ETA: One Month

English tea gets me hyped

Want to see what I have been up to in the UK?? Check out my other blog at http://eurorobosphere.blogspot.com/


Just another weekend in Scotland, no big deal haha

Set Me Free

Off to England I go, only about 9 hours until I need to be to the airport. Just found this video and thought it fit my mood. Good song, good effects, goodnight.

One week until I leave the country!

I cannot believe I only have one week left here in the states before heading off to England for 4 months. This summer has been so hectic that I have just wanted my departure to get here ASAP so I can leave this place but now I am wishing I had more time ahead of me! I am not even taking extra time off from work, I will be working this whole week and then busy all day Saturday so that only leaves me with two free days before leaving! It's so crazy how fast the summer went and how much has happened in the past 3 months. I feel like I am so beyond out of time right now, there are so many people I want to make sure to hang out with during this next week... It is going to be really hard being that I work until 9pm everyday but I'll be trying my hardest. I also have plenty of preparing and such to do, what a week it will be! Anyway, I have another blog fired up at http://eurorobosphere.blogspot.com/ for my trip abroad. It is very bare right now but I will be updating it with a new template and posts as soon as I get overseas. I will still blog on this blog but most, if not all, of my Europe related happenings will be discussed at the new blog. Stay tuned!

Pepsi design fail? Coke design win?

I found this and got a laugh out of it.


Maybe it's just my graphic design side coming out but I think it's humorous that Pepsi keeps trying to reinvent their logo so much while Coca-Cola never has. I will give Pepsi credit to their most recent logo update however because it is pretty darn sleek. Also, if you never noticed, the white ribbon on the new Pepsi logo actually comes in different sizes depending on the product it is placed on (regular on Pepsi, thin on Diet Pepsi, and bold on Pepsi Max). Creative!

Where are you Robert?

I haven't blogged in a bit thanks to recent events and personal happenings that I would rather not share via the Internet, at least not for now. Let's just keep it simple and say I have a ton to do and a ton to figure out within the next month before leaving for England. Until then I will be trying to accumulate as much money as possible from work. This also means I will most likely be blogging a lot less for the next few weeks as I try to keep my priorities straight. I don't expect to give it up for good since it is a good release/time waster/outlet to keep my mind off things bothering me. Also, if things go as planned I will be launching my next blog shortly before leaving the U.S. and it will be dedicated solely to my experiences abroad. Thanks gang, and if you have nobody else to pray for, pray for me :)

'BOU FIX

I have come to the realization that Caribou Coffee causes a drug-like reaction in my body. I have always been a fan, more so during the summer because their line of "Coolers" make for the perfect summer drink. Yesterday before work I bought a medium caramel cooler and I must say, it really made my work day more bearable. I have been extremely sick of work lately because I have been getting scheduled 6 days a week working 3pm-9pm shifts whereas I normally work 5 days a week with 1pm-9pm shifts. One day off per week is a drag but yesterday I was definitely bringing my "A game". I pounded out at least 30+ projects in the time I was there and gave my supervisor next to no chance to micromanage me as he usual does. I was in a good mood, energized, and time went by fast. I blame you Mr./Mrs. Caribou cooler.

Makes me wish they were more like 3 bucks or something rather than $4.60. I would definitely buy them all the time if it meant better, more enjoyable work days. I have a hard time believing this is all just a result of caffeine intake because I have never really been affected much by it over the year. Rather, I think it is a combo of the delicious taste, whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and icy texture that makes it so uplifting on a summer day when you would much rather be doing something else other than stocking fruit and vegetables at Cub Foods for 6-8 hours. Oh and yes, I am drinking another one as I write this... it went perfect with a short cruise on the outskirts of town in this weather!

One Night

These are probably the only interesting facebook/myspace bulletin formats left haha. Put the iTunes on shuffle and answer the questions. Some make sense some don't, try it!

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?

Boi!

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Rockin to the Beat

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?

Merry Making At My Place

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

Hands of a Stranger

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Work is Never Over

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Da Funk

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

Antonia

WHAT IS 2+2?
Tight Jeans

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Complications

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Frontin'

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Be Alright

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Trapped Under Ice

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Digital Love

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Gangsta Bop

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Element of Danger (very fitting lol)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Rock Number One

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

Is You

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

What A Job

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
The Bottom

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Dr. Carter

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Encore

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Waters of Nazareth

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Your Glass House

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Fly Away

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
24's (Lol)

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Live Your Life

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Favorite Flavor

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?

Doomed Now

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
One Night

More Ed Hardy filth

I was reading my fave French blog which mostly caters to English speakers with a few exceptions and I found this alarming post from Busy P, the main man behind Ed Banger Records. Read the last few lines in English if you fail at French. Courtesy of
http://blog.coolcats.fr/

Ed Hardos!

communiqué
Paris, le 2 juillet 2009 à 22h45
L’homme d’affaires et styliste français Christian Audigier annonce qu’il va acquérir la dernière demeure de Michael Jackson à Los Angeles, dans le quartier de Holmby Hills.
Cette propriété appartient actuellement au CEO de Christian Audigier, Monsieur Hubert Guez, et était louée par Michael Jackson depuis quelques mois et pour les 6 prochains.
A l’échéance de cette location, Christian Audigier achètera cette propriété dans le but de garder intacts “les moments précieux qu’il y a partagé avec Michael Jackson”.
Par ailleurs, Christian Audigier, ami de Michael Jackson, souhaite racheter ce bien en souvenir du “King of Pop” afin d’en faire un lieu dédié à la mémoire de la star.

