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Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Giuliani, as usual, spews misinformation and spurious analogies
Normally I don't like Slate.com, but ARoss forwarded me this blog article by William Saletan: Giuliani Plays Offense
I was thinking of trying to refute all of the garbage Giuliani included in his speech, but Saletan has done this all for us. I was watching Giuliani make these ridiculous analogies/metaphors and bogus interpretations of the Kerry/Edwards platform and record, and it just pissed me off. You would think at the convention, with the whole world watching closely, the Republicans would stick to factual claims they could back up and concentrate on praising their nominee first and foremost.
Of course, these are Republicans we are talking about. Giuliani made claims about Kerry's explanation of his own voting record concerning the war in Iraq. He called Kerry a flipflopper relentlessly. Like Bush, Giuliani somehow sees strength in Bush's stubbornness. Giuliani even tried to put words in Kerry's mouth. On top of that, Giuliani COMPLETELY misinterpreted Edward's argument concerning two Americas. And don't let me get started on the specious historical analogies Rudy tried to make about terrorists and between Hitler <-> Saddam and Bush <-> Churchill. Give me a fucking break.
Like I said, read the blog posting I linked above, and you can get the whole picture of the rhetorical bullshit puked up by Giuliani last night. I could even start making fun of Giuliani's hair, but this world certainly doesn't need anymore political attacks based on irrelevant personal peculiarities. After all, there are plenty of Republican "journalists" out there who do too much of that already.
I did appreciated John McCain's speech. Even though I don't agree with many of his views, at least McCain has the integrity to give a thoughtful monologue in favor of Bush based on sound arguments and respectful rhetoric. And when he made fun of Michael Moore and the crowd booed - even if you're Michael Moore's mother you have to admit it was amusing.
Speaking of Michael Moore...
Here is a fun editorial by Michael Moore written (in a kind tone) to delegates attending the RNC. Definitely a fun read, even if you hate Michael Moore. Moore points out that it's not really the Republicans we should necessarily hate, just the Bush supporters. I know many fine people who happen to be Republicans, and these people aren't necessarily Bush supporters. But, just so I won't be flipflopping, I will point you here for my previous declaration of feelings regarding those elephant bastards.
**********************
I was chatting with Dan Karlin last night, and he brough up an interesting point. He asked me, "What could Bush possibly do to lose this election?"
Kerry could make any number of thoughtless remarks or blunders that would destroy his chances at the presidency come November. What could Bush possibly do to hurt his chances?
He's already blown the surplus, led us to unnecessary war (under misleading pretenses, which some may call "lies"), rolled back environmental protections, held a presidency through a period of enormous net job loss, done cocaine, lost documents concerning his questionable National Guard service, been arrested for driving under the influence, been an alcoholic, led a number of companies to bankruptcy, exectued a disproportionate amount of people of color and mentaly disabled individuals, supported tax policy that disproportionately rewards the top 1% of Americans, cut education spending, sat still in a classroom for 7 minutes with a blank look on his face after he learned of planes crashing into the world trade center, taken more vacation days during his first year in office than any other president in history, spoken more grammatical blunders than Gerald Ford and Dan Quayle combined, been a C student at Yale, established an energy policy using information from closed door meetings with energy executives - the contents of which have never been released to the public, selected a vice president with outrageous corporate conflicts of interest (not to mention questionable health), and alienated the USA from her wordly allies in just the three short years since 9/11 when the world was on our side?
WHAT THE FUCK ELSE CAN THIS GUY DO???
And for all you tech geeks out there:
10:00 AM
Monday, August 30, 2004
MoveOn.org copies Macintosh Switch marketing sytle
No matter what your feelings are about the work of MoveOn.org, I recommend watching these ads featuring former Republicans who are voting for John Kerry in November. MoveOn.org has adapted the Switch style of Macinotsh ads to their political agenda, and I find it pretty effective. I'm basically broke right now, but I just donated $20 to help get one of these ads on the air in a swing state during the RNC.
It's easy. Just go to the page and donate $20. You can afford $20. You can't afford another 4 years of this fucker.
8:47 AM
The UFPJ March was an amazing experience.
Jackie, Bill, Mike McBreary and I marched in the UFPJ March yesterday. It was a powerful display of unity against the RNC and the Bush administration. I saw so many creative signs, and I hope to post the pictures here soon.
The march was an amazing display of peaceful protest and free speech.
Some of my favorite chants of the march:
Who knows what democracy looks like?
This is what democracy looks like!
You're Not Wel-come (to the tune of O-ver-rated)
Hey Hey, Ho Ho
George Bush Has Got To Go
Peeeeeeace.....Nooooooooooooow.....
