Nas Midweek, Lil' Wayne Weekend

That could pretty much sum up the parts of the week that seem suitable to listen to each of those artists' music, but that's not really what it refers to.

I saw Nas do his thing at The Metro here in Melbourne (Palace? F*&k outta here. Pig, lipstick, etcetera and so forth) on Wednesday night, and I've been listening to Weezy's No Ceilings mixtape all day today (Sunday).

Part of me wants to give it up to Nas for just rocking out in front of his 7 piece band completely solo, no hype man, no special effects. Just him and his classics. But another part of me couldn't get used to the semi-trailer sized gaps of silence that all of his verses were punctured with, where a hype man would've punched in for him. Blah. Some good things, some bad things.

Same with Lil' Wayne. I keep listening to his music, I'm no Wayne hater. Of course I knew about him waaaay back in the mid 90s when most hip hop heads laughed at him and his southern brethren. But I never really paid him no mind until my boy (ironically also called Weez) put me onto The Carter II. It's been up and down ever since. I love that he truly doesn't give a f*&k, I hate how bad that makes some of his lyrics. Sometimes he goes hard, sometimes he just sounds, well, stupid.

It's kinda lame to look for the whole package in one artist, in the same way that you're a moron if you think going to church every Sunday means you'll eventually loll about on fluffy soft clouds for all eternity. I'm obviously getting something out of both listening experiences, otherwise why the f*&k would I still be listening? So I'm gonna let it ride there.

Nas midwek, Lil' Wayne weekend.

'Placido' Paul, Doing What He Does Best

Normally you would never in a million years get me linking to that piece-of-crap kiddie's pictorial the Herald Sun, (Melbourne's best printed weapon against constipation), but if you know my thoughts -- actually, f*&k it, my feelings -- about one Paul Keating, then you'll understand why I had to do it.

“Canberra is of its essence a great mistake,” Mr Keating said.

“The capital (of Australia) should never have been there, it should have been in Melbourne or Sydney.”

Mr Keating, who was visiting Melbourne from Sydney, said our city has a great feel.

But he did have a laugh at the expense of some of our architecture, describing an attempt to create a type of Victorian Classicism last century as more like “Whorehouse Rococo”, or “Bordello Baroque”.

Ok, not bad. Now try this little number about K-Rudd giving former foe Peter Costello a seat at the financial table:

"The prime minister’s goodie two-shoes approach of appointing former opponents of the Labor Party to important public jobs is no substitute for thoughtful and mature reflection as to the public requirement of those positions.’’

‘‘Costello was a policy bum of the first order who squandered 11 years of economic opportunity.’’

Kinda makes you miss 17% interest rates, no?

Get a Whiff Of Columbia

Pimp-Ho' Stature/Master-Slave Factor

In a what-the-f&*k throwback to the "good old days" in Hollywood (when Joseph P. Kennedy was getting hookers bumped off, and studio moguls were contractually permitted to regulate their stars' bowel movements), studios such as Dream Works and Disney are shutting down twitter for the help.

Influential trade publication The Hollywood Reporter revealed that new talent contracts from Disney forbid confidentiality breaches via "interactive media such as Facebook, Twitter or any other interactive social network or personal blog".

How could this possibly be practically enforced? I would love to see a test case go to court.

As the article suggests, the studios are always happy to exploit new technology in order to maximize revenue, but they have no problem curtailing freedom of speech by banning the use of the same technology by 'the workers.'

I mean, don't get me wrong, I think most celebrities on Twitter are boring and prolific to the point of indulgent self-absorption. But who the hell are you, me, or whoever the latest incarnation of Jack Warner is, to deny them that right? You know, the right to have people follow them, expect to be entertained, and then not un-follow them even when they turn out to be $hit.

That's a fundamental right.

Rascal McDuck?

Can Green Make Roy Jones Jnr. Lean Back?

David's Still Twisting Goliath's Nuts a Little Bit

I thought that the weekend's English Premier League results thus far deserved a post, especially given I'm a Gunners fan.

Liverpool losing to Sunderland? The only way that could possibly be better is if the mad mick Roy Keane was still in charge there. Injuries to Torres and Gerrard are mitigating for the Reds, but still, come on. Sunderland? Sorry Memph, that's just $hite.

Chelsea losing to Aston Villa might be a poisoned chalice, depending on whether or not you're a 'glass half full' or 'glass half empty' kinda person. I'll explain....

Based on the results of recent seasons, chances are Arsenal will be vying for 3rd or 4th place in the EPL again this time round. For the unenlightened, that's nothing to sniff at as it enables them to play in the UEFA Champs League (probably the best football currently being played on the planet). Aston Villa are vying for the same spots, so seeing them win is always a little unsettling.

However, if you were really in a 'swinging for the fences' kinda mood, you would say that league leaders Chelsea dropping points is a good thing as it evens the field at this early stage of the season.

Either way, the season just got a little more interesting...