August 30, 2007 by hr.

Love, F. Tuxedo 

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

August 29, 2007 by hr.

1. The New Face Of Zero And One by The New Pornographers

2. The W.A.N.D. by The Flaming Lips

3. Desperate But Not Serious by Adam Ant

4. Watching The Detectives by Elvis Costello

5. Life During Wartime by Talking Heads

6. Step Into My Office, Baby by Belle & Sebastian

7.Girls & Boys by Blur

8. I Wanna Be Adored by The Stone Roses on The Stone Roses

9. Morning Glory by Oasis on (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

August 29, 2007 by hr.

For whatever reason, I recently had an abundance of free time do to what I like: research.  Unlike a scientist or somebody with an actual purpose, when I do “research” there is generally no structure.  Instead, I start out with an idea, concept, or question and begin to knock around the Internet.  So in truth, you cannot say my research is every flawed or that I strayed off course because I never had a course to start with.

Good friends, I visited a lot of place in the name of research.  Some legitimate and some offshore for a specific reason.  Between this and that I began to notice an underlying trend with all of the legal sites I was visiting.  First, they were all blogs.  That’s no surprise.  Second, they were “self help” or consumer activist related.  While not the normal Op-Ed blog, I still wasn’t too shocked.  What was shocking was the quality, abundance, the effectiveness of the content of these blogs.

Sometimes my research benders run out of stream quickly.  This weekend, I still had more to do and see.  My gateway were the blogs www.lifehacker.com and www.consumerist.com.  Admittedly, the content from these two sites intertwine from time to time.  Still, both blogs have a wealth of well written, up to date content that is geared to improving your life with simple tips.  For example, there is a video on how to use chopsticks or common retail techniques to stay away from.

Some of the posts on these sites are feeds or contributions from other, similar blogs.  Almost immediately, I began to notice a collection of browser tabs piling up because I would read a feed from another site and liked it so much that I visited started to dig around the site.  From there I would pour through their posts and notice a feed to another site.  Like illegal porn, this is addicting! 

Along the way I read some great posts with some tips that I had to bookmark.  I even found a great tech blog written by a technology analyst.  Normally I stay away from these because they have poor tips and are ill-written (just like www.casualpop.com!). 

F. Tuxedo

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

August 21, 2007 by hr.

Monday was a rare treat, a day off.  Even more, I didn’t have to do anything for anybody.  I didn’t have to look at nobody’s computer, help somebody move, or visit the dentist.  Ok, so I had to be home to let somebody in to measure my windows; but he didn’t need anything else from me. 

F. Tuxedo

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

August 16, 2007 by hr.

Ah ya, $240 worth of pudding and some movie picks.  Life is good, bitches.  Here are a couple gems I am looking forward to seeing:

Super Bad: This one appeals to me on so many levels.  First, the eternal struggle of trying to get laid; we’ve all been there.  Second, rudimentary college humor revolving around trying to get laid; we’ve all been there.  Third, fun stereotypes about people, places, and situations about some young dudes trying to get laid; we’ve all been there.  I think I have made my case.

King of Kong: I’m a documentary whore and the preview tickled me where I needed to be tickled.  I’m not sure if you are old enough to remember, but people use to beg for quarters and congregate in these little dark rooms called arcades to play video games.  In the early 80’s there was Atari but if you yawned for more then pong, you had to go to the arcades.  If you don’t get it I’m not going to explain.  Just watch the movie.  The guy who set the Donkey Kong record in 1983 is a trip.  The dude who’s trying to break it is the perfect foe.  To boot, there is undertones of unfulfilled promises, extreme obsession, and child neglect.  Can I get a “Whhat Whhat for Child Neglect?”  Whhat Whhat!

And on Video…American Hardcore: If your not even a casual fan of the L.A. punk rock scene in the late 70’s/early 80’s; rent Borat.  This movie will have bands you never heard of and music you can care less about.  If you are a fan, some awesome footage of Black Flag (Henry Rollins), The Circle Jerks, and more.

F. Tuxedo

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

August 14, 2007 by hr.

One of the things about me that must frustrate my friends and family is my discontent for the telephone.  For those close to me, I am sure they are puzzled.  I usually have one of the latest cell phones with upgraded features.  In addition, I am a direct relative of Alexander Gram Bell, the man who invented the phone.  Despite this, I cannot stand talking on it.

Ultimately, I think my discontent for the telephone comes from the fact that I don’t like to be disturbed (and I am stubborn about things I like/dislike).  I could be with friends, doing house work, or nothing; it doesn’t matter, I don’t like to be bothered.  At times a phone call feels like a disruption because the vast majority of them are unsolicited.  I didn’t ask my bank or my mother to call.  Come on!

On those rare occasions where I actually pick up the phone I feel like I am in an angry fog.  For one, I am usually a little annoyed because again, I have been disrupted.  Once I am on the phone the only thing that matters is “what do you want?”  You can save everything else for later.

To be honest, I don’t know when this started.  Granted, nobody every mistaken me for a phone whore but my current attitude is a somewhat recent trend.  In high school and in college I would talk and even call people on the phone.  Today I only call somebody if I absolutely have to and I usually encourage them to email me back.  The only time I enjoy calling someone is when I know they don’t want to be called.

Is this destructive or poor behavior?  I don’t think so.  If I did nothing but stay in bed all day and shut off the outside world, then I would begin to worry.  If anything, I think this is a positive.  Whether its work, home, friends, or other activities; I am always busy.  Plus, I am a pretty good at the email/sms replies.  If anything this shows how focused and dedicated I am.  Plus, they did even answering machines and voicemail.

