Lack of "Edge" Keeps the Dull Happy

Karl: Today is March 4th, 2010. Its a Friday afternoon, we’re here at Pink Taco in Century City with “Tony.”

*fumbles with recorder*

Alright, Tony, what’s your age bracket? 35-40? 40-45?

Tony: 40 to 45.

Karl: What’s your occupation?

Tony: I do graphics, my title is Creative Director, I work in aerospace.

Karl: Current relationship status?

Tony: I’m single, going through a divorce.

Karl: How long have you lived in LA?

Tony: Since… *thinks* 2001.

Karl: Tell me a little bit about yourself, what you like to do for fun. *looks Tony over* You like to work out, you’re clearly in great shape. *laughs*

Tony: When I moved to LA, it was for work, I had just come out of a company that went under in New York, so I had a lot of debt, so it was like focusing on work, and getting myself back on my feet. I like doing stuff outside, I mean at that point I lived at the beach, now I’m doing a lot of hiking, a lot of stuff outside when I can on the weekends. I just bought a bike. I need to clean it up so I can do stuff with it in the spring time.

Karl: You bought a bike? In LA?

Tony: Yeah, a crappy $60 bike, I’ll buy a better one when it gets, you know…

Karl: I’m mostly impressed you have room to store a bike.

Tony: I do. *laughs*

Karl: So you plan to do a lot of cycling here?

Tony: Well, I want to try some stuff out. I’m going through a transition, I’m going through a divorce, and I’ve lost some of the things that I like to do that I find important – and I want to see more of LA and not just be at home. So I’m trying to make different friends that like to go hike, or like to go do whatever. I’m also ok doing stuff by myself.

Karl: So you’re in a transitional period, rediscovering a social circle…

Tony: And myself too.

Karl: So tell me how that element of yourself has changed from ten years ago, from when you first moved here.

Tony: I used to go out a lot more when I was younger. I don’t go out much now, or rarely. Usually, now its more going out with friends, or someone talks me into going somewhere, and I mean in the clubbing sense. Before I would just go out to clubs, or go out by myself, or go out and meet people and that kind of stuff. Part of that was I didn’t know what to do with myself, I was also kind of coming out to myself, I was on active duty in the military at the time and I didn’t know other people that were like me at that point. So it was a lot of experimentation at that point too. And it was kind of fun, I mean, I went through heavy drinking periods at times in my life, and that was one of them.

Karl: I wouldn’t know anything about that.

Tony: I’m sure you wouldn’t, ’cause you’re at church on Sunday. Anyway, I went out a lot more by myself, and I don’t want to say it was only to hook up, it was for being out there, being with people, and the camaraderie and that kind of stuff, but now I’m probably a little more comfortable with myself also. So I want a little more connection with people, and not that light, I want it to be a little more meaningful. I mean I was younger then, your focus is a lot different.

Karl: Can you tell me how you feel about the changes you’ve seen here over the last ten years?

Tony: When I was younger and lived in San Diego, (and this is the ’90s), I’d come up to LA. West Hollywood was the dance clubs, and the people on the street, it was like Disneyland. It was crazy, it was something I hadn’t even conceived of. San Diego is a little more sleepy of a town, so it was completely different in the way the men looked and that kind of stuff. It was an eye-opening experience. Then I moved away, and came back, and now I’m older and the biggest change I’ve seen, if I go to the same clubs, is just how it doesn’t have a spark for me anymore. And I also really am aware of my age at that point. I don’t feel old inside my head, I look in the mirror, I still am the same guy, but when you go into a club and someone’s asking you what your major in college is and you’re in your 40’s, you start to get it.

Karl: Is that lack of spark due to your age or due to a changing demographic? Or maybe you’ve just been exposed to it for long, its not a big deal anymore?

Tony: It’s not a big deal, and I’m also looking for something a little different. But then I went out with a couple of friends and in West Hollywood, it wasn’t all just the dance bars, they’re starting to become, *pause* and I don’t want to call them old guy bars, but they were focused more on guys my age and it wasn’t loud blasting music, it was comfortable, nicely decorated, higher-end liquor, and they weren’t beating you down to buy shots, so they know the demographic has changed. In some ways it was comfortable and in other ways it was kind of scary to realize that that was where I was. You know, when I started checking the 40 to 45 box, you have to realize that your life is different.

