Links I like:
Charles Schulz Peanuts Tribute - this is why train stations rock.
The Simpsons every couch gag - just because...
Build your own roller skates from CRAFT - i really need a mikita power drill
This week in Congress - so I know what's up with the CA delegates/representatives/what have you
Less Talking, More Plumbing from IllDoctrine - yes, send this to the Demo candidates!
The Hillary Deathwatch from Slate - it's a widget! What the? Yeah, I was going to add it but I had second thoughts. It's a bit extreme for me. I know, I'm sensitive.

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No Country For Old Men, call it, friendo

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I am busy but not too busy to post some links.

• Executive Coloring Book - I shouldn't waste paper but I want a coloring book
• Most of Mental Floss Today but especially the Animal Trifecta featuring that dang Prairie Dog
• Interesting post from eSchool News about OCA (Open Content Alliance) vs. Google and other corporate entities and their book scanning projects. (If that peaks your interest you should read Google and the Myth of Universal Knowledge
• Jan's Roll, Interrupted Post kills me
• Playing around with Clipmarks
• Worst Company URLs - hilarious! and unfortunate...
  

I think that is all for Monday. 

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I just drank 4 cups of coffee and attempted to get ready for sleep but was sidetracked by my lovely Google Reader. Plus the amount of caffeine in my system is probably skyrocketing. 

Anyway, here are some interesting things I read about tonight:

• A Man and his Guillotine - seriously, that is a lot of effort.  Totally crazy.  I am probably being insensitive but seriously, how did he even come up with that idea?
• Transportation Secretary Mary Peters is an idiot - How the woman can attempt to scapegoat bike paths and walking paths is completely bizarre. This is an interesting article from Salon.com and actually has pretty interesting statistics.  If there were more bike paths in LA and better public transportation, i would totally walk or bike to work. How she can say bike paths do not count as transportation is completely beyond me.  But I suppose if you want to squash a gas tax you have to find something to blame? unbelievable....
• Iraq War A Success - really? what is that guy smoking? I guess, it's good that some of our troops are coming home.  But talk about putting a completely ridiculous spin on it. Success? Is anyone else completely insulted by this bs?
  

those things are about all I could take cracked out on caffeine...now, I'm just going to go to bed angry...

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01 Down The River Of Golden Dreams

Okkervil River

Yesterday, I decided to type in "down" in the search bar in my iTunes.  This song came up by Okkervil River.  My friend, Allen, in Austin told me about them when we went on a big record hunt.  Sometimes, I forget that I own certain albums.  And then I love being pleasantly surprised.  I was feeling a bit down after that last post so I thought I would post some music.

Though Oh, Sweet Cin, just got me hooked on Maria Taylor.  Though, a weird thing is that she was born on the day my Dad passed away and I posted something related to my Dad.  Some times, those moments happen. I am not sure if they mean anything but it's nice to think that he's watching me. Ok, I have to wake up in an 1-1/2 hours.  Time for bed.

Ok, I was distracted because I was still feeling the "mean reds" so I went to my trusty Google Reader and this is what made me smile or laugh out loud.

• Spoon*slapped Pizza Hut Ranch Post...um, I think my heart just shook a little.
• CuteOverload's Yorkie Sweater Project.  It's the cuteness.
• From Overdue Media, Sleestaks!!!!

Sleestaks in the library

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I have not seen much about the anniversary of Katrina today. Then I read the ReadyMade blog and they posted After the Storm.  The post has really good links and I just wanted to share it with people out there.

The link to A.D. New Orleans After The Deluge by Josh Neufeld is really amazing. Heartbreaking. 
It evokes the same feelings that the graphic novel of the 9/11 Report incited in me.  It is a little more accessible. Some times draw images just hold more for me than photographs because I have been bombarded with the photographs. I think that sounds little cruel...but for me, it is true. I get numb to what I am seeing in order to protect myself and to keep from freaking out.

It's just that the graphic novel versions takes the most significant moments and visually expresses in images what probably is described in hundreds of words.

Here is a link to Neufeld's version of the satellite photo from August 29.  It might just be me and the knowledge I have of that day but that was all I needed to feel dread and sadness.

