Flying The Sky

COMING SOON: The 2000s - The Decade Of Decidin'

2009-10-10T00:02:00.000-07:00

In the Y2K the digital music revolution became full force. It was in the late 90s that MP3s began to appear, here and there, on messageboards and virtual trading posts. In 1998 a big cross-section was infamous for posting, Who's got MP3s of the new___INSERT ARTIST(S) HERE___
A college kid named Shawn Fanning developed the first fully functional Peer-To-Peer network and pissed off an aging Lars Ulrich enough to draw the attention of the Whole Wide World. Napster. Com started as a free file-sharing site in 1999 and was shutdown in 2001 before a corporate buy-out. Metallica, a band as dependent on the standard commerce of the record industry did not have the technical foresight to see the upcoming paradigm shift. In 2007, Radiohead, another multi-millionaire rock group offered up their album for any price to the end user.
And Bill Gates who found much success in the previous decade, saw his archnemesis Steve Jobs finish building his Apple Empire. Gates has been quoted saying that his family isn't allowed to bring Apple products into the home. I'm not sure if he was joking or not. Around the time Napster was being corporatized, Apple introduced the iPod. Shortly after the Twin Towers were a fiery heap of twisted metal, college kids were coming out of University Square with thin white wires attached to white ear buds in their coat pockets. The first generation iPod sold itself without an ad campaign. ----to be completed----10/10/09

Bleak For The Future?

2009-08-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

From the BBC

As the world's population grows, competition for food, water and energy will increase. Food prices will rise, more people will go hungry, and migrants will flee the worst-affected regions.

That's the simple idea at the heart of the warning from John Beddington, the UK government's chief scientific adviser, of a possible crisis in 2030.

Specifically, he points to research indicating that by 2030 "a whole series of events come together":

The world's population will rise from 6bn to 8bn (33%)
Demand for food will increase by 50%
Demand for water will increase by 30%
Demand for energy will increase by 50%

He foresees each problem combining to create a "perfect storm" in which the whole is bigger, and more serious, than the sum of its parts.

Population growth threatens food, water and energy shortages

"Can we cope with the demands in the future on water? Can we provide enough energy? Can we do it, all that, while mitigating and adapting to climate change? And can we do all that in 21 years' time?" he asked the SDUK 09 conference in London, in March.

Some of the problems reinforce each other, in obvious ways. For example, intensive agriculture swallows up large amounts of water and energy.

But Professor Beddington also points to other complicating factors and worrying possibilities.

CLIMATE CHANGE

WATER SCARCITY

See where water will be scarce

There is a risk that climate change will have drastic effects on food production - for example by killing off the coral reefs (which about 1bn people depend on as a source of protein) or by either weakening or strengthening monsoon rains.

Also, some scientists are predicting that the Arctic will be ice-free by 2030, he points out, which could accelerate global warming by reducing the amount of the sun's energy that is reflected back out of the atmosphere.

URBANISATION

Not only is the world's population predicted to grow (until the middle of the century, at least) but more people are moving to live in cities, Professor Beddington points out. The growth of cities will accelerate the depletion of water resources, which in turn may drive more country dwellers to leave the land.

INCREASING PROSPERITY

As people become wealthier in some parts of the world, such as China and India, their diets are changing. They are consuming more meat and dairy products, which take more energy to produce than traditional vegetable diets. Like city dwellers, prosperous people also use more energy to maintain their lifestyle.

BIOFUELS

The more land is devoted to growing biofuels, in response to climate change, the less can be used for growing food.

Source information: Energy data graphic derived from World Energy Outlook © OECD/IEA, 2008, figure 2.2, p. 81 and modified by BBC News.

Professor Beddington says he is optimistic that scientists can come up with solutions to the problems and that he is encouraged by signs that politicians are listening more to scientific advice.

But he adds: "We need investment in science and technology, and all the other ways of treating very seriously these major problems. 2030 is not very far away."

The President's 100th Day Hoopla Is Over Now

2009-04-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

It's finally over. The over-sensationalized news media fixation also known as the "First 100 Days of the Obama Presidency" is now a wrap.
Jon Stewart did a fantastic piece on The Daily Show last night on the topic. I had to wait 24 hours for it leave my mind before I attempted to take a look at this.

Firstly, I think the 100 days timeframe goes back to the Kennedy Administration to when JFK said the President Of The United States' job should not be measured by one hundred days, but by one thousand days. But he got merked, so what did he know. 100 days it is, the media purports.
And holy Shi'ite Muslim Sectarian Party did the television news media have a field day, fuck - a field month with this 100 day nonsense.
But the BBC put together a very substantive, comprehensive analysis of the developments of the new administration

Also an interactive map that sees how the world views Barack Obama
Here's my $0.02 [soon to be adjusted for inflation]
It's 100 days! 100 days following 2920 days of damage. I'm no mathematician, but I think the task of a new Presidential administration to accomplish some meaningful new policies and restore and sustain prosperity and betterment for its nation needs to be more than 14 weeks.
This is just like people to put so much pressure on a brother.
Off the top of my head, the new Administration has rolled out new bailouts for more banks and now automakers. Guantanamo Bay's closure is in full effect.
Accountability on the interrogative torture methods are out in the open - the Neo-Cons have had their vacations abruptly interrupted.
The doors to new healthcare reform have been reopened. Alternative energies are being explored, cultivated. Those Green jobs the President promised in his campaign, I've heard from a couple of people who now have them.

Much of the campaign promises have been realized already. The only thorn I see in Obama's side is the War in Afghanistan. But most of all, like many will find in the above links, people are finding the President to be the antithesis to Governor Bush and his 8 years in stolen office.

29 Brilliant Music Videos

2009-03-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

Stumbled onto this page some time ago. Definitely is a nice collection of videos, some of that didn't get enough attention when they dropped.

Videos by:

UNKLE
Nick Cave & Kylie Minogue
Radiohead
Moby
The Strokes
Arctic Monkeys
Sigur Ros
The Avalanches
Blur
Boards Of Canada
Daft Punk
RJD2

29 Brilliant Music Videos

The January Thaw

2009-01-23T18:40:00.000-08:00

Something I recognized once was that January is typically an uneventful month - here in the States. It may be on a symbolic level; a new beginning (as far as the calendar makes it)
It may be the culmination of the previous year with the end of the holiday season, for all its greatness and woes, has forced us all to slow down. So we can work our way back to to it again.

