so, i know some folks that have a high school reunion coming up, and the other night they were talking about it (adam is making more than housewives and the g.i.c. (i'm not elaborating on that on the blog). reunions are something that many dread, so i understand not wanting to go.
this woman had another solution. she sent a stripper in her place. pretending to be her. and a crew to document it. the stripper was well trained in the girl's history, and had a small earpiece to be fed more info.
the reactions were mixed. check out the video for the documentary that was made, and make sure you read the original article as well.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
pt. loma sunset
just so no one thinks i'm suffering from being away from my beloved fresno, here's the view from the pt. loma university cafeteria where i dined this evening.
sunset over the ocean. nice.
sunset over the ocean. nice.
musings on a thursday afternoon
so, i'm in san diego for the next few days. not a bad place for the job to take you. however, most of it will be spent at a track, so it's not like i'm taking in the scenes of san diego. however, i will still be blogging.
a bit of fresno business to take care of. this is the sign on the door of the laughing buddha. i went to try them out the other day, and mike oz alerted me to the possibility of them being closed. he was right.
we stopped for lunch today @ a souplantation in santa clarita (i think, we took the magic mountain parkway). saw this @ the start of the line and it made me think about pronunciation.
do you pronounce that saneegiser? sanigizzer? sanig-izer? what do you think?
a bit of fresno business to take care of. this is the sign on the door of the laughing buddha. i went to try them out the other day, and mike oz alerted me to the possibility of them being closed. he was right.
we stopped for lunch today @ a souplantation in santa clarita (i think, we took the magic mountain parkway). saw this @ the start of the line and it made me think about pronunciation.
do you pronounce that saneegiser? sanigizzer? sanig-izer? what do you think?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
gavin newsome for governor
this is a bad idea
i don't think i disagree with all of his politics, but i do dislike his personna. and, i don't really want to see months and months of commercials akin to the ones that prop 8 used featuring newsome.
i don't think i disagree with all of his politics, but i do dislike his personna. and, i don't really want to see months and months of commercials akin to the ones that prop 8 used featuring newsome.
Monday, April 20, 2009
nike naked running camp
i'll be the first to admit that i'm not a big fan of nike for various reasons. over the last decade i've reluctantly owned a few pairs of nike throwing shoes, and they are pretty good. those of you that know me well know that i'm an adidas brandwhore. so, it pains me a little to admit that nike does make good advertising (and maybe even decent shoes).
i'm glad that they used elite athletes for this, and not just your average joe. frankly, i doubt many want to see a fourty year old dude with a beer gut jogging up a hill.
i'm glad that they used elite athletes for this, and not just your average joe. frankly, i doubt many want to see a fourty year old dude with a beer gut jogging up a hill.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
rules of facebook etiquette
some people just don't know how to behave on the electric friendship machine. the fine people over @ yourtango sponsored this video to help us all behave appropriately.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
malcolm sosa @ tokyo garden
if you're looking for something to do saturday night, aside from the film festival, ufc fights, or a ton of other things, you can check out malcolm sosa from rademacher playing solo with primer skyline & others @ tokyo garden.
or you can be like me and do several of those things. that's right, i'm bragging that i can manage to do two things in a night.
maybe i will manage to remember to finally pick up the r.i.p. gardenside e.p. from rademacher.
or you can be like me and do several of those things. that's right, i'm bragging that i can manage to do two things in a night.
maybe i will manage to remember to finally pick up the r.i.p. gardenside e.p. from rademacher.
national record store day
national record store day for real this time (not a month early like i thought before). in honor of this day, i'm going to stop by spinners and peruse their selections, and perhaps purchase something.
Friday, April 17, 2009
my first dictionary
oh my, thanks to neatorama i have found the bestest online dictionary, my first dictionary. awesomely hilarious. here's an example:
fresno grizzlies game 4/16
last night i went to the grizzlies game thanks to free tickets from fresno famous. thanks fresno famous. it was my second game of the new season, and sadly it was the second time i saw the grizzlies lose.
the night started with a quest for food. this time i tried the bbq nachos from the meat market bbq stand, located sort of behind first base on the concourse. they were pretty nice. the shredded pork was sweet and it contrasted very well with the nacho sauce and the spice of the salsa. the order is a generous portion, and i was satisfied with my dinner.
it was the first thirsty thursday of the year, so that meant cheap tecate. this cost me $2.
we had a nice view of the field.
this guy was wearing a big, stupid, foam cowboy hat that screamed "i need attention." so, here you go buddy, attention on the fresno blogosphere.
later in the night, the moths came out. big ones.
finally, there was one or two ladies in the first level that were blowing bubbles. it was pretty cool and amazing how many bubbles there were, and how they filled up the night sky.
thanks again to fresno famous for the tickets.
the night started with a quest for food. this time i tried the bbq nachos from the meat market bbq stand, located sort of behind first base on the concourse. they were pretty nice. the shredded pork was sweet and it contrasted very well with the nacho sauce and the spice of the salsa. the order is a generous portion, and i was satisfied with my dinner.
it was the first thirsty thursday of the year, so that meant cheap tecate. this cost me $2.
we had a nice view of the field.
this guy was wearing a big, stupid, foam cowboy hat that screamed "i need attention." so, here you go buddy, attention on the fresno blogosphere.
later in the night, the moths came out. big ones.
finally, there was one or two ladies in the first level that were blowing bubbles. it was pretty cool and amazing how many bubbles there were, and how they filled up the night sky.
thanks again to fresno famous for the tickets.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
baptist pastor tazed by border control
a fascinating account from a pastor about his recent (april 14) encounter with border control agents in arizona.
freedom? rights? not when the police or government agents are involved.
freedom? rights? not when the police or government agents are involved.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
50,000th visitor
okay, so deciding who my 50,000th visitor wasn't as easy as i hoped. #50,000 was from germany looking for pulp fiction images. the one before that was from some strange military isp. the one after was from italy and hit my adidas vespa post. #49,998 was in china. so, the big winner of my little prize (yoshi now gift certificate) is...#49,997!
and, i'm pretty sure that the winner is...eli reyes. why do i think that? well, i talked to him last night, he said he was trying to win, the hit came pretty late in the evening, and the out-click was a picture i took of him from saturday night's fay wrays show.
if i'm wrong, let me know, but as it stands, i'm declaring eli reyes my official 50,000th visitor.
and, i'm pretty sure that the winner is...eli reyes. why do i think that? well, i talked to him last night, he said he was trying to win, the hit came pretty late in the evening, and the out-click was a picture i took of him from saturday night's fay wrays show.
if i'm wrong, let me know, but as it stands, i'm declaring eli reyes my official 50,000th visitor.
Monday, April 13, 2009
slap chop & shamwow in spanish
dude, vince shlomi is bilingual! now if he can just avoid hookers biting his tongue.
i miss the "you'll like my nuts" line not being en espanol.
do spanish speakers think germans make quality products?
thanks to superpunch.
i miss the "you'll like my nuts" line not being en espanol.
do spanish speakers think germans make quality products?
thanks to superpunch.
travis vick - the goat ep
last august i saw a fabulous musician play a show at tokyo garden. this doesn't surprise me, as they are often really good shows there. anyway, i enjoyed the show, especially the music of travis vick. i liked it so much i wrote up a little review that you can read here.
anyway, a little while ago, probably a few months ago, i received and email from travis asking for my address because he wanted to send me a copy of his new ep. and he did, which was super cool of him. i've intended to review it here for quite some time. well here is that review.
the ep is five songs, which is pretty standard ep length. actually, it seems a lot of the ep's i see lately are three or four, so five is nice.
onto the songs:
track one - box - a gentle, simple song about the box where mementos of a past love are kept. the song has a nice alt/country feel, a sound which i quite enjoy.
track two - pagemakers - this song reminds me of something from the 60's, in a good way. a banjo creeps into this song, as well as delicate picking on a guitar.
track three - sheep skin - the start of this song actually reminds me of rademacher's road to nowhere, played on a ukulele. overall, the song doesn't do much for me.
track four - if i don't lose my mind - this song may best show off travis vick's ability on the guitar. the track features intricate sounding picking (i have no idea how intricate it actually is but it sounds nice while being complex). the picking and vocals give the track a nice depth to it. also, this song is longer than the previous three at 4min 41 secs, so it a little more time to develop and grow on you.
track five - bill - this track is 10 minutes long. i know, i just talked about a longer song being nice, so it seems odd to be wary of a ten minute song. but i worry that a ten minute song might just ramble on aimlessly. it kinda did. and that around five minutes in i'm going to be disinterested. which i was.
here's the artwork from the ep
front cover - frankly, this goat kinda creeps me out. i think it's the dual image thing. it seems like satan or something.
inside cover - mr. vick himself. when i saw him play live he really reminded me of my brother in law. this picture doesn't.
back cover - this goat doesn't creep me out. it has a nice beard. and is probably the same goat.
so, i wouldn't race out to get this ep. it has some nice touches, and reminds me of his previous work a bit, but it also takes some odd turns as well. i would like to see travis play live again, because i really dug that and am curious to see how his music has evolved live. it kinda bums me out that i didn't like the ep all that much because i really enjoyed him live, and i liked his other album, player piano.
anyway, a little while ago, probably a few months ago, i received and email from travis asking for my address because he wanted to send me a copy of his new ep. and he did, which was super cool of him. i've intended to review it here for quite some time. well here is that review.
the ep is five songs, which is pretty standard ep length. actually, it seems a lot of the ep's i see lately are three or four, so five is nice.
onto the songs:
track one - box - a gentle, simple song about the box where mementos of a past love are kept. the song has a nice alt/country feel, a sound which i quite enjoy.
track two - pagemakers - this song reminds me of something from the 60's, in a good way. a banjo creeps into this song, as well as delicate picking on a guitar.
track three - sheep skin - the start of this song actually reminds me of rademacher's road to nowhere, played on a ukulele. overall, the song doesn't do much for me.
