tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11537347846785091032024-03-23T03:15:01.834-07:00Vika LiveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-21632404655002101362023-07-25T19:08:00.004-07:002023-07-26T10:23:12.947-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Barbie, the movie, is a sparkling spectacle of absurd hilarity and visual rapture. Each film frame is packed with exquisite detail and attention to set craftsmanship, costume design, choreography, gestures and diction. The first part of the film is delightful - saturated with laugh out loud jokes, over-the-top musical numbers, rich narrative, amusing cameos, and inspired film references.
The second part of the film is more serious - with Barbie facing issues of personal identity, depression, self-love, and sexual harassment on her journey from colorful utopian matriarchy into the scary world of oppressive patriarchy. But before the audience begins to feel pressure from all the female issues, Gerwig skillfully recalibrates mid-film drama with the ultimate power move of Ken stepping into the real world. Suddenly, Ken is seen, heard, respected, and brimming with hope for a future where he can make a difference. Gerwig's decision to showcase the complexities of Ken's existential journey (along with that of other Kens) gives us a glimpse into what women experience in the real world. Yet, the film never makes any definitive statement. The story flows without imposing any rigid agenda, but leaves no one indifferent to its musical and comedic sequences.
Gosling outright swipes the spotlight from the entire cast with his unforgettable "I'm Just Ken" number. His "Kenergy" is unbeatable! He was destined to be Ken, just as Robbie was destined to embody Barbie. The rest of the cast also flawlessly portrays countless versions of Barbie and Ken dolls. Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir embraced the silliness of the film and had me in stitches on the Kens' side.
DP Rodrigo Prieto's cinematography is remarkable - he seamlessly differentiates the two worlds using the "face-front" angle in Barbieland, avoiding shaky moves. It's like he's saying, "Smooth sailing in doll land!" while the real world gets dynamic camera work of "Hold on tight, things are getting real!"
In sum, the film is a visual feast! I can see the awards for production, costumes, makeup, best actor and best director. Gerwig continues to be one of the most interesting filmmakers working today. As always, she tackles heavy topics unapologetically, but this time she does it while making us laugh.
"Barbie" is an amusing ride you don't want to miss! I recommend seeing it in a packed theater.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-62116202943025449822017-02-21T15:47:00.001-08:002017-02-21T15:53:10.219-08:00Morning Dream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
There’s a quiet sigh of a woman<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
a stifled regret of forlorn love<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
a shrug of her shoulders<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
And a whisper of fear<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
a tearful hope <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
of a lonely future <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
And a man moans in his sleep<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
Tossing through the night<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
On a solitary divan<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: rgb(246, 245, 244); box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: normal !important; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
Unaccompanied in the
forest<br />
waiting for a lover to return<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
A bird sits on a branch<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br />
And a flower unfolds gently<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
And the grass glistens in the dew<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
And a girl wonders<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: rgb(246, 245, 244); box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: normal !important; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
When will the love
come?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
And why is the wait so long<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
Before he appears<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
And the breeze scatters leaves <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
As the boy strums the strings<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
Of his new guitar<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
And the woman walks alone<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
Small dog barks at her<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div style="background: #F6F5F4; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
And I awake<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-73509112143700148012016-05-23T17:24:00.003-07:002016-05-23T17:24:59.091-07:00БАБОЧКА И МУРАВЕЙ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bite rattle snake, bite<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hop speedy rabbit high<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fly spinning bullet, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Make it quick<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Come up a hill, wheel<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Come up ahead, curb <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Butterfly’s in for a kick<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Roar away desert lion<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Watch stubborn ant buy in<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hear grasshopper cry in<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
empty cup<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Come mammal cub crawling<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Feel winter wind blowing<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Through empty wasteland<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Add it up<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Watch little bird flying<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hear brittle hope dying<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Never laborious<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Never tough<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have a care ant darling<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Spare a posy with pollen<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Save butterfly, <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
you have enough<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-67795943324993920292014-03-25T14:34:00.001-07:002017-02-02T21:27:35.100-08:00a winter dream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
I dreamt of summer through the smog of winter<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me and my friends in swarm of merriment <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like mineral clay solidifies to sinter <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We turn to quartz in time experiment<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lazy sand snails, vanishing and aging <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Through crystal frame of silver hour glass<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hawaiian sunset scattering and blazing<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fades out like nomad hunters in Alsace <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Suddenly numb, I topple and fall silent, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Echo of senses follows in my wake<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Outside a blizzard gathers over highlands<o:p></o:p></div>
Treading through aspen trees till I awake<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-28350632525488089692013-07-15T13:06:00.001-07:002013-07-15T13:06:27.143-07:00Tale of a goldfish and unspoken wish<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Last time I pulled a goldfish out of water<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
I thought that Russian story was banal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
For what’s a fish against a human daughter?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Yet, verses of a fish have stormed my wall.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>How many wishes can you grant me, fish?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>Just one, but you must choose with care<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span>Come swim with me until you know your wish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Said fish and smiled well; it was a fair dare.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
His smile could slay a hundred hordes,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
I plunged inside beside him, to abyss.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
There was no dream beyond Arcadia walls;<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
No deed or wish undone had gone remiss.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
And for a while, I enjoyed illusion,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Of lacking purpose and no goals to meet,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
I sang and danced around the pond’s seclusion<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Fish smiled smirk that felt a real treat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
One day he took me to an ancient pool,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Where time displaced in rivets at the shore<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
There were no trees or sun, no aim or rule,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Just empty silence and it was a bore.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
- It’s time, he said, for you to ask your wish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Or you can stay the same way for a while<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
The choice is yours to make; I’m just a fish<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
And fishes swim, but humans dream in style.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
The pond grew dim, the winds began to roar,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
I heard an eagles cry beyond the wall,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Wishing a lot had proved to be a chore,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Wishing a little hardly worth the call.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
We swam in circles, tired of disservice<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
We did to time; I floated like a cork,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