I always take politicians words with a bag of salt. I learned this from my old man.
I was in junior high when Bush Sr. was running for President.
H.W.'s centerpiece campaign promise was, "Read my lips, no new taxes!"
He was elected for one term. Only to generate new taxes.

In the essence of time and importance, I'll leave it to that sole example.

I noticed something different this week. My Web news feeds used to have 2, maybe 3 - very predictable articles about the same U.S. governmental policies at work. The radio reported it similar, a few pieces on the stalemate positions, punctuated with some concern.
It's interesting to see those same news feeds - with now 4 to 6 articles on new, somewhat surprising executive moves:

Gitmo - otherwise known as Guantanamo Bay - in the beginning stages for shutdown.
Waterboarding, and all forms of interrogative torture methods - BANNED
Economic Stimulus - this one based on rebuilding U.S. infrastructure (highways, roads, bridges) - being written up for a bill as I type this

I have my feelings about all three of these major game-changers, but I want to hear some of yours. So leave a comment below.

The Line Between The Internet & Television Begins To Blur

2008-12-04T22:40:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, right here at this little blog of mine, I made mention and gave props to a fledgling cable network called 'The Tube." It was the only TV network in this age of new information and new media that continuously played music videos. Well, they folded a couple of years ago due to financial difficulties.

In the middle of this year during my obsessive viewership of the Presidential primaries, I tuned into "Current TV"
This is a description off their website:

Since its inception in 2005, Emmy award-winning Current TV has been the world's leading peer-to-peer news and information network. Current is the only 24/7 cable and satellite television network and Internet site produced and programmed in collaboration with its audience. Current connects young adults with what is going on in their world, from their perspective, in their own voices.

With the launch of Current.com, the first fully integrated web and TV platform users can participate in shaping an ongoing stream of news and information that is compelling, authentic and relevant to them.

Current pioneered the television industry's leading model of interactive viewer created content (VC2). Comprising roughly one-third of Current's on-air broadcast, this content is submitted via short-form, non-fiction video "pods". Viewer Created Ad Messages (VCAMs) are also open to viewer's participation.

Current's programming ranges from daily pop culture coverage to political satire in "SuperNews," unprecedented music journalism in "The Current Fix," and unique insights into global stories through Vanguard and Citizen Journalism.

Yeah, that's what it is.

Interesting.

Innovative.

Interactive.

I should contact their marketing department and sell them that. :-)

And here's where it is on your TV:

channel 358

directv
channel 196

dish network
channel 107

comcast
channel 189

at&t u-verse
check listings

time warner

The People Have Spoken

2008-11-04T14:46:00.001-08:00

Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. A new day is near, where like Dr. Martin Luther King once proclaimed, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
A sea change of culture and the way we view each other is coming. Whether it is evident in the most backwards and devolved areas of this country, the ripple has already been sent out in the ocean of humanity when my nation, my nation! finally can elect someone no matter what bullshit the conservative media filtered out on the airwaves, they elected the person who is the best qualified for the job ahead.

As Decision2008 Comes Around The Final Corner....

2008-11-02T23:52:00.000-08:00

I pulled this off from Gallup.com right now,

These are the stats on the race as of early Monday morning

Election 2008

Democrats Lead Big on Generic Ballot

Double-digit lead among likely voters is biggest since 1980

November 2, 2008

Gallup’s final pre-election allocated estimate of the national 2008 vote for Congress gives the Democrats a 12 percentage-point lead over the Republicans among traditional likely voters, 53% to 41%.More ...

Final Presidential Estimate: Obama 55%, McCain 44%

Independents break for Obama, boosting Obama’s broad Democratic base

November 2, 2008

As the 2008 presidential campaign draws to an end, the final USA Today/Gallup pre-election poll shows Barack Obama with a 55% to 44% advantage over John McCain in the allocated estimate of the 2008 presidential vote.More ...

Gallup Daily: Obama Continues to Outpace McCain

Holds 8-point lead among “traditional likely voters”

November 2, 2008

Barack Obama leads John McCain by eight percentage points among “traditional likely voters,” 51% to 43%, with 5% undecided. His lead stretches to nine points among “expanded likely voters” and a theoretical 11 points among all eligible voters.More ...

Life Satisfaction Predicts Voter Preferences

Satisfied Republicans Prefer McCain; Optimistic Democrats Prefer Obama

November 1, 2008

Republicans who are more satisfied with their current lives more strongly prefer McCain in the presidential election. The preferences of Democrats have more to do with their expectations about their future lives. Those who expect to be more satisfied in the future more strongly prefer Obama.More ...

Gallup Daily: Obama 52%, McCain 42% Among Likely Voters

Largest lead for Obama among likely voters to date

November 1, 2008

Barack Obama leads John McCain in Gallup Poll Daily tracking interviewing conducted Wednesday through Friday by a 52% to 42% margin in both of Gallup’s likely voter models. Obama leads by a similar 52% to 41% margin among all registered voters.More ...

Blacks Appear Poised for High Turnout

Constitute 11% of both of Gallup's likely voter groups, up from 8% in 2004

October 31, 2008

Blacks constitute a higher percentage of Gallup’s projected likely voter pool than in previous elections, based on increased thought given to the election and greater self-reported likelihood of voting. They are also far more likely to report having been contacted by Obama’s campaign than by McCain’s.More ...

Update: Little Evidence of Surge in Youth Vote

Obama campaign has contacted about one in three 18- to 29-year-olds

October 31, 2008

Gallup continues to find scant evidence to suggest a surge in young voter turnout compared to other age groups or to the 2004 election. Twice as many 18- to 29-year-olds report that the Obama campaign has contacted them in recent weeks (31%) as report that the McCain campaign has done so (16%).More ...

Obama Retains Slight Edge Over McCain on Taxes

Americans still more likely to say Obama will increase taxes

October 31, 2008

After two consecutive weeks of a tit-for-tat over tax policy between John McCain and Barack Obama, Americans continue to favor Obama over McCain on taxes, but Obama’s edge is only 6 percentage points, smaller than it was in mid-October.More ...

