It has come to my attention that Richard Nixon is not in the news much and that if I wanted to increase traffic to the DCV via Google redirects, I should update presidents. Thus the title ...
I got my bike out today. It's generally a bad sign when you literally have to dust off your exercise equipment before using it. Here's my bike route ... it's 15 miles and it's really beautiful after the first 2 miles because you're really out in the country. There's lots of ponds and it's pretty much exclusively through the pines, so even when you're lungs are bursting (from the aforementioned out-of-shapitude), it's somehow comforting to know that if you are going to fall off your bike and die from exhaustion ... at least you'd be dying in a scenic setting.
My Super Bowl prediction, right before it happens is PIT 24 ARZ 16. Of course, the best thing about the Super Bowl is that it means that pro football is over and that it's almost baseball season and March Madness. This week I'll be counting down the best 10 baseball games I've ever attended ... to get us through those last days before pitchers and catchers report. I further predict that Springsteen ends the day w/ the 3rd best halftime show ever, behind U2 and Prince.
stop reading here if you want to avoid a mini-diatribe and a downer ... it is not intended to be holier-than-thou ... know am preaching to the alter people here (tired of the choirpeople getting all the good press) ...
So, the Super Bowl pretty much represents the apex of American gargantuanism. Oversized men chasing each other around with exaggerated senses of self-importance ... in front of millions of people waiting to be sold on what beer would make them funnier or what truck would make them more of a man than they currently are. Meanwhile, there are thousands of people dying (mostly children and the elderly) every day because of simple hunger. It's really absurd if you think about it for even a second. Check out this page if you want to help out in a small way ...
Showing posts with label u2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label u2. Show all posts
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
New U2 song is out
The first single from No Line on the Horizon is available from iTunes. It rocks pretty hard for about 13 seconds, then Bono downshifts it into something Zooropa-like odd. Ah, maybe it'll grow on me.
If I blogged about every time the NY Times irritated Dolberry! to no end, I'd have no time for anything else. But they really raised my dander w/ their article last night about the inauguration gala. U2 opened their set w/ "Pride (In the Name of Love)" an awesome MLK tribute that was meaningful in time (MLK day), space (steps of Lincoln Memorial), and context (inauguration of first black President). Bono, as he does from time to time, was doing some freestyle pontificating when he let drop that freedom is also an Israeli dream and "also a Palestinian dream". The NYT tut-tutted, calling it the "only sour note" of the gala. (I'd link to it, but can't find now. I swear I read it last night.)
I can't figure out why that is a sour note. Are we not supposed to mention anything political at an expressly political event? Do Palestinians not dream of freedom? It is not PC to even mention Palestinians?
Dolberry doesn't have an opinion re: Gaza, other than that they should quit killing each other. Here's a much better take from The Nation. I just gotta ignore the NYT. Basically, that web site is just like the comic strip "Cathy". I can't avoid reading it, but it generally ends w/ Dolberry! feeling like his intelligence has been insulted ... again.
If I blogged about every time the NY Times irritated Dolberry! to no end, I'd have no time for anything else. But they really raised my dander w/ their article last night about the inauguration gala. U2 opened their set w/ "Pride (In the Name of Love)" an awesome MLK tribute that was meaningful in time (MLK day), space (steps of Lincoln Memorial), and context (inauguration of first black President). Bono, as he does from time to time, was doing some freestyle pontificating when he let drop that freedom is also an Israeli dream and "also a Palestinian dream". The NYT tut-tutted, calling it the "only sour note" of the gala. (I'd link to it, but can't find now. I swear I read it last night.)
I can't figure out why that is a sour note. Are we not supposed to mention anything political at an expressly political event? Do Palestinians not dream of freedom? It is not PC to even mention Palestinians?
Dolberry doesn't have an opinion re: Gaza, other than that they should quit killing each other. Here's a much better take from The Nation. I just gotta ignore the NYT. Basically, that web site is just like the comic strip "Cathy". I can't avoid reading it, but it generally ends w/ Dolberry! feeling like his intelligence has been insulted ... again.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Fun Weekend
Friday: Off from work. Did my first double workout of the year (ran 2 miles, swam 1000 yds). Picked APD up from school and went here and then to the U2 3D movie. Dolberry's review: Excellent. Awesome music. Cool effects.
Saturday: Went out to Asheboro for a combined IM/APD b-day party. Got to play Guitar Hero for the first time. I pretty much rock at it, esp. "Cherub Rock" and "I Ran". IM came back to our house for a sleepover & brought his Playstation 2 with him which was fun.
Sunday: Biked home from church ... always fun. Then, we had our own mini-Super Bowl party w/ the orange dip and chips, plus chicken wings. Mmmmm, very good. The game was worth watching, which was nice.
Hope everyone else's was equally as nice.
30 days 'til Spring Training.
