Do Da Rockman

Another hit rap single/video featuring the oddly naive faux-rockstar aesthetic has popped up from Montana Da Mac & DJ Unk.
"Rock On (Do Da Rockman)"

So weird.

(I do spot a Suffocation and SOIA shirt in the video)

Convoy

As a little kid growing up in Wyoming, I would play 'Convoy' with my best friend. We would each pretend to be truckers and talk in trucker lingo and hate on law enforcement.
It was all based around the film Convoy but we both had real-life truckers in our families and we were really intrigued by the lifestyle/profession. I still have a lot of respect for truck drivers. The shit they have to deal with is awful.

I just had the opportunity to re-watch the film Convoy. I didn't expect much from it but I wanted to see it as an adult.
All the trucker lingo is in there, good buddy. I also found something in the film I didn't expect; progressive politics!

The film was released in 1978 and I think progressive politics were a lot more pervasive in society than they are now.
How many recent films can you think of where the cop is the villain?.. and not for doing anything other than being an over-zealous and anti-union pig?!

The plot is paper thin and the impetus for their convoy is a bit convoluted but it does involve an entire restaurant standing up to a racist cop.
As the convoy progresses and turns into a political protest, we see the "leader" Rubber Duck (played by Kris Kristofferson) voice anti-hierarchical attitudes and other truckers articulate grievances with "big money" and racist oppression.

It all ends with a deep distrust of politicians and unrepentant "criminals" as heroes.

the system is working fine

Living in the SF Bay Area, I am surrounded by well-intentioned Liberals.

I am constantly getting sooo annoyed at people who are concerned with the ills of capitalism yet do not see this economic system as the problem.
It drives me nuts.

I think there are basically 2 paradigms:
1) The idea held by Liberals that this system is broken and if we could just fix it (usually explained as getting Bush out of office), the system would work correctly and we would all be ok.
2) People that know this system is working correctly and THAT is the problem!

It would seem the do-gooder Liberals believe there is some correlation between improving this system and bumper stickers.

(I also realize how privileged it is for a radical to complain about being surrounded by Liberals which is quite different and less threatening than being surrounded by Christian Conservatives.)

Free Joma!

Filipino communist exile Jose Maria Sison has been arrested by Dutch police on murder charges.

The New People's Army has already come forward with admittance to the killings. Sison maintains he is not in the leadership of the NPA nor the Communist Party of the Philippines

The Philippine government has been out to get Joma since day one and this arrest has killed peace talks between the government and National Democratic Front (NDF).

Philippine National Police are claiming credit in aiding Dutch authorities.
The Dutch pigs also raided the homes of NDF members.

Actions are being organized at Dutch Consulates to demand Joma's release.

Hipster Olympics

HILARIOUS!!!!!!!

Fuck Vick!

Douchebag dog killer, Michael Vick, has accepted a plea agreement on Federal charges for a dog fighting ring run from a property he owned.

His co-defendants have stated that Vick took part in hanging and drowning dogs to death and funding the dog-fights.
He is now trying to say that he did not share in the profits from the fights. Ya, right. I guess he killed and tortured the dogs just for fun.

Vick's statement:
"It's just I made a mistake in using bad judgment and making bad decisions...Dog fighting is a terrible thing, and I did reject it... through this situation I found Jesus and asked him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God. And I think that's the right thing to do as of right now."

Fuck Michael Vick and his bullshit religion!
He should be put in a pit with some of the dogs he trained and then before they kill him, he should be drowned.



(thanx Mel)

Clif Builder's Bar: Vanilla Almond

FINALLY!!!!!!

Clif Builder's Bar came out with a new flavor!
Vanilla Almond

Happy Birthday Kent!

8/25/07 is Kent McClard's 40th birthday party in Santa Barbara, CA.

His zine No Answers was a major force in my political and punk development. Subsequently, HeartattaCk and his label Ebullition were EXTEMELY important to 90's hardcore/punk.

Happy birthday Kent!

"I don't want to end up with a noose around my neck, or some poison in my body, or a needle in my arm, or the barrel of a shotgun in my mouth. "

CNN: God's Warriors

CNN has been airing a 3part investigative special into Jewish/Islamic/Christian fundamentalism: God's Warriors.

I haven't seen all of the specials (I actually have yet to see the one on Muslims) but the parts I have seen are extremely impressive.
It is far superior to most of what the US media reports on these subjects.

The one on Jewish fundamentalism might as well just be about Zionism. It even makes the distinctions between religious Zionism,political/secular Zionism, and Christian Zionism. Right on!

