I heard Dunkin' Donuts already bought parcels of land in Cuba in prep for this...

Fidel Castro resigns as Cuba's president

From Yahoo.com By ANITA SNOW, Associated Press Writer 39 minutes ago

HAVANA - Fidel Castro, ailing and 81, announced Tuesday he was resigning as Cuba's president, ending a half-century of autocratic rule which made him a communist icon and a relentless opponent of U.S. policy around the globe.

...

In the pre-dawn hours, most Cubans were unaware of Castro's message, and Havana's streets were quiet. It wasn't until 5 a.m., several hours after it was posted on the internet, that official radio began reading the news to early risers.

As the news across the island, Cubans went about their business as usual, accepting the inevitable with a mix of sadness and hope.

"It is like losing a father," said Luis Conte, an elderly museum watchman. Or "like a marriage — a very long one that is over."

Cuban dissidents welcomed the news as a possible first step toward change.

...In Washington, the government said it had no plans to change U.S. policy or lift its embargo on Cuba.

Bush, traveling in Rwanda, pledged to "help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty." But he implied that wasn't likely under Raul Castro.

"The international community should work with the Cuban people to begin to build institutions that are necessary for democracy," he said. "Eventually, this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections — and I mean free, and I mean fair — not these kind of staged elections that the Castro brothers try to foist off as true democracy."

If Cuba remains much the same, "political prisoners will rot in prison and the human condition will remain pathetic in many cases," Bush said.

The United States built a detailed plan in 2005 for American assistance to ensure a democratic transition on the island of 11.2 million people after Castro's death. But Cuban officials have insisted that the island's socialist political and economic systems will outlive Castro.

"The adversary to be defeated is extremely strong," Castro wrote Tuesday. "However, we have been able to keep it at bay for half a century."

Peter Kornbluh, senior analyst at George Washington University's National Security Archive, said the resignation will allow the next U.S. president to adopt a totally new approach toward dialogue and civil relations with a post-Fidel Cuba.

"Fidel Castro's resignation does present a true opportunity to revisit a U.S. policy of perpetual antagonism towards Cuba, even though the current U.S. president is unlikely to make any changes in a hostile position towards Cuba," he said.

Castro has been Cuba's unchallenged leader since 1959. Monarchs excepted, he was the world's longest ruling head of state...

Castro's departure is a letdown in Miami

From Yahoo.com By LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 37 minutes ago

MIAMI - It was the cherished dream Cuban exiles carried in their hearts for decades: Fidel Castro would die in power, freedom would return to their homeland, and there would be dancing in the streets of Miami.

But when the dictator's departure from office finally came to pass Tuesday, it wasn't the way the exiles imagined it at all. Reality was far less exciting.

In Miami's Little Havana and the heavily Cuban suburb of Hialeah, there was little celebration — and little hope that democracy is at hand in Cuba — after the ailing, 81-year-old president resigned as part of a measured withdrawal from power that began a year and a half ago.

"People are saying that all of this is a sham," 25-year-old Osiel Diegues said at the Hialeah barbershop where he works. "As long as Fidel is alive, and as long as communism remains, nothing will change."

...Most exiles view Castro as a ruthless dictator who forced them from their homes after he seized power in 1959. But newer arrivals and second-generation Cuban-Americans are less likely to agree the U.S. embargo against Cuba has been an effective tool.

And many with family still on the island chafe under Bush administration policies that limit the amount of money they can send home and restrict their visits to once every three years.

... Republican Sen. Mel Martinez, who left Cuba as a boy, hopes eventually to see the release of political prisoners and the restoration of human rights, and said perhaps the news will give strength to the dissident movement. But he cautioned: "The fact is the oppression in Cuba today is the worst its been in years."

What! I'm Listening to...(Part 6)

Just Jack is my newest like and his video for "I Talk Too Much" is inventive and entertaining (the artwork is done by Soon)

DJ Uff Da and DJ Jay C 3 have a few interesting tracks (they had a couple of tracks on the Kickin' It Old School soundtrack), Vampire Weekend (they also have a really nicely designed site) has an orchestral richness to their sound, the latest John Legend album which btw is exclusively at Target, I forgot how brilliant the movie "Tootsie" was and have been listening to "Maybe it's You" by Stephen Bishop. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings are my latest funk find. I REALLY like DJ Rekha with that Indian Hiphop World fusion flavor. Cas Haley must've been influenced by Steel Pulse and I don't want to admit it, but I think my ears stereotype a bit because I ended up googling him and he doesn't look anything like the way my ears thought he would, plus he's an "America's Got Talent" find. It was pretty surreal seeing him perform in front of Michael Hasselhoff...Hard-Fi, a UK band, is also worth mentioning...Yes, Alex, yes Alex...I do like them...How could I not? One of their videos was remade because they broke into Heathrow Airport illegally to shoot the scene with the planes flying overhead really close...

Why Are Katrina Victims STILL in trailers anyway?

Scientists closely examine FEMA trailers

From Yahoo.com

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, Associated Press Writer Sat Feb 16, 5:20 AM ET

NEW ORLEANS - While the Federal Emergency Management Agency rushes to move thousands of Gulf Coast storm victims out of government-issued trailers, scientists are tearing the units apart to learn why many have exposed occupants to dangerous levels of formaldehyde fumes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is studying materials used by several companies that provided FEMA with tens of thousands of travel trailers after hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Test results reported this week by the CDC showed formaldehyde levels in hundreds of FEMA trailers and mobile homes were, on average, about five times higher than what people are exposed to in most modern homes. Formaldehyde, a preservative commonly used in construction materials, can cause breathing problems and also is believed to cause cancer.

CDC director Dr. Julie Gerberding said scientists need time to determine how — and why — formaldehyde levels varied among different models of FEMA trailers. Scientists from the CDC and the University of California's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory also are looking at ways to reduce formaldehyde emissions in the trailers.

The study was limited to materials in unoccupied government trailers. Gerberding said other studies indicate formaldehyde levels in manufactured homes are steadily decreasing "in a fairly significant manner."

