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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

harmonica beatbox

ah, i love musical oddities. things like the theremin, bass guitars made form rubber bands, even a bit of ukulele. with that, check out yuri lane doing some harmonica beatbox:

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=14878403


frickin cool.

thanks again, neatorama.

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.

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.

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.)

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

dwarfed punk

this actually seems like it could be the actual video for "harder, better, faster, stronger" by daft punk

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

rogue recommendations 3/1

the rogue is off to a good start. i already haven't been to as many shows as i would like, but that's life. sunday brings another day for choices.

some reckless abandon - start your day off right with a show that is gaining a lot of good reviews. 1 pm, starline, $7

2:30 - ryan paulson @ starline, $7
blake & baba @ dianna's north, $7
meet the artists @ ashtree, $4

i'd probably say go see ryan paulson if you haven't, or hear the group of artists speaking.

barry smith's baby book - 4 pm, starline, $7. i saw this show on friday night and loved it.

cupid is a b*tch - 5:30, dianna's south, $7. josh and are idiots. their blogspot tells me so. two funny guys, i imagine that there will be nipples.

rap guide to evolution - 2:45pm & 9:30pm - severance, $10. well, this is one of the pricier shows to the festival, so it had better be worth it. then again, it's still cheaper than an evening movie @ edward's theater.

rogue promo channel 47

this aired on last night's news @ 11 and during their morning show today.



me and my stupid mustache. damn. it was actually a pretty long interview, but that's how it goes, talk 5 minutes, get 10 seconds. still good exposure.

thanks to channel 47 & tony botti.

had i been more aggressive i might have also gotten channel 30. oh well, share the wealth.

this charming band & me

okay, the two things in the title are fairly unrelated, other than the fact that i'll be at both. on saturday afternoon you can hear me talk about my art in the rogue festival, as well as hear two other artists talk about their stuff. there should be some time for questions and such, so you can really interact with artists. door charge is $4, and all the money gets divided up between artists.



edward stewart - rogue 2009
2:30 pm, 2/28
ashtree studios - 1035 n fulton.


later, i'll be over @ audie's olympic/club fred to see this charming band. in fact, i'll probably walk over @8 and buy tickets even though the show starts later. it'll sell out, and i want to be there. some words on the show from the promoter, dj julian, "This is a special show celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Smiths' debut album. This Charming Band will perform the album live as well as other Smiths' and Morrissey classics. I am on the bill as well, and will be spinning some dark and moody favorites and b-sides. So if you like the Smiths and Morrissey, you don't want to miss this. Show up early! The last shows have sold out quickly!"

roguehop

hey hey! tonight is rogue hop. as a rogue artist, i'm showing @ ashtree studios (did you know fresno means ashtree in spanish?).

so, you can check out my art, along with others, tonight for free! and, you can see promos for other rogue shows.

and, if you're so inclined, you can come to one of my speaking engagements.


saturday, 2/28 - 2:30pm
wednesday, 3/4 - 8:45pm
friday, 3/6 - 6:15pm

$4

Ashtree Studios (1035 N. Fulton St.)

bakersfield photos

i went down to l.a. and back last weekend. we stopped in bakersfield to eat on both trips. while there, i saw two choice things that needed to be documented.

this is one classy truck. it's so classy, it's got a painting of itself at the lake.



and ladies!



read this sign carefully.



wait, what's not working?


i don't blame bakersfield for these photos. but i did enjoy them

modest mouse in visalia

hey, modest mouse is playing monday night in visalia. anyone need a ticket. i have an extra.

computers inspired by computers

i don't know why i love these so much, but here's another...computers inspired by computers:



i luvs me some internet speak

lunch review rancho grande

so, i have occasionally driven by this nice looking mexican restaurant over the last few years. the building is relatively new, in an older neighborhood. today, i was thinking of checking out someplace new, and thought, "why not hit up that restaurant on butler?" i didn't know the name, but that didn't really matter.