All of the segments reveal a lot about the (US) funding of fundamentalism and how religion has become a major socio-political force since the 70's.

These people are nuts.
This is really a must-see.
(It is re-airing again this weekend... and I am recording it if anyone who knows me wants to come over and watch them.)

Star Wars fanboy guide

haha

I actually do have the Star Wars Holiday Special.



(taken fron Bonniegirl)

Zidane in San Jose?..

Zinedine Zidane is one of the best footballers in history. Now he is retired and, I believe, should stay retired so as to not tarnish his legacy (as pro athletes so often do).

However, a Yahoo Sports editorial lists the top 10 international superstars who should be on the MLS radar and Zidane makes the list. The article goes as far as to suggest he could join the new San Jose Earthquakes expansion.

As much as I don't want to see Zidane back on the pitch, if he played for San Jose, my local club, I would have to support every home game!

Scourge demo

My boys in Scourge recorded their demo dedicated to eradicating christianity and civilization in this flurry of screaming bloody violence.

you can hear it on MySpace:

green chic

(I Wanted to title this entry "Eco Chic" but that is a slogan used by the company I work for and I don't want them searching and finding this blog. haha)

This boom of eco-friendly/sustainable/green consumer ism is such Liberal bullshit!
Worried about the effects human destructiveness and production have had on our planet? Fine, buy more shit and don't change your ways. Yep, that ought to fix everything.

The company I work for is completely caught up in it. One of our top selling products is made from bamboo and marketed as 'sustainable' and 'green.'
Of course, in reality, fibers extracted from bamboo and made into the products they/we sell are anything but helpful to the environment. Bamboo is more easily replenished but the entire process is no more helpful to the Earth.
Yet, the product is sold and promoted as sustainable and eco-friendly.

Just an example of how all these green products are more a part of a fad and less about saving the planet.

China v. USA

The US news is awash with scary stories of how The Peoples' Republic Of China is killing the US slowly with poison medicines and dangerous toys (forget the fact that China took more aggressive steps against the real problems than the USA ever would).

Everyone is staying good and scared.

Well, the USA is sending potentially poisonous soya to China!

We Jam Econo

We Jam Econo: The Story Of The Minutemen

This documentary about The Minutemen (early 80's punk) is amazing. The film's pace may be a bit slow (especially if you are not a fan of the music) but there are more than enough gems in it to make it mandatory viewing for anyone into hardcore/punk.

The Minutemen were the ultimate in revolutionary DIY punk.
They did it their way because it was the only way they knew how.

D. Boone was a genius. He infused an inspiring radicalism in The Minutemen that was neither better-than-you nor didactic. It is a tragedy that he is dead.

Seriously- Watch this movie!

Scourge

Some friends of mine are in a band. That band is Scourge. That band will play its first show this Friday, August 24, in West Oakland.

They sound kinda like Cursed with some black metal influence and bits of 90's (metal)core.

"I prefer the whore that is your sister"

There it is.
According to Italian footballer, Marco Materazzi, he got a headbutt from Zinedine Zidane for telling him, "I prefer the whore that is your sister."
Zidane, obviously, was sent off with a red card.

_______

In other football news, check out this editorial regarding the MLS' schedule. The league will need to adjust its unfriendly schedule for internationals if they want to continue the momentum with international players such as Beckham.

"blacklisted" سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی

So, the USA is listing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a foreign terrorist organization.
This marks the first time official armed units of a sovereign state are included in the list of banned terrorist groups. This is being done in an attempt by the USA to target Iran's finances (directly via the Revolutionary Guard) as it will limit their ability to trade outside of Iran.
It is estimated to have 125,000 active members, and operates separately from Iran's main armed forces, boasting its own ground forces, navy, air force, intelligence and special forces capability.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is the architect behind this move.
George W Bush accused them of meddling across the Middle East and supporting forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
AMAZING! I can only think of one force that blatantly meddles in the Middle East and supports forces in Iraq and Afghanistan: The US fuckin' A! Unbelievable.

The Guard considered the designation by the USA an honor.

Jena Six

THIS IS IMPORTANT... MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE BATMAN PICS BELOW!
Some racist fuckers in Louisiana are trying (and succeeding?) in locking up Black kids who tried to defend themselves!
Here is the rundown:

In September 2006, a group of African American high school students in Jena, Louisiana, asked the school for permission to sit beneath a "whites only" shade tree. There was an unwritten rule that blacks couldn't sit beneath the tree. The school said they didn't care where students sat. The next day, students arrived at school to see three nooses (in school colors) hanging from the tree. (Please note, the tree above is not the tree, but a tree at Jena High School.)