"Mainly because the manufacturers don't want this problem," she said, "so they're learning how to use new materials and changing their processing."

Kevin Broom, spokesman for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, said Friday the industry would adjust its manufacturing techniques if the government adopts stricter formaldehyde standards than those already set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"We in the RV industry are committed to following the science and making sure our products are safe," Broom said in a statement.

FEMA said its New Orleans office received nearly 70 phone calls from concerned residents after Thursday's announcement.

Sherry Gremillion, 45, a waitress still living in a St. Bernard Parish trailer park, said she can't afford an apartment large enough to accommodate her family or close enough to her job. FEMA expects to close the trailer park by March 15.

"I fell asleep crying last night," she said Friday. "I don't think I'm going to make it."

Hundreds of Gulf Coast trailer dwellers are suing manufacturers in federal court, accusing the companies of furnishing FEMA with shoddily constructed units that jeopardized their health. By law, FEMA can't be named as a defendant in the consolidated litigation until next month at the earliest, according to plaintiffs lawyers.

Critics claim FEMA should have reacted sooner to concerns that formaldehyde is to blame for a host of ailments reported by trailer occupants.

"They knew full well something was wrong. They were just hoping nothing would happen," said attorney Daniel Becnel Jr., who says he represents about 5,000 trailer occupants.

Another plaintiffs lawyer said trailer makers are the "real culprits."

"Obviously FEMA made lots of mistakes, but FEMA didn't manufacture these trailers," said Tony Buzbee, a lawyer for hundreds of current and former trailer occupants.

A lawyer for the companies sued in U.S. District Court in New Orleans didn't return a telephone call for comment Friday.

FEMA administrator R. David Paulison said Thursday the agency hoped to move all of the roughly 35,000 families out of trailers by summer, when hot weather increases formaldehyde emissions.

Louisiana has 25,162 occupied FEMA trailers and mobile homes, while Mississippi has 10,362, according to FEMA. The number of occupied FEMA trailers and mobile homes peaked at 144,000 following the hurricanes.

Paulison called the relocations a "stopgap measure."

"We're not booting people out. What we're doing to putting them into hotels and motels until we can find an apartment for them," he said. "It's just transition, to get them out of the travel trailer and into someplace where it's safer."

Many residents still in FEMA trailer parks are elderly or have disabilities, meaning they are on fixed incomes and can't easily find affordable housing, said Tracie Washington, president of the Louisiana Justice Institute, a nonprofit advocacy group for the poor.

"These are people that rented $200, $300 apartments before Hurricane Katrina, and those aren't available anymore," Washington said. "They're afraid that if they're moved into hotels they'll wind up homeless in a few months."

Associated Press writers John Moreno Gonzales, Mary Foster and Becky Bohrer contributed to this report.

>>If you've watched the Simpsons movie, the plot makes me think of Katrina...Springfield had a disaster and then the government tried to kill off the town once they confined the townspeople into a dome...Hmmm...

My new job and Mizrahi is out...

Isaac Mizrahi Leaves Target to Revamp Liz Claiborne

from NYTimes.com

By ERIC WILSON and MICHAEL BARBARO

Published: January 16, 2008

Isaac Mizrahi, the cheap-chic designer who helped create the image of Target as a style destination, defected from the retailer on Tuesday to a more ambitious, and lucrative, role of making over the struggling Liz Claiborne label.

The end of his five-year run at Target is a blow to a retailer that has based its entire business on creating a safe home for celebrity designers to reach a broader and less-affluent audience. Mr. Mizrahi’s collection sold as much as $300 million each year, and it will be a challenge for Target to find a replacement as well known to consumers.

Claiborne, which has been losing market share in department stores like Macy’s for several years, hopes to revive its image with high-profile hires like Mr. Mizrahi, who was named creative director of the brand one day after the company announced that John Bartlett would design its men’s wear.

Minutes later, Target said it would end its relationship with Mr. Mizrahi at the end of the year, just before his clothes for Claiborne will appear in stores.

Target fought hard to keep Mr. Mizrahi, whose contract was up for renewal this year, but the company was unwilling to match Claiborne’s offer, according to executives who were forbidden to speak publicly about the negotiations. Because Liz Claiborne is carried by Target’s mainstream competitors, like Macy’s and Dillard’s, Mr. Mizrahi’s contract with Claiborne created an obvious conflict.

“We wish him the best, ” Susan Giesen, a Target spokeswoman, said.

His success inspired other high-end designers like Vera Wang to break an industry taboo by simultaneously designing for luxury and mass consumers.

The timing could hardly be worse for Target. Same-store sales — sales at stores open at least a year — fell 5 percent in December, and its chief executive, Robert J. Ulrich, has just said he was stepping down.

Bill McComb, the chief executive of Liz Claiborne, said the company had been inundated with customer letters after Ms. Claiborne died in June, asking what would happen to the label.

“We’ve been disappointed with the performance of the line for several seasons running,” Mr. McComb said. “The results have called out that a strategy change is needed.”

Dave McTague, an executive vice president for Claiborne, said he approached Mr. Mizrahi because the company was looking for a designer with star appeal.

“It had to be someone who was a complete icon beyond designing apparel,” Mr. McTague said.

DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist-The Hard Sell Tour...

Double Dee and Steinski, two living legends, were the opening act and were worth the price of the ticket to me. They even did part of Lesson #3...Now, Shadow and Cut Chemist were performing with 8 turntables, only 45's (7-inches), echo boxes, and loop effects pedals, and nothing else, none of their computers or keyboards or other things. They had marked loops on the 45's with tape. The preceding video explanation of the Hard Sell Tour was probably the highlight of their set for me. It was really well-done. The Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza is a nice cozy venue, but it is impossible to see anything going on onstage, not to mention DJ's are usually pretty repetitive and boring to watch doing their thing, though the concept of the show was really interesting to me.

Some events coming up at Fillmore are Feb 29th, the English Beat!!