He dove and only once resurfaced<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Inside a cave where stream broke into fork.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The left brook marked a secret passageway<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Foretelling channel of a lone crusade<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
I feared the ennui of a life without <span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Cyprinidae</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
But he had hid again; I knew he was afraid.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
The river to the right was calm and deep<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
I dipped my toe and felt its eerie still<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
I sensed inside it I would be asleep<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
And chose the stream that ran uphill.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
I did not wait for goldfish to resurface,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Thriving in water garden of a fairy verve,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
It made me wait until my wish lost purpose,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Too ripe to toss, too spoiled to preserve.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
And crossing over foothills in the distance<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
I found a path untethered and unmanned<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Through underbrush, without much resistance<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
I reached a peak untouched by human hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
On mountain top, in stone, above the ocean,<br />
I carved my wish out with a blade of steel;<br />
As days go by, perhaps a lone Laotian<br />
Will find my mark under his coarse bare heal.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Atop the world, where icy snow keeps heavens,<br />Where winter light shines on infrequent crane;<br />I left it here - Minoan unearthed by Evans,<br />Bronze Age, unseen by pilgrims of Tibetian plain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Although in fairy tale, my name will never surface<br />A goldfish cannot swim up mountains through a steppe.<br />My wish is carved in stone, it shines for those with purpose<br />For those who dream of sun and climb with steady step.</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-80676814572143684152012-08-02T15:14:00.002-07:002012-08-02T15:15:02.867-07:00rebirth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Soft darkness wraps its hands around me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Touching my shoulders ever so slightly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I let go of all thought and inhale dry air</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">rocking myself into
slumber<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">A stroke of wind dishevels
my hair <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I tremble in surprise and it withdraws<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">I sit up and pray in
silence, hoping <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">For something I have yet to know<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">A stork flies
through the night<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Startled, I stare
into obscurity<br />
<span style="background: white;">A baby’s cry
pierces the air <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“A newborn”, I think; “how lovely”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-43979107706150646142012-07-25T14:26:00.003-07:002012-07-25T14:27:27.634-07:00a summer trail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="style26" style="background: white;">
<span class="style24"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">the trail
leads you</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background: white;">
<span class="style24"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span class="style24"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">where heavens unwrap</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<span class="style24">sapphire curtains </span></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="style24">into jade forests</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span class="style24"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">where lakes join<br />
in beads of silver</span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">strung
on golden wire<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="style26" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">where birds embroider<br />
sky with ribbons of joy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">laced
with frivolity <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">where night quenches<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />the thirst of virgin grass<br />
with morning diamonds <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="style24"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">the trail leads you</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span class="style24"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">where summer
dwells<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="style26" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span class="style24"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">in childhood memory<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-47158242033110499652012-07-19T13:44:00.002-07:002012-07-19T13:44:43.147-07:00Inspirations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I have not written, read, or seen anything that was worth sharing, and have not felt like sharing much lately. I</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">'ve reached an introspective time, during which I prefer to ask questions, listen, read, watch, collect information, think and process it.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">It's delightful to find hidden treasures in the deep recesses of the subconscious. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I tried going out again and socializing or emailing, but it brings little pleasure now. Blogging feels very isolated and self boasting. I much prefer to communicate </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">in person. Speaking to someone gives me a sense of understanding and involvement in the conversation, as opposed to posting a monologue. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">And I have not really done anything exciting worth talking about. It's easier to talk about something radical and brilliant created by others, like the Italo Calvino's classic </span><i style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">If</i> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><i>On A Winter's Night a Traveler </i>or a </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">new film by Woody Allen </span></span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">To Rome with Love. </i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Though completely unrelated, both Allen and Calvino explore radical methods of communication by involving the reader/viewer in their stories. Allen's technique is very different, he does not make the viewer participate in the film, yet I could not help but feel as though I was a part of it. (Viewer participation would be interesting in terms of a play. Perhaps Calvino's book can be turned into a play with viewer participation, but I am not an expert on plays.) </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">What I like best about both Calvino and Allen is the ease with which both artists express their ideas by unitizing means much different from what we are used to. Both are incomplete, both leave the reader/viewer</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">in search of the rest of the story, yet both manage to </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">involve you in their plot-lines as one of the characters. In Calvino's novel, the plot </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">explores the art of reading, while Allen explores the art of creating something ridiculous, which he politely describes as "ahead of its time". Both create a feeling of nostalgia and melancholy discovered in creation of a masterpiece that </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">surpasses the imagination of an ordinary spectator. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Another genius is Isaac Asimov. I love his simple </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">eloquence and linear approach to story telling</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The strength of his writing is in use of logic in place of high poetry. Unlike Woody Allen, he communicates his stories almost clinically, leaving it up to his readers to create their own visual and sensual references from individual perception and </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">ideals. Despite the lack of high literary style, Asimov's work does not lack in skill and interesting notions. One of my newly discovered treasures is Asimov's short </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">story called </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Cal</i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> about a robot who wises to write. It has become my favorite short story. It can be </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">found in a collection of Asimov's writings</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> entitled "Gold". </span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-42971533552740190762012-05-01T14:20:00.000-07:002012-07-19T14:21:34.784-07:00Сон стучится украдкой в окно<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Что любовь? Легкий пыл похвалы,</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Неведения </span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">н</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">ервный припад</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Мимолетный прилив новизны</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">И безделия вольный расклад</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Мягко светит сквозь тучи луна</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Сон стучится украдкой в окно</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Напилась я сегодня вина</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">И на улице тихо, темно</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Поезда не стучат за стеной</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Только шорох соседних колес</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Потревожит не временный сон</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Почерневших </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">з</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">амерзших берез</span><br />
