BobDylan

I don't know what to say to somebody that considers themselves more of an average fan of Stevens but thinks his writing isn't personal. I respect your opinions a great deal, but really, you need to LISTEN to what Stevens is writing. It's almost like he's giving you a f***ing key to his heart. And it should be noted that Seven Swans was a solo album. And who cares if the styles don't change record to record? It's obvious IlliNOISE was his best feat yet, isn't it? He's said he's looking to make change from there, right? So he releases a few b-sides, slaps a Christmas Box set out, so what? He hasn't earned that right? Not many people can "crap out" good songs like that regardless of what style they play in, right? He's put out 5 good LP's in 5 years. Some can't even do 2 in 10, 20, 30 years. And besides, hardly ANYONE noticed Stevens before IlliNOISE, yet, people can chastise him for not experimenting? What a joke.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Nov 14, 2006 -> 07:47 PM) This isn't rhetoric class. Name a game or get off the pot. what pc? what specs? that'll be the truth telling. no one has brought up cost yet, and THAT'S where you win the argument. However, aside from that I'd rather spend 1500 bucks on a pc than 500 on a console. Anyone that has ever been a "gamer" any time in their life flat out KNOWS -- it's common f***ing knowledge -- that the PC owns ANY console that has EVER hit the market. Think about it folks. What is a gaming consule? A MINIATURE computer. That said, the only reason I prefer the console over the PC for my gaming experiences is because I like to play on my couch in front of the T.V. QUOTE(3E8 @ Nov 14, 2006 -> 07:50 PM) Either you are a liar or we're just lucky your PC operates frequently enough for you to post here. f*** Sony, f*** Apple. No, but seriously... I'm not lying. But it doesn't help that I've cracked the case open on all my ipods and all my ps2's. The first ps2 I had lasted the longest (a few years). The other two I bought were used. And I know I'm not the only one with a couple of broken iPod's lying around.

QUOTE(Sox It To Em @ Nov 14, 2006 -> 06:39 PM) I played and finished FFVII for the first time about four years ago, and I did manage to beat both Weapons. I don't remember exactly how I did so but if I recall correctly I simply KOTR'd them to death in conjunction with the Mime and Auto-Revive materia. Beforehand I had tirelessly level grinded in Mideel and the Crater for hours on end until I had all three of my characters at level 100 and my materia was maxed out. At that point they were relatively easy. It's really simply a matter of building your characters up enough, but it takes a long time to do it. FFVII is an awesome game, I need to replay it soon. I don't think I had auto-revive. I remember KOTR not working on Ruby Weapon. Also, my characters weren't level 100 (not even close), but most of my materia was maxed. Check that, I did have auto revive.

QUOTE(Sox It To Em @ Nov 14, 2006 -> 02:09 PM) That's actually an unverified rumor that has persisted for years. I think they'll remake FFVII eventually, but it hasn't been announced yet. I hope they do because FFVII was one of my favorite PS1 games and would like to see it updated. It looks like more of a rumor to me. http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/rpg/finalfanta...l?mode=previews I've also seen it in Gameinformer Mag...it seemed like it was going to happen, and it was going to happen soon. But unfortunately I don't remember which magazine and I'm far too lazy to look. But aside, FF7 is an amazing game. One of my favorites of all time, if not my favorite of all time. When I first got the game for Christmas years back, I flew through the game (if 75 hours is flying through) and didn't power my characters up enough to beat Sephiroth. I beat the first 2 sections of him, but he'd destroy me in phase three. I played it again last year, did all the side quests, easily topped 100 hours, got the Golden Chocobo and Knights of the Rounds and DESTROYED Sephiroth. It wasn't even fun. I even went back to fight without KOTR and still beat him up pretty good. Side question, did you ever beat Ruby or Underwater Weapon? I got EVER SO CLOSE to beating Underwater once...but it took an extreme amount of luck on his attack sequence.

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Nov 14, 2006 -> 09:38 AM) Yawn. Maybe in a few years, but the whole $600 price tag, plus artificial scarcity equals no interest from me. My PS 2 works just fine, thank you. I know this is beside your point, but I've bought three ps2's and they all broke.

