4.30.2010

if it's dutch oven proof, i'll be impressed

i'll make you a deal, jonah

Next year, I will not go to Spring Training in Arizona or Iran? Okay? I'll even stop buying all these 'Made In Iran' products that are filling up my house. I'm still gonna get eat kabab koobideh, so to be fair, hows about I still eat at P.F. Changs?

He get's paid to post shit like that. Crazy world.

[yglesias]

what's a smilin' fact when the whole state's racist



All apologies to the decent people in Arizona who are getting lumped in with the xenophobes, but holy shit Arizona is fucked. Not content with passing laws which blatantly violate the 14th Amendment, no Arizona wants to get rid of teachers with accents (hey, there's an idea for a rap group - TWA).

Unreal.

Granted, from its inception, Arizona has never been exactly progressive on issues of race. From being recognized as a confederate territory by Jefferson Davis in admitted as a confederate territory in  1862 to the MLK Holiday controversy of the late 80's/early 90's, to call Arizona "conservative" was a sever understatement. But it was just a few years ago, Arizona, along with other Southwest states, was poised to become a swing state. That seems like an eon ago now. It's quickly reverted to the Mississippi of the Southwest. It has become, as Jon Stewart said, "the meth lab of democracy."

4.28.2010

less than jake - pez kings (1995 no idea)


More Less Than Jake. A little more polished/mature than yesterdays post, but equally good.

Again, thanks to the fine folks at Punkoteca for saving me some time.

  1. Where In The Hell Is Mike Sinkovich?          
  2. Pez King        
  3. This Is Going Nowhere        
  4. Laverne And Shirley        
DL 'PEZ KINGS'

as if there was any doubt, the padres rule

What's the best part of this video of Matt Antonelli and Wade LeBlanc?
  • The Nerf basketball? 
  • The fact that these rich athletes are roommates?
  • The fact that rich athletes live in an apartment that looks only slightly more expensive than my college dump?
  • The fact that they these rich athletes have an old school 19" TV?
  • All of the above? 
Yes, all of the above. For a day at least, my stereotype of the spoiled, out-of-touch athlete has been shattered.

constitution schmonstitution

Ironic that Teabaggers dress up in founding father costumes and ramble on about the sanctity of the Constitution, seeing as they mix like oil and water.

Scene: the local teabag hootenanny:

(CA Rep. Duncan) Hunter appears to be taking questions from the crowd when he is asked if he would support the deportation of children born to illegal immigrants. 


“I would have to,” he said.
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
To quote Hunter, "it's not complicated."

kill 'em all and let a norse god sort 'em out

So they cast Stringer Bell as Heimdall in the upcoming Thor movie. Predictibly, some people are outraged at a black man playing a Norse God. Also, some people also have a low threshold for outrage. It's a freaking cartoon, for Odin's sake.

and you smile as you ease the gun from my hand

4.27.2010

less than jake - smoke spot (1993 no idea)

I was down with Less Than Jake at the beginning. Once the whole ska-punk think got nauseating, I completely tuned out (not LTJ's fault - blame Reel Big Fish), but I still dig this early stuff.

Thanks to punkoteca for the rip. 

  1. Glumble
  2. Lucky Day
  3. Who Holds The Power Ring
  4. Wish Pig
  5. Awkward Age
DL 'SMOKE SPOT'

request

I have a reader who is desperate to find any rips of California skate punk bands Frontline (besides this), or Crash Course. If anyone can help him out, please comment.

4.26.2010

truth

[padreschica]

dillinger four - the kids are all dead (1996 cerebellum)


One of the best records from one of the best bands. "He's a Shithead" is not only my favorite Dillinger Four song, it's one of my favorite songs period. And it deserves quoting.
Bus drivers on strike, he had to ride his bike again
I'm so sorry you're pissed about this
He's just a campus communist
You see, sometimes life's not convenient
They saw a chance to take power and they seized it,
Mr. fair-weather revolutionary
Is this your idea of compassion?
I thought one and one and one made revolution?
If solidarity means nothing now
Then it never really did to you anyhow, dick
He says they're all lazy 'cause he doesn't have a clue
He thinks of the "workers" as just little boys and girls
So when real life hits the fan he will not recognize the stand
And so it's back into his sheltered little world.
Then he moans and he groans 'cause they chose to fight
I hope you freeze on your bike riding home tonight
Understand all of "these people" are someone
Try reading some of the books you're quoting from
Try checking your agenda just for something to do
Because I think you may find that "the man" just might be you


  1. I Coulda Been A Contender
  2. Hi-Pro Glow
  3. Two Cents
  4. He's A Shithead (Yeah, Yeah)

tabe bbq

Tempted by some foodie blog posts, I had to head up to Mira Mesa to check out the Tabe BBQ truck.  Some sort of Korean/Mexican fusion. So worth it.

