Meanwhile in Canada

The Canadian PM is set to call an election, and believe it or not, the Conservatives are winning the polls.

Peculiarly it seems like voters like the Conservatives for economic issues and Liberals for environmental. Economy apparently trumps environment as the Liberals are coming in 2nd place.

There is a silver lining to all this, Jack Layton of the NDP (aka the party I wish was down here) is just managing to beat out Stéphane Dion (by 2 points). I don't mind Dion, but he is no Chretien and the fact that he is coming in 3rd behind Harper and Layton underlines this.

Mr. Nice comes to St. Paul

I'm a POW.

War is bad.

I'm a POW.

But Iran is a threat.

I'm a POW.

I used to be cocky.

I'm a POW.

And so on and so forth for 45 minutes.

It seems that the tone McCain/Palin will take is one McCain being the kind grandfather and Palin, the vicious aunt/sister/nurse.

That being said, there were shreads of the 2000 McCain in there. He is very fortunate that the political climate is so anti-Bush that he explicitly slated his own party in his own acceptance speech.

Perhaps he was being ironic, but his story of losing his "selfish independence," was interpreted by me as McCain having his own catharsis about how he got (read: sold out for) the nomination.

Just...Nasty

Perhaps it's me, but does the Republican National Convention seem well...unnecessarily nasty?

Some observations:

• The attendees just keep yelling over the speakers who are actually on their own side.
• Is the only thing these attendees can think to yell is "U-S-A?" The Olympics are over.
• Giuliani makes a coded dig at New York City while lamenting the omission of September 11th from the DNC.
• Not all terrorists are Islamic, Rudy, or did Oklahoma City never happen?
• Maybe I'm dense, but does it seem to be a bit foolish to castigate the media...on primetime television?
• John McCain is a POW? No, really? Really? I'm sorry I didn't hear that the 500 times previously.
• Palin's speech basically said: "I'm a reformer, and a McCain/Palin administration would give you 4 more years of the last 8." That is, when she actually bothered to say anything that wasn't a dig at the Democrats. Lay out a program! Say something of substance! One must've had low expectations to call that speech "outstanding."

What has really surprised me though is that this past night has seen Republican ugliness and just plain old bigotry front and center.

Have they forgotten that they are the ones most at fault for this mess? Or is that too cruel a notion to contemplate?

The New Season: NBC

There is some poetic justice in that one of the most omnipresent networks (mostly due to takeovers as opposed to actual creation) has been pretty much getting its rear end kicked by the former underdogs ABC & CBS. (Speaking of which, only last decade ABC was considered the inoffensive network and CBS the channel for the elderly.)

Now that I've taken my pleasure in ruffling the peacock's feathers, I have to admit something: NBC's new crop is probably the best out there. That said, that's more an indictment of the overall quality of the Freshmen shows for 2008-09 rather than an endorsement of NBC.

Either way, let's get on with it:

• America's Toughest Jobs: It's already premiered, and I have to wonder why NBC would think that someone who hasn't seen the same type of "look at my job! Isn't it difficult? Isn't it dirty? Isn't it dangerous?" show on A&E/Discovery/National Geographic would be interested? So, in true NBC style, they turn it into a competition. Perhaps they are taking a gamble here, but the faith they seem to have in it must be minimal for it to premiere before Labor Day. Doubt we'll see it next year unless it's really cheap to produce.
• Knight Rider: Give the Peacock credit, they are at least resurrecting their own show as opposed to the CW which brings an old FOX show back to life tonight. That said, the new Knight Rider movie did well, so it makes sense to see if the same audience that watched that will do the same. The creator managed to keep the inanity that was Las Vegas on air for much longer than need be, so this might limp its way into next year. Personally, I doubt it. Would the American public be all that interested in watching a car speeding every week, given the cost of gas? Would NBC be all that interested in paying for that to boot?
• Kath & Kim: The fiance--who is Australian and a fan of the show--has very low expectations for this sitcom (which was originally Australian). Conversely, I think it will do well, and I also think it will be quite successful. When I first saw the original show on the late, lamented Trio network (oddly enough, gobbled by NBC and then obliterated), I couldn't understand a word the characters were saying--with captions! NBC's version does appear to keep the same spirit, which is about a spoiled mother-daughter duo with little common sense and lots of self-absorption. One thing NBC does well is nuture offbeat sitcoms. I reckon it'll get through the season with little trouble.
• My Own Worst Enemy: Christian Slater tries to become relevant again by playing a man who lives a double life and apparently doesn't know about it. It's The Three Faces of Eve meets James Bond. It'll get some of the Heroes crowd, but seems too complex for its own good. In fact, it probably should've gotten the mini-series treatment first. Just might make it, but I doubt it.
• Crusoe: Hands up if you heard about NBC doing a series adaptation of Robinson Crusoe. Anyone? Not even a peep? Good, I'm not alone (no pun intended). If this was a miniseries, I'd understand it, but the NBC website propaganda seems to indicate otherwise, and that seems like a very silly risk the peacock is taking. They might try to drum up the similarities to Lost, but this is classic literature we're talking about here. It may be classic potboiler literature, but it is classic nonetheless. The peacock will get the accolades for showing classics to the masses, and then quietly dump any remaining episodes on Bravo. "Watch what happens," indeed.

I say Kath & Kim makes it to next season with either Knight Rider or My Own Worst Enemy (not both) joining it, based on who gets the higher ratings on their USA Network repeats.

The Chickens Come Home To Roost

This recent revelation about Sarah Palin's daughter certainly puts an interesting dent on any supposed moral superiority the GOP may claim to have.