<br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">На стекле напечатал мороз</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Сообщение тебе от меня</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Только ты не пришлешь мне ни проз</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Ни Стихов, ни строки за моря</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Тихо светит вечерний фонарь</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Подкрепившись наивной мечтой</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Я засну улыбаясь сквозь даль</span><br style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Под нелепо счастливой звездой</span>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-35553317295858355532012-04-16T16:54:00.001-07:002020-04-22T15:51:52.613-07:00Spring sonata in G minor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="line-height: 14.25pt;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">April. Puberty swells in the glands of a girl<br />The garden’s abloom with butterfly twirl<br />The children run restless from a pool to a park<br />The forest grows heavy with foliage and bark</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Nesting under my window fifty species of birds<br />In the midst of migration stop to throw idle words<br />In G minor enticing fifty feathered throats groan<br />Yelling over each other in an endless love song</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">April came into my bed</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tell me something I forget</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tell me something to regret</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lately, I have lost my head</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Who loved whom first?<br />Who quenched whose thirst?<br />From birds to flowers<br />From sun to showers<br />From song to dance<br />From smile to chance<br />From fish to sea<br />From you to me</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A smile was bright like evening star<br />Never enough, always too far<br />Like a reflection of lost soul<br />It burned right through the night with coal</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">April. Love came to my head</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Left me swimming in cold sweat</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Leaving little to regret</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Took away what <span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I forget</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 14.25pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bringing flowers a</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">nd evening showers</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bridging the sea from you to me</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Weaving a dance f<span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">rom glance to chance</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Driving a spree from glee to plea</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">April came into my room</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Found me rising in full bloom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Told me birds and I were free</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Left me nothing but to be</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-64040954743589736012012-04-16T16:41:00.002-07:002012-04-16T16:41:38.726-07:00here's a new song<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">Baby, it ain’t no use now trying to write</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">Another pretty love song</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">And ain’t no use in trying to analyze</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">How or where our love went wrong</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">Baby, ain’t no use writing poems of doom</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">I’m the reason you keep coming back</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">But when your heart will step on another new bloom</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">You’ll find nothing except for regret</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">Baby, ain’t no use reminiscing of old</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">Our souls have said their goodbyes</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">Baby, ain’t no use all the stories we told</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">When all we are left with is lies</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">I wish I could take back some things I had said</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">But words don’t change anything</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">I never did much I now wish to regret</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">So forgive me for wanting nothing</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">There ain’t nothing left now, I got no more love.<br />
I once loved you but you were too proud</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">I'm done wondering and thinking and crying out loud<br />
And it ain’t time for you to be loud<br />
I gave you all the love I had but you wanted my soul</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">Like you never had it before<br />
ain't no use to write it ‘cause nothing’s the same<br />
I can’t feel anything anymore</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;"><br />
Baby, ain’t no use in throwing facts in my way</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">For tonight this is final good bye</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">I don’t know where I’ll end up but I know what I crave<br />
And I’ll look for it till I die</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">Though it’s dark, I see light at the end of my road</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px;">Night is coming and now I must leave<br />
There is nothing to change and there is nothing to hold</span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 12px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> There ain’t nothing but sense of relief </span> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-54758606881418776492012-03-21T09:19:00.003-07:002012-04-11T22:05:16.342-07:00variation no. 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Impatient travelers in search for facts will question</span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Intent behind the nuptials of affection<br />
A fear ran astray or pride gone wild<br />
Could leave a skeptic weeping like a child</span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Relentless words repeated over time</span></div><div style="background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Could break a pattern of true love's design</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Under the wrinkled brow of shifting blame</span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Heart has no tolerance for ego's flame</span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But expectations failing, faith will find</span></div><div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><div style="background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reason prevailing over passion's bind</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">With every bend of trials and tribulations</span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Love tames with fortitude the heart’s impatience </span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-65680771360670689272012-02-25T13:35:00.000-08:002012-02-25T13:35:19.816-08:00for my love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love you not as a favorite thing gone lost,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">which absence drives me to despair.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I do not miss you when you are gone, but wait for you,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">distracting intellect with thrill of new encounters <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not missing you supports my heart with vigor,<br />
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">drawing a knot around my core to grow with yours<span class="apple-converted-space">.</span><br />
<br />
What's wrong with that? <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your words are filled with angst,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A fear for future crumbling down with time<span class="apple-converted-space">.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">I have no dread of age or growing old with you;<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I fear myself and idleness of mind in empty night,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A day without work or inspiration.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">But thousand nights with you burn mystery<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" /> <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">into my soul with depth of your embrace,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="text-align: -webkit-auto;" /> <span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">creating memories that burrow through my being,<br />
Beneath my skin, beneath my eyes,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
