December 20, 2006
Running Out of Time
Check out "Let's Stop Global Warming By Christmas" - animation to an original tune with a timely message.
Posted by darlin at 2:13 AM
July 31, 2006
Happy Birthday, MTV
MTV turns 25 tomorrow, celebrating their anniversary of 25 years on the air. According to this article from the Associated Press (and viewed at Yahoo! news), MTV is not celebrating because MTV wants to be "the perpetual adolescent."
With all the aplomb of an aging soap star, MTV staunchly refuses to grow older, preferring, like Peter Pan, to stay young forever.
But I can't forget where I was when I first saw MTV. I was 17 years old. Yes, 17. My boyfriend at the time had parents that liked a LOT of tv and had every cable channel known to man (I think there were three then). We raced home after high school to watch Total Request Video. The "I Want My MTV" campaign seemed totally cutting edge. We really wanted our MTV! I can remember thinking that David Bowie's "Blue Jean" was a cool video, and yes, I do remember in 1983 when the "Thriller" (Dec. 2, 1983) video came out.
MTV debuted on August 1, 1981 in New Jersey. By the time we got MTV on the West Coast and in my little neck of the woods, it was two years old, a toddler, and had mastered most of the basic skills that would serve it well for the rest of its adolescent life - fast editing, loud music, hip images, lots of advertising. According to the article, only a few thousand people on a single cable system in northern New Jersey could see the first video, the Buggles, "Video Killed the Radio Star."
That was "back in the day" when MTV actually played music videos. When it was "thrilling" to see a black musical artist with a video on mainstream tv. Back when "Spring Break" (1985) was the most shocking thing on tv. By the time they invented reality television with "The Real World" and hit a new low with "Beavis and Butthead" (1994 for both), I had moved on from the boyfriend and the MTV.
Since then, I rarely see MTV. I hear that it is still on the air, although my sister says they don't play vdieos. I have never seen an episode of "Jackass" all the way through, never seen the Osbournes, and really don't know whatever happened to Puck. I realize that MTV is revolutionary, and that they made smart marketing decisions along the way (videos are boring, Spring Break and reality tv are not). Sex and violence sell, especially to young white men who want to be black in the midwest. And Martha Quinn was not as horrible as we all thought. Although, she was really, really bad.
In all, I do not celebrate MTV, I do not miss MTV, I do not want my MTV. Happy Birthday, MTV.
Posted by DJWanda at 10:14 PM
July 23, 2006
LA, Gas Prices and Peak Oil
If gas prices in Calif. are putting a pinch in your pocketbook, here in Dublin the prices are a Euro and twenty cents per litre. That works out to $5.74 a gallon at the best Euro to US dollar rates.
Robert Rapier at R-Squared has written about Peak Oil and LA. Go read it.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 4:27 AM
May 2, 2006
Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Boys
I'm not sure whether to file this under "News", "People" or just plain "Gossip" but a little bird told me at Friday's Big Sandy and the Fly-Rite Boys show at the Doll Hut that this was going to be one of Bobby Trimble's last shows. Actually, a whole flock of little birds told me, and the whole Hut was a twitter. Since the Boys "official" website hasn't been updated since, say, 2004 (get on it, boys!), we'll have to rely our our "sources" and not the Official News. They're calling it a "hiatus", but I have a feeling that Mr. Trimble will be back. Once a Fly-Rite Boy...always a Fly-Rite Boy. Just ask Lee Jeffries, who's back on pedal steel. That means two of the Fly-Riters in this photo will soon have flown the coop...
Posted by DJWanda at 10:30 PM
March 1, 2006
Updated Record Weirdo Website
Remember the clunky old Record Weirdo website? It's gone, but it's back in a slightly more spiffy and slick design.
Check out the new and improved Record Weirdo website.
Posted by Big Kev at 7:17 PM
February 14, 2006
Happy Heart
Every year for Valentine's Day, I try to give blood. Sometimes I am successful, sometimes I am less so (my iron levels tend to be low).
But my main goal is to ignore the media hype surrounding Valentine's Day (what my father calls a "Hallmark Holiday"); you know, the cheap ass jewelry, the mall advertisements, the pressure to go to dinner with a "special someone," the cheesy commercialized "romanticism" - and to do something genuinely nice for someone I don't know.
Giving blood is just one way to do that. You could make a card for a neighbor, drop off flowers at a Senior Citizens Center or Adult Day Care facility, or make someone's day at work by buying them coffee.
God forbid that you are single on Valentine's Day - it's a whole holiday geared up to make you feel crappy about not being "with" someone - but is that really what it is all about? The Red Cross needs blood. Valentine's Day is just one day out of many that you could save someone's life.
Posted by DJWanda at 1:13 AM
January 27, 2006
Meet Luella
I'm excited. Really excited. With the excitement that I usually reserve for an amazing band or an After-Christmas Sale. Yes, that excited. You see, my favorite store Target, has just introduced "GO International," a fashion launch featuring a rotating cast of hot designers, each hawking their designer-turned-mass-merchandising wares for ONLY 90 days.
