The Daughter does not bring anything interesting to its suspense/thriller genre. There are a lot of elements in a low budget movie that can be forgiven. If the story is somewhat captivating, the writing is quality, the directing is solid, and the protagonist is intriguing, you can get past the bad sound quality and grainy texture of the picture. Unfortunately for The Daughter, it does not have any of these aforementioned characteristics and cannot be so easily forgiven.
The story is about Rian Fielding (Marian Sorensen) the daughter of a wealthy mayoral candidate for some undisclosed town. Rian is the perfect political daughter, speaking to the town on behalf of her father with a poised attitude and determination to see her father succeed. Tom Fielding (Kevin McCorkle) shows up to the presentation just in time to address the townspeople. Someone in the crowd brings up Macefield, which Tom responds to with vagueness (such a politician), so the audience does not know what Macefield is, or the significance of it until the third act of the film. After the conference, we find out that today is Rian’s birthday. Her father recommends that she has a party at their home after meeting up with her boyfriend for dinner. We then get to see a glimpse of reaction on Rian’s face when she realizes she has forgotten all about her boyfriend. After Rian is abruptly broken up with, after an exchange of vague facial expressions and an awkward crying scene in a car, she goes home to find her other friends waiting for her. After a fun filled night of sitting on the couch with her friends reminiscing about silly nicknames from grade school and getting bad relationship advice, Rian has had enough and goes to bed. A short time later, Rian hears a baseball bat crash through her window so she runs downstairs to call the police and inform her friends of the intruder, who don’t take her seriously of course. After this, we hear the doorbell ring and Rian answers it to find “security” answering her distress call. She lets them in to find out that they are a band of four kidnappers who want to hold her and her friends ransom for millions of dollars. For some reason, one of the guys has a mask on, while the other three assailants are not wearing masks.
Even if The Daughter was a good movie, one could not tell because of the most distractible and relentless MIDI score that drones on in almost every scene. Visually, everything has a glowing hue because of over lighting. The camera shots are boring, the dialogue just builds a convoluted story that you don’t have interest in, and the acting was strained at best. The only redeeming thing about The Daughter is one scene, where Rian runs up the stairs to her room with her friend in order to evade the kidnappers. She then opens her bedroom window and helps her friend and herself up the crawl space in her closet. It’s rare, even in a good movie, where the distressed captives actually use their brains to get away even if only temporarily. There is also an obvious twist at the end of The Daughter, but if you pay attention, you can see it coming after five minutes into the film because of the transparent dialogue.
It’s official: the summer movie season is now upon us. As if this fact was not already apparent with the somewhat early release of Iron Man 3 several weeks ago and last week’s big opener the Baz Luhrmann spectacle The Great Gatsby, it should be solidified by this point with the release of JJ Abrams’s Star Trek: Into Darkness, the much anticipated sequel to his 2009 reboot of the legendary sci-fi franchise. The massive hype machine leading up to this week’s opening was fueled by much speculation and rumor; producers have been for the most part mum on many key aspects of the film and its plot, with a few tantalizing hints dropped along the way to add to the frenzy. The internet has been abuzz for months with theory and expectations have been high. So what’s the verdict?
It was alright, I guess.
To be sure, the bar was set pretty high with both its immediate cinematic predecessor and its forebears in both television and film setting the standards to live up to. I myself am a longtime fan of both the Star Trek television series (Ben Sisko, FTW) and the new canon set in the alternate timeline established by the first Abrams helmed movie. It might be unfair for any film to have such rigid standards and expectations laid on it before it’s even written; the film obviously has a built in fan base that has been amassing for over 40 years to contend with, in addition to legions of new recruits thanks to the last movie which is often considered the most accessible of any previous Star Trek effort. The producers of the film are in a way constrained by attempting to please long term fans by sharing old favorites in new ways while making the film accessible to all film goers. They do a fine job and walking this line, but the movie suffers because of it.
As a Trekkie (Roddenberry didn’t like Trekker and neither do I) I have a suggestion for Abrams and the creators of the current Star Trek canon: stop trying to kowtow to us. Seriously, just leave us out of the equation all together and focus on making an awesome movie. I promise you, we’ll understand and even love you a little more because of it. Oh sure, it’s awesome to see references and in jokes and nods, and as a Trekkie it’s nice to see I’m being acknowledged, but you’re kind of limiting yourselves. You’ve already established that this is a new universe completely autonomous from the one first established in the original Star Trek series.
The attempts of Star Trek: Into Darkness to incorporate familiar scenes and characters into this universe caused the film to become somewhat muddled, confusing itself in the process. By now, it’s probably no secret who the mysterious antagonist of Captain James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine) is, but I’ll do you a solid and refuse to name names here. The villain (Benedict Cumberbatch, who is fantastic as ever) leads a freshly chastised Kirk on a galactic manhunt that opens the door to an even larger and more mysterious plot against the Federation. All of this sounds good on paper, but the end result is a film that never quite figures out what movie it wants to be.
Despite coming in at around 2 hour and 12 minutes, the film felt rushed. One minute Kirk is disgraced by Starfleet, the next minute he’s the best man for the job; allegiances are formed and broken just when they start to be interesting. Throughout the film, little hints of awesome are dropped along the way. Long term fans might get excited at the mention of Section 31 (think Federation black ops, for all you newbies out there) but then nothing ever comes from that. And that, my friends, is sort of a metaphor for the entire movie. Things are suggested but then never delivered. Interesting things happen, but mostly only for a minute or two and they turn out to be inconsequential.
I have a feeling that there might be an amazing 3 hour long cut of this film sitting somewhere waiting for a Special Edition Blu-Ray release. This is pure conjecture on my part, but so much of this movie remained unfleshed out and I can’t really believe Abrams didn’t think to address this. Maybe I’m too much of a fanboy and I might be seeing things through those eyes but no matter what I do I can’t make myself believe that there’s not some fantastic exposition that didn’t make the theatrical cut of this movie. But maybe I’m just deluding myself.
In the end, Into Darkness is not a bad movie. Despite its flaws, it’s actually a pretty decent movie. It’s just never quite the movie it wanted to be or, in fact, needed to be. This movie tries so hard to be amazing but doesn’t ever get there and that’s sort of the problem. Instead of reaching the stars, it barely breaks orbit, boldly going to places we’ve seen before.
Hux here. Just wanted to let ya’ll know it’s been a real pleasure being a part of the Austin Daze community and getting to write music reviews, but it’s time to move on to other music related adventures.
Thanks for reading our CD reviews, going to the shows we get excited about, supporting local music and reading our blog. Keep sending in those CDs and making great music, but ping the editor for the new delivery address for review.
Megalopyge opercularis would havebeen covered by the Replica Report, even without its recent meme status, considering some of its common names such as southern flannel moth, pussy moth, puss caterpillar, and tree asp. It is in its larval form that the Resemblance to a pussy cat becomes apparent whereas the flannel reference (flannel is a soft woven fabric, of various fineness) points to its adult stage (even the wings are furry). But this week, the insect is getting news coverage because of social media hype where many Extractionists have Recognized its Resemblance to Donald Trump’s hair!
