So it appears that BMG and Sony are going to merge companies. This means that we'll be down the Big 4, and possibly the Big 3 if EMI acquires Warner Music (thanks for the tip Dolan). No real commentary on that.. just more insight into the homogenization of the labels.

Check the works at Calamity Group. The "Young Ones" posters are great, especially seeing that were put inside phone booth advertisements (watch the video) slots in order to reclaim public space for personal expression over advertising.

Lots of great works at Unvisible. I enjoy all the Kemado Records stuff. Also, be sure to check the Idea Dump there.. some weirdness.

Go vote on Buzzard's latest poll - choose a quote for a forthcoming blather.org t-shirt. Personally I prefer the "Please don't assume that I am listening to you just because you are speaking" but the "Why bother saying hello? Just tell me what you want." really is the most caustic of the choices....

The concept behind Audio Lunchbox is pretty cool.. a download-centric site for the indie-centric downloader. Touting digital downloads (with no DRM) from labels like Barsuk, Better Looking, Koch, Vagrant, and more they are attempting to appeal to those people who really couldn't care less about downloading hits from the Billboard charts. Will it work? Maybe.. but they are going to get a helluva lot larger catalog (no Matador? what??) and get their advertising bucks in motion.

I'm on page 14 out of 102 in The Bearskinrug Sketchbook and have to share it with you. Great illustrations, super well done nav, amusing ideas... insert more gushing here.

Why do people want their appliances connected?? Is it really going to be so amazing to put some microwaveable food in before you leave for work and fire it up 10 minutes before you get home via the internet? I don't get it...

I've not watched any of the trailers for the Matrix Revolutions because the last one really didn't do it for me. This next one looks like it's going to be off the hook with insane robots and tons and tons of fighting. Any semblance of plot that they started in the first movie, tried to retain with the second movie, have just been thrown out for the third movie.. Maybe a few things here and there about being "the one" but mostly not. Hopefully we can forego any sort of rave scenes in this one.

The illustration work of Trevor Van Meter is great. He's responsible for Flyguy and probably a bunch of other stuff you've seen. The 4RealDough pimpin Abraham Lincoln is not only really well done, it's hysterical. Thanks for the link Jeff.

Here's a very enlightening interview with Richard Kelly (director of Donnie Darko). He discusses tons of upcoming projects as well as a possible theatrical release of Donnie Darko. Thanks Robbie.

Hey! My friend Joanne launched her portfolio site: Good 'n Filthy. I love the variety of styles, excellent use of textures, and attention to detail. And to top it off, there's a nice Media Player to fit all your moods (that is, if you have 3 moods).

Right when you think he's about to retire the crown, the King of the Internet (CMikesell) brings the goods. Not to be completely obsessed with Beard & Moustache Championships or anything, but the 2004 Calendar and Video/DVD are intriguing to say the least.

More evidence that Tenacious D are hysterical.

Aside from the name, the Walt Disney Concert Hall looks pretty amazing. I'm pretty sure I've seen this site before but being able to view the actual construction progress is rather interesting. Thanks Dolan.

A few of the Rules of Design as defined by VICE. Maybe it's starting to be uncool to still like VICE (I've read alot of slag towards them recently) but I can't climb on that bandwagon.. it's still pretty much consistently amusing.

Heads up. Vacant Cage Records is releasing some fine stuff (check the artist listing for that upcoming compilation.. you'll see what I mean). I'm always pleased to see small indie startup labels doing it the right way (green vinyl! c'mon.. you gotta respect that). More to come from them I'm sure...

Ryan Hale (beard grower and artist extraordinaire) has taken to sending me links.. as to keep the spirit of yewknee alive with seeing new web items, he's doing the browsing, and I'm doing the filtering if I like it or not. Excellent system - alot less work for me. Anywho.. the Doctor Foxglove site has a massive amount of polaroid triptych's.. most of which are quite entertaining to view. Makes me wonder if he took them with the intention of grouping them together or just found themes within them. Anyone who views every single set of triptych's wins a prize.. my utmost respect for having that much free time.

The latest Hot Hot Heat video for "Talk To Me, Dance With Me" seems like the bastard love child of a Dandy Warhols and Lenny Kravitz video.

I was going to watch the new YotR video but they lied in their mass mail.. no video at Rolling Stone. (note: they signed their own blog as "yort" - pretty funny)

What else is worth watching?

MAILBAG: The World's Worst Web Page design contest sounds pretty funny, but they should have emailed everyone on geocities and told them that it was "world's best webpage" competition just to see what people honestly tried to come up with. It's a shame that the old Folk Implosion site is gone.. that could win easily.

It takes awhile to load and get through all the opening animations, but Xygoxen looks like it's got some good content going on. Gotta remember to come back and check it out later.