I'm Totally Winning a Grammy for These Album Covers

I found this FB "25 Things" like item on Best Week Ever, and thought I could waste some time doing this.

1 - Go to “wikipedia.” Hit “Random Article”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random

The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to “Random quotations”
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use Photoshop/MS Paint or similar to put it all together.

5- Post it in the comments! (Using Imageshack or any photo hoster)

I liked doing this way too much, so I came up with three potential album covers. Which one do you like the best? Slash anyone want to start a band so we can use this?

One Thing Leads to Another by Suicide Six

Seek With Our Eyes Open by San Marcos de Colon

Antidote to Sorrow by Braetongue

Apparently, all my bands are emo. What would your album cover be?

I Don't See Britney on Here Either

A while ago, some guy at CalTech made a site called "Books that make you dumb," in which he gathered Favorite Book information from Facebook and somehow calculated that along with SAT scores to compile a chart which shows what "smarter" people read compared to the books which people with a lower SAT score read.

I don't really get exactly HOW he did that, but he's managed to do it again with a "Music that makes you dumb" chart. But nevertheless, apparently according to this chart, my actual SAT score says I should be listening to The Eagles and Kutlass (who?). But the actual music I listen to has more prominence on the left side than the right side ... does this mean I'm actually listening to music that makes me dumber?

AND, I DON'T EVEN SEE THE BACKSTREET BOYS ON HERE. DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE MOST INTELLIGENT OF ALL PEOPLE IN THE WORLD LISTEN TO BSB SO MUCH THAT IT CAN'T EVEN BE TRACKED ON THIS CHART?!

No, but seriously, this is the most rediculous thing I've seen in a while. Mainly because OBVIOUSLY your SAT score directly correlates to how intelligent you are. For all we know, if Einstein were still alive, he would have been jammin to Weezy and crankin up Beyonce in his Ford.


Source [click on chart to enlargen]

Please Don't Stop the Music

Remember in "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" when H Duff was lip syncing into her hairbrush to the tune "The Tide is High?" No? Just me? Ok, well, you know how young girls sing and dance around their room without a care in the world? Well this girl (i'm 93.8% sure she's a girl. Someone correct me if she's a he) takes it to a whole new level. Here is Jordan - aka aka Doglover199709 - singing "Disturbia" by Rihanna (the DB disabled embedded vids so you're going to have to take the extra step and click on the link). This is so incredibly epic that youtube can barely handle all her star power. My favorite part is the begining with the light effects and the reveal to the Jo Bros on her wall. Nick Jonas seez u bb.


Please feel free to watch her other videos, such as "Nobody's Perfect" by Hannah Montana. She likes to use the same strobe light extravaganza in this video as well. Who can go wrong with that?

Someone get this girl a record deal.

ENJOY!

I Have a Girl Crush on Kate Winslet

ABC has definitely succeeded in trying to reformat the Oscars to up their ratings. Overall, I actually thought it was a really good show, including bringing in the A-Listers and giving each category introduction a new twist. But, I've managed to whittle down five of my favorite moments from the show last night.

5) Yes, People, Sophia Loren is Still Alive
Seeing these legendary actresses on stage at once at the Oscars is definitely a once in a lifetime thing. And the cherry on top was the fact that each of them commended the current nominees in a way they would have never imagined. Plus in this clip, Whoopi Goldberg's dress is out of this world.




4) Best Speech of the Night

Putting a person's life into a 2 hour movie is never easy, but making it into a movie and having so much depth and passion in it is even tougher. Dustin Lance Black managed to do so for Milk and the outcome was an outstanding movie that is one of my favorites of 2008. His acceptance speech was inspiring and from the heart, with no political agenda in mind, just a desire to see that one day, all people can be treated equally.



3) Proving Why He Won a Tony
It was a toss up between putting this and the "Musical is Back" number on my list. As much as I love Zanessa, this opening number was just brilliant. I knew that he was going to be an awesome host after doing the Tonys a few years back, so Hugh's brilliance in the Oscars did not disappoint. Not only did Anne Hathaway do her thing on stage, but he gave a little shout out to SJP [See: Tony Awards 2004]. And I love the fact that they went with the whole Recession theme. Oh and the part where he sang "The Reader .... I haven't seen ... The Reader" with his techno-futuristic Craigslist dancers in the back.



2) Domo (Domo)
Now I can't find a video of these two winners, but if anyone finds in PLEASE post it in the comments!! Anyways, two separate Japanese films won last night Their broken Engrish just KILLED me, especially the first guy who won. What confirmed my love for the tiny Japanese man was when at the end of his speech he literally said "Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto." i mean ... what?! YES.

