tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35141189672093746682012-01-29T05:52:25.275-08:00The Wayne Diego Report<i>We Have No Idea What It Means Either</i>Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.comBlogger4201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-67031176303554801322010-08-22T16:14:00.000-07:002010-08-24T13:10:18.510-07:00News you can use!(And abuse ... ?)
There is a design philosophy that if you want to change the look of your medium (magazine, newspaper, website, etc.) that you should make several small changes instead of one big change. The idea is that people won't notice the small changes (or will be more accepting of them) and, eventually, the medium reaches the same end: a new design. This also makes for less "Letter to Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-4300452424055655332010-08-03T17:47:00.000-07:002010-08-07T18:17:55.541-07:00The Arcade Fire Fucking BlowsAnd I can prove it...scientificallyToday saw the long-awaited new release from indie darlings The Arcade Fire. Everybody seems to be a fan of them, from musicians to critics to Serious Music Lovers. Though this is only their third album, each one is treated like an "event". Each album gets rave reviews and numerous accolades, and we as the music-buying public are supposed to applaud the band Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-86451805138294604192010-07-17T22:41:00.000-07:002010-07-17T23:38:07.594-07:00Memos from a Cold, Dark PlaceAttention loyal WDR readers - it has come to our attention that transmissions from this heart of satellite hearts have not been reaching our audience of alcoholic pre-tweens and banana bread rape enthusiasts. We have been doing everything we can to correct this heinous dilemma, whilst issuing our usual high-quality journalism into the void. Technicians are standing by to address the problem, but Joe Reeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13001260000246770256noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-50016233482156397712010-03-02T23:29:00.000-08:002011-06-25T03:25:28.073-07:00List-O-Mania! The Best 50 Albums of the 80's (Part II)As promised, the WDR crew is ready to present their lists for the 50 Best Albums of the 80's. Why only 50? Easy--because the 80's blew. We're continuing with the second half of Nic's list.Before I get to the top 25, I wanted to list some of the artists that didn't quite make the cut, and offer some justifications in order to temper your potential righteous indignation.The Fall: Too many albumsNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-71729997701100849952010-03-01T15:18:00.000-08:002010-08-22T16:30:52.328-07:00List-O-Mania! The Best 50 Albums of the 80's (Part I)As promised, the WDR crew is ready to present their lists for the 50 Best Albums of the 80's. Why only 50? Easy--because the 80's blew.It was difficult enough coming up with 50 albums that I even listen to, much less could recommend. To tell you the truth, I threw in a couple of albums based more on reputation than anything; while I do subscribe to the theory of "Kill Yr Idols", I'm willing toNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-67162458429527421792010-02-27T12:56:00.000-08:002010-03-02T15:15:15.703-08:00Of Spambots and Our Comments Section: A Quick WordSome of you may have noticed our comments sections has seen some increased activity. However, it's not exactly a desired increase, considering that the majority of these comments have been some sort of terrible spam. Now, I have no idea what the benefit of having obvious spam fill up a blog's comment section is...but apparently some people think it's a good idea. I just fear that these Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-53460779578192652892010-02-26T14:29:00.000-08:002010-03-02T14:56:19.615-08:00WDR Recommends: A Little Light ReadingWe understand that many of you shape your entire worldview by solely looking at this blog. This makes you more knowledgeable than 94.3% of Internet users, and for that, you deserve a pat on the back (WDR Courtesy Note: before forcibly taking your neighbor's hand and placing it on your backside, it is best if you ask for their permission, preferably in writing). However, we feel that your Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-32838105039705972702010-02-24T17:23:00.000-08:002010-02-26T18:40:59.790-08:00Hump Day Helper: The Unknown Band EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Fresh off a post that talked about how much fun it is to discover new music, I've got a video here from a band that I discovered back when I was working in radio. One of those bands that nobody else probably knows about, but of course, that doesn't mean Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-14299705371964044902010-02-22T16:30:00.000-08:002010-03-02T15:20:10.121-08:00The Angry FlirtInstead of the usual bar scene, this past Saturday night Mr. Zhuang and I decided to head over to a "house party" to celebrate Mardi Gras--only this house was a crowded apartment right in the middle of the East Village and overlooking Second Avenue. It's about as close as you'll see law students cutting loose in the middle of the semester, though one can argue celebrating "Mardi Gras" a week Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-66620560310869908472010-02-19T15:19:00.000-08:002010-02-26T16:19:03.196-08:00Your Unasked For Blazer ReportIt's been a strange season for Blazer fans, one where it doesn't matter who the opponent is, any night can bring a thrilling video or devastating defeat, or just a serious injury to one of our star players. The Blazers have never been a team that made it easy on their fans, so we shouldn't have expected it any other way. But this year certainly has been stranger than most.This year we've seen Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-9381823853017581282010-02-17T15:14:00.000-08:002010-02-26T15:19:09.002-08:00Hump Day Helper: Double Entendre EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.I know it's a little late for Valentine's Day, but I figure you'll forgive me, and have yourself a funky sexy time on a Wednesday night (putting new meaning into "hump day", if you will).This video is just more proof that Isaac Hayes was probably the Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-22201126300898311162010-02-16T21:53:00.000-08:002010-02-27T13:25:56.854-08:00It's A CelebrationOne can only imagine the beautiful chaos that is New Orleans today. With Mardi Gras the week after a Super Bowl VICTORY, I'm sure it's been a non-stop party for my fellow Louisianians. And here I am, stuck on this miserable coast.But at the very least I can be there