Beneath my breath, into my mind, where heart<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">shall sing a lively song of joy, with every new return.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-32952017349093955312011-07-14T23:21:00.000-07:002011-07-14T23:28:38.627-07:00The Tree of Life – a film review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PlcldiXv-HEkPFojN4s7aPBDeZfjp1ku5w8JHtPHtzyuxZxN0bnCpWqZnLdISLD8JKy5I-3KRdiYgO_dab6KwpA5E3EY9k49miZ__sfZgcBZk8NR0fxXcweBXPK1b1qbi_OWxHteXtxx/s1600/Tree+of+Life+Film.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1PlcldiXv-HEkPFojN4s7aPBDeZfjp1ku5w8JHtPHtzyuxZxN0bnCpWqZnLdISLD8JKy5I-3KRdiYgO_dab6KwpA5E3EY9k49miZ__sfZgcBZk8NR0fxXcweBXPK1b1qbi_OWxHteXtxx/s320/Tree+of+Life+Film.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 9.0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #202020;">"<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There are two ways through life - the way of nature, or the way of grace. You have to choose which one you will follow</i>."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #202020;">For those, who enjoy slow moving films that set the mood through imagery and camera work, The Tree of Life might turn out to be a new favorite. This film is all about mood, which highly correlates with individual temperament at each moment of viewing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #202020;">The Tree of life does not pride itself on a twisted plot. On the contrary, the plot is rather secondary, if at all existent. This film spans life from the beginning (</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333;">the Big Bang vs. childbirth) and continues onward from childhood filled with questions through </span></span><span style="color: #202020;">the ongoing struggle of a man to embrace the conflict between nature and grace. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #202020;">Malick presents its viewers with t<span class="apple-style-span">wo ways: the way of the father and one of the mother. Like nature, the first one is full of force and combustion, while the second is loveliness herself. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #202020;"><span class="apple-style-span"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gCF9nVLFHkFqpqrNZlEg59JRFtKjNZBRkqLbYwO48kdat1xquWtnD6XhPqgkRAZmondLZS9T4C22pIpDGHuRVuDu-LV0tUt86QkVksw5UmAeodOqH8IVBRGt6nvJPwIIJoQd2BGCWErq/s1600/mother+father.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gCF9nVLFHkFqpqrNZlEg59JRFtKjNZBRkqLbYwO48kdat1xquWtnD6XhPqgkRAZmondLZS9T4C22pIpDGHuRVuDu-LV0tUt86QkVksw5UmAeodOqH8IVBRGt6nvJPwIIJoQd2BGCWErq/s1600/mother+father.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #202020;">Between the scenes of Asteroid slamming into the earth and rapids of water rushing over the screen, trees gently sway to the escalating sound of classical music. Complimented by the agile musical score, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #202020;">Malick’s powerful imagery evokes nature’s ability to calm and confuse humanity. At the peak of confusion on screen, the film reverts back to life, which is filled with </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333;">good people who suddenly go from happiness to suffering.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrpb8nG7CfGOwPryfsxQn2Fx5s3-Uu9n5yE0lBg_E9lZ_4Au4UcziFuWlgvrIHCk1ecKG_-WpyiedzaPtRyZ-IDDLP84UN0Q0YEQBMS_TyjIVI0DfaAZX6LiMcZdrPn0eyrUtAfRDlFz3/s1600/pitt+son.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrpb8nG7CfGOwPryfsxQn2Fx5s3-Uu9n5yE0lBg_E9lZ_4Au4UcziFuWlgvrIHCk1ecKG_-WpyiedzaPtRyZ-IDDLP84UN0Q0YEQBMS_TyjIVI0DfaAZX6LiMcZdrPn0eyrUtAfRDlFz3/s320/pitt+son.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333;">By following one family’s misfortune, Malick raises issues of internal conflict between faith and nature, suggesting that it predates humanity. To demonstrate this struggle, he shifts away from humans on screen to what seems to be the </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">Triassic Period, where a curious dinosaur moves in for the kill of its weaker species only to become suddely overcome with a primeval kindness.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333;">Switching again to family life, Malick shows the world through the innocent eyes of a child named Jack and torpedoes forward to him as a disheartened adult, who attempts to resolve the complications of his family relations. Struggling in his search for answers in the midsts of modern architecture, Jack as a man <span style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 1pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 1pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">seeks solace in amazing visions of nature and vivid memories from childhood. Through wonderful imagery, Malick questions the meaning of existence and faith with constant contrast between the foreceful beauty of life and gentle poetry of spiritual grace. </span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #333333;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xwe8X5o4JqpPRzn2cJES2NKeQLBOsjg9LEJf8NkHRNG2lQ3PK38hnaYS4c8mpdjhto84kDapkwHM7qlTyUnX48GoWyxSJOIyzRdDUfULWoLfkOIIRYIr1HtDBn-FhRZ6zS-MDTCvwd0h/s1600/Tree-of-Life3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xwe8X5o4JqpPRzn2cJES2NKeQLBOsjg9LEJf8NkHRNG2lQ3PK38hnaYS4c8mpdjhto84kDapkwHM7qlTyUnX48GoWyxSJOIyzRdDUfULWoLfkOIIRYIr1HtDBn-FhRZ6zS-MDTCvwd0h/s320/Tree-of-Life3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #202020;">Like life itself, The Tree of Life is a transcendent journey, which seemingly leads nowhere, and ends at the place where all roads meet. It all finally comes together and starts to make sense in the film's final sequence, where viewers’ concentration of thought and emotion is released in the afterlife.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #202020;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OhdHo0VIv_OwVrpppbGmxE5YzC72LYckh-napAx6Hf1qt5S8CjagTwfLvs7X8N9S73ApbJqck_ZDxB7K9CY4VkWVUkwTo4dMkL7rpV96iK8D6diNVFrxAekIY9NBlY2-yMDI8E4pwq2A/s1600/afterlife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OhdHo0VIv_OwVrpppbGmxE5YzC72LYckh-napAx6Hf1qt5S8CjagTwfLvs7X8N9S73ApbJqck_ZDxB7K9CY4VkWVUkwTo4dMkL7rpV96iK8D6diNVFrxAekIY9NBlY2-yMDI8E4pwq2A/s320/afterlife.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #202020;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Brad Pitt’s performance as Mr. O'Brien is remarkable, as he embodies a hot tempered father struggling to keep his job, while his childhood </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">dream of becoming a musician still hunts him at the moments of weakness. In contrast to his dark and excitable character, Jessica Chastain’s portrayal of the ethereal Mrs. O'Brien is luminously angelic. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaek1B7S3_hO-OhS1w7pmHxJsZyw53psvvZugrAWORG7Mc63xcU2QHk77BfJvnmL4qBqv8pjR-cqLw5DKO_IODhf1e2L4l8RzW-gduuHACyF7BPyiJNig48AsHqt9uk9oV_L9fI-0mtrN9/s1600/mother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaek1B7S3_hO-OhS1w7pmHxJsZyw53psvvZugrAWORG7Mc63xcU2QHk77BfJvnmL4qBqv8pjR-cqLw5DKO_IODhf1e2L4l8RzW-gduuHACyF7BPyiJNig48AsHqt9uk9oV_L9fI-0mtrN9/s320/mother.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">Best of all is young McCracken as he plays confused and defiant Jack. Sean Penn is inconspicuous as the older Jack, meandering around beautiful shots of Houston as though he just woke from a coma.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #202020;">Malick’s new film is not for everyone. Some people will walk out of this film, others will enjoy its slow moving pace. Above all, this cinematographic expression requires patience and is as personal as individual tastes go.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #202020;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black;">Though beautiful, thought provoking and poetic, in my opinion, this film deserves 4 out of 5 stars for its trying length. Its running time (2 hours and 18 minutes) could use a 20 minutes cut.</span></span><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-48886129586410266402011-07-14T18:29:00.000-07:002011-07-14T23:48:08.341-07:00Midnight in Paris - a film review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAB2jRnw9x45FfZ0GC7Y0Ka2ei96j2DRk_1NHnFgwvPOV_QsJhBuIqPiGGzX0m8nw2fT0fA4XD0Xc0HOtjcTptk8XeJt9Iim4wgPTq-NXuMZPtj72GCxPBh-poeIPPT9jFqWfYi0cR8T8/s1600/MidnightInParis-Stills-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAB2jRnw9x45FfZ0GC7Y0Ka2ei96j2DRk_1NHnFgwvPOV_QsJhBuIqPiGGzX0m8nw2fT0fA4XD0Xc0HOtjcTptk8XeJt9Iim4wgPTq-NXuMZPtj72GCxPBh-poeIPPT9jFqWfYi0cR8T8/s320/MidnightInParis-Stills-001.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;">This romantic comedy is set in <city w:st="on">Paris</city> and involves a young </span><place style="color: black;" w:st="on"><span style="color: #262626;">Hollywood</span></place><span style="color: #262626;"> screenwriter Gil </span><span lang="EN"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">(Owen Wilson), who is engaged to be married to a spoiled American princess (Rachel McAdams). Gil is somewhat lost on his already </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;">successful</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> career path and wants to quit Hollywood to become a </span>struggling<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> writer in Paris. Seeking answers during a midnight walk through the city, Gil is picked up by a car and whisked away to a party, when some random encounters with famous people from the past change his life forever. </span></span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;">Lighthearted, endearing and entertaining in the way all Woody Allen films are, Midnight in Paris jumps back in time to the Paris of Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, </span><span style="color: #262626;">and numerous other writers and artists of that time.</span><span style="color: black;"> Gil quickly finds himself living a nightly dream of his most favorite artistic period. The dream gets even more exciting with an introduction of a beautiful female writer named Adriana (Marion Cotillard). While Gil contemplates being stuck back in time to be with Adriana, she ironically reveals her desire to live in the time that predates her own due to inherent dissatisfaction with her present surroundings.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">The film is both a homage to <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Paris</city></place>, as well as a metaphor for </span><span lang="EN">the illusion some people have about changing their life’s circumstances. </span><span style="color: black;">Like an artful postcard from <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Paris</city></place>, Woody Allen sends this charming film to remind his fans that being disenchanted with the present is ridiculously </span></span>futile.<br />
