How am I s'posed ta know...

So I like the new Hold Steady album and this is a good video but does every song have to mention drugs? Was there not one day when Mr. Hold Steady didn't "do the drug"?

Maybe squares like me are just jealous.

Reach out like the grim reaper reaches out

I stumbled on this black movie while looking for some Frisky Dingo source photos.



Over-acting aside, there is something intriguing about these films. I believe many of them start as touring stage productions with religious themes. Tyler Perry has become a mogul of this type of movie (and the most popular black drag performer since RuPaul).

Ask Clunky about "Can't Neva Keep a Good Man 'round" starring So-So Def recording artist Taqu'il, 3-time Playgirl centerfold Mr. Chest, and sassy comedian Ms. Beatrice.

Phantoms, yo!

He said there were only three scheduled rehearsals and he's missed two.

Live for the weekend

The Virginia Senate race is a close one. Look at this weird spin on a poll result favoring Allen's opponent:


While Webb supporters crowed over the results, longtime Allen adviser
Christopher J. LaCivita said the poll was skewed because half of it
was conducted over the weekend.

"It sure doesn't reflect anything we're seeing," said LaCivita, a
national GOP consultant. "Any survey conducted Fridays and Saturdays,
everybody knows they're skewed toward Democrats."

Top rope flying Santorum

Rick Santorum is a douche. Check out this fear mongering ad on his website. And what about this:



Weird.


According to wrestlingobserver.com, Santorum used to be a lobbyist for the WWF. Why does a wrestling company need a lobbyist?

Oh snap! He's flying!

Little geeks in a big pond

Last month my brother-in-law George and I attended GenCon Indy. Check out some of what we saw on my
GenCon flickr set.

George and I mainly went to participate in a couple of Warmachine tournaments. We had fun and it was interesting to see a convention that is entirely geared towards gaming. There were booths by all the major roleplaying/card/miniature companies and some were selling pre-release items.

There weren't as many costumed folks as say Dragon Con, but there was just as much gamer funk.

Hickory Horned Devil v. Fingers of Sausage

Size Comparison
Originally uploaded by clevermolly.

Biggest caterpillar in North America, I'll say. This guy graced a tiny tree next to my driveway. One quiet morning I could have sworn I heard him chomping on that leaf.

I may have sentenced him to an early death by pointing him out to my neighbors. The next day I saw him on a bush next to his favorite "eatin' tree." The day after that he was nowhere to be found.


The Hickory Horned Devil is currently the bug of the month on whatsthatbug.com

Dim Sum Remix

Since the last post, Molly and I have been to two other Dim Sum places on Buford Highway. A couple of weeks ago we went to Canton House and last Sunday we went to China Delight. Canton House was okay (I liked their mango pudding and also the coconut pudding. Molly liked the fried tofu with shrimp). China Delight was better than Canton House but I still like Happy Valley the best. Happy Valley was so busy that you couldn't help but get a large variety of fresh food coming around on cart quite often.

We saw Tang and he suggested Oriental Pearl. We may try it but I think we'll try Happy Valley again first. Anyone want to join us?

Dim Sum bulging-ass eyes

Two weeks ago I had my first Dim Sum. Molly was there and see documented the whole thing. It seemed like the Dim Sum at Happy Village was the real deal because the vast majority of customer were Chinese. Here are my Dim Sum tips:

1) Pace yourself. Don't just grab as many items as you can off the first cart that passes by. I was super stuffed and then I saw a plate of little clams. Dammit! I love little clams, but there was no way I could eat anymore.

2) Sesame balls are worth waiting for (we had to wait 15mins.)

3) Don't watch Chinese girls eat a chicken's foot. They gnaw on it and just let the bones tumble out of their mouths. I say girls because I didn't see any men eating a chicken's feet. I did, however, see a Chinese man wearing the worst toupee I had ever seen.

4) Sweet tofu dessert (ame-dofu?) soothes my guts.

Tiger's milk?

The poop and pee are happy to be flushed!




[via metafilter which, in turn, is via japan probe]

Gotta Felch'Em All!

You guys should make a Pokemon card too!

I once thought about getting all 151 original Pokemon tattooed all over my body. Then I could tell the ladies, "Gotta Catch'Em All." Of course, there would be a Pokemon on my balls and probably my taint. On my penis...Squirtle!

Fuggedaboutit... Que?

How much English do you have to learn to get a Cheese steak?




Edit: Well, the Geno's sign does say "Please." Let me explain myself. When I was working in Japan I tried to learn Japanese so I could do things like order fast food, ask where the bathroom was, how much are these soiled panties, etc. However, sometimes when I was trying to order in Japanese or whatever the clerks couldn't understand me. I would get frustrated and default to English and we could usually work it out. If I saw a sign in Japan that read, "This is Japan, speak Japanese when ordering." I would have felt like shit. I would have felt like there was some racial animosity being directed towards me. There is only two types of reactions a sign like this can produce to a non-native speaker: depression and anger.

The irony is that this guy's name is Vento and the stand is called Geno's. When my Grandma was a kid in Connecticut, she told me their neighborhood was almost exclusively Italian and Italian was spoken at many stores around town. Were these people any less American because the didn't speak English?

Was I providing any less of a service in Japan because I couldn't speak Japanese? I was still working hard at the job I was brought over to do.

Best CM Ever!

In Japan, commercials are called CM. I guess it makes sense. Check out this funny one for Mario Kart DS:



I love that guys impressions. I believe he's trying to say "Si vous plait" when he's dressed as the French guy but his Japanese accent is tres thick.

The American impression is hilarious.






[viabits & bytes & pixels & sprites]

Semper Fox

I guess it is nice to know that some things are even too outrageous for Fox News.

I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde...

Desmond Dekker died today.

Check out this crazy video for "Israelite".

Of course, 007 (Shanty Town) may be one of the best ska songs ever and I've always been very partial to "Pickney Gal."

I also like how Dekker referenced movies a lot in his songs (kind of similar to how rappers are always referencing gangster movies). In "Israelites" there is the line, "I don't want to end up like Bonnie and Clyde." In 007 (Shanty Town) , " 0-0-7, 0-0-7, at Ocean's Eleven..."

Eye of God

There is something about a girl looking up that is hot.

Stay classy D.C.

Flute : Blues :: Tony Snow : ?

A) Truth
B) Integrity
C) Cool
D) All of the above

If y'all like hockey say Yeaaaaah!

The ultimate Pimp Cup.

You got your Revolution all over my iPod

My buddy and beat maker for early C-Dub tracks, Blake (or as I call him, DJ Snow Covered Rockies) has a popular Nintendo blog called Infendo. He and his fellow Infendo Scott have launched a podcast.

So, if words like "DS Lite", "Revolution", and "Virtual Console" get you giddy, tune in and nerd out.

Blake promises he is getting a better mic.

That 70's site

Wow, this is awesome. The only thing that looks worse than a bad promotional shot is a bad promotional shot from a decade of fashion disasters.

Jeezer-esque

Here is one of the best Weezer-esque power pop songs by a Japanese band in English that I've heard in a while. Firestarter by Beat Crusaders. Clunky's been playing this song in rotation for a while too. Now that's poppy!

The "ass" in assassination

Me and Sarah Vowell
Originally uploaded by Casey Willis.

Last night I went to the Carter Center with my co-worker Mack to see Sarah Vowell. She was funny and charming. I thought I had a crush on her before, now I know I do. She read from her book "Assassination Vacation" and some Op-Ed pieces she's done recently. She also took some questions (the last two were about the Incredibles).

The following is the actual conversation I had after this picture was taken:

SV: Oh, I got a thumbs up.

CW: Yeah. Have you seen 43 plays for 43 presidents?

SV: No... (with rising intonation, I've piqued her interest!)

CW: It's awesome. It's by the Neo-Futurists out of Chicago.

SV: Oh, ok.

CW: Each president gets 2 minutes (I flash two fingers, almost Chuck Woolery-style)

SV: They have a short attention span.

*******

That was awesome but my fantasy version is even better:

SV: Oh, I see you have an [adult swim] hoodie on, are you a fan?

CW: Yeah, I also work on a show.

SV: Which one?

CW: We used to work on Sealab but now we are working on a new show.

SV: That's my favorite! You know the one episode where the tiny John Wilkes Booth shoots Quinn in the head?

CW: I thought you'd like that one...


Man, I'm smooth.

3-prong grip of death

japanese_catcher
Originally uploaded by Casey Willis.

Here's a photo of stuffed animals I won in Japan. I won them all in UFO catchers (crane machines). Click the picture to she the names of some of these characters.

As old as you look

woowoo1
Originally uploaded by Casey Willis.

Inspired by Meiyuun, I decided to take some pictures of a down (but not out) stuffed animal. His name is Woo-Woo ( which is onomatopoetic, for that is the sound a dog makes to a very young me).

Woo-Woo was given to me at 6 months old by a friend of my Mother's. So, on Jan. 25th (my birthday) Woo-Woo will turn an ancient 31 and 1/2 years old.

He's had multiple surgeries and needs many more. Unfortunately, I don't know how to sew. My sister promised to repair him but that was years ago. My mom used to be his chief surgeon.

Woo-Woo has been through a lot. When I was younger and would get frustrated I would sometimes punch him. I have since apologized and Woo-Woo forgave me. He has truly been there for me, always. He's a rock.

Woo-Woo doesn't live with me in my basement apartment. I'm afraid his fragile fur and mesh couldn't take the humidity. Instead, Woo-Woo lives in my old bedroom at my family's house, guarding it with his vigilant red eyes. In case he ever forgets I just want to say, Woo-Woo, I love you.


Check out Woo-Woo's flickr set. (Warning: some photos not for the squeamish)

My lovely fuel injection... Check it out!

So, I'm not a big fan of the Black Eyed Peas but I usually try to give them a little break. I know they've been around for a long time and never really got mainstream recognition. So now that they are doing a lot of ad work I feel like, "Well, they put in a lot of years. Maybe they deserve to make some money."

Then I read this story:

Let's get promoted!

Past performers were Maroon 5 and I believe, Good Charlotte.

Congratulations guys (and one sexy lady), you've drained your last bit o' cred.

Guatemala Sink Spider

Guatemala Sink Spider
Originally uploaded by Casey Willis.

Happy New Year (a little late). My boss and landlord, Adam, went to Guatemala for the holidays (to study Spanish). He got back to his room one night to see this guy stalking around. I really like the color of this spider (jungle camo?). The bug hunt has kind of slowed down at my place (getting too cold?).

In other news, Clunkyrobot and I are hard at work on our short animation piece. Check here or Clunky's site for updates. After the animation, a new C-Dub album (more like an EP) is on the docket.