Saturday, April 24, 2004
Crunk Origins
I always associated the word "crunk" with Outkast and therefore Atlanta and the South. However, I just happened to hear Gift of Gab mention, on "Deep in the Jungle" off of Solesides Greatest Bumps, how he has "crunk in his knapsack." Based on the context, I couldn't divine what Gab meant by the use of that term here. Did you know that there's a Crunk font?! Someone, apparently, is also planning on marketing a Crunk energy drink (second only to Rap Snacks!).
I always associated the word "crunk" with Outkast and therefore Atlanta and the South. However, I just happened to hear Gift of Gab mention, on "Deep in the Jungle" off of Solesides Greatest Bumps, how he has "crunk in his knapsack." Based on the context, I couldn't divine what Gab meant by the use of that term here. Did you know that there's a Crunk font?! Someone, apparently, is also planning on marketing a Crunk energy drink (second only to Rap Snacks!).
Friday, April 23, 2004
Gmail
Interesting how the little bit that I learned about contracts plays out. In signing up for Gmail, the user agreement specifically states "as consideration for using the Service, you agree and understand that Google will display ads...." It also includes a "choice of law" clause for Santa Clara, California. Do you think there's any "out-of-state bias" from Santa Clara jurors towards East Coast folk?
Interesting how the little bit that I learned about contracts plays out. In signing up for Gmail, the user agreement specifically states "as consideration for using the Service, you agree and understand that Google will display ads...." It also includes a "choice of law" clause for Santa Clara, California. Do you think there's any "out-of-state bias" from Santa Clara jurors towards East Coast folk?
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Canada, Religious Speech Condemning Homosexual Acts, Libertarians, etc.
I don't have time to post any substantive thoughts, assuming I have them, on this subject, but I highly recommend reading the great exchange between Brian Leiter (4/21 post) and David Bernstein (4/18 post).
I don't have time to post any substantive thoughts, assuming I have them, on this subject, but I highly recommend reading the great exchange between Brian Leiter (4/21 post) and David Bernstein (4/18 post).
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Worst Song Ever?
I refuse to believe that "Built This City" is worse than "Achy Breaky Heart" or "She Bangs." And what about Ashcroft singing "Let the Eagle Soar"? Or, what about some of Orrin Hatch's music?
I refuse to believe that "Built This City" is worse than "Achy Breaky Heart" or "She Bangs." And what about Ashcroft singing "Let the Eagle Soar"? Or, what about some of Orrin Hatch's music?
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Law in the Lowcountry
There will soon be a private law school in Charleston, and already USC, or at least its dean, is insecure. Note this great quote:
"There will be students who will want to attend a law school with a tradition that is over a century old, there will be students who want to attend a law school that is ABA accredited," Powell said. "Then there will be students for whom none of those things are important, and they will choose their law school accordingly."
There will soon be a private law school in Charleston, and already USC, or at least its dean, is insecure. Note this great quote:
"There will be students who will want to attend a law school with a tradition that is over a century old, there will be students who want to attend a law school that is ABA accredited," Powell said. "Then there will be students for whom none of those things are important, and they will choose their law school accordingly."
Do You Feel A Draft?
While I think the idea of reinstating the draft is ludicrous, Democrats would be well advised to amplify Sen. Chuck Hagel's statement that mulled the idea over. Doing so would make the stakes of supporting a unilateralist administration clear. It might also win over a few votes who feel safe supporting Bush by thinking that the war in Iraq doesn't really affect them all that much (slightly analogous to winning over pro-choice Republican women who feel safe to stay in that party so long as the Constitutional right to an abortion seems secure).
While I think the idea of reinstating the draft is ludicrous, Democrats would be well advised to amplify Sen. Chuck Hagel's statement that mulled the idea over. Doing so would make the stakes of supporting a unilateralist administration clear. It might also win over a few votes who feel safe supporting Bush by thinking that the war in Iraq doesn't really affect them all that much (slightly analogous to winning over pro-choice Republican women who feel safe to stay in that party so long as the Constitutional right to an abortion seems secure).
420
Today is the twentieth day of April, a day holy to stoners. When in highschool, we would hold weekly assemblies. Invariably, time was given over for student announcements. It was the norm for students to announce that it was so-and-so's birthday on such-and-such date. It was also the norm each year for the stoner crowd to announce the birthday of a classmate who was fortunate to have been born on April 20th. Upon giving this announcement, the stoner crowd would proceed to shout out "420" repeatedly, causing much consternation to the non-stoners. For some history on the term, go here.
Today is the twentieth day of April, a day holy to stoners. When in highschool, we would hold weekly assemblies. Invariably, time was given over for student announcements. It was the norm for students to announce that it was so-and-so's birthday on such-and-such date. It was also the norm each year for the stoner crowd to announce the birthday of a classmate who was fortunate to have been born on April 20th. Upon giving this announcement, the stoner crowd would proceed to shout out "420" repeatedly, causing much consternation to the non-stoners. For some history on the term, go here.
