Disqus - Latest Comments for markhorne

Re: Once More With Feeling - One of the main concerns that I have whenever I...

markhorne — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:20:19 -0000

Lane, your comment exemplifies cherry picking.

Re: Grab Bag of Great Music Sites

faithx5 — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:57:40 -0000

Do they still use mp4s with the iTunes Plus offering? I thought the DRM-free ones were in mp3 format. But I haven't actually bought any, so I'm not sure.

Re: Grab Bag of Great Music Sites

markhorne — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:11:15 -0000

On iTunes, you didn't mention the unnecessary mp4 format they use for songs. I am rebellious and use my iTunes as an mp3 storage device, almost never buying mp4s from them. I'd rather buy used cds and just convert them to mp3s. I don't own an iPod and am not likely to do so any time soon. mp3 players are cheaper

Re: Grab Bag of Great Music Sites

faithx5 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:09:44 -0000

I'll tell you what I think it is about Grooveshark, is that because it's P2P-based, there's very little control on album titles, spellings, that sort of thing. If I search "Jenny Lewis" and click "albums" I get everything from "Acid Tongue" (her actual album) to various mixes that people have made that happen to have Jenny Lewis songs on them. And choosing "artist" yields not only "Jenny Lewis" and "Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins" (which are all it should include - maybe Rilo Kiley if it's being very lenient), but "Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins" and "Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins" and "Jenny Lewis/Watson Twins" and by then my eyes cross and I want to go somewhere with some standardization. Last.fm has this problem to some degree, but they do a far better job of integrating people's improperly tagged songs into the service as a whole.

It's cool to find some live versions mixed in on Grooveshark, but as a whole it's far too unorganized for me. I think in the past I've also had issues of it having corrupted or truncated versions of songs and no good version, which turned me off immediately. I can see the appeal in Grooveshark for people less borderline-OCD than me, though.

Re: Grab Bag of Great Music Sites

markhorne — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:49:49 -0000

I've loved Grooveshark but look forward to going through this list.

Re: Dissecting The Dark Knight

markhorne — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:05:08 -0000

Guess I'd better see the movie so I can read the blog....

Re: New Site Design!

faithx5 — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:39:47 -0000

Yeah, that's why I had Twitter separated in the previous design, and I'd probably still find a way to do it if I updated it with any regularity or predictability. (Like, if I actually used it as a status.) I find myself posting directly on FriendFeed much more, though, and while I could use a version of the FriendFeed widget to post just my latest FriendFeed post...I dunno, it just didn't seem like something I wanted right now. We'll see.

And thanks! I accomplished most of my goals, so I'm pretty pleased. Re: The girl in the banner - Anna Karina was in most of director Jean-Luc Godard's films from 1961 through 1965 (and that's like seven films), and other stuff since then that I haven't seen. This still is from Band of Outsiders (1964), probably my current favorite film (it's in a dead heat with "Rear Window"). Don't worry, I'll be sure to archive the old banners. :)

Re: New Site Design!

markhorne — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:27:23 -0000

I know what you mean about Twitter and Friendfeed, but I like to make status stand out from the rest.

I'm blown away by your accomplishment. I'm also really curious about the girl in the present banner. (And, btw, when the whim strikes you to change, make sure you make an archive of the old banners).

Re: This Week on DVD: September 16

faithx5 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:34:36 -0000

A few weeks ago. Most "from scratch" I've ever done one, though I did keep a lot of the general formatting from my previous one. Glad you like it!

Re: This Week on DVD: September 16

markhorne — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:19:04 -0000

When did you change your template. This is perfect for you!

Re: Once More With Feeling - GIBSON: And you think it would be worth it to the...

markhorne — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:59:43 -0000

I think tightening NATO around Russia is a provocative move driven by ambition for hegemony rather than any legitimate purpose. Georgia is a country were the opposition is imprisoned and civilians are bombed. I don't care for Russia either, but I have no dog in their fight and don't want my sons sent over for any pretense of one.

Re: Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Ed Howard — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:19:11 -0000

Sorry, I didn't mean to come across as so pissed. I'm a big fan of Woody's work, and it annoys me that so many people dismiss his more recent films because of his personal life -- not that you were necessarily doing that, but I've seen it done so often that I tend to bristle at it.

As a sidenote, Katie Holmes bothered me in Batman Begins not because of Tom Cruise, but because she simply can't act. I'm so glad she was replaced in the second film by an actual actress.

Anyway, I enjoyed the review, Jandy, my own is up now too:
http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2008/08/815-...

Re: Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

markhorne — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 23:23:22 -0000

Ed, I loved Batman Begins and was glad I didn't let knowledge of anyone's personal life spoil it for me. I liked Jandy's review and thought the movie sounded, well, well above average.

I think a chit-chat comment about personal foibles in going to movies is being interpreted as some sort of principled stand on the lives of those involved in movies. It was nothing of the kind.

