Another Stike Against Catholicism

Those of you who have known me for years, probably know of my particular distaste for organized religion in general and the Catholic Church in specific (for those of you who don't know of this, feel free to ask, I'll happily give you a 3+ hour diatribe on the evils of organized religion). However, Andrew Sullivan of that august institution "The Atlantic" posts a nearly perfect analysis of the current situation facing "The Church" on his site, here: http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/03/sin-or-crime.html

Just about the only thing I have any umbrage with is the first two of the last three paragraphs.

DS Web: Murder by Numbers

 

 

Sent to you by Jared via Google Reader:

 

 

DS Web: Murder by Numbers

via Diesel Sweeties webcomic by rstevens on 3/22/10

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Diesel Sweeties webcomic by rstevens using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Poizin

Poizin, originally uploaded by wykell.

Cruel punishment for this to arrive approximately halfway through my alcohol free month.

Innovation in expanding circles

This is just spot on. Spot on.

 

 

Sent to you by Jared via Google Reader:

 

 

Innovation in expanding circles

via Wired Reread by Theis Søndergaard on 2/27/10

Scan originally appeared in Wired 03.05, May 1995



So, Unique Selling Points for the internet, 1995: Be entertained, Read, Shop, Communicate, Pay bills, Work, Search, Pay taxes, Play Poker.

What do we do today online that's not on that list? The social aspect is near-missing, I guess, but other than that it's still pretty spot on. So, we've been through 3-4 iterations of what the web is, and the only seriously new selling point we've added is Hand Over Your Privacy to Facebook - nice!

And by the way, yes, my computer is utterly boring without a net-connection!

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Wired Reread using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

The Daily Show at its finest

This may be the single greatest bit I have seen the daily show ever do.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Tech-Talch - Chatroulette
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Reform

Mashup compilation

Thanks, Woot.


Now where is my wine?

 

 

Sent to you by Jared via Google Reader:

 

 

Brand New, You're Retro: The Art Of The Mashup

via Woot! - One Day, One Deal on 3/4/10

We'll leave it to the critics to argue the finer points of the mashup on Wikipedia (even though we must say that we don't always agree with that particular article right there). But even the broadest definition accepts that the mashup is just about ten years old. So what a great time to be at the head of "Mashup Retro", a label we've just created right now! Here's just a taste to start you off.

 

 

After the jump, you'll see a bunch of really cool videos that cover a bunch of really cool styles, hopefully proving to you just what it is that we love about the glorious final boss of pop... the mashup!

Radiohead vs Dave Brubeck – Five Step (mashup by Overdub)

 

 

We start here to illustrate how mashups can work best when they're crossing genres, exploding the myth that music is made from easily marketable compartments and that the genres must be kept from touching at all costs, like the peas and mashed potatoes belonging to a small, fussy child. That's right, jazz snobs. You are the small fussy child in this scenario. Now eat your peas.

Rolling Stones vs. Mogwai & Tocodisco – Gimme Shelter Freaks ( DJ Earworm Mash-Up)

 

 

A band that started with blues and nearly ended with disco, the career of the (pre-Steel Wheels) Rolling Stones was practically a mashup spread over two decades anyway. It's not too hard to imagine this song as the closer to one of their over-the-top stadium shows. And why isn't the amazing Merry Clayton in sampled more often?

The B-52's Vs. Donna Summer – I Feel Love Shack (Matt Mix)

 

 

Because dance music is the mashup's natural element, it's only fair we include at least one 100% pure party music song. We also believe that, if anyone had asked them, Donna Summer and the B-52s might have been happy to record this track themselves.

Let It Be Me – Shaggy Vs Beatles

 

 

Here we've got an example of how two pretty good pop songs can be assembled into something even better for both of them. Yes, yes, we know, many people feel the Beatles are sacred, but you'll just have to accept that if hip hop had been around in the Sixties, it would have been featured on at least one track of the White Album.

Goldigger + Beethoven's 5th Video Mashup

 

 

Of course, one of the strengths of the mashup is how it can actually bite the hand that feeds it. Something like this is almost an indictment of the original songs… and yet, it's just so catchy!

Pjanoo Dance (Bowie vs Prydz) mashup by Dunproofin/video by Instamatic

 

 

Sharp, danceable, essentially well blended, and the videos even sync up. Can we go ahead and call this one the perfect mashup? Well, we were, until we found this…

Rick Astley vs Nine Inch Nails – The Hand That Gives You Up (BRAT Mashup)

 

 

As Louie Armstrong once said, "If you have to ask, you'll never know."

In case you haven't guessed from previous posts, all of us Woot writers are music fiends, so we're always on the prowl for good mashups. Know any that we missed? Hook us up in the comments below!

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Woot! - One Day, One Deal using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites