K-PAX®, the popular multi-supplement pack, was developed following Dr. Jon Kaiser’s micronutrient study that found an increase in CD4 count among HIV+ individuals using a mix of a potent multivitamin and antioxidants.* At this point, the Medicaid or ADAP formularies of many states include K-PAX®–a validation by the healthcare system welcomed by those of us who have long maintained that supplements can help to address chronic illness. Unfortunately, many people do not have access to these programs and for them, cost can be an issue. (The retail price of the “Double-Strength” K-PAX® formula is about $130/month, quite a sum for those on a budget who face extra healthcare costs.)

That’s why NYBC designed MAC Pack (for Multivitamin Antioxidant Combination), an alternative to the “Double-Strength” K-PAX® formula, based on products already available through our nonprofit co-op. Unlike K-PAX®, the parts of the MAC Pack are delivered in their original bottles, so “some assembly is required” (one reason we also stock small ziplock baggies–great for travel, too!) While NYBC’s MAC Pack is not a precise, 100% match of the K-PAX® formula, it provides a similarly comprehensive vitamin, mineral and antioxidant regimen—and at a much lower cost (about $62/month).

A few small differences between NYBC’s MAC Pack and K-PAX® should be noted:

1) Acetyl L-Carnitine: The MAC Pack actually contains more acetylcarnitine than the double-strength K-PAX®—not a bad idea, especially if you believe, as we do, that acetylcarnitine may be one of the key elements in the multivitamin-antioxidant combination. (Two a day is sufficient if you want to match the K-PAX® formula, but three or more can help if you’re dealing with neuropathy.)

2) Vitamins: The multivitamins contained in the MAC Pack have somewhat different formulas than those in K-PAX®. Taking an extra Vitamin C tab along with the regular multi would make up for one difference. And some might wish to take a bit more calcium and vitamin D3, since bone health remains a concern for people with HIV, and there is also growing recognition of the need for higher doses of D3.

3) Iron: K-PAX® only comes with iron, but for those with liver trouble, this might NOT be a good idea. With the multivitamin Added Protection, you can choose whether to take iron or not (it is available both with iron and without). Also: Ultra Preventive Beta, another Douglas Labs multi, offers a variety of food-based nutrients in addition to a standard multivitamin formula, for $3 more per month.

Note: In 2009, NYBC added to its MAC Pack offerings by introducing the Opti-MAC Pack. This version of the MAC-Pack relies on SuperNutrition’s OptiPack (iron free), which has higher amounts of B vitamins than Added Protection or Ultra Preventive Beta, and so represents a further economy in number of bottles and in cost (about $56/month). Even with these savings, it’s still a close equivalent of the K-PAX®!

For more information on NYBC’s MAC Pack or Opti-MAC Pack, or to place an order, please visit www.newyorkbuyersclub.org, or call 1-800-650-4983. (You can also order the components of the MAC-Pack or Opti-MAC Pack individually.)

REFERENCE:
* Micronutrient Supplementation Increases CD4 Count in HIV-infected Individuals on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: A Prospective, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Kaiser JK, Campa AM, Ondercin JP, et al. JAIDS 2006;42[5]: 523-528.

“Szeretnék valamit mondani. Valamit, amit talán még nem tud, de a K-paxiek képesek voltak felfedezni. Az univerzum tágul, aztán visszazuhan önmagába. Aztán megint tágulni kezd és ez a folyamat örökké tart. Amit nem tud… hogy amikor ismét tágulni fog, minden olyan lesz, mint most. Bármilyen hibát követ el a jelenben, soha nem szabadulhat meg tőle. Minden egyes tévedését újra meg újra át fogja élni. Örökké. Szóval azt tanácsolnám, hogy próbálja meg most jól csinálni, mert nem lesz több alkalma.”

K-Pax

So “why everything that’s supposed to be bad make me feel so good?”

The answer is simple enough. Sin FEELS good. Why lie? If doing the wrong thing didn’t make us feel good we probably wouldn’t do it. If we didn’t feel some type of relief when we had to cuss somebody out because they spoke to us in some crazy way, or if “getting it in” on Saturday night after a few drinks and grinding on somebody at the club didn’t feel nice, would we waste the time? Doubtful.

I remember this movie I saw years ago called K-PAX where Kevin Spacey plays this alien from another planet and described what sex was like on his planet. It described it as “unpleasant, nausea, nuts in a vice, being kicked in the stomach and falling into something worse smelling than a skunk smell.” Pretty sure if that was our experience, it wouldn’t be that appealing. But I say all that to say this: We sin or do stuff that “supposed to be bad” BECAUSE it makes us feel so good.

It’s in the Bible, look!–> Hebrews 11:25 …”choosing rather to suffer affliction than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” Sin is pleasurable and we do it because we want to. (So drop the “devil made me do it” act)

But did you notice it said pleasure of sin FOR A SEASON? The enjoyment of it is generally short-lived and the consequences of those actions are scarring. It’s ok, you can admit it. We’re being honest here remember? Those consequences can be physical, emotional, relational, mental, baggage, etc.

So we know we do it because we want to and it feels good… but how did we get attracted to those things? See the answer in part 3.

Check out part 1 here if you missed it.

Welcome to the first ActorScope where I examine an actor. ActorScope will be looking at their past, present and future film projects. We’ll also cover trivia, rumours and any cool connections they may have. Our first actor in the spotlight is none other than Jeff Bridges. Scientists have often wondered how someone as cool as Jeff Bridges came into being. I imagine it was a magazine editor who entered a bowling tournament when, suddenly, he was sucked into a computer and was forced to steal his business partners high tech armour to escape.

Jeff Bridges has been in a lot of movies. Born into an acting family, Bridges was raised on the set. I’ll be looking at his more modern films today. I’m sure there are many great films I’ve missed off but I wasn’t alive at the time to watch them. What I have watched is the Big Lebowski. This is a brilliant film. It’s by the Coen brothers so you can expect all the quirky dialogue and vivid visuals that goes with that. The Big Lebowski has a massive cult following, in one day I saw three people wearing different slogans from the film on their t-shirts. The Dude abides, The Dude and Little Lebowski Urban Achievers. For indie film makers the Coen brothers sure know how to merchandise.

I watched Iron Man again the other day. What a fun film. Whilst Robert Downey Jr steals the show, Jeff does a great turn as Obadiah Stane. It is very strange seeing Bridges yelling at scientists when they can’t recreate the Iron Man armour. When the slackers finally do piece it together, Iron Monger’s voice is great. Hearing a guy as cool as Bridges saying “collateral damage” really chills me. I’m sad he won’t be back in the next one.

A Bridges film I’m very keen to see would be Fisher King. Not only does it star the focus of this ActorScope, it’s also directed by Terry Gilliam. We all know I love him. Terry Gilliam is clocking up quite a few tags on this blog now. Wait till the Imagianarium comes out. A film I don’t really want to see is Seabiscuit. Now admittedly seeing Spider-Man and the Iron Monger in one film would be good, I doubt it would live up to the awesome Batman/Wolverine picture (The Prestige).

K-Pax. That was an odd one. It starred the ever watchable Kevin Spacey alongside Bridges. The only thing was that Spacey is sure he is an alien from the planet K-Pax. Bridges plays the psychiatrist trying to inform Spacey that he is human. It is an enjoyable film, but not one of my favourites. I felt frustrated that Bridges never accepted the idea that Spacey could be an alien, because if he had the film may have been more fun. It was a psychologically interesting film though.

Surf’s Up is skewed much more towards fun and away from psychological intensity. Bridges plays a hippy surfer penguin called Big Z. If you thought that premise was funny, you’ll probably like this movie. It has a lot of heart and as I remember it was very funny. The Beef (Shia LeBeouf) stars and he is a lot less irritating when you don’t see his smug little face. All I can say is that I hated Happy Feet with a fiery passion, so Surf’s Up went a part of the way towards redeeming the penguin genre.

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People saw Bridges as a magazine editor who had lost his edge. Before he had always been about serious journalism and bringing to light what the government wanted hidden, now he did cover stories on little starlets. Bridges does a great job of showing someone who as forgotten why they do their job. Simon Pegg stars as the bumbling young journalist out to show Bridges how to get it back. An entertaining film that lampoons modern celebrity culture. The love story between Pegg and Kirsten Dunst feels tacked on but doesn’t destract greatly from a fun film.

TRON. No look at Jeff Bridges’ career would be complete without mentioning the 1982 geek bonanza. I am ashamed to admit I have not seen it. But I will before the sequel, TRON Legacy, hits cinemas. I’m sure it will be all over our television sets in the run up to the new film. We’ve all been touched by the vast cultural impact of TRON. Whether it is TRON guy on youtube or the light-bike race on Family Guy. Check out the exciting teaser trailer below. Bridges looks a little bit evil in this one, which is great fun.

The most exciting upcoming project, for me, of Jeff Bridges has to be The Men Who Stare at Goats. It looks incredible. A journalist (Bridges has a thing for those) discovers that America has been secretly training psychic super troops for thirty years. Or Jedis as they call themselves. It stars George Clooney, who starred in another Coen brothers’ classic – O Brother, Where art thou?, and Ewan McGregor. Bridges stars as the psychic instructor. A true hippy who looks like the dude on anti-depressants.

“I often feel that the actual movie is like the skin sloughed off the snake; it’s the by-product of the real valuable stuff, which is the real-life experience of doing it.” Jeff Bridges

AntBuoy

Following on from my serious article regarding the BBC’s potential destruction which is apparantly no biggie, and not so serious but more laid back article regarding flashforward, I felt it was time for another movie update. Coincidentally I think it’s one of the best ones yet.

The film itself, whilst rather unique in concept and teething with absolute gems of references features a rathar delightful range of cast members varying from Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, Star Wars, Moulin Rouge) to George Clooney (Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen) and even one of my favourites, Kevin Spacey (K-pax, American Beauty, 21). It is based upon the successful novel of the same name by Jon Ronson, following Ronson’s attempts of investigation around US military forces attempting to use psychic powers in their training.