The creature was spotted in the Amazon by friends Jeff Cremer, 34 and Phil Torres, 27, who run photography tours from Posada Amazonas, a 30 bed rainforest lodge in Peru.
Mr. Cremer said, “It’s actually a flannel moth caterpillar, they’re really rare, I’ve seen this type of caterpillar before but never one of this colour.”
“We put the picture on our Twitter and Facebook page and immediately people started comparing it to Donald Trump.”
Cremer continues, “We didn’t see the resemblance when we first saw the caterpillar but looking at the photo it’s certainly similar to his hair.”
“It was pretty funny, people went mad for the photo comparing it to his toupee.”
The caterpillar’s “hair” actually consists of setae, which are long, fine silky appendages that, in this case, can cause serious skin irritations. If one attempts to pet this insect, they will get a handful of venom, released when the setae poke into skin. Just as a bee sting, the injuries can be painful but, for most, not life threatening.
About the author: the power of Resemblances inspired artist Ismael Cavazos to create the Old Man in the Peanut after recognizing the heart of a peanut resembles an old man’s hooded head complete with beard. He now brings you Remarkable Resemblances from around the World with the Replica Report.
For nearly a century, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterwork, The Great Gatsby, has been more or less the archetype for “the great American novel”. First published in 1925, its celebration of jazz era decadence serves as the backdrop for a cautious morality tale warning against the perils of living in the past. Assuming that we’ve all been to high school, we’re all familiar with the story of Jay Gatsby and his attempts to woo a former lover away from her husband with wealth and extravagance. The story itself is deceptively simple and in its simplicity it weaves a tale so heartbreaking that its tragedy stays with you long after the book has been closed. Though critically panned for the first few years of its life, the novel was an immediate commercial success and has more or less remained such as subsequent generations have discovered the tale of Daisy and Jay. Though clearly a novel of the jazz age and all of the bombastic decadence that went with it, the story is just as poignant today as it first was 90 years ago. With all of its success and near universal appeal, it’s no wonder that Hollywood has been adapting the story almost since it first came out.
Of course, none of the adaptations of the novel have proven to be successful. The original adaptation, a silent film released in 1926, was panned by Fitzgerald and his wife (despite the generous payment they received for the rights) and has since becomes a lost film, with only about 1 minute of footage still remaining. They tried again in 1949, with the incomparable Alan Ladd this time playing the role of Gatsby. Though regarded better than the silent adaptation, this version, too, lacked the universal appeal and success of the novel. Then came 1974 with a Francis Ford Coppola penned adaptation starring Robert Redford in the titular role; this version has since been regarded as the best version of the novel, though still admittedly not so good. And the 2000 television movie adaptation is hardly worth remembering, let alone mentioning here.
The repeated lack of success of Gatsby adaptations has given the novel the reputation for being unfilmable with many critics of both literature and film crying that there is simply no way to translate Fitzgerald’s poetry to the big screen in a way that keeps it interesting. Once again, this assertion has been proven true. Read the rest of this entry »
The latest Extractionist art to be covered internationally is coming out of Europe. UK resident Martin Andrews said an accidental spill of fabric softener on a T-shirt resulted in the now-viral photograph Metro reported last Wednesday.
“I showed my mates at work the picture, and one of them said, ‘I’ve heard you can find comfort in Jesus, but you’ve found Jesus in Comfort,”
Andrews said, Comfort being the name-brand of fabric softener.
Andrews, the “creator” of the fabric softener Jesus stain, tweeted a photo of the T-shirt. He told Metro that finding the fabric softener Jesus is really a matter of perspective.
“When the T-shirt’s the right way up it doesn’t really look like anything… but when you look at it the other way up it’s really Him,” he said.
Recently, Jamiroquai played a show in Mexico. Local Austinites took a trip to give you this report:
Usually, when I travel, the first thing that people say when I tell them where I’m going is, “Wow, that’s going to be awesome!” When I said we were going to Monterrey, Mexico to see Jamiroquai, the response was, “Be careful.” Knowing that attitude is everything, we figured embracing every moment with positive intentions and no fear would result in a great trip, and we’d be totally safe the entire time. With that, my buddy JB drove us to Laredo and ditched his car at Wal-Mart so we could take a cab to the bus station. By the border in downtown Laredo, bus companies abound, and each bus leaves at a different time. We meandered for 15 minutes, missing each by 5 minutes until we found one. We boarded it 3-hours direct to Monterrey. Though we saw a beater of a bus at the border that was worse, Greyhound was definitely not the nicest bus option. Ours was a luxury coach with only 2 other passengers, and the trip was only $25 each.
Downtown Monterrey
When crossing, we were given the Mexican “Departure Registration” that would require us to pay about $35 to leave the country. We were told we should do so at the bank in Monterrey. We were specifically instructed not to lose it or we would have exit problems. There was one other checkpoint on the way and when the agent entered the bus, he took one look at us and with a grin mumbled, “Americanos.” We were obviously no threat to anyone.
The beer of Monterrey
The next morning, we talked down the price and rented a manual transmission with a rattling fender and bald brakes to drive around. We stopped at the Topo Chico factory to see the source of the sparkling water loved by Austinites. Unfortunately, the plant was closed to the public. JB managed to line up an appointment by bringing up that we were from Austin and had worked with C3. We said that we were trying to bring Topo to Austin City Limits. JB researched this information online at the hotel room that morning. It got us the appointment, but we never made it inside. We gallivanted around the city, driving up Parque Ecologico Chipinque and through San Pedro.
The source!
The view from Parque Ecologico Chipinque
Our second day was dedicated to Jamiroquai, who were playing at Arena Monterrey that night. We got a hotel within walking distance and decided to see how close we could get to meeting the band before the show. Knowing that attitude is everything, we walked together through the gate of Arena Monterrey, chatting to each other with smiles as the guard stopped us.
“¿a dónde vas?” asked the guard (Where are you going?)
“Trabajamos con Jamiroquai!” JB happily answered (We work with Jamiroquai)
“Si!”
From there, we scoped out the loading dock to the back stage and made our way down the incline to the goal. It was a large fortress-like metallic door. Someone was walking in front of us, so the door opened and we casually walked through into the backstage area greeting the guard. The band and their tour management was nowhere to be found, and we were the only white guys backstage (we might have been the only longhaired gringos in the entire city). Everyone assumed we were part of the band. We walked up to the back of the stage and peeked at the gear that was being soundchecked by the local roadies. All connected, we saw a hallway of green rooms. All the doors were closed except the one at the end—Jay Kay. No Jamiroquai, but I snagged a picture of his poncho. We decided to come back later, and on the way out, without words, the door guard made a guitar motion question mark. Being musicians, we replied, Si!
JK’s poncho. Is that a Sears Poncho or a Mexican Poncho?
Two hours later, we were back to try again. There was a new front guard, but the good vibes got us in with ease. However, when we made it to the steel doors, the tour management from Jamiroquai was there, and they stopped us to ask what’s up. Time to make it happen.
“Hi! We’re from Austin, Texas, and we write for the Austin Daze. We’d like to do an interview with Jay Kay if that’s possible,” said JB. In gruff London accents, we learned that Jay is really hit or miss for interviews. He normally shows up 10 minutes before the show. The rest of the band was soundchecking, and we asked to watch. They said it was closed, but they could hook us up with tickets. We already had our cancha (court) tickets. He was impressed. We met up with the lovely tour manager and she agreed to let us come at the end of the sound check.
Gushing, I replied, “That’s great! I’d love to interview Matt (the keyboard player) because I also play the keys and I love what he does.”
“Ok, see you at 5:15,” she confirmed.
We went back to the hotel with some time to kill, so we chatted up the door man. Testing the waters to understand the culture and for research purposes only, we asked him about scoring some cannabis. With the grave look of many a cab driver, he began discorse.
“I used to grow a few plants on my rooftop in little buckets a few years before the Cartel. No Mas. I would if they made it legal. If you smoke in the street, and the cartel see’s you, they shake you down to find out where you got it. They connect the dots and if the guy isn’t in the cartel, then it’s a tax, execution, or they bring him ‘in.’ The 17 to 19 year olds are most dangerous. They kill you if you owe them 1000 pesos (less than a hundred bucks). Once they get you ‘in’ it’s pretty impossible to get out, and you better be a strong guy or you will get beat up regularly. I think maybe the cartel runs the government. Columbia used to be pretty bad. I think right now, Mexico may be worse than Columbia,” I summarized from what he said.
We brushed up the interview questions in our hotel room. We had prepared some for Jay Kay but had to change some questions for the keys player. We walked across the street to the arena for our interview. At exactly 5:15, the lovely tour manager came out to greet us and bring us to the waiting area.
“Ok, can i see your credentials?” she professionally asked in the most astute British accent.
“Oh, no… I sort of… uh.. left… that at…. home, uh…” I stammered.
“How about an ID or something?”
JB whipped out his passport and she retreated to the greenroom. We waited nervously until she returned with a laptop, typing in JB with full middle name + Austin Daze and getting zero search results.
“I just need to check you out and know who you are,” she said.
“We are freelance!” replied JB (I prepped this one for him).
She then looked us up through our LLC, and we were in. Having time to further research us, I wonder if she discovered my band Jamiroqueen and the line blurring between fan, journalist, student, and weirdo that the situation was.
She walked us into the master control center green room where the keyboardist of Jamiroquai rose from his seat to greet us with a huge smile. We were both stoked to shake the hand of a guy that plays in front of tens of thousands each night all around the world. Starstruck, JB and I took our couch and Matt took a chair across the coffee table. We confirmed that it was ok to record the conversation, and this is it, pretty verbatum. Don’t forget to add the British accent in your head.
Russ: We’re here in Monterrey, Mexico with Matthew Johnson, Keyboardist of Jamiroquai. Do you prefer Matt or Matthew?
Matt: Everyone but my mum calls me Matt.
Russ: Thanks Matt. How’s the tour been going so far?
Matt: Yeah, it’s been great. I mean the high point has been the last gig, I have to say. Mexico City is just off the hook. It’s the best gig I’ve done for years for this band. Very excited. Great crowd!
Russ: Have you played through here before?
Matt: No. I don’t think anyone in the band has been anywhere near here apart from Mexico City.
Russ: ¿Habla español?
Matt: Nnnno…. (laughs).
JB: When we first talked to you, it was great! You are actually the first people that spoke English. We’ve been here for like 2 days.
Matt: Did you come down just for this gig?
Russ: Yeah, pretty much. That and Topo Chico! Here’s another question. Derek (the drummer) has recently posted on Twitter, that you guys are about to record a new album. Can you tell us anything about that?
Matt: There’s not a lot to tell at the moment. We haven’t really done anything particularly. It’s just more the idea that we are going to start doing that. There’s quite a few songs left over from the last album. Whether any will make it on to this one… I bet you at least one or two will make it to the new album.
Russ: What’s the writing process like for Jamiroquai?
Matt: Normally, Jay will sing something; he’s normally got a riff or an idea in his head, and then he’ll get together with, normally, me or Rob (guitar player), and we’ll play that riff, and then we’ll start jamming around, interpreting—Jay can’t play an instrument, so we interpret his ideas harmonically.
Russ: like an arranger?
Matt: I guess so, but then we chip in our own thing as well, so it’s kind of a collaborative effort. The lyrics and melodies are all him.
Russ: Have you ever been to Austin, Texas?
Matt: No (but I could tell he was interested at the prospect in the way he said it)
Russ: Are you guys planning on going through the USA any time soon?
Matt: Well, I’d love to, but there’s no plans. I mean, there was talk of Cochella at one point, you know, but…
Russ: Have you heard of Austin City Limits? Austin is known as the live music capitol of the world.
Matt: Wow, great. I’d love to come back. I’m waiting to come back!
Russ: There’s a lot of Jamiroquai tribute bands out there (I didn’t mention the fact that I play keyboards in one of them). What are your thoughts on that?
Matt: um… i mean, it’s kind of weird… to watch. Obviously, it’s very flattering, especially for some of the songs I’ve written or whatever. It’s surreal, but good.
Russ: On this tour what has been your primary mode of transportation?
Matt: We’ve flown everywhere. We’ve done about 13 flights already.
Russ: The equipment?
Matt: The equipment goes by truck, immediately after the show, but I don’t really know too much about how the gear gets there. I just turn up and its there.
Russ: Who are your greatest influences for keyboards?
Matt: As keyboards, I suppose the 70s Herbie Hancock Headhunters sort of era, and the like. One of my favorite keyboard players is Greg Phillinganes. He’s like an L.A. session player. He’s recently been doing Toto, but he’s played on almost everything. The 80s, like, he was on all the Michael Jackson, and he was part of that “creme de la creme” of the session scene. So he’s one of these people, that he’s kind of an unsung hero, you know, people might not know it, but you’ve definitely heard him. Great sounds, great feel, great playing.
Russ: That kind of goes along with what Jamiroquai does, huh?
Matt: Definitely! I’ve met him a few times, he’s a great guy as well. I met Herbie, lucky enough as well, so those are my influences, I suppose. Especially in the days when they were using the analog gear, because I’m an analog freak, ya know?
Russ: Oh Yeah?
Matt: These days, guys like Herbie, people like that, they all use digital keyboards.
Russ: And you use the Alesis A6?
Matt: Yeah.
Russ: And you have other synths up there?
Matt: Yeah. Well, I use a Fender Rhodes; it goes through a Line 6. I’ve got a Nord Wave, which is like an analog modeling kinda thing, but it’s cool because it has sampleability. And I’ve got a Yamaha Motif 8 keyboard as well, which is just a workhorse type thing. That’s it.
Russ: Sweet! Well, one more question, I guess. Who in the band carries the most luggage?