Gallup Daily: Obama’s Lead Widens Some on All Bases

Advances to 8-point lead among “traditional likely voters”

October 31, 2008

Barack Obama holds an eight percentage point lead over John McCain among “traditional likely voters” -- 51% to 43% -- his largest margin to date using this historical Gallup Poll voter model. He leads by nine points among “expanded likely voters.”

Politics And Hip-Hop (Like It Should Be)

2008-10-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

This track was passed on to me the other night. A politically charged hip-hop track, free for the taking:

Meet The Press

A Retro Cartoon Post

2008-09-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

In the 1980s, wonderful things began to happen when Japanese and American artists worked together. The Transformers. Voltron. G.I. Joe. And a little-known Saturday morning CBS cartoon called Galaxy High.
The premise: Two foreign exchange students travel to a different high school. One is a brilliant scholarship recipient, the other is a slacker jock. Both of them are from Earth, now attending a high school in outer space.
This is the first episode of the series, broken into 3 parts:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Are You A Republican? The Republican Quiz!

2008-09-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the best way to find out if you are a part of the Republican Party base.
Answer each of the questions and look at the bottom for the answer.

1. Do you believe it is our God-given right as Americans to bear arms?
[YES] [NO]

2. National Security means keeping our country safe from the terrorists.
[YES] [NO]

3. Do you believe women should not have a choice but to have their baby?
[YES] [NO]

4. I believe the wealthy should pay less taxes while the hard-working middle class should pay more taxes.
[YES] [NO]

5. It is of my strong conviction that all Muslim people are my enemies.
[YES] [NO]

6. It is of my strong conviction that all homosexual people are my enemies.
[YES] [NO]

7. I feel that we do not need to try new ways of using energy. We need to own new regions where oil is available, and hey - Nuclear power.
[YES] [NO]

8. Wars are unfortunate. Nobody wants to start them or go through them. I don't need to question anything about it because it's not happening in my country.
[YES] [NO]

9. Fear is not only a great motivator, but it gets people to do the things you want them to.
[YES] [NO]

10. Once it was the separation of church and state that made laws fair and equal. Now in order to be fair, an equal amount of churches need to support the state, not by law, but for their faith.
[YES] [NO]

------->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>-------

If you answered 3 or more questions YES, then you are a Republican.
If you realized that there were only 2 questions, then you aren't a Republican. You win a free 100% Cotton XXL Tee:

The Top 10 Reasons Why John McCain Should Not Be The Leader Of The Free World (The Remix)

2008-09-01T00:30:00.000-07:00

This week, the Twin Cities host the Republican National Convention to nominate John McCain as their presidential candidate. To be proactive this time around, the GOP have taken to issue statements and raise concerns about the imminent destruction of Hurricane Gustav. At this time it is unknown how many days of the RNC will be lost due to the emergency. But just like another emergency that happened 7 years ago, the relief effort and tactical preparations (which should always be expected to happen) will be subverted for political purposes.

3 months ago, the original 'Top Ten Reasons...' was posted here. This is the remix, the remix . . .

TOP TEN REASONS WHY JOHN McCAIN SHOULD NOT BE THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD

10. He's 72 years old. The pressure and stress that comes along with being commander-in-chief is likely to send him into a cardiac arrest.

9. Presidents need to travel constantly. Every week a new state, a new nation. All those road trips are likely to send him into a cardiac arrest.

8. McCain's unhealthy. A recent three-hour medical examination revealed he has kidney, skin, sleep and circulatory problems. This guy's going to need a government-based healthcare system the most.

7. John McCain sees an exit from Iraq by at least year 2013. With a U.S. economy that's progressively tanking, that means another trillion dollars for war. That means $12 a gallon for gas.

6. Congress is comprised of mostly Democrats right now. More than half of the Senate doesn't support the wars in the Middle East. A McCain Administration would only perpetuate more gridlocks in foreign policy.

5. He's a hypocrite. He supports W's war yet he sees a need for energy conservation. The carbon emissions from a fleet of naval aircraft carriers alone represents the amount of carbon produced by the entire population of New Jersey.

4. As Senator of Arizona, John McCain voted for legislature to repeal Dr. Martin Luther King Day as an observed holiday 25 years ago. If elected president, he promises not to repeal President's Day because working with Abraham Lincoln to form the Republican Party shaped his political career.

3. Journalists say his old guy smell is almost unbearable in warmer climates. (Just kidding, but this is probably true)

2. McCain takes many kinds of medications for health-related illnesses including Ambien for sleep aid. How's he going to wake up at 3 A.M. for the phone call?

and #1 ................. He simply is interested in furthering the Bush-Cheney foreign affairs agenda. By agenda that means a McDonalds in both Kabul and Fallujah by 2015.

Life Imitates Art Once Again

2008-08-04T02:04:00.000-07:00

Source

Parents forget child at airport

A flight attendant escorted the girl on her eventual flight to Paris

Staff at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel have found a three-year-old girl alone in a duty-free shop after her parents accidentally took a plane without her.

The parents boarded the flight to Paris with four of their five children.

The parents did not realise their mistake until the captain of the plane informed them after take-off, according to police.

The girl was put on the next flight to Paris. The parents will be questioned when they return to Israel.

"It is usual that travellers in a rush forget their luggage but not a child. This never happens," AFP news agency quoted a police official by as saying.

The Dark Knight (Review By Roger Ebert)

2008-07-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

In the world of film reviews, Roger Ebert is the G.O.A.T. Nowhere else can you get an objective, analytical and thoughtfully considerate critique of a film. Tonight, The Dark Knight opens in theaters, block-booked and destined to become the highest-grossing movie of all time. It stars Christian Bale, the late Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine. Here is Roger Ebert's critique, pulled from his column on the Chicago Sun-Times website:

The Dark Knight (PG-13)

Ebert:

Heath Ledger stars as The Joker in a scene with Christian Bale, who plays Batman in "The Dark Knight."

The Dark Knight

// / July 16, 2008

Cast & Credits

Bruce Wayne: Christian Bale

The Joker: Heath Ledger

Harvey Dent: Aaron Eckhart

Alfred: Michael Caine

Rachel: Maggie Gyllenhaal

Gordon: Gary Oldman

Lucius Fox: Morgan Freeman

Warner Bros. presents a film directed by Christopher Nolan. Written by Christopher and Jonathan Nolan. Running time: 152 minutes. Rated PG-13 (for for intense sequences of violence and some menace). Opening today at local theaters.

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By Roger Ebert

“Batman” isn’t a comic book anymore. Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” is a haunted film that leaps beyond its origins and becomes an engrossing tragedy. It creates characters we come to care about. That’s because of the performances, because of the direction, because of the writing, and because of the superlative technical quality of the entire production. This film, and to a lesser degree “Iron Man,” redefine the possibilities of the “comic-book movie.”

“The Dark Knight” is not a simplistic tale of good and evil. Batman is good, yes, The Joker is evil, yes. But Batman poses a more complex puzzle than usual: The citizens of Gotham City are in an uproar, calling him a vigilante and blaming him for the deaths of policemen and others. And the Joker is more than a villain. He’s a Mephistopheles whose actions are fiendishly designed to pose moral dilemmas for his enemies.

The key performance in the movie is by the late Heath Ledger, as the Joker. Will he become the first posthumous Oscar winner since Peter Finch? His Joker draws power from the actual inspiration of the character in the silent classic “The Man Who Laughs” (1928). His clown's makeup more sloppy than before, his cackle betraying deep wounds, he seeks revenge, he claims, for the horrible punishment his father exacted on him when he was a child. In one diabolical scheme near the end of the film, he invites two ferry-loads of passengers to blow up the other before they are blown up themselves. Throughout the film, he devises ingenious situations that force Batman (Christian Bale), Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) to make impossible ethical decisions. By the end, the whole moral foundation of the Batman legend is threatened.

Because these actors and others are so powerful, and because the movie does not allow its spectacular special effects to upstage the humans, we’re surprised how deeply the drama affects us. Eckhart does an especially good job as Harvey Dent, whose character is transformed by a horrible fate into a bitter monster. It is customary in a comic book movie to maintain a certain knowing distance from the action, to view everything through a sophisticated screen. “The Dark Knight” slips around those defenses and engages us.

Yes, the special effects are extraordinary. They focus on the expected explosions and catastrophes, and have some superb, elaborate chase scenes. The movie was shot on location in Chicago, but it avoids such familiar landmarks as Marina City, the Wrigley Building or the skyline. Chicagoans will recognize many places, notably La Salle Street and Lower Wacker Drive, but director Nolan is not making a travelogue. He presents the city as a wilderness of skyscrapers, and a key sequence is set in the still-uncompleted Trump Tower. Through these heights, the Batman moves at the end of strong wires, or sometimes actually flies, using his cape as a parasail.

The plot involves nothing more or less than the Joker’s attempts to humiliate the forces for good and expose Batman’ secret identity, showing him to be a poser and a fraud. He includes Gordon and Dent on his target list, and contrives cruel tricks to play with the fact that Bruce Wayne once loved, and Harvey Dent now loves, Assistant D.A. Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). The tricks are more cruel than he realizes, because the Joker doesn’t know Batman’s identity. Heath Ledger has a good deal of dialogue in the movie, and a lot of it isn’t the usual jabs and jests we’re familiar with: It’s psychologically more complex, outlining the dilemmas he has constructed, and explaining his reasons for them. The screenplay by Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan (who first worked together on “Memento”) has more depth and poetry than we might have expected.

Two of the supporting characters are crucial to the action, and are played effortlessly by the great actors Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine. Freeman, as the scientific genius Lucius Fox, is in charge of Bruce Wayne’s underground headquarters, and makes an ethical objection to a method of eavesdropping on all of the citizens of Gotham City. His stand has current political implictions. Caine is the faithful butler Alfred, who understands Wayne better than anybody, and makes a decision about a crucial letter.

Nolan also directed the previous, and excellent, “Batman Begins” (2005), which went into greater detail than ever before about Bruce Wayne’s origins and the reasons for his compulsions. Now it is the Joker’s turn, although his past is handled entirely with dialogue, not flashbacks. There are no references to Batman’s childhood, but we certainly remember it, and we realize that this conflict is between two adults who were twisted by childhood cruelty — one compensating by trying to do good, the other by trying to do evil. Perhaps they instinctively understand that themselves.

Something fundamental seems to be happening in the upper realms of the comic-book movie. “Spider-Man II” (2004) may have defined the high point of the traditional film based on comic-book heroes. A movie like the new “Hellboy II” allows its director free rein for his fantastical visions. But now “Iron Man” and even more so “The Dark Knight” move the genre into deeper waters. They realize, as some comic-book readers instinctively do, that these stories touch on deep fears, traumas, fantasies and hopes. And the Batman legend, with its origins in film noir, is the most fruitful one for exploration.

In his two Batman movies, Nolan has freed the character to be a canvas for a broader scope of human emotion. For Bruce Wayne is a deeply troubled man, let there be no doubt, and if ever in exile from his heroic role, it would not surprise me what he finds himself capable of doing.

Well It's 50 Cups Of Coffee & You Know It's On

2008-07-01T23:00:00.000-07:00

Summer time is in full swing now. The 4th of July is in a couple of days. Since it is the 10th anniversary of the Beastie Boy's next-level album, Hello Nasty on July 14th - I've ripped and uploaded the album in MP3 form. It's the Japanese import that I ordered on CDNow before Amazon.com upstarted and bought them out. The major distinction between the U.S. and Japanese version is that on the latter, The Grasshopper Unit (Keep Movin') is the original, "Can't Won't Don't Stop" that couldn't make it past sample clearances. Also there is a bonus track of MixMasterMike with the B-Boys live performing "Slow And Low," the song that they found at Def Jam records, written by Run-D.M.C. , released on their first and last album on Def Jam.
This is a dope album to play for the summer time indeed.

