File Under: Dick is, well a...

Dick Cheney in a recent speech said that leaving Iraq would be "betrayal."

File Under: Small victory.

An Alternet piece on the not guilty verdict for the Bangor Six, once again gives me a little faith in the people of Maine.

File Under: So Tired

I participated in my first kayak race today. Matt and I both finished the near 8 mile race in an hour and a half. The rain wasn't too bad, but the head wind was completely uncalled for. All and all it was fun and I will gladly do it again.

File Under: It's Hedley

With the passing of Harvey Korman, the world is in further danger of taking itself too seriously.

File Under: Vampire Ad

This video is a classic example of a Vampire Ad. It is clever as hell, and no one will remember who it's for.

File Under: If Only

File Under: I don't quite remember it like that.

PVP-Scott Kurtz

File Under: OW, My Brain!

Apparently Phil felt the need to damage my brain by posting this on my MySpace and yes that is who you think it is in drag.

File Under: For the love of god friggin pick one.

This should offend just about everyone who takes themselves too seriously.

File Under: RvB Reconstruction

It's back, Red vs. Blue is coming back. Watch the extended cut of the first episode now.

File Under: WoW Art?

So apparently Mondolithic Studios can be commissioned to make oil paintings of your favorite avatar, WoW based or other. I bet I can find a nice artist who can make me a nice painting of my Pally. Of course, I'll probably have to sleep with her.

File Under: Why I am useful.

These photos where sent to me by a friend. Assuming no Photoshop, they are perfect examples of why every graphic designer needs a pervert like me around to point these things out.

File Under: What, me worry?

File Under: Wait, is that a flip or a flop?

Found this on Penguin Monkey, thought I should share.

File Under: Fun with Daleks

Our new anonymous, but not by choice, friend left the link to this in his/her comment: Happy Dalek Dance



Which lead me to: Dalek Phone

File Under: GPN in Skowhegan, Maine

How this came about I don't know, but it is the true none the less. Grace, Scott, Bryan, and Matt are going to be at the Skowhegan Opera House on June 27. We are already heading up a Northern Maine contingency. This brings the total of GPN shows this summer up to 3. I feel special. Tickets available here. If that there link makes you nervous you can also get there through the GPN official site on the "Shows" tab.

File Under: The Doctor's Doctor is leaving.

Russel T. Davies, the man who brought Doctor Who back from the silly and unhealthy place it was left, is leaving the show. We are not amused.

File Under: Murdering Dudes

Zero Punctuation - Painkiller A Retrospective (warning may offend some viewers, who probably wonder how they got here in the first place)

File Under: Death Knight News

WarCry Network seems to have the poop on the new Death Knight class. Sounds like fun to me.

File Under: Cheering me up

My bud, PJ, posted this on my MySpace page to cheer me up. I think it worked.

File Under: Vimeo has killed the music.

"Dear Real Kired:

Your video 'America-Ventura Highway' has been removed by Vimeo staff.

Reason: copyrighted

Regards,
Vimeo"

"Dear Real Kired:

Your account has been removed by Vimeo staff.


Reason: unoriginal content, copyrighted material

Regards,
Vimeo"

I guess that's why there is very little on the site. Oh well, a pirate's life is never an easy one.

File Under: GPN-Live From Studio M

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Stop the Bus

File Under: Doug Feith is still a tool, of the Administration

File Under: Looptastic

Fresh off the post at Sun Studios, David Ford-State of the Union

File Under: Why clowns are scary.

Non Sequitur - Wiley Miller

File Under: David Ford interview on OFTV

Hi folks, I'm coming to you live from Atlantic City, NJ. Before you ask, business not pleasure.

A few weeks ago I posted a few times about musician David Ford. Those posts lead to an offer to conduct an interview with this talented individual. Upon consideration of my 12 year interview hiatus, I decided David would be better served by someone who knew what they were doing. With a little help from A.H. an interviewer was found. Mari at One For The Vault was up for the challenge. Read her interview here.

However, I did submit two questions of my own, and have received my responses:

What was the first song, upon the first listen, that gave you a feeling of instant familiarity and having always existed in your mind?
I’m not sure that is how music works for me. I always like to be presented with something in some way unexpected. The songs which exist in my mind, generally end up going on my records. There are certainly songs which instantly resonate, which I get straight away: Tom Waits – Day After Tomorrow… and then there are songs which are instant because they are just perfectly crafted: Neil Young – Heart of Gold… or those which tap instinctively into a musical tradition in such a way as to make you think you must be listening to a version of some old classic: pretty much every track on The Felice Brothers self titled album does this for me… but I really live for those songs which sneak up on you and then stick around forever, maybe laying dormant in a dark corner of the mind until such a moment as circumstance throws them into sharp focus and they suddenly make sense. Songs like these become a friend for life.

What is your favorite guitar and why?
I have a weathered 1950’s archtop guitar with “aristone” written on the headstock. I know very little about it other than the fact it was inexpensive and the thickness of the neck and fretboard makes it virtually unplayable. But it is a beautiful instrument which has clearly been used and loved for decades and if you are willing to get into a fight with it and persist with the discomfort, it also sounds great.

File Under: Bioshock Movie

Wired is reporting that Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) has signed on to do the Bioshock movie. I haven't played far into the game, but the story is compelling and the design is fantastic. Should be a good one.

File Under: Buy stock in KY

Penny Arcade

File Under: Redemption vs. Getting Away With It

File Under: Sorry boy, but I've been hit by purple rain

America-Ventura Highway from Real Kired on Vimeo.

