"If you blindfolded Dana McKelvey and led her into a retail store, a restaurant, a doctor’s office, or a bank, she could tell fairly quickly whether the music playing in the background was Muzak. You may think that you would be able to tell, too, but unless your job is creating Muzak programs, as McKelvey’s is, you probably wouldn’t. The syrupy orchestral “elevator music” that most people associate with the company scarcely exists anymore. Muzak sells about a hundred prepackaged programs and several hundred customized ones, and only one—“Environmental”—truly fits the stereotype. It consists of “contemporary instrumental versions of popular songs,” and it is no longer terribly popular anywhere, except in Japan."

Excellent story about Muzak in the New Yorker

WFMU über den Kreuzberger Superstar. Video und MP3s stehen bereit.

Here are two clips from that funny gamesite G4:

Bill Gates Runs Like A Girl!

Star Trek Karaoke 2.0

Check out Star Trek 2.0 premiering April 10th at 11PM only on G4

The latest vibe from digg, furl, del.icio.us, reddit, slashdot, flickr, youtube, newsvine etc. on one simple page.

"Six major studios plan to begin selling movies over the Internet today that buyers can download and keep for watching at any time.

Until now, the only downloads the studios have offered have been online rentals, which can be watched only for a 24-hour period — an idea that has not caught on with consumers. (...) New movies will cost about $20 to $30 to download; older titles will cost as little as $10. The downloads will be available on the same day that the DVD is released — quicker than rentals, which are put online about 45 days later and cost $2 to $5."

Story in the New York Times

Windows only: The hotDigg screensaver displays headlines from popular tech news site Digg when your computer's not in use. (...) The headlines fly by pretty fast - the less popular ones at a nearly illegible size - and the links aren't clickable, but the hotDigg'll keep you up on the popular Digg headlines at a glance without having to visit the site itself."

HotDigg via micropersuasion.com/

"I'm shocked that more people are concerned about giving them their credit card, instead of asking 'Are they paying the artists?'"

From the Lifehacker Forum

"Zur Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft in Deutschland wird ein Anstieg der Zwangsprostitution erwartet. Die Schweden diskutieren nun, ob die Fußball-WM aus moralischen Gründen boykottiert werden soll. Im eigenen Land ist Prostitution verboten. Freier werden bestraft. (...) Lars Ohly, Parteichef der Linken, der ein Imageproblem hat, weil er sich gerne als Kommunist bezeichnen möchte, fordert moralinsauer die Fußballfunktionäre auf, Verantwortung zu übernehmen: 'Der schwedische Fußballverband sollte die Angelegenheit mit der Fifa besprechen und die Fifa muss mit der deutschen Regierung reden. Zwangsprostitution ist eine sehr viel wichtigere politische Frage als Gewalt auf den Zuschauerrängen.' Weder die Parlamentsabgeordneten, noch die Parteichefs oder die Regierung haben mitzubestimmen, ob die schwedische Nationalelf nach Deutschland fährt oder nicht, aber das Thema ist ein Selbstgänger."

Mehr in der Tagesschau

"A US soldier who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Iraq says he was shocked by alleged atrocities committed by the American military.

Among the incidents, he described soldiers kicking the severed head of an Iraqi like a football in Ramadi."

More at the BBC

"The 58-year-old is accused of laundering corporate contributions for use in Republican campaigns in Texas.

He has strongly denied the charges in a case which has yet to go to trial. (...) Mr DeLay has been destroyed by corruption allegations against him and admitted corruption by his senior staff.

Just days ago his former deputy chief of staff pleaded guilty to corruption, saying he ran a criminal enterprise out of Mr DeLay's office."

More at the BBC

"But DeLay's crudest assault on American democracy will be little mentioned now, as it has been since he waged it.

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, 2000, when the eyes of the nation were fixed on the Stephen P. Clark Government Center in downtown Miami, where a Dade County canvassing board was reviewing 10,750 uncounted ballots in Florida's disputed presidential contest between Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W. Bush, a riot orchestrated by DeLay's top aides and allies and carried out by Republicans flown in from Washington stopped the count. In so doing, DeLay's minions assured that the Bush campaign's Florida co-chair, Katharine Harris, would, in her capacity as secretary of state, be able to certify a 537-vote "win" for the Republican when the recount deadline arrived. It was that certification that allowed Florida Governor Jeb Bush to sign a Certificate of Ascertainment designating 25 Florida electors pledged to his brother. The paperwork was immediately transferred to the National Archives, where it would eventually be cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in its decision to award the Florida electoral votes, and with them the presidency, to George W. Bush."

