Sunday, February 23, 2014

Books I've Read This Year


Books I Read this Year: 2014
 
Rating Book Title Author Category Release Year
9 Ready Player One Ernest Cline Thriller 2011
8 Gone Tomorrow (Jack Reacher) Lee Child Thriller 2009
8 61 Hours Lee Child Thriller 2010
8 Wonderland (A Spenser Novel) Ace Atkins Mystery 2013
8 Cookoo's Calling Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) Mystery 20013
8 Worth Dying For (Jack Reacher) Lee Child Mystery 2011
8 Mr. Monk Is Open For Business Hy Conrad Mystery 2014
8 Seude To Rest Diane Vallere Mystery 2014
8 Enemy, The (Jack Reacher book) Lee Child Thriller 2004
7 Mr. Monk On Patrol Lee Goldberg Mystery 2012
7 Lincoln At Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Him President John A. Corry Non-Fiction 2006
7 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Ugly Truth Jeff Kinney Comedy 2011
7 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever Jeff Kinney Comedy 2012
7 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Third Wheel Jeff Kinney Comedy 2013
7 Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck Jeff Kinney Comedy 2014
7 Maze Runner, The James Dashner Thriller 2010
7 Someday, Someday, Maybe Lauren Graham Romantic Comedy 2014
7 Divergent Veronica Roth Drama 2011
7 Mr. Monk Is A Mess Lee Goldberg Mystery 2012
7 Scorch Trials James Dashner Thriller 2011
7 One More Thing: Stories And Other Stories B.J. Novak Comedy 2014
7 Mr. Monk Gets On Board Hy Conrad Mystery 2014
7 The Chase Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg Thriller 2014
7 Mr. Monk Helps Himself Hy Conrad Mystery 2014
7 Allegiant Veronica Roth Thriller 2013
7 Never Go Back (Jack reacher) Lee Child Thriller 2013
7 Satin Worshippers, The Diane Vallere Mystery 2015
6 Seduction Of The Innocent Max Allan Collins Mystery 2013
6 Death Cure James Dashner Thriller 2013
6 Insurgent Veronica Roth Thriller 2012
5 Inferno Dan Brown Thriller 2013
4 Citizen Girl Nicola Krause & Emma McLaughlin Drama ??


2013: Yeah, so it doesn't look like I read too much this year if you disregard the graphic novels (although the Astonishing X-Men graphic novels were mind-blowing.)  In my defense though, I was busy reading some book manuscripts for a friend and that involved reading a book twice, so you can add three more books worth of reading to my tally.  I'm curious to see how I like some of the other books in series I just started reading.  There are several Jack Reacher books to read, a couple of which  are currently sitting on my "To Read" shelves and more recent ones I can check out of the library.  Other books in the series from Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum) and Lee Goldberg (Monk) have not yet been written but it looks like another is coming soon and others are being written right now.  The Bond book, supposedly written by roger Moore was atrocious from a literary point of view but pictures were nice and the stories he conveyed in his leering, puerile, hackneyed fashion were pretty interesting.  It did not make me want to jump into the autobiography of his that I have sitting on my shelf though.  In 2014, I think I'll keep the mix of real books and graphic novels (since I rebought all the X-Men books in hardcover collector versions) about the same but upping the quantity. 

Rating Book Author Category Release Year Venue
6 The Heist Janet Enanovich / Lee Goldberg Thriller 2013 Library
8 A Wanted Man (Jack Reacher) Lee Child Thriller 2012 Library
7 Ghostman Roger Hobbs Thriller 2013 Library
6 Bond On Bond Roger Moore Non-Fiction 2012 Library
7 Material Girl Murders Diane Vallere Mystery 2013 Manuscript
7 Buyer, Beware Diane Vallere Mystery 2013 Manuscript
7 Material Girl Murders, Book 2 Diane Vallere Mystery 2014 Manuscript
7 Mr. Monk Gets Even Lee Goldberg Mystery 2013 Library
7 Teen Titans: A Kid's Game Geoff Johns, Mike McKone Graphic Novel 2004 Amazon
6 Superman: For Tomorrow Vol 1 Jim Lee, Brian Azzerello Graphic Novel 2005 Library
6 Superman: For Tomorrow Vol 2 Jim Lee, Brian Azzerello Graphic Novel 2005 Library
9 Astonishing X-Men Vol. 1 Joss Whedon, John Cassaday Graphic Novel 2012 Amazon
9 Astonishing X-Men Vol. 2 Joss Whedon, John Cassaday Graphic Novel 2012 Amazon
7 Spiderman: Silver Sable Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley  Graphic Novel 2006 Library
7 Spiderman: Cats & Kings Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley  Graphic Novel 2006 Library
6 Spiderman: Death Of Spiderman    Graphic Novel   Library


2012: Wow, I didn't read much this year either.  It's all TinTin, Batman and Young Adult stuff.

