The Good, The Good, The Good

Re:views

More multi-media recommendations from your favorite arbiters of good times here at cyberdiarrhea. I've been on a downloading spree lately acquiring some good music, video, books. Also this month I am recommending a good website. Note that all of these are recommendations as I try not to get involved with any sucky stuff. I just watched an episode of this and am the most geeked up about:

Video-Full Metal Alchemist- This is a Japanese animation show about a couple of brothers using alchemy to try to bring their dead mother back. That's the basic premise. It is in a continuous episode format that is rather addictive. The storylines are good with a good balance of enough happening each episode and enough adding to the story to keep it from being a cocktease or choppy. The animation is killer. Obviously caricatured, but not to absurd proportions as in some modern comics. It is Japanese so of course there is going to be a bit of: annoying squealing, but not to piggish; frozen characters with the background spinning/moving behind them- done with enough variety so as to be interesting; mistranslated subtitles- mostly natural sounding, but with the occassional electronic translator too-direct phrasing. It if fun like a kid's cartoon, but then some dudes brains get blown out the back of his head.

Book-Europe in the Modern Age (Audio book)- This is one of the first audio books I have listened to and I wasn't sure if I could pay attention to someone reading a book to me. But, it has been great on the ol' ipod especially on the way to/ home from work that is just long enough for one of the lectures. It is expansive (15 CD's), but it gives a comprehensive overview of modern Europe that links many of the historical incidents in contextual terms. It is interesting that when I think of Europe I think of old history, but the actual nation states of Europe are a fairly recent phenomenon. The contrivance of which partially led to the increase in national-unity sentiment that played out in the early 20th century. Also, I can now make the case that the Ethiopians possibly won WWII back in the late 19th century. As European nations sought to colonize African nations (an increase from 10-90% of Africa being controlled by Europe within 20 years), Italy invaded Ethiopia. With a larger and well-equipped force Ethiopia took it to the Italians and CASTRATED the prisoners of war. This led to much of Italy's preoccupation with Ethiopia in WWII which distracted Italy from much of the fight in Europe.

Website-janesguide.com. Try to find the free porn sites on the web and you're led through an endless maze that starts with a lot of hype and ends with demands for credit card numbers. This site reviews some good and unusual porn sites and gives you the lowdown on which ones have some free previews. Connect enough 30 seconders together and you got yourself an ADD skinflick.

Music-Lots of good tunes these days. Let me list 'em.

10. Bathory- Octagon- None of the synth, just straight ahead rockin. 3 song titles named after mental illnesses.

9.Dvorak- New World Symphony #9 Royal Concertgebouw- The symphony supposedly influenced by American Indian sounds. I don't know about that but sounds Star Warsish.

8.Frank n Dank- I heard this on a BBC radio program. These cats are from Detroit. I first heard Frank Nitty on a Project Born CD out of Flint 13 years ago.

7. Popol Vuh- Like when the Dead go into jam mode, but for the entire CD.

6. Bob Dylan/ Johnny Cash- Nashville Sessions- Nice interplay between the two with Johnny exhorting Bob to "go ahead Bobby". Nice warbling from Dylan.

5. 4hero- BrandNew Heavies but jammier

4. DJ Vadim- Nice mixes with bass-heavy stunted beats.

3. Cheeseburger- Stripped down rock with Misfits styley vocs. Solid.

2. Charles Earland- Homeboy does some way out jazz on "Dynamite Brothers" and some smooth organ work on "Slammin and Jammin".

1.The Essential Northern Soul Story- Various Artists and Desperate Man Blues-Various Artists- Two way tie for first. ENSS sounds like Motown with more instrument focus. DMB (not Dave bro) has a bunch of blues artists like Son House that sound like their vocal chords have been scorched by the devil and sing about it.

Alright get out there and put some leg work in.