track four - if i don't lose my mind - this song may best show off travis vick's ability on the guitar. the track features intricate sounding picking (i have no idea how intricate it actually is but it sounds nice while being complex). the picking and vocals give the track a nice depth to it. also, this song is longer than the previous three at 4min 41 secs, so it a little more time to develop and grow on you.
track five - bill - this track is 10 minutes long. i know, i just talked about a longer song being nice, so it seems odd to be wary of a ten minute song. but i worry that a ten minute song might just ramble on aimlessly. it kinda did. and that around five minutes in i'm going to be disinterested. which i was.
here's the artwork from the ep
front cover - frankly, this goat kinda creeps me out. i think it's the dual image thing. it seems like satan or something.
inside cover - mr. vick himself. when i saw him play live he really reminded me of my brother in law. this picture doesn't.
back cover - this goat doesn't creep me out. it has a nice beard. and is probably the same goat.
so, i wouldn't race out to get this ep. it has some nice touches, and reminds me of his previous work a bit, but it also takes some odd turns as well. i would like to see travis play live again, because i really dug that and am curious to see how his music has evolved live. it kinda bums me out that i didn't like the ep all that much because i really enjoyed him live, and i liked his other album, player piano.
monday haikus
easter food was nice
verenika and sausage
my belly is full
i keep forgetting
to get my copy of album
rad rip gardenside
blake jones talks to me
every time i see him around
insightful nice guy
verenika and sausage
my belly is full
i keep forgetting
to get my copy of album
rad rip gardenside
blake jones talks to me
every time i see him around
insightful nice guy
Saturday, April 11, 2009
rademacher & the fay wrays at zapps park
tonight I had my first chance to see the new rademacher line up, or the rademacher b team as malcolm called. first thought, they're not quite polished yet. some little guitar flubs, some slight timing issues. second thought, for as little as this new line up has been together they are really good. the rademacher sound is still there and kicking. in fact, it may be a little more notched up. it's different, but very good. third thought, malcolm is a very good musician. i already thought this, but i'm impressed toale the switch to bass. it's tough to play bass lines and provide main vocals and he does it well. i'm excited to see these guys build on this.
what can be said about the fay wrays? they are everything they advertise themselves as: loud, hard and fast. and great at it. i love the mix of loud guitar that resonates under the vocals. and, eli tears it up on the drums, filling every gap just as it should be. there is no way to go to a fay wrays show without feeling the intensity of the music and leave without your ears ringing. they're not just thrash loud either. it's melodic heavy body blows.
as for zapps park, it's decent. the music gets a little mushy in such a small space, especially louder bands. it's still decent, but it's not the premier fresno music venue but alright to see a show at.
update: here are some photos of eli i took. he came from a wedding, and played both sets in a dress shirt, slacks & a tie. nice.
what can be said about the fay wrays? they are everything they advertise themselves as: loud, hard and fast. and great at it. i love the mix of loud guitar that resonates under the vocals. and, eli tears it up on the drums, filling every gap just as it should be. there is no way to go to a fay wrays show without feeling the intensity of the music and leave without your ears ringing. they're not just thrash loud either. it's melodic heavy body blows.
as for zapps park, it's decent. the music gets a little mushy in such a small space, especially louder bands. it's still decent, but it's not the premier fresno music venue but alright to see a show at.
update: here are some photos of eli i took. he came from a wedding, and played both sets in a dress shirt, slacks & a tie. nice.
50,000th visitor contest
who loves you? well, i sorta do. and, i'm coming up on my 50,000th visitor since i started tracking hits on my blog. so, in honor of that, i'm giving away a $10 gift certificate to yoshi now! in downtown fresno.
let's be honest about this contest. i'll give you the certificate if i can figure out who you are. and, if it's easy for me to get it to you. i'm not going too far out of my way to make this happen. i guess i don't love you that much. but, if i can figure out who you are, and you can email me your address, i'll mail you the certificate. how's that sound?
let's be honest about this contest. i'll give you the certificate if i can figure out who you are. and, if it's easy for me to get it to you. i'm not going too far out of my way to make this happen. i guess i don't love you that much. but, if i can figure out who you are, and you can email me your address, i'll mail you the certificate. how's that sound?
Friday, April 10, 2009
fresno grizzlies season opener
little write up over here about my experience @ the season opener for the grizzlies last night. why not check it out?
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
fresno culture
today i was talking about culture to two groups. we discussed what culture was in general, what characterized american culture, and what characterized the culture of fresno/the valley. two interesting lists developed. i didn't prod, or prompt the lists, although i did condense some phrasing. these lists basically developed on their own, from the group.
list one (typed version below):
for those of you that have trouble reading my chicken scratch handwriting, that's:
ag/farming
immigration
std's (specifically chlamydia - i guess we lead the nation in that)
teen pregnancy
-bulldogs
-fresno state athletics + band
-"aggressive" police
-poverty/unemployment
-tacos
-meth
-violence/crime
-fulton mall (okay, i suggested this one)
-segregated
-distinguished high schools
-swap meet/malls
-religious variety but also bible belt
-casinos
-the chuck (even if they called it grizzlies stadium)
-tower district
list two:
-dirty air
-ag/farming
-diversity
-unemployment
-immigration
-gangs
-nothing to do
-teen pregnancy
-drugs
-graffiti
-arts - arthop, tattoo expo
-music
-hot weather, cold weather, fog
-fresno state school + band
-the chuck' (once again called grizzlies)
-crime/violence
-aggressive/model police
-farmer's market
-rodeo
-"hick"/small town mentality
-cruising
-rules
-fresno fair
-raisins
-riverpark
-hospitals
-casinos
i thought it was interesting that two groups would have some similar visions of fresno. both groups were around 20 in size and most are under age 25. both lists tend to be a little more negative, but they're also pretty frank assessments. but, they started me wonder, what are the positive elements of fresno culture? what's your take on the lists?
list one (typed version below):
for those of you that have trouble reading my chicken scratch handwriting, that's:
ag/farming
immigration
std's (specifically chlamydia - i guess we lead the nation in that)
teen pregnancy
-bulldogs
-fresno state athletics + band
-"aggressive" police
-poverty/unemployment
-tacos
-meth
-violence/crime
-fulton mall (okay, i suggested this one)
-segregated
-distinguished high schools
-swap meet/malls
-religious variety but also bible belt
-casinos
-the chuck (even if they called it grizzlies stadium)
-tower district
list two:
-dirty air
-ag/farming
-diversity
-unemployment
-immigration
-gangs
-nothing to do
-teen pregnancy
-drugs
-graffiti
-arts - arthop, tattoo expo
-music
-hot weather, cold weather, fog
-fresno state school + band
-the chuck' (once again called grizzlies)
-crime/violence
-aggressive/model police
-farmer's market
-rodeo
-"hick"/small town mentality
-cruising
-rules
-fresno fair
-raisins
-riverpark
-hospitals
-casinos
i thought it was interesting that two groups would have some similar visions of fresno. both groups were around 20 in size and most are under age 25. both lists tend to be a little more negative, but they're also pretty frank assessments. but, they started me wonder, what are the positive elements of fresno culture? what's your take on the lists?
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Monday, April 06, 2009
monday haikus
the rumbling is true
fresno blog scene at war
join the army now!
n c 2 a game
tonight at hero's downtown
tipoff is at six
enjoy your life now
enjoy your life tomorrow
just enjoy life soon
fresno blog scene at war
join the army now!
n c 2 a game
tonight at hero's downtown
tipoff is at six
enjoy your life now
enjoy your life tomorrow
just enjoy life soon
Sunday, April 05, 2009
flutter
forget microblogging, i'm ready to nanoblog. this is the next big thing...flutter
who needs vowels?
who needs vowels?
ncaa championship meet up
interested in meeting up for the men's basketball championship game? click over here and see a fresno option.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
tauntaun sleeping bag
i love think geek. seriously, i wish i could just spend money on the crazy crap they have.
i'm sort of considering this for my eldest nephew
Product Features
* Classic Star Wars sleeping bag simulates the warmth of a Tauntaun carcass
* Built-in embroidered Tauntaun head pillow
* Glowing Lightsaber zipper pull
* Great for playing pretend "Save Luke from the Wampa" games
* Teach your children about the best Star Wars movie ever
* Fully Licensed Lucasfilm™ Collectable
* Fits children (and small adults)
* 100% Polyester construction, Machine washable
* Exterior Dimensions - 32" x 60"
awesome.
ah crap. i just saw on some blog that think geek did this as a april fool's joke. however, they are trying to actually get it licensed, some maybe it will work.
i'm sort of considering this for my eldest nephew
Product Features
* Classic Star Wars sleeping bag simulates the warmth of a Tauntaun carcass
* Built-in embroidered Tauntaun head pillow
* Glowing Lightsaber zipper pull
* Great for playing pretend "Save Luke from the Wampa" games
* Teach your children about the best Star Wars movie ever
* Fully Licensed Lucasfilm™ Collectable
* Fits children (and small adults)
* 100% Polyester construction, Machine washable
* Exterior Dimensions - 32" x 60"
awesome.
ah crap. i just saw on some blog that think geek did this as a april fool's joke. however, they are trying to actually get it licensed, some maybe it will work.
turtle eating a pigeon
that's right turtle, you teach that flying rat a lesson. drag it off to its watery grave.
thanks neatorama.
thanks neatorama.
wilkinson sword: mow the lawn
ah, saturdays. a day for many to go and mow the lawn. why not click over here and enjoy a funny video about mowing the lawn. i don't advise you watch it at work, or if you think that slightly risque humor is inappropriate.
