do you realize
I was listening to the current last night....and a song from the Flaming Lips' last record came on. I have a pretty neutral opinion of them, I guess. I just was was never really blown away by records like The Soft Bulletin - as far as I'm concerned, it was enjoyable but not the masterpiece/age-defining record everyone makes it out to be.

But...I didn't like the song last night, and realized - were I to hear something off soft bulletin again, I probably wouldn't like it either. I've lost my taste for Wayne Coyne & Co.

Sad. I hope this never happens for bands I really enjoy...


- oh, and...I have word from a reputable source that the new Strokes album sucks. Just fyi.
- posted by vcmc @  12/31/2005 01:00:00 PM  |  1 comments

 
layout update
Finally fixed the template - I think. Still renders differently in firefox vs IE... I also got rid of the navbar but still haven't found a way to reclaim the half-inch of space it used to take up.

Feels a little tighter though, more... confined. I liked the way things were spaced out before, but it'll work for now.

Any comments - or if something's broken - let me know.
- posted by vcmc @  12/29/2005 04:37:00 PM  |  0 comments

 
predictions for 2006
I found this funny...then again I read the internets far too much. How many net meme references can you spot?
- posted by vcmc @  12/28/2005 07:46:00 PM  |  0 comments

 
the mysterious production of eggs
Andrew Bird is coming to the Fine Line in Minneapolis on Feb. 23. Whee! I missed him the last couple times he was here...

-via More Cowbell
- posted by vcmc @  12/28/2005 05:02:00 PM  |  0 comments

 
top 25 albums of 2005 - revision two
Here's the first 10, in order. I don't think anyone would be surprised to see sufjan on top...

sufjan stevens - illinois
andrew bird - the mysterious production of eggs
shining - in the kingdom of kitsch you will be a monster
isolée - wearemonster
broken social scene - s/t
caribou - the milk of human kindness
low - the great destroyer
lcd soundsystem - s/t
stars - set yourself on fire
vitalic - ok cowboy

(To be further developed when time makes itself available.)
- posted by vcmc @  12/27/2005 01:54:00 PM  |  0 comments

 
crazy delicious
mr. pibb & red vines.

see The Lonely Island - Lazy Sunday if you're confused.
- posted by vcmc @  12/24/2005 11:39:00 AM  |  0 comments

 
photoblogs
I recently discovered the existence of photoblogs and quickly became fascinated by them...some favorites:
daily dose of imagery
infrangible
chromasia

Just ran across this one today. I like the winter theme from the most recent 10 or so posts.
cariboo images
- posted by vcmc @  12/22/2005 10:31:00 PM  |  1 comments

 
dying throes
They're trying to plug the analog hole again. Damn it.

Big media companies are so panicked about their future due to the fact that the market dynamics of digital content so effortlessly undermine the business models they've depended upon for decades. But rather than focusing on methods to create value from the massively reduced cost of digital distribution, "social" and/or networked consumption patterns, etc, the terrified execs go the more well-known route: legislation. Goodbye, fair-use rights.

I'll probably end up going the netflix route or taping it off the internet anyway.

For much more well-thought-out analyses of digital media economies, etc, see bubblegeneration. Umair is much more insightful than I.
- posted by vcmc @  12/19/2005 09:45:00 PM  |  0 comments

 
I support more troops than you
As if those trendy, ubiquitous magnetic ribbons weren't enough, now we have a license plate. Must-Have Soccer Mom Accessory of 2006.
- posted by vcmc @  12/19/2005 03:26:00 PM  |  1 comments

 
war is over
A video of Low practicing for their Christmas show a couple weeks back. I didn't make it to the show - how did this song go live?

(Alt link in case that one doesn't work. It was being quirky for me earlier.)
- posted by vcmc @  12/19/2005 12:05:00 AM  |  0 comments

 
notes to netflix
I have to imagine the netflix distribution center workers are really busy...but I'm curious what they do when something like this comes in.
- posted by vcmc @  12/18/2005 11:16:00 PM  |  1 comments

 
quicktime 7 sucks
In the past, I haven't had a problem with anything Apple does, but they've succeeded in really pissing me off. Which, in general, takes something pretty severe to raise my ire. The object of my wrath today: Quicktime, which went from innocuous media player app in v6 to complete piece of shit in version 7. Not since RealPlayer have I had an app take control of my browser in such an intrusive way. By default, it wants to play any media type it's capable of handling (including certain image files) within its browser plugin, which can't be disabled. I tried changing the options within quicktime such that things like mp3s wouldn't automatically launch within the plugin, but it still kept trying to play them. And then there's the requirement of installing itunes. I already have a perfectly capable audio player/library and I don't plan on using the iTMS, so why force the download down my throat? I'm imagining the following:

