When the two parties can’t even agree on what is and isn’t factual, I guess at some point you have to just metaphorically say “Obama’s campaign is piss.”
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Someone actually took the time to create and program this screen. Kind of makes me sad.
This is a meme photo, but it really does beg the question… if you really don’t want anyone to park in a certain spot, then why force them to stay there?
…it’s almost like you’re just trying to generate revenue through parking citations…
I liked this video so much, I decided to post it on my blog.
Someone asked me a big long political question on my Facebook page today and I gave him a big long political answer. If you’re into that stuff, read on:
ISAAC GILPIN
“Hello mr. Brentalfloss, as an american citizen struggling with the hardships mentioned in topic that i am about to post on your wall, i would appreciate your attention for a second and hope you would stop and think about, and mabye even do a blog or possibly a video apon this touchy subject that involes the american people and how we are being robbed of our every day rights, along with being told what we are supposed to be focusing on, rather than the real problem at hand, meaning “our horrid economy and the twisted politics by jack booted thugs that created it” give focusing on them a try, and maybe you and the rest of our nation will see that ron paul is the only candidate who means something in this god-forsaken country, see what you can do with it. get our minds focused back on the important issues such as: “why our jobs are over seas” and “why is our economy in such a dramatic state” as well as “why is america subject to corporate control” my thanks for your possible cooperation and reply.
sincerly,
Isaac Gilpin“
ME:
“First, there are a few reasons “our jobs” are overseas, Isaac. Our young people are getting less disciplined in terms of education. As a nation, we don’t read, write or think critically as well as we used to. This lessens our ability to excel at service industry jobs (which are one of the biggest if not THE biggest part of our economy) and it also hurts our ability to export our culture, which is still our greatest resource.
Also, it’s not exactly a matter of other countries “taking our jobs,” as much as it is the fact that our nation’s workers are a bit spoiled when compared to other average salaries worldwide. The political right often praises a free market economy, but on a worldwide scale, free market principles dictate that when someone in India or China will manufacture a product for a lower wage, they will get the job over a comparatively expensive American worker. This is not to say that I am anti-union or that I think Americans should be paid lower wages. It’s just a problem inherent to the world right now. Again, one thing no one else can manufacture is American culture, but if we raise a generation of entitled, illiterate children, we can’t expect to have much of a culture to export to the rest of the world.
That said, Ron Paul is a lot of things, but he is not as perfect as his biggest fans think he is. He truly seems to believe what he says (which is a refreshing virtue in this world of bullshit focus group sound bite 24-hour news cycle politics) but many of the changes he would propose as president are impractical and would have major unintended side effects. Libertarianism is a cool idea, but it doesn’t work unless EVERYONE agrees that EVERYONE is free in pretty much EVERY way. You can’t claim to be for “small, unobtrusive government” and also want the law to get in between a woman and her doctor or in between a man and another man who love each other.
As for the state of our economy: The economy is never in such an “awful state” as it is when the party opposing the current administration is describing it during an election year 
So here’s my opinion in a nutshell: A lot of people are quick to tout America as “The Greatest Country In The World.” But countries are made of people. If we want to be the greatest country in the world, we have to earn it by BEING the greatest country in the world.
The end.”
…thoughts?
Today, I got an email from a business student who wanted to ask me a few questions in an interview format. The second-to-last question made me think a lot, and I thought I’d share my answer with you, particularly my younger viewers.
Q: “What is your perspective on the keys to success?”
A: “For better or worse, success is always a cocktail of the following three ingredients:
1. TALENT
2. APTITUDE
3. LUCK
TALENT: Those innate gifts which one cannot buy, learn, or earn. Whether it be charisma, coordination, or the ability to write lyrics, these things can be honed, but they cannot be transferred from one person to another. To be successful, we must recognize our talents and sharpen them through discipline.
APTITUDE: The sum total of our skills and disciplines which can be learned. This is the measure of how well one has honed his or her talents.
LUCK: Being at the right place at the right time. Every day, we spin a huge wheel like on The Price is Right. Once in a while, we land on a spot marked “opportunity.” This is LUCK in action. However, if we do not have the TALENT or the APTITUDE, then the opportunity is wasted and our good luck means nothing.”
-Brent
BRASH BRASS & SAX MASH
As the number of video game tribute bands increases, new and existing groups are challenged to distinguish themselves from others to avoid sounding generic. For instance, Bit Brigade accompanies live playthroughs of classic games, Select Start opts for a classical chamber ensemble, and even VGM staple The OneUps have recently started performing with a freestyling hip-hoparista named Lucio. The emergent Los Angeles-based band Tanuki Suit Riot, with their unique sound and wickedly clever mashups, have proven that they are able to distinguish themselves right off the bat in their ten-track debut album The Edo Sessions.
The album begins with a high-energy arrangement of the “Burning Building” theme from TMNT II: The Arcade Game for the NES. Right away, it establishes the potential of the group’s arrangement. Soaring above a solid rhythm section and spot-on keys is the main source of Tanuki Suit Riot’s aural flavor: a sexy tenor sax, and a trumpet reminiscent of the band Cake. This two-man horns section, provided by Matt Van Gelder and Kyle Polich, sets the band apart with a sound I’ve never heard before in the VGM scene.