Friday, April 03, 2009
mcc sale time in fresno
as usual, it's another busy weekend in fresno. there's tons of live music, there's roller derby, and there is the mcc sale over @ fresno pacific.
i've blogged about the mcc sale in the past, but it's always good to throw things out there. the sale, which is actually called the west coast mennonite relief sale and auction is put on by the mcc, or mennonite central committee. the sale & auction are used to fund the work of mcc worldwide. the sale takes place every year over @ fresno pacific.
i jokingly refer to the event as the big mennonite yard sale, but i really do like the idea of people trying to raise money and change the world. since it's a yearly event, it also takes on a family reunion type feel as well. i know that if i head over there on saturday i will see a ton of classmates, people i met before or after college, and even some actual relatives.
my favorite part of the sale is the used books. you can find all sorts of strange books, outdated ideas, and funny titles. and, you can find some really good books. some of my best art books were purchased at the sale for cheap.
others consider the food to be the best thing about the sale. i dig it, but since my wife's mennonite, i occasionally get to eat the best mennonite foods at home.
so, if you have some free time on saturday, why not head over to fresno pacific, eat some good grub, maybe bid on a quilt or something, check out the world crafts in the ten thousand villages tent, and support good works worldwide.
btw, my buddy travis oberg will be playing music @ the sale from 11:45-12:45 in the cafeteria.
i've blogged about the mcc sale in the past, but it's always good to throw things out there. the sale, which is actually called the west coast mennonite relief sale and auction is put on by the mcc, or mennonite central committee. the sale & auction are used to fund the work of mcc worldwide. the sale takes place every year over @ fresno pacific.
i jokingly refer to the event as the big mennonite yard sale, but i really do like the idea of people trying to raise money and change the world. since it's a yearly event, it also takes on a family reunion type feel as well. i know that if i head over there on saturday i will see a ton of classmates, people i met before or after college, and even some actual relatives.
my favorite part of the sale is the used books. you can find all sorts of strange books, outdated ideas, and funny titles. and, you can find some really good books. some of my best art books were purchased at the sale for cheap.
others consider the food to be the best thing about the sale. i dig it, but since my wife's mennonite, i occasionally get to eat the best mennonite foods at home.
so, if you have some free time on saturday, why not head over to fresno pacific, eat some good grub, maybe bid on a quilt or something, check out the world crafts in the ten thousand villages tent, and support good works worldwide.
btw, my buddy travis oberg will be playing music @ the sale from 11:45-12:45 in the cafeteria.
there's a blog war a coming
first there was this.
then there was this.
that was followed by this.
and finally, this.
a blog war has broken out. where will you, fresno readers, fall in? will you go the establishment, the man? or will you go with the underdog?
i say follow your hearts. you've been here. support indie bloggers.
*this was cross posted here. and, it's a lighthearted joke. seriously, i'm just having some fun in our fresno blogosphere and hold no ill will towards the beehivers. we're chums.
then there was this.
that was followed by this.
and finally, this.
a blog war has broken out. where will you, fresno readers, fall in? will you go the establishment, the man? or will you go with the underdog?
i say follow your hearts. you've been here. support indie bloggers.
*this was cross posted here. and, it's a lighthearted joke. seriously, i'm just having some fun in our fresno blogosphere and hold no ill will towards the beehivers. we're chums.
old school lunch
so, i was thinking about hitting up one of the many new restaurants downtown, but in the interest of the bank account, i decided to make something at home for lunch. the other day, while grocery shopping, i saw a bit of a throwback item and decided that i would pick up some to have at lunch occasionally. i'm eating lunch like a little kid in the cafeteria:
that's right, fish sticks. properly eaten with ketchup. yum. these particular sticks are made by van de kamps, who have a really nice website. seriously, check out their website. the sticks themselves are alright, with maybe a little too much breading and not quite enough fish, but still decent.
fortunately, the box of 44 sticks was like $3, so i pretty much had lunch for about $1 today. and, i've got another meal or two out of the box.
that's right, fish sticks. properly eaten with ketchup. yum. these particular sticks are made by van de kamps, who have a really nice website. seriously, check out their website. the sticks themselves are alright, with maybe a little too much breading and not quite enough fish, but still decent.
fortunately, the box of 44 sticks was like $3, so i pretty much had lunch for about $1 today. and, i've got another meal or two out of the box.
adidas vespa sprint veloce
got these bad boys the other day. from the originals collection, they're inspired by vespa style.
creative fresno blender
looking for something to do friday evening? why not check out a creative fresno blender?
this month they'll be in the tower district, over @ karsh's grill (across from revue, west of teazer's). i've eaten @ karsh's and thought it was decent smoked meat (yeah, i said smoked meat). that was quite a while ago, so i can't speak to how it is now.
but, the blenders are a cool way to meet people, network, and have a drink or two. the blenders themselves are free, but drinks cost money, of course.
this month they'll be in the tower district, over @ karsh's grill (across from revue, west of teazer's). i've eaten @ karsh's and thought it was decent smoked meat (yeah, i said smoked meat). that was quite a while ago, so i can't speak to how it is now.
but, the blenders are a cool way to meet people, network, and have a drink or two. the blenders themselves are free, but drinks cost money, of course.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
saltwater merchant @ audie's olympic
looking for something to do this evening? well, how about you jaunt on over to audie's olympic and see something different. i'm a fan of loud music, but sometimes you have to mix it up. and sometimes you have to do something other than the post arthop show at tokyo. i think tonight is the night for both.
why you ask? well, my friend travis oberg, who plays under the name saltwater merchants, is playing @ audie's. he is a delightful individual, a charming man, an excellent guitarist, and has the voice of an angel. he also smelled nice last time i saw him.
travis even has his own album available on itunes (search his name) and probably tonight @ the show.
why you ask? well, my friend travis oberg, who plays under the name saltwater merchants, is playing @ audie's. he is a delightful individual, a charming man, an excellent guitarist, and has the voice of an angel. he also smelled nice last time i saw him.
travis even has his own album available on itunes (search his name) and probably tonight @ the show.
driving rant
twice today i almost got smacked while driving. both times, it almost was caused by jackholes passing me on my right.
the first occasion was this morning, on my way home after teaching my morning class. i was headed toward freeway 41 on fresno street. i was about to get in the right hand turn lane so i could turn onto bullard, and get on the freeway when this truck pulls past me...on the right. huh? i'm in front of you. neither of us is quite to the turn lane yet, and i'm starting to move that direction. that means you wait your turn.
the second time was as i was getting on 180 after my afternoon coaching. the onramp is two lanes, then goes to one, then back to two, then to one as you actually get on the freeway. i was already in the final section where it has gone back to one lane, and was behind a car. the lane is wide at this point, although it is clear that it is only one lane. and as i'm driving behind this car, a s.u.v. comes flying up past me, forcing me to slow enough to avoid a wreck and allow jackhole number two in.
during both of these incidents, the other driver happened to have their window down, so i'm pretty sure that they heard me yelling "what the hell?" at the them. i also know that they both realized that they were in the wrong because both did the hands locked on the steering wheel, eyes locked forward, no way i'm looking over when i pulled up next to them after being cut off.
and it's not like there's any chance that they didn't see me. i'm 6 ft tall, and when i'm sitting on my bike i'm not that short. add in the fact that i'm about 250 lbs, sitting on a 600+lb cruiser bike it's even harder to believe that i wasn't seen. and it's not like my bike is quite, even if it isn't bone rattlingly loud. these jackholes saw me, figured they could cut by, and i'm lucky neither took me down.
sheesh.
the first occasion was this morning, on my way home after teaching my morning class. i was headed toward freeway 41 on fresno street. i was about to get in the right hand turn lane so i could turn onto bullard, and get on the freeway when this truck pulls past me...on the right. huh? i'm in front of you. neither of us is quite to the turn lane yet, and i'm starting to move that direction. that means you wait your turn.
the second time was as i was getting on 180 after my afternoon coaching. the onramp is two lanes, then goes to one, then back to two, then to one as you actually get on the freeway. i was already in the final section where it has gone back to one lane, and was behind a car. the lane is wide at this point, although it is clear that it is only one lane. and as i'm driving behind this car, a s.u.v. comes flying up past me, forcing me to slow enough to avoid a wreck and allow jackhole number two in.
during both of these incidents, the other driver happened to have their window down, so i'm pretty sure that they heard me yelling "what the hell?" at the them. i also know that they both realized that they were in the wrong because both did the hands locked on the steering wheel, eyes locked forward, no way i'm looking over when i pulled up next to them after being cut off.
and it's not like there's any chance that they didn't see me. i'm 6 ft tall, and when i'm sitting on my bike i'm not that short. add in the fact that i'm about 250 lbs, sitting on a 600+lb cruiser bike it's even harder to believe that i wasn't seen. and it's not like my bike is quite, even if it isn't bone rattlingly loud. these jackholes saw me, figured they could cut by, and i'm lucky neither took me down.
sheesh.
blogger olympics
dear fresnan,
i hear that you and i didn't get invited to the cool kids party this year. i wonder who else didn't make the cut?
i guess bloggeraderie is dead.
i hear that you and i didn't get invited to the cool kids party this year. i wonder who else didn't make the cut?
i guess bloggeraderie is dead.
fresno derby girls
is fresno big enough for two roller derby teams?
we will soon see. in fact, we'll see this weekend because valley fever roller derby will be playing a match downtown @ the exhibit hall. can they pull anything near the 800+ that were at the notown derby match?
now, i have admit i'm a bit skeptical about how this debut match for valley fever is going to go. this isn't me hating on them or anything, this is me, someone who tries to stay fairly connected to what's going on in fresno not having heard much at all. like, zero promos for this match. not on the beehive. not on fresno famous. not on the fresno blogosphere. the only reason i knew about this team is because they had posted some comments on notown roller derby posts on fresno famous. and, i only knew they had a game because someone not affiliated with the team mentioned on famous that there was a match this weekend. and $15? a little steep. i know it's only $5 more than notown matches, and $5 more than what smog city was running, but it's still more expensive to see a team i've never seen, that i don't know anything about.
but i do hope that their match this weekend goes well, and that they bring in some more people to the derby scene.
i've also heard some rumblings about yet a third team in the works. wow, 3 teams? i know fresno & the surrounding area have enough people to support multiple teams, but are there enough people interested in roller derby to support it? i'm not sure.
here's what i would like to see: all these teams are successful and around long enough that they play each other at least once. really, let's get a match going between notown & valley fever.
we will soon see. in fact, we'll see this weekend because valley fever roller derby will be playing a match downtown @ the exhibit hall. can they pull anything near the 800+ that were at the notown derby match?
