I’m not sure exactly what to say about this (Shockwave/Flash required) other than the fact that I find it very disturbing. Witness the fish-headed superKikkoman and how he induces cowering fear in the lesser toppings, the ignominous end of the cat who can’t figure out which is the better condiment, and how Ketchup Girl meets her match behind closed doors! I have to admit I never would have found this if not for my close personal friend Dave Barry. Thanks Dave!

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p>The original source is here. Interestingly, in the English version the cat ends up merely standing in the dunce corner rather than swinging from the gallows pole.

Haven’t posted much due to a very busy schedule of work and Variax-playing. Our gig with Leah last night went reasonably well considering we were playing in an incredibly inappropriate venue. Some yutz had the nerve to come up to me when I was running sound for Otis Finch afterward, and, apparently not realizing I had just come off stage from playing with Leah, called her stuff “angry lesbian music.” (It should be noted here that Leah is, to the best of my knowledge, neither.) He then proceeded to further make an ass out of himself by asking if Otis played any Jimmy Buffett. Sometimes I don’t know why we even bother trying to bring art into a world that seems starved only for dreck.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

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p>I can’t say enough good things about this new Variax guitar. The Line 6 guys have outdone themselves once again! The models are all extremely accurate except for the 12-strings, which by their nature are almost impossible to reproduce well on a 6-string. But the Les Pauls, the Strat, the Tele, the hollowbodies, all just knock me out flat. Pair this with my Line 6 AX2-212 amp and I can reproduce about $100,000 worth of vintage goodness in my soon-to-be-completed basement studio. An amazing value at a street of $999, even though I got mine for a little less. (It’s good to know people on the inside!)

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p>Time to go order Chinese and watch a movie with my sweetie. You just can’t say enough good things about a wife who encourages you to go buy new musical toys.

My Variax is in! I’m picking it up tomorrow at lunch time. Let the good times roll!

If you haven’t been by yet, visit the official Leah Morgan web site. You’ll find some clips from the upcoming CD, as well as information on our gig schedule. Right now, the next show is scheduled for Friday night, February 21 at the Rhodeside Grill in Arlington, with Otis Finch.

A couple nights ago we saw eXistenZ, the most recent film by David Cronenberg. This is probably the best Cronenberg film since Dead Ringers; and in that sense it was every bit as disturbing although in very different ways. While Dead Ringers was more about the psychology of obsession, eXistenZ investigates the more troubling nature of society’s desire for increasingly realistic escapism, especially as it relates to violence. When I watched this movie I couldn’t help but be very concerned about our own society’s future as we glorify PlayStation2, Everquest, and increasingly gory television and movies as appropriate outlets for young people. This movie is not for everyone, and I would bet that most viewers who have seen it probably missed many of its very frightening implications. I am afraid that in fifty years, this film wll be seen as highly prophetic, but it should at least be seen as one of Cronenberg’s great works in the meantime.

I don’t know what to say about rathergood.com, except that I have rarely seen anything so completely hilarious, yet profoundly disturbing as a punk rock band of kittens singing “Lightsabre ****sucking Blues.” Kids, let Joel Veitch crush your will to live, today! I’m glad I found this since the Columbia disaster has had me in kind of a funk the past couple of days. When I was young I dreamt of becoming an astronaut. What young boy geek didn’t?

In a somewhat happier note, I put a new picture of Evie up (linked to the left as well). This was taken by our good friend Jenny at her son’s birthday party in August. There will be newer pictures coming as soon as they’re developed.

Please everyone, keep the families of the brave crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia in your thoughts this weekend. They continue to endure one of the most painful events possible for any family, the loss of a loved one in an untimely tragedy. And remember to take the media’s meanderings over the coming weeks with a large helping of salt as they try to assign blame for a terrible accident.