But where TSR really sets themselves apart is in their mashups, such as “Megaman Cowboy Bebop,” which alternates between Mega Man 3’s “Snake Man” Theme and the iconic Cowboy Bebop title theme. Over the course of ten tracks, they seamlessly blend elements as disparate as Journey, Michael Jackson, and Mozart in between tasty marble cake swirls of classic game tunes. And on top of their ability to backflip from one tune into another, they also tackle a huge array of musical styles—a big jiggly swing tune, a tom-heavy jungle rock jam, and a Shaft-like 70’s groove are represented, among many others.
If there is one blemish on the face of this fun-fest, it is the occasional sloppiness of the very horns section that makes it so tangy. The trumpet and saxophone sometimes lack a sense of tempo and rhythmic simultaneity; in some cases, this gives their arrangement a fun, messy feel, but my inner music teacher wants it to be a little more together and a little more on-beat. In any case, it will probably only bother the more anal-retentive listener and may not even occur to the average retro game fan.
My favorite track is TSR’s interpretation of the overworld theme from Zelda II. Fun fact: Hearing their live version of this song over a Ustream feed last year led me to write “Zelda II With Lyrics.” It takes the song from a noble march to a lackadaisical, almost Caribbean feel. What was once a hero’s fanfare now sounds like it could blend into a Luau playlist quite nicely. And that is just one example of the reason I’m recommending this album to you: you’ve never heard video game tunes quite like this.
All in all, The Edo Sessions is a fun ride that shows Tanuki Suit Riot to be exactly what they are: A promising new band in the VGM scene that—while not always perfect in their mechanical delivery—provides a sound unique to the genre, bites off an ambitious amount of fun, and in the process gives the listener a lot to chew on.
PROS
Refreshing new arrangement. Great mix of classic and obscure tunes. Brilliant, ballsy mashups of different styles and genres.
CONS
Sloppy playing in parts. Only ten tracks.
BRENT’S FAVORITE TRACKS
Track #6: “Zelda II”
Track #4: “Moon Patrol”
Track #10: “Driver’s High/F-Zero”
OVERALL SCORE
B+
RECOMMENDED BUY?
Yes!
The Edo Sessions by Tanuki Suit Riot can be purchased on iTunes for $9.90 here.
The band may be contacted at info@tanukisuitriot.com or by tweeting to @tanukisuit.
…I have written a limerick for Congressman Anthony Weiner:
You announced that you won’t be a quitter,
and referred to a “tweet” as a “twitter.”
To court your next female,
why not just use email
to transmit a pic of your critter?
…you see, this is actually why you should be following ME on Twitter; because if I send you a picture of the hairy banjo tonight, I’ll never lie about it in the morning.
Love,
Brent
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This blog entry has to do with my participation on Empire Avenue. It’s kind of like a social networking stock market. So if you subscribe to this blog, sorry for the useless blog entry.
WAIT, ACTUALLY… since so few people actually follow this little outpost, I may as well tell you… the brentalfloss Karaoke tracks are now available on iTunes and Amazon Music… just search “What if This CD… DIDN’T Have Lyrics?”
…there. Now it’s not totally wasted.
-BF
Brentalfans, it’s time. After almost 3 years of notoriety on Youtube and nearly 100,000 subscribers, it’s time for me to get a Wikipedia page. If you type “brentalfloss” into Google and let it generate suggestions below, the first suggestion is “brentalfloss wiki.”
It’s time.
Unfortunately, making a Wikipedia page is a pain in the ass, and you’re not supposed to create one about yourself. That’s where you guys come in. Here—within this very blog post—lie all the tools you need. Ideally, the page would be for Brent Black with a “brentalfloss” redirect. Preferably you’re someone who has made Wikipedia pages before; you know, the kind that don’t get taken down immediately?
Here goes:
Fact 1: I am known for adding lyrics to video game music. Reference: The Canadian Broadcasting Company. Here’s the article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/media/story/2010/09/08/videogame-music.html …I’m mentioned in the ninth paragraph.
Fact 2: I was born on April 12, 1984 in Dallas, TX (I don’t have any websites referencing this. Please don’t tell Donald Trump.)
Fact 3: My subscribers have topped 99,000 Reference: Youtube.com/brentalfloss
Fact 4: My first CD, “What if This CD… Had Lyrics?” was released in the spring of 2010. Reference: http://itunes.com/brentalfloss
Fact 5: My CD, “What if This CD… Had Lyrics?” has had tracks in the top 100 on iTunes comedy charts worldwide. Reference: http://www.music-chart.info/artist/53807/brentalfloss
Fact 6: I attended undergrad at the University of Oklahoma. Reference: http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=272&articleid=20090104_272_D3_Elissa783157
Facts 7 and 8: I earned a masters at NYU for musical theatre writing and wrote an off-broadway show called I’ll Be Damned which was at the Vineyard Theatre in New York City in 2010. Reference: http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/theater/reviews/13damned.html
The rest is up to you. I’m counting on someone who knows their way around Wikipedia to complete this page. To do so is to enter me into the international lexicon of significance and to legitimize me as an Internet phenomenon. Also, it’ll make me feel ah-so niiiiiice.
Dicks and farts,
-Brent