Monday, April 19, 2004
Monikers of Malicious Spammers
emille nickerson
orville springer
jocelyn hendricks
Issac Valentin
nellie hanley
marco mckinnon
john gallagher
brad blair
meagan puckett
tommie katz
Angelique Mayberry
Rodolfo Mackey
Dollie Oneil
Wilburn Draper
emille nickerson
orville springer
jocelyn hendricks
Issac Valentin
nellie hanley
marco mckinnon
john gallagher
brad blair
meagan puckett
tommie katz
Angelique Mayberry
Rodolfo Mackey
Dollie Oneil
Wilburn Draper
Paul Newman, if you're reading this, please contact me
On one end of the spectrum is Kraft (subsidiary of Altria, not to be confused with something altruistic), whose products I try to avoid in the grocery store. On the other end is Newman's Own, which has donated quite a pretty penny to charities over the years. My question is this: if Newman's Own donates its after-tax profits to charities, why doesn't it seek to become a non-profit company, which wouldn't have to pay taxes at all? If anyone knows the answer to this, please let me know. In the interim, I'll be investigating....
On one end of the spectrum is Kraft (subsidiary of Altria, not to be confused with something altruistic), whose products I try to avoid in the grocery store. On the other end is Newman's Own, which has donated quite a pretty penny to charities over the years. My question is this: if Newman's Own donates its after-tax profits to charities, why doesn't it seek to become a non-profit company, which wouldn't have to pay taxes at all? If anyone knows the answer to this, please let me know. In the interim, I'll be investigating....
News Alert
NYT in such a rush to put news up, that they misspell...
"NEWS ALERT
McDoanld's Corporation Says Jim Cantalupo, Chairman and Chief Executive, Has Died of an Apparent Heart Attack. (8:20 AM ET) "
NYT in such a rush to put news up, that they misspell...
"NEWS ALERT
McDoanld's Corporation Says Jim Cantalupo, Chairman and Chief Executive, Has Died of an Apparent Heart Attack. (8:20 AM ET) "
Rarely Rhymes Slow, Frequently Rhymes Quick
Hip-hop, at least some of it, does not suck in 2004, and here's why: Quannum. The whole Quannum crew seemed to be in a good mood this evening-- perhaps because the fine DC weather was a welcome change from other areas, perhaps because the show was sold out, or perhaps because it's easier for hype-men to say "DC, where you at?" than "Toronto, where you at?"
Highlights for me: Latyrx doing "Say That," Lyrics Born doing "I Changed My Mind."
Lowlights: dude in the balcony who decided to check his PDA. What were you thinking, PDA dude?
Much to my relief, Brendan's 2nd-hand report that DJ Shadow was relegated to scratching DVD images turned out not to be the case. Most of the DVD-scratching was not all that impressive. Most amusing was the conversation Vursatyl, of Lifesavas, "had with himself." Very creative. Shadow did a mix of some stuff from Endtroducing, and scrambled to nice effect, what I believe was "Organ Donor."
The encore was noticeably more political. Shadow came out with "6 Days," which despite the lyrics referencing war I never thought of as a political song. Dude, whose name I forget, from Lifesavas did a recent body count from Iraq though.
Chief Xcel was in fine form, and though I wasn't crazy about DJ D-Sharp's opening set, he's quite the turntablist. D-Sharp on stage right, Shadow in the middle, and Chief Xcel on stage left bears some resemblance to the Yankees' offense nowadays. (If only A-rod were batting well.)
Lyrics Born was probably the best M.C. of the night. As good as Gift of Gab is, the guy rhymes so quick that in a very loud show you can't really make out his lyrics.
Apparently, Shadow has a DVD coming out in the fall, and I think it was on sale at the show but I was too broke to buy it....
Hip-hop, at least some of it, does not suck in 2004, and here's why: Quannum. The whole Quannum crew seemed to be in a good mood this evening-- perhaps because the fine DC weather was a welcome change from other areas, perhaps because the show was sold out, or perhaps because it's easier for hype-men to say "DC, where you at?" than "Toronto, where you at?"
Highlights for me: Latyrx doing "Say That," Lyrics Born doing "I Changed My Mind."
Lowlights: dude in the balcony who decided to check his PDA. What were you thinking, PDA dude?
Much to my relief, Brendan's 2nd-hand report that DJ Shadow was relegated to scratching DVD images turned out not to be the case. Most of the DVD-scratching was not all that impressive. Most amusing was the conversation Vursatyl, of Lifesavas, "had with himself." Very creative. Shadow did a mix of some stuff from Endtroducing, and scrambled to nice effect, what I believe was "Organ Donor."
The encore was noticeably more political. Shadow came out with "6 Days," which despite the lyrics referencing war I never thought of as a political song. Dude, whose name I forget, from Lifesavas did a recent body count from Iraq though.
Chief Xcel was in fine form, and though I wasn't crazy about DJ D-Sharp's opening set, he's quite the turntablist. D-Sharp on stage right, Shadow in the middle, and Chief Xcel on stage left bears some resemblance to the Yankees' offense nowadays. (If only A-rod were batting well.)
Lyrics Born was probably the best M.C. of the night. As good as Gift of Gab is, the guy rhymes so quick that in a very loud show you can't really make out his lyrics.
Apparently, Shadow has a DVD coming out in the fall, and I think it was on sale at the show but I was too broke to buy it....