Karl: Well, back then, the area was much more… hustler-centric, sort of rougher area, and its not like that anymore.

Tony: Having lived in New York, and I was younger then when I was here, and to start getting the exposure to a little more… I don’t want to say “seedy,” but just a part of life that I hadn’t seen before, I grew up in a small town in New Mexico, and I was in the Navy in San Diego, and overseas and whatever. I was going out with a guy from up here, and we’d go out, and we’d be driving down Santa Monica after the bars closed and seeing the hustlers roaming around, and Yukon Mining Company…

Karl: Which is closed!

Tony: I remember going to dinner there and seeing transvestites and hookers and it was so… not my experience. So now I was seeing this frequently, you know a lot of leather clubs and that kind of stuff, it was very exciting and different and new. Then I moved away to New York and was exposed to a lot of different things, and there… you get the roughness of the city and things are going on everywhere you go. And then I came back and West Hollywood was different. There were no more hustlers. Everything’s gone to the internet. While the internet existed before, it wasn’t being used the same way. People meet on the internet more now than they do at bars. And the police have done their part cleaning the area up. That was one of the first things I saw that was different… when you start looking around, just little things like there used to be a Don’t Panic store, and there were different stores that were selling gay stuff or whatever, and now they’ve become T-shirt shops or Pottery Barns.

Karl: Yeah, its weird, huh?

Tony: Its very different sales now because they know that people in the area live differently. I remember when the Pavilions on Santa Monica was very hook-up and roam-around, it was almost like a singles bar, and now it’s just completely like a Beverly Hills suburban grocery store with fancy cheeses and expensive wines. And that’s nothing bad, it’s just… different. And it’s also… when you talked to people about what the future was going to be like, and you project what the future is going to be like and what you think you’re going to be doing, this wasn’t it. Its not that it was good or bad, it just didn’t exist in my head.

Karl: Do you think there are different people in the area, or the same people have just grown older? I mean in my case, we moved here as young, going-out-y, drinkey people, and we’ve grown into a family. Do you think that’s what has happened to the area, or do you think that people got out-priced and its just attracted this new crowd?

Tony: Its all of the above. Part of it is people moved to West Hollywood because there were small houses, and people could afford to buy here, because no one else wanted to live here. And they came in, gentrified it, and it became safer, they started putting in little shops and became okay to live here. Well, what happens then is as other people are leaving, young couples started moving in because it was safe. Then the economy went crazy and real estate went crazy and people starting moving into the area because they could. That pushes out some of the other elements that are going on. If you’re a young family, or if you’re a 40-year-old gay man, you’re not going out to clubs that much, so its not going to keep that sustained. But you are going out for coffee, and going out to dinner…

Karl: And going out for Pottery Barn.

Tony: And going out for Pottery Barn. *laughs*

Karl: So is it a less interesting place now?

Tony: Ah… Less interesting? No, not less interesting because the group of people at my age that found it interesting when we were younger have different outlets now. Like I said, web stuff, or other clubs, Silverlake, there’s places and things for them to do. Less interesting for me? Well, no because, now while I check the 40 to 45 box, while movies and TV aren’t focused on me, West Hollywood is. That’s the age group of people that are here. Its guys that bought houses here when they were younger and still live here.

Karl: It seems to have lost some of its edge. Unless its just me, or maybe it’s you and I, I mean maybe we’re just older and we’re not in that edge anymore.

Tony: La Boheme… that kind of stuff wouldn’t of survived before. It has lost its edge because the people that moved in here became older or have families or whatever, and they don’t want that edge around them. Because Los Angeles is so much larger, there’s other places for people to be pushed into. San Francisco is a little bit different and they’re running up to it a little bit more where the families are arguing with the shops that have been in the Castro District for 20-years. They don’t want dildos and lube and things in the window because their kids ask them what it’s about. Well, you know, who was there first? You moved there, so, you know, they’re trying to work that out. We haven’t had to deal with that much in West Hollywood, in that sense, because there’s other places for people to go.

Karl: Well, it seems like the area has kind of commercialized that too. Well, society in general is kind of, a little more loose to that element I think. I mean, people don’t like, freak out anymore at the sight of a dildo, right?

Tony: It depends on who it is.

Karl: Do you think your life is better here? Do you miss New York?