Books [clap clap clap] Not Bombs [clap clap clap]
Whose streets?
OUR streets!
and of course,
Fox News Sucks!
The previous post is an audioblog of one of the more vicious chants from the march.
Unfortunately, our time in the march was cut short when we had to exit 7th ave due to a fire. Some punks decided to set a green dragon float on fire. You can watch the fire in real video here.
I was standing abou 20 feet from the dragon when it initially burst into flames. The guys that were around the dragon started putting bandanas over their faces. I remember thinking to myself, "What's going on? Uh oh, something is about to go down." Then the guys with the bandanas started running in all directions from the dragon and it went up in flames. The cops initially didn't know what to do, but as the heat from the flames increased an officer opened up a barracade and let us empty onto the sidewalk.
It was a shame that punks like that had to put a blemish on an otherwise peaceful, non-violent protest.
All in all, I really enjoyed my experience in the march. It was blazing hot, I sweat like a madman, and my throat is destroyed from all the chanting and screaming. But I'll be back out there again a few times this week.
Right now I'm just trying to make it to work and back safely, which is a challenge in and of itself.
*************************
Article about Joshua Kinberg, a peaceful non-destructive protester whose voice has been supressed by the NYPD. Kinberg made a bike that prints chalk messages on the street with a dot-matrix style printer. Apparently corporations has plaster their images everywhere - in the sky, billboards, tv, everywhere the eye can see. But as soon as one person starts chalking the street with public messages, in water-soluble chalk, well this man belongs in jail and his bike belongs impounded.
I'm sure he'll get his bike back the day after the RNC is over. Bloomberg talks big game about allowing free speech in New York City, but police state tactics like this still happen.
By the way, where's my fucking peaceful protester button???
7:43 AM
Sunday, August 29, 2004
11:49 AM
Friday, August 27, 2004
Live from RNC Critical Mass Protest 8/27/04
This audioblog is from tonight at Critical Mass. I'm just starting to read what the mainstream media has to say about the event. I will comment more in the near future.
This specific recording is from an incident I had while trying to prevent a motorist from driving into the stream of bikers. It is normal critical mass custom for bikers to peel off as opposing traffic lights turn green. Bikers place themselves and their bikes in front of a car to prevent it from trying to squeeze into the massive crowd of bikers. After waiting for a while cars will definitely try to edge their way in. This is completely dangerous, and by blocking the constant flow of bikers they actually make the wait worse for themselves.
I pulled over when the light changed in order to prevent a car from driving into the stream of bikers. The guy basically tried to run me over he was so frustrated. Luckily Kari and Bill stopped with me for backup. In fact, quite a few bikers stopped with me after people started to realize that this driver was becoming belligerent. The recording ends right when this guy and I start arguing. I am usually very calm in these situations. My mantra is "Be Safe Please" when confronting motorists and pedestrians who feel that they can brave the stream of bikers and cross the street. But since this guy started driving into me and trapped my leg between my 50lb bike and his bumper, I pretty much went off on him. I gave him everything from, "You can't argue with 3,000 people!" to, "You are running me over, back the fuck up!" at the top of my lungs.
We waited there in the intersection for a very long time. I can't even imagine the amount of people present at Critical Mass tonight. The flow of people on bikes chanting "No More Bush" seemed neverending. Eventually the guy got out of his car to come confront me. A police officer came over and approached us and that's when I left. Quite a few other bikers came over when I said, "If I leave someone will take my place." The solidarity I felt with the other bikers, complete strangers, was very powerful. People realized that this guy and i were about to fight, and they helped me out. I took off and walked away, and the cop came over and calmed the guy down. There really is nowhere to go when so many people on bikes are taking over.
That's why we chant, "Who's Streets??... OUR STREETS!!"
Bill and I booked it out of there before the protests start. We saw the police march in with shields and billy clubs in formation. We saw dozens of paddy wagons and corrections facilities buses motorcading down to the site of the end of the ride. I really think if the police hadn't barged in at the end there would have been no trouble. After all, they helped escort us the length of the ride. If they just left the group alone, people would have gone home. But when you send in an army into the middle of a peaceful gathering, the hotheads will rise to the occasion.
I love the protest movement, but I wasn't in the mood for getting arrested on this fine evening.
Hourly account of Critical Mass.