The first designer: Luella Bartley, whose style has been described as "punk meets preppy" and "girlish charm with rocker smarts." Think plaid skirts, skinny ties, rugby stripes, cherry print. Items are already up on the Target site for pre-order, which seems strange (pre-ordering things from Target!), but Target, who has done genius things with Isaac Mizrahi and their reintroduced, limited edition Fiorucci line, continues to surprise and delight me! Let's face it - the gulf between mass retailer Target and competitors Wal-Mart and K-Mart is so wide now, I don't see how the others can catch up! Now let's enjoy the ride as Target chases retailers H&M on a madcap romp through juniors fashion. This bargain-basement fashionista is ready to roll! I think you know where I'll be Wednesday. (Luella launches on Wednesday, February 1 at the Target near you).
Posted by DJWanda at 9:29 PM
January 1, 2006
Happy 2006 from Barflies.net
Sun. Jan 1, 2006 - Happy New Year from Barflies.net! I hope all is well and that you are thoroughly enjoying the first day of the New Year!
Posted by Ms. Jen at 9:14 AM | Comments (1)
October 17, 2005
The Other Mr. White
Did anyone see the Pillsbury commercial during last night's American League playoff game? It featured our friend the Doughboy and music by Barry White. Yes, that Barry White.
Now, I know that Pillsbury has recently started a campaign aimed at Baby Boomers, those empty nesters who might hate cooking for just one or two, but now they're trying to make frozen dough SEXY. And nothing is sexier than Barry White people, nothing. Honestly, the commercial was risque in it's use of yeasty, rising imagery and couples feeding one another hot, tasty buns. It made me hungry!
This piece of marketing genius makes sense: the Doughboy, born in 1965, seems to be an icon Boomers can relate to. Although 1965 is usually the cut off for Gen X (Boomers are those typically born between 1946 and 1964), there are so many Boomers (77 million and counting) that companies like Pillsbury are now agressively going after the grey dollar that was once considered undesirable.
What fascinates me is their use of music and the power of White's suggestive bass to create an environment that makes even frozen buns seem appealing.
The tag line: "Pillsbury Doughboy - The Other Mr. White". Barry White is probably rolling in his grave.
Posted by DJWanda at 3:41 PM
September 7, 2005
Is it Me Or...
Is Jack White starting to look a whole Hell of a lot like Michael Jackson? Check him on the cover of this month's Rolling Stone and tell me if he's not starting to look like he's getting whiter and his nose is thinner. The outfit is pure Oompa Loompa and the goatee is a little too Dave Navarro for his own good (another man that's starting to look like Prince Michael). Either that or he wants to look like Prince. Eeeewww. Trust me when I say the man is stone cold crazy waiting to happen. Meg, you dodged that bullet when you divorced your "brother." Say it with me, people: "Eeeewww."
Posted by DJWanda at 10:42 PM | Comments (1)
April 25, 2005
Dubai, Anyone?
I'm sure someone will now steal this idea, but a while ago, (pre 9/11, I might add), I came up with the idea of an outfit that you could wear to go shopping that would make it much easier to change clothes. This garment, which I dubbed the "shopping caftan" would allow women (and a few adventurous men) to simply slip the caftan off and on (either over the head or with a long zipper), thereby making it much easier to try on clothes. I mean, how many times have you wanted to buy something, but just lacked the energy to take off all your clothes and then put them back on again? The shopping caftan would solve all your problems, and for special occasions, you could leave the house in whatever "special occasion" undergarments you needed to wear, and shopping would be that much easier.
I called my shopping caftan the "Dubai," after the seventh United Arab Emirate, with a play on the phrase "do buy." See how clever I am? After all, according to the Dubai Tourism Center: "Dubai is the City built for Tourism all around the year with excellent Hotels, Resorts, Shopping and Sports facilities available throughout the year!" In fact, Dubai seems to be fiercely commercial: Dubai Lonely Planet tells us that Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is held from mid-January to mid-February. Surely an outfit named after a country with a month-long shopping event can't be bad!
I was head over heels in love with the Dubai. I fantasized about design, dimensions, and luxurious fabrics. I even sold my family on the Dubai, and was all set to find a seamstress and go into production when 9/11 happened, curtailing my plans to bring Middle Eastern fashion to America.
But now and again, especially when I'm feeling a little bloated, I think that the shopping caftan is still a good idea. I just need a new name.
Posted by DJWanda at 10:42 PM
April 20, 2005
BlogHer, ladies?
Road trip to Santa Clara in late July? SoCal needs to be represented!
I just registered. Come with me. It will be fun! ;o)
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:40 PM
March 30, 2005
Go Get 'Em!
Jeff Veen on Blogging (via Jeremy):
Not a lot of people understand what blogging is. And I'm not being metaphysical -- I mean that the vast majority of people in the world have no idea what we're talking about when we talk about blogs. And most of those familiar with the concept often liken it to crazy hermits pounding out manifestos in their mountain cabins. Marketing this will be an uphill battle.But I've always seen it as a technological solution for enabling participation. Typing into a text box and hitting the publish button has proven far more successful that angle brackets and FTP servers. People can say what they want, share stuff, and stay focused on communicating rather than web publishing.
Read the rest, be encouraged...
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:52 PM
March 23, 2005
Open for Comments & Other Editorial Tid Bits
Hi to all the Barflies.net-ters!