Tony: I miss New York a lot, except when I hear about the snow storms or whatever, but its easy to look back on that fondly and say, “Oh the snow, it was beautiful, with my big coat, and my scarf.” I’d get home and it felt so good to get home, but there were days, when you’d do it everyday, when you were tired of the ice. And I do miss the nostalgia of when I was younger, and I do miss the nostalgia of when I was a little wilder and a little less knowledgeable about life, when everything was a new discovery. And I guess that’s what I miss about that part of West Hollywood. So is it better? Its better now because I do know better, well I don’t want to say that I do know better, it’s better now because I understand me better, and I was still discovering myself in my 20’s. And because the demo has changed, some areas are more focused toward what I’m interested in, so… yeah. Well, I miss the city life of being able to walk and get a coffee or walk and get a loaf of bread or whatever and not be tied to my car. And that’s part of the good things of West Hollywood that are still left, you can park you car and go out and have coffee or hit the grocery store or go have dinner. You still have that option, and that’s a very small thing in this city. The other part is, I don’t read as much. I had stuff in my bag all the time… every magazine I ever got, several books a month, just because I was on the subway. Now I sit in my car.

Now… with that said, looking back at the rosy wonderful things I do miss, I don’t miss having gone out ’till 2 in the morning and waiting for an hour and a half for the subway, underneath the ground where cold water is dripping on you…

Karl: What you hope is water.

Tony: *laughs* So those are the things that I miss about the city, and those are the things that I still like about West Hollywood, where you still can get that – and probably is why the area has grown.

Karl: Well, there’s talk about putting a subway station in the Beverly Center.

Tony: I think even more public transportation, that’s easy to use, is outstanding. San Diego, and I’ll use it as an example, San Diego started their trolley system, and there was this big debate about where to put the trolley system, so when they put the trolley in, they put it where they thought working people would need to use it to get to work and back and forth. Come to find out that they didn’t put enough in for people to go back and forth, but people still used it, it was usually people who didn’t have cars, it was just a bus transport. What makes the most sense to me is, build the public transportation that takes people, because we’re a tourist area, to where the tourist people want to go. Take ‘em to the zoo, take ‘em to the beach, then the tourists are going to keep the system going, and then as the system can grow, then you can add the other stuff. And so when San Diego added the line that went to the big mall, or going to the baseball game or the football stadium, that kind of stuff, when San Diego did it, ridership went up, and now they’re able to do a lot more. I don’t see that in LA, and a lot of it has to do with the area. But the closest way to take the subway to the beach, is to go to…

Karl: Redondo Beach station…

Tony: …and then walk the mile and a half, either take a bus or walk that, and I’ve seen kids doing it. Side two of what I loved about New York is I could go out and have a few drinks, or too many drinks, and then ride the subway home. Here, you drive your car there, and its like, my choice is, I’m going to leave my car in a bad area, 20-miles from my house, take a $50 cab-ride home, have someone bring me back, or take another $50 cab-ride, so you always talk yourself into, “I’m going to drive home.” So I don’t drink as much, which is a bad thing. If I could jump on a subway, I would do it. I tried taking it to work. It took me as long, I had to take two transfers. And then I didn’t have my car at work to run errands, go to lunch. AND… the added fun bonus of that is I had to drive to the train and pay for parking.

Karl: What would you change?

Tony: Parking! *laughs* I jokingly say, my cousin who’s gay says, “Why would anyone choose to be gay? The parking’s horrible?” When you think about it, everywhere that there’s an area… West Hollywood, Houston, San Diego, New York, the gay areas have the worst parking.

Karl: Its true, our parking sucks.

Tony: Yeah, I guess that also pushes people out too.

Karl: The parking, the traffic?

Tony: The traffic you kind of learn to deal with, I mean… I have friends who say, “I don’t know how you do that.” It doesn’t seem like that much to me. And I had an opportunity to move out of the area, and have an easier commute… and I chose not to, because I actually like where I am, so I guess that’s probably a good ending… given the choice, I choose to stay.

[Via http://art.accessmundane.com]

Consumer Compares Digital Voice Recorders (MP3 format, line-in option)

As a rule, I don’t review products. But after 10 years of fighting to find the right digital voice recorders, its time someone else avoided
waisting hundreds of dollars like I have.

Q: What’s the best MP3 recorder?