From "The Nation": The Hammer Goes Down

"Thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of our Berlin connection Connie Loesch, the aquarium Berlin will be opening it's doors for the first time on 5th April 2006. It's a small aquarium size space in the "happening" Kreuzberg area and Connie has set out a tight schedule of shows for the six months we'll be there. This starts with an exhibition of Jamie Reid's printed work and finishes with a version of Made in Chatham by Billy Childish."

Am Mittwoch, den 5. April eröffnet The Aquarium Berlin mit der Ausstellung „A Cheap Holiday in Other People’s Misery“ von Jamie Reid, dem Mann der der Königin 1977 eine Sicherheitsnadel durch die Nase gezogen und den Sex Pistols zu super-duper Plattencovern verholfen hat. Wer anständig fragt, bekommt letztere vielleicht vom Künstler signiert. Zu sehen (und kaufen) gibt es Arbeiten, Drucke und Collagen von vor dreißig Jahren bis in die Gegenwart, Tapete, Bettwäsche, sexy Hemdchen, Schmuck und zum ersten Mal weltweit die preisgünstige Jamie Reid Pop-Edition. Die Ostereier sind noch in Arbeit.

• Steve Lowe und Conny Lösch

The Aquarium Berlin, Falckensteinstraße 35 (Ecke Wrangelstraße), Berlin-Kreuzberg (U-Bahn Schlesisches Tor), 19 bis 23 Uhr.

"IMAGINE a world where wars are fought over the internet; where TV broadcasts and newspaper reports are designed by the military to confuse the population; and where a foreign armed power can shut down your computer, phone, radio or TV at will. In 2006, we are just about to enter such a world. This is the age of information warfare, and details of how this new military doctrine will affect everyone on the planet are contained in a report, entitled The Information Operations Roadmap, commissioned and approved by US secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld and seen by the Sunday Herald."

"Bob Woodward writes insider accounts of wars and the policymakers who wage them. He does so by talking to the most senior Bush administration insiders, who--obviously--tell him what they wish to tell him. No doubt, Woodward does capture some (maybe even most) of what occurred. But what happens when the insiders try to spin Woodward or share with him a rather selective rendition of an important event? Does he buy it and sell it (literally) to the rest of us? The leak of a British memo recounting a January 31, 2003 conversation in the White House between George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair affords Woodward's readers a rare opportunity to factcheck the fellow who imbues his behind-the-scenes storytelling with an omniscient tone."

Story in The Nation

"Capitol Records have air-brushed cigarettes from an original picture featured on the cover of a Beatles four-CD box set, in a bid to fit in with morehealth-conscious times. The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2 - which marks the first appearance on CD of the U.S. versions of Rubber Soul, the Help! soundtrack, The Early Beatles and Beatles VI - will see the Fab Four's former tobacco habit and two of Ringo Starr's fingers magically erased. Previous Beatles reissues have also had their artwork changed - when I Want to Hold Your Hand was re-released in 1984 by EMI records, Sir Paul McCartney's cigarette was removed from the original cover. A U.S. poster company also digitally removed the same Beatle's cigarette from its poster of the 1969 album Abbey Road three years ago."

Blame Canada!

"The penultimate and last Top Gear before John moved to the late night spot with his new fangled John Peel Show.

Both approx 25 minutes each of them mind, so no complaining."

John Peel Tape and File Project

"Die spanische Jugend macht seit Jahren den "Botellón", d.h. sie trifft sich, ausgerüstet mit Plastikflaschen, die mit Alkoholmischgetränken gefüllt sind, auf öffentlichen Plätzen zum Trinkgelage. Mit dem "Macrobotellón" läuft ein Wettbewerb, welche Stadt mehr Trinker versammelt. Dabei kommt es schon mal zu Straßenschlachten, wenn die Polizei gegen sie vorgeht. Dahinter steht ein soziales Problem, wie sich auch an der regional unterschiedlichen Ausprägung zeigt."

