Your papers please: TSA bans ID-less flight | Surveillance State - CNET News
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I love topo maps.
Testies
The February 2010 Monthly Mix
I decided to start posting a little something with each of the mixes. Who knows if I’ll actually stick with it. I don’t think I can match the explanations that tywhite does for his mixes. BTW, if you aren’t signed up for his list, you should do that right away.
I won’t lie to you. This mix has some weird stuff on it. As I sit hear typing, Laura and I are listening to it together and she thought it would be wise of me to preface it. I’ve been listening to a lot of electronic music lately (surprised @garyzero?). These mixes are absolutely a reflection of stuff I’ve been listening to. I don’t know a lot about several of the artists on this mix. I really should start making notes about where I find things so I can thank the people that turn me on to them. Hope you enjoy this month’s mix.
The Top 25 Albums Of 2008
- Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
- Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
- Sigur Ros - Með Suð à Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
- Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
- Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
- Department Of Eagles - In Ear Park
- Kid Cudi - Plain Pat & Emile Presents a KiD named CuDi
- Everest - Ghost Notes
- Deastro - Keeper’s
- Atlas Sound - Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
- Portishead - Third
- Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
- Imaad Wasif - Strange Hexes
- Fink -Distance and Time
- M83 - Saturdays = Youth
- Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
- Frightened Rabbit - The MIdnight Organ Fight
- MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
- Bonnie “Prince” Billy - Lie Down In The Light
- R.E.M. - Accelerate
- The Whigs - Mission Control
- Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
- Jim Noir - Jim Noir
- Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
- Deerhunter - Microcastle
I Buy My Music At Amazon And Amoeba
I suppose this is somewhat of an endorsement, but there’s much more to why I shop at Amazon and Amoeba than the fact that they both offer great selections. And while most of my reasoning is different for each retailer, there is a common thread - I can find anything I want, whether it’s a top Billboard album or a rare, out-of-print album.
If you purchase music online, chances are you’re shopping iTunes or Amazon. I’ve never been a big fan of the iTunes store because I don’t like to be told how I can use my music. I continued to buy most of my music on CD until fairly recently, when unprotected MP3s were being offered at 256kbps from Amazon. Maybe you don’t care that you can only burn your iTunes downloads 5 times. Honestly, I rarely burn them, if ever. I do share a lot of music though. I’m not dumping the contents of my music library on other people’s machines or sharing music via BitTorrent, but I do like making mixes and sharing them. You can’t do that with an iTunes download, unless you opt for the unprotected MP3. That’s always been the deal breaker for me. As much as I like the overall experience of the iTunes store, I think Amazon’s user experience with their MP3 Music Store, is superior to Apple’s. When I shop at Amazon I feel like I’m among fellow music fanatics. The opinions are usually intelligent and substantive, recommendations are usually spot-on and the overall experience is just more pleasant. I’m about as big of an Apple fan boy as you can be, but I won’t be buying my music online from them.
Amoeba is one of the reasons that I love living in LA. Perhaps not surprisingly, it’s one of my top 5 reasons. Amoeba is as much a record store as it is heaven on Earth. You can find pretty much anything you want, there’s people that know A LOT about music working at the store and they buy and sell used CDs. Find me a comparable brick and mortar retailer. You can’t. Amoeba is that good. I’m lucky enough to work a few blocks from the Hollywood location (currently the only LA location) and I visit fairly often. Some may find the experience of shopping at Amoeba daunting, and it certainly can be, but if you don’t have a lot of time to shop around, I highly recommend their end caps. The staff picks are so spot on, that a lot of times I’ll just pick something up because it’s recommended. I’ve only regretted doing that once. The used section is remarkable. If you’re willing to hunt, you can find some great albums at awesome prices.
I realize I’m an extreme case when it comes to shopping for music. For somoene that gets pretty much anything for free from the labels, I still spend at least $100/month on music. I want a great experience when I spend that money. For that reason Amazon and Amoeba are the two greatest places to buy music online.
Copywrong
Our archaic copyright laws need an overhaul. If you don’t know what Creative Commons is, this is a great video overview.