Lovely Tour Manager <Busts out laughing hysterically>
JB: Yeah, haha, that was my question!
Matt: I’d say it’s got be one of the backing singers! Who shall remain nameless, but it’s definitely one of the backing singers.
JB: Yeah!
Russ: I guess we’re about to find out tonight, but what’s the lineup?
Matt: It’s 3 horns, 3 backing singers, and percussion… We have a different percussionist this tour. We don’t have Solá on this tour. Solá is actually doing an act and acting in the West End Theater right now. And then, drums, keyboard, guitar, and singing.
JB: We’re looking forward to it! We don’t want to take too much of your time.
<Matt/Lovely Tour Manager and us say our good byes>
Lovely Tour Manager: Thanks for
<static and grumbling as we leave the room>
Russ: That was fucking Awesome!
<static and grumbling as we pass the guard>
JB: Gracias!
Bottle of Vodka at the arena!
After a leisurely dinner at Chilapplfriday’s, we decided to sell our extra pair of tickets, so we rolled up early and I put up my hand and they were sold immediately pretty much at face. We took in the vibes in the arena before the show. They sold full bottles of absolut for $100. At purchase, he would confirm the seal and pour it into a water bottle, and you could take a bucket of ice and all the accoutriment mixers. We grabbed a spot in the center about 10 rows from the rail. A striking young latino lady approached us.
We got there early
“Are you guys in the band?”
“Ahh…” we looked at eachother… “No, we’re journalists,” replied JB. “We came to interview the band.”
“You have the greatest job! I’ve never heard of Jamiroquai, but my friend loves them and thought you guys were in the band.” We looked over at him and he nodded appreciatingly. She then inquired, “Do you know how I can get backstage to get him an autograph?” It just so happened we had a good answer.
The opening band was relatively banal. Without trying to hide it, they always had a full backing track. The sound front and center of an arena is not that great, so we didn’t have the best sound, but there were anomolies. Here’s a poem:
Woman in the mix with only dudes on the stage
They sung to their own backing track cause it was all the rage
Someone playing congas, but we heard a pre-recorded set
The keytar and the synth was really their best bet
The crowd wasn’t impressed
Monterrey, it gets the best
The setbreak was upon us
The crowd arrives!
Jamiroquai minus Jay Kay walked onto the stage and the lights went out. They started the set with a tease of a song from the second album called “Scam.” It is a progressive dissonant instrumental to kick off the dance party. Jay Kay made his appearance walking out to the mic, and they went right into the most appropriate song for our situation as tourists, Travelling Without Moving. The bass guitar was ridiculous. It seemed like the bass player was pretty much the front man, in that he stood front and center like a rock the entire time wailing out some super-riffs of London funk. Behind the band was a huge LCD screen that displayed various race cars, disco lights, and celestial objects as eye candy the entire night in addition to the lights.
Jam!
This is Jamiroquai’s 20th anniversary. Every member has been replaced through the years except Jay Kay in the band’s 20 years. Paul Turner, the bassist, is since 2005. The keyboardist has been with the band since 2002. My complaint was that I couldn’t hear enough keys, but I later learned it was due to where we were in the Arena. I confirmed this later by watching youtube videos from the balcony where the keys sounded sick! The guitar player, Rob Harris has been around since 2000, and the guy can jam. Between playing tasty subtle jazz chords, he’d come out and wail a crowd pleasing funk rock solo. The percussionists (except tonight’s substitute) are from the 90s.
Travelling without moving
At the past shows on the tour, the band pretty much played the same setlist, but tonight, it was totally different. They played many of the staples such as Alright, Little L, Space Cowboy, Main Vein, Cosmic Girl, and Canned Heat (from Napolean Dynamite). They also played Revolution 1993. I’d last heard it played instrumentally this past New Year’s Eve in Denver by Sound Tribe Sector 9. Jamiroquai just kept pouring it on, and Jay would say a few words here and there, or sit down and chill out. Every musician tore it up. This is a progressive funk disco fusion jam band like no other, and musicially, they deliver as well as or better than they ever have.
I’d never seen them live before tonight, but I felt like Jay was way more laid back these days as he gets a little older. He was still on and in with his singing, but there were no acrobatics. When he spoke in between the songs, compared to older interviews, his voice was a notch lower. We recruited a female singer for Jamiroqueen because of the voice range required for such a band. I wonder if these days, Jamiroquai transposes down a half step or two on a song or so to manage that. Though maybe lower, the guy can still sing and rile up the crowd. Overall, it was a super action-packed performance that kept strong the entire time. Clearly, coming to Mexico was worth it, and Jamiroquai is still a powerhouse of worldwide musical stardom.
My Ticket!
After the show, we wandered with some new friends in and out of the arena. I picked up a couple of bootleg t-shirts, as the official ones just said Jamiro20, which seemed odd, though you can pretty much put Jamiro in front of any word and it sounds cool (ask my band). We had some (assumedly goat) hot dogs from a lady with a food cart that might have been the best meal of the entire trip, bargaining prices all along the way. We said our goodbyes to the people with whom we danced and made our way back to the hotel.
We reached our hotel hallway, and it sounded like a party in one of the rooms on the way. Of course, we had to knock and see what was going on. 5 guys and 3 girls invited us in to share some whisky. They were locals just hanging out in the room for a few hours before going home at the end of the night. I ran to our room to grab our bottle of absolut and we had some great times. They would tell us a phrase to say in Spanish, and we’d say it with the worst American accent, and then we’d all laugh jovially. An exotically beautiful girl that spoke multiple languages shared couch cuddles and conversation with me. I even got a peck on the lips to close the evening. Mexico isn’t all that bad, after all.
The next morning was basically, “let’s get the fuck out of Mexico,” so we missed touring the Topo Chico museum. We decided to eat Pollo Loco and find a bank to pay the tourism departure registration visa. We went to two banks and both places looked at us like we were crazy, suggesting perhaps we would pay some other bank. In the process JB lost his visa, so a mild degree of concern arose. Very mild.
The next bus to Laredo was too long of a wait, so we grabbed one to Nuevo Laredo where we took a taxi to the walk up line at the border. I wouldn’t recommend walking from the bus station to the border cross in Nuevo Laredo. As we waited in line with our fresh fruit Mexican popsicles, behind us approached a brawny young man that looked quite Latino but spoke with a Texas accent. We greeted.
“I never carry an ID, I don’t want to lose it,” he said, as we approached the border.
“I work in the oil rigs as a geologist. The other day, I deposited my check but it didn’t clear until after I couldn’t pay the bill at the restaurant. They threw me in jail because I didn’t have an ID and my check card bounced.”
“What are you going to Laredo for?” we asked.
“I’m going over to find some dank weed,” he responded.
We were shocked. Research concluded; by the end of the trip we realized it was easy to buy a full bottle of liquor at the arena for a show, but cannabis is on lockdown. I wonder if that guy crossed back to Mexico with a sack of weed and no ID, and if they let him pass. We got a cab to Wal-Mart and drove back to Austin… We didn’t look back.