now, i have admit i'm a bit skeptical about how this debut match for valley fever is going to go. this isn't me hating on them or anything, this is me, someone who tries to stay fairly connected to what's going on in fresno not having heard much at all. like, zero promos for this match. not on the beehive. not on fresno famous. not on the fresno blogosphere. the only reason i knew about this team is because they had posted some comments on notown roller derby posts on fresno famous. and, i only knew they had a game because someone not affiliated with the team mentioned on famous that there was a match this weekend. and $15? a little steep. i know it's only $5 more than notown matches, and $5 more than what smog city was running, but it's still more expensive to see a team i've never seen, that i don't know anything about.
but i do hope that their match this weekend goes well, and that they bring in some more people to the derby scene.
i've also heard some rumblings about yet a third team in the works. wow, 3 teams? i know fresno & the surrounding area have enough people to support multiple teams, but are there enough people interested in roller derby to support it? i'm not sure.
here's what i would like to see: all these teams are successful and around long enough that they play each other at least once. really, let's get a match going between notown & valley fever.
black car ban & rush limbaugh lies
ah, as usual, conservative blowhard rush limbaugh is telling half truths, or perhaps even outright lies and sticking to them. you see, his website proclaimed that "tyrants want to ban black cars." rush falsely claims that california lawmakers want to ban black auto paint due to the fact that it's hotter, and will cause more people to use a/c and thus be less fuel efficient.
the problem with his claim: it's bullshit. it's an attempt to start a fire where there isn't even smoke yet. it's rush trying to say, "look at these crazies in california, interfering with your freeeedom. they're socialists."
but even in his own article, he shows how he is full of it. he gives part of what is actually proposed for cars, and here it is, "California Air Resources Board. CARB wants to mandate the phase-in of heat-reflecting paints on vehicle exteriors beginning with the '12 model year, with all colors meeting a 20% reflectivity requirement by the '16 model year."
hmm, where does that say black? oh, that's right. it doesn't. it says that we should use more reflective paint. that doesn't rule out any color, but rather pushes for paints of all colors that reflect energy.
his kicker...obama and stars drive black cars, so them crazy liberals can't even do it themselves.
but here's the truth about what the california air resources board was studying and proposing, "One solution: lower the temperature inside parked cars, thereby reducing the amount of air conditioning — and engine power and gasoline — needed to keep the occupants cool and comfortable.
CARB looked at two possible ways to achieve this: mandating the use of reflective paints that reduce the amount of solar heat absorbed by a vehicle, and requiring manufacturers to install glass with reflective coatings to achieve the same purpose."
reflective glass and reflective paint. nothing about color. and, when the air board realized that paint technology wasn't efficient enough they just went with the reflective glass coating, which adds about $30-$50 per car. not much money to keep your car a lot cooler.
*this is cross posted over @ left turn only, a new blog that i'm a co-author on. check it out.
the problem with his claim: it's bullshit. it's an attempt to start a fire where there isn't even smoke yet. it's rush trying to say, "look at these crazies in california, interfering with your freeeedom. they're socialists."
but even in his own article, he shows how he is full of it. he gives part of what is actually proposed for cars, and here it is, "California Air Resources Board. CARB wants to mandate the phase-in of heat-reflecting paints on vehicle exteriors beginning with the '12 model year, with all colors meeting a 20% reflectivity requirement by the '16 model year."
hmm, where does that say black? oh, that's right. it doesn't. it says that we should use more reflective paint. that doesn't rule out any color, but rather pushes for paints of all colors that reflect energy.
his kicker...obama and stars drive black cars, so them crazy liberals can't even do it themselves.
but here's the truth about what the california air resources board was studying and proposing, "One solution: lower the temperature inside parked cars, thereby reducing the amount of air conditioning — and engine power and gasoline — needed to keep the occupants cool and comfortable.
CARB looked at two possible ways to achieve this: mandating the use of reflective paints that reduce the amount of solar heat absorbed by a vehicle, and requiring manufacturers to install glass with reflective coatings to achieve the same purpose."
reflective glass and reflective paint. nothing about color. and, when the air board realized that paint technology wasn't efficient enough they just went with the reflective glass coating, which adds about $30-$50 per car. not much money to keep your car a lot cooler.
*this is cross posted over @ left turn only, a new blog that i'm a co-author on. check it out.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
road to nowhere
if you see me at your show, know that i may be recording some music to share with the world. monday evening, i went to an almost acoustic show and saw rademacher frontman malcom sosa doing a few songs. it was a nice set, even though i missed part of it. here's one of the last songs of the evening, maybe even the last one
it's malcom sosa live - road to nowhere.
you can see, and hear malcom sosa live & solo on april 18th at tokyo garden. or, there's always a chance you can randomly catch him @ one of the local open mikes, but that's less likely than seeing him for sure on the 18th.
it's malcom sosa live - road to nowhere.
you can see, and hear malcom sosa live & solo on april 18th at tokyo garden. or, there's always a chance you can randomly catch him @ one of the local open mikes, but that's less likely than seeing him for sure on the 18th.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
rademacher changes
so, i was listening to a podcast today and it was talking about the fine line between journalism, blogs and the personal connections to the people being talked about. how much does your knowledge of a person jade or change what you may or may not say about a person or team or thing.
as i listened, i thought about my relationship as a blogger and friend to the band rademacher, as well as a few other fresno bands. and, i'm not trying to say i'm bff with any of these people, but i do sit and talk with many of them. we trade text messages. they've been to my house, i've been in some of theirs. i hear things from bands, or people in bands about what's going on in their lives, both private and public. as i blogger/citizen journalist/gossip, i want to immediately write stuff. as a friend/person/good human being i want to handle material with appropriate sensitivity and timeliness. so when i hear potential bombshells, i run a bunch of filters and decide what to say about these people and bands.
a little while back, i heard that eli would be rejoining the band. shoot, i heard he was first leaving the band and had to wait to talk about it because i wanted to do it right, to get the band's perspective, to get eli's perspective, and to write it well. so, when i heard he was coming back i didn't mind waiting a few days to be able to write about it here and be respectful to the band and to my friends.
recently, i heard that greer was leaving rademacher. she was going to do a final few tour stops, and then was moving on, both from the band and in life. she had some gigs lined up with a band she toured with last year and was moving from fresno. now, i must admit that at this point i haven't talked to greer about this. i've heard it from several reliable sources, and the news of this has been circling fresno long enough that i felt that it might be okay to talk about here (even without talking to her or the band specifically about it).
i wish greer all the best in her future endeavors. i've enjoyed the few times she's come on the podcast and i definitely enjoyed her music. she's a tremendous bass player, a great musician, and an all around cool human being. and i loved her on the tiny tots piano. i'm sure she will do well in her next things.
so, what does this all mean for rademacher? well, that's up in the air from what i've hear. malcom may play bass and bring in another guitar player. maybe they'll find a bass player here in fresno that is tour ready, although fresno seems scarce of those. maybe eli can play bass and drums? or maybe they'll go as a two piece.
will this hurt rademacher's chance of making it big? well, only time will tell. i know that as they went out on tour a little bit back with airborne toxic event and henry clay people i really felt that they were about to get huge. then they didn't play sxsw and have made changes. who knows?
finally, will this stop bands from talking to bloggers? i highly doubt it. my blog is far from grandiose enough to make that happen, and i doubt i'm really stepping on any toes.
as i listened, i thought about my relationship as a blogger and friend to the band rademacher, as well as a few other fresno bands. and, i'm not trying to say i'm bff with any of these people, but i do sit and talk with many of them. we trade text messages. they've been to my house, i've been in some of theirs. i hear things from bands, or people in bands about what's going on in their lives, both private and public. as i blogger/citizen journalist/gossip, i want to immediately write stuff. as a friend/person/good human being i want to handle material with appropriate sensitivity and timeliness. so when i hear potential bombshells, i run a bunch of filters and decide what to say about these people and bands.
a little while back, i heard that eli would be rejoining the band. shoot, i heard he was first leaving the band and had to wait to talk about it because i wanted to do it right, to get the band's perspective, to get eli's perspective, and to write it well. so, when i heard he was coming back i didn't mind waiting a few days to be able to write about it here and be respectful to the band and to my friends.
recently, i heard that greer was leaving rademacher. she was going to do a final few tour stops, and then was moving on, both from the band and in life. she had some gigs lined up with a band she toured with last year and was moving from fresno. now, i must admit that at this point i haven't talked to greer about this. i've heard it from several reliable sources, and the news of this has been circling fresno long enough that i felt that it might be okay to talk about here (even without talking to her or the band specifically about it).
i wish greer all the best in her future endeavors. i've enjoyed the few times she's come on the podcast and i definitely enjoyed her music. she's a tremendous bass player, a great musician, and an all around cool human being. and i loved her on the tiny tots piano. i'm sure she will do well in her next things.
so, what does this all mean for rademacher? well, that's up in the air from what i've hear. malcom may play bass and bring in another guitar player. maybe they'll find a bass player here in fresno that is tour ready, although fresno seems scarce of those. maybe eli can play bass and drums? or maybe they'll go as a two piece.
will this hurt rademacher's chance of making it big? well, only time will tell. i know that as they went out on tour a little bit back with airborne toxic event and henry clay people i really felt that they were about to get huge. then they didn't play sxsw and have made changes. who knows?
finally, will this stop bands from talking to bloggers? i highly doubt it. my blog is far from grandiose enough to make that happen, and i doubt i'm really stepping on any toes.
monday haiku
computer is down
resolve server issues now
stupid techie life
spring bringing change
sprouting life, fields in bloom
need to mow lawn soon
resolve server issues now
stupid techie life
spring bringing change
sprouting life, fields in bloom
need to mow lawn soon
Sunday, March 29, 2009
thrower 4x400m
sometimes, as a track coach, you let your athletes do silly things. they wanted to run a 4x100m race, but we said no, as there is a potential of them pulling a muscle trying to sprint. but, should they want to run a 4x400m, we were alright with that. so, as the day wound down, and the 4x400's were coming up, we put together a team that consisted of a decathlete, two throwers, and another guy that is a bit of a guy that we use wherever. here's what ensued:
not to bad. i thought they might run 5:15, and they ran 4:06 (i think that was the final time). nice work fellas.
