Random Play Friday January 30, 2009
Posted by Matt in Random Play.Tags: Ipod, playlist, random, shuffle
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My Ipod contains over 5,400 songs, so anytime I hit “Shuffle Songs” it is interesting to see what comes up. Because of the nature of my work, I am able to listen to music through headphones most of the time, so naturally I do so and I thought I would share with you what came up when I “shuffled” today. Enjoy.
R.E.M. – Strange Currencies
Conor Oberst – Get-Well Cards
My Bloody Valentine – Blown a Wish
Spoon – Chicago at Night
Ryan Adams – Please Do Not Let Me Go
Jeff Buckley – Dream Brother
The Dodos – The Season
The Hold Steady – Southtown Girls
Metallica – Fade to Black
Bruce Springsteen – Tenth Avenue Freeze
Liz Phair – Supernova
Josh Ritter – You Don’t Make It Easy Babe
10,000 Maniacs – Stockton Gala Days
Beck – Girl
Radiohead – Jigsaw Falling Into Place
The Jayhawks – One Man’s Problem
Drive-By Truckers – Wednesday
Hank Williams – Alone and Forsaken
Belle & Sebastian – If She Wants Me
Nick Drake – Place to Be
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – Breakdown
Portishead – the Rip
Beastie Boys – Shake Your Rump
Johnny Cash – Big River
Michael McDermott – Mess of Things
Les Savy Fav – Patty Lee
The Decemberists – O Valencia
The Black Keys – Grown So Ugly
The Clash – Brand New Cadillac
Neutral Milk Hotel – Ghost
Led Zeppelin – Dancing Days
Free Music Friday – The Boss Returns January 30, 2009
Posted by Matt in free music friday.Tags: Bruce Springsteen, video, Working on a Dream
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If you don’t have the newest release from Bruce Springsteen, do yourself a favor and pick it up today. Take my word for it, the album is incredible.
On the Upcoming Super Bowl XLIII January 29, 2009
Posted by Matt in NFL.Tags: Arizona Cardinals, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, prediction, Super Bowl
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That most wonderful time of the year, Super Bowl Sunday, is upon us and millions of people around the world will tune in for the gargantuan spectacle. With funny commercials and a halftime show by the great Bruce Springsteen, it can be easy for us to overlook the reason for the season, football, but today you are in luck. I give this to you as my gift, wrapped nicely beneath the brightly lit Super Bowl tree – my preview of the teams and a prediction that you can take to the bank.
We’ll start with the Arizona Cardinals, perhaps the unlikeliest of teams from this year’s playoffs to advance to the big game. Finishing the regular season by losing 4 of the final 6 games, for an overall 9-7 record seemed to doom the Cards to Wild Card loss obscurity. But, somehow, someway, these southwestern birds rose to the challenge. Led by centenarian quarterback Kurt Warner, two top-notch receivers, and a defense that suddenly recalled how to tackle, Arizona marched through their adversaries, showing not only the might of their aerial offense, but also the new-found heft of their defense. Their keys for the game will revolve around injured and discontented receiver Anquan Boldin (will he play and, if he does, will he care?), a defense that must play above their ability, and Kurt Warner’s continued imbibing from the fountain of youth.
Pittsburgh played very well all season to reach their 12-4 mark, then cruised through their two playoff games to reach their second Super Bowl in 4 years. On offense, the Steelers are an effective, yet fairly nondescript, bunch. Ben Roethlisberger is not a great quarterback, but he is a proven winner, but much of his production may revolve around the effectiveness of an injured Hines Ward. Pitt’s real strength is on defense, where they set up a veritable stone wall against their opponents, stuffing rushers to the tune of only 80 yards per game (ranked 2nd in the league), stifling passers to only 157 yards (ranked 1st) and keeping their adversaries to under 14 points per game. Their key to the game will be their ability to stop Arizona’s passing game.
Prediction:
The biggest matchup of the game is, without a doubt, between Arizona’s aerial attack and Pittsburgh’s top-rated pass defense. In my opinion, the old adage that “defense wins games,” will again hold true.
Pitt 31 – AZ 21
But, then again, I did pick a Dallas/San Diego championship back in August.
What do you think?
The BBQ Holy Grail January 29, 2009
Posted by Matt in random.Tags: bacon, bacon explosion, barbecue, cardiac arrest, sausage
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It may have just been found. Now, this holy grail is not some chalice bestowing eternal life on those who drink from it, no, it is nothing of the sort. Rather than an everlasting mortal existence, this gift from above will most likely put you at higher risk for cardiac arrest, but it may just be worth it.
Yes, the object of our culinary desire may have finally reached the light of day. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Bacon Explosion.
According to this article from the New York Times, Bacon Explosion consists of “two pounds of bacon woven through and around two pounds of sausage and slathered in barbecue sauce.” This 5,000+ calorie bohemoth is then smoked to artery-clogging perfection.
You can get the actual recipe here, but when I tried to connect it was overloaded with visitors.
Happy barbecuing. Just make sure you have the number of a cardiologist close at hand.
Best News Story of the Day January 29, 2009
Posted by Matt in random.Tags: Austin, roadsign, zombie invasion
5 comments
In Austin, Texas, someone hacked into a digital roadsign and changed it to read this:
My suggestion: Make sure you have plenty of nonperishable food items, guns, and ammo.