Description:
Hello Nasty, the Beastie Boys' fifth album, is a head-spinning listen loaded with analog synthesizers, old drum machines, call-and-response vocals, freestyle rhyming, futuristic sound effects, and virtuoso turntable scratching. The Beasties have long been notorious for their dense, multi-layered explosions, but Hello Nasty is their first record to build on the multi-ethnic junk culture breakthrough of Check Your Head, instead of merely replicating it. Moving from electro-funk breakdowns to Latin-soul jams to spacey pop, Hello Nasty covers as much ground as Check Your Head or Ill Communication, but the flow is natural, like Paul's Boutique, even if the finish is retro-stylized. Hiring DJ MixMaster Mike (one of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz) turned out to be a masterstroke; he and the Beasties created a sound that strongly recalls the spare electronic funk of the early '80s, but spiked with the samples and post-modern absurdist wit that have become their trademarks. On the surface, the sonic collages of Hello Nasty don't appear as dense as Paul's Boutique, nor is there a single as grabbing as "Sabotage," but given time, little details emerge, and each song forms its own identity. A few stray from the course, and the ending is a little anticlimactic, but that doesn't erase the riches of Hello Nasty -- the old-school kick of "Super Disco Breakin'" and "The Move"; Adam Yauch's crooning on "I Don't Know"; Lee "Scratch" Perry's cameo; and the recurring video game samples, to name just a few. The sonic adventures alone make the album noteworthy, but what makes it remarkable is how it looks to the future by looking to the past. There's no question that Hello Nasty is saturated in old-school sounds and styles, but by reviving the future-shock rock of the early '80s, the Beasties have shrewdly set themselves up for the new millennium. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG

Super Disco Breakin' [2:07] The Move [3:35] Remote Control [2:58] Song for the Man [3:13] Just a Test [2:12] Body Movin' [3:03] Intergalactic [3:51] Sneakin' Out the Hospital [2:45] Putting Shame in Your Game [3:37] Flowin' Prose [2:39] And Me [2:52] Three MC's and One DJ [2:50 Can't Won't Don't Stop [3:01] Song for Junior [3:49] I Don't Know [3:00] Negotiation Limerick File [2:46] Electrify [2:22] Picture This [2:25] Unite [3:31] Dedication [2:32] Dr. Lee, PhD. [4:50] Slow And Low [BONUS]

http://rapidshare.com/files/117835316/beastieBoysHelloNasty.rar.html

George Carlin 1937-2008

2008-06-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

I spotted a decent obit for the one and only George Carlin. Just wanted to share some of my feelings about the man. I discovered the comedy of Carlin when I was coming-of-age, probably around 10, 11 years old. My father and I would go to the video store to rent his HBO specials. One of the first things you recognize about George Carlin when you see his stand-up comedy is his profound logic and insight into the world. His love for language - non-sequitirs, colloquialisms, cliches, in how he deconstructs them for their absurdities. Carlin was well-known for his nonconformist attitude towards societal norms and trends. He was an extremely intelligent and funny guy. I spoke to a friend about his impact earlier tonight who is around the same age George was and he said that the times he saw him perform live, he always left the venue with his sides hurting from all the laughter. When I learned the news today of his death, I was shocked and very saddened. He was someone who impacted and shaped a part of my life and for many others too. Thanks for your contributions, George - the fifty years of comedy, Brain Droppings, and all the prolific material you shared with us.

By Susan Wloszczyna, USA TODAY

George Carlin attacked religion, authority figures, bureaucracy and even something as ridiculously oxymoronic as "jumbo shrimp" — and became one of the country's most influential and controversial humorists.

The iconoclast, who died Sunday from heart failure at 71, was practically a one-man history of American comedy — from the rise of '60s counterculture through the war on terrorism. For more than 40 years, this harsh critic of our shared foibles was determined to set us straight every step of the way. In nightclubs and eventually cable television, he did so in a pointed, profane style that challenged our standards for what could be said on the public airwaves.

It seems quaint in the more coarse pop culture of today, but Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words You Can Never Say on Television" routine led to a 1978 Supreme Court ruling that established the U.S. government's authority to regulate "indecent" language in broadcast shows — but made him an enduring symbol of First Amendment speech rights.

"Prior to George, all comedians wore ties and wanted to play Vegas," Jay Leno, host of The Tonight Show, said in an interview Monday. Carlin made 130 appearances on the show, beginning in 1961. His appearances reflected his shift from his clean-cut, suit-and-coat days to his grungy beard-and-ponytail era.

"I loved that he hated golf," Leno adds. "He'd say that these hundreds of acres were wasted just so that two guys could hit a ball. I think he was as riled up on the day he died as he was in the '60s when I first saw him."

Along with such contemporaries as Richard Pryor and Robert Klein, Carlin evolved as the USA changed in the 1960s and '70s. The idea of a stand-up routine went from being a series of star impersonations and mother-in-law gags to more of a stream-of-consciousness series of observations on life's vagaries and cultural ills.

Carlin was at the forefront of that movement, which continues today in some of the nation's most popular comedic acts. Today, his influence is seen in the observational humor of Jerry Seinfeld and Jon Stewart, as well as saltier routines of Chris Rock, Lewis Black and Sarah Silverman.

Changing stand-up

Carlin "was the guy who really made stand-up comedy relevant to a new generation," says Richard Zoglin, author of Comedy at the Edge: How Stand-Up in the 1970s Changed America.

"He showed that a stand-up comedian could be a social commentator and not just a guy getting laughs. Here was a guy on a stage talking about all the things young people were talking about: sex, drugs, the hypocrisy of middle-class America. He would call into question conventional wisdom of any kind."

The blue-collar Irish Catholic evolved into an atheist whose religion was the power of speech.

His "Seven Dirty Words" routine first showed up on his 1972 album Class Clown, and he would be arrested on obscenity charges shortly afterward after performing it in Wisconsin. He did a reprise on his next album, which was aired in the middle of the afternoon on New York radio station WBAI.

When a driver listening with his young son complained to the Federal Communications Commission, it ignited a legal dispute that led the Supreme Court to decide that Carlin's act was legally indecent, but not obscene. The decision gave the FCC the authority to ban such words from radio and TV broadcasts when children were most likely to be listening.

That's why Carlin wound up directing most of his profanity-riddled insights toward pay TV, in a series of specials on HBO.

Not that he didn't appreciate having made such an impact on broadcast law.