Happy Spring to you all. Ms. Jen the Editor here. A few notes for you all:
1) Due to a lovely conjunction of anti-spam plugins for Movable Type (which runs this part of the website), I have been able to open Comments here and at the Photo Blog again. Big thanks to Jay Allen for MT-Blacklist! You will still need to put in your name and email or use TypeKey which ever way works best for you, but do comment away.
2) Our Message Board(s) have been hacked by some...(you fill in the expletives). We will be down for a bit, until I am able to research how to save the database and export it to a more secure installation.
3) SXSW 2005 was wonderful. So was Punk Rock Bowling. So was the Barflies.net 6th Anniversary party.. and So was... Anyone want to sponsor me for a day or two, so I can finish and post the photos without worry of penury?
Posted by Ms. Jen at 1:19 PM
November 10, 2004
Sorry Everybody
49% of the citizens of the United States of America would like to give the rest of the world an apology in the form of a website for the results of last week's election.
A few members of the international community even posted a few of their own images accepting our apology and reasuring us that there are a lot of people out there who know how hard we tried to convince the other 51% to let go of their fear and hate, and embrace a better future.
I told the friend (Katie Cook) who brought this to my attention, "We may be in the minority, but we are far more creative." Katie then reminded me that we are also cuter. How can I disagree?
Posted by xx - Ms. Lauren - xx at 8:04 PM | TrackBack
November 8, 2004
Skinheads bowling? Say What?
No offense to the lovely Xeni Jardin, who I met and conversed with at this year's Sent exhibition, nor any offense to the Chinatown Reading (Hi, Sean!!! Come to Alex's for a show!)... but "Skinheads Bowling"????? No. No. No to the title.
Punk Rock Bowling, which will have its seventh year in 2005, is the best damn event on the planet, with SXSW running a not so close second.
Crusty old Punks, yes. Really Smart Intelligent Creative Punks, yes. Youngins galore, yes. Lots of bowlers who have known each other for years in a creative capacity, yes. Lots of women who own their own companies in cute custom made outfits, yes. Drunks and gamblin' Sober Program tattoo'd men, yes... Skinheads, Donkeys, 3 brain cells and all that is associated with the Skin sub-culture? No.
Besides, how many other places can you convince nice, literate, and musical men to take their shirts off?
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:24 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
October 12, 2004
Schwarzenegger for education-as long as it doesn't cost much.
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?
Taxpayers are allowed to write off expenses for business. Business can mean your job or your own company. The problem is that you usually need to claim about $4000 in order to make it worth your while. While teachers do have many expenses, I’d be very surprised if we purchased $4000 worth of stuff. That’s why the teacher tax credit is so beneficial. What teachers are going to be facing come April 15, 2005 is paying more taxes with no way to itemize any expenses. And when you make $60,000-$75,000 for 15 years of experience, a Bachelors degree, State license to teach, and a Master Degree in Education, it’s a slap in the face. No wonder so many teachers leave the profession.
Teaching is the most highly educated-under paid profession. Perks like tax credits allow teachers to live decently on their salaries even though they buy items out of their pockets that will make their classrooms successful. The problem with this tax credit suspension is that both teachers and students lose.
Many people who read Barflies.net have worked or are currently working as professional educators. I am confident that the types of people that check out Barflies.net are pro-education and pro-teacher. I use this forum to plea that you write our Governor and tell him how you feel about this truly disastrous suspension. Please email the Governator at www.govmail.ca.gov or write him a snail mail letter at one of the local offices. If you are not eloquent or would like a form letter that you just sign and send, please contact me at my email [Sandra at barflies.net]. Thanks for your support!
-Sandra Mendoza
Posted by Sandra at 11:58 PM | TrackBack
September 16, 2004
Marky Ramone on Johnny Ramone
Here is a statement/quote sent out by Marky Ramone's publicist today:
"Johnny Ramone was my bandmate and brother for over 15 years. The bond between band members was closer than any others in the Ramones’ organization. John kept things in control when they could have spun out of control very easily. I'll never forget the day he asked me to join the Ramones in 1978. I always admired his guitar playing. He was the originator of the down stroke 8th note guitar style, which is very difficult to do for hours on end like he did playing in the Ramones. Four months ago, I knew about the serious nature of his illness, but for a while, he had a turn for the better. This comes as a shock, but it was inevitable because of the severity of his condition which worsened more recently. We were lucky enough to talk and hang out a few months ago when he was strong enough to do the commentary track on the DVD "Ramones Raw", which was his last professional contribution to the Ramones. I spoke to him most recently when I was in LA for the 30th Anniversary concert that we put together for Ramones fans. Based on our last conversation, I felt this moment was coming. I'm sorry to see him go--like this. I hope the fans take the news as best they can. His legacy will live on in every band that has, is and always will be trying to duplicate the Ramones sound. It's a sad day for Ramones fans and a sad day for rock and roll." --Marky Ramone
R.I.P. Johnny
Posted by Ms. Jen at 2:09 PM | TrackBack
September 1, 2004
Do You Want Fries with That?
This article came to me via Ray E. Jiminez, Ph.D., and his e-newsletter. (Click here for an enhanced view of this newsletter). In it, he purports that "The iPod had become an icon, a status symbol, an important part of one's life. It is an extension of their personality" (sic) and supports Duke University's decision "to distribute iPods to its incoming freshmen as part of an experiment to motivate both faculty and students to think creatively about using technology in education and campus life. The iPods will be pre-loaded with related content as information on orientation and the academic calendar. Students will also be able to download faculty-provided content."