11:44 PM
Please participate in the United For Peace and Justice March on Sunday, August 29th at 10AM
Despite being denied a permit to assemble on the Great Lawn of Central Park, the United For Peace and Justice march is still happening. This will likely be the largest protest march of the convention, but every single body in the group will count. If you live in the New York City area, please join this march. Many folks are worried about rowdy protesters, the possibility of police involvement, and the general fear of anarchy. UFPJ has negotiated with the NYPD to ensure a safe, peaceful, and orderly march through the streets of Manhattan and past Madison Square Garden. Even if you don't have a poster, banner, or megaphone - it doesn't matter. Every person in the march is essential in guaranteeing that the message is heard loud and clear that the RNC is not welcome in NYC, nor is the current administration welcome for another 4 years.
Please see below for the flyer and maps for the march.
Find a group you would like to march with and meet at 10AM at the corresponding location. If you'd like to join me, I will likely be marching with either the environmentalists or New York City neighborhoods.
Below is the route for the march, in case you come late and need to join the crowd mid-march.
In order to ensure an accurate count of the number of protesters involved in this march, some independent groups have arranged for helium balloon sky cams to transmit high-resolution image data of the entire crowd below. Using imaging software similar to the kind used for counting microscopic cells in labs, analysts will be able to calculate an accurate count of the number of people involved in the march. Police and the conservative media will likely try to lowball this number, that's why it is essential to have as many people as possible present at the march to ensure that the accurate number is as large as possible.
I know so many of you out there are trying to find ways to avoid the RNC and the protests this week. On Sunday, please consider exercising your right to free speech by joining this historic march. Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, bring your family - this will be a peaceful march with a profound purpose.
And if you're like me and you can't wait until Sunday, come to Critical Mass tonight at 7:00pm. Meet at the north end of Union Square park.
Know about any other protest activities you would like to promote? Comment below and I will post them on the blog.
9:17 AM
Thursday, August 26, 2004
How are you going to protest?
I have talked to a lot of people who are leaving town this weekend in anticipation of the Republican National Convention decending upon Madison Square Garden. I'm not going anywhere. In fact, I work just 3 blocks from the convention, and I'm going to have to wade through the masses every morning just to get to my office.
Personally, I'm excited that the RNC is coming to New York City for the fact that I will be able to protest more easily. If the RNC were in Texas (where it likely belongs), then I doubt I would make it there to express my disapproval.
If you are going to be in New York City in the coming week, I urge you to consider protesting. There are plenty of protest opportunities available that are safe, non-violent, and won't get you arrested. Of course, if you want to risk it all, then you are a true revolutionary.
Please visit the following link for a calendar of RNC protest events, meetings, and actions. (Sponsored by RNCnotwelcome.org.)
PROTEST INFORMATION
I'm still trying to figure out my level of involvement, but I will definitely be showing my true colors on full display.
Here are some events I am considering:
Friday, August 27, 7pm Critical Mass Against the RNC - North Union Square (16th St. and 4th Ave.) Critical Mass is an international event held in hundreds of cities on six continents that occurs on the last Friday of every month when bicyclists spontaneously come together to ride the ordinarily car-clogged streets of their cities. For more info, see Time's UP!
I want to take Kalin, my little brother, the following event.
Saturday, August 28, 5:00-7:45 Ring-Out against the RNC
RINGOUT's World Trade Center/Ground Zero Observance: Join us in ringing bells in a giant ring around the WTC site! 3,000+ small bells will be given out free & bring your own larger bells! If you want to help us or want participant updates, email us at contact@RingOut.org. www.RingOut.org
Monday, August 30, 12pm Poor People's March & Rally sponsored by Still We Rise, Coalition which consists of New Yorkers who are organized through community based and nonprofit organizations who are united to raise awareness about welfare issues, housing, civil liberties, healthcare & HIV/AIDS, criminal justice & immigration issues--the issues directly affecting the lives of low-income New Yorkers, primarily in communities of color that our leaders have ignored. We will be convening at 12:00 at Union Square and 15th Street, stepping off at 1:00, and marching up 8th Avenue to Madison Square Garden for a rally at 2:00 on 8th Avenue between 30th and 31st Streets.
Tuesday, August 31, 4pm Fox News Shut-up-a-thon - Join CODEPINK, Houston Global Awareness, Ronald Reagan Home for the Criminally Insane, The Tejas Bloc, and more s they join Bill O'Reilly in shouting "Shut Up!" At Fox's Corporate Headquarters - 1211 Ave. of Americas (btwn. 47th & 48th) Check out a flyer by clicking here.
Wednesday, September 1, 8:13-8:31am The Unemployment Line a symbolic unemployment line representing the 1.2 million net jobs lost during the past four years and the more than eight million Americans who are currently unemployed, will wind through New York City. Beginning at the corner of Broadway and Wall St and ending across from Madison Square Garden. More info at People for the American Way or call (212) 420-0440 x.27 or email mlombardi@pfaw.org
And just because I can't get enough, here is a link for the Republican National Convention Schedule that I'm sure you've already received in an e-mail forward. My favorite: 8:15 PM John Ashcroft Lecture: The Homos are after your children.
