When compiling a top 10 list, there’s a big difference between “Best” and “Favorite.” Usually, “Best” implies some sort of objectivity. If I was compiling a Best Albums list, I’d probably include some influential and innovative albums that I never listen to anymore, like the new Wilco or the White Stripes. Instead, 10 albums I genuinely enjoy that have rarely left my MP3 playlist:

Favorite 10 Albums of 2002

Ben Kweller, Sha Sha

Bill Frisell, The Willies

Destroyer, This Night

Dixie Chicks, Home (*)

Mates of State, Our Constant Concern

Mirah, Advisory Committee

Norah Jones, Come Away with Me

Songs: Ohia, Didn’t It Rain

Spoon, Kill The Moonlight

Tori Amos, Scarlet’s Walk

Other Top Album lists for 2002

KALX DJs, CMJ writers and community, Aquarius Records, Spin, Time, Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, The Onion AV Club, KCRW, TinyMixTapes, Amazon, Rolling Stone, and Uncut.

If you know of any more, please add them below.

Continue reading “Top 10 Albums for 2002” →

After I learn how to binary finger count, I’ll give my friends a high 11111 and flip my enemies the 00101.

For its high wax content, I recommend Jack Handey’s My Best List For 2001.

Continue reading “The National Wax Association” →

This L.A. Craig’s List job listing seeks a professional liar: someone to pretend to be multiple users on a bulletin board, to simulate an active and thriving online community.

“However, these characters must maintain a strong presence on the board so other members feel as if they are genuinely part of their community, thus, creating more activity on the board.”

Someone out there doesn’t quite get it.

I temporarily disabled my firewall today and received this piece of Windows messenger spam: “Stop these annoying messenger ads for FREE and FOREVER! Open your web browser and go to www.FightSpamWithSpam.com.”

It makes sense, I suppose. I’ve seen popup-killer applications advertised in popup windows and e-mail spam filtering software advertised in spam e-mail, so this is the new equivalent. Meta-spam is a simple way to target their demographic, and who cares if it’s evil?

Still, you have to give them credit for their technique; after showing you how to turn off Messenger services yourself, they beg for donations to fund their spamming efforts. (Grrr.)