not to bad. i thought they might run 5:15, and they ran 4:06 (i think that was the final time). nice work fellas.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
hardcore scooter driver
saw this american badass today in traffic and had to snap some photos
here's a closer shot. hey, i'm all for safety, so the full face helmet is fine. but you cut off your sleeves. the sleeves on your black button up shirt. tough guy.
here's a shot from the other side. you are a bad muthaeffer, with your yellow helmet and blue scooter. you rule the road.
sadly, i couldn't get a pick of the dude after i passed him. he had his top couple of buttons on his shirt undone, as if to say, "hey ladies, come and get some of this." at least he didn't have a tribal tattoo.
here's a closer shot. hey, i'm all for safety, so the full face helmet is fine. but you cut off your sleeves. the sleeves on your black button up shirt. tough guy.
here's a shot from the other side. you are a bad muthaeffer, with your yellow helmet and blue scooter. you rule the road.
sadly, i couldn't get a pick of the dude after i passed him. he had his top couple of buttons on his shirt undone, as if to say, "hey ladies, come and get some of this." at least he didn't have a tribal tattoo.
flashback feature pulp fiction
say what again!
yes indeedy. tonight, @ edward's theater pulp fiction is showing. 9 pm, $5. i think this will be the 4th time i've seen this movie in the theater, but whatever. this will take me back to my freshman year of college.
and to get us all ready for the film, enjoy pulp muppets
yes indeedy. tonight, @ edward's theater pulp fiction is showing. 9 pm, $5. i think this will be the 4th time i've seen this movie in the theater, but whatever. this will take me back to my freshman year of college.
and to get us all ready for the film, enjoy pulp muppets
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
random tuesday night post
so, a few thoughts as i end my tuesday:
-watched a discovery show about wild boars. i'm not a hunter, but i do have an inclination to go boar hunting. not sure why.
-the english have this term pants, which basically means something sucks or is crap. like, manchester united was pants in that last
match (which they were). i love the phrase and will be working it into my terms, like I did local.
-watched a discovery show about wild boars. i'm not a hunter, but i do have an inclination to go boar hunting. not sure why.
-the english have this term pants, which basically means something sucks or is crap. like, manchester united was pants in that last
match (which they were). i love the phrase and will be working it into my terms, like I did local.
Monday, March 23, 2009
monday haiku
i almost forgot
to write hiaku once again
routine hard to make
basketball on tv
saturday and sunday too
break only for derby
to write hiaku once again
routine hard to make
basketball on tv
saturday and sunday too
break only for derby
rademacher news
i don't think i'm betraying any confidences, but rademacher keeps ch cha changing. and, it's at the usual drummer position. sadly, the band stayed home from sxsw for undisclosed reasons. in the wake of it all, drummer eden davis is no longer with the band.
the new drummer...eli reyes. yessir, your friend and mine, drummer of the fay wrays, a guy i've said reminded me of animal from the muppets, eli reyes is back in rademacher. and, he's about to go out on tour with the band as they do a few more dates with airborne toxic event.
the new drummer...eli reyes. yessir, your friend and mine, drummer of the fay wrays, a guy i've said reminded me of animal from the muppets, eli reyes is back in rademacher. and, he's about to go out on tour with the band as they do a few more dates with airborne toxic event.
harmonica beatbox
Sunday, March 22, 2009
twitter sucks
that's right, i said it. i don't care about twitter. i don't care if you tweet. get over it. let me help, here's a video from our pals @ current tv.
this is how our generation communicates now, with detached, byte sized yippity yap.
this is how our generation communicates now, with detached, byte sized yippity yap.
notown roller derby vs battle born derby demons
last night was the inaugural match for smog city. well, sort of. many of the team members were on smog city, a team i loved to go and watch. would notown measure up? i had to go and see.
along with the team change, there was also a venue change. smog city had played it's last couple of seasons at valdez hall downtown, and now they were playing over @ the fairgrounds. location wise this wasn't a big deal. building wise it turned out to be. the commerce hall @ the fairground sucks. really sucks. the building is all sorts of angles inside, so you don't get as good of a crowd feel because it's very broken up. and, the angles and low ceiling contribute to crappy sound. so, the "announcer" was unintelligible. which honestly wasn't bad because the reverend, as he goes by on the radio, was just babbling useless crap all night long. to all that bad sound, throw in a dj who is playing loud music, and you just had a sound mess. another issue with this new venue was that they had less bleacher seats than before. this meant more people were sitting @ floor level, trying to look through other people. which actually meant i spent the second and third periods standing up to really watch the match. not terrible, and there was only one row of people behind me and they were also standing. finally, and this isn't actually a venue issue, but the numbers they were using for the scoreboard were highly stylized and very difficult to read. here's a suggestion: use numbers that are easy to read at a distance so people know what the score is. fans want to know what the score is.
okay, i've got those venue gripes out of the way, onto the match. the good thing about the match was that there wasn't a huge drop off between smog city and notown. the notown girls need some work, especially in their blockers, but overall they were still very good. some of the people that weren't that great when they played for smog city had really stepped up their game and played great last night. some of the newer players were good additions to the team. and notown needed it last night because battle born derby demons, hailing from reno, came to scrap. it was a very aggressive match with a lot of people hitting the floor. hard. their blockers were well organized and they had their own little star jammer named short fuse who seemed to just fly through the crowd with ease. battle born was tough, but they just couldn't keep up in the long run. notown skated to the victory, and i think the final score was 105 to 87. i'm not sure, because the numbers were hard to read (just kidding, i forgot the final score).
one other difference between notown and smog city is that the girls seemed to interact with the crowd a whole lot more. in the past, they did some stuff, and worked to get the crowd fired up. many of these same girls were now really working their butts off to get the crowd involved. they're dancing, they're skating with props during the introductions, they're getting cheers started for players. some of this may have happened before, but it really stood out last night. and betty rocker, already a star to fresno dergy enthusiasts, was really working the crowd. a couple of times as she was jamming after whipping through the other team she signaled to the crowd as if to ask, "should i call off the jam. no, don't call it? i should whip through them again? okay. done and done." really good showmanship.
for me, there was no let down between notown and smog city. i'll be back. specifically, may 30th for their next home match.
along with the team change, there was also a venue change. smog city had played it's last couple of seasons at valdez hall downtown, and now they were playing over @ the fairgrounds. location wise this wasn't a big deal. building wise it turned out to be. the commerce hall @ the fairground sucks. really sucks. the building is all sorts of angles inside, so you don't get as good of a crowd feel because it's very broken up. and, the angles and low ceiling contribute to crappy sound. so, the "announcer" was unintelligible. which honestly wasn't bad because the reverend, as he goes by on the radio, was just babbling useless crap all night long. to all that bad sound, throw in a dj who is playing loud music, and you just had a sound mess. another issue with this new venue was that they had less bleacher seats than before. this meant more people were sitting @ floor level, trying to look through other people. which actually meant i spent the second and third periods standing up to really watch the match. not terrible, and there was only one row of people behind me and they were also standing. finally, and this isn't actually a venue issue, but the numbers they were using for the scoreboard were highly stylized and very difficult to read. here's a suggestion: use numbers that are easy to read at a distance so people know what the score is. fans want to know what the score is.
okay, i've got those venue gripes out of the way, onto the match. the good thing about the match was that there wasn't a huge drop off between smog city and notown. the notown girls need some work, especially in their blockers, but overall they were still very good. some of the people that weren't that great when they played for smog city had really stepped up their game and played great last night. some of the newer players were good additions to the team. and notown needed it last night because battle born derby demons, hailing from reno, came to scrap. it was a very aggressive match with a lot of people hitting the floor. hard. their blockers were well organized and they had their own little star jammer named short fuse who seemed to just fly through the crowd with ease. battle born was tough, but they just couldn't keep up in the long run. notown skated to the victory, and i think the final score was 105 to 87. i'm not sure, because the numbers were hard to read (just kidding, i forgot the final score).
one other difference between notown and smog city is that the girls seemed to interact with the crowd a whole lot more. in the past, they did some stuff, and worked to get the crowd fired up. many of these same girls were now really working their butts off to get the crowd involved. they're dancing, they're skating with props during the introductions, they're getting cheers started for players. some of this may have happened before, but it really stood out last night. and betty rocker, already a star to fresno dergy enthusiasts, was really working the crowd. a couple of times as she was jamming after whipping through the other team she signaled to the crowd as if to ask, "should i call off the jam. no, don't call it? i should whip through them again? okay. done and done." really good showmanship.
for me, there was no let down between notown and smog city. i'll be back. specifically, may 30th for their next home match.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
this is why you're fat
this a blog post for my friend kasey. she likes to exercise and talk about nutrition, diet, and all that sort of stuff. read her blog for like 3 days and you'll find at least one post about these topics. so much that she's even been called obsessive about it.
so when i saw this website i figured i needed to post it for her. this is why you're fat.
deep fried guacamole anyone?
or how about the porkgasm?
i feel a little ill.
(hmac from the beehive posted this site a while back but i forgot and stumbled on it today.)
so when i saw this website i figured i needed to post it for her. this is why you're fat.
deep fried guacamole anyone?
or how about the porkgasm?
i feel a little ill.
(hmac from the beehive posted this site a while back but i forgot and stumbled on it today.)
Friday, March 20, 2009
no town roller derby 3/21
this is where it's at this weekend. get your tickets early.
ALL-FEMALE ROLLER DERBY
NOtown Roller Derby presents:
The Good, The Bad, and THE DERBY
A NOtown Production
NOtown Roller Derby vs.
Battle Born Derby Demons
The ULTIMATE Derby battle for the West!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Doors open @ 6 PM
Bout starts @ 7 PM
Advance Tickets - $10
Door Tickets - $12
Kids 10 and under Free!
Fresno Fair Grounds - Commerce Building
1121 S. Chance Ave.
Fresno, CA 93702
FREE PARKING!
