This list represents the compilation of information found on bands’ websites, other media sites, and Youtube interviews – plus a little speculation on my part… But not that much.

25 – Coheed and Cambria – Year of the Black Rainbow (April, 2010)

This was posted on the news page of the prog- and metal-inspired rock band’s Website on December 7: “Our new album will be titled, Year of the Black Rainbow, and is set for release in April 2010.” The post also indicated that the release will be followed by a headline tour of the US, the UK and Europe which will include festival stops. The album will serve as a prequel for the band’s previous albums which all fit into a concept known as “The Amory Wars.”

24 – Angels and Airwaves – Love (Feb. 14, 2010)

Easily the most ambitious release yet from Tom DeLonge and Angels and Airwaves is scheduled for a Valentine’s Day, 2010 release. Love will include a CD of all original songs and a film of the same name – not a documentary about the band, like their previous film Start The Machine, but an actual feature film about an astronaut stranded alone in space. DeLonge told Billboard that Love is the ‘pinnacle of his creativity’ and likened it to Pink Floyd’s The Wall. He also said it would be released for free.

23 – Plants and Animals – TBA (2010 release speculated)

Back in April, the Juno-nominated Montreal band let fans know, via their Website, that they had been recording at The Treatment Room in Montreal, where they’d laid down Parc Avenue. In September, on MySpace, they revealed that they had also apparently been recording at La Frette studios near Paris. Later that month they said they would be mixing the album in Paris, and joked on their Website (plantsandanimals.ca) that they had chosen the cover for their next album:

22 – Born Ruffians – Say It (Early 2010)

Having recorded and mixed the album in the fall and late summer, the Toronto trio just revealed, on December 14, that their second full length would be called Say It. Singer and guitarist Luke Lalonde told Stereogum.com that they worked with Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear producer Rusty Santos on the album. “We just want it to sound like us live … but better,” he said.

21 – Spoon – Transference (January 19, 2010)

Austin rock immortals Spoon will be putting out a new album in January called Transference, their fifth album released on N.C. indie label Merge Records. You can preview “Got Nuffin,” the lead single from Transference (first featured on an EP of the same name released back in June) on Pitchfork.com.

20 – The National – TBA (Spring 2010)

In mid-July, guitarist Bryce Dessner told Pitchfork that he, his twin brother Aaron, and the rest of the Brooklyn-based group were already pretty far along with a new record. The group built their own recording studio in Brooklyn following the release of their highly praised 2007 album Boxer, he said. “It’s the first time we’ve ever had our own space, so we’re just working our asses off trying to get that done. And we’re kind of pinching ourselves because it seems like it’s actually coming together,” Dessner said.

19 – Caribou – TBA (2010 release speculated)

After winning the 2008 Polaris Prize for his 2007 album Andora, Daniel Snaith, brainchild of the Canadian electronic act Caribou, wrote on his Website that part of the prize money would be going towards the creation of a new album. This past May, he posted an update saying “I’ve been busy making music for a new Caribou album which I’m really excited about.”

18 – Owen Pallett – Heartland (January 12, 2010)

Another Canadian artist working on the follow up to a Polaris Prize-winning album is Owen Pallett, who formerly worked under the title Final Fantasy. Pallett won the prize in 2007 for his album He Poos Clouds. Pallett told Pitchfork that the album is a concept about a farmer named Lewis, whose name pops up in some of the song titles. Featured on the album, apparently, are Arcade Fire drummer Jeremy Gara, and the Czech Symphony.

17 – The Hold Steady – TBA (2010 release expected)

The Brooklyn-based band debuted a number new songs, five in total, during live shows on their recent American and Canadian tour. Guitarist Tad Kubler told obviatemedia.net at the end of September that they’ll be making their new record at their own pace. “I’d like to have a record out early [2010], but there’s a lot of other variables that are involved in putting out records… We’ve always sort of put a deadline of when we’d want to have a record out or a record finished. This one I’d like to be at a little more relaxed pace,” Kubler said, “We just kind of want to go in and record without a real deliberate date in mind for when things need to be wrapped up.”

16 – OK Go – Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (January 12, 2010)

Due out at the start of 2010 on Capitol Records, Of The Blue Colour of the Sky will be the third major release from Chicago’s OK Go. If the first single “WTF?”, which comes with a suitably psychedelic music video, is any indication, the band have taken a less straight forward approach on this album, veering away from their edgey pop-friendly rock towards the funky and the weird.

15 – Drake – Thank Me Later (March, 2010)

2009 was a big year for Degrassi: The Next Generation actor turned international rap star Drake – and he only released an EP. Scheduled to release in March of 2010, Drake has said that one song on Thank Me Later will feature Jay Z, but that R&B, rather than hip hop, could make up the majority of the songs.

14 – Hot Chip – One Life Stand (February 8, 2010)

One Life Stand will be the fourth album from the Grammy-nominated British electropop group. So far two singles have been released, the title track, and “Take It In” which can be previewed on Pitchfork. Frontman Alexis Taylor told NME that the songs on One Life Stand are “more mid-tempo and disco influenced at the moment,” compared to their last album Made in the Dark. “Things are a bit calmer this time,” Taylor said.

13 – Fleet Foxes – TBA (Late 2010 release expected)

“We’re working on stuff every day,” Robin Flecknold, singer and guitarist for Seattle’s Fleet Foxes, told Pitchfork in an interview in early December. “Now is when we’re writing and starting to record the new album.” He also elaborated on the sonic direction they’re headed in. “There are definitely super-upbeat songs that are being worked on for the new record. But as a whole, it’s probably a little bit less upbeat [than their self-titled debut]. Not darker – some of it has a more exuberant feeling to it. But some of it is just more realistic,” said Flecknold.