Rating Book Author Category Release Year Venue
8 Batman: Dark Detective   Graphic Novel 2006 Library 
8 Batman: Gotham By Gaslight   Graphic Novel 2006 Library 
7 Batman: Noel Lee Bermejo Graphic Novel 2011 Library 
8 Batman: Year 100   Graphic Novel 2006 Library 
6 Books Can Be Deceiving  Jenn Mckinlay Mystery 2011 Library 
8 Catching Fire Suzanne Collins Young Adult 2009 Library 
8 Designer Dirty Laundry Diane Vallere Mystery 2012 Manuscript
10 Hunger Games, The Suzanne Collins Young Adult 2008 Amazon
9 Mockingjay Suzanne Collins Young Adult 2010 Amazon
6 Tintin: Black Island, The Herge Graphic Novel 1938 Library 
7 Tintin: Blue Lotus, The Herge Graphic Novel 1946 Library 
8 Tintin: Cigars Of the Pharaohs Herge Graphic Novel 1955 Library 
7 Tintin: Crab With The Golden Claws, The Herge Graphic Novel 1941 Library 
6 Tintin: King Ottokar's Sceptre Herge Graphic Novel 1947 Library 
6 Tintin: Prisoners Of The Sun Herge Graphic Novel 1949 Library 
7 Tintin: Red Rackham's Treasure Herge Graphic Novel 1945 Library 
7 Tintin: Secret Of The Unicorn, The Herge Graphic Novel 1946 Library 
6 Tintin: Seven Crystal Balls Herge Graphic Novel 1948 Library 
7 Tintin: Shooting Star, The Herge Graphic Novel 1942 Library 
6 Tintin: Tintin and Alph-Art Herge Graphic Novel 1978 Library 
8 Tintin: Tintin In America Herge Graphic Novel 1945 Library 
8 Tintin: Various books in the series Herge Graphic Novel   Library 
8 Ultimate X-Men: Return To Weapon X Mark Millar, Adam Kubert Graphic Novel 2002 Library 
9 Watchmen, The Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons Graphic Novel 1987 Library 


2011: I guess I haven't read too many books this year. I'll have to read more next year. (Or finish the things I'm halfways through.) First up this month is The Hunger Games, so I can finish it before the movie comes out.

Books I've Read This Year      
Title Author Genre Grade Year
Mr. Monk Is Cleaned Out Lee Goldberg Mystery B 2011
Lady Sings The Clues Diane Vallere Mystery B- 2011
Mysterious Benedict Society & The Prisoner's Dilemma  Trenton Lee Stewart Young Adult B 2011
Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest Steig Larssen Thriller B+ 2011
Mr. Monk On The Road Lee Goldberg Mystery B 2011
Pride & Prejudice Jane Austen Drama B+ 2011
Food Rules Michael Pollen Non-Fiction D 2011
Outwitting Trolls William G. Tapply Mystery B 2011
Zombie Spaceship Wasteland Patton Oswalt Memoir B 2011
Burn Notice: The Reformed Goldberg, Lee Thriller B 2011
Commencement Courtney Sullivan Drama B 2011
Designer Dirty Laundry Diane Vallere Mystery B- 2011


Books I'veRead This Year    
TitleAuthorGenreGradeYear
Please Kill MeLegs McNeil  2003
Nightmare TownDashell Hammett  2003
Skipping ChristmasJohn Grisham  2003
Burglar In The RyeLawrence Block  2003
The Chelsea Girl MurdersSparkle Hayter  2003
Nanny Diaries, TheEmma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus  2003
Stainless Steel Rat Joins The CircusHarry Harrison  2003
Roaring 2000's, TheHarry Dent  2003
DreamcatcherStephen King  2003
T2: InfiltratorS.M. Stirling  2003
Deer Leap, TheMartha Grimes  2003
Liar's Club, TheMary Karr  2003
T2: Rising StormS.M. Stirling  2003
Sex & The CityCandace Bushnell  2003
Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on EverestConrad Anker & David Roberts  2003
Harry Potter & Order Of The PhoenixJ.K. Rowling  2003
About A BoyNick Hornby  2003
All The Old BargainsBenjamin M. Schutz  2003
Tanner On IceLawrence Block  2003
Memoirs Of Sherlock HolmesArthur Conan Doyle  2003
Candy & MeHilary Liftin  2003
Mysteries Of PittsburghMichael Chabon  2003
Pleasure Of My Company, TheSteve Martin  2003
FearlessFrancine Pascal  2003
Even The WickedLawrence Block  2003
Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat IdiotAl Franken  2003
HitmanLawrence Block  2003
Bridget Jones: Edge Of ReasonHelen Fielding  2003
Pumping IronyTony Kornheiser B+2004
NakedDavid Sedaris B-2004
Sisterhood Of The Traveling PantsAnn Brashares B+2004
TinselWilliam Goldman B2004
Complete Idiots Guide To RunningBill Rodgers C2004
SongbookNick Hornby B+2004
Bad BoyJim Thompson C2004
George Bush, Dark Prince Of LoveLydia Millet B2004
I, RobotIsaac Asimov A2004
ChanceRobert B. Parker B2004
Shame the DevilGeorge Pelecanos C2004
Scribble, ScribbleNora Ephron C2004
King Of Torts, TheJohn Grisham C+2004
T2: Future WarS.M. Stirling A2004
L Is For LawlessSue Grafton B2004
Catch Me If You CanFrank W. Abagnale B2004
Dance At The SlaughterhouseLawrence Block B2004
PreyMichael Crichton C2004
Girl's Poker NightJill A. Davis C+2004
Getting Over Jack WagnerElise Juska B-2004
StargazeyMartha Grimes B-2004
Stainless Steel VisionsHarry Harrison C-2004
N Is For NooseSue Grafton C+2004
Switch BitchRoald Dahl B2004
Widow's WalkRobert B. Parker B2004
Back StoryRobert B. Parker B2004
I Capture The CastleDodie Smith B2004
     
America: Citizen's Guide To Democracy InactionDaily Show w/ Jon Stewart A2005
Man Against NatureCharles Neider B-2005
Naked BrunchSparkle Hayter B+2005
My Quest For The YetiRheinhold Messner C+2005
Past TenseWilliam G. Tapply B2005
A Fine LineWilliam G. Tapply B2005
Shadow Of DeathWilliam G. Tapply B2005
Series Of Unfortunate Events: Wide WindowLemony Snicket B-2005
Teammates: Stockton & MaloneRobert Schnakenberg D2005
Da Vinci Code, TheDan Brown B-2005
Second Summer Of The SisterhoodAnn Brashares A-2005
Series Of Unfortunate Events: Miserable MillLemony Snicket B-2005
Series Of Unfortunate Events: Austere AcademyLemony Snicket B-2005
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The GalaxyDouglas Adams B+2005
Bitch CreekWilliam G. Tapply B2005
One Minute Manager, TheKen Blanchard & Spencer Johnson B-2005
Me Talk Pretty One DayDavid Sedaris C+2005
Sex, Drugs & Cocoa PuffsChuck Klosterman B+2005
Bandit Queen BoogieSparkle Hayter B+2005
Girls In Pants: Third Summer Of The SisterhoodAnn Brashares A-2005
Thank You For The MusicJane McCafferty   C+2005
Aspen PulpPatrick Hasburgh B-2005
Fargo Rock CityChuck Klosterman B-2005
Demons & AngelsDan Brown B-2005
TravelsMichael Crichton C+2005
Thirty NothingLisa Jewel B-2005
Secrets Of "Angels & Demons"Burstein, Daniel.B-2005
Collected Short Stories Of Truman CapoteTruman Capote B2005
Blue LastMartha Grimes B+2005
Killing Yourself To LiveChuck Klosterman A-2005
Underneath It AllTraci Lords A-2005
Digital FortressDan Brown B+2005
     
To The NinesJanet Evanovich B-2006
CouplehoodPaul Reiser B 2006
Deception PointDan Brown B 2006
Lincoln's WarGeoffrey Perrett B 2006
Love MonkeyKyle Smith B+2006
Emily's Reasons Why NotCarrie Gerlach C-2006
Long Way DownNick Hornby B+2006
Bad BusinessRobert B. Parker C+2006
Thank You For SmokingChristopher Buckley B-2006
Where The Truth LiesRupert Holmes B+2006
First LightPhillip Craig & William G. Tapply B-2006
Nervous WaterWilliam G. Tapply B-2006
Mr. Monk Goes To HawaiiLee Goldberg B-2006
No Man's LandGreg Rucka B-2006
Little Green MenChristopher Buckley B2006
Mr. Monk Visits the FirehouseLee Goldberg B2006
Housekeeping Versus The DirtNick Hornby B+2006
Hearts In AtlantisStephen King A2006
Sammy's HillKristin Gore B+2006
Loose LipsClaire Berlinski B-2006
Phil GordonLittle Green Book B-2006
     
IVChuck Klosterman B+2007
Silent GondoliersWilliam Goldman B2007
Mr. Monk & The Blue FluLee Goldberg B2007
Dupont CirclePaul  Kafka-Gibbons C+2007
DerailedJames Siegel B-2007
Polysyllabic SpreeNick Hornby B+2007
Love Is A Mix TapeRob Sheffield C+2007
Hundred Dollar BabyRobert B. Parker C+2007
I Feel Bad About My NeckNora Ephron B-2007
Rogue's GameMilton Burton B2007
Turning The TablesRita Rudner B2007
Then We Came To The EndJoshua Ferris C+2007
DedicationEmma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus B+2007
Lucky At CardsLawrence Block C+2007
Lean Mean Thirteen Janet Evanovich C+2007
Last Summer (Of Me And You)Ann Brashares B+2007
Harrington On Hold'em Vol 3Dan Harrington B+2007
I Love You, Beth CooperLarry Doyle B+2007
SwingRupert Holmes B+2007
Assertiveness SkillsNational Press Publications D-2007
Sammy's HouseKristin Gore B+2007
Little Blue Book Of PokerPhil Gordon C+2007
Lion EyesClaire Belinski B2007
Harrington On Hold'em Vol. 1Dan Harrington B2007
Sammy's HillKristin Gore B2007
Confessions Of A Teenage SluethChelsea Cain B-2007
Everything I Need To Know, I Learned From A Chick FlickKimberly Potts B-2007
Star Trek Academy: Collision CourseWilliam Shatner B2007
Cons, Scams & GriftsJoe Gores C+2008
Playing For PizzaJohn Grisham B-2008
Devil's On The Deep Blue SeaKristoffer A. GarinA2008
Candy GirlDiablo Cody B+2008
BleachersJohn Grisham B-2008
High FiveJanet Evanovich B-2008
Deadly BelovedMax Allan Collins B-2008
AmmunitionKen Bruen C+2008
Friend Of The FamilyLisa Jewell B-2008
Eat This, Not ThatDavid Zinczenko B-2008
Mr. Monk & The Two AssistantsLee Goldberg B+2008
I Was Told There'd Be CakeSloane Crosley B-2008
Mr. Monk In Outer SpaceLee Goldberg B-2008
I Hated Hated Hated this MovieRoger Ebert B-2008
The Film ClubDavid Gilmour C+2008
Central Europe: Friends & EnemiesLonnie Johnson C+2008
Death De JourKathy Reichs B-2008
NextMichael Crichton C-2008
Rough WeatherRobert B. Parker B+2008
Downtown OwlChuck Klosterman B2008
Fencing Master, TheArturo Perez-Reverte B2008
How To Be GoodNick Hornby B2008
Are You There Vodka?  It's Me, ChelseaChelsea Handler B-2008
Hell BentWilliam G. Tapply B2009
State By StateMatt Weiland & Sean Wilsey A-2009
Mr. Monk Goes To GermanyLee Goldberg B-2009
Nick & Norah's Infinite PlaylistRachel Cohn & David Levithan A2009
Mysterious Benedict Society, TheTrenton Lee Stewart B+2009
Death Of A MusketeerSarah D'Almeida B+2009
Club Dumas, TheArturo Perez-Reverte A-2009
Perks Of Being A Wallflower, TheStephen Chbosky A-2009
Supreme CourtshipChristopher Buckley B-2009
Wishful DrinkingCarrie Fisher B-2009
Mysterious Benedict Society & The Perilous JourneyTrenton Lee Stewart B+2009
Pop PrincessRachel Cohn B-2009
Naomi & Ely's No Kiss ListRachel Cohn & David Levithan B+2009
The Fix (A "Burn Notice" novel)Tod Goldberg B-2009
In Defense Of FoodMichael Pollan B+2009
Into The Volcano: A Mallory & Morse BookForrest DeVoe B-2009
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Greg's JournalJeff Kinney A-2009
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: The Last StrawJeff Kinney A-2009
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Roddick RulesJeff Kinney A-2009
Hitchhiker's Guide to The GalaxyDouglas Adams A-2009
Restaurant At The End Of The UniverseDouglas Adams A-2009
Life, The Universe & EverythingDouglas Adams A-2009
How To Be GoodNick Hornby C+2009
For Your Eyes OnlyIan Fleming C+2009
Grave Maurice, TheMartha Grimes C+2009
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Dog DaysJeff Kinney B-2009
Hearts In AtlantisStephen King C+2009
Great Train Robbery, TheMichael Crichton B+2009
Out ColdWilliam G. Tapply B-2009
I Might Be Wrong (But I Doubt It)Charles Barkley  2009
     
