My furs is Mongolian, my ice brought the goalies in

So there's a rumor that Kanye West will play a surprise show in Austin during SXSW. He released this video at the beginning of March that started all the hubbub:


So now I have to decide if I dare treck over to the Seaholm Power Plant at midnight on Saturday to see if this is real. I'm tempted, but I've been burned by Kanye before so I'll probably pass unless, you know, he wants to give me a VIP pass. Call me, Yeezy!

What's Occurin'?

Tap, tap, tap...

Is this thing on? *blows dust away*

It's true. I'm blogging again, for a couple reasons.

1. Lost is off the air so there's not much good on tv anymore.

2. I'm going to South by Southwest next March and I need some place to write about it all.

So, what have you missed? Let's see, I'm back in journalism, I moved to York, PA and Tippy is still awesome. In fact, we're getting our Christmas card photo taken this weekend. hopefully he'll be at his best that day.

While I sort through hundreds of songs and plan my SXSW adventure, I'll try and post updates about music and other stuff I enjoy. Here's a list of a few things I've been loving lately to get us started:

• The Walking Dead - You're watching this new show on AMC aren't you? Aren't you? I know I said tv wasn't as good since Lost left, but I may be changing my mind. This past Sunday's episode went by so fast I couldn't believe an hour had passed. Now that I think of it, the show is a lot like the zombie season of Lost that Darlton always promised us.
• Mumford & Sons - Sad, British folk rock meets early Wilco style alt-country? Sign me up! Start with "Little Lion Man" and go from there.
• Looking in windows - The end of daylight saving time make this easier. I don't mean staring in windows in a creepy way, just that quick glimpse of others' lives you get as you drive by their lit up windows in the dark. All those other people going about their business on a chilly evening - I find it comforting.
• Gavin & Stacey - You know how the British come up with all these funny, heartwarming sitcoms then the Americans remake them and ruin everything? I fear it's only a matter of time before that happens to this great show about an odd couple and all their friends. You can stream it on Netflix, or sometimes catch it on BBC America. Either way it's a sweet little show worth checking out.

Have the guts, got the glory

Why, you may ask, are those frat boys dressed like sheep? It's house decs night at Mizzou, of course!

I know not every school has house decs (short for decorations) as part of their homecoming festivities, but it's one of my favorite parts of homecoming weekend. In short, fraternities and sororities around campus team up and build a set for a skit in their front yard. Everything has to be pomped (covered with little wads of tissue paper) and a skit is written to match the homecoming theme. This year's theme was "New Fight, Same Bite" but it pretty much boiled down to "Beat the Longhorns." Then for four hours on Friday night tons of people show up as the Greek houses act out the skits over and over again for the mulling crowds. Confused yet? Don't worry, I have video!

See? Super hokey fun! Maybe you just have to be here.

So tomorrow's the big day. There's a parade in the morning then some sort of football game or something in the evening. My friend and fellow Mizzou alum Sarah is meeting up with me, so now all the Tigers have to do is win. Should be easy.

I saw him scratch a rash and I had to grab an ax

It was really only a matter of time until all the great artists of our generation made music that captured the wave of swine flu hysteria sweeping the planet. I'm sure Bruce Springsteen's swine flu tribute album will be hitting the record stores any day now, but until then I give you The Streets.

I follow Mike Skinner's Twitter (I know, how very 2009 of me) and he posted a link to his new swine flu song today. It's accompanied by a video featuring all your favorite zombie movie moments. I can't begin to tell you how happy this video makes me. Just remember when Springsteen's album wins all the accolades that The Streets did it first and did it best.

And if a cat can't be a Wiccan, who can?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm heading over to Jeff's in a couple hours to enjoy some turkey and all the other awesome food. I will provide the cranberry salad and apple pie. I did not bake the pie. I'm not good at baking, and I'm lazy.

I can, however, provide some entertainment for all of you. Well, if by "provide" you mean to add a link to something entertaining. One of my favorite writers, Dave Eggers, has an odd but funny little piece in the New York Times today. It's a sort of play presented as a graphic. So click over here and take a few minutes to read. I suggest paying special attention to the cat, Robert Smith. He's probably the wisest character in the play.

By the way, did anyone see Rick Astley in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this morning? Blew my mind! It also reminded me of this YouTube video that you've all probably seen, but just in case:

Victory!

I was watching CNN this morning and saw a commercial for the Obama commemorative "victory plate." The ad was just so cheesetastic that I couldn't believe it. Look how happy those kids are to have their very own plate!

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Note: Edited at 5 pm to add the original, more awesome version of the ad.

The benefits of leaving in (or near) a swing state

Cincinnati's own (by way of Brooklyn) The National played a free concert on Fountain Square last Thursday. I snuck away from the office on my dinner break just in time to catch their set. It was a beautiful night and we were surrounded by all the tall buildings downtown. It felt very cosmopolitan. I just wish I could have stuck around and hung out with the band at Rock Bottom afterwards.

