More Press Release All-Stars

I'd like to recognize 2 more Press Release All-Stars: The Jessica and Jared "JMelly" Melzer.

The Jessica is a long-time supporter of the RPR, even dating back to its infant days within my AIM profile. She often humors me with the nonsense that I write, and has even been known to comment on occasion after I bug her to type a comment. The Jessica is even thinking about several guest columnist articles. Two topics that she has mentioned are each about NYC life, which isn't a big surprise to anyone. One topic relates to Jessica's morning runs in Central Park and the scene in the jungle of the concrete jungle at 7am. And the other topic, which I'm hoping ends up being funnier than when it was originally mentioned, is about how people in New York just sit. That's right, they sit. And do nothing. Here's an excerpt:

"I don't get it. When I was waiting for my laundry at the laundromat, I was at least talking on the cell phone and eating dinner. Then, on the way back, I pass by Starbucks, and people are just sitting. They aren't reading, they aren't drinking coffee. They are just sitting there doing nothing." We'll see how Jessica draws out the story from here. Stay tuned.

The other RPR all-star goes to Jared, who could quite possibly be the biggest fan of this little blog. Here's the conversation that ensued this evening (screen names taken out for identity purposes):

Jared: u writing in the press release tonight?
The Ross: eh...im debating it...i should really crash
The Ross: but i may not be able to write until Thurs
Jared: hey man ... no pressure
Jared: but i look forward to it each and every day
Jared: here is how my work day goes
Jared: go to espn.com, read sports
Jared: go to ross press release, read about u
Jared: then i do work
The Ross: hahahah....thats awesome
Jared: it's the daily ritual man

Also, Jared gets another shout-out because his boy Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France for the 46th consecutive year. I'm not sure if this race becomes more interesting next year because there'll be a new champion, or less interesting because no one will have Lance to rout for. By the way, can anyone (besides Jared) actually name another competitor in the Tour de France? I know there are hundreds, but let's be honest, it's been a one-man competition for years.

So who watched the Laguna Beach Season 2 this evening??? Honestly, MTV outdid themselves with this display of teenage drama goodness. Stephen comes back to Laguna and bitchface Kristen deserves a good sock in the face. Those new girls are a bunch of little brats (How about that one girl who bought the $600 Christian Dior shoes? "I can't believe I just spent $600 on these shoes!" She was trying to convince herself that she was surprised about the purchase.) A few other comments: Who takes a limo to a bowling alley? That's the biggest load of horsecrap I've ever seen. Completely unnecessary. I thought that girl Morgan didn't get into BYU? Somehow she still ended up in Utah. Something doesn't sound right. That guy Jason looks like a real douchebag. Did I mention that Kristen deserves a good punch in the face? And I still think she looks like a taller version of the Olsen twins. Additionally, when is Stephen gonna hook up with Lauren/"LC" already? It's just a matter of time, and if it if they bullshit me through the whole season without this happening, then it may single-handedly be the biggest travesty in all of reality television history.

I'll be out of commission with the blog until Thursday night. Keep it real.

Moving...and a weekend wrap up

A quick posting after the weekend...

In case you haven't heard the story, I am moving apartments this week. Don't worry - I'm not going far. In fact, I'm moving one block away. The long story short is this: I found out back in April that my apartment building was officially converting to condominiums. They first started kicking the idea around about a month after I moved in, and then it became official in April. As a result, they weren't renewing any leases and I am forced to move out as my lease ends on July 31st. What a bitch. It's a shame because I do enjoy this apartment and its location, my rent isn't too bad relative to the area, and its just enough space for me. And the fact of the matter is that I would have renewed for another year if I had the opportunity.

For one reason or another, the management decided they wanted to sell of these units, which makes no sense to me because my apartment is 550 sq. ft. (if you have no concept of size - it's tiny) So you mean to tell me that someone is going to invest in a mortgage for this place? You've got to be kidding me. Even if someone wasn't going to live here and just wanted to invest in the unit, while finding a renter of their own, they'd still have to charge $1500-1600 per month in rent to balance out the $200K mortgage. The best part is that management keeps claiming that they've "had wonderful response to selling the units", but when I get the scoop from the insiders, I find out that they've only sold 40% of the units. In the meantime, at the end of each month, there's a mass exodus of tenants moving out.

The whole thing sucks because moving is a bitch to begin with, especially when you've only been in an apartment for 1 year. It's like being back at school again where you move into an apartment in the fall and by the end of the school year, you're hauling your junk back out of there. Anyway, the new place gives me more space and is rather comparable otherwise. Of course, my rent is increasing, so I'll have to find a way to cut back on other expenses. Knowing me, I probably won't cut back on anything, and end up losing money instead of breaking even, which is what I've basically been doing for the last 12 months.

There really isn't any happy medium because the only way to save money is living at home, and that really isn't an option when work is 2.5 hours from home (w/o traffic, that is). Oh well, I guess if there's ever a time not to save any money, it's now, when I'm just looking out for myself and only have certain expenses to pay for.

So that's the story. I started to pack and move some small items on Saturday (with Jessica's help!) and I'll be doing some more on Monday night. My folks are coming up here on Tuesday night to help, and then on Wednesday is the official moving day, so I'll be taking the day off of work to clear this place out. Reason I mention all of this is because the posts may be limited, and then my internet connection will be shut off. The guy is supposed to come on Thursday morning to hook up the internet/cable, etc. so maybe I'll be back up and running on Thursday night.

Otherwise, here's the weekend wrap-up. Saturday night, went out to a very nice dinner with the Jessica for her birthday dinner. A nice French restaurant called Pastis (9th Ave. at Little West 12th St.) in the Meatpacking District, where we enjoyed the food and the people-watching from our prime location seating. Highlights included the "steak frites" entree which they are known for and was delicious, watching some guy spend about 30 minutes on the cell phone while his girlfriend/date sat there in disgust, and had a celeb sighting of our own when New York Giants defensive end, Michael Strahan walked by.

Later on in the evening, we checked out some bar on the Upper East Side, which ended up being a total sausage fest. I mean honestly, I think every frat guy who lives on the east side of Manhattan showed up at this place on Saturday night with his button-down shirt, the popped collar and hat that was cocked to the side. Speaking of the popped collar, the new all-star of the Ross Press Release - Alexis - showed some balls after I dared her to go up to the next guy who walked by with his popped collar and turn it down for him. Sure enough, she did it. Of course she mentioned that I was the one to ask her to do it, and thought the guy was gonna sock me in the face. Instead, he thought it was pretty funny, and told me that I "should wear the collar up too. It'll look cool." I just looked at this guy in disbelief and responded with "Sorry, man, I'm just not cool enough to pull that one off." Then this guy tried to pick up Alexis, while Jessica and I just stood there and laughed. Great times.

