OK, the cheese is willing to admit when he's wrong...or in this case, premature. But now, really, NOW, go check out this site. It's a work in progress that you're benevolent overlord's alter ego is, um, working on.
So go NOW!
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Behold and kneel in love and fear!
The day has finally come faithful citizens, the day you have all been awaiting anxiously (even if, ahem, you didn't know you were awaiting it).
Bow down in reverence before the glory of
NORMALITY RESTORED
Bow down in reverence before the glory of
NORMALITY RESTORED
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Harry Potter is DEAD!
Well, maybe not dead in the "he's died" way...but the series is over (though Rowling said recently, when asked if she would ever write another HP book, "never say never").
So the cheese wonders what all you faithful citizens thought of "Deathly Hallows." Your benevolent overlord will expound his opinion down yonder, so look away if you haven't finished it yet....
Let's start with the deaths. The cheese has to admit that he suspected Lupin was going to bite the dust, and at least one of the Weasleys. So, no shocks there. Once it became clear that Tonks was pregnant, the cheese really didn't think she would go also, but that heartless Rowling likes to kill of sets of parents, apparently. As for Mad-Eye, can't say it was a big surprise, although coming so early in the book it really set the tone for the rest of the novel. As for Dobby, well, that might have been one of the biggest shocks in the whole series...and possibly the saddest moment.
And what about Snape? Well, it wasn't that big of a shock. Perhaps the mode of his death, bitten by Nagini, was a good twist. But everyone and his brother knew that Snape was good, probably had been in love with Harry's mom, and would do something important to help Harry in the last installment. Rowling did a good job of fulfilling those expectations, but then moving beyond them. Sure lot's of people figured Snape was in love with Lily, but who guessed they knew each other before Hogwarts, that Snape was the one to tell Lily of her true power, that they would be "best friends" even while at Hogwarts? And reflecting back on the series, Rowling played the balance of Snape wanting to protect Harry against Snape's anguish that Harry was Lily's child from another man (one whom Snape despised) really well. And Snape becomes, as one might expect, a fairly empathetic character. And what Harry says about him at the close of the book is true. Snape was damn courageous. Not only for what he did for the Order, but to come to Dumbledore in the first place. Really, even if you had doubts about Snape, once you found out his punishment to Neville, Luna and Ginny (for trying to steal the fake sword of Gryffindor) was to send them into the forbidden forest with Hagrid, well, come on, Harry and Malfoy had the same punishment when they were FIRST YEARS!
And Dumbledore....here, really was Rowling's masterstroke. The background and history on Dumbledore was necessary. If all we had ever seen of him was the wise, venerable, and caring old sorcerer of the first books then he'd have, essentially, been just a plot device with a soothing voice. But we see a real man, one of immense power who struggled in his youth to properly understand and harness his power. One who, in immaturity, caused loss had to deal with the outcome of his actions for his whole life. It's nice because, like every other character in the books, Dumbledore is portrayed just as humanly as Harry or anyone else. In book Six, we were given a peek into Voldemort's past, and those things that helped to shape him, and book Seven gives the same look into Dumbledore. What you realize, though, is that Rowling is championing every individual's choices as what sets one person as good or evil. Dumbledore could have easily turned into Grindelwald or Voldemort, but he chose to be a teacher instead. And we sympathize with Harry's anger at Dumbledore. We want our heroes, especially those like Dumbledore, to be good and pure and perfect, and we are quick to anger when they fail to meet our expectations, but Harry, by the story's end, comes to the realization that the best anyone can do is try and do what they believe is right.
All in all, Rowling is an engaging writer, and the book read well. In fact, the action was so strong in this one, that it seemed to read even faster than the shorter novels. And while much of it was predictable it ended, really, in the only way it could.
So the cheese wonders what all you faithful citizens thought of "Deathly Hallows." Your benevolent overlord will expound his opinion down yonder, so look away if you haven't finished it yet....