Tickets available @
LA LUNA LOCA TATTOO (1306 N.
Wishon Avenue; (559) 268-LUNA),
SACRED HEART CLOTHING (101 W. Olive Ave.
; (559) 681-2205),
www.brownpapertickets.com/event/52227 or
FROM ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE ROLLER GIRLS!
NOtown Roller Derby is teaming up with the Poverello House to conduct a FOOD DRIVE! For EVERY can of food/non-perishable item you bring, you will receive ONE RAFFLE TICKET!!!
Great Raffle Prizes, including:
Gift Baskets, Gift Certificates, AND MORE!
honestly, i'm intrigued to see how these girls stack up versus my memory of the smog city roller girls. i know that they have many of the same people, but there has also been a fair amount that left. mix in some new players and it could be very interesting, or terrrible. (nothing in between.) i'm also curious about the fair grounds as a venue. i know smog city played there for a bit, but i never went to any of those games.
ALL-FEMALE ROLLER DERBY
NOtown Roller Derby presents:
The Good, The Bad, and THE DERBY
A NOtown Production
NOtown Roller Derby vs.
Battle Born Derby Demons
The ULTIMATE Derby battle for the West!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Doors open @ 6 PM
Bout starts @ 7 PM
Advance Tickets - $10
Door Tickets - $12
Kids 10 and under Free!
Fresno Fair Grounds - Commerce Building
1121 S. Chance Ave.
Fresno, CA 93702
FREE PARKING!
Tickets available @
LA LUNA LOCA TATTOO (1306 N.
Wishon Avenue; (559) 268-LUNA),
SACRED HEART CLOTHING (101 W. Olive Ave.
; (559) 681-2205),
www.brownpapertickets.com/event/52227 or
FROM ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE ROLLER GIRLS!
NOtown Roller Derby is teaming up with the Poverello House to conduct a FOOD DRIVE! For EVERY can of food/non-perishable item you bring, you will receive ONE RAFFLE TICKET!!!
Great Raffle Prizes, including:
Gift Baskets, Gift Certificates, AND MORE!
honestly, i'm intrigued to see how these girls stack up versus my memory of the smog city roller girls. i know that they have many of the same people, but there has also been a fair amount that left. mix in some new players and it could be very interesting, or terrrible. (nothing in between.) i'm also curious about the fair grounds as a venue. i know smog city played there for a bit, but i never went to any of those games.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
flashback feature 3/19: top gun
here's what i'm doing tonight
i'm hoping my timing is good enough to shout out, "where's the plaque for the alternates?"
"the plaque for the alternates is down in the ladies room."
so, the tagline for this movie in the u.k. was this:
From the Producers of Beverly Hills Cop and Flashdance
now that's funny isht.
9pm
edward's theater
$5
i'm hoping my timing is good enough to shout out, "where's the plaque for the alternates?"
"the plaque for the alternates is down in the ladies room."
so, the tagline for this movie in the u.k. was this:
From the Producers of Beverly Hills Cop and Flashdance
now that's funny isht.
9pm
edward's theater
$5
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
the fay wrays @ starline
looking for something to do this evening? want to re-aggravate your post st. paddy's headache? well i've got something for you: fay wrays @ starline.
they're playing tonight as a part of the regular show that aesop fables puts on over there. should be nice. fun. loud.
they're playing tonight as a part of the regular show that aesop fables puts on over there. should be nice. fun. loud.
firing etiquette
so, i received this email today @ work:
"This is sent to let everyone know that (name redacted) no longer works for (business name redacted). If this creates any problems for anyone, please see (h.r. person redacted) or myself about your concerns. Thanks."
obviously, i took out names to avoid any issue, to embarrass anyone, or to expose my employer. this isn't the first such email i've received, but they've always struck me as odd and callous. i understand that they need to notify the rest of the staff that a particular employee is no longer there, but is this the best way to go about it? what do you think?
when someone has left there under good circumstances, or their own accord, they have often sent out an email about their leaving. or not at all. i'm not sure how they would handle it if it was a layoff. it seems these emails go out when someone gets fired.
"This is sent to let everyone know that (name redacted) no longer works for (business name redacted). If this creates any problems for anyone, please see (h.r. person redacted) or myself about your concerns. Thanks."
obviously, i took out names to avoid any issue, to embarrass anyone, or to expose my employer. this isn't the first such email i've received, but they've always struck me as odd and callous. i understand that they need to notify the rest of the staff that a particular employee is no longer there, but is this the best way to go about it? what do you think?
when someone has left there under good circumstances, or their own accord, they have often sent out an email about their leaving. or not at all. i'm not sure how they would handle it if it was a layoff. it seems these emails go out when someone gets fired.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
st. patrick's day tie
i chose this tie this morning for several reasons:
1. it has both green and orange. this could symbolize the need for unity between catholics (green) and protestants (orange) in ireland
2. it is super funky
3. i bought it at a thrift store
4. one day, i was wearing the tie and wrote a line from a nofx song on the back of it
5. i'm a dork and didn't just want to wear a green tie
6. i got dressed in the dark. well, this is true, but it really has nothing to do with why i chose the tie. that was all about #'s 1-5.
Monday, March 16, 2009
living on $67 a week
how much do you spend on food & drink in a week? is it less than $72? that is essentially the amount of money that a family of two receives in food stamps in california. the l.a. times had an article, that seemed like it could be very interesting, about living/eating for less. i say that it seemed like it would be because it really wasn't all that interesting or helpful. the husband and wife team manage to cut back to $67 a week, but reveal little about what they actually consumed over the two months that they tried the experiment.
a couple of quotes that really stood out for me from the article:
"It wasn't as easy as we thought. For a couple who grow their own tomatoes and have olive oils for different occasions, it was hard to find a balance between eating affordably and healthfully, much less deliciously."
"The first step was a trip to Costco. (I later discovered that Costco doesn't accept food stamps, a reminder that although we were trying to live as if we were receiving government assistance, we were enjoying options that the truly impoverished don't have.)"
you know what, people living off smaller incomes generally aren't worried about "delicious." they often are worried about "eating." really, you can buy a whole hell of a lot of mac n cheese, top ramen, instant rice, and even ground beef (the fattier ground beef). i know this because when i was in college and funds were more limited, i got by on around 30 something dollars a week, if not less. now, this doesn't mean that people shouldn't care about eating healthy and inexpensively. it does bring up the fact that the healthiest foods are often the most expensive. want really nutrient dense bread, it's going to cost you and the loaf is small. want cheap bread? rainbow and other crap bread like that is cheap, but it's so processed and stripped of nutrients that it's of little nutritional value. the same goes for just about every thing at the market. vegetables seem like an area where this changes, but not really. fresh vegetables cost more than frozen which cost more than canned. i grew up eating canned corn and carried this on through college. when i got married my wife introduced me to frozen corn. much better tasting, and healthier, too. and a little more costly. now, in season fresh corn can be pretty cheap. but out of season, not so much.
i'm glad that they admit that they had advantages, like costco, that poorer people don't have. but, there are warehouse stores (foodmaxx, foods co) that do sell in bulk and are on the less expensive side of markets. shoot, i still try and keep our food cost lower by shopping at foodmaxx. the benefit of these stores may be limited by access to them. many lower income neighborhoods don't have supermarkets, let alone large discount supermarkets. shoot, some neighborhoods barely even have anything beyond convenience or mini marts.
it's not my intention to just dissect the article. rather, i do want to acknowledge the article as a part of my continuing thought process on how we all live, and what choices we're making. as i write this i also am co-authoring an article for the undercurrent that deals with the issue of going without things and what that means. i wonder if my wife and i could live off of $72 a week for food cost and how that would change our lives. what choices would we have to make? could we do it?
what do you think? could you do it? are you doing it? if so, how and what choices have you had to make?
a couple of quotes that really stood out for me from the article:
"It wasn't as easy as we thought. For a couple who grow their own tomatoes and have olive oils for different occasions, it was hard to find a balance between eating affordably and healthfully, much less deliciously."
"The first step was a trip to Costco. (I later discovered that Costco doesn't accept food stamps, a reminder that although we were trying to live as if we were receiving government assistance, we were enjoying options that the truly impoverished don't have.)"
you know what, people living off smaller incomes generally aren't worried about "delicious." they often are worried about "eating." really, you can buy a whole hell of a lot of mac n cheese, top ramen, instant rice, and even ground beef (the fattier ground beef). i know this because when i was in college and funds were more limited, i got by on around 30 something dollars a week, if not less. now, this doesn't mean that people shouldn't care about eating healthy and inexpensively. it does bring up the fact that the healthiest foods are often the most expensive. want really nutrient dense bread, it's going to cost you and the loaf is small. want cheap bread? rainbow and other crap bread like that is cheap, but it's so processed and stripped of nutrients that it's of little nutritional value. the same goes for just about every thing at the market. vegetables seem like an area where this changes, but not really. fresh vegetables cost more than frozen which cost more than canned. i grew up eating canned corn and carried this on through college. when i got married my wife introduced me to frozen corn. much better tasting, and healthier, too. and a little more costly. now, in season fresh corn can be pretty cheap. but out of season, not so much.
i'm glad that they admit that they had advantages, like costco, that poorer people don't have. but, there are warehouse stores (foodmaxx, foods co) that do sell in bulk and are on the less expensive side of markets. shoot, i still try and keep our food cost lower by shopping at foodmaxx. the benefit of these stores may be limited by access to them. many lower income neighborhoods don't have supermarkets, let alone large discount supermarkets. shoot, some neighborhoods barely even have anything beyond convenience or mini marts.
it's not my intention to just dissect the article. rather, i do want to acknowledge the article as a part of my continuing thought process on how we all live, and what choices we're making. as i write this i also am co-authoring an article for the undercurrent that deals with the issue of going without things and what that means. i wonder if my wife and i could live off of $72 a week for food cost and how that would change our lives. what choices would we have to make? could we do it?
