How To Get Free MP3s Part 3: "The Slip" CD - Nine Inch Nails

Here's the last in the mini-series on how to get free music. And what a way to close it out - by getting the one of the most influential bands in the last decade and a half, Nine Inch Nails. In a method that takes what Radiohead did for In Rainbows and takes away the idea of any money changing hands, NIN is offering the CD, The Slip, for free in multiple formats (all DRM-Free) and only asks for your email address in exchange.

Here's how to get the free swag:

1. Got to The Slip website;


2. Enter your email address twice and wait for the confirmation email;


3. Open the email and click the link (make note of the passcode that is included in the email);


4. Follow the directions and you will be presented with the following:

One word of warning - if you choose any format other than the mp3 zip file, you will need a BitTorrent client (Peer-to-Peer software) installed on your PC/Mac. If anyone needs assistance with this, leave a comment and I'll square you away.

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26 ABC Counts Might Have Knocked Out O'Meara's

The details of Mike O'Meara's restaurant closing are coming to light through the mainstream media. It appears that the Virginia Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control, or as we laymen would say - the Virginia ABC, levied 26 fines against the Manassas eatery from August 2006 to April 2007 totalling approximately $26,000 according to InsideNoVa.com.

The laundry list of charges and violations included:

• 7 violations for allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages by a person the licensee knew or had reason to believe was intoxicated
• 1 violation where the licensee enticed, urged or entreated patrons to purchase alcoholic beverages in violation of state law
• 7 counts of making gifts of alcoholic beverages in violation of Virginia law
• 8 counts of holding happy hour between 9 PM and 2 AM
• 2 charges of allowing people who the licensee knew or had reason to believe were intoxicated to loiter on the premises
• 1 charge of making gifts of alcoholic beverages in violation of Virginia law was dismissed

However, since O'Meara's has closed its doors and surrendered its license in April of this year, these charges will essentially be dismissed.

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Your Random Facts for May 13

Still wondering what would make Katie Holmes to butcher her hair other than being denied her postpartum meds by her husband/handler Tom Cruise, here are today's random facts:

• The Jekyll/Hyde post-season continues for the Celts as they let a win slip through their fingers last night against the Cavs. So, now it's a best of three against King James and his court of jum-shooting jesters. My money's still on the green but some better looks on offense and better bench play needs to be there in all three games for a chance to win (unlike last night). The one good thing is Mama James will not be on the floor in Beantown.
• Are you ready for an updated Electric Company? Sesame Workshop does and if they can get young cats like Morgan Freeman back in the day, so am I.
• Part-time lead singer and full-time addict Scott Weiland went to jail to serve his 8-day stint for the DUI from last November yesterday. It will be interesting how he get out in time to play the Rock the Range fest on Saturday. but knowing how things work in La La land, he'll get some sort of work release.

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The 48-hour film project - "Cosmic Snooze"

This late post is due to yours truly being snagged for the time honored tradition handed down from the Grecians days, otherwise known as jury duty. So, rather than fill your head with needless old news, here's an interesting short submitted to The 48-Hour Film Project. It was created by The Kim Jong Thrill and titled Cosmic Snooze. Other than it being oddly funny, I'm promoting this film because of another old handed-down practice - nepotism - as my brother-in-law is prominently featured. So, why don't you give little Ricky and the gang from DC a watch and let them know what you think about it? Tell 'em Tripping The Life Fanatic sent ya.

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Michael George Trial gets the "Dateline" treatment

In case you missed it last night, the Michael George murder trial was the subject of a Dateline piece called (very unoriginal, I might add) The Comic Book Murder. The trial was covered here from the date of arrest to the trial's verdict but the rehash of the events leading up to the end was still a decent watch albeit somewhat sad to see how divided the families involved really are. The only problem that I have with correspondent Dennis Murphy's piece was the introductory sentence:

In the front of the mom-and-pop comic book shop were bins of the fantasies: Spidey, Hulk and X-Men.

Why does every non-comic book reader refer to the medium as fantasies? I know that it was to setup the grizzly details in the back of the store but he could've taken a better tact than that. Just like movies, TV and other entertainment mediums, comic books offer more than just fantasies. Hey, Murphy, get out and live in the real world a little. If you want to view the abbreviated version, click on the player below. If you're interested in the transcript of the entire show, click here.