8:26 AM
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Hello Nurse Reviews!
It was only a matter of time before Hello Nurse received our first poor review. The reviewer classifies us as EMO, however, which leads me to believe that he has no fucking clue what he's talking about. IMHO.
Bad Review from Left Off The Dial reviewer Gary Knight.
Perhaps it was seeing Dashboard Confessional cover Automatic for the People on MTV2 last year that prompted this collection from New York City-based Hello Nurse. But don’t let that mislead you into thinking you may have something special on your hands with Hey Sailor. Even at its most pleasing, this EP lives or (mostly) dies by its lead singer’s grating emo wail.
Sans vocals, Hello Nurse take a familiar pop-oriented approach (lots of hook-and-song) and succeed at introducing a lot of good ideas but not great songs. That’s not to say they aren’t onto something. The confidence just isn’t there yet. And yes, at times they’re reminiscent of early REM, with the opening moments of “Ordinary Me” and “Tectonic” recalling Murmur’s “Laughing” and “We Walk,” respectively, and Christian Sparling dropping bombs like he’s Bill Berry – but that’s where the comparisons end. “All Choked Up” has the potential to be the album highlight it wants to be with its glorious highs and lows, but like most of the record, it’s difficult to get past Garcia’s delivery.
Then again, it’s difficult to discount the album merely because of its category-specific vocals, even if that category is emo. (After all, someone’s digging all these “emotional” bands.) That said, emo fans, you may have something special here.
-Gary Knight
8/16/04
However clueless Gary might be about rock genres, he's certainly correct that I drop bombs on There You Go. And for mentioning how much I rock in a review, I salvage Gary one thumb up! (I think the other thumb is squarely up my ass.)
We received another review from FeelthePunk.com. Check it.
The joyful sound of Hello Nurse's EP, Hello Sailor, is full of witty hooks and catchy guitar rifts that really keep you in tune with each song. Some may feel as if the lead vocals of Mike Garcia fall a bit weak at points; however, I would have to largely disagree. Why? If you listen to the EP, Mike isn't trying to produce hard-hitting vocals; he is simply singing to create the proper vibe for each of his songs. For instance, in All Choked Up, you can really feel as if he is in a dilemma or uneasy about something just by how passionate he sounds. All in all, the EP is very enjoyable and if you like cheerful rock music that resembles Weezer and Saves the Day, then you will love Hello Nurse.
This review isn't very long, and it doesn't even say much about our music. It is apparent that that the author of this review is writing in direct response to Gary Knight. Personally, I would rather people not read a review of us that says, "Some people say Hello Nurse sucks, but I think they rock!" After all, very few people think we suck. In fact, the only person I know of that thinks we are awful is Gary Knight. Oh yeah, and some person from Craigslist. Either way, the guy gave us 4 stars and mentioned some nice things about our sound.
FeelthePunk also published an interview with Hello Nurse. I highly recommend that you read it. Click here for the Hello Nurse Interview.
All in all, I'm happy to see that we are getting press. We have a full line-up of shows in September, including Rock'n'Rollerskate at OfficeOps in East Williamsburg and The Atlantic Antic street fair in Brooklyn. We're gearing up for a big CMJ show at the Continental in October. We're just going to keep sending out press kits and booking shows, and one day we'll finish these new recordings.
In the meantime, check out the hate post from Rants'n'Raves.
hate poll
Reply to: anon-39800304@craigslist.org
Date: 2004-08-18, 10:53PM EDT
I HEARTILY OBJECT...lay off my girl Font Girl. She adds COLOR to this board in more ways than one. She's my little pixelfraulein.
I must say I hate (in no order):
1) Hello Nurse, spammers extraordinaire
2) Shaved cock/balls guy with the 8" masterpiece...I said I loved him, but how fickle my heart. He sucks. Maybe if he actually came up with a new way to describe his hairless gonads and had a more enticing come-on he might come off this list.
3) The guy who continues to call the gorgeous female genitalia "gash"...why not just say "AXE WOUND" and be done with it.
4) Gspot Ejaculation guy...
5) The Asian Obsessive...I'm sure it's one dude...I'm talking all the Asian Women/White men, Asian Men are Gay, Asian men have small dicks blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
6) The raging Anti-Semite
7) People who respond to OBVIOUSLY fake posts -- Like the guy who got shot through the balls and the bullet impregnated his floozy bar pick up. Hello...hilarious...but F A K E.