[via Fred Wilson]
Today would have been your 63rd
When I woke up this morning, I forgot for a moment what day it was. And then I didn’t forget for the rest of the day. I called mom on the way to work this morning. She answered the phone with happiness in her voice, which surprised me. Maybe it was just that she was awake and I hadn’t really spoken to anyone yet.
“Hi Mom. I just wanted to call and tell you that I love you and that I’m thinking about you and especially dad a lot today.”
That’s what I said to her. She told me that she was going to get some lemon tarts to eat in your honor today. They were your favorite. They’re my favorites too, though we don’t have that great pastry shop here in the big city. I love anything with lemon, which I know you did as well.
Tonight I went to a community center and chanted for an hour, which felt good. I focused my energy on our family’s health and happiness and determined that each of us would be at peace with your death. I know we’ll always miss you though. And I’ll always get choked up when I think about you for longer that a few seconds. When I talk about you, my voice cracks and I get upset. I imagine so many different things, but the one thing that always gets me is the day you called everyone to your bed as you laid waiting for death to take you. I leaned over, with my ear to your mouth and listened as you told me that I was a good son. That will always stay with me as long as I live and it will probably always make me cry a lot.
I always looked forward to coming home to visit you and mom. It’s not the same anymore. I never told you, but your hugs were a little weak. That makes me chuckle. I would always wrap my arms around you and give you a kiss like I was a little kid. I don’t think you ever used both hands to hug me back. Maybe you did. I’d do anything for a one-armed hug from you now.
I was at a Buddhist meeting a few weeks ago. It was at this young family’s house. The woman’s parents came to the meeting and they were so adorable. The dad, in particular was funny and wise and reminded me of you in some ways. I got upset because it made me think about how I would never get to see you as an old man. I know you weren’t looking forward to that, but I was.
When I looked at the clock in the car tonight, it read 9:11 and just below the digital readout of the time, the date said 9/11/2008. I took it as a sign, as I usually do when I see it in the morning, that you were somewhere out there, acknowledging your presence.
I love you, dad. Happy birthday.
Today would have been your 63rd
When I woke up this morning, I forgot for a moment what day it was. And then I didn’t forget for the rest of the day. I called mom on the way to work this morning. She answered the phone with happiness in her voice, which surprised me. Maybe it was just that she was awake and I hadn’t really spoken to anyone yet.
“Hi Mom. I just wanted to call and tell you that I love you and that I’m thinking about you and especially dad a lot today.”
That’s what I said to her. She told me that she was going to get some lemon tarts to eat in your honor today. They were your favorite. They’re my favorites too, though we don’t have that great pastry shop here in the big city. I love anything with lemon, which I know you did as well.
Tonight I went to a community center and chanted for an hour, which felt good. I focused my energy on our family’s health and happiness and determined that each of us would be at peace with your death. I know we’ll always miss you though. And I’ll always get choked up when I think about you for longer that a few seconds. When I talk about you, my voice cracks and I get upset. I imagine so many different things, but the one thing that always gets me is the day you called everyone to your bed as you laid waiting for death to take you. I leaned over, with my ear to your mouth and listened as you told me that I was a good son. That will always stay with me as long as I live and it will probably always make me cry a lot.
I always looked forward to coming home to visit you and mom. It’s not the same anymore. I never told you, but your hugs were a little weak. That makes me chuckle. I would always wrap my arms around you and give you a kiss like I was a little kid. I don’t think you ever used both hands to hug me back. Maybe you did. I’d do anything for a one-armed hug from you now.
I was at a Buddhist meeting a few weeks ago. It was at this young family’s house. The woman’s parents came to the meeting and they were so adorable. The dad, in particular was funny and wise and reminded me of you in some ways. I got upset because it made me think about how I would never get to see you as an old man. I know you weren’t looking forward to that, but I was.
When I looked at the clock in the car tonight, it read 9:11 and just below the digital readout of the time, the date said 9/11/2008. I took it as a sign, as I usually do when I see it in the morning, that you were somewhere out there, acknowledging your presence.
I love you, dad. Happy birthday.