Badgers! Badgers! Badgers!

Wisconsin recovers blocked punt in endzone to come from behind and defeat Minnesota.

Wow. That was probably one of the most exciting college football comebacks I've ever seen. After everyone, including that pseudo-annoucer Lou Holtz wrote the Badgers off with them down by 3 to the Gophers with 30 seconds left in the game, the defense comes up huge, with Jonathan Casillas blocking a Minnesota punt and recovering in the end zone for the game winning touchdown. Suck on that, doubters.

Saturday links:

• From LA Weekly, how MTV sold its soul.

• XMEN3 launches website for the movie.

• From LHB, Nobel Prize in Literature Harold Pinter's poem "American Football." Worth the read.

A Lesson in Constructive Criticism

I'm all about constructive criticism; being a graduate English major, it's supposedly one of the most useful tools we have as writers, one that connects us with our readers in a process of negotiation. Of course, that's only the case when it's constructive criticism. I bring this up in light of a recent comment by "Anonymous" which I will share with all you, my readers, to highlight my point.

A couple days ago, I ran across a copy of the supposed Arcade Fire Christmas Album from last year, A Very Arcade Xmas. Not being a huge fan of Arcade Fire (I own Funeral, but that's about it), this was news to me, and since it's getting to be about that time of the year I thought, what the heck, I'll post a few tracks. So I tracked down the Pitchfork review of the album via Brooklyn Vegan, who linked to it last December, threw out a couple tracks (which were obviously in jest to a real "christmas" album) and figured that would be the end of it. I didn't spend hours researching it, or anything else I usually find; after all, this is free mp3's we are talking about, not Middle Eastern politics. However, my error in not mentioning that the songs weren't sung by Arcade Fire was picked up on by "Anonymous," who had this to say:

Oh please. The band has already stated on their site that no REAL arcade fire members were involved in the making of those christmas tracks, just some friends. There was even a pitchfork interview with them in which they (PF) apologized. You're late and get your facts straight.

This comment brings to light a couple of things. The first being this is not what I would consider constructive criticism. The tone is unapologetic and generally bitter. So it's not sung by Arcade Fire. Big deal. One could easily say "actually it was sung by some friends and not the band, which they say on the website" instead of an insulting tone that attacks the writer's knowledge and delivery of the material. Like I said, not very constructive.

Well anyways, that's my schpeel on reader commentary. Criticism and counterarguements are great. Being bitter about someone's lack on knowledge on an area only makes you look like a jerk. More importantly, I could give a shit. It's free music. I don't have to spend an hour everyday looking for it to give it you, so shut up and download it.

Music: Saturday Mix

The Boy Least Likely To - "My Tiger, My Heart"
The Boy Least Likely To - "Paper Cuts"
Audioslave - "I Am the Highway"
The Rolling Stones - "Miss You" (Dr. Dre Remix 2002)

Sorta-Featured Artist: Evergreen Terrace

I saw some Emo-looking kid in Martin's the other day wearing a black hoodies that said "Evergreen Terrace" on it and my first thought was "isn't that a road back home?" Then I thought of the Terrace in Madison, WI. Not until today did I realize he was talking about the band Evergreen Terrace, who fits into that punk/metal screamo stuff the kids are all about today. Currently on a European tour, more Evergreen Terrace info can be found here.


Evergreen Terrace - "New Friend Request"
Evergreen Terrace - "Zero" (Smashing Pumpkins cover)
Evergreen Terrace - "Understanding the Fear that Lies Within"