12 – Circa Survive – TBA (early 2010 release expected)

Studio recording in Toronto has finished for Circa Survive’s third full length album. The Philadelphia group teased fans with a number of studio videos posted on their site documenting recording and featuring snippets of songs, but they have still yet to come out with the name of the album. This will be the band’s first record released on Atlantic Records, having completed their contract with Equal Vision.

11 – Vampire Weekend – Contra (January 12, 2010)

Expect the sophomore release from New York’s Vampire Weekend in the middle of January. The band’s multi-instrumentalist Rostam Batmanglij produced this effort, as he did on their debut. Dude has ‘Batman’ right in his name. So you know it’ll be good.

10 – Sigur Ros – TBA (2010 release expected)

At the end of May the Icelandic musicians posted on their Website that they had almost completed recording a new album at Sundlaugin studio in Álafoss. The post indicated that the record will be “slower and more ambient” than their previous two albums. No release date is set; however, March 22 is when lead singer Jónsi Birgisson’s solo album Go is scheduled to drop.

09 – My Chemical Romance – TBA (2010 release expected)

My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way recently said the fourth album from his group has been heavily ‘80’s-influenced, name-dropping metal god-fathers Judas Priest and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. The band has been in the studio since August; no release date has been set.

08 – Stone Temple Pilots – TBA (2010 release expected)

Scott Weiland and the reunited Stone Temple Pilots are reportedly nearly finished their first album since 2001’s Shangri-La Dee Da. The band postponed some scheduled shows in December and January to finish the long-awaited album that will be produced by Don Was (The Rolling Stones, Iggy Pop).

07 – No Doubt – TBA (2010 release speculated)

Back in 2008, almost as soon as they’d announced a reunion tour would take place in 2009, the Anaheim group also said yes, they’d be working on a new album. Delays arose, not the least of which was singer Gwen Stefani’s pregnancy with her second child, but drummer Adrian Young said the band would be touring with a mobile studio on their bus, and would eventually get around to recording some new No Doubt material. Rock Steady, released in 2001, was the last full length put out by the group.

06 – Arcade Fire – TBA (2010 release expected)

Montreal’s Arcade Fire will reportedly have their third album out by the second half of 2010, NME.com reported early in December. The band convened to work on the follow up to 2007’s Neon Bible in the summer, and will likely spend next summer headlining summer festivals.

05 – Yeasayer – Odd Blood (February 9, 2010)

A deliciously bizarre video already exists on the interwebs for the lead single off Odd Blood, “Ambling Alp.” The fusion of psychedelic and world music seems to have paid off the group, who played on the same stage as Radiohead at Lollapalooza in 2008, and rocked Bonnaroo in 2009, all off the power of just their debut, All Hour Cymbals. Expect a February release for their follow up.

04 – Wolf Parade – TBA (2010 release speculated)

Spencer Krug, one half of the two-headed songwriting team behind Montreal’s Wolf Parade (the other half being Dan Boeckner, also of The Handsome Furs), told an Irish interviewer in September that the band was getting back together in November to start working on their third album, a follow up to 2008’s think piece At Mount Zoomer. 

03 – MGMT – Congratulations (Spring 2010)

The Brooklyn band finished recording their follow up to the much, much lauded Oracular Spectacular during the summer in Malibu. The new album is reportedly influenced by the band’s incredible boost in popularity since their debut. Beyond their own projects the duo of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden have recently collaborated with The Flaming Lips on Embryonic and with Kid Cudi on Man on the Moon: The End of Day.

2 Blink 182 – TBA (2010 release speculated)

Following their 2009 reunion, Blink 182 has already recorded a couple new songs, with one being featured on Travis Barker’s upcoming solo album. Bassist Mark Hoppus said they’ll be in the studio in January. Will that mean an album before 2010 is out? It’s entirely possible.

01 – Dr Dre – Detox (2010 release expected)

Repeatedly pushed back from its originally scheduled 2004 release, 2010 is supposedly going to be the year when fans will finally get to hear Detox, the third album from Dr. Dre – the one that he’s been talking about since 2002. Dre seems to have been more concerned with producing other artists and selling Dr. Pepper than putting out his own album in recent months, but when this does drop, expect big things as Dre has told MTV the album will basically be a ‘Hip Hop musical’ where collaborators will appear as characters in an overarching story. Think “Guilty Conscience,” but for an entire album. The Rock world got its Chinese Democracy in 2008, and it looks as though the Hip Hop world will finally get Detox in 2010.

If you have not notice, I have been doing a decades list which is called MW2K.
Doing a list of the best albums from 2000 to 2009.
So far you can find out from #51-#100 on here.
Here is #41-#50.

1. Aaliyah – Aaliyah (2001)


It was a shock in 2001 when Aaliyah was tragically killed in an airplane crash. Her music and legacy will still live on.
This album is full of pop, R&B/Soul and probably is one of her best and personal album.
Best tracks are We Need A Resolution, Rock Da Boat and More Than A Woman.




2. Elephant – The White Stripes (2003)


This is the only the White Stripes album that I own. It was probably a start of their popularity thanks to the song Seven Nation Army.
A great garage rocking album.
Best tracks are Seven Nation Army and The Hardest Button To Button


3. Close To Paradise – Patrick Watson (2006)


Patrick was the second artist to win the Polaris Prize. It is a creative artsy dreamy album.
Its like what the title of the album suggests. Light, mellow and dreamy.
Best tracks are Close To Paradise, Daydreamer, The Storm and Luscious Life.




4. Andorra – Caribou (2007)


The third artist to win the Polaris Prize. This album is a mix of psychedelic electronica.
Has that 60s feel and just makes you want to dance your butt off.
Best tracks are Melody Days, Sandy and Niobe




5. Garden State Soundtrack – Various Artist (2008)


The only soundtrack I would recommend from this decade.
The movie is one of my favorites (who can’t you not love Natalie Portman).
Best tracks are Don’t Panic by Coldplay, In The Waiting Line by Zero 7, The Only Living Boy In New York by Simon & Garfunkel and Such Great Heights by Iron & Wine.

