10.29.2005

DATING STRIP #4

I'm not doing a very good job of keeping up to date with pimping myself. I guess that's why I still don't have a comic book published yet. Anyway, here's the latest strip.

Sunday (tomorrow) #5 will be online here. (scroll down, sucker.)

WOW...THAT'S A LOT OF LYING...

Seriously...FIVE COUNTS?! That's like 30 years in prison. Poor bastard. I can't imagine going to jail with a name like "Scooter." They gonna have all sorts of fun with you...

Anyway, I was sick yesterday and caught glimpses of news reports here and there, but online there are tons of people following the case with humor and amazing analysis.

Huffington Post

Daily Kos

Atrios

The Washington Note

10.25.2005

TOO LATE, SUCKERS...

Hey America,

How fucking fickle are you for changing your mind less than a year later?! This was your boy! Your "straight shooter," your "national hero" who was going to bring "honor and integrity" back to the White House. He got results, unlike that KERRY pussy. Who could trust that war hero?! Terrorists...that's who!

Anyway, it's too fucking late to change your mind now. You get the bastard for three more years. Have fun! (Oh, and to all of you assholes who can't remove the Bush-Cheney 04 stickers off your car...do us all a favor and get your ass over to Iraq since you're soooo proud of your decision. I hear they could use the help.)

Love,
~Travis.

(CNN) -- A majority would vote for a Democrat over President Bush if an election were held this year, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll released Tuesday.

In the latest poll, 55 percent of the respondents said that they would vote for the Democratic candidate if Bush were again running for the presidency this year.

Thirty-nine percent of those interviewed said they would vote for Bush in the hypothetical election.

The latest poll results, released Tuesday, were based on interviews with 1,008 adults conducted by telephone October 21-23.

In the poll, 42 percent of those interviewed approved of the way the president is handling his job and 55 percent disapproved. In the previous poll, released October 17, 39 percent approved of Bush's job performance -- the lowest number of his presidency -- and 58 percent disapproved.

However, all the numbers are within the poll's sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, so it's possible that the public's opinion has not changed at all.

More than half, 57 percent, said they don't agree with the president's views on issues that are important to them, while 41 percent said their views are in alignment with those of Bush on important issues.

10.24.2005

Dating Strip #3

Enjoy.

NEXT UP, 51% OF AMERICANS THINK THUNDER IS ACTUALLY "GOD BOWLING."

Please...wake me up when people aren't so fucking stupid. It's like, we started to make progress with people thinking, "Maybe the war in Iraq IS a bad idea?!" Then they all get decide to get together and come up with, "But Evolution...THAT'S a lie, right?!!!"

Sigh.

From CBS news

NEW YORK (Oct. 23) - Most Americans do not accept the theory of evolution. Instead, 51 percent of Americans say God created humans in their present form, and another three in 10 say that while humans evolved, God guided the process. Just 15 percent say humans evolved, and that God was not involved.

10.23.2005

MORE LEAKED STROKES...

I'm sure I'm like weeks late with this shit, but having a Mac and a 56K connection, I only search for this when I'm over at Molly's parents house. So nyah! :P



Here's where you can download 5 of the songs leaked thus far.

Juicebox
You Only Live Once
Razor Blade
15 Minutes Of Pain
The Other Side

I think "You Only Live Once" is my favorite right now. It seems like a lot of people are bashing the tracks, but honestly none strike me as "OMG THEY SUX NOW!!11" But like any band who starts out small and then sells tons of records, the "cool kids" are going to turn on you. Lemme be the first to go ahead and start the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah bashing...cause you KNOW that second album is going to suck! They sold out man! Fuck those guys.

10.21.2005

WHAT THE FUCK?!



NAZI OLSEN TWINS?!

Sometimes I think we have too much freedom.
(and no...this ISN'T a joke...)

