Bleached - Next Stop

Punk Rock/ Pop from Los Angeles, CA. Jennifer and Jessica Clavin, the sister duo of Mika Miko, formed the band in 2011. They have released one LP and three 7" records. ->

Trumped

One of the greatest ironies surrounding Donald Trump is that he seems to have gained most of his political momentum from his thoughts on immigration. The irony stems from the fact that immigration seems to strike up a great deal of racial controversy. However, race plays no part in the actual debate over immigration. The problem of immigration comes down to law- if someone enters the United States illegally, the law should be enforced. If the law is not going to be enforced, it shouldn't exist. But until the law is changed or eliminated, it should be enforced. Donald Trump might be a racist...

"When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists." Donald Trump ->

"I have a great relationship with the blacks. I've always had a great relationship with the blacks." Donald Trump ->

...but he's not wrong for wanting to enforce the law. 


Further irony regarding Donald Trump is his infatuation with his intellect. Trump seems to brag about his intelligence sort of like the pseudo tough-guy in grade school who is always quick to threaten a beating, simply to mask his own insecurities. And he's not shy to point to his wealth as the centerpiece of evidence demonstrating his intelligence. As it's well known that Justin Bieber is a well respected genius and both Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla were millionaires.

"Let me tell you, I'm a really smart guy." Donald Trump ->

"The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive." Donald Trump ->

"I'll tell you, it's Big Business. If there is one word to describe Atlantic City, it's Big Business. Or two words – Big Business." –Donald Trump ->

"Part of the beauty of me is that I'm very rich." Donald Trump ->

“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." Isaac Asimov ->

Ultimately, Donald Trump is not much better or worse than any candidate currently in the running. The only reason he is receiving any attention at all is because he's the class clown of the bunch. He's also making something of a joke out of the election, and for that I applaud him. Because, the problem isn't choosing between the lesser of two evils. The problem is being forced to make a choice that isn't your own. The problem is believing you possess the freedom of choice, and believing you possess any freedom at all.

“A managed democracy is a wonderful thing... for the managers... and its greatest strength is a 'free press' when 'free' is defined as 'responsible' and the managers define what is 'irresponsible'." Robert A. Heinlein ->

Bass Drum of Death - Get Found

Garage punk from Oxford, MS. Often compared to Fidlar, but since they suck now, give this band a listen. Their new record "Rip This" is actually quite good. ->

TV Freaks - Rewind

Punk rock from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. This song is from the album titled "Two." The band just put out a new record called "Bad Luck Charms." Check it out ->

195dB Human Eardrums Rupture

Have you ever noticed a connection between exceptionally stupid music, i.e. Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lil Boosie, Tyga, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, ASAP Rocky, Schoolboy Q, Wiz Khalifa, and excessively loud audio systems in cars? Most of the aforementioned "artists" seem to have a loose understanding of the English language and can barely form coherent lyrics.

Lil Boosie - Daddy Luv U
Now, this first verse, for Ivyanna
The only seed I actually watched come outta momma
And she so smart, and she so cute I think she gifted man
She gimme sweet eyes say she love me just to lift the pain
But she don't know about her sister and her baby brother
They need to talk, but they can't talk cuz they crazy mothers
I feed her, clothe her, take her places all across the nation
She know I rap and know her daddy be on tv stations
She see my magnum, and she run up, hollin daddy daddy
So on that strength, when I'm n beef, I'll let you niggas have it
And she aint even 4 though
But she be laughin at her daddy when he hit dat do do

Kendrick Lamar - Wesley's Theory
When I get signed, homie I'mma act a fool
Hit the dance floor, strobe lights in the room
Snatch your little secretary bitch for the homies
Blue eyed devil with a fat ass monkey
I'mma buy a brand new Caddy on fours
Trunk the hood up, two times, deuce four

Schoolboy Q - Collard Greens
Smoke this, drink this, straight to my liver
Watch this, no tick, yeah, I'm the nigga
Gang rap, X-mas, smoke, shots out the liver
Faded, Vegas, might sponsor the killer, shit
Shake it, break it, hot-hot for the winter
Drop it, cop it, eyes locked on your inner object
Rock it, blast-blast, new beginnings
Lovely, pinky how not I remember
Fiendin'; gimme, gimme, gimme some
Freak the freckles off your face, frenchy, freaking, swapping tongue
Click my link and spread your buns, lose your denim, make it numb
Blow it baby, no Saddam (icky, icky, icky)
Fucking in the car service, thank me for the car pool
Chromosome, part full, prolly off a Norco
And gas, not the Arco, poppin' since the intro
You shoppin' from the window, play my favorite tempo

Most aftermarket car stereo systems range between 110dB and 135dB (decibels). To put this in perspective, the loudest decibel an average factory installed car stereo can achieve is 100dB. And 85dB is the level at which hearing damage begins to occur. Some car sound systems have been recorded breaking glass, or even the windshield. The decibel required to shatter glass is 163dB. The decibel capable of causing nausea and definite long term hearing damage is 141dB.

It's comforting, in a Darwinist sort of way, to know that those with a loathsome taste in music are driving around destroying their ability to hear it. 