6. Jackson Square – Arkells (2008)


Its their first full-length album and its chalk full of great rocking tunes.
Best tracks are Deadlines, Pulling Punches, Oh,The Boss Is Coming, The Ballad Of Hugo Chavez, Heart In The City and John Lennon.




7. Women – Women (2008)


Their music is a mix of indie pop and alternative.
Has this psychedelic noisy sound or Beach Boys sound.
Best tracks are Black Rice, Sag Harbour Bridge and Shaking Hands


8. Red, Yellow and Blue – Born Ruffians (2007)


Their debut album got this Toronto band big into the UK music market.
Best tracks are Red, Yellow and Blue, Hummingbird, I Need A Life, Kurt Vonnegut and Red Elephant.


9. Parc Avenue – Plants and Animals (2008)


This trio from Montreal released this great indie rock album. Its a throwback to the 60s or 70s rock style of music.
Best tracks are Bye Bye Bye, Good Friend, Faerie Dance, Mercy and Guru.




10. Amnesiac – Radiohead (2001)


First of a few Radiohead albums in this list.
This one is the human side of Kid A which was released in the same year.
Best tracks are Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box, Pyramid Song and Like Spinning Plates.

Taken in its entirety, Caribou’s back catalog is a pretty soul-crushing compilation, with even its cheerier songs sounding like upbeat funeral dirges. Gotta appreciate the beat he throws down on this one though.

-jakeyp

Tiden flyver af sted så det suser om ørerne på mig, men det er nu også, fordi jeg har lavet dette og hint på det sidste, her nævnes i (let illustreret) flæng:

¤ Haft fødselsdag og fået uventede og uventet kærkomne gaver, bl.a. hjemmehækl (Sarah), skjorte (mig), Den Blå Port (mor/far), Hørslev + Frost (mormor/-far), ordsprog (Kirsten/Line), Stravinskij (søs) og Adolphsen + Loe (Signe/Rijanne/fl.):

¤ Været på svip-t/r til ukendte musikalske græsgange, hvor jeg bl.a. fandt (og tog med mig hjem) Caribou (hør det) – han har også lavet musik under navnet Manitoba, men så måtte han ikke hedde det længere – som uvist af hvilken årsag har opkaldt sit seneste album efter Pyrenæernes – her er ironi – perle, men det er virkelig godt!:

¤ Vendt og drejet Chresten Forsoms unægteligt interessante og desværre også unægteligt mislykkede, men grafisk flotte! ubetitlede debut med Litteratur og Likør og månedens gæst Elisabeth Friis i Nordisk Kaffebar. En meget lærerig og underholdende – der var glögg – eftermiddag!

¤ Gæstet Arkitektskolen til dens årlige julefest(er). Det er der heldigvis ingen billeder af. Nu er jeg i Jylland og glæder mig til de kommende dages glögg- og ikke mindst snaps-arrangementer.

The Crew is really feeling these boots from the collab between Boston streetwear boutique Concepts, and Sorel boot makers.  And with the snow we got today, they are very much needed!

Originally founded by William H. Kaufman Inc. in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Sorel™ has long been associated with the development and distribution of durable, comfortable, cold-weather footwear since 1908. In the early 1960s, Sorel™ was the first to combine leather uppers, rubber bottoms and removable felt liners to make the warmest and driest winter boots available anywhere in the world.

Concepts worked with Sorel on 2 classic models, the men’s Caribou and the women’s Joan of Arctic, using premium leathers, suede’s and waxed cotton on the uppers. Each boot comes with an alternate fleece lining, is water proof and rated for -30 fahrenheit. The boots are now available at Concepts Boston.

via Highsnobiety.

Source

These wolves are hunting caribou, which are the wild reindeer of the North American Arctic and boreal forests.  It is the same species that exists in Eurasia.

Some may notice this post is a little belated…let’s just say any week your band gets to open for KISS is automatically the most hectic week you’ve ever had in your life, times a million.

No matter–it will take some picking up of the general pace, but all the reviews WILL be written by Dec 30th, and the FINAL LIST will be posted on the 31st. So, let’s get back to it, shall we?

Spoon—Kill the Moonlight
Merge, 2002

Remember how many memorable riffs Led Zeppelin II had? “Whole Lotta Love”, “The Lemon Song”, “Thank You”, “Heartbreaker”, “Ramble On”… It’s not even their best album, yet it contains a ton of the more iconic tunes of the 1970’s. Kill the Moonlight is that album for the 2000’s, and the best album so far from Spoon. Count the ways: “Small Stakes”, “The Way We Get By”, “Jonathon Fisk”, “Paper Tiger”, “Don’t Let It Get You Down”, and “Vittorio E” are all songs that have become iconic already, in the same decade they were released. The opening keyboard riff of “Small Stakes” alone would be enough to solidify a spot for Kill the Moonlight on this list, and with a song like “The Way We Get By” placed right after it, it’s already bound for top 50 glory. Tons of publications have mentioned this album in decade lists already and it may seem kind of cliché, but it really is Spoon’s most consistent album. Plus, a lot of folks don’t talk about “Vittorio E”, the moving closing track that represents a more atmospheric and psychedelic side of Spoon they have yet to fully explore, and the numbers of ways this band can grow in the future.

Band of Horses—Cease to Begin
Sub Pop, 2007

Creating something simple and beautiful is underrated anymore, and hopefully Band of Horses will get what they deserve for doing it so well. In this decade, they have made two glorious, 10-song gems of records that somehow sound completely original and realized without being over-produced or overwrought. Both albums sound like effortless breaths of fresh air in a world that has forgotten that possibilities still exist for rock music; Cease to Begin is simply the better one of these. “Is There A Ghost?” is the song that got them noticed, but aside from the minute-long filler of “Lamb on the Lam”, there is not a bad song on this album. The oddly titled “Detlef Schrempf” is one of the brightest moments—it boasts an incredible wordless hook fit for filled arenas everywhere, but is way too subdued to be considered a power ballad. Lead singer/songwriter Ben Bridwell has a great voice that just kind of inspires a passionate sing-along, and his songwriting goes hand in hand with this. It’s a winning formula that works just as well on slower songs like “Schrempf” and the incredible “Window Blues” as it does on rock tunes like “Islands on the Coast” and “Cigarettes, Wedding Bands”.

Caribou—Andorra
Merge, 2007

Caribou may have had its beginnings as an electronic project with sole member Daniel Snaith, but it quickly became something much more—darkly sunny sample-pop that simultaneously embraces the joyful and the discomforting. “Melody Day”, Andorra’s opening track, sets this tone perfectly. The beautiful, minor-key verse washes into a chorus of barely controlled disarray, only to stumble back together again in the first of a number of challenging moments on this record. The best song may be “After Hours”, if only because it works on so many levels—it’s a dance tune, it’s a psychedelic sound collage, it’s a pop song, it’s a love song, and it’s innovative as hell. It’s also one of the best examples of Snaith’s compelling drumming, which has enough personality to propel every song in different directions. Andorra’s production is light and airy, and sometimes feels a bit lacking in the low-end department. But this feel helps to make the album seem odd yet timeless, like something no one has ever heard before or will ever hear again.

Folks, there is a pending new world record caribou which was harvested in 2008 with Artic Hunting Group in Greenland.  Check out the unusual antler confirmation on this beautiful animal.  Scoring an incredible 534 1/8 SCI, Bob Theer has harvested a World Record Central Canada Caribou for the ages.  Visit Artic Hunting Group’s website http://arctic-hunting-group.com/ for more details on their world class Caribou and Muskox hunts.  Thanks Tony for use of the photo!

Falling is never a fun thing. Even a small trip in the hallway can lead to misfortune. I assume this has happened to everyone. I find it strange that I speak in metaphors in my journal but I use the blunt words in real life. I find it hard to express through vocal pitch and attitude just what I want. People find me incoherent and strange, when in reality, if they took 3 seconds to understand what I was saying, they’d be on a similar level. I don’t claim to be godlike (no capitals here) nor advanced…I’m not the smartest guy in the room, but I do know my stuff. I know what to say, when to say it, and how best to be expressed. Yes, that rhymes.

What am I getting at? I’m getting at the point of people trying to talk like they know of what they speak. Half the time people speak to me, its words of wisdom” from an inexperienced mouth. It’s similar to a Virgin giving advice of sexual positions…How would they/he/she know what position works best if they’ve never tried it? I know that’s an easy one to knit pick at but that’s where I’m going with it. I mean it’s the easiest way to get my point across.

Now on to the reason why I haven’t updated in almost a month.
The reasons in a short list:
1. Naval entrance examinations
2. Call of Duty was released just this past month so yeah, it would be a priority.
3. Backlog of shows to watch, and books to read
4. On set of slight depression that was actually masked fear. I didn’t understand it myself but I’ll go into more detail
5. Work related Drama
6. Job searching: Self descriptive and Easy to explain.

SO let’s start in the next blog about each, as this blog entry is really just an apology to the 5 people who actually read this. I’m not done setting my journal/blog up yet, but i’m well on the way.

The blog after that will deal with the idea behind the navy in-depth, quite so.
The Third blog after this will deal with the cockroach woman of Caribou, Ina

Recap of Tuesday, November 24th~

My afternoon was great! I got my work done in time and I left work right at noon.

My Mom had made hamburgers for lunch, but I decided that I wanted leftovers from dinner last night. I brought them with me because I did not want them to go bad over the holiday.

It was really good, again!

After lunch it was time to run some errands. There are some stores in South Charlotte that I have been wanting to visit but haven’t had the time since I live north of the city, and today was the perfect opportunity to check them out.

First we went to Trader Joe’s to pick up some wine. Of course, I have been here before. We made TJ’s our first stop because we had something specific we wanted to buy. We got a bottle of Charles Shaw Chardonnay and Blue Finn Pinot Noir.

Next we hit up Great Harvest Bread Co. I have been dying to check this place out ever since I started reading Kath Younger’s blog. I was so excited to finally get to stop by. It smelled so good, and it was very busy. We ended up buying the 9 Whole Grain Bread (I think that is right?).

I wanted to eat some right away but my Mom insists that I wait until Thursday! I may have to sneak a piece for breakfast in the AM.

Next we decided to go to Caribou for something warm to drink.

I got the hot chocolate. Caribou is the only coffee place whose hot chocolate is not too rich for me. I love it!

Lastly, I wanted to check out EarthFare. I have never been to one and I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. It was great! They had a whole area of  grains that I have rarely seen in other stores.

I decided to buy a Zevia. I have seen other blogger who have been drinking it and offering it as giveaways, and as a soda lover I wanted to  give it a try. I decided to try the orange flavor.

I honestly did not really like it. It didn’t seem to have a lot of flavor and I thought it was kind of expensive. Oh well. I will stick with water, and maybe coke, for now.

Once we got home from our errand I was hungry and we still had a few hours left to go before dinner. So I decided to eat a snack. I decided on one of the leftover hamburgers from lunch.

In between shopping and dinner my Mom and I decided to go ahead and make our cranberry sauce for Thursday. This is our first year making our own sauce so we were a little nervous. We decided to make a Cranberry, Apple, and Walnut Sauce in the November issue of cooking light.

It turned out great!

Tomorrow we are going to get to work on the pies. Pecan, Apple, and Pumpkin.

Dinner tonight was special. My Mom is number 11 out of 12 siblings. 8 of the 12 siblings, and some of their kids and grandkids, were able to get together for dinner. We met at The Americana Restaurant in Matthews.  There were about 30 of us there in all.

Here is some of my family.

It was a great visit. I was very happy to see everyone.

