Blackle is the tougher, punk rock version of Google. Heap Media claims the darker color saves energy and that they created it for environmental reasons. See. Barflies.net is helping save the planet.

In January 2007 a blog post titled Black Google Would Save 750 Megawatt-hours a Year proposed the theory that a black version of the Google search engine would save a fair bit of energy due to the popularity of the search engine. Since then there has been skepticism about the significance of the energy savings that can be achieved and the cost in terms of readability of black web pages.

I think they just want to show off how punk rock they are. Plus, black goes with everything.

I was flipping through the June/July issue of Bust magazine, when I came across a picture of three ladies that looked like they could be my homegirls. Now I don't usually judge a book by it's cover, but if you are Latina and you look like super cool rock chicks, I want to know more about you.

Girl in a Coma is a band from Texas that has been playing together for six years. Their name pays homage to the Smiths song Girlfriend in a Coma. I suppose the lead singer sounds like Morrissey a bit, but there are quite a few audible influences in their songs-country, punk-all good stuff.

And if they are good enough for my girl crush Joan Jett, they better be good enough for you! Check out their songs and videos on My Space as well.

In the ever lasting quest to look unique and cute, I love the idea of specially designed accessories that will make me stand out. Because even amongst the subcultural, things start to look alike.

Custom

I you want to flex your designing muscles, check out Freddy & Ma's interactive website, where you choose the style, leather trim, pattern and hardware of your custom handbag. Plaids and black leather? Check. Pink skulls? Check. However, I didn't see any vegan choices. Go play designer.

Kustom-with a K

But if you are looking for Kustom that Kicks ass, then you have to check out Trophy Queen's handbags. I covet Julie Wanda's beautiful kustom bag. But I am eye balling a diamond pattern for a kustom tote. Kustom orders will cost a little more, but Jenny, the designer and owner is open to your needs and is very friendly,

It’s October. I can no longer see the sun at 8pm. My alarm rings at 5am, and I have to face 130 children everyday. It’s the 6th week of school and the Canon copier has been broken six times. If I’m going to be able to teach a Reading class without books, I need copies of stories. I find a nice little all-in-one printer at Comp USA for $120. Score! I put the receipt in my little receipt box full of all the numerous purchases I’ve made for my classroom for my accountant. And then I hear the bad news…

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has approved the suspension of a $1500 tax credit for teachers for classroom supplies. This perk was originally offered to teachers as an incentive to stay in the field, as most new teachers leave the profession within the first five years. So now, on top of the school budget cuts, teachers will have to make due with whatever peanuts are given to them as an allowance for educational supplies? My school offers $150. Let me put how far this actually goes into perspective for you. Ink-jet transparency paper for overhead projectors is $50 a box of 50 sheets. I still need to buy 10 boxes of crayons, paper, pencils, pens, markers, construction paper, incentive treats (candy, stickers, etc.), file folders, labels, classroom decorating stuff, and plenty of other stuff that gets consumed in a year. Not only is it a bare minimum allowance, it takes two weeks to receive the needed supplies! For someone “for education”, the Governor is ignorant as to how much it costs or what it takes to create a learning environment.

My school offers a solution: give parents a wish list! How ironic that the free public school system has to ask parents for supplies-where the hell is that property tax going?

The highlight of my 2004 Viva Las Vegas experience had to be Charles Phoenix's Slide Show. This historian and entertainer has the power to make young men in 50 year old gabardine and ladies in perfectly aligned, back seamed stockings sit on a dance floor in kindergarden "indian-style" poses.

Mr. Phoenix took us on an amusing ride through the glory days of Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as portions of So Cal (yay Ontario!!). His commentary on strangers' images of typical holiday topics such as hotel signs, family members, camel toes, and swinger parties kept us all in a trance so over-powering we didn't even realize we had no more cocktails in our hands. We were captivated.

As promised by Charles Phoenix, if I joined his mailing list, I received my "Slide of the Week" on Friday. Kudos to you Mr. Phoenix for not giving up when fart curators said no one would ever pay money to see a slide show of other people's vacations. I will hand you my $25.00 anytime.