Too Fresh

I believe this video for "Sensual Seduction" by Snoop Dogg is only a few days old. Snoop Dogg has long been off my radar since the decreased drama in the LBC, but this track and maybe even more importantly this video are amazing. It is early 80s through and through. The video quality is awful, key-tars everywhere, even the girls are done up in proper 80s attire. The cheesy video effects are also amazing. The track isn't half bad either. I'm told that the vocoder action is probably more of an homage to Roger Troutman of Zapp, which is a thoroughly 80s and viciously funky group. Take that T-Pain, not to mention Peter Frampton was rocking the vocoder in the 70s.

Hugo Chavez Is a Sissy

You'll have to read up on current Columbian-Venezuelan relations, or lack thereof, to get that, but Hugo Chavez is still a monumental sissy. You think someone aiming to be the undisputed lifetime president of Venezuela would be a bit more resilient.

Gordon Brown Boycotts EU-Africa Summit

In the return to the typically erudite HTML of this blog, the conviction of Gordon Brown must be celebrated. Gordon Brown, the successor to Tony Blair, has only been in office since July and has had a fairly quiet Prime Ministry. This week however, Prime Minister Brown took a authoritative stand against the leadership of Robert Mugabe. Mugabe is the leader of Zimbabwe and since coming into power has categorically ruined the Zimbabwean economy. To put it into perspective, nearly a quarter of the population has left due to poverty, and currently 5,000 Zimbabweans leave each day. Perhaps even more striking; unemployment is at 80%. So, in response to Mugabe being invited to the EU-Africa Summit in Portugal, Brown said he would boycott the event.

Brown said "Given the circumstances of the last 10 years and our attempts to give assistance in Zimbabwe, which have been thwarted and resisted, it is not possible for us to attend this summit and sit down with President Mugabe."

In the world of international politics one might say it is uncouth to so roundly criticize another world leader, but if more people had Prime Minister Brown's conviction, perhaps less Zimbabweans would have to endure such a crippling economic situation.

BBC

How Did This Happen?

I found this one on Brooklyn Vegan and I can't imagine the brainstorm that happened to come up with this track. I can't even type the title on the blog, but the fact that Riskay sings the title with some shred of emotion is also hard to believe. Either way, it's worth a listen.

It should be the first track on her MySpace.

Hilarious Nerdy Coincidence

A ship happened to have crashed in Antarctica: all the passengers got away safely and etc. The hilarious part is the ship's name: the M/S Explorer. It might take a dash of thinking and some anti-windows/Microsoft sentiment to get it, but I had a good laugh about it.

Think About It

This clip, I'm told from "Waking Life", concisely discusses the idea of free will. You'll have to have some knowledge about the cultural impact of the enlightenment, figures like Newton and the concept of Determinism to get the whole thing, I think, but it's still interesting. It wouldn't hurt to understand Quantum Mechanics either, although that gets explained. It makes me want to watch "Waking Life" too.

Lighthouse

Once per year at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse they shut down the weak insipid modern (presumably electric) light and switch over the the 5 kerosene lamps and fresnel lens of the original, as it was 135 years ago.

This Cannot Be Real

Somehow the forces of the universe have aligned while simultaneously disproving themselves, by creating this impossibly cute combination of Rabbit and Kittens. It turns out Summer the Rabbit has adopted a flock of kittens and created a reality shattering amount of cuteness. The fact that this is real, may make existence as we know it, cease...to exist.

The Environmental Dream Died

You may or may not know that Britain has always been a pioneer in alternative fuels. Britain was the first country to use Catholics as a fuel. In fact Britain was entirely run by burning Catholics for over 200 years. In the early 17th century Britain switched to witches. Unfortunately, the British government broke their promise of planting a new witch for every one burnt and the environmental dream died.

For other brilliant commentary from two hilarious Brits, including The Daily Show's John Oliver.

The Bugle Podcast

Carrots and Popsicle Sticks

Two young girls read a board advertising carrots instead of ice lollies in April 1941. Wartime shortages of chocolate and ice cream made such substitutions a necessity.

Like Tetris In The Way It's Going To Kill Time

This internet gem - created in one day with two-hundred lines of code - is really addictive. The point is eliminate the biggest group of adjacent blocks. I don't even think it has a name because it's really just a coding experiment, but a brilliant one.

It's Worth It

Cut Off Your Hands

The Auckland, New Zealand group formally known as Shaky Hands is my second enjoyable music find of the week. They're a poppy post-punk group, and teeter between the extremes that fit into that description. The only slightly cringe-worthy aspect of the group is having a tinge of a progressive hard-core sound, in the Forward, Russia! vein. That basically means the lead singer can sound a bit, but only a bit, emo sometimes. Oh and they have a very tight rhythm section.

Still Fond

Expectations
Which comes courtesy of Seattle Public Radio Station KEXP, which means you don't have to worry about the man.

Blush

I never took much time to listen to The Raveonettes. I just now I like "Remember" and they sound an awful lot like The Jesus and Mary Chain. Well, they've got a new record out and the reverb rich, noise-pop seems to be in full force. That isn't really a bad thing, because "Blush" from their upcoming record "Lust, Lust, Lust" is great song. What makes this track for me is the train-like steadiness of the drums, the great post-chorus guitar melody and soaring chorus. The version I have is a demo, and it has this great, warehouse kind of reverb and live recording thinness. I hope thing don't get too polished for the actual album, because there's a intimacy here that might be lost with rich production.

Blush

Leopard Review: It's great, but there are some issues with wireless that need to be fixed. Looks like an update is coming in the next week or two.

Ikea desk: Useful, but not terribly comfortable. I'm used to looking up at my computer. I should get a new chair.

Am I 12 Years Old?

Maybe, because I find this collection of moments in "The Office" when "that's what she said" is used to be comic platinum.

Photo Walk

I went on a very pleasant walk this afternoon to test out my camera. So far I really like it. The colors are vibrant, the pictures are sharp, the menus are easy to navigate, and the camera feels solid and comfortable, but still fits nicely in my inside coat pocket. The huge, 3" screen is also gorgeous and is easy to see in bright sunlight. I have yet to take pictures of people, pictures inside, or pictures at night so my review is a bit incomplete, but I would definitely recommend that Canon SD870.

Here's a familiar site. You can also visit my Flickr page to see a few more pictures.