When I arrived, there was quite a scene, 'specially for a taco truck.



They have four different tacos. I honestly could not decide what to get. You know what that means, right? Yep.


Would I like fries with that? But of course.


Taco-wise, we're talking beef, grilled chicken, spicy pork, and fish, with $2.25 being the most expensive. The recipes are here, so I won't describe them to you. I will tell you that they were all great, with the spicy pork being my favorite (and no, I didn't finish these in one sitting - two at a time is all I could handle). All can be made into burritos.

The 5-spice fries were also really good, but a tad too salty.  Not that I wouldn't order them again, cuz I totally would. I don't know what the five spices are, but they left my mouth feeling kind of weird, almost numb. In a good way.

Tabe BBQ is getting a ton of hype right now (google it, you'll see), but it's completely deserved. A very, very welcome addiction to my regular food rotation.

4.25.2010

the gain / scared of chaka split (1995 702 records)


Previous Gain post here, so go read that. Scared of Chaka were one of thise typical best-bands-that-hipsters-never-paid-any-attention-to-until-The-Shins-got-popular-and-then-hipsters-noticed-(Yanul)-Dave-Hernandez-was-in-a-band-before-The-Shins-and-then-pretended-to-have-known-about-Scared-Of-Chaka-all-along-even-though-they-didn't-because-well-that's-just-what-hipsters-do.

There's some previous Scared Of Chaka stuff here.
  1. g: go today
  2. g: if i wasn't there
  3. soc: jeff-church
  4. soc: goodsky

DL 'GAIN / SOC'

4.21.2010

hot water music / rydell split (1998 scene police)


Using the word 'emo' to describe Hot Water Music is tempting, but does them a great disservice, as they don't make me want to stab my ears with a rusty icepick. Rydell is from the UK, and have a somewhat similar sound.

Thanks to RCAPA for the rip.
  1. hwm - just don't say you lost it
  2. r - try seventeen
DL 'HWM / RYDELL'

    4.20.2010

    old men sacs

    I get that Senate Republicans are in full-on "oppose Obama at any cost" mode, and thus have banded together to filibuster Financial Reform. What I'm not so sure about is, do normal everyday Republicans really support this filibuster? Really? On what grounds (besides the tired SOCIALCOMMUNAZISIM!! refrain)? I simply can't imagine that anyone besides those in the financial industry would be against closing the loopholes and ending the practices that led to our current mess. If this, protecting Goldman Sachs et al, is the issue Republicans want to make their stand on, well, then they are even dumber than I thought. 

    There's really not much to compromise on the issue. Obama should cede nothing. If the Republican filibuster works, fine. They will win that short term war, but in the court of public opinion....sheesh. They'll will be on record (once again!) for fighting for unethical greed and institutional corruption.

    4.19.2010

    the meatmen - college radio loser (1995 meatmen)


    It's the Meatmen. I don't seriously need to introduce them, do I?

    I picked this up while I was a college radio loser at KFSR, and it instantly became my theme song.

    1. College Radio Loser
    2. Sex Mart 2000
    3. We're The Meatmen (And You Suck)
    4. Some Like It Cold
    5. Do A Whippet

    I wonder which came first, Sex Mart 2000 or Cock Ring Warehouse?



    DL 'LOSER' 

    4.16.2010

    the george w bush school of door sign design presents...

    waterstreet - pumphouse (1990 excursion)


    Sorry for the lack of posts. Work has been kicking my ass. All I want to do when I get home is hang out with SC, Pixie, Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert.

    Anyhoo, Waterstreet was formerly known as Take Charge. They were from Washington state. MRR once made comparisions to Fugazi. This was the second ever release on Excursion. That's all I know!
    1. Responsibility
    2. Change Of Form
    3. One Thing
    DL 'PUMPHOUSE'

    4.13.2010

    hot corn girls - s/t (1995 stingy banana)


    The Hot Corn Girls play some pretty fun, nonsensical punk rock. Very good stuff. I'm partial to 'Angry Crouton' and 'Twit,' but each song has its charm.

