Secret Santa '08 Wish Lists

I hope you had fun drinking and exchange presents. If you didn't get what you really wanted, well, you shouldn't have put it on your wish list.

[Reading music:
Low - Just Like Christmas
Wham! - Last Christmas
The Vandals - Oi to the World]

Carol
ok here goes the list....

i like:
shirts, scarfs, make-up, and anything else i'll appreciate..

Lulu
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/1ETUDJJGNV3E8/ref=lst_llp_wl-go

Eugene
hennessy vs 750 ml
glenfiddich 12 year 750 ml
jack daniels 750 ml
quervo 750ml
1800 750ml
dog poop scooper
any t-shirt at image store or yellow rat
metamucil
pink xbox 360 controller

Roberto
Let There be Blood DVD
Film (any kind)
Film (seriously, any kind)

Aileen
1. Really cool condoms - like wrappings/glow in the darks/etc.

there is a store called the condom store in the west village

2. Really cool panty-hose, weird colors/patterns/out of the norm but yet stylish

could be found anywhere they sell pantyhose: bloomies, american apparel, underwear stores, that pantyhose store in penn station

3. Vibrator!!!!!! (super serious)

Could be found at any sex shop in Manhattan. Please make sure it has super strong vibrations, is washable and safe, as well as long lasting meaning I could replace the batteries!!! Ask the salesgirls at these places for their favorite pick. Or you could hit up the sexshop babeland something.

Lauren
1-Gift cards from any of the following :
Barnes and Nobles, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, H&M, Forever 21, ebay?, and Bath and body works.

2- Take me someplace to get my holga film developed and pay for the film development. It isn't more than about 12 or 13 dollars.

3- Some really good weed, preferably in the amount of a dub, but whatever you can afford.

4- OH, if you're a photographer or artist, something home made.

Darlene
1. A pack of socks, or wife beaters. Please not white. Size small for the wife-beaters, for the love of God, not size 9 if you're going for the fucking socks. I have small feet. If it says it fits up to size 9, don't grab them, they will be too big for me. Size 5 or 6, pl0x.
2. http://store.dieselsweeties.com/products/secret-kisses-shirt-herschl-the-hook-up-hare-edition Women's American Apparel, size Medium pl0x.
3. http://www.tshirthell.com/funny-shirts/swallow-or-its-going-in-your-eye/ Ladies, size Medium, black. pl0x.

Olek
0 - 10: A winter hat of your choosing, I have a head that fits both medium and large sized hats.
10 - 20: A highly-acclaimed work of fiction published in the past 5 years.
20-30: A snazzy sweater. Size can vary from medium to large depending on the store.

Vincent
Here it is. Stuff can be used (except maybe the socks), or found, whatever.

- a fiction graphic novel that can be described as fucking awesome

- a cool looking "The Art of . . ." concept art book for an animated movie, video game, etc

- a science fiction book that fucks with your mind

- an interesting gadget, preferably steampunk

- excellent socks stay both warm and dry, dryness is crucial

- a t-shirt with a crazy design, size Medium

- something you think is very important for me to have but that I don't already have (no diseases please)

Sheena
i would like:
1. endless supply of toilet paper
2. vaccuuum
3. funny looking wine-bottles/ funny-artistic logos, etc.
4. a small puppy that can fit in my palm
5. coasters
6. swiffer
7. ingredients to make weed brownies
8. weed
9. or, just the weed brownies itself would be awesome
10. a small puppy that can fit in my palm
11. $5,000
12. Someone to do my research paper by tomorrow? yes? nah....nevermind.
12. um..i need a job but i am not skilled....so nvm
12. i don't care really, if my new place can benefit from it [ps. im a neat freak] then mazeltov!!

hopefully aileen gets my name since shes the one that uses all my toilet paper newayz! HMPF!!

Carmen
FREE- you can give me a 30 min back massage woohoo!

1)$10 tank top or yoga pants Size Small.