I thought this was pretty cool: http://www.fazed.net/video/?id=502

http://www.uberreview.com/2006/11/pronto-c...-on-pronto.htm/ (Not Work Safe)

QUOTE(bmags @ Nov 14, 2006 -> 12:54 AM) yes it escalated, but in the same realm that coldplay escalated. I'm a sufjan fan, but i def. need him in small doses. He is a bit self-indulgent, illinoise ran damn lengthy, a real marathon to finish. That and his tempo changes are just predictable. Ouch, a Coldplay comparison. I didn't think, in the slightest, Coldplay showed ANY maturation from Parachutes to X & Y. I remember when I first bought the new album, I thought it was a carbon copy. I don't know. I'm an avid Stevens fan, I've listened to all of his albums front and back, inside and out several times and I can see changes in what he plays. As I said, Seven Swans is banjo heavy. Michigan is more matured than Swans, it introduces a full, front to back symphony album. IlliNOISE does the same, just in a more upbeat fashion. I can see where the average Stevens listener might not see the development, but if you're willing, give his albums a deeper listen. He's a fantastic writer, he makes albums front to back (unlike most) and they're themed albums to boot. But aside from that, I think his next album will be electronica. I thought Dear Mr. Supercomputer -- though it's only lightly electronica -- was the best song from the b-sides (it had Stereolab potential written all over it), and given that he's already made an electronica album (which wasn't great, but incredibly interesting) I think it makes the most sense. Anyway, any guesses on his next style? And what about Radiohead's next LP? I'd LOVE to see them try Jazz or Folk.

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Nov 14, 2006 -> 06:53 AM) then you've never played PC games... Quite the opposite. Think about the computing power of some of the best gaming PCs out there. They blow away a console. they're literally toys in comparison This is true. But I've always preferred the console over the PC. As far as the PS3, I plan to buy it for the new Final Fantasy and because they are remaking FF7 with the revamed gameplay.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Nov 14, 2006 -> 01:31 AM) I feel the same way. I mentioned earlier in the week if we had a legitimate OF prospect to (reasonably) replace Dye, and our CF/SS weren't such liabilities, I'd seriously consider trading him. Another season of numbers matching 70% of 2006 we're not receiving a good-guy discount from him. He'll have one more big contract remaining in his career, and $7 million will be a joke. The prospect had better be a can't miss. But he's trade meat at the deadline if the Sox aren't playing well.

QUOTE(bmags @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 10:58 PM) a sun came sounds pretty radically different but his 4 most successful albums, seven swans>michigan>illinois>illinois bsides, its not like if i just put those four on random i'd be able to specifically know which is which album if i erased knowledge of their placement. I feel like Michigan and IlliNOISE are different from Seven Swans. Seven Swans is more banjo heavy as the other two are more layered and better built with trumpets (Seven Swans has a very light trumpet arrangement) and other instruments I don't know what are (flutes? clarinets? oboes?)

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 10:52 PM) Director commentary fit everything together. I don't know your interpretation, but most people --including myself -- seem to believe that Gyllenhal avoiding the airliner's engine tampered with the natural order of the universe. He was supposed to die, and because he averted death, the entire fabric of space was jeopardized. Anothere explanation I hear people mention is the entire film was merely a prophetic dream, and Gyllenhal smiled in his bed because he was relieved it wasn't real. I'm going to be rather prophetic myself right here and guess you bringing Donnie Darko is entirely due to the latest XBOX360 commercial featuring the REM song. I can't be the only one who heard it during the promo for "Gears of WAr" and immediately thought of the movie. Here's what appears to be a pretty good explanation of the movie: http://www.vegsource.com/talk/books/messages/12158.html (SPOILERS!)

QUOTE(bmags @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 10:16 PM) he sounds too similar on every album. I like sufjan, but he's rather formulaic. Ehh...I disagree. He made an electronica album for starters, and the maturation from A Sun Came to Seven Swans to Michigan is fantastic. Though, I will agree that IlliNOISE and the Christmas albums sound similar to Michigan. He said he's tired of banjo's though, so it'll be interesting to see what he does next.

