At least they have a cool logo...

TPMmuckraker June 16, 2006 02:36 PM: "But it discontinued some programs, most notably a multimillion-dollar effort to build privacy-protection technologies. ARDA also abandoned the effort to build audit trails in TIA, which would have permanently recorded any abuse by users."

Really.
I'd wear it on a T-shirt.

bartender's blues

Well I'm just a bartender
And I don't like my work
But I don't mind the money at all
I've seen lots of sad faces
And lots of bad cases
Of folks with their backs to the wall

But I got four walls around me, to hold my life
To keep me from going astray
And a honky tonk angel, to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away

Well I can light up your smokes
I can laugh at your jokes
I can watch you fall down on your knees
I can close down this bar
Oh and gas up my car
And I can pack up and mail in my keys

But I got four walls around me, to hold my life
To keep me from going astray
And a honky tonk angel, to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away

Now the smoke fills the air
Of this honky tonk bar
And I'm thinkin' bout where I'd rather be
But I burned all my bridges
And I sunk all my ships
And I'm standing at the edge of the sea

But I got four walls around me, to hold my life
To keep me from going astray
And a honky tonk angel, to hold me tight
To keep me from slipping away

The Defenestration Unit - 10 year anniversary - music you can buy!

If the weekly podcast have just left you hungry for even more TDU, well then I've got news for you - we've FINALLY released a bundle of TDU classics over at Charlie's Cafe Press store - check it out!!!

The Defenestration Unit : Charlie Naked's Online Store : CafePress.com

and buy lots of stuff...

Anti-Realism in the Theatre

Anti-Realism in the Theatre:
"Probably the setting exercises the strongest influence in expressionism. The tendency is to minimize the setting until it shall indicate only the absolute essentials of form and feature. The desire of the expressionistic playwright to objectify as tellingly as possible complex psychological states, particularly of an abnormal sort, has driven him to utilize stage devices, akin in their super-rationality to the devices of romantic staging, but dependent on the elaborate mechanical resources of the modern theatre for realization."

Production aspects of Expressionist theatre (from theatre) --� Encyclop�dia Britannica

Production aspects of Expressionist theatre (from theatre) --� Encyclop�dia Britannica:
"The Expressionist stage neither simulated reality nor suggested unreality. It existed in its own right as the platform from which direct statements could be made. Settings therefore tended to be abstract or, when specific, highly subjective. Techniques of distortion and incongruous juxtaposition expressed either the ideological position of the director or dramatist or the state of mind of the protagonist, or both. In Expressionist plays the walls of houses might lean at sharp angles, threatening to crush the protagonist; windows might light up like eyes spying on the secret and intimate; trees might take on the shape of the skeleton signifying Death. In this way, instead of simply forming the milieu for the action, the setting became a dramatic force. "

Anti-Realism in the Theatre

Anti-Realism in the Theatre: "Probably the setting exercises the strongest influence in expressionism. The tendency is to minimize the setting until it shall indicate only the absolute essentials of form and feature. The desire of the expressionistic playwright to objectify as tellingly as possible complex psychological states, particularly of an abnormal sort, has driven him to utilize stage devices, akin in their super-rationality to the devices of romantic staging, but dependent on the elaborate mechanical resources of the modern theatre for realization."

Jazz Styles: Modern Jazz: Expressionism

I guess I've been an expressionist all along...

Jazz Styles: Modern Jazz: Expressionism:
"Another style of music popularly included under the 'free jazz' umbrella that has roots in more traditional forms is one I will call expressionism. This style is based more on modal jazz than on bebop, often employing a very simple head and single key center to serve as a springboard for improvisation. Musicians in this style of jazz are usually concerned with expressing their selves as fully as possible, and the music is a means to this end. Expressionists often tend to play very long solos, and indeed it is not atypical to find an entire album or concert set consisting of one composition.

This style of jazz is noted for its intensity, and it is indeed sometimes known as 'energy music'. It is worth noting that many expressionists are highly spiritual people, and their music is often likened to 'speaking in tongues'. Soloists often exploit screams and other vocal effects and extended techniques, as opposed to the more linear improvisations of freebop. As in freebop, they rarely limit themselves to playing any specified harmonies, although the theme-solos-theme form of arrangement is usually still followed, if only loosely."

This describes TDU to a T.

Popchor Berlin: Wie man auf die Idee kommt, einen Popchor zu gr�nden

Popchor Berlin: Wie man auf die Idee kommt, einen Popchor zu gr�nden

The missy elliot cover is amazing...
but I need...really need to hear the Mudhoney cover.

good stuff.