2) $15 Trail Guide to the Body Student Handbook: How to Locate Muscles, Bones and More (Spiral-bound) by Andrew Briel and Robin Dorn

I could really use this book for school :-). Its an awesome book.

link: http://www.amazon.com/Trail-Guide-Body-Student-Handbook/dp/0965853462/ref=pd_sim_hpc_1

3) $20- 30 An Obama shirt or any cool T shirt that will make me giggle
http://shop.cafepress.com/design/30173552

Yacki
FREE TO $10:
- Mixed CD with insert cover art - Free.
- Personal artwork - Free.
- "Great Russian Short Stories" (Dover Thrift Edition), Paul Negri - $3.50.
- Classic Periodic Table Poster - ~$6 at Amazon.

$10 TO $20:
- "The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty: Delhi, 1857", William Dalrymple, $16.95 [Amazon: ~$14 (including S&H)].

$20 TO $30:
- "Silent Exodus: Portraits of Iraqi Refugees in Exile", Khaled Hosseini - $25 [Amazon: $20 (including S&H)].
- "Landmarks of Western Art: The Renaissance - A Journey of Art History Across the Ages (1999)", DVD - ~$22 at Amazon.
- NYU Book Store gift card.

OVER $30:
- Estée Lauder "Pleasures Delight" 1.7oz - $45 at Macy's.
- Sonja Picard Collection Jewelry/PETA Ahisma 16" Necklace - $150.
- Nikon D40 Digital SLR - $379.00 at B&H.

Memo:
- No products from Bath & Body Works, please.
- CLOTHING. Shirts: size small. Pants: size 6. Shoes: size 8. Please include the receipt in case I need to exchange the item for a different size.
- I'm an India-phile, so anything Indian (e.g. music, Bollywood movies, documentaries, jewelry, books, clothing, devotional statues).

Kat
. One thousand paper cranes (again, i know i put this down last year..but im still into it)

. Tales of the Beatle and the Bard - JK Rowling, Prices range from - $7.59 (amazon), $9.74 (Strand) to $12.99 (normal)
. Persepolis the Movie - Around $20

Alternatives:

Absolutely anything the santa deems fit for me or the situation

A pair of black pants - H&M size 6, generally 2-4 otherwise

An absurdly huge counterfeit watch from chinatown, please haggle down

A few of the best (strange, absurd, educational, etc) $1 books you can find at strand

A series of Poems, written by the santa

A few of the weirdest objects found on the streets of NYC

Courtney

Free-$10: DOTS candy

$20-$30: "Carnivore tee" size Medium $21.50 @ delias.com item #155900

or anything with the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz for whatever price less than $30.

Mike
Poland Spring Vodka
Everclear
Grey Goose

Some words of encouragement.

I know this world can be a rough place. Demons and animals tear at your heels as you run through cold, abandoned streets. A harsh wind cuts through your skin and slices off your flesh, one millimeter at a time. Don't worry. You're home. Everything's going to be ok. Drum and bass will save us all.

Swans

[Reading music: Dan the Automator - Third World Lover (feat. Kid Koala)]

“You’re old enough,” my cousin Mohammed said before we hopped on his motorcycle. I was eighteen and, despite our family’s objections, he was going to show me the “real” India. Up to this point, my Indian experience consisted of nightly dinner engagements with obscure relatives, unsentimental gift giving and marathon video-gaming. My mother, my younger brother and I returned to India every four years and each visit had been identical to the last.

Mohammed and I arrived at the local butcher's market. It was nothing more than a ceiling and support beams, but the suffocating odor defied the open-air architecture. The butchers worked on large concrete slabs. There they cut the meat and laid it out for sale. Skinned goats hung upside down from chains extended from the ceiling. Flies swarmed about. Unoccupied butchers absent-mindedly swatted them away. Stray dogs freely entered the market, lusting over the goods, kept at bay only by a shout or a whack.