Checked out one of these Street Fairs on Sunday afternoon, which is kind of like a mini-Arts Fest, but with less art, and more junk that people are trying to sell. You see more tents with "Everything under $2" than actual pieces of art. Regardless, it was fun to check it out and know that you can find one somewhere in the city each weekend during the summer.

That's it for now, folks. Write some comments to show me you're all still out there. Comment on anything you want; doesn't even have to be relevant to my post. I'm working on some more interactive material, but until then, help me help keep you entertained. Good night.

"We Live in NYC and We Heart Celebs!"

So I get a phone call tonight from Jessica right after she left some event sponsored by Readers' Digest and just like any other time she's out with her girlfriends, all you really hear is background noise and screaming. Anyway, once I was able to actually hear her, she mentioned that they had some celebrity sightings while at some oxygen bar. (Honestly, who goes to an oxygen bar? I guess if you live in Manhattan, you'll need some clean air every now again since that island is a living, breathing, environmental disaster area.) Jessica says, "Alexis wants to tell you about her celebrity sightings."

I promised Alexis I'd give her some positive press after I made fun of her in a post about 2 weekends ago. So here's what transcribed:

"I was near the oxygen bar and I noticed that I was standing right next to Maggie Gyllenhaal. So I was just talking to her asking if she tried the oxygen and she's like,' No, I haven't.' And I introduced myself and I played it really cool. Then, we saw Alicia Keys and went up to her and said hi and mentioned that we were big fans. We asked her for a picture, but she said no, and I felt like an ass. Then, the best part was that we saw Christian Slater. My co-workers dared me to jump on him in a straddle position, but I didn't think that was a good idea. So instead I just went up and said hi and introduced myself again. I felt like an ass. But overall, it was a fun evening. 3 celebrities and I felt like an ass twice."

It doesn't seem to me like she made an ass of herself, but then again I wasn't there, nor can I read the mind of the celebrity on hand. So Alexis, the readers of the Ross Press Release ask for your comments to better justify the story and tell us how you made a fool of yourself...

My comments: I'm not sure I know who Maggie Gyllenhall is. Isn't she married to another actor? That's all that rings a bell. Next, what is Alicia Keys' problem? If you agree to go to an event, you know people are going to be there with cameras. Don't be a bitch and decline when a few people ask for a quite snapshot. By the way, your music blows. And Christian Slater...wasn't he almost sent to jail recently? Keep him away from the alcohol and give him some oxygen to cool this guy down. I hope Alexis isn't in the New York Post on Friday morning as the next woman Christian Slater gropes in public. That'd be bad for business.

So there ya go...as always, if my readers ask for some press, I oblige and give you a nice little write-up. Plus, I've been thinking of some other topics for articles, but none of them have come to fruition this evening. I was going to do a rant on the latest with the Philadelphia Eagles' Jesus himself, Terrell Owens, but I'm more curious to see what happens at the end of next week when he's supposed to report to training camp in Lehigh. So I'll hold off and bitch if he decides to stay at home, and express my overall surprise if he decides to get his head out of his ass and show up on time. Also, I've been brainstorming the "Corporate Buzz Word" article as suggested by the man, Owen Parrish. I'll try to get to that one next week for sure.

Going to see "Wedding Crashers" on Friday night. Everyone says it's the funniest movie of the summer. I have a feeling I'll say the same. Honestly, anytime you have a movie with any combination of Vince Vaughn, Luke/Owen Wilson (whoa, I mentioned 3 "Owens" tonight, that's a rarity), Ben Stiller, and Will Ferrell, then you're in for a comedy treat. My initial reaction is that I'll laugh my ass off. I'll let you know if that occurs after the weekend.

Speaking of laughing your ass off, I almost crashed the car this morning because of how funny the segment of Howard Stern was from 7:20-7:50am. They were first talking about how Scotty from Star Trek died, and then they started playing all of this old prank phone calls from George Takai ("Sulu"). Then they played a more recent prank phone call from Mike Walker (Gossip Columnist for some tabloid). Words can't describe how funny these calls are when they take audio clips from these guys and piece them together in absurd sentences, and call some guy in Arkansas or Kentucky. Absolutely hi-larious.

Many of you may know that I have an eclectic music taste. I enjoy some heavy music every now and again. And when it comes to System of a Down, oh man, it's pretty heavy at times. Loving their new disc, Mezmerize. If you enjoy their quirkiness, heavy metal riffs, and bizarre lyrical antics, check out the following tracks: "B.Y.O.B.", "Cigaros", and "Radio/Video".

That's it for now. Enjoy the Friday, and if you go out for Happy Hour tomorrow, remember one thing: "Happy Hour...why only an hour?"

Birthday Wishes & Reality TV update

First of all, on this July 20th, I need to publicly wish my Jessica Rose a very happy 23rd birthday! As I always say, the Jessica is the coolest chick I know, and gets all the credit in the world for putting up with me throughout the last several years. She truly is a wonderful girl and receives the highest of compliments and praise from this schlub, known as her boyfriend. Happy Birthday Jessica Rose!

Quick Reality TV Update: I watched "Hogan Knows Best" this evening - the VH1 reality show with Hulk Hogan, in case you weren't aware. It's very much like The Osbornes, where it's based on Hulk Hogan, his wife, and 2 kids. I gotta be honest, it was actually pretty funny. Part of what made it humorous is that you watching this former WWF superstar in everyday situations and you just can't take him seriously. It just can't be done. We'll have to wait to see if it makes my regular TV watching repertoire... VH1 loves C-List celebrities!

Has anyone seen this "Mind of Mencia" show on Comedy Central? I think it just premiered last week, but the comedian, Carlos Mencia was on Howard Stern this morning and he was pretty damn funny. Post a comment if you caught the show last week and it's worth my time.

Grown-up moment of the day: Calling my insurance company to discuss raising my liability and then determining that it's worth the money since my 6 month premium doesn't increase by that much. The reason I raised the liability is because my Dad said it might be something I should do. Just thought I'd mention this. No other particular reason.

