doublepower

Printemps: doublepower spring '08 mix

2008-03-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

Track listing:
1. Snake Eyes - The Losers
2. Break On Through (Bossarocker Remix) - The Doors
3. Honey (Captain Planet Remix) - Erykah Badu
4. Bonfá Nova - Luiz Bonfa
5. A Procura Da Batida Perfeita - Marcelo D2
6. Paper Planes (Rene Goulet's Golden Girl Conspiracy) - M.I.A.
7. Revendo Amigos - Lena
8. How Long Do I Have To Wait For You? (Ticklah Remix) - Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
9. Sittin' In The Sun - Medicine Head
10. My Rights Versus Yours - The New Pornographers
11. O Katrina! - The Black Lips
12. Happy Rabbit - Breakbot
13. Marie - Tractor
14. The Pine Tree - Johnny Cash
15. Knockin' At The Wrong Door - The Rollers
16. Que Sara Sara - Earl Royce & The Olympics
17. Have Love Will Travel - Richard Berry
18. Gonna Get Me Someone - The Greenhornes
19. That's My Girl - The Addicts
20. My Baby Likes to Boogaloo - Don Gardner
21. Booty Butt - Ray Charles
22. Put It On (Rehearsal) - Bob Marley & The Wailers

CSI: Annette Hanshaw - "Wouldn't You Like To Take A Walk?"

2006-08-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Annette Hanshaw - Wouldn't You Like To Take A Walk?

placeholder

2006-08-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

I'll come back to this...

The Rheas at the Sunset

2006-04-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

The long awaited debut of the Rheas, Thursday April 6th at the Sunset.

Be there.

stop the fighting

2006-03-31T16:16:00.000-08:00

A message from Mimi & Moo-Moo:

CSI: Yelle - "Short Dick Cuizi"

2006-03-24T10:24:00.000-08:00

Wtf is this, French Baile funk? Man, I can't comment on the title but I just heard this yesterday and if the little dj kids in NYC aren't mixing this up in the sets this weekend, we'll they're sleepin'!

I don't know what the shelf life of this track is going to be -- it's kind of crazily au courant with it's glitchy Baile funk it was almost surprising not to see Diplo's name attached to it. And once again, sung by a French girl. Ease up, Yelle, you're pushing too many of my buttons at once!

Guilty pleasure or not, I'm digging it right now.

Yelle - Short Dick Cuizi

Peep her on MySpace

Mission: In Doublepower Possible

2006-03-21T14:24:00.000-08:00

Well, it was a hard decision for me but despite his threats, I'm going against Tom Cruise's wishes and posting the controversial South Park Scientology episode. Yes, yes, even though Paramount may pull all advertising for the upcoming blockbuster Misson: Impossible 3 from doublepower -- and let me tell you, I stand to lose big, *big* dollars here. Can you say "Mission In Doublepower Possible" ya'll?! That sponsorship was gonna be crazy. I was getting a birth annoucement from Tom & Katie and everything...

Anyway, check YouTube for the episode.

I dream of fishes

2006-03-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hat-tip to Kurt for this one: www.coreyfishes.com is Corey Arnold's portfolio of images, many from his years fishing in Alaska.

Ah, shots like this:

...take me right back to the years I spent up there on the good ship Rainier. I can feel the cold dampness of that deck seeping into the soles of my Xtra Tuffs right now...

le plat du jour

2006-03-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

I'm overdue in posting this one, but here's the most recent mix cd. I've been working this one pretty hard since last December or so and it still sounds good. Give me a shout if you want a copy.

1. Coco - Brisa Roché
2. Love Love Love - Feminine Complex
3. L'Amour á 3 - Stereo Total
4. Spinning Wheel - Wade Marcus
5. Soul Sister - Allen Toussaint
6. Mas - Betina
7. Ruler of My Heart - Irma Thomas
8. You're Gonna Need Me - Dionne Warwick
9. O Astronauta - Baden Powell
10. Un Après-Midi À Paris - Katerine
11. It Happened - Dirty Three
12. Bossa Nova Jazz Samba - The Bossa Nova Modern Quartet
13. Je M'en Lasse - La Position Du Tireur Couché
14. Harley Davidson - Brigitte Bardot
15. Les Prisons De Sa Majeste - Delphine
16. Soul Reggae - Charles Kynard
17. Jumpin' Jack Flash - Wynder K. Frog
18. I Just Find Myself Falling - Sweet Salvation
19. Got To Be A Love (Paul Nice Remix) - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
20. Hit or Miss - Odetta
21. Superstar - The Overton Berry Ensemble
22. Sneakin Up On You - Peggy Lee
23. Can't Get Enough Of Your Love - Teegarden and Van Winkle
24. The 8.17 Northbound Success Merry-Go-Round - Margo Guryan
25. Bumpin' On Sunset - Brian Auger & The Trinity

Damn, glad I finally got that out there. Spring is on the way and I'm already gathering material for the next installment.

