Count me in.

I came across this wicked bit of liberal agitprop today (and that's my kind of fun; just In case some jackbooted patriot act wielding Fed is reading this, I didn't write it and don't know who did). It's a bit silly, but it should get you thinking about how badly the Bush administration has ruined our nation's sense of self, our unity, and our common sense.

Dear Red States,

We’re ticked off at the way you’ve treated California, and we’ve decided we’re leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we’re taking the other Blue States with us ... In case you aren’t aware, that includes Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the ation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California.

To sum up briefly: You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states. We get stem cell research and the best beaches. We get Elliot Spitzer. You get Ken Lay.

We get the Statue of Liberty. You get OpryLand. We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom. We get Harvard. You get Ole’ Miss.

We get 85 percent of America’s venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama. We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states pay their fair share.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition’s, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms.

Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we’re going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they’re apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don’t care if you don’t show pictures of their children’s caskets coming home.

We do wish you success in Iraq but we’re not willing to spend our resources in Bush’s Quagmire.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country’s fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation’s fresh fruit, 95 percent of America’s quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners), 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, CalTech and MIT.

With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia. We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

Additionally, 38 percent of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62 percent believe life is sacred unless we’re discussing the death penalty or gun laws, 44 percent say that evolution is only a theory, 53 percent that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61 percent of you crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals than we lefties.

Sincerely,

Author Unknown in New California.

What would you say, given one free minute of anonymous public speech? One Free Minute is a mobile sculpture designed to allow for instances of anonymous public speech. When you call the cellphone inside One Free Minute, you get connected for exactly a minute to a 200 watt amplifier and speaker. The speech produced by the speaker can be heard clearly more than 150 feet away from the sculpture [thanks, Chad].

Technorati has been relauched. What's Technorati? It's sort of a search engine for Blogs where memes bubble to the top and where you can monitor discussions going on around keywords you define or search for. Pretty interesting. Below is a profile link they promote putting on your website to enable search, etc.

My Technorati Profile

Design Within Reach has introduced the stunning new Holy Day chair and ottoman by French designer Jean Marie Massaud. It's a beautifully simple shape, and a nod to both Mies and Milo Baugman. Well done!

I know, I know. Text formatting is all botched for some reason. I've got no time right now to deal with it.

This Saturday night in LA, get your robobooty to Downtown and come to Roam Music for a night of electronic music including one of my favorite UK DJs, Damian Lazarus from Crosstown Rebels! It's going to be a rager! 9pm-6am @ Soul Folks Art Warehouse - 613 Imperial St., Downtown LA.

This is why I love the Internet. When else in history could you watch dozens of people crying while eating with just a simple click? For example, Will (pictured above) is crying because he's not convinced by Anakin's turn to the dark side. He's eating exotic berry wine coolers & chips.

A minor update about our favorite boys from Basildon. In addition to a new album this fall, Depeche Mode will be playing the following North American cities during October, November and December of 2005:

Fort Lauderdale
Tampa / St Pete
Atlanta
Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
Denver
Salt Lake City
Vancouver
Seattle
San Francisco
San Diego
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
Phoenix
Chicago
Detroit
Toronto
Montreal
Washington, D.C.
New York
Boston

Check depechemode.com/tour for updates.

We Are the Superlative Conspiracy
Sweden's newish WE clothing store on 144 S. Robertson Blvd in Beverly Hills is one of my new favorites. They've taken creation through collaboration to a new level, and it's resulted in a Scandinavian-directed synthesis with some of the most interesting designers, artists, skateboarders and brands today. Of specific interest is their collaboration with Adidas to create a unique, limited editon line of We/Adidas. I particularly like the Dakota slip on and may need to make it my kick of choice for the warm LA summer days ahead. Additionally, they've launched their second round of summer tees, designed by a variety of conspirators from Japan's Bathing Ape, Germany's Lodown magazine, and German/Mexican designer Nathan Jobe from adidas original. Regardless, you've got to love a company that proudly sells a leather eyepatch available in two colors as part of it's accessory line.

