Mall of Me

SXSW:SXSV 2009 Full Set for Free Download

My full set from SXSW:SXSV is up for free download for a limited time. With all the last-minute changes, there were plenty who couldn't make the show. This mix doesn't have BMFD's drumming, but it does include all the track-mixing as well as the quotes I mixed into them. Sadly the original link expired, but I am keeping the entry live as I'd like to mix it again in the future. Mad love to all how made the show, to all who listened here on Mall of Me afterwards and to all the artists!

Tracklisting:
01 - Protestant Work Ethic - Beekeepers
02 - Deadbeat - Roots and Wire
03 - Stina Nordenstam - People Are Strange (UNKLE Mix)
04 - UNKLE + 3D - Invasion (Medway vs. Eva Coast-to-Coast Mix)
05 - Kammerflimmer Kollektief - Matt (David Last Pocket Pet Mix)
06 - Venetian Snares - She
07 - lacunae - from dust
08 - Kirsty Hawkshaw - Beautiful Danger
09 - X Marks the Pedwalk - Time Tunnel (Phase Two)
10 - Burial - Archangel
11 - Downliners Sekt + Evi Vine - LRAD
12 - Nine Inch Nails - At the Heart of It All (Aphex Twin Remix)
13 - Smashing Pumpkins - The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning
14 - San Jaya Prime - Time Interrupt (Eternal Nightshade Mix)
15 - Order in Chaos - Desolation
16 - Telefon Tel Aviv - The Birds
17 - The Marcia Blaine School for Girls - Still
18 - Lamb - Scratch Bass
19 - Moby - New Dawn Fades

Artwork: San Jaya Prime - Nocturne Electric

Quotes:
1 - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - "The decision to flee came suddenly. Or maybe not. Maybe I'd planned it all along, subconsciously waiting for the right moment."
2 - Dark Knight - "You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. You know, I just do things."
3 - The Devil's Advocate - "God likes to watch. He's a prankster. Think about it. He gives man instincts. He gives you this extraordinary gift, and then what does He do, I swear for His own amusement, his own private, cosmic gag reel, He sets the rules in opposition. It's the goof of all time. Look but don't touch. Touch, but don't taste. Taste, don't swallow. And while you're jumpin' from one foot to the next, what is he doing? He's laughin' His sick, fuckin' ass off! He's a tight-ass! He's a sadist! He's an absentee landlord!"
4 - Monsters, Inc. - "Ssshh, sshhhh, sshhh... you hear that? It's the winds of change."
5 - Mrs. Miniver - "This is the people's war. It is our war. We are the fighters. Fight it then! Fight it with all that is in us, and may God defend the right."
6 - War of the Worlds - "We know now that, in the early years of the 20th century, this world was being watched closely by intelligences greater than man, yet as mortal as his own. We know now that, as human beings busied themselves about their various concerns, they were scrutinized and studied. With infinite complacence people went to and fro over the earth about their little affairs, serene in the assurance of their dominion over this small, spinning fragment of solar driftwood which, by chance or design, man has inherited out of the dark mystery of time and space."
7 - Brandon Lee* - "Because we do not know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well, and yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood? How many more times will you watch the full moon rise. Perhaps four... five times more? Perhaps not even that. And yet it all seems limitless."
8 - Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? - "Each little Crunchie contains energy, contains pep for your growing youngsters, builds strong legs so that when they're older they can stand the long waits in the unemployment lines."
9 - X-Men - "I will bring you hope, old friend, and I ask only one thing in return... don't get in my way."

* Lee is quoting "The Sheltering Sky" (1949) by Paul Bowles. It's the same quote that Lee put on his wedding invitations, and the same quote now inscribed on his tombstone. I thought it fitting as a lead-in to Telefon Tel Aviv, who lost Charles Cooper this last January 22nd.

And yet it all seems limitless.

Apple

Apple

To preface this, I'm an oldschool hacker who began teaching himself MS-DOS and GWBASIC at the age of 11. I spent the greater part of almost two-decades insulting Apple lovers. This blog entry is nothing less than a surrender and acceptance of a future that is not "on the horizon", but has already come. The end is not nigh; it is now.

On November 6th of 2006, Joel Garreau (author of "Radical Evolution") gave a speech on the NJIT campus about the evolution of technology and its link to human evolution. In his speech, when approaching the evolution of computers, he pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, declaring this device "the future". I watched this video when it was released to the public on January 8th of 2007, knowing immediately that he was correct in his statement. A day later, on January 9th, Steve Jobs announced the iPhone to the world.

Today, not even two-years following the release of the iPhone, more than 20-million devices run the iPhone OS. It provides mail, music, videos, applications, web browsing and thousands of other features. Just two years ago, I couldn't go more than a day without hearing someone complain about their phone. Now, people can barely look away from them. The entire market was hit and hit hard, spinning about face. They've been re-acting to the onslaught of this new creation ever since... and none have compared.

PDAs and trios, the early signs of this evolution, had short battery life, well-known issues syncing with computers and they limited developers greatly in how applications could be created for these rather bulky devices. None of those early limitations exist in the iPhone, nor in the iPod touch that I use. I have more computing power in my pocket than nearly every computer I've ever owned.

The iPhone has won and much of the industry must not even realize it. But its victory is not limited solely to the phone industry. While HD and Blue-Ray were caught up in their "format wars" for nearly two-years, the consumer market was moving away from such permanent storage formats and over to data. I and others like me began storing our files online, somewhere off on a server we will likely never see... but can access from anywhere in the world that has a Net-connection. Apple has been eating into the PC market, but even this war is smoke and mirrors. Laptops will still have a place with producers and designers, but more than 90% of users are end-users, not producers. The majority of users will not even be using laptops in a few short years as computers move from the lap top and into the pocket... where Apple already owns the market. No, more than that. It now defines it.