As for the eats, I started out with a side salad with honey mustard dressing.

The dressing was a little spicy and it was great. I cleaned my plate.

For dinner my Mom and I split a broiled shrimp plate with  baked potato.

This dinner was very good, but it isn’t sticking with me! I am getting ready for a snack.

It is getting late so I am out for the night.

Art is making something out of nothing and selling it… or so said the legendary Frank Zappa…and I think he said it after one of his trips to Budapest. Whether it be the light features made from empty wine bottles in Köleves, the seats made from old bathtubs in Szimpla kert, or the complete interior remake from someone else’s trash in Csendes, the Hungarian ability to make something from nothing is artistic simplicity at its best.

I had the (mis)fortune to be in Alaska when the Celtic Tiger took up residence in Ireland. Happily ensconced in my log cabin, hundreds of miles from the nearest city, I was quite oblivious to its antics. Ireland had practically full employment; GDP was growing in double digits on a yearly basis; and for the first time in living memory, emigrants were returning in their droves. And I missed it all. While I was living off Copper River reds, frying up moose-burgers and chewing my way through last-season’s caribou jerky, Ireland was wining and dining in Michelin-starred restaurants, gorging herself on oysters and caviar, and becoming all too familiar with Dom Perignon and Ms Bollinger. And I was happy for her. Her day had come.

Pubs with soul

Before the Celtic Tiger was born, you could find pubs in Dublin where floors were covered in sawdust and used as ashtrays; where granny’s hand-crocheted anti-macassars decorated flea-ridden sofas whose patterns had long since faded into oblivion; where grandfather clocks signaled closing time. Pubs where musicians on their fiddles and tin whistles and bodhráns lulled us merry punters into a happy melancholy, providing a soundtrack for the heady Guinness-fuelled opinionating on everything from the state of world politics to the odds of Dublin winning yet another All-Ireland final. Pubs where elderly couples sat in companionable silence, having said all there was to say and the boys in the back played the odd hand or two of cards for a few quid to carry them over till payday. Back in the day, before the Celtic Tiger, pubs in Ireland’s capital had soul.

Everything measured, everything matched

But as the Celtic Tiger grew into an all consuming monster, the slow death of tradition began. I know we welcomed it with open arms…and who could blame us? After so many years of playing second fiddle to other EU states, it was time we had our turn on the world’s stage, and we relished it. But at what cost? Old pub interiors were gutted and replaced with shiny new wood and brass fittings. Quirkiness was replaced with more of the same. Designer candles took centre table. Cocktail menus offered screaming orgasms, sex on the beach and long slow comfortable screws up against the wall. Everything was measured; everything matched. Yes, the price of a pint had gone through the roof but sadder still, that witty deconstruction of the week’s events had been replaced by a dreary discourse on the price of property. With the smoking ban in place, smirting (smoking and flirting) outside in the freezing cold was nonetheless much better craic than staying indoors to be browbeaten by loud piped music and tales of killings made on the stock exchange.

A Magyar tigris

I moved to Budapest for many reasons and for no particular reason at all. Perhaps I was hoping to get in on the földszint of what I was sure was going to become another European success story. To see first-hand what happens when EU money swells the coffers of a relatively impoverished nation; when foreign investment wipes out unemployment; when talented emigrants return to the fold bringing with them a new perspective; when non-nationals flood to the country, armed with exotic languages and spicy foods. But now, two years later, there’s ne’er a sniff of a Magyar tigris. The only black and orange creature I’ve seen here is a butterfly. And when I sit in one of the many ruin pubs in Budapest, I give silent thanks.

I dare not say aloud what I am thinking. Selfishly, I want the bars in Budapest to stay as they are. The collection of random furniture; the smoke-filled rooms alive with animated, intelligent conversation where music accompanies thought rather than drowns it out; long tables scattered with half-smoked boxes of cigarettes and novels in many languages; people moving effortlessly from Hungarian to English to German so that everyone is included in the conversation, the toe-tapping beat of gypsy jazz. Nothing matching; nothing measured; everything unique.

And then I look across the road and see the shiny modern interior of a new pub through huge, brightly lit windows…and the smudge on the glass looks remarkably like a paw print.

This article was first published in the Budapest Times 12 October 2009

Many, if not all, of you know about my love for coffee – all things Starbucks or Caribou in particular.  I love its smell.  I love grinding my own coffee beans and brewing fresh java to drink throughout the day.  I love trying new beans and new blends of coffee.

Well, then, imagine my surprise when I came across the following article on an uncommon coffee:

“Thanks to the coffee culture explosion, connoisseurs are now proactively seeking new twists on their beloved bean-based beverage.  Cappa-this, frappa-that, double mocca doodah – the permutations are endless….  [Nevertheless] Civet Coffee, also known as Kopi Luwak, is indeed the most astonishing… coffee we’ve ever tasted.

The primary reason for Civet Coffee’s distinctive taste is that it’s been partially fermented by passing through the digestive system of a Sumatran Civet Cat (paradoxurus hermaphroditis).  No, really!  Basically, this feral feline prowls Sumatran coffee plantations at night, choosing to eat only the finest, ripest cherries.  The stones (which eventually form coffee beans) are then collected by sifting through the Civet’s “number twos.”

Revered for its luscious chocolatey flavour Civet Coffee is totally safe …and delicious.  Plus there’s no discernable aftertaste. … Put the kettle on!”  (http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=1077)

That’s the straight p scoop on a rare coffee!

I laughed when I came across this article.  What will people come up with next?  How about you?  Would you consider drinking such a strange brew?  Does the thought of where it came from bother you somewhat?  I bet there are a few daredevils among us who would take a sip or drink a cup!

Palouse Falls Gorge ©Weatherstone/Ron Almberg, Jr. (2009)

Jewish religious leaders in Jesus’ day were very concerned about coming in contact with things that would defile them and make them unable to go into the Temple and perform their religious duties.  However, Jesus said, “It’s not what a man touches or eats that defiles him, but what comes out of his heart and mouth” (Matthew 15:11-20).