(Click here for the Duke article)
According to Jiminzez, "The gospel of Duke University and Steve Jobs accomplishes three things:
1. It makes it easy for technology to be friendly, cool and hip
2. It will be ubiquitous, becoming a part of our everyday landscape
3. It will make the learning tool portable, self-paced and easy to use"
Now, stop me if I'm wrong, but every time academia or the mainstream co-opts something that is supposed to be "friendly, cool, and hip" don't they create a backlash that renders things extremely UNhip?
Upon closer reading, Jiminez is trying to sell you a seat in his e-learning seminar on blended learning so you can master the technology needed to dazzle your students with Flash (more "edutainment"). Jobs has sold Duke on the iPod. Now Duke is trying to sell you an iPod with your diploma. Want fries with that?
Posted by DJWanda at 11:48 PM | TrackBack
August 18, 2004
Where it went...
... the Java Lanes sign can now be found in the back of a tiki store on 4th St. in Long Beach.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:29 PM | TrackBack
Hermosa Beach is a internet free city
Happened to pick up a local news mag called the Easy Reader---http://easyreader.hermosawave.net/news2002/default.asp and the beach city of Hermosa Beach has announced that they have "decided to join only about three-dozen cities world wide" and offer free internet, WI-FI baby!
Unfortunately it does not mention in the article what other cities offer internet for free
But I thought it's pretty to cool to offer something like that to it's citizens.
Posted by Tinkinator at 11:27 PM | TrackBack
Happy 30th to Me
So as you may or may not know today is my official 30th birthday.
This blog is not to brag that's it my birthday but when I was up in S.F. with
Sandra and Jen last week, I picked up a issue of San Jose Mercury News, stating that on sunday's style section that there will be a feature article called "Anxiety at 30: Women feeling 'midlife crisis".
Here is the link:
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/fashion/9395809.htm?1c
Honestly I thought I had a mid twenties crisis at 25
Timing is everything, I guess!
Posted by Tinkinator at 11:08 PM | TrackBack
May 23, 2004
What is wrong with the Music Industy...
The Big Picture sums up what is wrong with the Music Industry in one sentence chock full of links.... (via Pho)
The Big Picture finishes up the post with the question:
How are these guys still in business?
This is a danged fine question. I frequently wonder when the multi-national media conglomerations (oops ... corporations, sorry... or are they...) that own the major labels are going to either close them down due to lack of quarterly profits or sell them off as Vivendi is/has done with Universal Music Group or as AOL/Time-Warner is doing with Warner Bros. Records.
A return to long-term vision, willing to wait for long term returns rather than quarterly profits, as well as embracing new technologies and new ways of distributing recorded music will be the first step for the majors towards returning to arts/music friendly business practices.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:02 PM | TrackBack
March 18, 2004
Java Lanes Preservation Petition
For further information, please see the Barflies.net Feb 12 posting "Goodbye Java Lanes?", check in on the Lotta Living board under the topic "JAVA LANES in Long Beach - Is it too late?", or Adriene Biondo's article at recentpast.org
Posted by Lucky at 12:18 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 3, 2004
Best.BowlingMom.Ever.
The Barflies.net and Alex's Bar bowling teams met up last night to thank Ms. Jen for all of the hard work and dedication she selflessly puts into organizing our lazy butts and getting us to Vegas each year. We are constantly amazed by her patience and generosity! As a token of our appreciation, with the help of Tink, Wanda, and the folks at Java Lanes, Jen finally got that one last pin that she never seems to be able to knock down ;-)
Posted by Lucky at 12:34 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 22, 2004
The New Barflies.net Message Board 4.0
In an effort to stem the rising tide of spam of all varieties, I have with trepidation departed from Matt's open source Message Board after 5 years of use to a Php/MySQL style Message Board that requires registration of email before posting. Barflies.net has now joined the 21st Century or even 1999... ;o)
I would like to invite all of you to please join the new Barflies.net Message Board and post away! Don't be shy! Be lively!
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:16 PM | TrackBack
February 14, 2004
Where are the Photos??? or Happy Valentine's Day!
Bob McPherson and Ali Rashidi plus other San Diego boys at the Atrium Bar of Sam's Town just before 11 am on Sat. Morning...
Happy Valentine's Day one and all. I am currently processing all the Punk Rock Bowling 2004 photos right now and will not be departing from my computer until they are done and launched. That's right, on Valentine's Day...
In payment for my love and dedication to you all, next time you see me give me dark chocolates (preferably Godiva), tell me you love me and give me a big hug.
p.s. The Message Board is back.
p.p.s. I work faster and better with chocolate...
Posted by Ms. Jen at 4:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 12, 2004
Goodbye Java Lanes?
The Long Beach City Council approved a request today to build condos where the Java Lanes bowling alley now stands..... it is a sad day for bowlers and mid-century preservationists alike :-(
See the full article in the Gazette for more info
Posted by Lucky at 3:13 PM | TrackBack
December 31, 2003
Happy New Year's - Now Go Party Your Pants Off
Wanted to pass my sincerest wishes to all of the Barflies friends and family for a joyous and prosperous 2004. Be good tonight! As for resolutions, I plan to spend New Year's Day organizing the pile of filing that has been gathering on my desk for the past nine months (ugh). If I can accomplish that, I'll be feeling resolute enough! Anyone else have any resolutions for the New Year?