I've been reading Commie Girl in the OC and one of the phrases that author Rebecca Schoenkopf has mentioned often is that the Right only cares about you until you're born and then you're on your own.

It'll be interesting to see if the holier-than-thou types will stick by this ticket. I have my doubts.

The fiance frequently says that when I go silent or terse that I am actually speaking volumes about where I stand on a subject. I reckon there will be a lot of silence amongst Republicans from here on in.

I suspect that this is the last gasp of the old Jerry Falwell wing of the GOP, and the next few years will see them go closer to the Centre (possibly even Center-Left on some occasions) and the Democrats go even further to the Left.

If this is the ultimate result, then I welcome it.

The Pain in The House

In order to balance out this Labo(u)r Day's marathon festivities I went to the dark side: I watched part of the House of Payne marathon on TBS*.

*Clearly Turner knows that they have to aggressively market this show, because otherwise no one would watch it.

It was jaw-droppingly horrible and I have come to several conclusions:

1. La Perry is not only a hack, but one who refuses to grow as a writer.
2. La Perry is an insecure control freak and an incompetent director.
3. La Perry's casting choices are surprisingly inspired and better than the dreck they are given to speak.
4. I have never heard so many missed cues and poorly rehearsed lines on what I am assuming is a show not broadcast live. (I haven't even heard any live show be this poor, and given the hierarchy of power in television this responsiblity falls upon the directors and producers.)

My god, I weep for Allen Payne. Here is a man who is not only stunning, but also quite talented as an actor (take note of his work in the rarely seen 30 Years to Life and in the more widely seen Jason's Lyric), and he's reduced to joint eye candy/straight man role with Lance Gross (who has the potential to do well, if he ever makes it out of the Hades that is Tyler Perry Studios).

For all of its faults, the late UPN could've made this work well, but since the Tyler Perry Juggernaut is involved, there is nobody in the room willing to say no.

Pitiful, but what is even more tragic in my view is that the majority of the cast (regardless of their skill at their art) don't have that many options--if any--outside the Perry empire of dreck.

Labour Day 2008

Well it's North American (except Mexico) Labour Day today, and I can't say that 4 months has changed the landscape that I brought up during International Labour Day.

At least candidate Obama sounds like he gets it.

From the "otherwise it will be awkward" department

Georgia will not participate at next year's Eurovision in Moscow.

It's not that shocking that Georgia would pull out--"You just invaded us, but sure, we'll go to your capitol city to participate in a pan-continental singing contest with the highest amount of political voting in existence." Quite frankly, Georgia* could send a cow with a bell and rack up the sympathy points.

* For the record, I'm from the "all sides acted stupidly" school of thought in respect to the Georgian conflict...Like Atlanta is that important.

Point/counterpoint (Part II)

Note the lower-case "c."

Having just heard Sarah Palin's speech in Dayton, all I can say is that the GOP has either lost their collective mind or really just wants to spend the next 4-8 years rebuilding.

Honestly, I spent most of it laughing.

They have one weak ticket this year and she is the weakest link. The only card they have left are identity politics, but that could be a tipping point for many.

Point/Counterpoint

Obama/Biden meet McCain/Palin.

On one hand, you could say that this is identity politics, but I reckon that with identity playing such a major role, it may actually mean that they will have to actually focus on the issues.

As of this moment, it looks like another close election--for whichever party wins.

Without A Doubt...

...That was a speech.

I only hope that the Congressional elections will help him fulfill half (and if we are truly fortunate, all) of those promises, because god, our problems are truly that bad.

Sometimes it would be nice if we just had a Prime Minister instead

Not that it should be necessary, but just to underline the point: Yes, I am voting for Obama.

Yet something is amiss.

He doesn't stir me in any way shape or form. It's more case of he's the Democrat, I vote in Wisconsin, Wisconsin is generally a swing state, so voila.

Yes, I understand the importance of the first African-American nominee. I'd be a fool not to note it, but where is the genesis of the hype? (Personally, I have mixed feelings about the Obama = MLK connection, but I'm not the target audience.)


Or have some (not necessarily all) just finally come to the conclusion that the issues most always be more important than the ego?

I've watched the main speeches so far, and while my vote is a given, I find the issues and the plans for the future more stirring than anything else.

I find more solace in the upcoming Congressional elections rather than the Presidental ones, because at least I feel that these issues (health care, education, THE SINKING US DOLLAR) are going to be addressed. However, it seems oddly befitting of our indirect "my vote is really just a suggestion, if you don't mind" presidental electoral system, that we are being obsessively courted by both political parties to vote for a figurehead. (We just happened to have a really ignorant figurehead with several Machiavellis behind him for the past 8 years.)

The true power remains in the collective cacophony that is Congress, and that is where the true battles will be fought, it is where the most innovative ideas will be hatched, and it's where we will have to be vigiliant against the enemies within.

Sometimes I reckon that when we tossed the British out, we made up our minds to have a nation founded on being (irony intended) bloody minded at all costs.

Tuesday Jukebox Just Wants To Shake Its Thang

About 15-18 years ago, MTV ran a promo that featured two "around the way" girls reacting to a supposed controversy over a music video they appeared in. For some bizarre reason, I still remember their lines.

ATW Girl 1: "They just told us to shake our thang..."
ATW Girl 2: "...real fast."

It is the spirit of those two girls (read: actors) that brings us to today's jukebox, featuring Japanese trio YA-KYIM, which seems to best personify Japan's answer to booty-shaking music.