Jesus also said, “A person speaks from what is in their heart.  A good person speaks good things and an evil person evil things.  People will give an account on the day of judgment for every evil and careless word spoken” (Matt. 12:34-37).

If drinking from a brew passed through and out of the intestines of a Civet Cat bothers us, how much more should those things come out of our mouths – instead of in them!  Among the list of all the evil sins that prevent people from entering the Kingdom of righteousness are things that come out of our own mouths: false testimony, slander, gossip, lies, outbursts of anger, and arrogant boasting.

It is no wonder that the book of Proverbs constantly warns us about what we say.  Keep your spiritual garment of righteousness clean by taking the caution of Scripture to heart, “Guard your mouth!”  Be as concerned with what comes out of it as what you put into it.  What you say to other people about other people is more serious than a cup of Civet Coffee!

©Weatherstone/Ron Almberg, Jr. (2009)

Our world is in trouble in a lot of ways and anyone, whether an individual or a government, who denies this is practicing the head in the sand technique. Overfishing has caused the closing of fisheries in numerous countries, caribou herds are threatened, whales are on the endangered list , rhinos and tigers and other large land mammals are in danger of extinction. The list of endangered or near extinct fauna is extensive. Not all are hunted by humans for food or trophyism but the ones that are hunted/farmed/fished for food run into more conflict.

There are the people who make their livelihoods/their jobs from hunting a particular land or marine animal. When they are told they can’t do this anymore they are rightfully upset, scared of a future that is uncertain at best. Then there are native peoples of the lands, whether they’re Native Americans/First Nations, Danes, Laplanders, or Fiji Islanders (to name a few), they all have centuries of traditions and customs.

In many pre-industrial societies, food was a focus of stability. Towns and cities were often built on fertile land near water sources. Herds of animals were domesticated or hunted near villages. Customs, rituals and spiritual rites took place around food and the creatures that sustained the life of a people. These were so ingrained that you cannot separate an animal from the ritual. Initiatory rites as well as rituals for sustenance and good hunting were common.

But time is time, and everything changes through time. The land shifts, erodes and buckles. Species ebb and flow with the changing seasons and shift in climates, and from natural disasters. Although a species can hunt another to extinction, especially if it’s transplanted from its natural habitat, it’s not common. Only homo sapiens have been so resilient, adaptive and creative to live anywhere and hunt what they need. In most ecosystems if the predator overhunts the prey, the predators flourish but then there is not enough prey and the predators die back, maintaining a natural balance.

Only the human species has been able to circumvent this natural balance, bringing technology to bear on the environment to the point of detriment for every living thing including people. And so we have species all over the world that are endangered, protected or becoming extinct and yes, there are many species becoming memories only. Then we have traditional cultures saying, “We have always done this. It’s part of our traditions. It’s you people who disturbed the balance, not us.”

Governments are trying to protect dwindling resources so there will be something to hunt in the future and have placed restrictions and moratoria on different species. Sometimes only a certain quota is allowed to be taken and then there is more conflict. As in the missing salmon this year on the Pacific coast. There was nothing to fish. If anyone, Native or other fisherman wanted to take the fish because it was their right, if would diminish a chance for that species to survive. And now we have Innu hunters shooting caribou in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The thing is, it is their right to do so and have some protection based on ancestral tradition. That’s fine, but conservation officials say that a particular type of caribou, the Red Wine, have moved in amongst the other more prolific herd. There is supposed to be less than 100 of the Red Wine caribou left and they’re protected. The interesting thing is that five years ago Grand Chief Penashue  said about hunters in the protected preserver, “The hunt in the Red Wine caribou range was not just an illegal protest, it was completely inconsistent with Innu values. … Putting a threatened caribou herd at further risk can never be justified on the basis of aboriginal rights.”

Yet today this same chief is supporting the hunting of the caribou because statistically fewer would be hit compared to the George River herd. Seems those ancestral Innu values have changed. So it’s only good to assert traditional rights when it suits you and because the ministry or the government aren’t working with you, it’s now all right to hunt endangered species?

What is not right is asserting traditional and cultural rights over species that are endangered. To do so is pure stupidity because there will be nothing to fight over or use in traditional ways in a very near future. This is the biggest problem when various cultures try to assert their rights because it’s always been done this way. And where do we draw the timeline if someone says, we’ve done it this way for a hundred years, a thousand years, or whatever. Just because one’s ancestors did it doesn’t mean we can continue to do it, whatever it may be. The world has changed and denying that does no good.

I support the right of people to keep their traditions (that’s all those unique cultures all over the world) but not at the expense of losing endangered species or in subjugating other people. Our ancestors did all sorts of things, including using outhouses, killing and beating people and eating foods we wouldn’t touch. They lived without central heating, they sewed everything by hand and only the richest (or the military) might have gone more than a hundred miles from their local village. Life was constant hard work. We cannot always say, because my people once did it I have the right to do it now. We have to be reasonable and holding a species as hostage to get your way is the same as saying well you won’t listen to me so I’ll just beat this kid until I get my way. They’re both innocent (caribou or child) and some healthy reasoning should come in to play as opposed to punishing/speeding the extinction of the species. In this case the Innu should be ashamed of themselves because even killing one more of an endangered herd lessens its chance for viability and recovery.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/labrador-innu-break-hunting-ban-kill-64-caribou/article1370834/

The northern territories of Canada were never on my list of places to see, and if it wasn’t for this gig I probably would have never come.  It’s a fact that less than 1% of Canadians make it up here in their lifetime, and less than 1% of New Yorkers have ever heard of Nunavut.  Whitehorse is probably the prettiest place I’ve ever been.  Yellowknife had just about the nicest people I’ve ever met.  Iqaluit was the coldest I’ve ever been in my life.  That’s a lot of #1’s.  Blog-worthy stuff.  Take a look at some of the pictures we got.  They sum up where I’ve been the past week and what it’s been like.  Cold.