the building doesn't look that big from the outside, but inside the easily have seating for 44 people. and, they also have outside seating. the menu is pretty big, and there seems to have a fair amount of variety for a mexican restuarant. there are daily specials, and they did have some seafood dishes on the menu.

i perused the menu and the hostess brought me some chips and salsa. the chips seem homemade, and the salsa had a nice, low heat to it despite being pretty watery. throughout my time, the service was very quick and friendly.

i figured that for my first time at this restaurant i'd order some asada tacos (2 of them) and a carnitas taco. they come with cilantro, cabbage and onions on them, and i had them hold the onions. i was actually surprised how quickly my order came up for a small, seemingly family run restaurant.

i'll be honest, the asada tacos weren't great (sorry mike oz). they seemed really greasy, and i don't mind a greasy taco. i squeezed some lemon on my second one and it really perked up the taste.

the carnitas, on the other hand, was fabulous. very moist and tasty. didn't need any lemon. i did put a different salsa on all the tacos that came out in a small container with the taco plate. it was veeeeeeeery good. i actually ate the rest of my chips (as many as i could) with that salsa instead of the original one.

when it was all said and done, the meal cost me $3.21. that's right, $3.21! 3 tacos, plenty of chips and salsa, under $4. shoot, after tipping i was out of there for $5. of course, i only had a water so if i had a soda, beer, or whatever it would have been slightly higher.

i gave 3 stars because it was my first time there and i'd like to try more of the menu. if i was just going off the asada i'd go 2 stars, but the carnitas, salsa and service have me @ 3. if i can go back and try more stuff maybe i'll adjust my rating.

3599 E Butler
Fresno, CA 93702
(559) 457-0964

pg porn

the spike network on your tv has some real interesting programming. like, i watch the ufc on it a lot. or mxc is on it. whatever. it's a network who's main demographic is young males.

their website, no different.

a great example, pg porn. now, i'm not sure if this is sfw or nsfw. you make the call. there is swearing and whatnot. it has porn "actors" in it. but, there's no nudity, no sex. there are swear words. maybe it's porn parody. but holy crap, they are pretty funny. especially the one about roadside assistance. intentionally bad acting, cheesy music, lots of double entendre.

so, i post about this, and it reminds me of this post in my archives. and it all comes full circle.

rain on a sunny day

i heard the rain this afternoon and noticed that it was sunny outside as well. it looked pretty cool and so i thought i'd shoot some video of it to share. enjoy.

the uncler

so, this is a pretty funny video, well, at least mildly entertaining video if you've seen the wrestler (which i did on sunday)

The Uncler w/ Uncle Sam and Alyssa Milano from Alyssa Milano

and then i remember that we're in a recession, and that the central valley has double digit unemployment (some of the worst in the nation) and that the state still hasn't passed a budget.

obama's elf

hey, i'd be obama's elf. and thanks to the prez for signing the stimulus package bill.

now if california would only get on track, 7 months late, and sign a budget.


(thanks to boing boing for pointing me to the video)

lunch review hero's sports lounge and pizza

as long as this place is open, i think will be enjoying major sporting events at this place. and, i think i'll be going here before or after (or both) fresno grizzlies and fuego games.

the food here is super nice. the decor is even better. honestly, tv's galore, great sports memorabilia, and that upstairs is super cool. i can't wait to see a band play there.

my buddy and i both had calazone's for lunch, and they were both great. i had the italian stalion and he had the classic something or other. my wife had thai chicken salad.

let me rave about the thai chicken salad i didn't have: the spinach looked hella fresh. really. crisp, fresh spinach. wait, i thought this was a sports themed pizza place? they have a fresh spinach salad with an excellent thai dressing. holy crap. and, they have like 5 other legit looking salads on the menu, and i imagine they're as good.

both our calazones were really good as well. the presentation was nice, and the flavors were excellent.

the only drawback is that it may be a bit pricey and slow for the average downtown worker for lunch. but, if you're going to dinner or don't have to quickly be back to your job after lunch this is definitely a place to go.