To be blunt, these women are fierce performers when it comes to dancing. (Vocally, they're no SOULHEAD, but booty-shaking music is not so much about great singing.)

Let's start off with their latest Super Looper, which really seems to be...well, I have no clue what the video is all about, but it does make you want to shake it...fast.



YA-KYIM - Super☆Looper

We're going backwards in their career, which means that the next stop is 2007's Superstar.

YA-KYIM - Superstar


And our final stop for the day is the lyrically nonsensical, but damn catchy Happy The Globe Part II from 2005.



YA-KYIM [Happy The Globe Part II]

Bonus: Korea's own booty-shaker Moon Ji Eun's performance of Unsure Unsure from this past July. Considering how conservative Korea is, it's amazing that she got away with basically slutting it up for the cameras. (Although I reckon the lyrics are probably tamer than When I Grow Up.) The beat could be faster, but she certainly gives it her all (no double entendres intended).

Moon Ji Eun - Unsure, Unsure (20.07.2008 Inki Gayo)

Please Don't Rock Me...Baby

New York is woefully unprepared to deal with earthquakes, says a study from Columbia University.

Even though I'm going to be leaving New York in less than a year, this is news I do not want to hear.

Hell, anyone who lives above the 3rd floor does not want to hear this!

Let's think happier thoughts about rocking:

Kara ~ Rock You
Uploaded by JonnyHill

The August Video Log: Better Late Than Never

When will this month end?

Or is that the point of August?

All this in the out-of-sync video log for the eighth month of 2008.

Sunday Jukebox Goes Yugo(slav)

While the August Video Log is uploading, let us go back...

Once upon a time there was a country that was communist with a little "c." Sure, the Communist party ran things and pretty much dictated what went on, but it liked to do many things outside of the Eastern Bloc, such as buy Western aircraft for the national airline, participate in multinational singing contests, and send chirpy ditties about men being pricks.



The bitter theme seemed to work well for the Yugoslavs, although some of the entries were a bit ahead of the time. Apparently, Brazil makes a lot of sense when you view it as a socio-economic commentary about that country as opposed to a song about some washed up singer trying to get her end over in South America.



Or maybe it was the woeful performance in Rome.



In my opinion, the Yugoslav entries were actually at their best in the 1970s, where you couldn't tell whether they were being darkly comic or just depressing.

1971 (And he really brought the bipolar emoting live)



1973



1974 (It is supposed to be wry, seriously)



1975 (The group's name translates as Blood & Ashes, by the way)



1976 (the ultimate "I-hate/love-you" entry)



Given what we know now, it is rather surprising that Yugoslavia's only win was with a song devoid of any emotion whatsoever...although it could be interpreted as a commentary on the rest of the world ignoring the fact that the country was going to fall apart at any moment.



On second thought, it's just a daft number that happened to just luck out.

When Criminals Don't Even Want Your Money...

First it was the Supermodels saying they want to be paid in Euros.

Then it was shops in the US accepting Euros.

Now organised crime and drug dealers are--according to the ABC--wanting to conduct monetary transactions in currencies other than the Canadian & US dollars.

Ouch.

Friday Jukebox Goes Danish (part 2)

It's Media Day here at this corner of the internet and the Jukebox is honouring/roasting Danish Eurovision entries from the 1980s and 1990s. On with the show!

1990: Lonnie Devantier may look and move like Denmark's answer to Tina Turner, but I don't think Tina will be covering Hallo, Hallo at any time in the near future.



1992: Alt det som ingen ser may sound like a classic German oompah-pah-pah band drinking song as sung by demure schoolteacher and a hair rock singer, but if you read the lyrics it's really about justifying one night stands. Damn catchy without a doubt.



1997: Denmark sends a rapper with a song about harassing the phone operator. Danish is oddly suited for orchestral rap.




1999: The song takes a second place to the interesting body language between sex-on-legs Michael, his confidence and slightly nervous Trine. I reckon it's better in Danish, myself.



We won't mention 2000...hehehehe.

Bonus: As much as I like Denmark, I have to say that Wogan really nailed the annoying presenters in 2001.



Then again, my personal taste was for the slick and cool Swedish presentation of the year before.

Friday Jukebox Goes Danish (part 1)

With all those reports about Denmark being the happiest country in the world, I reckon it's time for a Danish Eurovision prespective.

1981: Denmark sends Danish Tommy Seebach and the US-born Debbie Cameron with a bouncy song about racial harmony.



1983: Denmark sends a perky woman in fashinonably ripped clothes to tell us that the world is spinning.


1984: Danish group Hot Eyes begins their 2 year run of representing Denmark. The first entry pretty much sets up the formula: do a 2-step to a happy synth beat, and a key change.


1986: Trax (supported by Danish dancers with rickets) tell us we are full of lies, even fact we're real all out scummy, but at least she's doing it to the jauntiest beat imaginable.



1988: Hot Eyes is back, and Kirsten is heavily pregnant. Whether there's a running gag here or not I'm not certain, but the song's title roughly translates as "Can you see what I said?" and it is sung by a chastising pregnant woman...




1989: Denmark gives perenninal Melodi Grand Prix runner up Birthe Kjær an ode to graffiti.

The New Season: FOX

Alright, News Corporation Propaganda Arm, make me care about you*:
* Out of courtesy to the other networks, I'll keep my critiques limited to just the Fall premieres.