Se7en, only plush-er

2006-03-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

Like me, I'm sure you were riveted by the emotional final moments of David Fincher's 1995 thriller 'Se7en' -- you know, when Brad Pitt finds out that Kevin Spacey has decapitated his young wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, whom he only then finds out was (gasp!) pregnant?! Yes, gives you shivers just thinking back on it.

Well, here's a brilliant shot-for-shot remake of that dramatic final scene. Reenacted by stuffed animals.

Se7en

Gripping.

CSI: Carla Bruni & Louis Bertignac - Les Froleuses

2006-03-08T16:27:00.000-08:00

Here's one of those songs where I always wonder, would I like it as well if it was sung in English? I guess I could also ask, would I like it as well if it wasn't sung by the ravishing Carla Bruni? Okay, so Louis Bertignac is also singing (hell, it's off his album) but, truth be told, he's a little funny looking. See what I mean?

Carla:

Louis:

Fortunately I'm not faced with such difficult questions. I just get to sit back and enjoy

Carla Bruni & Louis Bertignac - Les Froleuses

Look for the sliver lining...

2006-02-24T17:09:00.000-08:00

The Fantagraphics Blog has a post about Tim Kreider, a cartoonist taking up the Iranian newspaper's challenge for funniest Holocaust-related cartoon. Tim is ill, yo:

From Tim's submission letter:

"To the Editors:

I hesitated to enter your contest because your choice of the Holocaust as a subject seems to reveal more about your own bigotry than about Western taboos. Being offended by Danes and retaliating by insulting the Jews seems suspiciously misdirected--sort of like being attacked by al Qaeda and retaliating by invading Iraq..."

See the rest of the cartoon and read the entry at Fantagraphics Blog.

thanks for the add

2006-02-22T14:44:00.000-08:00

Danah Boyd talks sense about the teen MySpace phenomena:

"Without impetus, teens rarely choose to go private on MySpace and certainly not for fear of predators or future employers. They want to be visible to other teens, not just the people they they've friended. They would just prefer the adults go away. All adults. Parents, teachers, creepy men."

Worth a read:

"Identity Production in a Networked Culture: Why Youth Heart MySpace"

music for one and (sm)all

2006-02-20T09:10:00.000-08:00

I love this -
(sm)all ages: because no one should have to listen to the wiggles. ever.

A mp3 blog for kids and the music fan parents who love them. Cool.

In a land called Hanalei...

2006-02-16T13:48:00.000-08:00

Ah, Lisa and I just returned from a wonderful little trip to Kauai. A few snaps below. And, to really get you in the mood, here's song from slack key guitar player Doug McMaster:
Doug McMaster - Nanea Kou Maka

The Hanalei Valley

Surfers at Hanalei Bay

Kilauea Lighthouse

Our friend from the B&B, Ms. Kitty

Breakfast at the B&B

Ha'ena

Ke'e Beach

At the Hanalei Farmers Market

Me and a Hanalei Sunset

...another Hanalei sunset

The helicopter tour on Air Kauai

The East Coast

The Napali Coast

Lisa and Captain Bill

Lisa loves her guava

Lawa'i Bay, the most beautiful beach *ever*

At the National Tropical Botanical Garden

Lisa and the Angels' Trumpets

Hawaiian dolls

...another Hawaiian doll (kidding, kidding)

Yet another doll! (I know, I know...)

At Moloa'a Bay

The Allerton Garden

aloha...

2006-02-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

Well, the Super Bowl was a disappointment. But on to bigger and better things such as...Hawaii! Yes, that's right, we're jetting over to the islands for an extended weekend.

Of course I had to put together an appropriate mix for the ol' ipod, starting with this fun ditty from flavor-of-the-month, Morningwood:
Nth Degree

More Superbowl Photoshop Fun

2006-02-03T16:08:00.000-08:00

GO STEELHAWKS!

2006-01-25T16:36:00.000-08:00

Get psyched for Super Bowl XL, y'all!

We'll see you at The Viking!