Let's start with the deaths. The cheese has to admit that he suspected Lupin was going to bite the dust, and at least one of the Weasleys. So, no shocks there. Once it became clear that Tonks was pregnant, the cheese really didn't think she would go also, but that heartless Rowling likes to kill of sets of parents, apparently. As for Mad-Eye, can't say it was a big surprise, although coming so early in the book it really set the tone for the rest of the novel. As for Dobby, well, that might have been one of the biggest shocks in the whole series...and possibly the saddest moment.
And what about Snape? Well, it wasn't that big of a shock. Perhaps the mode of his death, bitten by Nagini, was a good twist. But everyone and his brother knew that Snape was good, probably had been in love with Harry's mom, and would do something important to help Harry in the last installment. Rowling did a good job of fulfilling those expectations, but then moving beyond them. Sure lot's of people figured Snape was in love with Lily, but who guessed they knew each other before Hogwarts, that Snape was the one to tell Lily of her true power, that they would be "best friends" even while at Hogwarts? And reflecting back on the series, Rowling played the balance of Snape wanting to protect Harry against Snape's anguish that Harry was Lily's child from another man (one whom Snape despised) really well. And Snape becomes, as one might expect, a fairly empathetic character. And what Harry says about him at the close of the book is true. Snape was damn courageous. Not only for what he did for the Order, but to come to Dumbledore in the first place. Really, even if you had doubts about Snape, once you found out his punishment to Neville, Luna and Ginny (for trying to steal the fake sword of Gryffindor) was to send them into the forbidden forest with Hagrid, well, come on, Harry and Malfoy had the same punishment when they were FIRST YEARS!
And Dumbledore....here, really was Rowling's masterstroke. The background and history on Dumbledore was necessary. If all we had ever seen of him was the wise, venerable, and caring old sorcerer of the first books then he'd have, essentially, been just a plot device with a soothing voice. But we see a real man, one of immense power who struggled in his youth to properly understand and harness his power. One who, in immaturity, caused loss had to deal with the outcome of his actions for his whole life. It's nice because, like every other character in the books, Dumbledore is portrayed just as humanly as Harry or anyone else. In book Six, we were given a peek into Voldemort's past, and those things that helped to shape him, and book Seven gives the same look into Dumbledore. What you realize, though, is that Rowling is championing every individual's choices as what sets one person as good or evil. Dumbledore could have easily turned into Grindelwald or Voldemort, but he chose to be a teacher instead. And we sympathize with Harry's anger at Dumbledore. We want our heroes, especially those like Dumbledore, to be good and pure and perfect, and we are quick to anger when they fail to meet our expectations, but Harry, by the story's end, comes to the realization that the best anyone can do is try and do what they believe is right.
All in all, Rowling is an engaging writer, and the book read well. In fact, the action was so strong in this one, that it seemed to read even faster than the shorter novels. And while much of it was predictable it ended, really, in the only way it could.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Wizard Rock
Every once in a while something comes along that restores the cheese small faith in humanity...and with the impending Harry Potter Pandemonium set to be released on the mass populace at 12:01 AM Saturday (local time), the cheese' introduction to Wizard Rock couldn't have come at a more appropriate time.
Special thanks to Gilgrim (wait...you don't know Gilgrim well, shit ladies, go find out) for the tip, list, and assorted synopses...
Special thanks to Gilgrim (wait...you don't know Gilgrim well, shit ladies, go find out) for the tip, list, and assorted synopses...
"WRock Awesomeness
Tom Riddle And Friends
http://www.myspace.com/tomriddleandfriends
well harmonized acoustic pseudo-folk
The Weird Sisters (aka Switchblade Kittens)
http://www.myspace.com/theweirdsisters
Shroud flavored uptempo, bass/keyboard heavy darkwave –old school electro-pop-goth. Very well produced and mastered (tone similar to Dressy Betsy).
theTonks
Folk, acoustic female band with well trained and controlled vocals – and nice arrangements. Mellow, and polished.