In all honesty, it’s just one of those films I can’t wait for, a comedy milestone perhaps? We shall see, we shall see indeed. Surprisingly, the film is overture distributed who haven’t been the most sucessful with distributing films, and is only 90 minutes long, however it’s 90 minutes I will feel comfortable using up to watch this epic masterpiece.
The film is set for a November 9th, 2009 release. I’m slowly filling in my calander. Watch the trailer, and I need not say more.

Just finished watching K-Pax on SyFy (formerly SciFi). Had not seen it in a few years; seeing it again made me think about plot development.

The story is classified as SyFy, but I think it could be easily classified as something like a “psychological thriller.” Perhaps if I read the book I would change my mind, but the movie’s ambiguities left open totally human possibilities.

Maybe that is a quality of the very best plots / stories: a minimum of two different ways to read the story.

So, I was going to write a post of my Top 10 movies, but I just couldn’t trim the list down to 10. I considered going up to 100, but I didn’t think anyone would actually read a list of 100 movies, so I trimmed it down to 25 30. Alas, while this list only comprises about 1% of the movies I’ve seen, it will have to do The list is sort of in descending order, but it is so hard to put one great movie ahead of another…

1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – 2009
2. Willow – 1988 (Should technically be tied for 1st place)
3. The Goonies – 1985
4. Casino Royale – 2006
5. The Dark Knight – 2008
6. The Princess Bride – 1987
7. Pirates of the Caribbean – 2003
8. The Matrix – 1999
9. Iron Man – 2008
10. Transformers – 2007
11. Lord of the Rings (Trilogy) – 2001, 2002, 2003 (I count this as one BIG movie )
12. Sweeney Todd – 2007
13. Batman Begins – 2005
14. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi – 1983
15. Leon: The Professional – 1994
16. Pay it Forward – 2000
17. K-PAX – 2001
18. Bicentennial Man – 1999
19. The Last Samurai – 2003
20. Bridge to Terabithia – 2007
21. The Count of Monte Cristo – 2002
22. Constantine – 2005
23. Finding Neverland – 2004
24. Pan’s Labyrinth – 2006
25. Thank You for Smoking – 2005
26. Terminator 2: Judgement Day – 1991
27. The Usual Suspects – 1994
28. Brewster’s Millions – 1985
29. Flight of the Navigator – 1986
30. The Serpent and the Rainbow – 1988

Of the 2,500 or so movies I have seen, these are 30 of the very best, from action to drama, comedy to musicals.  Though not all movies are suitable for all audiences, to any adult film aficionado I recommend them highly! Perhaps I’ll do a few posts of my Top 10 favorite movies in each genre, or maybe from each decade…

Shrink (2009)

USA

110mins

Director: Jonas Pate

Writer: Thomas Moffett

No. 

I get it, I get it: let’s take Kevin Spacey and see if he can recreate that American Beauty sort of character, except as a…psychiatrist!  And then we’ll get a sort of relationship between the shrink and the patient, sort of what happened in The Wackness!  Yeah!  It’s a great idea!

What is there exactly, I’m wondering, in this drawn out and fucking dull trailer, that I am supposed to be interested in?  I don’t even know what this story is about.  I’ve watched the trailer twice now and I don’t know what it’s about.  Can you beat that?  And you’re probably sitting there reading this and thinking It’s about a guy who’s a psychiatrist to the stars who has a breakdown, to which I respond: WRONG! That’s not a story.

Yeah, Kevin Spacey won an Oscar, but he’s still the same guy who was in K-Pax, so a little perspective here, okay?

Anyway, this shit is in trouble already.  You can tell from the direct to DVD style commentator’s voice.  You can spend millions making a film, but if you sit down to watch the trailer and hear that guy’s voice, you’re doomed to the bargain bin at fucking Safeway.

Hombre Mirando al Sudeste, de Eliseo Subiela, fue la inspiración para esta lograda remake donde Kevin Spacey vuelve a demostrar porqué es uno de los mejores actores de Hollywood, logrando un contrapunto con otro gran actor como Jeff Bridges en una relación paciente – doctor que no tiene desperdicio. De final abierto, es conveniente ver la película atentos a cada detalle.
Ambas historias tienen como antecedente una leyenda urbana que circula por algunos libros, que dice más o menos asi:
Cuando el Borda se llenaba de luz
Solaris, el ser de otro planeta que llegó al Hospital José T. Borda e iluminó a los internos con sus fiestas energéticas” también alimenta los mitos porteños. Durante su estadía en el neuropsiquiátrico, Solaris –a quien describen como alguien delgado, de ojos grandes, muy blanco y completamente lampiño– se reunía con alrededor de 50 internos para recitar un mantra. Durante el rito, los testigos afirman que parecía iluminarse. Si bien los médicos tienen argumentos para explicar este caso, hay hechos oscuros.
Aparentemente, Solaris –quién desapareció un 25 de diciembre– dejó escritos indescifrables que, a pesar de ello, tienen coherencia interna.
Además, cuentan que el grupo sanguíneo de este hombre que decía ser un alien no encaja con ningún patrón conocido.
El resumen perfecto del argumento, lo demás queda a juicio de cada uno, si creerle a los médicos, o esperar junto a Solaris/K-Pax que una nave nos venga a buscar.