File Under: PEHDTSCKJMBA

File Under: First paddle of the year

This afternoon, Matt and I took the kayaks up the Presque Isle Stream to Arnold Brook and made it up to this beaver dam. We saw geese, ducks and beavers. There is some concern as to if either of us will be able to move tomorrow.

File Under: Wash your banana's

A couple of weeks ago I took a food safety class. One of the new food safe procedures is to wash the skins of bananas before you peel them. It makes sense if you think about it, god only knows where they have been and how many hands have handled them. Just thought I would share.

File Under: Yep, we're doomed.

Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller

File Under: K. Cortez and his Mojo

Once again Killer Cortez at This Is Somewhere (blog) has proven he has the mojo to get some cool shit. Two Grace Potter and the Nocturnals songs available here.

File Under: BBRRRRAAAAINNNSSSS!

Despite repetitive urgings to make Penguin Monkey a regular haunt, many of you still don't go. If you had, you would have seen this:

Jonathan Coulton - Your Brains

File Under: User Friendly hits a nail on the head

File Under: A Prarie Home Companion, a summary

First and foremost the show was great, even better than listening to it next to the campfire with a beer. Though, I shall have to listen to it again on the radio, to hear all the stuff I missed while people were laughing or clapping.

The Venue: The Bangor Civic Center is a frackin pigsty. We were up in the Stadium seating on the right. The floors were sticky, the walls and beams, and duct work were all covered in thick dust. The beam immediately behind my seat had, what appeared to be chili dog remnants, on it. Can someone please donate a pressure washer to them?

The Show: It was all I expected, minus Guy Noir (Ellyn was bummed too). Garrison came out to warm up the crowd about 5:45. He was witty and lead us in a fine rendition of "You are My Sunshine." He was quite adept at making all the right Maine jokes to keep the crowd with him, he continued in that vein through out the evening. It was, also, neat to watch the way he directed the music and the rest show, with hand gestures and glances. They worked with the kind of efficiency and shorthand that only comes from working together for a long time.

The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band were a pleasure. When I asked Ellyn what her favorite part of the evening was, she said the music, and I can see her point. However, to me, live music is much more accessible than a live radio theater performance. So, I would have to go with the stories and incomparable skills of Fred Newman, the sound effects man.

I had years of suspicion confirmed last night. Mr. Keillor goes off script to mess with Fred. GK made continual efforts to crack him up. It reminds me of Carrol Burnett show, and the way Tim Conway would try to break the others. Once, Garrison realized that espresso machines and spray whipped cream were wreaking havoc on Fred, suddenly everything seemed to involve them. What a blast.

The guests for the evening were Maxine Kumin (pronounced like human, GK found out he had been pronouncing it wrong for 12 years, oops) and David Mallet. Maxine's poems were beautiful and funny. Poetry, like Shakespeare, just plays better when read out loud. David and his band were most enjoyable as well. We all sang along to "The Garden Song."

We rounded out the broadcast with an even better rendition of "You Are My Sunshine," and a standing ovation from the crowd. A good time was had by all.

If you would like to hear the show, it should be available on Monday on their archives.

File Under: A Prairie Home Companion

Headed off to Bangor to see a live performance of A Prairie Home Companion. After years of listening to Garrison Keillor for years, I am finally going to go to a show. I have taken a certain amount of ribbing from people for this, but I don't mind. Mock away.

File Under: No Wrath Beta. Scammers on the Prowl

WoW Insider would like you all to know that any invitations you may receive to play the Wrath of the Lich King Beta are scams trying to steal your gear. They give some nice helpful tips on how not to get scammed. To me, the best tip a WoW player can ever be given is, never give you username and password to anyone. The only places you should ever enter it, are at the launch screen and to access your account on the official site, that you reached through the launch window or your own tested bookmarks.

File Under: GPN at Sun Studio

Another working band moment from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals during their visit to Sun Studios- "Night Rolls On."

File Under: Needed Bureaucracy

I am no fan of bureaucracy, but some is just needed. The FCC's regulation of how broadcasters serve their communities is one instance. In a rare good decision, Chair Kevin Martin has made proposals that would lead to more structure for how that is done.

Some Republicans are claiming that this somehow gets in between the broadcasters and their customers. Fie, I say. I have seen the steady decline of participation in the community by broadcasters over the last 15 years, as they have become more and more deregulated.

WAGM, here in Presque Isle, used to be heavily involved in the community, helping in what ways they could. Not at a loss, I am sure, but not at a gain either. Now, they can't be bothered. For more years than I know, The Presque Isle Rotary Auction was on WAGM. That ended some years back, because the station wasn't profiting from all that "work." WAGM, also no longer belongs to the Chambers of Commerce in Central Aroostook.

So you may be asking, why I think the FCC has a say in these matters? Simple, WAGM and other broadcasters are using the public airwaves for their business model. The original intent, of local service obligations, was to make sure that the community benefits in return for the use of those airwaves. Umpteen seasons of Survivor and American Idol are in no way a benefit to the community.

File Under: Aroostook River Flooding

Presque Isle has been lucky, the flooding here has been minor, not like the poor people in the St. John valley. This is a picture I took, on my cell, this afternoon of the Aroostook River. There is a parking lot and a boat launch under there.

File Under: Catchy Little Tune About Cheating

Amber Rubarth - "23" at Sun Studios.

Note: Blip.tv seems to have gone stupid and I can't lock this video to the right episode. You can access it by clicking on the book icon, then the episodes tab.