For our english friends, to make it short. The guy who is responsible for the horrible Ed Hardy trend got enough money to buy Michael Jackson’s house.

Of all the people who could claim MJ's house as their own, why does it have to be Christian Audigier?

An update on 'brain picking'

I wrote a post awhile back about how I have wanted to get a tattoo on the inside of my arm but am debating it because I don't know if it is meaningful enough, etc. Read the post here if you have not yet. Today I was reading one of my favorite blogs called The Hipster Runoff. This blog pokes fun at the "hipster" culture, something that goes hand in hand with most of the music I like. All of the posts on HRO satire something one way or another and take some pretty funny stands on the topics at hand. You kind of need to be up on the "culture" to begin with or else most of the terminology and sarcasm will go way over your head but I found a pretty funny post today that goes well with my previous tattoo posting. Check it out here after reading mine. It made me laugh, it might do the same for you.

I like Simian Mobile Disco

They have been releasing some seriously awesome videos lately, this is the most recent:

Transformers 2 reaction

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen was released at midnight last night/this morning and unfortunately I was not as impressed as I was with the first installment. This sequel was fun, obviously action packed, visually stunning, dramatic, etc. etc. etc. but it was almost too much. I felt like there were a lot of unnecessary aspects here including exploitation of Meghan Fox's good looks, the fulfillment of racial stereotypes via two of the new Autobot characters, and lots and lots of cheap humor. Yes I agree, Meghan Fox is quite attractive but does that validate the need for multiple camera angles that scan her entire body while she changes outfits, runs in slow motion, or works on a motorcycle while bending over it with short shorts on? Do robots really need to have obvious resemblances to the races they are negatively portraying? When did Transformers become a comedy? Maybe I am just getting too old or something, I honestly did feel like I was in high school again given the amount of youngins in the theater. Maybe if I was in 10th grade I would laugh at everything and let sex and product placement sell the movie for me too. Don't be discouraged though, the film as a whole was still pretty decent. The bar was set very high by the first film so I think my expectations were just too bold this time around.

Brain picking

I am considering getting a tattoo, I'm not sure when but I have wanted one for awhile now and for the past few months I have been pretty much set on getting a simple cross on the inside of my forearm, something that looks like this but higher up and without a matching friend. I feel like it would be pretty inexpensive, tasteful, and somewhat original compared to the over the top elaborate cross tattoos I see so much of. I guess the only thing making me wait on it is the fact that I don't really have a need for it or a cool story to back it up. I'm not very religious either so it wouldn't be much of a God thing of sorts. I am an uber fan of Justice who's logo happens to be the Christian cross although they claim there is no affiliation between their music and the faith. They use the cross as an icon for interpretation, "everyone can read it as they wish and make their own meaning of it", I like that. I think that plays a lot into why I want to get this simple tattoo but at the same time I don't want it to strictly be a "band tattoo", but then again I guess that wouldn't be so bad. I have a feeling it might get done while I am over in England...

I really hate when people say that they want to see you/hang out with you and don't follow through. I hate it more when I look forward to it and plan my day or time around whatever plans me and the person made and then the plans never happen. It's understandable that "things come up" and plans can change but what I'm talking about is people bailing just "cuz" and not for any valuable reason. This is the type of thing you can lose "friend points" over in my book. I won't hold a grudge but it's a pet peeve nonetheless. If you know that you don't want to do something don't say you want to, it's simple :)

Another thing I hate is the "bro" image aka guys who wear Ed Hardy and Affliction among other overly priced brands and act like they are hot shit because their t-shirt set them back $200 and their jeans are so "premium". These clothing lines are somewhat respectable on their own, I'll admit I have seen some nice Ed Hardy tees. For the most part however, the common consumer of such clothing can be summed up as attention hungry, insecure tools and/or "scene girls" trying too hard to be appreciated. I don't know what it is about the apparel but i see so many of it's wearers overly induced with high levels of testosterone and inflated egos, it's disgusting, please grow up. My opinion isn't uncommon either, a lot of my friends feel the same way but if you want a more blunt point of view read this. (Disclaimer: Apologies to the few friends of mine who purchase these products, you know who you are, you are not the definition of what I explained above haha, I am not friends with tools)

There are also things I love... more on that later

Currently...

I really wish I was at Sonar 2009 to witness SebastiAn's first ever "live" performance. I have always been a huge fan of his work and it's pretty awesome to see him performing live now and branching out from only doing DJ sets. There are not a lot of videos for it yet but I found some that are pretty epic. This first clip shows the start of SebastiAn's show as he steps on stage and starts to destroy. I really like his set up here, there's something about how simple it is and the incorporation of a podium style booth that makes it look powerful.


This next video shows a brief glimpse at SebastiAn wearing a mask resembling the white face logo from his "Ross Ross Ross" EP. A ton of these masks were also given out to the crowd as seen in the second video below. It is kind of a haunting site seeing everyone with these emotionless white faces while the chilling chords are being played but I love it! The third video shows a bit of "Dog" being played and to close out the set in the fourth video, the slightly intoxicated and nicotine filled SebastiAn steps down from his gear while letting the final track fade out so he can make his exit as if it hadn't come soon enough. Still amazing music and a great first "live".

Stumbling

My friend Amy told me about this site called Stumbleupon awhile back and every now and then I will use it to dig around on the internet. It's pretty cool actually and it has taken me to a lot of sites I would probably never normally find. My favorite stumble so far tonight is http://www.onesentence.org/. Take a look, some of the stories are really interesting.

Recent randoms

Backyard, backyard, backyard, Minneapolis, Minneapolis, St. Paul. Was hoping to get to the cities during some wicked lightning but by the time we got there the storm had passed and the skyscrapers had been turned off :( oh well. BTW these look a lot better in original sizes and full quality.

I love The Bloody Beetroots!

The Bloody Beetroots are back again with another crazy video clip to pick up where the extremely over the top music video for "Cornelius" left off. This new clip is a preview for Smash Your Stereo and the release of The Bloody Beetroots heavy remix to the already heavy soon to be released track "Who Are You?" by The Proxy. Even for how short this video is I had to watch it over and over because not only does it offer a great tease of their "Who Are You?" remix but the style of the footage is quite compelling to me. The Beetroots have always been near the top of my list and I love their music, their style and the pure chaos that ensues during their DJ sets. To go along with all of that, I also love their personal brand and how they are building upon it with recent releases and videos. If you have not seen the video for "Cornelius" you can watch it at the bottom of this post but let me warn you, I wasn't lying when I said it's over the top! In the meantime, "Who Are You?"

Ramblings on life

Here I am again, up late at night when I should have gone to sleep a few hours ago. Might as well ramble on the robosphere for a bit. Today is the 18th of June 2009 and I leave the U.S. on a flight to England on August 18th. This summer is already cruising by at an unbelievable rate and I will be living in Hogwarts before I know it. Even though I am beyond excited for the experience that is about to unfold I still wish summer would slow down. I feel like life goes by faster and faster each year and it's hard to believe that I will already be a senior this fall. A lot of thoughts cross through my mind when I think about how fast life is moving. It makes me think of all the things I have been through, all of the things I have yet to experience, all of the hard work I have accomplished and still need to accomplish, all of the life goals I have had, all of the people I have met, how much I have changed in certain areas, how much I am going to change still, the relationships that have come and gone, the many things I am grateful for, etc. This probably sounds awful but I have even been noticing elderly customers more often at work and thinking to myself how afraid I am to turn old. There is so much I want to experience and accomplish in life, so much I want to do for myself and others in what seems to be such a short time.

It feels like just yesterday I firmly decided which major I want to study at school and now I only have a year to a year and a half left to gain the knowledge and skills necessary before I'm off to the "real world." I used to hate St. Cloud State so much too. Freshmen year was not very enjoyable at all and sophomore year, although a bit better, was not my idea of a great time. It was not until this past year, halfway through my college career, that I finally started warming up to St. Cloud and actually loving it there. It's sort of ironic too being that this past school year had its fair share of negative happenings. Regardless of some hiccups along the way I am now really enjoying my time at SCSU and life in general lately has taken a big turn for the better.

As the title suggested, this has been nothing but ramblings. No rhyme or reason really, just some stuff in my head at the moment. There's a ton of things on my mind right now that I could spill out but I'll save the rest for another time so I don't get too blah blah blah on you. If there's anything to take away from this post it would be this... I recommend living your life for the good and not dwelling on the downfalls, mistakes, negativity, whatever. Don't allow stress to consume you, if you want to pursue something you love then go for it (more on that later), if things are not working the way you think they should or the way you think you deserve then try to fix it. Life is way too short not to be happy. I have been trying to live by this for awhile now and even though it can be hard, it's totally worth it.

Etienne de Crecy

I'm a big sucker for live set ups and light shows, especially if they are cutting edge and unique. My friend just told me about this band and I thought this video was pretty awesome. This cube light show is probably one of the better stage set ups I have seen since Daft Punk's Alive 2007 world tour (see below).

FOETOES

The above photos are some of my recent random shots (my friend's EVO, Chicago traffic, downtown Minneapolis, Chicago skyline) using my Nikon D60. I have always had a passion for photography and often received some nice compliments on my pictures from back in the day. Now that I finally have a professional camera I have been wanting to take pictures more and more. I am still learning the essentials as well as some cool tricks thanks to my buddy Drew who has been pumping out some serious photography work for awhile now. I think it is more fun to learn as I go first hand like this rather than in a classroom but I think I might take a photography class down the road, couldn't hurt right? I just want to learn more technical stuff, I think I have always had an eye for good shots/angles/points of interest, etc. but now I want to take things further. Do any of you out there enjoy taking pictures? What are your favorite things to shoot/what motivates you? I think photography is such a powerful and fun art form. I can't wait to bust out the D60 in Europe this fall!

KanYe West: Paranoid

What does working do for you?

I was at work today and it was another day in "paradise". I got in trouble for bringing Taco Bell into the back room and eating it before I started my shift. As a result, my store manager felt it necessary to call my supervisor and I up to his office for a chat. What ensued was a rant against my work ethic and a threat of termination. The store manager held his thumb and pointer finger up in the air at roughly half an inch apart and informed me that he was that close to letting me go. All over some Taco Bell? This sort of thing is far from new for me. I am reprimanded quite a bit by my store manager for tedious things like this. Just the other day I was scolded for wearing my name badge under my apron. Not long after that I was called out for wearing my radio without the earpiece in my ear... the list goes on. I understand rules and I understand work ethic. I have been working for this company for five years now, the past two of which have involved this new store manager. Since his arrival a lot has changed and no matter how hard I try to adapt I am constantly treated like a child. Today's events really got to me and I started contemplating a lot of different things, some work related, some not.

I started thinking about my time at Cub Foods and work in general. Specifically, I was thinking about how much stress I have let such an easy job bring upon me. I try to be a pretty calm and collected individual as much as possible but I just have a really hard time tolerating people that put me through things like I mentioned above, especially when I am a hard working and responsible employee. I wouldn't go as far to say that I have a problem with my superiors and company policies but what I do have a problem with is how my superiors handle these issues. Life is too short to be looking down on people and throwing around threats. At the end of the day there a far worse things that I could be doing on the job or to the company I work for. Anyway... I don't know what I am even trying to accomplish with this post. I guess I just needed to vent about it somewhat constructively rather than verbally having a fit or trying to discuss it face to face with someone who wouldn't understand. I will just continue to be a mindless drone in the eyes of my store manager and take the hits for the money. There's not much else out there for other options right now so I will just have to work extra hard to keep my cool.

Art Robots

I could see myself spending a lot of time with these things. It is interesting to see how advanced technology is becoming and how we can use it in so many uncommon ways that might not come to mind at first.

Kill The Noise live in MPLS June 2nd

I just stumbled upon some exciting news today. One of my favorite electro DJs, Kill The Noise, will be DJing at The Entry in Minneapolis on Tuesday June 2nd as part of the Scion Metro Tour. What's even better is that this event is free if you RSVP at the website! KTN will be accompanied by another great artist by the name of Klever as well as a few DJs I have not heard of before, DJ Haul and Rob Wonder. It isn't very often that my fave DJs come to these parts so I am definitely trying to head to this show, especially since it is free. If you are not familiar with the venue, The Entry is attached to First Avenue, a popular club and bar on first avenue in Minneapolis. As a result, this event is strictly 21+ which in my opinion makes it even better. If you are interested in going I recommend RSVPing here as soon as possible and show up early the night of the show because your RSVP does not guarantee entry if capacity is reached.

BRO!

My buddy showed me this video last night and I thought it was hilarious. I'm always a sucker for a good "bro" joke and this took it to the next level, literally! The guys that made this video have a lot of good stuff on Youtube so I will share some other faves with you. They make some really random comedy so if you don't like random humor then you might not appreciate these.






They have way to many good skits so check out their other videos here because I had a hard enough time narrowing these down.

Summertime!

Summer is finally starting to feel like summer and I couldn't help but think of Will Smith's classic "Summertime" (above). I love this song, it is so laid back and smooth and it fits my mood perfectly today. I am really loving how things are panning out so far since school ended. I have been able to keep in touch with good friends, meet up with a few of them from out of town, hang out with old friends I had not seen while I was away at school, and I finally started working again. I am even close to terminating my lease soon! That was the biggest stress factor I was facing for the summer being that I would have been paying rent for a place I wasn't even going to live in... it's complicated.

All in all I am glad I can finally start to relax and enjoy myself with minimal worries. It was a fun spring semester, I was able to experience a lot and meet a ton of great people. By the looks of things now, this summer has some major potential to be amazing, just in time for me to leave for England in August. I suggest playing the above video on "HQ" and turning it up. I would even advise repeating the process a few times in a row while enjoying the company of friends and the refreshment of a cold drink. Happy summer!

Think before you eat

I am a big fan of "going green" regardless of the varied opinions on the issues surrounding it.  I feel that there is no negative side to going green so we should all take part in it in one way or another.  Our nations food industry is one of the heavy hitters in this cause, specifically regarding the way that the industry's practices impact consumers and the environment.  If you are not familiar with the dark side of what we eat and why it is one of the most important social and environmental issues right now then check out this trailer for an upcoming documentary called Food Inc. This film will show you the hidden truths of our food system and the subsequent outcomes that we don't always take into consideration.



One of the points made in this film is the extensive use of corn in so many of our foods. A good documentary about that topic in itself is King Corn.  It is pretty interesting to learn just how much corn we consume.  It is literally put into just about everything.  If you're at all interested in becoming more educated about our environment and how our food industries impact it, I suggest looking into these documentaries.  King Corn is available now and Food Inc. will be released June 12th.

Money Money MONEY

The economy is awful, it is old news now.  Regardless, I still can't help but stress constantly about money, bills, and daily living expenses.  I haven't been as broke as I am now in years and what's worse is that I have been busting my butt to find work or save money with minimal success.  My connections in the work place are barely pulling through and continue to go back and forth with complications.  I still don't know if and when I will be hired at my old job.  I am also facing the burden of paying four months of rent this summer for an apartment I am not even living in.  I am sitting on a dwindling savings account and an uncertain fate with employment, or the lack thereof, so I have no idea how rent will pan out.  On top of this and other financial issues, my main goal for this summer was to save up enough money to afford some good travel time while studying abroad in England this Fall.

Everything is so up in the air right now and the only thing that is constant is the steady decline of my bank account.  I would be more accepting of these circumstances if I were just lazy and made no attempts to get anywhere but I have been doing the complete opposite for months now.  It is no longer a matter of not being able to afford "wants" but it is now an issue of barely being able to afford "needs".  Can anyone relate or am I just wasting a blog post with unnecessary complaining?  Sometimes I wish money didn't "make the world go 'round".  I know things could be A LOT worse but for how much energy I am putting into things, they could be better still.  I am grateful for what I have and what I have accomplished as well as for the people in my life so I know one could argue that I have no right to complain but I guess I just needed a minor digital release.  Moving on.

The demise of MTV, VH1 and our generation

I have finally reached the breaking point and can no longer contain myself.... MTV and VH1 utterly disgust me. They have disgusted me for years now but I finally snapped tonight. I rarely watch TV at all anymore but I flipped through the channels tonight and mistakenly came upon the duo-force of mind rotting filth known as VH1 and MTV. All I saw was 15 seconds of New York's face and I had to change the channel. I pressed the "up" button on my remote only to find that The Hills was being (over)played again on MTV. It seems like every time I find myself on these two channels I am faced with horrible programming either staged or "real" that does nothing more than corrupt the minds of its viewers. We are brainwashed to assume that what we see on these programs is what happens in real life. Now to be fair, I won't deny that some of the issues and behaviors depicted on these channels do actually happen in real life but not on the large scale in which these stations portray them. Being a "tool" on Tool Academy is not something to be proud of, nor should you have the chance to be a TV star.  You are immature and embarrassing and that should not be considered entertaining.

The endless amount of seasons devoted to "I love this/I love that/I Love Money, etc." along with Rock of Love and other distasteful contests for "love" or other rewards are ridiculous.  Nobody is going to find love on these shows and subjecting yourself to humiliation for money is just sad.  Why viewers see this as entertaining is unknown to me.  We gain very little, if anything at all, from these shows and at most they are dumbing us down and filling our heads with unrealistic expectations on how life should be lived and how people should act or be treated.  Also, drama amongst spoiled ignorant California 20-somethings is not entertainment either. You are not going to learn anything of value from Heidi, Spencer, Audrina, Lauren or any other character on The Hills and they are not good depictions of how you should live your life.  What is so interesting about seeing these people go out to eat and get mad at each other over the most idiotic of reasons?  Enjoying this kind of drama isn't a good quality to have.

It is extremely upsetting to me that so many of my peers and others devote time to such disgusting television.  I don't even know why MTV is still called Music Television when so much of their block is taken up by programming that is completely unrelated to music.  VH1 should change their name to "False Reality" since they devote so much energy to these "reality" shows.  Many of you may not understand or agree with my point here but if nothing else, think about what you're actually watching when you flip to these channels.  Take a moment to utilize your brain and analyze how beneficial these programs really are rather than just letting them suck you in.  If nothing else, don't conform.  Just because it is on TV doesn't mean what you see is a depiction of how you should live your life.

E.T. Chrome home

Google recently released their Internet browser Google Chrome and I must say, I am definitely a fan. I have never been one of those people who hated Internet Explorer, I honestly rarely had issues with it. I have also never been a huge fan of Fire Fox like most people. If I had to choose a favorite browser it would probably be Safari but I don't have my own Mac yet so that doesn't really apply too well. I decided to give Chrome a shot the other day and I am already really impressed. It is clean, fast, and up-to-date with competitors. When you first open the browser it shows your most viewed websites a well as recently visited favorites among other things. It makes browsing the web quick and easy and more enjoyable than I thought it could be. I have only been using it for a few days now but I have not had any issues whereas Internet Explorer has decided to freeze or close out on a regular basis for me now. Give Chrome a try, it's free and downloads really fast from the Google homepage.

RiP: A Remix Manifesto

One of the biggest issues in our society these days is piracy and the overwhelming amount of "illegal" downloading taking place online. Alongside this issue is the corporate fight against it as studios, record companies, labels, etc. attempt to get back at consumers who download music, movies, and other products illegally. This is a pretty interesting topic to me especially in regard to music production, sampling, and the music industry itself among other things. I stumbled upon a documentary called RiP: A Remix Manifesto, a film detailing the above issues and heavily starring the popular mash-up artist, Girl Talk. It is an interesting documentary about copyright and remix culture and you can download it for the price of your choice here.

The Science

Interesting new video from Murs. I like the style of the video and the song in general kind of makes you think. This is definately not cookie-cutter rap.

Graphic design gold

Justice has an amazing video for "DVNO" which shouldn't be new news to you but I stumbled on a really interesting article about it today. If you notice, the video is comprised of numerous graphics and logos, many looking similar to actual TV channel logos or company logos from the 80's. This article at The FontFeed dissects nearly every scene/logo of the DVNO music video offering explanations of font styles and references to real logos. There is a lot of graphic design and typography jargon in this article so if you're not into graphic design technicalities just ignore it. What's really cool is seeing each logo from the video and the comparison that follows. They even offer Youtube links to some of the comparisons including some of my favorite references to the old HBO ident and Stephan J. Canell Productions. I highly recommend watching the video first below and then reading the link, not only is the video amazingly crafted but it's more fun to read the analysis when you have seen the video rather than relying on still shots in the article.

Justice - DVNO from Freedom Record on Vimeo.

Check out an interview with Justice in this link as well if you're curious about the concept behind DVNO.

M83 video contest winner

I feel like this is turning into a music blog and that isn't my intention but music is a huge part of my life. M83 is a band I fell in love with this year and they recently held a video competition for a track from their most recent album Saturdays = Youth. The track is called "We Own The Sky" and in my opinion it is a really good piece of music on its own and it sets up the stage perfectly for some good slow motion video. As a result, almost all of the competition entries I watched a few months back consisted of slow motion shots as does this winning entry. This video capitalizes on the track title in a creative way as you'll see towards the end. If you are not familiar with M83's music you should check it out. Most of it is pretty mellow even compared to this track being that it is part of the shoegaze genre. I have a lot of M83 albums and they are perfect to relax to so get your hands on them.


M83 - We Own the Sky from Mute Records on Vimeo.

Tweet Tweet

What is the value of Twitter? Better yet, what's the point? I used to ask questions like this but now I am hooked on social networking's new kid on the block (not so new but arguably so in terms of popularity). When I first started hearing about Twitter I didn't fully comprehend the need for such a basic site allowing users to only update their statuses. I have been an avid user of Facebook since the days when it was rightfully only open to real college students and I originally saw more of a purpose in a site like Facebook rather than Twitter. I was attracted to Facebook's various features and depth but now I am finding myself making a 180 degree turn and favoring Twitter for its cleanliness (no annoying applications, ads, updates, reminders, suggestions, etc.), simplicity (a status bar and a short user bio get the job done superbly), and ability to be constructive (depending on who/what you're following, Twitter can be a great source of information whereas Facebook is geared more towards non-essential time-wasters).


My Twitter account is still young but I am now following organizations and companies such as the Advertising Federation of Minnesota, Advertising Age, Reuters, Campus Media and others geared towards my field of study. I also have friends and favorite artists on my list so I can keep in touch and see where the next must-see concerts are. Now rather than logging into Facebook and seeing my news feed dominated by everyone's "Top 5 __________ " and other pointless announcements, I can log into Twitter and see the latest news updates from Reuters or whats going on in the advertising industry according to AdAge. It's highly useful and beneficial and allows for quick access to essential information. If you are not a part of the Twitter sensation yet, you should really give it a shot because it might turn out to be better than you expected which was the case for me.

KanYe West - Amazing

Ba ba ba ba ba ba

Summer is almost here and it makes me want to listen to some giddy electro tunes with otherwise cheesy lyrical aspects that end up sounding half way decent. A prime example is Owl Vision's remix of "Ba ba ba" by Miss Li. At first listen I was annoyed as all get out by the lack of a heavy kick and the vocal loop but this song didn't take long to grow on me. Maybe it depends on your mood when you listen to something like this but it isn't half bad and I could see it working well into various sets or the new mix tape I have planned for the near future (Once I get some more free time).

Download here:
Miss Li - Ba Ba Ba (Owl Vision Remix)

Another recent Owl Vision remix worth a listen is "You", originally released by Steedlord. Similarly to "Ba Ba Ba", it still lacks the kick that gets me fired up but it's pretty heavy and the vocal edits flow really well with the sound he's made here. Check out his MySpace for more.

Justice remix U2

This news is a few weeks old but I feel like I should fulfill my die hard Justice fan status by blogging about it anyway. U2 released a new album in early march and the single "Get On Your Boots" has been officially remixed by Justice at the request of Bono and company. I have never been a follower of U2 but I love this remix. It honestly took me a bit of getting used to and I still don't care much for the U2 lyrics throughout but this is definitely an interesting track. It switches to multiple angles angles more then once and does the job of making a U2 song danceable for once. There's no word on the official release yet but thanks to the blogosphere you can snag the mp3. Take your pick from these music blogs offering the track courtesy of Elbo.ws

This remix alleviated some of my F.E.D.S. and Justice withdrawals. Merci

Digital Detox recap

Digital Detox Week ends tomorrow and as you can tell it was quite hard for me to accomplish. I did manage to cut down on the amount of time I waste on Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, etc. etc. but to quit all together was impossible for me. I didn't notice anyone else taking part in this either so it looks to me that most people have accepted the takeover of digital interactions and no longer mind the lack of face to face contact as the dominant form of socializing. It is kind of sad that so many aspects of our lives are being replaced by the digital age/advancements in technology. I won't deny that I'm a big fan of technology and such and I clearly love everything that I was supposed to give up during Digital Detox Week but it's still kind of pathetic how these things can control us so much.

This campaign opened my eyes big time and even though it was hard to give everything up entirely, I was able to cut down on my habits drastically and I survived. I hope more people joined in on this because I think keeping these digital dependencies in check is a smart approach to getting back in the habit of real forms of interaction that don't revolve around Facebook "Bumper Stickers" or "Top 5 Applications" and updating your status or Twitter with random quotes or highly unnecessary statements that you otherwise wouldn't waste your breath announcing. Here's to next years Detox Week.

You're one in a million...

I know I am totally deviating from Digital Detox Week but I could not wait any longer to share this. DatA is back with more audio gold on his new EP "One In A Million" which will be available on April 28th. After killing it with "Rapture" in 2008 he's not only offering this upcoming release but will supposedly be dropping a FULL LENGTH album in May called Skywriter. Here is the album tracklist so far:


1. Verdict
2. One In A Million
3. Aerius Light
4. So Much In Love
5. Electric Fever
6. Nightmare
7. Rapture
8. Renaissance Theme
9. Skywriter
10. Morphosis
11. Piste 11

I'm sure Skywriter will deliver plenty of epic tracks but in the meantime check out this club version of "One In A Million," it's pretty hot. If I ever found a girl who was one in a million I would probably use a song like this for the soundtrack of the moment as well.


Ok back to detox :)

One week detox

I won't be blogging this week from the 20th to the 26th because I am trying this one week digital detox program. I find myself spending way too much time on the Internet especially with Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and even this blog. I have already said goodbye to Facebook and MySpace for the week via my status updates. I also changed my default pictures to one of the posters for Digital Detox Week seen above so more people can get the idea.

I already know this will be very difficult for me and I doubt I will be able to go without the Internet entirely but saying no to the above social networking sites will be a big step. We waste a lot of time on unnecessary digital "necessities" so the only thing I will use the Internet for this week will be email and homework since those remain pretty essential. Other than that it's so long to other websites along with TV and cell phone use. Wish me luck, I hope you do the same.

MSTRKRFT - Fist of God

MSTRKRFT recently released their second album Fist of God back in mid March. It received average reception from critics but successfully showcases the duo’s newfound sound and compositional style. This album takes on a much different feel than their first album, The Looks, which was released back in 2006. Nearly every track on Fist of God features guest appearances by artists such as E-40, Ghostface Killah, N.O.R.E., and Freeway among others. The first single, “Bounce,” featuring N.O.R.E. was released several months prior to the album and was well received and heavily remixed offering a healthy dose of distortion laced with plenty of party lyrics. Other notable tracks include “Heartbreaker” featuring John Legend, and “Click Click,” a heavy, fast paced electro banger filled with the quick rhymes of E-40. The whole album flows seamlessly with each song blending into the next. If you like to hear gritty, synth-heavy party music or are just looking for something different, this is a good grab for ya and is available at Amazon.com or iTunes for about $10.

Coachella 2 Days Away. Belvedere IX

I really don't know why I am devoting another post to the Coachella festival since I have no means of attending but I really wish I could be there. It's going down this weekend, all weekend. Check out my previous post about the event for the lineup flyer and other info. Alongside the Coachella festival this weekend, Belvedere IX will be teaming up with Music Loves Fashion to host a Coachella party with 40+ DJs in attendance including some of my personal faves, DJ Mehdi, SebastiAn, Kavinsky, LA Riots, and A-Trak among others.

This is looking like it will be one of the premier Coachella parties this year for the big dogs and the event will include VIP helicopter service to and from the festival. No idea of the costs but all proceeds are going to ONE X ONE, an organization that helps children with education, hunger, and health care. Check out these posters and promo vid if you're lucky enough to attend.


Mr. IX from Mr. IX on Vimeo

Brule's Rules. For your health

I know I'm late on this because these segments have been around for awhile now but regardless, they are hilarious! You should recognize John C. Reilly from Talladega Nights and Step Brothers, etc. but you may not be familiar with his spot on Adult Swim in Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job.

This show is similar to the wackiness of the other Adult Swim programs and maybe even a little more awkward. John C. Reilly plays the part of Dr. Steve Brule, a channel 5 news correspondent who offers tips and life advice. This character kills me. Here are some of my favorite clips, for your health.

Drink to the Earth!

Whether you believe in global warming or not, the environment is always worth taking care of. One of the many current issues out there right now is the consumption of bottled water and other beverages in plastic containers. Bottled water is extremely popular among consumers regardless of the fact that its no healthier than tap water, it produces nearly 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year, and is part of the overall corporatization of water. Boxed Water is taking a new approach to bottling water by boxing it up in recyclable, sustainable cartons that are better for the environment. Currently that are only available in Michigan but are expected to be sold everywhere soon. If you want to take further action now, check out this site.

Surprise guest at Forma.T party

This event sold out without a name on the bill and the surprise guest was Xavier from Justice. I would have lost it. More Forma.T party info here.

Missingtoof needs dentures

Here is another blog post about a blog for ya. Last time I talked about The Hood Internet. Today I am going on a rant about Missingtoof, my long lost favorite music blog. I think it was back in 2007 when I found out about Missingtoof. It was one of the first music blogs that kept me coming back at the time along with the likes of The Fast Life, One More Disco and others. Back then I was new to the music blog world so I would spend hours scanning the archives of these sites snagging epic music. Once I got my fill I would check back for daily updates. That's when things slowed down.

I'm not sure what happened but Missingtoof went from frequently adding new tracks to updating posts once a week at best. There was one span of time not long ago where the site went un-updated for months. They recently got back in the game but if you notice the homepage today, they are looking for a new server since they got booted for terms of service violations... that post is almost three weeks old. Step it up Toof! I would like to see the blog make a swift comeback so I can get to my mp3 grind rather than settling for sub-par blog tunes.

Another reason I want to go to Coachella

Busy P is bringing some of the ED BANGER RECORDS crew along with friends into the DOME for 4+ hours of awesome. This is an addition to the other performances that these guys are already taking part in so that means more set times of some of my favorite DJs. If only I had disposable income and some vacation time.

I don't know what the Dome is other than an obviously cool looking structure for housing a DJ set but I guess it's been around in the past. I was reading some Coachella forums about the Ed Banger Dome night and it seems to be getting a lot of love a long with a bit of hate. I'm not sure how you could hate anything Ed Banger related but I suppose I hold a bias. One post on the forum stated "anything but the ed banger crew, I would almost rather have trance than them." I'm assuming this was written by some acid junky. I still wish I could go.

The Hood Internet

If you're up on your game when it comes to music blogs or the "blogosphere" in general then The Hood Internet shouldn't be a new one for ya. If you have no idea what I'm talking about let me give you a brief rundown. The Hood Internet is a music blog that has been around for a few years now and specializes in original mashups. Many of the tracks created by THI are often the result of mixing two or more songs together that you wouldn't normally expect to be mixed. Their work is similar to Girl Talk so if you like mashups and remixes then take a peak.

As of today's update, some of the notable posts on The Hood Internet include the likes of Phil Collens vs. Yelle, Flo Rida vs. MSTRKRFT, and Beastie Boys vs. Matt & Kim. Some of their work is an instant banger and other tracks call for an aquired taste but this is blog-house talent that you should at least check out once in awhile.

Coachella

It looks like one hell of a line up for the Coachella Valley Music Festival this year which is only 11 days away. I really wish I had the money and the time to take a trip to Cali for this three day epic event. I first learned of Coachella in 2006 after hearing that Daft Punk performed in the Sahara Tent that year. Since then Coachella has brought in many of my favorites including Justice and the Ed Banger crew alongside Boys Noize and many other electronic heavy hitters.

This looks like a packed weekend with some really descent acts. The set times and stage line ups still have not been determined but I'm sure the Sahara tent will again be home for most of the electronic DJs. It would be nice to see a few of them on the main stage though. Check out http://www.coachella.com/ for more.

Random post on light use

I am working on a global citizenship project for my human relations course and the point of the project is to take part in multiple actions that will change who we are and how we effect the world. The first action I am starting today involves cutting back on the use of lights. It might seem like I'm beating a dead horse but lighting is one of the most overlooked energy wasters, especially here on my college campus.

For starters, I decided to no longer use the lights in my room during the day. If there is enough sunlight coming through the window there is no point for artificial lighting. Come night fall, rather than flipping on the big ceiling light I am only using my desk lamp unless more light is needed. These actions can be done anywhere, really. Furthermore, in the residence halls all the hallway lights, bathroom lights, lounge lights, etc. are on pretty much 24/7 regardless of motion sensors in certain areas. I decided to rebel a little bit here and turn these off on my own. Anytime I use the bathroom, I shut off all but one switch when I leave (safety matters), if I use a kitchen or lounge, I kill all the switches on my way out. The hallways in our buildings are a different story, not all lights can be turned off due to safety reasons so I typically turn off one or two switches.

Granted, the lights don't stay off for too long because so many people come and go but I am spreading the word and hopefully getting some people to join in. There is really no point for unnecessary amounts of lighting, especially with our environment going to hell. You can do the same, and I encourage you to do so. If you live on a campus, try doing what I mentioned. Try it anywhere for that matter. It takes no effort at all to turn off a light switch but the benefits really add up.

Trendfold

I forgot to mention a few posts back when I shared the video for WARP that I wrote a more in depth posting about the release on a blog called Trendfold. Trendfold (Tfold) is a relatively new site that a friend of a friend of mine has created for college guys. It is basically like Wikipedia in the sense that readers can submit content (as long as it is appropriate and relevent to the categories the blog covers) to be posted.

The blog focuses on entertainment, music, fashion, women, electronics, and other trendy whatnot geared towards a male college level audience. Be sure to check it out and take a look at my posting on WARP along with the other articles. For more links that I think are worthy of visit, check out my link sidebar under my profile and archive.

-R

Justice Withdrawals

It has been just shy of three months since I saw Justice for the first time in my life on New Year's Eve. They wrapped up their lengthy world tour in 2008 and have since been laying relatively low. Aside from continuing to perform DJ sets here and there (mainly throughout Europe at events not publicized in the states), they seem to be under the radar. I fully understand that this is a common cycle for many performers: release an album, tour the world, go back to the studio/in hiding, etc. etc. Regardless, I need my Justice fix! I continue to keep A Cross the Universe on repeat as well as many other classics from my extensive Justice library including Planisphere and a handful of their DJ sets but I'm ready for more.

There is no telling when the new album will be released, as Justice often admit in interviews, they are very slow in the area of production and usually go through extensive stages of planning or no planning at all before coming to a conclusion on a final product. I went through similar withdrawals with Daft Punk after their epic Alive 2007 tour wrapped up and Justice was my cure for that episode. What am I to do now? There are so many different rumors regarding the release of the new Daft Punk studio album that I have no idea where to begin. On top of that, the Daft duo has just been contracted to compose the score for Tron 2.0 (I approve) so there is no telling when I will be relieved of my French electronic deficiency syndrome (let's call that F.E.D.S.) via the sounds of Daft Punk or Justice.

Until then I will just have to keep listening to the hits and spending valuable time on my fave music blogs in search of new noise.

-R

Twitter

I am now on Twitter, follow me to your heart's content

http://www.twitter.com/robertzarske

WARP 1.9

The Bloody Beetroots: WARP EP, released today including WARP 1.9 and WARP 7.7


The Hoover is making one hell of a comeback.

Kid Cudi - Day N Night

This track has been remixed like nobody's business. Video by SO ME, the mastermind art director for Ed Banger Records.

First off

Hello all, I want to keep this short and sweet.

I love the Internet and day-to-day life occurrences whether online or experienced first hand. Lately I find myself stumbling on things online and wanting to share them with my friends but not being able to do so in an efficient way. As a result I decided to start a blog for things I like and random jargon I feel like posting. This is not my first attempt in the blog world, I started a few of them in years past and 'momma' nature took them where she wished. Here's another attempt and it's nothing overly glamorous, I'm simply a 20-something collegiate with various passions and an urge to expose them.