K-Pax is one of my favorite movies. It stars Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges. Spacey does a superb job of portraying a visitor from planet K-PAX. The movie is extremely thought provoking and certainly raises doubt about intelligent life on Earth.

I saw K-PAX at the movie theatre when it first came out circa 2002. Aside from the interesting interactions between Spacey and humans, the movie questions, in a subtle manner, accepted human activities such as marriage and doctor patient relationships as well as slaughtering animals and consuming meat. In the science area it challenges the long held assumption that travel faster than the speed of  light is not possible. I have believed for many years that travel faster than the accepted speed of light is possible. Albert Einstein, though a brilliant scientist, was not God and his theories not gospel.

I read a book on VSL, Variable Speed of Light a few years ago. Do some research on this subject. It will amaze you. And if you have not seen K-PAX, get a copy and view it. It is well worth watching. Perhaps there is real intelligent life on other planets.

What I find as fundemental in a very transpersonal level is the principle of the Warrior Code. I think you may relate that I intuitively knew about the Warrior Code before I read it in any book, or heard about it from any person. It’s something so very intrinsic that I felt, though on a vague level at the time, during times of introspection. It’s similar to how it is said, “the virtues are what they are. No one will say that cowardice is a virue, or that hypocricy is a virtue.” It is very intrinsic. I say you may relate because several people are of the opinion that humans are born with a clean slate (or genetic predisposition) – and the rest of their growth boils down to instrumental conditioning. From personal experience, I find this far from true. I am reminded of a revealing moment in the film “K-Pax” where the psychologist asks the patient (who insists he is an extraterrestrial), “Hmm.. so, if there are no rules on your planet, then how do you know the difference between right and wrong?”

To which the “visitor” replies as if it’s the most obvious thing imaginable, “Everyone knows the difference between right and wrong.” But by god don’t we argue about it – if for no other reason but to convince ourselves otherwise when we make a wrong choice. I find this to be fundemental. We all know the difference – it’s making the choice that’s difficult, we sometimes turn into cowards when it comes to that.

“The 97th Aphorism in the Codes I was taught,” I said, “is in the form of a riddle: “What is invisible but more beautiful than diamonds?” “And the answer?” inquired Labienus. “That which is silent but deafens
thunder.” The men regarded one another. “And what is that?” asked Labienus. “The same,” said I, “as that which depresses no scale but is weightier than gold.” “And what is that?” asked Labienus. “Honor,” I
said.

- Vagabonds of Gor, Book 24, Page 305.

Which brings us back to the Warrior Code. I trust you are with me so far. The Warrior code works on the principle of a universal “knowing” of the difference between right and wrong – but more to the point, on the stregnth required to make the right choice. That, in essense, is all the code really is about. Courage to do the right thing. Courage to die for what you stand for, if it comes down to it. This is what defines a Warrior. There is an insightful truth I am reminded of: It takes far more courage to face an enemy within than it does to face a foe on the outside. The greater Warrior is the one who fights his inner demons. When you conquer what is within you, you naturally conquer what surrounds you.
A few years ago, I read Don Juan, the Yaqui Shaman, speak of a method of self-Mastery. To quote:

There are four steps to learning the Warrior Code:
1. Ruthlessness.
2. Cunning.
3. Patience.
4. Sweetness.

Ruthlessness should not be harshness. Cunning should not be cruelty.
Patience should not be negligence. Sweetness should not be foolishness.
These four steps have to be practiced and perfected until they are so
smooth they are unnoticable.

Ample introspection into those four steps (as well as the cautions) were incredibly revealing for me. Simply put, these four keys – or steps – exist as weapons against our self-delusions. For example, one must be ruthless with their sense of romanticism, because often it is mixed with a mass of half-lies. Romanticism on its own can be effective, but sometimes it can cause more harm than good. Often, when people make the wrong choices, they romanticise their reasons for the choice to fool themselves into feeling satisfied. This is where ruthlessness is necessary – alongside the other steps. So, in effect, one could say that the four steps of the warrior code exist to patiently wade through every lie we ever told ourselves when we made a wrong choice in our lives. And perhaps it was these lies that first created our “demons”.

Which inevitably leads me to mention a pivotal component in self-Mastery for a warrior, even a man. I brought this up once before, but not in connection to this fuller context. I first found this analogy in the Introduction to Thomas Cleary’s translation of the Art of War. I’ll quote:

According to an old story, a lord of ancient China once asked his physician, a member of a family of healers, which of them was the most skilled in the art.

The physician, whose reputation was such that his name became synonymous with medical science in China, replied, “My eldest brother sees the spirit of sickness and removes it before it takes shape, so
his name does not get out of the house.

“My elder brother cures sickness when it is still extremely minute, so his name does not get out of the neighborhood.

“As for me, I puncture veins, prescribe potions, and massage skin, so from time to time my name gets out and is heard among the lords.”

