Shallow Thoughts: The Interview, Ardbeg Uigeadail and Polica
September 12th, 2014
Shallow Thoughts: Vapid headline grabbing, meandering nothings and a false sense of importance
The Interview I’m trying to decide if the premise of, “Seth Rogen and James Franco go to North Korea in an attempt to assasinate Kim Jong Un” is a hilarious premise, or one destined to fail. The trailer seems to really play to the bumbling idiocy of our protaganists, as Franco wants to confirm the validity of Kim Jon Un’s ability to speak to dolphins. Primarily this looks like a summer popcorn movie; it just happens to be coming out in December. Check out the trailer for yourself and decide.
Ardbeg Uigeadail
As a big fan of Ardbeg’s standard ten year scotch, I decided I wanted to try one of their specialty bottlings. I treated myself to the Uigeadail, which can typically be found for around $70. While the Ardbeg ten year comes in at 46 percent alcohol (with no alcoholic burn to speak of), the Uigeadail comes in at an impressive 54 percent. The ex-sherry casks that this scotch is put in adds a nice sweet caramel component up front that integrates well with the peat bomb that follows through to the finish. At 54 percent you can add a splash of water to this is you want, but I’m tempted to say don’t, the burn is minimal, and the flavor fantastic just as it is. This is definitely a highly recommended purchase in my books.
Polica
This Minneapolis based alternative rock group is led by Channy Leaneagh, whose style of singing is unique with a slightly haunting quality. This song paces itself slowly, and creates a constant rhythm that I find myself bobbing my head along to. It’s highly listenable, yet it’s a very unique sound that uses vocal looping and delays to create a layered texture of sounds.
A Tale for the Time Being
“A time being is someone who lives in time, and that means you, and me, and every one of us who is, or was, or ever will be.”
These words spoken early in the book through the voice of a young Japanese girl, Nao, drew me in. I’ve just started reading this book this week and so far I only have good things to say about it. The premise is simple enough, a journal washes up on shore to be discovered by the novelist Ruth. In it she finds the accounts of Nao, a sixteen year old girl from Tokyo with plans for suicide. The unfolding of Nao’s tale in combination with Ruth’s interest and involvement in the girl’s story makes for a fascinating premise.