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I give this film 4 out 5 stars.</div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-87671863650838788272011-07-14T17:33:00.000-07:002011-07-14T17:33:29.166-07:00Super 8 – a film review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPjkTO_r_xThLRpwjb2z9MjPGVb-4WTeJM9Y3FmmL6sn1Cp2wLOVEPbdwSxK_ZrFdnH3xDLF0yRYkhuqdEtCUhYUqjc_FUCsda8lTPVyMJ0qiXJSVczkZL_r_3lsYJYR83QfQGj78dq14/s1600/Super-8-Movie-Secrets-e1307728047500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPjkTO_r_xThLRpwjb2z9MjPGVb-4WTeJM9Y3FmmL6sn1Cp2wLOVEPbdwSxK_ZrFdnH3xDLF0yRYkhuqdEtCUhYUqjc_FUCsda8lTPVyMJ0qiXJSVczkZL_r_3lsYJYR83QfQGj78dq14/s320/Super-8-Movie-Secrets-e1307728047500.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #454545; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Like an old home made movie made by geeky kids, which adults scraped off the shelf and revamped by adding the newest special effects, <em>Super 8</em> is a patchwork of stories that seem somewhat incoherent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nonetheless, this film is a very entertaining and thrilling experience that best compares to riding an old rickety rollercoaster. </span></div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #454545; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Directed by <strong>J.J. Abrams</strong> and expertly produced by <strong>Steven Spielberg</strong>, this summer science fiction tale is set in the small American town circa 1979. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Engaging to all ages, but especially to the teens, this summer attraction involves average American families and appeals to the majority of movie going audience.</span></div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #454545; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The plot is simple - average middle school kids get into trouble by doing what kids do best – making a zombie movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, while filming one of the sequences, kids end up being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They witness a mysterious train wreck, which they should not have seen and engage in the fearless quest to uncover the cause of the incident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the mean time they continue to make their zombie movie and eventually get involved with a life threatening alien, whose presence in the small town throws it into turmoil.</span></div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #454545; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Next follow series of somewhat disjointed zombie makeup mesh ups, various shoot outs, explosions, auto chases, and finally alien destruction. The film is a typical Spielberg and is best compared to any of his films from decades ago. Despite this familiarly frivolous Spielberg sci-fi nature, <em>Super 8</em> portrays teenage antics with admirable candor, which stirs up nostalgia of being a kid.</span></div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #454545; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Don’t miss the end credits, which contain the final version of the zombie film kids managed to put together despite the many obstacles in their way.</span></div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #454545; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I give it 4 out 5 stars.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-59746298888962859242011-07-14T16:08:00.000-07:002013-07-15T14:08:14.787-07:00Fleeting summer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
That May, you only sought a lover<br />
That year, I only wished a friend<br />
But when you taught me how to love<br />
Your touch felt like a velvet felt<br />
<br />
Your face buried inside my skin<br />
Overwhelmed by smell of raspberries<br />
Love pollinating quickly to take off<br />
Towards the next unopened bud <br />
<br />
You slept with frozen smile on your lips <br />
Sting playing on repeat throughout the night<br />
We held on to the fancy of that summer wind<br />
Then I flew north, until my wings turned white<br />
<br />
Who knew, you'd always be my ally<br />
Who knew, I’d be your constant fan<br />
A fleeting dream extended years<br />
Into a lifelong summer trance<br />
<br />
The history we had invented<br />
The reverie we left behind<br />
By now we might as well be strangers<br />
Yet, we remain good friends through time</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-5466757057895585542011-05-16T21:08:00.000-07:002011-07-14T16:17:15.806-07:00l'amour continue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">The cruise ship, the first few hotels in Europe and California, and the temporary house where they lived until it was time to move —all those places witnessed the awestruck first months of their engagement until the enchanted fairytale gave way to a more mature relationship. The wistful carelessness of blooming romance fled, replaced by desire to learn more and grow closer. Neither lost in the dream, nor betrayed by fantasy, their bond grew stronger nourished by understanding and compassion. As life moved forward, love endured.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div id="id01377" style="text-align: justify;">Affection grew with long conversations about nothing and everything, when the logic fails and mundane become the substance of life, by way of warm care toward each other, by way of grieving the same meaninglessness events, appeciating all things honorable and laughing at all things absurd.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With time, they learned of each other's mood swings and discovered each other’s hidden facets of personalities. In a few months, he discovered that she was a woman of incredible drive and passion for all things imaginative that fueled her with insatiable energy mingled with moments of nervoussness and fatigue. Putting her<span class="apple-style-span"> imagination to good use by writing songs and poems, she saw the world in hidden ways and derived great pleasure from communicating her ideas to him. He had never met anyone with so many diverse ideas that changed daily and made it difficult for him to be objective. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She learned quickly that her fiancée was a man of unusual sensibilities. Attuned to <span class="apple-style-span">her feelings, he was able to sense her moods just by listening to her.</span> He was a man of contadiction – strong and confident in his decision making, he was stubborn in need for love and affection too, and above all, required reassurance.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="apple-style-span">Though attracted to her new ideas, he was not ready to change his thinking unless she convinced him logically that it was for the best. Diplomatic in his requests, he taught her to speak with greater care and select kinder words towards him. </span>Her reaction to his urges for affection stirred neither antipathy nor feeling of adoration, but a certain sense of curious belonging to someone completely. Herself with a careless need for personal space, she was unable to understand his need of constant reassuring words, but enjoyed a new play of spirited responsibility that moved her to great regard and care and secured his mind while fueling his spirit.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There came a day when other people became interesting to her again; there came a day when he learned that he could live a month without seeing her. Yet, knowing that they could survive without one another forced them to crave closeness with deeper intensity. All sweet things, honeyed with deference at night and renewed by morning with a new pledge of affection formed a bond made of pure care and kindness.<br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span">Love, flying on the wings of commitment and riding on the wheels of fantastic roundevous, brought them together in the south and saw them off on a trip up north through chaotic airports, by way of economy seats and rented cars, by rides on big highways and small country roads, through the capital and countryside, towards the world of imaginative childhood in Disneyworld, past the hot and radiant sun of the Florida coast and back towards the humidity of Texas.</span><span style="color: black;"></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-76953217669463862272011-03-01T08:42:00.000-08:002011-07-14T16:15:00.400-07:00Amour nouvelThey clung to each other like hungry birds, shivering in the wind on a skinny wire. Like fish swimming along clear moving currents, feeding on the brightness of their secret world, visible only to them; coral reefs and winter evenings full of a wistful longing that made the past meaningless and future beautiful, bidding farewell to the past loves of other winters long ago, and revelries of their youth now lifeless with the forgotten time. <br />
<br />
Always the most touching moments were when some simulated obstacle prevented them from physical contact. Soaked in affection, they trembled with love, avoiding the internal fear of losing the intensity of its sentiment in the future. Sensing that they were living a half fantasy of an idyl, they cherished the brevity of the happy moments and basked in each other’s eyes. Stealing embraces to prevent the fervent bouts of unspeakable desire pumping inside their veins from spilling outside of their self-contained world, they embraced and walked around with their limbs intertwined and heads touching. In crowded places, she would practice whispering into his ear, while gently caressing it with her lips, barely touching his skin as each word escaped her mouth. <br />
<br />
The breathless delight of their engagement gave birth to the intense passion. Like Siamese twins, their bodies morphed into one, forming a new complex being who lived and breathed love. Addicted to affection and oblivious to the world outside of their new person, they gazed at one another with sparkles of happy tears glittering inside their eyes, repeating the same adorations for each other over and over. It did not matter that the words they uttered were the same words used yesterday to describe the inexplicable elation of having found each other, for each day felt different, somehow better and more tender with the passing of time. Hours turned to days, days turned to nights, nights turned to weeks, but they continued in much the same fashion through the Halcyon days of perpetual honeymoon in the middle of nowhere. Everything around seemed beautiful and exciting distorted through the bright prism of each other’s presence. <br />
<br />
Unsure of the magic mechanism of action that turned their bodies into vehicles of pleasure, they made love fervently and kissed insatiably; plunging passionately into the mystery of a newfound dream.<br />
<br />
Parting seemed impossible, but was considered reasonably prudent in order to give their bodies and mind a rest. Hoping to enjoy human interaction with the outside world, they quickly realized that the loss of physical closeness posed a threat to their mental wellbeing, for their mind was already addicted to the chemical highs of love and craved carnal connection. <br />
<br />
When the time came for their first reunion, they clung to one another and staid locked inside a deep embrace, wishing they could remain attached forever.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-26217629177226327012011-01-10T19:49:00.001-08:002011-01-13T20:06:16.841-08:00Are you from Mexico City?She was sitting in a small café with her best friend, eating crepes. They always ate crepes when they were bored together, which happened frequently. Despite this peculiar habit, neither of them was overweight. On the contrary, both girls were in that prime twenty-something age, with bodies beaming of health and well being. Slender limbed, they sat together touching elbows and laughing.<br />
<br />
A young man observed them. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Obscured from their view by the wide shoulders of his companions, he watched their boisterous interaction. Barely audible, he could not hear their conversation, but saw enough to intrigue him. Both girls were pretty, but his attention was captivated by the brunette with a sun kissed face. A friendly disposition, coupled with unbroken smile and intermittent bouts of laughter, engaged her lean body in a careless dance of joy. She was pleasing to watch and something in her demeanor reminded him of the glee he had experienced with his first love.<br />
