Daft Punk Helmet
If you like Daft Punk... and you fucking should... then you will dig this.
If you do not like Daft Punk, you should probably reconsider our friendship.
Enjoy. x
Fallon's Double Rainbow
Jimmy Fallon performs a cover of the most amazing viral video of 2010, "Double Rainbow"
As Neil Young...
Amazing. x
Social Security
Top 5 Social Security Myths
Myth #1: Social Security is going broke.Reality: There is no Social Security crisis. By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.6 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a 'T'). It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever.1 After 2037, it'll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits—and again, that's without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers' retirement decades ago.2 Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.
Myth #2: We have to raise the retirement age because people are living longer.
Reality: This is a red-herring to trick you into agreeing to benefit cuts. Retirees are living about the same amount of time as they were in the 1930s. The reason average life expectancy is higher is mostly because many fewer people die as children than they did 70 years ago.3 What's more, what gains there have been are distributed very unevenly—since 1972, life expectancy increased by 6.5 years for workers in the top half of the income brackets, but by less than 2 years for those in the bottom half.4 But those intent on cutting Social Security love this argument because raising the retirement age is the same as an across-the-board benefit cut.
Myth #3: Benefit cuts are the only way to fix Social Security.
Reality: Social Security doesn't need to be fixed. But if we want to strengthen it, here's a better way: Make the rich pay their fair share. If the very rich paid taxes on all of their income, Social Security would be sustainable for decades to come.5 Right now, high earners only pay Social Security taxes on the first $106,000 of their income.6 But conservatives insist benefit cuts are the only way because they want to protect the super-rich from paying their fair share.
Myth #4: The Social Security Trust Fund has been raided and is full of IOUs
Reality: Not even close to true. The Social Security Trust Fund isn't full of IOUs, it's full of U.S. Treasury Bonds. And those bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.7 The reason Social Security holds only treasury bonds is the same reason many Americans do: The federal government has never missed a single interest payment on its debts. President Bush wanted to put Social Security funds in the stock market—which would have been disastrous—but luckily, he failed. So the trillions of dollars in the Social Security Trust Fund, which are separate from the regular budget, are as safe as can be.
Myth #5: Social Security adds to the deficit
Reality: It's not just wrong—it's impossible! By law, Social Security's funds are separate from the budget, and it must pay its own way. That means that Social Security can't add one penny to the deficit.8
1."To Deficit Hawks: We the People Know Best on Social Security," New Deal 2.0, June 14, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89703&id=22136-567906-pyr5oqx&t=4
2. "The Straight Facts on Social Security," Economic Opportunity Institute, September 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89704&id=22136-567906-pyr5oqx&t=5
3. "Social Security and the Age of Retirement," Center for Economic and Policy Research, June 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89705&id=22136-567906-pyr5oqx&t=6
4. "More on raising the retirement age," Washington Post, July 8, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89706&id=22136-567906-pyr5oqx&t=7
5. "Social Security is sustainable," Economic and Policy Institute, May 27, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89707&id=22136-567906-pyr5oqx&t=8
6. "Maximum wage contribution and the amount for a credit in 2010," Social Security Administration, April 23, 2010
http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/240
7. "Trust Fund FAQs," Social Security Administration, February 18, 2010
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/fundFAQ.html
8."To Deficit Hawks: We the People Know Best on Social Security," New Deal 2.0, June 14, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=89703&id=22136-567906-pyr5oqx&t=9
Weiner Rules
Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY) gets fucking MAD about this bullshit process.
I'm in.
Between Two Ferns
Zach Galifianakis is so fucking funny.
But so is Steve Carrell.
Brilliant. Someone please put these two in a movie. Stat.
UPDATE: They ARE in a movie together, duh. That's why he's on the fucking show. Hat tip to Bonnie for calling me out... x
'51 Panhead
This is hands-down the sexiest beast I have ever seen. Ever.
I will own this machine one day. Fact.
Thank you so much, Bike EXIF, for giving me something to daydream about...
It’s owned by Troy Critchlow of the Chico Moto blog, and it’s the quintessential vintage Harley, as seen through a 70s lens. Troy has an eye for a good ride and he’s an inveterate fiddler when it comes to mechanicals—so it’s not surprising his own bike looks like a million dollars. His Panhead is something of a hybrid, with a 1951 FL motor (74ci, high compression) connected to a 1939 EL transmission case with Pan gears.
It’s all sitting in a 1949 wishbone frame with an offset Springer fork—“Bed springs on a pogo stick,” says Troy. The carburettor is an authentic Linkert, the magneto is a Morris, and there’s no battery—just a Cycle Electric generator and an Electric Franks regulator. Troy himself made the sinuous, stainless exhaust with the perfectly-judged upkicks, along with the sissy bars, and he also modified the tank to hold a little more fuel.
Battles
I forgot how much I love this fucking song.
Battles, "Atlas"
Battles is an American experimental rock supergroup, founded in 2003 in New York City. The band's current line-up comprises guitarists Ian Williams (formerly of Don Caballero and Storm & Stress) and Dave Konopka (formerly of Lynx), drummer John Stanier (formerly of Helmet), and Tyondai Braxton (son of avant-garde composer Anthony Braxton), who plays keyboard and guitar and creates live voice samples.
Just announced a show at Le Poisson Rouge in October. I'm there.
Ramona Falls
Haunting video from Ramona Falls and their single, "I Say Fever"
Directed by the ridiculously talented Stefan Nadelman, winner of a 2003 Sundance prize for his 22 minute film 'Terminal Bar', a prolific animator in the commericial field and the mastermind behind the Menomena "Evil Bee" video.
Hat tip to Matt for posting. Enjoy. x
The Label Brief
This is pretty spot the fuck on.
I overheard quite a few retarded conversations like this in A&R...
LOLZ.
Net Neutrality
Sen. Al Franken (D.-Minn.) told more than 2,000 bloggers and organizers attending the Netroots Nation conference in Las Vegas on July 24, 2010, that our media system is at risk everywhere we turn - from our free speech online to the growing power of companies who own a massive number of media outlets.
Join the fight at: www.SavetheInternet.com and www.FreePress.net/comcast.
The Moment
Today is the day... Atomic Tom's major-label debut, "The Moment" OUT TODAY!
Run, don't walk to iTunes and buy the album right now. Well, I guess you can't really run to a virtual store.
Just fuck off and buy the fucking album right now. You won't be disappointed.
And then, when they're selling out the Garden in a few years, you can say you were into them "way back when..."
It's only $7.99 for the entire album. Here's the link... "The Moment"
x
LC Fabrications
How fucking rad is this XS650 Custom? Stripped the fuck down and ready for anything.
Wow. Just gorgeous, man.
From Bike EXIF:
Jeremy Cupp of LC Fabrications is a true original when it comes to building bikes, renowned for his ‘antique’ customs such as TT Deluxe. So this ’79 XS650 custom, called ‘Chicken Salad’ is a departure from Cupp’s usual style. Cupp got the bike from a friend who’d started work on it and then had enough, and when LC Fabrications had some down time, Cupp decided to see what he could make of this XS650. The result is a compact tracker-style custom but with a hard-tail back end and a cantilevered seat. The bars are stubbed right into the triple tree, and the tank is a cut-up old Honda CL360 item.
The motor—which had only 11,000 miles on the clock—was boosted with a 750 cylinder kit from XS Performance, 36mm Mikuni round slide carburetion, and mild porting. And why ‘Chicken Salad’? According to Cupp, it’s from the saying ‘You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken shit’: “The guy I got this bike from gave it to us, because it was ‘just an effing Yamaha’. So I thought the name was appropriate!” Head over to XS650chopper.com for more pics and an interview with Cupp.
Queens of Leon
Kings of Leon fans are furious over the sudden cancellation of their show last weekend in St. Louis...
that had already begun.
The band was 3 songs into their set when, as the band says, a pigeon was shitting on the band from above.
You can't make this shit up.
The story from Hits. And the main story from the River Front Times.
Make sure to scroll down the second link for the "comments" section. Lots of angry fans out there.
The Zax
My boy Rion, whom you probably remember from his brilliant marketing campaign...
http://www.helpmesellmorerecordsthanheidimontag.com/
... has released his first video from the project. And it's way fun.
Here is The Zax, and their single, "Can't Get Enough"
Enjoy. x
Gram Rabbit
My buddy Steve just saw this band last night at LA's Troubadour...
Fucking WOW. I am green with envy. This band is smokin hot.
Gram Rabbit. Song is called, "Shiny Monster"
Ice Cream Man
This dude is just too fucking cool.
Mayer surprised fans in the parking lot of Jones Beach Ampitheater in NY yesterday to hand out free Ben & Jerry's ice cream from one of their trucks.