The Remus Lupins
http://www.myspace.com/theremuslupins
Indie – folk – pop, with digital/early electro influences. Voice reminiscent of early Nim Vind.
The Hufflepunks
http://www.myspace.com/hufflepunx
Old school pop-punk with influences from two-tone, the specials and some early Oingo and random Gnarles Barkley and hip-hop influences (read: Beck).
The Hinky Punks
http://www.myspace.com/hinkypunx
indie-folk-accoustic / emo. Early, early Weezer tones and feedback electric guitar. Melodies reminiscent of early Deathcab.
Ginny and the HeartBreakers
http://www.myspace.com/ginnyandtheheartbreakers
Lo-fi Le Tigre influenced acoustic punk with indie electro influences. Bonus points for making ref to Daniel Radcliffe’s performance in La Equis.
The Fizzing Whizbees
http://www.myspace.com/thefizzingwhizbees
Punk lo-fi inspired, male version of Le Tigre with more acoustic stylings and a folk sensibility in the lyrics.
The Cruciatus Curse
http://www.myspace.com/thecruciatus
Listed as metal but much closer to mid-year industrial and a light version of Acumen Nation. Goth influenced, pop-industrial, with a bent to more old-school electronica.
Severely Snaped
http://www.myspace.com/severelysnapedwizardrock
Classic rock influenced metal/hard rock. Pulling musical stylings and their visual presence from the darker side of the early-mid seventies rock scene – some obvious influences from early goth acts like Christian Death with some Judas and Maiden thrown in for fun.
Roonil Wazlib
http://www.myspace.com/roonilwazlibrock
Accoustic –solo-guitar-comedic-folk. Female vocalist, 90’s era coffee-shoppe bo-ho pseudo-hippie/fem-rock natural sounding vocals and interesting timber. (Voted best new artist 2007- Wizrocklopedia People’s Choice Awards)
Remus and the Lupins
http://www.myspace.com/remusandthelupins
Pop-experimental electro influenced. Heavy voice modulation, basic, but consitent and light-hearted programming showing some influences from very late 70’s early 80’s arrangements by electric bands like Manheim Steam Roller. (from
Ginny and the Weasleys
http://www.myspace.com/hermioneandthegrangers
Ecclectic weirdness as the first ‘virtual band’ in Wrock (inspired by the Gorilllaz) with all songs from Ginny’s perspective (female vocalist) – bizarre range of synth sounds similar to Stephanie / early mid 80’s idol pop from
Bella and the Death Eaters
http://www.myspace.com/bellaandthedeatheaters
Accoustic folk-emo – two female vocalists with guitar accompaniment. Untrained vocals and melodies – mixed bag…
Potter and the Lightning Bolts
http://www.myspace.com/potterandthelightningbolts
Pop-punk rock, with polished production, lo-fi garage sound and good arrangements with variations towards acoustic/comedy-folk.
The Quidditch Pitch Incident
http://www.myspace.com/thequidditchpitchincident
Accoustic reverse white-stripes dynamic with female lead vocalist, arrangements closer to Dressy Betsy/Le Tigre – lo-fi recording and mastering, perhaps purposefully awkward(?).
Dobby and the House Elves
http://www.myspace.com/dobbyandthehouseelves
Electronic influenced pop-rock. Well arranged, decently produced. Lyrics and melodies are reminiscent of folk (Simon and Garfunkle) and early hip-hop (Grandmaster Flash / Blondie) mixed with a range spreading from early electronica and funk heavy 70’s disco/modern house and Moby/Fatboy Slim. Voice modulated for elfish quality.
The Fleur Delacours
http://www.myspace.com/thefleurdelacours
Le Tigre inspired female–indie-avante punk, smashed with plenty of cowbell, garage recording, and energy.