On our last night in Iqaluit, the boys and I decided we needed to hit the snow and see some cool shit before we left the north and return to normal civilization.  We trekked about a mile down the road to find a good restaurant we heard about.  You would think it would be easy to reach one of the towns most popular establishments, but for some reason we had to crawl on a pipeline, dangling precariously over the icy edge to cross a ravine separating the main road and the restaurant.  I hit my Indiana Jones stunt quota for this year.

After a few days without decent food I was happy to be in a fine dining room where I would get to try a new type of meat:  Caribou.  This might be normal for some, but I don’t know where the hell in New York anyone’s serving this stuff.  Oh, and for those of you who don’t know, caribou is reindeer.  Tee hee hee.  Ladies and gentlemen, sirloin of Rudolph is one of the TASTIEST THINGS I’VE EVER HAD.  So tender and flavorful, it put a lot of my experiences with beef to shame.  We also got an order of musk ox stew, which was very comparable to beef stew.  After the caribou, I wasn’t too impressed with musk ox.

When I got back to the hotel I googled some pictures to see what animals met their maker for my fabulous meal:

Being our last night and not having accomplished anything on our to-do list, we decided to head out into the wilderness and try to catch a glimpse of the northern lights.  Keep in mind, everyone in town for the past two days had been telling us we will never be able to see it because of too much ambient light and not a clear enough sky.  But the clouds had cleared up, so we knew if we were gonna have a shot at seeing this natural wonder, it would have to happen right then and there.  We knew which direction to head, towards the edge of town and up a small mountain where Iqaluit civilization ends.  It was the only spot with no ambient light from street lamps, houses, or the airport.  It took us a good hour but we made it halfway up the mountain side.  We stopped to take a breather, shivering from the -30 degree wind and snow.  By now we had noticed, I shit you not, icicles hanging from our eyelids.

Manny frozen solid

We looked up, saw a ton of stars and a few clouds, but nothing that resembled Aurora Borealis.  We were bummed, but decided it would be a shame to go this far and not climb all the way to the top.  After another painful hike, we looked up again and saw a dim green streak across the sky.  “IS THAT IT?! IS THAT IT?!”  Now we were running, full force, knee deep in snow, to try to get to the top of this monstrous mountain.  I tell you it was ten stories high if it was a foot!!  Now exhausted and at the summit, we looked up again and saw the crystal clear, luminescent green shimmering stripe.  Some people live in areas where they see this every night outside their homes.  I do not.  This was worth the effort.  Manny thrust his fists into the air shouting in excitement and disbelief.  Apparently it was wise of us not to trust the advice of the locals.  We tried several times to take pictures, but with lousy point and shoot digi cams, no luck.  I don’t really care though, I saw it.  Northern Lights:  Check.

There were very interesting experiences last week.  I’ve definitely never had to drum outdoors under extreme conditions like that before.  Although we had a lot of pleasurable times, there were a few disappointments on this trip.  We did not get to see any polar bears.  Didn’t get to go dog sledding.  The guy who told me he would sell us fresh seal meat for breakfast never showed up.  You would think black market seal traders would keep their word wouldn’t you?  Either way, this was a great trip with great friends.

I’m now in Newfoundland, much more normal living than in the north.  Everyone’s taking part in some ridiculous ritual called getting “Screeched in” where you take a shot, kiss a fish, and declare yourself an honorary citizen of Newfoundland.  No thanks college boys, I’ve never been into the fraternity thing.

I recently saw this little blurb in Ad Age:

Caribou Coffee bows first national TV effort
Caribou Coffee, the country’s second-largest coffee chain behind Starbucks, today will launch its first national TV ad campaign. The creative by Colle & McVoy seeks to poke fun at Starbucks loyalists by portraying them as marionettes.

©2009 Josh Freeman

As a Starbucks, Peets, Coffee Bean and even local café customer, this made me bristle. And I bet it’ll do that to other coffee lovers, too.

Caribou is not Apple, and Starbucks is not Microsoft. I’ve been to several Caribou Coffee stores, and they’re nothing to bellow about. They’re fine. Pleasant. But they don’t inspire, they aren’t highly innovative, and their coffee isn’t in a class by itself. So slamming people for buying coffee in a place that is innovative, that works hard to keep its experience fresh and relevant, and that transformed an entire industry, seems questionable.

Anyway, we aren’t puppets. We go to Starbucks not because we’re coffee snobs (head to Peets for that) but because it’s convenient, a little entertaining and has way better java than 7-Eleven.

In the posted spot, which I admit is pretty funny, Caribou is positioning their product as more “real” than Starbucks (or presumably anyone else’s). But the drink they show is a pretentious mess of whipped cream and chocolate gunk — basically a dessert. If they’re so real, why are they not talking about the coffee? (Answer: There’s no difference? Or maybe Starbucks’ coffee is actually — um — better?)

Looks to me like they’re setting Starbucks up for an easy counter. And I have to ask myself if this approach will end up putting Caribou on the endangered species list.

My husband said to me this morning, “Stop thinking about the word count. Just write.” It seems he borrowed something I need to hear point #2 from Chris Baty’s newsletter today, which was: For now, stop thinking about 50K.

I definitely need to stop obsessing over my word count. I am seriously behind, and afraid of never catching up. But if I keep thinking about the word count only, I can’t focus on my story, which is sort of the whole point of this NaNoWriMo exercise.

So here I am at Caribou. I have my Americano in hand, I’m surrounded by other out-of-work writers, and our laptops comiserate with the pounding of our keyboards. And my goal today is simple: write as much of my story as I can and forget about the word count.

What do steenbok have to do with Christmas?

I don’t know, but have a look this from Tetrapod Zoology.