    1. Angry Crouton
    2. Zorn In My Panties
    3. Twit
    4. Mr. Birth Control
    5. My Boner, Your Fish Tank

    DL 'HOT CORN'

    kissmyassinger

    Murderers walk our streets
    Their weapons are their pens, their desks, their policies

    What anyone with a brain already knew, is now clear.

    In 1976, the South American nations of Chile, Argentina and Uruguay were engaged in a program of repression code-named Operation Condor that targeted those governments' political opponents throughout Latin America, Europe and even the United States.

    Based on information from the CIA, the U.S. State Department became concerned that Condor included plans for political assassination around the world. The State Department drafted a plan to deliver a stern message to the three governments not to engage in such murders.

    In the Sept. 16, 1976 cable, the topic of one paragraph is listed as "Operation Condor," preceded by the words "(KISSINGER, HENRY A.) SUBJECT: ACTIONS TAKEN." The cable states that "secretary declined to approve message to Montevideo" Uruguay "and has instructed that no further action be taken on this matter."

    "The Sept. 16 cable is the missing piece of the historical puzzle on Kissinger's role in the action, and inaction, of the U.S. government after learning of Condor assassination plots," Peter Kornbluh, the National Security Archive's senior analyst on Chile, said Saturday. Kornbluh is the author of "The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability."
    Henry Kissinger is a very bad man. War criminal, much?

    Also, one of the Condor assassinations occurred on U.S. soil and killed a U.S. citizen. So, I'll throw in domestic terrorist.

    hey little girl

    opening day

    Well, at least home opening day for the Padres. Took the day off work. Here's my notes/observations:
    • Rain? In San Diego? In April? WTF? Definitely the blusteriest (?) opening day I have ever been to.
    • Will there ever be a time when being a drunk asshole will go out of style? I'm hoping the large proportion of drunk assholes is endemic to baseball/sports in general, and isn't just a San Diego thing.  
    • Stadium music - still sucks. Heard some horrible "new rock" and at some freaking Collective Soul. What's pumped through the speakers makes me hate going to games almost as bad as the drunk assholes. I have an idea - Punk Rock Night. Or at least Indie Rock night. Throw me a bone!
    • The bottom of the 4th inning was shaping up to be epic, so I decided to record some of it (and you can get an idea of the audio diarrhea they play at Petco.) First vid, Kyle Blanks hits a two run double. Before the hit, me and a drunk guy next to me had a weird conversation. If you listen closely, you can here it. Went something like this: Drunk Guy: "I'm gonna push you down, if Blanks gets a hit." Me: "You have my permission." Blanks got a hit. I got pushed. 
    • This guy was also a Padres fan, so I have no idea why this guy wanted to push me over.
    • I have no idea why I agreed to be pushed. 
    • 2nd vid, Chase Headley follows Blanks with an RBI double. 

    • 3rd vid, while trying to catch some video of the San Diego Chicken, Will Veneable hits a two-run homer. 
    • Final score: Padres Seven-fucking-teen, Braves - two.
    • Oh, how easy it is to be optimistic in April. 


    4.10.2010

    baggy trousers



    I don't know what concept is stranger:

    A Madness jingle being used to sell Colgate

    or

    British kids actually brushing their teeth.

    4.09.2010

    3 more days

    for the ladies

    You're welcome.

    sh-sh-sh-shakin'

    Via NBCSanDiego, a couple of brothers took this picture of the mountains near Tecate moments after the Easter earthquake. Amazing. Like airing out a rug.

    The quake was the biggest I have felt since the 1983 Coalinga quake. Immediately after the shaking was over, we turned on the TV to find out what just happened. We had to rely on CNN. All of the local stations were showing infomercials and none cut away to report to the community they allegedly serve.

    electric light, it's playtime

    Holy Hell I wish I could have seen Floor live.

    4.08.2010

    snap krackle drop - no love (1996 social retardance)



    Tempe's Snap Krackle Drop play high energy, low-fi, raw punk rock. Comparisions to early Scared Of Chaka probably make sense. This is a fucking great record. If it was released in 1981, it'd be highly prized by collectors. But it was released in the mid-90's and therefore gets....wait for it....no love.

    Their split with Those Meddling Kids can be found here.