1) Kate Winslet Takes Home the Gold
I don't think there are any words sufficient enough to say how talented, honest, beautiful, and amazing this woman is. The only complaint I have is that she wasn't nominated for Revolutionary Road, because then when she won, she would be able to thank Leo again a la her speech at the Golden Globes. But, she gave an extraordinary speech nonetheless, from her father whistling in the crowd to her shampoo bottle days, I don't think anyone can argue that she deserves every accolade that has come her way, and the Oscar is the perfect way to celebrate the end of the awards season.



[Honorable Mention: If you haven't seen Milk yet, go out and see it now, and you will understand why no other person besides Sean Penn deserves this award. There are very few actors where you find yourself watching the movie and completely believe that they are "Harvey Milk," and not just Sean Penn playing "Harvey Milk." Of course I love what he said about those who voted for the ban on gay marriage in California, and my favorite line "you commie, homo-loving sons of guns."]

(Il)legally Download This!

I've come across some great new music lately, and I thought you all might enjoy some of these as I do. So let me know what you think of these and make sure you credit me for introducing you to them ;)

Matt Wertz: 5:19
I was listening to my Marc Broussard station on Pandora, (probably one of the greatest inventions known to man, right next to the toaster oven) and kept hearing some great songs and every time, I'd be like, 'Who is this?!!" And every time, the answer would be Matt Wertz. He has a Folk-Rock sound, kinda like Jason Mraz and Matt Nathanson put together. Here is his most radio friendly single, but all of his stuff is great. I've been listening to "Naturally" at least 5 times a day. I've been trying not to listen to it too much as so I don't get sick of it. But I have a very good feeling I won't.


Michael Buble: Everything
I'm pretty sure this single came out in 2008, but I happened to stumble upon this song when I was watching videos of the fairly popular a capella group, Hyannis Sound do a cover of it (Oddly enough, there was a music video of them with dancers from my one of my old schools in Rochester...small world). Michael Buble has such a great tone to his voice that we don't hear a lot these days, and this song just makes me all warm inside!



Adele: Right as Rain
If you like "Chasing Pavements," get her cd. If you don't like "Chasing Pavements," get her cd. Although I love her first single, the rest of her cd just proves how great of an artist she is musically and vocally. She's kind of in the same genre as Duffy, but I think Adele has the edge. Plus when she won the Grammy for Best New Artist, she was just so damn cute. And she admitted her love for the JoBros. How can I not adore her for that??




The Fray: Syndicate
The Fray fans have waiting too long for a new album, and the band certainly did not disappoint. The Fray's first cd, "How to Save A Life" is one of my most played albums on my iTunes, with some of their best songs not even being the ones they released as singles. Their sophomore album is still consistent with their 'soft' rock sound with pianos and love pining lyrics, but there is a definite progression from 2005 to now. "Syndicate" is the first track on the cd, and the first song will leave you wanting to listen to more.




Musiq Soulchild : If U Leave (feat Mary J Blige)
I have liked Musiq Soulchild for a while, and recently I found out that he did a duet with another singer I enjoy, India.Arie. However this song is called "Chocolate High," and there's something about it I just don't like. Needless to say, I was not disappointed when I heard this duet he does with Miss Mary J. Of course, Mary J can sing her face off, and that's one of the things I love about her. Anytime you hear her music or especially see her perform live, she has so much emotion and passion when she sings, something I think is hard to find in music these days.


Kings of Leon: Sex on Fire
You know when songwriters write songs that they feel that they could normally not say to someone out loud, and the music just says it all for them? Well I kinda just want to see what happens when one of the Kings of Leon members says "Hey, um, listen ... I kinda think your sex is on fire ... what are your thoughts on that?" to a girl. I just want to know. Anyways, I knew Kings of Leon have been around for a while, but it was not until I heard the song at a bar when my roommate, Meghan, enlightened me. It's totally an 80's flashback, and actually kinda reminds me of The Darkness in a sense (remember them circa 2003?) Apparently they wrote and recorded this song in 20 minutes, and don't think it's their best song. I think it's pretty mint, if I do say so myself.

February 20, 2009

Move Over J Lo, Puerto Rico Has A New Queen

For you avid IAYN readers, you may recall my last AI post on Bikini Girl. I am sorry to disappoint you, but unfortunately she did not make the Top 36. What will she do now?

I don't care. My focus is on THIS GIRL:


Meet Tatiana Nicole DelToro, a Top 36 contestant from Puerto Rico. From the moment she auditioned, everyone knew she was going to be quite the character. Wearing a snake print dress with uneven taffeta layers at the bottom, and bringing her own 'press kit dvd and photos' to give to the judges, this actress/singer/musician/songwriter/writer/assistant director/model/film actor was going to make her mark, whether she could sing or not.

