Thursday, May 29, 2008

Science has been kickin ass since the Enlightenment!

I seriously wish I could be in NY at this festival. After tasting an event like this at this years Yuri's Night, this 5 day event looks AWESOME. Colbert and Theoretical Physicist, Brian Green, talk it out. I'll be posting a few things in the next few days about event coverage, ESPECIALLY! this: On Saturday, May 31, neurologist and author Oliver Sacks will join neuroscientist Mark Tramo and the Abyssinian Baptist Church Choir in the World Science Festival Event Music and the Brain, an exploration of the power of music to inspire and uplift, and as an effective tool in the therapeutic process.

"Political Science"

After reading an article today titled "Political Science" from the online magazine Science News, I stopped and thought about San Francisco. Usually when talks about the developments of a green city come up, especially New York, it's hard not to stop for a second and compare things with San Francisco. 


The article talks about recent statements made by NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg made this morning at the first World Science Summit(watch the Cobert video).  Bloomberg was speaking in front of over 100 leading Scientists about the complicated relationship that science has with politics.
"He pointed, for instance, to the fact that fully a half-century ago, scientists were already linking smoking with cancer. By the 1970s, science had also begun predicting that increased carbon-dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel burning would warm the climate “with the potentially catastrophic consequences that are playing out now, all over the world.” Yet society fought anti-smoking campaigns as vehemently as the Bush administration has fought regulations to slow climate change.

And the reason? “Far too often,” the mayor contends, “it's because of what I call ‘political science’ - the willingness [of governments] to disregard or suppress scientific findings when they don't conform to a pre-determined political agenda.”


This isn't news, but I'm extremely happy to hear that it's being talked about in NY as I write this, by people who might actually be able to do something about it. In much the same way Bloomberg made great changes in public smoking laws in New York (acc. to the article, smoking is down 20% from 2002), he also took it into his own hands to create change with NY's carbon emissions. 

"Bloomberg had city agencies measure New York’s carbon footprint. And it was huge: some 58 million metric tons of CO2 per year – and growing. Last October, in response to the findings, he signed an executive order forcing city agencies to cut their CO2 emissions 30 percent by 2017. To make the necessary changes, he said, “we've committed 10 percent of our annual energy costs – equal to roughly $80 million a year.”...He's also instructed city cabbies to convert to hybrid vehicles or similarly high-fuel-economy cars within four years. That’s a big change considering New York’s is the biggest taxi fleet in the world."


That's pretty awesome progress. Imagine what a statement it would be to have a NY with all hybrid cabs?
Come on Gavin Newsom! We gotta catch up! So far, our only outlet (as far as I know) is the new SF company Green Cab that, so far, has only like, 5 cabs! Knowing this city, we don't NEED our mayor to make these changes. Green Cab will catch on pretty quick.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

8-Trck Engineer Ep.03, my swedish sigh

In celebration for the new track by The Radio Dept, this 8-Trck Engineer is strictly Swedish. Over the last 2 weeks I got a hold of the new Action Biker and an older album by The Bridal Shop. I realized that I keep running into these Swedish albums and then a few days ago I get the new Radio Dept track and then I just couldn't stop myself. I had to share my Swedish friends with all of you. My Swedish sigh begins as a burst of electric air but as I exhale it calms to barely a few night-time piano strokes. Enjoy.




trck-1. The Knife, Forrest Families... the album Silent Shout was on EVERYONE's top lists for 2006. I was no exception. This album is one of the freshest electronic album in a while. it felt super dark but sometimes made you feel slightly uncomfortable, but had amazing hooks and use of vocals that picked you right up from it's intense imagination. It didn't try to make anyone happy and seemed to exist within the genre without the support of the genre itself.
trck-2. The Legends, Play it For Today... this is from The Legend's last release in 2006 Facts and Figures. Where previously they had this great british pop shoegaze sound, the now have a euro pop shoegaze electronic sound. That seems like a pretty good evolution right? Well, they made the jump extremely well and I'm looking forward to see what else they come up with.
trck-3. The Bridal Shop, From Seas... from 2007's From Seas, this song is a great hint at the 7 track album that really hasn't received much attention, or at least as much as it should have by people who love this genre. You like old New Order? You like the airy vocals and modest-pop? you like the Bridal Shop.
trck-4. The Radio Dept, Feddie and the Tojan Horse... What can I say? this band is track for track pure enjoyment. They seriously make me feel special when I'm listening to them. Does that sound stupid? fuck it. I'm excited about this song because it's off their new album scheduled for September. CAN'T WAIT.
trck-5. Action Biker, Love for Sure... This is Sarah Nyberg Pergament's little solo music. This is off 2008's Hesperian Puisto, Action Biker's first official album release. This album better catch on here in the States. If it doesn't I'll be really surprised. Maybe I should write to Pitchfork and tip em off... nah. they suck.
trck-6. Jens Lekman, I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You... One of my favorite songs of 2007! This album, Night Falls Over Kortedala was on rotation for MONTHS here at home and at work. This album was impossible not to like.
trck-7. Jose Gonzalez, Cycling Trivialities... Another top 2007. This is off Jose's second full length, In Our Nature. You need to own both albums if you already don't. Seriously
trck-8. El Perro Del Mar, From the Valley to the Stars... This song is off of Sarah Assbring's 2008's From the Valley to the Stars. This also is a great hint as to the rest of the album. I love the feel of this album as it is completely connected to the name. I would love to be laying at the bottom of a beautiful valley looking up watching the stars. El Perro Del Mar is hard to catagorize because conceptual-folk-pop doesn't do her justice. I'll just say I'm a fan and keep it at that.

Friday, May 23, 2008

8-Trck Engineer Ep.02: It Will Never Die.

Seriously. Rock and roll will never end. Take a few minutes and listen to this quick mix and you'll know what I'm talking about. THIS IS FRESH and this is 50 years old!

For my girlfriend Junia's upcoming 25th Birthday party I've been neck-high with Rock and Rockabilly music from the 50's and 60's. I've been wading through tons of songs finding good ones for all those Guys and Gals to boogie to this weekend. I'm not much of a Rockabilly myself, but I do really enjoy old rock and roll just like the next music lover. Actually, when I was talking with my dad recently playing him 2007's Little Barrie he said "you haven't changed! You know what your FIRST tape was from Music Trader? You were in elementary school!" "No, I don't remember, what was it?" "your first tape was the Stray Cats!"

Shit! I was cool back then too! Enjoy. You can download the full mix (song-by-song..sorry still figuring it out) by clicking riiiigggghhttt....here!

8-Trck Engineer: May 23rd 2008
It will never die Rockabilly Mix

Thursday, May 22, 2008

It will never fail.

Frank Lloyd Wright said "Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." These limited edition Spirograph prints are intense! They are the work of Greig Anderson aka Effektive, a 26-year-old designer in Glasgow. I came across them on ISO50's blog. Scott Hansen (aka ISO50) has been on my RSS for a bit now and it's one of the few blogs I actually go to almost everyday not only because I love his design but because he shares some amazing stuff like these prints!






Wednesday, May 21, 2008

8-Trck Engineer Ep.01

I haven't posted in almost a week... I've been thinking about how I want to post music and was gathering my thoughts. I've also been busy job hunting and party-planning for my girlfriends 25th birthday party.

The way I was posting music before was somewhat akin to a pirate ship. There's a lot of music blogs out there that are posting albums everyday. I'm not going to lie, I do get some music that way. But after doing it myself I started feeling the moral weight getting heavier and heavier. Granted, only like 3 people even downloaded the albums I posted (why is that?), I'm still changing it up.
Instead of uploading full albums from current artists I'm listening to, I'm going to become....wait for it.....
The 8-Trck Engineer!
twice a week I will be hosting an 8 track mix. So for the 3 or 4 of you out there that come across this blog, maybe you'll look forward to some new music, maybe some old music and maybe some different music. I'm going to get back on this blog-of-a-horse and cover some new and interesting things going on in my world. Leave me some comments yo!

8-Trck Engineer, May 21st 2008
The Mutual Electricity mix

1. Apparat - Arcadia (boys noize remix)- Boys Noize have been really busy the past year. They've been on top of the best remixs from Justice to Feist. The original song from the album Walls was in my top 5 songs of 2007. HIGHLY recommend Apparat.
2. Feist - My Moon My Man (boys noize remix)- Thought these two tracks needed to be friends. Feist's vocals always kill. I really liked this remix. I'd like to hear more good electronic Feist songs.
3. Hercules & Love Affair - This is the single from the new album put out by New York DJ Andy Butler under DFA Records. Antony Hegarty (of the awesome Antony & the Johnsons) guests on this track.
4. Caribou - She's The One (Hot Chip Remix)- Caribou's Andorra was one of my top albums of 2007. Throw in a remix from Hot Chip? Can't beat it. This track has been playing since I got it last month.
5. Gablé - Puree Hiphop (7 Guitars with a Cloud of Milk)- Honestly...I don't know who Gable is. I just got this track from Bleep's latest comp and I LOVE IT... I LOVE THIS TRACK. I'm going to research these guys or guy or girl right now. bye.
6. Four Tet - Ribbons - Off his new 2008 4 track "Ringer" album. This is not the Four Tet everyone's used to and you can only love him more for it.
7. Flying Lotus - Parisian Goldfish - Flying Lotus has been coming up the last year. This is off 2008's Los Angeles - a perfect album for when your in the mood for head-bobbing to non-intrusive beats.
8. Junior Boys - No Kinda Man - This is an exclusive track for Body Language Six, a mix cd for Get Physical's series. Anything JB puts out I jump on... JB makes me feel good.

all artists links are to myspace.