     
Broker, TheJohn GrishamDramaB-2010
Lost Symbol, TheDan BrownThrillerC+2010
Burglar Who Traded Ted WilliamsLawrence BlockMysteryA2010
What Music Means To GirlsLavinia GreenlawBiographyC -2010
Mr. Monk In TroubleLee GoldbergMysteryC +2010
Dial H For HitchcockSusan KandelMysteryC +2010
Mr. Monk Is MiserableLee GoldbergMysteryB-2010
Mr. Monk And The Dirty CopLee GoldbergMysteryB+2010
Burglar Who Thought He Was BogartLawrence BlockMysteryB+2010
Professional, TheRobert B. ParkerMysteryB2010
Mystery Of The Headless Horse (3 Investigators Mystery) Young AdultB-2010
Shopaholic Takes ManhattanSophie KinsellaComedyB-2010
Eating The DinosaurChuck KlostermanEssayC+2010
Girl Who Played With FireSteig LarssenThrillerA-2010
How Did You Get This NumberSloane CrosleyEssayB+2010
School DazeRobert B. ParkerMysteryB-2010
PaybackRichard StarkNoirB-2010
Alphabet From A To Y & Bonus Letter ZSteve Martin & Roz ChastChildrenB2010
Missing Golden Ticket, TheRoald DahlYoung AdultB2010
21 PromsAnthology (Cohn, Levitan, etc…)Young AdultB+2010
Painted LadiesRobert B. ParkerMysteryC+2010
Pillow StalkDiane VallereMysteryB+2010
     
Mr. Monk Is Cleaned OutLee GoldbergMysteryB2011
Lady Sings The CluesDiane VallereMysteryB-2011
Mysterious Benedict Society & The Prisoner's Dilemma Trenton Lee StewartYoung AdultB2011
Girl Who Kicked The Hornets NestSteig LarssenThrillerB+2011
Mr. Monk On The RoadLee GoldbergMysteryB2011
Pride & PrejudiceJane AustenDramaB+2011
Food RulesMichael PollenNon-FictionD2011
Outwitting TrollsWilliam G. TapplyMysteryB2011
Zombie Spaceship WastelandPatton OswaltMemoirB2011
Burn Notice: The ReformedGoldberg, LeeThrillerB2011
CommencementCourtney SullivanDramaB2011
Designer Dirty LaundryDiane VallereMysteryB-2011
Hunger Games, TheSuzanne CollinsYoung AdultA2012
TinTin- Various books in the seriesHergeGraphic NovelA-2012
Catching FireSuzanne CollinsYoung AdultA-2012
Books Can Be Deceiving Jenn MckinlayMysteryC+2012
MockingjaySuzanne CollinsYoung AdultA2012















History Of Rap (With Jimmy Fallon And Justin Timberlake)


Here's Every Song In Justin Timberlake And Jimmy Fallon's 'History Of Rap, Part 5'
(By Nicole Sia, Rolling Stone, 22 February 2014)

Well, that was expected. Capping off a fantastic first week in The Tonight's Show's new era, host Jimmy Fallon trotted out brother-in-virality Justin Timberlake for the beloved History of Rap's fifth installment. Twenty-three new songs were represented this time around, with nods to Kris Kross (R.I.P.), Special K, Tone Loc, Skee-lo, and not one but two Run D.M.C. tracks, among the usual suspects: Jay Z, Kanye West, and LL Cool J. Rap Grammy monopolizer Macklemore, mercifully, didn't make the cut. Watch it here and get the series' full song list below.  For more on Fallon's Tonight Show ratings bonanza, check out the Evolution of Hip-Hop Dancing with Will Smith, R. Kelly's barbershopped "Ignition (Remix)," Brian Williams' "Rapper's Delight," and Arcade Fire's hand-held "Afterlife."