Mohammed began taking photos with the camera my mother had bought him. A few butchers noticed and approached us. They assumed we were reporters and, before Mohammed could correct them, began complaining. Mohammed translated, explaining that the market was municipal institution and the butchers thought that if the wider public was made aware of its gruesome conditions, they could force the local government to clean it up.

Mohammed criticized the Indian press. He drew a parallel between my family shielding me from the filthy, inhumane side of India and the way the media served the public. Desperate, impoverished people wanted to hear good news, not to be reminded of the ugliness of their lives. And that’s what the reporters and television anchors gave them. Everyone wanted to pretend that everything was okay.

By now a small crowd had gathered around us. Despite Mohammed’s attempt to explain that we were not journalists, a man pulled us aside. He led us to the local public bathroom. First, he pointed out the local police station and then directed our attention to the bathroom’s confines. Even from ten feet away, I could smell the stench of urine and feces. Of course, it was a stinking rotten mess. But what the stranger wanted us to notice were the two men, who were able to withstand the odor with broad smiles. They were sitting on the floor, just beyond the entrance. One was heating a piece of aluminum foil with a lighter. The second had a straw with one end hovering over the foil, the other end in his mouth. The restroom didn’t have a door. People were walking in and out, urinating with ease and washing their hands before exiting. The police station was only two blocks away.

Next, we came to a river. Mohammed explained that rivers were considered sacred in Hinduism, which was why people were bathing in the murky green water littered with trash. He explained that their bathing was making the river even more polluted; the run-off from the soap stayed in the current and, further downstream, people were doing the same ritual bathing, adding their own soap-scum to the water. Each attempt at absolution deteriorated the river further. From the middle of the river rose a temple, thin and tall like a dagger stabbing through the current. It was five stories tall. Due to the high tide of the monsoon season, the first story was completely submerged. Walking along the riverbed, we were confronted by a hoard of what Mohammed called “professional beggars.”

“These are beggar colonies,” he said. He claimed that they allowed only the most disfigured and heart-wrenching to join their ranks. They worked the streets together, sometimes clashing with other beggars over turf-rights. At the day’s end, they split the earnings amongst the group, dividing it along their hierarchal lines. When Mohammed wasn’t looking, I gave an elderly woman with a face like crumpled brown leather and stubs for fingers twenty rupees.

Mohammed had been taking photos since we stopped at the butcher's and now he wanted a shot of the entire river. He wanted it all: the fanatics bathing in the toxic water, the beggars preying on the faithful, the temple standing erect amidst the flood. We climbed a ladder leading up to the roof of a nearby two-story building. As my cousin took his shots, I surveyed the area. In a pen beneath us, the cows were eating out of a large pile of trash, feeding on leaves that were used to wrap portions of rice and chicken. Between two cows kneeled a man and small girl. They were picking leaves out of the unopened trash bags, scrapping up the remaining rice and chicken and shoveling it into their mouths.

“That’s not something you see in America,” Mohammed said, “people eating besides cows.”

***

Later on during the same trip, my entire family took a vacation. My mother considered it absurd that our family had spent their entire lives in India without ever seeing the Taj Mahal. So she rented a tour bus, a driver and a guide, and we set off for the sights of northern India. We visited Agra, Delhi and Jaipur to behold the treasures of Indian civilization.

There was a hotel in Delhi with a bridge. To reach the hotel’s front entrance, you had to drive over this bridge. It was completely unnecessary. It was constructed as a gimmick to make the hotel seem more luxurious than it actually was, something to compensate for the green blotches of mold on our bedroom ceiling and the half-functioning air conditioner. The bridge passed over a small, man-made valley complete with an artificial river and two swans. River may be an overstatement; it was drying up and much more akin to a shallow stream. The swans waddled beneath the bridge, hiding from the unrelenting north Indian sun. The edges of their feathers looked rusted. They moved awkwardly and were missing feathers. They could have easily flown away, but it seemed as if their wings were clipped.

[This story won the Fall 2008 Harman Writing Nonfiction Competition and will be published in next semester issue of Encounters magazine.]

