingrich:

On Thursday, former New Hampshire Governor John Sununu and former Missouri Senator Jim Talent will hold a press conference call to discuss Speaker Newt Gingrich’s record. Details are as follows:

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Event: Gov. John Sununu And Sen. Jim Talent To Hold A Press Conference Call

When: 9:00 AM EST

Fifteen five-minute rounds, no rules, winner takes the nomination. Until the next great white hope comes along.

Popcorn will be available if the vendors can pick their way around the heaps of spectators rolling in the aisles.

read the whole post »

Posted by YAFB on 12/08/11 at 06:09 AM
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Monday, December 05, 2011

gee, your flag smells terrific

The Daily Caller has finally done something for me other than conjure up an image of Tucker Carlson showing up at the door night after night with a bouquet of flowers and hopes of courtship. The name also makes me think of those assholes at Discover Card. I WAS ONLY USING YOU TO BUILD CREDIT, THERE IS NO US.

The Daily Caller has given me that greatest of gifts, the chance to indulge in music snobbery. No small feat considering I think “Ride Like the Wind” kicks ass unironically, Christopher Cross’s claim of being the son of a lawless man notwithstanding (white collar criminal I’d buy—that would explain the sailboat—but why bring it up if he’s not who you got the gun from, Chris?). And since I refuse to delve deep enough into Nickelback’s catalog to form an opinion on that halftime petition thing, I need this. I won’t be able to look down my nose at anything once this Van Dyke goes from salt & pepper to flat gray; I’ll have to settle for looking askance at things, assuming the ear-hair situation remains manageable.

If you’re a conservative or tea partier or libertarian or war veteran who lies awake at night wondering why there’s no band out there that really understands you, The Daily Caller has you covered.

Crying into your pillow: So fucking metal.

read the whole post »

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 12/05/11 at 12:03 AM
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Sunday, November 27, 2011

Last week, Mittens’ campaign set the tone for its coming campaign with a somewhat misleading ad, as Washington Examiner‘s Campaign 2012 blog notes:

The ad quotes Obama saying, “If we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose.”  Obama did say that during an October 2008 campaign appearance in New Hampshire, but he was quoting an anonymous McCain aide, quoted in the press: “Senator McCain’s campaign actually said, and I quote, ‘if we keep talking about the economy, we’re going to lose,’” Obama said.

Romney isn’t even the GOP candidate (yet), so the Examiner interprets this as Mittens’ team wanting to make it plain that he’s willing to play hardball, and the truth be damned—which in this Still Rovian era is what’s really important in a Republican candidate, after all—and quotes some gloating in the Romney camp:

Romney aides know some Republicans fear that if Romney is the GOP presidential nominee, he might run a cautious, measured campaign against Obama like John McCain’s losing effort of 2008.  They know Republicans want to see a fearless, all-out campaign against the president.  In that sense, the first ad was an effort to show Republicans that Romney will be as tough as he needs to be.
...
But one Romney adviser calls it “incredibly telling” that Democratic criticism focused almost entirely on the use of the soundbite, and not on the substance of the ad itself, which was high unemployment.  “This is how these guys operate,” the aide says of Team Obama. “This is how they shamelessly reduced Bill Clinton to sputtering that he wasn’t a racist. This is how they attacked Hillary for not having a core, for saying anything to get elected—the same Hillary who hosted Senator Obama’s largest fundraiser.”

“We get that and get how to get under their skin,” the aide continued.  That fact that not just Obama campaign aides in Chicago but White House spokesman Carney joined in the pushback was, to Team Romney, a sign the Obama team was “rattled.”

“We get it,” said the aide.  “We will tie them in knots.”

Heh. Well, two can play at that game.

h/t zerostress

P.S. Do click through to the YouTube comments, where some Mittenites are in a grave state of confusion. Sample:

I’d like to hear from Buzzfeed about if this is real or not.. hearing more and more its fake

read the whole post »

Posted by YAFB on 11/27/11 at 11:49 AM
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Friday, November 25, 2011

It’s true that in my innocent early teens I took this song as a dire warning about the havoc leftovers can wreak on an unsuspecting digestive system. In my defense, if you listen to the lyrics, they do nothing to dispel that interpretation.