Among the tales of ancient China, none captures more beautifully than this the essence of The Art of War, the premiere classic of the science of strategy in conflict. A Ming dynasty critic writes of this little
tale of the physician: “What is essential for leaders, generals, and ministers in running countries and governing armies is no more than this.”

The healing arts and the martial arts may be a world apart in ordinary usage, but they are parallel in several senses: in recognizing, as the story says, that the less needed the better; in the sense that both
involve strategy in dealing with disharmony; and in the sense that in both knowledge of the problem is key to the solution.

As in the story of the ancient healers, in Sun Tzu’s philosophy the peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict altogether unnecessary: “To overcome others’ armies without fighting is
the best of skills.” And like the story of the healers, Sun Tzu explains there are all grades of martial arts: The superior militarist foils enemies’ plots; next best is to ruin their alliances; next after that is to attack their armed forces; worst is to besiege their cities.

Just as the eldest brother in the story was unknown because of his acumen and the middle brother was hardly known because of his alacrity, Sun Tzu also affirms that in ancient times those known as skilled
warriors won when victory was still easy, so the victories of skilled warriors were not known for cunning or rewarded for bravery.

This ideal strategy whereby one could win without fighting, accomplish the most by doing the least, bears the characteristic stamp of Taoism, the ancient tradition of knowledge that fostered both the healing arts and the martial arts in China. The Tao-te Ching, or The Way and Its Power, applies the same strategy to society that Sun Tzu attributes to warriors of ancient times:

Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small. The most difficult things in the world must be done while they are still easy, the greatest things in the world must be done while they are still small. For this reason sages never do what is great, and this is why they can achieve that greatness.

The warrior is the same. The most famous generals we know of are cited throughout history for the great battles they fought and won, with incredible skill. Yet the greatest generals are the ones who, with such refinement of their art, prevented the battle from ever taking place. And because of this, we will rarely hear of them.

But the real insight comes in applying this to the warrior’s inner battle. Self-Mastery and its refinement really begins to take meaning here. It is this principle that leads to the saying,

“While the sword is in its sheath it’s doing its work. When the sword is drawn, it has already failed.”

A little introspection begins to make it very clear that the very meaning of the word warrior is transient in any manner that it is used. After all, when we take these principles and apply it into a personal lifestyle, the nature of the warrior undoubtably follows. It is this very applicability that makes it work. So, to return to the point, the Mastery of war essentially lies in preventing it. Any other alternative is a lesser kind. This makes sense, yes?

There is an aspect of refinement and introspection here that leads, without doubt, to one end: into becoming a better man. And the exhuberant clarity of it begins to dawn, that the Warrior Code we all seem to have as our genetic makeup, is nothing more but the integrity of the Gods being reflected in our being.

photo courtesy of the Sass Dragon's myspace page

The Sass Dragons are a punk rock band from the suburbs of Chicago. The Sass Dragons are Mike Oberland, Jimmy Adamson, and Jason Smith. They recently relocated to the city, and are about to celebrate their fifth anniversary as a band. I sat down with them in the beginning of March to reminisce about their oeuvre. (Warning- the following is lude, crude, and incredibly immature.)

Kelly Reaves: How did the band form?

Jason Smith: On a damp locker room floor.

Jimmy Adamson: My dad cummed in my mom’s vagina. Jason’s dad cummed in his mom’s vagina. And Mike’s mom…

Mike Oberland: My mom came in my dad’s ass.

Jimmy: Exactly.

Jason: Mike was adopted.

Jimmy: He was a true ass baby.

Kelly: What is your mission as a band?

Mike: I don’t think we really have a mission. We want to have fun.

Jimmy: Free Baghdad.

Kelly: Have you been helping with that?

Jimmy: We support our troops. Wholeheartedly.

Jason: We support our poops.

Kelly: Can you tell me about your most memorable shows?

Jason: Our most memorable shows are the ones that are told back to us. Everyone’s like, “You got naked and you were telling everyone to go fuck themselves and you threw a beer bottle at the wall…”

Mike: I threw a bass at Jimmy’s head one time and I vaguely remember that. That’s probably one of our most memorable.

Jason. You punched Jimmy too and then I threw Mike over a bass cabinet and I said the band was broken up.

Mike: We broke up for four hours.

Kelly: When was that?

Jimmy: 2006 in Carbondale at the “Lost Cross.” I was too drunk to play and Mike got upset about it.

Mike: Part of the reason is because when we were driving down I told them that ‘if anyone gets too drunk to play tonight I’m going after you’ and sure as shit Jimmy’s got his little stupid grin on his face the whole time we’re playing.

Jason: Well what made it worse is that we went on the first time and we were too drunk to play and the guy said, “Well maybe you guys shouldn’t play right now, you should sober up and play a little later.”

Jimmy: That’s after Mike punched me off the drum set.

Jason: Mike punches Jimmy off the drum stool and I figure that we are broken up and we won’t play that night, so I kept drinking. We got wasted as shit and then they came back to us three hours later and said “ok now you guys are playing” and I’m like ‘this is not happening.’ And all of us are staring at the floor, wasted drunk, trying to play.

Jimmy: I made out with a girl.

Jason: Then he peed in the bed.

Kelly: Do you prefer basement shows or traditional music venues?