<br />
He was not consciously aware why she attracted him, but knew instinctively that he wanted to meet her. He approached the counter behind which the girls sat and waited, fiddling with the menu, until embarrassment spread to the roots of his hair.<br />
<br />
Under the patient gaze of the owner, he could no longer remain silent and felt compelled to request: “Another cappuccino.”<br />
<br />
The girls took no notice of him. He almost parted his lips to say “hello”, the way kids do when they want to meet a new friend, but thought it too simple. He closed his mouth and stared at the bar. Wanting to make a favorable first impression, he was suddenly at a loss for words. He had nothing clever to say, no funny line to intrigue her. He waited, hesitating to make any movement until the right words came. No words emerged from his brain.<br />
<br />
The owner placed a cup in front of him. He grabbed it too quickly, spilling half of the contents all over the counter. The girls turned to look.<br />
<br />
- “He’s cute,” said the redhead. <br />
<br />
- “Tall, dark and handsome! Your type”, replied the brunette.<br />
<br />
- “Hello” - said red, smiling at the clumsy man.<br />
<br />
- “Hello.” He smiled, then turned to the other girl and blurted out: “Are you from Mexico City?”<br />
<br />
- “No” was all she said.<br />
<br />
- " You look like you could be from Mexico City”.<br />
<br />
- “Just because I have dark hair does not mean I am from Mexico.”<br />
<br />
- “Sorry. I did not mean to imply that you were. It’s just that I once dated a girl from Mexico City and you reminded me of her,” he tried to explain.<br />
<br />
- “I am not her.” A sudden tone of annoyance resonated through her lovely voice.<br />
<br />
- “Where <i>are</i> you from?” He wanted to steer the conversation back to a friendlier note.<br />
<br />
- “<i>We</i> are from the Eastern Europe”, said the red head and turned away with a determination to end the conversation.<br />
<br />
- “I am sorry to have bothered you.”<br />
<br />
He left their side like a wet dog, dragging the remnants of an empty cup along with him.<br />
<br />
- “Why is it that men always go for you? I have absolutely no chance of meeting anyone when I am with you," complained the younger girl.<br />
<br />
- “That is not true. Men see me first because I am taller. But then they notice that I am ordinary looking. Your look is more exotic and intimidating. It takes the right kind of guy to recognize the exquisiteness of your beauty.”<br />
<br />
- “You are just saying this to be nice. We both know you are beautiful and are much prettier than me.”<br />
<br />
- “I don’t think so.” Her voice was sweet and sincere, but she was lying. She added for good measure: “Look on the bright side, when guys approach to speak to me, they inevitably become intrigued by your personality.”<br />
<br />
- “Yea, yeah, yeah. I know all about my obnoxious personality.” <br />
<br />
- “Your personality is why I adore you." She meant it and threw both arms around her petite companion ina conciliatory hug.<br />
<br />
The young man returned to his table and sat in a way that allowed him to continue watching. He half listened to his friends, half wondered why being from Mexico City could be offensive. If the girls were from Europe, surely they knew that it was the capital of Mexico, one of the largest cities in the world, an important economic, industrial and cultural center. He knew nothing about European pride and its superiority to the rest of the world. He grew up in the South and had no way of knowing the psyche of a European.<br />
<br />
Still, he did not enjoy giving in and decided try again.<br />
<br />
The girls got up to leave, but he had no new plan of action. Not wanting to leave things to another chance meeting, he watched them cross the parking lot , hoping for a sign. <br />
<br />
A sign came in a form of delay. They did not immediately get in the car and continued talking.<br />
<br />
“Here is my chance”, he thought and ran out of the cafe. He skipped, thumping the asphalt with his clumsy feet. (They did not hear him approach.) Out of breath, he almost landed at their feet, murmuring inaudible sounds. Both women stared at him with a startled expression.<br />
<br />
He took her hand and asked bravely: “Could I have your phone number?”<br />
<br />
She pulled her hand away, saying nothing. Then, suddenly feeling guilty, she announced: “I am engaged to be married. ”<br />
<br />
- “Sorry to have bothered you. It was nice meeting you... Both.” He left feeling defeated.<br />
<br />
----------------<br />
<br />
A few months later, she found herself at a noisy school auditorium, crammed with excited students. She spotted a quiet corner and sat down to fill out her forms. A tall handsome young man was sitting at a table next to hers, studying his paperwork. <br />
<br />
As she wrote, he looked up and saw her. Herr tan face, her freckles, her sun kissed hair, everything danced as she filled out her papers. He stared, taking in her soft features. She seemed serene and friendly, like the kind of girl you's want to meet on a first day of school. <br />
<br />
She felt his gaze and looked up, smiling.<br />
<br />
“Are you from Mexico City?” he asked.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-73865349690577221112011-01-01T08:15:00.000-08:002011-01-07T18:43:48.986-08:00A constant star<img height="129" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2186/2331833230_071238ab2f.jpg" width="200" /><br />
<br />
Where false love fails, variation bends<br />
Twisting with age, eraser to rub out <br />
The ever changing rhyme, a tempest wild<br />
Runs out, breaking man into a child<br />
<br />
A patient traveler in search for truth will find <br />
No hindrance stands the nuptials of true mind<br />
The ever thriving star to wanderer forsaken<br />
Love waits unknown, unaltered when awaken<br />
<br />
Despite the wrinkled brow, untamed by time<br />
The fate and spirit trail true love’s design<br />
With every hour, time grants love devise<br />
To guide with patience to the end demiseUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-5062730474231008402010-12-21T22:58:00.001-08:002023-07-26T10:48:23.054-07:00Black Swan <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I've seen a lot of films last year, but having to chose only one, I pick
<em>Black Swan</em> as the best film for 2010. <br />
Here is why:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvBCjmBSbhi1QcHT6d4cDbDBJK3ZjmsoZ4EfRn3bkSi4kfTkd1ZEIhfCHfywCDOtQyUplLKI32dNI_vitRvd15DHhcYf6n9cbXL07WE5NL9yZrgICD14GmGuyuCho5eVXlAqh2LRlMiVGD7Z7U6yQ73hgY8JOuuozWWZ1E0LngZuQRNZm2VARiy9XJxPv/s1280/black%20swan.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvBCjmBSbhi1QcHT6d4cDbDBJK3ZjmsoZ4EfRn3bkSi4kfTkd1ZEIhfCHfywCDOtQyUplLKI32dNI_vitRvd15DHhcYf6n9cbXL07WE5NL9yZrgICD14GmGuyuCho5eVXlAqh2LRlMiVGD7Z7U6yQ73hgY8JOuuozWWZ1E0LngZuQRNZm2VARiy9XJxPv/s320/black%20swan.jpg"/></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Darren Aronofski’s Black Swan is an excellent film. It explores an
intriguing subject matter of madness in a way that is both wildly disturbing
and alluringly sexy. The film is as much of an artistic study of a
female subject as it is a picture of the borderline obsessive struggle
each young actor, artist, and performer must overcome before becoming a true
star.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
The film begins with a portrayal of young Nina, <br />
<a name='more'></a>a prima ballerina, who is so caught up in being a perfect dancer
that she forgets how to be herself. Being chosen to dance as the of
The Swan in Swan Lake, arguably the most demanding classical ballet, Nina
is perfectly casted for the part of the White Swan. However, she must
transform her own perfect image to embrace her sinister side in order to
accurately dance the part of the Black Swan. The challenge of this
transformation is the central premise of the film.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Natalie Portman embodies Nina with painstaking precision of
conflicting emotions involved in efforts to please others
while reconciling inner urges. In an attempt to exercise self
control, Nina plays into the unrealistic expectations of others. Despite
her herculean efforts to please both her mother and her mentor, Nina
tries to act like a mature dedicated dancer and an innocent devoted daughter.
Feeling manipulated from every direction,
Nina struggles with her internal inability to let go.
Eventually, her ego takes over and she chooses career over her family
obligations. Timid at first, Nina overcomes her insecurities by giving in to
the suppressed desire for greatness, which manifests outward
through hallucinations of grotesque bodily transformations and
internal madness.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<img
alt=""
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_aizrdtEG58BFkWBng2ZBDfNsS62IJZQzGhD-TaMaN41TaTS0uJcg9vbE76YuA3T-ml8ckPdkiIt1g79E2AFKJ1S8YtKLauAhgGjh5XoO-nc-VGDn2YGeBXTw0FlVD7FUxTGdhTr5VrDJ/s1600/Black-Swan-Natalie-Portman-1.jpg"
/>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As her ego grows, Nina begins to recognize the human imperfections of everyone
around and finally allows herself to surrender to the dark force of her own
double in order to become a star. Once the idea of having a double
enters her mind, it possesses her and slowly kills the controlling virginal
being that dwells inside.
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Guided by her internal voice, Nina discovers her sexuality and turns wicked.
Seduced by the pleasure of her own feminine force, she spins out of
control on stage in an avalanche of emotions, and stabs her own
innocence during the intermission. In the end, it is up to the audience
to decide whether Nina kills herself or just commits murder upon her own
purity. Either way, without this sacrifice, she could not reign on stage
as both the good and evil swan queen in Tchaikovski's ballet.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcGI3BZ1s5dvcSJp1VhmClSzEbanmCzD6EYIJ7MwfMqYhyv9n0kvC6m6f-3OqacljuFN2RRirNM2JIJZMSbd4sxUMiIQi3nZBfUNL2podSCGKdQHU5vAROFPAayb2LFIEzMGj9V1xtQN1nvmumJRdF4TIcgQ2IOpbMbOXdKB-o7MxeMAibd6eDcUQhYA-/s425/black_swan_seeing_double.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJcGI3BZ1s5dvcSJp1VhmClSzEbanmCzD6EYIJ7MwfMqYhyv9n0kvC6m6f-3OqacljuFN2RRirNM2JIJZMSbd4sxUMiIQi3nZBfUNL2podSCGKdQHU5vAROFPAayb2LFIEzMGj9V1xtQN1nvmumJRdF4TIcgQ2IOpbMbOXdKB-o7MxeMAibd6eDcUQhYA-/s320/black_swan_seeing_double.jpg"/></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Shot by Matthew Libatique, <em>Black Swan</em> is intentionally underlit,
giving in to the darkness of Nina's psyche as it progresses. Aronofsky
transports his audience into the metamorphic dance of mind and body,
as Nina gives herself over to the black swan. Through a mind altering
journey of confusion, reality blurs with the depth of Nina's transformation.