Dubya wants funnel cake

2006-01-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

Jeeze-louise, long time no update. I've been sorta snowed under, making the world safe for digital marketing and all (a noble, noble quest), but updates are on the way. Starting off, here's a breath of fresh air from Joel Stein in sunny LA:

I dont' support our troops. This is a particularly difficult opinion to have, especially if you are the kind of person who likes to put bumper stickers on his car. Supporting the troops is a position that even Calvin is unwilling to urinate on.

I'm sure I'd like the troops. They seem gutsy, young and up for anything. If you're wandering into a recruiter's office and signing up for eight years of unknown danger, I want to hang with you in Vegas.

And I've got no problem with other people — the ones who were for the Iraq war — supporting the troops. If you think invading Iraq was a good idea, then by all means, support away. Load up on those patriotic magnets and bracelets and other trinkets the Chinese are making money off of.

But I'm not for the war. And being against the war and saying you support the troops is one of the wussiest positions the pacifists have ever taken — and they're wussy by definition. It's as if the one lesson they took away from Vietnam wasn't to avoid foreign conflicts with no pressing national interest but to remember to throw a parade afterward.

Blindly lending support to our soldiers, I fear, will keep them overseas longer by giving soft acquiescence to the hawks who sent them there — and who might one day want to send them somewhere else. Trust me, a guy who thought 50.7% was a mandate isn't going to pick up on the subtleties of a parade for just service in an unjust war. He's going to be looking for funnel cake.

Besides, those little yellow ribbons aren't really for the troops. They need body armor, shorter stays and a USO show by the cast of "Laguna Beach."

The real purpose of those ribbons is to ease some of the guilt we feel for voting to send them to war and then making absolutely no sacrifices other than enduring two Wolf Blitzer shows a day. Though there should be a ribbon for that.

I understand the guilt. We know we're sending recruits to do our dirty work, and we want to seem grateful.

After we've decided that we made a mistake, we don't want to blame the soldiers who were ordered to fight. Or even our representatives, who were deceived by false intelligence. And certainly not ourselves, who failed to object to a war we barely understood.

But blaming the president is a little too easy. The truth is that people who pull triggers are ultimately responsible, whether they're following orders or not. An army of people making individual moral choices may be inefficient, but an army of people ignoring their morality is horrifying. An army of people ignoring their morality, by the way, is also Jack Abramoff's pet name for the House of Representatives.

I do sympathize with people who joined up to protect our country, especially after 9/11, and were tricked into fighting in Iraq. I get mad when I'm tricked into clicking on a pop-up ad, so I can only imagine how they feel.

But when you volunteer for the U.S. military, you pretty much know you're not going to be fending off invasions from Mexico and Canada. So you're willingly signing up to be a fighting tool of American imperialism, for better or worse. Sometimes you get lucky and get to fight ethnic genocide in Kosovo, but other times it's Vietnam.

And sometimes, for reasons I don't understand, you get to just hang out in Germany.

I know this is all easy to say for a guy who grew up with money, did well in school and hasn't so much as served on jury duty for his country. But it's really not that easy to say because anyone remotely affiliated with the military could easily beat me up, and I'm listed in the phone book.

I'm not advocating that we spit on returning veterans like they did after the Vietnam War, but we shouldn't be celebrating people for doing something we don't think was a good idea. All I'm asking is that we give our returning soldiers what they need: hospitals, pensions, mental health and a safe, immediate return. But, please, no parades.

Seriously, the traffic is insufferable.

baby new year!

2006-01-03T09:58:00.000-08:00

Wow, longtime no update, but here's some news worth blogging (and shouting) about: my little sister, Lisa, and her husband, Chuck, just had a baby! Yes, little Nora Claire Winans was born on New Years Day.

Now if that isn't a reason to be optimistic about the year ahead I don't know what is.

P-I post-party

2005-12-05T14:27:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was "work holiday party" weekend, and while I don't have any pics from the surprisingly fun Atlas party, the following should give you an idea of what when down at the Seattle P-I's post-holiday party-party (i.e., the non-sanctioned after event at the Alibi Room):

Whole lot of dancing going on

I think P-Kitty's calling someone out

Aw geeze, I'm not even gonna comment on that one.

John and Holly in the zone...

...I did say "in the zone", didn't I?

holy hell, ladies, take it easy up there.

"Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand..."

(sigh) Xmas in the Market sure is pretty.

CSI: Tye Tribbett & G.A. - Mighty Long Way

2005-11-30T13:21:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I've been slacking but I figured the least I could do was drop a current song infatuation. So, get yourself some religion and hear Tye Tribbett & G.A. tell you where the lord has taken them:

Tye Tribbett & G.A. - Mighty Long Way

Fair warning, at the bare minimum you *will* be bobbing your head to this so if that's gonna embarrass you, you might want to wait until you can listen somewhere the spirit can move you in peace.