Jimmy: Basement shows.

Jason: Basement shows.

Mike: Hands down.

Jimmy: Hands down.

Jason: As long as they pay us.

Kelly: Basement shows pay?

Mike: We did a whole tour of basement shows.

Jimmy: They paid 280 dollars in a basement in New Brunswick.

Jason: Basement shows actually paid us better than traditional venue shows because the traditional venues have limitations on how many people can fit inside and they have to pay the bouncers and the bartenders and everything. Not that that’s the most important thing.

Mike: It’s about the cash money.

Jason: It’s about having your nuts nailed and stapled to a chair.

Kelly: What is your favorite Chicago area band?

Jimmy: The Brokedowns.

Jason: A close call for between The Brokedowns and The Arrivals.

Mike: Vacation Bible School.

Jimmy: Bread and Bottle, Das Capital.

Mike: Every band we play with is my favorite band, that’s why we always have so much fun.

Kelly: What is your favorite Sass Dragons song?

Jimmy: “Jeremy.”

Jason: By Pearl Jam. Actually I was gonna say “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” by the Spin Doctors.

Kelly: What does it feel like to be a rock star?

Jimmy: It feels great! But sometimes it’s really dark and lonely.

Mike: It’s lonely at the top.

Jimmy: After a night of doing cocaine and fucking a million girls, then you wake up alone in your bed and it kind of sucks.

Mike: The million girls part sounds awesome.

Jimmy: Yeah it’s awesome until-

Mike: Until you can’t get it up, Jimmy.

Jimmy: Not getting it up to have sex is the best part of being a rock star.

Kelly: Do you have any crazy fan stories?

Jason: One time I got asked out by a sixteen-year-old girl. Jimmy got a hand job in front of everybody.

Jimmy: She was crazy.

Jason: She was kind of ugly. But I don’t know about crazy fans, I think we’re usually the crazy ones. Everyone tells us to get naked and then when we do, they seem unimpressed. I would love it if people actually loved us enough to take their clothes off. Especially babes.

Kelly: You’ve never had panties thrown at you?

Mike: We’ve worn more panties than we’ve ever had thrown at us.

Jason: We’ve worn more dresses than we’ve seen worn at a show. And we’ve seen more penises than I’ve ever seen vagina in my entire life. Women don’t come to shows thinking ‘I’m gonna show my vagina’ they come to shows thinking ‘I’m gone look at everyone’s penis getting thrown around and then I’m gonna decide which one I’m gonna go home with.’ And it’s usually not one of us because we all have small dicks.

Kelly: You said earlier that you have big dicks.

Jason: I have a wide dick. Mike has a long dick. Jimmy has a tiny dick.

Kelly: Are there lucky ladies in your lives?

Mike: Mine’s pretty unlucky but she’s still there.

Jason: I’m married.

Jimmy: I have that random unlucky lady in my life.

Kelly: What are your types?

Jimmy: When I’m drunk I don’t like white chicks.

Kelly: How do you write songs?

Jason: Carefully.

Mike: Diligently. Most of the ideas are from Jason, but we all do it. Someone gets an idea and brings it to the rest of us.

Kelly: Do the lyrics come after the songs are written?

Jason: They’re written at the same time.

Jimmy: I rip off Screeching Weasel songs.

Jason: I rip off Paul McCartney.

Mike: I listen to Lionel Ritchie.

Kelly: What’s the worst show you ever played?

Mike: There have been some stinkers.

Jimmy: Any show in Milwaukee.

Kelly: What’s the worst Sass Dragons song?

Jimmy: Cuttin’ Grass.

Jason: No offense to Josh. We used to be a four piece and he wrote Cuttin’ Grass and it’s a pretty bad song. All of them are pretty bad.

Kelly: Do you play old songs live?

Mike:  Older songs.

Jimmy: We play old schlongs live.

Jason: We don’t play anything off the first two albums. We’ve got about sixty songs to filter through. There are a few that we never play live, and there are a few that we can’t play live because we’re not that talented, like ‘Ass Scorpions.’

Kelly: What’s your most popular song?

Jimmy: ‘I Whooped My Grandma’s Ass’ is pretty popular right now.

Kelly: Who writes lyrics?

Jimmy: All of us. Plus some others.

Kelly: What are your influences?

Mike: Pussy. Big hairy pussy.

Kelly: What are your day jobs?

Mike: I walk dogs.

Jimmy: I have night jobs.

Kelly: What are your night jobs?

Jimmy: I make pizzas and sandwiches.

Jason: I work at a hotel.

Kelly: What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?

Jason: Heroin.

Jimmy: Smoking crack with a fifty two year old lady. It was a long time ago, I’m a better person now.

Jason: Actually I have no regrets.

Mike: Technically when we were all drunk and we were jumping off that rock at the quarry. We could’ve really gotten hurt.

Kelly: Do you have insurance?

Mike: No.

Jimmy: No.

Jason: I do, because of my wife.

Kelly: That’s why people get married, right?

Jason: And steady pussy.

Jimmy: We were in Bloomington and we decided to jump off forty-foot cliffs into a quarry.