I love everyone else with a chaste flaming passion.
9:42 AM
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Steve Earle plays a free set at the Barnes and Noble near Union Square. Part 2.
Not really worth listening to. My phone doesn't pick up the sound well.
4:14 PM
Steve Earle plays a free set at the Barnes and Noble near Union Square. Part 1.
Not really worth listening to. My phone doesn't pick up the sound well.
4:13 PM
Crazy hippies digging in the trash
Last night Jon Yang and I biked to Washington Square Park to check out the Lower Manhattan Dumpster Tour. (FYI: I was riding Jackie's bike, a 40lb beast with a banana seat and chopper bars! It's a sweet cruiser, but it was a tough ride taking it over the bridge and back into Manhattan.)
Here is the ad that made us curious enough to attend.
XXXXX MONDAY, AUGUST 23 XXXXX
Lower Manhattan Dumpster Tour
An evening of bike riding and dumpster diving. Bring a flashlight and bags to carry food and other assorted booty
from Soho's generous dumpsters.
Washington Square Park, Manhattan
8:30p; $free
http://www.times-up.org
Jon and I imagined a night of cruising through the cobblestone streets of Tribeca, climbing in dumpsters in search of furniture, construction supplies, office supplies, or anything that a gallery, rich person, or business might throw away. Jon has made some amazing home decorations using construction materials, so we went in with the expectation of coming away with materials.
Wow - our expectations were flat out wrong! At the meetup spot in Washington Square Park the organizers were passing out programs which listed all the spots for good loot. Every single spot on the list was a grocery store. Jon and I shrugged it off, and followed our tour leader to the first spot.
All of a sudden these hippies were untying garbage bags on the side of the road and loading up their backpacks with vegetables. One guy was eating carrots directly from the bag. The carrots had a little bit of dirt on them, but these were NOT straight from the earth - they were straight from the trash.
I used to think I could hang with the hippies. I even thought there was a little bit of hippie inside me. I play ultimate frisbee, I like to camp, I like to run around naked... But as I watched these people load up their hiking packs full of kale, lettuce, sprouts, carrots, cheese - all from the garbarge - I just wasn't feeling it. Jon and I felt a bit uncomfortable the entire time. We opened up some bags and looked around, but I guess we just weren't hungry/desperate enough to fill our bags with the goods. Jon took some eggplants, but eventually he gave them to someone else when he realized he didn't really want eggplants from the garbage.
When the hippies started passing around the cheesecake and eating it by the handful, it was time for Jon and I to be on our way.
It really is amazing the amount of edible food thrown out by grocery stores. If I ever find myself homeless or down on my luck, I know that I will be able to survive. I will never look at grocery store trash bags the same again.
Even though the whole Lower Manhattan Dumpster Tour made me uncomfortable, I didn't leave emptyhanded.
4 cans of Reddi-wip. SCORE.
8:02 AM
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Linkin Park: Prime example of the big 5 pumping out the crap
I'm just going to post this link and let you laugh your ass off on your own. No commentary needed.
Download the following mp3: http://james.alternative.net.au/all_linkin_park_songs_sound_exactly_the_same.mp3
In the left channel you will hear a Linkin Park song. In the right channel you will hear a DIFFERENT Linkin Park song. After you say, "What the fuck???" start to consider how the law of economics applies to the music industry.
Jackie and I are leaving for Maine tomorrow morning for a weekend of biking, kayaking, laying on the beach, hanging in Portland, and just general vacation relaxation. I am bidding on a bike on Ebay at 5:49pm today, so hopefully I win and have some wheels to start riding again.
12:40 PM
Monday, August 16, 2004
The long and ugly tradition of suppressing the black vote is alive and thriving in the Sunshine State.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/opinion/16herbert.html?hp
August 16, 2004
OP-ED COLUMNIST
Suppress the Vote?
By BOB HERBERT
8:29 PM
Top 10 McGreevey Jokes
I saw these on Rants and Raves and I couldn't resist putting them up here. If you have kids in the room, tell them to go elsewhere. For example, "Hey kiddies, doesn't the lawn need mowin'? Yeah that's right - getcha butt out there and mow my lawn!"
10 NJ State bird is the swallow
9 NJ Tpke renamed Hershey Highway
8 NJ raises terror alert level to lavender
7 We knew he didn't like Bush, but this is ridiculous
6 Now we know why McGreevey enjoyed "polling" so much
5 What do McGreevey and the Israeli navy have in common? Jewish seaman.
4 NJ DMV to now call rear end accidents a mcgreevey
3 Gives new meaning to stuffing the ballot box
2 Post headline...McGreevey goes down
1 It shouldn't take McGreevey long to get out of the Governers
Mansion, he's already got his shit packed!