Mostly Muggles
http://www.myspace.com/mostlymuggles
Garage rock influenced jam-rock band. Stylings vary from old-school rock/blues and rockabilly to jam-styled 70’s garage with super lo-fi recording and production.
Draco and the Malfoys
http://www.myspace.com/dracoandthemalfoysusa
Similar to a slower more acoustic/basic electric version of They Might Be Giants.
Dumbledork
http://www.myspace.com/dumbleeedork
Lo-fi electronica/experimental. Well produced, breakbeat influences and solid electro-clash, with some more progressive and industrial flourishes, reminiscent of Psychic TV. Very nicely produced, mostly instrumental- some arrangements sound like earl john carpenter or Goblin scores.
DJ Luna Lovegood
http://www.myspace.com/djlovegood
Experimental –electro-heavy punk-folk. Well arranged, with some early goth smatterings. Ecclectic mixes with guitar – electric/acoustic, bass and samples.
Voldemort – Wizard Metal
http://www.myspace.com/voldemorttruemetal
Basic metal inspired – pseudo horror punk comedy act.
The Mudbloods
http://www.myspace.com/mudbloods
Well polished indie-folk with electric overtones. Good arrangements and melodies, vocals reminiscent of Deathcab.
Death Eaters Anon
http://www.myspace.com/deatheatersanon
Comedic similar to Doctor Demento. Eclectic hodge-podge some influences ranging from Swithblade Symphony and Rasputina.
Sir Nick
http://www.myspace.com/nearlyheadlessnick
Electronica, sample heavy, experimental, not always well arranged or mixed, more underground DIY, obvious loops from Acid. Uneven, but with some promise, with the more ethereal songs.
For more Wizard Rock goodness - http://wizardrock.org/"
Thursday, July 12, 2007
allofmp3.com We Hardly Knew Ye
So sometime around the 2nd of July the cheese favorite music site, allofmp3.com went down. The same thing happened last May, though the site made it back up. This time, though, it appears that the Russian government pulled the plug.
In case you don't know what allofmp3 is/was, the cheese'll break it down for you.
The average cost of a single music track on itunes is .99 cents, and an album is 9.99. Now, allofmp3 would sell tracks for .15 cents (yeah, that right FIFTEEN CENTS) and albums for around 3 or 4 dollars. The really great thing about allofmp3, though, was the options. You could buy a track for fifteen cents, but that might be a 128 kb bitrate, or you could spend fifty cents on 256 kb track, etc. And you weren't only limited to mp3's, they had something like 7 different file type options. Also, they didn't put and DMR encoding on any of their tracks, so once you downloaded a track, it was yours forever. The best thing about it, though, was that since the company was operated out of Russia, they had a lot of music from outside the US, specifically from Europe and England. So you weren't stuck with the crap you hear on suck-ass US radio.
Now, allofmp3 was a Russian company, and operated legally within Russian copyright law. Of course, because these laws are unsavory to both the RIAA and major US recording companies (read: doesn't pay out enough), the RIAA has, for three years, put pressure on the Russian government to shut down allofmp3. They even went so far as filing a 1.64 trillion (yes, trillion with a t) dollar law suit against allofmp3 in NY (a response by an executive at allofmp3's parent company went something like, "they're free to do what they want, but it seems pointless for them to sue us in New York when we operate legally in Russia").
Of course, now the site is down, and will probably not be back. There are similar sites that operate in Russia, and while some offer similar pricing, none have the same huge catalog or as many options as allofmp3 had.
The real sad thing, though, is how much the whole episode illuminates just how out of touch media companies are. Allofmp3 had a huge following of people who would have otherwise just gotten their music illegally (and, freely, the cheese might add), but had no problem paying for stuff at allofmp3. By forcing allofmp3 to go down, the RIAA simply made this large group of people even more pissed about having to pay for content. Rather than actually working with the Russian government, allofmp3 itself, and the artists to find a reasonable compromise that would allow allofmp3 to continue to operate (even if it was at a small price increase), the RIAA decided to be a bunch of dicks.
