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680599 Posts in 27601 Topics by 4068 Members - Latest Member: Dae Lims March 29, 2024, 12:13:25 AM
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176  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: NBA 2017 Topic on: April 14, 2018, 11:17:39 AM
I'd say Lebron has got a psychological edge over the entire NBA. He has in the past put the fear of god into Golden State, which he has no business doing, considering how much worse his teams have been than theirs.

This will be interesting for Cleveland, considering how different that team is than was the one that began the season. I think it's substantially better, talent-wise, and a lot more versatile. (Obviously when I say talent-wise, I mean talent as it now produces. Rose and Wade clearly WERE more talented than anyone they have now.) But considering the injuries Boston has suffered, Cleveland would be my guess. I know I said I wouldn't make picks, but if I were going to, that would be my pick from the East.
177  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: NBA 2017 Topic on: April 14, 2018, 10:40:55 AM
It's crazy to consider Golden State vulnerable, though I know what you mean. But really, on paper? This team has one of the three or four best players of the generation, Kevin Durant, as well as legit all-stars Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. They have guys like Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala, David West, and Zaza Pachulia as role players. It's crazy how many good players there are on that team. But I think more than missing Curry, they've been dealing with both players coming and going with injuries, as well as probably a certain amount of malaise. I think at least the latter should be taken care of, just by being in the situation.

You're right about Mitchell. Though that team can also get points out of some of those other guys. Ingles, Burks, Favors, Crowder, Exum, Goubert, and sometimes even Rubio ... they can manufacture points through their sets. Exum, in particular, I think is going to be a great help for them off the bench, especially if he can hit some jumpers. Because even after his injuries, he's a freak athlete and can get to the hoop.
178  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: New Politics Thread 2018 on: April 14, 2018, 09:50:02 AM
Well, yesterday's strikes were inevitable, I suppose. Not a lot of criticism from across the political spectrum in the US, either. I guess this is what they call looking presidential.
179  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Q on: April 14, 2018, 09:49:00 AM
I'm not going to give any predictions, because what the hell do I know (about what hasn't happened yet)? But I'm pretty excited for the games. My main regret is that we won't see Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, or probably Kawhi Leonard, and that we've got to wait to see Steph Curry and Joel Embiid. It's a shame to see teams at less than full strength.

As great as it is for the Wolves to be back into the playoffs after a LONG time, I'm not optimistic about their chances against Houston. Still, it would be great to steal a win or two, if possible, especially at home.

I'm probably more excited to see Philly than any other team, especially once Embiid returns. I just love so many of those players, Simmons first among them. I've been following him from afar since he was maybe 16ish, so getting him onto the court in the NBA has been a joy to see. He's a brilliant player, really high IQ, something like a freight-train version of Lamar Odom, unfortunately so far minus the jump shot. Not to be sacrilegious, but he's almost like a (far more explosive) young Magic Johnson, who also wasn't an especially good shooter early on.

Utah will be my other team of choice, I think. I've still got so much love for Rubio, it pains me to see his playoffs debut in another uniform. But I think Snyder in general has done a great job coaching, and that team is so balanced and versatile. I'd love for them to advance.

Lastly, I really hope Golden State gets healthy and puts it together. Curry and Durant are simply transcendent, and Thompson and Green can be great, too. We'll see how the role players do, and especially (early on) Quinn Cook.
180  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / General Music Discussion / Re: Any Jazz aficionado's here? on: April 14, 2018, 07:53:38 AM
I disagree that "Single Petal of a Rose" isn't jazz: its vocabulary is jazz, anyway. But jazz, like rock was later, is subject to a lot of debate over the borders.

Top five jazz tunes is a tough assignment.

Ellington's Isfahan, from the Far East Suite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2U1MGX8SLU

Monk's Just a Gigolo, in this case from Misterioso: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j07z-42cxPI

Miles Davis Quintet's Footprints, from Miles Smiles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62p-CXrYmf4

Coltrane's My Favorite Things, from the album of the same name: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWG2dsXV5HI

And then how about a tie between:

Blue Mitchell, The Way You Look Tonight, from Blue Soul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAjgoaH2-dQ
Dexter Gordon, I'm a Fool To Want You, from Clubhouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytl9kcMVaYs
181  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian in 1985 Studio Footage on: April 13, 2018, 10:00:15 AM

Should we just go ahead and rename this thread "The Beach Boys '85 Appreciation Thread'? :D

If it makes everyone feel better, I still hate the album.
182  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Your 5 Favorite Songs Per Decade? on: April 12, 2018, 04:22:00 PM
I don't recall doing this before. Nice idea.

60s
Wouldn't It Be Nice
GOK
Time to Get Alone
I Get Around
Surfer Girl
Album - Pet Sounds

70s
This Whole World
I'll Bet He's Nice
The Night Was So Young
A Day in the Life of a Tree
Don't Go Near the Water / Mess of Help (tie)
Album - Love You / Surfs Up (tie)

80s
Livin With a Heartache
Melt Away
There's So Many
Walk the Line
Wipeout
Album - Brian Wilson (by default because of the trash that was otherwise released)

90s
Your Imagination
She Says That She Needs Me
Still I Dream of It (demo, in GV box)
Wonderful (Smile version, in GV box)
Lay Down Burden
Album - Imagination, unless we count box sets. The GV box was fabulous.

00s
Gettin In Over My Head
Saturday Morning in the City
Live Let Live
Oxygen to the Brain
Midnight's Another Day
Album - BWPS was a miracle; TLOS is my favorite of new material

10s
Isn't It Time
From There to Back Again
Shelter / Pacific Coast Highway (tie)
Sail Away
Saturday Night on Hollywood Boulevard
Album - NPP, probably, with TWGMTR right up there

EDIT - sorry, I forgot albums. Edited to include them.
183  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: New Politics Thread 2018 on: April 11, 2018, 10:36:31 AM
Agree entirely. As bad as Twitter tough talk is, however far beneath any adult (much less a president), it was one thing when it was about the (relatively) marginally dangerous N Korea. But directly with/about Russia?

And while maybe it’s a cliche, as his domestic and legal troubles mount, I do worry that he may see a war as a way to build support and to distract the population.
184  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: The What Are You Reading? Thread on: April 10, 2018, 05:35:36 AM
I said it was ad hominem in spirit: whatever its points, they’re buried in name-calling.
185  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: New Politics Thread 2018 on: April 09, 2018, 04:31:31 PM
Kind of a big day today (maybe).

Maybe Pruitt's unethical behavior--and I'm not talking about his policy positions, which of course were to be expected, but rather his actual misuse of his office--will catch up to him.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/09/climate/epa-ethics-letter-pruitt.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

And of course Cohen's office was raided by the FBI. Maybe, among many other more substantive things, they'll find some "dear diary" scribblings about why he out of nowhere decided, unbeknownst to the president, to pay off a porn star the president didn't f***.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/09/us/politics/fbi-raids-office-of-trumps-longtime-lawyer-michael-cohen.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
186  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: The What Are You Reading? Thread on: April 09, 2018, 04:19:10 PM
I'll be honest, I don't like that style. At all.

First, it's basically pure ad hominem in spirit, even if not in the facts. (I can't pretend to have read even much of what Pinker has written, much less the everything from the philosophers and other assorted historical figures he cites, so I won't be able to weigh in on the substance much.) But the tone of the piece is "oh, listen to this fucking dick. What an asshole, he's so dumb that he thinks..." That's a turn-off for me no matter where it comes from, or toward whom it's directed. When it's from someone with whom I disagree, naturally it's an annoyance. But when it's from someone with whom I agree, then I'm embarrassed for "my team," whom I expect to rise above that nonsense and stick to facts.

Second, it has the scent of someone wildly punching up. "You don't know who I am, but you'll know me when I take down this famous asshole!" Someone like a Pinker couldn't really respond even if he wanted to, because it dignifies the tactic.

As for the Pinker book, I'm enjoying it so far. I've only read a few chapters, maybe 75 pages. But I think it's good. Then again, I think his generally liberal leanings align more closely to my mindset than I'd guess they do to yours.
187  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: MLB: Cleveland Name and Logo on: April 09, 2018, 04:13:32 PM
Seconded. Great post. I--neither a Clevelander nor a baseball fan--learned a lot.
188  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Where are The Beach Boy fans? on: April 09, 2018, 07:44:14 AM
I think it’s a fruitless quest. What’s the measurement? Album sales, ticket sales, airplay? That’s quantitative but imperfect. And as for depth of fandom—how seriously or deeply the music is appreciated—I don’t know how you’d measure that.

It seems like a lot of work for no reason unless you’re in the business of marketing BBs or are really desperate to brag (if you happen to reside there).
189  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: The What Are You Reading? Thread on: April 08, 2018, 11:19:49 AM
Daniel Ellsburg's "The Doomsday Machine," which is terrifying.

To help mitigate the depression caused by the above, I started Steven Pinker's "Enlightenment Now." I'm going back and forth a few chapters at a time. We're all going to die. Everything's fine. We're all going to die. Everything's fine. And so on.
190  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: MLB: Cleveland Name and Logo on: April 08, 2018, 11:18:31 AM
I think it's obvious why the logo can be offensive to people. I would prefer it not be used.

I think the only way for it to stop being used is for the majority of relevant people (Cleveland fans and advertisers, I suppose) to agree that it ought not be used. Otherwise its elimination would just cause a backlash of the big bad minority imposing its will upon the majority.