As annoying and over the top as this girl may be, she's a better singer than at least 54% of the people who auditioned, so there's a start. Plus she is VERY entertaining and doesn't give up if the judges are hesitant about not bringing her through Hollywood (clearly based on the fact she sang 3 songs, 2 of which they didn't ask her to sing). I think the "giddyness" at the end when she is celebrating her golden ticket is what sealed the crazy deal for me.

Come Hollywood Week, she still showed her obnoxious excitement every time her group made it to the next round. But she will always be remembered in American Idol history for her extravagant exit when she discovered she would be making it into the Top 36.



[Bonus Vid: Here is fellow Top 36 contender Nathaniel reacting to her joy of making it. Full of win.]

This past week, she seemed to tone down the cray cray a little during her rendition of Whitney's "Saving All My Love For You" ... that is until the end when she made a dramatic face signifying the end of her heart wrenching song ... and ultimately the end of her time on AI.

Only 3 out of the first 12 who performed this week would advance to the Top 12, and only one spot was left. It was down to 'Assistant Director' Tatiana, and already fan favorite Danny Gokey. The anticipation was mounting for Tati, and it seemed as if she couldn't handle it. Ryan, after putting it off for the past 55 minutes, finally said Danny would be in the Top 12, and Tatiana did not give a fuck for anyone but herself at that moment. She looked like she just found out her dog died. And the worst/best part about it was that none of the other contestants seemed to be truly sad for her to be leaving.

All I'm saying is that she has Sanjaya potential, except she can actually sing. So I say, bring her back for the Wildcard round, and keep her around until only the really talented singers are left. Then kick her off, America. I'm sure by then we'll get our fill of fierce looks into the camera, unnecessary dramatic gestures, and awkward moments between her and Seacrest. But please whatever happens, just don't bring back Bikini Girl.

Bonus Vid #2: Muppetized

PS: Youtube can thank me later for giving them so much traffic with this post

Really, America, Really?

I have been an avid fan of the Olympics ever since I can remember. I was there during Ohno mania. I recall watching Tara Lipinkski narrowly beat out Asian favorite Michelle Kwan for the Gold. I even wrote an article in my 5th grade newsletter (which I made by myself ... voluntarily) about Kerry Strug and the unforgettable Women's Gymnastics team at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Needless to say, I've followed it all. Although it may be surprising to some people, as I am definitely not a sports person, but there is something magical and riveting about athletes from all over the world to come together for two weeks to celebrate something they all have in common. I guess it just humanizes everyone in a way.

And this summer's Beijing Olympics was no different. I meticulously followed sports online that I would never care about otherwise, like indoor volleyball, or badminton. I stayed up in the wee hours of the morning (See: NBC's Dr. Nancy Snyderman Olympic Health Tips) just so I could watch all the coverage from the future day in China. But nothing was more nerve wracking/awesome than racing home just to see Michael Phelps swim those 8 races. He became not only an American hero, but a hero for swimmers and athletes everywhere. Suddenly this 14 Olympic Gold Medal winner was put on a pedestal for the entire world to look up at. He literally was "The Golden Boy."

Then, this past week, a picture surfaced of him using a bong at a party. Next thing you know, he's getting a different kind of media attention, dropped by Kellogs, and even suspended by the IOC for 3 months because of the picture. And even with his apology, and voluntary extra drug tests come race time, he still has many a critic.

Now, I'm not one to judge (ok, i totally am), but my question is : does anyone actually care anymore that he's smoking pot? To be completely fair, he is a 23 year old guy who was flung into this crazy world of professional swimming, and i'm only assuming because of his rigorous training schedule, never did get to do all the things that kids his age do these days. Ok, given, he did get that DUI in 2004, but that's completely different. He was an idiot about that. But this particular instance, he was at a private party, and barring smoking pot, not doing anything illegal. Just because some douchebag decides to make money for this picture, his image is damaged.

And for those who say, "well he was stupid enough to let someone take a picture of him" i say, "are you kidding me?" he wasn't even looking at the camera, A. B, with technology these days, people can easily take pictures secretly with their digital camera or cell phone. If Michael Phelps wasn't Michael Phelps, this picture would be just another kid at a college party and it would be one of the pictures on Facebook the next day, with a caption that says "this kid was fuckin siiick."