At some point, the media companies will understand that the old business models no longer work. Digital media/the internet requires that these companies approach royalties and copyright in fundamentally different ways. Obviously, the companies do not want to face the truth, but eventually, after so much money lost on frivolous legal expenditures, they'll figure it out.
Until then, the cheese is going back to bit torrent...or, he would if he had internet at home right now.
In case you don't know what allofmp3 is/was, the cheese'll break it down for you.
The average cost of a single music track on itunes is .99 cents, and an album is 9.99. Now, allofmp3 would sell tracks for .15 cents (yeah, that right FIFTEEN CENTS) and albums for around 3 or 4 dollars. The really great thing about allofmp3, though, was the options. You could buy a track for fifteen cents, but that might be a 128 kb bitrate, or you could spend fifty cents on 256 kb track, etc. And you weren't only limited to mp3's, they had something like 7 different file type options. Also, they didn't put and DMR encoding on any of their tracks, so once you downloaded a track, it was yours forever. The best thing about it, though, was that since the company was operated out of Russia, they had a lot of music from outside the US, specifically from Europe and England. So you weren't stuck with the crap you hear on suck-ass US radio.
Now, allofmp3 was a Russian company, and operated legally within Russian copyright law. Of course, because these laws are unsavory to both the RIAA and major US recording companies (read: doesn't pay out enough), the RIAA has, for three years, put pressure on the Russian government to shut down allofmp3. They even went so far as filing a 1.64 trillion (yes, trillion with a t) dollar law suit against allofmp3 in NY (a response by an executive at allofmp3's parent company went something like, "they're free to do what they want, but it seems pointless for them to sue us in New York when we operate legally in Russia").
Of course, now the site is down, and will probably not be back. There are similar sites that operate in Russia, and while some offer similar pricing, none have the same huge catalog or as many options as allofmp3 had.
The real sad thing, though, is how much the whole episode illuminates just how out of touch media companies are. Allofmp3 had a huge following of people who would have otherwise just gotten their music illegally (and, freely, the cheese might add), but had no problem paying for stuff at allofmp3. By forcing allofmp3 to go down, the RIAA simply made this large group of people even more pissed about having to pay for content. Rather than actually working with the Russian government, allofmp3 itself, and the artists to find a reasonable compromise that would allow allofmp3 to continue to operate (even if it was at a small price increase), the RIAA decided to be a bunch of dicks.
At some point, the media companies will understand that the old business models no longer work. Digital media/the internet requires that these companies approach royalties and copyright in fundamentally different ways. Obviously, the companies do not want to face the truth, but eventually, after so much money lost on frivolous legal expenditures, they'll figure it out.
Until then, the cheese is going back to bit torrent...or, he would if he had internet at home right now.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Yet another reason why cheeselandia may, one day, relocate to the British Isles...
What the hell is it about pasty white English folk making horribly catchy-ass electronic style musik?
Remember Fatboy Slim?
Well, what about The Streets...
(see how Dave has NO idea who he's introducing...and nice self-censorship by Mr. Skinner)
And everyone's favorite drunken British girl, Lily Allen...
But now all you faithful citizens can add a new artist to those you adore, Scroobius Pip!
Remember Fatboy Slim?
Well, what about The Streets...
(see how Dave has NO idea who he's introducing...and nice self-censorship by Mr. Skinner)
And everyone's favorite drunken British girl, Lily Allen...
But now all you faithful citizens can add a new artist to those you adore, Scroobius Pip!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Another Potter Prediction
Here's another idea about how book seven will end. This is theory only and has no grounding in any knowledge of the seventh book.
Keith Olbermann at msnbc has pieced together his own theory of how the book ends. He bases a lot of it on financial concerns, but his final theory incorporates a lot of my own theories and put a spin on it I hadn't thought of. Here it is:
(I'll put a little space in here in case you don't really want to spoil the ending.)