Sources: Noise Induced Hearing Loss, Decibel Equivalent Table

Mad Max: Fury Road

 

Mad Max: Fury Road is essentially a remake of Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. The differences are vast, but there is some familiarity. The narrative introduction explaining the background sets the tone in the same mannerism. The character Max Rockatansky appears to be at the same point from the original trilogy timeline and even pilots the same 1973 Ford Falcon XB (V8 Interceptor) for a short time in the beginning of the film.

However, the similarities began to fade from there. There's the same fight for a non-renewable resource, except this time it's water. The road raging villains are present, but in a mostly over-the-top mutated and albino form. And from there on, it becomes more and more evident that the "look" of things was the focal point.

Fury Road does succeed in it's attempt to create dazzling imagery. The cinematography is on point, the landscapes are striking and the action scenes are wildly entertaining. And without the nauseating use of shakey-cam, the audience is able to fully take in and appreciate the technical orchestra of it all. For a few moments, the film is a truly brilliant spectacle. Of course, the chase scenes in particular are notably amusing.

However, where The Road Warrior was raw, focused and patient, Fury Road seems overly aggressive and comes on a bit too strong. The film feels more like a music video from the 90's; all the action up front with just a hint of a story subtlety incorporated within. Although the action is beautifully choreographed and the CGI is surprisingly tasteful, but the film suffers from an unbalanced feeling. The Road Warrior seemed masterfully crafted, with each scene standing on its own, all the while building to possibly the most suspenseful car chase climax ever filmed. In short, The Road Warrior exists to tell a story with all the action, effects and stunt work providing support to the narrative- Fury Road reverses the roles. 

Senses Fail - The Importance of The Moment of Death

 I first came across Senses Fail in High School. They had an EP out called "From The Depths of Dreams." It had a generic emo/ pop punk sound that I wasn't big on. A few songs were catchy and stuck with me. So when they put out their first full length "Let It Enfold You" I decided to have a listen. It was more of the same, except exaggeratedly so. I essentially dismissed the band after giving up on the record.

It wasn't until recently that Senses Fail caught my ear again, while listening to Pandora (Brand New Radio). The song was called "Can't Be Saved." It was engaging and held my interest long enough for me to take notice. When I realized that it was Senses Fail and that the song came from the record that followed "Let It Enfold You" I decided to give the band another chance. I'm glad that I did. The band ventured away from their mostly pedestrian take on third-wave emo and actually developed a heavier sound that seems to suit them well.

Senses Fail are set to release their sixth full length, "Pull The Thorns From Your Heart." The band has diversified their approach with each album. But with their latest single "The Importance of The Moment of Death" the band displays a completely dissociative sound. The song is stripped back, featuring a driving riff and an overall punk rock approach. Senses Fail seem bent on reinventing themselves, which can be risky for a band as well established as they are. However, if what we have so far is any indication, it's hard not to be excited about the new record and the new direction.

You Should Be Offended

There seems to be a direct correlation between low intellect and becoming offended. When someone is offended, they tend to act irrational, letting primitive emotions take over. Once in this mindset, the ability to rationalize and think logically is diminished. Those that find themselves offended more often may lack a certain degree of foresight and sensibility, as it is evident becoming offended and reacting emotionally rarely lead to a suitable solution. So this means that people with lower intelligence are more likely to be offended more often, since becoming offended is typically caused by frustration due to a lack of comprehension or understanding in a situation. For instance ->

"Mom's Against... "

Bored and feeble mothers have been teaming up for a while now, to whine and complain about everything from Marilyn Manson to video games. Instead of taking responsibility and investing some time, effort and thought into raising their children they're reaching out to rest the blame for their own incompetence on anyone and everything else.

"Racists"

If you try hard enough, you can argue any issue is a racial issue.

"Feminists"

Misguided and uninformed teens crying foul on Tumblr has become an overnight trend. These are not actual feminists arguing for equal rights or discussing social constructs. These are confused high school kids and/ or college age know-it-alls trying to find anything that can be construed as offensive.

Also, it should be noted that the word "offended" is interchangeable with the following; enraged, outraged, insulted, ashamed, humiliated, ridiculed. So finally, if you're offended by any of this, just ask yourself "Am I an idiot?"

Brand New - Mene

Although I was listening to Brand New in high school, around the time "Deja Entendu" came out in 2003, I didn't have the same appreciation for them that I have now. The band just recently released a new song, their first in six years. I love that they refer to themselves as simply a "punk rock band" via their website. I love that they still write songs with the same intensity as when they started. And I love that they're back after six years, generating the same energy and excitement.

I'm done with Tumblr

Even from the beginning Tumblr always seemed somewhat difficult to use, seemingly by design. And nothing ever worked exactly the way it should. The page headers didn't stay fixed, video and picture alignment would occasionally shift to the left and editing text format required a great deal of patience.

Over the last few years, Tumblr has removed much of its functionality and outward customization. It's no longer possible to edit pictures once you've uploaded them. It's also essentially impossible to upload a song without owning the rights to it, even though there remains a default option to do so. Worst of all, you can no longer edit HTML within a post.

Tumblr has always been poorly scripted and infested with bugs and hipsters. It's time I moved on.

Hashtag done with Tumblr.