Pleonastic Ephemera

5.01.2004 posted by William 14:09 link	Happy Loyalty Day, everyone. After reading that, you might want to go here.
posted by William 11:25 link	Christian and I rode in Critical Mass last night. Critical Mass consists of hundreds of people riding bikes through the streets, ostensibly to promote cleaner, more environmentally responsible cities, though I don't know if anyone trapped in a car for thirty minutes while we passed by became more sympathetic to the cause. But it was incredibly fun to take over the streets and ignore traffic lights and swarm all over midtown, and nobody can do anything to stop you. Time to check out the WFMU Record Fair. Must not spend too much money!
4.29.2004 posted by William 22:29 link	My friend Jason and I have created a group music blog for ourselves and friends for the purpose of writing about and discussing music: Razor Violins. So far I'm the only one writing! But if anyone wants to join this, let me know. We're looking for somewhat polished, somewhat thoughtful writing, but obviously the bar's not set too high as you'll see if you check my posts :). Patriot Act Suppresses News Of Challenge to Patriot Act Ha ha, that wacky Onion. Wait, that's not the Onion -- it's the Washington Post!
posted by William 10:55 link	Hey, if you're in New York, check out this play that my friend Avi is in. It's tonight and it's got choreographed dance numbers and it's free!
4.28.2004 posted by William 20:47 link	I need a new pair of good sneakers. I tried to get some at Paragon. They told me which models came in size 14, and I picked out the ones I disliked the least. But we don't have them in 14 here, they said, we have to special order them. Three weeks later I'm wondering why they never called to tell me your sneakers came in, so I called them and what do you know, it turns out those sneakers didn't come in 14, after all. So I'm still sneakerless. Adbusters has created its own own "anti-brand" of sneaker manufactured by unionized workers in shops they have inspected to assure decent working conditions. I'm not such a big fan of their magazine -- I find it strident and light on real content -- but I think this idea's interesting. If it takes off, they're considering making their own "anti-corporation". Which is also interesting but fraught will some perils. Think revolutionary turned despot. But for now, just sneakers. From looking at the site, it seems they have a bone to pick with Nike CEO Phil Knight personally, which may or may not be warranted. I don't know much about the Nike situation, just a general vague idea that they make their apparel somewhere in Asia in sweatshops, about which all I know are that the conditions are bad. I can easily imagine if this ever gets into the mainstream media that nay-sayers will cry that people who can spend the extra money to purchase free-range shoes are probably already so ensconced in the corporate capitalist system that it's a hypocritical gesture. And they'll sneer that people who buy the sneakers are trying to assuage their consciences but without actually doing anything really meaningful or worthwhile. I'd like to say that they'll be making these criticisms because really, deep down, they're scared, but that's not true. Deep down, they'll be thinking, if this takes off, how am I going to make it pay for me? But you know what? I want products made by unionized workers, earning a decent living and getting health care and not seen only as a means. I wonder if they're making size 14?
4.25.2004 posted by William 19:44 link	USMC Lore: As MAP was entering Ramadi on Wed minaret loudspeakers were pronouncing, "This is the day you die, come forward and we will kill you in name of Jihad, bla, bla." Wpns Company Commander grabs interpreter, puts him on OUR loudspeaker and begins, "Come out and fight you goddamn pussys and fight us in the streets like ****ing men!" Nick relates that some did and, "We mowed them down." The father of a US Marine in Iraq relays his son's email to Lt. Smash, an ex-Marine warblogger who is chronicling the action in Iraq from the GI's perspective. He's got a lot of links to people blogging in Iraq that also make for really interesting reading.
posted by William 11:47 link	"The quality of the display will come as quite a shock to any seasoned user of mobile devices; it looks more like paper than the computer screen it is. The closest comparison is to think of old-fashioned ink on pulp you're likely holding now, unless you're reading this online, in which case the Librie looks far better." The replacement for dead-tree paper is here. Well, if "here" means Japan. Which it doesn't, for me.