Part of the Crowd

Black Lips - Veni Vedi Vici (Bit Chaser Remix) [zshare]

Hey, Olek, what are you doing?

Oh, just cross-posting to another blog is all.

http://www.cutethingsfallingasleep.org/

This kind of specialized blogging is becoming terribly popular.

Coleman and Franken

A five-member elections panel in Minnesota has begun the process of examining hundreds of ballots challenged by both sides in the Senate contest between Norm Coleman and Al Franken today. The board will have to sort through as many as 1,500 ballots to determine voter intent.

On Minnesota Public Radio, they have posted images of the challenged ballots between Franken and Coleman. You can see what problems they're having..

Today in Punk

The day's events organized by hardcore-ness

Reading music: The Bronx - Heart Attack American


Iraqi Journalist: Hardcore
An Iraqi journalist shouted "This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog" and then threw both of his shoes at President George Bush during a press conference in Iraq. Unfortunately, he missed.


Greek President: Emo
President Karolous Papoulias underwent surgery to fit a pacemaker during the tenth day of riots and protests in Athens and other Greek cities. The President's broken heart comes amidst calls for Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis' resignation.


New England: Acoustic
Over 400,000 homes and businesses in Northeastern United States remained without power after severe winter storms battered the region. President George Bush declared a state of emergency as power company crews work around the clock to restore electricity.

Madison Park... [addendum]

So it turns out it was actually a video that I find both terrifying and hilarious. Enjoy.

Brand new way to waste hours of your life...

Not better than us, though.

[Courtesy of Yacki.]

Madison Park...

... is often home to public art projects, like Tadashi Kawamata's "Tree Huts" (a project which must have been a massive failure as I could not find photos of it in any popular press). So while crossing through the Park today and coming across the scene pictured above, I naturally assumed it was simply another installation.

Before I had much time to ponder the artistic intention behind the stage surrounded by lights or the diamond-shaped wreath suspended from the air or the couple kissing beneath it, I was approached by a solicitor. She explained that it was a charity/raffle event, "When Forever Began." $5 was going to be donated to Elton John's AIDS something or the other for every person who was photographed. Although it wasn't mentioned, I assumed the event was hosted by De Beers, the diamond cartel of questionable moral standing. I figured it was only right to bleed the beast as much as possible, so I hopped online. When my turn came, I stood beneath the wreath and, according to the photographer, a series of cameras placed around the stage simultaneously photographed me--you know, Matrix style. They gave me a reference number and told me I'd be able to check out my pic online sometime tomorrow.

If you're interested in participating, I overheard that the event is running through Thursday. The wait was a bit long, but there was free hot chocolate to compensate. And after all, it's for a good cause. Plus, you know that deep down you're a vain person who likes his or her picture taken.

P.S. Participation also enters you in a raffle to win a diamond, ladies.

TWC gives me a headache.

Every time I go to pay my TWC bill, I am faced with a different challenge. Two months ago, I was told I accidentally received some "premium" channels, and that I'd have to pay for them in order to get them back. An hour later, I was given the service for one additional month. A month ago, I was informed that TWC charges one month in advance, which was a bit troubling, but I dealt with it. I just spent the past hour haggling with a ghetto, high strung woman about my cable fee nearly doubling. Then, she realized that I was being incorrectly charged, and her tone completely changed. Now I have to change my cable box, and won't be able to record shows. Should I pay the additional $10 fee? Capitalism sucks.

Sometimes things need to be explained to me.

Can someone please explain why we're having so much difficulty in the Middle East when we have these? Someone is lying to us and this chainsaw/assault rifle is proof.

Photo courtesy of AR15.com at their forum.

M-M-M-Mash it!

A mash-up is a combination of two different songs. It usually manifests as the music of one song laid over with the vocals of another, but more complex mashes are possible. These more intricately incorporate the two songs, mixing up elements and sometimes completely rearranging them. It's an art gaining prominence, yet still ruled by a handful of extremely high kids who spend a lot of time on these interwebs. You've probably heard of the superstars (Girl Talk, DJ Danger Mouse, DJ Food, etc.), but here's a round up of a few of the lesser known acts.

