Grab Show Show: A New Online Variety Show

I consume a lot of news and I wish there were more outlets for people to get news in a fun way. I think shows like The Colbert Report & The Daily Show are so great. They are informative, smart, and funny.
So, I've been trying to mess around with a few ideas. None of them are too refined or where I want them to be, but hey, you have to start somewhere.

This is an idea for an online variety show. Your critical feedback is appreciated.

Sam Harris & Cenk Uygur Discuss Religion

This was a lengthy, but very fun conversation to watch. I shared the video on my Facebook page, and this is my text that went along with my share:
That's what Sam Harris gets for trying to deal with and sort things out in the nuance. People want to paint with a larger brush. It's quicker, it's easier, and you get the bigger picture faster. It's not his fault he is misunderstood, it is our fault that we can't keep up with him. He is absolute behemoth of a philosopher and a genius. 
I really, really admire Cenk, and I think he made some good points. I think I even agreed with him over Sam Harris on maybe 1 or 2, but it got very annoying when it seemed like he tried to play devil's advocate just the play devil's advocate. 
That ending Sam Harris dropped was amazing. Easy to understand, but certainly a concept that only a wise mind could craft (Don't let your hindsight bias fool you). How we treat thought crimes is such a touchy subject, but his example of what we did to Bin Laden was spot on.

Anberlin's Final Minnesota Show

I am beyond stoked and a little sad to attend ANBERLIN's final show in Minnesota at the Varsity Theater. I have been listening to Anberlin for about a decade now, and they announced at the beginning of the year that this would be their last as a band. It's heartbreaking, but I'm glad they didn't fizzle out and they were able to give us a final album and a final tour. They have a sold out show at the Varsity Theater today! I hope to see some of you there!
The first Anberlin song I ever heard was "Ready Fuels". I think I came across it on Purevolume or MySpace. I used to spend hours exploring new music in junior high, and Anberlin was one of the bands I fell in love with.

Unless Anberlin drops one last music video on us before they ride into the sunset, "Stranger Ways" will be the last music video they ever release. It comes off of their final album "Lowborn".

Secret Album Released By I Can Make A Mess

Another secret album has been dropped, and this time by someone I actually listen to. Ace Enders is the frontman for a number of bands. He started in The Early November, he also has a project that simply goes by Ace Enders, and he has I Can Make A Mess. He recently dropped a secret album called "Growing In" and you can stream it below.

New Anchor & Braille Songs

Two new ANCHOR & BRAILLE songs have surfaced and despite both tracks sounding like material I wouldn't normally like, I have to admit I enjoy both tracks. I'm a little disappointed the Stephen Christian kind of went this non-organic route because I thought some of his more beautiful songs with Anchor & Braille were his more minimalistic organic songs. But again, these 2 new songs definitely work.
This first track "Fatal Flaw" is a shorty, but a goodie. Again, that fake hip-hop sounding high-hat isn't normally something I like, but it works with everything else in that it sort of sounds like an '80s synth vibe. It sounds like it could've been in the opening credits for "DRIVE".




This next song is called "Detroit Stab".



I should also note that I read that the label Anchor & Braille is working with typically only releases singles for artists. It could mean that there isn't a full-length or EP coming out, and that these could be one-off singles. I certainly hope that this isn't the case, because I am very much looking forward to the progression of Anchor & Braille.
Their first album, "Felt" was good and you could tell that it was Stephen Christian behind the songs, but the songs weren't "full" enough for me. It felt like most of the songs just needed 1 more thing. It's still a beautiful album and something I love to have on in the background from time to time. However, I thought Stephen Christian really flexed his song writing skills when "The Quiet Life" came out. The album is more diverse, it is fuller, and it is just plainly enjoyable.

Debate: Does Science Refute God?

This was a lively debate that I had never seen before. 
The Christians (D'Souza + Hutchinson) didn't say anything that shifted the core of my stance, but I found myself nodding yes to a couple of their points. Especially when they discussed morality. I'm glad that the Christians didn't fight the notion that Christian morals are good morals because they are not. However, my nihilistic side did agree with the Christians that we do not know why we decided kicking a dog is wrong (I am glad that we did, but dogs are amazing creatures). Morals don't intrinsically exist in the cosmos. We constructed them so that we wouldn't have to live in fear every waking and resting moment of our lives.



This is pretty cool format for debates. It's quicker and I'm glad the speakers can step on each other from time to time and address each other like they are in the same room (Because, well, they are). I prefer it over formats where someone gets 5 minutes to address an opponent as if they were in another room. It really forces a debater to to clarify and support their stance.