Posted by Lucky at 11:23 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 22, 2003
Think buying CDs helps Musicians?
Downhillbattle.org is waging a campaign for Independent music and against the Major Labels and RIAA. The site is funny, informative, and supportive of non-major label music.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 9:53 PM | TrackBack
December 11, 2003
Oddly Gifted
From the LA Times:
By Roy Rivenburg, Times Staff Writer
Don't insult your loved ones by giving them iPods, espresso machines or other lame holiday gifts. Use our handy shopping guide to ferret out this year's essential under-the-tree treats.
Moby-Dick: The action-figure industry continues to boom. The lineup of bendable dolls includes Sigmund Freud, Jesus, Ben Franklin, Cleopatra, Moses, a librarian, a coffee barista and Pope Innocent III, to name a few. But they all pale in comparison (figuratively speaking) with Dick, the Albino Bowler Action Figure. Sporting a large white Afro and a push-button-activated white bowling ball, he sells for $8.95 at http://www.mcphee.com .
Napa Big Gulp: At last, a wineglass big enough to hold an entire bottle of vino so you can truthfully say "I only had one glass, officer." Stands nearly 13 inches tall. The Big Bold Red Glass is available for $99.95 at http://www.iwawine.com . A knockoff version goes for $13 at Britain's http://www.gobaz.com .
Mermania: Get your hands on a giant can of tuna and you'll be able to impersonate the Chicken of the Sea mermaid with Neiman Marcus' new $10,000 mermaid costume. The handcrafted urethane suit comes with its own repair kit, maintenance instructions and expert training on how to swim in it. Or, for mermaids on a budget, designer Thom Shouse who dressed Daryl Hannah in "Splash" rents mermaid costumes (for $1,000 to $1,500 per week), along with wigs, clamshell bras and life-size fake dolphins at his Web site, http://www.mermaid rentals.com. Sadly, there is no McRoskey mermaid mattress.
Luncheon Meat Underwear: What's the only thing better than Spam boxer shorts? How about glow-in-the-dark Spam boxer shorts. Decked with phosphorescent silk-screened Spam cans, these cotton briefs sell for $15 at http://www.spamgift.com .
As for stocking stuffers:
Air fresheners that look and smell like strips of bacon, $4.99 at stupid.com.
Air-conditioned computer mouse. Prevent sweaty palms with Nyko's Air Flo Mouse, which contains a built-in fan.
His-and-her robots. A bargain at $400,000, these 6-foot-tall programmable slaves read poetry, serve drinks and even greet visitors at the front door and give them a ride to your den. From neimanmarcus.com.
Posted by DJWanda at 9:44 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 10, 2003
Blogging at Work? It's a Good Thing!
The Promise and Pitfalls of Social Networking
Darwin (11/03) ; Boyd, Stowe
A Working Model managing director Stowe Boyd admits that he is "a strongly biased advocate" for social networking, and has no reservations about investors pouring early-stage capital into social networks. He says the Internet can deepen social networking--people's tendency to cluster into groups, exchange information and contacts, and hasten toward their personal objectives via interaction. The uptake of social networking solutions is being spurred by their promise of determining the optimal or fastest route to another person, whether one is selling something or simply looking to increase one's contacts. Boyd says the practical applications of social networking solutions face a number of hurdles, chief among them a lack of critical mass; a dearth of awareness about social networking's benefits is also a major hindrance, though Boyd thinks that rising startup budgets and extensive media coverage will soon overcome that obstacle. Social networking's "viral" bottom-up nature also works in its favor, but Boyd writes that a shortage of social network compatibility has resulted in a fragmented, patchwork market of myriad social networking solutions. Boyd argues, "We are stuck at the Beta-versus-VHS fork in the road, where some company (or a few at the most) will break out of the pack...and establish a de facto standard for social networking." Key to the adoption of social networking solutions is clear proof that they offer solid business payback, in comparison to their real-world counterparts. Boyd concludes that the last obstacle in the way of social networking products is their design as standalone systems that are isolated from information technologies businesses are already employing to manage business relationships or relationship-connected data.
(Link to original story or publication)
Posted by DJWanda at 9:33 PM | TrackBack
December 7, 2003
Copyright Laws vs. Public Domain
Copywrong - Copyright laws are stifling art, but the public domain can save us
Artists steal. It's a well-known fact. Blues musicians built upon the tradition of other blues musicians playing on the same circuit, and rock musicians built upon their music in turn, sometimes appropriating wholesale their songs and styles. Writers, it's been said, choose from a limited number of plots and write the same story over and over, just tweaking the details. Nothing is entirely original, yet artists make original work out of the culture they're immersed in."Ain't nothing new under the sun," says rapper Phonte of emerging Durham hip-hop group Little Brother. "Everything's been done before. For the most part, in every art form, every innovation comes out of some form of imitation."
But culture as we know it is increasingly bound up in the very laws that are supposed to nurture it. Copyright law has gone from promoting creativity to hindering artistic expression, thanks in part to the efforts of a few giant corporations that are sitting on billions of dollars worth of intellectual property.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 2:50 PM | TrackBack
The Rock & Roll Library
While surfing the 'net today, I found the Rock & Roll Library website.