1. Mark Starr - Jungle Friend (Kool & the Gang vs Deadmau5)
2. The Hood Internet - Dick Move (Mickey Avalon vs Cansei Ser de Sexy)
3. Mighty Mi - Electric Touch (Justice vs Kanye West, feat. Steve1der)
4. DJ Schmolli - Blocalicious (Bloc Party vs Fergie)

P.S. I'm currently working on a mash-up of Cut Copy's "Far Away" and Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." Fingers crossed.

I wonder what's gonna happen next.

This world is pulling in a thousand directions at once. The future calls with an irresistible siren song that we simply cannot ignore. Rocket cars and the dissolution of the United States of America. Race wars and economic turmoil. Changing demographics and social networking sites revolving around where you prefer to get drunk and meet the people you did but wouldn’t fuck unless you were in the previously mentioned state. Every second feels like doom is bearing down on us. Everything is epic. Mumbai is on fire. Pakistani backed Pushtanis wedded to Al Qaeda taking American and British hostages in five-star hotels funded by the globalism bleeding the U.S. dry. Underground, overly conscious hip-hop and a mash-up involving over fifteen different artists. Uncle Sam vs. The Phantom. It’s an endless battle, I want to get involved somehow. It’s frustrating just sitting around watching a Twitter feed constantly updating, saying the same five things over and over again, patting themselves on the back for being new media. It’s amazing and frustrating and amazingly frustrating. I’m a minute away from yelling “take arms my brothers!” but where would we march? Good vs. Evil. Is it really that simple? It never is. Can’t be. They always have their reasons, but are they good enough? At what point do you stop making excuses for murderers and say turn the place into a parking lot? I can understand conservatives sometimes. You don’t know what’s happening or why, but you know you should be scared. The future pulls in an infinite number of different directions with no regard for us. It’s as simple as fear and hope. Quantum mechanics and how to get red wine out of white carpets. Incestual, pedophilic relationships and your parents. You know they had to. At least once. Let’s hope that was it. Thoughts and Novels. Unwanted thoughts and poorly written novels. Waking up from a dream because you realize it’s a dream or finding yourself stuck in a nightmare. There’s too much going on. No news is good news.

your response, please

All of F†L are encouraged to answer:

1_ Yes or No?
2_ Your favorite color?
3_ Please post/link your favorite picture of yourself thus far
4_ Please post/link your favorite picture of someone else
5_ What is your favorite pick-me-up song?
6_ What song is most played on your itunes/mp3 player?
7_ Are these two songs the same? If not, why is this song good in your opinion?

(pictures must be 3/4 of the face at least)

Justice = Fakes?

Beatport recently broke a story accusing Justice of faking their live performances, using the photo above as evidence. As you can clearly see from the close up below, the MIDI controller Gaspard is tinkering with is unplugged.


Justice appear to be taking the accusation in stride, going so far as to post the photo in question as their profile pic on MySpace. Gaspard responded to Beatport's claim, saying that the controller had only momentarily come unplugged, which is why he looks so confused in the photo.

His story seems to have some backing. One of the many commentators on Beatport's story is a photographer who was present on the night of said-fakery. He posted the image below, in which Gaspard appears to be plugging in the controller.


Beatport also features another story citing an interview with Justice in which the duo admits to not clearing hundreds of samples used on their debut album, †, although no one besides a handful of lupine record execs gives a fuck about that. Rather, this begs the question: is Beatport really just hating on Justice?