The boys who hung the nooses were suspended from school for a few days. The school administration chalked it up as a harmless prank, but Jena's black population didn't take it so lightly. Fights and unrest started breaking out at school. The District Attorney, Reed Walters, was called in to directly address black students at the school and told them all he could "end their life with a stroke of the pen."

Black students were assaulted at white parties. A white man drew a loaded rifle on three black teens at a local convenience store. (They wrestled it from him and ran away.) Someone tried to burn down the school, and on December 4th, a fight broke out that led to six black students being charged with attempted murder. To his word, the D.A. pushed for maximum charges, which carry sentences of eighty years. Four of the six are being tried as adults (ages 17 & 18) and two are juveniles.
_____



Jena 6 Defense Committee
PO BOX 2798
Jena, LA 71342
_____

At least get this case some publicity and/or spread the word.
Maybe donate some $$ to the Defense Committee.


(thanx Harjit)

Top Chef

Maybe you appreciate reality contest Top Chef as much as me... or more than me. This season is mediocre compared to the drama of past seasons but it is an enjoyable show.
I highly suggest checking out this hilarious and very thorough blog dedicated to Top Chef: THEY COOK. WE DISH.

Dark Knight pics

Somehow photos made it online of The Dark Knight. They will probably be removed from all legit news sites so I saved them for myself!

Great shot of The Joker:

Looks like it is all makeup as opposed to his Joker complexion being the result of a chemical disfiguration.

Batman's new suit:

I looked for a clear shot of the new batsuit especially the cowl. Looks as lame as I expected. Why start out with something as simple and fab as the suit from Batman Begins only to move in the same direction as Batman Forever?!

Batpod:

A lot of hype as been created around this new bat-cycle aka batpod. I think it looks silly and pointless.

My favorite:

This pic is my favorite because it truly looks like the maniacal Joker from the comics! Purple suit!!


(P.S. more REAL news coming soon that doesn't involve entertainment.)

MF Doom lip sync

Last night, MF Doom "performed" in SF.
Word from attendees is that a vocal track played as MF Doom didn't even hardly bother to lip sync. After 20 minutes, he left the stage leaving everyone confused.

EarthQuakes = stupid

I am hyped that NorCal will soon have a local futbol club to support. I am not so hyped that the club's name remains something more akin to Little League baseball.
I emailed The San Jose Earthquakes to tell them to change the club's name to something respectable. I encourage anyone who cares enough to do the same.
questions@sjearthquakes.com

more Dark Knight trailer(s)

here's a link to a legit teaser featuring an awesome clear shot of The Joker:


At Wizard World Chicago, a new trailer for The Dark Knight was shown. It featured Batman on Joker action and also revealed that Two-Face will be in the film!
If anyone finds this trailer online, please give me the link!!
(Since we know the Joker gets arrested at some point in the film, it would be fabulous to have him out-of-action for a significant portion of the film while Batman pursues Two-Face and then return for the action finale. Just a thought but it would be a surprise twist since everyone has only been paying attention to Ledger/Joker.)

Iron Man : trailer 1

Tony Stark is a racist imperialist. Hurry and catch the bootleg SDCC07
IRON MAN TRAILER


(thanx Francis and sergio... and you thought FMTM was only good for radical math-rock!)

plastic surgery TV

Cosmetic surgery is disgusting. It is sad and a near crime to spend a huge chunk of money to essentially give in to one's insecurities rather than address the underlying issues causing the insecurities.
It makes me extremely uncomfortable how common plastic surgery is. All of the sensational relaity television shows that feature cosmetic surgery are helping make it more acceptable in our society. They boost interest and make viewers more comfortable with the procedures.

On some episodes of reality television, the made-over person has a party with friends and family to unveil their new self. In real life, a cosmetic surgeon noted, people "should not expect their own personal 'reveal.' " HAHA

In 2006, nearly 11 million cosmetic surgery procedures were done in the United States, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons -- up 7 percent from 2005

Fuck all the TV shows involved in this trend! Such as: Extreme Makeover, Dr. 90210, The Swan, I Want a Famous Face, Plastic Surgery: Before and After and Miami Slice.

Guatemalan Left under attack

Barely a blip on US news radar, Guatemala's leftist politicians and activists are being assassinated by right-wing militias who did not disarm following the end to the civil war and powerful drug gangs.

"rockstar"

The created concept of a rockstar is all the rage!

This fad is inescapable. From TV, to rap songs, to middle American style, everybody wants to party like a rockstar... at just dress like one.