I'm surprised no one bitched me out over my Harry Potter rant. Let's give it some more time and I'm sure someone will post some bashing comments...

Harry Potter cures Earth of all Problems

Here's a staggering statistic: 6.9 million copies of Harry Potter were sold within the first 24 hours of its release in the US. Another 2 million were sold in the UK. Think about that. Nearly 9 million books in one day. I didn't know we had that many literate people in these countries. Now I have to be honest here - I used to rip on the whole Harry Potter thing because I just didn't get it. I still don't get it, and still have no interest in that nonsense, but I've realized that J.K. Rowling is no dumbshit. She struck it rich with this idea and drilling deeper and deeper into the oil well. The author is set for life and probably has no need to continue the story past the 7th edition.

I'm a big fan of consumerism. I'm always interested in what people are buying and why certain items sell well. (Maybe I need to divert my career path toward something related to market research.) Anyway, one of the biggest keys to success is marketing toward children. Now this isn't any groundbreaking news here, but I'll elaborate. Rowling has her little wizard and sorcerer junk written and these little (and big) bastards keep running out and pay shelling out $20-$30 for the books. Not only has she roped them in, but everyone sees how popular they are. Say a couple has a kid who is 2 or 3 years old. You don't think they'll be out there buying those books in a few years when little Johnny and Emily is learning to read? How about in 10 years when others are having kids and one Harry Potter book is on the shelf? Boom - another kid eventually roped into the magical world of Hogwarts and all that other crap.

Now I'm a big advocate of giving credit where it's due. And regardless of the fact that I can't understand why anyone would waste their time on a 700 page book, if Rowling has hit it big, then she must be doing something right. I've never been one to think that just because an item is a big seller means that it's quality. Need I remind everyone that a group called N'Sync once set a record by selling 2.4 million copies of its "No Strings Attached" album the first week it was on sale in March, 2000? Look where they ended up. It could be a fad. I'd doubt it with Harry Potter since literature tends to be more timeless than pop music. Now that could be a statement that people might argue with, and to be honest, I didn't really think about it that much when I just typed it. But let me continue with my flow of thought. Pop music trends rise and fall much quicker than literature trends. Wizards, sorcerers, and quiddich (sp?) might not fade away as fast since people have been reading these types of stories for ages. People will not always look back fondly upon NSync or the Backstreet Boys, but Harry will always have a special place in their heart.

Ok, so I didn't really give Rowling as much credit in the last paragraph as I thought I would when I wrote the first sentence. And I still have a tough time grasping this whole idea. There are more kids and adolescents that have Attention Deficit Disorder now than ever, and yet one author can chain them to a 700 page book which they page through in the span of 36 hours. (By the way, if the book was released on Friday night and people have already completed it, that makes me nauseous. It takes me 2 weeks to get through a 100 page magazine, and most of that is advertisements.) So, she's essentially curing the world of ADD and making lots of money too. I have to believe that it's only a matter of time before the makers of Ritalin file a lawsuit. The parents love it because it shuts the kids up. The schools love it because it encourages reading for pleasure. The book stores love it because their sales go through the roof. Hollywood loves it because every kid that reads the damn book goes to see the movie. And then Mom and Dad must then see the movie too because the kid is too young to go to the theater by him/herself. Hey, the movie's doing well, and then the movie theater companies are doing well...other companies advertise with Harry Potter and their product does well. Everybody wins.

What's the point here? Rowling could have written anything. She could have written about politics, history, sports, and even random bullshit like me. But she chose the right story directed to the right audience at a time when it seems like every 33 year old man and woman has 2.5 little kids who need to go by a book at 12:01 a.m. on the day it comes out and then sit in a tent for the next 36 hours, confined to one spot like a fugitive stuck in a manhole while the authorites send a whole army looking for him. She isn't stupid. Even though you can read the interviews about how much she loves the story and hates the thought of ending it in her next and final edition, you know that she's laughing on the inside all the way to the Royal Bank of England with the army of children and adults that she's brainwashed and drawn into her cult.

I just don't get the whole phenomenon. I have no interest in reading the books, although every fan tells me that I need to read them. Well screw you, I am anti-establishment. I am not reading the books, no way, no how, never. I saw the first movie one time. I turned it off after 1 hour because I was bored out of my mind. I'd rather learn something in a book rather than read about fantasy land. I read books about guys from MIT who took Vegas for millions with their blackjack schemes ("Bringing Down the House" by Ben Mezrich") or about the rise and fall of Wall Street in the 80's ("Liar's Poker" by Michael Lewis") or about the famous Gonzo-journalism and the reality of Las Vegas in the late-1960's ("Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by the late Hunter S. Thompson). This is my type of reading - slightly off the wall and about topics that interest me. I'm not discounting Harry Potter because there's obviously a much larger audience for that book than such fine reads that I choose. I'm just saying it's not for me and if I hear one more person tell me "I need to read it", then I may cast a spell of my own and fly away on a broomstick.

All I know is one thing: Rowling knows exactly what she's doing with this Harry Potter enterprise and it's taken the world by storm. Another thing is for sure, her initials J.K. definitely do not stand for "Just Kidding".

This Weekend's Wrap Up

It was a very fine weekend indeed. Got to hang out with a lot of the Penn State crew: in the New York City and in the Penn State itself. After working from home on Friday (which wasn't a bad thing), I was able to head right into the city from the apartment. As mentioned the other day, Sarah B came to visit all the way from Austin, TX, and we got to see her for the first time in about 14 months! It was awesome to see her, hang out and catch up. The crew (Sarah B, Eric & Abby, Jonny "Belmania" Belman, the Jessica, and myself) enjoyed a fine dinner in Little Italy, and we couldn't have asked for a better evening. It should be noted that the Jessica and I are in the midst of planning a trip down to Austin, so we can see Sarah B and Jared sometime in the fall. That trip should provide some good blog stories, thats for sure.