A: It depends on the purpose. I need three kinds of digital recorders in my work. The three intended purposes are: bootlegging live music (or recording my band / acoustic songwriting), high quality interviews for podcasts (or someday… editing my own episode of This American Life), and third – I need a simple and featureless MP3 recorder that I can put in the hands of children in an African village whose members have never even used door knobs or latch keys, and still end up with recordings. If you have seen the Flip Video Camera – it is so simple it achieves that goal for video. So why is there nothing like that for audio?

For Bootlegs and live music:

The expensive solution is the Edirol ($270 in 2010). For a cheap alternative (under $100) – You want an MP3 recorder with an external line input. The two companies to look at are the Cowon iAudio U2 and the iRiver T20/T30/T60. Unfortunately, the simplest and easiest models are out of print, so it’s Ebay or nothing now. I’ve used the 1GB iAudio U2 for years without trouble. I bought a $60 stereo lapel mic and plugged it into the 1/8" input.

For Interviews:

For transcribing, many MP3 players come with voice recorders. These are fine for recording yourself, but don’t expect to hear what the professor says in a room of 100. Look at using Dragon to auto-transcribe you audio notes – it is worth the expense. If you want to broadcast or podcast these interviews later, always use a lapel mic with a long wire. iAudio and iRiver are sufficient here. with a high quality stereo lapel mic clipped to my own collar or shirt pocket, I can record conversations 6 feet away with good enough quality for a podcast. Editing the audio is another hassle. If you have recommendations on editors – I’m all ears!

Note: I also used an Archos 20 GB MP3 recorder in 2003. It was fair but the hard drive inside created a lot of stray noise. Flash MP3 recorders are much quieter and had a longer battery life.

Simplest MP3 recorder:

None meet my standard yet, of being able to leave it with a novice who speaks another language and return with quality data, or any data. All of these offer too many options. The best feature of all is recording while listening to the levels on headphones. For conversations, nearly everyone can reposition the mic to improve the quality without any need to adjust levels, bitrate, etc. If I made a FlipCam MP3 audio recorder, I would default it to 128 kpbs 44kHz MP3 recordings and drop the ability to change these setting altogether. I would also make the device auto-offer to copy all recordings to your PC when you plug it in.

Overall recommendation?

I’ve tried several MP3 recorders and the Edirol is the best. Even the entry-level model has the best built-in mic I’ve ever heard. I insisted the office get a model with a line-in 1/8" mic jack but it was unnecessary. Our $300 mic isn’t any better than the built-in one you get for less than that.

The user interface is simple enough to use. Most people can use the edirol with coaching, but it looks complicated. One very smart person was at a loss when the hidden buttons on the back got switched from low to hi sensitivity on the mic. So it is too feature heavy for novices, and the search for a truly simple "hit play and stop" recorder continues.

But if you want to record field interviews in the Sahara and turn around and get a drum circle, this one will do both better than any other. I own 3 mics designed for each situation – but the Edirol does all three with a crazy-good amplifier. I usually have the input set at 25% sensitivity on the high-sens setting for conversations. Works even in buses and streets at 12%. At maximum sens you can spy on conversations down the street.

[Via http://chewychunks.wordpress.com]

Stones on a Roll

“We’ve got a thing for the industrial old building vibe.”

Down a long dusty road in the far distance, blurred by the heat, two bare-footed siblings gradually traipse into focus. The sister slinks casually in her sundress and wide-brimmed hat, gazing at the sky; the brother hides shyly behind a beard, bearing the masculine, weather-worn skin of a beach bum. This is how one might visualise ANGUS & JULIA STONE; world weary, laden with burdens and emotional baggage but tempered by their uplifting globetrotting experiences.

In his travels, Angus Stone seems to have adopted a local town’s quirks for his solo project, Lady of the Sunshine, evidenced by the recording of the album, Smoking Gun, in a concrete silo. Once again, with Julia this time for their new album Down the Way, it seems that recording in a less than conventional space is par for the course. “We’ve got a thing for the industrial old building vibe,” he admits. “There’s a place called Golant; it’s on a river fort and the only way to get to the [sawmill] studio is by boat on mid-tide, or you walk along the railway track. You walk in a line and it’s a bit like Stand By Me. That studio had a lot of moments and you could feel its presence.”

Angus displays a chameleon-like approach to touring, which may stem from his willingness to engage in cultural and musical events, sharing, “I think it’s important for you, as someone that’s playing the songs and doing the shows, to voice that you want some time after or before [performing] to chill and get to know the place or the music that’s being played.”