Mike: Jimmy got a bunch of water up his ass. It was fun though.

Jason: But looking back I can’t believe we did it.

Kelly: What’s your favorite city to play in?

Jimmy: Milwaukee.

Jason: For the record, fuck Milwaukee.

Mike: Carbondale has been good to us.

Jason: When we first started we couldn’t get a show to save our lives and Carbondale was the only city that cared enough to see us. Even our friends in Chicago didn’t come out in the beginning because they thought we were just a short-lived thing.

Kelly: Now it’s been five years, so you showed them.

Jason: Naperville was always pretty good.

Kelly: Are you all from Naperville?

Jason: Around there.

Kelly: Why did you move to the city?

Mike: Somebody was going to get arrested soon. Every house we ever lived in out there had some sort of reputation. We would move out and people would complain, “Why is there a hole in the roof? Why are there strippers’ baby wipes stapled to the wall?”

Jason: We all commuted out here all the time anyway.

Mike: I didn’t want to have to drive a car everyday.

Kelly: What’s the gayest thing you’ve ever done?

Jason: Had my dick sucked by a dude.

Jimmy: Yeah that’s it.

Mike: That’s it, collectively. But we’ve all kissed all sorts of dudes.

Jimmy: I tried to stick a microphone up my butt.

Kelly: Is that gay?

Jimmy: No it’s not! Scratch that from the record.

Jason: It’s just gross. Being gay though means that Jesus frowns upon you.

Kelly: What do your parents think of the Sass Dragons?

Mike: Thankfully, my parents aren’t good with computers so they have no idea.

Jason: My parents do not like it at all. There are naked pictures of me and my friends on the Internet.

Kelly: Have your parents seen you play live?

Jimmy: Mine have.

Jason: Jimmy’s parents have been to the most shows out of all of them. I’ve explicitly told my parents they’re not allowed to come to shows.

Kelly: What’s your favorite thing about playing shows?

Mike: Seeing Jimmy’s penis. And, it’s just fun.

Jimmy: I like seeing people be happy and smile.

Jason: I’ve never found it more endearing than to be in front of a giant crowd of people I mostly know who are heckling me and throwing beer cans at me.

Jimmy: I like when Jason fights people.

Kelly: Is Jason the most aggressive out of you guys?

Jimmy: Yes.

Kelly: What are your goals for the future?

Jimmy: Drink more beers, smoke more cigs.

Jason: I personally want to do some PCP before I die.

Kelly: How has the music evolved over the years?

Mike: It hasn’t.

Jimmy: It hasn’t. Next question.

Kelly: How did you each loose you virginity?

Mike: Mine’s super un-eventful. I thought a beam of light was going to come down and shine on the two of us but it didn’t happen, I just got some blood on my boxers. And I didn’t come because her mom came home. I just put the condom and the boxers in a bag and threw them in a ditch because I couldn’t bring them back to my parents’ house.

Jimmy: I lost mine Christmas Eve while listening to the Dwarves.

Jason: I lost mine in a field next to a playground. My girlfriend tried to pull a blanket up but it kept on falling off of us. Kids came by with flashlights to hassle us.

Kelly: What’s the worst disease you could get?

Jason: Everything I do revolves around my dick. Anything that involves my dick falling off.

Jimmy: I’ll go on the record and say the worst disease you could ever have is kids.

Jason: I agree.

Mike: I agree.

Kelly: We were speaking about the advantages of “hate-fucking” earlier- can you each tell me who you’d most like to hate-fuck?

Jimmy: My Dad.

Jason: Kevin Spacey in…

Mike: K-Pax?

Jason: No, American Beauty.

Mike: I’d like to hate fuck that guy who filmed the plastic bag.

photo courtesy of the Sass Dragon's Myspace page

K-pax – Balkanians@ Proton radio

Mirror2:K-pax – Balkanians@ Proton radio

Tracklist

01. DISTAFF – Come On Bear Get Some Air (Original Mix) [CDR]
02. DISTAFF – Input Level Output Level [CDR]
03. Sam Perez – Moonwalker ( K Pax Remix ) [CDR]
04. Gianluca Luisi – Our Soul (Matteo Matteini Remix) [Hotfingers]
05. Butch – Dark Fader (Original Mix) [AFU Limited]
06. Mark Storie – Technostomp (Original Mix) [Novakane]
07. Ocinirom & K Pax – Let’s Groove It (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection]
08. K Pax – Crystal (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection SA]
09. K Pax – Tunning Groove (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection SA]
10. Alex Di Estefano – Mind The Gap (Original Mix) [9 Records]

K-pax – Balkanians@ Proton radio

Mirror2:K-pax – Balkanians@ Proton radio

Tracklist

01. DISTAFF – Come On Bear Get Some Air (Original Mix) [CDR]
02. DISTAFF – Input Level Output Level [CDR]
03. Sam Perez – Moonwalker ( K Pax Remix ) [CDR]
04. Gianluca Luisi – Our Soul (Matteo Matteini Remix) [Hotfingers]
05. Butch – Dark Fader (Original Mix) [AFU Limited]
06. Mark Storie – Technostomp (Original Mix) [Novakane]
07. Ocinirom & K Pax – Let’s Groove It (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection]
08. K Pax – Crystal (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection SA]
09. K Pax – Tunning Groove (Original Mix) [Balkan Connection SA]
10. Alex Di Estefano – Mind The Gap (Original Mix) [9 Records]