I think that even more so with this generation, marijuana is a drug comparable to cigarettes. As much as I hate to report it, "Cocaine is the new Pot." And although still illegal in the US, it's just not that big of a deal as it used to be. Take a look at Massachusetts for example. We even passed a law saying, listen, pot is illegal, but if they only have a small amount on them, we're not going to lock them up. we need to focus our time on the real bad guys.

But I digress. Basically, my feelings on this issue can be summed up in one simple commentary called, "Really?" from the most recent Weekend Update with Seth Meyers on SNL.



So, all in all, whatever happens to him will (hopefully) be forgotten by 2012. It's just proof that Michael Phelps, this "Golden Boy", this perfection of swimming, isn't perfect. He's just like 23 year old kids around the world, and at the very least, for just a brief moment in time, it brings him down to the laypersons' level, and essentially humanizes him in a we'd never thought possible.

Feel Free to Fall Into My Fist

In the Metro this week, there was a short article about the blog People Who Deserve It and listed the top 5 people according to its readers who deserve a punch in the face.

This blog has got me thinking, what other kind of people make me want to punch them in the face? Here a few that I personally believe deserve it (in no particular order).

1) Greenpeace Clipboard Holders
Don't get me wrong, I want to 'save the children,' and i'm totally for equal rights, but i don't ACTUALLY 'have a minute to save the environment.' Anytime I see one from far away, I try to walk in a different direction just so I don't get harassed by them. I mean more props to them for standing outside and getting rejected all day, but I have places to go, people to see. One time I was on the way to work and some guy (couldn't even tell you which charity he was a part of) was like "Would you like to take some time to save the dying koala bears of northern Ireland?" and I said "Sorry I'm late for work!" and kept walking. His response was "Come on, it'll just take a minute, you're late anyways!" I didn't stop.


2) Tall Guy at Concert
As a short person, I have to admit, that most people are taller than me anyways. I just find this frustrating when it's a general admission concert and there are many a fan in front of me who I can barely even peer over. This happened to me at a concert when a really weird, creepy, unkempt in his mid 40s guy - by himself - was standing in front of me at a concert. I wanted to push him over. Did I mention this was at a Backstreet Boys concert?


3) The people who sit directly in front of you in an otherwise empty movie theater
You know when you're just sitting there before the movie starts, feet up, relaxed, eating your popcorn and candy bought from CVS, attempting to answer the movie trivia questions, when there's a minute of so before the trailers begin, and you think this is great. this is going to be a good movie. Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, this couple decides to sit directly in front of you, making you put your feet down from the relaxed position... THERE ARE 200 MORE SEATS IN THIS THEATER AND YOU PICK THE ONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME?!?!


4) Cell Phone Ring Avoider
This particular person was brought to my attention at work last month. I was working with Devin and another fellow co-worker, Judy (who I should probably write about at some point in this blog, because she is THAT interesting) when all of a sudden one of those annoying 'Tone 6 programmed in your phone' ringtone went off. Judy was with a customer, so she didn't hear it at first, but Devin and I looked at each other and then started looking around for someone who was going to answer their phone. A few people looked at their phones, and realized it wasn't theirs, yet the phone was still going off. It finally stopped. Devin nd I discerned it was a customer who was standing right by us. Her husband said "i think that's your phone." She responded by saying "Yeah, I know." She ignored it, without putting it on silent. Then it started ringing again, this time Judy does hear it and says rather loudly "WHOSE PHONE IS THAT??" Devin and I turn around to stop from laughing, and the woman goes "It's mine," and continues to keep shopping without putting it on silent!! Please note readers, DO NOT BECOME THIS WOMAN. EVER.

5) Tweens/Teens who think they're too cool for school
I've noticed this becoming a growing epidemic ever since I've graduated college. It's probably because I'm old now, but tweens these days are not like they used to be. Por ejemplo, I was on the T, again with Devin, and a group of about 7 or 8 teens got on and were clearly not in the right mind. A few of them were stumbling and making ridiculous statements. We just sat th ere in silence just so we could hear what they were saying. Here are a few highlights from their conversation:

"I need to write in my journal because it's going to be legendary"
"What does cliche mean?"
"She can suck all of our dicks." - said by girl. not all of them were guys, either.
"Sorry my mom doesn't give me money because I dropped out of high school"
"Guys, I'm so embarrassing! Everyone just saw my batman underwear. And if they didn't, they just heard about itWHATUP." tall, skinny jean-ed, overly flamboyant boy (who later fell on Devin)


Finally, the quote that sums up our T ride/their evening:
"Guys ... there's a 50% chance I'm going to vomit. Just putting it out there..."


And you know what I'm just putting out there, inebriated 15 year old girl? My fist for you to fall into next time I see you on the T disrupting my Metro crossword puzzle time.

TYVM.