The Rock & Roll Library (RRL) is a non-profit organization working to build the world's largest music information archive while promoting the use of popular music in education.The unique mission of the RRL is to distinctly recognize the historical and cultural significance of popular music. Our education vision weaves popular music and culture into the fabric of educational curriculum.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 2:02 PM | TrackBack
December 4, 2003
Fashion Goes Electric
Scheduled to hit the market before the end of the year, the No-Contact Jacket for Women is a joint effort of MIT industrial designer Adam Whiton and Yolita Nugent of Advanced Research Apparel. Delivering an 80,000 volt shock, the jacket is as fashionable as it is functional. The inital cost - around $1,000 - could cause some sticker shock, although mass-production would lower the cost significantly. I have carried a stun gun for several years and have often been irritated by it's bulkyness and un-ergonomic design (as a result of the larger charge - 250,000volts - it's about twice the size of most stun guns). Maybe I'll add this baby to my Christmas list this year... :-)
Posted by Lucky at 12:06 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 3, 2003
E-mail Me!
From the August edition of Training&Development:
"If you've become averse to picking up the phone, you're not alone. An onnline survey from META Group polled 387 U.S. Organizations to find that 80 percent of businesspeople prefer email for work-related communication. The reasons for preferring emailover the phone include:
response flexibility - 84 percent
easy communication with multiple parties - 83 percent
paper trail - 78 percent
faster communication - 40 percent
more productive - 29 percent
easier global communications - 25 percent
proper context - 24 percent
And what of the humble fax? The META Group study found that the number of faxed pages dropped 50 percent in the past five years."
But what about my favorite reason for work e-mails: I really don't want to deal with you at all and e-mail is the least heinous way to do that - 100 percent!
Posted by DJWanda at 9:12 AM | TrackBack
November 1, 2003
Happy Halloween?
According to MSN, the most common Halloween injuries are:
1. tripping and falling due to unfamiliar shoes or hems on long costumes
2. cutting yourself while carving a pumpkin
3. getting hit by a car while crossing the street to get candy
I thought that first one must be a joke until I saw this girl almost eat pavement last night while traipsing in extremely high heeled boots. Be careful ladies!
In an alternate report, the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission has recorded that the three most common Halloween-related injuries are:
1. Eye abrasions from sharp objects attached to masks or costumes
2. Skin irritations or rashes from decorative face paints or creams
3. Burns from flammable costumes being ignited by open flames (candles)
Whatever you do this weekend, BE CAREFUL!
Happy Halloween!
Posted by DJWanda at 3:48 PM | TrackBack
October 22, 2003
Too Much of a Stretch?
According to the Wall Street Journal, companies are offering yoga to their employees on site, recognizing the benefits of keeping everyone in an asana-induced state of Zen. I find this hard to believe, since at my company, you're lucky if you can leave your desk for a glass of water! Who are these companies so that I can go work for one?
Companies Say Yoga Isn't a Stretch
Wall Street Journal (10/14/03) , P. D4; Forster, Stacy
Companies are beginning to subscribe to the benefits of yoga in the workplace, claiming that employees opting to use breaks for office yoga reduce their stress and tension levels and improve their concentration. Some are hopeful that office yoga will reduce health care costs for companies, as many set up yoga rooms in empty offices. Katz Media pays an instructor to teach office workers yoga during the day in its conference room, and employees are appreciative of the company's efforts. According to Yoga Journal, about 7 percent of the American population practices yoga, and many others are willing to try it, but critics are worried that it will be hard to gauge the impact of the exercise on the workplace and productivity. However, companies continue to opt for the service, and insurance companies are beginning to cover the services under alternative medicine coverage.
Posted by DJWanda at 6:26 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
You Want Fries with That?
From the September 2003 issue of Training+Development:
"Intel, Wayport, and McDonald's recently announced plans to enable San Francisco-area locations with Wi-Fi in earnest. ... earlier this year, a select group of New York locations were set up wtih Si-Fi on a trial basis, but the Bay area rollout will be more comprehensive, with some 75 locations being wired for 802.11b technology. Wayport, which is providing the hotspots, is also considering future rollouts of 802.11g or 802.11a.
Pricing is reasonable at $4.95 for two hours of use. Locations will range from 12 in San Francisoco to six in San Jose, as well as parts in between. Locations equipped with the service will bear Intel's new Centrino logo."
Posted by DJWanda at 3:43 PM | TrackBack
October 15, 2003
October Barflies.net Magazine
Just wanted to let you all know that the new October issue of the Barflies.net magazine is up and ready for your viewing pleasure:
We are featuring:
The Adolescents, The Stitiches, Pistol Grip and Drive By Smile at House of Blues Anaheim
LA County Line CD Release Party - Los Creepers, Penis Fly Trap, Go Betty Go, Slanderin
Las Vegas/Primm 300 Off Road Race
Warped Tour 2003
The Dragons
Black Flag
Tom Ingram Interview - Las Vegas Rock-A-Round
The Bell Rays - The Raw Collection
Manic Hispanic - Mijo goes to Jr. College
Movie Review: Prey For Rock & Roll
Movies for Your Pleasure: Man From Elysian Fields and The Show Must Go Off!