Got up at the crack of dawn on Saturday to make the trek out to State College for the annual Arts Festival appearance. After leaving NYC at 6:30am, it proved to be a long day, yet a very fun one. Being big fans of the food vendors on Allen Street, I enjoyed such favorites as the chicken-on-a-stick and the Italian sausage sandwich, both of which made up Parts I & II of Saturday's lunch. After walking around for a little bit, we parked ourselves at our favorite Penn State bar, Cafe 210, at around 5:30pm. Of course we ended up staying there the whole night. We were lucky enough to score the first table under the awning by the outside entrance, and also lucky enough to be under it when the monsoon hit for a good 30-45 minutes during the evening. Must have sucked to be running around in that rain. Let me tell you, those teas were great and I miss the overall inexpensiveness of State College. Teas = $4. Miller Lite (23 oz.) during Happy Hour = $2. You can't beat it. We were spoiled by the prices and went from one extreme to the other with the rip offs in Manhattan.

Although it was a relatively whirlwind trip to Happy Valley, I was very glad we were able to go and take part in the festivities. We began to feel a little like the "old heads" and didn't see as many familiar faces, but enjoyed each other's company and the friendly confines of our beloved college town. Definitely looking forward to the next trip in late-October for Homecoming.

Work's gonna be killer this week and next, so the posts may be a little shorter, and I'll do my best to stay on track. Wish me luck...

Just Checking In

There's a lot of pressure on me to keep the posts coming regularly, so I must oblige to my loyal audience. The truth is that I'm pretty damn exhausted from work this week and don't have too much to report on tonight. But, another piece of truth to this matter is that I'll be away all weekend and otherwise you would have to wait until Sunday or Monday for another entry from me. Folks, we just can't have that. So here I am, with some random thoughts:

- Add these folks to the list of people that piss me off: The guy in the car who doesn't give you the "Thank You" wave after you let them change lanes in front of you. ( I know this is from Seinfeld, but this guy still pisses me off.) Also, that older guy/lady at work who doesn't even look at you or smile when you pass them in the hallway three times a day, every day. Come on, at least be somewhat pleasant. The girl who conveniently doesn't see you running for the elevator in the lobby of your building. Just because you're on the cell phone doesn't mean your eyesight is obstructed. The person in the laundry room who leaves the clothes in the washer and/or dryer for 30 minutes after it's done. Just set an alarm or something because you're holding me up. The old lady who drives 40 mph on the road where no one goes 40 mph and the cops are ok with everyone driving 60. Keep up with the flow of traffic - you might cause an accident. The guy at work who constantly feels the need to reply to every email with a one word email of his own, including "Thanks", "OK" and the always popular, "FYI". Speaking of, people who waste my time at work and clog up my inbox. They piss me off too. Spend your time actually working rather than writing email.

I'm not an angry person, I promise. I just have many pet peeves.

Anyway, that's it for now. After work tomorrow, heading into the city to hang out with Miss Sarah B who came to visit us all the way from Austin, TX. Then, Saturday morning, going up to the Penn State. If I get a chance to post something Friday early afternoon, I will. Otherwise, find another way to keep yourself entertained until I return. Cheers.

The Archive

From the Administrative team (that would be me, since I run this whole show) -

My posts get kinda long sometime, and there's already a lot of "scrolling down" involved with the page. So in order to clean it up a bit, I am taking advantage of the Archive feature. If you'd like to read any of the old posts, just scroll down a little bit on the right side and check out the June posts and early July posts.

Thanks and I'll be back with more junk on Thursday.

Concert Spectacles

This evening, I thought I'd do a short feature on some of the concerts I've been to in my time. In a very "High Fidelity" or David Letterman style, I'll give you some "Top 5" type lists.
(Side bar: You know, summers were always a time to go see a lot of outdoor concerts, but once you start working, it's a lot tougher to prioritize spending a whole day in a parking lot somewhere drinking before a concert. Just can't do it...then again, unless it's a weekend....)

Top 5 Concert "Spectacles" (Concerts where the atmosphere itself was more of a scene that the actual music)

5) O.A.R - Front Lawn of Sig Ep in State College, PA - April 2001: This was about the time when O.A.R. was becoming popular, and a rumor had circulated that they were playing on the front lawn of Sig Ep at Penn State. Well, you couldn't beat that it was free, plus that it was on a Sunday afternoon, and you could laugh at all the frat guys making idiots of themselves in the process. They only played for about an hour or so before the cops came and shut down the show because of noise ordinances.

4) Jimmy Buffett - Tweeter Center (a.k.a. E-Center) in Camden, NJ - June 2004: Jimmy is always a scene as it is, but the parking lot and people in attendance were more rambunctious this go-around. I've never seen so many fat guys with cheeseburger bras and grass skirts. Honestly, the Parrotheads are one unique flock (no pun intended). I think Jared was shell-shocked after this concert experience.

3) Run DMC - HUB Lawn - State College, PA - April 2002: When we heard that Run DMC was playing at "Movin' On", the big concert each spring at the Penn State, we knew it was going to be a spectacle. We made sure we got there extra early to stake out some ground near the stage, and before the show even started, we saw some guy pass out (literally falling over), and two other guys get in a fist fight right in front of us. Then, when Run DMC came on, fashionably late of course, and brought their posse with them, everyone went nuts. Then they played "Walk This Way" and "Tricky" and all were satisfied. Too bad that Movin' On went on a downward spiral after that.

2) Jimmy Buffett - Tweeter Center (a.k.a. E-Center) in Camden, NJ - June 2002: This was my first Jimmy Buffett concert, and it did not disappoint. As mentioned above, the parking lot scene is unlike anything you've ever seen. They turn Camden, NJ, the hell-hole of the world, into a tropical paradise. It started raining in paradise before the show began and then kept raining harder. Honestly, I've never been more soaking wet in my life. At the time I wasn't too thrilled, but Jimmy kept playing, and kept giving shout-outs to the lawn crowd braving the elements. Plus, he played "The Weather is Here, I Wish You Were Beautiful" and we had no choice but to enjoy ourselves while standing in a thunderstorm. Mini-highlight: the fat chick that kept grabbing Brandon's ass throughout the show was rather humorous.

1) George Clinton & the Parliament Funkadelic - Penn's Landing - Philadelphia, PA - May 2000: Every Memorial Day Weekend, they have the "Jam on the River" festival down on Penn's Landing. We heard George Clinton was going to play, and for $15, there's no doubt we'd be in attendance. All the jambalaya and fried alligator you could enjoy, hippies a plenty, and the most diverse crowd I've ever seen at a concert. Seriously, there was a solid 50/50 mix between white folks and blacks folks for George Clinton. Big George came on about 30-40 minutes late, and the next thing you know, his posse comes out. Then more people join them on stage. At one point they had 30 people on stage, of which 5 or 6 were actually playing music. The rest of the stage show was just hanging out for no apparent reason. Bootsy Collins (big black guy in a diaper) was running around like a crazy, and George was higher than a kite. The funkadelic jams would last about 20 minutes each and all the black folks would be hootin' and hollerin' and loved all of George's antics. In fact, we all loved the scene, and that's why it's my #1 concert spectacle of all-time.