    1. Mr. Potatohead
    2. No Love
    3. Big Brother
    4. Crematorium
    DL 'NO LOVE'

    4.07.2010

    jon cougar concentration camp - back in the day (1994 campground)


    If you've followed this blog, you know that in regards to Jon Cougar Concentration Camp, we've been there, done that. But I will add that "So What" just might be their sneaky best song.
    1. Surf Song
    2. Girl From Myass
    3. So What
    4. Back In The Day
    5. Make Up Your Mind
    DL 'BACK IN THE DAY'

    zune wednesday

    The Zune leans towards metal today. And yes, RATT is on my Zune. I will forever re-live 8th grade.









    pizzeria bianco


    On the second night of our Phoenix road trip, me and Mark decided to forge ahead with the 2 1/2 hour wait and eat at Pizzeria Bianco. Last time we were in Phoenix, we walked right by the place unaware that it's generally considered to make the best pizza in the United States. We knew better this time.

    So we plunked down outside and waited it out. During that time we saw plenty of drunk assholes. And Jerry Colangelo. I had no idea what Jerry Colangelo looks like, but Mark recognized him immediately (a common theme throughout the trip).

    We're sitting outside, trying to decide what pizza to get.  We have it narrowed down to one. We wait some more. We decide, well, maybe we should order two, that way we could have leftovers in the morning.

    Spoiler alert: there were no leftovers.

    Once we were seated, we decided on the the Wiseguy (Wood Roasted Onion, House Smoked Mozzarella, Fennel Sausage) and the Sonny Boy (Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Salami, Gaeta Olives). The pizza, for being as famous as it is, is surprisingly affordable, around fifteen bucks each.

    There was a couple sitting next to us, who based on their conversation, were on either their first or one of their first dates. So we got to overhear a lot of their conversation. Like, how incredibly stuffed they were after ONE piece of pizza. Give me a freaking break. Nobody is buying that shit, I don't care how waifish you are.

    So the pizzas come out. Here's Sonny Boy:

     Couple of minutes later, they are both gone, probably to the horror of the liars next to us. 

    So, was it the best pizza I've ever had? Maybe. But not clearly so, and probably not worthy of a 2 1/2 hour wait (except just to say you did it, which we, uh, did). I liked the Sonny Boy much more than the Wiseguy, which I didn't really care for. Mark like the Wiseguy better. The crust is fantastic. Thin, chewy, with a little bit of char. The topping are of extremely high quality. The olives and the salami were definitely the best I've had. So, very, very good pizza. But there is an element of foodie hype going on. It was not a transformative experience, but it was a good one.

    4.06.2010

    berzerk - my first 7" (1997 recess)


    Berzerk were a bunch of high schoolers playing some screechy female fronted punk rock. There's no part of that sentence that I don't like.

    1. Meow 
    2. Fight For Youth
    3. Berzerker
    4. Stupid People
    5. Traitor

    myspace

    DL 'MY FIRST'



    zune tuesday









    4.05.2010

    the world's in shreds, vol. two (1989 shredder)


    Not sure if this is considered a classic, but it probably should be. Volume III is here.

    1. Crimpshrine - Pretty Mess
    2. Jawbreaker - Shield Your Eyes
    3. Moral Crux - Pathos 
    4. A Priori - Schoolkids

    DL 'SHREDS TWO'

    monday









    2008 campaign was all in your imagination

    At least that's what John McCain would have you believe
    "I never considered myself a maverick," McCain said. "I consider myself a person who serves the people of Arizona to the best of his abilities."


    4.02.2010

    ferd mert - best friends (1995 self-released)


    Mid 90's pop-punk from Minnesota. Ferd Mert were really catchy and under-appreciated. They were also one of the few non-Sacramento bands on the fantastic Swimming In The Secret C comp. Methinks they are still together.


    1. Best Friends
    2. The Winter Sucks
    3. I Still Miss My Ex
    4. Where To Go
    5. Mary
    6. Guts
    7. Good Side
    8. Death Of Us



    boo


    friday noise









    4.01.2010

    the gain - quadroburbia (1994 brrapp)


    Simi Valley pop-punk with some move overtones. I remember hearing that the drummer for this band was Messy Marvin (Ralphie from A Christmas Story). That was not true. The reality is that the drummer, the sanely named Corky Pigeon, was Freddy Lippencottleman from Silver Spoons. Corky > Freddy, But I guess Pigeon < Lippencottleman. So I call the battle of real v fictional names a tie. Poor guy. He was probably hoping to be cast as John Smith or something. Anyways he later played in Big In Japan.

    I thought The Gain were gonna be huge. The Ready, Steady, Smash album was fucking great. But they kind of just disappeared, and there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of nostalgia for them.

    1. Ready, Steady, Smash
    2. All Right (Louder Than Pop)
    3. Been Away Now

    myspace
    last.fm 

    DL 'QUADROBURBIA'

    thursday work soundtrack