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Misuse of Government Property

They may have blocked Yahoo, G-Mail, and Hotmail, but the IT's with NMCI forgot about the world of the blog...so here I sit, on a phone watch, the only sailor in the buiding for another 90 minutes. What better use of my time than to blog (and study the Iranian Navy, of course).

Yesterday morning's post was long and tired, and on rereading I don't get the ideas across in the way I want to: I sound like an ass. So be it...political conversations are better in person. They are no good at all in music though, which was the most tiresome thing about the U2: Vertigo tour Live From Chicago DVD I watched yesterday. Some amazing music, and when I looked up the song lyrics, I was equally impressed by their use of imagery in a very gripping way. But watching Bono preach for 5 minutes before a song...not attractive. The man may just have a messiah complex (and a goofy wraparound visor thing that would make Geordi LaForge laugh). He should take a page from his taciturn guitar player, and reticent bassist, and just PLAY MUSIC. Good stuff, anyway. I don't regret pirating "War" and "Achtung Baby" as there are no spoken word bits on it. Anyone want a once-viewed U2 concert DVD?

I did finish the Meeting People is Easy DVD...despite the lack of a scene skipping menu (because art should be difficult). I came away with some rather mixed opinions. It's definitely a different sort of documentary, and as such, it's not all that hot. The only real impressions that it gives are that a) Radiohead was amazingly successful worldwide b) Touring is a sonofabitch c) Japanese fans are WEIRD. OK, I knew all that. But looking at MPIE as an art piece, as a finished product by itself and not trying to glean anything directly from it...well, it's effin' brilliant. It's one LONG music video, Radiohead style, and it supports every theme that runs throughout the album. There's a warning label on the box that speaks of "stroboscopic effects and their effects on epileptics"...screw all that, there should be a label that reads "Warning: induces paranoia and makes you want to join a resistance movement". Kinda like the one in "V is for Vendetta", which trailer I saw immediately after finishing the MPIE DVD. That was a mistake. Now I'm really worried....NSA spies....cameras...government ministers...soylent green...gaaaahhhhh!!!!!

And here I am, working for the MAN, on his computer even. If no more posts appear on this blog, it's because I have been sent to a re-education camp in Oregon. Hypothetically. You know, if there was a camp, it would be in Oregon...because

//THOUGHTCRIME IN PROGRESS

//POST TERMINATED

//HAVE A NICE DAY







If you'd like to send that DVD my way, I'll gladly take it. Sam refuses to lend me his copy.

I actually think the political speeches didn't add much to the show I saw, either. The only really cool part was when Bono plugged the One Campaign by having everyone turn their cell phones on and hold up the glowing screens. Thousands upon thousands of tiny blue lights, ascending heavenward in a seemingly infinite conglomeration... OMG.

If you've enjoyed War and Achtung Baby, I would recommend Pop, but only if you go into it with little or no expectations. It is not a conventional U2 album (is there such an animal?) but it does serve as the culmination of the thought process begun in Achtung Baby. There are also many songs on Pop that mirror earlier (and some later) U2 songs, but never sound like a resting-on-their-laurels kind of ripoff, if that makes sense (and at 1 a.m. after a martini and a Margaret Cho DVD, I'm not sure it does). "Staring at the Sun," for instance, is a late nineties ironic, sex-soaked and somewhat groovier version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday."

I think I have waxed prolific enough on this subject and will now leave you in peace. Seriously, if you still wanna get rid of that DVD, let me know.

Longest. Comment. Ever.

Only one martini?


You won the DVD...

i'll pass on the U2 DVD and just send me a soylent green burger. also what'd you think of the V trailer. dissapointed or enthusiastic?

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