Saturday: Went out to Asheboro for a combined IM/APD b-day party. Got to play Guitar Hero for the first time. I pretty much rock at it, esp. "Cherub Rock" and "I Ran". IM came back to our house for a sleepover & brought his Playstation 2 with him which was fun.
Sunday: Biked home from church ... always fun. Then, we had our own mini-Super Bowl party w/ the orange dip and chips, plus chicken wings. Mmmmm, very good. The game was worth watching, which was nice.
Hope everyone else's was equally as nice.
30 days 'til Spring Training.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
DCV Top Bands of the 80's: #1
1. U2
Reasons why U2 is better than every other band of the 1980's:
a) The songs. There are about 20-30 U2 songs that make Dolberry very happy whenever he hears them. (I'll list them under "best songs".)
b) There was never a better video than U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" where they were at Red Rocks outside Denver. A storm rolls in. You can see the band's breath as Bono waves his white flag and screams his frustration "I'm so sick of it!" He was sick of the violence in Northern Ireland and 1983 Dolberry was sick of doing homework, taking out the trash, or having girls not lining up to date him. Nevertheless, we were kindred spirits against cruel outside forces. (Video added to sidebar.)
c) No other band of the 80's played a concert in St. Louis MO in 1987 on the same night as the 6th game of the World Series (Twins - Cardinals) and sucked up to the crowd by having their lead singer come out emblazoned in a Cardinals jacket and hat (which he threw to the crowd).
d) More than any other "star" I know, U2's Bono has leveraged his fame to do something other than general self-indulgence. Personally, Dolberry thinks he's done almost entirely good things which is an added bonus.
e) The Edge's guitar sound.
f) U2's Super Bowl appearance which paid tribute to the 9/11 victims while reaffirming that the US and people of good faith everywhere will not bow down to evil.
g) My Dad once said, while demanding that early U2 be turned off, that "this is awful" & "those guys will never amount to anything". It is, to my knowledge, the only time my dad was ever wrong about anything. (For the record, my mom was only wrong once as well ... thinking potato soup was edible.)
h) I heard Bono say once, "Quit asking God to bless what you're doing. Instead, find out what He's doing and do that. It's already blessed."
i) I like how U2 rebounded from a period in which they thought songs about this citrus fruit were good ideas. I like the fact that they tried that whole weird mid-90's Pop Mart thing ... even if I never got it. (Others 80s bands rebounded, but not to the same level as U2.)
j) U2 is from Ireland. Dolberry ancesters are from Ireland.
k) I like the fact that U2's absence from Live Earth was advocated by the antiGores as evidence that the concept of global warming is somehow flawed. (They're recording a new album in Africa at present.)
l) I like the fact that when U2 was starting out they claimed "I can't change the world, but I can change the world in me."
m) I like that U2 is so into America (our strengths, as well as our failings)
n) I like the fact that there's no better song to play on your headset while walking on the beach on a grey cloudy day than "The Unforgettable Fire". Seriously, I think that's one of the best experiences one can have on Earth.
o) I like how U2 usually opens "Where the Streets Have No Name" w/ a snippet from one of the Psalms (e.g.: Ps 116-12-13).
p) Bono's 80's hair, while widely mocked, is still a target that to which Dolberry aspires.
q) I like the fact that the Edge so admired Stuart Adamson and paid a touching tribute to him upon his death.
r) I like the fact that Bono's been married to his wife for 25 years.
s) I liked the U2 appearance on the Simpsons and that Monty Burns thinks they're "wankers".
t) I like how U2 pretty much carried both "Do They Know Its Christmas" and Live Aid.
u) Who knows to what degree, but it's pretty impressive that a band would have any role in bringing warring parties to peace as U2 did in Northern Ireland.
v) I like the fact that U2 claims to be the best band in the world.
w) I like the fact that U2 has stuck together all these years. Not just the band, but it seems like most of their team members have stuck together all these years.
Best songs: Pride, Where the Streets Have No Name, Walk On, Until the End of the World, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Beautiful Day, New Years Day, The Unforgettable Fire, Vertigo, The Fly, I Will Follow, With or Without You, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, One, In God's Country, October, Gloria, Wake Up Dead Man, Elevation, Out of Control, All I Want Is You, Bullet the Blue Sky, etc., etc.
Worst songs: Lemon
Reasons why U2 is better than every other band of the 1980's:
a) The songs. There are about 20-30 U2 songs that make Dolberry very happy whenever he hears them. (I'll list them under "best songs".)
b) There was never a better video than U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" where they were at Red Rocks outside Denver. A storm rolls in. You can see the band's breath as Bono waves his white flag and screams his frustration "I'm so sick of it!" He was sick of the violence in Northern Ireland and 1983 Dolberry was sick of doing homework, taking out the trash, or having girls not lining up to date him. Nevertheless, we were kindred spirits against cruel outside forces. (Video added to sidebar.)
c) No other band of the 80's played a concert in St. Louis MO in 1987 on the same night as the 6th game of the World Series (Twins - Cardinals) and sucked up to the crowd by having their lead singer come out emblazoned in a Cardinals jacket and hat (which he threw to the crowd).
d) More than any other "star" I know, U2's Bono has leveraged his fame to do something other than general self-indulgence. Personally, Dolberry thinks he's done almost entirely good things which is an added bonus.
e) The Edge's guitar sound.
f) U2's Super Bowl appearance which paid tribute to the 9/11 victims while reaffirming that the US and people of good faith everywhere will not bow down to evil.
g) My Dad once said, while demanding that early U2 be turned off, that "this is awful" & "those guys will never amount to anything". It is, to my knowledge, the only time my dad was ever wrong about anything. (For the record, my mom was only wrong once as well ... thinking potato soup was edible.)
h) I heard Bono say once, "Quit asking God to bless what you're doing. Instead, find out what He's doing and do that. It's already blessed."
i) I like how U2 rebounded from a period in which they thought songs about this citrus fruit were good ideas. I like the fact that they tried that whole weird mid-90's Pop Mart thing ... even if I never got it. (Others 80s bands rebounded, but not to the same level as U2.)
j) U2 is from Ireland. Dolberry ancesters are from Ireland.
k) I like the fact that U2's absence from Live Earth was advocated by the antiGores as evidence that the concept of global warming is somehow flawed. (They're recording a new album in Africa at present.)
l) I like the fact that when U2 was starting out they claimed "I can't change the world, but I can change the world in me."
m) I like that U2 is so into America (our strengths, as well as our failings)
n) I like the fact that there's no better song to play on your headset while walking on the beach on a grey cloudy day than "The Unforgettable Fire". Seriously, I think that's one of the best experiences one can have on Earth.
o) I like how U2 usually opens "Where the Streets Have No Name" w/ a snippet from one of the Psalms (e.g.: Ps 116-12-13).
p) Bono's 80's hair, while widely mocked, is still a target that to which Dolberry aspires.
q) I like the fact that the Edge so admired Stuart Adamson and paid a touching tribute to him upon his death.
r) I like the fact that Bono's been married to his wife for 25 years.
s) I liked the U2 appearance on the Simpsons and that Monty Burns thinks they're "wankers".
t) I like how U2 pretty much carried both "Do They Know Its Christmas" and Live Aid.
u) Who knows to what degree, but it's pretty impressive that a band would have any role in bringing warring parties to peace as U2 did in Northern Ireland.
v) I like the fact that U2 claims to be the best band in the world.
w) I like the fact that U2 has stuck together all these years. Not just the band, but it seems like most of their team members have stuck together all these years.
Best songs: Pride, Where the Streets Have No Name, Walk On, Until the End of the World, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Beautiful Day, New Years Day, The Unforgettable Fire, Vertigo, The Fly, I Will Follow, With or Without You, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, One, In God's Country, October, Gloria, Wake Up Dead Man, Elevation, Out of Control, All I Want Is You, Bullet the Blue Sky, etc., etc.
Worst songs: Lemon
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
DCV Top Bands of the 80's: #8
#8 The Police:
My favorite memory of the Police was when the Dolberries all loaded into the Volare sometime during the summer of 1983 to drop Dolberry! off at the Naval Academy for some summer program while the rest of the family vacationed at Ocean City. I do not remember why I went along w/ this idea. Anyway, I had a decent enough time in Annapolis. I got some good brooding in while listening to U2's amazing War album on my walkman while running around the Naval Academy's track from which you could see Chesapeake Bay. I also had some fun learning about coastal engineering w/ sand dunes and stuff in the USNA wave tank. Very cool. Anyway, I probably would have gone to the Naval Academy but for three reasons: 1) the call of the Billiken, 2) I was pretty sure that I'd never get the hang of that strange thing the cadets have to do w/ their shoes whenever they turn a corner, and 3) I think you needed a Congressional letter of recommendation & we were Larouchies at the time. Anyway, from what I've gathered over the years, the rest of the family had a miserable time at the beach w/o me, and vowed never to be away from me ever again. This summer were all going to the beach as a family and so far no one has signed me up for Camp Lejeune, though I'm going to grip the door handles tighter this time as we pass. As they say ... fool me once ...
What does this have to do w/ The Police? I'm getting to it.