First of all, I will call it what it is "faux rockstar." This style may have some roots in White/rockstar stereotypes but it is obviously unrelated to any real rock aesthetic except for the ones that are now a result of the fad itself.

The poster-girl (or pinup girl, if you will) of this style has got to be Kat Von D. She has tack zapper skills but what matters most in her new TV show is style. I am so sick of looking at her hyping up LA, the home of faux rockstar, dressed in a Motley Crew costume.

The king money maker of the fad is Don Ed Hardy. His clothing line saturates celebrities. I must admit, however, if someone is gonna cash in on this shit, at least Hardy is as legit as they come and a nice dude.

As those two illustrate, tattoos are an integral part of the rockstar fad. Although I don't see too many rappers or moms getting traditional American tattoos, I do see them rocking derivative styles on their clothing. Why rappers like Juelz Santana love this shit so damn much is beyond me. I think they are trying to break some mold of the overly-played rap thug while still adopting an expensive style based on a form of perceived thuggish-ness.

The pinnacle (thus far) may be The Shop Boyz' big hit "Party Like A Rockstar." The popular song and video of these future one-hit wonders is completely based, not on any real rock sound or aesthetic, but on painfully naive caricatures.

With the cache the term 'rockstar' now has, it is only natural that Rockstar Energy Drink parlay it into sales. Now, a drink whose owner and affiliates hate people of color and immigrants can get their logo alongside hip hop parties or Steve Aoki.

被爆者

On August 6 and August 9, 1945, two atomic bombs vaporized 210,000 people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Those who survived are called "hibakusha"–people exposed to the bomb–and there are an estimated 200,000 living today.

Last night I watched the HBO documentary White Light Black Rain about the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The documentary is almost exclusively told through people who lived through the bombings.

The horrors the survivors described are beyond comprehension. The descriptions they give with their stories (accompanied by illustrations and photographs) blew my mind and touched me very deeply. I cried as I watched it and I cried as an American.
The unjustifiable bombings on Hiroshima and then Nagasaki are something that Americans carry on their backs: One of the many atrocities that we are collectively guilty of.
Americans became so distraught and angry and vengeful at the targetting of civilians by al Qaeda on 11Sept2001 (whether or not the World Trade Center was actually a civilian center/target is disputable). Think of the targetting and killing of civilians in two city centers on a level far far beyond that committed by the USA (and no it wasn't to prevent significant US troop deaths)!
The carnage the initial bombing caused is truly beyond comprehension as is the following period of sickness and death and then the lifetime of complications resulting in surviving it.

I specifically avoided reiterating any of the experiences the survivors described. I will leave it up to you to here about mothers' corpses turning to dust, skin loosely hanging from limbs, being eaten by maggots, suicide, and discrimination from the mouths of those who survived in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

M.I.A. breakin' it down

M.I.A. was interviewed by Pitchfork and it turned into her confronting Pitchfork and America's inherent sexism and racism.
So although she may dress like a sickening ironic hipster, her politics are top-notch for hipster disco.

"I find it kind of insulting that I can't have any ideas on my own because I'm a female, or that people from undeveloped countries can't have ideas of their own unless it's backed up by someone who's blond-haired and blue-eyed."

Ichi The Killer (殺し屋 1): review

Last night, I watched the often-hyped Japanese film, Ichi The Killer directed by Takashi Miike. Well, I didn't actually finish but I watched most of it... Enough to know what fuckin otaku trash it is.

Essentially the film = rape, cartoon violence, rape, confusing plot, rape, cartoon violence, rape.
The whole fuckin movie is some sexist rape/violence against women fantasy.

Takashi's work is a reflection of his obvious misogony. In one scene, the pimp was supposed to beat up a prostitute with three punches. However, the number of punches increased to fifteen because Takashi could not stand the actress.

Fuck this guy and fuck the American remake of his One Missed Call.
_______________

rant:

It is supposed to be cool to like this movie for its ultra-violence.
As if that 'shock' factor was some sort of rebellion.
Rebellion against what? It is the same cultural current that Vice Magazine rides high on. As if to go to any extreme was a rebellion against old, static, backwards, or conservative ways.

In the 60's and 70's, the ("extreme") counter-culture(s) was, for the most part, a rebellion against old conservative ways. It was seeking freedoms from the old status quo. As this rebellion was co-opted by the very forces that it sought to undermine, any analysis or meaning was removed and simply the act of going to the supposed extreme was considered freedom.

Now it seems "conservative" or uncool to actually care or to recoil from mindless "extremes."

What kind of joy is one supposed to derive from being willfully shocked by the perpetuation of rape?!