m(o)use droppings

Thanks KCRW and J.Rocc.
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Man oh man the Dum Dum Girls keep getting better and better.
Their new album Only in Dreams is a manic pop thrill.
Love, desperation and buzzy guitars, what more could you ask for?
If you don't believe me, (and why should you?) check out the album stream here.
Dum Dum Girls - Only in Dreams by subpop
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I recently posted a live set by New York skatepunks Cerebral Ballzy, since then they've dropped their debut album and just released a video for the song On the Run.
The youngsters salute their roots with a backyard pool and wide board shredding from the likes of Christian Hosoi, Lance Mountain, Mike McGill and Salba.
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Wugazi combines the lyricism of the Wu-Tang Clan with the hard hitting sonics of Fugazi - a ballsy move I can't believe hasn't happened sooner.
With the album 13 Chambers, Cecil Otter and Swiss Andy have created the best mashup since Dangermouse got his cease and desist notice for the Grey Album, a shotgun wedding between the Beatles White Album and Jay-Z's Black Album.
I take that back, Wugazi is better than the Grey Album.
According to their website, "Cecil Otter is an emcee & producer, and one of the founding members of Doomtree. He has contributed to over a dozen records. His most recent full-length, Rebel Yellow, was re-released by Sage Francis for Strange Famous Records. He’s now recording his solo project, Porcelain Revolver.
Swiss Andy is a musician & producer residing in Minneapolis. He has been a contributor to several bands including The Millionth Word, Field Guide and The Swiss Army. He is currently working on a remix of Rebel Yellow."
Here's a Soundcloud stream:
Wugazi • 13 Chambers by WUGAZI
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I just had a man called Adam from a company called Virtual PC Doctors call me to tell me that the Christchurch earthquake had shaken the shit out of the internet and slowed it down.
Weird that. However, Adam said if I turned on my computer he could talk me through getting back up to speed.
All of a sudden I smelled a scam.
To be honest it it wasn't the most pleasant smell either.
Aside from preying on the vulnerability of those who aren't quite up to speed on the internet's underbelly, Adam was using the death and destruction of the Christchurch earthquake as a tool of manipulation.
I'm not the first person to be cold called by VPD. Click here to see a scam baiter playing along with them.
Back to me.
Adam assured me that although his call sounded like it was coming from afar, he was actually based in my home town and even gave me a local phone number and a street address so I could call to verify his legitimacy.
Despite me telling him I wasn't about to turn my computer on just so he could remotely introduce malware into my world he kept insisting he wasn't selling me anything.
He also kept repeating that he had to be on the up and up because he'd given me a phone number and I could put him on hold and call the company on my cell phone.
I suggested I should come round and see him personally at the address he'd given me, but he said it was better to phone.
We'd probably still be going round and round in circles now if it wasn't for the fact that when I said we were a Mac only household.
At that point Adam lost interest in me.
It would seem that the earthquake only had it in for internet users who run PCs.

As well as having a twisted, but cool name, New York skate punks Cerebral Ballzy make an awesome racket. They play it fast and furious, with tongues firmly in their cheeks.
Their debut album is about to drop soon but in the mean time stream this live show from May 2011.

Live at the Macbeth May 7th 2011 by cerebralballzy

So Prime Minister John Key is telling those taken aback by the possible return of youth rates to hold their horses.
There's talk of the reintroduction of an $8 per your youth rate - with the modern definition of youth being anyone under the age of 25.
Key and his Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson seem to be playing that favourite of Tory games - throw out the worst possible scenario, then when you drop your intended policy it seems like a you're being compassionate and listening to the electorate.
On the Stuff website Key was quoted as saying 'youth rates were a "theoretical possibility" but not a "high probability".'
Which means we'll go there if we think we can get away with it.
Apparently paying young people less is an important tool in tackling youth unemployment.
Actually in times of high unemployment youth rates just give employers a reason to dump workers when they come of age and sign up another batch of freshies.
Yeah, but surely employers wouldn't go down that road you say.
It would be a waste of the money they invest in training etc.
Well, I used to work for a newspaper where we often took calls from fast food workers who suddenly found themselves getting out and being assigned fewer and fewer shifts once they were due an age-related pay rise.
National's 90-day employment trial period legislation makes it even easier for bosses to do it too.
Actually seeing youth rate supporter, ACT founder and current MP, Sir Roger Douglas interviewed on television drew me to the conclusion we should forget youth rates and perhaps introduce a seniors rate.
Sir Roger looked like he'd just been woken up.
After all, if you can't lift or carry as much as your younger colleagues, or like a bit of a mid afternoon siesta, perhaps that should be reflected in your pay packet.
The money saved could be redistributed to job creation at the other end of the scale.
Extreme?
Well, I'm just throwing it against the wall to see if it sticks.

HELLACLIPS EXCLUSIVE! ALEX PERLESON - FIRST EVER TAILGRAB 900 from Hellaclips on Vimeo.

Steve Alba tells Jeff Grosso about Upland Skatepark and the good old Badlands days.

The Grinderman clip for Mickey Mouse and Goodbye Man is disturbing, slightly shocking and very very good.

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two by Beastie Boys

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