think you're depressed?

At least you're not this server. Poor thing. 

Whoever did that site deserves a nice, virtual pat on the back. It's not often I stop for three whole minutes on a website that isn't facebook, the onion or emusic. 

And there's not much to this one. Just a sad, sad piece of modern technology.

this just in...

Pandas can't slide.

1969

Do you ever get the feeling that 1969 is spying on us?

No? Maybe this will change your mind. It's a video from 1969 (I know this to be true because that particular year appears above the video, and YouTube wouldn't lie to me) explaining the Internet, only they didn't call it the Internet. 

I thought the whole thing was really freaky, especially considering the Internet was all shiny and new in the 90s. In 1969, the idea of shopping and banking from a console in your home must've seemed downright Orwellian. 

But the thing that I noticed most was the way the voiceover sounded exactly like every filmstrip I ever watched as a kid in school. Who was that guy? (Not Troy McClure, but close...)

new video

By popular demand. (Two people count as "popular" right?)

It's the latest episode from the office where Ted works. Seems they have casual Fridays there. Or do they?*

Watch the episode here.

*Yes, they do.

walkin' for CF

Dear friends and blog followers (whom I also consider friends, even if we've only "virtually" met), 

You know most of the time how walking merely transports you from one place to another? Well, I'm going to try a new kind of walking. Space-age walking, you might say. If you're into exaggerating. 

What I'm going to do is try to walk and do some good at the same time.

I'll be taking part in the Great Strides walk here in San Francisco on May 2 to benefit Cystic Fibrosis. I'm supposed to say something here about how "soon CF will stand for Cure Found" and "with great strides come great results".

But what I'll say instead is that my nephew is a beautiful little kid, all of one year old, who has no idea he's got a lifelong battle against a really tough condition. Luckily, he's one tough kid. Here's some evidence of that.

If you're not familiar with Cystic Fibrosis, read about it here.

Then think about using the link below or the widget above (hitting you from two sides, I know).

http://www.cff.org/great_strides/DanielHofstadter

Thanks. And (aside from the benevolence that naturally arises from "zany" music reviews and quasi-funny rants) thanks for letting me do some real good through my blog.

- Dan

music - Cave Singers

Just caught these guys opening for Dr. Dog at the Fillmore last night. Great show by both bands. No surprise from Dr. Dog, whose live shows have been much heralded in the blogosphere.

But I was surprised at the Cave Singers, with their sparse rhythms and impressive, almost evil finger-picking on the guitar. They channeled something. The show was last night, and I downloaded the Cave Singers album "Invitation Songs" this morning. 

Really interesting stuff. And I don't mean "interesting" as in: 

"How do you like my Crocs, Gwyneth?" 

"Interesting."

I mean that the Cave Singers are from Seattle, and they're trying for an original, low-key yet intense sound that's very interesting. Could easily be the music stoners sit around discussing in hushed tones, but could also fit as party music for some friends who crave cool, new artists.

Check out the standout tracks "Helen" and "Dancing On Our Graves". Then, and only then, will I allow you to have a good weekend. 

black cab sessions

Black Cab Sessions is one of my favorite sites. It's a bunch of videos of bands sitting in the back of a cab playing one of their songs. The cab just drives around London, bouncing the passengers around, and the band has to play through it. 

As the band tries to maintain their concentration, it's fun to watch the pedestrians on the street as this inexplicably musical cab passes by.

Really fun, simple idea. A Webby Award sort of idea. Uh-huh.

These are some of my favorite "sessions":

Spoon 

The New Pornographers (my fave)

Calexico 

Cold War Kids 

My Morning Jacket 

Brian Wilson (man, he still sounds good)

Bon Iver 

The Cool Kids (freestyle rap in the back of a cab? believe it)

Fleet Foxes 

Peter, Bjorn & John (with Bjorn strangely missing)

nice work, andy

And the award for Least Creative Graffiti goes to...

Shoot. If only the artist left us some indication of who we have to thank for this masterwork.

Alas, this colorless, plain-script tag - we'll call it "Andy" - will forever be mired in anonymity. The expert craftsmanship and dedication to detail, however, will be on full display until it rains or someone grabs a sponge. 

Spotted this in San Francisco's Financial District on California St. between Kearny and Grant, if anyone cares to glimpse transcendence... while it lasts.

keyboard drum set

The title of this post should really read "keyboard drum set/synthesizer", but I prefer brevity and loathe slashes. Damn all slashes to hell!

So... I like drums, beats, percussion, rhythm and repetition. And repetition. And old jokes. My drum set at home is my favorite toy (just ask my wife, who bought it for me, then immediately regretted it, but you get what you pay for baby, and last time I checked, love ain't on sale). But I never thought I'd be able to use my computer's keyboard as my very own rhythm section. 

Enter this strange, little site. It assigns a drum or synthesized sound to each key. All you do is figure out which ones you want to use, and away you go. (Spoiler alert: the M key is George Michael yelling "Damn!")

It's the next best thing to not being a huge nerd!

beige cartoons

I have a condition known as WADD, Web Attention Deficit Disorder. I don't talk about it much. But yes, I've got WADD. 

It basically means I fixate on one sexy, new website. Then I quickly lose interest and move on to the next hot, young website. I promise it's not as disgusting as it sounds.

But recently, I discovered how to make rudimentary videos on this site.

And despite my crippling WADD, I stayed on the site for more than 13 seconds. I even made a few videos. Check them out here: 

"Ted" 

"Preflight Announcements" 

"Guy In Garage"

"Thermostat"

"Ted's Beat"