2:57 PM
Friday, August 13, 2004
Adultery, Homosexuality, and Politics
For all of you out there with a short attention span who are just looking for a link to keep yourself busy at work, please check out the The Republican Adultery Honor Roll of Shame. Just remember, for every Jim McGreevey who is cheating on his wife with dudes on the government payroll, there is a Jack Ryan trying to get his ex-wife to fuck in front of stangers at a sex club.
I see a lot of courage behind McGreevey's resignation speech. It takes a real man (albeit, a very gay man, wacca wacca) to stand up in front of his wife, his mother, colleagues, and at age 47 come out of the closet on national televsion. There may have never been such a public coming out process as McGreevey's was yesterday. I commend him for having the guts to do this.
But I am troubled, however. For the majority of the public, the reason McGreevey resigned is because he had an adulterous homosexual affair. Most people will believe that McGreevey felt he was not suited for governorship because of his own personal sexual confusion. Why did McGreevey stay in the closet for so long?? --- Do you really think an openly gay man could a gubernatorial election in New Jersey? That is the sad state of affairs today.
Ok, I'll try to stop with the puns.
What most people won't realize is that McGreevey's coming out was only a partial reason behind his resignation. What he failed to mention in his speech, for obvious reasons, is that the man he had an affair with was not only on the payroll but is also planning to file a sexual harassment suit against McGreevey. Furthermore, McGreevey's entire campaign and governorship have been threatened with allegations of questionable fundraising and financial scandal. I mean, it is New Jersey after all.
I just hope every bumblebuck homophobe doesn't think that McGreevey feels he is unfit to govern because he is gay.
And poor Dina Matos McGreevey. Let's not forget about his wife. That takes guts for her to stand up there and here that speech, too. My hat goes off to her. Check out the look in her eye. It looks like she's thinking, "If only I had a knife." And then there's his mother - she looks PISSED.
10:19 AM
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Donate To DownHillBattle.org
I just donated $20 to DownHillBattle.org using paypal. Here's some text from their website detailing the types of projects for which this money will be put to good use.
Now, we're at a critical point. Downhill Battle has grown quickly and every day we're getting more people involved in the fight for a fairer music business. As our work gets more serious, we need more help to keep growing. Here is what we have planned for the next 6 months:
1. Volunteers have distributed flyers at over 100 concerts this summer. We need to expand our flyering campaign so that we can reach every local music scene. A better music industry can only be built from the bottom up.
2. We are developing free, open-source software that will improve online organizing for us and other groups and that will take serious steps towards decentralizing the media landscape.
3. This fall we'll be reaching out to hundreds of independent radio stations providing information and Public Service Announcements on CD that explain how they can help us fight for more diversity on the airwaves.
4. Colleges and universities can be the foundation for a freer, fairer, and better shared culture. We created FreeCulture.org and this fall we'll be making a serious push to build a presence on dozens of new campuses.
5. We are expanding our advocacy work. We are writing constantly on these issues, finding new, creative ways to reach more people, and we're shifting the debate about the future of the music industry online and in major media outlets (see our press clipings).
All of these projects require an investment of resources. We're asking anyone who believes that this is an exciting time for music and that our plans are solid, to give us a contribution so that the next step can happen. The fight to improve the music industry is everyone's. We have been very good at making every penny we get go far, and we're focused on making every project we do succeed.
Rock on, DownHillBattle.
10:40 AM
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Beautiful Pictures
http://blog.naver.com/post/postView.jsp?blogId=haruma95&logNo=80004641511
And for anyone who read Joe's news article, here is what I have to say about Republicans.
8:49 PM
Monday, August 09, 2004
The Legend Lives
I would like to give a big shout out to Tao for using an old picture for the Columbia Ultimate homepage. If you'll look closely, you can see that I'm wearing flip flops. All the best players in ultimate know that flip flops provide state of the art support for getting horizontal, especially on wet floors. Also, this photo was back from the bleached hair days. I'm pretty sure this photo is from Spring Break 1999. Glory Days.
My only request to Tao is that he revive the Columbia Ultimate photo gallery. We used to keep generations of photos available online as a visual history of the men, women, and all around jackasses who have sacrificed their weekends, physical health, and chances of having any romance whatsoever in their lives to play utlimate for Columbia. Please bring the gallery back!
In other news, Jackie and I took Kalin to Coney Island on Saturday. It was Kalin's first time in the ocean, and he doesn't know how to swim in water over his head, but he was brave and made it up to his waist. I dragged both of them on the Cyclone, and it was a 5 minute ride where I repeated the following phrases each time the roller coaster rounded a hump.