QUOTE(Steff @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 10:29 PM) Don't say stupid s*** that makes you sound like a prick - your word, admit you said stupid s*** that makes you sound like a prick, then act surprised when someone agrees with you. Even though I edited my post, I'll ask again, why do you bother me?

QUOTE(Steff @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 08:57 PM) Good luck with that. I'd stick close to daddy for the best odds. Are you mocking me?

Got the last two volumes of Sufjan Stevens Christmas box set today. I enjoyed the first three quite a bit, and enjoy the last two just as much. Sufjan is quite a talent, I think he's going to make a lasting mark in music and be one of them legendary musical names. QUOTE(The Critic @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 05:27 PM) Haven't heard them, but the bolded part of the last sentence would veer me away from them. I second that.

QUOTE(jackie hayes @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 04:31 PM) I'm pretty sure that wasn't the intent -- since they've had Ferrell voice a character on the show, I doubt they think he's terrible. And imo he's usually pretty good, but anyway, back to your main point, I agree about Cook. How about all the people The Simpsons have had on their show but have made fun of? And South Park? Maybe they don't hate Will Ferrel, but they were certainly poking at him. Maybe Will Ferrel understands that, as an entertainer, he's liable to be the source of some jokes and he has an open mind about it. Edit: One time Kevin Smith even went as far as to say the "ultimate respect" is to be a character on the Simpsons.

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 03:09 PM) Up until a recent special of Cook's on HBO (Vicious Circle) I've never seen his act. I can't say I was too impressed. He comes off as, well, the ghey. Anyone relate to his experience of having a "good cry" every once in awhile? He literally spent five minutes explaining this routine. I felt embarrassed just watching it on TV. You ever sit through a Family Guy skit where sometimes it continues WAY beyond the point of comic value? A particular episode which comes to mind is Stewie watching Will Ferrel at a theater, then spending several minutes traveling to his house, only to yell at it. This is essentially the same experience as watching Cook. Somtimes its funny, sometimes it isn't. The whole point of that skit was to draw it out because EVERYTHING Will Ferrel does is drawn out, ridiculous, totally self-masturabatory and just not funny. And Dane Cook sucks too. Most guys that depend on a "stage presence" suck ass. The only ones that are any good are the one's who didn't over expose themselves. Nobody talks about how funny Michael Richards (Seinfeld's Kraemer) is because he went no further than a supporting character. After Seinfeld went off, Richards had all the opportunity in the world to whore himself out and use his physical comedy to make millions more. But fact is, physical comedy doesn't work long and it's tiresome. It has no respect with it. There is no hard work involved in it. Stand up comedy is for jokes, not for people to get up on stage, run around, make sound effects and be an asshole.

QUOTE(EvilMonkey @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 08:57 AM) Some businesses you may be able to 'get the work done' from 2-10 in your underwear. Some you can't. I own a printshop, with regular retail-like hours, and people need to be HERE during those hours to get the work done. Not home nursing a hangover, or because they feel a little blue. I hired them to do a job, during the hours that I decided the job should encompass. if they don't lilke that, they are free to look for employment elsewhere. THAT'S the bottom line. My people are rewarded with a paycheck, one that is slightly higher than the average for stores of my type. I am flexible with days off. Short notice is fine if someone needs a day off, they can use their flex days, or vacation days if needed. I don't know what your dad's business is, but if it can support that kind of attitude, that is great. Mine, and alot of others, can't. Also, most people wouldn't go to any work if they didn't have to. If you hate your job so much and are so severly uunderpaid, maybe it is time to change. Or better yet, start your own business, be your own boss, take off when you want and pay yourself what you are really worth. Well, I figured you worked in some sort of cubical type job. You know, people at the computer all day and every day. For a retail store, I can see the problems of people not showing up for work. But I've had odd jobs of all sort. Both in retail and in the office. For the retail stores I showed up when I was supposed to, asked for time off when I needed it, and never called in sick when I wasn't (except for this one job because they scheduled me four 10-14 hour shifts a week) both because I felt for the bosses when people just simply didn't come, and because I was on an hourly wage. But for the office jobs I was paid a tiny salary and I could usually get a two days of work done in one -- because of that I would call myself off on some days I shouldn't have. As far as what I do right now, I don't work. I go to school. I'm still in the years of trying to find the easiest way to get rich.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 08:32 AM) 80%, I wish they graded the test so I could see which ones I missed. 74%. Psh. That's not very accurate. I paid attention during maybe 3% of high school.