• Do Not Disturb: Now this show has been getting lots of promotion. The idea is basically a retread of Faulty Towers, with Jerry O'Connell as Basil and Niecy Nash as Sybil, except they aren't married. This show is interesting in that it started out with O'Connell being the one with the show resting on his shoulders, and Nash just part of the ensemble. Now they are hyping up Nash as much as possible. Even more interesting is that I reckon that even if the show fails (and the odds are against them, let's be real), Nash's star will continue rising and O'Connell gets no career boost. Worth watching if only to see if there's any on-set tension spilling out into the performances.
• Fringe: This is just as confusing as next year's Dollhouse, but at least it's being promoted that way. At the risk of turning people off, I am going to go out on a limb and say that if anyone can do drawn out make-it-up-as-we-go-long series, it's J.J. Abrams. The man made a show about a lovelorn college student extremely complex, engaging--complete with time travel--and it still seemed believable. I'll definitely give it a shot, and I reckon it'll stumble into another season. (Hell, Prison Break is still on.)

Wednesday Jukebox is AAA

AAA is rather hard to categorise. There's 7 members (5 male, 2 female), they all dance and sing, but their sound varies wildly between electrothrash and the omnipresent cute side of JPop. If you remember the '90s Mickey Mouse Club band The Party, that might be a good comparison...except I reckon nearly nobody remembers them.

AAA (short for Attack All Around, which begs the question "what or who are they attacking?")'s latest release is the schitzophrenic double-side single MUSIC/ZERO.

MUSIC is from the frothy side.


ZERO is clearly isn't. (Well it is the theme song for a show called World Destruction, which is actually more upbeat than the video--seemingly)



I'm inclined to believe that the sugary sweet side of AAA is pretty much on the wane. This is a group whose first single was entitled Blood on Fire.

The New Season: the CW

aka the network designed to make anyone over 15 feel decrepit.

The CW is like Fox in the late 90s: trying to shock everyone while actually really just doing variations on the same theme: Teens seemingly behaving badly. (All that depth  in characterisation that the old WB teen dramas had is g.o.n.e.) 

Driving this point home is a resurrected 90210, to which I have to say: why? The show only went off the air 8 years ago, and I just see this falling flat. (By the way, why didn't the CW wait 2 more years so the show could have a premiere date of 9/02/10?)

Then there's the pointless Privileged, which seems to mostly ride on the whole Gossip Girl bandwagon. I don't know about you, but how can this show be of interest to any sentinent being? Idealistic young woman become tutor to 2 self-absorbed brats in "Palm Beach." Sounds more like a low-ranking TV movie from the 1960s rather than enough to base a whole TV show on. It's like a very shallow version of Up the Down Staircase in reverse.

In Harm's Way sounds like it was aiming for the Discovery Channel but wound up on the CW instead. Apparently the network thinks no one else has seen early evening basic cable.

Since the CW is living in a timewarp, they have also come up with Valentine, which seems to channel both the failed series Cupid and The Addams Family. I see another bomb here as well.

Finally, the network bizarrely rips off ABC's Dirty Sexy Money, which is not exactly setting the Nielsens on fire, with Easy Money. All I have to say is that Laurie Metcalf must've been hard up.

The CW: You ignored them before, you'll ignore them again.

When In Doubt Raid The Archives

The Banana Splits are back.

In a decade where there isn't even agreement on a name for this period of time, perhaps the plethora of adaptations are a way of giving a sense of comfort and reassurance.

...Or just lazy execs.

The New Season: ABC

So what does the Mouse House have in store for us for 2008?

Very little that's new, to be honest, and can you really blame them? They've got our eyeballs in a vice grip, ratings-wise, so why rock the boat? 

But here are the few freshmen:

• Opportunity Knocks: A game show where apparently some game show just plops itself on the front lawn of some family, asks them questions about themselves and the crap they own...or something along those lines. Personally, I don't see the point, except that it's asinine. For some reason, ever since those days of Who Wants to be A Millionaire, ABC is hellbent on having some primetime game show. 
• Life on Mars: Adaptation of the BBC series of the same name about a NYPD cop who goes from the present day back to 1973. I found the original ambitious, but confusing. That said, this might have some legs, and may actually make it through the year. Not appointment television for me, but the appeal is there for the Grey's crowd. (Life will follow Grey's Anatomy.)  

You Must Be Kidding Me, NBC

Even though for the most part I've been content with switching from Uncle Charlie at ABC to Brian-is-he-stoned-Williams at NBC, I must say that NBC in Olympics mode is insufferable. 

Yesterday, Nightly News didn't get to any non-Olympic coverage (Hurricane-to-be Fay, Obama-McCain at the gluttonous preacher's hoedown, the conflict in Georgia) until the last 15 minutes. 

I understand Phelps-mania, but shouldn't he get the last 15 minutes as opposed to the first?

Naughty, naughty, NBC.

From the "You Must Be Joking" department

Marie Claire magazine declares Milwaukee the "sexiest city," according to an article in The Journal Sentinel. 

They have the most ridiculous rationale whatsoever, in my view:

"A long list of summer festivals, moderate seasonal temperatures and upcoming events such as the Governor's Cup weekend at the Milwaukee Mile, Arab World Fest and the Harley-Davidson 105th anniversary celebration made Milwaukee the G spot - as in a go-to spot, for those of you with your sex-crazed minds in the gutter."

It's spelled C-A-R-T-E-L

You could argue that all these airline alliances are cartels of some sort, but this BA-AA deal is just a little bit too cozy for comfort.

"We believe our proposed co-operation is an important step towards ensuring that we can compete effectively with rival alliances and manage through the challenges of record fuel prices and growing economic concerns," said Gerard Arpey, chairman and chief executive of AMR Corp, the parent company of American Airlines.

Oh really?

If two of the most largest airlines on the planet can't make it work...

Seriously though, this is some serious spin. Granted fuel prices are hitting every business (especially airlines) hard, but please! I'd like to believe that the US government won't approve it, but you-know-whom and his ilk are still in power until January of next year, so it just might squeak through.

August has failed to live up to the hype (so far)

Before you start wondering if I've lost my mind, let me just point out that this particular August was supposed to be action-packed: the Olympics, the DNC, and every tense point in between.

What have we gotten instead? An Olympic games that is like a suburban housewife smiling on the outside waiting for her Percoset to kick in, an almost surreal conflict between Russia & Georgia that is playing out as if it's 1966, and the presidential candidates are sniping at each other like two drag queens giving each other shade--because really there is seemingly little policy difference between the two.*

* That being said, all those "Gore & Bush are the same" people from back in 2000 should eat their words, given what has transpired over the past 8 years.

Times were that even in the slow month of August, there would at least be a new season to look forward to. Fox used to roll out its shows starting in August, but not this year--unless you consider the return of the very suspicious Moment of Truth notable.

The new season--which I'll get into as it gets closer (mid-September! You lazy network bastards had extra time plus a political convention bump--which means people will definitely want non-political programming--and most of you programming execs aren't rolling out shows until mid-September!)--is relatively lacklustre, in my opinion. The only new show that I'm interested in is Kath & Kim (because it will be a car crash, even with extremely talented leads, since NBC has a near perfect record with screwing up adaptations when they should actually just let the writers and performers DO THEIR JOBS) .

Oddly enough, the only new appointment television I've found are the old UPN sitcoms now in reruns. I had studiously avoided All of Us during its original run mostly because I despise Will Smith and suspected that it would be another one of those "moral of the week" shows, and have found that surprisingly it isn't. It's flawed, and I can see why it's cancelled, but it really isn't half bad. As for Half & Half, I didn't even know it was on. (Did anyone know what was on UPN beyond America's Next Top Model & Everybody Hates Chris? And this was UPN's 4th most popular show!) Again, it turned out not to be a "moral of the week" show, and despite some journeys into hack joke land, it showed a lot of potential. Plus there's the added bonus of seeing which old black star from the late 1970s/early 1980s will turn up in any given episode.

Yet to end on a lighter note, it is probably good to have a quiet month to garner up strength before the chaos that is September/October/November/December (four months which seem to fly by in a nanosecond).

Tuesday Jukebox Remembers Isaac Hayes

It takes sheer genius to make Burt Bacharach* songs deep and soulful, but he did it with ease.






* Don't get me wrong, I like Bacharach & David, but the original orchestrations do come across as a bit shallow.

Tuesday Jukebox Watches Daichi Miura Grow Up

Meet Daichi Miura, former child JPop star turned young adult JPop star. (In 12 days he can drink in the US, and he was born in 1987! I remember 1987--vividly--I'm getting old.)

Anyway, Daichi was originally part of a group called Folder, around the time he was 10, and as Wiki.theppn points out, he split when his voice changed. Personally, I think he's better now than as a preteen, but judge for yourself.

The Folder years:







It's pretty standard for any prepubescent male singer to tackle Jackson 5, but he manages a decent job with I Want You Back.



And as a solo artist:







Bonus: Completely unrelated to Daichi, here is something for the comedy files. The jukebox has already paid tribute to Mika Nakashima as well as SMAP, so it's quite appropriate to see what happens when the two collide. This past July, Mika along with a female comedy troupe released a single called I Don't Know under the name MICA 3 CHU. MICA 3 CHU went on SMAP's show and as always the SMAPers perform with them. Given that this is a collaboration with a comedy group, I'm going to say that the lyrics are meant to be funny, but what even makes it funnier is the earnest performance of SMAP--even though I reckon everyone onstage pretty much knew that they were singing a bunch of nonsensical English--and the aural/visual pleasure of seeing a demure Mika Nakashima (via Bif Naked) and a surprisingly mellow Masahiro Nakai sing "you've got a lot of balls."

Thursday Jukebox Says German Rap Is A Different Animal

...and this is a good thing.

The visual combined with the audio with some of these groups is quite interesting, sort of like the balding and paunchy guys from accounting decided to try out their "skillz" on the mike while half-drunk. (Well, no one said that German is a pretty language, an extremely logical language, yes, but not necessarily pretty).

Die Fantastischen Vier - Einfach Sein (Live)
Uploaded by Schutzengerl1205

Ernten Was Wir Säen (Live beim Echo 2007)
Uploaded by fornikist

Fettes Brot - Emanuela
Uploaded by Schutzengerl1205

Erdbeben - Fettes Brot
Uploaded by sgkmuc

Culcha Candela - Ey DJ [New]
Uploaded by bulldozer227

Culcha Candela - Hamma (Live)
Uploaded by foxysoul

WHAT?!

(Still not here.)

Certainly, this was destined to happen, but I certainly am pleasantly surprised to find out that the House has formally apologised for slavery and Jim Crow. I thought we were at least a few decades away from that.

The nation is truly changing.

It's worth looking past the Kilpatrick corruption drama in this regard.*

*But here's a link in case you're curious.

And they thought it wouldn't get past customs?

I'm technically not back, but this story from the ABC is too good not to miss, in fact the headline pretty much says it all:

Gay lube oil contained steroids.

Gives a new meaning to party and play.