Brute Force

Here's a video from the time I saw Fuerzabruta this past summer and would recommend it to anyone. Student tickets go for $37. A really incredible show, things you definitely have not seen before.
http://www.fuerzabrutanyc.com/

Jacked: Karan's Playlist

That's my brother, Karan. In high school, he used to wear 24XL t-shirts and listen to Hot 97. Then he started college and everything changed. I'm not exactly sure what happened. I'd like to think I had something to do with it, but credit probably goes to alcohol. Now he's wearing clothes that actually fit, watching artsy French flicks and going to TMJ parties. Besides that, he's listening to Crystal Castles, Justice, Boys Noize and a whole slew of shit that I've never even heard of--and a lot of it is really good. So a few nights ago, I spent an hour going through his iTunes, snatching songs. Here's some of what I found:

1. AutoKratz "Stay the Same (You Love Her Coz She's Dead remix)"
2. Busy P "Pedrophilia (Chewy Chocolate Cookies remix)"
3. Daft Punk "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (Coin Operated Boy remix)"
4. Lykke Li "Little Bit (AutoErotique remix)"
5. Redial "45 Overdrive"
6. Sidechains "Dr. Funk"
7. Sohodolls "Trash the Rental (Crystal Castles remix)"
8. Vegastar "Mode Arcade (Toxic Avenger remix)"

Equipped with Boombox

Ever thought about pole dancing while being driven around? Check out their blog

Internship

http://wearevane.com/lifestyle/?p=81

The Lives of Others: Rules of Sitting

The Lives of Others: Rules of Sitting:: An Essay in Three Parts

#333
Weekends would be spent in the Photo room 333 from before nine in the morning until a little before midnight, when the custodians would have to lock up. (Depending on who was closing, the group could have stayed till one, two or maybe even four in the morning.) There was a process. It started with waiting. Waiting for Wallach to skim through your negatives and contact sheets. Waiting hungry possibly for hours, out of fear of losing your chance with him. Everyone would sit around him as he went one by one through student’s work. When one student was finished, another one would immediately inhabit the vacant seat next to him. And after that long wait, it could end in disappointment and tears with criticism and the reality of nothing worthy of exhibiting or contests. If a commendable negative was found, a type of fiber paper was chosen, the better filters were distributed and you would be sent off to print in the darkroom. Printing on fiber paper is much more expensive and lengthy process (considering the dilutions of the chemicals in the majority of high school darkrooms). At the end of the first Saturday, one would be lucky to have an exhibitable print and this wasn’t common. Maybe by Sunday evening, you would have a variety of prints from one negative. Maybe one had the right amount of contrast, maybe one had good tones overall. The best prints would be saved for contests; one would go in your book and the rest to live in a box that is now possibly in storage, in Wallach’s house or missing. It would go on like this for the majority of fall semester every year.


With the change of teachers from Wallach to Molina, in two years, a few scanners and inkjet printers transformed into some of the best digital equipment that’s fathomable in NYC public high school. The analog-to-digital transition was steady but didn’t happen in a day. Some of The Process doesn’t change, even with the change of hand and technology. Come early on the weekends and have your negatives and files searched for any possibility of a hidden gem. During Molina’s first year there weren’t enough scanners and printers to accommodate all that had work. And at that point, it was a small number of students that were digitally proficient. The first weekend, all the negatives were chosen and only three or four people could be working at any time. That actually meant Molina and Wallach (he came in to help during this transition) doing half of the digital work. Caroline and I looked at each other, wondering if we should leave since there was nothing for us to physically do. At some point, Armen approached me and said that even if Wallach and Molina are doing the work, that we should stay. Sit, keep them company, see if they need anything and get them lunch. It hit me hard and it’s a sentiment I still follow. If this guy (who could be a huge asshole sometimes) knew to stay, I knew to I should stay too. I stayed, I sat and I bought them bagels for lunch. This went on until I had become part of the group that helped photoshop and print everyone’s work.

See who Wallach is in the Brooklynites project, 7th one down.

Read the whole essay here.

HOLY FUCK-NUTS

[Thanks to Aileen for the heads-up and a plague upon her family for getting to see the pre-screening.]

Olde English

Named after your favorite 40 oz. this internet comedy group will get you drunk on funny.



Perfect score for nailing the style of 90's music videos and the nature of heterosexual relationships.