Now, I can see where someone could get confused. How many people have seen the stop motion special Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer?

Here’s a clip in case you haven’t seen it:

Source.

The species that this cartoon was based upon was not the reindeer/caribou of northern Eurasia and North America. Because this special was made in the US, the species it was based upon was the white-tailed deer. In fact, if you watch the whole thing, the does don’t have antlers. In  real caribou/reindeer, the does do have antlers, an adaptation that helps them compete for scarce food resource during the worst part of the winter.

This makes some sense, though, if the average person in the US saw what reindeer/caribou actually look like, I seriously doubt that the film would have had any credibility. I mean they just aren’t that cute:

Now, the young male reindeer in this special have little antlers, which look a lot like the steenbok’s horns. Unlike the reindeer/caribou, steenbok have actual horns, and only the males have them.

The word steenbok in Dutch refers to the Alpine Ibex, which is known as “Steinbock” in German. When the Dutch and German-speaking settlers came to Southern Africa, they called the little antelope they saw “steenbok,” and the name has lived on in the Afrikaans language and in English. (Similarly, the large antelope these settlers found was called an “Eland,” which is Dutch for elk/moose.”  In North America, we called the close relative of the red deer an elk. Yes, I know we got also got that one wrong, but at least what we call an elk is a deer!)

Steenbok live in Southern and Eastern Africa.  It is not exactly a species of the barren grounds of the High Arctic.

But maybe I have it wrong.

Maybe Santa Claus’s flying reindeer are actually flying steenbok, and they use their large ears as wings and soar just like the flying nun.

Source.

Being in nature; our senses open up fully. We would go crazy if that were to happen in the city. We spend our lives focused on the future and we forget the present. – Being Caribou (paraphrased)

Being Caribou is an inspiring documentary about a Canadian married couple who follow a herd of 120,000 caribou on foot across 1500 km of Arctic tundra. In following the herd’s migration, the couple hopes to raise awareness of the threats to the caribou’s survival. Along the way they brave Arctic weather, icy rivers, hordes of mosquitoes and a very hungry grizzly bear. Dramatic footage and video diaries combine to provide an intimate perspective of an epic expedition.

Click here to watch the video for free at the National Film Board website.

Thursday, November 5, 2009
Christmas Martini

Friday, November 6, 2009
Caribou

Ding dong, ding dong, Christmas bells are gonna chime.  I had to skip ahead because I did not have the ingredients for the next two drinks I was slated to make (will come tomorrow night).   Rather poor planning on my part, but I am going to blame the appalling bad stock in stores in Walnut Creek.   Not very esoteric or eclectic.  AND the Z Gallerie store here closed a couple of months back, that was quite distressing.

This drink was gin, dry vermouth and peppermint schnapps with a candy cane garnish, which I did not have.  More proof of poor planning on my part, I have failed.   I regret this, but I do not think it would have made much of a difference in this drink.

I was expecting something with a stronger mint taste so after the first sip, we added more schnapps.   It did not particularly help.  Maybe the candy cane would have helped in this regard and would have put me into a jolly holiday mood.   No one cared for this drink.   My sister was over for the traditional Thursday night Survivor extravaganza.

Friday night’s drink was definitely much better and put me into mood not quite holiday-ish but one that would be accepting of a holiday mood—if that makes sense.   It was called a “Caribou”.  Sounds Canadian, doesn’t it, as if it should have Canadian Mist in it?    But it does not.  It was coffee vodka topped with champagne and a lemon twist and coffee bean garnish.   I couldn’t find coffee vodka but located triple shot espresso vodka by Three Olives.    Yeah, my kind of vodka.

The morning was actually a good one.  My two week migraine had subsided because the weather finally changed and it rained, so I felt human again.   My daughter was at a shadow day for a high school.    And I decided to take the afternoon off after my late morning meeting.    And the best part…..wait for it…..drum roll, please.  I finally found the BevMo! in Walnut Creek.   And it is a nice one, bigger than the one nearer home.  I couldn’t find my card though, I think my husband absconded with it when he went to get the alcohol for the school auction on Saturday night.

I am ready to leave behind my daughter’s grammar school, as is she.   There is a little trepidation because it is the known quantity—the devil you know vs. the devil you don’t, but she is more than ready for the next challenge.   In her shadow day, she was with sophomores and she told me that she was answering questions in class and understood the Spanish lesson.   Hmmm, I wonder if she could skip 9th grade and go straight to 10th — only an idea if we could save the tuition!   I would never have her skip a grade, I think that is so difficult socially for kids.  High school placement was not this difficult when I was a kid.  It was logical where you went, you went where your parents told you to go.  But there are so many choices these days.   At least my daughter has narrowed it done to three, and I can see her at any one of them.  They each have good points (and high price tags, of course) so now we need to compare the curriculums, although I think since they are all part of the diocese, they are very similar in this respect.   It will likely depend upon where she feels the most comfortable.

Work wasn’t even that debilitating today, but that was likely because I was only there for 3 hours.   Hah!  I took the afternoon off as I have to work this over the weekend.   Campus moved up a deadline and I have to present a report to our Dean first thing Monday morning.  Heavy sigh.

There were some major TM (Teenage Moments) on the car ride back from ballet and my elation at finding a well-stocked BevMo was quickly dashed.   My daughter’s ballet studio is in Walnut Creek, we live in Oakland and work in Berkeley, which is why I spend so much time there.   I was ready to start looking for boarding schools by the time I drove up to the house.    It was a long week, and I just wanted to be home and to have a nice cocktail.

As I said, the Caribou was coffee vodka topped off with champagne.   We had champagne in the ‘fridge, a holdover from the wedding shower I threw for my staff member earlier in the week.    I enjoyed this martini a great deal, but then I love sparkling wines and champagnes.   I would have this for a special celebration or something of that nature.    Even my husband liked it.  Hmmmm.

Thanks for stopping by,
Sue