The Killers Won "Best International Band" at the NME Awards!

Yesss. You know, it's a very good feeling when the band you have been following since their very humble beginning reaches this insane level of success. If only every fan could be so lucky.

Awesome acceptance speech video here, with a random-as-all-hell cameo by none other than Mike Tyson. And when I say awesome, I really do mean awesome:



Dave doing sign language, check. Brandon getting a black eye, check. Ronnie as Mike Tyson's barber, check. Mark sweeping the floor, check. Mike fucking Tyson babbling incoherently and reading a gossip magazine, muthafucking CHECK. Have I mentioned that I love the Killers? They're too nice to their fans, man. I just wish the critics and naysayers knew how much so.

Recent News Headlines, From My Perspective

Hillary Discusses Bill's Infidelities - So basically what happened was that I clicked on that link, even after passing it by with a cringe on my first daily scan of Huffpo. Then the first words I saw were:

Hillary Clinton rarely discusses her marital problems, but in an interview that this morning on Christian Broadcasting Network's "700 Club" she talked about how faith had helped her through Bill's infidelities.

And then I stopped. Ughhh don't go that low Hillary, now you just look desperate. pandering to the ultra religious peeps? I know you are an atheist so stop frontin'. HA HA just kidding just kidding, chill! I'm sure it was as lovely as buttercups and sugar plum fairies but I could not go past the word "faith." So shoot me. Oh, and the accompanying picture of Bill whispering sweet nothings into Hillary's ears (whilst she stares off with glazed eyes) looks like a Viagra ad.

Oscars Apologize to Whoopi For Leaving Her Out
- huh, what the hell did they leave her out of? Eh, can't bother to investigate any further, NEXT.

Larry Craig Looks For Summer Interns - LOLZ, sucks for the impressionable male teenager that gets scoped out by Craig's lustful, squinty eyes. Why is the accompanying picture of Larry Craig at a press conference? Did he seriously hold a press conference to announce this? Um, I hope not. That would be stupid. And funny.

Hundreds Of Clinton Staffers, Volunteers Protest New York Times Story
- Huh? HILLARY staffers? First thought: WTF is wrong with these stupid people?!! Second thought (while twiddling fingers in evil manner): ohhhh yes, yes I see... this is geniosity. If Dems also criticize the NYT story, it no longer looks like this is a conservatives vs. dirty liberals sort of deal, and maybe the Republicans will stop warming up to McCain like they have. 'Cause it SCARES us libs!! We don't want 100 years of war!

Olbermann: Why Did Stewart Sink To Ann Coulter's Level For His Monologue? - STFU OLBERMANN! I HATE YOUR STUPID GLASSES AND SNOBBY/STUFFY VOICE! Uhum, sorry. I get violent when people criticize my dearest Stewie. Especially when it's for reasons that included lack of a sense of humor and general retardation.

Clinton: Watch SNL For Proof Of Media Bias For Obama - Ughhh, Hillary, why do you do this? Why do you ruin everything good that happens to you? We already watched/ heard about that segment. You talking about it as if it's an Al Gore endorsement erases like half of its effectiveness. Are you really this out of touch?

Fuck You, Ralph Nader. FUCK YOU.

Why? Just, WHY?!?!?!?

He needs to die. Like, now.

Juno IS a Good Movie. Duh.

Snobby Juno haters need to shut up. It's like they live for bashing whatever used to be "indie" but then blew up into that horrid thing called the mainstream. Unless they want more Fantastic 4's and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry's, They butter STFU like, now. Juno was everything I could ask for from a movie about teenagers and more. In fact, it was one of the only movies I have ever seen where the teenagers are actually portrayed as very smart and not stereotypical. Plus the movie never went the easy, predictable route. I thought the parents would surely throw a fit over Juno's pregnancy but their reaction was actually refreshingly different. I thought Jennifer Garner's character would stay the neurotic bitch but that took a different route as well. It was just a very admirable and satisfying movie. Yeah, I cringed too when the girl said "honest to blog," but that was at the way beginning and after that I did not cringe once (unless you count the part where the husband acts all creepy with Juno).

So all you Juno haters.... just, find a new hobby or something.

p.s. if you want to see some seriously pitiful Juno bashing, read this post on Stereogum (and the comments too).

Prince Charles Wants to Cop a Feel Off of Scarlett Johansson

LOLOLOLOL.

Kate Nash = Lily Allen?