As he told the Associated Press this year, "My name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of."

Irreverent to the end

Before anyone piles on too much praise, be aware that one of the many things Carlin did not like was false idol worship.

The Bronx-born funnyman launched his 14th HBO special this year, It's Bad for Ya! (which will air on the cable channel along with his other specials this week and repeat throughout July), by daring to verbally give the bird to such revered national heroes as Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods.

As he told his audience to cheers, "I'm tired of being told who to admire in this country."

It wouldn't be surprising if the curmudgeonly funny man — who had a history of substance abuse, suffered the first of three heart attacks in 1978 and survived two open-heart surgeries — might have chosen this inconvenient moment to take his final bow on the planet.

After all, a crowd of fawning sycophants at the Kennedy Center is scheduled to honor him in Washington, D.C., this fall. The honor? The Mark Twain Prize, a lifetime achievement award presented to outstanding comedians.

His unimpressed response to the recent announcement: "Thank you, Mr. Twain. Have your people call my people."

Admiration for Carlin came organically, sort of like the marijuana he acknowledged using since he was a teen.

"He was the first stand-up act I learned as a kid," says Bill Hader, 30, a current member of the Saturday Night Live cast who saw Carlin three times when he was in high school in Tulsa.

"He was always sharp and insanely truthful, and every time he had a stand-up special, it was something new that you hadn't seen before. He could have stopped doing comedy in the mid-'80s and everyone would still be like, 'George Carlin is the man.' But he didn't. That was his job."

Conventional beginnings

The caustic commentator was fairly straitlaced when he began appearing on CBS' The Ed Sullivan Show in the early '60s.

However, popular routines such as "Al Sleet the hippy-dippy weatherman" ("Tonight's forecast: Dark") often hinted at a less buttoned-down maverick beneath the tie.

Carlin was emboldened to take on the mantle of cultural critic and change his image to a shaggy hipster after seeing a performance of the original shock comic, Lenny Bruce, whose way with words often got him in trouble with the law.

"It was an epiphany for George," says his onetime standup partner, Jack Burns.

"The comedy we were doing wasn't exactly groundbreaking," Burns says. "George knew then he wanted to go in a different direction."

Carlin summed up his new approach this way: "I think it is the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."

He briefly fell out of favor during the late '70s, when the more escapist and surreal humor of Andy Kaufman and Steve Martin became the norm, and he stopped performing for a time.

It later came out that he was wrestling with drug addiction and had suffered a heart attack.

But he rallied and made a triumphant return to the stage and HBO with the 1982 special Carlin at Carnegie. As a treat, he ended the show by rattling off a seemingly endless list of 200 more dirty words.

During his fifth decade, he comfortably grew into the role of Comedian Emeritus to a new generation of entertainers, and won teen fans in two Bill & Ted films.

A softer and more childlike side was exposed by his stint in the '90s as the voice of the train conductor on Shining Time Station and the narrator on Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.

Once in a while, Carlin kept it clean.

Even 9/11 wasn't off limits

At the end of his life, though, Carlin's worldview grew darker and angrier. There was no topic that was taboo. Cancer, natural disasters, suicide bombings, rape, genocide, cannibalism, abortion, beheadings. All were ripe for the riffing. Not even post-9/11 security issues were off limits.

Especially galling, he thought: You couldn't joke about bombs at the airport.

"Why is it just jokes?" he mused onstage. "What about a riddle? How about a limerick? How about a bomb anecdote? You know, no punch line. Just a really cute story."

Save for a couple of breaks between heart attacks, he never stopped writing and refining material.

Carlin's pace would have challenged a healthier, younger man. He toured constantly, did 14 HBO specials, 23 albums, five best sellers, five audio books, 16 movies and was the voice of flower-power-era VW van in 2006's animated Cars (both of which endeared him to an even younger demographic of fans), winning four Grammys and five Emmys.

He hosted the first Saturday Night show (later Saturday Night Live) in 1975 after what he acknowledged was a cocaine bender.

As recently as last weekend, he was performing at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.

In his last HBO special, Carlin kidded about his advancing age and how he worried about when it was proper to erase (or digitally delete) the increasing number of deceased people from his address list. His suggestion: six months.

"George always maintained he was going to live to 90-something," says filmmaker Kevin Smith, who cast the elder comic in such films as Dogma and Jersey Girl. "He had done the math, based on how long his father lived, and he was convinced."

Contributing: Anthony Breznican, Marco R. della Cava, Donna Freydkin, Bill Keveney, Gary Strauss

$23 Billion In War Corporatism

2008-06-10T13:39:00.000-07:00

BBC uncovers lost Iraq billions

By Jane Corbin
BBC News

Waxman: "It may well turn out to be the largest war profiteering in history."

A BBC investigation estimates that around $23 billion may have been lost, stolen or just not properly accounted for in Iraq.

For the first time, the extent to which some private contractors have profited from the conflict and rebuilding has been researched by the BBC's Panorama using US and Iraqi government sources.

A US gagging order is preventing discussion of the allegations.

The order applies to 70 court cases against some of the top US companies.

War profiteering

While George Bush remains in the White House, it is unlikely the gagging orders will be lifted.

To date, no major US contractor faces trial for fraud or mismanagement in Iraq.

The president's Democrat opponents are keeping up the pressure over war profiteering in Iraq.

Henry Waxman who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said: "The money that's gone into waste, fraud and abuse under these contracts is just so outrageous, its egregious.

"It may well turn out to be the largest war profiteering in history."

In the run-up to the invasion one of the most senior officials in charge of procurement in the Pentagon objected to a contract potentially worth seven billion that was given to Halliburton, a Texan company, which used to be run by Dick Cheney before he became vice-president.

Unusually only Halliburton got to bid - and won.

Missing billions

The search for the missing billions also led the programme to a house in Acton in West London where Hazem Shalaan lived until he was appointed to the new Iraqi government as minister of defence in 2004.

Judge Radhi al Radhi: "I believe these people are criminals."

He and his associates siphoned an estimated $1.2 billion out of the ministry.

They bought old military equipment from Poland but claimed for top class weapons.

Meanwhile they diverted money into their own accounts.

Judge Radhi al-Radhi of Iraq's Commission for Public Integrity investigated.