handball wager score

0-0
2-0
3-1
4-2

taco bell bacon cheesy burrito

look people, i eat this stuff so you don't have to. i was out running a few errands, and needed to grab some lunch. i knew there was a taco bell near my location so i settled on it for eats. as i walked up to the store, i tried to decide what to order and looked @ the ads on the windows.

i came in, and settled on the bacon cheesy burrito combo, which comes with a taco supreme and a drink. i also ordered some triple layer nachos off of the value menu because i'm fat like that.

so, the bacon cheesy burrito tastes like bacon. i mean, it taste like bacon flavoring, not real bacon. i see bits of what is supposedly bacon, and strips of what is supposedly bacon, but i'm not convinced. the ground beef is negligible, and the potato chunks don't add much either. i say skip this burrito, especially because it alone costs $2.79! really, for $2.79 @ taco bell you can get a whole meal that's better than this burrito.

what i do recommend is the triple layer nachos. mike recommended these to me. well, he actually ordered them in front of me in line one day and i tried them as well. they are good. chips, beans, nacho cheese. all good. and, only 89 cents. you can order three of these beauties for the price of that crap bacon cheesy burrito. you'll be more satisfied. and pay less.

radio advertising

so, i listen to the jim rome show when i'm able to. like all radio shows, it gets by on advertising. it's a combination of local and national ads. and basically, after hearing most of these ads over and over, i don't think i'd shop at any of them. here are some of the big offenders:


-ara karkazian jewelers - i don't care if tarkanian took his watch and ncaa championship ring to you. hearing his dopey old voice, and really when i hear his voice i think of dopey from the seven dwarfs (i know, dopey didn't talk, but look @ a picture of tark and then a picture of dopey, tell me i'm wrong), i am not inspired to go to your jewelry store. i know fresno has an obsession with tark, and i liked him @ unlv, but he didn't do jack for us. and, his coaching ability and recommendation don't do anything for me as someone considering jewelry.


-vermont teddy bears


my wife assures me that women do not, i repeat, do not, want a teddy bear for valentine's day. i always thought it might be a bit odd to give an adult a stuffed animal. i mean, she's not six after all.

-fresno pacific university: apparently they have an online master's degree program in kinesiology that will help you be a better coach. i don't have a problem with the program or the ad, i'm just pretty sure that one of the people featured in the ad is the soccer coach. i mean, how many graduates do you have from a program when you're sneaking your staff into ads?

now, this next ad doesn't actually play during the rome show. my friend mike told me about it, and i heard it monday morning when i borrowed the car and was listening to the adam carolla show on the way to work.

-ashley madison. ummm, this has got to be one of the creepiest things i've heard about. they are pretty directly advertising having affairs with people that just want to have affairs. really, here's their tag line:"LIFE IS SHORT. HAVE AN AFFAIR.™" they try and hook up married people with other married people just looking to get down. it's a crazy world we live in when you're advertising affairs in the 6 am time slot.

i'm sure there are other offenders...errr, i mean advertisers out there that i could talk about. those are just ones that to the top of my mind. and, i guess they're doing their job because i am talking about them. i'm not going to use any of them, but they've got some secondary advertising off of me.

streets of blood teaser trailer

hmmm, here's my thoughts:
1. i don't like curtis "50 cent" and his mush mouth raps
2. he's not rapping, so maybe i'll understand him
3. i do like val kilmer
4. sharon stone? huh, she may be decent in this
5. i do like cop movies, especially movies where you're trying to figure out if this cop is dirty
6. i like gangster movies
7. a film about post katrina new orleans? interesting premise

if it looks like the movie will hold up after seeing more previews, i think i'd see this movie.

kittens inspired by kittens

thanks boing boing for pointing both of the kitten videos out to me

kittens inspired by david after the dentist

how many of you are there?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1,588 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

there may be 1588 people in the u.s. with my name, but if you google it without capitals i'm the #2 result. with capitals, i'm #3. suck it you 1585 other people below me in google.

rogue festival 2009

the rogue banners are available. if you'd like to put one on your website and help promo some great entertainment, click here:
http://roguefestival.com/rogue09/?page_id=515


as you can see, i've got one here and in my sidebar. get some.

builder: a devil in the woods compilation

emusic is just the place for local music right now. local heart throbs the sleepover disaster apprear on a devil in the woods (their label) compilation that is available free to all emusic members called builder! so, you can get 4 songs for freezy! more exclamation points!!!!



really, this is hella cool.

aimless never miss, who were in fresno last week.
light fm, who is crazy good, and has played fresno several times (search my archives)
buildings breeding, who i don't know if they've played fresno
and, of course,
the sleepover disaster is on there.

yes, you need to get on emusic. and, you need to buy the sleepover's album if you haven't already. it officially released today. or, if you were lucky enough you might have picked one up @ a cd release show.

look out for an upcoming episode of the view looks good from here, fresno featuring the guys from sleepover.

selected + collected: emusic compilation featuring rademacher

i told you that post last night would be my last one about rademacher...until the next. well, here's the next.



rademacher has made it on to a emusic collection of bands that will own 2009. hellz yeah they will. it's called selected + collected: an emusic selects compilation.

here's some of the emusic review:
Editor's Note: We have put together an amazing (if we may say so) set of liner notes that you can download from 17 Dots for free. It includes great artist art, Q&A's with everyone involved and a whole lot more. It's slick, and our thanks go to Jess Larrabee for making the beautiful cover and Dave Scott for designing the liner notes. We are indebted to you both. We also want to note that while it's not ideal that this album be bundled together like this, it's extremely important to us that everyone here get a fair shake, and that this be consumed as a whole. After you listen, we hope you'll agree.

On the one-year anniversary of eMusic Selects' creation, we are thrilled to unveil Selected + Collected, a 16-track tour of what excites us the most about music right now. The vast majority of these artists are completely unsigned, but they are not toiling away in obscurity. Far from it. These artists are making incredible music, and there are audiences out there waiting to hear it. Isn't that what it's all about?

and a little more review specifically about rademacher
That piano. It comes charging out of the gate, a bold and pounding statement of intent. Fresno, CA's Rademacher are not one for the small gesture, and "If U Got Some Magic" is proud and purposeful. It pushes without detonating, getting grander with each go-round. "Some questions are tough/ Some don't got answers at all," Malcolm Sosa sings halfway through the song. Maybe so, but that doesn't mean they're not going to look.

anway, i've blogged about how emusic was a great way to get new music, especially stuff that is outside the mainstream mess. this is further proof of it.

btw, the compilation also features another band that i'm really digging right now, called she keeps bees.

really? with seth

seth meyers had a nice take on the michael phelps bong situation. enjoy a favorite segment of mine, "really?"

new rademacher videos

so, this will be my last rademacher post...until my next one. sunday the band had a little tour fundraiser bbq/show for friends over @ there studio. i headed over and had a great time hanging out with the band and with a lot of other people as well. the turkey burgers and ballpark franks were delish.

i was super stoked that death to anders drove up to play a set solely for this event. i thought maybe they were on the way back to l.a. or on the way out of l.a. for some touring, but nope, they came up for a sunday afternoon. i'm not sure if they made it over there, but they were also really happy that brian kenney fresno would be playing across the street later. anyway, death to anders rocked the joint, and i took some video but haven't uploaded it yet.

i did upload some rademacher video. now, before you watch any of it, know that the quality is pretty low. greer's bass was just too heavy and low for my camera. so, the sound is decent at points, terrible @ other points.

now, this was also the first time i would see rademacher with new drummer eden davis. i chatted with her just a bit, or more stood there while someone else chatted with her and i nodded along. turns out that this is her first band. she's done musical stuff and i think some drama tours as well, but this was her first "band". yikes! you're about to go on a huge tour, hit sxsw, and it's your first tour.

however, eden's playing showed talent and calmness that others might not have playing with some very seasoned musicians like malcom & greer. i'm interested to see how the band continues to develop and hope all the best as they head out on tour.

btw, malcom was telling me that their whole tour was already sold out. granted, it's more the groups they're playing with (airborne toxic event & henry clay people). but still, i'm hecka happy for them.

enjoy some low quality video below


i love the intro to this next song. the sticks + whatever malcom's doing

monday haikus

the grammies are gone
did anyone notice it
or even care much?



rain rain came today
bathing fresno clean once more
puddle splashing fun



california still
wading in deep budget mess
trying not to drown

to do lists on yellow sticky notes

jeff chiba stearns likes yellow sticky notes. a lot. a whole lot. over the last nine years of his life, he has built up quite a collection. here's an interesting video that takes us through those years of his life as well as world events. quite interesting.



seen over @ neatorama.

post arthop show review

last night i went to the post arthop show @ tokyo garden. this is no surprise, as i pretty much go every month. on the bill were the aircrash, aimless never miss, and rademacher. aimless never miss is from the bay area, and their drummer is also in cilian rail, which is a really good instrumental band. the aircrash and rademacher are both fresno bands, and frankly, they both outshined the bay area band. they were all good, so it's not like i'm trying to insult anyone. the aircrash really stood out to me on the night. i'd never seen them, despite the fact that they've been playing around fresno for over with a year.

here's some videos i shot from the show, they're all a little dark (especially the aimless never miss vids) but i hope you enjoy them anyway:

the aircrash



the aircrash



aimless never miss



aimless never miss



rademacher



rademacher



rademacher was really on top of things last night. their sound was very good, and i enjoyed the overall set and it's feel. this was eli's last fresno show with the band, and it was a good one.

dj swamp @ audie's olympic

i'll actually miss this show because i'll be out of town, but there is no reason for you to miss it. what a line up:
dj swamp (beck's old dj) - awesome
aesop fables - fresno's own member of the living legends crew
the fay wrays - amazing local heavy band

and some more.

i'd be there. be there for me.

david after dentist remixes

so, i posted the animated version of this the other day, and teh internets are afloat with more remixes. here's metal one that made me chuckle



as many things, i saw this over @ boing boing.

lost reflections

today I was talking to my class about mass media, and the idea that media serve an effective purpose of entertaining and even distracting us from the life around us.

tonight, lost totally served that purpose. i really enjoyed the episode, and the last five minutes had me downright giddy. so, i realize i'm excited, and then i think about how the economy is in the tank, california is broke, and our world is in the crapper.

and then i came crashing back to reality. it didn't take me to the dumps, but it was a bit if a slap in the face.

oh well, i will survive.

and please don't post any lost spoilers in the comments for a few days.

airwolf theme on my motorcycle

occasionally when i am driving around i think of this song



now, i can't think of a precise reason, but sometimes when i'm accelerating i think of that tune. here's some possible reasons:
- the show was sort of big when i was a kid. we remember these things fondly and sometimes associate other things with the memory
- airwolf was like knight rider in the air, or the a team with a helicopter - and these all were on in the same era
- they didn't just play the music @ the start of the show, but whenever they had to really gun it
- jan michael vincent was a badass. way more than david hasselhoff. and, he rode a motorcycle. i think. anyway, he had some vehicle accidents that pretty much killed his career.
- well, it's a kick ass theme, right up there with magnum p.i. and knight rider


enjoy having the airwolf theme stuck in your head. i know i'm going to have to drown it out with my ipod on my way to work this afternoon.

