More than meets the eye!

If you've been following the Tara Conner story over the last few days, and I know you have, I mean you've seen her, right! You've no doubt heard about the just turned 21, Miss USA and her scandalous behavior. Well, looks like the Donald decided not to utter his famous catch phrase, "You're Fired!". While the lovely Miss USA hasn't done anything that any 20 year old girl that heads off to say, college hasn't done, she will check herself into rehab and will stay true to upholding the image of the pageant and her duties as the winner of the crown. Lets talk about the biggest case of blowing something out of proportion, since Ross and Rachel were on a "break". "She left a small town in Kentucky and she was telling me that she got caught up in the whirlwind of New York," Trump said. Yeah, you think. She's hot! Everyone knows who she is and she wants to party. Ya think it might be tough to get out to some bars. Like people were gonna turn her away! Come on. The whole thing is ridiculous. We didn't see Jenna Bush get carted off to rehab when she got busted for underage partying. (by the way, did anyone see what Matt Damon said about her and sister Babs, the other day?) . I kinda like the idea of a really naughty party girl Miss USA. Think about it. She could start a campaign for, "liquor before beer, you're in the clear" or "no one likes a floater", but seriously, just make her do some drinking and driving PSA's or something. Can't some good come out of a young girl acting crazy. I mean, how were there not cameras on this girl the whole time? They put everyone on TV these days. Jim and Tammy Faye's dumbass punk son has his own show. Hello! If she'd gotten booted, I'm sure she had a place to stay and a new gig.

I've just seen the trailer for the new Transformers movie. It looks pretty killer. I have to say, I was a bit skeptical about them making a live action Transformers movie. I envisioned it looking like that god awful Hulk movie from a couple years ago. I didn't think they could pull it off. But director, Michael Bay, from the looks of the trailer, did not disappoint. Don't know about the cast though. Shia LaBouf, Tyrese and Josh Duhamel, come on. Josh Hartnett and Freddi Prince Jr. weren't available? However, the lovely Megan Fox, better known as the elder, finer, daughter in Hope & Faith, seems to be the lead female. She has the acting ability of a bucket of rocks, but she is lovely. But really, who cares about the actors. Everyone just cares about the Transformers and the special effects. And from the trailer, it looks pretty good. I just hope they get Shockwave up in that piece.

Listening Pile
The one show I'm really bummed I missed out on this year, was the Juno reunion earlier this month in Seattle. I really thought about just getting on a plane and sleeping on some friend's couch to see this. They put out two of my favorite albums on the Desoto label, This is the Way it Goes and Goes and Goes (1999) and A Future Lived in Past Tense (2001), plus a split with the Dismemberment Plan. To this day, every time I get on a flight, I put one at least one of their songs. Dreamy soundscapes, with washy guitars, dense and complex rhythms. They were one of those bands that just reminds me of a time and a place.
I can still remember when and where I was listening to their first album and their second. Anyhows, check out this article in Seattle's, The Stranger. TIt gives a fascinating look back on the band, the time leading up to their reunion and what singer Arlie Carstens is up to with his new project, the Ghost Wars, a long-distance collaboration with producer/musician Eric Fisher (Damien Jurado), featuring contributions from almost 20 members of the extended Seattle music community, including Rosie Thomas, Nate Mendel of Foo Fighters, members of the Blood Brothers, and more. The duo has recorded basic tracks for 25 songs, and is slowly refining 11 of them, with an eye toward releasing an album sometime next year.