in spirit. Many of you may remember my extensive journals from the last time I was back home for Mardi Gras, but my recaps failedNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-8125608396097379682010-02-14T21:52:00.000-08:002010-02-15T23:51:17.388-08:00Even My Fantasy Life SucksRecently, Mr. Zhuang and I were watching the Blazers take on the Celtics in a great back-and-forth game, that we unfortunately lost in overtime as the ageless Ray Allen, who after missing nearly everything that night, hit a clutch three-pointer. We spent a good deal of time cracking jokes about Celtics announcer Tommy Heinsohn and his bestowing of "Tommy Points"--GIVE 'IM A TOMMY POINT! BetweenNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-10220747120189850642010-02-12T18:33:00.000-08:002010-02-15T19:05:28.543-08:00The Doctor Is InYou might not think "hilarious" when I say the name "Alan Thicke", but after watching this video you might change your mind. Sure, we remember him from being the dad from that shitty early '90s sitcom "Growing Pains", but did you know he's also a composer? He did the theme music for "Diff'rent Strokes"! He also wrote for Richard Pryor! Lately it seems like he just wants to fuck around and Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-11960785326129831802010-02-10T22:50:00.000-08:002010-02-13T17:29:36.817-08:00Hump Day Helper: Blizzard '10 EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Today saw winter hit the East Coast in earnest, as NYC got a whole...seven inches of snow. Sure, the snowfall wasn't all that much, but trust me, there were like two hours where you didn't want to walk outside because, ohmigod, snow would get in your Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-91683794065014313212010-02-09T18:02:00.000-08:002010-02-15T18:32:20.866-08:00Yes I'm Still Alive and No I Still Can't Believe ItOn Sunday, the unthinkable happened. The Saints won the goddamn Super Bowl. And boy howdy, did they do it in style, with a thrilling come-from-behind victory and shocking the world. As you can tell from previous posts, I'm a big fan of the Saints, so Sunday night was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. People from all over the country were calling and texting me their Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-22997115296534460702010-02-04T14:43:00.000-08:002010-02-13T17:23:15.449-08:00WDR's Superbowl Celebration!Watching it NOT for the commercials. As you are aware (unless you've been living under a rock without TV for the last forty years) the Superbowl is this Sunday. This year features the Indianapolis Colts v. the New Orleans Saints.So, what is WDR doing to celebrate? Well, I'm pretty sure that Nic and I are going to round up some beer and Cheez Doodles and yell at the television. Joe, I'm sure, willMr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-42186420228611943162010-02-03T16:42:00.000-08:002010-02-12T16:48:23.214-08:00Hump Day Helper: Attempting to Go ViralBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.OK Go - This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.I've never been a big fan of OK GO, but I've never disliked them either. They've always had some catchy songs, and I didn't mind it that my radio station had a real boner for them. Plus, they were one of Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-82513485957770837052010-02-01T16:59:00.000-08:002010-02-13T17:39:16.696-08:00If Only I Could Have One Of These In New YorkAfter walking the streets of New York everyday for about 18 months now, I realize how much a pain in the ass dogs can be. Sure, for their owners it can be maddening as they don't just shut the fuck up or have to be brought outside to tinkle every 4 hours, even in the bitter-ass cold. No, it's also the fact that everyone else has to deal with these dogs on a constant basis. While it's been my Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-73266150445936202992010-01-27T14:31:00.000-08:002010-02-12T16:48:54.833-08:00Hump Day Helper: Another Apartment StoryBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.I'm going to begin the introduction of the video with a little story. I was still working as a DJ/Music Director back in 2007, when The National's acclaimed album Boxer came out. Since I was a guy who actually cared about music/his job, I had read up a Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-41209973411802491122010-01-25T14:06:00.000-08:002010-02-07T14:49:17.822-08:00Prepare Your Bunkers: The Saints Are In The Super BowlThere are some things that you can count on, year in and year out. The swallows will return to Capistrano, the Saints will lose, etc. These are constants that we can rely on in an ever-evolving world [cue Steve Jobsian-style presentation].At least that was the case until yesterday.I am still in disbelief, and I don't think I'll truly comprehend it even on February 7th. To many, the Saints are Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-38716739735421457292010-01-23T16:03:00.000-08:002010-02-12T16:18:30.028-08:00Was WDR on Team Coco?You bet your sweet ass and half-a-titty.But all the WDR support in the world wasn't enough to keep Conan on as host of the Tonight Show. Sure, Conan got the ol' Oklahoma Screwjob from Jeffrey Zucker, Dick Ebersol, and the rest of the nitwits from NBC, but we have to admit, wasn't it strange for Conan to be the host in the first place? His best humor always had a weird absurdist bent to it, and Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-63142867833630399982010-01-20T15:36:00.000-08:002010-02-12T16:02:24.332-08:00Hump Day Helper: Spoon Is Still CoolBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.As mentioned in the previous post, Spoon's new album Transference came out this week. It's an interesting mix of their early days, abandoning the neo-Motown soul and pop hooks of their recent work. Instead, the band mixes the rough, fiery guitar of A Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-75038601904317646102010-01-18T15:02:00.000-08:002010-02-12T15:34:08.805-08:00List-O-Mania!This past year saw not only your usual end-of-the-year countdowns, which we're totally cool with, but also your end-of-the-decade lists, which we're also totally cool with. RollingStone had their Best Albums and Best Singes of the Decade lists, and the AVClub had a month devoted to Decade's Best compendiums. You may ask yourself, "Where are WDR's lists?" Well, they're not here right now, but Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-40245721235631549062010-01-13T16:38:00.000-08:002010-01-15T16:50:57.637-08:00Hump Day Helper: Douchebag EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.I can think of a million reasons to hate Vampire Weekend. They look like the SAE douchebags that I would encounter on a daily basis. Their music is ridiculously twee and hipster-riffic. These fuckers probably wear boat shoes.Yet I enjoyed the hell out Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-64054383644398848282010-01-08T16:00:00.000-08:002010-01-15T16:56:12.525-08:00WDR Attempts To Conquer All MediaWe here at WDR are at a crossroads*. If you look at our output over the course of our three year existence, you'll notice a downward trend in the number of our posts. We've provided a helpful graph so you can better understand.Now you may assume that there has been an increase in the quality of our posts, since we have to pack all our good...shit into fewer posts. This would be an incredibly Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-43128808345861107892009-12-31T13:20:00.000-08:002009-12-31T19:35:47.480-08:00And we approach the New Year ...WDR New Year's VIDEO Extravaganza!Yes, it's that time again: Time to get drunk and stay up late WITH A PURPOSE! Then there's the next few weeks of writing the wrong date on your checks and feeling a little bit older. (Wait, I was in high school ten years ago?!)There's also the tradition (for some) of making New Year's resolutions. I have not done this, mostly because no one keeps their Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-88862165990025315592009-12-23T18:19:00.000-08:002009-12-23T18:33:53.296-08:00Hump Day Helper--Mr. Festive EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.People love to bitch about holiday music, but frankly I've never had that much of a problem with it. Granted, I do my part to avoid maximum exposure--I avoid working (thank god for grad school!), plus when I go to the grocery store I usually listen to myNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-74408218550413533822009-12-22T18:08:00.000-08:002009-12-23T18:34:42.578-08:00Monkey Gone To HeavenSince the beginning of time man has yearned to destroy the sun...and explore the cosmos I guess. You combine that with politicians who love to rally people behind pointless crap, and you get things such as the great Space Race. Of course, landing on the moon is how we avenged Kennedy's death and ended the Cold War in 1969, so there may be something to said for space travel.Now we need to Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-7315277472803028152009-12-19T14:37:00.000-08:002009-12-19T14:39:28.291-08:00WDR's New Look!OMFGZ!
The Wayne Diego Report has a new look! We even have a picture of Mr. Diego himself gracing the blog! What fun!
Do you like it? Think it sucks? Don't know why you're here? Are you looking for Ronnie Coleman pictures and/or tentacle rape porn? Whatever the case may be, leave a comment to let us know what you think!Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-14766428145987064132009-12-18T21:06:00.000-08:002009-12-19T12:22:18.317-08:00New York I Love You But You're Creeping Me OutLiving in New York City, Part I.
I've now been living in New York for two months. In that time I've learned a few things about the city. Here are a few of my observations:
Cab drivers are insane. It really shouldn't come as a surprise, but cab drivers, in general, are fucking nuts. I guess I could say this about driver in general, but since most of the cars on the road here are cabs, so, Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-5336879811320854692009-12-18T20:28:00.000-08:002009-12-18T22:57:12.043-08:00WDR comes back for Christmas cheer!Hip hip, HOORAY!
So I was sitting in the office at work and the radio was on. Usually this means that the alternative rock station is on and there's something decent and the artists are always changing. It boasts being the only "new rock" station in town, though I can count on my hand the truly "new" songs I've heard on this thing. But that's not a problem.
Anyway, the day is going normally. Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-73887985820940804032009-10-20T16:57:00.000-07:002009-10-20T17:07:14.557-07:00Watch out New York ...Oh shit ...The weight of WDR has shifted from West to East as I, Mr. Zhuang, have now moved to New York. With the aid of Nic Ouzo, I will be able to take the city by storm. Or, maybe just get really drunk. Which will be fun, too.What does that mean for you, the reader? Well, it means that there will probably be a bit more of an East Coast bias in our blog and most updates we put on here will be Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-27446498727673397692009-09-15T20:54:00.000-07:002009-09-15T21:32:03.593-07:00Remember, remember, the first post of September!OK, so we seriously haven't posted this month. It's already halfway through the month and we have posted nothing until now.I guess it's my fault as much as anyone else's fault. But for whatever reason I'm compelled to put something in this "Blogosphere" despite having nothing, really, to say. Perhaps that the reason why so many people write blogs and why so few are actually read.I could have beenMr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-10356513098672744642009-08-21T23:38:00.000-07:002009-09-04T22:46:42.791-07:00Nic's Wild European Adventure: ViennaAlright, we're about to wind down the crazy European Adventure, and what better place to do it than the Original Seattle. That's right, I'm talking about Vienna, home to the world's greatest classical musicians. The city was home at one point or another to Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, among many others--the Mudhoney, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam of their day, respectively. As a student and lover ofNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-61855762214247002372009-08-21T22:11:00.000-07:002009-09-02T10:46:42.639-07:00Nic's Wild European Adventure: PragueAfter a week of total relaxation, it was once again back to the sight-seeing grind. Next was a trip that I had been dreaming about for years, a journey into the heart of Eastern Europe and into Prague. Now, I don't really know anything about Prague, either than it was the home of a number of artists and scientists and so on, including one of my favorite authors, Franz Kafka. I didn't even Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-53194485486502879192009-08-20T21:40:00.000-07:002009-09-02T10:46:27.427-07:00Nic's Wild European Adventure: Visiting the MotherlandThe next weekend I decided to quit the whole sight-seeing deal, and get down to brass-tacks. Time to update the agenda and readjust priorities so we can concentrate on what's really important: relaxing. And what better place to do that than the beautiful