Whatever shouldn't affect one's appreciation or not, of a movie, sometimes things do for some people. I was just reporting on mine. It was a good post and I tend to want to leave comments on posts that I like. So I came up with something. At ease, soldier.

I suspect the same foible, btw, also makes me want to *like* actors and directors of stuff I appreciate. Maybe my fanboyisms are also irrational and I shouldn't care a bit. But I can't help but think it would be somewhat inhuman to not care about people I watch perform for me so often (I'm thinking especially about TV here). So even though I agree with you in principle, I don't feel too bad having these irrational feelings, even if the get in the way of appreciation at some points.

Re: Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Ed Howard — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:22:52 -0000

Who the hell still cares about Woody's personal life? I just flat out don't get it. The guy might be a bit of a dirty old man, though by all accounts his relationship with Soon-Yi is fairly stable and loving -- but again, who cares? Picasso was probably a jerk too. You're watching a movie, not eating dinner with the guy.

Anyway, I thought VCB was fantastic. Great performances (especially Hall and Cruz -- good call), really funny at times and surprisingly moving at others. I thought the ending was perfectly pitched too. These characters are drifting through life, their dreams are vague in the extreme, and they're basically applying a tourist mentality to every aspect of their lives. So it makes sense that the final shot shows them staring blankly off into the distance, uncertain what if anything they've learned or experienced in Barcelona.

Re: 2 scenarios if Adam had never sinned

markhorne — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:31:40 -0000

I think "in themselves" may be ambiguous. But, if Adam if not righteous in himself, as you say, then there is nothing to be imputed from him.....

Re: Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

faithx5 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:44:39 -0000

1992, that was. I make no excuses for Woody's personal life...he's pretty much a dirty old man. Although he is married to Soon-Yi Previn now (Mia Farrow's adopted daughter), something you can't say for either Mia Farrow or Diane Keaton... But the man has made four or five, at least, of the greatest films between 1970 and now, and that has nothing to do with his off-screen life, for me.

Batman Begins...Tom Cruise...? Oh, because of Katie Holmes? It's less the cradle-robbing that bothers me about that and more the cult indoctrination. But again, on-screen, off-screen, two different places.

Re: Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Mark Horne — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:33:03 -0000

I'm trying to remember when all the scandal hit about Woody and his ex-lovers adopted daughter, with whom he got involved. I suspect it was before you media savvy super powers kicked in. But I can't let it go. And anything I know is touched by him is going to only appear in its most lurid way. I think I'm doing much better with your review than I would with the movie.

I'm just thankful I saw Batman Begins when I was distracted and had forgotten all about Tom Cruise. I never thought of "cradle robbing" once during the whole movie.

Re: Once More With Feeling - 12 Babies Die During a Vaccine Trial « Journey To Crunchville

markhorne — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:06:17 -0000

Fair point. I'll dig around.

Re: Once More With Feeling - Being a superpower means never having to admit...

markhorne — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:39:37 -0000

Ok, I'm open to issues of fact as to whether this was said or if it is Doug's argument. But this is my last comment, I think on the principle. The principle is, if I say as a representative of Country Y that Country X is doing wrong by engaging in behavior that I know Country Y engates in, then I am being hypocritical.

Re: Once More With Feeling - Being a superpower means never having to admit...

markhorne — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:04:23 -0000

Seems to me you avoided hypocrisy by allowing rights to Iran that are being denied in the public discourse that Bandow criticizes.

Re: Once More With Feeling - Being a superpower means never having to admit...

Jonathan W — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:30:37 -0000

Don't they try to strengthen their hand while weakening ours? I don't think it's wrong for them to do so.

To bring this to some kind of America vs Iran thing... yeah, I'm going to cheer for the US to be the "winner" in this contest. So while I think Iran has the complete right to hope for their success and our detriment, as a US citizen, I'm kind of hoping for the US' success and Iran's detriment on this one.

And this brings me back to the original question: how is this hypocritical? I'm not supposed to choose sides? I'm supposed to act like all countries are morally equivalent when they act in their interests?

Re: Once More With Feeling - Being a superpower means never having to admit...

markhorne — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:58:57 -0000

So is it wrong for Iran to do this, then?

Re: Once More With Feeling - Being a superpower means never having to admit...

Jonathan W — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:47:50 -0000

Ok, I must be really dense, Mark...

If it's ok, as a policy, to hope for your benefit and for your enemies detriment. Why is it hypocritical for your rhetoric to match your policy? Isn't that just being consistent?

Re: Once More With Feeling - Being a superpower means never having to admit...

markhorne — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:10:38 -0000

I'm pretty sure this is about policy rhetoric: condemning other nations for doing wrong things--things which you yourself do.

Re: Once More With Feeling - Being a superpower means never having to admit...

markhorne — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:22:00 -0000

It remains hypocrisy to condemn weapons development in general while practicing it oneself.