what do you think? could you do it? are you doing it? if so, how and what choices have you had to make?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
ron paul is for earmarks
ron paul is fighting for earmarks. wait, what? ron paul is for earmarks? the republican/libertarian is for government spending. he has more earmarks in the $410 billion bill than any other republican. well, that's very libertarian of him.
paul, to his libertarian credit, voted against the spending bill. however, that didn't stop him from having his hand out tor receive the benefits of it. so, it's wrong to tax people, it's wrong for the government to spend money, but it's alright for ron paul's district to get money from the government.
i like that his defense is like, well if they're giving it i'm taking it even if i don't agree with it. his exact quote, "I don't think the federal government should be doing it. But if they're going to allot the money, I have a responsibility to represent my people." it's true, you were elected to represent your district. and there is no reason that your district shouldn't benefit from the plans that will hopefully pull our country out of this recession. ideas like infrastructure building programs & social programs. the sort of programs that helped pull the u.s. out of the great depression (combined with our ramp up to ww2).
you go ron paul. help us all get out of this mess.
paul, to his libertarian credit, voted against the spending bill. however, that didn't stop him from having his hand out tor receive the benefits of it. so, it's wrong to tax people, it's wrong for the government to spend money, but it's alright for ron paul's district to get money from the government.
i like that his defense is like, well if they're giving it i'm taking it even if i don't agree with it. his exact quote, "I don't think the federal government should be doing it. But if they're going to allot the money, I have a responsibility to represent my people." it's true, you were elected to represent your district. and there is no reason that your district shouldn't benefit from the plans that will hopefully pull our country out of this recession. ideas like infrastructure building programs & social programs. the sort of programs that helped pull the u.s. out of the great depression (combined with our ramp up to ww2).
you go ron paul. help us all get out of this mess.
pecha kucha night #2 in fresno
the first pecha kucha night was a smashing success. well, i thought it was cool at least.
the what: you get 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds while you speak about them
the who: well, about anyone can sign up in advance and present
the why: it's a chance for designers to present and network. it's evolved into more than just designers
that brings us to the when: monday night, march 16, 8:20pm - 10pm @ the starline.
as i said before, i thought the first one was really cool and interesting. not every presentation was great, but overall i enjoyed hearing about architectural proposals, people's art, solar power displays, and more. i'm intrigued to see what people present this time. the theme for this event is very obama-esque, asking, "is it really change?"
last time was free, but this time they're asking for a $2 donation. that will help cover some of the cost of putting the event on, as well as build up $ for future events.
a post for justin
friend of mine in seattle,
here is the post you requested. it was written over a week before you requested it. and, if you want to here my thoughts on the pieces, listen to this podcast, after the ryan paulson interview, and you'll here my presentation. you can even look @ the picture of each painting embedded in the podcast while i talk about it. i recommend headphones because the volume is sort of low on that part.
here is the post you requested. it was written over a week before you requested it. and, if you want to here my thoughts on the pieces, listen to this podcast, after the ryan paulson interview, and you'll here my presentation. you can even look @ the picture of each painting embedded in the podcast while i talk about it. i recommend headphones because the volume is sort of low on that part.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
lay offs at the bee
yesterday the fresno bee made it official by announcing that they would be laying off 63 employees. the economy is crap, and the newspaper business is a difficult one to be in right now. they gave the standard line of needing to trim spending to avoid further cuts or even going out of business. and i'm sure it's true.
i saw the article online yesterday, as well as seeing the story on the local tv newscast. today, i read the hard copy of it.
why did i read the article and check out the story 3 times? well, i'll be honest. i wanted to know if they said who's getting cut. nope, no names. they said it was in all departments, but no specifics given. i guess they're protecting privacy and whatnot, and that's fine. but i guess i have a sort of grim obsession and want to know. i also know a few folks that work over @ the bee, albeit not close enough for me to break them off a phone call to inquire of their job status.
my condolences to anyone that lost their job over there, as well as anyone else who is finding themselves without work in this economy. californians especially, as statewide we're now over 10% unemployment and the valley is running around %15. it's getting bad, and i hope we can all live through it and see the light of new day.
you know, i'm surprised that the democrats haven't bailed out the newspapers. i mean, they are liberally biased and all.
i saw the article online yesterday, as well as seeing the story on the local tv newscast. today, i read the hard copy of it.
why did i read the article and check out the story 3 times? well, i'll be honest. i wanted to know if they said who's getting cut. nope, no names. they said it was in all departments, but no specifics given. i guess they're protecting privacy and whatnot, and that's fine. but i guess i have a sort of grim obsession and want to know. i also know a few folks that work over @ the bee, albeit not close enough for me to break them off a phone call to inquire of their job status.
my condolences to anyone that lost their job over there, as well as anyone else who is finding themselves without work in this economy. californians especially, as statewide we're now over 10% unemployment and the valley is running around %15. it's getting bad, and i hope we can all live through it and see the light of new day.
you know, i'm surprised that the democrats haven't bailed out the newspapers. i mean, they are liberally biased and all.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
dwarfed punk
this actually seems like it could be the actual video for "harder, better, faster, stronger" by daft punk
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
sufjan stevens & tor - illinoize
do you like sufjan stevens? i do.
do you like outkast? i do.
do you like brother ali? i do.
do you like aesop rock? i do.
do you like dj premier? i do.
do you like gift of gab? are you underground enough to even know him? i do.
even you answered yes to more than one of those than you need, no you must click over to my old kentucky blog and download a mixtape done by canadian producer tor. the mix takes sufjan stevens songs from multiple albums and mixes them with hip hop tracks.
the best part: it is free! FREE MUSIC!
do you like outkast? i do.
do you like brother ali? i do.
do you like aesop rock? i do.
do you like dj premier? i do.
do you like gift of gab? are you underground enough to even know him? i do.
even you answered yes to more than one of those than you need, no you must click over to my old kentucky blog and download a mixtape done by canadian producer tor. the mix takes sufjan stevens songs from multiple albums and mixes them with hip hop tracks.
the best part: it is free! FREE MUSIC!
math bus: tax season
it's not quite pg porn. in fact, it's crazy sfw. it's a parody of some porn companies work.
i think the parody nature of math bus really makes it more interesting that the pg porn post i shared a while back. that post was all double entendre, over the top acting while still being "pornish." is that even a word? whatever.
this one, it's just comedy spoofing/riping off/using the style of some companies work, but with taxes. and, it was apparently a part of last year's sxsw film component.
thanks laughing squid.
i think the parody nature of math bus really makes it more interesting that the pg porn post i shared a while back. that post was all double entendre, over the top acting while still being "pornish." is that even a word? whatever.
this one, it's just comedy spoofing/riping off/using the style of some companies work, but with taxes. and, it was apparently a part of last year's sxsw film component.
thanks laughing squid.
Monday, March 09, 2009
the sleepover disaster & rademacher on a tuesday night
o
m
g
i almost didn't even realize this show was happening. i hadn't been paying attention to the myspace bulletins and such. thanks to the fresnan for posting this show and letting me know what i needed to being doing on a tuesday. that sort of throws of my grand plans for the week (doing nothing) but whatever.
and in case you can't read the flyer, here's the line up:
the scarlet symphony
minmae
the aircrash (i hear eli from the fay wrays is playing drums for them)
rademacher
the sleepover disaster
march 10 - the starline
$5
9pm
the only drawback of this show is that it's all ages. now, i'm no snob (yes i am) but i don't want to have to show up all super early just to make sure i get in. damn life.
okay, there's another drawback. my fav and yours rademacher is listed on the bill. i don't think they're going to be there. the lead singer's facebook says he'll be in new york tomorrow. but it's still a good show without them.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
separate ways video by journey remade
holy cow. there are a lot of cheesy things that i like. nachos are a good example. videos on the internet are another. the music of journey. well, these last two collide as some guys make a scene for scene remake of the video for 'separate ways' by journey. i love this song. i'm sure when i was younger i imagined that some day i would have these same sort of feelings about a woman. whatever about that part.
this video makes me laugh due to several things: the wigs. the over the top head bobbing. the fact that the original video was made like this and they thought it was a good idea.
while you're at it, check out this wonderful remake of rocky 4 and the montage that accompanied the song 'no easy way out.'
the scenes of rocky running (with & without apollo) always cracked me up in the movie, and low budget remakes make it even sweeter...errr...cheesier.
thanks to bill simmons for directing me to both of those vids.
this video makes me laugh due to several things: the wigs. the over the top head bobbing. the fact that the original video was made like this and they thought it was a good idea.
while you're at it, check out this wonderful remake of rocky 4 and the montage that accompanied the song 'no easy way out.'
the scenes of rocky running (with & without apollo) always cracked me up in the movie, and low budget remakes make it even sweeter...errr...cheesier.
thanks to bill simmons for directing me to both of those vids.
fresno warehouse party busted up
kudos to channel 30 for doing a story on a warehouse party that was busted up by the cops. it's a pretty crazy story that involves around 2000 kids, shots fired, a warehouse that's probably one step away from being a death trap, and an $8 cover. click over and watch their video (hey channel 30, move into this century and let people embed your videos) and come back here and share your thoughts.
in college i went to a few warehouse parties and even helped to promote them a bit. they can be pretty fun ways to get people out on the dance floor and have a good time. we never did anything this big, but i'm sure we weren't too far away from being in a precarious situation with too many people in an inadequate facility for what we were doing. then again, night clubs routinely have bands play in packed facilities. sure, they may have hired security and are licensed, but ill ish can happen anywhere, and accidents happen.
in college i went to a few warehouse parties and even helped to promote them a bit. they can be pretty fun ways to get people out on the dance floor and have a good time. we never did anything this big, but i'm sure we weren't too far away from being in a precarious situation with too many people in an inadequate facility for what we were doing. then again, night clubs routinely have bands play in packed facilities. sure, they may have hired security and are licensed, but ill ish can happen anywhere, and accidents happen.
gang pirate radio
look out christian slater, there are some new pirates on the block. and they're pushing the boundaries waaaaay further than your hard harry character did. it seems that these broadcasters were using foul language, were telling people where they could buy drugs, and where to find prostitutes. that's pretty bold.