Wednesday Jukebox Goes D.I.S.C.O.

In Korean no less.

Uhm Junghwa (KPop diva supreme) has a new release entitled D.I.S.C.O. which should leave no imagination as to what the mini-album's theme is. This song will just embed itself in your ear, I'll tell you. Plus what better way to celebrate the 960th post at this corner of the internet?




In further upbeat news, I'm taking my first vacation of the year, so I'll be away for a good part of this month.

Enjoy midsummer!

Tuesday Jukebox Says "You try to sing 'Without You'"

It's one of these viral videos that everyone has seen, but since it has Kirkorova (aka the co-writer of Shady Lady) in it and makes a point about singers not having a clue what they are singing about, I thought it would be a good inclusion.




So as to give something new, here is Mitsuhiro Oikawa singing Shinin' Star live. Mr. Oikawa pulls off the interesting trick of being both fey and butch nearly simultaneously. ("CLAP YOUR HANDS" he doesn't so much shout as snarl.)



Proving his actor credentials and panache for drag, here is Mikkatsuki Hime (Crescent Moon Princess). Considerably less butch here.



A male trio, SUPER LIVE, covers SOULHEAD's SPARKLE TRAIN. Not bad, but the audio makes it a bit hard to give a good critique. At least they aren't singing "Ken Lee."



Finally, SOULHEAD & Tomita Lab's video for Like A Queen (seems appropriate for this jukebox), which seems to be very Manhattan Transfer-esque.

Happy Canada Day

According to a poll, the Maple Leaf & Hockey still reign supreme as the ultimate in Canadiana.

That said, it's what else made the list that is really interesting:

• Peacekeeping
• Universal Health Care
• The Rockies (I don't think those are exclusively Canadian, but that's just geography nerd that I am)
• Niagara Falls (ditto, although Canada by FAR has the better version)

Personally, I'd add sex scandals, because Canadian sex scandals are just plain more interesting than ours.

Pride 2008: Kill the closet

The 2006 Pride post talked strongly about the tendency amongst gay men to demean or denigrate other gay men in effort to establish themselves as "better than."

2008 sees things pretty much the same on that front. Yet, with the recent developments in respect to gay marriage in California, the current upturn in HIV infection rates amongst males, and well Matthew Rush's breakdown (link not particularly work friendly depending on one's place of employment) to be honest, I wonder if something is afoot.

All of these subjects--in my view at least--are symptoms of one thing: Gay is not sexy.

Lest you think that I've gotten very shallow here, I'll explain. By "sexy," I mean that it is STILL a world where tons of men (and likely a fair amount of women as well, one would assume) have no qualms whatsoever in participating in homosexual sex and activities, but vehemently deny the obvious fact that lies right in front of them: They are gay.

The fact that "gay" continues to be a pejorative amongst ill-informed people--both gay and straight of all ages--is alarming. Even moreso is the fact that they are rarely challenged on it.

The fact that there is still a fetishisation around supposedly "straight" men who are eager to participate in gay sex is alarming. What once was just another cliched porn theme has now emerged into the real world as a belief system complete with its own hierarchy of desirablity on full display on any internet sex site. While to some extent this may only involve fantasy role play, by it spilling into reality it's beginning to cost us our health. Not just our emotional health but our spiritual health as well.

And let us get into this fun subject of "gay for pay" while we're at it. How messed up is one's own sense of self when the idea of watching a man going against his own sexual drive--aided by god-knows-what--is actually a turn on? I could understand it if the point was to ridicule poor sexual performance, but it's not. It is merely a continuation of the belief that to be gay and open and honest about it is to be "less than," and openly gay men are making money off of it.

If I was just recently out these days, the very last kind of guy I would be chasing down would be someone who was closeted or even claimed discretion. It wouldn't be worth the medication nor the hit in terms of self-respect.

Pride 2008: Not Just For Us

But for everyone who has the courage to say this is who I am.

Pause today to think of what strides we have made and also what struggles wait ahead.

One day, perhaps sooner than we think, we may very well live in a world where the bigoted speech of a few is muted by the basic human compassion and understanding of many.

If he's on the list, then what exactly is the criteria?

If it was April, then I would believe this was a joke, but apparently it's not.

Nelson Mandela & The ANC were on the US government's terror watch list.

That's right, Nelson Mandela was on the terror watch list and only now is the US government making an effort to get him off it.

In theory, this would mean that Oprah and a slew of other celebrities associated with a possible terrorist. Publicly. In front of cameras.

What idiot during the past 2 administrations kept the man that helped end apartheid (which ended over a decade ago!) on the terror watch list?

The Zimbabwe Situation as I see it

Read the Wikipedia entry on Ian Smith, particularly on the fact that his old party is now the one of Mugabe's most prominent challenger.

Is anyone else thinking of a certain song by The Who?

And now everyone can shoot themselves (part 2)

Interesting coverage of the Supreme Court handgun decision on the Journal Sentinel's NewsWatch.

Guess who supports the decision? Russ Feingold.

Then again he is from Green Bay and not Madison.

Proof that a broken clock can be right twice a day, I'm with Tom Barrett and Bloomie.

This country is too big with too many variables to really definitively say that handguns in the home are acceptable everywhere...at least when loaded.

Chris Rock was onto something when he said that "what we need is not gun control, but bullet control."

And now everyone can shoot themselves

So the Supreme court says that an individual has a right to have a handgun in their own home.

But the question is why would a person feel compelled to do so?