I can name that candidate in two notes. Name that tune.

from www.dummocrats.com

Exclusive! Presidential Candidates Choose Their Theme Songs

January 07, 2008

Many people say that a Presidential candidate's choice of a running mate is their first important decision and is a reflection of the wisdom (or lack thereof) they'd govern with. I respectfully disagree. I believe that any candidates' first important decision is their campaign theme song. Think about it - would Ronald Reagan's "Morning in America" campaign be the same without the strains of "Born in the USA"? Would Bill Clinton have effectively communicated his "change" message as well if "Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)" wasn't his theme song. Of course not.

With that in mind, we're pleased to reveal the official campaign 2008 theme songs:

The Democrats

Hillary Clinton: Most pundits expected Clinton to go with Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'". They felt the song reflected Clinton's campaign for a better future. However, in the last few week's, Clintonites have come to the bitter realization that Hillary is not the candidate for change. Her voters don't want change, they want to go back in time to when heroin chic was chic, the nation was approaching zero unemployment and 9/11 was a number, not a date. Hillary's official song, Prince's 1999 conjures up that yearning for a more innocent time.

John Edwards: In a Dem field featuring a black man, Hispanic man and white woman, someone has to appeal to the good 'ole white male. John Edwards' theme, Ben Folds' "Rocking The Suburbs" does just that with lines like:

y'all don't know what it's like
being male, middle class and white

Mike Gravel: The crusty Alaskan will find his voice with the protest of punk of The Clash's "What's My Name?"

Dennis Kucinich: Never one to bow to convention, Kucinich's theme song, The Stray Cats' "Flying Saucer Rock 'N Roll" will remind voters of one of his more embarrassing revelations.

Barack Obama: As a candidate, Obama is all about the power of positive thinking. With him as President, we can change the world. Some might think that's too naive. In any case, his feel-good campaign will be powered by upbeat tempo and message of Elvis Costello's "Peace, Love and Understanding"

Bill Richardson: The New Mexican Governor communicates a very simple, yet powerful, message through his theme song - Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me).

The Republicans

Rudy Giuliani: Like Mike Gravel, Rudy, not surprisingly, goes with a Clash song, in his case it's the obvious "Rudie, Can't Fail. Giuliani staffers hope that the electorate ignores lyrics like:

How you get a-rude and a-reckless
Don't you be so crude and a-feckless
You bin drinking brew for breakfast

Mike Huckabee: Huckabee may not believe in evolution, but he's definitely a "Daydream Believer. Clever voters will appreciate that the campaign chose a song by The Monkees. ;-)

John McCain: While McCain's choice of "All At Once" by The Fray may seem uninspired, a quick look at the lyrics show exactly what the campaign is going for:

There are certain people you just keep coming back to She is right in front of you You begin to wonder could you find a better one Compared to her now she's in question

And all at once the crowd begins to sing
Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same

Maybe you want her maybe you need her
Maybe you started to compare to someone not there

Looking for the right one you line up the world to find
Where no questions cross your mind
But she won't keep on waiting for you without a doubt
Much longer for you to sort it out

The GOP didn't think they need John McCain. But now, with the rise of Huckabee, the small government folks are starting to realize that they won't find a better one.

Ron Paul: Angry Paul supporters will undoubtedly get behind the campaign's theme song Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It". Libertarians and Libertarian-leaning Republicans will also appreciate the nod to Dee Snider's campaign against big government censorship.

Mitt Romney: Romney's choice of Eddie Money's "Two Tickets to Paradise" is really no more than a simple reminder to folks that Romney doesn't need three tickets to paradise. Know what I'm sayin'?

Fred Thompson: Following Fred's tough talk on terror, his theme song, REM's "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" seems even more appropriate. The Thompson campaign wants voters to be well aware that if we don't vote for Fred we're all gonna die.

2008 is the Year for MY Rat-tlin' Comeback...

from http://www.springsgreetingcards.com

February 7, 2008 - January 25, 2009 (Earth)

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2008 is a Year of the Rat (Earth), which begins on February 7, 2008 and ends on January 25, 2009. First in the cycle of 12 Animal signs, Rat Year begins the sequence and recurs every twelfth year. It is a time of renewal in so many ways.

A Rat Year is a time of hard work, activity, and renewal. This is a good year to begin a new job, get married, launch a product or make a fresh start. Ventures begun now may not yield fast returns, but opportunities will come for people who are well prepared and resourceful. The best way for you to succeed is to be patient, let things develop slowly, and make the most of every opening you can find. People born in an Earth Rat are said to be logical realists, shrewd, charming, ambitious, and inventive. Of course, the entire horoscope must be considered when making any personality assessment.

In Chinese, the Rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person. People born in the Year of Rat are clever and bright, sociable and family-minded. They have broad interests and strong ability in adapting to the environment and able to react adequately to any changes.

They are gifted in many ways and have an easy going manner. They are active and pleasant, tactful and fantastic, and are able to grasp opportunities. They seem to have interests in everything and hope to participate in doing it and usually do it very well.

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!

The Best Method for Recording Cassette Tape to your Mac

Still trying to transfer tape to your ITunes? Not having much luck? I know I'm a bit late on this topic, but research has been kinda fruitless on the subject for me, so after much searching on the internet and failed attempts at using GarageBand which is supposed to be super easy, I came across a better way to record tapes, Audio Hijack plus LineIn...There is a nominal fee for Audio Hijack, but it is superbly useful for other things such as recording Internet radio, WindowsMediaPlayer, RealPlayer, and other types of media files, and LineIn is a freebie by the same company, Rogue. Plug in your stereo with cassette player to your line in on your computer and then sync Audio Hijack with the LineIn application and voila...There's actually a little Effects section in Audio Hijack which allows you to finetune your levels too...

By the way, the recordable tape was introduced to Europe in 1963 by Philips.

Originally designed for dictation, tapes soon became used for home recording and even data storage for computers.

My favorite PSA...Happy Plant from the 90's show, Dinosaurs

I didn't see this at the time, but bartering for the better online worked apparently...

Thanks Alex, for turning me onto this story...

From paper-clip to house, in 14 trades

Last Updated: Friday, July 7, 2006 | 10:38 PM ET

CBC News

A 26-year-old Montreal man appears to have succeeded in his quest to barter a single, red paper-clip all the way up to a house.

It took almost a year and 14 trades, but Kyle MacDonald has been offered a two-storey farmhouse in Kipling, Sask., for a paid role in a movie.

Kyle MacDonald makes friends with Alice Cooper.

MacDonald began his quest last summer when he decided he wanted to live in a house. He didn't have a job, so instead of posting a resumé, he looked at a red paper-clip on his desk and decided to trade it on an internet website.

He got a response almost immediately — from a pair of young women in Vancouver who offered to trade him a pen that looks like a fish.

MacDonald then bartered the fish pen for a handmade doorknob from a potter in Seattle.

n Massachusetts, MacDonald traded the doorknob for a camp stove. He traded the stove to a U.S. marine sergeant in California for a 100-watt generator.

In Queens, N.Y., he exchanged the generator for the "instant party kit" — an empty keg and an illuminated Budweiser beer sign.

MacDonald then traded the keg and sign for a Bombardier snowmobile, courtesy of a Montreal radio host.

He bartered all the way up to an afternoon with rock star Alice Cooper, a KISS snow globe and finally a paid role in a Corbin Bernsen movie called Donna on Demand.

"Now, I'm sure the first question on your mind is, "Why would Corbin Bernsen trade a role in a film for a snow globe? A KISS snow globe," MacDonald said on his website "one red paper-clip."

"Well, Corbin happens to be arguably one of the biggest snow globe collectors on the planet."

Now, the town of Kipling, Sask., located about two hours east of Regina with a population of 1,100, has offered MacDonald a farmhouse in exchange for the role in the movie.

MacDonald and his girlfriend will fly to the town next Wednesday.

"We are going to show them the house, give them the keys to the house and give them the key to the town and just have some fun," said Pat Jackson, mayor of Kipling.

The town is going to hold a competition for the movie role.

MacDonald said: "There's people all over the world that are saying that they have paper-clips clipped to the top of their computer, or on their desk or on their shirt, and it proves that anything is possible and I think to a certain degree it's true."

MacDonald, who has attracted international media in his quest, said the journey has turned out to be more exciting than the goal.

"This is not the end. This may be the end of this segment of the story, but this story will go on. "

Amanda Blank + Spank Rock DJ's Thursday...

What! I'm Listening to...(Part 5)

It's been awhile since my last installment of What! I'm Listening to...without further ado...

Yeah, I jumped on the Amy Winehouse bandwagon...Juan Fernando Velasco and Francisco Cespedes are great Latin finds if you like Spanish pop balladeers...The Buenos Aires band, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs combines Latin with Ska...I love Celia Cruz, too (you might remember her from such movies as Mambo Kings and Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights) and El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico...For silly hiphop thrills, I've been turned onto Ugly Duckling and Lil' Mama after her "Lipgloss" song, and all this after being hooked on Fannypack and K7 from the soundtrack, "Stick It" though I've liked K7 since '97 when they released, "Hideho"...Because I like silliness sometimes, I've become a bit fond of Cobra Starship, too (I personally think they made the movie "Snakes on a Plane" just to include the video by Cobra Starship...Jack Johnson is about to drop a new album in February which I am excited about (I saw the video for "What You Thought You Need" and it is Jack through and through, which is a good thing, to me, that is)...For those of you into gospel, I heard the single, "Declaration (This is It) of "The Fight of My Life" by Kirk Franklin, it's pretty nice...Most of his stuff is hit or miss with me, but he got it right with this song...Scion and Darko of Spank Rock put together a pretty hot compilation. Also, that Plastic Little is a bit disturbing in the same vein that Spank Rock is...Edgewater, Florida's Diplo is worth a mention as is Chi-Town's Kid Sister...Alex turned me onto The Spill Canvas and Damien Rice, too...Damn that Alicia Keys with her catchy sappy love songs that I can't help but to push rewind after the song has played once to hear it again...Until the next time, "kiss me like it's the last time you'll see me"...

What's really on the menu?

It was bound to happen...Those unwanted pounds and the risk of diabetes have made EVEN ME eat smarter and care about nutritional facts so...This probably would deter me from ordering whatever I want on the menu when I'm standing in line looking up at the board...

from www.injuryboard.com

New York City's Fast Food Menu Mandate by Jane Akre

In an effort to get New Yorkers to eat healthier, city officials have decided that fast-food chains must display the number of calories each fare offers. The calorie count would be right on the menu, the theory being that consumers would then make healthier choices.

A federal judge has argued that a previously issued rule by the Board of Health should apply to all establishments, not just those that had previously volunteered to post nutritional information on their menus. Fast food establishments make up about ten percent of 23,000 eateries in the city.

As for fast food giants like McDonalds and Burger King, that information is already available if customers search for it, albeit with a bit of difficulty (ala the film, Supersize Me).

Now restaurants will have to add the calorie counts to menus for all to see. Other establishments such as I-HOP would offer information to the public for the first time scaring customers by making them aware of exactly how many calories they are consuming.

Expect to see the new regulations in place by March 31^st if approved by the board which is expected. The mandate applies to chains with 15 or more restaurants in the country and is part of an initiative by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to fight obesity and diabetes

New York is leading the nation in trying to impose healthier eating awareness and fight the obesity epidemic. Last year the city banned trans-fats in cooking oil.

The city’s Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden tells the New York Daily News, “Some people may choose to ignore (the calorie information) and that’s totally fine. But other people will sue it to choose healthier food.”

Estimates are that regulations could prevent some 150,000 New Yorkers from becoming obese and reduce 30,000 cases of diabetes from developing over the next five years.

No word on whether the New York Restaurant Association will sue again as it did when the first round of regulations were proposed. Justin Wilson of the Center for Consumer Freedom calls the city’s “Nanny-state public health policies.”

>>Here's a page on Healthy Fast Food eating too...

Internet Games of Interest

Dexter and the Runaway Robot Game...A great way to occupy me...

Miniclip is a nice little site to play internet games, Bloxorz is my favorite...

Fugly.com has a nice selection, too...My favorite IQ challenge is Matter.