even bolder is the fact that they are alleged to have received funding from a local gang, and were selling ad time for illicit services.
i do think it's kinda cool that these guys were bored, and decided to start their own station. that's pretty inventive. i don't know about the content of their station, and i probably wouldn't have enjoyed their music choices, but maybe that's just issue of taste. and the funny kicker on this story is that the fcc tracked these guys down when "The FCC monitored the airwaves and spotted a cable and antenna in a tree leading right into the home." wait, an antenna in a tree? veerrrrry high tech.
even bolder is the fact that they are alleged to have received funding from a local gang, and were selling ad time for illicit services.
i do think it's kinda cool that these guys were bored, and decided to start their own station. that's pretty inventive. i don't know about the content of their station, and i probably wouldn't have enjoyed their music choices, but maybe that's just issue of taste. and the funny kicker on this story is that the fcc tracked these guys down when "The FCC monitored the airwaves and spotted a cable and antenna in a tree leading right into the home." wait, an antenna in a tree? veerrrrry high tech.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
rogue recommendations 3/6
so, it's the last day of the festival, and your last chance to take in some great shows. and, as i'm doing this after 1pm, you've already missed the first few shows of the day. but, here are some things i think you should check out:
-my big organ show - i love the name of this one, but i also think tony is a pretty interesting guy. hear him talk about life and organ repair. 2:30pm, ashtree studios, $4
-bipolarity of life - i loved this show when i saw it. if you haven't you should. travis has a very interesting take on poverty, prejudice & puberty. it's comedy, it's tragedy (not in that order) 6:15pm, veni vidi vici, $4
-ryan paulson: i'm uncomfortable - this show is good enough that i'm seeing it a second time today. ryan talk about sexuality, his ventures into missionary work, and sings hilarious songs about condoms for your heart. 7:00pm, starline, $7.
if you're not @ ryan's show @ 7, go see:
-abigail nolte - she's an amazing singer/songwriter. she does very well crafted songs, and does a fine job giving a brief window into the inspiration of each song.
-blake & baba - i'll be honest, i'm not exactly sure what this show holds in store. but, i'm going. you also should make the trek down to dianna's north and enjoy yourself & modern dance.
-my big organ show - i love the name of this one, but i also think tony is a pretty interesting guy. hear him talk about life and organ repair. 2:30pm, ashtree studios, $4
-bipolarity of life - i loved this show when i saw it. if you haven't you should. travis has a very interesting take on poverty, prejudice & puberty. it's comedy, it's tragedy (not in that order) 6:15pm, veni vidi vici, $4
-ryan paulson: i'm uncomfortable - this show is good enough that i'm seeing it a second time today. ryan talk about sexuality, his ventures into missionary work, and sings hilarious songs about condoms for your heart. 7:00pm, starline, $7.
if you're not @ ryan's show @ 7, go see:
-abigail nolte - she's an amazing singer/songwriter. she does very well crafted songs, and does a fine job giving a brief window into the inspiration of each song.
-blake & baba - i'll be honest, i'm not exactly sure what this show holds in store. but, i'm going. you also should make the trek down to dianna's north and enjoy yourself & modern dance.
Friday, March 06, 2009
rogue recommendations 3/5
so we're entering into the final weekend of rogue, and here's what i think you should be doing. take my word for it.
-start your night of @ ashtree studios & meet the artists. 6:15p, $4. you'll hear me, aileen imperatrice and sandy schulte-day.
-cupid is a b*tch - 8:30, dianna's south, $6. this is probably the only non-monologue play dealy that i'm recommending.
-if you don't see cupid, go see travis sheridan's bipolarity of life @ 8:45 @ veni's. $4. awesome.
-abigail nolte - 10pm, spectrum gallery. this bird can sing your socks off. $4.
-start your night of @ ashtree studios & meet the artists. 6:15p, $4. you'll hear me, aileen imperatrice and sandy schulte-day.
-cupid is a b*tch - 8:30, dianna's south, $6. this is probably the only non-monologue play dealy that i'm recommending.
-if you don't see cupid, go see travis sheridan's bipolarity of life @ 8:45 @ veni's. $4. awesome.
-abigail nolte - 10pm, spectrum gallery. this bird can sing your socks off. $4.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
two rogues?
can fresno's rogue festival be described as a tale of two rogues? no, this isn't me lamenting visual artists being secondary. i've mentioned that before. i'm actually wondering about an undercurrent i've felt during the festival: local performers vs nonlocal/"fringe festival" performers.
i'm not trying to start dissent. i'm just commenting on a feeling i've gotten. it seems that the out of towners go see the out of towners. they name check them at the end of their shows. they promote for each other. i don't hear them talking up the local performers. i do hear the local performers talking about and promoting the out of towners as well as the locals.
this isn't me with a chip on my shoulder or an ax to grind. shoot, i've recommended a lot of out of town acts. ryan paulson's i'm uncomfortable is still the best show i've seen this year. but i'll also say travis sheridan's bipolarity of life has moved into second for me. sure, i've only seen 6 shows, two of which i was a part of, but still. the local performers can hold their own with the travelers, the "fringe" set.
i doubt when marcel et al started this thing 8 years ago they meant for it to be this way. but, i don't dare say too much because i would just be making things up. i don't know all of their intentions other than that they wanted to do something like the sf fringe festival here. and, they've succeeded. they've succeeded so much that we draw people from england, canada, new york and everywhere else.
those of you who've been @ rogue this year, what do you think?
i'm not trying to start dissent. i'm just commenting on a feeling i've gotten. it seems that the out of towners go see the out of towners. they name check them at the end of their shows. they promote for each other. i don't hear them talking up the local performers. i do hear the local performers talking about and promoting the out of towners as well as the locals.
this isn't me with a chip on my shoulder or an ax to grind. shoot, i've recommended a lot of out of town acts. ryan paulson's i'm uncomfortable is still the best show i've seen this year. but i'll also say travis sheridan's bipolarity of life has moved into second for me. sure, i've only seen 6 shows, two of which i was a part of, but still. the local performers can hold their own with the travelers, the "fringe" set.
i doubt when marcel et al started this thing 8 years ago they meant for it to be this way. but, i don't dare say too much because i would just be making things up. i don't know all of their intentions other than that they wanted to do something like the sf fringe festival here. and, they've succeeded. they've succeeded so much that we draw people from england, canada, new york and everywhere else.
those of you who've been @ rogue this year, what do you think?
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
march post art hop show
it's arthop! that means you should try and stop by ashtree studios and see my four pieces that are a part of the rogue festival. it's free, and it's me.
afterward, hit up tokyo garden and see rademacher and all their deliciousness. this is the first official fresno show w/their newest drummer, eden davis.
9:30 pm, $5.
rogue recommendations 3/4
so, the rogue festival gets moving again tonight, and i've got two shows for you. forget all them out of towners, see some local grown talent tonight.
-bipolarity of life: how to enjoy life without medication - 7:30pm, veni vidi vici, $4! travis sheridan is an all around get guy, witty as hell, and is involved in helping to breathing new life into downtown. and, the more i talk to him the more i think we've traveled a very similar path. go see him, and see him for cheap.
-meet the artists - 8:45pm, ashtree studios, $4! sure, sure, i'm promoting me again. why not? seriously, my first meet the artist went very well, and i think all the guests there had a good time listening to artists tell about the pieces in this show. and, the artist the created the rogue muse will be speaking tonight.
i will see you at both of these good shows.
-bipolarity of life: how to enjoy life without medication - 7:30pm, veni vidi vici, $4! travis sheridan is an all around get guy, witty as hell, and is involved in helping to breathing new life into downtown. and, the more i talk to him the more i think we've traveled a very similar path. go see him, and see him for cheap.
-meet the artists - 8:45pm, ashtree studios, $4! sure, sure, i'm promoting me again. why not? seriously, my first meet the artist went very well, and i think all the guests there had a good time listening to artists tell about the pieces in this show. and, the artist the created the rogue muse will be speaking tonight.
i will see you at both of these good shows.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
25 things i hate about facecbook
thank you, julian smith. not only have you ranted about the stupid 25 things list, you've also made a nice get your own iphone video.
really, i'm not filling out surveys on facebook. i did that crap when i started using the internet. and, okay, i've posted a few survey memes on this blog. but damn it all, i'm not doing 25 things on facebook.
really, i'm not filling out surveys on facebook. i did that crap when i started using the internet. and, okay, i've posted a few survey memes on this blog. but damn it all, i'm not doing 25 things on facebook.
Monday, March 02, 2009
cops beat 15 year old
it's not just fresno where the cops think it's okay to punch someone in the back of the head while they're cuffed. you go seattle!
not surprisingly, the police didn't want to release the video to the public. really? i can't imagine why you wouldn't want to release video of a 6'2" man kicking and then punching a fifteen year old girl. btw, this same officer has been involved in 2 officer involved shootings, the last being a fatal shooting of a mentally ill man.
not surprisingly, the police didn't want to release the video to the public. really? i can't imagine why you wouldn't want to release video of a 6'2" man kicking and then punching a fifteen year old girl. btw, this same officer has been involved in 2 officer involved shootings, the last being a fatal shooting of a mentally ill man.
monday haiku
rain is here today
rogue festival is on break
time to get some sleep
baby book worth seeing
paulson just as amazing
wallet empty now
you wasted life why
wouldn't you waste death you miss
ocean breathes salty
rogue festival is on break
time to get some sleep
baby book worth seeing
paulson just as amazing
wallet empty now
you wasted life why
wouldn't you waste death you miss
ocean breathes salty
Sunday, March 01, 2009
jack mcbrayer response to the internet response to the republican response to the president's address to congress
kenneth is seriously funny. and, if jimmy fallon can keep doing stuff like this he'll make a good late night host.
thanks to my old kentucky blog.
thanks to my old kentucky blog.
kevin garnett and the quest for q
look, i know you, you have ten minutes to watch a humorous parody of monty python and the holy grail. it stars kevin garnett, kareem abul jabar, derek jeter, usain bolt & his ego, and more. especially funny to me was usain bolt having to give up his ego @ the 6:30 mark.
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