Gute Story bei Telepolis

This looks like a great book:

This enormous volume is the first comprehensive encyclopedia of fantastic literature of the nineteenth century. From detective fiction to historical novels, from well-known authors like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, to Russian newspaper serials and Chinese martial arts novels, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FANTASTIC VICTORIANA is a truly exhaustive look at every aspect of fantastic literature in the days of Queen Victoria. Readers of science fiction and fantasy will be surprised to find here the roots of genres thought to be strictly contemporary, and students of literature will be amazed at the breadth and scope of writings produced in the Victoriana era. This is an invaluable reference, and truly one-of-a-kind."

Written by Jess Nevins Introduction by Michael Moorcock

Via Warren Ellis

Das neue Album "The Hardest Way to make a living" ist nicht ganz so knülle, nee, ist es nicht...

MP3: I never went to church

"Run every aspect of McDonalds in this great game! Grow cattle, run marketing campaigns, hire and fire McDonalds employees, bribe officials, and more!"

Play it here!

13.-17. April, Eiszeit Kino, Zeughofstr. 20, Berlin

"This year, the 2. International Graffiti & Hip Hop Film Festival will be showing an exclusive selection of documentary-, experimental- and feature films from all over the world.

Highlights will include films like Bullet Boy, Favela Rising, Just for Kicks & Inside Outside from New Zealand, Cuba, Ghana, Russia and many other countries.

To put the right cap onto this very explosive mixture, interesting side events will take place alongside the programme at the Eiszeit Cinema."

Check the complete program at Rhythm of the Line

Wonderful! Hype of the year!

14. Mai live in Berlin (Spiegelzelt am Postbahnhof) 3.-5. Juni Rock am Ring und Rock im Park

Check out the Homepage

"Der Dokumentar-Film "Jerichos Echo - Punkrock in the holy land" (watch the trailer!) und das Fanzine "Katzilla" werden gemeinsam am 04.04. ins Eiszeit-Kino, Berlin kommen und über die Punk-Szene in Israel berichten. Liz Nord, Regisseurin des Films und Johannes Dechant, Katzilla-Autor werden vom Entstehen ihrer Projekte erzählen, von ihre Erfahrungen in Israel berichten und natürlich den Film zeigen.

Jerichos Echo ist ein Film, der einen Überblick über verschiedene israelische Punkbands gibt, die Menschen hinter den Bands vorstellt und die Besonderheiten der israelischen Szene herausarbeitet. Mehr Informationen zum Film gibt es unter www.jerichosecho.com Das Fanzine Katzilla #2 beinhaltet Interviews mit Szene-Aktivisten aus Israel zu den Themen Labels, Fanzines und Konzerte in Israel. Darüber hinaus gibt es Konzertberichte, Bilder und mehr Artikel zur israelischen Szene."

(Waste of Mind)

"Eine Ausstellung anlässlich des 30. Geburtstags von Punk. Fotos von Bands und Konzerten aus den ersten 15 Jahren, aufgenommen (nicht nur) in Berlin, an Orten wie dem Loft, dem SO 36, dem Metropol oder dem Kant-Kino. Zu sehen sind internationale Acts wie z.B. Iggy Pop, U.K. Subs, The Damned und The Cure, deutsche Bands wie Die Toten Hosen und Die Ärzte und Lokalhelden wie Plan B und Jingo De Lunch. Nicht immer strictly Punk, zumindest aber dort verwurzelt."

Free exihibition of early punk-photos from Berlin at the Junction Bar. See Henry Rollins with long hair!

Frag die richtigen Leute!

Den Herrn neulich beim Einkaufen getroffen und nochmal für seinen Hit "Was macht eigentlich der Peter" belobigt. Winson wurde verlegen und verwies auf seine neue Platte und wie gut die werden würde. Jedenfalls will er keine Single sein. Hören sie deswegen mal in "45mal akustik" (MP3) hinein. Sozusagen der Hit, den es nicht gibt.

1 Search request: Betonkrieger 1 Search request: iran sexy filme 1 Search request: vulkane innen drinne 1 Search request: Du bist Deutschland- Armin Meiwes 1 Search request: jack bauer: valenzetti

THE GREATEST HERO IN AMERICA!

Alltägliche Nachkriegsarchitektur in Berlin / Postwar architecture of Berlin.

Via Metafilter

Fun, fun, fun!

Free photos for everyone!