beaches of Greece?For this weekend I took a plane with some co-workers down to our beachhouse in Halkidiki, where we relaxed and had ourselvesNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-66956811921550568782009-08-20T21:31:00.000-07:002009-09-02T10:46:12.453-07:00Nic's Wild European Adventure: Berlin With Ze GermansBerlin marked a new traveling experience for me. Instead of going with a compadre, this trip was done totally solo. A frightening proposition, considering I had to confront multiple train switches and otherwise navigate myself around a town without knowing more than three words of German (well, beyond the essentials of "beer," "sausage," and "sauerkraut."). Hell, even the train station was Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-74342839995288764572009-08-19T21:05:00.000-07:002009-08-23T21:18:40.884-07:00Hump Day Helper -- Return of the Shaq EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.It's summer, which means total shit on TV. Everything has to suck unless...wait, Shaq has a new television show? And it just involves him competing with other random athletes? Sign me up!Last night was the premiere of "Shaq Vs.", and it was actually a Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-13038202895709190802009-08-18T20:33:00.000-07:002009-08-23T21:04:34.108-07:00Nic's Wild European Adventure: CopenhagenThe next stop was my first venture into Scandinavia. We took what can only be described as an epic train ride from Den Haag into Copenhagen, using our fancy-pants Eurail passes. This time we paid a bit extra on the way in by taking a night train and paying for some beds. This was totally worth the extra 30 euros--It's not the most comfortable sleep in the world, especially when you have a Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-37599971183777734102009-08-18T19:52:00.000-07:002009-08-23T21:20:17.787-07:00Nic's Wild European Adventure: London TowneNext stop on the tour was a familiar spot--London (no "merry old England" crap from this guy, I'll tell you wha). I've been to the city many times before--my mom has a cousin that lives there, and we've often spent some time in her brownstone up in Archway. However, the last time I was there I was just entering high school, so this trip promised to be slightly different. Of course, consideringNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-54070615794399549262009-08-17T19:28:00.000-07:002009-08-23T20:32:35.185-07:00Nic's Wild European Adventure: BrugesIf I grew up on a farm, and was retarded, Bruges might impress me but I didn't, so it doesn't. One of the best and most hilarious movies to come out last year was a little film called In Bruges. It got some minor notice and some rave reviews, but for the most part people haven't really heard too much about it. Which is a damn shame. I mean, just reading the quotes page is enough for hours of Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-24112220292298222542009-08-17T19:04:00.000-07:002009-08-23T21:19:08.104-07:00Nic's Wild European Adventure: IrelandEven though I'm back State-side, I never gave you readers the full rundown of what happened over in Euro-Land. While I did provide a great look into the day-to-day life of a stranger in a strange land (Dutchland), I didn't have a chance to go over all the trips that I took to different countries over each weekend. So, before my vacation ends, I'm going to spend this week running down the full Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-2162360372334491172009-08-13T18:06:00.000-07:002009-08-19T18:28:48.447-07:00Bummer, Man.As I prepare for Mr. Zhuang to join me in New Yawk, we began to make plans of the cool shit that we would do living in the city. Among the other things we discussed was going to Iridium to see the legendary Les Paul do a show, just like he does every Monday night. Unfortunately, we made our plans too late.That's because Les Paul passed on this week. Granted, he was 94, so it was not totally Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-83144870776079454402009-08-12T17:09:00.000-07:002009-08-19T17:29:18.922-07:00Hump Day Helper -- Nic Ouzo Birthday EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Though just about every week it's "my" choice for the video, this choice was one that was surely made solely in my own self-interest. That's right, it's time for another Pearl Jam fix, and the hell with you if you don't care for it.Since there are few Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-74518144985695508922009-08-11T18:01:00.000-07:002009-08-19T17:09:40.522-07:00ASEVoIS: Health Care, ReduxOne of the first articles we wrote back in the early days of WDR was an article on health care in this country. Back then, I was arguing that instead of wasting our time talking past each other on immigration (when a real solution would have merely involved a simple compromise), we should spend our time discussing a real problem like health care. It only took us two years to reach this point, Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-18117089311626308622009-08-09T17:31:00.000-07:002009-08-14T17:52:34.951-07:00Happy Birthday to Me (2009 Edition)Hey, once again it's time for a birthday post. Unlike the other two bozos, I'm stepping up to the plate and doing my own quick birthday post. So how is/was my birthday? Well, besides the slight bummer of having to return my copy of Dinosaur Jr.'s new album, something I had been waiting to have for over two months, because of some packaging error that gave me only the bonus disc and not the Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-35177305061208164962009-08-05T11:24:00.000-07:002009-08-07T11:44:46.431-07:00Hump Day Helper -- The Return EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Well, today marks the end of my Wild European Adventure. Not to worry, I have more stories and dispatches from the road to dispense with--you haven't even begun to hear about the extent of my crazy travels and encounters with strange local customs. And Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-55329064804827752432009-08-04T16:46:00.000-07:002009-08-07T11:24:10.152-07:00Nic Ouzo's Wild European Adventure: My Second Encounter with Dutch PoliceI did a previous post that documented my initial encounter with Dutch Police. While they gave me somewhat of a hard time, they actually let me off pretty easy. The Police would only be a minor character in my travels if that had remained the sole encounter, something that I could merely laugh off. However, that was not to be the case, as I eventually ventured into a Kafkaesque journey into theNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-30986854409943099552009-08-03T17:34:00.000-07:002009-08-12T20:38:30.751-07:00Nic