If you've been a reader of the DCV since day one, you'll know I was once upon a time a great countdown buff. Now, I hardly ever count stuff down (at least not quickly). 1983 was the golden era of countdowns & somehow I was able to talk Mom & Pop into constantly scanning the radio to see which song would be played the most during our car ride. Looking back, I can't imagine how annoying this must have been ... to listen to 5-10 seconds of every song before searching for another one. It certainly appears to indicate some guilt on the part of the parental units in dropping their only son off at military school while they went to the beach. The most-played-song contest came down to two songs: the horrific Sergio Mendes ballad "Never Going to Let You Go" and (here comes your payoff) The Police's "Every Breath You Take". As we entered into Kentucky heading west/home on I-64, EBYT was trailing by two plays, but aided by better knowledge of which stations were likely to play the Police and staying away from Mendes-favoring stations, Dolberry was able to engineer a victory for Sting, Stuart, & Andy.
The Police had a lot of great songs. "Roxanne" is pretty good, but if you've never had the pleasure of listening to it w/ accompanying falsetto from Dolberry, you haven't experienced it in full. "Don't Stand So Close to Me" was always a Trinity cross-country favorite which was sung when someone would try to run too close to you in practice. I love the fact that the Police were able to work this guy into a song so seamlessly. "Synchronicity II" was a pretty amazing song as well ... as the lyrics to that one pretty much summed up how I felt every day fighting the traffic home in Chicago.
Another working day has ended
Only the rush hour hell to face
Packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes
Contestants in a suicidal race.
Sting's solo career was sort of a disappointment for those of us who enjoy rocking out on occasion. Guess he was doing was he wanted to be doing though, so bully to him. Hope their reunion tour goes well this summer. They're playing at Churchill Downs at some point. I guess Louisville has Giacomo to thank for that.
Best Songs: Every Breath, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Don't Stand So Close to Me, Message in a Bottle, Synchronicity II, Roxanne
Worst Song: After a while I got tired of "King of Pain", but it was ok.
My favorite memory of the Police was when the Dolberries all loaded into the Volare sometime during the summer of 1983 to drop Dolberry! off at the Naval Academy for some summer program while the rest of the family vacationed at Ocean City. I do not remember why I went along w/ this idea. Anyway, I had a decent enough time in Annapolis. I got some good brooding in while listening to U2's amazing War album on my walkman while running around the Naval Academy's track from which you could see Chesapeake Bay. I also had some fun learning about coastal engineering w/ sand dunes and stuff in the USNA wave tank. Very cool. Anyway, I probably would have gone to the Naval Academy but for three reasons: 1) the call of the Billiken, 2) I was pretty sure that I'd never get the hang of that strange thing the cadets have to do w/ their shoes whenever they turn a corner, and 3) I think you needed a Congressional letter of recommendation & we were Larouchies at the time. Anyway, from what I've gathered over the years, the rest of the family had a miserable time at the beach w/o me, and vowed never to be away from me ever again. This summer were all going to the beach as a family and so far no one has signed me up for Camp Lejeune, though I'm going to grip the door handles tighter this time as we pass. As they say ... fool me once ...
What does this have to do w/ The Police? I'm getting to it.
If you've been a reader of the DCV since day one, you'll know I was once upon a time a great countdown buff. Now, I hardly ever count stuff down (at least not quickly). 1983 was the golden era of countdowns & somehow I was able to talk Mom & Pop into constantly scanning the radio to see which song would be played the most during our car ride. Looking back, I can't imagine how annoying this must have been ... to listen to 5-10 seconds of every song before searching for another one. It certainly appears to indicate some guilt on the part of the parental units in dropping their only son off at military school while they went to the beach. The most-played-song contest came down to two songs: the horrific Sergio Mendes ballad "Never Going to Let You Go" and (here comes your payoff) The Police's "Every Breath You Take". As we entered into Kentucky heading west/home on I-64, EBYT was trailing by two plays, but aided by better knowledge of which stations were likely to play the Police and staying away from Mendes-favoring stations, Dolberry was able to engineer a victory for Sting, Stuart, & Andy.
The Police had a lot of great songs. "Roxanne" is pretty good, but if you've never had the pleasure of listening to it w/ accompanying falsetto from Dolberry, you haven't experienced it in full. "Don't Stand So Close to Me" was always a Trinity cross-country favorite which was sung when someone would try to run too close to you in practice. I love the fact that the Police were able to work this guy into a song so seamlessly. "Synchronicity II" was a pretty amazing song as well ... as the lyrics to that one pretty much summed up how I felt every day fighting the traffic home in Chicago.
Another working day has ended
Only the rush hour hell to face
Packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes
Contestants in a suicidal race.
Sting's solo career was sort of a disappointment for those of us who enjoy rocking out on occasion. Guess he was doing was he wanted to be doing though, so bully to him. Hope their reunion tour goes well this summer. They're playing at Churchill Downs at some point. I guess Louisville has Giacomo to thank for that.
Best Songs: Every Breath, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Don't Stand So Close to Me, Message in a Bottle, Synchronicity II, Roxanne
Worst Song: After a while I got tired of "King of Pain", but it was ok.
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