So take a good look at the future. It's already here.

Do you know where I watched Garreau's speech at NJIT? I downloaded it thru iTunes from iTunes University, where colleges and other educational institutions around the world can upload content for free download to anyone in the world. It doesn't matter who is downloading their speeches and videos. It can be a student or laymen, it's still free. In fact, if you have iTunes, this link will open iTunes to Garreau's speech for you to download and watch. A world of education, entirely free from iTunes University.

If you don't feel that, then it hasn't hit you. Knowledge, in the form of data, is floating in the air all around us and into my pocket. Apple has created an SDK for developers designed to give them as much power as possible so that they can create the best applications for these new computers. Apple has watched what hackers have done with iPhones, then replicated the most popular of these "mods". Apple has paid attention, taken action, and worked to create something that has without a doubt changed the world.

On a closing note, I am providing full disclosure. I've worked for Apple previously (twice, in fact). I loved it, with rare exceptions. I've seen how they evolve to better serve their customers and how they aim time and again to make sure each customer who needs assistance leaves happy. Having been a worker, and seen how they treat us as well, is what gives me the extra inspiration to cede my hatred of the Apple that once was in order to love the Apple that now is.

The ATX Clocktower

In Austin, Texas, on New Year's Eve 2008, we burned time.

A clock tower, fully functional and constructed primarily of wood, counted down the hours on the last day of 2008. Standing more than 34ft, and with more than 90,000 in attendance (burners and non-burners alike), it was lit ablaze by burner crews of specialists. It was the largest metropolitan area burn event ever... taking place, of course, in the largest active burn community in the world--Austin, Texas. Here is the video of the day and the burn:

The event was free to all.

Those who don't know about burners--the last great tribe of mankind--should check out the main site... this is one of the legendary icons of our time. Don't miss it.

Burning Man (Main Site): http://www.burningman.com/

Painting: Let It Rain

Let It Rain

by PTM Design

...available from Z Gallerie

Give Peace a Deadline

Book: Give Peace a Deadline
Authors: Nathan Otto and Amber Lupton

I'm holding a knife. Edged blade, Teflon coated and with serrations on the lower part near the haft. The significance of the blade will soon become apparent.

I have very few physical desires. Getting a gift for me proves difficult. This knife is one of two things in this world that I had desired. The person who gave me this knife had no idea of how important it was to me, and I have little to offer in way of thanks.

There is a greater significance. The person who gave me this blade fights for peace. More than that, he has placed a deadline on peace, set milestones and goals for achieving it and has spent all of 2008 circling the globe to gather everyone from church groups, to the Dalai Lama, to friends and family enrolled in this mission.

When I heard about it, I recoiled. My immediate thoughts about world peace are flower wearing commies and love parades that firmly declare that war has no place. Nathan and Amber, the authors of "Give Peace a Deadline", corrected my assumptions. Peace is simply not allowing politically organized violence... not killing. I still shied away from it, and still do.

What really swayed me was when the two authors linked me to Penn & Teller's episode of "Bullshit" centering on world peace. It really is worth watching. As such, I'm re-posting the three parts here:

I still haven't been won over. Not to dedicate many of my own resources to it. I am no fan of communism. Despite the progressive nature of their mission, and that of P5Y.org, I still fear that it will fall into socialist trends. They've won me over enough to promote their book, however.

"Give Peace a Deadline" is well written, with many studies to support their statements and cause. The peace they suggest is a lazy-man's piece, and I believe they will succeed because of it. For those who are not lazy--who want peace with all their being--they have much more active methods included in the book as well.

The book can be purchased off of Amazon here: Give Peace a Deadline

Lincoln Street Wine Market

Lincoln Street Wine Market
111 S Lincoln St
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
www.lincolnst.com

Quickies: wine selection (4/5); cigar selection (2/5); cigar prices (3/5); setting (5/5); service (3/5); food (5/5); food prices (4/5).

Lincoln Street is THE place to get a cigar in Fredericksberg. There are other places to get wine, but the selection, prices and setting to enjoy it cannot beat this beautiful piece of luxury. The cheeses and other appetizers are incredible. We ordered the pesto and a cheese, costing three of us $4 a person. We felt we'd gotten a bargain.

There are imported (and domestic) beers for those who don't have a taste for wine. Their cigars were a bit lacking, but they had enough strong selections at an acceptable price. In other words, we didn't feel we'd been robbed at cork-point for the stogies we took out to the veranda with us.

Above all this, I need to say again that the setting is simply striking. The inside is luxurious and feels immediately inviting. The veranda is an even more beautiful setting, where vines climb up walls, across the hatched wood ceiling and down the fireplace. Anyone stopping into Fredericksberg for even only a few hours should be sure to check out Lincoln Street Wine Market.

...rate my review here on Yelp

Pearls Before Swine

Pearls Before Swine
by Stephan Pastis

URL: http://comics.com/pearls_before_swine/

Pearls has a larger cast of characters than many comics, but each one is so well defined that it is easy to remember and recognize them. Pig and Rat are the main players, Pig being the optimist who loves everybody... but is a little dim... then Rat, who is the pessimist and wakes up every day to remind everyone that it's all about to end. Other than the two main players, the crowd favorites have actually turned out to be the crocodiles. No, seriously, check it:

...from "Da Crockydile Book o' Frendsheep"

In the end, Pearls is an off-and-on read. It is "on" twice as often as it's not. When it is "on", it has moments of painful laughter that are not easily topped in the modern world of comic strips.