Why do people kiss?

Whether it's Eugene blowing you a kiss, or someone greeting you with a kiss on the cheek - have you ever wondered where this behavior developed? Some science magazines claim that pheromones play the largest role in why we kiss. However, Scienceline analyzes the interesting debate of whether kissing is learned or instinctual. They give the cute example of the monkey mama feeding her baby via the mouth, which supports this idea of kissing as a learned behavior. They briefly bring up the interesting fact that some human tribes do not engage in the act of kissing at all, which motivated me to do some research. Scientific American reports that 10% of the human population does not engage in kissing. Now consider that there are approximately 6.6 billion people as of 2007. That's a shit load of people who don't kiss. So, is kissing an instinctual or learned behavior? More research needs to be done (but don't invest your research funding in this area, give your $ to fund cancer research!).

This is so raunchy for Bollywood.

- Yacki

The Bush Years: A Retrospective

I'm noticing a change in the way President Bush is being described everywhere there is discussion. Blogs (not the rabid left-wing ones of course), teachers and most people are beginning to describe his actions as not necessarily evil, but as a product of his upbringing, his relation with addiction, and even his lack of interest in politics. People close to him have said that he would have preferred to be baseball commissioner. What a different world this would be if that were the case. I'm sure baseball would be in terrible shape, but that seems like a small price to pay.

He's a frontman, someone shoved into a position not exactly against his will but more due to the momentum of his family. Born in Connecticut, educated in Yale, member of Skull and Crossbones, you would think he would be enmeshed in the Northeast elite, but that does not seem to be what he wanted. He rebelled with alcohol, baseball and cocaine. After publicly embarrassing the family enough, his mother gave him the ultimatum of cleaning up or getting disowned. It was at this point he was "born again," when Rev. Billy Graham asked Bush about his relationship with God up in Kennebunkport. He became focused on God and sobriety (a really bad mix if you ask me) and gained the black and white mentality that were so familiar with now. This focused, single-mindedness is pretty common in recovering addicts, it's the 12 step thought process.

So what are the American people stuck with for eight years? A President that creates an axis of evil. A President with no intellectual curiosity. A President that is influenced by a room of his dad's old friends more than he is by his own views and opinions. A President that ignores the Constitution he swore to defend. A President that is a failure and a disappointment to the world, the nation and I'm guessing even his family. Thankfully, we're not stuck with him for much longer. I think it's interesting that after Bush we elected the first openly intellectual President in my lifetime (which isn't that long in terms of national histoy, I know). At least there's no way Obama could be worse.

Sorry for the rant on the done-to-death topic of our outgoing President, but I'm doing my senior thesis on the Bush Doctrine (lolz @ Palin) and well, it's kind of on my mind. I don't remember where I got the picture from, it's in the style of Wondermark, but I don't think it was done by Mr. Malki.

One love.

-Olek

Free New York Times

I received a free New York Times today on St. Marks. Take closer look here. And check it out online.

Hot Lady of the Week!

I'm tapped out of energy today, thus I bring you hot lady of the week.



I also bring you favorite pick-up line of the week.

"So it's really beautiful out today, sort of reminds me of you".

The Spinning Woman.

I don't know how many of you have checked out the spinning woman test. Before going ahead and reading the results on the left-hand side of the site, first determine whether the woman is spinning clockwise or counterclockwise.

I discovered it a few months ago, and decided to show it to Arvind today. We sat in front of my computer arguing for a good ten minutes, but he couldn't see the woman rotating counterclockwise. I believe the lady's spinning clockwise for the first 40 or so seconds, and then switches to counterclockwise. You could argue this by noticing the direction of her tits, as well as the change in arm. So, we'd like to know what your take on this is!

- Yacki

Art dictates fashion...

So according to these videos, the really hot things right now are the '80s and children. Thus, the "in" accessories are time machines and broken condoms. Get to it, you cool kids.


Crystal Castles - Vanished (music video)

Justice - D.A.N.C.E. ("live" on Jimmy Kimmel)

- Arv

A/S/L?

21/F/NYC

So I'm guessing I'm the [insert number here] blogger you'll read about. Let me give you some insight.

I grew up in Queens, and yes it is a borough that makes up NYC. Some out-staters may think that we have had a crazy childhood, at least the stories we tell are hella interesting. So don't pity us when you are trying to afford your rent in the 'burg.

My stories will consist of hamsters and what we do in our spare time, and other random things I jot down on the F line. I know what you're thinking. I'm not a hamster. Honey, get over yourself, man up and read on. Besides, Doctor said reading was good for health.

Oh yea, here's my picture... now A/S/L?

-Aileen Awesome

I Spent My Stimulus Check on Tequila Shots V2.0

If you follow Aileen's blog, you may have noticed that she wrote up a playlist to help people suffering from S.A.D. cope with summer's passing. Reading through it, I realized there are a lot of good remixes to accompany the suggestions. So I went ahead and created a new and improved list. Also, I upped the ante by actually including links to download the songs. Now you can relive those memories from summer, but better. Like memories in HD or something.

P.S. If you are the artist or in someway own the rights to any of these songs, you should probably find something better to do than read a no-name blog created less than a week ago. Fuck supporting the artist, "meng."

P.P.S. Jaykay. I'll take it down. Please don't sue me.

Estelle feat. Kanye West - American Boy (Kill the Noise remix)
M.I.A. - Paper Planes [Impossible to make song better.]
Crystal Castles - Crimewave (Lazrtag remix)
Digitalism - Pogo (Blake Miller is Ruthless remix)
Britney Spears - Pieces of Me [Impossible to make song good.]
Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor (L.A. Riots and Villians remix)
Eve Massacre - Fuck the Kids
Black Kids - I'm Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance (80kidz remix)
Lil' Wayne - Everything [No comment.]
Jay-Z - Jockin' Jay-Z (Don Rimini remix)
The Virgins - Rich Girls (R.A.C. remix)

- Arv

It's a new day...

[Warning: the follow was written under the influence of alcohol, as I imagine much of this blog shall be, given its witty title and the favored pastime of its contributors.]

The clock on my desk, which is a barely functional relic of the '80s that my mom wanted to throw out a few weeks ago, reads 1:24 AM. The American public has just elected a new president. At this point, New Year's seems arbitrary--just a simple, inevitable passage of time. Right now, it seems as if something significant, something with a lasting effect has just happened. So what could be a more appropriate time to start a blog?

Keeping in mind a post by Gavin in Street Carnage a while ago, let's not get out of hand: Just because we've had a peaceful transfer of power to a new, albeit promising, candidate does not mean in any way that things are now OK. Racism is not over. Last I heard, the referendum banning gay marriage in California has a majority approval. The economic crises is still looming. We are still involved in two wars. Health care is in the pits. Obama is not a cure-all for all that ails this country. But he is a competent politician, one who will hopeful lead us in a new direction, one desperately needed to re-establish our standing in the world and stabilize our lives.

At the same time, let's not overlook the positive aspects of this historic moment. There's really no way to sooth cynics and armchair anarchists, who insist that nothing good ever happens. In paraphrasing the goals of Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I feel as if we've just saluted the actual possibilities of life in this country. No longer do we need to feel that race or money or partisan lines need be a boundary to success. All those seemingly empty promises of opportunity are now, at least in one magnificent case, validated. The American Dream seems to have just been resuscitated.

Today is a new day. Let's not squander it. There are things to write, experiences to be recorded, photos to take, pictures to draw, poems to scribble, drinks to imbibe, mistakes to make, goals to reach for, wars to wage, songs to listen to and meanings to discover. Come along with us for the ride. It should be interesting.

- Arv

[If you'd like to become a contributor to this blog, please shoot an e-mail over to roughdraughtblog@gmail.com Don't worry, the site will be getting prettier. I mean, we'll all be sobering up eventually.]