I won't be in town, but for your roboelectropleasure this weekend and next week:

Dataage and Infinite Complexity merge this month to bring you 2 separate, simultaneous areas of sound.
DATAAGE @ the Grand Star
Saturday June 11
943 Sun Mun Way
Chinatown 90012
right behind 943 N. Broadway
FREE
21+
9PM

And don't forget Ghostly artist Kill Memory Crash at the Knitting Factory on June 15th.

Last night's Kraftwerk show a the Greek Theater was amazing, as expected. Unfortunately I was too caught up in the moment to capture the robots onstage, blanketed under a clear, warm Los Angeles evening sky. But trust me, it was gooood.

What I do have for you is a link to Pitchfork media's interview with Casey Spooner as he muses about Odyssey, uptight indie rockers, DFA, The Soft Pink truth and other miscellany. Enjoy!

And you thought you had a night off? Muahahaha. Hot off the heels of last night's Fishscherspooner show, LA Robots are in for another treat...in an unannounced surprise appearance, Electro Punk Superstar, PEACHES is going to DJ TONIGHT at the Blue Bongo in downtown LA. 11 PMish.

Little Pedro's/Blue Bongo
901 E 1st St, LA 90012

Also, don't forget Kraftwerk on Monday night, and a whole slew of weekend events I'll post on when I have time. Bleep, bleep!

Oh, and in this month's Paper magazine, look for our favorite art-diva-frontwoman and all around bad mutha Yvonne Force-Villareal and yet another piece about her, her band and the fabulous pad she shares with Leo and their son Cuatro.

For the past five years, Invader has conducted worldwide "invasions" with custom site-specific mosaic pieces based on the 1978 video game Space Invaders created by Toshiro Nishikado; the streets of Paris, Tokyo, New York, London, and Los Angeles (among many others) have become components in his public art planetary invasion. On June 14, sixspace will experience an invasion with RUBIKCUBISM - a logical exhibition by French artist Invader featuring mosaics, video installation, and both small and large-scale sculptures.

The Washington Post reports that "Revenge of the Sith," is a cautionary tale for our time - a blistering critique of the war in Iraq, a reminder of how democracies can give up their freedoms too easily, and an admonition about the seduction of good people by absolute power. Some film critics suggest it could be the biggest anti-Bush blockbuster since "Fahrenheit 9/11."

If you're in SF, make time to check out the Graduate Exhibition at California College of the Arts. You'll see fantastic presenations by Fine Arts, Writing, and Design and MA students in Curatorial Practice and Visual Criticism.
Graduate Exhibition, May 13-21
Various locations, San Francisco campus
Opening reception: May 12, 6–9 PM
Gallery hours: Daily, 10 AM–8 PM
Info: 415.551.9213

The Royal, Issue 5, featuring The Strategic Group, Attik, Kidrobot, NoPattern, L-R-G and more.

Meow!

If you don't stop doing it, you'll go blind.

Tons of great photos from Milan Design Week.

This and others available at PostSecret.

On the matter of unexploited advertising opportunities.

Oh yes. BitBoy likes 2VM's Platica...a lot. Listen to samples after the jump. Thanks, Doyle.

Yet another reason to love Barcelona, snapped last week. [Thanks, ES]
With that in mind, check this out.

Heck yes! Uncle Rico's sweet time machine modulus + crystal on eBay now. [Thanks, Damon]

Lynnel's extraordinary scan of the pope feeling a bit...well, "horny". Courtesy of our friends at Burnlab.

Today, Monday April 18th at 10am PST pre-sale tickets go on sale for the following Fischerspooner shows:
6/1 Henry Fonda Theater, LA
6/2 HOB - San Diego
6/3 HOB - Anaheim
6/4 The Fillmore, SF

Go to http://www.fischerspoonertickets.musictoday.com

The loveable, wacky Euro-duo better known as Stereo Total will be on tour this May. Mark your calendars now:
26.05.2005 USA-San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's 365 Club
28.05.2005 USA-Los Angeles, CA - Knitting Factory Hollywood

SF Robots, don't just sit there tonight. Get Activ.
LA Robots, head to create:fixate downtown.

This is your brain.
This is your brain on Sony.