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The Friday Favorite - Testament "Practice What You Preach"

I'm not sure why this band didn't get the same adulation that their fellow San Fran Speed Metal residents Metallica did but this song, the title track actually, shows that they were every bit as good as Lars, Kirk, James and Cliff (or Jason depending on when you followed them).

The sound on this vid really is pitiful so I highly recommend getting this CD or one of their "Greatest Hits", Signs of Chaos or The Very Best of Testament. They are that good; again as this video, crappy sound and all, an attest.

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"Wolverine & The X-Men" trailer online - Now without zero Foo

Here's the updated and "official" trailer for the new animated Wolverine & the X-Men series. There are a couple new scenes with more fanboy eye candy (meaning the introduction of more superheroes) but it still looks off to me. Maybe it's the fact that Logan is front and center on a team where he's more of an hot-headed anti-hero. Or maybe it's the fact that Professor X and Jean Grey are taken out of the series entirely. Or maybe, just maybe, it's the fact that Cyclops wears a friggin bolero jacket and looks awful. Oh well, at least the trailer gets rid of the Foo Fighters song that the original trailer obviously did not get approval for and was not really appropriate in the first place.

Check it out for yourself below and make your own decision. Then, post that opinion in the comments. I dare you.

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How To Get Free MP3s Part 2: "Hammerhead" - The Offspring

While The Offspring has been tearing up the Hard Rock chart, they are still a viable veteran band and to have them offer a free MP3, especially one from their new CD, is pretty freaking cool. The single, Hammerhead, is a decent song and is well worth the easy process to get the download. All you have to do is fill out your email addresss and your zip code using the widget above. Wait a few minutes and an email will be sent with a link to download the DRM-and cost-free mp3. What's not to like about that?

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Your Random Facts for May 8

Making more to do about nothing than the Spygate controversy, here are your random facts for today:

• Nice to see that Matt "The Weasel" Walsh has remained true to form. As I may have said before, he's just like the little kid that you used to remember from grade school - would say he could do anything but could never back it up. It's too bad that some people (The Worldwide Leader's Mike Fish, for example) have taken the lack of juicy material against the Patriots as a way to still attack the New England organization. As a journalist, he should stay more objective, like me. Yeah, bad example, I guess.
• I still don't understand why people want to "ban" books like And Tango Make Three, a book about two penguins and a new baby which critics considered endorsing a gay lifestyle. To me, if you don't like the subject matter, don't friggin' read it. the act of banning is more harmful than any book that coudl be created.
• Amy Winehouse is the female version of Scott Weiland.

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How To Get Free MP3s Part 1: "Falling Away" - Sprite Commercial

If you have been watching the NBA playoffs as feverishly as I have, the generous people at TNT have been bombarding you with this Sprite commercial about the local park kids jumping into the court which magically turns into a pool. The ending image is the one shown above.

The snipet of the song that is played during this commercial is very hooky and I was curious in finding the song and the person/group who played it. After a quick 2 minutes of googling, I found this post from Duncan's TV Ad Land dated November 2005 which not only detailed the name (Falling Away) and origins of the song (it was made by a sound house), but listed the lyrics to the song, a link to a Quicktime version of the commercial and a detailed list to get the free MP3 of the song.

The one problem - you have to go through about 100+ useless posts from idiots. And since this blog is not only a wealth of entertainment value but also a public service forum, here's the list to score the free swag:

1. Go to the German Sprite Website (beware - the language is in German)
2. Click on the words Sound & Download
3. Click on the words MP3 Download
4. Enter Makari in blank field then click Go
5. Click the checkbox for the version that you want (Original, Go Disco, Chill Out, Elektro Pop, or Urban Beat version) and click on the words MP3 Herunterladen

The file that is downloaded is a Zip file but it does contains the MP3 with the English lyrics. Stay tuned for tomorrow's Free MP3 from The Offspring

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Your Random Facts for May 7

Trying to see through last night's funk that was Game 1 of the Cavs versus the Celts, here are your facts for today:

• Want to major in the GTA4 lifestyle? Go to SDSU and pledge Theta Chi.
• Marvel movies that are coming up - Iron Man 2 in April 2010, Thor in June 2010, First Avenger: Captain America in May 2011 and The Avengers in July 2011 so says Reuters.
• Lastly, there are no decent regular CDs released this week but if you're in the mood for some good music, you might want to check out Snack Time by the Barenaked Ladies. From what I've heard, it's really an all-ages listen.