So rad.
The Triton
From Bike EXIF:
Frank Charriaut of the French blog theMotArt sent in this lovely story he received from a friend. I think it’s something many of us can relate to.
My name is Bill and I’m a café racer at heart. I live at the base of the Cascade Mountains, twenty miles north of the Oregon/California border.
I bought the Triton about a year ago as an unfinished project and as is often the case, it was a lot more unfinished than I first thought. Many times I stood alone in my garage scratching my head and saying out loud, “Why the Hell did they do that!” In the end though, I’m quite happy with the result. I wanted a period-correct British café racer, and I think there is nothing more iconic to the genre than a pre-unit Triton.
The bike is a ’64 Norton slimline featherbed, with a 650 built from ’58 Speed Twin cases, and the original AMC gearbox mounted with converter engine plates. I especially enjoy some of the small details that you don’t notice at first glance, like the NOS Wassel grips and the John Tickle headlight brackets.
I think people, including myself, get somewhat jaded by the internet. It’s easy to write off a bike like this as “just another café racer”, but to see and hear one, on the road, in person, then you’ll understand. I love this bike, and I think it would take a very large pile of cash for me to part with her.
[Merci, Frank! All photos © Back Alley Studio.]
New M.I.A.
MIA -- Paper Planes Brentwood Redux - watch more funny videos
Funny Or Die has brought the LOLZ with this brilliant fucking video.
MIA sucks, and the circle jerk of press about her has finally started to die.
Thanks to the birthday boy, Josh, for posting.
This absolutely made my day. Fact.
Enjoy. x
You Don't Count
Here is representative Alan Grayson, one of my favorite members of the United States Congress, addressing the House.
Watch. He is spot the fuck on.
The GOP should be ashamed of themselves. Ashamed.
Fact.
Duc 750 Custom
This stripped-down Ducati custom from Wrenchmonkeys is ridiculous.
What a machine...
From Bike EXIF:
In the early 90s, the 750SS was Ducati’s entry-level exotic—a “parts-bin special” that married the 900SS chassis with a motor related to the 1979 Pantah 500. Today, most owners resist the temptation to modify a 750SS , apart from a little tuning and exhaust tinkering, but not the Danish owner of this well-used 1995 machine. The siren call of the Wrenchmonkees’ Copenhagen workshop was too strong, and here’s the delicious result. The fairing is gone and the paint job is typically understated and classy, transforming the look of the bike.
The Wrenchmonkees have also modified the seat and the rear frame loop, and fitted a custom tank, a fiberglass rear end, Tarozzi clipons and a minuscule front fender. The headlight and turn signals are new too, and the standard exhaust has been topped off with a WM Megatron muffler. It’s a light bike—weighing only 160kg or 350lbs—and with 70hp on tap it’ll be pretty quick. The original 750SS has never tempted me, but I’d love one of these in my garage, chattering clutch and all.
Radio Friendly
This brought the LOLZ.
Hat tip to my boy, Marty, for posting this brilliant vid.
Spot the fuck ON. x
Atomic Tom - Digital Release
The moment is almost upon us...
My favorite New York rock band, Atomic Tom, is releasing their digital major label debut...
"The Moment"
July 27th, 2010 on iTunes, Amazon, etc.
Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube.
Get the fuck on it. And if you purchase one album this year, make it "The Moment"
I've said it before, and I'll say it again... These boys are going to be fucking HUGE.
Christian vs Mel
Hilarious editing job here.
A phone "conversation" between Christian Bale and Mel Gibson.
LOLZ.
James Dean Triumph
This is one of James Dean's old motorcycles.
How fucking cool is that? What a legend, and what a shame he died so young.
From Bike EXIF:
I tend to associate James Dean with a certain Porsche 550 Spyder, and Steve McQueen with Triumph motorcycles. But James Dean was apparently a Triumph rider too, and the bike he rode was a 1955 Trophy. The shots were sent in by Andy Enness, an Australian now living in New York. Enness works with the legendary Hollywood photographer Phil Stern: “One day I was over at his house in Los Angeles and stumbled upon an old pile of photos of this Triumph scrambler. I quizzed Phil on them and was told how James Dean’s brother had asked Phil if he could use some of Phil’s photos as reference to restore James’ motorbike. Once he’d finished the restoration, he sent Phil these photos. In typical Phil fashion, he thought nothing of them. And of course I freaked out.” Andy scanned the shots, and here they are. Does anyone know anything more about the history of this bike?