I got a bookish look and you're all hot for teacher

I made a point of watching SNL this week for the first time in years so I could see Sarah Palin's appearance. I thought it was mildly entertaining, but I was really hoping to see Tina Fey and her standing next to each other. They look so freakishly similar, I some time to actually compare them. I had changed the channel by the time Weekend Update came on so I missed Amy Poehler's rap. So here it is, in case you missed it, too.

You were just some silly girl taking in the sights of your empire's colony

Just in time for election season The Decemberists bring us what we've always wanted - a love song to an exposed spy. The band has a series of singles coming out over the next few months and the first one was released Tuesday featuring the song "Valerie Plame." Yes, the song is about that Valerie Plame. The press release calls it a song from, "the point-of-view of one of Plame's inside contacts upon discovering her true identity, the song is an amorous tribute to the onetime CIA operative." Check it out:

From a young age my two greatest loves were always Jews and Cuban food

If you were one of the five people out there who missed the Vice Presidential Debate on Thursday, here's Saturday Night Live's take on it. This is pretty much how it went down. Sad, but true.

We all knew it was coming

Finally! Everyone I know has been waiting for Tina Fey to play Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. Is it strange that she seems more like Palin than the real Palin does? I wonder if she's been working on that accent since McCain first introduced her.

Heard they'd do anything for a Klondike

So I threw some stuff together from my trip to Vegas and made a video. It's not as great as puppies playing in the grass, but it can waste one and a half minutes of your life - if that's what you're into.

Found it!

Here's the commercial I was talking about a few days ago. You know, the one featuring "The Crane Wife 3" by The Decemberists.

All under the boughs unbowed

I've watched a TON of Olympics coverage this weekend. Seriously, I've seen swimming, water polo, boxing, fencing, beach volleyball, diving, weightlifting, rowing and gymnastics. It's been a nice way to spend the weekend actually, and I finally got around to cleaning my apartment some, too.

I've also liked some of the new commercials that have debuted during the coverage. I will admit to being a huge sucker for the new Nike commercial featuring The Killers' song "All These Things That I've Done." In case you missed it, here it is:



There's an AT&T commercial that's been bugging me all weekend. I can't find it on YouTube, but it showed different fans watching the Olympics on TV and reacting. It had been driving me crazy all weekend because the song on it sounded so familiar. Finally, with a lot of Googling and a guess that it was The Decemberists, I was able to figure out that the song on the commercial is "The Crane Wife 3" by the aforementioned band. I can't tell you how relieved I am to get to the bottom of this. Not being able to place a song is almost as annoying to me as having a song stuck in my head. I'll finally be able to sleep tonight! OK, it's not that bad, but I do feel better.

Have you ever wondered what my desk at work looks like?

Well, now you'll get to see! I have to learn iMovie for a conference I'm going to so I made a little project tonight using video I shot at my desk and a bunch of photos that were still on my camera. It's far from polished, but at least it didn't take me very long. I also think you'll enjoy the creepy Billy Bragg soundtrack.

Everybody needs to know it's the year of the rat

Happy Chinese New Year, people!

In celebration I bring you a video from Badly Drawn Boy, a true Sad & British artist.

More ice skating in public

Jeff, Melissa and I went to visit New York last weekend where we crashed tenement style in Harlem with Josh. (Seven people, one bathroom? No problem!)

I shot a little video of ice skating at Rockefeller Center that you might enjoy. Come for the low quality, stay for the funny ending.

I've had enough of this parade

I have an appointment at the Apple Store tomorrow night, but I think it's just a technicality. I've tried everything and Declan seems to be truly shot. Maybe those smarmy Apple guys can save him, but I'm losing hope.

What goes better with my sad state of affairs than the saddest band out there? Here's the video for the new single from the sad & Scottish boys of Travis. They really know what it's like to lose an iPod.

You love my lady lumps

Meggan, Jeff and I watched Florida win yet another national championship last night. Yea, I guess. Meggan's a UF alumn so I'm sure she's happy, but even she thinks it's probably someone else's turn to win.

While we were watching the game, Meggan mentioned Alanis Morissette's new cover of the Black Eyed Peas song "My Humps." She tried to explain it but I couldn't quite get my mind around this whole thing until I saw the video. Now I'm sharing it so you can see the coolest thing Alanis has done since 1995.



While we're at it, you should check out this video, too. The Reds had their opening day game yesterday and it's usually the biggest thing that happens in Cincinnati all year. The mayor got the chance to throw out the first pitch (usually something a president or VP does) and, well, see the results for yourself. I guess this is what happens when you still live with your parents.

Found it!

Wanna see the little kids I'm inviting to my party? Keep an eye out for them about halfway through this clip. Sorry the quality is so bad, but I think you'll get the idea.