* "Kalin, are you ok? It's ok man!" [Meanwhile Kalin's head is burried in my shoulder and he's screaming at the top of his lungs.]
* "Jackie, it's ok. The ride's almost over. You'll be ok." [Meanwhile Jackie is bawling with an expression of absolute terror on her face.]
* "WOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!" [My hands up in the air on each coaster drop.]
Maybe I should have thought twice before saying, "C'mon guys, the Cyclone isn't that bad."
Kalin later dragged me onto the Break Dancer, a make-me-puke spin ride where you rotate on three different axes which are resting on a tilted plane. I thought the ride was over when it stopped, but it was only halfway done. I closed my eyes and meditated on the soothing taste of Pepto Bismol. Luckily I made it through the ride without tossing any cookies.
Matt joined us later for another dip in the ocean and a ride on the Break Dancer with Kalin. Yeah, he thought he could handle it. HE THOUGHT WRONG. Luckily he was also able to avoid any hurling.
Saturday night Hello Nurse played a hole in the wall bar in Kips Bay called Desmond's Tavern. It was a fun show, and we got some people on the mailing list. Special thanks to Matt and Bill for coming out.
Yesterday Joe and I spent the entire day recording drum tracks for 5 new recordings. Recording drums is a tedious process, and we were constantly busy from 10am-8:30pm. Luckily we had Ed to help us set up in the morning. Joe's friend Iggy, who is a recording guru, came by and helped us tweak our recoring setup for optimal sound. We have never been able to even get close to the drum sound we achieved yesterday. I recorded in a concrete and drywall room, and the drums sounded great! The snare sounded like a gunshot, the toms like thunder - and that probably means nothing to you, as Jackie cut me off mid sentence last night as I was raving about drum tones.
We'll try to have some new tracks available in the next few weeks.
Bush Blunder: I don't think he misspoke, actually.
And for your viewing pleasure, Borat on Conan!.
11:58 AM
Friday, August 06, 2004
Found this on Craigslist
Do the Math
By Michael Kinsley
You know how sometimes, when it's really really hot, you get this urge to crank up the old spreadsheet, download a bunch of numbers from the Web and start crunching away like there's no next fiscal year?
Me neither. But I did spend a bit of the past week watching the Democratic National Convention on TV, and I needed something to exercise my mind while that was going on. Convention season is the one time every four years when we pretend that political parties matter. In general we have accepted the reality that campaigns for national office have become entrepreneurial, united more by shared political consultants than by old-fashioned parties.
Is there a difference between the parties that transcends the differences between the candidates? Is one of the parties, for example, a better steward of the economy? One year won't tell you much, or even one administration. But surely differences will emerge over half a century or so, if they exist. With that thought, I headed for the Web. Specifically, I went to the charts attached to the President's Economic Report, released in February. There I downloaded like a madman and then distilled the mess into a few key stats.
The figures I'm using are from the 43 years 1960 through 2002.This odd stretch of time reflects the years that are included in all of the charts I wanted to use. By doing it this way, I hope to convince you that I didn't choose the years to skew the results. Because the results are pretty interesting. Maybe presidents have little power over the economy. And we know that they must fight with Congress over the budget. Still, elections are based on the premise that whom you vote for does matter. So let's at least en- tertain that assumption for a few minutes.
It turns out that Democratic presidents have a much better record than Republicans. They win a head-to-head comparison in almost every category. Real growth averaged 4.09 percent in Democratic years, 2.75 percent in Republican years. Unemployment was 6.44 percent on average under Republican presidents and 5.33 percent under Democrats. The federal government spent more under Republicans than Democrats (20.87 percent of gross domestic product, compared with 19.58 percent), and that remains true even if you exclude defense (13.76 for the Democrats; 14.97 for the Republicans).
What else? Inflation was lower under Democratic presidents (3.81 percent on average, compared with 4.85 percent). And annual deficits took more than twice as much of GDP under Republicans as under Democrats (2.74 percent versus 1.21 percent). Republicans won by a nose on government revenue (i.e., taxes), taking 18.12 percent of GDP compared with 18.39 percent. That, of course, is why they lost on the size of the deficit. Personal income per capita was also a bit higher in Republican years ($16,061) than in Democratic ones ($15,565). But that is because more of the Republican years came later, when the country was more prosperous already.