Keith Olbermann at msnbc has pieced together his own theory of how the book ends. He bases a lot of it on financial concerns, but his final theory incorporates a lot of my own theories and put a spin on it I hadn't thought of. Here it is:
(I'll put a little space in here in case you don't really want to spoil the ending.)
So why not this ending? Harry eliminates all but one of Voldemort’s horcruxes. The dark lord’s life is now reduced to this undulating welt on Harry’s own forehead. To kill Voldemort, Harry must kill himself and is about to, as millions of readers recoil in horror and anger, when who steps out of the shadows but Snape to explain to Harry that there is another way that the last horcrux, Harry’s scar, can be removed, but at one dreadful price. Harry can survive it, but his magical skills cannot. To finally vanquish Voldemort, save Hogwarts and Hermione and Ron, and, in fact the magical world, to say nothing of the J.K. Rowling franchise for decades and generations to come, Harry Potter must give up being a wizard.
So what do we all think?
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Harry Potter end revealed....
Or maybe this guy just has his head up his ass. It's hard to understand exactly what he says since, apparently, hackers no longer feel the need to use any semblance of intelligible language, but the gist of it is.....
don't read further if you don't want spoilers....
you're still reading......
maybe these are crap.....
maybe not.....
anyway, Snape kills Hagrid, Voldemort kills Hermoine (who dies to save Ron) and then Ron (possibly, again it's hard to understand this guys synopsis), and Harry ultimately kills Snape and Voldemort.
Seems reasonable enough to the cheese, except the Hermoine thing...well Rowling has said before that she's a lot more "vulnerable" (her exact word) then most people think...so maybe the guy did get something right here. Of course Bloomsbury and Scholastic deny the claims...only time will tell.
don't read further if you don't want spoilers....
you're still reading......
maybe these are crap.....
maybe not.....
anyway, Snape kills Hagrid, Voldemort kills Hermoine (who dies to save Ron) and then Ron (possibly, again it's hard to understand this guys synopsis), and Harry ultimately kills Snape and Voldemort.
Seems reasonable enough to the cheese, except the Hermoine thing...well Rowling has said before that she's a lot more "vulnerable" (her exact word) then most people think...so maybe the guy did get something right here. Of course Bloomsbury and Scholastic deny the claims...only time will tell.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
First Thing...
The cheese just really likes this picture...
And two....have you figured out how to log back in yet Suavo?
And two....have you figured out how to log back in yet Suavo?
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Obi-wan is Hardcore
After riding a motocycle from London to New York, Ewan Mcgregor is at it again. This time he's riding from Scotland to Cape Town, South Africa on a motorcycle. You can track his progress on the bbc website and also read blog posts of the trip as well.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Two things
First off, the cheese commends exsulis on his use of the cheeselandia national flag.
Secondly, the cheese is getting rid of a bunch of old PC games...if anyone wants them, the cheese suggests they come by his house tomorrow (or today, Wednesday, since it's now after midnight) to peruse the titles, or else they're all going to the salvation army on Thursday.
Secondly, the cheese is getting rid of a bunch of old PC games...if anyone wants them, the cheese suggests they come by his house tomorrow (or today, Wednesday, since it's now after midnight) to peruse the titles, or else they're all going to the salvation army on Thursday.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Friday, May 25, 2007
Happy Birthday Star Wars
I don't know what else I can say but Happy Birthday Star Wars and thank you for the years of entertainment.
With the Cheese's permission, I would like to declare today to be a state holiday in the mighty kingdom of Cheeselandia. In celebration of the day, I would urge each citizen of this great land to watch at least one of the star wars movies today. If not that, then at least take the time to watch these brilliant parodies:
With the Cheese's permission, I would like to declare today to be a state holiday in the mighty kingdom of Cheeselandia. In celebration of the day, I would urge each citizen of this great land to watch at least one of the star wars movies today. If not that, then at least take the time to watch these brilliant parodies:
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