THIS is a CLOSE-UP?

Editing + the best movie company on Earth = awesomeness.

It's hard for me to convey the importance of the scientific method of inquiry in my many classes without the students, all thousand-yard stares and slack postures, dissociating into daydreams. But the ability to suss out bullshit ("something worthless, deceptive, or insincere" such as the notion that anything can "cure" AIDS) is a valuable skill, an ability set that is strengthened by the consistent and persistent application of scientific inquiry. And what happens when that doesn't happen? Well, people can die. One of my favorite non-fiction books published in America this year was Bad Science by Ben Goldacre , and I can't recommend it enough. Buy it if you don't get it for Christmas or Random Other Holiday. Here's Ben making some trenchant points: Ben Goldacre Talks Bad Science from PopTech on Vimeo .

I was getting ready for my classes on the morning of September 11th when someone stopped by my office and told me that one of the Twin Towers had been hit by an airplane. And when I tried to dial up CNN and the page wouldn't load, I knew that something was up. But I can't say that I had even the slightest inkling that some monumental social and cultural changes were afoot, although my examination of terror management theory in grad school sure provided a sadly applicable framework for the subsequent American responses to such a fundamental challenge of worldview. And to this day, I'm still wrestling with questions w/r/t the immediate and subsequent aftermath of such a tragedy. Should the immediate investigation have been a local law enforcement action, with help from the FBI and CIA, instead of what followed in the days and weeks and months? Should the rebuilding process have begun almost instantly, to send the appropriate "fuck you" message to terrorists, the ne...

A few months back, I went on a Pitchfork-documentary-facilitated Kate Bush catalog fest, running from her late '70s debut to her most recent double album Aerial . I've long since stopped hoping to see her live -- or even see footage of her only tour, a cutting-edge multimedia affair in the aforementioned late '70s -- but what I've seen here and there has been pretty fantastic. There's a performance of "The Man With The Child In His Eyes" from a 1978 ep of Saturday Night Live (featuring Paul Shaffer on piano!), a sweet-ass live '80s version of "Running Up That Hill" featuring David Gilmour from Pink Floyd on guitar, and all the other odds 'n' sods on YouTube. Speaking of which, here is one of my favorite holiday songs, and wouldn't you know it...it's a live Kate Bush track called "December Will Be Magic Again." Happy holidays, y'all.

The 2010 concert season closed on a high note on the 11th when I flew to NYC to see Rammstein in Madison Square Garden. It's been almost a decade since I've seen Rammstein -- picture a Germanic crossbreed of Nine Inch Nails and Kiss but with more fire and S&M imagery, pierced tongue firmly in singed cheek -- but they never fail to entertain when they bring the show. Supposedly, some of the footage is coming to a live DVD next year, but in the meantime, here's a taste of the live Rammstein experience:

2011 looks sweet already -- new albums from Wire, Gang Of Four, The Decemberists, and others pepper the first few months of the new year. But the new album from The Dirtbombs sounds like the topper -- a seminal Detroit garage rock band covering seminal Detroit techno songs. Oooooooh shit. Feel free to preorder and listen to samples here . The press release after the video: Scion A/V Presents: The Dirtbombs - Sharevari from Scion A/V on Vimeo . Nearly ten years after their acclaimed Ultraglide in Black helped kick-start a renewed interest in all things Detroit and rock-and-roll, The Dirtbombs are releasing the de facto companion piece, Party Store . Ultraglide was a covers collection of 60's and 70's soul gems centred on the ideas of African-American identity and politics of the era (see Curtis Mayfield's "Kung Fu" and Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City"). All of the songs made an impression on a young, pre-musical Mick Collins as he listened...

Well, it's that time of year again, when I emerge from my digital corner to spew my borderline autistic listing of those favorite things that pop culture brings, and we start with my favorite albums and singles of the past year. That's right...I still think of "albums" and "singles" as useful designations, and will most likely think that way until I am buried in a customized 6'6" jewel case, surrounded by the ashes of 8-track tapes and bound by reel-to-reel tape. Here are albums of note, listed in order of frank awesomeness and joyful wonder: LCD Soundsystem -- This Is Happening Gil-Scott Heron -- I'm Still Here Robyn -- Body Talk Kanye West -- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Owen Pallett -- Heartland Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti -- Before Today Sleigh Bells -- Treats Wolf Parade -- Expo 86 Arcade Fire -- The Suburbs Broken Bells -- Broken Bells Gorillaz -- Plastic Beach Janelle Monae -- The Archandroid Hot Chip -- One Life ...

From the great Bob Lefsetz comes a fun way to listen to music online (at least, until the lawyers shut it down) called Tubeify. Instructions: Go to: http://www.tubeify.com/invitations/ Enter your e-mail address and click on "Request Invitation." You will get this message: "Thank you! We will send you an invite when more are available." IGNORE IT! Wait approximately 60 seconds and check your inbox (or spam folder) for a code and link and then sign up. Tubeify also works as a regular jukebox; you can enter any act and play all of its material (at least all that Tubeify can find) or you can also search for individual songs. Play now and SMILE!

Looking back, I'm amazed that I went through a two-year period of such relative inactivity on the concert scene, given my history before 1999 and after 2000. I suppose my energies were taken up with my first two years of work at NCMC , still finding my way through the peripheral bullshit that goes with a job like mine, along with the considerable distance to get to shows in the first place. (The Petoskey -to-Detroit corridor is a long lonely road.) But here they are, such as they are, for the years 1999 and 2000. Mercury Rev [Mill St. Entry, Pontiac 4.16.1999] Rammstein [State Theatre, Detroit 6.8.1999] R.E.M. [Pine Knob 8.23.1999] U- Ziq [Shelter 2.4.2000] Peter Murphy [Clutch Cargo’s 3.16.2000] The Tragically Hip [The Orbit Room 7.13.2000] St. Etienne [Mill St. Entry, Pontiac 9.30.2000] The Dandy Warhols [St. Andrew’s Hall 10.12.2000] Random memories: *Listening to "Deserter's Songs" from Mercury Rev on the way down to see the band, convinced that it was one...