This is dedicated to Trav...He's a breastesses man...

The 1916 and early 1917 Standing Liberty Quarters depict Miss Liberty with her right breast exposed. Due the immediate public outcry, the design was quickly modified. Thanks to History Detectives, another key piece of coin history is learned...

The Last YNN Supper...Stem always brings the hot sauce...

I LOVE STEM!

Yeah, that's right...I got my paw in your cup...

Yeah, that's right...I got my paw in your cup...
Originally uploaded by snailsone

While on the subject, here's Germ's cat...



This is the catchiest pet store jingle of all time...

It's CUTE ANIMAL time...

Courtesy of Lisa V.

What Pets Do While We're at Work









Also, if you want more like this, Joan turned me onto CuteOverload.com

Kickin' It Old School and when will the Japanese and Koreans achieve peace?

The Gamblerz vs. Ichegeki

If you haven't seen it, you gotta check out "Kickin' It Old School"...This is my new favorite movie. Children of the 80's unite...

Rakim? Chuck D? Luv bug Starski? All under one roof...

Courtesy of Motoko...

Experiments in Chemistry...

Maybe we'll never decide who the freshmaker really is C, but then again at least we can share youtube videos...Thanks...

Loose Change...Recommended 9/11 viewing...

Upcoming Show: January 25-See Division X, Clean out your closet...

Support Picture the Homeless...The show is at Bronx Museum of the Arts...Get details here.

North says: Even if ya can't come, please spread da word to someone who can. Do it for da people of New York. Do it because it's the right thing to do.

Books on the Menu...

Saber...Shepard Fairey...Miss Van...Espo...

The Future of the Screen....

Oh yeah, and what's up with how thin computers are now? No more optical drives? Everything wireless? Check out the Apple Macbook Air...

Retiring and doing whatever you want, well, within reason...

Bill, happy retirement to you!...

My newest favorite cartoons and Hip Hop Harry...

Cyberchase is an educational mathematics kids show on PBS that I became kind of addicted to recently. I love the evil nemesis of "Motherboard's", Hacker. Digit the robot bird is kind of a strange character, but in the mystery/adventure-solving sleuth formula of cartoon kids, the gang is bright and uses the scientific method approach to problem-solving. A must-see for youngins. Entertaining and highly intelligent.



I also like Skunk Fu...It's in the vein of Happy Tree Friends in the way that the animals are drawn in a cutesy way, but the characters are hilarious...






Hip Hop Harry is a kids show that I like to watch the end of for the "Hip Hop Harry Dance Circle..." This is when I realize how "hiphop" has changed from when I was a kid...

There's this video of the comparison between Barney (no challenge) with competitor Hip Hop Harry for battle for supremacy of kids shows...

Barney V.S. Hip Hop Harry - Funny videos are here


From Washintonpost.com
Some Memorable Moments in Cartoon History

Sunday, October 23, 2005; Page B02

1920s: The first animated character to fill theaters in the silent-film era, Felix the Cat, became so popular that his gaping grin was reproduced on mugs, watches and other merchandise. Although he was soon eclipsed in movie theaters by talking cartoons, Felix's fortunes revived when he began airing on TV in the 1950s.

1928: Synchronizing sound with on-screen action, Walt Disney's Steamboat Willie launched Mickey Mouse on his cruise to stardom.

1930: The eight-minute musical adventure, "Sinkin' in the Bathtub," was the first Looney Tune, created by two ex-Disney animators.

1937: Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first full-length animated feature film.

1940: The first collaboration of William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Tom and Jerry traces the foiled efforts of gray house cat Tom to catch brown mouse Jerry and the resulting, sometimes sadistic, mayhem. With little vocalization beyond the animals' shrieks of pain and panicked gulps, the shorts are renowned for their slapstick violence, recently parodied in "The Simpsons' " cartoon within a cartoon, "Itchy and Scratchy."

1949: The Road Runner cartoons, a takeoff on traditional cat-and-mouse antics, featured Wile E. Coyote, who never kills his Road Runner quarry and typically ends up injuring himself.

1960: The first animated sitcom on prime time TV, The Flintstones, was designed to appeal to the whole family. Each half-hour episode showcased the challenges of contemporary working-class life in a stone-age setting.

1987: Created as a series of 30-second filler spots for "The Tracey Ullman Show," The Simpsons has become the longest-running TV comedy series ever. The original shorts were so successful that "The Simpsons" premiered on the Fox network as a 30-minute Christmas special in 1989 and then began as a regular series the following month.

1992 : A cable channel created by Ted Turner, the Cartoon Network started out in 2 million households and three years later was available in 22 million.

1995 : As the first 3-D computer- generated feature film, Toy Story opened new horizons in animation.

1997 : Comedy Central's South Park, a provocative adult parody of small-town life in Colorado,pushed new limits with its surreal depiction of contemporary events and often crude language.

2001: With the advent of Flash animation in the late '90s, a whole new cartoon era was born in the unrestricted world of the Internet, including programs such as Happy Tree Friends.

My name is Milissa Yoon, aka Snails, YNN, Ex-AS, DAA

COME CORRECT!

Science Infinite...thank you...

Damn, I was just talking about support within the community to sustain its values...and then I got to see this...

What if? I Wouldn't Put it Past Profiteers...

I never saw this at the time, but this was a terrifying hoax article in 2003...Imagining what if?


WHO REALLY OWNS HIP HOP?
USE THE TERM 'HIP HOP' & PAY A LICENSING FEE
by Davey D from (www.daveyd.com)

It looks like the Hip Hop community now faces its biggest challenge.
Forget police task forces or discriminating night club owners, folks
will now have to gear up to do some serious battle with a Los Angeles
businessman named Richard Gonahangya and his company America Media
Operative Inc. For those who don't know AMO Inc is a little known
company that specializes in lobbying Congress and advising government
officials on media policy. They yield a lot of influence over the FCC
and other agencies that determine policy. The word around town is
'what they say goes'.