There will be many objections to all this, some of them valid. For example, a president can't fairly be held responsible for the economy from the day he takes office. So let's give them all a year. That is, let's allocate each year of an administration to the party that controlled the White House the year before. Guess what. The numbers change, but the bottom-line tally is exactly the same: higher growth, lower unemployment, lower government spending, lower inflation and so on under the Democrats. Lower taxes under the Republicans.
But maybe we are taking too long a view. The Republican Party considers itself born again in 1981, when Ronald Reagan became president. That's when Republicans got serious about cutting taxes, reducing the size of government and making the country prosperous. Allegedly. But doing all the same calculations for the years 1982 through 2002, and giving each president's policies a year to take effect, changes only one result: The Democrats pull ahead of the Republicans on per capita personal income.
As they say in the brokerage ads, past results are no guarantee of future performance.
The writer is editorial and opinion editor of the Los Angeles Times.
4:24 PM
If Republicans really cared about the safety of New Yorkers
If Republicans really cared about the safety of New Yorkers, they would NOT be hosting their convention here! But since the Bush administration has not given New York City the appropriate post-911 financial help, and smaller inland states have been given disproportionately more anti-terrorism aid compared with New York, who would expect them to actually care in the first place??
I work on 36th street between 8th and 9th, and I can't even imagine the madhouse this neighborhood is going to become during the convention. During my non-work hours you can fully expect me to be protesting my butt off.
Why would the Republican National Convention come to a city that votes largely Democratic in the first place? Furthermore, New York City has already been a target of terrorist attack, and likely the Republican National Convention provides an all too appealing choice for a future attack. If they were really concerned about safety, they would have their convention in the south or midwest, where voters actually identify with their politics and where security measures are more easily enforced.
But, since all you Republicans out there will be showing up anyway, please buy something while you're here. Please use that Bush tax cut to your rich, self-centered, Christian self to benefit the New York economy. That's what it's for, after all. Or at least that's what it's supposed to be for. (But you're probably just investing it anyway, so the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and our country continues to swirl tenuously down the toilet bowl.)
In some ways, I wouldn't mind as much if a bunch of Republicans were attacked. It just sucks that I'll probably be in the neighborhood when in happens. But would I mind giving my life if so many influential Republicans go down as well?
Maybe I should take a few vacation days. I am really now beginning to understand how much I loathe Republicans. I understand that everyone has the right to believe in their own politics. I just think if I meet someone who is Republican, I immediately lose most respect I have for them. Even if I saw President Bush, the leader of the free world, the president of my beloved country, I don't even think I would hold the door for him - and I hold the door for EVERYONE.
So, if you know me and you are a Republican, you should probably keep that nasty bit of information to yourself. I know this sounds ridiculous, and I never would have thought I would feel this way over something as simple as an ideology, but I do.
4:08 PM
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Will Ferrell in Bush Straight Talk
http://kintera.sitestream.com/ferrell_qt_hi.mov
Everyone loves a good Will Ferrell clip, especially when he's mocking one of our nation's worst presidents in history!
This is George W. Bush, and I approved this message. In fact, I think it is awesome.
1:55 PM
Sunday, August 01, 2004
To the thief who stole my bike last night:
If I ever see you riding my bike around town, be prepared for a fiery barrage of fists to your jaw, kicks to your stomach, knees to your groin, fingernails to your eye.. and let it be known that I will beat you with whatever blunt object I can find in the nearby vicinity. This is after, of course, I tackle you off the bike, repeatedly slam your skull into the ground, and stab you with whatever pen or pencil happens to be in my pocket. Also, I would not count breaking your fingers, slashing your ears, or kicking your knees in backwards out of the realm of possibility. There is one thing you can count on - I will be creative in my means of total obliteration of your joints, vital organs, and tender areas.
Today was supposed to be the Tour De Slice, a 45 mile / 3 borough bike tour stopping at 15 famous pizzerias in Brooklyn, Queens, and upper Manhattan. I walked out this morning to place a plastic bag over my bike seat, because it had begun to rain and I did not want my seat to be soaked through. When I looked down the block to the gate where I normally lock my bike all I saw was my lock and my front tire. Whoever the thief was had to hacksaw through the frame of the bike to steal it. For the solitary act of ruining such a beautiful bike, I wish the thief(s) an eternity of melting flesh and in the deepest, rankest bowel of hell, followed by a constant shower of feces and urine pouring down upon his/her/their rotting carcass(es).
I spent a lot of money on that bike. I basically converted the bike to fixed gear on my own, a grand experiment in my livingroom. I took her out for Critical Mass on Friday, and it was a beautiful ride. I couldn't sleep last night in anticipation of today's 45 mile tour, but now I have a lonely rainy day to mourn her loss.
So this is what rage feels like....
9:48 AM
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