F. Tuxedo

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

August 13, 2007 by hr.

You really start to show your age when you begin to write letters to companies either to complain to compliment.  For some, this is the sort of queer coming of age event that people freak out about.  Frankly, I’m not too worried about this because I have already given up any thought of having a full head of hair.  Plus I have always been the type of guy who enjoys a good crying.

Last night I saw the Bourne Nutz and it was actually a pretty good action flix just like the other two.  That’s not the source of my frustration or joy.  What’s bothering me is the abundance of previews that you have to sit through before the movie starts.  Normally I don’t like to be the guy who states the cliché like “oh, those people with cell phones” or “women drivers…”  Everybody who goes to the theatres should expect a certain amount of previews or commercials, that’s how the studios pad their pimp-ass.  I am prepared for that but I cannot stand 20 minutes of previews! 

Friends, I wish I was kidding.  I started noticing this a couple months back.  On one occasion I went to the theatre and was actually late, at least according to the start time.  I expected to miss a scene or two but was initially rejoiced to see a preview.  That excitement quickly turned with I sat through 15 minutes of previews. 

On one hand you can flip this and say that the theatres are giving you an extra bang for the buck.  Instead of a 90 minute movie you get 110 minutes of entertainment.  On second thought, nobody thinks that.  If that was the case they would show the previews for those fuck heads who like to get there early and start the movie on time.

The only good news in this is watching the theatres suffer on other ends.  Between Netflix and OnDemand, less people are going to the theatre.  Well geez, with ticket prices at $11 and 20 minutes of commercials, I wonder why.  Plus, most major releases today are crap.  To me, the model employed by the major studios and theatres makes as much sense as a CD.

F. Tuxedo

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

August 12, 2007 by hr.

Sunday morning is always great to discuss politics.  Each network has their own morning political show which allows you to catch up quick.  One note, the GOP looks jacked up.  Nobody is sticking out.  As a Republican, I am not too enthused.  Then again, its tough to be a atheist, pro-baby death, conservative in general.

F. Tuxedo

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

August 11, 2007 by hr.

A little heads up for every sucka out there who has the misfortune of spending an hour or two in Downtown Petaluma with a laptop: Sonic.net provides free Wi-Fi.  Oh yeah, the gold standard.  Finally, I can enjoy my Starbucks and write a crappy blog that nobody reads and not get charged $5 for Internet.  Jesus, thank you Jesus! 

F. Tuxedo

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

August 11, 2007 by hr.

I finally got together with my old colleague and broadcast partner, Stuart Horne.  I first met Stuart in September 2000 after he answered my ad in Dominican’s weekly newsletter This Week.  At the time we were doing this crazy thing, starting a campus radio station (which is so Indie Fuck-Head cool) and we were desperate for shows.  Stuart had some legitimate music and entertainment background himself (Rebel Truth) and was interested in doing a show geared towards adult students.  Since we had been on the air for roughly a month, our training and quality standards were not exactly strict.  Stuart’s show debuted the next night. 

Joining Stuart were two adult female students to add a female/male point-counterpoint element to the show.  Together, they didn’t play a lot of music; which was good because we didn’t have a lot of music.  His guests were relatively interesting and I I’ve always said “Stuart Horne has a face for radio.” At that time I thought this was the direction that the Station was going: original topic oriented shows with a growing mix of music. 

Maybe a week or two into his show I caught up with Stuart on campus.  To keep my on-air talented involved I started to kiss his ass and tell him how much I loved his show (which wasn’t too far from the truth).  At the end of the conversation I mentioned to him that I had just called a couple volleyball games and that the Station was planning to do the same with basketball.  At the time I knew very little about Stuart but I quickly found out he was a huge basketball fan.  A few weeks later Stuart led off our first basketball broadcast and permanently change the course of the Station. 

Since that first game in late 2000, I figure Stuart has done play-by-play for over 140 Dominican basketball games alone.  He has also provided play-by-play for volleyball, software, soccer, and lacrosse.  Over that time Dominican Basketball won 5 Cal-Pac Championships, went through 5 coaches, and made 5 trips to the NAIA national tournament.  In my opinion, this feat deserves some fucking credit.   

Since I was there for about 100 of those broadcasts, wrapping with Stuart is easy to do.  If allowed, I could talk with him about Dominican Basketball for days.  On this evening, we spent over an hour shooting the shit remembering different broadcasts, old players, buzzer beating shots, etc.  We were still throwing out old memories as we were unlocking our cars. 

The concept that eventually became http://radio.dominican.edu started in a Meadowlands dorm room in late 1997.  Three years later it came to life.  If I didn’t meet with Stuart in September 2000 then the Station would not have taken on a heavy sports emphasis (it may not have succeeded at all).  If I had deleted an email in 2004 then the Station would not have known about Myspace (which allowed us to recruit new artists, listeners, and DJ’s).  Looking back at those events today, its amazing how these little things fit together like a puzzle to form something.

Frankly put, the men’s and women’s basketball games at a small liberal arts institution in the North Bay does not gather the attention that the NBA or even the WNBA does.  For the kids who attend Dominican, alumni, or parents of the players; these games are important.  Over 7 seasons, there have been enough people interested in listening to Dominican Basketball that Stuart has developed a well deserved fan club.  While a trophy or even a pat on the back cannot express my appreciation for over 7 years of hard work; I can do him justice by confidently saying Stuart Horne is the Voice of the Penguins.

F. Tuxedo

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »