Sunday, November 30, 2008
The steak sandwich shops and the Italian market after dark
The last South Philly hot spot (arguably) alive, and oh how gaudy it is. A charicature of a charicature of Italian America, yet oddly authentic.
Ray's Happy Birthday Bar
It's an insider's club. I think you have to smoke cigarettes to join. Guess that means I'm out, but it's still a damn cool place.
Friday, November 28, 2008
An example of the type of work i could do
I was at the laudromat, and this guy lost his change to a machine. Because it is a slimly low class laundromat, there is no attendant. Worse, there is no posted number to call. Unless you're willing to wait until the owner closes shop at midnight, your shit out of luck.
If it happens once you might let it slide, but if it happens with any frequency at all you'd probably get pissed. Not because the $1.50 is something to cry over, but because you ought to get what you pay for. Then you start to think: how long has that machine been stealing people's quarters without an 'out of service' sign? Left long enough, the machine could generate its owner hundreds of dollars or more. Somebody ought to sue the asshole.
Problem: It would cost far more than $1.50 in court costs alone. It's not worth it.
Solution: The Consumer Fraud Act. If I can prove that the laundromat owner engaged in an unconscionable consumer practice, he pays your fees and costs. That includes an award of a reasonable attorney fee. Plus, he'll have to pay triple damages.
Problem: So what? Three times $1.50 is $4.50. In the meantime, he made tons of money.
Solution: I bring it as a class action, with you as the class representative. We bring the suit on behalf of everyone whose been ripped off by the laundromat. Often, the Court will even award a lead plaintiff a sizable stipend as an incentive for others to take on small time crooks. I get paid my hourly rate by the laundromat, the laundromat gets stripped of the money he was unjustly enriched by, and the lead plainiff might get awarded thousands of dollars as a thank you from the court.
Problem: We can't get the ripped off people their money back because theres no way of proving who was ripped off and who wasn't.
Solution: There's precedent for this situation. Just because its hard to figure out who needs to be compensated doesn't meant that the crook gets to keep the money. In one case, cab drivers were ripping off countless cash customers at an airport. Of course, there was no way to identify the defruaded - but the Court ordered the cab companies to offer their services at deep discounts below operating costs until the debt was paid. In other cases, the court can order un-earned sums be given to a charity.
So thats just one example of how I can make a $1.50 case work.
If it happens once you might let it slide, but if it happens with any frequency at all you'd probably get pissed. Not because the $1.50 is something to cry over, but because you ought to get what you pay for. Then you start to think: how long has that machine been stealing people's quarters without an 'out of service' sign? Left long enough, the machine could generate its owner hundreds of dollars or more. Somebody ought to sue the asshole.
Problem: It would cost far more than $1.50 in court costs alone. It's not worth it.
Solution: The Consumer Fraud Act. If I can prove that the laundromat owner engaged in an unconscionable consumer practice, he pays your fees and costs. That includes an award of a reasonable attorney fee. Plus, he'll have to pay triple damages.
Problem: So what? Three times $1.50 is $4.50. In the meantime, he made tons of money.
Solution: I bring it as a class action, with you as the class representative. We bring the suit on behalf of everyone whose been ripped off by the laundromat. Often, the Court will even award a lead plaintiff a sizable stipend as an incentive for others to take on small time crooks. I get paid my hourly rate by the laundromat, the laundromat gets stripped of the money he was unjustly enriched by, and the lead plainiff might get awarded thousands of dollars as a thank you from the court.
Problem: We can't get the ripped off people their money back because theres no way of proving who was ripped off and who wasn't.
Solution: There's precedent for this situation. Just because its hard to figure out who needs to be compensated doesn't meant that the crook gets to keep the money. In one case, cab drivers were ripping off countless cash customers at an airport. Of course, there was no way to identify the defruaded - but the Court ordered the cab companies to offer their services at deep discounts below operating costs until the debt was paid. In other cases, the court can order un-earned sums be given to a charity.
So thats just one example of how I can make a $1.50 case work.
Too connected
People have a love/ hate relationship with their cellphones, and for good reason. On the one hand, it makes me available in an emergency and it lets me use those moment i'd waste waiting in line talking to people. on the other, i don't need to talk to people on the phone every moment of every day.
whenever I'm doing something I don't pick it up unless somebody calls twice in a row. I let everyone know that I'll pick up the second call, but I'm also clear that I won't tolerate calling twice in a row without good cause. So I'm not disconnected from the world, but I still get to do whatever i'm doing without interuption. I mean, when i'm spending time with patty, i'm with patty. i don't want that interupted by a conversation with my boss, my freinds, or my family. but when i'm with my family, i don't want that interupted by my boss, my freinds, or patty. and the same goes for my freinds or when i'm at work. It's nothing personal, but being connected doesn't mean you have to be at everyone's beck and call.
whenever I'm doing something I don't pick it up unless somebody calls twice in a row. I let everyone know that I'll pick up the second call, but I'm also clear that I won't tolerate calling twice in a row without good cause. So I'm not disconnected from the world, but I still get to do whatever i'm doing without interuption. I mean, when i'm spending time with patty, i'm with patty. i don't want that interupted by a conversation with my boss, my freinds, or my family. but when i'm with my family, i don't want that interupted by my boss, my freinds, or patty. and the same goes for my freinds or when i'm at work. It's nothing personal, but being connected doesn't mean you have to be at everyone's beck and call.
Chasing happiness is like chasing the setting sun
Before everyone thought the meaning of life was obtaining happiness, people were generally happier. Today, everyone chases happiness and is miserable for lack of something in their life.
Thanksgiving Eve speedline observation
Thanksgiving Eve can be a cold night to have to look hot. I bet New Years Eve can be even colder. Makes me give thanks to the fact that I largely don't worry about that crap.
facebook is better, blah blah blah
people prefer facebook to myspace for the same reasons they like to be seen in expensive restaurants regardless of the quality of the food. for whatever reason, it is more "sophisticated" or "mature" or "professional" or some other code word for elitist. personally, i like myspace because it has more options for substantively expressing myself. that said, i'm going to be turning my attention to my facebook shortly . . . . while their is some overlap, it does attract a different clientèle than myspace. i'd like to keep in contact with them too . . . . .
A Thanksgiving messeage from Wes
Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all have the day off, and I hope your holiday extends into tomorrow as well. People work too hard for too little these days. We have very few holidays. When you don't have the next day off, Thanksgiving is hardly a holiday. It's a pain in the ass.
Unless they're in retail, shame on any employer who doesn't give their employees off Black Friday. And even if they're in retail, SHAME on those employers who are open on Thanksgiving itself.
An employer who works their employees on the holiday is a poor corporate citizen, placing their business interests so far above the individual needs of their workers so as steal something important from them. There should be enormous social pressure on businesses not to work their employees on holidays and to extend the holiday into the weekend when the holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday. We can create that kind of social pressure by refusing to shop on the Holiday itself and calling most other employers for what they are when they don't give their employees that extra day off: greedy uncaring thieves.
Have I shopped on Thanksgiving? I'm guilty. But Christmas and New Years are fast approaching. With only a minimal amount of planning, we can make sure our dollars don't contribute to some poor Wawa employee's ruined holiday.
Unless they're in retail, shame on any employer who doesn't give their employees off Black Friday. And even if they're in retail, SHAME on those employers who are open on Thanksgiving itself.
An employer who works their employees on the holiday is a poor corporate citizen, placing their business interests so far above the individual needs of their workers so as steal something important from them. There should be enormous social pressure on businesses not to work their employees on holidays and to extend the holiday into the weekend when the holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday. We can create that kind of social pressure by refusing to shop on the Holiday itself and calling most other employers for what they are when they don't give their employees that extra day off: greedy uncaring thieves.
Have I shopped on Thanksgiving? I'm guilty. But Christmas and New Years are fast approaching. With only a minimal amount of planning, we can make sure our dollars don't contribute to some poor Wawa employee's ruined holiday.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
B-52's Dance This Mess Around
My favorite B-52s song of all time. It sits on the fabulous first side of the self entitled debut album, smack between the poppy 52 Girls and the worthy single Rock Lobster. The song itself is minimalistic, a characteristically mock retro. yet the fanciful setting is a dance party, and the tone is darker than the other songs on the album, so it is easier to transport yourself into the imagined world. The song is driven by the organ, with a heavily reverbed electric guitar providing subtle accents. despite being less prominent than in the guitar centric Rock Lobster, the guitar still defines the mood.
The subtle music is a good indication that the song was designed to be a showcase of Cynthia Wilson's range. She blows the roof off the house with both melody and passion, starting out like a seductress ("remember . . . ."), letting out a bratty growl worthy of Bikini Kill ("why won't you dance with me?"), and bringing about the songs sweet first resolution only measures later ("everybody goes to parties"). The male/ female conversational interplay her and Schneider seals the deal - only to be followed by Wilson taking on a spoken word feel, sounding like a mock beatnik instead of a goofy proto rap like Blondie. A+ job.
However, I always wondered, how do you do those dances? Apparantly there are 16 of them, but only 8 are expressly mention by name: the shugaloo, the shy tuna, the camel walk, the hipocrit, the coo coo choo, the aqua-velva, the dirty dog, and the escalator.
I did a youtube search, and the only one i could find was the hipocrit
The subtle music is a good indication that the song was designed to be a showcase of Cynthia Wilson's range. She blows the roof off the house with both melody and passion, starting out like a seductress ("remember . . . ."), letting out a bratty growl worthy of Bikini Kill ("why won't you dance with me?"), and bringing about the songs sweet first resolution only measures later ("everybody goes to parties"). The male/ female conversational interplay her and Schneider seals the deal - only to be followed by Wilson taking on a spoken word feel, sounding like a mock beatnik instead of a goofy proto rap like Blondie. A+ job.
However, I always wondered, how do you do those dances? Apparantly there are 16 of them, but only 8 are expressly mention by name: the shugaloo, the shy tuna, the camel walk, the hipocrit, the coo coo choo, the aqua-velva, the dirty dog, and the escalator.
I did a youtube search, and the only one i could find was the hipocrit
thanks sarah palin
you have left me thoroughly disgusted at the idea of eating a turkey. i'm not a vegitarian, but i'm sympathetic to their cause. Patty's a vegitarian, and while she is considerate to the meat eaters in her life, her vegitarianism has led to huge improvements in my diet. I don't know if i can ever wipe meat out of my diet completely, but seeing the Palin video and the PETA video i found as a consequence makes me want to try.
Maybe theres nothing wrong with meat, but there sure is something wrong with cruelty to the animals you eat.
Watch more videos at PETA.org
Maybe theres nothing wrong with meat, but there sure is something wrong with cruelty to the animals you eat.
Watch more videos at PETA.org
while we're blaming the unions for ruining the auto industry
anyone have a gander at GM's ceo salary? 8.5 million.
but all those guys who work with heavy machinery and actually make the cars are getting too much pay and too many benefits. how dare they.
but all those
anyone notice the early christmas push?
i'm at the laudromat more than a week ago, and they're already playing christmas tunes. It's not even thanks giving . . . . and I think I know why.
The economy is in the shitter. People can point fingers all they want, but at this point it is undeniable that times are going to get worse before they better. the retail sector is getting hit hard as people cut back on discretionary spending.
so what can beat the "fear for my job" blues? maybe, just maybe, the christmas spirit. extending the christmas buying season, and playing up the connection between Christmas and gift giving (ie unnecessary consumer purchases) may be the only thing the retailers have to prevent a miserable season.
The econo
so what can beat the "
Monday, November 24, 2008
Pink Floyd's Let There Be More Light
The Beatles reference totally destroys the credibility of the most accessible song on Saucerful of Secrets.
if a so-called dictator can lose an election, is he really a dictator?
The idea of socialism is so scary to conservative American that they have to accuse its leading modern proponent of attempting to undermine democracy. There's a lot I don't like about Chavez, but I've never bought the idea that he was a dictator. After all, he wins election after election by enormous margins. And now the opposition party has taken some seats. Don't sound like a dictator to me.
Nor do I buy the line that he is anti-American. At worst, he's been anti Bush. And that's pretty generous of him since the United States actively supported a campaign to assassinate him.
You know what it really comes down to? He had the gall to kick out our oil companies and use his nations oil wealth to improve the lives of Venezuelans.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081124/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_elections
Nor do I buy the line that he is anti-American. At worst, he's been anti Bush. And that's pretty generous of him since the United States actively supported a campaign to assassinate him.
You know what it really comes down to? He had the gall to kick out our oil companies and use his nations oil wealth to improve the lives of Venezuelans.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081124/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_elections
scary shit
This is a fucked up story - not a political one - but it starts with me walking home the day before election day. That whole week I was wearing an Obama T-shirt. To get into my apartment you have to get through a security door, which puts you into a stairwell with access to 8 units. To get past the security door you either have to have a key or get buzzed in. To let somebody know you need to get buzzed in, you can hit a button that makes a noise inside the apartment.
As I'm walking up I discover this guy trying to get into the security door. I ask if I canhelp him, and he's clearly tanked. He asks if I know somebody, and I say that name doesn't sound familiar. I then scoot in in a way that keeps him out, and he starts making racist remarks at me because of my t-shirt. when i get upstairs my neighbor says he was hitting everyone's button. so i called the cops.
then, just last week, i was at the laudromat. typically, i'd go to the laundromat in oaklyn. it's nicer and there is always an attendent to make change for you. however, the oaklyn laundromat closes at 10:00, and it was late. So I went to the laundromat on Collings Ave next to Sorrento's Pizza. That place is a bit more of a dump and there is never an attendant. The only time I've ever met anyone connected with the place was when I was making change and a guy quized me to make sure i was going to use it all at the laudromat.
there were five other people in there. a white guy and his 12 year old kid, an asian guy, a black guy, and guy sitting on a bench not doing any laundry. nobody was talking - everyone was just doing laundry - except for the dad and the kid. the dad was helping the kid with his homework, talking out the difference between mitosis and meiosis, and the evolutionary advantages of sexual and asexual reporduction. i thought the way he was explaining it was on point, and when he stopped i told him so. for whatever reason, the broke the silence and everyone started talking - especially the guy on the bench. that's when i realized - he was the dude who was trying to get into the security door.
we all got to learn his sob story. he's homeless, and can't find a job. he just can't ditch the bottle for the life of him.
then the asian guy lost his money to a machine. we all tried to find a number for him to call, to no avail. that's when i said they need to have an attendent there, or something. then the homeless guy said, i'd love to be an attendent here. and then, for whatever reason, we started brainstorming to try to figure out how this guy could become the attendent. a win win win. laundromat owner gets a cheap attendent, the homeless guy gets a job, and people who lose their money in a machine get their money back. i suggested that he advertize his services to the owner by posting something on the billboard. but the guy was all excuses, and said, but i've got a record
so i said, so waht? its not like they're going to do a background check on you. just say you don't have one.
then he said, it's for sexual assaut
and then everyone stopped talking to each other. it was like, ok - - - - - fun times over. lets just go back to doing our laundry and get the hell out of there.
but the dude wouldn't shut up. nobody was talking to him. but he just kept going on and on about his miserable life. he told us the sexual assault wasn't his fault. he said everyone just walked in the room and the wrong time. the only reason he was pulling down his pants was because . . . .
and thats when everyone said enough! shut up! nobody wants to hear anymore! the dad and his kid got out fast. then the black dude left - and as the guy got into his car, the homeless guy says, you ever notice niggers always drive nice cars? they're dealing drugs.
then he started talking about asians and jews, to the asian guy, who was trying to ignore it as best he could. his observation was that the chinese and jews were both greedy people, but that chinese people work harder and stick together - even if they smell bad.
then he started talking about how easy it would be to steal the money out of the washing machines, and how the first thing he'd do is buy a 12 pack - and we were all supposed to laugh along with him at that one. then he told us how easy it would be to rob the drug store accross the street.
needless to say, i was geting my laundry out of the machie as fast as i could. the black guy came back so i didn't feel so bad about leaving the asian guy alone, and i got the fuck out. but as i was moving my laudry, the guy jumped up and tried to help me carry it to me car. no thanks, pal.
and i got the hell out, clothes half wet.
As I'm walking up I discover this guy trying to get into the security door. I ask if I canhelp him, and he's clearly tanked. He asks if I know somebody, and I say that name doesn't sound familiar. I then scoot in in a way that keeps him out, and he starts making racist remarks at me because of my t-shirt. when i get upstairs my neighbor says he was hitting everyone's button. so i called the cops.
then, just last week, i was at the laudromat. typically, i'd go to the laundromat in oaklyn. it's nicer and there is always an attendent to make change for you. however, the oaklyn laundromat closes at 10:00, and it was late. So I went to the laundromat on Collings Ave next to Sorrento's Pizza. That place is a bit more of a dump and there is never an attendant. The only time I've ever met anyone connected with the place was when I was making change and a guy quized me to make sure i was going to use it all at the laudromat.
there were five other people in there. a white guy and his 12 year old kid, an asian guy, a black guy, and guy sitting on a bench not doing any laundry. nobody was talking - everyone was just doing laundry - except for the dad and the kid. the dad was helping the kid with his homework, talking out the difference between mitosis and meiosis, and the evolutionary advantages of sexual and asexual reporduction. i thought the way he was explaining it was on point, and when he stopped i told him so. for whatever reason, the broke the silence and everyone started talking - especially the guy on the bench. that's when i realized - he was the dude who was trying to get into the security door.
we all got to learn his sob story. he's homeless, and can't find a job. he just can't ditch the bottle for the life of him.
then the asian guy lost his money to a machine. we all tried to find a number for him to call, to no avail. that's when i said they need to have an attendent there, or something. then the homeless guy said, i'd love to be an attendent here. and then, for whatever reason, we started brainstorming to try to figure out how this guy could become the attendent. a win win win. laundromat owner gets a cheap attendent, the homeless guy gets a job, and people who lose their money in a machine get their money back. i suggested that he advertize his services to the owner by posting something on the billboard. but the guy was all excuses, and said, but i've got a record
so i said, so waht? its not like they're going to do a background check on you. just say you don't have one.
then he said, it's for sexual assaut
and then everyone stopped talking to each other. it was like, ok - - - - - fun times over. lets just go back to doing our laundry and get the hell out of there.
but the dude wouldn't shut up. nobody was talking to him. but he just kept going on and on about his miserable life. he told us the sexual assault wasn't his fault. he said everyone just walked in the room and the wrong time. the only reason he was pulling down his pants was because . . . .
and thats when everyone said enough! shut up! nobody wants to hear anymore! the dad and his kid got out fast. then the black dude left - and as the guy got into his car, the homeless guy says, you ever notice niggers always drive nice cars? they're dealing drugs.
then he started talking about asians and jews, to the asian guy, who was trying to ignore it as best he could. his observation was that the chinese and jews were both greedy people, but that chinese people work harder and stick together - even if they smell bad.
then he started talking about how easy it would be to steal the money out of the washing machines, and how the first thing he'd do is buy a 12 pack - and we were all supposed to laugh along with him at that one. then he told us how easy it would be to rob the drug store accross the street.
needless to say, i was geting my laundry out of the machie as fast as i could. the black guy came back so i didn't feel so bad about leaving the asian guy alone, and i got the fuck out. but as i was moving my laudry, the guy jumped up and tried to help me carry it to me car. no thanks, pal.
and i got the hell out, clothes half wet.
Friday, November 21, 2008
NOFX's Mattersville
What a lame song. So when people who get rich off of a punk rock gimmick get old, they retire to a place where they can live in a retirement village caters to their nostalgia and desire for leisure. What's punk rock about that?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Spin so stupid its retarded
This is possibly the most stupid thing I've heard in weeks. I was listening to NPR Marketplace Morning Report, and they had some guy from the American Enterprise Institute who served as an economic advisor for John McCain. He said: It's a good thing that America's fiscal policy was bad because it gives us something to fix in response to the financial crisis. Hmmmmmm . . . . . Conservatives wreck the ecoonomy, and now they want us thank them for it?
By that logic -
It's a good thing the operating room was a mess - it gave the doctors something to do while the patient died of a heart attack.
I am so glad those morons will be out of power in less than three months.
By that logic -
It's a good thing the operating room was a mess - it gave the doctors something to do while the patient died of a heart attack.
I am so glad those morons will be out of power in less than three months.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Big Three Bailout: An Alternative Solution
I'm not for the bailout, per se. I agree with Greg Saunders when he says:
"The auto industry has been outsourcing American jobs for 25 years now with little regard for the devastated communities they’ve left in their wake (seriously, re-watch Roger & Me sometime). The big three have also used their lobbying might to oppose every environmental regulation in their sights. And on top of all of that, their cars suck. Bailing out the auto companies whose single-minded devotion to SUV’s made them blind to the hybrid revolution is like bailing out a record company that hasn’t had a hit since “The Macarena”. Screw them." http://thismodernworld.com/4581
But Atrios also has a couple good (but borrowed) points. First, he observes that the Republican opposition to the bailout only solidifies the gains Obama made in rust belt swing states like Ohio and Michigan. Second, he notes that:
"How about we take healthcare off their books? . . . Instead of writing a big check to the auto companies or loaning them money we could, you know, enroll all their employees in the new national health insurance system." http://www.eschatonblog.com/2008_11_16_archive.html#6574405605070297976
What an idea! Conservatives love to blame auto industry woes on the Unions' insistence on solid health care and a dignified retirement. Japanese automakers don't have to pay for such things - Japan already provides its citizens with health care and a guarantee of a decent retirement. Thus, Japanese automakers are at a competitive disadvantage to U.S. automakers out the gate. This is why I argue that healthcare is more than a mere commodity - it also a human right and KEY PART OF A SOCIETY'S ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE. Our refusal to see past terms like "socialism" puts us at a competitive disdavantage against every modern nation in the world because the cost of hiring a skilled employee necessarily involves offering him/her some type of healthcare as part of their employment.
"The auto industry has been outsourcing American jobs for 25 years now with little regard for the devastated communities they’ve left in their wake (seriously, re-watch Roger & Me sometime). The big three have also used their lobbying might to oppose every environmental regulation in their sights. And on top of all of that, their cars suck. Bailing out the auto companies whose single-minded devotion to SUV’s made them blind to the hybrid revolution is like bailing out a record company that hasn’t had a hit since “The Macarena”. Screw them." http://thismodernworld.com/4581
But Atrios also has a couple good (but borrowed) points. First, he observes that the Republican opposition to the bailout only solidifies the gains Obama made in rust belt swing states like Ohio and Michigan. Second, he notes that:
"How about we take healthcare off their books? . . . Instead of writing a big check to the auto companies or loaning them money we could, you know, enroll all their employees in the new national health insurance system." http://www.eschatonblog.com/2008_11_16_archive.html#6574405605070297976
What an idea! Conservatives love to blame auto industry woes on the Unions' insistence on solid health care and a dignified retirement. Japanese automakers don't have to pay for such things - Japan already provides its citizens with health care and a guarantee of a decent retirement. Thus, Japanese automakers are at a competitive disadvantage to U.S. automakers out the gate. This is why I argue that healthcare is more than a mere commodity - it also a human right and KEY PART OF A SOCIETY'S ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE. Our refusal to see past terms like "socialism" puts us at a competitive disdavantage against every modern nation in the world because the cost of hiring a skilled employee necessarily involves offering him/her some type of healthcare as part of their employment.
Vinyl Listening Party: Rancid's Let's Go
For along time, I've been wanting to get some friends over for a vinyl close listening party. The theory is that a vinyl record, when the source was recorded and mastered in analogue, carries more of the warmth of the session performance than a cd. thus, while a cd (or a lossless digital format like flac) is superior to an lp in the long run because it doesn't degrade with each play, a better experience can be had with an unplayed vinyl (depending, of course, on your equipment and how the music was recorded, mastered, and mixed).
I have some pretty good equipment. Nothing really fancy, but a nice set up of various cheap shit that I can connect my dj grade turntable to (a stanton direct drive straight arm). So all I needed was the record (I have a solid 80s metal collection, but all the records are well worn).
That problem was solved at a recent Rancid show at the Electric Factory. During an opening act, Jim DiRaddo and I got chummy with the merch dude, and before we left he hooked us up with four brand new picture disc vinyls: rancid (the first self titled album), lets go, life won't wait, and rancid (the second self titled album).
On Saturday, I set up my rig, invited Jim - a big Rancid fan - and my friend Aaron - a rock music encyclopaedist. The purpose was to get a load on, give the "Lets Go" a close listen, and discuss. In my mind, I wanted for all three of us to really focus on the album - but it was hard to do. People, especially drinking people, have a tendency to chit chat - and I more than goa load on ( i got tanked).
That said, it wasn't a failure by any means.
Before I started, I thought of Lets Go as comparable in quality to Out Come the Wolves. I compared the two albums to Slayer's South of Heaven and Seasons in the Abyss - two albums that are arguably career high points, with nothing more than listener prference to distiguish between the quality of the two.
I now stand corrected. A btter comparison, if one need be made would be to Slayer's Hell Awaits and Reign in Blood, Metallica's Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets, or more appropriately NOFX's White Trash and Punk in Drublic. In each of those circumstances, the earlier release contains undeniable gems and showcases the band's potential for the masterpiece that followed. Yet, in each of those cases, the earlier release had deep flaws.
Lets Go is a flawed album. Nihilism is a great song, but insufficient for the opening track. The single - Salvation - is the dullest song on the album. The title track has better parts than its whole. The second side is a hodge podge collection of songs that arn't unified in feel the way the first side is.
Nevertheless, high energy is pervasive throughout - only disrupted, if at all, for Salvation. The album lacks the slinky ska jams that makes Wolves a more rounded listen, but it is a mosh pit lovers dream.
The highlight of the album is Radio. Radio tells the story of a kid who uses music to escape life's unbearable hardships. The listener gets a glimpse into the narator's broken family during the verse, and a segue transitions the listener along with the narator into the world of music. The chorus is anthemic, and conveys the spirit of the type of punk show Rancid performs.
The star of the album is the bassist - except when he's singing. Throughout, the bass conveys the instrumental melody (largely abandoned by the guitars) with near metal virtuosity, without ever losing any punk rock grit.
In conclusion - Lets Go is a worthy album for anyone who wants to listen to early 90s punk without listening to another NOFX/ Bad Religion clone. It is not an immature album, but it has its low points. The casual fan who enjoyed the faster material on Wolves will find a number of solid songs of comparable merit on the first side, and some pieces of interest on the second.
I have some pretty good equipment. Nothing really fancy, but a nice set up of various cheap shit that I can connect my dj grade turntable to (a stanton direct drive straight arm). So all I needed was the record (I have a solid 80s metal collection, but all the records are well worn).
That problem was solved at a recent Rancid show at the Electric Factory. During an opening act, Jim DiRaddo and I got chummy with the merch dude, and before we left he hooked us up with four brand new picture disc vinyls: rancid (the first self titled album), lets go, life won't wait, and rancid (the second self titled album).
On Saturday, I set up my rig, invited Jim - a big Rancid fan - and my friend Aaron - a rock music encyclopaedist. The purpose was to get a load on, give the "Lets Go" a close listen, and discuss. In my mind, I wanted for all three of us to really focus on the album - but it was hard to do. People, especially drinking people, have a tendency to chit chat - and I more than goa load on ( i got tanked).
That said, it wasn't a failure by any means.
Before I started, I thought of Lets Go as comparable in quality to Out Come the Wolves. I compared the two albums to Slayer's South of Heaven and Seasons in the Abyss - two albums that are arguably career high points, with nothing more than listener prference to distiguish between the quality of the two.
I now stand corrected. A btter comparison, if one need be made would be to Slayer's Hell Awaits and Reign in Blood, Metallica's Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets, or more appropriately NOFX's White Trash and Punk in Drublic. In each of those circumstances, the earlier release contains undeniable gems and showcases the band's potential for the masterpiece that followed. Yet, in each of those cases, the earlier release had deep flaws.
Lets Go is a flawed album. Nihilism is a great song, but insufficient for the opening track. The single - Salvation - is the dullest song on the album. The title track has better parts than its whole. The second side is a hodge podge collection of songs that arn't unified in feel the way the first side is.
Nevertheless, high energy is pervasive throughout - only disrupted, if at all, for Salvation. The album lacks the slinky ska jams that makes Wolves a more rounded listen, but it is a mosh pit lovers dream.
The highlight of the album is Radio. Radio tells the story of a kid who uses music to escape life's unbearable hardships. The listener gets a glimpse into the narator's broken family during the verse, and a segue transitions the listener along with the narator into the world of music. The chorus is anthemic, and conveys the spirit of the type of punk show Rancid performs.
The star of the album is the bassist - except when he's singing. Throughout, the bass conveys the instrumental melody (largely abandoned by the guitars) with near metal virtuosity, without ever losing any punk rock grit.
In conclusion - Lets Go is a worthy album for anyone who wants to listen to early 90s punk without listening to another NOFX/ Bad Religion clone. It is not an immature album, but it has its low points. The casual fan who enjoyed the faster material on Wolves will find a number of solid songs of comparable merit on the first side, and some pieces of interest on the second.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
From socialist to conservative in less than two weeks
Barrack Obama of course! Yesterday, when conservatives were trying to scare us all into voting for a cranky old man and an inept beauty queen, they tried their damnedest to convince us Obama was a socialist. Today, with Obama's commanding win, they tell us he is a conservative in an attempt to convince us his election is no mandate on ending the war or providing Americans with better healthcare.
Lying windbags.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/768820.html
Lying windbags.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/768820.html
Are you sure it was a feminist and not a chauvinist?
I've never heard a feminist say that a woman with children needs to stay home. On the other hand, I hear plenty of social conservatives say that sort of thing all the time . . . particularly when they're talking about faceless women that don't really exist, and not the mexican woman they underpay to clean their house.
the quote:
But a friend (who doesn't always vote Republican) called with an interesting and different perspective on the Palin imbroglio. Not this one. And not the one about her clothes. But the original question as to whether a mother of five should even consider the vice presidency. "There were all these feminists saying 'A woman with children needs to stay at home,' " she noted with wonderment. But what about Todd?
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/13/todd-palin-dissed-too/
the quote:
But a friend (who doesn't always vote Republican) called with an interesting and different perspective on the Palin imbroglio. Not this one. And not the one about her clothes. But the original question as to whether a mother of five should even consider the vice presidency. "There were all these feminists saying 'A woman with children needs to stay at home,' " she noted with wonderment. But what about Todd?
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/13/todd-palin-dissed-too/
Mic City Sons by Heatmiser: recomended
Its the perfect intersection between early 90s mainstream grunge and Portland indie. Having Elliot Smith and Sam Coombs rocking together don't hurt either.
heres to jay steinhower
after talking it up with you, i had yeungling in your name.
here's to the next time your in town!
a metal head that will keep you laughing and thinking about life. that's jay.
here'
a metal
In other words, Bush is mad Obama refused a backroom deal
Obama leaks that Bush opposed a bail out of the auto industry - a policy I don't personally support, particilarly if it is not accompanied with majorconcessions and oversight. Bush is then forced to clarify that he tried to use aid to the auto industry as a bargaining chip to passage of another raw deal trade agreement with Columbia. Now Bush is steamed because Obama broke a tradition of keeping the contents of transitional meetings secret.
boo hoo
boo hoo
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