History of Rap
Sugarhill Gang - "Rapper's Delight"
Run-D.M.C. - "Peter Piper"
Beastie Boys - "Paul Revere"
A Tribe Called Quest - "Award Tour"
Digital Underground - "The Humpty Dance"
Snoop Dogg feat. Dr. Dre - "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang"
Tupac Shakur - "California Love"
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Juicy"
The Roots - "The Seed"
Eminem - "My Name Is"
Missy Elliott - "Work It"
Soulja Boy Tell 'Em - "Crank That (Soulja Boy)"
T.I. feat. Rihanna - "Live Your Life"
Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx - "Gold Digger"
Jay Z feat. Alicia Keys - "Empire State of Mind"

History of Rap, Part 2
Kurtis Blow - "The Breaks"
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - "The Message"
N.W.A - "Express Yourself"
Public Enemy - "Bring the Noise"
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock - "It Takes Two"
Salt-N-Pepa - "Push It"
Vanilla Ice - "Ice Ice Baby"
Fatman Scoop - "Put Your Hands Up"
Cypress Hill - "Insane in the Brain"
DJ Kool - "Let Me Clear My Throat"
DMX - "Party Up in Here"
Nelly - "Hot in Herre"
50 Cent - "In Da Club"
OutKast - "Hey Ya"
Lil Wayne - "A Milli"
DJ Khaled - "All I Do Is Win"
Cali Swag District - "Teach Me How to Dougie"
Rick Ross - "B.M.F."
Biz Markie - "Just a Friend"
Kurtis Blow - "The Breaks"

History of Rap, Part 3
Run-DMC - "King of Rock"
LL Cool J - "Mama Said Knock You Out"
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - "Parents Just Don't Understand"
De La Soul - "Me, Myself and I"
JJ Fad - "Supersonic"
Sir Mix-a-Lot - "Baby Got Back"
Young MC - "Bust a Move"
House of Pain - "Jump Around"
Ice Cube - "It Was a Good Day"
Coolio - "Gangsta's Paradise"
The Fugees - "Killing Me Softly"
Beastie Boys - "Sabotage"
Jay Z - "I Just Wanna Love You (Give It 2 Me)"
OutKast - "Ms. Jackson"
Snoop Dogg - "Drop It Like It's Hot"
Kanye West - "Stronger"
Nicki Minaj -"Super Bass"
Naughty By Nature - "Hip Hop Hooray"

History of Rap, Part 4
Sugarhill Gang - "Apache (Jump on It)"
Grandmaster Melle Mel - "White Lines (Don't Do It) "
Kurtis Blow - "Basketball"
Fat Boys - "The Fat Boys"
Run-D.M.C. - "It's Tricky"
Beastie Boys - "No Sleep Till Brooklyn"
LL Cool J - "Going Back to Cali"
Slick Rick - "Children's Story"
2 Live Crew - "Me So Horny"
A Tribe Called Quest - "Scenario"
Cypress Hill - "Hand on the Pump"
Wreckx-N-Effect - "Rump Shaker"
Salt N Pepa - "Shoop"
Snoop Doggy Dogg - "Gin and Juice"
Busta Rhymes - "Woo-Ha! Got You All in Check"
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Hypnotize"
Missy Elliott - "Get Ur Freak On"
Jay Z - "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)"
Nelly - "Ride Wit Me"
50 Cent - "P.I.M.P."
Chamillionaire - "Ridin Dirty"
Wiz Khalifa - "Black & Yellow"
Trinidad James - "All Gold Everything"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - "Thrift Shop"
Eminem - "Lose Yourself"

History of Rap, Part 5
LL Cool J - "I'm Bad"
Run-D.M.C. - "Beats to the Rhyme"
Crazy Calls - "Wait for the Beep"
Beastie Boys - "Fight for Your Right"
Tone Loc - "Wild Thing"
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - "Fresh Prince Theme"
Salt N' Pepa - "Whatta Man"
Positive K - "I Got a Man"
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Big Poppa"
Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg - "Dre Day"
Warren G feat. Nate Dogg - "Regulate"
N.W.A. - "Straight Outta Compton"
Ini Kamoze - "Here Comes the Hotstepper"
Outkast - "So Fresh, So Clean"
Busta Rhymes feat. P Diddy & Pharrell - "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II"
Kris Kross - "Jump"
Skee-Lo - "I Wish"
Jay Z - "99 Problems"
Ludacris - "Move Bitch (Get Out the Way)"
Drake - "Started From the Bottom"
Kendrick Lamar - "Swimming Pools (Drank)"
Kanye West feat. T-Pain - "Good Life"
Run-D.M.C. - "Walk This Way"

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Love (Not Love) Songs: An Anti-Love Playlist

Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I wondered if there was some authoritative playlist out there on the internet that was appropriate for the occasion.  It turns out there is not, at least not on the first 10 pages I looked at.  I found some top ten lists and a couple other more extensive ones but nothing that really suited my purposes.  So I decided to start my own.  Below is that list.  Oh, you were expecting love songs?  No, no, no- you misunderstand me.  I was looking for an anti-love song list.  It is easy to find a list of love songs since pretty much every song ever written is about love and many people have come up with lists for Valentine’s Day to celebrate their loved ones. 

Some of us are single though, or have an unrequited crush, or are in mourning, or are bitter and depressed.   Heck, some of us are just cynical and sarcastic about people who decide to be romantic exactly one day a year, maybe two if you include a significant other’s birthday.  That’s the list I wanted to find, to come up with some songs that were not sappy and romantic, not Silly Love Songs, at least not today.  There will be other days to play Rod Stewart’s “You’re In My Heart” or Kylie Minogue’s “The One” (or Kylie’s entire catalog, actually.)  Now I’m starting my own list of my favorite anti-love songs and will add to it when I come across other songs that fit the theme.  Check out the list below and enjoy.  Or rather, don’t enjoy- wallow instead. 


Anti-Love Songs

Aerosmith - Hole In My Soul

Afghan Whigs - Fountain and Fairfax

Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know

Alice Cooper – Poison

Alicia Keys - Goodbye

Beck - Lost Cause

Bee Gees - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

Ben Folds Five - Song For The Dumped

Beyonce- Me, Myself And I

Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine

Billy Bragg - Valentine's Day Is Over

Bob Marley & The Wailers - No Woman, No Cry

Bon Jovi - You Give Love A Bad Name

Cake - I Will Survive

Cee Lo Green- F**K You

Chris Isaak - Somebody's Crying

Concrete Blonde - Long Time Ago

Cowboy Junkies - Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning

Dave Mason - We Just Disagree

Def Leppard - Love Bites

Eagles – One Of These Nights

Eagles - Heartache Tonight

Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel

Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind

Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way

Flock Of Seagulls- Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)

Flock Of Seagulls- The More You Live, The More You Love

Foreigner - Head Games

Frank Zappa - Broken Hearts Are Fo...

George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today

Gilbert O'Sullivan - Alone Again (Naturally)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_P-v1BVQn8&feature=player_detailpage

Gino Vannelli- Hurts To Be In Love

 
 
Go West - The King Of Wishful Thinking
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000TDBFLQ/ref=dm_ws_sp_tlw_trk1_B000TDBFLQ 

Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris - Love Hurts

Harry Nilsson - Without You

J. Geils Band - Love Stinks

Ice T - 99 Problems

Joe Jackson - Happy Loving Couples

Journey - Separate Ways (World Apart)

Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Juliana Hatfield - Everybody Loves Me But You



Justin Timberlake- Cry Me A River

Kajagoogoo- Too Shy

 

Kanye West - Heartless

Kate Bush - This Woman

Kelis - Caught Out There

Kelly Clarkson- Since U Been Gone

Lauryn Hill - Ex-Factor

Linkin Park - Valentine's Day

Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam- All Cried Out

Lucinda Williams - Changed The Locks

Maroon 5 - Through With You

Mary J. Blige - Not Gonna Cry

Matt Skiba - Good Fucking Bye

Mazzy Star - Blue Flower

MC Ya - U & Ur Hand

Meat Loaf - Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

Michael Johnson - Bluer Than Blue

Motley Crue - Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)

Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walkin’

Nazareth - Love Hurts

Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep ...

Otis Redding - I've Been Loving You...

Pat Benatar - Heartbreaker

Patsy Cline - I Fall To Pieces

Patsy Cline - She's Got You

Paul & Linda McCartney- Another Day

Paul Simon - 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover

Paul Young- Come Back And Stay



Police- King Of Pain



Quarterflash - Harden My Heart

R.E.M. - The One I Love

Radiohead - How Can You Be Sure

R.E.M.- Everybody Hurts

Rhianna - Hard

Righteous Brothers - You've Lost That Loving Feeling

Ringo Starr- King of Broken Hearts

Roy Orbison - Crying

Samantha Sang- Emotion

Sum 41 - Pieces

The All-American Rejects- Gives You Hell

The Cure - Apart

Manhattans - Kiss And Say Goodbye

Replacements - Answering Machine

The Sundays - I Kicked A Boy

Temptations - What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted

Todd Rundgren- Hello It’s Me

Velvet Underground - Femme Fatale

White Stripes - Forever For Her (Is Over For Me)

White Stripes - I Can't Wait

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers- You Got Lucky

Tom Waits - Blue Valentines

Toni Braxton - Unbreak My My Heart

Ugly Kid Joe - Everything About You

Whitesnake – Here I Go Again

Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart

 
 

Okay, Fine- Here Are Some Love Songs (i.e "You Are The One")

Ambrosia- You’re The Only Woman

Firefall- You Are The Woman

Kylie Minogue- The One

 
Rod Stewart- You're In My Heart (Final Acclaim)

Foo Fighters- The One


 

 

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Justin Bieber Is A Douche Too

 

A Short History Of Justin Bieber’s Year Of Troublemaking
(By Caitlin Dewey, Washington Post, 15 January 2014)
Justin Bieber performs during a concert at Bercy arena in Paris. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)Justin Bieber performs during a concert at Bercy arena in Paris. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
Justin Bieber may be the worst teen pop star of his generation. That’s not a commentary on his musical talent or charm, but an objective consideration of the number of scandals 19-year-old Biebs has found himself in over the course of the past 12 months.  In case you’ve forgotten — or, let’s face it, weren’t paying any attention in the first place — Bieber has made news for the wrong reasons not once, not twice, but 12 times in the past year. In fact, his problems with both the law and his neighbors far predate this current egging drama. To wit:

1. March 26: One of Bieber’s neighbors in Calabasas, Calif., accused the singer of assaulting and threatening him after the two got into an argument.

2. March 28: German customs officials confiscated Bieber’s pet monkey, Mally, when he failed to produce the paperwork to bring it into the country. They later billed him several thousand dollars for the monkey’s care at a German zoo.

3. April 12: Bieber visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and casually wrote in the site’s official guest book that he hoped Frank “would have been a belieber” — had she not, you know, died in a concentration camp.

4. April 25: Swedish police raided Bieber’s tour bus in Stockholm, finding marijuana and a stun gun.

5. May 7: Bieber and Usher were sued for $10 million by a pair of R&B musicians who claimed they wrote “Somebody to Love,” but were never paid or credited for it.

6. June 27: The Biebs was sued by a paparazzo who claimed the singer kicked and punched him at a mall in 2012.

7. July 10: TMZ published a video that appeared to show a very classy Bieber urinating in a mop bucket in a nightclub kitchen while also insulting Bill Clinton.

8. Nov. 2: While on tour in early November, Bieber yet again made headlines, this time with some sex-related scandal. The New York Post's Page Six alleged that Bieber had been spotted exiting a brothel while in Brazil. Then, a YouTube video sparked gossip that he'd done something less than innocent with the young woman featured in the clip. Bieber's camp has had no response on the chatter.
 
9. Nov. 7: Brazilian police charged Bieber with defacing a building in Rio de Janeiro.  Also on Nov 7th, a young Brazilian woman uploaded a video of Bieber sleeping to YouTube, which quickly went viral. 

10. Nov. 14: Bieber apologized to Argentinian fans for using their national flag to wipe down the stage after a concert in Buenos Aires.

11. Jan. 14: Bieber was detained in his Calabasas home while police investigated him in connection to a “felony egging incident.” A felony egging incident, for the record, is when you egg your neighbor’s house and cause $20,000 of damage.

12. Also on Jan. 14: During their search of Bieber’s house, police stumbled upon what they believe to be ecstasy, “molly” or cocaine. One of Bieber’s house guests, 20-year-old Lil Za, was arrested for possession; he then allegedly broke a phone in jail, prompting another charge for vandalism.  Bieber has since gone a full 24 hours without mischief, though that probably won’t last long. The L.A. Times reported very early this morning that detectives are currently testing the drugs found in the Bieber house and sifting through many hours of tape from his home security system.  Get it together, Biebs. You’re only lending more credence to those Lindsay Lohan comparisons.
 


 

Bieber Arrested On Drunken Driving, Resisting Arrest Charges
(By Alan Duke, CNN,  January 24, 2014)

Justin Bieber was charged with drunken driving, resisting arrest and driving without a valid license after police saw the pop star street racing early Thursday morning, Miami Beach police said.  "What the f*** did I do? Why did you stop me?" Bieber asked the police officer who pulled him over just after 4 a.m., according to the arrest report.  Bieber, 19, was released from a Miami jail an hour after he made a brief appearance through a video link before a Miami judge, who set a "standard" $2,500 bond Thursday afternoon.  He strutted out of the jail dressed in black, with a baggy hoodie covering his head. His pants appeared to be baggy leather. Bieber briefly sat on top of a black Cadillac Escalade, where he waved to screaming fans, before he was chauffeured away.

At the bail hearing, the singer, dressed in an orange jail uniform, stood silently with his lips sometimes pursed as attorney Roy Black represented him in the hearing earlier.  Black told Judge Joseph Farina that he had been retained by Bieber's manager. He said his partner had been denied access to Bieber in jail before the hearing.  Bieber was booked into a Miami jail after failing a sobriety test, Miami Beach Police Chief Raymond Martinez told reporters Thursday.  Bieber "made some statements that he had consumed some alcohol, and that he had been smoking marijuana and consumed some prescription medication," Martinez said.  A Miami Beach officer saw Bieber driving a yellow Lamborghini in a race against a red Ferrari in a residential area of Miami Beach, Martinez said. The cars were speeding at about 55 to 60 mph in a 30 mph zone, he said. 

The officer pulled Bieber's car over, but the singer was "was not cooperating with the officer's instructions," Martinez said.  "At first, he was a little belligerent, using some choice words questioning why he was being stopped and why the officer was even questioning him," he said.  He allegedly ignored a police officer's request to keep his hands on the car while he did "a cursory patdown for weapons," the report said.  "I ain't got no f***ing weapons," the arresting officer quoted Bieber as saying. "Why do you have to search me? What the f*** is this about?"  The arrest report describes Bieber as having a "flushed face, bloodshot eyes, and the odor of alcohol on his breath."  Bieber failed a field sobriety test, Miami Beach Police Sgt. Bobby Hernandez told CNN.

Two black SUVs blocked the traffic at 26th and Pine Tree Drive, which "facilitated an open road" for the two cars to race on Pine Tree, the report said.  The Ferrari's driver, identified as 19-year-old Def Jam recording artist Khalil Sharieff, was also arrested on a drunken driving charge, police said.  Sharieff posted a photo on his Instagram account of Bieber in the yellow Lamborghini with a woman behind the wheel early Thursday. "U know bizzle brought that lambo out," he wrote in the caption.  Another posting showed a photo of a Ferrari steering wheel with the caption: "Miami nights ridin thru yo city in that hot wheel."  A tweet posted Wednesday evening on Sharieff's verfied Twitter account linked to a video of him playing basketball with Bieber.  Bieber flew to Miami on Monday.

Another police department in the Miami area is investigating a report that some of its officers escorted Bieber's caravan between Miami strip clubs this week without authorization.  Opa-Locka Assistant City Manager David Chiverton told CNN affiliate WSVN-TV that "at some point, the escort took them at least to two locations that we know of."  "The police administration had no knowledge of this escort, and it is not the norm for those things to occur without the chief and his administration authorizing such escorts," Chiverton told the TV station.  Thursday's incident marks the first time the teen singer has been arrested, although he is under investigation on allegations of egging his California neighbor's home.

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies used a felony search warrant last week to raid Bieber's mansion in the felony vandalism investigation. They seized Bieber's iPhone and the security camera system, which detectives have been examining for clues about who tossed eggs over a fence that splattered onto the next-door house, causing an estimated $20,000 in damage.  Deputies have also investigated reports by Bieber's neighbors that he raced his expensive sports car down the streets of the exclusive Oaks community of Calabasas, California, but no charges ever resulted.  One neighbor accused Bieber of spitting in his face during a heated confrontation last March. Deputies have responded to complaints about loud parties at Bieber's place. 

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office concluded it couldn't prove the spitting or speeding cases in court, so it declined to prosecute.  Prosecutors also rejected a misdemeanor battery complaint from a photographer who accused Bieber of attacking him in the parking lot of a Calabasas shopping center as he was taking photos of Bieber and his then-girlfriend, Selena Gomez, in May 2012.  "We didn't do this search warrant to send a message," Sheriff's Lt. David Thompson said last week. "That's not what we do, but we hope maybe that understanding the gravity of this will change some of the behavior."

Thursday, January 2, 2014

The List: 2014 (A Guide To What's In And What's Out In 2014)


The List: 2014 (A Guide To What's In And What's Out In 2014)
(By Monica Hesse and Dan Zak, Washington Post, 31 December 2013)
 
Houston in the blind.  It’s us. We’re out here in orbit, untethered, spinning, trying to dodge the debris flying toward us: jagged shards of computer code from HealthCare.gov and a giant wrecking ball carrying Miley Cyrus, who somehow got her hands on a slutty spacesuit. Rand Paul and Wendy Davis are up here too, and low on oxygen (solution: stop filibustering), as is Edward Snowden, who’s saying we should just head for the moon, where we can seek amnesty from 2013.
 
In what direction are we pointing?  North West-Kardashian? What’s that sound? The dynastic call of the Duck Commander? In space, no one can hear you quack.  You know who’d be good in a situation like this? Rob Ford. Rob Ford would brilliantly blunder his way back to Earth, or he would deny ever having been in space at all.  Wait- our radio is crackling with new voices. Houston? No. It’s…it’s the pope. And Sheryl Sandberg. They want to talk. They’re saying that to get back you have to lean in. Embrace the future. So we do, with a list as our instruction manual.
 
Out/In
 
Hillary 2016 / Gillibrand 2020
Walter White / "Orange is the New Black"  
Cronuts  / Egg Creams
Mockumentaries  / Mockbusters
Bitcoin / Coin
Content / Context
Austerity / Restraint  
Jennifer Lawrence / Shailene Woodley
Tesla Motors / General Motors
Thigh gaps / Soccer legs
Citizen journalists / Citizen therapists
Pencil-skirted secretaries / Madwomen in the attic
Exposed brick / Brass fixtures
Uber / JetSuite
Dickensian sagas / Thin reads
D.C. statehood / Arctic sovereignty  
Color runs / Stroller derbies
Lorde / Betty Who
Kombucha / Drinking vinegars
The undercut for ladies / Fancy lady hair for men
Grindr / Hinge
Kirkland / Price First
The Dulles Toll Road / The Silver Line  
"Key & Peele" / "Broad City"
Asteroids / Calderas
Origin stories Orgy stories
Boy wonder know-it-alls Nana wisdom Donda Off White Food stamps Tanda tithing
Daft Punk Todd Terje  
Madea   Ja'mie
Introverts vs. Extroverts
Judgers vs. Perceivers
Disrupting / Distilling
Beyoncé / Beyoncé
Happy hours / Breakfasts
Team gymnastics / Team figure skating
Brussels sprouts / Cauliflower
Queueing for gadgets / Strategic Luddism  
Cyndi Lauper / Stevie Nicks
Denzel / Chiwetel
Soul Cycle / Gyms in churches
.com / .everythingelse
"This is everything." / "You do you."
Underage models / Model rights
Whiny millennials / Young invincibles
Logan Circle / Fort Totten  
Ferns / Succulents
"Keep Austin weird" / "Buffalove"
Binge-watching / Fast-forwarding
Green burials / Dying on Mars
Pot brownies / Gourmet marijuana recipes
The Justins- Bieber and Timberlake / The Bells- Kristen and Lake  
Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey / Allspice dram
Snapchat / WeChat
Sitters / PANKs
Boot camps / Sweat-working
"Call the Midwife" / Midwives for the dying
JFK / WWI
Russia / Latvia
James Deen / Stoya
Shade / Side-eye  
Deep-frying /  Spatchcocking
Open government / Open shelving
Fox's old white Santa / SNL's new black woman
Skeet shooting / Drone shooting
The Washington Redskins / ANY OTHER NAME, REALLY.