He said: "I believe these people are criminals.

"They failed to rebuild the Ministry of Defence , and as a result the violence and the bloodshed went on and on - the murder of Iraqis and foreigners continues and they bear responsibility."

Mr Shalaan was sentenced to two jail terms but he fled the country.

He said he was innocent and that it was all a plot against him by pro-Iranian MPs in the government.

There is an Interpol arrest out for him but he is on the run - using a private jet to move around the globe.

He stills owns commercial properties in the Marble Arch area of London.

Top 10 Reasons Why John McCain Should Not Be Leader Of The Free World

2008-05-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

TOP TEN REASONS WHY JOHN McCAIN SHOULD NOT BE THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD

10. He'll be 72 years old in a few months. The pressure and stress that comes along with being commander-in-chief is likely to send him into a cardiac arrest.

9. Presidents need to travel constantly. Every week a new state, a new nation. All those road trips are likely to send him into a cardiac arrest.

8. McCain's unhealthy. A recent three-hour medical examination revealed he has kidney, skin, sleep and circulatory problems. This guy's going to need a government-based healthcare system the most.

7. John McCain sees an exit from Iraq by at least year 2013. With a U.S. economy that's progressively tanking, that means another trillion dollars for war. That means $12 a gallon for fuel.

6. Congress is comprised of mostly democrats right now. More than half of the Senate doesn't support the Iraqi war. Conflict of interests. That sounds awfully familiar.

5. He's a hypocrite. He supports W's war yet he sees a need for energy conservation. The carbon emissions from a fleet of naval aircraft carriers alone represents the amount of carbon produced by the entire population of residents in Detroit, Michigan.

4. As Senator of Arizona, John McCain voted for legislature to repeal Dr. Martin Luther King Day as an observed holiday in 1990. If elected president, he promises not to repeal President's Day because working with Abraham Lincoln to form the Republican Party shaped his political career.

3. Journalists say his old guy smell is almost unbearable in warmer climates. (Just kidding, but this is probably true)

2. McCain takes many kinds of medications for health-related illnesses including Ambien for sleep aid. How's he going to wake up at 3 A.M. for the phone call?

and #1 ................. He simply is interested in furthering the Bush-Cheney foreign affairs agenda. By agenda that means a McDonalds in both Kabul and Fallujah by 2015.

A Pardon From One Ruler To Another

2008-05-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

New York State Governor David A. Paterson announced Saturday that he has granted Ricky Walters a full and unconditional pardon of his 1991 attempted murder and weapon convictions, in order to allow Walters to seek relief from deportation from the federal immigration courts. Mr. Walters, who was born in the United Kingdom, was lawfully admitted to the United States at age 11, and he was raised in the Bronx. He gained fame as Slick Rick, a popular rapper who has since been credited with being a pioneer in the development of hip-hop music and culture. Slick Rick was incarcerated for six years, and was released from prison in 1997.

“Mr. Walters has fully served the sentence imposed upon him for his convictions, had an exemplary disciplinary record while in prison and on parole, and has been living without incident in the community for more than 10 years,” said Governor Paterson. “In that time, he has volunteered at youth outreach programs to counsel youth against violence, and has become a symbol of rehabilitation for many young people. Given these demonstrated rehabilitative efforts, I urge federal immigration officials to once again grant Mr. Walters relief from deportation, so that he is not separated from his many family members who are United States citizens, including his two teenage children.”

Slick Rick faces deportation under a federal statute that mandates the removal of a lawful resident alien upon conviction of an aggravated felony or a weapon offense. For certain offenses removal can be avoided by a Governor’s pardon, but for weapon offenses, even after receiving a pardon, a non-citizen must seek discretionary relief from deportation from the immigration court. He was granted such relief by an immigration court in 1995, but that decision was later vacated because the Board of Immigration Appeals issued its decision 33 days after the expiration of a statutory deadline. Slick Rick has been unable to re-apply for discretionary adjustment of his immigration status because of his attempted murder convictions, but he will be eligible to do so as a result of the Governor’s pardon.

Slick Rick, now 43 years old, has lived in the Bronx without incident since his release from prison in 1997. He is presently employed as a landlord and rap musician. He has a wife and two children, all of whom are American citizens.

O' NO HE DIDN'T

2008-04-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

BARACK O ' BAMA 08

As the propagating misinformation machine, FOX NEWS continues to further the agenda of the neo-cons, the Democratic Party might have to lighten up. As the race for the presidency gruels on for the Dems between Obama and Clinton, Republican candidate John McCain is good for taking shots at the frontrunner Obama and the underdog Clinton for their embroiled feud that no one really cares to watch anymore. Clinton wants to debate Obama as Obama's sights are more proactive in that he wants to debate McCain in October.
Wouldn't it be funny and parodical if Senator Obama poked fun at FOX NEWS for their greasy efforts of trying to equate his middle and last name with fundamentalist Muslims? For all those viewing this blog from outside the States, this did happen earlier this year. It became the archetype for all the current questions regarding his patriotism and religious beliefs. Obama could have a little fun and throw an apostrophe between the first two letters of his surname to obscure the difference between him and McCain.
What I have vowed to do as a result of overkill is to distance myself from delving into coverage of the primaries and caucuses simply because at this point it's like watching a baseball game go into the fifth extra inning. I just want it to end already. But Americans love their excess, and this is yet another ongoing story that can be milked for all the news coverage a camera crew and a satellite feed can bring to the homes of those who have to be told what to believe and feel for.

Oil, Gas & Old Men With No Class

2008-04-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

NO CORRECTIONS FOR OLD MEN

First the NYC cops responsible for the death of Sean Bell are acquitted , and now the two old-timers who wheeled their expired friend into a check-cashing spot to collect on his Social Security money have been cleared of all charges. The two opportunists - featured above, did not kill their friend. Rather they concocted the scheme when they realized he wouldn't be needing the money. Their defense lawyer claimed it was an isolated incident for the two men who had no prior convictions.

In other news, if you are planning to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend for a vacation getaway, or just to find cheaper gas - you can bet your mortgage that you will be dropping close to $4 for a gallon. It makes no sense to post the current price of a drum of crude oil because within a week or two it's going to change. The U.S. media does no service to explore why this is happening - it's clear the information would damage the integrity of the Bush administration. Haha , I said the Bush administration has integrity.