Aronofski accentuates Nika's internal through carefully chosen frames and subtle clues,
including widescreen manipulation techniques. One memorable shot
involves the merging of Lily and Nina via mirror reflections.
Nina's image is frequently altered peripherally in a way that is visually disturbing.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Natalie Portman is deserving of an Oscar for her genuine portrayal of Nina’s
metamorphoses. Her face conveys Nina's internal struggle with clarity and
depth few actors can master. Putting her body through rigid training for this
role, Portman gets on point for the opening prologue and at the end of
the film, before she jumps. Being able to get on point after quitting
ballet at 13 is no easy task and a testament to her physical transformation
for this role.
The film has an international cast that serves a good support and
background setting for Nina's character. Kunis' sexy and light
supporting lead is noteworthy and deserving of an award. Vincent Cassel is
also remarkable in the role of the tyrannic Thomas Leroy.<br />
<br />
<i>Black Swam</i> could be interpreted a tale of metamorphosis most
females go though when they cross the line between being a virgin towards
becoming a sensual creature capable of seduction. However, it is not
that simple. Rather, it is a metaphor for becoming great. Aronofski
seems to suggest that, in order to shine, a star must first give up her
innocence and cross over to the dark side. This idea seems to go
hand in hand with his earlier cinematographic explorations
of madness in pursuit of a goal. For example, Nina's self
destruction seems to run parallel to the madness that overcomes Aronofsky's
earlier lead caractrs in <i>Pi</i> (1998), The Fountain (2007),
and The Wrestler (2008). True to his tradition of getting inside the
head of his characters, Aronofski transports the audience into Nina's
splitting mind, making us suffer every twist and turn of her transformation
along the way. <br />
<br />
Ultimately frightening, <i>Black Swan</i> messes with the mind of the
audience the way a true thriller should. Fortunately, the
unnerving effects wear off after a few hours, leaving one with the
pure satisfaction from a film very well done.
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-66908063707767359672010-12-16T08:40:00.000-08:002011-07-14T16:38:00.568-07:00Last.fm vs. Pandora review<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="artistsLargeTwoRowsWrapper" style="clear: both; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; height: 310px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top;"><ul class=" libraryItems artistsLarge
" style="display: block; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.18em; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px -15px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top; zoom: 1;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;"><ul class=" libraryItems artistsLarge
" style="display: block; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.18em; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px -15px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><li class=" first" id="r6_6957719" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Arctic+Monkeys" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/33550647.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Arctic Monkeys</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Arctic+Monkeys" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1259219" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+National" style="color: #0187c5; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/17982511.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The National</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+National" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1032595" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Kings+of+Leon" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/118174.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Kings of Leon</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Kings+of+Leon" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1204781" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Arcade+Fire" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/4343827.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Arcade Fire</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Arcade+Fire" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1001779" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Modest+Mouse" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/315669.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Modest Mouse</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Modest+Mouse" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_4192" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Death+Cab+for+Cutie" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/1630.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Death Cab for Cutie</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Death+Cab+for+Cutie" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1270639" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Killers" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/292452.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Killers</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Killers" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1001909" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Interpol" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/430073.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Interpol</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Interpol" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1000952" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Strokes" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/210644.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Strokes</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Strokes" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1298659" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Bloc+Party" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/26556713.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Bloc Party</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Bloc+Party" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1231740" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Franz+Ferdinand" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/172456.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Franz Ferdinand</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Franz+Ferdinand" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1316069" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Kooks" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/343014.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Kooks</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Kooks" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1003727" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Yeah+Yeah+Yeahs" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/33865269.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Yeah Yeah Yeahs</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Yeah+Yeah+Yeahs" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1006185" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Spoon" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/2555122.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Spoon</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Spoon" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_14219843" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Vampire+Weekend" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/19765431.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Vampire Weekend</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Vampire+Weekend" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_10395753" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Band+of+Horses" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/53216745.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Band of Horses</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Band+of+Horses" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1268623" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Kasabian" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/2477422.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Kasabian</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Kasabian" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1011292" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Metric" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/48047497.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Metric</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Metric" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_228" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Pavement" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/170282.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Pavement</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Pavement" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1008445" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Broken+Social+Scene" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/45237799.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Broken Social Scene</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Broken+Social+Scene" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_9982235" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Editors" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/5230381.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Editors</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Editors" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1004536" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Libertines" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/48348785.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Libertines</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Libertines" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1081300" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Mando+Diao" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/142206.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Mando Diao</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Mando+Diao" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1276636" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Kaiser+Chiefs" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/2681098.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Kaiser Chiefs</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Kaiser+Chiefs" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1006411" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Built+to+Spill" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/47893829.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Built to Spill</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Built+to+Spill" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_10971453" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Tokyo+Police+Club" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/13641441.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Tokyo Police Club</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Tokyo+Police+Club" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_10150610" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Max%C3%AFmo+Park" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/263149.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Maxïmo Park</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Max%C3%AFmo+Park" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1233770" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Shins" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/21982.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Shins</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Shins" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1233342" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Decemberists" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/3129785.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Decemberists</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Decemberists" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_435" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Blonde+Redhead" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/10518027.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Blonde Redhead</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Blonde+Redhead" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_2066944" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Subways" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/243484.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Subways</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Subways" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_2175183" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Silversun+Pickups" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/7730035.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Silversun Pickups</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Silversun+Pickups" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1055221" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/We+Are+Scientists" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/19943901.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">We Are Scientists</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/We+Are+Scientists" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1238151" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Razorlight" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/406522.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Razorlight</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Razorlight" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1005939" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Minus+the+Bear" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/46953073.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Minus the Bear</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Minus+the+Bear" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_4153" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Black+Rebel+Motorcycle+Club" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/39505083.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Black Rebel Motorcycle Club</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Black+Rebel+Motorcycle+Club" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1003430" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Snow+Patrol" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/5886181.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Snow Patrol</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Snow+Patrol" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_6869545" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Fratellis" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/6628571.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Fratellis</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Fratellis" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1315387" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Babyshambles" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/7000213.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Babyshambles</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Babyshambles" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1199215" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/TV+on+the+Radio" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/34403907.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">TV on the Radio</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/TV+on+the+Radio" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1011298" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Gossip" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/42776219.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Gossip</strong></a></li>