Update 1: According to reader Dan Hunter, the original bike is in the James Dean Museum in Fairmount, Indiana.
Update 2: It appears that the bike in the images is one of three replicas built by Justin Glory: the final shot was taken in Justin’s front yard in L.A.
Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee Rascal is a UK artist that has absolutely exploded across the pond.
This track, "Bonkers" is aptly titled.
Because it is absolutely fucking Bonkers!
Nikki & Rich cover Muse
These two have been getting some industry buzz for a few months now.
From Billboard Mashups:
In this week's Mashup Monday, up-and-coming pop-soul duo Nikki & Rich tackle Muse's "Uprising," bending the British band's angular prog-rocky rage against the machine into a more intimate sounding hurt something like heartbreak.
"We just thought it was something so different from us," says Rich Velonskis of their take on the Muse song, which hit No. 1 on the Alternative Songs chart in 2009. "We were fans of that song specifically, so we just wanted to take a chance with it and try it.... I wanted to break it down more acoustically [than Muse's version]. I wanted to have a little bit more of a hip hop feel to it in the background."
The Zax
This is one of the best marketing campaigns I have seen all year.
My boy Rion Harmon, aka The Zax, has been hustlin his latest project and pimping it out all over the net.
Get on it. Repost it. Buy it. I love it.
To follow the blog, click HERE.
And to listen to his unique, fresh, dancey pop sound... click HERE.
Van Ghost
This is my boy Bergles' band, Van Ghost.
Berg is a hotshot promoter in Chicago and recently started an outstanding band of his own.
Best of luck, my friend. So proud.
Cee-Lo Green
Finally, the first single - and video - from Cee-Lo's new solo joint.
And he covers my favorite Band of Horses song, "No One's Gonna Love You"
Obviously, Cee-Lo is the power vocals behind Gnarls Barkley.
The original hit home in all the right places, as we have all felt that breakup pain.
But fuck, this video is absolutely incredible... And definitely NSFW.
Beautifully done, Cee-Lo and Co.
Hat tip to my boy Karl for sending the clip my way.
Guzz 1000 SP
This Guzz 1000 is so sexy I'm literally foaming at the mouth.
My birthday is on Tuesday, so if anyone wants to surprise me... x
From Bike EXIF:
There’s something about a big-block Moto Guzzi that lends itself perfectly to the creation of a stripped-down, brutal café racer. ‘Ferro Negro’—Black Iron in Italian— is based on a 1981 1000 SP and it was built by Andrea Viganò of Bruciato Garage in Bergamo, Italy. There’s nothing subtle about this bike, with matte black paint throwing attention onto the huge finned V-twin cylinders.
The SP was a rusted-out wreck when Viganò bought it, so he used his spare time during the cold Alpine winter to create his vision. The tank is a fibreglass V7 unit, which works strangely well with the tail from a Suzuki RG500 endurance racer. Viganò then rewired the Guzzi and removed all unnecessary electrics—along with all the instrumentation apart from a rev counter.
We Are Scientists
One of my favorite New York bands, We Are Scientists.
New single and video for, "Rules Don't Stop"
I wouldn't say it's exceptional, but if you're not onto these guys yet...
Join the fucking party already. They rock.
Announcement
Mayer spoofs Lebron in announcing tour schedule.
Hate all you want. But this dude rocks.
Very clever, brother.
Double Drive-Thru
Yet another outstanding tribute to the viral clip of the summer, Yosemite Rainbow.
The "Double KFC Drive-Thru"
I can't stop laughing...
Thank you, DrunkHungryBear.
Double Rainbow Song
Huge thanks to my boy, Dan, for posting this brilliant tribute to Yosemite Rainbow.
Yes, you're right. It was only a matter of time.
But none of us could have imagined this amazing remix.
Brandon Flowers
Finally, after all the teasers and bullshit...
The new video from Killers frontman, Brandon Flowers.
"Crossroads" would have made a decent Killers song.
Just sayin.
But dayum, Charlize Theron is a fucking smokeshow.
Hot hot HEAT.
The Gaslight Anthem
Man I love this band. Straight up Jersey boys.
The Gaslight Anthem, "American Slang"
Can't wait to catch their next tour. This song was meant to be played live.
Absolute anthem.