Apple headquarters. An MBA is being interviewed for a VP of digital media strategy position:

Interviewer: "Tell me a little about how you would help this department achieve its goals."
Applicant: "I'm glad you asked. I think the company is underutilizing a key strategic asset, which I can help you leverage to gain unprecedented mindshare in this market segment. You see, the Quicktime brand blah blah ROI monetize iTunes blah blah complementarity platform integration blah blah network effects blah..."
(The interviewer's head explodes. Another HR droid/hiring manager pokes her head into the office to see what happened.)
Applicant (in shock): "wha...what just..."
Hiring manager: "Oh. Well, he never had much tolerance for bullshit, and I guess you just pushed him over the edge. Frankly, I'm surpised his career in HR lasted as long as it did... Sorry about the mess."
Applicant (shudders): "But...he...what about my suit?"
Hiring manager: "Don't worry about it, you can expense it. I'll get you the form."
Applicant: "Does that mean..."
Hiring manager: "Yep. He would have hired you anyway. I think you're a perfect fit for he new corporate culture we're moving toward here at Apple."
Applicant: "What's that?"
Hiring manager: "Well, you might say we're trying to be the McDonalds of the computer world: spend a shit-ton of money on marketing and design, then shove as much of it as you can down the consumer's throat. Or if you're looking for the more...colorful version - "Be a Douchebag".
Applicant: "It's perfect! I am the biggest douchebag I know!"
Hiring manager: "Great. When can you start?"

Anyway... Apple will likely never see this, but that ipod nano I had recently considered buying is now a lost sale.

Disclaimer: This story may or may not be based on actual events. Incidents and characters have been created or modified for dramatic purposes. Certain douchebags may be composites, or entirely fictitious. Any similarity to any douchebag, living or dead, is merely coincidental.
- posted by vcmc @  12/13/2005 07:13:00 PM  |  4 comments

 
crash course in CSS
The template doesn't seem to like me. Or maybe it's just because I'm trying to make things not look like a template, and editing a bunch of css I'm not particularly familiar with in the process...

Time to call up everyone's favorite minneapolis web designer. Or st. paul web designer. Whichever one gets Thad more traffic.

sorry disco. you're awesome too.

- posted by vcmc @  12/13/2005 01:26:00 PM  |  2 comments

 
ask what you can do for flickr

I found camera toss on flickr to be rather...captivating.
Makes me wish I had cash for a camera, instead of feeling compelled to complete my digital audio workstation setup with expensive hardware.


I also noticed the flickr community seems to have created its own celebrities, to some extent rewarding those with a bit of a narcissistic bent:

flickr: faces

[update: it looks like someone started an all-cameratoss blog. interesting.]
- posted by vcmc @  12/12/2005 11:49:00 PM  |  0 comments

 
web 2.0 roundup

Linked from digg, which I've been warming up to lately.
best web 2.0 of 2005

del.icio.us is recommended; I got sick of trying to maintain bookmarks on multiple machines - for me the 'social' aspect of it is secondary. flickr is also fun. other than that I haven't really looked at any of the other services in any depth...

A sidenote - even though wikipedia has been getting a lot of bad press lately, I still think it's an incredibly valuable resource and belongs on any "web 2.0" list since it was doing the whole peer production / collaboration thing before most of these startups were even conceived. And to think there's a class action lawsuit being filed against them...

- posted by vcmc @  12/12/2005 02:53:00 PM  |  0 comments

 
I think it's time to revive my under-maintained blog. What better way to do so than a best of 2005 list?

Of course, I hadn't bothered taking enough time to put them in order - so instead, you get my rough draft, to be revised and granted additional attention during the next few weeks. [The album designations should be self-explanatory.]


Spectactular:
shining - in the kingdom of kitsch you will be a monster
caribou - the milk of human kindness
sufjan - illinois
broken social scene - s/t
stars - set yourself on fire (released in the US this year)
andrew bird - mysterious production of eggs
low - great destroyer (I'm well aware of the general consensus on this one)

Great:
the books - lost and safe
doves - some cities
mice parade - bem vinda vontade
eluvium - talk amongst the trees
Wes Burdine & the Librarians- Jose Canseco EP
M83 - Before the Dawn Heals Us
Iron & Wine - Woman King EP
M.I.A. - Arular
Vitalic - OK Cowboy
Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die
clor - clor
boards of canada - campfire headphase
danger doom - the mouse and the mask
autolux - future perfect
aqueduct - sold gold
Archer Prewitt - Wilderness


- posted by vcmc @  12/09/2005 03:08:00 PM  |  0 comments