Планета Ка-Пэкс
США
Прот — человек-загадка. В один солнечный день он просто появился на вокзале — как будто сгустился из воздуха. У него не было документов, а на вопрос откуда он, спокойно ответил, что прилетел с планеты Ка-Пэкс. Психиатр Марк Пауэлл — обычный психиатр, каждый день он работает в той самой психиатрической больнице, куда попал Прот. Марк успешно лечит своих пациентов, хотя он и не великий психиатр. Для него работа в больнице это, скорее, рутина, да и постоянные размолвки с сыном выводят его из равновесия. Поэтому на нового пациента он смотрит с профессиональной мягкостью психиатра: мало ли пришельцев среди больных. Но скоро его новый пациент дает повод изменить свое мнение. Прот доброжелателен и спокоен, всегда уверен в себе, так, как будто бы точно знает, что и почему делает. Он сознает, что его держат в психиатрической больнице. Он понимает, что Пауэлл — его лечащий врач. Он позволяет ему себя лечить. Более того, он обнаруживает профессиональные знания в астрономии и помогает выздороветь другим пациентам.

Prot, główny bohater filmu K-pax, uważa że pochodzi z innej planety. Ludzie którzy z początku podchodzili do jego opowiadań z przymrużeniem oka, zaczynają przekonywać się iż Prot może mówić prawdę…

Link do Filmu

Often I hear of urban dwellers using commute time to do their reading: on a train, bus, or subway.  I drive.  There aren’t a lot of options here.  But I still like to spend that time catching up on good books.  Thank heavens for audio books. Let’s face it, listening to a book is not the same as reading it.  It’s a close second, though, particularly an unabridged version.  It can, however, reveal some of your favorite authors’ faults the same way that reading your own work out loud can reveal flaws in your stories.

I have listened to the first five Harry Potter books on tape or disc, though it’s been years.  I wanted to reread them but couldn’t justify the time away from my perpetually growing reading list that I already neglect far too much.  A coworker had the HP audios and I borrowed one.  The performance by Jim Dale is awesome.  His voices are great and his delivery is spot on for the wizarding world.  I consider his performance the industry standard.  If you haven’t heard him, get one of those books and listen.  If I find other books he reads, I may get them just for his voice.  Of course I haven’t gone looking…yet.

More recently I listened to K-PAX by Gene Brewer.  If you’ve seen the movie, you got the gist of the story.  There were differences, but the movie was well done, as was the book.  The novel’s style lends itself well to audio performance.  It was no Jim Dale, but it was good.

At the same time I purchased K-PAX, I bought Michael Crichton’s Next.  Both were in a discount bin at the local bookstore.  I guess I’m about halfway through it.  I’ve never really read Crichton.  I hope his other books are better.  Considering that every version of Next (hardcover, paperback, and audio) were marked way down, I assume it is a sub-par example of his work. It’s extra tough as an audiobook; I keep wanting to flip around to make sure I know which character he’s talking about.  It took five of the thirteen or so discs to get to the main plot.  I’ll keep this example in mind as I write my own novels.

I also bought a book off iTunes, intending to listen on my iPod but it found its home on my school computer.  The book is Dune.  Yes, I am a SF heretic that has never read Frank Herbert’s classic of classics.  I have good reason.  I had a college roommate who watched three different movies EVERY night as he fell asleep: Dune, Waterworld, or The Muppet Movie.  Muppet nights always led to better dreams.  What was more, I married a woman addicted to the David Lynch film.  Just looking at the title sent images of Brad Dourif and Sting.  It was a borderline phobia.

Classic and 100% Sting free.

Anyway, the audiobook was a safer approach for me.  The book is (obviously) much better than the film, though the movie does color many of my mental images.  I’m glad I’m “reading” it this way.  Numerous voices lend their talent to the presentation.  I just absorb a chapter or two while I grade tests or homework during my planning period.  It’s nice, relaxing, efficient.

I love audio performances.  The new Amazon Kindle 2 reportedly has an automated “read aloud” option.  Not the same.  I don’t know that I could take more than a page of robo-speak.  Reviews I have seen call the Kindle’s vocal technique “serviceable”.  I’m looking for a voice that adds to the telling, not detracts.  Still, as a writer (even one far from audio contracts), I am concerned  what the auto-read will do to audiobook rights.  Will licensing a book to Kindle reduce the value of the audio rights?  Infringe upon previous rights?  There is a fair amount of discussion out there already about this, most writers groups preferring Amazon include an option to block the audio feature.  Sounds like n inexpensive solution to me, especially if it causes problems with the Kindle acquiring key authors.  Maybe Oprah could get behind the writers’ initiative.  Anyway, I love audiobooks and would hate to see anything inhibit their continued production.

-Oso

Good for reading, but do you want it reading to you?