slam dunk da funk

Album:
Prince
3121

Snaptrax:
Lolita
Black Sweat
Incense and Candles
Te Amo Corazon
Love
Satisfied

i know, i know, i'm a throwback Prince fan. the Prince who did funky, sexy songs and let you forget he's just almost as reclusive and weird as Michael Jackson. You can even tolerate his Love Symbol era as that was his 'f-k you' to the powers-that-be. what's the difference between him and Jacko? Prince writes better songs and has more talent (he started substituting symbols 4 words long b4 u had ur first Nokia). but i was yearning for the Prince of old, and his last album Musicology was more for his own eclectic musings (but sold more than expected). 3121, for the most part, satisfies my craving - though i'm still researching what does numbers mean. i didn't listen to the album in its set order - the randomness contributes to more appreciation, i think. you have his usual slinky stuff (Incense and Candles, Satisfied), but what surprised me more is the return of his funky hook mojo - listen to Lolita, Black Sweat, Fury and Love. all sound like they were written by Prince during the '80s - that says a lot about him being ahead of his time. there is still that yearning for the perfect Prince record (according to my standards) - song for song, holding up to anything - but even with the other weak tracks, this comes close. especially after a long time.

coconut news ngayon 061406

from the news wires ...

RIGHT SAID FRAUD
An audit conducted by the US Government Accountability Office yielded the discovery that about $1 billion in disaster relief funds have been used in potentially fraudulent claims in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina/Rita in the Gulf Coast.

Debit cards given to people displaced by the storms were improperly used to buy diamond jewelry, a vacation in the Dominican Republic, fireworks, a $200 bottle of champagne at a Hooters in San Antonio and $300 worth of "Girls Gone Wild" videos, the audit found.

According to the GAO, $1,000 from a FEMA debit card went to a Houston divorce lawyer, $600 was spent in a strip club and $400 was spent on "adult erotica products," all of which auditors concluded were "not necessary to satisfy legitimate disaster needs."

The GAO concluded that at least $1 billion in disaster relief payments by the Federal Emergency Management Agency were improper and potentially fraudulent because the recipients provided incomplete or incorrect information when they registered for assistance.

FEMA acknowledged its shortcomings late Tuesday.

MORAL LESSON: Give a man a fish, you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, you will ... oh, f-k it, just give him the money!!!


JIHAD ON YOUR ASS
Speaking of disasters, looks like Indonesia is still on Bad Santa's list ...

Indonesian authorities have raised the alert status for Mount Merapi, the volatile volcano in central Java, to the highest level after downgrading it in recent days.

The Indonesian Center for Research Technology and Volcanology raised the alert to red from yellow on Tuesday after noticing an increase in activity.

"The status was upgraded at 2 p.m. (0700 GMT) because of the increasing hot clouds," said Triyani, an official at the state-run monitoring center in the city of Yogyakarta, a city of about 500,000 people, in the province of the same name.

Last week, about 11,000 residents living near Mount Merapi were evacuated after hot ash spewed from the volcano's dome.

As if they haven't had enough of tsunamis and earthquakes. Were the victims predominantly Muslim? Wow, looks like Mother Nature declared a fatwa on you guys.


BLOODY CUP FLOWETH OVER
And apparently, this World Cup stuff is still too much even for those watching at home. i mean, would you rather get buried in an earthquake, die from HIV/AIDS from that Patpong transvestite, or check out like this:

Thai police are searching for a gunman who shot and killed two soccer fans at a beach resort after complaining they were cheering too loudly during a broadcast of Italy's World Cup opener against Ghana, officials said Wednesday.

The two men, both Thais, were watching Italy's 2-0 win over Ghana at a restaurant Monday at the Thai beach resort town of Pattaya, and erupted in roars when Italy scored its first goal, said Panipha Wattakul, a girlfriend of one of the victims.

A man seated at a nearby table asked them to quieten down, prompting a heated argument during which the man pulled out a handgun and shot the football fans at point blank range. Police know the identity of the gunman, who fled after the shooting.

Thailand has never competed in the World Cup. But despite the Southeast Asian nation's poor showing on the international football stage, millions of fans are glued to their televisions during the World Cup and millions of baht (dollars) are spent on illegal betting, polls show.

MORAL LESSON: Always have safety in numbers, especially when cheering for your favorite team. Or bring a gun and shoot first.


DAT IS SO GHETTOH
And just when you think it was safe in New York (decrease in Homeland Security funds notwithstanding ...)

Four young men suspected of beating a recording artist while yelling anti-gay slurs were arraigned on assault charges, but did not enter a plea.

They are accused of chasing and jumping Kevin Aviance, 38, at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday in the city's East Village.

According to a felony complaint filed by prosecutors, the men followed Aviance, called him derogatory names and threw two garbage bags and a paint can at the singer before surrounding and attacking him.

Len Evans, Aviance's publicist, said the singer could hear passers-by yelling at the attackers to stop.

Aviance suffered a broken jaw, bruised knee and other injuries, the complaint said.

Granted, Aviance is a black drag queen. Would this news get picked up if he wasn't? Oh, wait - his attackers were also black.


IT WAS THAT PSYCHO GUY FROM 'SCREAM'
And then, just yesterday, the NYC subway system seemingly became a time warp, as it materialized in the mid-'80s, pre-Guiliani purges.

Two people were stabbed, with one left critically injured, in separate incidents on the city's subway system in a roughly 12-hour period, police said.

The latest incident occurred about 4 a.m. Wednesday, when an unidentified man waiting with a friend on a platform at the Rockefeller Center station in midtown Manhattan was stabbed twice in the stomach, apparently during a robbery, police said. He was hospitalized in stable condition. The stabber fled.

On Tuesday afternoon, Christopher McCarthy, 21, of Houston, was hospitalized in critical condition after he was stabbed by a man sitting across from him in a subway car on Manhattan's Upper West Side, an attack police said was random and apparently unprovoked.

No words were exchanged between McCarthy and the man, who police said was in his 20s and wore all black.

The man left the train and police launched an extensive search, scouring subway tunnels and nearby Central Park. He remained at large Wednesday.

That's it, I'm not going out of my apartment until doomsday.

goa- wtf!?!

0-3!!!

man, them yanks better learn how to play futbol better. that, or don't join the World Cup at all.

thanks to Delphi for the Slingbox broadcast. (hey, it was lunchtime, ya wusses)

kalayaan

Bayang Magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.

Lupang Hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig,
'Di ka pasisiil.

Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula
At awit sa paglayang minamahal.

Ang kislap ng watawat mo'y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma'y 'di magdidilim.

Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya, na 'pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa 'yo.

words by Palma/Balmaceda/Santos/Caballo

balla 3

now i have only a few more days before i stop tracking sports (not exactly. there's the World Cup for the whole month of June, and then its off for the summer).

and it has come down to this: the Miami Heat vs the Dallas Mavericks for all the marbles. both franchises are in their first Finals, though some of the players (and definitely the coaches) have been down this road before. Miami is only the second team among the expansion teams of the last 20 years to get to a Finals (it is the notable that both had Shaquille O'Neal in their rosters when it happened). the Mavericks had long been a laughingstock (the "Mav-wrecks") until Internet billionaire/ultimate fanboy Mark Cuban bought the team and started rewriting the rules of how to run a sports team - a model already being emulated by some forward-thinking owners.

Heat has only beaten the Mavs once in the last 8 meetings over the past 4 years, even with Shaq in 3 of them.


Matchup Heaven

A Flash of Lightning
among the young & elite NBA guns of recent memory, only Dwyane Wade is left standing in the 2006 playoffs. oozing with charisma and talent, Wade is both a throwback and new-school, knowing the value of offensive efficiency, humility and deference to his elders, but can match anybody step by step, throw wicked dunks, and draw the usual Jordan comparisons (does being picked #3 overall sound eerie?) with his athleticism, defense and attitude. last season was his coming out party, but fell short against Detroit. i expect him to go wild in this series (and provide a rivalry to the anointed King LeBron for the next few years), just like i expect the next fellow to do the same.

the next ... don't even say it.

Dirrrty
"lo and behold, the cattle shalt be led by a German ..." so says the book of Naismith. Dirk Nowitzki, thought of as a project back when he was drafted 9th overall in 1998, has single-handedly erased the widely-held notion of European players being finesse-oriented and soft (Peja Stojakovic, Darko Milicic) and would amount to no more than complimentary players for great teams (e.g., Arvydas Sabonis, Detlef Schrempf). even eventual champs like Tony Parker and Toni Kukoc still largely played second banana to established players. Dirk Diggler had to endure doubts about his talents, criticism about his toughness and D, and even the departure of his longtime teammates Steve Nash and Michael Finley to finally come full circle and embrace his destiny. being a Mavs watcher for years, its sad to see that Nasty and Fin won't be celebrating with Dirk when he wins this championship.

reminds you of someone? (hint: initials L.B. and it isn't Larry Brown)

Diesel
this could be the time that Shaq finally brings a championship to Florida (if that happens, the city of Orlando will riot). he's getting old but he can still be the Shaq of yore when he wants to. taking Wade under his wing and spitting at his former championship partner Kobe, as well as "dissing" his former coach Phil Jackson, Shaq will have to win this one to finally cement his legacy (although it is already impressive). if he does, he should retire asap and do the Miami Vice thing. he should learn from Jordan. can you imagine him tackling gang members in Miami Beach? hooohaaa, that's another cop show right there.

kazaaaaaam!

Coach? First Class: AJ vs Riles
the Li'l General vs Gordon Gekko. Avery Johnson's young career has been stellar as can be, reaching the NBA Finals in only 2+ seasons, and that even includes the much-deserved Coach of the Year accolades. Pat Riley had an inauspicious start, engineering a (backstabbing) coup worthy of Trump and Gekko that (re)installed himself as coach, replacing his friend Stan Van Gundy, whom he designated his successor not-so-long ago. despite much criticism, he got the Heat where they've been trying to get to since he left the Big Apple like a worm and rose to power in South Beach. i respect the 4 rings - but that's far as I'll go. AJ can be as fiery as Riles, and he's been in this situation as a player. i'm rooting for him to be the next one to win rings both on the court and on the sidelines.

X-Factors
Josh Howard/Jerry Stackhouse (Mavericks)

Howard practically made Michael Finley expendable, and is now the perfect compliment to Dirk. athletic as hell, he has come of age and whenever he doesn't produce anything, the Mavs almost always lose. Stack has certainly overcome his own ego (being a Tar Heel already guaranteed the "next Jordan" comparisons) through his own winding journey in the league.

Antoine Walker

'Toine probably lost his trademark shimmy, but the guy can still bomb away with the best of 'em (and not too long ago, he was a Mav) . he's the long, tall forward in any of Riles' championship team blueprint (James Worthy, Charles Smith) and though he may not be in Worthy's class, he's dangerous enough. i wonder how former Celtic teammate Paul Pierce feels, now that Walker is in the Finals. i wonder how Danny Ainge feels.


Rocks and Roles

Take Me to the Zo

Alonzo Mourning is practically a Heat legend in their brief team history. once a storied rival to Shaq (drafted 2nd right after the Big Fella), his health problems of recent years have forced him from the main stage, but his ferocity and tenacity remains (including the oft-annoying muscle-flexing after a dramatic shotblock). whudathunk they'd be playing together in their twilight years? its not quite Chamberlain+Russell, but those two never played together at all.

UD Man
not bad for an undrafted rookie just 3 years ago. solidified the power forward position taking over from Brian Grant. probably the most accomplished person named Udonis. will battle the two-headed monster below to allow Shaq to last up to the 4th Q.


D&D
DeSagana Diop and Erick Dampier. the critical ink they both got before today combined probably will stretch across the continental US - both underachieving malcontents. suddenly, they're useful resources. Diop can claim to be an NBA Finals starter while Dampier is starting to earn his huge salary.

there is a D in Erick's last name.

Blanco

play that funky music, white boy
really? the White Chocolate in the Finals? Florida Gators must be proud. Jason Williams is having the last laugh after all his pit stops with contenders (Sacramento, Memphis) garnered him the evaluation that he wasn't the model point guard. perfect poster boy for Eminem songs.

Jettin' Devin

the duo of Jason "The Jet" Terry and Devin Harris should be something that Riley should factor in, since only Wade can run with these two. Miami is going to play slowdown because if the Mavs turn on the afterburners, the Heat are going to get fastbreaked out of the arena (assuming of course the Mavs get the offensive rebounds).

KVH is the only Mav player with Finals experience (New Jersey Nets '02). a kind of mirror image of Walker, but not as tough. still dangerous with his 3 point shot.


Gary Payton returns to the Finals with his 3rd team. no longer considered the Glove, he is more of a Mitten. but the man is too proud not to let it all hang out one last time. it's all for the ring, baby!

where have you gone, Shawn Kemp?

and yes, i haven't forgotten you, Michael Doleac.

during the 1998-99 lockout season, the first time i ever watched an NBA game was in Orlando, where the Magic went up against the Knicks (and won - though the Knicks would go the Finals that season). it was the post-Shaq era and Penny Hardaway was consolidating his (soon to be short-lived) grasp of power in the Magic Kingdom. i was rooting for a pair of rookies then - Doleac and vinegary swingman Matt Harpring. Harpring has found a home with the best old-school mentor, Jerry Sloan in Utah. Doleac also bounced around since, and its ironic that he's backing up the man he replaced in O-Town. best of luck, man.

also on the Maverick side, we have old man Darrell Armstrong, another alumnus of that 1999 Orlando Magic season. ah, memories.


... and the winner is ...



can you believe they own naming rights on both teams' arenas? i didn't realize till a little while ago.


ok, seriously, i'm giving it to the (new) man with the tongue.



Prediction: Mavs in 7. *



* despite the fact that a longer Finals run means more TV broadcast money for Mark Cuban. unless he gets fined for the same amount they earn hahahaha.

Suri, its not a robot

somewhere in the world Rachel Green is crying.

zarqed

Comments (and comments on comments) on the recent whacking of Al-Qaeda sales rep in Iraq, A.M. al-Zarqawi (sounds like a noted poet ... of death).


"Today Zarqawi has been terminated. Every time a Zarqawi appears we will kill him."
- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki

Sounds like a video game. There are probably patches and hacks for Middle East war games for PS2, to display likenesses of known targets.


"Zarqawi's death marks a 'great success,' but ... will not end violence in the country."
- U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad

At least someone's not getting drunk off this news, and shooting guns in the air.


"Today's announcement was very good news because a blow against al Qaeda in Iraq was a blow against al Qaeda everywhere."
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair

Sales are down, but that's how the market goes. There is also no truth to the rumor that this news strengthened Blair's reputation and the Labour Party for the next UK elections.


"This is a very important victory for the people of Iraq. He was the evil of terrorism. Having him killed is a very important achievement for us."
- Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih

As opposed to the 'good of terrorism'? (V for Vendetta!!!) At this rate, Iraq in itself has attained numerous important achievements if only for the death toll in their internal fratricidal war.


"We anticipated that he would be killed for a very long time. We hope that he will join other martyrs in heaven."
- Sayel al-Khalayleh, al-Zarqawi brother

Yep. With 7 virgins, right? Or was it 77? Damn, boy's gettin' some, yo.


"We're not sad that he's dead. To the contrary, we're happy because he's a martyr and he's now in heaven."
- Abu Qudama, al-Zarqawi brother-in-law

Well, General Casey et al, to paraphrase the great Patton - to win a war, you don't die for your God and your country; you let the other guy die for his God and his country. They all want to go to heaven - do it!