Ouzo Meets A Woman: A TemplateThe following is but an example of what occurs when I meet a woman for the first time. While the details may change, the general pattern (and end result) are always the same.Don't know what to offer you I'm only broke and lonelyAnd another one goes, and another goes by...Being the naturally shy type, it is rare I approach anyone, female or otherwise. Some of my friends may find this hard to Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-61272021939318887712009-07-31T18:56:00.000-07:002009-08-16T18:52:04.172-07:00Nic Ouzo's Wild European Adventure: Exploring Dutch TelevisionSome wise scholar once said that the best way to get a view of another culture is to view what they watch on television. Actually, I'm pretty sure no one actually said this, and I really didn't feel like writing a decent opening for this post. No matter, the stage is set--we're talking about Dutch television today.Surprisingly enough, there is plenty of English-language programming available onNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-44979784310115132362009-07-30T20:05:00.000-07:002009-12-20T19:38:26.919-08:00Nic Ouzo's Wild European Adventure: There's a Reason Why You Can Never Find A "Dutch" RestaurantOne of the initial questions I had when I first found out I was going to the Netherlands for the summer, was what exactly is Dutch cuisine (this gives you a good idea of what my priorities are in life). And even though the person I was asking had lived in Holland for 3 months, she couldn't give me much of an answer. And now here I am, three months later, and I too can't give much of an Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-65093836241788837612009-07-29T17:16:00.000-07:002009-08-02T14:27:04.624-07:00Hump Day Helper -- Backyard Barbecue EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.I figured that this week I'll provide a video that our regular visitors might not know. I mentioned these guys in my Best-of list for 2008, getting a special honorable mention since I was a fan of their debut album. For a duo, they sure make a helluva Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-22115014649261991772009-07-28T18:38:00.000-07:002010-01-02T04:44:08.434-08:00The Death of Intellectual HonestyLet's take a look at this résumé:Princeton, summa cum laudeYale Law School, editor of Yale Law JournalProsecutor in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) for five yearsFederal Judge for 17 years, 10 of which were on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals (nominated by both parties for the positions)Unanimous "Well Qualified" assessment by the American Bar Association (highest rating)Sounds likeNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-79905484802389724532009-07-27T16:30:00.000-07:002009-07-29T17:10:49.529-07:00We Must Win the War for Hot Dog Technological SupremacyWhen you're traveling on a budget, some things have to be sacrificed. One area where a lot of money can be saved is in the food part of your budget. As a result, even though I've been traveling to different countries every week, I haven't taken the time to indulge in some of the finer cuisine.That isn't to say I haven't sampled the local flavors, it's just usually on the cheaper side. One of Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-82902265484504856072009-07-25T14:55:00.000-07:002009-08-04T14:34:56.683-07:00Too Clever By HalfThere's an expression of some sort, along the lines of "too clever for his own good." This phrase came to mind as I read a letter to the editor in The Economist. I know, you're thinking "that's what you get for reading the goddamn letters to the editor," but I had a really good excuse--I was at an airport. There, that explains it.The letter in question refers to a short article that The Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-42042227914228830432009-07-23T17:21:00.000-07:002009-07-30T02:25:11.907-07:00Courting Controversy--Law Professors and Gay RightsRecently my current school found itself in the middle of a controversy over one of its faculty appointments. See, NYU Law decided to hire Professor Li-ann Thio from Singapore as a visiting professor this fall. Initially, this appointment proved no problem, as most of us are not up-to-date on the collected writings of legal scholars in Singapore. However, as you may be expecting (considering I Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-3187793351570860692009-07-22T15:20:00.000-07:002009-07-27T15:35:40.548-07:00Hump Day Helper -- Overlooked EditionThe Von Bondies, "C'mon C'mon"Geüpload door elsifo. - Ontdek andere muziek video's.Because it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.As the year 2009 has moved past the halfway point, I realized that we're probably going to be hearing a lot about "best of the decade" lists in the near future. Even Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-76795047305530126952009-07-21T14:44:00.000-07:002009-07-27T15:17:10.251-07:00Things That Make Nic Ouzo HappyFew things give me as much joy as listening to the music of Pearl Jam. When people learn this about me, it tends to provide interesting reactions--the more musically inclined show some respect, while the other 98% of people look at me cock-eyed and think "how could anyone listen to 'Jeremy' a million times?" Don't worry though, I'm used to it. Unlike most "fans" (and most people you know, Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-9746858282346111822009-07-20T15:18:00.000-07:002009-07-25T15:27:26.725-07:00A Sad AnniversaryEven though the Berlin Wall fell twenty years ago, there is still a divided capital in Europe.Today marks the 35th anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus. You're not going to hear a word about it today in the American media, but you know, we're kind of used to that by now. We're used to having to explain the details of a complex situation to each person we meet, so today is no Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-87027536159282374162009-07-18T14:35:00.000-07:002009-07-27T15:07:30.248-07:00Thank God They Speak English HereDutch is a terrible, terrible language.I don't know if I was expecting something different before I arrived in the Netherlands, but I don't think I've had a single pleasant encounter with the language. Oh, it's not the fault of the Dutch people, who are plenty nice and reasonable in my dealings with them (unlike some of their neighbors to the south). But there is something about the language Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-81925258063284774442009-07-15T17:04:00.000-07:002009-07-23T01:39:29.223-07:00Hump