This last weekend marked the return of one of the newest of the Austin festival scene. During a weekend positively riddled with festivals, including Psych Fest and the MR Fest down in San Marcos, this event served up something unique for Austin, forgoing the usual music and movies of the more well-known and established festivals for a celebration of comedy.
The best and brightest comics working today descended upon our town for the Second Annual Moontower Comedy Festival. Stars like SNL alumni Dana Carvey and Bill Hader were in town as were big names such as Bill Burr and Jim Gaffigan. Even more independent minded comics like Brian Posehn and Maria Bamford hit the stage for four days of laughter, making Moontower one of the more enjoyable festivals that call Austin home.
It would have been impossible to see every act that performed during the festival; much like South by Southwest, showcases were spread out all across the downtown area with many of the bigger acts playing concurrent shows at different venues. But a little bit of planning made all the difference, as I was able to see most of what I wanted to see without any issues. This was made easier given the fact that many of the comedians performed multiple shows.
I caught Maria Bamford’s set Thursday night at Stateside; Bamford is well-known among the comedic circle as one of the comedians highlighted in the 2005 documentaries “The Comedians of Comedy” as well as breakout performances on Conan and The Jimmy Kimmel Show. I’ve been a fan of Bamford’s for years and I was thrilled to see her live. Her hour long performance was filled with her manic-depressive observations and vocal impressions that she has become known for and she kept the audience rolling the entire time. Her set was helped by opener Jared Logan, who performed later in the week at the Dark Lords of Comedy showcase; Logan’s warm-up set provided the perfect mood setting, gearing the audience up for Bamford’s sweet crazed woman persona.
Later that evening, just down the block at the Paramount, comedic superstar Reggie Watts brought his brand of musical comedy to Austin, a town he professes to love dearly as he sang in one of his improvisational jams he’s known for. Watts is known for creating off the cuff beats using beatboxing techniques and a sampler. We’ve all seen him on YouTube displaying these skills and it was interesting to see him perform his magic live.
One of the highlights for me was seeing the Nerdist Podcast’s Chris Hardwick at Stateside. Being a fan of his podcast, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from a stand up performance, but Hardwick did not disappoint. His show was highly interactive; while he did to a few pre-written routines, the majority of his set involved interactions with the crowd and responding to them. In a certain sense, he brought his interview style from the Nerdist directly to the fans, at times sitting on the edge of the stage to better address his “interview subjects”.
This approach led to one of the more memorable moments I had at the festival; as Hardwick playfully mocked an audience member who was getting up for a drink, he ordered a club soda for himself and a Sprite and Dr. Pepper for two members of the front row. When she returned with her drinks she, of course, didn’t have Hardwick’s order (rude!); however, several minutes later, another audience member walked to the stage to deliver a club soda, a Sprite, and a Dr. Pepper. Hardwick looked amazed at the kindness of this stranger and in his excitement to deliver the soda to the lucky audience members he dropped the can of Dr. Pepper on stage, causing it to explode. Hardwick handled this well and, in a display of comedic immaturity, took the mop used to clean up the spill and drew a large, veiny penis directly onto the stage.
The final highlight, for me, was seeing Dave Chappelle’s former writing partner, and co-creator of Chappelle’s Show, Neal Brennan perform Saturday night at the Parish. Brennan has been recognized as the genius behind some of the most memorable Chappelle’s Show sketches and it was interesting to see how he did without the famously reclusive Chappelle as a mouthpiece. Brennan held his own for over an hour at the Parish as he riffed on everything from hip hop to politics to dating in what was honestly one of the funniest performances I’ve ever seen.
It being only the second year of the festival, Moontower didn’t quite draw the crowd it probably should have given the level of talent available. While this made it cool for the attendees (I personally was able to get front row seats for nearly every show; in fact, the worst seats I had were for Reggie Watts where I could only sit in the fourth row) it still would have been nice to see a full house for every show. Additionally, there were a few organization complaints I had. The process of badge holders being given tickets for shows at the Paramount was a bit confusing and left many badge holders without a seat for some of their most anticipated shows. This process seemed antithetical to the spirit of Austin festivals, but it didn’t detract from my experience overall. Hopefully next year the process is worked out to make it a little easier to understand and a smoother process.
That complaint is minor, however, compared to the amount of fun that was to be had at the festival. Moontower Comedy deserves to be an Austin mainstay and I hope it does nothing but continue to grow over the coming years. If you didn’t get the chance to make it out this year, keep it on your calendar for 2014 because the Moontower festival, for all the laughs, is absolutely no joke.
It seems worth noting that I enjoyed myself at this year’s South by Southwest film festival. As a recent transplant to Austin (shut up, you moved here too) it was my first SXSW experience and I have to say I think it went smoothly for the most part, and I didn’t really find myself disappointed about anything. Except despite multiple screenings of “Mud” it never quite jived with the rest of my schedule and I missed it completely. That was sort of a bummer, especially considering the buzz this film has been getting both before and since. I was patient, however, and waited thus until my chance arose. Now that I’ve seen it? The buzz was worthy.
“Mud” is taut mystery entwined in a fascinating coming of age story about two boys, Ellis and Neckbone (Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland, respectively) who are coming to grips with their changing world. Ellis and Neckbone are two normall 14 year old boys attempting to navigate that No Man’s Land between childhood and adolescence; both of these young men do their best to be mature while still succumbing to the childhood urge for exploration and foolishness. These urges are made even stronger given their lives on the banks of an Arkansan river. Their exploration leads them to the shores of an island in the Mississippi that is seemingly uninhabited. There they find a boat that got stuck in the tree during the last flood. Because boys will be boys, Ellis and Neckbone decide to claim the errant boat as their own and make it their own private treehouse.
These plans are put on hold by the discovery of a mysterious drifter who goes by the name Mud (Matthew McConaughey, in a stunning turn). The boys are naturally attracted by Mud’s mysterious ways and are compelled by his tales of true love and being an outlaw. Mud, it seems, has gotten himself into some trouble down in Texas; like all great stories, his trouble started with a girl. A one of a kind beauty named Juniper (Reese Witherspoon) whom Mud has been in love with since he was just a boy. Juniper, it seems, got herself involved with an abusive man whom Mud killed in a duel over Juniper’s honor. Now, Mud is on the run from an imposing gang of bounty hunters hired by the murdered man’s family to find Mud and exact revenge.
Which brings Mud back to his Arkansas hometown where he intends to hide on the island until he can meet with Juniper and run away. The tree boat he claims as his, and offers to give it back to the boys when all this blows over, so long as they help him out when they can. Despite Neckbone’s misgivings about both Mud and his story, Ellis is compelled to help the man in his quest for true love.
The backwater backdrop for “Mud” provides ample metaphor for the adventure. Like the boys themselves, the river way of life is undergoing, well, currents of change that are absolutely unstoppable and in no way irreversible. Ellis is literally torn between two worlds as his mother threatens to divorce his father and move to town while his father refuses to leave the river that has provided for them for so long. He struggles to maintain the wonder and excitement of his youth while simultaneously navigating the horrible growing pains of youngmanhood. The experience is all paralleled by Mud and his attempts to run-off with his supposed one true love.