I can't be the only one that thinks she sounds just like Lily Allen... She's just a bit more cutesy. For some reason her songs seriously bug me. And usually I'm a sucker for "cute" songs. I don't get why even the indie snobs are heralding her right now... mark my words, she'll be gone in three months. I'm not trying to be a bitch, I'm just saying! I've seen through this kind of empty hype far too many times... Tapes 'n Tapes, anyone? And the horrid screechy voice phenomenon that has fortunately died out- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah... Even Wolf Parade (although they're OK, I guess.) Mhmm.

Spoon- "Don't You Evah" video

I love this song. The video is all too familiar-looking to me because it pretty much looks like all of the random fan videos I watch on Youtube. I wonder if they affect my eye sight? Probably.

Watch:



I listened to this song approximately, oh, 300 times on a single day about two months ago. No lies.

Source: DUH 'GUM

LOLCANADA

HAHAHAHAHA.



Sorry Canada. I love you, for reals.

If someone wants to rub that in a bit deeper, he/she can get it on a T-shirt at Busted Tees.

Reason # 357 that Brandon Flowers is Awesome: He Buys His Baby's Clothes at Target

From the Las Vegas Review-Journal

Sightings: Brandon Flowers of The Killers and his wife, shopping in the baby department at Target in Henderson on Saturday

Aww. I love that he shops for baby clothes at Target as opposed to one of those ridiculously expensive boutiques other celebrities buy their babies' clothes at. Stay cool BFlow and Tana, stay cool.

Looming Obama Backlash? [Part 2]

You know, sometimes I feel like the media secretly reads my blog. Or maybe my opinions are not the most original in the universe. Either one.

Anyway, this article from The Australian is very reminiscent of what I posted a while ago about a possible Obama backlash.

I voted for him in the end, so I sincerely hope this doesn't happen. Although at the time when I was staunchly for Hillary, I did see this coming. I even predicted that it would happen when the tide moves towards Obama and he becomes the front runner, which is what this article says, and which is happening right now (he just won the last four states).

But I made my choices based on his interviews, not his speeches. I seriously think that he should chill with the vague euphoric wording and start cracking down on the details. At least he should do it when the election comes around and if he wins.

The one thing that scares me the most is my vision of watching him in a debate with McCain and him crumbling under McCain's attacks. It's just too possible for comfort.

But I have faith in him. You know, if Obama's "cult-like" charisma is what it takes to bring the country together and move it forward, then so be it.

Good article. Read it here:

"Obama's First Coming"

p.s.- Oh, and Obama? Try to stop the "yes we can" chants, please. It's gotten ultra cheesy and it makes me cringe.

"Reality" Shows

There is the typical bad reality show, and then there is the good one. There's a very thin line between them and it's oh so easy to cross over to the bad side. It can even happen in the middle of a season. I don't know exactly what make a good reality show... or at least what makes it good in my eyes.

I think that, for me, the show has to be at least somewhat genuine to catch my fascination. I know they're all staged to some extent, but I need some real human emotions and interactions. If there's real-ness, I can watch a whole conversation on TV with undivided interest. Maybe it's because of my weird habit of analyzing people, I don't know.



This is probably the reason why I lost interest in the MTV show "The Life of Ryan," about the famous skater boy Ryan Sheckler. I first watched the show simply to give it a chance- I was probably bored at the time. I also had very low expectations because the whole concept was already unpromising. But I ended up loving the show with all my heart. Ignoring the cheesy voice-over/narration by Ryan himself and the even more cheesy and frequent video "flash backs" to Ryan's happy childhood, the show turned out to have a heart and it pulled me in. At first look I thought Ryan was another cocky teenager whose early success inevitably went to his head, but he actually surprised me. What broke my wall of cynicism was the way he treated his two brothers- one a couple years younger and very quiet, the other just a little kid (with huge, adorable eyes). When the youngest brother (I think his name is Kane) fell while "scootering" and started crying, Ryan ran to him to help him out, saying, "Come on buddy, you're okay." Then in another episode Kane cried because Ryan was so busy with his friends and traveling that he didn't hang out with him as much anymore and Ryan felt really bad and took him out somewhere. Then the older, quiet brother- this is weird but there was just something so real about him- you don't get a lot of quiet people on TV because they're not "entertainment." Plus the whole deal with Ryan having to deal with his parents' divorce and being stuck in the middle, and his dad dating a gross blonde bimbo who yells at him "I love you!" out of nowhere while he leaves their house, which understandably causes him to freak out and go back to his mom in horror and confusion.

