This week in the news was rough to say the least. I don't have any inspiring words to share about the ongoing violence - both against minorities and police offices. I'm speechless at the state of things lately and I hope we can all figure out a way to come to terms with a way to fix it.
But in light of that, here's some distracting videos. Because there's no better way to solve a problem than to not think about it at all, right? When in times of trouble, fire up the live BearCam for some serenity!
Batman vs Riddler - I normally don't go much for the CollegeHumor skits but, for me, it's hard to deny the enjoyability of a very Dumb Batman.
Deal With It Robot - Simone Giertz builds yet another useless robot. Don't care for it? Deal With It.
Major World Espanol - this car lot in New Jersey has the most delightful owners. I can't understand a word of their banter but their energy levels are infectious. If you are, try out the extended infomercial version, it's a delightful trainwreck.
Cat is Hungry - I could bother to look up the context of this but I enjoy it more in the realm of total absurdity.
Dinosaur Jr, Tiny - loving this song and the video is pretty entertaining too.
I also recommend watching this bonkers short film, The Was, featuring new music from The Avalanches and a absurdly huge mashup of films and TV seamlessly cut together. Ridiculous.
I'm not clear on when this went up but Elizabeth Williams, aka Squibbin aka iBotherMe, has a full fledged portfolio site that I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of browsing. Her art projects are undeniably great - I mean, look at this wallpaper!! - but the entirety of the contents of the site are worthwhile. I know she's got plenty more work that isn't listed on the site, so I recommend keeping an eye on it for future offerings.
The Internet is full of absurd BS, I think we can agree on that. You would think that someone making the argument that Beavis (of the famed Beavis and Butt-Head) was a woke feminist, shy in his ways and understanding of the empowerment of women would be nothing more than an exercise in trolling. However, Alana Massey's Beavis Was the Wokest Bae is a surprisingly entertaining read and a hilarious argument to consider. It's filled with great passages like this:
Though Beavis is admonished by Butt-head and critics alike for his unwieldy sexual energy and his uncontrollable submission to the rhythm when it strikes, it is notable that he never touches the women to whom he is attracted. While Butt-head reaches out his hands suggestively and directly summons women, Beavis never attempts physical contact. That his mouth falls agape, his eyes open wide, and he is rendered speechless are forgivable when you consider that his failure to bang chicks is always recognized as a personal fault. And while Beavis' main priority in life is to score, he never responds to rejection with disdain for the women who decline his offer of coitus - rather he experiences personal grief characterized by low-decibel lamentation and occasional panic that he might never score.
I've been pretty remiss about keeping up with regularly scheduled We Own This Town podcasts but such is life! I still enjoy making them, even if they're a little behind in terms of "what's new." This latest release, Volume 76 does a little bit of catchup from some great releases earlier in 2016. But, hey, if you haven't heard them - they're new to you!
My interest levels are high on the forthcoming DM Stith album, Pigeonheart. He recently released the official video for Amylette and I'm loving the vibe. The lights in the woods look is particularly appropriate given that it was shot in Pine Bush, NY - the UFO capital of the Northeast. You can read more about the shoot here but, really, just dive into the video and enjoy that refrain of "keep your eyes on me now."
VICE has really blossomed over the past few years into a legit news source with a style that strays completely away from anything stodgy or overly manufactured. Broadly maintains this vibe but their topics, thus far, seem to be more interesting than they are crushingly depressing. I look forward to more.