More CSIs to come from Lady Sovereign, Damian Marley and, of course some girls singing in French. Stay tuned...

what's cookin'?

2005-11-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us (picking up my bird on the way home from work tonight) and once again Lisa and I will be hosting the festivities at Broadview Manor. In addition to the usual roster of family and friends, our good buddy Noel is making the trip out from Chicago.

The menu:
Roast turkey
Mashed potatoes
Gravy (red wine reduction)
Stuffing with sour cherries
Bacon and leek casserole
Twice-baked sweet potatoes
Green beans with fresh tarragon
Fresh cranberry relish (w/mint, ginger, jalapenos, orange, and toasted pecans)
Cooked cranberries
Pumpkin pie with praline topping
Apple-huckleberry pie

To get all y'all ready for the bounty we're about to receive, here's a little something to play while you're trussing your bird:

Oscar Peterson - Gravy Waltz

peel: singles going steady

2005-11-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

been hearing a lot about John Peel's box of singles. word is the celebrated dj kept a stack of singles in a wooden box -- you know, the kind of thing you grab while escaping the fire that's about the destroy your other 25,000 albums.

what singles would the famed taste-maker pick to save? kinda what you'd expect - punk rock, garage, soul, reggae - but an impressive list (which I guess you'd also expect). have a look:
John Peel's record box

...and a sample:
Roshell Anderson - The Grapevine Will Lie Sometimes
The Mighty Avengers - So Much In Love

these guys, god bless 'em, are assembling the entire list on mp3:
I Love Music: "Which are John Peel's 140 fave albums?"

get 'em Harry!

2005-11-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

This is pretty crazy -- Harry Reid is going off!

From TPM:

"Sen. Reid just took the senate into closed session to discuss the body's failure to pursue 'phase two' of the senate intel investigation into the Iraq WMD intel failure."(link)

And follow-up from Washington Monthly:

"CLOSED SESSION....Huh? Harry Reid has shut down the Senate by invoking Rule 21 and placing the Senate into closed session to discuss the intelligence that led to war. What's up with that?
Frist is pissed. Really pissed. Reid did this without warning him. So is this something real, or is it a way to get Libby and Fitzgerald back on the front page? Or was it deliberately designed to make Frist lose it?

Stay tuned.
UPDATE: Bill Schneider on CNN calls it a "full scale revolt" by Democrats. Here are the talking points emailed out by Reid's office..." (link)

Probably a stunt, but at least it's a good stunt.

halloween

2005-10-31T10:05:00.000-08:00

Big thanks to Kevin & Michelle for hosting the swell Halloween party last weekend.

Roving reporting Veronica Corningstone covered the event for local TV...

...and with celebrities like United Nations Special Ambassador Angelina Jolie in attendance (along with her UN escort) it's easy to see why.

Add to that the high-octane rock & roll of the Rheas and you've got yourself a party!

(thanks for kurt and jeremy for additional photos)

In keeping with the spirit [insert fiendish laughter] of the season, today's spooky track, "Werewolf" from Cat Power:

Cat Power - Werewolf
(Buy it)

CSI: "Laisse-Moi - Chantal Goya"

2005-10-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

It was a hard choice but this week's current song infatuation is Chantal Goya's "Laisse-Moi". It's been a good couple weeks for new music (that HypeMachine music blog aggregator is trouble, man, trouble), but with that insistent Farfisa, the French girl's voice right up front in the mix; I just couldn't resist.

Laisse-Moi - Chantal Goya
(Buy it)

"I think I'll order the duck..."

2005-10-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

Niall Ferguson's op-ed piece in Monday's LA Times offered a veritable Chinese menu of great quotes. Tough to choose, but I think I'll order the duck:

"(If) his most trusted advisor goes down, the president will not merely be a lame duck. He will be a Peking duck. His enemies will be able to flake him off the bone and wrap him in Oriental pancakes."

"Board up the windows in D.C."
Niall Ferguson, LA Times, October 24, 2005

Tofino

2005-10-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a lovely weekend in Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island. If you're looking to indulge yourself, the Wickaninnish Inn is tough to beat. Superb service, first-class food, amazing accommodations and amenities.

The inn is right on the shore of Chersterman Beach, a popular surfing spot.

The inn provides free guided nature walks with bona fide naturalists. (Our fellow walkers were surprisingly uniformed about the natural world. Lisa and I zoomed to the top of the class by correctly identifying...a barnacle. The fact they neglected to bring their own raincoats for a trip to the west coast of Vancouver Island in late-October might have tipped us off that these are people who don't spend a heckuva lot of time outdoors.)

We took a self-guided hike along one of the rain forest trails in Pacific Rim National Park.

The view from the little deck off our room. For real.

Walking along the beach was endlessly entertaining. Especially at sunset...

CSI: "Out In The Street" - Blondie

2005-10-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

If you would have been along for the ride with me this past weekend - driving around doing errands and such - you would've heard this track, oh, about half a dozen times. Maybe more. My current song infatuation, Blondie's version of the Shangri-Las' classic "Out In The Street":

Out In The Street - Blondie

Her voice on this early demo recording is so lovely, so fragile. And I love the '50s greaser imagery applied to '70s punk rockers:

He don't comb his hair like he did before,
He don't wear those dirty old black boots no more...

Devastating.

"business as usual..." - autumn '05

2005-10-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

With the turning of the leaves a young man's musical tastes turn from the frisky beats of summer to the more downbeat vibe of autumn.

The new doublepower mix for autumn '05, "business as usual, on the streets and highways that God built":

1. Ate-Eu - Baden Powell
2. Cosmic Dancer - T. Rex
3. Woncha Come on Home - Joan Armatrading
4. Ohio - Damien Jurado
5. Ram On - Paul McCartney
6. Papaya Freeway (Cowboy Mix) - World Standard
7. Holland - Sufjan Stevens
8. Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes - Sun Kil Moon
9. Thicker Than A Smokey - Gary Higgins
10. Out In The Streets - Blondie
11. Don't Fight It Baby - Anita Humes
12. Bientot Tu L'Oublieras - Jacqueline Taïeb
13. Someone I Know - Margo Guryan
14. Isn't It A Pity - Nina Simone
15. Greensboro Woman - Townes Van Zandt
16. Two Seconds - Laura Cantrell
17. Reynardine - June Tabor
18. Dead Man's Will (w/ Calexico) - Iron & Wine
19. Don't Have to Be So Sad - Yo La Tengo
20. Nighttime Gals - Ryan Adams
21. Still Love You So - Johnny Ace
22. These Foolish Things - Clifford Brown & Max Roach

Oh Tiny Happy Day!

2005-10-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

Not only did I just findout that the new Sun Kil Moon record, Tiny Cities, is out Nov. 1, but also that it's a cover record of Modest Mouse songs (!).

This is gonna rule.

First peek: Tiny Cities Made of Ashes

Arizona

2005-10-07T17:42:00.001-07:00

Got back last weekend from a great trip down to Arizona. Tucson, Sedona, the Grand Canyon - a great time.

A few snaps from the trip:

Sedona

Me getting ready to dismount Okie, aka, Coughie

Horses at Tanque Verde hitched up while we eat breakfast

On the trail, from Okie's point of view

Montezuma's Castle

Dusk at Tanque Verde

Lisa hiking down into the Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon overlook (watch your step)

Lisa and Majie

Us

Me & ol' Pintail

Lisa, Jerry & Marjie at Telaquepaque in Sedona

Lisa on, er, Jeff (who names these horses?)

Old fella flippin' flapjacks (note that crazy bolo tie)

Casita at Tanque Verde

Relaxing by the pool (this one's for you, Kristi)

Sedona

White horse

Lisa at the Canyon

Shining!

2005-10-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

it's the feel-good movie of 1980!

http://www.brettmeisner.com/shining_meisner.mov

freakin' brilliant.

tearing the roof off (Bush's house of cards)

2005-09-07T11:03:00.000-07:00

"Besides ripping away the roofs of New Orleans, Katrina ripped away the argument that we can cut taxes, properly educate our kids, compete with India and China, succeed in Iraq, keep improving the U.S. infrastructure, and take care of a catastrophic emergency - without putting ourselves totally into the debt of Beijing."

Tom Friedman in the NY Times, September 7, 2005

nola

2005-09-02T14:37:00.000-07:00

The Buddy Bolden Band (1905)

Saw this on The Ten Thousand Things and couldn't help but be moved. Not encouraging you to wallow in others' misery, but New Orleans is such a huge part of our heritage as a nation, we owe it to her to help in her hour of need.

Listen:
Tom Waits - I Wish I Was In New Orleans

also, courtesy of Moistworks:
Louis Armstrong - Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?

Give:

robo-kitty!