NEW MUSIC MADNESS

Coming out Tuesday:


A collection of sketches from his AIR AMERICA show. I don't get a chance to listen to it as often as I'd like, so I enjoy picking up these collections. Plus, how can you pass up that cover?!

tracklist:
1. Senator Wolfman (features Meg Ryan)
2. Do You Kiss Your Mother With That Mouth?
3. Yelling Idiots Author (features Bebe Neuwirth)
4. Nigel Chesley in Iraq
5. Central Guesswork Agency
6. Interview with Yassir Arafat's Pillow
7. Cry Baby Politician (features Bradley Whitford)
8. The Bush Twins Enlist
9. Bill O'Reilly's Tales of Combat
10. Post-Election Audio Crawl
11. Abstinence Only Education (features Tina Fey)
12. Republican Actress (features Meg Ryan and Rob Reiner)
13. Father Guido Sarducci Announces the New Pope (features Don Novello)
14. The PTLTGIF Club


I hope this is good. It's always risky with these "various artists" releases, but I'll take my chances. I mean, at least the songs themselves are good, right?! I LOVE "In My Life." If Ben Lee screws that song up, I'll hunt him down and kill him with MY rubber sole. (you like that?!)

tracklist:
1. Drive My Car - The Donnas
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) - The Fiery Furnaces
3. You Won't See Me - Dar Williams
4. Nowhere Man - Low
5. Think for Yourself - Yonder Mountain String Band
6. The Word - Mindy Smith
7. Michelle - Ben Harper
8. What Goes On - Sufjan Stevens
9. Girl - Rhett Miller
10. I'm Looking Through You - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
11. In My Life - Ben Lee
12. Wait - Ben Kweller
13. If I Needed Someone - Nellie McKay
14. Run for Your Life - Cowboy Junkies

Today I picked up this single:

It's funny and making fun of "Do They Know It's Christmas," but it also benefits UNICEF, so it's all in good fun. Check out the website to see everyone involved, it's quite a few cool motherfuckers...

DATING STRIP #2

Here's the second one. This one is all about approaching someone you like.

10.17.2005

KISS & TELL...

The Kansas City Star has a new "dating scene" section that they're touting for the next few weeks. Your's truly has a comic towards the bottom of the page. On Sunday, the story was above the fold on the front page and my comic was on like A-20 inside. It's kinda a big deal and if you allow me to toot my own horn, I'm really excited that my work is being highlighted in such a unique manner.

TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!

Anyway, they're going to run KISS & TELL twice a week and you can bet your ass I'll be pimping the latest installment here.

COLBERT REPORT

Don't forget to watch it tonight. Bitches.

From cnn.com

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stephen Colbert's right. He's always right -- however much logic and common sense say otherwise. And those who disagree with him are wrong.

It's that simple (and funny), as viewers know from Colbert's hilarious commentaries since 1997 as senior correspondent on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."

Now his No-Fact Zone has expanded into a half-hour spinoff, "The Colbert Report." It will air Mondays through Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. EDT, right after "The Daily Show," starting Monday.

And not a moment too soon, figures Colbert (the gifted humorist-performer, that is -- not the make-believe blowhard who shares the same name).

"My character is self-important, poorly informed, well-intentioned but an idiot," Colbert explains. "So we said, 'Let's give him a promotion.' "

Note: The title of the new series should be pronounced with a silent "t" in "report" as well as "Colbert" (say: coal-bear ray-poor), as a verbal handshake exchanged by Colbert cognoscenti. Demonstrating that you get it. That you're one of "the Heroes." Which means you agree with him. Who is always right.

10.16.2005

WORST PHOTO OP EVER.

A couple of clips of the Troops and President "just talking off the cuff." I'm sure you've seen this PLENTY already, but I was stuck in Utah last week, so gimme a break.

(links from crooks & liars)

10.12.2005

DAMMIT...

This was supposed to be out by Christmas!!! Between this and The Flaming Lips, next year can't get here FAST enough!!!

*****
Cat Power Summons Southern Soul On New CD
By Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.



Cat Power chanteuse Chan Marshall soaks up Memphis soul on her new album, "The Greatest," due Jan. 26 via Matador. The 12-track set was recorded in three days at the city's Ardent Studios and produced by Stuart Sikes, who previously worked with Marshall on her 1996 album "What Would the Community Think."

The artist is surrounded on the set by a who's-who of Memphis session veterans, led by Al Green guitarist Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, who plays guitar on all but three tunes. Among the other contributors are bassists Leroy Hodges and David Smith, guitarist Doug Easley, keyboardist Rick Steff, saxophonist Jim Spake and trumpeter Scott Thompson.

Marshall had been playing some of these songs live before the sessions, but as Sikes tells Billboard.com, "I don't think she had any idea how they were going to turn out. When they got to the studio, she played them the song and they charted it out and then just played it. Most of it was done by the first, second or third take."