Ralph's Nadir and Clintonian Warfare

2008-03-11T12:00:00.001-07:00

Ralph Nader, consumer advocate and perpetual political party-crasher has vowed to enter the '08 Presidential General Election Race. Nader cites both Democratic and Republican parties involvement with lobbyists and big business a good enough reason to run again. Democrats despise him, faulting him with stealing crossover votes and votes from independents. The GOP appreciate him, because he unravels the bipartisan system for the Democrats, forcing them to form different campaign strategies - enabling them to work harder for the other 9% of the vote.
But Ralph's nadir is his recent delusion to run for the highest office - he is as old as Sen. McCain and just as stubborn. And just as stubborn as McCain and Nader is Sen. Hillary Clinton, who has made just as many desperate attempts to influence voters why she is better than Sen. Barack Obama, who had a non-stop primary streak broken recently. Clinton has done exactly what she has called Obama out on in the smear tactics recently surfacing in Ohio. It boils down to a popularity contest that is contingent on more than mudslinging, more than the possibility of a Black male or female president. It boils down to character, and hopefully the public trust will not fall to betraying their better judgment. Do Americans truly want their country to resemble ancient China with revolving dynasties? Bush / Clinton / W. Bush / Mrs. Clinton: It's the same recipe just in a different package.

The New Industry Standard

2008-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

It is decidedly so. The two year battle between Sony's Blu-Ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD is over with the former coming out victorious. The future is Blu-Ray for everything high-definition and extra capacity. I predicted this would happen last year despite Sony's unfortunate history with failing to control industry formats during the 1980s Sony BetaMax vs. the JVC-developed VHS war to the Sony MiniDisc that no one seemed to invest in. I knew that Sony would lock up this market for a few reasons: In 2006, when Blu-Ray and HD-DVD each entered the market, I saw both writable discs side-by-side on display in a local electronics store. On a practical level, it was Blu-Ray that offered more storage capacity. On an aesthetic level, it was Blu-Ray again that had the better design, packaging and logo. Fast-forward some months later and Sony launched PlayStation 3 - a next-generation game console that gave its users faster computer processing speeds, allowing higher definition graphics and sound. As well as including a wireless game controller for the first time, the PS3 also came with a built-in Blu-Ray player. This allowed Sony to have the edge in the market with 10.5 million Blu-Ray players in homes already before the sale of their stand-alone Blu-Ray players. By contrast, Toshiba has only sold one million HD-DVD players. Just after the following companies agreed to only sell titles in the Blu-Ray format, the final nail in the coffin of HD-DVD had been hammered:

Matsushita (Panasonic)

Warner Bros

Wal-Mart

Walt Disney

20th Century Fox

Blockbuster
Netflix

The Strike Forges On

2008-01-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

That is Julia-Louis Dreyfus (Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld, The New Adventures Of Old Christine) in the picture above on the picket line supporting the writer's strike. She looks like she might be on a hunger strike too. The strike continues in its third month with no deal negotiations in sight. Strikes are a game of endurance, perseverance and logic. It's a game because one side will eventually concede or be defeated. I have been supporting the Guild's decision to fight for their rights to collect on their work's residuals. They have the foresight to see the direction New Media is going and don't want their work's profits to be compromised. Television has been affected already with many shows out of production. It's going to be a test of time to see how long it will take the networks to get tired of recycling their programming. With the Grammy and Academy Award shows around the corner, it might be the moment of levity the WGA is hoping for.

Here's a fun jazzy spoken-word track by the now-defunct Soul Coughing you can sample download called

Screenwriter's Blues

Screenwriter's Blues

Exits to freeways
twisted like knots on
fingers.
Jewels cleaving
skin between
breasts.

Your Cadillac breathes
four hundred horses
over blue lines.
You are going
to Reseda
to make love
to a model
from Ohio
whose real name
you don't
know.

You spin
like the cadillac was
overturning down a cliff
on television.
And the radio is on
and the radioman is speaking
and the radioman says
women were a curse.
So men built Paramount
studios.
And men built Columbia
studios.
And men built
Los Angeles.

It is 5 am
and you are listening
to Los Angeles.

And the radioman says
it is a beautiful night out there!
And the radioman says
Rock and Roll lives!
And the radioman says
it is a beautiful night out there
in Los Angeles.
You live
in Los Angeles
and you are going to
Reseda; we are all
in some way or
another going to
Reseda someday
to die.
And the radioman
laughs because
the radioman fucks
a model too.

Gone savage
for teenagers with
automatic weapons and
boundless love.
Gone savage for
teenagers who are
aesthetically pleasing,
in other words,
fly.
Los Angeles beckons
the teenagers
to come to her
on buses;
Los Angeles loves
love.

It is 5 am
and you are listening
to Los Angeles.

I am going to
Los Angeles
to build a screenplay about
lovers who murder each other.
I am going to
Los Angeles
to see my own name on a
screen, five feet
long and luminous.
As the radioman says
it is 5AM
and the sun has charred
the other side of
the world and come
back to us
and painted the smoke
over our heads
an imperial violet.

It is 5 am
and you are listening
to Los Angeles.

You are listening...
You are listening...
You are listening...
You are listening...

...to Los Angeles.

When Check Cashing Fraud Goes Dead Wrong

2008-01-09T11:40:00.001-08:00

Wed Jan 9, 2008 11:11am EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two New York men wheeled the corpse of their friend around the sidewalks of midtown Manhattan in an office chair in a failed attempt to cash his $355 Social Security check, police said.

Virgilio Cintron, 66, had died of natural causes when two of his friends, both aged 65, brought him to a check-cashing store in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood Tuesday.

"They were trying to pass him off as still being alive," police spokesman Paul Browne said.

The two suspects left the corpse on the sidewalk while they attempted to cash the check, but the clerk knew Cintron and asked to see him.

The two men promised to bring him right back, but when they went outside to retrieve him a crowd had gathered around the dead man. An on-duty detective who had been eating lunch nearby spotted Cintron and immediately realized he was dead, putting an end to the caper.