“Mud” is an amazing film that is well-deserving of all its South By buzz. McConaughey gives an absolutely daring performance as the title character and should settle the questions of his abilities as an actor once and for all. It might be a bit early for speculation, but I would be shocked if he didn’t at least receive an Oscar nomination for his role. If you didn’t get the chance to see it at SXSW, now’s your chance to right that wrong.
The modern crime thriller usually leaves something to be desired. It seems that in the race to deliver chills and thrills to the audience filmmakers today sacrifice taut narrative for complexity. This approach, though at times effective, neglects the fact that the real thrill comes from character, not plot. While it can be interesting to watch the web of schemes unfold, if you don’t care about the people involved in the twists and turns then what is the point? Some of the best works of crime and noir are deceptively simple; take Akira Kurosawa’s “Stray Dog” for example. Sure, his tale about a cop seeking his stolen gun takes a few twists and turns but it never sacrifices itself to unnecessarily complex maneuverings. Its power comes from its simplicity; it never fails to remember that while the stakes are high it’s the characters that matter.
In the same vein, “Graceland” manages to be both taut and engaging without relying on overly complex twists and turns. It is, truly, an entirely character driven piece of filmmaking that will keep you guessing and on edge until the very end.
“Graceland” follows impoverished limo driver Marlon Villar (played by Arnold Reyes). Marlon struggles in the depths of poverty, trying to raise his daughter while his wife languishes in the hospital awaiting an operation they cannot pay for. In an effort to make money for his family, Marlon will take any job his employer offers him including the taxiing of teenage prostitutes to and from the congressman’s lair. Though disgusted by his employer’s predilection towards young girls, Marlon sees no other option. Reyes gives a powerful performance of this conflicted soul, torn between his morality and his desire to support his family and save his wife’s life.
One day, while driving both his and his employer’s young daughters home from school, they are ambushed by a gang of kidnappers. The events quickly take a tragic turn when mistaken identity leads to the death of his boss’s daughter and the kidnappers take his own daughter. Now, Marlon is forced to play both sides. Knowing that the kidnappers expect ransom for a girl who is no longer living, Marlon must protect this information in order to ensure the release of his own daughter. Along the way we are taken deeper and deeper into the congressman’s pedophilia which may or may not play a role in the kidnapper’s scheme.
It’s a deceptively simple morality tale wrapped in the guise of thrilling revenge. I found myself rapt from the very beginning and curious as to where this film would take me. I do have to mention that there were some uncomfortable scenes involving the congressman’s terrible nature that might be a bit much for some viewers. I won’t go into too much detail but I will admit wondering if the actresses used were actually of age. There was nothing profane or vulgar about the scenes, let me be clear, but even assuming the actress was 18, she looked every bit the 13 the story wanted to show.
That wasn’t a complaint or meant to be detraction, mind you. Rather it’s an example of the raw, visceral nature of this film that explores the darkest, most twisted depths of the human soul. “Graceland” is a remarkable work that stayed with me for days after its screening.
Old Settlers Music Festival is by far the best yearly festival within Austin city limits. This year was no different. My favorite thing about this festival is that I run into folks that I only see on a yearly basis, at OSMF. There’s always a lot of love out there. The music FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD is performed on the main stages, but it is the campfire spots that are always happening. I’m sure that you’ve heard many people talk about how cool old Austin used to be, the campground feeling at this festival is as close to the old Austin vibe (multiple nights) as you’re likely to get within a 30 minute drive from downtown. we still have Barndances, Hippy Tuesdaze, The Riboramma and other good things, but nothing comes close to this festival, in my opinion. The music I saw this weekend was fantastic, I got there on Friday and caught The Del Mcourey Band playing bluegrass. I have seen him many times at OSMF. It’s a family affair. Del has sons and grandsons sharing the stage. I love when Del plays Richard Thompson, it’s great to hear “Vincent 52″ covered in bluegrass time.
Next stop was Michael Franti. Franti personifies love. Everyone around him feels so great. This guy fits so well in this festival. For this show a volunteer pushed me up front and center, through the crowd, when my chair wouldn’t fit in the photographers area. Usually at Old Settlers, I know most of the people, but this crowd was all new to me. It was great, I made many new friends that night. I’ve known Franti since ’06, and we always talk after the show, and this night was no different. Of course, my camera always dies at the most inappropriate times, so I was unable to catch a picture. Many years ago in an interview we asked Michael about him always being barefoot on stage. Every time after that I always notice his feet. On Friday, he was wearing socks because it was so cold. Really. The tightness of the crowd kept me warm and smiling. On Saturday, we got out there and saw some more friends and some acts on the main stage, and it was absolutely beautiful. For me, there is no better way to watch live music than on stage at this festival. Damon Lange and crew have been making the sound sparkle for years. We caught Peter Rowan’s Twang and Groove at the small stage. I had seen seen this new outfit over at Antones earlier this year and they rock. It is a great thing to see the bands new take on Peter Rowan’s material. Peter Rowan has been a staple at OSMF every year that I’ve been going. With each appearance, he brings in new variations of his music. He is certainly one of the greatest songwriters around. He always causes the audience to sing along. After this show, we went over to the mainstage and caught Leftover Salmon. I had not seen Leftover Salmon in about ten years or more. They had the crowd dancing and grooving to their set. Then it was on to the Gourds finale with Gin and Juice.On the way out, we bumped into my friend, Mike Morgan and the other Twang & Groove guys. I was telling them how great they sounded, when out steps Peter Rowan. We all talked and laughed. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! So FITTING..The night proved to me once again that Austin is still the place to be. Thank you to everyone who makes this wonderful festival happen.. See you all next year………
Benjamin Creme, a British artist and long-time student of esoteric philosophy, has become the latest Extractionist to be covered by news agencies across the Nation.
In recent months, two photographs were recorded by NASA cameras of an anomaly near the sun. Mr. Creme has Recognized that these anomalies Resemble angels.
Benjamin Creme, co-editor of Share International magazine, says that while many people thought the images were UFOs, “our information is that it is an ‘angel’, or ‘deva’ as they are known in the East. The angelic or deva evolution runs parallel to that of the human and they can vary in size from tiny to colossal. This ‘angel’ was filmed moving near the sun and both photographs are of the same ‘angel’. Our information is that it is gigantic: about half the size of the Earth.”
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1922, Benjamin Creme began studying art at an early age, developing into an accomplished painter in the modernist style. He befriended and collaborated with many of the leading figures of the time in British art, music and literature. His paintings have been exhibited in a number of prestigious galleries.
Here at the Replica Report, we tend to Recognize a Resemblance to a kind of Santa Fe graphic depiction of a bird in the anomalies – meaning we all agree on the Resemblance to wings!
About the author: the power of Resemblances inspired artist Ismael Cavazos to create the Old Man in the Peanut after recognizing the heart of a peanut resembles an old man’s hooded head complete with beard. He now brings you Remarkable Resemblances from around the World with the Replica Report.