And love the video shots of New York City.
Outstanding.
XS650 Custom
Yet another Japanese custom of the Yamaha XS650.
What a fucking gem.
From Bike EXIF:
Motoshop Tonouchi has done it again. After grabbing attention with their retro BMW-inspired Sportster custom, they’ve created one of the tastiest XS650-based bikes we’ve seen for a while. The ‘Heritage Special’ reprises the monochromatic look, with sleek, perfectly judged bodywork—note the lovely curved panels under the bobber seat. The frame modifications accentuate the chunky, 654cc parallel twin motor and the gently flared exhaust system adds a low-key elegance.
Unemployment
Gawker hit it out of the fucking park with this post.
The NY Times wrote yet another bullshit piece about unemployment and the Gawker commenters came out for blood.
And clearly, it was justified.
I commented and started a thread halfway down. Click the link and scroll down through the comments to see my angry rant. xo
From Gawker:
Today we looked at millennials and their job woes and how the New York Times talks about them. It sparked some serious discussion! One commenter weighed in to say that, surprise surprise, the Times has it all wrong.
From b4nt4:
It hurts to be considered one of these people. I've been unemployed for a year now, applied to sooo many jobs and had enough interviews where I should have scored something by now.
They keep telling me "You're overqualified. You're under-qualified. We want someone who's had this exact experience before. We want someone long term. We think you'll take a better job when one comes along. This doesn't seem like something you want to make a career out of. This is an entry level position, you have too much experience. If I hire you for this position, I'd have to promote you in a couple of months and I can't do that. These fellowships are for people who are still in Grad/Law school. I'm sorry I've wasted your time. We can't afford to hire a J.D. You don't have the right transactional law experience. You're incapable. You're too capable." Etc. Ad nauseum.
I still live in NYC but am able to afford it because it's not a great neighborhood, I have plenty of roommates to keep things cheap, and enough savings to keep going for a few more months. I don't have parents I can rely on for anything, or go live with. I even left for a few months this winter to go live in a third world country while I subletted my room because I could save money, and not go totally nuts unemployed, cooped up in here in the cold.
It's scary and incredibly demoralizing. You feel like you're screaming that the sky is falling and no one seems to care. Even friends and former co-workers who have openings at their offices that I beg to be considered for don't get how bleak it is. "Oh the position is sooo beneath you. You'd be really bored. Are you even interested in that?" And I'm like, for the love of GOD I'm this close to selling cold water at intersections to make a few bucks!
So FUCK the New York Times for portraying this situation as they always tend to do, with their bourgeois slant. These are the same people who advise you to stay in $300/night rooms in their budget travel column. They have no idea what reality is. It's really hard out here for a lot of us.
My Constitution
Absolutely brilliant piece by the Onion crew.
Read, laugh, and cringe a bit.
This one hits close to home...
From The Onion:
ESCONDIDO, CA—Spurred by an administration he believes to be guilty of numerous transgressions, self-described American patriot Kyle Mortensen, 47, is a vehement defender of ideas he seems to think are enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and principles that brave men have fought and died for solely in his head.
Kyle Mortensen would gladly give his life to protect what he says is the Constitution's very clear stance against birth control.
"Our very way of life is under siege," said Mortensen, whose understanding of the Constitution derives not from a close reading of the document but from talk-show pundits, books by television personalities, and the limitless expanse of his own colorful imagination. "It's time for true Americans to stand up and protect the values that make us who we are."
According to Mortensen—an otherwise mild-mannered husband, father, and small-business owner—the most serious threat to his fanciful version of the 222-year-old Constitution is the attempt by far-left "traitors" to strip it of its religious foundation.
"Right there in the preamble, the authors make their priorities clear: 'one nation under God,'" said Mortensen, attributing to the Constitution a line from the Pledge of Allegiance, which itself did not include any reference to a deity until 1954. "Well, there's a reason they put that right at the top."
"Men like Madison and Jefferson were moved by the ideals of Christianity, and wanted the United States to reflect those values as a Christian nation," continued Mortensen, referring to the "Father of the Constitution," James Madison, considered by many historians to be an atheist, and Thomas Jefferson, an Enlightenment-era thinker who rejected the divinity of Christ and was in France at the time the document was written. "The words on the page speak for themselves."
According to sources who have read the nation's charter, the U.S. Constitution and its 27 amendments do not contain the word "God" or "Christ."