Big thanks to all the contributors and the bands!
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:13 AM | TrackBack
October 7, 2003
The Barflies Tribe
You have said to yourself, "I don't want to pay for Friendster... I want a social networking site that works..."
I present to you the Barflies.net Tribe: http://barflies.tribe.net
Also, the new barflies.net issue is up with lots of photo essays, reviews, and various fun bits, including Kevin's kick ass "10 Best Adolescents' Shows".
Posted by Ms. Jen at 9:04 PM | TrackBack
September 21, 2003
Grisham For Governor: Awarness Rally
Kimm Gardener from Channel 3 emailed this announcement earlier today:
Wanted to drop you all a note that this show is on sale now. Should be fun and all in support of Jack in his bid for Governor!
The Lineup so far:
Adolescents
TSOL
The Bronx
400 Blows
Channel 3
Narcoleptic Youth
All Day
1208
Also am hearing that Manic Hispanic and Skulls have been added.....
http://www.goldenvoice.com
Hope that you can make it out!
CH3
Kimm, Mike, Alf and Anthony
Update 10/2/03:
This show is now at the Henry Fonday Theatre at 6126 Hollywood Blvd, in Hollywood. It starts at 7pm.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 4:25 PM | TrackBack
September 16, 2003
Raed Much?
"Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Fcuknig amzanig huh?"
Posted by Lucky at 1:41 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 2, 2003
Happy Gas, Anyone?
From the Weekly World News, so you know it's true...
Have you recently noticed a lot more small planes flying over your neighborhood? And that you've been feeling pretty upbeat about America lately? The real reason why might surprise you.
"It's because the aircraft are spraying a chemical the government calls HG-C, or Happy Gas-Civilian," claims sociologist and researcher Dr. Carla Halcourt.
"The plan to spray urban areas with the gas was hatched in Washington as a way to take the American people's minds off the sick economy, unemployment, rising prices and terrorism.
"A whiff of HG-C makes people feel happier almost instantly. As far as is known, it has no serious side effects -- though it can cause fatigue, diarrhea and hair loss. Even so, the use of this gas on Americans is outrageous and unacceptable. It's like a form of chemical brainwashing."
Dr. Halcourt belongs to a group of a dozen D.C.-area researchers who call themselves the Committee of Concerned Scientists and say they first learned of the scheme from contacts in the Defense Department. According the researchers, HG-C was first developed in Iraq and later refined by U.S. scientists to make it less toxic.
"Saddam and other Middle East despots had been using HG-C to keep civilian populations under control since the early 1980s," explains Dr. Halcourt. "When the CIA learned how effective it was, the decision by Uncle Sam to make a modified form of it here was almost irresistible."
Aerial dispersal of HG-C began in the spring of 2002, say the experts. They claim that to be as unobtrusive as possible, the spraying is often conducted by small, unmanned drones, flying at high altitude or at night.
"If you think you hear the hum of an aircraft high overhead late at night, when your home was never under a flight path before, that's almost certainly an HG-C dispersal plane," reveals Dr. Halcourt.
Weather balloons sent aloft by meteorologists in the group have confirmed the presence of HG-C in the skies over New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and nine Midwestern cities chosen at random, the researchers say.
"If you have any doubt that this stuff works, take a look at polls that show the vast majority of Americans give 'high marks' to President Bush for his handling of the economy, despite federal deficits exceeding $450 billion and the worst job market in 20 years," Dr. Halcourt says.
"Then take a look at the vacant smiles on the faces of your neighbors."
The Bush administration calls the Happy Gas claims "pure bunkum," claiming that any unusual government aircraft citizens may spot over their hometowns are probably involved in the war on terrorism.
"I can tell you categorically that this president has no specific knowledge of any mind-altering gases being distributed over American cities without the approval of local officials," a White House source insists.
Posted by DJWanda at 8:27 PM | TrackBack
August 9, 2003
Grisham for Governor, Part III
DJWanda and I were talking tonight and both of us noted that the LA Times' listing of governor candidates did not included TSOL's Jack Grisham. I just went over to the TSOL message board and found that Jack had posted that he has paid his fee, filed his application, and is waiting for verification from the registrar.
Here is the full site for Jack's campaign, including his platform.
Of all the candidates throwing their hats in the ring, only Jack Grisham and Arianna Huffington have progressive platforms and for the people principles that I can back.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 10:18 PM | TrackBack
August 7, 2003
Only in America...
...can WWF wrestlers and actors run for (and even become) governor. This race for Calif. gov. is getting kinda funny now... I think I'll go brush up on singing the "Different Strokes" theme song now...
Oh wait, there's more! Gallagher and Flynt have joined too...watermelons or porn anyone?
Posted by at 2:19 PM | TrackBack
August 5, 2003
You Build It, We Burn It. Field of Dreams meets Nightmare on Elm Street.
The stupidity that abounds in this world never ceases to amaze me. More and more my list of people who shouldnt be on the planet grows longer. The link below is to an article posted about an arson fire that occurred just a few days ago down here in San Diego.
Synopsis: residents/neighbors in La Jolla woke up to find a newly constructed apartment building (it was still vacant) completely engulfed in flames. Fire department evacuated nearby residents to safety no one was hurt, but people claimed the heat was so intense, their window blinds melted.