Whenever I see a big budget, high effects, action packed movie I immediately think of mid-summer. The race for the unofficial title of Summer Blockbuster has been going on for decades now, as each year studios release movies that promise to blow away the entire crop of movies that came the summer before. It’d kind of a tradition, at this point. Every year delivers some combination of super heroes, alien invasions, and space travels designed to delight the masses with slick effects, beautiful stars, and high budget thrills.
Oblivion, the latest vehicle for Hollywood’s favorite ageless eccentric, Tom Cruise, has all the makings for the kind of thrill ride audiences crave in their summer releases. There are spaceships and aliens and post-apocalyptic wastelands and explosions. For all intents and purposes, this is the type of movie normally reserved for your Fourth of July weekend dollar; so when I found out it was scheduled for release in late April I immediately had to ask myself: why?
It’s no secret that the business of show is just as much a business as any multinational, billion dollar corporation is. The schedule of release is a carefully mapped out and planned process involving all sorts of metrics and market research designed to optimize their obtaining of your hard earned dollar. It’s a science, for sure, based around studio estimations of what they think you’ll want to see on what weekend. That’s why most big budget spectacles open on long weekends, when the majority of the movie going population has time to kill.
And Oblivion is a spectacle, that’s for sure. Cruise plays technician Jack Harper, one of the lone inhabitants of Earth after a long and tragic confrontation with a mysterious alien race. The world is a wasteland, unrecognizable from the world we know, filled with pockets of radioactive areas as a result of our launching of nuclear missiles. Though we are told that humans eventually prevailed over their interstellar assailants, the price of survival was our home. Most of humanity has been relocated to Titan while Jack and his partner, Victoria (played by Andrea Riseborough) are tasked as a sort of post-apocalypse cleanup crew.
The habitat on Titan is dependent on a series of giant fusion rigs that use the water of the oceans to generate power for the struggling settlement. Despite having won the war against our invaders, pockets of alien enemies still exist on our planet and they have every intention of destroying what they can before dying off. As a result, the rigs are protected by an armada of drones that systematically destroy any hostile forces. As technician, it is Jack’s responsibility to keep these drones running.
Already, this plot sounds as though it has everything you could want in a summer time escapist release. Cap this off with some impressive effects and you’ve got yourself a genuine Memorial Day weekend blockbuster. The problem with a summer release, however, and the most likely reason for its April release? It’s just not that good.
That’s not to say it’s a terrible movie or anything, because it’s far from that. I’ve no doubt that this movie will make its money back and then some on ticket sales and it will most likely be generally well received by the movie going public. It may not be a good movie, but it’s still a fun movie that more or less delivers everything you’d expect it to. But it never quite does anything to blow you away.
It’s a fun movie to look at, no doubt. There are some intense moments with Jack piloting his “bubble ship”, a sort of futuristic helicopter that allows Jack to gallivant off from his home base which floats somewhere over the eastern seaboard, as well as some requisite explosions (a necessity for all summer blockbusters). But it really isn’t anything we haven’t seen before.
Which is kind of the perfect way to sum up the experience of watching Oblivion. It’s fun enough, I guess, but it’s nothing you haven’t seen. The plot itself is derivative and predictable. I was told beforehand to avoid any spoilers for the movie and I obliged but as the film progressed it became pretty clear what was going to happen before it happened. The twists and turns I was told to anticipate were pretty straight forward and if you are actually impressed by the shocking reveal then I have to posit that you weren’t paying attention. Even the normally amazing Morgan Freeman is a little bit bland as the leader of a small pocket of humans that have supposedly resisted both the invasion and subsequent exodus of Earth.
As I said, I don’t anticipate Oblivion to be a box office dud. The star power alone is more than enough to keep the masses entertained for a few weekends. But it’s pretty clear that this movie won’t be setting any records. If anything it proves that the machinations of the Hollywood money making system know what they’re doing. Like most April releases, this movie is one to see and then immediately forget about.
The Belmont is really a great venue. The sound, lighting and the accessibility of the space are perfect. I have a few favorite venues in town, after the Continental, but this is a new one on my list. I believe that I had been to the Belmont a few years ago at SXSW, but it definitely did not look like it did for this show. Much has changed for the better. The sound was excellent. The floor had two levels. You start out on the upper level, and there is a ramp that leads down to the lower level in front of the stage. I am in a wheelchair, and I ONLY like to be up front, so this made the access great for me. There was no roof over the floor area at The Belmont, so it was also cool to be under the city sky. I believe that when it rains they’ll be able to put the venue under a tent. Not having a roof helps with the capacity numbers, it’s a weird thing but when you don’t have a roof at a venue, for some reason you’re allowed by law to have more people. With the move of Antones to the East side, I had thought that the only only reason now to venture downtown was ACL live at the Moody theater, but now I have another reason. The Belmont is definitely a venue I’ll be returning to.
Hardproof killed it last night. This is a band that really blows my mind. They get better every time I see them. They are on the verge of exploding I’m sure that they garnered a whole new set of fans at this show, because I did not recognize much of the audience. I am friends with the members of this band, and it is such a cool thing to see them take off in this way. When these guys do a local show I’m usually parked right up front, and grooving. I think the only puzzle piece missing is an album, preferably live, so as to capture some of the infusing energy.
The Rebirth Brass Band means New Orleans to me. This band and I go way back. When I was booking shows up at Ruta Maya, we booked them many times. It is no secret that I am a fan of horns. This band frequently changes members, but there is always is a lot of brass on stage. Last night there were six horns, two trombones, two trumpets, a sax and a tuba. That is the recipe for a good funking time. These guys do not ever disappoint. I was a magnet at this show. Everyone was dancing and having a blast. I am seriously reconsidering going to Jazzfest…
FARMINGTON, ME — Desmond Duguay dotes Dots! So back in February, Desmond and his wife, Amy, went to Rite Aid in Auburn for snacks – one of which was a box of Dots. Duguay said he ate a few of the gummy candies, felt the funny piece in his hand and showed it to his wife. On a whim, they nicknamed it “The Holy Dot” and listed it on eBay.
From eBay : “So I was eating a box of DOTS today and I found none other than the Virgin Mary herself just chillin’ with her other DOT disciples. Just last week my wife and I had our first child and I am convinced that a higher power has stepped in and literally dumped a second miracle in our lap in the form of this Gummy Virgin Mary. A miracle that will no doubt equate to millions of dollars and our child’s college tuition bought and paid for. I know that this Gummy Virgin Mary is near priceless and that if I held onto it, it would only appreciate in value. Having just had my beautiful son though I need to be thinking about his future and must let this miracle gummy go and put all proceeds into my son’s college fund. This is a 100% authentic Gummy Virgin Mary, that may or may not have mystical and spiritual powers. All I can say is that since I have had this gummy in my possession I have not contracted any viruses, sexually transmitted diseases, or illnesses that I know of and I feel amazing.. Is this due to the Gummy Virgin Mary? I think so.”