Or you could just garrison the local shopping mall.
A Blast From the Past January 28, 2009
Posted by Matt in random.Tags: movie clip, Pee Wee Herman, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Tequila
2 comments
I wanted to say that Rachel and I just finished watching Pee Wee’s Big Adventure using the Watch It Now feature on Netflix and it was awesome. Over the past 24 years I had forgotten how incredibly strange and funny that movie was.
I mean, we can’t let things get too serious around here, can we?
A Place at the Table – Pt. 3 January 27, 2009
Posted by Matt in A Place at the Table.Tags: Bible, Biblical Interpretation, church of christ, idolatry
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I know it has been a few weeks since I last posted on the issues surrounding the role of women (or lack thereof) in the Church of Christ. In that time, there have been several comments both on my first “A Place at the Table” post (the comments were inadvertantly turned off on part 2) and the “Case Against Lads to Leaders” post from before then. In these, several people took the time and space to write out verse-by-verse how they felt about my prior statements – why they were either right or wrong.
Originally, I had it in my mind that I would do something similar and use the Bible to try and make my argument, but, after reading the arguments from both sides another question came to mind, arising like a phoenix from the leftover ash heap in this fight over Biblical interpretation. So, the more I thought about it, the more it plagued my thoughts and the more it affected my writing of this next installment.
So, I have decided that, instead of rambling on and on with my own opinions, I would pose the question to you.
Have we (meaning in my context the “Church of Christ,” but anyone is welcome to comment from their own situation) turned the Bible into our idol? In our zeal for having things exactly right have we elevated the scriptures to an unhealthy level? In our desire to parse each syllable of each word have we turned this volume from antiquity into a golden calf?
Hard Times in the ‘Burbs January 26, 2009
Posted by Matt in economy.Tags: box stores, corporations, economic downturn, recession, suburbs
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As dismal economic reports continue to flood in around our nation, people are tightening their proverbial purse strings and, as a result of this seemingly newfound financial consciousness, many businesses are closing shop. It is hitting the suburban area where we make our home fairly hard, as can be seen by the number of “Going out of Business” sales taking place in the area.
Two years ago a brand new open air shopping mall opened within walking distance of our house, a place that was to be one of the biggest retails lures in the Memphis area. Jam-packed with big box stores and chain restaurants, it seemed destined for success. Today, no less than three of the stores (Linens N’ Things, Circuit City, and World Market) are either gone or going out of business. Two of the chain eateries (including the poorly conceived idea of having a chain barbecue restaurant in an area that already has the world’s best) stand empty. Across the county, the ugliness of quickly constructed strip malls stand at every corner, yet today they stand desolate and empty, merely a ghost of commerce past. Soon after we moved into our house in 2006, they leveled a large amount of acreage, decimating the trees and leaving behind only the brown earth and so far there has yet to be any construction, instead we hear only the roar of the occasional bulldozer flattening the lifeless earth. Where once the promise of prosperity brought numerous businesses to our town, we now watch as the place becomes a veritable graveyard filled with skeletons of good fortune.
My hope is that this will perhaps usher in a new era of locally owned and operated businesses. That maybe, just maybe, we will no longer find ourselves in subjection to the corporations of the world.
But, if not, we’ll always have Wal-Mart.
The Big 50K January 25, 2009
Posted by Matt in blog.Tags: blog, hits
2 comments
I just noticed that overnight Words of Wisdom broke the 50,000 hit mark. So I want to express my appreciation to all of you that take time to come by and read my meandering thoughts.
Thanks.
Random Play Friday January 23, 2009
Posted by Matt in Random Play.Tags: Ipod, playlist, shuffle songs
5 comments
My Ipod contains over 5,400 songs, so anytime I hit “Shuffle Songs” it is interesting to see what comes up. Because of the nature of my work, I am able to listen to music through headphones most of the time, so naturally I do so and I thought I would share with you what came up when I “shuffled” today. Enjoy.
Led Zeppelin – Misty Mountain Hop
Spoon – Don’t Make Me a Target
Willie Nelson – September in the Rain
Ryan Adams – These Girls
Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal
Alice in Chains – We Die Young
The Black Keys – Desperate Man
The Jayhawks – One Man’s Problem
Phish – Dog-Faced Boy
Rage Against the Machine – Bulls on Parade
Grateful Dead – Sugar Magnolia
Widespread Panic – You Got Yours
Two Cow Garage – Forget You (Try To)
Bob Dylan – Isis
Wilco – Either Way
The Strokes – Alone, Together
The Hold Steady – Joke About Jamaica
The Raconteurs – Together
U2 – City of Blinding Lights
Les Savy Flav – Rage in the Plague Age
Brett Dennen – So Far From Me
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Travelin’ Band
Josh Ritter – Next to the Last Romantic
Pearl Jam – Black Red Yellow
Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Hard Life
Miles Davis – Seven Steps to Heaven
Robert Plant/Allison Krauss – Your Long Journey
Jimi Hendrix – Gypsy Eyes
John Prine – You Got Gold
The Vines – I’m Only Sleeping
Portishead – Biscuit
Neko Case – Dirty Knife