Gonahangya a staunch conservative, held a small press conference in
Compton, Ca yesterday to announce that his company AMO Inc had
recently trademarked and brought the rights to the word/phrase 'Hip
Hop'. As a result they will soon start charging a licensing fee for
anyone who wishes to use the word in a commercial/ for profit project.

Taking advantage of a provision in the recently amended Millennium
Copyright Act of 2001, Gonahangya explained that he and his company
have all the legal ammunition and clearance to own the rights to the
phrase 'Hip Hop'. He noted that the Hip Hop industry has generated
over 20 billion dollars last year in the United States alone. The
phrase Hip Hop is now a powerful marketing tool and his company is
posed to profit handsomely in 2003 from its 'proper' usage. The new
licensing fee is estimated to net AMO Inc a whooping 5-8 billion
dollars a year.

"Any business including record labels, videos, radio stations or
television shows that use the phrase 'Hip Hop' in the title or
marketing body of their work will have to pay AMO Inc a licensing
fee", Gonahangya told reporters. 'We are not attempting to stifle
free speech or muzzle popular culture.. we have no legal grounds from
preventing anyone who wishes to use the word in everyday speech,
however if you are using the word in a manner that associates you with
a salable product, then we fully intend to collect our fee".

Gonahangya went on to explain that what he is doing is not unusual.
There are many popular words that are used in everyday conversations
that are trademarked and cannot be used in commercial ventures without
permission. 'The word 'Xerox' is often used interchangeably with
'copy'. The word 'Vaseline' is used interchangeably with lotion or
grease. he also explained that the word Rock-N-Roll is trademarked by
a major label record executive who at the time could not charge a
licensing fee.

Gonahangya laid out his company's strategy for 2003. He explained
that AMO Inc is giving record labels and performers a one month grace
period to get their business affairs in order. Starting in May
letters will be sent out to anyone who is using the term 'Hip Hop'
explaining that the word is now trademarked and that if they wish to
continue to use it in the body of their work, they will have to
register with his company and be assessed a licensing fee. Letters
have already been sent to several Hip Hop internet websites with more
to come. He estimated the average fee will be anywhere from 2-5
thousand dollars plus residual fees per project. Permission to use
the word will be on a case by case basis. In addition any future
projects released using the term ' Hip Hop' will have to have the 'TM'
symbol next to the word.

When asked if he felt AMO Inc was being exploitative and attempting to
blackmail a viable popular culture, Gonahangya bluntly stated; 'This
is not about culture. This is about business... The laws have been
set up for anyone and everyone to use. Our company took advantage of
what was on the books for almost a year and that what we are doing is
now perfectly legal... Hip Hop is a big multi-billion dollar a year
business. I was surprised that a big executive like Russell Simmons
or Clive Davis or even business savy rappers like Jay-Z, P-Diddy or
Eminem never trademarked the phrase. Everyone in America knows that
you don't do business without protecting your assets. It's just plain
stupid not to leave yourself this wide open.. If the Hip Hop
community is that dumb when it comes to business then too bad. Don't
make me out to be the bad guy".

When asked if he intends to share any of the profits from licensing
the word 'Hip Hop' with any of Hip Hop's pioneers including Lovebug
Starski who first coined the phrase back in the lates 70s or Afrika
Bambaataa who popularized and spread the word, Gonahangya laughed. 'I
never heard of a Mr Starski and as for sharing profits with people
from Africa..No my people are originally from Denmark, Norway.

When another reporter told Gonahangya that Afrika Bambaataa was
someone's name, Gonahangya shrugged it off and said he had no
intentions of sharing the profits with anyone but his company and his
family." However, he did offer a discounted licensing fee for Starski
and Bambaataa since they coined and helped popularized the term.

When asked if there would be any sort of criteria set up to determine
who will and will not be allowed to use the phrase 'Hip Hop',
Gonahangya explained that for most part if a company has the money and
a viable revenue stream for residual payments then it should be a
'piece of cake'. As for criteria, Gonahangya explained that he has
very little tolerance and respect for individuals and companies that
are attempting to use the phrase Hip Hop for political gain.

"Recently the term 'Hip Hop' has been positioned as a
progressive/liberal movement. That's unfair and a totally one-sided
approach to what is an American institution.Hip Hop is for everyone.
It is not a slick political campaign tool for Jesse Jackson, Al
Sharpton or Hillary Clinton.", he retorted

Gonahangya became evasive when asked if he would allow the term Hip
Hop to be used by any of the conservative organizations that he
regularly associates with and lobbies for. " To be honest we have not
ruled them out. We believe that Hip Hop needs to be politically
balanced. For years Hip Hop has been associated with liberal causes
that have totally undermined the moral fiber of this country. We will
be very selective as to how Hip Hop will be used politically", he said

Gonahangya continued; "I will assure you this... In the future you
will not be seeing billboards or magazine ads with the words 'Hip Hop'
and Reparations, 'Hip Hop' and Affirmative Action or even 'Hip Hop'
and Black Power anytime soon. If it hasn't come through our offices
and been granted a licensing fee then its existence will be in
violation of the Millennium Copyright Act of 2001 and we intend to
aggressively go after any violators and prosecute. This about
political integrity and money".

Some our speculating that Gonahangya intends to use his ownership of
the now trademarked term 'Hip Hop' to quiet down any sort of political
movement that has been organizing around the term in time for the 2004
elections.

We caught up with Greg Watkins webmaster of the popular site
allhiphop.com and he noted that he had received a letter from
Gonahangya's AMO Inc company earlier this month. "He told us in the
letter that we were in violation of his this trademark law and that me
and my partner Chuck would have to pay licensing fee if we wanted to
keep the word 'Hip Hop in our name. We checked with our lawyers and
found out that we were safe because we are allhiphop and not just 'hip
hop'. It's obvious these guys are serious about collecting their
money".