The one thing that I believe--and I admit that I am not a legal scholar--that the majority is missing is that the Constitution was meant to be flexible. If it wasn't I would (as well as Clarence Thomas) not even be considered a citizen, or even a human being.

Now I wonder if the Court is now courting (no pun intended) lawmakers to put a law--or even an amendment--in place that would put in no uncertain terms that handguns have no business being in someone's home in this day and age where we do not live under the tyranny of British troops marching in unannounced into our homes.

Just nationalise the damn thing

American outlines more cuts.

Dear lord, if the government effectively saved Bear Stearns, then why can't they just take over American and United. It's like the airlines are daring them to come in and do so.

Tuesday Jukebox Says Loneliness Is Such A Sad Affair

Hands down--at least over here--no one beats The Carpenters' Superstar.



KPop singer Wheesung manages to do an adequate version, but I think there's a bit of disconnect between him and the meaning of the lyrics.

Sonic Youth gets the meaning, underlines it, and puts exclamation points on it.

Then there's Luther. Luther got the meaning, and I tell you, if you pay attention to the lyrics, his version allows for the interpretation that this is a love song sung by a man to another man who doesn't know the depth of the other man's feelings.



This interpretation is very clear when Usher sings Luther's version as a tribute.



And this may be just me that see this, but I always thought Karmen Stavec's Lep Poletni Dan is effectively an upbeat interpretation of Superstar.

And manna shall rain from the heavens

Joe Bruno won't be running again!

Now if we could just get rid of Sensenbrenner in Wisconsin. (Not that I hold out much hope that the North Shore bigotry and self-entitled brigade would actually do the right thing.)

Just Give My Social Security Now

It is arguably a bit wrong to criticise fundraisers for AIDS charities, but I'm going to do it.

I just flat out do not understand, nor get the point of Broadway Bares.

You could argue that it's pastiche, but it's just rather inane in my point of view, particularly for 2008.

Is wearing next to nothing while making tons of camp and gay references really that shocking?

What I find surprising is that given that these days HIV is often transmitted via drug-fueled sex parties, the show seems to revel in encouraging a wild sexual abandon often found in (drum-roll please) drug-fueled sex parties.

Call me a crackpot, but it all seems like it's perpetuating a vicious circle: go see the show, get aroused, go off and have bareback sex, and seroconvert. (Not that everyone does this, but it certainly could serve as a tipping point.)

I feel the same way about the White Party.

Photos from this year's Broadway Bares can be found here.

Something Heartwarming

From the Journal Sentinel: A Navy Reservist joins a community theatre group after watching their production during his tour in Afghanistan. (For those from the Milwaukee area: why am I not surprised he's from Shorewood?)

Now as sweet as that story is, one has to wonder what the state of the US military is when the navy is sent to Afghanistan.

The Wisconsin Tourism Industry

Wisconsin Department of Tourism claims that the $13 billion state tourism industry is at risk due to the flooding and gas prices.

My question is this: When did Wisconsin get a $13 billion tourism industry?

Does seeing Frank Lloyd Wright's house and a state full of flat land and trees hold that much interest?

Is it the casino gaming? (That dog track has been losing money since the day it was founded.)

Is it the dairy & grain products?

I know Summerfest is big, but Jesus Wept, it's not that big.

I could understand it--somewhat--if they were concerned about the fall and winter travel seasons, but they shouldn't be worried a whit about summer. The Chicagoans & Twin Cities residents will still come, and I reckon most of the Wisconsinites will stay.

Why?

Because it's too expensive to go anywhere else.

Friday Jukebox Rings That Bell

We love Akiko Wada here at this corner of the internet. So let's take one of her big hits, Ano kane wo narasu no wa anata (or as this site puts it "you're the one that rings that bell") and see the various versions of it through the years.

First up, Miss Wada winning the Japan Record Award in 1972 for the song, performing--I think--it through tears.



Now the Seikima II version. Lordi didn't invent camp rock.



A shaky (in my view) acapella version by BAM B CREW



Next, a unique version by some group called Dynamite Pops. Whether they meant it to be camp or not is up for debate.



And finally--bringing it full circle--Miss Wada sings it in 1994 complete with swaying and clapping choir (note what they sing before Akiko makes her entrance)*.



I like Miss Wada, but yet, I suspect this is the most OTT of the lot, even more than Seikima II.

As for my own personal favourite Akiko Wada song, sadly, I haven't been able to find a clip it yet.

Ooooh, you're in trouble

Well, that is if these 144 defendants get convicted, which is debatable.

The Hikaruland June Video Log

Slightly out of sync, but that is oddly appropriate as I have been relatively out of sync as well.

Nonetheless, here's the June Video Log with a personal update and my thoughts on "change."

Wednesday Jukebox Feels Old

Because I can remember when looking like this didn't look odd...



I have a soft spot for Toshi[nobu] Kubota. It's hard to say why, save for the fact that he's talented and just a little bit comically OTT, particularly during the 1990s.

Further evidence: The videos for AHHHHHH! and Dance If You Want It (of course this may also be the march of time that makes them OTT).






The Japanese Al B. Sure? Keith Sweat? Well, his latest suggests that he's aiming to be Teddy Riley.

Election 2008: So this is the Democrat

Well, thank god that is over. Since I was out of commission when it actually was news, I'm a bit late to the game, but it's worth discussing for a bit.

Obama is the nominee. Full stop.

Shockingly enough--barring some huge scandal--he's likely the one to win in November.