2005-08-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

oh my god! will you get a load of these crazy robotic kitties?!

good robo-kitty!

the video

t. rextasy

2005-08-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

man, I don't know what it is but ever since the Moistworks post on Monday, T. Rex has be seriously tripping my trigger. I just can't seem to get enough.

Buick MacKane (acoustic demo)

lake, lake, lake..!

2005-08-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

Ah, another relaxing summer weekend down at the Lake

that's what summer's all about

solarcane summer mix

2005-07-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, my friends, I made it. I completed the "summer mix" before summer ended! Two volumes of fun, the first being...

1. I Want You Back (Z-Trip Remix) - The Jackson 5
2. Trick Me (TM J Remix) - Kelis
3. Sunshine Of Your Love - Spanky Wilson
4. Cold Bear - The Gaturs
5. Misdemeanor - Foster Sylvers
6. One Thing (Siik Remix) - Amerie
7. Fresh Feeling - Eels
8. I Found Love (Styrofoam & Sarah Shannon Mix) - The Free Design
9. The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
10. The Music Next Door - The Lucksmiths
11. Grenoble - The Mexicos
12. Through The Looking Glass - The Libertines
13. Public Image - Public Image Ltd.
14. Candyass - The Dirtbombs
15. Dub Will Tear Us Apart - Jah Division
16. Hotel California - The Cat Empire
17. Hey Hey Shorty - Faith Boogie
18. Boomin' In Ya Jeep - Kenny Dope ft. Screechy Dan
19. Rip Rip - David Holmes
20. What Tom Said About Girls - The Blow
21. Getting To The Other Side - Hamilton Bohannon
22. Chicken Payback (Madlib Remix) - The Bees
23. For What It's Worth - Lou Rawls

1. I Love Meatballs - Phofo
2. Memo From Turner - Mick Jagger & Ry Cooder
3. Police Sweater Blood Vow - The Fiery Furnaces
4. Pour Un Ancien Ami - Lismore
5. Light My Fire - Koichi Oki
6. Giving Up - Howward Hello
7. Brigher Than Sunshine - Aqualung
8. Beautiful Close Double - Damon & Naomi
9. Girl Arms - The Coach & Four
10. Between The Lines - Sambassadeur
11. Chuy - Bunky
12. The Planeiac - Palomar
13. Call It Ours - The Legends
14. Mushaboom - Feist
15. First Sad Song - The Snow Fairies
16. Homeless Club Kids - Phofo
17. Rude Bwoy Thug Life - Ce'Cile
18. Need You Tonight - Tanya Stephens
19. Seven One Eight - Fannypack
20. He Was - Leslie Winer
21. Some Hot Lazy Day - Obadia

(Okay, so I actually made vol. 2 back in the spring but what the hell? I still like listening to it, 'specially when it's warm outside)

waterfalls

2005-07-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

It's true, there are lots of different paths to the waterfall.

love london

2005-07-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

sign posted in window of Covent Garden cafe yesterday:

from Metro Blogging London

portraits of patriotism...

2005-07-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

photos from kurt

no coercion, no money, no foul?

2005-07-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

Really interesting piece in yesterday's NYTimes Magazine by Noah Feldman on finding a compromise in the church-state debate. His approach?

"Put simply, it is this: offer greater latitude for religious speech and symbols in public debate, but also impose a stricter ban on state financing of religious institutions and activities. This approach, the mirror image of O'Connor's compromise, is drawn from the framers' vision and the historical experience of separating church and state in America. The framers might well have been mystified by courthouse statues depicting the Ten Commandments, but they would not have objected unless the monuments were built with public money. Having made a revolution over unfair taxation, they thought of government support in terms of dollars spent, not abstract symbols.
...
"In the courts, the arrangement that I'm proposing would entail abandoning the Lemon requirement that state action must have a secular purpose and secular effects, as well as O'Connor's idea that the state must not ''endorse'' religion. For these two tests, the courts should substitute the two guiding rules that historically lay at the core of our church-state experiment before legal secularism or values evangelicalism came on the scene: the state may neither coerce anyone in matters of religion nor expend its resources so as to support religious institutions and practices, whether generic or particular. These constitutional principles, reduced to their core, can be captured in a simple slogan: no coercion and no money. If no one is being coerced by the government, and if the government is not spending its money to build religious-themed monuments or support religious institutions and practices, the courts should hold that the Constitution is not violated."