This approach seems to have given the duo enough focus and experience to naturally produce a second ethereal work of art. Angus explains, “sometimes you’re so close [to the album’s songs] it’s blurred. I think when you’re that close it’s because you’re focussing on the songs individually. That’s good because you’re really looking hard at the songs and asking how they make you feel… when you go in and you haven’t focussed on how you’re going to work the song, it’s naïve and raw and there’s a lot of honesty that comes through from that.”

Following last year’s quiet release of Smoking Gun it’s rewarding to see that true to his chameleon form, the dynamic with Julia has only strengthened. As Angus puts it, “we write so much, Julia and I, that with Lady of the Sunshine I had a couple of bags of songs that suited certain styles… I was keeping them stored for myself. But I think with Julia and I, anything we do with writing is only going to help.”

Angus and Julia have certainly proven their worth in musical weight with a beautiful follow up release. While the recording of the video clip for Big Jet Plane commences and triple j frequently rotates Black Crow, it’s easy to see that the coming year will be another goodie for the Stones.

Angus & Julia Stone perform at the ANU Bar on Tuesday March 16. Tickets through Ticketek.

Author: Peter Rosewarne

Angus & Julia Stone – Silver Coin

[Via http://ahasbeenthatneverwas.wordpress.com]

Jeremy C. Shipp

jeremy c. shipp

what is your name?

My name is Jeremy C. Shipp. Some call me Jer-Bear. The clowns in my attic call me Dinner. But they’re only kidding. I think. I hope.

how would you describe what you do?

I write weird stories from my heart, my mind, my soul, my gut, my spleen. I also spend quite a bit of time living my life in a semi-haunted farmhouse with my wife, my kittens, the aforementioned clowns, and an army of yard gnomes.
what are you currently working on?

I’m living and breathing a new story collection called Fungus of the Heart. Also, I’m creating a few new novels, a comic script, a short film, and other projects.
what has had the greatest influence on your work?

Playing pretend with my brothers as a kid. We would come up with complicated plots and complex characters and we would have fun living in a strange world for a while. And I’m still having a blast doing this. Only now people call me a weird little writer instead of a weird little kid.
what is the greatest misconception about you or your work?

Most people who read my tales understand the meaning of my work. But there are those who hear that I write dark fiction, and assume that I’m an evil person with evil intentions. Some people seem to believe that those who write about disrespectful behaviors are somehow condoning those behaviors. But when I write a dark tale, I’m showing people the horrifying consequences of sexism or racism or hierarchical thought, etc. I’m doing what I can do shine a light on the darkness. I’m trying to do my small part to make our world a better place.

what do you see as the main strengths and weaknesses of the medium you work in?

primarily, I write weird tales, and utilizing such a medium, I can take my readers to strange, unbelievable worlds. And when my characters react to the unbelievable in believable ways, then my characters help to suspend the disbelief of my readers. I don’t really think about art in terms of weakness. Every medium is different, with different powers.
how has technology impacted upon the work you do?

I tend to write about the horrors spawned by civilization and technology, at times, plays a part in those horrors. And so, technology affects the subject matter of my work. In addition, technology is constantly changing the way people read my stories.

what’s the greatest piece of advice you would like to pass on?

Advice for aspiring writers: Never give up.

Advice for everyone in the world: Never tickle an attic clown.

where can we find you online?

http://www.jeremycshipp.com

http://www.twitter.com/JeremyCShipp

http://www.facebook.com/JeremyCShipp

And you can read a bunch of free stories of mine here:

http://jeremycshipp.com/onlinestories.htm
what are you reading at the moment?

A bunch of Bizarro books, as well as Breathers by S.G. Browne, Holes by Louis Sachar, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, Callahan’s Crosstime Saloon by Spider Robinson, and a couple others.
what are you listening to at the moment?

A Fine Frenzy, Anathallo, The Innocence Mission, Regina Spektor, Yusuf Islam, the theme song from Mr. Belvedere and Charles in Charge.

anything else we should know?

You should know:

1. I have stories forthcoming in Cemetery Dance, Apex Magazine, and other wonderful publications.

2. Boo Berry is more dangerous than he looks.

3. Vicki, from Small Wonder, is secretly plotting to destroy all of humankind.

4. Hedgehogs love to eat carrots.

5. The sound of one hand clapping is: PLINK PLINK PLINK.

[Via http://intoviews.wordpress.com]

Interviews/Employment

It’s not enough to just apply for jobs, even though that’s important. You need to thoroughly prepare for the entire hiring process, so you can ace the interview and secure a job offer. These resources, including interview questions and answers, interview attire, types of job interviews, interview tips, thank you letters, following up, background checks, and salary negotiations, will help you get hired.