We caught up with long time Bay Area writer and Hip Hop deejay Billy
Jam who does the Hip Hop Slam radio show and has the website Hip Hop
Slam. "Yeah this attorney contacted my attorney and said I would have
to take the 'Hip Hop' out of Hip Hop Slam or pay a fee if I want to
continue doing business. At first I thought it was a joke and then
days later I received a subpoena to show up in court. I was told if I
don't remove the word Hip Hop from Hip Hop Slam or pay a licensing fee
then I could lose my house, my car and my prized record collection".
Normally I don't give a damn about such things, but I can't afford to
lose my records", Billy Jam said

We caught up with popular Bay Area rapper /writer JR The Rap Slanger
out of East Oakland. He said: " Look man, this country's always been
about business and fools is gonna try and collect their paper. But
this is straight up bullS%$T. How's this fool gonna try and trademark
a word and collect a fee? Brothas need to rise up and retaliate and
put a foot in his ass. But let's be honest, me personally I don't
have to worry because I'm not really Hip Hop. I rap. I'm a rapper.
There's a difference between rap and Hip Hop. I guess Hip Hop is
gonna die but rap is gonna go on forever! He didn't trademark the
word Rap did he? "

As far as I can tell the word rap is not trademarked. Nor can it be
because of it's long standing everyday usage.

We checked with famed NY copyright attorney Arnold Esquire Sullivan
and he soberly explained that the new provisions that have been added
does indeed give AMO Inc the right to trademark and collect a
licensing fee for use of the word Hip Hop and any other coined
'unique' phrase. If the word is made up or unique to the American
lexicon then it can be trademarked and people will have to pay a fee
if they wish to use it in any sort of business endeavor.

Sullivan explained the new amendment went through around the same time
they were crafting the Patriot Act. "It's a shame people went to
sleep on this. I hate to say this but Negroes had better wake up and
start smelling the coffee. These people in Washington are not
playing".

Sullivan concluded by noting that failure to comply with the new
trademark laws can result in serious economic repercussions and a
stiff 5 year prison sentence. He noted that the stiff prison sentence
came after music industry executives and software companies lobbied
congress for harsher penalties for bootleggers and other 'copyright'
thieves'. "Unfortunately this new trademark law as it pertains to the
phrase Hip Hop can potentially land people in jail if they try to make
a profit off it', Sullivan noted.

At the end of the press conference Gonahangya explained that he is
currently in negotiations with a major broadcast company so that they
will have the exclusive rights to the word 'Hip Hop'. Gonahangya
declined to name the outlet that he is dealing with, but he did note
that should everything work out according to plan this media outlet
has vast resources and will set up offices throughout the country and
help determine which projects and products will be allowed to use the
term 'Hip Hop'. Gonahangya refused to say whether or not it would be
an outlet like Clear Channel, Viacom or Emmis that would be
determining who can or cannot use the word 'Hip Hop'. "It would be
premature for me to give out that information", he said

It is clear that big corporations and government lobbyist now own Hip
Hop.

Gonahangya also reiterated the fact that he is extending a month long
grace period. He also used the occasion to pitch his new licensing
service. In what appeared to be a real cheesy move he stated that he
was offering a one time discount for the next two weeks. He explained
that he understands that there are a lot of non-profits that use the
phrase Hip Hop in literature and other marketing schemes and as a
result they will be granted a one time 500 dollar processing fee and
will subjected to the similar constraints of their 501 non profit
status. That means they can not use Hip Hop as a political marketing
arm.

Non political Independent record labels and artist can obtain a
lifetime license to use the word Hip Hop for 500 dollars. Gonahangya
explained that he believes in doing things for the community and this
is his way of giving back.

"Let it not be said I don't care for the underdog", he said. AMO Inc
is all about helping the downtrodden. We normally charge on average
of 5000 thousand plus lifetime residual fees, but because we care
about the little people we will offer Hip Hop [TM] for 500 dollars
licensing fee for the next two weeks.

If anyone wishes to fill out an application to see if you qualify to
use the term 'Hip Hop' in your product or if you want more information
on AMO Inc call them at 1-800-233-4563

Zero Chemistry = Anthropology/Archaeology...also a review of "The Run Up", a good reason to go to school...

So yeah, I feel a bit lame in that I am fickle, after becoming uninspired from feeling overwhelming pressure to retain the specificities that separate the professional from the enthusiastic hobbyist, but also a lot relieved...I changed my major today, talked to the Deputy Head of the Anthropology Department, and this sudden change of heart occurred all after only seven weeks as a student Chemist...Ideally I would've liked to have been an Environmental Chemist, maybe in an alternate universe, but I broke it to my Mom that, "I ain't that smart..." I mean, all my other requirements would be finished by next year and what would be left would be all the purely Physical Sciences...Man, I think I'd have a nervous breakdown if I did that to myself...I mean, all Advanced Chem, Biology AND Physics at the same time...It really burst her bubble, I think, but underneath it all, I think she knew it was all wrong for me, the Mathematician or the Chemist outfits I was trying on...Perhaps if I was at a different point in my life, I mean younger and less tired of the retention of just straight facts with no real sparks of interest flying around and proving of mathematical theorems, not so distracted by other interests...but I also don't think I'm the type to be cooped up in a sterile environment wearing a lab coat and goggles, oh especially the goggles, mixing things using fire and other types of possibly dangerous solutions...And when I would come home from class, I would just complain to C about what happened in Chem class that day, really distressed because I was put off by it...The one class I have come home talking his ear off about is the one involving social theory, injustices and cultural/global/governmental issues...Plus naturally with the experiences that I have accumulated through graff and the art world and just living in this world, I am a sponge for research and query, one thing I learned from my experience in graff is getting a feel for knowing who to believe when you filter through the history information, sift through what a broad range of people say, not taking everything as facts until you know it to be the reality, taking sources with a grain of salt...finding firsthand sources, citing them properly...Like tonight Greg and I watched "The Run Up"...Mr. Cartoon (though his style of art is not really a favorite style of mine, I respect him for his work 'cuz he's damn good at what he does)...made everyone else look like clowns in the movie 'cuz he came with wisdom, not a bunch of commercials posing as documentary footage and he had the skills of someone who stuck with something he loved even though life was happening around him, but that maybe also saved him, didn't turn him into some phoney masturbating into the camera blowing himself up so much or as Greg put it, "talking that art space bullsh*t"...In most of the segments, the up-close with the artist, who in most cases and them speaking...wow, it really ruined their art for me in most cases...Made me glad that I wasn't in the position that I was behind a camera yakking away unnecessarily and/or showing work that kinda was lacking ...Yeah, I really wouldn't want to be an "art star"...Watching that movie was like seeing the awful ugly-hearted man pulling all these strings and pulleys behind the big curtain of artwork with all the special effects...Destroys the whole fantasy...There were a couple of exceptions. The two English guys, Mr. Jago & Will Barras, creating the Design Agency in response to a book they had previously put out, now that would be pretty cool to do an animated spot on Nickelodeon and of course the legendary Bodes (Vaughan and Mark)...I think the artists interviewed outside the US had more of a grip on reality, not tripped up by that problem with ego or that need to demand confirmation that they are famous...Famous is all a matter of to who? Making a living by doing art is not the issue. I spent a sleepless night after watching the 2 set disc...and found that there's two kinds of people...the kind who's seen too much to talk, who if you don't come correct to, don't step on their block 'cuz they won't waste their time, or the gotta-get-over-on-everyone 'cuz real life hasn't slapped them in the face...hopefully yet...and they talk and play the victims and have ulterior motives, trying to be deep when they only seem to drown themselves in their fluff...with amazing rubber jaws so they can exhibit their incredible abilities to suck their own _________...