Mortensen said his admiration for the loose assemblage of vague half-notions he calls the Constitution has only grown over time. He believes that each detail he has pulled from thin air—from prohibitions on sodomy and flag-burning, to mandatory crackdowns on immigrants, to the right of citizens not to have their hard-earned income confiscated in the form of taxes—has contributed to making it the best framework for governance "since the Ten Commandments."
"And let's not forget that when the Constitution was ratified it brought freedom to every single American," Mortensen said.
Mortensen's passion for safeguarding the elaborate fantasy world in which his conception of the Constitution resides is greatly respected by his likeminded friends and relatives, many of whom have been known to repeat his unfounded assertions verbatim when angered. Still, some friends and family members remain critical.
"Dad's great, but listening to all that talk radio has put some weird ideas into his head," said daughter Samantha, a freshman at Reed College in Portland, OR. "He believes the Constitution allows the government to torture people and ban gay marriage, yet he doesn't even know that it guarantees universal health care."
Mortensen told reporters that he'll fight until the bitter end for what he roughly supposes the Constitution to be. He acknowledged, however, that it might already be too late to win the battle.
"The freedoms our Founding Fathers spilled their blood for are vanishing before our eyes," Mortensen said. "In under a year, a fascist, socialist regime has turned a proud democracy into a totalitarian state that will soon control every facet of American life."
"Don't just take my word for it," Mortensen added. "Try reading a newspaper or watching the news sometime."
Endless War
The one and only TRUE Libertarian in our Congress, Mr. Rand Paul.
Here he so eloquently, and bluntly, expresses his skepticism of our Middle East policy.
If only all Republicans could be like Rand Paul, I would be far less likely to despise them.
Listen to him speak, it's only a couple of minutes.
Killing in the Name
Phish covered Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" on July 4th.
For the fans, the clip above includes the "Harpua" intro.
And for those not turned on to the greatest live rock band in the world...
Fast forward to about 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
Fuck you I won't do what ya tell me!
Yosemite Rainbow
Some camper videotaped a full rainbow in Yosemite National Park recently.
And got very, very, very excited.
Watch all the way through, if you have a minute.
Best YouTube comment:
"this guy recently won a free car wash and his heart exploded from the overwhelming excitement. RIP"
Oberst Defends AZ Boycott
Conor Oberst has responded to the open letter from Arizona promoters regarding the Sound Strike boycotts.
From HitFix:
Zack de la Rocha's The Sound Strike boycott of Arizona -- artists skipping the state in their tour itineraries in protest of the controversial immigration law -- has picked up more big-name acts like David Fincher collaborator Trent Reznor and his Nine Inch Nails and masochistic Adam Levine and his Maroon 5.
But at least one concert promoter in the Southwestern state has a problem with the protest, even though he opposes the legislation himself. Indie promoter Charlie Levy wrote an open letter last week urging artists to consider who they're really hurting with their boycott.
"By not performing in Arizona, artists are harming the very people and places that foster free speech and the open exchange of ideas that serve to counter the closed-mindedness recently displayed by the new law," he wrote in the Arizona Republic last week. "Every concert venue and promoter in the state would be happy to help coordinate voter-registration drives and set up information booths in connection with concerts. Many of us are already planning specific events, including rallies and concerts, designed to educate and encourage local music lovers to get involved at this crucial time. This open letter is a call out to all artists to come take a stand and perform in Arizona. We need you now more than ever."
According to Sound Strike signee and frequent activist Conor Oberst, it's a hit that promoters are just going to have to take for now.
"A boycott is, inherently, a blunt instrument. It is an imperfect weapon, a carpet bomb, when all involved would prefer a surgical strike," Oberst wrote in his own open letter. "I agree with you in part... that the authors and supporters of SB1070 could give a sh*t whether or not my band, or any other Artist, ever plays Arizona again... But it is an important part none-the-less for awareness and messaging. The Boycott has to be so widespread and devastating that the Arizona State Legislature and Governor have no choice but to repeal their unconstitutional, immoral and hateful law. It has to hurt them in the only place they feel any pain, their pocketbooks.
"Charlie, I consider you a friend and you have always been great to my bands and me. I have played for you many times and I hope to do so again soon in New Mexico or anywhere else. I sincerely look forward to the day when I can return to Arizona and this will all seem like a bad dream. But I can't come back now. I'm sorry. I hope you will understand."
Amongst the Waves
Pearl Jam Oceans from Pearl Jam on Vimeo.