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The Other Side of Harvey Dent from "The Dark Knight"

Editor's Note - It appears that the image has been removed from its source. If anyone has another copy, please let the link in the comments. Thx, Mgmt

Yes, this is the other side of scarred District Attorney Harvey Dent, otherwise known as Two Face from this summer's The Dark Knight movie. As you can see, this is definitely not your older brother's (or Joel Schumaker's) version from 12 years ago. But as is the case with much of Christopher Nolan's take on DC's Batmythos, the more realistic, the better.

The image above was posted originally on the supreme comic industry gossip site, Lying In the Gutters, but said image was removed by the columnist (Rich Johnson) due to a request by Warner Brothers. Fortunately, I found this image on a Batman board (1966 Batman Board).

But is everything as it seems? It may not be, according to Batman-On-Film.com:

It's real, however it's one of the very early concept designs (remember what I reported to you regarding the look of The Joker before that was public knowledge? This image of Two Face is from around the same period of early design tests). Just like the early concept design of The Joker largely informed the final look, it wasn't dead on (i.e. They decided to retain the purple suit rather than the raggedy, pieced together costume, etc), but certain elements carried through to the final screen version (The “Cut Smile“).

In the case of this particular design, it's closer to what you'll see than that early Joker design was, but it's not a good representation of what it looks like on camera (and, as I alluded to above, it's not *exactly* what the screen look is). It's not really what you'll see in the movie, but the general idea is still very much intact.

I don't mean to be overly cryptic, but I know that a lot of people are trying to retain the surprise of the Two-Face look, and this concept art doesn't properly represent what Aaron looks like onscreen.”

My take? I'm a fan of Christopher Nolan in general and of Batman Begins in particular and I like the look as it is. It stays true to the overall tone of Batman Begins without going all the way into the horror disfigurement. And let's be honest - when someone, even a well-to-do District Attorney, get acid thrown in the face, that person will not walk away looking like Tommy Lee Jones with green skin on one side of their face.

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Your Random Facts for May 6

Wondering how much money Rockstar Games would pay to have Marvin Harrison to be on the cover of the next GTA release, here are your random facts:

• If you want to read a very catty report of local celebrity news, read The Reliable Source from yesterday's Wash Post concerning Mike O'Meara's restaurant closure. Meow, meow ladies.
• The Spurs are looking really old against the much younger Hornets. Don't blink because if these last two games are any indication, the Spurs will be one and done in this year's playoffs.

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The Fanatical Review - "Iron Man (2008)"

In case you just woken up from a year long slumber, Paramount Pictures' tentpole summer live-action superhero movie, otherwise known as Iron Man, was released late Thursday night. The barometer on the buzz for this movie was set pretty high when there was a small preview of the film shown during the Iron Man panel at the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) and has steadily rose with every new glimpse of the completed film.

But Internet buzz does not always translate into huge box office dollars (Snakes on a Plane, anyone?) or well-reviewed films; especially with the fans. So, the real question is - Does Iron Man bring the goods?

In a resound two words - Hell Yeah! Not only does the script for the theatrical version of Iron Man remains true to its comic book heritage, the movie also brings the sense of humor, adventure and limitless possibilities that only could only be done in a four-color world where a multi-billionaire inventor/industrialist can change his personal ideology practically on a dime and dress up in his creation to save the world.

One nitpick that should be noted is that the end of the conflict between Iron Man and Iron Monger seemed rather rushed and didn't fit with the overall tone of the movie. But it is understood since the movie ran over two hours and the extended fight sequence will probably find life in the DVD release of the movie.

On the acting side, Robert Downey Jr thoroughly placed his stamp on Tony Stark by bringing both the hard-partying, trust-fund-baby lifestyle and the grief-stricken, responsible man-of-action sides of Tony Stark to life. His sardonic delivery gives a good bite to Stark's sarcastic quips. It is just hard to imagine this is the same actor that has walked through so many roles some as recent as The Shaggy Dog.