FBI discovered it was arson by a little group called E.L.F. (Environmental or Earth Liberation Front). Why? Well, being the good little earth-lovers that they are, they claim to be against any and all urban development/growth because it harms the earth.
Okay so fine. Heres my beef with this knuckleheaded attitude. Lets start with the obvious. Starting fires to burn stuff down: 1) might kill people. Not a very nice thing to do. 2) damages the earth. Hellooooo arent we trying to save the damn place? Oh okay, so lets damage it some more? Hmm, its true Im not a biologist. In fact, I hated that class. I was hungover every day I took it, but really. Ive yet to find the intelligence in these actions. 3) so these elven yahoos burn down housing complexes, etc. in the attempt to halt urban growth. So youre saving, what a vacant lot? Its not like rainforest was getting cut down to build this apartment building. It was a vacant lot in the middle of the city. Not much else to DO with a vacant lot, except build on it. 4) Not to mention theyre destroying a HOUSING complex! Oh okay so people shouldnt have a place to live? At least a housing complex is useful; youd think that if they wanted to halt urban growth theyd burn something superfluous down, like the Padres new stadium (ha, what a joke that is. No one goes to see them anyway.). But seriously, imagine how many people dont have a place to live now? If they were locals, well, they might be able to stay in their original places. But what about those folks relocating for new jobs or whatnot? Talk about getting screwed.
Look, Im all for saving the environment. I recycle, I carpool every chance I get, I walk or ride my bike instead of driving short distances, hey Ive even planted a few trees in my lifetime. I love the earth, I love the environment, I completely agree that we need to save what little there is left. HOWEVER the sad fact of the matter is this: the worlds grossly overpopulated. People keep producing more people and they all gotta live somewhere. Until stupid people stop breeding I dont think the urban growth is gonna stop anytime soon and terrorism sure as hell isnt gonna do much more to help the situation either.
Hey heres a thought: instead of burning things down, maybe start handing out more birth control.
Posted by at 10:16 AM | TrackBack
July 30, 2003
Fuck the Gov't, Jack wants Health Insurance
Jack Grisham for Governor, Part II:
MTV now has a story on Jack's run for Governor-ship of Calif:
T.S.O.L. Frontman Running For Governor Of California
"I can't afford heath insurance, so I figure if I'm governor, at least they have a good health insurance plan," Grisham joked. The charming singer made light of his first interview as a politician, but insisted his campaign is entirely serious.
"For years I was always, 'F--- the government. F--- the government. F--- the government.' I was always bitching and not doing a thing about it," he explained. "And the other day I said, 'Now I am.' I just got tired of seeing people hurt, that was the biggest thing. I got three sisters who are teachers, two brothers who are police officers, a bunch of friends who are labor workers, dock workers. I work with undocumented alien immigrants all the time and I got tired seeing what they go through and no one caring. And they put this new budget out and the first thing they slash is health care and the first thing they start screwing is the people."
Once again: Go Jack Go!
I would like affordable health insurance, too. Thank you very much.
p.s. We especially like Jack because he is not afraid to wear a skirt with no underwear while performing on stage.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:30 PM | TrackBack
July 26, 2003
Governor Grisham???
According to two highly reliable sources Jack Grisham of TSOL filed the papers yesterday necessary to run for the Governor of California.
Go Jack Go! Take Gray Davis and Daniel Issa down!
Posted by Ms. Jen at 2:16 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
July 14, 2003
Who Knew? Mother Earth was once a Hottie....
According to theorists, as reported by CNN.com, Stonehenge is not an astronomical device for predicting solistices but a large 3-D earthworks rendering of female genitalia...
I do believe this is the work of under-sexed scientists. Someone please help these fellows out....
From CNN.com:
Stonehenge is a massive female fertility symbol, according to Canadian researchers who think they have finally solved the mystery of the ancient monument in southern England.
In the arrangement of the stones, the researchers say they have spotted the original design: female genitalia.
Thanks to Adam Curry (former MTV VJ now Blogger)for pointing this one out.
Posted by Ms. Jen at 12:04 AM | TrackBack
July 12, 2003
World Mourns Siamese Twins, and so do I
Two days ago, Siamese twins conjoined at the head underwent surgery to be separated and died as a result of complications during the lengthy operation. The world mourned, as the twins were supposedly a symbol of inspiration and endurance. Well, I have a theory: Those twins didn't even like each other. In fact, they couldn't stand each other. And the bossy one forced the other one into an operation that she knew would probably kill her. In fact, they were both willing to die, rather than be together, which tells you something.
All of this reminds me that most people naturally separate from their parents and siblings at some point, and the lucky among us manage to do so while remaining friends with the folks we started life with. The rest of us die little deaths, doomed to spend the rest of our lives working out the issues that were never worked out at home.
I've been thinking what a great made-for-tv movie this is all gonna make - set not in Iran, of course, since we don't really like the Middle East right now, but set in America. And who better to star as the twins than America's twin sweethearts, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen? The only question is, will they tell the truth, or some whitewashed version?
Read the stories: Siamese Twins Die
Twins Want Separation
Twins Father Claims Girls Were Duped
Posted by Ms. Jen at 11:19 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