Day Helper -- Tank Brigade EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Last week we featured a video from the Arctic Monkeys, so I figured, why the hell don't we throw in a video from the singer's side project? I mean, a band that features another singer that sounds exactly the same as Alex Turner, throw in a massive stringNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-847251955522654372009-07-13T15:44:00.000-07:002009-07-22T15:32:27.795-07:00Nothing Lasts Forever...Or Ten MinutesThere's a fantastic movie called Good Bye Lenin! that I recommend people watch, whether they want to get a feel for life behind the Iron Curtain around the time of the revolutions of '89 or they just want to see an enjoyable film. That being said, there's one part of the movie that I took note of that struck me as rather interesting. One of the characters had the job of a TV repairman, and it Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-6924625312064594592009-07-08T16:28:00.000-07:002009-07-25T12:58:05.457-07:00Hump Day Helper -- The Kids Are Alright EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Arctic Monkeys are one of those now-traditional English bands that get built up to near-Beatles hype in the UK, then fall back to Earth about 23 seconds later. Of course, neither extreme is correct, and these guys do a great job of putting a clever spin Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-33259770471745688212009-07-07T16:15:00.000-07:002009-07-07T16:26:32.254-07:00The one time I'll blog about Michael JacksonTrust me, it'll be brief.Michael Jackson is dead. It's been on the news for days. That's it. Dead guy. OVER.I don't want to see any more news about Michael Jackson UNLESS it involves his re-animated corpse re-doing Thriller. This is the lone exception.I wouldn't mind hearing more/reading more about the beer expert Michael Jackson, however. That guy was a badass...He's also dead.Blog over.Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-88719675226627897742009-07-07T01:07:00.000-07:002009-07-08T01:56:24.116-07:00I don't think that word means what you think it means...Now I haven't used the blog to rant too much about easy political targets like Sarah Palin, leaving that job to HuffPo's rabid denizens and the illiterate commenterati that populate the CNN Political Ticker. God knows she's deserved some comment, but even though she's shown incredibly thin skin (she can call John Kerry a horse-face but how dare you say she looks like a slutty flight attendant) Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-57838368441305323082009-07-03T14:16:00.000-07:002009-08-07T11:19:08.022-07:00The Dutch Take Their Bike Safety Very SeriouslySir, have you been drinking?This is the story of my first encounter with Dutch police. Unfortunately, it would not be my last.I had just gotten back from a weekend trip to London, where I had gotten my Eurotrash on, when I stopped by my office to pick up my bike and ride it home. So after a train ride to the airport, 2 hours of waiting including delays, a one hour flight, a half-hour train rideNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-1283136890091961982009-07-01T16:58:00.000-07:002009-07-04T17:12:24.258-07:00Hump Day Helper -- Dad Rock EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Last week was Father's Day, and we didn't do anything, because you know, it's Father's Day. Dads don't have time for that crap, none of this touchy-feely shit, and they're sick of your goddamn ties. If you forget to celebrate it, they're not going to goNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-22520780595328232952009-06-29T15:43:00.000-07:002009-07-03T15:45:16.589-07:00The American Public Disappoints AgainSo Transformers 2 was the number one movie in America last weekend--not only that, it broke some sort of box office record in the process. Of course, the fact that this happened is not exactly shocking, but that doesn't mean it can't bring a tear to the Indian's eye.Look people. I understand the general sentiment to want to see something like Transformers. I mean, the toys were kickass, and Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-58958129665630427622009-06-26T14:45:00.000-07:002009-07-01T16:33:59.736-07:00Nic Ouzo's Wild European Adventure: My First Night in The HagueI've already discussed the details of my initial travels, but have yet to give much of an account of what's happened since I've been on the Continent itself. Today, that changes as I tell you the story of my first night in the Netherlands.I came to Holland without any place to stay lined up, based on the advice of an intern that had done this same gig in the previous year. They had the Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-41714709156696953102009-06-24T14:23:00.000-07:002009-06-30T16:26:08.919-07:00Hump Day Helper -- The Old Guys Still Have It EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.We've featured these guys multiple times here on WDR, mainly because it means we get to use one of our favorite tags on these posts. Even if that weren't the case, we'd still probably get around to showing multiple videos from Dinosaur Jr.In case you Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-66641698959446915302009-06-22T13:53:00.000-07:002009-06-24T21:18:29.139-07:00A Slightly Educated View of Important Stuff: Blogs v. NewspapersOccasionally WDR finds some subject of importance to chat about that, well, we might actually know a thing or two about. Usually it's Nic who puts these together, but this time Mr. Zhuang is going to contribute.There's been a lot of talk about the legitimacy of blog news sites versus traditional newspapers. Much of this talk is coming from newspapers which are, if you haven't noticed, drowning Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-28083430192780669292009-06-20T15:23:00.000-07:002009-06-25T01:07:01.822-07:00WDR's 2 Year Anniversary Blowout CraptacularSo the time has come once again to mark another milestone for this blog. Two years have passed since we started this project, and man have things changed. We've had some laughs, shed some tears, and wrote at least four posts that lied about our current situations. Joe has settled down with three of his baby's mamas down in the hole that is LA, and Zhuang-o now has a fancy degree that enables Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-47284651061830181042009-06-17T15:55:00.000-07:002009-06-18T16:08:19.696-07:00Hump Day Helper - The Sound of Our Elders EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.It's shaping up to be a pretty good summer in music, as many WDR faves prepare to release new albums. Good thing I'm an entire continent away from those happenings. Don't worry for me though, I'm sure I'll survive.This week's selection is from one of Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-46467113937370739482009-06-16T15:08:00.001-07:002009-06-16T15:33:57.745-07:00Notes ON Travel: Trans-Atlantic TomfooleryHey, it's the return of that recurring series no on really pays attention to! This is surely the best way to recommence the blogging habit and pulling in the audience.1. If you're going to be stuck in the middle seat, it might as well be on a Trans-Atlantic flight. You may think I'm kidding, but you'd be wrong. WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG. Wrong. That's because those trans-Atlantic flights use Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-30219756438499585982009-06-11T16:09:00.000-07:002009-06-11T16:23:33.291-07:00Nic Ouzo's Wild European AdventureWith Hijinx sure to ensue!As Zhuang-o mentioned in his post, I'm spending the summer doing the whole Europe thing. Granted, I'll be doing a lot of work for my fancy-pants internship in the Netherlands, but there will be lots of traveling and and general no-goodery on the weekends. As Zhuang said, we may find that my summer ends up looking like the one good scene from Rules of Attraction.I Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-85329299868570019432009-05-29T21:15:00.000-07:002009-06-16T15:35:47.080-07:00WDR: Back in Action!Or: More empty promisesSo the last time there was a post on this thing I went on about how there would be new posts and all that and then, well, didn't follow-up on that in a very timely manner. But there is good reason for this. Here's a brief overview:-Joe just went through an epic move from living in a cubical (not his) to living at a local Del Taco. I think we can safely assume where Joe willMr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-17248738985776696322009-04-28T23:03:00.000-07:002009-04-28T23:20:08.900-07:00You probably thought that this blog was dead, didn't you?You would be that negative. But no - even in this economy I can safely say that no one at WDR has been laid off or has had to take a pay cut. We achieved this by having low overhead costs and not actually paying anyone.Yes, times have been hard, especially without the Hump Day Helper to get you through your work (or, perhaps now, lack thereof) week or the occasional randomness of Joe's epic blogsMr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-59660034543076760212009-03-25T17:18:00.000-07:002009-08-15T02:17:24.826-07:00Hump Day Helper -- Joe Reefer Birthday BlastBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Continuing the birthday celebration for Joe, we're throwing up a video of what's probably his all-time favorite band. Before they started embarrassing themselves with songs like "Love Hurts", Incubus used to be one of the most exciting bands out there. Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-60444798232329020882009-03-23T16:47:00.000-07:002009-08-14T16:50:35.511-07:00Happy Birthday Joe Reefer!Normally we would allow the author to write his own birthday post. But Joe is probably on the run once again trying to escape child support payments. Or he's just being lazy. It's one or the other, with no room in between, or room outside of that box of choices. Enough with the ramble, on to the birthday wishes.Enjoy.Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-26391245547695827762009-03-11T20:59:00.000-07:002009-12-20T20:45:30.137-08:00Hump Day Helper -- Zhuang-O Birthday EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Fresh off the celebration of Mr. Zhuang's birthday, we're providing a video from his all-time favorite artist for the Helper. Of course, what with Universal Music Group's restrictive youtube policy, it's hard to find an embeddable video. So even though Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-35529786453159311132009-03-10T16:41:00.000-07:002009-08-14T16:47:16.665-07:00Happy Birthday Mr. Zhuang!Normally, we would allow him to do his own post for such an occasion. But he's claiming he's busy for some reason. Giving some excuse about "finals" or other such nonsense. So we're throwing up this half-assed excuse of a post to celebrate, regardless.Enjoy.Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-65086439720266620122009-02-12T18:19:00.000-08:002009-02-13T18:37:47.059-08:00WDR Reviews 2008 in Music: Part 2We covered Part 1 earlier in the week, and now it's time for part 2. I am one of the few people on this planet that still believe in the artificial construct of the album, so coming up with a top ten list is a big deal for me. That being said, I was able to come up with the 10 titles pretty easily--the ranking however took at least 27 seconds however.Nic Ouzo's Top Ten Albums10. Kings of Leon -Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-50423221487452523212009-02-11T18:09:00.000-08:002009-02-13T18:19:22.142-08:00Hump Day Helper -- Kick Ass Cover EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.These guys figure prominently in my Year in Review for music, and it's with good reason. The Odd Couple is a brilliant record, and you should own a copy of it. If you don't, consider yourself forkstabbed.They had a brilliant video nominated for a GrammyNic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-90573336504793266632009-02-10T21:41:00.000-08:002009-02-11T22:03:16.756-08:00WDR Reviews 2008 in Music: Part 1I mentioned in a Hump Day Helper way back when that 2008 was kind of a shit year in music, at least by the halfway mark. My stance has softened considerably since then; while not nearly as awesome as say last year or 2005, 2008 wasn't a total disappointment. It was a pretty solid year, with a lot of decent records--just not anything transcendent. Which is ok--sometimes you want to hit for Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-10683052099092441842009-02-09T20:44:00.000-08:002009-07-29T17:13:31.203-07:00The Grammys and some other music nonsenseI must agree with Nic's previous post about the Grammys. I did not watch the show as such, but I was interested in the performances. In fact, I even went so far as to read a piece by Entertainment Weekly about the "Best and Worst" Grammy performances. The only problem was this: I wanted there to be some horrific performance that I could watch in addition to the greats. That's what I assumed when Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-34738971862509394102009-02-08T23:15:00.000-08:002009-07-29T17:13:05.264-07:00Radiohead Takes Their Name Perhaps Too LiterallyEveryone knows the Grammys are a joke of an awards show, but sometimes there are performances that make the