Anyway, all of the interactions and conversations on the show, at least on the part of Ryan's family, were surprisingly genuine and they transcended the cheesy structure of the show.

Yet, there was a turning point. The show apparently became very successful, although while it was on I felt like I was pretty much the only one watching it. Then the new season recently started, with more MTV attention as they have very few successes these days... and something changed. The first two episodes were alright, a bit worrisome but still the story sucked me in. But by the third, I think it became undeniable. The producers structured and manipulated the content so much that it lost all substance, all that made it what it was. I don't care if they want to tell Ryan and his manager to meet at a restaurant and talk- but please don't make it so obvious. Like, to the point that it become absolutely undeniable that producers are constantly feeding every talking point to each person. That ruins everything. And that's what I felt was happening... Also, they kept pushing a non-existent story line. Fine, it was somewhat there- something about Ryan feeling lost with all of the new business negotiations. But there was something disturbingly contrived about how many times he mentioned it to every person. It's like, "enough, we got it the first time. We're not retards, MTV, we swear." So nearly all the magic of the show was lost, and I sadly stopped watching that episode half-way through. I might give it another try, but I'm not too optimistic.

With success comes the downfall, I guess... MTV sure knows how to kill a good thing and keep alive all the bad things, eh?

Well, at least I currently have: Project Runway, the Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, and Make Me a Supermodel. Ooh and Top Chef soon... and then there's that new Bravo dance show that looks very promising. The good thing about reality shows is that they come in droves.

SKINS: Bow Down to its Greatness (videos)

Skins is one of the best shows on TV these days. And... it doesn't even air in America. Nope- it comes from those cooler people over in the UK. The second season starts on Monday but the Skins Myspace has been posting the whole first episode in parts during the last couple days and left them up until they reached 10,000 viewers (which they have quite quickly). But don't you despair, because of course the videos have been uploaded promptly all over the internets. Here are the clips (although I really, truly suggest that if you have not watched the show yet, you should watch it from the beginning. Otherwise you will have absolutely no idea what's going on. It's worth it, trust. Try searching "skins" on Youtube or Daily Motion):

[Warning- basically all of the Skins episodes as far as I can remember are somewhat NSFW- some more than others]

Oh, and the first part starts off with an annoyingly long dance sequence, just so you know...

Part 1:



Part 2:

Skins Series 2 Ep 1 - Part 2 - skinsis.com
Uploaded by frank_potter

Part 3:

Skins Series 2 Ep 1 - Part 3 - skinsis.com
Uploaded by frank_potter

Part 4, the final one, will be up on Myspace tomorrow!

Now the real question is: why is this show not airing in America? A show this good? Is America too prude? Well I suppose it is, and I am to some extent as well, because I was pretty shocked that the very first episode started right off the bat with a naked woman walking around and a teenager watching her from his room. But that's the charm of the show! And I'm sure cable networks can get away with it, blurring to their hearts' desires and all of that. So what's the deal?

My theory: America is not too prude, but too proud. Think about it: when was the last time a foreign show made it onto any US cable channels, not to mention the major networks? And I'm not talking about BBC America. It's pretty sad, really. I know for a fact that basically ALL other countries have US shows bombarded at them. And I also know for a fact that this show would be fawned upon in America. Gossip Girl is half the quality and was widely praised/watched/buzzed about. So what gives? If there's a TV show that is this good, it should be brought here, whether it's American or not. At least I have the internet because otherwise I would have never heard of this show. So, TV execs- pick up this damn show! It's a shame to watch it in crappy quality all the time.

Michelle Obama with Stevie Wonder, He FALLS! Hahaha.

I know I am very mean to find this funny but, well, I do:

I Have Made Up My Mind At Last: I Am Voting for Barack Obama

If you have been following my blog posts (which is highly doubtful), this announcement might come as a shock. But it is true. I kept jumping back and forth like one of those "undecideds" I have always made fun of. I love both candidates and my heart would fill with warmth if they ran together... but, ALL things considered, gender and race aside, this is my decision. Let's see if I can hold onto it until tomorrow when I actually vote.

So, you want to know what changed my mind?