I'm not totally on board yet, but we need more of this kind of thinking - i.e., constructive rather than destructive - to move the debate forward. Interesting that Feldman's background includes a stint nation building with the CPA in Iraq. In many ways, we could use a little nation building ourselves...
(Great photos in the essay too, btw.)

Happy 4th

2005-07-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

From Mimi, a true patriot.

audioscrobbler?

2005-06-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is kinda fun:
"Audioscrobbler (sends) the name of every song you play to the Audioscrobbler server, which updates your musical profile with the new song. Every person with a plugin has their own page on this site which shows their listening statistics."

Want to, er, scrobble me? Go here:
http://www.audioscrobbler.com/user/doublepower/

Weclome back, summer

2005-05-27T14:15:00.000-07:00

I just checked in with my ol' pals at NOAA and the current temp at Sea-Tac is 86 degrees and climbing. Man, when I left Spain I figured it'd be weeks before I felt that kind of warm-warm sun again.

'Tis the season for summer mixes. I got a taste of one from Blake at The 10K Things; hope to hear the rest later.

Mine's still in the works but one cut that must be represented is the title track from Serge Gainsbourg's 1979 collaboration with Sly & Robbie and other reggae luminaries, Aux Armes Et Cetera

¿Que Tal?

2005-05-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

Ah, just back from a wonderful trip to Spain. Might need to post more on this later; for now, here are some photo highlights:

Lisa and Traci inspect the bar's ham offerings

At our favorite tapas bar in Madrid

Las Gatitas

Tapas

At the Atocha Station

Lisa and Traci marvel at the Alcazar in Sevilla

Archways in the Alcazar

Stained glass in the Sevilla cathedral

Plaza Del Toros, Sevilla

If you're in Sevilla and have a hankering for grilled quail, cross the river to Ruperto's

The bridge at Ronda

Kurt taking in the countryside

Springtime in Ronda

The view, moments before I was overtaken by the siesta

Ah the villa, just down the road from San Juan del Tererros

Breakfast at the villa

Pool races

Kurt giving up on pool races

A la playa

Amy, Traci and Lisa

Lisa at the villa

Tinto de Verano

Uh, some kind of dancing going on

"Do you trust me?" "I trust you."

Lisa & Traci

Villa kitty

At the Alhambra

The Generalife gardens

Stucco

Street in Mojacar

Patates Bravas

Traci encantas las bravas

Sunset in Ronda

Bull of La Mancha

Individual-i

2005-04-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

An icon whose time has come:

The icon represents the rights of the individual in a world where many rights are fast eroding. According to the site,

"It represents the right to privacy and anonymity in the information age. It represents the rights to an open government, due process, and equal protection under the law. It represents the right to live surveillance free, and not to be marked as "suspicious" for wanting these other rights."

Sugar-sugar

2005-04-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

And wtf is up with Sugar Bush?! This is one of the best things I've seen online in a long -- *long* -- time:

Sugar Bush

Phofo

2005-04-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

Loving the Phofo lately. And he definitely wins it for strangest chorus:

"The ghosts of dead teenagers sing to me when I am dancing"

Homeless Club Kids

http://www.superswell.com/phofo/ for more

News from Bongolia

2005-04-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

Let me direct your attention to this posting from Outer Bongolia on Diddy Wah.

Awesome.

Tom Waits Top-20

2005-03-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

Getting back into this thing with a quick link to Tom Waits and his picks of top-20 records of all time. Interesting stuff, as you'd expect:
Tom Waits Top-20

Hell Yeah

2005-02-22T07:55:00.000-08:00

I put together this mix in honor of my man Greg Vandy's birthday. (Speaking of Greg, what are you doing Wedsnesday night? Well, whatever it is, tune in to his show, The Roadhouse, on KEXP for your roots-rock-soul-and-blues soundtrack.) Anyway, he said he liked it, so I figured I'd post the track listing here.

(Like a copy for yourself? Email me.)

1. player's balling - ohio players
2. right tonight - society of soul
3. k.c. in the ghetto - triology
4. evil - howlin wolf
5. the devil made me do it - rasputin's stash
6. get me back on time, engine number 9 (pt.1&2) - wilson pickett
7. don't rhyme no mo' - david holmes
8. 7 heures du matin - jacqueline taieb
9. i've just seen a face - ludella black
10. ton meilleur ami - françoise hardy
11. i've been waiting all my life to leave you - flunk
12. what it is - curtis liggins
13. how long do i have to wait for you? - sharon jones & the dap-kings
14. supercool - c.o.c.o.
15. december 4th - jay-z + dj danger mouse
16. wings of the evening (paul simon vs. capelton vs. method man) -
dj bc
17. just can't get enough - marc collin
18. amelia - eumir deodato
19. miss balanco - ed lincoln
20. les papillons noirs - michelle arnaud
21. hell yeah - beck
22. fire bam (diplo mix) - m.i.a.
23. deceptafreak (le tigre vs. missy) - le tigre

And don't forget, tickets are still available:
MIA @ CHOP SUEY--21 & OVER, Tuesday March 15, 2005

Methow '05

2005-02-16T13:16:00.000-08:00

Ah, just back from a relaxing long weekend in the Methow Valley. Man, that place is something else. Like Washington's own mini-Yosemite, I tell you! There was just barely enough snow, but there was plenty of everything else.

Anyway, here are a few pics of the fun:

the road to Sun Mountain

snowshoeing

Kalina and Vanessa

Lisa

Sabadabada

2005-02-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

This site has made my week. Classic sounds from Brazil.

Beautiful, just beautiful.
Sabadabada

Top Films of 2004: a Histogram

2005-02-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

Super cool histogram of '04 films, from mediacritic.com:

Summary of 2004 Critics Top Ten Lists

Favela Funk

2005-02-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

I've started checking into that Baile Funk stuff and I gotta say, some of it's pretty intriguing. There's a great collection of songs for download here:

Funky Do Morro

Taking the plunge...

2005-01-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

Well I finally did it. A new 40GB iPod is on its way to me (or at least it should be by the end of the day. If it isn't, those eBay bitches have some explaining to do).

I'm kind of ridiculous exited about this thing (I already bought it a cute little orange jacket). We'll see if it's as life changing as everyone says.

In other news, I'm liking this new Shakeyface mix:
Megamix of DOOM

Another voice for the Dap...

2005-01-27T10:05:00.000-08:00

People everywhere are talking about the re-release of "Naturally" by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and I just had to add my voice to the chorus. Give a listen to "How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?" and try - just try - to tell me it doesn't stop you dead in your tracks.

How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?

Am I right or what?

Whatever makes you happy...

2005-01-25T09:04:00.000-08:00

Came across the Nouvelle Vauge track the other day and, by the looks of the posts, it seems the consensus (at least in the Brit press) is that these guys suck -- their bossa take on new wave classics is too little, too late, too obvious, too banal.

Whatever. This song makes me happy.

Just Can't Get Enough

Gwan A School

2005-01-14T09:25:00.000-08:00

This Sister Nancy track just kills me. That bubbling bass and early '80s reggae vibe -- I'm powerless against this stuff. Hear that on a sunny day and the next thing you know you're cutting work, hopping in your car and heading to the nearest sizeable body of water.

"You get an exercise book, colored pencil, and a twelve-inch rule,
You go take your seat on a bench, maybe a chair, or a four-foot stool..."

Perfect.

Gwan A School

M.I.A.

2005-01-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

I'm sprung on this M.I.A. (Maya Arul) gal. Don't know much about her story other than that she was an 11-year old refugee from Sri Lanka before her family moved to some project in London. I've been hearing about her for awhile but just downloaded her stuff (iTunes) last week. Am I, like, missing the pop cultural boat and she's already a big thing on MTV or something?

Anyway, I think she's badass (the exotic cuteness never hurts either). I guess 'Galang' has been her hot single. Here's the video:
Galang

Current favorite tracks are 'Sunshowers' and "Fire, Fire". They have this great, old school UK hip hop thing going on -- very Buffalo Gals. For proof look no further than the fashion sense in the video. Kinda that catchy little girl school yard chant thing -- totally infectious. Or annoying, depending on what you like.
Sunshowers

Dog judo

2004-12-09T09:14:00.000-08:00

...is freakin' *awesome*

http://www.dogjudo.co.uk/

Spain!

2004-12-03T14:53:00.000-08:00

As we narrow down the choices for Vacation '05, Spain is emerging as the clear favorite. The reason? Something of a hook up for an incredible looking rental house on the coast near Almeria. How incredible? Try this on for size:

Can you see it? I know I can...

Red vs. Blue

2004-11-18T10:55:00.000-08:00

Now reading:
"This Hallowed Ground: The story of the Union Side of the Civil War"
by Bruce Catton

Why read this classic of Civil War history now?

Pre-Civil War Free States and Slave States

2004 Electoral College Results

"To save their country, men must disenthrall themselves from the dogmas of the past."
-- Bruce Catton

GBV

2004-11-17T14:45:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Neumo's, the farewell...

2004-10-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

is this thing on?