evening worthwhile. Not worthwhile enough for me to actually watch the show live, but worthwhile enough that I'll check out clips on the Youtubes. One such example is the live performance of Radiohead (well, at least Thom and Johnny) doing "15 Step" with the USC Marching Band. Granted, INic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-70425078455790013032009-01-29T21:15:00.000-08:002009-01-29T21:34:23.122-08:00This Shit Cannot StandI was already for the downturn in our economy to be the new "El Nino"--the catch-all excuse for anything bad that was going wrong. In other words, I thought it was a lot of bullshit attempting to mask a serious problem--say, about a 90-10 split. But that was before I realized how serious the problem had gotten. How serious?So serious that the Girl Scouts are cutting back costs by putting less Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-47048847605805030012009-01-28T21:40:00.000-08:002009-07-29T16:07:31.986-07:00Hump Day Helper -- Whatever Floats Your BoatBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.Yeah, it's been a shit week (for me). That means that we're going to need an extra-strong serving of the Helper today, so I went through my record collection and chose one of my random favorite songs. Hell, I have no idea what it's about--I don't even Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-63375834898426581782009-01-20T16:56:00.001-08:002009-01-20T20:54:06.828-08:00There's No Better Way To Sum Up This DayThan to share this picture of my old room. This poster is fittingly taking the spot of my poster of the album cover of Rage Against the Machine's "Evil Empire".Don't worry, I still have that poster at my new place though.Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-54875665722048039962009-01-08T10:57:00.000-08:002009-01-20T17:10:01.418-08:00Meaningless Debate: Best RepairmanPeople have always wondered how things measure up to other things. Like, who would win in a fight: a bear or a shark? Dinosaurs or man? Alien or predator?These imaginary competitions are really meaningless, but they're also alluring in a somewhat retarded way. And so it is with great pleasure that I announce the first WDR Meaningless Debate: Best Repairman!Our first contender: Archibald "Harry" Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-58929635391145998872009-01-01T16:50:00.000-08:002009-01-20T23:57:26.007-08:00You can tell it was a good New Year's party...When this is what you wake up to in the morning.I know that it’s trueIt’s gonna be a good year...Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-81083073353736059082008-12-24T19:42:00.000-08:002008-12-24T20:00:25.803-08:00No More Modern Re-InventionsNormally Wednesdays are reserved for the required "Hump Day Helper", but since it's the holidays this week, you either 1) don't need the Helper or 2) are so far beyond the help that a Helper could provide, that it would be counterproductive to even suggest anything could help. Really, it just depends on your family, though I imagine many people are reading and saying "a little from column a, a Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-25512291273144850102008-12-01T11:25:00.000-08:002008-12-01T11:30:12.414-08:00Joe Reefer Fears for His LifeATTENTION ALL WDR READERS, the life of a very near and dear friend may be in serious peril. At 10:40AM (a serious time, for serious business) your very own Joe Reefer received the following notice of his imminent doom. I hope that your thoughts will be with me as I fight for my very life in a battle which, in all likelihood, I cannot win.FROM: AGENTTO: (my e-mail address)SUBJECT: GOOD DAY Joe Reeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13001260000246770256noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-90993755508355127702008-11-07T15:45:00.000-08:002009-01-29T21:47:13.376-08:00Hump Day Helper -- Unnecessary EditionYou saw the news from yesterday. There's no need to pick up your spirits for the rest of your week.Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-1740103043289118632008-11-04T22:01:00.000-08:002008-12-01T19:50:13.383-08:00This Picture Says It All.Joe Reeferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13001260000246770256noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-46786898147272975442008-11-04T16:04:00.000-08:002008-11-04T22:06:51.330-08:00Election 2008: It's finally hereHello and welcome to WDR's 2008 Election coverage. I'm Mr. Zhuang and here's the news:First polls in (4:10PM, Pacific) : Obama 3, McCain, 8. This is only the beginning, mind you, so this is all bound to change as the night goes on. These guys need 270 votes to win, as I'm sure you're all aware. So, I'm going to guess that this means Obama has Vermont and McCain has South Carolina.As coverage Mr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-12667181783675872562008-11-03T21:07:00.000-08:002008-11-03T21:27:06.168-08:00WDR: Live Election Craziness! (Tomorrow)Unless you've been living in a cave for the last...your entire life, you know that it's election season again here in the ol' U.S. of A. If you're like me, you're pumped for tomorrow not just because we'll know who our new president will be, but also because you're sick of all of the lame election commercials that have been on all the time. This is even worse in Oregon (with vote by mail) becauseMr. Zhuanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01947657890443973615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-38221795468186081892008-10-28T00:03:00.000-07:002008-11-03T16:33:31.399-08:00Beck Live! (Sans Three-Hour Washboard Solo)As I've mentioned before, I began the year with an unofficial list of bands that I pretty much needed to make sure I saw live in case I was cut down in my prime due to an unfortunate gardening accident. It amounted to essentially three artists that I loved and also had the reputation for being stellar live acts. You've read (or, if I was to be truthful, probably didn't) the previous entries on Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514118967209374668.post-89674896608987143342008-10-22T01:47:00.000-07:002008-10-24T20:54:21.093-07:00Hump Day Helper -- Death By Sunshine EditionBecause it's Wednesday, and we all need a pick-me-up to make it through the rest of the week in our respective hells, WDR is providing some fun.When it comes to music, I'm very much a sad-bastard kind of guy. While my tastes don't just center around Mopeville, it's usually kind of, I don't know, "serious". Probably because there seems to be more to say when there's conflict in the music, or Nic Ouzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010908296718692627noreply@blogger.com0