1. Types of Interviews
2. How to Interview
3. Job Interview Tips
4. Interview Questions / Answers
5. Interview Attire
6. Thank You Letters
7. Interview Follow Up
8. References
9. Background Checks

1. Job Offers
2. Wages and Salary
3. Employee Benefits
4. Employee Privacy
5. Employment Information
6. Fired / Termination From Employment
7. Resignation
8. Unemployment

Types of Interviews

It’s important to be aware of the various types of job interviews, so you’re prepared to effectively interview. Here are all the details on behavioral interviews, exit interviews, group interviews, phone and video interviews, second interviews, and dining interviews.

• Behavioral Interviews
• Dining Interviews
• Exit Interviews
• Group Interviews
• Individual Interview

• Informational Interview
• Phone Interview
• Second Interview
• Teen Interview Tips
• Video Interview

How to Interview

Successful interviewing is essential to getting a job offer. That means practicing interview questions and answers, dressing in appropriate interview attire, and, being able to present your skills and experience to a prospective employer.

• Job Interview Guide
• Acing the Interview
• Video: How to Impress the Interviewer
• Behavioral Interviewing
• Interviewing in Public
• Interviewing While Dining

• Non-Verbal Interviewing Skills
• Second Interviews
• Successful Interviewing
• Top Interview Blunders
• Video: Preparing For an Interview
• Video: Interview Body Language

Job Interview Tips

Job interviewing never seems to get any easier – even when you have gone on more interviews than you can count. Review these interview tips and suggestions so you can dazzle your potential employer and ace the interview.

• Job Interview Tips
• Interview Etiquette
• Interviewing in Public
• Job Interview Tips Videos
• Check Out the Company
• Handle a Panel Interview
• Improve Your Interview Technique
• Lunch and Dinner Interviews

[Via http://blog.localjobs.com]

Better Know a Farm Manager: Peter Beck MC '12

When Peter Beck wanted to learn about organic farming, he went to the source: Eliot Coleman’s Four Seasons Farm in Maine. Coleman is the author of New Organic Grower, the text by which countless sustainable farms (including our own Yale Farm) are run. Now Peter works at the Farm, where all this winter he’s been heading up our crop planning in preparation for the spring and summer. Peter also loves the local cheese store/restaurant Caseus so much that he eats there at least once every couple of weeks! Here’s an interview with a guy who really loves food and farming:

Peter Beck/Morse/2012/Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

What made you want to be a farm manager?
I wanted to be a Farm Manager to learn more about running, teaching at, and working on a small-scale organic farm.

What’s your favorite vegetable?
Brussels Sprouts.

What’s your favorite dish to cook?
Pasta alla carbonara or pollo al mattone.

What fruit or veggie best typifies you?
Kale (hmm, I’m not sure if kale actually typifies me [or what that means], but I do love to eat it).

Describe a fun/hard/exceptional story from working at the Farm.
After the Young Farmer’s Conference in New York, Jacki and I brought back seeds from a heritage wheat plant that has been out of fashion for a half a century (at least). We planted a few of them way too late in the season in a back corner of our North hoophouse, not thinking anything would come up. After getting back from winter break, we saw every one of the seeds had sprouted, and we’ll have our first very very small crop of experimental wheat plants this spring to make a pound of flour for a truly Yale Farm pizza.

What’s your favorite food cause? Why?
My favorite food cause may be that of the incredibly hardworking English (and Naked) chef Jamie Oliver. His goal is so simple and so achievable: teach more people about food and cooking. That’s it — no patronizing moral or cheffy pretension. There are a lot of interesting and important causes out there related to food and sustainability, but I really think that Jamie is on to something important. If more people cook, enjoy, and appreciate food, then those family cooks and amateur food-lovers will fix many of the problems with our food system themselves.

Tell us about other work you’ve done in the world of food and farming.
I spent a year cooking in restaurants in Tuscany and Rome, and spent the summer farming for Eliot Coleman at his Four Season Farm in Maine, before starting work at the Yale Farm this fall. Most importantly though, I cook as often as I can, for friends and family, at school and at home.