Well, first of all I had a debate with my dad yesterday during dinner and I accused him of being biased against Obama. I tried to stand up for Obama but in the end was convinced to vote for Hillary because I didn't really have a solid arguement in support for him. Then I watched Michelle Obama's speech yesterday at UCLA on TV with my family. It was heart-felt and just really real... I never heard her talk before and a lot of the things she said rang very true. This made me soften a bit more towards Obama. I started thinking, "why not shed my cynicism a little? Why not believe that someone can truly change America and make it all-around better without the fakeness?"

I decided that today I would do some serious research and try to figure out which candidate truly fits me. I first went on Drudge Report and saw the news that Hillary had "cried" again in Connecticut. Now the first time this happened in New Hampshire, I was swung back to her because I had great sympathy toward her and was very angry at all of the negative, vicious press directed at her. But this time was a bit much... I understand that the person who presented her cried first and described Hillary in her early days- sure that can make anyone cry. SO I don't want to accuse her of planning this out, but I just think it's a bit odd that again it happened that day before an important election. I mean, couldn't she make sure that she didn't cry? Ugh... I don't know. I tried not to let that affect me too much and went on with my research. I looked up articles endorsing both Hillary and Obama. The New York Times endorsed Hillary and had the standard "more experience, country in dire need of someone who knows what they're doing" argument. Fine.

The I looked up videos on Youtube. I saw the Google interview with Obama, and that was what really swung my opinion. I saw how he really was more real, more inspiring... I just let myself get in the hype, and honestly it was a nice place. The only difference was that I did not let myself degrade Hillary in any way. I still love them both and would have both of them for president in a second. But Obama brought up some great points as well, and his general background made me realize a lot more potential in him. The fact that he lived in another country and has so many global connection in my opinion is very important because I lived in Israel for four years and I know what kind of difference that can make to one's perspective. The fact that he supports negotiating with dictators also appeals to me because that is how I believe (and have enough experience to believe) that you can resolve conflicts. In fact it's the only, very best way to do so. The fact that Hillary opposes this is a bit worrisome, and as Barack said it would suggest that America is too cocky to negotiate. Then there is Barack's deep understanding of how important it is to have good relations with the rest of the world. He understands that the Palestinians don't trust us because they know we don't trust them.

And then the fact that he opposed Iraq from the starts... that was certainly good judgment, and one must remember that that was before the war was unpopular. I remember I opposed the war as well so I can see we have some of the same mindset and I can always trust that.

So, I decided Obama. He'll bring the country together, he'll bring young voters, he'll be a cool president (for once, can you imagine?). And if he doesn't win, that's a-okay because Hillary is awesome as well. But right now, I do want change, I do want a new family at the White House, I do want restored hope in America... and I've decided to let go of my cynicism, just for now, and to lend my support to Obama. Now bring on Super Tuesday!

Obama Won the Debate? That's News To Me...

See, this is what boggles my mind:



Really? Obama won, hand's down, no doubt?

REALLY?

Were these people watching the same debate as me?

Don't get me wrong, I love me some Obama, but the fact is that he crumbles in debates in comparison to Hillary. I mean the constant "uhhh"s breaking into his sentences cut the flow and often ruin what he's trying to say. Hillary barely ever stumbles, which is altogether insane, but I think she definitely showed her power at that debate. So the fact that like, only three out of forty people think Hillary won is insane to me. And ALL the rest for Obama. Not only that, but they raise their hands so proudly and surely.

... It's as if, perhaps, they had their minds set before? Hmm.

I don't understand. This is the type of stuff that confuses the hell out of me. It's like, are they seeing the same thing that I'm seeing? I don't see how Hillary sucked so bad that she would get so little support. I just don't see it. Am I blind? Did I miss some kind of memo?

The whole "trend" thing comes to mind again. Honestly this is only hurting Obama in my eyes. The best way I can describe how it looks to me is like zombies following him with glazed eyes going "O-ba-ma.... O-ba-ma...."

Ack. I don't understand people sometimes. That should have been a 50/50 vote. Any extreme shift from that sort of vote brings suspicions of deep biases in my mind.

And then the comments on the Huffington Post, I mean GODDAMN... they just had a very nice, cordial debate. At the end the possibility of a "dream ticket" of Obama and Hillary was brought up and my heart soared. It was a really nice moment. That would be ideal, to me at least. And apparently to the audience as well as they wouldn't stop clapping.

But then some Obama fans on HuffPo start saying "Hillary never stops lying, Hillary will bring the demise of America, blah blah blah..."

CAN YOU JUST SHUT UP ALREADY????

Thank you. And good night.