Labs in Northern California, New Mexico competing to build new nuclear bomb

Via Warren Ellis:

Labs in Northern California, New Mexico competing to build new nuclear bomb:
"The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the San Francisco Bay area and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico are competing to design America's first new nuclear bomb in two decades."

Duck and cover,
duck and cover.

so, do I just go back to bed
or do I go running and yelling
through the streets?

Daily Kos: Nuclear Lessons: The Sanity Clause

Daily Kos: Nuclear Lessons: The Sanity Clause:
"To these I add the assertion that nuclear war was averted without either a coercive or cooperative world government or authority, largely because of a shared sense that however rational scientists, political and military leaders pretend it is, nuclear war is insane. We know they are all Dr. Strangelove. We need to remind ourselves of that. "

The Adding Machine

had our first read through Sat - went fairly well, although I was short some folks...

we haven't even started rehearsals proper and I've learned a lot...
like how personal some people take casting, when it is anything but,
and how hard it is to organize a damned calendar when you've never lived by one,
and how much talking through a show clarifies it,
and that I don't think I'll ever be able to cut a script...

This is such a learning project for me -
I'm thankful for the folks who've signed on...
The clearer the show gets in my head,
the more I hear the voices,
the more I think we're gonna
end up with a helluva show...

Right now I'm pretty upset...
a friend of mine is upset that she
didn't get the call to be in the show...
there were/are so many talented
amazing friends of mine who didn't get that call
but there doesn't seem to be anything I can tell her
to make things even close to right...

all I can do is
grovel
and
wait.

houstonpress.com | Arts & Entertainment | Moving Motorcycle

houstonpress.com | Arts & Entertainment | Moving Motorcycle: "One might read this musical as mimicking the emotional manic-depressive roller coaster that bipolars ride. But it is sweeter to think of this show as the least ironic production Nodler has ever created."

I think it is.

SOLD OUT!!!

just got the word...
all remaining performances of Speeding Motorcycle are SOLD OUT!

SOLD OUT!!!

just got the word...
all remaining performances of Speeding Motorcycle are SOLD OUT!

this picture is in the new york times

this picture is in the new york times - how cool is that?

The Defenestration Unit - upcoming gigs...

This should be a fun show at SHFL:


and then the next day at Helios we play a benefit for HPPL

HPPL is a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization, founded in 1989 by a group of individuals who were concerned about the plight of homeless dogs and cats in the Houston area; specifically, animals that would not usually be put up for adoption by the local animal shelters.


I'd tell ya more about it - the gig - but I don't know much...
we go on around 4 - there will be 12 bands on 3 stages from 1 - 9 or so I think...

Phronesisaical: Flower Man, Infernal Bridegroom Productions

Phronesisaical: Flower Man, Infernal Bridegroom Productions: "Last night, we saw the Infernal Bridgroom Productions production of 'Speeding Motorcycle,' a new rock opera about Daniel Johnston. It was wonderful in the way only rock operas can be, an exuberant portrayal of psychosis that was as sad as it was funny. My favorite scene involved a grotesquely proportioned Captain America--based on his appearance in Johnston's own drawings--battling health-care workers. It made me cry, in both sad and funny ways. So that's probably a good sign . . ."

Speeding Motorcycle

just got word that tickets are moving incredibly quickly today...
if you haven't seen the show and still plan on trying to you need to call
TODAY and make a reservation...

713-522-8443

TDU's 10th Anniversary continues...

#2 in the TDU 10th Anniversary podcast series is now available -

http://kidornery.podomatic.com/

or just subscribe with :

http://kidornery.podOmatic.com/rss2.xml

Here's the skinny:

Part Two of TDU's 10 Year Anniversary Series - A brief totally random overview of TDU history - in more than one part

The Defenestration Unit - Another Fine Mess

1. Even Dwarfs Started Small (excerpt) - from "Massage The Joint"

2. We Three Kings - from "A TDU Christmas"

3. Screaming Hell - from "Drenched by Rain and Reverb"

4. Leroy's Groove/Will the Circle be Unbroken - from "Sweatbox"

5. Never been fond of the water - From "TDU060406"

A mix of several different periods of The Defenestration Unit...
the last bit being from a recent practice...

Infernal Bridegroom Has a Hit With 'Speeding Motorcycle' - New York Times

Infernal Bridegroom Has a Hit With 'Speeding Motorcycle' - New York Times

At a recent performance of "Speeding Motorcycle," scores were turned away at the door. Many moped around outside, hoping someone might leave at intermission.

In a telephone interview Mr. Johnston described it as "very cool" and said he had seen the show three times.

Infernal Bridegroom (the name comes from a line in an Arthur Rimbaud poem) was founded in 1993 to develop new audiences by producing hard-edged and challenging plays. But Mr. Nodler, who returned to the company after a peripatetic three-year hiatus to work on "Speeding Motorcycle," said, "More than anything, we do plays that we desperately want to do."

O.k. - The New York Freakin' Times just said it's a hit...

what more do you want?

retroCRUSH: The World's Greatest Pop Culture Site

retroCRUSH: The World's Greatest Pop Culture Site: "There were certain days were I’d say, 'We’re going against the storyline here. You’re supposed to be pursuing me.' There were times that she was a little bit late coming to the set or I’d see her talking to Russ. Then I found out. Erica would say well, 'BeBe is staring at us. That’s the girl I’ve been dating.'"

retroCRUSH: The World's Greatest Pop Culture Site

retroCRUSH: The World's Greatest Pop Culture Site: "I’ll have to bust myself. I hated the line, 'It’s my happening and it freaks me out.' That’s what I’m most famous for in the film. I didn’t think it was hip enough. I’m a San Francisco kid who had come out of Haight Ashbury. I was going to balk at that line. Russ finally shamed me into it. He said, 'You’re an actor aren’t you?' That shut me up. I didn’t think it was hip, but Mike Meyers used it in the first Austin Powers. You know that whole series. That’s my line. He should give me a million or two because of it."

retroCRUSH: The World's Greatest Pop Culture Site

retroCRUSH: The World's Greatest Pop Culture Site:
"Russ went to battle with Charles Keating who was the head of the American League against Obscenity. Charles Keating got Vixen banned in Ohio. To this day it is still banned. There were all these court hearings Russ spent thousands of dollars on to fight Charles Keating. He was such a good American that he ripped off all these old people in the S&L scandals. Now he’s in jail or whatever. That’s what a good American he was. It’s not okay to fuck, but it’s okay to rip people off of their whole life savings."

bartenders

The only thing worse than a slow bartender with a weak pour, and that's a rude bartender...

;: "So just to get my bitching out of the way, let me share with you the big moment of the evening. I’d invited Karen to come see the Sharks and Sailors; Jonx; and Motion Turns It On show. Karen, being the trooper, agreed despite being a bit tired from going out with some friends on Thursday. So she comes out and orders a water from the buzz-cut non-Roy bartender who takes her order with a huff. Later in the evening, Karen says that she’s going to grab a beer and heads to the bar. Roy is busy by the taps and the other guy is slowly moving toward us at the bar. Then, he makes this left sweep towards us. He points to the guy to Karen’s left (he’s ok), he points to me and my half finished beer (I point to Karen), he looks at Karen and walks away. Arms go up! “NO!” “He did NOT just do that!” “OOOOH! Man!” To stay would have been undignified if she’d have ignored it or bloody if she’d given the idiot what-for so, with a “Fuck this!”, Karen leaves with her dignity intact. I came close to leaving but I felt some commitment to shoot some good shots of S&S and stuck around despite losing all the happy momentum of the evening. So after Saturday’s belvile/ Something Fierce record release party I am boycotting Walter’s for the foreseeable future."

I have a friend who always asks, and waits for, a particular bartender at Rudyard's. I don't go that far, but I'd rather catch Myrna or Brad behind the bar than anyone else. I've known Brad for a long time, and we've almost been in a band together (at least I think there was talk of it once, drunk talk to be sure, but talk nonetheless.) And what can you say about Myrna except she's Myrna, and that's enough...

I generally let other people order drinks at The Proletariat, as it is the only place I've ever really fought with a bartender.

The guy at the Beer Cellar on Friday nights is good.
Knows my drink.
Gets a good pour to me quick.

Even when Poison Girl is busy it never takes an unreasonable amount of time to get a drink.

My least favorite bartenders in town used to be at Emo's... I would watch people walk up to the bar all around me and get served, the bartender take a call, watch some tv, anything to keep from serving me my drink...happened often, but it was Emo's - where else could I see all the AmRep bands and older folks I hoped I would not become and now fear that I have.

My advice, tip your bartender, unless they piss you off...
then make them throw you out.

ABOUT THE MOVEMENT

ABOUT THE MOVEMENT:
"It has been suggested that there are only two chances of everyone volunteering to stop breeding: slim and none. The odds may be against preserving life on Earth, but the decision to stop reproducing is still the morally correct one. Indeed, the likelihood of our failure to avoid the massive die off which humanity is engineering is a very good reason to not sentence another of us to life. The future isn't what it used to be."