The beautiful new Pearl Jam clip for "Amongst the Waves"
The video will be for sale on iTunes starting July 6 with proceeds from the U.S. going to Conservation International’s Oceans Campaign.
Visit pearljam.com/oceans to find ways you can support the clean up in the Gulf from the BP disaster.
Out of Sight
Out of sight, out of mind.
At least that is BP's newest strategy in the Gulf.
From Fred McCallister, VP, Allegiance Capital Corporation:
"Using the dispersants allows the oil to stay under the surface and this accomplishes several purposes. ... It makes it a lot more difficult to quantify the amount of oil that's coming out, which has a direct impact on damages and royalties that have to be paid; it keeps it out of sight and out of mind; and it allows BP to amortize the cost of the cleanup over several years -- 10 to 15 years -- because some of this oil is going to biodegrade but a lot of that oil is going to roll up on the beaches for 10 or 15 years. And if they can amortize that over 10 or 15 years as opposed to dealing with that over the next 15 months, that's a much better financial position for BP to be in."
Jelly NYC Pool Parties
Finally, the summer schedule for Brooklyn's pool parties.
From The Brooklyn Paper:
Summer in Williamsburg means free waterfront concerts!
Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu open JellyNYC’s fifth annual Pool Parties at East River State Park on July 11, the first of seven free concerts on Sundays through Aug. 29.
Other concerts on the just-announced schedule include:
• Murder City Devils and Silver Ghost on July 18.
• Cap’n Jack, Lightning Bolt, No Age and The Death Set on July 25.
• A Brooklyn Bowl block party on Aug. 1.
• Cut Copy, Memory Tapes, Glasser and Restless People on Aug. 8.
• !!! and Future Islands on Aug. 15.
• Chromeo and Telephoned on Aug. 22.
• Delorean and Dominique Young Unique on Aug. 29.
Formerly at McCarren Park Pool, the Pool Parties shifted to East River State Park last year. The biggest loss was the slip ‘n slide, but this year, JellyNYC will more than make up for it with an expanded beer garden along the southern edge of the park.
The free concerts aren’t the only ones to take the stage, as the Open Space Alliance is presenting eight paid concerts this summer, including Weezer on July 16, Modest Mouse on July 23, Primus and Gogol Bordello on July 30, Keane on Aug. 6, Pavement on Sept. 19, and Belle and Sebastian on Sept. 30.
JellyNYC Pool Parties at East River State Park (Kent Avenue at N. Eighth Street in Williamsburg), Sundays through Aug. 29. Free. For info, visit www.jellynyc.com.
An American Solution
Some good ole boys from CW Roberts have a novel idea.
Use hay to soak up the oil.
And can we please stop calling this a "spill"?
It is a fucking catastrophe of apocalyptic levels.
Team USA on this one.
Janelle + B.o.B. + Lube
Tightrope (Wondamix) ft. B.o.B & Lupe Fiasco
Janelle Monae | MySpace Music Videos
I know I have been saying this a lot lately, but Janelle is my girl.
Here's the new Wondamix for her smash single, "Tightrope"
Featuring B.o.B. and Lupe Fiasco.
I love it I love it I love it.
Maroon 5
New single from Maroon 5 is mediocre, but definitely true to their pop sound.
"Misery"
Video is a bit cheesey, as well.
Now I'm wondering why the fuck I just posted this.
'57 Panhead Custom
This 1957 Harley-Davidson Panhead custom is fucking fierce.
From Bike EXIF:
There seems to be a trend towards compact, muscular customs in Japan. And if that means fewer vintage Harleys desecrated with ape bars, peanut tanks and cheesy metalflake paint, I’m happy. This Panhead is a classic example: it didn’t grab me immediately, but the longer I looked at the pictures, the more I liked it. It comes courtesy of Guy Bolton, editor of the excellent Greasy Kulture magazine in the UK.
“There are lots of beautifully rendered touches to the bike,” Guy notes, “from the K-model front wheel to the narrowed wideglide, the Smiths speedo and the narrowed fatbob tanks. It won ‘Builder’s Choice’ award at the prestigious New Order custom show in 2009.” The bike was built by Ace Motorcycle of Kobe for Takuji Kawamura, who bought the Pan unseen from the States—predictably not in the condition described in the ad. He used just the frame and engine for this custom, which was built as an heirloom for his son Hiromu.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)