crips & bloods: made in america

i was sifting through teh internets last night and came across a very interesting looking documentary. now, i love documentaries, or at least the idea of them. they don't all deliver. anyway, i saw something about this documentary so i had to go and watch the trailer. it's done by stacy peralta, of powell peralta skateboard fame. he also did the documentaries 'lords of dogtown' and 'riding giants,' so he's done good work in the genre already. this looks promising:



you can find some more info on the film @ the website and watch other clips, like this one featuring baron davis, who produced the film, snoop and lil wayne:



the film will obviously have a very limited release, as most documentaries do. here are some dates, if you want to travel or live in that city

l.a.
February 6-12, 2009
Laemmle’s Sunset 5
8000 Sunset Blvd W. Hollywood
CA 90046
323-848-3500
http://www.laemmle.com/viewtheatre.php?thid=2

chicago
February 6 & 10
2009 Gene Siskel Film Center - Chicago, IL
http://www.siskelfilmcenter.org/

san francisco
February 20-26
2009 Roxie Film Center - San Francisco, CA
http://www.roxie.com/

portland
March 13-19
2009 Hollywood Theatre - Portland, OR
http://www.hollywoodtheatre.org

seattle
March 13-15,
2008 Northwest Film Forum - Seattle, WA
http://www.nwfilmforum.org/

i'm pretty sure i'll just be catching it on dvd when it's released.

new packaging on guerroro flour tortillas

last week i noticed something when i was at the grocery store about my tortillas. well, the tortillas i buy, anyway. guerroro tortilla redesigned their packaging. this made it a little harder for me to just grab the pack i normally get, as i had to actually look at the names and not just the one i recognized from my fridge and years of buying. as i looked, i realized something else about the "new look" guerroro tortillas - you get six less in a package.



bastards! it used to be a 30 pack of flour tortillas, now it's only a 24. agh. 6 tortillas can make several more quesadillas, burritos, tacos, or whatever the heck else i want to wrap in a tortilla. well, six less to be precise.

it's a bad economy when they're taking away my tortillas.

kid on drugs animated remake

mike oz seems to be winning the best of the day youtube battle over here with the kid whacked out from the dentist office.

someone has done an animated version that i saw over @ boing boing.



i must say, the original is better.

how about you enjoy this animated parody (?) called conspiracy rock i encountered over @ laughing squid

free grand slam

did anyone go out and get a free grand slam? i mean, i know that tons of people did, i'm just wondering if anyone that occasionally hits this blog did? i'll admit, i thought about it, but i had other things on my plate today. (buh dum bum! thank you, i'll be here all week.)

when i heard about the offer, and how denny's was using it to "reintroduce" themselves to america. i didn't think it would be that big of a deal, but, they did get a lot of press out of the issue. and, the morning news i watched while getting ready @ 6 a.m. showed that there was already a long line @ one of the fresno locations.

this article on the sf gate made me think about some other angles of the story: those who are in need due to a sagging economy. they interviewed several people that were out of work and either really needed a free meal or just could use the help not having to pay for one meal would give.

i also wondered about tips for such a meal. i mean, any percent of 0 is still 0, so all the cheapskates could go in and leave whatever, if anything. myself, if i was eating i think i would've just figured in the $5.99 that i would have paid and scratched off the tip like that. the waiter still had to serve me food, refill my drink, and talk to me. it seems that not everyone thought the same, (taken from same article)
"Nobody's leaving anything," said one waiter, who identified himself as Raymundo. "And some people are not so nice."

The trouble, Raymundo said, was that only the Grand Slam breakfast - bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausage - was free. Not the coffee or the orange juice and certainly not the steak.

"One man ordered the T-bone, and I told him it wasn't included, and he said, 'F- you,' " Raymundo said. "That's the kind of day it's been."

savages. just because you're getting free grub doesn't mean you have to treat someone else like crap, even if you situation stinks. i'm sure that most people were civil, and i bet a few even left a decent tip.

post art hop show

guess who's playing this thursday night: rademacher



they've got three shows in three days. that's quite productive of them. the thursday show is one of the last where you can see eli reyes on the skins. well, you can still see him in the fay wrays, but his time with rademacher is almost up.

come out, have a good time and shake your money maker.

monday haikus

california is
broke economically now
boot conan today


superbowl tarnished
the cardinals got jobbed
an incomplete pass


the rogue festival
is coming soon to tower
need to get painting