Has the name Carl Crawford ever been mentioned?

QUOTE(Texsox @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 08:22 AM) One way to view sick days is they are very short term disability insurance paid by the company. I agree with Evil on this one. What you are describing are vacation days and most companies give you these also. I was the easiest manager to get time off from, but one of my pet peeves was asking me on Dec 1 how many sick days you have left. Ask yourself why companies offer vacation days and sick days? I also did not want to play mommy and investigate if someone was truly sick or not. Don't fake the voice or whatever, if you tell me you can't work that day, then you can't work that day. I also reviewed how many and when sick days were being used and I can guarantee that bigger bonuses and raises were given to the employees that showed up and did their jobs versus not showing up and having others do their jobs for them. The ones that are doing the work should get rewarded. I figure there is some sort of government regulation regarding it. I could be wrong. As to part two, that's the way it should be. But ff the employer is going to abuse my services and not reward me for my hard work.... QUOTE(Texsox @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 08:27 AM) Yet for an extra couple days off, it is? A normal year of work is 2,080 hours. Taking an extra three sick days is 24 hours. You just gave yourself a whopping 1.1% raise. Having said all this, I do favor policies where all days off are in the same pool. My first year employees received 5 days off. After a year it went to 12 and increased one day a year. Use them any way you like to. Not really. I'll never enjoy my work unless it's writing novels -- and even then I'm sure I'll have plenty of problems regarding contracts. But bills need to be paid unfortunately.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 12, 2006 -> 10:55 AM) I'd like to see some evidence that porn is a gateway to sex crimes. And not just someone saying "most sex offenders have viewed porn", because frankly, that's like saying "most bus drivers have viewed porn". Has anyone ever produced a compelling theory backed by evidence showing causality? I doubt it. But I'm willing to be shown otherwise. Most, if not all my male friends would be criminals if porn were a suggestion of a criminal "personality". I'd be on death row. But I only watch the stars, so I guess it's morally okay.

QUOTE(shipps @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 06:34 AM) I have loved most of their stuff that they have made ,mostly from aquired taste.But do you think id like the new cd considering i love their other stuff? Yes, I would say so.

QUOTE(EvilMonkey @ Nov 13, 2006 -> 07:18 AM) Sign your name at the bottom of the checks and see if you still feel the same way. Take a day off if you want. Why should the company have to pay you for it if you want to get smashed? Because the mundane, worthless, mind numbing work I do for them will NEVER be worth the amount of money they pay me. Not only that, who are they to say when I should wake up, when I should show up, and where I should do my work? Why can't I roll out of bed at 2 PM, get it done by 10 PM and do it in my underwear, on my bed and with a beard on my face? If the work is done, it's done, right? Who cares how, where or when (when, obviously being on time)? And if your employees are getting the work you need done ON TIME while taking off these sick days without actually being sick, what are you angry about? You want to scrap every inch of work and life out of your employees just so you can get the best bang for your buck? How about you give them a little incentive first? Reward people who don't pull out the bull s*** on you. There is no single reason for any one of your employees to put in the extra mile if you think they're "stealing" from you when they take a sick day off for the "wrong" reasons. They probably hate the work they're doing in the first place, and in the second place, if not for economic reasons, they'd never, EVER show up. Fact is, if you want to cut down on people taking days off they shouldn't then don't give them sick days. How many people are really sick 3 weeks a year anyway? I've been sick to the point of not being able to get out of bed maybe 3 days in the past 5 years. And I see my dad, a business owner, sign the check all the time. His philosophy is do the work whenever you want, just so long as it gets done and it gets done in time. If somebody wants to party and not do work for the day, they don't even have to tell him. His policy seems to work. (Some jobs I feel different about. I.E. teachers. And if I come of like a prick, I don't mean to, it's just my writing style. It's your business, you can do whatever you like. I just feel differently.)