And while Marshall has become notorious for her erratic live performances and shy demeanor, Sikes says the musicians quickly set her at ease. "The first day, I know she was pretty nervous walking into a room full of these guys who have been on a gazillion records," he says. "But all those guys are amazingly nice. All they wanted was to make her comfortable."

"The Greatest" is highlighted by such jaunty soul-infused tracks as "Could We" and the organ-tinged first single "Living Proof" and emotional numbers with a country bent like "Lived in Bars" and "Empty Shell" (sample lyric: "All that's left of my heart is an empty shell / it's crushed").

The songs "Where Is My Love" and "Hate" return Marshall to the ultra-sparse musical backdrops of her early work; the first a drum-less lament with piano and strings and the latter featuring just Marshall and a repeated three-chord electric guitar figure.

Marshall will begin a solo tour tonight (Oct. 12) in Oberlin, Ohio, but is planning to mount a number of high-profile shows with the Memphis backing band around the new album's release.

"The Greatest" is the follow-up to 2003's "You Are Free," which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart and has sold 131,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan.

Here is the track list for "The Greatest":

"The Greatest"
"Could We"
"Lived in Bars"
"Islands"
"After It All"
"The Moon"
"Living Proof"
"Empty Shell"
"Willie"
"Where Is My Love"
"Hate"
"Love & Communication"

10.08.2005

FREEWAY BLOGGER

I dunno if it's the "graffiti-do-it-yourself" feel of this, but I'm really really really into it. Some of my favorites:



10.07.2005

I'M OFF TO UTAH...

My work is sending me to Salt Lake City to learn a new computer system for their new Harley location. Weeeeee!!!! UTAH! I believe only Delaware is MORE exciting.

At least there is some good albums coming out next week. Both dealing with covers! Mmmm, I loooooove covers!


Jamie Cullum--Catching Tales.

1. Get Your Way
2. London Skies
3. Photography
4. I Only Have Eyes for You
5. Nothing I Do
6. Mind Trick
7. 21st Century Kid
8. I'm Glad There Is You
9. Oh God
10. Catch the Sun
11. 7 Days to Change Your Life
12. Our Day Will Come
13. Back to the Ground
14. My Yard

I love how he takes songs like "High and Dry" and makes beautiful jazz out of them. Plus his originals are top notch as well. I'm really looking forward to this one.


Dolly Parton--Those Were The Days

1. Those Were The Days
2. Blowin' In The Wind
3. Where Have All The Flowers Gone
4. Twelfth Of Never
5. Where Do The Children Play
6. Me And Bobby McGee
7. Crimson And Clover
8. The Cruel War
9. Turn, Turn, Turn
10. If I Were A Carpenter
11. Both Sides Now
12. Imagine

Don't give me that look. This is an all-covers album...done in bluegrass style. (what do you mean that makes it worse?!) I'm telling you, I'm a sucker for this stuff. Dolly did a cover of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" on her last album and it was easily the best song on the album. I'm anxious to see how she handles songs like "Me And Bobby McGee" and "Crimson and Clover."

And, for the record, CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH is the best album of the year. I was able to snatch a copy on Tuesday and have been listening to it ever since. Beautiful, hypnotic, and strange...it will open your eyes and consume your soul. (in a good way.)

10.06.2005

YAY! COMICS!



My friend LIZ PRINCE has her graphic novel debut with "WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME IF I WET THE BED?" hitting stores today!!! It's all about falling in love and snuggling and creative kissing. (My favorite is the "corn on the cob" kiss, which sounds naughty...but trust me, it's really sweet.)

SYRIANA



I've been waiting for what seems like FOREVER to finally see a trailer for this. It finally hit the web today. I think it might be the movie of the year...AND the reason George Clooney gets deported.

10.03.2005

ENERGY HOGS!!!

Seriously, THIS is the government's answer to helping cool the energy crisis.



(Thanks to atrios for the link.)

I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN...

Don't piss off old people...

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/10/03.html#a5202

CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH!



October 11th cannot come fast enough. I just got a sampler CD with "In This Home On Ice" on it and have listened to it over and over and over again. I'd heard OF this band, but until yesterday never had HEARD this band. Do yourselves a favor and check it out when their debut hits stores next week...