If you have any great concert spectacle stories, feel free to share in the comments section.

Check back sometime in the near future for the next list in the concert series...one that may actually have to do with the music being played.

- One other note: A few people have asked me if I'm gonna mention anything about Arts Festival this weekend at Penn State. If you ask, I will tell. That is a Ross Press Release policy. Yes, I will be in attendance this weekend up in Happy Valley for the 5th year in a row and very much looking forward to it. The Jessica and I will be hitching around with Eric & Abby early Saturday morning and making the trek from New York to State College. (Pray for us not to get caught in the construction traffic on I-80.) Very much looking forward to getting back up there for the first time since last October when we visited for Homecoming. For my Penn Staters who read this blog, you'll find us at Cafe 210 for most of the day. Give me a call.

The Barbershop

As promised, here's the story about why the barbershop that I go to here in Stamford, pisses me off. The story doesn't contain Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, or Queen Latifah, so I just want to mention this from the start. I never actually saw "The Barbershop" or the sequel they made, and probably isn't worth my time since it was only in the theater for 2.5 hours.

Anyway, so I've been going to this place, Sweeney Todd's, since I moved up here. It was originally located in the mall that is across the street from my apartment. There was a regular barbershop that I was going to go to first, but after seeing that I was the only English-speaking person in that place, I thought it might be better to patronize the nicer, more upscale barbershop (Sweeney Todd's) across the hallway.

The first time I was there, I was greeted by Yolanda, so she proceeded to cut my hair that first time. They had a great deal running: $12 haircut on Mondays and Tuesdays. I'd make it a point to get there on one of those days when the hair started to become shaggy, and I could save a couple bucks at the same time. I went about every 6 weeks or so, and many times I'd have Yolanda cut my hair, once it was an Asian lady, another time it was the Australian/British chick (couldn't figure out the accent). Everything was fine, we had the $12 haircut and I was in and out in like 15-20 minutes and you could call it a day.

See, many guys will know the "Code of Barbershops" is that once you have one of the "stylists" cut your hair a couple of times in a row, they'll begin to recognize you. At that point, whether they do a great job or a bang-up job, you're stuck with them. The stylist will take offense if they see you come in and sit down to let another one cut your hair. That's a sure-fire way to land on their shit list. So you better pick the right one after the first couple of visits, because if you don't like your regular stylist, you might as well find a new place to go.

After bouncing around from one to another, my regular stylist ends up being Yolanda. You could have figured that out since she's the only one whose name I remembered. Plus, she didn't actually recognize me during the initial visits, and each time gave me a card with her name and the days/hours she worked. She does a nice job, and she's pleasant to speak with while she cuts my hair, so there were no problems.

Now here's the part that gets me. In April, the shop changed locations. They moved out of the mall, and to another location in downtown Stamford. The new shop looked pretty nice, they had more room and could keep hours that differed from the mall. My very first time in the new location, it was a Monday or Tuesday night, and when I walked in, I noticed the $12 special. That's a good sign that the prices didn't change any. I walk up to the front desk and I specifically ask for Yolanda this time. (In the past, it worked out several times in a row that she was available as soon as I walked in. This time, I "specifically" asked for her. Remember this point.)

The girl says that she is just finishing up with someone and I'm next in line. About 5 minutes later, she's ready for me. Conversation was the same old BS'ing as normal; I commented on the new digs and that it was a nice upgrade from the old place; it came up that she is a recovering alcoholic ("I've been sober for 5 years now." How do you respond to that statement? Does it call for a "Congratulations!"? I just nodded and smiled, to play it safe.) The haircut ends and we go up the counter. The following conversation ensues:

Girl at the desk: That'll be $15 please.
Me: I thought you do the $12 special on Mondays and Tuesdays?
Girl: That's only for walk-ins. Since you requested Yolanda, it's $15. On other days of the week, it's $20.
Me: (Still perplexed, but hands over the cash.)

There's a principle here that annoys the hell out of me. I wasn't worried about the $3. The fact though that they have the nerve to charge a "regular" customer more than some Joe Shmo who walks in off the street, is beyond me. What happened to customer loyalty? They should give me the discount, and let the walk-in pay more. When someone cuts you a deal because you're a long-time customer, they give you just that: a deal. Imagine this: "Well, Mr. Johnson, since you're a long-time customer here at the car dealership, we're going to charge you more for your Dodge Stratus than that idiot over there who we've never seen before." MAKES NO SENSE! You give the loyal customer a break and let the others build up their loyalty and long-term patronage.

Most recently, I went to the barbershop again last week, in fact it was Friday after work. Sure enough Yolanda is there, and sure enough, I get charged $20. What a bitch. I'm completely roped into this stylist and need to find a way out. Only problem is that I get a decent haircut out of her. I'm still pissed about the principle of the whole situation.

Anyone agree or disagree? Post your comments.

Monday Mayhem

Work is nuts this week and I'll do my best to keep the blood pressure down. Waking up at the crack of dawn tomorrow, but real quick, I got a couple of things:

- Of all people, the Philadelphia Phillies' own, Bobby Abreu won the Home Run Derby tonight, after hitting 41 home runs throughout the 3 rounds, with 24 of them coming in the first round. Who knew he had all that power? The Bobby Abreu I remember was always a good contact hitter, always hitting for decent average, but mostly singles and doubles. That performance tonight was sick. He hit everything on a rope and they were flying out of Comerica Park, which I understand is not exactly the best hitters' park either. After speaking with my boy from back home, Ryan "Sid" Williams this evening, he had a good comment: "They'll give him a parade down Broad Street on Wednesday." Wouldn't surprise me, after all, they were pretty close to giving Smarty Jones (a horse) a parade last year.