I think protests in general are confrontational and do at least as much harm as good, if not more. And so they widen the divide between the perspectives, rather than minimize them. The Cleveland fans swearing at the protesters are sad little people, but I can also see how sad little people feel egged on by protesters. It's just not a great tactic, in my opinion.
191  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / General Music Discussion / Re: Any Jazz aficionado's here? on: April 06, 2018, 08:28:29 AM
I can't speak to what was "real" surfing music, as I never knew or cared about surfing or the authenticity of its music. But I'd guess anyone who said that was talking at least in part about this album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg9L087bM2s&list=PLka9LyFbXm0gzf2Y2W_py2D8LafoQUXK8

https://www.allmusic.com/album/slippery-when-wet-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000902074
192  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / General Music Discussion / Re: Any Jazz aficionado's here? on: April 06, 2018, 07:21:06 AM
The great, if pretentious, pianist Cecil Taylor died (age 89). Brilliant player.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Htg810iqYLY
193  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: The What Are You Reading? Thread on: April 06, 2018, 06:41:25 AM
Daniel Ellsburg's "The Doomsday Machine," which is terrifying.
194  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: Off-topic junk from "Those who post nonsense, threads that are one or two posts only, etc..." th on: April 04, 2018, 01:39:25 PM
I was hoping it was after the guitarist.
195  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian Wilson - 2018 Tour Thread on: April 04, 2018, 01:38:22 PM
Your logic escapes me, Matt.

The logic is pretty simple: speak nonsense likely to be seen as controversial and enjoy the attention of the inevitable responses.

I believe there’s a relevant saying. Something about trolls and the filling (or not) of their bellies.
196  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian Wilson - 2018 Tour Thread on: April 03, 2018, 02:40:00 PM

I also think (if you aren't trolling) that your terminology is a bit misconfigured. I have posted a great many criticism of Brian's voice on this forum and have caught plenty of unnecessary sh*t for it. However, he is never off key or out of tune. His voice is strained and tired, but still very musically accurate.


I would--and hence I will--quibble slightly with you on Brian's voice. I've heard him hit bum notes, especially in songs that have a range or even melody leaps that challenge his modern voice. (I'm thinking about how awful "Time to Get Alone" was in Glasgow 2004, at the Smile show, for one example. I've heard several others.) So I don't think it's fair to say he's never off key or out of tune. He also increasingly, WISELY, lets others handle those vocals he can't so easily handle.

That said, he is generally pretty good in those things. And I agree with your main point entirely.
197  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian Wilson - 2018 Tour Thread on: April 02, 2018, 08:38:18 AM
Another Minneapolis kickoff? Al did the same in January and I believe the BWPS tour’s US leg also started here.

I’m conflicted about this. I’m not a fan of Christmas music in general or that album in particular. But it’s not without its moments—We Three Kings could be cool!—and of course you never know when it’ll be the last opportunity to see Brian.
198  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: NBA 2017 Topic on: March 30, 2018, 11:28:57 AM
While the Wolves' schedule has been favorable, unfortunately we're also playing it (as far as we know) without the by-far best player on the team, Jimmy Butler. As talented as Towns, Wiggins, and to a lesser extent Teague, Gibson, Bjelica, Crawford, Jones, and Dieng are, this Butler-less team is nothing close to the Butler-led team. He's really remarkably good. I'd seen him at Marquette and with the Bulls, but when he's on my team I'm really appreciating it. He's spectacular.

Without him, though, it's just not enough horses for the way Thibs apparently is unwilling to stop racing: starters get 40 minutes or more. Period. Tyus Jones, who has been fantastic all season as backup point guard, is often getting 5-10 mpg. Bjelica goes from a similarly limited bench role to 35-40 mpg as a starter in lieu of Butler. It's insane. It's wearing out the team, as has been obvious in their late-game collapses as of late. (The Philly and Memphis losses...my god. Especially Memphis. At home.)

Yeah, it was nice to see Towns destroy Atlanta in his 56-15 game. But that's an Atlanta that's a shell of not only its recent playoff self, but its early-season self, as Belinelli and Ilyasova are now 76ers thanks to the waiver wire, and Schroder and Bazemore were both out.

I'm afraid we're going to drop in the seedings, and possibly all the way out. I'm also both scared a) Thibs won't be fired, and b) he will.
199  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Still Cruisin CD on: March 28, 2018, 01:11:48 PM
Tom Waits did several amazing “non-80s” albums in the 80s.
200  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / The Sandbox / Re: The What Are You Reading? Thread on: March 25, 2018, 08:49:51 AM
Finishing up Bart Ehrman's new "The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World." It's OK, but definitely not as interesting as some of his earlier books. I think because like many of his popular-audience books, it's not really positing anything especially new or controversial but rather just promoting the general consensus of relevant scholars. With books like "Forged" and "Misquoting Jesus," those consensus positions seem controversial, or are at least unknown to typical readers. But here ... there's just nothing especially novel.

Hopefully I'll finish it today and get back to "The Adolescent," which has been sitting on the coffee table for a week or two mostly untouched.
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