I don't know exactly how I feel about this. It is extremely surprising to me to realise that before I turn 30, I stand a good chance of actually witnessing the first African-American president--I would've preferred Carol Moseley Braun, Shirley Chisholm, or even Jesse Jackson, but that's for parallel universes to hash out.

Then I start thinking about several things:

• This is going to be a thankless job. Obama is going to have to clean up 8 years of Bush II missteps and only 2-4 years to do it, meanwhile a significant and vocal group is expecting manna from the heavens and peace to reign from shore to shore upon his election.
• The Obama supporters have been some of the most childish and arrogant people I have come across ever since I voted in my first stateside election (2000). I don't think the campaign thought that by engaging the youth vote, they would also have to hold their hand when the campaign suffered a setback.
• It's funny how the subject of race goes in and out of the Obama campaign. Some white and black Obama supporters have been thoroughly surprised that I was not behind Obama during the primary, as if my vote was a given because of his racial background. I'm a moderate Socialist, Obama is to the right of me. Hillary was a little less to the right, and Edwards & Gravel even less. I'm going to vote for the candidate that matches my views not my skin colour. (I supported Governor Doyle of Wisconsin because his policies match my views, not because his sons are black.)
• The identity politics also give me pause for thought. If some people assume that because of his race, I support Obama, then by extension, the same small-mindedness may automatically make all blacks a scapegoat when Obama fails. I certainly hope that is not the case, but if you look at how "change" occurs in this country, then it does make one worry: Only last year did we have the Jena 6, the race-triggered murder of James Byrd was only 10 years ago, the heavily biased media coverage and government response to Hurricane Katrina was only 3 years ago, and only 44 years ago did the government agree to help prevent me being discriminated against due to the colour of my skin, but I have yet to have the same protection extended to me in regards to sexual orientation. Quite honestly, I have to wonder whether American society is prepared to have these conversations, and I can only hope that having them will not leave any further casualties.
• Remember that we, as Americans, do not ever vote directly for president under the current system in place. It may seem like a minor detail, but psychologically, I reckon, the fact that our vote is merely a suggestion for our representatives in the electoral college as to who to vote for, provides us with little impetus to choose someone to solve our nation's problems, and a major reason to enshrine our apathy and "right" to complain.

Good luck, Mr. Obama. I'll vote for you without reserve, but I certainly don't envy your position.

Fat Man Dies

A man died of a heart attack brought on (essentially) by obesity.

This man served in both the Korean & Vietnam Wars as a Army Ranger.

He fought in several key Korean War battles when he was 17.

He was also a POW who had his teeth knocked out by Vietcong captures.

He was declared dead by the US government, but managed to escape.

Finding his marriage annulled, he started rebuilding his life, got remarried, and had a son.

This man wasn't Tim Russert. He was my father, and his death was not marked by 5 days of public mourning, followed by a LIVE memorial service.

So let's put this in perspective. Peter Jennings was not given this amount of accolade, and quite arguably he was more influential.

We're all going to die. Get over it.

Wisdom from Overseas

For most of us who were born before pharmaceutical adverts were allowed on television, it is rather interesting and disturbing to realise how much we have come to accept them as a way of life.

Take a gander at this report from the BBC's Kevin Connolly, which points out the rather cynical (and quite likely dangerous) motives at work.

Now where's my Ambien?

This Is Why Wisconsin Elections Are So Crazy

These are our delegates.

A Clinton delegate from Wisconsin is now behind McCain, according to the Journal-Sentinel.

Btw: Normal service will be resumed on Monday.

Broken News

If you are a regular watcher of New York news, then you know that a crane collapsed (again) on the Upper East Side.

Sadly with one dead and two injured.

That's the whole story.

So how come the local news channels have gone wall-to-wall with coverage since the accident occurred?

I would understand if it was a story that is continuously developing, but there really can be no further developments. Bloomie has registered his Napoleonic rage, Patterson registered his own measured thoughts, and that should've been all until 5 PM.

What has been filling in the time since then?

• Assorted Upper East Siders saying variations of "I knew this was going to happen" and "It was like an earthquake."
• Street closures and bus re-routing information.
• Reporters repeating the above.

Without a doubt, there is a story here, but it will take days, weeks, and months to really find out what exactly could've prevented it.

So why are the newsrooms treading the same water? I have no clue.

That Lawsuit

I understand the appeal of wanting to right the wrongs after "a dream vacation" got off to a bad start.

I understand the desire to supposedly make a statement against poor airline service.

Yet, I do not understand the point behind suing for much more than you are out-of-pocket for.

That is greed, full stop.

You are not making a statement, you are purely being greedy.

It also begs the question of how much value do you place on the vacation rather than the people you travel with.

There's Something Kind of Patronising Going On Here

As Suzanne Sugarbaker said on Designing Women: "Anytime someone says they want to see the real something, they mean hanging out with a bunch of poor people."

Apparently, that is the case in Rio. 

If it was held by the community, then I'd think it was good, but the idea of having drug-run and militia-protected parties in the middle of the slums where any supposed protest aspect of the music is lost by perpetuating the same cycle of exploitation. 

Granted there seem to be exceptions, but as with many things in life, it's all about the money trail.

Eurovision 2008: The 3rd Hikaruland Post-Show

Well...he won, and I won't get into a geopolitical analysis, because that is just opening up Pandora's box.

Norway had a good song, but did running order help it to 5th?

Onto the post-show fun!



Surprising news: Sweden was saved by the jury vote on Thursday! Macedonia was 10th. Poland got the jury save on Tuesday. Russia came in 3rd on Tuesday, while Portugal came in 2nd on Thursday. There's some grist for the mill.