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Dogfight - belly dancing at bar

Dogfight clips on YouTube.
 
Yesterday was movie day at Miss C's house. It was super fun and after watching Valley Girl, (which happens to be one of my favorite Nick Cage movies (that or Raising Arizona) Miss C suggested I watch Dog Fight (1991).  I had never heard of this movie, but I love Lili Taylor and River Phoenix and Miss C says that it is one of her favorite movies so that's enough of a recommendation for me. 

Here is the synopsis from IMDB:

1963, the night before the 18 years old "Birdlace" Eddie and his friends are shipped to Vietnam. They play a dirty game called 'Dogfight': all of them seek a woman for a party, and who finds the most ugly one, wins a prize. Eddie finds the lonesome pacifist Rose working in a coffee shop. She's happy to accompany him - but then she sees through the game. However by this time he already learned to like her, so he follows her home. Will he manage to win her heart despite their differences? Written by Tom Zoerner {Tom.Zoerner@informatik.uni-erlangen.de}

The film is located in San Francisco, featuring parts of Chinatown and North Beach.  The city plays a prominent role in the film, though at times, I feel like they play up the fact that it's "weird" San Francisco.  Lili Taylor is wonderful as Rose, an aspiring folk singer, who is working as a waitress at her family's restaurant, "Rose's Cafe."  She is opinionated and speaks her mind.  River Phoenix is excellent at the intense, vulgar Marine, Eddie Birdlace.  It is a love story but also a commentary on war and the 1960s. It is a charming film. Eddie and Rose are so different but you can see why they are attracted to each other because they challenge each other and also balance each other out.

It made me wonder about what River Phoenix would be doing now? Would he be like Johnny Depp? or Robert Downey Junior? or Val Kilmer? I talked to some people and I would hope he would be more like Johnny Depp.  He was so talented.  I cannot think of any young actor now that even compares to him. Shia LaBeouf? Jake Gyllenhall? Tobey Macguire? Lucas Haas? Joseph Gordon-Levitt? He played so many different characters even though his career only spanned 9 years. 

Also, the soundtrack was pretty good.  I am not a big folk music fan, but there are some songs that I truly enjoy. They mention Pete Seeger, she listens to "Freewheelin" by Bob Dylan, Rose also sings a cover of "What have they done to the rain", and I know she was also listening to Joan Baez.  Here are the tracks on a cd, you will probably have to special order.

1.	Easier Said Than Done - The Essex
2.	Night Train - The Rumblers
3.	Since I Fell For You - Lenny Welch
4.	Let Me In - The Sensations
5.	T.B. Sheets - Van Morrison
6.	Wimoweh (Mbube) - The Weavers
7.	Shake Sugaree - Elizabeth Cotton/Brenda Evans
8.	Good Morning Little Schoolgirl - Muddy Waters
9.	What Have They Done to the Rain - Malvina Reynolds
10.	We Shall Overcome - Pete Seeger

One of my favorite songs is "Shake Sugaree." The first time I heard it was in the car driving to San Pedro with Andres.  We were heading over to meet our friend, Chi-Yu and his family, for dinner at an amazing Vegetarian Chinese restaurant, which i cannot remember the name of. I do remember that it was a popular spot for the local Buddhist Monks in the area. 

Looking up the lyrics to this song, I have discovered (1) that Elliott Smith covered it, (2) it was arranged by Bob Dylan, and (3) there are a whole lotta versions of it floating around.  And (4) I wish I had an mp3 version of it.

Shake Sugaree / Elizabeth Cotten

I've got a secret
I ain't gonna tell
I'm goin' to heaven in a split pea shell
Oh, Lordy me, didn't we shake sugaree
Everything I have is down in pawn

I pawned my watch, an' I pawned my chain
[Even I don't deserve myself, so ?] ashamed
Oh, Lordy me, didn't we shake sugaree
Everything I have is down in pawn

I've got a song to sing
Ain't very long
I'm gonna sing it right if it take me all night long
Oh, Lordy me, didn't we shake sugaree
Everything I have is down in pawn

I've got a secret
I ain't gonna tell
I'm goin' to heaven in a split pea shell
Oh, Lordy me, didn't we shake sugaree
Everything I have is down in pawn

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