<li id="r6_1004930" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/OK+Go" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/42922445.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">OK Go</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/OK+Go" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_2044884" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Wolf+Parade" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/301105.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Wolf Parade</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Wolf+Parade" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_10747149" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Blood+Red+Shoes" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/40436365.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Blood Red Shoes</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Blood+Red+Shoes" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1257225" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Futureheads" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/38429383.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Futureheads</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Futureheads" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_9900626" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Cold+War+Kids" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/34244505.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Cold War Kids</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Cold+War+Kids" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_2140273" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Bravery" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/35937975.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Bravery</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Bravery" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1007735" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Hot+Hot+Heat" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/2629803.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Hot Hot Heat</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Hot+Hot+Heat" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li id="r6_1233217" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Kills" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/40565997.png" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">The Kills</strong></a><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/The+Kills" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
<li class=" last" id="r6_10019088" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Clap+Your+Hands+Say+Yeah" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pictureFrame" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 109px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; width: 132px;"><span class="image" style="display: block; height: 100px; left: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: absolute; top: 2px; width: 126px;"><img alt="" height="126px" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126s/28608255.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px;" width="126px" /></span><span class="overlay" style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/picture_frame.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; display: block; height: 109px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 132px;"></span></span><strong class="name">Clap Your Hands Say Yeah</strong></a></li>
</ul></span></b>
<li class=" last" id="r6_1001909" style="display: inline; float: left; height: 155px; margin: 0px 9px 0px 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 132px;"><strong class="name" style="text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Interpol" style="text-decoration: none;"></a></strong><b><br />
</b><a class="playbutton " href="http://www.last.fm/music/Interpol" style="color: black; left: 105px; position: absolute; text-decoration: none; top: 81px;"><img alt="Play" class="transparent_png play_icon" height="13px" src="http://cdn.last.fm/flatness/preview/play_indicator.png" style="background-position: 0px -1080px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px 4px -4px 0px;" width="13px" /></a></li>
</ul></div><span class="moduleOptions" style="clear: both; color: #0187c5; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; height: 15px; line-height: 14px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">I am not sure why I have not used this before, but I am falling in love with last.fm. All of my favorite bands at my fingertips, with no commercial breaks. It's kind of like listening to Pandora, only A LOT better. Here is why:</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last.fm has access to a larger library of music than Pandora, including some very obscure music. (Pandora kept playing the same songs and wasn't coming up with new music I wanted to discover.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last.fm does not restrict my listening ability and lets me be picky by skipping as many tracks as I want until I get to something I love. (Pandora only allows skipping 6 tracks per hour.) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last.fm playlists feature is awesome - it lest me add songs I love to various play lists, to play later. (Pandora only allows bookmarking songs.) This is a huge time saver as I used to go to blip.fm to look for songs I heard on Pandora and added them to my play list. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last.fm lets me listen to as much music as I want (Pandora has an hour restriction per month.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last.fm player lets me create my own personal radio, based on the music I have liked. I can also listen to <i>neighbor radio</i>, which is based on the music of people with similar musical tastes as mine. I can also listen to <i>loved tracks radio - </i>the music I have tagged as "love this track". </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last.fm allows and encourages socialization among its members. I can add friends, create friend lists, neighborhoods, and groups. I can compare music with my friends and interact via messages and wall posts. (Pandora kept me isolated without interaction with anyone.) And I like sharing my musical taste with real people (as opposed to getting recommendation from Pandora's computerized service.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I started off very lazy, by picking some of my favorite bands that led me to new sounds. All in all, I consistently get music I love and continue to discover music I have never heard before.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I highly encourage you to try Last.fm. Use it on your computer or via smart phone. And add me as a friend. My handle is fitvic2.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-34419987891328590432010-12-15T08:14:00.000-08:002011-07-14T16:39:25.880-07:00The Tourist - a film review<img alt="Click poster for more info." src="http://northshoremovies.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/tourist-poster.jpg?w=202&h=300" /><br />
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</div><div style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><em><span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt; border-left: windowtext 1pt; border-right: windowtext 1pt; border-top: windowtext 1pt; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">With an amazing cast of Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Timothy Dalton, and Steven Berkoff, under direction of the talented director, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, the </span></em><em><span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt; border-left: windowtext 1pt; border-right: windowtext 1pt; border-top: windowtext 1pt; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">Tourist </span></em><em><span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt; border-left: windowtext 1pt; border-right: windowtext 1pt; border-top: windowtext 1pt; color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">promises to be a hit. Set in Paris and Venice, to the forgotten </span></em><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Hitchcockian<em><span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt; border-left: windowtext 1pt; border-right: windowtext 1pt; border-top: windowtext 1pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> theme</span></em>, it starts off looking like an old Hollywood film.</span><br />
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</div><div style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The story is simple: Elise Clifton-Ward (Angelina Jolie) is being followed by the British official John Acheson (Paul Bettany). She is a tie to a man named Alexander, whom the Scotland Yard hopes to catch. Alexander instructs Elise to take the train to Venice and pick out a man who resembles him in shape and build in order to throw police off the track. Elise chooses Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp), who is an American tourist from Wisconsin. </span></div><div style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6AXc1w985GkcuggrFCa9Bv-PRG888xNp2wEng2uTawvqcp9nKSRgnFRIdkuEIyOsWf7rP5nGb2CBWtOCLWiU67Rbu4fZn1PduJg3cREU3424sAahKdHRoi7V_1MGQfRIvpHrS-r49qLN/s1600/The+Tourist+1.JPG" /></div><div style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 20.4pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15.6pt;">A nervous math teacher, Frank immediately falls for Elise and follows her to a hotel in Venice, where a deadly intrigue </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">unfolds</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15.6pt;">. Frank gets mistaken for Alexander, who is hunted by both a</span></span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 15.6pt;"> British gangster (Steven Berkoff) and the British police. </span></div><div style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 20.4pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><img src="http://www.jackiekcooper.com/MovieReviews/TheTourist.jpg" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 20.4pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 20.4pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Jolie is ravishing in this new role, exuding sexuality by merely standing, without taking her clothes off. She glides, not walks, while turning heads. Unlike her previous roles, she plays a lady by the likes of Grace Kelly and she knows it. With skillful ease of a muse, Jolie creates an unforgettable presence as Elise. </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Depp’s Frank, on the other hand, is downright boring. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Depp’s talent is completely wasted on this "down to earth" sap, who never gets inspired, despite kissing the most beautiful woman alive. Depp's a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">cting is only made worse by the film’s overall predictability. Instead of being surprising and dangerous, the plot twist is evident after the first 20 minutes, leaving the audience to yawn while Depp pretends to be a boring man he is not.</span></div></div><img height="266px" src="http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/wennpic/johnny_depp_005_wenn5436966.jpg" width="400px" /><br />
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 20.4pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15.6pt;">W</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">ith the Russian Villains and Timothy Dalton popping up for a few scenes, the film has the opportunity to turn into a Bond like comedy, but it never gets there. Even great </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Berkoff is unconvincingly threatening as the gangster in a scene where he interrupts a suit fitting to strangle a minion.</span></div><div style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 20.4pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 20.4pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15.6pt;">In the end, the film makes a tourist out of the audience, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">forcing</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15.6pt;"> it to </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15.6pt;">coast through</span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15.6pt;"> striking views of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Venice and Jolie without getting</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"> too excited about the view</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Seriously lacking in brain material, it offers little reward for the sophisticated movie goers. </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1153734784678509103.post-84970207505506160272010-12-15T07:03:00.000-08:002011-07-15T00:56:29.092-07:00The gameSunday I left you waiting all night<br />
Today I leave you without a ride<br />
Sweet, indifferent, bitter, hard<br />
Please don't try to change my heart<br />
<br />
Languid evening behind closed door<br />
Leaves you with nothing you should ignore<br />
Failed intentions reflected in tact<br />
Within a reflection of truth in your heart<br />
<br />
Oooh, ooh, oh,<br />
It's not very wise<br />
Oooh, ooh, oh<br />
Lies in your eyes<br />
<br />
Desperate measures, don't play a part<br />
You know my secret, I know what you want<br />
Another charade with nothing to hide<br />
I am ready for action, you're ready to fight<br />
<br />
Read a book, watch a flick<br />
Pass the time, make it quick<br />
Text, call, ask for more<br />
Hit a party, dance the floor<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Oooh, ooh, oh,</div>No need to pretend<br />
Oooh, ooh, oh<br />
This is the end<br />
<br />
Throw a fit, start a war<br />
Give me something to explore<br />
Warm, cold, what a bore!<br />
I can’t take this any more<br />
<br />
Changing direction, a different game<br />
Nothing too risky enough to disclaim<br />
Oh handsome stranger, I know who you are<br />
It takes a woman to see this far<br />
<br />
Oooh, ooh, oh,<br />
Something to start<br />
Oooh, ooh, oh<br />
Just playing a partUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0