"Zarqawi's death, if confirmed, will have little effect on the jihad in Iraq."
- Islamist expert Yasser al-Sirry

Yep - they already friggin' cloned the bastard. Am sure al-Jazeera suppressed that story.


"I think he's been a nasty, effective terrorist threat and he will not be quickly replaceable, in that sense, as an icon ... he has been a very extraordinary and I think influential figure."
- Jeremy Greenstock, ex-UK representative in Iraq (on BBC)

Did you see the latest sales figures on the Zarqawi action figure? Man, that thing is outselling the G.I. Joes and the latest line of Justice League toys.


"Al-Zarqawi in recent times did not represent an important element in violent operations on the ground in Iraq. Out of the violence of the insurgency Zarqawi's group represented only 5 to 7 percent."
- Diaa Rashwan, al-Ashram Center for Political and Strategic Studies

You're kidding me. No way! ("Way!" - Rashwan)


"Zarqawi was a symbol ... if Zarqawi has fallen, there are others to take his place and take responsibility."
- Montasser al-Zayyar, lawyer with contacts with Egypt's militant Islamists*

but none as good-looking as the shit. he is the shit, i tells ya.


* "lawyer with contacts with militants"? wtf is this shit? this is a zarzuella. everyone there knows everyone. if the US had the right contacts, they'd have ended this war by now.

666!

Vegas odds are 100,00 to 1, the world will not last beyond 12 midnight. $500 bid gives you a penny if you lose, gazillions if you win (but good luck collecting on that one! nyahahahaha!).

driver hate

That's right. Make it a 'disease'. Make more excuses for idiots.

If they do that, then shouldn't all drivers be tested and those found to be positive of this "disorder" be banned from driving??

Serenity now!!!!

-----
Study: 16 million might have road rage disorder
Doctors say condition is far more common that they thought
Monday, June 5, 2006; Posted: 4:03 p.m. EDT (20:03 GMT) at CNN.com

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- To you, that angry, horn-blasting tailgater is suffering from road rage. But doctors have another name for it -- intermittent explosive disorder -- and a new study suggests it is far more common than they realized, affecting up to 16 million Americans.

"People think it's bad behavior and that you just need an attitude adjustment, but what they don't know ... is that there's a biology and cognitive science to this," said Dr. Emil Coccaro, chairman of psychiatry at the University of Chicago's medical school.

Road rage, temper outbursts that involve throwing or breaking objects and even spousal abuse can sometimes be attributed to the disorder, though not everyone who does those things is afflicted.

By definition, intermittent explosive disorder involves multiple outbursts that are way out of proportion to the situation. These angry outbursts often include threats or aggressive actions and property damage. The disorder typically first appears in adolescence; in the study, the average age of onset was 14.

The study was based on a national face-to-face survey of 9,282 U.S. adults who answered diagnostic questionnaires in 2001-03. It was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

About 5 percent to 7 percent of the nationally representative sample had had the disorder, which would equal up to 16 million Americans. That is higher than better-known mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Coccaro said.

Four a couple of decades, intermittent explosive disorder, or IED, has been included in the manual psychiatrists use to diagnose mental illness, though with slightly different names and criteria. That has contributed to misunderstanding and underappreciation of the disorder, said Coccaro, a study co-author.

Coccaro said the disorder involves inadequate production or functioning of serotonin, a mood-regulating and behavior-inhibiting brain chemical. Treatment with antidepressants, including those that target serotonin receptors in the brain, is often helpful, along with behavior therapy akin to anger management, Coccaro said.

Most sufferers in the study had other emotional disorders or drug or alcohol problems and had gotten treatment for them, but only 28 percent had ever received treatment for anger.

Jennifer Hartstein, a psychologist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, said she had just diagnosed the disorder in a 16-year-old boy.

"In most situations, he is relatively affable, calm and very responsible," she said. But in stressful situations at home, he "explodes and tears apart his room, throws things at other people" to the point that his parents have called the police.

Hartstein said the study is important because many people are not aware of the disorder.

x = broken

Jen Vaughniston breaks X-Men by $4M. guess my contribution didn't help.