As Replica Report readers know, a Resemblance is even more valuable if it was made unintentionally or inadvertently. We believe it is authentic but many websites are claiming that the gummy candy was made intentionally and are crying foul.
In a post titled, “A virgin dot? We think not!”, CorporateMal.com skeptically compared the Duguay’s photo to a small Virgin Mary candy mold sold on eBay by A World of Moulds in the United Kingdom.
From that website:
“Now there is no way to know for sure what the real story is behind this piece of piousness. However, we can all agree that as long as there are people like the Duguays and a candy like Dots, America will always be the undisputed leader in delicious delusional devotions.”
The write-up was good for a laugh, but it wasn’t so, Duguay said. He claims his is no doctored Dot. “I bought the box unopened,” he said. “I have no idea if or how it could have been placed there . . . We did not modify the Dot one bit.” His best guess: It’s a defect that quality control missed.
After two initial days of furious activity that saw 42 bids, the auction had stalled by Monday at $215, with three days left to go. Finally, on March 8th it sold for $305.
About the author: the power of Resemblances inspired artist Ismael Cavazos to create the Old Man in the Peanut after recognizing the heart of a peanut resembles an old man’s hooded head complete with beard. He now brings you Remarkable Resemblances from around the World with the Replica Report.
A comb is a toothed device used for styling, cleaning and managing hair and scalp. Combs are among the oldest tools found by archaeologists, having been discovered in very refined forms from settlements dating back to 5,000 years ago in Persia. Combs consist of a shaft and teeth that are placed at a perpendicular angle to the shaft.
With that in mind, the Replica Report looks at another comb (so named because of it’s Resemblance to the comb tool)- the fleshy growth or crest on the top of the head of gallinaceous birds, most notably turkeys, pheasants, and domestic chickens. Its alternative name cockscomb (spelling variations abound) is because combs are generally larger on males than on females.
Scientists suggest that a chicken’s comb has two important functions. The primary function is to help keep a chicken cool in hot weather, as chickens can’t pant like other animals (such as dogs) are able to do. Blood circulates in dense networks of tiny blood vessels and capillaries from the chicken’s comb to its wattles. This gives the comb its deep red color and allows the blood to be cooled by the air before traveling to other parts of the bird’s body.
The secondary function of the comb is to help a chicken attract a mate. A large, bright-colored comb is a sign of health and vitality. Often, in the pecking order of a flock, the bird with the biggest, brightest comb becomes the “alpha” rooster or hen.
In cookery: Combs are used in cookery, often in combination with wattles or chicken kidneys.
Combs were formerly used in French cuisine as garnishes. They were also used to prepare salpicons served in vol-au-vents, profiteroles, etc. in which they were often combined with other luxury ingredients such as truffles, sweetbreads, or morels in a cream sauce.
In Italian cuisine, combs are an important ingredient in the famous sauce called Cibreo, which also includes chicken livers, wattles, and unlaid eggs. It is used as a sauce for tagliatelle and in the molded potato-ricotta ring Cimabella con cibreo.
Combs are prepared by parboiling and skinning, then cooking in court-bouillon. After preparation, they are greyish.
Rooster combs are often served in Chinese dim sum style dishes.
Source : Wikipedia
About the author: the power of Resemblances inspired artist Ismael Cavazos to create the Old Man in the Peanut after recognizing the heart of a peanut resembles an old man’s hooded head complete with beard. He now brings you Remarkable Resemblances from around the World with the Replica Report.
Last night was my first experience at the new location of Antones, on East Riverside. The new venue is sweet! I will be back . There are three levels now, and two floors. I did not explore much as there seem to be many steps and I ride a wheelchair. My spot was right in front of the stage, the only place I dig. It seems like the stage at the new venue is deeper. That means that more people can get on the stage, and for The Kashmere Stage Band that’s a good thing. They are a massive band. The last time I saw The Kashmere Stage Band was at the old Antones location, the whole band could barely fit on stage. Last night the set-up was ideal: the horn section and base player were placed behind the keyboards, there was a microphone set front and center, so that different members could come forward and do solos. I feel that the band was bigger (more members) last time, but maybe I think that because the stage is bigger.The last time they had a big band/orchestra feel. Last night it was pure funk. It was a very fun night. They proved the funk. They played much of their stuff, and then went into a couple of classics that the audience sang along with like “I wanna take you higher” and “Thank you for letting me be myself”. This band is one that needs to be seen live. A few years ago there was a documentary made about them called “Thunder Soul” I recommend that you check it out. I hope to see you next time.
This news found me mid afternoon Thursday, I have been thinking a lot about it, ever since.I have read many words about the man, about his contributions and how he fueled many voices to enter in the dialogue about film. I will chime in here and join this illustrious list of friends, colleagues and fans. Above all else, the main feeling I have when thinking about him is GRATITUDE.
I grew up watching Siskel and Ebert, and was hooked almost immediately. It really intrigued me to see people discussing film in such a manner. I had not been accustomed to such a dissection of the elements of film. From their discussions I learned a lot about the history of film and began my own explorations. It didn’t matter whether I agreed or not with their decisions, it was how they each backed up their arguments. That is what I learned, how to support my believes on film with a history of cinema. Many years later, when I was starting the newspaper Austin Daze, Ebert was an advocate for other reviewers. He had come out in support of the online trend of reviews, and I thought that was very cool. He opened so many doors. I never got to meet Ebert in person, but many of my friends did, and I feel that he helped so many people grow into their professions. A few months after being in town I attended a QT fest at the Old-School Alamo. It was there, amongst strangers, that I was able to discuss films, even among characters such as QT and other famous directors. At that place, it really didn’t matter who you were, or what you had done, as long as you could hold your own and discuss the films with knowledge of other films. Thank you for the tools Mr. Ebert. I am grateful for what Ebert has done in making criticism about movies mainstream, and for showing the world that with an understanding of the elements, then you can argue or have an opinion. This really goes beyond film…….
A train is a connected series of rail vehicles propelled along a track to transport cargo or passengers. It is the “connected series” of the train that Resembles the “connected series” of thoughts and as a result has given rise to the phrase “Train of Thought”.
The train of thought, stream of thought’, chain of thought or trail of thought (Sarah Rickards) refers to the interconnection in the sequence of ideas expressed during a connected discourse or thought, as well as the sequence itself, especially in discussion how this sequence leads from one idea to another.
When a reader or listener “loses the train of thought” (i.e., loses the relation between consecutive sentences or phrases, or the relation between non-verbal concepts in an argument or presentation), comprehension is lost of the expressed or unexpressed thought.
The term “train of thoughts” was introduced and elaborated as early as in 1651 by Thomas Hobbes in his Leviathan.
For your entertainment, I have included this link to a fun word game called Train of Thought: http://www.wordgames.com/train-of-thought.html
About the author: the power of Resemblances inspired artist Ismael Cavazos to create the Old Man in the Peanut after recognizing the heart of a peanut resembles an old man’s hooded head complete with beard. He now brings you Remarkable Resemblances from around the World with the Replica Report.