- Great article in the New York Observer about Murray Hill. If you are familiar with this neighborhood in New York City and its habitants, then you'll probably get a kick out of this one...
(Received the lead on this one from ProductshopNYC)

- I've been harping on Sufjan Stevens for a little while now. You can read my review of Illinois from my June 30th post. Anyway, he played some acoustic versions at WNYC not too long ago. Just right click and "save target as" to save the mp3's to your harddrive. Recording quality is a little low, so you might have to turn up the volume a little bit, but these versions are excellent. (Thank you to Stereogum for posting this link)

-When I get a chance, I'm gonna give my rant on Sweeney Todd's. This is the place in Stamford that I go to get my haircut and it's starting to piss me off. I'll give you the full scoop on Tuesday night.

Weekend Wrap-Up

So we didn't end up getting to Queens for the Czech restaurant/beer garden. Maybe another time. I was slightly disappointed, but the place isn't going anywhere (or so we hope), so we're taking a raincheck.

Checked out a pretty cool bar on Saturday night though - "The Park"- which you'd think had a parking lot theme from the neon "PARK" light with the arrow on the outside. Rather, it was park theme (i.e. Central Park) with an outdoor patio downstairs and upstairs, trees, park-like tables and chairs. It was quite a zoo there, and way too crowded upstairs where all of the dancing was going on. Of course, my scene is more geared toward the "Let's sit down at a table and hang out" style, and since we were able to do that, it all worked out. Plus, we had a good time making fun of Alexis while she was drunk and her voice was higher-pitched than normal!

I've had this craving for a Dunkin Donut for a couple of weeks now. And since each weekend we go there and get the Iced Coffee that I've mentioned in a previous post, I see all the donut, yet resist because we know that aren't exactly the best thing for you. Anyway, I gave into temptation today and got my favorite: Bostom Kreme. You cannot beat a Boston Kreme donut from Dunkin Donuts. Just not possible. I won't hear anything on the contrary. And of course, this will be my big segue-way into a Krispy Kreme rant:

I was first introduced to Krispy Kreme in the summer of 1999. As you may or may not know, I spent two summers working for one of Corporate America's finest: Starbucks. At the time, Starbucks had just cut a deal with Krispy Kreme and their doughnuts (note the difference in spelling) would be sent to each store in the early morning as a part of the rest of the pastry order. They started off small, by ordering maybe a dozen or two per day. Now, I didn't know Krispy Kreme from anything else. In the Philadelphia area, it's all Dunkin Donuts, so of course, I had been partial (and still am). Krispy Kreme is more a southern company and began to infiltrate farther north.

Anyway, on with the story. So I'm doing my training with Starbucks in the first week on the job, learning the ropes, trying not to burn myself or anyone else - standard stuff. I noticed that the addition of Krispy Kreme doughnuts to the pastry repertoire was catching many customers' eyes. And many of them commented on it. One lady exclaims, "Oh my goodness, you have Krispy Kreme! I'll take a half-dozen chocolate glazed! I grew up in North Carolina and you can't find them anywhere in this area!" So she was ecstatic and I was pretty much indifferent. Made it easy for me because all I had to do was give her the whole box and ring her up. Many others came in and seemed excited and bought one or two.

Well, the best part was this older gentleman (about 6 feet tall, grayish hair, mustache), who was moseying around the store and after making his way to the pastry case, glared at each shelf, seemingly studying each piece of cake and each muffin. Then he saw the doughnuts and those unmistakable white boxes with the green and red logo on display. I politely asked him if he saw anything he liked. The guy glared at me for a moment and with his raspy, deep voice (think James Earl Jones style) says, "No, son, I see something I don't like. Seems as though Starbucks is beginning to carry those Krispy Kreme donuts. Those awful things are a sign of white trash! The white trash love Krispy Kreme!" I didn't really know how to respond to that one, just kind of shrugged and stayed quiet. The guy was pretty annoyed at this whole ordeal, but proceeded to order a cup of coffee and was on his way. This was a great introduction to Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, and working with the public. Not to mention the fact that I had co-workers who were gay, bi-sexual, lesbian, and possessed several body piercings and tattoos. It was a colorful group...all nice people though.

After trying a couple of these Krispy Kreme donuts, I came to the conclusion that Dunkin Donuts were far superior in all facets of the donut business. Krispy Kremes were smaller, greasier, too sweet, and didn't have the shelf-life that Dunkin Donuts had. KK were rock hard by the end of the day, and you can get 2 days max out of DD. Overall, I just didn't care for them. People always give me the whole, "But you have to go to one of the stores and eat a freshly-made, hot doughnut". Let me tell you something - that's nonsense. Who would want to eat hot dough? That has stomach ache written all over it. It's like eating bread that's too hot; the dough will just sit in my stomach. Doesn't sound all that appealing to me. I prefer fresh donuts that are back to room temperature. Anyhow, moral of the story is that I boycott Krispy Kreme as much as possible due to my loyalty to Dunkin Donuts. I enjoy DD's products much better and will always stand behind them in an argument. And believe me, you have to stand tough on your choice of donuts because when it comes to several hundred calories and many grams of saturated fat and carbohydrates that you're about to intake, you best be making the right decision.

Some Weekend Thoughts

This weekend again takes me back into the New York City. I'll report any crazy happenings on Sunday night. One item to look forward to is the potential trip to the Astoria neighborhood of Queens to check out Bohemian Hall, which is NYC's only remaining beer garden. They serve Czech food, so Jessica is all excited because the Cz is her motherland.

So I was able to catch Big Fish on HBO this evening, and let me tell you - it was excellent. Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, and Billy Crudup do some fantastic acting, Tim Burton's directing is wonderful, and the dialogue is both humorous and upsetting at the same time. I won't ruin any of the story for you, but it's basically about a man who goes home to visit his father who is terminally ill. He realizes that he hardly knows anything about his father other than the highly-fabricated tales that he's told over and over throughout his life. This one gets the Ross stamp of approval.

In sports: Baseball All-Star game coming up on Tuesday, with the Home Run Derby on Monday. I'll check it out because I usually do. The Phillies suck - might as well pack it in for the season already. Billy Wagner has already said they can't win, and I'm believing him more and more each day. By the way, nothing thrills me more than seeing Derek Jeter kept off the All-Star team. I'll admit he's a great player, but hey, if the fan don't think he deserves to be there, then he can stay home for 3 days. Plus, anything involving the Yankees and their "misfortune" is a great story in my book. Also, former Sixer Larry Hughes signed some ridiculous contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. What a waste of time. He was no good back in the late-90's when the Sixers drafted him and all he'll do in Cleveland is add to the franchise's miserable history. My initial prediction is that they'll still miss the playoffs and their $65-70 million over 5 years would have been better spent on someone else.

It was suggested to me that I do a write-up on the best burgers I've ever had, and I like the idea. I am, after all, an ameteur burger connosieur. I may ponder this one for a while and give you my Top 5 sometime in the near future. Also, when Douchebag Brandon returns from his Teen Tour counselor duties, I'll give him a guest column on his favorite burgers (since he considers himself to be the professional burger connosieur).

[Brandon's somewhere in the middle of Wyoming or Montana right about now. He was very drunk in this picture taken at Bobby's wedding. We'd like to thank that wall from preventing him from hitting the floor.]

A Plea for Your Comments

To my loyal readers: I know you are out there in some way, shape or form. On the right side of the page, underneath the links, I added a counter, so I know that at least a few people are reading my nonsense. All that I ask of you is to provide me with more comments. I like to hear some feedback on my entries. I know that you guys have opinions, because everyone loves to argue with me in person. I'm shocked that no one wanted to play devil's advocate on my "Anti-NYC 2012" rant. God forbid anyone speak negatively of the Big Apple. Where's my opposition? I know people don't always have time to write a big schpiel, but throw a couple sentences in a comment to let me know what you're thinking....it'll make this site more than my one-sided point of view.

Otherwise, just a few more items:

Not sure which chore is more of a thorn in my side: emptying the dishwasher or doing the laundry. Both suck, and both had to be done tonight.

Gas prices in Stamford are now at $2.65/gallon. Costs me more than $30 to fill up the damn tank. I remember one summer when we were younger, gas was like $0.89 per gallon. And back at the ripe age of 16, when I had my black Chevy Prizm, used to cost $17 to fill up the whole tank. Economics are a bitch. (I should know, I have a minor in that subject, and thus I had to insert such a profound statement.)

It is confirmed: Laguna Beach Season 2 begins Monday, July 25 @ 10pm. Get excited for Kristin, LC, Stephen, and the gang to return with more from the "real OC"!

Lastly, 7 good songs for your ears:

• Beck - "Girl" (from Guero)
• Bloc Party - "Banquet", "Positive Tension", "Luno" (from Silent Alarm)
• Arcade Fire - "Cold Wind" (from the Six Feet Under Soundtrack)
• Stars - "Ageless Beauty" (from Set Yourself on Fire)
• Van Morrison - "Stranded" (from Magic Time)

Regarding NYC2012

A real quick rant on New York City's failed attempt at obtaining the 2012 Summer Olympics:

Alright, so I waited to write this rant until after the IOC made their decision. Now, I can provide my thoughts on their effort and explain to everyone that the decision to give the games to London is a blessing in disguise.

In case you didn't know, the island of Manhattan is only 22.7 square miles in area. And there's about 8 million people living in all of New York City, with a large number in Manhattan of course. Factor in the surrounding suburbs (Long Island, North Jersey, Westchester County, etc.), and we're talking about a pretty dense area. Case in point - they don't have enough room for all these people as it is! Here's a great idea: let's bid for the Olympics and invite the whole world to this little area where traffic is jammed 26 hours per day, parking is harder to find than Jimmy Hoffa, and you could easily be knocked flat on your face by the crowds of pedestrians on the streets during any hour of any weekday or holiday weekend. Of course, the events would also be held in other surrounding areas, but Manhattan is the focal point. Now please don't get me wrong here: I really enjoy the city, as you can tell from my time on the weekends spent there, but this whole Olympics thing would have been bad news. I mean, come on, Manhattanites were freakin out back in August when the Republic National Convention came to town. Residents took time off of work, or worked from home so they wouldn't have to commute. Others just took vacation and went to visit out of town relatives. No one wanted to be in the city during this time. And it was only for 1 week! The Olympics are 3 weeks long! I think New Yorkers would value their time away such a circus rather than being apart of the circus itself.

Another point is how the city shot themselves in the foot when they "crapped the bed" on the West Side stadium. Now, I don't blame the Jets at all for wanting a new stadium since they are playing in that dump, Giants Stadium. Hell, it's not even named for them, but instead for their NFL counterpart with whom they share that swamp monstrosity. But, at least football fans know they can get to the games on Sundays in the fall without having to park in Manhattan. There wasn't any room for the stadium on the West Side of Manhattan and the residents didn't want it there. It'd be a logistical nightmare. I still can't figure out which was stupider: the West Side stadium or the Phillies coming up with the brilliant idea several years ago to plan for a new stadium in Chinatown. Anyway, the Jets stadium failed and pretty much knocked NYC off the radar screen, since the IOC could see that they had a lot of work to do in preparation for such a large event. I don't doubt they could do it, but it seems that London put on a better bid in the end.

Again, I'm not knocking NYC's ability to host the Olympic games, and it would have been great for the economy. (Speaking of, how about the people who contributed private donations totaling $35 million for the NYC2012 campaign. Hope they get a tax deduction on that next April.) All I'm saying is that it would have been a disaster to get around anywhere in the area during that time. You'd see constant construction, congestion, and of course the increased threat of terrorism. I know that these points would stand true in any host city, but it's a different story for the people that actually live in the host city or around it.

They'll try again in 2009 with a bid for the 2016 games. With London receiving the 2012 bid, that takes Europe pretty much out of the running for 2016. That puts NYC back as a front-runner. Good news: I'll be far away (or at least back in Philadelphia) long before then.

Just when I thought I'd heard everything....

Last Sunday night, this guy (in the yellow African outfit) was preaching like it was no one else's business. And man, was he one angry motherf'er. After he started yelling, "Jesus Christ was a black man!" all of the tourists from the red states grabbed their children and continued on with their vacation in the concrete jungle.

Post-4th of July Comments

A few items of business to clean up:

Contrary to popular belief, Philadelphia did not make a fool of itself during Live 8 last Saturday, and in fact, things pretty much went off without a hitch. Of course, you had the clowns who arrived on Thursday and camped out for 36 hours before the show began, and with all of the degenerates that live in the City of Brotherly Love, I have to admit that I'm shocked that riots did not ensue. Think about it: they estimated 600,000 to 800,000 people were there and only minor citations were issued. I will now gather food and water and hide underground while I wait for the apocalpyse.