And while the movie is about one man's transformation from an iron hearted man into a true iron man, he does not go it alone. Jeff Bridges does a masterful job as Stark Industries partner and "concerned" father-ish figure Obadiah Stane. Gwyneth Paltrow infuses the character of Pepper Potts with a sense of feminine strength in between all of the testosterone. If there was one nebbish part, it was the role of Jim Rhodes played by Terrence Howard who's controlled performance didn't jibe with the character from the comic books. But Rhodey's more looser personality might be more on display on Iron Man 2.

And if Downey's performance is the #1 reason to see the movie, the CGI FX should be #1a. To see Iron Man in all of his suit development stages from his hand-made original armor to his final Mark III red and gold one was a sight for more than just the eye. The flight and fight sequences were excellent and certainly benefit from the advancements made in digital modeling technology that were lacking in films like Daredevil.

Overall, this movie may not be on the same level of fan frenzy as other Marvel icons such as Spider-Man or Wolverine. But this movie forces not only non-comic book readers but fanboys/fangirls alike to see Iron Man for what he is - the spirit of inventing and adventure that few comic book heroes can do. And this movie does it well.

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Your Random Facts for May 5

Like Rajon, still shaking the cobwebs out from yesterday's blowout and a pre-Cinco De Mayo party. So, here's your random facts for today:

1. Friday's predictions went 0 fer 2 with the Celts taking all seven games to beat the Hawks and Iron Man not quite doing as well as I thought but the film might still make it to #1 all-time for the first week of May if the weekend figures are recalculated according to Variety.
2. Best Quote of all time - "It's kind of freaky knowing you're diving into somebody's grandpa," said center fielder Coco Crisp (from The Boston Globe's article on fans who want their ashes spread at Fenway with the main subject sharing a first name with yours truly.)

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The Friday Favorite - Airbourne "Running Wild"

Check out the Running Wild video for the new single from the Aussie band Airbourne with appearance by Lemmy of Motorhead. It most definitely rocks!

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Your 5 Random Facts for May 2

Left here wondering where all of the good things will happen next, here are the 5:

1. O'Meara's Restaurant, aka Hank's Lookaround Cafe, has closed its doors according to DCRTV.com. Unfortunately, the closure was just the other shoe waiting to drop once the hours of operation were moved to weekends only.


2. Clemens has been reported (By the New York Daily News) to be involved with John Daly's ex. Judging from the last two women who have been linked to Clemens outside of his wife, it just proves the saying that Texans do like everything big.


3. (In the Larry King voice) Iron Man will break the record for biggest take in the first weekend in May - you heard it here first!


4. In another prediction, the Celts will win tonight by 8 points or more thus closing out the Hawks season.


5. Last night's Office was not one for the archives. It was meandering and directionless with one funny bit (Creed's response to Pam's vision issues). With only two more episode left in the season, the show needs to go out stronger than last night's one.

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Your 5 Random Facts for May 1

Still feeling the afterglow of a 25-point win by the Celts. Alright, on with the facts:

1. LeBron must be taking his King James moniker very seriously with this King of Pop-inspired wardrobe choice (photographic evidence shown above). Later in the post-game, Bron Bron stated that he had a certain fondness for the Home Alone series.


2. I hope that the judicial system will commute the rest of the sentence for that Detroit woman who's been on the run for 32 years. She's been married for 23 years with three kids so it should be safe to assume that she's a reformed citizen. And really, murders have gotten less time than what she did back in the day.


3. The cheesiest thing about the David Blaine breath holding stunt wasn't the fact that he did it on the Oprah show but the fact that when she asked Blaine what he was thinking when he was underwater, he plainly stated to her, "You." Uggh, all that Street Magic cred went down the drain right then.


4. Man, Iron Man must be setting records with the number of different tie-ins for one movie. The most recent one was for the LG cell phone that I caught was during Tuesday's episode of Deadliest Catch. The tie-in site (insidethesuit.com) has some decent online stuff as well as a contest to win a 16-carat gold phone so it's well worth the visit.


5. I might be the only one but the whole Anti-Venom character looks like a complete rip-off of the Reverse Flash and will be basically a one-off character.

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