Viva la Elocution! YA!

Yeah, the course list sounds like fun...Indiana Jones dreams, I suppose...But what's wrong with that?...I remember at MassArt I took a class called Glories of Ancient Greece...The teacher was a career changer, decided late in life to go back to school to study Archaeology; she had a lot of experience with history and culture because she had been on digs in Greece...I thought that was the coolest thing I'd ever heard and she seemed really happy about it, I think she even said it was the best decision she'd ever made...Anyways, I don't want to cry wolf about my major...I feel like there's a lot of people invested in the eventual outcome of this whole going back to school again thing but then again, how are you going to find out something doesn't fit unless you try it on?

Mac Quest for More Hard Drive Space...

On my quest for more space (less is more), I realized that my music collection was really becoming too large for its own good and that I had to do something about it...iTunes will allow you to create a new library on an external hard drive and completely remove the music from your internal one. Except for the games...Keep the files for them and add them to your library later. This article titled "Can I Move the Contents of all my Family Members' iTunes Libraries to an External Drive so We can All use the same Library?" goes through the step-by-step process in detail. And you do have to resync your iPod to the new external hard drive's library if you want to be able to edit your iPod...Man, I freed up about 50 GB though...It's like a brand new computer with all the space...

Fonts, Fonts, and Tiger OSX and Corruption...

Okay, for all of you who are font-greedy and need some advice on what to do when you installed a bunch of fonts and your computer gives you unpleasant font error messages (Microsoft Word esp.) like please remove corrupt font files...I was lucky enough to come across Corrupt Font Errors in Word 2004/OS X 10.4.x (Tiger) for what to do with the whole mess...There's two great apps, the first is free and is called Linotype FontExplorer X and the second one called Font Doctor (the link in the article doesn't actually work, but this softpedia link does) actually fixes the corrupt fonts but it costs $69.99. The demo version WILL diagnose the corrupt fonts, though...After messing with my FontBook app for hours and realizing that it is really not that much of a help, is slow, and takes up so much of the processor power that I barely made any progress, well these two apps helped me out a lot...

Animated Internet celebs homage and Wierd Al's R Kelly...

An animated tribute to the internet people of the world, wherever you may be. Animated by Dan Meth, with music by Dan Meth and Micah Frank (A Channel Federator Original Cartoon, "Internet People").




and check out...ChannelFrederator.com...

Trapped in the Drive-Thru music by "Weird Al" Yankovic, Directed and Animated by Doug Bresler, Realeased by Volcano Entertainment III, LLC.

Between Purgatory and the Violent Circle

Doing some research on the Circles of Hell, I ran into this test...
The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Seventh Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very High
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Moderate
Level 2 (Lustful)	Low
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	High
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	High
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Very High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Low

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

Cartooning/Comic Book/Film Tools of the Trade

A few products (essential) to the process of layout for a storyboard/page...However, you could just as well create your own layout styles from your own computer...

Oasis Storyboard Pads (set of three) Price: $30

Item:ADS5080 at Levenger.com

Expansive pads for left- and right-brain mind-mapping
Storyboard Oasis Pads feature boxes for sketching ideas or objectives, and rules for itemizing their message points or action items.

C has a Moleskine storyboard pocket Notebook...

Item #:	KLMB802
Size:	3.5 x 5.5" (9 x 14 cm)
Pages:	80 pages of top-quality paper -- 40 pages with 2 frames, 40 pages with 4 frames
List Price:	$11.00
Our Price:	$9.95 at moleskines.com

Unfortunately, they don't make them bigger, however I did find a template guide to create your own pages in a bigger moleskine...Moleskine Hack: Turn a Large Sketchbook into a Storyboard Notebook on Ninth Wave Designs' page.

I also just recently found "Comic Life", the software comic template/layout program by plasq...Add effects to photos or files, some balloons and you have a fresh new comic from start to finish in no time flat. Your iPhoto library and hard drive files are always at your fingertip - just drag in your pictures. Drag on some captions, 'sound effect' text (‘ka-blam!') and speech bubbles and your work is done! An interesting program called "Skitch" is also available by invite only to the Beta version...

P.S. For those who dabble in audio...I am having a lot of fun playing with DJay...It's a great program...a bit slow on the importing of the song to the table...but man, the hours of entertainment...

Action Figure Sites of Interest...

You can build your own custom "urban crew" though I thought it covered only a specific stereotype of "urban"...Very limited in choice of heads, I thought, they need more and some of the outfits need a little more realism...but it definitely is worth the time to check out their site....www.herobuilders.com

They have great political action figures and wierd pop culture stuff, too...The villain figures are amazing...

Also, Enterbay has a really well-designed site, clean and simple, and I love the precision they use to create and think through all the details in their craftsmanship...