Uncool Music Playlist - T.I. "What You Know"

T.I. - New Music - More Music Videos

The Uncool hits keep on rolling... Live, from Jeff's iPod it is #23 on my most played list "What You Know" by T.I. Being a 46 year old white man, this is less about the song being Uncool than it is strange that it is on my iPod and sitting at #23.

Uncool History - Paul Revere & The World He Lived In

Jeff's Uncool series on history continues with a look at Paul Revere.

"Paul Revere and the World He Lived In" by Esther Forbes.

This is a cool little book that digs deep into famous patriot Paul Revere. I'm always interested to find out where these little footnote dudes came from and how they fit into the big scheme of things.

This book actually won the Pulitzer Prize and is full of cool little tidbits on this little understood American figure.

Example: On Paul Revere's famous midnight ride, he never shouted "The British are Coming" for a couple of reasons. First, it was kind of secret. He wouldn't have been shouting. Second, at this point, everyone still considered themselves British so the phrase meant nothing. He is reported to have told people "The Regulars coming out."

Uncool Music Playlist - Pete Townshend "Stardom in Acton"

The Uncool hits keep on rolling... Live, from Jeff's iPod it is #7 on his most played list "Stardom in Acton" by Pete Townshend. This is probably one that not everyone is familiar with but I've always been a big Pete fan. This is one that psyches me up to get writing when I get into a lull. I never saw this video before, simple but clever...

I love these lyrics:

'Stardom - I want a hit
Want my tan, want my cash, want my innocence
Stardom - I want a script
Want by band, want my stash, want omnipotence'

This is line I didn't really understand until I moved to Los Angeles. Townsend is describing Southern California:

'Watching the storms and the tangling wires
And rivers that meet on the corner'

TV is Superior to Movies - Dexter

How can you not like a story where they give you sympathy for a serial killer? I was hyper-skeptical before watching this but picked up a season on sale and was hooked. Turned me into somewhat of a Showtime man with this one.

My favorite parts are when he's trying OH SO HARD not to kill his co-workers. Nice...

Uncool History - John Adams & 1776

Jeff's Uncool history series continues with a look at the founding of the good ol' US of A.

"John Adams" by David McCullough
"1776" by David McCullough

David McCullough is quite simply 'The Man' when it comes to history books. They are just so well researched and readable that you can't help but get sucked into these incredible stories. I would have never thought that John Adams would be a dude worth reading about but this book is absolutely essential if you want to understand anything about the founding of the country.

"1776" was a side book that came about from McCullough's research into "John Adams" so in a sense, these books go together as companion pieces.

What I learned:

A) How much was at stake during all of this - these guys would have been better off just letting things go the way they were going but they all decided to stick it to England at great risk to their money and their lives.

B) How hopeless it was - They had no business competing let alone winning a war against England.

C) How smart everyone was - It was very primitive but everyone was very, very well read and wanted to better themselves.

D) What a douche Thomas Jefferson was - Every book I've ever read seems to point to the fact that TJ was a piece of crap. I wasn't there, so I don't know, but a pattern is emerging...

HAPPY 4th!!!

Uncool History - The Battle of Gettysburg "The Killer Angels"

Jeff's Uncool history series continues with a look at the Battle of Gettysburg.

"The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara.

This is a fictionalized, dramatic account of the Battle of Gettysburg based upon tons of research. If you ever wanted to get a feel for how a battle shapes up, why the different sides were on different sides, what they thought, this is a must read.

You get a feel for how hot it was... how the generals on each side all knew each other from the Army and West Point... how true bravery usually comes out of just doing what is right even though it is probably going to get you whacked. The first day of the battle was July 1, 1863.

This book won the Pulitzer Prize as well. Read your history books!