Has anyone else any similarly embarrassing revelations about their early impressions of songs that turned out to be somewhat naive?

Posted by YAFB on 11/25/11 at 03:34 PM
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Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

read the whole post »

Posted by YAFB on 11/23/11 at 09:23 PM
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

I understand you folks Stateside have a sacred holiday coming up later this week. I’ve been trying to get my head round it through vigorous research around the Web, and it seems to focus on gathering your relatives together for the offering of a sacrificial exotic fowl of fearsome aspect and proportions to the Gods of Oil and Fire.

The Orthodox practise seems to be to bring the local community, along with key emergency responders, together to cap your day by sharing the spectacular Ritual of the Meleagris Gallopavo Explosion In Your Back Yard. Some conduct this stage indoors, but this is frowned upon in more traditional quarters—Why be so insular? And in any case, not everybody even has walls, given the prevalence of hurricanes and floods—Why rub it in on this most auspicious of days?—so in solidarity with those less fortunate, some drag their furniture right out there and let everyone partake of the spectacle. Heck, if they have the resources and forethought, they televise it.

Christ, you must really hate those birds.

read the whole post »

Posted by YAFB on 11/22/11 at 10:57 AM
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Saturday, November 19, 2011

I ju st bou ght one of the se. It fe els gr eat, but it ‘s ma ybe not the be st wo rk ch air ev er de sig ned.

Op en thr ead if you wa nt it .

Posted by YAFB on 11/19/11 at 10:54 AM
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Sunday, November 06, 2011

The Scottish Highland seaside town of Oban gives a great annual fireworks show for Bonfire Night. It usually lasts longer than 60 seconds. Not this year, as a technical hitch meant they were all set off at once!

Update: From the YouTube comments:

PYRO1 can confirm that they have offered to provide their client, Argyll & Bute Council, and the people of Oban, with another display, free of charge. It has been agreed that this will take place in Oban Bay for the whole town to see on the final night of the inaugural Winter Festival on Sunday 27th November.
pyro1fireworks 4 hours ago

Posted by YAFB on 11/06/11 at 09:52 PM
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Saturday, November 05, 2011

I know from past discussions that some Roasters are less than enthusiastic about Ms. Crow for a few reasons. If you haven’t heard this song before and you’re at all interested in mellow, lush jazz, framing a terrific and very poignant song, I’d give it a whirl.

As ever, think of this as an open thread if you want.

Posted by YAFB on 11/05/11 at 08:14 AM
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Monday, October 31, 2011

Hit it!

read the whole post »

Posted by YAFB on 10/31/11 at 07:33 PM
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Some anti-seagoing mammalist has stickered most of lower Manhattan with these. Just one of the many things you didn’t think you had to worry about, but if you like paddling about with large gray rubbery bottlenosed mammals, don’t say you weren’t warned!

Either that or it’s just another NYC company trying to sell you T-shirts suitable for that upcoming Thrash concert. They may be unwittingly doing dolphins a favor, even while slandering them: wild dolphins are beginning to turn tail and flee after the umpteen bazillionth encounter with starry-eyed Flipper fanatics.

In any case, I ain’t swimmin’ with ‘em again. Not after that time in ‘96. But I can’t say any more; I accepted a lot of herring to keep my mouth shut.

Posted by Mrs. Polly on 10/31/11 at 09:22 AM
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Sunday, October 30, 2011

The “Bad Lip Reading” folks have been outdone by Rick Perry himself, with his off-the-wall performance at the Cornerstone Action Dinner in Manchester, NH.

This clip gives the by turns giggly, lisping, maudlin, meandering, and on occasion downright wobbly “highlights” of his speech. It’s worth bearing with it till the end to witness the touching glee with which he clutches to his bosom a bottle of locally produced “maple syrup” he’s awarded, but it cuts before aides brandishing butterfly nets, a gallon of black coffee, and a funnel bustle onto the stage.

Posted by YAFB on 10/30/11 at 06:47 PM
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