As mentioned last Friday, I was in the New York City most of the weekend. A couple of items to mention: Walking down 46th St on the east side, we saw Jaime Gleicher from Rich Girls (hint: not Ally Hilfiger). She was with her mom and her father, looking ever so trendy and pretending to be incognito. For the record, I do enjoy cheesey MTV shows such as Rich Girls and Laguna Beach (hey, I hear the new one starts near the end of July....everyone hurry up and set your TiVo's!). I have to give myself extra points though for recognizing Jaime Gleicher, and I'm still not completely sure that Jessica believes it was her. Believe me, it was.


Saw Cinderella Man on Sunday night. Excellent flick and well worth the free passes that Jessica used for us to get in. Very well-made movie, as you would expect from Ron Howard (I mean, come on, he was Richie Cunningham in "Happy Days", so we knew then that he was bound for greatness). Solid performances by Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger. Unfortunately, there was no appearence by Jonathan Lipnicki, but I soon got over it. I enjoyed how they played out the whole story and incorporated some great boxing scenes. I think my face hurt coming out of the movie after seeing all those brutal punches. Anyway, I heard that the movie wasn't doing well for some reason, but if you get the chance to see it, it has the Ross stamp of approval.

New York City fireworks were decent. What a zoo though. You'd think people have never seen fireworks before. I'll give you a hint: they explode, they are different colors, and thirty minutes later you realize that you've been staring at a cloud of smoke in the sky. I was entertained though by all the people who were taking pictures and/or filming the display. I mean, seriously. What are you gonna do? Go home and re-live the experience? "Oh honey, here comes the red-blue-green combination! Wait, the yellow sparklers are coming up next!" What a waste of batteries.

Shout-outs to K.Dowd and BigBryantCee for hanging out on Sunday night. It was good to see these fellas in the NYC. Gentlemen, if you read this....don't ever make me walk through Times Square on a holiday weekend again. Man, you'd think they were giving something away on 42nd St. the way these tourists were flocking there. It was like the whole southeastern portion of the US decided to visit Manhattan this past weekend. And just imagine what it'd be like in Summer 2012 if the Olympics arrived....

Saving up my quarters: Dunkin Donuts' Flavored Iced Coffee (can't go wrong with Hazelnut and Caramel) is my current summer craving....medium runs around $2 and prevents the on-set of my caffeine-addict headaches during the hot afternoons. They even put the skim milk and splenda in for you....now that's service.

More updates as the week goes on...

Friday Quick Hits

Some quick notes on this Friday of the 4th of July weekend.

- For the record, I can't wait to see what a debacle the "Live 8" is in the Philadelphia. You know they always have issues with events containing large numbers of people, so something absurd is bound to happen. I know for a fact that some of my readers may be there this weekend, so I kindly ask them to report back next week. In the meantime, check out the madness on Saturday from 12pm-6pm on MTV and VH1.

- I'll be in the New York City this weekend from Saturday night to Monday. I remember a few summers ago when I was in NYC for the 4th, it was all tourists running around, since the locals peace out and ship themselves to far away destinations such as the Hamptons, or for the poor folks, the Dirty Jerz shore.

- News from Conshohocken that doesn't shock me in the least bit. (courtesy of kyw1060.com)

Conshohocken Tanning Salon Shut Down; Prostitution Alleged (06/30/05)by KYW's Brad Segall
Montgomery County, Pa. authorities and Plymouth Township police have padlocked a Conshohocken tanning salon that they say was a front for prostitution.
An undercover sting operation revealed there was more going on inside “Tan Aruba” than just tanning.
Prosecutor Risa Ferman says some customers were paying as much as $300 for a one-hour massage that she says crossed the line:
“Behind the doors of what was supposed to be a tanning salon was a brothel. It was a place where people went to get a tan and in fact came out with sexual favors.”
A confidential informant told police he was given a massage by a naked masseuse.
The owner of the salon is no stranger to law enforcement. 64-year-old Bernard Kamp, who several years ago pleaded guilty to prostitution, is once again behind bars, charged with prostitution and conspiracy. He was picked up at his sprawling upstate New York horse farm called “Lucky Ranch.”
Prosecutors say it appears his luck may be about to run out.

C-List Celebrities and Crappy Reality TV

This evening's rant spawns off of the TV show I caught tonight on NBC, "Hit Me Baby One More Time". Has anyone seen this trainwreck? It was the season finale, so who knows if it'll be back on the air or not. If you aren't familiar, they bring back all of these one-hit wonders from the 80's and 90's. The musicians perform their one hit, along with a cover of a current music hit. The audience and fans vote for who wins. And the winner...well I actually didn't get that far into the show because I switched over to the free preview of NBA TV that I have this week. They were showing one of the games from the 1977 NBA Finals between the 76ers and the Trailblazers, but I digress.

Anyway, the "Hit Me Baby" show was pretty bad since I couldn't even make it until the end. But it got me thinking. People have always been fascinated with celebrities. They are everywhere - on TV, in movies, magazines, the tabloids, you name it. However, the latest craze is our fascination with C-List celebrities, or even, the has-been celebs. That's exactly what "Hit Me Baby" is going for...all of the bands you remember from back in the day who fell off the face of the earth. Another great example: "The Surreal Life". Again, I can't say I've seen that show too many times, but it single-handedly revived the careers of superstars (and I say that phrase sarcasticly) such as Mini-Me (Verne Troyer), Flavor Flav, Brigette Neilsen, and on the new season, Bronson Pinchot (Balki!), Omarosa, and Jose Canseco. This is absurd to me. I don't know what's worse, VH1 putting these clowns back in the spotlight, or MTV allowing those Real World/Road Rules challenges to continue until the Miz and Coral are collecting Social Security. We're fascinated with these lesser-known and has-been celebs, and I just don't get it.

One item in closing: If "Hit Me Baby One More Time" returns for another season, can I suggest the following artists from the 90's: Los Del Rio ("The Macarena"), Tag Team ("Whoomp There It Is"), The Divinyls ("I Touch Myself"), and Skee-Lo ("I Wish I Was a Little Bit Taller"). Why not bring these artists back for a second chance at stardom? I think I'd rather throw myself in front of a bull while wearing a red leisure suit in Pamplona.

More from the Tom Cruise bonanza

Apparently there's been this e-mail rumor circulating which describes Tom Cruise's current behavior, the source of the relationship with Katie Holmes, and his supposedly homosexuality. Pretty interesting story here, but I have to doubt how true the story is.... I mean come on, you can find anything on the internet.

Read about the story here: http://www.stereogum.com/archives/001597.html