[Via http://yalesustainablefoodproject.wordpress.com]

The man, the myth HENRY ROLLINS

 

Hey all, here is a interview i did with henry rollins, a huge influence on me.  Unfortunately, i didnt get a chance to ask more questions. So im a little bit bummed out about how it turned out. Anyway some interesting response’s none the less.  I hope you enjoy it.  Keep reading!

 

How are you? And what’s happening over your side of the world?
I just finished a lot of shows in Europe and am about to start a lot of shows in America. I have been travelling all over for several weeks and it’s been very interesting, frustrating and everything else.

You are coming to Australia soon, on your talking tour. Not to give away any secrets, but can you tell me a little about what you might want to talk about?
I will talk about a lot of the places I have been to and things happening in America with our unending bullshit.

What do you think about the Australian Government trying to filter the internet (like China do) in this country and Iran banning Google Gmail. We will have one of the highest level of filtration anywhere in the world?
I must say, I am surprised and very disappointed. I would think that Rudd would have made better decisions than to treat his people like sheep. Truly, Australia is one of the last places you would think this kind of thing would happen. I have been following it all online and the hacker crew are very inspiring.

How do you form your talks? Is there any method to the madness?
Yes, much method. I don’t want to go onstage and waste anyone’s time. I plan out what I want to say and get into it. I think some planning is the right idea; otherwise, things can go sideways.

You seem like a pretty unapologetic man, is there anything you regret saying or doing?
How are you staying fit at the moment? Do you still lift weights?
 I have made many mistakes. I would rather take the beating than have regret. I train about 5 days a week with weights and cardio.

Do you listen to much music? Is so what have been listening to lately? Any Australian bands you know and like?
I have a radio show. I am always checking out bands whenever possible. I am listening to a lot of music from a thing called The Nurse With Wound List. A lot of interesting stuff that I have never heard before. I will be getting Kim Salmon’s new album when I get there as well as Rowland Howard’s last one.

My girlfriend talks about the Melbourne hardcore scene in 2002/3 and how much fun it was to go to shows with friends and have a good time. But it’s since changed; people are judged for what they wear, who they know, how long they’ve been “in the scene”, etc. where do you, if at all, think hardcore went wrong?
I think any scene falls prey to that kind of thing. It’s what happens when things get too familiar, the contempt sets in and you start commenting on clothing. I say just go to the show and have a great time, past that, it’s a little too precious to waste time on. Life is short.

As i understand it Ian MacKaye early on dabble in a zine? Did you ever work on or do your own zine?
I don’t know that about Ian. I do my own zine, all my books are nothing but overgrown zines.

Do you ever get nostalgic about early days of hardcore? The confrontation of the music (ideals) and the frontier culture you and the early hardcore bands started? Or just the unknown element to it all?
I have fond memories of the early days of the DC scene. Things were small and you knew that it was happening and it was a great thing to be a part of when being young. Youth is a great thing, knowing that you have so much life ahead of you and that so much is still to come. Holding onto that curiosity is the challenge of adulthood, I think. It has been for me.

Do you feel there is a band, from the early hardcore days, that has slipped under the radar and you feel more people should know about?
That scene has been pretty well documented. I can’t think of any band that is not on some site somewhere.

What piss’s you off lately?
My country’s inability to allow its residents to have a decent health care plan so they don’t have to live in fear of getting sick.

What do you think of Obama’s administration?
I think he walked into a bad situation. I wish he was a lot more forceful. He will never make friends with those who oppose him and he keeps trying. Meanwhile, time is wasting. He put more soldiers into Afghanistan, I don’t like that. I don’t want to be in Iraq anymore, Gitmo either. Things are not moving in the direction I want them to. That’s a lot to do with Democrats not having the spine to get things done. I think Obama could be a four year president. 

I just finished watching season 2 of Sons of Anarchy. Which is an awesome show, so congratulations. How was it being a part of that? And was it difficult filming that rape scene?
It was a great thing for me. I had a great time, the cast and crew were great. The rape scene was over quickly thankfully. It was the best time I have ever had in an acting job.

Have you ever questioned your ability to control your own life? And felt helpless? If so when?
I can’t think of a situation in my life where I felt that way. I guess that would be an addiction situation or something? I have had some hard times as we all have but I handled it and am still here.

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